Where the Members are Membra dividentia the whole can hardly bee whole An Heterocranian in our nationall head will necessarily breed greater troubles in our nationall bodies I conceive it would please God and the Land well if you would please to give some generall directions if it were but by way of request to the people for the choice of Parliament-men you are not ignorant what Laws and limitations not onely the Scripture but Heathen States have instituted in this behalfe they should bee natu majores primogeniti sapientes probi seniores c. Lament that the Providence of God and the improvidence of men having made it so the grace of Christ cannot or doth not amend it I will plant together the Ceder Isa 41.19 the Shitrah tree the Mirtle the Oyle tree the Firre the Pine and the Box tree all together that you may consider that the Hand of the Lord hath done it It would be a great Honour to the Religion of England if the world might know though there bee varieties of constitutions difference of degrees and diversities of Judgements among you yet that your hearts were united in the feare of the Lord when God meanes to restore his people to happinesse he saith hee will unite the stick of Joseph in the hand of Ephraim with the sticke of Judah Ezek. 37.17 and make them one in his owne hand when hee meanes to ruine them hee threatens to breake their staffe of Beauty and their staffe of Bands and the Brotherhood betweenâ— Judah and Israel Zach. 11.7.14 If a thinne and sharpe vapor get into any of the two Membranes which cover the braine it causeth convulsive motions in the body when the spirits move unevenly a vertigo in the head you are the life-guard of our King and Kingdome If you agree not in your Counsells we shall hardly agree in our courses If ye mutiny in words we shall bee too ready to mutiny with our Swords Lament your Administrations Administrations in speciall Lament that you have not endeavoured so speedily and sufficiently to establish the Scepter of Christ which is the primum mobile of all good Government He cannot reigne with strength if his Scepter bee weake To put but a Reed into his hand is next doore to the setting of a Crowne of Thornes on his head let him have his compleate Dominion and he will have a care of your regular Authority both to preserve it and improve it The delayes and disagreements about this have weakned all the Scepters and strengthened all the stirrs in the Land Lament if you have not sufficiently attended the re-establishing of the Royall Scepter which is our secundum necessarium The providences of God are immensly deepe hee can turne our delayes into his expeditions a Kings peremptorinesse and a Parliaments slacknesse into a greater good then all the eyes of the Land can foresee yet certainly it is no lesse then an amazement to many considerate men that that worke should go so slowly on If a Common-wealth bee headlesse the people will be brainlesse I dare professe in the eares of God and this Honourable Senate that I know not how any man can bee more jealous then my selfe that he should bee restored upon imperfect and unsafe tearmes but if it may bee done upon good tearmes and Gods termes the sooner it is done the sooner all will bee quiet Farre be it from mee to presse an interruâ—â—ion or intermission of such â—â—â—â—ires as are instant and urgent onely I humbly intreat you to remember again that it is our secundum necessarium and that till you two our great wheeles be set right all the lesser are like enough to go wrong If you have not beene early enough in rewarding the Army with just payments and due honour I humbly intreat you to lament it If any of this honourable House have erred in discouraging or disparaging them I intreat them to lament it yea though it be now healed it is no dishonour to honest men as we presume you are to repent of what incogitancy hath done amisse If the zeale of maintaining the Power and Liberty of the Parliament and the Peace of the Common-Wealth hath moved you to prevent or reject some Petitions though they were ill countenanced and thereby caused the people to feare a losse of their popular Liberty I likewise humbly intreat that you would lament it and to remember what a King and Kingdome within the pale of Christendome I meane Henry King of Swede suffered for an errour of this kind though I confesse much worse in degree If through connivence and indulgence you have too long spared some that have too boldly blasphemed our supreme Court and Councell and thereby emboldened others to speake more evill of you then there is cause you should do very well to lament it and reforme it If you and your Officers have been any thing unthrifty in the accounts and disbursements of the Kingdomes Treasury I pray let it be lamented and amended If you be so deserted that you are necessarily exposed to such yeeldings as may prove prejudiciall presidents to future Parliaments and deepe detriments to the whole Realme it would be cordially lamented If by these or any other defects you have laid your selves low in the estimations and animadversions of the people it would be sadly lamented I somewhat feare that you may take up part of Job's parable and say Job 29. Oh that you were as in moneths past when God honoured you when his candle shined upon your heads and when by his light you walked thorough darknesse when the almighty was so present with you when the eare that heard you blessed you when the eyes that saw you gave witnes to your proceedings when you put on Righteousnesse as a Robe and Judgement as a Diadem when your glory was fresh in you and your bow renewed in your hand when the people waited for you as for