Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	according_a	lord_n	sin_n	2,821	5	4.4180	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96902	The Solemne League and Covenant of three kingdomes, cleared to the conscience of every man, who is not willingly blinde, or wilfully obstinate. The antiquity of the Covenant on the Scots-side; the seasonablenesse of it on the English side; the admirable wisedome of God, in stirring-up the spirits of men on all sides, at such a time as this; all this with other things mightily conducing to, and promoting of the militia of kingdomes, and the posturing every person there, is referred to a place, where it may take up more room. The clearnese for the matter of this Covenant; the solemnity for the manner of it, is the subject of these few leaves, and yet to be made more clear to them thaT have a mind to understand. By E.W. Imprimatur Edm: Calamy, the morrow after wee lifted up our hands, and subscribed our names to this Covenant, Octob. 2. 1643.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1643 (1643)	Wing W3505; Thomason E71_13; ESTC R14305	22,799	20

for two Reasons and a third which is chief of all First it is not so sutable to the Work of the Day I Covenant now in all the Peoples sight Therefore the greatest Reason in the World That they should see what I do A. Well but I lift-up my heart B. Very well but how can the People tell that A. A Pharisee He will be seen of men B. Yes at such a solemn time as this is he must not creep into a corner In these Cases and at such Solemnities he must confesse his God before Men else he knows what follows (f) Matth. 10 33. Lake 12. 9. I hope I shall never forget what the Martyrs did in Ancient times if they would have offered a grain of Incense to the Idol they might have kept their skins upon their flesh and their flesh sound and whole but because they would not do so much their skin was torne from their Shoulders and their flesh from their Bones But this is it which I intend The Adversary was more weary in tormenting then Christians were in suffering their torments So the Adversary tryed them with gentle perswasions saying ye shall not offer unto our Idol god no not so much as a grain of Incense Ye shall but make an offer onely a semblance and no more and I will satisfie My Master the Emperour and the People too For I will say yee have offered And so the Adversary said in the face of the Assembly The Christians have offered to our god Now mark No said the Christians lifting-up their hands and their voyces No we are Christians These hands have not offered no not a grain nor will we offer No we will suffer our skin to be pulled over our heads and our flesh from our bones rather then we will offer so much as one grain to a strange god We did not do it we will never do it no never never See there There is much more a most Notable Euseb l 8. H. 1. Tr●p l. 6. Eut. c. 1● History you must gather in up here and there These witnessed a good confession before men And now But I forbear though it is hard to take off my hand from this work This is the example and 't is to our purpose when God calls us forth to confesse Him as now He does to Covenant with Him we must do it after this manner in all the Peoples sight In such cases I say again and at such solemnities I must do as I may be seen That is one Reason why I am commanded to lift-up my hand and it is a mighty Reason There is another as good 2. I lift-up my hand I subscribe my name so giving a cleer attestation before all the People That I lift-up my heart to the work viz. All that I have lifted-up my hand unto I will by Gods grace endeavour to performe It is my full purpose so I will center and bottome all contained there in my own heart I have vowed with my Mouth By Gods help and without that I can do nothing but sin against Him but by His help what my tongue protested my hand shall fulfill and my hand shall subscribe unto it too which makes the obligations stronger I cannot withdraw back now and prosper Pilate will reprove me if so I do I have subscribed to all this and what I have written I have written It is the full purpose of my heart not to alter now after this Solemnitie whereof there is yet a third Reason and that is Mighty for in so doing we do as God has done before us 3. It is after the very manner of God Himself when He sweareth to shew Mercy or execute Judgement upon His People What does He do then Then to assure His People who are very flow to beleeve that He will very certainly performe with them as He hath sworn then we observe this Posture of the hands lift-up often in one Chapter nay in one breath I lifted up My hand sayes Ezek. ●0 The Lord To the seed of Jacob. The gesture is according to the example of God Himself who speaks with His Mouth and fulfils with His hand And after the same manner His servant Abraham I lift up my hand unto The most high God So have we done as The Lord does as Abraham did so have we done every Man for himself lifted