godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance In the stead whereof untill the said Discipline may be restored againe which thing is much to be wished it is thought good at this time c. Was such a godly Discipline so long agoe wished to be restored and shall it now be opposed Either it was wished in fincerity or in hypocrifie if in hypocrifie why should it be printed If in sincerity why should it not be effected Should it ever be in wishing and never brought to perfection Parliaments were onely stately Pageants if they should onely confirme and not also reforme old Lawes If thou didst not halt in the Parliaments Election why shouldst thou halt now for feare what they shall doe in persons in Nations Reformation that Truth may succeed in the roome of errour and Christs Kingdome brought into the Land with more puritie and power both for Doctrine and Discipline Disestimation of the Parliament keepes men cold in the Common Cause men thinke their power too great over their Purses and Estates 9 Cau. On a time the members of the body cald a Counsell of Warre to consult why the stomacke devoured all what ever the eye did see the hand reach the mouth conveyed it to the stomacke Therefore they concluded to forbeare their accustomed offices and services seeing all tended onely to the benefit of the stomacke In short time it came to passe that the eye began to wax dim the hand weake the feete feeble and the mouth scaice able to open it selfe They quickly saw their Error and afforded their diligence in their wonted employments and all was well againe and they mutined no more I need not spend time in making the application If supportment should have been denied to the Parliament what had become â— Lawes Liberties Religion in the Kingdome Wee hoped the Parliament would have setled Peace long before this time Object the Summer is gone the winter come and yet wee are not delivered our shops are shut or unaccustomed in the Citie our grounds unstocked all Trading decayed in the Countrey If the Lord send not Peace Sol. can the Parliament procure it Shall not they have a share in it as well as any other Are not their Estates as much if not more ruined than others are 'T is true Peace is a fine thing a principall Blessing of God then which nothing can be named with more willingnesse desired with more heartinesse and obtained with more contentednesse yet there is a certain thing which they call Truth which was ready to be banished out of these Coasts and would outward Peace be much worth without Truth Is not Peace of Conscience an excellent Jewell which who ever enjoyes hath a continuall feast Is not Peace with God able to keepe our hearts and minds free from all feare of plundering and assaults of enemies Doth not this passe all understanding Is it not a glorious sight to see Righteousnesse and Peace kisse each other Therefore the Prophet commands Zach. 8.19 V. 16. Love Truth and Peace Truth you see is put in the first place Therefore execute Truth and Peace in your Gates implying the necessitie of the one as well as the other If it be possible have peace with all men but that is not approved possibilitie that is opposite against pietie Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holinesse with all else you shall not see God What God hath joyned together Man must not put asunder Peace with men will little profit whiles wee professe and practise warre against God The injustice 10 Cause oppression tyranny and unreformation of Countrey Committees cause people to continue in a staggering estate both for their opinions and Purses in the Common Cause Because those that are appointed to be instrumentall meanes to relieve doe much grieve the people Yet Preachers before the high Court of Parliament cry out daily against their Injustice Master Case in his Sermon before the House of Commons intreats them for the Lords sake to have a care that none under the charge of the Parliament may be oppressed by their inseriour Committees least people oppressed have occasion to say You have pulled down one Starre-chamber and have set up an hundred Master Cheynell preaching before the Lords March 27 upon the Psalme Man being in honour c. in his Epistle to the Lords intreats their Wisdomes to have a care for the purging of Committees in Essex Sussex Surrey and Hampshire I thinke his Petition might have extended towards all the Committees in the Kingdome and he said that the spring was a fit time to give them Physicke yet people see none either given or taken or working effectually upon them in reformation They begin to halt in their opinions and to be cold in their former aeale for the Cause Which indeed reflects upon the honour of the Parliament as moysture in the feete strikes up into the head Cambyses a King caused Sycanus a Judge that had been hired by money to pronounce a wrong sentence to be flead and his skinne to be hanged on the Judgement-seate to be a torror to succeeding Judges I thinke if some Committee-men were so used they would have as little skinne left upon their backs as some of them have land in the Countrey where they execute their Commissions The Ethiopians were wont to set up a Chaire of State in their Senate and that to be empty as if the God of Judgement sate there to be Umpire and Moderator whom the Senators ought to looke upon in passing sentence that they might immitate him in Judgement The Lords in the upper-House have an emptie Chaire now in the absence of the King and yet not wholly empty if they consider the presence of the King of Kings that observes and heares all their Consultations I wish that County Committees might have an empty Chaire before them to put them in minde that there is a power above them to wit the Parliament and a power above that the God of Heaven If some Countrey Committee-Members were set in a lower Chaire and bound therein and kept without bread and water twenty-foure houres together and had their unjust actions and sentences writ before them in Capitall Letters with mementomori engraven on the upper Chaire I beleeve if they were left to be their own Judges they would passe sentence of condemnation against themselves But this is a Noli me tangere because they are by Ordinance of Parliament they thinke people will dare as soone adventure to enter into a Pest house as to endeavour any thing against them yet to keepe people from despaire of all redresse herein some Pamphletters have written besides what Preachers have pulpitted that there is as great necessitie for the new moulding of Committees as there was of the Armies who since they have been new moulded the warres have prospered the better so it is to be hoped if there were a new moulding of
the water in the Well What all the water to the whole Sea What the Sea to him that made Sea and Land Heaven and Hell men and Devils Winde Waters Heaven Earth Men Devills must obey him In comparison of whose power all the Nations of the Earth Esa 40.17 are not onely as a drop of water but lesse than nothing The Lord hath manifested his power and providence against the Spanish Water-workes in 88. and the Papists Fire-workes in 1605 and his hand is not shortened now The Kingdome is as it were on a light fire but as the Bush in Moses time burning yet not consumed why and how so Exod. 3.2 The Angel of the Lord appeared in the flame Where Gods presence is in a Bush a Citie an Army a Kingdome though all may burne yet can they not be consumed Esa 43.2 Feare not O Jacob when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee the floods shall not overflow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt the kindled flame shall not kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed Lam. 3.22 Esa 54.7 What it added Because his compassions faile not For a moment have I hid my face from thee in mine anger for a little season a little season a moment the one explaining the other but with everlasting mercie have I had campassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For a little while have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For this Kingdome is unto mee as the waters of Noah for as I have sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more goe over the Earth so have I sworne c. Behold the enemy shall gather himselfe Vers 15. but without mee Whosoever not exempting any be they never so potent or politique shall gather himselfe in thee in mustering forces and thundering threatnings against thee shall fall All the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper Why Vers 17. Vers 16. Behold I have created the Smith and his Instrument I have power to order and dispose of all men and matters even the blowing of the coales in the fire Without mee they can doe nothing Ioh. 16.33 No weapon shall prevaile without my will In the world yee shall have affliction but saith Christ I have overcome the world The two Nations Association in the Bond or Covenant Doore 3. for the preservation of the Lawes Liberties of the two Kingdomes Voe soli woe to either if alone Danger to neither if they hold firme A threefold corde is not easily broken nor a twofold if God ties them together Collonell Carre when he was assaulted to betray his Trust answered the Tempters He was a Covenanter Therefore could not breake it The Cause hath been the more successfull since the Covenant hath been taken If more had taken and kept being taken the said Covenant and Vow the Papists would have feared it more than the Protestants doe their Popes holy water The undaunted Resolution of the Nobles Doore 4. and Commons assembled in Parliament the body of the Kingdome they have yet stood maugre the malice of Atheists Papists and all other their opposers whatsoever The Philistims assembled 2 Sam. 23.11 at a Towne where was a piece of a field full of Lentils and the people fled from the Philistims But he stood in the midst of the field and defended it and slew the Philistims for the Lord gave a great victory It is of Gods great mercy notwithstanding so many revolters that betrayed their trust to keep the rest so firme as one man with their shoulders