Three Kingdoms Made One by Covenant, Tract

Three Kingdoms Made One by Covenant · Tract

p. 1I Am come now to a full point, the concluſion of the buſineſſe, The entring into Covenant with God; That is the period, the main point indeed. I will tell thee in the intrance what it is; I. I.The great and higheſt worke; That which will maintain the Militia of a Kingdom fully; It will ſet it in a Poſture for War, or againſt it, the ſtrength of Battell, even ſo ſafe as it ſhall laugh to ſcorn all the fury of the oppreſſor, and aske, Where is it? it will make a Kingdom like a wall of braſſe; and render the blaſt of the terrible ones, of no more force or account againſt it, then is a puffe of wind againſt the perpetuall hils, and everlaſting mountains; For this worke is an engaging the heart of a Kingdom altogether, as one Man unto one God; The I refreſting, Intitling Him to the Kingdome, the giving up the government of it into Gods hands, the willing reſigning this government up, and leaving of it where it is, and muſt be when all is done, upon the Lords ſhoulders, ſo as it ſhall be now called, The Lords Kingdom, and the people there, the Lords People, the gates and barre; there, (I mean all the fenced places, all the Ammunition, all the Battlements there) the Lords gates, the Lords Battlements; Not the Kings Forts now, [though there ſhall be no diminution to Hi-Rights and Royalties, His Kingly Power and Authority, which God had given into his hands, No diminution at all, not one jot or tittle is taken thence, Caeſar muſt have his due given him, enough by Gods allowance, but then no more for God is God of gods and Lord of Lords, the High and Supream Lord ſtill, and his Law the ſupream power ſtill; and this is the glory of a King on earth, to be ſubordinate to the King of Heaven, and a p. 2a willing Subject to His Law] I was ſaying, not the Kings Kingdom now, nor the people, properly, the Kings people now, nor their own; nor the Forts and Battlements there, all theſe Fortifications there, not the Kings now, but the Lords Kingdom now; the Lords people now; the Lords Battlements now. It is juſt ſo; for if the King will do as we ſhall ſee anon, the Kingdom has done, give himſelf unto the Lord (which is the prayer of all His good and faithfull people) then the King will not be his own neither, but the Lords, a willing Subject to Him, who is King of Kings; he ſits King in the Lords Throne, ſtands charged by the oath of God, to rule His people (Gods people) with equity; and His poor (Gods poor) with judgement, 2 Chron. 8 9. Pſal. 72 82 Chr 8:9Ps 72:8doing all ſtill in ſubordination to the Supreme Law, and in reference to the Law Book.

I was ſaying (but I was interrupted, willing to tell the Reader, as ſhortly as I could, what this Covenanting is) that now we are come to the great work and buſines of the time, with much ado and great trouble, through the heat of the day, we are come up to this buſineſſe now at the laſt, The entering Covenant with God, an endevour, at leaſt, to bring three Kingdomes up unto it to engage them to be the Lords Kingdom; the ſumme and upſhot of the buſineſſe, the fruit and reſult of all our Faſting, Praying, Preaching; the end and iſſue of all this is, but to make a People, a People of willingneſſes, a willing People to this Work of Covenanting with the Lord, that they will be Pſal 110.Ps 110the Lords People.

II. II,A wonderfull thing, that ſith this is all, to enter Covenant with the Lord, that we will be no more our own, but His People, we ſhould be ſo hardly drawn to the Work, ſo backward to it! I ſay again, a wonderfull thing! O ye heavens! be aſtoniſhed at this, the Lord has brought up Rebellious children indeed. Take the ſons of Belial this once for an example; theſe ſons all the world over, how willing are they to make a League, and Covenant, with their Adverſary the Devill; Sin, Death, and Hell. And Iſrael, His people draw back, will not hear the joyful ſound, will not enter Covenant with the Lord. O ye heavens! are ye not aſtoniſhed at this? See again, how theſe children of diſobedience, and ſons of Perdition, how theſe Aſſociate, and knit themſelves together, fully reſolved to their power, to breake the bands of the Lord, and caſt away his cords, and then to root out His people, that their name may be no more upon the earth Thus theſe Children do; Earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of the Lord, ſhall not his people do as much for their God and His Cauſe, as the wicked do for the Devill their Maſter, and to maintain his worſhip, and their Idols? yet how hardly are the ſons and daughters of God drawn to do, contrary to theſe ſons of Belial, To lay their ſouls under Sacred bands, To bind themſelves with the cords of God, His Lawe, His Statutes, His Judgements.

III. III.It is very remarkable, and ſure we will ſet a marke upon it by the way, how the Lord has forced His People, has uſed a kind of violence to bring up His people to this Covenanting Work. The Lord ſuffered the Adverſary p. 3to buffit His People into Covenant with Him. The Lord ſuffered the foot of Pride to prevail very much, even to a ſetting-under, and trampling upon the heads of the Righteous, as Myre in the Street: Thus The Lord ſuffered it to be, That His People might ſtir-up themſelves; Proteſt to ſerve God better, and avouch Him for their God. And ſo His People did. But here was much of ſelf in this Work; ſelf ends, and ſelf reſpects. They groaned under grievous Task-maſters: The Proud man had ſet his right foot upon the Church, and his left foot upon the Common wealth, and ſwore he would take away their Birth-right from both, Their Laws, Rights, Liberties; 1 Pet. 1. 19.1 Pet 1:19foreign the Inheritance of their Fathers: But theſe outward Liberties, the ſetting the foot upon theſe. This pinched indeed, this cruſhed to the heart; and this was the main Inforcement with the greateſt part, To enter into a Proteſtation, I ſay, that ſwayed moſt with the moſt. Well, God heard their groans notwithſtanding, pittied His People, and took off that head, which conſulted againſt His hidden ones; and withered that hand, and foot, which ſet ſo hard upon the Necks of the Righteous. But as is ſaid of the King, he never dies; So of the Churches Adverſary, he is ſtill lively and ſtrong, and a Legion he is; for many there are, who hate the Church here; And then he was more mad with rage; then the Nations were indeed angry; So the Adverſary and Enemy plotted, and plotted: Here he layed a ſnare, and there a ſnare; The Lord brake the ſnares ſtill; For He had a reſpect to their Proteſtation, That His People ſeemed willing to avouch Him for their God; And from that very day aaSee Thank …ſſ…. p. 85.The Lord bleſſed His People, made them ſtrong to do exploits, from that day; But from that day the Adverſary was more lively, and active, as was ſaid, to do miſchief: So they traverſed this way, and that way, Till at laſt they brought about a moſt bloody Deſigne. What was that? To cut and ſlay not a few; To deſtroy a Mother City in Iſrael, even her, Who maintains a great Family; is the great Houſe-keeper under God, The great Hoſteſſe in our Land, that forgets not to entertain ſtrangers, To welcome the out-caſts and abjects, thoſe that are thrown-out of Cities, and Towns all over the Land, as Perſons, or things of no worth there bb2 Cor. 4. foreign. Heb 13 1.2 Cor 4Heb 13:1: But the world is not worthy of them. Theſe this Hoſteſſe do's entertain, ſhe is not forgetfull: This Mother City was in deſigne to have been deſtroyed, even this City▪ and with her, all the faithfull there, and every where, that had an hand with David: Indeed, and indeed, had the Adverſary had his will, they had deſtroyed this City, and all with David, all throughout the Land, from corner to corner. What then? Then we entred into Covenant. It was high time; And doubtleſſe the hearts of the upright, were upright, touching that matter? But we, we common People, did not Covenant To ſearch every man his own heart, for the finding and caſting out the accurſed thing therein; And thoſe, who, as alwayes they have done, made void the Laws of God and man. We came not up fully unto that Work; Nay, let me take the boldneſſe for to ſay, ſith I ſpeak in the preſence of God, and by His p. 4grace will waigh and conſider what I ſay, and I will propoſe it by way of doubt or Propoſition, onelyonly thus; Was not that Covenanting too Selviſh? I mean, did not the Subjects Rights and Priviledges, take up too much Roomth there? I will not ſay it did, for, was there not a Cauſe? That the Worthies, ſhould do as they did? Yet this I may ſay.

III. IIII.There was not that Spiritually in the buſineſſe, as God requires; The Worthies, all of them, did not (till now) riſe to that height of Soul, touching The Lords matters in His worſhip: The main and chief buſineſſe did not ſeem to be, the Cauſe of God, Religion, The Faith, The great Truſt of the Kingdom▪ The maintaining the Rights and Liberties of the Goſpel, and then of the Church, againſt thoſe Uſurpers, That had taken theſe Liberties quite away, (pleading their Right from Heaven, the while they ſet the Church under foot) Againſt ſuch Oppoſers, mighty Adverſaries, who have let hitherto, and will let till they be removed, and taken quite away: The Covenant did not deſcend to this Bottome, to this Root (even that diſcent To the Root, argues an height of zeal too) the eradicating, or rooting-out of that curſed train, the Pope, and his Biſhops. Nor did that Covenant expreſſe a Love, or a Care ſo diffuſive, ſo ſpreading toward their Siſter Churches of Scotland and Ireland, (as it ſhould have done) when yet they knew (but the preſent diſtractions and care to ſave themſelves clouded them a little) ſailed in the ſame Ship with them, were involved in the ſame dangers from thoſe floods of great Waters, quite covering the Ship of the Church in the ſame Tempeſt, even Scotland too. Much more might be ſaid, I will ſay but this, The Lords thoughts are good and gratious toward His People; He will bring His People up to Him, fully and indeed. And what way takes The Lord? He ſuffers the Adverſary to blunder on his own way▪ gives him, as the Adverſary calls it▪ Succeſſe in his way, and, as he will have it called, a Victory; The Lord delivers up His Cities, ſome of them, into the Enemies hand; then ſuffers the Adverſary; gives their Tongue power to move, and to blaſpheme His Holy Name: The Adverſary in his pride, and height of blaſphemy, asked a poor People; Where is now your God? What is become of your Praying, and Faſting, and Preaching. What of all that? O wretches! Divels, I had almoſt ſaid, What is become of all this! Look you here, and if you can conſider, conſider, for it is Higgaion Selah, a matter ſeriouſly to be thought upon; That the Pe…le of God have prayed and praiſed (Prayer and praiſe ſtill go together) and faſted Pſal 9 16.Ps 9:16and preached, Three Kingdoms into one: as ſanctiſied means, theſe have brought them into Covenant with their God, as it is at this day: At that very time when the Adverſary ſo blaſphemed, at that point of time, Scotland had great thoughts of heart for England, and England for Scotland; both for Ireland. So they entered into a League, knit themſelves together, all as one, To &c. For there is enough ſaid, touching the matter and manner ccThe ſubject of a ſhort Treatiſeof that ſolemnity, though I had ſaid nothing. I ſhall enquire now into theſe things, and demonſtratively ſhew, firſt.

p. 5I. I.The neceſſity of taking this way of Covenanting with God; It is the Sacra Anchora the onelyonly remedy, to ſave the Ship of the Church. How is that done? (For ſave the Ship and ſave all) By maintaining the Rights and Priviledges of the Goſpel; or to ſpeak in the vulgar and common ſpeech, To maintain the Proteſtant Religion: No way to do this, but To Covenant with The Lord ſo to do; there is a neceſſity then.

A. No, no Neceſſity at all, nor cauſe why this ſhould be the Kingdoms care, for it is the Kings care.

B A poor ſpeech, I will not ſay ſimple. Is any one man ſufficient for that care? Or dare any man ſay, he is compitent for ſuch a care? The care of all the Churches lay upon Paul; God fitted him for it, and Paul was not alone, he had, and would have, many helpers. The care of three Kingdoms is more and more waighty.

A. True, nor is the King alone; as he tells us, The maintenance of the true Religion, is his care, and he vows to diſcharge that care.

B. Very well! But I wiſh from my heart, That His Majeſty, had not vowed ſo much for the Church: And more from my ſoul, if more can be, That he had not done ſo much againſt her.

A. His zeal is pardonable, and his care pious and conſcientious; he is carefull to diſcharge his care, as was ſaid; and he knows how to do it well enough: His Majeſty has Noble Inſtruments about Him, helpers to him in the full diſcharge of that great Truſt and care.

B. By your leave Sir, Ile take it; yet, by the help of God, and His Law, I will keep my ſelf within the Bounds of Chriſtian Prudence, and ſay, The vile Councellors have ſet the King in a worſe way, then ever Jeroboam (who made Iſrael ſin) proſecuted: For Jeroboam took a good way to a curſed end: and that is ſtrange, yet not ſo ſtrange as true: I ſay, good, by allowance of the Spirit, who calls Achitophels Counſell good dd2 Sam. 17. 14.2 Sam 17:14, though tending to a curſed end. A good way Jeroboam went, plain and direct, neither he, nor the People could be deceived in it: The full purpoſe of his heart was to ſet up a Calviſh worſhip, which yet he might call true (for I think no man embraceth falſhood under that …otion) though clean croſſe and contrary to that worſhip inſtituted, and commanded by God Himſelf at Jeruſalem: I ſay, he ſet up a Calviſh Religion, and he ſayes ſo too; That was well, ſay ſo, and do ſo; And the good way he took, plain, and direct; For all that he did, had a direct tendency thereunto, to his main ſcope in the ſight of all the People.

