the matter if any thing must be squezed from them towards the building the Lords house so do it as it may conduce to the advancing their own houses also not otherwise then it becometh all that are in expectation of their Lot in their inheritance of the Sons of God to be found in the discharge of their duty towards their rulers by dealing plainly and candidly with them laying before them not onely the sad and woful effects that hath in times past been produced by a carelesse and corrupted appearance in the work of the Lord but also as opportunity and ability is given to be spreading forth the evil and dangerous consequents that are like to attend their putting far from them the day of God and the retardings of his work especially when no lesse then a continued series of providences from time to time â—ear after year holds forth so high a testimony for the Lord and a discovery of his design as in this Nation it hath done As therefore good reason it is we should as well in respect of the glory of God the honour and safety of our superiours as for our own peace and advantage in our more special and spiritual concernments to be found in a timely and faithful discharge of what is so much incumbent upon us Let it not then be ill taken by any who are restored to their former stations and places of trust in power and thereby to greater opportunities of following the Lord more fully that in such a manner for that end they are so often solemnly and faithfully addressed unto by the poor despised and bruised people of the Lord in this Nation begging intreating and perswading by all the arguments of love and terror that either the Scriptures of truth the dispensations past or such as we are at present under can furnish them with that a hardned heart of ingratitude and impiety might not be found amongst them with which instead of bearing rule for God men too oft appear in the exercise of their own wills and that they may gain unto themselves or Families a portion in the beggerly perishing vain Glory of this world that ere long must passe away like a scroul too far proceed in a denial of the Lord that bought them but rather a meekned softned frame of spirit apt and ready to take what further impression the Lord hath to imprint upon it lest the contrary bring upon us an over-flowing scourge and inundation of such calamity as hath not been experienced or lately heard of for our mercies hath exceeded and the spirit of God will not alwaies strive with man and who knows how soon such as will not that Christ should Raign over them may for their unworthy refusal of that honour be either exposed to shame bondage and contempt or else called for to be brought forth and slain before his face Were the thoughts of these things and for what end the Lord suffered the Parliament to be interrupted at first and now recalled to their former authority together with the many special circumstancies that hath attended those transactions more seriously and generally with them then as it may be feared it is surely the effects thereof would be otherwise then yet we have or by the good wills of many are like to experience But the just Lord who yet exerciseth his patience and long-suffering towards the sons of Men if hapily they will feel after him and repent c. will not be mocked at last Be wise therefore O yee Kings and be instructed O yee Judges of the earth stand in awe sin not serve the Lord with fear lest he speak to you in his wrath and vex you in his sore displeasure Should the time of the foresaid interruption or that which too justly occasioned the shaking of the rod in that manner be but a little reminded or enquired after would it not appear too manifestly that with many of them who suffed that contradiction it was a season of security and slothfulnesse to any thing the voice of that day called for on the behalf of the Lords work so eminently begun and set a foot amongst us for whose sake many worthy and renowned victories were given and much honour done to many that adheared thereunto yet I say do but a little reflect upon the passages of that time and what selfishness covetousnesse pride and wantonnesse will appear to be the charge and guilt of that day and what advantage and opportunity was thereby given unto others to become what they ought not to be greatning and magnifying themselves above their fellows and under the pretence of removing the aforesaid evils Acted too much the evil servants part that said in his heart my Lord delays his coming and to do such things as brought a very sore and grievous reproach upon the very name of Religion profest by English men But this as a deceitful usurpation for that it was not improved to the end for which it was pretendedly acted escaped not the lash of the Lords just and righteous hand and so as that it may even serve to convince us if we be not altogether stupid That now the Lopping of a few superfluous over reaching Branches is not all such attempts exposeth the transgressour in that kind unto but the Axe is laid to the root of the Tree and that the ambitious endeavours of man to leave himself a name in the Earth is the onely way to be written Childlesse in the honour and trust of Government What of this kind of blasting or disappointment hath apparently passed upon the like projections