treasure For when we have wisely learned to need nothing but what we may have we have at last more than abundance given as a supply to what we wanted that is what we had not yet required not till God would be pleased to give To whose goodness and proper care we being reserved are enfranchized members of his Court of audience and have not any thing but all things at will He is happily destitute who is destitute of all but God for he soon findeth to his great consolation and hearts-ease that there was no true good which he ever intended for himself which God to make good the devout man's position of a satisfying hope hath not in most ample manner provided for him Our high Patron of pleasure taketh great content in satiating the longing soul with those sweets which are the manifest fruits of its long contented although still earnest expectation Commonness causeth an ungrateful undervalue of things and assiduity of deeds That we may truely esteem works of greatness and goodness we have them artificially transposed one before another Our reason must not facilitate those favours by which our hope must be still strained to an higher key Hope is made to depend on Providence and Providence keepeth all in store for the time of Necessity As Necessity cometh on by degrees Providence produceth her Ossam Cerbero So have we the wide mouth of that devourer miraculously stopt and God in his provident care always reserveth the best until he knoweth it will be most welcome and then Come buy without money and without price THAT Kingly Prophet whose long confined Scepter bare a more awful sway over Kingdoms and Nations through and after a tedious persecution knew not before hand what he was afterwards better schooled in that Saul's blood thirsty labours did cheifly make way to his crown and that without them he had never been King of Israel That he was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains proved a fortunate chase to him who by this means preyed upon the game enclosed in the Pursuers nets when he fled for his life he hastned to a Diadem Saul with his followers were but so many Ministers of state to make the way more ready and easie for this friend of God to ascend his Throne Great is that happiness to which Virtue climbeth by craggy passages For as her labour justly claimeth the reward she aimeth at so neither doth she catch at flies seeking by a mean satisfaction to repair the loss of past time It is felicity in the fullest measures which alone can counterpoise her grand performances Nothing less will serve the turn neither this unless sought with an answerable labour Honour becometh not such to the magnanimous unless he hath passed through vales of horrour and in pursuit of it over-run mountains of contradicting perplexities nor is Ease at last accounted a blessing to him in the foresight unless he can see it through multitudes of difficulties and laudable attempts But then cometh Honor like it self and Rest which shall not be attainted with reproach when the Purchaser hath his head adorned with the beauteous flowers of his own well-husbanded Garden and with a cheerful countenance eateth the savory fruits of that vine which his own curious hand hath planted dressed and meerly by labour nourished until it came to good liking and Perfection Our forefather Adam had in his punishment this much hope that he should not be eternally miserable because entitled to the benefit of a laborious toleration which always looketh forward to felicity and a reward Although he deserved nothing of happiness in regard of his sin yet he could not but comfort himself in the hope thereof being thought worthy that injunction to labour which faileth not of a recompence For the good which by such a beginning and an answerable continuance should be pursued must undoubtedly be more then moderate Our peace with God which includeth bliss incomparable is wrought by inevitable conflicts with the adversaries of it A Worldly peace is frequently acquired with effusion of blood and is alway to be conserved with vigilancy and laborious care Nay each pettite delight ambitiously publisheth its worth by its difficult procuration as if it were impossible for that to give content which never gave molestation Every thing which hath but the appearance of good giveth man this demonstration that his choice part of life hath its enjoyments either under or from durance Holy David would not sacrifice to God of that which cost him nothing for by that Sacrifice religiously offered he expected the concession of a merciful blessing Therefore would he not have his offering an undervalue to his hopes Indeed all that we have or can is Gods so cannot our best faculties merit any thing at his hands But if he be pleased with that satisfaction why should we not give him largely of his own abilities of soul body and temporals that the more we give the more we may receive and live happily by becoming as I may say prodigal towards him out of his own bounty Our faculties are his gifts so that what we bear is by his strength which we sometimes abusing cause our own misery and his greif but when he sendeth joy as the reward although the work be his own we rejoyce for our selves To the faithful and good servant it was not said Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord before that by due tryal it was found he deserved an Euge but when that appeareth the servant shall become a ruler A little labour sometimes obtaineth an unproportionable and large recompence It is alway so between us and our God who for our feeble endeavours which he is forced to strengthen giveth not onely more liberally then we can deserve for it is satisfaction enough to us that he mercifully assisteth but also more bountifully then he hath given us power to conceive But without some perturbations cometh no good at all Joy easily gotten is as easily lost it is over whelmed in a moment being but the treacherous forerunner of some approaching misfortune