Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	call_v	lord_n	sinner_n	2,337	5	7.5568	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96886	The churches thank-offering to God her King, and the Parliament, for rich and ancient mercies; her yeares of captivity; her first yeare of iubile; that is, for the marvelous deliverances wrought with God the first wonderfull yeare (since the yeare 88) beginning at September 1640. and ending the ninth of the same moneth following: in all which time, the Lord appeared for his church, as in the dayes of old, out of the middest of the bush, so the church burn'd with fire, and was not consumed. In the preface, the thank-offering is vindicated, and set free, from all the cavills and charges against it; where also it is cleared to be, as every mans duty, so every mans purpose, to offer willingly now, who doth not make full proofe, that he falls short of pagan, papist or atheist; and is wilfully resolved to walk crosse to the most supreme law, the highest reason, and the unquestionable will of God.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1642 (1642)	Wing W3484; Thomason E122_1; ESTC R18182	151,993	158

those that must take a liberty of controuling offenders Ye have well considered all th●s Ye have begun to reforme in your owne hearts and families This is the true method of proceeding ●cc●rding to the Order and a Statute in Israel Ye are the Lords Host His Warriours His Worthies They that fight his battels must keep themselves from every wicked thing a Deut. 23. ● That is the Order The judgement upon breach of that Order ye may reade ●ud ●o And he that reades and considers will conclude his Duty thence That a true and orderly Reform●r reformes at he me first and in his owne heart then his Family That the one may be kept as the Temple of the living God The other ordered as the Church of Christ And he that considers it not as amongst many more then one there may be This Scripture will have a keene edge against him which we may reade with some alteration in the words but none in the sence Th●u therefore who correct est another correct est thou not thy self b Rom. 2. 21. Thou who seemest to reforme abroad reformest thou not at home Certainly there the Reformer begins when he begins decently and in order Great and mighty reason there is that he should doe so and pressed upon you all by the Captaine of your Hoast The very same that was for the Hoast of the Lord going forth against the Lords enemies The Lord your God walketh in the midst of your Camp to deliver up your enemies before you therefore shall your Hoast your House your Court your Deut. 23. Camp your Fleet be holy that He see no uncleane thing in you and turne Ver. 14. away from you The Church hath told you your engagement now she will tell her engagement to you Great reason the Church should record your labour of Love worke of Faith patience of Hope for in all these you have been abundant The greatest reason in the world she should be exceeding thankfull for you have been exceeding carefull How you have oft refreshed her You were not ashamed of her Chaine when she was in Rome you sought her out very diligently and sound her h 2 Tim. 1. 16. Mat. 4. 1. The Churches prayer is The Lord grant that you and yours may find mercy of the Lord in that day What Day A Day that shall burne like an Oven nay more terrible then so A Day when the wicked sh●ll be at their wits end for expectation and call to the Hils to fall upon them O it is a mighty matter to find mercy of the Lord in that Day that terrible Day that all searching all quickning all opening all manifesting Day I cannot expresse what a mercy it is to find mercy in that Day But so the Church prayes That you may finde mercy in that Day That you may lift up your heads with joy in that Day Behold Him in that Day Whom your soule loveth Whom you serve Whom you feare and Whose Rights you have maintained with all your might So the Church prayes And good reason the Church should pray so That you may find mercy in that Day for in this Day in how many things you have ministred to her her Lord knowes she knowes not but in very many that she knowes and she doth Record them with rejoycing And she wisheth you prosperity in the Name of the Lord that you may ride on with your honour and doe valiantly The greatest Reason that can be She should wish even so your prosperity for therein are involved Peace and Truth the safety and prosperity of the whole Kingdome I must observe as they call it decorum Personae The Church is never lav●sh or large in praises to Man She likes not to strike much upon that string least it should affect too much and make too sweet Musicke in the eare Yet She cannot but adde this and then She will put in for Caution That many Parliaments have done worthily Many very worthy deeds have been done for the Nation thereby but you have exceeded them all Indeed you have done so much so many worthy deeds that as was said wittily the Church may say truly You have made the Church the greatest Vsurer in the World for you have turned all her estate into Obligations Truly She hath nothing She dares call her owne all her Estate lyeth in Bonds indeed whereby She is tyed fast to her King and You. She thanks you heartily so well content is She with her Bonds her Estate is good enough and sure enough and rich enough her Bonds are her Freedome and her Riches both SECT IV. Abundant Thanks and Praise tickle the eare therefore the Church puts in Caution for that FOr Caution now and there is need of it For we low men can exalt man very high and give him high praises more then is comely We can say That Gods are come downe to us in the likenesse of men and we can offer sacrifice unto them such as is only due to God And so mighty men have fallen even by the applause of man as well as by the tickling of their owne hearts This is a dainty point man had need to looke on strait lest he trespasse upon Gods peculiar Right which he may doe before he is aware I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most High so the great King of Babel thought and spake in the pride of his heart i I●● 1● And yet we doe not conceive that he thought himselfe able to clamber up above the clouds and there set himselfe in the Throne of God He was not so brutishly confident as to thinke so We find him guilty but of stout words against the Lord and high thoughts and so we also may though we thinke not so ascend above the height of the clouds too For I borrow M. Perkins words which will explaine Perk. on Gen. ● 21. c. 5. sect 1. these we may doe all this two wayes First When we thinke we have power of our selves whereby we can match or countervaile the power of God This thought riseth in the heart very often when we trust in our Mountaine and it is a strong City and an high Wall in our conceit k Prov. 18. 1● and in our counsell and strength that it shall prevaile against God Secondly When we take to our selves the honour of God and think● it our owne proper due Such thoughts as these rise very often in good hearts but upon wiser thoughts they put it from them as a cursed thing and give not place by subjection thereto no not for a minute They can consider with all their hearts how stout those words are we have read and how high and abominable such thoughts But yet we may note That the wisest have not alwayes these wise and considering thoughts before they be beaten into them first by some sore affliction whereby they are put into feare and know to purpose That they are

