A Door of Hope, Treatise 1 · Part 9 – Part 18
5. Head of this Deliverance, we called Addition, or Increaſe.
The preſent great worke of Mercy is ſo full of rich particulars, that 'tis like a ſpeciall meſſe of meat, which we may turne againe and againe, and ſtill find in it another choiſe or delicate morſell; and therefore though we have heard of Stoppage, Removall, Prevention, and Continuance, already; yet there is a fifth liſt [of Additions] now to be ſpread before your eyes. In ſetting them forth I may chance to touch upon ſome inſtances or particulars which have been named before, but if I doe, it ſhall be under another Notion, and to a different end.
How common an objection is it (eſpecially amongſt Atheiſts and Delinquents) that they ſee no ſuch great things already done for us by this preſent Parliament, Object. as ſome over-working heads doe ſeeme to intimate?
I anſwer (firſt) to the Perſons, Sol. perhaps thoſe men doe look through the wrong end of the Perspectiveglaſſe, and then great things may ſeem very little unto them. Perhaps their Organ is vitiated, their judgement is corrupted, and then they put bitter for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter.
But (ſecondly) to the point it ſelf I anſwer, he that hath the heart of a Proteſtant, the mind of a good Subject, or the eyes of a reaſonable Creature, and doth not wincke with thoſe eyes that he might not ſee, he muſt both ſee and ſay, that the Lord hath done many great things for us already, for which we have cauſe to rejoyce. If any man ask me for an exact Enumeration of them? I anſwer as he—Oceani fluctus me numerare jubes—In Scripture phraſe; they are more then J am able to expreſſe, I muſt give them in by heaps.
We heard before of a Paralell to all the ten plagues of Aegypt; but what if I ſhould now ſhew a Catalogue of great works of this Parliament, out-ſtripping, yea doubling that number? I will not over-lay your attentions before hand with a promiſe of prolixity, but let us obſerve ſome famous particulars done already, and thoſe for the Glory of our God, the perpetuall Honor of our dread Soveraigne, and the laſting praiſe of this Parliament.
1. The firſt obſervable Addition muſt be that Act for the Confirmation of the Treaty of Pacification.
I cannot but ſet it in the fore-front of my catalogue, as the firſt lincke in this golden chaine, and the baſis of all the reſt of our late mercies. The whole Act is true, 'tis large, but to me ſo much the ſweeter; let him that can (for me) reade it over with dry eyes, (I meane, for joy: for) I thinke that Act is looked upon by diverſe ſorts of men, as was the foundation of the ſecond Temple among the Jewes. 'Tis ſaid that Many wept with a loud voyce, and many ſhouted aloud for joy. Ezr. 3.11, 12.So, doubtleſſe, all that wiſh well to our Zion and Jeruſalem, to Church and State, they cannot but rejoyce in reading thereof: but as many as are contrary-minded, (like enough) doe repine and howle in ſecret, to ſee ſo bleſſed a cloſe of ſo perilous a buſineſſe. Brethren, let me commend the ſerious reading or hearing of that Act, to every judicious and fit Proteſtant and Subject now preſent, and alſo (if they pleaſe) to all thoſe which have bin ſo loud, fierce and active heretofore, againſt our Bretheren of Scotland, Oh let theſe latter reade, bluſh, repent, and change their minds, with ſhame and ſorrow: but the former, let them be confirmed and lifted up in their holy, loyall intentions and proceedings.
The ſubſtance of the whole Act, or Statute, may be reduced to theſe three heads.
Firſt, there are (I doe not trifle away holy time about ſecular things) the Commiſſions upon which that treaty at Rippon was grounded. As oft as I reade them over, and doe looke upon the names of the Commiſſioners of both ſides; ſo often (me thinks) there commeth into my minde, the tranſaction and tranſactors of that buſineſſe, betwixt the Iſraelites, Joſh. 22.10, 11, 12 &c.and thoſe other two tribes and halfe, beyond Jordan, it was concerning an Altar of Teſtimony which theſe latter had builded. Great danger there was at firſt of a bloudy, Religious-civill warre, but afterwards, by the prudence of the Commiſſioners on both ſides, they rightly underſtanding each others meaning, all is concluded in a firmer peace then before, the bone is ſtronger after ſetting, then it was before the diſlocation; and the Altar is called [Ed.] a witneſſe: Some thinks we may write the word [Ed. a witneſſe] upon every enſigne, gunne, ſpeare and ſword, that hath bin lifted up on either ſide, in thoſe late Northerne expeditions; and each weapon may be kept as a teſtimony of the Lords mercy, our Soveraigns goodneſſe, the Parliaments wiſdome, and the Commiſſioners noble ſervice on both ſides.
