as chaff before the wind How the Lord hath answered them will appear first by some Queries 1. Had Charls Stewart sent an Army to Hispaniola and ten of the Spaniards had kill'd an hundred of them a hundred a thousand Whether people would not have said God's curse was upon that action 2. Had Charls Stewart to satisfie his pride and lust put the Nation to some millions of expence to keep a great Fleet about the Straits and after some yeers a part had return'd bringing nothing back but shame and dishonor to the nation Whether people would not have said This action likewise was l Isa 43.28 given to the curse 3. If Charls Stewart for the business at the Isle of Ree and violating some Priviledges of Parliament c. was fairly dealt with VVhether other men after him should they doe worse might not be call'd to such an account 4. If that Parliament and High Court of Justice which arraigned Charls Stewart deserved much love and prayse of the nation for it What deserve they and are worthy to have that shall betray their publick Trust by giving up to one man the Power Laws Rights and Priviledges of People and Parliament 5. If Charls Stewart in three or four yeers had unnecessarily wasted more then 4. Millions of the Treasure of the nation and in that time had destroyed more then forty thousand mens lives and only for his own pleasure and afterward should have gotten a pack of his own creatures together who in Parliament as he would call it should justifie and confirm what he had done The question is Whether in this case there had been any way or means left to the people whereby they might lawfully and justly have call'd Charls Stewart and his Juncto to an account for the same A * Pro. 28.3 poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food Morsus macri pediculi pessimus the biting of a LEAN LOVSE is worst of all sayth Lyra on the place I have read of a great man being bitten of a weasel and understanding there was no hope of cure nothing griev'd him more at the hour of his death then to think it was a weasels biting had it been said he a LYONS BITING it would not have troubled me half so much 2. What is it that crafty men by their power and policy have lately effected I say since Gods people have prayed aginst them what have they brought forth save wind and vanity m Psa 7.14 Behold he travelleth with painful iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth a lie As a woman after sore and hard travel is delivered of a dead childe so hath been the fruit of their painful travel Their affairs and transactions almost in all places and in all things have been like a sword put into the scabberd the wrong way the more force power craft the worse And no marvel seeing they are going the wrong way viz. against Christ and the cries of his people VVhat is become of that THING which was like Queen Mary's goodly Boy Did not the Priests in their Pulpits describe it and pray for it VVhat is become of the Boyes nurse A nurse many times is more fond of the child she sucks then the mother that bare it 3. It appears the Lord heard their groanings by sending n Judg. 9.23 an evil spirit among the Plotters of iniquity to divide them and that they should seek o 2 Chr. 20.23 to destroy one another VVhen Amnon had his desire upon his sister p 2 Sam. 13.15 he hated her the more So Hypocrites commonly most abhor such men as doe prostrate themselves to their sinful designs when they have served their lusts upon them 4. It shewed Saul was in great extremity having destroyed the witches that he should yet goe to one of them and make use of their devilish art Oh! how desperately straitned are those men and know not what to doe having fought against Malignants and Cavaleers against Epispopal men and Presbyterians shall afterward run to them court them and crouch to them as seeing no way else to be help'd q Judg. 11.7 Did ye not hate me and expel me out of my fathers house and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress Thirdly Prayer hath been made without ceasing that Gods elect every where might forsake all unsanctified places and standings and that their feet might be turned into the pleasant paths of truth and righteousness and in this likewise they have seen the travel of their souls For 1. Very many of the most conscientious people every where have given up their commissions places offices Salaries c. r Heb. 11.25 Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season If a man have a thing in his mouth though he like it well for the sweetness of it yet he will not keep it there but spit it out when he knows it is naught and hurtful so will good men do specially if their hearts be very soft and tender forsake all places offices imployment maintenance c. which they see they cannot hold without scandal and offence though much worldly sweetness doth come in thereby And this is indeed that great lesson of Å¿ Mat. 16.24 Self-denial and t Mat. 18.8 9. Mortification which Christ teacheth us 2. There are some who wanting faith to trust God for a livelihood lie under sad affliction and trouble of spirit about their places and imployments u 2 Kin. 5.18 When my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my self in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing as if he should say I do not like my place that I should be so nigh the King when he is in the Temple at his idolatrous worship I question the lawfulness of my presence there but if I do it not I must lose my place and then I shall not live in that credit plenty state pomp which now I do It seems Naaman knew not the Scriptures how x Psa 57.16 a little y Eccl. 4.6 a handful a Pro. 17.1 a dry morsel b Pro. 15.17 a dinner of herbs well gotten and with quietness and peace of conscience and the fear of God is better then great revenues without right and with the trouble of a tormented conscience But Naaman knew not this if he had probably he would not as I doubt too many do c Prov. 28.21 Transgress'd for a piece of bread 3. For many which keep their places and employment though they seem satisfied as to their standing yet the query is Are they satisfied as to their Masters DOINGS d 1 Sam. 15 14. What meaneth then the bleating of the Sheep in mine ears With whom can you converse if they have not lost all former principles
