Western Forces to pray for your Militia that the God of Abraham would be a sunne and a shield to all your Catechised Souldiery for such was Abrahams that you have or shall send down but especially as a Publike and some-what Representative Minister I shall continually cry to heaven for your good successe in the all-in-all of Reformation Zech. 8.7 8 and that the Lord of hosts will save his people from the East Country and from the West Country and will bring them that they may dwell in the midst of our Jerusalem that they may be his people and hee their God in truth and in righteousnesse And let the Lord Heb. 6. â—0 which is not unrighteous never forget your worke and labour of love which yee have shewed towards his Name in that yee have minstred to the Saints and doe minister And we desire that every one of you doe shew the same diligence Verse 11. to the full assurance of our hope unto the end This is the prayer of Your Honours humble and reall Servant John Bond. Savoy Jan. 20. 1644. To all well-affected tender-hearted Christians inhabiting the famous City of London and within the Line of Communication Duely Honoured and Beloved I Have read that there growes a a Caussin Hieroglyph lib. 10. Parab 4. tree not far from Malaca whose rootes doe spread diversly abroad those of them which do run towards the East are wholsome and medicinall yea they are an antidote against poisons but such as doe spread themselves towards the West are venemous and deadly such a tree as this it hath pleased the Lord now to plant in this land and me thinks it growes upon the border betwixt the old kingdomes of the East and West Saxons that is in the most Easterly edge of Hampshire for all the Counties beyond that place Westward are over-spread with sad roots of bitterness bringing forth nothing but gall worm wood wheras the other Counties of the land on this side Eastward are safe and medicinall and these contrary dispensations of providence as they doe call upon you Amos 4.7 the children of the East to blesse that Lord which causeth it to raine mercie or judgements upon one Country and not upon another so doe they enforce and encourage us Westerne exiles to implore some healing for our Country from those wings of yours under whose feathers many of our pilgrims have already found a covering In hope and pursuance of that healing was I emboldned to offer unto you a mid-wifes place in the birth of this Treatise and that you may adventure to read it over I shall promise you that this Westerne historie is not like your creatures of a day at Westminster 't is not like your every dayes Mercurian dew of News which is dayly exhaled and evaporated that is growne stale and doubtfull by that time the sun ariseth in ' its strength but in many of these sad passages I doe but testifie what I have seen in others I have considered that Fame in these dayes hath lost her credit and therefore accordingly I have not trusted her without sufficient sureties So that the sad history of this book is but too true though I confesse not full enough Once I had thought to have added marginall instances but did forbeare partly because I conceived them not the most fit company for a sermon and partly because I found them too many and copious for a margin Pauper is est numerare pecus As for the divine matter of these sermons they do Apologize Confesse Petition Direct for the good of your most afflicted brethren By the first I hope they will undeceive such as shall read impartially and as for others which will a Non amo te Sabidi nee possum dicere quare c. not beleeve any good reports of the West because they will not I shall only answer them that they will mis-judge because they will By the second third and fourth which are the discoveries of the great evils of those most lamentable Counties c. we do call for pitie from all brethren and friends but especially from this great Citie which the Lord hath hitherto made a publike fountain of help and the very poole of Bethesda to all impotent parts and almost people of the land John 5.7 but the West hath layen longest in the porch wanting a hand to put it into the waters Surely there was a time when those five Counties did by their b Devon Kersies c Wilts Corne d Somerset Cattle e Dorset Sheep and f Cornwall Tinne afford in good measure both b clothing c bread and d flesh yea e dishes and all to this great City and such a time againe may returne but at present those Shires and the well-affected of them would faine borrow a bucket or two of help from your ocean to set their pumps a going I meane to put them into an able posture for the defence of themselves I remember 't is recorded that the g Keker in praesat ad Geegraph Queen of Castillia did sel her jewels to furnish Columbus for his discovering voyage to the West-Indies when hee had shewed his Maps though the English Courtiers saith mine Author did deride his profers and thereby the new world of America was found and gained to the Spanish Crowne Surely there is great adventure now to be made for reducing of the little Kingdome of West-England and the Londoners hitherto have been the greatest adventurers for this cause Oh read over my Maps and doe like your selves But besides that great occasion there is also another petty adventure for the West at this time required it is that you would h Eccles 11.1 cast your bread upon the waters for the present support of many Westerne exiled Pilgrims which have not onely long since laid out and left the bulke of their