that which is good Broad is the way leading to destruction and many follow that way Is it not better to follow the few to salvation than the many to destruction The one is of large latitude therefore many travell in it the other straight therefore few delight to finde it Men like old sheepe are apt to be seduced The world divided into thirty parts as is observed nineteene of thirty are still overgrowne with Heatheuish Idolatry of the other eleven six overspread with Mahumetisme then but five of thirty remaine for Christians and among them how many are seduced Papists Sectaries of all sorts prophane irreligious ones and how few Protestants iudeed who if they have a shew 2 Tim. 3.5 yet deny the power of godlinesse Of the foure sorts of Seeds one part onely fell on good ground Looke into most Cities Townes Congregations Families little thereof lookes like good ground enclosed manured and planted to bring forth cultu fructu ornatu unto good but like a common waste over growne with weeds of sinne and so are endangered to loose their God souses hope happinesse It is true the more the merrier if in a good matter in a right way for then Bonum quo communius ed melius so malum quô communius eo pejus Wilt thou be therefore as the Weather-Cocke to be carried away with every winde whether of Doctrine Discipline or Doings Doe not you know Quat homines tot sententiae so many men so many opinions Doe not you know Vulgus belluae est multorum capitum Did not the people cry one while Hosanna another while Crucifie Would they not have done sacrifices unto Paul and Barnabes Act. 14. crying Gods are come downe unto us in the likenesse of men Another while esteemed them as Bablers and pullers down of the goddesse Dinna Act. 28.4 Did not they erre while they say Paul was a murderer while the Viper was on his hand and while he shakt it off Did they not suddenly change their mindes as sudden as he cast off the Viper and esteemed him as a God Vers 6. The Field of Corne boweth it selfe as the winde driveth it so most men â—urâ—e and winde themselves as the Times are and fashions goe fit their savles for every winde are Papists with Papists Roundheads with Roundneads and Royalists with the Royalists they will side with the strongest side be it right or wrong All their Religion is taught by the Precepts of men they will beleeve men against the Lord when they will not bete eye the Lord against men When as men commonly are led by sense rather than by reason by reason than by faith yet the naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of God neither can he For blinde men cannot judge of colours nor deafe men of sounds the multitude usually call evill good and good evill bitter sweet Esa 5.20 and sweet bitter but woe be to such as set a wrong estimation upon right objects And woe to all such as follow such blinde Guides that draw others with themselves into the ditch of Damnation One in the right is more safely to be followed than many in the wrong When Apollo by Oracle at Delphos told the Athenians that one man disagreed though all the rest of the Citie assented And they were much troubled to know who that was Phocion his own accord stept forth and said Give over to wonder and inquire who that man is I am he of whom the Question is for indeed I like of nothing that you goe about And have not good people a better and greater matter to stand for though singular than Phocion had Christ allowed singularitie saying What singular thing doe you Peter also Mat. 5.47 1 Pet. 4.4 where he blames all such as thinke it strange that others did not run with them to the same excesse of riot The great pressures by payments Cause 5. makes men halt and weary of the Cause If payments might cease and Trade goe on many would be content with any condition for matter of Religion The exhausted expences makes people deeme ill of the instruments of Reformation They had rather Lawes Liberties Religion and all were lost than to be at any cost for their preservation With the Gadarens they will part with a Saviour rather than with their swine Now consider who are the cause of expences those that labour to maintaine their rights or those that endeavour to destroy them Can Papists Delinquents Traytors Malignants unbowell themselves of all their treasure to raise up and maintaine an Armie against the Counsell of the Kingdome which are the life of the whole Land and shall the Inhabitants that professe themselves Protestants and free Denisons grumble to part with a part that they may preserve the whole Is it not just that God should suffer such halting Wretches to perish together with their money and to give over their posteritie to perpetuall bondage who will not expose their persons and purses to stand up in the Gap against destroying enemies Ezek. 22.30 Is it not better smart once than ake for ever to endure a little lancing of the flesh to make way for a sound Cure to be at charge with a Surgeon and Physician than to want limbes and life And should our Coyne rather be preserved than our Countrey our persons our purses rather than our posteritie rather than a Nation the whole Church of God and wherein the everlasting wellfare of the soule is concerned Doe not our Adversaries lay all at stake both purse policy power yea life neck and all rather then the Catholique Cause should come to confusion Luke 