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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93346	Englands pressures: or, The peoples complaint, humbly related, for information and for satisfaction of the grounds and causes thereof, and communicated to the inhabitants of England, in the severall cities and counties of the kingdome. Also, a short reprehension to factious, seditious sinners, with a Christian exhortation to reformation, to brotherly unitie and concord, and conscionable performance of covenant, by assurance of Gods blessing, a glorious deliverance, with establishment of truth and peace to the three kingdomes. / By George Smith, Gent. Imprimatur John Downame.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1645 (1645)	Wing S4035; Thomason E295_9; ESTC R200196	33,562	43

evill No man so vile as an hypocrite either to God or men so evill and vile as Hypocrisie nor no man so dishonourable as he that takes upon him the profession of Religion for by-ends and for advantage sake such men are lyers to the holy Ghost they dishonour God above all sinners they are a staine to the puritie of Religion a griefe to all the godly a stumbling-blocke to the weake a hardning to ungodly men and a rejoycing to the evill angels an hypocrite l Job 1● 16. shall not see God the sentence of wrath upon the worst of sinners is but m Math. 24. ●1 to have their portion with hypocrites If any man draw back saith the Apostle n Heb. 10. 38. my soule shall have no pleasure in him o 1 John 2. 1● They went out from us but they were not of us if they had beene of us they would have continued with us p Math. 13. 2 The thornie ground becomes unfruitfull and why because the decenfullnesse of riches choake the seed of the word our Saviour saith it is a hard thing q Math. 19. 20. for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of beav●n but surely it is a harder thing for a covetous rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven Many Patriarchs and holy men were rich men and divers of them had their slips saylings and sins which in Scripture are recorded for our admonitions but that I can find in all the Scripture there is not one example of one holyman that was an oppressor or a covetous man Certainly the Devil cannot do so great a mischiefe in the world as to procure a wicked worldling to take upon him to be a profess●r of Religion The Devill 〈…〉 greater mischiefe then to make a wicked worldling to be a professor of Religion for besides all other evills he calls reproach upon God and upon Religion by his godlesse actions more then all Devils or wicked men can doe God saith of r 2 Sam. 12. 14. David for one sinne committed by him that he had given occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme and the Apostle Paul saith of such men that ſ Rom. 2. 24 boasted of the Law and yet by breaking of the law dishonoured God that the name of God is blasphemed of the Gentiles through them Neither is any of all this without God Gods hand is in all t Amos 3. 6. Shall there be evill in the Citie and I have not done it there is no evill of punishment befalls any man but it is from God but all the evill of sinne is from the actor of it and from the Devill whose agents wicked men are it is true that God useth wicked men to afflict his people Wicked man act for the Devill but they act for Satan and their wicked ends in all the sinne they commit onely God maketh use of them to afflict his people for chastisements of sinne sometimes and sometimes for tryalls of their faith u Zach. 13. ● There is a refining fire through which a third part must passe and in the end God will destroy wicked men for that in which they have afflicted his people They are simited by God and will blast all their designes let them have never so great hopes for the effecting of them for w Job ● 14. God will cut off the hope of wicked men their trust shall be as a Spiders Web Gods will and purpose is unchangeable x Pro. 19. 〈◊〉 Esay 〈…〉 There are many devices in mans heart saith Solomon neverthelesse the counsaile of the Lord that shall stand Our Saviour Christ tells Pilot that hee y Joh. 19. 11 could have no power except it were given him from above Nor did the z Acts 4. 2● Rulers of the people Jewes nor Gentiles any thing 〈◊〉 all that they did against Christ but what was appoyted by the determinate counsaile of God Therefore there is no cause why any man staring God should be discouraged at any thing that befalleth them to their persons or estates Between 〈◊〉 seed of the bond woman and the seed of the free woman there will ever be contentions while they walke in the wayes of godlinesse and honestie for where there is a Iacob and an Esan there will be strivings and while their seed remaines upon the earth there will be emulations and injuries one will be for God and another for the world and hence it is if you observe and consider well that there was never any Reformation in the world by turning to God from sinne and Idolatrie but it met with great oppositions and bloud Consider No reformation without blood the very Covenant with Abraham was signed with bloud the Israelites came not out of Aegypt without bloud Idolatrie was at no time ejected in the times of all the Judges of Israel but by bloud Examples When Hezekiah had destroyed Idolatrie presently Senacherib sought to destroy him and his people when Asa made a Covenant to seeke God and reformed his Kingdome Baasha King of Israel made warre against him The great reformation after the 70 yeares Captivitie was mightily opposed from the first beginning of it till it was wholly finished and continually hindred by false Accufations by subtill Counsels and pretended Treaties and by open Violence The promulgation of the Gospel was opposed from the