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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	king_n	lord_n	6,936	5	3.8165	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

u there is a time of warre and there is a time of peace w We had our time of war and tasted of the bitternesse of it God now in great mercy offereth us our time of peace if we will not accept of it but provoke God by our murmuting we may fear the event Christians and Englishmen I pray consider that saying of Ahner to Joab Shall the sword devour for ever will it not be bitternesse in the latter end x You know how it proved bitter both to Abuer and to Joab Discontents Ambiand false Interest procured the sword to eat the flesh of them by the just hand of God As Abuer had shed the bloud of many in Israel in an evil cause his bloud was shed by Joab wickedly y And Joab because beshed the bloud of war in the time of peace z he was slain by the sword at the horns of th● 〈◊〉 a God hath manifested his will to us by clear providences Let us as men tha● fea● God and own his providence submit unto it and not murmure nor repine but with patience wait to see what God will yet do for us He hath multitudes of blessings to the obedient and as many curses and scourges to the murmurers If it he as the Psalmist saith a good and pleasant thing for brethren to dwell together in unity b Then it must needs be an evil and unpleasant thing for Brethren to dwell together in discord dissention strife and variance all disunited and disjointed in affections Consider what I have said and the Lord give every one a good and right understanding in all things If that I have said being well weighed be not found to be truth beleeve it not But if it be the truth follow it practise it or this that I say shall one day be a witnesse against him that readeth and slieghteth it and give me leave to adde this to the rest and tell you that those that are contemners and murmurers against the government of a Common-wealth in the Infancy of it they are he greatest enemies to that Common-wealth not hurtful only to themselves but to the whole Nation the evil example of one murmurer draws more to the imitation of that sin then the perswasion and good counsell of many can divert and so all or multitudes oft perish together As we see in the men that were sent to spy out the Land of Canaan they murmured and brought an evil report of that good Land which caused all the people to weep and murmure and cry out against Moses and Aaron c for which their murmuring they were excluded from that good Land and promise And not only so but they even those men that brought up the evil report were destroied before the Lord by a plague d Consider what God hath done he will do still For God is unchangeable It is one of his Attributes which he takes only to himself I am the Lord I change not e In him is no variablenesse neither shadow of change f Therefore it must of necessity follow from Gods unchangeablenesse that whatsoever he hath done in former times he will do the same for he is the same what judgements he hath inflicted for any sin or that he hath threatned to inflict he will still do the same therefore the Apostle tels even us Christians that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning g c. I confesse my Brerhren when I took my pen in hand to write upon this subject Discourse I intended not above three sheets of paper but the matter is encreased before me and I could not expresse my self with more brevity I would yet for further satisfaction modestly give Answers to some Objections made by some sorts of men against his Highnesse the Lord Protector which I will do in as few lines as I can possibly Object It is Objected That the cause of our war which hath cost so much bloud and treasure was To defend our Rights and Freedoms against the Tyranny of Kings to be governed under a Parliament as free People by just Laws c. But the Lord Protector assumes to himself the Authority of a King by exercising a greater Tyranny over the people then the King did to give Laws c. Answ I answer the cause of our warre as instrumental was To defend the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament the Freedom and liberty of the People and the defence of the true Religion against incroaching Tyranny and innovations subtlely insinuated by the late King and his evil Counsel But that our Warre intentionally was against the lawful Authority of Kings or against the Person of the Late King as he was King or against his just prerogative I deny Only against his evil Councel the War was raised that the Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the People and the truth of Religion might be defended and established This will appear by severall Parliament Declarations Protestations and solemn Covenant wherein the Parliament do declare protest and covenant as their own priviledge freedom and liberty c. to defend and preserve the Kings person his just Rights and Prerogatives so far as it might stand with the preservation of Religion and the peoples Rights But the late King standing in strong opposition to the Parliament and Liberty of the people and his Rights and Prerogatives coming in competition with or against the preservation of Religion and Priviledges of Parliament and the peoples Right He defending and taking upon himself all the evil Actions and wicked devices of his evil Councell miscarried for so providence had ordered it should be And the people as providence led them submitted to a Parliament to govern them as a free People they expected much ease and great Reformation but enjoyed Now I would ask the Objectors these two short Questions 1. If a Parliament should become more tyrannicall then a King and lay heavy burthens upon them reaching to their persons lives and estates by an unknown Law or arbitrary power and suffer Innovations to come in on every side to the contempt of Religion and adulterating every truth turning Religion into every shape to metamorphise truth whether in this case if such should be the people might not as justly cry out and take up Arms against such a Parliament as against a King 2. If all these evils could be found and sensibly felt by the people whether it were justice to themselves acceptable to God or benefit to their posterity to cast off and to abandon for ever the authority and use of Parliaments I think they would give their negative except such as would live without all order or command which is to be worse then devils Nor is the office nor just power of a King to be for ever rejected because there have been Tyrannical oppressing superstitious or idolatrous Kings for the office of a King is the Ordinance of Jehovah and cannot be made null by man To this

p. 7 8. Why Jehu was punished like Achab. p. 8. Admonition to those that God hath made punishers of others sins ib. Providence ordereth all actions and things to advance men and Nations as pleaseth him p. 9 10. Providence ordered Oliver Cromwell to be Lord Protector p. 11. Every mercy and every judgment is from God not from men but as instrumeuts in Gods hand p. 11 12. Inferences drawn from the Doctrine of Providence p. 13. All mercies to men or Nations are of Gods free grace and love ib. Particular mercies instanced p. 14 15. All Judgments are from God as recompence for sinne p. 16. Particular sinnes instanced and at ripeness in England ib. How Priviledges of Parliament were lost p. 17. A Memento of the Covenant ib. The wicked are taken in their own craftiness and fall by their own designs p. 18. Observations of some Actions and Designs of King James and of the late King p. 18 19. Six peeces of Providence very observable to the late King p. 20. Considerable Providences to the long Parliament p. 21. Six considerable Quaeries propounded p. 22. God hath set a time when he will give in mercies and when he will instict Judgements p. 22 23. And upon whom ib. And how much it shall be p. 24. But all those times and purposes in God are unknown to men p. 24 25. Mens boldness to foretell Gods times and purposes ib. Revelations and visions