patimur mala saevior armie Luxuria incubuit victumque ulciscitur orbem We could never have suffered so much by a forraign enemy as by our home-bred luxury and wantonnesse Oh call these ill times when a base messenger from a proud Prelate could shut up these doors stop the mouths of the most godly Ministers that the best noble-man here could not enjoy the worship of God freely and hardly his Bible without reproach I am bold to say you have heard more of Christ within these last foure yeares then you have for forty before call such dayes good And more especially to improve what I have spoken in the doctrinall part truly the Lord hath rightly timed his favours even when he might most advance his own wisdom power and mercy when he might stir up his gifts and graces in you if the enemy ask after our Prayers Fasts Tears yea our God as they were wont to do we have all these this day from Edge-hill and before even to this very hoare yea all these preservations have been so seasonable that what time we our selves would have chosen hath been Gods time that we may say as David in this Psalm Our times have been in thy hands O Lord And I humbly beseech you give the Spirit of the Lord its praise who hath done the work The Lord is willing you should have the mercy so he may have the prayse Potiphar lets Joseph hâ—â—e the use of all he hath onely keepâ— his wife to himself Pharaoh lets him have the Kingdom but he will keep the Throne Gods Spirit hath so appeared as we conclude means can do nothing without him but he can do all without meanes and what meanes doth is all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be it is that hath quickned and succeeded your counsels and executions he hath even gone against 〈◊〉 and beyond means for you he it is who hath spirited all your endeavours in Counsels and Armies raised help for you out of the very dust Externall motive he hath none from us who are not the loveliest people in the world he hath from himself over a wâ—d men powred contempt upon Princes taking away the occasions of many evils met the proud in their full career and wither'd their arm often kept them from us by strange diversions fill'd the world with tumults that you might not be a prey to strangers On the riches of his grace His own righteousnesse and holinesse have thus perswaded him to do the glory of his mercy hath been his argument his wisedom and faithfulnesse have been glorious in preserving crums and clusters The very Truths now profest have been rak'd up in contemptible ashes and now revealed to the world and they that are wise shall see the loving kindnesse of the Lord in all For the proud doer so called because a contemner of the faithful you see how the Lord hath resisted him and hath taken him in his moneth as the wilde Asse in Job you may remember how the Egyptian King out-lived many miracles but must perish in the Red-sea whether Red from the sand thereof or the blood of many he spilt I will not dispute You know how the Lord hath been provoked by the low price set upon his holinesse and his image in his Saints the peculiar sin of this Nation for travell where you will even from hence to the Garamants you shall never find but the Zâ—lots in other parts of the world are honored onely in England Ludibrium vulgo It hath long been a crime to be godly and he hath been a lost man that trades that way whilst a company of obsolete and beggerly rudiments and ceremonies have been billeted upon Gods ordinances and eat out the very heart of them double Service and no Preaching Nay you have lived to see Iniquitie in the fulnesse of it Oaths and blasphemies unparallel'd yea when one of our Troopers reproved one of theirs in Cornwal for swearing he was answered by that prophane mouth He would sweare as long as he was on horse-back he should have time enough to repent on foot nay they would serve the Devil now that he might use them kindly when they came to hell the very Sunne might even blush looking upon such miseâ—â—ants Of this fulnesse you have seen the magnitude multitude measure strength age growth d 〈…〉 ity impâ—dence and the good God grant we may see the period How the Lord hath paid them in their own coyn you have many witnesses They would have war they have it the sword must decide the controveâ—sie let God Angels and men give the verdict and let it be carried down to after-ages that God plenteously rewardeth the proud doer or that a Parliament and faithfull Councel to a State may live in the midst of the fury of an implacable Prince and his â—aâ—e wigs Adde this that you have been eare and eye witnesses of the prâ—ud mens disappointments after all their labour and travels their inventions have been many for mischief which have been cherified by affection formed by consultations and Junctoâ— and made ready for birth by many resolutions which have held as high as Brainford what inland and forreign conceptions of this kind have we met with Plot upon Plot designe upon designe Speak London hath it not been so Let us now remember the time of travelling could not be prevented Petition sent after Petition Declaration after Declaration nothing must prevaile but the acceptance of such a remedy as would prove worse then the disease And then before the birth what throwes and pai 〈…〉 Send to Denmark run to Holland fly to France Curse Digby imprison Hamilton c. and then all help is called in for midwifery intreat friends here and there pawn jewels break and close with Irish even in a breath any thing for help hazard posterity ingagein marriage and as she did roare out Give me a childe or Iâ—dle and that miscarriage we are this day to prayse God for and wonder at The summe totall of all these endeavours of the proud comes to nothing but vanity and emptinesse all these conclusions vanish into a liâ— the Parliament is not destroyed the City stands the Gospel is preached we do not yet heare the scretches of defloured damosels nor the cries of abused matrons we hear not the ratling of their arms nor the neighing of their horses in our streets Oh my Lords you are not at Oxford led up and down as Sampsâ—n to be looked at by children nor are you crying as poore Belifalius Date obolum Belisario date obolum Nor you Gentlemen of the other House crying at a prison grate to some mercifull man for a penny Nor you my Lord Major and your Brethren under a great ransome for your freedome Nor You that your Teachers are forced from you but you can yet look upon them And you my reverend Brethren who have been part of the divided spoile you feele that mercy that gives them a loud lie But to raise the ground-work of our praises