beginning and continued all the Primitive times with bloudie Perfecutions The Reformation from the darknesse of Poperie in Luthers time was opposed by bloudie disturbance to all Christian Churches The Reformation that was begun by King Edward was opposed with fire and sword and in the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie it was opposed by continued Conspiracies and open Hostilitie with effusion of much bloud especially in Ireland and can it be expected that it should be now finished without bloud If the beginning of this Reformation by King Edward and Queene Elizabeth cost much bloud it must needs be expected that the perfecting of that Reformation now The Antichristian br●●d have been many yeares plotting against us must cost much more bloud if we will but consider the Devils malice the potencie of our enemies their long time in plotting against us the combination of all sorts of wicked men united in One against Reformation Iesuites Papists Atheists Libertines c. Hell and Earth have made a Confederacie and raysed all their Powers at home and from abroad to binder it and to destroy us by fained authoritie and by the power of their Sword besides the Devill hath secret agents like himselfe tempters that are undiscoveted among us who infuse Poyson and hinder Antidotes And thus God will have it for a time and then wee shall call upon his Name Zach. 13. 9. and he will heare us and will say You are my people and wee shall say the Lord is our God but wee are not yet readie for such a Blessing

ENGLANDS PRESSVRES OR THE Peoples Complaint Humbly Related for Information and for Satisfaction of the grounds and causes thereof and communicated to the Inhabitants of England in the severall Cities and Counties of the Kingdome Also a short reprehension to Factious Seditious Sinners with a Christian exhortation to Reformation to Brotherly Unitie and concord and conscionable performance of Covenant by assurance of Gods blessing a glorious deliverance with establishment of truth and Peace to the three Kingdomes By GEORGE SMITH Gent. Esay 5. 7. He looked for judgement and behold oppression for righteousnesse and behold a cry Exod. 16. 7. In the morning then ye shall see the glorie of the Lord for he heareth your murmurings against the Lord and what are we that ye murmur against us Phil. 2. 14. Doe all things without murmurings and disputings 1 Cor. 14. 33. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace in all the Churches of the Saints Jer. 11. 3. Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant Imprimatur John Downame Printed at London by E. P. for Lawrence Chapman and are to be sold at his Shop next doore to the Fountaine in the Strand 1645. The Authors Apologie to the READER RIght Honourable Honourable Right Worshipfull others c. When I had seriously considered what great thing● God Almightie hath done for us for our Nation in giving us a Parliament when we were almost past hope which is more establishing that Parliament as it were by infatuating the Anti-Parliament Counsell and against so strong opposition to select so manie Noble Wise able men not onely grave Solons and Lycurguses good Common-Wealths men but holy Religious men a Nehe. 13. Nehemiahs and Ezra's b Ezra 103. ● Ezra 9. 1. Nehe. 〈◊〉 31. Zealous Princes of the people that have set themselves to separate from Israel all the mixed multitudes and according to the Law of God reforme the evils in the Church and State c Ezra 10. 11. To make confession to the Lord God of our fathers and to doe his pleasure to set up Iesus Christ and his Gospel in holinesse and in paritie As also Gods great mercie in delivering this Parliament from the manie secret and dangerous Plots of the Enemie and not onely so but of late giving them dayly successe and Victories against their Enemies And when I reflected in my thoughts upon our evill requitall of God for all these mercies not making returne d 2 Chr●● 3● 25. according to the benefit done unto us but suffering our hearts to be lifted up everie man to seeke himselfe still adding new sins to old transgressions I could not but unmannerly crowd in abandoning all feare or flatterie to give information of danger e Joh. 5. 14. lest a worse thing may befall us I have no selfe-end nor private respect God and my owne heart knowes it my aime is onely Gods glorie and the Kingdomes safetie both which I am bound in conscience to endeavour First I consider it is the end of my Creation Secondly God hath expressely commanded it Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him Thirdly the State requires it by their solemne Covenant which 〈◊〉 not violate Fourthly the corruption of the times calls for it It is a time of Reformation but sinne is not reformed Fifthly holy example begets encouragement as in the time of righteous f Neh. 5. 1. Nehemiah and holy Ezra there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jewes which when Nehemiah heard of he rebuked them that were guiltie saying g vers 8. We after our abilitie have redeemed our brethren the Jewes which were sold to the heathen and will you even sell your brethren Or shall they be sold to us c In all this I have but done my dutie sinne is the accuser not I from which my care shall be to cleanse my heart and hands guilt is the defamer I defame no man which I seeke to prevent but I considently beleeve that if the cryes of the people shall come justified to the eares of our just Zerubbabe●s or Religious Nehemiahs they will remove the cause This is all my end this is my dayly prayer and this will be the Kingdomes happinesse to which I am From my Lodging Fleet-street London this 31 of Iuly 1645. A poore wel-wishing Servant GEORGE SMITH Englands Pressures OR The peoples Complaint HAving by the providence of God