Yeere of his Age He was no sooner Marryed but hee Doted and had a speciall gift in flattering himselfe Excluâ—a Nobilitate And those about him few or none of the Nobility the worst he could pick from cut of the Cities or Country quickly learnt the Court-Art and could flatter as well as their King but none more accurately then the Priests could doe They told their King he might doe what he listed he was King and his will was the Law Thereafter he might punish and might pardon and bestow his honours as he would and not as the Common Law wills but saies the Author all as hee wills so it must bee will was Law and King both and Commands all What a miserable Confusion was here The face of the Kingdome quite changed Nobles could not be heard nor the Law neither and good Men were Silent Some base Men or quite degenerate had the eare of their King and his heart and commanded his hand and they did all till they had almost undone all for they Monopolized the Common good of all the Subjects their King They Ingrossed his heart that deare Commodity So as That which should be as Rivers of water to Refresh the whole Kingdome they made as a sealed fountaine quite shut-up to all honest Men and open to c. In the Nick of Time there came an Ambassadour out of England if I well remember to treat of Peace and to seale it with a Marriage when the Prince and Princesse should come to age So great a businesse required consultation The King calls a Parliment He with his wicked Counsell has his end satisfaction of a Private will and to enlarge Private wealth The Nobles and Commons have their end the Common-wealth the publike Faith and Trust of the Kingdome They are all assembled the Lord Douglasse a faithfull Minister of State is their Speaker his Speech is long that which relates to the present is short He tells them wherefore they were called together what their Kings end what theirs the Kings businesse requires no haste the matters of the Kingdome does he opens unto them the sinke of the Court shewes the Nobles and Commons their Vassalage under these the vilest persons who stanke all the Kingdome over We are Nobles sayes he ye and we are a free people yet if we looke not to it quickly we must be made servants to the basest Masters the lusts of our King and his favourites who have stollen away our King his heart is gone quite alienated from his friends and betrayed to his enemies No sooner this was spoken and his speech ended but out he and the rest went Nobles and Commons and to the Court gate What is the mattes sayes the King We will plucke the evill Counsellours from your side said they The Question was quick the Answer was as quick They will have their demands and they have them those evill Counsellours the Plague and Pests of the King and Kingdome all but one and he was a youth too ingenuous to learne the art so quickly is spared at the request of the King but all the rest are given over unto them and they as quickly hang them up How did they doe for Ropes That might be a question indeed being so neare the Court gates Vt câ—m funes in re subâ—ta decsseâ—â— They made an honest shift for they hanged these evill men up with their horses bridles Perfidious Scots said some three years agoe Honest Scots say I and shall say so till I read and finde the contrary They will bestirre themselves when they see a Kingdome neare to ruine There is not the like story but a very notable one of Dursthus their eleventh King mentioned befoâ—e hee was slaine in battell by his owâ—e subjectâ— They â—re blamed for it to this day that they brake their Oath with their King No they did not he brake with them and was the most perfidious King that you shall read of in any Chronicle The case is plaine and the manner of resistance cleared to be as becommeth Israel then and now But all Israel comes not in now as they did then to help the LORD against the Mighty There will be excellent Reason given for this in the next Chapter CHAP. 8. Mans extremity is Gods opportunity David had a glorious deliverance when he was made meet for it So shall the Church have when their adversaries have filled up their measures When Gods People are purified in their furnace then their God will send them glorious Saviours and a glorious Salvation In the meane time they hold fast their confidence DAvids helpers came-in he was raised to a glorious condition here on earth the Crowne was set upon his head presently and there is mighty Reason why it was so His head was made meet for a Crowne he was fitted for deliverance All his strong holds were downe all his Altars the lying vanities whereto he trusted were as Chalke stones that are beaten asunder Isa 27.8 He was greatly distressed forsaken of all humane helps refuge failed all is gone and all the discouragements in the world were upon him yet at such a time he fainted not but encouraged himselfe in the LORD his GOD Then he could exalt GOD in that day Psal 18.12 he could say of Him Thou art my strength my Rocke my Fortresse c. he called upon the LORD in that day SO he was saved from his enemies and from the hand of Saul 2 Sam. 22. Our case is otherwise our helpers come-not-in as to David all as one man we are yet greatly distressed True you will say in some quarters of the Land but it is not every mans case and God forbid it should be so all the Land over So say I too Amen And yet it must be every mans case I meane not to suffer all alike the spoyling of our goods but to be affected and afflicted for what others our Brethren and Sisters doe suffer that way this must be every mans case to have a sympathy a fellow-feeling of what others doe suffer wee must suffer all in compassion before we are dâ—livered every man must beare his part Heb. 10.33 partly sayes the Apostle whilest we were made a gazing stocke both by reproaches and assliâ—â—ions and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used If we examine our case by this Scripture it will tell us how fit and meet wee are for deliverance which we wonder does linger so long The sword has greatly distressed our land how has it wrought upon the oppressed therein or what compassion in those who have not yet been oppressod by it Surely it may be answered Perdidistis utilitatem calamitatii miseâ—rimi fâ—cti estis pessimi permansistis Aug. de Civis l. 1. c. 33. that the most of us have lost the fruit of all this sore wrath which has lyon upon our neighbours these many yeares and upon our owne land these few moneths which yet
ENGLANDS Third Alarm TO VVARRE Stirring up the whole Land as one Man to help the LORD and His servant David all the Faithfull in the World against most bloudy Adversaries mighty Hunters before the LORD In which Warre No Resistance is maintained but what has now as in Davids time a sweet agreement with Duty and affinity with the best Obedience No Resistance then or now of Regall Authority or Higher Power but of those who are the greatest Enemies thereunto Such were Sauls willing Helpers in his War against David such are the Kings Helpers in his Warre now against his best Subjects the Faithfull of the Land Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that keepeth backe his Sword from bloud 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a Price be not ye the servants of men Joel 2.11 Feare not O Land be glad and rejoyce for the LORD will doe great things Gen. 8.1 God remembred Noah and every living thing and all the Cattell that was with him He will remember David and all his afflictions Psal 132.1 Chrysos Serm. 68. Oremus ut Christus suo semper regnet in Milite ut Miles semper suo triumphet in Rege Let us pray That Christ would evermore be King in his Souldier That His Souldier may evermore triumph in his King London Printed for Thomas Vnderhill in the second yeare of the Beasts wounding warring against the Lamb and those that are with Him Called Chosen and Faithfull 1643. TO THE READER This Epistle shewes the purpose of the Book what could not be shewed in the Tiâ—tle cleares the Duty of all good people to stand-up now all as one man Gives Arguments full to that purpose answers all materiall Arguments against is HEe that speaks to All speaks to none Words as Physicke