their master And the King prepared great provisions for them and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away And also we Gentiles who at that time were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Eph. 2.12 and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world Yet then even then the Church of the Jews pitied us and did remember us at the throne of grace saying We have a little sister Cant. 8.8 9. and she hath no breasts what shal we do for our sister in the day when she shal be spoken for If she be a wall we wil build upon her a palace of silver and if she be a door we wil enclose her with boards of Cedar And in the new Testament we have the example of Iesus Christ and his servant Steven pittying and praying for their enemies Our Lord Iesus Christ being persecuted in his own person and in his members pitty them often and most tenderly saying Mat. 23.37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which were sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not And when they were come unto Calvary there they crucified him Lu. 23.33.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do And when those that were esteemed the learned men of those times Acts. 6.9.10 c. disputing with Steven were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake They suborned men and stirred up the people and the Elders and the Scribes and came upon him and caught him and brought him to the Counsel and set up false witnesses which accusing him of blasphemy said this man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the Law For we have heâ—â—d him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shal destroy this place and shal change the customs which Moses delivered us And then Steven answered and spake unto them not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power Acts 7.59.60 Yet they stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit and he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge So that here we see Steven though not in degree yet in truth is perfect in love even as our Lord Jesus Christ and our father in heaven is perfect So that although he is stoned to death and by the Testimony of false witnesses yet he pittieth them and prayeth for them that God may do them good in the highest degree even by pardoning this even this their great sin and thus in his life and death he is made conformable to our Lord Iesus Christ And when Steven had thus prayed he fell asleep his spirit reposed in rest and peace And our Lord Iesus Christ and blessed Steven obtained their requests For Saul who consented unto the death of Steven at whese seet they that stoned him layd down their Cloaths though now a persecuter is after this by our Lord Iesus Christ called unto grace and made Paul a faithful Apostle even a preacher of the Gospel of our blessed Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ And many of them that crucified our Lord Iesus Christ even about 3000 were added unto the Church at one Sermon O therefore let us live in love even towards our enemies praying for pittying and doing good to them that hate us and dispitefully use us By this we shal bring glory to God and have peace in our selves here with rest and sweet repose to our spirits at our death and declare our selves to be the children of our heavenly father by being perfect in love and not only so but in truth and acceptance also we are perfect even as our Father which is in heaven is perfact Neighbour O blessed truth I heartily desire the father and our Lord Iesus Christ by the spirit of grace to form me and all his into this blessed frame of love I pray you shew me how we may become instrumental to reclaim and reduce our enemies from the Error of their evil way Friend As God shal enable me by the word of truth and his spirit of truth forming me into the truth I shal dedare it unto you and in this respect let us be careful in our Conversations to follow Righteousness faith charity peace 2 Tim. 2.20 with all that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Look how others have been instrumental in following Righteousness faith charity and peace praying and calling upon the Lord for their enemies out of a pure heart and be you the like in calling upon God for your enemies and as you have the practise of our blessed Saviour and of his servant Steven So be sure that you pray without wrath for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God Jam. 1.20 And in this you wil shew forth your righteousness faith charity and peace towards your enemies in the sight of God when you call upon the Lord for them out of a pure heart But be sure to follow this manner of calling upon the Lord for them * Tim. 2.8 Every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Secondly In order to our enemies themselves when they shew much hatred and cruelty against us take heed that we shew much love patience and kindness unto them when they curse let us bless follow the Commandment pursue it obey it in the Lord for this is right Thus let us follow righteousness and peace towards our enemies and in nothing be provoked either by their unrighteous words or deeds but exercise faith in beleeving that God who out of the riches of his free-grace when thou wast an enemy and ungodly did then call thee out of thy natural and sinful condition unto the grace wherein thou standest the same God may call him also unto the same grace together with thee Again in the exercise of thy charity and peace towards thine enemy be exceeding tender unto him or her in the day of distress this may work high thoughts in them of Gods goodness who hath kindled some sparks of his goodness in thee and discovered it by thy conversation unto them If thine enemy hunger give him meat if he thirst Prov. 25.21 Rom. 12.20 21 give him drink this wil extract goodness out of him towards thee and by this means thou heapest coals of fire upon his head not to consume him but to save and to refine him from that dross that is in him even as the refiner tries the gold from the dross by heaping coals of fire upon the head of it in the refiners vessel go thou and do good in like manner but be sure thou be drawn forth in thy spirit with much love to thine enemy in shewing him what great things God hath
