Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	good_a	sin_n	7,176	5	5.3331	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93346	Englands pressures: or, The peoples complaint, humbly related, for information and for satisfaction of the grounds and causes thereof, and communicated to the inhabitants of England, in the severall cities and counties of the kingdome. Also, a short reprehension to factious, seditious sinners, with a Christian exhortation to reformation, to brotherly unitie and concord, and conscionable performance of covenant, by assurance of Gods blessing, a glorious deliverance, with establishment of truth and peace to the three kingdomes. / By George Smith, Gent. Imprimatur John Downame.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1645 (1645)	Wing S4035; Thomason E295_9; ESTC R200196	33,562	43

different Aymes of what ranke soever they be for some are rich some poore some Noble some Ignoble some command some are commanded some Divines some Lay-men yet both these two sorts of men looke for some enjoyment of the promise onely they mis-apply the promise of God the carnall man applies it to his carnall ends the regenerate man to spirituall ends the one seekes happinesse in this life the other in the life to come and drives at Gods glorie here from whom he expects glorie hereafter you shall see an example in Iacob and Esau Esau as a son expected a blessing but it was but a temporall blessing and this he earnestly sought for h Heb. 12 17. it cost him teares It is evident he sought but this temporall blessing because hee preferred his appetite to carnall things above and before his birth-right which was Sacred and therefore is called i Heb. 12. 16. prophane for selling it he counted the benefit of his birth-right to extend no further then to the things of this life But Jacob waited for a future happinesse and accounted the promise to himselfe and to his posteritie in a spirituall sense And therefore when he had obtained the blessing he forsooke all present rights left all the temporall substance of his fathers house to his brother Esau and willingly cast himselfe upon Gods providence resting upon the promise that God would be his God Thus it too ofen falleth out The ground of emulations that in Families and Kingdomes from these two different affections and judgements there ariseth differences and dissentions and hence commeth great complaints murmurings and emulations among men about the present disposing and event of things and because they have different aimes they use different meanes to attaine those ends and manie times indirect meanes are used by the one and by the other to accomplish their desire Thus it was in Jacobs family which was then the visible Church Esau selleth his birth-right Examples of both sorts and all the priviledges belonging to it to satisfie his present appetite Iacob waited for the future and expected the promise to be made good in due time for faith makes not haste but by Rebeccahs counsell he was drawne to use indirect meanes to get it for which they both smarted for it was the cause of affliction to him ●nd to his mother k Gen. 28. 5 Rebeccah so much as banishment each from other all the dayes of Rebeccahs life yet divine providence ordered everie thing to the accomplishing of the promise as God ordered the envie of l Gen. 45. 7 Iosephs brethren to their future good and preservation of their families You shall see that as soone as Hazael heard the Prophet say that ●he should be King over Syria m 2 King 8. 13. Hazael presently plots any wicked meanes to attaine the Kingdome and therefore murdered the King his master that he might presently enjoy it so to satifie the covetous desire of oppressing n 1 King 21 15. Ahab by Iesabels counsell he possessed Naboths Vineyard by blood and did it under pretence of holinesse and justice because men live more by sense then by faith they rather seeke carnall things then spirituall and use any indirect and wicked meanes to attaine their end Hence it commeth that when God is breaking down what he hath built up even this whole Land and Kingdome that now at this time o Jer 45. 5. men seek great things for themselves although they have no assurance to have so much as their life for a prey When Gods oppressings judgements are upon a Land and people for their oppression To sinne against Judgement is fearefull then for men to be oppressors argueth the verie height of obduracie It is no other but to p Deut. 29. 20. adde drunkennesse to thirst surely the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against such men and their names shall be blotted out from under heaven But truely this is an evill prediction and is a sad complaint in these times especially times of reformation as wee all pretend to God these complainers have cause to be pittied and the complained have need to be punished or Gods hand will be stretched out still Nor doe I say All complainers are not to be hear●●ed to nor all requests granted that all complainers in this kind are to be cherirished for there are too many that complaine and murmur without just cause like the Iraelites they would have all the good that is promised but would endure nothing for it either in their persons or purses to procure the good they desire they will be at no labour nor cost for Christ but like the q Luk. 8. 