Almightie and in his presence in obedience to the Order and authoritie of both Houses of Parliament The Introduction taken the Solemne League and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the honour and happinesse of the King and the Peace and safetie of the Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland I have since my first and second taking thereof seriously and severall times considered my particular engagement thereby both to God and to men and have therefore resolved to discharge my conscience and duty to the uttermost of my abilitie in so great and necessarie a Work And to that end at this time I am bold in all humility to bring the generall cryes and complaints of the people to the eares of the sage Senators and Patriots of these times the great Steers-men and Pilots to the Common-Weale of the three Kingdomes We use to say of Kings that they heare by other mens eares see by other mens eyes and act by other mens hands The same I conceive may be said of great men and grand Councells not that other men are wiser then they to teach or to instruct them in dutie but to informe them what men doe and act and leave the rest to their wisedomes For in our proverb we use to say The stander by sees more then the Gamster Poore mens information not to be despised so the wandering eare and eye heares and sees more then the fixed actor Paul had not knowne the wicked conspiracie of those Jewes who bound themselves by an oath to kill him if he had not received information by a Young-man a Act. 23. 16 his Sisters son b 2 King ● 3 4. Naaman the Syrian had not known the Prophet Elisha if he had not been told of him by his servants and they by a poore captive Maid nor had c vers 13. Naaman beene cured of his Leprosie if he had not hearkned to the voyce of his servants my selfe a free borne man a subject to the King and servant to the great Councell of the Kingdome presume though uncalled to discharge my conscience to God and my dutie to men resolving as d Ester 4. 16. Ester If I perish I perish I have alreadie cast in my two mites into the treasurie and have yet one handfull of goats haire which I freely bring to the building of Gods Tabernacle Pilot nor Steers-man I am none but rather a despised one sitting on the top

different Aymes of what ranke soever they be for some are rich some poore some Noble some Ignoble some command some are commanded some Divines some Lay-men yet both these two sorts of men looke for some enjoyment of the promise onely they mis-apply the promise of God the carnall man applies it to his carnall ends the regenerate man to spirituall ends the one seekes happinesse in this life the other in the life to come and drives at Gods glorie here from whom he expects glorie hereafter you shall see an example in Iacob and Esau Esau as a son expected a blessing but it was but a temporall blessing and this he earnestly sought for h Heb. 12 17. it cost him teares It is evident he sought but this temporall blessing because hee preferred his appetite to carnall things above and before his birth-right which was Sacred and therefore is called i Heb. 12. 16. prophane for selling it he counted the benefit of his birth-right to extend no further then to the things of this life But Jacob waited for a future happinesse and accounted the promise to himselfe and to his posteritie in a spirituall sense And therefore when he had obtained the blessing he forsooke all present rights left all the temporall substance of his fathers house to his brother Esau and willingly cast himselfe upon Gods providence resting upon the promise that God would be his God Thus it too ofen falleth out The ground of emulations that in Families and Kingdomes from these two different affections and judgements there ariseth differences and dissentions and hence commeth great complaints murmurings and emulations among men about the present disposing and event of things and because they have different aimes they use different meanes to attaine those ends and manie times indirect meanes are used by the one and by the other to accomplish their desire Thus it was in Jacobs family which was then the visible Church Esau selleth his birth-right Examples of both sorts and all the priviledges belonging to it to satisfie his present appetite Iacob waited for the future and expected the promise to be made good in due time for faith makes not haste but by Rebeccahs counsell he was drawne to use indirect meanes to get it for which they both smarted for it was the cause of affliction to him ●nd to his mother k Gen. 28. 5 Rebeccah so much as banishment each from other all the dayes of Rebeccahs life yet divine providence ordered everie thing to the accomplishing of the promise as God ordered the envie of l Gen. 45. 7 Iosephs brethren to their future good and preservation of their families You shall see that as soone as Hazael heard the Prophet say that ●he should be King over Syria m 2 King 8. 13. Hazael presently plots any wicked meanes to attaine the Kingdome and therefore murdered the King his master that he might presently enjoy it so to satifie the covetous desire of oppressing n 1 King 21 15. Ahab by Iesabels counsell he possessed Naboths Vineyard by blood and did it under pretence of holinesse and justice because men live more by sense then by faith they rather seeke carnall things then spirituall and use any indirect and wicked meanes to attaine their end Hence it commeth that when God is breaking down what he hath built up even this whole Land and Kingdome that now at this time o Jer 45. 5. men seek great things for themselves although they have no assurance to have so much as their life for a prey When Gods oppressings judgements are upon a Land and people for their oppression To sinne against Judgement is fearefull then for men to be oppressors argueth the verie height of obduracie It is no other but to p Deut. 29. 