A Model of True Spiritual Thankfulness, Dedication 2
To the truely Noble Sir William Brereton, Baronet, Commander in Chief of the Parliaments Forces in Cheſhire; and to all thoſe worthy Commanders and Gentlemen, whom God hath honoured with the beginning, managing, and now happily finiſhing of the Work in Cheſhire.
Honourable and ever to be honoured Gent.
WHat Encomium the Apoſtle gave the beloved Diſciple, I hope the world wil give me leave to beſtow upon you, without the the leaſt ſuſpition of Flattery; You do faithfully whatſoever you do in the Publike Truſt committed to you:1. Joh. v. 5. and I beſeech you look upon it as Gods honouring of you, more then your honouring of God: a heart to be faithful, and happineſſe to be ſucceſſeful in Gods deſignes, is a double engagement: which I heartily deſire may not lift up your hearts, unleſſe it be in the ways of God, in whoſe Name you have gone out and proſpered. So that you may go and bear a part in his*Barak. Judg. 5.13. Excellencies Song: Then he made him that remaineth to have dominion over the Nobles, among the people the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty. As an acknowledgement of which honour God hath done you, give me leave humbly to ſuggeſt a few Returns of Thankfulneſſe that will no leſſe become you, then crown and perfect your work.
1. Make it, I beſeech you, your prime deſigne to ſurrender up that Citie to God which God hath ſurrendred up to you, by engaging your beſt abilities and intereſts for the bringing in and encouragement of a learned, godly, Orthodox Miniſtery into the City, the Spiritual Militia that muſt ſecure the peace thereof. If Hereſie and Schiſm break in, I ſhall ſet down and cry, Cheſter is loſt the ſecond time; and in which more miſerable, it will not be eaſie to determine.
Agrippins to Nero.2. Studie oneneſſe in your affections, and oneneſſe in your Counſels: Unitie and you are unconquerable. Remember whoſe ſuggeſt it was, Divide & impera.
3. Let your diſtinguiſhing favours run counter-motion to the enemies: let Malignants have no more encouragement then may demonſtrate you more ſtudious of their Reformation then their Ruine: Let them have no more cauſe to call the proud happie,Hagg. 3.15. Verſ. 18. nor to ſay, They that work wickedneſſe are ſet up: but let them return, and diſcern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God and him that ſerveth him not.
4. Be tender (O be tender, I ſay, as of your own lives) of the willing faithful party who in City or Countrey have ſerved you in this Cauſe of Chriſt and the Parliament, to the very laſt drop of livelihood and blood: O to ſtudie now the Reſt, Refreſhing, Recruiting of that languiſhing people more then your own intereſts and advantage, will render you more truely honourable then all your Victories, and bring the bleſſing of periſhing families upon you and your poſterity. To that end, imitate the true gallantry of Nehemiah: read his 5 Chapter, eſpecially from the 14 verſe to the end; and the Lord grant you may get it by heart. Then ſhall they that are delivered from the noiſe of the archers in the places of drawing water, rehearſe the righteous acts of the Lord,Judg. 5.11. even the righteous acts towards the inhabitants of the Villages in Cheſhire; then ſhall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.
5. Studie Self-conqueſts, Sin-victory. He that is ſlowe to anger is better then the mighty, and he that ruleth his ſpirit, then he that taketh a City.Prov. 16.32. Fortior eſt qui ſequam qui fortiſſima vincit moenia. If after ye have conquered the Luſts of men, you are conquered by your own Luſts; if after you have led your enemies captive, Satan can take you captive at his will; you are undone for ever. The Lord make you, every way, more then Conquerors, &c.2 Tim. 2.26. Rom. 8.37.
6. Laſtly, remember what General Joab did when he had taken Rabbah of the Ammonites, and do ye likewiſe now ye have taken this Cheſhire-R…bbah; ſend for King David; yea, ſend for that King who is Davids ſon and Davids Lord, King JESUS; give him poſſeſſion, and ſet the Crown of glory upon his Head, bowing your beads before him, and caſting down your Crowns, ſaying, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name give the praiſe.Ezek. 48.35. O let not the City be called by your Name; but let the Name of the City be from this day, Jehovah-ſhammah, The Lord is there.
Worthy Sirs, what is now my faithful advice to you, ſhall be always the humble requeſt for you at the Throne of Grace, ofPſal. 115.1.
Your Honours to ſerve you in all Goſpel offices, THO. CASE.