37. Gardarens will rather part with Christ then their Swine like the rebellious Israelites cry out against God against r Num. 14. 2. Moses and Aaron and make themselves captaines to goe before them back into Aegypt to a bondage under which they lately cryed because they find a little difficultie in the way to the 〈…〉 s Num. 13. 31. 32. Canaan or because they receive discouragement by some ●eleeving Spyes that tell them of the sons of Anak Gyants in the way which cannot be overcome and will not beleeve t Num. 14. 10. Moses Ioshua nor Caleb princes of the people that God Almightie is both able and faithfull to make good his promise to them but most inexorable the rebellious people cry out Stone them with stones what a fearefull condition is this and yet such are some of our stubborne un-reforming English in severall Counties of this Kingdome who stand Neuters will be for neither side Unworthy actions of Neuter Club-men and suffer their hearts to lust after Aegypt after Superstition and Idolatrie unworthy men stupid insensible of Gods displeasure or their owne miserie Oh that men would consider what is written by Moses of the Israelites what was the effect of such murmurings and wilfull disobedience u Num. 14. 12. God smote them with Pestilence and they were for ever dis-inherited w Heb. 12. 11. God sware in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest God hath done great things for us he hath by a mightie hand brought us out of Aegypt from our heavie burthens and from the Babyloinish Idolatrie we are now in the wildernesse happinesse and glorie is before us God only proveth us by some little hardship by the way What the dutie is of all inferior men to humble us that he may exalt us Let us be thankfull to God and let no murmuring be heard amonst us against men whom God hath made instruments for our good If all things be not so well managed by men as they should be pray to God to amend it and to remove evill or negligent men from all publike imployment First search whether there be not some sin in thy selfe which thou cherishest that is the cause of the thing for

which thou complainest and cast it from thee then Humbly Importune the Parliament to redresse the evils and put things right Judges know not who is wronged till the complaint come before them nor can they redresse the evill till proved by two or three witnesses If we thus doe we shall have no cause of any murmuring complaints for the Parliament will surely do justice x Rom. 13. 4. They are the Ministers of God to us for our good c. And know God is now about to set up Jesus Christ on his throns and to establish the puritie of Religion that God is now about a greater worke for this Kingdome and for the world of elect at this time then only the setling of our temporall freedomes for assuredly he will make Jesus Christ much more glorious to the world then ever before and his ordinances shall be set up in their puritie the truth of Religion shall be established not changed as some simple Ignoramuses report The Parliament is not about to change any thing in Religion onely to purge out the dregs of Antichristian doctrine that Christ may be worshipped in puritie according to the will of God revealed in holy Scripture and practised in the best reformed Churches Gre●t wo●●es mett with great oppositions The worke is great and difficult and we know great workes have ever met with great oppositions and much difficulty these are trying times y Heb. 11. 36 God proves us now whether we will follow Christ or Antichrist these are fyrie tryals such as the Apostle Peter speaks of which he saith z 1 Pet. 4. 12 is to try you When he hath tryed me a Job 23. 10. saith Job I shall come forth as gold b Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him If we will be blessed live must endure it and endure it to the end else there is no promise of blessednesse he onely c Math. 10. 22. that endureth to the end shall be saved Now give me leave to advise A Caveat to take heed lest we mistake Christ and beseech all men of all ranks and degrees to consider well and to take heed that none of us doe now reject Christ as the Iewes did They looked for the performance of the promise that the Messiah should come but because they were stupid and fancied that he should come onely to restore their d Joh. 6. 15. temporall Kingdome they fayling of their expectation in that rejected him when he came to establish the Gospel for that sin were rejected by Christ as we know they yet are to this day It will be worth your consideration to consider that because they so much sought their owne safetie and doted upon a temporall deliverance e Joh. 11. 50. Joh. 18. 14. God turned that verie meanes which they used to secure themselves to be their utter ruine God forbid it should be so with England yet surely our case is dangerous for f Math. 12. 