amongst the Children of God is like the agreement and harmony in Musique yea it is well pleasing to God and acceptable to all good men God is the God of Peace 1 Thes 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout And he is also the Authour of Peace 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Authour of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints And his Children are the Children of peace Isay 11.9 None shall hurt or destroy in all the mountaine of mine holinesse And Christ in his Sermon upon the Mount pronounceth a blessing unto them that labour for Peace Blessed are the Peace makers Mat. 5.9 for they shall be called the children of God When as King Salomon who had his name from Peace built that most glorious and stately materiall Temple for the Worship of God it is very remarkeable that in the making thereof no Noise was heard by strikeing or beating upon any of the materialls whereof it was made the which Temple was also a Type of Christ Esay 53.7 who was mute like a sheepe before the Shearers and with Patience did beare silently many injuries and indignities not onely offered unto him but also laide upon him In imitation whereof all true Beleevers in Christ who are the Spirituall Temple of the living God 1 Cor. 3.17 ought both silently to suffer and also patiently to endure the troubles and miseries of this their militarie Warfare according to that rule of our blessed Saviour learne of me Mat. 11.29 for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your soules And S. Paul when he was to leave his Corinthians he exhorted them to Peace that after his departure from them they might have the comfortable presence of the God of Peace with them Leaving them this memorable Valediction at his ultimum vale Finally brethren fare ye well be perfect 2 Cor. 13.11 be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you So that to live peaceably towards others is a Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 2. Holinesse The Apostle S. Peter speaking to the faithfull who should be heires of everlasting glory exhorts them to be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 Heaven is an holy place and none must inhabit there but holy persons viz. Saints those that are made holy by the blood of Christ those whose soules are washed in the blood of the Lambe Whosoever is not thus qualified must for ever from heaven be excluded Apoc. 22.15 Without shall be dogs and Enchanters and whoremongers and mutherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies Yea the Apostle is peremptory herein Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall see the Lord. Therefore labour to finde this Grace of Holinesse in thy selfe for it is an infallible Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 3. Love Spirituall Love is the most excellent effect of the Soule and also a fruit of Gods blessed Spirit Gal. 5.22 Yea and our blessed Saviour to distinguish his Disciples from the prophane persons of the world expresseth Love as the cognizance of distinction By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples Ioh. 13.35 if ye have love one to another So that spirituall Love is also a Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 4. Regeneration Art thou sensible of thy new Spirituall birth Dost thou finde in thy selfe experimentally Mortification and Vivification a killing of the Old man and a quickning of the New dost thou feele the power of Christs Death in thee more and more to mortify and kill thy sinnes his Blood to sanctify and purge thy heart and the Vertue of his Resurrection to quicken thy soule unto newnesse of life and to make thee stand manfully and with an undaunted courage and magnanimous Resolution valiantly to fight against Sinne and Satan If these things be in thee they are certain Evidences unto thee that thou art a true Member of the Church of Christ 5. Obedience This is a satisfactory Duty well-pleasing and acceptable both to God and Man The time was and that of late yeares that England had a plentifull Peace and a peaceable Plenty throughout this Kingdome and also lived in filiall Feare of the righteous God and dutifull Obedience to Her lawfull Soveraigne at which time the Lord even loaded Her with plentifull Store both of Spirituall and Temporall Blessings She being then for satisfactory Accommodation to Her Inhabitants Gen. 47.6 farre transcending Goshen to the Israelites in the Land of Aegypt insomuch as that She was comfortable to Her Friends terrible to Her Enemies and the glory of all Her neighbour Nations round about Her so that they all must beare Her witnesse that as once the Dew of Heaven fell downe onely upon Gideon's Fleece when as all the Earth beside was drie about it So in