the whole Nation in all parts of it are found fighters against Christ and for it are destroyed You have all been bigge with this misery it hath been within you declared it self in your several formes of cursings and because you lov'd it it s come upon you as a girdle about your loynes it cleaves fast to you Thy Sores are opened from head to foot and lanc'd to let out the filth corruption and if you suffer it to come forth you will immediately finde ease He that confesseth his sinnes and forsaketh findeth mercy If you would you cannot hide them all your reasons pleading your good intentions the clearnes of your consciences can't justify you Here 's one greater then your consciences a sentence so Authoratative as will not be resisted Neither can you by cunning or force escape out of this prison not the stoutest of you not your friends Armies multitudes none can help you Kings are bound in chaines of Iron and Nobles in fetters Such honour have all the Saints Chap. XI Shewing the method of God in curing the Nation viz First to take our sin upon himself T IS written in your hearts and spoken in your mouths That none can save us but God T is the happinesse of the extremity of our misery that wee are past the wisdome and strength of man and so fall onely and immediatly upon the mercy and goodnesse of God Cease from man Behold your LORD The LORD is our Judge The LORD is our Law giver The LORD is our KING Hee will save us He that hath opened hell and death to let you in can and will open it to let you out He hath the Keyes and opens and none shuts and shuts and none opens All this sin and wrath was in us in our best estate though it appeared not t is good t is broken forth t is in order to perfect health our recovery was designed in it and the foundation of a mighty salvation is laid in these deep miseries The method of our cure must be this First to take away sin and curse so long as they lye at the doore there is no passage for mercy to come in or man to go out Now the only way to do this is to lay them upon one that can beare them The LORD Himself they have lain upon the Nation and sunk it utterly destroyed it But now wee see there is one will beare Englands sinnes and the sin and curse of the whole world and there we must charge them yea The LORD charges himself and saies Is there any evill in the City that I have not done Why hast thou caused us to Erre from thy waies Thou hast blinded us that we might not see and hardened our hearts that we might not understand T is thou that hast mingled a perverse spirit amongst our Princes that hast given the Nation the wine of astonishment to drinke The cup of thy wrath that they may Erre in judgement that they may stagger and reel vomit up their own filth and fall and not rise againe And in all this thou hast been just There hath been two great evils amongst us our being divided from God and amongst our selves and this the LORD hath done especially in the great divisions of King and Parliament The day dawning after this dark night of sorrow we can say of England GOD is in thee and none else In these clouds is the Lord and nothing but the Lord Here is God in the lower parts of the earth and the earth shall disclose her blood and no longer cover her slain Verily God is in this place and we knew it not Thou hast alwaies dwelt in the Majesty and greatnesse of the King It is thou that hast Reigned in him But verily thou art a God that hidest thy self under vanity and a lye under a poore sinfull unstable weake creature in a crawling worme thou art there covered with corruption falshood wilfulnesse made sin cloathed with filthy garments so vailed under a thick covering that he himself knew thee not had he known thee he would not have denied thee and crucified the Lord of glory he did it ignorantly thou didst not come forth nor act out thy selfe in thy own brightnesse and power but didst retyre withdraw thy self and lye down in weaknesse and so liv'd in sinfull flesh Thou wert in him dwelling in such thick darknesse in such stormes and tempests of wrath in such a thick mist fog of wicked men lying down there in such a hel of a Dam me crue that his own body did not know thee there His People Rebelled against him and thee when dressed in this deformed shape Thou wert in him raysing up his heart into an absolutenesse and greatnesse T is thou that say dest in him I am alone and there is none besides me I le doe what I will and none shall resist it Thou wert there most Righteously and accoding to thy nature gathering up all thy glory into thy self keeping thy self incommunicable minding only thy selfe and thy owne Majesty and rejecting all things else refusing to stoop to any thing that is mean or below thy selfe disdaining that any should excell but thy self magnifying thy selfe and being confident of thy own sufficiency This now we see darkly shadowing out it self in the Kings Prerogatives Now we see it is Thee The LORD that in his leaving his Parliament leavest thy own Son thy own spouse because she is unclean because she was filthy and poluted This is righteous in God to leave a diseased body labouring under the guilt of the Nations sin to give her up to be tormented to be left desolate for her iniquities In the Kings flying from his Councell to strength Wee now see Divine jealousy that is impatient of having his Majesty sullied and stained by common hands The indignation of the Lord of hosts hurried the King away in violence and taught him to begirt himselfe with power to uphold Royalty yea rather to bury it in the earth then that another should wear the Crown It is the Lord that stiffens and hardens the spirit of the King against all Propositions that may lessen his Greatnesse here God saies My glory will I not give unto another To retain golden Royalty in the flames to be a King still while hated opposed denied Is the Divine Spirit When it is most opposed to contend for it This the Lord doth In the Kings dark and unknown waies in his secret practises We now see Our LORDS obscuring himselfe when fleshly man would finde him out to prey upon him when wicked and rebellious man would rob him of his glory he mists himself in the privacy of darknesse hee hath a long while concealed himself in the midst of us and so kept himself from the world who have alwaies been in pursuite of him because he sees they are not fit to injoy him This is the Lords doing in the darknesse of man the Highest Majesty of God under the shamfull vilenesses of man