of such as once were serviceable to their Countrey in the day of Battel wants not its evidence to prove it and that the eyes of the Lord are towards the footsteps of men strictly weighing and observing all their motions whether they are such as duly answer the end of providence or keep any pace with his design or not and accordingly will bring to light the secret intentions of their hearts and wherein they are a contriving to doe injury to the cause and interest of Christ that evil he will certainly cause to descend upon their own pates it begins to be more commonly received for truth that he who digs a pit for another shall fall into it himself And it may be as rightly conjectured that the hurt of many whose persons and reputations are too justly under a cloud at this day took being with the change of their names and titles for Colonels to Lords from less to more from O C. to O P c. Let it therefore be the wisdome of the people and their heads this day by other mens harms to beware of doing or contriving any thing that may revive or give length of daies to the tottering interest of the beast and false Prophet for to run greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward hazards a perishing in the gainsayings of Core T was the safety of Laban and Esau that Jacob became a
Prince prevailing with God and with men it would have been Pharaoh's advantage had he been so conquered t was his destruction to follow Israel to the Read Sea it will be the still peace and prosperity of Rulers to give the Lords people liberty to follow him wheresoever he goes A shew or flourish of this seemed not long since to present it self amongst us as if our Magistrates intended to be first in bringing the greatnesse of their treasures to Christ and were now resolved upon all terms to joyn issue with him and become nursing Fathers to his people c. It 's well it proves more substantial and that the occasion the Lord hath once more taken by the rebellion of others to roul away that reproach from the remnant of his poor people in England be observed according to the manifest decision it hath made between the true friends of Israel and the troubles or Achans of our day and their Abettors The fruits of whose vexatious Spirits so plentifully gratifying the Ballad singers imployment which are insufficient to vindicate their innocency or any waies conceal their agreement with death however they think it s taken for graunted that the late abominable design of War was onely grounded upon a Cavaleer bottom viz. the interest of the old Royalist but the parallel proceedings and pretences of Dunbar Worcester and Westchester give especially to such as have escaped their snares too much cause to judge otherwise and that they send not their old Loyalty a mourning for nothing besides the manifold distgustings shaking the head and gnashing the teeth in this City and else where at the Churches and others for their conformity to the Parliament together with their tauntings at the independent that now they had discovered themselves by joyning with the Anabaptists and others further demonstrates the spirits and principles of that Generation of men And it may also serve to induce our rulers otherwise then at present they do to encourage such as in the face of difficulty and reproach have proved themselves faithful to the Lord and their Countrey for it will be taken but for a slender argument of respect or true kindnesse unto any to be called upon for assistance in the day of trouble and as soon as the storm is but a little past again to be slighted and rejected but better things are hoped or at least wished for to be the reward of friends c. And seeing the Lords hand appear'd sar towards the demolishing some stately boothes amongst us of late let it move us to presse forward in the seeking after a City whose builder and maker is God ☞ and to cease tabernacling in the concernments of a lower nature least through much striving for mastership and dominion in Israel it be discovered we are yet ignorant of the first principles of the Kingdome of God And therefore be it known unto all that judge themselves concernd that as the greater is not comprehended of the lesse but the lesse of the greater so the spiritual is not comprehended of the civil interest but the civil of the spiritual and ere long however our being emptied from vessel to vessel hath no more prevailed with men it will appear that that which formerly hadan excellency in it hath now none because of that which doth excel and then so much the more dangerous will it be for a Nation to be lifting the heel against the Lord when his design is to make them a people more excellent then their neighbours It could be wished therefore that it were not with many now as with Saul in times past who when he knew that the Kingdom must be rent from him coveted to have the name of walking in end out before the people so that with men only ambitious of honour when none other can be obtained a shew of dignity dominion will serve till by having recourse to some false guides or old maximes of state policy given by Aristotle Matchavil and the like they judge themselves in a capacity to sttruggle for something more whilest the seed of the true Mordecay onely addressing it self to the father of spirits receives