Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	liberty_n	parliament_n	4,708	5	6.3048	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

u there is a time of warre and there is a time of peace w We had our time of war and tasted of the bitternesse of it God now in great mercy offereth us our time of peace if we will not accept of it but provoke God by our murmuting we may fear the event Christians and Englishmen I pray consider that saying of Ahner to Joab Shall the sword devour for ever will it not be bitternesse in the latter end x You know how it proved bitter both to Abuer and to Joab Discontents Ambiand false Interest procured the sword to eat the flesh of them by the just hand of God As Abuer had shed the bloud of many in Israel in an evil cause his bloud was shed by Joab wickedly y And Joab because beshed the bloud of war in the time of peace z he was slain by the sword at the horns of th● 〈◊〉 a God hath manifested his will to us by clear providences Let us as men tha● fea● God and own his providence submit unto it and not murmure nor repine but with patience wait to see what God will yet do for us He hath multitudes of blessings to the obedient and as many curses and scourges to the murmurers If it he as the Psalmist saith a good and pleasant thing for brethren to dwell together in unity b Then it must needs be an evil and unpleasant thing for Brethren to dwell together in discord dissention strife and variance all disunited and disjointed in affections Consider what I have said and the Lord give every one a good and right understanding in all things If that I have said being well weighed be not found to be truth beleeve it not But if it be the truth follow it practise it or this that I say shall one day be a witnesse against him that readeth and slieghteth it and give me leave to adde this to the rest and tell you that those that are contemners and murmurers against the government of a Common-wealth in the Infancy of it they are he greatest enemies to that Common-wealth not hurtful only to themselves but to the whole Nation the evil example of one murmurer draws more to the imitation of that sin then the perswasion and good counsell of many can divert and so all or multitudes oft perish together As we see in the men that were sent to spy out the Land of Canaan they murmured and brought an evil report of that good Land which caused all the people to weep and murmure and cry out against Moses and Aaron c for which their murmuring they were excluded from that good Land and promise And not only so but they even those men that brought up the evil report were destroied before the Lord by a plague d Consider what God hath done he will do still For God is unchangeable It is one of his Attributes which he takes only to himself I am the Lord I change not e In him is no variablenesse neither shadow of change f Therefore it must of necessity follow from Gods unchangeablenesse that whatsoever he hath done in former times he will do the same for he is the same what judgements he hath inflicted for any sin or that he hath threatned to inflict he will still do the same therefore the Apostle tels even us Christians that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning g c. I confesse my Brerhren when I took my pen in hand to write upon this subject Discourse I intended not above three sheets of paper but the matter is encreased before me and I could not expresse my self with more brevity I would yet for further satisfaction modestly give Answers to some Objections made by some sorts of men against his Highnesse the Lord Protector which I will do in as few lines as I can possibly Object It is Objected That the cause of our war which hath cost so much bloud and treasure was To defend our Rights and Freedoms against the Tyranny of Kings to be governed under a Parliament as free People by just Laws c. But the Lord Protector assumes to himself the Authority of a King by exercising a greater Tyranny over the people then the King did to give Laws c. Answ I answer the cause of our warre as instrumental was To defend the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament the Freedom and liberty of the People and the defence of the true Religion against incroaching Tyranny and innovations subtlely insinuated by the late King and his evil Counsel But that our Warre intentionally was against the lawful Authority of Kings or against the Person of the Late King as he was King or against his just prerogative I deny Only against his evil Councel the War was raised that the Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the People and the truth of Religion might be defended and established This will appear by severall Parliament Declarations Protestations and solemn Covenant wherein the Parliament do declare protest and covenant as their own priviledge freedom and liberty c. to defend and preserve the Kings person his just Rights and Prerogatives so far as it might stand with the preservation of Religion and the peoples Rights But the late King standing in strong opposition to the Parliament and Liberty of the people and his Rights and Prerogatives coming in competition with or against the preservation of Religion and Priviledges of Parliament and the peoples Right He defending and taking upon himself all the evil Actions and wicked devices of his evil Councell miscarried for so providence had ordered it should be And the people as providence led them submitted to a Parliament to govern them as a free People they expected much ease and great Reformation but enjoyed Now I would ask the Objectors these two short Questions 1. If a Parliament should become more tyrannicall then a King and lay heavy burthens