World She could stand still waiting the salvation of her God though indeed she sâ—w plainly That she was in a wildernesse where she saw no path Then the Church remembred the Lord and was comforted He is wonderfull in all His Administrations but especially in these which He worketh in a wildernesse Now the Church could leane on her Beloved O how willingly did she reach forth her hand to Him who is given a Leader and Commander to the people a Isa 55. 4. Marke that He is a sure Leader to His Church Who The Lord Christ for He commands her The Church heares no other voice obeyes no other but as commanding from His mouth and leading unto Him This in passage But I say how willingly and confidently did the Church reach forth her hand to this Leader and Commander she did assure her heart a 1 Iohn 3. 13. He would leade her because He doth command her He could and is able to leade her because He maketh a way in the Sea and a path in the mighty waters He bringeth forth the Charet and the Horse the Army and the Power b Isa 43. 15 16. c. The Lord did the same thing now He made a way in the Wildernesse and Rivers in the Desart So He lead His people even those Ver. 19. that are commanded by Him The manner how commands our Marke He brought the blinde by a way He lead them in paths that they have not knowne He made darknesse light before them and crooked things straight These things He hath done unto them and not forsaken them c Isa 42. 16. Truly This Scripture is this day fulfilled in our eyes The Church commands us to observe it in these particulars wherein it will appeare That the Lords Thoughts Thoughts of Mercy and of Peace were as high above mine or yours nay above the Churches Thoughts as the Heavens are above the Earth It appeareth d Isa 55. 8. â— thus SECT III. What our Thoughts were how high the Lords thoughts were above the Churches thoughts ¶ 1. OUr eyes were in the Heavens as in such times it is our manner a Sol nisi cum de sicit speâ—tatorem non haâ— â— c. Sen. â—nd behold they were very darke and covered with thick clouds Our thoughts were and strait-way thus we said there will be a great storme So it was a Starme indeed haile-stones and coles of fire beating sore â—gainst all expectation upon the hairy scalpe of the wicked Man but a sweet shower to the City of God sweetely and seasonably refreshing them as the after-raine the parched ground We looked up againe to Heaven whether else should we looke for peace seem'd to be taken from the Earth but behold it was very red I purposely speake in the Almanack-Mâ—kers Dialect strait way we said for such our Thoughts were it will be wind and so it was against all expectation and that which was threatned b Ier. 4. 11. a wind indeed but not a dry wind for it did fan and cleanse even a fâ—ll wind â—gainst high places scattering the wicked as with the breath of Gods mouth and so they did flee as the chaffe before the vvind or as they fled from before the Earth-quake c Zach. 14. 5. So they did flee but hearken what the Lord such He that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth oâ— them shall not be delivered d Am. 9. 1 2 3. Thus the Lord hâ—th said for after-time and thus He hath done now ever blessed be His Name ¶ 2. VVE heard of warres and nothing but rumors of warres preparation thereto on every side strait way we said for our thoughts were The Sword will be bathed in Heaven e Esa 34. 5. it will be made drunke vvith the bloud of the slaine And so it was in part but it was in the bloud of the Men of blouds that were to call forth to battle and to be leaders thereunto A wonder this also and wrought by Him Who spake of old and made it good now Behold they shall surely gather together but not by Me whosoever shall gather together against Thee shall fall for thy sake f â—sa 44. 15 16 17. c. ¶ 3. VVE beheld here a Troope and there a Troope straight-way we â—aid Lord these are called forth to destroy Thy Iudah and to curse Thy Israel And it was so in the intention of the Adversary and a â—â—kely choyce he had made for they were of that number and choyce ones for that purpose to vvhom their spirituall Fathers so they will be called because they savour so much of the Spirit gave an Advousion of liberty and choyce of sports cryed downe by the Heathen g Aug. de civ Dei cap. 31 32 33. vvhich they might take on the Lords-day Certainly said Dion h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dion Orat. 79. speaking of Liberty Hee made bad Lawes indeed he gave a wicked Liberty and writ grievousnesse who prescribed such Decrees and gave such a Liberty which could please none but the bad Such a Liberty was this on the Lords-day which the Bishops gave to the people And see the luck of it the Bishops grant was too large it gave the people more scope then in manners they would take on the Lords-day and so thus they requited their great Dons vvhen it vvas expected that these people vvho had such an Advousion of Liberty as this from the hands of their good Lords should now gratifie the said Lords in fulfilling the whole pleasure of their will they did cleane contrary for vvheras they were called out to curse even these in their manner blessed altogether i Num. 23. 11. and threw-out vvhat the Bishops had brought-in the Rails and Mock-gods there What this people did more needeth not my Relation â—t is vvell known every vvhere all the Land over and vvell observed it vvas even as a vvonder in the eyes and ears of all ¶ 4. VVE saw some of these Troopes hasting towards the North gathered into a mighty body there Instruments of cruelty prepared and sent downe All meanes used vvhich Achiâ—ophel could suggest vve remember vvhat his councell vvâ—s even to make an irreconcileable difference betweene Father and Sonne all to set Ephraim against Manasses and Manâ—sses against Ephraim both against THY IVDAH And so it vvas in the intention of the Adversary But to say so now as one hath done vvhen he praid too vvere a bold arrogant and impious speech if not blasphemous for behold to the admiration of the vvorld Angels and Men the Breach made up a peace concluded and so concluded That it is a Statute now and an Ordinance in Israel That Iudah must rejoyce and Israel must be right glad So they vvill and they vvill tell it to their children and so down-ward and not barely so and no more but they vvill speake thereof vvith rejoycing vvhat the Adversary intended how the Lord disappointed
יהוה GOD IN THE FLAMING-BVSH EXOD. 3. 2. Moses looked and behold the Bush burned with fire and the Bush was not consumed EXOD. 3. 3. And he said I will now turne aside and see this great sight why the Bush is not burnt DEUT. 33. 16. Blessed of the Lord be His Land for the precious things of Heaven And for the precious things of the Earth and for the good-will of Him That dwelt in the Bush ESA. 63. 9. In all their affliction He was afflicted and the Angell of His Presence saved them Published for a memoriall of the first wonderfull yeare The day of the LORDS vengeance and yeare of Recompences for the controversie of Zion THE CHVRCHES THANK-OFFERING To GOD Her KING and The PARLIAMENT FOR Rich and ancient Mercies Her Yeares of Captivity Her first Yeare of IVBILE THAT IS For the Marvelous Deliverances Wrought with God the first Wonderfull Yeare since the Yeare 88 beginning at September 1640. and ending the ninth of the same Moneth following In all which time The Lord appeared for His Church as in the dayes of old out of the middest of the BVSH so the Church burn'd with fire and was not consumed In the PREFACE The THANK-OFFERING is vindicated and set free from all the Cavills and Charges against it Where also it is cleared To be as every Mans Duty so every Mans purpose To Offer Willingly now who doth not make full proofe that he falls short of Pagan Papist or Atheist and is wilfully resolved to walk crosse to the most SUPREME Law The HIGHEST Reason and The unquestionable WILL of GOD. 1 Chro. 17. 19. O Lord for Thy Servants sake and according to Thine own heart hast Thou done all this greatnesse in making known all these great things Psal 1â—6 17 I will offer to Thee the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. Nehem. 5. 19. Thinke upon mee my God for good according to all that I have done for this people London Printed for T. V. at the signe of the Bible in Wood street 164â— TO THE LORD the most high GOD Possessour of Heaven and Earth TO IESUS CHRIST His only Son our LORD Prince of Peace King of Saints To the blessed SPIRIT the Truth and leading thereinto BLessed be Thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Thou alone workest wonders and in so doing hast magnified Thy Selfe and honoured man Thou shewedst signes and wonders upon Thy Adversaries for Thou knewest they dealt proudly against Thee So didst Thou get Thy selfe a Name as it is this Day and herein didst Thou use man as an instrument Dust and Ashes he is give him grace to magnifie Thee Blessed Saviour Rock of our Salvation Desire of the Nations Hope of Israel in time of trouble Thou wast content to be made of no esteeme that Thy people might be greatly beloved to be made a curse that Thy people might become a blessing content to be made low that Thou mightest exalt man So Thou hast done Thou hast exalted him even to sit in Thrones next to Thy selfe Give him an heart to exalt Thee to honour Thee to love Thee much for Thou art worthy Blessed Spirit Thou hast done great things and marvellous not by a Nihil aliundè mutuatur Deus ad Ecclesiae suae conservationeÌ„ ergò vult sibi Vni acceptam referri Ecclesiae satureÌ„ Cal. humane might nor by power but by Thy selfe b Zach. â— 6. Nec tamen omnia immediatè per se agit Deus sed tantum ostendere vâ—lâ— Ecclesiam erigi et conservari non humano vulgari modo sed mirabiliter praeter omnes spes sensus nostres Cal. in locum ô blessed Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts take to Thy selfe the Glory even all Almighty Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity unspeakably Three in One and One in Three One in Authority Will and Worship of all Three King of Kings Lord of Lords Spare Thy Servant according to the greatnesse of Thy mercy Thy hand-maid is recording Thy ancient thoughts of Grace and Peace towards Thy Servants her Sons and her Daughters Ancient mercies towards them when they lay in their blood for that was a time of love c Ezech. 16. 8. Mercies toward them exceeding Mercies when they were in the fornace of affliction for then Thou didst DWELL with them and they had ENOVGH Mercies towards her Land and People this former yeare strange Rescues wonderfull Deliverances admirable Discoveries what then can Thy Servant say now Even as Thou shalt be pleased to open her Mouth and give her inlargement She would take with her words d Hos 14. 2. but from Thy owne mouth and of Thy owne chusing Thou must give first for all things come of Thee and of Thine owne have we given Thee e 1 Chro. 29. 14. Thy servant must now speake Thy high Praises then Thou Lord must tune my spirit and raise it up else it will flag or like a Bird without wings now up and presently down How insufficient Thy Servant is for so high and excellent an imployment Thou knowest for Thou even Thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of men f 1 Kin. 8. 39. At this present indeed now that I have some high thoughts of Thy glorious excellencies Thy Servant can speake as one brought downe to the ground whose speech whispereth out of the dust yet as one presently stolne away from her selfe she can with that Sorcerer thinke her selfe some GREAT ONE g Act. 8. 9. Lord rebuke this proud spirit and cast a spewing upon Selfe-glory h Hab. 2. 16. for truth Lord something it would be and something it would doe though a thousand experiences have told us that nothing it is nothing it can i Ier. 3. 5. but sinne against Thee Thy grace in us doth all no more power in selfe no more canning except the contrary way then can the instrument of late held in the worke-mans hand but now cast-out or lying by him Lord leave me not no not a little worke all in me and for me then worke by me for what we give to Thee is from Thy own hand to us first And though flesh and bloud would share here yet suffer it not but say where Thy voyce is there is power it shall not be so and so take to Thy self Thy proper right all the glory Let not so excellent a thing as the Spirit is so vast and capacious be lost in selfe which is nothing but let it runne forth to Thee and though it will be lost there also amidst such an Ocean yet there it finds a proportionable good even all in Thy self for Thou art All. Behold now I have taken upon me to speake unto my Lord that am but aust and ashes Thou wilt suffer this once and leade me into Thy Treasure-house to behold Thy mercies there which I am no more able to understand then I
