A Two-Fold Shaking of the Earth, Exposition · Reasons
Reaſons, Why it may be hoped, that the preſent Parliament will begin the Earth-quake, or Second Shaking of the Earth.
FRom the late experience we have had of ſome mens unfaithfulneſs and falſhood, and ſeriouſly weighing what a pitiful choice ſome have made: this could not but altogether diſcourage me of Hope, were not my eyes upon the Mighty Creator, and ſo better bottom'd, then to put confidence in man. What my Reaſons are, I ſhall here ſet down, and ſo leave it to the Readers judgment, Whether from ſuch grounds, there may not be Hope of reviving the Good old Cauſe by this Parliament.
Reaſ. 1. The Lord taking away that HEAD-STOP lately from us, ſeems to ſpeak much good in it to all Lovers of Righteouſneſs in the Nation. Ariſe, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Iſrael; for they are dead which ſought the young childs life, Mat. 2.20. What otherwiſe was the Lord voice in that Signal Providence, but a… if he ſhould ſay to the Repreſentatives of the People, Ariſe, take the Mother Commonwealth, and her young child, i. e. her Rights, Priviledges, &c. and go into London: i. e. let things be ſetled and establiſhed as before: for they are dead which ſought to devour Mother and Child, ſo that there is no fear in returning to the good old work and Cauſe again. Thou brakeſt the heads of Leviathan in peeces, & gaveſt him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderneſs, Pſal. 74.14. The meaning is, Gods revenging hand upon Pharaoh, was to nouriſh and ſtrengthen Iſrael afterward; as to beleeve the Lord would not have done that great thing for them, had he not meant to bring them to the Promiſed Land. Truly, that Stroak to me hath been meat in the wilderneſs; and I cannot but think, as it was the Lords doing, ſo it was done, that the three Nations might the ſooner enjoy their juſt Rights again.
It is the opinion of many, that in Saul and David (as to their Kingdoms) is ſhadowed out two States to be in the laſt days: when Saul was dead (the great Block in Davids way) it is ſaid, Abner the ſon of Ner, Captain of Sauls hoſt, took Iſhboſheth the ſon of Saul, and made him King, 2 Sam. 2.8, 9. Note three things in this buſineſs.
1. What Abner did herein, was contrary to his light; for he knew well enough, that God had appointed anoother man to reign; only his relation to the houſe of Saul (for he was Sauls unkle) and his own baſe intereſt, made him do what he did againſt knowledge and conſcience, 2 Sam. 3.17, 18.
2. It appears by the Text, that this Iſhboſheth (which is by interpretation A MAN OF SHAME, and his end proved ſo) was a fellow of a low, fearful, and weak ſpirit, not like his father Saul, neither for valour nor policie; meerly ſet to ſerve a Court-intereſt, and that a company of corrupt men might ſerve themſelves upon him, as not liking David and his way; for they knew David was a man more honeſt and conſcientious, then to ſuffer ſuch locuſts & caterpillars to ſpoil & devour the Commonwealth, 2 Sam. 3.11.
3. Not only in the end is this mock-King left of his RAISERS, but hath his head taken off by two of his own Captains; a juſt reward for him, and for all ſuch who will take upon them the power and Government of Nations, againſt the manifeſt appointment of God. What may be in the application, time will ſhew. In the mean time, take notice, if the time be come, That the Kingdoms of this world are to be the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chriſt, Rev. 11.15. and that righteouſneſs is to be exalted in the Nations; then none of the Houſe of Saul ſhall long reign, but the Houſe of David will grow ſtronger and ſtronger, and carry it in ſpight of all oppoſition.
