home to the guilty Consciences of all obstinate Offendors all those infallible Truths that here already have beene together with all other that hereafter shall be delivered by Mee being but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weake infirmed Mortall and sinfull Man and to make them become Divine Physicall convincing Aphorismes serving as prevalent healthfull soveraigne spirituall Potions for the speedy Curing of blinde ignorant sinfull and sicke Soules that so they may prove to the Soules of diseased Persons as sweet Balsame of Grace wherewith to heale them for their present Preservation and also to keepe them from future Destruction being made by the mighty power of God Profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 And through the Divine Operation of his Blessed Spirit to worke so powerfully by them in the hearts of all those Persons of what Quality soever that are any wayes guilty of Disobedience unto lawfull Authority as speedily to open their eyes that they may turne from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26.18 And also to rouze them up from lying any longer in the drouzie Lethargie of their sinnes under the hellish Power and damnable Domion of cursed bloudy and sinfull Rebellion lest Pharaoh-like they sleepe so long in their Sinnes untill the voice of Gods mighty thunders Exod. 9.23.24 and haile mingled with fire from Heaven awake and rouze them up And to prevaile so farre with them as to walke in those wel-pleasing Pathes both to God and the King which the sacred Scripture expresly commandeth of that subjective Fealty Christian Loyalty and dutifull Obedience which all Subjects owe to their lawfull Soveraigne For to live Anarchically where there either is or else ought to be Monarchicall Government is to live as it were Without God in the World Eph. 2.12 But if obstinate Rebels will not be awaked rouzed up and reclaimed then let them hearken to the Lords Servant Moses predicting their fatall Doomes He that heareth the Words of this curse and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I Walke according to the stubbornesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord Will not be mercifull unto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and every curse that is Written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven Deut. 29.19 20. Oh fearefull Judgements What both Temporall and Eternall Not onely corporall for the Body but also spirituall for the Soule And both of which Punishments no lesse then insufferable and that for ever Loe this must needs inevitably fill a sensible guilty Heart full of perplexing Amazement and tormenting Horrour And let Mee also tell them both as a timely faithfull Remembrancer to them of their past and present Sinnes and also as a Christian sensible Sympathizer of their future Sorrowes they may all justly feare that unto them belongeth that fatall propheticall Expression judiciously pronounced against Old Elies disobedient and rebellious Sonnes They hearkened not unto the voice of their Father because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 And therefore in Christian Pitty and tender Compassion towards them my greatly grieved Heart shall wofully mourne and sympathizing sorrowfull Soule bitterly weepe in secret for them Jer. 13.17 When there was no King in Israel every man did whatsoever seemed good in his owne eyes Judg. 21.25 Anarchie looseneth the Bridle whereby wicked men take liberty to themselves for the perpetration of all ungodlinesse without any Restriction and will thereby in a short time through the perversnesse of their wicked Wils and prevalency of their cursed Corruptions become like wilde Horses left to themselves without their Riders to command them Such loose Libertines and carnall Gospellers despise Government and speake evill of them that are in Authority Jude 8. By whose wicked Words and Workes great Detriment befalleth both Church and Common-wealth Those good necessary and Ancient Lawes of this Kingdome which formerly have beene and still ought to be the Rules of the Subjects continuall Obedience to all lawfull Authority are now by such Anti-monarchicall Persons converted into Club-lawes For the Arbitrary and Military power is now growne to such an height as that will you doe such a Thing Or will you pay such a Summe If answer to either Question be made No Then presently followeth take him Souldiers by the power of the Sword but if ye cannot apprehend his Body then speedily seize upon all his Goods with violence and sell them with expedition for his disobedience Is this the Liberty of the Free-borne Subjects Is this the Priviledge of the English Nation God forbid that Zion should be built up with bloud and Jerusalem with iniquity Micah 3.10 that were abhorring judgement and perverting all equity Was it ever knowne that the Children of God strove to erect and establish a Religion by the power of the Sword To lay the Foundation thereof in Blood To draw obedient Subjects against their wills into Disobedience To make others with themselves to falsifie their sworne Fidelitie to their lawfull Soveraigne To compell the Conscience and force it by Violence To kill the Body to convert the Soule and that also without affording any time of Preparation for the Kingdome of Heaven The which is rather a Prevention of the Soules Conversion and consequently the Destruction of both Loe such sinfull hainous and diabolicall Practices were never formerly heard of to be in this our Land especially amongst those who desire to be reputed as refined and purified Christians who also publiquely professe themselves to be Saints zealously walking in the Wayes of Holinesse constantly living in the Power of Godlinesse and also faithfully performing all their Workes in Righteousnesse every particular whereof necessarily requireth a farre more ample and larger Discourse than this superficiall short occasionall Glance expresseth Oh then what a great happy and rich Blessing is a godly vertuous and Religious King from whom his people under God receive the whole Benefit of Religion and Justice He is the Anointed of the Lord the Nurse of the Church the Father of the Common-wealth an Husband to the Widdow a Mouth for the Dumbe Limbes to the Lame the Light of our Eyes the Breath of our Nostrils and without whom where there either is or else ought to be Monarchicall Authority both Church and Common-wealth will be in the way of Confusion of which our selves of late have bitterly tasted by wofull Experiment Oh then how ought we to love our Dread Soveraigne to obey Him to doe our best endeavours to preserve Him to magnifie God for Him to rejoyce in Him and both constantly and heartily to pray unto God for the long continuance of Him amongst us and His happy and prosperous Reigne
David My feet saith he were almost gone Psal 73.2 3. my treadings had well-nigh slipt And why I was grieved at the wicked I doe also see the ungodly in such prosperity Thus the flourishing imperious and prosperous condition of wicked men spreading themselves like a greene Bay-tree and bringing their enterprises to passe according to their owne hearts desires while the Children of God lie low in the dust Psal 102.9 eating ashes as it were bread and mingling their drinke with weeping are trampled upon by their Insolencies Oppressions and prophane Censures caused David being a tall and well rooted Cedar to stagger yea this Conflict had neere surprised him this Tempest had wel-nigh overwhelmed him and this Blow had almost wounded his faith unto death had he not timely stept into the Sanctuary of the Lord and there understood the end of those men How suddenly they are destroyed perished and horribly consumed The words in the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which being translated are Consumpti sunt à terroribus So that the Peace and prosperous estate that ungodly men have though it seeme to the world never so pleasing and delightfull yet notwithstanding it is but of short continuance and full of feares Such men like Damocles at Dyonisius Table may feede their hopes with the choisest dainties but the just revenging Sword of the righteous God being pendulous over their heads threatens fearfull judgements to fall upon them to their destruction Answ Wicked men have indeed a kinde of Peace but it is onely outward not inward nor grounded on peace with God and therefore although to the world it may seeme faire and flourishing yet notwithstanding it is but deceitfull unsound and vanishing Zophar the Naamathite compares it to a Dreamo Iob 20.5 6 7. affirming that the wicked mans joy is but for a moment So that although his Excellency mount up to the heavens and his head reacheth unto the clouds Yet shall he perish for ever like his dung The holy Ghost compares it to the crackling of thornes under a pot Eccles 7.6 which for a time make a faire blaze and a great noise but all is almost ended as soone as kindled Yea the Peace of wicked men is so deceitfull as that it most deceiveth them when they depend most upon it It is S. Pauls expression 1 Thes 5.3 When they shall say Peace and safety then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaile upon a woman with childe and they shall not escape The which made the Prophet Amos say Amos 8.9 that the Lord will cause their sun to goe downe at noone As Belshazzar sunke downe at his banquet Dan. 5.5 6. when he saw the hand writing upon the wall So that their Peace is but a Truce for a time which once expired the Lord is up in Armes for further revenge against them Loe thus beloved we see that although wicked men sometimes have peace yet it will be unto them no better then a broken reede of Aegypt deceitfull unsound and vanishing And therefore that our Peace may be the more permanent let us lay the foundation of it above with God And cease not to pray unto him for the Peace of Jerusalem Exhortation Vse 3 TO exhort us all in Gods feare to doe our best endeavours to procure this blessing of Peace And here I shall speake Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est cùm per contraria amplificamus A prevalent Motive hereunto may be taken from the contrary viz. the great calamity the miserable misery and the devouring destruction of woefull War The worth of a Jewel is best knowne by its want witnesse the long absence of our Gracious and Dread Soveraigne For good things are knowne Carendo magis quà m fruendo as the Philosopher speakes better by their lack then their enjoyment And we are likely to judge more exactly of a beautifull picture by casting our eyes upon some deformed misshapen draught that stands neere unto it Answerable hereunto turne but your eyes now a little from the beautifull face of Peace to behold the deformed and ugly morphewed vizor of War And here I shall not need to ship your meditations for a waftage beyond the Seas that so I might land you on the desolate shore of Germany or the no lesse woefull and blood drunke Country of Ireland Although it might be well worth your labour sometimes to be imbarked for such a meditation I shall not need to travell far abroad to shew you the dismall face of War Woe and alas our owne Country and Clime hath saved me that labour For looke either East West North or South this way or that way and you may see the blood of your brethren that lately hath been spilt like water on every side of Jerusalem And not onely seene with your eyes but also heard with your eares the daily dolorous and Tragicall tidings of the sacking of Cities the burning of Towns the Plundering of Houses the filling of Prisons the emptying of Purses yea and of veines too for there hath beene Bloodshed Ruine Destruction and