refining and securing it unto uâ— How welt it is refined and secured your selves may judge by the present Complexion of our Dear Mother stript and mangled and wounded to death by the sons of her own bowels Her Government dissolved Her Feasts the Religious Commemorations of the great mysterie of salvation abolished Her sacred Forms of Prayer the sweet harmony and agreement of hearts and voices vilified and scorned Her Prophets the Ambassadours of Christ for Peace and Reconciliation imprisoned impoverished and reputed as the filth and off-scouring of the world Her Champions that should maintain her Doctrine against the frauds and fallacies of her subtle and malicious Adversaries expell'd and banished the School of the Prophets Her Doctrine extracted purely from the Fountain of living water invaded and trampled into a muddy puddle Her Discipline discharged and tâ—reatned not daring to appear against avouched and professed Heresies and Blasphemies Her Temples either defaced and demolished or else locked up by the Military Power Insomuch that in one of her Cities as I have been credibly informed viz. Lincoln the Sacramental Bread and Wine hath not been communicated for three years together And lastly the True Protestant Religion which bâ— solemn Protestation we were obliged tâ— maintain is now squeezed into such â— narrow room that few or none dare owâ— the Profâ—ssion of it unless it be upon thâ— scaffold where innocence is secured from any future blow of malice So that as when a mirrour is broken in pieces it represents the same object divided and deformed which before was entirâ— and amiable so the Bond and Composurâ— of Religion when it is once broken anâ— dissolved is apt to splinter it self into â— thousand Heresies and Schismes which nothing less then a miracle can piece and redintegrate Thus by sad experience we see our just and angry God hath forsaken his House deserted his Heritage given the dearly beloved of his soul into the hands of her enemies Jer. 12. 7. And now how do our enemies round about us thâ— Jesuite abroad and the Schismatick aâ— home I and the infernal spirits under usâ— clap their malicious hands saying There There so would we have it not knowing that the severest Persecution is not the weakest Argument of the Gospels Profession in its greatest candor and sincerity In the second place if you shall cast your eyes upon the Civil Government you cannot but discern the goodliest Fabrick of the Christian world demolished and dissolved into nothing else but rubbish and confusion Certainly God was not well pleas'd with your disputing the rights of King and Parliament by Tumults and Arms and secret fallaciesâ— who hath suffered you to wade into that difpute so far and with such ill success as to have neither King nor Parliament left you for your shelter and protection unless it be such a Parliament as God in his justice hath design'd to be the general grievance and disease of the Kingdom Not to expatiate far in describing the excellency of the Regal beyond all other kinds of Government whatsoever as having its foundation first in Nature and afterwards its establishment over that People where God himself was the Legislative Power 'T will be enough to satisfie all dis-interessed Persons to know that it was propounded unto the Israelites not only as the best form of Government but as a reward of Vprighteousness and Integrity and a particular expression of Gods mâ—rcy and favour towards them as appears Jer. 22. 34. Thus saith the Lord Execute ye Judgement and righteousness and deliver the spoyled out of the hand of the Oppressor and do no wrong noâ— violence to the stranger fatherless and widdow and then shall there enter in by the gates of this House Kings sitting upon the Throne of David riding on Chariots and Horses he and his servants and his people And when that people should sin themselves out of that blessing See how God threatens them with a contrary punishment Isa 3. 5. The people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour the child shal behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable And for that Text which is so much insisted on to prove the evil of this Government be that shall look upon it with a single eye as men ought to look upon those sacred Oracles shall find that the people were not reproved for asking a King for that kind of Government was determined unto them long before as appears Deut. 17. 15. but for rejecting their God They have not rejected thee but me they have rejected 1 Sam. 8. 7. Sure I am the Scripture cannot contradict it self which says For the Transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof Prov. 28. 2. And Balaam being enlightned from God and prophecying of the future prosperity of Israel contracts the character of a peoples felicity into a very few words saying The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them Numb 23. 