fulfilled and the face of things doe looke as if they were now in fulfilling and they must bee fulfilled in and about that very cause which you have in hand and why may we not believe but that even now the day of vengeance is in Gods hand and the yeare of his redeemed is come 4. You have a guard of prayers round about you millions of prayers like a Cloud of incense Lev. 16.13 doe alwaies hang over you and hover about you the Prayers of many generations that went before you you shall reap in joy what they have sowen in Teares little doe you know the many thousands of prayers night and day in your behalfe when you happily have not opportunity nor company nor place of conveniency to poure out your hearts before the Lord. What are these great Victories and wonderfull deliverances vouchsafed unto you but the returne of prayers in your behalfe that you so often prosper fighting in the valley is because so many Mosesses and Hurs are praying in the Mount Lastly consider you have a guard of providences for your defence all transactions of all passages shall still be loaded with your security the Sunne is willing to stand still in Gideon and the Moone in the Valley of Dialon The Sea will as gladly run backward as forward for your deliverance The Creatures delight to doe you service if God doth at any time bring you to straights it is for nothing but to shew his power and love for your defence if hee brings you to such a posture as that you can doe nothing but stand still it is onely to shew you and the whole World the salvation of God Thus you have a good first cause and Secondly a sure life Guard you have God his Angells his Promises the Prayers of the Saints and all providences for your incouragement Thirdly Consider the many infallible intimations as so many predictions from heaven of your successe which are a thousand times more promising then Elijahs Cloud 1 Kin. 18.44 of great Raine or an Evening red and lowring Skie of a succeeding faire day Mat. 16.3 First the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication is abundantly poured forth upon all the Saints in your behalfe An infallible signe of your successe The Cloud of Incense Leviticus the 16.13 which are the prayers of the Saints as will appeare by comparing that place 141. Psal 2. is the Cloud of his presence and a little cloud of that nature though but so big as Elijahs hand presageth a plentifull shoure of heavenly blessings upon your heads When God prepareth Daniels heart to pray Sions captivity is at an end Dam. 9.4 Hee that prepareth the heart to pray will cause his eare to heare Psal 10.17 such prayers and teares such sighs and groanes such surrounding the Throne of grace in publique in private in season out of season was never knowne since Adams daies as are now in your behalfe How many thousand lies in the gap in your behalfe every Jacob is become an Israell in your cause can you thinke you shall miscarry Secondly The Spirit of Faith and confidence of your successe in this cause is poured forth upon all the Saints and this also is a certaine Omen of your prosperity when God doth draw out the hearts of men to believe and to hope in his mercy it is a ground of strengthening their hearts for then will he preserve the faithfull and plentifully reward the proud doer Psal 31.23 the Lord shall help deliver and save his people because they trust in him Psal 37.40 should God enable men to hope and trust in him and that upon Evangelicall and Divine grounds and faile them how would he dishonour his son prejudice his faithfullnesse and discourage his people nor certainly as the unbeliefe of the Israelites was a provoking cause of Gods displeasure against them so the confidence of his people in this cause is most acceptable in his sight and a certaine signe of good successe Thirdly Consider God hath slirred up the heart of the State of the Kingdome viz the Parliament and to loâ—ke out and endeavour after a Reformation of all things that they can find displeasing unto God another most infallible and promising token of your successe we shall most commonly find that humiliation repentance and Reformation in a people have bin signes of mercy towards a people It is true we have an instance in Scripture of a most sweet and glorious Reformation in matters of Idolatry and prophanesse viz the Reformation of Iosiah 2 Chron. 