God giveth very usually that as best which nature in the birth esteemeth as worst A sorrowful beginning for God's sake findeth a Joyous conclusion nay an endless Joy through God's love BUT they who would have their life exempt from sufferings are most sure to suffer Not seeking what they should they unavoidable fall upon what they strive to shun The wisdome of worldlings in their generation is rather to inflict then commiserate or be co-partners with those wholy under the rod of the Oppressour They defraud their understandings and will of true delight by hankering about meaner pleasures for the reach of which they care not how they get up above others trampling them down with the foot of insolency and scorn They are proud of their refined ignorance that they can with a serpentine winding avoid dangers and contrive paths of present safety to themselvs But they weigh not aright the state of
the most High he may never miscarry So shall thy people gratefully draw nigh to thine holy Altar and pay the vowes which our souls powered out before thee in the day of our calamity and fear and then shalt thou be pleased with us when we draw neer to thee with the multitude that keep Holy-day to of-thee the calves of our lips and to sing thy praise with joy ful lips Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. CHAP. IV. The care of our King ought to be one of our greatest cares How ill theâ— some have vaunted of merit whâ— pretend to have wrought his return MAN is naturally a sociable creature to whom a singularity oâ— happiness is no way acceptable who delighteth as in a well being so in communion of it To him it is no less glory to cause then to possess joy Thâ— members in the body are kindly dispose to each others prosperous subsistance bâ— cause the common is the surest good but the laborous parts are more especialy regardful both of the honour and dâ—fence of the Head because of its directiâ—â— faculties wholesome administrations and Sâ—premacy For from the Head as from Fountain issue those vital veins whereâ—â— the members each in its proper placâ— are enabled to act and move So is the no safety for either all or any of therâ— when this regal power is disturbed aâ— weakned whether by the frowardness of the members disagreeing among themselves or their rebellion against the Head or if through their ungrateful neglect it be betrayed to external violence Now there is or ought to be mutual giving and receiving between the head and members but yet the Members more need the Head then the Head the Members and the Members in contributing aid to the head are rather grateful than bountiful Reason addeth a Spur to that dutiful subservience where the more is given the more is received as is the case of the body performing allegiance to the Head Herein the members are beneficial to themselves and every part whilest obedient is instrumental to the general good So is the whole state of the Body flourishing and happy because the members are sociable disciplined obedient and loyal The same reasons of general convenience do dictate to Subjects in a Realm the same rules To wound our Head is unnatural rebellion not to preserve and honour him is disingenuous ingratitude considering what sweet streams run throughout the whole body of the Kingdome when the Head-spring is undisturbed he can be no good Subject who shall dip his corrupted parts in these waters to the general annoyance nay more yet who shall not with a generous propensity to the common good interpose even to his own ruine when he apprehendeth any injury offered to the Head of Church and State In the Judgment of the Royal Prophet it was in Abner a desert of no less then death to have onely in curiously slept and not to have kept the Lords Anointed and that Abner might have a through insight of the greatness of his crime David confirmeth his assertion with no less then an Oath A thing of so pernicious example and dangerous consequence is the least negligence in a Subject when the Kingdomes Soul iâ— committed to his keeping and charge The Subject must be the Kings Armour to bear off blows from his sacred body and first to be hewen to shivers himself thaâ— the Sword may make no entry to thaâ— divine mortality but through his very bowels he must be his Fortress with thâ— bulk of his body to receive the shots oâ— contemptuous murmurers and his Artillery which may at distance wound anâ— disperse all the malicious Crews oft reasonable complices he must be his many-handded Servitour to execute his just pleasure upon all essays and his Argolick Watchman prying into all secrets with a provident industry for his good and Searching the Abysses of male contented minds being ever circumspect and waking lest any of the people while he sleep come in to destroy his Lord the King Neither is this the part of the meanest Subject more then the greatest but of all in their proper places respectively It was one of Davids Worthies who succoured him and killed the Son of the Giant but his people were all in general careful of him protecting that he should no more come in danger lest the light of Israel should be quenched It is truely a most noble care and highly commendable which possesseth that Subject who resolutely performeth this his duty but it is nothing more then what is required of all who are to lay to stake their lives liberties fortunes and whatsoever humanity esteemeth dear or precious rather then with a fainty baseness abandon the King to prevailing miseries Men who see the Kings affairs in likelihood of declination and will not put to their shoulders every man to bear his proportion and part are a degree worse then those who mangle and weaken the bearers hoping for a booty in the general ruin For professed enemies may by a prudent prevention be stopt in the carreer of their desperate designs and the edge of their weapons turned upon themselves but those mens cold resolutions bring the King by expectation lower than could the others