Reaſ. 2. Methinks it cannot be, but there is a wheel in the wheel, and the Lords hand moving to the ſhaking the Earth the ſecond time; in that I ſee of late a ſpirit of prayer and ſupplication poured out upon many choice Chriſtians, whereby they are enabled to wreſtle with the Lord in prayer day and night for the publick good of the Nation, more earneſtly then they did before. I have obſerved for theſe four or five yeers, that it hath not been upon the hearts of the faithful, to expect any good from Parliaments; and therefore moſt of their praying hath been (and no doubt by the Holy Spirit led thereto) that the Lord would blaſt them, and break them to peeces, that the ſtout-hearted might be ſpoiled, and none of the men of might find their hands. But I find it otherwiſe now; for the Lord of late hath put it upon their hearts with much weight, to be dayly groaning at the throne of Grace, that all thoſe who like good Nehemiah, Come to ſeek the welfare of the children of Iſrael, and to repair the breaches of the Commonwealth, may through God do valiantly.
No doubt, honeſt Huſhai proſpered the better, when he ſought to fruſtrate the wicked counſel of Ahitophel, that he had Davids prayers for him and with him. And David ſaid, O Lord, I pray thee turn the counſel of Ahitophel to fooliſhneſs, 2 Sam. 15.31. Let ſuch know, who are our Huſhai's at this time, and ſeek to break the deſigns of Ahitophels, and all ſuch as would keep up a corrupt intereſt againſt the publick good of the Commonwealth, there are many tears and prayers poured out for them. And I am confident, they will experience the fruit and benefit of them all along upon their endeavours for the righteous Cauſe.
Reaſ. 3. I have the more ground of hope, conſidering ſome perſons now ſitting, were not only Members of the long Parliament, and ſought to extirpate things that ſtood in the way of a thorow Reformation; but have not ſince warped and deflected from their former righteous principles. Now how can ſuch good Patriots of their Countrey but remember the days of old, and the wonderful works of the Lord, how viſibly and powerfully his preſence was with them, when they conteſted againſt the Court party, and how he delivered them from the Lion and the Bear, King and Biſhops, and ſo have it (with much aſſurance) upon their hearts, that he will help them ſtill, whilſt they open their mouth for the dumb, and plead the cauſe of the poor and needy. If a man ſee Beaſts in his field devouring the corn which himſelf had ſown, he cannot ſuffer it, but will drive them out. It may be ſaid in a good ſence, it was the old Parliament that ſowed this Commonwealth with much good ſeed, in order to the freedom, ſafety, and welfare of the Nation. I hope therefore ſuch men will ſtand up again in the good old way, and ſeek to repair thoſe grievous breaches which have been made ſince, by a company of corrupt and deceitful men. Should ſuch a man as I flee? Neh. 6.11.
When Nehemiah upon his return to Jeruſalem, ſaw what great evil had been done in his abſence, and how many things through the pride and covetouſneſs of ſome men were quite out of order, it not only grieved him, but ſtirr'd him up to endeavour a preſent Reformation. And no doubt, that which occaſioned him to ſhew himſelf ſo zealouſly earneſt in the work, it was, in that they had broken the good Government which he himſelf (as a principal man) had ſetled among them but a little before: ſee Neh. 13. If there be a Nehemiah in this Parliament, (as I hope there are many) men that will ſeek the welfare of England; it is not an Apoſtate Eliaſhib, or a Malignant Tobiah, that they will fear; nor the Rulers, but will contend with them, and never ceaſe, till the Commonwealth be freed from oppreſſion and ſlavery, & ſetled upon a righteous foundation.