her Ghost into the Armies bosome and leaves the Army Executor of her wil dies into the People and al dying together and tumbled into one grave of confusion By this death there is a perfect Remission of sinne here is a true Act of oblivion on all sides a blotting out of transgressions Hath the King transgrest hee lyes in the dust for it he is in your own bowels devoured by you if you accuse him you accuse your selves look upon him now as pierced by you and you can't think of his sins but of your own shame with self-piercing self-wounding hearts Neither can the King remember the Parliaments injuries but he must in those thoughts be oppressed they are in him and if he should think of revenge he must be revenged upon himself death wholly overcomes and spoiles revenge and leaves it nothing at all to feed upon Or if any party do look back they see all these mutuall violences in the Divine wisdome and goodnesse the sting of them being taken away with pleasure and content and glory in these marks not of hatred but love glory in the Crosse and rejoyce in your mutuall sufferings together and one for another all bitterness and envy being slain thereby Every one as now in the accuser you see your own good and your adversaries weaknesse and sin so shall you by this change of death see all the evill as your own and be able to beare it every one accusing himself and acquitting others so that the greatest enmity will be against your selves or any thing that makes a division and nothing remaining to be hated but enmity or hatred it selfe There cannot a thought of strife or enmity arise now but it must appear in blood in the blood of Kings Queenes Princes Parliaments enmity being slaine at first look you do see death in it and so abhorre to change a word with it look upon it as a murtherer and immediatly fly from it into each others bosomes Here is away too to pay all debts to cancell all obligations on both sides in this pit of death must all be swallowed up Debts are forgiven a dead man Here is a death of the Old man The old Quarel the old termes of enmity the old man and his lusts The lustings of the KINGS party after honour greatnesse preferment the Parliament after places Bishops Lands c. the Armies lustings after arreares the lusts of envy malice tyranny oppression coveteousnes desiring each others goods the fuell of this flame in all is buried Thus as before our remedies were our diseases so now our diseases our miseries become our remedy in saving we lost now in losing we save Our gain was losse and our losse is become gain through the riches of the wisdome and mercy of the Lord our GOD Now we must say we had perisht if we had not perisht Chap. XV. Of the compleat cure of the Nation shewing it in its Raised state and parrticularly the King NOw through the tender mercy of our God doth the day sparing from on high visit us To give light to them that sit in darknes in the shadow of death to guid our feet in the way of peace The bright day of Englands Redemption is come the sweet morning of our Resurrection A rise let us go from this pit of misery Let us wrap up all our grave cloaths of shame sin and sorrow and leave them with their Father the destroyer in this dark night of hell and death The Lord saith it and in the power of the Lord we doe break open Iron gates of death and let goe these poor prisoners of hope and before we goe we will spoile the spoyler trample Satan under foot laugh and mock at thy power ruine thy Kingdom of darknes take away from thee thy power to vex wholly destroy thy destruction Oh thou enemy destruction is come to a perpetuall end We smite thee upon the cheek-bone thou canst bite no more Now we lead captivity captive we were under thee now thou thy selfe art a prisoner and a servant thou hast not hurt us but done us good in destroying us thy curses are turned to blessings to our infinite advantage Thou thy self shall be under the burden of divine wrath We are escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler your snare is broken and we are delivered and thou fallest into the pit thou diggest for others by thy wounding us wee are healed thou hast bruised our heel but we have broak thy head thy whole design of Englands ruine and thy plots are discovered and turned against thy selfe upon thee and thy wrath as a foot-stoole doe we ascend into the blessed throne of God We lock thee up in chaines of darknesse and throw thee under the earth get thee hence and all thy darknesse with thee that keeps Englishmen from seeing God in one another take with thee all thy bitternesse rage madnesse oppression tyranny all thy lies and falshood thy false Oaths and breach of Covenant all thy disorder and confusion thy mischievous plots and all thy scorne and reproach and all thy false accusing Father to Son and Son to Father c. Thy rayling and revilings blasphemies with every thing that is cursed and goe headlong into the deep Sea of thy perdition we wil live in heavenly peace love and righteousnesse in the light and glory of our own God Shake thy self from thy dust captive daughter this cloud of dust that darkens thee from divisions emptinesse barrennesse vanity instability and ascend into the light majesty union and strength of God England is become the Kingdome of the Lord and of his Christ God reigns in her she is become a holy Nation a heavenly Kingdome God is in her and none else The tabernacle of God is with men he now takes his great reign upon earth he is come he is come to judge the People righteously and to govern the Nation upon Earth The majesty of the Trinity dwelling before in weaknes that is sowed dyed it s raised in power before in flesh now in Spirit before covered and vailed hiding himselfe now in open and naked face We are now a new creature a new Kingdome of righteousnesse living in the immediate brightnesse of the face of God God is with us with all his host of power and goodnesse mercy and wisdome to establish us in peace and justice there is nothing amongst us but God who is exalted alone and saith I am and there is none besides me and hath taken the Kingdome into himself and every thing is what it is in the glory of God now indeed the soyl is the Lambs he is English Earth The people the Lords and shall be filled with the excellency of God in himself The Lord is King God himself reigns God is upon his throne and saith openly to the whole Kingdome I am your King you are my People I le rule you with a pure golden Scepter of righteousnesse and peace you shall submit to me and
from his Father favour for himself and his people he comes with boldnesse to take what he asks and saies I will and the power that Saints have in Christ to command God in prayer In thy siding with the Parliament against the King and thy free powring forth thy self for her We see the excessive love of Christ to his Church who is ravisht with love and for her forgets all things else In thy ingrossing the riches of the Kingdome into thee thou art a shadow of Christ who treasures up wealth and riches of glory in the City of God for us But thy glory is gon thy true life the beautifull presence of God hath left thee and thou art burning in flames of wrath jealousies envies divisions thou art wasted into a sceleton thy trade obstructed by Sea and Land thy People filled with rage thy bowels pained with fierce contests of parties pulling various waies quite restlesse an unquiet Sea in continuall agitation The Lord dyes in thee the LORDS delight thou wert his Spouse thy glory and greatnesse it was the LORDS he suffers in thy suffering and is covered in thy ashes lyes under the burthen of all thy wants is pierced with the necessities of the poor And thou art in the dust of confusion a ruinous heap the seat and place of vexation lying in a thick cloud of darknesse But his fire purifies thee in these flames thou losest thy filthy pride coveteousnesse malice revenge c. Thou shalt not perish utterly The voice of God is heard in thee to revive thee thou shalt be built again Thy foundations shall be all of precious stones c. The glory of God shall shine in thee thou art now the City of God a Righteous City this is thy name The Lord is there The Lord displaies his glory in the midest of thee The new Jerusalem indeed in truth in Spirit in perfect union with GOD a heaven and so in union amongst your selves Peace within thy wals and plentiousnes in thy palaces a City at unity in it self there shall not be the least found of discord in thee Thy nature is love light and holines The City of the great King made happy by the presence of the King and all the state and honour of the Kingdome Now open thy armes of Divine love and take into thy imbraces the glory of England Kings Princes Nobility Gentry Ministry