that have been made by the Worthy Citizens of this City and by divers other well-affected persons throughout the Kingdome the Money the Plate the Horses and other things for this Warre too they will bee lost but not onely so but certainly that these have been lent to the Parliament for the maintaining of the Warre against that Party this will bâ—e good reason why they should take all away The publike Faith likewise of both Houses of Parliament and so the whole Kingdome certainly that must be violated and if that should bee so if that we should be oveâ—born in this cause it will easily be foreseene whether any future Parliament will be enabled to stand up for the defence of Religion and the Liberties of the People Wee may adde to this the Charters and the Franchises of this great City it will be easily foreseen what will be the event of that whether they wil be continued to you yea or no considering what affection you have born to this cause Certainly in former timeâ— the Charters and the priviledges of this City they have been confirmed by Parliaments as doth appear in King Johns time in Henry the third Richard second always after the ending of those great Wars wheâ—in no doubt the City as hath been seen in that did engage themselves as now in the Parliaments cause therefore for their security their Charters were alwayes confirmed which wee need not doubt will be done in this cause but in case the event should bee otherwise what the losse will be in that way you may easily see so that all is at stake and if we bring not them in to our assistance for ought I know we are at fairs to lose the game as winâ—â— it and if any mana estate here stood upon the like câ—suâ—lty I believe hee would give some considerable summe to ensure it in the office of Policies Thus we stand in case they are noâ— called in the losse so great that is the losse of all the event so uncertaine In case they be called in we are to consider then what alteration this is like to make we are therefore to consider how it comes about that the Party comes to be so equall that so many should engage themselves on the other Party as we see they doe certainly a great many of them doe it being uncertaine in their judgements to which side to cleave Another Party they doe it because that they out of feare desire to keep their Estates and stand Neuters For the first of those certainly both at home and abroad those that are averse they looke upon us as a Protestant Kingdom but divided among our selves they heare Protestations on both sides that both Parties doe protest to maintaine the Protestant Religion the Laws of the Kingdome and the Liberty of the Subject and they see and read the Declarations that goe out on both sides and the matter of fact being that that makes the cause they know not what to believe of that for when they read the severall Declarations they see that affirmed by one party that is denyed of the other so that indeed they know not which way to bend themselves to beleeve of the matter of fact I meane But now a great many after the case hath been stated as it hath been on both sides bâ— these Declarations when they shall see that this Kingdome of Scotland to which Declarations have been sent by both Parties for so they have the King hath sent on his side and the Parliament hath sent on their side also when they shall see the Kingdome of â—cotland hath sent a Committee into this Kingdom to informe themselves of the businesse how it stood to the intent they might know how to carry themselves between both Parties I say when after all this they shall see a whole Protestant Kingdom as one Man a Protestant Kingdome that hath had differences heretofore and those differences have beene setled when they have beene in the same distractions as wee have and so setled as that it hath beene with a cleare Declaration of their innocencies that they had just cause to doe what they had dont and went away as they did with that full satisfaction they have given to the world I say when they shall see such men as have for so long a time stood by as a third Party and Spectators onely and lookens on when they shall see a Kingdome that is altogether unbyass'd that hath the same King lives in the same Island that hath the same Religion I say when they shall behold a whole Kingdome to declare for the one Party that is for our Party when they shall see them not onely doe so but enter into a League and Covenant and that by oath with us for the maintaining of this Religion when they shall see them engaging their whole Kingdome as one man in a War for the maintaining of this cause I say certainly that must bee a convincing silencing argument to all these men that this is the Party that doth maintain really and in truth the true Protestant Religion the Laws of the Realme and the Liberties of the Subject That is for the first The second is there is another Party that are well enough satisfied in their judgements but out of feare of their estates and other sinister by and base ends for so they may be called for as this Covenant calls it a detestable Neutrality so may wee I say when these Parties shall see such an addition of strength to the one side their owne principles of feare will reach them to goe to that that is the stronger side But admitting that men stood in their judgments and in Neutrality as they now doe and that their comming in did not alter one man yet we are to consider what the strength is that they doe bring in wiâ—h them and what that is like to doe admitting the parties to bee as equally engaged as now they be and that is by their owne Propositions that when they come in they intend to come in with 18000 Foot with 1000 Dragoneers and 2000 Horse with 21000 Horse and Foot with a Traine of Artillery proportionable and suitable to such an Army Certainly by the blessing of God such a force to bee added to the one Party that is now even it cannot but in all likelihood cary down the scales and alter the whole â—ame and the state of the businesse Why certainly two against one in all â—usinesses that makes oddes If we have the addition of that whole Kingdome to this Party that is even with the other or neare so now wee may easily judge of the event This is the first benefit I shall propound to you wee are like to reap by their comming in that is the assuring of this great cause that so much concâ—â—nes us The second is this which I shall propound to you that is that it will bee for our profit that it will ease the Warre that it will make
they are to continue three moneths and ten dayes in your Service after they come into your Kingdome after the payment of this 100000 l. so that there is full three moneths and ten dayes for these Counties to lie open to the repayment of this Mony for those three moneths they are to be without pay These are the principall things that wee have yet thought upon for the dis-ingaging of us that wee tender to you there are divers others which the Committee hath taken into consideration which they see as much or more certainty in than in any of these that hath been propounded If it were no more than the Publique Faith of both Kingdoms as long as the Kingdoms subsist or the Cause thrives in the hands of one or other this must bee dis-ingaged so that at best it is but a Loan and must bee paid if the Cause survive truely if it doe not survive it being our Religion I know not what reason wee have 〈◊〉 desire to survive it and if wee lose it I am sure wee lose all Truly Gentlemen thus I have but one word more to say The Cause it is Gods if it bee not so let us repent that ever wee medled with it It is the Cause of our Countrey if it bee not so let us now say wee repent and leave it It is the Cause of these three Kingdomes England Ireland and Scotland it is the Cause of Christendom for if this Cause be carryed against us certainly the Protestant Cause throughout all Europe will fare the worse for it this is the Cause this we all know to be the Cause It hath pleased Almighty God out of his Providence to call even us poor creatures to be the managers of this great cause of his we have undertaken it we have formerly by our Protestations engaged our selves to the maintaining of it wee have all of us both Parliament City and all well-affected Subjects of this Kingdom wee have put our shoulders to it wee have of late manifested to God and all the world that wee doe not repent of what wee have done wee have entred into a Solemn League and Covenant I think the solemnest that ever was seen in this Kingdom Gentlemen thus let our cheerfulnesse in this service shew that wee have taken that Covenant and doe affect this businesse with our whole hearts I have done Pray God give his blessing Mr. Edmond Calamy his speech in Guild-hall on Friday the sixt of October 1643. Gentlemen YOU have heard a worthy Gentleman of the House of Commons it is desired by this grave and Reverend Assembly of Ministers that three of the Ministers of this Assembly should likewise speak unto you concerning this great businesse and notwithstanding my indisposition of body being required by them though that Gentleman of the House of Commons hath spoken so abundantly to the purpose yet notwithstanding