Christians to the end that their own designes may succeed the better at home they dare not doe any evill to others that good may come thereby unto themselves nor doe they in any sort allow of that distinction which one of M. Marshalls Auditory did make with the approbation doubtlesse of some fellow Members that though evill may not be done to further the private good of any man yet to further the publique Cause it may No the People of God dare not be so wise as to use any meanes but what they may with confidence from the word expect Gods blessing upon for Gods People rest chiefly upon God for helpe they live by saith accounting as M. Marshall saies the Battaile not theirs but Gods whose cause is united to the cause of his people when Asaph saies M. Marshall had laid downe the Churches sufferings Psal. 74. the pulling down of their Synagogues the wasting of their Country the reproach and scorne cast upon them by their enemies he doth v. 22. 23. interest God in all this From which quotation of M. Marshalls we may also note for our purpose by the way that the pullers downe of Churches the wasters of their Country the casters of reproach and scorne upon their betters are the Enemies of Gods Church and people and so also of himselfe indeed the Psalmist in plain words calls them Gods adversaries Thine Adversaries roare in the midst oâ— the Congregations they set up their Banners for tokens they breake downe the carved worke in thy Temples with Axes and Hammers they have set fire upon thine Holy places and have defiled by casting downe the dwelling place of thy Name yea they have said let us destroy kill slay and destroy them altogether thus have they burnt up the Synagogues of God in the Land Now from this place of Scripture so happily quoted by M. Marshall we learne that the Authors of such actions or expressions may be concluded to be the Enemieâ— of Gods Church and people yea M. Marshall helpes us in this Collection too Pag. 18. of his Sermon where he pronounceth this sentâ—nce They must needs be blessed that serve the Church and he must needs be cursed that deprives it of its dues And who these are that doe so I leave to every mans owne observation to determine 3. The Church and people of God as M. Marshall Pag. 16. inferres unto us are they that maintains the good cause and saies 〈◊〉 when Davids cause was good his adversaries must needs be evill and then he could foretell that they should be ashamed and brought to confusion cloathed with reproach and dishonour who opposed themselves against him which indeed fell out accordingly upon all that pack of Rebells and Traitors that conspired against the Lords Annoynted to pull him from that honour whereto God had advanced him Achitophell hang'd himselfe and a Tree hang'd Absolom and twenty thousand of their followers that did associate with them were slaine in a day And Sheba afterward who trod in their rebelliouâ— steppes against the King had his head severed from his shoulders and therefore M. Marshall was in the right also for that particular And then that we might the better know the good Cause he gives us two markes of it which also may be allowed of the good Cause saies he which is Gods Cause is a noble Cause and a successefull Cause and therein he speakes right for the King For The Kings cause is a noble cause not onely in respect of his Royall selfe whose cause it is and in respect of those Noble Personages that are agents in it but also because it is not for a trifle or a thing of no great Consequent but even for a Crowne which according to Master Marshall's judgement in that place doth enoble the cause the Kings cause sure is for no lesse then for a Crowne and for to keepe the Dominion of three Kingdomes which the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath intrusted him withall He would still hold his Soveraignty onely and immediately from the Lord but they would have him acknowledge his dependance upon themselves and if he would but so farre deny God and debase himselfe as in that manner to worship them they tell him as one did once our Saviour all theâ—e will we give thee or wee 'l make you the most glorious Prince in Christendome but the King like a good Tenant maintaines the right of his true and old Landlord the glorious Lord God therefore his cause is a noble cause 't is Gods Cause and saies Master Marshall 2. Gods cause is a successefull cause in the end or finall issue it will prove so for a while the malignant Church may prevaile against the good and an ill cause may have the better and then that shall be called good falix prosperum scelus virtus vocaâ—ur and the good cause failing in the execution will have the denomination of bad and therefore I beleeve their great Major Crommell was in the right when he said if we prevayle our opposers will be acounted the grandest Traitors to the state that ever were and be used accordingly but if the King prevaile our undertaking will be judged the most horrid and blacke Rebellion that ever the sunne saw If therefore we will judge by the event we must suspend our sentence till all be done the good cause like good men growes illustrious by degrees as the sunne shines more and more bright toward the perfect dayâ— as the waters of Siloe run so doth Gods helpe often come to his people slowly but surely and though successe of late hath in some places favoured the Kings Enemies for the sins sake of us his followers yet I thinke Master Marshall cannot deny if he doth but remember that the King hath thriven somewhat since himselfe went downe with the Army towards Nottingham with this opinion in his heart and these words in his mouth for the incouragement of his Companions that the King might fly from place to place for a little while but there is no remedy he must yeeld and come in at last he cannot possibly withstand our great forces And I doubt not through the the mercy of our stong our just and holy God but in the end Master Marshalls quotation in his 17 pag. from Esa. 44.17 will be evidenced to be true no weapon can prosper that is formed against it the Kings cause and every tongue that rises up in judgement against it shall be condemned Fourthly and lastly we gather from Master Marshall pag. 18. that those who be of the Dragons Army of the Church malignant that have as in pag. 20. their names in the Dragons muster booke are none of the Church or people of God And herein he speaks most truly also But how shall we know who they are Master Marshall like a freind helps us in this too in the same place viz. the later end of the 18 pag. by his quotation of a Scriptures The first is Prov. 30.17 the eye
