Righteous art thou O Lord and just are all thy judgments Now Sir I have shewed Englands disease and distemper it remains that I direct the cure and remedy and that I say is Repentance true and hearty General and Universal Repentance Englands Cure and Remedy Let the Ministers of God lift up their voice and cry Repent England repent repent let all that wish well to England pray that God would pour out a Spirit of Repentance that from Dan to Bâ—ersheba all Israel may return and seek unto the Lord and to David their King Sir Repentance is the end and errand of all Afflictions Isa 27.11 Men cry out of doing the Work of God nor do I deny it in all our strange revolutions only I desire it may be noted it is Gods strange work speaking his displeasure and summoning his Peoples Repentance a relenting heart a returning spirit shall no sooner be effected but these sharp rods will be rejected God will walk contrary to a stubborn People Levit. 16. until their uncircumcised heart be humbled but no longer for then his end is effected Repentance doth engage divine return for he hath promised that when ever he speaks against a Nation to pluck it up or root it out if that Nation repent he will repent Jer. 18.8 He ever meets relenting Ephraim with Repentance for inflicted judgments his method is to give Repentance and Remission of 〈◊〉 Jeâ— 31 18. The greatest good intended for Israel is contracted into the promise of repentance the Sun doth not more certainly follow the morning star then the return of Gods presence doth attend repentance Nay Sir in this case repentance is an actual re-enjoyment of blessing not only a quality disposing to it but an act putting into the possession of it as your Armies late repentance for their backsliding put your Members actually into the House to rule and govern and their counter repentance put you out again so the repentance of your pretended Parliament and the People of England puts lawful Governors into their proper places and sixeth Authority in its right Center which sin unhingeth and expelleth You may observe Israels Repentance was an actual and ardent Contest to bring â—â—me the King Repentance breaks open the Bar of Sedition and Rebellion which shutteth out lawful authority will but God give Repentance the Restitution oâ— Englands Government will be very feasable and speedy For this Repentance consists in two parts 1. To abide for rightfull Governours however expelled and at present excluded and not to be for any other Magistrate by any act of Allegiance First part of Repentance or acknowledgment of Loyalty strike not hands with consent not to any self-created Governours by Pride Perfidy and Rebellion slipping into a Chair of State play not the wanton with any self-advancing Absalom be not seduced by every seditious Sheba If proud men have power and profaneness to catch a Scepter and stamp Authority upon themselves let men maintain their Chastity deny their Allegiance court them not as rightful Governours Mens giddy unconstancy is â—he 〈◊〉 that nâ—â—â—risheth Rebellion resolved chastity is the rebuke of adul erous attempts if with Mephibâ—sheth men cannot follow their exil'd David let them bidâ— in their widow-hood and retain their Loyalty until herâ—â—â—â—â— According to Nature and Scripture a â—â—ople may better be without ary Prince then strike hands with a usurptâ— for iâ— that is sorrow but in this is 〈◊〉 I should Sir wish that 〈◊〉 and blind affection may not engage any to commit lewdness with any the Members of Englands late Husbands body let not any the Members of our Collective Body now beheaded and bemangled cheat us with the claim of Allegiance by pretence of Relation and cry of a Long Parliament but rather let these Members be dispersed throughout the Tribes of Israel as evidences of that unheard of violence and unparallell'd cruelty which hath been acted on our Espoused Lord. Englands Subscription of sinful Engagements and shameful Addresses to unlawful Powers hath been the breach of her chastity let us abide for lawful Government when we can do no more evidence our integrity and assert our duty and relation when we cannot enjoy our right The 2d Act of Repentance to be done is to return unto the Lord Second â—aâ—t of Repentance and to David their King Return to God is the formall act of true Repentance Sin and Repentance have the same object though some sin is more immediately against God yet all sin is a transgression of his Law the same God that said Thou shalt have none other Gods before my face said also Thou shalt honour thy Father and thy Mother and Thou shalt not commit adultery Israels Rejection oâ— Samuel was a Rejection oâ— the Lord as light as men make oâ— Civil Right and Order it is Gons direction in the second Table of his Law The complaint of the Penitent