Parliament lie as a Traytor upon the blocke ready to have the head thereof strucke off at one bloudy blow For as the King is head in regard of the Parliament so the Parliament is head in relation to the Countrey and is this a time to nourish contentions amongst any of those who should studie the peace of the Publique The dogge is sometime let out to keepe the sheepe together our punishments many times carry our sinnes in their foreheads our divisions have been still are great contentions increase God punisheth our divisions with divisions The water leads to the fountaine whence it flowes God points to our sinne by our punishments that by punishment sinne may be cured and after the Judgements may be removed Wee would seperate from Gods house God seperates us from our own houses Wee cared not for the worth of peace God now shewes the worth by the want of it the price of many things are learn't carendo magis quà m fruendo Wee walked contrary unto him he now walkes contrary unto us Wee brake forth by lying stealing whoring one bloudy sinne touched another and now God hath had a long Controversie against all the Inhabitants of the Land and one bloudy punishment toucheth another Men by their Hell-hastening iniquities warred brake forth against the Lord and now God by Heaven-darting Judgements warreth against and breaketh in upon men Yea this heighteneth mens sinnes that they warre against the Lord yea friends against friends whiles God and man continue their warre against them both God in Justice men in hatred t is good as from God evill as from men I have spoken so much in this point it being a maine cause of halting in the people while they apprehend so much flattery in and contention among Ministers Let all Eliah's labour to preserve people from halting by occasion thereof Let them study to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace if there be any vertue any praise any profit in love in peace Elijah you see was bold and it mightily prevailed Can Ministers write after any fairer Copie can they walke after any more un-erring Rule Be strong and of a good courage was Gods Counsell to Josuah Iosh 1.6 and addes in the next verse onely be strong and the people close up their Counsell with the same Caution to him in the last words of the same Chapter because things last of all spoken Vers 18. commonly are best of all remembred onely be strong and of a good courage vers 18. As if courage boldnesse were the All in All required in the Leaders the Shepheards of Gods flocke as if it were the Quintessence that is most to be seene in the essence of all their ingagements and discharge of duties required by God and Man may they not by this their courage as Hannibal by sire over the Alpes make way over the mountaines of all obstructions all oppositions whatsoever Look what powder is to bullets a clapper to the Bell fire to the wood wings to a Bird sayles to a Ship winde to sayles wine to the spirits an edge to a Razor mettall to a horse the soule to the body vivacitie to any creature the same is Courage to any Christian much more to a Minister for his affection motion action Twelfth and last cause I mention of the Peoples halting 12. Cause between the two maine opinions in these times is The doubt of the successe of the Cause in Question which followes in the last not least place to be answered viz. these Doores of Hope ⧠DOORES OF HOPE WHat ever the issue and successe of these warres be yet Gods people should be of Joabs resolution 2 Sam. 10.12 Let us be valiant for our people and for the Cities of our God and let the Lord do as seemeth him good I am no Prophet nor the son of a Prophet ungainsayably to prognosticate the event his face hath never yet been seene nor tongue heard in a Pulpit that can thus Divine Therefore I will not professe so much ignorance or arrogance peremptorily to avouch These present warres suddenly shall end or that the Parliament side without any possible contradiction shall prevaile But this I affirme that there may be alledged many Arguments of probabilitie that God will shortly deliver this Land from Popery and slavery for the present and future time These Arguments I call Doores of Hope Of which Doores I shall but draw the Latches and set them a little ashoare and give you leave at your more leisure to goe into the severall roomes in your private meditations and view the materialls therein contained The first Doore 1. I bring you to is the Promise of God made to comfort his people 2 Pet. 1.4 Esa 25.8 These promises are said to be Gods gifts many great exceeding precious The Lord will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth Rev. 14.8 for the Lord hath spoken it Babylon is fallen Esa 55.10 is fallen Doubled as Phar dreame for the certainty of the thing Shall the Lord promise and shall he not performe Surely as the raine cometh downe and watereth the earth and makes it bring forth and bud that it may give seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne unto mee voyde