the raine and when you chose out their way and dwelt as a King in the Army comforting the Mourners But now those that are far short of you in age and worth yea some that are children of Fooles and base men viler then the Earth make you their by word spare not to spit in your face Oh that you will spare such Job 30. let loose the bridle before you push away your feet and raise up against you the wayes of their owne destructions for which the Soule of this good man powred out it selfe upon him and complaines that they were dayes of great afflictions that God had cast him into the mire and made him become like dust and ashes I hope you are not yet at so low an ebbe I pray God give you hearts to lament the least losse of your Authority I shall not need to re-mind you that the losse of the power and honour of a Parliament is the greatest losse our Kingdome can sustaine the losse of a King clothes the whole Land in sable but
the losse of a Parliament in a winding-sheet Our lives and all that wee are and have are bound up in your reputation and all that your selves are and have also But I must excuse you the more because it is a time wherein the Lord of Glory is staining the pride of all glory the Nobility Gentry and Commons of England want no grace more then Humility which is the soyle of all graces and the best way to Exaltation Let us also lament our present Martiall Scepter Martiall Wee have flighted Gods Morall and Evangelicall Law he hath now brought us in some sort under-Martiall Law Let us lament that so good an Army should be so ill-guided as to do what they do without warrant from God or state so farre as wise-men can yet discerne Let us lament that a Scepter made of so much gold and silver and true English mettall should have any part of it of a westphalian temper Let us lament that such honourable and serviceable Troops should have any mounted upon any Saddles of John a Leyden's make Let us lament that so good an Army should advance toward so ill a worke at least in their shewes and our feares as to deliver a Parliament of some eminent Members by a Caesarian section Let us very sadly lament that some of them of a mechanick alloy should be so bold as without warrant from thâ—â— cheife leaders to plunder us of our King it was so malepert an act an act that would have better become a John a Loyden Knipper Dolling or Jack Cade then a Loyal English Subject But what if the sword contemn even the Rod what Ezek. 21.13 It is great pity but that Sword should meet with a sound Rod If no body else will provide it I hope God will But I trust Gentlemen some of you will call to minde what an old Roman a wise Statesman wrote to Marcus Brutus in the like case It was too great a disparagement to make out King who is the Lord paramount of all our free-holds such a moveable I beleeve there have beene Spirits in the World which would almost scorne to be King againe after such a handling If he went willingly let us bewayle his errour Let us lament that there should be any Korah's Dathan's and Abiram's in an Army that layes so much claime to Piety Let us lament with much spirituall griefe that many of this Army have bemeazled so many ignorant Country men and Townes with impious and blasphemous opinions and rude manners I marvell much that any man who feares God closely and uprightly should feare this Army whereof a great part is said to be so good that surely they will not and others so bad as surely they cannot hurt us In the first of Ezek. there is a description of a strange wheel it was a wheel and wheeles and a wheele within a wheel and four wheels and there were four flashing and sparkling Creatures guided by a spirit that was in the middest of them whither the spirit went they went the forme and motion of this wheel made the Heavens looke terrible I could paralell our Army to this wheel allusively but not abusively If they can so drive their wheels that they overthrow not Charles his waine nor breake the axel-tree of the State I meane the Parliament and run not the wheels over some of their owne loynes and can bee so wise as to unload on this side Munster before they come to battaile and slaughter I dare be bold to say with all reverence that either the Generall or Christ his Generall hath more skill in carting then I ever looke to have while I live Let us lament that these our Brethren have imbarked themselves into an act unparallel'd and an enterprize so snarled and imbranched that I dare say all the eyes amongst them can not see to the end of all ' its issues by a thousand leagues Let us seriously lament so seriously that wee may prevent all lamentations by these our Brethren and more then fellow Subjects Let us lament that such an English Army have cast so much well deserved honour in the dust and such a black voyle over the face of the Gospell Let us also lament the whole State Popular and people who feele in part but do not sufficiently see their sin and sorrow The anger of the Lord was moved against the people 2 Sam. 2â— 1 and moved David to sinne against them Kings can sinne fast enough of themselves and kindle fires upon themselves and the people but usually people by their sinnes blow the Coales to a flame Lament that they have a suspended King Did they know what the Egyptian and Russian States and what the Kingdome of Fez suffered for more then seven years together for want of a King they would lament to purpose Jsrael shall say we have no King Hos 10.3 because we feared not the Lord what then should a King doe to us he that can tell what a King should doe to a people that will not feare the Lord I could earnestly wish him our Kings Vice-Roy in a Country that