encouragement to despise the vanity and haughtinesse of Haman in the gate and are strengthned to believe that if after much intreating and patience by persons in authority opportunities are neglected the substance of true honour and deliverance shall come to them another way and then such as have not been faithful in a little will not be judged worthy to be made rulers over much Therefore all yee in this Nation whether in Parliament Council or Army whom God hath exalted that yee might magnifie him and exalt his name before the people be then every one of you yet prevailed with ere it be too late if there be any hope any beauty any excellency any consolation or salvation in the interest and Kingdome of the Son of God to mind these things let not your hearts in opposition to the approachings and drawings near of his glory be set upon things that perish it was the miscarriage of others let it not be yours to put too a great price upon what you are or have rather let a due improvement thereof be made to the honour of his most holy name in whose hands all the hearts and lives are to dispose of at his pleasure who hath once more taken occasion to try and prove yours by putting such opportunities into your hands to redeem the times past that if ye should grow carelesse negligent or remisse therein 'T will surely be accompted for and what damage and detriment is thereby occasioned to the interest of the Lord and his deople will certainly be required at your hands who are found guilty of such neglect be you ever so highly exalted in the interest and pomp of this vain glorious world for the Lord raigns he hath clothed himself with Majesty and with strength wherewith he girds himself to reckon with all the wicked and proud doers of the Earth this discourse or faithful advertisement proceeds not from any evil will disrespect or prejudice the Author retaines against any mans person now in Power but a sense of the evil of our doings in times past and the face of things too much reflecting upon what was not then acceptable much lesse in a day of further light Creates a jealousie for truth and the welfare of such as are and ought to be concerned for it fearing least by agravating our former offences we bring upon our selves and others the greater damnation or judgement c. And though it may be truly asserted that it is the concernment of English men in general this day to follow hard after a thorogh or more excellent reformation yet it s not intended here by any means that a slighting or undervaluing what 's received in order thereunto be it ever so small should be begotten in the hearts of any no far be it from every one that feares the Lord so to do rather let all study thankfully to improve what we are made partakers of to its right use and end that God may be glorified and our selves redeemed from the corruption and bondage of this sinful world into the precious liberty of the Sons of God which ought to be the onely aim of all our leaders and is the excellent deliverance both longed and hoped for By their well wisher T C. 22. 7 month 59. Here should have been annexed to this a brief enquiry after a symptome or manifestation of that principle that is able to preserve the soul in the hour and power of darkness and keep it unspotted in the midst of the great temptations that are a coming upon all the earth to try them that dwell therein together with a glymps of the St. or spiritual mans concernment in a day of rebuke but for want of convenient opportunity and for some other reasons 〈◊〉 with the Author it is at present omitted only for the encouragment of such as desire to follow the Lord full and to lean upon him in an evil time let me commend unto yee the assertion and experience of a well tried servant of the Lord Psal 33.18 that the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and have a hope in his mercy to deliver their soules from death and to keep them alive in a day of Famine FINIS
THE TROUBLES OF ISRAEL OR THE ENGLISH ACHAN Pursued And his Foot-steps partly discovered By one that hopes to be kept from admiring any mans person for advantage sake yet freely desires to give Honour to whom Honour and Fear to whom Fear is due PROV 18.9 He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed without remedy LONDON Printed for T. Brewster at the three Bibles at the West end of Pauls 1660. The troubles of Israel or the English Achan persued and his footsteps partly discovered by one that hopes to be kept from admiring any mans person for advantage sake yet freely desires to give honour to whom honour and fear to whom fear is due SO wonderful are the searching and unmasking Providences of the Lord which of late appeared amongst us together with the manifold and woful miscarriages of those who once seemed to be well qualified and were by what was discernible judged to be meet instruments for the carrying on the Lords work in these Nations That unto all who would be kept pure blamelesse and steddy in their most holy faith till this oppearing whose coming is as a refiners fire c. Renewed and fresh occasions are given at this day to be diligently observing the operations of God in the Earth and seriously and impartially to be reflecting upon their own hearts and spirits to try and prove whether the principles