is hers and She hath enough for He is all things All things in Heaven and in Earth worke for her good She looks abroad in the World and behold ●ercies before and behinde and on each hand Truly the Church cannot tell what to record next but much is to be recorded before She comes to that which is expected Indeed her good Lord blessed for ever hath dealt to her such a largesse of good things according to His rich bounty even in earthly matters under Moone comforts That She can resolve upon no other way but this being amidst a throng of Mercies which now presse in upon her even to Record Thanke and Praise the Lord for H●s free grace towards her so abu●dantly shewed in this That He hath not charged upon her the dayes of her forgetfulnesse When She did not record and render backe according as She had received Her Lord hath forgiven much this way unto her and therefore She loveth much for how few of many Mercies are recorded and fewer yet had their full weight of Thanks and praise from her Mercies When She speaks of them She is confounded and as one in a maze Mercies cloathe her Mercies feed her Mercies uphold her every moment She lyeth downe with them riseth up with them Mercies privative Mercies positive Preventing Mercies Following Mercies Crowning Mercies Mercies to the outward man Mercies to the inward man How many Aske rather how many Sands there be and the number of the Starres But there is One for all A comprehensive Mercy indeed and the fountaine of all From Him that is from Christ All flow downe unto her and are a purchase of bloud And truly She saith heartily She is not thankfull for Christ not for that unspeakable gift not according as She hath received and that is her shame and trouble both It is her wonder and shame and sorrow all three That Mercies should be continually in her sence She sees them and tastes them and feeles them and yet so little in her mind O blessed be God Who hath not charged upon her the dayes of forgetfulnesse Recording Thanking Praising is the only Tribute Taxation or Impost which the Lord hath set upon all things He gives us richly to enjoy The Earth shall give in unto thee her fruitfulnesse not the least herbe there but is for thy meat or thy medicine So the Waters so the Ayre the variety of Inhabitants therein So the Heavens the Starres and influences there-from All shall give forth their strength besides their homage and Tribute to man their Lord But now he must remember this Tribute to God And yet how is that forgotten Heare what the Lord saith My flaxe and my Wooll all are His even the Beasts upon a thousand Mountaines are to cloathe thee My Oyle and my Wine to refresh Thee My Wheate and my Barley to be a stay and staffe unto Thee Only record these Mercies acknowledge the Giver and pay Him His Tribute Thanks and Praise Good Lord how short are we herein in rendring back Nay the Church doth say so and yet her Lord hath passed it over and in this way of loving kindnesse hath forgiven much She hath no more to say but this Therefore She loveth much And yet I must adde this for it is according to the mind of the Righteous They remember notonly Their forgetfulnesse of mercies but their unfruitfulnesse under them Their abuse of them Their security Yea and their rebellion also The more the Mercies were the more secure they were The fuller the Pasture was the more they kicked with the heele fighting sometimes against God with His own weapons But sith their God hath passed over all this Therefore they love much CHAP. III. Dayes of Affliction Dayes of blessing for so the Lord hath altered them and sweetned these to the Church SECT I. Afflictions must be reckoned among the Blessings ANd thus for Mercies which properly and in their owne Nature are so and sence can relish so Now the Church must record her afflictions and sorrowes for these She can call Mercies now Not so in their owne Nature but through the Mercy of her God so ordering her and them And this must be recorded for this She stands most bounden to Thanke and Praise She could surfeit on her sweets as we may with honey Her sorrowes allay'd the lushiousnesse thereof She expected an Heaven upon Earth her unquiet motions there told her it was not the place of her rest She had comforts upon the Earth and She would build Tabernacles upon them A Cloud overshadowed them and She feared She blesseth God for all this but more of this anon The Church then looks back and beholds Mercies and cals them so which the world cals evils Her God made them good to her and a blessing therefore must She blesse God for them in the first place accounting them fit matter to stir her up to Record and Thank Gall and Wormewood yeelded sweets to the Church She found Honey in the carkase of the Lyon Therefore She remembers the time when She said This is my death a Ps 77. 10. No indeed it was her mistake and she sees 〈…〉 ●●r it was but her infirmity and wrought very effectually to th● st●engthning of her so that she can now glory in that she in her h●ste called her Death knowing that it wrought Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope b Rom. 5. 1 4. She recordeth the daies of her Wid●w-hood She cannot leape over that time when she sate Desolate alone and as forsaken There she said well as forsaken for indeed there is but a sicut an as in all which she suffers and in all she enjoyes here below she weepes as though she wept not she rejoyceth as though she rejoyced not she possesseth as though she possessed not c 1 Cor. 7. 3. So also she knowes now by experience that there was but an as in her greatest sufferings as unkowne d 2 Cor. 6. 9 10. as dying as chastened as sorrowfull as poore as having nothing and so as forsaken but then God was with her working most powerfully for her establishment and most effectually for her comfort therefore she remembers that time even when she spake in griefe of heart as Iacob did All these things are against me e Gen. 42. 36. Ioseph is not and Simeon is not and yee will take my Benjamin also All these things are against me No indeed Iacob was deceived so hath the Church beene these ten times and now she sees her mistake and must record it that all these things were for her This deare child was snach'd away and this so sutable a comfort this staffe and this stay all gone and yet for all this as her long Captivity was all for her good f Ier. 24. 5. that the streame of her affections might runne the clearer to the Fountain That He Who alone is Worthy might have all all her Love and all her delight and all her joy as

