The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King, Chapter 9

The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King · Chapter 9

p. 67CHAP. IX.

The Heads of proceeding the following Months to the end of the firſt Jubile, holding forth the wrath of God, fury to His Adverſaries; His marvellous workes of Grace to His people, breaking bands and taking off yoakes, and bringing them into the band of a Covenant: engaging His Church for ever to Record, to Thanke, to Praiſe.

SECT. I.

The Church bleſſeth God for you, That you did not ioyne your ſelves with the Men of the Earth; nor after the manner of Men, forſake her in her low eſtate: That you did not establiſh iniquity by a Law; that yee read her petitions and heard her complaints; that you opened her priſons and mouthes of the Miniſters; And had Dominion over the Mighty.

NOVEMBER, a Month ſpecially to be obſerved. The third Day the High Court aſſembled, things vvere done after the Manner, &c. At this point others begin, and here I ſhall not breake off; but diſſolve a well continued Story into ſome chiefe Heads, vvhichwhich vvill containe the chiefe workes of wonder, and ſo yeeld us matter enough of praiſe to God, and thanks to Man. The Lord tune our ſpirits to the ſetting forth the high praiſes of the Lord. The firſt Head will lead-in all the teſt (for it containes much aaEzek. 23. 32.Ezek 23:32) therefore, that we may begin right, the Church would have us conſider, That her enemy and adverſary, the Head and the Tayle, (who theſe are is now fully manifeſted and p. 68declared before) had wrought effectually in the children of diſobedience; They had carried all before them levell to their owne mark; They had levened the Land (they thought) from corner to corner with moſt impure Doctrines, and as uncleane practiſes. Indeed, as was ſaid, they had vvrought very effectually, as appeareth this day. They had prepared their owne way, made it ſo ſtrait. plaine and levell, ſo as they thought verily, they could find no rubb, no oppoſition, none at all; they might goe on ſmooth away, the Angell of the Lord could not meet with them; at leaſt, could not ſtop, controll, nor croſſe them in the way, no not with the Sword in the hand. They had now ſet the BƲSH on fire round about (I meane the Church) a flaming Buſh was her Embleme once, and it muſt be her Embleme (there you ſee the Church) to the Worlds end. They had ſet the Church all on a flame, and thought verily, if Gods dwelling were there (which they thought not of) they could, if not thruſt Him out of His Houſe, yet they could fire Him out, for they looked wiſtly when His Houſe would ſinke downe and fall into aſhes. Indeed this is notable by the way, and engageth the Church mightily; That God dwelleth vvith her, when ſhe is all on a flame, in the fornace of afflictions; then He DWELS in the BƲSH, therefore it conſumes not. But the Adverſary and enemy thought not of this; they looked when the Houſe ſhould fall as aforeſaid, and haſtened, vvhat they could, the Ruine thereof. They would put to more wood, and make the burning yet greater. This then is the firſt Head, for this the Church bleſſeth God and thanks you.

¶ 1.

That you did not joyne with the ſtronger ſide, I meane in appearance: That you did not joyne ſtrength to ſtrength, and adde more fuell alſo, to make the flame the more fierce and raging: for this is the manner of men, To oppreſſe the oppreſſed; to add to the affliction, and, like Mice, as to runne out, vvhen the Houſe is on fire: So to judge of Gods workes before they bee ripe, I meane before the FIFT ACT, and that is againſt the Rule bbDe operi…us Dei … quintum actū …. If a ſtorme lye upon the Ship of the Church, and ſhe be toſſed with tempeſts, men will not waite till the fourth watch; commonly ſo long the Lord deferrs His comming, but then He comes. That you did now, as wiſe-men, ſtrike in to helpe, to quench the burning; to helpe the Lord againſt the mighty; that you did regard the Church now, as the Lord regarded you once, in a very low eſtate. for this ſhe bleſſeth God and thanketh you. To ſpeake in plainer Engliſh, for this ſhe bleſſeth God and you;

That, having but one Prieſt, one Altar, one Sacrifice, you did not defile all this at this time, making many Prieſts; ſetting-up p. 69many Altars; commanding many Sacrifices; all this, as the ſtatutes of Omri, by a Law; That when many Altars (the ſame of other provocations) were made to Sinne; Altars were not made by you, unto the whole Nation to Sinne ccHoſ. 8. 15.Hos 8:15. That when the ROD of the wicked, lay heavy upon the backe of the Righteous, you did not turne it into a Scorpion: and when bloud was upon the Earth, upon the Church falſly ſo called, you did not FEOFFE it upon HEAVEN, the true Church. So you might have done, and have left the Church, as a Widow forſaken in the Earth, and comfortleſſe there. That all this was not done, but the contrary, ſhe accepts in all thankfulneſſe alwayes, and bleſſeth God, Who kept you from the pathes of the deſtroyer ddPſ. 17. 4.Ps 17:4.

If this be not plaine enough, this, vvhichwhich followes, will make it as plaine as can be. Ireland did contribute mony toward the WARRE. What warre? A Warre that vvould have ruined Scotland; a Warre, that would have ſheathed a Brothers Sword in the heart of a Brother. Ireland contributed mony toward ſuch a WARRE. Behold now! The Sword is hathed in that HEAVEN; it is drunke with the bloud of thoſe ſlaine, who contributed money to maintaine that WARRE: Their Land is now full of the fury of the LORD, the Rebuke of Thy GOD.

You would not contribute therto, no not 20^•, for it had bin too heavy upon the loynes of the Church by a pound weight. Behold now, this Kingdom hath weathered-out the ſtorme, lies at Anker, caſt upward, and is the very miracle of Gods patience to all the world. I have heard that ſome ſay, for ſome vvill be vvillingly ignorannt, What great matter have you done? I thinke verily no man is ſo fooliſh, ſo forſaken of all his wits, but he may receive ſatisfaction herein anon. I will anſwer but this now; What ye have not done. Ye have not engaged the Kingdome in that Warre, vvhichwhich vvould have daſhed the people one againſt another, even the Father and the ſonnes together aaIer. 13. 14.Jer 13:14. Bleſſed be your Councell and your Wiſedome; and bleſſed be you of the Lord, for what ye have not done; for it hath caſt a ſweet ſavour over all the Churches in the world. But vvith your good leave, I vvould rather aſcribe all to your good God, glorious in holineſſe, fearefull in praiſes, doing wonders bbExod. 15. 11▪Exod 15:11: He councelled you; His right Hand vvas upon you, therefore your feet were kept from the path of the DESTROYER. The Church vvould make her acknowledgement very full at this point: That, though there are ſtrange vanities, &c. as was ſaid, yet not countenanced by law. Though the Tayle-Prophets as they are, and the Prieſts as they will be called, both high and low, are moſt vile, and have made themſelves and the people ſo, having leavened the whole Land from corner to corner with poyſonous and curſed corruptions in their Doctrines and practiſes: though ſo, yet there p. 70are no Statutes for all this, but Orders againſt it. Praiſe be to her good God for all this, and all due thanks to you. So alſo,

¶ 2.

That you received the Petitions from all Quarters of the Land, heard the groanes of the oppreſſed, made to ſerve under cruell Taske-Maſters; that you rebuked their Lordſhips; tooke off their yoake from off the jawes of the Miniſters and People; that you opened the priſon doores, and mouths of the Miniſters. This the Church could record with more words, but not vvith more thankfulneſſe: yet you ſhall heare more of it anon.

¶ 3.

That by your Wiſdome and Providence, the Church had ſuch freedome the laſt yeare, and ſuch communion and fellowſhip with Ieſus and His Diſciples; more the laſt yeare then 20 years before. Time was, and but as yeſterday, when they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, but ſo as their voyce might not be heard, for it was an evill time. The Meſſenger of Satan was abroad, buffering the Servants of the Lord in every place; his eare was under their window, Mal. 3. 16.Mal 3:16and his foot at the doore, and the ſound of his Maſters feet behind him: So as it vvas the hardeſt thing to ſerve God without feare: for it was a crime to be godly **Si fuerit ſublimis, fi…despicabilis: ſi fuerit splendidiſſimus, fit viliſſimus: ſi fuerit totus honoris, fit totus iniuria. Sal. de gub. lib. 4. p. 113. VnderUnder whom it was alwayes unſafe to dee well. T…it. ſup.. This the Church acknowledgeth with all thankfulneſſe, and behold the benefit; you have commanded Prayer; Prayer ſhall command for you, for now this followes, which the Church recordeth with all thankfulneſſe, and ſome wonder.

¶ 4.

That the mountaines have flowne downe before you, and the Hils did melt and tremble. My intent was but to name things, yet the Church commands us to ſtay a little here, and behold the great, high, lofty ones, (they are Mountaines and Hils faſt upon their bottome) behold the Lord hath ſhaken them, given power to His Servants to over-top them, to have Dominion over the mighty, and to tread downe ſtrength ffIudg. 5. 13, 21.Judg 5:13Judg 5:21, I ſay, the Church commands us to obſerve all the peeces of the Lords providence here, looke upon them apart, then put them together. She ſaith, and is confident; That, this being done, you ſhall ſee the moſt admirable worke, that ever was wrought ſince the Creation, and that AMAZING worke of REDEMPTION. Next place to theſe two works, this worke will take; and in every good order; for it is moſt fruitfull and big with mercies, and brings forth every Day. Had You not over-topt the Mountaines and the Hils, and over-ſhadowed them, (You began well, You ſhall goe on and p. 71proſper) You could never have refreſhed the vveary, and parched vallies: for thoſe high places kept off Raine, and Dew and Sunne-ſhine altogether. But now that theſe are taken downe, behold a ſhower of bleſſings upon the Land, by your care, conſcience and vigilancy, all this, followes, firſt.

SECT. II.

The Lords Day, a comprehenſive bleſſing to a Nation; Indignation and wrath from the Lord againſt the prophaners of it; And yet the Prieſts moſt notorious this way; Your Zeale for it; how neceſſary it ſhould be fervent.

¶. 5.

1. THe Church records and thankes, That ye rouled away the reproach of Egypt, and reſtored to her ſons and daughters their Lords Day. That ſhe ſees That Day againe in it's beauty, and in honourable account, from which the wicked hid their eyes, and ſhe her face for griefe of heart, becauſe ſhe ſaw it's viſage marred, ſpit upon, vilified, trampled on more then any Day. Oh it joyed her heart, That you, who, next to God, maintaine her ſpirits and life, you accounted her Lords day honourable; that was, becauſe you honoured the Lord of the Day. And indeed how could you not? For He is worthy, and you looke to be honoured.