upon them reaching to their persons lives and estates by an unknown Law or arbitrary power and suffer Innovations to come in on every side to the contempt of Religion and adulterating every truth turning Religion into every shape to metamorphise truth whether in this case if such should be the people might not as justly cry out and take up Arms against such a Parliament as against a King 2. If all these evils could be found and sensibly felt by the people whether it were justice to themselves acceptable to God or benefit to their posterity to cast off and to abandon for ever the authority and use of Parliaments I think they would give their negative except such as would live without all order or command which is to be worse then devils Nor is the office nor just power of a King to be for ever rejected because there have been Tyrannical oppressing superstitious or idolatrous Kings for the office of a King is the Ordinance of Jehovah and cannot be made null by man To this

men if all might elect whom they would to serve in Parliament or all that would by designs get to be elected should be Members it is more then probable the Enemy might in short time be Masters of the Militia and by it not only give away our Freedoms so much talked of and the liberty of the people but take away our lives also and which is more then all take from us the priviledge of the Gospel and what else hath been purchased with so much bloud and treasure and turn our pleasant Eden into an Acheldama The good people of this Nation with his Highness may say at this time as David once said The Sons of Zervia he too hard for me which caused David to omit the doing that justice he willed to be done And truly my judgement tels me if his Highness should for his time whatever he may for publike good grant for future part wholly with the Militia from his hand he should provoke providence and betray his trust to the Commonwealth which consists not of a few men that appropriate singularity to themselves for private interests but all the people and give his life as a prey to his enemies and with himself the three Nations which till some settlement be established depend upon his welfare As also the interest that all true Christian people in the world have in the welfare of this Nation There must be a trust somewhere but every man may not be trusted though every free born subject have right in it Nor can it be trusted in the hands of the multitude for they rule by voice not by Law nor to some of them because others have equal right Nor can it be safe under the hand of a government Democratical the thing mightily aimed at by the opposites to his Highness under specious shews to please and to deceive the people which is as experience tels us next cosen to the highest Tyranny why then not rather in him of whose trust and fidelity the people of this Nation have good experience and great deliverance from a first and second thraldom till he by Gods blessing with his Parliaments advice can settle it in safety for the future And whereas it is objected That he seeks a negative voice to the Parliaments resolves is a scandal He asks it not but only in those things that fundamentally concern the government and that is if men could see for publike benefit that neither Oligarchy nor Domocracy may start up to enthrall and enslave the people by governing them according to will and fancy by promises without known Laws where then would be the freedom and liberty of the people now so much talked of by the Objectors These things he only excepts against in all other things whatsoever of Parliament Resolves being drawn into Bils and offered unto his Highness if he consent not unto them within twenty daies they are to passe into and to become Laws although he shall not give his consent as is exprest in Art 24. And for his seeking to have power to make Laws and to raise money it is meer calumniation he seeks it not nor claims it not but leaves it to the wisedom of Parliament as appears in Art 6. except as is there excepted for and in cases of safety and of necessity till the time that this presant Parliament were assembled and that to be done by him with the advice of his counsel as in Art 30. so then he seeks not the strength nor treasure of the Nation to himself nor to have it in his own power as is objected And for Religion he seeks nor to have it in his power but leaves it also to the Parliament to debate consult and resolve that he by them and they by him might receive all light possible in so great a business for In the multitude of counsel there is safety It is indeed a great work beyond the wisedom of man to appoint without divine assistance and spiritual wisedom His Highness well knows the evil of the rigid prelatical Persecution in Tyrannizing over the consciences of men in that rigid st●ictness And he as well knows the evil of unbridled liberty that it is abused and made a Cloak of maliciousness and as servants to corruption occasions to the flesh and to licentiousness blasphemies heresies and doctrines of devils the original of all discord dissenti●ns quarrels seditions and confusion which seldom ends if tolerated but with destruction to the best and most flourishing Commonwealths These are Rocks that will split the Ship of the best fortified Commonwealth therefore carefully to be avoided by the best advice and skill of the most experienced Pilot in which his Highness doth not refuse the counsel of this Parliament nor doth he refuse to pass the Bill they shall agree on except in his wisedom he see as our chief Pilot something in it be dangerous to the well-being of the Nation and give them satisfaction therein for he is more in this case then any one man in Parliament