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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93348	Great Britains misery; with the causes and cure. Described first, as it is from the justice of God the authour, who is now in controversie with the inhabitants of the land for sin: especially for eight capitall crimes, all which are aggravated by sundry circumstances. Secondly, the injustice and malice of the instruments of this misery, Satan and his agents: their main aime, and particular ends, moving them therunto. Vindicating, plainly and fully, (by way of answer to severall objections) the lawfulnesse and necessity of raising arms by the Parliament, and kingdom; for the defence of the King, kingdom, religion, laws, and known rights of the subject: against that viperous generation of papists, atheists, delinquents, and licentious men, who have at once invaded all. ... / By G.S. Gent. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1643 (1643)	Wing S4037; Thomason E250_4; ESTC R212534	90,980	68

of them that wickedly shed bloud was not shed God punisheth the impunity of murder by murder As Jacobs sons stain'd the coate of their brother Joseph with the bloud of Kids so Brittains sonnes unnaturall brethren stain the garment of the earth with the bloud of men in every place God is provoked to use the sword of wicked men to punish these guilty Kingdomes The sin is made the punishment of the sin and the punishment will turne to sin upon the heads of the Punishers Absoloms sinne of Rebellion and defiling his fathers bed was the punishment of Davids sin yet it was not lesse then sinne in him The The blood of Queen Maryes dayes cry bloud of Queen Maryes dayes is now required which we have not lamented and therefore hath since then cryed against us The bloud of Queen Elizabeths time is not forgiven though some of those bloud-shedders were by Gods hand cut off shortly after who were guilty for the bloud of guiltlesse Essex and at their end some of them acknowledged Gods hand justly was upon them Other blouds of latter times are fallen in with the complaint of the Marian bloud and now must be avenged together The bloud of Germany puts in an Indictment against us for our neutrality the bloud of France pleads accusations The blood of latter times in the three kingdomes cry of treachery the bloud of all the three Kingdoms joyn in one complaint for impunity and treachery Some spilt in wrath others by conspiracy and false accusations some by poyson and other secret plots and some by causelesse Imprisonment c. The blouds of all thus shed complain with one voice that Justice hath been stopped corrupted and prevented The Avengers of bloud roughly dealt with beaten accused and wholly suppressed false evidences hath been admitted and true Testimony cast out The bloud of the poore is heard cry in Gods eares as well as the bloud of the rich the bloud of Princes and people cry and God is come down to see if it be according to the cry and will not respect the persons of men He is come to judge the earth and will do right to all men And now the bloody and deceitfull men shall not live Psa 58. 11. Gen. 18. 25. out their dayes This is the day of the God of Hoasts the day of vengeance in which he will be avenged on all his enemies He now makes inquisition for bloud Psal 55. 23. Ier. 26. 10. Eccle. 8 12. and will spare none when he hath used the rod to correct his people he will cast it into the fire to be burnt Sixtly Drunkennesse the English mother sin and master destroyer of souls The cause of Gods displeasure upon particular men and the whole Kingdom Drunkennes is justly punished and ye● more is threatned as have formerly been observed by many among other judgements upon the grain Barly severall times smitten by drought and wet lesser judgements are warnings and threaten greater if the cause remain but the sin remaines and still raigns and is at this day threatned with greater judgements just answering to the sin Famine is the companion of War and is now entring into the Land hasted forward by an Army of Spoylers worse then the Locusts of Egypt to devour and eat up the fruits of the Land as is threatned for this sinne Weepe and houle ye drinkers of wine the field is wasted the Land Exod. 10. 12. Ioel. 1. 5. 10. mourneth for the Corne is dryed up the abuse of Pl●nty must be punished with want Seventhly Whoredom a common sin of these Kingdomes secretly committed and openly known but not punished if punished it is the poverty of Whoordom is most justly punished the whoremonger not the sin The Noble so by Title have a tolleration by their greatnesse the rest by their money a sin punishable by Gods Law with death yet suffered by men to escape without correction It hath contracted a double guilt upon the Land the guilt of the sinne and the guilt of Impunity God sent the plague of pestilence among the people of Israell for this sinne and 1. Cor. 10. 8 for it he hath sent severall plagues amongst us and smitten many thousands by death but no Phinehas hath stood up to execute judgement Adulterous marriage have been suffered and connived at and strange marriages with strange Numb 25. 7. Nations and strange religions and strange rebellious broods have followed and likely are crept into some of our greatest Families who usurp the names Strange and Adulterous Marriages are like to be some cause of our presens milery and inherit the Lands of those that never got them The old world was condemned for this the sonnes of God took them wives of the daughters of men of all that they would choose and there were Giants in the earth They made strange marriages such as we in England as that between Lord Mount-Joy and Lady Rich that between Lord Car and Countesse of Essex also secret whisperings of unnaturall Sodamy never questioned The sins conniv'd at in this Nation are such as Abimclech durst not commit nor suffer although he Gen. 20. 7. were a man subject to behold beauty with desire What absurdity were it to believe that the Off-springs of such kind of Matches and Broods have produced a generation to punish the Kingdom for this sin of Whoordom and that God should make them Instruments and Actors to aggrivate our misery at this day who set themselves to do mischief and are mocking Ismaels haters of the children of promise as unnaturall as Absolon who abused his fathers bed and Gen. 21. 