Therefore what did he? He appointed Calviſh (brutiſh) Prieſts; ſuch a ſervice, ſuch Prieſts; Theſe agreed as the Ma…e…lips and Lettice: A good way this ſtill, no turnings of the old Serpent in it, but direct and ſtraight. But had Jeroboam then profeſſed in words, To maintain the worſhip of God commanded at Jeruſalem, while yet he did, as he did, ſet his eye againſt the Prieſts of the Lord; ſpied them out and ſpurned them out throughout all his Towns and Cities; which he did with that violence and eagerneſſe, p. 6That thoſe Prieſts, if you marke the ſtory, came by companies to Jeruſalem, perſecuted by Jeroboam out of their places, where he had Command, or ſpoyled there, had I ſay, Jeroboam profeſſed with his mouth all this time, while he perſecuted with his hand; To maintain the true worſhip of God, then every child would have laughed at him: and the ſoberman, who knowes what it is to mock God (but God is not mocked) would have wept heartily. Ah Lord would the true Iſraelite have ſaid, what? profeſſe the true worſhip as at Jeruſalem, and ſet up Calves at Dan and Bethel! Ah Lord? Indeed the true Iſraelite would have ſo wept, ſo mourned! and let him do ſo ſtill, as he ſees cauſe; for whatever we judge of the King (the Lord He is Judge between him and us) we do know his helpers, what maintainers they are of Religion; what Lawleſſe men will do for our lawes: children of Belial with our ſacred Coards, and Bands; and what Papiſts will do touching the Rights and Priviledges of the Church and Goſpel. For at this time we will not mention the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament, though of good account with us, yet of no account to the Pearle in the Goſpel, that is the Goſpel, and at the ſtake now, have at it, and all at once, and then loſe that and loſe all.

A. The King cares for the Goſpel as well as you; and becauſe of this blood ſhed, his heart is grieved; he would ſtop that flood-gate, and haſtens as faſt as he can; he will have Peace with all men, and purſues it, witneſſe that Royall Act he has done in Ireland, therefore what needs there preparations, or Covenanting betwixt three Kingdomes?

B. A Royall Act! and what need of Covenanting! I proteſt I can ſcarce hold; but I will keep within my bounds with Gods help ſtill, and ſay and prove. The neceſſity holds ſtill and holds the ſtronger, & has all lawes of heaven and earth for ſo holding, but I will ſay this firſt, A wicked Counſellour has put his Majeſty upon an hard work, and he has been upon it all this while, how he may undeceive the people, now the work is done, and not till now, not ſo perfectly done as now; why now? Becauſe he has made a peace with Ireland, and now England is undeceived I hope.

A. Good Reaſon and Charity to boot ſo to do: for Ireland is quite waſted with the hurtfull ſword: and to give peace there argues a ſoulbleeding over the deſolations the ſword has made there, does it not?

B. No ſure, for he has made peace with thoſe—Monſters, I want a word to expreſſe their villanies, who have laid that land waſte; have murthered 100000. thouſand ſouls with a rage reaching to heaven; exerciſing ſuch Cruelties upon the bodies of men, women, children and ſucklings, ſuch cruelties as were never heard of or done, by the Ethenick or Heatheniſh. Rome, not the like to thoſe executions we now read of in the Tragedy of Ireland: His Majeſtie has made a peace with them, a league with them. Shall it ſtand? God has ſworn by his Holineſſe, it ſhall not ſtand. He will have warre with them, who have dealt ſo and ſo with His people: There is a Curſe pronounced againſt theſe murtherers too, which ſhall cleave unto p. 7them, and to their children after them, faſter then does the Ivy to the wall, becauſe they compaſſed about the righteous with words of hatred: and fought againſt him without a cauſe; Becauſe they remembred not to ſhew mercy, but perſecuted the poor and needy man; Pſal. 107. 3. 16, 17.Ps 107:3Ps 107:16Ps 107:17This, Curſe of the Lord upon the enemies of the Lord, it ſhall certainly purſue and overtake them. They loved Curſing, it ſhall come to them: They delighted not in bleſſing, it ſhall be farre from them: And peace ſhall be as far from them too, as far out of their reach, as it is from their hearts, or as is the higheſt ſtarre from their loweſt finger. We judge not the intentions of the King heere, we leave him to the Searcher of hearts, who judgeth Righteouſly. We are ſure, very ſure we know the intentions of theſe murtherers, their purpoſe is to band themſelves againſt the Church; The Church expected ſo much, and is provided for their comming; how well fortified ſhe is we ſhall here anon. Truly ſhe is not carefull touching that matter. But ſhe ſees the neceſſity of doing what ſhe has done, Of aſſcciating her ſons and daughters; kniting themſelves together all as one man to ſtand the firmer againſt the Common Adverſary.

A. You may thank your ſelves, if the Iriſh do come againſt you? You call in the Scots, why ſhould not the King call in the Iriſh?

B. I would as good reaſon could be given for every thing that is done, as will be given for this, and then we ſhould do and walk as men. Should not the people of God ſeek to their God; and for help from the people of God to come-in to help Gods Cauſe? And ſhould help be ſought from the Divell and his Inſtruments, the enemies of God, to help the King againſt God and againſt his good people? more to this anon. It is well now, whatever ſtrength comes againſt us, let it come: and if this Covenanting with God, has occaſioned more ſtirs (as doubtleſſe it has after the old manner) bleſſed be His Name. Whatever fals out in the world, it is not Chance, the Lord do's it, ſuffers it to be ſo, and He is The Lord; He do's all things well, It is the Lord, let Him do what is good in His ſight.

Here His people are; They muſt go Gods way, The way of His people; our defence and protection is from the Lord; it is not our care, it is His, with reverence be it ſpoken, let God look to that. His people are gathered together to do Him ſervice; The time was when at ſuch a time, when His people were ſo gathered together for that great purpoſe, then did not the Lord ſuffer a Dog to move his tongue againſt His people: none muſt do them hurt at that time, though all lay open to invaſion. He did reprove Exo. 34. 24Exod 34:24Kings for His Churches ſake. (Oh! the ſecurity of a people engaged upon Gods work!) Reader let us do our work; leave God to His; I will aſſure you we ſhall put it hard upon him anon. What is that? We ſhall, having done our duty, require of Him to maintain and protect His ſervants.

But yet before I take of my hand hence, I will ſay this and no more. That the King is liable to Gods reproofe; Thou haſt loved them that hate the Lord: and hated them that love the Lord: And now it is in my mind, I will p. 8ſhut up this with a Story out of Tacitus, how a brave Empereſſe takes up her Lord Tiberius the Emperour, and layes the groſſeſt, moſt palpable, pellucide, tranſparent hypocriſie to his charge, thus it was; Agrippiua comes to Tiberius to intercede with him in behalf of ſome of Auguſtus his kinred, againſt who he had put out a very rough hand: and ſhe finds him, to ſpeak in Engliſh, doing before Avguſtus his Tombe, as we have ſeen our Biſhops do before the Altars, bending and cringing there, and performing ſome other devotions, I know not what, to the ſacred memory and externall honour of Auguſtus, that diminitive god. The woman could not forbeare; out ſhee breaks, like a woman full of indignation, Shame upon thee, Tiberius, ſhame upon thee; what a notorious hypocrite art thou? what! ſeem to honour Auguſtus Non eſt ejuſdem macti… victimus Auguſti & poſterius …s inje….as a god, and abominate his friends and children as if they were Devils? O abominable! how miſtaken art thou? Thinkeſt thou to vail the eyes of the people ſo? then thou muſt put out their eyes, for bending with thy knee before thy god, will not bear out, not countenance the injuſtice of thy hand againſt Auguſtus children, No in good faith, Tiberius, it will not; And let me undeceive thee there, for thou canſt not by all this deceive the people Thou art but one perſon, Tiberius; Thou canſt not truly and really act two ſo different parts: It is not poſſible, notwithſtanding thy ſeeming devotions, truly to honour Auguſtus; and yet to perſecute his kinred. The vile Counſellours will not apply here, I will; yet I will make but two Suppoſitions, and two Poſitions, and then the uſe of all; The firſt Suppoſition [for qui ſupponit non ponit, Though I do think what I think, and know what I know, yet I ſay only] ſuppoſe That the King do's perſecute the Children of God. This ſuppoſition granted, this will be the Poſition, That all his devotions to God: all his proteſtations to man are null, and of none effect, as his Proclamations and Commiſſions have been, for he cannot worſhip before God and perſecute His Children.

2. Suppoſe That the King has made a peace the Iriſh, the moſt kankerd Adverſaries, That the Church has, or ever had, in the world; do but ſuppoſe it ſo, grant that Suppoſition; Then this is the Poſition; I tremble to put it down, but it is Truth; Then the King, what ever ſhewes are to the contrary, hateth God, and good men; That he do's, God, Angels, and Men are witneſſe hereunto; That being ſuppoſed, this muſt be granted in deſpight of the Devils in Hell, and his ſervants on Earth; That the King doing ſo, and ſo heartily for the Iriſh, he hates all true Engliſh and Scottiſh, all the faithfull in the world; He hates them all; as heartily as he loves the Iriſh; I muſt adde, he hates God too. Take both the Suppoſitions together now, and then the neceſſity followeth, which hath all Law with it; and that I will call the uſe, or inference from the premiſſes; If the King perſecute the …nred of God, then he cannot honour God: If his heart be towards the Iriſh, thoſe murtherers for good (as they call it:) then his eye is upon David and his helpers, all the faithfull in the world, for Evill, to do them all the miſchiefe they can. Then I hope all the faithfull in the world will make this uſe of it, and a vertue of neceſſity, To Aſſociate themſelves; p. 9To enter Covenant, To knit themſelves together all as one man, againſt the haters of the Lord, for they ſee the neceſſity of ſo doing, and they have the uſe; but all muſt be done orderly, according to Law and equity: for our neceſſity is not like the neceſſity of the Iriſh and Engliſh Monſters which has neither Law nor Reaſon; ours has both, and equity too, this fellowes, from clear demonſtration.

II. II.A reaſonable and moſt equitable thing it is, That we ſhould ſwear to maintain Religion; for the Adverſary ſwears to deſtroy Religion, and if he deſtroyes that, he deſtroyes all; All that the excellent of the world, account excellent. We ſwear to maintain Religion, then we ſwear to maintain all, for Religion is the Goſpel, Chriſt and all; It is the very Pillar of this great Fabrick; It is like a Ship in a ſtorme indeed, but ſave that and ſave all.

A. No man will gainſay you in this; Maintain Religion in Gods Name; And defend the Church with all your Power in the ſame Name; It is but juſt and equitable ſo to do; But I pray you where is your Law? This Law bids you maintain, Arch-biſhops, and Biſhops; their Curats too, and their Service-Book alſo, our Church-men all, and our Church Officers all, and our Church Services all, Organs and the like. What! Caſt-out theſe? O! I tremble when I think of our holy Service, and holy Servants, and of your oath which runs thus, we ſwear to root all theſe Arch-Biſhops and Biſhops and all, &c. for there is, as was in their oath an &c. and ſo your Oath runs through all.

B, Yes indeed does it, and we will run after as faſt as we can, we will do as we have ſworn. But firſt, know you what you ſaid? It is a wonder indeed that you are ſo miſtaken: Church-men, ſaid you! They are no Church men nor Commonwealths men neither; not the later, for they ſo ſought their own private wealth, that they left the poor ſubject nothing he could call his own, but his miſery: And ſuch Church-men they are too, ſuch Archbiſhops and Biſhops as **Titularis non Tutilaris Rex; defuit non praefuit Reipublicae.Chilperick was a king (of France:) They were as a golden Head ſet over the Church, but they did not the Office of an Head, of a Foot rather, for they did, to their Power, ſtamp the Church and Common wealth both to Powder: We have ſworn, as they did, To Root themſelves in, ſo vve, To eradicate, and Root them out; and mark now vvhoſe Oath ſhall ſtand: Ile ſay nothing here touching their Meſſes of Service, firſt Meſſe, and after Meſſe, the Maſſe indeed: I have much to ſay of it, and if it come forth, Ile curtle it that the Reader may have it for his price three farthings, yet that he may riſe one farthing higher if need be, I vvill aſſure him this, If I do not prove by Argument, That the Liturgie or Forme of Worſhip, (the peoples Idol now, and the Biſhops god) is as uſeleſſe (to ſay no more) as is unſavory ſalt; then I will give the Reader my Tongue, and leave to throw it-out after the Liturgy and Salt to the Dung-hill. This in paſſage.

A. Ay but you ought to ſweare in judgement, and to do juſtice, then p. 10you muſt not ſwear to Caſt-out Arch-Biſhops and Biſhops, nor their Curates; for the Law of man has ſetled the one in their Throne, in the houſe of Lords too, and over their Dioceſſe: and their Curates in their ſeverall places, ſetled men too; you cannot ſwear them out neither, by Law.

B. No? why then wee'll let them alone a little; as their fellows have done, they vvill throw themſelves out anon. But I thought verily the man vvould have ſaid, That Gods Law ſet and eſtabliſhed Biſhops there; truely I thought the man vvould have pleaded for their ſtanding Iure Divino, by a Right from Heaven, as the Biſhop did, penning his owne Charter; but the man is vviſer now, and the Biſhops too: The onelyonly refuge now is, To the Laws of man; vvell, To the Law of man let them go, but that vvill deceive them too; I vvill leave the Reader to Mr. Channell, I name him for honour ſake, becauſe indeed he may Glory in his vvork, and Boaſt in the Lord, for he has undeceived all the Chriſtian vvorld touching that Point; the vvorld thought, and ſuch a fool vvas I, (amongſt the reſt) I almoſt thought ſo too, hearing ſuch braggs and boaſtings, as if the Biſhops had all from Heaven, Their White Sleeves too, the garment of the Saints; ſo the vvorld thought, That Biſhops vvere by Divine Right; yes, and their Curates and their S…vice-Book, commonly called the Liturgy; all this vvas eſtabliſhed by Law too, and to queſtion that Right, was as dangerous in thoſe times, as to take a Lyon by the Beard. But now we are clear in this point, thank our learned men, Lawyers and Divines, They ſay, Theſe have no Law for their ſtanding nor Reaſon neither, not a vvord, not a ſyllable of either, have Biſhops for their ſtanding, ſay our learned men, and Mr. Channell laſt of all: And truely I beleeve them as verily as I do the Goſpell, ſo clear I am at that point, vvhichwhich Mr Channell hath cleared to all the vvorld, that This and That, Perſons and things, vvere brought in by the meer pleaſure of man againſt the Law, [vvhereon I could delate very largely too, for he is deceived indeed, and vvillingly ſo, That vvill not be undeceived now] ergo ſay I, Theſe may be caſt-out by Law. But I vvill not truſt my Law, I will grant, though my indulgency that vvay vvill do the Biſhops no good, That the Law has appointed Biſhops Lords over Dioces, has ſetled them in the Church, placed them amidſt the Houſe of Peers, made them Spirituall too; (I cannot tell vvhat the Law of the Lord may do, but ſure I am, The Law of the Land never did that) But grant all this, give them their challenge, (all the Rope they do deſerve) all the Law they do deſire, grant them their ſayings, That the Law of the Land has made them Arch Biſhops and Biſhops, Lords and Spirituall, all this (truly I can ſcarce ſuffer ſuch a thing to drop from my Pen, the Rope vvas more in my thought, and that is Law too) But be it ſo for this time; yet notwithſtanding this large grant; If Arch-Biſhops and Biſhops are all for mounting-up of Altars, Edification of Images, for maintaining Superſtitions, Hereſies, Blaſpemies, horrible Prophanations, even of the Lords Day; Then may vve finde out a Law, or make a Law, and ſwear unto it vvhen vve have done, p. 11To thruſt-out ſuch abominable Parſons, or give them the Rope vvithin, ſo Truſſing them up by the Necks.