to uphold the reeling Realme and to encourage one another in Joabs words 2 Sam. 10.12 1 Sam. 6.10.12 Let us be valiant for our people Cities c. Wee reade touching the carrying of the Arke to Bethshemesh That they took two kine and tyed them to the Cart and the Kine went the streight way to Bethshemesh and kept one path and lowed as they went and turned neither to the right hand nor to the left I think I need not bespeake your pardon in the application for the homelinesse of the comparison The Arke of God wee hope is in transportation from the Popish Philistims to be restored to its ancient puritie and power both for Doctrine and Discipline it s tyed to the two honorable Houses Those whom God hath promoted to these publique places hath he indued with publique Spirits As the Kine lowed after their calves tyed at home and much more the calves after the Kine gone abroad so these Peeres and Patriots have flesh and bloud about them as well as Spirit in them to hanker after their pleasures and profits wives and children their fresh aire their spacious houses specious Gardens choice dyets daily attendants familiar friends and acquaintances from which for a long while they have been deprived yet through divine assistance their spirits are overpowred have kept one path for the carrying home the Arke without turning to the right hand or to the left to maintain the Gospel of Christ the Lawes of the Kingdome and the libertie of the Subject though they have been denied outward liberty or life to returne to their native habitations wonted delights and enjoyments Shall not our men of Bethshemesh rejoyce more at the approach of the Arke than for the abundance of their crop in their wheate harvest Vers 13. Is it not great hope the Arke of peace and piety will be brought fully home to the Kingdome when it is within kenne of the Inhabitants The returne of some eminent persons to tender their service to the Parliament Doore 5. after they had been at the Oxonian Juncto where they meerly promoted their own honour or advanced the hopes of the Royalists Sir Edward Deering confessed as I related already under his own hand in Print that the King with forty men might come to Westminster and stay there with undoubted safetie to his person so said he I said while I was at Oxford and doe still assuredly beleeve so and God will blesse him if he doe so Did not God and his Conscience enforce this confestion He much wondred at himselfe how he could so long be transported to assist in a way to destroy that Parliament which he had tooke the Protestation in Parliament to preserve Ponder well the speech of this Person The many Prayers Fastings Teares Doore 6. for the successe of the Common Cause Ambrose told Monica Augustines Mother that it could not be A Woman or Mother of so many Teares and Prayers should bring forth a Sonne to be lost It cannot be that an Assembly a Parliament a Kingdome of so many Fasts Prayers Teares brought and kept with so much difficultie together should miscarry God that hath prepared Englands hearts to pray hath prepared his eare to heare Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire
ones have adhered to the adverse part pag. 16 3. Misprision of prerogative pag. 17 4. Most of people siding with the contrary rather than the Kingdomes Cause pag. 19 5. The great pressure by payments pag. 21 6. Feare of being plundered pag. 22 7. Selfe-seeking with neglect of the publick pag. 24 8. Vndesire of change for feare of changing for the worse pag. 25 9. Estimation of Parliament-power too great pag. 27 10. Injustice and oppression by Countrey-Committees pag. 28 11. Flattery in and divisions between Ministers pag. 30 12. Doubt of the successe of the cause in hand make men halt herein pag. 35 Which last rub is removed in briefly opening many Doores of Hope for the good successe of the Common Cause pag. 35 36 37 to the end Errata's For 1 Kings 19. read 18. PAG. 1. in the magent for use 1. and use 2. read verse p. 2. l. 5. for pursuane r. perseverance p. 2. for use r. verse 4. and verse 5. p. 2. l. 27. for Daobolum r. Da obolum p. 3. l. 19. for liezure r leisure p. 3. l. 21. make a period between yea and plain p. 5. l. 3. for there r. these p. 7. l. 23. for nor r no p. 7. l. 35 after Pastors make no period p. 8. l. 18. in Margent read use 2. p. 8. l. 22. for defendant r defendit p 14. l. 2. after sharp but very exemplary put president p. 15. l. 7. for strangely r. strongly p. 16. l. 7 for the r. this p. 20. l. 27. for belluae r. Bellua p. 20. l. 31. ptt out they before say p. 26. l. 23. r. an after p 29. l. 7. for torror r. terrour p. 29. l. 9. for have r. had for I think some Committe-men have bought more land since then they sold before they were preferred to their Committeships p. 31. l. 3. unto seduce strayable people adde and pesecute Gods zealous ministers P. 38. l. 2. for he r. Shammah p 42. l. 4. for reigne r. rejoyce p. 47. l. l. 34. for And r. Are these duties p. 48. l. 11. in stead of an evill cause read and will not he regard the voyce c. Newes for Neuters OR The Checke Cause and cure of HALTING 1 King 19.21 And Elijah came unto all the people and said How long halt ye betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him and the people answered him not a word THE Fountain or Well-head is farre from whence floweth my Text It is twenty steps off Judges 7. Give me leave with Gideons Souldiers to lap a mouthfull as I run along by the streame Before I come to my station to view these words This Chapter containes a Dialogue or Commemoration of many historicall passages 1. Betweene the Lord and Eliah Vse 1. Goe shew thy selfe to Ahab Meane ones must not be affraid to deliver messages to the Mighty Doct. Vse 2. Ch. 17.2.5 Chap. 19. Doct. 2. Eliah's ready obedience to the word of the Lord. There is a time when Eliah must flye from Ahab and Jezabell if the Lord command him Where God hath a Tongue to speake there man must have an eare to heare There is a time to flye Doct. and a time to stay God may be glorified sometimes more by flying than by staying When the force of the enemie may be too strong Mat. 10.22 and the Faith of the persecuted may be too weake When they persecute you in one City flye into another When you may glorifie God more in the place to which then in the place from which you flye You may take leave to depart from men when first in given by God Mat. 10.23 And this counsell is given Doct. When they persecute you into one City flye into another After the command of pursuance Mercies and miseries are oft mixed together Chequer worke is a daily Trade in these times God promised raine when there was a great famine in Samaria Great peace may ensue these great wars And Ahab called Obadiah who feared God greatly Some raised up to be good in a generall Apostacy from God Doct. else woe were to the Kingdome in these times Obadiah tooke a hundred Prophets Vse 4. and hid them by fifty in a Cave Wherein appeared his zeale and care This hath encouraged Londoners to entertaine Strangers in these times of danger The names and actions of the godly shall be had in everlasting remembrance Doct. A groane shall be registred A cup of cold water remembred Teares shall be botled and shall not blood be booked He feedeth them with Bread and Water Those that feare God Doct. he will shew succour to them in time of need Gods dearest Saints may be brought to a morsell of bread Doct. to a cup of cold water Bellissarius a great Commander came being blinde to stand on the high way with a Daobolum Bellissario Give one half-penny to poor blinde Bellessarius Another wrote to his friend to send to him a Spunge a Harpe and a loafe of bread A spunge to dry up his teares A harpe to solace his minde And a loaf of bread to satisfie his hunger Ahab's command to Obadiah for the preservation of grasse for the lives of the Horses and Mules Vse 5. Was Ahab so carefull for grasse how carefull should our King be for Corne and Cattle Laws and liberties persons and Kingdome Bodies and Soules of living men that all be not lost Ahab was carefull to seeke for sustenance though it was upon an if so be a peradventure to finde or not Ioabs resolution was Let us be valiant for our people 1 Sam. 10.12 and for the Cities of our God and let him doe as seemeth him good Let men doe as God commands and let God doe as he hath decreed How carefull how earnest should men be for Grace for heaven These may be sought and found Verse 6. upon certainties without peradventures shews their policie and care the King to goe one way and Obadiah another Policy to direct the best course and care to put it in execution Policy may be used so piety be not suppressed Doct. Gods providence seene in bringing together Eliah and Obadiah Verse 7. Behold Eliah was in the way Saul went to seeke his Fathers Asses and found a Kingdome Obadiah went to seeke water and grasse and behold he findes a way and meanes to bring salvation to people He went in obedience to the command of a King on Earth and meetes with an unerring command of the King of Heaven Doct. Gods providence over-rules all actions Text. persons times things fell downe on his face c. The Messengers of God find favour from those that are good Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3 Good Christians will know one another in times of adversity Good men desire to be resolved of their doubts Obadiah thought that it was Eliah yet labours to be assured thereof And he answered