up the hand to The most high God subscribed also with the same hand unto The Lord and sirnamed every Man Himself by the Name of Israel There is the center of Reformation Self Personall Reformation So the true Christian Souldier hath Covenanted for himself and with his God And now what his Lord hath promised to do for all His Israel I will purge out from among you the Rebels (g) Ezek. 20 28. the same will He do for this Man He will do it in His own and best time It shall be done In the mean time The Rebels within the Man for there they be shall be so mastered subdued overpowred that they shall do the Man good service they shall try and prove him edge and purifie his graces And all the Rebels without shall do him no hurt Now that he is in Covenant with God knows This God now he shall be strong and do (h) Dan. 11. 32. What shall he do I cannot tell For the originall Hebrew does not tell me but do he shall strange things above reason above hope above his prayers too he shall put a legion of Divels to flight he shall leap over a wall and skip over a mountain for it shal be a plain before him the Lyon and the Bear shall not hinder him in his way nor discourage him his way is made passable and every work to him possible He can do What All things And this is to do exploites as we read it for God is with him his God a God in Covenant with him he can do exploites But this with other things of infinite concernment to Kingdoms and every person there will make a fuller Treatise then this which I will conclude now and shut-up So I so thou as the Souldier before have entered into Covenant how grave for the matter how solemn for the manner The Lord give us grace to understand that we may do accordingly And then no matter what the Adversary does against us he does as an adversary what mischief he can according to the power in his hand But no matter though the gates of hell open upon us and stand in defiance against us Stand we to our Covenant with full purpose of heart to keep unto it and close to our God What then We can stand a● defiance too not fear their fear not fear the Divell nor sin nor death for we may make Pauls challenge We fear God fear onely to displease him are in Covenant with Him by His good hand with us we are resolved with full purpose of heart to keep close to Him and we are sure He will stand by us and then we have enough strength on our side For God is with us and He is All All sufficient Amen even so Amen FINIS

truly we are not Carefull much lesse Curiously Inquisitive about it Grant us to be Idiots Poore Illiterate men Nay if God has given unto any of us more Light in a Land of Visions Blessed be His Name But we are Content to be accounted Idiots at this time having no more understanding nor perhaps so much touching the Discipline in Scotland there is all the Question that can be made indeed or scrupled at than Josiah a young Saint yet an old Disciple could have in all the Commandements and Statutes and Testimonies and yet he made a Covenant before the Lord to keep them every one So Josiah ●id and made the People do according to the Light he had but with a sincere heart with all his heart and with all his 2 Chron. 34. 31 32. Soul to Perform the words The Intent of the heart was sincere and stood in a direct opposition to Ahabs house and all the Idolatries and Heathenish Services there and that was as much as was required of him or his people and to the extent of their Oath I must adde and Ours which stands in opposition onely to Ahabs House the Pope and his Bishops opposition against the said Discipline I will give one Instance more because I conceive no seeing Man can stumble any where else and there his Passage is cleared with excellent Prudence possibly we understand no more touching the Scots Discipline than the Potters I finde them in the Text and I will Instance in them all along Illiterate Men their Wives and their Sons and their Daughters could understand the Commandements of the Lord His Judgements and His Statutes and yet all these entred into Ne●em 10. 28. a Curse I pray you mark it and into an Oath To do and To observe all the fore-mentioned The Statutes and the Judgements of The Lord were deep things hard to be understood Not Levites onely and the Priests but the Rabbins might exercise themselves in the search of those things and for a full understanding thereof Object But the Potters and their Wives having knowledge and understanding as it is said they had knew that those Judgements and Statutes were good and just for they were The Lords His Statutes His Judgements Who is GOD in Heaven and over all the Earth But the said Discipline is the Discipline of Scotland a Church upon Earth The Potters and their Wives might Sweare to the one for they were sure those were the Statutes of God His Judgements and Nulla litura in Decretis sapientum there is no doubt of any fault or imperfection in the Decrees and Ordinances of Heaven But in the Decrees and Ordinances of man there have been are and will be defects and wants to the worlds end and so of the Discipline of Scotland Therefore we cannot Swear to it Answ You are not called to it not called to Swear That the Discipline of Scotland is perfect Nay you may Swear if you were called to it That the Discipline of Scotland is imperfect though as near * to th● Rule as Possibly their Light could bring them yet but according to the Line of men and then very Imperfect and you may swear it to be so For we may say of the Statutes and Ordinances of Men even in Church Matters as the Author concludes his Story If I have done well and as the story required It is the thing I desired but if I have written slenderly and barely It is 2 Mac. 15. 