9. 2. Sam. 16. 22 3. Sam. 13. 14. as Ammon who d filed his halfe Sister We see in nature that the creatures that generate by couples are tender of the good and preservation one of the other the young own the Male and the Male take care of them whereas among those that generate promiscuously the Male never ●●reth for the young or the yong never own him But we worse and more unnaturall then the bruit beast seek to ruine one another the father the son the son the father c. Surely Gods hand is plainly seens in the miseries now upon us answerable to this sin of Whoordom besides the former warnings we have had by lesser judgements That is ●ot he least that God hath a long time been silent which presaged great wrath as he said of Israel I will not visit your daughters when they commit Whoordom nor your Spouses when they commit adultery Impunity betokeneth Hosea 4. 14. destruction and now the dayes of visitation are come these are the dayes of rec●m●ence and England will know it and acknowledge it is justly punished Hosca 9. 7 Fightly Lukewarmnesse in Religion England above all Nations is guilty of this sin never people enjoyed so glorious means of knowledge nor never Lukewarme a great sinne and justly punish'd had any people more

●sa 55. 1. 314 of Judas so we may say of them they take counsell with us they eat and drink a our table c. and we have trusted them with our neerest secrets it is with us as once with Jerusalem among all her lovers there was none tocomfort her all dealt treacherously with her And as our Saviour himselfe foretold that a mans foes should be of his own houshold meaning as I conceive Lam 1. 2 Mica 7 6 M●●● 11. 30 those that professe to be his Desciples as well as of a domestick Family such as take upon them to preach Christ that they shall be his greatest enemies as we have seen and find at this day in Bishops Deans and the multitude of corrupt Clergy and Minster-mungers haters of hollinesse hellish Sophisters pretend to preach Christ while they by all their power set up Anti-Christ the Apostle hath long before told us that in these last times it should be so that some should depart from the Faith and give heed to the Doctrine of Devills Be lovers of themselves covetuous boasters proud blasphemers without naturall affection despisers of them that are good having a Forme of 2 Tim. 2. 3 5. 4. c. godlinesse but denying the power thereof And thus of the matter and forme of Great Britains misery The finall cause of it is two fold First as it is from God the Author secondly The finall cause of great Brittains misery is two-fold first from God as it is from men the instruments As it is from God it is also twofold for the good of his children and to destroy his enemies All the afflictions calamities and miseries that God brings upon the godly are for their good All things work together for good to them that love God our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Rom 8. 29. eternall weight of glory First by afflictions God makes them examine themselves 1. Cor. 4. 17. for sin thus David did thus the Church did search and try and turn 1. Sam. 22. 1. Lam 3. 40. to the Lord affliction prepares the heart for grace and advanceth to glory Secondly it weaneth them from the world makes them contemne the vanities of the world which before they liked David saith it was good for him Psal ●19 Verse 67. 71. that he is afflicted before I was afflicted I went astray 3. By it God tryeth their ●aith and patience as he did Job every grace is exercised which else lies dead in Iob 2. 6. Heb 11. 17. Iob. 34. 63 them not known to themselves nor to others 4ly By it God corrects them for sins past and brings them unto better obedience that they may live after the will of God not after their own lusts In a word God afflicts the godly 1. Cor. 11. 32. 1. Pet. ● 7. 1. P●t 4 2. for their Reformation they are purged by it from their sins as gold is purified in the Furnance of Fire when thy judgements are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse The afflictions of the godly are Esay 48. 10. P●●● 12. 6. Pro 17. 3. Es●y ●● ● not punishments they are but shews of punishment shewing onely what they deserve not inflicted as they deserve their present affliction is their hell and it lasts at the longest but for terme of life afterward cometh joy and everlasting happinesse as the Apostle teacheth Henceforth is layed up a Crown God afflicts his children in love shewing what they deserve not afflicting them as th●y deserve 1. Tun. 4. 8. of Righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give unto all them that love his appearing Now for the ungodly and wicked it is not so with them for all afflictions to them are reall punishments and as Mr. Calvin observes are but the earnest of Gods wrath and beginnings of their everlasting misery hasten their ruine and destruction wicked men in all their afflictions either run farther from God or seek to unlawfull means for help as Saul did or seek unto God Gods afflicts wicked men in anger 1. Sam. 28. 7. 1. King 21. 27. Hosea 7 14. Esay 1. 5 Deut. 6. 15. D●ut 28. 65. 2. Sam. 17. 23. Math 27. 3. Exod 14. 7. with fained affections and with hypocriticall hearts as Ahab did but they forsake not ●heir sin they howle upon their beds but in hypocrisie while the judegement is upon them for they still rebell against God the Lord complaineth of them thus Why will ye be striken any more ye will revoult more and more And so they hasten destruction till Gods anger be kindled and he destroy them from the face of the earth yea themselves in their afflictions to ease their bodies send their soules by their own impatient hands presently to hell as Ahitophell and Judas and Pharoh who were more hardened by afflictions and grew more enraged against God and Gods people and so hastned their owne ruine Secondly the finall cause as it is from the Devill and his Iesuiticall Faction The finall cause of Brittains misery as it is from the Devil men Iob 1. 