35. and yet notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fearcenesse of his great wrath wherewith he was angry against Iudah c. 2 Kin. 23.26 but yet there was a great deale of difference between that Reformation and ours For first that Reformation was began by the King and so he compelled the people by his Regall power hereunto but this Reformation is from the people taking the first lawfull and best advantage from the constitution of the Kingdome to take up Armes in and under the Kings power and authority setled in Parliament and consequently by his command virtuall though not personall so that that Reformation of Iosiab was by compulsion upon the people whereunto they yeelded for feare but this Reformation is even from the people out of love though with the hazard even of the Kings displeasure Secondly when GOD doth afflict a people from his former displeasure yet there is commonly some new sin which comes in as a mediation and so provoketh God to remember the old score thus when Gods anger was stirred up against Israell the Devill moved David to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 But heare we find no such thing as any new Nationall sin viz any act of the State authorizing sin and the good Lord keep our Parliament from such a thing we see rather that it is not because we have sinned that our enemies quarrell with us but because wee will not sinne our enemies quarrell against us is not because we have bin or are prophane in our lives Idolatrous in our Worship but because we will not be so for if we would joyn with them in these abominations we should quickly be at peace with them so that the very sourse and rise of the wars is the glory of God and blessed be his Name that the cause is the Lords and that wee can plead that before him otherwise we might give our selves for lost Thirdly the Affliction and judgement upon Iudah the fruit of old displeasure against them for the blood of the Saints spilt in Manassah his daies was the taking away of good Josiah from them by Pharoah Neco King of Egypt who slew him at Megidde 2 King 23.29 so that God tooke away the Reformer from them and so way is made for judgement upon them But now God increaseth the number of Reformers and hath so graciously opened the eyes of our VVorthies in matters offensive unto GOD as that they have done that which I am perswaded they
Souldiers to accuse men of malignitie that they may the more colourably plunder them and so take away both mens Estates and good name at once Justice and Righteousnesse doth as well beseâ—me a Souldier as a Citizen and the accompt of both before God shall be a like The third Rule of Christ is be content with your wages As Covetousnes doth alwayes ill become a Souldier so especially in this particular Cause and quarrell for consider first this Cause is for the exaltation of Iesus Christ and therefore those who looke for comfort from the Cause and Successe therein must aime at Him and not to themselves if your aimes be pure for Him He will see your pay good in due time Secondly you pretend the righteousnesse of the Cause and not the benefit of the Warre that sets you on worke but is it so indeed Come see my zeale for God saith Iehu for the Throne saith God and his owne Conscience Iudas did seemingly forsake all and follow Christ but the benefit of the bagg was his hand and hopes When precious oyntment was spent upon Christ he pleaded for the purse under the notion of the poore for his owne base ends under the colour of Charitie are you for the Cause indeed what and not content with your Wages yes with all our hearts if wee could get it saith the common Souldiers How have you wanted it by the deceit of Officers saith the common Voat who like the unjust Steward in the Gospell which cozened his Master by his accompts write upon the mustering dayes a hundred for fourescore and fourescore for fifty who makes as little Conscience of lying for money as of telling the money they lied for I give not the lye to Noble Souldiers but to base dissemblers and to bee offended at these words is as the dipping of Iudas his finger in his Masters dish a certaine signe that that man will betray the Cause if he can make a bargaine on it though a Halter in the conclusion may determine there is nothing gotten by it Well let those whose Consciences speakes plainely with Achan Ioshua 6. the 21. I tooke the Goodly Babilonish Garment the two hundred shekells of Silver and the wedge of Gold c. let these I say who have troubled the Campe. the whole Kingdome by deceiving them both see the aggravations of this Delinquencie under these considerations First it is the most sacrilegious Robberie that ever was committed for it is most particularly against the very person of Christ whose Cause chiefly it is and how can you answer this at the great day He that will rob Christ in a thing so deeply concerning his glory would sell Christ as Iudas did for the like profit I could wish you would seriously remember the sad example of Annanias and Saphirah smitten by God to death for keeping back the