witnesse doth give a distinct sound It palpably declâ—res and plainly proclaimes our Defection from God and Apostasie from him after we had bound our souls with an oath to the contrare It is not onely because we were not answerable to our Covenant-engagements to studie holinesse in the feare of God and walk like a people dedicat and devoâ—ed to him though such a breach goes alwayes before and the other followes afâ—er Buâ— because we dealt unfaithfully in thar Covenant made for Reformation in his house we beâ—ame lukewarme in the cause so the curse of deteâ—table neâ—trality hath over taken us our solemne acknowledgement of sin and engagements to dueties were forgotten Yea we proceeded from one degree of unfaithfulnesse infixedâ—esse in our Covenant with the most High to another till the whole of that Covenanted-work of Reformation was surrendered and put in their power who have destroyed all and razed and overturned the blessed foundations of that beautiful structure and this was done with such a hast and precipitation as he was looked upon as a peevish Ridicule who would have advised in that day to see previously to the securitie of Religion before these were put in power who were it's known and constant enemies And so what ouâ— worthy Fore-fathers of truely blessed memory by their zeal their wisdome their courage for God their valient contendings for the truth their prayers their witnessings their sufferings had by the good hand of their God upon them wrought out for us and put us in possession of we blindly and basely abandoned all and suffered our selves to be fooled out of the cause and out of our faithfulnesse to Christ with a flourish or small parcel of good words And it is for this iniquitie that the holy and righteous Lord pursues us this day it is for this that he doth punish us by these very hands into whose hands we put power to overturne his work and left them at liberty to do so Now O generation see the word of the Lord. It is not my purpose hereâ— to give an account of the several steps of our defection or to draw the lineaments of it's black visage that is an undertaking above my pen and parts let the Lord with whom is the residuâ— of the spirit finde out and furnish some for it and O that for my interest in the defection and my accession to the cause of Gods contending this day with poor Sâ—otland I may obâ—ain mercy to go mourning to my grave This may be cried out upon as Treason well if the mentioning of the Land 's treacherous dealing with God be called Treason all my Apologie is that that makes the necessitie of doing it double and indispensible dutie let me be a Traitor if that be Treason But I know this may be particularly bogled at and abomâ—nat as if it were the reviving and raking againe out of the ashes wherein they were burnt and by the burners designed for ever to lye buried of the causes of wrath I need say little as to this But that the Causes of wrath need neither my patrociny nor Apologie they carry alongst their own sâ—d aud certain evidence with them and I judge many who did not then see so far as these Seers did who drew them up and mourned before the Lord under the conviction of the guâ—lt therein held forth have since been convinced to their cost that the secret of the Lord was with these his Servants and that they stood in his Counsel and if any of them be â—ot they may be ere all bedone O the burning of the Covenant in England and the Causes of wrath in Scotland shall certainly be followed with a fire and siercenesse of indignation as shall make Authors Actors Abettors and Rejoycers thereat know what it is to give such an open defiance to the Almighty A Covenant burnt and burnt by Authority in the sight of heaven with such hell-black solemnities where the great God is Altera pars Contrahens for Reformation of Religion accordâ—ng to his word and righteounesse in walking before him is such a sin as may make every soul to tremble at the fore-thoughts of what God will do for vindicating his glory from that contempt thereby cast upon him My present businesse is not to addresse my self by way of Testimony or representation to them who have done such horrid things Onely I wish that the burning of that City into ashes where that Covenant was burnt together with that non-such plague and war may make them take warning ere it be too late who did this wickednesse for Alas all that is come will be forgotten when the wrath and vengeance that is yet coming shall be execute and mentioned O England England I feare I feare thy wo hasteneth the wrath of God is upon the wing against thee both for breach of Covenant and wipeing thy mouth as if thou hadst done nothing amisse Thou hast stood and seen thy brothers day Alas for thy day when others shall stand aloof from thee for feare of sharing in thy judgements O how unexamplified must the plagues be wherewith they shall be pursued whose wickednesse hath such a singularitie of hainousnesse in it on the ground of the Righteousness and Veracity of God! The burning of a Covenant made with God is a sin which I believe never had precedent or parallel and I also believe that the terrible tempest of the wrath of God falling from Heaven and following this guilt shall for ever fright