11. Luke 22. 31. Pet. 5. 8. Iob. 2. 2. the instruments it is nothing but the utter subversion of our holy Religion and replantation of Popery the overthrow of Laws and Liberties and introducing an Arbitrary Government for Satan and wicked men hate the godly and seek by all means to destroy them As for Satan he compasseth the earth and walketh continually too and fro in it turning every stone to worke molestation and mischief to the faithfull And for wicked men though their chief Ayme be that which I have spoken yet they have also other particular ends of their own especially in this present destroying and seditious war and their ends are divers according to the divers affections and inclinations But all in general dis-affect holinesse naturally and therefore all take part against Wicked men hate holinesse and holy men religion and laws and desire their destruction that maintaine or practise either and associate themselves with those that seek to overthrow them this is the first end and onely moving cause in Jesuits Papists Bishops and others Popishly affected of this war and misery Observe first how they used all hellish policy for divers yeers before this Parliament began to keep off all Parliaments Contempt of Parliaments and to bring them out of use that so the laws might dye by a poysoning death and by degrees perish And that our Religion might not out-live our Laws which indeed it cannot probably they had a poyson to destroy it secretly and hypocritically under a fair pretence of Gods honor to setle Conformity Iohn 19. 7. and Order in the Church and by their policy and power corrupted the Courts of Iudicature Then by their own law among themselves punished Fined Imprisoned and Banished all true sound Protestants zealous for God

owne cause and his servants working his worke and in his owne time will make their worke prosperous in their hands as he did to Nehemiah Nehe. 6. 15. 16. Thirdly God hath afflicted Britaine for these sinnes and a multitude of other transgressions and doth still continue to afflict us for our impenitencie but it is observable that he whips us because he would convert us and yet he preserves us from destruction because he would not totally destroy us therefore hath wonderfully discovered the Plots of the enemie and blasted their bloody designes when they had prepared them as they thought ready to destroy us former mercies are engagements of future deliverance hence I conclude from the confidence of Manoahs wife when an Angell had told her she should beare a 1 Sam. 17. 37. sonne that should begin to deliver Israel her husband seeing the Angell assend Iudg. 13. 22 23 up in the flame sayd we shall surely dye because we have scene God if saith she the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have shewed us these things Fourthly I finde by all Stories Divine and Humane that ever I read that before God destroyed a people or Kingdome he hath taken away his Prophets Iudges and righteous men or they have beene rarely found or else he hath taken Esay 57. 1. Exod. 32. 10. Ier. 7. 16. Ier. 14 11. off their affections and spirits from prayer for that people or Kingdome I confesse this hath in part beene made good to England some have beene over awed their mouthes stopped some banished others destroyed and many forced to flie to other Countries for shelter Yea the two Fountaines of Religion and holinesse as well as the Courts of justice were exceedingly corrupted all which presaged a storme comming and now it is come But consider Gods Isay 1. 26. Ministers are restored increased and many returned from their Exile righteous Iudges are set up and good men put in Authority The affections of the godly and that of many thousands are moved with zeale to God exceedingly and their hearts stirred up to earnest constant prayer and unwearied labours have seene some gracious returnes of their prayers and fruit of their labours and waite Mica 7. 9. by faith with patience till the Lord plead their cause and execute Iudgement for them Besides notwithstanding the corruption of the fountain God hath from thence produced pure streames planted fruitefull vines in his Orchard When were more young able godly Ministers in England then now When were men stirred up with zeale for God to lift up their voyces like Trumpets to tell Israel Esay 58. 1. Act. 4. 36. 1 Thes 5 14. Psal 147. 1. Esay 8. 11. c. Esay 10. 14. vers 15. 16. her transgressions and Iudah of her sinnes When were more sonnes of consolation to comfort the feeble minded But if God graft new siens and plant young Vines in his Vineyard he is not about to destroy it but rather to gather his own together that he may destroy the wicked by themselves Fifthly no story of any age or people can give a president that ever God destroyed an humbled praying people notwithstanding the irreligiousnesse of a multitude of godlesse men amongst which they live whom God can cut off Mat. 13. 30. some other way or reserve to greater wrath but if a considerable number of repenting reformers have beene found God hath for their sakes spared such a people or Nation therefore this Church and Nation Onely we must consider Tim 2. 19. God lookes for a greater number in Great Britaine than in any other Nation or Kingdome God would have spared Sodom for ten righteous sake yet seven Luk. 12. 48. Gen. 18. 32. 1 King 19. 18. thousand in Israel was too few although God tooke notice of them all and surely twice seven thousand cannot save England but if those in England who have given their Names to Christ be found to be truely repenting praying and reforming their evill wayes with resolution to perseveere undoubtedly England 2 Chro. 7. 14. Iohn 17. 19. shall be saved for their sakes The example of Judea and Jerusalem in the time of Josiah nor the present condition of Germany are no objections of validity against this truth except we resolve to cherish our base lusts seeke our private ends love our selves so as to neglect God and the meanes he hath in mercy freely 1 Chron. 28. 9. ult given us to save us this is to forsake God and then God will forsake us and cast us off for ever and it shall be said of England as once of Babel we would have Jer. 51. 