Heapes upon Heaps so that many thousands of our Christian Brethren have lately lost their lives in this unchristian Quarrell And yet notwithstanding alas what is all this for unlesse the blessing of Peace commeth in to succour us all these are like to be with us but the beginning of sorrowse Mat. 24.8 Our dissention hath been a Civill Domesticall and intestine War in the very bowels of the Kingdome and may fitly be parallel'd to that Burthen of Aegypt which God laid upon their shoulders by his Prophet Esa 19.2 I will set the Aegyptians against the Aegyptians and they shall fight every one against his Brother and every one against his neighbour City against City and Kingdome against Kingdome Which cals to minde those destructive dayes that our Saviour predicted should lead on this wicked world to its utmost period There shall be five in one house divided Luk. 12.52 three against two and two against three Beloved I need not tell you that this day this Scripture is fulfilled in your eares you know it right well unlesse you be onely strangers in Jerusalem and know not the things that are come to passe there in these dayes That this unnaturall War hath engaged the Father against the Sonne and the Sonne against the Father and the Brother against the Brother Who like the Serpentine Brood of Cadmus sheath their swords in each others bowels Pereunt per mutua vulnera fratres And now in this unnaturall Condition not much digressing I shall in a few words give some Religious directions unto the Souldiers being the Instruments of War concerning their deportment in their Warfare The Lords servant Joshua Iosh 12.24 being Israels most Noble and valiant Generall who had the leading of six hundred thousand men and Conquered one and thirty severall Kings in a short time having received his Commission from the Lord of
A REMEDY FOR THE WARRES OR Certaine Deplorable Expressions of the great Miseries and wofull Effects which the Horrid Bloody Cruell Domestick and Intestine Warres have lately produced amongst us in this our Kingdome of England Together with Spiritual Salves for the Cure thereof By JOHN TARLTON Preacher of GODS Word and Minister of Ileminster in the County of Somerset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed in the Yeare 1648. TO The Right Honourable RALPH Lord HOPTON Baron of STRATTON Grace and Peace from the Father Prince and Spirit of Peace Amen Right Honourable THe infallible mouth of the Arch Doctor of all truth hath told us that every Scribe which is taught unto the kingdome of heaven is like unto a housholder which bringeth forth out of his Treasure things both new and old Mat. 13.52 Answerable hereunto there hath beene in former ages of the Church and are also now in these latter times many able and Orthodox Divines whose hearty desire for the good of others have stirred them up to write for the advancement of true Religion and the benefit of the Church of Christ that through Gods blessing upon their writings they might win many soules unto God whereby being dead themselves they might still speake to those that are alive that so their holy DOCTRINE might be transmitted and propagated unto posterity after them Of which number my selfe being one although the meanest of all the rest labouring in the same Vineyard have thought it necessary to gather one handfull of Grapes and carry them to the Presse thereby to increase the water of life wherewith to refresh the Church of Christ when she is either sick or sorrowfull The which as the poor widdowes Mite will adde somewhat to the Churches treasury according to that Talent which the Lord hath lent me And in this Age there was never greater cause for Spirituall Physitians to provide restoring comfortable Cordialls for sick cast downe and dejected soules then in these present deplorable and calamitous dayes Naturall experiment tacitly tels us that the sad expression of woefull calamity can never be welcome to a truly Christian and sympathizing heart This Ioab the Generall of King Davids hoast knew right well and therefore he would not suffer Ahimaaz whom he loved to carry tydings to King David of Absaloms death 2 Sam. 18.20 The Sword of the late domestick unnaturall and intestine Wars hath eaten up many thousands of our English Nation yea hath swiftly snatched them away even as the Oxe licketh up the grasse so great have Rubens divisions beene in our Land My self also having borne a great share thereof almost as bitter as death it self For divers of us of the Tribe of Levi were imprisoned in one roome in the Metropolis of this Kingdome in which Prison they all ended their dayes And about one month after all their deaths my selfe onely and that by way of exchange escaped alive like one of Jobs messengers to declare somewhat VIVA VOCE concerning those that are in their graves And as an Aggravation to my Affliction I have beene a long time and still remaine under Sequestration being deprived both of Living and Goods whereby my selfe and family are at this present destitute of the means of subsistence So that the premises maturely and seriously considered I thought it therefore my duty both unto God my heavenly Father and also to the Church of England my Spirituall Mother in this her present and sad condition to expresse to the world her wofull calamity together with a Remedy for the same For which cause I doe here humbly present unto your Honours this ensuing Treatise the which may not unfitly be termed A REMEDY FOR THE WARS Which through Gods blessing upon the holy Endeavours and Religious Practises of those persons unto whom it shall come there may be a present surceasing of these bloudy unnaturall and intestine English Wars and both Church and Common-wealth even speedily and happily enjoy their pristine condition Many thousands of us English Natives since these troubles arose amongst us have deeply suffered and still doe by a stupendious kind of dispersion in Opinion and Practice and yet how few there are who in lowlinesse of Spirit and humblenesse of heart truly repenting them of all their wickedness smite their breasts saying What have I done Jer. 8.6 And yet I hope the deep apprehension of these present Distractions amongst us doth exercise and that not unworthily the heads of many that are of great Wisdome and Policy to thinke how this distracted Church and Common-wealth may againe be re-united If ever we would have a wel-grounded firme and permanent Peace in this our Kingdome then must we sincerely performe these three particular Duties 1. Aversion from Sin 2. Conversion to God 3. Humble hearty and constant Prayer unto God to inable us by the power of his grace and blessed Spirit for the speedy and constant performance of both At the request and importunity of some who are more able both in gifts of Nature and Learning then my self who having had a sight of this Booke privately in my Study before it was fully finished I was prevailed with to present it to the publike view and at their instance being resolved so to doe I called to mind your Noble Lordship as in duty I am obliged who so willingly freely and speedily condescended to my Enlargement by the way of Exchange when I was in Prison humbly craving the peaceable Passage of this my Booke under the shelter of your Honourable Patronage and Protection being well assured that your Honourable Name and Noble Aspect casting an approbatious and indulgent eye upon it have such attractive power in them as that by vertue thereof they will set such a splendid luster upon this my weake Worke that thereby as by the efficacy of a Load-stone the eyes and hearts of many thousands will be drawne unto it whereby also it may take the deeper impression in their hearts for the reformation of their lives and the conversion of their soules unto God through Jesus Christ the which through Gods blessing upon it may greatly conduce to the glory of the God of Peace and the benefit and comfort of many poore disquieted soules I humbly intreat your Noble Lordships charitable and candid censure for my Super-audacity in this nature For through the fervent zeale which I have for the glory of God and hearty desire for the salvation of his childrens souls wishing also both the present permanent Peace and the speedy continuing Comfort of his distressed Militant Church in this our disquieted perplexed and distracted Kingdome I have in imitation of Saint Paul to his Romans somewhat boldly after a sort written for the benefit of the English Natives as one that putteth them in remembrance through the grace that is given me of God Rom. 15.15 I doe ingenuously and submissively confesse my great and over-boldnesse to Dedicate this weake worke unto your Honour yet I humbly beseech your Honour both to pardon this
sorrowfull sowrenesse When the Lord by his Prophet Ezekiel declared the Swords comming upon the Jewes for their sins He commanded him to say A Sword a Sword Ezech. 21.9 10. both sharp and furbished It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter and it is furbished that it may glitter How shall we rejoyce So in like manner our present wofull and hearts-convincing condition tacitely tels us that we have little to do with this Davids joy now in these sad times of War and Sorrow Can there be joy in our hearts whilst there is War in our gates Sackcloth and ashes becomes us better Davids case in the next Psalme before this save one suites better with our condition where he complaines Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar Psal 120.4 5 6. My soul hath long dwelt among them that be enemies unto Peace I labour for Peace but when I speake unto them thereof they make ready to battell Loe This perverse practice of preposterous persons must needs greatly afflict a truely charitable and Christian-sympathizing heart who heartily desireth and earnestly endeavoureth both for himselfe and others to have the blessing of Peace The like also our Kingly David in these late times of our wofull War hath often solicited the sons of Mortals for a speedy setled firme and wel-grounded Peace not onely for Himself but also on the behalfe of many thousands more of our English-Natives yea even the whole Kingdome but alas the birth of all those His Solicitations as yet hath proved abortive Eminent and publique Persons placed in Authority above others ought above all others to make the Word of God the Rule and the Glory of God both the Aime and End of all their Actions But woe and alas may we at this day justly cry out that too many such persons of our English Nation have of late years wilfully rejected the holy Commandements of the righteous Lord and greedily followed the sinfull lusts of their owne gracelesse and wicked hearts for their Self Sinister and By-ends whereby utter ruine hath been wrought to the lives of many thousands that are already dead and also great detriment brought to this English Church and Common-wealth wherein still we live to the great grief and prejudice of our Gratious and Dread Soveraigne His Majesty and all His wel-affected obedient dutifull and loyal-hearted Party both in and also of this our divided and distracted Kingdome How many thousands of poor distressed destitute desolate disconsolate Women and almost hunger-starved Children have often submissively Petitioned and that according to the severall Ordinances pretendingly extant on that behalf with grieved hearts and watry eyes for some relief out of their owne Estates wherewith to preserve their languishing lives But alas their Petitioning hath been to no purpose insomuch as that they have not onely been perfunctorily neglected but also scornefully rejected Oh that those poor distressed creatures violent Adversaries