10.8 and so are wiser in their generation than the children of light Wherefore O Man consider that now thy own estate life libertie thy neighbour thy posteritie thy native Countrey 〈…〉 thy God thy Christ call for thy assistance whether in person or purse to helpe the Lord against the mightie Wilt thou then suffer all these to fall to the ground through thy default If Papists Projectors Malignants Atheists should prevaile may not wee say Farewell Law Libertie Estate Proprietie Religion Parliament and Posteritie And shall any but miserable Miscreants more grudge paines and charge to preserve than they doe to destroy all If O Man thou murmure herein at Payments and Taxations then thou lovest thy money more than thy Maker thy silver better than thy selfe thy Gold before thy God thy profit more than the preservation of thy selfe and posteritie thy coyne more than thy Conscience thy own lusts before the Law of the Kingdome thy carnall reason before true Religion Consider but the pressure they are subject to where the anti-Anti-Parliament Army comes and continues All say they is the Kings and wee are for the King it is a great mercy they thinke if they escape with their lives the little finger of the one is heavier than the whole loynes of the other The husbandman adventureth great expence in seed-time in
such runawayes and all other dissembling Neuters who seeme to be so high in eminency above others yet have discovered such base spirits when as the lowest peasant would hardly be perswaded to doe more monstruously nay scarce Heathens would have been hyred to doe so much Let such dissemblers never account hypocrisie a sinne or sinceritie a grace nor Christianitie an honour unto them What doe they discover themselves to be in the hearts of all that know them but base peasantly spirited spectacles of disgrace and infamie in betraying their own certain proprieties liberties in hope of uncertain honours and profits in the Clouds yea captivating and slaying their owns posteritie and children together with the Inhabitants of a whole Kingdome If the Members departed be the greater number than those that stood sound why did not those continue in the House to have overvoted the rest and so have carried on their designe with more ease and safetie with lesse charge danger discredite to themselves their fortunes and their posteritie which now they are lyable to undergoe Howsoever many simpletones in the Countrey may be perswaded and deluded that the greater part of themselves are departed to the Kings side it is a grosse untruth for it is reported for truth that about some say at least 248. are in or of the Commons-House and I hope the flight of the perfidious gives not disanullity to the rest But let the number be few or many the Cause is one and the same still as at the first and their Call lawfull and if many more should betray their trust is not the Kingdome the people bound with person and purse to preserve the rest that labour to preserve their Religion Lawes Libertles for themselves and their posteritie The fewer they be that have stood permanent when so many have been Traytors it is so much the more honourable to the former as it is vituperable and dishonourable to the latter Hadst thou not a vote in choosing them particularly If so why shouldest not thou have a heart and a hand to defend them in the generall which consisted of so many particulars Why baltest thou so long Why trippest thou at the stone of offence Which may so easily be removed if thou wouldest but cast thy eye of Reason to consider thereon The examples of other great ones so increasing 2 Cau. adhering to the King in the Kingdome Shall Christ be set upon the footstoole because great ones will not indure him on the throe Answ Psal 2. Doe not the Scripture tell us that Kings of the earth stand up and Princes consult together against the Lord and his anoynted saying Let us breake their bonds and cast their cords away from us Why doe the Heathen rage when God will continue his Sonne upon his holy hill You know it is a truth Greatnesse is seldome accompanied with Goodnesse Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 Psal Col. 3. Their bellies are filled with the hid treasure of the earth therefore they seldome have appetite to hunger and thirst after that life which is hid with Christ in God They so minde Belly-blessings as that they neglect the care of spirituall mercies Yet a Pearle is a Pearle is precious though many with the Cocke preserre the Barley-Corne before it Greatnesse attended with goodnesse is like apples of gold in pictures of silver as gratior est virtus veniens e corpore pulcro Pietie in Majestie is most eminent transient Psal 133.2 and communicative it is like Aarons oyle that descended from the head to the Beard and so to the skirts of the clothing the Family the Parish the Countrey shall smell more fragrantly be animated more cheerfully hold out the more constantly by the good examples of the mightie As Labans flocks increased the better for Jacobs sake and Potiphars affaires succeedeth the more prosperous for Josephs sake Act. 27. And Pauls fellow-passengers sped the better were landed more safely for his sake so meane ones Tenants children families thrive and grow the better are more good and constant by reason of the goodnesse and constancy of their Superiours They