9. healed Babel and she would not be healed c. 6ly Although for these sins now raigning in this Kingdome namely Idolatry prophanation of the Sabboth oppression c. God hath destroyed whole Kingdomes layd them mast and given up his owne people with the wicked into his Ier. 24. 5. enemies hands Yet you must consider it was when generally or wholly the people were willing to yeeld to such sinnes as it was before and instantly after Iosiahs time Besides when those men so given into captivitie have beene sold Dan 6. 6. verse 23. 24. Esth 8. 7. Neh. 4. 8. c. Nehe. 6. 15. 16 1 King 18. 24. to destruction and appointed to slaughter by their enemies maliciously to destroy the Church of God God hath for his owne Names sake given them a glorious deliverance much more will he deliver at this time being now invocated on both sides and called to be Iudge of the truth as in the time of Eliah Yet I say not but England is punished for these sinnes and may be brought very low and into great straights because of unbeleefe lukewarmenesse and impenitencie before she see a full deliverance which if it be so the fault is our owne Hos 13. 9. Seventhly it hath beene usuall with God when admonitions have beene rejected and easier chastisements slighted to lay great and heavie Iudgements upon Deut. 28. 29. his owne people and of long continuance and in these Iudgements to take away many of his children till his people returne and earnestly seeke God and till Hos 5. 15. Ezek. 5. 13. the time of his indignation be accomplished great sinnes and long continued in bring great and long Iudgements except there be proportionable humiliation to prevent it but glorious deliverance to Gods people will come and wonderfull Deut 7. 23. destruction to their enemies will be seene to all the world and assuredly deliverance will come to Britaine if we waite by faith and patience with diligent use of the meanes without murmuring at the miscarriages and accidents in things failing of men or Armies confided in or be discouraged at the seeming unprosperous successe of our Armies or the successefull enterprises Psal 73. 18. Psal 76. 10. of the enemie in all which God hath a secret way of providence and will make to the manifestation of his glory Nor let any man thinke that he shall be delivered by another mans faith and repentance or escape by other mens cost and industry for although enlargement come and the Kingdome be delivered yet Esth 4. 14. the unbeleeving and mammonist may be cut off before or after Consider what became of that great Lord on whose hand King Iehoram leaned because he beleeved not the Word of God Besides at the great day of account Christ may say to such ● King 7. 17. I know you not depart c. You that were not with me were against me Therefore let every one conscionably doe his owne part and duty and then depend Mat. 25. 40. 41 Mat 12. 30. upon God for a glorious and comfortable deliverance which God grant for his Names sake But there are foure evills that exceedingly hinder the worke of Britaines deliverance which must be removed Two concerne private men two concerne the Publicke Magistrate the evills in private men are first neglect of selfe-examination every ones not judging and condemning his owne sinne Secondly our forwardnesse and rashnesse to censure and condemne the faults miscarriages or neglects of others Parliament Armies Commanders c. whom we are bound to pray for as they are the Instruments of God for our good The evills in the publicke Magistrate are first not clensing Gods Armies of knowne Achans who seeke the wedge of Gold and the Babilonish Garment these Iosh 7. 11. 12. hinder God from going out with our Armies cause the mouthes of ill affected men to be opened against our just cause and discourage many well affected people and is an occasion Why our Armies turne the backe upon the enemie secondly the nourishing of flattering Zibas and traiterous Iudasis who take pay of our money are maintained in excesse and riot at our costs while the common Souldiers want necessaries yet like Iudas betray our cause and sell us for gaine Let us pray and our Parliament and Generalls endeavour to have these evills removed And God will be seene to goe out with our Armies and will undoubtedly worke our worke for us save our King and destroy his and our enemies Let all Glory be given to God FINIS

continuance of this Parliament was the chiefe for the further redresse in things and causes of the kingdomes grievances which else we could not but thinke would quickly have returned to the former evils as we know Petition of Right never observed things did formerly notwithstanding the Petition of Right granted by the King and accepted by the people with great joy and thankfulnesse Yet his Majesty through that wicked counsell hath not observed it What assurance or hope can we have of the continuance of any of the rest to enjoy them any longer then this seeing this is all the security we have for them And this which was one of the last enacted is the first assaulted for if the King may or can breake this he may or will deny us all the rest if such a wicked malignant counsell be still suffered Therefore we have good cause to beleeve that that counsell consented The passing of the Bils of publike benefit in this Parliament but a trap to catch the people to make themselves destroy the Parliament and all Lawes together to the passing of such Statutes onely to insinuate into the peoples affections to blind their eyes with a shew of reformation because they well knew that the heavy burdens and intolerable oppressions that lay so newly upon the backe of the Subjects had imbittered their hearts and enraged the spirits of the people which the passing of those Acts they thought would mitigate that by such meanes they might seduce the people and draw them as they have done to joyne with them against the Parliament that so they might make them instruments to undoe themselves and to destroy all other Acts and the whole Lawes for by this way they have taken they may and meane to destroy all as well as this one for all hangs upon this He that sees not or that will not beleeve that this is their purpose is desperately blind and malitiously wilfull Nor doe I charge the King in these things although it be our greatest misery that his Majesty is thus misled to his own Majesties prejudice and his Subjects ruine we know Kings themselves cannot erre but Kings see with other mens Kings see hear speak and act by other men and are often abused in counsels to the prejudice of their people Dan. 6. 