21. And if these Texts be looked upon as Old Testament and so of Jewish concernment only see â—hat was prophesied many hundred years before upon the accession of the Gentiles wherein we â—uo selves are included Behold I will lift up mine hand unto the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring thy sons in their arms and thy daughters upon their shoulders and kingâ— shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queenâ— thy nursing Mothers Isa 49. 22 23. If it be yet objected that the forecited Text speaks only of some favours which the Church was to receive from the indulgence and benignity of some Heathen Kings and Emperours and that Christs Kingdom is spiritual and the subjects there of discharged of their obedience to any Temporal Monarch Such may know that they have borrowed an Argument from the Jesuits that savours more of subtility and ends then any true solidity and is sufficiently answered 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him c. and if you would know who they are who are thus commanded to submit they are described v. 9 to be a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People Terms of as high sanctity and priviledge as any can pretend to within the Christian Pale All which I have mentioned only to lay before your eyes that ancient and glorious form of Government which our blessed Reformers by your concurrence and engagement would pluck up by the roots and abâ—ure for ever as if it were some monstrous or accursed thing To this may be added the experience we have had of this Government for so many generations and the dismal change we have tasted from the want of it for these last seven yeers enough to write that counfel of Solomon upon our hearts with a pen of iron My son fear thou the Lord
of blood-shedding more ways then perhaps you are aware of Tâ—… only I shall namâ— first in contributing assistance to the fact before it is committed 2ly by approbation and justification of thâ— fact after it is committed For to borrow 〈◊〉 resemblance from the learned Salmasius upon another reflection what think ye Suppose a Gentleman who is peaceably pâ—ssessed of his house and estate shall be assaulted and surprized by a combination of theeves receiving strength encouragement from the neighbours tenants and servants of that Gentleman This man by this conspiracy is robbed stripped and dispossessed of his estate bound hand and foot and tyed unto a tree and there left tâ—ll a wild beast comes and destroys him when inquisition shall be made for the blood of this man it will be very easie to determâ—ne at whose dore the guilt will be found namely at the tenants and servants in some degree as well as at the grand Conspirators Or suppose these theeves shall be so impudent and pleasant in their wickedness as in a mockery of justice to erect a Court among themselves and execute their own votes and conclusions in a form of Law upon pretence the Gentleman was none of the best husbands of his estate will this extenuate the murder or palliate the violence or clear the adherents I trow not but will prove rather an high aggravation of the wickedness I shall leave every man to make his own application with this assertion only That he that is not ashamed to draw up a charge against himself in this particular is in the hopefullest way to obtain his pardon It was our Saviours change against the Scribes and Pharisees that his Fathers house which was wont to be called the house of prayer was by them made a den of theeves Mat. 21. 13. I would to God it were in the power either of my Pen or Prayers to cleer those that sit at Westminster once the house of God of this deep guilt or You of your assistance or aâ—herence to them in contracting it for they who at first with Absolom stole away the hearts of our Israel upon pretence of a zealous care of Religion and Judicature have since thrived so well in their dâ—sign by the strong contribution of our sins as hath enabled them to rob God himself of his truth and honour the King of his revenue and life and the Church of its patrimony the Kingdom of its peace and all peaceable and faithful men of their secular iâ—terests and while they please themselves with the sad execution of some petty robbers whoâ— their injuries have driven into extremâ— want these sit undaunted and unconâ—roul'â— upon the throne of iniquity like the greaâ— whore upon the many headed Beast carving to themselves the satisfactions of their own pride ambition and covetousness bâ— vertue of their unjust and byassed Ordinances imposed as so many snares upoâ— the tame infatuated and abused people But you 'l say what we have done hiâ— therto in twisting with these men we have done either out of ignorance or compulsion not suspecting their ways would have been so bloody and abominable or their ayms so vast and particular to themselves Well if this plea of yours be as sincere as it is plausible you have the less to answer for But yet give me leave with an Apostle to profess the fears and jealousies I have of you and to tell you that when you went to Whitehal in your long boats with the mouth of your Canon toward your Soveraign instructing the whole Kingdom to follow you in that loud clamour I am sure you were not prest into that strange service Or admit that unhappy officiousnes of yours wanted eys to guide it unto its right object and that you mistook Whitehal for the black house of Commons by the direction and perswasion of those Prophets who put light for darkness and darkness for light Is 5. 