work you could not have amended your choise rebus sic stantibus Heraldry did not miscarrie that hath this word for your Chief in his Coat of Honour Fare Fac Say Doe I might adde your Cromwel with many others and know not how to forget our deare Pickering who had as much worth in him as such a parcell of clay could well contain and never left his work till he was called to his account But I forbear Men The LORD hath preserved the faithfull and plenteously rewarded the proud doer And now it will be seasonable to improve what we have said These things are your Honour let not your Duty seem a burden O love the Lord ye his Saints and ye that feel mercy And so I passe in the last place to the first words of my text which will be the reverse or the other side of our present businesse As if the Lord should say Thus and thus I have done for you You have seen the glance of my eye you have seen the smiles of my face what could you desire more that I have not done for you You did but knock and it was opened you sought and found askt and had Go every stage of your latter pilgrimage and tell me if you may not set up a pillar and write upon it Thus far God hath helped us Are not the faithfull preserved and the proud doer rewarded have any of you lost your labour in trusting me and my providence have you not the fulfilling of many prophecies and might you not draw forth more had you more faith Is there any Nobleman here but hath been honorable by me or can he repent of his owning my truth 〈…〉 ath his faithfulnesse proved a burden to him Speak Parliament City Ministery have I not done well by You And me thinks I heare you ecchoing again Lord what would'st thou have from thy servants And I hope you stand as Samuel Lord speak thy servant beares or as Saul after Paul Lord what wouldest thou I should do Yea as he said Da quod jubes jube quid vis David lets you know Gods minde O love the Lord ye his Saints And truly it is one of the hardest skils in the world to use mercy well I remember the old spirit of the Jewes I wish we had never felt it In sad houres they would ever be making great promises and in prosperity they would soon make new gods Beloved I beseech you consider this short duty Love the Lord I will but use a few arguments and then open your duty in the duty and end all 1. I pray consider good Christians how the Lord hath loved you you could never hate him so much as he hath loved you He loved you enemies traitours He loved you unkind to him and cruell to your own soules nay so as he is willing to take the Devils leavingâ— when sin and satan had taken the use of your best strength and time yet he loves wooes and waits yea when you have been proud and scornfull when he had besieged and beleaguered you with love and were loth to hang out the white flag he offers propositions still O love the Lord 2. See if any God be like unto him of all the gods and can doe such wonders at he hath done You remember what Saul said to Davids men in his case If the son of Jesse can give you orchards and vineyards as I can do then follow him If all the Gods of the world can do for you what he hath done can pardon sinne by giving his Son can heale your soules and save them after all Follow them Joshua struck home in that last speech of his I have delivered the Ammonites Hitâ—ites c. into your hand I have sent a hornes before you which drave them out before you even the two Kings of the Ammoni 〈…〉 s c. I have given you a hand for which you did not lab 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and put away the Gods your fathers served on the other side the flood and serve ye the Lord And if it seem evill to serve the Lord then chuse whether you will serve the gods on the other side the flood or the Gods of the Ammonites but as for me and my house I will serve the Lord Apply it to your selves and give me leave again to say therefore O love the Lord ye that feel mercy 3. You may be assured without love neither what you are nor what you do shall please him nay this whole dayes work will prove but a mockage Love will carry all home to heaven and gain acceptance Heare what Christ sayes Thou hast ravished me my sister my spouse with one of thy eyes and that was the eye of love I have many times thought of that of the Apostle giving so much to love even putting all upon love Yea though I gave my body to be burnt and had not love c. yea preferring it in some cases to faith truly it is worth your noting the summe of all is Nothing will passe without Love it is your ticket to passe into Heaven by They cry Wepreacht in thy name But wher 's your Passe did you do it in love to me We cast out Divels but was it in love c. Ah my beloved and honoured in the Lord we have prayed wept fasted feasted fought counselled c. but were all these in love to the Lord Jesus I am bold to say to my learned brethren that they shall find it the distinguishing character in their soule-trade I have seen this yeare some of the Enemy before a Councel of war and some of our own Officers upon some offence I have known both pardoned but here lies the difference the enemy pardoned is gone his pardon was all he lookt for but the other mourning what will this pardon do me good if I should leave this Army from which I know not how to live cheerfully It matters not for my lands saies poor Mephibosheth but I shall live in Davids presence and see his face Love makes way to the bosome of Christ incontinently and layes the soule in a bed of roses It is in all the world like Benjamin to Joseph if you bring Benjamin come and welcome I else look upon you but as Spies If this day all your graces were met to make a glorious flame that might reach heaven you shall find Love must doe two things it must put beauty upon all and perfume all Therefore O love the Lord ye his Saints 4. Let this prevaile that mountains of gold and silver are not desired nor fat bullocks and rams but only an affection Love the Lord If he had desired some greater thing of you as Naamans servants said would you not have done it Indeed you cannot bestow it better nor is there any object you call good can so justly claim it bestow this where you will else you shall find the
GODS DOINGS AND MANS DUTY Opened in a SERMON Preached before both Houses of PARLIAMENT the Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of LONDON and the Assembly of DIVINES at the last Thanksgiving Day April 2. For the recovering of the West and disbanding 5000 of the Kings Horse c. 1645. Quadragesimus hic quintus mirabilis Annus Ang. Hyb Sco. requiem det Deus ut pariat By HUGH PETERS Preacher of the Gospel Judg. 3. 31. So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might And the Land had rest fourty yeers The second Edition corrected by the Author LONDON Printed by M. S. for G. Calvert at the sign of the black Spred-Eagle at the West end of Paul 1646. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT I Professe that I never thought my self master of my own Trade and therefore never forward either to cast such a mite as this into your Publique Treasury or to be in Print with the rest of my brethren But since it was your pleasure to make choice of me to bring in a Narrative of Gods bountie as being an eye-witnesse to many of his glorious works I have obeyed in this and that I knew not what better to pitch upon then Gods doing and your dutie He that will not confesse God hath done much I fear means to wave the duty and who so shall slight this duty must look for that sad Curse of Anathema Maranatha And therefore I again commend it to you They that have much given and much forgiven will love much The woman spent all that shee had upon Physitians for the cure of her Bloudy Issue and nothing would heal till shee toucht the hem of his garment who was the way contrived in Heaven to bring over Salvation to man I doe believe it hath been thus far your Cure to this Bloudy Disease and to enjoy a thorow Cure I beseech you stoop againe and touch the hem again you cannot honour the Lord more then in loving his Sonne and believing in him Bear with my rudenesse if I say you must be very hard put to it in your Counsels should you not live comfortably upon your experiences and cheerfully looke all changes in the face for time to come You have a greater stock by you then the greatest and richest Nation in the world could get and lay up for themselves The same God give you skill to improve it to his advantage and the good of this poor Kingdome that begins to breathe againe through his blessing upon your unexampled care and travell Methinks I see the Ages to come marking your doors and dwellings as the habitations of their Deliverers I wish that never a soule of you may die at Nebo but come to their injoyments of Canaans milk and honey You seem to have before you two or three great mountaines to go over and though I can contribute little to your encouragement yet I will beg your wonted patience for a few words First since you are still buzz'd in the ear with a desperate encrease of Errour give me leave to offer this Expedient by way of Quaere The wound seems to be in the Understanding and the Cure must lie there Vnder favour what if some convenient place or places in the City were set apart two or three times weekly where godly learned men appointed by your selves and the Leaders or Heads of those Errours as they are termed might have leave to come and there in a brotherly way take and give satisfction for as Conclaves have alwayes been dangerous so these poor erring men cannot have the benefit to appear with boldnesse and reasonable souls may sooner certainly be taught with Reason and Scripture then with cudgels and blowes Tyrannus had a School and Christ disputed with the Doctors in their Synagogue Religio docenda est non coercenda Religion is to be taught not forced This I am sure Conviction should goe before Punishment The Lord will not burne Sodome till be see whether the report be true I pray consider it Secondly for the present Government in order to any man or men if you keep to the premises the Lord himselfe will make a blessed conclusion Thirdly for further Hostility the Lord hath own'd you and your Army and made you formidable beyond what we conceive at home my onely fear hath been diseases in our bowels which gave me that boldnesse to urge a neer union betwixt your selves and the Citie which hath since a double knot upon it by your late full and satisfying Declaration and your ordering the dissenters about Church-matters to bring in their severall thoughts backt by the Word that so you may keep to that Clause in the Covenant which concerns England Onely be couragious and your work will be issued so as your selves and wee shall cry Grace grace c. For any other request unto you I have but one I most humbly beseech you spread that Gospell you own and to that end doe professe my grief not onely for the miserable dark and ignorant parts of the Kingdom but that divers Orthodox learned faithful Ministers of the Gospel with their precious Flocks cannot enjoy publick places in the City but their â—â—ry gifts and almost their persons are stifled by being thrust into corners which keep them under the name of Schismatiques whose souls have panted under your service in these calamitous times and their purses constantly opened themselves hazarded beyond many a word from you may enlarge them And for my self I acknowledge here before God Angels and men the Characters of your favour protesting that your work hath been so good and so sweet that I have found my wages wrapt up in my work and a great addition by your acceptance I could even say as he did Si in vita prodesse possim quid vis imperate si in morte vel occidite quicquid de me statuetis hoc semper confitebor profitebor semper hanc vestra humanitas mihi fecit injuriam quod vivam moriar ingratus If my life may be profitable command what you please if my death even kill me whatever you shall determine of mee this will I alwayes confesse and professe this injury your humanity hath done me that I shall live and dye ungratefull I blesse God heartily for a Parliament yea for this Parliament and the blessing of him that was in the bush and kept it in the fire be upon you and yours for ever And let all that love the God of Heaven who is the God of England say AMEN My Lords and Gentlemen I am Yours most humbly devoted Hugh Peters To the Honourable the Lord Major the Aldermen and the Common-Counsell of this famous City of LONDON YOu were invited to what ensues by the Honourable Houses and you invited them to a portion sutable to that day and I take leave to return you thanks
tell me who shall breake that cord it will be stronger then all the Covenants the sons of men can make either nationall or otherwise I am herein the bolder because the cursed world neerer hand and further off are projecting a breach here and some men within this City wals are ridden up and down by Jesuites to perfect this work and feel not their burden Would you go again to Egypt shall we give away our Bibles to Papists and our libertles to Locusts and Caterpillars Shall we deliver up the towns we have taken to them that are subtle to destroy Have we not heard of murthers and rapines enough Mind what Abner said to Joab Hath not the sword devoured enough will not the end be bitternesse Let us have but love at Westminster and London and we shall crown the day and derive something from this day to the childe unborne to give it matter of rejoycing If you shall object the work is not done we are now upon a Crisis I answer Your temptation is new this was the time of the year when Princes were wont to goe forth to war but now it proves a time wherein they sue for peace Blessed change and the truth is the Sun may sooner get off your Cloke now then the Storm could before the fawning world may do that the frowning never could I shall commend unto you two or three Scriptures The first the words after my Text Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord The second shall be Eccles. 10. 4. If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee keep thy place Learn for ever to make good your experiences and let it blow high or low keep your places I humbly beseech you noble Speakers of both Houses keep your places as hitherto you have done Be not ashamed of that seasonable and wise Answer once made at that exigent You have neither eyes to see nor tongues to speak but by order from the house in such cases I desire my Lord Major and his brethren to keep their places and not to be dub'd out of them nor courted from your comforts and safety remember what we all fought for prayed for adventured all for let not all be lost in the kisse of a Royall hand nor suffer your eyes to be put out with Court-glitter and glory And I humbly beseech your Lordships not to lead us the way to that mischiefe for us Ministers truly we may be apt to catch at the old bait the Lord help us to keep our places also It would grieve your soules to be Court-scoffed after all Let me leave with you what Tacitus sayes of Caesar Quotis scunque e curia egrederetur in haec verba prorupisse ferâ—ur O homines ad servitutem paratos Etiam illum qui publicam libertatem nollet tam foede servientium patientiam taedebat Therefore every man keep his place and in so doing another objection is answered But our old laws and priviledges may again be struck at read the 8. v. of Eccles. 