houre Immediately after Prayer the sicke party said He was now most happy since God and Man had forgiven him and told the Minister hee was certaine God pardoned him all his finnes The Minister answered It was well if his assurance were on good grounds He replied That he was sure of it for Christ had taken away all his sinnes which God had in his sicknesse set before his eyes yea and some such finnes as he did not know or beleeve formerly to have beene sinnes but now Christ had borne them all on his owne shoulders and eased him of all that heavy burthen with many other most heavenly and divine expressions And being neere his death even the night before he died he said Hee assuredly saw Christ in a vision appearing unto him and telling him that his sinnes were pardoned and that he had a Cause on earth and that the Parliament of England defended it and that in the yeere of our Lord Christ 1644. the Parliament should obtaine a great victory over the Kings Forces and that then there should bee none of those wicked Ministers that had mis-led Gods people left among them and that from that time the Parliament should prosper but in the meane season that the rod of the wicked should rest on the backs of his righteous ones And after this hee lay glorying and rejoycing in the forgivenesse of his sinnes and even triumphing over death till the time of his departure which was the next day This relation was testified both by the said learned reverend and religious Divine who was often with him in his said sicknesse and heard most of his expressions and also by another religious Gentleman who was also then present and heard what is here delivered as aforesaid Also one Thomas Clarke a ranke malignant young man and servant to one Master Travill a merchant of London 3. One Thomas Clarke also a merchants man in London a notable malignant his penitent confession on his death-bed in honour of the Parliament being in the yeere 1643 stricken with sicknesse of which he died about three dayes before his death one William Coote a neighbour of his comming to visit him in this his sicknesse and having sate a while with him as he was going away the sick party desired him to stay a little and told him that hee would now say more to him then he had done to any which was this I am now sayes hee strongly perswaded in my heart that the Parliament maintains a right cause and at last shall have victory over the Kings Forces for they he said fought for Antichrist and he confest withall that he had lived a very sinfull life and was most of all grieved that he had spoken so much against the Parliament for which he wished he could now weep teares of blood together with very many patheticall speeches to this purpose and shortly after it departed this life This I have also from very honest and religious hands and testimony who have faithfully informed me of the truth thereof as having been both eye and ear-witnesses of the same In September also 1643. one Master Whitleigh in Golding lane in London with his wife Mistresse Whitleigh both of them very religious Christians 4. A remarkable example of one Master Whitleigh and his wife who deserted the Cause of the Parliament and truly fearing the Lord came with their foure children not long before to London from Tewksbury in Gloucestershire principally desiring to remove thence because of the wicked conversation of the Cavaliers billeted where he lived And hee having formerly served in the Parliaments Army against the Kings Forces but being now at London and for about three moneths space void of imployment resolved to give over service in the wars as finding a timorous fearfulnesse in himselfe to adventure any more into the Parliaments Army thereupon at last he had some thoughts to goe into New-England and advising with his wife who also was most unwâ—lâ—ing hee should any more put himselfe into the Service of the Parliament but by all meanes began to strengthen his resolution to goe away for New-England Whereupon he peremptorily now resolving to depart thither with his wife and children presently laid out thirty pounds for their passage by Sea and as much more for provision of necessaries to the voyage But being ready to depart the Lord suddenly struck him very sicke and in his sicknesse he was very much troubled in his minde lamenting and crying out very much against the sinne of Cowardise and Fearfulnesse which hee conceived to bee the ground of his intended removall to new-New-England and therefore much distrusting his soules estate cryed out often That he had sinned against God in cowardly deserting his holy Cause yet earnestly praying the Lord to forgive him this sinne promising and protesting that if the Lord vouchsafed to restore him to health and strength againe he would resolutely goe on to spend every drop of the blood in his veines for the Parliaments Cause and afterward blaming his wife for giving her consent and incouraging him therein he shortly after died yet before his departure he testified abundance of comfort and assurance of Gods favour and the pardon of his sin Immediately also after his death it so pleased the Lord that his wife fell so distracted that three or foure women could scarcely hold her downe in her bed and she taking no sustenance but what was forced into her mouth for many dayes she still in all this time of most sad perplexity crying out That she had sinned against God in counselling and incouraging her deceased husband to forsake Gods Cause and thereby she feareâ— she had beene the cause of his death And thus she lay divers dayes in much misery crying out of this her sinne and craving pardon of God for it And about the end of September aforesaid my godly friend from whom I had this relation comming occasionally to her house to see her found that her raging fits had left her but her spirits much spent and she lying speechlesse so that he knew not how to administer a word of comfort to her in that case wherefore being about to depart thence shee looked stedfastly on him reached out her hand to him which he tooke in his being as cold as clay and therewith spake many comfortable words unto her and ere he departed she manifested very much consolation in her soule both by words though faintly and gestures also and in a most happy and comfortable condition departed this life also the very next morning after his departure from her This relation I say I had from a very religious Citizen of London and faithfull servant of the Lord who himselfe was with Mistresse Whitleigh thus departing and whose own Sister lived close by these parties was well acquainted with them both in their lives and death and whose testimony I know to be without exception There was also about the time of the first victories of the famous and
