justifie and take away sin and shame and hath healing in his wings gives life and strength to doe what he leades us to do 1. Seeing the Lord hath passed from other powers to you and exalted or set up you as the present standing power of the Kingdome and hath given himselfe to you and taken you up into his glorious presence then must you exalt the Lord publish declare the name of the Lord. Confesse him to be in the mid'st of you sound him forth evidently boldly aloud say the LORD lives with you that he is come to reigne amongst you gloriously Bring him forth in brightnesse and power let this oppressed one go free tell it to all the nations the Saviour of Israel is come to redeem his people from all their enemies you doe mutter it and speak it softly and by halves but declare it fully that we may heare the shout of a King in the camp that God himselfe is in you of a truth Let us heare the sound of that Trumpet in the Camp which the seventh last and blessed Angel sounds And those great voices in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever Doe you not in words but in power and truth cast your crownes down to the earth fall with your faces to the earth your crowne of successes victories lay them downe in the dirt being but earthly and your faces your excellency of honesty valour wisedome honour lay it down to the earth for t is but dust and doe you worship God live God confesse God exalt God his righteousnesse and power which is worthy perfect almighty Say and doe we give thee thanks O Lord God almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Rev. 11. Give tip your selves from humane weake and fleshly state as thanks or a free will offering to the glory and majesty of God to act and live the life of the Almighty put on the Almightinesse of God be cloathed with God Almighty and know the Lord is with you who art deny not his present being in power and glory in you and confesse he alwaies hath beene with you which wast and that which is to come that which is eternall and everlasting is present disjoine not these let not him that is now with you be another from him who is to come or from him who was but say and sweare in truth that he who is to come in all that he will doe is now present with you to doe it He hath taken his great power and hath reigned he hath already begun hath taken his last and great power and is in the exercise of it Therefore Arise and shine forth for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee For behold the darknesse shall cover the earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall rise upon thee and his glory shall be seene upon thee And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising This lifting up the name of the LORD in you will have a very great effect upon others and your selves 1. Upon others Sad darknesse now covers the People of this Nation they are in perplexity not knowing which way to go Do you shake your selvs from the dust of your own vilenesse and put on the goodnesse power and wisedome of God and all people will flow in unto it for helpe and succour you will presently cause all to gather about you for reliefe The glory and light of God will melt the heart of your adversaries into love to you The sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending into thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves downe at the soles of thy feet and call thee the City of the Lord the Sion of the holy One of Israel Holding forth the goodnesse of God you will be a joy of many generations revive the Nation now lying in a grave of misery And those that continue obstinate the name of the Lord will be a terrour to them fill their faces with shame and confusion 'T will be as lightning immediatly blasting and withering them 'T will pierce through their heads hearts and loynes and for ever disable them from any undertakings or practises against you 2. For your selves This presence of God will burne up all those low and base spirits that are amongst you covetousnesse pride self-love shall not dare to abide in the camp 'T will be an anointing to you filling you with royall and Princely minds create majesty power wisedome justice and truth amongst you fill you with light and understanding so that all your wayes shall be clear and plain before you and every one shall be more mighty then a hundred able to fill the earth with righteousnesse and truth Secondly You being the People of England and all power and dominion descending and coming downe into you You are the Mother of the Nation the earth basis and foundation upon which all lie and being thus in the light and strength of God you are Jerusalem which is above the Mother of us all And therefore must 1. Spread your armes to receive the whole Nation open your bosomes to us and let us see that you carry in you all the happinesse and welfare of the Kingdome manifest the largenesse and comprehension of your spirits that you have in you the King and his royalty the Parliament and their wisedome and majesty these two in Treaty nay in perfect union that religion trade justice order covenant settlement reformation riches honors propriety lies treasured up in your breasts What you have not gather into you all the offices treasure authorities seales judicatures all the prerogatives and priviledges of the Nation let nothing lie out of you and be lost but be you the center of all and call in all into you 2. Let it appeare that they are in you as in the Lord In the Lord in you and so are in you most excellently safely that though we have them not in a visible and sensible way yet let all know they are in you as corne sowd in the earth that you do embrace them all in your tenderest bowels of love and care and but entrusted for a time with them that as all have seene a seeds time a fall of the fruit and leafe so we may expect a spring as we have seene a death by you of all so we may hope to see a resurrection 3. Receive them and retaine them all in judgement make a thorow digestion of the good and evill of them all keepe them as in a fire by the sword of divine justice with the exactnesse of God cut off all evil things and persons separate the precious from the vile in the Common-wealth let nothing that is of particular or hurtfull interests remaine but be a