Secondly, There is the Act it ſelfe, all the Demands, Deſires, Articles, with their ſeverall Grants, Anſwers and Concluſions, Prov. 25. v. 11.like apples of gold, in ſtudds of ſilver; and all this is cloſed and crowned, Pſal 46. v. 8.with a day of publique thankeſgiving. Let us adde thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt, Come, behold the works of the Lord, what deſolations he hath made in the earth. In other Kingdomes deſolations: ver. 9.but in ours, He maketh warres to ceaſe, he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the speare in ſunder, ver. 11.he burneth the Chariot in the fire. The Lord of hoſts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah.
Thirdly, There is the Act of Oblivion, a dramme of Lethe, to cloſe up all, that ſo all Acts and Monuments of hoſtility, may be buried in everlaſting forgetfullneſſe.
2. Addition or meſſe of Deliverance (already ſerved in unto us) is that Declaration of the Commons in Parliament laſt September, containing theſe foure heads.
1. For removing the Communion table, taking away the Railes, levelling of Chancells, &c. 2. For aboliſhing of Crucifixes, Scandalous pictures of Perſons of the Trinity, Images of the Virgin, taking away of Tapers, Candleſtickes, Baſons, &c. 3. Againſt Corporall bowing, both at the name (Jeſus) and towards the East. 4. For Sanctification of the Sabbath, &c. I am forced by the generall neglect and contempt of this Declaration to make it my next Addition, though it be in time one of the laſt. I have but two things breefely to ſhew in this poynt.
1. Gods great goodneſſe to us, in granting ſuch an Order.
2. Our vile and baſe unthankfulneſſe ſhewed to him, in the entertainement thereof.
Firſt, this Declaration was a great mercy: for ſome of the things there to be removed, were a part of our late Innovations, they have bin ſome of the rocks and ſands, which have wracked multitudes of our conſcientious and powerfull Miniſters. In ſhort, are they not (at leaſt ſome of them) maine grounds of Papiſts hopes, and other Proteſtants deſpaires, touching communion with us? and yet lo, now (by this Declaration) a price is put into our hands, to remove this rocke, and to take away theſe ſands, to cauſe other reformed Churches to hope, and the Romiſh to deſpaire, of our returne towards them, and is not this a precious advantage? a wonderfull favour? eſpecially if we conſider how ſtrongly thoſe ſuperfluities of our Religion were back'd of late. Why, they were the riſing Ceremonies, the very roade to preferment from ſome; he that could but fill his hands, yea his Church, with theſe, was by them made a Prieſt of the High places: and now to have ſuch things aboliſhed and downed by Authority from Parliament, yea, to have but free permiſſion from all the Commonalty of the Kingdome to doe it, I ſay, 'tis a thing which for a while ſince was incredible.
2. But now how is this golden opportunity improved? Brethren, it doth even ſicken my body, and ſadden my ſpirit, to obſerve how dully, nay how contemptuouſly this mercy of God, and goodneſſe of that Honourable Houſe is entertained amongſt us, amongſt us I ſay againe. Some godly forward Pariſhes indeed there are in this place; but I ſpeake onelyonly of the guilty. Hath the Lord placed this City in the midſt of our County, as a Beacon upon an hill, yea, as the Center, heart and head of the Weſt, and ſhall this beacon not blaze by it's example, in every part, when there is holy, loyall, refining fire put into it, by ſo great Authority? nay, ſhall this heart and head of the Weſt (in great part) convay nothing but dullneſſe and drowſineſſe to that whole body? In a word, are we the Redeemed people, the Mayden City, faithfull for ever to our King, and doe many of us now thus requite the Lord that preſerved us? Are, or can they be thus unthankefull to the King of Kings, in this great truſt and ſervice? Oh let all whom this concernes immediately, and all others who may have any hand in it more remotely, let them all take home theſe words of a grieved Miniſter, with ſhame and ſorrow, yea let them goe home and ſinne no longer.