combinations they dishearten the well affected and besides the base ends upon which they are intent they do in effect but with their own backs levigate a road for armed fury to march on the more speedily as if they feared destruction would come too late I cannot but call him the worst of rebels who pretended readiness at all times yet when his Lord calleth him in time of necessity or when necessity bespeaketh him in his Lords behalf instead of procession maketh an infamous retreat It is true that Rebellion is as witchcraft and therefore Rebels a cursed generation but curse ye Meroz said the Angel curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty there is an aggravation of bitterness to them who came not to help When God owneth the cause as he doth the Kings who is his Anointed it is a cursed policy to save all and lose ones self to suffer the wrack of honour and forfeit the glorious birth right of an eternal Crown for a mess of slabbered vanities Religion teacheth us to Love our neighbour as our self and in that respect to defend to the utmost of our power all who stand in need of our help as in our own necessity we would willingly be releived Our Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy hold us to a defensive and offensive obedience a bond which no reason or consideration as I conceive may perswade us to juggle with or cast off a Knot which neither conveniences of Hope or fear can safely or justly unty If conveniences of Hope might give a Bull of dispensation to an unwarrantable action as is certainly the breach of an Oath what daring malefactour might not exult and enlarge
in this case plead injury for the cause Justice it self ruleth him who sitteth at Stern who cannot but have learned to deal Justice to all men from the abundance of wrong which himself hath suffered It should be each mans wise care to be just to every man for the unjust man is the first troubler of himself Therefore should there be put a Bridle in our Mouths to curb the eager motions of our lips and take away the liberty we too too much permit to our unruly tongues Discontent ought not to seize upon us from any conceit that we are forgotten or not regarded that we are pinched or depressed Also our very ears must be closed to keep out the whisperings of Malecontents lest their words entring engenger in us the Worm of Giddiness Where there is wariness assuredly there is most safety There are at no time wanting Troublers of the Weal publick whose words eat as doth a Canker being as skilful so oâ—ficious in spreading abroad the evil of their minds But let him who heareth any thing of this nature take heed of entertaining it and let him not so much as give the satisfaction of a Reply otherwise than by contempt of the baseness He who said I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgresâ— had learned that way which should keep him from the paths of the Destroyer That the mouth may not transgress it is much requisite to keep the ear at which many times have insensibly crept those mad evils which have corrupted the heart distracted the mind and set upon violent courses not only the tongue but also the hands which have suddenly brought to ruine both the Actors and Innocent Spectators If we hear that which we may have reason to suspect let us valiantly reprove rather than sinfully reply and by Argumentizing at length be drawn to a Partnership with such as are better skilled in Diabolical Subversion than Christian Edification Keep we therefore our ears and tongues if we love life and would see good days As we desire others to be merciful to our Reputations and not with hot words they being the most tender good which belongeth to any man to torment and scorch them so doth it especially concern us not to kindle the combustible Trash of Vulgar Affections by the flames whereof the Excellence of that Name which is sacred might be diminished and lose that esteem in the glory whereof conserved our chief felicity consisteth Let that Name be Magnified the full commendations whereof will prove Gods great blessing upon us Subjects The glory of a Kings Name is a Prophesie of assured happiness to light upon and rest round the secure people it is Armour of defence at home of offence abroad being commonly successful above Policy and Power Where the people willingly contribute to the augmentation of Fame observing the Princes good deeds and applauding them but smothering the hellish brands of suspition and jealousie that Nation needeth not fear suffering under the stroak of unfortunate calamity For obsequious Charity being Gods work carrieth with it his blessing and immuzeth all people who delight in it with invincible safety But Murmuring is none of his work it is nothing of Kind to any thing which he owneth and therefore cannot make any man happy Peaceable words and actions only nourish Prosperity giving the glory of the Divine Presence here wherein is fulness of joy according to our capacity and the hope of its Eternal Fruition in our Glorious Exaltation above Mortality Amen REbuke O Lord the tempestuous troubles of our souls calm our unquiet minds pacifie our unruly affections and subdue our more unruly tongues Leave us not in the troublesome anguish of erroneous darkness but make us clearly to see thy will and joyously to prosecute it both in word and deed Give us thy saving grace which when we want we cannot but be a trouble to our selves we then trouble our selves and the tumults of souls arise against thee whom in thine Anointed we are then apt to reproach passing the bounds and breaking the tyes of religion and Loyalty Bless us with the knowledge of the vanity of this world which passeth away and deludeth us teach us to commune with our hearts and be still and although there be a seeming cause of discontent to offer the Sacrifice of righteousness and put our trust alway in thee There be many who say Who can shew us any good or benefit by the present establishment of affairs But alas