mercilesse grave to all tyranny oppression to all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse let all things that are just good holy and honourable incorporate with you receive a new life from you Know the Lord is upon his Throne amongst you and every one and every thing that is not his must be rejected Every plant that he hath not planted must be pulled up there must be no judge but the Lord and no rule of accepting or refusing but the divine law of the spirit of God What God will owne and say t is mine shall live and what he will disclaime must dye and the poore narrow minds and fancies of men must not be enthroned nor have leave to judge amongst you 4. So receive and retaine them as ready to restore them when they are tried and purified let it appeare that you are the womb of the Kingdome that will with labour and travell conceive breed and nourish it But that it is to you a burden and when the appointed time comes you cannot but desire to be delivered of it and that it is your sorrow to have it in you and will be your joy to bring it forth unto others By letting forth this publique and good spirit you will be carried up above that petty low spirit of malice or enmity to any you will kill and tread upon this serpent which is a base principle and unworthy of God and would keepe you downe in earthy and darke wayes but coming forth into the largenesse of God you will act in high noble and generous waies And by being thus enlarged you will be as the wals of the Nation inclose and imbrace all men and all interests and of a sudden gather up all men into your selves surprise and catch mens hearts before they are aware and begirt the Kingdom with your arms and binde up all her breaches in union with your selves and be a present ease and stay to mens sad and aking spirits that whereas they are now in a wildernesse and know not where they are they may of a sudden their eies being open'd see they are in the hands of a wise and good God taking care of them by his own people whom he hath blessed with largenesse judgement and goodnesse for their safety That men may see that though they are fallen yet not into a pit of utter destruction or not into the hands of enemies but unexpectedly upon a very good bottome a people having the tendernesse and goodnesse of the Nation and the firmnesse largenesse judgement and stability of God in them both in civil and spiritual things and discover a foundation a firm rock and beginning of peace and happinesse to the Kingdome arising up in the midst of us Thirdly Let me bring you forth too as the highest and strongest power in the Nation being superiour to King Parliament and All in a true and good sense T is God and Nature gives it you and you wrong the Kingdome and your selves till you come forth in a clear and free owning of it You darkly and in the twilight steal it by your actions but deny to professe it which subjects you to reproach and scorn as adulteresses and thieves if you could boldly and in the light and strength of God challenge it as your right and manifest it what is now fear'd would be imbraced Truths while they are faintly own'd and by halves are abused and rejected when they lie low in the dust and are obscured by darknesse are terrible and men flie from them but when we lift them up into our faces and give them a throne in our open and free possession of them they are lovely and acceptable and command subjection in all Besides the Kingdome is unstable and looks this way and that way for a head some look to the King and others to the Parliament and neither appears to head them which keeps them still in a wavering state farre from any staiednesse or setlednesse Now lift up your heads be upright stand up in the name and power of God and this will compose the divided and doubting mindes of men knowing where to fix and attract and ingage all to you for you appearing their natural and head cant be disown'd T is true you may be thought a Jacob a supplanter of your elder brother of his birth-right But you having the blessing too it will bear you out God gives it The smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord bath blessed God give thee the dew of heaven and the fatnesse of the earth and plenty of corn and wine Let people serve thee and nations bowe down to thee Be Lord over thy brethren and cursed be every one that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee Shew forth that riches of heaven that light and glory of God and that fatnesse of the earthy that goodness power justice and kindenesse that is in you and then all power must bowe to you all will seek to you While you hold it forth in a night dream as Joseph doth his brothers sheaves bowing to his they despise and envie you for it but shew your selves possest of all the corn of Aegypt of all the good of the land and then your brethren there being a famine in the land of peace and righteousnesse they will be glad of you and come and remove all their substance to you into the Camp to be preserv'd and kept alive by that store at health and salvation that is in the presence and goodnesse of God laid up amongst you and in you Your halting in this point is very dishonourable and unsatisfactory to write your selves the servants of the Parliament and yet to exercise power over them And it puts you upon grosse and unseemly actions to patch and bodge to pick out and cull some from the Parliament that goe against you and leave others that are as unfit to govern as they you refuse only because they vote with you This hath great appearance of siding and partiality it were more justifiable farre to dissolve the whole and stand upon your own absolute and supreme power For while you goe as a Snail with that old house upon your heads you will never make any dispatch in your businesse they being in that state in which you own them an emptie vain idol of no use at all but will be a clog to you perpetually and make you formall low servile and tedious in all your actions Therefore ascend into that height into which you are call'd shake your selves from your dust of formal relations to other powers that are ground to pouder by the justice of God that you might come forth of them Loose your neeks from your bâ—â—lls be no longer captives They have and God hath made you Judges and given you authority and dominion The mountain of the LORDS house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hils and nations shall flow unto it It shall appear that you