20. adde drunkennesse to thirst surely the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against such men and their names shall be blotted out from under heaven But truely this is an evill prediction and is a sad complaint in these times especially times of reformation as wee all pretend to God these complainers have cause to be pittied and the complained have need to be punished or Gods hand will be stretched out still Nor doe I say All complainers are not to be hear●●ed to nor all requests granted that all complainers in this kind are to be cherirished for there are too many that complaine and murmur without just cause like the Iraelites they would have all the good that is promised but would endure nothing for it either in their persons or purses to procure the good they desire they will be at no labour nor cost for Christ but like the q Luk. 8. 37. Gardarens will rather part with Christ then their Swine like the rebellious Israelites cry out against God against r Num. 14. 2. Moses and Aaron and make themselves captaines to goe before them back into Aegypt to a bondage under which they lately cryed because they find a little difficultie in the way to the 〈…〉 s Num. 13. 31. 32. Canaan or because they receive discouragement by some ●eleeving Spyes that tell them of the sons of Anak Gyants in the way which cannot be overcome and will not beleeve t Num. 14. 10. Moses Ioshua nor Caleb princes of the people that God Almightie is both able and faithfull to make good his promise to them but most inexorable the rebellious people cry out Stone them with stones what a fearefull condition is this and yet such are some of our stubborne un-reforming English in severall Counties of this Kingdome who stand Neuters will be for neither side Unworthy actions of Neuter Club-men and suffer their hearts to lust after Aegypt after Superstition and Idolatrie unworthy men stupid insensible of Gods displeasure or their owne miserie Oh that men would consider what is written by Moses of the Israelites what was the effect of such murmurings and wilfull disobedience u Num. 14. 12. God smote them with Pestilence and they were for ever dis-inherited w Heb. 12. 11. God sware in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest God hath done great things for us he hath by a mightie hand brought us out of Aegypt from our heavie burthens and from the Babyloinish Idolatrie we are now in the wildernesse happinesse and glorie is before us God only proveth us by some little hardship by the way What the dutie is of all inferior men to humble us that he may exalt us Let us be thankfull to God and let no murmuring be heard amonst us against men whom God hath made instruments for our good If all things be not so well managed by men as they should be pray to God to amend it and to remove evill or negligent men from all publike imployment First search whether there be not some sin in thy selfe which thou cherishest that is the cause of the thing for

which thou complainest and cast it from thee then Humbly Importune the Parliament to redresse the evils and put things right Judges know not who is wronged till the complaint come before them nor can they redresse the evill till proved by two or three witnesses If we thus doe we shall have no cause of any murmuring complaints for the Parliament will surely do justice x Rom. 13. 4. They are the Ministers of God to us for our good c. And know God is now about to set up Jesus Christ on his throns and to establish the puritie of Religion that God is now about a greater worke for this Kingdome and for the world of elect at this time then only the setling of our temporall freedomes for assuredly he will make Jesus Christ much more glorious to the world then ever before and his ordinances shall be set up in their puritie the truth of Religion shall be established not changed as some simple Ignoramuses report The Parliament is not about to change any thing in Religion onely to purge out the dregs of Antichristian doctrine that Christ may be worshipped in puritie according to the will of God revealed in holy Scripture and practised in the best reformed Churches Gre●t wo●●es mett with great oppositions The worke is great and difficult and we know great workes have ever met with great oppositions and much difficulty these are trying times y Heb. 11. 36 God proves us now whether we will follow Christ or Antichrist these are fyrie tryals such as the Apostle Peter speaks of which he saith z 1 Pet. 4. 12 is to try you When he hath tryed me a Job 23. 10. saith Job I shall come forth as gold b Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him If we will be blessed live must endure it and endure it to the end else there is no promise of blessednesse he onely c Math. 10. 22. that endureth to the end shall be saved Now give me leave to advise A Caveat to take heed lest we mistake Christ and beseech all men of all ranks and degrees to consider well and to take heed that none of us doe now reject Christ as the Iewes did They looked for the performance of the promise that the Messiah should come but because they were stupid and fancied that he should come onely to restore their d Joh. 6. 15. temporall Kingdome they fayling of their expectation in that rejected him when he came to establish the Gospel for that sin were rejected by Christ as we know they yet are to this day It will be worth your consideration to consider that because they so much sought their owne safetie and doted upon a temporall deliverance e Joh. 11. 50. Joh. 18. 14. God turned that verie meanes which they used to secure themselves to be their utter ruine God forbid it should be so with England yet surely our case is dangerous for f Math. 12. 