39. that I could You may be sure this is Apocrypha you will not swear that all there is true but you dare say that all is imperfect there I could say much more even that the Pure Word of God looseth something of its Clearnesse in its conveyance to us and tasteth something of Man through the Corruption of that Conduit-Pipe that brings it to us For Application of all this I adde We enquire not about the Discipline of Scotland we ask no Questions there for Conscience sake we are Christians by Profession and Professe to walk and judge by our Rule That the Discipline of Scotland is according to that Rule as near to the Pattern in the Mount as humane understanding can bring it We beleeve verily That our Brethren in Scotland have sought Counsell at Gods Mouth and Direction from His Hand for we see with all our Eyes That He has Counselled them He has Directed them He has Blessed them and they shall be Blessed He has making Himself known unto them by His Name JEHOVAH raised-up amongst them a Stage whereon He has Acted like a God And this we beleeve more touching this Matter or Forme rather of Worship for I would clear this That as God shal be pleased to communicate more Light unto them touching His Pattern they will come-up yet closer thereunto and by the degrees of Communication that way come-up yet nearer unto the Rule But in the mean time if the Common Enemy the Pope and his Bishops shall as they have done thrust-in upon them cont●ary to their Religion and Discipline established amongst them we have Lifted-up our hands according to the Power there To make Head against that Common Enemy so opposing Gods People 2. And if so for the Religion and the Discipline of Scotland then sure we will do as much and as heartily for the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland In Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government Object But what needs all this May some good Body say though I hope there is no good Body so voyd of understanding as to say The Doctrine in the Church of England is a Pure Doctrine The Worship so The Discipline and Government so The Church of England A glorious Church Archbishops and Bishops Deans and Arch-Deacons brave men in their Trappings and Accouterments these were the Church in Name as Rome is now and cryed-up so to be all over the Christian World And must we swear to a Reformation Where is there a more perfect Church for Doctrine and Discipline under the out-stretched Canopy I have heard them say the Bishops themselves we are well enough a brave Church Rich well decked and trimmed with costly Ornaments which were found lockt-up in Pauls and Westminster we want nothing Answ Well! So said a Church as much almost as this That they wanted nothing when yet their Vaunts were but Conceipts onely Thou knowest not that thou art Wretched and Miserable and Poor and Blind and Naked (e) Revel 3. ●● Master Brightman And truely to adde a word Mutato nomine dete narratur All this is told of us the Church of England by one whom we ought to beleeve because he speaks with the cleerest Evidence of Truth even from the Mouth of God But I am very easie to grant at this time for I will not contend Let the Bishops have their saying That this Church of England is a Perfect Church for matter and forme and in all the forementioned I can cleer it to the

Discipline B. Yes and great reason it should be so for their care towards us exceeds ours towards our selves A. You swear to maintain the Discipline of Scotland a bold Oath not one of ten amongst you that understands what he swears B. Indeed our light is not clear at that point nor theirs neither not so clear as it shall be yet without doubt I shall clear that objection fully in due place much must be said to it which shall not interpose now A. But what need you think so much of defence and managing a warre you may have a Peace and at an easie rate if you can see the way unto it and Petition thereafter the Irish may have it nay we hear it is granted them and doubtlesse if ye are modest and bashfull some there are who will intercede for you touching this matter Besides there are men amongst your selves very many who have been importunate Petitioners for Peace as their Wives were the eighth of August last and will put on for it again B. Here