Judges Lawyers with all the wisdom justice power and excellency of heaven and earth let all flock together in one God one Christ one Spirit one City and thousands of thousands of Saints and Angels dwelling in thee Nothing shal be heard in thee but mirth and joy in the Lord our God praises of the Great King Open thy gates thy everlasting doors that the King of glory the Lord of Hosts with all his host of Princly powers may enter in And all the riches of the World shal flow into thee in thy trade naturally and abundantly the wealth of both Indies and all parts shal seek unto thee and offer up it selfe to satisfy thee thou shalt be crownd with blessings all contents and pleasures shal continually run dawn thy streets and all in the sight and face of the holy God in the pure River of life Chap. XXI Of the admirable fullnesse and compleatnesse of this restoration satisfying all interests ALL the works of God are perfect found out of all them that take pleasure therein The greatest and highest are reserved for us in this later and great day of God wherein it pleaseth the LORD to appear in his fullest and most excellent glory this of Englands salvation is a sweet bud of it a little taste of that infinite Majesty that is now breaking forth in the glorious appearing of God In this businesse the Lord satisfieth his own Interest who is Alpha and Omega the first and the last and this is the rock of our pleasure that thou art pleased and satisfied Thou reignest thou art King this is thy due all power and dominion is thine t is thy right to have all all are thine for thee they were created and made King Parliament Lords Commons Ministers People all sorts all sides all parties are the Lords and thou wilt reign over and in all from Sea to Sea from one end of the Earth to the other as lightening shining from East to West so is thy Kingdom and thy glory is now due to thee that thou shouldest appear not in weaknesse to serve men but in thy great Majesty in thy highest honour thou must now shew forth plainly thy self in thy utmost most enlarged goodnesse power wisdom Nothing now will serve thee but to be ALL IN ALL To be All thou art in Heaven in all the Earth to bring forth all thy riches to fill every creature all glory in all things Thou art all in Earth as well as all in Heaven all in King in Parliament in People there is nothing but thy self in these thou art Bishops Presbyters Independents all these and all in these all Majesty power glory justice in the King and all the same in the Parliament and all that too in the People thou art all the labour strength riches freedome in the People all this in the Parliament all the same in the King all night and all lownesse Thou art all wisdom Authority Government in Bishops all care zeal labour in Presbyters all love union absolutenesse in Independents and all these in every one thou art the same in all ALL IN ALL All in darknesse all in light all in weaknesse all in strength all that every part is all the wholl is all the wholl in every part and all Heaven all Glory all peace all quietnesse all love all goodnesse in all these parts and wholl Lesse then this generall and near union and mariage will not satisfie thee being thy self satisfied thou doest satisfy all and being pleased thou pleasest all thy content contents every one because thou art all art content it self in all Thou hast shaken all Nations and the desire of all Nations is come We have been shaken into peeces and every peece shaken out of all order and peace Thou art good that thou doest but shake only rends that thou mayest make way for thy selfe to enter and for all to enter with thee into every part What we desire we have we can desire nothing but the Lord nothing is desirable but the Lord the Lord we have and in the Lord wee meet with every desirable thing the desire satisfied which if a tree of life God was our desire which is now interpreted being brought forth into performance and enjoyment God the bottom and top the desire and desired meeting in one Spirit and Kingdome GOD the root in our desires grown up into the fruit attainment The interest of this whole Kingdome in this restoration is satisfied and that consists in First PEACE a sure Peace a well grounded Peace here you have the richest jewell of peace that heaven hath
seven times have passed over you you shal returne to your Throne and true Majesty shall be given to you and your Nobles and Kingdomes shall honour you all shall freely bow to you and you shall command and Reign againe to the terrour of your adversaries and joy of your friends now the prison doors stand open to you and you shall returne to your Royall Parliament and City after seaven yeares banishment We have now a King in whom we can confide as in God now the LORD lives in him t is impiety and wickednesse to have a thought of distrust concerning him the sure justice and righteousnesse of God inhabits in the Throne as its proper place We have a King according to our own hearts hee lives in our hearts arises out of our hearts and our hearts give him his dominion hee hath all we have and hath not too much because he hath us too and nothing but what we freely give one higher by the head then all the People having the wisdome of the whole in him of the largest understanding and therefore King because he doth in true worth excell any in the Nation and is of all men fittest to reign fitted by his great suffering and Gods fulnesse dwelling in him This is the QVEENS interest she may return to the King there is no fear now she cannot hurt either Parliament or Religion both being in such a condition as cannot be hurt besides living in this light of all she shall most love the Parliament it being the same with her self the Kings Consort and she being the same with it concurring together in severall wayes to help and honour the King if she should attempt any thing against it it would be against the King and her self The Parliament administring about the affairs of the kingdom that the King may enjoy his Queen and Family with greatest plenty honour ease and pleasure and the Queen administring in the domesticall affairs of the King about his Person that the king may enjoy his Parliament and people in greatest content and freedom The Parliament in businesse of State a Queen lying in the bosome of the king and the Queen in private and personall affairs a Parliament and so Parliament and Queen interested joynd in one interest And for her religion we are now so far from being afraid of it that we rejoyce in it and in her great interest in the Papacie For as the Papists had by her designs upon us so now the streame being turned we shall by her design upon them and over-runne the whole Papacie with light and truth she shall be the doore by which we shall enter into all the riches and honours of the Papacie and without injury to them we shal spoyle them of all their glory or rather bring a glorious fire amongst them that shall out-shine theirs and burn up theirs into it self The PRINCE his Interest is here satisfied he is indeed one with the Parliament they he are brethren descended both from the loyns of the king and are one in various forms each being the glory of the king the staffe of his age Christened at the same Font the Spirit of Christ both the hope and joy of England both being the glory of the King propagated unto eternity a never failing off-spring and flourishing in the vigour and youthfulnesse of the Son of God both interested into Christ or the interest of Christ and so of each other The LORDS who have lost their Nobility sunck in disgrace scattered and almost