cast it away we will thinke it may catch and hold something and so to our Net we will sacrifice that is to our owne strength and wisdome That did it God did nothing g Adrete re●●rr●● hoc est pu●a●● Diū nihil esse Hab. 1 16. vid Calv. If the arme of flesh be strong we looke not after we regard not at all the Arme of the Lord the Right-hand of the Almighty But was the arme of flesh strong now nay was it considerable surely the Lord seemed now to cut Israel short h 2 Kin. ●0 30. Iacob was then very low as a worme now very small Surely it might be questioned now as once it was O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob rise for hee is SMALL i Am 7. 2. But see I say what hearts we have still warping nay still departing from the Lord. If there be any thing of the arme of flesh discernable whereat to take hold there we take our hold-fast and thereon we rest Just so wee did here Here wee saw Head and Tayle and multitudes and their King also all confounded Thanke the Country-man for this so they say and so they abate of the wonder and from the glory of the work We will examine the truth of that It is said the People in the Country were at this point wise enough and provident enough That 's true wise enough in their Generation wiser then the children of light and provident enough too for what For their owne private-wealth their particular interests Take them otherwise and in the lumpe and out of their owne tractes and they have little wisdome or providence at all True it is they were pinched now and that made them looke up from the ground wheron they are still poring They did howle because of their Task-masters which made them looke out for helpe and be a little more provident then ordinary They that pressed Ship-money should never have their voyces so they were resolved so tender they were in their owne ease and where it pinched but for the cause of Christ and His Church it is little in their thoughts I know the manner of men well enough by making enquiry into mine owne heart and the manners and customes there As our interests leade us and our relations stand there is the BIAS that way we goe and there we cast our voyce considering no more but that he is our most honoured Lord and Master Thanke the Country-man who will the Church will not till she heare of such an one who against his owne interest private-wealth and speciall Relation minded the Common-weale and so cast his voyce She will praise the Lord as vvell as she can and call upon all so to doe and blesse His Name for His good Servants vvhose voyces vvere sent up in corners And so we may count it a mercy that such a choyce was made but for the marvellous worke and the wonder we read it before and this that followes makes it yet more wonderfull That vvhen the Worthies came altogether and made a full Court then and there The Lord did so stirre-up their spirits as that they vvere carried some of them above themselves yea and I appeale to themselves against themselves I meane against vvhat they thought and intended vvhen they vvere entring the doores of the House Doubtlesse so it vvas else such things had not bin done as are done had it not beene even so But it is wonderfull in our eyes for it is the Lords doing Who when His vvorke is in hand vvill frame and mould the spirits of Men according to His good pleasure There is yet something more in it and greatly to be observed that the Lord sent forth a dry wind which sifted and sifted this Court now one was blown away anon another Now this man vvent his way and the other did flee away All this that it might appeare to all the vvorld that the Lord intended assuredly to doe His Church good by this Court with His whole heart and with His whole soule * Ier. 32. 41. We must learne now from all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great things vvrought these two Months these vvonderfull administrations and picke out great lessons therefrom CHAP. VIII Certaine Uses or Conclusions from the premises clearing forth unto us The Church by the DEFENCE that is still upon the GLORY their stability and innocency then our duty from all SECT I. Wee know the Malignant Church by their envy at the People the true Church because they are the But against whom Malice bends her Bow and yet is not able to over-throw them They are delivered still after that sort c. ¶ 1. THis will helpe us to decide a gre●t controversie There are two parties both say They are the Church not in name but in de●d whom may we believe Enquir● and vve shall have full satisfaction What party have a Malignancy in them both you will say that 's true enough but I meane a professed enmity against God and goodnesse If vve can resolve our selves in this point Who these are We may take full satisfaction to that question It is said There are no Malignant persons in our Church none that have a professed Malignancy in them No! Is there no Malignancy in that monstrous Head nor in it's app●●rtenancies and adherents None in that Tayle those lying Prophets Is there no Malignancy in their ungodly deeds and hard speeches None in those words which corrupt and eat as doth a Canker k 2 Tim. 2. 17. None in all this Perhaps it will not be granted that there is a Malignancy in the Divell who is their King and hath the keyes of the bottomlesse pit But in courtesie I demand and let them answer me as Men actions we say make the fullest discovery what spirit we are of was not that a fruit of utter enmity of desperate Malignancy madnes to hurry th● Church to drag her to the very brow of the Hill there shocking her againe and again that she might 3 Kingdoms at one shock fall down head-long from that precipice or pinnacle Certainly this must be granted to be a fruite of Cankered Malice Surely then by the fruits you shall know them to be no Church but in name so and that name is a Malignant Church Wickednesse ● 1 Sam. 24. 13. proceedeth from the Wicked as saith the Proverb and that 's the first Conclusion clearely evidencing Who is That Church and Who is the Church indeed And now I proceed to make further Discovery at this point Who is the True Church ¶ 2. We must enquire Against whom doth Malice bend her bow with full strength and shootes her Arrowes Against whom doe these Malignants bend their hand V●godly Deeds and their Tongues hard words and their hearts destructive intentions Who is the Butt The white the Marke Who are they against whom in the pu●suance of their most Destructive Designes these Malignants do carry all their ungodly Words