might not too truely be termed Viri inexorabiles inflexibiles implacabiles immisericordes qui nullius precibus flectuntur I blush to expresse to the Vulgar in English the condition of such persons and the rather for the preservation of the Gospels purity because they have put upon their shoulders the Cloakes of Religion and yet deale thus cruelly with their Native Nationall and Christian Brethren The Orders Ordinances which have been made for the relief of such distressed persons are repealed at the pleasures of the Authors thereof and thus they practise Penelopes telam retexere viz. Doe and undoe assoone as they apprehend that their so doing will conduce to their owne advantage O Heav'ns be pleased in mercy towards us to helpe us speedily Or else the Kings Loyall-hearted party will perish suddenly The Scripture tels us For the Divisions of Ruben there were great thoughts of heart and for the Divisions that lately have been among our selves there have been great searchings of the heart Searchings indeed when the Sword point hath been imployed as the Instrument like a bloody inquisitive revenging Searcher to rip up the bosome and to make the scrutiny digging there untill the last drop of the heart-blood issued to the great griefe of heart and disturbance of the peace of Jerusalem the Church our Mother that her Children should deale thus unnaturally one with another Oh how justly may the Lord in these troublesome times complaine of England as once he did by his Prophet Jeremiah concerning Jerusalem As the fountaine casteth out her waters Ier. 6.7 so she casteth out her malice cruelty and spoile is continually heard in her before me with sorrow and stroakes So that England for the present in these particulars may undeniably be parallel'd unto Jerusalem And not onely so but also what great and just cause at this day hath our distressed Militant Church of England to complaine of her calamity with the church of Jerusalem expressed in the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah She findeth no rest Lam. 1. all her Persecutors tooke her in the straits The Adversaries saw her and did mock at her Sabbaths Her Princes are become like Harts that find no pasture and they are gone without strength before the Pursuer Her Priests sigh her Virgins are discomfited and she is in heavinesse Yea Mat. 2.18 She mourneth like Rachell for her lost Children and will not be comforted because they are not In so much as that not onely many thousands of the Vulgar sort of our English Nation have been lately slaine but also many Noble Worthy and Valiant Champions who were Loyall hearted Subjects have in the behalf of their King Country and Religion willingly exposed themselves not onely to the bloody pangs of uncertaine hazards receiving dangerous wounds in their Bodies but also to the mercilesse jawes of cruell Death whereby they have been deprived of their pretious Lives in this bloody English and unnaturall Quarrell If but a little while we recollect our thoguhts and imploy them in these Tragicall passages we shall coactedly conclude that we have all just cause joyntly to pray for the peace of this our Jerusalem For listen either East West North or South and you shall hear not only private whisperings of Multitudes who hastily fled from their lawfull habitations to escape the inraged Violence of outragious Souldiers in their fierce fury fearfully affrighting their disconsolate families left behind them and violently Plundering their lawfull goods unlawfully from them but also publique complaints of those that have lost their nearest and dearest friends whose dearest heart-blood hath been spilt like water on every side of Jerusalem Thus Death and Desolation have of late rid tryumphantly through many parts of our Kingdome and also made both visible and tragicall Expressions of their puissant and successefull Valour and magnanimity maugre all malignancy in their desperate attempts against all their Opposers swiftly cutting downe with their fatall swords of War divers of all sorts from
are not given particularly for the good of one but mutually for the good of one another viz. That others should reap the benefit of our Prayers the benefit of our Almes-deeds and the benefit of our good Councels and exhortations to godlinesse Therefore the Apostle exhorts us that we should exhort one another daily while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 lest any be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin It was a good resolution of them had their tongues and their hearts gon together when they spake one to another every one to his brother Come and let us goe and heare the word of the Lord. When we are to come into the presence of God to looke our Joseph I meane our Jesus in the face 't is fit we should bring our younger brother with us And S. Jude exhorts us in his Epistle concerning weaklings that we should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have compassion on some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting a difference Jude 22 23. And others to save with feare pulling them out of the fire meaning milde spirits by gentle admonitions and obstinate spirits by sharpe reprehensions endeavouring by all good meanes to the uttermost of our power to provoke them to obedience and the fear of the Lord as David here doth to Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Loe thus have I plainly proved unto you this point of Doctrine by Scripture And now follow the Reasons to confirme the same viz. foure Reas 1 Because it is one end wherefore we are borne into the world and shall we not performe the end of our Creation The Heathen man could say non nobis nati sumus we are not borne for our selves Therefore by consequence we are to doe the best good we can for others And what better good can we doe for others then to provoke and stir them up to the service of God the reward of which service will be the full fruition of heavenly happinesse Reas 2 Because by our so doing we shall bring glory unto God Not that any thing which is finite can adde any thing to that which is infinite so that no finite creature can adde any glory to the infinite Creator but the greater number that walke in Gods service and obey him the more the Lord is glorified by them Reas 3 Because by our so doing we shall win soules unto God and save them from eternall destruction He which converteth the sinner from going astray out of his way Iam. 5. ult shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Reas 4 Because our so doing will be so acceptable to God that we shall shine like stars in the firmament of heaven They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament Dan. 12.3 and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for ever and ever By which the Prophet meaneth not onely the Ministers of Gods Word but also the faithfull who instruct the ignorant and bring them to the true knowledge of God And thus passe I from the Reasons of the Observation to the Application The Uses of this point are briefely foure 1. Vse of Examination 2. Vse of Exhortation 3. Vse of Reprehension 4. Vse of Consolation Examination Vse 1 TO Examine thy selfe whether thou hast been active herein and a proficient in this practice And whether thou hast done thy best endeavour to the uttermost of thy power to convert soules unto God But contrarywise hast thou at any time heard or beheld thy poore ignorant Brethren or any other wilfull wicked wretches perpetrating iniquity with violence and following their sins with eagernesse and as it were like Brands burning in the fire of their owne destruction and not done thy best endeavour and that with expedition to pull them out for their preservation And if upon examination thou findest thou hast not then mourne for thy negligence therein for the time that is past and speedily reforme thy selfe thereof for the time to come Exhortation Vse 2 TO exhort us in Gods feare to doe our best endeavours in this particular viz. to provoke and stir up others to the service of God This is that pretious Balme that on our parts should never be wanting to the heads of others Hence then we are all to be admonished to lay hold upon every oportunity and to take all occasions that possibly can be offered for to edifie each other mutually in the knowledge of God according to that Prophesie of the Churches restoration by Christ as it was fore-told of these times Come ye Esay 2. and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his wayes and we will walke in his paths And Verse the fifth O house of Jacob come ye and let us walke in the light of the Lord. The word here Light in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Lucidum fieri vel illuminari vel Lumen recipere So that as far as the Omniscient God is pleased to inlighten us impart the knowledge of his truth unto us we must to the uttermost of our power communicate it unto others never forgetting nor neglecting but ever remembring and also practising Christs Charge unto Peter When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22.32 Behold if any of us traveling abroad should espie a blinde man wandring without a Guide and drawing neere to a dangerous River into the which if he should fal he must certainly perish if uncharitably we should passe from him without either leading him from the danger or calling to him for his preservation so that he falleth therein and is drowned would not our hearts terrifie us and our consciences condemne us as being guilty of his Death doubtlesse they would unlesse they were cauterized So in like manner when those whom God hath indued with the light of knowledge and understanding shall see others walking in darkenesse and the shadow of death and wandering in the broad way that leads to eternall destruction and not doe their best endeavours to instruct them that they may come out of their errours to shew them the light of knowledge that they may arise out of the darkenesse of their ignorance and to lead them into the narrow path of eternall life that thereby they may escape the broad way that leads to everlasting death Their negligence I say therein will be laid as a foule fault and hainous sin to their charge For if it were a fault in Churlish Nabal as indeed it was Not to relieve out of his plenty fainting hearted David in the wildernesse 1 Sam. 25. And the rich Glutton Luke 16. out of his superfluity not to cherish the pined stomack of hunger-starved Lazarus Oh then how great a sin will it be unto those that abound in knowledge not to stir up others to the service