us that grand Ringleader and accursed contriver of all these our present mischiefes and miseries next to our sinnes yea the very head and heart of Clergy and Laick-Malignants according to their owne Popish distinction I meane the Arch-Prelate of Canterbury on whom it most neerly and closely fell out by divine providence so strangely and even admirably ordering it 9. Gods hand against Malignants in Doctor Laighton made master Lambeth house now converted from a Palace to a Prison Namely that that honest and religious Gentleman Doctor Laighton that great and grievous Sufferer for the cause of Christ under the cruell tyranny of that foresaid popish Persecuter should not onely live to see himselfe delivered out of the snare but his old grand Adversary himselfe to come into it in his stead and that the said Arch-Prelate should be fast lockt up as a traiterous prisoner in the Tower of London whiles this good Doctor is made Lord and Master of the Prelates Palace at Lambeth and this said pompous or rather popish palace where so many precious Saints and servants of the Lord had beene most wickedly arraigned and condemned to prison should now be turned into a prison to lock up most loose and prophane Malignants a most strange and admirable hand of God certainly against them Yea and I might here againe remember them of that most remarkable overture of things among us in these later times namely how it most admirably pleased the Lord to bring it so to passe by his all overpowring hand of providence that the Arch-Prelate of Canterbury being imprisoned in the Tower of London as an Arch-Traitor to our Church and State the Parliament should be pleased to cause the said Arch-Prelates lodgings in the Tower to be searched for dangerous traiterterous Papers Books and VVritings and who must be the man fixed on for the performance of this service but that most famous and faithfull 10. Gods hand against Malignants in Master William Prynnes formerly a great sufferer by the Arch Prelate of Canterbury being sent to search the said Arch-Prelates lodging in the Tower pious and patient Saint and Sufferer for Christ and his Cause Master William Prynne who coming into the said Arch-Prelates bed-chamber betimes in the morning with a guard of Souldiers to secure the businesse and approaching the Prelates bedside before he was uâ— the Prelate asked him who he was This precious and sweet Gentleman answered my name is Prynne VVhat sayes the Prelate are you he that suffered Yea sayes Master Prynne I am he whom you most unjustly and injuriously persecuted Just as good Joseph said to his brethren at the time of his discovering and making himselfe knowne unto them I am Joseph whom ye sold into Egypt O what a stab to the heart should this have bin to this persecuting Prelate at that word I am that Prynne whom you caused so grievoâ—sly and so unjustly to suffer had not his heart bin more hard adâ—mantine then a nether mil-stone Gen. 45. 4. and most extremly cauterized yea stigmatized with the hottest iron of most desperate impenitency and that then Master Prynne proceeding to the due execution of the charge and trust reposed in him by the Parliament should justissimâ illâ coelesti Lege-Talionis most justly Justissima coelestis Lex-Talionis I say search the Pockets of the Prelates wearing clothes before he would suffer him to put them on and rise out of his bed directly as he and some of his popishly affected Confederates had formerly dealt with some most eminent Members of a Parliamâ—nt formerly dissolved and as he had caused Master Prynnes owne Chamber and Study and many others also to be often most violently broken into and searched to the deeply indangering of their precious lives which undoubtedly he greedily hunted after if it might have beene As was done to reverend Master Henry Burtons house and study but therein praised be the Lord God gave this curst Cow according to the Proverbe or rather raging fat Bull of Bashan short hornes the Lords good providence and their owne innocence happily preventing this bloody designe of theirs And might not here now this Arch-Prelate on the serious consideration of these Premises in just remorse of Conscience have cryed out against himselfe like that heathenish King Adonibezeck Judges 17. had he not had as I toucht before a more then heathenish obdurate and impenitent heart Thus and thus have I done to others and now am I thus justly served by them onely with this difference That I am used farre more mercifully then I used them I might here also adde and copiously commemorate unto our mole-eyed Malignants Gods admirable providence in so strangely ordering and disposing of things by this present most memorable Parliament 11. Gods hand against the Malignant party in the Trienniall Parliament not onely to contrive a most free and spontaneous or voluntary consent of all the three Estates in Parliament to the setling of a Trienniall Parliament for the future rectifying of things amisse in Church and State and the more prudent and provident moderation and government of all sorts of State-affairs but also I say that both King Peers and Commons even both Houses of Parliament with his Majesty should so admirably and unanimously make it indissoluble and but by the sword like Alexanders Gordian knot which now the Kings Popish and Atheisticall Army is impiously and I trust fruitlesly labouring to do irrevocable Act That this present Parliament should not bee dissolved nor broken up 12. And especially in a perpetuated Parliament but by the joynt and unanimous consent of both Houses of Peers and Commons Which Act of theirs as it were perpetuating this Parliament by I say a most strange providence of God what a most admirable Block it hath laid in all the wicked wayes of that viperous generation of Atheists Papists and Malignants mightily thwarting crossing and crushing their most desperate and deepest designes I am not able I acknowledge to expresse it and onely Time is able to make it manifest to the glory of God and wonder-striking astonishment in the hearts of both Good and Bad. And though in the last yet not in least place I might here put our Malignants in remembrance for they are as we all see too willing to forget and slight both Gods hand against them and his great mercies towards us how by meanes of this present most pious Parliament 13. Gods hand against the Malignants cause in Church-government and matters of Religion Gods hand hath beene most admirably bent against them and their most impious Cause both in the expulsion and I trust in the Lord utter extirpation of that most Antichristian and tyrannicall Hierarchie of popish Prelates and that most especially by their owne proud practises and desperate designes even against the Parliament it selfe witnesse their Petition to the King that spoiled their sitting in Parliament Arminian Doctors and most scandalous Priests those sonnes of
A LOOKING-GLASSE FOR MALIGNANTS OR Gods hand against God-haters CONTAINING A most terrible yet true relation of the many most fearefull personall examples in these present times since the yeere 1640. of Gods most evident and immediate wrath against our malevolent Malignants Together with a Caveat for Cowards and unworthy either timorous or treacherous Newters COLLECTED For Gods honour and the ungodlies horrour BY JOHN VICARS Psalm 120. 3 4. What shall be given or done unto thee thou false tongue even sharpe Arrowes with hot coales of Iuniper Jerem. 18. 18. Then said they Israels malignants come and let us devise devices against Jeremiah come and let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words Imprimatur hic Liber Iohn White LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell at the signe of the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard 1643. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir IOHN WOLLASTONE Knight Lord Major of the renowned City of LONDON AND To the Right Honourable and truly elect Lady the Lady WOLLASTONE his most vertuous and truly pious Consort J. V. most humbly and heartily prayeth all encrease of Honour here and the blessed assurance of Heaven hereafter Right Honourable YOur owne singular and even Connative Candor piety and courtesie to All and many and most immerited favours deepely and duely ingaging Me to both your Honours have induced yea compelled me to be ever most studious of bounden Gratitude I therefore with that honest poore Countrey man of whom I have read who seeing many Princes and Nobles presenting to their Emperour very rich and rare Presents He also to shew his love brought onely his owne Picture painted and holding forth in his hand the figure of a faire and rich Iewell with this Motto over it Et hoc vellem That is And I would give such a Iewell as this is were I able So I I say having no better a present as yet to present to your Honours have most humbly made bold to dedicate to both your Honours together with my devoted selfe this plaine yet usefull Looking-glasse VVhich though it be but of a homely dresse yet will represent to your Honours variety of remarkable objects touching the miserable Malignants and Anti-Parliamentarians of these our times most worthy I beleeve your Honours serious view and favourable acceptance And to whom indeed may I more fitly tender such a tender and fragil piece or utensill as a Looking-Glasse is then to your good Honours whom both I and this whole City yea I may say the whole Kingdome doe know by most happy experience witnesse your good Lordships most pious prudent and vertuous Government of this famous City and witnesse also your good Ladyships Masculine vertues as so many precious Pearles treasured up in a Feminine Cabinet I meane a most heroicall holy Heart together with the constancie and loyalty of both your Honours to God and Goodnesse in the Parliaments Cause and whom therefore I say I know most willing to entertaine and use this my Looking-Glasse Candidâ manu with candid and courteous Acceptation and also most able to patronage and protect it A rapacibus furiosis malignantium unguibus from the uncivill and defiling fingers of any of all our unreasonable malevolent Malignants Goe on therefore my good Lord as most honourably you do guarded and guided by the wisdom and power of Gods holy Spirit and supported by the daily prayers of Gods Saints and Servants to countenance and encourage Goodnesse and to discountenance and keepe under the enemies of Godlinesse Peace and Truth even as your Honours late most worthy Predecessour did to Gods glory and his everlasting honour ever setting before your Honours eyes and having in your blessed Brest that heart-fortifying-promise and admirable incouragement given by God himself to his faithfull servant Josuah Josuah 1. 5 6. As I was with my servant Moses so will I be with thee Heb. 13 5. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Be strong therefore and of a good courage VVhich that your good Lordship most holily and happily may be is and ever shall be the dayly prayer of Your good Honours most humbly devoted JOHN VICARS To the Reader AS it is too frequently and familiarly knowne benevolent or malevolent Reader whoever thou art that to the hearing of Gods Word there come as well eares of scorne as eares of corne So I make no doubt but this my Looking-Glasse shall meet eyes of enmity and hearts of rancour as it shall of Amicability and Christian Candor However being carelesse of the malignity of the one and most studious of the benignity of the other I here invite thee to the view thereof wherein thou shalt see represented to thine eyes and understanding various serious and seasonable objects fit for them both to contemplate ruminate and feed upon Variety I say of evidences and examples of Gods most just and immediate indignation against and upon the unnaturall malicious and even bestiall Malignants of these times for so sayes the Prophet David Psal 49. 12. That even the most honourable of men wanting heavenly wisdome and understanding are compared to beasts that perish And well were it with them too were they but as bad as beasts and had not immortall soules as some Mad-braines of late have most falsly foolishly and blasphemously gone about to prove and prate of who impiously fret and fight against God and his Cause Together with our silly and sottish Newters and uncomfortable Cowards who timerously or treacherously desert and forsake their God in the Parliaments Cause which unquestionably is Gods By all which sad and serious Examples for as our old Axiome is Examples move more and are more prevalent than Precepts my maine and onely aime is to endeavour by Gods assistance for the Christian love I beare to their soules especially to shew them the errours and evils of their courses and carriages therein and if it be possible to worke and win them to a true and timely retractation for the good of their soules and bodies both here and hereafter But whereas Object it may be our Malignants will here object either cut of incredulity or malignancy or both that all these fearfull examples here alleaged are but Chimaera's and false or fictious Bug-bears to scare children or fools and therefore they the lesse regard them All that I will answer hereunto is this Answ That I professe as in the presence of God I have used all care and diligence to search and be assured of the truth of them all and am able to produce very able and honest testimonies of them besides what I have expressed with the Examples themselves If therefore our unhappy and hood-winkt Malignants through their owne flinty obstinacy or benummed ignorance and incredulity whereby etiamsi persuaseris non persuadebis Though you make things ever so cleare yet they will not be convinced will not suffer these things to worke so kindely on their Consciences as is herein desired and
indeavoured yet then I am confidently perswaded by Gods gracious assistance they may produce this threefold issue and effect 1. First they may be a meanes to confirme and strengthen the faithfull and fast friends of the Parliament in their godly and well-grounded resolution and Christian courage to persevere therein 2. Secondly to reduce and reforme some at least of the more moderate tender and fearfull-spirited ones 3. And thirdly they must needs serve for the greater condemnation of our desperate Malignants and to leave them thereby utterly inexcusable if still they persist in their perverse and froward obduracie But what ever be the issue Liberari egomet animam meam I have so far discharged my duty and will yet farther unfainedly pray that the Lord may thereby get some glory though by so weake and unworthy an instrument as is Thine in the Lord JOHN VICARS A LOOKING-GLASSE FOR MALIGNANTS THat there hath been in all ages from the beginning of the World A naturall Antipathy in the wicked against the godly even ever since that grand enmity which God put between the Womans and the Serpents seed a naturall Antipathie and inveterate malignity in the wicked of the World against the godly is undeniable and most cleare both in sacred prophane and morall Histories And that this connative malignity in them hath in all places and times broken out into most deadly feud and pernicious Persecutions both by Hand and Tongue especially is as cleare and conspicuously apparent to all that have their eyes in their heads and will see or understanding in their hearts and not be wilfully blind and obstinately hard-hearted Gods hand against Truth-Traducers And that God also hath evermore most evidently and eminently manifested his high indignation and even immediate wrath and displeasure especially on Tongue-persecuters of his precious people and on blasphemous Traducers and besmearers of his immaculate Truth all times and places can produce most copious presidents and most sad examples To passe by and pretermit all by-past presidents and former fearefull examples of Gods immediate and revengefull hand on such malignant Delinquents in former ages and extant I say in sacred Scriptures and other Histories and not to insist on that most remarkable one in Gods booke though most punctually pertinent to our purpose 2 Kings 2. 