I heare the most part of it nay some say all that is properly called the Liturgie ariseth out of the corruptest sinke that is in the world the Popes Masse-book and that had it's originall spring out of mans brain 5. THAT SERVICE WHICH FLOWES NOT FROM HEAVEN IS ODIOUS TO HEAVEN Be it so then ODIOVS this Service must be for the Reason afore-said for the worst part of it flowes from the Priests mouth now and he derives it as was said from the most corrupt person and booke the ●ope and his Masse-book The Church now makes no conclusions from the premisses against some set formes of CONFESSION THANKES REQV●ST c. It being the judgement of the gravest and most learned Divines that such set-formes may be and must be Indeed the Doctours words seeme at the first view and more then seeme if they be narrowly looked into cleane against them set Formes I meane But the Church concludes nothing No she leaves all determinations and conclusions at the foot of her Lord and of His Word and under that authority she concludes her soule and she expects That all her Sonnes vvill in their consultations touching this great businesse stand like the stalke of a Ballance leaning to no side neither to the right nor left but just as the Churches Standard the MIND and WILL OF GOD expressed in the sacred Scripture shall sway them just so But for this Liturgie so distracted so mangled so like torne flesh so complying vvith the Masse-booke all along and so filling up the houre so as vvhen the Minister hath ended his Liturgie he thinkes he hath done service enough to the Church that part of the Day For this Liturgie the Church thinkes there can no sufficient reason be given for the continuance of it and therefore her Sonnes and Daughters will write this Day vvhen the weake overcame the strong and the fewest in number prevailed over the spirituall Lords even that Day the NINTH OF SEPTEMBER And that we may set a fuller marke yet upon that Day the Church would have us note two ACTS of the spirituall Lords very notable both and the consequence there-from The one bearing date from the 16. of Ianuary 1640 and issued forth by bill the ninth of September following for the feoffi●g this Liturgie by their last will and testament upon the Church her sonnes and daughters for ever wherein their spirits vvere so servent that they were consumed in their owne fire The other Act bearing date the ●9 of December 1641. whereby they would have made void ●ll that the Lords ●nd Commons more spirituall then they had done for the Church and Common-wealth Presently after their former Act so full of that we sometimes call Spirit This word SPIRITVALL was cast out of the bill we might reade it there this once and then no more for ever By the●r l●st Act ●f Subscription full of the same spirit also their LORDSHIPS were c●st out of the house and with their owne hands H●●ein the Re●aliation of the Lord was wonderfull how He meeted forth unto them the portion of their measures because they forgot Him and trusted in false hood d I●● 13. 25. But this belongs to the yeare following we are to write this day even this same Day the ninth of SEPTEMBER for then the Church put-in a Caveat That the spirituall Lords last Will and Testament might prove null and of none effect The Church must name that Day also so she can and give it a very proper name as once it was when the Lord wrought wonderfully for His people Thus we reade That the Lords of the Philistines came up against Israel presently after Israel had powred out themselves before the Lord Then Israel cryed unto the Lord and to their Seer that hee would cry for them in the eares of the Lord So he did for he knew his duty and he cryed so long till he got a great Thunder out of Heaven upon the Philistines and discomfited them So they were smitten before Israel 1 Sam 7. Where we note in passage that Samuell is the man of warre and his Lord the God of Hosts all creatures serve Him great and small high and low Fire and Haile Snow and Vapours stormy wind which execute His Word b Ps 148. 8 It was so here The Seer hee prayes offers Sacrifice and then the Lord thundred And now that the Lord had made a Breach upon the enemy Israel pursues them and smote them untill they came unto Bethcar Now the Prophet hath his mouth as wide opened in praise as before in prayer and not onely so but he sets up a Monument to keepe in mind this admirable Deliverance he tooke a stone setting it up and called the name thereof EBEN-EZAR saying HITHERTO the Lord hath helped us His glory hath been a REREWARD c Isa 58. 8. hitherto This must be the Name of the Day a good Day and a good name HITHERTO The Church commands her Sonnes and Daughters to set-up quickly this Monument to His praise while the Mercy is fresh for as the Eele out of the hand so Mercies slip out the mind Wee have still need of Remembrancers and none like this To remember this Day and that HITHERTO the Lord hath helped us But because this HITHERTO is counted by some a small Mercy the Church will reason out the case with a bruitish people at this Standard turning her selfe unto her Lord. ¶ 1. A wonderfull mercy and must have everlasting praise That the Lord hath brought his Church HITHERTO IS this the manner of Man Lord God I must answer no Kings of the Earth will not do so If they be crossed yea but a little they will rage 2 Sam. 7. 19. very much shew much wrath they will be avenged if they can seven-fold yea seventy-and seven-fold Nay vve poore men low creatures vvormes of the Earth cannot beare injury and wrong our patience is tired-out presently and we will be avenged vve will not stick to say in our haste vengeance is ours we will repay Can two Men walke together except they be agreed b Amos 3. 3● No for they will flie one in the others face presently There vvas a greate disagreement betwixt God and His people even now at this time yet behold He and they walke together HITHERTO We vv●lked most contrary He not so but most comfortably with us HITHERTO Wee maintained w●rre against God yet HITHERTO God hath helped us Wee thought He would have st●rred up all His vvrath and have consumed us utterly Hee stirred up all His bowells and so brought us HITHERTO for as we reade He is God and not Man * Hos 11 9. But to put this mercy home and to make it sinke down into our hearts The Church tels us more That as this is not the Manner of Man so nor of God neither The Lord hath wrought a new thing upon Earth amongst us in our Land It is not His Manner to use such patience