25. a kingdome divided against it selfe is brought to desolation That the Kingdome is divided The dangerous Divisions that are in England I need not tell you all men see and feele it the bloudy divisions between the King and his Parliament have already almost brought it to desolation but there are yet more dangerous divisions then that If we that are Protestants were but against the Papists as the Papists are against us such a division would make happie Union in the end But we that are Protestants are divided among our selves in our judgements or rather fancies we run after shadowes and leave the substance we use our liberty to a liberty to sin to invent broach new errors and spend our time to make Proselytes to our selves to compasse our own ends some are Proud some are Ignorant some are Ambitious some are Covetous some are Prophane some Treacherous some Tyrannicall oppressors c. all seeke their owne ends but few seek Jesus Christ nor the good of others we seek the Goods of others and our owne good by others ruine Surely this is cause of complaint and I conceive is some ground of those generall complaints that have from everie Countrie come to mine eares Now I being bound in conscience to the uttermost of my endeavours to seek the reformation of Religion the peace safetie of the Kingdom I shall with sorow of heart in all humble submission present these 20 complaints of the people to the view and consideration of the Inhabitants of the Cities and Counties of England c. they are the peoples not mine First Twentie severall Complaints common among all sorts of the people related That the Government and Discipline of the Church is not setled according to the rule of Gods word in uniformitie of worship nor is there a restriction to Sectaries and Schismaticks but they increase dayly and grow numerous in all places of the Kingdome to the griefe of the godly and wel-affected Minister preaching against Minister and one Congregation separating from another as if Christ the head of the Church were divided or as if there were more Christs then one hereby the illiterate and unstable people are either seduced or discouraged not onely to the disquiet of the Church of God but to the disturbance of the peace of the Kingdome insomuch that men rashly say they know not what Religion shall be set up c. Secondly That the secret evill councells that have or have had influence upon the Parliament the Committee of both Kingdomes and the Councells of Warre which have retarded and crossed severall good designes are not discovered nor questioned this I doe but name it is a generall complaint Thirdly That the Nationall Covenant by the providence of God Ordered to be taken in all the parts of the Kingdom within the Parliaments power hath beene much neglected by the Committees of Counties and in the Universitie which besides Gods anger is some Impediment to the peace of the Church and Kingdome it being war●antable by example in Scripture to urge it see 2 Chron. 15. 13. Ezra 10. 5. 8. Fourthly That the Committees of severall Counties doe tyrannize over the people and contrarie to the Ordinances of Parliament and intention of the Houses exact Taxations with much rigor and partialitie to the great discouragement of the people both Gentlemen and Yeomen c. even as in the dayes of Rehoboam which put the people upon resolutions of setting up a third partie Fifthly That manie men of meane qualitie indigent unfit and unexperienced men have crept into places of greatest command and trust in severall Counties and Committees and severall Gentlemen of qualitie education knowne abilities and of undoubted fidelitie are neglected and contemned by c. it is a cause of division and contention in Committees Cities and Counties Sixthly That men

of Zion the City that God loved l Lam. 5. 1● 12. Women were ravished in Zion Maids in the Cities of Juda Princes were hanged by the head the faces of the Elders were not honoured c. Infinite are the miseries calamities of Warre beyond my expression they are dayly written in Characters of blood and to whom shall we goe for helpe of whom shall we complain or where can we have redresse in all these things If we complain we must complain either against God or against something else but to complain against God we cannot for m Psal 145. 17. God is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes wicked Phara●h acknowledgeth n Exod. 9. 27. to Moses the Lord is righteous o Lam. 3. 33 God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men p Ezra 9. 13. and he punisheth lesse then our iniquities deserve And to complaine against men is but like the Dog to be angrie at the stone that is throwne at him For we know or should know that men are but Gods instruments whether they doe us good or hurt Shimei curst David but David knew it was because q 2 Sam. ● 〈◊〉 God had bid Shimei curse Israel was afflicted by Jabin by Midian by the Philistims c. but it was because r Judg. 3. 8. Judg. 3. 3. Judg. 6. 