necessities and those no way to be supplyed but by Prayer This is the seed we must sow we must sow to the Spirit if ever we meane to reape the harvest and increase of Gods blessings It is our Saviours owne rule and may serve as a proof of this Doctaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aske and it shall be given you seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Here is but Aske Seeke and Knocke and ye shall obtaine Loe thus Christ doth exhort us to make use of a Triple-chaine consisting of three links viz. Asking Seeking and Knocking Aske with the Mouth Seeke with the Heart and Knocke with the Hand but the Mouth must be guilelesse the Heart faithfull and the Hand righteous So that we must Aske with a guilelesse Mouth Seeke with a faithfull Heart and Knocke with a righteous Hand And so shall we obtaine by our guilelesse Mouthes Asking things Temporall for our bodies By our faithfull Hearts Seeking things Spirituall for our Soules and through the merrites of Christ by our righteous Hands Knocking things Eternall both for our bodies and soules But alas there are at this day many Antithesticall persons in the world who are contrary to these in disposition viz. Such as have guilefull Mouthes faithlesse Hearts and unrighteous Hands whose guilefull Mouthes speake deceitfully whose faithlesse Hearts conceive unbeleevingly and whose unrighteous Hands perpetrate wickednesse violently Such as were those wicked Heads of Jakob and the Tyrannicall Princes of the House of Israel of whom the Lord complaineth by his Prophet They hate the good Mic. 3.2 3. and love the evill they pluck off their skins from them and their flesh from their bones And they eat also the flesh of my people c. In which words the Lords Prophet condemneth those cruell Tyrants not onely of cursed Covetousnesse unjust Robery and bloody Murther but also compareth them unto Savage beasts who are of Wolvish and Lion-like dispositions Will the Lord hear the prayers and grant the requests of such cruell and mercilesse persons Certainely no But he will rather cast their prayers as dung upon their faces Mal. 2.3 And will also hide his face from them Mic. 3.4 Esay 59.2 and will not heare them But when Godly and sincere hearted Religious persons Pray the Lord will heare their Prayers and grant their requests They shall call and the Lord shall answer Esay 58.9 they shall cry and the Lord shall say Here I am Behold of all helpes Prayer is the readiest at hand for all persons upon all occasions in all places and at all times And by its fervent and faithfull performance as we ought we shall assuredly obtaine full Remission of all our sinnes hearty Repentance for all sinnes that are past and irrisistible power against sinnes for the time to come And also be kept from Afflictions or made able to beare them And God will certainely give us either all outward good things necessary for us with a Blessing upon them or else his blessing of contentednesse without them The which contentment although in this worlds conception it be a despicable condition yet it is the Blessing of Nature the Salve of Poverty the Master of Sorrow and the End of Misery The Psalmist when he would inroll and magnifie the goodnesse of God towards his people tels us Psal 84.12 that he will give grace and worship and no good thing will he withhold from them that live a Godly life Indeed the Lords hand is ever open to give but then he lookes also that our mouthes should be open to receive Open thy mouth wide saith God wide Psal 81.10 in prayer and supplication to heaven and I will fill it His grace like a cloud still hangs over our heads but the drops of that cloud descend not unlesse first dissolved by the breath of our Prayers Ye have not because ye aske not Iam 4.2 And there are some also that aske and yet goe away empty Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse Iam. 4.3 that ye might consume it upon your lusts True it is beloved that the Children of God have a full and unquestionable Right to all those Blessings that descend from above All things are yours 1 Cor. 3.12 23. saith the Apostle whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods A large Patent including all good things whether Temporall or Spirituall or Eternall whether of this life or that to come all are theirs But how hold they their Charter now surely the conveyance runs altogether in a stile of mercy Rom. 2.4 according to the riches of his goodnesse And according to the riches of his grace Eph. 1.7 Alas there is nothing in us that can intitle us upon merit to the least expression of Gods goodnesse our tenure is ex merâ gratiâ written and sealed up unto us in the blood of the Lambe And although we make no Purchase of our Christian Estate but receive it by deed of Gift yet God hath reserved some small Homage or as it were some peny-Rent as due unto himselfe and that is our prayers and thanksgiving For the non-payment whereof our Estate becomes escheat and forfeited and returnes back into the hands of the Land-lord So that we connot claime so much as one morsell of Bread without our Prayers and if we are not uncapable of it yet I am sure we are unworthy of it Psal 145.16 if we begge it not at his hand who opens his hand and fils all things living with plentiousnesse And for this cause we are taught by our blessed Saviour to pray Mat. 6.11 Give us this day our daily bread Which Petition we may not thinke to be put into the Lords-Prayer onely for poor men but even they also whose barns are full of corne and have bread laid up in store for many yeares have as much need to supplicate God with this Petition as the poorest man that now liveth upon the face of the Earth If there be any one in this place so hard driven through extreame poverty that he can Vye necessity with that poore Widdow of Sarepta and protest in the integrity of his heart as she did I have not so much as a cake 1 King 17.12 but a handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruse which I am now to dresse for me and my sonne that we may eat it and dye Why yet I say the rich man that swims in the confluence of all outward good things and knowes no end of his riches is as deeply engaged to begge his daily bread as he Because man liveth not onely by bread Mat. 4.4 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God If men be provided of bread and have not Gods blessing on their bread they are like to fare as ill
Hosts Iosh 1.2 Rev. 19.16 who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords had this exhortation from the Lord annexed unto it with a gratious promise unto his proceedings Iosh 1.8 Let not this booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou have good successe The which is recorded and still remaineth in force for succeeding Ages Hence then All Souldiers should learne that in all their Military Actions they ought to make the word of God to be their guide for the Omniscient and Omnipotent God is the great and universall Warriour of the whole world He it is who directeth every Bullet Sword Speare and Dart to the Person appointed And wherefore it commeth to passe that in the Battell some are wounded some out-right killed and some escape untouched is a secret lockt up in the bosome of God and therefore not to be pried into by the sons of men Every Souldier that putteth himselfe into Military service and doth execution upon others ought to have in his heart zeale for the glory of God without any by-ends or sinister-respects of his owne unto himselfe otherwise he is a Murtherer in the sight of God For the Lord saith by his Prophet Hoseah Hos 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu That is I will be revenged upon Jehu for the blood that he shed in Jezreel for although God stirred him up to execute his judgements upon wicked persons yet he did that Military service for his owne Ambition thereby to satisfie the lusts of his owne proud heart and not for the glory of God The word there in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth bloods intimating thereby to the world that the blood of every particular person that hath been so shed by a party not so qualified shall be reputed as Murther in the sight of God Oh then let every Souldier seriously examine his owne heart in what condition he standeth whether he be justly acquitted for what he hath done in that nature or standeth guilty as a Murtherer in the sight of God Object But happily some Souldier may here say in defence of himselfe who hath not chiefely and zealously aimed at the glory of God in the passages of his hostile service I have beene pressed to this service against my will and that which I have done in any Battell was but in mine owne defence and therefore if I have slaine any the guilt of that blood will lye upon those that compelled me so to doe my selfe shall be acquitted of it and they themselves responsible for it but howsoever I know assuredly that the Lawes of the Land can lay no hold upon me for it Answ Although thou maiest have security given thee from all Temporall Lawes and freedome from all corporall punishments yet notwithstanding Murther is such a cruell bloody hainous and horrible sinne as that the guilt thereof will continually wound thy Conscience and constantly will follow thee at the heeles as the Jaylor doth his Prisoner ever stinging vexing troubling and tormenting thee at the inevitable remembrance of the righteous judgements and just vengeance of the all-powerfull revenging God unto which by the sinne of Murther thou hast made thy selfe lyable every houre untill thou doest truly throughly and heartily repent thee of it And therefore whosoever thou art that takest upon thee the honourable calling of a Souldier examine thy condition by the word of God viz. The justice of thy cause the willingnesse of thy heart the lawfulnesse of thy calling the readinesse of thy obedience to Gods commands as to strike when he biddeth and to forbeare when he forbiddeth Have regard unto this I humbly pray thee as also not to Rob nor Plunder nor Kill nor fight but against a lawfull Enemy ever remembring and constantly practising that Religious exhortation of Moses Deut. 23.9 unto Souldiers when they goe to War When the Hoaste goeth forth against the enemies then keepe thee from every wicked thing And so shall thy service bring glory to God Credit to thy Person and comfort to thy Conscience And as Souldiers in a skirmish if they keepe not Ranke and File they will be in danger of their bodies destruction So in like manner if Souldiers observe not these Rules they will be in danger of perishing their Soules But alas all Souldiers observe not these Rules for many times in the Wars there is Gaine instead of Godlinesse Courage instead of Equity Blood-thirstinesse instead of Valour Policy instead of Justice and which is also greatly to be lamented in many Souldiers no Religion for seldome doe they pray till they be in danger of Death And yet how carefull ought they to be to have grace in their hearts who carry as it were their lives continually in their hands But O how defective are many of them of what they ought to be being full of fierce fury enraged Violence cruell Hatred cursed covetousnesse thievish Plundering swinish Drunkennesse beastly Whoredome abhominable Oathes horrid Blasphemies hellish Curses impure Discourses terrible Threatnings false Accusations filthy Communications c. The consideration whereof greatly grieveth the soules of Consciencious men and frequently maketh their hearts to tremble within them Can such irregular Souldiers to the Lawes of God hopefully expect in mercy a Blessing from God upon their Military Designes and Actions Certainely no but rather in judgement fear a Curse where by there shall be to themselves nothing but Ruine Confusion And therefore I heartily wish that all Souldiers would henceforth carry themselves in all their thoughts words and Warlike Actions so Religiously towards God as that they may be constantly in favour with him and consequently have him for their Protectour in their greatest danger and not resolutely to follow the wicked wayes and leud lusts of their owne corrupted hearts to the great dishonour of God in this world and the everlasting and just condemnation of their owne soules in the world to come But here peradventure some may Object Object We fight for the maintenance and continuance of the Protestant Religion Unto which I answer Answ Religion as it is in truth and sincerity is highly and greatly to be esteemed being a Divine honouring of God according to his holy will revealed in his word but woe and alas may we all justly cry out as it hath beene formerly so it is now in these disasterous dayes especially the delusive specious Pretence the deceitfull dangerous Masker and the dazling golden outside of all Rebellion And to the great griefe both of our Dread Soveraigne and all His faithfull Subjects the very Load-stone to draw and attract the Iron hearts of many thousands of this Kingdome into unnaturall unchristian and horrid Rebellion against all just Regall and lawfull Authority Under