blind and heavy souls why walk they in so vain a shew and are disquieted in vain willfully contemning thy greatest favours and their own assured peace Surely thy servants do readily and heartily confess that thou thereby hast put gladness in our hearts having lift up the light of thy countenance upon us O that we could all devoutly wait upon thee and behold thee in the multitudes of thy mercies We are apt to erre in the shadows of imaginary injuries unless by thy especial grace preventing us we are kept from turning aside into those deceitful paths Send out we pray thee thy light and thy truth let them lead us let them bring us to thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles where we shall forget complaint and sing a new song which thou shalt put into our mouths even Praise unto our God O thou most gratious Saviour who hast brought us up out of the horrible pit out of the miry clay and set our feet above danger establish our goings and prevent our backslidings Let us not forsake our harbour nor make the vanity of our words the purchase of a new calamity But what have we wretches already done how far have we transgressed what have we nay what have we unrighteously spoken Pardon our unthankful murmurings and for the time to come set a watch upon our words and keep thou the door of our lips Let not the mischief of our own tongues overtake us but thy goodness mightily prevent us that we may be converted and healed It is in thy power to set up and to destroy to enthral and enlarge and them that seek thee thou never forsakest Give thy people perseverance in prayer to thee the God of their help then wilt thou who hast given courage to continue give grace also to obtaine and their desires accomplished will joy and refresh them Our wants thou knowest and alone canst relieve though we are poor and needy thou thinkest upon us Why then are our souls cast down why are they disquieted within us If we relye upon thee thou wilt enliven us and no good thing wilt thou withhold from us if we walk uprightly before thee Thou hast set before us the examples of those murmurers who lifted up their voices against the Leaders of thy people destroyed in the wilderness to the intent we should not lust as they lusted Thou hast also given encouragement to our faith promising that when we patiently wait for thee thou wilt encline thine ear unto us and hear our cryes
Therefore will we refrain our tongues from evil and accustoming them to prayer will draw nigh to thee in an acceptable time when thou mayest be found that thy loving kindnesse and truth may preserve us at such time as evils do encompass us and the punishments of our iniquities taketh hold upon us Send O Lord thine holy Ghost and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity the very Bond of Peace and of all Virtues which neither doth nor speaketh ill but acquiesceth in the sweet enjoyment of thee This will make thy great Ministers government acceptable to the people and the peoples obedience exemplary to the world so that glory shall dwell in our Land and those who know not the might of thy Majesty will be conâ—â—rted unto thee who art the only blessed and â—ll-glorious Potentate King of Kings and Lord â—f Lords World without end Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. CHAP. VI. Of the frequent desires of breaking out into Rebellion and the means by the Instigators used viz. Reproaches upon the King and Church MURMURING is a Spark forced out of an ill-disposed breast inflamed with Disloyalty and is a great sin when it is least but is excessive in itâ— call for Vengeance when as now it 〈◊〉 let loose against a good and gracious Prince And surely however by some meâ— applauded they are souly mistaken in the Commonwealth who steep all their humour in gall and yet would entitle themsâ—lve Patrons of Vnity and have not long 〈◊〉 when there was no dissention but their own desired been pretended Petiâ—â—â—ners for Peace For such as that glorious Martyr judiciously observeth themselves know not of what Spirit they are although alâ—â—ther men see it to be fire they call for Rebellion hath its beginnings in such whisperings discontented and doubtful words being cast forth as a Lure to draw some not yet fully fitted to such devillish designs and also to bring together the bloudy beakt-birds of Prey We cannot God forbid it judge so uncharitably of some men that their inclinations are so propense to slaughter and the Publick Ruine because their words make them somewhat forgetful of their Duty and the Reverence they should bear to Anointed and Consecrated Majesty and also to Truth it self which they torture to make their relations credible But the subtil resolved Rebel by this kind of words maketh proof of such as he hopeth by several pretensions to bring to a cursed Complication and having as he accounteth it luckily proceeded in this beginning he is no longer for dallying by privy Murmurs but disburtheneth his foul stomach by strong Contumelies and loathsome Reproaches as if his passion before wanted vent his words fly out like blustring winds which unsettle and make rough the calm tides of the peoples affections or as if with them he were resolved suddenly to put in practise the dictates of his rage he intendeth by Storm to become Master of whatsoever good his envious Soul wisheth ill to another Therefore having long acted Absolom's part in humbling himself and shaking the head as if somewhat or other in the Supreme were out of order he will not at length stick to tell the people that there is none appointed to do Justice or that knoweth Judgment He thinketh it no evil to dishonour the King in his Ministers reiterating the Old Crys against Evil Counsellours in his Judgment forasmuch as he hath chosen and maketh use of such in his Faith as if his word were not kept in his Disposition as if naturally unkind and unnecessarily exacting of his People heavy Taxes in his Religion being a favourer of Popery And indeed