are some State-matters let Statesmen look thereunto These are within compasse of our knowledge and Eternall Truths 1. That an Irish Peace is worse than an Irish Warre and then we want a word to expresse how abominable it is 2. That cursing and blessing cannot come forth of the same Mouth 3. Nor was it ever seen in our Land since men dwelt there that the Idol and Peace except an Idol-Peace came in from the same Quarters 4. Let then talk what they will of their Peace GOD has sworn and his people too That he will have war with them avenge upon them the Blood of His Servants cast them down and lay them lower then the earth who have endeavoured to lay His Glory in the dust and to dethrone the Lord Jesus Christ And for the other Petitioners with their commanding wives they will come too late now we have covenanted against them their Atheisme Superstition Prophanesse and to throw these all out so also against the evill of our own lives every man confessing the Plague of his own heart and resolving in Gods strength to search his own tents and to cast out the accursed thing thence and then to walk in the midst of his house as a man whose Vows are upon him Gods people as His people Gods Minister as His Minister shewing forth the Doctrine that it is from Heaven by the light of his conversation before men for the Covenant ends as we shall see anon in a personall Reformation A. Then Peace comes in now a Peace of Gods giving according to your own hearts desire what needs then such preparation for Warre and Vows to defend each others things B. The greatest need now because of the Agony or fight of afflictions we now expect and will be We are but in a way to Peace pursuing it orderly as we read before every man resolving for his own part to reform one and to contend for the Faith But Peace I meane a peace of Gods giving we abominate any other so abused so perverted so ill improved and Truth so reproachfully thrust away will not be given back again to us quickly There must be Time and Cost about it and we must wait and expect the greatest brunt now the sorest opposition against all three Kingdoms Ye end●red a great fight of afflictions saith the Heb 10. 32. Apostle When After ye were illuminated after you had a clear sight of God and your selves of Gods wayes and your wayes how ye walked how He walked how contrary one to the other After ye were illuminated a sore fight so after we enter into Covenant every Man for himselfe to do so and so then expect a fierce opposition a sore Agony which well considered on will knit us the faster all together all as one man and make our bonds the stronger engage us more to look to our selves and each to others matters A. What have you to do with Scotland their Religion and Discipline let them look to themselves and you to your selves It is against the Laws and Constitutions of Kingdoms that you should meddle with their matters or they with yours A. In truth I have heard as much as this once and again but I will heare it no more it is a wicked objection it makes my Ears tingle If we cast off the care each of other farewell all for all fals to ruine O abominable All under one Head and one King Professing the same Faith Heirs of the same hope Members on● of another and yet against the Law To have care one of another The care of all the Churches lay upon Paul what Law did he break there Elizabeth whom every mouth did Blesse except that which does Blaspheme for she loved the Nation She Cared for Scotland sent succours thither seventy yeers agon What law did She break in so doing Not the Law of God nor of Charity nor of Christian Communitie then nor the Laws of men Indeed is is a Cain's Objection Am I my Brothers Keeper Yes that he was and so every Man is his Brothers Keeper It is so of Kingdoms too specially united under one Crowne wherein there is a Common Interest which commands a Common Care There is a (a) T it 1 4. Common Faith and a (b) I●de 3. Common Salvation which engageth us unto Scotland Scotland unto us To contend for that Faith and to seek the Common wealth each of other Therefore we will not hear what Cain objects for he slew his Brother We stand every one charged to Care every one for anothers things Scotland to maintain our Religion and Discipline we theirs and so our Conference ends now I make way to the Objection I. If so be the Devill and his Proctors subtill Brokers for Babylon shall endeavour as they have done To put out the Eyes of our Brethren in Scotland To take away Religion which we must be as tender of as of our Eyes and preserve with the same diligence as we do our (c) Qu●● pura est p●p●lla occ●li c. Salv. de Gu● l. 2. Souls and Discipline in Scotland or blend and mixe it with their folly mate either th' one or th' other with their madnesse Service Book or Services oppugne or storm it by any other more violent way we have lifted up our hands That according to the Power in our hand in our Calling and Station mark that we will oppose the Devill and all his Bishops The Adversary shall not take away their Religion nor mixe it neither nor their Discipline we have lifted up our hands unto it and to the most High God in all the Peoples fight That we will oppose them who will oppose our Brethren in these matters Object Fooles first they take a Vow and after enquire (d) Eccles what is the Discipline of Scotland They that have lifted up their Hands to maintain it do not know what it is Answ Like enough it is so with me and many more And

