houre Immediately after Prayer the sicke party said He was now most happy since God and Man had forgiven him and told the Minister hee was certaine God pardoned him all his finnes The Minister answered It was well if his assurance were on good grounds He replied That he was sure of it for Christ had taken away all his sinnes which God had in his sicknesse set before his eyes yea and some such finnes as he did not know or beleeve formerly to have beene sinnes but now Christ had borne them all on his owne shoulders and eased him of all that heavy burthen with many other most heavenly and divine expressions And being neere his death even the night before he died he said Hee assuredly saw Christ in a vision appearing unto him and telling him that his sinnes were pardoned and that he had a Cause on earth and that the Parliament of England defended it and that in the yeere of our Lord Christ 1644. the Parliament should obtaine a great victory over the Kings Forces and that then there should bee none of those wicked Ministers that had mis-led Gods people left among them and that from that time the Parliament should prosper but in the meane season that the rod of the wicked should rest on the backs of his righteous ones And after this hee lay glorying and rejoycing in the forgivenesse of his sinnes and even triumphing over death till the time of his departure which was the next day This relation was testified both by the said learned reverend and religious Divine who was often with him in his said sicknesse and heard most of his expressions and also by another religious Gentleman who was also then present and heard what is here delivered as aforesaid Also one Thomas Clarke a ranke malignant young man and servant to one Master Travill a merchant of London 3. One Thomas Clarke also a merchants man in London a notable malignant his penitent confession on his death-bed in honour of the Parliament being in the yeere 1643 stricken with sicknesse of which he died about three dayes before his death one William Coote a neighbour of his comming to visit him in this his sicknesse and having sate a while with him as he was going away the sick party desired him to stay a little and told him that hee would now say more to him then he had done to any which was this I am now sayes hee strongly perswaded in my heart that the Parliament maintains a right cause and at last shall have victory over the Kings Forces for they he said fought for Antichrist and he confest withall that he had lived a very sinfull life and was most of all grieved that he had spoken so much against the Parliament for which he wished he could now weep teares of blood together with very many patheticall speeches to this purpose and shortly after it departed this life This I have also from very honest and religious hands and testimony who have faithfully informed me of the truth thereof as having been both eye and ear-witnesses of the same In September also 1643. one Master Whitleigh in Golding lane in London with his wife Mistresse Whitleigh both of them very religious Christians 4. A remarkable example of one Master Whitleigh and his wife who deserted the Cause of the Parliament and truly fearing the Lord came with their foure children not long before to London from Tewksbury in Gloucestershire principally desiring to remove thence because of the wicked conversation of the Cavaliers billeted where he lived And hee having formerly served in the Parliaments Army against the Kings Forces but being now at London and for about three moneths space void of imployment resolved to give over service in the wars as finding a timorous fearfulnesse in himselfe to adventure any more into the Parliaments Army thereupon at last he had some thoughts to goe into New-England and advising with his wife who also was most unwâ—lâ—ing hee should any more put himselfe into the Service of the Parliament but by all meanes began to strengthen his resolution to goe away for New-England Whereupon he peremptorily now resolving to depart thither with his wife and children presently laid out thirty pounds for their passage by Sea and as much more for provision of necessaries to the voyage But being ready to depart the Lord suddenly struck him very sicke and in his sicknesse he was very much troubled in his minde lamenting and crying out very much against the sinne of Cowardise and Fearfulnesse which hee conceived to bee the ground of his intended removall to New-England and therefore much distrusting his soules estate cryed out often That he had sinned against God in cowardly deserting his holy Cause yet earnestly praying the Lord to forgive him this sinne promising and protesting that if the Lord vouchsafed to restore him to health and strength againe he would resolutely goe on to spend every drop of the blood in his veines for the Parliaments Cause and afterward blaming his wife for giving her consent and incouraging him therein he shortly after died yet before his departure he testified abundance of comfort and assurance of Gods favour and the pardon of his sin Immediately also after his death it so pleased the Lord that his wife fell so distracted that three or foure women could scarcely hold her downe in her bed and she taking no sustenance but what was forced into her mouth for many dayes she still in all this time of most sad perplexity crying out That she had sinned against God in counselling and incouraging her deceased husband to forsake Gods Cause and thereby she feareâ— she had beene the cause of his death And thus she lay divers dayes in much misery crying out of this her sinne and craving pardon of God for it And about the end