I am here come to speak something the rather to declare my willingnesse to appear in this Cause that is every way so just and every way so honest and so good that I may truly say as the Martyr did that if I had as many lives as I have haires on my head I would bee willing to sacrifice all these lives in this Cause You know the story of Craesus that though hee never spake in his life yet when hee saw his Father ready to bee killed it untyed the strings of his tongue and then hee cryed out that they would not kill his Father you are not ignorant that England and Ireland lye a dying and though I never appeared in this place yet I blesse God that hath given mee that health this day to speak something in this Cause for the reviving of the dying condition of England and Ireland It is such a Cause as is able to make a very Infant eloquent and a dumb man to speak that never spake in all his life The matter I am desired to speak to is concerning the Contribution to perswade you to bee liberall towards the bringing in of the Scots to help us in this our great necessity The truth is it is a great shame that England should stand in need of another Nation to help it to preserve its Religion and Liberties That England that hath been enriched with the Gospel of Peace and the peace of the Gospel for so many yeers that England that hath been blessed with so many rare Ministers of God so many precious and powerfull servants that have preached the Word of God in season and out of season that England that hath professed the Gospel with so much power and purity that England should stand in need of the help of their Brethren of Scotland for to preserve that Gospel that they have professed so many yeers I confesse to mee it seems a very strange Prodigie and a strange wonder but it hath pleased Almighty God for the sins of England for our great unthankfulnesse and for our unthankfulnesse under these means and for the great blood-guiltinesse and Idolatry and Superstition of this Nation it hath pleased God to suffer a great part of the Kingdom to bee blinded especially those parts where the Word of God hath not been preached in a powerfull manner and there are many in the Kingdom that will not bee perswaded that there is an intention to bring in Popery and to bring in Slavery Many of them I say think that though the Popish Army should prevaile and the plundering Army should prevaile yet they think all would goe well with Religion and with their Liberties I say it hath pleased God to suffer abundance in the Kingdom to bee blinded with this opinion out of a just judgement to punish us for our unthankfulnesse and for our ingratitude and this is the reason that so many men stand Neuters and that so many are Malignants and disaffected to this great Cause in so much that I am concluded under this that there is little probability to finish this Cause without the comming in of the Scots as you heard so worthily by that Member of the House of Commons The sons of Zerviah are grown so strong what through our fearfulnesse what through our covetousnesse what through our malignity that there is little hope I say to finish this great Cause or to bring it to a desired peace without the help of another Nation and by the assistance of God by the help of another Nation it may be done These are two mighty two omnipotent Arguments to prevaile with you to contribute your utmost aide and assistance to that Cause since it cannot speedily bee done without their help by Gods blessing it may speedily be don by their help What would the Kings party doe if they could engage another Nation to their help 21000. if they could engage them to our ruine what would they not doe How much more should wee be willing to contribute our greatest help to engage a Nation that indeed is part of our own Nation within the same Island
remember in this Ordinance of Parliament you call it Advance money It is called an Ordinance to advance money towards the maintaining of the Parliaments forces and truly it is the highest advance of money to make money an instrument to advance my Religion the Lord give you hearts to beleeve this You shall have the Faiths of both Kingdoms ingaged in this Cause the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England and surely the Publique Faith of Scotland will secure the Publique Faith of England I speak now of secondary causes through Gods blessing I am informed by the Commissioners of Scotland that the Nation of Scotland are now taking the Covenant that wee took the last Lordâ— day in this City And you know that a Scotch Covenanter is a terrible thing you know what mighty things they did by their last Covenant you know that the name of a Covenanter the very name of it did doe wonders And I am assured by them that there is not one person in the Kingdom of Scotland that is not a Covenanter and there shall not one abide among them that will not take this Covenant and there shall not one of those 21000 that are to come over in this Cause not one of them shall come that will not take this Covenant but they must take this Covenant before they come O that the consideration of these things might work up your hearts to a high degree of Charity to a superlative degree and that the Lord would make you more active and more liberall in this great Cause For my part I speak it in the name of my self and in the name of these 〈◊〉 Ministers wee will not only speak to perswade you to contribute but every one of us that God hath given any estate to wee will all to our utmost power wee will not only say itâ— but vâ—â—ite wee will not only speak to you to lend but every one of us as wee have already lent so wee will lend to our utmost power and blesse God that wee have it to lend for indeed it is now a time of action and not of speaking only because it is an extraordinary businesse therefore here is an extraordinary appearance of so many Ministers to encourage you in this Cause that you may see how reall the godly Ministery in England is unto this Cause The Gospel it is called a Pearl of price by our Saviour Christ and I hope all you Merchants will part with your goodly pearls to buy this pearl of price You Tradesmen the Gospel is called a Treasure hid in the field so our Saviour Christ calls it I hope you will bee willing to part with your earthly treasures to preserve this blessed treasure that is hid in the field you have parted with some goodly pearls already I hope you will part with your other goodly pearls There is an excellent Story of one Nonluâ— a Roman Senator that had a pearl that hee did prize above his life and when Anthony the Triumvir one that was then in great power when hee sent to Nâ—nius to have the pearl hee would not send it him and hee told him that if hee would banish him hee would bee willingly banished so hee might save his pearl if hee would take away his life hee would dye with his pearl hee did not regard his Countrey so hee might have his pearl hee regarded nothing so hee might have his pearl but hee would not part with his pearl what ever hee parted withall This pearl it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that you have professed in this City and I hope you have professed it with power and certainly you have the name of those that have professed the Gospel in the greatest purity of any under heaven This pearl is this Gospel I hope you will part with all willingly and cheerfully rather than part with the Gospel though you goe to prison carry the Gospel with you nay though you lose your lives â—t shall bee with the Gospel and for the Gospel I hope so There is one Argument more and then I have done and that is from the inveterate hatred they have at Oxford against the City of London and against you for your good because you have been so well-affected to this Cause Gentlemen I beseech you give mee leave that am no Statesman not acquainted with the affaires of policy yet give mee leave to put you in minde of this that surely the plundering Army at Oxford conceive that they shall finde a great treasure here in the City though many pretend they have no money Though certainly you have done well and lent much yet the plundering Army give out that if they get possession of the City they shall finde a treasury to bee able to pay all they have been at And if ever you should bee driven which God forbid to make your peace it would cost you twenty times as much then to procure your peace and such a peace it may bee that would bee rather a Warre than a Peace and a death better than that peace which now you may have for a very little a most happy Peace There is a famous story of Zelimus Emperour of Constantinople that after hee had taken Aegypt hee found a great deal of treasure there and the Souldiers came to him and asked him what shall wee doe with the Citizens of Aegypt for wee have found a great treasure among them and wee have taken their Riches O saith hee hang them all up for they are too rich to bee made slaves and this was all the thanks they had for the riches they were spoyled of And it may beâ— though some of you that stand neuteâ—â— or some of you that are dis-affected to the Cause of the Parliament may think that if the Lord for our sins should give up this City unto the Army that is with the King you may think that you shall escape yet bee assured that youngoods will bee Roundheads though you bee not your goods will bee Gybalins though you bee Gwelâ—s as 〈…〉 is Certainly there will bee no distinction in the plundering of your goods between you and others and therefore let mee beseech you that as the Lord hath made you instruments to doe a great deal of good already for indeed you are the preservers of our Religion and you are the preservers of our Parliament by your liberality and by your former contributions and by your assistance and the Lord hath made you mighty instruments of our good let mee beseech you that you would persevere and now wee are come to the Sheat Anchor wee are now come to the last cast I beseech you you would persevere and hold out and O that my words might adde somewhat to help forward this contribution It hath pleased God to make mee a setled Ministery in this City and I have now been here almost five yeers in this City and though I had never done any good in my place I should now think it a great