23 24. of above forty children slaine by two wild Beares immediately upon their mocking the godly Prophet of the Lord and onely calling him Bald pate in scorne and derision just as our malignants and their children jeeringly and scâ—ffingly call Gods people now adaies by that foolish non-sence name of Round-heads To passe by this I say and all other of ancient or more moderne times and to come briefly and roundly since they will have it so to our owne times even since the most unhappy breaking out of these most unnaturall and intestine bloody broyles within our Kingdom of England England not empty of examples of Gods wrath against Tongue-persecuters of Truth wherein God hath not left us empty in Christian sorrow be it mentioned of many most evident demonstrations of his justly incensed indignation against the malignant Heart and Tongue-persecuters of our times against whom I mainely intend this Treatise but hath given us as many and as memorable sad spectacles of his apparent displeasure in his scoffing enemies ruine sorrow and shame as ever any former age or Nation saw and observed which being so fresh and fully knowne among us even many of us yet surviving they may most justly serve as I conceive both as occasions of griefe and godly sorrow in Gods Saints to see these miserable malignants who forsooth pretend and boast themselves as brave Protestants as the best yet to be so Godlesse and gracelesse so bitingly and bitterly to flout and affront the Lord Christ himselfe in his holy members and in his most glorious cause and also of most just shame and blushing at least if not of heart-breaking and bleeding conversion in them all to see so dangerous and desperately dying conditions of their malicious and malevolent brethren in iniquity Optimum est alienâ sâ—ui iasaniâ and thereby either to learne and indeed it is a speciall piece of wisdome to learne to be wise by other mens miseries to feare God and doe no more so sinfully or else most certainely and infallibly to feare and looke for like wrath and ruine sooner or latter in one kind or other if not I say prevented by true and timely repentance Now in the prosecution of this Treatise A threefold modell of the Mirrour or Looking-glasse and in the framing and forming of this our intended terrour striking Looking glasse I shall by Gods assistance with all convenient brevity and historicall fidelity endeavour to shew and set forth these three things First I shall herein represent and set forth unto the fight of our mole-eyâ—d Malignants 1. Gods hand against malignants and their cause if at least they will not too peevishly and perversly shut up their eyes against most cleare and radiantly Sunne-shine Truths Gods most evident and eminent hand against our malevolent malignants and their most accursed cause in divers remarkable generall pieces and passages of Gods admirable providence crossing and curbing their most wicked courses and contrivements against God in our Parliament and their just proceedings and then also in some particular neerer and closer personall and peculiar demonstrations of these cleare Truths Secondly I shall most conspicuously and apparently personate and shew unto them Gods most heavy hand upon malignants 2. Gods most heavy hand upon malignants persons in many most immediate and fearefully inflicted judgements and personall punishments suddenly and sorely laid upon them even in the very acting of their malignancy whereby they must needs with Pharao's malignant Magicians cry out and confesse Digitus Dei certainly this was no lesse then the very hand of God upon them Thirdly and lastly I shall herein exhibite to the eyes and understanding both of Malignants 3. A Caveat to Cowardly and faint-hearted Neuters and also of all cold and cowardly Neutrals and of either false or faint-hearted deserters of the Parliament cause and also of all unsetled and unresolved weake Christians in foure or five most memorable and as I may say Tragaecomicall examples of Gods justice mixt with mercy in justly wounding yet graciously healing the consciences of some such as had either wilfully or weakely deserted the Parliament and therein Gods unquestionable cause even the worke of a most glorious pure and pious Reformation of Church and State And so I shall shut up this our Looking-glasse with a briefe hortatory conclusion to all sorts of men and women both malignant and benevolent or wel-affected And here now I might in the first place rubbe up our malignants dull memories 1. Gods hand against malignants and that not impertinently and rouze up their drousie eye-lids and dead hearts with the review and
remembrance of that most remarkable and memorable passage of Gods providence how in the beginning of these most uncivill Civill-warres and commotions among us 1. Gods hand against malignants in the strange behaviour of the souldiers in the first Army into the North against the Scots when by the prevalent power of the malignant Parricides on the Kings part an Army was first raised to goe into the North against our honest and harmlesse brethren of Scotland and that the Souldiers then pressed and provoked to goe forth to fight against them in their march thither-ward though they themselves were but prophane fellowes rude and irreligious young men and therefore one would have thought most fit instruments to promote such an irreligious worke and warre as that was how strangely the Lord over ruled their hearts and ordered their spirits making them to divert and turne all the edge of their sury and disaffection against the Malignant cause and quarrell and upon the malignant and popish party themselves that had set them on worke over-turning their Altars in all Churches and Chappels wheresoever they came and found them breaking in pieces and burning the railes about them plundering and terretying the scandalous Baals-priests and popish sonnes of Belial wheresoever they found any of them and not onely refusing to be led and commanded by popish Captaines and Commanders but flying in their faces and killing and wounding divers of them Which hand of God against them in the very same kind hath been also admirably seconded now againe lately in those 800 or 1000 Souldiers brought out of Ireland 2. Gods-hand against malignants in the Souldiers sent out of Ireland since the Cessation of armes there to fight against the Parliament since that accursed cessation of Armes there and landed at Bristol intended for that traiterous parricide Sir Ralph Hopton to fight against our most pious Parliament But I say how admirably the Lord turned their hearts suddenly from that most accursed cause and how that upon the tender of an oath unto them to fight against the Parliament they utterly refused it flew in the faces of their Commanders and made them fly away vowing and protesting with apparent expressions of great indignation that they would not fight for the popish party in England as they had not in Ireland and thereupon joyntly resolved to force their way as they most faithfully did from Bristol where they were first landed to Bathe so to Gloucester to fight on the Parliaments side under the command of that ever most highly to be honoured commander Colonell Massie who gave them most free and friendly entertainment 3. Also in the Westerne and Northern parts of the Kingdome notwithstanding their seeming successe there To which I might here most pertinently and pregnantly adde the yet more late defection of very many of their intended party both in the West to Lime Poole and Plimouth even then when they had beene ready armed for Hoptons service in the South In the North also divers both of the Gentry and Commons who have deserted New castle and in Wales and Cheshire also now later I say of the English-Irish Souldiers who would by no means fight against the Parliament 4. In many memorable plots also admirably discovered and crossed Together with the detection and discovery of many most mischievous plots and base designes of treachery most admirably and strangely discovered and so happily and timely frustrated even by the immediate mercy and good hand of God as that most bloody Plot against the Parliament Jan. 4. 