friends when you have read and considered what I have written and tried it by the Word of God if then you shall finde any thing too light or useless that you will impute it to that imperfect part which in some measure doth dwell in all men and remain fully assured that what I want in words and expressions is fully made up in my affection toward the State and Commonwealth in general Thus destring that what is according to Truth and sound Reason may be profitable to all I commit what is written to your serious consideration and impartial judgement and you into the hands of the Lord and remain to the utmost of my power Your faithful brother stedfast in the faith of the Gospel of Iesus Christ And his servant for your sakes HENRY HAGGAR The Particulars of the Book are in order at followeth I. THat it is God alone that ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and they have nothing to do to question him how whether it be by Kings as supreme Heads as in and after the days of Saul David and Solomon or by the Elders of the people to rule and judge them as before there was any King but God himself in Israel II. What it is to rule with God III. What was the original of Monarchy amongst men or whence it first came that a man should bear the name of King over the people of God IV. Who is of the Royal blood V. Who is now the Lords Anointed VI What is Gods desine against the Kings and Rulers of the Nations in these last days VII Wherfore he will destroy them VIII What they may or should do to escape the hand of God lifted up against them IX What the Saints and people fearing God should do in these days of vengeance X. Their duty to this Present Power acknowledged and they vindicated from the reproaches and slanders falsly cast upon them by wicked men Viz. That they are the false Prophets of the last times and those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine of Christ and the ignorant and unlearned that Peter speaks of which wrest the Scripture to their own destruction and despise Government and are not afraid to speak evil of dignities and will not obey Magistrates but have slain their King c. No King but JESVS c. ANd now according to the method propounded I shall proceed to shew first that it is God alone that ruleth and men have nothing to do to question how whether it be by Kings as supreme heads as in and after the days of Saul David and Solomon or by the Elders of the people to rule and judge them as before there was any King but God himself in Israel But now let me not be mistaken and abused as if I went headlong without wisdom or the fear of God to rail against kingly power or Kings like those that spake evil of things they know not for I approve of Kings and Rule by Kings as well as of ruling or judging the people by Elders but it must always be considered in all ages and generations of the world what Rule and Rulers God doth approve of for it is he that setteth up one and pulleth down another and he it is that ruleth in the kingdoms of men and giveth them to whomsoever he will yea and setteth over them the basest of men Dan. 4.17.25 And now let us consider if the God of heaven did in that age take away the Kingdom and Dominion of the whole earth from Nebuchadnezzar that head of gold and turn him out a grasing among the Oxen and give his kingdom to whomsoever he pleased then let not men in this generation think it strange though God Almighty hath taken away the kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland which are but a small part of the earth from Charles Stuart and given them to the honorable Parliament which were indeed at first confirmed by him before his evil Counsel had drawn him away from them therefore none can say they gathered together without him to conspire against him for they gathered together to him and were confirmed by him and with him and he with them and so were a lawful Assembly of Magistrates according to the Law of God and a lawful Parliament according to the Law of Nations and from this lawful Assembly and powers ordained of God he withdrew and by evil Councel rent himself from them and would come no more at them notwithstanding all the invitations they gave him in all humility as will yet appear by their Propositions and Remonstrances all which plainly sheweth the immediate hand of God against him and against his family his sins and the sins of his forefathers being now at the full And further let it be considered that God will have the living men to know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will yea and settetth over it the basest of men Dan. 4.17 Now if the Lord will take a Kingdom from a King and give it to the basest of men how can the most honourable of men help it They may gnaw their tongues for anger and blaspheme the God of Heaven yea they may be found fighters against God as many have been but they shall not prosper as we see they have not in our days consider it for it was not because they wanted the noble blood for they had the King himself and the greatest Nobles in the Land with them neither was it because they wanted stout men of resolved spirits for they had of the prime of the Nation as they themselves have oftentimes boasted and for the number of men they far exceeded and the