Western Forces to pray for your Militia that the God of Abraham would be a sunne and a shield to all your Catechised Souldiery for such was Abrahams that you have or shall send down but especially as a Publike and some-what Representative Minister I shall continually cry to heaven for your good successe in the all-in-all of Reformation Zech. 8.7 8 and that the Lord of hosts will save his people from the East Country and from the West Country and will bring them that they may dwell in the midst of our Jerusalem that they may be his people and hee their God in truth and in righteousnesse And let the Lord Heb. 6. â—0 which is not unrighteous never forget your worke and labour of love which yee have shewed towards his Name in that yee have minstred to the Saints and doe minister And we desire that every one of you doe shew the same diligence Verse 11. to the full assurance of our hope unto the end This is the prayer of Your Honours humble and reall Servant John Bond. Savoy Jan. 20. 1644. To all well-affected tender-hearted Christians inhabiting the famous City of London and within the Line of Communication Duely Honoured and Beloved I Have read that there growes a a Caussin Hieroglyph lib. 10. Parab 4. tree not far from Malaca whose rootes doe spread diversly abroad those of them which do run towards the East are wholsome and medicinall yea they are an antidote against poisons but such as doe spread themselves towards the West are venemous and deadly such a tree as this it hath pleased the Lord now to plant in this land and me thinks it growes upon the border betwixt the old kingdomes of the East and West Saxons that is in the most Easterly edge of Hampshire for all the Counties beyond that place Westward are over-spread with sad roots of bitterness bringing forth nothing but gall worm wood wheras the other Counties of the land on this side Eastward are safe and medicinall and these contrary dispensations of providence as they doe call upon you Amos 4.7 the children of the East to blesse that Lord which causeth it to raine mercie or judgements upon one Country and not upon another so doe they enforce and encourage us Westerne exiles to implore some healing for our Country from those wings of yours under whose feathers many of our pilgrims have already found a covering In hope and pursuance of that healing was I emboldned to offer unto you a mid-wifes place in the birth of this Treatise and that you may adventure to read it over I shall promise you that this Westerne historie is not like your creatures of a day at Westminster 't is not like your every dayes Mercurian dew of News which is dayly exhaled and evaporated that is growne stale and doubtfull by that time the sun ariseth in ' its strength but in many of these sad passages I doe but testifie what I have seen in others I have considered that Fame in these dayes hath lost her credit and therefore accordingly I have not trusted her without sufficient sureties So that the sad history of this book is but too true though I confesse not full enough Once I had thought to have added marginall instances but did forbeare partly because I conceived them not the most fit company for a sermon and partly because I found them too many and copious for a margin Pauper is est numerare pecus As for the divine matter of these sermons they do Apologize Confesse Petition Direct for the good of your most afflicted brethren By the first I hope they will undeceive such as shall read impartially and as for others which will a Non amo te Sabidi nee possum dicere quare c. not beleeve any good reports of the West because they will not I shall only answer them that they will mis-judge because they will By the second third and fourth which are the discoveries of the great evils of those most lamentable Counties c. we do call for pitie from all brethren and friends but especially from this great Citie which the Lord hath hitherto made a publike fountain of help and the very poole of Bethesda to all impotent parts and almost people of the land John 5.7 but the West hath layen longest in the porch wanting a hand to put it into the waters Surely there was a time when those five Counties did by their b Devon Kersies c Wilts Corne d Somerset Cattle e Dorset Sheep and f Cornwall Tinne afford in good measure both b clothing c bread and d flesh yea e dishes and all to this great City and such a time againe may returne but at present those Shires and the well-affected of them would faine borrow a bucket or two of help from your ocean to set their pumps a going I meane to put them into an able posture for the defence of themselves I remember 't is recorded that the g Keker in praesat ad Geegraph Queen of Castillia did sel her jewels to furnish Columbus for his discovering voyage to the West-Indies when hee had shewed his Maps though the English Courtiers saith mine Author did deride his profers and thereby the new world of America was found and gained to the Spanish Crowne Surely there is great adventure now to be made for reducing of the little Kingdome of West-England and the Londoners hitherto have been the greatest adventurers for this cause Oh read over my Maps and doe like your selves But besides that great occasion there is also another petty adventure for the West at this time required it is that you would h Eccles 11.1 cast your bread upon the waters for the present support of many Westerne exiled Pilgrims which have not onely long since laid out and left the bulke of their estates for the testimony of Iesus but have lately spent the last meal of their barrell the utmost oyle of their Cruse in these parts and now so it is that dig they cannot and to beg they are ashamed yea and almost to receive Ye shall therefore doe well if like the i 2 Tim. 1.16 17. house of Onesiphorus Ye seeke them out very diligently and find them Brethren though my selfe and some others have our k Prov. 30 8. Agurs commons our l Exod. 16.16 Omer-full for our day yet give me leave and the more freely to tell you that the Lord hath set this great City to be his Steward and Almoner for the distressed brethren and I must adde he hath given you three for one for all your free disbursements for his sake First he hath given you that ability and substance which you have laid out for 't is e Pro. 10.4.22 the blessing of God with the hand of the diligent that maketh rich f 1 Sam. 25.11 My bread and my water and my flesh was the language of Naball Next