A. Stay a little, dare you avouch all this?

B. Yes, and ſwear it too; and more, I vvill make a challenge, If I do not give better Reaſon and Law both, vvhy the Arch-Biſhops, and Biſhops I mean a Biſhop rick in the Biſhops latitude.ſhould have a Rope from Earth, than they can give vvhy they ſhould have a Biſhoprick from Heaven; I mean, If I cannot make better proof, That they ſhould have a Rope, Lege Humana, than they can make Proof of Tenure or holding their Biſhopricks Iurc Divino, Then I vvill hang for them at Tyburn, or burne for them in Smithfield.

A. Durſt you (or vviſer and better than you) ſay as much as this five years ago?

B. No indeed, foreign quidem, deep ſilence then, for it vvas the Power of Darkneſſe and the Biſhops vvere in their Zenith, the verticle point, and height of their Reigne. I vvill ſpeak a little for my betters, It was an Evill time, the Prudent man held his peace, and ſo he ſhewed his (own) vviſedome by his ſilence and doing nothing; for, Beholding The Lords Day Prophaned, The Lord of the Day Blaſphemed, The Honours and Service of the Day defiled, all this while he (vviſely) held his Peace; He obſerved more, even grievous Wolves haſting to Chriſts fold, thence removing the Shepheards, and there ſcattering the ſheep: All this while, if they would let him alone, he would let them alone; ſuch was his wiſdom: But it was his own, he never learnt it of his God. He bids this man, who ever he is, (But this man was not alone, a thouſand with him, were as ſilent as he was, but if alone, yet God bids him) In my Cauſe, and againſt my Enemies be as bold as a Lyon; Then certainly, He that ſo commands, would as He did, command the Lions mouth, he ſhall not devour this man, who is as bold as a Lion for Gods ſake: Truly we muſt not flatter our Wiſers and our betters, It was their fault, and they are excedingly humbled for it, they were too fearfull, too loath to ſpeak, too forward to flatter: So the Shepheards and their flocks were ſcattered as we heard; indeed the ſervants of the Lord, conſidering the terrours of the Lord, the place appointed for the fearfull, are very much humbled for their ſilence, and Complyance, and if they be carried down with the ſtream of mighty waters they can accept of their puniſhment, whereof Auguſtine diſcourſes very well and uſefully in his firſt Book of the City of God, Cap. 9. Now we return to our Law Book, which tels us, That our Biſhops were not made Archbiſhops nor Lords neither by our Law-Book. Though an Arch-Biſhop ſaid once in the face of a great Aſſembly, That the Holy Ghoſt made him Biſhop. Well ſaid for a Biſhop, but when he had ſaid, he had done, and no man was ſo foolhardy as to reply, for it was in the High Commiſſion Court, and he was next to the higheſt there, and by the Laws and Conſtitutions there, he was made, conſtituted, and eſtabliſhed a Biſhop, and maintained his ſtanding there by the ſame Statute Law, we know no other. But grant them all the Law in p. 12the world for their being Biſhops (Archbiſhops we will not mention) yet they are not more Biſhops, nor by a better Law, Than Maacha was Queen, yet when ſhe had hoyſed-up a filthy thing, I know not what to call it, but an Idol it was, and lifted her eyes and heart unto it, then was ſhe, by the Covenant and Oath the King and Peoyle had taken, Put down from being Queen. So it followes here, and by as good Law, and ſo I leave it, and will hear now what the Man has to ſay, why their Curats may not be extirpated or Rooted out alſo. Truly me thinks they ſtand together very I mean all the Idol Shepherds in the Land.handſomely in their Service-book (Biſhops and Curats) and let them be thrown-out in Gods Name with their Service-Book too, So it will be: why ſhould they not be together ſtill, Biſhops and Curats, for ſuch Biſhops and ſuch Curats, and ſuch a Service-Book: And out they ſhall be caſt for certainly ſo contrary, the Church has Prayed this long time, and now the Church ſhall reap the fruits of her Prayers and long expectations; by help of God and His Law Book the Church will caſt out Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops and Curats.

A. Not Curates ſure, they are good men, ſtanding up for the King, and for Religion.

B. So ſay the Biſhops too; explain the termes, and you have your Anſwer.

For the King; What's that? Againſt God, the High God, Lord of Lords; againſt His Chriſt, Prince of the Kings of the Earth; againſt Truth, and Peace; againſt every thing, That has a tendency that way, to the good and happyneſſe of the King and Kingdom. For Religion now, what is the meaning of that? The Curate ſhall tell you; For Religion (i. e.) for formes of Religion, a Liturgy, a Service Book; for all their Religion is there. We have lifted up our hands to the High God, That we will throw out all theſe; who are ſo contrary, even as is light and darkneſſe, to That, which we have joyned hands and heart to maintain with our Eſtates and Lives, that is Religion: and curſed be all thoſe, who obſtinately ſtand Neuters in this great Cauſe, ſo neerly concerning God, His King, and Kingdoms.

A. Why are thoſe that ſtand Neuters curſed men? They are innocent; They will anger no Party; They are for the King, for the Church, for Church-men, and Church Service, as we will call it, and not againſt the Parliament.

B. Yes, againſt it, for they are not with it: In this very caſe alſo, our Lords words are true, and reach theſe Neuters.

A. But what Law have you for Neuters?

B. None at all; Law is for an Hare, they ſay, and a Polt for a Polt. Cat. The very truth is, we have no Law for them at all, But all the Law in Heaven and Earth, is againſt ſuch: And if we do not throw them out, The Lord will ſpew them out; As ſure as Herod was a Fox; ſo ſure this Neuter is ſuch another man, a cunning knave, and a very fool too; he ſtands holding faſt a p. 13braſſe-penny in his hand, beholding the while, the Pearl trampled-under by Swine: He holds faſt his own Rights, and will keep his own Priviledges: But for the Goſpel and Goſpels Rights, whether kept or loſt, he is William IndifferentaaI knew a man in Oxford called ſo, who when his houſe (very old and rotten) was on fire, and he was told of it, ſaid he was indifferent.

I know not where to finde this Neuter (as our Engliſh Seneca to his little friend, in his yonger dayes bbTo Mr. W L. deead 3. epiſt. 5.he is every where, and no where, &c. But I will rather have it obſerved, how the Poet deſcribes him, Natat modo, like one that ſwimes; he is now on this ſide, now on that; openly for vertue, ſecretly for vice; as unequall as Priſcus, as like himſelf, as Vertumnus; as various as Protcus ccHor 2. ſer. Sal. 7.A man, that has his body here, and his heart with the Kings Army: That gives a pound of ſilver to The Lord Chriſt (thereby to keep his thouſand:) and one hundred to maintain the Warre of Antichriſt.

A man that ſtandeth at an indifferency, ſo equally poyſed, That a Moment turns him, he is as is the time; runs as does the ſtream; ſtands as does a Weather Cock; I could tell him now two or three ſtories, which would make him tremble at the judgements of God, upon Neuters, but I forbear. He will not appear for Chriſt, his end will be deſtruction; he muſt appear, but Chriſt will not appear for him, not acknowledge him then, at that day. As miſerable a man as is in the world, and as Malignant, and hurtfull; They that are ſo, and appear not, do the moſt miſchief. It is but Law and Reaſon both, That theſe ſhould be caſt out.

And now to cloſe up the Biſhops Caſe, and the Legality of the proceeding againſt them, we will note this as follows, That the proceedings againſt the Biſhops have been all along theſe 3 yeers, according to the cleareſt prints of Law and Juſtice, that ever were obſerved in the world: For firſt, The Worthies un-Biſhoped them, thruſt them down from their Thrones; (an honour their flatterers gave unto them without Reaſon; the Worthies took it from them by all Reaſon, and Law to help.) They took from them their Dignities, Lordſhips, temporall and ſpirituall, rendred them as contemptible, as they made themſelves, and endeavoured to make the Lords day: And, which was moſt obſervable, The Church caſt them out of their Prayers: Indeed their praying for them ſtill (as Biſhops over the Church) had been an intimation of their right to raign (tyrannize rather) over them ſtill: and the Churches ſubjection to that Antichriſtian power. But they thruſt them out of their chairs and now they vow to root them out from the Land of the living. If we behold this well it will appear to be a very beautifull work, and the order taken therein, makes it ſo beautifull; It puts me in minde how the Romans dealt once with their Ruler, that ruled them, as the Biſhops ruled, with a Rod of Iron; ſo proudly, ſo contrary to Law, and all good Reaſon, That he was called Turquin the proud: he dealt with his People almoſt as proudly, as the proudeſt have dealt in Ireland. The People honoured him while he was their King, but when he rendred himſelf a Tyrant, by his inſolencies and p. 14cruelties, then they would not endure; they un-kinged him, that was firſt, and then lifted up their hands, and vowed to root him out, him and all of his name; I note it to ſhew the Legality of the proceeding with the Biſhops; It reacheth higher to the Archbiſhops; But I have done. You ſee the Legality and equity of this Covenant, touching the caſting forth theſe Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Curates, and all this, as clear as is the Sunne, next and there I ſhall be ſhort:

We muſt obſerve the exemplaryneſſe of this Covenanting way: There are a Cloud of Witneſſes, who will give their Seal and Warrant hereunto. III.Aſa is a man of renown, touching that matter; who ever obſerves his ſteps, will go on after him; Never any man was more ſucceſſefull then he; ſo victorious as he; he made his Kingdom a Mountain of braſſe: The Ethiopian came againſt Judah with a thouſand thouſand, and more, thought verily to ſtorme Judah. No; Judah had taken a ſure way, To confound his Adverſary, They had entered Covenant with God. But I prevent my ſelf here; more of this anone. I might be large here, but I forbear in ſo cleered a caſe: The three Kingdoms entering into Covenant now, have done according to the beſt examples, as all the true Iſrael have done in all Ages; It is a clear caſe, as clear as the Sun, I come to the next.

The Seaſonableneſſe of this Covenanting. IV.Oh the Wiſedome of God, The Power of God. Oh the goodneſſe, the mercy of God, whoſe Name is wonderfull! God, indeed, hiſſed for His people in the North; called upon them to enter Covenant with His people in the South. They readily obeyed: Was that any wonder? No truely; For, beſides their own endearments and concernments, (paries cum proximus ardet) their own vows were upon them, and have lain upon their ſhoulders, almoſt theſe fourſcore yeers. But let us ſee the power of God here, we will obſerve His Wiſedome afterwards; His Power firſt, Who makes the Wolfe to lye down with the Lamb, The Calfe and the young Lyon, and the fatling together, and Iſai. 11. 6.Isa 11:6a little childe ſhall lead them. Wat you what? Reader, I pray you let us hear. That as we underſtand how matters ſtood betwixt England and Scotland three yeers ago, when the Biſhops in both Kingdoms, would have thruſt each others ſword into each others Bowels: So alſo, we may underſtand how matters ſtood betwixt England and Scotland three hundred yeers agone: Ah Lord! But we may remember it rather with praiſe now, and rejoycing: For we are Bretheren now, and live as Bretheren, and accurſed be he with all the curſes in Gods Book, that goes about heartily, and indeed, to break the Brother-hood, between Judah and Iſrael; To ſow ſeeds of diſcord betwixt theſe two: God has joyned us together, and we are Bretheren now. We, (and here God is wonderfull) who, ſometimes Centuries agoe, were Wolves each to other, ſuch devourers, that it was a wonder, (ſay our Chronicles almoſt all) that the Nations were ſo Hoſ. 9. 12. Cruente Caedibus Tren.Hos 9:12fruitfull to bring forth ſo much fleſh, as the ſword did devoure; for England brought forth her children, as Ephraim did, to murtherers in p. 15Scotland: and Scotland her children to murtherers in England, ſo they flew one the other, and fell in one day, I know not how many, but as the Poet expreſſeth it very well, as the Wheat-Stubble before the Reapers. North and South, (indeed it commands our obſervation) The people there, as oppoſite Homer.once, as are the two Poles now, are made one now, brought up together now to enter into Covenant; whereunto, (and this we muſt take notice of in paſſage) Scotland had engaged themſelves 70 yeares agon. I pray you let me tell you how that came about, for our purpoſe is to exalt the Name of God, Scotland was over powred by their Queen there, and her power from France; Then did That Queen, whom every mouth doth bleſſe: but that which ſpeaks blaſphemies ſtill: whom every Church has in their eye, what they can ſee, and keep of her, indeed ſhe loved the Church and the Nation, Then did Queen Elizabeth ſend ſuccours into Scotland, which kindneſſe Scotland accepted, and remembred with all thankfulneſſe, and then engaged themſelves to do the like for England, as their matters ſhould require. We have ſeen the Arm of the Lord, now I hope we can diſcern the wiſdom of the Lord, and ſo take altogether according to our ſcantling. Let us obſerve the power of God again, They that were twain, as ſcourges, nay, as Scorpions each to other; are now made one, as one ſtick in Gods Hand, wherewith He will beat the Hazaels of the world, till he has conſumed them. O the power of God! And His wiſdom too! at ſuch a time, ſuch a ſeaſonable time as this is, when all the Dogs in the world, all the Iriſh, Engliſh, French (all in the Kings Army, having their hearts, and hands there) when all theſe have their mouthes wide open, to devour the Church for ſuch a Time as this, God made theſe twain one, That they might be as one Stick in His Hand, To beat theſe Dogs: for ſuch a time as this! As it was with the Scots, when they were oppreſſed Ezek 37. 19.Ezek 37:19by their Governeſſe the Queen Regent, and ſhe helped from France, then did help come from England, ſeaſonably, as a ſweet ſhower fals upon the mowen graſſe: ſo, in ſuch a ſeaſon as above ſaid, did the Lord remember the Scots of their Engagements, which they will anſwer now with all readineſſe. O the wiſdome of God! I pray you let us leave Him to His own Time; let us never make haſte, nor diſtruſt Him for after time, he will come-in ſeaſonably to His Churches help; He will do all for His Church, as He did for His ſervant Mordecai, (In truth the paralell is wonderfull) and exalts Gods Power and Wiſdom, and Glory to the worlds end.