But you will ſay, you muſt firſt anſwer our doubts and Objections, before you preſſe thus vehemently upon our conſciences and affections; and theſe our Objections are many.
1. Obiect. 1 Is, touching the Authority of this Declaration, it came not (ſay they) from both Houſes, and therefore is no conſtrayning Law?
I anſwer ſeverally to both parts of the Obiection.
Firſt, Anſw. 1 Suppoſe that it came not from both Houſes, yet 1. Ye need not doubt but that there is Authority in it ſufficient, to beare out every man in the exact execution of that Order againſt any one that ſhall oppoſe him: and the truth of this Anſwer I beleeve the vileſt caviller durſt not to queſtion. 2. The Houſe of Commons (which ſome doe ignorantly or baſely nick-name the Lower-Houſe) they are our ſelves, we in them (in this ſence) and they in us: ſo that we may ſay touching this ſelf-neſſe, as the Tribe of Judah ſaid to David, they are (as it were) neere of kinne to us, I meane, that as our Votes were in their Elections: ſo 'tis fit that our Wills ſhould be bound up in their Injunctions and Declarations. 3. And where is he that durſt to ſow a jealous or evill ſurmiſe of diſagreement betwixt the two Houſes of Parliament, concerning their Injunctions?
To that other clauſe, Anſw. 2 that denyeth this Declaration to have any Conſtraining power. I anſwer,
Firſt, And is it come to that now, that we doe need force and conſtraint to make us reforme things amiſſe? I had thought for a yeere agoe, that bare permiſſion and liberty to remove ſuch things as theſe, would have beene a ſufficient inducement unto us all. Little, little, did I then dreame that Proteſtants, would have needed compulſion to ſuch a reforming worke as this. 2. But however, know this, ye that ſlight this Declaration, as an Arrow without an head, know (I ſay) that ye are like to feele a penalty for your neglect. You which are reſolved (it ſeemes) to try the power and authority of that Honourable Aſſembly, and will needs ſee what they can doe: let me warne you, that there may be ſuch a ſting in the end of this your contempt, upon Certificate thereof, as may pierce thorow your beloved eſtates, even in this world, beſides that other ſting of Conſcience which may for ever goare you in another world, for ſcorning ſuch an opportunity of Reformation.
Scruples of Conſcience are pretended. Obiect. 2 We ſtick in Conſcience (ſay they) concerning ſome of theſe particulars, whether it be lawfull and fit by Gods word to aboliſh them?
And have you more wiſedome to judge of ſuch Scruples or more Conſcience to ſticke at them, then hath that great, Anſw. 1 grave, religious Aſſembly, which have enjoyned this abolition? or then all the reformed Churches in the world, which have long ſince aboliſhed thoſe remainders as Superstitious and Popiſh? 'Tis well, if that Conſcience of yours doth alſo ſtick at other things which are notoriouſly abhominable, doe you alſo ſticke at oathes, at Sabbath breaking, and at Uſury? 'tis well if you doe. But (my Brethren) commonly theſe mens Conſciences are true taper-wax (as we ſay) that is, if they are ſmall and ſtraight at this end, then ordinarily they are very broad at the other end.
But to deſcend to particulars. Anſw. 2 Where is it I pray you that your Conſciences doe ſtick ſo tenderly? what,
1. Is it at removing the Communion Table, taking away the Railes, and Levelling the Chancells, &c. All theſe things are but Innovations and Superſtitious attendants of tran- and conſubſtantiation, of which I could ſhew you the whole pedigree: but this in ſhort, and to our purpoſe. Firſt, forſcoth, the Chancells muſt be ſeparated from the body of the Church, and ſo be made a More holy place, for the ſeating and burialls of more ſacred perſons, for the Clergy only. Next, the Table was brought up to them, as belonging moſt properly to the Prieſts. Then, let them alone for Mounting, Altaring, Railing, Crucifixes, Bowing, and at laſt there is made up a Sacrifice, to ſort with the Prieſt and the Altar. And doe your conſciences ſcruple to remove theſe things?