4. 14. eyes heare with other mens eares speake with other mens tongues and act by other mens hands All Kings are guided by counsell Nebuchadnezzar was ruled by his counsell and intrapped by their subtilty to signe a Decree against Daniel which he intended not Ahashuerus was perswaded by the counsell of wicked Haman to signe a Decree against the people of the Jewes under a faire pretence as the wicked counsellors to our King have done and beleeved the counsell to be very good there was a shew of profit which Kings love and a shew of conformity and order a thing very good and desired by Esther 3. 8. 9. all good men Now the King Ahashuerus could not imagine that Haman would betray the life of his Queene who had done no harme to any nor of Mordecai who had saved the Kings life King Rehoboam would not give an answer to his peoples petition till he was advised by his counsell and therein he did well But he did not well to reject the counsell of the old grave counsellors 1 King 12. 8. and follow the counsell of young gallants brought up with him in his youth Now we may thinke it was his affection to the persons of the Flatering counsell seeke their owne advantage not the Kings good men that caused him to harken to their counsell and it is flattery in such men to give such counsell as they know will best please Kings because they seeke honour to themselves not good to the King or revenge upon them they hate though the hazzard the Kings prejudice When Ahab had but a desire to Naboths Vineyard and was denied Jezabel thought that desire warrant enough for her to use the Kings name and his Seale too and to send to all the Elders Nobles and Citizens in the City of Naboth and they all as ready to obey whatsoever was the desire and command 1 King 21. 8. of a Queene because she as the counsellers that rule our Soveraigne puts a very faire pretence upon her bloudy designe as different from her intentions as God is from the Devill the commands a religious fast to be proclaimed and the man that she meant to destroy she pretends to honour Set Naboth saith Verse 〈◊〉 she on high above all the people and that all may passe under pretence of justice and Law Naboth must be accused before all the people and his accusations Verse 13. testified upon oath and he must be accused of no small crime no lesse then treason not onely against the King but blasphemy against God Naboth See Verse 1● did blaspheme God and the King Gods name is ordinary abused in such bloudy treacherous designes that the shew of holinesse may cover the bloudy designes and all the multitude are ready and forward not onely to Verse 11. beleeve but to act such wicked commands Thus we see Kings have beene misled and wicked things have beene committed under a shew of good and pretence of Religion God hath in great mercy discovered letters written to the great City of Letter Commission sent to London to act bloudy slaughters London the City of our Naboths and Commissions under the great and Royal Seale to effect as bloudy and cruell designes as that of the Counsellours of Nebuchadnezzar against Daniel or that of Haman against Mordecai or of Jezabel against Naboth not onely to have destroyed one Daniel one Mordecai one Naboth but many yea all our Daniels all our Mordecai's all our Naboths and grave faithfull Counsellours of the kingdome and under the notion of defence of the Protestant Religion the Priviledges of Parliament and the knowne Lawes of the kingdome none of which are in the least manner opposed but by them that protest to doe all these bloudy and barbarous cruelties under pretence of defending them I know not what Princes Counsellours or Captaines have consulted to plot this wicked designe what Hamans what Jezabels But I know God hath discovered it and I dare pronounce from the mouth of God who ever they be they shall not prosper Plotters of ●●ca●herous bloudy designs shall not prosper whether they have prevailed with the King to consent to it or whether they have done it without his consent as they have done and daily doe what his Majesty never heard of they have more eye upon his Majesty then his Majesty hath upon his Seale or what passeth under it in his name especially in this time of warre wherein all things are common and men cannot keepe their owne wives from the violent lust and rage of bloudy Cavaliers It is not long since God by his wonderfull providence discovered a dangerous

offensive warre on the contrary party it being against his knowne and confessed truth and our undeniable birth rights which we are in conscience bound to leave free to our posteritie as our progenitors left them to us Our sinfull peace hath beene the cause of this our punishing miserable war Sinfull peace hath caused a punishing war and I see no scruple of doubt but that we may with confidence beleeve that this so just a defensive warre by the blessing of God for whose glory it is will in Gods time establish a true blessed and happie peace I am no Prophet nor doe I assume to my selfe to write any revelations nor doe I rashly through passion vent my thoughts but what I affirme is from a serious search of Scriptures and consideration of Gods usuall dealing with people and Nations grounded upon confidence of Gods promise to his Church and people that repent and turne from their evill wayes which if we of Great Britaine doe the promise belongs to us but we must freely and couragiously use the meanes put into our hands every one in his place to doe his part some fight some pray some feede and cloath the Armies draw out our selves Every one must use his talent and lay it out for God whose stewards all men are willingly to the uttermost for the cause of God if we dye we dye for Christ who dyed for us if we spend our whole Patrimony God is able to double it to us againe if our childrens portions God hath promised to be a father to them we are Gods all we have is Gods he hath but made us his Stewards and it is required that afterward be found faithfull herein is our faithfulnesse to use what he hath trusted us with to his glory to lay it out for him when he calls for it he now calls for our helpe he can helpe himselfe without us but he now tryeth us tryes our love our faith our obedience this is to give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Nam● this is to bring an offering before him Psal 96. 