buried in dishonour by this shall be restored not to airy empty Titles but to true Nobility The Lord doth appear Lord of Lords your Lord owning Lordlinesse and filling of it with himself as well as king of kings and as he sets a Crown of pure gold upon the head of the King so Coronets of pure Gold upon yours you shall shine as stars in this Firmament in wisdome holinesse justice and goodnesse and be in affinity to the King that head ennobled with heavenly Majesty fit to be about the Throne and advanced to be the shoulders and brest of the Nation next the head The Kings party are here fully satisfied to see their King restored to the honour and greatnesse of his Ancestors his Progenitors which is into the glory of God the great king the Kings true Father They that contend for KNOWNE LAWES by this the Laws are known by God brought out of the dust of the earth in which they were trampled upon and restored into the brightnesse and life of God And now we shall see the whole body of the English Lawes interpreted and opened to us by the wisdome of God and all drawn forth into life and power by the Spirit of God as we see the fundament all Law of King and Parliament written in the face of God and Christ by the Spirit You shall have Religion in the OLD WAY in the good old way DIVINE SERVICE wherein every part of it shall be irradiated with the Beams of Divinity and in every thing you shall see the Face of God and have fellowship with the Divine Nature Religion shall be adorned with Solemnity State Pomp Glory Ease Musick all Heavenly and Earthly together such as may allure and please the mindes of men and there shall be nothing harsh or rude in it yea rudenesse it self shal have its comlinesse You shall have your sports pleasures we will sing together in the hight of Zion young men maids daunce together without offence or iniquity all in the innocency holinesse and joy of God your whole life a course of pleasure all things yea labour and pains shall be recreations God recreating all things or making all things new they shall be sweet and delightfull you shall have your Holy-dayes yea your whole life shall be spent in holy-daies a continuall rest the great Jubile You the more civil and solid of that party that sincke into a retired condition in these tempestuous times that lie quietly and patiently in your graves of your owne and the Kindomes sufferings your resurrection is come and you shall revive and in a new spirit act for and in the prosperity of the Nation And you mad Lads shall SWEARE Now the Lord lives in truth righteousnesse and judgement and know him present with you sweare by the eternall God the Spirit filling every oath with truth you shall curse your enemy the Devil with all plagues to the pit of hell and so dam him and ram him in that he shal no more come forth to trouble you you shall eate and drink freely and forget your selves and your sorrow and in it be filled with the Spirit of the Lord be raisd into high mirth and jollity drink so freely of this new wine of the kingdome till you are drunk out of your own wits into the Princely Spirit of God and then ever speak and act things of love worth bravery and excellency This is the KINGS HEALTH his saving health his union
with God God with him drink of this health freely and the whole Kingdome shall PLEDGE be bound to fill it again and drink down this heavenly liquor of the Majesty of God in the King into them and the whole people shall say and see it performed GOD SAVE THE KING The King is saved in God and God the salvation of the king This restoration fully satisfies the Parliaments Interest gives her high PRIVILEDGES She is called to an honourable state to live in the Lord Christ to sit with Christ in heavenly places to be one with the Son the body of God to be Jerusalem above the mother of us all and therefore FREE free with God and in God with the King freedome to enter into his heart and bosome to lye there continually The king shall greatly desire thy beauty Thou now hast POWER as well as liberty to make Righteous Lawes in perfect Righteousnesse that shall stand for ever such a King and such a Parliament as we have long beg'd to agree together in just things and in both we shall reap the fruit of our prayers which though they were sowed in weaknesse and now seem dead and rotting in the earth yet shall rise in power The great Interest of the Parliament the COVENANT is here fully satisfied The end that we looked upon HAVING THE GLORY OF GOD IN OUR EYES that glory is now manifest God in glory All Popery c. rooted out and the root of it Satan a thorow and perfect REFORMATION God once formed the Kingdome after himself in his owne likenesse in which it corrupted he hath taken down the old forme and sets up a new reformes us in State and Church now we shall have doctrin and disciplin according to the WORD OF GOD the true and eternall Word the Word it self brought forth and according to the example of the BEST REFORMED CHURCH The generall assembly in heaven c. We have the KING in honour the KINGDOMES heavenly and earthly UNITED and a strong bond that will binde these three and all the Kingdomes of the earth in one life law and peace By this THE POWER OF GODLINES is set up Godlines likenesse of God in Spirit in Power or God himselfe all things else being but a forme We have here PROPRIETY God our own God we restored to him and hee to us his own Vineyard Every one shall enjoy what he hath in peace and coveteousnesse the root of oppression destroyed every one shall have enough every one shall bee satisfied have so much as hee hath ability to beare and others shall freely part with that which hath been burthensome to them selves none have more then they want and all that they want all in such a condition place office as they are fit for as they are capable of Every one having a minde to his condition and a condition to his minde every one by Divine wisdome so disposed as he shall rest in it and not move after others there being no discontent but in hel which is in perpetuall motion after every thing and attains to nothing THE LORD SHALL BE ONE AND HIS NAME ONE in both Kingdomes There is now but one LORD all gathered into Christ hee is LORD indeed and his name written upon every thing in Church and State nothing but the Lord spoken and done amongst us in heaven and earth in England and Scotland The Spirit of the Lord running through these Kingdomes and through all persons in it ruling over all in and by himself the whole shall be called by this Name The Lord and so not only one man but one Lord there being nothing but the glory and righteousnesse of the Lord amongst us This is that which we have desired and attempted to set up THE KINGDOME OF CHRIST THE REIGN OE THE SAINTS The holy God holy Christ holy Spirit with holy men and Angels Reigning together This rich LO RD filling all Magistracy with justice all People with love our Ministry with truth our hearts with heavenly joy all our Laws with life and light our Cities with unity and wealth our Villages with plenty our Families with content our Persons with happinesse our King especially with honour glory safety ease of heart clearness of understanding a sweet injoyment of his Queen and Children the Parliament LORDS and COMMONS with perfect agreement majesty goodnesse love of the King and peoples prosperity This is a true PERSONAL TREATY wherein King and Parliament and all the people are together one person one body living in one Spirit Thus the Lord is Englands desire and Englands joy him we sought for him we finde God gives us all that we desir'd and more then we could