THE TIME OF FINDING Shewing When the Lord will be FOUND and by whom and when there will be NO TIME of Finding also the Persons are describ'd who shall not finde the Lord though they seek him with tears Likewise Some Reasons why the Lord hath suffered his work and GOOD OLD CAUSE to be stopt and how it shall certainly be REVIV'D again Also Something is here shewed about the manner how it shall be reviv'd and the Time when By JOHN CANNE Numb 23.21 23. Jehovah his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought London Printed for Livewel Chapman at the Crown in Popes head-Alley 1658. To the Faithful of the Land every where Mourning and waiting for the APPOINTED TIME OF FINDING under the name of FIFTH-MONARCHY-MEN and COMMON-VVEALTHS-MEN PRECIOUS WITNESSES for your God and Country THe neerer I am still the Throne of Grace the more is your present condition upon my heart and truly this I can say it hath been very seldome since I began this WORK but poor Zion a Jer. 30.17 Whom no man seeketh after hath been all along in my eye It is b Isa 62.1 for Zions sake I cannot hold my peace c Isa 60.1 untill the glory of the Lord be risen upon her Now is the time that d Mal. 3.16 they who fear the Lord should speak often one to another and strengthen the hands which hang down and feeble knees I shall not say any thing of the THING it self what is of God shall stand only a few words what hath mov'd me to send THIS as a LOVE-TOKEN to all the Friends of the Bridegroom First I have observ'd of late that the Interest of Christ and his People the GOOD OLD CAUSE is not methinks so lively and HEARTY upon some mens spirits as formerly it was but either some disappointment of time Mat. 25.5 or the Bridegroom 's tarrying long hath occasioned a little deadness and faintness in some Choyce Ones Now that I may speak to the heart of these Wherefore should there be any CASTING DOWN Isa 40.2 Is not your warfare accomplished and the day of the Lamb come Therefore O ye worthies g Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen your hearts wait I say on the Lord. If a traveller by reason of a long journey be almost tyr'd yet when he coms neer the place where he would be and sees it hard by this will put new strength into him again I have in this Treatise not only exprest my opinion that the Lord is REVIVING HIS WORK but have given some reasons for it what incouragement and refreshing the Lords people shall have by it a little time will shew For I am very confident as the Lord will suddenly check and blast all ways of falshood and deceitful pretenders to his Holy Secrets so he will shew a TOKEN OF GOOD to what is his own and is given forth by his Spirit concerning the Kingdom and Time Secondly As I know h Prou. 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation and i Prov. 29.2 When the Righteous are in Authority the People rejoyce so my desire and prayer to God is that every yoke may be broken the oppressed go free and violence be heard no more in our Land Indeed we did expect before now to have seen better days and were in a hopeful way to have had England k Isa 1.26 call'd the City of Righteousness the faithful City by having Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning Now I do not doubt but we shall have our Civil Rights Liberties and Priviledges more full and free and better then ever any men had since England was a Nation Is any thing too hard for God to do cannot he raise up a Generation of faithful men and l Pro. 31.8 open their mouths for the dumb and in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction that is for him that hath not ability to speak for himself by reason of his simplicity unfitness or impediment in his speech or dare not speak for fear of his Potent Adversary I finde in our Chronicles how a Cardinal told the Pope * Speed Hen. 3. p. 624. That England was to the Pope as BALAAMS ASS which being so often wrong'd and cudgel'd it was no marvel if at length she open'd her mouth to complain What though * Here Gods judgment is a great deep that England should be the Beast or Asse on which must ride the Balaams or Heads of both Apostasies England have been an ASS and dumb a long while yet who can tell but after so often wrong'd and cudgeld she may speak and complain at last But more seriously that England hath been a while dumb I do not take the cause to be at least principally of any power or policy in men or fearfulness which hath surpriz'd the Nation but in order to the fulfilling of some Decree and Counsel of God and Scripture-Prophesies which were to be accomplished at this time the which time being expired such multitudes will stand up for their freedom and Civil-Rights that were the Enemies ten times more and stronger then they are they would signifie nothing Hence take notice of the blindness and folly of some men for if the time of Englands deliverance be not come there needs not such gathering of horse and foot together For I am confident the Lovers of ENGLANDS-LIBERTIE will be no secret plotters they scorn it neither will they move till the Lord by some signal Providence plainly shews that the time is come and when that is vain will be the help of man to frustrate the good purpose and work of God That Doctrine then which the Army us'd to preach to the Long Parliament will be often repeated by the people To punish only instruments St. Albans Declarat No. 16. 1648. p. 50. and let the head by whose power and in whose interest all hath been done not only go free but stand in perpetual priviledge and impunity to head such instruments again as oft as he can find opportunity and get any to serve him is a way so far far from security as it leads indeed to endless trouble and hazard or to perfect loss of all Again in point of Justice with what Conscience inferior ministers can be punished and the principal set free FOR OUR PARTS VVE UNDERSTAND NOT NEITHER DOE VVE KNOVV ANY GROUND OR REASON TO EXEMPT KINGS FROM HUMANE JUSTICE It is a maxime in the Civil Law Si quis ff quod quisque Juris c. That of right every man should be judg'd by such Laws as himself hath practised against others Thirdly What I have spoken about Professors I have plain enough exprest my meaning I only intend Backsliders who by their Covenant-breaking Hypocrisie and Falshood have made the Profession