8. with-hold not good from him to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it much lesse with-hold from God what he requireth and Pro ● 27. needeth God hath promised to give men for thee and people for thy life and shall we with-hold from God his owne what we doe for Gods Church and people Esay 43. 4. Psal 6. 2. Math. 25. 45. Math 12. 30. we doe for God our good and our bounty extendeth not to God but to his Church and Saints upon the earth our not helping them is to deny Christ now if we of Great Britaine will indeed reforme our evill wayes earnestly seeke God and diligently use the outward meanes which God hath by the worke of his providence put into our hands I dare from the mouth of God affirme that we shall see a glorious deliverance from our oppression bondage and misery and see a setled peace both in Church and State the Kingdome sreed from tyranny and the Church purged from the Superstitions of Popery Anabaptisme God will if we will give us deliverance and free the state from oppression and the Church from heresies Maca. 41 Antinomianisme Familists and all other erronious Sects to the destruction or conversion of our implacable enemies as is promised to the Church though we seeme as if we had no King and our councells perished and pangs hath taken us as a woman we are in paine and the child of reformation stickes in the birth Now labour to bring forth O daughter of Zion like a woman in danger of life for now thou mayest be delivered and dwell safely and be freed from the yoake of Babylon for the Lord will redeeme thee from the hand of thine enemies Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say let her be defiled and let her eye looke upon Zion they threaten much and promise much to themselves like Rabshakeh 2 Kings 19. 10. 11. 12. and scoffe like Sanballat Nehem●●h 4. 2 3. but they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they his councell for he shall gather them together as the sheaves into the floore and then he will say arise and pursue as Barack pursued the Charriots and Host of Sisera Iudges 4. 16. and as Dodo arose and smote the Philistimes untill his hand was weary 2 Sam. 23. 10. Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion for I will make thy horne Iron and I will make thy See this place in Mica 4. 9 10 11. 12 13. hoofes brasse and thou shalt beat in peeces many people and I will consecrate their gaine unto the Lord and their substance unto the God of the whole earth To me belongeth vengeance and recompence their foote shall slide in due time for the day of their Calamitie is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make haste the Lord shall judge his people and repent himselfe for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left The Lord our Deut. 31. 35. 36 Deut. 7. 9. God he is God the faithfull God that keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him but if we will still retaine our sinnes and breake our Covenant with God he will forsake us and then the Word of our Saviour Christ shall be made good upon us as our fearefull doome Except ye Repent ye shall Luk. 13. 3. all likewise perish or if we withdraw our selves from the helpe of the Lord either in our hands or hearts it is a token of Gods greater wrath and then the righteous though many in the Land shall but like Noah Daniel and Iob Ezek. 14. 20. deliver their owne soules by their righteousnesse We see God in great mercy discovering treasons against the Kingdome and our lives to win us to seeke him We see God in his displeasure against some of our Armies for our sinnes that they are not prosperous and yet his mercy too for he suffereth not his wrath to breake out to the uttermost because he is Psal 78. 38. full of compassion he destroyed them not but would rather that we should repent and live Why will ye dye O house of Israel if we will yet repent and turne Ezek. 33. 11. to God he will surely save us and destroy our enemies Surely the wrath of Psal 76. 10. man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath thou wilt restraine God will have glory by the wrath of wicked men and will restraine wrath against his people Now for further incouragement to repent and to use the outward meanes Sixe motives to repentance of our cure consider these motives first to repentance and to stirre us up thereunto let us seriously consider these six First Gods willingnesse to spare and to deliver us if we will repent and Ezek. 33. 11. turne to him he sweareth

by himselfe that he hath no pleasure to destroy us he shewes it by his patience and preservation else why hath hee so long and so many wayes delivered us from destruction which our enemies had prepared and thought themselves sure of long agoe he hath looked for a man to make up the breach and to stand in the gap for the land that he might not destroy it Esay 63 5. Ezek 22. 30. but found none Secondly consider that there are many righteous men that doe at this time labour to make up the breach and crowd into the gap to keepe out destruction but not enow God seekes for more in England that hath beene so long taught and instructed by God above all Nations therefore be encouraged to thrust in among them and it will prevaile with God at the last let every one make one and the number will quickly be made up and so wrath will be removed from us Thirdly consider God calleth still upon us all he calleth by his Ministers and he calleth by his mercies and he calleth by his Iudgements that he might win some by love others by feare because he hath compassion and would save and deliver us if by any meanes we would be brought to reformation of our evill wayes Fourthly consider God hath by his owne power in mercy to us began the worke of reformation for us to give incouragement to us and to strengthen our faith and hope to beleeve to trust and rely upon him Fifthly consider that if for all this we will not now labour to beleeve repent pray and reforme our evill wayes destruction and damnation will at once breake in and seaze upon us for our wilfull impenitencie and impenitencie is the onely damning sinne Sixthly consider the infallability of Gods promise if we will confesse our 6. Pro● 28. 