great wrath The Enemy comes in like a flood with open mouth to devoure all REMEMBER the Lord Who is GREAT His Spirit will set up a Standard against them r Esa 59. 19. When the sonnes of Belial do as their Name imports breake bands and cast away coards then the Lord will laugh ſ Psal 2. And then said Luther well he would not cry like a child he would be merry as a Man and sing for joy of heart the 46. Psalm For he remembred the Lord WHO IS GREAT It follows and TERRIBLE To his Adversaries fury to them t Isa 59. 18. and He has them under His feete already like unto fine brasse u Rev. 2. 15. and He can stampe them to pouder but He is patient He will endure a little while their wrigling sooner then you can a worme under yours Nay you have had assurance ever since the dayes of Joshua x Josh 10. 25. That you shall set your feete upon them too It seemes the Lord is fulfilling this good word to you now nay doubtlesse He hath fulfilled it even now He hath done as He promised to His worme Jacob He hath taken you a company of wormes yee are no better worme-like men He hath given you armes of steele and feete like brasse and you have threshed the Mountaines like straw and have come upon the Princes as upon Morter and as the Potter treadeth clay y Isa 41. 15 25. Thus the Lord hath done Who is GREAT and TERRIBLE even now in all the peoples sight Remember Him you cannot be afraid And remember where you are And yet as one saith a Nihil interest ubi sitis in saeculo qui extra saeculum estis Tert. ad Martyres chap. ● no matter where you are in the world who have your thoughts above the world and managing the great things of Christ there But yet to tell you what you know and what your security is you are in Gods hand b Deut 33 3. Now put all together and consider on it God He is GREAT and TERRIBLE He is your God you are His by covenant you are in His hand your enemies under His feete nay under your foote The Result from hence is A Glorious Dependance upon this Lord Who is Great yea a TRUST FOR EVER in Him Who is EVERLASTING STRENGTH c Isa 26. 4. and that is a sure ground for EVERLASTING CONFIDENCE That though the earth should shatter to peeces and the mountaines be taken off from their everlasting foundations yet God is good to Israel you shall not be greatly moved your head may ake but you may repose it in the Lap of your EVERLASTING FATHER certainly He will sustaine you you may lay your selves downe in peace He will make you dwell in safety The enemy shall not be able to come neare you to doe you hurt no nor to sad your spirits who in all this time have not spoken one word whereby to sad the heart of the Righteous Yee must the promise is so d Isa 65. 13 14. reioyce when the Adversary shall be ashamed yee must sing for ioy of heart when your enemies must howle for vexation of spirit your Name must be a blessing theirs a curse This is glorious matter for faith to worke upon it will make you pray in the Holy Ghost You need not be entreated to take leisure for that it is the very breath of faith and it hinders nothing at all but sets forward businesses exceedingly it makes them glide-on I give my selfe to prayer said David e Ps 109. 4. when he was in the very case you are in f ver 2 3. He made prayer his worke what ever he was doing and so his worke slided-on he had an easie passe through all hee could leape over this wall and that mountaine was a plaine before him and his enemies were given into his hands for he gave himselfe to prayer What ever we omit we must not omit prayer It commands your Marke that betwixt the Kings Question to Nehemiah and his Answer there is a prayer his Answer was as ready as the Question was but he would pray first q Neh. 2. 4. A hint only is enough to wise men Your prayer shall be short you may lengthen it in your closset pray as Nehemiah did he beleeved as you doe and you have done as he did and you have as many enemies as he had and so envious against you They would make you afraid too they would weaken your hand from the work that it be not done pray now THEREFORE O GOD STRENG THEN OUR Ne. 6. 9. HAND AND REMEMBER US O OUR GOD FOR GOOD Now there is a voice gon up that never returnes in vaine and cryes aloud in the eares of the Lord like the sound of many waters saying AMEN Mercy and Truth be with you AMEN And the God 2 Sam. 15. 20. of both these give you favour in the eyes of the Man Amen wipe not out the good deeds that you have done for the Ne. 13. 14 22. house of your God and for the Offices thereof AND SPARE YOU ACCORDING TO THE GREATNESSE OF HIS MERCY AMEN AMEN The PREFACE clearing the way through this Treatise and the READERs understanding touching the proceedings in Parliament the clearnesse of the Lawes and Iustice therein his Knowledge also of the times and cleare WILL of GOD and what Israel ought to do notwithstanding the contradictions of sinners and crosse wils of Malignant Men. Reader IVnderstand well the use and Law of a Preface it should containe no more but what could not be put into the booke that is observed here And yet it will be very large and that I could not helpe I have an hundred sheets tending much the same way this Treatise goes If a Providence should call forth all or any part of it I might trouble thee with an Epistle but never more with a Preface How willingly I would have forborne it here I know and God knows but then I strongly conceived I had left thee in the darke but now I shall shew thee the way in much clearenesse if thou wilt not blind-fold thy selfe and render thee in the close a Thankefull man This is the tendency and purpose of all this And so that thou mayest reade with profit understanding what thou readest and then shew thy selfe an understanding man I shall endeavour to cleare the way before thee and give thee cleare resolution to the matters in debate some more easie and quickly resolved other some more hard and admitting more contention 1. Touching the Person who offers Thankes that is easily cleared 2. Then the Thank-offering there will be the knots for Collegiate men the Eyes of the Land these are set against it and some say the Law also we must examine their reasons and cleare the proceedings against these men and that will take up some time 3. In the last place the Method the clearing of that is very