25. a kingdome divided against it selfe is brought to desolation That the Kingdome is divided The dangerous Divisions that are in England I need not tell you all men see and feele it the bloudy divisions between the King and his Parliament have already almost brought it to desolation but there are yet more dangerous divisions then that If we that are Protestants were but against the Papists as the Papists are against us such a division would make happie Union in the end But we that are Protestants are divided among our selves in our judgements or rather fancies we run after shadowes and leave the substance we use our liberty to a liberty to sin to invent broach new errors and spend our time to make Proselytes to our selves to compasse our own ends some are Proud some are Ignorant some are Ambitious some are Covetous some are Prophane some Treacherous some Tyrannicall oppressors c. all seeke their owne ends but few seek Jesus Christ nor the good of others we seek the Goods of others and our owne good by others ruine Surely this is cause of complaint and I conceive is some ground of those generall complaints that have from everie Countrie come to mine eares Now I being bound in conscience to the uttermost of my endeavours to seek the reformation of Religion the peace safetie of the Kingdom I shall with sorow of heart in all humble submission present these 20 complaints of the people to the view and consideration of the Inhabitants of the Cities and Counties of England c. they are the peoples not mine First Twentie severall Complaints common among all sorts of the people related That the Government and Discipline of the Church is not setled according to the rule of Gods word in uniformitie of worship nor is there a restriction to Sectaries and Schismaticks but they increase dayly and grow numerous in all places of the Kingdome to the griefe of the godly and wel-affected Minister preaching against Minister and one Congregation separating from another as if Christ the head of the Church were divided or as if there were more Christs then one hereby the illiterate and unstable people are either seduced or discouraged not onely to the disquiet of the Church of God but to the disturbance of the peace of the Kingdome insomuch that men rashly say they know not what Religion shall be set up c. Secondly That the secret evill councells that have or have had influence upon the Parliament the Committee of both Kingdomes and the Councells of Warre which have retarded and crossed severall good designes are not discovered nor questioned this I doe but name it is a generall complaint Thirdly That the Nationall Covenant by the providence of God Ordered to be taken in all the parts of the Kingdom within the Parliaments power hath beene much neglected by the Committees of Counties and in the Universitie which besides Gods anger is some Impediment to the peace of the Church and Kingdome it being war●antable by example in Scripture to urge it see 2 Chron. 15. 13. Ezra 10. 5. 8. Fourthly That the Committees of severall Counties doe tyrannize over the people and contrarie to the Ordinances of Parliament and intention of the Houses exact Taxations with much rigor and partialitie to the great discouragement of the people both Gentlemen and Yeomen c. even as in the dayes of Rehoboam which put the people upon resolutions of setting up a third partie Fifthly That manie men of meane qualitie indigent unfit and unexperienced men have crept into places of greatest command and trust in severall Counties and Committees and severall Gentlemen of qualitie education knowne abilities and of undoubted fidelitie are neglected and contemned by c. it is a cause of division and contention in Committees Cities and Counties Sixthly That men

of their hearts and Rehoboams corruption was discovered by it but God turned it to his owne purpose as he had before threatned for the sinne of Solomon l ● King 11. 31. to rend the Kingdome out of his hand and give ten Tribes to Ieroboam therefore whatsoever Rehoboam or his young counsaile intended God himselfe saith m 1 King 12 24. This thing is done of me or all this is from me But to come more neere to our present businesse let us apply all this to our selves The application of things to ●hese present times and to these times of trouble and miserie and consider from whom they are and why they are come upon us First consider they are not from evill Counsailes from the Bishops from the Queene Papists nor from Rome nor the Devill but as they are ordered by God The Devill is the chiefe instrument all ●icked men are his Agents for from him they are It is true the Devill hath a chiefe hand as an instrument but not as a cause and all wicked men Papists and licentious covetous cruell oppressing men are pettie instruments under the Devill but all are ordered by God though their ayme and end is quite contrarie to Gods they ayme at destruction of Protestants and Protestant Religion God turnes their wicked ayme to the preservation of both and to the destruction of themselves their ayme is to make themselves Monarchs and the people slaves God turnes it to the rending of Kingdomes and power out of their hands and to establish the freedome of his people Examples We know that Labans end in pursuing of Iacob was for hurt to Iacob but God so ordered him that it was for n Gen. 3● Iacobs good Esau had his end in comming out against Iacob but God orders him to his owne purpose The Brethren of Ioseph had their end in selling Joseph they hated him and sought his destruction but God turned it o Gen. 37. 4. Gen. 45. 5. to the preservation of Ioseph and of all Israel Haman had his end in setting up a Gallowes but God turned it to his owne purpose quite contrarie to p Ester 7. 