no worship The Idolaters feared God and worshipped Idells and in the next verse it is said they feared not God Those are threatned severely that sweared by the Lord and by Mal chom Zeph. 1.5 If the Parliament be not for the weale of the Kingdome ' why gavest thou a voyce to choose them If they be for the weale of the Kingdome why doest thou not in words judgement and practise adhere to them still Consider what infamie will befall thee every one points with the finger saying There goes an Hypocrite Shifter Turne-coat neither hot nor cold a traytor to his Countrey These Apostatizers either from Parliament or from their Countreys good doe resemble the Devill for what makes the Devill so black but his Apostasie What other are such receders When the Lycaonians saw the miracle that Paul wrought in curing the Creeple they cryed out The Gods are come downe amongst us in the likenesse of men Act. 14.10 11. But when the Barbarians saw the Viper upon his hand they eryed out This man is a Murtherer whom vengeance sussers not to live Chap. 28.4 When at the beginning of their sitting the Parliament cured such as were creepled in their Estates and Liberties when they took away Ship-money Monopolies When they made the lame to walke opening prison doores to such as were in bonds when they made the dumme to speake opening the mouthes of many frienced Ministers then they could say Oh this is a blessed Parliament but when they saw Malignants Flatterers and Papists up in Armes then men beginne to change their note and why O peace peace peace upon any termes yet the Sunne is the Sunne though sometimes clouded Doth not the Lord command Zach. 8.16 Vers 19. Heb. 12. Love Peace and Truth nay Truth and Peace must not peace and holinesse be followed of all Have not the Parliament petitioned againe and againe for peace doe not wee pray daily for it doe not our Armie fight for it Pyrrbus fought three sore battles against the Romans in the two first he got the victorie but with so great losse of his men in both that it was said of him for the first he might gloriari magis quà m gaudere brag of his victory not rejoyce in it for the second he was heard himselfe to say that if he got such another victorie he was undone Conditions of peace after the first victory were offered by Cineus Pyrrbus his Ambassadour in the Senate and many among the Romans were apt to encline to it as being disheartned by Pyrrbus his victory Appius Claudius having notice of it devoted to privacy for a long time aged and blinde caused himselfe in his Couch to be carried to the Senate-house and said Worthy Patriots I have hitherto with sore griefe endured losse of sight but now hearing your inclination to conclude such a dishonorable peace with Pyrrbus a prosessed enemy to Rome it now troubles me more that I am not dease also that my eares might not heate of such an infamy and reproach to such a tenowned Citie of Rome you may make the application But you will say Quest Answ who are Neuters Est neutrale Genus signans rem non animatam Liselesse men A cursed generation of men who seeme not to know their right hand from their left nor which way to turne One compares these to the shadow of a man Another to a picture commonly seene in Flaunders and too often I beleeve in England also In which there is a thing they call a Christ on the left hand another thing they call the Virgin Mary on the right and in the middle a third thing called a Catholicke with this inscription before him Cui me vertam nescio Let us apply it to our times Christ and his truth are on the right hand for he hath too long been set on the left hand let us now endeavour to set him on the right the Devill and the Pope on the left hand the Faith the Law Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome are on the one hand Popery slavery prophanenesse on the other hand yet Cui me vertam nescio he knows not which side to take is not he a Neuter On the one hand are the great Councell of the Kingdome who have lost much outward liberties and profits to procure peace for the Church and puritie for Gods worship on the other hand are left-handed men Robbers spoylers murderers roaring Lyons devouring Wolves who labour to fight in Popery to the Church beggary to the State and slavery to the Subject yet Cui me vertam nescio to what hand he may turne he cannot tell Goe Hest 4.16 fast and pray for us wee will doe so likewise say Gods faithfull people in their inisery Goe feast and play swill and sweare say Athisticall Papists and popishable persons God on this day calls for fasting the Devill calls to feasting Esi 22.12 13 14. to riot sports works of calling God calls to weeping mourning baldnesse girding with sackcloth And Behold and indeed it commands admitation joy and gladnesse slaying Oxen killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine and saying Let us eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye if wee 'le beleeve Preachers prate yet Cui me vertam nescio sayth your meale-mouth'd-ling-medly-man your carnall Politician It was revealed in my eare from the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not be purged till yee dye Ecquis mecum 2 King 9.32 who is on my side who throw downe this cursed Jezabel painted pietie Romish Idolatry Image-worship false worship who will rise up with mee against the evill doers who will stand for mee against the workers of iniquitie Pfal 94.16 Who will come up to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5.23 Yet most men will stand with their hands in their pockets and their coyne in their Coffers and will not come forth and shew themselves I will not undertake to propound a way to reforme them I thinke I can discover some cause of their encrease pitty lenity connivency towards them pitty shewed to enemies is cruelty to friends Is it not against the law of nature that they who are without naturall affections should enjoy the common gifts of nature light ayre fire water Is it not against the law of Nations Armen that those Subjects should enjoy the priviledges and immunities of Subjects who see with open face the enemies destroying all these yet lay it neither to head nor to heart They that are the same and have done the same for doing whereof others their neighbour-Neuters have had the skin torne from their flesh and their flesh from their bones these do deserve to be cast out of the land But these dissembling Neuters are the same and doe the same which they did in former times that were so punished therefore these Compounds deserve no favour but to be cast out of Citie Countrey Kingdome The Parliament accounts such no better than professed Malignants I thinke they are worse
true friends to the Parliament should not esteeme them undangerous enemies to Church and to the Common-wealth these get to an upper place if not in scituation yet in speculation as Metius Suffetius did spying which side is strongest and likeliest to prevaile and then towards that side they will wheele about and joyne themselves But what reward did his carnall compound policy his divided heart promote him too My Author saith that the body of Metius Suffetius who stood neuter in the warres between the Romans and the Fidenates to spy which side was strongest that thereunto he might turne was adjudged by a Councell of warre to be tyed to two teemes of horses which halled contrary wayee so his body was drawne asunder and pluckt into two pieces accordingly The portraiture of which Teemes halling and Metius Suffetius body so drawne asunder I wish were set upon the walls of the houses where such Compound Neuters dwell or on the horse-heads on which they doe ride or on the sides of the cupsin which they drinke or on the bedsteads on which they lye that they might learne by other mens harmes to beware of falling into the like sinne for seare they fall into the like punishment You know the History of the men of Succoth and Penuel Iudg. 8. what Gideon desired of them for his wearied Armies in the pursuite of Zeba and Zalmunna the Sucoothites jeered at him You will returne us our bread when you have your enemie in your band When will that be Your enemies are Kings and Kings will helpe one another they have power you are weake think you to overcome two Kings with your three hundred tyred Souldiers there is a great peradventure disadvantage Wee will see the successe first cleerer Ver. 16. you question not the victory it s a great question to us Are the heads c. you know what followes as Gideon threatned to deale so he dealt with them he tooke the Elders of the Citie and the thornes and briars of the wildernesse and with them he taught the men of Succoth he taught them a sore teaching a fearefull fight to see so many bloudy bones to start out of the flesh a sharp but very exemplary for unâ—iding men in these siding times They that will not be taught by precepts must be taught with paine I wish such briars and thornes grew and were seene in the hedges that mounded in the grounds of such Compounds fearefull faint-hearted cowardly hypocriticall dissembling lukewarme false-hearted trayterous neutralizing persons You know the parable of a man travelling falling among theeves and wounded Luke 10. that which was in parable then is in practise now the Land is fallen among theeves or theeves rather have fallen upon the body of the Land should it not work pitty compassion in all that see it are they Samaritans that regard it not woe woe to the lookers on and passers by Curse yee bitterly such Merozites Judg. 5.23 In cursing curse never cease to call for a curse Janius renders it Indesinenter Cursed be be that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and that keeps his sword from bloud Jer. 17 3. If negligent workers What no workers that are like standing water that neither ebs nor flowes These Ambodexters who are Compounds that care not what side prevailes shall be rewarded as Neuters shall not have Gods protection all left-handed persons shall be put on Christs left hand shall be sent away with a depart from mee God comes to helpe all simple ones in their misery and all such will helpe the Lord in his misery Mat. 25.35 36. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirstie and yee gave mee drink I was a stranger and yee took mee in naked and yee clothed mee I was sicke and yee visited mee I was in prison and yee came unto mee Having shewed the sin and shame of these Neuters I now come to shew the Cause and Remedy of their Maladie in the third Use Use 3. which you may call the Solution of the Question or satisfaction of the Doubts or removall of the rubs in the way or which I call in the Title for these times the Causes and the Cure of halting These people spake not a word to Eliahs Question yet they murmured in their minds though they manifested it not with their mouthes But now people both mutter inwardly and mouth it outwardly why they halt viz. Many 1 Cause yea the greatest part even of the Parliaments Members have deserted the Parliaments Cause Doe you not thinke they did it out of Conscience towards the Kings side And what thinke you of those few that are turned from the King Answ and offered their service to the Parliament againe confessed and recanted their errour and wondered that they could be so farre seduced to take up Armes against that Parliament which they had taken the Covenant to maintaine What if many have betrayed their trust and deserted Parliament and Kingdome doth this justisie their perfidiousnesse and halting condition or condemne the sincerity of such as goe on uprightly without backsliding Can any man have any colour to free them from never dying infamie who made elaborate Orations faire promises loud protestations That they would live and dye with the Parliament to spend their lives and fortunes in the cause confessing that to be the cause of God yet either through feare or hope of favour have forsaken that Cause which at first they then so strangely maintained and have been instruments of betraying much innocent bloud and bringing more cares upon the heads of those that have continued constant If the Kingdome stand doubtlesse such Traytors shall not long stand in credit or libertie but shall be brought unto condigne punishment that others may feare Apostacy and the sincere be cherished in their fidelity If the Kingdome doe not stand for a house a Citie a Kingdome divided cannot long stand God will finde them out and reach them a rap for cursed be he that putieth his hand to the Plough and looketh backs is not fit for the Kingd me of Heaven How can it be expected otherwise but that Gods curse and shame with men should overtake such runawayes and all other dissembling Neuters who seeme to be so high in eminency above others yet have discovered such base spirits when as the lowest peasant would hardly be perswaded to doe more monstruously nay scarce Heathens would have been hyred to doe so much Let such dissemblers never account hypocrisie a sinne or sinceritie a grace nor Christianitie an honour unto them What doe they discover themselves to be in the hearts of all that know them but base peasantly spirited spectacles of disgrace and infamie in betraying their own certain proprieties liberties in hope of uncertain honours and profits in the Clouds yea captivating and slaying their owns posteritie and children together with the Inhabitants of a whole Kingdome If the Members departed be the greater number than those
of the Kingdome are called the Kings Lawes not that either he made them or can at his pleasure alter them but that he is or ought to be the Conservator of them as well as the Consenter to establish them It is true Hen. 4. a King of this Land wrote to the Parliament saying Nollumus Praerogativam nostram disputari but they answered his nollumus with a nollumus Nollumus Leges Angliae mutari Is it not just that Princes should be ruled by Lawes otherwise their will would be a Law and so instead of Statutes there would be an Arbitrary a Tyrannicall power which might increase to infinite to monstrous shapes that either ignorance impietie lust or ambltion of Princes should bring forth If all Law and power lay in their own breasts a Kingdome could never promise themselves securitie longer than a pious and prudent Prince reigneth But as the King changeth the Lawes and Governments of the Kingdome must alter And he that out-lives as it may happen two or thres Kings shall not know what is the Law of the Land or what to call his owne Because he must not be beholding to Law but to the will of the King for what are his rights and proprieties By whose sole permission he may say This is mine When Lawes and Law-makers are suppressed are not the Subjects for whose sake they are made oppressed When the former loose their power and priviledge the other loose their due and propriety As the bead is ordained for the good of the members and not the members for the good of the head so a Christian King is ordained for the good of the people and not the people for the good of the King i. principally I am the head you are the members I am the Shepheard you are the sheepe I am the husband you are the wife And will any man think me a Christian King to be a Poliganist said King James in his speech to the Parliament March 19. 1603 The Archbishop of Mentz wrote to Erasmus to resolve him what he thought concerning the writings of Luther Erasmus returned answer in writing that many things in the Writings of Luther were condemned as wicked and hereticall which in the writings of Bernard and Austine are accounted as holy and sound so many things were of esteeme as good and commendable in the dayes of King James which are condemned as wicked and abominable in the time of King Charles As though the over-prizing of Prerogative should pull downe all authoritie of Lawes or Priviledges of Parliament I will neither professe so much ignorance or arrogance as to prescribe a way as to delineate the disproportion to compose the differences touching Princes Prerogatives and Parliaments Priviledges I know this point hath been pulpited and in print Pressed by farre more able heads and hands than my selfe If Kings may doe whatsoever they please what need then of any Parliament If there be no necessity of Parliament what need the troubles of Subjects to choose Knights and Burgesses or they called to sit being chosen If there be a necessitie of Parliament why should they not be consolted with If consulted with why should not their Counsell be embraced The Counsell of Basyll in the time of Henry the sixt decreed that as the Authoritie of a generall Councell is above the Pope so the Authoritie of a generall Assembly of a Kingdome is above the King which is to be subject to Lawes All such are to be esteemed as flatterers who attribute such large authoritie unto Kings as that they will not have them bound under any Lawes such talke otherwise than they thinke Christ himselfe saith Jewell in his Apologie at the beginning was universally received and honoured through this Realme by assent of Parliament and without assent of Parliament the Pope himselfe was never received no not in the late time of Queene Mary Dion praised Trajan the Emperour because when he set a Tribune over the Praetors and put a sword into his hand he said Hoe pro me utere si justa imperavero si injusta contra me You must know Plus vident oculi quam oeulus a few private spirits may not be conceived to discerne more than the choicest wits most learned and pious judgements in the whole Nation who have been brought and kept together in the middest of all difficulties and dangers by Gods wonderfull providence and by the earnest prayers of many thousands of people in the three Kingdomes Parliaments may erre and I thinke this doth if they doe not redresse injuries presented and performe the Declarations printed and promised to be confirmed and may not one man one King much more erre Doth not Solomon say Take away the drosse from the silver Pro. 25.4 and a vessell of use shall be to the finer Is not the King the silver the wicked Counsell as drosse Doe not the next words make the Reddition Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established in Righteousnesse Wilt thou be preserved from this stumbling stone this cause of halting consider what he said that was a halting person and after professed and promised uprightnesse c. Sir Edward Deering I said quoth he whilest I was at Oxford I did beleeve the King might safely goe to Westminster with forty men I then said so and I thinke it will not be well till the King doth so Oh that God would raise up unto his sight some upright ones that from halting persons that have seduced him they may become perswaders of him to returne in person and affection to his great Counsell The greatest part of the people adhering rather to the Court 4. Cause than Kingdomes Cause make men halt in head hand and heart doubting whether it be better to goe forward or sit still in the Common Cause The most men ever side with the strongest side Answ Exod 23. Rom. 12. be it right or wrong But thou must not follow a multitude to doe evill Fashion not your selves like to this world For the world lieth in wickednesse saith S. John and wouldest thou desies to follow after wickednesse Whereas the Scripture commands Eschew the which is evill and follow after that which is good Broad is the way leading to destruction and many follow that way Is it not better to follow the few to salvation than the many to destruction The one is of large latitude therefore many travell in it the other straight therefore few delight to finde it Men like old sheepe are apt to be seduced The world divided into thirty parts as is observed nineteene of thirty are still overgrowne with Heatheuish Idolatry of the other eleven six overspread with Mahumetisme then but five of thirty remaine for Christians and among them how many are seduced Papists Sectaries of all sorts prophane irreligious ones and how few Protestants iudeed who if they have a shew 2 Tim. 3.5 yet deny the power of godlinesse Of the foure sorts of Seeds