not onely because they doe set their faces unto Thee to seeke by Prayer and Fasting c Dan. 9. 3. a great and good signe that Deliverance is comming-on that Thou art appearing in Thy glory d Ps 102. 16 17. because the Fatherlesse the Destitute pray unto Thee for this thing and are resolved to give Thee no rest But there are other Reasons why we should set our hope in Thee and that it is Thy meaning we should so doe which we shall speake of before Thee now and if it could be in the eares of all the Christian world for they are legible in all the peoples sight and most commanding we thinke to draw in others that are not willingly ignorant and to make them fall downe kisse Thy Sonne and trust in Him 1. We humbly conceive that Thine Adversary and Enemy shall proceed no farther Surely we say that is Thy meaning and purpose of Thy Heart because His folly is manifest unto all men e 2 Tim. 3. 9. 2. We conceive that Thy Adversary a Legion hath beene at the highest his verticall point and we see he is fallen thence Truth Lord he fals slowly now when his fall is like a milstone f Rev. 18. 21. with violence then it shall be mighty quicke and irrecoverable there is that in his fall now which in our haste we call slacknesse and we say in the same haste we may fall before him If so yet so as we shall rise with more strength and in more glory but he never to rise againe to that same point We conclude so for so Thy manner hath beene when the Adversary begins to fall he shall fall yet lower g Est 6. 13. when he ascends againe if he falls not low in humiliations it is up the Gallows h 7. 9. 3. The Adversary hath been proud as Moab VERT PROVD i Esa 16. 6. exceeding proud k Iâ—r 48. 29. as proud waters which went over the heads of the righteous We humbly conceive now they must be brought LOW VERIE LOW now they must be made Base EXCEEDING BASE even now 4. Prayer hath commanded wee looke above all meanes to Thy glorious Right-hand as strange a standing still of the starres in one place of the HEAVEN as was the standing still of the Sunne upon Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Aialon l Iosh 10. 12. We humbly conceive Thy meaning thereby is and Thou wilt have it published to the whole Christian world That the great Court of Nobles and Worthies shall not arise from their place till Thou dost arise in all Thy peoples sight to avenge Thy selfe upon Thy Adversaries for all the dishonours they have done to Thy House Thy Day Thy Servants Thy Service c. Come Lord Jesu Thy Servants wait Thy comming Praise waiteth for Thee in Sion The souls under the Altar say COME multitudes we cannot number thousand thousand souls on the Earth wearied out because of these Murderers * Jer. 4. 31. all these say come The sighing of the needy and the oppression of the poore saith come Thy Day so prophaned saith come The spirit so grieved saith come Thy Spouse so often forced before Thy face saith come and because of the present feeling she doubles it Come Lord Jesus come quickly ease Thy selfe and Thy poore flocke of those Adversaries who have fed themselves and fleeced Thy Sheepe have made void Thy Law have taken peace from the Earth have valued precious soules no more then they doe old shooes * Am. 26. Come Lord Jesus come quickly and worke so that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the Righteous verily He is a God That iudgeth in the Earth Ps 58. 11. Thy Servant hath spoken doe Thou according to the greatnesse of Thy power and mercy for Thy words sake Thine owne sake Thy Names sake Thy Christ His sake Thy Churches sake His deare one the price of His blood His neare one as the Apple of His eye His only one His beloved one the Crowne of His sufferings the Glory of His shame and then will the Church ascribe power riches wisdome strength honour glory blessing to Him Who is worthy to receive all this for of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to Whom be glory for ever Amen TO THE HIGH COVRT OF PARLIAMENT The LORDS and COMMONS there assembled NOw the Church hath tendred Homage to her Lord you will give me leave to be her mouth to you and to neglect Titles when your workes render you truly Noble and Right Honourable so praising you in the Gates I know not how to give flattering Titles said Job a Iob 32. 27. for in so doing my Maker would soone take me away Since Thou wast precious in mine eyes Thou wast honourable b Esa 43. 4. saith the Lord and you will beleeve Him I cannot crave your Honourable Patience neither to heare me out let that be as your leasure serves I must doe my duty and being the mouth of the Church whose heart is full and thoughts not so composed I cannot so contract as I would others may reade who need information and receive benefit there-from while you worke Follow on your worke in Gods Name you worke for a good Master whose wages are sure and like Himselfe He gave an Heathen King for serving a great service no lesse then a great Kingdome the wages for his worke c Ezek. 29. â—8 You have done a greater service you may expect greater wages A Kingdome that cannot be shaken for so God will honour you We say surely you have honoured Him so blasphemed in the world so sleighted and dis-regarded there You have got your selves a Name Verily we conclude you have wrought singly and purely to advance the Glory and to get Christ a Name in the world which as it is the end so should it be the worke of the whole life Worke-on You shall prosper yet more though you have prospered already to a miracle and know for encouragement if you needed any That while You are so working not Man only but God also is Recording whose Records are never laid aside being ever in His eye While you are giving out for the publike Good all good people are giving in to you PRAYERS and THANKS great matters both The one turnes and wheeles about things to Admiration being the strongest engine in the world and the greatest stocke you have upon Earth alwayes gaining because always trading Heaven-ward Certainely the PRAYERS of the Church of all her Sons and Daughters all the world over are for you a mighty consideration these onely make Prayers the other party speake onely or curse rather they doe not pray And all their BLESSINGS as mighty and prevailing now as were the BLESSINGS of the Tribes that stood upon Mount Gerizzim are upon your heads and endeavours a Deut. 27. 12. shower of blessings Much may be gathered touching the strength and noblenesse of
You that have God for your Pilot if Hee steere your course certaine enough He does what ever straits or rockes there be you shall not dash against them Yea but there is the Leviathan he takes his pass-time in this Sea A mighty and grievous Adversary we meane LEGION for he is Many They heare and see that the walls of Jerusalem are made up and the breaches begin to be stopped f Neh. 4. 7. They will be as then they were very wrath As then the Adversary reported faining out of his owne heart That Nehemiah was King in Judah and the Jewes thinke to rebell very likely he will say as much now for malice boyles as hot in his heart now as then Therefore such scumme must run over at his mouth You have tormented him casting him forth and so have cheared the hearts of the Righteous and gauled the wicked yea cut them to the heart you doe expect now they will gnash on you with their teeth k Act 7. 54. and bite yea swallow you up if they can for they will speake devouring l Ps 5â— 4. words their mouth being an open sepulchre m Ps 5. 9. and the poison of Aspes under their tongues But let malice draw her bow with full strength and shoote forth her arrowes yet she shall not be able to wound you or if she doe these considerations will yeeld you soveraigne balme whereby to cure the venome thereof or to turne it into balsome and that is better 1. It hath been the manner alwayes To take away the Righteousnesse of the Righteous from him m Isa 5. 23. A notorious wrong that A little consideration will serve here for there is but one way to turn now ye will TURN to the LORD our RIGHTEOUSNESSE n Jer. 23. 6. That is a garment which all the unclean spirits in the world cannot defile There is one Consideration 2. Here below things are miscalled now as in former time The greatest Idolatresse and Murderesse that ever was in the world She had killed all the seed Royall excepting one and he was wonderfully rescued and preserved in the ISLE of PROVIDENCE calls out TREASON TREASON what was the matter This and no more she heard a noise saying GOD SAVE THE KING singing and praysing for all the people of the Land rejoyced and the City was quiet This was Treason doubled from her 2 King 11. mouth TREASON TREASON So also True Piety a sense of Duty is called Rebellion This opprobry hath been cast like dyrt into the face of all the true Ministers of Christ with this addition that 7. times washing in Jordan shall not wash it off No what had the Ministers done They would not proclaime a liberty for sports * Siccine exprimitur puâ—licum gaâ—â—iam per pâ—â—lâ—cuâ— deâ—ecâ—â— c â—eâ—tul cap. 37. on the Lords day c. Well you have been judge in this case you have outed that blasphemer his places shall know him no more You have cast him out where the unsavoury salt is for he is not like unto it but the very same So let all thy Adversaries be cast out O Lord who blaspheme Thy Name daily calling good evill and evill good Thy servants by their OWNE d Exulem me de suo nomine vocat Cicer. Parad. Name and that is as bad as can be But now this is the point we have in hand how persons and things are miscalled here below Loyalty is called Treason and so backward Oppression is called Justice that which is truly Law is called Violence and Violence is called Law The vile person is called liberall and the churle bountifull e Isa 32. 