before hath done If you say why doe wee doe all What if God will give the City the speciall honour yet the Countrey will bee required for a great part besides but the Lords work now to bee done it must bee done especially by his servants and wee know in Ezra when as the adversaries of Judah would have come and helped in the work they would not suffer them to come and help in the work I say not wee should doe so but onely to satisfie â—s in this that wee should not think it much that God should especially honour us in such a work as this is But yet besides know that your interest in this businesse it is more than the interest of other men for other men care not what becomes of Religion what care they for Reformation they are willing to bee slaves to some that they might have others slaves under them But you desire Reformation you therefore shall have the greatest share in the blessing of the issue of this work and therefore if others doe not so much yet you should bee willing to bee forward in the work you are now called to and if you bee willing it is like in a little while you may get such power that you may bring others to doe whatsoever may appear to bee just If it shall bee said I but a great deal is done but to little purpose all this while O my brethren say not so it is an unthankfull voyce this for much hath been done there hath been a check given to the adversary the stream of tyranny and slavery it hath been stopped your lives have all this while been preserved by what hath been done If you think but it is too late and all will bee lost that wee doe Say not so neither this is below a Roman spirit the Romans when Hannibal was at their gates yet would sell their fields at as great a rate and as great a consideration as at any other time Even the field where the Enemy was found buyers when it was put to sale there were enow to buy that field Your spirits would scarce rise so high to give a valuable consideration for the field of your Enemy to bee Fee simple to your selves hee not discouraged you have not only the Faith of both Kingdomes that hath been offered but wee as Divines may offer you this day the Faith of Heaven the Faith of the promises of Heaven they are offered to you and there is nothing will blast that work more than a discouraged heart You know that the very thing that caused God to deprive the children of Israel of Canaan when they were at the borders it was because they were discouraged and said There are children of Anak here and let us not go The Lord is bringing of us to a blessed 〈◊〉 it is true wee are in a wildernesse but wee know God hath brought us into the wildernesse and hee will speak comfortably to us in it and let us not bee afraid of difficulties lest wee bee deprived of that good Land that God is bringing us into and little cause have wee to bee discouraged for those wee have to deal with their spirits are base and vile why should wee fear those uncircumcised Philistines And wee see God hath been with us in every thing that wee have undertaken Wee have never shown our selves like men but God hath shown himself to be like a God for us If you say Well but were it not better wee bent all our forces to some Accommodation To that wee answer you thus You have to deal not only with his Majesty but with a Popish party that are about him and what security you can ever have of your peace as was worthily said before except the Scottish Nation comes in for to fasten it it is easie for any one to judge I will tell you but one story about that and because it is suitable unto you I will therefore relate it here It is a Story that I finde in the Chronicles that in the dayes of King Edward the fixt King Edward sends to this City for assistance against the Lords and the Lords send to the City for their assistance likewise against the Protectour the Earl of Somerset and the Common Councell was called I suppose in this place and there stands up as the story saith a wise discreet Citizen in the Common Councell and makes this speech unto them First hee acknowledges that the cause was right for the Lords for the Kingdom though it were against the will of the King because the King would not then put in execution those Laws that should bee but hindered them but yet saith hee let mee reminde you of that that I have read in Fabians Chronicle it was one George Stadley that stood up let mee reminde you of that when there was a fight between the Lords and the King the Lords send for assistance to the City the City granted their assistance the Lords prevailed the King was taken and his Son a Prisoner afterwards they were both released upon Composition and amongst other things this was one that howsoever the City should bee preserved that the City should suffer nothing for what they had done and this Composition was confirmed by Act of Parliament but saith this Citizen what came of it did the King forgive No nor forget for afterwards all our Liberties were taken away strangers were set over us for our Heads and Governours the bodies and the estates of the Citizens were given away and one misery followed after another and so wee were most miserably persecuted and here was their Accommodation Wherefore then to close all you have heard before that wee come not onely to perswade you but to ingage our selves as well as to perswade you and to doe that that wee would have you doe For our parts as wee have in some proportionable manner done it already so wee are ready to doe it further and it beseemes us well to doe it Wee read in the 3 of Nebemiah that the first that did help to repair the City it was the Priests of the City and about the middle of the City the Priests of the Plain I suppose it is meant the City Ministers and the Countrey Ministers and you shall finde in that Chapter severall sorts of people were there there were the Rulers these specially mentioned I suppose their chief Rulers as their Aldermen c. they were very forward in that work of the Lord Yea there were the Tradesmen there you read much of the Goldsmiths two severall times in that Chapter you read of the Goldsmiths more then others and you read of the Apothecaries that they were ready in their work yea and you read of the Daughters of men how they forwarded their Parents I would I had to speak to many young ones this day I hope I should prevail much with them to bee great forwarders of you that are more ancient that you may doe this freely which you are
FOVRE SPEECHES Delivered in GVILD-HALL ON Friday the sixth of October 1643. At a COMMON-HALL Vpon occasion of desiring the Assistance of our Brethren of SCOTLAND in this WARRE VIZ. The 1. by Mr. Solicitor 2. by Mr. Edmund Calamy 3. by Mr. Jeremiah Burroughes 4. by Mr. Obadiah Sedgewick Published according to Order LONDON Printed by R. Cotes for Jo. Bellamie and are to bee sold at his shop at the sign of the three Golden Lions in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1646. Foure SPEECHES Delivered In Guild-Hall on Friday the sixth of October 1643. At a Common-Hall Mr. Solicitor his Speech at Guild-Hall on Friday October 6. 