I know I should hold him as good as wise a man as ever was Papirius Censor What should a King doe to his people embroyled in so many Divisions Commotions and Distractions What should a King doe in a Country where there are so many Kings and so few Subjects I dare frcely say that Claudius Gordianus nor the Barbarian Hermite would not willingly at this time take the Royall Scepter into their hands though the Subjects in the plight they are would swear sealty to them with their hearts pinned upon their tongues ends It may be an Abimileth or a Perkin or a Michael de Lando would if they might Let us lament that through these distractions Jere. 8.22 and Peoples clamors there is nor balme enough nor sufficient Physitians left in our Gilead to recover our healths Lament that you pursue your owne Parliament with so many strifes and stripes of tongues whereby you may degrade them much more than any defects of theirs or any contest or affront of an Army You go the next way to cut off your owne necks and your Childrens throats with your own Raisors such gales Psa 52.2 or gusts of so ill breath may soone burne down and abate the height and breadth of your tallest and straitest Cedars under which we must take shelter in such stormes as these Lament that you have so farre lost your proper popular Scepter the feare of God and the power of godlinesse for which these troubles are come upon you Lament that the Figtree languisheth the Pomgranat tree the Palme tree the Apple tree and all the trees of the field Our Gentry Citizens Yeomen Joel 1.11.12 Husband-men and Trades-men are so farre withered that their wonted joy is taken from them You should doe well to consider that these nationall fires doe not onely burne the strong rods Isai 5.24 Isa 9.18 But as the Prophet saith wickednesse burneth as a fire and devoureth the stubble the chaffe the bryers the thornes Mal. 3.2 and the thickets of the Forrest You cannot indure the refining fire of Christ willingly hee can make you endure his consuming fire whether you will or no. Lament in a speciall manner that your Townes and Churches are so belepered with errours and strange opinions and that so many are roblet-led with new lights which though they be but Candles-ends will hardly be extinguished till they have set Gods wrath and the Peoples spirits on fire Lastly let us lament that we cannot lament at least as God would have us lament because it is not a lamentation it shall be for a lamentation so it proved by the Lamentations of Jeremy who lamented for these miseries with more bitter lamentations then ever any mortall man made or Poet feigned He lamented till his eyes fayled with teares his bowells were troubled and his liver was powred upon the Earth and sped never the worse for his lamentations The Lord threatens the people to double the Sword the second and third time if he hath intermitted a while that he might whet and furbish his Sword for a second scene or act of Warre Hee that cannot see whence the third is like to come Ezek. 21.14 hath very dirn eyes He can over-turne over-turne and over-turn he can shave the head after that the beard after that the feete Isai 7.20.27 Lev. 26. he can walke seven times contrary unto us he can give us reall signes and good hopes of making us a comfortable setled reformed State But when the vessell is well neere finished upon the wheeles he can breake all againe and make it of a miserable forme if the sinnes of a Nation provoke him to it But some may say Jer. 18 10. or think as the people did of this Prophet that he speaks parables and that these visions are but sayling visions I pray God they may prove so for his tender mercie and holy names sake I had thought to have spoken somewhat of Ecclesiasticall and Domesticall Scepters and how weakned Scepters might be restored to their strength so far as belongs to a Divine But fearing that the State is at this present in too violent and hot a Paroxisme to take physick and that it would cost more time then can be allowed I shall here conclude with these four conclusions which I take to be everlasting truthes I. That the highest honour and weightiest charge God hath betrusted any of the sonnes of men with is publick authority II. That no man can sinne a greater sinne against God and Men then to cast the honour and power of authority in the dust The sinne against the Holy Ghost excepted III. That besides the Mal-Administrations of government by Magistrates themselves there is no readier way to prostitute it then to suffer vile men to blaspheme and spit in the face of authority IIII. That if Rulers once lay publick authority wast they will find it the difficultest peece of worke that ever mortall men tooke in hand to raise it up againe to it 's due height and true strength FINIS
if ever a time come againe when men may be their owne Nath. Ward A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament At their late Monethly FAST Being on Wednesday June 30. 1647. EZEKIEL 19. ver 14. And fire is gone out of a Rod of her branches which hath devoured her fruite so that she hath no strong Rod to be a Scepter to Rule this is a Lamentation and shall be for a Lamentation THIS Chapter is a Tragicall conclusion of the Antecedent part of this prophecie wherein the Prophet tells them 1 To what passe they have brought the state of Jsrael 2 What God would have them now doe The first under a two-fold or rather three-fold Allegory it will not bee amisse to take a very Transient view of the whole Chapter being short that we may take the better aime at the Text. Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the Princes of Jsrael Ver. 1 It well beseemes a State professing Religion to lament the miscarriages and miseries of their Princes and good reason for they are usually for their sinne and to their sorrow And say Ver. 2 what is thy Mother a Lyonesse she lay down among Lyons she nourished her whelps among young Lyons It seemes God and the Prophet tooke the Common-wealth to be the Mother or Parent of their Kings the Kings her Sonnes If Common-wealths were such Mothers as we read of Prove 31. And would instruct their Princes so piously as she did they should probably have more Lemuels and fewer Rehoboams If Princes would acknowledg their common-wealth to be their Mother there were some hope they would better observe Solomons advice or rather Gods which is not to forsake the Laws of their Mother to rule pro arbitrio nor prove a heavinesse to their Mother nor a shame to their Mother nor despise their Mother nor chase away their Mother nor curse their Mother nor smite their Mother But this Mother at this time was a Lyonesse shee couched among Lyons and nursed up her whelps among young Lyons If Common-wealths bee Lyons how or why should their Kings be Lambs If they will nurse up their Princes among young Lyons how should they shift to share deepe of their nature Young Courtyers are lightly none of the best Tutors And she brought up one of her whelps Ver. 3 it became a young Lyon it learned to catch the prey it devoured men If Subjects will bee Demobori why should not their Kings bee Demophagi Jehoahaz It is pity a predant people should want a Rampant King But a man had need to have a good thicke skinne and good solid bones to live in such a Kingdome It becomes a King to bee a Lyon but a Lamb too else hee will not bee like Christ the King of Kings and King of Saints The Nations also heard of him Ver. 4 hee was taken in their Pit and they brought him with chaines unto the Land of Egypt Forraigne Nations though heathen doe neither like nor love their neighbour Kings if they heare they are oppressors What pits Princes dig for their Subjects they often fall into themselves 2 Chron. 12.7 8 9. Now when she saw that she had waited Ver. 5 and her hope was lost then she tooke another of her whelps and made him a young Lyon Jeofaheiâ—â— It is Christianity to waite with all patience for the returne of a King it will also stand with Christianity when all patience and hope is spent to be thinking of a right successor And he went up and downe among the Lyons Ver. 6 he became a young Lyon and learned to catch the prey and devoured men Of this before ver 3. And hee knew their desolate places Ver. 7 and he layed wast their Cities and the land was desolate and the fulnesse thereof by the noyse of his roaring When Princes begin to oppresse they know not where they shall make an end vice hath no meane but not to be at all A King may roare his Land desolate by roaring Proclamations and Edicts Then the Nations set against him on every side from the Provinces Ver. 8 and spread their Net over him he was taken in their pit And they put him inward in Chaines Ver. 9 and brought him to the King of Babylon they brought him into holds that his voyce should not be heard upon the Mountains of Jsrael It were Royall wisdome for Kings to take warning by their erring Predecessors but that 's out of fashion When Kings will not be quiet without absolute Monarchy and Sovereigne Libertie they may come at length to that Market where they can have none at all These were forraigne toyles but European Histories tell us of sundry Kings and Princes taken in home Toyles Civill Nets which is a great trouble to Subjects but a mercy to Kings if their people be Christian and mercifull Thy Mother is like a vine in the blood Ver. 10 planted by the waters she was fruitfull and full of branches by the reason of many waters And she had strong rods for the Scepters of them that beare rule Ver. 11 and her stature was exalted among the thicke branches and she appeared in her height with the multitudes of her branches But she was plucked up in fury Ver. 12 she was cast down to the ground and the East-wind dryed up her fruit her strong Rods were broken and withered the fire consumed them And now she is planted in the Wildernesse in a dry and thirsty ground Calvin takes blood for pollution as cap. 16.6 But I must crave leave to think that the Prophet speakes in vinerous language It is a great felicity for States to flourish in people and plenty It is a peculiar mercy when they are well stored with strong Rods or Scepters of rule It is an easie matter for Kingdomes to abuse prosperity which too often destroys the foolish Prov. 1.3 And it is as easie with God to destroy such kingdomes with a precipice King and kingdomes are as little matters in his hands if he be provoked And fire is gone out of a Rod of her branches Ver. 14 which hath devoured her fruit so that she hath no strong rod to be a Scepter to rule this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation A Scepter is an Ensigne of publique authority it is called Baculus Regius le Baston Royal. Sceptrum Jovis from whence I take other Scepters were derived was wont to solemnize great matters A Scepter is sometimes in scripture and other Authors taken for Monarchical power Sometime for Aristocraticall and the power of subordinate Princes Sometime for the Standard rule or law whereby they rule Heb. 1.8 Out of this 14 th ver wherein there are no Criticismes omitting other collections or animadversions which may be more offensive then profitable I will onely take this generall Observation When a State hath brought it selfe to that passe that the Scepters of authority and powers of Government are wasted and weakned it is a