in these times but vain fancies p. 26. These are trying and shaking times p. 26 27. God shaketh Nations severall wayes ib. The word of God like fire shall consume all opposers p. 28. The greatest Reformation hath ever met with greatest opposition ib. Three things have long threatned Judgment to England ib. Men not able to bring any enterprise to pass by all their contrivings p. 29. The Lord Protector set up by Providence made successfull by Saints prayers ib. Although God hath set the time for every purpose which cannot be altred yet men are to be diligent in the use of all lawfull means p. 30 31. How God is said to repent or to be changed p. 32. No means must be used but lawfull means p. 33. We must not trust in means nor be too solicitous in the use of means without a particular Promise ib. Nor to use unwarrantable means to obtain lawfull things ib. Christs Kingdom is spiritual 34 He accepts not the use of the sword in the Saints hand to set up his Kingdom ib. Reasons why p. 35. The pressings in mens spirits not alwaies agreeable to the Spirit of God p. 35 36. The Spirit of God leadeth but to one truth ib. The right means to obtain Mercies and to avoid Judgments 36 37. What the Doctrine of Paul and Peter is concerning the civil Magistrate ib. The civil Magistrate hath authority to command the worship of God and to punish the contemners of it p. 38. When God hath manifested his will by the work of Providence we are to submit and not to murmur p. 39. Murmurers reproved ib. The effects of murmuring ib. The causes of mens murmurings p. 40. Severall sorts of murmurers noted p. 41 42. Order in discipline required by Christ in his Church ib. Men ascribers are God prescribers p. 43. The murmuring of Corah was against the Offices of Magistracy and Ministry p. 43 44. Advice to the people p. 44 45. Men are building new Babels ib. Kings nursing fathers to the Church under the Gospel ib. Christs enemies shall be slain miraculously by the sword that goeth out of his mouth p. 46. It was Israels sinne in asking a King before God gave him And it is a sinne in any people to reject a King when God gives him p. 47. Seditious persons like Sheba the sonne of Bichri ib. The bitterness of warre instanced in Abner and Joab ib. Five principall Objections made against the Lord Protestor Answered p. 48. The cause of our late warre what p. 49. The Lord Protector vindicated as to former promises p. 50. In his trust to the Parliament and Nation ib. In breach of Priviledges of Parliament p 51. That this is a free Parliament ib. Concerning the Militia p. 52. Concerning his Negative voice p. 53. Concerning Religion p. 54. Concerning making Laws and raising of Money p. 55. That he is no favourer of Cavaliers but as in justice he ought ib. Gods Vnchangeablenesse OR Gods continued Providence in preserving guiding ordering and disposing of all Creatures Men Actions Counsels and Things as at the beginning of the world so to the end of the world for ever According to the counsell of his own Will THat there is a God that hath created the world and all things we all acknowledge the Heathen confesse the same but know not the true God in his essence and being God hath hid himself from them farther then what is revealed to them by the works of creation therefore they frame gods to themselves according to their fancies and so make many gods We Christians do acknowledge one God and but one God distinguished by three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost And that there is three Persons or three Hypostases and but one God is revealed to us by the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament where only this mystery of the Godhead is to be known therefore the wisest and most prudent of the Heathen cannot know this because they have not the sacred Scriptures made known to them But this we all prof●sse to know and to beleeve therefore it we●e in vain and lost labour to use Arguments to prove it But that this one God the God of Israel doth govern order and dispose all C●eatures Actions Things Men and Counsels according to the purpose of his own will is not so clearly acknowledged nor beleeved but contrary it is denied by some though by name they are Christians yet they go not in their practise in this particular beyond the old Sect of Stoick Philosophers who though heathen acknowledge a Deity yet leave the guidance and ordering of things to nature and so tye God to second causes Therefore it will not be unnecessary to prove that there is a secret and special providence of God that governeth and ordereth all things for indeed the want of the knowledge and practice of this is the cause of great complainings discontents and murmurings against God and against men We look at instrumental causes but see not the efficient cause the cause of all causes Jaco● did not only look to the foot of the ladder which he see in his vision but he 〈◊〉 at him who sate at the top of the Ladder a This Ladder doth literally set forth Gods Providence governing all things The steps or gradations of the Ladder are the divers means which God useth The Angels ascending and descending are the ministring spirits which God sendeth forth to execute his will as the Apostle tels us they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister

publike day of Humiliation for emergent causes named which God will doubtlesse accept of as of late he did by a signet of his favour when we by his Highnesse order sought God for Rain in our great necessity Although some who stile themselves Saints not only refused to joyn in our Petitions but used unchristian speeches to Gods dishonour and contempt of the duty And truly it was sad to observe the general neglect of our late Solemn Fast that only Shops should be shut and places for recreation full as I was informed but Churches shut or empty in respect of the numbers of Inhabitants many omitting the duty out of carnal respects and many out of will because it was commanded and because the end crossed their self-interests I do affirm that it is no lesse a duty in the Christian Magistrate to command the duties and performance of duties for the true worship of God then it was duty to the Magistrate under the Law but the Magistrate under the Law did command such duties as Asa Jehosaphat Jehojada Hezckiah and others We know that Asa did not only command Reformation of Gods worship bur annexed to his command a great punishment i And Ezra did the like k And the Apostle Paul diminisheth nothing of the Magistrates Authority under the Gospel nor is there any Scripture that offers the least doubt of that their authority but rather makes it greater Heb. 10. 28. therefore I say that the neglect or rather contempt of such duties and the suffering of it uncontrolled by the Magistrate will in stead of a blessing bring a curse as is threatned by the Prophet Jer 48. 10. but the due observance of the holy and spiritual worship of God held forth by the Magistrate and practised by the Minister and People is the chief means to divert the judgements we fear and procure the blessings we want I come now to the sixth and last Inference and that is That when God hath effected and done his will in any thing visibly made known to us by the work of providenee we are not to murmure nor repine though it be in any thing contrary to our expectation or desire or though it be to our great affliction but to submit to it willingly only by praier to seek unto God and patiently wait his time and means for deliverance This hath been the practice of the godly in all ages k Thus holy David did while his childe was yet alive he used all lawful means for the life of it But when God had done his will and the childe was dead he left off to mourn and murmured not but patiently bear the affliction Thus did just and righteous Job he feared his Sons might sinne and procure Gods displeasure he therefore used the right means to prevent it m but when Providence had brought that to passe which he feared and God had visibly manifested his pleasure Job was patient he murmured not neither against providence nor