affections of the Country were generally towards them therefore it was the immediate hand of God against them who in his time pulleth down one and setteth up another whom he pleaseth who at this time hath pulled down the King and Lords of this Nation and hath and will make the Elders thereof Rulers and Judges in their places and who can say to him What doest thou Be wise now therefore O ye kings and be instructed ye that are judge's of the earth Psal. 2.10 Be still and know that he is God learn to know that The Lord of hosts is with us and the the God of Jacob is our refuge Psal. 46.10 11. Again that God alone is King and ruleth the Nations how he pleaseth or by whom he pleaseth is evident by considering that in 1 Sam. 12.12 where the Lord by Samuel reproveth the children of Israel for chusing another King besides himself in these words And you said Nay but a king shall reign over us when the Lord your God was your king And again he saith When they said Give us a King they rejected the Lord that he should not reign over them 1 Sam. 8.7 Therefore the Lord lamenteth over them saying O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help I will be thy king for there
at mine hand and cause all the Nations to whom I send thee to drink it Consider what Nations ver. 18.19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. First Jerusalem and the Cities of Judah and the kings and Princes thereof to make them a desolution an astonishments and hissing and a curse as it is at this day We are sure this is true that they are a hissing and a curse at this day why then should the other be so incredible namely that he will destroy all the Kings of the Nations with their honorable Princes if they stand up against him and against his Anointed as followeth Pharoah King of Egypt and his Servants and his Princes and all his people and all the mingled people and all the Kings of the Land of Vz and all the Kings of the Land of the Philistines and Ashkolon and Azzah and Ekron and the remnant of Ashdod Edom and Moab and the children of Ammon and all the Kings of Tyrus and all the Kings of Zidon and the Kings of the isles beyond the sea Dedan and Tema and Buz and all that are in the utmost corners the Lord will find them out and all the Kings of Arabia and all the Kings of the mingled people that dwel in the desert and all the Kings of Zimri and all the Kings of Elam and all the Kings of the Medes and all the Kings of the north far and near one with another and all the Kingdoms of the world that are upon the face of the earth c. To all these was the Prophet sent to declare to them the words of the Lord of hosts the God of Israel namely that they should drink and be drunken and spue and fall and rise no more because of the sword which I will send among them The certainty of it doth further appear in the 28 29 verses where he saith If they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drinke then shalt thou say to them Thus saith the Lord of hosts Ye shall certainly drink for lo I begin to bring evil upon the City which is called by my name viz. Jerusalem and shall ye be utterly unpunished Ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of hosts Thus is the designe of the Lord of hosts made plain by the Holy Scriptures of truth and not by any cunning devised fables or fancies of my own brain These sayings are faithfull and true therefore they will come to pass in their appointed times And that they are not yet come to pass is plaine to all that do understand for most of the Kings of the nations are yet in their pompe and glory and are enemies to the Lords Anointed therefore he will avenge himself upon them speedily for these be the days of vengence in which all things that are written in the Prophets against the enemies of Christ must be fulfilled Luke 21.22 And now in the earth is distress of nations and perplexity and mens hearts failing them for feare and for looking after the things that are coming on the earth For the signes of the coming of the Lord are now amongst us even here in England and the beginning of sorrows is in the nation the Lord hath now begun to make us drink of this bitter cup and it will be great mercy if we drink no deeper notwithstanding some murmur and complain it is because their eyes are not open to see God's designe now upon the face of the earth if they did they would see more cause to give thanks to the Lord for his mercies then to murmur against him for his favourable and gentle chastisements he hath not dealt so with every nation and if England escape thus it will be very strange to me and so I beleive it will be to all that rightly understand what God is now doing and his work which he will accomplish upon the face of the earth yet before the end for he hath not yet made a man more precious then fine gold even a man then the golding wedge of Ophir Isa. 13.11 12. neither hath he made the earth empty and laid it waste and scattered the inhabitants thereof Is 24.1 2 3. but when it shall thus be in the midest of the land among the peoples there shall be as the shaking of an olive-tree and as the gleaning of the grapes when the vintage is ended they shall lift up their voice and sing for the majesty of the Lord ver. 13.14 Therefore let the wicked