no worship The Idolaters feared God and worshipped Idells and in the next verse it is said they feared not God Those are threatned severely that sweared by the Lord and by Mal chom Zeph. 1.5 If the Parliament be not for the weale of the Kingdome ' why gavest thou a voyce to choose them If they be for the weale of the Kingdome why doest thou not in words judgement and practise adhere to them still Consider what infamie will befall thee every one points with the finger saying There goes an Hypocrite Shifter Turne-coat neither hot nor cold a traytor to his Countrey These Apostatizers either from Parliament or from their Countreys good doe resemble the Devill for what makes the Devill so black but his Apostasie What other are such receders When the Lycaonians saw the miracle that Paul wrought in curing the Creeple they cryed out The Gods are come downe amongst us in the likenesse of men Act. 14.10 11. But when the Barbarians saw the Viper upon his hand they eryed out This man is a Murtherer whom vengeance sussers not to live Chap. 28.4 When at the beginning of their sitting the Parliament cured such as were creepled in their Estates and Liberties when they took away Ship-money Monopolies When they made the lame to walke opening prison doores to such as were in bonds when they made the dumme to speake opening the mouthes of many frienced Ministers then they could say Oh this is a blessed Parliament but when they saw Malignants Flatterers and Papists up in Armes then men beginne to change their note and why O peace peace peace upon any termes yet the Sunne is the Sunne though sometimes clouded Doth not the Lord command Zach. 8.16 Vers 19. Heb. 12. Love Peace and Truth nay Truth and Peace must not peace and holinesse be followed of all Have not the Parliament petitioned againe and againe for peace doe not wee pray daily for it doe not our Armie fight for it Pyrrbus fought three sore battles against the Romans in the two first he got the victorie but with so great losse of his men in both that it was said of him for the first he might gloriari magis quà m gaudere brag of his victory not rejoyce in it for the second he was heard himselfe to say that if he got such another victorie he was undone Conditions of peace after the first victory were offered by Cineus Pyrrbus his Ambassadour in the Senate and many among the Romans were apt to encline to it as being disheartned by Pyrrbus his victory Appius Claudius having notice of it devoted to privacy for a long time aged and blinde caused himselfe in his Couch to be carried to the Senate-house and said Worthy Patriots I have hitherto with sore griefe endured losse of sight but now hearing your inclination to conclude such a dishonorable peace with Pyrrbus a prosessed enemy to Rome it now troubles me more that I am not dease also that my eares might not heate of such an infamy and reproach to such a tenowned Citie of Rome you may make the application But you will say Quest Answ who are Neuters Est neutrale Genus signans rem non animatam Liselesse men A cursed generation of men who seeme not to know their right hand from their left nor which way to turne One compares these to the shadow of a man Another to a picture commonly seene in Flaunders and too often I beleeve in England also In which there is a thing they call a Christ on the left hand another thing they call the Virgin Mary on the right and in the middle a third thing called a Catholicke with this inscription before him Cui me vertam nescio Let us apply it to our times Christ and his truth are on the right hand for he hath too long been set on the left hand let us now endeavour to set him on the right the Devill and the Pope on the left hand the Faith the Law Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome are on the one hand Popery slavery prophanenesse on the other hand yet Cui me vertam nescio he knows not which side to take is not he a Neuter On the one hand are the great Councell of the Kingdome who have lost much outward liberties and profits to procure peace for the Church and puritie for Gods worship on the other hand are left-handed men Robbers spoylers murderers roaring Lyons devouring Wolves who labour to fight in Popery to the Church beggary to the State and slavery to the Subject yet Cui me vertam nescio to what hand he may turne he cannot tell Goe Hest 4.16 fast and pray for us wee will doe so likewise say Gods faithfull people in their inisery Goe feast and play swill and sweare say Athisticall Papists and popishable persons God on this day calls for fasting the Devill calls to feasting Esi 22.12 13 14. to riot sports works of calling God calls to weeping mourning baldnesse girding with sackcloth And Behold and indeed it commands admitation joy and gladnesse slaying Oxen killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine and saying Let us eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye if wee 'le beleeve Preachers prate yet Cui me vertam nescio sayth your meale-mouth'd-ling-medly-man your carnall Politician It was revealed in my eare from the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not be purged till