cannot be applied to MAN under that generall notion but to this or that man in particular Therefore I intend all this unto thee who hast taken it into thy hand that thou maist lay it unto thy heart The noise of the Drum and sound of Warre still in thine eares has awakened thee sure no Sleeper now when such a Tempest lyes upon us unlesse thou art as one of those who can be secure in the midst of the Sea or lye asleepe upon the top of a Mast I suppose thee awakened and hearing thy selfe summoned to Warre Thy Call is from Heaven A supposition oâ—ly that the Reul enites and Gadites had built an Alâ—ar contrary to Godâ— command did stir-up the whole congregation of Israel to warre against them Iosb 22.12 So did the forcing a Concubine All Israel arose and were knit together as one man foure hundred thousand men to warre with Benjamin refâ—sing to give up 〈◊〉 Delinquents to death Iudg. 20.1.8.11.13 See Ep. p. 4. all the Lawes of Heaven and Earth have sealed thee thy Warrant for the cause is Gods His Peoples To maintain all that is dear to Him them in Earth Heaven Thy enemies are the Lords Enemies the most insulting that ever the Church was infested with for they are most of them home-bred that are helpers with the Beast of the same Countrey with thee and have the same Mother Besides they have the hornes of a Lamb they will fight under formall colours semblances shewes and pretences of Law and Justice which they carry upon their Swords point It will be the hottest Warre that ever was yet If these Adversaries have the day expect no more mercy from them then from the mouth of the Devourer be it Cannon Dragon Wolfe Lion or she Beare or from the Divell himselfe for indeed he playes Rex now he has armed the Edomite Papist I meane with a Sword and with a Sword Spirit though he be he must be resisted But in warring now Ob. I may resist the King No thou shalt resist no other Ans but that Evill Spirit which has put a Sword into an Edomites hand now and has engaged the heart of the King to her who has pawned the Jewels of the Kingdom to purchase Instruments of death thereby to lay waste the Kingdome of Israel and to dethrone the King thereof The soule of the King cleaves in love to her even her who bends all her power against the LORD CHRIST and His Kingdome And To purchase this cursed end which will cost the best Flower in their Crowne and they shall misse of it too when all is done To carry on this horrid designe they have joyned hearts and hands with Irish Rebels and English Monsters men skilfull to destroy whose hearts and hands are steeped in bloud and brawned in villanies There can be no question now of the lawfulnesse of resistance for thou shalt offer no more violence to the King and Kingdome then what thou shouldst offer to the Kingdom of Heaven a sweet violence in contending for the Faith and the trust of the Kingdome But some there are most contrary minded Ob. Lawyers and DIVINES both these are against the Covenant now which engageth to defensive Armes and they say their Reason and Conscience is against it too * and this their example may very well stumble thee Example may win much with unstable mindes Ans But surely the example of such men whose walking is as contrary to a common Light and principles as darknesse is to light as contrary to Christ His wayes and servants as the Divel is or as Hell is to Heaven surely the example of such men cannot perswade with thee These men have so long shut their eyes against a naturall light and so long laboured to stifle and choak a naturall Conscience that now they have not so much Logicke Reason I meane then has a Dog nor any more good Conscience then has a Beast I would rather my tongue should cleave to the roofe of my Mouth then that it should send forth the scum of a foule stomack or corrupt heart rotten speeches The Lord knowes I speake what I know and what all may know that will observe the conversation of these men Anti-Covenanters now like as the inti-petitioners before I will say it againe They have no more true Reason nor good Conscience then a Bâ—ast has No their pleasure and profit are their gods their glory their shame unreasonable men they are And this is the clearest evidence thereof that ever was given a â—â—ll 3.19 They mind earthly things No matter what such Cretians say alwayes Lyars evill Beasts slow Bellies Shew thy selfe a man bring forth the speare and stop the way against these Murtherers for even these men are as one of them Obad. 11.12 They stand on the other side They have looked on the day of their Brother They have rejoiced in the day of his destruction and have spoken proudly in the day of distresse these are as one of them Thou wilt wish that these may be cut off that so trouble us and bring forth the speare against those Murtherers whose notorious violences are more legible all over the Land Ob. No thou
better Subject he is and friend both and more right for Sauls designes the more he declares himselfe an enemy to David Why now David cannot trust Saul All his sweet words are lost if he be melting a little the Evill spirit and the Edomite will harden him againe So David will to his Strong-hold and is resolved upon the question To go to GATH out of Sauls reach else he could not avoid Sauls bloody hand he thought which pursued him so far even till he had driven David from out of the Inheritance of the Lord And so Sauls Evill spirit is fully discovered now and manifest He must be convinced also non-plussed and put to silence The Evill spirit shall bee convinced that he shall not be able to say a word but in way of acknowledgement and honest confession from a sound conviction That he is a lyar a murtherer and has erred exceedingly See how convincing Truth is from Davids mouth and how ingenuous Saul is in his confession 1 Sam. 26.21 I have played the foole and erred exceedingly He had indeed Saul Davids grand enemy is fully discovered convinced also yet David is not delivered no. though all Sauls Right men the Edomites implacable adversaries his false friends Keilites and Ziphites are made manifest too yet David is not delivered no not yet we shall see more reason for it anon first we must bring-this-up-to our time GOD delayes his Churches deliverances now for the same reason sure That the adversaries thereof might be fully manifest to all Israel The actings of the evill spirit President over the Kings Councell were not manifest enough sixe yeares agoe when they thrust a cursed Booke upon the Scots and after that the sword Nor when they called a Parliament in England not to ease the yokes but to ingage the Kingdome in that warre which would have â—ashed the people one against the other even the father and the son together Ierem. 13.14 This evill spirit was not manifest enough yet for wickednesse may bee established by a Law in Scotland and yet pretence very faire To establish True Religion Lawes and Liberties here in England And goodly and sweet words were spoken that way and much done touching Bishops and their Courts And all this while the evill spirit was as an Angell of light And his Actings more indiscernable then before But then the Designe touching the Army in the North changed the Divels colour quite and made him looke as black as soot as he is an Angel of darknesse But let the evill spirit alone he can cleare up himselfe againe he will not be made manifest yet No not when he prevailed by the evill Counsell To remove the Lieutenant of the Tower in whom all Israel could confide and placed a Murtherer there in that Strong-hold notwithstanding the evill spirit was not manifest enough No nor when he counselled the King to desert the Parliament No nor when he perswaded the King to call all Israel to war against David and all that had their hand with David under pretence of taking a guard to his person Nor when he made the Edomite Generall in the field MANAGER of all the Kings affaires here in Israels Land notwithstanding the evill spirit was not manifest enough yet But now we know what spirit they are of and who rules them For the Land is filled with bloud from corner to corner Zeph. 3.3 The Princes within her are roaring Lyons reade-on her Iudges are evening