like manner the Dew of Gods Blessings hath onely fallen upon this our English Kingdome when all our neighbour Countries have been destitute of it lying drie and unfruitfull and being also utterly untilled by the Plough of the Farmer but yet every where harrowed by the Hand of the Souldier and almost rent in sunder with all those great Calamities which the fierce Fire and cruell Sword could bring upon them all which while untill of late yeares our English Nation lived in Peace dwelt without Feare sate in Safety and slept Secure But when flourishing England waxed wickedly wanton supine and carelesse and fell from the Light of Grace into the Darknesse of Sinne wilfully walking in corrupt waies according to the carnall Lusts of Her owne sinfull Heart being very dishonourable to God distastfull to all good Men and disgracefull to the Protestant Religion and also grew both Vnthankefull and Vnfruitfull and like an untamed Heifer Ier. 31.18 cast off the yoake of Her dutifull Obedience both towards God and Her lawfull Soveraigne Loe then the Lord in Judgement against Her being wrathfully displeased with Her turned Her Peace into Warre Her Plenty into Penury Her Strength into Weaknesse and Her Glory into Shame since which time of Alteration She hath liberally pluck't the Grapes of gall and plentifully dranke the gall of Bitternesse Yea and so deeply hath She dranke of the bitter and poysonous Dregges thereof as that those deadly Draughts which lately have beene forcingly given Her have turned the Lives of many thousands into Death And yet woe and alas She still remaineth incorrigible under Gods afflicting hand by the sharpe stroakes of his Rods of Remembrance and will not yeild Obedience to God and Man as in the sacred Scripture She is commanded Obedience is two-fold in respect of the Persons to whom we owe it 1. Unto God 2. Unto the King 1. Unto God for himselfe as being our Celestiall Soveraigne 2. Unto the King in God and for
of all Truth yea by the voice of him who is the Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 even Truth it selfe for Quicquid in Deo Deus est The judgement of Man may erre Humanum est errare He may pray and not obtaine Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse Jam. 4.3 A man may pray long and often and yet his Prayer may be erroneous or defective he may pray for those things that may rather hurt than helpe him and yet his prayer may proceed from the utmost of his understanding and he may also aske many good things at the hands of God and yet omit divers things which he ought earnestly to crave of God both for himselfe and many others but that holy and heavenly Prayer of our Jesus is both true and perfect even the Truth and Word of God it selfe and therefore well might Christ deliver it to his Disciples as a Patterne saying to them when ye pray say Our Father Which art in heaven c. for it is the very Summe Complement and Epitome of all Prayers whatsoever containing in it all things necessary both for our Bodies and Soules even for this life and that which is to come It is a PRAYER farre more than worthy to be written with Letters of purest Gold in Tables of the most pretious and permanent Marble as a continuall religious Commemoration to all succeeding Ages and the constant forme of Prayer-practice for all Posterity yea the very Marrow Pith Substance and Quintessence of all necessary Prayers to be offered up to the God of Heaven by the sonnes of Mortals is contractedly contained in that Prayer And therefore whensoever thou prayest lest thy Prayers though long and many should be erroneous or defective be sure thou concludest with that holy and heavenly prayer of Iesus that thou mayst aske and receive both for thy selfe and others all those necessary things contained therein and so benefit others by thy Prayers as well as thy selfe Mot. 2 2. We shall have the helpfull assistance of the blessed Angels This truth the Apostle declared to the Hebrews Heb. 1. ult where speaking of Angels he saith Are they not all ministering Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation Yea beloved if we be true Members of Christs Church then there will be a neere Relation a sweet Society and a heavenly Communion betweene the blessed Angels and our selves The which confisteth in these five ensuing Particulars 1. They and we shall be Fellow-servants worshipping and serving one and the same God as the Angell himselfe confesseth 2. They and we shall be Brethren in the Testimony of Jesus as the same Angell affirmeth in the words following 3. They and we shall be Fellow-Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 4. They are Souldiers under the Standards of God and are also our Guardians Psal 34.7 we are under their protection and are