the sword of Christs mouth which is the word of God is the only weapons ordained to destroy that nor should that be quite abolished from the earth as Learned Divines did hold till the comming of Christ himselfe they told me that all the true godly Divines in England amongst whom they named in speciall M. Marshall were of their opinion that Antichrist was here in England as well as at Rome and that the Bishops were Antichrist and all that did endeavour to support them were popishly affected Babilonish and Antichristian too yea many professed Papists were in our Armies who they said did fight against Christ and Protestant Religion and therefore they thought they were bound in Conscience to fight against them and us that took part with them and in so doing they did but help God against his Enemies I urged them to shew what call or warrant they had so to doe being not Authorised by the King they seemed to inferre a threefold call or Warrant 1. The Command of the Parliament 2. The Example of all Godly and powerfull Ministers leading encourageing and stirring them up thereunto And 3. The Motion of Gods spirit in all Gods people provoking them all with one minde to undertake the same businesse and to confirme all this they alleadged that place Iudg. 5. Curse ye Meroz Curse ye her inhabitants with a bitter Curse because they came not to help the Lord against the mighty And that place Ier. 48. Cursed be he that witholds his hand from bloud And that in Psa. 137. Blessed is he that dasheth the Children of Babilon against the stones And do not you think say they if the Papists prevaile but they will destroy all us do you think they fight for the Protestant Religion I answered no I did not beleeve they did nor did they pretend any such thing but onely to ayde their naturall Liege Lord the King against those that wronged him as in duty being his Subjects they were bound to doe I did not deny but they might secretly ayme at their owne ends too as the King of Ashur did when he was doing the worke of God Esay 10. But God who ruled the world and alwayes defended his true Church would not suffer them to pursue their owne ends any further then should make for his owne praise and his peoples good Then I endeavoured to shew them that those Scriptures which they alleadged were misapplyed by them and did rather make against them but they took me off from that discourse with Mr Marshalls application of them M. Marshall said they doth apply them as we doe in a Sermon Preach'd before the Parliament which we had at Brampton I told them that surely they were mistaken in M. Marshall for though some Weavers and Taylers and Tinkers and Pedlers and such like who were suffered to preach did abuse and pervert Gods word to their own purposes yet M. Marshall who was one whom my selfe knew better then they did I was perswaded had more wisedome learning and honesty then so to doe and much other discourse to this purpose we had togeather insomuch that at last they desired me that I would come againe unto them and pray with them but my occasions carryed me out of the Towne on the morrow that I could see them no more Now behold about the end of Iuly or beginning of August after I fortuned to be in a Booksellers shop in Ludlow where I chanced to see a Sermon of M. Marshalls upon that Text Iud. 5.23 Curse ye Meroz c. which I had either not seen before or not sufficiently observed wherefore reading the same that discourse which I had with the forementioned Prisoners came into my mind and I did conclude that this was the very Sermon which they had alleadged unto me in their owne defence wherefore having by experience seen in part what dammage thereby was already done to simple people and beleeving that others of the like ranke and quality in other places might be by the same as much misled I did apprehend my selfe in the accidentall meeting with this Sermon after such my forementioned discourse to be called by a speciall Providence to set pen to paper to vindicate the Scriptures of God and did thinke it my duty and that I was bound in Conscience being a Minister of God to warne all men of the danger and to discover the snare which is layd to catch and draw them into wayes of Bloud and murder It is true M. Marshall is my deare friend yet Gods truth is more deare unto me yea the least title of that I hope I shall ever esteem more precious then all the friends in the world opposed unto it And I know M. Marshall is an able man and my selfe weake in compare with him yet in the cause of God I am not affraid to take up the Buckler against him I have been bold once already even to provoke him into the publique lists for to justifie his new and most ungospellike way but his Conscience or his Courage would not serve him to answer my letter and therefore I hope that grace is not quite extinguished in him perhaps through Gods blessing if this ensuing discourse come to his hand he may see more of his errour and of the hurt he hath done thereby to others and so maybe awakened to glorifie God and his truth by a self denying recantation my humble prayers are and shall be to God for him that he may so doe And I desire of you all Christian Readers that you would joyn with me in the same prayer for him and also that God would molliâ—ie and sanctifie the spirits of all those of M. Marshals faction who have brought these lamentable miseries upon this now most wofull Nation that they might at length smite their owne breasts and cry O what have we done And thou O great and mighty Majesty of Heaven and Earth who alone canst open the eares of the deafe and the eyes of the blinde cause thou these men to hear that cry of bloud in their owne soules which themselves have shed and to see those calamities with watry eyes which themselves have occasioned charge thou upon their Consciences that high disgrace which they have put upon the meek and loving Gospell of thy deare Sonne And thou O Sonne of God whose Gospell it is defend the honour of the same and make us all to behave our selves worthy the still enjoyment of it even for thine owne merit and mercy sake Amen Amen SCRIPTURE VINDICATED from the Misapprehensions Misinterpretations mis-applications of Mr Stephen Marshall in his Sermon Preached before the Commons House of PARLIAMENT Feb. 23. 1641. upon that Text in Iudges 5.23 Curse ye Meroz said the Angell of the Lord curse ye bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty THis Text as with Mr Marshall so with the rest of the Ministers of his party is of great use