The Church will looke upon this mercy againe and againe, and reckon the reſtoring to her the Sabbath among the chiefeſt and choiſeſt of your good deeds, which, by Gods good hand upon you, you have done. Had the Adverſary taken away the Sabbath, as he had almoſt done, tantum non; he h…d taken away all, The Word, the Sacraments, God, and all. All goeth, when the Sabbaths are gone, as you may ſee in our ſiſter Churches. What is left them now? Lamentation, and Mourning and Woe. What heare they in their Temples now? Howlings inſtead of Songs. What are their Townes and Cities now? Ruined heapes; a Golgotha, a place of dead Mens ſculls; or, to ſpeake as Salvian doth in the like Deſolation ddOmnis Civita… …uſtum, &c. Sal. l. 7 210., Their Townes are like our new Church-yards, ſcarce large enough to bury in. The Lord hath ſtretched out upon the Land, the like of confuſion and ſtones of emptineſse; They ſhall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdome, but none ſhall be there: And all her Princes ſhall be nothing eeIſa. 34. 11, 12.Isa 34:11Isa 34:12. Wherefore hath the Wrath of the Lord burnt out againſt that people ſo fiercely? p. 72Surely becauſe the Land had greatly provoked the Lord of the ſame. Where great Deſolations are, there are great provocations: ſo we may conclude, though Gods Judgements are as the great deepe. And this we may ſay more, That our Engliſh Commanders noted this ſtill, and it was to be noted with all obſervation, That ſtill, on the Lords Day, the Enemy got much ground; And that, which opened the floud-gate to all their miſery, fell out thrice upon the Sabbath Day; The Lord pointing, as with the finger, to that ſinne, The prophanation of the Lords Day, as to the Source, whence all their Evills have iſſued.

I will take leave now, for I muſt not paſſe over this lightly, to note two things, 1. The Prieſts Villany; 2. Your Piety; That they may remember, and be confounded, becauſe of their ſhame: And that you may goe on, and doe exploits.

† 1. The Prieſts Villany, Is not that too heavy a word? No; It is the word of the Lord. The Prieſts heart hath wrought iniquity, to practiſe Hypocryſie, and to utter errour againſt the Lord; to make empty the ſoule of the hungry, and to cauſe the drink of the thirſty to faile hhEſa. 3…. 6.Isa 3:6. This is villany, and they have ſpoken it before the Lord in His houſe, where He hath ſaid, He will be ſanctified; and they have compelled others to ſpeake it too, even to utter errour againſt the Lord, there in His Houſe, where they ſtand charged to deale faithfully, To utter Truth; To ſpeake as the oracles of God. They have committed villany in Iſrael, a greater villany than they committed, whom the King of Babel roaſted in the fire iiIer. 29. 2….Jer 29:2; They have not only committed Adultery vvith ſtocks and ſtones ^k: but they have ſpoken lying words in Gods Name. I KNOW, AND AM A WITNESSE, ſaith the Lordl Ier. 29. 23:Jer 29:23

Many villanies have been committed in Iſrael, but none like this, which the Prieſts have committed, The giving liberty to prophane the Lords Day, BY A LAW; Nay, a forcing thereunto. Every Word of God, ſhall meet with ſome, who will turne head againſt it: looke how many kinds of Precepts there are, ſo many adverſaries there are mmOmnis ſermo divinus habit am… los ſuos, quo… genera praeceptorum ſunt, …t adverſarior…. Salv. ad Ecc. Cath. l. 4. p 486.But let the ſuperſtitious Papiſts turne head againſt the ſecond WORD: Let the Licentiouſly Prophane oppoſe the fourth WORD: Let the Athyſt, the Pagan who knowes not God, blot out the firſt and the third WORD, Take away all, but let not the Prieſts doe it; let not them oppoſe ſo holy, ſo juſt, ſo reaſonable a command. They know the Lord, They miniſter before him. But they did it, even the Prieſts. And for a Prieſt to turne this good Word out of Gods houſe, and the Miniſters after it, if they would not ſpeake errour againſt the Lord; for him to blot out the Hard writing there; this was villany ſure, never the like committed in Iſrael; it exceeded the boldneſſe of that Pagan King nnDan. 5.Dan 5.

The Time muſt be enquired into; When did the Prieſts commit this wickedneſſe? Then; At that time, when the Lord called to p. 73mourning, they called to Dancing **Nigra est incendio civitas, & in vult… feſt…vit… uſurpa…. Lugent cu…cta, tu latus et. Sal. de gub. l. 5. p. p. 22….. To allude to that place; Then the Prieſts proclaymed a liberty for ſports on the Lords Day, when the Lord proclaimed a Liberty in the Neighbours Church, to the Sword, to the Peſtilence, to the Famine mmIer. …4. 17.Jer 4:17Salvian would expreſſe this a great deale better; Then they conſulted all this againſt the LORDS DAY, when they ſaw Cities waſted, and two Kings ſlaine; if not in battell, yet they were ſlaine. The Prieſt did juſt like Ahaz; they ſaw (as hee) a miſerable deſtruction before their eyes, yet they brought a patterne of that abomination, which cauſed that deſolation, and (as Ʋriah did) ſet it up here by a Law **2 King. 16.2 Kgs 16. The time muſt be noted, and (that our ſpirits may be raiſed high in praiſe) the exceeding 2 Chro. 28.2 Chr 28patience of a God muſt be noted alſo, we did patterne after them; vve vvere like them; nay, we exceeded in that prophanation, yet the Lord did not patterne us, He did not make us like them in deſolations. O exceeding patience that, The patience of a God.

Truly, when the Church heard this, ſhe was perſwaded in her heart, That the Lord would ſtrip her people naked; ſet them as in the day they were borne; make them as a Wilderneſſe, like a dry Land, and ſlay them with thirſt nnHoſ. 2, 3.Hos 2:3. Nay, her ſad thoughts roſe higher; ſhe verily thought, that the Lord would put a Cup of deadly wine into her peoples hand; a Cup of pure wrath; That is, ſhe thought her Lord would not have mercy upon her children. And that is a Cup of deadly Wine …ndeed, of pure vvrath wherein there is no mixture of Mercy. A people may be ſtript naked, &c. and yet there may be mercy in all that. Truly, the Church thought thus now, the Lord will not have mercy: He will turne His backe upon her people now, for He beheld abominations in His Houſe, which His ſoule hateth; and His Day was prophaned by a Law. But ſee now, That we may ſet our hope, and our hearts upon the Lord, and ſet-up a pillar, an everlaſting Monument to His Name; there is mercy to her people; they are yet the Lords people, and the judgement is upon the Prieſts and they ſhall KNOW IT: Surely ſome ſtrange judgement, the firſt borne of Death ooIob 18. 19.Job 18:19, ſhall devoure their ſtrength. Now the Lord make them know it for their good, That whatſoever ſtrange puniſhment they feele here, they may not feele the wrath to come. So the Church prayes, and every man will ſay. Amen.

2. The Church remembers your Piety now. Bleſſed be You of the Lord, you have reſcued this day from out of the hands of Spoylers; Yee have recovered Your Lords Right; Yee have vindicated His Name: So Ye have provided for Your owne peace, and prepared a way for a bleſſing upon all You ſhall doe, and for Mercy upon the Nation. Peace be both to You, and Peace be to Your houſe, and Peace be unto all that You have. The Church wiſheth unto You a bleſſing, which containes all bleſſings, becauſe You have reſtored unto her, her Lords Day, which next to her Lord Chriſt, is the fulleſt and moſt comprehenſive mercy.

p. 74Goe on and doe yet more, and be more zealous: Give all diligence, and let Your z…ale boyle yet higher (it cannot boyle over, Th…s ſhall Yee doe in the feare of the Lord faithfully, and with a perfect heart **2 Chro. 19. 9.2 Chr 19:9) for it is for the Lord, His Day, His Houſe, His Worſhip, Seeke Yee that firſt, burne in Your zeale that way, and other things will come on as they doe, as eaſt in upon You by an Almighty hand, for the Lord will be with the Good, and He will remember You for good, for You remembred His Day and His worſhip on His Day; He will remember You for good, Amen.

SECT. III.

That You have advanced Chriſt in the Miniſtery of the Goſpell, how efficacious that is. To promote the chiefe end, the Glory of God; and Your end, Mans Salvation.

¶ 6.

2. THe Church bleſſeth God that hath inſtructed You to diſcretion, ſo as You have ſhewen Your zeale, and given all Diligence, to promote the Goſpell: The readieſt and moſt compendious way to Your ayme and end, to bring all the deſignes about, which vve hope are all levell to the glory of Chriſt, and Your owne glory vvith Him at the end. And now great is the company of Preachers; their mouth opened now, who, of late, were uſed worſe than the Oxe, which treadeth out the Corne. They ſpeake boldly now, as the Meſſengers of the Churches, and the Glory of Chriſt. That, which letted ſhall let no longer.

The Scepter of the Lord Chriſt is advanced, and the people flow in unto it. The Church thinkes her Sonnes and Daughters never had a more glorious yeare, ſince the day her Beloved, and Crowne of rejoycing, aſcended to His Glory. Never ſince that Day, when He was lifted up from the Earth, was He ſo openly ſhowne to the world, as this laſt yeare. Though there had beene no other very worthy deeds done unto this Nation by Your providence; yet this ſhe accepts alwayes and in all places wich all thankfulneſſe, accounting it an exceeding great mercy, That by Your meanes ſhe was reſpited and ſpared one yeare longer to lay in her proviſion, and more fully to ſtocke her ſelfe againſt hard and de…re yeares. This the Church accepts, as afore-ſaid, for this is the way to doe, and effect the greateſt things. Therefore this the Church accounts an exceeding mercy. The bleſſing p. 75of bleſſings; and ſhe prayeth, that the bleſſing of Him, Who dwelt in the Buſh, may goe along with You in this Deſigne, in making knowne the Arme of the Lord: In advancing this Glory, through the whole Land, that they, who walke in darkeneſſe may ſee a great Light: They that dwell in the Land of the ſhadow of Death, upon them this light may ſhine. This is the onelyonly way to doe good to the whole Land; to make it a Land of viſions, wherein the Lord may delight, and to make his people a willing people.

The Church will remember You here, vvhat Luther, her valiant Gideon ſpake to the buſineſſe now in hand; I will not, ſaid he, trouble my ſelfe any more with the Cloyſters, the Monkes and Schollars there, thoſe Armies of Adverſaries; they mind their belly, that is their god, and the belly hath no eares. Nor will I conteſt with the Pope any longer: (he had done it, and was too hard for him and all his Cardinals) let the Philiſtines alone with their Dagon: They will finde wayes enough to breake themſelves and their god; he would not beat and buffet the darkneſse (ſo he ſaid alſo) as the foole did his ſhadow; he would ſet up a light, then the darkneſſe ſlinkes away. I know not where it is, for it is a privative thing: but it flies away as the cloud before the Sunne, or as the beaſts of prey will doe when the Sunne ariſeth, there is a riddance, it is gone, and thoſe beaſts goe to their darke Dens.