Secondly God hath done as much by and for this Army as might convince all the gain-sayers if their eyes were not wholly blinded that God is with them of a truth they obtained a most glorious victory and deliverance at Nasby field the first fruits and earnest of Gods present goodnesse and future â—â—â—sence of love unto them in so much that many of them that beleeved were then effectually established and grew consident that the same God that had been with them would still be with them and deliver them by his own assistance of them unto the end and the Lord their God did so yea they took his counsed and sought him in all things even him alone in whom they alwayes bousted saying God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore wil not we fear And when they obtained any victory or deâ—â—â—ance they not only themselves gave God the glory but also strirredup others to do it saying Come behold the works of the Lord Psal 46.1 2.8 9. behold what desolations he hath make in the earth he maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth O sing unto the Lord a new song Psal 89 1. for he hath done marnellaus things his right hand and his boly arme hath getten him the victory Yen when God had put all that did openly resict to â—lence by them Yet still they saw an enemy and weiced upon the Lord for his salvation and deliverance not only unto themselves but even unto the whole Kingdom for whose sakes they first engaged and in whose cause they had spent and were ready to spend their dearest blood to setile a firme and well-grounded peace Beleeving that although they were but as the worm Jacob in comparison of their politick potent enemies who swarmed in alâ—pares and places even in the chiefest Chamber of strength and Judicature that God would by them instrumentally recover and preserve this languishing sick and perishing Kingdom and that they should become usefull in reviving the dying hopes of the Liberties Rights and Interests of this wretched Nation Whereunto the politique Enemy had inter-woven themselves and like the moth not only almost eaten them into pieces but also with them out free Parliament who have been the strongest richest and preciousest covering and clothing that ever God gave unto this Kingdom even then when they were in their weakest poorest and nakedest condition that ever they were in Yea also the power of the Enemie was prepared as a Lion ready-to rend and teare in pieces and to take all away saying None shall be able to rescae save or deliver the prey out of our paw Yet then even then God performed unto his servants all his goodnesse according as he had made them to put their trust in him For although the Enemy had forced our Parliament and as they thought accomplished their work and fully obtained their desired designe Yet now even now at this very time God made the Army instrumental and useful in our greatest distresse and restored the Parliament by their despised Army unto their former freedore splendor beauty and glory and have cleared up their own faithfulnesse and godly integrity unto all men maugre the malice of all their enemies who rewarded their good with evill But yet they contiuned good and peaceable unto them Yea our Parliament is secured Gods people in all places revived and greatly comforted the Enemy taken in their own craftinesse and fallen into the pit which themselves had digged are greatly discouraged and the Kingdom we hope in a good way to be delivered secured and setled For God hath said I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I wil up old thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse Fear not thou worne Jacob and ye men of Israel Esai 41 10 14 15 16 I will help thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel Behold I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shalt make the hils as chaffe thou shalt fan them and the win shall carry them away and the whirlwind shall scatter them and thou shalt rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the boly one of Israel Now therefore give me leave to say O yee his holy ones O ye his People in the Parliament in the Army in the City and the whole Kingdom Stir up your selves in the Lord and be ye thankfull yea be yestrong couragious and very unanimous with one shoulder to go on and finish the work of your God for he hath promised that he will be with you and that he wil never leave you nor forsake you Neigh. It comes to my mind how I have heard that the Army were divided and disperst at above one hundred in let distance in their quarters at that time when the Parliament and their Speakers were most barbarously driven from Westminster unto them and that the Junto and the City of London with all their prepared forces contrary to the Ordinances of Parliament being bâ—â—ted to make war against them Yet then the Lord wrought marvdlousty in returing the Parliament and their Army together with them within one week in peace nad triumph to sit in their places in Westminster without the least appearance of opposition these Army marching peaceably thorow London without doing the least injury or affront to any shilenced the Enemy their gentlenesle meeknesse and quiet order was admired of all And yet now again many do speak against and repine at the Parliament and their Army may we not fear that this is one cause why Gods hand is out in wrath against us by the present dispersed Pestilence Friend The people murmuring and practsing against the Parliament and their Army whom God hath eminently exalted with his own right hand by many signes and wonders may be one cause of wrath upon us both in the being and continance also of the so much dispersed Pestilence as it was with Israel in the Wildemesse first they beleeved the evill report Numb 13.32.33 Chup. 14. the Spies had brought upon the Land of Canaan and then they murmured against Moses and Aaron and they said one to another Let us make a Captain and let us returne to Aegypt They intended to make wat against them that should resist their design but Moses Aaron Joshua and Calcb spake unto them saying only rebel not ye against the Lord although they perswaded them in much love and meckness of spirit yet they bade stone them with stones But the Lord said unto Moses how long wil this people provoke me and how long wil it be ere they believe me for all the signs that I have shewed among you I wil smite them with the pestilâ—â—â—â— and disiâ—â—â—eril them Even thus it is with those that have received on evill report and believe it against the Lords people here they rebel against the Lord Their sormer slavery