estates for the testimony of Iesus but have lately spent the last meal of their barrell the utmost oyle of their Cruse in these parts and now so it is that dig they cannot and to beg they are ashamed yea and almost to receive Ye shall therefore doe well if like the i 2 Tim. 1.16 17. house of Onesiphorus Ye seeke them out very diligently and find them Brethren though my selfe and some others have our k Prov. 30 8. Agurs commons our l Exod. 16.16 Omer-full for our day yet give me leave and the more freely to tell you that the Lord hath set this great City to be his Steward and Almoner for the distressed brethren and I must adde he hath given you three for one for all your free disbursements for his sake First he hath given you that ability and substance which you have laid out for 't is e Pro. 10.4.22 the blessing of God with the hand of the diligent that maketh rich f 1 Sam. 25.11 My bread and my water and my flesh was the language of Naball Next
others Vers 31 32. are there to be found both at home and abroad which when they have looked upon us doe passe-by on the other side yea and some distressed persons have tryed it that there is more compassion to be found from some Samaritans strangers and non-professors then from many of those Beleeve it brethren those heathenish sinnes which St. Rom 1.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 24.12 Paul calleth want of naturall affection and unmercifulnesse and those worst of times in which our Saviour saith the love of many shall waxe cold are fallen upon our present generation Yea so it is that by how-much the more the objects of pity and compassion are increased and doe abound by so-much the lesse is pity exercised by so-much the more doth it decrease But because generalities doe neither convince the minde nor pierce the heart I shall therefore endeavour to divide this reproofe and levell it more particularly at severall sorts of offenders First I shall but mention all cursing and cursed Edomits who instead of pitying 1. Edomitish Enemies doe rejoyce over the afflictions of their brethren Such Edomâ—ts I meane who in the day of Ierusalem cryed Psal 17.7 Obâ—d v. 11. Râ—â—â—e it rase it even to the foundation thereof Who stood on the other side in the day that the strangers carried away captive his brothers forces Ver. 11. and forreiners entred into his gates But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother saith Obadiaâ— on the day that he became a stranger neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the Children of Iudah in the day of their destruction neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse As often as I read over that shortest Prophet me thinks I see again before mine eyes the sad march of Gods people out of the Cities of Bristoll and Exon and the march of our late army of Martyrs out of Lestithell in Cornwall about August or September last but many of those Edomitish enemies which then looked on rejoyced and spake proudly being since out off have already answered for that fact before the great tribunall and as for others which did it through ignorance I shall pray the Father of mercies to give them repentance and to forgive them onely let me tell them for present 〈…〉 that this sinne is more base then envie it selfe and doth argue that men have put off both christianity and humanity I shall therefore exhort them to read over both the threatning prayer and the thundring prophecie of the Psalme and Chapter fore-mentioned beseeching the Father of spirits to set them home upon their consciences But there are other two sorts of offenders remaining to whom I did especially intend this reproofe and those are such friends and children of the West as doe want the bowels of brotherly compassion Secondly then to such friends when I say friends I take the word in as great a latitude 2. Jobs like Friends as it hath in the Text even for all such as ought to be friends to the West that is all true English protestant hearts though borne or living Northward Southward Eastward sure I am that we are all members of the same British body 1 Cor 12.21 12. neither can the Easterne head or the Northerne or Southerne armes say to the Westerne feet call us so we have no need of you Then give me leave O yee fellow members to reason with you a little concerning the sufferings of the West I doubt not but you doe all know that England hath a West but have you ever seriously considred the vast extent and the deep extremities of those Counties which we call Westerne Have you ever been hitherto convinced that there is now no sorrow in the whole land like unto their sorrow Lamenâ— 1 1â— wherewith the Lord hath afflicted them in the day of his fierce anger And doe you withall beleeve that those people have been some of the first and deepest in suffering but are some of the last and least in all revivings I have read of a people which every morning doe worship the rising sun towards the East but at evening they doe dayly curse the setting sun towards the West There is an allusion to that custome too generally practised in this land some mens hearts and hopes are touched from the North as a Needle with a loadstone and they will stand and expect redemption no way but Northward towards our justly honoured and succesfull brethren Oh but take heed of leaning with a full weight upon a walking staffe though never so handsome and usefull Mr. Marshal at Mr. Pines Funerall Others doe lift up their eyes wholly to this City of refuge this great