all those things which others knowing they therein glorifie God and do his Majesty right think meet to have published with the highest commendations of desert he will needs seem to serve God and the World in misconstruing and depraving But to men sober and judicious he discovereth his Religion and Life to be but a guilded lye And these pretensions methinks cannot but be too wel known to pass even the Ignorant without suspition For to answer no farther to their base objections look back whosoever pleaseth upon those of time past who because they would forsooth seem modest at first and therefore not directly to level at their King rendred their modesty so much the more execrable by how much the more we yet feel the smart of their blows who would make their King most glorious and only knock down Evil Counsellours It was never known that Rebels wanted a pretence he that imployeth them leaveth them not destitute of his helps and shifts which are not the coursest and worst contrived Among all his devices they find most advantagious to their designs the justification of their own proceedings by the contempt of other mens either integrity or sufficiency And so violently are they addicted to this plausible sin of Defamation that they are almost able to deceive the very Elect perswading them were it possible to the dread of those Commissions whereof they were never guilty to make the most Innocent suspect themselves With the 〈◊〉 then this violence for a while passeth currant for Pious Zeal and they seem no less than the Messengers of Light sent down from the Habitation of Holiness to reform the corrupt manners of the present Age and to reduce into a Primitive Order the Affairs of Church and State through negligence and time run into a deplorable confusion It is not indeed a thing strange that what they so hotly and yet so constantly obtruded upon the vulgar peoples abused credulity was so readily accepted and so long retained The same way being once prosperous they reenter and Good they now call Evil wherein they publish to the world what Judges and Reformers they would prove whose very beginning is with subverting the cause of the Upright and cannot thrive without the Devils Patronage and counsel that the filly may be reduced and unstable souls drawn into the grievous and fatal punishment of their promised inlargement and felicity A sad felicity indeed which must have such instruments and so horrid an entrance and passage which must begin in Cruelty and swim on in Rivers of Tears and Blood For their malice who by undue aspersions and unjust reproaches privily murder the Innocent is not there confined Experience hath assured us of the truth of the Wise Man's Rule that the words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood The Envious and Malicious are never satisfied with the triumph of downcast and torn Fames but build their hopes upon Piles of slaughtered bodies and seek to raise themselves Fortunes out of the Rubbish of a ruined Commonwealth Here hath been an old grudge nay an inveterate hate in an Enemy sometime pretending to Reconciliation but indeed to desires of new practises so strongly wedded that it may well from them be made a general admonition that every man do warily trust the sincerity of reconciled Enemies It is well
observed by one that the greatest disease of distrust Dalinâ—â— lib. 3. A◠〈…〉 and most incurable is in him who hath wronged his Prince whose guilty Conscience feedeth on fearful distrust 〈◊〉 just occasion be offered These un◠〈…〉 â—rits although they have promised 〈◊〉 sworn Allegiance yet sound Reason 〈◊〉 biddeth any too confidently to trust thâ—m whose refuge is Medea's Absolution Quae scelere pacta est scelere rumpetur fides What they perfidiously swear they will as deceitfully break Peace they love no longer than necessity compelleth them to it debarring them the opportunities of Commotions which they most artificially court and diligently solicite Rather than not commit their beloved sin they will tempt all occasions till they find a way to advance both it and its interest Therefore they violate truth obligations duty and conscience lest any of these should by the help of inquisitive fear make them see and pursue better things They who adore impiety making the successes thereof their Paradise must reer their conscience and do abominate scrupulous niceties onely using the name of good for the greater confusion of such as embrace the substance TO know whether their devises tend we must guess by the rules of contrariety their meanings having ever contradicted their professions They pretend to reformation but let such as have had the most aged experience of their performances speak plainly and acquit others of the dangers of fallacies We might well think the subversion of a Kingdome to be no good Physick for the Church therein neither that civil wars which do license misdeameanour can introduce good manners Their words had heretofore instead of more soundness infused madness into the people and too much action heightened the distempers of the Nation which convenient rest will qualifie Until they prescribe this they will never be good Physicians Give it this and each part of the body will thereupon be reduced to its order and duty When temperance guideth those who now trouble themselves and others we may have just cause to Hope for the so much discoursed Reformation But no encouragement is there for us to suppose that they can ever do others good who do themselves so much harm in being the professed factours of disobedience men who make it their sole employment to bring up an evil report upon God's inheritance and to stir up the peoples malignity against the King and Church They who taught the Israelites the scurrilous lessons of reproachful taunts against the Prince and the Arch-Bishop Moses and Aaron brought a plague upon themselves and the misadvised tribes yet did they pretend a remedy against some I know not what evils There can no