but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it It s added in the next verse Vers 11. Ios 21.43 Therefore shall yee goe out with joy and be led forth with peace This Argument couragious Josuah proposed a little before his death to continue the people in constancy The Lord gave Israel all the land which he had sworne to give to their Fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein Vers 44. Also the Lord gave them rest round about aocording to all that he had sworne unto their Fathers and there stood not a man of all their Enemies before them for the Lord delivered all their Enemies into their hand Vers 45. There failed nothing of all the good things which the Lord had said unto the house of Israel Vers 45. Ch. 23.14 but all came to passe And in the next Chap. 14. verse to the people You know in all your hearts as certainly as if things were in your bosome that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you but all are come to passe unto you nothing hath failed thereof The Lord commands his Prophets Esa 40.1 2 Comfort yee comfort yee my people speake comfortably unto Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished Where you see is a Charge and Commission given not onely by bare affirmation or command to Ministers but by Ingemination Comfort yee comfort yee yea by Triplication speake yee comfortably unto Jerusalem by Quadruplication and
with the effects thereof to me have proved a burthen almost intollerable the scarre of discredit it being incurable so to all men may seeme incredible that a constant sider with the Parliament should unheard out of his living be ejected and himself and his family be to all misery exposed when that right-discerning and Parliament-promises-promoting Justice Mr. Anthony Clifford opposed in my absence the rest of my ruining unjust Judges If I should forbeare the stones would cry aloud in the eyes and eares of the world for justice against this matchlesse malicious abominable censure But the blessing of the Lord for ever be and abide on the heads and hearts of the honorable Committee for plundered Ministers and in particular on Mr. Millington Mr. Rouse Sir Arthur Hazelrig Mr. Tate who oft afforded me patience audience countenance If I should repeat every member of that Committee I might seeme to flatter if I should not mention you I should surely be ungratefull My Countrey-man Mr. Pury was one of the first that after my freezing and long waiting broke the Ice for my return and Mr. Edward Stephens and others quickly apprehended and couragiously reported the injustice of the proceedings against me Whereupon I had an Order of restitution to my Priviledges and Arreares till the matter be heard notwithstanding which Order of Restitution that active Committee man hath been an Instrument to place for my supplanting in my Chappell to enjoy those profits that are almost the one halfe of my little livelihood a Minister that hath been taken in Armes against the Parliament and hath beene ejected out of his living in Monmouth-shire for being contentious against his neighbours a common Drunkard a Rayler against the Parliament who also said since he was obtruded on my Cure a Cavaliere I was a Cavaliere I am and so I will continue Whether such a Committee man in permitting such a Malignant Minister that hath been so often active in Armes to be placed and officiate within three miles of Glocester Garrison hath thereby promoted the honour of the Parliament and the safety of that Citie let all men judge If I have been illegally proceeded against by this principall Agent in that Committee as my worthy constant free and faithfull friend Mr. Pryn hath by tongue and pen maintained I shall account it a great honour from this Honorable Assembly to have an Order and Commission to some Gentlemen I shall nominate to examine all proceedings of this Committee man and the combination of such malignant malicious persons as have been unjust practizers against me that I may receive such reparations from them as the merits of my cause and their cruelty shall require All which is committed to the serious consideration of this honorable Senate for the relief of Your faithfull Servant yet suffering supplicant WALTER POWELL Doctrines deduced DOct. 1. It is a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal Truth and Error pag. 5 2. Those that are good will shew zeale for God pag. 5 3. People continue long in a lingring condition notwithstanding long and sharp reprehension pag. 6 4. Many are yet to seek who is the true God pag. 6 4. God alone is to be followed pag. 6 6. Men are oft convicted before they are once converted pag. 6 The first Doctrine prosecuted Uses 1. Of Information 2. Reprehension of Newters 3. The Causes with the cure of Halting pag. 7 8 14 Cause 1. Because many members of the Parliament have diserted the Parliaments cause pag. 14 2. The greatest part of the Great ones have adhered to the adverse part pag. 16 3. Misprision of prerogative pag. 17 4. Most of people siding with the contrary rather than the Kingdomes