5. The Messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ are miscalled blasphemed as we heare and reade Thus we call things and persons now It shall be otherwise here on earth towards the end of the world as it was in the beginning when every thing shall be called by it's proper name and according to it's nature The vile person shall be called as he is and the churle as he is And as it shall be done here below on earth so it is now done above in Heaven That consideration yeelded much comfort to the servants of God in ancient time and so it will do now f Quae hic mala putantur haec sunt in coelo bona Lact. 5. 15. 3. We reade of Petilians tongue as fiery a flying serpent as any is now in the world It stung Augustine exceedingly it scorched the Church as it could Augustine seems either not to feele it or not to care for it two strawes for using another Metaphor he sayes thus Petilian blowes hard but all his wind blowes away nothing but the chaffe Thanks be to God PETILIANS TONGUE IS NOT CODS Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Dei FAN He will not loose one graine of wheate by all this blustering wind That was his consideration then and very comfortable it was then it is yours now and it is as comfortable now 4. Consider Dayes of old since man was created upon the earth and you will find the proverb true An unjust man is an abomination to the Just g Pro. 24. 21. and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the h Isa 32 5. wicked And so though you cannot ward off a blow from the tongue for it wounds suddenly and undiscerned and more deeply then any sword i Quovis gladio acutior calamnia c. Lips Orat. de Calum being as an arrow shot out k Jer. 9. 8. yet you know a Dogs tongue is healing if he be not mad and grant he be so and so goes about the City grinning yet these considerations yeeld you balme enough to cure the poison thereof You have but Anger 's first weapons l Prima semper irarum tela maleâ—â—cta sunt quicquid non possumus imbecilli optamus irati Salv de Gub. l. 3. pag. 81. yet Devouring words you must expect violent hands hard and ungodly deeds whole Armies against you while you are for Christ Troopes after Troopes from all quarters such a Muster or Combination rather as you reade of m Psal 83. for the Lord Almighty hath taken to Himselfe great power and hath reigned What then It followes And the Nations were angry n Rev. 11. 17 18. So they are now and for the same reason very angry and full of wrath Consider now the Lord Christ is King be the earth never so unquiet Yet he raigneth then most gloriously amidst His enemies o Ps 110. When they make a tumult and speake in their pride Zion shall be defiled and our eyes shall looke upon her p Mich. 4. 11. Consider now what that zealous Reformer said who set his face like a flint Be not afraid remember the LORD who is GREAT q Neh. 4. 16. great in power great in wisdome c. This answers all Great tumults great rage
is for we worke for a good Master * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He shall have the greatest reward who workes not for a reward Isid pâ—ll l 2. p. 184. But I speak to them that will bargaine with their Lord and well know their wages else will dee no work I demand of these why should this Discourage them in their studies or cut them short in their hopes that some men with their Et ceteraâ—s shall not be â—uffered any longer to ingrosse or inclose the rich and fat pastures of the Earth to eat the fat and creame of the Land as those their Bâ—ethren before them Abby-lubbers evill-beasts flow-bellies have done while the good Schollars feed upon a poore pittance the while nay are almost starved I pray â—â—u might not good Schollars picke out many a good bit from such a place as â—auâ—s were it rid of these c. and their singing men And a very good riddance how well might they bee spared no fitter some of theâ— for a Church then a Swine for a Parlour And yet we doe not thinke that there ought to be an equall divident an equall dâ—stribution of honours and preforments in the Church but according to Desert and proportion in gifts yet we thinke the Proverbe hath some use here They are merry in the Haâ—l when beards wagg all And not when the one table have their full messes even to a surfitting and vomit the other none at all or in no proportion And so much to the complaint touching Church livings now touching Church-men Ob. a Titularis noÌ„ Tuâ—elaris Rex desuit non praesuit reipublicae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. complained that in his time they were made Bishops who made themselves the basest servants servants to their lusts ep 10. They cannot give thanks to the high Court for they have cast forth of the Church their Church-men Ans Church-men As the Iudges the chiefesto them were Common-wealths men they so sought their owne private-wealth that they left the poore subject nothing he could call hiâ— own but his misery So these Church-men they called out the Church the Church when they stabâ—ed her to the veâ—y heart Put we these together for they be Mâ—â—ches Church-men and Common-wealths men then you may saie worse of them then was said of Chilperickâ—d a bad King of Franâ—e my English will not be so good as the Latine but too good for them He was a nursing Father not in deed but inâ—rame so He was set over the Common-wealth as a golden head there but he did not the office of an head of a foot rather and so stamped the Common-wealth to powder These good men are cast-out and good reason for they were as unsavourie salt neither fit for the Land nor yet for the Dung-hill but men cast it out a Luk. 14. 34. as the unprofitable wood of the fruitlesse vine were they meet for any vvorke b Ezech. 15. 4. But who cast them out and how It is worth our labour the inquiring out Surely the Lord God did it the God of recompences for the controversie of His Zion c Esa 34. 8. He did it even by His owne right-hand But so and there we set a marke as their owne mischiefe did returne upon their owne head And Ps 7. 16. his violent dealing came dovvne upon his ovvne pate The conclusion is The Lord cast them out by the helpe and violence of their owne hands It is true and but equitable That we should give all dues to man here for he was a noble and glorious instrument in Gods hand for the effecting this worke and disburthening the Church of these oppressours but we must resolve all into Gods Hand and unto the violence that was found in their owne hand It was the Lord That BENT Judah d Zach 9. 13. for Himselfe and FILLED the BOWE vvith Ephraim we may fitly allude to that place He hath raised up thy sonnes from the North and from the South O Zion against thy false sonnes and made them as the SWORD of a mighty man against those mighty Adversaries His arrovv vvent forth as the lightning against them He went out with VVHIRLE-WINDS of the South and North a CONTINUING k Ier. â—0 23. Whirlevvind and it fell vvith paine on the head of the vvicked We may reade on The fierce anger of the Lord shall not returne untill He hath done it and untill He performe the intents of His Heart For see what the intents of these Church-men were against the Lord even to make His Land desolate and His Church forsaken To set Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim snatching on the right hand and on the left so eating every man the flesh of his ovvn arme And yet their wrath is not turned away no not yet The same e Ier. â—0 23. ver 24. Esa 9. 20. malice boyles still and runnes over This is their worke at this Dait and these the intents of their hearts That the sword may be bathed in our HEAVEN That the Land may be filled with blood from corner to corner Observe againe what they have done and how they have prepared their own way for the bringing in the Deluge of wrath They have let the vineyard of the Lord lie waste and have broken downe the Hedge now a Serpent has bit them according to the threat f Eccl. 10. 8. removed the ancient Land marke made the Heritage of the Lord as a speckled bird g Ier. 12. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vol. bom 31. exposed it to the spoyle of Foxes and to grievouâ— Wolves Here Chrysostomes words would astonish them were they well pondred on I will but point at them in the margent h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in Ep ad 1 Cor. 3 Hom. 3. The same Father doth make it cleare to the whole world even now i That they have taught yea commanded Atheisme all over their Diocesses so Preachers doe saith the Father indeed they preach not at all when they spend an houre in a daie in Chrysostomes daies they preached every Daie in laying the Foundation of Repentance from dead workes and of Faith towards God k Heb. 6. 1. And the rest of the Day and whole weeke after turne their backes upon what they said in a lewd and wicked carriage This makes their hearers Atheists it commands l Suadeâ— lingua iubet vita Gen. 18 19. An example hath the vertue of a Command nay it is a Compulsion Cogi cos dicit qui exemplo Petri iudaiâ—abaâ—t Gal 2 14. Beza Atheisme and so we have a little of that much whereby the Father reproves the blasphemie of Ministerâ— in his Daies whose examples destroyed what their preaching built up and so they taught flat Atheisme Our Church-men have done so too as is cleare to all the world and their judgement will be as manifest Now the Lord is beginning with them noâ— is the yeare of Gods