The Lord remembring Mordecai in the fitteſt time, may learn us the underſtanding of our own hearts, and of the times, and patiently to wait Gods time. I ſhall not count it then a digreſſion from the main purpoſe, to ſtay a little upon it, I will lay open my thoughts here, That good men may (for the wicked will not) judge of their own hearts thereby, & find a means to make them better. I thought the time long; how long Lord, Holy and True, how long ſhall the treacherous man, deal treacherouſly? Shall the Sword p. 16deſtroy for ever? (In our diſtractions, we call a week a monethmonth, and a monethmonth an yeer, and an yeer, ever, an everlaſting Time, ſo we forget proſperity, and in adverſity we cannot conſider) Thou haſt ſaid, Lord, Thou will purge out the Rebels. Shal it not yet be? So alſo I asked after an Aſſociation and a Covenant, to aſſure it when ſhall that be, if that were done, all were done; When wilt thou bring up the hearts of thy people, To this work? When ſhall it be, that we be no longer vexed with all adverſity? I do not blame theſe deſires I perſwade my ſelf theſe are good. Yet I muſt examine my deſires, which way they tend. The purging out of Rebels & Rebellion is the Thing deſired, a warranted deſire, according to Gods will. I hate them more then I do a Toad or a Viper, for a more venemous and hatefull generation there is not in the world, and, which is all, ſuch, whom God hates: I may hate their Rebellion, and, as they are enemies to God, them too. Then the deſire to be rid of them, is a good deſire. But now, if that Rebell, ſelfe, and the Rebellion in my own heart, has not vexed me more, or as much, as all that I ſee in the land: and, if I am notas eager to have it caſt out, then that is my blame, and this the good mans leſſon. Look to it how that Rebellion has troubled and vexed Thee; whether more than has that, which thou ſeeſt in the world? That Rebellion in thy ſelfe grieveth thy Father, and the good Spirit of thy God moſt of all: Obſerve thy ſelfe well now, whether this Rebellion grieveth thee moſt alſo? whether thy deſires are moſt intent, and hearty, To have this Rebellion, ſubdued or caſt out. So for the other deſire, O! an Aſſociation, that we were at a ſweet agreement, with our ſelves knit together, and with our God in Covenant. Indeed I did deſire it as before, heartily, and it was a good deſire, But if I do not deſire as much, To agree with my Adverſary in the way: and to be at peace with my God; if not, there was ſelfe in it, ſelfe eaſe, and other ſelfe reſpects, and I muſt blame my ſelfe for it; which may teach the beſt man in the world, as before, and ſo, in the ſecond place, for that is moſt pertinent here.

My deſires are good, but I heartily blame my haſtineſſe therein. I was too haſty, for I limited God, as if I were wiſer then God. Truly I never thought ſo, but I did, as thoſe do that are halfe of that mind, who have ſuch high thoughts of themſelves. I was too haſty touching the time, and ſeaſon of it; Was I as haſty to be rid of that Rebell my own will, and ſelf, and of the Rebellion, which ſelfwill cauſed, was I as haſty at that point for a Riddance there? Certainly I was not, Then muſt I correct my ſelfe there firſt.

Secondly, Let us all conſider this for it is pertinent indeed; The Day is Gods, ſo is the Night, He created the Light, He formed darkneſſe; Time and the ſeaſon in His, Then let Him alone with His own; let Him diſpoſe of it, and of matters to be done in it, when and how it pleaſeth Him. Whatever He do's we muſt not meddle with that, for it is His prerogative Royall To be Lord, and, maſter there; We muſt not limit Him, p. 17Who is infinite, to our time: Time and ſeaſon is ours to make uſe of, but the propriety is in Gods **Acts 1.Acts 1Hands, we may quickly be too haſty there; While we have time let us be doing good; we cannot be to haſty at that point, for that is our duty; but to ſet God a doing at our time, there is haſtineſſe. We may, nay, we muſt lift up a prayer for that Remnant, David and all his helpers, thorowout all the Chriſtian world, with, and in the Parliament; vvith, and in the Aſſembly, for the Heads of the Tribes there, for all the precious, the Creame, and Crown of the Kingdom; We muſt ſtrive in prayer for them, and endeavour vvith our Eſtates and lives, &c. vve know vvhat follows, and muſt do it, elſe we do not as vve ſtand bound to do, our worke and duty, to lift-up the Hand againſt Amalek…, both on the Mount, and in the Valley. But having done ſo, we have done our duty, we may rejoyce in the Lord, and expreſſe it, as Luther did, ſinging the 46 Pſalme. Surely this being granted, That we have done our Duty, we can ſtand ſtill calme and quiet in Spirit, embracing the promiſe a farre off, and magnifying Gods Salvation to be made manifeſt in His Time, and no haſtineſſe now, being aſſured, that all Gods vvorks as they have been, ſo ſhall they be gloriouſly beautifull: Why? becauſe, as they have been done, ſo they ſhall be done, in ſeaſon; His time, not ours, therefore in ſeaſon: We cannot but know how ſeaſonably He worketh for His people▪ how beautifull His Footſteps and Comings in for their help have been ever, are, and ſhall be evermore: The Lord will comein, as he alwayes has done, ſo ſeaſonably, That His people ſhall ſay, O the Power of God, how admirable! O the Underſtanding of God, how unſearchable! O the Goodneſſe, Mercy, Love, and Kindneſſe of God to His people, how rich! how aboundant all theſe! I cannot expreſſe it. The Point is this whereat we Anchor our ſpirits, God does all things well, becauſe in His own time, the fitteſt ſeaſon. We have a parallell for it, vvhereby to exemplifie this; Thence I digreſſed, thither I returne now to take a fuller view of this ſeaſonableneſſe, **M…d c…s kindneſſe was rem…mbred in the fitteſt time; ſo the kindeneſſe of Englands Queen. … 9 4.In the Night of our deſtractions, The Day of Jacobs troubles, none like it, when all were deſigned to deſtruction, when the foot of pride ſet ſo hard on the neck of the Righteous; Then the kindneſſe of England muſt be remembred: When Englands King deals (I will ſay but) hardly vvith his good people, then the kindeneſſe of Englands Queen muſt be remembred, even then. Surely The Lord does all things in the fitteſt time, the beſt ſeaſon: and, O the ſweet ſimpathy of the Scottiſh Nation! Brethren indeed, they are made for adverſity; Truly they have the minde of Chriſt; Perſecute My people, thou perſecuteſt Me, that was the minde of Chriſt; Perſecute England, The Goſpellers there, you perſecute us, there is the minde of the Scots. Truely they are more ſenſible of our paine than we, who ſmart from the Scorpion; and they will aſſemble themſelves, knit themſelves together with us into one Body, to deſtroy this Legion of—that they may no longer ſting in Gods Holy Mountaine: We have Vowed to ſtand-up againſt this Generation p. 18of Vipers, till they are ſo ſubdued, that they ſhall no longer Sting, or be as grieving Thornes, or vexing Briars to the Church, and people of God. Amen.

V. V.A. But now you have aſſociated your ſelves, and are knit together (as you ſay, the wicked are ſolden together, as thorns, ſo ye) as one man, now you are ſo knit together, are you able for this work?

B. Yes, that we are, able through Him, there is no doubt of it, in Whom we can do all things; vve have done our duty, that vve have done touching this matter; The reſt vve leave to God, and vvill tell him of his Promiſe anon.

A. Why, but they (you call Rebels) are as many every day, nay, more than before, and as lively they are, as ſtrong, as formerly they were, and more firmly united.

B. Well, vvhat then? Therefore the Rebels ſhall not be purged forth; that do's not follow, though it is not the vvork of a day, nor an yeer neither; That vvork is doing, but vve muſt not make haſte; vve have a promiſe for it, and vve can live upon that, and give God thanks. God can do greater things; The Church never Queſtions His Power, He can take away the iniquity of the Land in one day; vvith the ſame ſpeed He can take away the Rebels, as He did the Northerne Army, ſend forth His vvinde, Zech. 3. 9.Zech 3:9blow them away in one night: He can do ſo, but it is not his manner ſo to do; He vvill hold his people in expectation, and it is good for them they ſhould be ſo held: If there vvere not ſore trials, and long vvaitings, vvhere vvere Faiths maſtery? there muſt be a diſtance between the Promiſe and performance, that the Saints may learn to ſalute, to kiſſe the Promiſe afar off, and be glad too, vvith exceeding joy, as at the ſweeteſt embracement.Heb 11 13 foreign.Heb 11:13

A. Salute and embrace afar off! how can that be?

B. Very vvell, and it muſt be ſo; The Antipaſſes Gods faithfull Witneſſes, the Martyrs, could embrace and kiſſe a Fagot ſo near at hand, that preſently it ſet them all on a flame, ſo near it vvas. O vvonderfull! Yes, for it is granted, They did embrace and kiſſe the Fagot: But ſo they had not done, if they had not ſeen the Promiſe afar off, and embraced it; I will be with thee in the fire, it ſhall not burn thee: and in the vvater, it ſhall Eſay. 43 2.Isa 43:2not drown thee, for thy Head is above. I pray you obſerve it; Gods people ſee and embrace the promiſe afar off, and can vvait vvith patience till it come. They are a vvaiting people, God has vvaited upon them, they muſt vvait upon Him; ſo exerciſing their patience, yea every Grace. O bleſſed be His Name! If He do's not deliver His people now, He will ſuſtaine them now: If He ſuffers Rebels amongſt them, this is alſo ſanctified unto His ſervants, for the overcoming the Rebellions, and caſting out that Rebell Selfe in their own hearts: All adminiſtrations of Mercies, all diſtributions of ſorrows all for the Churches good, all ſhall tend to the advantage of the Soule, That ſhall proſper by all; and if the Soule (that excellent p. 19thing) far above the excellency of the Sunne when he ſhines in his full ſtrength, if the Soule proſpers, all proſpers, for the Soul is all: And all The Lord do's or ſuffers to be done, has a direct tendency to this great end, That His Church or People may proſper as their Soules proſper. Gods way is alwayes ſtraight, and Mans crooked motions ſhall tend directly to His end, the purging and whitening of His Church, and making them meet for Dan. 11. 35Dan 11:35Glory: When that end is attained, Then you ſhall hear that the Rebels are purged, and ſent to their own place. So all is in reference to His People, for the Churches good; all this trouble ſhall greatly advance the Churches peace and quiet; This Sowre ſhall yeeld Sweet to them: Hereby the iniquity of Jacob is purged, &c. for this will fall in again in the ſeventh Section. Here I Iſa 27. 9.Isa 27:9ſhall tell what the Lord has done towards this Promiſe; I will purge out from you the Rebels. Truly He has done ſo much, That, if we ſee no more done, Ezek. 20. 38.Ezek 20:38yet for ever bleſſed be His Name, for that the Lord has done; Our eyes may be cloſed ſhortly and covered with duſt; What if it be ſo? yet we can ſalute, we can Kiſſe this Promiſe afarre off, and ſay, Praiſed be His Name for what our eyes have ſeen fulfilled in all the peoples ſight, touching this Promiſe, I will purge out the Rebells. We have ſeen Archbiſhops and Biſhops laid flat on their backs, as men in their graves. Al but they will riſe again, they ſay; Yes, at the laſt day, we ſay; howſoever we have ſeen them laid flat, The height of our deſires was three years agoe, The taking away of three Innocent Ceremonies (for ſuch a Pope there was) Good Lord! He would give us a full mercy; we have ſeen three and four, that is, ſeven abominations taken away; The Lord be praiſed for what we have ſeen. **That which we have ſeen is enough to defray all our expence of Spirits, Time, and Purſe.Luther thought if he could be inſtrumentall for throwing out of Indulgences and Pardons, thoſe curſed things, O how well appaid would he be! how would he boaſt in his God! Would …e ſo? His God would uſe him for greater things than thoſe, The Lord broke down before his ſervant, this Wall, and that wall, ſhewed him theſe and thoſe abominations, and what Luther did, all the world knows: The Lord loves to beſtow mercies with a full hand; and bleſſed be His Name, as it is Holy, **Eſay 6. 3.Isa 6:3Bleſſed, Bleſſed, Bleſſed, for what He has done towards this promiſe, and for what our eyes have ſeen; even ſo, Amen