plague prove so destructive as this spreading one brought in by sedition which to our great sorrow and shame hath been known to search and sweep each corner and part of these miserable Kingdomes and when after its long rage by discontinuance we hoped for respite by these poysonous blasts it threatneth anew its return and triumphs But God we trust will make these menaces to be but the regardless puffes of angry vanity For these Hopes we have ground from the rich authority of God's word which testifieth that He who hideth hatred with lying lips and he that uttereth a slander is a fool And then we are sure that he answereth the fool according to his folly God can do what he pleaseth and is most gracious and merciful whom we ought earnestly to beseech that he would not use these men as the scourge of our transgressions neither make us a rebuke unto the foolish But certainly such as have seen the event of those former dishonorable reports raised and kept on flight by the complicies of rebellion cannot otherwise judge of the same things again practised but that the intents are the same and would produce the like effects did not God's mercy prevent and frustrate He who rebuked the winds and the Sea roaring against the Church both in Christ the Head and the Disciples the Members who with with a Peace be still quieted the loud voyce of the disobedient winds and laid the rude tumult of the rebellious waves can soon subdue these pestilent tongues and he who doth Let them from proceeding further in mischeif will we need not doubt still let until they be taken out of the way BUT to see of what a various and partly-coloured substance Hypocrisie is composed would make any one much to marvel how such antipathies could be combined in one body to make a publique cheat Nil mortalibus arduum est Caelum ipsum petimus stultitia Men alarm Heaven it self as if they would O wretched Age pull God's Children out of his bosome and all pretensively for his sake who abhorreth the cruelty as much as he disowneth the service The Church being reproached and the King the Head thereof aspersed with calumnies they say it is all for Religions sake and Gods glory of vain are some to shake hands as that glorious Martyr observed with their allegiance K. Char. I. and obedience under pretence to lay faster hold on their religion These filthy dreamers how regardless they are of so grant a crime as the despising Dominions and speaking evil of Dignities nay of fathering the same upon God as if he took not vengeance of villanies but countenanced and rewarded them They cast out the name of religion to beguile some silly souls pleading God's Ordinance and will for what they sacrilegiously attempt against his Anointed ones as if that spotless Purity and purely perfect Vnity were too liberally divided into contradictions of its own writ and patern But he is the same ever constant and good God who so far detesteth such wickedness that by the decree of his dreadful justice is ordained for such reprobates a place of endless bitterness and torment with the Divel and his Angels company and reward suitable to such galiish spirits which triumph intortured reputations and bloody delights into which the weight of their sins will most deeply repress and over-whelm them Sin is a weighty evil and sins against Authority are excessive but the largest term is too narrow for this which capaciously compriseth a design against the Powers coelestial and terrene Into the inferior parts of the bottomliless pit where the dregs of treasured fury must this soaring ambition unrepented of irrecoverably fall O let us humbly Sollicite Heaven begging for them the rescue of repentance and the expiatory blood of that Innocent Lamb whom they Religiously revile and persecute Let not their reproachful words sound louder than our importunate prayers God is gracious who knoweth but that he may turn and have mercy upon them although their provocations have never so impetuously resisted his Clemency BUT although many whom they injure doubtless forget not this holy Office this Divine Charge given by him who did vouchsafe to be a General Satisfaction and the Saviour of all yet these would if possible discourage all good and by their continuance or
off from the secure Rock of Loyalty into the Whirlpool of Disobedience He seeth no cause no profit no honour not the least either convenience or necessity to perswade him to any such thing He well esteemeth it the abjection of himself and in the best state of Fortunate Disloyalty seeth nothing tempting him to the experiment of the worst And some who in contempt of God would even dare to sin are restrained by the continual miscarriages either early or later of such as Humane Vengeance by the appointment of the Divine hath taken away from the midst of the Earth at times when they least expected evil and most presumed upon the goodness of their Fortune These although scarce other than blind discern how short a blessing Fortune conferreth upon such undeserving servants and that she flieth from them with more speed than the Sun from his Rising to his Setting From such she commonly maketh an unusual hast making her Morning come late and her Evening soon then leaving them to the darkness of their guilty minds but the open punishment of their odious acts The miseries and just sufferings of these are useful to others I wish I could say to all But God who maketh other mens evils to become his Childrens good hath not been pleased to grant them so full a favour as to bring into their Sacred Society all those who have forsaken the Paths of Life to tread the Ways of Darkness whom he hath yet spared that they may repent and not post forward to Judgment by a perverse obstinacy in what he abhorreth and will sorely punish with present and eternal Plagues THEY who have had such Motives to Humility should advisedly repair to their Offices and Duties of Allegiance certifying themselves of the rigour of provoked patience when turned