Scripture But before I leave this let me aske my friend M. Marshall a question How if it should be prov'd that his own faction have acted Moabs part and been ill neighbourâ— to People in distresse and these not strangers as Israell was to Moab but of their own Nation and the Israell of God beside who being unjustly cast out of their dwellings not for their sinnes but for their Conscience sake have come to some of them their old acquaintance for shelter hoping to be hidden and covered by their means from the face of the spoyler but they contrary to all humanity have used them as Moab used Israell scorn'd and derided them and made themselves sport at the notice of their miseriâ—s yea have been so farre from hideing or keeping them secret that they have bewrayed and delivered them up into the hand of the Hunters nay what if it should be evidenced that 't is preach'd amongst them as a matter of Religion to betray and discover those that being driven from their naturall possessions do seek for a secret covert against them Nay farther yet suppose it should be evidenced thaâ— themselves have been the outcasters the spoylers the Theeves the Hunters of their Brethren and the murderers of them and so have acted both the part of the Chaldeans and the Moabites too against Israell both of barbarous Enemies and of treacherous neighbours sure it cannot be denyed if Moab for her part alone was justly called by M. Marshall the Enemy of Gods Church but they who exceed Moab so farre must of necessity be yeelded none of Gods friends of what account soever they are in their owne conceits But whether this may not be evidenced of M. Marshalls Faction I referre to the many thousands of banished persecuted â—nd imprisoned Englishmen of all degrees Reverend Fathers of the Church faithfull Ministers Honourable Nobles Worshipfull Gentlemen and Conscientious Christians to determine who within these three yeares last have had experience of their dealings And if it be so then let M. Marshalls owne Conscience conclude in secret who they are that deserve to have the vengeance and curse of God to be powred upon them and thus much for the first of M. Marshalls three Scriptures I now proceed to a second of them which he also alleadgeth in Confirmation of his doctrine his words thereof to his Auditory are these Another place you shall find in Psal. 137.8 9. The daughter of Babilon was there to be destroyed observe now the Epethite which God gives to the Executioners of his wrath against Babilon Blessed is the man that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Blessed is the man that makes Babilon drinke the same cup which Babilon hath made Gods people drinke now he that reads the booke of the Lamentations may find how Babilon had used the Church of God they had broken their bones as a Lion breakes the bones of a Lambe brought their necks under persecution made their skin black like an oven hang'd up their Princes by the hand and which is most of all cruell had dash't their Children against the stones now saith the Spirit of God Blessed is the man that thus rewardeth Babilon yea blessed is the man that takes their little ones and dashes them against the stones what Souldiers heart would not start at this not only when he is in hot blood to cut downe armed Enemies in the field but afterward deliberately to come into a subdued City and take the little ones upon the speares poynt or take them by the heeles and beat out their braines against the Walls what inhumanity and Barbarousnesse would this be thought yet if the work be to revenge God's Church against Babilon He is a blessed man that takes and dashes the little ones against the stones These are M. Marshalls own words concerning his 2d Scripture in which is offered to our considerations these particulars 1. The People to be destroyed 2. The Executioners of this destruction 3. The Epethite given unto them 4. The manner how the same is to be done Of all these briefly and then we will search out that Anguem in Herbâ that quoddam latens or misticall doctrine which is found in this example by those only of that faction and so we shall see how suteable this Scripture is thought not to the text yet to the purpose though not to the doctrine in hand yet to the cause in hand to that great designe which at this time shakes the whole Kingdome unto which Scripture it selfe must be forced to contribute and to afford at least some colourable assistance 1. The people to be destroyed was the daughter of Babilon the Chaldeans of whom we had mention before that ere while were the rod of God's Anger to punish others are now become the objects of his indignation and must themselves be cast into the fire and therefore in their right order M. Marshall did allâ—adge his two Scriptures Every sinner we see hath his time of night as well as of day in this World one after another the Sun did not alway shine upon the Chaldeans it went downe at last and rose no more and such will be the condition of those that have now got the strength and Militia of this Kingdome into their Hands and use it only to the undoing and destruction of their Brethren they will have their turne too when they have finished Gods will upon us who have been and are great sinners against the most High even as Israell of old were and have we confesse deserved more misery at his hand then we can feel from theirs but our deserts in this kind they doe no more ayme to repâ—y in their plagueing of us then their Paralell the Babilonians did in their dealings with Israell it is our conscionable obedience to Gods word and our Loyalty to our Soveraigne which they hâ—te us for if we are for God and the King then Reproach us Plunder us Kill us cannot doe mischiefe enough unto us but if we will be for them though for the Divell also then will they make much of us I will not deny but some of the seduced ignorant vulgar may haply think they doe God service in killing us for so M Marshall and other their Ministers teach them to believe by whose black mouths we also are made more black to their apprehensions then sin or Satan hath yet made us But as I â—aid there will come a time when God will remember them and as he here did Babilon set others to reward them as they have served us 2. The executioners of this destruction were not oppressed Israell who hath been thus dealt withall by the Babilonians no their work whereto they were appoynted by the Lord was to pray for the Babilonians Ier. 29.7 and to seek their prosperity not to dash their Childrens brains against the stones in requitall of the wrongs received by them nor indeed were they any people that had the denomination or took to themselves the name