of September aforesaid my godly friend from whom I had this relation comming occasionally to her house to see her found that her raging fits had left her but her spirits much spent and she lying speechlesse so that he knew not how to administer a word of comfort to her in that case wherefore being about to depart thence shee looked stedfastly on him reached out her hand to him which he tooke in his being as cold as clay and therewith spake many comfortable words unto her and ere he departed she manifested very much consolation in her soule both by words though faintly and gestures also and in a most happy and comfortable condition departed this life also the very next morning after his departure from her This relation I say I had from a very religious Citizen of London and faithfull servant of the Lord who himselfe was with Mistresse Whitleigh thus departing and whose own Sister lived close by these parties was well acquainted with them both in their lives and death and whose testimony I know to be without exception There was also about the time of the first victories of the famous and
renowned Towne of Manchester in Lancashire 5. One Master Standidge a Lancashire Gentleman deserting the Parliament suddenly slaine in the act of his defection in the yeere 1642. one M. Standidge a Gentleman of Lancashire who had formerly beene a man much ingaged in his affections for the Parliaments Cause and had oftentimes expressed so much both by his stiffe contendings with some that were very neere and deare unto him as also by his practice and assistance given to the said Cause But afterward by the slye insinuations and perswasions of some seeming friends neere about him but especially being at last overswaied and prevailed with as was strongly supposed by the Lord Strange then a great but blessed be God a most unsuccessefull stickler for the Kings party he being very intimate with the said Lord Strange This said Gentleman did at last so much crosse his owne former practice and good esteeme he had and held of the Worke and Cause of God in the Parliaments proceedings that he most unworthily quite deserted it yea so farre as to take up Armes against it and as he was in person in command and going against that honest famous and victorious Town of Manchester in the Lord Stranges Army the Lord God of Heaven in apparent displeasure met with him in this most disloyall Apostacie and going against God and his Cause For as he was going to take Horse upon some designe neere to the said Town of Manchester a bullet suddenly hit him and kil'd him presently not directly from the Towne but the bullet glancing upon a wall reached him with a gliding blow and so cut him short of his purpose and gave him the sad reward of his unhappy backsliding This I have from such unquestionable and religious testimony of a godly friend and neighbour of mine as I know to be without all just exception And is not here now one would thinke testimony enough for thee O incredulous Malignant yea even from the mouthes of two Converts formerly of thine owne ranke and rotten condition but now and that upon their death-beds and the words of dying men we know doe or ought to take deepe impression making ingenious confession of their and your folly and madnesse in so injuriously opposing the pious and just proceedings of the Parliament But now take one more to cleare these truths yet more abundantly 6. A most remarkable relation of Master Joseph Latch a Merchant his great misery for deserting the Parliament and his mercifull recovery yea one of no lesse moment and materiality then any of the former and most worthy serious notice and observation namely of one Master Ioseph Latch a Merchant in Bashingshall-street in London who having by Gods blessing upon his endeavours in his calling gotten a good estate and being a pious young Gentleman and well affected to the publike good of the Kingdome in the beginning of this Parliamentary warre and set forth two Horses for the said service at his owne proper charge but having some considerable goods at Bristoll which he desired to convey to Manchester by land in which land-passage a protection from the King was necessary for their safe convoy thorow Shrewsbury where lay a Garrison of the Kings Cormorants upon this occasion hee forced himselfe to goe to Oxford to procure such a protection Thus then he tooke his journey thither where he was no sooner arrived but it pleased the Lord it should so fall out that he was presently espied by one that had beene a Malignant neighbour of his in London a Lawyer by whose meanes he was presently apprehended as a Spie on which suspicion hee was instantly clapt up prisoner in the Castle and immediatly after was fetcht before the Councell-Table and in danger of his life But having there very good friends of the Kings party namely Sir George Binion Sir Nicholas Crispe and Mr. Bradborne his kinsman and others he was by the Kings owne Warrant set at liberty and entertained at Sir George Binious lodgings and yet againe for all this Smith that hellish Cerberus the Provost-marshall fetcht him out of Bynions lodgings at eleven of the clocke at night and carried him to prison againe Whereupon Bynion went againe to the King together with Mr. Bradborne told His Majesty of it who seemed much discontented thereat and presently sent a Squire of His body with a Commission to lay Smith by the heeles for his presumption and to enlarge Mr. Latch yea and that without taking the Oxford Protestation lest thereby his estate in London should have been seized on by the Parliament as the estate of a Swornemalignant yet with a private serious promise and engagement to