1641. The Plot of the Scots Army at their former coming in among us to have beene sent against the Parliament and City of London The late Plot against Hull by Sir Iohn Hotham and his sonne And the severall most dangerous Plots under pretence of Treaties for peace forsooth against the most renowned and famous City of London as that dangerous Plot by Waller Challenor Tomkins c. And that more lately now of Sir Bazil Broâ—k Violet or rather Varlet and hypocriticall Riley with very many other of these kindes almost all over the whole Kingdome all too well knowne and too tedious here to relate and which I have most fully and particularly related in my Parliamentary Chronicle intituled God in the Mount Together also with the Lords most admirable discountenancing yea cursing and blasting all the wicked designes in the Kings party ever since that hideous and hellish cessation of Armes in Ireland with those most barbarous bloody and damnable Irish Rogues 5. In Gods most justly discountenancing and making odious even to Malignants themselves that horrid cessation of Armes in Ireland which was most impiously plotted by the wicked malignant Councellors on the Kings side for their falsly hoped mighty advantage in the advancement of their bloody cause but which hath by Gods marvellous wisdome mercy and good providence proved one of the most ominous and eminently odious meanes of the ruinating and overthrowing of their most accursed cause and wicked courses even their malignants themselves being judges and which our good God hath clearly ratified I say againe by the extreme ill successe they have had ever since in all their wicked undertakings and contrariwise 6. And their extreme ill successe ever since in the great and good successe our God hath given to us ever since especially ever since our most holy and happy entring into a Covenant with our God and blessed League with our honest and religious Brethren of Scotland 7. Our good successe ever since the Covenant with Scotland witnesse our happy victories in Lincolnshire Yorkâ—shire Lime Poole Plimouth Newport-Pannell Aulton Grafton-House Bewley-House Holts-House and Arundell-Castle with others in which places some reckon the Enemy hath lost besides exceeding much Armes and Ammunition and besides the brave and rich ship taken at Arundell-Castle a most admirable providence betweene three and foure thousand 8. The admirable breaking out of the Swedes against Denmarke but we may justly reckon a farre greater number Besides the admirable providence of God in stirring up beside the whole Nation of our loyall brethren of Scotland the whole Kingdome of Swethland to fall furiously and fortunately on the Kingdome of Denmarke a most admirable providentiall piece mightily to crosse and curbe our English Malignants hopes and designes against us But to come more particularly and personally neere to our intended purpose in this first branch of our Looking-glasse of Gods hand against our Malignants especially I say because personall particularities come neerer and closer then generalities I shall here therefore instance first in the strange hand of God personally manifested against them in that most admirable overture and alteration of the course of things to the shame and sorrow of our unluckey Lordly Prelates to live to see their voluptuous princely Palaces as Winchester house and Ely house turned into prisons but especially the spacious and specious palace of that Arch-adversary of Christ and his Cause among
Belial all over the Kingdome And also in their steads the most holy and happy reduction and restauration of our banished and abused faithfull painfull and pious Pastors even after Gods owne heart together thereby with the blessed injoyment of pure and powerfull Ordinances and that in admirable plenty and freedome as the like was never seene in this Kingdome Besides the rare and long desired and now happily effected ruine and razing downe of popish high places among us never since the first Reformation till now taken away in defacing and destroying popish Images Organs Crosses Crucifixes and such like abominable and Idolatrous superstitious Popish apish Trinkets both in Churches and elsewhere especially the ruinating of that most infamous and most abominable Romish Monument of idolatry Cheap-side Crosse in the very heart of London and burning abundance of those base and beggarly Romish Reliques even in the very same place where that accursed Crosse had with a Whores forehead bin so long advanced among us and which is the sum of all our just admiration in all forementioned all these things done so soon and in so speedy a space as within the compasse of two or three yeares at the most Most admirable demonstrations I should thinke of Gods hand unquestionably thus seene and set against them And might not then All these yea any one of these premised presidents of Gods most immediate hand against them most justly serve to even wrest open the wilfully shut up and blinded eyes of our Malignants Sure me thinkes they should save that 't is greatly to be feared they are given up to a reprobate sense if they still persist in such unheard of and most strangely marbled obstinacy But yet since they may peradventure in their accustomed hardnesse of heart be little or nothing moved or prickt in Conscience with these so pregnant presidents and cleare demonstrations of Gods vindicative hand against them Yet I say we will come yet more close upon them and give them yet more home and heavy personall strokes of Gods just wrath and revenging hand not onely against them 2. Gods hand upon Malignants persons but upon them even immediately on the very act of their most impious and blasphemous words and wicked miscarriages to and against the saints and servants of the Lord making good his owne everlasting and unperishing Word by the Prophet marke it Esay 26. 11. I beseech you O all yee most desperately minded and wilfully blinded Malignants as a word of rousing errour unto you Lord when thy hand is lifted up against them they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at thy people A momento for Malignants yea the fire of rage of thine enemies shall divour themselves Examples The first fearfull example then of Gods most just vindicative hand and avenging indignation even most evidently falling heavy by a sore and heart-piercing personall blow upon the outragious maligners and gracelesse and godlesse inveterate haters of the wayes of Piety and truly and thorowly intended Reformation of Religion shall be this One Charles Rose a Rose of a very unsavory sent an Apprentice to one Master Charnell a Carver of VVood Gods hand upon a most desperate malignant Apprentice of London as a just caveat to all malignant London Apprentices at the upper end of Fanchurch-street neere Algate in London who put himselfe into the Parliaments service a little after Bartholomew tide 1642. pretending to be willing to side with the Parliament against the common enemy but secretly intended and resolved when he should finde a faire opportunity as he told his fellow-servant to joyne with the King and his Army against the Parliament And when he was to goe forth declared further in the hearing of his Mistresse That he was now going to helpe to make halters to hang the Round-heads And it was observed by his Master in his former carriage That he was of a refractory