Wolves never such violences acted by Tartars Caniballs as by these Princes Surely I cannot tell what shall be done unto them these murtherers GOD knowes And that they have broken all the lawes of Heaven and Earth Divine and Humane such Children of Belial they are Iob 31.3 I cannot tell what strange punishment shall befall these workers of iniquity Doth not the LORD see their wayes and count all their steps We will leave them in His Hands Who has put a bridle in their lips But this I can tell What an execution The LORD would have done upon those who had wrought villany in Israel joyning themselves unto BAAL-PEOR Num. 25.3 as these unto as abominable an Idol as was that But they had not shed bloud in the defence of that Idol These Princes in name have filled the Land with bloud from corner to corner Yet hearken what The LORD sayes unto those who joyned themselves unto Baal-Peor as these to the Idol of Rome Take all the heads of the people Vers 4 and hang them up before the LORD against the Sun that the fierce anger of The LORD may be turned away from Israel We will wait Gods time for then they shall be made manifest indeed before Israel and before the Sun In the mean time the evil spirit is discovered and discerned plaine enough for by his meere motion he has prevailed with the King to seale a Commission to his Edomites To kill and to slay his good people to lay a City waste even a Mother in Israel And if they will doe so to their power They shall approve themselves in so doing his best subjects and truest friends so he blesseth murtherers whom GOD will lay if they repent not in the lowest hell They have compassion on their King why they Because they will to their power destroy a mother City in Israel They would have a whole Kingdome wasted Blessed be ye of the LORD ye have compassion on me does the King say Blessed be The LORD The discovering GOD Who has had compassion on His poore people trusting in His Name and on His dwelling place Blessed be GOD The Spirit that rules the King and his Councell is discovered the Edomites also those bitter enemies the Keilites and the Ziphites too those false and treacherous friends Take them in order The Edomites first Those called SPIRITVALL Lords They must be discovered how full of spirit they were Their spirit was not sufficiently discovered eight yeares ago when they forced a cursed Paper to be read in all the Churches there to publish a Declaration for Sports and Passe-times on The LORDS DAY Their spirit was not discovered by all this for this the people liked reasonably well They had an Advouson for liberty To riot on the LORDS DAY and they were glad of that The people had a grant from the Bishops The Bishops from the Archbishop he from the King and that should be sufficient warrant for them and every one of them to riot on the LORDS DAY And for every Minister from the Pulpit GODS mouth there To command the people so to do O abominable Yes they have justified the Heathen at this point And yet these Bishops are not discovered yet They are in their white Robes yet we shall see them in Scarlet by and by And yet not manifest to all the Christian world say they how spirituall they were when with the Scarlet Whore they would have rode in the bloud of Scotland up even unto their horses bridles by the
contracted by long rest and so Israel might be like a Dove without an heart an Asse and a strong Asse couching downe betwixt burthens laid upon them by Saul and his bloudy Courtiers for Saul commands and the Edomite smote Nob and overthrowes all who stood-up for or had an hand with David And all Israel stood shrinking up their armes into their sleeves as we reade in Xenophon The Persians were wont to doe before their King in homage and subjection to all his commands But as I said I will not conclude so That a deadnesse of spirit was upon Israel at this time I beleeve there was a more commanding cause then that which with-held Israel at that time Wee shall heare that anon when I have taken off the imputation of treason and rebellion charged upon David by his master Saul for David a private man doth defend himselfe as well as hee can and would have fortified Keilah had they not proved treacherous to him and the lawfulnesse of this may be questionable by all Israel as well as by Saul himselfe Whether David in defending Keisah Quest had not maintained it against Saul It was not against Saul Ans It was against the notorious violences of his evill spirit those David would have withstood But Keilah was Israels City Saul the King of Israel Qu. why would David fortifie that City As it is more then probable he would have done had not the Keilites proved themselves ungratefull and treacherous Because David knew That Saul secretly practised mischiefe against him Ans and would destroy Keilah for his sake All this is written 1 Sam. 22. Therefore hee thrust himselfe into Keilah would have fortified that place But Saul might thrust out David thence for it was Sauls City Qu. was it not No it was Israels City Sauls for Israels good to defend Israel Ans not to destroy Israel We are sure of that But David had strong-holds here and there Qu. and did Breast-worke himselfe against Saul his master No Ans not against Saul his master but against those notorious violences the actings of the evill spirit upon Saul his master Against these extreame out-rages and riots David did fortifie and Breast-worke himselfe And where ever we reade of these strong-holds and Breast-works there we shall reade of Sauls bloudy persecution against David Israels best friend and temporall Saviour Therefore will those strong holds be an eternall dishonour to King Saul till the Records of Time be lost 1 Sam. 26.19 1 Sam. 23.14 David did get up to his strong-hold where be abode and there he did Breast-worke himselfe Why It is answered for Saul sought every day to kill him It is upon ever-lasting Record an eternall dishonour to King Saul so to persecute his best servant for who so faithfull as David in all his Kingdome And if David a private man did so fortifie himselfe to safe-guard his owne throat much more might all Israel for their owne and Davids sake stand-up against the insolencies of a private will and an evill spirit acting thereby Whatever held in Israel from comming-out armed at this time conscience it was not To let the King doe what a Tyrant does make will his law and doe what he pleaseth and yet Israel stand still the while behold all this with open face hold their hands in their pockets or shrinke them up into their sleeves in homage forsooth to the Evill spirit commanding in Saul and in obedience to the Edomite executing that command Surely the like was never done since the beginning of the world untill this Day For here is the King of Israel smiting Israel the great Fiduetary of the Kingdome to whom Cities and Townes Priests and People are all intrusted betraying this Trust into an Edomites hands And so he that should next to GOD uphold and preserve Israel destroyes Israel and will lay their Cities waste And all this that he may be avenged of David one of the best men and best subjects he had in his Kingdome We are well resolved now in point of Israels subjection to that power which GOD had intrusted Saul with thereby to be a Terrour to the evill not to good workes Rom. 13.3 And that if Israel had stood-up in their owne and Davids defence they had not stood-up against Saul but for him and against the notorious violences the actings of the evil spirit by Sauls and his Edomites hands And so I come to enquire concerning this Edomite who he was VVhen we know him we shall see plainly that Israel could make no scruple of conscience to stand up in resistance of him who stood up against the Crowne and peace of Israels King and Kingdome VVho this Edomite was How bloudy his minde against Israel VVho was this Edomite A Childe of Edom who in the day of Hierusalem said Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof And The LORD remembers this and chargeth the Edomite with it Amâ—s 1 11. hee did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pitty and his anger did teare perpetually and kept his wrath for ever The LORD threatens