others Vers 31 32. are there to be found both at home and abroad which when they have looked upon us doe passe-by on the other side yea and some distressed persons have tryed it that there is more compassion to be found from some Samaritans strangers and non-professors then from many of those Beleeve it brethren those heathenish sinnes which St. Rom 1.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 24.12 Paul calleth want of naturall affection and unmercifulnesse and those worst of times in which our Saviour saith the love of many shall waxe cold are fallen upon our present generation Yea so it is that by how-much the more the objects of pity and compassion are increased and doe abound by so-much the lesse is pity exercised by so-much the more doth it decrease But because generalities doe neither convince the minde nor pierce the heart I shall therefore endeavour to divide this reproofe and levell it more particularly at severall sorts of offenders First I shall but mention all cursing and cursed Edomits who instead of pitying 1. Edomitish Enemies doe rejoyce over the afflictions of their brethren Such Edomâ—ts I meane who in the day of Ierusalem cryed Psal 17.7 Obâ—d v. 11. Râ—â—â—e it rase it even to the foundation thereof Who stood on the other side in the day that the strangers carried away captive his brothers forces Ver. 11. and forreiners entred into his gates But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother saith Obadiaâ— on the day that he became a stranger neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the Children of Iudah in the day of their destruction neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse As often as I read over that shortest Prophet me thinks I see again before mine eyes the sad march of Gods people out of the Cities of Bristoll and Exon and the march of our late army of Martyrs out of Lestithell in Cornwall about August or September last but many of those Edomitish enemies which then looked on rejoyced and spake proudly being since out off have already answered for that fact before the great tribunall and as for others which did it through ignorance I shall pray the Father of mercies to give them repentance and to forgive them onely let me tell them for present 〈…〉 that this sinne is more base then envie it selfe and doth argue that men have put off both christianity and humanity I shall therefore exhort them to read over both the threatning prayer and the thundring prophecie of the Psalme and Chapter fore-mentioned beseeching the Father of spirits to set them home upon their consciences But there are other two sorts of offenders remaining to whom I did especially intend this reproofe and those are such friends and children of the West as doe want the bowels of brotherly compassion Secondly then to such friends when I say friends I take the word in as great a latitude 2. Jobs like Friends as it hath in the Text even for all such as ought to be friends to the West that is all true English protestant hearts though borne or living Northward Southward Eastward sure I am that we are all members of the same British body 1 Cor 12.21 12. neither can the Easterne head or the Northerne or Southerne armes say to the Westerne feet call us so we have no need of you Then give me leave O yee fellow members to reason with you a little concerning the sufferings of the West I doubt not but you doe all know that England hath a West but have you ever seriously considred the vast extent and the deep extremities of those Counties which we call Westerne Have you ever been hitherto convinced that there is now no sorrow in the whole land like unto their sorrow Lamenâ— 1 1â— wherewith the Lord hath afflicted them in the day of his fierce anger And doe you withall beleeve that those people have been some of the first and deepest in suffering but are some of the last and least in all revivings I have read of a people which every morning doe worship the rising sun towards the East but at evening they doe dayly curse the setting sun towards the West There is an allusion to that custome too generally practised in this land some mens hearts and hopes are touched from the North as a Needle with a loadstone and they will stand and expect redemption no way but Northward towards our justly honoured and succesfull brethren Oh but take heed of leaning with a full weight upon a walking staffe though never so handsome and usefull Mr. Marshal at Mr. Pines Funerall Others doe lift up their eyes wholly to this City of refuge this great Easterne mountaine from whence alone they conceive cometh their help But alas all this while the backs of all these are generally turned upon the deserted South-west yea and too many are apt almost to curse that Country of the setting of the sun as the most unhappy and unworthy part of the kingdome Zech 8. â— and for the truth of this I doe appeale to the memories and consciences of many present Let us come neerer Brethren have not the straights of other lesser parties pettie Towns and meer Parishes of the Kingdome affected the hearts and filled the mouths of many