yee dye Ecquis mecum 2 King 9.32 who is on my side who throw downe this cursed Jezabel painted pietie Romish Idolatry Image-worship false worship who will rise up with mee against the evill doers who will stand for mee against the workers of iniquitie Pfal 94.16 Who will come up to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5.23 Yet most men will stand with their hands in their pockets and their coyne in their Coffers and will not come forth and shew themselves I will not undertake to propound a way to reforme them I thinke I can discover some cause of their encrease pitty lenity connivency towards them pitty shewed to enemies is cruelty to friends Is it not against the law of nature that they who are without naturall affections should enjoy the common gifts of nature light ayre fire water Is it not against the law of Nations Armen that those Subjects should enjoy the priviledges and immunities of Subjects who see with open face the enemies destroying all these yet lay it neither to head nor to heart They that are the same and have done the same for doing whereof others their neighbour-Neuters have had the skin torne from their flesh and their flesh from their bones these do deserve to be cast out of the land But these dissembling Neuters are the same and doe the same which they did in former times that were so punished therefore these Compounds deserve no favour but to be cast out of Citie Countrey Kingdome The Parliament accounts such no better than professed Malignants I thinke they are worse
the first Proposition ayming to apply it to these halting times Doct. 1. It s a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal truth and errour light and darkenesse the word and the world Christ and Belial Because there is no communion between these Reas 1. 2 Cor. 6.14 yet such halters make a communion and union between them they joyne together what God hath put asunder and they put asunder what God hath in his Word and will joyned together They call evill good Isa 5.20 and good evill they put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse they put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Now such sin greatly because God denounceth woes so sharply against them nay more woes than against other grand workers of iniquity because these are wise in their owne conceite Verse 21. Reas 2. Because these halters will be wiser than God give Christ the lye set the holy Ghost to schoole Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either be will hate the one and love the other or else be will hold to the one and despise the other Te cannot serve God and Mammon Yes we can say these halters we can serve God in the morning and the Devill in the afternoone one Master in the Temple another in the Tavern We can comply with Round heads while we are in their company and with Cavalliers when we are in their company humour and sooth Papists and Puritans and displease neither Because these are most notorious hypocrices they think they can be too hard for Reas 3. and deceive both God and Devill they halt betweene God and Mammon Christ and Belial purity and Popery They have a tongue for the Court cause and a tongue for the Countrey cause God calls for the heart Prov. 23.26 My sonne give me thy heart Satan will be content with halfe the heart 2 King 17.33 34. God is herein more covetous than the Devill he will have all or none the Devill will be contented with halfe because he knowes if he have any God will have none Let such consider if it be good to seeme to be rich it is better to be so if good to seeme to be good better to be so if it be bad to seem to be bad it is worse to be so Either therefore bee as thou seemest to be very good or seem to be as thou art indeed very bad If the Lord be God follow him if Baal follow him If thy own private be to be preferred before the publique prefer it if the publique be to be preferred before the private prefer it else professe thy selfe to be an hypocrite more woes are denounced against such than against any sinners eight severall woes in Mat. 23.13 denounced against them Vse 1. In the first place this may serve to inform us touching the Cause why so many faithfull Preachers are so zealous that they lift up their voyces like Trumpets when Trumpets lift up their voyces like Preachers the glory of God love of Christ care for the Kingdomes lawes liberties constraine them Obadiah disswades Eliah ver 10. Ahab reproveth him ver 17. God commanded him v. 1. Whether it be better to obey God or man judg ye Acts 4.19 Sin labours to destroy the word in the mouths of Ministers Ministers labour to destroy sin in the hearts of hearers when fire and water meet there is great ratling and hissing Paint a fire on a piece of cloath and cast it into the water and no noise at all nor contraries therefore no combate If ministers come with painted fire with silken sayings flattering words saying all is well no wonder if men halt limp trip and fall into the down-fall of damnation Zac. feele hell before they feare it Is it not therefore lawfull necessary to rescue mens soules as brands out of the