also their Charge 5. They are our Patternes and we their Resemblances both for Obedience whilst we live here upon Earth Mat. 6.10 and also for Glory hereafter in Heaven Luke 20.36 Mot. 3 3. We shall have Peace of Conscience the which transcends all earthly and mundane Comforts It was reported of Socrates that he so greatly delighted in Vertue as that no kinde of sorrow did ever alter his countenance But beloved the inward Jubile of the minde in the Kingdome of Grace doth farre excell his condition which standeth not in meate or drinke or any other outward things but in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 The which Peace of Conscience amongst the Ancient Fathers hath many honourable Titles given unto it They call it Agrum beatitudinis Hortum deliciarum Gaudium Angelorum Domum Spiritus sancti Paradisum animae They call it a Field of Blessednesse a Garden of Delight the Joy of Angels the House of the holy Ghost and the Paradise of the Soule So that I may truly say The Spirit of a true Member of the Church of Christ being sound in sincerity and seconded with a good Conscience is able to beare out all his infirmities together with all the miseries incident to his humane Nature And through the power of Gods Grace is able also to encounter with the terrours of Death and the fearfullnesse of the Grave yea to endure with a gracious humility even the glorious presence of God and his holy Angels at the last Judgement Day Whereas there is no Peace to those that are without the Church Esa 57. ult continuing in their sinnes So that if any one of them had strength in his Limbes transcending Sampsons and power in his Bones excelling all the sonnes of Anack united together yet notwithstanding unlesse his Conscience be seared he shall often heare to his terrour an Authenticke Divine condemning Eccho summoning him to appeare before Christs Tribunall-Barre to give an accompt of all his evill thoughts words and workes the which will so greatly terrifie his bitter afflicted and wounded Conscience as that he shall be restlesse even in the midst of all his earthly delights and worldly pleasures For unlesse the Consciences of such wicked persons are Cauterized they have often times gripings and gnawings and horrible convulsions within them which are as it were certaine flashings of the flames of Hell-fire unto them before they come into that place of torment But the Peace of Conscience which the true Members of the Church of Christ have is so comfortable a Cordiall unto them as that it made the Apostles to rejoyce in their afflictions Act. 5.41 that they were counted worthy to suffer for their Masters sake This was it that made Paul and Silas to sing in prison at mid-night Act. 16.25 And as Augustine saith made holy Job more happy in Stercore on the top of a Dunghill then Adam was in Nemore in the midst of Paradise because as he saith of himselfe Job 27.6 I will keepe my righteousnesse and will not forsake it mine heart shall not reprove me all my dayes So that Nihil jucundius nihil tutius nihil diutius bona Conscientia fremat Orbis orcus illa erit secura There is nothing more sweet nothing more safe nothing more durable then a good Conscience rage World roare Hell that Person who hath this Peace of Conscience within him is ever at quiet Mot. 4 4. We shall ever have the Love and Favour of God Beloved if we are in the Love and Favour of God then God hath a will for to doe us good and we know he wants no power for he is Omnipotent Impotent men when those whom they love are in distresse would sometimes helpe them but cannot but no impediment can let nor obstacle hinder the Omnipotent God If an earthly King favour any man and beare a speciall Love towards him what needeth that man to care though the Subjects hate him So in like manner if we are in the Love and Favour of God
such as are descended of the Blood of Christ in which regard they are the dearest of men and nearest unto God Yea they are a people distinct from all others by Gods Grace of Election and stand before him in their new Birth and Second Creation in which the Lord lookes joyfully upon them and delights to behold them because they sprang from Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Eph. 3.15 And this Church Metaphorically and by way of similitude is called Mater Fidelium the Mother of the Faithfull because she brings forth Sonnes unto God unites them to Christ and nourisheth them by the Preaching of the Word and by the Examples of good Workes And hence is that expression Non posse quemquam habere Deum Patrem qui non habet Ecclesiam Matrem No man can have God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother alluding to that of S. Paul Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell So that if we would have God for our Father we must account the Church for our Mother and procure her Peace with our best endeavours and there is no more prevalent way for us to helpe her then by praying heartily to God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Jerusalem was the Metropolis of Judea And she was also a Tipe of the Church of Christ and that in diverse respects viz. 1. Jerusalem was a Citty compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of love and Order that was amongst the Citizens themselves as in this Psalme verse the 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City that is at unity in it selfe So in like manner the Members of Christs Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit Ephes 4.3 And they joyntly endeavour to keepe the unity of that Spirit in the bond of Peace 2. In Jerusalem was the Sanctuary a place of Gods Presence and Worship So in like manner the Church of Christ is the roome of the Sanctuary in which we must seeke the presence of God and the word of Life 1 Tim. 3.15 Therefore the Church is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pillar and ground of Truth 3. The Lord mercifully promised the people of Jerusalem that if they would call upon his Name they should have Deliverance Joell the 2. ult the which hath resemblance to the Church of Christ amongst the Gentiles alluding to that of S. Paul There is no difference betweene the Jew and the Grecian Rom. 10.12 13. for he that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved 4. In Jerusalem the Citizens yeelded obedience to their Kings So in like manner the Members of Christs Church being true Believers Eph. 2.19 are fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And they yeeld obedience unto Christ their King Esa 2.5 5. In Jerusalem was the Throne of David as in this Psalme verse the 5. So in like manner in the Church of Christ is the Throne or Scepter of Christ Rev. 3.7 figured by the Kingdome of David 6. Zach. 2.8 The Lord chose Jerusalem above all other places in the world and tendered the people therein even as the apple of his owne eye So in like manner the true Members of Christs Church are a Chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a Peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvelous light Lastly in Jerusalem the names of the Citizens were inrolled in a Book So in like manner all the true Members of the Church of Christ Rev. 20.12 have their names written in the booke of Life S. John had a Revelation of the last Judgement And he saith I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Whereupon we may orthodoxally resolve and infallibly infer that whosoever have not their names written in that Book of Life must have their portion with the Devil and his Angels for evermore as plainely appeareth in the last verse of the same Chapter And whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the lake of fire Loe thus Beloved you have heard the neere Resemblance and Typicall Representation betweene the City of Jerusalem and the Church of Christ Now let us come to the Reasons of the Observation Reas 1 Because the Church is in a continuall warfare in this world and therefore she is called the Church Militant because she is daily fighting against the Flesh the World and the Devill yea she hath many enemies that come from Satans Campe very fiercely against her Who like Tyrants by violence and force of strength like Sophisters by subtilty and corruption of doctrine like Hypocrites by dissembling and superstition and like Epicures by leudnesse of life and filthinesse of conversation doe daily assault and sight against the Church of Christ Loe these like cunning Fowlers strive daily and hourely for to intrap her the Flesh would infect her the World would deceive her and the Devill would destroy her And therefore it behoveth us with our best endeavours even heartily to pray unto God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 2 Because whosoever desires to have his Habitation in Gods Tabernacle must love make much of the members of Gods Church Psal 15.4 And how can we better manifest our love untothem then by praying for them when they are in distresse And this duty of Love to the Members of Gods Church is both Commanded Commended Approved and Rewarded in the holy Scriptures It is 1. Commanded 1 John 3.23 This is his Commandement that we should believe in the name of his sonne Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement 2. Commended 1 Cor. 13. ult Now abideth Faith Hope and Love even these three but the chiefest of these is Love 3. Approved Apoc. 2.19 The Blessed Spirit of God spake to S. John to say to the Angell of the Church of Thyatira I know thy Workes and thy Love meaning towards the Members of Gods Church 4. Rewarded Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of love which ye shewed toward his name in that ye have ministred unto the Saints and yet minister Yea beloved and were it so that the love to the Members of Gods Church were neither Commanded Commended Approved nor Rewarded Yet notwithstanding if thou hast received an Influence of Grace from Heaven the sparkes of Grace will so kindle in thy soule that thy praying for