1. All affliction is from God and for sinne the Lord had sold them into their hands they were never afflicted by any people but God delivered them up to the enemie nor were they ever afflicted by any men or meanes in their owne Land but by the hand of God and God afflicts no man nor suffers any man to be afflicted but for sinne sinne onely is our destroying enemie And surely We have nothing to complaine against ●●t our sinnes we have nothing to complaine against but sinne if we complaine of wickednesse in men it is but to complaine of other mens sinnes if we complaine of their wicked actions as they are hurtfull to us they are but Gods ins●ruments to punish us for our sinnes against God G●d useth very wicked men as his instruments to punish the sinnes of his people for God useth and that u●ually very wicked men to be his instruments to afflict his people he punisheth sinne by sinfull men that is when God will punish or afflict a people or a man he letteth wicked men loose to act their owne w●ll in wickednesse to imprison to oppresse to plunder to burne Houses Townes and to kill and destroy c. That men erre in counsell grow at variance are robbed wounded killed or are betrayed by those they trusted or spoyled by those they should be preserved it is all of God and from God It is true Divisions among m●n are just punishments of sinne that divisions among men in matters of judgement or practise are occasions of Commotions and Warres c. yet the efficient cause is from God for when by sinne men are divided from God God puts divisions among men so long as Adam stood reconciled to God all the creatures were at peace with him but when Adam had sinned the creatures were at variance with him and among themselves while Solomon walked with God God gave him peace with all men but when ſ Kin. 11. 9 Solomo●s heart was turned from God then God was angry with him t vers 14. 23 and the Lord stirred up Hadad and Rezen to be adversaries to Solomon you know that Ashur and Assyrian are called u Esa 10. 5. the Rod of Gods anger their malice and their weapons were but Gods indignation they held the staffe but God guided the hand w Esa 45. 7. I the Lord doe all things God stirred up the spirit of x 1 Chro. 5. 26 Pull and of Tilgath-Pilnesar c. But for your fuller satisfaction Whence the ground and cause of all division is give me leave to expatiate my self a little in this thing that I may fully informe your judgments whence all divisions crosses afflictions come and how they may be reconciled and in this I shall impart nothing but truth to you for I meane not nor is it my Genius to use disguise like the woman of * 2 Sam. 14. ● Tek●ah nor to speake by Tropes Figures better set forth numbers then men or truths nor can I tell you any thing by way of Prophesie what shall be or when your miserie shall end as Elisha did of the Famine in a 2 King 9. 1. Samaria nor as the Prophet that told the people that to morrow the Lord would deliver their enemies into their b 1 Chron. 20. 15. hands for God Almightie doth what he will and when he will Times and Seasons are in his owne c Acts 1. 7. hands and not for mortalls to know but I will truly shew you what God hath done and what he doth by his all-guiding providence every day by which you may see and know who and what it is that hurteth you and against that you have cause onely to complaine Affliction saith holy d Job 5. 6 Job doth not spring from the dust it is not from below but from above Let mens malice be never so great their ends never so mischievous and their contrivance never so secret God rules guides and disposeth all that they doe l●● men purpose what they will e Pro. 16. 33. God disposeth of their purposes to his owne end who alwayes useth wicked men as instruments to worke his owne designe and usually disappointeth them of their owne ayme which chiefely they intended for their end is quite contrarie to Gods end That God useth all the counsailes and actions of men to his owne purpose All counsailes are ordered by God you shall see God complaineth that the f Ezek 11. 2 Examples Princes of Israel devised mischiefe and gave wicked counsaile God complaineth of the wickednesse of their hearts but you may see God makes his owne use of it and makes that to be a meanes to g Verse ● bring the sword upon them which was the thing they feared againe you shall see that Israel is threatned with the sword That it shall abide on their Cities and devoure them because of their owne counsailes yet God saith of himselfe h Ier. 19. 7. I will make void the counsailes of Iudah and Ierusalem and will cause them to fall by the sword God complaineth that the Princes of Zoan are become fooles and the Princes of Noph are deceived and they seduced others but the Text saith the i Esay 19. 13 14. Lord mingled a perverse spirit in the midst of them That Rehoboam forsooke the good counsaile of the grave ancient Counsellor of his father and followed k 1 King 12. 13. the counsaile of young men to oppresse and tyrannize over his people it was not by chance the young men shewed the wickednesse