and ungodly men that know not Christ and obey not his holy Gospel but are enemies and will not that he should reigne over them let them howl for sorrow of heart for their sorrows are begun and the day of the Lord is at hand and it shall come as a destuction from the Almighty then shall all their hands be faint and every mans heart shall melt and they shall be afraid pangs of sorrow shall take hold of them they shall be in pain as a woman in travel they shall be amazed one at another and their face shall be as flames Isa. 13.6 7 8. But let those that feare the Lord and keep his commandements rejoyce and lift up their heads for the day of their Redemption draweth nigh For it shall come to pass even in those days that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Luk. 21.28 Act. 2.21 The next thing in order to be observed is wherefore God will destroy them Answ. Because in all ages they have been his enemies and the persecuters of him and his Saints Those they were that in the time of the Law being deluded and blinded by the false prophets did persecute and kill the prophets of the Lord as in Ahabs days Zedekiahs days and Jehoiakims days Ier. 26.29 chap. 37.12 13 14 15. with 1 King 9.9 10. and chap. 24.25 26 27. They also were the men in Christs days which by wicked hands brought him to his end as it is written Act. 4.26 The Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ for of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anoninted both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel are gathered together c. This is the generation the Lord speaks of Mat. 23. calling of of them Serpents and generation of vipers saying to them How can you escape the damnation of hell because they had slain the Prophets and righteous men that lived in their days and in the days of their forefathers This is that wicked spirit of persecution which all along from Cain to the end of the world hath reigned and will reigne in the hearts of all ungodly men and women to persecute and kill the Saints Therefore saith Paul Gal. 4.29 As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now and Christ
is none other that may save thee in all thy Cities Hol. 13.9 10. Again the people of the Nation of England need not so much to wonder and be disturbed at what the Lord hath done for it was always Gods way and work if any King displeased him he would pull him down and set up another whom he pleased yea even the basest of men therefore saith Dan. 2.21 He changeth the times and seasons he removeth kings Witness also his dealing with the Kings of Israel First his rejecting of Saul from being King and rending the kingdom from him and giving of it to his neighbour 1 Sam. 15.23 28. Secondly The Lord rent the kingdom again from David's house for Solomons Idolatry 1 King 11.11 and gave it to Jeroboam his servant which came to pass ver. 30 31. Thirdly The Lord took away the kingdom from his house in the days of his son Nadab and gave it Baasha the son of Ahijah 1 King 15.25 26 27 28. Fourthly He took it away from him and gave it to Zimri his servant See 1 King 16.2 3 15. And for his wickedness he gave it to Omri ch. 16.22 23. Again The Lord took away the kingdom from the house of Omri in Ahabs days it was prophesied and accomplished in the days of Joram See King 9.6 7 8 9. to the end Thus it is cleerly proved that God alone ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth But it will be Objected That God did this to them for their wickedness but who can say King Charles was so wicked Answ. As for his wickedness it 's possible to make it appear he had some but I shall leave that to God to judge of onely this I dare assirm that some of the fore-named Kings were as good and as holy men as King Charles and did as many good things for the honour and glory of God in their generation as ever he did and had as much of the knowledge of God in them and more then ever he had as it appeareth by Saul 1 Sam. 10.9 10 11 12 13. David and Solomon Therefore for shame let not that be pleaded for if Saul onely for sparing the sheep and oxen with a good intent to offer sacrifice to God with them and for shewing mercy to Agag King of the Amalekites must have his Kingdom rent from him 1 Sam. 15.19 20 21 22. because he had left undone the commandment of God surely then it may be proved by the things already declared against Charles Stuart in print to the view of all men to which I refer you that he was so great a sinner that the great God that searcheth the hearts and is a true beholder of the inward parts of man hath seen so much evil in him as might in justice move him to take away his Kingdom and Dominion from him and lay his honour in the dust and will without question at the great day make it appear to the faces of all them that do oppose him to whom I leave it with what is written and proceed to the second which is to consider what it is to rule with God We read Hos. 11.12 the words of the Lord by the Prophet are these Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes and the house of Israel with deceit but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithful with the Saints From whence I thus reason That that power which is faithful with the Saints or to the Saints to protect them in