your selves and this shall be our controversy hereafter I shall offend you by declaring a Righteousnesse in you which you you may say is too high too great and you be your owne condemners or being reconciled and establishing a Covenant of peace you will then be ashamed of all the evill that you have done 2. Know your sinnes lie upon the Lord they are his he beares them all there is none now under iniquity but Christ you are Righteous the Lord is your Righteousnesse there is a fountaine opened for sin and for uncleannesse to wash in That fire of jealousie in which the Lord appeared in my last hath judged and destroyed the wicked one and now appeares your righteousnesse That was an arraignment of the filthy Prince this is a clearing of the holy One and both in the power and truth of God 3. The consideration of your unworthinesse unfitnesse may be to you sad and troublesome it is to me glorious It being the great designe of God to visit his people in a low condition in prison in Babylon and to glorifie himselfe and the riches of his power and mercy to love freely to cover and take away iniquity to blot them out as a thick Cloud God now hath taken your filthy garments from you and cloathed you with beautifull garments and put a crowne upon your heads He gives you beauty for ashes You were burnt to ashes by the wrath of God here 's now beauty for you You are brought forth in your full proportion your originall your feet your first standing and your head the glory of the Lord in eternal praise The holy God takes pleasure to raise the highest buildings out of the lowest and poorest beginnings the more glorious the end the viler and deeper the foundation God that raised the first creation out of a Châ—os and established it upon the waters will raise the new heavens and new earth out of a weake and confused heape of waters a poore and despised people And there where men looked not for him will he appeare Out of Nazareth from whence no good comes from Egypt a place of thraldome and captivity And thou Bethlehem little among the thousands of Judah out of thee shall he come forth unto me to be Ruler in Israel This man shall be our peace when the Assyrian is in the land And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a Lion among the beasts Mic. 5. All which shews that the Lord chuses to manifest himselfe first in those that are beastly gentle ignorant meane despised people and even then when the Assyrian the man of sinne is in the land in them and upon them The Lord hath been with you informer mercies and in late sufferings he appeared amongst you in a spring of blessings since hath lyen downe in disgrace made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death he hath beene numbred with transgressours Your sins have slain your Lord your glory and your Lord by death hath borne and slaine your sins you have lien dead because Christ your life hath beene kild your sins but Christ hath died with you in you into you and Sampson-like by his death hath kild all his enemies your transgressions have made his grave there buried themselves and loose their destroying nature in him hanging upon him he how offers up his soule a sacrifice for sinne which is an acceptable and pleasant thing to God who is pleased to see our sins fall by Christs death and smels a sweet savour in that death that takes away the misery and griefe of his people and out of which he rises with them to glory and righteousnesse Now shall he see of the travail of his soule and be satisfied and by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many he had not beene righteous if he had not died but dying under our sins he and we rising together are both righteous It satisfies the Lord to travail with you to travail out of your grave to be in death with you and thence to ascend to glory and it matters not if men be unsatisfied Be you unrighteous in your selves the Lord coming forth out of this obscurity and shining upon you you will say Surely in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength even to him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified shall glory Confesse the Lord amongst you 't wil justifie you and strengthen you and then they that are incensed against you are incensed against him uncover his face clearly and all will be ashamed to oppose their Lord and so you may goe on in righteousnesse and strength glorying Your way hath beene darke and obscure to your selves and others here is light for you shewing you whence you come and whither you goe Mentioning you from the womb declaring your generation which hath beene cut off and shewing your end or that Canaan that you are going too The Lord is here a Sun and shield no good thing will he with-hold a plain path of justice mercy and goodnesse trodden out to you shewing what you must doe whithâ—r you must goe and what guide you have to direct you That you are now the mother and womb of the Kingdome into which all is cast and the Father of mercies saies you are the Father too and must bring it forth in perfect and eternall righteousnesse I have no more to say or rather I will ever say and say more strongly and plainly what I have here spoken weakly and darkly Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world Say you to the Daughter of Sion Behold thy salvation cometh behold his reward is with him and his work is before him And they shal cal them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord And thou shalt be called sought out a City not forsaken T is your salvation that is come you shall see evill no more let all the world know it let the news of it fill the dark and troubled earth proclaim it openly he gives you a reward of all your paines and sufferings he brings al good with him you will need no supplyes but what he will daily bring forth to you And his worke is before him T is now cleare what he will doe reigne over the Nations in righteousnesse set up an everlasting Kingdome for the Saints that shall never be destroyed And all must owne you and confesse you to be the holy people holinesse that hath beene the worlds scorn will now be their saviour that which they have derided shall they now trust in your justice and faithfulnesse you are holy with the holinesse of God or holy as your heavenly Father is holy to raine downe blessings upon the just and unjust and to let the Sun of favour and salvation to shine generally upon all upon the evill and the good God hath sought you