possibly a vote may be carried by one man which in such a case he may justly deny because the utility peace and happiness of a Commonwealth depends upon the right Discipline in Religion and the justice of Execution of just Laws for regulating between two extreams Religion in the power of it in all godlinesse is a Law in it self and needs no Law to command it for Religion is truly the very nursing Mother to all vertues graces peace and unity among men And I must tell the Objector that the late Kings have not really endeavoured this but he or they had power to have done it the neglect was his ruine and a chief cause of Englands misery Nor did we engage against this power or authority of the late King but against his misusing of that power casting off those just Laws which by his authority he should have observed and commanded to be executed for the good of his people He seeking to rule by his own will by absolute power in himself to cast off all just Laws and adulterate Religion at his pleasure this was the Original of our war and this is that which the Ancients in all times have called Tyranny But his Highness assumes not to himself so much Authority as the late and former Kings claimed and exercised That which he claims is such a power as may enable him to establish Religion in its purity and that he with his Parliament might enact and give life to all just Laws under which the people may live in all peaceableness and be governed in all sobriety and godlinesse with tranquillity and utility for present and future that the people may dwell safely every man sitting under his own Vine and under his Figree as in the daies of Solomon 1 King 4. 15. Besides we ought to consider that for severall years past we have travelled in a wilderness in untroden and uneven waies and are digressed much from the right way of good discipline almost

hard bondage The house of Israel was Gods Vineyard and the men of Judah his pleasant plants Whence God looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a cry b Religion and policy were with many but one and the same thing We fasted for strife and debate and smote with the hand of wickednesse but did not loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavy burthens and let the oppressed go free c Providence dissolved that Parliament not yet that I know lamented by any And truly I conceive it was no lesse mercy from God that the succeeding Parliament was dissolved too Many members therein having a design to destroy our Laws and Religion to cut off the head of the two great Ordinances of God Magistracy and Ministery at one blow and so set open a floud-gate for loose licentious liberty to break in upon us to our confusion where then should we have found the true liberty and priviledge of the people so much talked of while we were under the oppression of an arbitrary power blessed be that providence that hath prevented those designs and freed us from that yoke giving us comfort in hopes of a setled peace and holy Reformation with the restoring us again to our Laws and true priviledges By that Illustrions and Noble Champion OLIVER Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland e. whom Providence hath made instrumental to hinder destruction to the Nation and provide that our Teachers are not driven into corners as the Lord hath promised they shall not be d Let no man mistake me to think that I am an enemy to Parliaments I am not God knows it but I am a lover and honourer of Parliaments and shall ever as my own life and the publike safety But I hate the sins of Parliaments covetousnesse self-seeking oppression schisms divisions factions and private interest these God hates and I cannot nor will love what God abhors though I be hated for it I do with much thankfulnesse acknowledge it as a free mercy from God that we have this present Parliament My Praier is that God will make them blessings to lasting posterities And surely it is free-love and mercy from God in setting up that authority and single person which hath called this Parliament And as great a mercy that Providence discovered that Plot and murtherous design hatched in France and to be executed upon his Person in England The same mercy and free-love was extended to this Nation for his Highnesse late escape from the danger of his presumptuous attempt in a recreation not becoming his dignity I pray it may be a monition to him not again to go out of his place and rank Providence having called him to the care of the greatest affairs con●erning the Church of God in general and the welfare of the people of these three Nations A heavy burthen and requires the whole strength of body and minde And above all these mercies we must not forget to acknowledge it a mercy from God that we at this day do enjoy the Ordinances of God notwithstanding the mighty oppositions both on the left hand and on the right hand Superstition on one side and imprudent zeal on the other we have the word of Truth held out to us and may enjoy every Ordinance in its purity if we will or if we were not wanton for men may be as holy as they will or can be there is no restraint in that nor persecution for it I wish we did not too much counive at grosse apparent heresie and blasphemy For though the truth should be free heresie should have a bar God blames the Church of Pergamus and the Church of Thyatira for suffering them them that held the doctrine of Balaam and for suffering her that called her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce e c. Dead flies saith Solomon cause the Ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour f and corrupt doctrines suffered are dishonour to the Truth We come to the second Inference and that is That