no King but Caesar Take notice Reader this is an old stratagem of the Devil and a lesson which he hath taught his children in all ages that is to be like a cunning thief who in the croud cryes Stop the thief stop the thief not caring who is taken so himself may escape that hath done the robbery When Balak would have Balaam come to him to curse the Lord's people he conceals the truth of Israels case and carriage makes no mention how the Lord had of old a Gen. 15.18 promised them the land of Canaan nor how the Canaanites wickedness was grown so great that b Lev. 18.24 25. the land should spue them out neither speaketh he of their sore oppression bondage in Egypt miraculous deliverance from thence nor how Israel being come out had not harmed either Edom or Moab but c Deut. 2.4.8 9 13. passed by them in peace and warred only with the cursed Canaanites devoted to destruction all these things Moab knew as well as d Num. 20.14 15. Edom but here he is silent and what he doth report is most false e Num. 22.5 Behold there is a people come out from Egypt behold they cover the face of the Earth and they abide over against me As if he should say there is an uncivil and barbarous people come up from Egypt who they are I know not but they plunder and destroy the Countryes where they come and they are now waiting an opportunity to invade us and turn us out of our lawful possessions Are not our enemies and Moab here alike Doe they not altogether conceal the case and carriage of Christs faithful witnesses where doe they fairly and honestly report their principles and judgment But f Psa 35.11 lay to their charge things they never knew I have in part shewed what they hold and what they desire to have This I shall add as g Prov. 15.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation not craft policy power or making an other house so they would have all oppressions and grievances taken away no man to be committed or detayn'd in prison at the will and pleasure of any man they would not have the blood and treasure of the Nation spilt and spent to serve any mans lust they would have the theevish Lawyers supprest they would have those righteous things done which the Army promised And if Charls Stewart justly suffered and his family too for exercising an arbitrary and unlimited power they know no reason why any man if he govern worse then the King did should be suffered 4. Another help is a Mercenary Army But of these men I need not say much for the Nation knows them too well A hedge-hog seems to be a poor silly creature yet being full of bristles and prickles a man may be shrewdly hurt by it I cannot for the present think of a comparison fitter or truer It 's become a HEDG-HOG indeed a poor silly thing it hath no beauty comliness credit honor c. only bristles and prickles to wound the interest of Christ and his people 5. But who think'st thou Reader brings up the Rear Even Wizards and South-sayers another of Satans tricks to deceive poor people There is to be in our days a certain Conqueror an Emperour he must be saith another parasite descended from the Princely race of North-Wales who shall destroy the Pope and the Turk and most part of the world bear the Imperial rule at Sea reform the Church settle peace and nothing shall stand in his way and that this is true many Magicians Sorcerers and British Bards are reckoned up who above 1000. years agoe spake of it and several Honorable Titles he is to have saith a later Wizard about July next It grieves my Soul to see our profession Religion and the Holy Name of God thus abus'd and prophan'd by the vilest instruments the Devil hath But the Scripture must be fulfill'd h 2 Thes 11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness i Psa 1.17 As he loved cursing so let it come upon him as he delighted not in the blessing so let it be far from him It was a righteous thing with God to give up Ahab to his false Prophets and by their lies to destroy him having refused to hearken to the Lords Servants so when men wil not follow the Counsel of God but cast his Word and Law behind their back what more just then to leave them to Wizards and Star-gazers to be blinded harnded by them and prepared for slaughter I have read somewhere of one Athol a Scots man being told by a Sorceress that he should be crowned in a great concourse of people believing the witch to make way for the crown he kil'd James 1. Now there was some truth in what the Witch had told him for being brought upon a Scaffold for this treason and Murder a crown of red hot Iron was set upon his head and so he miserably perished many thousands looking on So may they be crown'd that seek it in such a way Much more might be said concerning the Lords answering the cries and sighing of his people in the discovery of these men viz. their devouring skin bones and all by NEW TRICKS so the Thief hath the true mans purse he cares not how he gets it k Pro. 28.15 As a roaring Lion and a ranging Bear so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people that is the right which he pleadeth is nothing but might the mercy he shews is onely where he cannot shew more cruelty and whatsoever he takes away most unjustly from poor people he saith It is his right and he must and will have it Again the Lawyers never tormented poor men more then now the old Superstitious Priests how are they thumming over the English Mass again so in many parts of the Land their Malignant Justices persecuting honest men under the name of conventicles putting in execution the bloody Laws of the Beast enacted for the suppression of the truth other things are too FOUL to be named Herod feared John for his piety and strict walking so did Saul fear David But no man needs to fear this Generation of men for holiness justice righteousness Indeed for the contrary there is cause enough but howsoever in this Gods people may take comfort for thus it is promised k Mic. 4.10 Thou shalt go even to Babylon THERE shalt thou be delivered THERE the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies I hope we shall never be brought neerer Babylon then we are Secondly They have prayed that the Lord would not bless or prosper the designs of the froward and crafty who to set up their own interest have betrayed the cause of Christ but that k Psa 83.13 He would make them as a rolling thing