20. Yet it seems very strange to me that you whose judgements are presumed to be above the ordinary pitch of other mens by the advantage you have of forrain observation you who have found the high reputation you had formerly with all Nations where you were employed changed intâ— contempt and scorn for your unnatural anâ— barbarous deportment toward your King You who were many of you obliged by paâ—ticular Trusts and endearments You wâ—… have bin eaten up to bare bone by the caterpillars of the Land who have felt thâ— little finger of your severe masters heaviâ— then the loyns of your late pious Soveraigâ— to the honour and approbation of the ship mony-tax by all posterity You that havâ— served an apprentiship of more then 7. yeeâ— to these Egyptian Taskmasters seen theâ— jugling Arts found your selves cheated often in your expectations that you whâ— all the world beside look upon them as thâ— prodigious monsters of this age should be far bâ—witched with their sorceries as to bâ— still their servants or slaves and no Pilat wife among you to suggest a Christian caâ—tion is a sad and sâ—ur fate which I not 〈◊〉 much admire as condole and which indeeâ— hath commanded this plain dealing Treâ—tise into publike view So that what before by the eye of God and man might be lookt upon as a sin of Ignorance like that of the 200. men who by smooth perswasions were induced to follow Absolom in Rebâ—llion in simplicity of heart not knowing whither they went 2 Sam. 15 11. will now be found if ye persist longer therein a sin of choise and deliberate resolution wherein ye declare to the world pretend what you will that you highly approve of the unparalleld iniquities of these men and not only do the same things your selves but take pleasure in them that do them as well as take pay from them and contract their guilt unto your own souls in a deeper measure by your Approbation then you have done by Acting with them For give me leave to argue and conclude no otherwise then the Scripture does Was Saul found guilty of the blood of the Protomartyr Stephen only for consenting to his death and keeping the rayment of them that slew him Act. 8. and are not those men guilty of their Soveraigns blood who by their clamorous Petitions cried aloud first for no Treaty with him and afterward no mercy on him and since have seized not his rayment only but also his revenue and are resolv'd to do as much by the heyr if God preserve him not that the inheritance may be setled in themselves What difference was there in point of guilt between the hands that drave the nails in our Saviours crucifixion and the bold Souldiers that stood by to maintain the execution What difference between the Souldiers that were upon the scaffold where our Soveraign was murthered and those which stood under the scaffold and drew their swords in approbation of that fatal stroke which at once cut off the head of our King and dismantled the Peace and felicity of his three Kingdoms
Or what difference between those that then drew their swords in approbation of that horrid fact and those that now draw their swords in defence of those visible betrayers and murtherers sure if there be any difference the last are by much the deeper delinquents for Non semper corrupta est mens male operantis at semper corrupta est male defendentis The mind of him that worketh evil is not alwaies corrupt but the mind of him that defendeth evil is alwaies corrupt And the reason why this sin is so fearful and desparate is because when a man commends and justifies a wickedness knowing it to be such its a certain signe that his judgement and conscience are both corrupted insomuch that he hath neither eys to seâ— it nor heart to be touched with the guilt and horror of it But you l say perhaps our hearts did ever abhor the taking away the last Kings life for I instance in that only as the most notorious addition to all other evils and were our hearts legible at present it would be seen how zealous we are for setling the present King in his just power and authority But alas we are under the grasp of an Arbytrarie power and if we were not what can single endeavors do These I presume are the thoughts of some of you for I have heard them from your own mouths Truly you have great reason to do somthing extraordinary for your King if for no other reason but to out do