in this place with much sympathie and loud complaints in their behalfe when at the same time potent armies spatious Countries and very considerable places in the West have fought and cryed and sunck without any great pitie noise or notice in these parts Nay have not some of your selves observed that the distresses of some garrison'd houses in the name of Castles beleagured have been strongly ecchoed by many both to the Lord in prayers and to the high Court of Parliament in petitions whilest some Westerne Cities and City-like Townes have for a long time together stretched out their hands and lifted up their voices for helpe but all in vaine Here thou poore Exon labouring under a well-nigh foure moneths tedious siege mightest seasonably aske how many notes or bills were that while publikely put up for thee in the congregations in this place I have heard of one young man that put up some two or three And thou faithfull Plymouth together with thy cordiall and considerable Sisters and Neighbours Dartmouth Barnstable Lyme Taunton c. mightest second this complaint with an outcry Alas poore helplesse and almost hopelesse West And art thou alone as one borne out of due time Art thou the only speckled bird the mountains of Gilboa when other parts have the seasonable comfortable dewes of help and pitie Brethren pardon my just filiall affections I shall endeavour to walke evenly in my complaint betwixt impiety to my Countrie and partialitie towards the truth The sins of young Cham and old Ely are both alike abhominable in my account and in this temper let us argue the matter yet a litle further in answering the charges
which Satan and his Instruments have cast them downe both that is the very Zenith or height of their happinesse Secondly the Quo that is the bottome depth and gulfe of calamity into which hee did degrade and thrust them this is the very Nadar of their distresse and misery 1. From whence they are cast down Non Quo sed Unde First let us speake a litle of the Vnde or whence that is the height of happinesse from whence first Iob and now our Countrie have been cast down because * Miserrimum est faisse selicem Jobs Holinesse Iob. 1.1 2 2 4 5. to an ingenuous spirit this hath been the greatest aggravation of a fall Iob was throwne downe from his primitive prosperous estate as wee called it 't is shadowed in his first Chapter at the beginning there he is described by his holinesse and happinesse First by his holinesse he was inwardly sincere towards God and that man was perfect and outwardly honest towards men and upright yea he had a sound principle of both one that feared God and this principle was strong and generall he eschewed evill Before I give a parallel to this branch let me Apologize a litle in the words of that mourning * Non sum ambitiâ—sus in malis c. Quintil. Iob. 13.7 Oratour when he praised his deceased sonne Brethren I am not I hope ambitious in and of our miserie and I should be loath to tell a lie for God but on the other part I would in the worst of times be just and pious toward my dying Countrie and therefore must now speake something to the praise of the pietie of the West and that both Negatively The West and Positively For the first let me say Orthodox Those parts were as free I conceive from Antichristian Papists on the left-hand extreame and from uncatechised Sectaries on the right as any proportionable tract of land in the Kingdome The God of truth make all our now dispersed Professors in those parts and our few garrisons at home Revel 16.15 still wise and watchfull to keepe their garments in these pilfering times lest they walke naked and they see their shame Next Positively I might mention the wonderfull breaking forth of light in those parts of late the Gospel going like the sun from East to West the springing of Lectures and the stout endeavours to hold them up together with a great multiplication of beleevers in diverse places of those Counties all proving the great day-break of godliness in the West Besides in the last times since these troubles began the extraordinarie cryes to heaven and seekings to God publikely privatly with prayer fasting and teares in many places were such as would I thinke have forced the most adverse Anti-westerne spirit to confesse that there was much of the feare of God in those places But all this I shall passe and would adde but one onely consideration and that is Multitudes banished About 500 exiles from Devon and Exon alone are in these parts the numerous armie of Martyres exiles I meane which are now come off from those quarters for that cause of God and for the testimonie of Iesus Such an armie and number they are of men women and children as I dare say cannot be parallel'd from any proportionable part of the land And which is yet more these poore souls generally did not stay and linger untill the palpable Popery and intolerable Tyranny of the enemie did thrust them out as Lot and his wife came out of Sodom but they came off in the beginning of the storm before the paint of Iezebels face was wiped off when few but thorow Christians could discerne the cause or would adventure the whole for it which proveth even to the face of Calumnie it selfe that in the West there was many a man that was perfect and upright that feared God and eschewed evil So much concerning the Parallel to Iobs holines But Secondly Jobs Happines Job 1 2 3. Iob was rich and happy both in his children and goods Of children And there were borne unto him seven sons and three daughters His substance also was seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred shee-asses and a very great houshold so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East And surely the West for populousnesse The West might well have borrowed that old title of