they sink again into it This their way is their folly which too is made manifest sooner or later yet their posterity they that come after them in power and place approve their sayings see a delight in their mouth as it is in the margin they have as it were one mouth and are in effect the same in a new and another seeming better disguise the same Spirit appearing in another form one evil generation and power of men opposing another Sect. 9 The Lord therefore rebuke the evil Spirit that seeks to undoe deceive and misguide the Army into those courses that may any way tend to shut up the way of men to Christ their Savior who is pretended to be among them more then among other people and those that went before them that it may be said of this King I mean not either King Charls whose person yet I loved and prayed for or as the Country people speak King Fairfax or Cromwell but King Jesus a King that is a Saviour and in that he is a Saviour a King for every one worthy of the name honor and title of a King is a Saviour a Saviour not only of his friends but his very Enemies King Charls would indeed have saved his friends so but corruptly called but he being corrupt and ignorant of the true pattern Christ would fain have destroyed his indeed but supposed Enemies let not the present Kingly power of the Nation in the Army for there it is interpretatively and by way of Execution let not them dance after his pipe and do the thing he did and have since condemned him for that is to say Let not them be the Saviours of their friends only or men of one side this is not the true Spirit of Christ or of Government but let them even be Saviours to and of those yea even of those that would in their ignorance and unbelief have destroyed them This is truly noble Christian and worthy of men of high place and power let them be a Sanctuary of rest to all even the persons of all Roundheads and Cavaliers yet withall standing as a Cherubin of light right truth life peace and glory to keep the way of that tree of Life a true Christian Magistracy form'd according to the pattern in the Mount whereby may be opened unto men that long expected and looked for paradise of Truth and Peace meeting together and giving rest to the Nation and that no thing or person may be admitted that may bring any evil into it for the defilement and disturbance of it Sect. 9 This this is the business the present power have to doe being reserved and kept as in the secret of God to such a time and purpose as this that they might evidence to all both friends and foes that there is indeed such a presence of Christ and the true anointing among them they have all this while held the world in hand with that it may be said of this Presence even of this Anointing among you this King in the Army to the whole Nation on the one side and on the other none excluded from the grace and benediction of it behold a King God himself in Spirit shall reign in righteousnesse and Princes for such are the children of the true Church in all lands shall rule in Judgment that is to say not ignorantly and in the dark not knowing what they doe as the manner of the Rulers of the earth is being drunk with Error they stumble in Judgment then shall a man that is to say every one that lives in the heavenly MAN be for an hiding place what to one sort of men only that 's Jewish a course that hath undone us all this while but to every man though to the evil or lust of no man a hiding place I say from the wind and a covert from the Tempest as the rivers of water in a dry place such is for certain the state of the Royall party and in the next place the Presbyters and many others that are bitter and grieved in Spirit in one word as the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land which how welcom it is in a Land of drought as this Nation is in respect of peace and rest they know that have been by experience sensible of the one and other By this it would appear to all the world that you have skill not onely to kill and to destroy which hath been your work for the most part hitherto but that you have heard and learned of the Father of mercies how to save which is that one and onely thing the whole Kingdom is in expectation of from you that it may be said of you Saviours not destroyers are come up upon Moun Sion the true seat and place of Government to judge the Mount of Esau that is to say the evill of all men by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning Let the Kingdom and all in it first taste of your good that is to say your mercy meeknesse forbearance seeking not your own but others profit even the profit of your very opposers whereby you wli lindeed appear to be of the onely true Royall bloud even of the seed Royall of God and Christ himself say yea you have much more cause to say of your selves then Saul had to say of himself in the first day of his power when the people came and clamoured in the ears of Samuel as the people of England so call'd have of late in the ears of the Army immoderately and to excesse to have justice not divine justice for they know not most of them what that means upon the person of the King saying Who is he of the King or Parliament's side that said or shall say Shall Saul reigne over us Shall the Army power prevail over all sorts of men in the Land as you know there is much murmuring Bring the men that we