they esteem their liberty and in their hearts they are turned back into Aegypâ— they lust to follow their old manners in life and Religion seeding upon garlick and omons and do loath those pure and heavenly dispensations of spiritual truth where with we are sed dayly and call the spiritual food light manna desiring to live in darkness and consusion in their own understandings despising rejecting and persecuting the Lord Iesus in his members and therefore they are spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified but tho Lord faith unto all such he wil smite them with the pestilence and difinherit them and it may be so because of their great wrath and hatred against the Lords people who are very dâ—â—â— and render unto him * Exo. 4 22. 19.5 Zech 2.8 Ephes 5.30 1 Cor. 12.12 6.17 2.16 ult 1 John 2.27 Psal 105.14.15 They are his first born his pecâ—â—dâ—â—â—-treasure and jewels and who so toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye they are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone they are one body and have one spirit and the mind of Christ having the same annoynting God hath repâ—â—â—ed Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annainted nor do nay Prophets no harâ—â— And yet some who are their servants act most against them for about five years fince December next a messenger of special trust in the Parliament service going in at the head quarters at Winsor was by a Lievt of Drâ—goons and some of his company then with him in the Parliament service surprized and driveâ— back to Sloâ—gh where the said Lein took the State Letters from him brake them open Communicated them to ethers and kept them together with the messenger in ducance all night Some of the Kings forces then quartering at Maidenhead and the Leiut at Horton near Winsor Most part of the night being spent in Carowsing of healths ribaldry songs and discourses between him and his Souldery Mean while one of his company told the messenger that he knew no reason of the War between the King and the Parliament except it were to exhaust the treasure and strength of a generation of Tub-preachers who at present disturbed all things in the Parliament the Army in London and in the whole Kingdom and he said these Tub-Preachers intended to abolish the book of Common-prayer to put down Organs in the Minsters and did preach in houseâ— persâ—â—uring Gods faithful Ministers with imprisonment and named Doctor Oldsworth and some others And said that when these Tub-men were brought lâ—w he did not doubt but the King the Army and the Parliament would agree in one for they were all of one Religion and would suppress all who were contrary unto them The said messenger procured the said Leiut to be taken into custody the next morning until he should be tryed by a Counsel of War for his said fact He did also faithfully declare the whole business before a Committee oâ— Lords and Commons and the Militia of London at Haberd shers Hall And the last year one who had been very lavish in speaking reproachiully against the Parliament the Kingdom and this their Army taxing them with Heresy and Blasphâ—â—â—y urging it without any distinction in much bietemess against the godly party in general being asked what he thought of divers eminent Preachers together with other Christians who were then nominated unto him being persons unblameable and suitable to the Gospel both for their Doctrine and Conversation He answered that those and all such as they were were the vilest of all men the basest and very worst of all the rest and that they would make them appear to be so unto all men very shortly but God hath disappointed them and some of the chielest of them who had brought up an evil report upon our parliament their Army and the rest of Gods people â—â—rring up the multitude to murmur and practise evil against them have died of the plague before the Lord Num. 14 37. v. 20. even as they did who stirred up Israel to murmur against Gods instruments even Moses and Aaron whereas the Parliament and their Army also are likewise instruments in Gods hand to accomplish his own work Hab. 2 3. even his great work in Gods due time For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry waite for it because it wil surely come it wil not tarry No not so much as one day beyond the appointed time Exod. 12.41 Heb. 10.38 Now the just shal live by faith but if any man draw back though unbelief my soul saith the Lord shal have no pleasure in him But let us not cause to entreat the Lord to forgive the iniquity of this people that according unto the greatness of his mercy the wrath may be removed the nation cured Neighbour Seeing we must now part I pray shew what goods means ought all and each of Gods people to use for the removing of Gods Judgments and the setling of a well grounded peace personal and national Frien. I shal conclude this point with some short observations out of these Scriptures Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a shame to any people Prov. 14.34 Cap. 10.9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely but he that perverteth his way shal be known These Scriptures concernes the duty of each particular person Righteousness and uprightness go hand in hand and they cannot be severed Righteousness more generally relateth to men of authority who sit at the stern of Government to guide the publick in a right course by executing justice and judgment to every one in an even and just ballance but as righteousness relates to each particular Christian being the subject in whom it is it floweth from an inward principle of the holy Ghost in a sanctified heart and is one of the pillars of Gods Kingdom which consisteth in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14 17 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Here is peace passing all understanding and acceptation with God yea this righteousness secureth and comforteth us with joy unspeakable in the holy Ghost so powerfully from within acting that outwardly also which is approved of men who seeing our good works even as a light shining before them do glorifie our Father which is in heaven the righteous have a promise to be kept in the way even in Gods way for * Prov. 11.3.5 6 the integrity of the upright shal guid them yea the righteousness of the perfect shal direct or rectifie his way and shal deliver them such do love God sincerely and have not only a promise of present grace but of a future supply thereof Eph. 6.24 and ver 5 6. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity sincerity puts the heart into a righteous frame and keeps it