of their hearts and Rehoboams corruption was discovered by it but God turned it to his owne purpose as he had before threatned for the sinne of Solomon l ● King 11. 31. to rend the Kingdome out of his hand and give ten Tribes to Ieroboam therefore whatsoever Rehoboam or his young counsaile intended God himselfe saith m 1 King 12 24. This thing is done of me or all this is from me But to come more neere to our present businesse let us apply all this to our selves The application of things to ●hese present times and to these times of trouble and miserie and consider from whom they are and why they are come upon us First consider they are not from evill Counsailes from the Bishops from the Queene Papists nor from Rome nor the Devill but as they are ordered by God The Devill is the chiefe instrument all ●icked men are his Agents for from him they are It is true the Devill hath a chiefe hand as an instrument but not as a cause and all wicked men Papists and licentious covetous cruell oppressing men are pettie instruments under the Devill but all are ordered by God though their ayme and end is quite contrarie to Gods they ayme at destruction of Protestants and Protestant Religion God turnes their wicked ayme to the preservation of both and to the destruction of themselves their ayme is to make themselves Monarchs and the people slaves God turnes it to the rending of Kingdomes and power out of their hands and to establish the freedome of his people Examples We know that Labans end in pursuing of Iacob was for hurt to Iacob but God so ordered him that it was for n Gen. 3● Iacobs good Esau had his end in comming out against Iacob but God orders him to his owne purpose The Brethren of Ioseph had their end in selling Joseph they hated him and sought his destruction but God turned it o Gen. 37. 4. Gen. 45. 5. to the preservation of Ioseph and of all Israel Haman had his end in setting up a Gallowes but God turned it to his owne purpose quite contrarie to p Ester 7. 9. Hamans end and intent Consider the evill Counsellors of the King God disappoynteth the ends of wicked men Bishops Jesuites Papists c. they propounded their end in all which God suffered them to goe farre till they thought they could not be hindred their Plots were carryed on by degrees gradations for at least twenty yeares visible to our sense we saw it and we felt it but at the period of time when they thought to have effected all and were as confident as Haman was of his designe against Mordecai and against the Iewes then God put a turne to all Looke back but to these five yeares past and consider and you shall see Providence hath wonderfully ordered things against their designe and for our deliverance beyond the counsaile or power of men Was it lesse then a wonder that God should so order things that by their preparations into the North with an Armie we should have a Parliament It was contrarie to their end Was it not miraculous that God so infatuated their counsailes that they established that Parliament which now they cannot breake though many of them have lost their lives in attempting it When Pharoah had let the people goe out from bondage he repented and pursued with an Armie to bring them back but God turned it to his destruction We have seene what our enemies have done against us and what God hath done for us what God will doe more at the Red Sea we know not Secondly 〈◊〉 Gods end i● in afflicting his people and what is the end w●c●ed men propound to themselves Consider why these things are I have alreadie shewed you that all differences all afflictions and troubles are for sinne but God though he use wicked men to b● instruments to punish sinfull men and Nations hath these two ends why he doth it and that is to destroy wicked men in their owne wayes and to humble his people that they may be delivered by Gods mercie Wicked men hate the godly because they are not so wicked so prophane and ungodly as they would have them God afflicts the godly because they are not so good so zealous and so holy as God commandeth God chastiseth to humble men to bring them to repentance and reformation and at this day doth therefore bring all these evils of punishment upon us because we are an idolatrous superstitious luke-warme people prophane stiffe-necked and rebellious against God That by these punishments and chastisements we may be humbled turne to God forsake our evill wayes pray to him and seek his face that he may doe us good destroy our enemies establish our Religion our Lawes our Freedomes c. and make us the happiest people under Heaven to all posterities If so for this is a truth then why doe we complaine There is no cause ●hy men should complaine q Lam. 3. 3● ●0 Wherefore shall a living man complaine shall a man complaine for the punishment of his sinne no but r Deut. 10. 1● Let us search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord This God looketh for this is all he requireth of us for all that he hath done for us and for all that he will doe for us yet we murmur in all our afflictions s Esay 9. 