instruments but blessed the Name of the Lord n The Church under her great affliction murmured not they acknowledged Gods hand and complained of their sins the cause of all o and waited patiently for their deliverance It is good saith the Prophet that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord p Surely saith Job it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more q And the Apostle exhorts that we be followers of them that by faith and patience inherit the promise r But to murmure against providence is wickednesse and the effects of murmuring and discontents is very dangerous Dangerous to a mans self and bringeth others into dangers too You know what became of the murmuring Israelites in the wildernesse from time to time as is recorded in the Books of Exodus and Numbers Consider the case of murmuring Korah and all his murmuring company the earth opened and swallowed them up ſ This was the immediate hand of God not Moses nor Aaron yet such was the rebellious hearts of the people that the next day they all fall to murmuring against Moses and against Aaron and accused them that they had killed tho Lords people t And for this there died presently of them fourteen thousand and seven hundred by a sudden plague u You know that for this sin of murmuring all the people that came out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward were excluded from the promise except Caleb and Ioshua w Hence the Apostle exhorts us Christians not to tempt God as they tempted him nor to murmure as they murmured and were destroied for saith he All these things happened unto them for our examples x God is the same to us that he was to them only he hath divers dispensations of his judgements he is an unchangeable God for evert If we sin like them that went before us we shall be as greatly punished as they were yea greater Though God do not so usually strike men suddenly for sin as formerly yet there is greater wrath to come Let us a little consider the cause of mens murmuring and see if it do not arise from a carnal heart a carnal man propounds ends to himself as the Merchants St Iames speaks of that say they will go to such a City or such a Countrey and buy and sell and get gain but say not if God will so it is with men that seek their own ends in any thing they propound this or that but God is not in their thoughts they say no● if God will but we will do this or that thing or would have this or that done c. It may be nay it is common with these men that they will have the Name of God in their mouths but as the Psalmist speaks God is not in all their thoughts And therefore when their wils and designs are crossed they are angry and repine against God and men Thus the people of Israel did in the wildernesse they met with crosse providences which they looked not for and they could not bear it but cry out against Moses saying because there were no graves in Egypt Hast thou brought us to die in the wildernesse y and again wherefore hast thou brought us out of Egypt to kill us in the wildernesse our children and our cattel z Thus at this day we have seen many strange Providences such as we looked not for and men have had many and diverse designs aims and ends but meet with crosse Providences which they cannot bear nay resolve they will not bear they complain and cry out against this and that thing but specially they murmure against God and own not his providence in governing the world Therefore they also murmure at the thing done and against the Instruments doing it this is I say against God himself for he alone orders every thing and every Action as is proved in the beginning of this

GODS UNCHANGEABLENESS OR GODS Continued Providence in preserving governing ordering and disposing of all Creatures Men Actions Counsels and Things as at the beginning of the world so to the end of the world for ever according to the counsel of his own will FROM WHENCE Is gathered six necessary Inferences very applicable to the Changes Alterations and vicissitude of these our present times WHEREIN Is clearly demonstrated and proved That OLIVER CROMWELL is by the Providence of GOD Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland c. to whom the People owe obedience as to him whom GOD hath set over them Vnto which is added The Causes of Discontent Repining and Murmurings of Men Also Some serious Advertisements and seasonable Admonitions to the Discontented and Reprehensions to all Impetuous Arrogant Murmurers Together with Answers to some chief Objections made against the Lord Protector and his present Government endeavouring if possible satisfaction to all men Therefore written and published for publike good By GEORGE SMITH Gent. JER. 10. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps PSAL. 75. 6 7. For promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South But God is the Judge he putteth down one a●d setteth up another 1 PET. 2. 13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme Or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God c. LONDON Printed for Tho. Underhill at the Ancor and Bible in Pauls Churchyard and Lawrence Chapman next to the Fountain Tavern in the Strand 1655. TO ALL FREE-BORN PEOPLE of England that are lovers of Peace and Truth Grace be unto you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord JESUS CHRIST c. CHRISTIAN READER THere is not any Doctrine more usefull to the life of man or more necessary to be known to the comfort of the Saints then the Doctrine of Providence for not to know and beleeve that God the Creator doth by his secret and wise providence govern all things is injurious to God and hurtfull to our selves and as much as to deny the Soveraignty and high prerogative of the Lord Jehovah over the worlds which is indeed the exercise of his Kingly dominion in ordering the whole universe which in the following Discourse I offer unto your serious consideration But because these times are pestered with many pestilent opinions and seditious practises all truths cannot please all men every man believeth or denieth whatsoever may most advance their own particular judgments and interests so that I well know this discourse will be very unpleasant to many of this age Therefore good Readers and my friends let me beg your patience not only in the matter of my discourse thwarting the desires and self-designes of men it being against the common stream of the now raigning opinions but in the manner also in my applications to the present Changes and alterations designs and interests so strongly strugled for by the most of men to all which this my discourse runs in flat opposition the same thing being flatly denied which I affirm and do defend I think I am the first that in this way and manner hath published any thing in defence of the present Government under his Highness the Lord Protector I have not read nor seen any thing written of this nature but what hath been to the contrary by which I received so little satisfaction or am so farre from being satisfied by what I have read that my spirit burned within me to make opposition thereunto which caused me to put my pen to paper on this subject Give me also leave to give my Judgment in the matter I am one of the free-born of the Nation and claim my vote as well as any other having a proportionable right to all priviledges and must proportionably share in any affliction that God shall please to inflict upon the Nation Therefore it concerns me to speak as well as to hear others speak if I speak not their sense let me be born with as I bear with them that speak not my sense if any my friends be offended at what I write I cannot help their passion nor will I be angry at them I know not any mans aym nor end in what they do so well as I know my own I know my own I know my aym is publike good and my end Gods glory nor do I seek to please men but to please God I seek not victory but verity if God accept of my endeavour I have my end if men reject it or me for it I pass not yet I would so speak and write that I may not give any offence neither to the Jew nor to the Gentile nor