for any sin is unto God Against thee thee only have I sinned seeking to the Lord will spur a seeking unto David their King sence of God offended engageth a return from all sin not only from last but first acts oâ— violence done unto Authority not only the interruptions made on you in 1653. but those chiesly made by you in 1648 and that with fulness of Resolution to backslide no more a return to God will awe the conscience and obviate all the difficulties and discouragements of Repentance danger sinfully created by rebellion shall not deter repentance because it is a return to God ready to forgive let me say to England as God to Israel If thou wilt return return unto the Lord who enjoyned your duty Jer. 4.1 whose law hath been violated by your impiety unto the Lord to whom you sware in the day of your distress who is a God of Jealousie and will avenge the quarrel of the Covenant sad is the Repentance which is but an exchange of sin or of sins object a bewailing of one rebellious act but maintaining and proceeding in a series of Rebellion violence and sedition Sir whatever Souldiers do Saints must not thus return Israels return to God must be with a return to David their King by David is generally understood the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ nor do I deny it only Sir I wish it may be noted the Messiah is called David for Relation and Succession sake because the same seed and rightful successor of David as the Pharaohs of Egypt and Caesars of Rome he is their King not only as the Messiah but by a lineal discent from and lawful succession to the Crown of Israel so that a return to David their King is mentioned with an allusion unto their Apostacy from and Rebellion against the House of David which must be repented in their return for they must embrace their Lord Jesus not only as the Messiah but as their natural Prince and lawful Soveraign and therefore Calvin crieth out Aliter vere ex animo Deum quaerere noli
ENGLANDS REPENTANCE Englands only REMEDY Religiously propounded in a Serious Resolve of this ENQUIRY Q. What is to be desired by all such as wish well to England In a Letter written by a Minister in London in Answer to one sent from a worthy Member of the late Long PARLIAMENT Entred according to Order London Printed by D. Maxwell 1659. Honoured Sir YOurs of the 18th instant I received whereby I discern your sense of the sad hand of God upon these Nations in the many sad Revolutions to which they have been subject And now you seem studious of the way of its recovery in which I rejoyce Though Sir your Enquiry doth a little amaze me not so much for the matter as that you should press me to it in this juncture of time You well know Sir I have not declined to let you know my thoughts of all the late transactions of those who called themselves The Long Parliament Did I not much presume on your Faithfulness never to use it to my damage however God deal with you I might burn my pen and paper for fear of a Treason and High Court of Justice But I will not fear to write at his request to whom I have often spoken freely and yet met with the fidelity of a Friend Sir your Enquiry is serious and seasonable and calls for a better Resolution then I can render It is this Quest What is to be desired by them that wish well to England I understand your Enquiry as grounded on the present sad state of the Nations affairs and so my resolution is as of a Minister of God that of Israel Repentance promised in Hosea 3.5 Afterwards shall Israel return and seek unto the Lord their God and unto David their King is the unum necessarium one only thing to be desired for England as her sovereign Remedy against all her maladies by the hand of God inflicted on her On serious observation of England I cannot but judg her the parallell of the ten Tribes in sin and sorrow and wish she may precede them in a serious and seasonable Repentance Methinks Sir the Prophet Hosea his Prophetical Marriage of an Harlot and leaving her a long time with this charge To abide for him and not to play the Harlot Hos 3.3 or be for any other is a lively Emblem of Englands state and duty England Sir as Israel have gone in the way of Jerobeam and have sinfully against all Natural Civil and Religious bonds Englands Disease cast off and shut out their Lawful Governours and Established Government left them by their Progenitors and under which she long flourished unto the Enriching of her self Envy of her Neighbours Nations and Encouragement of the Reformed Churches And that after many Declarations Protestations Vows Oaths and the Solemn League and Covenant for the defence and preservation of the Kings Majesties Person and Posterity the Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties of the Subject and that Sworn in a day of Extremity