meane beginnings hee hath raised to as great a height as ever low beginnings in any Countrey were How hath God dissipated and biasted the Counsells of their adversaries how hath he discovered all their Treacheries although they be in themselves comparatively at least a poor people and of little strength as the Church of Philadelphia was yet they have kept the word of Gods patience and God hath kept them in the houre of temptation God therefore is with them How happy should we bee if we may have them in a neare union with us And a people that have carryed themselves with as great honour and faithfulnesse with as great wisdome and order in the most difficult worke that ever a people did undertake in those by and intricate paths that were before uncrodden Certainly that they undertooke at the beginning of their worâ—e but a few years since it could not but be looked upon with the eye of reason as the most unlikely worke ever to have proceeded as any workâ— hath ever done and yet how hath the Lord been with them and with what wisdome and graciousnesse have they carryed it Was there ever such an example since the world began of a people comming out of a poorer Countrey into a fat and richer Countrey and having those opportunities that they had to enrich themselves to goe away so as they did their greatest enemies they now admire at them A people they are that began to rise for their Liberties when the generality of this people here were ready basely to bow down their backs and put their necks under the yoke and had it not been that they had been willing to have endured the brunt we had all been slaves it is like at this day A people that are exceeding sensible of our condition witnesse that when our Letters from the Reverend Assembly came unto them they received them with teares and much meltings of spirit in their Generall Kirke Assembly witnesse their readinesse and willingnesse to come now though in winter season in times that wee dare not venture our selves abroad witnesse the temptations that they have had unto the contrary and yet carryed through all They now desire 100000 l. what is this to 300000 l. in pay what is this to five Counties what is this to the plunder of a whole City what reasonable termes doe they proffer to come among you doe but give them 100000 l. advance and they engage themselves for three moneths and ten dayes and in the winter time to be in the Kingdome not to have a foot of Land granted unto them or assured them but willing to depart againe without any more when they have done their worke this certainly cannot but satisfie any spirit that is never so malignant at least it may stop his mouth A Nation it is that wee are engaged unto likewise that that now is desired of you is no more indeed then is their due it is due already to them but they desire it not in that way Wherefore shall such an opportunity as this is be lost for want of Money God forbid shall a people to whom God hath given such testimony of his acceptance be rejected by us when they would come in and help us Their Liberties are setled why they though on the other side of Jordan they are not therein satisfied to sit still but are willing to come themselves and come into the brunt and hazard themselves for the setling of their brethren in the inheritance of the Lord likewise And it is not only the number of those that shal come in â—1000 that is our advantage but the great busines is the ingagement of a kingdom the incouragement of such a Kingdom that God hath given such testimony to that that Kingdom shall be by this everlastingly engaged in what is deare unto us in our peace and our security that is the advantage of all And as the Lord hath a delight in this place in this Nation he hath no lesse surely in this renowned City this City whom indeed our adversaries have found out nick-names for and call it the rebellious City as formerly Rehum the Chancelor and Shimsbai the Scribe Ezra 4. called the City of Jerusalem but God hath other names for you it is the City of the Lord of Hosts it is the faithfull City and God hath much mercy certainly for this place There is no City in the world that hath such a cloud of incense of prayers goe daily up to heaven I verily believe as doth from this City Yea put all the Cities of the earth together I scarce thinke that God is so much honoured in family duties in them all together as he is in this place A City that hath had the powerfull preaching of the Gospel beyond all Cities upon the face of the earth and the Ministers of it receiving more encouragement here then they have done in any other parts of the world A City that hath more of the power and life of godlinesse then any place yet upon the face of the earth surely God intendeth good to this City and doth likewise delight in it and he hath great things for this City to do and great mercy to bestow upon them You have been the bulwark of that honourable Assembly in both Houses of Parliament you have been their safety you have been their assistance their lives have been preserved by you and God will remember it another day and hee hath mercy in store for that labour of your love and that hazard that you endured in that thing You have been the refuge of the banished Ministers and Saints of God in most parts of this Kingdome and in Ireland and the blessing of those that are ready to perish it is much upon this City night day Never did the Lord stir up so many young ones as he hath done in this city at this time that promises great mercy that speaks aloud to us that God intendeth to do great things by them Never was there so many godly ones or more to speak with modesty together in place of power in this City then there is at this day You have the blessing of all the prayers of all the servants of God throughout this Kingdome Parents shall teach their children to blesse God for London as long as they live yea for many generations when they have any fruit by the Gospel they shall teach their children to acknowledge it to the glory of God children thanke God for London thanke God that ever you heard of Christ had it not been for the forwardnesse the zeale the activenesse of the Spirits of those in London you had never come to enjoy these Liberties of the Gospel as now you doe And now shall this City withdraw themselves from such a noble and great work of God as they are called unto at this time and let it fall because of them for it is in your power either to raise it or to let it fall that is the English
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