your Father the Devill for his works yee doe From whom can they then expect wages but from him for whom they worke To prevent this danger of halting in the people it must be the care of faithfull Pastors to lift up their voyces to cry aloud for my part I know little use of Bells without clappers Watch-men without eyes Souldiers without weapons Preachers without crying and Cryers without courage They are but as Idolls that have eyes and see not mouthes and speak not such cannot but be seduced that put their trust in them Travellers need prudent and faithfull Guids especially when they passe doubtfull and dangerous wayes Safe and bold Convoyes requisite in wayes beset with many adversaries skilfull and couragious Pilotts expected when men are to glide between Sylla and Charibdis to encounter with multitude of Pirats You heare of Antinomians who deny the Law to be the Rule of life Of Arminians who undermine the Covenant of free grace that they may gratifie free will Of Anabaptists who withhold Baptisme the Seale of that Covenant from Infants children of those that are within that Covenant of others that question the truth of our Church and Ministrie in and by which so many thousands have been new borne unto God of others that say that there is no need of Ministrie flattering us with hope of new Apostles and glorious revelations Have wee then not need of many Eliahs that may shew skill and zeale in crying Why halt you so long between so many opinions Have they not need to warne against enemies to direct against error by the light of the Word Will not Satan use all meanes and methods to puzzle men in the mists of new opinions that so they may be mis-lead or caused to halt and fall by the many stumbling blocks he casts in their way I thinke the late Archbishop of Canterbury in that part of his own funerall Sermon preached by himselfe to that ample open Auditorie spake this truth That the Pope had never such a harvest in England since the reformation as he hath now by the sects and divisions that are among us But he spake nothing of the hopes of the rooting out of the multiplicitie of divisions by the power of Parliament Who can tell what light at length may breake forth after these blacke and bloudy Clouds are scattered Master Farrell was long opposed and threatned in the reformation of Geneva and other Cities yet did they then coyn money with this posie on the one side Post tenebras Lux and on the other side Deus pugnat cum nobis I hope wee once may have cause to be such coyne notwithstanding the numerous errors divisions difficulties dangers yet hovering over our heads God can easily rebuke Satan as he did when he resisted Josuah Zach. 3.1 2 labouring a reformation he knows how to consute errors to resolve doubts compose differences conquer difficulties remove dangers with advantage to his own Cause and wee may have peace after so many perturbations Esa 62.7 Rest after long motions and stablishment after such quassations and our Church and Kingdome may be made a praise on earth and reape the harvest of so many prayers sowen in and for the same yet the great divisions amongst Brethren emulations between Ministers Presbyterian Independents cause heart-burning and judgement halting among the people Many people imagine some great mystery of Atheisme now broached that was never revealed before When they have heard Preachers so oft perswade to love and unity among people yet they themselves to personate and practice so much envy hatred and fiery contentions which seeme to cast oyle on the fire so mightily flaming in the Kingdome It is good to be zealous alwayes in a good matter But there is a time for all things A word in season c. Should not all labour to quench a common fire rather than coutend who shall have the goods in the house if it be not burned Should not the Marriners row hard to bring the Ship to shoare rather than strive about trimming the Cabinets or dividing the fraught in the midst of a storme Should not the sick man be more carefull to recover from his disease than in the midst of his sicknesse to be curious for this or that trimming on his apparrell The whole three Kingdomes are sick by sinne sorrowes sufferings Should not remedies be sought rather than the miseries augmented Sheep wandring heere and there when they see the Wolfe comming they run apace and flock together Two Mastiffs fighting and not by men partable yet if a Lyon or Beare approach they part of themselves The Turk the Pope endeavour the Kingdomes destruction should not Independents Presbyterians All good Protestants unite their heads hands hearts tongues pens all for the conservation of themselves and the whole Land Men must contend for the truth prove all things and hold that which is good Is it not a good a joyfull thing to see Brethren to dwell together in unity It is like Aarons oyle if it fall from these heads the Pastors It will descend to the beards and bodies of the people yea to all the skirts of the Kingdome If the Anti-Parliament Army should approach and assault the besieging of the great City which God forbid the greatest part being but Neutralls many strong Malignants and too many Papists in the same if either side of the now much divided and strong contending Brethren should assist so many inveterate enemies within would it not mightily encourage the assaulting forces and foes without O therefore pray and preach and practise for the peace of Jerusalem in generall and of these three Nations in particular They surely shall prosper that love so to pray preach practice because the well being of any thing depends on the being of the same Should not all seek the peace of the Citie Kingdome as knowing that they themselves shall have peace in the peace thereof Ministers People Presbyterians Independents all should have peace in the peace of the Land and this Land and many other Nations are in more probabilitie to have publique peace in the private peace of these warring brethren Doe not wee see the whole three Kingdomes in the Parliament lie as a Traytor upon the blocke ready to have the head thereof strucke off at one bloudy blow For as the King is head in regard of the Parliament so the Parliament is head in relation to the Countrey and is this a time to nourish contentions amongst any of those who should studie the peace of the Publique The dogge is sometime let out to keepe the sheepe together our punishments many times carry our sinnes in their foreheads our divisions have been still are great contentions increase God punisheth our divisions with divisions The water leads to the fountaine whence it flowes God points to our sinne by our punishments that by punishment sinne may be cured and after the Judgements may be removed Wee would seperate from Gods house God seperates
of the humble Thou wilt prepare their heart Thou wilt cause thine eare to heare to helpe the fatherlesse and oppressed that the men of the Earth may no more exalt themselves Manoah said to his wife Wee shall surely dye Iudg. 13.22 23. But his wife said unto him If the Lord would kill us he would not have received a meate offering and a burnt offering at our hands neither would he have shewed or told us all these things that these Devile in the likenesse of men yet very Monsters could no otherwise be cast forth but by prayer and fasting Therefore hath the Lord God made so many precious promises that his people might have their spirits kept up and they learne to trust in him for ever Thus saith the Lord of Hostes who hath appointed these as speciall weapons in the times of warre the fast of the fourth moneth Zach. 8.19 and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth moneth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladnesse and prosperous high feasts Therefore observe with care and conscience such feasts as you desire to shew your love to Truth and peace For if such Fastes of foure severall moneths observing have such promises What harvest of hope shall the seeds of twenty foure moneths fasting bring forth when they come to the yeares of perfection Were not the Jewes fasting dayes in the time of Queene Esther Est 8.16 17 and 9.22 turned to them from sorrow to joy and from mourning into joyfull dayes and times of feasting Wherein they had occasion to send presente every man to his neighbour and gifts to the poore in comemoration of Gods bounty shewed to them in their poore and low condition The neglecters of such dayes of fasting have professed themselves Traytors to the State and whole Kingdome The many Blasphemies and villanies of the enemies Doore 7. doe foretell Gods Justice approaching and his hand ready to be reached forth to cast them into that pit they have digged for others A Popish Doctor of Physicke confessed that the Catholike Cause never suffered so much dishonour as by that barbarous cruelty that was shewed in Ireland in the savage murdering of men When the Towne of Bolton was taken Where is the Round-heads God now said one of them Surely he is turned Cavalier I give this Roundhead one blow more said another to send him quickly to the Devill They bad William Boulton whom they found praying to â—all on his God to save him Yonder lyes one of the strongest Roundheads said the murtherer that ever I met with For one of my Pistols discharged at his heart would not enter but I thinke I sent him to the Devill with a vengeance with the other Oh Heaven oh Earth oh England oh the Judge of all beare witnesse of this calamitie crueltie Blasphemie when thou makest inquisition after bloud The patience of Gods people Doore 8. notwithstanding all Souldiers Quartering all their Payments all their Plunderings Bondage Imprisonments Mockings Deaths Here is the Patience of the Saints not onely to beare witnesse to the Truth but also that they are objects of Deliverance Where the Precept is Phil. 4.5 Be yee patient the promise is added For the Lord is at hand not onely to see but also to helpe When Gods servants humble themselves under his hand with patient submission to his correction saying He hath spoyled and he will heale us he hath wounded and he will binde us up Faith steps in Hos 6.1 2. to assure them that after two dayes i. a short time he will revive them and in the third day he will raise them and they shall live in his sight The Liberalitie of the Londoners Doore 9. and others for the Publique Cause Many have done much without compulsion the love of Christ Religion Kingdome as well as their own liberties lives constrained them I heard some Citizens say they had done thus and thus in severall Disbursements and yet beleeve they had not the lesse because God blessed the rest the better Some said since the losse in the West they would lend more than before They that sowed so plentifully feared not to reape sparingly The Discovery of so many Plots Doore 10. touching the whole Land Scotland