the North as it was called officina hominum the shop of men It was the populous No of the kingdome whose streets and fields were sowne with the seed of man and the seed of beasts as hath appeared too well since the beginning of these warres And as for riches those parts were justly called the West Indies of great Britaine This is the Vnde the height and happinesse whence both Iob and our Countrie are cast downe that is the privative part of their calamitie So much concerning that first Secondly but the greatest bulk and burthen of the miseries both of the Easterne and Westerne Iob doth ly in that second part 2. Whither they are cast downe here which I call the Quo the whither of their sufferings containing all those positive afflictions and cruelties that were laid upon them And this I shall still goe on to shew by a parallel betwixt their afflictions as I promised The enemies of holy Iob were very Methodicall in their cruelties They did not kill and crush him at one blow No that had been a * Occidere est vetarecuptentom mori Sen. kind of mercie to him but they dealt with him as the American Canibals are wont to handle their Prisoners It is said of them that when they take a prisoner they doe feed upon him alive and by degrees for they cut off one piece of flesh from his arme suppose or thigh or other brawny part to day which they doe roast and eate before his eyes searing up the wounded place with a fire-brand to stanch the blood perhaps anon or to morrow they cut off another meale from him thus carrying the poor wretch up and downe with them dying dayly whilst he seeth himselfe eaten up by degrees The severall steps or degrees of 〈◊〉 mise 〈◊〉 which 〈…〉 to the unutterable aggravation of his horrour and torment So dealt Satan and his instruments with Iob They did not devoure him at once but did bite and eate him up by parts and pieces 1. For first he is undone in his estate by rapine and plundring and so rob'd of his temporall riches 2. Hee is smitten in his body with sores and ulcers and so stript of naturall comforts 3. He is afflicted in his soule by false accusations and by desertions and so deprived of his spirituall treasures So that in the whole he is made miserable all over in soule body and goods This method of cruelty is well like unto that which the Prophet Micah doth charge upon the Tyrants in his
them This cruell Decree is most severely executed in the West Secondly Hearing of the word preached As for that onely ordinary soule-saving Ordinance of Preaching and other publike Exercises of the Congregations those in the West are made to be as a bait and a traine to conshiracy and perjury for the common practice of the Enemy in those parts is this Upon the Lords day when there is a full Congregation met together to seeke the publike food of their soules they being stript and plundered of all their outward and bodily comforts then the Civill and Military Magistrates and Commanders doe usually send their severe Warrants and Orders requiring that first the Church-doores bee shut up 4. Horrid Oaths enforced and strictly guarded by armed Souldiers onely the women and children are first let goe then the cruell Officers are sent in to the people with a new Oath which is exactly in all points contrary to our Covenant and to that solemne Protestation which all those poore soules have taken already in that place And here the trembling wretched creatures are put to this miserable dilemma or choyce either to take that perjurious Oath and so to sweare that they will fight against their Religion Parliament Lawes and Liberties to their utmost or else to receive a brace of bullets from that Carbine or Pistoll which is there presented to their brests Brethren what think you of such a choyce as this Doe not those men make the place of Gods publike worship which themselves doe seeme so much to reverence to become such another Shambles as Jehu made in the house of Baal you know the History King Jehu by a stratagem 2 Kin. 10.25 pretending a great sacrifice did draw the Priests of Baal into Baals house and having gotten them together did cause them to be there sacrificed to their god so turning the place of their worship into a slaughter-house Such another butchering place of soules doe these men make of their Churches Or is not this act of theirs like that of a bloody Italian of which I have heard An Italian studying an high degree of revenge against one that had offended him did resolve upon this cruell stratagem himselfe being armed way-laid his unarmed enemy in a solitary place where hee was to passe and rising against him at an advantage doth put him to this choyce Either saith hee doe thou presently curse God and abjure and blaspheme Jesus Christ in these and these words high enough you may be sure or else thou shalt dye immediatly by this sword withall offering the point thereof unto his brest The poore defendant thus helplesse and fearing the face of sudden death doth choose wretched creature the farre worset part namely to blaspheme his God and forsweare his Saviour which hee had no sooner done but the witty bloudy assaylant doth immediatly thrust him through with these words Now will I kill soule and body together Doth not the fore-mentioned act of the cruell Enemy in the West come up full to this barbarisme Is it not a killing of soule and body together when they doe first enforce men for feare of present death to forswear themselves and to abjure their God and Gospel and then by vertue of that perjurious Oath doe immediatly require and carry them away to the warres where they are cut off in the midst of that perjury whilst they are fighting against God and their owne consciences And yet such is the terrour of present imminent death the King of feares that divers godly persons