which he had no Right for it properly belonged to his Brother King Solomon But what became of him for his Usurpation Lo the just Judgement of God seized upon him insomuch as that although Himselfe was of the Blood-Royall His dayes were ended in blood 1 King 2◠25 And here my Heart compells my Hand to iterate these tragicall Words as a Christian Caution to all the obstinate Rebells of our English-Nation whereby to deterre them from any such godlesse and gracelesse Usurpation HIS DAYES WERE ENDED IN BLOOD God give them Grace to amend their Lives in this Particular least as bad or a worse End befall them for the like Usurpation at this day practiced by them For in the hainous Sin of bloody Rebellion there lieth secretly wrap'd up the just Vengeance of the righteous God and when the Sin of Rebellion is throughly ripe then the due deserved Punishment of it will certainly break forth and fiercely fly upon the Committers thereof to their inevitable and deadly Destruction Insomuch as that those pernitious Persons whose Heads at this day project whose Hearts affect and whose Hands act the Sin of Rebellion against their lawfull Soveraign the Prophet David who was inspired with the blessed Spirit of God plainly tells them Psal 62.3 They shall be slain all the sort of them yea as a tottering wall shall they be and like a broken hedge And yet notwithstanding all this methinks I hear some obstinate and incorrigible Rebell who desperately desiteth though against both the Word of God and the Laws of this Land to continue still in his own present and cursed Condition to persist in his perverse Paths and to walk in the wicked Wayes of his own rebellious Heart say unto me What necessity is there for so much to have been spoken of concerning Monarchicall Authority Must we subject our selves so strictly thereunto Can we not evade it but must we inevitably be obedient to it Quest What although in Antient time the Old Testament under the Law required such Obedience to Kings as you have here declared yet notwithstanding we who are Believers doe conceive that we are not obliged to such Obedience to Kings now in the New Testament under the Gospel and therefore why should Obedience to Kings be so earnestly preached unto us and so strictly pressed upon us in these daies Doth the New Testament binde us to such Obedience Answ Unto which I Answer The holy Apostle S. Peter who was himselfe a Gospel Preacher called immediately to that sacred Office by Jesus Christ and also inspired powerfully with the Holy Ghost and according to that heavenly and blessed Inspiration expresly commanded the Jewes and in them also all Christians to the End of this present World in these very words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.17 the which words being translated are Feare God Honour the King He there links God and the King together as justly he may for there is such a neere Relation and close Connexion betwixt God and the King as that the true Feare of God and due Honour of the King are Individuals they are Inseparables never to be divided but constantly dwell together in one and the same syncere Heart of a faithfull Servant to God and loyall Subject to the King Hence then let none deluding the World fallaciously say they have Gods true Feare before their Eyes who have not really the Kings due Honour in their Hearts And if the Kings due Honour be in their Hearts then it will both constantly and perspicuously appeare in their Lives for every Tree is knowne by its fruits Mat. 7.20 If Men truly feare God then will they also faithfully honour the King in God and for God whose Vice-gerent He is Which due Honour of the King consisteth in the Peoples Love and Obedience to Him viz when as His People shall obediently Love Him and lovingly Obey Him The which Feare of God and Honour of the King in such a People so qualified will inevitably worke in them a constant cordiall and universall Obedience to all the Commandements of God as also an hearty wel-wishing towards their lawfull Soveraigne by frequently faithfully and fervently praying to God for Him and also a continuall wel-speaking of Him constantly vindicating His Honour by boldly contradicting all those that falsly and malitiously speake against Him and also helping Him to