accompt of his owne Estate and his sinne is aggravated from this consideration that he had lyed against the holy Ghost Act. 5.4 And if so what will become of you who keep back not your own but the Lords owne monies being the Free-will offering of the Kingdome unto him What doe you when you say I must have moneys for one hundred under me and returne it when happily you have not about 60. or 70 to pay and keepe up the rest but even lie against the Holy Ghost and rob Jesus Christ and to as great shame you shall one day acknowledge it as ever did Thiefe make his Confession at Tyburne when Jesus Christ shall bring to light your hidden basenesse lies and dissimulation againe you rob the whole Kingdome and are thereby as great oppressors as ever Monopolists or Patenteâ—s have been nay more in a great measure you retard the worke of Christ and are horresco referens guilty of a great deale of blood shed in the Kingdome I would you would seriously consider of it I have heard that some of you that have made a great profession of zeale to the Cause and of love unto Jesus Christ and that you applyed your selves unto the working the Warres out of these Principles but now who more covetous than you who more forward to comply with a sinfull custome of others in abusing the State by base and selfeish dealings than you which if you have true Principles of Piety you could never doe without great paines sinfully taken in stopping and in muzzeling the mouthes of your own Consciences which doth secretly vexe you within if spirituall life be in you but as a graine of mustard seed Consider consider do you know how soone your breath may be wrung out of your Nostrills and will this comfort you in your dying agony doth the wages of unrighteousnesse please you better than the love of Christ let me be plaine take heed of base dissimulation and hypocrisie You would be thought to fight for the Cause and for love unto Jesus Christ and this you say is your comfort if you perish you perish in a good cause and you are in Gods way and you expect comfort I would not trouble peace of conscience but why doe you trouble your owne peace What fight for Jesus Christ and rob Christ doe you fight for Christ and steale away the Free-will offering of his people from Him doe you fight for the Kingdome and deceive the Kingdome what and cannot endure to heare of any wayes of reforming abuses whereby the State hath been deceived well know this your greatest gaines will be your losse and your greatest deceipt will be in your owne soules Remember the Counsell of Jesus Christ doe violence to no man accuse no man falsely and bee content with your wages In the last place take heed of the common sinnes of common Souldiers of swearing drunkennesse loosenesse lightnesse vanity of spirit labour for assurance of the love of God and visible Interest in Jesus Christ minde your mortality and let the thoughts of eternity poyse your spirits keep Faith and a good conscience get your hearts into a dying temper and keep them therein for you walke in the shadow of death let God and Heaven and the deep things of the other World fill your thoughts and in all your conditions studie to be found in Christ that having fought your good fight finished your course and kept the Faith your Warefare being accomplished you may receive that Crowne of righteousnesse which God the righteous Judge shall give unto you and unto all those that love his appearing FINIS
A Spirituall SNAPSACKE FOR THE PARLIAMENT SOVLDIERS CONTAINING Cordiall Encouragements Effectuall Perswasions and hopefull Directions unto the Successefull prosecution of this present CAUSE BY J. P. LONDON Printed for Henry Overton in the Yeare 1643. To His Excellence ROBERT EARLE OF ESSEX Viscount Hereford Baron Ferrars of Chartley Lord Bourcheir and Lovaine One of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Councell and Generall of the Army raised by the Parliament in Defence of the true Protestant Religion his Majesties Person the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdome and the Priviledges of Parliament Right Honourable GReatnesse and Goodnesse as they are infinitely in GOD so in what degree they concentre in Man they have a God like Divine influence and power to create Love and Respect Boldnesse and Reverence in Persons Inferior Your goodnesse hath made you Great and your Greatnes contrary to common Experience hath made you Good and both these hath emboldened me humbly to solicite your Excellence that this small Snapsacke upon the strictest search of your dilligent Sentinels and approbation thereof may freely passe among your Common Souldiers It is not my presumption to present your Excellence with the broken Morsells Cram'd