Easterne mountaine from whence alone they conceive cometh their help But alas all this while the backs of all these are generally turned upon the deserted South-west yea and too many are apt almost to curse that Country of the setting of the sun as the most unhappy and unworthy part of the kingdome Zech 8. â— and for the truth of this I doe appeale to the memories and consciences of many present Let us come neerer Brethren have not the straights of other lesser parties pettie Towns and meer Parishes of the Kingdome affected the hearts and filled the mouths of many in this place with much sympathie and loud complaints in their behalfe when at the same time potent armies spatious Countries and very considerable places in the West have fought and cryed and sunck without any great pitie noise or notice in these parts Nay have not some of your selves observed that the distresses of some garrison'd houses in the name of Castles beleagured have been strongly ecchoed by many both to the Lord in prayers and to the high Court of Parliament in petitions whilest some Westerne Cities and City-like Townes have for a long time together stretched out their hands and lifted up their voices for helpe but all in vaine Here thou poore Exon labouring under a well-nigh foure moneths tedious siege mightest seasonably aske how many notes or bills were that while publikely put up for thee in the congregations in this place I have heard of one young man that put up some two or three And thou faithfull Plymouth together with thy cordiall and considerable Sisters and Neighbours Dartmouth Barnstable Lyme Taunton c. mightest second this complaint with an outcry Alas poore helplesse and almost hopelesse West And art thou alone as one borne out of due time Art thou the only speckled bird the mountains of Gilboa when other parts have the seasonable comfortable dewes of help and pitie Brethren pardon my just filiall affections I shall endeavour to walke evenly in my complaint betwixt impiety to my Countrie and partialitie towards the truth The sins of young Cham and old Ely are both alike abhominable in my account and in this temper let us argue the matter yet a litle further in answering the charges
spoken when Baruch had written these words in a booke at the mouth of Jeremiah in the fourth yeare of Jehoiakim the sonne of Josiah King of Judah that is so soone as Baruch had done his worke of transcribing the Roll and reading it to the people for which like enough hee expected some good piece of preferment even in that same yeare being the fourth yeare of Jehoiakim in stead of preferment hee meeteth with a Prophecie of utter desolation and seventy yeares captivity by Nebuchad-rezzar as you may find by comparing those two places There it is said This whole land shall bee a desolation and an astonishment and these nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy yeares c. This is the Time of that Chapter Next observe the Faults reproved in Baruch which were these â—er 45.3 First a dastardly sinking and despondency of mind because it seemes his rising expectation was frustrate Thou didst say Woe is me now for the Lordhath added griefe to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and I find no rest Next a vaine ambitious selfe-seeking Verse 5. And seekest thou great things for thy selfe These faults of his are evinced to be doubly sinfull in these words Verse 4. Thus saith the Lord Behold that which I have built will I breake downe and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land And therefore as if he had said Thy sinne O weake Baruch the Amanuensis or Scribe of Jeremiah is both unreasonable and unseasonable at this time What is more unreasonable than for a man to imagine that his owne Cabine can bee safe when the whole Ship is a sinking that which I have built will I breake downe Or what is more unseasonable than when the axe is laid to the root of the tree for a silly bird to begin then to build her nest upon the top branches Verse 5. or to sit hatching therein and that which I have planted will I pluck up even this whole land Nay behold further saith the Lord I will bring evill upon all flesh and therefore it will bee well and faire for thee to have thine owne life for a prey Ier 39.16 17 18. Ier. 40.1 2 c. in all places whither thou goest yea that is as much as I have given to thy Master Jeremiah and to his friend my servant Ebed-melech already And now to apply this most seasonable Chapter Alas alas How many such Baruchs little men of great expectations are there to be found even amongst Exiles in these dayes of breaking downe and plucking up Yea this sinne is too neare I feare unto some of the sonnes and servants of the Prophets There are too many Baruchs about the Ministery as there are too many Gehazies in the Common-wealth By Baruchs I meane such who having beene lately destitute Levites like Micha's Jonathan in the booke of Judges Iudg. 17 7 8 9. so that they might have said every one of them as hee I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah and I goe to sojourne where I may find a place yet after a little shelter and succour received they are not content with a subsistence but are shifting and clambring for more shekels and higher preferment like the same Jonathan to whom when the Danites suggested Iudg. 18.19 20. Is it better for thee to be a Priest unto the house of one man or that thou be a Priest unto a Tribe and a Family in Israel 'T is said thereupon The Priests heart was