and will contend for the Truth and yet not one Rev. 11. 7. Iesuited HEL-HOWND it is a Kings word contending with a Cardinall not one Catholicke murderer in our Hoste so hee hath bin accounted in all times and places making no more conscience to out his Kings throat then to cut a peece of bread These Irish Romish Catholiques universally bloody and monstrous Savages all the world over so brawned in cruelties are accounted now the only loyall Subjects ever since the Lord Christ hath taken to Himselfe great Power reigning more visibly upon the Earth demanding His Rights there And His faithfull Servants are resolved to give these Rights unto Him Whose they are not with-holding a hoofe nor dishonourably compounding His matters so forfeiting Truth for Peace but resolving to maintaine both with honour or an honourable warre ever since this contestation for Christ and His Truth Rebellion which is as the sinne of Witchcraft against God and His Christ hath been accounted obedience and loyall subjection And a true sense of Dutie to God and man and to doe thereafter even what God commands and will have done is accounted Rebellion and Treason both The comfort is Wisdome is justified of her children yes and in this point of all that are not unreasonable and wicked men The Truth is I could not beare this at such a time as this being to render a THANK-OFFERING in the Churches Name but I must Preface to it against such contradictions of Sinners and render the THANK-OFFERING free and the Churches Servants as cleared of these blackes as was the Snow in Salmon And what is wanting here shall be supplied else where for I will goe on from this Preface to another Treatise where by the helpe of God And His Law I shall cleare this very way wherin the Nobles have walked so spoken against now and blasphemed as a way of Rebellion and Treason to be the very way wherein all the Nobles that ever were in the world have walked who walked uprightly with God dealt faithfully with His people not treacherously and as Traitors to King and Kingdome and their owne souls for I have a most comprehensive mercy to treat on and enlarge upon which I may call the Abridgement of this last yeares wonders containing as in a most fruitfull wombe all nationall blessings which the Nobles and Worthies have hitherto or their children after them shall travell with and bring forth to the Nation And this they are compleating and in so excellent a way as that though we shall never say of it in this world the worke is done and compleated of that comprehension it is yet I say they have so orderly proceeded in it by that line and plummet afore-said of all the truly Noble that ever were on the Earth as that it is fully to the Mind of the Lord and the heart of the Nation And now let the Devill rage and his Servants roare for in that they glory though by a wofull prolepsis here in sport for hereafter in earnest when they and their King of the bottomlesse pit shall roare there to all eternity Let the Arabian Dukes with their companies of Sabeans let the noble Monsters of these dayes so they were called anciently who are Gentile and noble in the root but monstrously degenerate in the fruit of their conversation d Nequitiae sordibus imbuta Nobilia portenta Valer Max. l. 3. c. 5. let these doe their worst rob spoyle pillage shed bloud to their power yet by the helpe of God and the Law the worke shall be carried on and the work-men shall prosper and overcome by the bloud of the Lambe e Rev. 12. 11. But what is our worke now Worke and Pray or pray and worke no matter which is first so both goe together Worke with hand and mouth and heart and all We have a noble paterne before us of Work men who blessings be upon them both from above and beneath have offered themselves willingly to this worke and will very gladly spend and be spent for us in this worke though they may reade on the more abundantly they love us the lesse they are beloved f 2 Cor. 12. 15. But we have our patterne and we see our dutie worke we as men who can very gladly spend and be spent for this cause for it is His cause Who did say indeed and did as He said for Hâ—â— zeale eat Him up He was a whole burnt-offering I VVILL VERY GLADLY SPEND AND BE SPENT for you so it was indeed the cause of the Lord Iesus Christ Who was made for us a curse once That He might make us as He is blessed for ever having such an example before us and such a cause in our eye we will worke now or never VVorke we now as we are able and let the Lord worke as He pleaseth He will worke like Himself Truly He worketh wonderfully in all His peoples sight But if He wrought in the dark as sometimes He doth if His foot-steps are in the waters as M Bradford expresseth it a man can see no prints where His Hand is or which way His feet goe whither towards us or against us yet said that good man My hand and my spirit should worke after Him for I am sure I am in the way though I see it not my God goes right though I discerne not the path Worke we I say as we can and let the Lord worke as He will He doth worke gloriously and in sight worke wee and pray too else our worke is vaine and to no purpose worke we but say BLESSED BE GOD first Blessed be Thy Name for the Governours among the people and for them that offered themselves willingly It was because Thou commandest and so it is the North gives and the South keepes not backe Sea and Land comes in for Thy Churches helpe peace peace be to her helpers to deliver us from the Heathen that we may give thankes to Thy holy Name and glory in Thy praise Amen Now Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall still prosper that love her Pray in Prayer pray earnestly our children shall reape the fruit thereof if we doe not now for now we have reaped what our fore-fathers have sowne the fruit of the prayers of many Generations Pray we That the Lord would owne His owne cause certainly He will and so He doth but He must be sought unto for this and enquired after That His eyes would be for good upon His Children and servants all over the world for their eyes and hearts are set stedfast towards Him and His Jerusalem here below and there they fix waiting what God will doe at such a time as this and hearkning what God will speake now It is their confidence He will speake peace and doe according to His owne word give His Servants the opening of the mouth that the enemies may know HE IS THE LORDs The Churches all over the â— Ezek. â—â— 21. world are resolved now to
as one man hand in hand heart with heart in the same way perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement g 1 Cor. 1. 10. I shall then take these many under one single Notion also as one person and so goe on to tell the Churches engagement but to her God first As the King said if the Lord doe not helpe whence could he helpe out of the Barne-floore or out of the wine-presse h 2 Kin. 6. 26. The same may be said touching all created power if the Lord had not helped neither this nor that could have helped The proud helpers doe stoope under Him i Iob 9. 13. But when the yeere of Recompences for His Zion is come k Esa 34. 8. when He will be avenged of His Adversaries who have made voyd His Law when He workes salvations l 1 Sam. 11. 13. in Israel as He hath done this Day when He doth arise to judgement to save all the meeke of the Earth m Ps 76. 9. What then Then He breaks the Arrowes of the Bow the Shield ver 3. and the Sword and the battle aye God doth it and so doth it that all may say The hand of the Lord is here He hath done it of a truth Then he spoyles the stout hearted then he cuts off the spirit of Princes so as when they would oppose the way and worke of the Lord those men of might shall not find their hands but it shall be with them as once it was when the Charet and Horse were cast into a dead sleepe ver â— 6. and then the weake shâ—ll say They be strong n Ioel 3. â—0 their Armour though as contemptible in mans eyes as David and his Armour was is of proofe and shall doe exploits upon His Churches enemies He goes not unweaponed that carries the revenge of God along with him though he carries but a sling a scrip and a pibble * Sam 17. 40. Such despicable instruments are chosen of God whereby He will performe exploits so as He may have all the glory putting into them Heroicall Motions for atchieument Surely all this hath the Lord done for His people this last yeare all these Scriptures have bin fulfilled in our eyes How hath Hâ—e disappointed the Hopes and Helpes of the Adversary how did Hee rise uâ— against the helpe of evill doers p Esa 31. 2. how did Hee starve the gods of the Earth how did Hee make the faces of the wicked as flames q Esa 13. 8. And that this last may not be forgotten how did He set the face of the Righteous like a flâ—nt against the faces of them who turned thâ—ir backs upon God and went contrary to Him in all His commands Truly it is wonderfull in our eyes but behold we therin the Churches engagement to their God Surely if we shall well consider what deliverances the Lord hath wrought this yeare we must say of this day as was said in ancient dayes The Lord hath wrought Salvation in Israel But we shall r 1 Sam. 11. 13. find our Deliverance exceeding that Salvation and paralell with that Deliverance in the following Chapters where we reade thus That the Philistines had so beslaved Israel that they had neither weapon nor Smith left amongst them * â— Sam. 13. 19. And yet in this miserable low condition This naked peeled people marched on two leading the way and over-comming the difficulties therein for the terrour of the Lord went before and then no matter whether few or none followed after against a mighty Legion a numeâ—ous and well furnished Adversary thirty thousand Charriots and six thousand Horse-men and people in multitude as the â—aâ—d on the Sea shâ—re t â— Sam 13. 5. and returned from those adâ—ersaries laden with armâ—s and victâ—â—y â—oth The â—hurches victory over her Adversarâ—es this last yeare equals that in some things and exceeds it in other some There the Lord â—rmed a naked people with the revâ—nge of a God and behold they did exploits Here He did as much for He raised up the fallen spirits of a beslaved Kingdome also He wroâ—ght exâ—loits by a few chosen instruments and put into their heâ—res heroicall motions for atchievement so as a few went out against mighty Legion a numerous and proud adversary against light and treacherous Prophets against heards and droves of Priests and of Malignants as thâ— sands of the Sea-shâ—re are for multitude But being â—rmed with the revenge of a God they did explâ—its as appeares this day So farre the Salvation wrought then and now runne paralell Here now our Salvation exceeds for behold the Lord wrought the greatest Salvation by contrary meanes such as threatned a sore desolation and so onely a God can doe Who at the first brought light out of the wombe of darknesse By a most idolatrous Service-booke composed of purpose to establish that abomination hath he confounded that Idolatrous Service and cast it out By the works of an imperious whorish woman u Ezra 26. 30. such were the works of the Bishops hath he confounded them and their works By the strength of the Adversary He hath trod downe his strength By giving Scope to the foot of pride He hath spoyled the proud and stout-hearted By lawlesse men their violent deeds and devouring words He hath wrought forth the redemption of our Lawes and establishment of the same By a Popish Party a most malignant generation He hath confounded them and their abominations By sonnes of Belial who know no yoake nor will beare any He hath wrought for the vindication of our Religion Lives Lawes Liberties Thus Iehovah can doe The great and dreadfull God He can by most contrary meanes and Wils bring to passe the good pleasure of His owne Will He can by such cursed Instruments which threaten dâ—solation to a Land worke forth Salvations for the same Thus God can doe and no god besides Him For man to say that so he will doe by out-lawed men maintaine the Lawes were blasphemy in his mouth Thus far to shew the Churches engagement to their God The Church will tell her engagement to you but first she blesseth God Who hath instructed you to discretion That you doe so well understand your engagement to Him which is To walke before Him and to be perfect God hath wrought gloriously by you ye will walke honourably before Him The Church is confident you have engaged your hearts upon this thing x Ier. 30. 21. Ye are workers together with God ye will labour to be Holy as He is Holy What yee condemne in others ye will hate in your selves knowing well He that will cast a stone at an offendor must be free himselfe otherwise he condemnes and executes himselfe in anothers person Ye are as good Samuel was he did first cleare his owne Innocence ere he duist charge the people with their sinne y 1 Sam. 12. Innocency and uprightnesse becomes every man especially