The LORD is a man of Warre his name is Jehovah c. Deborah Iudg. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang a song of Praise for the peoples Victory Hannah 1 Sam. 2.1 praised God for her sonne Samuell It was S. Phil. 4.6 Pauls Exhortation to his Philippians that they should be Thankfull unto God And also to his Colossians Col. 2.6 7 that they should abound with Thanksgiving Thus Raguell praised God for the preservation of Tobias life Tob. 8.15 O God said he thou art worthy to be praised with all pure and holy praise therefore let thy Saints praise thee with all thy Creatures and let all thine Angels and thine Elect praise thee for ever It was the desire of wicked Balaam to have the Righteous mans Death Num. 23.10 But he would not live the Righteous mans life If therefore we desire to be happy with the Saints at our Death Let us endeavour to imitate them in our Life And one way whereof must be by being thankfull to God for his Blessings received Holy Davids thankfull heart unto God makes it his Quaerie Quid retribuam Domino What shall I give unto the Lord Psal 116.11 12. for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will receive the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Yea the serious consideration of Gods Blessings caused David to stir up his owne soule to be thankefull unto God when he said Praise the Lord O my soule Psal 103.2 and forget not all his benefits And the same Princely Prophet foure times in one Psalme heartily wisheth that the people would praise the Lord and set forth his loving kindnesse to the world Psal 107.8 15 21 31. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men Our Thankfulnesse to God ought to be testified as far as Mortals may in a threefold duty In Corde In Affectione In Lingua In Professione In Vita In Actione In Affection Profession and in Action Cordially Verbally and Visibly 1. Thankefulnesse in Affection is when willingly we accept the Benefit and heartily think our selves indebted for it 2. Thankfulnesse in Profession is when we make publication of a benefit received to the praise of the Giver 3. Thankfulnesse in Action is when the party receiving a gift doth expresse a reality of gratitude gratifying thereby the Donor to the uttermost of his power So that our reall thankfulnesse must be by a constant cordiall and universall obedience to Gods commandements It should therefore be the care of every one who would be truly Thankefull to be the same all these three wayes viz. In Heart in Mouth and in Life Let us therefore call to mind my beloved Brethren how many Bonds of Thankfulnesse the Lord hath bound us in And also consider with our selves it was onely his free mercy towards us that we had not beene those children that were ripped out of their Mothers bellies 2 King 8.12 Or those young men that perished in the Battell Judg. 9. Or those women that ate their Babes to preserve their lives 2 King 6.29 Or that we were not Infidels Pagans Papists Atheists or Hereticks So that we may comfortably say with the Prophet David He hath not dealt so with every Nation Psal 147. ult Let therefore evermore the Praises of God be in our Hearts the Word of God in our Mouthes and the Gospel of Christ in our Lives And by how much the more we have tasted of the Lords Goodnesse above others so much the more let him tast of our Thankfulnesse above others And let us all in Gods feare pray continually for the Peace of England and the flourishing estate of this Church and Common-wealth wherein we live Use the meanes to keep it refuse the way to lose it and long yea for ever may they prosper that love it O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Thus much for the Subject of this Duty being the Third Considerable in our Text set downe in this word Peace From whence you may remember the Doctrine Doct. Peace is a pretious blessing of God well deserving the prayers of his faithfull servants And now let us come to the last Considerable in our Text viz. the Object of this Subject set down in the last word of our Text Jerusalem By which is meant the Church of God From the which word you may remember the Doctrine Doct. It is required as a due debt from the Children of God that they should pray for the peace of the Church their Mother O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And here I am not to speak of the invisible Church triumphant in Heaven but of the visible Church Militant here upon Earth and of that as briefly and orderly as I may The word used for Church in the Originall language of the New Testament is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to call for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was called of the Graecians an Assembly of the Citizens called from home by the voice of a Cryer to heare the Judgement of the Senate But the Jewes called their place of publique meeting for the reading of the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synagogue that is a gathering together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gather together to bring together and to assemble together But the Christians that by the very name of publique meetings they might distinguish betweene their Christian meetings and the Jewish assemblies have used and kept the word Church for the Congregation of them that professe Christ So that the Church of God is the company of selected Saints being effectually called from the world by the Preaching of the Gospell and chosen before all Worlds to the Worship of God being also Justified and Sanctified in Christ Jesus through the Operation of the Holy Ghost who heartily desire to serve and earnestly endeavour to please their Creator in all things whilst they live here in this world and shall have the full fruition of Eternall happinesse hereafter in the world to come And from being Members of this Church none that are true Believers are excepted whether they be high or low rich or poore old or young noble or ignoble learned or unlearned simple or politique of what estate degree or condition soever they be For there is neither Jew nor Grecian Gal. 3.28 there is neither bond or free there is neither male or female but they are all one in Christ Jesus The Sapient Solomon describeth the Church as though it were a Stately Court Cant. 6.7 in which there are none but those that are of the Blood Royall viz. Kings Queenes and those that are Heires apparent to the Kingdome of Heaven So that the true essentiall Members of the Church being faithfull Believers in Christ Jesus are the most precious and Noble Persons that live upon the earth even
such as are descended of the Blood of Christ in which regard they are the dearest of men and nearest unto God Yea they are a people distinct from all others by Gods Grace of Election and stand before him in their new Birth and Second Creation in which the Lord lookes joyfully upon them and delights to behold them because they sprang from Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Eph. 3.15 And this Church Metaphorically and by way of similitude is called Mater Fidelium the Mother of the Faithfull because she brings forth Sonnes unto God unites them to Christ and nourisheth them by the Preaching of the Word and by the Examples of good Workes And hence is that expression Non posse quemquam habere Deum Patrem qui non habet Ecclesiam Matrem No man can have God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother alluding to that of S. Paul Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell So that if we would have God for our Father we must account the Church for our Mother and procure her Peace with our best endeavours and there is no more prevalent way for us to helpe her then by praying heartily to God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Jerusalem was the Metropolis of Judea And she was also a Tipe of the Church of Christ and that in diverse respects viz. 1. Jerusalem was a Citty compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of love and Order that was amongst the Citizens themselves as in this Psalme verse the 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City that is at unity in it selfe So in like manner the Members of Christs Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit Ephes 4.3 And they joyntly endeavour to keepe the unity of that Spirit in the bond of Peace 2. In Jerusalem was the Sanctuary a place of Gods Presence and Worship So in like manner the Church of Christ is the roome of the Sanctuary in which we must seeke the presence of God and the word of Life 1 Tim. 3.15 Therefore the Church is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pillar and ground of Truth 3. The Lord mercifully promised the people of Jerusalem that if they would call upon his Name they should have Deliverance Joell the 2. ult the which hath resemblance to the Church of Christ amongst the Gentiles alluding to that of S. Paul There is no difference betweene the Jew and the Grecian Rom. 10.12 13. for he that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved 4. In Jerusalem the Citizens yeelded obedience to their Kings So in like manner the Members of Christs Church being true Believers Eph. 2.19 are fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And they yeeld obedience unto Christ their King Esa 2.5 5. In Jerusalem was the Throne of David as in this Psalme verse the 5. So in like manner in the Church of Christ is the Throne or Scepter of Christ Rev. 3.7 figured by the Kingdome of David 6. Zach. 2.8 The Lord chose Jerusalem above all other places in the world and tendered the people therein even as the apple of his owne eye So in like manner the true Members of Christs Church are a Chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a Peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvelous light Lastly in Jerusalem the names of the Citizens were inrolled in a Book So in like manner all the true Members of the Church of Christ Rev. 20.12 have their names written in the booke of Life S. John had a Revelation of the last Judgement And he saith I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Whereupon we may orthodoxally resolve and infallibly infer that whosoever have not their names written in that Book of Life must have their portion with the Devil and his Angels for evermore as plainely appeareth in the last verse of the same Chapter And whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the lake of fire Loe thus Beloved you have heard the neere Resemblance and Typicall Representation betweene the City of Jerusalem and the Church of Christ Now let us come to the Reasons of the Observation Reas 1 Because the Church is in a continuall warfare in this world and therefore she is called the Church Militant because she is daily fighting against the Flesh the World and the Devill yea she hath many enemies that come from Satans Campe very fiercely against her Who like Tyrants by violence and force of strength like Sophisters by subtilty and corruption of doctrine like Hypocrites by dissembling and superstition and like Epicures by leudnesse of life and filthinesse of conversation doe daily assault and sight against the Church of Christ Loe these like cunning Fowlers strive daily and hourely for to intrap her the Flesh would infect her the World would deceive her and the Devill would destroy her And therefore it behoveth us with our best endeavours even heartily to pray unto God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 2 Because whosoever desires to have his Habitation in Gods Tabernacle must love make much of the members of Gods Church Psal 15.4 And how can we better manifest our love untothem then by praying for them when they are in distresse And this duty of Love to the Members of Gods Church is both Commanded Commended Approved and Rewarded in the holy Scriptures It is 1. Commanded 1 John 3.23 This is his Commandement that we should believe in the name of his sonne Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement 2. Commended 1 Cor. 13. ult Now abideth Faith Hope and Love even these three but the chiefest of these is Love 3. Approved Apoc. 2.19 The Blessed Spirit of God spake to S. John to say to the Angell of the Church of Thyatira I know thy Workes and thy Love meaning towards the Members of Gods Church 4. Rewarded Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of love which ye shewed toward his name in that ye have ministred unto the Saints and yet minister Yea beloved and were it so that the love to the Members of Gods Church were neither Commanded Commended Approved nor Rewarded Yet notwithstanding if thou hast received an Influence of Grace from Heaven the sparkes of Grace will so kindle in thy soule that thy praying for