ask or think of and that too in a more excellent way then we could imagine T is the Lords doing and t is marvellous in our eies T is the day of the Lord we will rejoyce and be glad in it T is thy self O God Englands life and soul and England is thy delight thy first-borne of all the Nations of the earth T is thy self out saviour and salvation T is thy justice hath took vengeance upon our inventions and saved in that vengeance T is thy power triumphing in our weaknesse thy mercy rejoyces in our deliverance thy wisdome shines forth that brings light out of darknesse turnes mourning into rejoycing makes our Tragedy end in a Comedy a seasonable deliverance now when all miseries and destructions are met together in our bowels a cleare Sun to break forth of a suddain out of such blackensse of darknesse as covered us Thou hast carried us through death to life yea through thy own death to thy own life T is by blood wee are saved by the blood of Christ Thou hast done all things well thy workes are all excellent and perfect Let the People praise thee O God yea let all the People praise THEE FINIS Poscript THese are the Leaves of the tree of Life that will give a new life to this Nation and will heale all her deadly maladies but the leaves not the fruit yet effectuall It 's written here weakely it shall be mighty in operation imperfectly expressed now but fully and accurately will it write forth it self in action T is death to resist them The rebellious do dwell in a dry land in hel Particular persons may be confounded the Nation is the Lords and shall be recovered hee that opposeth all the evils of the Kingdome shall gather into his heart and hee shall bee the common shore into which the Nation shall empty forth all ber plagues wrath and destruction leave the Kingdome and dwell there thou shalt cease tormenting the Nation and torment them that resist You see the Leaves I know you desire the Fruit that is indeeed the life of all you shall speedily injoy it all the glory and happinesse of this Nation beer expressed and of all the Nations of the earth and heaven too shall in its highest perfection dwell in every particular soul This and every peece of it and more ten thousand times then this shall in the purest and fullest glory of Father Son and Spirit Grown every Saint and fill his soul body relations calling businesse recreation and all with the Righteousnesse and Light of Heaven and the Face of God Errata Page 2. line 21. for were read weare p. 16. l. 25. for Mame r. Name p. 45. l. 2. for see their r. see their p. 55. l. 16. for Mation r. Nation l. 22. for them selves and families r. himself and family p. 57. for Chap. 11. r. Chap. 13. p. 81. l. last for a second r. as a second p. 82. l. 29. for dody r. body p. 88. 13. for stall r. shall The Contents CHAPTER I. SHewing the happy and flourishing condition in which the kingdome of England once stood and the ground of it pag. 1. CHAP. II. Shewing the kingdome of England in its corrupt and declining estate pag. 6. CHAP. III. Shewing the kings errours pag. 10 CHAP. V. Shewing the Parliaments errours pag. 18 CHAP. VI. Shewing the judgement upon the Parliament pag. 26 CHAP. VII Shewing the sinne and punishment of the People of both partyes pag. 29 CHAP. VIII Shewing the wickdnesse of the Ministery or Clergy and their judgement pag. 32 CHAP. IX Shewing the iniquity of the Army and its judgement pag. 39 CHAP. X. Shewing the state of the Levellers pag. 45 CHAP. XI Shewing the judgment of the City of London pag. 47 CHAP. XII Shewing the irrecoverablenesse of Englands ruine by humane wayes pag. 50 CHAP. XIII Shewing the method of God in curing the Nation viz. first to take our sinne upon himself pag. 57 CHAP. XIV Of the second thing in saving of the Nation The death of Christ and our fellowship in it pag. 62 CHAP. XV. Of the compleat cure of the Nation shewing it in its raised state and particularly the king pag. 69 CHAP. XVI Of the Parliament in its raised estate pag. 74 CHAP. XVII Of the perfect union betwixt king and Parliament and by them with his People in this new and raised estate pag. 76 CHAP XVIII Of the cure of the people of the Land by this death and resurrection pag. 87 CHAP. XIX The restoration of the Ministrie by Christs bearing their sin and by his death and resurrection pag. 90 CHAP. XX. Of the restoration of the Army Levellers and City of London pag. 97 CHAP. XXI Of the admirable fulnesse of this restoration satisfying all Interests FINIS
THE LEAVES OF THE TREE OF LIFE For the healing of THE NATIONS Opening all the wounds of this Kingdome and of every party and applying a remedy to them By which we come to a right understanding between King and Parliament A universal agreement and peace on all sides and the Kingdom restored and setled upon a sure and unmoveable Foundation By the Light GOD shining upon WILLIAM SEDGWICK Doe you not know that the Saints shall Judge the World LONDON Printed by H. for Giles Calvert at the black spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1648. THE PREFACE TO THE WHOLE KINGDOME REad and wonder I know thou wilt to see the Lord so soon upon English ground you are surprized taken fast asleep Awake stand up T is the Lord he is come to save us he was with us upholding our former prosperity and we knew it not he is now with us fighting against our worldly state in such a dark cloud as we are more ignorant of him he will now unvail himself and you shall see him in open face of love and Salvation and say This is the Lord. While you are under him in the World you will finde his feet as fine brasse burning in a furnance His steps will be hard to break you in peeces fiery to consume you yet fine holy and just suffer that and he will take you up into his armes and binde you to himselfe with a golden girdle of love and shew you a face as bright as the Sun shinning in his strength giving you rich love life and light he is severe that will astonish but mercifull that will comfort he is very low in the bottome of your sinnes and miseries there the flesh will despise him but your wants will rejoyce in him and say such a high Priest we need but exalted very high in the largnesse of lovingkindnesse sure that will please you and the evil one only can be troubled at it England it is thy Shepherd the Porter will and must open to him and the Sheep will hear his voice while he calleth them by their names they will follow him and he will lead them out of their misery and he goeth before them In every way of suffering and deliverance he is first sure you will not follow a stranger but flee from him he saith All that went before me are theeves and robbers they are hirelings and come for wages they come not but to steal to kill and to destroy so have all done yet They are hirelings and the sheep are not theirs But I am the good Shepherd I lay down my life for the Sheep I am come that they might have life after their death and that they might have it more abundantly then ever they had it J will seek that which is lost and bring again that which was driven away and will binde up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick and J will feed them in a good pasture upon the high mountains shall their fold be c. I know the narrownes of mans heart will say who hath heard such a thing Who hath seen such things Shall the earth bring forth in one day shall a Nation be born at once Will Christ appear in the earth or if in the earth in a whole Nation what Christ under the sinnes of the Kingdome his blood shed in a Nation a Saviour of the Earth and this in so short a season all at once To this I only answer My