the Parliament London and many other particular places and persons have infallibly demonstrated Surely the finger of the Lord was in them All Intelligencers in the world could not have discovered more than hath been revealed If the Lord would have destroyed the Kingdome would he have shewed Iudg. 13.23 and revealed such and such things Though the woman was weak in sexe yet was shee stronger in Faith herein than was her husband The many successfull Victories Doore 11. when few have discomfited many notwithstanding all the assistance by Papists and prophane ones secretly and openly against our Armies The many Armies of Gods Saints prayed marching before and piercing the Heavens for helpe Scarce any Fast in publique observed but thereon people were mightily encouraged to meete the Lord in prayers that daily met them even on those dayes with new mercies and matter of praises the Fasts have been sweetned with figues of feasting which occasioned our Forces in the Field to implore the unanimous Intercessions of the Saints unto the Lord of Hostes for helpe Zach. 4.10 Who art thou that despisest the Day of small things It s hopefull that those that have forsaken all for God shall never be forsaken by God he that hath wrought so on their hearts can and will worke more by their hands As this Countie is almost cleared of rude and robbing persons so may shortly the whole Kingdome be delivered He that hath delivered us 2 Cor. â— 10 doth deliver in him wee trust that he also will deliver the whole Nation The great opposition by Princes Priests People presage great mercies Doore 1 to ensue great miseries When she ayre is sharpest the weather is nighest breaking When the night is darkest the dayes dawning is nearest When the Womans Throubbes are thickest her delivery is speediest Violent things are not of long continuance 1 King 1 34. c. Elijah will call for water out of the foure Barrells that were filled and caused the same once twice yea the third time to be powred on the wood and on the Sacrifice and the whole Ditch also to be filled with water and then the fire from Heaven shall come downe and consume the burnt-offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the Ditch So powerfull is God to resist the greatest resistances that Nature Men or Devils can make against the smallest number of his Saints so that all the people fell on their faces and were enforced to cry The Lord is God the Lord is God When the Kings of the Earth stand up Psal 2.1 â— and the Princes take Counsell together against
the Lord his Christ his Church When the Heathen rage and the people murmure saying Let us breake their Bonds and cast their cords away from us all is in vaine He that dwelleth in Heaven shall laugh c. and breake them in pieces c. The Ten Kings shall have one minde Rev. 17.1 to yeeld all their might to helpe the monstrous Beast that was and is not and yet is all these shall fight with the Lambe yet the Lambe shall overcome The Lambe overcome What is a Lambe to a Lyon to many Lyons The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon and is the messenger of death yet the Lambe shall overcome and a good Reason is rendred Vers 14. For he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are on his side are called and chosen and faithfull The Great Light of the Gospel and the many converted thereby Doore 13 The light shineth more and more till perfect day Cutting of Trees and Stones hewing of both a good signe God is about to build Act. 7.17 When the time of the promise drew nigh for Israels deliverance the people grew and multiplyed in Egypt Shall Gods fold be increased to fatten the sword of his enemies Gods sheepe may be affrighted must not be destroyed Hos 4.6 If barrennesse argueth destruction then fruitfulnesse signifies preservation Sing O Barren Esa 54.1 3 4 5. that didst not beare and breake forth on the right hand and on the left and thy seede shall inherite the Gentiles and make the desolate Cities to be inhabited Feare not for thou shalt not be ashamed Thou shalt not remember the reproach of thy widdowhood any more For thy maker is thy husband Chap 60.21 22. the Lord of Hosts is his Name Thy people shall be all righteous the Branch of my Planting the worke of my hands that I may be glorified A little one shall become a thousand a great augmentation and a small one a strong Nation â—say 66.9 I the Lord will hasten it in his time Shall I cause to travell and not bring forth Shall I cause to bring forth and shall it be barren saith thy God Reigne with Jerusalem c. When plants are put into Gods Orchard shall they not by him be preserved Shall the Church have many children Psa 127.5 as so many Quivers of Arrowes in her hand and shall she be ashamed of her enemy in the gate Gods daily Remembrancers Doore 14. both in private and in publick which are commanded by himselfe to give him no rest night or day till he make Jorusalem a praise on the earth Esay 62.7 God will bestow a mercy when he comes to be minded of it When the seventy yeares were nigh accomplished and deliverance fully to be wrought Dan. 9.2 â—er 29. God set Daniel on praying which was foretold by Jeremy Are not such prayers too pretious to be lost Shall such Watchmen be made a prey to the enemies Shall we imagine that God that raiseth such instruments for his Church and Common-wealth will suffer the same to be blasted Shall Moses and Phineas raised by God to stand up in the gap to save Gods people be unsuccessfull When Moses hands were lift up Israel prevailed when let downe the Amalekites prevailed 〈◊〉 17.11 If our sinnes blast not the blossomes of our Prayers they shall prevaile with God for our selves and others For hath not prayer been an Engine ordained by God himselfe to overcome himselfe Let me alone saith God to Moses a strength he had promised to yeild unto an authority he had promised to obey â—sa 45.11 Ask of me nay command ye me The Lord did according to the saying of Moses that Moses should doe according to the saying of the Lord had been but equall But that the Lord should doe according to Moses saying is wonderfully comfortable In Joshuah's time touching Sunne and Moon standing still he hearkened to the voyce of a man Prayer will over-rule God to any thing for our good 1 Kings 8.44 â—sa 14â— 18 19. Rom. 8. It will bow down his eare It will pull his hand out of his bosome the sword out of his sheath against his enemies put it up again when drawn against his people The Lord is at the call of his peoples prayers will fulfill the desires of those that feare him It is the work of Gods own holy Spirit made in heaven therefore true faithfull prayer never was never shall be lost Though God hide himselfe in a cloud this will scatter the cloud it will pierce the heavens and fetch God down If we wrastle with God by prayer we shall prevaile Hath not much been done with God in these warres by this weapon may not more also be done O pray pray pray Experience of Gods former favours shewed to persons Doore 15. families the kingdome which may encourage all to trust him upon triall David fought with a Lyon and a Beare and God delivered him from the danger of both Therefore will also out of the hand of the Philistine 1 Sam. â— 36 This encouraged Paul for time to come to relye on Gods help having had former experience and present supportment Lord thou hast been favourable to the Land Ergo wilt be Psa 85. Psa 22. Our Fathers trusted in thee and were delivered If we trust in him we also shall be delivered But Ergo. What God doth at one time he can doe at another Therefore he puts out himselfe in his greatnesse in his goodnesse that his people might trust in him at all times God in his justice may leave the land deformed but in his mercy reforformed because he hath given his people a taste of the first fruits already Men relye on a friend that hath never failed them in any extremity Psa 116.1 I will love the Lord there is good cause because he heard my voyce he hath inclined his eare therefore will I call upon him while I live Where Beggars speed well they will come again Can you blame them for it There is no particular person but hath experience that he hath his proper portion in the hope of the kingdomes publick peace The great sufferings and oppressions of Gods people Doore 1 Psal 12. â— foreshewes Gods help is at hand Now for the oppression of the poore and sighing of the needy I will up saith the Lord I will set him at liberty whom the wicked have snared Thou will keep and preserve him Gods tongue hath spoken it his hand will perform it God is our hope and strength and help in troubles ready to be found Psal 46.1 Vers 8. Vers 9. Come and behold the workes of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth In the next words is added He maketh warres to cease unto the ends of the world Wonderfull desolations usher in the cessation of Warres in the world Be still and know that I am