into fury Why will they multiply those transgressions whereof the least is in Gods sight monstruous Can they esteem that light which God so remarakably punisheth above other sins The Crowns and Dignities of Kings are among the chief of Consecrated Treasures In them as the Depositories of of the most precious things of his Church God layeth the concerns of her glory and safety So that destroy them and we know not where to find Aarons budding Rod neither the Golden Pot that hath Manna the Church goeth to ruine the Pillars of it are dissolved the Foundations removed and both Decency and Order nay all Religion is then utterly subverted When Kings who are her Nursing Fathers are spurned at and insulted over by the foot of Pride there can be no Peace in Jerusalem no Prosperity within her Palaces And it is indeed too well known that Rebels spare no part of the Body when they can give Law to the Head and that they never seek to injure the Guardian unless their Lust covet the Churches defilement But although they attempt much setting themselves to the study and restless practises of whatsoever they imagine conducing to their aims they shall never be able to prosper and through the tender mercies of the Highest our Chieftain and Head shall not miscarry The formidable Powers of the Churches prayers are alway fighting against them as well as their own sins against which their subtilty can never prevail Although they strive and with continued labours endeavour to get some advantage the profit of their labours will be summed up in a Cypher but their losses must needs rise to an infinite account In all their ways Incedunt per ignes Suppositos cineri doloso And their miserable end frequently happeneth to be unawares and sudden but undoubtedly certain So many Loyal Subjects faithful Arms dedicated to their Princes safety fail not of Victory because they implore and even provoke by an holy violence Omnipotency to be a concerned Opposite Peradventure some inconsiderable success may heighten their lofty spirits and make them trust to the indulgences of a Step-mother But then saith God unto them Lift not up your Horn on high speak not with a stiff neck He maketh them then to know that he is Judge that in his hand there is a Cup and the Wine red that it is full of mixture and he poureth out the same but the dregs thereof all these wicked of the Earth shall wring them out and drink them When Fortune bestoweth on them a favour let them manage it to the utmost of their industry and power it will prove but a feeble insufficiency Could they work even many things in the Neighbourhood of what is supernatural yet much more easily God can and will give Victory unto and establish in his just fruitions him for whom we incessantly pray thinking our selves never safer than when so contending for his preservation Were there nothing but his Innocence and undoubted Propriety these are sufficient to immure him from their base purposes and give him a glut of revenge upon audacious Conspirators These are through Gods pleased approbation every where triumphant in despite of Fortune Policy and all the machinations and devises of ungodly Wit insomuch that an Heathen Poet could declare the success of Integrity eminent over all other succeedings Extruite immanes scopulos attollite turres Cingite vos fluviis vastas opponite silvas Garganum Alpinis Appeninumque nivalem Permistis sociate jugis rupibus Haemum Addite Caucaseis involvite Pelion Osiae Non dabitis murum sceleri qui vindicat ibit Omnia subsident meliori pervia causae Claud. Pan. de 4º Cons Honor. Which may be thus Englished Heap up huge Rocks to Heaven raise Towers inclose Your selves with Rivers Deserts vast oppose Gargan to the Alps and Snowy Appenine With mingled ridges wed Haemus conjoyn To the Caucasean Rocks Mount Pelion On Ossa Hence for Treason ye'l find none Th' Avenger will find way all things will yield To th' better Cause an easie pass and Field The protection of the Innocent is Gods Glory he rejoyceth in nothing more than to be called their Deliverance and Deliverer He taketh marvellous delight in their Songs of Triumph and therefore sheweth himself ready to plead their Cause and work their Peace When they complain of the injurious dealings of men he preserveth them by delivering the wicked over to their own mischief When the Rod is cast into the fire the Children are secure and have then more cause and liberty to contemplate and magnifie that infinite Goodness by which they are saved and their strongest Enemies confounded AND of this Goodness and Justice he giveth clear and continual testimonies which that they may be the more frequent peradventure is the cause why he did not bring such as deserved punishment for their unnatural Rebellion all at once to their merited ends but suffered many of them to proceed from contempt of former mercies to more and more insolent perpetrations Sic inconsumptum Titii semperque renascens Non perit ut possit saepe perire jecur Had they all presently suffered the memory of their sufferings had been less durable whereas disregarding all favour and