thoughts are not as your thoughts nor my waies as your waies but as far as heaven is above earth so far are my waies above your waies saith the Lord This I doe rejoyce in and so wilt thou that heer is light to be seen and eyes to see with that he can open and enlarge the mindes of men and bring them out of prison and make them able to receive the truth This is truth light to shew this truth in eyes to receve it and love to rejoyce in it Wee have no enemy but the devil and he will make all the resistance he can poor weak man may doubt fear c. but Satan will blaspheme rage and say t is impossible t is blasphemy t is against God against man But thou enemy thy discovery is thy ruine thou shalt not speake a word against this Lord but it shall be manifest t is thou a murderer a lyer a destroyer that hath no portion in this thing and therefore wouldest destroy that that will destroy thee and deliver the Kingdome out of thy destroying hands thou art cast down thy Kingdom of darknes is broken by the light of the day of God thou shalt prevail no longer in this Kingdome O Leviathan we now can draw thee out with a hook and thy tongue with a cord thou shalt now make supplications to us and speak soft words to us we now take thee for a servant play with thee as with a bird and our companions shall make a banquet of thee c. Therefore depart thou as smoak before the presence of the Lord. Heer is one that hath the Keys of David that can enter into the Kingdome bring forth the prisoners judge them and save them from Satans cruelty and wrath These are the Leaves not the fruit of the Tree of life the cure is upon the Nation in general that is the subject in hand not men in their particular and personal estate that is yet to come This is Elijah who comes before the great and dreadfull day of the Lord to turne the heart of the Fathers to the Children and the heart of the Children to their Fathers lest J come and smite the earth with a curse The Lord in the spirit of Elijah the dawning of the day upon the top of the mountain washing and cleansing the outward skin of the Nation to prepare for further and greater glory and to remove the present curse of hell and wrath that is devouring of you I have no more to say to you but stand still and patiently hear your doom from the Throne of God advancing it self in WILLIAM SEDGWICK THE LEAVES OF THE TREE of LIFE For the healing of the NATION Chap. I. Shewing the happy and flourishing condition in which the Kingdome of England once stood and the ground of it THE Earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the world and all that dwelss therein For he hath founded it upon the Seas c. The divine goodnes delights to bring forth it selfe in the whole creation and upon all things stamps his own likenes Especially the heavenly man takes pleasure to bring forth a brief Epitome of himself in his image man The families of Heaven have ingraven their likenes upon the Families of the Earth The new Jerusalem the City of God bestowes her shape and beauty upon these Cities But the highest glory of God in his Kingdome is drawn forth in the Kingdomes of this world and therefore they are above all The Kingdomes of our Lord and
of his Christ Above all the Nations this of England with her two sisters Scotland and Ireland is with peculiar favour seperated from the World Being an Island imbraced with armes and Seas of righteousnesse peace safety and the knowledge of God The bosome of the earth where the divine glory chuseth to treasure up his richest Jewels His private lodging whereinto he delights to retire himself and out of which he pleases first to arise and thence to proceed to visit the whole World Nothing heer but is spoken by God made by the Word of God and doth again speak God A fruitfull and beautifull Earth meeting with and married unto a pleasant and powerfull Heaven in a healthfull and temperate Spirit and Ayre doe bring forth abundance of excellent fruit Especially those rich Flocks of Sheep that cover the Earth shewes the Soyle to be the Lambs and to were his Livery and so to be his Store-house from whence he will cloath the world with garments of Salvation In the disposition of the People of England shine many sparkes and beames of divine majesty ingenuity and freedome gentlenesse and mildnes zeal and devotion gravity and wisdome stoutnes and courage noblenes and greatnes of spirit aptnes for generall and high undertakings which renders them feard honored and beloved abroad and fit instruments of good to the Vniverse As other Nations are furnisht with mines of Gold and silver England with rich minds full of true worth indeed a Race and seed of heavenly Lords obscured under earthly infirmities yet so as their luster doth discover it selfe and shine out But that which indeed exalted us to Heaven was this That this excellent People in a happy Country were by the Ministry of mighty Angels moulded into a government after the pattern of the highest and perfectest glory of God in Father Son and Spirit Or to make England a happy Canaan Father Son and Spirit agree together to dwell in it and to bestow themselves upon it in their severall fulnes and doe themselves vail'd and covered over with fleshly formes unite and govern us in righteousnesse and peace First the Father advances the King in his own likenesse and by living in him makes him to be Pater patriae the Father of his Country the Head and Supreme The Husband and Lord of the Kingdome In him as in God the Father is all the Majesty Honour Justice and Riches of the Kingdome 1. In unity bound up close in one Person all in its Center hence it comes and hither it returnes 2. In Head and Fountain the originall from whence honour and justice flowes 3. In Priority or prerogative in him as highest and Supreme 4. But more hid and deeply conceald not so outward and visible as in others Hence is the King the Anointed of God God eminently I said ye are Gods in nearest conjunction unto God The greatest representative of God His Vicegerent Next under God in immediate fellowship with God God and the King Secondly The Sonne appears in the People especially as they are form'd in one Representative the Parliament and by his fulnesse makes them the Body of the Head The Wife the Spouse And so gives them all the Majesty Honour justice and Riches of the Kingdome and that that is in the King to be in them 1. Divided and multiplied not bound up in center but drawn forth into circumference and come forth in many 2. In stream and flowing forth for the use and benefit of others 3. In second place in subordination to the first 4. Imbodied and drawn forth into open view more visible and manifest unto others Thus are they the Kings yoak-fellows a meet help have what ever he hath his Son and heire And being raised into a Parliament by the Kings Writ are then fit mediators tween the King and the People by whom the People offer up gifts to the King and the King gives favours pardons and priviledges to them Thirdly The Spirit the third Person he by the Law and by mutuall Covenants bindes these two together and is the marriage that joynes them or the house of love in which they both live in peace and happines with each other and disposes both into a just and equall distance yet a perfect agreement or give them both to subsist in proper and distinct Rights and both in union together that they both fully have what is due to them and both have what each other have the same and that equally without robbery without injury or wrong to each other The Law gives to the King his Prerogative his authority in unity in Fountain c. And diversifying