up therein knowing that Curious Carving fit for such a personage becomes not a Snap sacke and well Considering both your plentifull Supply from your Spirituall Quartermasters and mine owne insufficiency being neither a Prophet nor a Prophets Sonne but the best of my hopes is your EXCELLENCIES permission of its free Portage and could it procure the light of your countenance and your Command of it's use as a taken hereof it would be to its Author like the filling of the poore Widdowes Vessâ—lls for the Oyle in the Cruce a greater reward then ever â—â—s look't for howsoever the Eternall God and our succeeding Posterity shall call you blessed for your Love Zeale and Courage in Gods and your Countries Cause And that the Almighty may not onely make you a Moses to lead his Israel out of Egypt and bring you to Mount Nebo in the sight of the good Land But a Ioshuah to bring them into the Possession thereof removing all Obstacles supplying all wants in your way fill you withall the divine qualifications of the worthies of Israel make you Strong and of good Courage bee with you never leave you nor forsake you is the earnest Prayer as of many thousands the Israelites of GOD so amongst them of your EXCELLENCIES most humbly Devoted Vnworthy whose Name should be Spel'd out J. P. A SPIRITVALL SNAPSACKE FOR THE PARLIAMENT SOVLDIERS MAN is borne to sorrow because borne in sinne and his insensible security is his chiefest misery common Souldiers and common Saylors are most commonly under the shadow of death and seldome mindefull of another life the consideration whereof is the ground of our present discourse wherein as brevitie must be our practice because many morsells must be cram'd up in a small Snapsack so spiritualitie must be our Subject for these Reasons First because the Souldiers for whom this is chiefly intended have a spirituall Palate the bread of life is their Hony-comb and Angells food their fare Gods word is their delight and all their well Springs are therein a rare thing in common Souldiers Secondly because they cannot come to the common Markets where this Provision is to be had this is their sorrow but not their sinne Gods Ordinances are rarely in the Souldiers march and therefore a little in the Snapsack will doe some good for to the hungry stomack every bitter thing is sweet Thirdly through constant want of wholsome dyet corrupt food may doe some hurt I meane the body of sinne within and evill Company without proves bitter to an honest minde to dwell in Kedar is his woe and to march in Mesech his complaint Fourthly because they are subject to many sorrowes for good Souldiers must endure hardnesse cold and hunger Wounds and Soares are commonly the Souldiers share spirituall refection will beare them up the waters of Life proves Cordiall in fainting fits and in outward troubles inward comfort refresheth the minde But least we should be longer in untying the strings then your stomacks will beare being sharp set roule these considerations as so many sweet morsells under your tongue to beare up your hearts in your hardest worke First you HAVE A GOOD CAUSE a singular incouragement to a pious minde amongst all other causes that ever drew Armies into the field yours for goodnesse hath the precedencie and this will appeare by these particulars First it is a most cleare and candid cause whose shining beauty and refined perspicuity amongst all other causes is like the Sunne in the Firmament It is not my purpose to answer scruples about the clearenesse of the Cause they for whom this is provided are not to seeke in this particular the Swords in their hands argues the clearenesse of their Judgements herein neither are they singular in this opinion all the Godly Learned and conscientious Ministers and people of the Kingdome will joyne issue with them herein satisfaction herein from learned Orthodoxe and godly Divines in this particular hath bin like the waters of Iordan in the time of harvest witnesse Goodwins Anticaval severall Answers to Dr. Fearne a late Treatise made by many Godly Ministers in justification of Defensive Armes and few there are of the contrary judgement but Papists Athiests Praelates Delinquents and prophane wretches excepting such who may exchange their eye-sight with Balaams Asse and cannot see the drawne sword of ruine or slavery in their base submission to the adverse party Secondly as the Cause is cleare so it is A MOST FULL AND GENERALL CAUSE soule and body in all their present concernments are deeply interessed in the same First for Matters of the Soule consider First you fight for God who will therefore fight for you the Battell is his the Victory therefore shall be yours mighty in Battell is God for you