justice love riches advantage to all Kingdomes afford a universall benefit The beasts of the field have shadow under it and the fowles of the heaven dwell in the boughs thereof all flesh feed of it All sorts of men receive protection from it those that labour and toil as beasts in the earth they enjoy their wealth and safety under it and those that fly in the aire of wisedome learning they make their nests of honour and preferment in it and all live upon it Or the beasts men of earthy and civill employment Fowles of heaven men of religious and heavenly employment all have their peace in this Tree But behold a watcher and an holy one came downe from heaven This watcher is the watchman of Israel that keeps us and looks to us while we sleep or that thiefe that comes in the night secretly stealing in upon us while we see him not and a holy one though a thiefe and in the night breaking downe the house yet a holy Child Jesus a holy Lamb and we may know who he is he came down from heaven T is the coming of Christ from heaven that doth this He cryed aloud and said thus Hew down the tree and cut off his branches shake off his leaves and scatter his fruit let the beasts get away from under it and the fowles from his branches Here 's harsh cruel doings from one that comes from heaven Cryes aloud t is not the still voice and nothing but destruction Hew down the tree lay the ax to the root cut down all government dominion King Parliament with all power order cut off the branches of lawes offices places Scatter the fruit let there be no safety peace getting of estates Let the beasts get from under it and the fowles from the branches let the inhabitants be scattered let wealth be removed let honour and preferments cease Neverthelesse leave the stump of the roots in the earth with a band of iron and brasse in the tender grasse of the field and let it be wet with the dew of heaven and let his portion be with the beasts in the grasse of the earth let his heart be changed from man and a beasts heart be given unto him and let seven times passe over him There is not utter destruction though the glory honour riches peace of the Kingdome be cut down yet it remaines in the stump and is sure there There 's nothing left but the stump of the roots in the earth some life in the lowest people and that bound down yet safe kept by a band of iron and brasse by the power of the sword In the tender grasse of the field in the wide field not in a setled built City rather a wildernesse amongst some weake tender spirits some smal blades of grasse that are grown up And wet with the dew of heaven lying open to heaven in the night of darknesse expecting continual dews of favours and providence T is a desolate and poore condition though it hath a blessing in it they that are gathered into the City of God live better Let his portion be with the beasts let him eate grasse as the ex It is not the condition of one man onely but of the whole tree the spirit of dominion in the Kingdome is changed from man to beast driven from men Man is a wise lordly creature that exercises dominion by wisedome and understanding and is invested with majesty which is honoured and reverenced by others The new man is the Lord from heaven living in the light and understanding of God and of excellent goodnesse and righteousnesse and is therefore honoured because he is the true and great Lord of al and doth good to al exercising righteousnesse in wisedome to al such a heart now appears not amongst us in no sort of men but a beasts heart rage violence fiercenesse exercise of force one to another compulsion driving in herds not wisedome to compose al into one body These eate grasse as oxen live as oxen a laborious traveling painful life without any setled rest And eate grasse All flesh is grasse the highest and best men feed upon what providence daily brings forâ—h to them and that of a fleshly fading dying nature Not upon the living bread that comes down from heaven not upon the fatted Calfe killed and offered up not on meat rosted by the everlasting fire not eating the spice nor drinking the wine of the Spirit and this till seven times passe over thee Till the compleat measure of Gods justice passe over which I would gladly restrain to seven yeares This is the state of this miserable Kingdome The intent of God in this which is sure and decreed and the demand by the word of the holy one T is required and shall be effected That the living may know First That the most high ruleth in the Kingdome of men God will make you all know that himselfe the most high not a minister or angel of his not a vicegerent not a civil Magistrate only but the high God the highest glory of God ruleth not only over but in the Kingdome of men This beastly ignorant man knows not but you must know it though you oppose it and would uphold an earthly Kingdome in which men may rule without God no the Lord himselfe and his most high excellency shall rule and be known to rule Secondly And giveth it to whomsoever he will He rules not in an abstracted sense without us but he gives it to whom he pleases will bestow it upon men administer this Kingdome in his highest glory in men And in bestowing of it will not be bound to any person or family as King nor to any society or company of men as Parliament nor to any form or custome of men but when he pleaseth will pull down some and exalt others will not be fixt upon this or that person or thing but walke up and down with it at his pleasure And thirdly setteth up over it the basest of men will not leave till he set the bottome upon the top advanced the basest mean common sort of men men of basest account of lowest smallest worth not renownd either for honour riches learning wisdome or any other excellency but set up men of base ignoble birth base spirits c. over it These three things hath the majesty of God written out clearly in these times the most high ruleth in this Kingdome and first gave it to the King but he did not know the Lord that gave him his dominion power and glory nor govern his People in the goodnes strength and light of GOD but served and pleased himselfe by it and so abused that rule and authority that God gave to tyranny covetuousnesse oppression and to self-pleasure and honour for this the Lord blasted his Majesty cursed his government rent his Kingdome and fild it with troubles and distractions and forced him against his will to call a Parliament which was virtually or in a kinde a resignation of his