men from following their steps who for this shall be made spectacles of his displeasure and documents to the coming of Christ what a dreadful and fearful thing it is for men taken red-hand in this wickednesse to fall into the hands of the living God! And as for burning the Causes of wrath I grant that wickednesse hath a perfect parallel but of a tremenduous consequence in â—ehojakim's practice recorded Jer. 36.23 where that ungodly King of unhappy memory upon his apprehended restitution to freedom and deliverie from the judgemâ—nt of God pursuing him for his wickednesse is so grated with the prophets faithfulnesse as he burnt the causes of wrath Now let it be taken notice of how the anger of the Lord burnt against this bold burner see his burial and Epitaph Ier. 22.18.19 but more particularly see how for this very consumating wickednesse he and his posteritie for ever are deprived from Crown and Scepter Ier. 36.30 2 Chro 36. His bâ—otheâ— Zedekiah it is true was made King for a time but he also continued to do evil in the â—ight of the Lord and broke the Covenant of God though he burnt it not and then the Lord sweeped that race for these rebellions against him together with the throne off the face of the earth thus the burning of the Causes of wrath and the breach of God's Covenant brought down the fire of the wrath of God from heaven which consumed with its flame these who had dared the Almighty after
that declared decree Psal. 2. that ever was framed or cast inâ—o the moâ—ld of a Law or emitted to the view of men Nay let any mâ—n of judgemenâ— râ—ad our Supremacy and that Psalme and he must say one of two that either thiâ— Supreâ—acy is mâ—ant of Châ—ist thoâ—gh his name be not in it as was above noted seing it comâ—rehendâ— all that Church-poweâ— and aâ—cribs it unto some one person without a competitor which onely belongs to him whose Throne is set in Zion by an everlasting decree for his is the Kingdom his is thâ— pâ—wer aâ—d his is the glory Or he must confesâ—e that it is the most pure peâ—fect and unpaâ—alleled contradiction to that decree that ever the world saw neither do I remember any thing â—o like it in sense and sound as what is recorded by the Holy Ghost Isâ— 14 v. 13 14. to have been the language of the heart of the King of Babylon thou hast said in thy heart saith the H Ghost I will ascend into Heaven I will exâ—lt my Throne above the stars of God I will sit also upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most high It was certainly a very congruous and happie notion to come into a heaâ—hen's head that whosoever setâ— his throne in thâ— mount of the Congâ—egation and sits supreme in the sides of the North whâ—ch is the Citie of thâ— great King who hath there setled his Throne and set the Ornament of his beautie in Majestie amongst his subjects should also ascend above the height oâ— the cloâ—ds and be like the most High But it was an unhappie mistâ—ke in him to think he would set himself down in that Chair oâ— state and siâ— upon that Roâ—al Throne But to curb this Insolent and to cure him of this maâ—nesse the Loâ—d sâ—t him some where else and therefore it is added with an Emphasis declarative of his high indignation against the pride of that petulant Babylonian v. 15. Yet shall thou be â—rought down â—o hell to the sides of the pit And thus his Majestie becâ—me a mocking stock and the Nationâ— are brought-in insulting over him and singing in derision How art thou â—allen from Hâ—aven O Lucifer c. O its impossible he can sit long who sets himself down upon the Mediators Throne for the arme of Iehovah shall snatch and hurrie him thence and hâ— must catch a â—ore â—all whom the great God throwes down in his indignation Be wise now therâ—fore O ye Kings câ— is a necessar caution here But to my purpose You and I saw all this perpetrat in our sight We saw also what wayes methods were taken to slatter or force us into some compliance wiâ—h this usurpation How did we behave while we beheld this Idol of jealousy and abomination set in the holy place did our eye affect our heart to see our blessed Lord Jesus put to more open shame in our land then ever he had been put to in the earth to see the exalted Prince Messiah so formally divested and spoiled of his sole Soveraigniâ—iâ— and thaâ— bâ— that very power and principally by these very persons who had sworn fidelitie subjection and loyalty to our Lord Jesus Christ as King in his own house whose alone it is to give lawes to his Church yea to give the Law to Kings as Church-Members if they have that honour to be Members of his Churchâ— Now when this iniquitie reached unto heaven were the rendings of the Cauls of our hearts heard also in heaven because of the hainousnesse of this high wickednesse did we tremble at the thoughts of what the zeal of the Lord for the establishment of the Mediators throne would doe against the Nation and Church where this wickednesse had been done and Christ so dealt with What stiring up of one another to mourne together and apart was there when now the glory was departed Were we ashamed to be seen without the teare in our eye yea or vvith our heads upon us vvhen the crovvn vvas taken from our Master's head or had vve no use for them but that