There are ſtops and pawſes, nay, Lions and Shee-Bears, Wals, **What hinders and retards the buſineſſe.and Mountaines in the way, we ſhall get over them all at the laſt. Indeed we of the Common ſort move very ſlowly, not like men who would leap over walls and skip over Mountains; and the Richer ſort are nothing nimble neither, very ſluggiſh in their motions, ſpecially if they move toward their Purſe, the drawing or emptying of that. I can eaſily beleeve the Covenant was penned in Scotland, who well underſtood, and mean to perform what they wrote, to their eternall praiſe, which is in the Goſpell. There is one expreſſion in the Covenant (nay two) which we poor men cannot perform to our wills, and Rich men will not underſtand to their Power; and that retards, holds-back, and ſluggs the motion very p. 18duplicate page p. 19duplicate page p. 20much; We Covenant to endeavour with our Eſtates, and Lives, (i. e.) we will let Eſtates go, and Lives go, and all go, That the Goſpell may not go; we will lay-out all, all we have, and all we are, That we may maintain the Rights and Liberties of the Goſpell; for, maintain the liberties of Chriſts Kingdome, and God will maintaine the Liberties of our Kingdome; and for the maintenance hereof, Thus we Vow to do, to expend our Eſtates and our Lives. The Scottiſh Nation, a poor people, for we muſt remember how they were oppreſſed plundered, perſecuted four years agoe; yet ſo they have done: And verily, whereſoever the Goſpell ſhall be preached in the whole world, ſurely there ſhall alſo this, that they have done for the maintenance of the Goſpell, be told alſo for a memoriall of them; ſuch great matters they have done for the Goſpell, as men, that know a Pearle, and can eſtimate it. Truly we poor men cannot perform here as we would, but a poor mans Myte has been accepted, where there is no more. And happily ſome of us have done what we can, and then it was a reſolved caſe a thouſand years ago, That a poor man may be liberall, when a rich man giving an hundred times more, yet not unto a proportion to what God has given him, ſhall be called a Niggard, a Covetous man; and now you have ſaid the worſt of him. I will ſay but this more, certainly the rich men do not underſtand what they have ſworn, and this is my reaſon; There was an hundred thouſand pounds to be collected this laſt monethmonth, a great ſumme you will ſay; Yes, but I aſſure the Reader, upon the knowledge I have had of this City theſe twenty years, and of the vaſt expences now drawn from the rich men there this laſt year, (which the Lord returns ſeven fold into ther Boſoms) That yet there are ten men who could and would make up this large ſumme, and ſend it away; I ſay, would, if they valued the Pearle in the Goſſpell, (It is Religion, it is the Goſpell, call it what you will, it is the Pearl) as they do the Pearle in the world, that is, their money. Reader! do theſe men underſtand what they ſwear? We will with our Eſtates, I will not adde, and with our Lives: If they will not part with their money now, at ſuch a needfull time: not give out that, I mean in a proportionable ſumme to what God has given them, and with a reference alſo to the Pearle now in danger to be trod under foot by Swine; If they give not now like themſelves in a proportion to that, which God and his Cauſe, and all good men, call from their hands; if not help now (with their Eſtates, aſmall proportion thereof to what God has given them) to ſave a Kingdom, then not with their lives ſure, though the Pearle is worthy the purchaſe at the higheſt rate; for we remember, That a Merchant ſold all that he had, and bought the Pearle, Mat 13.

A hard matter to perſwade with Merchants in theſe dayes ſo to do, from whom (ſome of them) we may more eaſily draw blood, then their money. The Scottiſh people have done their duty, To vindicat and keep the Pearle trod-under by Swiniſh men, they have ſold all; The Engliſh ſwear to do as much, Some in Scotland, Some in England will be faithfull, they have counted their coſt, underſtood what they did, and ſo have Covenanted; p. 21and by help of God, they will ſtand to it. There is no more required to make a Kingdome as a Mountain of Braſſe: In the next placethen we will well conſider, what is the vertue, force, and efficacy of this Covenanting with God.

VI. VI.It is very prevayling every way. It is a ſure way, it never failed the Church; They aſſociated themſelves, entered into Covenant, and then all was ſure. King Aſah, King Ezekias with other, are great examples here: It is a ſafe way, and it is an onelyonly way. Aske from one end of Heaven to the other, what is the readieſt way to compleat the Militia of a Kingdome? It is Anſwered, this is the way, Come up to Gods termes, enter into Covenant with Him. So Aſa did, and untill he had done that, he had done nothing. It is true, he took away the Sodomites; he threw down the Altars; thruſt aſide their Service; And what of all that? Sodomites had thruſt in againe, Altars had been hoyſed up again, If he had not Covenanted againſt all theſe. It is ſo ſtill, We muſt every man, for his own part, Covenant againſt the accurſed thing in his own heart. So alſo, againſt the accurſed Perſons and things in the Kingdome, to throw them out, elſe Faſting do's no good, nor Praying, nor Preaching neither; Covenanting muſt go together with all theſe, elſe nor the Kingdom, nor the Chriſtian Souldier there; can be in any ſafe Poſture. What is done to day, in this Poſturing work, will be undone to morrow, If we do not Covenant againſt Idol-men, and Idol things and with the Lord, So engaging our heart, to caſt them all out. But do as aforeſaid, and the Kingdom is ſure; ſo is the Perſon too. There is no hope but in this way; mark it. We have treſpaſſed againſt our God, ſayes Sheſhaniah. What had they done? They had taken the daughter of a ſtrange God, I know not how many ſtrange Wives; and then they had taken the readieſt way in the world, To ſtock up their Kingdom by the roots, yet, ſayes he, There is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing; Though ſuch a grievous Treſpaſſe be committed, and the Chiefe in the Kingdom are Chiefe in that treſpaſſe; Yet there is hope. What hope? Even now therefore let us Ezra 10 2.Ezra 10:2make a Covenant with our God; There is the hope; If any thing under the Cope of Heaven will do it, That will do it. What? Away with the daughters of a ſtrange God, Set them packing, who would thruſt us from God, and God from us; Let us thruſt them away and Covenant ſo to do, and then we ſhall keep our God, and cloſe to His worſhip; And if we keep God and cloſe to Him at that point, All is kept, for God is all; and he will keep us all, if we keep to Him and ſtand to the Covenant; There is the hope of Iſrael concerning this matter, ſayes good Shechaniah, It is a ſure way, it is an only way to ſave a Periſhing, a down ſinking Kingdom, brought to the Pit of deſtruction, upon which are all the Symptom's of death, and for which the grave is made, becauſe it is ſo vile, Come, let us make a Covenant; It is the onelyonly hopefull way to ſave ſuch a Kingdom. An hopefull way ſay I! I will ſay a great word, and I will boaſt of the way, but in the Lord, There is more then hope, There is a certainty of Succeſſe in this Covenanting; It never failed the Righteous, it never ſhall faile unto the p. 22worlds end; I know what the good man will ſay now, heare him.

VII. VII.A, This way has fayled the moſt Righteous King, that ever had his Kingdom in this world, Joſiah by name, it fayled him, even him.

B. No, it did not, he Covenanted with his God, and ſo kept cloſe to his God, and God to him all his dayes, and at death they were not divided; he that breathed after GOD all his life long, breathed his ſoul into Gods hand at his death, and ſo departed, and is now for ever with the Lord: This Covenanting with God did not deceive Joſiah.

A. It failed his people all, his whole Kingdom (and that is my meaning) They were carried away at laſt, though firſt their King made a Covenant with his God, yea, and made His People ſtand to it.

B. He did indeed, and it ſhall ever be ſpoken to his Praiſe, when that Scripture is Read, Joſiah made a Covenant with God; and cauſed to ſtand to it. But if we obſerve it well, we ſhall tremble, for here is a But, will ſpoyle all; But Judah did not ſtand to it.

Stand to it; alas no, The Covenant did not faile, they failed the Covenant: The people dealt wickedly there; The King layed an inforcement 2 Chr. 34, 35.2 Chr 34:35upon them, hi very example was of force, to pull and drag the People to enter Covenant, to lay them under thoſe ſacred bands, to make them ſtand to it; but there was not an heart in them; much they did in ſeeing ſuch a glorious example before them, but they did nothing in truth. They were not a whit humbled for all the Blood, that Manaſſeth had ſhed, not for the Idols he had ſet-up, they were as Idolatrous as their King: Not a whit humbled were they, for all their abominations, theirs and their Princes; not a Ier. 15 4. Pag. 121.Jer 15:4whit; therefore wrath came upon them. Indeed I ſhould be large in this point, but I finde it ſomewhat inlarged in the Kings Chronicle, whereto I will referre the Reader. I will ſay but this here, never was there ſuch a Back-ſliding people, no not in our dayes, never was there ſuch a Departing from God, as at that time in Judah: I tell you what makes me think verily it was ſo; read the laſt of the Chronicles, what a declining, what a fallingback was there from their God, from His worſhip, of all degrees, of all eſtates, high and low, Rich and Poor! To what an height of Provocations did they riſe! But for ought I can obſerve in that Chapter the Prince and People did not more wickedly in thoſe dayes, then we have done in our dayes: our abominations have riſen to the ſame height. But yet I obſerve what I Read in Jeremy, and that is thus: I find more goodneſſe Ier. 38.Jer 38in one Ethiopian, then was in all the Princes of Judah. I would Intreat the Reader to mark that Chapter; As our Lord ſayes of the Centurion a ſtranger to the Common wealth of Iſrael; I have not found ſo great faith; no not in Iſrael: So, not ſo much goodneſſe in all the Princes of Judah, as Mat. 8. 10.Matt 8:10in that one Ethiopian. Not ſo much goodneſſe! ſaid I, there was no goodneſſe in the Princes at all, all nought, all Rebellious and fallen off from God. They did not pray to God, they prayed to the King, That Jeremy might be put to death. Certainly, Reader, Certainly, though we (I ſay p. 23we, for Scotland and England are one,) though we are a very wicked, a very wretched People, fallen very low, parted very far from our God, yet not fallen ſo low, as Judah was at that time; not ſo farre departed, but a Covenant with our God, will fetch us back again; for there are many Nobles in Scotland, many Princes there (I find Prieſts called Princes there) 2 Chron. 17. 7. a Pſal. 110 3. foreign A people of Devotions. 2 Cor. 8, 23.2 Chr 17:7Ps 110:32 Cor 8:23to ſay nothing of the Common people, a very willing people, a people of willingneſſes, (a) willingly, offering Devoting their eſtates, and lives now To help in the battle of the Lord; and day of Jacobs trouble; who have ſworn, and will ſtand to it To maintain the Cauſe of the Lord, as it ſhall require, and as we read before. And there are a people in England too Nobles and Princes there (I mean by Princes the Meſſengers of the Churches, and the Glory of Chriſt) who have given up themſelves to the Lord, and to maintain His Cauſe; ſome Nobles I ſay, not many, but ſome there are, vvho, their eternall praiſe, have entred Covenant and will ſtand to it; when others, to their eternall diſhonour, enter into a Covenant to day, and break out from it on the morrow, ſtand not to it, no not an houre: As if they might take the Covenant of God, as a Papiſt takes the Oath of God, ſwear to day, and forſwear next day; Adjure to day, calling God to witneſſe: and perjure anone, ſo blaſpheming that Holy, Holy, Holy, Name, making the Oath of God, like a Gipſies knot, faſt now in ſhew, looſe preſently in fight. We have ſome Nobles, that do abominate this Blaſphemy, they enter Covenant with God to day, and are more and more reſolved and engaged for God and His Cauſe every day, from hence forth, and for ever. I could ſay as much of a people too, very many in Cities and Towns both, a very willing people, If they cannot give to the Cauſe, they can die for it, as a Martyr ſaid; if their eſtates be none or gon, (they cannot be prodigall there, as the Cauſe commands) then their lives ſhall go, they will be prodigall of their blood, and thank God He has honoured them ſo, Who gave His blood for them. And ſo we are where we were, in a way which never failed. And ſhall it faile the Righteous now? God forbid, nay God forgive us ſuch a thought. But let us look to our ſtanding now, I mean to the ſtanding to our Covenant, for that bears up the weight of the buſineſſe; This ſtanding to it, let us look to that: we are now come up to God, to His Tearms, to His Command, not more knit together amongſt our ſelves, as knit to God. What now? Now the Nations are angry. Angry! They are ſtark mad; look ye on this ſide, and but a little beyond Lincoln, and behold how they rage there! See alſo in the South, and in Ireland, What are the the thoughts of thoſe Monſters there? They think to joyn with our Monſters here [Monſters! Yes. They are Nobles many of them. True, but the more monſtrous, if Nobles by birth. Certainly, if thoſe Nobles (not to mention the black Regiment, thoſe Buls of Baſhan, nor the Calves of the people, Some call them Cavel: Gentlemen; I have called them Rogues twenty times with an Accent, for I will call a Spade, a Spade, Theeves, Robbers, Murtherers, all theſe by their names, ſo let them p. 24go, the vvay of Cain, vvho ſlew his Brother. I am a ſpeaking of the Nobles, vvho beat their own Mother, even her, that bare them, that ſuckled them, that dandled them upon her knees, vvarmed them in her boſome; Theſe Nobles, vvho have ſet their Mothers Houſe on fire over her head; (and are not theſe Monſters, for they have done yet more villany) if theſe Nobles ſhould ſee their own viſage repreſented unto them now, as it vvill be ſhortly, in the very next Hiſtory, they vvould be gaſtred at the ſight of ſuch Monſters, as the King was at the vvriting on the vvall. Truly me thinks I ſee them now, and they troubled my Spirit, and Interrupted me, I was ſaying, Dan. 5. 6.Dan 5:6The Monſters in Ireland will joyn now vvith theſe in England; will be folden together like thorns, vvill come out now againſt thoſe all, vvho are joyned in Covenant with their God, and vvill do; What vvill they do? All the miſchief they can; They will ſtorm the City of God, as they can, to their Power. That is true, They will do vvhat they can do, all the Miſchief they can. But vvhat can they do? for vve do not queſtion their will. Theſe have ſhed blood to their Power, vvith a Rage that reacheth-up to Heaven; They have curſed David and his Helpers by their gods; They have blaſphemed The God of Heaven; They have thruſt the Miniſters of the Lord out of their Houſes, or ſlaughtered His Servants there, even All the faithfull in the Land, unto vvhom their hand could reach; They have gods, as Jeroboam had, vvhichwhich he called honeſtly, truly, and very vvell (as vve call Prieſts now and their gods) Calves, for ſuch are their Prieſts, Idol-Brutiſh-Prieſts; Their Services ſuch, Idol-Bruitiſh-Services. I vvill ask again, vvhat can theſe curſed People do againſt a Kingdom united in its ſelf, and in Covenant vvith their God? What can they do? Ile tell you what, for the Spirit tells it me, They vvill Aſſociate and gird themſelves, and gird themſelves all for the Battell, and to Storme the Church of God, that they Eſay 8. 9.Isa 8:9will do. Well, yes, very well; now hear vvhat the Lord vvill do, and vvhat He will do, He can do, That is a Comfort; What vvill He do? He vvill ungird His Adverſaries as often; He will break them, and break them, and break them (tis no idle repetition) ſo often till He has broken them all to Fritters, like a Potters Veſſell, ſo He vvill break them; in breaking He vvill break them, Breach upon Breach. Briars and Thorns! vvill they Array themſelves for Battell againſt the Lord? He is a Conſuming fire (unto them) they ſhall be devoured every one, in the Fornace, vvhichwhich their rage and fiery indignation againſt His people, has made ſeven times hotter then ordinary. Rebells! that have lifted up the horn, have ſpoke proudly, have dared to thruſt at the Righteous, nay, The Lord of Glory out of His Throne; The Lord will thruſt-ſore at them, He vvill make them like an Oven and their Faces like Flames, He vvill purge them out. But when? Even now, at this time▪ we have His word for it, for we are in Covenant with our God: I will ſpeak an high word and comfortable to the fearfull in heart, but humbly before our God, and if proud men will hearken, let them hearken; This is the word and our Confidence, Now that we have entred into p. 25Covenant with our God, To ſtand cloſe to Him, To His Cauſe, To His worſhip; Now that we have engaged our hearts to all this; what now? Now we have ingaged God to us, God muſt help us; We will by His Grace ſtand to our Covenant, and appear for Him; It is an high word now to amaze proud men, God muſt appear for us, and ſtand by us, and He cannot be idle. Muſt is not for the King, you will ſay; yes, for the KING of Kings, and LORD of Lords; This King muſt help us. The unjuſt judge did right the the Widow, muſt not the Judge of all the world do right▪ He muſt, He muſt; There are Mighty Reaſons why, and Arguments as ſtrong to aſſure the hearts of the Faithfull; That God will and muſt help His people now at this time, you ſhall hear them anon.