2. Or is it at taking away of Crucifixes, ſcandalous pictures, &c. Of Tapers, Candleſticks, Baſons, that you ſtick? Theſe are attendants and promoters of the Maſſe, they are againſt the Second Commandement, and are aboliſhed in other reformed Churches.
3. Or cannot you find in your Conſciences to forbeare bowing, what, towards the Eaſt? I anſwer, that is Will-worſhip forbidden in the ſecond Commandement, and it is too well like unto that which is called the greater abhomination by God to Ezekiel. Ezek. 8.15, 16Or what elſe? is it corporall bowing at the name [Jeſus?] Yes, here is the Scruple. And why? becauſe forſooth the Scripture commands it that at the name of (Jeſus) every knee ſhould bow, Phil 2.10.&c. I anſwer the Text from the Text: for in that verſe (as they reade it) I find a Miſ-Engliſhing, a Miſ-ſencing, and an Abſurdity. 1. A Miſ-Engliſhing: for how comes the word [foreign] in the Originall, to be tranſlated [at?] whereas it doth properly ſignifie [in] and is ſo rendred in other places. But you will ſay [in] and [at] are both one? Then 'tis both one to ſay in that place of Mathew Lord, Mat. 7. v. 22.Lord, have we not propheſied [at] thy name, and [at] thy name caſt out Divels, &c. 2. There is a Miſ-Sencing of that word [name,] the name of Jeſus: for who knowes not that in Scripture by the names of God, or of any perſon of the Trinity, is commonly meant their eſſence. Brethren, you can all ſay the Lords prayer, what is meant there by hallowing of Gods [name?] You can alſo ſay the Ten Commandements, what is meant in the third, by taking Gods [name] in vaine? But 3. There is alſo an Abſurdity, in their reading of that verſe of S. Paul: for what knees have Angels (good and evill?) how can Birds, Beaſts and Fiſhes, bow the knee corporally? And therefore ſome of the wiſeſt of that tribe of Word-worſhippers, have given over this text as improper for their purpoſe, and doe fly to an ancient and laudible cuſtome to hold by? To which I anſwer, 1. Antiquity without verity is but an inveterate error. 2. And this being but a humane invention, how can it be true, and pure worſhip? That's enough to ſatisfy your Conſciences. And now the ſame ſtaffe is in my hand, yea, let me preſſe it upon your Conſciences (if they are ſo tender) and charge you to give over your unwarrantable, deviſed and partiall worſhip of God. I call it partiall, both becauſe it ſeemes to give more honour to the ſecond Perſon then to the reſt, and in the ſecond Perſon it beſtowes more worſhip upon one name of his then upon another. Thus (as I conceive) all colourable Objections and Pretences are quite blowne off. But now, are theſe orders obeyed? is all this done? No, but this Order, though according to the expreſſe Word of God, though comming from ſo Honourable and Bleſſed a Court, though preſſed ſo earneſtly with Reaſons and Scripture by our faithfull Paſtours, yet this Order (I ſay ſtill) is neglected, in moſt Churches wholly, in others partially, even in deſpight of God, Governours and Miniſters. The Pictures in the windows, do ſtill out-face us in our Pulpits. The Railes or Tables, ſtand as they did, and the bowings are continued. Is this our requitall to the Lord for late Deliverances? Is this our forwardneſſe to Reformation ſo long deſired? What? hath God stopped ſo many bloody iſſues? hath he remooved ſo many Aegyptian plagues? Hath he prevented ſo much Treaſon in both Kingdomes? and is this our fruit, our Requitall for all theſe wonders? Cannot we yet finde in our hearts to pull down a ſcandalous Puppet, to breake an Idoll, or to give over a ſuperſtition for his ſake, yea, and that even then when we have Authority on our ſide? O ſtubborne, ingratefull, uncapable Nation, a people I had almoſt ſaid incurable! Sure I am that many amongſt us doe hate to be reformed. What can I ſay more, but only to ſly and cry to the Lord for his pardon and aſſiſtance? O thou the juſt and jealous God that viſiteſt the iniquities of Idolatrous Parents upon their children to the third and fourth generations, pardon this great ſinne unto us, and our poſterity, and lay it not to our charge in the day when thou ſhalt viſit our ſinnes upon us, neither let it hinder good things from us, &c. Brethren, let me ſpeake