3. And turne not to the Lord that smiteth us neither doe we seeke the Lord of hosts To this will be objected for I have heard this objection often we murmur not against God Objection nor for the punishment of our sinnes nor against the common Enemie against whom we are willing to hazard our lives and fortunes in this just cause nor doe we complaine against the Parliament for it is our life and safetie but we complaine of partialitie injustice and oppression in particular men from whom we lookt for justice and by whom we hoped to be relieved from oppressors hands these selfe-seeking men make a prey of us they devoure our estates which we freely give in this cause to God and for our Countrie to enrich themselves t Amos ● 6. They sell the righteous for silver and the poore for a paire of shooes this is our complaint and our discouragement For fuller satisfaction Th● deliverance out of Aegypt was but a type of the spirituall deliverance by Christ from sinne Idolatrie and information of our judgement consider as I said before God is working a great and new worke in the world greater then that of the bringing of Israel out of Aegypt whereof that was but a type or figure that was temporall this is spirituall and is farre transcendent u Ier. 23. 7 So as ye shall no more say the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of Aegypt but the Lord liveth which brought up and led the seed of

Consider that our long continuance in sinnes for many yeares notwithstanding many warnings hath provoked God to lay long afflictions upon us The former sins of this Kingdome and our present impenttencie cause our long afflictions and our present impenitencie and continuance in personall sinnes doe still encrease Gods anger against us We● make peace with our sinnes and fall out one with another writ God be at peace with us while we are divided one against another God is a God of Peace a 1 Joh. 4. 16. not of divisions God is a God of Love not of b 1 Cor 14. 33. confusion if we love not one another God will nor love us nor can wee be c Joh 13 35 Joh. 14. 47. the Disciples of Christ Doe wee now seeke to make our selves a Name on Earth and to get great d Jer. 45. 5. things to our selves while God is plucking up and breaking downe what hee hath planted and built up Is this to build God an House and a Sanctuarie of Holinesse God now calls us to e Esay 22. 12. 13. mourning to weeping and to girding with sack-cloth and shall we now be proud and ambitious and covetous and oppressors and voluptuous c. God forbid this is the way and meanes to be f Esay 9. 14. cut off head and tayle branch and rush in one day When God by Moses commanded to build the Tabernacle The builders of Gods house have ever been of one mind the g Exod. 3● c. people were all willing hearted of one mind aymed at one end all were pleased with the fashion that Moses had prescribed so when h ● King ● Solomon built the first Temple and when i Nehe● 18 Nehemiah built the second Temple but when the people would build a Babel they were divided and they were scattered k Gen. ●1 4 Let us build say they lest we be scattered c. l vers 7. 8. Let us goe downe saith Iehovah that they may be scattered c. Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts when wee seeke safetie in our selves God will bring confusion The Builders of Babel were confounded in their Language and so scattered wee are confounded in our ends our devices and fashions of the Building one thus another thus a third after another fancie all would be pleased but none will be satisfied she that contends m 1 King ● 16. to divide the Child is no true Mother if we seeke to divide Christ we are not n 1 Cor. 1. ● 12. members if we be divided among our selves Christ is not our o Ephes ● 15. 16. Head Consider all ye the inhabitants of England Have we not all One Father p Joh. ● 〈◊〉 God Have we not One Mediator q 1 Tim 2. 5 Christ And is not Christ and the Father r Joh. 8. 〈◊〉 One Must there not be One Sheepfold and One ſ Joh. 10. 〈◊〉 Shepheard Hath not Christ prayed to the Father that we may be One as they are One t Joh. 〈…〉 2. that the world might beleeve And yet shall wee divide our selves Wee are not our owne but Christs u 1 Cor. 6. 20. He hath bought us with a price And shall wee thus w Deut 〈◊〉 6. requite the Lord Besides We should consider what great things God hath done for us by this Parliament Consider what God hath done for us wee were sold to our enemies to be destroyed but God hath saved us wee were in extreme bondage but God delivered us wee cryed for a Parliament and God hath given us a Parliament and not onely a Parliament as our enemies plotted and hoped to destroy us but a delivering Parliament a Religious Reforming Parliament for so indeed it is the bent and sense of this Parliament is to set us free and to reforme things amisse both in the Church and in the Common-wealth God hath given us a Parliament miraculously like Moses to give us good Lawes and God hath given to them as to Moses a holy Assembly like an Maron to helpe forward the worke of God What could wee have asked of God that God hath not given unto us Wee cryed out against the encrease and growth of Idolatrie among us and God hath taken it away wee cryed out against Superstition and a Popish Liturgie and God hath freed us of all wee cryed for freedome in the use of holy Ordinances and God gave it us Many other burthens and pressures under which wee lay God hath freed us from It is our owne fault that we want any thing by this Parliament if yet wee lye under any pressure it is our owne faults because wee are unthankfull to God for all hee hath done and remaine still impenitent under such personall sinnes for which God was and is still angry with us so that indeed and in truth wee have nothing to complaine of but of our sinnes x Jer. 5. 