Reaſ. 4. I am the more encouraged to HOPE that this Parliament will be ſucceſsful in their undertakings, and highly bleſt by Almighty God: Becauſe there are ſome Army-Officers among them, who have kept their integrity, and have not betrayed the good old Cauſe, for which they ingaged. I know it will be matter of much grief unto ſuch men, that they muſt now in a little room be ſtanding up for the publike intereſt of the Nation, which could not be obtain'd, till they had paſt thorow many places in blood. Ah honeſt hearts! they little thought when they left their families, eſtates, Relations, and what elſe was dear unto them, and carried their lives in their hands, that they ſhould afterwards ſit at Westminſter, and hear the very ſame things pleaded for, which they had before deſtroyed. For what were the things for which they fought? Was it not againſt Tyrannical and Arbitrary power? againſt proſecution of Court-Principles by corrupt men? Was it not to take off all oppreſſions from the necks of the freemen of England? Was it not to remove the long uſurped Authority of Lords Civil and Eccleſiaſtical over the Commons? was it not that the ſupreme Authority ſhould reſide originally in the people, according to the Law of God, light of Nature and right Reaſon? That all perſons ſhould own, and ſtand by that Commonwealth-conſtitution, as then eſtabliſhed without King and Houſe of Lords? And that it ſhould be Treaſon for any man to be Chief Magiſtrate of England and Ireland, without conſent of Parliament? was it not againſt all Negative voices over the free-people of the Commonwealth? and againſt the power of the Militia to be ſetled and kept in the hands of any ſingle Perſon? Let the enemies themſelves be Judges, whether theſe were not the main things conteſted for againſt the late King, and for the recovery whereof, the Nations Truſtees in Parliament ingaged themſelves and the good People thereof, in a long, expenſive, and bloody War, which (by the good hand of God aſſiſting them) ended in the total ſubduing of their adverſaries, and capacitating them to execute exemplary Juſtice upon the principal and his abettors. Surely, theſe old Souldiers knowing this to be true, have not ſo far left their former valour and reſolution, as now to give all up unto men far more inconſiderable then the Royal party was. If men ſhould ſee a company of Boys over their heads, throwing down ſtones upon them; I know what they would do in ſuch a caſe. I ſhall leave the application to the Reader.
But I hear the Noble Lord Fairfax is choſen for a Parliament-man. Surely, it was not a perſonal grudge to the Houſe of the Stuarts, nor any particular diſcontent he had againſt the ancient Nobility and Gentry of the Nation, that he cut them down in all places where he came; but rather his love to truth and righteouſneſs. Howbeit his ſilence of late is much wondered at, and his friends do now expect that he will appear (like himſelf) againſt the new Court party, and our yeſterday Nobility, and Gentry, (ſo far as in point of honour and conſcience he is bound) and make it evident, it was no perſonal ſpight againſt the King and his party that he fought them, but love to his Country.
Reaſ. 5. May not we HOPE now, that iniquity ſhall ſtop her mouth? The fear of you, and the dread of you, ſhall be upon every beaſt of the Earth, Gen. 9.2. Though there may be in ſome a will and de ſire, that the ſeveral burdens & grievances of the people ſhould not be taken off, nor any thing done to ſettle and provide for the ſafety, ſettlement, and welfare of the Nation by common conſent; Nevertheleſs, men of publick Spirits, and righteous principles, now ſpeaking for the good old cauſe, and declaring againſt the exerciſe of Arbitrary power over the lives, Liberties, and Eſtates of the people; Now declaring againſt ſetting up a particular intereſt tending to the reviving of the Baronswars, by a ſucceſſive contention between two diſtinct perſons and families for the Soveraignty; Now declaring againſt perſons of a degenerate, ſlaviſh, and enſlaving ſpirit, encouraging and joyning with the old Malignant, and acting and appearing again, directly oppoſite to thoſe good principles and things formerly eſtabliſhed. When theſe, and ſuch like things ſhall be ſpoken, what may be expected then? A fear and dread, what will follow if there ſhould be any contradiction: and no marvel, the burnt child fears the fire. It is too well known, how deeply ſome have ſuffered already for raſh ingaging themſelves for a Court-intereſt againſt the juſt rights of the people.
Job ſaith, When he put on righteouſneſs, and brake the jaws of the wicked, and pluckt the ſpoil out of their teeth; delivered the poor that cried, and cauſed the widdows heart to ſing for joy: The young men hid themſelves, and the aged ſtood up. The Princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth, Job 29. There hath not been of late time, ſuch a time as this is, for righteous Jobs (eſpecially in Parliament) to plead for Juſtice. For rationally, no man can think (as the caſe of the Nation ſtands) that any perſon will have the forehead to ſpeak (whatſoever he think) againſt the freedom, ſafety, and welfare of the Commonwealth; which yet he muſt do, if he ſpeak for the preſent abuſes and Court-corruptions, for which the Parliament and Army engaged againſt the late King. Fear not, there ſhall not a man be able to ſtand before thee, Joſh. 5.1.