Couragious in Battell be you for Him you fight for Him whose glorious Attributes will be unto you a munition of Rocks 33. Esay 16. You fight for Him whose glorious name will be unto you a strong Tower Prov. 18.10 You fight for Him at whose Command is Heaven and Earth for your defence you fight for Him who hath divided the Seas for passage Exod. 14.21 smitten Rocks for drinke Ex dus 17.6 given Angells food for meat Exod. 16.14 Who hath made the Mountaines to skip like Rams and the little Hills like Lambs 114. Psal 6. Who hath bound Kings in chaines and Nobles in Fetters of Iron Psal 149.8 Who hath rebuked Kings and destroyed mighty Princes in the behalf of those that fought for him you fight for Him in whose hands is the breath of your nostrills and all your wayes without whose Providence not one hair of your head shall fall to the ground Who can protect in Battells succeed Battells restore losses make up breaches and give you an inheritance and Crowne with glory who would not
beginning of the World untill this day Secondly as you have a good Cause so consider WHAT A LIFE GUARD God hath set about you for your security First God himselfe is your Life guard 52. Esay 12. the Lord shall goe before you and the God of Israell shall be your Reereward there is God in Front and Reare he shall be unto you a munition of Rocks 33. Esay 15.16 He that walketh righteously c. he shall dwell en high his place of Defence shall be a munition of Rocks and the Church is said to dwell in the clefts of the Rocks 2 Canticles 14 and the name of the Lord is a strong Tower Prov. 18.10 a little Sauctuary will God be unto you 11. Ezekiell 16. He will be a shield a buckler a strong Tower a Refuge a Defence against the terrour of the night the arrow or bullet that flieth in the day Psal 91.5 what though Ammon and Geball Edom and Ishmaell Moaband the Agarims what though Amaleck and the Philistims Ashur and the Children of Lot though Papists and Atheists and all their Allyes though France and Spaine though Turke and Pope though all the World should compasse you about like Bees yet if the Lord be your strength and refuge he will become your song and your salvation Psal 118.12 was not God thus unto you at Keynem Battell to the amazement of your Enemies and the joy of your hearts when the instruments of death went over you and about you and scarce touch'd any of you that stood to the Cause and did not flye away when thousands fell on each side of you and you were preserved doe not your hearts leape at the remembrance of it did not the Lord appeare at that day glorious in holines fearefull in praises working wonders did not the Mountaines skip like Rams and the little Hills like young sheep at that day did you not hew downe mighty Cedars at that day did not God throw downe Mountaines and fill up Vallies for you at that day when hee brought you to Plahiroth the very mouth of straights as he did the Israelites Exod. 14.2 when your Enemies thought you were entangled and when they cryed wee will persue we will overtake we will devide the spoyle our lusts shall bee satisfied our Sword shall devoure c. Exod. 15.9 then did the Lord blow with his wind and the waters and waves of his wrath did overwhelme them and they lay weltering in the red Sea of their owne blood was not this a taken that your cause was good and your Enemies bad when those of you that fled were slaine and those that stood to it were preserved and those of your Enemies that stood to it perished and those that fled escaped how did GOD the Father protect you with his attributes how did God the Sonne surround you as it were with his merits and intrench you with his bloud how did God the Holy Ghost cheer you with his comforts working your hearts to a holy extasie of joy making you like David when he danced before the Arke to forget your selves and upon the discharge of your Muskets to cry out in holy and spirituall rapture now for Iesus Christ now for the Gospell now le ts see what prayer can d ee c. when you were in the vallies of the shadow of death yet did you not feare and hath not God gon all along with you ever since hath not God alwayes as before Ephraim Benjamin and Manasses stird up his strength and came and holpen you from time to time as the Psalmist hath it 80. Psalm 2. alluding to these three Tribes which went immediately after the Arke 2 Numb 17. and 18. consider therefore God the Fountaine of life the great Preserver of men the upholder of all things by the word of his power is your Life-guard Secondly you have a guard of Angells to attend you 34. Psalm 7. the Angels of the Lord pitch their Tents round about them that feare him and delivereth them yea the Charets of God are twentie thousand thousands of Angells and God is amongst them for your security 68. Psalme 17. God shall give his Angells charge over you to keepe you in all your wayes 91. Psalme 11. little doe you know what Charets and Horsemen there are in the Mount readie to fight for you when you come to battell 2 Kings 6.15 16 17. God hath legions of Angells to come to fight for you when you call upon him in the day of Battell Matth. 