glad and hee went in the midst of the people These are our Baruchs our Jonathans in the Ministery But as I said there are also too many Gehazies to bee found in the Common-wealth Gehazi the servant of Elisha would needs make a hard shift in an unseasonable time â— Kin. 5.20 21. to gaine two talents of silver and two changes of garments but they cost him dear in the issue when his Master reckoned with him The conclusion is this Is it a time saith Elisha to him to receive money and to receive garments and olive-yards and vine-yards and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants Vers 26 17. The Leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever And hee went out from his presence a Leper as white as snow Looke upon this Text all yee that have beene servants or of low degree but are now risen by these warres to gainfull eminent places and offices What! and are you now running after nothing but treasure and bravery Doe you make it your plot and joy to multiply shekels and change of rayment to weare variety of State-gold upon your backs when so many precious Saints doe want a little of it for their bellies If so I would but put Elisha's question unto you Is this a time thus to receive money and to receive garments Doe yee mourne in gold and scarlet for our common Mother great Britaine that lyes a dying Oh beware of entayling Gehazi's leprosie from your selves to posterity Finally there are too many even of the scattered Saints that are infected in these times with this unseasonable sinne too many there are of them that doe too well like of the places of their banishment Math. 17.4 saying as Peter in the Mount It is good for us to bee here Yea they are apt to talke of buidling tabernacles in a strange place both for themselves and for their friends not considering how soone a Cloud may over-shadow them Vers 5 8. and put an end to their imaginary Paradise But as for you Brethren who are the scattered Children of the West Jer. 35.2 c. remember your selves to bee Christian Rechabites and therefore see that yee doe Christianly imitate that mortified Family who in expectation of troublous times did propare before-hand by accustoming themselves to drinke no wine all their dayes they their wives their sonnes nor their daughters Nor to build houses to dwell in Ver. 8 9 10. neither had they vineyard nor field nor seed 1 Pet. 2.11 but dwelt in tents So my dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly and from ambitious lusts which warre against the soule and remember that wee have here no continuing City Let it therefore bee our care not to build houses nor to plant vineyards in this place but still to retaine our animum revertendi our purpose to returne yea though wee are enforced for our present necessary subsistence to make some little plantation here a while yet let it bee but like that plantation of the Gardiner when hee doth set his Flowers in a Pot of earth so that they may be easily removed from place to place in change of weathers in like manner let us so plant our selves and families in these Easterne parts that wee may bee in a fit posture to be carried West-ward Pots and all so soon as the Lord shall be pleased to shine againe upon those Countries
blasphemies then consider remember and beleeve that this whole Series may bee paralleld by the taunts and blasphemies of the Westerne Enemies But besides these there is another kind of blasphemies by horrid Oaths and execrable Curses And in these also the Enemy is like himselfe out of measure blasphemous for I dare challenge the Records of all Nations and Generations to shew mee such affecting studying and buying of abominable direfull damning Oaths and Blasphemies as is daily practised among them Oh the anatomizing of Jesus Christ limb by limb by their horrid Swearing Oh the daring and mis-calling of the whole Trinity by their Rhetoricall new-sought new-bought Blasphemies Oh the dammings rammings and shooting into hell that is used in their Execrations Nay this is one test or touch-stone by which some of them are wont to try a suspected Round-head Sweare Dammee say they and we shall beleeve thee that thou art a friend to the King Oh my friends and is blasphemy now become the true character of loyalty then let us not be troubled if these men doe call us Rebels But this kind of hellishnesse is come to that height that the truth is I hold it not fit to speake the whole truth in this Point for there are such blasphemies amongst them as are not so much as to be named among Christians 1 Cor. 5.1 And now guesse yee Brethren in what condition are the poore Saints which are forced to entertaine those Miscreants into their houses and to bee continually within view and hearing of their Diabolicall lives and language what Mesechs thinke yee what Kedars are their owne houses unto them Is not all this a hell upon earth to a gracious soule But I must goe yet higher to other kinds of spirituall Scorpions 3. Ordinances lost to other Irons that doe enter into the soules of Gods people in those parts What thinke yee Brethren of the losse of the Arke and Ordinances 'T is a sad death to dye for want of bodily food but what thinke you of Amos his Famine not a famine of bread Amos 8.11 nor a thirst for water but of hearing the words of the Lord. This soule-dearth is come upon them I beleeve above all parts of the Land besides for they doe in a most literall sense Verse 12. wander from sea to sea and from the North even to the East they doe run to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and cannot find it but are forced to gather stubble in stead of straw the multitude of their Teachers were long since driven into corners Isai 30.20 where their eyes could not behold them and of the gleanings that stayed behind some are imprisoned and dead others condemned to dye two in Exon by their Councell of Warre so that there is scarce a conscientious preaching Pastour to be found in a whole County onely perhaps here and there is left an old complying Prophet of Bethel 1 Kâ—n. 13. 