9. Hamans end and intent Consider the evill Counsellors of the King God disappoynteth the ends of wicked men Bishops Jesuites Papists c. they propounded their end in all which God suffered them to goe farre till they thought they could not be hindred their Plots were carryed on by degrees gradations for at least twenty yeares visible to our sense we saw it and we felt it but at the period of time when they thought to have effected all and were as confident as Haman was of his designe against Mordecai and against the Iewes then God put a turne to all Looke back but to these five yeares past and consider and you shall see Providence hath wonderfully ordered things against their designe and for our deliverance beyond the counsaile or power of men Was it lesse then a wonder that God should so order things that by their preparations into the North with an Armie we should have a Parliament It was contrarie to their end Was it not miraculous that God so infatuated their counsailes that they established that Parliament which now they cannot breake though many of them have lost their lives in attempting it When Pharoah had let the people goe out from bondage he repented and pursued with an Armie to bring them back but God turned it to his destruction We have seene what our enemies have done against us and what God hath done for us what God will doe more at the Red Sea we know not Secondly 〈◊〉 Gods end i● in afflicting his people and what is the end w●c●ed men propound to themselves Consider why these things are I have alreadie shewed you that all differences all afflictions and troubles are for sinne but God though he use wicked men to b● instruments to punish sinfull men and Nations hath these two ends why he doth it and that is to destroy wicked men in their owne wayes and to humble his people that they may be delivered by Gods mercie Wicked men hate the godly because they are not so wicked so prophane and ungodly as they would have them God afflicts the godly because they are not so good so zealous and so holy as God commandeth God chastiseth to humble men to bring them to repentance and reformation and at this day doth therefore bring all these evils of punishment upon us because we are an idolatrous superstitious luke-warme people prophane stiffe-necked and rebellious against God That by these punishments and chastisements we may be humbled turne to God forsake our evill wayes pray to him and seek his face that he may doe us good destroy our enemies establish our Religion our Lawes our Freedomes c. and make us the happiest people under Heaven to all posterities If so for this is a truth then why doe we complaine There is no cause ●hy men should complaine q Lam. 3. 3● ●0 Wherefore shall a living man complaine shall a man complaine for the punishment of his sinne no but r Deut. 10. 1● Let us search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord This God looketh for this is all he requireth of us for all that he hath done for us and for all that he will doe for us yet we murmur in all our afflictions s Esay 9. 3. And turne not to the Lord that smiteth us neither doe we seeke the Lord of hosts To this will be objected for I have heard this objection often we murmur not against God Objection nor for the punishment of our sinnes nor against the common Enemie against whom we are willing to hazard our lives and fortunes in this just cause nor doe we complaine against the Parliament for it is our life and safetie but we complaine of partialitie injustice and oppression in particular men from whom we lookt for justice and by whom we hoped to be relieved from oppressors hands these selfe-seeking men make a prey of us they devoure our estates which we freely give in this cause to God and for our Countrie to enrich themselves t Amos ● 6. They sell the righteous for silver and the poore for a paire of shooes this is our complaint and our discouragement For fuller satisfaction Th● deliverance out of Aegypt was but a type of the spirituall deliverance by Christ from sinne Idolatrie and information of our judgement consider as I said before God is working a great and new worke in the world greater then that of the bringing of Israel out of Aegypt whereof that was but a type or figure that was temporall this is spirituall and is farre transcendent u Ier. 23. 7 So as ye shall no more say the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of Aegypt but the Lord liveth which brought up and led the seed of

the house of Israel out of the North and from all Countries c. the greatest works have ever met with the greatest opposition God is now about no lesse worke then to set up Jesus Christ on his Throne and to pull downe Antichrist from his Stage Now as God hath his instruments to build the Devill hath his instruments to breake downe and as God pulls downe the Stage of Antichrist on which he acts his Idolatrous Scene the Devill endeavours to keepe it up and to that end sends forth his Agents into the world w 2 Chron. 18 20. Ezek. 2● 3. Rev. 16 13. uncleane and evill spirits to seduce men to make them his instruments x 1 Tim. 4. 1 who depart from the faith of Christ and follow after doctrines of Devills set up Idols in their hearts and forsake justice and humanitie to imbrace devilish lusts Now because God will cut y Zach. 13. 8 off the name of Idols out of the Land and cause those evils spirits to passe out from among us they are so much the more enraged and bestirre themselves to hinder Gods worke as Iannes and Iambres z 2 Tim. 3. 