You know his meaning, and know it for the good of the Land. He would advance Chriſt; He would ſet up that Standard (that was his meaning and his worke) To uſe his own word; he would promote the Arke; then Dagon fals, breaks himſelfe to peeces, head and hands both cut off, the Head for councell, hands for action, …ll gone. That's the way indeed: So You have done, and ſo You have ſucceeded already. You will to that worke againe, and joyne ſhoulder to ſhoulder for the advancing thereof; That the Lord Chriſt may be ſhowen openly; His glorious excellencies made knowne, ſpecially in thoſe places, where CATHEDRALS are, as barren in the Churches obſervation, to the ſoules of men, as the Surface of that Earth, where the Mines of Gold and Silver are, there no meat grows for man, nor graſſe for Cattell The Church intreats you to remember thoſe barren places, and thoſe darke places all over the Land, where the dead bury the dead, and the blind lead the blind every Day, Truly the Church is perſwaded, that the people for the moſt part, are as ignorant as the Monks are of Chriſt; (to ſpeak as Luther ſpake) or as they were of the Holy Ghoſt, they know not whither there be any Chriſt or no, unles a Chriſt of their own framing in a Table. They have heard of the name Ieſus, and the Monkes have taught them to bend the knee unto it, and that is all their Devotion according to their knowledge. O, that the Name indeed, the glorious excellencies of that wonderfull name, were made knowne unto them, certainly their Hearts would bend alſo. Bleſſed be Ye of the Lord, Ye have laboured herein, and Ye will labour p. 76yet more to advance this STANDARD; to ſet-up this Enſigne (that the mountaines may melt before you, and the people may flow in unto it;)

To make knowne this Arme of the Lord, for this makes us a willing people. That I may ſpeake all in our Lord and Maſters words; Pſ. 110.Ps 110In ſo doing, you ſhall doe as Chriſt did; you will give eyes to the blind; feet to the lame; you ſhall cleanſe the Lepers; make the deafe heare; nay, you ſhall raiſe the dead. You will ſticke moſt at this laſt, though the other, as this, are all the workes of the Almighties Arme; and all is effected, when the poore receive the Gospell. If then, you will order it ſo, that the poore people may have the Goſpell preached unto them, you ſhall doe all the fore-mentioned workes, which are ſo wonderfull, for all theſe miracles are wrought by the Miniſtery of Man, the Hand of the Lord going along with that miniſtery; ſo we underſtand it; as the Lord dealt with His Servant Ezekiell, ſo He muſt deale with every man, upon whom theſe workes are wrought, eyes opened, eares boared, dead heart raiſed; The word of the Lord came expreſsely to Ezekiel, and the hand of the Lord was there upon him: when the hand of the Lord comes along Chap. 1. 3.with the word (for the word comes but to the eare. The hand of the Lord carries it to the heart) then the eyes of them, that are borne blind are opened; feet, bound-up as with fetters of yron and braſſe, are enlarged; the dead are raiſed, &c. The bleſſing of the poore and thirſty ſoules be upon you, and upon your houſe, and all that you have: for you have and will pitty theſe poore people; yee will thruſt out the dumbe and the ignorant; the light Prieſt and treacherous Prophet; the lame and the blind that are hated of Davids 2 Sam. 5. 8.2 Sam 5:8ſoule. And you will ſend forth Miniſters unto thoſe places, ſuch as are indeed the Meſſengers of the Churches and the glory of Chriſt. Mat. 11, 5.Matt 11:5Then behold theſe marvellous workes wrought, The blinde receive their ſight; and the lame walke; and the Lepers are cleanſed; and the deafe heare; the dead are raiſed up, and the poore have the Goſpell preached to them. Amen.

p. 77SECT. IV.

The PROTESTATION, how wonderfully the Lord brought it about. Though Yee ſhall doe exploits, yet nothing to be wondered at now; The reaſon. But one head or charge is handled here, and that is RELIGION, a great Binder. The Method in giving-out this abſtract.

¶ 7.

THe Church bleſſeth Gods wonderfull worke in you, and by you and for you; That you have proteſted to take the Lord for your God; So you have provided for the Churches ſecurity, what ever times may come: for you have brought her into COVENANT with her God. I know that is a thing the Church doth mind every Month, I may ſay, every Day, and can doe it without you; but not in ſuch a way, as you have done it, in a Nationall way, which you, and none but you, can doe. You could make a Covenant betweene GOD and betweene all the People, that they ſhould bee the LORDS PEOPLE aa2 Chro. 23. …2 Chr 23.

The Church will put a Queſtion to you now, not to poſe you, for you are wiſe, and ſhe knowes the Anſwer before hand, and would have you know it, yet better. She would know, How you brought this worke about. Your anſwer is, Not by your ſtrength, nor by your wiſdome, but by the good hand of God upon you, ſo you brought it about; and ſo you ſhewed mercy to your ſoules, and to the whole Nation. And thereby the Lord would make you know, That He intended, by you, to doe the Nation good aſſuredly, with His whole heart, and with His whole ſoule. The Church hath heard and underſtands well all the exploits you have done ever ſince; ſuch as ſeeme marvellous workes and wonders in the eyes and eares of the multitude; yet to her, they ſeem (great mercies indeed) but no ſtrange matters, no wonders at all No? no;

1. The Church knowes you had a liberty granted to continue your Seſſion, as long as you will, that is, till you have done Gods will, for Hee procured that grant unto you; this Grant, though ſhee counts it an exceeding mercy: Yet ſhe doth not count it a wonder.

2. The Church knowes that you marched valiantly, and trod down p. 78ſtrength: You rent a Lyon without hands, as eaſie as a man, with both his hands, can rent a kid; and yet this the Church accounts no ſtrange thing neither.

3. The Adverſary and enemy had made a breach great like the Sea bbLam 2. 23.Lam 2:23; We asked, Who can make it up? Who can heale it? You could, and you did it, and y…u ſhall be called the Repayrers of the breaches: You ſtood in that Gappe, and you made it up; the greateſt worke that ever was done by M…n, ſince that Breach was made up betwixt God and Man; ſince that PACIFICATION made by the MAN CHRIST IESVS; And yet this worke doth not ſeem ſtrange to the Church Nay, ſhould any one of you tell the Church, That ſince the Day you entred into the Proteſtation, the Adverſary made great breaches upon your ſoule, and the Lord made them all up: Temptations came-in upon you like a flood; The Spirit of the Lord ſet-up a Standard againſt them ccEſa. 54 19Isa 54:19, they could doe you no hurt, but good a great deale: ſhould you tell the Church ſo, ſhe would not thinke it ſtrange Should your thoughts ſtray a little from out this yeare, vvhere vve ſuppoſe we are, unto the next, when ſome ſay (but they are much miſtaken, or ſee and will not ſee) that God did nothing for you, but againſt you, and then ſhould you tell the Church, what ſhe knowes well;

That your Soule was amongſt Lyons, and yet not devoured; That you did lye amongſt thoſe that were ſet on fire, and yet not conſumed; none of all this could the Church call wonderfull, or thinke ſtrange. Nay, to expreſſe it as fully as I am able; Were all the wildfire in England (the Church heares the Land is well ſt…red with it now, and …he expects it ſhall be hurled in her face, and throwne into her boſome, ſhe is the But and White, againſt which the Malignants levell all this, this ſhe knowes, but ſhe is feareleſſe) were all this, I ſay, gathered up and rowled together into one Ball, and then with 500. hands, nay with the whole Arme of fleſh, hurled into your Court, and the Church ſhould be told, that the fire tooke not, not one ſparke kindled there; not one haire of any head there vvas touched; the Church could not count this vvonderfull neither, no ſuch ſtrange matter. Why? Becauſe you have proteſted to take God for your God. You are a pe…ple in Covenant vvith Him; you are ſworne Servants to Him; He muſt protect His ſworne Servants; when you are brought to the brinke of deſtruction, to a precipice (ſo we muſt underſtand it, ſome ex…gence, ſome knotty buſineſſe, that all the fingers in the world cannot undoe) ſuch a ſtrait as this: when at one ſhocke, three kingdomes muſt be caſt downe, if God helpes not **Nodus vindice dignus. When the Gibbet is up & Mordecai deſigned to it the next day, then it's Gods t…me to work…: it is …or His Glory t… deferre …o long; and for the …lory of His faithfulneſſe to de…er no longer foreign. Chryſ Tom. 4. Epiſt. 1.: I ſay, in ſuch an exigence, God muſt helpe. He ſtands bound to it; You have proteſted to take Him for your God: He hath proteſted to take you for his people. You have ſworne, and by the good hand of God upon you, you vvill ſtand to the Oath; and He hath ſworne: by what? By Himſelf (by all that is in Himſelfe, and He is all;) You vvill ſtand to your p. 79Oath, that's ſuppoſed; He vvill ſtand to His Oath, that muſt not be doubted. You rejoyced at the Oath; He vvill rejoyce over you to do you good: It muſt be ſo, ye have ſtrucke hands together. Ye may ſay, The Lord muſt remember me. How? with the favour He heareth unto His people ddPſ. 106. 4.Ps 106:4. He muſt viſit me now with His Salvations, that is with a great Salvation. When I am at the pits brinke, one ſhocke throwes me downe, then, vvith reverence be it ſpoken, He muſt deliver me. He muſt come-in at the fourth-watch: when there is no helpe from Earth, then the Arme of the Lord muſt be revealed from Heaven. I am His and He my God, a God in Covenant. The OATH of GOD is betwixt us; by His good hand upon me, I will ſtand to it, and then He muſt ſtand by me. I am thine … ſave Pſ 7. 1.Ps 7:1me. It vv…s Davids argument, and prevailed ſtill, SAVE me, for I TRƲST in THEE. The Church ſaith, it had beene a vvonder if God had not done for you even ſo, for you are His ſworne Servants.

The Church commands me now to proceed on in declaring this wonderfull worke, vvhichwhich the Lord ſo ſtrangely, and as graciouſly (by your meanes) brought about, To bring your ſelves and the Nation into Covenant with Himſelfe. I ſhall not meddle vvith the ſeverall heads or charges in the ſame, vvhichwhich vvould take up more roomth, then her… can be allowed. Religion is the chiefe head (there are the ſpirits) and a great binder it is, it bindes a people to their God; and God to the people. I proceed herein in this order, firſt;

1. What this PROTESTATION is to you, and all that ſtand to it.

2. What a diſcovering note it is to your Adverſaries.

3. The Church will put-up a ſhort prayer to her God.

4. Then a Supplication to you.

In all this, you ſhall have but an Abſtract, out of a large Volume or Theame, rather nothing taken thence, but an addition thereunto.