fire Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart but reprove him plainly Were not the people here by the zeale of Eliah first convicted then converted crying The Lord is God the Lord is God Can it be bad to be zealous in a cause that is good to preserve a plant from withering a Beast from drowning a sheepe from wandring a house from â—iring a ship from sinking a Citie from sacking and Kingdomes from destroying to save a soule to turne a sinner from the evill of his wayes As cold oft breeds an inflamation so the luke-warme devotion of many Pastors People have enkindled Gods wrath and Gods wrath hath blowne up these sad combustions wherewith the Land is almost consumed should not the Boanerges labour to take out fire with fire the fire of Gods wrath by the fire of the Spirit to preserve from everlasting burnings Jer. 6.29 The lungs and lips of Preachers that are touched with a coale from Gods Altar are powerfull bellowes to blow up the dying fire of zeale Is not this Gods worke and must not they be fervent in Spirit that will serve the Lord Rom. 12.11 Isa 63.15 9.7 2 King 19.31 whose work can never be done while they freeze at it It is Gods zeale that must doe all for us and must not our zeale doe all we can for him Did Christ sweate that the Christian should freeze must not all redeemed ones be zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 Hanniball by fire made way over the Alpes so must Ministers by zeale over the mountaines of oppositions the tops whereof will not be climbed without great strength violence and vivacity Palmes are the Emblemes of victory but they love to grow in a hot soyle All would have Palms heate is the meanes for them Fervency in a Christian is the grace of every action Ministers must perswade to be zealous else people cannot repent and they must repent else Christ will not come in and sup with them Rev. 3.19 And must Ministers perswade others to be zealous and shall they be dull cold luke-warme themselves Wisedome is justified of her children the people place Text and time call for it Thus having with the Cock clapt my wings on my owne breast give me leave to crow unto others also to shew men their present sin to prevent their future shame Christ lookes on all Newterallists as on enemies Vse 2. not as on friends Why halt ye so long seeing it is a great sin and shame Mat. 12.38 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathers not with me scattereth abroad Aut mecum totum tene aut totum amitte saith Greg. Proditor est veritatis qui aut libere non pronuntiat aut non sufficienter eam defendant saith Chrysost Traytors are the very off-spring of Judas shamefully exposing themselves to the scorne and hatred of all men both good and bad It happening to these neutralizing middle-men as to those that dwell in the middle roomes of some high building as they are smoked and smothered by those that dwell under them and polluted with dust
Committees Justice would be better executed Gods wrath sooner appeased the Parliament more honoured and the people more contented Which people let them be informed that as the honorable House have set out an Order that it shall be accounted an acceptable service to discover to an appointed Committee for that purpose what money directly or indirectly hath been received by any Members of the House for the perverting of Justice so it is beleeved that they intend to set out an Order of like acceptable services for any man before that or some other Committee to discover the injustice oppression partialitie connivency towards Malignants of any Members in County-Committees as a speciall preservative against peoples halting and railing in these Realme-reeling times Flattery in 11 Cau. and divisions between Ministers make people to hale Paint a fire on a piece of cloath and cast it into the water you heare no noise no hissing because no combate of contrary natures but cast a burning Coale into the water you heare a ratling a noise which proceeds from the combate or encounter of two contraries the one striving to destroy the other The end of Gods Word is to reforme the judgement and life Gods Word is true and every man a lyar i erroneous in judgement and life when truth and falshood the word of God and the word of men doe meete then beginnes the Conflict The one labours to destroy the other Gods word is as fire mens affections as water Paul preached at Ephesus he scattered true fire among them Demetrius startles at it and stirres up sedition among the people there the contrary roares and ratles In comes the Towne-Clerke with the magnificence of Diana Great is Diana of the Ephesians a false fire a counterfeit fire there is no opposition no contradiction at all made against him It is just the case of our times if Preachers come as commonly they doe now more than ever because they spare mens vices to favour mens persons and fill their own purses with a painted fire sowing pillows under the arme-holes of sinners crying peace peace take it upon any termes you must doe whatsoever the King would have you doe will you have Bishops whose predecessors were Martyrs for the truth to be suppressed Keep up the