well-doing that Power doth rule with God Secondly those people that do the good and acceptable will of God by keeping the holy and righteous commands of God given by Jesus Christ in these last days Heb. 1.1 2. with Act. 3.22 23. they are the righteous and holy people and the Saints of God and that Power and Authority that protects and preserves such a people in so doing doth protect and preserve the Saints But the present power and Authority of this Nation of England do protect such a people in so well doing Therefore they rule with God and are faithful to the Saints and do hereby honour God by having respect to his children and them that fear him And they which honour me I will honour saith the Lord but they which despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.50 And such a Power we must needs be subject to not onely for fear of wrath but also for conscience sake for they are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Again those Rulers that are a terrour to good works do not rule with God for Rulers And Powers ordained of God are not a terrour to good works but to evil See Rom. 13.1 2 3. Therefore saith the Lord Prov. 29.2 When the righteous are in authority the people rejoyce but when the wicked bear rule the people mourn And the truth is were it not to suppress the wicked that would destroy the Saints as Cain slew his brother Abel there should need no Power nor Law amongst men but the law of Love for the law was not made for the righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient c. And the powers that are ordained of God were not ordained to be revengers of wrath upon good men that keep the Commandments of God but upon evil men that break them And thus it is plain that those Magistrates and Rulers which are faithful with the Saints to preserve and keep them in well-doing That Power is of God and ruleth with God and it shall stand against all opposers And we may safely conclude That that Power which is used to vex persecute and destroy the Saints and honest men searing God is not of God and therefore it shall not stand But the Power in King Charles his days was so used as many honest conscientious men can testifie by woful experience therefore it was not of God and is thrown down But it will be objected that now since the King is gone there is as great persecution taxing and oppressing of men as ever To which I abswer I positively deny that honest conscientious men that fear God and desire to live in peace are persecuted as before But indeed if any conspire and rebel against this present power of the Nation of England so wonderfully set up and preserved by God himself it is their policie and good wisdom to suppress such malignant spirits by confining their persons to such places as they may do least hurt in and by sequestring their estates to make use of them for the best advantage of the Commonwealth And indeed to that end they are a power ordained of God even to take vengeance and execute wrath upon them that do evil Therefore if any man would not fear the present Power let him do that which is good and he shall have praise of the same See Rom. 13.2 3 4. Secondly whereas many complain of Taxes and oppression by Taxes more then ever I answer There was never such occasion for Taxes as
coming of Christ did ever bear the name of the Lords Anointed so much as in the type but onely those that were Kings and had rule over Gods own peculiar people Abrahams seed which teacheth us thus much That none are now the Lords Anointed but he onely he that is Lord and King over the house of Israel Abrahams seed which in Christ the Lord that was borne King of the Jews Mat. 22. whom God hath Anointed himself not with oyle-olive sweetly perfumed but with the oyle of gladness above his fellows Heb. 1.9 even with the Holy Spirit of wisdome and understanding and of Counsel and might and of knowledge and the fear of the Lord See Act. 10.30 with Isa. 11.2 5. he is the Lords Anointed to whom God hath given a name above every name and him hath God highly exalted and set him at the right hand of his Majesty on high far above all Principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Psa. 2.9 10 11. with Eph. 1.20 21 22. And to him hath God committed all power in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.10 to give commandments to the sons of men for whom he hath dyed Act. 3.22 23 24. and also to reward them that observe and do them with the things promised which is to partake of the same eternall life and glory with himself that the Father hath given him according to these Scriptures Psal. 103.17 18. Rom. 2.6 7. chap. 8.17.1 Pet. 1.3 4 Rev. 2.26.27 chap. 3.21 22 chap. 22.14 and to reward those that know him not and obey not his holy Gospel according to their works Rom. 2.8 9. To those that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness he will render indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil whether Jew or Gentile and will destroy them with an everlasting destruction from the presence of God and the glory of his power And this honour and glory he received from God the Father in the holy mount when Peter James John were eye-witnesses of his Majesty and that voyce they heard that came