those that must take a liberty of controuling offenders Ye have well considered all thâ—s Ye have begun to reforme in your owne hearts and families This is the true method of proceeding â—ccâ—rding to the Order and a Statute in Israel Ye are the Lords Host His Warriours His Worthies They that fight his battels must keep themselves from every wicked thing a Deut. 23. â— That is the Order The judgement upon breach of that Order ye may reade â—ud â—o And he that reades and considers will conclude his Duty thence That a true and orderly Reformâ—r reformes at he me first and in his owne heart then his Family That the one may be kept as the Temple of the living God The other ordered as the Church of Christ And he that considers it not as amongst many more then one there may be This Scripture will have a keene edge against him which we may reade with some alteration in the words but none in the sence Thâ—u therefore who correct est another correct est thou not thy self b Rom. 2. 21. Thou who seemest to reforme abroad reformest thou not at home Certainly there the Reformer begins when he begins decently and in order Great and mighty reason there is that he should doe so and pressed upon you all by the Captaine of your Hoast The very same that was for the Hoast of the Lord going forth against the Lords enemies The Lord your God walketh in the midst of your Camp to deliver up your enemies before you therefore shall your Hoast your House your Court your Deut. 23. Camp your Fleet be holy that He see no uncleane thing in you and turne Ver. 14. away from you The Church hath told you your engagement now she will tell her engagement to you Great reason the Church should record your labour of Love worke of Faith patience of Hope for in all these you have been abundant The greatest reason in the world she should be exceeding thankfull for you have been exceeding carefull How you have oft refreshed her You were not ashamed of her Chaine when she was in Rome you sought her out very diligently and sound her h 2 Tim. 1. 16. Mat. 4. 1. The Churches prayer is The Lord grant that you and yours may find mercy of the Lord in that day What Day A Day that shall burne like an Oven nay more terrible then so A Day when the wicked shâ—ll be at their wits end for expectation and call to the Hils to fall upon them O it is a mighty matter to find mercy of the Lord in that Day that terrible Day that all searching all quickning all opening all manifesting Day I cannot expresse what a mercy it is to find mercy in that Day But so the Church prayes That you may finde mercy in that Day That you may lift up your heads with joy in that Day Behold Him in that Day Whom your soule loveth Whom you serve Whom you feare and Whose Rights you have maintained with all your might So the Church prayes And good reason the Church should pray so That you may find mercy in that Day for in this Day in how many things you have ministred to her her Lord knowes she knowes not but in very many that she knowes and she doth Record them with rejoycing And she wisheth you prosperity in the Name of the Lord that you may ride on with your honour and doe valiantly The greatest Reason that can be She should wish even so your prosperity for therein are involved Peace and Truth the safety and prosperity of the whole Kingdome I must observe as they call it decorum Personae The Church is never lavâ—sh or large in praises to Man She likes not to strike much upon that string least it should affect too much and make too sweet Musicke in the eare Yet She cannot but adde this and then She will put in for Caution That many Parliaments have done worthily Many very worthy deeds have been done for the Nation thereby but you have exceeded them all Indeed you have done so much so many worthy deeds that as was said wittily the Church may say truly You have made the Church the greatest Vsurer in the World for you have turned all her estate into Obligations Truly She hath nothing She dares call her owne all her Estate lyeth in Bonds indeed whereby She is tyed fast to her King and You. She thanks you heartily so well content is She with her Bonds her Estate is good enough and sure enough and rich enough her Bonds are her Freedome and her Riches both SECT IV. Abundant Thanks and Praise tickle the eare therefore the Church puts in Caution for that FOr Caution now and there is need of it For we low men can exalt man very high and give him high praises more then is comely We can say That Gods are come downe to us in the likenesse of men and we can offer sacrifice unto them such as is only due to God And so mighty men have fallen even by the applause of man as well as by the tickling of their owne hearts This is a dainty point man had need to looke on strait lest he trespasse upon Gods peculiar Right which he may doe before he is aware I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most High so the great King of Babel thought and spake in the pride of his heart i Iâ—â— 1â— And yet we doe not conceive that he thought himselfe able to clamber up above the clouds and there set himselfe in the Throne of God He was not so brutishly confident as to thinke so We find him guilty but of stout words against the Lord and high thoughts and so we also may though we thinke not so ascend above the height of the clouds too For I borrow M. Perkins words which will explaine Perk. on Gen. â— 21. c. 5. sect 1. these we may doe all this two wayes First When we thinke we have power of our selves whereby we can match or countervaile the power of God This thought riseth in the heart very often when we trust in our Mountaine and it is a strong City and an high Wall in our conceit k Prov. 18. 1â— and in our counsell and strength that it shall prevaile against God Secondly When we take to our selves the honour of God and thinkâ— it our owne proper due Such thoughts as these rise very often in good hearts but upon wiser thoughts they put it from them as a cursed thing and give not place by subjection thereto no not for a minute They can consider with all their hearts how stout those words are we have read and how high and abominable such thoughts But yet we may note That the wisest have not alwayes these wise and considering thoughts before they be beaten into them first by some sore affliction whereby they are put into feare and know to purpose That they are
and hard Deeds levell unto Looke which way is the Malignants aime and that will point your eye directly to the Righteous Man Whom do they hurry and drag unto the Brow of the Hill The righteous evermore and because they do the thing that is right therfore doth that Head that monstrous Head and Tayle that Serpentine generation and those multitudes with the King over them bend all their councells policies and strength against theese people because they see the thing that good is So it hath beene from the beginning so it will be to the end of the world And so vve conclude from the sacred Writ and from the present times where are cleare and manifest proofes That the Church must be tryed as Silver and Gold is tryed That Legions of Adversaries doe seeke and vvait her destruction that whole Armies of troubles afflictions and sorrowes doe abide her but Her God vvill deliver her from and out of all that 's her comfort The Gates of Hell are against her but shall not prevaile that is her conclusion We proceed on to give hints of things that vve may magnifie the arme of the Lord and raise our spirits in the high praises of the Churches God ¶ 3. When vve have made full enquâ—ry into these present and last Times let us search the Records of all times and enquite there Who it is over vvhom the fire hath no power Who it is that God doth rescue out of the Mouth of the Lyon Whom doth He suffer to be carried to the brow of the Hill and then makes way for escape Whom doth He bring to the mountaine of streights and there is gloriously seene in their Salvations For vvhom doth He divide the Sea and makes paths in the great vvaters For His enemies you wilâ— say Yes that they may pursue then fall and sinke like a stone and rise no more But for whom doth He open a way that they may goe over It must be answered He doth this for His Church His Israel His ransomed ones The redeemed of the Lord vvill say so He delivers them so such Salvations He vvorketh for them and them onely He delivers them after THIS SORT l Dan. 3. 29. What sort None delivered as are these after such a strange vvonderfull and miraculous way after THIS SORT The fire had no power over them But for their enemies the flame of the fire slew them and for those enemies that are suffered to goe on in their furious March He takes off their Charet-wheeles makes them drive heavily then When When they are upon the very heele of the righteous then the vvaters over-whelme them and they are made as still as a stone m Exod. 15. 16. The Conclusion is the Lord never made His Arme bare of flesh He never appeared in the Mount of straits but for His Church and against His Adversaries but so He hath appeared this day ¶ 4. Who are they vvhom we see guarded fenced hedged about â— what more There needs no more and yet to assure their security and that there is not a chinke open whereat danger shall enter to doe them hurt there is more added and on every side n Iob 1. 10. See their security Whose security the Churches the Righteous mans security ever-more They are hedged about and on every side not a cranny hole left open whereat danger can come-in to doe them hurt No no. Object This carries not the face of Truth you will say See we not these sort of men hurried and spoyled and peeled exposed to all danger from the tongues and hands of violent and bloody men Are they then hedged about and on every side when dangers come in upon them at every turne and they are made now Magor-missabib o Ier. 20. 3. beleaguered-about and terrour on every side Answ Yes and yet notwithstanding all this they are so hedged as was said and nothing shall come unto them for their hurt They may be hurried and peeled and spoyled and killed too and yet all for their good Reader this will not seeme strange unto thee if thou readest and considerest with all thy heart that seventy yeares Captivity was for their good p Ier. 24. 5. Therefore we must set a marke upon these words No cranny is left open whereat danger can enter to doe this people hurt They are a protected people still hedged about still and on every side God keepes their persons from troubles or He delivers them by troubles or supports them in troubles as He did Iob a miracle of patience never any man so tryed as he never any man so supported as he or opens a dore and passage through dangers so bringing His Servants to the place where they vvould be The Divell spake good Divinity the Servants of the Lord will say so Thou hast made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side This then is the conclusion Surely there is no inchantment against Jâ—cob neither is there any divination against Israel according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel what hath God wrought q Numb 13. 