1643. Worthy Aldermen and Gentlemen and Citizens of this Famous City of London THe cause of the calling of this Assembly of this Common-Hall it was the businesse of Scotland I thinke it is not unknowne to many of you that about two months since both the Houses of Parliament did send a Committee into Scotland to desire the assistance of our brethren of Scotland in this Warre the Committee hath from thence sent Propositions to both the Houses whereby wee see their willingnesse to come to our assistance but one part of it is that without some supplyes of Money they are not able at all to come into this assistance The Houses considering the necessity of their comming in and of speedy supplyes of Money to that purpose they did send a Committee and did desire that a Common-Councell might be called which was done upon Munday last and they did thither send a Committee with desire that the Common-Councell would take that into consideration that is the necessity of their comming and speedy supplies to bee raised And for the effecting of this not having any other means so neare at hand as that they did desire that the Common-Councell would appoint a Committee out of themselves to consider of this businesse with the Committee of the House of Commons These they met and have been together these two dayes considering of it that is Wednesday and Thursday and they did intend and doe still to send to divers of those that are able and rich of this City to the intent that they might see what they would lend to this businesse and to tender to them such security as they conceive to be very convenient and fitting for those that are willing to lend Money but when they had entred upon the businesse and considering the speed and the necessity that the supply should be expedited they thought that would be too long a way yet resolved to prosecute it still but withall they did desire that my Lord Major would be pleased to call a Court of Aldermen this morning which hee did and likewise a Common-Hall to the intent that the necessity of the raising of this money speedily might be declared to you because the other would be a longer way which though it be intended still to be prosecuted yet when you are all here together we may the better know your affections to this businesse and that the Money may be speedily raised though not the whole yet it will be somewhat to the businesse if some considerable summe might speedily be sent away I conceive there is no need to acquaint you with the benefits that will redound to this kingdome and the advantages wee shall have by a nearer association with them and by their comming in to this purpose for our assistance the benefits certainly when wee consider of them are many As first This great cause which is now in agitation that by this means will be much secur'd it will bee assur'd to us that the event and the successe of it by Gods blessing will bee made a great deale the certainer If they do not come in then we are to consider how we stand Certainly the Parties they are very equall in this businesse and where the Parties are equall the successe must needs bee dangerous and very uncertain Now we all of us see that all ranks and degrees of men even from the highest Lords to the meanest Commoners they are engaged on both sides and if the advantage be of either side it is in the other because that the greater part of the Nobility and Gentry we know they are the other way Likewise if we consider the Citiâ—â— and Townes of this kingdom that there is Newcastle that there is York-shire that there is Shrewsbury that there is Bristoll that there is Chester and that there is Exeter and divers others Cities and great Townes in their custody If we goe through all the Counties of the Kingdome wee see there the greatest parts of the Northerne parts possess'd wholly by the Earle of Newcastle Northumberland Cumberland Westmerland York-shire and some other parts So in the West goe to other Counties there is a mixture in all of them that we cannot say there is any part of the Kingdome free so that the mixture seemes to be of the people likewise if not the greater party the other way If we consider likewise the events and successes as we on the one side have taken Portsmouth Chichester and some other places so they on the other side have taken Exeter and Bristoll and other places If we consider the events of the Skirmishes Fights and Battailes that have been we cannot say that on any side hath been any compleat Victory that at Edgehill it pleased God to give us a deliverance we finde it was no compleat Victory by those things that followed so this at Newbury lately no compleat victory for had it been so the Warre had been at an end so that which way soever we looke unlesse wee call them in to our assistance certainly the Parties on both sides are very equally engaged and certainly when two men of equall strength doe wrestle it is an even lay which of them will give the fall as long as the ballances stand so even it is very uncertain which way they will weigh down We are to consider that in respect that the danger is such and the event of the Warre so uncertaine without their comming in what the cause is that is lost in case the day should be theirs certainly considering that the Papists in Ireland are wholly engaged that the Papists in England are wholly engaged that the Prelates and their Party are wholly engaged that there are divers that are Neuters and ill-disposed men that they likewise encline that way Considering that that Party is acted by Jesuiticall Counsells for certainly they are behinde the Curtaine though they are not so visible to us I say when this is considered who are the Parties that shall get this day it is very easie to prognosticate what the losse will be no lesse then of Religion and of our Lawes and of our Liberties In a word if that that Party doe prevaile I am affraid we have lost all and therefore those other things they will not be so considerable which I shall tell you of Wee know the great Loanes and Contributions
the charge and the burthen of it to 〈◊〉 This doth arise partly out of what hath been said that their comming in it will shorten the Warre for as long as the parties arâ— equall it must needes lengthen and protract the Warre when two scales are almost equally ballanced wee know for a great while it falls on the right hand and on the left hand and it is a great while before they stand still so that if the War bee protracted and lengthened that will bee spent in time and a great deal more then a good round summe will be in making a sudden conclusion of it I think every Lessee hee had rather pay a good round Fine than for many â—â—ers together to sit upon a great Rent this may bee our condition if wee doe not bring them in besides the losse of all at last But the benefit will appear by the shortning of the Warre in this further By those miseries and that poverty and that calamity which a long Warre must of necessity bring with it The wealth of this Kingdome I suppose it arises out of the soyle and the ground of the Kingdom and it arises out of the Mâ—nufactures and out of the Trade of the Kingdom These again do consist principally in Rents and in Debts certainly Debtors by having their estates plundered and wholly taken away from them and the lives from many debts will cease there will bee no debts to bee paid the same will bee likewise of Rents when the Cattle shall bee killed up and the Tenants plundered of all they have there will bee no Rents paid How will it bee like if the Warres continue that the Trade will bee continued for the materialls of Trade by a long Warre will bee wholly destroyed and taken from us The Sheep of the Kingdom that bring our Woall and the Horses and the Cattle that bring our Leather and our Tallow these three the Wooll Leather and Tallow and divers other things wee know how many hundred Trades even from the greatest Merchant to the lowest Handicrafts-man how many they imploy these they will bee destroyed not onely by the consumption which the Souldier makes that is wastefull but even the policy of Warre will require of the Enemy as wee see of late about Gloucester in the Vale of Esum the policy of War will cause I say one party â—o kill and destroy all Cattle when the necessity of Warre râ—quiâ—â—â—â—t to sâ—arve out the Enemy Besides the daily losse of Towns and Cities what a losse will that bee to Trading and in particular to this City I beleeve it is a sensible thing to many of you the â—aking oâ—â—â—â—ter the taking of Brisâ—oâ— and the Trade of Newcastle stopped and some other Cities what a great losse even in point of debt it hath been to many worthy Citizens of this City Besides a long Warre it will consume the very materialls of life of food and rayment wee shall neither have meat drink nor cloathing if the War conâ—inue considering the burnings and devastations that goe along with it so that for my own part I think it is a very clear case that wee had better buy out with a round summe a short War then to have a long War continued though it bee without any charge at all If all our horse and foot and trayn of Artillery and Garrisons were all paid to our hand wee had better buy a short Peace by bringing them in than to have a long War without charge because of that inevitable poverty that a long War must needs bring to a Kingdom this first thing that I have offered is in point of time the shortening of Warre the Benefit and Profit that it will bee to the Kingdome Secondly Wee all know this Warre hath contracted a great debt upon the Kingdom and it will contract farre more In case this shall bee hereafter to bee paid in sheere Money and Coyn I am afraid the Kingdom is not able to pay it at once I beleeve that all men know Suppose this then shall bee appointed to bee paid at certain yeers and times what will bee the event of that I am afraid the destruction of the Kingdom for then the case will bee thus the greatest part of the Lords and Gentry are ingaged in the other way and here lies a great debt annually to bee paid by the Kingdom and certainly this will disaffect people to all other Parliaments when they shall yeerly bee under the