Reaſ. 6. It is the hope of many (and herein I am not without hope) under that huge heap of chaff, (I mean the Army) there is ſome good corn; ſome fire among the abundance of aſhes: if ſo, it will now appear; that is, ſuch among them as ſtill love the Good old cauſe, ſpeak high for righteous things, and ſeem to mourn for the great Apoſtacie of the Army, they will cloſe with the preſent Parliament, to have Arbitrary power put down, the peoples Birth-rights reſtored, and ſtand no longer with a corrupt intereſt againſt equity, Law, and conſcience.
Before the Lord deſtroyed Sodom, he brought Lot out of it: who knows but by this Parliament the Lord will deliver his choſen ones in the Army from his wrath he means to pour upon the reſt? it is no matter though they are few. There is no reſtraint to the Lord to ſave by many or by few, 1 Sam. 14.6. I know ſome can hardly beleeve, that the Lord will ſo far honour them, as to imploy them in his good old Cauſe again. But let no mans eye be evil, becauſe God is good; he is wiſer then man, and knows better then he what is to be done. Conſidering therefore what an opportunity is now put into their hands by this Parliament, there is hope, that our Heavenly Father (who is kind to the unkind) is tendring mercy to them as he did to Lot. Beſides, there are few in the Army of honeſt Principles, but do very well know, if the Parliament do not ſtand to effect good things for the Nation, there will be little ſafety for them in the Army. For the conteſt begins now between the two old Intereſts, the Court or Commons, Round-heads or Cavaleers; no halting ſhortly between two opinions, but either back again where we were into the Houſe of Bondage, or forward in a free Commonwealth for more Reformation.
Again. It muſt needs be matter of grief to many Souldiers, to conſider what ſad diviſions and rents there are among the people of God about them; many tender conſciences not being ſatisfied to have ſpiritual communion with them, becauſe of their ſupporting an Arbitrary power. They may ſay, it is of their weakneſs in judgment: let it be ſo, yet they cannot be without deep ſence of theſe diviſions (as I hope they are,) and therefore they will look upon this thing as a great Providence, that they ſhall now come under the Government of the Parliament, to ſerve their Country honeſtly, and not the licentiouſneſs of lawleſs perſons any more. And this will greatly tend to union and peace among Chriſtians. And whereas Parliaments of late have been overſwayed by Sword-men; yea, often broken to peeces at their pleaſure: it is hoped now, that theſe Army-men (of whom I ſpeak) will prevent all ſuch fear and danger, by giving up themſelves to the obedience of the Parliament, and openly declare, that they will ſtand with them to have the Good old Cauſe up again, and the undoubted Rights and Liberties of theſe Nations fixt upon the right foundation of truth and righteouſneſs.
Reaſ. 7. When this Parliament ſhall underſtand the ſtraits of the Nation, and how many ways the well-affected to our freedom and juſt rights have ſuffered; yea, been undone in their perſons and eſtates, contrary to Law and Conſcience, and who have been the cauſe of all this (as we hope they will hear the grievances of the people) it is not to be doubted, but there will be an Earth-quake with a witneſs: Knoweſt thou not yet, that Egypt is deſtroyed? Exod. 10.7. as if they ſhould ſay, The land is waſted, the people impoveriſhed, and that little which is left us, will ſoon be taken from us, if thou ſend not away this people. Thus will be the cry of the Nation to the Parliament (if they ſit a little while) and they will hear it with both ears: Sirs, Know ye not that England is deſtroyed? our Merchants break dayly, all trade fails us, many families periſh; and that little which is left in the land the Court will devour, if it be not diſmiſt by your wiſdom and care.
