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

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

now to be covered all over with tares but God can gather in his good corn and weed out those tares at the day of his harvest he will manifest the blasphemers and reprove the horrid blasphemies strange self-opinions false christs false apostles and teachers seducers of mens souls evil angels in shape of Angels of light that under the notion of truth broach damnable heresies doctrines of devils All o●d herefles abominated by the primitive Church are all at this day revived at once and in disguised new dresses come like wolves in sheeps cloathing these are such as trouble the Church of God which the Apostle in his time wished to have been cut off Gal. 5. 12. And it is the duty of the Christian Magistrate to suppress them he is as Christs vicegerent and Lievetenant on earth not only to command observance of the first Table but also of the second If he that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Sonne of God c. and done despight to the spirit of grace Heb. 10. 28 29. And the sword is not put into the Magistrates hand in vain We read in Deut. 17. from vers. 2 to vers. 7. if any had broken the covenant with God and worshipped false gods he was to be stoned to death yet I say not that every heresie under the Gospel should be punished by death but I say it is the duty of the supreme Magistrate to suppress all heresie and blasphemy by a Law Nor do I say that an erring Conscience is to be punished by the Law of the Magistrate if he keep his erring opinion within his own walls but if he seduce others and thereby stirre up sedition alienating mens judgments from due obedience I say such a one is liable to the wrath of the Civil Magistrate and those Magistrates that tolerate or connive at such things will be found to do the work of the Lord negligently those things I only hint at by the way and leave to the consideration of the judicious What I have said as to the matter of my following discourse which is Providence ordering all things it is the truth of God held forth in sacred Scripture from which I cannot retrograde what I have said as to the matter applicatory I only give my judgment and leave the even to that Providence which governs all things As to my vindication of the Lord Protector whom Providence hath exalted Providence will yet further order him and all his counsels and actions after the counsel of Gods will God hath a great work for him to do and it shall be done whether to be a nursing father to the Church of Christ and a skilfull Esculapius to heal the distempers of three sick and wounded Nations or whether for a contrary work I cannot assert God only knowes it to whom all secrets belong what is revealed belongs to us and it is our duty as we are men to own the Powers that be and as we are Christian men to pray for them therefore for him that God will make him a glorious instrument in his own hand for his glory and the peoples good We hope well but prayer is better then our hopes and is the means to accomplish our hope and God is alwayes better to his praying people then their prayers let us not sinne by withholding our prayers which thing hath sometimes caused blessings to be turned into curses Let us not limit the holy one of Israel nor give rules to Providence nor let us spend our time in devising and plotting nor as the Athenians make it our work to hear and to tell News but pray and endeavour for peace and truth and beleeve that God is a rewarder to them that diligently seek him There is yet balm in Gilead a dore of hope is opened to us The seed is yet in the barn as yet the Vine and the Figg-tree the Pomegranate and the Olive tree hath not brought forth saith the Prophet from this day I will blesse you Hag. 2. 19. It is God that prepareth the seed and the ground and gives the increase by his blessing Psal. 65. 9 10. Therefore let us pray unto God for our Governours for his Highness and for his Parliament for as God doth instruct the husbandman to discretion to break the clods of his ground and to cast in his seed in the appointed place and time as the Prophet speaketh so doth he instruct Princes and teacheth them discretion to rule and govern as he pleaseth for by him Princes raign and rule The husbandman waiteth for the fruit of the earth saith James and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and the later rain and shall not we follow the footsteps of providence and patiently wait Gods time and means for giving us the blessings promised Let us cast off our own wayes wills and designs and be obedient to Providence and see what the Lord our God will do for us Courteous Reader read me with patience not with any prejudice try all truths oppose nothing that is truth good counsell is not to be slighted nor seasonable reproof to be scorned though it come from one of whom you could say as Achab said of Michaiah that you hate him and that he doth not speak good concerning you but evil I have written what God hath instructed me do you read and read all then judge as God shall put into your heart of him who is your servant in the Lord Jesus Christ that desires increase of grace to you and all the Israel of God George Smith The principall things touched upon in the following Discourse GOD the Creator doth govern all things by his secret Providence Page 1. The want of the true knowledge of Providence is cause of murmurings p. 2 12. Providence set forth by the Ladder that Jacob saw in his vision and by the Piller of cloud that guided Israel in the wilderness p. 2. Nothing comes to pass by chance or devisings of men or meerly by nature but by Providence ibid. Providence what it is ibid. p. 12. It is the eye of God p. 3. It ordereth all the actions of men ibid. The dayes and life of man p. 4. It ordereth the dispositions of men ib. It ordereth the wicked actions of wicked men ib. It ordereth the secrets of the heart and the answer of the tongue p. 5. It ordereth the least of things which men falsly say come by chance or fortune ib. All creatures animate and inanimate wait on God and obey and execute his command p. 6. Providence changeth the order that nature hath put into things ib. All the works of Providence are known and certain to God from eternity ib. But they are all contingent to men p. 7. The times of Families and Kingdoms are appointed by God their rise and their period is certainly set and the means thereto conducing