¶ 1.

A Rocke of DEFENCE to the Righteous.

THis PROTESTATION is to you, and all that have taken it, and will ſtand to it bb2 Chron. 34. 32.2 Chr 34:32, a SELA-HAMMAHLEKOTH cc1 Sam. 23. 28.1 Sam 23:28, a Rocke of Separation betwixt you and your Adverſaries; nothing ſhall be able to reach you, to doe you hurt. Should the Lord fill all the Inhabitants of the Land, even the Kings and the Prieſts and the Prophets with drunkenneſſe (ſo He hath done for the ſinnes of a Nation, as He threatneth ddIer. 13. 13.Jer 13:13) Should He daſh them one againſt another, even the Fathers and the ſonnes together eever. 14., for ſo He threatens alſo in the ſame place; Why yet, you ſhould be ſafe, none of all theſe ſhall come neare you to hurt you. Why ſo? Becauſe you are a p. 80people in covenant with your God, and He with you. Looke you to it, how ye ſtand to it, for this followes; TROVBLED ye may be on every ſide ff2 Cor, 4 8., (no doubt of that) and ſo you may ſay; you ſhall ſay withall, yet not DISTRESSED: PERPLEXED ye may be (not knowing what way to take, or what to doe) but not in DESPAIRE: PERSECƲTED yee ſhall bee, but not FORSAKEN: CAST-DOWN ye may be, but not DESTROYED: ye may be ſet as on fire round about, ye ſhall not be conſumed▪ Why ſo? The ſame anſwer, and it anſwers all Arguments, even the Jeſuites their fire and ſword, the hardeſt words and moſt violent deeds, ye are in covenant with your God, nothing ſhall come unto you to doe you HƲRT. No Plague ſhall come to your dwelling, as a plague. Though great Letters are written upon your door, yet the Plague is not there for all that. God is with you, even YOƲR GOD, He will ſave you even from that Deſtroyer; it ſhall but reach your body at the furtheſt.

The time will come, when you will ſay, your head akes, and your heart too; nay, it fainteth; and yet heare what the Lord ſaith, The Inhabitant ſhall not ſay, I am SICKE ggEſa 33 24:Isa 33:24. Why ſo? The people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity hhI beare any thing now my ſins are pardoned. M… ad in vita Lutheri, p. 168. …. … Pſ 73. 2….Ps 73:2: Looke ye there, My fleſh and my heart faileth: but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion forever ^•. That ſtils and quiets all, God at peace with me and all is peace: God in Covenant with me; in Chriſt reconciled to me; if ſo, I am not SICKE, my ſinnes are forgiven, all is well with me, for God is with me, and HE is ALL, health, ſtrength, riches, All. See how efficacious this Covenant is (if we STAND to it) nothing ſhall ſtand againſt us, nothing ſhall come unto us to do us HƲRT; that is firſt.

¶ 2.

As Sibboleth to the Wicked; It diſcoveres the Prieſts and their People; It hampers the Malignant, though, like poſſeſſed Men; No Cords will hold the Papiſts; Their obſtinacy in Gods houſe: how to judge of the Legality of an Oath.

THis PROTESTATION or ſacred covenant is a Deſtinguiſhing character; Thereby you ſhall know, who is a true Engliſh-man; Who, a Treacherous Prieſt Papiſt, or Malignant perſon. Give it to a right Engliſh-man, a True Iſraelite in whom is no guile, He goes cleare and ſmooth away with it; He takes it with all his heart, and ſtands to it, rejoyceth at the Oath kk2 Chro. 15. 15.2 Chr 15:15, that is, he pronounceth it right. Give it to the Prieſts, they will refuſe it, or fumble at it, they cannot frame to pronounce it right ^•: Preſent it to the Papiſt, you ſhall ſee vvhat he will doe anon. This is to the Prieſts (the two Armies of them) to the Papiſts alſo, as SIBBOLETH to the Ephraimites llIud. 12. ….Judg 12: Now you ſhall know whoſe eyes are evill againſt you, p. 81becauſe your eye is good, and you are reſolved to doe the thing that good is. Now yee ſhall ſee, who they are, that puffe at you, deride you (blow their noſe at you bbLuk 16. 14. foreign.Luke 16:14) Becauſe you vvould have them proteſt to take God for their God; (and not their bellies;) to bind themſelves in covenant with Him, as the very word (Religion) imports. But ſee how their mind and affection ſtands! They proteſt to take God for their God! no not they, Their belly, eaſe, profits, pleaſures are their gods; theſe and other Lords have ruled over them, and they ſhall rule by their meanes. So now you know them; their madneſſe is manifeſt; this very Proteſtation hath diſcovered them; it is a SIBBOLETH unto them; bid them take it; They vvill refuſe; or, if they doe take it, they fumble at it, they cannot frame to pronounce it right;

Nor the Papiſts neither; Yes but they can you will ſay, for they can frame their mouthes to pronounce any thing, to ſweare and lye both: What care they vvhat covenant they enter into, what Oath they take, when they are reſolved to breake it, and are reſolved upon the Queſtion, that they may break it, for it is their Doctrine ccDogmatiza… mendaciae.. They are as the man poſſeſſed with the Divell, no coards, no bands can hold them, they breake all, Words, Oathes and all, as you can flaxe, that is burnt with fire ddIud. 15. 14.Judg 15:14. An Oath is a great binder, (it cannot bind them) the ſtrongeſt cord, the greateſt ſecurity, the only chaine on earth (as one ſaith eeDan. Hen. 3. …. 167.) beſides love, to tye the conſcience of a man and humane Society together, yet the Papiſts can turne it over as a Gipſies knot, faſt or looſe at their pleaſure. We heare and ſee that they take the Oath of Supremacy now, &c. What then? Then they are good Subjects. No, the moſt treacherous and miſchievous men in the world, and the trueſt enemies to the Lords annoynted, none like them. Now beware of theſe men, for now they will act villany, they will kill, ſtabbe, poyſon, murther, maſſacre, they will act any thing, which the Divell can ſuggeſt. Why ſo? Becauſe they doe not awe, they doe not reverence the Oath of God: they count it a Gipſies knot faſt, or looſe as the Malignant Church will. No Oath will ſerve them but the Biſhops Oath, with their &c. which fits the mouth very well, though it be an open Sepulcher. But for all their ſleight in turning over Oathes, vve may ſee them hampered anon, after vvee have laid open their cunning a little more, firſt,

Oaths will not hold them, the Church ſhall for an houre: Thither ſome of them goe, never more frequently then now. There is ſome hope then, you will ſay, They will prove honeſt men and good Subjects. Yes, or the contrary, and the latter moſt likely. The Church (as it is commonly called) is as the poole of Betheſda; if I goe rejoycing thither, and have the ſame deſire the poore man had to be made whole, it is the likelieſt place in the world to find cure there. But if I goe thither to cloake my wickedneſſe, &c. then I doe aggravate my ſinne, I make it as the ſinne of witch-craft: p. 82The Papiſts goe to Church, that hath been the manner, but obſerve ſtill, they commonly goe thither, where a Dogge, that cannot barke, keepes the Houſe That adds ſomething to their ſinne; but this makes it above meaſure ſinfull: There they ſit, and there they meet with their Adverſary every houre, that is certaine: A…d this is as certaine, they …re fully reſolved bef…r… hand not to AGREE with him. The WORD ſaith This is my Lords will: They …ay, they wi…l d…e their owne vvill The word is flat againſt them, and they as contrary to it, Thou ſhalt not make, ſaith the WORD: They will make Images and bow before them; ſo they ſay and doe. They goe to Church …nd have concluded, are ſetled and reſolved upon it, not to conclude their ſoules under the power of Gods Word: Here they prevaricate fe…refully, and, as with Oaths, ſo they play faſt and looſe in Gods Houſe too: Let them alone traverſing their way in their MonethMonth aaIer. 2…Jer 2, they ſh…ll be found crying out like a travelling woman, for that is the time vvhen they muſt caſt forth their ſorrowes. In the m…an time, ye muſt look to th…ſe men now more narrowly, and with a more vvakefull eye, now that they ſtand before the Lord in His houſe out-facing H…m there Now ſurely they vvill be more abominable then ever, They will murder and commit Adultery, and ſweare falſely and burne incenſe unto Baal, and walke after other gods. All this they will doe the more boldly now, now that the Houſe of the Lord is a DEN of ROBBERS in their eyes. But ſee how the Ier. 7.Jer 7LORD takes all this, and how His Servants ſhould lay it unto heart; BEHOLD I HAVE SEENE IT, ſaith the Lord. And vve muſt behold alſo how ye have hampered them as a Bull in a Net. Bleſſed be ye of the Lord, Who hath inſtructed you to diſcretion, and hath made you to be quicke o… underſtanding. Never vvas there any engine invented like this Proteſtation, to batter their ſtrong holds, and to confound them in their curſed craft

Ai, but you vvill ſay, the Papiſts will not come vvithin a mile of it; no matter, that vvill come to them, and plucke off their vizard, vve ſhall know them, now their madneſſe vvill bee made manifeſt. But it is ILLEG…LL you ſay; ſay ſo ſtill, and ſay the Biſhops Oath i… LEGALL but let my ſoule goe out vvith that, vvhichwhich the Divell and his Kingdom are moſt againſt bbGaudeo ſic Satanā indignari & blasphemare quo…es … m… tangitur. Luther … Epiſt. ad Am. That vvhichwhich pinch…th and galleth there, my ſoule upon it, that is Truth **Q…od ſignum maioris …riae eſt omnes haeretici de…eſtantur. Hier., that vvhichwhich ought to be, and vve ſtand bound unto. Marke it ever-more, That which cuts the vvicked to the heart, vvhichwhich makes them gnaſh on you with their Teeth▪ that's GOOD, very GOOD, good Law and good Reaſon, and good Conſcience for it too, there is no doubt of it; every wiſe m… will give as much credit to that ſigne, as to the word of the greateſt Gamaliel …n the world.

Laſtly, It may be ſaid, Have not the Papiſts a ſleight to turne this ov…r the Thumbs too, as the other two O…thes?