I ſuppoſe now even a good People, ſomewhat ſlow of Belief touching this matter, being fearfull now, hearing of the breaking-in of more grievous Wolves into the Lords Vineyard; I mean, hearing that the Iriſh—[I ſhould call them Brethren now, but I cannot call theſe Children of the Devill, Theſe Enemies of Chriſt, I cannot call theſe by ſo friendly a name; I muſt call them and their Legion by their right Names, as their Father is called, Abaddon, Apollyon, Deſtroyers, Murtherers all, hearing that theſe] are coming-in to joyn vvith the Engliſh—[I cannot call them Brethren neither, Rev. 9 11Rev 9:11but] Monſters here; ſuppoſing I ſay, that a good people are ſlow of Belief, and too much ſhaken vvith fear now; I vvill ſpeak to their hearts firſt from the Mouth of The Lord, as follows;

If all the good men in the Houſe of Parliament vvere ſick Men all, and all the Bad there (ſome there may be) as bad as thoſe that have run from them: if all our Men of War, good Men there, vvere wounded men all; and all the bad, as bad as are the Iriſh and Engliſh Monſters; and ſo bad they are, if any there, vvho, in ſhew ſtand up for God, but in vvord and heart are againſt him: If ſome in our Councells for vvar, in our Committees for all concernments of the Church, and State, vvere as falſe and treacherous (God knowes vvhat they are) as bad and rotten as ſome have been ſuſpected to be: If ſo be the Scottiſh Army never joyn vvith ours, [our hearts joyn, and our prayers joyn, that is as good, nay, better, though vve think it beſt of all, that our Armies may joyn, that vve might be all as one Stick in Gods Hand, to beat the dogs away, vvhichwhich ſo infeſt, peſter and trouble his people, Amen, but] If not ſo, yet, as it vvill follow anon, vvell, for God is good to Iſrael ſtill: If the Iriſh—The Engliſh—Legion of Devils, I had almoſt ſaid; if theſe vvere Devils indeed, not Fleſh, but all Spirit, as their father is; and if This Legion vvere multiplyed by ſuch a number as they have hairs on their head; vvhat then? Then vve ſhall all be deſtroyed, every Mothers Childe. No, as ſure as God lives and loves His people, as ſure as His Sonne is King and rules in the the vvorld amidſt His enemies there; ſo ſure This Cauſe, and all the Helpers in it, ſhall proſper: and all that the Adverſary does, ſhall helpe but to advance the proſperity thereof, ſo ſure God vvill iſſue-forth great p. 26good out of this great evill and ſore affliction; Theſe bloody men ſhall be ſo far from hurting the Church, that they ſhall do the Church infinite good. The Adverſaries thoughts, are, as his were, and as alwayes they have been, Eſay. 10 7.Isa 10:7bloody, devouring, and deſtructive; But Gods thoughts are all mercy and Truth all towards His people, to edifie and build them up by theſe deſolations, To ſtabliſh them by theſe ſhakings; To heale them by theſe woundings. What men do wickedly, God orders holily; They think evill againſt the Church, but God means it unto Good: He is contriving a way now to make His Name, and His Church Glorious.

Can this be ſo, do the fearfull ſay, they doubt it very much, whether this Pacification in Ireland, thoſe bloody execrable—there; Thoſe Outrages, Inſolencies, thoſe—here, ſhall turne to the Churches good; Can this be! Can God bring good out of this evill? Can He bring Comfort out of this ſorrow? Glory out of this Croſſe? Life out of this Death Can He do it? Yes indeed, He can: But truely we ſhould never queſtion His Power, no nor His Good-will neither, towards His people: Can, ſaid I! He will, He will, nay, He muſt, He muſt, elſe he does not like a God, after His manner from the beginning of the world; for evermore it was thus; when the Envy, the Malice, the Rage, the—wrathfull executions of the Churches Adverſaries roſe like a mighty Flood to the Higheſt-top, againſt the Church, Then preſently the Lord God ſo ordered it, That His People have had Rivers, Floods, Brooks of Honey and Butter, ſtreaming down towards them: from whence? From the love of God, iſſuing good towards them ſtill out of every evill, even from theſe Floods of ungodlineſſe before mentioned: From the Rage, Envy, Hatred, Malice of the Churches Adverſaries, have ſtreamed down to the Church Floods of Honey and Butter; The higheſt Comforts, the ſtrongeſt Conſolations from out of the loweſt bottome, the place of Dragons, whereinto the wicked have ſmiten the Righteous, even from thence. He give the Reader but one Inſtance here, amongſt many, whereby to exemplifie this. I conceive verily, That the moſt envious hatefull Act that ever was offered to the Lord Chriſt, untill this day, was acted upon His Body, when he hanged upon the Croſſe; He had ſhed His precious Blood four times a little before; 1. In the Garden. 2. When He was Crowned with Thorns. 3. When He was whipt at the Poſt. 4. And when His Arms and Legs were nailed to the Croſſe, (which Commands our Eſtates and Lives for Him now, He ſay no more) Notwithſtanding all this (for the Lord Chriſts Adverſaries then, as now, may be glutted with Blood, they cannot be ſatisfied) A Souldier then would have more Blood yet, and and ſo with his Spear opens the Lord Chriſts Side and Heart together, both at one thruſt. Ah Lord! never was there ſuch an horrid Act heard of from the beginning of time to that day, untill now, as it is at this day! But what followed then? And forthwith came there out Blood and water: Look you there, what the Souldiers Rage and Envy has done! He has opened Joh 19 34John 19:34the Heart of Chriſt to all the world of Beleevers, and let-out from thence p. 27ſtreaming towards them, floods of Honey, and Butter, from that very time to the worlds end.

What ſhall I ſay! O the thoughts of God towards His people! O the love of Chriſt, How inexpreſſable! there is blood to juſtifie, water to ſanctifie, there is all! There are the two Sacraments, Seals of the Righteouſneſſe of Faith, Rivers, Floods, Brooks of Honey and Butter. So the Souldiers Rage wrought then, ſo wonderfull for the Churches Comfort then, when he pierced the ſide of Chriſt, hanging on the Croſſe: Shall we doubt what will be the effect of his rage now, now the Souldiers are piercing the living Body of Chriſt, as dear to Him as the Apple of His Eye, now in Glory? Doubtleſſe, and he has an hard heart that do's not firmly beleeve it, That theſe Souldiers now, thruſting their Spears now into the ſides of Chriſt ſtill, with the ſame hatred and envy, as once that Souldier did, do make but a paſſage wider open whereout to flow unto the Church floods of Honey and Butter. All their Malignity ſhall ſerve but to whiten the Church firſt, and then let in ſtreaming into them the ſtrongeſt Conſolations. As ſure as the Lord lives, this muſt be ſo. Theſe Souldiers are now with one hand filling up their meaſures of Iniquity: and with the other compleating the Church, and the Conſolations of God towards His People, That their joy may be brimme full. The higher the enemies rage againſt the Church, Riſeth, the higher ſhall the Conſolations of God riſe toward The Church. It is ſo, and it muſt be ſo; But who is ſufficient to expreſſe thoſe things! Gods adminiſtrations towards His people, how wonderfull! His mercy is over all His works, He ſaveth man and beaſt; But ſpecially His people, The haires of their head are ſaid to be numbred, To tell us how ſafe and ſecure theſe people are; nothing ſhall do them hurt, every thing ſhall do them good, even the rage and bitter wrath of their Adverſarie; That great evill the adverſary and enemy intendeth againſt the Church, ſhall tend (ſee how the enemy is miſtaken!) to the greateſt advantage of the Church: So as the Church ſhall ſay; We could not have wanted theſe roaring Lions, Leaders in this warre againſt us; we could not have wanted thoſe grievous Wolves, bloody Souldiers; Its good for us, that theſe have done ſo much hurt (in their intentions) unto us; Theſe have been a ſanctified means to open our mouthes the wider to our God in praying to Him, and prayſing of Him; Theſe have, by purging out, and ſcouring of our filthineſſe, made us more meet for Glory; we could no more have wanted them, than a great houſe can want its Sinks and Conveyances whereby to carry-out the filth; or Scullions, who ſerve there to clenſe and whiten Dan. 11. 35Dan 11:35the veſſels appointed for honour, even for the Maſters uſe. And now do thoſe ſervants of the Lord, intend their ſpirits, calling upon all within them, and without them, To praiſe their God, Who works ſo and ſo for them; do's them good by all that fals out; makes the wounds from their Adverſaries, healing to His people; and of their poyſon and venome towards His people, a moſt ſoveraigne Balme; Bleſſed, Bleſſed, Bleſſed be God p. 28for this unſpeakable mercy, Amen. His people will endeavour heartily To live to His praiſe, Amen. To lay-out themſelves all they have, and are, to advance the Name of their God, Amen. We have ſeen now by one example how God has wrought for His people; He is the ſame ſtill, He changeth not; He muſt do the like, now, for He ſtands ſtill in the ſame relations to His people; The ſame engagements are upon Him ſtill; His people have the ſame Reaſons and Arguments alſo, whereby to prevaile with their God, as all the faithfull had before them, who Commanded God Eſay 25 11Isa 25:11by His own command, maſtered, over-powered the Almighty in HIs own ſtrength, overcame Him with HIs own weapons, Reaſons and Arguments, I mean, taken out of His own Armory, The Word of God, more firme, mighty, and ſtable to aſſure His peoples ſtanding now againſt their Adverſaries, than the Earth and Heavens have for their continuance.

VIII. VIII.The Reaſons are theſefour, and the laſt contains the chiefeſt of the Arguments.

1. His peoples importunity; They give God no reſt, God muſt help them: for though He bear long, He will not be diſquieted alwayes. God hears the Ravens when they cry; He muſt hear His people when they pray. He will have His people Command Him; They do Command Him, He muſt do what He will have His people Command Him to do.

2. His people Rowle themſelves upon Him, they Truſt Him. A man muſt not deceive his Truſt, God muſt not; A poore people are perſecuted, Eſay 62 7.Isa 62:7hurried, ferrited from place to place, They betake themſelves to the Rock, The Munitions of Rocks: muſt not our Rock (not like their Rock, the enemies themſelves being Judges) be to them, a feeble folke, as the Rocks are to the (d) Eſay 55 16. (e) Deut. 32. 31. (f) Prov. 30 16.Isa 55:16Deut 32:31Prov 30:16Cunnies?

3. His people are in a low eſtate, God muſt remember them now, a poor people, as contemptible, ggPſal. 102. 17. foreign Nude nude nuditiſſi is Eſai 51 18 k. Pſal. 20. 7.Ps 102:17Isa 51:18Ps 20:7as naked as the bareſt ſhrubs; their Arms taken from them, a deſtitute, a fatherleſſe people, who found no man upon earth, that would take them by the hand, (they that ſhould have taken His people by the hand, took them by the throat) His people obſerving that, laid faſt-hold on the Almighties hand. What! but one hand to reſt upon, none beſides on earth, none beſides in heaven, and will the Lord pluck away that hand, the onelyonly prop? His people Truſt in Him, relie upon Him, not in men, not in horſes not in Chariots; not in Armies, not in Navies, not in Treaſures, They remember the Name of the Lord their God; and ſhall not thoſe riſe now and ſtand upright? God remembred Noah, and every living thing, and all the Cattell. What a good word is that? every living thing, and all the Cattle. God muſt remember David and all His helpers; Them and all their Gen. 8. 1.Gen 8:1troubles. He will help His people, nay, He muſt; have we miſgiving thoughts touching this matter? now God forbid, nay, God forgive, let us pray that theſe miſgiving thoughts may be forgiven us.