yet dissembling spirit and thus he marching forth with a base treacherous heart to the cause of God and the Parliament was suddenly stricken by the just hand of God on the way sometimes ill and sometimes well and being at last in his march as farre as into Buckinghamshire in the way to Alisbury he was suddenly and fearfully stricken mad and utterly distracted bereft of his senses Now three of my very loving and religious friends travelling into those parts found this wretched young man in the high way as they rode and saw him one of the saddest spectacles that ever they beheld for he was starke naked onely a course old sackcloth throwne over his shoulder neither Hat on his head nor Shoes on his feet his eyes very red with weeping and standing and staring as one affrighted so these my friends came to him asked him whither he was going and whence he came but hee would give them no answer nor take any reliefe in money which they proffered him but fell downe and cryed out Oh my Soule my Soule whereupon they all three stayed still alighted from their horses and with much adoe at last got him to the next Towne and by the way he was heard to say Blood Blood It pleased God to direct these my friends to an Inne in the Towne where the Hostesse of the house on knowledge of his name knew his father where these my good friends tooke some care to have him lookt unto and some of the Towne tooke care after their departure to have him conveyed to his Father who lived some 16. or 18. miles from that place about Oxford When his Father saw him he churlishly refused to give him any entertainment which I confesse was inhumanely and unnaturally done yet herein observe the righteous hand of God too who as he hath promised that when a mans wayes please him Prov. 16. 7. he will make even his enemies to be at peace with him So likewise by the just law of contraries when our wayes wits and parts are against God and goodnesse he will make even our best friends to be at enmity with us For as here his father I say utterly rejected him and suddenly dispatched him to London to his Master where he lived a while after pitifully distracted and never recovered his senses againe but about three houres before his death he seemed to have some reasonable apprehension of things and to be somewhat sensible and just then was heard to cry out bitterly He was a dogge he was a damned wretch and thus miserably died And the truth of all these passages since my three honest and religious friends left him they had from his Master and Mistresse upon their farther enquiry after him O that this sad and fearfull example of this so sure and severe hand of God upon this malignant young man might be as terrible to our London malignant Apprentices yea and their malignant Masters too as that affrighting hand-writing on the wall was to that wicked Belshazar to make them tremble and quake
themselves at that time they brought him home with them with no little adoe by the way who being thus brought home continued so distracted and besotted in his senses that he neither regarded what any said or did to him and wholly neglected his calling as being unfit to doe ought therein and shortly after hee fell sicke for a season and still continued so distracted that at last it was held fit to have him away to Bedlem yet for some credit sake his friends so prevailed that he was not put into the common condition of the Madmen there but was kept private in the house of one that endeavours the cure of such persons and there he was continued but could not be cured of this his miserable and distracted estate And was not here a most evident and remarkable hand of God upon them all three to the terrour one would thinke of all such desperate and incorrigible Malignants All which relation I have received from such honest and credible testimony of the truth thereof even of such as knew the three parties very well as is without all just exception therein And thus now I have as I suppose sufficienly made good my word and performed my promise in the two former parts of this my Looking-glasse namely in most clearly representing and setting forth to the eyes and understanding of every one of any one that is compos mentis and is not starke mad with malice and mischief both Gods hand most eminently against our Anti-Parliament arians or Malignants and also Gods evident heavy hand upon those our Malignants persons even immediately in the very acting of their malignancy Enough one would thinke to fright and terrifie them from such impious and audacious flouting â—ffâ—onting and maligning of Gods honest and harmlesse servants were not their Consciences cauterized with the hot iron of gracelesse impenetrable obstinacy and their hearts more hardned against pure and innocent Truth and Holinesse than the impenetrable Tortice shell and they thereby even given over by God to a reprobate sense to their irrecoverable ruine and perdition But now to goe on to my Third promised part or representation in this our Looking-glasse 3. A Caveat for Cowards and Neutrall-Deserters of the Parliaments Cause namely the Caveat for Cowards and faint-hearted Neutrall-Deserters of the Parliaments cause and therein I say most clearly Gods cause As also hereby to speake to all unsetled and unresolved weake Christians whom in this case we must pitty pardon and pray for as being our selves subject to like failings and errours should not grace prevent and support us to shew them the great danger and hard hazards they put themselves on both in soule and body too in so unworthily fearing or refusing to owne Gods Cause A briefe premised Preamble to the subsequent examples of this Caveat though not out of treachery yet if it be but of base timidity or feare God herein shewing his wrath and indignation and causing his jealousie to breake out against these also letting them see how dangerous it is to jest or dally with such sharp edg'd tooles as these to the undoing of their soules and bodies too I say if in his owne free grace and meere mercy he did not in the midst of justice remember to intermix mercy and to looke backe as it were on their sinking soules as he did on Peter in such a case if at least they belong to Christ as Peter did teaching them thereby to know the price of denying their Master or his Cause before men if not I say prevented by true and timely repentance All which I shall make most evident and cleare by these foure or five Examples all of them fallen out lately in these our probationall times which by Gods providence have come to my hands and knowledge and which for the glory of God and honour of our most precious Parliaments Cause I could not conceale but set forth most faithfully as I have received them from most indubitable and unquestionable Testimonies of the truth of them all even I say by those who were both Eye and Ear-witnesses of the truth of them And here now in the first place I might instance in a learned and reverend Minister of Lincolnshire 1. A Doctor in Divinity of Lincolnshire fell mad upon the taking of the Oxonian Protestation against the Parliament a Doctor in Divinity who being taken by the Kings Cormorants and carried prisoner to Newarke and there enforced to take the Oxonian Protestation or Covenant against the Parliament which it seemes out of servile feare and unworthy pusillanimity he did immediately after it out or remorse of Conscience fell mad and fearfully distracted in his senses and so continued for almost the space of halfe a yeere this being done by him about the midst of the last Summer 1643. but being since at liberty among his Parliamentary friends is in good measure recovered and a hearty Penitent for it But it being