to the Church of God but if offence be taken without cause why therefore should I lose my liberty in which Christ hath made me free But though I be free from all men as the Apostle speaketh yet would I be servant to all in the sense the Apostle speaketh that I might gain the more to God There is a time to speak and a time to keep silence If ever there were a time to speak for God and the Cause of the Saints on earth the despised ones it is now no time to be silent but to contend earnestly for the truth and for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints It was but once delivered I dare not say it shall be delivered a second time to them that have had it once delivered if they lose it whether it be to a Nation or to a man only We in England have had it delivered to us We beyond Capernaum have been exalted unto Heaven c. the mysteries of the Gospel have been unfolded unto us above all other Nations and God hath long owned us to be his people the Word hath been operative working in power piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit joynts and marrow a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart It hath been a converting Word else whence had those rebellious children their conversion boasted of that cast off their Mother that bare them and brought them forth an Antichristian Church brings not forth a Christian brood It is thus farre true that we have had much chaff mixt with the pure wheat many weeds have grown in this vineyard of Gods planting Was there ever wheat without chaff Was there ever a garden without weeds but never so many as at this day some have been alwayes and some will be to the end of the world there shall be there must be tares among the good corn the evil one will cast tares where God casts good seed and that evil one hath been busie in this age above all ages the field of Gods Kingdom seemeth

could any know him for he had disguised himself Ahab wanted not for any contrivance policy counsell nor strength to preserve himself yet maugre all policy the arrow thus shot at a venture findes out Ahab and although Ahab was armed it is by providence guided to the joynts of his armour where it enters and hits Ahab so that he died u Here providence executeth the decree of God upon Ahab You know the King of Assyria sent a mighty and invincible Army against Hezechiah King of Judah confident of successe Hezechiah unable to make opposition by any equality of strength yet this invincible host is destroyed not by any art wisedome counsell or strength of men all was wanting But an Angell of the Lord went out and smote the Camp of the Assyrians in one nigh●One hundred fourscore and five thousand w This is also the work of Providence As the Actions of men so their daies and life are ordered and appointed by God therefore saith holy Job the daies of every man are appointed by God and all those daies are ordered by providence though men know them not nor how they are secretly ordered and every hour preserved till the appointed time be come for saith Job Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe x therefore saith he I will wait till my change come y So the Pro David My times saith he are in thy hands z And as Providence ordereth the Actions and Lives of men so it doth reach to the orderings of the disposition and naturall affections of men either to love or hatred to kindnesse or to chur●ishnesse what else changed the disposition and affection of Esau from bloudy wrath to loving kindenesse when he came out against Jacob with hatred and when he meeteth him he embraceth him with loving-kindenesse and brotherly affection a So you shall see Laban pursuing Jacob in great anger and when he is on the way his disposition and anger is changed b You may see the Midianites that came out against Israel all in love one with the other and hatred against Israel fall one upon another and destroy one another providence ordereth that every one set his sword against his fellow c The like you may see in the Army of the Philistims d Yea more It is evident from sacred Scriptures That all the wicked Actions of wicked men are ordered by providence God ruleth them and orders them for the accomplishment of his secret counsel and by the ordering of those Actions God hath glory I say they are ordered by providence not as wicked men intend or act them they intend and act out of a wicked principle to a wicked end but God orders them otherwise to effect something of his own decree and turns it to good in the doing his will The action and the sin in the action is their own but the ordering of the action is of God All wicked actions of wicked obdurated Pharaoh providence ordered to the glory of God St Paul hath this expression For the Scripture saith of Pharaoh even for this cause have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth e Rom. 9. 17. His cruelty in destroying all the male-children of the Hebrews Moses being cast into the River the repulse that Pharaoh gave to Moses message from God his encrease of the burthens and labours on the Hebrews and his oft refusing to let the people go c. Providence ordered all these things to the advancement of Gods glory So it is said of Sihon King of Heshbon that God hardened his heart and why that Sihon King of Heshbon out of the bitternesse and envy of his own heart against Israel should refuse to suffer them to passe peaceably through his Countrey to the end that Israel might have a just cause to engage warre with them and destroy them f Was there ever so great an Act of wickednesse acted in the world or invented as that horrid conspiracy of Herod Pontius Pilate Judas the Gentiles and the people of the Jews against the Lord Christ yet providence ordered all this and brought the greatest good out of that most horrid act The Scripture saith plainly that all this was no more but what was before-determined should be done g St John speaking of the unbelieving Jews from that place Isa. 6. 10. saith God hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts h and Esay saith the Lord hath powred upon them the spirit of deep sleep and hath chosed their eyes The Prophets Rulers and Seers hath he covered i God is not only a bare permitter of evil actions in men but he is a powerful agent ordering of those evil Actions by his wise and secret providence to serve to the purpose of his own will the sinne is their own but the guidance of the Action is Gods ordered to his own glory Job tels us that the deceiver and the deceived are both his k he ordereth both If a Prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing I the Lord have deceived him l that is such Prophets as Ahabs four hundred Prophets were whom Satan could not deceive till he was bid to go and prevail All the actions of the devil are ordered by providence and there is not nor cannot be any action of the devil but what is extreamly wicked Remarkable is that place of St John Rev. 17. 13. speaking of that foul apostacy of Papacy he saith They shall give their power and strength to the beast He saith not they will give but they shall give as a thing that God had pre-ordained to be much more may be said this I hope may suffice to prove this Truth Yet furrhermore you shall see that as God orders by his providence all Men and all Actions of all sorts their times their dispositions c. so he ordereth the very secrets of the heart and the answer of the tongue The Wiseman tels us The Kings heart is in the hand of God be turns it as the Rivers of waters whithersoever he will m And the answer of the tongue is from the Lord n to this effect is that saying of Christ to his Disciples take no thought what you shall speak for it shall be given to you what to speak at the same hour o The man thar shall consult within himself and debate in his own thoughts and come to a full resolurion what he will answer or speak to this or that thing so as that he thinks nothing shall alter him yet that man when he comes to put his resolves into action shall speak or do as providence shall order and direct it may be quite contrary to what he resolved something will come in between the preparation and the action Caiaphas the High Priest doubtlesse spake not those words of himself when he said It was expedient that one man should die for the