2â— SECT II. From what God hath done The Church gets assured confidence for time to come SEe againe for we have observed the premises here was an Head against the Church that monstrous Head the Tayle against Her That serpentine Tayle that bulky-body as the sand for multitude all these against Her with their King over them yet could doe Her no hurt Behold I give unto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any meanes hurt you q Luk. 10. 19. These are good words and comfortable and now are they fulfilled in our eyes All these enemies did what they could to sting and poyson the Church but they were not able All these blowed hard to quench the light of Israel yet could not doe it the Lord kept His Church alive as a sparke which is said of Noah r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 5. Ser. 6. in the midst of the roaring Ocean Who would not feare this God Who would not serve Him None but a God can deliver after this sort That was the conclusion and none are so delivered but His Church He reprooveth Kings nay Hee breaketh the Head of the Leviathan in peeces for His Churches sake And this is the Churches confidence for ever from all these things which her God hath done they can assure their hearts for the time to come That when they shall be brought againe to the Brow of the Hill to her mountaine of straits their God will appeare there He that brake the Heads of the Leviathan to peeces Pharaoh and his great Hoast Å¿ Ps â—9 14. Annona fuit huâ—â— reposita qua vesceretur populus Cal. in loc gave that deliverance for meat to His people inhabiting a wildernesse i. e that when they should be in straights then
they might remember that deliverance and be encouraged He that gave them such a Deliverance as was that would not suffer them to sinke now That which God hath done was a cordiâ—ll unto them in their fainting fits Verily verily That God Who had so delivered would never never leave them nor forsake them s Heb. 1◠◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Five Negatives Thus the Church concludes now from the premises which she cals experiences God Who did deliver from so great a death and doth deliver in Him they doe trust that He will yet deliver t 2 Cor. 1. even so Amen ¶ 1. This we must adde to the former Conclusion as we must learne to trust in Him to set our hope upon Him a Ps 78. 7. Who is Mighty So also to set our heart upon Him He is Mighty and hath done for us mighty things therefore vve must serve Him vvith all our Mâ—ght He hath done His Church good assuredly with His whole Heart and with His whole Soule b Ier 32. 41. that we might serve Him so with our whole heart and with our whole soule He hath not like a warfaring c Ier. 14. 8. man stayed with His Church for a night and then away No He hath made His abode with her He dwels in the flaming-bush He sets up His rest there because there His soule delighteth All this that wee might be stedfast with Him and turne backe no more in the Day of Tryall of battell It is much to be thought of that God dwels in His Church when they are as a flaming Bush in the fornace of affliction then Hee dwels with them vvhich mightily engageth His people to Dwell to delight themselves in the Lord Who so regarded them in their low estate He followed His Church vvith mercies after mercies and deliverance after deliverance and discoveries against discoveries these followed hard and over-tooke one the other Why so That vve might follow after righteousresse d Esa 51. 1. that vâ—e might follâ—w on to know the Lord e Hos 6. 3. That our souls might follow hard after the Lord f Ps 63. 8. and not cease till we have taken hold of Him resolved to cleave unto Him to close with Him in all His Commands and Promises And so to say of the Lord as He hath said Who hath chosen Zion The Lord is our Rest for ever here will we dwell for we have desired it g Ps 132. 14. The poore man that was possessed with a Legion of Divels but now delivered and in his right mind prayed the Lord Christ that he might be with him h Mar. 5. 18. he remembred his old bondage how the case was with him when under the power of that cruell Lord and feared the like againe if he should depart from Christ or Christ from him I will repeat the former conclusion and joyne this with it for we find them together Because thou hast beene my helpe therefore in the shadow of Thy Wings will I rejoyce My soule followeth haâ—d after Thee Thy Right hand upholdeth me i Ps 63. 7. 8. SECT III. This will serve to cleare the Churches Innocency as the Noone-Day THe Church hath beene so and so delivered after such a sort They have beene in Deaths often yet behold she lives is confident and strong in her God and power of His Might Nay the Church hath bin as the Bush that 's her Type all in a flame and yet as then so now vvhich appeareth this day not consumed Let us turne aside and see this great sight Certainly then we must behold GOD IN THE BVSH When I say GOD then I have said all the Love the Wisdome the Power of God all exceeding towards His Church the sonnes of Iacob in whom He beholds no iniquity neither hath He seene perversnesse in Israel g Num. 23. 21. If we shall well consider this and ponder it in our hearts we shall be well able to cleare the Churches innocency I meane if this vvhich hath been said shall sinke downe into our hearts it will be more cleansing then Fullers-sope to wash-off a foule imputation a notorious slander cast upon the very face of the Church and to render her as white and cleare thereof as the Snow in Salmon or as raiments white as the Light so as no Fuller can white them It is said her people are enemies to their King they seek not his peace they have driven him from them Nay the slander riseth higher as high as that of Saul against David That imputation then and this now runne together like paralell lines We will see then how David cleares his innocency and how God cleares him and then vve shall see the very same thing done now Thus David vvas slandered That he conspired against his Master That he lay in wait to catch him in a h 1 Sam 22. 8. Snare c. See how David cleares himselfe Now the Lord forbid that I should doe this thing unto my Master the Lords annoynted seeing he is the annoynted of the Lord i 1 Sam. 24 6. Moreover my Father see see here a good token yea see the skirt of this robe in my hand had an uncircumised a Jesuited person come so neare thee he would have taken away thy head and have rejoyced when he had done for wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked as saith the Proverbe But my heart throbs within me because I have cut-off the lap of thy garment Know thou now and see that there is ver 13. neither evill nor transgression in my hand So David cleares himselfe Yes if a mans owne words vvill cleare him vvho vvill not ver 11. appeare innocent True but here are more then vvords yet they are cleare and simple here is more then a single proofe for here are deeds too as we may reade if we will peâ—use the Story But the maine thing and to our purpose here is this How doth God cleare him Thus And David behaved himselfe wisely in all his wayes and God was with him k 1 Sam. 18. 14. Was that the clearing of Davids innocency Yes none like that David behaved himselfe wisely and God was with him he could strengthen his hand in God he could encourage himselfe in the Lord his God l 1 Sam. 23 16. 30. 6. A wicked person cannot doe so if he doe it is presumption and an unwarranted confidence God vvill not take part with the wicked He vvill not shine upon their councels Yes He doth and so He iâ— said to doe m Iob. 10. 3. True and we will answer that by the way God may shine upon the Councels of the wicked and crosse the proceedings of the just commanded and warranted from His owne Mouth He may doe the first as to make them confident so to ripen the designe and to hasten it's ruine and to make Himselfe more glorious in confounding them and their designes He hath done the latter more
then once to quicken up His servants to more caution about themselves and their worke and the manner of performing their Masters charge But here is the point we drive unto vvhen Deliverances come-in unto His people with the seale and impression of the wisdome and power of God upon them this is ever because they are His people He delights in them there is innocency in their hearts and their hands are pure from that great evill suggested against them Such Salvations the Lord wrought for David They had the impresse of the Almighties hand upon them Saul hunted him like a Partridge God would not deliver him into his hands Hee rescued him here and there and every where It had not beene so if innocency had not beene found in his hands and integrity in his heart towards Saul his peace and dignity for he was the Lords annoynted The Text is plaine it needs not my Comment but I 'le apply it comparing the Salvations then and now together for their accusation is the same crimes objected the same their defence or apology the same and God the same in rescuing them and clearing their innocency as the Noon day The servants of the Lord are thus accused at this day they are enemies to their King they seeke his hurt they have driven him away c. These servants of the Lord answer God forbid for who can doe so against the Lords annoynted and be guiltlesse They seeke the hurt of their King their consciences beares them Record and God also they seeke God for the King and are not weary Grace Grace unto him Peace Peace unto him and that is all Peace bee both to him peace to his house and peace be to all that he hath a 1 Sam. 25. 8. peace peace unto him and peace be to his helpers for their God helpeth them b 1 Chro. 12. 18 They enemies to their King the Lords annoynted So they are to their own souls for so they pray for him They have driven him away from them As a man drives away the candle vvhen he is in the darke and must walke but would not stumble They quench the light of Israel As they would the light and influence of the Sunne vvithout vvhich they could not move the least finger As they would quench the light and motions of Gods Spirit in them without which they sit in miserable darknesse and move not or move to their owne destruction They secke his life They doe indeed heare them in the Church or in the Closet O King live for ever The eternall God be thy Refuge and underneath the EVERLASTING ARMES Deut 33. 