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

the hand-writing upon the wall shewed Belshazzar that God had numbred his Kingdom and finished it l the set time was come and the same night was Belshazzar slain and the Monarchy transferred to the Medes and Persians when he little expected such a change as appeareth by his jol●ity feasting and drinking wine with a thousand of his Lords and causing the vessels of silver and gold to be brought to carouse in which his Father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple in Hierusalem God defers long but when he smites he doth it suddenly when men least look for it and that irresistibly Now as providence ordereth things Actions and Instruments to cut off and to destroy as it pleaseth him so providence ordereth things Actions and Instruments secondary causes to advance men families and kingdoms when he pleaseth Of which I shall offer two or three Instances We see when God for the bringing his own purpose to passe in accomplishment of his Decree and promise made to Abraham and would to that end advance Ioseph above his brethren that he might be the Instrument to preserve his Fathers house which was then the only visible Church on earth Providence orders every thing to concurre And herein observe these nine particular peeces of providence 1. Iacobs love to Ioseph procures his brethrens hatred m 2 His Brethrens hatred procure consultations and conspiracies against the life of Ioseph 3. Providence suffereth them not to agree in their counsels to kill him and so his life was preserved 4. They sell him to the Midianitish Merchants these Merchants carry him into Egypt and there they sell him to Potiphar a chief Officer to King Pharaoh where God blesseth Ioseph and prospered all that he put his hand unto n 5. Ioseph is cast into prison by the false accusation of Potiphars wife In the prison he findeth favour of the Keeper of the prison and is trusted by him o 6. Two of Pharaohs servants his chief Butler and his chief Baker are by Pharaoh cast into the same prison where Ioseph was p and are put under Iosephs charge 6. This Butler and this Baker dream each of them one dream in one and the same night Ioseph came to the knowledge of their dreams and shews them the interpretation of it 7. This occasioneth Iosephs skill and knowledge in the Interpretation of dreams to be known q 8. Pharaoh also dreameth a dream which none could interpret which occasioneth Ioseph to be sent for out of the prison who telleth unto Phara●h the Interpretation of his dream Upon which Ioseph is made Ruler over Pharaohs House and over the whole Kingdom next to Pharaoh himself r 9. God brings a famine on all the earth except in Egypt for there he had given plenty Therefore Iacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy food ſ there they bow to Ioseph their brother and do homage to him as was foretold by his dream and for which they so much the more hated him t Thus you see how providence ordered every thing to concurre to effect Gods purpose And Ioseph himself ●els his brethren as much saying It was not you but God that sent me before to preserve you a postcrity on earth and to save your lives u c. a means to accomplish what was promised long before w The like instance we have in the advancement of H●ster and Mordecai Very observable in ten other particular peeces of providence 1. That at so great and publike Feast as the King Ahashuerus made to his princes and people it should come into the Kings minde to send for his Queen Vastai a thing unusuall at such meetings 2. That the Queen should give so peremptory a denial And that the King for that one offence should be so greatly incensed against his Queen whom he loved and in whose beauty he gloried as to call for advice to revenge himself upon her x 3. That the Princes Nobles and wise men should thereupon suddenly advise to put away Vastai from being Queen 4. That when the fairest of the Persian Virgins were to be called to the King to chuse him another Queen that Ester should be brought amongst them who was of a strange Countrey and a Captive without any friend or means in Court to preferre her nor was her kindred nor family known yet providence gives her favour in the eyes of Hegai the keeper of the women y and of all that looked on her and specially in the eyes of the King so as she was taken into the house Royall and afterward became Queen in Vastai's stead z 5. That Mord●cai a captive Jew should be in the hearing of the Treason plotted by two of the Kings Servants to take away the Kings life and that by his discovery the Treason was prevented a 6. That this discovery of Morde at should be recorded and Mordecai named for the discoverer 7. That Haman the Agagite having gotten an irrevocable decree to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews the whole Church of God b yet swelling in rage against Mordecai prepared a gallows of fifty cubits high to hang Mordecai thereon c 8. That the same night before the intended execution of Mordecai Sleep should go from the King which caused him to call for the Chronicles to be brought and read before him and that the act of Mordecais discovery and saving the Kings life should be then among thousand other things pitched ●pon and read to the King which then occasioned the King to think of giving honour to Mordecai which he never thought of before d 9. That at that very instant Haman should come to the King with intention to speak that Mordecai might be hanged on the Gallows prepared of which he was not only disappointed but to his shame and grief was made the instrument to honour Mord●cai and being taken in his own snare was himself hanged on the gallows he made to hang Mordecai e 10. That Esther by her Intercession to the King in the behalf of her self and her people obtained her request and they the people that were designed to death became the destroyers of their enemies so that the Church of God was not only preserved from the cruelty of their enemies but was greatly advanced to their great joy rejoycing and thanks-giving to the praise and glory of God All which is left to the memory of all ages upon sacred record Such is the power and wisedom of God so ordering every thing by his providence to his own glory and his peoples good Take into your consideration the many providences for preservation to David whom God purposed to advance to the ●hrone of Israel what straits and difficulties he was often brought into by by designs of secret enemies treacheries revolting of friends and the malice of Saul and his flatterers daily pursuing his life with a great and resolute army all made frustrate by providence that the Decree of God prophesied by