through infirmity have entangled themselves verbally with that bloudy combination but after the taking thereof some of them have been distracted with the terrours of their clamorous consciences others have lost their comfort and activity the very wheeles of their soules and doe lock up themselves in darknesse Brethren there are divers Hospitals in this City for such souldiers as have been wounded and maimed in these warres where there is provision of food physicke and Chirurgeons made for their bodies and doubtlesse that worke is an act of much equity prudence and mercy But alas alas how many Savoys and Bartholomews I mean Hospitals and Spittles shall wee need for wounded consciences and maimed soules in the West Surely I am perswaded that if ever the Lord doth turne our captivity and brings us backe into those parts wee shall meet with spirituall wounds ulcers and broken bones of all sorts and degrees there wee shall have one crying out like hopelesse Spiia I have denyed God before men and now am I sure to be denyed of him before his Angels in heaven the wound of mine Apostacy is incurable Another roaring out because of his perjury and saying Which side soever is in the right I am certainly a forsworne man because I have taken Oaths that were directly contrary and therefore I am marked out like Cain with a trembling conscience I have sold Christ and his Cause like Judas for gaine and safety and this my sin was committed both with knowledge and against it yea I have sinned presumptuously and then the Scripture is cleare in my sentence For if wee sinne wilfully Heb. 10.26 27. after that wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries And perhaps a third man that was once a Professor Acts and Monuments but last an eminent Actor for the Enemy will like that Judge Hales if I mistake not lay violent hands upon his owne body and become Executioner to himselfe by drowning burning or hanging Yea some cryes and carriages of this kind have been uttered and acted in those parts already And they are but according to the desires of some of the Enemies who are said to have wished Oh that they could but kill the soule of a Round-head This was the last and highest of Jobs three kinds of Affliction namely the plundering of him in Spirituals And thus have I done with my Parallels And now if all these considerations both of Westerne sins and sufferings doe not lie heavie enough upon our hearts to breake them before the Lord this day then I have yet one talent of Lead more which I would cast in and it may also be digged out of my Text Some especiall unhappinesses of the West as in even out of this last clause and close thereof For the hand of God hath touched me That is the Lords speciall peculiar immediate afflicting hand was upon him and against him my meaning is Brethren to commend unto you with reference to those words this consideration namely that the especiall immediate and me thinkes extraordinary hand of God is against the poor West above other parts and quarters of the kingdome I know that every Country and person is apt by nature to thinke ' its owne burthen to be the heaviest but therefore I shall spread my reasons and arguments before you
compare if comparisons be not odious with most Cities Townes Castles or houses in the land Take an instance in every of those three 1. Amongst City-sieges remember that of Exon which for the space of about fifteen weeks together did faithfully conflict and struggle with a double disease partly with a strong crafty pestilentiall enemie encompassing her without and partly with a Malignant putrid fever in her owne blood within and all this in the lowest and most hopelesse juncture of time that ever this Parliament did see or I hope shall see untill our perfect deliverance Deut. 22.26 27. and therefore that City though it be now ravished by strangers may truely be said to have kept her virgin-honour and * Fidelis in aternum motto still because shee cryed out for help though no man came to her rescue Amongst Towne-sieges I might say much concerning the stoutnesse and longanimity of Poole and Dartmouth and perhaps of some other places but because I have promised but one instance in this particular let our Chronicle of these times bid posterity to give the Crowne of perseverance to constant Plymouth Plimouth whose siege may beare almost the same that is as long a date as the present wars It is now about two yeares since as I remember that the habituall Leaguer or rather Plantation of the enemie before that towne did begin and although there have been some intermissions yet I doe question whether those as the Lord disposed them have made more for the greater reliefe or distresse of that place And in all this time both flatteries treacheries and violence of all kinds were used yea and the presence of abused Majesty it selfe was brought to prove and crowne the wisedome sincerity courage of that Garrison Finally amongst Castle-Sieges Warder Castle that of Warder in Wilts will be famous to posterity both for passive and active valour to the utmost So much concerning length of Sieges But once more Marleborough if you look to hot service and fiery stormings as they call them then take but two instances First in the tempest at Marleborough that was admirably sustained untill the defendants were over-power'd with lead fire and numbers But chiefly in that great wonder of little Lyme in Dorset Lime which having in it but eleven hundred Souldiers did not onely sustaine but shamefully repulsed a Leaguer of no lesse then by their owne confession sixe thousand Enemies whose Demi-cannon and other Ordnance played unceflantly upon their weake and thin line for full 8. weeks together whilst the Souldiery in the Towne having digged pits or graves rather for themselves