affected now as that Queen was at that time For behold a greater then Salomon is here and a greater Glory is put forth in His works now then could be seen in Salomons Court She must be in an amaze when she beholds the admirable strange and unsearchable wayes of Providence towards her this last yeare He made a path for her in a wildernesse turned the drought of her Summer into fresh Springs A poore blind b Isa 42. 16. Handmaiden She her Lord leads her in paths she could never have discerned never have spyed out with all her search by a way she knew not never thought of No as hid from her eyes as were the unsearchable wayes of her first Redemption Her Adversary led her more then once as they did her Lord to the brow of the Hill c Luk 4. 29. thinking verily to cast her downe headlong But her Lord wrought gloriously for her escape For as her Lord then so She now passed through the midst of them and went away She wondred how she escap't and was at that time as one in a dreame but being well awakened and comming to her selfe she remembred her Lord whose she is and whom she serves He upheld her with His hand But what thanks and praise are due to her God Who let out the wrath of man and gave it the more Scope so as the more it was let out the more it might praise Him Who so ordered the worke of an imperious whorish woman d Ezek. 16. 30. such was the Church in name so and her works such for she w●s impudently bold and past all shame whom they commonly called the Church to worke thereout good to his people To cause the summoning of a Parliament To make it hold and that a caution was put in for after-times What a confluence of mercies is in all this What abundant matter of praise And that when the Priests for the most part were brutish and the people but a little more reasonable as froward as that Israelite who co●nted reforming a killing * Exod. 2. 4. Y●t such a Parliament notwithstanding Who have layd a foundation of mercy for themselves and their posterity even for all the generations to come But I must not huddle up things so nor throng them together remembring That the greatest wonder which most engageth the hearts of the Righteous was wrought before the Parliament sate Therefore I shall take leave to begin according to my proposed Method and to set downe two Moneths which are not in our late Kalenders and then the Churches collections there-out in the same order Surely September there I shall begin it shall be to us the first beginning of Months the first Moneth of our Iubile to us For in that Moneth the Lord began to bring His Church out of Egypt with a mighty hand and to set His face against His Adversaries and toward His people And because He proceeded on toward the accomplishment of what He had begun and to make Himselfe knowne and to get a Name and everlasting praise all the Moneths after in allusion to the Spirits words touching Moses I will say of this yeare There hath not been a yeare since the Redemption like unto this yeare in all the signes and the wonders which the Lord hath done in the Land of Egypt To the Pope and to all his servants and to all his Land And in all that mighty hand and in all the great terrour which the Lord shewed in the sight of all Israel * Deu● ult ● CHAP. VI. September 1641. The Product thereof The Overtures and strange turnings of things therein SECT I. September The Product thereof AFter a strong commotion the waters will be sometimes swell'd and unquiet so likewise in our Sea This Moneth came in boysterously partaking very much in the malignancy of the Constellation then raigning The Souldiers for we must speak plaine English in the Countrey-mans eare busled after their manner but against all expectation The Priests high and low did more hurt good I should say yet no thanke to them for the good God ordered ●t so and produced it as He did the light out of darknesse for th●y were more cordiall then the souldiers they prayed against the Scots heartily and would set their people a praying too They would force the people to impossibilities To blesse God and curse Man perhaps because the Priests could skill in it Blesse with their mouth and curse inwardly * Psal 62. 4. But so the Bishops ordered it and so there was praying on both sides one side prayed in paper the other in prayer d Iam. 5. 17. And that the contrary side might pray in more faith the Scots were written Rebels upon every Post and Pillar by the Secretary himselfe It was time to rage and pray too for he had but a short time But when the cry against the Scots was great and the clamour against them very grievous it pleased the Lord to come downe and see whether they had done according to the cry and behold they had not But the oppression violence and wrong done against them was according to the cry So He stirred up the hearts of the Nobles and Commons both to fall upon their knees and petition God and their King That matters might be heard and a way thought on to stop the great wrath that was pressing in like a floud Then the Nobles went towards the North there the Clouds of bloud gathered and there the Heavens were darkest with a select company of the Commons And by the good hand of God upon the King and his good people a Parliament was resolved upon and newes thereof spread apace and came posted to London the 23d. of this Moneth About this time there were many meetings of Ministers every where and grave consultations about a new Oath and damn'd it was by every mouth to the very pit whence the Bishops with their c. digged it for there was a digging to Hell to hide their counsell c. At this time also the Bishop visited by his Chancellour and the new Oath was so corrupt that it made the old one very unsavoury So the businesse was carried in a great deale of heate and hurrey just as it is when two sturdy Rogues fall a swearing that which comes next to hand is their weapon and then no wise man Will come neare them Then the Chancellor with c. turned their backs and shifted Here began the troubles which shrowdly shaked the Hierarchy with c. Thus we have the product of this Moneth as it were in the grosse summe and how the end tended to a calme with them who heartily prayed for faire weather SECT II. The Churches Collections hence yeelding matter of praise and wonder in the strange Overtures and turning of things upside downe VVE were now full of stirres a tumultuous Nation indeed but the Church a quiet habitation still Notwithstanding the contrariety of wils and motions in the