from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18. This is the Lords Anointed who is the onely King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Justice even all the Judges of the earth Counsel is his and sound wisdome he is understanding and he hath strength Prov. 8.14 15 16. he loves them that love him and those that seek him early shall find him But those his enemies that will not that he should Reigne over them shall be brought and slaine before him Luke 19.27 And thus have I shown and clearly proved by the Scriptures that Christ is the Lords anointed King onely and alone and none of the Kings of the Nations can have any right to such a title any otherways then the Saints and all that fear God in generall have which is by partaking of the same anointing Spirit through believing as it is written The anointing that ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as that anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth 1 John 2.27 And againe he saith We have an unction from the holy One vers. 20. and he that stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.21 22. and this anointing is as proper to a Begger as to a King if he be a believer and if a King be an unbeliever he hath no Right at all to it for there is no respect of persons with God but he hath chosen the poor in this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome prepared for them that love him James 2.5 And he hath revealed his Truth to Babes and Sucklings and hid it from the wise and prudent Insomuch that Paul saith that none of the Princes of this world knew it For had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.7 8. Therefore saith James 1.9 10. Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted but the Rich in that he is made low For God will raise them both up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.6 And he will make them partakers of his fulness and members of his Body of his flesh and of his Bones Chap. 5.30 Therefore let the Kings Princes and Rulers of the Nations be wise and learn to know what the Lord meaneth when he faith Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm For he that once reproved Kings for their sakes and slew great and Famous ones for them Psal. 105.14.15 with 136.17 18. is now about to reprove all the Kings upon the face of the Earth for their sakes as I shall now make it appear by shewing Gods dedesigne against them in these last days And first The designe of God and his purpose is in this last age of the world to staine the pride of all their Glory and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the Earth Isa. 23.9 and to pour contempt upon Princes and to cause them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way and to set the poor on high from affliction and to make him families like a flock Psa. 107.40 41. Again the purpose of the Lord is to sacrifice the flesh of Kings and mighty men and the Chiefe of the Earth and to give their flesh to be meat to the fowls of Heaven Rev. 19.17 18. with Ezek. 19.17 18. where he saith They shall eat the flesh of the mighty and dâ—ink the blood of the Princes of the earth Now if the Lord will do these things to the great and mighty Kings and Princes of the earth who then can give them honour and deliver them in the day of his wrath And that the Lord will do it consider further what is written Jer. 25.31 32. A noise shall come from the ends of the Earth for the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations he will plead with all flesh he will give them that are wicked to the sword Thus saith the Lord of hosts Behold evil shall go forth from Nation to Nation This the Lord will do untill he have stained the pride of all their glory viz. untill he have taken away their Kings wherein they glory and of whom they so much boast That this is so consider the fore-going words They shall eat the flesh of Kings and Princes and mighty men and chief Captaines and of all that stand up with them against the Lord And for further confirmation of these words consider what is written Ier. 25.15 Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel to me Take the wine-cup of this fury
saith The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God good service And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me Joh. 16.2.3 And indeed who have been the chiefest actors in it but the Kings and Princes of the nations which as Paul saith knew not God nor the hidden wisdom of God for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.7 8. and the reason why they did not know it was because they suffered the wicked priests and false prophets of the times to blind the eyes of their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into their souls 2 Cor. 4.3 4. And this they effected by handling the word of God deceitfully changing the truth into a lye teaching for doctrines the commandments of men in stead of the commands of God given us by Christ So walking in cratiness smoothing over their deceits with a company of good words and false speeches thereby deceiving the hearts of the simple and through covetousness and sained words have made merchandise of their souls Rom. 16 17 18 with 2 Pet. 2.2 3. and indeed it 's no marvell though it be thus for it is the policy of Satan