Truly I thinke not, This vvill hamper them ſure; for it ſeemes p. 83to me, this PROTESTATION hath bound up Satan. No you will ſay, he rageth, never more. A good ſigne that he is in chains, never cloſer pent up then now, and his ſervants with him; and that they have but a ſhort time, becauſe they have ſo much wrath. They are met vvith now, and held-in ſhort, and pinched very ſore, for though they dare doe much, even to the putting out of the Light of Nature, and the caſting the conſcience into a deepe ſleepe, yet I muſt ſuppoſe that this little remaining light is ſo prevailing vvith them, as that, though they could diſpence vvith the taking of it, yet that light vvould ſo flaſh in their face, that their tongues vvould but fumble at it, they could not frame to pronounce it right. Now the Church puts up a prayer to her God.

¶ 3.

The Churches Prayer; An Object…on againſt her Prayer, anſwered. Her weapons …yer and Teares; In what caſes the Sword is her Weapon.

THe Lord ſhake out every man from His Houſe, and from His labour, that hath not a will and a heart to performe according to the PROTESTATION, even the Lord ſhake him out and emptie him ccNeh. 5. 1… ▪Neh 5:1. The Lord grant theſ… Malignants, th…ſe ſonnes or B…liall, theſe troublers of Iſrael, vvho will be bound by no other cord, but by the cords of their owne ſinnes, may be cut off, even all cut-off that trouble the Church, thoſe that love peace and purſue it. Theſe ſonnes of Beliall cannot frame to pronounce an holy, juſt and good Commandment; ô that they vvere dealt vvith now, as thoſe perſons vvere vve reade of in the Text; Then they tooke him and ſl…w him at the paſſages of Jordan ddIud. 12. 6.Judg 12:6The Church knowes, that there vvould be a greater ſlaughter then was that vve reade of, and there fell at that time of the Ephramites fourty and two thouſand. Heere comes in a doubt, and it will bee eaſily reſolved. The Obj…ction …s.

Ob. The Church is a peaceable Mother in Iſrael; her Father is the God of peace, her Lord, the Prince of peace; her ſervants, the children of peace; then ſure the Church doth not know vvhat ſpirit ſhee is of, that prayes for Fire and Sword to come downe from Heaven.

Anſw. Yes, the Church knows ſhe hath the Spirit of God dwelling in her, and by that Spirit ſhe can and doth pray as afore-ſaid (…nd will fight anon) and be a peaceable vvoman for all this, and a true Mother in Iſrael, and follow the Lambe here alſo; for in ſome caſes (and none riſeth higher then this) He, even the Lambe hath wrath, and that muſt be executed by her Sword. Nay more, as ſhe prayeth for this thing, ſo ſhe can rejoyce to ſee this vengeance, and to waſh her p. 84feet ccPſ. …8. 10.Ps 8:10in the bloud of the wicked, and the whole City with her, yea and to ſhout for joy ddProv. 11. 10.Prov 11:10. Theſe are wicked perſons, profeſſed enemies to God and His Chriſt; Without naturall affection, truce breakers, falſe accuſers, inconti…c…t, fierce, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleaſures more then lovers of God, not having ſo much as a forme of Godlineſſe ee2 Tim. 3. 3, 4, 5.2 Tim 3:32 Tim 3:42 Tim 3:5. Pitty theſe vvicked Malignant perſons, and you deſtroy the Good; ſhew mercy here, you are cruell to the Church; ſpare ſuch, and they will make havocke of Gods Servants, as you ſee they doe, and have done in all ages. Wicked perſons they, and deſperately bold and daring; They would turne the Songs of the Temple into howlings ffAmos 8. 3.Amos 8:3. She can rejoyce to ſee the vengeance, yea and to waſh her feet in the blood of theſe ſlaine. And till this be done, ſhe never looks to have peace on the Earth, for theſe are they who have taken peace from her. Therefore ſhe is reſolved upon it now, ſhe vvill not onelyonly pray, but uſe her WEAPONS too. Yes, you will ſay. PRAYERS and TEARES. True, for theſe are the Churches weapons, and very prevailing, nay, commanding they are. (Prayers command God, He is pleaſed to ſay ſo much, and to yeeld ggEſa. 45. 11.Isa 45:11ſo farre:) but the Church ſaid, ſhe will fight too in a caſe, wherein her Prince, His State, Crowne and Dignity is concerned, for in all this the Church is concerned, her Lawes, Liberties, Religion, Life. In ſuch caſes, He vvill fight. Let it goe; it is good conſtruction to apply a Maſculine vvord to ſo Heroicke a spirit: as I reade Queen Elizabeth did not well digeſt that Grammaticall nicety, to be prayed for by the Title of DEFENDRESSE of the Faith, DEFENDER vvas better concord in her Eares: And indeed never any man Anſwered the Title better. I was ſaying the Church hath another weapon, which vvee call the Sword, and ſhe will make it drunke in the bloud of theſe Adverſaries, and yet doe no more then what ſhe hath done in all Ages, from the Primitive time downe-ward. For though Prayers and Teares and theſe onelyonly are her Sonnes and Daughters vveapons, as they are private perſons: Yet, as they are publike perſons (That alters the caſe) and exalted in the Earth, the Sword belongs unto them as their proper right; and they ſtand bound to uſe it, though then alſo They STƲDIE TO BE QƲIET hh1 Theſ. 4. 11.1 Thess 4:11, and know themſelves CALLED ƲNTO PEACE, ſo they may have TRƲTH too ii1 Cor. 7. 15.1 Cor 7:15. The Church hath her Ioſhaah's; and, they muſt not lye upon the face **Ioſh. 7. 10.Josh 7:10, wiſhing thoſe even cut-off that trouble us. kkGal. 5. 12.Gal 5:12. He muſt riſe and cut-off thoſe TROƲBLERS; it is his office ſo to doe. The Church hath her Nehemiah's, they may build with one hand and hold the Sword in another. Shee hath her Davids, the trueſt Subjects in the world (as then hee was) and yet their H…aſt may be as his was, as the HOAST OF GOD ^l, and all for their owne ſafety, and to maintaine (as p. 85… Chr…. 12. …2.David did) their Maſters peace The Church hath her Princes and her Nobles, and her Worthies (bleſſed be God for them all) to whom the Sword belongs, and they are charged to uſe it, for the cutting off thoſe, that trouble her; and are enemies to her Lords Crowne and Dignity: They are charged to be of good courage, and to play the men for their King and His people, and the Cities of their God, and the Lord doe that which ſeemeth Him good dd2 Sam. 10. 12.2 Sam 10:12: Then in the laſt place;

¶ 4.

Private Perſons muſt make Supplications.

THe Church makes her Supplication to you; That you would riſe up and be doing; that you would avenge her of theſe Adverſaries, who have done what they can to take peace from the Earth. All is contained in your Covenant, every whit. Remember that and you remember all; and the Lord remember His Covenant with you, for the darke places of the Earth are full of cruelty eePſ. 74.Ps 74. Doubtleſſe the Lord, Who keepeth Covenant and mercy for ever, will not breake with you now. Remember ffDeut. 7. 18.Deut 7:18WELL, what the Lord your God hath done for you; That will give you aſſured confidence for the time to come. OnelyOnly deale couragiouſly gg2 Chron. 19. 11.2 Chr 19:11; ſtand to what you have ſaid, and what in you lyeth, cauſe the Covenant to paſſe through the Land, and doe as the good King did; vvhat you can to make the people ſtand to it hh2 Chron. 34. 32.2 Chr 34:32, and the Lord ſhall be with the good ii2 Chron. 19. 11.2 Chr 19:11. (Amen) for they will make their prayer to Him, which cannot be in vain kkEſa. 45. 19.Isa 45:19, being one of the moſt prevailing things in Heaven or Earth: but it is reſerved for the time, when ye as Eſther llEſt. 4 16.Esth 4:16commanded Prayer, then it will appeare how prayer commanded for you.

SECT. IV.

The engaging the heart to God, engageth God to our Buſineſſe; then they ſlide-on; the loftineſſe of Man ſhall be bowed downe, and the …aughtineſſe of Men ſhall be made low; Idols and Idol-men, and Idoll-garments, and bloody Courts ſhall be deſtroyed; Counſels hid in the dark, diſcovered; and a Breach made-up, great as the Sea; ſo as the Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that Day.

THe people that doe know (that is) doe feare and rely upon their God, ſhall be ſtrong and doe exploits: So it was in dayes of old, p. 86Dan. 11. 32.Dan 11:32So it will be to the end of the World. Pleaſe you we will remember a ſacred Story, and conſider it with our whole he…rt and with our whole ſoule Time vvas vvhen our Grand-fathers dwelt in ſeiled houſes, while they let the houſe of God lye waſte. Every man ranne after (that is) was very earneſt in his owne affaires, but the affaires of the Church, no man regarded▪ much vvorke was done, but no Temple-worke. The Lord by His Prophet Haggai admoniſheth and reproveth for this, correcteth and puniſheth too: bids them conſider the order and method they tooke, whether things vvere done decently and in order; all for themſelves, their private wealth; nothing for God, and the Common g…od; and how they proſpered in their contrary way: vvhither God vvalk'd not contrary to them alſo? Shame devoured their labors aaIer 3. 24.Jer 3:24, there was a SWORD and a DROVGHT bb…er … 38.upon all they had and upon all they did; They vvere in a deepe conſumption; They eat and they dranke, and yet pined away ccHag. 1. 1…. …er. 6.Hag 1:1; They laboured, but in the fire; Wages they earned, but they put it into a bagg with holes; much they did, but nothing proſpered. After many …ore and ſharpe ſtroakes (for man vvill not be made vviſe, but by blowes) they began to looke up and conſider their vvay, vvhichwhich vvas not right, yet they thought to proſper in it, but it was not poſſible. At laſt they conſidered and thought thus, if God does all, and gives all richly to enjoy; if He be the beſt and higheſt Maſter, and payes the beſt vvages; The greateſt reaſon in the vvorld, His vvorke ſhould be done firſt; and ſo like wiſe and conſidering Men▪ they fell to Gods worke, ranne as faſt to His Houſe, as before to their owne. This the Lord tooke very kindly, as His manner is, and ordered it ſo (that is His manner too, for His vvrath is quickly appeaſed, when He ſees Men but look STEDFASTLY to Him and His Houſe) that their own houſe ſhould not fare the vvorſe; they ſhould ſenſibly ſee now a ſtrange alteration in things, as a SWORD and a DROƲGHT before upon every thing: ſo now a BLESSING; a ſhewer of BLESSINGS. Yes, but they muſt wait for it; No, no waiting now Behold preſently a ſhewer of bleſſings, that Gods people may for after times, lift up their feet in Gods way, obſerve good order and method there, ſtill to begin vvith God and Temple-work, call it vvhat you vvill, Religion if you pleaſe; From this Day that the Foundation of the Lords Temple was layed CONSIDER IT ddHag. 2, 18.Hag 2:18. What muſt they conſider? It followes, FROM THIS DAY WILL I BLESSE YOƲ; from that moment of time when they minded Gods worke to doe it, I WILL BLESSE YOU ſaith the LORD.