Parliament they have sent some Troops of Horse and certain Foot for the securing of that Town and if they had before knowne the consent of the Parliament for their having the use of Berwicke they had put in their Ammunition and Victuall before this time into Berwicke which before this time surely they dâ—â— know and therefore we doubt not but they have done the other Likewise further when they come in they intend to goe on in their march though it be farre in the yeare and not to sit downe in their quarters Wee know my Lord of Newcaâ—â—le did it â—ast yeare we know they are as farre Northern borne they are both in a colder Clyâ—â—te and therefore wee doubt not of it and so 〈◊〉 long we hope to heare of the taking of Newcastle which what reliefe it will be to this City in the point of Coales and other Trade you may easily see Most of this to the Common-Councell was declared by two Worthy Commissioners that were sent out of Scotland my Lord Mackland and Mr. Henderson But it may be said if they be so willing and so ready to come and have all things ready what is the reason wee heare not of their comming into the Kingdome They have answered us by their Propositions that it is impossible for them to doe it without some sum of Money and that this is no pretence but that it is really so we have it from our owne Committee there wee have it from all hands there and if we consider how they have been exhausted heretofore I thinke we may easily believe it our selves and that their Army that is in Ireland have been 14 moneths without any pay at all they are saine to supply them with necessities which hath been foure score thousand pound else that Army must have starved We know they had two years Warre we promised them a brotherly assistance and there is an act for it but it is knowne by reason of the troubles we have here at home we have not paid them that so that considering the poverty of that Kingdome without offence I thinke we may say so I say considering the poverty of that Kingdome it is certaine it is not a pretence of theirs but it is really so Neither indeed can we presume it when as the Covenant and Oath they take binde them as well as us that they should come to our assistance it binds them as much to our assistance as that Oath binde our selves to our owne assistance and therefore wee cannot presume that they would being dis-ingaged of an Oath afterward be willing to take that Oath unlesse they did likewise know their owne necessity that they could not come in without some summe of Money and truly I suppose that they cannot come in without Money as hath been declared to you and that we must ground upon and build upon for wee are assured it on all hands It will be then said what is that summe Why truly the summe that they have sent in their Propositions is 100000 l. I confesse a great summâ— and that that I know not how to mention in this Assembly considering how this City hath been exhausted formerly by those great Contributionâ— and by those aides that they have given in this case But on the other side though I cannot indeed tell how when I consider the sumto presse it yet when I doe consider the inevitable danger that follows and the great advantages that we lose by every dayes delay in it I say when I consider them I cannot on the other side but presse it Let us therefore consider in case this bee not within some convenient time raised what an infinite disadvantage comes by it to us First of all all those preparations they will bee in a manner lost if that it be not presently raised there will be no comming in this Winter if there be no comming in this Winter no gaining of Newcastle if no gaining of Newcastle no Coales nor materials for Fewell Nay that is not all but if they doe not come in now and if wee doe not provide this Money I shall despaire of their comming in at all and that upon this ground that if wee bee not able now to raise the summe of Money the continuance of this Warre it will more and more every day and that sensible dis-enable us to doe it at another time If we cannot doe it now wee shall be lesse able to doe it a weeke a moneth a quarter of a yeare hence for the Warre you see destroyes all Trade that hath been opened to you before wee shall grow poorer our Enemies stronger if we be not able to bring them in now we shall never bee able to bring them in at all It will be desired if it bee possible to raise this great summe of Money what is the security shall be given for truly it was never desired of this city that so much mony should be given to them but it is desired it should be onely lent for if they come not in in time the businesse is as good as lost they have therefore considering this already engaged the Publike Faith of that Kingdome with the Publike faith of this Kingdome for the raising of 200000 l. either by borrowing of it here or in Forain parts Therefore this is the first Security that is â—endered to you now that money is a borrowing in Parts beyond the Sea that Mony that is so borrowed shall goe on towards the repayment of this what ever it is that shall be lent But besides this Publike Faith there are divers wayes visible how this Publike Faith will bee dis-engaged that is by the Sequestrations for there is an Ordinance of both Houses for 30000 l. to be raised for them out of the Sequestrations Now this shall not need to discourage any that so little hath bin raised out of the Sequestrations hitherto for the Houses have been preparing the businesses a great while and now Michaelmas is come all the Rents are ready within few weeks to bring it in that is for so much Their comming in it gaines Newcastle the gaining of Newcastle gaines a great masse of Coales that are there ready already when they come in and out of that there will bee likewise an Annuall or a Monethly payment of the Coales for the dis-engaging of those that shall lend this summe Besides when they come in if they cleare those Countrys wee know how full of Papists how full of Prelates those Northern Countreys are as York-shire but especially the whole Bishoprick of Durham a whole County Northumberland Cumberland c. full of Papists full of those of the Prelaticall party full of Malignants when they come in those parts are cleared they will be free for three whole moneths and ten dayes for the dis-engaging of this which I forgot to tell you before what the Scots are to doe for this 100000 l. for they are to bring in their Traine of Artillery their 21000 Horse and Foot
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
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