8 withstood Moses so doe these resist the truth being men of corrupt minds Thus it is at this day The Devils malice joyned with the Antichristian brood the Devill and his Antichristian brood as it were losing their wonted Jurisdiction readie to be tumbled downe into the place of correction storme and stirre up all their Agents of all sorts for they have agents for all places hence it commeth that our best societies are troubled Agents of all sorts they have Agents in the Church and Agents in the Common-wealth great Agents for great Counsels to hinder good designes learned Agents for learned Assemblyes to trouble Religious Disputes Militarie Agents for Militia Consultations to impoverish the Common-wealth acting Agents in fighting Armies to betray Designes Committee Agents finely fitted and inter-weaved into Committees of all Counties to breed dissention and to tyrannize besides numbers of insinuating Agents to pervert and these have potent Armies to compell Now to every one of these and to many more the Devill propoundeth severall rewards The Devill hath many baits to deceive and catch men sutable to every ones naturall disposition and inclination as baits and incitations to act their parts with diligence which they make their maine end As for example to the envious man he promiseth revenge and he makes that his end to the proud man he promiseth applause and prayse of men and that 's his end to the voluptuous Libertine he promiseth pleasure that 's his end to the base and servile he promiseth libertie and that he makes his end to the ambitious he promiseth honour and high place and that 's his end to the covetous man and he carries the great●s● stroake he promiseth profit and riches and that he seekes after as his chiefe end and so for others for the Devill hath a bait to suit with everie ●ust for me to take upon me to name them all to you were beyond my skill as farre as to number the motes in the Sun or to measure the wind It may suffice for your information and this short Tract to hint out the truth of things to shew you the ground and cause of your complaint Mens ●usts 〈◊〉 hyp●cris●e which ariseth thus Evill men thus induced and drawne by the Devill and their owne lusts disguised under the masque of Hypocrisie in pretence of zeale to God and love to the Common-Weale crowd in among the multitude into the publique service and fish in troubled waters to accomplish their severall ends especially the reward of gaine which they expect either from the enemie for some acts of Treacherie in betraying us into their hands or from the Parliament for some seeming fidelitie and out-side service or to get it by the spoyle of others as a thiefe that crowds into a house set on fire pretending to save that which he intends to steale from these evills as from bitter fountaines doe flow the great causes of all your complaints Nor doth the Devill at one bring men to this height of wickednesse The Devill makes men wicked by degrees for he cannot force any mans will but workes upon his lusts and bribes with promises and so carries him on by gradations as the cowardly Souldier is hardned by degrees at first comming into the field he trembles and shakes at the report of everie Musquet but after he hath past through a battell or two and seene a Victory he is hardned so as to accompt the bullets whistlings about his eares fine musicke and dares encounter death at halfe-pike We know that Solomon at first tooke but one strange wife then two then more at last hundreds or thousands let the Devill but make one breach in the conscience hee 'l come in like mightie waters irresistable till he over-flow and drowne both conscience and reason we say in our proverb over shooes over bootes and then over-head and eares and all It is likely that manie of those men justly complained of intended not so much injustice and oppression as since they are guiltie of When they first entred into the places of Collectors Receivers Auditors Committees Colonels Captaines c. but the love of money which the Apostle calls the a 1 ●im 6 10. root of all evill which while some coveted after have carried them violently unto all injustice for saith Solomon b Eccles 5. ●0 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied therewith The oppressed may complaine of his losse but the oppressor will never say he hath enough the covetous man rusheth into temptations and snares and huttfull lusts c 1 Tim. 6. 9. which drowne him in destruction and perdition the love of money made d Numb ● 17. Balaam go to curse the people of God it made e 1 Sam. 22 9. Doeg flatter Saul and accuse David for a Kingdome f Sam. 15 Absolon will seeke his fathers life and the hope of the Crowne made g Judg. ● 2. Abimelech embrew his hands in the blood of threescore and ten of his brethren and for money h Math. 26. 16. Judas will betray his master What villanie is there in the world to be committed that for the love of mony some men will not readily act The covetous desire after gaine depraves a man of reason puts out the light of judgement and understanding But most lamentable and dangerous of all is it to see that the Devill should by this bait induce men that have taken upon them the profession of Religion to make shipwrack of faith and good conscience i 1 Tim. 1. 20. like Hymeneus and Alexander and like k 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas to love this present world As there is nothing in the world more excellent then Religion so no man is so honourable as he that is truely Religious But there is no