freely, there is not any one thing that doth make me ſo much to feare what will be the iſſue of the preſent good worke of mercy, and to doubt leaſt this faire weather may be over-caſt againe with bloudy ſhowers, then doth this Epidemicall generall backwardneſſe, to take the opportunities and execute the Orders which are ſent downe for Reformation. Turn we ſadly to that place of Ezekiell. Eze 24, 12, 13, 14.She hath wearied her ſelfe with lies, and her great ſcum went not forth out of her: Her ſcum ſhall be in the fire. In thy filthineſſe is lewdneſſe, becauſe J have purged thee and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſſe any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it, it ſhall come to paſſe, and I will do it, I will not goe backe, neither will I spare, neither will I repent. Let me apply theſe words to the preſent times, yea to this Kingdome, Country, City, in reſpect of divers Pariſhes and perſons, Becauſe I have purged thee and thou waſt not purged, that is, I have offered unto thee (may the Lord ſay) many faire, lawfull Opportunities and Advantages of Reforming, As 1. I have given thee liberty and incouragement to enter into a ſacred Obligation and Proteſtation againſt Popery, but thou haſt not accepted it in one Pariſh of twenty through the Ringdom. 2. I have given thee an Order for due Obſervation of the Sabbath, but generally thou haſt not ſpread nor read it. 3. I have ſent to thee a Declaration, in which I gave thee authority to take downe Crucifixes, &c. but there they ſtand to this day. Thus thou waſt not purged. And therfore (may God ſay) Now thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſſe any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee. Go drinke and be drunken, and ſpue and fall and riſe no more. Go take your bellies full of Images and Altars, and Cringings, and Maſſe and all. Let your beloved nest-eggs hatch and bring forth Cockatriſes, let your darling relicts and decoi-ducks bring in the whole ſwarm and flock of Idols and Idolathites after them. Farewell England, incorrigible England. And now let me goe try the naked Indians and barbarous Blackamoores, whether or no they will prove ſo rebellious as thou, after ſo much meanes, goodneſſe and patience. So much touching the Declaration.
And thus by my largeneſſe in theſe two Branches of Additions, you may gueſſe how much time all the reſt of theſe, twiſe ten particulars might take up; but I muſt therfore contract my very contractions, and am reſolved to do with the reſt, as they uſe to doe at your ſumptuous over-flowing Feaſts and Banquets, they put two Pheſants in a diſh, and doe ſerve in double ſweet-meats for every gueſt: So ſhall I ſerve in the reſt of theſe Additions, even by cluſters, by pairs and couples, and thoſe very ſuccinctly too. We have had one paire already, viz. 1. The Act for confirmation of the Treaty, &c. 2. The late Declaration.
2d. Paire let be thoſe two Acts of Parliament concerning Parliaments.
1. One for a Trienniall Parliament. 2. The other for the Continuance of the preſent Parliament. Theſe two mercies are too good and great, to be ſerved in, in one diſh, and yet thus I am forced to contract. Brethren, the former of theſe [A Trienniall Parliament] I do look upon it as the poole of Betheſda; There an Angell came downe at a certaine ſeaſon, Joh. 5. v. 4.and made the waters compleatly medicinall; ſo here is a certaine ſeaſon appointed (by that Act) for the cure of all our Nationall diſcaſes. But I may compare the latter Act (for the Continuation of the preſent Parliament) to that bleſſed Oyle and Meale of the periſhing Widow, which out-laſted all the time of the famin. 1 Kin. 17. v. 14Or unto the multiplied Oyle of that other poore indebted widow, which continued running till all her Ʋeſſels were filled, 2 Kin. 4.4, 5, 6.her debts payd, and enough remaining to ſuſtaine her ſelfe and children. But the dulleſt Vulgar doth conceive this [Paire] to be a great mercy, Pro. 11.14. Pro. 15.22. Pro 24.6.yea even thoſe which are inſenſible of ſpirituall favours: I ſhall therfore conclude it with the words of the wiſe King, Where no counſell is the people fall; but in the multitude of counſellers there is ſafety. Yea again and againe he ſaith it.