the Edomite in the same place also For three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof A finite number for an infinite for three transgressions and for foure But his bloudshed his cruelty towards his brother that shall set deepe upon his score Though the LORD should passe over six transgressions of Edom yet the seventh GOD will not passe over I will not turne away the punishment thereof Edom has broken all the bands of Nature O take heed of breaking those bands of Nature and brother like kindnesses the Edomite did so he did pursue his brother with the sword and when he had his brother under his hands he cast-off all pitty his anger did teare as wee reade before An old adversary to Israel Num. 20.14 The Edomite knew of all the travell that befell his brother Yet he will not shew his brother the least favour he will not suffer him to passe by the Kings high way though Israel will not be chargeable to the Edomite for a drop of water or a mouthfull of grasse if my Cattell drinke of thy water then we will pay for it A reasonable request as ever was asked yet the Edomite would not grant it He would give his brother a stone for bread and for a fish a Serpent so he answered his brothers request and then came-out against his brother with much people and a strong hand When In the day of Iacobs trouble And now see what he has done He had no sooner the word of command from Sauls mouth but hee answers it with his hand Turne thou and fall upon the Priests And Doeg the Edomite turned and pursued his Brother with the sword and shewed no pity Ah Lord Can an Israelites heart endure to see this An Edomite flourishing with his sword in Israels
the Edomite in our sense and in Scripture language That Legion of the Papists now Raging and Rioting in our Land we shall resist the King too for this Edomite is the chiefe MANAGER next to the Divel of all the Kings affaires in this Kingdome his very best Subjects and truest Friends O horrible what words are these Papists his best Subjects It must passe for it has the Kings allowance he has declared it so he has proclaimed it so once and againe and a third time The Edomites in Ireland in England they are the Kings best Subjects those he may confide-in his heart may cleave to them in love when David The faithfull of the LORD are called Traitors every day and his good People Rebels all O David cannot be silent now any longer GOD knowes and all the Christian world knowes Davids heart is upright and his hands cleare and his prayer pure touching this matter Their hands have not shed innocent bloud nor have their eyes seen it but with indignation and Zeale against these Murtherers And we say That many Kings have beene seduced by evill counsels Many whose hearts have beene stolne away from their good people and given-up into their enemies hands cleaving to them in love and some have shed bloud to their power as Saul here and others after him But oh how loth I am to speake The Evill Counsellours have carried-on the King in the Path of the destroyer beyond all These for he has given a Commission to destroy his good people and makes shewes That his soule bleeds over them He pittieth his Peoples nakednesse and takes from them their cloathes hee calls them Rebels in Ireland and entertaines the same Rebels here He professeth to do all by helpe of GOD and the Law and all he does has a manifest contrariety to GOD and contradiction to the Law He professeth with his tongue to be for Religion indeed when his heart and hand is utterly against the professors of the same To take them from the Earth He professeth to maintaine his Peoples liberties and does all that is in the power of his hands to inthrall and oppresse his people To make their neckes bend to the Edomites yoake he would make beleeve his hand goes along with GOD when hee puts it forth against The Almighty in all his peoples sight as if he had an arm like GOD. But the bloudshed in both his Kingdomes this The Lord sees and heares the voice of it too And which maketh the voice yet louder The LORD heares how he chargeth it upon the innocent and blesseth the Murtherers those that have shed it indeed The LORD lay it close to the heart of his Majesty that his soule may bleed over the blood he hath shed That he may forbeare to say so till he does so That his soule may shed teares for the bloud he hath shed indeed and indeed Let others pray The LORD bring his Majesty home to his Parliament upon the wings of the Churches Prayers They that pray so pray well but they pray better who pray The Lord open the Kings eyes and heart that he may discerne the Path he has trod the way he is in and feele the working of that bloud shed upon his soule working in him a sorrow after a godly sort The LORD shew him the falshood the hypocrisie of his heart make it as manifest to him as it is to all his good People That his uncircumcised heart may be humbled that he may abhorre evill and loath himselfe for what he has done Amen say I and all who wish that his soule may prosper He may come home to his Parliament and doe more hurt then good there unlesse his heart be humbled for all he has done first I remember very well the Eleventh King of Scotland the worst King that ever was I thinke yet was brought home to his Parliament I meane he came-up to his good People even to all the desire of their hearts for thus he did Those pernicious Counfellors he had many and they stole away his heart or he stole away theirs surely the King was worst because chiefest in the trespasse he suffered to be imprisoned and over some the wheele was turned And all this he did in deep dissimulation that he might the more freely with no resistance worke-out his owne will and doe according to his owne pleasure afterwards And so he did the yeare after by that time he saw all cleare before him the hearts of his Nobles gained for he gave the offenders into their hands and all was well and now they must be feasted They were glad of that and to supper they came which was served-up in a Lordly dish and after the meat Wine they are and dranke and their hearts were merry but the worst Wine was kept last towards the close of the Feast the Nobles were made drunke with their owne bloud as with sweet Wine A few escaped and those few by the helpe of the People rose-up against their King and slew him I shall not meddle with that though in the close of the worke I shall point to that King againe and another halfe as bad I conclude from hence That till the King be truly informed for what he has done That he has walked in the counsell of the ungodly his foot has stood in the way of sinners and he sitteth in the seat of the scornfull Till his heart be humbled for this Tâ—ll his soule cleaves to the ground for this and what else God and his conscience best knowes Till this be the King cannot come-back to his Parliament he caâ—not be to the heart and desires of his good People there Therefore pray we LORD turne the heart of the King give him a sight of what he has done and humble his soule in the sight of it th the hath blasphemed the Name of his GOD deal deceitfully with his Maker treacherouoy with His People abominably with His Day prophaning it by a Law He must be restlesse in his spirit till he hath vindicated That dishonour done to That Rest forcing and persecuting His best Servants touching that matter and shedding their bloud to his power ever since LORD give the King a sight of all this and of all that The Searcher of hearts and his owne heart knowes by himselfe and kindly humble him for all Then all the rest followes the King will be right for his Parliament his heart will be with them then it will be said and not till then What the King does pleaseth all his people and what his good people doe pleaseth the King Amen But if the King doe not his duty his people must doe theirs if hee looke not to his charge how he rules not his but Gods People THY PEOPLE sitting in GODS Throne Yet must the people look to their obedience they must be subject to the higher Power notwithstanding I come then to resolve what this higher Power is and the cases of conscience thereabouts Not touching the giving of