Common-Prayer-Booke and then without much paines you may know how to pray as well as Ministers themselves If Preachers thus stroake the spleene with sugred words and tickle the eare with quaint phrases and rub it with filken words saying Because you are predestinated you shall goe to Heaven as men carried in a Coach or sayling in a Ship without any action or motion of their own they shall seldome be gainsaid but if Ministers come with a true fire with a worke out your salvation with feare and trembling with an yet fortie dayes and Niniveb shall be destroyed with a John Baptists cry Now is the Axe laid to the roote of the tree Now instantly is certainly the Axe instrumentally laid orderly to the roote effectually of the tree particularly Every tree impartially that bringeth not forth conditionally good fruit proportionably is unavoydably hewen fearfully downe fatally and cast unresistably into the fire everlastingly If Ministers cast such coales then people beginne to murmure because their affections are but watery the word in the mouthes of such Ministers laboure to destroy finne in the people and the finne of the people labours to destroy the word in the mouth of the Minister If flattering Ministers have seduced the King many Nobles many Members of the House have not the standing ones then great cause to look to themselves that they also be not mis-lead by having mens persons in admiration Tune tua res agitur c. It was ever the subtilty of Satan to imploy flattering Prophets Preachers for the seducing of Princes and people 2 Pet. 2.2 There were false Prophets among the people mingling noysome weeds among sweet flowers By reason of whom the way of truth was ill spoken of the Gospel reproached and others perverted As long as the Devill hath his Kingdome here he sends abroad his Emissaries to seduce the people Hence it is 1 Tim. 4.1 that the man of fin is come to so great a height by seducing Spirits The Devill and the Pope have many industrious Chaplaines boasting as if they were inspired and sent from God First scruing themselves into mens Consciences and then picking their purses Cheating them of their Religion and salvation and then of their estates obtruding guilded errors instead of solid and golden truths The Lord had decreed this Kingdome to great miseries for a punishment of the great abuse of his mercies and therefore suffered Satan to seduce Princes and people and this by the helpe of seducing Preachers God hath a quarrell against Ahab and therefore suffers him to be ingaged in such a warre wherein he shall be undone Who shall perswade Ahab Satan is at hand I will perswade Ahab How I will be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Of all if there were foure hundred false Prophets to one Eliah in Ahabs time no wonder of such great disproportion in these dayes The Devill knew the length of their foote that he could prevalle with them and they with the King He knew Ahab and Jezabel had a company of mercenary Ministers Trencher Chaplaines that would say any thing unhappy Ahab by reason of such flatterers Be therefore carefull to espie and oppose but never wonder or thinke strange of the Devils policy to use flattering Preachers to seduce straiable people They are the Pastors of Gods flock When the Shepheard is stricken the sheep are scattered They are the Stewards of Gods house When the Stewards are unfaithfull the family will be starved They are the Captains of Gods Armie When the Captain falls the Souldiers will soone be put to flight They are the lights of the world if the Lamps be extinguished the house fits in darknesse They are the salt of the earth if the salt become unsavoury the people are in danger to become a polluted and unsavoury sacrifice They commonly take all upon trust from their Teachers which cause them to halt long too between two opinions These Saim useth as an Ignis fatuus to people in darknesse and carries them headlong to their hurt and halting till they stumble and fall and many times breake the necks of their salvation by these stumbling blocks Satan by his own power can do great feates on people much more by the power of Princes and flattery of Pastors The Apostles therefore were winnowed as wheat Luk. 22.31 2 Cor. 12.7 1 Kings 13 18.30 and Paul buffeted by Satan One Prophet may be seduced by another if God assist not or doe withdraw his Spirit It 's no wonder that greene and young Spirits are mis-lead when old Prophets that pretend authoritie from God to countenance their errors have been seduced Such seducing ones you see resemble the Devill You are of