4. And the laſt of the Reaſons, which I would have well obſerved, becauſe I ſhal draw the chief Arguments from it, wherwith to cömand, I ſay cömand p. 29God, (for He ſayes, Command ye me) To come-in for His peoples help. His people do ſay, now of themſelves, then of their Kingdome, of all the Eſai. 45. 11Isa 45:11Rights, and Priviledges, of all you can think of more, they ſay of all, as Jehoſhaphat ſayes concerning the battell; The Battell is not yours (ſayes He) 2 Chron. 21 16.2 Chr 21:16but Gods; We muſt note the words; As if He ſhould have ſaid thus to His people. You have done your duty, yee have praid to God, you have praiſed Him, you have done all faithfully; be no more ſad, nor carefull touching the enemies approaching, They are not more your enemies, then Gods enemies; let Him alone with them, and with the Battell, It is not yours now but Gods: The Swords and the spear theſe in the enemies hands are His: He made the Smith that blowes the Coals, And our Wals and Towers, Gates and Barres, not ours now, but Gods; You have given up this Kingdome to the Lord, you have entitled Him to, and intruſted Him with the Kingdoms and all its Concernments: If He now will give away His Eſai 54. 41.Isa 54:41own, ſo; if He will lift up the Right hand of His Adverſaries, ſo; It is the Lord, let Him do as ſeemeth Him good: He is the Lord ſtill, But hold ye ſtill to this, You are 1 Sam 3. 18. 2 Sam. 16. 26.1 Sam 3:182 Sam 16:26not your own now, the Kingdome is not yours now, the Fortifications there, not yours, nothing yours now, all is The Lords; hold to that, and be no longer ſad, nor carefull touching the Warre: The Battell is not yours but the Lords. Truly we have ſaid as much; if we can underſtand what we have ſaid; Lord, the Kingdome, the Battell, the Cauſe, we are engaged upon, is not ours, It is Thine Lord, Thine, and we Thine, and all Thine: Thy Cauſe, we ſtand up for, Thy Chriſt, our Lord, Thy Cauſe, Thy Kingdome, and Thy Glory: All is Thine, nothing ours, nothing we, Thou art all in this buſineſſe, All the Concernments in this great buſineſſe. Thy Concernments every one: The Battell is not ours, but the Lords: ſo His people ſay, who have done their work, and having ſo done, they do aſſure themſelves, that now God muſt do His work: I had almoſt ſaid, His duty, for it is according to His Word, wherein he has cauſed His Servants to put their truſt. I come to the Arguments now. The Lord has ſtrong Arguments why he cannot ſhew mercy: but His people have ſtronger Arguments, vvherefore he muſt ſhew mercy: The Lord will help His ſervant now, and ſuggeſt to him what Argments He will uſe, and vvhat Arguments I muſt uſe, for His good pleaſure is ſo, He hath inſtructed me in all this. The Lord ſayes vvhy he ſhould not ſhew mercy.

Do's your expectation riſe ſo high now, touching the making bare My Arme towards your Kingdome? Think you to command Me now? Remember every Mothers Child of you, and be confounded becauſe of your ſhame aaEzek. 16.Ezek 16A ſeed of evill doers, as your forefathers! therefore muſt I call your name alſo, as I commanded them to be called, Lo-ammi bbHoſca 19.for you are not My people. No, in nothing like My people: If my friend Abraham were now amongſt you, or Iſrael my old ſervant to take notice of your manners and faſhions, they could know you no more to be My people, then they could acknowledge ccEſay 164. 16 So Trem. expounds the place.thoſe, that were of their own poſterity, their own ſonnes and daughters; ſo degenerate ye are, as they anciently were, ſo fallen off: p. 30Ye have deſpiſed all My Corrections, ſet at naught all My Reproofs, ye lightly eſteemed My Words. I have written to you, as to my people before you, the great things of My Law, but they were counted as a ſtrange ddHoſ. 8. 12.Hos 8:12thing; Ye have polluted My ccEzek. 20. 21. Vbi conqueritur Deus ſe contempto Judaeos ad extremam impietatem porlapſos eſſe tantum dicit violata fuiſſe Sabbata, ac ſi in eorum obſervatione praecipue conſiſteret Religio. Calv.Ezek 20:21Sabbaths, ye have prophaned My Day by a Law; and they, that ſerved in My Houſe ſuffered it to be ſo, they oppoſed it not, though they could read, what Reſpect I had to that Chief ff1 Chr 6 10. There were fourſcore more with Azariah, but he being the Chief in oppoſing the King, God gives Him all the honor. 2. Chr. 26. 17.1 Chr 6:102 Chr 26:17Prieſt, who ſtood-up againſt the Prophanation of My Houſe, and My Sacrifice there. You have prophaned My Day; Then I was preſently 2 ggHoſca 5 12Moath to your Land, then ye conſumed and pined away, and became as Rottenneſſe, and yet you conſidered-it not: Now I am as a Lion unto you (for the Moath was but the Lions Harbenger) ſo in tearing I tear you to pieces, and yet you do not acknowledge your offence, to ſeek My Face; no, not yet, after all this evill is befallen you. Ye are a Peeviſh, a ſullen, a froward, a murmuring, a ſtubborne, a rebellious people. Say on, Lord, for we confeſſe all, a wicked, unkinde, unthankfull people, (we have polluted Thy Sabbaths, all thy Holy Things) we are all this, and more, a people whoſe ſinnes are hightened, are aggravated by receits of Mercies, by the Means of Grace vouchſafed to us, by Time and Place (when and where we lived) and other Circumſtances, hightned above all the ſinners in the world; An unſavory people we, as the Salt, or as the unprofitable wood of the Vine, which hath loſt its fruitfulneſſe; ſuch we are.

But, Lord, wilt not Thou reſpect a people, till they be a reformed People, till they be Gentle, and Meek, and Good, and Gracious, and Holy, and like Thy Self? Ah Lord! Then Thou wilt never reſpect us, we ſhall never be as aforeſaid; What Thou wilt have us to be, Thou muſt make us to be, Holy as Thou art Holy; and what Thou commandeſt us to do, Thou muſt give us Grace to do, and then it is done. Thy love is Free, Thy promiſe is without Condition, not any if there, not, if ye will be my people, but, Ye ſhall be my hhJer. 32. 38, 39.Jer 32:38Jer 32:39people: and I will be your God; And I will give you one heart, and one way, &c.

We remember, Lord, very well, how Thou haſt commended Thy love towards us; While we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for iiforeign, Rom. 58, 10.us: when we were Enemies then were we reconciled; The thoughts of this freeſt Mercy, freeſt love, wounds and pierceth our hearts, it melteth us into godly ſorrow, and forceth us to love Thee again. While we were yet ſinners; when we were Enemies; Then Thou didſt ſet Thy Heart upon Thy People. What ſo free as Grace! What ſo Reaſonleſſe as Thy Love! Thou loveſt Thy people becauſe Thou loveſt kkDeut. 7. 7, 8.Deut 7:7Deut 7:8them; The reaſon is in Thy Self; If it be in us, it is Thy pitis towards us, when we lay as that, Caſt-out, in our Blood, when we walked after our manner, frowardly in our way, for then Thou ſaidſt, It is a time of llEzek. 16. 8.Ezek 16:8love; then Thou ſaidſt, I will heal mmEſay 57. 17.Isa 57:17you. This was love in Thee, Thy ſervants cannot ſay what nnforeign, Epheſ 3 19.Eph 3:19love; and miſery in us they cannot expreſſe p. 31how great! ſuch exceedings in all this, that all paſſeth knowledge. But that is the argument, we are miſerable indeed, and Thou art mercifull indeed; And Thou didſt ſay, when Thy people lay in their Blood, It is a time of love; and when they went on frowardly, Thou ſaidſt; Ile heal you. And, Lord, didſt Thou ſet Thine heart upon Rebells once, how much more now will Thy heart be towards them, now they have laid down their weapons; now their uncircumciſed hearts are humbled for all their heart-andland-abomitions! They have loathed themſelves now for their Commiſſions, and Omiſſions, Ignorances and Negligences; Thy Miniſters chiefly, greatly humble themſelves now, becauſe they have turned their backe againſt Thee at any time, and did not ſet their Faces as Flints againſt thoſe Biſhops and Curates, who ſet their foreheads, as Braſſe, againſt Thee; would They cannot wonder that the land is ſtung with a generation of Vipers, whom it warmed & hatched in its Boſom. Ezra 9.Ezra 9not ſuffer Thee to Rule in Thine own Houſe, not by Thine own Law, and Rule there. Thy ſervants lie proſtrate before thee for this, accepting their puniſhment, what ever it be; Thou muſt not ſpurn them, now proſtrate at Thy feet; ſurely Thy ſervants are exceeding humbled now, That they ſuffered Thy Sabbaths, Lord, Thy Day to be blaſpemed by a Law; when they remember That, they are aſhamed, and ſit down as Thy ſervant did, aſtonied; Thy loving kindneſſe has melted their hearts, and Thy Goodneſſe makes Them fear before thee; and now their purſuit is more earneſt after Grace then after Glory; They would be ſanctified thorowout in Bodies, ſouls and ſpirits; Surely, Lord, Thy ſervants have the affections of Children towards Thee, Thou muſt be ſo to them: Thou didſt love Thy people being Enemies, how much more being made Friends, one with Thee now in Covenant? Truly, Lord, Thou muſt love them now; Thy people can argue the Caſe with Thee, they have an if now; If Thou ſhewedſt ſuch love, ſuch aboundant favour to a people when Sinners, when Enemies; how much rather wilt Thou be the ſame to them, now, that they are made Friends? ſo Thou haſt taught Thy people to argue with **Deut. 32. 19Deut 32:19Thee, becauſe it is Thy Good pleaſure to be Overcome. Thou ſay'ſt we are ſinners, no ſuch ſinners in all the world as are we; we ſay ſo too, and acknowledge it heartily; But all this doe's but Commend thy love unto us: It is but to advance Thy free Mercy towards us in and through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; our ſinnes are hightened indeed, no ſinnes ſo highly provoking as our ſinnes, the ſinnes of Sons and Daughters, &c. But though we could highten them to the utmoſt, yet not above our High and Mighty Redeemer, who ſaveth to the utmoſt, thoſe that come unto Him: We have multiplied Tranſgreſſions: Thou haſ ſaid, I will abundantly (multiply to) **Eſa 557. foreign We can appeal to and glory in free grace for full pardon.pardon. Thy people will not let their hold go from off this Argument, but they will move Thee with another.

Our little ones, Lord, our Children and Sucklings, a Seed of evill doers Thou ſay'ſt, and we ſay ſo too; But yet Thy heart was towards thoſe in Nineveh, Thou didſt pitie them; We Fathers do ſo, and Mothers doe ſo; As a Father pitieth his Children! O, it is an exceeding pity! There is more p. 32pity in God, infinitely more: And we have more to ſay, why Thou ſhouldeſt pitie our little ones; They never trampled-under the Pearle; They never hid their eyes from the Sabbath: They never complied with Thine Enemies; They never dealt treacherouſly with Thy Friends: Truly, Lord, Thou muſt pitie them.

And the whole land; It is Thy Land now, and much people there, who are Children in knowledge, never had any means to make them Babes in Chriſt; let them know, they had a Prophet amongſt them. Give us Biſhops indeed, Curates indeed, who can naturally care for thy people, as a Father for his Children. Truly, Lord, we do confeſſe a wicked heart has deceived us. But this is Truth alſo, our Guides have miſguided us; they were appointed as fathers, ſpirituall fathers unto us, We poor ones thought verily, we might follow our Guides; we might truſt our fathers; Ah Lord! bloody Fathers have they been to us; bloody fathers! Theſe were appointed Leaders to go before us, They went before us, and we followed, and down we were tumbled all into the Ditch, and there, like ſwine, we lay in the myre. Good Lord! pitty a poor, dark, ignorant people; Give us good Lord, Biſhops indeed, Curate, ſpirituall fathers indeed; Truſt Thy people with ſuch a mercy. Thou knoweſt the hearts of the Children of men; we think, had we ſuch Leaders, we ſhould walk orderly; had we ſuch a mercy let down unto us, vve ſhould be drawn up unto Thee. Alas, Lord, what deſire Can we have after that, which we know not! we never ſaw our Biſhops do any thing but what we ſee plainly now, deceived us; we ſaw him Cringing, and ducking before a Table, which he called an Altar; and then we, obſerving all that, thought we might call it a god; he bad us indeed carry our ſelves circumſpectly, and reverently in the Church, eſpecially towards the Chancell, for there was a providentiall eye over us, Dr. Valentine ſeducer of the people in Detford.which he had * with our coſt, painted-up in our window, This was all we have ſeen our Biſhops and Curates do before us in the place, they call the Church. And for that we have heard we profeſſe in thy preſence, That we never heard a word of thy ſacred Scripture opened unto us by them; not a word touching the Things of the Lord Chriſt, made they known to us; not a word. Dead preaching without the Book, or clean croſſe to thy Book. Good Lord thruſt out theſe, and give us Paſtors after thine own heart.

We know, Lord, what thou wilt ſay now: Ye have had Biſhops and Curates after your own hearts; like People, like Prieſts; Sottiſh people, brutiſh Prieſts, They deſiled My houſe, and polluted my Sabbaths, and you loved to have it ſo.