may put them to death Let Saul's Answer be yours I confesse you pretend to a conformity to a better pattern David who though he were annointed to succeed Saul against whom there is no question but David might have had as much to say as you have had against Charles Stuart late in title King of England yet David your pattern abhorred the thought of taking away his life as you also according to the grounds of true Christian Religion ought the forenamed and late King And Saul said There shall not a man be put to death this day for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel Let not your morning glory the glory you seek be stained with the blood of any especially the blood of war in the time of peace be not so hasty hot and violent in condemning the Powers went before you before your rightâ—ousnesse integrity innocency honesty ability impartâ—â—lâ—â—y and bowels of mercy pity and compassioâ— toward the pâ—â— and fâ—theâ—â—ss be justified on all hands to be of a nature exceeding the pretence of others Let the
routing slaying killing imprisoning and his soul hath appetite so shall the multitude of all the Nations be that fight against Mount-Sion SECT 3. The other part of the bitter fruit of which I speak The Army and Kingdom have been fain though sore against their will and desire to taste and that hath been their many fears troubles affrights plunders ruines wounds death and losse which they have been fain to pertake of as the fruits of their own aswell as others errours but God who is able sometimes wont of these and such stones to make bread gave many of them bread to eate which others as they would not so they knew not of and this I call the good fruit which the Army themselves and the Nation by them have given them to feed upon SECT 4. And this doth appear thus in that they have not only with Samson been delivered together with the whole Nation out of the paw and power of the ramping and roaring Lion the Army in the field and the young Lion the Lion in the Lambs skin appearing in policy and undermining at home nor onely in that they have had power over both these Lions rending them as he did even as they would have rent a kid but that also in the carcasse of both is found a swarm of Bees a sort of men gathering feeding on and yet yeelding honey to others which though a riddle hath appeared true in part but that there be two sorts of Bees among them which for distinction sake I will for the present call after the language of those that converse with those kinde of cattell the one is profitable the â—ther unprofitable the last is the humming Bee the drone or lazy Bee CHAP. VI. A description of the corrupt and excrementitious together with the good and usefull part of the Army SECT 1. IN the first sort I finde these three properties The first is they make as great a buzzing and noyse about and for Justice Peace Righteousnesse Religion Liberty Equity Saintship and on the other side against Tyranny Oppression Superstition c. nay a far greater then any of the rest because having far lesse then others he is necessitated to make the greater shew of zeal for the one and against the other when in mean time he is totally ignorant of yea altogether an enemy to and in secret yea in his life opposing of the first where-ever it doth appear and on the other side one that hath no other principle but that which feeds and gives life and being to all the evill in the Land SECT 2. Another property of this kinde of cattel is the pursuit of that which is alone as honey to them that is their own profit honour ease wealth and they may easily be discerned from others as excelling all others in pride vanity folly superciliousnesse overlooking ov rtopping the honest quiet meek and silent spirited men among them As for these if they would have justice it is for themselves if liberty it is for their lusts These are like those flies that infest those sores of the already galled grieved spirit of the Land that are so far from healing that they keep the wounds of it raw and open and are indeed to the good spirit of God in the Army as Peter was in his pride and ignorance to Christ even as Satan himself SECT 3. I will name but one property more of these unprofitable men and that is this They detain and keep others from the hive and the taste of the honey-comb being indeed a veile or a hedge of briers and thorns imprisoning concealing clouding the Son of righteousnese which is behinde this wall within this hedge on the other side this cloud indeed the very Man of sin and son of perdition which must be taken out of the way before the Son of God will in his full light sweetnâ—sse and glory appear to the healing of the Land and they in it SECT 4. This is the first and worst sort of Bees the excrementitious and unprofitable part of the Army and those that adhere to them The other which I onely prize as the good and usefull sort of Bees such as are more silent more painfull more profitable of a lesser size in appearance then the former not so sightly At fessae multa referunt se nocte minores Crura thymo plena The lesse and tyred Bees return at night Get much but yeeld the fruits of all their might These are the light life rest peace joy hope and healing of the Land trees of righteousnesse in the Lord that bring forth fruit in season the very tree of life in Christ is appointed of God and expected