being as a great Oake which standing yeeldeth shelter and safety to them that stand under it but falling crusheth down the underwood neere unto it They being as fresh-fish which if it be sweet in the head thou mayest taste of the whole body but if the head stinke the rest of the body is tanted if the fountaine be polluted can the channell be cleane Are not great ones Landlords Gentlemen as fountaines as heads as Oakes they being for the greatest part so corrupt rotten vile is it any wonder their Tenants neighbours underlings dance after their pipe Jeremy went to the people to expect information but found it not they were simple ones unlettered ones had not so much leisure bookes abilities opportunities he went therefore to the great ones looking for better things from them but these altogether broke the yoke burst the bonds Ier. 5.5 He could not expect the common sort to be good when the great ones were so bad Doe any of the great ones the chiefe Priests and Pharisees beleeve on him Ioh. 7.48 How dare you move one way when men of high place looke another way As I reade of some Master or Captaine that because be was crook backed all the rest of the Schollars or Souldiers stooped as the flattering servant said Ait aio negas nego Doth my Master say thus so doe I also doth he deny it so doe I also The coward ze of the Gentry have been a great bane to the Countrey because exemplum praevalet in re qualibet they have been content to make Kings to be Gods that they themselves might be Kings But consider how God hath infatuated their Cousells and defeated their hopes Parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus They conceive a mischiefe and brought forth a lye They have exposed themselves to the storme and contempt of all good men because they permit their greatnesse to bid adiew to goodnesse They caught after the shaddow and so have lost the substance too and they have but the bones of Promethius left for them the flesh being devoured Sumble not therefore at those bones have not their persons in admiration take not their evill actions for imitation seeing great ones are seldome good ones Many future generations shall call them cursed because they came not forth to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie they had not a foote to stand up in the gap Ezek. 22.30 they had not a hand to make up the hedge for the Land that the Lord might not destoy it mightie ones shall be mightily tormented Because they siune against many meahes 1 Can. enjoyed more by them than by other men Because they cause many to fall through their default 2 Can. which if people did beleeve they might be preserved from balting between
the Officers use but it must not have office of Command in Gods Church and Common-wealths businesse every man knoweth that the Saints in Heaven are the least propriaries to their own will Christ himselfe said I am not come to doe mine own will but the will of him that sent mee which were it but remembred it would be a meanes that many from halting might be preserved In good works doing men must not ayme at themselves much lesse in evill actions attempt to seeke their own rising by others ruine When the whole State staggers and the Realme reeles must they continue in a lazie lame halting estate and posture with their hands in their pockets moneys in their Coffers and tongues in their mouthes without bringing them forth for the preservation of the Publique viz. Kingdome Religion Law Libertie and Posteritie I said in actions good and commendable they must not ayme at their own ends The man that was in the Boate where the Kings Crowne was and the Crowne occasionally falling into the water he leaping after it and recovering it to save himselfe and it putting the Crowne upon his own head that so he might swimme the better to the Boate or Shoare though he was thanked for his adventure yet was he blamed for his boldnesse in putting the Crowne upon his own head Christs Crowne is now fallen as it were into the water and is in danger of sinking labour to preserve it but not for thy own praise or profit sake much lesse must his Crowne be set upon the footstoole and Kings Crowne yea private mens reasons and respects set upon the Throne The 24. Elders Revel 4. threw downe their Crownes at the foote of Christ the King of Kings You know Vriah Nehemiah and others denied their own comforts and contentments Court-favours company of wife yea to change their own Cloaths for the Publique sake It is an undeniable truth he that will lift up one that is fallen must stoope himselfe He that loves father or mother more than Christ is not worthy of Christ Christ still called his Mother Woman as one observes Woman what have I to doe with thee Woman not Mother to shew that in matters of Religion wee are to know no relations Were this beleeved and observed the warres by Gods mercy quickly might be ended thinke on it and thou wilt halt no longer between thy private seeming and the publique certain good The eighth Cause of Halting is undesire of change for doubt of dangerous tumults or of changing for the worse 8. Cause The wicked feare and flie when no man pursueth but the righteous is bold as a Lyon The feare for the present touching what will be for the future is moe than the hurt it selfe that shall be Many will be content to abide in darknesse and slavish