world That they have made as great a Deformation in the Church as ever was seen in the world since the Councell of Trent the Iliad of that Age Nay the perfectest that ever was or now is I cannot perfectly tell what will be upon the Face of the Earth Grant that it shall do them no good nor scruple or offend us at this point for can it be a dishonour to the most perfect Church to Reforme according to the Word of God I trow not A Church cannot come up too neer unto the Rule the Word of God they may Rest at a distance too remote and farre off but I say again yet I need not say it but we have to do with unreasonable Men we cannot come up too neer unto the Rule of Doctrine and Discipline and Government What is that It follows To the Word of God That we endeavour All in All three Kingdoms To come up To the neerest Conjunction and Uniformitie in Religion Confession of Faith forme of Church Government Directory for Worship and Catechizing O Blessed Work I should speak to that but it would not be a little and Catechizing That we and our little ones may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight in us This is all we have sworn unto And do we Repent Yes That we were so foolish as to make any Scruple here upon so cleer a Text. We are Satisfied now and had we an hundred Hands as I Read one Man had and half as many Mouthes we would do as much as much with all our Hands and Mouths as we have done and so for the next II. That we will endeavour in like manner the extirpation of Popery the Rooting of it out What else and Pr●la●y they were never seperated these came-in together and they must go out together Ay but the 〈◊〉 and his Wi●● their Sons and their Daughters too Pray let me use those words I mean Illiterate Persons may stumble at this for indeed though Pr●lacy has won●erfully Blasted it self as Tyranny has done yet good words both Tyranny is but Government and Prelacy a Superioritie amongst Church-Men and this must be and we allow of it with all our Hearts Therefore the Po●ters and their Wi●es we finde them entring into Covenant will observe what follows for explication and cleering their doubt touching Prelacy for Popery they know it well enough It is A walking in the wayes of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin and after the Whoredomes of Ahab and Jezebels house i● lifting up the Eye and the Heart to lying vanities this is plain 〈◊〉 And now they will understand Prelacy as well for know one and know both that is Church Government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops and their Chancellors with their Etcetera's together with I cannot tell what to call it but I have heard it called The Refuse and Garbadge of their Courts depending and following the Hierarchy as their train or as the shaddow the Body bringing in Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse c. Let Baal Plead for Baal because not one but three Kingdoms have sworn to Cast out his Lordship and his Images and to break down their house perhaps and make it as Baals a draught house Let Baal Plead and bring forth strong Reasons The Potter and his Wife will not Plead for them for though they may live in the Remotest Parts of the Kingdom yet they are not such strangers to the Common-Wealth of Israel as not to know though they understand not the word Hierarchy * I● is a Sacre● principal●●●e for it had its Originall f●●m the Heat●ens Arch Flamin● and Fla●in● co●inued with a very little change and ●esse Reason up ●ll most to this ●ay It is a cu●sed Government crept into the Church ●nsteed of an Hiera●●●●a a Sacred service whi●h 1. a●● shall be these Persons what they are what Blasphemies they have spoken besides hard words what Heresies they have maintained what Injustice they have done ungodly deeds and what In lets they have been to Prophanesse These cannot be Ignorant That the Government by Archbishops has been Tyrannicall Pharaoh like from the first Archbishop to him that three yeers a gone sate in his Throne I say Pharaoh like and his Bishops for they were his and at his Beck he said unto them do ye this and they did it Countenance Altars they did it and more Give the People a grant to Riot on the Lords day they did it Stop the Mouths of the Ministers they did it Thrust in the vile Throwout the Pretious they did it his Bishops And his Bishops were as Pharaohs Task-masters grievous oppressors they have by help of their Chancellors and their Etcetera's St●r●ned the Church of God evermore And for their Superstitions