A second view of the Army REMONSTRANCE OR Justice done to the Armie Wherein Their Principles are new model'd brought out of obscurity into clearer light BY Which the Army and the whole Kingdome are under the conduct of the Spirit of God led out of a Wildernesse to the view of a Canaan Dedicated To the Generall and the Councel of War By William Sedgwick In the place where it was said unto them Ye are not my people there it shall be said unto them ye are the sons of the living God Hose 1. 10. LONDON Printed for H. Hils and G. Calvert and are to be sold at his house over against S. Thomases Hospitall in Southwark and at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls neare Ludgate M.DC.XLIX TO His Excellency Thomas Lord Fairfax GENERALL Of the Parliaments Forces AND To the Generall Councell of Warre I Have done Justice upon you because I saw evill in you There is a holy One likewise in you I must doe him Justice too I have smitten you and not you onely but the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheeke It pleases me to bruise him and him as much to be bruised t is his advantage and therefore he freely submits himselfe to be chastised Ephraim is my dear son a pleasant childe For since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still Therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. It grieves me to see you as a Woman with childe big with justice righteousnesse reformation c. and know not how or which way to be delivered Here is an arm stretched out to you that will gently leade them that are with young and guide the blind into a way they know not You have high and great designs but are imprison'd in the darknesse of flesh that you cannot get out into a clear and strait way My intent is to open the two-leav'd gates and free you I have opened the left already and so turned aside that dark and evill spirit that lay in your way shal now unfold the right which brings you into light and so makes crooked places strait for you c. You are upon the execution of justice I would not have you goe blindly passionately and rashly upon it but accept this anointing of God prepared for you which will fill you with wisedome and righteousnesse Ascend this Throne of majesty first that is here set up for you Arise from the common and darke nature of man into the holy nature of God and then you will be able to judge suffer this holy child Jesus to come forth and then goe on in the name of God Reade it and if you see a little truth in it reade it againe the light is dim but t is a morning and growing light and wil shine more and more untill perfect day This I dare challenge of you from that great and publique trust that is committed to you in which we have all a deepe share from those high and weighty affaires that you are upon of such mighty concernment to the glory of God and the good of his people from that ingenuity and freenesse that you have professed to receive advise from all and to give satisfaction to all and especially upon the authority of him whose name I here declare and set up that you will not sleight what is offered to you and lay it aside unconsidered but that you will give it due hearing And if in any thing you dissent from it I may know it and either receive or give satisfaction or if it be doubtfull to you I may have opportunity to clear it or if these things appeare true as I believe they will but yet at a distance from you that I may by removing that out of the way that hinders you from fellowship with them bring you into the power and possession of them And to this end I am and would be more Yours W. Sedgwick Justice done to the Army REMONSTRANCE I Told you when I was administring Justice upon your Remonstrance that it was a mixt thing of good and evill that the Lord was in it but hid under so much filth that we could not discerne him You are Sion but not perfect and therefore we must wash away your filth and purge away your bloud by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning The Lord is amongst us and sits as a refiner and purifier of silver he is set to it close and will make it his constant businesse and doe it hotly sharply even the silver the sons of Levi the people of God must passe thorow this sire and therefore Who may abide the day of his coming and who may stand when he appeareth Many cannot stand before it but are overturnd into a beastly ditch of rage fretting and foolish passion this is a bastard spirit that cannot endure chastisement But others doe stand in peace and quietnesse there we see the spirit and strength of the Son who willingly suffers chastisement knowing that he is chosen in the furnace and that by it he is made partaker of Gods holinesse purified from humane holinesse which is at best but filthinesse into the divine holinesse And to such I apply that of Solomon As the fining pot for silver and the furnace for gold so is a man to his praise The fining pot and furnace are for the best mettals and t is for their praise that they may be brought forth in a more noble forme and fitted to receive some excellent impression Now therefore having cast you into the fire and taken away your drosse wee shall hold you forth with a beautiful stamp of the majesty of God upon you That vail of an uncleane spirit being rent away we now behold your face shining with the glory of God upon you Now we have taken away the scum and cast it into the fire we may safely eate of the meat having done justice upon the fleshly worldly part we must doe justice to the heavenly and holy part The Remonstrance of it selfe is as the earth without form and void there is a face on it but t is deep and darknesse is upon it But the spirit of God moving or brooding upon the face of the Waters brings forth a new creation which is blessed and good The Kingdomes of the earth and the way of Gods dealing with them in these last times are describ'd in Nebuchadnezzar and his Vision Dan. 4. A Kingdome is a great tree growing out of the earth unto a great strength and height reaching unto heaven and the sight thereof unto the ends of the earth it grows out of the people and receives its life and nourishment from the lowest element the inferiour people but arises up to such a height as touches heaven i. e. comes near the heavenly glory the Kingdome of heaven or Christ This tree hath fair leaves and much fruit meat for all it brings forth honour order peace