3d. Paire (of Additions) are thoſe other two Acts, which have taken away that Pair of Arbitrary Courts, namely
1. The Starr-Chamber, and 2. Next, the High-Commiſſion. With the taking away of the former, another mighty Court is regulated, and with the fall of the latter, all Conſiſtories, like leſſer neighbouring trees, or ſhrubbs are broken downe under it, ſo farre (it ſeems) as doth concerne their maine Coercive power: ſo that this paire is a twin of twins, foure in two. Brethren, this is ſuch a mercy, as that for ſome months ſince, we durſt not for our Eares to have wiſhed publikely for it, and I thinke, ſome godly perſons amongſt us had not the courage (at leaſt they had not the thought) as to begge theſe great things in their very prayers: but now they are freely caſt in upon them, unbought, unſought and unthought.
(Fourth Paire ſhall be thoſe other Acts.)
1. Againſt vexatious Knighthood, and 2. Ship-mony.
A paire of Grievances, which did diſtreſſe and compaſſe us both by Sea and Land, as well in our merchandize as husbandry. Brethren, we were generally ſenſible of theſe preſſures, and yet perhaps all our ſufferings under them hitherto, might have bin but the beginnings of ſorrow in compariſon of that which did remaine. O let us then be as generally ſenſible of their perpetuall Removals.
Fifth Paire or Meſſe would be two Statutes which are more speciall for ſome particular Counties and places above the reſt.
The 1. of them for Certainty and Bounds of Forrests.
This is as welcome to divers other Shires, as the 2. Next againſt Stannery Incroachments and Oppreſſions, is well pleaſing to us, and our *Cornwall.Weſterne Neighbour County. You know Brethren (and have felt it) how of late eſpecially, Iſa. 1.22.Our Weſterne ſilver (to borrow the words of the Prophet) was become tinne, ver. 25, 26.and our wine was mixed with water. But now it hath pleaſed God by theſe Statutes, to purge away our droſſe; and to take away our tinne, to reſtore our Judges as at the firſt, and our Counſellours, as at the beginning. And thus you have the firſt five Paires of Additions, all of them (excepting one) are Statutes enacted.
Sixth Paire are,
1. That bleſſed (though neglected) Proteſtation, and 2. The Order for due Obſerving of the Sabbath.
Theſe are a golden paire indeed, and were they ſo well executed, as they are wiſely and piouſly ordained, doubtleſſe they might proove unto us ſome of the chiefeſt maſter-pieces amongſt our late bleſſings. I ſhall conclude touching theſe, with the Word of the Lord to Iſrael, when they had good Commandements and ſpake good words of them, but did not act and practiſe, Deut. 5.29.O that there were ſuch an heart (in this people) that they would feare me and keepe all my Commandements alwayes, that it might be well with them and with their children for ever. But 'tis a Proverbe upon the Engliſh Law, and we may apply it to our Law-makers in this caſe, that They have good Wills, but bad Executors, the meaning is, that the will of the Law is juſt and good, but the Executioners of it are dul and evill: So here, the Will and intention of that Honourable Houſe of Commons in publiſhing theſe Orders was good and holy, but many Executors or Executioners of them in the Country are very bad, yea, moſt ingratefull.
(Seventh Paire.)
Adde next to theſe, that paire of Orders old and new.