or multiplying give the same in another way to the body and yet takes nothing from the King So gives it to the King as is most advantagious to the body and so to the body as is most advantagious to the head The body hath it best in the Kings having of it with that honour safety and union as shee cannot have it in her self And the head hath it best in the bodies having of it with that fruitfulnes and strength that he cannot have it out of them Yea in this Spirit and Law in this bond of perfection they both have it in each other and could not nor cannot have it long nor well if they have it not together The Royalty of a King as a fountain freely giving it self into the Authority of Parliament as a husband giving himself to his wife and the Parliament only being what shee receives from the King so they mutually nourish support uphold each other and being divided and seperated they presently wither away and dye They both have it and both give it the body gives it to the head and receives it from the head in severall waies and this is its life and perfection that it passes by vines and arteries from one to another and are knit together by nerves and sinewes so that what honour the King hath he gives to his People and what riches and substance the People had they gave it to the King the People honorable in the Prince and the prince mighty and strong in the People The body breaths sees tasts c. in the head the head workes walkes and digests in the body Thus the Trinity are truly The foundamentall Lawe constitution of the Kingdom which is the cause of ability strength and peace of the Kingdom the Pillars that kept it upright the health and soundne of it where by it was able to subsist in prosperity and florish in it self and to defend and maintain it self against enemies from abroad In this estate we for a while flourished and enjoyed a heaven upon earth or an earthly heaven a sweet figure or shadow of the Kingdome of glory and but a shadow yet such a shadow as was in union with the substance King and People being knit together by the Spirit and by the same spirit knit to God Christ Such a figure as had the original living in
two without this subordination would not be so safe so profitable nor so delightfull But being two subordinate one to another without offending each other yea to the advantage of each other is exceeding delightfull the King the Father hath all retained People the Son al dispenced in the first its absolute and intire in the second it s propagated enlarged spread-forth The Husband gives the Wife receives hee hath all and bestowes it she hath all and receives it The King saies ask what you will and it shall be given unto you so GOD saies to Christ chuse what Laws and Priviledges you will I le grant it That 's my word and Oath I have no negative voice I can't deny you But this is no wrong to the King for the Parliament being one spirit with him can ask nothing but what he is minded to give as prayers in the Church though GOD bee bound to give yet it s no losse to him because his own Spirit asks for we know not what to ask So the KING is the originall of asking and gives the desire of the thing that which moves the inferiour to desire is most excellent in the superiour and in this is the fulnesse of the King hee shall still call ask of ME and shall still out-goe the desires of the Petitioners and give more then they can ask his heart being more large towards his Spouse or Childe then his Spouse or Childe can bee to it selfe and that minde that is in the Spouse or Childe of good to it selfe is in the Father before it was in the Son and more excellently Neither can the Sonne ask any thing in this spirit that can derogate from the Father for thereby he should prejudice himself and weaken or lessen that power that conveighs good to him and so wrong himself most to wrong his head or fountaine from whence he is supplyed Neither is it any wrong to the Son to have it this way but t is the most perfect way of having it by asking it of another for thus there is a stock and treasure in which is store layd up that is the Sonnes riches the surest and sweetest way of having is by the easy way of asking T is the excellency of it that it 's a gift and that t is free or that it hath the Royall stamp of love and Authority upon it by which it is not a stolne and forced but lawfull and pleasant favour T is a free and ingenious subordination where the inferiour hath power to chuse what it will and chuses to have it in that way and not in another and hath that freedome in asking that is powerfull The woman hath power over the head to command by love and to say as Christ I will have it so and then t is most acceptable to the Father when it is most boldly and freely ask'd it being the great joy of the head to have the wife confident in his love And in this way there is and shal be a river of pleasure running betwen King and people or from King and Parliament and People wherein they shal do nothing but please one another The fulnes of the one compleatly answering the largenesse of the other And the KING having to give what ever the Parliament or People can desire and desiring them to receive as much as they desire him to give and taking more pleasure in creating greatnesse and freedome in them then in possessing of it himself it being his nature and place to give forth and without their receiving honour from him he were not a King and it being as pleasant to the People to receive it from a King it would not content them to have it in themselves but their Kings gift sets the price upon all favours they doe enjoy it s therefore sweet because their Lord bestowes it upon them This is the florishing estate of King and Parliament in their restored life living now in the glory of the Spirit and in union As God and Christ are of themselves are in each other and neither without each other but the Kingdome of both is compleated in their dwelling together in the third the Spirit where they doe continually delight in each other in bestowing themselves upon each other and are most happy in fellowship so 't is a heavenly blessednesse for Head and Body to be thus united and to give and take largely and openly to communicate themselves to each other The King in prosperity in health strength and pleasure is in breaking forth his Majesty upon his Nobles that have affinity to his greatnesse thence to derive it to the People this is a full King in hight bredth and a People ascending through the Lords into the bosome of the King is a People in hight and depth the body in prosperity and pleasure three states in one and one in three in perfect agreement and in compleat unity all make up but one fulnesse one Kingdome Thus each is a Heaven to himself and a Heaven to the other and this conjunction by this righteous law of Spirit the highest Heavens being all in the light and face of the eternall majestty This is the great and main pillar of Englands happinesse the foundation of our comfort which as its most excellent in its self so it will effectually change the whole Kingdome into its forme all parts must follow the condition of King and Parliament yea all are included in it in this our whole happinesse lies The body being thus in health it cannot but send forth nourishment into every part not a man in England but shall presently finde a reviving upon this agreement a new spirit of love joy comfort trade and prosperity is immediatly dispersed into the whole Nation every one leaping for joy in the goodnesse of God and the happinesse of the Nation Chap. XVIII Of the Cure of the People of the Land by this Death and Resurrection THE God of the whole Earth delights to doe great things and to fill the whole earth with his glory The great favour of divine presence of love and peace is not reserved for Princes alone but to be communicated generally to all People That all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God You the People of England have sinned Wee have all like sheep gon astray but God laies on him the iniquities of us all Wee see the zeale of Christ under your blinde rage one against another Christ in you in weaknesse and infirmity The Lord saith of you You are my People all my children your families relations comforts and persons are the Lords not one English man or woman but carries the Lord with him and in him The Land-Lord is the Lord of the Earth the Tennant is the Son holding of the Father all he hath The buyer the seller the rich the poor Master and Servant Father and Son Husband and Wife are all but various breakings forth of God and Christ and the severall enjoyments they have