dominion into their hands For his great designe before was to rule without them to uphold his owne interest in opposition to theirs looking upon them not as a help to him but as enemies to his prerogative being set upon principles of government in contrariety to the Parliament and his calling them being not naturall or voluntary but forced the union being first violated by his dis-affecting and disdaining them it was an erecting or setting up another power distinct and divided from his owne and by that God passed from him to the Parliament left him and set up majesty power and glory in the Parliament and gave hearts affections honours riches strength into their hands and so seated himself amongst them They as ignorant of God as he and not exalting the name of God that gave them their power but seeking their owne and a worldly good divided from the Most High they corrupt likewise And God finding no satisfaction or rest amongst them blasts and withers their glory and fils the Kingdome with such wrath or raises such stormes in the nation that they could not guide the ship but are forced to cast themselves and the government and safety of themselves and Kingdome upon others Not being able to support their owne and the peoples good they let all fall upon the people and doe expresly in their declarations appeale to the people to judge and require them to defend their owne safety and upon that ground summon them to armes or raise an Army as may appeare in their Declarations at the beginning of these troubles and thus they erect and set up another power The Army Now it is exactly to be observed how secretly God passes out of one forme into another as from King to Parliament and from Parliament to the Army and not so secretly but his footsteps are seene visibly upon and in the actions of men and he rides his journey upon their backs This very much concernes the clearing up of the Armies case and the scattering the mists that yet cover them and hinder them from seeing their owne right and others from discerning and acknowledging their power and therefore I shall endeavour to unfold it in these five particulars 1. That there is a transmitting or translating of power from the Parliament to the People or Army 2. That this change of power from Parliament to people is according to humane and divine reason 3. That this power of the People so raisd by the Parliament is a superiour and stronger power then that of the Parliament 4. That this Army is truly the people of the Kingdome already formd into a body of an Army 5. That this forme of an Army is the most excellent agreeable to God and fittest for the present worke and the mother of other powers First The Parliament having all power by the presence of God with them and the majesty of the King dying into them they doe by the will of God convey all that they had to the people gathered together in armes for their owne security 1. They themselves cease and expire their end ceasing The end of a Parliament is the execution of justice reforming of corruptions preserving the peoples liberties c. Now 't was manifest the malignancy of the Kingdome was such as they could not heal it and their liberties so endangerd they could not save them 't was beyond their power and skil And so becoming uselesse surrender to others 2. Besides they raise up another power that is inconsistent with their owne for civil legal or Parliamentary power cannot subsist together in the same Kingdome with military but the military wil and necessarily must silence enforce and subject the other at his pleasure The power of the sword in a forrain nation may be inordinate but at home being raisd for its own safety 't wil be master and eate up or trample upon the other 3. As an Army being rough thrusts out the civil power being the gentler so the people being raisd abolishes the representatives for the figure or image ceases when the substance comes in place it loses its use and imployment when the body it self appeares 4. The raising of the power of an Army is an act of God who is the Lord of hoasts and hath a peculiar prerogative in gathering them together and delights much to shew himselfe in this formeâ— and the Parliament were but instruments God the main in raising an Army for his owne great designes and therefore as soone as these are set up he begins to shew forth his glory in them and to withdraw himselfe from the other leaves the Parliament to weaknesse divisions vanities disgrace and appeares in the Army in union successe power vigour The Parliament since the Army was on foot could doe nothing that had the face of majesty justice or goodnesse On the other side the Army goe on with great honour and glory in their work being as full of power as the other empty The Parliament doing nothing sutable to their trust or worthy of a Parliament the Army discharge their place gallantly faithfully and happily So that we see the Parliament hath expowerd it selfe and impowerd the people emptied and made void themselves of authority and fild and formd the people with it and that there is a transition of the glory of God from one to the other and so a translation of dominion from the Parliament the representative to the body of the people themselves Secondly We must know this that this descent of power is most naturall and according to the will of God or agreeable to humane and divine reason It is indeed very harsh and unpleasing to those beasts and fowles that live under the shadow and in the branches of this great tree of the Kingdome and had their interest and subsistance in royalty in offices in preferments c. It seemes to them nothing but confusion that all this glory and with it their lives should goe into the earth and remain in a stump of the root but if they had the wisedome of God and did see his counsel and end in it they would be satisfied For 1. T is exceeding natural that when the sap of the tree hath risen to its height and brought forth its fruit it should when the fruit fals and the winter comes sharp and cold seasons return into its root Power did arise from simple poore man had its originall from the dust of the earth common people and receives its life and being from humane nature in its simple state there it was purest unmixt from pride cruelty deceit it was quietest and at rest without violence and disturbance though in a mean and rude manner And thence it rises into the glory of Kingdomes into Lordship Monarchy and all such greatnesse Now when it comes to the top and begins to corrupt finds stormes of wrath malice and mischiefe in those heights it naturally returnes to its center and retires for its own safety and recover to it self