26.53 tender is God over you to give his Angells for your guard and his Ministers a flame of fire round about you can you miscarry with such a Life guard Thirdly consider you have a guard of promises to attend you where ever you goe first the promises of military dexterity that God will teach your hands to warre and your fingers to fight and of protection that he will cover your heads in the day of Battell 144. Psalme 1. you have been looked upon as an unskilfull meeke pusillanimous Dove-like spirited people and indeed so you are but hath not God given you the skill courage and valour as of mighty Princes and made old Souldiers flie like hares and hide their heads from you to their terrour and your wonder that ever you should have such capacitie for such services so unsuitable to your genuine temper Secondly you have the promises of provision and plentie that though the Lions lack and suffer hunger yet you that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good for you 34. Psalme 10. in your march towards Canaan to worship God for that is your case rather then you shall want if you bee upright and ingenuous in the cause purely for God he will smite Rocks for you spread Tables in the Wildernesse feed you with Angells food the delicates of Heaven the upper springs dulcius è fonte you shall have the very well of Life for your refreshment Thirdly you have the promises of victory that one shall chase a thousand and two shall put ten thousand to flight 32. Deutro 30 that if your Enemies come one way they shall flie from you seven waies that no Sword nor Weapon that is framed against you shall prosper 54. Esay 17. that God will make his Church and People his battell Axe and Weapons of Warfare to breake in pieces the Nations of the Earth 51. Ieremy 20 21. c. and that God will make his people a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth to thrash the Mountaines and to beate them small and to make the hills as chaffe Esay 41.15 that the Stone cut out without hands shall be that Kingdome viz. of Christ that shall never be destroyed but shall destroy all Kingdomes and people that shall rise up against it 2 Daniel 44.45 that God will binde Kings in chaines and Nobles in Fetters of Iron Psalme 149.8.9 and to execute upon them the judgement written this honour have all his Saints You may expect all these promises to be
never purposed to doe viz in the particulars but onely to fulfill the whole mind of God as he should reveale it unto them And therefore notwithstanding this instance we have still good hope from the Reformation begun that God will own it and the Temple shall be built though they build fighting and that God will bring his people into Canaan though their enimies hearts are hardened and persue them with full purposes to destroy them Yet their ruine will be both seasonable and certaine Fourthly Consider The parties against whom you sight are a most Idolatrous Superstitious Delinquent Prophane Ignorant or Hypocriticall Generation take them where you will from one degree to another and you may fitly ranke them under some of those unworthy denominations for either they are Papists and so Idolatrous Praelaticall and so Superstitious Offendors of severall kinds and so Delinquents Men of cursing deboist lips and lives and so Prophane Men so incrediby besotted as to believe that the Gospell the Kingdome the Lawes of the Land the Liberty of the Subject the Priviledges of Parliament the Execution of Justice the common peace and good of all is the onely Crowne that these men fight for and that you fight against these which argues the very sensible thicknesse of Ignorance or else lastly God and their own Consciences can and doe and one day will evidence to their everlasting shame disgrace and torment that they are as base dissembling Hypocrites as ever could be found among those Scribes and Pharisees against whom their are so many woes denounced Mat. 23.13 well look upon your Enemies they are the very worst of sinners such as we thought could scarce have bin consistent with English Ingenuity God hath seem'd to gather the very scum of all sorts and qualities of men together whether they be Men of high or low degree and although their intention is to destroy Sion 4. Micha 10. and though they say wee will now make an end of them