all Judgements and Afflictions are from God only and are the just recompence for sinne procured by our selves men or things afflicting being but secondary causes instruments in Gods hand This is very fully proved in the whole Book of God That all Iudgements and Afflictions are from God is sufficiently proved in our foregoing discourse And that they are the just recompence of sinne is as clear for God never punished but for sin and if there had been no sin there should never have been any punishments The Soul that sinneth shall die g The old world was destroyed by a deluge and why for Sinne God saw that the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth h c. And for sinne Sodom and Gomorrha was destroied by fire from heaven Nadah and Abihu for their sinne were devoured by fire and that for ought we know for a sinne of Ignorance i The wages of sinne is death k What else is warre pestilence and famine but the recompence of sin and so procured by by our selves All afflictions on the body in the minde on the estate or in our respective relations are just recompence for our sinnes from the hand of God l There hath been no alteration no overturnings iudgements and misery but for sin and is all procured by our selves We may say of England as Daniel said of Israel when they were under the captivity of Chaldea To us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes to our Fathers and to all the people because of our transgressions m And as Ezra That God hath punished us lesse then our deservings n And as Jeremy It is of the Lords mercy we are not consumed o Our elder Sister is Samaria and our younger Sister is Sodom we have justifiedour Sisters in all the abominations which we have done p What shall we say to the pride of England even in the day of her calamity Oh the pride of apparel the pride of place of gifts of blessings received yea of graces and of our supposed or flattered humility What shall we say to the idlenesse and fulnesse of bread the drunkennesse swearing forswearing and the abominable blasphemies that England is guilty of And what shall we say of the murders adulteries mighty oppressions self-love and wicked Sorcery that is in England the dishonouring of the Lords day contempt of Gods worship and generall neglect of all duties of the first and second Table what lukewarmnesse is there in Religion more then ever was in Laodicea What hot contentions about fancies and ceremonies and coldnesse to the power of holinesse What unthankfulnesse under the enjoyment of multitude of mercies What security and self-promising of happy condition as if no evil could befall them like the men of Laish that dwelt carelesly and there was no Magistrate in the Land that might put them shame in any thing q Although our professed and

against it w and we have seen Gods provident care thereof that they that have been the heads of this assault have been broken in peeces and their ass●tiations the Word of God is as fire and it shall consume stubble All the enemies of truth shall be like straws though numerous which conspire against a burning coal and encompasse it by heaps to put it out that when they think they have done it and have eclipsed the light for a little while it shall kindle burn and consume them all these straws though mighty for a time shall come to nothing This is their time of attempts and this is the time that God will purge his Church This is the time of Reformation and of great judgements For whenever God hath been doing any great work tending to Reformation the devil and Satan that great old Enemy and subtle Serpent hath alwaies made the greatest opposition the greater the work is that God is doing the stronger the oppositions will be as we see in Rev. 12. 1 2 3 4. considered and compared That God is doing a great work in these daies is manifest clear as the light of the Sun But what God will do he only know To us it is unknown whether he will at this time give in to England the mercies promised or whether he will yet afflict us with more and greater Judgements we know not The former shall be made good assuredly to his Church the latter seems rather to be our present portion the effects of all the alterations and changes in our times is hid from our eyes only it is Gods good pleasure and he is doing a great work There are three things evils that have long threatned the great judgements and changes which we of England have lately felt and seen in this Nation 1. The encrease and growth of all kinde of sin especially corruption in Religion x and a general crying oppression these do still remain as high as ever 2. The appearance and encrease of secondary causes thereunto conducing principally Jealousies Divisions Emulations Hypocrisie Sedition and Treachery z These things are effects of Gods anger a and forerunners of great changes but these do encrease in England 3. The straits and necessities of the Church when good men especially holy godly Ministers are scorned contemned and misused b then God is exceeding angry and brings wrath without remedy For the Churches necessity is Gods opportunity to deliver his Church and to avenge himself of their enemies and that is alwaies by great changes God hath made change after change in England once twice thrice and again but the evils are not changed therefore more changes are threatned The Prophet denonncing Judgement against the King and Kingdome of Israel saith thus Thou profane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end thu● saith the Lord God Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown this shall not be the man Ex●lt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is and I will give it him c This Prophecy was concerning Zedekiah