conditions for feare of shadowes they may meet with in an altered estate Like the Israelites punished a little with want towards Canaan they wished themselves in Aegypt againe to enjoy their Leeks and Onions instead of their Manna Angels food Men are now on their march towards spirituall and heavenly Canaan and will they desire to returne unto Aegypt againe It is then just that they should never enter into Gods rest Will not men endure change of Masters and change of servants so it be for their profit change of horses change of dogges so it further their pleasure change of aire change of dyet so it tends to their health May men desire new Masters new servants new Ministers new Magistrates change of apparell dyet houses and shall they onely dreame of danger in new reformation in change of manners The Apostle commands Fashion not your selves like to this world Rom. 12.2 but be you changed inwardly in minde and outwardly in manners else you cannot prove or approve what is the acceptable will of God or what is the reasonable service required in man towards God who is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit and in truth Are those obstinate Jewes Ier. 44. thinke you to be followed who said The Word that thou hast spoken unto us wee will not heare but will doe whatsoever is good in our own eyes for then wee had peace and plenty of all things but since wee lest off to worship the Queene of Heaven wee have had troubles warres dearth and scarcitie of all things Many desired our little great Will I meane Bishop Laud to be changed and taken out of the way and will they desire many great little Wills to be Hierarched and set up in the place thereof such a change may be from bad to worse You have heard of the old Woman I beleeve when all other people prayed for the removall of a Tyrannicall Prince shee onely prayed for his continuation being asked the reason thereof why shee prayed for his continuing when all others prayed for his removall Shee replyed such a Prince was bad and people desired his exchange and the next was worse and the next worse than he and this worse than that and if this be changed quoth shee I thinke the next will be the Devill himselfe So prone naturally are people to imagine that all changes shall be for the worse Men know not what may be in and after therefore desire an abode in the present condition Which have occasioned many mens halting stumbling falling which might have been preventable by a change Is it not better to change from bad to good than from bad to worse Seeing every man by every action steps neerer to Heaven or to Hell I beleeve one of the Causes of so many sad changes in our outward condition hath been new fangled conceits touching changeablenesse in Religion For when they chose new Gods Iudg. 5.8 then warre was in the Gates Therefore a change from new Gods to the true God will procure peace in our gates Can it be imagined any danger to have unprofitable Trees dregges of Popery which God did never plant to be removed out of his Orchard and his own Plants to be set in the place thereof What hurt hath been by the change of Monkes and Fryers Abbots and Pryors Hermits and Nunnes Shall their persons be removed and their profession be retained If there hath been no occasion of repentance in the Land for casting out those Locuster what repentance should be feared by inacting new reformation and abolishing old Traditions Aske all the Reformed Churches whether ever they grieved but rather daily rejoyced to have their Religion of Idolatry and Superstition to be banished out of their Coasts I know the thoughts of the change of Episcopacy is a great trouble and a cause of halting to many men but let them remember the high Commission Bishops Courts in Counties and the strange monstrous Concomitances attending the same they will scarce desire or plead for the reintertainment of them againe It cannot be denied but that Episcopacy hath been a great supporter of Papacie where the one falls the other cannot long stand
Pluck up but this one weed in the Antichristian Kingdomes over Sea let Bishops onely be removed from Italy and Spaine Germany and France as they are likely to be from Britaine the Pope can no more stand there hereafter than a head can without his body The Maxime was false No Bishop no King but its certain No Bishop no Pope The Bulles from Rome bred so many Calves in Britaine that there was a necessitie of Cessation or sacrifice of them before Gods wrath can be expected to be pacified toward the Nation Was not a Reformation desired long in the Land by the Record of the very Common-Prayer-Booke as wee reade in the Presace before the Commination appointed to be read in the beginning of Lent Brethren in the Primitive Church there was a godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance In the stead whereof untill the said Discipline may be restored againe which thing is much to be wished it is thought good at this time c. Was such a godly Discipline so long agoe wished to be restored and shall it now be opposed Either it was wished in fincerity or in hypocrifie if in hypocrifie why should it be printed If in sincerity why should it not be effected Should it ever be in wishing and never brought to perfection Parliaments were onely stately Pageants if they should onely confirme and not also reforme old