at once and happily sweare and curse that not a Round-head as foolishly they call Gods people shall be left in the Kingdom yet Gods purpose may be the same measure unto them as they intended unto us 4. Mich. 12. Namely to thrash them and even to breake them in pieces Your enemies are a people most ripe for judgement they doe as it were invite the Sickle of Gods wrath to cut them downe The sinnes of the Amorites are full some of them are as it were rotten Ripe and so have dropt downe before the time that God will shake them downe together Thinke you that this Generation of Men shall bee your ruine That the Stubble shall destroy the fire Nay that hell shall ruine Heaven and the Devill himselfe shall destroy the workes of Christ in revenge that Christ once came to destroy the works of the Devill No let us cast away such surmisings and verily believe that the wickednesse of the wicked shall come to a perpetuall end and their owne devises will GOD make to fall upon their owne pates Fiftly Consider God hath drawne the eyes of the while World as it were upon his proceedings in this cause and hath invited them to wait upon and seriously to consider the issue and upshot of all now when he causeth men to marke and consider the upright it is to shew that the end of these men is peace 37. Ps 37. he hath drawn the eyes of all the pious and godly in the World and this he rarely doth except it be to shew them the salvation of God 14. Exo. 13. Hee hath drawn the eyes of the wicked to looke upon the successe of the quarrell and this he rarely doth except it be to let them know that God the Lord is Israels God and to make them confesse that there is a reward for the righteous that verily there is a God that judgeth the Earth Psal 58.11 When the Lord did draw the eyes of the Israelites and the Philistims together to try a single combate betweene Goliah and David 1 Sam. 17. though Goliah was for strength for greatnesse and bignesse of person for fearcenesse for weapons every way incomparable with David yet this act of Gods providence in drawing men together to see the duell was to let all that Assembly know that the Lord saveth not by Sword nor Speare for the battell is the Lords and that hee would give that uncircumcised Philistim into Davids hands ver the 47. and so hath God done already he hath made little striplings London Boyes as they call them the ruine and downfall of the sonnes of Anacke and many Guliahs who hath come out against them with blaspheming tongues and railing lips shaking Locks and sparkling eyes have fallen by their hands Can you thinke that ever God should call all men to looke and gaze and wait for the successe of this present controversie wherein his glory is every way so concern'd and leave his people to the worst Did he ever doe such a thing as this Testifie against God O thou doubting Israelite did ever God doe such a thing as this Would he not hereby discourage all men that come vnto him And scare away all men that incline towards him A thing which his Soule abhorres Sixtly Consider how Gods name is every way ingaged in this quarrell a pregnant omen of blessed successe It is true we are a people simply considered in our selves fitted for judgement having all yea and more provocations of Gods displeasure against us then ever any people that professed the name of Christ or could hope for mercy barrennesse under so much meanes abuse of so much grace slighting of so much Judgement sinning against so much experience hath scarce beene found amongst any that ever professed the Name of Christ whose present ruines doth testifie Gods sore displeasure against them for these things and the good Lord give these thoughts of our owne abominations a seasonable suitable and pious Evangelicall operation upon our Spirits but yet notwihstanding though this might move God against us yet this is not that which hath moved our Enemies against us no it is because we are Gods people and Sheepe of his pasture that these Wolves worry us it is because we desire to repent and reforme and will not joyne with them in all cursed waies of Idolatry and prophanesse it is because we would now worship God according to his will and have no King in matters of our Consciences but Jesus Christ that our enemies are so full of venome fury and madnes against us and can we thinke that God will decline such a cause as this Did hee ever doe such a thing Looke upon all the causes in the VVorld was he ever more engaged nay so fully and circumstantially engaged in any as in this how will his Name be blasphemed amongst them if he should doe thus Would they not either say that your God is not able to help and so mocke us and jeete us and say where are your Prayers and