in the roots of the earth the people Hence it is that bodies politique Kingdomes have their severall ages of childhood youth firme or full age and old age as well as the body of man and one as well as the other lies under this sentence Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne at best they are but the people dresd or set out with some outward honour and therefore they must returne to mingle themselves with dust of common men Againe We know honor est in honorante honour is in him that honoureth its seate and subject is in him that gives it and therefore in the people who doe by their breath create any man honourable or great and their breath is the life of all greatnesse and honour it being but an empty Idol a dead image if not quickened by the affections of the people T is they indeed or God ordering their spirits that make men honourable if they give him not respect meanes tribute honour their greatnesse dies at heart and becomes a heavy burden and a curse and therefore t is very naturall for it to come downe to its owne originall from whence it came and doth by that recover it selfe for as the people receive it into them so they will quickly send it forth againe with greater power and with encrease This course of things hath its method from the minde and will of God who hath said He will set over it the basest of men Dan. 4. He raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill That he may set him with Princes of his people Psal 113. The Lord hath said he will exalt some and pull downe others Scatter the proud in the imagination of their hearts put downe the mighty from their seats and exalt them of low degree Luk. 1. T is a great sport and pleasure the Lord takes to set up and pull downe to bring great things to nothing and to exalt nothing to be all things its excellent justice to poure contempt upon Princes to tread upon them as morter to bring them under as the basest vilest creatures and to poure riches honour and greatnesse upon meane and base men is as excellent love and goodnesse This he hath said he will doe and this he doth doe and t is his prerogative This too is taken out of a higher copy the way of the Son of God who is in the form of God in the highest heaven and from thence descends into a low state of a servant to be borne of a woman to be a carpenters Son to be with people of no account to descend into the lower parts of the earth to make his grave with the wicked to descend into hell and from thence to ascend againe far above all heavens T is the great God the king of kings looks down amongst men of low degree and is content to have his foundation in the dust and so arise that he might fill all things and take up the lowest into the highest and be the highest in the lowest and so comprehend all things in one glory that he might fil lownesse with majesty and majesty with lownesse that ther might be a perfect agreement tween the greatest God and the porest man Thus we see the second thing manifested That this passing of power from the Parliament or any higher or Politique body into the lower or naturall of the People is rationall orderly and and according to the originall rule and measure of all things which is the minde and way of God Thirdly the people so rais'd and cal'd up are the supreme power or superiour to all others even to them that begat them the Parliament 1. The Parliament call as is manifest in their Declarations to judge saying let the People judge they appeale to them and so they have subjected themselves to the people and t is but reason they should judge for the people themselves have in themselves the truest and purest light of judging which is reason and the most exact sence of their rights and of good and evill respecting their liberty and safety and those principles in them of discerning men and things relating to publique weale or woe are more clere more incorrupted then they are in men rais'd by them into place and office especially when all high places are poluted by the divell and the mindes of men grow worse by preferments and honours as t is manifest they do in these times of defection wherein scarce any man in place either Parliament or else where retaines his integrity and the Parliament it selfe is one heap of selfe seeking they being generally bias'd both on the one side and the other with places advantages offices perticular interests so not fit to be the judges of publique and common right Therefore t is reason that God should call up the people who though they be rude despicable and unlearned yet have a plain and honest sâ—nse in them of good and evill and they are now set up to be judges of the affaires of the kingdom by God and by the Parliament as his hand 2. As they are higher being made judges and appeald unto so they are the stronger and more able to doe justice and defend themselves then any instituted power in all representatives there is some weaknesse being but figurative They are indeed very elegant beautiful and stately administrations of justice but have not that inward sufficiency and fundamental stable strength that is in the people And being but formes of government we have found them as in this Parliament trifling about punctilio's of honour circumstances and points of priviledge and prerogative and not gone down-right to the root of the matter which lightnesse of spirit is not a proper remedy for the huge bulke of wickednesse that hath gotten into this Kingdom nor able to stand against the height pride of injustice enthornd in the nation would be a whole age more in purging out these evill humours in their dull formall and customary way of proceeding which is wholly unsatisfactory to the justice of God Yea iniquity grew upon them and appeard in such an overflowing malignity and in persons of such eminency that they feard to meddle with it or feard they should be swallowed up with it and therefore sought the people to stand up and doe that which they could not whose weight and strength is only able to cast out the wicked spirit that had universally possesd it selfe of all parts of the Kingdome especially the superiour parts And the people thus authorizd and empowerd by the sword and inflamed with wrath and zeale against their adversaries have with much difficulty along while contested with these evils and at last got the better of them which would have long agoe as t is most evident have swallowed up the Parliament and by this t is evident this of the people is the stronger power Thirdly There is a third consideration proper for this which is the power