tedious and burthensome yet notwithstanding to the faithfull Members of Christs Church they making a right use thereof it will be helpfull and profitable As for example Holy David was so greatly oppressed with troubles as that he complained in the anxiety of his soule The snares of death compassed me round about Psal 116.3 and the paines of Hell gate hold upon me What Adversaries are more horrible and Enemies can be more terrible then Death and Hell And yet notwithstanding he making a snactified use thereof they wrought in him most blessed and happy Effects the which he found experimentally in himselfe and therefore freely confesseth Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keep thy word Psal 119.67 And Verse the 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes And the Lord saith of the Israelites by his Prophet Hosea Hos 5.15 In their affliction they will seeke me diligently And the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Faithfull in affliction saith Lord in trouble have they visited thee Esa 26.16 they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them So that Afflictions being Gods Rods are his Childrens Remembrancers yea Troubles make many Returners and Seekers to God who formerly have been Revolters and Straglers from him as were the Israelites Manasseh the Prodigall Sonne and diverse others Yea beloved and to be continually without Crosses Troubles and Afflictions men may justly suspect themselves to be rather Members of the Devils Church Malignant than of Christs Church Militant St. Ambrose that godly devout and religious Bishop travelling with some others towards Rome went to a Rich-mans house resolving to lodge and remaine there till the next morning And after some short discourse he demanded of the man of the house how it went with him and in what case he stood concerning his present condition for the things of this Life Unto which the Rich-man replyed Sir my condition hath ever beene happy and fortunate I never tasted any kinde of Adversity I never had any sicknesse or losse of goods all things have hitherto beene with me even according to my hearts desire When Saint Ambrose heard this he said unto them that were with him Eamus hinc nam Deus non est hic Let us goe from hence for God is not in this place And immediately after they were departed from the Rich-mans house the Earth suddenly opened her mouth and swallowed up the Man together with his house and all that he had Intimating thereby to the World that God is not there in mercy present where the Crosse is continually absent Hence then Let all the Faithfull Members of Christs Church account it as an indubitable Aphorisme of infallible Truth believe it as an Orthodoxall Article of their Christian Faith and hold it as an undeniable Maxime in Divinity that as the Children of Israel went through many Troubles before they could come to the Earthly Canaan which was a Type of the Faithfuls Passage from Earth to Heaven So in like manner the Children of God must passe through many Afflictions before they can come to the Heavenly Jerusalem St. Paul desired to know nothing amongst his Corinthians but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.2 and him Crucified And he also rejoyced in nothing so much as in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the World was crucified to himselfe and himselfe unto the World Gal. 6.14 He also expresseth to the World that no man is Crowned except he fight lawfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.5 And also confesseth of himselfe I bear in my body the markes of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 The lawfull and valiant fighting of earthly Souldiers for their King Country and Religion greatly reflecteth upon them with Credit and exceedingly redounded to their Honour they also account those Wounds that are given to their Bodies in Skirmish as Markes of their Magnanimity Cognizances of their Courage and Characters of their Valour intimating thereby to the World for whom they have fought how they have suffered and who they are Now for Application of this to our selves Heaven is appointed for none but onely Spirituall Conquerours viz. the valiant fighting Members of the Church of Christ against their Soules Adversaries surprizing subduing and conquering all their spirituall Enemies For they wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities Eph. 6.12 against Powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this World against spirituall wickednesse in high Places So that of necessitie they must be Fighters for without a Fight there can be no Conquest and without a Conquest there will be no Crowne And therefore they must not onely be Fighting Souldiers but also Conquerours upon Earth before they can be Inheritors of Heaven For a Man to be a Christian and not a spirituall Souldier is to falsify his promise at the Font of Baptisme For a Man to be a Christian and a spirituall Souldier and not to fight under Christs Banner both manfully and faithfully for Christ is the Cognizance of a pusilanimous spirited Souldier and Badge of an Hypocrite For a Man to be a Christian and a spirituall Souldier and to fight for Christ and not to Conquer is to lose the Reward promised to Conquerours But to be a Christian a spirituall Souldier a Fighter for Christ and a Conquerour of all his owne spirituall Enemies Loe that Man and onely he shall be a Partaker of the rich Reward promised even the full fruition of the heavenly Inheritance And therefore whosoever thou art that desirest to be a true Member of Christs Militant Church thou must resolve with thy selfe to live the life of a Christian to a be a spirituall Souldier a Fighter for Christ and also a Conquerour Hence then we may infallibly collect that none shall be crowned hereafter in Heaven but onely those that in some measure first endure a spirituall Fight here upon Earth that so they may become crucified Christians and thereby made conformable to Christ their Head Phil. 3 10. The which Conformity is the greatest Honour that this World can afford to the Sonnes of Mortals And to such spirituall Conquerours Christ Jesus himselfe hath made a large promise even of no lesse Reward then Eternall Life He that overcommeth shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life Apoc. 3.5 And ver 21. To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne And Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a crowne of life Apoc. 2.10 and Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him And what Fight is it that we should not willingly undergoe for to inherit Eternall Life And herein let Christ Jesus himselfe be
earthly Purgatory I meane the Afflictions of this Life before we can come to the heavenly Paradise viz. the Joyes of the Life to come Yea we must goe by the Suburbs and Gates of Hell before we can come to the City of the new Jerusalem and joyes of Heaven Every true Member of Christs Church is a crucified Christian and therefore not onely incident to suffering but also strict in his Conversation for strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it Mat. 7.14 None must live the life eternall hereafter in the joyes of Heaven but onely those that first Crucifie their carnall Corruptions and mortifie their sinfull Affections here upon Earth We must live in the Spirit and not in the flesh For He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting Gal. 6.8 And hence is that of S. Paul to his Colossians Mortifie therefore your Members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatrie Col. 3.5 6. For the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the Children of disobedience The Members of Christs Church publiquely promised by their Sureties at their Baptisme to forsake the Devill and all his Workes and constantly believe Gods holy Word and obediently keep his Commandements and were incorporated into Christs Church to confesse the Faith of Christ crucified to be faithfull Souldiers for Christ their Saviour and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sinne the World and the Devill and the Lord expects the constant spirituall Performance of this their publique Promise during the troublesome time of their earthly Pilgrimage And how shall the Valour of Souldiers be evidenced to the World who keep themselves continually in their Quarters and never goe upon service who lye alwayes in the Campe and never come into the Field But when once Troubles doe arise and the Enemy draweth nigh and Christs Souldiers by the sound of Drums and Trumpets are called from their Quarters and they march forwards and meet their Enemies in the face Loe then Abrahams Faith Davids Piety Vriahs Constancy Jobs Patience Jonathans Love Jehues Zeal Gideons Valour and Pauls Courage will appeare who like valiant spirited and heroicall hearted Souldiers will zealously strive unanimously desire for the Glory of God the Honour of their King the Peace Good and Welfare of their Country to be placed in the Front of the Battell So in like manner when Troubles seize upon the Soules of the Members of Christs Church then the Graces of Gods blessed Spirit within them as occasion is offered will be operative and working yea the more excellent in Graces the more eminent in Affflictions and thereby they are distinguished from the Souldiers of Sathan The Earth of it selfe will bring forth little else but briers and weedes if it be not tilled and Vines will wax wilde if they be not pruned Even so the corrupt and sinfull Affections of our gracelesse and rebellious Hearts like pernitious Briers and noisome Weeds would quickly over-runne not onely all the Parts and Members of our Bodies but also all the Powers and Faculties of our Soules if our Gracious God by his tender Care over us loving Chastisements upon us and powerfull working of his blessed Spirit in us should not effectually Purge Dresse and Manure us And the superfluous Branches of our naturall Corruptions would spread so far abroad within us as everlastingly to destroy us if the Lord by sharp sanctified Afflictions should not prune them and by his loving fatherly Corrections cut them off Therefore let the Church of Christ be content to suffer Afflictions here upon Earth and also be glad to bear the yoak in her youth Lam. 3.27 The present Condition of Christs Church Militant in her Warfare at this day in