what you have done but I have great reason to suspect your minds do but faintly incline this way for quid verba audiam cum facta videam what do you speak of plausible intendments and desires wrapt up in smooth words when your actions look clean another way If you have executed the Lords command saith Samuel to Saul what meaneth the bleating of sheep and lowing of oxen in mine ears If your hearts are as you pretend what means the noise of your drums and thunder of Cannon at Sea in opposition and defiance of your Kings Commissions what means the changing your Flags and razing your Soveraigns Arms out of your Sterns in detâ—station of his government These to my apprehension are strange characters of loyalty in Subjects And such as speak more devotion to Cesars picture in his Coyn then to his Person or Power Adoring that new minted Mammon of your new masters in which were the cross once a mark of the Beast changed into a pair of Gallows or into the Divels cloven foot would yet I fear find too warm a receptiâ—n in too many of you It is thought by many wise men that had not you been the first and fiercest of the Kings enemies the Royal Throne had been established and the Kingdom setled long ere this And I beseech you look well to it for if the kingdoms miseries increase for want of its natural Shepherd which is more then probable 't is because you have taken away the wooden bridge that should convey him into his Dominions and certainly the guilt of all the sad consequents which shall arise upon the want of him will one day be laid at your Cabbin dores But men must live in that calling wherein God hath placed them and provide for their families or be concluded worse then Infidels 1 Tim. We cannot with all our endeavours sayl against wind and Tide the current of the Times is strong and he that spits against the wind spits in his own face Well let all this be granted and what else can be alledged to this purpose and yet that maxime and conclusion of Solomon shall stand in force He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. And that Precept of Moses shall out-live all the changes of the world Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exod. 23. 2. It was never good world since things have been carried all by Votes and they that pretend to act what they do by vertue of a Power derived from the People do most of all abuse the People making them speak as the Divel did the Heathen Oracies or as Friar Bacons brazen head i. e. what is most serviceable to their own ends In an Age so miserably corrupted and depraved the major part is seldom found to be the melior And he that designs himself always to the strongest side will certainly be involved in the broad way which leadeth to destruction Mat. 7. When you sayl together in a fleet your Art instructs you as you are Sea men not to sayl as others do at random but that every man steer according to his own Compass and sure as you are Christians and in your voyâ—ge toward the Haven of eternal happiness Religion obligeth you to steer not as oâ—hers do but according to the direction of your own Consciences guided by the infallible compass of Gods Word he that does otherwise runs an irrecoverable hazard and it is not by choice but by chance if he get safe to shore And as touching the support of your families as he is worse then an Infidel that provides not for those of his own house by his lawful and honest endeavours so he is no better then an Insidel that stands in such aw of the Divel as with the Indians to worship him ne noceat that he may not hurt him and out of a secret disbelief of the divine Providence and goodness puts himself upon hellish and unwarrantable ways for support and advantage You know who it was that said all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me And though the times should prove so severe and particular as to some mens designs that S. Johns Prediction should be verifi'd among us viz. that no man might be allowed to buy or sell orto have the benefit of the Law save he that had the mark of the Beast in his right hand and that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed Rev. 13. 15. c. yet those who are not irrecoverably sold to their secular respects and interests shal do well to remember that serious expostulation of our Saviour What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul And therefore the rule is fixed in the next verse Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Mat. 8. 36. Sure I am that notwithstanding all our bustling after the trash of this world we shall carry nothing beyond the grave but our Consciences unless some certain woes and curses contracted by the voluntary deserâ—ion of our dearest friends our Conscienâ—es Among which those of the Prophet Habbakâ—c will certainly have their share Wo to