27. They deliver their King up into his enemies hands they set him in the Front of the battell As they would set themselves at the mouth of a Cannon or thrust themselves into the mouth of a Lyon or Beare bereaved of her whelpes which will teare the Cawle of their hearts So they cleare themselves and their innocency at this point Ai but a man is not justified by the words of his own mouth Well be it so that their owne vvords cleare them not See how the Lord cleares them How They behave themselves wisely and God is with them They proceed on and doe exploits as Men made wise by the wisedome of God and mighty in the strength of His power They can strengthen their hand in God They can encourage themselves in Him He hath made an hedge about them and about their house and about all that they have on every side He hath blessed the worke of their hands and prospered the very thoughts of their hearts These were to promote Christ the Glory for He is worthy He hath constantly shin'd upon their counsels He or they that can observe and can speak by the Spirit must say concerning this people as Amasai did concerning David Thine are we thou blessed of the Lord and on thy side thou daughter of Zion Peace peace be unto thee and peace be to thine helpers for Thy God helpeth thee d 1 Chro. 12. 18. Indeed He doth and in all the peoples sight They can see the Salvations of a God comming in unto them with the seale impresse and inscription of the Wisdome Power Majesty of a God upon them These servants of the Lord can say as David did My soule was among Lyons but the Lord shut the mouth that Devourer could not swallow-up e Ps 57. 4. They did lye among them who were set on fire yet their garments did not smell of the smoake But for the wicked it shall not be so with them not so with them that seeke the hurt of their King They may triumph for a short time and joy for a moment but how oft is their candle put out how oft commeth their destruction upon them f Iob 21. 17. God distributeth sorrowes in His Anger The wicked shall be as stubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away The Lord rewardeth the wicked and they shall know it Thus and thus shall it be to the wicked but thou Lord Ps 5. 12. wilt bâ—esse the righteous with favour wilt thou compasse him as with a shield That 's the Conclusion That the salvations of God great salvations are evermore the portioâ— of the Church the Israel of God who seeke the pâ—ace and life of their King and so they can commit their righteous cause unto a righteous God Whose eyes are upon the Truth and will blesse those that are children of blessing even according to the innocency of their hands and integrity of their hearts in this matter even so Amen ¶ 1. I shall passe-over now a chiefe thing vvhich must be concluded also from the premises and containes much I shall name it only and no more and so put a Marke upon it for observation †1. That the Lord hath a time to bring downe Hâ—s Adversaries When Then when they are a float when the flood of their pride riseth to the highest When they say in their hearts They will climbe up above the heights of the clouds and be like the most high d Esa 14. 14. They had an arme like God such were their proud thoughts Who changeth the times and the seasons ramoveth and setteth up a Dan. 2 21. they could slâ—y whom they would and whom they would they could keep alive They could set up whom they would and whom they would they could put down b Dan. 5. 17. When their heart was thus lifted up then they came downe mightily then the Lord was above them in all wherein they dealt proudly c Exo. 18. 11. and made them know that they are but Men d Ps 9. 10. Vehementissimèag nâ—scant Iun. But this knowledge is too high for them they will not know in good earnest that they are but Men. For truely wee are a stubborne Generation as our fore-Fathers vvho vvhen they saw their fellowes killed vvith plagues yet they Repented not of the workes
Rivers the Flooâ—s the Brookes of Hony and Butter f Iob 20 17. he shall see the contrary that which shall amaze and astonish him if his heart be not as a stone vvithin him Heaven above him shut against him the grave open to receive him His soule lanching forth into the Ocean of Aeternity vvhere he must vvallow in the streames of brimstone and flames of fire how long The answer thereto sinkes the spirit for it is the very Hell of Hell FOR EVER and EVER We have not a thought that can â—each halfe way to the bottome of that Ocean But this thought of perishing FOR EVER of everlasting burnings shall drinke up the spirits of a Man and be within his bowels as the gall of Aspes But the serious thoughts thereof now now this present time the acceptable time and day of Salvation mâ—y be very effectuall to awaken him that lyeth downe NOW as in the midst of the Sea or as he that sleepeth upon the top of a Mast g Pro. 23. â—4 To stirre him up to arise and call upon his God if so be that God will thinke upon him that he perish not h Iona. 1. 6. FOR EVER punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the LORD and from the glory of His power i 2 Thes 1. 9. The Conclusion is if a Man vvould fly from the wrath to come if he would assure his heart that everlasting consolation shall be given unto him if he vvould have peace now vvhich all the Malignants in the vvorld cannot take from him if he vvould have a defence a shield over his head now vvhich the most fiery darts cannot pierce through if he vvould have assured confidence of all this if he be in earnest and will have it indeed He will get assurance that he shall stand now and hereafter as the everlasting Hils and perpetuall Mountains if this be his will indeed if this be the very purpose and resolution of his heart then he will give all diligence to the full assurance of Hope * Heb. 6. 11 12. that proves his will whether true or not to do as the Church doth to obey heartily to trust perfectly to be guided by Him to walke before Him and to be perfect So the Church doth doe and if we doe as she doth vve shall be as she is though the Raine desceâ—d and the floods come and the winds blow and beat upon her house yet a QVIET HABITATION notwithstanding SECT V. We cannot expect to be delivered AFTER THIS SORT unlesse we walke in THIS WAY the way of Gods Commandements LAstly learne we from hence to keepe our selves in Gods way there is safety in those pathes the Angels carry us we cannot dash the foot therein We are sure of protection so farre as wee keepe our selves in that path though it seemes over-clouded with the shadow of death In that darke path the Church can walke on boldly and considently though through fire and water for she walkes under the shadow of the Almighty and in the feare of God all the Day long a Pro. 23. 17. Therefore she finds comfort even where she sees no light But if she doth find comfort and light both yet then she feares the Lord and His goodnesse b Hos 3. 5. She feares at all times she presumes at no time she walkes boldly but humbly shee doth not lead her selfe into temptation no she is lead to the Brow of the Hill or forced rather but then she is sure the Adversary cannot force her downe We may note this by the way it is one thing when a man is driven upon straits and another thing when he drives himselfe upon straits It is one thing to be brought to the brow of an hill and another thing for a man to bring himselfe to such a precepice I may be câ—st into the armes of God and be assured to be held up by them but if I presumptuously rush-in upon them I shall not find those arms underneath I shall not be held up by them To presume that God will keepe me when I walk not in His way is as if a man should hang himselfe in hope that one would come and cut the halter To close up all We find safety no where but in Gods way for therin with Iacob we find a Command and a Promise both these are still together The Lord which said unto me Returne unto thy country and Gen 32. 9. to thy kindred and I will deale well with thee The Conclusion then is if in this way Esau a bloudy persecutor will come out against the Church he shall not be able to do them hurt though his wrath should not abate but â—t may be the Lord wâ—ll so over-power his spirit that he shall not dash against the Church but meet them as becommeth a Brother with embracings SECT VI. An Apology for this digression if it seemes so And a short view or recollection of what was last said I May seeme here to have digressed not a little in discontinuing the Calender by these Uses or Conclusions so largely insisted upon If so it seemeth to the Reader I would desire him to consider this and then if he thinks it a digression he will think it necessary also first †1. Thaâ— which was intimated before God wrought then like Himselfe 〈◊〉 wonderfully before man was called forth to helpe Him against the Mighty He alone doth wonders but they are not wonders in our eyes unlesse He workes alone Though we have not many to worke with Him though but a few yet these few take off much from the wonderfulnesse of His workes * Miramâ—r si nobis coelestis manus aliquâ— non prastet cui quicquid prastiâ— terit derog 〈◊〉 Sal. de gub l. 7. p. â—47 such a regard we have to the arme of flesh though a weake arme and often broken in all the peoples sight But I say before the Parliament was summoned He wrought alone and then vvas the Adversary confounded his snares broken then vvas the Church pluck'd three Kingdomes at once as a brand out of the fire a Zach. 3. â— then at that time the Church passed from the brow of the Hill through the middest of her Adversaries and went her way The Lord knowes how she escaped for she knows Luk. 4. 30. not but she passed through the middest of them and went her way A flaming Bush then as once she was But see this great sight The Bush burned with fire and was not consumed Then came helpe from Heaven vvhen there vvas none from the Earth Then rowled-in streames of consolation floods of hony and butter when the enemy and adversary had stopt and dam'd up all her fresh springs below Then came in the spring-tide of Deliverance when she vvas brought to the lowest ebbe of Distresse See the vvorkings of a God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 4. ep 1. I could not passe-over this and not set