payments of such moâ—eys that the Parliament hath contracted upon them And then considering who it is will operate upon the other party for there is another party that will not bee easily reconciled to the party that hath been on the other side and so this other party striking in the other way what this is like to produce is very dangerous to mee whereas on the other side as long as the parties are equally engaged as wee are without their comming I am afraid there will not bee that force on the one side as to make the other side that is the Papists and the Prelates and the other Malignants out of their estates to pay these debts which their comming in in all likelihood will make us doe which if these debts bee paid out of their estates and Lands I know no inconvenience will come to the Kingdom by it for here is the case they that have it now in their hands to imploy iâ— for the destruction of the Kingdom it will bee onely putting it in their hands that shew their good affections to the Kingdom so that way I conceive the debt of the Kingdom will bee no losse at all to the Kingdom The third benefit is that even the present War it will bee made lesse chargeable to us and that in this They not being come in wee have not Newcastle there is Nottinghâ—mshire Yorkâ—â—â—irâ— that great Country a great part of Lâ—â—â—olnshire the Bishopriâ—â— of Dâ—rham Northumberland Coâ—â—mâ—erland Wâ—â—â—merland the greatâ—â—â— part of the West the richest part I know in this Kingdom except this City I say in case they come not in they are all under contribution to the other side their comming in gaines Newâ—â—â—â—le it gaines as much as the money to bring them in will cost 〈◊〉 the very gaining of that Town and likewise when they come in it brings all those Countries under contribution so that the very contribution that those Northern Countries will yeeld it will not only pay the Scotch Army but is likely as it is beleeved it will make an addition for our other Forâ—â—s that wee shall have to spare for other Forces by that which their comming in will gain of the conâ—ributions of those 〈◊〉 so that I have now done with those 〈◊〉 that will come â—o you in point of Profit and likewise the assuring of this great Cause The third is this that 〈◊〉 wâ—â— doe come to a peace when Gods time is come that wee shall have one yet their coâ—ming in in all 〈◊〉 iâ— will
peace that may bring a massacre with it a French peace if you would have such a peace it may be had easily but if you would have a peace that may continue the Gospel among you and may bring in a Reformation such as all the godly in the Kingdome doe desire I am concluded under this and am confident that such a peace cannot bee had without contribution towards the bringing in of the Scots and that is the reason for the promoting of this peace this blessed peace that we have appeared here this day and me thinks Gentlemen the very sight of these worthy Divines me thinkes so many Divines so many Orators so many silent Orators to plead with you to bee willing to engage your selves to the utmost to help forward the Nation of Scotland to come to our help And likewise I would put you in mind of the 10 of Numbers there you shal read that there were two silver Trumpets and as there were Priests appointed for the convocation of their Assemblies so there were Priests to sound the silver Trumpets to proclaime the Warre And likewise in the 20. of Deuteronomy you shall finde there that when the children of Israel would goe out to Warre the sonnes of Levi one of the Priests was to make a speech to encourage them And certainly if this were the way of God in the Old Testament certainly much more in such a Cause as this in which Cause Religion is so intwin'd and indeed so interlac'd that Religion and this Cause they are like Hippocrates his twins they must live and die together And Gentlemen if Religion were not concerned in this Cause and mightily concerned and if Religion did not live and die with it we had not appeared this day And I hope this will be a sufficient answer unto this Objection But there is another Objection which I will answer and then briefly give leave to my other Reverend Brethren that likewise are prepared to speake here The great Objection of all is this that the City is already exhausted and so much Money hath been lent already that there is no hope of lending any more this is the grand Objection But truly Gentlemen for my part this is one of the chiefe Arguments I have to perswade you to lend a little more because you have lent so much give me leave to put you in minde of that Story in the 2 Kings 13. the Story of King Joash that came to visit the Prophet Elisha when he was ready to breath out his last the Prophet Elisha gives him a bow and arrows and bids him shoot hee shootes and bids him smite hee smites the ground thrice and then he ceased the Prophet was exceeding angry with him and tells him you should have smote the ground 5 or 6 times and then you should have utterly consumed the Assyrians whereas now you shall smite them but three times Give me leave to apply this Gentlemen you have smote the ground thrice you have lent once twice and thrice indeed you have been the fame of England and the Repairers of England and the Ornaments of England you have lent much but let mee tell you you must smite the ground 5 or 6 times if ever you look to consume the Assyrians if ever you look to bring this Warre to a happy Peace that your posterities may rejoyce in this Peace you must shoot one arrow more and then through Gods blessing you may utterly consume these Enemies that you and your posterity may rejoyce in a happy peace It is a famous story of Johannes Eleemozinarius that when hee had given even almost all hee had to the poore his friends were exceeding angry with him and told him hee had undone himself what was his answer O saith hee I have not yet shed my blood for Jesus Christ Jesus Christ hee emptied himself of his Divinity to make us rich hee became poore and shed his blood for you You have not yet made your selves so poore as Jesus Christ was that had no house to lodge in and he did all this for your sakes You have not yet shed your blood for the Cause of Christ Wee read that Moses was willing to bee blotted out of the book of life for the Cause of God and wee read of Paul that hee was willing to bee accursed for the people of Israels sake And will you not bee willing to venture your earthly provisions for so good a Cause as this is which I say England was never engaged in the like Religion hath produced all the wealth you have all your wealth is but the childe of Religion wee have a saying Religio peperit divitias divitiae devoravunt matrem Religion hath begot wealth and the Daughter hath devoured the Mother â—â—lia devoravit matrem but give mee leave and I hope through Gods blessing you will invert this saying Religion hath got you all the wealth you have you Gentlemen and I hope the Daughter now will preserve the Mother I hope Riches will preserve Religion and not destroy Religion A famous example of Polanâ—â— Noliâ—â—â— that when hee had given all that hee had away and being asked why hee would give so much to the poor hee gave this answer Vâ— leviâ—â— ascenderem sâ—alam Jaâ—câ—i that I might the easier get up Jacobs ladder And let mee assure you in the word of a Minister the contributing to this Cause for Gods sake and for the glory of God and for the peace of the Gospel I say will bee a means to make you the sooner ascend up Jacobs Ladder not for the giving of the money but for the evidence of your Faith through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ by your giving of the money And certainly that man will never get up Jacobs Ladder that hath the â—ust of his money to â—â—ar witnesse against him at the day of Judgement especially at such a time as this Give mee leave to put you in minde of one other story and that is of one Bernardinu◠〈◊〉 that was so liberall to the poore that every penny that hee gave to the poore hee would call it a holy penny and a happy penny and hee would blesse God that hee had that penny to 〈◊〉 indeed hee was a Papist and his ordinary speech was O happy penny that hath purchased immortality to mee indeed this speech was not good for it is not our money that doth purchase heaven that is an evidence of the truth of our Faith that layes hold upon Christ for salvation But let mee tell you if ever Gentlemen you might use this speech O happy penny you may use it now Happy money that will purchase my Gospel happy money that will purchase Religion and purchase a Reformation to my posterity O happy money and blessed bee God that I have it to lend And I count it the greatest opportunity that ever God did offer to the godly of this Kingdom to give them some money to lend to this Cause And I