desired his name should bee concealed I cease to say any more therein save onely this That I have this briefe relation from such unquestionable and credible testimony as most strongly confirmes the truth thereof unto me And might we not here now thinke this one single example sufficient to deter our cowardly Newters from so vicious and pernicious prejudicating and deserting the Parliaments pious proceedings Yes certainly had they but any small sparkes of ingenuity left alive in them but since I know that they yea and Gods owne people too must have line upon line as the Prophet sayes and example upon example and all too too little till Gods Spirit of Grace awakens their dead and drousie Consciences I shall now give them another Example which comes more close unto them and most worthy their deep and serious observation and consideration which briefly is this Upon the second day of May 1643. one Thomas Bretton a young man 2. One Thomas Bretton a most bitter and active Malignant against the Parliament remarkably converted on his death-bed and most bitter and active Malignant against the Parliament late servant to Alderman Cullum in Gracious street in London falling very sick which indeed shortly after proved a sicknesse unto death desired most earnestly to speake with a reverend and religious Minister of the City whom he had formerly heard preach and could not be quiet till he was sent for The Minister being sent unto and intreated to come unto him accordingly very willingly came of whom so soone as the sicke party saw him he most heartily desired his pardon and forgivenesse The Minister answered That he knew not any thing wherein the sick party had injured or offended him But Bretton replied That he had done him wrong in jeering and scoffing at him though he knew not of it and told him the particulars thereof Whereupon this pious Minister told him He freely forgave him Then he desired the Minister to pray with him which he also did for the space of about halfe an
renowned Towne of Manchester in Lancashire 5. One Master Standidge a Lancashire Gentleman deserting the Parliament suddenly slaine in the act of his defection in the yeere 1642. one M. Standidge a Gentleman of Lancashire who had formerly beene a man much ingaged in his affections for the Parliaments Cause and had oftentimes expressed so much both by his stiffe contendings with some that were very neere and deare unto him as also by his practice and assistance given to the said Cause But afterward by the slye insinuations and perswasions of some seeming friends neere about him but especially being at last overswaied and prevailed with as was strongly supposed by the Lord Strange then a great but blessed be God a most unsuccessefull stickler for the Kings party he being very intimate with the said Lord Strange This said Gentleman did at last so much crosse his owne former practice and good esteeme he had and held of the Worke and Cause of God in the Parliaments proceedings that he most unworthily quite deserted it yea so farre as to take up Armes against it and as he was in person in command and going against that honest famous and victorious Town of Manchester in the Lord Stranges Army the Lord God of Heaven in apparent displeasure met with him in this most disloyall Apostacie and going against God and his Cause For as he was going to take Horse upon some designe neere to the said Town of Manchester a bullet suddenly hit him and kil'd him presently not directly from the Towne but the bullet glancing upon a wall reached him with a gliding blow and so cut him short of his purpose and gave him the sad reward of his unhappy backsliding This I have from such unquestionable and religious testimony of a godly friend and neighbour of mine as I know to be without all just exception And is not here now one would thinke testimony enough for thee O incredulous Malignant yea even from the mouthes of two Converts formerly of thine owne ranke and rotten condition but now and that upon their death-beds and the words of dying men we know doe or ought to take deepe impression making ingenious confession of their and your folly and madnesse in so injuriously opposing the pious and just proceedings of the Parliament But now take one more to cleare these truths yet more abundantly 6. A most remarkable relation of Master Joseph Latch a Merchant his great misery for deserting the Parliament and his mercifull recovery yea one of no lesse moment and materiality then any of the former and most worthy serious notice and observation namely of one Master Ioseph Latch a Merchant in Bashingshall-street in London who having by Gods blessing upon his endeavours in his calling gotten a good estate and being a pious young Gentleman and well affected to the publike good of the Kingdome in the beginning of this Parliamentary warre and set forth two Horses for the said service at his owne proper charge but having some considerable goods at Bristoll which he desired to convey to Manchester by land in which land-passage a protection from the King was necessary for their safe convoy thorow Shrewsbury where lay a Garrison of the Kings Cormorants upon this occasion hee forced himselfe to goe to Oxford to procure such a protection Thus then he tooke his journey thither where he was no sooner arrived but it pleased the Lord it should so fall out that he was presently espied by one that had beene a Malignant neighbour of his in London a Lawyer by whose meanes he was presently apprehended as a Spie on which suspicion hee was instantly clapt up prisoner in the Castle and immediatly after was fetcht before the Councell-Table and in danger of his life But having there very good friends of the Kings party namely Sir George Binion Sir Nicholas Crispe and Mr. Bradborne his kinsman and others he was by the Kings owne Warrant set at liberty and entertained at Sir George Binious lodgings and yet againe for all this Smith that hellish Cerberus the Provost-marshall fetcht him out of Bynions lodgings at eleven of the clocke at night and carried him to prison againe Whereupon Bynion went againe to the King together with Mr. Bradborne told His Majesty of it who seemed much discontented thereat and presently sent a Squire of His body with a Commission to lay Smith by the heeles for his presumption and to enlarge Mr. Latch yea and that without taking the Oxford Protestation lest thereby his estate in London should have been seized on by the Parliament as the estate of a Swornemalignant yet with a private serious promise and engagement to Bynion that he would never hereafter put forth himselfe in any publique service for the Parliament So he at last returned safely home and in order to his promse was now growen very shy of serving with his Company according to the Ordinance of the Militia and shortly after through the ill-advice of a very malignant companion of his made over his estate into Holland put off his house in Bashing shall-street and then withdrew his person also into Holland Thus our Engglish Jonas would have fled from Nineve to Tarshish but God raised a storme in his conscience which drove him backe to our London Nineve there to cry repentance intending there to have lived till these times might change and thus he quite deserted the Parliament But he had not beene there above three weekes or a moneth but that it pleased God he fell sicke there and had a great and restlesse desire to come backe againe into England and accordingly having a fit opportunity imbarked himselfe and was brought backe sicke to London that thus by the providence of God so ordering it he might manifest his repentance here where he had finned and be an example to others both of the horrour which arises out of a guilty conscience sensible of apostacy from a good Cause and also from our Parliamentary Protestation and Covenant to maintaine the same Thus then I say being come off the water on Munday Sept. 25. 1643. he went to a friends house of his one Mr. Lacey in Canon-street where he went sicke to bed and in two daies his sicknesse and corscience working together he much desired to speake with some godly Minister Whereupon one was sent for who accordingly came to him on the Wednesday night but knowing nothing of his defection from the Parliament and hearing a good report of his former honest conversation he onely questioned him about his faith in Christ whereunto receiving an apposite answer he held out unto him some promises of the Gospell wherein his soule might cleave unto the Lord and having commended him unto the grace of God departed for that time but Mr. Latch found such sweetnesse in those promises that he still would be asking when that Minister would come againe That Thursday and Friday past and the Minister not sent for but on the Saturday following he called very