you lye downe in the Eternall By this your arreares are paid you are nothing you are dead and you can require nothing you and your demands are fallen to the ground your service is dead and nothing is due to it but to be buried and all your miscarriages in forgetfulnesse Who do you require arreares of The Kingdome is dead the sword reignes and therefore the Kingdome is free if you will be paid take blood want spoile confusion ruin that 's all that is left of the Kingdome pay your selves of that Do you expect it of the Parliament That is dead too Poor Parliament you have eat it up your selves in greedines of pay you tore her bowels out and you can have no more But all anger is past there remaines nothing but love you are dead and live with Christ come forth of your graves stand up in the resurrection of Christ in union and fellowship with Christ The Lords host now the Lord is in you and you pitch your tents about the Lord and are the arme of God stretched out for his owne defence and for the punishing of transgressors living in the strength and Spirit of the Lord and now mighty and powerfull to execute Divine pleasure Now you are under the Captain of our salvation and at once interested in the salvation of the Nation and of Christ our Saviour Now we can pay you arreares you never stuck upon arreares till you sunk into the earth into poor earthly mindes rise you again into spirit you will count it your honour to help England freely Mony and a Saviour cannot subsist together That Spirit of Christ that once acted in you to let goe the prisoners Englands freedome and justice without price or reward that spirit shall revive in you and then you will scorne to be mercenary I know you disdaine to keep Englands woundes open to suck her blood you have hazarded your lives for justice and freedome and can't now insist upon pay you are worthy your selves and have the worth of all with you if you desire pay enter with us into Cānaan and you shall have Vinyards that you planted not wels that you diged not A land flowing with milk and hony such mercies and blessings as you could not expect The Lord is Judge he will audite your accompts and pay all that he owes you Religion flourishing in the purity of it peace and righteousnesse as Rivers and Seas the sweet holy unmolested enjoyment of your own families and estates in the presence under the government of the most high You shall now subsist in our bowels be disolved into the Church and Kingdome which is the beloved of Christ Terrible as an Army with banners terrible to the world and the God of the world to the prince of darknesse and so wee shall disband you into spirit and power the whole Nation shall be Souldiers able to draw the sword of the Spirit against all forrain power amongst our selves wars shall cease from the earth you must beat your swords into plowshares and spiers into pruming hooks to your honest trades again there will need no Iron or steely wrath but to plow up your own hearts and to cut down enemies within your own brests all our Townes and Cities are garisoned with a heavenly host and we have salvation for our wals and bulwarks we shall lye down in peace and none make in afraid while we need force we shall use you but not in civil wars you must be removed and only imployed in service against strangers if you delight to sit down by the still streames of Englands peace and feed in our green pastures of eternall love you shall if your valour makes you desirous of military actions we shall finde enemies abroad to imploy your swords against and when you under take such expeditions the Lord shall goe with you you shall have Angels spirits that shall make you invincible where ever you goe The Levellers grew out of the Army and are again shrunk into the Army and therefore we will now joyne you to the Army being mingled together In your endeavour to impose your Democracy your popular Government upon the Kingdome over-throwing and overturning all powers into the People we hear the voice of one crying in the Wildernes England is become a Wildernesse all flesh grasse all power is corrupt the Spirit of the Lord hath blowne upon it and its withered This is John Baptist that exalts the valies and brings down the hils he brings all into the waters the People God is in these Levellers casting the Mountains into the depths of the Seas plunging all into a confused People not suffering one stone to lye upon another Thy place is to be in the Wildernesse and not to come into the City to expire and dye speedily to decrease that he that comes after may increase Thou art beheaded thy devices are fallen to the ground a mushrome thou wert little and art nothing What went you out to see A reed shaken with the wined growing out of the mire of the Nation or a man clothed with soft rayment People got into Kings houses In this state thou art vanisht lost and raised in the Spirit of Christ the divine and eternall love of God and in this Kingdome there is a perfect Levell The People the originall of the Parliament and King by a free giving up themselves and and their estates to the Parliament and King are in the King and Parliament and fully pertake of the royalty and power of both and are leveld with it The People give honour and glory to the King and so higher then hee or he their Subject He that gives is greater then he that receives heer all the people are one with that spirit that is kingly that Anointing that makes Christ King and so called mine Anointed living all in the liberty of that spirit that makes Kings and are most perfectly content in the Kings greatnesse being that which themselves constitute making it themselves they live in it and enjoy it And the King is levelled to the people by his sufferings or humiliations and by his love taking in every Subject to himself humbling of himself to be but the Kingdoms Servant and wearing his Crown only for the happinesse and good of the people living together and brought into one body head and member The eternall love is the Leveller Divine Charity that lifts not up it selfe but is lifted up and being lifted up drawes all after it I rejoyce in the healing thy breaches oh London thou honourable City Thy iniquities have been great there is a righteous one under them that will carry them without the City as a scape Goat into the wildernesse we see the Lord in thee in thy greatest filth in thy violent enforcing powers above thee to thy own minde in constraining the Parliament to thy will by bold petitions urged with tumults we see darkened and shadowed the intercession of the Son of God who with violence wrests