of it it is in your power now either to save us or to undoe us and shall this be let fall now out of love of Mony shall I say Let the Mony of those men perish with them No I came not hither to threaten but to perswade consider that the mercies that you have from Christ cost Christ more then money they cost Christ his deare heart bloud Who is it that raised your estates more then others have not many of you come hither low as Jacob with your staffe to this City and now behold these bands this estate who knows but that you are raised for such a time as this Have not you engaged your selves many times in prayer to God when first you entred into Covenant to God did not you give up all your estate then to God to bee employed in his Service God cals for his due at this time from you Oftentimes upon your sick beds and death beds in your apprehension of death that they would have been death beds you have then given up all again to God and vowed that if God did raise you up you would live to his service you would employ your strength in his Service God calls for all those vows you have now an opportunity to fulfill all those vowes And seeing providence hath cast it so that a Reverend Assembly of Divines hath appointed us to speake thus unto you give us leave to speak in the name of God unto you and to call upon you in the name of God for the fulfilling of all the vows that you have made upon your sick beds to give up your selves and your estates for the service of the Lord And know that if you shall keep your estates otherwise then God would have you it will be to you as the Manna was to the Israelites they kept it longer than they should and there was wormes in it 〈◊〉 that was preserved no longer than Gods time was sweet but that that was kept afterwards it had wormes breeding in it Your estates you have now you must not think will alwayes bee so sweet as they have been unto you if you preserve them longer than God would have you there will wormes breed in them yea the curse of God will bee in them Have not you sâ—nt up many prayers to God for this great Cause that God would blesse it I appeal to you then you have engaged your selves to Heaven by all your prayers therfore I beseech and intreat you now by all the prayers you have made as before by your vowes by all the prayers you have made upon your Fasting dayes that God would preserve his Cause that you would now doe as much as in you lies to maintain his Cause otherwise how doe you trifle with the great God and mock him in your prayers that you seek to him to maintain it and when there is an opportunity in your hands you will not doe whâ—t lies in you It may bee you will say wâ—e have done much already Wee acknowledge it and blessed bee God for it but know the Cause is a great Cause and it is a great God that you doe for Philo Judaeus tells us it was enough among some heathenish people but to say to them Libertas agitur the businesse is your Liberty that is afoot enough to venture their estates and lives It is not Liberty alone but Religion as you have heard But because some may perhaps cast such a scruple into your mindes aâ— we have heard of it That what warrant have wee to take up Armes to maintain Religion that is not at present to bee discussed but only this to satisfie and stop all their mouths with one word Thus farre none can deny it but it is lawfull to take up armes to maintain that civill right wee have to our Religion and this wee doe For wee have not onely a right to our Religion by the Law of God but wee have a Civill right to this our Religion that other Christians have not had and therefore there can bee no scruple in this to retard you in such a work as this you have done much but a gratious heart will ever think what hee hath done for God it is but poore and low That example is famous of David that had done so much for preparing the Temple of God in the 1 of Chronicles 22. 14. It was 1000000 talents of silver and 1000 talents of gold which some compute a matter of 33 Cart loads of silver allowing 20000 livre. to every Cart load and 70 millions of French Crowns of gold this David had done preparing but for the house of the Lord and yet hee saith that out of his poverty hee had done all this all this was but a poor and low thing for him to doe in comparison of the great God why have you done more then this therefore seeing it is for the high God you have done it look upon what you have done but as low and still goe on in the work of the Lord You have done much and so have the adversaries too Wee would have you to weigh this that the adversary hath been at as much charge as you have been as bountifull and free as you have been in the 46 of Isaiah 6. Wee read that the Idolaters did lavish out their gold upon their Idols yea they lavished their gold out of their bagges Certainly our adversary hath felt the burthen of this and hath been at the charge of it as much as you You have done much but yet you have not gone in a good work so farre as a Herod hath done Josephus in his 15 Book of Antiquities and about the 12 Chapter tells us of Herod the King that in the time of scarcity hee sold away all his moveables all the plate that was served to his table and fetched corn from Aegypt and bought it for the poor and cloathed them yea and gave seed corn to the Assyrians his neighbours Why now in this our Kingdom wee may see much Plate still at many Noble mens tables yea at many Gentlemens tables a great deal of Plate reserved they have not sold all their moveables and Plate to give away it is but a proportion of their estates and but to lend upon so good security And take this one consideration further your having done much is a mighty preparation to make your doing now to bee formidable to your adversaries for what is the hope of your adversary but that you are drawn dry They triumph in this and they tell the world that there must bee such petty wayes to seek to the City to get petty summes of money and all is even gone and therefore wee shall have them to bee a prey ere long but when they shall see that after so much hath been expended here that you have such free spirits and to come out still abundantly with further treasure this will more daunt their hearts this 100000 livre. will daunt their hearts more than 2000000 li.
one of the best Fathers true Religion is What you lay out to preserve it that one day will returne to preserve you I have ever thought our Religion to be our shield and as he said of his shield so Religion will say to you Defend me and I will defend you It is our shield why preserve your shield you preserve your selfe O that this large Auditory would but remember two or three things that I will speake unto you It is better Friends to keep your Religion with the expence of all you have then to keep all you have with the losse of one dram of Religion and if you should quit the preservation of Religion you shall lose in the event both Religion and your selves too There will be a double losse you may perhaps for the present be at a double cost to keep up Religion but you shall be at a treble losse if you lose Religion you shall lose your lives you shall lose the estates that you keep and you shall lose your soules too and if any thing keeps you it is Religion For if any thing keeps God that keeps all it is the keeping of Religion Now Sirs aâ— this argument besides al that 〈…〉 for in truth they have left me almost naked that I have nothing to say as this argument may revive those affections that have been stirred up already so methinkes if you looke but upon the very condition of the Church this day I professe unto you it will break your hearts and therefore may certainly open your purses this day Why friends if I am able I may not deny no not one day nor the second day nor the third day nor any time I must not deny to help a poor Lazarus I must not see Lazarus to starve and die at my doores if that I am able to helpe a poore Christian Why if my bowells must extend themselves i◠〈◊〉 helpe must extend it selfe to one Christian how shall I how can I see the Churches of Jesus Christ for to gaspe and give up the Ghost at the feet of bloud There are two sorts of bloud which will lye heavie upon my soule if that I should suffer the guilt of them to be upon my soul there is the bloud of Christ and the bloud of the Churches of Christ If Abelâ— bloud the bloud of a single person was so heavie upon â—ain what will the bloud of 〈◊〉 Church of all the Churches of Christ let downe upon our fonts if we should now falle to help the Churches of Christ But if there were no other 〈…〉 with you but onely something that might concerns your selves I professe as I am satisfied in my owns Spirit so I am pâ—rswaded it were enough to perswade you Why Friends you have done already I speak not to flatter you you 〈…〉 already more then all the land hath done even to the preservation of all the Land nay more then all the Christian world hath done to preserve the Cause of Christ And let me tell you that God hath not been behinde hand with you God hath looked upon you as much I meane this City God hath looked upon this City 〈…〉 if not more then upon all the land besides And â—ruly if you will cast east up all accounts betwixt God and your selves though you have done very much yet you are in arreâ—s ages still unto God God is still before-hand with mercies though in mercy he hath stirred up your hearts to doe thus These are three things methinks wherein the Lord hath shewed himselfe to you that may for ever engage your hearts with all alacrity to spend and