how Grosse Palpable and how many and Heresies as many How many all these I have no leisure to number my haires now The hearing of them would make a Mans hai●es stand up-right and his ears to tingle These are so many and so horrid I le report but one Heresie and this I will report because it has been an In-let to that which follows ever Prophane●esse and has done the greatest disservice that is Imaginable to the Potters and their Wives I mean still my Poor Brethren and Sisters in the Countries that live in the dark under the droppings of Cathedralls and the Cure of the forementioned such Brutish Men. I le Name the Heresie and the Heretick whom I have not heard named hitherto either in the high Court or in the Assembly In good time we may hear he is both found and thrown-out for that end I will Name him And that both may appear else as the old Custome was and as Reason is I le appear for him to suffer his Censure You shall hear the Text first I will have Mer●y and Matth 9 13. Doct●r Turners Text of Scripture fear●ul●y blasphemed not Sacrifice I will take leave to explain it I hope to my Lords meaning and that the Simple may understand If thou art going to offer a Sacrifice and a Work of Mer●y offer it self to thee in thy way which cannot be delayed w●rk that Thy Good and Gracious Lord will dispence with thee now for His Sacrifice He will let that stand aside that the Work of Mer●y to thy Brother may be done Nay let me adde That Mer●y may ●e shewn to an Inferiour Creature to an Oxe or an Asse I do not account him as one Calls him a Brother Brother Oxe and Brother Asse yet that thou mayest shew Mercy to either of Both and to tell thee how well Pleasing the shewing of Mercy to the lowest Be●e Anseltur Creatures for His Mercy is over all is unto The Lord The God of Mercies He will let His Sacrifice give Place the while thou art shewing this Mercy in helping these out of the Di●●l● when thou seest him faln as thou art passing by to offer thy Sacrifice the Calves of thy Lips now Prayers and Praises

sold it Ahah would give the worth of it in money Ay but Naboth will not give nor sell away the Inheritance of his Father his Birth-right A notable example he would not part with his Birth-right All the Reason then in the world we should lift up our hand touching this matter as we have Protested and Covenanted twice heretofore * See Covenant asserted p. 5. touching our bounden duty to the Parliament 2. And to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person Object Defend His Person Defenders indeed These rise up against His Sacred Person bear Arms against His Power and Authoritie Answ I did not undertake at first to make Answer to this man an obstinate fellow having his Conscience seared he has Answer after Answer and Reason upon Reason to make his folly depart but words are lost in a Fools Ear Nay beat him as Wheat in a Morter it will not doe I confesse when I meet with this unreasonable man I depart from my self for I lose my patience I think verily this fellow and other like him are the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus I will not contend now but I will give him a shorter word then M●ney which is Italian a Plain Lye in Jnglish for he is in earnest and so am I too I will reprove this Cretian sharply and so let him go He is a Lyar a as he shall hear presenly for he findes himself ra●ked amongst his fellows We bear Arms against the most bloody Villains Monstrous Rebels that ever were upon the face of the Earth One of that Company a very young Procter in their Court tells us before he was aware They are all Papists A notorious abuse against the Popes Holinesse to Father such a Regiment of upon his Fatherhood Papa the Pope Hear what they are as one sets-them-out very well to the view of all the World They are a Colluvies a heap a gathering together of the Scum and Drosse and Garbage of three Kingdoms and more a most accursed Confederacie made up of Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre of Jesuites Papists and Atheists of Stigmaticall and Infamous Persons in all Lands Against these we bear Arms who have done as the Bishops before them set their foot c. as before and their mouth against Heaven Blasphemed the Holy One and His holy ones made all the Laws of Heaven and Earth void trampled the Word of Truth under foot and swear God Damne them the Lord Christ shall R●igne no more We have lifted up our hands against these Monsters this Viperous generation That we will destroy them from off the Earth and pluck his Majesties Sacred Person from amidst these cursed Hell-Hounds We are resolved so to do by all lawfull meanes The Person of the King a Sacred Person Anointed with oyl But his Soul the Person indeed we have lifted-up the hand That we will Pluck it according to the Power in our hands as a Brand out of the fire for his Soul dwels amongst Scorpions those that are set on fire He is amongst Lyons as David (g) Psal 7 4 complained so grievous it was to him It was his hearts