Cause pag. 19 5. The great pressure by payments pag. 21 6. Feare of being plundered pag. 22 7. Selfe-seeking with neglect of the publick pag. 24 8. Vndesire of change for feare of changing for the worse pag. 25 9. Estimation of Parliament-power too great pag. 27 10. Injustice and oppression by Countrey-Committees pag. 28 11. Flattery in and divisions between Ministers pag. 30 12. Doubt of the successe of the cause in hand make men halt herein pag. 35 Which last rub is removed in briefly opening many Doores of Hope for the good successe of the Common Cause pag. 35 36 37 to the end Errata's For 1 Kings 19. read 18. PAG. 1. in the magent for use 1. and use 2. read verse p. 2. l. 5. for pursuane r. perseverance p. 2. for use r. verse 4. and verse 5. p. 2. l. 27. for Daobolum r. Da obolum p. 3. l. 19. for liezure r leisure p. 3. l. 21. make a period between yea and plain p. 5. l. 3. for there r. these p. 7. l. 23. for nor r no p. 7. l. 35 after Pastors make no period p. 8. l. 18. in Margent read use 2. p. 8. l. 22. for defendant r defendit p 14. l. 2. after sharp but very exemplary put president p. 15. l. 7. for strangely r. strongly p. 16. l. 7 for the r. this p. 20. l. 27. for belluae r. Bellua p. 20. l. 31. ptt out they before say p. 26. l. 23. r. an after p 29. l. 7. for torror r. terrour p. 29. l. 9. for have r. had for I think some Committe-men have bought more land since then they sold before they were preferred to their Committeships p. 31. l. 3. unto seduce strayable people adde and pesecute Gods zealous ministers P. 38. l. 2. for he r. Shammah p 42. l. 4. for reigne r. rejoyce p. 47. l. l. 34. for And r. Are these duties p. 48. l. 11. in stead of an evill cause read and will not he regard the voyce c. To the much Honoured Major Generall MASSEY one of the Members of the Honorable House of Commons Renowned Sir TO none doth this Sermon more properly belong now printed then to your selfe that heard it preached After the relation of which newes against Newters you returned beyond my desert and expectation publick thanks in the face of that populour Congregation In those then siding-unsiding times this Text at that time was seasonable I yet beleeve though the sight of my person in the Pulpit at that time formidable perhaps to some there that had never heard me preach in their whole life One of which departing out of the then Congregation had he stayed you told me at your Table might have suspected himselfe to be like the Hedge-bogge I mentioned in my Sermon The truth of many of the particulars mentioned in my preceding Epistle you know to be true but I shall manifest the whole to be so if from the Honorable House I obtain my conceived just request to have liberty to examine the combination and unjust proceedings of my malevolent yet potent Committee-adversary Sir you beleeved and subscribed as much under your hand that this Sermon was preached with much zeale against newtralitie and in that subscription out of which I transeribe your own words at
prevent their future shame Christ lookes on all Newterallists as on enemies Vse 2. not as on friends Why halt ye so long seeing it is a great sin and shame Mat. 12.38 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathers not with me scattereth abroad Aut mecum totum tene aut totum amitte saith Greg. Proditor est veritatis qui aut libere non pronuntiat aut non sufficienter eam defendant saith Chrysost Traytors are the very off-spring of Judas shamefully exposing themselves to the scorne and hatred of all men both good and bad It happening to these neutralizing middle-men as to those that dwell in the middle roomes of some high building as they are smoked and smothered by those that dwell under them and polluted with dust and filth of those that dwell over them so smoake and smoother shame disgrace are the portion of such neutrall middle people They that cleave heartily to neither side are justly suspected and abhorred of each side hee that is neither throughly for God nor man is rejected both of God and man Doe not therefore say in these dayes of danger as sometimes Cato the Roman did in the Civill Wars betweene Caesar and Pompey Quem sugiam video quem sequar non video I discerne whom to flye but not whom to follow Mark 8.34 Judg. 5.23 Christ is to be daily followed or the curse of Meroz to be expected which words I wish as once Chrysostome did that sentence Eccles 2.11 were engraven on the doore posts into which these Politicians and Neutralists doe enter on the Tables where the sit on the dishes out of which they did eate on the cups out of which they did drink on the beds whereon they did lye on the walls of the house wherein they did dwell on the garments which they did were on the heads of the horses on which they doe ride on the foreheads of all those whom they doe meete that they might learne and continually remember that there is a bitter curse attending not onely those that powerfully oppose Christ but those that neglect to assist him But men should doe rather as the noble Souldier in Erasmus did to one that told him a most numerous Armie was against him Answered Tanto plus gloriae referemus quantô sunt plures quos superabimus The most numerous opposers make the Christians Conquest the more illustrious Christs faithfull Souldiers they are all glorious Conquerours 2 Tim. 4.8 they have alwayes Crownes though sometimes they are enforced to swim to them in streames of bloud take to thee therefore the heart and courage of Shammah 2 Sam. 23 12. one of Davids Worthies who stood and defended the field when all the rest fled He that stands not by his Master in the time of danger is not worthy the name of a servant shouldst thou helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord 2 Chron. 