to be spent for his cause Why the one is he never would to this day suffer the destroyer notwithstanding all their intentions he would never suffer the destroyer to enter into this City he hath still diverted them as you have observed by some admirable acts of providence when their resolutions have been to come to this place the Lord knowes in what condition you had been by this day if providence had not at one time especially diverted them from it but notwithstanding all this God hath not suffered them to this day to shoot one arrow into your City But then there is another thing as the Lord hath not to this day suffered them to come in a publike hostile way so he hath from time to time discovered all the Treacheries Plots and designes against you When the enemy could not destroy you above board but thought to undermine your Lives and States and all I need not say much to revive your memories of late dayes did God unknowne to you deliver you from destruction and should you now be backward to doe for this God that hath preserved all that you have and all that you are Nay consider one thing more he hath in all the publike services wherein indeed if any people in the Land deserve our acknowledgements and honour this City hath got it from the whole Land But this is that I was saying God hath in all the publike Services and Battails which have of late been fought in the land God hath hanged the shield of salvation upon your shoulders he hath been pleased to cast all the glory not onely of preservation but of the great successe and honour and victory God hath cast it upon the people of London And will you that God hath defended all this while will you that God hath preserved from secret treachery will you that God hath given hearts all this while to stand for God above all the people of the earth will you that God hath done so much for in the times of battaile more then for all the rest wil you fail now to do for God God forbid I beseech you rather that your hearts may be doubled and trebled for that God that is so good to you And not to trouble you long because the truth is I am confident there needs no more to be said you long rather who should most shew his affection at this time to preserve all Why there is one thing more that might bee spoken too that is touching our brethren of Scotland Why so many things have been said already that I can say nothing Our condition worthy Sirs our condition of England mee thinks it is so like the condition of that poore man that went between Jericho and Jerusalem there the Priest hee passes by on the one side never so much as lookes upon him Our Priests and Popish party and another sordid party that cleaves to them they doe not so much as consider the lamentable losse of this poore Kingdom of England the Levite he came and looked on indeed but hee passes by I pray God it â—ee not laid to the charge of some Churches abroad to whom wee have been helpfull that they can have eares to heare of our distresses and wounds but have not hands at all to help us whether they have tongues to pity us wee know not Onely there is the Samaritan Sirs the Samaritan that saw this wounded man and that had compassion and that went to him and that bound up his wounds and that powred in Oyle and Wine Truly Sirs the Samaritans that wee finde on earth for our great Physitian in Heaven wee blesse him still for looking upon us but the Samaritans the onely Samaritans that wee have on earth they are our brethren in Scotland O the tears that they have shed for poore England O the Prayers that they have in solemn manner from time to time sent up to Heaven for poor England O the Petitions that they unknown for a long time to us did direct unto his Majesty if it had been possible to take up all differences and now yet again as if their inward compassions as if their prayings to Heaven as if their petitionings to man were nothing so sensible so affectionate are they to live with us to dye with us that they are ready to come in to adventure their dearest lives to save our lives Why Friends why what will move your hearts if this doth not move your hearts I doe professe it is the greatest equity under heaven to lend our estates some of our moneys to them that are not unwilling to venture their lives for us I know many Objections might bee made You have done much already and the summe is great I say no more There is nothing great to a minde that is great and the Cause is great and though the summe of money bee great yet their love is greater then all you can lay out to answer their love And say not grumbling wee have done often and often I say to you as Christ said to him that asked him How often must I forgive my brother Why 70 times 7 times So will I say for this publique Cause you must doe and you must doe and yet you must doe and yet you must doe as long as there is a penny in thy purse as long as there is strength in thy hand as long as there is breath in thy body you must bee all Servants to Christ and Servants to the Churches of Jesus Christ And so I beseech the God of Heaven that what hath been delivered unto you this day and much hath been spoken I think as much as possibly can unto men that it may bee effectuall to move your hearts that what is done may bee speedily done and fully done lest wee bee for ever undone Nay that wee may bee preserved and not only wee but all the Churches of God preserved And the Lord of Heaven make impression upon your hearts FINIS
and our Brethren so faithfull and so well affected to this Cause what should wee not bee willing to doe to ingage so great a party I would intreat you to remember that it is not many yeers agoe since our Brethren of Scotland came hither into England in a warlike manner and yet with peaceable affections and that you would reminde your selves what good they did to you when they were then in England they were the chiefe Causes of this Parliament that now wee doe enjoy and of all the good that hath been reaped by this Parliament as you may well remember By their comming in you know this Parliament was procured and their second comming in through Gods mercy may bee a means to confirm this Parliament and to establish it and to uphold it in its dignity and in the priviledges of it and to keep it from being ruined and if the Parliament bee ruined you all well know that our Religion and our Liberties are ruined for the Parliament is the great Conservatour of Religion and Liberties and I may truly say as you know Caligula did once wish that all Rome were one neck that hee might cut it off at one blow They that intend to ruine the Parliament they ruine your Religion and Liberties all England at one blow Now I say as their first comming was a meanes to produce this Parliament so their second comming in through Gods blessing may bee a means to establish it and to confirme it And when they were here you know how faithfully they carryed themselves and when they had done their work how willingly they went away without doing any hurt and I doubt not of the same faithfullnesse nay you ought all to beleeve that they will likewise when they have done the worke they are called too in England they will likewise with the same faithfullnesse depart for it is Religion that brings them here and the same Religion will make them willingly leave us and goe home to their owne Countrey when they have done that worke for which they came I am assured that the great hope at Oxford is that they will never prevaile for the petting of Money for to bring them in and if they once see the matter of Money effected and if they once heare of the Scots comming in it will worke such a terrour there as I am assured that it will through Gods mercy produce a notable complyance of that Party with the Parliament for an effectuall peace such as all the godly of the Land shall blesse God for I foresee there are many Objections that may be brought to hinder this worke many mountaines of opposition that will lye in the way And likewise that the Malignants will buâ— many things in your eares if it be possible to put some great rub in the way to hinder the effecting of this work but I hope the love you have to God and to your Religion and to the Gospel and to yours wives and children will swallow down all these objections and conquer them all I le name some few objections and give you some short answer Some it may bee will put you in minde to call in question the lawfulnesse of contributing towards the bringing in of the Scots to this Nation But for this I le give you an easie answer Certainly Gentlemen it is as lawfull for the Parliament to call in our brethren of Scotland to their help as it is lawfull for mee when my house is on fire and not able to quench it my self to call in my neighbour to quench my house that is ready to burn down The Kingdom is all on fire wee are not able with that speed to quench it as wee wish wee call in our brethren in Scotland to help us to quench the flames that are kindled among us It is as lawfull as it is for the Master and Marriners of a Ship when it is ready to sink through a mighty Tempest to call in other Marriners to help to keep the Ship from sinking It is the condition of our