under their line in the earth to shelter themselves from the Ordnance did there eate and drinke and lodge and dwell in mire and clay to the end of that siege So that not onely their owne judicious The Lord Admirall Maurice and noble friend beholding that line of theirs after the siege is said to have professed that he never saw such paper-works defenâ—ed by men but even the repulsed Prince their enemie is said to have acknowledged that had not the defendants been rebelis as he miscalled them every man of them did deserve to have Command Many more particulars with their instances might be added to shew the extraordinary endeavours of the West to preserve it selfe for King and Parliament But that which ought to breake our hearts in all that hath been said is to consider that notwithstanding all this labour charge courage heartines wee have spent our strength in vaine and for nought Our fore did still run and ceased not untill wee were become as at this day the most miserable parts of the Kingdome so that the West must necessarily and specially cry out The hand of God hath touched me This was the second Consideration 3. The continuance of the Westerne desolations Lastly let us consider the continuance and settlement of our miseries to this day 2 Sam. 1. and that for all this the Lords wrath is not turned away but his hand is strâ—tched out still Is not the West at present nay hath it not been for a long season as the Mountaines of Gilboa in comparison to other places that is the Country upon which especially neither dew of comforts not raine of succour doth descend Are not we alone as a people born out of due time the utmost Eastern parts of the Kingdome have not at all seene and felt the present war the Noâ—th hath felt it indeed but is in a manner now quite delivered and as for the middle parts of the Land though the shower be not as yet wholly blowne over yet there is many a strong wind that is driving away the clouds many a bucket that is laving off the waters from them I meane there are many potent armies fighting valiantly in those Counties for their relief onely the poor West that was the primuÌ„ moriens one of the first in this death is like to be the ultimum vivens the very last in the resurrection whensoever these troubles shall have an end it being to this day farthest from the fountains of help viz. London and the North and neerest to the fountains of harme viz. Ireland and France I doe not quarrell with instruments but shall leave them all to the Father of Spirits and the Searcher of hearts onely my desire is to affect mine owne heart and yours with the consideration of that hand of God that doth especially touch us and in that sence I shall goe on to shew you this branch of Westerne unhappiness in these three cases The last Branch of of the Westerne unhappinesses farther aggravated is 3. Cases 1. Case Iudg. 18.28 First in case of petitioning and begging help and reliefe for our Country Me thinks the Lords providence hath still way-laid us and as it were hedged up our waies with thornes God hath so ordered the frame of publike affaires that little water as they say hath bin spared to our mill some cause of this unhappiness may perchance bee the distant scituation of our Country from these parts and so it is like unto that Laish of which 't is said And there was no deliverer because it was farre from Sidon and they had no businesse with any man So the West perhaps hath seene the fewer deliverers because it is farre from London and hath now little businesse with the children of the East It is necessary I confesse that the parts neerest the heart be first preserved and it is ordinary I find for those poor people to be served last which are farthest off from the doore Another cause of this our unhappiness may be the more importunate interposition of other suitors that like Jacob doe get away the blessing from us whilst we are hunting for venison to procure it by and so we and our Country are like that lame man in the Gospel that lay neer the pool of Bethesda expecting a good time for healing who thus complaineth to our
of generall and particular judgement the day of publike and speciall tryall and these dayes we ought to look unto as at the doore at all times but especially then when the plague is begun 3. Duty Communication of good and evill when one foot of it is over the threshold This was the second branch of the reall pitie of Iobs friends viz. their appointed meeting together to visit him The third branch of their friendly visit is contained in the End thereof and that is expressed in the Text as I said to be two-fold 1. To communicate with him in his sorrows To mourn with him 2. To communicate to him their comforts And to comfort him But these two for brevities sake we will twist together they are indeed the both hands of reall friendship the one is the giving hand with which we doe freely strip our selves of any of our comforts reaching them forth to our distressed friends this is commanded by the Apostle when he saith Distributing to the necessity of the Saints Rom. 12.13 The other is the receiving hand with which we doe take off their burthens laying them upon our own shoulders and this also is enjoyned by the same Apostle when he commandeth Beare ye one anothers burthens Gal. 6.2 and so fulfill ye the law of Christ It is one great commandement or law of Christ that wee love one another It is another that wee doe to others as wee would they should doe to us Iohn 1â— 34 Luke 6.31 Both these lawes doe bind us to both those duties of communicating And indeed as the lawes so the example of Christ doth enforce the same thing for with one hand he doth reach forth unto his Saints both his merit and Spirit and with the other hand he doth beare our iniquities and