him and that there is now a Statute in Israel that all Iudah should meet together sing and rejoyce vvhen they tell forth the loving kindnesses of the Lord That according to this time it may be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath GOD WROVGHT What hath He wrou●ht Speake it out if yee can Truely Reader I cannot I can fill a sheet or two vvith the Records thereof but me thinkes it is an empty vvorke no vvay sufficient to set forth the vvonderfull worke of God therein So I leave it and leave thee Reader to muse upon it being resolved that this Treatise shall not cloy thee nor fill thy hand It is intended but to vvhe● thy Appetite if thou haply meetest vvith these Heads largely treated on in time to come and to raise thy heart for the raising of a PILLAR to the everlasting Praise of the KNOWN GOD. There is one or two Observations more vvhich the Church chargeth us to gather-up from the scatterings of this Month. ¶ 5. THe Bishops had a Court They called it the High-Commission-Court Others the bloudy Inquisition Certainely The smartest Purgatory the sorest tyranny that ever the Church felt-upon Earth but her comfort is it 's all her Purgatory here and it ceaseth vvith the Earth This bloody Inquisition for so they perverted Judgement and Justice there turning such sweete blessings into Gall and Hemlocke a Amos 6. 12. received it's fatall blow this very Month languished the Month following and dyed shortly after We must enquire now vvho gave this Court this deadly blow The Answer is The Iudges there Yes that 's the Answer the enemies themselves being Judges With their owne hands they vvounded themselves and gave their Court that deadly blow I must correct my vvords a little I did but mistake the hand for the tongue there is a smiting with the tongue too I should have said vvith their owne tongues they smote themselves and destroyed their Court. See Reader how they brought the blow about but observe vvithall observation the Retaliation of the Lord What is that For it is not English how the Lord the Lord God of Recompences b Ier. 51. 5● retal ated those Men that is returned their Recompence upon their owne head c Ioel 3. 7. But yet for the glory of this vvonderfull vvorke of Retaliation they themselves vvith their owne Tongues must retaliate as it vvere Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth d Exod. 21. 24. they must vvith their owne tongues Returne Recompence upon their owne Heads for thus it vvas ¶ 6. THe Bishops had an Oath vvhich they forced upon the righteous in homage and meere duty to their Court and it was a gin and a trap and a snare to His people as a Serpent by the ●ay an Adder in the path that bite●h the Rider so that ●e fals back ward c Gen 4● 17. The Lord Who commands us to sweare in Truth in Iudgement and in Righteousnesse * Ier. 4. ● look'd upon this opp●●ssion and required it how They must Retaliate themselves now Oath for Oath Their chaine must be let out now the rope must be lengthned give some men rope enough they vvill goe neare to strangle themselves as in this case they must have full scope given them and vvhat must they doe Hammer out another Oath and that must be as the other vvas to the righteous a gin a trap and a snare to take their own foot in as a Serpent to make those Riders that marched so furiously to fall back-ward I hat Oath must retaliate them it must recompence all their evill upon their owne heads That Oath like a Mushrome that miracle in Nature for it growes and hath no root d In miraculis vel max●mum est aliquid 〈◊〉 aut veve●e sine ul●ā●adice Tub●r● haec vocantur c. Pl●● Hi● l. 19 cap. ● So this Oath that had no root neither in Nature nor in Grace neither i● Law nor in Gospell neither in Reason then nor in Religion sure This Mushrome-Oath this rootlesse thing must come in and helpe to carry out head and taile the Bishops vvith c. it must be a means to root out them and their Courts Take we all in two words and in Scripture language and then see the Retaliation of the Lord They had killed the Righteous there in that Court as they could they scorched him vvith the breath of their lips See now The Lord ordered it so That their owne breath as fire did devoure them h Esa 33. 1● They spake devouring words indeed they swallowed up the Righteous there See now the Retaliation of the L●rd and muse on the worke of His hands i P● 143. 5. for so it was according to the saying The words of a Wise-mans mouth are gracious but their lips did swallow up themselves k Eccl. 10. 1● They fell upon the righteous like a Mil-stone they vvould have ground him to powder See now They shall make their owne torgue to fall upon themselves l Ps ●4 ● So I have pointed at the Remarkables in this Moneth as befits an Epitomy or Abridgement The Et cetera s here are very notorious which I have reserved to a place vvhere they may take more Roome then they can doe in this Treatise vvhich I intend as afore-said So vve goe on CHAP. VII October The Product thereof Many Mercies and yet but one marvellous worke wrought for the Church at that time SECT I. October The imployment thereof NOw the Lord Keeper was busily imployed in issuing forth Writs to summon a Parliament which service he did more out of duty than affection to that high Court This Moneth was much of it spent in enquiring after or reading newes out of the North and in chusing Knights and Bargesses for the severall Counties Cities and Towns Where there were a poore people also who had no voices but in corners and there they might be bold to send up strong cryes to Heaven which furthered the businesse not a little Now the people having chosen a Man to stand for ten thousand they transmitted unto him the great Trust their Estates their Liberties their Lives their all that was theirs Religion and all And they who understood what they did prayed That the service he had to doe for his King and Countrey might be throughly thought on and accepted And that he might goe up and returne in the fulnesse of the blessing of God SECT II. Many Mercies in one Parliament A comprehensive Blessing Why called a Parliament The Honour and Antiquity of that High Court Long vacation there makes sinners impudent THis Moneth the Church heard the newes That a Parliament must be summoned againe Very comfortable newes That and another manner of sight then to see the whole world represented in a M●p That 's but a dead representation In a Parliament we see the Body of a Kingdome not as sometimes you see in a Table head and shoulders onely and no more