of men for the healing of the Nation plantâ— of Gods own planting Aaron's rod that at the same time buds blossoms and bears and yeelds Almonds the rod of Moses by which he did all those wonders in Egypt devoured the rods of the Egyptians gave them no rest till they were made free In one word the very rod of God the scepter of his right hand by which he divided the red sea and by which he overturned the Nations that stand in his way of love to them that he who blessâ—th himself in the earth may blesse himself in the God of truth If any rest or recovering be brought to King Parliament and all others in the Land it must be by them for the annoynting of God is upon them and them alone to that end CHAP. VII A comparing the Armies former pretences with their present actings together Sect. 1. THis Sun hath not appeared no not in this last engagement in that beauty brightness and splendor it did the first time they assayed the same thing In this they are more severe rigid fierce unmercifull toward the King and those in the same condition with him then they were before and therefore appear more Jewish heathenish fearfull disobedient to God and unbelieving all which tend to the hardening of their hearts against God and them First against God for I may say it boldly the name of God call'd upon by the Army is blasphemed among these Gentiles for so they are in account by most because of the Army in that the fruits of that Spirit the true annoynting they pretend to appears not except in word to all Secondly As their heart is hardened against God so against them for they can finde no place of rest love or mercy in them that they might be called and provoked to lie down in their bosoms as on their bed of rest but contrariwise when they think of them or see them they are fraught with fear trouble wrath and emnity against them because they look for the like measure from them Whereas if love mercy forgivenesse and compassion did appear in the Army and others towards such it would transform them into the same image and melt them into the love and knowledge of God after this manner God perswades Jophet to dwell in the tents of Shem. SECT 2. The
how are the mighty faine tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askhelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce Ye Mountaines of Gilboah ye the severall places Cities Hills Plaines and Valleys let there be on you no deaw neither let there be raine any more upon you that there spring not up from you by vertue of any moisture or blessednesse upon you from above as it were from the seeds of the many slaine upon you to beget a resurrection of another Warre and the like dreadfull slaughter of men and inhabitants the flower of this Nation For how were the mighty slain there in the midst of Battell O Jonathan thou noble Brookes thou noble but misguided Faulkland how wast thou slain and many others famous in their Generation both on the one side and on the other how were and are the mighty fallen and the Weapons of Warr perished § 7. But to return after some few yeares and in this manner this Mountaine of pride oppression vaine-glory superstition and cruelty is melted with the blood of those many thousand slaine for it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversies of Sion And therefore it is as to them and the Kingdome they sought to uphold that the streames thereof that is to say all the means of their refreshing is turned into pitch and matter and fuell only fit and prepared for the fire and this fire shall not be quenched night nor day but it shall burne continually yea the smoak thereof shall go up for ever and ever from Generation to Generation it shall be wast it shall never again be called from the dead none shall passe thorough it any more it shall only be for the Cormorant and the Bitterâ—e the Owle also and the Raven shall dwell there for God bath stretched out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptinesse they shall call for the Nobles thereof to come to the support of this Kingdome but none shall be there and all her Princes shall be and are become nothing Thornes shall come in their Pallaces they shall afford them nothing but vexation yea there shall be found in them and in their Land of delight only such of the creatures Ziim and Jiim the Satyres the Vultures and the Owle whose place is the Wildernesse and deserts not inhabited those Puritans and Roundheads of whom before there was little or no appearance in the Land for their abiding was as it were in the Wildernesse and their presence was as strange as gastly and as much affrighting in times past to the multitude especially to the rulers of the Nation as are those birds and beasts that dwell in such solitary places to such as are unacquainted with them so that the Wildernesse and the solitary place such was the state of those rejected by the King and Bishops shall be glad for them and that desart shall rejoyce and begin to blossome as a rose CHAP. II. How the corrupt principles of the King Bishops begin to fructifie and spring up againe in the Parliaments and Synods of both Kingdomes § 1. BUt to take up all I intend as I go This rose began first to be nipt in the bud even before the forenamed desolation of the forementioned State of men came to that height both intended of God though not then purposed of men and since accomplished