takes upon him our infirmities Let us therefore make him our Lord and patterne in labouring to doe the offices of Christian friends to our distressed Country-men with both hands not contenting our selves onely with stripping our selves of our owne comfort and to give it unto them 1 Sam. 18.4 as Ionathan in token of friendship stript himselfe of the robe that was upon him and gave it unto David and his garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle but let us also make the sorrowes and sufferings of our afflicted brethren to be our owne But of this kind of compassion I have spoken somewhat already in my excitations The rest that remaineth I shall bind up together and thresh out in the 2. â—â— particular Second Generall which I promised was called the more particular means of reall pitie it may be amplified by the speciall members and weapons by which our compassions are acted and expressed In few words then would we perform the duty of friendly pitie in deed and in truth Then we must do it Corde Ore Opere with our hearts with our mouthes with our hands or actions First First Corde with our hearts The heart is the fountaine of all reasonable living motions and if any actions have not their rise from thence they are artificiall or but brutishly naturall labour wee therefore to engrave a map of our miserable Country upon our hearts Queen Mary is reported to have said after the losse of Callice to the French that whosoever should rip up her dead body might find Callice in her heart Her reason was because that last footing of England in France was lost under her raigne and government Brethren our native Counties have been lost in our time and partly also by our sins Oh let us therfore carry the West continually in our hearts Quest What carry it in our hearts you will say What is that How may it be done Answ I meane Answ let us carry in our thoughts and affections all those Cards of the five Westerne Counties which I have drawne before your eyes already but because that draught is somewhat imperfect I would onely adde unto it two or three termes of art in this place they may be borrowed from Paul in a verse of his to the Ephesians where labouring to expresse the great love of God in Christ Ephes 3.18 he giveth it severall dimensions that ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth depth height of that love There is the whole trina dimensio as they call it all the three dimensions of misery to be observed in the present maps of the West As namely the latitude the longitude yea the profundity of their sufferings First would you know the breadth of our Western miseries Surely 1. Latitude of the miseries of the West Camden Speed they are as broad as a tract of land containing from East to West as our Geographers doe measure the five Counties above two hundred miles and from North to South generally the whole continent betwixt the Northerne and Southerne seas In which tract there are commonly accounted five Cities Market-Tomnes one hundred thirty and one diverse of which may compare with some of your Easterne and Northerne Cities Of Parishes one thousand foure hundred nintey and those also not as in some other Counties narrow and thin but generally very spatious very populous In short the Westerne tract that is now so miserable doth containe that whole kingdome of the West Saxons * Berks. Hamps two Counties only excepted which of old like Moses his rod did devour all the other six kingdoms of that Heptarchy and I have cause to thinke that at this day could there be but a competent number of helpfull forces afforded unto that Country like a bucket of water that is poured into a drie pump to set it going it would not onely be able to defend it selfe but might send forth many comfortable streams towards the refreshment of other parts of the kingdome Sure I am by experience that when the ill-affected of but one of those five Counties had over-flowne the Western banks which for a long time did beate back their streams they did in a short space turne the tide thorrow the whole kingdome This is a touch concerning the latitude or breadth of the Western miseries 2. The Longitude Secondly would you know what is the longitude or length of this map of miserie that is how long time those parts have bin over-flowne Surely I must answer that the calamities of the kingdome and of the West doe beare the same date even from August in the yeare 1642. unto this present hath the fire of warre been blown up and down in those Counties and ever since about July in the yeare 1643. when the West received her deaths wound at the Devizes hath the enemie been master of the field in that little kingdome only I confesse some blood did run to the heart in Exon after that blow and it was cherished to the utmost by that poor beleagured Citie there being I beleeve scarcely an hired souldier behind of his pay so much as
laid against us Object 1 The Westerne folke will some say are an unworthie people Answ Beware of drawing sinfull inferences from sorrowfull premisses by concluding that such a man or people are wicked because they are wretched sinners because sufferers This was the false sophistry of Iobs three friends for which the Lord doth as it were enjoyne them penance Iob. 42.7 8. and amerceth them in the end of that book Nay this was the barbarous Malta-logick of those Islanders amongst whom St. Paul was cast ashoare at Mâ—lita And when the Barbarians saw the venemous beast hang on his hand Acts 28.4 they said among themselves No doubt this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet vengance suffereth not to live But when he shook off the beast into the fire Vers 5. they did as easily change their opinions to the other extreame and indeed none are more light and lavish in applauding