1 King 18. 19. These factors for the kingdom of darknes are so clearly described by the pen of the holy Ghost and with such particular marks upon them for caution and discovery that notwithstanding all their fine spun arts I should wonder my self into an astonishment to see in a Church where the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles are so often read and preached a people so strangely cosened and ensnared as we have been but that I read that Rebellion is aâ— the sin of witchcraft These must give me leave notwithstanding all their power and influence to do mischief to enter a little into their discovery and though they are very changeable in their shape and complexion yet by the help of that light that searcheth even between the joynts and marrow I shall shew you these wandring stars that so all men thâ—t would not make shipwrack of faith a good conscience may know their danger and lâ—arn at last to fear God and honour their King and to meddle no more with those men who are thus wantonly and desperately given to change Prov. 24 21. And this I take to be no digression at all from the Text since it was the fate of this people to whom the Prophet addresses himself to be ruined by the frauds of their false Prophets who by preaching smooth things unto them laid them fast asleep in their own security and would never suffer them to Ier 14. 15. hear of sword or fâ—mine till they were surprised by these judgements past all recovery We read in Scripture of three sorts of false Prophets there were some whose predictions were very true and yet themselves were false Prophets because their hearts and affections were very false and â—nsincere Such a one was Balaam of whose prophesâ—es we read Num. 24. It s said of him that he heard the words of God and saw the visions of the Almighty v. 4. and by verrue of this illumination he prophefied of Edom Amaleck and the Kenite of the future prosperity of Israel spake partie ularly of Iacobs star which was to rise many hundred yâ—ers after And yet we find this unerring Prophet in his visions brandeâ— by two Apostles S. Iude and S. Peter for loving the wages of unrighteousnâ—ss and was rebuked for his iniquity Iude 2. 2 Pet. 2. 15 16. the dumb Ass speaking with mans voice forbidding the madness of that Prophet Thus Caiphas the Iewish high Priest was a Prophet He prophesied in Ioh. 11. 50 51. the general that it was expedient that one mâ—n should dy for the people and particularly that Jesus should dy for that Nation and this was most true otherwise not â—haâ— Nation only but all the Nations in the world had perished everlastingly And yet the Evangelical history tels us that Caiaphas was notorious conspitator against that innocent Lamâ— of God who was slain for the whole woâ—ld Baâ—…am and Caiphas spake both well but did extremely ill both spake as they were inspired only with this difference between them Balaam knew what he spake but Caiphas did not God opened his mouth as he did the mouth of Balaams Asse which spake true but in the mean time knew not what she spake There is another sort of false Prophets who have been ever employed by the father of lies for the promoting and dispersing of delusions and impostures Thus 400. Prophets are employed and governed by one lying spirit to seduce Ahab to fall at Ramoth Gilead 1 Kin. 22 6. Thus Hananiah prophesied falsly of the Israelites return out of Babylon and strengthned his prophesie by breaking Ier. 28. 10. 11. a yoke from off the prophet Ieremiahs neck and all this for no other purpose but to make the people trust in a ly Jer. 28. 15. And that these Prophets might have the greater credit with the people it was somtimes permitted unto them as unto the Egyptian sorcerers to do miracles to give signes and wonders otherwise that caution of Moses had been in vain Deut. 13. 1 2. If there arise among you a propbet or a dreamer of dreams and giveth thee a signe or a wonder and the sign or wonder come to pass c. by which it appearâ— that the Prophet might be a false Prophet and yet the wonder the sign might have an exact accomplishment only to try the people whether they did love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul Dâ—ut 13. 3. The third sort of false Prophets were such as whether they spake True or false were out of question false Prophets and false in their prophesyings too and that on anoâ—her ground namely Because they intruded themselves into thâ—t Sacred employment without Commission saying thus saith the Lord when the Lord never spake at all by them Of such as these God himself seems to complain of The Prophets prophesie lyes in my name I sent them not neither have I commanded them neither spake unto them they prophesie unto â—ou a false vision and Divination and a thing of nought and the deceit of their heart Jer. 14. 14. These were a kind of over active Prophets that make more hast then good speed They were not sent yet they ran saith another text tâ—ey were not spoken unto yet they prophesied Ier. 23. 