Iacob might in him be accomplished That a Scepter should not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come f which was spoken of David and in him fullfilled g the particulars would be too long to instance them it may be I shall touch some of them in another place afterward and leave the whole story to the Reader to contemplate Something I might say of many particulars and clear providence observable of late daies in ordering things Actions and Instruments leading Oliver our present Lord Protector to the place office and dignity in which he now ruleth with the Honourable High Court of Parliament for whom I pray and of whom I intend to say something more in the proper place afterward in the mean time we have I hope said enough to prove that God and God alone pulleth down Kings and setteth up Kings That so we may acknowledge that every mercy and every judgement is from God ordered by him and is not from men whatsoever their designs are or whatsoever they intend or aim at as their end for all men good and bad are but Instruments in Gods hand secondary causes and can do nothing but what God by Providence leads them to do or permits to be done to effect his own purpose and secret decre● ordering all and every Action thereunto It is true that a merciful man doth good and a good man sheweth mercy but a good mans goodnesse is not his own he hath received it from God who is the fountain of all good nor can a good man distribute good to another but as he is guided by God he is but the Instrument in Gods hand Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights h A man may be able to do good to this or that man yet he may sometimes want will to do it if he have a will it is from God where how or to whom he shall do that good or if a good man have a will and intention to do good to this or that man his intentions may be crossed that he cannot do it or if he be not crossed in his intentions yet the good he doth may turn to the hur● of him that receives it except God blesse and prosper it so that all good and every mercy to any man let the Instrument be what it will it is from God God gave Ioseph favour with the Keeper of the prison i and God extended mercy to his people in the sight of the Kings of Persia k all is from God Men are but Gods Instruments therefore Iacob praieth to God that God would give his Sons favour with the men they had to do with l And as it is in mercies so it is in judgements and afflictions all is from God men are his Instruments secondary causes It is true that wicked men devise and imagine mischief continually and plot against the righteous to afflict and to molest them although the wickednesse which they plot is their own And they think they have power to act accordingly they never wanting will to do it yet they are crossed by providence in acting what they intend And often yea alwaies to the Elect of God the evil they think to do turns to the good of them against whom it is done as the bufferings from Satan did to Paul it was advantage to him for if wicked men could act answerable to their wils and intentions neither righteousnesse nor holinesse should be amongst men not the man on earth that should practise either but they are in Gods hand his Instruments to do his pleasure and no more neither wicked men nor Sa●an himself cannot do as shall be shewed afterward The want of due and serious consideration of this truth and submission to it causeth much discontent and murmuring among men for in our affl●ctions we are ready to fly in the face of men meer instruments secondary causes and as the Prophet complains We turn not to God that smiteth us nor seek to the Lord of hosts m We are like the dog that bites the stone that is cast at him but looks not at the hand that cast it We are sensible of the rod that whips us but take no notice of the hand that holds it We complain of men and things Accidents and Causes and it is likely not without cause but God the cause of all causes except sin we consider not who saith of himself I the Lord do all things I create the light and make darknesse I make peace and create evil n God mingleth a perverse spirit in the midst of counsell o he leadeth away Counsellors spoiled and maketh Judges fools p God stirred up Hadad and Rezon to be adversaries to Solomon q and they did much mischief in Israel all Solomons daies Shall there be evil in the City saith the Lord and I the Lord have not done it r that is evil of affliction punishment not the evil of sin for that is the procuring cause of all punishment as we shall shew in the proper place All that I now drive at is but to prove that all secondary causes men or things can do nothing of themselves either to misery or to happiness But that all mercies and all judgements are of God from him and by him he disappointeth the devises of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise This I say is the Soveraignty of God the Creator over all things governing the world by his wise and secret providence And it doth above all things declare the glory omnipotency and incomprehensible wisedom of God working in and by all things after the counsell of his own will That all things though in motion and use never so contrary one to another and in their nature and ends destructive one to another yet all and every thing in most harmonious union work together in one consent to effect and accomplish whatever God hath in his secret counsel determined yea by the worst of Instruments to do glorious things bringing good out of their evil and work deliverance to his Church by the Enemies Actions and destroy his Enemies by their own counsels causing the wisedom of the wise to perish and to hide uuderstanding from the prudent ſ When he giveth quietnesse who can make trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or against a man only t Thus much shall serve for foundation or groundwork of our intended discourse from whence we may gather some inferences and therein take a view of some late and remarkable Providences in these our daies ordering Counsels Actions and Things contrary to mens designs and endeavours and working all things after the counsell of his own will pulling down and setting up whom he pleaseth for the accomplishment of his own secret purpose first one and then others changing times and seasons men and counsels

common Enemy is vigilant watching and seeking all advantages against us if God should as they hope give us into their hand were it not just with God And were it not by our own procurements may not God say to us as to Israel Thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help r Give me leave ye people of England my Brethren to put you in remembrance of one sin more And it is not a little one of which I fear many thousands are guilty more or lesse You made a Solemn Covenant with your hands lift up to the most High God in the time of your distresse for Reformation and defence of Religion as should be agreeable to the Word of God not the established Discipline in Scotland nor England but for the setling one Discipline in the three Nations and that is no lesse then the command of God Ye shall have one Ordinance both for the stranger and for him that is born in the Land ſ I fear we are so far short of performing what we covenanted in this particular that we or very many have purposely acted the quite contrary We covenanted against Popery and Prelacy which is God be blessed in a great measure cast off But heresie schism blasphemy and prophanesse are encreased which we also covenanted to extirpate We covenanted to preserve Priviledges of Parliament and liberty of the people but where are they if lost who lost them the power of the Enemy could not take them from us but lost they are or in great measure lost I will not dispute whether a Parliament or an Army lost them or took them from us for it was neither It was self-seeking that lost all Now