the Sword Strong-holds and Forts Ammunition and the like into confiding hands To this there is enough said though I had said nothing I will say but this So long as these Strong-holds and Breast-workes doe stand they will bee a memoriall of the Kings illegall and most injurious dealing with a righteous people So long as these shall be spoken of will the injustice the bloudy proceedings of the King in the hands of bloudy Counsellours be remembred also to all generations We shall tell it to our children and they to their children That the King of England would have oppressed his owne people he would have inthralled their Lawes Liberties Religion And for the maintenance of all these their lives and all that was deare unto them did his people so fortifie and Breast-worke themselves against the fury and rage of their King in the hands of bloudy persecuters The Case of Conscience now The People must not stand up for their lives and liberties Ob. against murtherers for if they stand up against them they stand up against their King We deny that and conclude the Contrary Ans That a standing up against Murtherers is a standing up for their King To deliver him out of the hands of Murtherers It has an affiance with duty a full aspect and agreement thereunto Why but if you resist these Murtherers Obj You resist the King and if you resist the King You resist the Higher power and that is the Ordinance of GOD wherto we must be subject for Conscience sake Yes but wee are cleare mistaken in point of Power Ans Therefore I will aske a question and resolve it What is this higher Power Qu. I will tell you first what it is not It is not that Power Ans which the King may have a will to give and may commit to an Edomites hand It is not a destructive power that is from the Divell whereby Saul and his Edomite were inabled to lay waste one City and made faire-offer to destroy another Not such a Power whereby the King and his wicked Councell now indeavour the same destruction to two Kingdomes It is not such a Power What Power then Qu. A Power whereunto in case the King or his Edomite wrongs me Ans though the lowest in his Kingdome yet I may appeale from him or them for Righteous Judgement And this Power is the Law and in the high Court Who can determine what Law is and doe stand bound to right mee oppressed by a Contrary Power though the meanest of many Thousands and not worhty the dust I tread upon yet This Court stands bound to right me And if so be they stand so bound to a private Person we must note this by the way how much stronger is their obligation to two or three Kingdomes To stand up for Defence of Lawfull power against this Destructive Power And now we have learn't our duty and office too we would have the Pa liament stand up for us we made choice of them for that end The greatest shame in the world If wee should not stand up for the Parliament with our Swords in our hands or with what commeth next to hand in defence of Lawfull power and all that is deare or neere unto us involved in the same What! see a King seduced by evill Counsell giving up his power I say his power not the higher power into an Edomites hand and this Edomite flourishing with his Sword and displaying his Banners in Israels Land and Israel stand still the while What a shame to all Israel But blessed be God they doe not stand still they move and they doe great things as their GOD inables them Who gives Courage Spirit and invention when and where Hee pleaseth And where the Inhabitants of the Land are not over-powered by the King and his bloody party there they doe fortify the Cities and Townes and Breast-worke themselves there And these Forts and Breastworkes are like to remaine to after Generations an Eternall dishonour to the King now in the hands of desperate and pernicious Men For when the Childe shall aske Wherefore were these Forts and Breastworkes raised The Father will Answer The King of England seduced by evill Counsell would have destroyed the Parliament of England Laws Liberties Religion Life and all Therefore did the Parliament and all good people in defence of the Parliament and themselves raise up themselves and these Forts Strong-holds and Breastworkes so wee shall declare to our Children what the King by his pernicious Counsellors has done against his good people and what the Lord has done for them shall be had in perpetuall remembrance But will not this be called a resisting of the higher power Qu. Yes by those who understand not what higher power or Law meaneth Ans or judge it to be that which ruleth in their Members Or doe understand by power The Kings private will or that Commission he can give under the Great Seale such a KEEPER it hath into the hands of Edomites Davids utter and implacable enemies now not like but of the same generation with the Edomites in ancient dayes But is it not a Resistance of the Power Quest which is indeed the Ordinance of God No Ans but a contending for that Power the setling and establishing thereof in the Land by all lawfull meanes which GOD has not onely allowed but commanded That his people may live as His people in holinesse and righteousnesse giving obedience to their Master in Heaven and in Relation to Him to that power He has set over His people on earth This is more then enough to these questions which we finde so fully and excellently cleared to every eye but theirs who will not see though we should as the Proverbe is Shew them the Sun in our hand Si solem ipsum gestemus in manibus Last 7.1 I conclude then That they and they onely shew themselves conscientious men and to understand the weight of duty who stand-up now for their Lawes and Liberties and life of their lives their Religion so to deliver a captive King a distressed Church and State now in the hands of bloudy and most pernitious Counsellours And if all the people in the Land doe not stand-up now in this breach it is not because they want will but because they want power they are over-powered The Divell is as strong now and works as mightily now so does the Edomite also the Divels right hand in our Land as they did anciently in the Kingdome of Iudab But some make scruple here and conscience too for they say They have taken an Oath to serve the King Ob. and they cannot dispence with their Oath God forbid they should Let them serve the King and serve him heartily and faithfully but then they must not serve his private Will which they see enlived made strong and mighty by an Evill spirit now ruling against the Common-wealth and publike Faith of
hundred yeeres then Come-up taking in o our Serious thoughts That wonderfull yeere of â—8 Then the 5th of November 1605. And then 1639. when thâ— second Spanish Fleet was upon our English shore from which our Deliveâ—anâ—e wâ—s more miraculous then was that in 88. because from this lâ—st wee were delivered before we thought of the danger and the snare broken before wee would see it and so up all along to this day But I shall Recall but these three last yeeres TO BRING TO REMâ—MBRANCE how wonderfull The LORD was towards His People in Scotland and here three yeeres agoe Indeed wee have need of all those straits we were in To bring to Remembrance The wonderfull workes of the LORD The operation of His hand in making TWAâ—â—ONE so making Peace Soâ—emâ—eâ—y Recorded on the Seventh of September 1641. And Many dayes of Thanksgiving and opening wide the Churches Mouth Since and before To bring to Remembrance The Churches Deliverance from blooâ—y Courts Cursed Oathes Sore oppressions grievous yoakes vexing Bryars grieving Thornes Divellish Machinations horrid inventions upwards to this day to this very day the 15 of June 1643. To bring to Remembrance What Truely I cannot expresse it I see so much of Hell in it such depths of Sathan That I cannot expresse it But to bring to Remembrance The Admirable kindnesses Wonderfull Providences glorious Discoveries And now I can condemne my owne hasty Spirit and I hope can more quietly Rest upon GOD for after Time The Truth was I thought verily and so did Thousands besides My selfe thinke That if the high Court did Propositi n it once more Treat Spend Time that may with implacable Adversaries If so They will breake us all