they might keepâ— tvvo eyes in them to mourne or did our carriage witnesse we were willing to lay them down and lose them as a Testimony against the wrong done to our Master Alas had we neither teares nor blood to bestow upon such an honourable cause and quarrel Let me tell you mâ— Deare Friends that as I see cause of wondering and weeping over my own stupiditie who was so little affected with such a heart-melting sight and can attribut it to nothing but want of a proportioned zeal that I did not either die of griefe or onely lived by choice to lameâ—t the departing of the glory so I cannot forebeare to tell you and now is the proper time for you to think-on it and be touched with it that I beheld the strange unconcernednesse of many amongst you in that day with amazement will you not blush to remember that the Parliament of England though for the most part highly Erastian were yet so surprised at the sight of our Supremncy being then apprehensive of a designe to introduce popery amongst them as they no sooner saw it but they perceived that Scotland by their newly moulded Supremacy so prodigious for size and shape had not onely impowered his Majestie for doing that but more also if so be he in his royal wisdom saw it fit This I say together with that Act for having so many thousand men ready to mâ—rch at his Majesties call into any part of his Dominions did much startle thaâ— Parliament But what did you in the meantime Alas it was observed particularly of not a few amongst you I do not charge all nay nor any person in particular let eveâ—y on reflectâ—on himself that never was there more graspeing after the World never more eagernesse to build your own houses than in that day when before your eyes the house of your God was taken in possession together with an unbrotherly unconcernednesse in the sufferings of such who were most active in testifieing against â—his wickednesse and counteracting its deâ—igne And my Friends I must be this far plain with you that as with much greife of soul I then beheld this amongst you so I then said it and often have said it and thought it since that for that your carriage in such a dismal day when we should all have been crying and what wilt thou doe for thy great name and such a manifest leaving of your first love if God should bring an enemy from the riseing of the Sun to punish the West of Scotlâ—nd with a witnesse they should smart for what had been observed amongst them in that hour he should so order the matter as escape who would they should not But the Judgement of God which begins at his own house should either land and light there or lye and rest there My
the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge till these calamities be overpast O when there is nothing standing up between God and the soul and God stands up between it and all that would harme it but the man is safe This blessed shield it both beares the man who bears it and it beats back all the blowes of adversaries so as by a rebound their sword enters into their own heart He knew of what use this was to a soul who said I have prayed that thy faith faâ—l noâ— And the peâ—son to whom this was said having got a dangerous fall and having been shamefully foiled through the failing of his faith yet being by grace recovered gives this advice to â—â—eâ—e who â—ould stand when the devil is assaulting them on all hands 1 Pet. 5 8 9. whom râ—sist stedâ—ast in thâ— faith And when he is thus resistedâ— he flees he sees it s in vain to tâ—râ—w his fiery daâ—ts at him who can make use of this shield hold up thy shield and Satan cannoâ— hold up his face but will flee why because as God hath in mercy and love engaged himself to the soulâ— to stand by it and with his omnipotent strength support it in the evil day so faith laies hold on his promise and takes him at his word and thus interposeth an omnipotent God betwixt it and all enemies and then he stretches out his right hand against the wrath of an enâ—aged enemyâ— hence amongst the rest of the great things aâ—cribed to faith Heb. 11. these are not the least v. 33 34. Who through faith subdued Kingdomes stopped the mouths of lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword ouâ— of weakenesâ—â— were made strong waxtd vâ—liant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens in a word he that makes use of thiâ— shield is safe and compleatly sheltered with the saving strength of the right hand of an omnipotent Goâ— and shall be made to sing when all his enemies that compassed him about as bees buzing and burning in their hatred are quenched as the fire of thornes the right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly the right hand of the Lord is exalted the right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly O what a compleat securitie is this shield in an ill day and therefore when the Apostle was solicitous about the Thâ—ssalonians at a time when their Adversaries dealt with them as men of the same Spirit and malice deale with you he saies 1 Thess. 