25. which have with-holden good things from us and trouble the Parliament in the progresse of the worke of our full deliverance Wee all desire peace to enjoy the blessings wee have and yet wee contend and warre one against another but wee seeke not for gracious hearts to be humble and thankfull to God for what hee hath done for us but wee like Jesurum y Deut. 32. 15. wax fat and kick God hath given us more then wee could aske and wee grow wanton wee loath the food of Angels the z Psal 78. 2● Manna that i● given us from Heaven and lightly esteeme of Christ the a Exod. 6. 14. Rock of our Salvation With how much lesse would wee have beene contented within the space of seven yeares past then wee now enjoy except the Warres which our sinnes hold up and yet wee are lesse contented now then when wee had not the twentieth part of that wee now enjoy and might have yet more if wee would humbly aske it of God or accept it from God but wee will doe neither so ingrate and evill wee are Wee complaine of oppression and yet wee encrease it by our contention and quarrels wee would have peace but wee encrease strife wee would have the worship of God setled but wee oppose God in the way and meanes that hee hath appointed to settle it wee will not have Moses nor Aaron to be any Rule to us wee say they take too much upon them b Num. 16. 3. and all the Lords people are holy c. Nothing will content us We seek to bring Gods word to our fancies not to have our judgements guided by Gods word but what wee our selves or rather our fancies shall choose wee will wear● no Coat but what is shap'd by our selves nor will wee forsake any sinne but what wee our selves will call sinne every one will have his owne way to worship God and every one will have his owne sinne to dishonour God what is this but confusion

without fraud and keep nothing backe for it is the Lords offering will a man rob God yet ye have robbed me in offering 〈◊〉 the Lord x Mal. ● 8. but consider what followeth ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole Nation y Verse ● Annanias Saphirah were both stricken dead for keeping backe but part of that which themselves intended to give z Acts 5. 3. and shall it not faire much worse with them that keep back that which others give to God and the Kingdome Let the covetous man also leave his covetousnesse and become liberall and give to them that want Let the oppressor take heed that he oppresse not especially oppresse not the affl●cted in the gate for God will plead their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoyled them a Prov. 22. 23. Oppression is a crying sin and God will heare it b Iam. 5. 4. Oppression saith the wise man maketh a wise man mad c Eccl. 7. 7. it drives him violently to a damning sinne and then it torments the wound is most intollerable where the sense is most perfect therefore let every wise man abhor it A wise man that will be an oppressor destroyeth his wisedome and himselfe Nor let the ambitious man seek after honour but strive to be humble seeke God and his glory and God will make him honourable d 1 Sam. 2. 30. Let all those that are souldiers be carefull to follow the precept given them by Iesus Christ Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsely and be content with your wages e Lu. 3. 14 In like manner let them that are seduced in judgment seek peace and unity and follow the exhortation of the Apostle Speake all the same thing that there may be no division among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgment f 1 Cor. 1. 10. And let all that are injured or oppressed consider the necessity of the times and multiplicity of great businesses and patiently bear all that God layeth upon them and commit the revenge of every injury done by men to God g Deut. 32. 