10. Who so breaketh a hedge a Serpent shall bite him an old hedge are old good laws and those that will break them shall finde a Serpent you can apply He that removeth stones shall be hurt therewith And though it should be that Shimei might escape for a time with his confinement yet in the next generation he will break his Covenant his neck and all and thus I thinke of many that have railed against heaven and earth who will be found out by divine Justice when your hand cannot reach them To close up my thoughts in this you have hitherto lived upon daily provideÌ„ce as you do upon your daily bread by providence I believe you are brought beyond your own first imaginations and I know the wisest man here cannot tell what will be next though in order of causes he may say this or that should be for who can tell what is in the womb of a day or what it will bring forth unto us This is certain when there 's darknesse in Counsels in promises the Lord is pleased to dissipate clouds and disperse mists by providence you shall not need to feare relying upon that Provident hand which hath left you with so many glorious experiences Onely these cautions I must commend to your wisdomes 1. That providence be not slighted and bestow that upon Fortune and Chance which is handed to you by Providence Sed nos Te facimus Fortuna Deam coeloque locamus 2. That you withstand not providence but accept and improve the offers of mercy 3. That you out-run not providence but be contented to want what the Lord is not willing to give not to over-hasten your deliverance for it can never come seasonably being wrought by friend or foe unlesse the God of your mercies have a hand in it and truly he that cannot freely trust God in his way upon what you have received already is not fit to receive more How good it is to live in his bosome and upon his hand who knows how to take measure of your wants and supply your needs and that out of an inexhaust fulnesse Lastly since feasts are seldome without beggars give me leave to be the first and if we had not been over-bold in detaining you already I should have been large even from my soule to beg help from this most Honourable Assembly in foure particulars 1. I beg for Soules 2. For Bodies 3. Estates 4. Names 1. And for the first I present you here the teares and cries of many thousands in the countries we have conquered who poor souls cry like prisoners at the Grate Bread bread for the Lords sake bread all you that passe by take Pitty pitty of us we have lived upon husks time out of minde Men brethren and fathers whilest we are disputing here they are perishing there and going to hell by droves If I know any thing what you have gotten by the sword must be maintained by the Word I say the Word by which English Christians are made In other countries discipline makes them so drive them into a Church together and then dub them Christians you will find too much of this abroad and hence it comes to passe that most of their Religion lies in Polemicks which is the trade we are likely to drive if God prevent not I need not tell this Assembly that every where the greater party is the Orthodoxall and the lesser the Hereticks so once the Aâ—rians afflicted the sound Christians and they increasing requited it again to the Arrians It was once my lot to be a Member of that famous ancient glorious work of buying in Impropriations by which work 40 or 50 preachers were maintained in the dark parts of this Kingdom Divers Knights and Gentlemen in the Country contributed to this work and I hope they have not lost that spirit I wish exceeding well to preaching above many things in this world and wish my brethren
Pens and making Cockpits of Pulpits I make all haste to the work of the day and the Verse before the Text will be like a going down into a deep Well where we may discover Stars at noon Mercies are best observed from depths of Misery and set them off like Foyles the Diamonds I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes or I said in my hastening 1 Sam. 23. David was in a running posture The Greek translates it in a trance or extasie and truly this is worth our thoughts this very day we have had our hasty times and trances when we thought we had been all cut off who are now left living monuments of rich mercy Many of us here were even upon the wing imbanking our Money and hastning after it And if you shal enquire after the rise of this temper or distemper of Spirit how David and other Saints prove so succumbent and sâ—attered I answer It hath three springs 1. From the Lord afflicting who puts more weight into the Scale then we minde and often makes a small affliction heavie yea they that could goe over a mountain at other times stick at a mole-hill as Jacob will not be comforted about a son as if he had neither a childe left nor a God 2. From the party afflicted and that in three cases First from a natural sense of pain more then of comfort Haman is more pinched with one crosse in Mordecay then pleased with all the contents in Court though you know few favourites fared better for a time and it is but a short time the best of that generation have poor Sun-dyals that are never minded in foggie and cloudy dayes Secondly from the over-weening some contents which causeth faintings to us in the losing them My son Absalon O my son my son cries David as if heaven and earth hed been wrapt up in his weighty locks Thirdly through inconsideratenesse and not searching the end of things for the Church came down wonderfully 3. From the pressures and afflictions themselves and that First from the multitude of them what one will not cannot do many may This Prophet at one time was the scorn of drunkards suspected by the godly abused by his own son betrayed by his friend Secondly from the greatnesse of them and that especially when they either fall upon an unsound part when Job was remembred of the sin of his youth not quite healed or upon a noble part the soul and conscience we know the brain heart and liver being toucht will soon complain Thirdly from the continuance of them The Church complains I was afflicted from my youth up To lie so long at Bethesda and to be bowed down eighteen yeers as the poor woman in the Gospel was will put the soul upon hastening as Davids but all these gusts are over-blown and the Lord shines in upon him as you see in the close of the Verse before the Text upon which smiles of Gods face he cries out as you here see O love the Lord all yee his Saints c. In which words there are many divine Conclusions but in these narrow limits of time I shall confine my self to One main Truth which I conceive will be the principal Work of this day and that will take up both Arguments used here by the Prophet to enforce the duty and in the end I shall make bold to take up the duty to enforce my designe And therefore to lay much in a little room this is that the Spirit of God commends unto you The faithfull have God for their preserver whilst the proud doer by the same hand receives wages proportionable to his work A witnesse or two will cast the