in all respects so high as that of their Enemies for I beleeve no reasonable man but will confesse that 't is better to be killd out right then to be hackt and hewne about the head and face and to have their hands cut off or at least the sinewes of their right armes all cut in peices deliberately after Quarter promised to the end they may never be able to fight for their King and Country more nor get their â—ivings but live most miserable Cripples all their dayes which is the practice of these cruell and mercilesse men And whereas 't is said where hath there been such cruelty acted yet upon Women and Children I answer that I could name where in a most savage manner they have trampled both Women and Children to death under their Horses feet Perhaps they have not dealt so barborously yet in places neare to their owne associate Counties for feare the spirits of those amongst them who have not yet quite put of all bowells should rise against them and fall off from them And M. Marshall doth well inferre unto us that the determinate time of the slaughter of Infants is not till the Cities and Counties be quite subdued but when they shall afterwards come and with deliberation look into the places themselves have conquered then O then must the massacre of our tender Infants be then must they be pricked upon the swords poynt to speake in M. Marshalls phrase or else have their braines dashed out against the walls Indeed should this extreame barbarousnesse be acted sooner it might be greatly to the weakning of their cause and therefore M. Marshall I beleeve is in the right in setting downe the appoynted time which doubtlesse did fall from his pen unawares to himselfe God did suffer him a knowing man in secrets of that nature to hint unto the Kings friends and Loyall Subjects what they must expect shall be the portion of them and their posterity if these men prevaile that so they might timely beware of them and prepare to defend themselves against them God give us hearts to take a right notice Amen But I returne This being evidently M. Marshalls meaning that all we who are not of their Faction must be understood to be Babilon and therefore to be destroyed root and branch our selves and Children Then also on the other side if the Paralell be perfect M. Marshall yeelds his side who must doe Execution upon us and upon our Infants to be the Heathenish Medes and Persians who shed bloud onely to inrich themselves to enlarge their Territories and to domineere over others they are not the Church or people of God for the Church which had been so evilly handled in Babilon did not undertake to punish her the Psalme tells us that her part was onely to weep and mourne under her burden nor indeed as was noted before did God ever imploy her to revenge her selfe Israell was to live in subjection quietly in Babilon and to pray for the Peace of the Country This I say is in speciall to be noted from M. Marshalls Paralell whom he yeelds his Faction to be if we be Babilon And then also let us heare call to mind what we were bid before to remember Namely that ere while when Babilon was on the rising hand and to shed the bloud of Moab then these men must be Babilon themselves and they thought they should be under the Curse if they did not act her part but now Babilons time is come that her bloud must be let out we must be Babilon another while for they will be in her Coat no longer they must still act the part of Executioners Good God what Tigers bloud did these men suck Well but since we must be Babilon and drinke of her cup yet according to the Scripture alleadged our punishment ought to be but answerable to our sinne we should be rewarded but as we have served Gods people Now therefore let M. Marshall shew when and where our gratious King His Nobles Gentry His Reverend Bishops and Learned Clergy have acted any such bloudy cruelties against the people Church of God that should merit such a retaliation as M. Marshall hath proportioned out for them whose bones have they broken whose Children have they murdered what barbarousnesse or inhumanity in this kind have they at any time perpetrated nay which of them as M. Marshall himselfe hath here done did ever stirre up to the acting of such things Hath not this Kingdome been the Asylum to the persecuted flock of Christ when they have fled out of all the neighbour Nations hath not the Bosome of our Religious Soveraigne been alwayes open to receive them hath not the wing of his Protection been spread to shelter them And hath not our envied Nobility and Gentry our hated Bishops and now despised Clergy manifested the tendernesse of their Bowells in affording reliefe to Forreigners and Strangers whom they saw in misery hath not the blessing of those that were ready to perish came frequently upon them I referr these things to the testimonies of those thankefull and humble people whose spirits have been refreshed with our English Bounty And O thou God of Heaven who knowest the secrets of all hearts and wayes though thy servants who are now persecuted under the Notion of Babilonians and turned out of those their possessions wherein thy hand did place them have done nothing for thine afflicted Church and people but what thine owne mercifull and loving spirit did provoke them unto nor did they give them any other reliefe then what thy selfe didst first give them to bestow so that of thine owne hand they did receive what they have distributed to thy people yet be thou witnesse for them against their Enemies remember them concerning these things and wipe not out the good deeds which they have done for the House of God But perhaps I shall be answered as I have often heard some of that side say that the bloud which was shed by the Popish Bishops in Queene Maries dayes with the approbation of them that sate in the Throne and of the Nobility and Gentry is not yet expiated and the guilt thereof still runs in the veines of their Posterity specially in the Hyerarchy which together with Monarchy upholding the same doth make up the perfect body of Antichrist now these whom wâ— oppose being the supporters of and welwillers to the same are all Antichristian Babilonians and therefore all the bloud which their Fore-fathers have shed is to come upon the Heads of this present Generation and must be required of the same this is the Answer to which I thus reply Our New state-men for want of matter to quarrell at neare at hand can fetch it a great way off So one of their Learned Ministry an Essex man arguing against my selfe maintaining as my duty was the innocency of my Soveraigne and the uprightnesse of his cause told me that he thought and his thought though it was simply his yet not
