The Little Horns Downfall, Title page – Dedication
THE LITTLE HORNS DOOM & DOVVNFALL: OR A Scripture-Propheſie OF King James, and King Charles, and of this preſent Parliament, unfolded. Wherein it appeares, that the late Tragedies that have bin acted upon the Scene of theſe three Nations: and particularly, the late Kings doom and death, was ſo long ago, as by Daniel pred-eclared.
AND What the iſſue of all will be, is alſo diſcovered; which followes in the ſecond Part.
By M. Cary, a ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt.
AMOS 3. 7, 8.
Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his ſecrets unto his ſervants the Prophets: The Lion hath roared, who will not feare? the Lord God hath ſpoken, who can but Propheſie?
London, Printed for the Author, and are to be ſold at the ſign of the Black-ſpread-Eagle, at the Weſt end of Pauls, 1651.
TO The Vertuous, Heroicall, and Honourable Ladies,
The Lady ELIZABETH CROMVVEL,
The Lady BRIDGET IRETON, and
The Lady MARGARET ROLE.
May it pleaſe your Ladiſhips,
BEing preſſed in ſpirit to divulge this inſuing diſcourſe, the maine ſcope whereof, being to make this preſent age more ſenſible of the late paſt, and preſent footſteps of God in the world, in order to the ſetting up of the kingdom of our Lord Ieſus; and the making of all dominions to ſerve and obey him.
And obſerving, how that among the many pious, precious, prudent, and ſage Matrons, and holy women, with which this Common-wealth is adorned; as with ſo many precious jewels, and choice gemmes, (which God having here and there placed in it, doe ſet out the glory and luſtre of the *This Nation ſo farre excels in glory, and happineſſe all other Nations, becauſe of of thoſe numbers of precious Saints that are in it; and for ſeverall other reſpects: As it made a Reverend See Mr. Tho. Goodwins Sermon, preached before the Parliament in Feb. 1645. which is in print, and intituled, The great Intereſt of States and Kingdomes. Which in many other reſpects is worthy the ſerious view of the beſt ſaints. Divine of this Nation, thus to expreſſe himſelfe concerning it: That if wee had stood at Gods elbow, when he bounded out the Nations, and appointed the times, and ſeaſons, that men ſhould live in; wee ſhould not have known, in what nation, or kingdome, or age wee ſhould have choſen to have lived in, rather then in this kingdom, for whom God hath done ſuch great things: unleſſe when Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe was alive, and the Apoſtles in thoſe primitive times; unleſſe in Iudea it ſelf, where all the Apoſtles were together.Nation) God hath ſelected and choſen out your Ladiſhips, and placed you in ſome of the higheſt places of honour (according to your preſent capacities) in the three Nations; wherein you have more then ordinary opportunities to honour him.
And obſerving withall, how that as God hath placed you in the ſtations wherein you are; ſo hee hath fitted you for them: the tendency of your aimes, ſtudies, and endeavours, (as it is well knowne) being to the exaltation (as far as lies in you) of that great King of Saints, the Lord Ieſus; whom you love in ſincerity, and for the ſetting up of whoſe glorious Kingdome in the perfection of it, you longingly waite: which frame of ſpirit in you, hath not been of yeſterday only, but for many yeeres together hath ſhined conſpicuouſly, and gloriouſly in you all; demonſtrating to all Saints, that indwelling preſence of the holy ſpirit which is within you.
I have therefore choſen, (being of your own ſex) to dedicate theſe Treatiſes to your Ladiſhips, (whom I honour becauſe God hath honoured) and under your favourable aſpects, to publiſh them to the world; being aſſured both,
Firſt, of your ingenuous, and gracious acceptation hereof; ſeeing that theſe treatiſes tend to the quickning, and refreſhing of the hearts, of thoſe which waite for, and expect the comming, and the kingdome of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: Knowing that every thing of this nature, from how weak an inſtrument ſoever it be, (ſo it bee with the plaine, and cleer demonſtrations of the holy Scripture, and the holy ſpirit) is very acceptable unto you, who are in that waiting and expecting poſture.
And alſo ſecondly, of your owning, and defending, and maintaining all the truths, which are therein laid down; as far as they ſhall appear, in the energie, and evidence of the holy ſpirit unto you, who have already ſo plenarily (compared with many other Saints of theſe preſent times) received of that ſpirit.
And now right honourable; that as your God hath graciouſly loaded you both with internall and externall glory; under which he keepes you in a ſweet, meek, and humble frame, which crownes all the favours which he hath conferred upon you; ſo that you may more and more abound, in every grace, and bleſſing of the Lord, enjoying yet more full, ſpirituall, and ſweet communion and fellowſhip with the Father, and with his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, through the ſpirit; that as tranſplendent ſtars you may ſhine gloriouſly, in the ſeverall ſpheares wherein. God hath ſet you, or ſhall ſet you; while in this world, untill you are advanced unto that beatificke viſion, which is to bee injoyed, among the glorified Saints, and Angels, with Ieſus Chriſt in another world, ſhall be the prayer of,
My Ladies, Your Ladiſhips devoted unfeignedly, to ſerve you in the Lord, MARY RANDE.