and Israels carrying captive into Babylon and the government of Christ to whom all Kingdoms and Nations are given and are his right whom he is pleased to set up as vicegerent under him to rule in righteousnesse and judgement shall be established God will abase him that is highest and exalt him that is low and will overturn and overturn again and again until he come for his right it is to whom Jesus Christ shall give it So it is evident that all turnings overturnings and changes that have been in this Nation or whatsoever shall be are not by accident nor by the subtle contrivement of counsel or men but as all is ordered by Providence to effect Gods will for man is not able of himself to bring any enterprise to passe he is not able saith Doctor Preston to see all the wheels that tend to make up an enterprise nor if he were able to see them all he is not able to turn them nor to fit every one so together as to make up an enterprise God by providence after several changes and several attempts of new enterprises which the attempters though skilful to deceive and powerful to compell could not enterprise hath given us a Supream Magistrate to judge the people of these Nations And by providence hath intitled him OLIVER Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and of the Dominions thereunto belonging This is the man whom God by his secret providence hath made the instrument of our deliverance from the designs of an Anti-christian brood and from the powers of Royall and Hierarchical enemies and rescued our Laws and Religion out of usurpers hands therein comparable to Gideon It is true he accepted of what Gideon refused d but he coveted not what Gideon asked e nor indented beforehand as Iephthah did f He might have sate in Parliament at ease and with profit as others did but providence ordered him to another work And he freely and voluntarily exposed himself to all hardships to endure the parching Sun by day and the nipping frost by night as a zealous Patriot of his Nation his sleep departed from his eyes His bed the open field and the Heavens his Curtains He was not backward to jeopard his life in the high places of the field for the safety of his Countrey not shifting to secure himself in the greatest danger nor declined any Engagement with the Enemy let the disadvantages be what they could 〈◊〉 three four or five to one of the Enemies party yet not once that I can remember was he put to the worst or caused to fly from or turn his back from the Enemy from the beginning of the war to the end thereof He is of an ancient Family He hath been well educated in Learning and in Religion except only some youthful tricks hath been a professor of holinesse and practiser of justice the man of the Saints praiers whom God prospered and made successeful in all his undertakings and providence hath kept in all dangers ordering all along by gradations to what he now is as is observed in our third Inference Why God hath done all this we cannot give any reason but that it is his secret will to effect his own purpose But whether it shall be at this time as an income of mercies or encrease of afflictions I leave to the all-knowing God who will manifest his pleasure in his own time It may be a mercy from God and so I esteem of it but we may by our divisions turn it to a judgement as indeed our seditious practises do threaten Sure I am whatever may be that since providence laid this burthen upon him he hath managed it with much wisedom and justice the fruits whereof we have had some taste To the honour of God I

if we ask according to our own will he will not hear him that is he wi●l not give him what he asketh And we must also ask in faith without wavering Jam. 1. 6. but how can we have faith in asking any thing for which we have not a promise for faith is grounded upon the promise Abraham beleeved the promise Rom. 4. 3. he staggered not at it he was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform and would do it q And without faith it is impossible to please God r what is not of faith is sin without faith God accepts no praier ſ and in the last place we must ask all that we pray for in the Name of Iesus Christ Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you t See Joh. 14. 13. And in extraordinary cases we must adde spiritual ●●sting to our praier for there is a kinde of devil that goeth not out but by praier and fasting u humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up Jam. 4. 10. we must come with humbled hearts willing and desirous to bring our wils to Gods will but take beed of fasting and praying and making appeals to God w to bring Gods will to your will it is not safe to tempt God For our God is a consuming fire The next means is to get the love of God kindled in our hearts let us get burning zeal to the truth and receive the truth in the love of it contend for verity not for victory Advance the Gospel in the Ministry of it love the brotherhood honour all men fear God and honour the Supream Magistrate x whether King or Lord Protector this is Apostolical doctrine Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God y This is the Apostle Pauls doctrine and this is the Apostle Peters doctrine Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake z for so is the will of God a This is no new devised doctrine nor is it in the least Antichristian but the doctrine of the Law and the doctrine of the Gospel If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine that is that denieth this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed b to deny this truth of the Gospel and teach for Gospel another thing is to bring in another Gospel But I am commanded by the Gospel that though men