Lawes If thou didst not halt in the Parliaments Election why shouldst thou halt now for feare what they shall doe in persons in Nations Reformation that Truth may succeed in the roome of errour and Christs Kingdome brought into the Land with more puritie and power both for Doctrine and Discipline Disestimation of the Parliament keepes men cold in the Common Cause men thinke their power too great over their Purses and Estates 9 Cau. On a time the members of the body cald a Counsell of Warre to consult why the stomacke devoured all what ever the eye did see the hand reach the mouth conveyed it to the stomacke Therefore they concluded to forbeare their accustomed offices and services seeing all tended onely to the benefit of the stomacke In short time it came to passe that the eye began to wax dim the hand weake the feete feeble and the mouth scaice able to open it selfe They quickly saw their Error and afforded their diligence in their wonted employments and all was well againe and they mutined no more I need not spend time in making the application If supportment should have been denied to the Parliament what had become â— Lawes Liberties Religion in the Kingdome Wee hoped the Parliament would have setled Peace long before this time Object the Summer is gone the winter come and yet wee are not delivered our shops are shut or unaccustomed in the Citie our grounds unstocked all Trading decayed in the Countrey If the Lord send not Peace Sol. can the Parliament procure it Shall not they have a share in it as well as any other Are not their Estates as much if not more ruined than others are 'T is true Peace is a fine thing a principall Blessing of God then which nothing can be named with more willingnesse desired with more heartinesse and obtained with more contentednesse yet there is a certain thing which they call Truth which was ready to be banished out of these Coasts and would outward Peace be much worth without Truth Is not Peace of Conscience an excellent Jewell which who ever enjoyes hath a continuall feast Is not Peace with God able to keepe our hearts and minds free from all feare of plundering and assaults of enemies Doth not this passe all understanding Is it not a glorious sight to see Righteousnesse and Peace kisse each other Therefore the Prophet commands Zach. 8.19 V. 16. Love Truth and Peace Truth you see is put in the first place Therefore execute Truth and Peace in your Gates implying the necessitie of the one as well as the other If it be possible have peace with all men but that is not approved possibilitie that is opposite against pietie Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holinesse with all else you shall not see God What God hath joyned together Man must not put asunder Peace with men will little profit whiles wee professe and practise warre against God The injustice 10 Cause oppression tyranny and unreformation of Countrey Committees cause people to continue in a staggering estate both for their opinions and Purses in the Common Cause Because those that are appointed to be instrumentall meanes to relieve doe much grieve the people Yet Preachers before the high Court of Parliament cry out daily against their Injustice Master Case in his Sermon before the House of Commons intreats them for the Lords sake to have a care that none under the charge of the Parliament may be oppressed by their inseriour Committees least people oppressed have occasion to say You have pulled down one Starre-chamber and have set up an hundred Master Cheynell preaching before the Lords March 27 upon the Psalme Man being in honour c. in his Epistle to the Lords intreats their Wisdomes to have a care for the purging of Committees in Essex Sussex Surrey and Hampshire I thinke his Petition might have extended towards all the Committees in the Kingdome and he said that the spring was a fit time to give them Physicke yet people see none either given or taken or working effectually upon them in reformation They begin to halt in their opinions and to be cold in their former aeale for the Cause Which indeed reflects upon the honour of the Parliament as moysture in the feete strikes up into the head Cambyses a King caused Sycanus a Judge that had been hired by money to pronounce a wrong sentence to be flead and his skinne to be hanged on the Judgement-seate to be a torror to succeeding Judges I thinke if some Committee-men were so used they would have as little skinne left upon their backs as some of them have land in the Countrey where they execute their Commissions The Ethiopians were wont to set up a Chaire of State in their Senate and that to be empty as if the God of Judgement sate there to be Umpire and Moderator whom the Senators ought to looke upon in passing sentence that they might immitate him in Judgement The Lords in the upper-House have an emptie Chaire now in the absence of the King and yet not wholly empty if they consider the presence of the King of Kings that observes and heares all their Consultations I wish that County Committees might have an empty Chaire before them to put them in minde that there is a power above them to wit the Parliament and a power above that the God of Heaven If some Countrey Committee-Members were set in a lower Chaire and bound therein and kept without bread and water twenty-foure houres together and had