11 12 c. who if hee hath some embers of grace in the nether-most corner of his heart yet they doe lye hid under so much cold earth and policy that his Ministery is not like to warm a soule in many yeares But the multitude of their Priests in those parts are of the vilest of the people in all respects and doe send out prophanenesse over all that Country and to the servants of God they are Wolves and Butchers rather than Shepherds But now oh how beautifull would be the face yea the feet of one of the least of their old Ministers how sweet would be the weakest of those godly Sermons which perhaps wanton hearers have sometimes despised Have you ever observed Brethren an halfe-starved beggar or prisoner that picketh up a cast crust of bread in the street how hastily how heartily hee doth eat it down in a corner without wiping it Just so precious is the bread of life amongst the halfe-starved soules in those Counties if they can get but a stale fragment of some old Sermon-notes a piece a bit of a Doctrine or of an Use oh how sweetly doth it goe down upon the heart there is honey come into it for the Enemy doth martyr all the old Sermon-notes that hee can meet withall and as for new Sermons there are very few the Sanctuary is desolate the Church-doores have been shut up in divers places for many moneths together Object Yea but may some say there are many Churches still open and doubtlesse there is some food to be pickt out of those Ordinances such as they are Answ I grant it that there are many such doores open but will you know what food those places doe afford Surely 1. the people are fed with poyson in stead of nourishment not only a stone that is a stroke is given them in stead of bread but for fish they have a Scorpion death it selfe is in the Pot I mean Doctrines of Libertinisme and Superstition 2. They are fed with snares like that snare upon Mispeh Hos 5.1 and like that net which was spread upon Tabor Not onely the Lords Table is made a Snare unto them by Altaring and Worshipping of the elements there used and enjoyned but almost every other Ordinance is poysoned and made a bait unto the Receivers Shall I instance First then The solemne and extraordinary holy exercise of Prayer and Fasting is not onely denyed to the godly in private Publike Fasting in their owne families upon perist of intolerable scoffes riots imprisonments but even publike Humiliation also though it be the Lords marking Ordinance whereby hee doth marke out his mourners for preservation in evill times Goe through the midst of the City Ezek 9.4 and set a marke upon the fore-heads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof Even this choâ—ce Ordinance is denyed unto the Saints and is now utterly put downe though it were formerly set up by his Majesty himselfe with the consent of his Parliament The Enemy will not give Gods people leave to weep and mourne for his sinnes and for the sinnes of the Land Neither are those adversaries of Reâ—entance content to over-turne that setled course of humiliation â—ut which is yet worse they doe imitate Jeroboam who when â—ee had with-drawn the ten Tribes from the true God and his â—ight Ordinances did set up two Calves in stead of the Temple-â—orship and new holy-dayes in stead of the Lords owne Feasts â—eroboam ordained a Feast in the eight moneth 1 Kiâ— 12.28 29 31 32 c. on the fifteenth lay of the moneth like unto the Feast that is in Judah So these â—en in his Majesties name have set up an Anti-fast as well as an Anti-Parliament and an Anti-Covenant and consequently an Anti-God against the God of the Round-heads And all this is made as a Shiboâ—ch for the discovery and entanglement of the upright in the Land Thus the very Fastings of Gods people are turned into a Snare unto
compare if comparisons be not odious with most Cities Townes Castles or houses in the land Take an instance in every of those three 1. Amongst City-sieges remember that of Exon which for the space of about fifteen weeks together did faithfully conflict and struggle with a double disease partly with a strong crafty pestilentiall enemie encompassing her without and partly with a Malignant putrid fever in her owne blood within and all this in the lowest and most hopelesse juncture of time that ever this Parliament did see or I hope shall see untill our perfect deliverance Deut. 22.26 27. and therefore that City though it be now ravished by strangers may truely be said to have kept her virgin-honour and * Fidelis in aternum motto still because shee cryed out for help though no man came to her rescue Amongst Towne-sieges I might say much concerning the stoutnesse and longanimity of Poole and Dartmouth and perhaps of some other places but because I have promised but one instance in this particular let our Chronicle of these times bid posterity to give the Crowne of perseverance to constant Plymouth Plimouth whose siege may beare almost the same that is as long a date as the