cause Salvation belongeth to the Lord and thy blessing is upon thy people Selab O thou hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble O sing unto the Lora a new song for he hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory To which Isaiah addes Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us From Genesis to the Apocalypse the Scripture gives in a general testimony to this Truth to which we may let in some more light by opening these three Casements 1. Quere When the Lord doth thus appear preserving the faithful 2. How he doth it 3. Why he doth it To the first I answer His preservation looks cut and discovers it self specially in five cases 1. When he intends to advance his own wisedom he then befools all the counsels of the sons of men and his Saints shall onely be engaged to him for counsel and thus the poor man shall save the City and thus Paphnutius shall save the Councel at Ephesus by the counsel of God whose singer writ folly upon that learned Age 2. When he intends to exalt his own power he comes in more immediately for the Saints preserving and proclaims to the world its own feeblenesse and weaknesse and then Jâ—el shall do more against Sisera then an Army of men 3. When he glorifies his mercy he leaves the Saints to extremities to reach an opportunity to lift up that attribute and thus he leads them from Bacha to Sion throw a Country of Gyants and harrennesse where their souls even melt through thirst and brought them to a mountain of sweete 4. When the Lord doth purpose to awaken those gifts and graces in their cryings in their belâ—evings in their patient wakings upon Jesus Christ he will comâ— delivering he will be sought unto by the house of Israel and loves to heare the lispings of his little ones You have known some Fathers in the Country that leave their Children the other side the Stile and help them over when they cry and seeming to leave them sometimes in a throng and then reach them the hand again upon their complaints The Lord loves to see Faith in its adhering and assuring acts 5. The Lord appears when deliverance may be sweetest and dearest and that in an exigent when one glance of his eye may be worth a whole world Who remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever And thus sicknesse commends health poverty wealth the storme a haven and a sinfull wretched world commends heaven Oh how sweet will it be when all tears shall be wilped away all Temptations out-wrestled Devils and Sin and World and Selfe all conquered and we shall be with the Lord for ever To the Second which is How the Lord preserves I answer Many wayes but shall onely fix upon two 1. In Order to means 2. To Men For the former his greatest and most eminent preservations are by his own spirit and therefore the two Olive Trees shall supply the Pipes and the Lamps growing on each side the Golden bowle Naturally without any Artifice of mans and that appears thus 1. Means can do nothing without him the Streames are
but of two of the whole Army infected all the yeare 28 And mercy it is that in the Army there hath been no breath that through Grace Religion growes there and growes apacet yea this is your safety that what is desired in the Parliament by the most faithfull is there consulted and acted as God gives opportunity 29 The Lord hath made this Army often more then Conquerours the Roman conquerours rode boasting in their triumphant chariots here no boasters 30 God hath often extorted confessions from the Enemy that some have been forced with Juliun to cry out Vicisti Galilâ—â— 31 Providence carried out Army the other side Exeter even by the sicknesse in it and barrennesse of our quarters and the Enemies advance toward us where how the Lord helpt at Dartmouth stormed without losse and in other places is fresh in memory 32 Their debau 〈…〉 ery in all places made way for our welcome that if the cause should be judged by their instruments a very stranger must passe a sad verdict upon it 33 Such horror possest them every where in pursuit of them at great distances that the Lord seemed to send a hornet before us and Magorâ—issabiâ— they were a terror to themselves and this is remarkable that after they had felâ— our Horse or Foot they had no list to close with uâ— again though they took much time to recruit their spirits 34 The work of a Summer hath been done this Winter where I learned this lesson That faithfull honest English Christians assisted from Heaven can do and suffer more then the most gallant heathen Roman What mountains of Snow and Ice have been marcht over this winter what Rains and Winds have been gone through even to silence the Posting Hannibals or Cunctating Fabii 35 All the Enemies actions and counsels have turned to our advantage and we have been gainers by our losses generally As in the losse of Bristol we found the way to it by the losse at first view we saw it was not tenable with so little force which easily acquits that wise and valiant Gentleman that surrendred it Yea their idol Princes God hath made usefull to us many wayes by sleeping when they should fight and fighting when it had been better they had slept 36 That in all the harrased and plundered Countries God hath fed your Army and at Dartmouth fish brought in to us from the sea to miracle the Country acknowledging that generally we have been welcome where we came many with teares have parted with us at their doors 37 The influence the Justice of the Army hath had upon all forts most observable For instance when the Lieut. Generall had taken Langford house and promised safe convoy to the Enemy to Oxford six of our troopers brake the articles and in the convoy took four or five pound from some of them for which one was presently to be shot and the lot fell upon the first attempter who was put to death and I hope is in heaven being godly as farre as could be discerned the other five were sent to the Governour of Oxford to put to what death he pleased who entertained them nobly sent them back and desired their lives and profest in his letter which I read it was the highest peece of gallantry he had met with c. This very act with the many civilities of the Army hath been very conquering Justice exalteth a Nation Et Caesar in hoste probat Call to any County and ask what wrong your Army hath done them have you any scrols of complaints come up against them 38 And which is much to be remembred this day all Cornwall upon the matter is yours without blood and 5000 horse with their riders disbanded and as if this were not enough Ashley rai 〈…〉 ng a new force is crushed in the egge 39 And this is worth noting that the inhumanity our former Army met with in Cornwal was requited by the Turk fetching away many from Foy neer two hundred and divers taken away by sicknesse at Lestithiel that had abused our poor Souldiers 40 Nor is it a little that all the Nations round about us should be engaged in war and whilst they hoped this Civil combustion might so weaken us that it would not have been hard for them to fall upon the stronger party the Lord hath made us warlike awaked us throughly out of our effeminacie and we are become formidable to our neighbours Especially remember Denmark 41 Hereunto I adde what was not thought on in the appointment of this Day being