grief that his Condition was such to be amongst Scorpions The King is Content to be where he is though in the same danger that David was We do Vow to pluck him thence to pray * That is the manner pray ●or his prese●●a●ion who se●ks their destin●tion 1 Cor. 4 12 13. incessantly for him as they do that can pray and so they pluck at him that is the violence they use and need there is of such a violence We lift up our hands to an hard work an hard work it is to deliver a man whether he will or no But yet the world must bear witnesse with our Consciences of our loyaltie We Vow nothing above strength but to pray and endeavour it to our utmost so we will so long as we have an hand to lift-up a Sword or Spear to put in them And for the Regall Authoritie that will maintain it selfe whether he will or not in the preservation and defence of the true Religion But we will endeavour it as was said that all the world may witnesse too That we have no thoughts or Intentions to diminish his Majesties just Power and Greatnesse IV. And as we swear our selves Faithfull to God and the King to our selves and our Birth-right To maintain the Regall Authoritie set over us so also we doe swear to Discover and make known all Incendiaries Malignants all who are Enemies to all this endeavouring to make all void and their utmost to cut asunder the Staffe of Beautie That the Covenant may break and the Staffe of Bands Z●●h 11. 10. That the Brotherhood may break betwixt Judah and Israel that is the Eye-sore But we have sworn to pursue these vile persons these Sanballats Tobiah's and Geshem's even to death sentenced thereunto by those that have Authoritie in their hands to cut off those Murtherers from the Earth or can give-out that Power unto others to execute the vengeance of the Lord upon them V. By the Providence of our good God and His exceeding kindnesse to His People we that were twain are now made one and as one Stick in Gods Hand Ez. 33. 19. ready to flee upon the Shoulders of the Philistines who were two Centuries agoe as Scorpions each to other flying each at others Faces and eating each others Is 9. 21. Is 11. 13. Arm Manassch Ephraim and Ephraim Manassch Now that the Lord hath Put such a Pri●e into our hands has caused the Envy of Ephraim to depart and made manifest their Adversaries to be the Adversaries of Judah also we doe Vow to set our Hearts to the maintenance of this Brotherhood That it may be kept firm and fast for ever VI. And do these Enemies and Adversaries what they can as they will do to the length of their Chain We Swear it lifting-up our hands to Heaven That we will do our utmost against them those open Adversaries and those more secret but more dangerous who give themselves to a detestable Indifferency or Newtralitie in this case which so much concerneth the Glory of GOD The good of the Kingdoms and Ho●our of the King We are sworn to doe our utmost that those may he Spewed sorth We will Eye them narrowly that make Divisions amongst us would thrust us from our God and withdraw us from our standing in firm Union each with other And we will wish that those were cut off that trouble us and what we cannot do for we work in our Sphear and according to our Capacitie and Power of Working We will Reveal to others who are in Authoritie and Place and will do it cut them off betimes who sow Tares of Discord so infesting and troubling us All which wee shall doe as in the sight of GOD That 's well for then here will be no respect of Persons If a Brother a

this way with every good man These are the turnings and windings of the crooked Serpent Thou hast vowed to serve God serve Him But for the matter of worship as God has prescribed And manner with the whole heart as God has commanded There is the opposition The main Brunt will be on the Lords Day touching that Solemnitie on that day and the Services proper to the day The man will perceive how subtle the Adversary is as much against the Due observing of The Lords Day as against The Lord Himself What needs all this strictnesse The Sabbath is made for Man not you for the Sabbath Sit out thy houre at Church in the Morning and as long at Evening and then recreate thy self God sayes He will have mercy Better and wiser then thy self say so and do so Archbishops and Bishops with their Curates and give thee fair allowance so to do in like manner as they do and teach Fool as thou art and slow to understanding what is Christian libertie Thou art now repeating the Sermon when thou mightest with lesse danger of an Earthly Prison when time was be elsewhere in the fields walking and doing after the Pleasure of thine own Eye Reader do not think slightly of this how ever it seems be confident the Devill works strongly and prevails mightily by precedents presenting before common Eyes the example of Bishops how they have or do walk before the People It is true there are examples of Gods Judgements which might be presented here in visible Characters and as terrible as was the writing