and brought to passe through the over-ruling power of God by men And that after this manner and on this wise that old Serpent the Divell and Satan the head even of the King and his Bishops or followers respecting the whole though not all the particulars or wholly being now by the mighty hand of God wonderfully bruised and broken and laid even halfe dead as a hopelesse uselesse hurtlesse thing which thing came to passe about the time of the Kings escape from Oxford to the Army in the North and this came to passe thus the old Serpent of which I made mention even now not intending the Kings person which I did reverence and love but the evill raigning in him and others of his side and way which I make mention of by the way that I may not provoke any man professing my selfe one that seekes unfainedly the good of all broods as I may so speak upon the seeds of it both in the Scots and English Parliaments Armies so that it might be said to the better part of both that sought after freedom and rest in God in the Land in truth and thought that that had been the time of their joy and rest yet there was said to them as to the Palestine of the West as in the Prophet Esa ch 14. 29. Rejoyce not thou whole Palestine though some of them did because the rod of them that smote thee is brokâ—n for out of the Serpents root shall come forth a Cockatrice or Adder or the serpent renewed and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent more subtill swift fierce or as the Scrâ—pture speakes the peircing Serpent even Leviathan that crooked and â—very waies turning serpent lifting up his head and living again even in our bosome the Parliament For being even to death nipt with the frost and cold the Winter of adversity and disappointment of the King and Bishops is now taken by these mercilesse mercifull men into their bosome where receiving warmth and strength he begins to grow strong and vigorous not only in them but to live and rise again in them the Kings owne party in whom he seemed as to outward hurt and appearing to be wholly exhaust of life and being so that this last deceipt or Serpent became more deceiving and pernicious then the former yea the Serpent is now turned Dragon every Dragon is a Serpent but every Serpent is not presently a Dragon the Dragon then is Serpens annosus the old Serpent though in a new skin a new and another better though a more deceiving appearance as having eaten up other Serpents a deceipt that hath to make it the more deceiving swallowed up into it selfe all other more grosse and now discovered deceipts and therefore the more likely to deceive even as an Angell of Light in the Parliament and those of their side though in those of the other party like a Lion or a Bear robbed of her whelps or kept long in hunger as those were that were made ready to devoure Daniel that they might with greater ravening and appetite fall againe to and upon their desired prey § 2. To all which they were prepared and made ready by the Scots complying and committing whoredome with the corrupt principles of the King and Cavaliers contrary to their Oath Covenant and first Engagement yea the whole Presbyterian Order Scotch and English that I speak nothing of the Independent for the present like Ahola and Aholibah she so discovered her whoredomes and her nakednesse that the mind of God himselfe is wonderfully and apparently alienated from her like as
evill then of the King and Parliament is opposed either by the good or evill of the Army The evill of the Army though it doth and may oppose the evill of both though not as evill the lusts leading and reigning in the Army may be brought forth in a way of zeal for justice and under a pretence of righteousnesse peace truth liberty to oppose lusts of another name and cognisance in the King and Parliament this contest is but like Satan's going about to cast out Satan whereby his kingdom is no wayes weakened but confirmed evill in the Army nourisheth and promotes evill in the King wrath malice revenge in the one maintains and upholds it in the other SECT 3. This then is the iron gate and door of brasse and steel that shuts righteousness truth peace and love out from the view peace and rest of men in them by this the King and Bishops ruled and by this they were ruined too The same course took the Parliament and were brought into the same Labyrinth as was the King And so far as the Armie walks by this rule they run the same hazard will split themselves upon the same rock yea are for the present in respect of that principle in the same Mâ—ander in the same pit where is no water but that which moistens fastens fattens that evill root and bitter in them whence comes forth nothing but weeds briers and brambles the fruit of the first earth which is under the curse and is eternally to passe away whereby they are a vexation and torment yea divels to themselves and all sorts of men in the Land SECT 4. That then that is worthy of applause in the Army in their present undertakings is their good or rather the goodnesse of God in them opposing the evill or rather the evill One in King and Parliament This alone is to be reckoned among the Saintâ— as we hope they are as the common enemy of the Land this is onely worthy of all opposition let this be withstood to death and bonds It 's a great mistake and by all means to be removed out of the hearts and