to gain the Kings and rulers of the nations to him self for by that meanes he can easily suppress the people of God living under them and also delude and deceive those that have not the knowledg of God amongst them by the examples of them in authority for look what religion the Kings and rulers of the nations are of the same generally the people are as for example The Kings of Israel and the rulers there of if they were good the people were the better but if they were evill the people were generally wicked and therefore it is said 1 King 14.15 16. The Lord shall smite Israel as a reed is shaken in the water and he shall root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers and he shall give up Israel because of the sins of Jereboans who did sin and who made Israel to sin We may likewise observe the same in Judah in the days of Rehoboam the son of Solomon 1 King 14.21 22 23 24. in these words And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord and provoked him to jealousie with their sins which they had committed above all that their fathers had done c. The same things may be observed by us of late days here in England for in the days of Edward the sixth the people were Protestants but in Queen Marys days they were Papists for shee and the Rulers were soland in Queen Elizabeths days again Protestants for she and the rulers were so Thus we see it is the fashion of the nations and of our nation of England also to be of that Religion that their Kings Nobles and Rulers were and great reason for first its praise-worthy and highly commendable in the sight of men to be so secondly it is the way to live in peace and to escape the crose of Christ But let us remember that what is highly esteemed in the sight of men is abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16.16 Again the Lord will avengâ— himself upon them because they have persecuted his Saints without a cause as is written Psal. 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause because they have given their power to the beast and suffered that serpentine and viperous generation of false prophets and deceivers to make use of them to persecute and destroy the Saints and Children of the most high God notwithstanding he hath said Psa. 116.15 Right dear and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and that he will require it at the hands of this generation Mat. 23.33 34 35 36. with Rev. 18.24 where he saith that in her was found the blood of all the Saints and Prophets and all that are slain upon the earth Eightly It is to be considered what the Kings and rulers of the nations may or should do to escape the hand of God lifted up against them for although there be a generall distruction pronounced against the Kings and Princes of the nations their sins and the sins of their fore-fathers being at the full without respect of persons yet it is not without respect of their conditions but except they repent as Christ saith they shall all perish Luke 13.5 as we also see in Jon. 3.4 When the Lord by the Prophet had pronounced destruction to Nineveh within fourty days yet we see when they acknowledged their sins and humbled themselves before the Lord he was pleased to forgive them and spare their King and their City according to his gratious promise as we may read Ier. 18.6.7 8.9 10. in these words At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation on a Kingdom to pluck up or to pull down and destroy it if that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them And at what instant I speak concerning a nation and a Kingdom to build and plaint it if that nation do evil in my sight that it obey not my voice then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them Thus we see the Lord hath gratiously left open a door of repentance for them to escape thorow although it s to be feared that very few will make use of it notwithstanding my humble advice is to all in generall that they will let the counsell of the Lord be acceptable unto them which in these words is expressed Be wise now therefore ye Kings and be instructed ye that are Judges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psa. 2.10 11. Break of your sins by righteousness and your iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor if it may be a lengthening of your tranquility Dan. 4.27 for who can tell whether God will turn and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that they perish not Seeing also he hath said Jer. 18.8 If that nation against whom I have spoken turne from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them But more particularly I shall apply my self to the honourable Rulers of this nation whose happiness with the prosperity of the whole nation I much long after and dayly pray for the continuing and perfecting of and to that end I shall make bold to put your Honors in mind of these following particulars not as one proudly taking in hand to teach you but humbly and in the fear of God to advise you as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord First That you will fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your hearts and consider what great things he hath done for you for if you and the nation shall still do wickedly we shall be consumed 1 Sam.