inclined to comiserate dust and ashes his body was delivered from incumbent horrible dangers his feet set on a Rock all the waves and windes could not overturn it his goings were ordered men or Devils could not make him slide or goe out of Gods paths His tongue had occasion to trumpet out Gods praise The wicked that saw it were convicted the godly confirmed to trust in the Lord. Who for his patient waiting had delivered his soule from death his eyes from teares and his feet from falling how for all this could he doe lesse than praise the Lord in the land of the living Men shall say in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him he will save us They read over their Title to him again in the same words This is the Lord we have waited for him We have waited for thee in the way of thy judgements Esay 25.9 chap. 26 8. Verse 3. chap. 30.18 Ergo Trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord God is strength to deliver his Church for evermore yea the Lord waits in the beginning of the verse to be gracious unto man Blessed are those that wait to receive mercy from him The path of Gods present proceedings Doore 20. is a pledge of his good providence for future time in the kingdome His judgements seeme to be judgements of expostulation with rather than of extirpation of the kingdome Though these dayes seem to be as that day the Prophet mentioned Zach. 14.6 7. wherein was no clear light but it was dark it was neither quite day nor night but about the evening time it shall be light God will at the last which is with the Lord but as the length of a day send a faire and cleare evening of joy and comfort to his distressed servants We read Exod. 4.24 that God being angry with Moses for not circumcising his sons it came to passe by the way in the Inne the Lord met him and sought to kill him Sought to kill him 'T is strange Did God seek to kill him and not kill him Speak Lord speak to the fire and it shall with flâ—shings consume him to the aire and with pestilent vapours choake him to the waters and with deluges it shall overwhelme him to the earth and with yawning chops it shall devoure him Well the meaning is God sought to kill him that is in some outward visible manner whereof Moses was apprehensive God manifested his displeasure against him that so Moses might have notice and leasure to divert his anger by removing the cause thereof He that said to us Seek and ye shall find doth himselfe seek and not find And good reason for he sought with an intent not to find Thus may we say God for these many yeares sought to destroy the Kingdome manifesting an unwilling-willingnesse if men in any reasonable time will take up the matter and compound the difference by repentance The loving Father shakes the Rod over the Child not with an intent to beat him but to make him beg pardon Such hitherto hath been the Lords dealing with our Nation that he even courts and wooes us to repentance as loath to punish us if we would understand the voyce of the Rod and why it is shaken over us At what time the Lord threatneth to pluck up root out Mich. 6.9 Jer. 18.8 and to destroy it If this Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their wickednesse I will repent appearing so to mans judgement of the plague I thought to bring upon them If men wash their hands and hearts in teares of repentance Deut. 21.7 as Israel in the blood of the Heifer all the blood that hath been or shall be shed in these warres it shall never be laid to their charge by the Lord. If thou make Conscience thy Castle let Drummes beat Trumpets sound Pikes push Bullets flye Cannons roare Death Warres Devils doe their worst thy life is hid with God and thou shalt be in safety Thus have I brought you to twenty severall Doores and have a little opened them that you looking into the roomes might have some light of comfort even on this day and in this formerly sorrowfull place for the good successe of the kingdomes cause I have a few more doores to lead you to but I must be speedy in my passage by them and give you leave but to peep into them whiles your ears attend my tongue The Saints sorrow for the Churches miseries Doore 21. and love for her prosperitie Where these duties are performed great dignities are peomiled Isa 66 10 11 12. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her Rejoyce for joy with her all ye that mourn for her that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations that ye may milk out and be delighte I with the brightnesse of her glory because I will extend peace over her like a floud Peace prosperity shall come speedily and in great abundance Pray for the peace of Jerusalem They shall prosper that love thee What 's added Ps 122.6 Peace be within thy walles and prosperity within thy palaces And these duties enjoyned by the Lord and practised by his people upon his command and shall not he blesse his own commanded meanes God bids remember those that are in bonds as if we were bound with them else we cannot have a fellow feeling of their miseries Surely such precepts have obliged many to weep in secret watch fast and pray in publick for the Churches miseries as if they had been their owne It 's Gods own cause and can that ever miscarry Doore 22 Hath not he maintained it with an high hand and stretched out arme in all ages Keep not silence Psa 83.1 Vers 5. O God implying it 's as easie for God to hush all wars as it is for man to speak Thine enemies make a tumult and hate thee They have consulted in heart and made a league against thee Hath not God pleaded the cause of his Saints as if he and they were one Psa 35.1 Else David would not have been so bold with him saying Plead my cause O God In Joshuahs time the Lord fought for Israel Ios 10.14 't was his owne cause made therefore the Sun and Moon stand still untill the people avenged themselves of their enemies In his own cause he hearkened to the voyce of a man but in an evill cause will regard voyce of many Johs Acts 9.4 Samuels Daniels Angels Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me in my members on earth now I am in heaven Be not afraid said the propheticall Levite unto Jehosophat and the people for this great multitude 2 Chro. 20 15. for the battell is not yours but Gods The Dragon and his Angels fought against Michael and his Angels Rev. 12.7 8. but the Dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven unto the earth because they fought against
Michael and his Angels Christ hath overcome the World Doore 23 Death Devill and shall these overcome him again Iohn 16.33 Col. 2.15 Rev. 17.14 It 's incredible impossible Be ye of good comfort in me ye shall have peace I have over come the world He hath openly triumphed over them on his Crosse This Lamb hath overcome all Lions Can Satan be stronger than God The efficacie of Christ his prayer Doore 24 He was heard on earth and shall he not be heard in heaven Rom. 8.33 1 Pet. 3.14 making intercession for his people Who is he that will harm you if ye follow that which is good Who harme us wicked ones will Yet blessed are you if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake Feare not their feare nor be ye troubled The conviction and conversion of Adversaries Doore 25 God enlightning them to see what they did not see before It is beyond the thoughts and expectation of man thae the Lord Inchequin seduced by the Jesuitical faction should be changed from a destroyer to Champion for God and a preserver of his cause The many cries Doore 26 prayers teares of Fathers Children Widowes for vengeance Doth not the Lord heare their cries and know their sorrowes The Lord heard the voyce of the Lad Ishmael Exod. 3.7 Gen. 21.17 Psa 146.9 weeping before him and will he not heare the voyce of thousands of Children for their parents and parents for their children wives for their husbands and friends for friends He relieveth the Fatherlesse and Widowes In whom can the Fatherlesse finde mercy but in him Hos 14.3 Luke 18.7 If an unrighteous Judge did the importune Widow justice against her adversary shall not God avenge his elect that cry day and night unto him The cry of the multiplicity of the blood that hath been shed Doore 27. Shall not the blood of so many Saints call for vengeance Gen. 4.10 Rev. 6.10 when the blood of one Abel cryed unto the Lord and he heard it The soules of the Saints slaine cry Dost thou not avenge our bloodâ— Groans are registred teares botled and shall not blood be booked Did God enquire for one Abel will he not for thousands The Relation of God towards his Church Doore 28. God sayth he is worse than an Infidell that provides not for his family 1 Tim. 5.8 Is not he a Father And will a Father give stones to children that ask bread He is to his Church a Husband a Master a Captain a King Sheepheard Creator Redeemer wise Builder He is a Sun and a Shield hath his Rod and his Staffe both for direction and preservation The great rage of Satan sheweth that his time is but short Doore 29. When the Devil was to be cast forth out of the dumb Rev. 12.12 Mat. 9.22.26 he casts him into the fire and into the water and rent him soare cryed and then came out of him Violent things continue not long in extremity especially such showers of blood The many differences between forraigne nations Doore 30. who would have joyned hand in hand against the Kingdome had they not been set together by the eares in their own lands This is none of the least of Gods mercies to our nation at this time they having enough to doe at home have the lesse leasure to be imployed as the Devils and Popes Armour-bearers abroad The prevention of many inconveniences which might ensue Doore 31. 1. Some godly ones might put forth their hands to wickednesse Psa 125.3 if the rod of the wicked should long lye on the lot of the righteous 2. That the wicked might not deny Gods power providence justice which they see executed here on earth 3. Truth of the Scriptures may not bee questioned Tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope Rom. 5.4 Now lay all these considerations together that have been mentioned before and I beleeve they will administer joy in the times of sorrow and keep up mens hearts lesse to doubt the successe of the common cause 1. Considering God is a God of power able to finish what he hath begun 2. It stands with his wisdome the foundation laid to perfect his building 3. God is the God of order what confusion else would be 4. Kindnesse had been unkindnesse Better to have had no cluster of grapes than not to be brought into Canaan 5. Weak ones would suspect God used some stratagem to draw men out as the men of Ai to destroy them or as to gather Bees and to burn them 6. They would doubt God would not doe as much for his people now as he hath done heretofore Our Fathers trusted in him and were delivered but we have trusted in him and are not delivered 7. Gods friends would put forth their hands to wickednesse 8. His enemies blasphemies boastings cruelties would be the greater They would endeavour to build Babels to scale if possible the very walts of heaven 9. God spared the kingdome for a long season when sin was committed and with greedinesse acted Ezek. 22.30 and will he not spare it now when sinne is confessed lamented and many stand up in the gap to turn away his wrath