hopeful by providence to be again restored by his Highnesse stirred up by Providence I hope with confidence to be Englands deliverer As to that part of the Covenant that concerned the late King And that which concerned the Union of the three Nations I conceive them to be lesse substantiall and more conditional conditions and circumstances not well observed makes the forfeiture on that side Providence I trust will put us into a better Union then we intended or could then think of God worketh all things after the counsell of his own will I charge no particular person nor blame any more then my self I know my own heart is deceitful to my self I cannot say so much of any other mans All my aim and desire is as to my self so to all others to stir them up to considerate remembrance that we are yet under such a Covenant and that I and every one may examine whether we have done our duty or not and what we finde to be wanting in us let us in the strength of the Almighty endeavour to make up by humbling our souls before God whom we have offended For the Covenant was lawfull or it was unlawfull if lawfull we have provoked the high God by our sleighting of it if unlawfull we have dishonoured God in swearing before him to that which he would not own so there is great cause and good ground why we should be deeply humbled in the presence of God Every particular person covenanted to reform himself and to endeavour Reformation in others and each one to endeavour to go before another in example of real Reformation if we have done what we were able in this particular we have done well if not sinne lieth at our door and judgement will surely enter into our houses for as God is true and just he will avenge the quarrell of his Covenant t Let no man great or small promise to himself safety nor think it is fogotten by God though it be cast off by men Joshua and the Princes of Israel made a Covenant with the Gibeonites with whom they might not make Covenants but had commission to slay them yet Saul four hundred years after brake that Covenant And for the breach of that Covenant God brought a famine three years year after year in the time of David until execution was done upon Sauls house u God takes notice of all our doings but especially of our keeping or breaking of Covenants Because God is as it were called from his place to come to witnesse our sincerity and uprightnesse the breach whereof God calleth the pollution of his Name k and for it threatneth Israel to destroy them by the sword of an enemy and by the pestilence And to remove them into all Kingdoms captives which in the time appointed was made good Gods forbearance is no acquittance though men foolishly imagine it so Because sentence is not speedily executed against an evil work therefore the hearts of the Sons of men is set in them to do evil l Though God suffers for a time yet all that time Providence ordereth Actions and Things for safety to some and for destruction to others And this brings us to the third Inference The third Inference is That the evil designs of men their wicked counsels their aims and ends are all ordered by providence and turned contrary to their designs to be their own ruine This truth is obvious it is proved by Scripture and by common and daily experience The Lord saith the Psalmist is known by his judgements which he executeth the wicked is snared by the work of his own hand m This is one of Gods Judgements upon wicked men and wicked counsels they shall be snared by their own works He taketh the wicked in their own craftinesse and the counsell of the froward is carried ●eadlong n yea his own counsel shall cast him down o Thus Haman the Agagite was snared in his own wicked devises and Ahitophels own counsell became his ruine You know how it fared with Rehoboam the Son of Solomon and with Jeroboam the Son of Nebat Rehoboam forsook the counsell of the old men that were counsellors to his Father and followed the counsell of young men like himself The people come unto him for ease of their heavy burthens which Solomon his Father had laid upon them He by his counsell gives them a very rough Answer and tels them his father chastised them with whips but he would chastise them with scorpions He would adde more to their burthens heavy oppression and his finger should be thicker then his Fathers loins p but God turned his own aim and all his counsell to his losse Ten Tribes revolted from him and from his Family for ever and made Jeroboam their King Jeroboam he fearing lest the people of Israel should return again to Rehoboam if they should go up to Jerusalem to offer Sacrifice therefore to establish himself in the Kingdom he took counsel and made two Altars and two Calves of gold pretending it was too far a journey for the people to go up to Jerusalem q and he set one in Bethel and the other in Dan and he made of the lowest and basest of the people to be Priests in the high places Now this

if we ask according to our own will he will not hear him that is he wi●l not give him what he asketh And we must also ask in faith without wavering Jam. 1. 6. but how can we have faith in asking any thing for which we have not a promise for faith is grounded upon the promise Abraham beleeved the promise Rom. 4. 3. he staggered not at it he was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform and would do it q And without faith it is impossible to please God r what is not of faith is sin without faith God accepts no praier ſ and in the last place we must ask all that we pray for in the Name of Iesus Christ Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you t See Joh. 14. 13. And in extraordinary cases we must adde spiritual ●●sting to our praier for there is a kinde of devil that goeth not out but by praier and fasting u humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up Jam. 4. 10. we must come with humbled hearts willing and desirous to bring our wils to Gods will but take beed of fasting and praying and making appeals to God w to bring Gods will to your will it is not safe to tempt God For our God is a consuming fire The next means is to get the love of God kindled in our hearts let us get burning zeal to the truth and receive the truth in the love of it contend for verity not for victory Advance the Gospel in the Ministry of it love the brotherhood honour all men fear God and honour the Supream Magistrate x whether King or Lord Protector this is Apostolical doctrine Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God y This is the Apostle Pauls doctrine and this is the Apostle Peters doctrine Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake z for so is the will of God a This is no new devised doctrine nor is it in the least Antichristian but the doctrine of the Law and the doctrine of the Gospel If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine that is that denieth this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed b to deny this truth of the Gospel and teach for Gospel another thing is to bring in another Gospel But I am commanded by the Gospel that though men or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel then what the Apostles have preached not to beleeve it c The Gospel establisheth a standing Magistracy and a standing Ministry by them Liberty and Religion is maintained and preserved if well regulated Therefore it highly concerns Parliaments of which by Gods mercy and love to his people we are not wholly deprived nor by one for ever oppressed It is Gods mercy and his honour the Lord Protector I mean whom God hath made instrumental to call this Honourable Assembly in Parliament together I say it concerns them to consider whence we are fallen and whether we are going and by their authority to put bars against licenticusnesse and loose liberty and to be a wall of protection unto the truth that those Foxes may be taken that spoil the Vines for our Vines have tender grapes d Honourable Parliament if my Scribling Sheets ever come to your view take notice from them that God hath by his good providence called you together to make up the breach that finne hath made or rather God for sin upon us We have been perfidious to God and God hath removed justice and equity from us You must be both Phinchas and Aaron Phinchas to rise up with courage and zeal not only to do justice but to give life to the just Laws of the Nation that justice may be done by a Law against the transgressors of Gods Law e and Aaron to stand between the dead and the living that Gods anger may be appeased f You in behalf of the good people of these three Nations are to settle by Gods assistance these unsetled Nations what is possible for the present and with all possible care to look to the future the God Almighty be your strength and your Counsellor in the great work under your hands that you may be instruments in 〈◊〉 hand to establish a just and setled Magistracy and a holy religious Ministry That the glory of the Lord Jehovah may be advanced and the people of these Nations may again enjoy their Rights and Proprieties our sins cry to God for g●eate● judgements and the people cry under great pressures And God hath called you that are the great men of these Nations to prove and to try what you will do for him Jer. 5. 