the second of Aprill The second of April last yeare this Army advanced and was the first day of entertainment They say it is April â—b aperiendo from opening the Earth the Lord then opened a way to your deliverance the same hand open your hearts now to praises and thankfulnesse 42 Hereunto I might adde the Cities sweet compliance with the Parliament yea what oyle the footsteps of God have dropt within the wals of the Parliament houses what providences and blessed hints in your Militia and Common-Councel what in your Assembly is better known to your selves then me and what in the North and other parts I might even tyre you with the repetitions of what you have felt and tasted from the hands of mercy You have done like your selves to constitute Chronologers and you need have good testimonies for Ages to come will look upon many passages aâ— incredible and I beleeve the yeare 45 will stand parallel with 88. In a word You have the Army you wished for and the Successes you desired Oh the blessed change we see that can travell now from Edenburgh to the lands end in Cornwal who not long since were blockt up at our doors To see the high-wayes occupied again to heare the Carter whistling to his toiling team to see the weekly Carrier attend his constant mart to see the hils rejoycing the vallies laughing Nay me thinks I see Germany lifting up her lumpish shoulder and the thin-cheekt Palatinate looking out a prisoner of hope Ireland breathing again that not only lay bedrid but the pulse beating deathward the over-awed French Peasant studying his long lost liberty the Netherlanders looking back upon their neighbouring England who cemented their wals with their blood and bought their freedome with many many thousands of good old Elizabeth shillings Indeed me thinks all Protestant Europe seems to get new colour in her cheeks Dumb Rhetorick is best I could even stand silent and give you time to wonder And this God is your God and I trust will be your guide for ever I could name men but cannot read one word that way in my Commission from the Army who like the covered stals in your chief street of this city are willing to beare the rich Plate but themselves must be vailed else I could tell you of Men yea such as if you had a Blank sent from Heaven and leave given to have written what names you would have had of men for your
object mortall short-breathed and short-lived alas what waking dreames are honour beauty friends c Nay you shall find it non-satisfactory all the excellencies under the sun leave the soule to complaints of vanity and vexing and lastly you shall find it but partially not universally good Why will you lay out your money for that which is not bread all these things will but prove gravel under your teeth When David had reckoned mercies not a few he sayes upon the totall I will love thee dearly O Lord my strength I beseech you bethink your selves this day what lesse can you do then kisse the hand that hath preserved you Love climbes after more union with the object would you not be neerer to him who hath made such approaches and addresses to you that who so beholds not with wonder and joy is either stupid or envious Therefore O love the Lord yee his Saints 5. Love is an obliging affection and drawes forth much of God continually to the creature when the Lord by his servant Moses charged that people to love the Lord their God with all their heart and all their might he will fill up all the rest with heaps of promises of what he would doe for them enemies of all sorts should be subdued mercies of all kinds should be brought in deliverances preservations protections illuminations and what not Hosea seemes to delight to particularize the joyncture Gods people shall have in this case And it shall come to passe that I will heare saith the Lord I will heare the heavens and they shall beare the earth and the earth shall heare the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall beare Jezreel and I will sow her unto me on the earth and I will have mercy on them that had not obtained mercy and I will say unto them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God And if that bee too little I will be as the dew unto Israel hee shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the olive tree and his smell as Lebanon they that dwell under his shadow shall return c. Nothing can greaten a Nation as this nothing can maintaine what you have gotten but this and you will find Non minor est virtus quam querere parta tueri Therefore O love the Lord ye that feel mercy 6. You shall find that this is a strong and powerfull I was about to say omnipotent affection Much water cannot quench love it is strong as the grave If Paul would give an account of some undertakings he will tell you love carries constraint with it it lessens difficulties answers hard questions removes impediments over-powers feares cares doubts dangers makes wash-way of all Upon this the Apostle throwes the gantlet of famine want persecution principalities powers above beneath nay it will wait and serve in heats and colds as Jacob for Rachel I must professe Excellent Senators I know not how you will continue your wearying toyling incessant travels but by this cordiall it is this onely can oyle your wheeles and cheere your hearts pay you your wages after all expences of time estates spirits If a stranger should look upon your travels the bread of carefulnesse you eat your early risings long sittings late goings to bed can you give account of any thing but That you love Truly I know nothing so heavie but love can lift nothing so high but it can reach nothing so deep but it can fathom Love to this Cause I would rather say to this God hath quieted your Army often drawn out the deepest bloud of many emptied the purses of the rich drawn forth the teares of the poor and their sighes to heaven when they could doe no more Union with God the end of this love is the issue of all our labours Therefore O love the Lord yee that feel mercy But you may ask wherein it consists or how would I desire this affection should be manifested I answer 1. There is a love in imitation and indeed those we love most we make our copies to write after Then he pleased to mind the Text again He preserveth the faithful and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer there is your pattern imitation calls upon you to preserve the faithful to reward the proud doer And these two look like the main interests of this State the former a revereÌ„d brother under that name hath commended unto you worthily I am bold to adde the latter to it For if you hear Polititians abroad what they say even Roan to Richlien they tell us of this double interest which some think expired with Queen 〈◊〉 viz. that Wee should have continued the patrons of the Protestant cause as the King of Spain of the Catholique and so have preserved the faithfull which Germany and Rochel would have thanked us for And secondly We should have rewarded the proud i. e. kept our war at a distance even where shee left us ingaged and by this time it may be we might have dried up Eâ—â—phraâ—es I mean possest the whole West-Indies which with little time and help from these parts may bâ— accomplished The words that follow in that Treatise are That England