many desolate Widdowes pale and wan wringing their hands and continually lamenting the losse of their dearly beloved Husbands whom you have exposed to destruction Behold yonder a raging Father from whom you have violently taken the staffes of his Age ready to send out his soule after the soules of his Children murdered by you O know it that the Curses of Brothers Friends Mothers and Fathers Widdowes and helplesse Children are all throwne upon you in the bitternesse of their spirits and thinke you that Heaven will be ever dull to such motives O remember I beseech you at length remember and let M. Marshall that unhappy instrument of provoking to this unnaturall Warre remember too that speech of God to Cain Gen. 4.10 The voyce of thy Brothers bloud cryes unto me from the Earth and no sooner the cry comes but the curse followes in the next words now therefore thou art Cursed from the Earth and immediatly after a Vagabond and a Runnagate shalt thou be on the Earth Or at least let M. Marshall remember his owne doctrine that Babilon must drinke of the same cup that she hath made Gods people to drinke of And let him consider that if he and his Faction be found to be Babilon according to their bloudy doings or intentions in Gods account then their little Children and M. Marshalls among the rest by some desperate Ruffians whom for his sinne God may permit shall be pricked upon speares poynts or have their braines dashed out against the walls which barbarousnesse and inhumanity from his Children I beseech God in mercy to divert by giving to him their Father the grace of true repentance and a spirit to recant his erroneous and bloudy doctrine And so I come to his third Scripture whereupon I shall be but briefe because in the same he is not so extravagant as in the two former It is taken out of Mat. 25. v. 33 34 c. where the day of Iudgement is described and the manner of Christs proceeding then And the thing which M. Marshall noteth thence for his purpose as he taketh is That the reward or punishment I use his owne words shall then be dispensed to all men as they did or did not help and succour Gods Church and people in time of need to the one side come ye blessed receive the Kingdome prepared for you for you visited my Church when it was sick you gave meat to my Church when it was hungry you gave my people drinke when they were thirsty you took them in when they were strangers you cloathed them when they were naked you came to them when they were in Trison in as much as you have done it unto these even unto one of these you have done it unto me Let us here observe by the way before we proceed that the blâ—ssing shall not by M. Marshalls own confession be pronounced unto them that did put the Church into a destructive sicknesse or did persecute those that would have visited her and used means for her recovery nor yet to them that took away from the Members thereof their meat drink and cloathing which God in his provident goodnesse had bestowed upon them 't is not said come ye blessed and receive the Kingdome to them that had turned the Church of God out of her possession that had cast the Ministers thereof into Prison that did banish persecute and Plunder all that lov'd the Church or had sent reliefe unto her in her comfortlesse and starved condition And therefore upon what grounds Mr Marshalls fâ—ction can expect come ye blessed and receive the Kingdome should be spoken unto them I cannot see Indeed their patience will not give them leave to stay for to receive a Kingdome till Come ye blessed be pronounced they will have a Kingdome at their disposall before hand though it cost the lives of an hundred thousand men nor shall Christ need to prepare a Kingdome for them who contrary to his word will if they can provide one for themselves in this world which will be more suteable indeed to their spiritâ— then that other can be which Christ speaks of and lyes indeed in a world to come But to proceed with M. Marshalls quotation on the other side saies he Christ shall say Goe ye cursed Why are they cursed I was hungry and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drinke I â—as a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not verely I say unto you in as much as ye did it not to one of these little ones ye did it not to me as if the Lord at the great day did takâ— notice of nothing but what the Carriages of all people have been to or against his Church and Children thus M. Marshall And indeed he speaks well at that great day God takes notice of nothing so much as of the carriages of People to or against his Church and Children and therefore doubtlesse if Go ye cursed shall be said to those that have omitted these duties of Charity to Christ in his Members when he was Hungry Thirsty Naked a Stranger and a Prisoner then those that have put Christ into that Condition that have made him Hungry Thirsty Naked a Stranger and a Prisoner shall never scape the Curse wherefore let M. Marshall and all his faction with him look over his quotation againe before they make application of it And let all men else look over it too before they enter Covenant to help or assist these men for if these shall be found in Gods account to be none of his Church and People but rather the Enemies and the ill users of them and shall for the same have Goe ye Cursed pronounced upon them I doe believe that those who have assisted them or associated with them shall be bound up with them in the same Curse and still keep them Company But perhaps some may here marvaile that M. Marshall should alleadge a Scripture which seems so cleerly to exâ—lude his own faction in regard of their conditions out of the state of blessednesse and to involve them under so great a Curse In way of Answer to this I will tell you what I have a long time observed in some Ministers of M. Marshalls faction and neer acquaintance though for himselfe I must confesse I never unlesse now saw any cause to suspect him guilty thereof but before this Rebellion began I have alwaies and in all things observed and found him for my part and thereupon judged him to be a most Honest faithfull sincere hearted plain dealing man but I say I have observed it in some others that it was their Custome to Preach most often such doctrines and to quote such Scriptures aâ— those who best knew them did conceive were most directly against themselves and to propound such lessons for others learning aâ— themselves were farthest from in their own practice for example the most proud of them