Consider that our long continuance in sinnes for many yeares notwithstanding many warnings hath provoked God to lay long afflictions upon us The former sins of this Kingdome and our present impenttencie cause our long afflictions and our present impenitencie and continuance in personall sinnes doe still encrease Gods anger against us We● make peace with our sinnes and fall out one with another writ God be at peace with us while we are divided one against another God is a God of Peace a 1 Joh. 4. 16. not of divisions God is a God of Love not of b 1 Cor 14. 33. confusion if we love not one another God will nor love us nor can wee be c Joh 13 35 Joh. 14. 47. the Disciples of Christ Doe wee now seeke to make our selves a Name on Earth and to get great d Jer. 45. 5. things to our selves while God is plucking up and breaking downe what hee hath planted and built up Is this to build God an House and a Sanctuarie of Holinesse God now calls us to e Esay 22. 12. 13. mourning to weeping and to girding with sack-cloth and shall we now be proud and ambitious and covetous and oppressors and voluptuous c. God forbid this is the way and meanes to be f Esay 9. 14. cut off head and tayle branch and rush in one day When God by Moses commanded to build the Tabernacle The builders of Gods house have ever been of one mind the g Exod. 3● c. people were all willing hearted of one mind aymed at one end all were pleased with the fashion that Moses had prescribed so when h ● King ● Solomon built the first Temple and when i Nehe● 18 Nehemiah built the second Temple but when the people would build a Babel they were divided and they were scattered k Gen. ●1 4 Let us build say they lest we be scattered c. l vers 7. 8. Let us goe downe saith Iehovah that they may be scattered c. Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts when wee seeke safetie in our selves God will bring confusion The Builders of Babel were confounded in their Language and so scattered wee are confounded in our ends our devices and fashions of the Building one thus another thus a third after another fancie all would be pleased but none will be satisfied she that contends m 1 King ● 16. to divide the Child is no true Mother if we seeke to divide Christ we are not n 1 Cor. 1. ● 12. members if we be divided among our selves Christ is not our o Ephes ● 15. 16. Head Consider all ye the inhabitants of England Have we not all One Father p Joh. ● 〈◊〉 God Have we not One Mediator q 1 Tim 2. 5 Christ And is not Christ and the Father r Joh. 8. 〈◊〉 One Must there not be One Sheepfold and One ſ Joh. 10. 〈◊〉 Shepheard Hath not Christ prayed to the Father that we may be One as they are One t Joh. 〈…〉 2. that the world might beleeve And yet shall wee divide our selves Wee are not our owne but Christs u 1 Cor. 6. 20. He hath bought us with a price And shall wee thus w Deut 〈◊〉 6. requite the Lord Besides We should consider what great things God hath done for us by this Parliament Consider what God hath done for us wee were sold to our enemies to be destroyed but God hath saved us wee were in extreme bondage but God delivered us wee cryed for a Parliament and God hath given us a Parliament and not onely a Parliament as our enemies plotted and hoped to destroy us but a delivering Parliament a Religious Reforming Parliament for so indeed it is the bent and sense of this Parliament is to set us free and to reforme things amisse both in the Church and in the Common-wealth God hath given us a Parliament miraculously like Moses to give us good Lawes and God hath given to them as to Moses a holy Assembly like an Maron to helpe forward the worke of God What could wee have asked of God that God hath not given unto us Wee cryed out against the encrease and growth of Idolatrie among us and God hath taken it away wee cryed out against Superstition and a Popish Liturgie and God hath freed us of all wee cryed for freedome in the use of holy Ordinances and God gave it us Many other burthens and pressures under which wee lay God hath freed us from It is our owne fault that we want any thing by this Parliament if yet wee lye under any pressure it is our owne faults because wee are unthankfull to God for all hee hath done and remaine still impenitent under such personall sinnes for which God was and is still angry with us so that indeed and in truth wee have nothing to complaine of but of our sinnes x Jer. 5. 25. which have with-holden good things from us and trouble the Parliament in the progresse of the worke of our full deliverance Wee all desire peace to enjoy the blessings wee have and yet wee contend and warre one against another but wee seeke not for gracious hearts to be humble and thankfull to God for what hee hath done for us but wee like Jesurum y Deut. 32. 15. wax fat and kick God hath given us more then wee could aske and wee grow wanton wee loath the food of Angels the z Psal 78. 2● Manna that i● given us from Heaven and lightly esteeme of Christ the a Exod. 6. 14. Rock of our Salvation With how much lesse would wee have beene contented within the space of seven yeares past then wee now enjoy except the Warres which our sinnes hold up and yet wee are lesse contented now then when wee had not the twentieth part of that wee now enjoy and might have yet more if wee would humbly aske it of God or accept it from God but wee will doe neither so ingrate and evill wee are Wee complaine of oppression and yet wee encrease it by our contention and quarrels wee would have peace but wee encrease strife wee would have the worship of God setled but wee oppose God in the way and meanes that hee hath appointed to settle it wee will not have Moses nor Aaron to be any Rule to us wee say they take too much upon them b Num. 16. 3. and all the Lords people are holy c. Nothing will content us We seek to bring Gods word to our fancies not to have our judgements guided by Gods word but what wee our selves or rather our fancies shall choose wee will wear● no Coat but what is shap'd by our selves nor will wee forsake any sinne but what wee our selves will call sinne every one will have his owne way to worship God and every one will have his owne sinne to dishonour God what is this but confusion