Bynion that he would never hereafter put forth himselfe in any publique service for the Parliament So he at last returned safely home and in order to his promse was now growen very shy of serving with his Company according to the Ordinance of the Militia and shortly after through the ill-advice of a very malignant companion of his made over his estate into Holland put off his house in Bashing shall-street and then withdrew his person also into Holland Thus our Engglish Jonas would have fled from Nineve to Tarshish but God raised a storme in his conscience which drove him backe to our London Nineve there to cry repentance intending there to have lived till these times might change and thus he quite deserted the Parliament But he had not beene there above three weekes or a moneth but that it pleased God he fell sicke there and had a great and restlesse desire to come backe againe into England and accordingly having a fit opportunity imbarked himselfe and was brought backe sicke to London that thus by the providence of God so ordering it he might manifest his repentance here where he had finned and be an example to others both of the horrour which arises out of a guilty conscience sensible of apostacy from a good Cause and also from our Parliamentary Protestation and Covenant to maintaine the same Thus then I say being come off the water on Munday Sept. 25. 1643. he went to a friends house of his one Mr. Lacey in Canon-street where he went sicke to bed and in two daies his sicknesse and corscience working together he much desired to speake with some godly Minister Whereupon one was sent for who accordingly came to him on the Wednesday night but knowing nothing of his defection from the Parliament and hearing a good report of his former honest conversation he onely questioned him about his faith in Christ whereunto receiving an apposite answer he held out unto him some promises of the Gospell wherein his soule might cleave unto the Lord and having commended him unto the grace of God departed for that time but Mr. Latch found such sweetnesse in those promises that he still would be asking when that Minister would come againe That Thursday and Friday past and the Minister not sent for but on the Saturday following he called very
us that grand Ringleader and accursed contriver of all these our present mischiefes and miseries next to our sinnes yea the very head and heart of Clergy and Laick-Malignants according to their owne Popish distinction I meane the Arch-Prelate of Canterbury on whom it most neerly and closely fell out by divine providence so strangely and even admirably ordering it 9. Gods hand against Malignants in Doctor Laighton made master Lambeth house now converted from a Palace to a Prison Namely that that honest and religious Gentleman Doctor Laighton that great and grievous Sufferer for the cause of Christ under the cruell tyranny of that foresaid popish Persecuter should not onely live to see himselfe delivered out of the snare but his old grand Adversary himselfe to come into it in his stead and that the said Arch-Prelate should be fast lockt up as a traiterous prisoner in the Tower of London whiles this good Doctor is made Lord and Master of the Prelates Palace at Lambeth and this said pompous or rather popish palace where so many precious Saints and servants of the Lord had beene most wickedly arraigned and condemned to prison should now be turned into a prison to lock up most loose and prophane Malignants a most strange and admirable hand of God certainly against them Yea and I might here againe remember them of that most remarkable overture of things among us in these later times namely how it most admirably pleased the Lord to bring it so to passe by his all overpowring hand of providence that the Arch-Prelate of Canterbury being imprisoned in the Tower of London as an Arch-Traitor to our Church and State the Parliament should be pleased to cause the said Arch-Prelates lodgings in the Tower to be searched for dangerous traiterterous Papers Books and VVritings and who must be the man fixed on for the performance of this service but that most famous and faithfull 10. Gods hand against Malignants in Master William Prynnes formerly a great sufferer by the Arch Prelate of Canterbury being sent to search the said Arch-Prelates lodging in the Tower pious and patient Saint and Sufferer for Christ and his Cause Master William Prynne who coming into the said Arch-Prelates bed-chamber betimes in the morning with a guard of Souldiers to secure the businesse and approaching the Prelates bedside before he was uâ— the Prelate asked him who he was This precious and sweet Gentleman answered my name is Prynne VVhat sayes the Prelate are you he that suffered Yea sayes Master Prynne I am he whom you most unjustly and injuriously persecuted Just as good Joseph said to his brethren at the time of his discovering and making himselfe knowne unto them I am Joseph whom ye sold into Egypt O what a stab to the heart should this have bin to this persecuting Prelate at that word I am that Prynne whom you caused so grievoâ—sly and so unjustly to suffer had not his heart bin more hard adâ—mantine then a nether mil-stone Gen. 45. 