3 5. â—or this cause when I could forâ—eare no longer I sent to know your faith Importing that all would be well and they would be victors if that was well Secondly see well to faith's companion and that is Love this is faiths second or the way how faith engages and goes to actionâ— is by affection O Love is a great Champion It will not be boasted or buâ—â—eâ—â—ed into a base deserting of the beloved by what all the power on the earth in a conjunction with the gates of hell can do It hath said it and sworne it where ever Jesus Christ is there will I be whither in life or in death And Satan is so wise as not to assault a soul in it's warme fits knowing well that many waters of affliction cannot quench that flame but resistance will make love the more fervent and the Lover the more fervid and forward and therefore to the end he may prevaile his methoâ— is how to make souls first luke-warme by stealing away the fewel whereby that holy fire is fed or by his slight turning the current of the affections that they may â—un in another channel than God-ward and Christ-ward and heaven-ward as knowing well hovv poor and pusilanimous creaâ—ures they quickly become vvhen their coal is cooled oâ— quenched and hovv easily they are overcome and foiled when they fall from first love O my Brethren see to get and keep your hearts warme worke hard in gathering fewel for loves fire O how much is it of the concernement of every Saint to have fire burning in his bosome in this day when the fire of fiery tryals is burning abroad and about him when enemies are in rage and hell hot this flame of God this holy Love burning heaven-hot will afford the soul true courage to resist that rage whereby they assault and are acted And to this purpose it is remarkable that the Apostle Iude having written his Epistle for this end alone to excite to an earnest contending â—or the faith In order to a readinesse and resolutnesse to undertake this heavy work of holy contention he onely exhorts to this one for all v. 21. Keep your â—elves saith he in the love of God It is is true he mentioneth faith in the foregoing verse but it is as relating to this love and as that which furnisheth fewel to its fire And he speaks of prayer in the Holy Ghost also as that which blowes away the ashes and blowâ—s up that fire into a holy flame And then he subjoines hope as that which poures oile upon the fire and makes the soul â—horowly candent And this leads me in the Third place to say See to your hope also When ever you get an allarm or are called to the conflict call â—or your helmet and clap it on your hâ—ad and claspe it well and so the head being gairded the heart is much withouâ— feare while love to Châ—ist makes a man venture upon swiming thorow the salt sea in following of him And faith is his skill in svvimeing and the strength of his armes so when the waters goe over his head hope is the Cork that keeps his head above till he swime safe to the other shore and thorow all the seas betwixt him and heaven And therefore the Psalmist perceiving himself ready to sink saith why art thou cast down o my Soul hope thou in God c. O how vvell will this helmet of lively hope guard the head against all the daâ—ts shot from the fury of enraged Adversaries and likevvise against all their fraud and flattery for these are the two deadly enemies hope hath to deale with by raiseing the soul into a contempâ— of what the vvorld can offer from the noble and none such expectation it hath laid up in heaven Nay this Grace is of so much use to the saints as the Apostle saith we are saved by hope Now therefore make use of your hope yea hold fast the reâ—oycing thereof firme unto the end and it shall prove to you a helmet of Salvation indeed It 's exercise is to raise up the desponding soul above all dark and dismal appearances and to strengthen faith and therefore we are said in hope to believe against hope Novv Deare Friends having interjected these few things of many with a necessitat briefnesse and blunt abruptnesse Let me returne to where I left Viz. Resolve for suffering and feare none of these things which you shall or can suffer onely feare to offend your God
without consulting God since the concerne is his and communing with our brethren not onely equally concerned but countenanced of God in their endeavouring to hold fast their integritie and hold on in the good old way Let us studiean onenesse in remembring whence we have fallen and in admonishing and being content to be admonished lest we be hardened through tâ—e deceitfulnesse of sin into a deâ—enâ—ce of it Let us be followers of others forsaking them in no case nor under no pretext in as fare as they are followers of Christ Let these be the men whose practice we propose as a patern for imitation whose carriage al alongs whose constancy in the cause whose courage in continuing at the work of the Lord when hazard did attend dutie spoke them to hate the way of them who turne aside And let us not count that the making of a breach to forsake for then we count without God and have noâ— thâ— mind of Christ any or not to fall in with them and follow them in that wherein they forsake the way of God and cease to be what they were and begin to be what once they were not and to do or leave undone what they condemned as deâ—ection or deâ—astable neutralitie It is a great abuse of language to give it the best name to put the name or notion of union upon that which if searched to the