5. You have known the way of the Lord and the judgement of your God turn you not aside as others have done God seeks now as he did in Jerusalem to finde a man if there be any that executeth judgement and secketh the truth that he may spare poor England Jer. 5. 1. And let not the poor of these Nations be forgotten by you provide houses and stock to set them to work in all Cities Countreys and Towns that there may not be a beggar in our Israel g Debts ought to be paid but Publike Faith debts not paid is most dishonourable to the Nation I know as things have been managed it is no easie thing to pay them But to purge the University and Nurseries of Learning from their open pollutions and vicious practices and Schools of Learning to be purged of vitious Schoolmasters the poyson of youth and the bane of age and ages is a work acceptable to God a means to obtain blessings to posterities and it will cost no money to do it These and the like means diligently used really prosecuted freed from self-interest vain-glory or hypocrisie will assuredly multiply mercies on the Nations and prevent the judgements threatned and cause England to be the praise of the whole earth I pray give me leave to say what the Lord by the Prophet said in another case concerning Tythes then due by a Law of God leviticall only belonging to the Jews now due by no such right but they were unjustly withheld Therefore saith the Lord Prove me now therewith if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing h c. So I say Use such means as before I have briefly mentioned and prove the Lord if he will not double and redouble all sorts of blessings on this Common-wealth I blesse God that there hath been a beginning of a Reformation of some things by his Highnesse more then in some years past by others though much was promised And I blesse God that put into his Highnesses heart and this present Parliament to call for a general and

ourdiscourse which may satisfie humble men But saith the wisest of men The foolish man perverteth his way a and his heart fretteth against the Lord This is a carnal heart for a spiritual man sees God in all and bears all things with patience and waits by praier for guidance by providence but never praies against a manifest providence except to be delivered from the evil that may in some cases be feared for providences lead the people of God into straights and afflictions for sin as well as it delivereth them from afflictions when they are humbled and this the Church was well acquainted with therefore say It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord b then by the rule of contrary it must needs be evil to repine and murmure It is very observable that Moses mentioneth a mixed multitude that came with Israel out of Egypt Exo. 12. 38. these were of other Nations probably Servants that kept their cattle c And they seeing the mighty wonders that God did for his people in Egypt joyned with them and would go out with them As the multitude that followed Christ for the loaves c but being crossed in their expectation they grow discontent and murmure lusting after the fleshpots of Egypt d and bred a generall discontent among the people such a mixed multitude was among the people of Israel after they were delivered from their seventy years captivity which good Nebemiah separated from Israel e Such a mixed multitude are at this day in England some of other Nations some of contrary Religions Priests and Jesuites and others that have by all subtle waies insinuated themselves and these have set the people into discontents and murmurings and are enemies to the advance of the Gospel and to the building of the spirituall Temple no lesse then those adversaries of Iudah and Benjamin that would have insinuated themselves under pretence of helping to build the Temple saying they sought the God of Israel as the Israelites did and did sacrifice to him f when indeed they were enemies and endeavour to hinder their work but Zerubbabel and the chief of the Fathers cast them off then they send to have conference with Nehemiah to betray him but he would not own their message g and the work in his hand prospered But our Fathers of England have hearkened to these our mixt multitude and Gods work hath been hindred and themselves lost their honour The mixed multitude among us are grown numerous and incorrigible they do not only murmure but they some of them threaten and resolve not to be satisfied for if one sort have what he desires another will dislike it and that which is accepted this year shall be cried down next year nay sometimes next day for they that seek they know not what cannot tell when to be pleased at every thing that is done some cry out against it and against the Instruments doing it without regard to Providence or publike interest and these cause murmurings among the people who would not murmure but for them These are those that have tasted of the heavenly mauna but grew wanton lusting after other food many of these came into our hosts because they saw the great thing the Lord did for us but they came not in with the first nor did they bear the brunt of the day and being enticed by their own lusts they murmure and grow impatient at every providence that crosseth their desires They murmured against our first Parliament called Anno Dom 1640. and rejoyced when it was dissolved endeavouring to carry on their designs by the next Parliament but providence crossed them and they were dissolved too And Providence hath ordered all actions counsels and things to set up another way of government which for private interest was cried down Now Oliver by the Providence of God is set up and made Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland c. the great and general murmuring is against him He is a man of honour and integrity the instrument in Gods hand to do great and mighty things for us And as I have said before he is the man of the Saints prayers and by their praiers God hath made him prosperous and successeful in all his undertakings we yea many of the chief murmurers have acknowledged it and owned him as our Ioshua What hath he done to the prejudice of the people or Nation that we now murmure against him why he hath by Gods providence frustrate the designs and aims of the mixed multitude therefore they all murmure The Antichristian and prelatical parties and all the Hierarchy are angry and seek his life the Levelling party and the men of the Fifth Monarchy they are angry and combine together by plotting against him and as the Prophet saith of himself so I may say of his Highnesse They watch for his halting saying peradventure he will be enticed and we shall prevail against him and take our revenge upon him h Besides these there is another sort of this mixed multitude that murmure and they are pecuniaries either oppressors or mercenaries Because it is conceived his Highnesse will look after the publike treasuries and manage