the uttermost of their Abilities both with Persons and Purses as Necessities require and Occasions are offered So that if disobedient to the King then fearlesse of God and if fearlesse of God then ready to run into all Impiety and that with as much Violence Eagernesse as the Horse rusheth into the Battel Jer. 8.6 Of which our distracted England of late hath sorrowfully tasted by wofull Experience But woe and alas the quite contrary Effects to those which the true Feare of God and due Honour of the King produce have not onely beene formerly but are also still both too fluently and frequently practised by too many thousands amongst us in these Dismall and Disastrous Daies Insomuch as that If sturdy Tumults arising and violently proceeding by the which driving our Dread Soveraigne through feare from His Royall Habitation be honouring of Him then at the beginning of these Troubles He was Honoured If furiously chaseing His Majesties Royall peaceable and innocent Person from place to place circumventingly pursuing Him and craftily hunting after Him even Saul-like towards David as a Partridge upon the Mountaines be honouring of Him then He hath beene Honoured If Raising Forces upon Him and taking up Armes against Him whereby to suppresse His Regall Power be honouring of Him then He is Honoured If Separation of His lawfull and Royall Consort to gether with all those Olive Branches His Deare and Princely Children from Him be honouring of Him then He is Honoured If Deprivation of all His just Rights Priviledges Prerogatives and Revenues unjustly from Him be honouring of Him then He is Honoured If the Imprisonment of His Royall Person abridging Him of His Princely Liberty and falsly calumniating His Candid and Royall Reputation be honouring of Him then He is Honoured Loe these are a few of those many inhumane Injuries and barbarous Indignities which formerly have been and still are most injuriously perpetrated against Him Oh pitifull Condition into which at this day He is deeply involved Is this that Legall Active Obedience which all Loyall-hearted Dutifull Subjects who rightly feare God and heartily honour the King owe to their Just and Lawfull Soveraigne God Forbid And the Lord in much Mercy with his tender Eyes of loving Pity looke downe from Heaven and speedily deliver this our distressed guilelesse faithfull and true hearted Israelite out of all His Troubles Me-thinks I heare His Majesty in the Anxiety Anguish and Bitternesse of His Soule with great Solicitude Sadnesse and Pensivenesse of Spirit whose pious Affections through Gods grace moving Him to follow Christ His Captaine and as a faithfull spirituall Souldier manfully to
fight under his Banner against Sinne the World and the Devill is now brought by the Providence and Permission of God into the fiery Fornace of Affliction for the firme triall of His saving Faith and profitable Christian Exercise of Gods heavenly graces within Him and also by probability extracted from fatall Conjectures in the very Twilight of His time betwixt the Day of Life Night of Death being now a PRISONER in Carishrooke-Castle in the Isle of Wight mournfully complaining unto God in these words Oh! my loving and compassionate God who by thy most holy wise and powerfull Providence dost continually preserve and governe all thy Creatures and all their Actions I humbly pray thee for Jesus Christ his sake to grant me Pardon and Patience thou that searchest the heart and triest the reines thou knowest the Sincerity of my Soules Service towards thee my constant Resolution for the continuation of the Protestant Religion the carefull Preservation of the Ancient Lawes of this Kingdome the rightfull Priviledges of Parliament the just Liberty of the Subjects the firme Settlement of Truth and Peace amongst the People and the Conscience I make of keeping that Oath administred to Me and also taken by Me at My Coronation for which things sake c. I am now deeply involved into great Misery and therefore O My tender-hearted God take Me into the safe custody of thy powerfull Protection and shelter Me under the preservative Wings of thy speciall Providence for the fierce Floods of popular Rage are risen up against Me the swelling Surges of mischievous malitious Adversaries looke big upon Me the rough Waves of the rude Multitude strive to overflow Me the proud Billowes of insolent insulting Enemies have almost overwhelmed Me and the violent Streames of the bitter waters of Affliction are also every day ready to swallow Me up all which I know thou canst if thou wilt suppresse at thy Pleasure who stillest when thou pleasest the raging of the Seas Psal 65.7 the noise of the Waves and the madnesse of the People And now ô Lord in this My great Extremity I flie unto