There is one thing (and very probably) this Parliament will remember and make uſe of; it was the great pretence of ſome, in breaking one Parliament after another, that they did it for TRYAL. And ſo this laſt Government was ſet up, as judged the beſt and moſt expedient for publick good. The Long Parliament was too ſlow, and the little Parliament was too quick, and therefore a new Instrument muſt be devis'd to ſave the Nation. Now I hope there is no wrong done to the Tryers, if this Parliament having found by proof and ſad experience, that of the three changes the laſt was the worſt, (I ſay) granting this, if they ſhould (following the others example) lay it aſide, and take up ſomething elſe. Nay more, how can the Parliament (as the peoples Trustees) be faithful, if they ſhall find that the better Government was laid aſide, and the worſer ſet up, almoſt to the undoing of the Nation, and yet let it ſtand?
It is a Maxime in State, Religious and Civil, When corruptions and abuſes do ariſe, to reduce things to their firſt inſtitution. Thus Chriſt in refuting the Phariſees about plurality of wives, mentioneth the firſt inſtitution of marriage: From the beginning it was not ſo, Mat. 19.8. So Paul in ſeeking to redreſs the diſorders in the Church at Corinth about the Lords Supper, ſets down the Institution, 1 Cor. 11. and this I hope will be the practiſe of the Parliament in ſeeking to reform the many grievances of the Nation, to bring things to the Original; that is, when the Government was changed from Monarchy to a Commonwealth.
Reaſ. 8. I never had of late yeers more hope then now, of a good accord among all the Godly of the Houſe, under what form or name ſoever, that they will as one man ſtand up for righteous things. Indeed matters of Religion in former Parliaments have greatly obſtructed the ſettlement of the Nation. A rock under water is perillous: medling with Religion is the more dangerous, becauſe it is covered over with ſpecious and fair pretences, as if God would not bleſs Parliaments, unleſs they begin at the Houſe of God; and here preſently they are at a loſs about this Houſe of God, what it is, and where it is, there being ſo many, Lo here, and lo there. But I ſhall wave this diſcourſe. Whatſoever duty lies upon Parliaments concerning Religion, I am ſure as the affairs of the Nation now ſtand, there is ſome other thing to be lookt after: and if thoſe who are religious, mind it not, it is poſſible the Cavaleer (watching his opportunity) will deprive both Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptiſts, &c. of all their Birth-right and freedom here in England; and where will they go next for liberty of Conſcience?
There are (as I ſaid before) but two great Intereſts in the Nation, the Commonwealth and Cavaleer; if the Cavaleer get it not, there is no fear, but all truly fearing God, will enjoy much love and peace together.
Our Chronicles tell us, Never had the Saxons and Danes conquered us, had it not been for our own diviſions. If we loſe our Commonwealth, and with it our Liberties and Lives, and the Cavaleers have it, and from them Charls Stuart (for they play the old game under a new dreſs) I ſay, ſhould ſuch a thing be (which God forbid) it muſt be by the ſubtilty of the Enemy cauſing diviſion among good men, whereby their hands are made weak: but I hope better things, and ſpeak it for this end, As men are godly, ſo they ſhould be wiſe.
Thus I have ſhewed the grounds of my HOPE: what the actings and appearances of God will be for this Parliament, a little time will ſhew. I know few of them; yet this I know, never did the condition of England require men of large parts, of wiſdom, integrity, of publick and unintereſted ſpirits more then now. I wiſh therefore there be no Boys for Men; no time-ſervers, flatterers, light, careleſs, and vain perſons, inſtead of honeſt, faithful, vigilant, ſober, ſolid, and wiſe hearted. Their work is great, in a manner to ſave poor England, and to bring her off thoſe rocks whereon ſhe is ready to ſplit, into a ſafe Harbor. With reverence therefore to the phraſe, Who is ſufficient for theſe things!
FINIS.
End of the text · John Canne, A Two-Fold Shaking of the Earth (1659)