21. Of this sort especially are those swarms of Locusts which have so miserably and perniciously invaded our Coasts And therefore to wipe off any scandalous aspersion which may fall upon our Church or Religion by reason of these Boutefeus and firebâ—ands we must professe with S. â—ohn E nobis egressi sunt sed non erant ex nobis These nâ—toâ—…ous Antichrists went out from us 1 Ioh 2. 19. Math. 12 22. and have been seen among us but they were never of us A man may demand of these as of him in the Gospel friend how caâ—nest thou in hither not having a wedding garment So frieâ—ds how came ye into the Church of England without Ordination and Orders Iesus we know Act. 19. 15. and Paul we know and all their lawful successors we know but who ye are we know not We know you pretend to have a Commission from Iesus Christ with so much intemperate boldnesse as if you were the only persons employed and entrusted by him But pretend you what you will we know what Iesus Christ hath concluded of such as you are Ioh. 10. 1. He that entreth not by the dore into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber Our Saviour himself was the dore to his Apostles and his Apostles and their Successors the dore to all that ever were admitted shepherds in a regular and Aposto'ique manner The Ministeâ—s of the Gospel are called Stewards 1 Cor. 4. 1 and Ambassadours 2. Cor. 5. 20 Now for an Ambassadour to move in an employment withoâ—t a Commissâ—on is a presumption of so high a nature that I think the Law makes it Treason I' me sure Reason declares it a
conversaâ—ion damnable doctrines maâ— have a saint-like holinesse attending oâ— them The Prophet Zachary tels us â—… some Prophets not unlike the Romiâ—… Ecclesiasticks that wore a rough garment to decâ—ivâ— and yet in thâ— day 〈◊〉 tryal every one of these Prophets shoulâ— be ashamed of their visions Zach 13. 4 The Scribes and â—harisees were nâ—toriously precise â—n their prayers and fastings and tything of mint annis cummâ—n and yet our Saviour â—els his disciples that except their righteousnesâ— exceed the righteousness of the Scribeâ— Mat. 5. 20. and Pharisees they should not enter intâ— the kingdom of heaven T is no strangâ— thing for subtle merchants to put the fairest glosses upon their falsest waresâ— and if we shal take our aym at the outward conversation the greatest Artist iâ— hypocrisie may passe for the holiest man of God so that ye shall know them by thâ—ir fruits is not to be understood thus ye shall know them by their works or ye shal judge of their sayings by their doings but ye shall know them by their fruits that is by their doctrines ye shall know them by such fruits as their doctrines shall produce And indeed this was the infallible mark of a false Prophet under the Law as appears Deut. 13. 1 2. If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign and the â—onder cometh to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying let us go after other gods and let us serve them c. where the sâ—gn of the falsâ— Prophet is not in the sâ—gn or the wonder but in the perswasion to Idolatry So that whensoever we meet with a Prophet perswading and enclining a people unto any appaâ—eâ—t corruption in Religion or good manners or whensoever we meet with a doctrine the design or application wherof is the promoting of sedition and rebellion to the prejudice of the peace and safety of any Church or Kingdom we shall need no further witnesse to conclude the deceit and imposture of that false Prophet To come then to the touchstone do we meet with prophets that take away the touchstone from us whereby all doctrines should be tryed and concluded Do they cloyster up the Scripture the certain rule of faith and a good life put the salvation of our souls upon an implicite faith and a blind obedience Do they assure us that ignorance is the mother of devotion and so consequently open a gap to all sad consequences which commonly ensue upon the want of the knowledge of God in a land Do we meet with prophets that tell us that no faith is to be kept with hereticks and so apparently introduce that foul sin of perjury prevarication both with God and man Do they discharge children of the duty they ow unto their parents by vertue of some Corban or perhaps some monastick vow or Romish compliance Do they discharge subjects of their duty of allegiance to their Soveraigne by vertue of some popish dispensation making the fift commandment of God of none effect through their own Traditions Do we meet with prophets that dissolve Lawsul Matrimony in some persons and forbid it in others when the Scripture expresly concludes it honourable in all Heb. 13. 