If ever GOD made good this Scripture to His people in after ages, then now He hath fulfil'd it even in our days: Every man can make application, for from this Day the Lord hath bleſſed you; you muſt proſper now and doe exploits, for you goe on now in the ſtrength of a COVENANT, and in the ſtrength of the prayers of all thoſe p. 87that are in Covenant with you, and that …s an ALMIGHTIE ſtrength.

Y…u have given forth your MALE, the firſt Borne of your ſtrerg…h to manage the great things of HEAVEN: aſſuredly from this Day the Lord hath bleſſed you

You have found vvherein the ſtrength and ſpirits of the buſineſſe lyeth now; theſe are contained in Religion, very …ffic…ci…us in vvorking; and a mighty binder, as vvas ſaid; ye have bound y…ur ſelves to G…d, and God to you; now ye ſhall g…e on as valiant men in the ſtrength of God, and with His increaſe and …l…ſſing. Though you ſhould heare, in after time, the multitude of many people aaEſa. 17. 12, 13.Isa 17:12Isa 17:13, vvhichwhich make a noyſe like the Seas, and a reſhing like the ruſhing of mighty waters. Then ſhall ye ſee alſo, that God vvill rebuke them, and they ſhall flee faire off, and ſhall be chaſed as the chaffe of the Moun…ins before the vvinde, and like a rowling thing before the whirle-winde, &c. For it followes, but I forbeare for I muſt keepe my ſelfe within the bounds of this WONDERFULL YEARE. This is but to ſhew, that you have choſen a way to walk-in, and a rule to walke by called the WAY of HOLINESSE (the Lord keepe you in it, and to it;) it is a cleare, an holy, a ſ…e, an une…ring way, The way faring men, though FOOLES, ſhall not erre therin. bbEſa 35.Isa 35Ye may fall into the ſtraits there (as was ſaid) ye may be troubled on every ſide, yet not diſtreſſed; perplexed ye may be, but not in deſpaire cc2 Cor 4 8.2 Cor 4:8, as you reade; ye may meet vvith a Lyon in that way; perſecuted ye may be, but ye ſhall not be forſaken: The Lord whoſe ye are, and whom ye ſerve, and have engaged your hearts ſo to doe, (the greateſt ſecurity that Earth or Heaven can give, is yours now) will carry you through all (His NAME, His GLORY is engaged too) and make ye more than Conquerours at the laſt But for the preſent, we are to Record yet farther, what GOD hath wrought by you, or vvhat you have wrought with GOD this Day, vvhere you will ſee and take good notice what an eaſie paſse or ſlide you had unto buſineſſe, as they have, whom God will lead and proſper (from this very Day the Lord did bleſſe you) Take a ſhort view of the works in the ſame order they were done, ſo the Church will render you an account, and an acknowledgement together, very ſhort in theſe particulars.

¶ 8.

Then, from that Day, ye marched valiantly, ye trod down ſtrength, ye had Dominion over the Mighty ddIud. 5.Judg 5; ye troubled the Troublers, and the Deſtroyer was deſtroyed. Then no power of the adverſary could with-ſtand you from that Day.

¶ 9.

Then, from that Day, ye found out the treacherous Prieſts and their p. 88Babyloniſh garments; then you were to the poore Miniſters, as your good God before you; you took off the yoake on their jaws, and to the people, you laid meat unto them hhHoſ. 11. 4.Hos 11:4. Then you purſued your Adverſaries to their ſtrong-holds, and you beat them there with their owne weapons: Indeed their owne weapons, weapons of unrighteouſneſſe, were as Goliahs Sword to the Giants of the Earth, as M. Dearing called them long agoe, who ſearched the Scripture whether things were ſo, and would take poyſon from no mans hand. Ye found theſe men overcome to your hand, bound faſt with the cords of their owne ſinne, as a wild Bull in a Net (the Lord give them to feele it for their good) full of the fury of the LORD, the Rebuke of Thy GOD iiEſa 51. 10.Isa 51:10.

Then, from that Day, ye proceeded againſt them and their Courts, ſo that the Church may reade her Deliverance, now in that vvhichwhich the Lord wrought for her people in dayes of old, So the terrible one is brought to naught kkEſa. 29.Isa 29, and the Scorner is conſumed, and all that watch for iniquity, and they that made a man an offender for a word, and laid a ſnare for him that reproveth in the Gate, and turned aſide the juſt for a thing of nought, all theſe are cut-off; for where is the fury of the oppreſsours? and the juriſdiction of their Courts, Where is it? She remembers this with all thankfulneſſe and ſhe remembers you in all earneſtneſſe before the high Throne, as was ſaid before, for ſhe can reade on; Now llEſa. 29. 19.Isa 29:19the meeke ſhall encreaſe their joy in the Lord, and the poore among men ſhall rejoyce in the Holy One of Iſraël: for how you eaſed the Churches ſhoulders, and cheared her heart, when you tooke off thoſe yoakes, the two inſnaring Oaths and bloudy Courts, ſhe and you know very well: and ſhe accepts vvith all thankfulneſſe, but ſhe gives glory to her God.

¶ 10.

Then, from that Day, you could trace the footings in the dark; the turnings and windings of the crooked Serpent in his crooked pathes; Then the Lord made darkneſse light before you, and crooked things ſtrait. Then you had diſcoveries upon diſcoveries, for what a diſcovering God have you! How eaſily did He defeate His enemies! Their turning of things upſide downe, He eſteemes as the Potters clay, for He turned them and their vvorke upſide downe, as eaſily as the Maid doth the Diſh, which ſhe vvipes, or the Potter the clay veſſell he frames mmEſa …9. 16. Vid. Cal. in loc.Isa 9:16.

¶ 11.

Then you quenched the SONNES of the COALE; and though they ſparkled in your face, yet they could not kindle: notwithſtanding the wreſtling of the Adverſary, you held and maintained the ſtaffe of BEAƲTY and of BANDS nnZach. 11.Zech 11, and ſo made firme the p. 89Brotherhood betweene Iacob and Iſrael. And it was like the making of twaine one, ſo making peace aaEpheſ. 2. 15.Eph 2:15; as the cauſing the envy of EPHRAIM to ceaſe, and the cutting-off the Adverſaries of IƲDAH bbEſa. 11.Isa 11: Ephraim ſhall not envy Judah, and Judah ſhall not vex Ephraim, but they ſhall be as one ſticke in the hand ccEzek. 37. 19.Ezek 37:19, that ſo with united force, they may fly upon the ſhoulders of the Philiſtines. I will ſay no more of it here (for it fills a volume) But according to this time it ſhall he ſaid of Jacob and of Iſrael, WHAT HATH GOD WROƲGHT?Num. 23. …3.Num 23:3

In all this laſt mentioned, the Church turnes to her God, renders praiſe and glory to Him, for he only workes wonders. She will aſcribe all to her God, ſo the Church may doe, and yet make all due acknowledgement to man, whom the Lord is pleaſed to honour as an inſtrument. Man ſtood in the GAP, and he ſhall be called, The REPAIRER OF THE BREACH, but God made it up, even Eſa. …8. 12.Isa 8:12by His owne Right-hand, for it was great as the Sea. Hee did it who hath taken the wicked in their owne Snare; conſumed them with their owne breath; ſwallowed them up with their owne lips; fallen upon them with their owne tongues; bound them faſt with their owne cords, HIGGAION SELAH ddPſ. 9. 16. Rem meditandam ſummè.Ps 9:16, a matter HIGHLY to be conſidered on. Therefore with your good leave, the Church aſcribes all to her good God, Bleſſing, Honour, Power, Wiſdome, Thanks, all the glory unto Him, that ſitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lambe for ever and ever. And the Church makes account that ſo yee will doe alſo; yee doe call this yeare and your Court BAAL-PERAZIM, for at this time, the Lord ſmote His enemies there, and hath broken forth upon them before you as the BREACH of WATERS; Therefore ye call this yeare and that place BAAL-PERAZIM ee2 Sam. 5. 20.2 Sam 5:20, giving glory to the Lord, for HE IS WORTHY.

¶ A Tranſition to the next Section.

THus I have made as ſhort a collection, and given-in as briefe a Catalogue, as I could, of Gods dealings, His wonderfull Adminiſtrations; His ſtrange diſpenſations of Wiſdome and Providence towards His Church this yeare ſo full of Grace and Power; all theſe contracted here into as narrow a roome as poſſibly might be, conſidering how comprehenſive ſome of the Heads were; elſe where I have given them more enlargement; but I looke and heartily expect, that my paines will be prevented by ſome others pen, that hath more leiſure, and a larger portion of gifts and abilities for the compleating ſuch a Hiſtory, which ſo much advanceth the Name of God, and the hope of Iſrael in the time of His diſtractions: The Remembrance of what God hath wrought this former yeare, p. 90vvill be to the Church in after times, and in all her fainting fits, as vve reade aaDeut. 7. 18.Deut 7:18, for the conſolation is the ſame, and the gr…und thereof the ſame; Thou ſhalt not be affraid of them. T…ou ſhalt WELL rem…mber what the LORD thy GOD did unto PHARAOH, the Pope and unto all his helpers. The, &c

Another great Worke you have vvrought in the cloſe of the yeare, concerning Gods immediate worſhip and ſervice, which muſt be recorded in order, with reverence to the time, when theſe workes were done (I ſay, work…, for it is plurall, a comprehenſive worke, and containes m…ch:) Thou…h it may ſuffice very well, that the Lord hath regiſtred them, and will reward them. A Cup of cold water bbMat. 10, 4….Matt 10:4given to His Church, He will thinke upon and reward, for that is His manner; He will not be in arere with any man, much leſſe with His faithfull Servants; if He ſeemes to delay the time, or to forget, it is for your advantage, and that he may remember you in the fitteſt time, as in the caſe of Mordecai. A Cup of Water ſhall be remembred; how much more your labour of love, patience of hope, your workes of Faith, ſuch vvorkes vvhichwhich you have done, and are written in the records of Heaven and Earth both, for they concerne His pleaſant Sacrifices, vvhichwhich He hath commanded, ſuch as were in the dayes of old, and as in former years **Mal. 3. 4.Mal 3:4.

But before the Church can record all this, ſhe muſt record with all thankfullneſſ…, what you have done for her Land, her people there, breaking our bands and taking-off our yoaks alſo, and reſcuing us from cruell Taske-maſters.