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

a signal testimony on the side of Moses and Aaron shewing who was the man that God did chuse by causing the rod of the Tribe of Levi to budd blossom and to bear Almons in the Tabernacle of witnesse c We are not to expect such miraculous signs in our time yet it cannot be denied our enemies themselves being witness but that God hath done wonderfull things by his Highnesse for us and against our enemies of which we have and may have a lasting benefit if we provoke not the Almighty by our murmurings and cause him to turn our blessings into a curse Faith makes not haste but staies Gods time and waits upon Providence But it appears we live more by sense then by faith We trust God so far as we see reason for it and no farther We say as the murmurers in the Wildernesse did to Moses Thou hast not brought us into a Land that floweth with milk and honey or given us inheritance of fields and Vineyards Wilt thou deceive us and make thy self a Prince over us and put on t the eyes of his people d Dost thou think they do not see thy falshood toward them These murmurings kept the people from the Land they looked for and brought a curse upon them which they looked not for and thus it may befall us if God be not more merciful to us Who is then the sinner and who shall posterity have cause to curse I beseech you My Brethren of England be not impatient take heed that you fight not against God murmure not at any Providence beleeve that God ruleth in the earth and governs all things and that all the turnings and overturnings and the changes which we have lately seen is of God And all these yea all things shall work together for good to them that love God e Let us trust God who is faithful in all that he hath said and will make good whatsoever he hath promised and that to us in our times if we provoke him not Let us therefore be followers of them that by faith and patience inherit the promise f Consider what our condition was before our last change and whether men were leading of us if Providence had not disappointed their design were we not hasting into that or worse condition that Israel was in at the beginning of Asa's government when they were without the true worship of God Without a Teaching Priest and without a Law and there was no peace to him that went out or to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Countreys g If it were so with us then let us imitate those good people and do as they then did they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord their God and sought him and he was found of him 2 Chro. 15. 4. And at that time God stirred up the heart of Asa and he reformed all the evils and they were delivered God as I have said by strange providences evident to us hath stirred up his Highnesse and given him the honour to be Lord Protector of his people who knoweth what the Lord our God will do for us by him Let us seek God for him and daily pray that God will give him wisdome as to Solomon and courage as to Phinehas and zeal for the Lord of Hosts and for the religion of his God as to good Asa Hezechiah and others that God made instrnmentall for the glory of his Name and for the good of his people Such I hope his Highnesse will be to us not only in these three Nations but to the Church militant through the whole world take the Apostles rule and practise it Put up your praiers supplications intercessions and thanks-giving for all men but especially for all that are in authority and why that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and holinesse h But if we will disobey such precepts as this and provoke such Providences as have led us thereunto and be obstinate in our own waies and wils as if we would build new Babels to our own fancies and say as those Builders said Let us make us a Name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth i God will surely bring the evil upon us that we seek to prevent and we shall be scattered in our work Have we not some of us begun to lay the foundation of such a work why else are we thus confounded that we cannot understand one another One cals for mortar and another brings a mattock one cries out for brick and stone another brings a hammer and an axe One is building and another is breaking down One saies Christ Jesus is setting up Kings and chief Magistrates according to his own heart to be his Vicegerents on earth such as shall own the Lord Christ and acknowledge that they reign by him and for him according to that Prophesie of the Evangelicall Prophet Isa. 49. 23. Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers and Queens shall be thy Nursing Mothers they shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth and lick up the dust at thy feet and thou shalt know that I am the Lord c. that is as the Nurse feeds the childe and defends it from harm so Kings and Queens under the Gospel shall tender the Church of Christ to provide for it by providing holy Ministers and honourable maintenance for them that they may not serve Tables but wholly attend to the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments and be a wall of protection to keep them from harm and that corrupt doctrines break not into the Church and they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth that is they shall acknowledge the Lord Christ to be their head before whom they shall cast down their Crowns and acknowledge they are but his Vicegerents by him appointed to feed cherish and defend his faithful ones and to reverence the word of Christ c according to that of the Psalmist All Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him k Others say that Christ is Staining the pride of all glory and bringing into contempt all the honourable of the earth pulling down all Kings and kingly powers Isa. 23. 9. Others say that Christ is only pulling down all wicked Kings Tyrants and Persecutors and will stain the pride of all humane glory such as Babylon and Tyre against whom the Prophet Isaiah in the 23. Chapter before-mentioned denounceth judgement but not against all Kings yet deny not that the Lord Christ who is said to ride upon a white horse going forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6. 2. shall conquer all Kings and Kingdoms that are his enemies all shall stoop before him Others say Christ only shall reign and shall be King of the Saints and shall be set up in his glory and Kingdom on earth by the Sword of his Saints in bloud alluding to that in Rev. 19. 13. He was

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