the Church are and sympathize with them inquiring wherein they may be helpefull and then he shews well that somewhat must be done to God for it and somewhat must be done from God for it Somewhat must be done to God for the Church and that it saies he we must pray for it for God hath not promised to do any thing without prayer but he will do all things by it and herein to the shame of many that pretend themselves for the King I must needs say they are most extremely and most Atheistically defective His Sacred Majesty in the piety of his spirit and confidence in God hath strictly commanded fasting and prayer yet what is there practiced in many places by many people on that very day but drinking and swearing yea and by some that should give better example playing at Cards How empty are Gods houses and how full are Alehouses But good Lord lay not this sinne to the charge of thine Annoynted or of those that are truly and conscientiously for him But hence hence it is that the righteous cause lyeth so long in the Sudds for did we pray better our enemies would soone be turned backe this will I do for you howbeit I will be sought unto for it by the house of Israel saith the Lord God And here by the way Master Marshall exhorted his Auditors unto another good duty and that is to prize and esteeme of such as have the spirit of prayer which also is too much neglected by many in some of the Kings quarters for as Master Marshall saies truly to whom I consent to pray is not to read prayers or to say prayers or to sing prayers or barely to conceive and utter prayers but 't is a powring out the soule to God with purity faithfullnesse servency humility and constancy and those that can thus pray are as he well the very Chariots and Horsemen of Israel But alas I say how extremely are such men slighted and scorned by many amongst us insomuch that if injuries or abuses would drive them all as they do too many from the Kings side and from their Allegiance His Majesty should scarce have one praying man in some of his quarters The Rebells by their wicked pretences have brought Religion into such extreme suspicion as that many amongst us who know not themselves what true Piety and Religion meaneth do thinke it impossible as I suppose that any man should be both religious and loyall but let Atheists and prophane men know that our Loyalty is of a better kind then theirs is for it is so strengthend by Religion that all the injuries and reproaches which the Rebells the Divell and themselves together can heape upon us or dart against us shall never be able to enervate or weaken it in us but I returne to Master Marshall who sayes 2ly Somewhat also must be done from God for the Church and that is we must imploy all the gifts and talents which God hath given us in the Churches service they are given us for that end to profit the Church withall 1 Cor. 12.7 and therefore as good stewards of the manifold guifts and graces of God we must dispense them Most true hath God given men wisedome strength or wealth why all these and what ever else they have that may in any thing be availeable they are bound as they will answer it to God at the dreadfull day of Judgement to imploy at this present in the service of their King and Country we thinkes every true Englishman should blush to looke upon any thing which himselfe hath that his Soveraigne wanteth or that may do him any service shall I goe into my house to eate and drinke and lye with my wife saies gallant Vriah when the Arke of God and my Lord Ioab and the servants of my Lord are incamped in open fields So me thinke should every Gentleman every rich man say shall I go in Skarlet while my Soveraigne goes in Sackcloth shall I be richly clad while my Soveraigne is meanely attired shall I have gold in my Chests while my good Soveraigne wants it to buy food to put in to his Souldiers bellies shall I lye soft and fare well while my Soveraigne lodges hard and fares ill yea is hunted up and downe the land like a Patridge upon the Mountaines and is robbed of his maintenance shall my Soveraigne be in my Saviours condition and complaine with him The foxes have holes and the birds of the aire have nests but the King of England hath not where to hide his head and shall I live like that Dives in the Gospell and care for nothing No farre be such things from me I had rather begg with my Prince my naturall Leige Lord if God so please then raigne and domineere with his rebellious Enemies Thus I say me thinke we should all even grutch our selves to fare better then our King or to enjoy any thing which he wanteth or to have any thing in our possession which might be serviceable to farther that righteous cause which His Majesty maintaineth But once againe to Master Marshall who now drawes toward the end of his Sermon which he concludes with an exhortation so the margent calls it to his Right Honourable and beloved Auditors and wisheth that they could heare the Lord himselfe speaking to them in the same language as once he spake to Cyrus and truly I wish the same thing with him for then I hope they might have beene drawne from that bloudy and sinfull way which ever since some of them have walked in For God I am sure would not have spoken to them as Master Marshall hath done But instead of exhorting them he doth fall to commend them you saies he who have heretofore lived at ease injoying the delights of the sons of men have now changed your pleasures for paines your delights for dangers your profits and gaines for expenâ—es c. if they have as he saies beene Changelings in these things I wish they had beene such in nothing else or done no worse but alas they have changed our peace into warre our happinesse into misery they have turned the whole Kingdome upside downe and of a flourishing Country have made it an Acheldama or field of bloud But Master Mashall goes on and tells them such fruitâ— as yours are not brought forth by every plant such plants as you grâ—w not on every ground no God forbid they should the world would soone be at an end then nor had it stood till this day if former ages had produced many such But goe ye on saies he ye nobles and worthyes forget what is behind if the worme of Conscience will give them leave God and his People will never forget it I beleeve they will not for there is too great cause it should be remembred Get the resolution of Zisca that Brave Bohemian Captaine who not onely was willing to fight while he lived but bequeathed his skin when he died to be made a drumme head