present wars It is now about two yeares since as I remember that the habituall Leaguer or rather Plantation of the enemie before that towne did begin and although there have been some intermissions yet I doe question whether those as the Lord disposed them have made more for the greater reliefe or distresse of that place And in all this time both flatteries treacheries and violence of all kinds were used yea and the presence of abused Majesty it selfe was brought to prove and crowne the wisedome sincerity courage of that Garrison Finally amongst Castle-Sieges Warder Castle that of Warder in Wilts will be famous to posterity both for passive and active valour to the utmost So much concerning length of Sieges But once more Marleborough if you look to hot service and fiery stormings as they call them then take but two instances First in the tempest at Marleborough that was admirably sustained untill the defendants were over-power'd with lead fire and numbers But chiefly in that great wonder of little Lyme in Dorset Lime which having in it but eleven hundred Souldiers did not onely sustaine but shamefully repulsed a Leaguer of no lesse then by their owne confession sixe thousand Enemies whose Demi-cannon and other Ordnance played unceflantly upon their weake and thin line for full 8. weeks together whilst the Souldiery in the Towne having digged pits or graves rather for themselves under their line in the earth to shelter themselves from the Ordnance did there eate and drinke and lodge and dwell in mire and clay to the end of that siege So that not onely their owne judicious The Lord Admirall Maurice and noble friend beholding that line of theirs after the siege is said to have professed that he never saw such paper-works defenâ—ed by men but even the repulsed Prince their enemie is said to have acknowledged that had not the defendants been rebelis as he miscalled them every man of them did deserve to have Command Many more particulars with their instances might be added to shew the extraordinary endeavours of the West to preserve it selfe for King and Parliament But that which ought to breake our hearts in all that hath been said is to consider that notwithstanding all this labour charge courage heartines wee have spent our strength in vaine and for nought Our fore did still run and ceased not untill wee were become as at this day the most miserable parts of the Kingdome so that the West must necessarily and specially cry out The hand of God hath touched me This was the second Consideration 3. The continuance of the Westerne desolations Lastly let us consider the continuance and settlement of our miseries to this day 2 Sam. 1. and that for all this the Lords wrath is not turned away but his hand is strâ—tched out still Is not the West at present nay hath it not been for a long season as the Mountaines of Gilboa in comparison to other places that is the Country upon which especially neither dew of comforts not raine of succour doth descend Are not we alone as a people born out of due time the utmost Eastern parts of the Kingdome have not at all seene and felt the present war the Noâ—th hath felt it indeed but is in a manner now quite delivered and as for the middle parts of the Land though the shower be not as yet wholly blowne over yet there is many a strong wind that is driving away the clouds many a bucket that is laving off the waters from them I meane there are many potent armies fighting valiantly in those Counties for their relief onely the poor West that was the primuÌ„ moriens one of the first in this death is like to be the ultimum vivens the very last in the resurrection whensoever these troubles shall have an end it being to this day farthest from the fountains of help viz. London and the North and neerest to the fountains of harme viz. Ireland and France I doe not quarrell with instruments but shall leave them all to the Father of Spirits and the Searcher of hearts onely my desire is to affect mine owne heart and yours with the consideration of that hand of God that doth especially touch us and in that sence I shall goe on to shew you this branch of Westerne unhappiness in these three cases The last Branch of of the Westerne unhappinesses farther aggravated is 3. Cases 1. Case Iudg. 18.28 First in case of petitioning and begging help and reliefe for our Country Me thinks the Lords providence hath still way-laid us and as it were hedged up our waies with thornes God hath so ordered the frame of publike affaires that little water as they say hath bin spared to our mill some cause of this unhappiness may perchance bee the distant scituation of our Country from these parts and so it is like unto that Laish of which 't is said And there was no deliverer because it was farre from Sidon and they had no businesse with any man So the West perhaps hath seene the fewer deliverers because it is farre from London and hath now little businesse with the children of the East It is necessary I confesse that the parts neerest the heart be first preserved and it is ordinary I find for those poor people to be served last which are farthest off from the doore Another cause of this our unhappiness may be the more importunate interposition of other suitors that like Jacob doe get away the blessing from us whilst we are hunting for venison to procure it by and so we and our Country are like that lame man in the Gospel that lay neer the pool of Bethesda expecting a good time for healing who thus complaineth to our