4. And do they in the mean time allow and tolerate abominable Stews and Brothels those sinks of uncleannesse not for conveniency or necessity as is pretended but in truth and reality for filthy lucre sake We know what those Prophets are by the accursed fruit thâ—t spring from these and the like doctrines it shall be no breach of charity in us to conclude them in the number of false prophets and of these Prophets we know where there are good store thaâ— walk the world in sheeps clothing with no small power and plausibility But to look nearer homewards Do we meet with Prophets highly honoured in their own Country that tell us we may do evil at some times that good may come thereon in order to a reformation and so by consequence resolve all christian practise into good intendment wherewith hell it self is said to be paved Do they tell us that God sees no sin in his elâ—ct and then by a niâ—…ble dextrous way they have of Sainting themselves and their own proseâ—ytes conclude and infer their Fornications and Adulteries to have no uncleannesse in them their sacriledge and plunder to be without theft their jugâ—ing and dissembling pious fraâ—ds and â—heir horrid and bloody muâ—…ers to have the sweet smelling savour of acceptable peace oâ—…erings Do we meet with Prophets thâ—t inform the people that Kings as well aâ— Bâ—shops are antichristian that the kingdom of Iesus Christ is a spiritual Government and that no temporal monarch hath any thing â—o do with it That Kings insteed of being prayed for as Defenders of the faith and protectors of the publike peace may without being deposed by the Popâ— be murdered by their own subjects That the design of the Gospel is divisioâ— and a sword That the best Patriots and preserves of the publike peace and liberty are those men who are deeâ—est perjured That treason and rebellion is good service to God the Commâ—nweaâ—th That it ought to be acted upon the publike faith of the kingdoâ— and when it is acted that iâ— ought to be rewarded with publike thankâ— and acknowledgemâ—nt in print In a word do we meet with prophets that tell the people that the moral law is of no use or obligation under the Gospel that there is an Evangelical necessity of weedâ—ng up the Tares before the general harvest that themselves are the â—ood wheat and that all men else are â—ares and the seed of the divel that go about to hinder and obstruct so good a wâ—rk tâ—at the liberty of the Gospel may be stretched and extended to the acting of any dictate arising from any private perswasion of spirit how blind and abominable soever and that the banishment imprisonmâ—nt and murder of Christs own Ambassadors is the best way to promote his service By these and the like doctrines which I would not have exposed to publike view had not a necessity eâ—forced it we may guesse what these prophets are And that I do not injure them by traducing their doctrine their own sermons and discourses together with the peoples practise grounded thereupon is a clear and ample declaration of their preachers principles And now let all the world judge by the fruits we have reaped of late yeers from these mens Doctrines whether these are the servants of Iesus Christ and the way they have gone be agreeable to his Gospel or not Or rather whether these are not those wolves in sheeps clothing he hath forewarn'd us of whether these are not the peoples prophets nay the divels prophets whose tongues have been set on fire of hell tâ— set the world all in a conflagration And 't is very observable how God hath brought the way of â—hese juglers and dissemblers upon
theames it is but in order unto this end which is the grand designe of our profession And therefore if there be here any drooping or dejected Soul that groanes and labours under the weight of any burthen either of Guilt or misery I shall say unto that Soul as was said to blind Bar timeus Be of good Comfort rise Iesus thy Saviour calleth thee His invitation is most Gracious and Pathetical Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy ladenâ— and I will refresh yee Come unto me all yee that have hitherto rejected my messages of peace and Love minding your faâ—mes your oxen your wives that is your pleasure and your profit more then my seasonable invitations Yee that have forgotten me in the day of your peace and prosperity and denyed and abjured me and my Gospel in the day of your Tryal and persecâ—tion Come unto me all yee that have wearied me with your Iniquities â—…de me to serve with your sins yee that have peirced and scourged and crucified me again afresh by your backâ—…iding and impenitency yee that have so often grieved my good spirit that would have sealed you unto the day of your Redemption Come unto mee all yee that have mangled and torn the seamlesse coate of my Church to carve unto your selves your own base ends and advantages yee that have made my house of pray'r a den of thievs yee that have persecuted and wounded me in my poor members yee that have imprisoned and impoverished my Embassadours and dethroned and murthered mine own Anointed yet come unto me however you shall not be upbraided with the foulnesse of your sins only come with broken hearts with bleeding Souls with the sighs and groanes