our Land resembleth the case of Judah Manasseth Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseth and they both shall be against Judah Loc this is the Sting of the Churches Crosses and unto her it is inevitable For it was the portion of Christ her Head and shall the Members expect to escape It was the Lot of her Master and shall the Servants thinke to fare better It was the condition of the Saints in the Old Testament and also of the Apostles in the New Of the Saints in the Old Abraham banished both from his Country and kindred Jacob lay in the fieldes Joseph in the prison David hunted as a Partridge upon the mountaines Elijah full of feare through Jezabels bloody Tyranny desired the Lord to take away his life from him Job scraped himselfe with a potsherd upon the dunghill Jeremy put into the dungeon The three Children into the fiery Furnace Daniell cast into the den of Lyons And Susanna brought almost to the place of her execution Yea the Church her selfe complaineth of her suffering condition O Lord behold mine affliction Lam. 1.9 for the enemy is proud And verse the 12. Have ye no regard all ye that passe by this way behold and see if there be any sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger The Apostle rehearseth a Catalogue of the Saints sufferings that were before Christs Incarnation They were tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreover by bonds and imprisonment They were stoned Heb. 11.36 37 38. they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandred up and down in sheep skins and in goats skins being destitute afflicted and tormented Whom the world was not worthy of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caves of the earth Loe these were the sufferings of the Saints in the Old Testament And as for the Saints in the New Poore Lazarus lay in a wofull condition at the rich Gluttons gate but there was found no mortall heart to sorrow for him nor eye to pitty him nor hand to relieve him And none of Christs Apostles dyed a naturall death but onely S. John and he was banished by the Emperour Domitian to the I le Patmos and also put into a Tunne of hot oyle at Rome as both Tertull. and S. Jerom report So that although with the rest he suffered not an immature death yet notwithstanding he also tasted deepe of his Masters Cup of which every one must be contented to drinke that is a true Member of the Church of Christ Beloved this is the Lords usuall dealing towards all the true Members of his Church thereby to make them Crucified Christians that so they might be like unto Christ their Captaine who is called by the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe Esa 53.3 And it was Saint Pauls generall rule to Timothy 2 Tim. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that will live
and let us imagine some device against Jeremiah for the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor Councell from the Wise nor the Word from the Prophet Come and let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words If thus you shall requite me then may you justly feare that the righteous Lord will be wrathfully displeased with you and that may redound to your owne ruine But let me crave your candid censure for I call Heaven and Earth to record that I speak not this out of the spirit of betternesse against the Saints of God whose sanctified Conversation is answerable to their holy profession zealously serving and faithfully worshipping the living God in spirit and truth as he commandeth Yea Ioh. 4.24 my hearty Prayers I sincerely confesse are constantly unto God for them that he would continue them in the wayes of holinesse and daily increase the number of them in our Land and that they may splendidly shine as Lights in obscurity in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation amongst whom they live that so they might not onely glorifie God themselves but also be holy Patterns and godly Examples for imitation unto others whereby to draw them the more speedily to the service of God But I speak onely and that reprehensively of those who are mere tongue-tipped-table-Gospelers having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.5 who onely make a shew of sanctity having their hearts full of all manner of guile and hypocrisie who are facilie perceptible by their Fruites and evidently conspicuous to the world by their Actions walking in the wayes of dissimulation which lead to the infernall Pit of eternall perdition Mat. 24.5 And therefore if such persons will become true Members of Christs Church let them stand no longer at a distance from the Church but let them labour with expedition to purge out their owne Corruptions abandoning their former leud Conversations humble themselves for their sinnes come in and close with Christ and speedily pray for the Churches Peace O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Consolation Vse 4 TO comfort the Church in her saddest condition by calling to minde Psa 126.6 They that sow in teares shall reap in joy And heavinesse may endure for a night Psal 30.5 but joy commeth in the morning Considering also that Christ calleth none unto him with a promise to comfort them but those that are grieved persons Come unto me all ye that labour Mat. 11.28 and are heavy laden and I will give you rest And remembring the Cordiall that Christ gave unto his Disciples when he was to depart from them and in them to his whole Church John 16.20 Ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into joy That is ye shall rejoyce that ever you were sorrowfull As if Christ in other words should have said unto them Comfort your hearts my beloved Disciples for although I shall leave you for a while as Pilgrimes in the wildernesse of this wicked world yet notwithstanding ye shall hereafter come to the land of the heavenly Canaan even to the new Jerusalem whither I am now going and there you shall receive the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules 1 Pet. 1.9 Psa 16. ult where there is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore The Lord without doubt will preserve his Church from the scratching Pawes of savage Beares the tearing Mouthes of ravenous Wolves and the covetous Clutches of greedy Cormorants who lie daily and hourely in waite to supplant subvert and devoure Her and all under the spetious pretence of Piety the counterfeit shew of Holinesse and candid colour of Religion Will not Christ Mat. 23.37 who wept over Jerusalem and would often have gathered the Children of the Jewes together as a Hen gathereth her Chickings under her wings preserve his Church from perishing Certainely yea And will not God who clotheth the Lillies Mat. 6.26 28. and feedeth the foules of the aire preserve his Church under the winges of his Providence Zach. 2.8 whom he tendereth as the apple of his owne eye Undoubtedly yea Conjugall-love is strong Paternall-love is powerfull Loyall-love is very effectuall But Divine-love viz. the love of God to his Church farre transcends them all Can a mother forget her childe Isa 49.15 and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord to his Church Yea and let the Church also listen to that sweet Expression of the Lord by his Prophet unto his people Isay 51.7 8. Hearken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law feare ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings For the moath shall eate them up like a garment and the worme shall eat them like wooll but my righteousnesse shall be for ever and my Salvation from generation to generation So that the Church of Christ needeth not to feare though at any time she should be plunged into the depth of calamity for rather then her Persecutors shall goe unpunished the Lord will make the very moathes and wormes and other contemptible creatures of the earth to be the Instruments of her enemies confusion and his hand shall bring unto her everlasting salvation And therefore what although the Church for the present sits pensively and mournes like a desolate widdow tristively weeping and lamenting for the personall absence of Christ her Husband Mat. 28. ult yet notwithstanding his comfortable Spirit is present with her and also will be unto the end of the World And at the appointed time there will be a cessation from all her sorrowes for he will joyfully returne unto her lovingly embrace her Rev. 7. ult and wipe away all teares from her eyes and then she shall receive a full deliverance from all afflictions both of body and soule Then that confident expected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Slavabit into Salvavit he will save into he hath saved And then all the violent brumall winter stormes of bloody persecution shall be fully passed over and the glorious sun-shine beames of Gods loving and comfortable countenance most splendidly shine upon her And then all the Chaines of her afflictions shall be broken asunder Psa 124.6 and she delivered as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler And the Lord will give unto her beauty for ashes the oile of joy for mourning Esay 61.3 and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse And when all these consolatory Blessings are come upon her then hearken unto her rejoycing Isay 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soul shall be joyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation and covered me with the robe of righteousnesse he hath decked me like a bridegroome
wherein they themselves have offended as they have done unto others even so in like manner God himselfe doth unto them According to that dolefull Expression of Adoni-bezek concerning himselfe Iudg. 1.7 Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbes and their great-toes cut off gathered their meat under my table as I have done so God hath rewarded me And also answerable to that scornfull Exprobration of deriding Eliphaz to distressed Job I have seene Iob 4.8 saith he they that plow iniquity and sow wickednesse reap the same And therefore in the feare of God let every one of us who professe the Name of Christ alwaies doe unto others Mat. 7.12 as we would they should doe unto us For so to doe is the very Drift and Scope of the sacred Scripture Ever remembring those equall requiting words of our blessed Saviour Mat. 7.2 With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you againe Loe thus the righteous Lord being the just Revenger of all Injuries but especially of Murther payed Joab home in his owne kinde According to that Law which God gave unto Noah after the Flood when he came forth of the Arke to replenish the Earth Who so sheddeth mans blood Gen. 9.6 by man shall his blood be shed Hence then let all those that are guilty herein tremble at the consideration hereof for if Cain will murther Abel then shortly after the blood of Abel will crie up into Heaven for Vengeance against Cain Gen. 4.10 So in like manner the blood of those innocent English Persons whose Bodies have beene lately murthered in our Land by the fierce Violence of their furious Adversaries cryeth up into Heaven against the Murtherers of them for speedy Vengeance to fall upon them like those faithfull Soules of the blessed Martyrs under the Altar who cried with a loud voice against their bloody Persecutors Apoc. 6.10 saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How long ô Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Oh then that the serious Consideration hereof might so deeply take place in the hearts of all those that are guilty herein that they may speedily endeavour especially now in this time of Warre to make their Peace with God and the King whom they have offended lest Wrath breake forth to the