19.2 Such as turne with the Weather-cocke and field of Corne with every blast will the Lord account as his Servants Friends and Souldiers I have read of a Creature which they call a Hedge-hogge or Urchin which hath two holes the one towards the North the other towards the South if the winde blowes Northwards it stops that hole and opens the other towards the South if the winde blowes Southward it stops that hole and opens the other towards the North So these Neuters if the one Armie comes to quarter in their Coasts they stop the mouth of exclamation against them and open against the adverse Armie if the other Armie come they stop their mouths in speaking any thing against them and open them wide to rage and raile freely against their opposites or I may make the application thus while the Parliament went on smoothly in the beginning under the faire gale of probabilitie to land the ship of intended reformation upon the shoare of long desired and happy successe not a mouth then was open against them but when a Boreas blast comes against them an Euroclydontizinge i a quiet-sayling-opposing-storme a State staggering a Realme-reeling tempest under the power of Prerogative Command then men began to open their mouthes at large ready to cry downe the very same Parliament by their invectives and imprecations which they had a little yet long before cryed up in their desires and earnest prayers to God so mutable are these dissembling temporizers when all things concurre not with their carnall contents and earthly hopes What will these neutralizing double-minded persons say or how will they answer for themselves if they live to see the warre ended Shall I guesse at their answer and then you may guesse at their Ambodexterisme and palpable hypocrisie I thinke when these civill or rather uncivill warres are ended they will answer to such as heard them in speeches and knew them in actions to play fast and loose to be Jacke on both sides they will answer I say as the Dunsticall Doctor or equivocating Astronomer answered which Story I have read in a Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse if my memory fayle not above forty yeares agoe which Pedigree of place and time I name for the more Authorities sake that it may not be an occasion to move laughter in the hearers yet howsoever the guiltie may laugh at the hearing of it the innccent may weepe for the laughter of the guiltie This Astronomer in a Moone-shine-night walked up and downe the streets in a populous Towne and looked up unto the Starres and the people flocking about him asked him What weather Master Doctor What weather Very soule quoth he very soule and walking along into another streete and looking into the skie the people came to him and asked him What weather What weather Sir To whom he answered Very faire weather very faire afterward the weather proving foule the people that dwelled in the second streete meeting the Astronomer said to him You were deceived Master Doctor you told us wee should have faire weather but it proved otherwise To whom he replyed I did but jest in what I spake to you but aske the men that dwell in such a streete what I spake to them I spake in earnest unto them So such linsey-wolsey-mungrill-motley-minded-men being hereafter told you said such an Armie was in the right and the other in the wrong will reply when they see the issue I did but jest in what I spake in such a Cause that I see now sunke but I spake in earnest touching the Cause which I now see stand and hath prevailed Like the man mentioned in Macrobius who in the warres between Anthony and Augustus had two birds or Parrotts He taught one of them to say Ave Imperator Antoni and the other Ave Imperator Auguste so that whosoever got the day or won the victory still he had a bird to give him the congratulation of all hayle or God save you Emperour whether it should be