the publike treasure to publike advantage These were afraid of a day of account in this life that were not afraid of a judgement day in the life to come therefore they are angry There is another sort that are ambitious to have the honour and command that Providence hath cast upon his Highnesse therefore they are angry for ambitious men cannot endure any superiour Good men without holy watchfulnesse may fall into the evil of ambition We finde that Aaron and his Sister Miriam a Prophetesse grew ambitious against Moses they quarrell with him about the Ethiopian woman which he had married that 's their pretence but then they plainly tell Moses that God had not only spoken by him but by them also You know how God took it at their hands if good men sin God will not spare them but more severely punish them some other there be that murmure against his Highnesse as Ioab did against good David in the case of Abner because he made peace with him and with the house of Saul k Others murmure because they conceive more honour greater esteem and better reward is given to some then to themselves like those that were hired into the Vineyard l you know what answer Christ gives to such This kinde of evil began to enter into the hearts of the Disciples but Christ taught them a better lesson m of some of these sorts are all the great murmurers of which the Apostle Iude saith plainly these are they that walk after their lusts and their mouth speaketh swelling words n These strive for masteries they would all command but they cannot endure to obey and would perswade the people that all their oppressions injustice and cruelty is righteousnesse and that the justice

distributed to every man through one man is oppression Every mans waies are right in his own eyes o as the holy Ghost is pleased to express And they would do as when there was no King in Israel but every one did what was right in his own eyes p to adulterate Religion abuse the Ministers of the Gospel teach for doctrines the precepts of men commit adultery blasphemy and kill or what not as in the time of vacancy of Judges in Israel that there was no publike Magistrate in the Land to put them to shame in any thing q Was not England almost brought to this condition And is it not the thing so much laboured for at this day and that under the specious pretence of a Reformation such a Reformation as ascendeth out of the smoak that came out of the pit r blessed be our Jehovah that hath thus far holpen us against such designs that they have been prevented by his good providence And let the Instrument be blessed by Iehovah who hath been used by his hand to disappoint their purposes of whom I hope and expect much better things then from those Reformers or then we have seen in our Age for due administration of justice and establishment of Religion and Laws that Religion may be advanced held forth to the people by a holy discipline according to the Word of God which is the will of Christ not the fancies of men for God is a God of order and not of confusion He is not the Authour of confusion but of peace in all the Churches of the Saints ſ And it was the Apostles joy in beholding their order and stedfastnesse of faith in Christ t And for this cause as himself saith he left Titus at Crete that he should set things in order that was wanting and ordain Elders in every City u Order by a discipline of worship in the purity of Ordinances is the way to that Reformation the Lord Jehovah looketh for and the establishment and due execution of good and just Laws that every man may enjoy his own propriety and that justice may be distributed to every man without favour or revenge impartially and that oppressors may be punished severely according to their offence This is the thing God looks for at the hand and by the place to which he hath called the Lord Protector And this I beleeve he intendeth and will do if murmurers will have but patience If he do it not he dissembleth with God and God will judge him who only knows the secrets of all hearts For Judgement belongs unto God alone he hath not given that unto men but he hath commanded us not to judge but our selves Judge not that ye be not judged w for the Lord is a God of Judgement blessed are they that wait upon him x The Prophet Malachy sharply reproveth the Jews in a case like ours at this day Ye have wearied the Lord with your words yet ye say wherein have we wearied him when ye say every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord y that is you make acclamations against God and blasphemous clamours because you have not forthwith what ye desire and in their own way as if he were a favourer of evil doers therefore ye cry out Where is the God of judgement as a violent affirmative that there was no such just God thus murmurers weary God Shall not God search out this for he knoweth the secrets of the heart z Why then do we judge and condemn the man that hath done us good and no harm and why do we murmure against God and repine at providence The Lord in mercy open the eyes of all his people and bring their hearts suitable to himself that they may willingly submit their wils to the will of God You know we had a long time of peace and knew not the bitternesse of war and we had a happy beginning of Reformation in the daies of Q. Elizabeth but in stead of going forward we went backward and fell into the hands of oppressors and persecutors of Gospel-Truths which was the procurement of war a sore punishment we expected relief from men but were more oppressed they neither cared to ease us nor pitied out condition our Religion grew to be mixed with multitudes of new devices and all old heresies cried down by the primitive Church Under these calamities we groaned and cried to God yea many of Gods people sought him by praier and fasting private and publike for deliverance And that God would give us Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning a that we might be called the righteous and faithfull Nation yet we will not give God leave to do it for us though we see Providence working it we will not be satisfied except God bring his will to our will nay to our wils except God will give us the thing we ask in our own way and by the means we our selves prescribe and set down we will not own it any other way We ascribe too much to our selves therefore we prescribe unto God things times men and means God by providence hath given us again a free Parliament freely chosen by the people or it is their own fault if some of the Members that the people have chosen be discontented and are of any of those sorts of murmurers before spoken of so as they refuse to act for the good of the Commonwealth it is their fault and I fear their sin It is not his Highnesses fault nor the peoples but it will be some grief to the refusers when they shall see the work done without them or that it should miscarry by their neglect they knowing that at this day the pillar and ground of truth is shaken And the two great and standing Ordinances of God strongly assaulted by many of that kinde of temper that Korah and his company was That rose up against the office of Moses and the office of Aaron who would have no Magistrate but themselves nor no Ministry but of themselves The office of Magistracy was in Moses the office of the Ministry wa● in Aaron They are two distinct Offices and not promiscuously to be mixed nor to be severed from a Christian Commonwealth Gods word is the rule to both Moses and Aaron were Brethren and of one Tribe signifying a propinquity in their Offices they go together and are defence and instruction one to the other Now against these Offices Korah and 250 Princes of the people men of renown rise up and say Moses and Aaron wherefore lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord you take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy even every of them b Moses in this case makes his appeal to God the murmurers did the like as some among us too presumptuously have done God decides the controversie between them and saith he will cause their murmurings to cease God gave