and reform impieties according to his desire and promise 10. The courage of the Parliament Commanders Captaines Souldiers beyond ordinary expectation naturall Relations carrying Gods Ark towards Bethshemesh their wives children houses lands goods liberties lives being not deere unto them doe all confirme our hearts in the promises of the Lord that his help is at hand to deliver the Nation from slavery and Popery I beseech you by the many mercies of God that have been daily manifested and infallibly expected to lay out your selves to give up your bodies spirits estates your All for your selves posterity Cities and people of God It was dying Joshuahs argument to the Israelites to move them to a constant obedience to Gods commandements that they had experimentall knowledge in their hearts that nothing failed of all the good things that the Lord had promised to them all came to passe And have wee not as great a portion participation in Gods promises and performances as the Israelites had We may say of Gods mercies to Israel and England as one spake of Demosthenes and Tully Cicero effecit ne Demosthenes esses solus Orator Demosthenes ne Cicero primus foret The Israelites were the cause we could not be the first people whome God did so extraordinarily blesse and favour But we are the cause that they could not boast themselves to be the only people in Gods love And if Gods mercies in any age for height length depth breadth might be boasted of rejoyced in then in our dayes in this Parliament in these warres where good is fetcht out of evill light out of darknesse And if these things will be marvellous in the eares of all posterity shall they not in our hearts before whose eyes the same have been accomplished Wherefore I conclude as I began being high time to take my worke off the Loome Why halt ye so long between two opinions If Baal be God then follow him so shall you fall from sin the Suburbs into Hell it selfe the place portion expectation of all cursed neutralizing Balaaks for whom are reserved torments which are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse If the Lord be God then follow him so shall you come to see him that is invisible and shall change the society of men for Angels Earth for Heaven and the company of Lions for fellowship with the Lamb for ever Where shall be all light without any darknesse truth without error joy without sorrow health without sicknesse liberty without restraint peace without perturbation eternity without end where the Quire of Angels shall be musick to our eares where the fight of God shall be the object to our eyes where the joyes of heaven shall be the possession of our soules Unto the hearing of which Angellicall musick unto the beholding of which beatificall vision unto the possession of which celestiall joyes the Lord that is Author of all vouchsafe to bring us all let all Gods people say Amen And let the Lord Jesus Christ whose words are Yea and Amen put to his hand and seale and say Amen Amen I have now done for speaking you have now done for hearing his Chaire and Pulpit is in heaven that must perswade you to put in practice those things which I have delivered in precept which that he may doe unto him let us pray Soli Deo laus FINIS
then imagined that such qualified persons were not in rerum naturae And what is inserted touching flattering Ministers that have betrayed the trust that God and man have committed to them was also unhandled both which are proper to the subject here in discourse as main causes of the people halting between those two different opinions in the then common Cause of the Kingdome Omnia dat qui justa negat he that denieth that which is just gives liberty to speak any thing If I have unjustly blamed one of the said Committee whose advice as another Achitophel in those parts was so highly accounted of as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God in that censure against me before any witnesses in that cause were examined by me though many of the Committe by the procurement of one certified under their hands the contrary as grosse untruths as if they had subscribed that there is no light in the Sunne nor heat in the fire or that the Pope in person sits daily in the Parliament House to the great losse of my livelihood danger of my life and dishonour of the Parliament had I not been relieved let me suffer more in name person estate Whosoever knowes what hath happened unto me as many thousands have heard may guesse that I am necessitated to publish this Newes for Newters He that was once an eye-hearer of this Sermon beleeved in heart and subscribed with hand that I had the harder usage for the message sake else that Committee man could not have so posted out of the Colledge when hee saw me in the Pulpit unlesse he had almost as much feared my message whom he never heard in publique in his life as hee dreaded the roaring of the Cannon when he hasted out of the Citie immediatly before the Kings Army came to besiege the same What in publick I have spoken done and suffered for the common Cause hundreds have and thousands will testifie yet all praying preaching doing and suffering must be buried under the beastlike skin of Scandall to provoke and satisfie the greedy appetites of a New Committee man an old Hangman and a posted Malignant and a professed Newter I attended eleven dayes during part of which time this newes was related to see these hideous November-Articles I was to answer yet could not all that time have a sight of them till that quick-sighted much knowing justice Colonel Bromwich told the Committee it was a shame to make me wait so long for the said Articles Then had I December-Articles and those concerned the Committee themselves because they would be sure to strike a deadly blow against such a Traytor Then had I January-Articles preferred and had I not appealed to this Honorable Assembly I thinke I should have had February-Articles and so ad infinitum that no moneths malice might be left unattempted to ruine him whom the Parliament had published and declared 1643. to honour I was accounted by the Plundering warrants of Malignants at the siege of Glocester an aider to the Rebels meaning this Parliament and by the said warrants had my goods and Cattell taken away That the same Parliament Committee after I had appealed to the Parliament it selfe from them they under their hands denying me Copies of depositions taken against me and denying me to be present at the examination of witnesses was by the testimony of divers members of this great Assembly deemed unparallel As these things with the effects thereof to me have proved a burthen almost intollerable the scarre of discredit it being incurable so to all men may seeme incredible that a constant sider with the Parliament should unheard out of his living be ejected and himself and his family be to all misery exposed when that right-discerning and Parliament-promises-promoting Justice Mr. Anthony Clifford opposed in my absence the rest of my ruining unjust Judges If I should forbeare the stones would cry aloud in the eyes and eares of the world for justice against this matchlesse malicious abominable censure But the blessing of the Lord for ever be and abide on the heads and hearts of the honorable Committee for plundered Ministers and in particular on Mr. Millington Mr. Rouse Sir Arthur Hazelrig Mr. Tate who oft afforded me patience audience countenance If I should repeat every member of that Committee I might seeme to flatter if I should not mention you I should surely be ungratefull My Countrey-man Mr. Pury was one of the first that after my freezing and long waiting broke the Ice for my return and Mr. Edward Stephens and others quickly apprehended and couragiously reported the injustice of the proceedings against me Whereupon I had an Order of restitution to my Priviledges and Arreares till the matter be heard notwithstanding which Order of Restitution that active Committee man hath been an Instrument to place for my supplanting in my Chappell to enjoy those profits that are almost the one halfe of my little livelihood a Minister that hath been taken in Armes against the Parliament and hath beene ejected out of his living in Monmouth-shire for being contentious against his neighbours a common Drunkard a Rayler against the Parliament who also said since he was obtruded on my Cure a Cavaliere I was a Cavaliere I am and so I will continue Whether such a Committee man in permitting such a Malignant Minister that hath been so often active in Armes to be placed and officiate within three miles of Glocester Garrison hath thereby promoted the honour of the Parliament and the safety of that Citie let all men judge If I have been illegally proceeded against by this principall Agent in that Committee as my worthy constant free and faithfull friend Mr. Pryn hath by tongue and pen maintained I shall account it a great honour from this Honorable Assembly to have an Order and Commission to some Gentlemen I shall nominate to examine all proceedings of this Committee man and the combination of such malignant malicious persons as have been unjust practizers against me that I may receive such reparations from them as the merits of my cause and their cruelty shall require All which is committed to the serious consideration of this honorable Senate for the relief of Your faithfull Servant yet suffering supplicant WALTER POWELL Doctrines deduced DOct. 1. It is a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal Truth and Error pag. 5 2. Those that are good will shew zeale for God pag. 5 3. People continue long in a lingring condition notwithstanding long and sharp reprehension pag. 6 4. Many are yet to seek who is the true God pag. 6 4. God alone is to be followed pag. 6 6. Men are oft convicted before they are once converted pag. 6 The first Doctrine prosecuted Uses 1. Of Information 2. Reprehension of Newters 3. The Causes with the cure of Halting pag. 7 8 14 Cause 1. Because many members of the Parliament have diserted the Parliaments cause pag. 14 2. The greatest part of the Great