of the humble Thou wilt prepare their heart Thou wilt cause thine eare to heare to helpe the fatherlesse and oppressed that the men of the Earth may no more exalt themselves Manoah said to his wife Wee shall surely dye Iudg. 13.22 23. But his wife said unto him If the Lord would kill us he would not have received a meate offering and a burnt offering at our hands neither would he have shewed or told us all these things that these Devile in the likenesse of men yet very Monsters could no otherwise be cast forth but by prayer and fasting Therefore hath the Lord God made so many precious promises that his people might have their spirits kept up and they learne to trust in him for ever Thus saith the Lord of Hostes who hath appointed these as speciall weapons in the times of warre the fast of the fourth moneth Zach. 8.19 and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth moneth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladnesse and prosperous high feasts Therefore observe with care and conscience such feasts as you desire to shew your love to Truth and peace For if such Fastes of foure severall moneths observing have such promises What harvest of hope shall the seeds of twenty foure moneths fasting bring forth when they come to the yeares of perfection Were not the Jewes fasting dayes in the time of Queene Esther Est 8.16 17 and 9.22 turned to them from sorrow to joy and from mourning into joyfull dayes and times of feasting Wherein they had occasion to send presente every man to his neighbour and gifts to the poore in comemoration of Gods bounty shewed to them in their poore and low condition The neglecters of such dayes of fasting have professed themselves Traytors to the State and whole Kingdome The many Blasphemies and villanies of the enemies Doore 7. doe foretell Gods Justice approaching and his hand ready to be reached forth to cast them into that pit they have digged for others A Popish Doctor of Physicke confessed that the Catholike Cause never suffered so much dishonour as by that barbarous cruelty that was shewed in Ireland in the savage murdering of men When the Towne of Bolton was taken Where is the Round-heads God now said one of them Surely he is turned Cavalier I give this Roundhead one blow more said another to send him quickly to the Devill They bad William Boulton whom they found praying to â—all on his God to save him Yonder lyes one of the strongest Roundheads said the murtherer that ever I met with For one of my Pistols discharged at his heart would not enter but I thinke I sent him to the Devill with a vengeance with the other Oh Heaven oh Earth oh England oh the Judge of all beare witnesse of this calamitie crueltie Blasphemie when thou makest inquisition after bloud The patience of Gods people Doore 8. notwithstanding all Souldiers Quartering all their Payments all their Plunderings Bondage Imprisonments Mockings Deaths Here is the Patience of the Saints not onely to beare witnesse to the Truth but also that they are objects of Deliverance Where the Precept is Phil. 4.5 Be yee patient the promise is added For the Lord is at hand not onely to see but also to helpe When Gods servants humble themselves under his hand with patient submission to his correction saying He hath spoyled and he will heale us he hath wounded and he will binde us up Faith steps in Hos 6.1 2. to assure them that after two dayes i. a short time he will revive them and in the third day he will raise them and they shall live in his sight The Liberalitie of the Londoners Doore 9. and others for the Publique Cause Many have done much without compulsion the love of Christ Religion Kingdome as well as their own liberties lives constrained them I heard some Citizens say they had done thus and thus in severall Disbursements and yet beleeve they had not the lesse because God blessed the rest the better Some said since the losse in the West they would lend more than before They that sowed so plentifully feared not to reape sparingly The Discovery of so many Plots Doore 10. touching the whole Land Scotland the Parliament London and many other particular places and persons have infallibly demonstrated Surely the finger of the Lord was in them All Intelligencers in the world could not have discovered more than hath been revealed If the Lord would have destroyed the Kingdome would he have shewed Iudg. 13.23 and revealed such and such things Though the woman was weak in sexe yet was shee stronger in Faith herein than was her husband The many successfull Victories Doore 11. when few have discomfited many notwithstanding all the assistance by Papists and prophane ones secretly and openly against our Armies The many Armies of Gods Saints prayed marching before and piercing the Heavens for helpe Scarce any Fast in publique observed but thereon people were mightily encouraged to meete the Lord in prayers that daily met them even on those dayes with new mercies and matter of praises the Fasts have been sweetned with figues of feasting which occasioned our Forces in the Field to implore the unanimous Intercessions of the Saints unto the Lord of Hostes for helpe Zach. 4.10 Who art thou that despisest the Day of small things It s hopefull that those that have forsaken all for God shall never be forsaken by God he that hath wrought so on their hearts can and will worke more by their hands As this Countie is almost cleared of rude and robbing persons so may shortly the whole Kingdome be delivered He that hath delivered us 2 Cor. â— 10 doth deliver in him wee trust that he also will deliver the whole Nation The great opposition by Princes Priests People presage great mercies Doore 1 to ensue great miseries When she ayre