This the Church accepts alwayes in all thankfullneſſe. But we account this reſcuing us and the Law from out of the hand of cruell Lords, the chiefeſt among your many worthy deeds: being moſt taken with outward priviledges, and ſo vve may proſper in the vvorld, we care not how our ſoules proſper: ſuch our teaching is, and ſo blind our guides are (for the moſt part) vvhichwhich vvill be conſidered as vve paſſe-on. For after vve have rendred our heartieſt thankes to you, for reſcuing us from under thoſe hands; The Church will reaſon out the caſe with the Iudges, will point to the root of our evils, then ſhe will ſhow …s a more excellent way.

p. 91SECT. V.

No oppreſſion to the oppreſſion of a Ruler or Judge offering violence to the Law; we howled under that oppreſſion; The Lord remembred us in our bondage, and ſent us Saviours, who diſburthened our Shoulder of our grievous preſſures and oppreſſours.

THen (from that Day) you reſcued a poore peeled people, from thoſe that are as EVENING WOLVES ccZeph. 3. 3.Zeph 3:3, Who are they? The Prophet meanes by an ordinary figure, IƲDGES, and we meane not the like but the ſame: for they ravened the prey, they gnawed the very bones; they devoured and conſumed the COMMONWEALTH; but to heighten their vvickedneſ…e, they firſt KISSED her LIPS, pretending the PƲBLIQƲE GOOD. Theſe men of the Earth denyed to free Subjects their Catholico…, that foreign. 1 Pet. 1. 19.1 Pet 1:19vvhichwhich is every free-mans birth-right; foreign, that which the child receives from his Father, though be … …he youngeſt, and his Father the pooreſt The Judges denied us this our proper inheritance; they impriſoned the freeſt thing, that is in all the vvorld, and that which is moſt innocent. As the Biſhops Lorded it over the King of the Church, offering violence to His Lawes: So theſe Lorded it over the Catholicke Rule of the Common wealth; I had almoſt ſaid, the moſt Catholicke King in the world; but we …ubmit here, for we are not learned; we thinke that the ſacred Scripture ſaith as much, That the Law is the higheſt power on earth And we remember well that Rom. 13.Rom 13a mighty Emperour tels us, that the LAW was his MASTER; The LAW IS EVERY MANS MASTER ddMar Aurel An. l 10. Medi…. 25. Pag. 71., ſaid he, then he could not exempt himſelfe from out of that univerſality; it was his MASTER too. This Catholique Maſter was trod under foot by it's Servants eeServientes ad legem fortiſcue., ſo we thinke Judges are called. And then all fals to the ground and is trod under foot, when the Maſter is under ffNihil ſequens ſtat cum principale non steverit. Salv., when the Servant is on Horſe-backe and rideth his Maſter, then he oppreſſeth very ſore, as we reade, He oppreſſeth the poore like a ſweepi…g raine that leaveth no food ggPro 28. 3. 1 Sam. 14 1….Prov 28:31 Sam 14:1. Then we lay like the Hebrewes oppreſſed by the Philiſtines, in our holes, brought very low, downe to the ground, and our ſpeech ſcarce whiſpered out of the duſt. Complaints were vaine and to no purpoſe, or made our burthen heavier; for the Servant was the Maſter, and what pleaſed him was the Law: So they turned judgement into gall, and the fruit of Righteouſneſſe into Hemlock hhAmo. 6. 1…., Then we were afflicted indeed, fleeced and peeled; the fleſh was torne from the bone; and then we howled. Nay, the oppreſſion p. 92was ſo heavy, that ſome of us vvere madd (oppreſſion makes wiſe men ſo ggEccleſ. 7. 7.Eccl 7:7;) and we ſpake as madd men, ſo unadviſedly with our lips, accounting the proud happy, for they that vvorke wickedneſſe were ſet-up, and they that tempted Go… were even delivered hhMal. 3. 15.Mal 3:15, and we were made as the little fiſhes, as the creeping things that have no RƲLER over them iiHab. 1. 14.Hab 1:14. But notwithſtanding vve provoked Him ſo, the Lord looked downe from Heaven, ſaw our burthens, and that they were very ſore, ſent Saviours unto us, bleſſed be His Name, and bleſſed be ye in the Name of the Lord. We might complain now and be heard, and complaine we did as an oppreſſed people before us. kkNeh. 5. 5.Neh 5:5Our fleſh is as the fleſh of our Judges and Rulers juſt the ſame; theirs no better, ours no worſe: Our children as their children, not ſo gay, but as good, and as free borne as theirs: And we are brought into bondage, our ſonnes and our daughters, to be ſervants to them, who profeſſe themſelves to be Servants to the Law. But theſe Servants over-ruled their MASTER, and ſo enthralled us: And when you heard this cry and theſe words, you were very angry (for the whole body was pinched where there vvas quicke fleſh) Then you conſulted vvith your ſelves, and rebuked the Judges and the Rulers who dealt ſo treacherouſly, ſo like evening Wolves ravening the prey; And you disburdened the Common-wealth of her preſſures (too many to reckon, and) grievous oppreſſours (as the Squire of the Body, ſtill attending ſuch Judges) a company of ſharks, proging fellowes, peſts, vipers, grievous vermine, vvorſe then the Aegyptian froggs, which devoured every greene thing. You eaſed the Land of thoſe Adverſaries; abominable filth is caſt into their faces; their names …ot and their arme is withered. And this is all which ye have done, terrible things vvhichwhich vve looked not for. We doe not diminiſh one grain, vve thinke it very much vvhichwhich you have done, though vve out-runne you in our expectation. But vve muſt give great bodies leave to move ſlowly, (they meet vvith many rubbs in the vvay) to deliberate long upon the caſe, where it reacheth to the precious life of a man; vvhen that thred is cut, life runnes out from a bottome that hath no end. Wee are pretty vvell ſatisfied in this, that vve are reſcued and taken as a prey out of their teeth. We vvould have the Iaw-bone broken too; vvee vviſh ſometimes, and not in our haſte, that they vvho ſo troubled us, offered ſuch violence to the Lawes of God and man, vvere cutoff. Indeed vve cannot thinke our ſelves ſecure, vvhile they are, and are not made examples, though one is fled, and another is faſt by the heeles, and all are put to ſhame, being pointed at vvith the finger, Theſe are they, more unrighteous then was the unjuſt Iudge. For though he feared not God, nor regarded man, yet he was gained with importunity, to doe right. Theſe not ſo, The HOWLING of the widdow and TEARES of her Orphanes, Theſe they regard not, no not theſe: the Lord grant they may knovv all this for their good, p. 93and be confounded and turne unto the Lord before the firſt borne of Death ddIob 18. 1….Job 18:1, ſome ſtrange judgement conſumes their ſtrength, and the curſe that is written fall upon them ^d.

¶ 1.

The Church argueth the caſe with the Iudges, bids them marke the old way which wicked men have trodden; adviſeth them to an humble confeſſion of their fault, and to leave proud Apologies, for there the Law leaves them, and is cleare againſt them.

ZOphar ſpake well, though he applyed it ill, Knoweſt thou not this of old, ſince man was placed upon Earth, that THE TRIƲMPHING OF THE WICKED IS SHORT eeIob 20. 4, 5.Job 20:4Job 20:5. So Elephas a little after ff22. 15, 16., Haſt thou marked the old way, which wicked men have trodden? WHOSE FOƲNDATION WAS OVERFLOWNE WITH A FLOOD.

The Church applies all this right, even to the Judges, and would have them apply it ſo too, for they are able. Surely they can looke backe and enquire of the dayes of old, which will tell them, that their Fathers in whoſe ſteps they trod, conſulted ſhame to their houſe: Becauſe of Mens bloud and for the violence of the Land ggExod. 22, 22, 23, 24.Exod 22:22Exod 22:23Exod 22:24, ſhame devoured the labours of their Fathers hhHab. 2.Hab 2. The ſtone cryed out of the Wall and the Beame out of the Timber anſwered it; woe to him that buildeth a Houſe with bloud and eſtabliſheth it with iniquitie; And ſo it was and is, for theſe houſes are conſumed away by the heate of Gods diſpleaſure, as if they had been made, as we reade Ier. 2.Jer 2ſome houſes are in Gothland, of SNOW iiO lau… d… rit: Gent. Septen. lib. 1, Ch…. 23..

The Lord grant they may conſider this, and truſt to their Repentance, and free acknowledgement of their crimes; to that BLOOD above all which yet ſpeaketh, rather then to their Apologies, which ſome thinke, and all ſay, are ſmooth and plauſible. A SAGE of their owne is cleare againſt them. Thus the Lord Cooke ſpeaks, where he ſpeakes as we may underſtand him, Latine and Engliſh both, and full to this purpoſe, for I may not hit of his words, being long ſince I read them. The Law is cleare for free Subjects in point of Priviledge and property, if the Client through ignorance, and the Lawyer through wilfullneſſe, doe not darken it. The Law ſhowes a way very diſcernable to a cleared ſight, betwixt Mine and Thine. If the Lawyer be at a fault here, ſurely there is duſt caſt into his eyes, and he deales treacherouſly, becauſe he will doe ſo, not becauſe he wants wit or knowledge, but becauſe he is ſubtle and wicked: for he goes by the cleareſt Lights (not ſingle but plurall) that any Science in the world hath, the light of Nature and of Reaſon and of conſcience, all three; p. 94Therefore the Sage concludes, A knowing Lawyer (whom wee commonly call good) muſt neceſſarily be a good man, or &c. the Contrary, as the Country man calls him who calls a Spade, a Spade. And the beſt excuſe he can make, why he dealt contrary muſt be his feare; that made him claſh againſt the Law, feare of preſent drowning, if he did not ſwim with the ſtream; and not ignorance of the Law. But here alſo our Chronicles gives us a famous example of a good Judge, and a good man, Sir Iohn Markham by name, (late times yeeld us one or two more) King Edward the 4. outed him his place. But the valiant Knight, valiant for the Truth, no Iudge thereof now) gloried in this (as well he might) that Though the King could make him NO IƲDGE, he could not make him a DISHONEST MAN, He could doe nothing againſt the Truth, but for the Truth kk2 Cor. 13 8.2 Cor 13:8, notwithſtanding all provocations and forcei…g to the contrary. Our Iudges (the worſt part of them) cleane contrary, nothing for the Truth, but againſt the Truth, nor were they ſo much forced, as they uſed forcing. Then Iudgement was turned away backward, and Iuſtice ſtood afarre off: for Eſa. 59. 14.Isa 59:14Truth ſell in the ſtreet, and equity could not enter, &c. For it followed juſt ſo. Therefore Gods Arme brought Salvations, He put on the garment of vengeance for cloathing, and was clad with zeale as ver. 16, 17. 18.a cloake. According to their deeds, He did repay fury to His Adverſaries, recompen…e to His enemies.