Pluck up but this one weed in the Antichristian Kingdomes over Sea let Bishops onely be removed from Italy and Spaine Germany and France as they are likely to be from Britaine the Pope can no more stand there hereafter than a head can without his body The Maxime was false No Bishop no King but its certain No Bishop no Pope The Bulles from Rome bred so many Calves in Britaine that there was a necessitie of Cessation or sacrifice of them before Gods wrath can be expected to be pacified toward the Nation Was not a Reformation desired long in the Land by the Record of the very Common-Prayer-Booke as wee reade in the Presace before the Commination appointed to be read in the beginning of Lent Brethren in the Primitive Church there was a godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance In the stead whereof untill the said Discipline may be restored againe which thing is much to be wished it is thought good at this time c. Was such a godly Discipline so long agoe wished to be restored and shall it now be opposed Either it was wished in fincerity or in hypocrifie if in hypocrifie why should it be printed If in sincerity why should it not be effected Should it ever be in wishing and never brought to perfection Parliaments were onely stately Pageants if they should onely confirme and not also reforme old Lawes If thou didst not halt in the Parliaments Election why shouldst thou halt now for feare what they shall doe in persons in Nations Reformation that Truth may succeed in the roome of errour and Christs Kingdome brought into the Land with more puritie and power both for Doctrine and Discipline Disestimation of the Parliament keepes men cold in the Common Cause men thinke their power too great over their Purses and Estates 9 Cau. On a time the members of the body cald a Counsell of Warre to consult why the stomacke devoured all what ever the eye did see the hand reach the mouth conveyed it to the stomacke Therefore they concluded to forbeare their accustomed offices and services seeing all tended onely to the benefit of the stomacke In short time it came to passe that the eye began to wax dim the hand weake the feete feeble and the mouth scaice able to open it selfe They quickly saw their Error and afforded their diligence in their wonted employments and all was well againe and they mutined no more I need not spend time in making the application If supportment should have been denied to the Parliament what had become â— Lawes Liberties Religion in the Kingdome Wee hoped the Parliament would have setled Peace long before this time Object the Summer is gone the winter come and yet wee are not delivered our shops are shut or unaccustomed in the Citie our grounds unstocked all Trading decayed in the Countrey If the Lord send not Peace Sol. can the Parliament procure it Shall not they have a share in it as well as any other Are not their Estates as much if not more ruined than others are 'T is true Peace is a fine thing a principall Blessing of God then which nothing can be named with more willingnesse desired with more heartinesse and obtained with more contentednesse yet there is a certain thing which they call Truth which was ready to be banished out of these Coasts and would outward Peace be much worth without Truth Is not Peace of Conscience an excellent Jewell which who ever enjoyes hath a continuall feast Is not Peace with God able to keepe our hearts and minds free from all feare of plundering and assaults of enemies Doth not this passe all understanding Is it not a glorious sight to see Righteousnesse and Peace kisse each other Therefore the Prophet commands Zach. 8.19 V. 16. Love Truth and Peace Truth you see is put in the first place Therefore execute Truth and Peace in your Gates implying the necessitie of the one as well as the other If it be possible have peace with all men but that is not approved possibilitie that is opposite against pietie Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holinesse with all else you shall not see God What God hath joyned together Man must not put asunder Peace with men will little profit whiles wee professe and practise warre against God The injustice 10 Cause oppression tyranny and unreformation of Countrey Committees cause people to continue in a staggering estate both for their opinions and Purses in the Common Cause Because those that are appointed to be instrumentall meanes to relieve doe much grieve the people Yet Preachers before the high Court of Parliament cry out daily against their Injustice Master Case in his Sermon before the House of Commons intreats them for the Lords sake to have a care that none under the charge of the Parliament may be oppressed by their inseriour Committees least people oppressed have occasion to say You have pulled down one Starre-chamber and have set up an hundred Master Cheynell preaching before the Lords March 27 upon the Psalme Man being in honour c. in his Epistle to the Lords intreats their Wisdomes to have a care for the purging of Committees in Essex Sussex Surrey and Hampshire I thinke his Petition might have extended towards all the Committees in the Kingdome and he said that the spring was a fit time to give them Physicke yet people see none either given or taken or working effectually upon them in reformation They begin to halt in their opinions and to be cold in their former aeale for the Cause Which indeed reflects upon the honour of the Parliament