when they seem'd to be in danger and men were Jealous the subversion since effected was intended Nay and after a vast expence of Blood and Treasure in the defence of them and when under an Obligation inviolable and never to be dispensed withall wherein we have sworn to God Not to suffer our selves by any comminations perswasions or terrors whatsoever directly or indirectly to turn aside to the right hand or to the left or to make defection from this Cause Yet have our Nation to the Scandal of Religion Reproach of the Nation and Blasphemy of God and Provocation of his Justice with Israel made defection from their Lawful and Natural Prince nay and altered their unalterable Government at the Lusts of men subverting very Foundations Only Sir I must be free to let you know that in two things Englands defection hath been more vile then that of Israeis in that it was made by a violent base unjust extrajudicial barbarous Regicidee with an hypocritical pretence of Justice Secondly In that Members of the Parliament have been to themselves an Hâ—rod Ascalonite to violently break up their own Sandedrin and Guido Faux to blow up King Lords and Commons in Parliamâ—â—t assembled to the everlasting blemish of the Protestant Religion and in the room thereof have been subjected to usurpation and self-created Governours with whom most of the Nation have concurred and to them consented And for the support of this Usurped Magistracy Calves have been set up at Dâ—n and Bethell all falshood in Religion Tolerated the Ministry laid common who will becomes a Priest unto the Loâ—d So that Sir Schism and Sedition Rebellion unto Regicide Perfidie and Perjurie is become Englands Guilt and impiety written in such legible and indelible Characters that all men must say She is become an Harlot and see Repentance absolutely necessary to prevent her ruine Nay Sir give me leave to tell you Englands sin like Israels hath been pointed out by her Sorrows Englands Distemper for she having shamefully shaken off her Rightful Governor and Government hath been prostituted to the Lusts and Ambition of particular men and proudly trampled on by Military insolency in so much that our very Bell men can reproach us as we lie in our Beds Shall I Sir make bold to insert a Bell-mans sound which I heard with my own ears It was this Whilst you securely Sleep I Ring my Bell Which lately hath Rung out your Freedoms Knell Your Souldiers now your Sovereigns are become Your Laws and Liberties command by sound of Drum Nor is it strange for they read no Commission Regard no Bonds but prosper by Transgression By Pride and Perjury these Saints most rude Have Cut off the King and Parliament subdu'd Your eyes have seen 't vile Slaves yet in this season You are Rid like Asses and not Rul'd by Reason Oh Sir how many sad and shameful revolutions have passed upon us and yet we are full far from Settlement Authority like a Tennis-Ball hath been cast up and down for him to catch that catch can and hath been tossed between a republican pack and single Person whilst both are plain and palpable usurpers for indeed in nature and by Gods just judgment Revolution is the constant Attendant on usurpation the Globe of Magistracy must roule up and down whilst off its Pin and from its Center it only resteth in right subjects and now we are covered with confusion and left without King any lawful nay without Prince any unlawful Governors without any establishment in Chair or State Civil and Religious order and this was the punishment of Israels now is of Englands adultery the estate of her widow-hood the time of divine desertion for Civil Order is Gods presence in the world and Religious Order his presence in the Church The very heathen conclude from the confusions in the world the Gods have forsaken the Earth so that Sir he must have no Religion who seeth not in Englands case to conclude and cry out
potuit quin se etiam subâ—jceret Legitimoimperio oui astrictus erat they could no way seek the Lord in truth but by becoming Subject to their lawful Soveraign Englands Repentance must be according to this they must seek the Lord through Christ by subjection to their lawful Government and Governors from which they have revolted the formality of Repentance from Rebellion is a return to Loyalty Sir Restitution is an essential act of Repentance the only restitution made for repented of rebellion is a re-establishment of authority and a return to Loyalty becoming subject for conscience sake Israel repenting the rebellion into which they run after self-advancing Absalon they sell to strife among themselves about fetching home their King 2 Sam. 19. Nay Shimeâ—'s Character oâ— repentance is this Thy servant doth know that I have sinned therefore behold I am come down the first of all the House of Joseph