thee who art Almighty with whom there is Helpe from whom there may be Reliefe upon whom dependeth My Hope and in whom resteth My Confidence one Deepe calling upon another Psal 42.9 the Depth of My Misery calling upon the Depth of thy Mercy craving thy present powerfull Assestance for My speedy and joyfull Deliverance And though for the present My Body from Liberty be restrained yet through thy Mercy towards me My Heart with grace from thee is greatly enlarged and Love in Me towards thee much increased thou hast often put the oyle of gladnesse into My heavy Heart and such sacred Influences of heavenly Comforts I daily doe receive from thee as that I nothing doubt of thy Mercy towards Me. Oh my deare God! thou hast beene graciously pleased to make Me thy Vice-gerent over three Kingdomes but woe and alas I am now deprived of all that Power which formerly I had in them all three abridged not onely of that sweet Society of My deare Consort but also of all My loving and tender-hearted Children who might in this My great Distresse as comfortable Cordials to My heavy Heart afford Me some Comfort those who formerly were and still ought to be My loyall Subjects are now risen up against Me have here Imprisoned Me and I am now become not onely as an Abject unto them but also the very Object of their Reproach Scorne Contempt and Derision and none of My Subjects in all My three Kingdomes will vouchsafe to rescue Me out of Mine Enemies hands And in this My great Distresse My teares have beene my meate day and night Psal 42.3 while Mine Enemies daily and hourly reproach Me and also craftily plot greater Mischiefes against Me not onely for the deadly destruction of My mortall Body but also for the utter Extirpation of Monarchicall Authority whereby My Royall Issue and their Princely Posterity should for future times be for ever abridged of all their just lawfull and Kingly Power in this Kingdome after Me for which My potent Adversaries so wickedly intending and cruelly practising against both My selfe and Mine I have often eaten the bread of Carefulnesse and mingled my drinke with weeping Psal 102.9 Now in this My deplorable captivated and calamitous Condition I beseech thee O My gracious God who breakest not the bruised reede nor quenchest the smoaking flax looke downe with thy favourable Eyes of fatherly Pitty upon me and let thy mercifull and loving Bowels of tender Compassion yerne towards Me Heare my prayer ô Lord with thine eares consider my calling hold not thy peace at my teares Psal 39.13 And if it shall please thee O my good God to deliver Me out of the hands of Mine Enemies whereby My Life may be preserved from their furie I shall ever praise thee for being so mercifull to Me but if otherwise in thy heavenly Wisdome thou hast decreed concerning the last Period and inevitable Expiration of My naturall Life that Martyr-like I shall deeply drinke with My blessed and sweet Saviour in his owne passionate Cup of bitter Death and so My mortall Body to perish and be destroyed by the Violence of the People yet shall I ever acknowledge thee to be righteous and will alwaies even to the last breath of My Life pray from the ground of My Heart Lord pardon whatsoever I have done amisse through the whole course of My Life and sanctifie all the Dispensations of thy Providence in these My great Sufferings unto Me forgive all Mine Enemies their cruell and unnaturall dealing towards Me lay not their Sinnes to their Charge and then Not my will but thine ô righteous Father for ever be done Loe these pittifull Passages proceeding from His Majesties greatly grieved Heart together with many others me-thinks I heare Ecchoing in mine Eares for which by way of Christian Sympathie as well as obliged subjective Duty towards His Majesty my heavy Heart Heaven is my Record doth often pray privatly and sorrowfull Soule mourne secretly on his behalfe and so in like manner all other loyall hearted Subjects ought for to doe as well as my selfe that thereby we might prevaile with the God of Heaven for our gracious Soveraigne His present Deliverance out of all His Troubles and speedy Re-establishment in His Throne of Righteousnesse The which over-joyous welcome Blessing to this perplexed and distracted King-dome our good God in his great Mercy grant to us all for the Glory of his great Name the Peace of this disquieted Land and the slourishing Estate of this English Church Common-wealth wherein we live and let all those who sincerely professe and faithfully love the Lord Jesus Christ truely searing the living God and heartily honouring their lawfull King say hereunto unfeignedly with my selfe even from the very ground of their HRARTS and SOULES So be it Amen Amen Oh! let us all in the filiall feare of God