he would not have such as he hath made his Adversaries to observe his defects his ill postures of body directed the contrary way summon all to a nearer approach and to take their fill of both revenge and scorn Rebellion not repented of thus bringeth to confusion and shame the wretched Actors If not at first known it soon betrayeth it self if known and not pun shed it moveth all its own Engines to its own overthrow Ruine is the end it aspireth to a d it is indefatigable until that is obtained â—lind hopes may lead the Authors Opinion to other thoughts and prevail to a surp izall of it by confidence but the nature of sin enclineth the mans motions towards a violent fate and desireth to hurl him down an irrecoverable precipice THIS being the nature of the sin the general miscarriages of Rebellious undertakings cannot be thought strange Such as the counsels are such must be the fortune from whence they had a being they return in the end The stratagems of the most subtle and cruel enemy of man are undiscerned by both the ambitious and malitious He smootheth over his bait with a delicate gloss and fair appearance but his cruelty at last maketh even for all The uncertain appearance of the promised good was never so pleasing as the certain evil proveth terribly distracting But some men how far are they from shame or compassion upon themselves not remembring that the counsels of the infernal foe though they raise the hopes to promotion never miss of bringing the abused Clients to destruction Examples being the surest way of instruction let us look abroad and after search of antiquity see how many of its upstart prodigies of honor died in peaceable possession of it and came to their graves Sicca morte But examples of our homebred conspirators being more useful especially such as are fresh in our memories we may observe that such wickedness cannot be long prosperous The undertakings of this nature are weighty one counsel still depressing another when all things seem to have attained perfection And this that God may shew himself just and wise who taketh the wise in their craftiness and disappointeth the inventions of the wicked I have already spoken of the most execrable Regicides whose sufferings I gladly mention although it greiveth me to remember the cause But considering Sir John Hotham the first professed rebel whose treason at Hull found a suitable reward I think that no faithless subject was ever more exactly fitted by kind Masters verifying my words in the former Chapter That the first assistance in Treasonable Actions have many times the Fortune to be the first tasters of the merciless power of such as imployed them We may see in the actions of traytors what they think to be the just recompence of their falshood and accordingly judge of their misery who by their own opinion pre-condemn themselves And easily may we discern what kind of happiness these men have who are not safe one among another If judgement faileth to come upon them from elsewhere it is usual to have fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Sechem and the house of Millo and to come out from the men of Sechem and the house of Millo to devour Abimelech Such was the miserable end of that treacherous Knight his complices in iniquity being it is uncertain whether as just towards him as he and they unjust and ungrateful toward their most kind and liberal Master Enmity it self could not have invented a more proper revenge for such a crime nor of all examples can there in my judgement be found one more expresly teaching us the evil consequences of infidelity Hear we that blessed King whom he had so impudently affronted compassionately delivering his thoughts of it Poor Gentleman saith he he is now become a notable monument of unprosperous disloyalty teaching the World by so sad and unfortunate a spectacle that the rude carriage of a subject towards his Sovereign carrieth alway its own vengeance with it as an inseparable shadow He truely knew how to pity and shewed by him what others might best expect He would have had warning so taken by him as that posterity might see no more such examples nor have occasion to relate the mournful passages of men forsaken by grace and fortune For such must needs be calamitous appropriating and engrossing to themselves the threatned curse that because they regard not the work of the Lord nor the operation of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up As one hunting a poor fugitive hare rideth after the chase through a deceitful land undermined and by reason of many pits very perillous so is he who unlawfully pursueth honor and dominion the prey taken cannot compensate the danger or make recompence for his fears But there is an uncertainty of taking what he seeketh accompanied with a certainty of perishing whether it be obtained or lost The worst things dearest bought are the contentments of fools Religion reputation liberty and peace nay even all the goods of body and soul do they pass away in exchange for an unseen glory and a projected prosperity and will not be guided by Wisdome nor in the least own her until she laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear is come IT is a most excellent decree of Providence that sin should either not be prosperous or prosper to its own ruin As Nature instructeth us in things Monstrous that they never generate or things of a Viperous kind which although they generate yet bring forth at once their Fruit and Death so observation in passages of Providence will teach us that wickedness either hath no procedure or an unfortunate one Evil counsels commonly vanish into nothing and the Authors vex at their hopes proving fruitless Dreams But if as it sometimes happeneth they raise the Authors to a Throne of Sublimity yet have they no enjoyment of these successes for the very successes are the most certain and killing mischiefs More than the the Viperous Race do such prosperities not only destroy them of whom they had a being but hinder Generation in those minds which being otherwise apt are by fear disabled Rebellion too too common notwithstanding would more abundantly multiply its cursed Off spring did not the hasty dispatches of the Divine Wrath overthrow those Mountains of Felicity which proud men having raised to themselves do conceive immoveable Some whose inclinations are not averse to base undertakings do somewhat forbear because being not so wholly void of Reason as others they see the danger and will not ingage But where the want of judgment taketh away fear men are active to their hurt for so it alway proveth there being no solid hopes of an happy end without a good beginning Would any one who knew the danger plunge himself all over head and body in a boiling Furnace or leap down a steep Rock into a devouring Gulph Neither can any man of a sober mind cast himself