as moysture in the feete strikes up into the head Cambyses a King caused Sycanus a Judge that had been hired by money to pronounce a wrong sentence to be flead and his skinne to be hanged on the Judgement-seate to be a torror to succeeding Judges I thinke if some Committee-men were so used they would have as little skinne left upon their backs as some of them have land in the Countrey where they execute their Commissions The Ethiopians were wont to set up a Chaire of State in their Senate and that to be empty as if the God of Judgement sate there to be Umpire and Moderator whom the Senators ought to looke upon in passing sentence that they might immitate him in Judgement The Lords in the upper-House have an emptie Chaire now in the absence of the King and yet not wholly empty if they consider the presence of the King of Kings that observes and heares all their Consultations I wish that County Committees might have an empty Chaire before them to put them in minde that there is a power above them to wit the Parliament and a power above that the God of Heaven If some Countrey Committee-Members were set in a lower Chaire and bound therein and kept without bread and water twenty-foure houres together and had
Joshuahs time the Lord fought for Israel Ios 10.14 't was his owne cause made therefore the Sun and Moon stand still untill the people avenged themselves of their enemies In his own cause he hearkened to the voyce of a man but in an evill cause will regard voyce of many Johs Acts 9.4 Samuels Daniels Angels Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me in my members on earth now I am in heaven Be not afraid said the propheticall Levite unto Jehosophat and the people for this great multitude 2 Chro. 20 15. for the battell is not yours but Gods The Dragon and his Angels fought against Michael and his Angels Rev. 12.7 8. but the Dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven unto the earth because they fought against Michael and his Angels Christ hath overcome the World Doore 23 Death Devill and shall these overcome him again Iohn 16.33 Col. 2.15 Rev. 17.14 It 's incredible impossible Be ye of good comfort in me ye shall have peace I have over come the world He hath openly triumphed over them on his Crosse This Lamb hath overcome all Lions Can Satan be stronger than God The efficacle of Christ his prayer Doore 24 He was heard on earth and shall he not be heard in heaven Rom. 8.33 1 Pet. 3.14 making intercession for his people Who is he that will harm you if ye follow that which is good Who harme us wicked ones will Yet blessed are you if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake Feare not their feare nor be ye troubled The conviction and conversion of Adversaries Doore 25 God enlightning them to see what they did not see before It is beyond the thoughts and expectation of man thae the Lord Inchequin seduced by the Jesuitical faction should be changed from a destroyer to Champion for God and a preserver of his cause The many cries Doore 26 prayers teares of Fathers Children Widowes for vengeance Doth not the Lord heare their cries and know their sorrowes The Lord heard the voyce of the Lad Ishmael Exod. 3.7 Gen. 21.17 Psa 146.9 weeping before him and will he not heare the voyce of thousands of Children for their parents and parents for their children wives for their husbands and friends for friends He relieveth the Fatherlesse and Widowes In whom can the Fatherlesse finde mercy but in him Hos 14.3 Luke 18.7 If an unrighteous Judge did the importune Widow justice against her adversary shall not God avenge his elect that cry day and night unto him The cry of the multiplicity of the blood that hath been shed Doore 27. Shall not the blood of so many Saints call for vengeance Gen. 4.10 Rev. 6.10 when the blood of one Abel cryed unto the Lord and he heard it The soules of the Saints slaine cry Dost thou not avenge our bloodâ— Groans are registred teares botled and shall not blood be booked Did God enquire for one Abel will he not for thousands The Relation of God towards his Church Doore 28. God sayth he is worse than an Infidell that provides not for his family 1 Tim. 5.8 Is not he a Father And will a Father give stones to children that ask bread He is to his Church a Husband a Master a Captain a King Sheepheard Creator Redeemer wise Builder He is a Sun and a Shield hath his Rod and his Staffe both for direction and preservation The great rage of Satan sheweth that his time is but short Doore 29. When the Devil was to be cast forth out of the dumb Rev. 12.12 Mat. 9.22.26 he casts him into the fire and into the water and rent him soare cryed and then came out of him Violent things continue not long in extremity especially such showers of blood The many differences between forraigne nations Doore 30. who would have joyned hand in hand against the Kingdome had they not been set together by the eares in their own lands This is none of the least of Gods mercies to our nation at this time they having enough to doe at home have the lesse leasure to be imployed as the Devils and Popes Armour-bearers abroad The prevention of many inconveniences which might ensue Doore 31. 