is sharpest the weather is nighest breaking When the night is darkest the dayes dawning is nearest When the Womans Throubbes are thickest her delivery is speediest Violent things are not of long continuance 1 King 1 34. c. Elijah will call for water out of the foure Barrells that were filled and caused the same once twice yea the third time to be powred on the wood and on the Sacrifice and the whole Ditch also to be filled with water and then the fire from Heaven shall come downe and consume the burnt-offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the Ditch So powerfull is God to resist the greatest resistances that Nature Men or Devils can make against the smallest number of his Saints so that all the people fell on their faces and were enforced to cry The Lord is God the Lord is God When the Kings of the Earth stand up Psal 2.1 â— and the Princes take Counsell together against
inclined to comiserate dust and ashes his body was delivered from incumbent horrible dangers his feet set on a Rock all the waves and windes could not overturn it his goings were ordered men or Devils could not make him slide or goe out of Gods paths His tongue had occasion to trumpet out Gods praise The wicked that saw it were convicted the godly confirmed to trust in the Lord. Who for his patient waiting had delivered his soule from death his eyes from teares and his feet from falling how for all this could he doe lesse than praise the Lord in the land of the living Men shall say in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him he will save us They read over their Title to him again in the same words This is the Lord we have waited for him We have waited for thee in the way of thy judgements Esay 25.9 chap. 26 8. Verse 3. chap. 30.18 Ergo Trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord God is strength to deliver his Church for evermore yea the Lord waits in the beginning of the verse to be gracious unto man Blessed are those that wait to receive mercy from him The path of Gods present proceedings Doore 20. is a pledge of his good providence for future time in the kingdome His judgements seeme to be judgements of expostulation with rather than of extirpation of the kingdome Though these dayes seem to be as that day the Prophet mentioned Zach. 14.6 7. wherein was no clear light but it was dark it was neither quite day nor night but about the evening time it shall be light God will at the last which is with the Lord but as the length of a day send a faire and cleare evening of joy and comfort to his distressed servants We read Exod. 4.24 that God being angry with Moses for not circumcising his sons it came to passe by the way in the Inne the Lord met him and sought to kill him Sought to kill him 'T is strange Did God seek to kill him and not kill him Speak Lord speak to the fire and it shall with flâ—shings consume him to the aire and with pestilent vapours choake him to the waters and with deluges it shall overwhelme him to the earth and with yawning chops it shall devoure him Well the meaning is God sought to kill him that is in some outward visible manner whereof Moses was apprehensive God manifested his displeasure against him that so Moses might have notice and leasure to divert his anger by removing the cause thereof He that said to us Seek and ye shall find doth himselfe seek and not find And good reason for he sought with an intent not to find Thus may we say God for these many yeares sought to destroy the Kingdome manifesting an unwilling-willingnesse if men in any reasonable time will take up the matter and compound the difference by repentance The loving Father shakes the Rod over the Child not with an intent to beat him but to make him beg pardon Such hitherto hath been the Lords dealing with our Nation that he even courts and wooes us to repentance as loath to punish us if we would understand the voyce of the Rod and why it is shaken over us At what time the Lord threatneth to pluck up root out Mich. 6.9 Jer. 18.8 and to destroy it If this Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their wickednesse I will repent appearing so to mans judgement of the plague I thought to bring upon them If men wash their hands and hearts in teares of repentance Deut. 21.7 as Israel in the blood of the Heifer all the blood that hath been or shall be shed in these warres it shall never be laid to their charge by the Lord. If thou make Conscience thy Castle let Drummes beat Trumpets sound Pikes push Bullets flye Cannons roare Death Warres Devils doe their worst thy life is hid with God and thou shalt be in safety Thus have I brought you to twenty severall Doores and have a little opened them that you looking into the roomes might have some light of comfort even on this day and in this formerly sorrowfull place for the good successe of the kingdomes cause I have a few more doores to lead you to but I must be speedy in my passage by them and give you leave but to peep into them whiles your ears attend my tongue The Saints sorrow for the Churches miseries Doore 21. and love for her prosperitie Where these duties are performed great dignities are peomiled Isa 66 10 11 12. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her Rejoyce for joy with her all ye that mourn for her that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations that ye may milk out and be delighte I with the brightnesse of her glory because I will extend peace over her like a floud Peace prosperity shall come speedily and in great abundance Pray for the peace of Jerusalem They shall prosper that love thee What 's added Ps 122.6 Peace be within thy walles and prosperity within thy palaces And these duties enjoyned by the Lord and practised by his people upon his command and shall not he blesse his own commanded meanes God bids remember those that are in bonds as if we were bound with them else we cannot have a fellow feeling of their miseries Surely such precepts have obliged many to weep in secret watch fast and pray in publick for the Churches miseries as if they had been their owne It 's Gods own cause and can that ever miscarry Doore 22 Hath not he maintained it with an high hand and stretched out arme in all ages Keep not silence Psa 83.1 Vers 5. O God implying it 's as easie for God to hush all wars as it is for man to speak Thine enemies make a tumult and hate thee They have consulted in heart and made a league against thee Hath not God pleaded the cause of his Saints as if he and they were one Psa 35.1 Else David would not have been so bold with him saying Plead my cause O God In Joshuahs time the Lord fought for Israel Ios 10.14 't was his owne cause made therefore the Sun and Moon stand still untill the people avenged themselves of their enemies In his own cause he hearkened to the voyce of a man but in an evill cause will regard voyce of many Johs Acts 9.4 Samuels Daniels Angels Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me in my members on earth now I am in heaven Be not afraid said the propheticall Levite unto Jehosophat and the people for this great multitude 2 Chro. 20 15. for the battell is not yours but Gods The Dragon and his Angels fought against Michael and his Angels Rev. 12.7 8. but the Dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven unto the earth because they fought against
Michael and his Angels Christ hath overcome the World Doore 23 Death Devill and shall these overcome him again Iohn 16.33 Col. 2.15 Rev. 17.14 It 's incredible impossible Be ye of good comfort in me ye shall have peace I have over come the world He hath openly triumphed over them on his Crosse This Lamb hath overcome all Lions Can Satan be stronger than God The efficacie of Christ his prayer Doore 24 He was heard on earth and shall he not be heard in heaven Rom. 8.33 1 Pet. 3.14 making intercession for his people Who is he that will harm you if ye follow that which is good Who harme us wicked ones will Yet blessed are you if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake Feare not their feare nor be ye troubled The conviction and conversion of Adversaries Doore 25 God enlightning them to see what they did not see before It is beyond the thoughts and expectation of man thae the Lord Inchequin seduced by the Jesuitical faction should be changed from a destroyer to Champion for God and a preserver of his cause The many cries Doore 26 prayers teares of Fathers Children Widowes for vengeance Doth not the Lord heare their cries and know their sorrowes The Lord heard the voyce of the Lad Ishmael Exod. 3.7 Gen. 21.17 Psa 146.9 weeping before him and will he not heare the voyce of thousands of Children for their parents and parents for their children wives for their husbands and friends for friends He relieveth the Fatherlesse and Widowes In whom can the Fatherlesse finde mercy but in him Hos 14.3 Luke 18.7 If an unrighteous Judge did the importune Widow justice against her adversary shall not God avenge his elect that cry day and night unto him The cry of the multiplicity of the blood that hath been shed Doore 27. Shall not the blood of so many Saints call for vengeance Gen. 4.10 Rev. 6.10 when the blood of one Abel cryed unto the Lord and he heard it The soules of the Saints slaine cry Dost thou not avenge our bloodâ— Groans are registred teares botled and shall not blood be booked Did God enquire for one Abel will he not for thousands The Relation of God towards his Church Doore 28. God sayth he is worse than an Infidell that provides not for his family 1 Tim. 5.8 Is not he a Father And will a Father give stones to children that ask bread He is to his Church a Husband a Master a Captain a King Sheepheard Creator Redeemer wise Builder He is a Sun and a Shield hath his Rod and his Staffe both for direction and preservation The great rage of Satan sheweth that his time is but short Doore 29. When the Devil was to be cast forth out of the dumb Rev. 12.12 Mat. 9.22.26 he casts him into the fire and into the water and rent him soare cryed and then came out of him Violent things continue not long in extremity especially such showers of blood The many differences between forraigne nations Doore 30. who would have joyned hand in hand against the Kingdome had they not been set together by the eares in their own lands This is none of the least of Gods mercies to our nation at this time they having enough to doe at home have the lesse leasure to be imployed as the Devils and Popes Armour-bearers abroad The prevention of many inconveniences which might ensue Doore 31. 