of Labouring and heavy laden Consciences and I will refresh you If you shall still obscure and justify your sins you shall not prosper but if you shall Confesse and for sake them you shall find mercy Are you stung with the guilt you have Contracted by your voluntary presumptuous sins Behold I am that brazen Serpent that healeth all that look up unto me He that believeth in me shall not perish but have life everlasting Are your souls full of Leprosy and uncleaness your vital spirits surprized by the plague of the Heart your Consciences stabbed to death by your own deliberate wounds Behold I am that Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world My blood is that fountain which was opened purposly for sin and for uncleanesse That Bethesda pool that cureth all diseaâ—es whatsoever Are your hearts as hard as the nether milstone or as the Adamant It is said that the Adamant it self is broken â—…th goates blood Behold I am that Scape Goate that â—ear on my head alone the iniquites and transgressions of the whole world I never did reject any that came to be healed of their bodily infirmities and I never will reject any that shall come to me for any Spiritual Cure But the wounded spirit will perhaps reply Tistrue I know I am fairely Invited by my Saviour but with this proviso that I bring a true saith a sincere repentance along with me And these jewels are not lodged within my Cabinet These flowers grow not within the garden of my Soul I desire to repent with all my heart but I cannot and I would gladly believe but I find I am not able Well however be not discouraged There is some life even in this deadnesse of spirit There is some secret sparke of Grace even in this smoaking flaxe which hath a promise it shall not be quenched He that hath promised to accept of a willing mind according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not will entertain and reward even a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple He that had respect unto the short prayer of the poor dejected Publican will have respect aâ—…o unto thee if thou be but as humble as that Publican He that raiseth in the Soul a blessed hunger and thirst after righteousness hath also 〈◊〉 sed that Hunger and Thirst shal not be 〈◊〉 but that he will give to him that is a thirst to drink of the water of life freely He that gâ—veth both to will and to perform according to his own good pleasure will in his own good time fulfil the desire of those that fear him So that let this be layd for a solid ground and foundation of Christian Comfort That the Desire of mercy in the want of mercy is a real mercy and the desire of Grace in the want of Grace is Grace it self And if thou do not quench these inchoations of Grace and obstruct its operation and progresse whensoever the spirit of God shall blow upon these little sparks thou shalt find them grow and increase into a Coale into a flame enough to chear and warm the soul with Celestial Comfort Hence it is that the Kingdom of God is compaâ—ed to a grain of mustard seed which is reputed to be one of the least of all seeds and yet the Kingdom of God is entirely contained in this single Grain Hence it is that Grace is compared to a little leven in three mâ—asures of meal which in time will leven the whole lump There is a time when Holy purposes are taken and accepted for good performances I wâ—ll go unto my father saith the prodigal and behold his father comes out to meet his son I said I will confesse my sin unto the Lord said David and so thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin And the same good King did but purpose in his heart to build God an House and it was accepted as well as if it had been done and in acknowledgement hereof God promised to establish his house and his Kingdom upon his posterity for ever God accepts of such payment as we are able to make though it be in small pieces or perhaps in coyn that is cracked or clipped and wants its full weight yet if it be not false and counterfeit it shall not be turned back upon us And truly he that grieves and bemoanes himself because he cannot grieve for his sins or because he cannot grieve so much as he dâ—sires is in a Certain way unto that repentâ—nce which is never to be repented of Nay give me leave to go one degree farther Doest thou find thy soul ensnared with the Cords and Customes of thine own twisting or art thou so much a stranger to thy self that thou darest not look into thy dangerous and suspected Condition doest thou feel the throbs and horrors of a wounded Conscience the pangs of Hell and Despair growing upon thy Soul yet give me leave to aske thee this one Question Doest thou notwithstanding thy present fear and horror Love thy Lord and maker or if thou canst not cleerly reply to that Canst thou but resolve me of thy Love to thy neighbour not because he is thy neighbour or thy friend or perhaps thy Companion in evil wayes but because he