or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel then what the Apostles have preached not to beleeve it c The Gospel establisheth a standing Magistracy and a standing Ministry by them Liberty and Religion is maintained and preserved if well regulated Therefore it highly concerns Parliaments of which by Gods mercy and love to his people we are not wholly deprived nor by one for ever oppressed It is Gods mercy and his honour the Lord Protector I mean whom God hath made instrumental to call this Honourable Assembly in Parliament together I say it concerns them to consider whence we are fallen and whether we are going and by their authority to put bars against licenticusnesse and loose liberty and to be a wall of protection unto the truth that those Foxes may be taken that spoil the Vines for our Vines have tender grapes d Honourable Parliament if my Scribling Sheets ever come to your view take notice from them that God hath by his good providence called you together to make up the breach that finne hath made or rather God for sin upon us We have been perfidious to God and God hath removed justice and equity from us You must be both Phinchas and Aaron Phinchas to rise up with courage and zeal not only to do justice but to give life to the just Laws of the Nation that justice may be done by a Law against the transgressors of Gods Law e and Aaron to stand between the dead and the living that Gods anger may be appeased f You in behalf of the good people of these three Nations are to settle by Gods assistance these unsetled Nations what is possible for the present and with all possible care to look to the future the God Almighty be your strength and your Counsellor in the great work under your hands that you may be instruments in 〈◊〉 hand to establish a just and setled Magistracy and a holy religious Ministry That the glory of the Lord Jehovah may be advanced and the people of these Nations may again enjoy their Rights and Proprieties our sins cry to God for g●eate● judgements and the people cry under great pressures And God hath called you that are the great men of these Nations to prove and to try what you will do for him Jer. 5. 5. You have known the way of the Lord and the judgement of your God turn you not aside as others have done God seeks now as he did in Jerusalem to finde a man if there be any that executeth judgement and secketh the truth that he may spare poor England Jer. 5. 1. And let not the poor of these Nations be forgotten by you provide houses and stock to set them to work in all Cities Countreys and Towns that there may not be a beggar in our Israel g Debts ought to be paid but Publike Faith debts not paid is most dishonourable to the Nation I know as things have been managed it is no easie thing to pay them But to purge the University and Nurseries of Learning from their open pollutions and vicious practices and Schools of Learning to be purged of vitious Schoolmasters the poyson of youth and the bane of age and ages is a work acceptable to God a means to obtain blessings to posterities and it will cost no money to do it These and the like means diligently used really prosecuted freed from self-interest vain-glory or hypocrisie will assuredly multiply mercies on the Nations and prevent the judgements threatned and cause England to be the praise of the whole earth I pray give me leave to say what the Lord by the Prophet said in another case concerning Tythes then due by a Law of God leviticall only belonging to the Jews now due by no such right but they were unjustly withheld Therefore saith the Lord Prove me now therewith if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing h c. So I say Use such means as before I have briefly mentioned and prove the Lord if he will not double and redouble all sorts of blessings on this Common-wealth I blesse God that there hath been a beginning of a Reformation of some things by his Highnesse more then in some years past by others though much was promised And I blesse God that put into his Highnesses heart and this present Parliament to call for a general and

distributed to every man through one man is oppression Every mans waies are right in his own eyes o as the holy Ghost is pleased to express And they would do as when there was no King in Israel but every one did what was right in his own eyes p to adulterate Religion abuse the Ministers of the Gospel teach for doctrines the precepts of men commit adultery blasphemy and kill or what not as in the time of vacancy of Judges in Israel that there was no publike Magistrate in the Land to put them to shame in any thing q Was not England almost brought to this condition And is it not the thing so much laboured for at this day and that under the specious pretence of a Reformation such a Reformation as ascendeth out of the smoak that came out of the pit r blessed be our Jehovah that hath thus far holpen us against such designs that they have been prevented by his good providence And let the Instrument be blessed by Iehovah who hath been used by his hand to disappoint their purposes of whom I hope and expect much better things then from those Reformers or then we have seen in our Age for due administration of justice and establishment of Religion and Laws that Religion may be advanced held forth to the people by a holy discipline according to the Word of God which is the will of Christ not the fancies of men for God is a God of order and not of confusion He is not the Authour of confusion but of peace in all the Churches of the Saints ſ And it was the Apostles joy in beholding their order and stedfastnesse of faith in Christ t And for this cause as himself saith he left Titus at Crete that he should set things in