4. and most extremly cauterized yea stigmatized with the hottest iron of most desperate impenitency and that then Master Prynne proceeding to the due execution of the charge and trust reposed in him by the Parliament should justissimâ illâ coelesti Lege-Talionis most justly Justissima coelestis Lex-Talionis I say search the Pockets of the Prelates wearing clothes before he would suffer him to put them on and rise out of his bed directly as he and some of his popishly affected Confederates had formerly dealt with some most eminent Members of a Parliamâ—nt formerly dissolved and as he had caused Master Prynnes owne Chamber and Study and many others also to be often most violently broken into and searched to the deeply indangering of their precious lives which undoubtedly he greedily hunted after if it might have beene As was done to reverend Master Henry Burtons house and study but therein praised be the Lord God gave this curst Cow according to the Proverbe or rather raging fat Bull of Bashan short hornes the Lords good providence and their owne innocence happily preventing this bloody designe of theirs And might not here now this Arch-Prelate on the serious consideration of these Premises in just remorse of Conscience have cryed out against himselfe like that heathenish King Adonibezeck Judges 17. had he not had as I toucht before a more then heathenish obdurate and impenitent heart Thus and thus have I done to others and now am I thus justly served by them onely with this difference That I am used farre more mercifully then I used them I might here also adde and copiously commemorate unto our mole-eyed Malignants Gods admirable providence in so strangely ordering and disposing of things by this present most memorable Parliament 11. Gods hand against the Malignant party in the Trienniall Parliament not onely to contrive a most free and spontaneous or voluntary consent of all the three Estates in Parliament to the setling of a Trienniall Parliament for the future rectifying of things amisse in Church and State and the more prudent and provident moderation and government of all sorts of State-affairs but also I say that both King Peers and Commons even both Houses of Parliament with his Majesty should so admirably and unanimously make it indissoluble and but by the sword like Alexanders Gordian knot which now the Kings Popish and Atheisticall Army is impiously and I trust fruitlesly labouring to do irrevocable Act That this present Parliament should not bee dissolved nor broken up 12. And especially in a perpetuated Parliament but by the joynt and unanimous consent of both Houses of Peers and Commons Which Act of theirs as it were perpetuating this Parliament by I say a most strange providence of God what a most admirable Block it hath laid in all the wicked wayes of that viperous generation of Atheists Papists and Malignants mightily thwarting crossing and crushing their most desperate and deepest designes I am not able I acknowledge to expresse it and onely Time is able to make it manifest to the glory of God and wonder-striking astonishment in the hearts of both Good and Bad. And though in the last yet not in least place I might here put our Malignants in remembrance for they are as we all see too willing to forget and slight both Gods hand against them and his great mercies towards us how by meanes of this present most pious Parliament 13. Gods hand against the Malignants cause in Church-government and matters of Religion Gods hand hath beene most admirably bent against them and their most impious Cause both in the expulsion and I trust in the Lord utter extirpation of that most Antichristian and tyrannicall Hierarchie of popish Prelates and that most especially by their owne proud practises and desperate designes even against the Parliament it selfe witnesse their Petition to the King that spoiled their sitting in Parliament Arminian Doctors and most scandalous Priests those sonnes of
themselves at that time they brought him home with them with no little adoe by the way who being thus brought home continued so distracted and besotted in his senses that he neither regarded what any said or did to him and wholly neglected his calling as being unfit to doe ought therein and shortly after hee fell sicke for a season and still continued so distracted that at last it was held fit to have him away to Bedlem yet for some credit sake his friends so prevailed that he was not put into the common condition of the Madmen there but was kept private in the house of one that endeavours the cure of such persons and there he was continued but could not be cured of this his miserable and distracted estate And was not here a most evident and remarkable hand of God upon them all three to the terrour one would thinke of all such desperate and incorrigible Malignants All which relation I have received from such honest and credible testimony of the truth thereof even of such as knew the three parties very well as is without all just exception therein And thus now I have as I suppose sufficienly made good my word and performed my promise in the two former parts of this my Looking-glasse namely in most clearly representing and setting forth to the eyes and understanding of every one of any one that is compos mentis and is not starke mad with malice and mischief both Gods hand most eminently against our Anti-Parliament arians or Malignants and also Gods evident heavy hand upon those our Malignants persons even immediately in the very acting of their malignancy Enough one would thinke to fright and terrifie them from such impious and audacious flouting â—ffâ—onting and maligning of Gods honest and harmlesse servants were not their Consciences cauterized with the hot iron of gracelesse impenetrable obstinacy and their hearts more hardned against pure and innocent Truth and Holinesse than the impenetrable Tortice shell and they thereby even given over by God to a reprobate sense to their irrecoverable ruine and perdition But now to goe on to my Third promised part or representation in this our Looking-glasse 3. A Caveat for Cowards