then those which are most rash and severe in censuring But this fault I find may overtake the disciples themselves â—â—h 9. â— 2. When they saw a man that was blind from his birth they asked Iesus Master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind Christs answer telleth us that the Lord hath many other principall ends and causes for afflicting his people besides their sins as there his end was that the works of the Lord should be made manifest Vers 3. so in Iobs case he meant to set up a paterne of patience and of the reward thereof And in that of Paul he intended to honour the person and ministery of his servant in the eyes and hearts of the Barbarians Object 2 But the Objector chargeth againe telling us that Cowardise and Covetousnesse lost the West Answ I might first answer generally in the words of an * Iraset qâ—an donaâ—e vilius conslat Mart. acute Heathen that it is more cheape and easie to fall out with the distressed then to relieve their distresses But I will speake particularly to the severall charges of Cowardise and Covetousnes First to that of Cowardise I could returne many answers viz. 1. To the Charge of Cowardise 1. Who is he I pray you that is the God of the spirits of all flesh whose prerogative it is especially in war-like actions both to heighten the spirits of the faint and to flatten the courage of the mighty And when did the Lord so evidently and ordinarily exercise this his spirituall prerogative as in the present warres of his people in this Land Doubtlesse brethren it is not all Cowardise and treachery which we doe commonly call so in these times though I confesse there hath been too much of both sorts almost continually amongst us and I could wish that the extraordinary finger of God in this spirituall particular might be more observed and acknowledged 2. Secondly remember that those Westerne combustions did begin with the present generall and publike warres So that it was then the very Tyrocinium of all our Souldiery the first and suddaine shooting of Guns in earnest at which it is common even for valiant men a while to winke at the firing and to startle at the report of an Ordnance these and such-like allayes might be given But 3. Thirdly I doe answer by denying that charge of Cowardise upon that * At Minedip Hills in Sommerset about 30000. Commons appeared at once for the Parliament in the beginning against the Generallny of their Gentry In Devon at 2. several times at least 10000. each time all completely armed and paid by the same County And great forwardnes in the rest of the Counties Cornwall it selfe not excepted Country as unjust and for proof of that deniall could easily bring forth a whole cloud of publike and reall witnesses as the numerous frequent free appearances of great armies of common people upon slender summons or rather upon bare leave to appeare their willing tedious attendances at their own charges and begging permission to fall on c. And all this amidst often and heavy discouragements Some Counties going on against the streame of those which should have been their Leaders but did destroy the way of their Pathes Others had such Leaders as as would have caused them to erre Isai 9.16 yea as would have guided them as that Prophet led the blind-fold Syrians into Samaria instead of Dotham yet still the poore willing Commons leaving both the Kings high-way and their Malignant Gentry continued appearing waiting marching and fighting though in many places like sheep without a shepheard untill it hath pleased the Lord out of his secret Counsell and for our sins to give us up as a prey to the will of our enemies 2. To the Charge of Covetousnesse Secondly for answer to the charge of Covetousnesse aske of others and they shall tell you Aske the publike and private Treasurers for Ireland-subscriptions both gifts and adventures for the Parliament Propositions and for our own particular Westerne warres and fortifications all these will abundantly certifie you But as that proportionist did draw the whole stature of Hercules by the print of his foot so I could give you out of one of those five Shires best knowne to my selfe a guesse of the cordiall munificence of the whole 150000â— out of Devon Exon. Beside their sufferings If many scores of thousands have been laid out by one single County then admire the vast expences of all the five But it is still objected Object 3 Your enemies were few and contemptible at the first Alas Answ so were the enemies of the whole Kingdome at the beginning perchance fewer then ours remember the little cloud at Nottingham and by that you may see Secondly that the race is not to the swift Eccles 9.11 nor the battell to the strong but time and change happeneth to them all saith the wise Preacher especially thirdly when the Lord of Hosts createth trouble to a sinfull people and giveth commission to his revenging sword to passe through a Land beleeve it then they are not all your strength and counsell power and policy that can sheath up or keep off such an enemy But why did you lose so vast Object 4 so rich so populous a Country so easily Answ I answer First 1. doubtlesse the meritorious causes were our sins and the safest construction and best application that we Westerne exiles can make of our sufferings will be to take up that of lamenting Jeremiah Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain It is a mercy that we are men and not beasts that we are alive this day and not fallen among the slaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes that is the Lord hath done us no wrong we doe suffer justly yea mercifully for our trespasses Let us search and try our waies and turne again to the Lord That is selfe examination and selfe-reformation Verse 40. are our most proper and profitable