His faithfulnesse to deâ—er no longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 4. Epist 1. I say in such an exigence God must helpe He stands bound to it You have protested to take Him for your God He hath protested to take you for his people You have sworne and by the good hand of God upon you you vvill stand to the Oath and He hath sworne by what By Himself by all that is in Himselfe and He is all You vvill stand to your Oath that 's supposed He vvill stand to His Oath that must not be doubted You rejoyced at the Oath He vvill rejoyce over you to do you good It must be so ye have strucke hands together Ye may say The Lord must remember me How with the favour He heareth unto His people d Ps 106. 4. He must visit me now with His Salvations that is with a great Salvation When I am at the pits brinke one shocke throwes me downe then vvith reverence be it spoken He must deliver me He must come-in at the fourth-watch when there is no helpe from Earth then the Arme of the Lord must be revealed from Heaven I am His and He my God a God in Covenant The OATH of GOD is betwixt us by His good hand upon me I will stand to it and then He must stand by me I am thine â— save Ps 7. 1. me It vvâ—s Davids argument and prevailed still SAVE me for I TRVST in THEE The Church saith it had beene a vvonder if God had not done for you even so for you are His sworne Servants The Church commands me now to proceed on in declaring this wonderfull worke vvhich the Lord so strangely and as graciously by your meanes brought about To bring your selves and the Nation into Covenant with Himselfe I shall not meddle vvith the severall heads or charges in the same vvhich vvould take up more roomth then herâ— can be allowed Religion is the chiefe head there are the spirits and a great binder it is it bindes a people to their God and God to the people I proceed herein in this order first 1. What this PROTESTATION is to you and all that stand to it 2. What a discovering note it is to your Adversaries 3. The Church will put-up a short prayer to her God 4. Then a Supplication to you In all this you shall have but an Abstract out of a large Volume or Theame rather nothing taken thence but an addition thereunto ¶ 1. A Rocke of DEFENCE to the Righteous THis PROTESTATION is to you and all that have taken it and will stand to it b 2 Chron. 34. 32. a SELA-HAMMAHLEKOTH c 1 Sam. 23. 28. a Rocke of Separation betwixt you and your Adversaries nothing shall be able to reach you to doe you hurt Should the Lord fill all the Inhabitants of the Land even the Kings and the Priests and the Prophets with drunkennesse so He hath done for the sinnes of a Nation as He threatneth d Ier. 13. 13. Should He dash them one against another even the Fathers and the sonnes together e ver 14. for so He threatens also in the same place Why yet you should be safe none of all these shall come neare you to hurt you Why so Because you are a people in covenant with your God and He with you Looke you to it how ye stand to it for this followes TROVBLED ye may be on every side f 2 Cor 4 8. no doubt of that and so you may say you shall say withall yet not DISTRESSED PERPLEXED ye may be not knowing what way to take or what to doe but not in DESPAIRE PERSECVTED yee shall bee but not FORSAKEN CAST-DOWN ye may be but not DESTROYED ye may be set as on fire round about ye shall not be consumed Why so The same answer and it answers all Arguments even the Jesuites their fire and sword the hardest words and most violent deeds ye are in covenant with your God nothing shall come unto you to doe you HVRT No Plague shall come to your dwelling as a plague Though great Letters are written upon your door yet the Plague is not there for all that God is with you even YOVR GOD He will save you even from that Destroyer it shall but reach your body at the furthest The time will come when you will say your head akes and your heart too nay it fainteth and yet heare what the Lord saith The Inhabitant shall not say I am SICKE g Esa 33 24 Why so The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity h I beare any thing now my sins are pardoned Mâ—â— ad in vita Lutheri p. 168. â— â— Ps 73. 2â— Looke ye there My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever â— That stils and quiets all God at peace with me and all is peace God in Covenant with me in Christ reconciled to me if so I am not SICKE my sinnes are forgiven all is well with me for God is with me and HE is ALL health strength riches All. See how efficacious this Covenant is if we STAND to it nothing shall stand against us nothing shall come unto us to do us HVRT that is first ¶ 2. As Sibboleth to the Wicked It discoveres the Priests and their People It hampers the Malignant though like possessed Men No Cords will hold the Papists Their obstinacy in Gods house how to judge of the Legality of an Oath THis PROTESTATION or sacred covenant is a Destinguishing character Thereby you shall know who is a true English-man Who a Treacherous Priest Papist or Malignant person Give it to a right English-man a True Israelite in whom is no guile He goes cleare and smooth away with it He takes it with all his heart and stands to it rejoyceth at the Oath k 2 Chro. 15. 15. that is he pronounceth it right Give it to the Priests they will refuse it or fumble at it they cannot frame to pronounce it right â— Present it to the Papist you shall see vvhat he will doe anon This is to the Priests the two Armies of them to the Papists also as SIBBOLETH to the Ephraimites l Iud. 12. â— Now you shall know whose eyes are evill against you because your eye is good and you are resolved to doe the thing that good is Now yee shall see who they are that puffe at you deride you blow their nose at you b Luk 16. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because you vvould have them protest to take God for their God and not their bellies to bind themselves in covenant with Him as the very word Religion imports But see how their mind and affection stands They protest to take God for their God! no not they Their belly ease profits pleasures are their gods these and other Lords have ruled over them and they shall rule by their meanes So now you know them their
towards such sinners as we are He hath sworne in His vvrath against those that have not provoked Him as we have done and they are an astonishing example of Gods smoaking vvrath at this Day and written for our example vvho come the nearest to that Mother-Church in our receits and returnes I meane in mercies and sinnes But this example though an astonishing one is farre off and we are if not blinde yet very dimme-sighted We cannot clearly see into a judgement so farre-off though it is at this Day as that was c Numb â—6 10. Exemplum omniuÌ„ oculis expositum ut est erectum signum Trem. for a signe conspicuous to every eye as a banner displayed or as ensignes lifted up d Esa 57. 17 18. Consider we Gods dealing His Manner tovvards His people nearer hand but first His dealing towards us We went on very frowardly traversing our way What did the Lord doe Did He deale frowardly too No to the Admiration of Angels and men He did as he said even then He HEALED us He sent us Saviours He did terrible things against the Adversary which we looked not for He brought us HITHERTO How farre I cannot tell that Let it suffice to test farre beyond our Prayers and above our Hopes so farre He brought us as we can conclude it but possible to an Allmighty hand to bring us so farre HITHERTO Is this His manner to deale so graciously with such presumptuous sinners as we are No He did not deale so with Ireland that Land lyeth under the displeasure of an angry God full of the furie of the Lord the rebuke of thy God 'T is not His manner neither to deale so with our Sister-Churches O no! The Lord hath brought them to an HITHERTO of judgements I pray you nay I charge you before the Lord observe their HITHERTO and our HITHERTO compare them together and then consider on it I was saying the Lord hath given the dearely Beloved of His soule see how angry the Lord may be with His Beloved into the hand of her enemies * Ier. 12 7. He hath brought His people in Germany to a HITHERTO of judgements and how farre beyond this vve cannot tell He began with them twenty foure yeares agoe thereabouts He hath not ended with them HITHERTO no not to this Day The Sword is yet bathed in blood HITHERTO the Enemy hath prevailed and keepes the Sanctuary of the Lord in his possession O set we up a Monument here for establishing the Memory of this Mercy that God hath brought us HITHERTO We professe ô Lord God we feele our selves over-charged with this mercy that Thou hast brought us HITHERTO Truth Lord if Thou wilt bring us no further no not one steppe we doe indeed feare the reproach of Men that Thy great Name may suffer Their Manner is to open against Thee and to say as of old THOV ART NOT ABLE But we recover our selves again and upon second thoughts we are pretty vvell perswaded That thou canst worke out Thine owne glory in Thine owne vvayes by us unsearchable and past finding out And therefore ô Lord God we doe profeâ—â—e before the World Angels and Men That if Thou shouldest set up Thy Pillar here and write upon it Beyond this HITHERTO this PILLAR there remaineth no Mercy not a jot which you or your children shall live to see for you are a brutish sullen people a crooked Generation yee will not know That I have sent you SAVIOURS You fly from them as from Spoylers You account REFORMATION a killing a Ex. 2. and so you speake of it in my eares Therefore he that is filthy let him be filthy still b Rev. 22. 11. And for these Saviours I will take them away or put a cloud over them or an evill spirit into them so as they shall carry you backe againe to the Aegypt you mind so much and like so well yet the utmost of all evill c Deut. 28. 68. Iratum habemus Christum quòd â— iustâ Reformatione absumus sin redâ—erâ—muâ—â—â— voâ—â—tum quo furore in nos exardesces Bright iâ— stev c â— 11. v. 15. Quid reliquum est prater ultimum supplicium ubi conclamata est omnis emendatio Bright in Rev. 16. 10. even to your pollutions your MIRE and VOMIT where They sound you If Thou shouldest say to us even so and doe as Thou hast said yet thy Servants can find in their hearts to give Thee everlasting praise for bringing us SO FARRE and helping us HITHERTO for to the Confusion of our face and to the praise of Thy abundant Mercy be it spoken that Thou hast much the same inditement against us as of old against Thy Israel We have dealt so and so YET THOV DESTROYEDST THE AMORITE Bâ—FORE VS Thou broughtest VS also up from the Land of Aegypt BVT c. The same YET and the same BVT thou hast against us so as Thou art pressed under us as a Cart is pressed that is full of Sheafes d Amos 2. â— 12. Therfore what though Thou wilt not doe this in our dayes no nor in our childrens dayes our eyes must not see such Salvations What though we a foolish and gain saying people must by Thy appointment goe to the place of silence and our childrens faces also must be wrapt up within their mould yeâ— notwithstanding we can blesse Thee we can praise Thee with open Mouth and enlarged Hearts for that Thou hast done before our eyes this last yeare and for those glorious promises Thou hast made to Thy Church for a great while to come Which we see as in a Glasse clearly by that thou hast done this yeare are now fullfilling We can blesse Thee for all this for helping us thus farre for bringing us HITHERTO How many of our Brethren better then we vvould have rejoyced to have seene such a day as this and EBEN-EZAR that Name put upon it That they might have seen the good of Thy chosen have rejoyced in the gladnesse of Thy Nation and glory vvith Thine Inheritance But Thy pleasure was not so Thou hast provided better things for them where their sight is more cleared their joy more refined their glory more abundant blessed be Thy Name VVee blesse Thy great Name also and we can almost say We have enough that Thou hast spared us to this Day and brought us HITHERTO so vvonderfully vvorking for us and while wee have any BEING it is the full purpose of our Hearts to praise Thy Name and the Lord keepe it in the purpose of our hearts for ever Amen For what are we what are our persons or our Fathers House That Thou hast brought us HITHERTO â— Sam. 7. 18. ¶ 2 The Church hath strong Consolations because the LORD hath spoken good words and comfortable touching her house for a great while to come She gives her self to Prayer BUt yet ô Lord God as thou hast commanded us to Record to Praise to Thanke Thee for Thy Mercies HITHERTO So