Truth, Lord, and herein we are at a ſtand, for we cannot plead ignorance; we cannot ſay, the times of this ignorance ccActs 17 30.Acts 17:30. We have rebelled againſt the light, and groped at mid-day as at midnight. To confeſſe all at once; We have polluted Thy Sabbaths, and then all vvas polluted, even Thy whole land Throughout; and moſt juſt it were, That Thou ſhouldeſt require this of us, and dung our land throughout with our Carkaſſes, and p. 33water it with out blood from corner to corner: Juſt it vvere that thy plagues ſhould abide, ſhould reſt on us, for we have polluted thy Reſt; juſt it were that our land ſhould keep it Sabbaths now, lye Fallow without an Inhabitant there, to plow it up; This were Juſtice. But remember, Lord, That this horrible prophanation, vvas not ſo much our ſinne, as the ſinne of our Biſhops and Curates; Their ſinne, Lord, who told us vve might Fiddle and Dance, and Riot on Thy Day: and that ſuch (man like) exerciſes, would make us fit for Warre. Nay, they did not only tell us ſo, but they did force Thy ſervants to do, all the world knows what, To preſcribe grievouſneſſe, To counter-mand Thy Command, and this in thine own houſe. Truly, Lord, we could plead vvith Thee here; We poor ſimple ones thought verily, vve might truſt our Biſhops and Curats, do as they did, and commanded us to do; their words came as Oracles to us. We ſuſpected Biſhops, as Lords ever, but never as fathers; we did not ſuſpect, That fathers, they vvould give us for bread a ſtone, for a fiſh a ſerpent. Spirituall Fathers, ſo they vvere called too; vve could not imagine that Spirituall Fathers would command their children to walk as men, and live as beaſts. Good Lord, though we vvere content to have it ſo, yet ſpare Thy people, but ſpare not thoſe Biſhops and Curats, who have made, yea forced Thy Iſrael to ſin: and pitty the land and its Inhabitans, vvho ſit in darkneſſe, and ſee no light, vvho ſeek for bread now in deſolate places, where they are more like to meet with grievous Wolves then with bread. Good Lord pitty the land, a barren land. Barrenneſſe! Barrenneſſe! as the places whereon never fell dew nor rain: Truly Lord Thou muſt pitty Thy land. Thou art making theſe Barren places, Edens now; Thoſe dark places, Goſhens now; Thou art about it Lord, Thou muſt not leave the work half done. We poor men can ſit down, and count our coſt; Thou haſt counted it already. Thou ſaweſt all the mountains in thy way, all the opoſition, man would make againſt this work; Thou ſaweſt what the Potſheards of the earth vvould do, all our perverſe, our froward dealings; Thou haſt accounted all this coſt, and hitherto Thou haſt proceeded to build us-up; In Thy ſtrengh hitherto Thy ſervants have marched valiantly, and done exploits. What Thou haſt begun, Thou muſt finiſh. We have more to ſay yet; If we cannot move Thee for our ſelves; if Thou vvilt not be moved for our little ones, thoſe dear pledges of our hopes; Nor for our Land, becauſe defiled with blood, and Idols; and we have polluted Thy Sabbaths there, yet we have ſomthing more to ſay, which muſt move Thee. I. I.The Woman Lord, ſo forced once, ſo perſecuted ſtill, againſt whom the mouth of the devourer is ſo wide open (c), caſting-forth ſo great a flood; This woman, ſo gloriouſly cloathed, nothing of earth upon her, is Thy Sons Spouſe. Truly, Lord, Thou muſt own her Thou muſt give forth Thy hand unto her now in this low eſtate; Thou muſt remember her, Revel. 12.Rev 12and ſave her, Thou muſt render her, for her ſhame double, for ſhe muſt rejoyce in her portion, therefore muſt ſhe poſſeſſe the double, everlaſting joy ſhall be unto them (a): ſo Thou haſt promiſed, and ſo Thou muſt performe with thy people: ſo alſo, p. 34Iſai 61. 7.Isa 61:7everlaſting confuſion muſt be recompenced to Thine and her Adverſaries, a double deſtruction to them; ſo Thy people have bbJer. 17. 18.Jer 17:18prayed, and ſo Thou haſt commanded, fill to her **Rev. 18 6Rev 18:6double.

Truly, Lord, all the Chriſtian world ſtand now at a gaze, what thou wilt do now touching this poor woman and her Concernments. What will the Righteous Lord doe? Truly we ſhould not make it a queſtion; Thou muſt work graciouſly for Thy ſervants; Thou muſt gloriouſly iſſue-forth all Thy Churches Concernments. The Church has Thy ccIſa 54 11, 12, 13, 14, &c.Isa 54:11Isa 54:12Isa 54:13Isa 54:14word for it, and Thou haſt commanded her to Truſt unto it; ſhe do's truſt, and ſhe do's expect glorious matters. Truly, Lord, Thou muſt not deceive Thy peoples Truſt, not the expectation of all the Faithfull in the world.

Why, Lord, Thine Enemies make a Tumult now, never ſo madd with rage as now; They that hate Thee lift-up their Head, and ſpeake with a proud Lip. and yet pretend to be friends with thee, and to this woman, and do nothing againſt her, but for her altogether; To maintaine the Lawes, Rights, and Priviledges of Thy Kingdom. The Prince of Robbers ſayes ſo; They that are as the mountains of Prey to Thy People, theſe Prince Ruperts Warrant annexed to the end Pſal 83 1.Ps 83:1ſay ſo, they Rob, and Spoil, and Murther the poor, and helpleſſe men, and do yet worſe to women: They Vow and Swear to do yet more violences and wrong, to the Power in their hands; and yet To maintaine the Laws and Liberties of Thy people ſtill: Keep not Thou, ſilence, O Lord; hold not Thy peace, and be not ſtill, O God: The poor and needy commit themſelves unto Thee, a Refuge from the Storm; Thou muſt deliver the needy when they crie unto Thee, the poor and them that have no helper. Pſal. 72. 12Ps 72:12Thou muſt not ſit ſtill now; Thou muſt riſe and take To Thy Self Power; Thou muſt right the Cauſe of the Fatherleſſe; Thou muſt ſtop the Mouth That ſpeaketh Blaſphemies; Thou muſt diſpoſſeſſe the Land of theſe unclean Spirits, The Eyes of all thy people in the world are faſtened upon thee now, and are ſtedfaſt towards Thee; Thou muſt not deceive the expectation of all the Faithfull in the world touching this woman and her concernments.

Truly, Lord, Thy ſervants make no queſtion here▪ as their Converſation is without Covetouſneſſe, ſo without fear alſo, (which cauſeth too much carefulneſſe) They can boldly ſay; The Lord is our Helper, He has helped hitherto; He do's help, he do's ſave, he do's deliver even now, every day; Thou do'ſt purge out the Rebellious every day; if not every day Cutting-them-off from the Land of the Living, then by purging them out of thy ſervants hearts, and that is the greateſt deliverance. Thy ſervants know, Lord, what thy Great end is; if the Rehellious in Thy peoples hearts were ſubdued there, then there were no work for the Rebells to do now in Thy Land; They muſt be purged-out preſently, even this very hour, if the Rebellious in Thy ſervants hearts were purged-out. There is the ſtop, the mountain in the way, there is That which lets the Churches Victories; Thy Iſraels Tents are not thorowly ſearched (then) not purged: p. 35Therefore the Rebels are ſo ſtrong, therefore they muſt prevaile yet longer. Were thy Iſraels hearts truly humbled for the pollution of Thy Sabbaths, O that every ſervant of the Lord fighting the Battels of the Lord, did well conſider this. See Alarum ſecond Section, Cha. 5, 6. and ſect. 3. ch 8 & 9. Pſa. 81, 14, 15 The ſervants of the Lord do not more deſire the remove of the ſword, than they do the remove of the ſins, which cauſed the ſword. Iſa 10 12. Jer 51. 31. 35. 36 37. Rev. 18. 18.Ps 81:14Ps 81:15Isa 10:12Jer 51:31Jer 51:35Jer 51:36Rev 18:18the prophaning of Thy Day; for their little or no Zeale, when time was, againſt the Prophanation of Thy Day, Thy Houſe, Thy worſhip and ſervice there; were their Hearts truly humbled for all this, To an accepting of this ſore puniſhment, though it ſhould abide, yea, Reſt yet lone ger upon their Backs, becauſe they have ſuffered the Day of Thy Reſt to b…, prophaned by a Law: Were it ſo, That Thy People were ſo humbled Then they know what Thou wouldſt do, even as Thou haſt ſpoken long ſince, I ſhould ſoon have ſubdued their Enemies, and turned mine Hand againſt their Adverſaries: The haters of the Lord ſhould have ſubmitted themſelves. Thy Servants know full well, That theſe Adverſaries and Enemies, all the Rebels in the Land, are but as Inſtruments in Thy Hand, as a Batte-Axe to Cut down the Rebellious there, that will not conſider their wayes, and be aſhamed; as a Rod in Thy Hand To correct and chaſtiſe Thy Children; as a Beſome in Thy Hand, To ſweep clean the Floor of Thy Church; as Scullions To cleanſe, whiten and purifie the Veſſels appointed to honour: And when this work is done, this whole Work is performed, upon Mount Sion and Jeruſalem, Then, Then theſe Battle-Axes, ſhall be thrown away; Then theſe Rods and theſe Beſomes ſhall be thrown-out, and caſt into the fire; Then theſe Scnllions all, even their Princes and all, ſhall be ſent to their own place: And then ſhall the violences done to Sion, and to her Fleſh, be upon Babilou; for then The Lord will ſtretch forth His Hand upon Babylon, and her helpers all, and Rowle her down from the Rocks, and make her as a burnt Mountain: Thus it muſt be, Lord, for Thou haſt ſaid it, and ſtrong is The Lord God, who judgeth Her. In the mean time; Thy People, Lord, are not afraid, not a whit afraid; They incourage themſelves in Thee, and they boaſt in Thy Name all the Day long. I will ſpeak a word more in the Ears of the fearfull; Thy people, Lord, are no more afraid of theſe Rebels in the Land (Inſtruments in Thy Hand) then Children are afraid, ſeeing ſome Inſtruments of Death, Carbine, Piſtoll, or Cannon in their Fathers Hand; fully aſſured they are, Their Father intends not to ſhoot at them, not at his Children; No, the Father is making ready, and bending theſe Inſtruments againſt the Faces of His and His Childrens Enemies; againſt them He intends all this: And let the fearfull attend to this and a little more. Why, Lord, thy Church do's not lie at the mercy of Inſtruments, whoſe mercies are cruell (rather) none at **Prov 12. 10. Plane nulla Jur.Prov 12:10all. Thy Church lyeth at the mercy of a God, who is all mercy, and has the Inſtruments all, Engliſh, Iriſh, French, all theſe Malignants in His Hands, the Hands of a Father.

Truly, Lord, Thy people are aſſured, That theſe Inſtruments in their Fathers Hands, ſhall not kill his Children: Kill! They ſhall not hurt His Children. Not hurt! Theſe Inſtruments, in a Fathers hand, muſt do His Children good; and the more Malignant, the more good. It muſt be ſo, Lord; Inſtruments in a Fathers Hand muſt work for the good of His Children; they know it, and are as confident and fully aſſured of it, as that p. 36their Father ever liveth and ever loveth His people. Amen; for ſo ſayes the Faithfull and true witneſſe, Amen.

2. The Heathen rage now, they take counſell together all againſt Thy Sonne, Thine Anointed, our Lord and Chriſt. We know thou haſt taken to Thy Self Power now, Thou wilt ſee to Thine own Houſe, Thou Sonne of David. Pſal. 2.Ps 2Thou do'ſt laugh now; but wo to the world, the men of the earth there Revel.when Thou do'ſt Laugh, for now they ſhall howle bitterly, When Thou ſhalt ſpeak unto them in Thy wrath, and vex them in Thy ſore Diſpleaſure.

3. Thy Name, Lord, Thy Glory is engaged upon it; for Thy Nameſake, for Thy Glory-ſake Thou muſt do it, maintain Thine own Cauſe: The Cauſe Thy ſervants ſtand-up for, is not theirs, but the Lords, Thy Cauſe; and though Thy ſervants have offended Thee, yet, the comfort is, The Cauſe never offended Thee; Thou art as well pleaſed with it, as with Thy Sonne; yea, in Him, Thou loveſt Thy People as Thou loveſt Thy Sonne: But Thy Cauſe, Lord, Thy Sonnes Cauſe, His Churches Cauſe, Thou muſt help it, Thou muſt deliver it, Thou muſt bring it forth to victory. Thy Cauſe, Lord, Thy Glory, That is engaged. Were the Cauſe ours, and no more but our ſelves intereſted in it, let it ſink, or let it ſwim, Thy people could not be carefull about it; they would be as careleſſe of it, as thoſe have been, who have turned Taile upon Thy ſervants in the Houſe of Parliament, and dealt treacherouſly with Thee. But, but, The Kingdome is Thine, The Battell Thine, The people Thine, The Cauſe Thine, The Glory Thine, (ours by free gift, and ſo returned back with all thankfulneſſe) All is Thine; Thou muſt look to Thine own, Thou muſt do it; We are not our own, Thy Purchaſe Lord, engaged to Thee, Thou muſt help us; We have done our duty, bleſſed be Thy Name for That Grace, we have Faſted; we have prayed, we have Covenanted, taken Thee for our God; we ſaid, in uprightneſſe of heart, Thou art our Rock, our high Tower. Truly, Lord, Thou muſt be our Refuge (heaven is our place of Eſa 45. 11. Joſh. 1 5. Heb. 13. 5. foreign. Five Ne gatives to aſcertain the affirmative, and to give the Church ſtrong Conſolations for ever. foreignIsa 45:11Josh 1:5Heb 13:5Randevouz ſtill) in life and in death, whereto we muſt continually reſort. Thou muſt do it, it is Thy Cauſe, and Thy Glory; Thy people will not let Thee alone, they will give Thee no reſt; Thouhaſt bid them, ſaying, Command ye me; They take Thee at Thy Word, they command Thee to proſper This Cauſe in all the peoples ſight: It muſt bee ſo, Lord, for ſo Thou haſt Commanded, and, not wee, but Thou haſt ſaid it, I will never, never, never, never, never, leave Thee not forſake Thee.

Thou didſt not give ſo full an aſſurance to thy ſervant Joſhua, but Thou haſt ſaid it ſo often, and given ſo full an aſſurance to thy ſervants now a dayes: Thou didſt aſſure indeed Thy ſervant Joſhua, That Thou wouldeſt hold him faſt, Thou wouldeſt not let go Thy hold of him (a), Thou wouldeſt bear him up in Thine hand; A full aſſurance this: Yet Thou haſt given a fuller aſſurance to Thy ſervants now a dayes, ſo as they can ſay boldly, and beleeve perfectly, that Thou wilt never forſake Thy Kingdome; never forſake Thy Church; never forſake Thy Battell; never forſake Thy Cauſe, never forſake that p. 37matter, wherein Thy Name, Thy Glory is engaged. In confident aſſurance hereof, All Thy faithfull ſervants, all the world over do ſtand ſtill (calme and quiet in their mindes, not ſad nor carefull, having done their duty) expecting the Salvations of the Lord, and aſcribing ſalvation to their God, Praiſe, Glory, Honour, and Thanſgiving To Him, That ſitteth upon the Throne for evermore: So be it:

Amen.