1. Some godly ones might put forth their hands to wickednesse Psa 125.3 if the rod of the wicked should long lye on the lot of the righteous 2. That the wicked might not deny Gods power providence justice which they see executed here on earth 3. Truth of the Scriptures may not bee questioned Tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope Rom. 5.4 Now lay all these considerations together that have been mentioned before and I beleeve they will administer joy in the times of sorrow and keep up mens hearts lesse to doubt the successe of the common cause 1. Considering God is a God of power able to finish what he hath begun 2. It stands with his wisdome the foundation laid to perfect his building 3. God is the God of order what confusion else would be 4. Kindnesse had been unkindnesse Better to have had no cluster of grapes than not to be brought into Canaan 5. Weak ones would suspect God used some stratagem to draw men out as the men of Ai to destroy them or as to gather Bees and to burn them 6. They would doubt God would not doe as much for his people now as he hath done heretofore Our Fathers trusted in him and were delivered but we have trusted in him and are not delivered 7. Gods friends would put forth their hands to wickednesse 8. His enemies blasphemies boastings cruelties would be the greater They would endeavour to build Babels to scale if possible the very walts of heaven 9. God spared the kingdome for a long season when sin was committed and with greedinesse acted Ezek. 22.30 and will he not spare it now when sinne is confessed lamented and many stand up in the gap to turn away his wrath and reform impieties according to his desire and promise 10. The courage of the Parliament Commanders Captaines Souldiers beyond ordinary expectation naturall Relations carrying Gods Ark towards Bethshemesh their wives children houses lands goods liberties lives being not deere unto them doe all confirme our hearts in the promises of the Lord that his help is at hand to deliver the Nation from slavery and Popery I beseech you by the many mercies of God that have been daily manifested and infallibly expected to lay out your selves to give up your bodies spirits estates your All for your selves posterity Cities and people of God It was dying Joshuabs argument to the Israelites to move them to a constant obedience to Gods commandements that they had experimentall knowledge in their hearts that nothing failed of all the good things that the Lord had promised to them all came to passe And have wee not as great a portion participation in Gods promises and performances as the Israelites had We may say of Gods mercies to Israel and England as one spake of Demosthenes and Tully Cicero effecit ne Demosthenes esses solus Orator Demosthenes ne Cicero primus foret The Israelites were the cause we could not be the first people whome God did so extraordinarily blesse and favour But we are the cause that they could not boast themselves to be the only people in Gods love And if Gods mercies in any age for height length depth breadth might be boasted of rejoyced in then in our dayes in this Parliament in these warres where good is fetcht out of evill light out of darknesse And if these things will be marvellous in the eares of all posterity shall they not in our hearts before whose eyes the same have been accomplished Wherefore I conclude as I began being high time to take my worke off the Loome Why halt ye so long between two opinions If Baal be God then follow him so shall you fall from sin the Suburbs into Hell it selfe the place portion expectation of all cursed neutralizing Balaaks for whom are reserved torments which are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse If the Lord be God then follow him so shall you come to see him that is invisible and shall change the society of men for Angels Earth for Heaven and the company of Lions for fellowship with the Lamb for ever Where shall be all light without any darknesse truth without error joy without sorrow health without ficknesse liberty without restraint peace without perturbation eternity without end where the Quire of Angels shall be musick to our eares where the fight of God shall be the object to our eyes where the joyes of heaven shall be the possession of our soules Unto the hearing of which Angellicall musick unto the beholding of which beatificall vision unto the possession of which celestiall joyes the Lord that is Author of all vouchsafe to bring us all let all Gods people say Amen And let the Lord Jesus Christ whose words are Yea and Amen put to his hand and seale and say Amen Amen I have now done for speaking you have now done for hearing his Chaire and Pulpit is in heaven that must perswade you to put in practice those things which I have delivered in precept which that he may doe unto him let us pray Soli Deo laus FINIS