Kingdom now it is ready to sink and it is our desire that our brethren of Scotland would come in to our aide to keep it from sinking Others it may be will object and say to you it is rebellion especially to call in another Nation to your helpe But I beseech you give me leave to put you in minde that when the Scots came last into England there was a Proclamation out against them wherein they were called Rebels and there were prayers to bee said in our Churches as you well remember in which we were to pray against them as Rebells and there was Money likewise contributed then for to hinder their comming in and to raise an Army to drive them out of the Kingdome and I doubt not but you may remember all the ill-affected did contribute Mony to keep them out of this Kingdom and from tarrying in but it pleased Almighty God through his great mercy so to change and alter the state of things that within a little while the Nation of Scotland even by Act of Parliament they were proclaimed and made the true and loyall Subjects of the King and in those Churches in which they were prayed against as Rebells even in those very Churches they were pronounced the good Subjects of the King this I doubt not but you remember I doubt not but through the mercy of God the Lord raising up our hearts I doubt not but the same effect will come of their second comming into this Kingdom and they that now tell you they are Rebels and you do an act of Rebellion in the contribution to the bringing of them in I doubt not but you shall see an Act of Parliament to call them his Loyall Subjects wherein I hope our King will concurre with his Parliament and likewise Prayers made nay a day of thanksgiving as was after their first comming a day of Thanksgiving for the mercy of God in stirring up their hearts to be willing to come unto our help But it may be some others will object and say why should we that are Ministers engage our selves so much in this businesse to see a Reverend Assembly of grave Ministers to appeare here in so great an Assembly This it may be will bee a mighty objection to some but I beseech you give me leave to give you a short answer did I not think that that that shal be said this day would mightily conduce to peace for my part I would not have been the month of the Assembly did I thinke any other way to produce a solid and a setled peace a Religious peace I that am a Minister of peace an Ambassador of peace I would not have been a Trumpeter to this businesse this day the truth is if you would have peace with Popery a Peace with slavery if you would have a Judas peace or a Joab his peace you know the Story he kiss'd Amasa and then killed him if you would have a
here exhorted to Have not many of you spent your blood in this Cause yea how many young ones in this City have lost their blood Mee thinks a spirit of indignation should rise in you to vindicate the losse of the blood of your Servants and Children many precious ones that might have lived many yeers to have done good service for the Lord Even the children of the City they rise and cry Hosanna Hosanna O blessed is â—ee that commeth in the name of the Lord O then lâ—t old Citizens bee forward mee thinks Elders should â—ee forward in this Cause for â—â—e thinks they should not think themselves men of this world In the 17 of John Christ speaks of himself when hee was going out of the world I am not in the World and so should you going out of the world even say you are not in the world and therefore let your close in going out of the world be a happy close in such a blessed work as this is And know there shall come a day wherein you shall bee calling and crying to God for mercy the successe of this evenings work will bee recorded against that day when you shall cry for mercy I conclude all with applying the words of Jotham to the men of Sechem in the 9 of Judges 7. Hearken to me that God may hearken to you So I say hearken to that worthy Member of the House of Commons unto that Reverend Divine before and to him that shall come after Hearken unto â—s this day that God may hearken unto you Mr. Obadiah Sedgewick his speech in Guild-hall on Friday the sixt of October 1643. Gentlemen I Am commanded by the Assembly of Divines and they by a command from the House of Commons to bee present at this solemne and publike meeting and from them to move for that which I confidently presume is granted already a helping heart and a helping hand to preserve O that we must be forced to say so and yet blessed be God that we are alive to say so to preserve our Religion our lives and the lives of ours It is I confesse my happinesse that I am not to speak unto such who have made our troubles and that laugh at them but unto them that see our distresses know how to compassionate them the perswasion is the more hopeful when the compassion is beforehand afoot if that honorable Gentleman that spake first had bin sent with fire to destroy your City or others with Swords from that grave Senate to have destroyed your lives or with armed power to have compelled and plundered your estates there I confesse a refusall nay a contempt had been the most proper answer But Sirs their addresse unto you is paternall it is humble and full of efficacy it is but to request you to preserve your own lives it is but to request you that you would not suffer your selves your wives your children your City your Religion to be destroyed I confesse that I had prepared divers things to have worked on you but they that have spoken before me have scarce left me any new matter to say but all which I wish with all my heart were wrought in you as well as in my selfe nothing lest but to doe The Religion that we have all our lives professed if it bee not worth thy money trample it under thy feet Religion brethren is an invaluable thing it is farre above our estates farre above our lives nay it is far above our soules For our estates the Heathen say so much That our estates were not to be insisted on when Religion was in danger and therefore some of them have according to their imaginary Religion the strength of it they have neglected their goods to preserve their Gods nay they hare as Alvinus did neglect his owne wife and children to take care of that vaine Deity that they sacrificed unto It is I confesse to mee a most remarkable thing that Pliny reports and good Gentlemen let not Heathens exceed Christians in love either to their Country or Religion You know that Hanniball was a sore enemy to the Romans and the Romans when they to maintaine themselves against them had exhausted all their publique treasury a Consull in the Senate bespake the people that they would all â—ring out their personall estates something like what is this day moved unto you it was so instantly it was so universally relished that all â—orts of people brought in abundantly and might I give but a suggest unto the grave Senators that the Citizens and 〈…〉 Senator in Rome left not himselfe so prodigall was 〈◊〉 for thâ—â—â—fety of the publike he left not unto himselfe for to keep himselfe and houshold above the value of 16 Crowns O shal heathens be so prodigall to preserve themselves against a Hanniball shal not Christians be as carefull to preserve their Religion against Antichrist Well Sirs as that which you are desired to expend something of your estates for is Religion that is farre beyond all your estates so it is that that is farre beyond all your lives For I beseech you what are all your lives for value unto Religion what will your lives bee to you for comfort when the Sunne is taken out of the Firmament and the Gospel is removed out of this English horizon if you should outlive the Gospel why the Lord bee mercifull to you what would your lives availe you were it not better to make Religion and the Gospel your Executors then to make Idolaters your Executors were it not better to make Religion your Executors then to make your selves or your posterities heires of Idolatry When Troy was taken Anchises disdained to take his Sonnes counsell to save his life Away live when Troy is taken And truly Friends if there bee in any of you aâ— I perswade my selfe there is in all of you that heare me this daâ— a sense of God a sense of your soules a sense of the Gospel of Christ why you must acknowledge now that all your comforts are lost that all your hopes on earth are lost and all your hopes in heaven are gone if the Gospel if that Religion bee gone Nay as I said at the beginning it is that that no not your soules can stand in competition with I confesse the soule of man is a precious thing it is as the ring of Gold yet if I doe not mistake my selfe Religion is the most precious Diamond in that ring The busines of Religion why it is the salvation of your souls no lesse then your souls and higher I cannot speak And if this will not move you at this time to lend out your strength to preserve your lives your estates your Religion that which preserves your soules to eternity I can say nothing more But then Sirs observe one thing there is not onely this dignity in Religion that may challenge all that you are and have but there is likewise an efficacy in Religion It is one of the best Masters and