mindes of men that the sword of steel or the instruments of war have gotten them successe and victory over the other side nay it hath been the word of the Lord the counsell and presence of God helping the one and opposing the other Thou hast loved righteousnesse and hated iniquity saith the Psalmist of Christ or the Annointing in the Church therefore God even thy God hath annointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows that is thou getst the better upon this account and art too hard for all other Companies and Armies of men whatsoever because of this CHAP. VIII Of the door of hope was opened to the King and is to his party in the valley of Achor or forlorne state of trouble they are in Sect. 1 TO conclude The case then of the King Parliament Army and all estates of men in the Nation was is this 1. Of the King he had the Kingdom and in it all that was comprehended all the glory fulnesse beauty and riches in it the head and foot himself his Queen his Crown his Children his great Estate Attendance Honour Glory People c. But all this in the flesh in and after or according to the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts which like an ignis fatuus led him and all of the same spirit with him huc illuc after severall objects of rest and delight all which yet perished in the use it being in respect of his way of enjoying of it but as the grasse of the field or corn upon the house top which withereth before it be grown up nothing is in it but that which is earthly sensuall and divelish all appearances are of a like nature but not of one and the same form all from beneath some black and some white Divels his fearing one and following the other hath not suffered him to enjoy any lasting rest Sect. 2 The Almighty then hath by the losse of all the Kings glory greatness his Queen his Servants yea and since his naturall and bodily life shut him up so that he hath had no liberty in the aforenamed enjoyments as to the outward fleshly or sensuall man this was therefore to the King in respect of the old man the valley of Achor that is to say the valley of trouble but in respect of his Person and Gods intendment yea and the longing prayer and endeavour of all good men in whom is the sure and lasting mercies of God and the bowels of Jesus Christ it was to him and 't is to all his friends and those that took part with him for a door of hope In this wildernesse of trouble in respect of the outward man God returns which thing I will not deny and gives in again into the heart of the King together with himself * For the fulness of all things is in God in Christ all things his Crown his Queen his Kingdom c. but washed and made white that he might enjoy them eternally and without interruption in him Sect. 3 And to this he was and those they call the Royallists are in a greater propinquity and more likelihood to attain unto then many either of the Parliament or Army who are like Capernaum lifted up in a glorious fig-leave profession as high as heaven their turn will be next to be hurled down to hell the hell in which the King was whiles many of that side the by-word especially of the professing people shall be lifted up to heaven and made to sit with God in Christ in heavenly places for there shall come from East and West and places and conditions most remote and shall sit with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and the supposed children of the kingdom cast out For God will not though it may be man would contend for ever neither will I saith he be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made For the iniquity of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts to him and his mourners For the language of Christ is to this day in the Church speaking as 't is written The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings to the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound This I professe my self to be daily in expectation of according as it is written The first shall be last and the last first the Jews and those that professe the knowledge of God after the letter shall be provoked and made ashamed by a foolish
and despised people the Gentiles which make no such profession shall be before-hand with them in the knowledge of God and Christ in spirit power and truth To which I say and pray Deus faxit This thing O God bring to passe CHAP. IX Of the glory of the Parliament at their first assembling together with the cause of their ruine viz. their dividing themselves into a threefold Schism Royalists Presbyters Independent with the hurtfull principles and practices of each Sect. 1 THe second is the state and condition of the old and now decayed and worn out Parliament together with the state of all them that shrouded themselves under the shadow of this great and tall but now fallen Cedar This people had their day .i. their morning noon and evening-tide Whiles 't was yet morning or young dayes with them they began according to the Country Proverb as a new broom to sweep all clean and therefore made themselves after the similitude of Christ the true pattern of all good and wholsome undertakements a new threshing instâ—ument having teeth that with it they might thresh the mountains of Pride Superstition Oppression they made them a scourge of small cords and minded indeed to cleanse the Temple and to cast out the buyers and