earnestly for the said Minister and would not be satisfied without him so he being sent for came to him that Saturday at night and found him very anxious about getting Christ he oft saying if I have not Christ I must perish eternally But immediately after as a man swallowed up of despaire and drenched in the wrath of God he cried out I am in Hell I am in Hell Then an honest young Gentleman his loving friend who had been his fellow-apprentise and unto whom he had used to unbosome himselfe stept to the Minister and told him what was the cause of all this horrour of conscience in him and so related to him the substance of all fore-mentioned Then the said Minister went againe to M. Latch and asked him if he had taken the Kings Protestation at Oxford who answered no yet still rejected in a desperate manner all the comfortable words that were alledged for his faith to rest upon still crying out I am in hell I sinke lower and lower O was there ever such an hypocrite as I am and therefore I must be damned and I alone must have my portion with Iudas and be an example to all the world and lie in hell to all eternity in so denying the Parliament and goe saies he to his brother that stood by him and tell such an one and such an one two persons to whom he had neere relation that if they hold on their way they must burne in hell as I doe and neither his godly friend nor the Minister could perswade him that he was out of Hell yet the Minister still most piously wrestling against his despaire told him that Hell was not above ground in the Land of the living and therefore he was not yet in Hell but that he should goe to Hell shortly if he would not believe in Christ Jesus and then told him he would pray for him But he replied you shall save the Flocke of Christ but you cannot save me I am past prayer And with the like lamentable speeches as of a man in the very torments of the damned he did oft interrupt the Minister in his prayer and so continued in this despairing fit till after prayer Then the Minister charged him to hearken to him saying You never you assure me tooke the Protestation at Oxford against the Parliament but Peter denied Christ with an Oath yea and with a Curse too yet he went out and wept bitterly and was restored to grace and favour againe Christ saith Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest you are weary and heavy laden come to Christ believe in him and he will ease you and will blot out your iniquities for his owne names sake At which words he suddenly raised up himselfe in his bed and with exceeding earnestnesse of spirit put forth strong cries unto God saying Lord helpe mine unbeliefe Lord helpe mine unbeliefe Lord helpe mine unbeliefe three times together and immediately thereupon burst forth into exceeding great comfort saying O wonderfull mercy Christ is come to fetch me out of Hell and I shall not perish my cries have entered into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath who hath now given sweet rest to my soule And thus with many heavenly expressions of Christs wonderfull mercy toward him he continued at least two houres full of sweet raptures and ravishments of soule and besought the Minister and his friends about him to make knowne these things and how gracious and mercifull Christ had been unto him and this also he desired them to take speciall notice of namely that he protested that what he had said as before was not out of any lightnesse or distemper of his braine but in sensible apprehensions of his soule and what Christ had dictated to him in whose armes he said he now was most sweetly imbraced and that he had now found as he had often heard that as the way to Heaven was by the gates of Hell so he had found it true and had not onely gone by the gates of Hell but even through Hell it selfe but now Christs glorious mercy had fetcht him forth and therefore he prayed them againe to tell and publish abroad what great things Christ had done for him and then all that were present went againe to prayer and he prayed with them and when his breath failed he would lift up his hands but before prayer was quite ended he most sweetly expired as he said in the Armes of his sweet Saviour Christ Jesus leaving the Minister and his Christian friends who had been sorrowfull witnesses of the former dreadfull peoplexities and horrour of his conscience now most abundantly cheered and full of comfort and consolation in the Lord for this admirable gracious change and conclusion And now I hope I have fully performed what I promised at the beginning and have copiously confirmed the truchs I intended to deliver and represent in this my Looking-glasse And now I shall onely desire to summe up all in a very succinct hortatory observation of all hitherto delivered in this our Malignants mirrour or Looking-glasse And first I desire to speake a word or two to our cowardly Neuters and faint hearted deserters of Gods Cause in this our Parliament wherein I feare too many even of Gods children and otherwise good Christians I hope are too guilty That since the Parliaments cause is unquestionably Gods cause and that our Malignants have clearely seene that God is so jealous of this his honourable Cause that he will not spare even his owne Servants if they either reject or neglect his Cause before men and that he will certainly sooner or later wound their consciences with terrour if they thinke to wound his cause with either treachery or timidity and base cowardise let them not I say thinke to sleepe in a whole skin to shrinke their necks out of the coller and doe well enough for all that for certainely God can and will find them out at last as they also may have seene in these former examples of two or three even of Gods deare children who like Ionas would needs be flying from God and his cause one into New-England and another into Holland but how the Lord found them out caused them to see their faithlesse folly and ere he was reconciled to them smarted them both soundly for it and though he come slowly and as the observation is with Leaden-heeles yet will come sorely and with Iron-hands as hath been here before most evidently seen And let them often ruminate and remember and that with trembling what the Spirit of God saies in the booke of the Revelations Revel 21. 7. 8. He that overcommeth that is Heb. 3. 12. which stands close to God and his cause without fainting or giving over shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne But the fearefull and unbelievers see here O cowardly Newters to thy shame and terrour who are put in the very