is a great Animal and cannot be destroyed but by it selfe which injury we are still as likely to put upon our selves as any people in the world One Chapter in Amos hath bred me some sad thoughts of heart where he 〈◊〉 you of two Visions the one of G 〈…〉 ppers that devoured every greene thing which made the Prophet cry out By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small and those Caterpillers were swept away The other Vision was a contention by fire for which he useth the same prayer By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small It seems contentions yea fiery contentions may lay a State as low as Caterpillers the Lord sprinkle the bloud of his Son upon this fire and quench it 〈◊〉 Doubtlesse much love of imitation will be shewed to God in recovering these two Interests abroad and if I might not be thought a designer I wish it at home Why should not the faithfull be preserved For the love of God doe it I speake not for my selfe for with Simeon I could even desire to depart in peace now mine eyes have seen so much of the Salvation of God Nor do I bring any Petition from your Army they never have nor ever will be burden some to you by Petitions but since you have trusted them with your own lives and estates they are contented willingly to trust you again with their libertiâ—â— It brings to minde that issue of a Combate whereof Livie is the reporter when the three H 〈…〉 i and the three 〈◊〉 had by the sword decided the quarrell betwixt the 〈◊〉 and their enemies and only one Hâ—â—arius survived 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ning met his sister the wise of one
of the â—â—raâ—ii and she forgetting her selfe to her brother in language fell also by his hand The Senaâ—e would conâ—â—emn to death this Hora 〈…〉 whose father by the Author speaks to this purpose victoria 〈◊〉 vidistis Quiri 〈…〉 s nunc sub furea inter verbera cruciatus videre potestis I lictor obnuâ—e caput liberatoris hujus urbis colliga manus quae paul◠〈◊〉 â—rinatae imperium populo Romano peporerunt c. Can any man binde those hands which lately armed procured the libertie and safety of the Kingdom This I must take boldnesse to say that if this or the next Age shall bury those faithfull ones it must be either here among the Trophees taken from their enemies or abroad in the Country among the sepulchres of Cavaliers and so they will live when ever they die But I have held you here too long and I refer this head to that interest of England That which concerns the rewarding proud doers as the Lord hath gone before you follow after in his name for truly I fear not all the contentions among us but pride I fear the Mother Mid-wife Nurse of all contention I hear much of difference opinions sects heresies and truly I think they would be lesse if we did not think them so many One errour and but one our Saviour gives caution about and lately I have thought much upon He says Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and if we knew what that leaven were it would helpe us in these fearâ— This I suggest therefore Leaven hath three properties 1. It sowres 2. It tuffenâ— or hardens 3. It swels the lump Therefore that opinion which sowres 〈◊〉 spâ—â—its against their brethren and it may be against Authority that swels them and prides them that hardens them and makes tough and not easily intreated beware of that opinion as of the leaven of the Pharisees Errors in us are like corn in the sowing of it if it lie above ground it may be gathered up again but if plowed in and harrowed lie under the clod there is little hope Whilest Errors lie in the understanding Scripture reason argument time sweetnesse and tendernesse may do much to the curet the danger is when they lie under the will when we shall say we will have what we will or all shall crack with Sampson pull down the two great posts that others may perish though we perish with them Beware of this leaven of the Pharisees You shall ever finde pride the fomenter of differences I beseech you therefore reward the proud doâ—â— and sparâ— not But those opinions that find a soule in a lowly frame and after 〈…〉 ved keep the soule so and carry it to Christ they need not trouble State nor Church I long since learnâ—d if we could 〈◊〉 imagination we might soon cuâ—e tribulation But I proceed 2. It will be love to the Lord if we love him in his dispensations when they have their vicissitudes to love him smiling and love him frowning too to love him sitting upon his knee and love him under his lash too to maintain that Compositi jus fasque animi sanctosque recessus Menâ—is To be mediis tranquillus in undis to say the Lord doth well what ever he doth I will love thee though thou kill me and trust in the cries Joh. This looke like love otherwise your mistakes will be many about the creature and the Creator You are now come upon a new triall the Lord outwrastles the temptation for you You may think now the danger little I pray remember Sisera he took a nap after his lordly dish and a womans hand nailed his head to the ground David thought it no danger to take a nap in an afternoon but there he split his soule and hardly made up againe You may think it looks now like the afternoon of the day to you and as if your work were towards an end mistake not I believe you have seen most of the miracles but are not yet over the red sea or if you were over yet love the Lord in this dispensation lest you be brought to tack about two and forty times in the wildernesse It argues much feeblenesse of spirit to change our affections upon changes of Providence he never loved well nay hardly at all that can love no better yea this you shall finde most true that all backslidings from God spring from the change of our opinions concerning God and these we do often from the varieties of his dealings with us as if he were a better God one year than the other and this is often our folly who can easilier look upon the barks and outsides of things than their insides Because he was a Carpenters son therefore a stumbling block to the Jews they could see no further The glitter and glory of a painted world hath made blind the eyes of many Nor is it a small mistake among men when they keep their thoughts upon present things with neglect of future hence the Psalmist concludes the 107. Psalme Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Now the infide of all was loving kindnesse and the issue of all will be loving kindnesse to the Saints It concerns you therefore to look to your love in storm and calm in war in peace to love the Lord then is to love him in all changes 3. It appears you love him when you are promoting his ends and ayms thus wives love thus faithfull servants love who stand not in shops to sell Apprentices but their Masters wares not advance themselves but him they serve That humble loving John Baptist I must decrease but he must increase and willing he was Christ should have all and that love discovers it self much when you are ready to live in his will not your own that he may have not onely meat drest but as he pleaseth such Worship as he likes such Governments as he takes pleasure in yea when you will be reaching your duty through the fire even to become fooles that you may be wise in his account If the Lord be gainer what if all the world be losers These are my daily sighs to heaven for you all that he may be lifted up who hath held up your heads above the water that you may hear that Euge at your great accompt Come you blessed and faithfull servants enter into your Masters joy And if you ask me what I conceive the Lords great design is in these dayes that you may attend it I answer Doubtlesse it is to pull down all the glory of the world that his Son may be advanced He is now preaching All flesh is grasse you are certainly upon the edge of the fulfilling very great and glorious Prophecies You see the heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the Earth are in Councell Be wise therefore O yee Judges kisse the Son lest be be angry and you