on the Wall upon Dan 5. those that have done as the Divell has perswaded them and as the example of Bishops have led-on for has not The Lord Remembred all those abhominations the Breach of His onely Holy Day Has he not remembred all this and required it of the Bishops and those that have practised according to these abhominations The Bishops allowance and Rule But we go-on The Bishops carried it and their examples are snares at this day and their words eat as a Gangrene for which we ought and so we lift-up the hands to be humbled for what our own hearts have done and what the Bishops have done and because we were so well content to have it so I did not value the Everlasting Gospel If I had so done I had contended for it and more set my self against my self and those Men and their Doctrines But I return where I digressed how the Divell works with this Man now he has lifted up his hand to the living God The Divell tells him If thou wilt be strict be strict for thy self be not so for thy Houshold Children and Servants there they may take the Recreations as is allowed them by the Bishops who are not so precise No their houses were the Tabernacles of Robbers and as the Mountains of Prey Wilder Folk then Satyr's danced there Therefore though their house be not yet made a Dunghill as that infamous Lords-House was 2 Kings 10. 27. yet Blessed be God they are Prisons to hold those who are almost as bad as themselves and made so bad by their Bishops example Thou wilt Pardon me Reader if I am confused here when I look off my own heart as too often I do then I look upon Archbishops Bishops and their Curates all the Brutish Pastors in the Land as upon the fomentors of these Divisions Causers of these Distractions Authors of these Confusions in our Land Therefore I shall never mention them or any of these but as Jeroboam is mentioned in the Sacred Records Archbishops and Bishops c. That made Israel to sin Prophaning The Lords Day by a Law stopping the Mouths of Ministers thrusting them aside to hang like an Instrument whose strings are let-down or thrust-up into a corner as if of no more worth then themselves like a Vessell wherein is no Pleasure We Vow to be humbled for all these Blasphemies Impieties Iniquities for all that our own beguiled hearts have done here and all that these men have done by their examples We Vow also to be avenged of them and to reforme every man himself there to Center Reformation And thus the good Souldier A Christian indeed maintaining his Militia Resolved for his own part the Subject of the next Treatise and so by the good hand of God with him he confounds his Adversarys and lives above example according to the Rule and Tenour of the Curse and Oath he has entered into and to follow no man now but as he follows Christ Who is given a Leader and Commander to His People And so to take care speciall care of his family also intrusted to his care by The Lord Himself as in another Case and in a figure that Man (a) 1 King 20. 39. was See unto them thy Children thy Servants there they have the like precious Soul all one at that point of Cure Children and Servants all one their Souls as pretious as thine bought with the same Price Heirs to the same Inheritance pretious Souls as thine Thine and Theirs more pretious then a World then all earthly things there more ex●elling then the San when it shines in his strength These Souls are thy charge look to them if they miscarry if th●se perish by thy means and default they dye in their sins but their blood shall be required at thy hands life for life though not in exchange yet both shall perish together Therefore this man considering the terrour of the Lord walks wisely in the midst of his house he keeps a day to The Lord himself so shall his house too all the persons within his gates To be short in so clear a matter so fully charged upon the Governers for Souls know no sex Abraham will command his children (b) Gen 18. 1● As for me and my House we will serve the Lord (c) Iosh 24. 15. I and my Maidens (d) Este● 4 16 feared God with all his House (e) Act. 10. 2. Reformation is Personall it is centered and bottomed in self self Reformation in the heart and life He hath lifted-up the hand To all this he has subscribed his Name unto it We must now observe in the second place the solemnitie of these Actions and then we shall the better see every man his own engagement II. He lifts up his hand he subscribes his name His hand next week may be asleep in the dust but he has subscribed his Name That lives when the Man is dead But the least is in that though that tells it to posteritie ce●tainly there was never such a thing so done in our Israel A. Yes you will say we protested and entred into Covenant twice in all the Peoples sight ● T●ue but we did not lift up the hand I do not doubt but every honest man lifte●-up the heart those other times To that solemn Work Vow and Covenant formerly entered into A That is the better P●s●●●e of the two is it not B. No