Thus the Lord did for a peeled people, that we might ſet OƲR HOPE in Him, and not forget His workes But behold we are turned backe, we are not ſtedfaſt. This is the Truth which appeareth thus.

¶ 2

We mind our Covenant no further then as it may be a Covenant of Salt, to aſsure us our outward Priviledges for ever. That's our great errour: the Church confutes it, and inſtructs us to Diſcretion.

VVE are not ſtedfaſt in the Covenant farther then it concernes our private wealth: ſo far we will hold-faſt to it, as it doth maintain our outward Rights.

We are reſolved upon the Queſtion, and let us now be begged for fooles or madd men, if we doe not by all lawfull meanes, maintaine the peace of our King, His Crowne and Dignity; and the Priviledges of Parliament: for herein (we muſt have a principle of profit to carry us) the Rights and Liberties of the Subject are maintained. Vowes are upon Him and Them; the Oath of God is betwixt us; the ſtrongeſt engagement that can be to maintaine th… LAW, and then the Law will maintaine us, and all the fore-mentioned. And that is all we looke after. We conſider not how ſpirituals ſtrengthen Politickes; that both King and Kingdome are eſtabliſhed p. 95by Righteouſneſſe. Therefore the Church mindeth us of a great principle of State government which is this; That true Religion and Godlineſſe is the root of all true virtue, and the ſtay of all well ordered Common-weales: And to keepe the true Religion pure and unſtained, ought to be the higheſt of all cares appertaining to publicke Regiments, and the peace therof. Did not thy Father Ioſiah doe judgement and juſtice, and it was well with him llIer. 22 ….Jer 22. While he was yet young, he begun to ſeeke after the God of his father, and to pur…e Iudah and Ieruſalem mm2 Chro. 34. 3.2 Chr 34:3. And there was never any King before him or ſince, that live… ſo deſired, or dyed ſo lamented, No not one. But his ſon Iehoiakim not ſo; His Eyes and his Heart were for oppreſſion, and for violence to doe it nnIer. 22.Jer 22; therefore he was buried with the buriall of an Aſſe; they lamented not for him, ſaying, AH LORD, or AH IS GLORY: But what is this to the people? much every way, as what concerned the HEAD then, concernes the BODY now, becauſe of that ſympathy, and neareſt Relation betwixt them: and what concernes the BEE concernes the BEEHIVE, and vvhat doth good or hurt to the one, doth the very ſame to both. Therefore this is added; They then and They onelyonly doe ſeele the weight of Duty towards their Prince and Country; they know the juſt bounds of obſervation towards both, who can, in a gracious freedome of Spirit, ariſing from Their innocency and independancy (except on the living God) ſtand out, notwithſtanding all ſhockes, againſt all corruptions in Doctrine and manners, having a tender ſenſe of both, that there be no corruption in either: And ſo doe wiſh from an entire and ingenious heart, O KING LIVE FOR EVER. It is not the ſtrength of all united hands, that can ſet the Crowne faſt upon a Kings head: not the pollicy of as many heads can make it flouriſh there: nor can all the Arme of fleſh put out to it's utmoſt ſtrength confirme to us our Liberties, and eſtabliſh the Right of Subjects: No, but it is RELIGION kept in it's purity; Iuſtice, maintained in it's integrity; obedience (more beautifying then a Crowne) performed to Gods command in ſincerity; This will doe it, even all the fore-mentioned. And we are convinced hereof by a common light, and naturall principles; and can conclude therefrom, when we are our ſelves, that vve ſhould give out our ſtrength and be moſt active for the firſt and laſt thing in the PROTESTATION; To maintaine RELIGION in it's purity, and the BROTHER-HOOD in Sincerity; for therein are contained the very ſtrength and ſpirits of the Covenant, as hath been ſaid, and cannot be to often thought upon.

But now vvhat blunts the edge of our indeavours and affections this way, comes now ſeriouſly to be conſidered on.

p. 96¶ 3.

Our Prieſts, who pretend to lead us, miſlead us deſtroying all▪ that the Church doth for our building up, to the ſubverting of our ſoules, and the putting out of a common light, by their common and unclean converſation. The Church points us to a more excellent way.

VVE are naturally blind, and cannot ſee farre off **2 Pet. …. 9.. We are not inſtructed to diſcretion; not ſo diſcerning, as to approove the things that are excellent, much leſſe to contend for them. And a great cauſe hereof is, (we are naturally ſtupid and blind, a ſpirit of infirmity naturally boweth dovvne; but I ſay a chief cauſe is) without us, in our guides and leaders, for the moſt part blind, and yet they leade us. Many of them preach once in a Yeare, perhaps ſome of them once a MonethMonth, and not a ſound word of Doctrine then, comes from them, but their TEXT. Their practiſe is as bad, it corrupts like a canker: We obſerve that, and nothing elſe, we ſee they overſee nothing amongſt us with any care or diligence, but their Eaſter-booke, and their Tythes all the yeare after. That hath been the complaint againſt Biſhops from Dayes of old to this preſent Day aaSee Hiſt. of the Councel of Trent. 2. p. 252. & p. 216. Non magis de pāſcen…o grege cogi tant quam ſutor de arando. Paſtors now a dayes, the werſt part of the, think no more of feeding the flock, then a Cobler do's of the plough. Cal Inſ. 4. cap. 5. Sect. 1…, 13.. And if our SEERS doe ſo, we think and are perſwaded we may do ſo too, mind Earth and do well enough for Heaven, for they do ſo, and yet they know better and ſee farther then wee can ſee, for they are called Seers, The Lord unſcale their eyes, and unvaile their hearts, and deliver His people from theſe murderers, becauſe of whom the Churches ſoul is wearied bbIer 4. 31.Jer 4:31. The Lord ſtirre up your hearts to pitty the Countryes round about yet more. For vve are in a ſad condition if we ſaw it. Our Teachers are as you heare, and the People content to have it ſo. Truly had not the Oppreſſor touched us in that we make our god, outward profits and Priviledges, vve ſhould never have complained: what violence the Prieſts had done to the Law of God, to the Houſe of God, to His vvorſhip there, we regarded not: but what violence the Judges did to the Laws of Man, that we regarded, and then vve could howle.

Truly we mind not what bands you have broke; nor what yoakes c Facile eſt quicquid in praeſenti ſeculo nocet: illud grave, illud pernicioſum quod in aeternitate iugulabit. Salv d… Eccl. Cath. l 2. 410.you have taken off the necks of Miniſters; Nor that you have advanced the Scepter of the Lord Chriſt; and that worſhip which is according to the Rule and mind of God; theſe things we mind not; No nor that you have troubled the troublers, the Achans, That you have ſearched their Tents, and found out the Babiloniſh garments; We regard theſe things no more then Gallio did the beating of Soſthenes: for ſo we are inſtructed; Our Prophets, for the moſt part, propheſie to us of wine and ſtrong drinke, which pleaſeth the ſenſe well, and our walking is thereafter, we regard only our Oyle and Wine.

And yet upon ſadder thoughts, vvhen we think as men, we are halfe p. 97convinced; That this our walking is not right; That rivers of Oyle and wine (i. e) the marrovv, and fatneſſe, and fullneſſe of the world is but emptineſſe, and will …ot ſatisfie: All this reacheth but to the body, no farther; and vvill leave us, or vve them on this ſide the grave. We can conſider ſometimes that vve have a Spirit within us (vvhichwhich is called the ſoule) a vaſt, large and capacious thing: It can meaſure and graſpe all the fore-mentioned, all the things in the world; and, when all is done, find but an emptineſſe in all. We are able to conſider, That the vvorld cannot ſatisfie this ſoule, no more then can the Eaſt-wind the ſtomach. It is Heaven and the great things there, which can ſatisfie this great capacity, vvhichwhich can vviden and ſtretch forth it ſelfe like the Heavens. The ſoule may goe from creature to creature, as the Bee from flower to flower, and be as reſtleſſe ſtill, and as unquiet in its motion, as is the needle, (not pointed right) and ſo muſt be till it be pointed ſtedfaſt to Heaven

All this vve can conſider, and, upon due conſideration, approove the things that are excellent. But then we behold our Prieſts, and are quite off againe, ſeeing them vvalke like men, nay many of them more like be…ſts I would rather my tongue were ſilent in darknes, then it ſhould caſt a note of contempt upon outward civility. Theſe have not ſo much, but, as beaſts, could they phancy happines, would place it in fat paſtures, and ſweet waters ſo do theſe droves and heards of men This is a mighty ſnare unto us, lead not ſo much by rule as by example **Perſuade… lingua iubet vitae, Athan. ad Monachos. The Tongue perſwades, the life commands.: We conſider not what ought to be done, but what is done by our betters, and thereafter we practiſe as our leaders do, as if what they did vvere well done; and, as if outvvard things could inwardly ſatisfie. This digreſſion is neceſſary, declaring how our minds ſtand: Now I muſt ſhew, That the Church is of another mind, and ſo make vvay to the ſcope.

¶. 4.

The Church deſires to proſper as her ſoul may proſper; Contends for the advancing of Chriſts Kingdom; prefers inward enlargements before outward priviledges.

ESaues ENOƲGH aaGen. 33. 9. Gen. 6.Gen 33:9Gen 6will not content the Church, though that be much or a great deale. Iacobs ENOƲGH bbGen. 33. 9, 1… ▪Gen 33:9Gen 33:1only contents her, which inwardly ſatisfies and fills up the vaſt capacity of the ſoule, This God alone doth, Who is Iacobs ENOVGH, for HE is ALL.

The Churches Sons and D…ughters looke after thoſe things, which may further them in their way Heaven-ward: ſuch things as will make their ſoules to proſper are to their mind and heart. They looke after ſpiritu…ll enlargements, they would have their Lord Chriſt to be highly …d…anced in the world; It would rejoyce them at the heart to ſee His Sanctuaries kept cleane; all filthineſse remooved thence, and thoſe that attend His ſervices there to be purified and Holy ones, That their Lord might ſee no uncleane thing there which might cauſe Him to turne away from them, and turne His back upon His Sanctuaries, p. 98The ſumme of their deſires is; That they may offer to the Lord an offering in Righteouſ…eſſe. Then ſhall their offerings be pleaſant unto the Mal. 3. 3. v. 4.Mal 3:3Lord, as in the Dayes of old, and as in former Yeares. The Church Remembers vvh…t you have done to promote theſe ſervices ſo pleaſant to the Lord, and ſhe muſt referre it to a ſpeciall head of Praiſe and Thankſ-giving.