order that was wanting and ordain Elders in every City u Order by a discipline of worship in the purity of Ordinances is the way to that Reformation the Lord Jehovah looketh for and the establishment and due execution of good and just Laws that every man may enjoy his own propriety and that justice may be distributed to every man without favour or revenge impartially and that oppressors may be punished severely according to their offence This is the thing God looks for at the hand and by the place to which he hath called the Lord Protector And this I beleeve he intendeth and will do if murmurers will have but patience If he do it not he dissembleth with God and God will judge him who only knows the secrets of all hearts For Judgement belongs unto God alone he hath not given that unto men but he hath commanded us not to judge but our selves Judge not that ye be not judged w for the Lord is a God of Judgement blessed are they that wait upon him x The Prophet Malachy sharply reproveth the Jews in a case like ours at this day Ye have wearied the Lord with your words yet ye say wherein have we wearied him when ye say every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord y that is you make acclamations against God and blasphemous clamours because you have not forthwith what ye desire and in their own way as if he were a favourer of evil doers therefore ye cry out Where is the God of judgement as a violent affirmative that there was no such just God thus murmurers weary God Shall not God search out this for he knoweth the secrets of the heart z Why then do we judge and condemn the man that hath done us good and no harm and why do we murmure against God and repine at providence The Lord in mercy open the eyes of all his people and bring their hearts suitable to himself that they may willingly submit their wils to the will of God You know we had a long time of peace and knew not the bitternesse of war and we had a happy beginning of Reformation in the daies of Q. Elizabeth but in stead of going forward we went backward and fell into the hands of oppressors and persecutors of Gospel-Truths which was the procurement of war a sore punishment we expected relief from men but were more oppressed they neither cared to ease us nor pitied out condition our Religion grew to be mixed with multitudes of new devices and all old heresies cried down by the primitive Church Under these calamities we groaned and cried to God yea many of Gods people sought him by praier and fasting private and publike for deliverance And that God would give us Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning a that we might be called the righteous and faithfull Nation yet we will not give God leave to do it for us though we see Providence working it we will not be satisfied except God bring his will to our will nay to our wils except God will give us the thing we ask in our own way and by the means we our selves prescribe and set down we will not own it any other way We ascribe too much to our selves therefore we prescribe unto God things times men and means God by providence hath given us again a free Parliament freely chosen by the people or it is their own fault if some of the Members that the people have chosen be discontented and are of any of those sorts of murmurers before spoken of so as they refuse to act for the good of the Commonwealth it is their fault and I fear their sin It is not his Highnesses fault nor the peoples but it will be some grief to the refusers when they shall see the work done without them or that it should miscarry by their neglect they knowing that at this day the pillar and ground of truth is shaken And the two great and standing Ordinances of God strongly assaulted by many of that kinde of temper that Korah and his company was That rose up against the office of Moses and the office of Aaron who would have no Magistrate but themselves nor no Ministry but of themselves The office of Magistracy was in Moses the office of the Ministry wa● in Aaron They are two distinct Offices and not promiscuously to be mixed nor to be severed from a Christian Commonwealth Gods word is the rule to both Moses and Aaron were Brethren and of one Tribe signifying a propinquity in their Offices they go together and are defence and instruction one to the other Now against these Offices Korah and 250 Princes of the people men of renown rise up and say Moses and Aaron wherefore lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord you take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy even every of them b Moses in this case makes his appeal to God the murmurers did the like as some among us too presumptuously have done God decides the controversie between them and saith he will cause their murmurings to cease God gave

set up himself for God set him up who puls down and sets up whom he pleaseth providence leading him to that he is nor doth he seek to rule and govern according to his own will but according to the fundamentall Laws of the Nation and agreeable to the will of God else he would have asked much more for himself and his posterity then he hath done nor intending to rule by any arbitrary power for then he would nor have bounded himself by Laws and Articles as you see he hath in the Government published by himself c. And taking care for the future by tri●nnial Parliaments and calling this present Parliament freely elected by the people as a means to restore lost Priviledges In all which is no injustice but faithfulnesse in the discharge of his trust as a Servant to the Commonwealth for publike good Object 4 Fourthly The great Objection framed against his Highnesse is 1. That he called this Parliament upon design