sellers of doves those more innocent and harmlesse ones in the Land of whom these money-changers made merchandize as 't is said They shall make Merchandize of you For they did as Christ * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast out the gain gotten by doves In one word their going forth was like the morning Sun rejoycing as a Giant newly awoke out of sleep and silence in the Land to run his course of light and truth so that by them as by the Womans seed Christ born in spirit and power among them the Serpents head that is to say the wit power policy enmity that prevailed in the aforegoing Hierarchy Monarchy for the last was above the first was wonderfully discovered bruised spoiled and disappointed Sect. 2 And therefore this Serpent after a while betook himself to another course sought after another and more secure place to save and hide his head so that whiles these husbandmen slâ—pt though before-hand the Lord of the harvest had sowed good seed among them the enemy came in by night the night of their ignorance and sowed tares that this garden of God that at first seemed an earthly Paradise was full fraught with weeds I mean pride ignorance of God self-seeking faction not going oc together in bearing the burthen of the Kingdom as at first with one shoulder but as untamed heifers according to the Scripture phrase unaccustomed to the yoak of Christ that is to say his presence and government in truth peace mercy justice his seat and throne they all hung back or drew contrary ways one to another so that while every party and faction minded their own particular safety honour greatnesse the whole Kingdom was neglected and that stool of rest intended and expected by them and from them being removed out of the way by their own party-making the whole wearied body of the Kingdom did begin again to fall quite to the ground This was the forbidden fruit that the whole Parliament in their severall parties were overtaken with for if the Paradise of God were not secure but that the Serpent got in there to deceive the woman no marvel he had admission here where there was so much of the woman weakness and inability to overcome temptation and discern the hour of it that they all sought their own things and few or none the things of Jesus Christ. which might make for the rest and profit of the whole Sect. 2 And to that end having severall forms and patterns in their mindes of ways and methods to make a bed of rest to the Nation they all proved too narrow or too short so that there was not room in 't for all for that which would first serve the turn of the Royall party was too noysome and offensive as a defiled and polluted bed a bed of whoredom and lust and therefore these were as a smoke to the nose of the pre-ingaged or fore-resolved men of the Presbyterian or Scotish way who proclaim with open mouth the jus Divinum of their own new invention and therefore preach and print and hold out to the world at at home and abroad as though Christ had said to them and that order of men what he did and alwayes doth to his true and onely Spouse which is alwayes hid with him in the wildernesse and not at all exposed to common view for as Christ so is the Church as in union with him or as his Spouse hid to the world Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair yea our bed say they is green and the onely flourishing fruitfull hopefull woman or Church in the world Yet this also takes after her sister and justifies them that had gone before in all their abominations and all her children prove the sons of the Sorceresse and the whore neither had any of them a heart to plead in the behalf of God and Christ against their Mother making it appear she was not his Wife Sect. 4 This Woman or prevailing party in Parliament and Kingdom usurps all power and takes all authority into their own hand and boasts she is Lady and Queen of Great Britain at least therefore makes use of it to the establishing of her self and depressing of all others that would not or could not sing her song drink of her cup or dance after her pipe and therefore makes a decree that none should either buy or sell that receive not her mark in their hand or forehead But whiles she is thus drunk but not with wine and thinks she is and none besides her even in that very hour it is said to her as to her mother before out of whose womb she sprang Babylon the great How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Therefore her plagues come in one day while it was yet noon-tide with this new invented Idol death mourning and famine of all that power wisdom policy and great riches that did sustain her and she shall as her elder sister Sodom and Samariah the Popish and Episcopal Church be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God in the Church that hath undertaken to judge her Sect 5 And now behold all her Princes and those that reigned as Kings by means of her yea all the Merchants of this seeming new but indeed the first earth that was to passe away that had enriched themselves by her sorceries and whoredoms that were as so many bawds and Panders to this Adulterous woman are now standing afar off weeping and making great lamentation forasmuch as no man buyeth of their merchandise any more for behold her smoke goeth up for ever and ever Thus now the pit these dug for other they are faln into themselves so