in hunting small flyes it is the Royall Eagle whom they spight most as being He who hath most of God upon Him We are but like the Disciples of our Saviour that suffer for our relation and love to him O let us not be like the Disciples in one thing to forsake our Lord to fly from him Since he began to be in his desolate Condition me thinke I have often in my soule heard him speaking to us those words of Christ to his Apostles What will you also forsake me Well we have each of us but one life to loose and we cannot part with it in a more Honourable cause wherein we may gaine more glory to God and credit to our selves Indeed we must resolve upon this and looke for it to be murdered and martyred by these sanguinarious and bloudy men if they can catch us as our Saviour was by the Pharisees and Saduces of his time if we do but as he did stirre against them in detecting their wickednesse and Hypocrisy and the more Holy we be in our lives and the more faithfull to Christ our Master and to the King our Soveraigne the more extreamely strong will their hatred burne against us and the more cruelly will they torture and use us because by our knowne Honesty and sincerity we doe more detriment to their ungodly way in the eyes of people then others doe But we must remember that we are appointed to suffer as well as to preach and to us is given in the behalfe of Christ strength to suffer as well as to beleeve and when Saint Paul was called to be a preacher he was called to be a sufferer I will shew him what great things he must suffer for my sake And if God by our sufferings shall please to reduce the seduced from the pathes of errour we may rejoyce therein if by any meanes we may be instruments to recover soules to Christ it shall be to our eternall gaine and glory at the day of reckoning We are not our owne we are bought with a price Christ bought us of his Fathers Iustice out of the Devills hands with the price of his bloud and to the end that we by our bloud if occasion be might be meanes to redeeme others out of the hands of his strong ones Sanguis Martyrum was semen Ecclesiae of old and must be so againe Let these be our thoughts and by Gods gâ—â—ce we shall not feare what men can doe unto us And now O thou God of Glory for the Honour of thy great and Reverend Name which thou hast beene wont above all things to regard stand by us and helpe us against these men who have defiled thy Temples pulled downe thy Sanctuaries persecuted thy Prophets scandalized thy Goâ—pell perverted thy Scriptures and slandered the footsteps of thine Annoynted endeavouring to cast Him downe from that excellency whereunto thou hast exalted Him and yet do colour all these their ungodly practices with pretences of Religion entitleing thine owne Holy selfe unto all their villanies O our God for thine owne Honours sake looke downe upon them as thou didst once upon those builders of Babel and let not their mischeivous imaginations any longer prosper but let the wickednesse of these wicked ones come to an end Great God and mighty Governour of the world thy servants do beleeve thy Majesty to be most deepely interessed in this cause of thine Annoynted thy wisedome did thinke him to be the fittest of all men to be Ruler over us O maintaine thou the act of thine owne wisedome Thy spirit hath highly inriched his Royall breast with all Gospellike conditions O glorifie in the eyes of men the worke of thine owne spirit Thine Arme hath protected him from many dangers and thy sole power with small helpe hath atcheived for him great Victories O thou that didst never leave any thing unperfect which thou didst begin to take in hand perfect thine owne worke for him resettle him in the Throne of his Kingdom that thy servants may see it to thy glory O let not good Loâ—â— those Heaven-provoking sinns which are committed aâ—ongst us obstruct or hinder thine assistance of him O Remember Remember the greater and more notorious our evills have beene the more evidently will it appeare to be the worke of God when thou shalt bring it to passe Thy word doth informe us that it is not for any thing in thy people that thou dost manifest thy selfe at any time in their behalfe but onely for thine owne great Name O therefore for the sake of that heare us consider us and helpe us Thou art the Saviour of thy People O for that Titles sake leave us not for thine owne goodnesse sake because thou hast beene gracious to us already be thou thy wonted selfe still the same Thou art the Iudge of all the world and thine eyes are in all places O for thy Justice sake when thy servant the King or any of his faithfull Nobles and Subjects invocateing thine helpe in secret shall spread before thee as Hezekiah did the blasphemous expressions reproachfull scandalls or unreasonable demands and propositions which are sent unto them or published against them and against thy Church by the enemies of our peace then looke thou from Heaven thy dwelling place and deale with their bold Adversaries according to thine owne wisedome Thou hast promised us that if we will call upon thee in the time of trouble thou wilt heare us and so heare us that thou wilt give us further occasion to glorifie and praise thee O for that word and promise sake wherein thou hast caused us to put our trust have respect unto us in our Condition and let the light of thy Countenance be towards us yea for Jesus Christ his sake who hath taken upon him to mediate with thy Justice for the pardon of our sinns once againe once againe deare Lord let this poore English Nation tast of her lost happinesse and be comforted with the blessings of Peace and order which most foolishly shee hath put away from her selfe And let thine Annoynted have double joy for that measure of sorrow he hath endured that we his Subjects may againe under his protection serve thee the living God have no more leading into Captivity no more of this lamentable complaining in our streets Amen Amen Good Lord Amen Laus Gloria Deo Christo Iesu ac adjutori meo AMEN FINIS Psal. 94.1 2. Cor. 1.3 1. Pet. 3.9 Acts. 4.22 Mark 3.5 Ver. 3 4 c. 2. Tim. 2.24.25 2. Cor. 5.19 20. Hos. 11.4.2.14 Rom. 7. Exod. 32.10 14. c. â— Obser. 2. Obser. 3. Obser. 4. Obser. 5. Obser. Heb. 7.7 Esa. 16. Vers. 3. Jer. 48.10 Ezek. 35.6 Obad. 7. Esra 9.13 Luc. lib. 2. Ps. â—6 9. Ezek. 36.37 2 Sam. 11.11 Ezâ—k. 39.17 18. Joh. 7.67 1 Thes. 3.3 Pâ—â—l 1.29 Act. 9.16