and Neutrall-Deserters of the Parliaments Cause namely the Caveat for Cowards and faint-hearted Neutrall-Deserters of the Parliaments cause and therein I say most clearly Gods cause As also hereby to speake to all unsetled and unresolved weake Christians whom in this case we must pitty pardon and pray for as being our selves subject to like failings and errours should not grace prevent and support us to shew them the great danger and hard hazards they put themselves on both in soule and body too in so unworthily fearing or refusing to owne Gods Cause A briefe premised Preamble to the subsequent examples of this Caveat though not out of treachery yet if it be but of base timidity or feare God herein shewing his wrath and indignation and causing his jealousie to breake out against these also letting them see how dangerous it is to jest or dally with such sharp edg'd tooles as these to the undoing of their soules and bodies too I say if in his owne free grace and meere mercy he did not in the midst of justice remember to intermix mercy and to looke backe as it were on their sinking soules as he did on Peter in such a case if at least they belong to Christ as Peter did teaching them thereby to know the price of denying their Master or his Cause before men if not I say prevented by true and timely repentance All which I shall make most evident and cleare by these foure or five Examples all of them fallen out lately in these our probationall times which by Gods providence have come to my hands and knowledge and which for the glory of God and honour of our most precious Parliaments Cause I could not conceale but set forth most faithfully as I have received them from most indubitable and unquestionable Testimonies of the truth of them all even I say by those who were both Eye and Ear-witnesses of the truth of them And here now in the first place I might instance in a learned and reverend Minister of Lincolnshire 1. A Doctor in Divinity of Lincolnshire fell mad upon the taking of the Oxonian Protestation against the Parliament a Doctor in Divinity who being taken by the Kings Cormorants and carried prisoner to Newarke and there enforced to take the Oxonian Protestation or Covenant against the Parliament which it seemes out of servile feare and unworthy pusillanimity he did immediately after it out or remorse of Conscience fell mad and fearfully distracted in his senses and so continued for almost the space of halfe a yeere this being done by him about the midst of the last Summer 1643. but being since at liberty among his Parliamentary friends is in good measure recovered and a hearty Penitent for it But it being desired his name should bee concealed I cease to say any more therein save onely this That I have this briefe relation from such unquestionable and credible testimony as most strongly confirmes the truth thereof unto me And might we not here now thinke this one single example sufficient to deter our cowardly Newters from so vicious and pernicious prejudicating and deserting the Parliaments pious proceedings Yes certainly had they but any small sparkes of ingenuity left alive in them but since I know that they yea and Gods owne people too must have line upon line as the Prophet sayes and example upon example and all too too little till Gods Spirit of Grace awakens their dead and drousie Consciences I shall now give them another Example which comes more close unto them and most worthy their deep and serious observation and consideration which briefly is this Upon the second day of May 1643. one Thomas Bretton a young man 2. One Thomas Bretton a most bitter and active Malignant against the Parliament remarkably converted on his death-bed and most bitter and active Malignant against the Parliament late servant to Alderman Cullum in Gracious street in London falling very sick which indeed shortly after proved a sicknesse unto death desired most earnestly to speake with a reverend and religious Minister of the City whom he had formerly heard preach and could not be quiet till he was sent for The Minister being sent unto and intreated to come unto him accordingly very willingly came of whom so soone as the sicke party saw him he most heartily desired his pardon and forgivenesse The Minister answered That he knew not any thing wherein the sick party had injured or offended him But Bretton replied That he had done him wrong in jeering and scoffing at him though he knew not of it and told him the particulars thereof Whereupon this pious Minister told him He freely forgave him Then he desired the Minister to pray with him which he also did for the space of about halfe an
front or forlorne hope of the rabble of wicked ones that shall be shut out of the New-Jerusalem shall have their part in the like which burnes with fire and brimstone Take heed therefore my brethren as the Authour to the Hebrews adviseth lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe Heb. 10. 38. in departing from the living God Luke 9. 