1. Some godly ones might put forth their hands to wickednesse Psa 125.3 if the rod of the wicked should long lye on the lot of the righteous 2. That the wicked might not deny Gods power providence justice which they see executed here on earth 3. Truth of the Scriptures may not bee questioned Tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope Rom. 5.4 Now lay all these considerations together that have been mentioned before and I beleeve they will administer joy in the times of sorrow and keep up mens hearts lesse to doubt the successe of the common cause 1. Considering God is a God of power able to finish what he hath begun 2. It stands with his wisdome the foundation laid to perfect his building 3. God is the God of order what confusion else would be 4. Kindnesse had been unkindnesse Better to have had no cluster of grapes than not to be brought into Canaan 5. Weak ones would suspect God used some stratagem to draw men out as the men of Ai to destroy them or as to gather Bees and to burn them 6. They would doubt God would not doe as much for his people now as he hath done heretofore Our Fathers trusted in him and were delivered but we have trusted in him and are not delivered 7. Gods friends would put forth their hands to wickednesse 8. His enemies blasphemies boastings cruelties would be the greater They would endeavour to build Babels to scale if possible the very walts of heaven 9. God spared the kingdome for a long season when sin was committed and with greedinesse acted Ezek. 22.30 and will he not spare it now when sinne is confessed lamented and many stand up in the gap to turn away his wrath and reform impieties according to his desire and promise 10. The courage of the Parliament Commanders Captaines Souldiers beyond ordinary expectation naturall Relations carrying Gods Ark towards Bethshemesh their wives children houses lands goods liberties lives being not deere unto them doe all confirme our hearts in the promises of the Lord that his help is at hand to deliver the Nation from slavery and Popery I beseech you by the many mercies of God that have been daily manifested and infallibly expected to lay out your selves to give up your bodies spirits estates your All for your selves posterity Cities and people of God It was dying Joshuahs argument to the Israelites to move them to a constant obedience to Gods commandements that they had experimentall knowledge in their hearts that nothing failed of all the good things that the Lord had promised to them all came to passe And have wee not as great a portion participation in Gods promises and performances as the Israelites had We may say of Gods mercies to Israel and England as one spake of Demosthenes and Tully Cicero effecit ne Demosthenes esses solus Orator Demosthenes ne Cicero primus foret The Israelites were the cause we could not be the first people whome God did so extraordinarily blesse and favour But we are the cause that they could not boast themselves to be the only people in Gods love And if Gods mercies in any age for height length depth breadth might be boasted of rejoyced in then in our dayes in this Parliament in these warres where good is fetcht out of evill light out of darknesse And if these things will be marvellous in the eares of all posterity shall they not in our hearts before whose eyes the same have been accomplished Wherefore I conclude as I began being high time to take my worke off the Loome Why halt ye so long between two opinions If Baal be God then follow him so shall you fall from sin the Suburbs into Hell it selfe the place portion expectation of all cursed neutralizing Balaaks for whom are reserved torments which are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse If the Lord be God then follow him so shall you come to see him that is invisible and shall change the society of men for Angels Earth for Heaven and the company of Lions for fellowship with the Lamb for ever Where shall be all light without any darknesse truth without error joy without sorrow health without sicknesse liberty without restraint peace without perturbation eternity without end where the Quire of Angels shall be musick to our eares where the fight of God shall be the object to our eyes where the joyes of heaven shall be the possession of our soules Unto the hearing of which Angellicall musick unto the beholding of which beatificall vision unto the possession of which celestiall joyes the Lord that is Author of all vouchsafe to bring us all let all Gods people say Amen And let the Lord Jesus Christ whose words are Yea and Amen put to his hand and seale and say Amen Amen I have now done for speaking you have now done for hearing his Chaire and Pulpit is in heaven that must perswade you to put in practice those things which I have delivered in precept which that he may doe unto him let us pray Soli Deo laus FINIS