35. who will not despise us Only let the injured or oppressed complain in righteousnesse justly to the Parliament Those that are unjustly injured may and ought to complain to the Parliament of those that unjustly injure them and no doubt the Parliament wil right them for they are appointed by God to punish all injustice will assuredly in due time both chastise the oppressor and relieve the oppressed Therefore murmur not nor as many doe repine that the Parliament doth no more and that things go on so slowly but rather admire for so indeed we may all that so muth is done as is at this day and that so great a progresse is made to Reformation and blesse God for it Consider the mighty and many oppositions they every day meete with both open and secret Now in the last place Exhortation to keep the Covenant else wee shal provoke God to more greater wrath let me entreat or rather beseech all you my Brethren that have entered into the League and Covenant in the presence of God with your hands lift up to heaven that you will seriously looke over your Covenant often and consider to what you have bound your selves and take heed lest you neglect any duty promised or doe any act contrary to the Covenant For God who is faithfull in all his Covenants expects faithfull performance from us Examples God is as just as he is mercifull if he have not performance hee will take the forfiture Solomon by the breach of his Covenant with God lost ten Tribes which God rent from his Kingdome h 1 Ki. 10. 1● Saul brake Covenant with the Gibeonites and God sent a Famine in the Land for that sin i 2 Sam. 21. 1. Cursed saith the Lord be the man that obeyeth not the voyce of this Covenant k Ier. 11. 3. Those that sweare falsely in making a Covenant do cause jvdgment to spring up as Hem. locke in the surrows of the field l Hos 10. 4. God hath threatned to send the sword to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant to send pestilence and famine m Levit. 26. 25 26. Consider wee have entered into a brotherly Covenant with our neighbouring Kingdom of Scotland and they with us and wee are now become Brethren not enemies as in times past this is a great mercy from heaven We have cause to blesse God for them they to blesse God for us And if we keepe our Covenant one with the other God will blesse both us and them to all posterities But if wee remember not our brotherly Covenant God will kindle a fire among us n Amos 1. and bring judgments upon us to devour us therefore take heed of harkning to much lesse believing any false calumnious reports raised by a self-seeking faction against our Brethren of that Kingdome we know there is a Hereditary or inherent emulation between some Counties of England and the Scottish Nation who are yet ignorant of the blessing by so happy a union and wee know there are particular contentious men for self ends are uncharitable in their judgment and censures of them our Brethren of their actions They seek to stir up strife Let their sin lye upon their owne heads but let not us partake with them in their sinne but as Christians admonish them and reprove them with meekenesse A wrathfull man saith Solomon stirreth up strife o Pro. 15. 18. And as coales are to burning coales and wood to fire so is a contentious man to kindle strife q Prov. 26. 21. That saying of Solomon is worth consideration A froward man saith he soweth strife and division That is he plotteth to make it grow to a crop in seeming to cast it away he maketh it increase seven times more and greater And a whisperer saith he seperateth chiefe friends It is a dangerous sin to break a Covenant with a heathen man much greater to breake with a Brother Read for this purpose Ier. 34. 18 19 20. verses And I will give those men that have broken my Covenant and have not kept the words of the Covenant which they had made before me when they cut the Calfe in twaine and passed between the parts thereof The Princes of Iudah and the Princes of Ierusalem the Euruches and the Priests and all the people of the Land which passed between the parts of the Calfe I will even give them into the hands of their enemies and into the hands of them that seek their l●fe and their dead bodies shall be for meate unto the foules of the heaven and to the beasts of the earth And to them that have not yet entered into Covenant I say it is our duty to doe it God and the Kingdome ●all upon you to doe it it is your danger that you do it not and may prove your ruine that you stand against it Therefore as I love your soules I exhort you to come in specility that God requireth it of you stead Deut. Chap. 26. verse 10. 11. 12 c. I● you with●●ly 〈◊〉 to joyne your selves with the s●ed of Iacob shame shall cover you and you are in danger to be out off for ever Read Chadiah 10 11 12 13. verses Consider what I have said and the Lord give every m●n understanding in all things q 2 Tim. 2. And incline their hearts to walke humbly and with perfect hearts before God not seeking their own ends nor doing their own works but that we may all seeke Gods glory and doe the work of God as faithful servants to him submitting to his will against our own ●udgments and deying our selves that wee may give all to God from whom we have all and wait with patience Gods time If thus we do let me perish if God destroy not all our enemies and make the deliverance of this Kingdom most glorious and us of one minde and one heart That wee the Brethren of both Kingdomes shall be one as we have Covenanted one with another And as the Lord Iehovah hath promised I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for the good of them and for their Childr●n after them And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them c. Which the Lord grant for the Lord Christ his sake r Ier. 32. 9 10. FINIS