they are at present in they practise or retain a sufficient Character or symptome of that anointing which abides and qualifies the soul to make good proof of its integrity faithfulnesse to the Lord when brought to the Test in the face of greater temptations then herberto hath been met with or probably is expected by many And it being none of the least concernments of these for whom the Lord hath not withstanding their unworthiness once more stretched forth his mighty Arme to be found exercising themselves therein unto them therefore of what rank quality or sort soever they be as well Governours as Governed by way of more special a dvertisement it s judged what followes may not be unseasonably presented Sirs Though doubtlesse the design of the Creator at first in making man of nothing and raising him unto that Estate wherein he was before the fall had in it a tendency of further light and glory to have been communicated brought forth unto Adam yet we have though wofully experience that the none improvement of that ability light and life to the end for which it was given occasioned no lesse then the losse of all the Excellency and Dominion propounded to that Estate changed the liberty of the whole Creation into bondage from which it still groanes to be delivered and were it not that the Lord in exceeding wisdome grace set the regoining to himself the works of his hands by a new and living way the present hope and earnest expectation of the Creature had been eternally void but ever blessed be his name that as sin abounded his grace abounded much more And should we thus gradually descend to take notice of the manifold examples of like nature extant in Scriptures or otherwise from the days of Abell until now how might the burthen of their calamities which befel such as answered not the design of God in their day according to the opportunities given them so to do serve to awaken all in whom there remaines any kind of desire to be meeting the Lord in his comings forth to reduce the Nations to himself to a serious watchfulnesse lest at any time through the temptations of the flesh they should be found opposers of him who will not fail one day to reckon with all the Sons of Antichrist for all their evil deeds hard speeches and secret consultations against the Lord and his Anointed The too too manifest appearance of such things in our day calls for more then an ordinary lamentation at the hands of English men that after so many eminent and signal demonstrations of the Lords intentions to work a mighty work such as hath not been usually heard of amongst us there should yet be found so much resolute implacable enmity in the heart of this Nation which stouts it self out to the perfecting its rebellion and consequently their destruction who are acted by it against the Council and solemn determination of the most high to set his mountain a top of all the mountains c. But it is observable that the peremptory inraged attempts and breakings forth of those Children of disobedience in whom the old Enemy or Prince of the Air thus worketh to do all the dispight they can to the simple and pure interest of God ever precedes its own downfal and ruine as being thereby fitted ripned and prepared for destruction and shame and yet unto this degree of ungodliness and impiety it seldome worketh until by some seeming pretence of zeal for truth it hath very much interessed and twisted it self into the Hearts and Loines of such as are intrusted with Dominion and power to rule and govern for God in the Earth So that its humbly conceived of all men persons placed in Authority are most lyable though but for a miserable reward to become the servants of sin viz the great sin of setting up the great abomination that maketh desolate and therefore it can hardly be expressed how deeply it concerns all such especially those in this Nation where the Lord hath so often and so highly signified his displeasure against the disobedient stubborn and perverse contrivances of their predecessors to be exceeding careful least through an evil heart of unbelief they are led away to the same if not a greater excesse of Riot with those who for want of ability to follow the Lamb wheresoever hewent have perished in the mid-way Now for that the Lord hath once more put opportunity into the hands of such as have the over-sight of rule and Governance in England to be pressing forward by all that they are or may be to answer the design of God in their day by exalting justice judgement and equity and to cause Righteousnesse and truth in truth to run down like a mighty stream amongst us and in all their undertakings for liberty to have faithful respect to the pure liberty of the Sons of God The remnant of the Woman-seed the faithful servants of the most high are therefore not onely engaged in an expectation of it and earnestly and affectedly to be imploring from them a daily manifestation of such fruits as are conduceble to the advancing this interest viz. the liberty of the Sons of God above and beyond all other private interests that would be upper most and have the preheminence in the world but also if for these things under what pretence soever or that the time of building the Lords house is not yet come shall seem to be least of all concerned or so strive to order