in pieces Thought I and wiser men then my selfe specially the best affected in the City And yet truly not to belie my selfe I did verily believe That GOD is in heaven and did LAUGH all the while and His Faithfull Servants might laugh too but yet so bruitish My thoughts were Treat once more and break us all So I thought and so though many more not so well considering what GOD had done before and what He might doe then with another Treaty But now having so many experiences we can quietly resigne the matter into GODS hand Let men alone to their worke and GOD alone to His worke and let us doe our duty That is our worke GOD will not breake Hâ—s people not He though men should proposition it again as some will goe neare to doe yet He will not break H s people but He will break His Adversaries as it is at this day Had there not beene those offers to Peace from the contrary side fained and treacherous There had not beene a discovery of those Right Men in Oxford and London Their fine devices the depths of Satan our Adversaries had not so broken themselves and we had not had our good day Thursday the 15. of June To call to remembrance all the forementioned and our old Protestatiâ—n To humble and shame us for it and so to enter into a New a New Covenant Vow and Oath If that bloudy designe had not been and been discovered which was to ruine King Kingdome Lawes Liberties Religion and all So horrid a designe it was and is acknowledged to be by those who should have been Actors in it upon sound conviction we hope true and deepe humiliation for it If such a designe had not been and been disclosed Then had not Shecaniah I meane the Nobles and Worthics of the Land thought upon the way â—zra 10 2. The only way to recover and save a distressed State and Church sinking into the pit of destruction We have done so and so yet there is hope in Israel concerning these things Nâ—w therefore let us make a Covâ—nant with our GOD To put away all persons and things which have thrust GOD from us Let us make a Covenant to doe so and stand to it So spake Shecaniah then So said in effect our Nobles and Worthies now And so they entred into the way the only way to recover a sick and languishing State to raise it up from the dead before the Pit close its mouth upon us VVe know not what will become of it Not how we enter into it nor how we shall stand to it VVe know some will be grieved and have indignation against the Holy Covenant And have intelligence with them that forsake The holy Covenant VVe must leave this to whom it does belong and doe our duty Blesse we GOD who put such a prize into our hands To strengâ—â—en our hands in GOD by renewing our Covenant againe VVe entred into Covenant formerly and some of the chiefest amongst us have done wickedly against the Covenant Dan. 11. corrupted by flatteries and corrupting and so are left to miserable delusions And we the best of us all have done weakly against the Covenant None of us have dealt truly None have kept close to it and to our GOD. And yet is there hope in Israel concerning this To make a Covenant with our GOD firmer and surer laying our heart a fleeting slippery thing under Sacred bands and feâ—ters stronger then Brasse That we will keepe closely with our GOD VVe Yes we Mr. Cal. Sermon and our house As it has been excellently charged upon us will serve our GOD VVho has done all these things for us VVe are firmly resolved to serve Him not as we have served Him but in Sincerity and Truth And being so resolved we will put away all persons and things which stop-up the currant and streame of blessings hindring good from comming-in And wee will advance those persons and doe those things which may procure good to our souls and peace to King and Kingdome VVe will enter into Covenant upon this being firmly resolved so to doe even as Israel under grievous Adversaries Num. 21.12 oppressing some Israelites and imprisoning other some and vexing all Israel Then they vowed a vow unto The LORD That if He would be pleased INDEED to deliver them from that oppressing Adversary They would make sure worke with the Adversary he should annoy and vexe them no more Then I will utterly destroy their Cities Nor will we make gaine of the spoiles but devote all to Thee The giver of Victories Now marke how well pleased The LORD was with this Vow And The LORD hearkned to the voice of Israel and they did as they had vowed for they called the place HORMAH a curse or utter destruction Vers 3. Now The LORD be praised and evermore blessed be His holy Name Who has put it into the heart of His Servants to do this thing the ONE THING NECESSARY at this time an ONELY VVAY to save a Nation as appeareth fully by the words of Shecaniah YET THERE IS THIS HOPE and as clearly in the story of Asa VVhere we reade how the case was with Israel when Israel were loose with their GOD how successefull when the people made a covenant with their
the Wildernesse and now by the favour of Achish he has one City of Refuge more assigned to him David is stept aside the Amalekites invade the City the while Smite it and burne it with fire and take away all his comforts the desire of his eyes and the delight of his heart all his comfort thence He heares devouring words besides to adde to his griefe Ah Lord what a sad case is this I shall propose some Quere's about it anon because the resolution thereunto will instruct us very much It will state and resolve our questions too and if not satisfie us yet will make us silent But first observing my method all along hitherto we must see how this relates to the present time also And blessed be GOD we see it very clearly it relates fully to our times for our Ziglags are smitten and burnt with fire Yes and our case is more like Davids still David heares devouring words from those he put as much confidence in as could be put upon men too much These talke of stoping him It is our case too we made lyes our refuge we put confidence in men because they are many in that Arm because it is strong And wha doe we heare Surely that which troubles us as much as it did David when his men spake of stoning him That men will prove themselves men deceitfull and treacherous That there is as much or more danger from them then from professed Adversaries VVell yes indeed it is well blessed be GOD let Him take what way He pleaseth so He will cast downe all our strong-holds our vaine confidences I know the Adversary laughs now VVell GOD laughes also and His People may laugh too at their owne folly and bee ashamed also the more the more they looked to multitudes Should not a people loâ—ke to their GOD Stay themselves upon an Almighty Arme Oh blessed be GOD who by every dayes experience of His faithfulnesse and mans unfaithfulnesse instructs His people to discretion To doe now as David did then encourage themselves in The LORD their GOD. And they that can doe so are in a good case as David was here and never nearer and closer to his GOD then when the creature was remotest from his eye never more encouragement from GOD then when he had most discouragement from man Therefore now though there be a casting downe yet these faithfull servanâ—s of The LORD are neare to a raising-up if not to a kingdome in this world yet in a better world which shall not be shaken and that is best of all So now Davids case though it relates not fully to our case yet it tells us what The LORD will doe for His people in after time we hope shortly raise them out of the Ashes so soone not sooner as their strong-holds All their vaine confidences shall bee destroyed As these fall so His people rise wherein we shall have a cleare understanding anon I would call-to remembrance first how wonderfully GOD has wrought for his Church and People that so we might not faint in our mindes but as doubtlesse Gods people doe encourage our hearts in GOD to strengthen us at the present and in after time He has wrought for His Church as strange a deliverance within these foure yeares as was that from out of Egypt That through the Red Sea And the bringing-back from Bâ—bâ—lâ—n so strange a deliverance has GOD wrought I conceive the Church has passed through her greatest strait already Before the