13. ● Iohn 1. 9 Deut. 7 9 ● Sam. 12. 22. Iohn 24. 20. ● Chro. 28. 9. sinnes and forsake them we shall finde mercy God is a faithfull God and keepeth Covenant and mercy with all them that love him and turne unto him and he hath sayd he will not forsake his people although they have committed great wickednesse if they againe seeke to him and repent but if they continue in their wickednesse and will not turne unto him but forsake him he will cast them off for ever if thou wilt seeke him and turne from thy evill wayes he will forgive thy sinne heale the land and cure all thy misery 2 Chron 7. 14 Ten motives for incouragement to use the outward means of our deliverance in assisting the armies Secondly for incouragement to use the outward meanes of deliverance that God hath put into our hands Consider first that God usually worketh by meanes in the use of meanes wee shew our obedience and carry our selves as men and by our use of such meanes as God offereth to us GOD is glorified by us ● and will glorifie himselfe in prospering such meanes and in the end after the exercise of our patience will give deliverence by that meanes and it shall be seene to be his owne hand working by and in the meanes God requires that men be active and doth not usually give deliverance without the industry of men as we have shewed by the fore going examples of Barak Gideon Mordica Nehemiah c. Secondly consider the many and great blessings God hath already given to very weake and unlikely meanes yet by Gods blessing have beene most prosperous this should incourage us for this sheweth Gods presence with us in the meanes Thirdly consider that as it is the meanes appointed by God so it is for God that we fight it is Gods quarrell maintained by Soveraigne power by the Law of the Kingdome in defence of Gods truth the Gospell of Christ against Popery and superstitious bloody Papists and Atheists it is also in defence of our lives estates and the inheritance of our children and our childrens children to all posterities which if now lost is lost for ever and will be taken from us and from them by oppressing robbers and violent lawlesse men Fourthly consider all other meanes hath beene used and in all humility tendered to his Majestie but through evill councell have beene rejected or entertained treacherously to ensnare and destroy us in our innocencie and we have no other meanes to rest upon but Gods blessing upon this to make our selves free men or yeeld our selves slaves and leave our posterity bondslaves Fiftly consider that if those wicked Councell ours be not by power suppressed having consumed their fortunes in this seditious warre the whole riches of the Kingdome will not serve to make themselves whole and reward the multitude of Cavaliers that have assisted them Sixthly consider that in disserting this cause we shall dissert God and then Esther 4. 14. God will dissert us and it will be to us as Mordica said of Hester If thou at this time withdraw thy selfe though God doe give deliverance and enlargement another way yet thou and thy posterity may justly perish 7ly desperate cures heale desperate diseases and that courage saith Seneca Sene. of Clem. lib. 1. ch 12. that grows from extream necessity is marvelous forcible and who saith he would not hazard that life which he cannot count his owne especially if by such a hazard he may secure himselfe or his posterity after him from cruell tyrannie Eighthly consider the comfortable and incouraging promise of Christ that Mat. 16. 25. Mark 8. 35. Mat 19. 29. he that shall lose his life for Christs sake and the Gospells sake shall finde it but he that will draw backe to save his life shall lose his life againe he hath promised that if we lose Brothers Sisters Father Mother Wife Children Houses Lands or any thing whatsoever for Christs sake he or his shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit eternall life therefore be couragious this was that which incouraged the Iewes wonderfully against the Commission of Calus saying We are ready to dye or to encounter any mis-fortune under hope that God will assist us and for whose honour we feare not to adventure any See Iosep in antiq lib. 18. cap. 11. danger rather then to obey through ●owardlinesse and incurre perpetuall Ignomy and Gods wrath in neglect of his Lawes so as to viol te our Country Lawes and our Religion c. Ninthly consider the severall Proclamations under the Kings Name which whether he know or not declare the resolutions of his Councellors and Cavaliers is not to lay downs Armes till they have fully disolved this Parliament and made a Parliament at Oxford which they may sway to destroy our good Lawes and take away our lives and all we have also to hinder the setling of Church Government till they can compell Popery to be set up and bring over the Irish Rebells to assist them which is now their great businesse in hand therefore if we either love God our selves or our Posterities we