bottome would make it appeare that in this the uniters are rather dividers from the Lord than endeavourers to keep the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace It was not against this union nor inconsistent with it for Paul to withstand Peter to the face when he saw that he walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel and when his way had carried away others into a dissimulation If God have said if any man draw back may soul shall have no pleasure in him Let never our soul enter into their secrets who would seduce us in to a relinquishing of the cause or into a conniveance even at a discovered propension to that in others let us studie the import of the place above adduced to wit a standing fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel striving and standing up together for those things in the faith whereof we professed our selves â—ixed beyond the unfixings of contrary Laws execute with all crueltie nay for the faiâ—h which we our selves delivered to the Saints and for which we should contend with all flesh though for that we should be counted Schismaticks and men of Contention with the whole earth There was an Union amongst the Disciples when they all forsooke him and fled O let us beware and have a care lest while we cry up and commend union amongst our selves that in keeping one another company we leave not Christ Jesus our Lord and master to walk alone Unitie amongst brethren is a very desireable thing and the Lord will require it at his hand who endeavours it not in his way but there is a Iewel of infinit more value onenesse with God and onenesse with and in the truth and if our pursuings of the one be not minded in it's just subordination untoâ— and for the promoving of the other it loses it's intrinsick value and becomes a plague and thus that which should have been for our welfare is made our trap Let union amogst brethren be accounted the ring never to be brokenâ— but let union in the truth and with God be coured the Rubie and Diamond if this be lost our union loseth it'â— name and changeth it's nature and passeth with him for a Conspiracy and so should it do with us This ought to be our first care yea and next care too how to keep him company and to continue stedâ—ast and immoveable abounding in the work of the Lord and if herein our fellovv servants desert us or our brethren be othervvise minded yet vve must go on hoping and praying that God vvill reveal the same things to them and grant them to be like minded vvith us according to Chist Jesus if vve have attained to clearnesse in dutie and hereby the vvay I must say though I hate and abhore rash courses and I hope vvould noâ— stand to condemne in my self as vvell as in others â— runing upon and rushing into untroden paths yet God hath made ouâ— vvay so plaine of old as the vvay-faring man though a fool needs not erâ—e in it these are no novelâ—ies or notions these are no new and darke things we have to contend for Is Covenant keeping with God a disputable point Is it dobtful whether Christ be absolut in his own house or falls it under debate whether he is to be obeyed rather than men And trâ—ely of late the course and carriage of our enemies so directly opposite to â—he wayes of God hath left no place for doubting about dutie if we be but delivered from feare of danger If then I say we have attained unto clearnesse in dutie let us shut our eyes upon all dangers difficulties discouragements arising from the unclearnesse or reluctancy of Brethren yea of Fathers and hold on in our way let us stop our eares and become deafe to insinuations however â—oloured which would foreslow us in following and serving him If we must desert and be deserted of others for doing so O then but the presence of God appearing with and for them who in such circumstances appeare for him as it hath so it will make up to the satisfaction of menâ— souls and senses the want of other company Paul's notwithstanding made all odds even It was no reproach to Athanasius that it was said of him unus Athanasius contra totum mundum But that which hath perpetuat his renown and made his name savourie to all the lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ nor shall it be to any who walk in the same Spirit who walk in the same steps And to this union of heart amongst your selves suffer me to append this word Let there be a communion of all good things amongst you also for supplying the wants and necessities of your suffering brethren Ought you in some cases to lay down your lives for the brethrenâ— then I pray such who shut their eyes that they may not open their hands to minister to their necessities to think how they shall answer that question when put to them for put to every one and more particularly to all that have a profession of love to Christ in the Nation it shall be 1 Ioh. 3 17. it may be some of you have much taken from you and so think your self exempted but have you more then what is simply necessare and in this God will be judge who will cut off all your superfluities out of reckoning for the present support of your selves while others have nothing then consider the place 2. Cor. 8 1 2 3. c. for I cannot enlarge nay read that whole Chapter and the next and the