sitâ—ing of the last Parliament and a moneth after she went through the greatest gulfe wherein she almost wonders at this day but GOD in Christ is only wonderfull how she passed it â—ver and was not swallowed-up therein Certaine it is That then at that time the Church was brought to the brow of the hill she as her LORD before her pâ—ssed thrâ—ugh the midst of â—er adversaries she knows not how nor have we poore people well and rightly considered on it how wonderfull that deliverance was Had we not had comm n thoughts about it it had not been as t tâ—is day I was a cheape deliverance indeed Isa 9.5 not bâ— the battell of the Warriâ—ur with whom is a confused 〈◊〉 anâ— garmenâ—s rolled in bloud The LORD brought it about by His oâ—ne out streâ—ched Arme. He hath bâ—oke the yoake of â—iâ— buâ—then and the sâ—asâ—eâ—â—is hoâ—â—er thâ— rod of his oppressour as in the day â—f â—idian And He put His pâ—ople to liâ—tle Cost all this while But bâ—cause the cheapneâ—â—e of thâ—t delâ—verance has taken awaâ— very much from the worth and wâ—â—â—ht of the saâ—e therefore sure it is that The LORD will not deliver Hâ—s Church now But by tâ—â— battell of the Waâ—â—â—oâ—â— with confâ—sâ—â— noisâ— and garments â—â—lleâ— in blâ—â—d I purposely insist upon this wonderfull deliverance the Church has had the more to strengthen our haâ—d in GOD against the time to come I do not well understand who Gâ—g â—nâ— Magog are who are her secret who are the Churches open enemies Nor can I â—ell whether the Tuâ—ke may noâ— molest her before she be taken from the earth or made a qâ—iet â—abitation there But this I conceive anâ— yeâ— I will not call it a conceit That as Davids deliverance was most aâ—â—â—rable which yet at present he took least notice of because the dâ—nger was over before he knew it covered and kept close under shâ—wes and pretences of extraordinary favours and acts of grace So were the Churches deliverances also all these three yeares before the war against her was open and manifest but more particularly admirable about three yeares agoe And I verily perswade my selfe the Papists shaâ—l never have the like advantages against her as they have had She has escaped â—heir great snare that is broken And though she was â—n her Advâ—rsâ—ries teeth as a prey there they were sure of her and made no more conscience to devoure her then to eate bread yet she is delivered O wonderfull Truly as wonderfull I think every whit as her deliverance will be then when her open Adversaries shall think verily to swallow her up quick for then when her enemy has prepared his Instruments of death is bigge with expectation Then the LORD will smite his bow out of his left hand Ezek. 39.3 and cause his arrowes to fall out of his Right hand Will it be surely so Yes it is as sure as if it were done Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord. Surely the Churches deliverance three yeares agoe is as admirable as this will be And marke how the LORD has followed His victory over His Churches adversaries ever since Then He sent in the Heads of the Tribes and He has covered their heads with His owne wing ever since Their abode was among Scorpions yet were they not stung their soule was among Lions yet not devoured they were amongst those that were set on fire yet they were delivered O wonderfull Yes when GOD begins to deliver in delivering
those few prevailed for the evill was from themselves the accursed thing is in Israels Camp There is a deep matter in it said Iob A root of wickednesse it must be discovered and rooted out before The LORD will take off His hand Who gave Iacob for aspoile and Israel to the robbers Did not The LORD Isa 42.24 He against Whom we have sinned For they would not walke in His wayes neither be obedient to His law Verse 25. Therefore He hath poured upon him the fury of His anger and the strength of battell The anger of the LORD is kindled against His people and He hath stretched forth His hand against them and their carcasses were torne in the midst of the streets Then the LORD was pacified towards His people was He not No for all this His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still The Syrians before and the Philistines behinde and they shall devoute Israel with open mouth Now The LORD is pacified No not yet For all this His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still And the very same reason now as then For the people tâ—rneth not unto Him That smiteth them neither doe they seeke The LORD of bosts Therefore His hand is stretched out still It is repeated againe and againe to assure us if we proceed in our sinning before The LORD He will proceed in punishing before all Israel and before the Sunne till we repent of our sins He will not repent of His sore plagues He will proceed to smite till our uncircumcised hearts be humbled till we can accept of our punishment and say from an ingenuous and humble spirit The LORD is righteous in all that He has done against us Till this be we shall finde it will be thus His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still I will punish you seven times more for your sinnes and I will breake the pride of your power Levit. 26.18 i. e. If you will walk contrary to Me I will walk contrary to you And now consider we with all our hearts how contrary we have walked We thinke the wrath that lyes upon the land is sore and heavy and indeed it is so But consider we was it a light provocation to prophane The LORDS day to mar the beauty of it more then any other day The Bishops gave command for that you will say That is true Therefore the land has spewed them forth You shall heare more of their rough hand and bloudy designes But never any more of their unrighteous decrees and grievousnesse Be the Nations never so angry they shall never prevaile to bring in Bishops againe But the people were content to have it so to have The LORDS Day so prophaned to have such a scorne put upon it And therefore if we be trod-upon all the land over as mire in the streets And if the land should now lye-fallow and keep her Sabbaths we must acquit The LORD and say Hee is righteous But I will not reckon up particular sins for they are infinite We are conluded Great and marvellous are Thy workes LORD GOD ALMIGHTY just and true are Thy wayes Thou King of Saints for Thy judgements are made manifest Rev. 15.3 2. The LORD makes His Adversaries successefull gives them power over His people to put forth all their wrath against them as at this day I say all their wrath never was there such a wrath boiled to such a height of rage as now it is at this day for it is agâ—iâ—â—â— David and his men put forth by Davids King and his men which will be a scorching wrath and it shall be put forth to the utmost extent because under specious shewes and formall pretences to maintaine our Lawes by lawlesse men our Liberties by companies of Robbers our Religion by Papists the bloudiest men that are or ever were in the world haters of GOD and the power of godlinesse This will be a bloudy persecution the roughest hand will be put forth now that ever was put forth against the Church for it is put forth against David and his men as was said by Davids King and his men for Reasons so specious and formall in some mens eyes as aforesaid Never any Popes were greater oppressors then those that had the most specious names Pope Godly Pius Pope Harmlesse Innocent Pope Civill Vrban these were wicked Popes yet not more wicked then they who have a form and specious pretences They will make a people free by oppressing their Lawes and them under the foot of pride c. and their King glorious so they say by making him a Lord over a conquered Nation Vnum aliqueâ— voluptate ac deliciis flâ—ere gementibus undique ac lament antibus aliiâ— hoc non est Regni sed carceris esse custodem Th. Aâ—â— Vâ—â—p and that sayes Sir Thomas Moore is not to be a King over men but a Taylor over Captives To be a Keeper of a prison and not chiefe Guardian in a Kingdome Yet the LORD may suffer these men or rather beasts in the shape of men to goe-on to the length of their chaine and to prosper so as it may be said The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper and they that provoke GOD are secure into whose hand the LORD bringeth abundantly GOD is righteous so we are resolved But why is it so For excellent Reason That their Adversaries may fill up their measure apace and heighten their destruction which will be in all His peoples sight as lifted-up even to the Skies Their rage reacheth to heaven so shall their judgment also Secondly GOD useth the wicked as Scullions to try His people and to purge and to make them white so perfecting His praise and His Churches salvation to make His people MEET for deliverance as we shall heare by and by GOD does not suffer this viperous generation to run at large laxis habenis as a best with reines on nâ—ck that they might satisfie their lusts upon His people though so they do and GOD suffers it to be done but that is not Gods end this God intends The purifying the purging the humbling of His servants that their lusts may be subdued the lusts of the Eye of the world and Pride of life This is Gods end the very purpose of His heart to make a people meet for deliverance when this is done the Rod shall be cast into the fire the tabernacles of the Robbers shall be destroyed and they sent to their owne place We wait and God waits We have waited three yeares God has waited eighty yeareâ— we wait for deliverance GOD waits for glory in waiting to shew mercy we shall have our waitings in good time when His people shall be truly humbled for then they shall see their desire upon their enemies and give GOD the glory of all His worke even of His strange workâ— for Thirdly When His people are meet for deliverance they shall be delivered
suddenly then the Lord will send them meet Saviours It is true GOD can worke by what instruments he pleaseth but He will not use base and inglorious instruments to worke forth a glorious salvation such as He has now in designe not such as pretend to have an hand with David and work all the mischiefe they can against David and those that have an hand with him and drinke the health of those who have sworne the destruction of David and in pursuance of that shed bloud to their power These men who have drunke a way their wits and their valour and their healths and cursed away their soules the Lord has rejected they shall not if they would doâ— Him service in this warre He will purge His Armies as He has done the Courts He will have Noble Instruments I meane faithfull such as feare GOD above many to carry on these designes and to bring about a worke of this nature Certainly they must be Mosesses and Ioshua's and Davids by which He will worke forth this glorious deliverance when GOD does glorious things wee shall see they are done by glorious instruments so it was in ancient times so it will be now We smote Og and all his people till there was none left to him remaining And a huge fellow this was King of Bashan who remained of the remnant of the Gyants and we tooke all his Cities at that time Deut. 3.3.4 5. there was not a City which we tooke nâ—t from them threescore Cities and these were fenced with high walls gates and barres besides unwalled Townes a great many Who was he that was so victorious Moses the faithfull Servant of the Lord. It is as notable how successefull Ioshua Moses Successor was when the accursed thing was removed we never read the like untill this day He came upon his enemies like a tempest destroyes all as he goes he passed-on to that strong-hold looked upon it and tooke it upon that day sayes the Text That is the account he gives us He came looked upon Makkedah Libnah Lachish Eglon Hebron and Hazor the heads of the Kingdomes tooke them on that day destroyed them neither left they any to breath Some adversaries melted before him others submitted others stood-it-out and quickly fell to his foot which Joshua set upon their neckes and gives Israel assured confidence for ever Thus shall the LORD doe against all the enemies against whom you fight But when are a people meet for such Saviours Quest When the people can love such Saviours Ans and not dote upon them When they can pray for them but not trust in them when they can use them as glorious Instruments in Gods hands but not leane upon them for that is to depart from an Almighty Hand the Church LEANES upon her BELOVED When they can give them their due thankes honour and praise and God all the glory O how faulty have we been at this point therefore how has The LORD pluckt some of those instruments from us those that were most faithfull If we give Gideons sword the preheminence we undo him and overthrow all and weakned the strength of others because we looked so stedfastly towards them How hath he discovered the treachery of others And all this that we may take our hope wholly off from the creature and six it fully upon Him vvho is faithfull If The LORD shevv us no more blessed be His Name that He hath shevved us so much and that He hath strengthned the hand of any of His Servants to bring salvation to His Israel notvvithstanding Israel is so prone to idolize Men. I must give resolution to one question more VVhen are a people fit and meet for such a salvation GOD has novv upon designe Qu. When their uncircumcised hearts are humbled Ans when they can indeed and in truth acknowledge their contrary walking It is a sad relation I read from 2. great persons who had travelled all Germany over that they found the Protestants there sarte more wicked under their pressures and calamitie then when they were in their ease and prosperity Ier. 6.29 and accept of the punishment for walking so contrary to the rule and will of GOD when their drosse and scum is sod forth in the furnace of their affliction this must be before we are delivered GOD does not deliver out of the furnace before His people are purified therein We think we have lyen long in the furnace But what have we profited by lying there so long Is not he that was proud proud still he that was filthy filthy still Is not the great scum sod in and are not the Bellows burnt As The Lord complaineth We are Brasse and Iron indeed an ordinary fire ordinary affliction will not melt us And though some are more tender and with Iosiah will quickly melt at the very hearing of wrath denounced yet these things must be soberly enquired into by all before we be delivered 2. A people are meet for deliverance when the accursed whether persons or things are destroyed from amongst them then Ioshuah was mighty and prevailed and not before Iosh 7.11 Till the accursed were destroyed from amongst Israel Israel were accursed and lying on the face could not help them That is a resolved Case 3. A people is meet for deliverance when all their Strong-holds are down I do not meane those before our eyes though this may he All our Forts and â—reast-workes must be destroyed before our eyes also as Davids was I say it may be so and likely so because it is so hard a matter to have them and not to Trust in them And if we do trust in them then they must be impoverished saith The LORD All our strong-holds must downe All wherein thou trustedst that is out of question Every thing that exalts it selfe against GOD must down for GOD will be exalted in that day It will be a glorious deliverance His people shall be greatly exalted Their enemies all shall be strangely confounded None of the glory of this wonderfull salvation shall be given to the Arm of flesh GOD will have all He is dainty at that point He will not give His glory to another To conclude we think GOD is long in comming and salvation sleepeth No GOD will come in the fittest season His salvation shall come and not stay It shall come and in such a season and in such a glorious manner as His people shall say Salvation could not have come in a fitter time It is certaine that the Servants of The LORD shall acknowledge they could not have wanted any one thing Their LORD has done in shew and semblance for their Adversaries and against them His own people their falling before their enemies has made them fall low before their GOD and rise high in their faith and to hold their confidence the faster They could not have wanted those blowes in the North no nor those blowes in the West which were like those stones thrown