as he did other former things for his own ends not for publike benefit 2. That it is not a free Parliament not free in the Elction nor free wh●n assembled to proceed as a free Parliament restraint was put upon them many members sent away because they would not engage to his design to confirm on him the supream power of the Nation give him the Militia negative to all Parliament Resolves power to make Laws and to raise money so that not only all the strength and treasure of the Nation should be in his power but Religion too which is more then ever the King had and the things for which we engaged in a war against him as a Tyrant c. Answ To this I answer as we say in our Proverb and that truly Ill will never speaks well The men of the world designing men have ever envied vertue and honour which I verily beleeve are compactible in his Highness● and therefore envyed not by the righteous but by the men of the world whose designs and interests are crossed 1. That he called this Parliament for any other end then for publike benefit circumstances do demonstrate If things be compared with things which I willingly forbear to particularize And for all preceding things which the Objectors call designs Providence hath clearly led him to as is proved in our foregoing discourse 2. That this is a free Parliament both in the Election and in the proceedings is evident to them that are not blinded by some prejudication For the restrictions made in respect of qualification in persons to be Elected and Electors was so far from infringing the peoples liberty or being any barre to their freedom that it was indeed their greatest freedom and security of their safety and was at this time considering out present condition of absolute necessity Many designs being on foot to corrupt and ensnare counsels the judgements of men being much unsetled by subtle insinuations of seducers Nor was there any restraint upon Parliament proceedings when assembled as is objected but what tended to publike good and the end why this Parliament was summoned viz. to put things that are out of order into order by the Legal way of Parliament proceedings not to encrease factions nor to maintain parties and private Interests but to establish Religion peace and just Laws the main basis and foundation to the well-being of a Commonwealth wherein the Parliament is free And I hope by their wisedom through the assistance and direction of Jehovah this Parliament will be instrumentall in the laying of such a foundation that God may own us for his people dwell in our Land remove his afflicting hand from us and leave a blessing to posterity I say further that this present Parliament was summoned by the Authority of the Lord Protector which authority is from God to which providence hath led him all along And we are commanded to be subject to the higher powers not some but all Let every soul be subject why for there is no power but of God The Apostle tels you that the powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. By this power he summoned this Parliament And before the summons he by the advice of his counsell declared to all the people the condition that the Commonwealth was in and what was now necessary to be done for a happy settlement I need not repeat any particular thing declared nor verbally spoken by his Highnesse at the Parliaments first assembling because it is publike to all The people in all obedience to his Highnesse authority according to his summons made their respective Elections The Knights and Burgesses elected or the most of them accepted of their Elections and appeared at the day and place Why any one should after all this oppose that authority which called them and the end why they came together I will not judge That his Highnesse sent any away as is objected I deny They were at their own liberty to sit in the house or to depart it was at their free choice That which they were to subscribe was no other then was plainly held forth to all men in the government as to one man This was no barre to the free debates in Parliament for their debates to establish justice and righteousnesse or offering any thing that might conduce to the benefit of the Common-wealth It is only a bar against Oligarchy the worst of governments ready to break in upon us It is true it doth confirm his Highnesse Lord Protector for his life and no more which if he did not for publike benefit he might have asked it for his posterity and carried it by his power if he had made himself his design as is objected To that part of the Objection concerning the Militia he was trusted with it by the Parliament and it was at his dispose for the good of the publike and so he ever used it with all faithfulnesse and God by it made him instrnmental to bring us out of Egypt I may say by great wonders We are still in the Wildernesse scarce come so far as to Mount Nebo And we have many thousands among us that still look back unto Egypt and we have the Children of Anak Giants and Cananites that stand in the way and hinder out entrance into the possession of our Evangelicall happinesse promised These must be subdued and kept under therefore the Militia is still as useful in his hand as before to secure the people from those lusting murmurers and to subdue the Cananites He claims not the Militia to himself but desires it may be in Parliaments and himself Providence hath put it into his hand and he knows his own heart that he intends to use it no way but for the benefit of the Common-wealth by advice of Parliament But he cannot know any others heart nor can he say of any other that they would so use it No not for the people if it were in their hands at this time for the people are of as many mindes as