must now bestirre our selves and quit our selves like men Tenthly consider that delayes are dangerous we see what misery many have suffered which might have beene prevented if we had beene more forward to make resistance and not suffered our selves to be deluded by Proclamations and Protestations Besides if we deferre any longer our corne will be destroyed and taken from us with our cattle and all provision and famine will come quickly among us but by our speedy and unanimous resistance we may by Gods blessing quickly establish our peace and happinesse which the enemie unjustly doth annoy I have beene much larger in this discourse then I intended when I first set Pen to paper and now want time and phrase to abreviate it therefore I send it as it is among friends and foes intreating the Reader to excuse all errours or mistakes by haste and accept the uprightnesse of my intentions I will conclude with a story I remember mentioned by Plutarch concerning Marcus Otho who was by the souldiers Elected Emperour of Rome and opposed by Vitilius Cecenna where upon a Civill war began and one battle fought for the Empire the Souldiers pressed Otho to go on and continue the warre assuring him of victory offering him the last drop of their blood in the cause Marcus Otho replyed I account this day more happy to me then the day I was pronounced Emperour seeing your reall affection unto me and I must dow shew it in not sparing my life for the good of my Country this warre saith he is not a warre against Haniball nor Pyrrhus but against the Romans themselves and whether I conquer or am conquered I shall offend my Country I would rather sacrifice my life for the peace and unity thereof which said he fell upon his owne sword this was his love to his Country But God be praised there is no such cause of a warre in Great Britaine nor cause why there should be such an end of it we desire but our rights and are ready to defend and maintaine the Right Crowne Life and Honour of the King to the last drop of blood yet we cannot have peace but his Majestie is pleased to heare wicked Councellors and give them leave to War against us his faithfull Subjects to destroy us though with the hazard of his owne life and Kingdomes which needlessely he hath and doth expose to danger The whole passages of the late Treaty shew the Parliaments desire of Peace so it might be with securitie there is nothing the King desires but they Grant except the delivering the K●yes and strength of the Kingdome and all our lives into the hands of them that thirst after our blood The maine thing of difference is Whether the King by advise of Parliament shall appoint what persons shall be trusted or whether the King shall appoint contrary to Parliaments advise such persons as his Councell shall choose in these times of danger now if this were not to betray the Kingdome our lives and lawes to the hands of destroyers let the world judge especially if we See the Treaty and Letters will but take notice who and what persons they have long since pitcht upon for the chiefe places as is made knowne to us by the letters that have beene intercepted traytors to the State Now the Parliament is bound in Conscience to God and in Faith to the King and Subject to secure the Kingdome the King and Us from Treason therefore we are bound in Conscience to God in faith to the King and to the Parliament to assist the Parliament with our lives and estates to the last drop of blood and the last penny we are worth against all desperate enemies evill councellours and destroying murderers and robbers Seneca saith There is a King among the Seneca in Cl●● lib. 1 chap. 19. Bees and he hath no sting Nature hath denyed it to him because he should not be cruell to seeke revenge nor hazard his life and therefore tooke away his weapon and disarmed his wrath all Kings and Princes saith he ought to consider this excellent example for it is the Custome of Nature to discover her self in little things I might adde other motives but if we looke upon the horrible cruelties of the Rebels in Ireland and consider the rise of that Rebellion set forth in the Parliaments late Declaration that alone is motive enough being in it selfe more horrid and in the consequence much more dangerous to us than that act of the Benjaminites in abusing the Levites Concubine was to the other Tribes of Israel Iudg. 19 25. This being every ones case which we are all bound to vindicate Me thinkes that Declaration from the Parliament is sent through all Britaine like the divided See the Declaration intituled the rise of the Grand Rebellion in Ireland peeces of the Concubine into all the Coasts of Israel and I cannot but say of it as they said of that Consider it take notice and speake your minde Iudges 19. 29. 30. if we have not more reason and juster cause then the Israelites to gather together as one man from all parts of Britaine and resolve never to returne to our owne houses till those miscreants those men of Belial be delivered up to the hand of justice see the place Iudg. 20. 8. 13. and withall consider that place Proverbes 25. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King and the throne shall be established in righteousnesse Now to close up all let me give you some Reasons of my confidence if you thus doe that God will prosper you and give deliverance in his due time to his Church and to his people in this Kingdome and for that take briefely these grounds following First it was the especiall hand of God and his Providence that brought this 7. Reasons or grounds of confidence that God will deliver his Church and people in this Kingdome at this time if we use the meanes before prescribed Iohn 11. 10. 51. Parliament to sit the King was the Instrument and after to establish it for some continuance of time contrary to the expectation of all men and opposite to the long continued purposes and designes of Malignant councellors whom God as strangely infatuated at that time as at another time in another case he as strangely inspired Caiphas to Prophesie that Christ should dye for the Nation Secondly Gods wrath was never kindled against any people or Kingdome but for sinne especially for the sinnes of Idolatry Sabboth-breaking and publike injustice nor hath his wrath continued to desolation but for non-reformation But God hath called this Parliament to purge sinne to overthrow Idolatry to suppresse Sabboth-breakers and to reforme publicke injustice arming them with Soveraigne Authority by his owne power and by the Authority of the King to which worke they have wholly devoted themselves and for that very cause they are at this time so strongly opposed by the powers of hell and earth Therefore God will maintaine his