but the entire Body represented and compacted together as one man And my selfe I see there though but as the foot in the Body yet there I am my interest there my estate there my liberty my Religion so farre as man can command it all is there that I have below as in a joynt stocke there it is managed and carried about by that great Body We cannot wonder now that we heare such shootings in every corner besides those we heare from the Pulpit Grace Grace a Zach. 4. 7. unto it The Good-will of Him that dwelt in the Bush b Deut. ●3 16. be upon it Lord blesse the King and the Parliament It is the highest Court on Earth it can call all other Courts to account how they have proceeded whether according to or against Law It is the great Assembly gathered from all the quarters and corners of the Kingdome whether all the people from Dan to Beersheba come up to present their sores there they looke for balme their grievances and pressures there they expect helpe and ease It is the great Councell of the Land there they consider take advice and speake their minds Every man there doe's as the purpose of the word is PARLER-LA-MENT speake judiciously his mind neither to flatter prerogative nor ●o extend priviledge c Nec praerogativis blandientes nec privilegia dilatantes L. Cooke ●p 8. be-his Reports being wisely valiant and zealously wise Therfore if I might use the Sages word christned a Parliament the highest House on Earth we cannot properly call it two Houses if we doe respect the Antiquity of it it is most venerable and ancient d Si vetustatem est antiquissim si dignitatem est honoratissima si iurisdictionem est capacissima Ep 9. if the honour and dignity of it it is most honourable if Jurisdiction and Power we remember the old saying The KING and the PARLIAMENT what cannot they doe Even what they please and wee stand still and hearken what that will be The Church is resolved already That shall be done which plea●eth them for sh●e is of the Shepheards mind That shall be done which pleaseth God and what pleaseth God pleaseth her But the Church counted it a mercy to heare newes of another Parliament If we should out-live Parliaments if a Parliament should be denied us or being granted should be destroyed then I-C ABOD where is the glory Then call the Church desolate and her Land forsake● The wicked would walke on every side for the vilest men should be exalted * Ps 12. 8. The long vacation given to the high Court hath given all the advantage to the Adversary whereby to worke their owne ends in the ruine of the publike Then was their time to sow tares and to give them rooting when they could cast the Lawes into a dead sleepe when they could cause jealousies betweene Prince and people when they could raise an evill spirit their owne familiar a fire of Contention which should come forth on the left-hand and devoure upon the right and then from the right and devoure upon the left O what an exceeding Mercy to have a Parliament in England like the great day of Judgement to the wicked when by the good hand of God upon it there is a full discovery of things the waies yea the hearts of men are laid open Things represented as they are the upright person as he is The vile as he is When Mephibosheth commeth in but of late represented as an enemy unto his Prince but now sound at the heart though lame in his feet and forgetting himselfe wholy for joy that the King is in safety and his Kingdome like to prosper when there is a right understanding of things betweene the King and his Subjects The King beholding his good peoples he●rts truly loy●ll and faithfull and they the face of their King as an Angell of God O! A Parliament 't is a fundamentall Mercy So th● Church allowes us to call it and to put it to that head and then reckon on A great Mercy to have another PARLIAMENT a Mercy but no wonder For SECT III. Things were so farre out of frame that they could not be set as rights but by a Parliament The having one or two in one yeare is not a wonder but a Mercie COnsider we how it stood with the Church as it is commonly and 〈◊〉 be cal'● ●nd no● with the Common-wealth we consider there two the Church as then it was called and the Common-wealth as then it stood a part and divided for so they are The Church standing against the Common-wealth as the one Pole against the other The Church so they were called the Governours Seers Over-seers chiefe Over seers commonly called Priests Bishops Arch-bishops and their ETCETERA'S made their loyns so strong and fortified their power so mightily as they thought they might rule with a rod of iron and still prevaile breaking in peeces the Lords Jewels as they pleased and making-up in the place thereof the basest peeces of the Earth The Holy Ghost hath fitted us with a most fit and full expression none like it Their workes were the workes of an imperious whoorish woman a Ezek. 16. 30. They were growne so impudently bold so past all shame so farre beyond all bounds of civility and modesty that they could not be longer endured They laid such loades upon the people That the stomacke of the Land was so over-charged that it must spew them out without putting finger into the throat or else die of a Sur●et No Remedy but by a PARLIAMENT I shall be corrected a CONVOCATION you should say let the Priest correct the Priest A Convocation that were to send the Iesuite to be tryed in a Conclave of Cardinals they would never find him guilty sure The whole Body of the Land was so ov●r-charged with the last Convocation that th●y cannot thinke thereof without loathing It 's so uns●voury at this day There must be a Parliament if it were for no other end but to advise about this whoorish woman so imperious she was And a Covocation in all likely-hood would make her more imperiously proud They would have reformed the Church they were about it as the Reformers did in the Councell of Trent who made the greatest Deformation that ever was heard or read of in the world But it is pleaded Let Church-men determine Church matters Let spirituall men have to doe in spirituall things And let them ●o ●ut let them know that there is a Councell above them that can call them to an account how spirituall they have beene And how like Church-men they have kept to the rule in their Determinations about Church matters This is not above the Power and Wisdome of a Parliament called together to advise DE ARDVIS REGNI ECCLESIAE Then surely the Lord Christ Hi● Religion Worship and Service the matter and manner of it is one of the greatest and most vveighty things and of the highest concernment