1. One long ſince, for informing againſt ſcandalous and inſufficient Miniſters. Yet not ſo long ſince neither, but that (me thinkes) many mens hearts ſhould yet continue aking, for their bloudy cowardiſe, negligence and unfaithfull dealing in that buſineſſe. 2. The other very lately, it was for ſetting up of Lectures in every Pariſh in England and Wales, Theſe two opportunities put together, might have made up a compleate ſpirituall Nationall mercy. For this indeed is the right end to begin at. 'tis one hinge of Reformation, and of all the reſt of our bleſſings. Pſal. 81.13. ver. 16.The Lord might ſay to us concerning this paire, as he doth to Jſrael in that Pſalme, O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Iſrael had walked in my ways! I ſhould then have fed them with the fineſt of the wheat; and with hony out of the Rocke ſhould I have ſatisfied them.
(Eighth Paire are Proclamations.)
1. For the Baniſhment of Prieſts and Ieſuites, and 2. For the Diſarming of Papists. O what a double ſtabbe were theſe (if well ſet home) to all the Popiſh Faction in England? This would be a two-fold diſ-arming to them, even a ſpirituall and a corporall; yea it might have brought them to ſuch a ſtrait, 1 Sam. 13.6. ver. 19, 10, 21.as Iſrael was brought into by the Philiſtins, when both their Smiths and their weapons were taken from them. But theſe [Wills] too have had bad Executors or Executioners (as it ſeemes) and therefore here againe I might take up thoſe other verſes of the fore-cited Pſalme, Heare ô my people, and I will teſtifie unto thee: Pſ. 81.8. ver. 14, 15.O Iſrael if thou wilt hearken unto me, I ſhould ſoone have ſubdued their enemies, and turned my hand againſt their adverſaries. The haters of the Lord ſhould have ſubmitted themſelves unto him, but their time ſhould have endured for ever.
For the ninth Paire, let us joyne together,
1. The downing of ſo many Monopolies by Proclamation, as they came up, and 2. The Command for a publike Thankeſgiving; in which all Miniſters were required to publiſh to their people, the loyalty, integrity and faithfullneſſe of our Brethren of Scotland, and that all Declarations, Proclamations, Acts, Books, Libels and Pamphlets made againſt them ſhould be ſuppreſſed. Who durſt for feare of his life to have prophecied ſuch a thing for a yeare or two agoe? Nay, what Miniſter ſoever at that time ſhould have ſpoken but a charitable word in publike of that people, and of their proceedings, he might have met with enough Captaines, which would have bin ready to deale with him, as Captain Irijah dealt with Jeremiah, He tooke Jeremiah the Prophet, Jer. 37.13.ſaying, thou falleſt away to the Chaldeans. Then Jeremiah ſaid, it is falſe, But he hearkened not to him, but brought him to the Princes: ver. 14. ver. 15. ver. 16.Wherefore the Princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and ſmote him, and put him in priſon, and caſt him into the Dungeon. Then was not this a choyce Addition of mercy? But now how groſſely this day of Thankeſgiving hath bin neglected, we doe all know: But let this ſatisfie to be ſaid of thoſe neglecters, their forwardneſſe to the warre may be ſufficiently ſeen, by their backwardneſſe to give thanks for this bleſſed peace.
(Tenth Paire ſinally muſt be,)
1. The Returne and Releaſe of our innocent ſufferers, and 2. Inſtead of them, the ſlight and puniſhment of the guilty. O the exact and wonderfull Juſtice of the Almighty! To ſee poor men which were adjudged to ſevere ſufferings and perpetuall exile, yet fetcht home againe and releaſed by publike Votes and Acclamations. Nay, and (which doubles the wonder) then, to ſee ſome of their Cenſurers to become Priſoners and exiles in their roome. But I am too narrow in ſpeaking of perſons only, here is the wonder of Miracles, to ſee a whole Nation baniſhed at once, and yet (at laſt) publiſhed loyall and dutifull, in that other Nation whence they were baniſhed, while their enemies (meane time) are fame to fly, lye and dye as traiterous Incendiaries. I ſhall cloſe up this point, and ſo the whole double decad with that Proverbe of Salomon, Pro. 21.18.The wicked ſhall be a ranſome for the Righteous, and the tranſgreſſor for the Ʋpright. So much be ſpoken concerning Additions.