uttermost against them speedily seize upon them and then there be no Remedy for them And for the speedy Reclamation and present Reformation of all such guilty Offendors I humbly intreat and also heartily desire them all in the bowels of Jesus Christ to consider diligently of the immortality of their Soules and that upon the short and weake Thred of this brittle and mortall Life dependeth the welfare or ilfare of their Eternity and also attentively to hearken to the vexing Instructions checking Dictates of their troubled Consciences which cannot chuse but be full of horrour although remorselesse And then answer me in their owne Soules if they doe not often heare to their great Terrour within them a powerfull divine convincing and condemning Eccho summoning them to appeare in the Cloudes at the Generall Assizes before the High-Bench Bench of the Lord Chiefe Justice of the whole World and Peeres of Heaven there to receive their just and deserved Doomes for their wilfull Disobedience unto lawfull Authority And therefore as all such Persons tender the glory of God and the everlasting welfare of their owne Soules let them stand no longer at a distance but let them mourne for their sins and speedily come in and lay hold upon the present Opportunity of being reconciled both unto God and Man that so they may be in the favour of God and love of their King that thereby they may have Mercy from God Peace in their owne Consciences the manyfold Distempers of our Kingdome cured and our Land enjoy againe her former pristine peaceable Condition for if ever they will make their Peace with God and the King in this particular Now is the time and therefore let them not neglect it lest their negligence therein turne to their utter Destruction For it is a Maxime in Divinity that to none belongeth the mercy of forgivenesse but onely those who are Desisters from sinne and Repenters of sinne And as for all the rest who constantly have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse Ephes 5.11 they are justly reserved by the righteous Judgement of God to the blacknesse of darkenesse for ever Iude 13. And for the continuall preservation both of my selfe and all others who feare God and honour the King from that cursed and damnable Condition of Rebellion I shall ever pray with that Good Old Hebrew Patriarch Jacob as he did against the hainous and crying Sinnes of Simeon and Levi his wicked and bloody Sonnes Gen. 34. who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brethren Instruments of Iniquity Destinate for Division whose bloody Cruelty began with Craft prosecuted eagerly in crafty Blood-thirstinesse palliated with Religion and ended murtherously in the blood of the wounded Shechemites to their deadly Confusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O my Soule come not thou into their secret Gen. 49.6 unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou Vnited The word here translated Secret is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Concilium vel Coetus Consultantium Wherein also according to Jacob's sense is implied Impiorum From which for ever Good Lord deliver us all The Sword of the Lord and Gideon is but one two-handed Sword and when it is wrested by violence out of the hands of the King then doth God take it into his hands and with it wound the head of his Enemies Psal 68.21 O consider this ye that forget God and the King and God in the King lest he teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Psal 50.22 Oh! whos 's Christian Sympathizing heart bleeds not within him at the deepe Apprehension and serious Consideration of the fatall and destructive Actions of the dismall Dayes in these mortiferous Times wherein we live Wherein also many thousands are so farre from yeilding either Active or Passive Obedience unto lawfull Authority as that they doe not onely wilfully reject it but also wickedly practice against it without any remorse at all towards their poore distressed over-oppressed and languishing Patients yea and so farre are they from sorrowing for those persons who so bitterly and sharply suffer by their so doing as that they rejoyce in it and also take delight in the perpetration of that hainous horrible black and bloody Sinne of Rebellion And yet such pestilent Agents being both the Church and Common-Wealths Disturbers doe oftentimes deceitfully expresse to the World that they earnestly desire to have Peace and heartily pray for a speedy Period to these present Troubles and also greatly mourne for so great store of Christian English blood which of late hath been so profusely fluently and
and the Actuall the Effect and Fruit proceeding from the same and both Originall and Actuall joyntly concurring and cursedly conducing to the utter Ruine of all Sinners And thus 1 Joh. 5.19 Hos 13.9 the whole world lying in wickedness every one that perisheth therein is the sole-Causer of his own Destruction And here if We of this English Nation would seriously consider and should strictly search with soundnesse of Judgement either as deep Divines or profound Philosophers into the mysterious Manner of God's working against us in these present Distractions amongst us we shall evidently find no small Argument to be drawn from the great Disparity between Divine Providence and Worldly Policy the Generall Result whereof must necessarily be this ensuing Hebrew divine Aphorisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id vulgò apud Latinos dicitur Homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proponit Pro. 16.9 Pro. 16.33 Psal 33.11 sed Deus Disponit Man meerly Proposeth id est Voluntas Hominis that is the Will of Man but God wholly Disposeth id est Decretum Dei that is the Decree of God Answerable to that Expression of Solomon Prov. 19.21 Many devices are in a mans heart but the councell of the Lord shall stand For as in the vast Frame of Nature Bodies compared one with another seem Heterogenean consisting not onely of different Constitutions but also of divers and sundry opposite Operations yet notwithstanding as so many Wheeles in an artificial Engine are by the same Hand directed to the same common Use even so all the Councels and Actions of men howsoever they seem casually to meet with and oppositely to justle one against the other yet are they certainly pre-ordained by the same Infinite Councell to co-operate to the same Universall End The which Proposall of Man and Disposall of God is a Proposition which amongst worldly minded Polititians is better known as a Proverb then acknowledged in their Practice And yet the longer they Run in this Maze of Worldly Policy the farther they Estrange themselves from Christian Piety and the Distance which at the first seemed to be below their Sense will at the last be found to be above their Understanding And thus may it also one day befall those super-polipragmatical Polititians of this Age in this Land now amongst us who when they are in the midst of their Mirth and have mounted themselves up to the highest Step of their usurped Power and Ambition even then Dan. 5.6 they may Belshazzar-like be stricken with Fear and Consternation for those horrid bloody and treacherous Actions which they have now usurpatiously attempted at which time through their Unskilfulnesse for the wise managing of those wicked though weighty Affaires being then justly infatuated by the justice of God against them they may in a confused Combustion Act the part rather of Phaeton then of Phoebus to the Confusion of themselves and many others But had such politique Persons been so religiously happy as to have had so much saving Acquaintance with the Word of God for the good of themselves and others as they craftily had and still have with their own wicked Wills cunning Combinations and pernicious Projects against both King and Kingdome they should doubtlesse have heard the Lord in the holy Scriptures before this time both frequently calling to them and also severely threatning to inflict his Judgements upon them the which long agoe would have staggered the politique Councel of the Wicked and turned the worldly Wisdome of the Wisest of them into Folly But they resembling the blind Andabates will not see Psal 58.4 5. and as deaf Adders refuse to hear the Truth declared to them whereby their Consciences might be convinced their Souls converted and their Lives reformed that so there might be a speedy Peace fully concluded and firmly settled throughout this whole Kingdome between King and Subjects for the Glory of God and Well-fare of our English-Nation But woe and alas may we of this English-Nation at this day justly cry out that those pernicious Polititians being averse to Peace are in their present Practice become like wilfull Mariners having as it were already ship'd themselves for a dangerous Voyage are now desperately resolved to sail along in the vast Ocean as the windy Gusts of their new Councell will drive them and the inconstant Tyde of Occasion shall befriend them adventuring all Hazards of their own and others Safety which by the means of Enemies Tempests Rocks Gulphs Whales Quick-sands c. may any ways befall them running rashly thereby the great Danger of their own and many others both Temporall and Eternall Ruine Lo such desperate Rebells by their pernicious practices in Rebellion may not unfitly be parallel'd to those impious Spirits Zijm and Ochim Isa 13.21 breathing-out nothing but destructive Desolation against our poor distracted and distressed English-Nation And yet notwithstanding all the Adversaries Opposition at this day against Kingly Authority there was never under the Cope of Heaven a clearer Truth so antient so generally acknowledged by all Christians and that also in all Ages since the name of Christ was first professed upon the Earth as is the Doctrine of Faith in God and of Obedience to lawfull Princes which being fully known and throughly practiced doth alone indeed make Christians and Christian Religion manifestly to differ from all other People and Religions in the World and the same Orthodox Doctrine England hath willingly embraced and obediently practiced for many years last past with Glory to God and Comfort to Herself untill of late the horrid sin of Rebellion like the Witchcraft of Circe transformed Her into another Creature which strange unhappy and unlooked-for Metamorphosis doth mournfully minister at this day just Occasion to every religious and judicious Spectator both to exclaime of Her and to lament for Her She being now foully fallen off from the holy Condition of Her first Creation For the sacred Image of God stamp'd in the reasonable Soul of man is to the Children of God both Law and Liberty aswell to preserve the just Rights of their lawfull Princes as the full Freedome of their own Priviledges but the ugly Embleme of Satan imprinted in the unsanctified Souls of wicked men is to the Sons of Belial Liberty without Law respecting onely the full Freedome of their own Priviledges nothing regarding the just Rights of their lawfull Princes That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behemoth Job 40.10 the multitude of earthly Beasts the belluina multorum capita that many-fold headed serpentine Hydra I mean the rebellious Anti-monarchicall Patty of the English-Nation whose Hearts Heads and Hands by affecting projecting and acting the hainous Sin of horrid Rebellion against their lawfull Soveraign doe thereby shew themselves rather heathenish and mischievous Monsters then rationall and religious Men. And here I willingly would demand What is that which those obstinate Persons would have who at this day thus rigidly barbarously and violently oppose our Gracious King Would they