62. For certainely saies the spirit of truth in the same Epistle If any man draw backe or has as Christ himselfe testifies put his hand to the Plough of Gods worke and cause and lookes backe is unfit for Heaven nay more Gods soule will take no pleasure in such an one Besides remember this seriously I pray thee that a Newter or Key-cold fellow in Gods cause is a most despicable creature despised both of God and the Devill The miserable condition of Cowards and Newters described being apt to be false and faithlesse to them both and so good for the use of neither of them as not caring whether Gods or the Devils cause faile or prevaile sinke or swim what cares he so he may sit stil and enjoy his base peace and pelfe onely it may be he will give them some seeming good wishes at most and best O let such as these timely take heed by these examples that God meet them not sorely and surely too at last and if thy Neutrality be from wilfull and wicked principles then feare indeed and tremble at thy estate by those examples of Gods hand upon those mischievous and malevolent malignants by death and destruction even in the very acting of their evils If out of meere slavish feare and unworthy cowardise yet feare also by those other examples considering what terrible straits and soule-pinching perplexities it may bring thee unto at the best and presume not though they happily repented and were saved for repentance is a Flower that growes not naturally in our Gardens but is the onely gift of God and he gives it graciously when and to whom he will Therefore I say presume not but feare and whiles thou hast yet space labour for grace even immoveable faithfulnesse courage and perseverance remembring ever who it was that said even truth it selfe He that denies me or is ashamed of me before men I will deny him and be ashamed of him before my Father which is in Heaven And thus I have done with these But now in the last place I desire also to speake a word or two unto our most unhappy miserable and marble-hearted malignants whom from my soule I pity and pray for as my brethren in the flesh implacable and inveterate haters of Holinesse and of a pure Reformation who would faine under a beggarly pretext of a lazy licentious Peace forsooth still be more and more setled on the Lees of their old infant halfe Reformation comfortable then I confesse in blessed Queen Elizabeths daies if we reflect on the wofull Marian daies before even meere formall Protestantisme at large which in effect is but down-right Atheisme or at best a back doore to Papistry as we have used the matter for so many yeeres past The upholding and maintaining whereof I take for granted to be the ground of the great quarrell betweene them and Gods people now adaies What will ye then or what can ye say for your selves poore mole-ey'd and miserable men after the serious fight and rumination on all these forelaid remarkable evidences and most luculent and conspicuous demonstrations of Gods immediate hand both against and upon you and after all these notable Convictions and Confessions of the horrible and God-hated evill of your cause and cases what I say will you now answer for your selves why you may not most properly and pertinently be called and counted wilfull and obstinate fighters against God and his just cause See then I beseech you but if you will not timely see you shall as I said before see at last and be ashamed and smart too and be timely and wisely perswaded as the truth is that though you will not acknowledge it you your malignant workes plainely shew it and especially the Spirit of God the onely true searcher and discoverer of the hearts and reines of all hath most clearely declared to us in the second Psalme both your worke and your wages your wicked cause and your wretched cases viz. That all the banding and binding of the heads and hearts together of Gebal Ammon and Amaleck c. of sottish formall Protestants What King our formall Protestants choose and refuse Prelates and Papists with all that Iesuiticall rabble is mainely and onely this We will not have this man King Iesus but the tyrannicall and diabolicall usurpers base lusts soul-slaying corruptions sinne and Satan to reigne over us and therefore let us say they breake his bands in sunder that is let us violate and vitiate his holy and wholsome Lawes and Commandements let us east away his cords from us that is let us contemne and despise his soul-saving counsels free grace and love and all his heart-establishing precious promises but all this while they blindly and blockishly forget or will not see and perceive as the same Spirit and fountaine of Truth tels them that the Lord now resolves to set his onely begotten Sonne Christ Iesus as Lord and King to â—uâ—e and raigne over the tops of all the Mountaines of the earth upon Sion his most holy Hill and that he therefore even the Lord the great Iehovah sits in Heaven sees and smiles at and laughs to scorne all their combinations and accursed confederacies all their freting and fuming beating and breaking of their braines and hearts too When Malignants cause shal overcome and telling them to their teeth and shewing them maugre their brazen browes that all the while they doe but imagine a vaine thing which they never can they never shall bring to passe For of this let them be most sure that till they can make it appeare or probable that Satan is stronger and wiser than the Almighty that Antichrist is able to overcome the Lord Christ to whom the Father hath committed all power in Heaven and Earth I shall never believe that they or their cause shall prevaile For I say God hath put into Christs hands an Iron Mace not onely to bruise but to breake in pieces like so many pot-sheards their earthen and stony hearts though ever so seemingly stout and stubborne as partly and pretty-well one would thinke I have here in these forecited examples made most plaine and conspicuous but especially as the Lord God himselfe in all ages and times hath made most manifest to the whole World even from the beginning of it to our present times Psal 76. 10. nay not onely so but that the Lord hath most admirably made and that with a witnesse too the wrath of man to turne to his own high glory and praise yea and so restrained and constrained the remainder thereof to keepe within limits and