and estimation I beleeve scarce any of them but have Preached upon it at least have often quoted it or rather misconstrued it to their own purposes but how improper a Theame it is for their cause for these times and specially for a Fast day when Mr Marshall discoursed upon it shall in part be discovered in these following lines The God of all grace and truth guide my heart and pen by his holy spirit that I may write with that meeknesse as becomes a Minister of Christ to use in dealing with a lapsed Brother and with that fervor also as beseemeth him that is zealous for Gods Word and Honour that the seduced may be reclaimed from erroneous paths and the upright strengthned in their Loyall way to the Gospells glory and the salvation of Soules and thaâ— for my deare Lord and Masters sake Iesus Christ our Saviour Amen SECTION I. Wherein are discovered Mr Marshalls Mis-apprehensions WHen Mr Marshall by way of introduction hath discovered the scope of the Chapter and in speciall of this verse he comes to shew first how suteable to his apprehension the text is to his present occasion then he devides and after his manner interprets the same and lastly he raises or concludes upon his main doctrine I shall follow him throughout in his own method and way First for the sutablenesse he saies the Text or Theame is suteable and exceeding seasonable in respect 1 Of the times wherein we live 2 Of the temper of most people 3 Of the occasion of that daies meeting 4ly and specially in respect of that Honourable Assembly I shall be bold to shew how M. Marshall is mistaken in all these particulars 1. It is seasonable saies he to the times wherein we live when abundance of mighty Enemies rise up against the Lord and against his Church Now in this I suppose M. Marshall forgat himselfe for these times wherein we live are times of the Gospell and therefore are or should be times of blessing whereas the Text is a Text of the old time a Text of cursing And indeed although abundance of mighty enemies doe rise up against the Lord and against his Church yet Christ in the Gospell did not leave his Church either precept or example to curse her enemies no nor the enemies of the Lord himselfe but he hath left both precept and example directly to the contrary 1. Precept Mat. 5.43 44 45. c. He speakes not only to them there present but to his whole Church and what he then spake was to endure for ever and to be a rule to her throughout all ages in cases of this nature His command is that she should blesse and not curse yea that she should blesse them that curse her the words are these you have heard that it hath been said namely in old time thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy but I say unto you saies Christ love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you that you may be or may approve your selves to be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven for he deales thus with those that be his enemies he makes the Sun to shine and his raine to fall both upon the evill and upon the good if you love them only that love you or salute your brethren only those of your own opinion of your own side or faction what doe you more then the Publicans or Heathens doe who have no acquaintance with God with Christ or with his Gospell be you therefore perfect as your heavenly father is perfect as if he had said it becomes you that professe your selves to be mine to endeavour after more then an Heathenish perfection it is an Heavenly perfection which you must strive for and to obtaine this you must leave the practices of old time which were to hate and curse your Enemies and you must practice the cleane contrary And for the better understanding of this let me here by the way minde the World again of what I have already informed her in my Treatise of The right nature and temper of the spirit of the Gospell viz. that there is a great difference between the Ancient times those before Christ and those since his coming not in respect of time it selfe for that is alwaies the same but in respect of the coming of Christ who brought with him a new spirit which both must and doth manifest it selfe in all his true servants The former times might haply be times for cursing and revenge times of death and terrour Gods name then by which he was known and called was Deus ultionum the God of Revenge for as such a one he was pleased then oft-times to discover himselfe Adam having sinned was presently cast out of Paradise Corah and his companions having Rebelled vengeance speedily laid hold upon them Meroz having faulted was presently Cursed but by the coming of Christ the times were changed to be times of mercy and favour times of grace and pitty of patience and forbearance of life and Salvation and God from thence forth was called by a new name scil. Pater misericordiarum and Deus consolationum the Father of mercies and God of consolation and as such a one he declares himselfe he dealt more forbearingly with Corazin and Bethsaida then formerly he had done with Sodome and Gomorrah and Paul then Saul went breathing out threatnings against Gods Saints yet mercy reached him Mary Magdalen and the Theefe were great sinners yet vengeance did not overwhelme them yea many of those that crucified Christ were not taken away as they deserved but being afterwards converted by Peters Sermon Act. 2. tasted mercy Had Meroz been standing in the daies of the Gospell in Christs time and had failed in her duty as she here did she should not presently have been loaden with a Curse but rather reprooved and admonished of her Errour and had time granted her to repent in and therefore though this Text of M. Marshall might haply have been seasonable for the old times to be preached to the Captaines and Leaders of the Lords Hosts as he calls those that he preached it unto yet it doth not follow that 't is a like seasonable now For by the comming of Christ I say there was a change made in the times and so ought there to be in men in their thoughts words and carriages yea and in their preaching too in which there must Consideration be had to times and seasons But I returne and will second that Precept of our Saviour with the Testimony of his two great Apostles St Peter and S. Paul both Preachers in the time of the Gospell and both indued with the Spirit and minde of Christ first S. Peter 1. Pet. 3.9 render not evill for evill or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that you are thereunto called that you should inherit the blessing whence we learne that men