to meet my Lord the King if God will do England good he will give them hearts to give God the things that are Gods and Caesar the things that are Caesars which have been too long held back with violence I wish Sir that none may pretend an inconsistency between this act of repentance and the good Old Cause of God and his People for whoever shall so do must sell themselves unto positive blasphemy and perpetual profaneness pretending that to be the Cause of God which is expresly repugnant to his revealed will and resolving rebellion is the honour of Religion and only work of Saints and wilfully shut their eyes that they may cozen their consciences For Sir is not the Kings preservation honour and happiness the Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject and defence of the Government by King Lords and Commons written in such Legible Characters in the Parliaments Câ—ties and Armies Declarations Remonstrances and Protestation in all our Vowes Oaths and Covenants as the good Old Cause for which so much blood and treasure was expended that none but the wilful impenitent can chuse but run and read it I shall for more full conviction refer you to Mr. Prynns Good Old Cause truly stated which I know you have seen Neither Sir would I have the hazard of any mans life or estate threatned by this repentance be any bar unto it for Sir this hazard is self-created and sinfully procured which should it be inflicted were but the proper effect of justice better to be undergone here then hereafter unto eternity happy may be the stroak of justice which may save a Soul from Hell the sinful escapes of humane justice will one day be found exceeding sad running away rom the rod of correction is an heightning rebellion and note of a reprobate and whether will such flye from Gods all-seeing eye or will it boot any to contend with God or impunity Oh no it will not But Sir such men may be worse feared then hurt repentance is the spunge of Guilt in the sight oâ— men as well as in the sight of God God who hath the hearts of Kings in his hand and turns them as the rivers of water relents toward a repenting Ephraim and maketh David relent towards a rebellious Absalon Royal Clemency never shines brighter then in returns from violent exile Shall any be put to death this day in Israel for do I not know that I am this day King in Israel is Davids answer to the son of Zerviah provoking against Shimei who had full well deserved it any indifferent Politician can give assurance of indempnity for general delinquency especially when true repentance is the spring that doth enforce it Lastly Sir let none stand up against this act of Repentance and cry It is dangerous to Religion a Free Parliament will call home the King and he is rude and prophane and converseth among Papists and will bring Popery into the Land with him To such I say in short How came they into Gods Chair to become solicitous of Event Is uncertain fear of an issue any ground of bar to duty Where is our Faith should carry us on in duty against all dread Needs God our Sin to preserve the Sanctity of his holy Name Will not this prove a sad support unto Religon But is not this fear groundless Is not the King a Protestant born and brought up bound in the same Solemn League and Covenant with our selves Hath not our sin subjected him to the saddest temptation to turn Papist that ever poor Prince underwent Doth not Mr. Prynn tell us plainly and upon good demonstration That his exile is the great propagation of the Catholick Cause and high courtesie to Rome Sir these obstructions are all frivolous and so will appear if ever God pour on the Nation a Spirit of Repentance Worthy Sir I have with the plainness of a Minister and freedom of a Friend given my thoughts on your Enquiry and that not Rashly but as having consulted the Oracles of God And I cannot but beg that you persist no longer in your way of sin Oh that God would give you and your fellow Members hearts to give him Glory and after your success to take to your selves shame for your sinful subversion of an Established Government and that with pretence of Law calling your selves a Parliament when your own Consciences tell you you are no such thing Sir England is inclining to repent if your House prove not a Sheba to sound again the Trumpet of Rebellion However my advice is Let the Ministers of God cry out Repent England Repent Repent and let all the people of God pray That England may return and seek unto the Lord and to David their King Then shall we be established enjoying our Princes as at the first and our Rulers as at the beginning I have no more save with the Prophet Ezekiel They whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a Rebellions House yet shall know there hath been a Prophet among them Ezek. 2.5 FINIS