perish in the midway The Lords desi 〈…〉 is the downfall of Antichrist love him in promoting this end and especially let me call for help hereunto from my Reverend and learned Brethren here present Ah Brethren shew your love in this work Be not offended if I leave this caution with you and let this charity begin at home amongst us for ever beware of a spirit of domination truly it is a spirit of Antichrist and it was the first great quarrell the first 300. years after Christ When Constantine had been bountifull to the Church at Rome and after was as noble to that of Bizantium now Constantinople a quarrel grew among the two Pastors of these Churches who should be called Papa which introduced the Proverb Religion begot wealth and the mother devoured the daughter Remember our old complaints against Prelates and how we have filled Parliament eares with our out-cries Let this be often with you my dear Brethren that in all the cracks flaws and ruines of States some priestly thing or other hath had the principall hand mind it in a passage or two good Jeremy past through all guards till he came to Pushur the Priest the Nobility Gentry and others were easily intreated Christ breaks upon the 〈…〉 bes and Pharisees mainly It is considerable that Hâ—sed saith Hear Oye Priests hearken Oye People give ear O house of the King for ye have been a snare c. the poor people are betwixt the Priest and the house of the King but it is to be noted that the Priests are in the first place It lies much upon you to shew your love to the Lord in promoting his great ends 4. This love would 〈◊〉 let out to his Saints of which you have lately heard so much that I shall say but little lesse then this I cannot say No man can love the Father and destroy his children truly I cannot say â—oo much for them because they have done so much for you I pray grieve them not it may be you may grieve the Spirit of God in them do not make them sad whom the Lord would not have made sad be not angry with your deliverance because of the good hand the Lord hath made use of Why should Ezra be angry with Zerâ—â—babel for beginning the work Oâ—Zerâ—â—babel with Nehemiah for ending it You know how well it will be taken in heaven that you use the heirs of that country well upon earth yea you shall do well to love them impartially It is the triall many of the world are put to which they mind not how they will demean themselves towards poor Saints And let it not be forgotten that it will be the word of 〈◊〉 the great day In that you did it not sayes Christ to one of these little ones you did it not to me The Saints may do you much good they can do you no harm I am confident their interest in heaven which they have made use of for this nation hath been a strong ingredient to your preservationâ— and this is your glory and may be your establishment That this Land is sown with such feed which I believe Popery Prelacy and what else is not of God doth come too late to root up You remember that great Emperour who profest he would rather be a Member of a Church of Saints then the Head of the Empire It is taken notice of that you have laid this to heart and the Saints blesse you and carry you and your counsels to heaven with them daily In all the loud cries now about differences this toucheth my heart that some men can trample a poor Saint to the dust and into the grave if they might for a Peccadillo a little distance in an opinion and an open prop 〈…〉 beastly 〈◊〉 drunkard a black-mouthed swearer an enemy to any thing that is good can live quietly and unmolested 5. And above all this love is clothed with all its glory when we shall love him in his Son and greater honour you cannot doe him then to love him in Christ in whom he hath laid up all fulnesse the character and image of all his grace and glory But what he is and how lovely what want you have of him what worth is in him and which is the way to please him is constantly suggested unto you almost from every Pulpit the mystery of Christ now discovering it selfe He is the chiefest of ten thousand his mouth is most sweet yea he is all lovelinesse He is your peace the Prince of Peace the great Peace-maker if you desire peace war must continue he hath an Iron Mace and the Nations will be delivered up unto him a stone cut out of the Mountains shall fall upon the greatest Governours in the world O love the Lord in his Son 6. It concerns us this day that our love appear in our praises and though we have had so many Victories and Mercies that we have even wanted time for our solemn acknowledgements kindnesses have come tumbling in like war one following the other that Finis unius boni gradus est futuri Yet we have wanted â—kill to manifest our love to God in his praises of which you hear much by David who sometimes seems to forget himself in this point he will like a bird having got a note record it over and over Psal. â—36 For his mercy endureth for ever His mercy endureth for ever I shall take leave to commend to you that he hath in another place Prâ—â—ise waiteth for thee silently in Sien though your Translation want the Adverb that gives the Emphasis There is a threefold silence in this waiting upon Gods praises As 1. There is a silence of expectation when the soule waits when to expresse his praises and therefore keeps a private Catalogue of his faithfulnesse and truth 2. A silence of admiration when the heart is even ravished to wonder and sits down silently wondering over every mercy and all his loâ—eâ— 3. A silence of approbation when others shall set forth his praises we approve and allow and can say A 〈…〉 and this is the work at Sion about his praises in the last Psalm there are but six Verses yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O love him in his praiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 him for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him for all your lashes for you could not want a â—â—ig of the rod praise him for his power goodnesse love tendernesse pitty praise him that you are on this side the grave and hell yea above all for his own bosome for his dearest Son who hath hung about our necks often and wept many a compassionate tear upon our cheeks not yet wiped off Let us all take up that of the Prophet My heart is inditing some good matter the word there is the same with the bubling of the oyle in the frying Pan at the Sacrifice Every heart should now be bubling up something every one should be thinking of setting up some monument Jacob promiseth the building of a Bethel a