him and put us into this state as he hath foretold Rev. 20. The camp of the Saints The Armies in heaven Thus have we brought you forth as the Virgin daughter of Zion a select and chosen Generation a lovely and pretious people But yet a femall a woman and so in flesh and weaknesse being subject to sin and suffering a state that must be tried and by temptations improved t is no sure nor stable condition being not in compleat and eternall union with God you have had the love of espousals many kinde favours from God a Father a Lord but have sind against them and him for which he hath caus'd you a while to wander in darke and troublesome waies and not admitted you to that state of rest and glory which he intends to you He hath taken the Crown and Diadem from off your head for your unbeliefe and departure from him and for that impurity which was in you he stript you of your beautifull garments of Praise and Honour that once clothed you and so expos'd you to wrath curses reproach and put you again into a new fire of trouble to purifie you to make you seeke the Lord. But he hath not dealt with you as he hath dealt with other people he hath refrained for his namesake that he might not make an utter end of you Because he will have a people that shall bear his name Hath he smiteen him as he smote those that smote him Or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are flaine by him No In measlure when it shouteth forth thou wilt debate with it be stayeth his rough winde in the day of the east winde By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin When he maketh all the stones of the alter as chalke stones that are beat asunder c. Isa 27 There is a a shouting forth of the righteous branch in you and therefore we must stay all rough windes and breath gentle gales upon you your iniquity being taken away we will present you holy to the Lord and marry you to the God of your salvation Know therefore that the Lord the most high God is in the midst of you is in you and with you in a glorious presence as you have professed The glorious God or the glory of God dwels with you or God in his highest glory rests upon you so that you are not only the People of England but the People of God sanctified by the holy mighty wise spirit of God and en lowed by the divine wisedome strength and justice and you are as an Army so the LORDS hoast or the Lord himselfe in his great majesty appearing amongst men in an hoast the whole hoast of heavenly and blessed men and Angels with all their various and innumerable excellencies and perfections gathered together and embodied upon the earth in you An earthly Army in union with the heavenly host or the Lord of hoasts in Mount Sion among his people gloriously This is your Righteousnesse the Lord Jehovah is your covering your garment of salvation and onely this can justifie you honest intentions aid good meanings are rotten rags and too narrow to cover your nakednesse we shall therefore open and unfold this glory unto you and bring forth this your righteousnesse First The Lord is with you in his highest and greatest majesty there is no power no glory of God but t is in you and with you and no power nor glory greater then that which dwels in you none besides none above none beyond it The Lord is here the most high God and with him all power in heaven and earth there is no wisedome or strength that you have not and all imaginations of a power absent from you either in heaven or earth is an injury or accusation to Gad and to you is theft and robbery stealing away the riches of God from you and from himselfe in you if you look upon the Kingdome of God the new creation new heavens and new earth as absent or to come you deny the holy one with you who is present in deed and power though under your weakenesse Secondly The Lord is with you in perfect union and communion you are what he is he is what you are whatever is in him t is communicated to you and whatever is in you is communicated to him Is there power or glory in God t is in you also Or is there weaknesse in you it lies upon him Or is there righteousnesse in God t is in you as it is in him to live in it act in it and by it to employ and bring forth And is there infirmity in you t is in him as t is in you a clogge a burden an enemy hated separated taken away c. Nothing now is spoken of God but may be spoken of you you being in union with him or nothing spoken or done to you but t is done to God with you you being one And t is the blasphemy of hell and divell to separate God from you or you from God Will men say you are Rebels Destroyers they say it of the Lord or will you or satan in you say you are weake and men and can't do such high things they are too great for us you and they will know you speak the same of God and so judge him as weak and unable to do them For in nothing you must be divided or if you think that is God's but this is our work you wrong God and your selves you must speak the words and doe the workes of God God is now God in the earth and you an Army in heaven 3. The Lord is with you in spirit and truth eternally inseparably in a kingdome that never shall be destroyed in an everlasting covenant that cannot be broken The kingdome is so with you the Lords people as it shall never be taken front you but shall endure for ever and all oppressing feares or dark doubts they are of the malicious one your enemy and the darknesse of hell that obscures the glory of God which is an everlasting light a Sun that will not set and all attempts of Satan or his instruments will be as waves against a rock dash'd in pieces and you shall grow from a little stone to a great mountain from a little branch to a great tree that shall spread it selfe and fill the earth with fruit Upon this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest Having laid this foundation now shall thy light break forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousnesse shall go before thee and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rerc-ward you shall at once have light cleare light to walke by health to cure your diseases to make you strong and Righteouesse to justifie all that you doe For these cannot be separated when the Sun rises with light to direct he is a Sun of righteousnesse to