would beat most against pride and presse oftnest the duty of selfe deniall the most malitious would preach most against malice and perswade to the practice of love and charity the most covetous would inveigh most bitterly against worldly mindednesse and the most Rebellious as hath since appeared would be most fervent and zealous in Preaching for Passive obedience Now whether they did hereby think to hide from the publique their own dispositions and to gaine from the world an opinion of being farthest from those vices which indeed they were most guilty of and most addicted unto those vertues whereto they exhorted others or whether they did it to any better ends or purposes I leave it at this present to the Iudge of all secretâ— to determine So whether M. Marshall by his quoting this Scripture doth think to hide the conditions of his faction from the ignorant vulgar who are more apt to judge of the tree by the leaves then by the fruit and to think that if men speake and quote Scripture against Hardheartednesse Cruelty Injustice and wrong doing to Gods Church though themselves practice the same things yet they shall not be accounted transgressors of Gods word because it will rather be thought that they to whom these abuses are offered by these Scripture speaking men are none of Gods Church and people but of that race or ranke rather that the Cananites and Amorites were of whom God commanded his people to root out of their Habitations I say whether this was M. Marshalls intention or no when he alleadged that Scripture I leave to Godâ—nd his own Conscience to determine only withall if his Conscience chance to recoyle upon him I would have him remember that of the Apostle Rom. 2.1 Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest another for offering those abuses or for shewing those neglects to the Church of God to be under the Curse for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that judgest doest the same things Yea but indeed some will say here lies the difficulty how shall we know in these distractions on which â—ide is the Church and People of God To resolve this question I shall note some passages wherein the conditions of Gods people are hinted to us from this Sermon of M. Marshall from whom I shall never willingly disâ—ent but only where he dissents from Gods truth and besides what is of his may be of more credit with some then what is proceeding from another man only first I think these few grounds will be granted by all 1. That all particulars on both sides are not of the Church and people of God 2. That God hath been wont to make use of wicked men to defend and assist his Church and people the earth helped the woman Rev. 12. they may have their ends and God hath his 3. That when God doth defend and restore his Church by the most notoriously wicked men or by the most unlikely means then is his own arme and hand more visibly apparent in the eyes of the righteous 4. That some in all Ages have boasted themselves most to be the Church and People of God and yet have been none of that true number witnesse the Pharises Arrians Donatists Papists Anabaptists and those that in Ieremies time cryed out the Temple of the Lord c. 5. That Hypocrites who have pretended most holinesse have of all enemies been the most cruell and deadly that ever the Church hath had as appeares by our Saviours continuall Preaching against them and laying them open and their bringing him to death 6. That Christs true Church and People are indued with his true spirit are conditioned like him and do walke in those wayes wherein himselfe did goâ— before them this M. Marshall witnesseth pag. 19. 7. That the way which Christ walked and which his true Church must and doe follow him in is set downe plainly in holy Scripture and not to be taken up from the Traditions or Opinions of men I hope no man can or will deny the truth of these particulars Now I shall give three or foure notes of the Church and people of God which M. Marshall himselfe doth seem at least to him unto us 1. The Church and people of God have most commonly been a distressed and an injured people a people that have needed help even of meat and drinke and cloathing a people that have been like Strangers excluded and thrust out of their owne possessions as the Lords Annoynted and many of His faithfull Nobles and Subjects at this time are a people that have been wont to be banished from their owne homes or cast into Prisons as the Ministers of the Gospell and other Christians at this time be by the Rebellious Faction they are a people so darkned with Afflictions and so obscured with slanders and reproaches that the very righteous themselves their owne Brethren whose study it is to doe all the good they can to the Saints shall not know when they have helped them as M. Marshall informes us in the 14 Page of his Sermon when saies he Christ shall say to them come ye blessed you fed me you cloathed me you visited me they shall Answer Lord when saw we thee hungry or thirsty or a strangâ—r or naked or sicke or in prison and administred unto thee M. Marshall alâ—o in the next Page doth tell us that the sâ—râ—â—nts of Christ are poor abjects such as are made the ofscouring of the world Clouts ragges or wispes to scowre withall as Ieremy Burroughs in his Book called the Glorious name of God c. Page 21. calls and reckons of those that take part with the King In a word the people of God are such who as they are thrust downe lower in the world then by right their place is so tâ—ey are more lowly in their thoughts then others be they doe not desire to greaten themselves with that which belongs to other men to get the Militia of Kingdomeâ— and the Navyes of Nations into their hands they doe not use to huâ—t Kings and Princes up and downe in their owne Kingdomes that they may kill them and destroy them they use rather to be those that are hunted and persecuted by others and thence are called the persecuted flock of Christ This I take to be one marke of the true Church and people of God and M. Marshall I hope unlesse he will eate his owne words cannot deny it 2. The Church and people of God as M. Marshall inferres Pag. 15. 16. as they account Gods cause theirs so like Iehosophat they betake themselves to prayer in the time of their distresses and seeke help from God they doe not as some of old did send to Aegypt for helpe nor as some of late have done send to Scotland for assistance use any indirect or unlawfull meâ—nes they dare noâ— play the Achitophells or Machivellians or Devills to raise up Combustions and Warres in all Nations to break Peace and unity among
Christians to the end that their own designes may succeed the better at home they dare not doe any evill to others that good may come thereby unto themselves nor doe they in any sort allow of that distinction which one of M. Marshalls Auditory did make with the approbation doubtlesse of some fellow Members that though evill may not be done to further the private good of any man yet to further the publique Cause it may No the People of God dare not be so wise as to use any meanes but what they may with confidence from the word expect Gods blessing upon for Gods People rest chiefly upon God for helpe they live by saith accounting as M. Marshall saies the Battaile not theirs but Gods whose cause is united to the cause of his people when Asaph saies M. Marshall had laid downe the Churches sufferings Psal. 74. the pulling down of their Synagogues the wasting of their Country the reproach and scorne cast upon them by their enemies he doth v. 22. 23. interest God in all this From which quotation of M. Marshalls we may also note for our purpose by the way that the pullers downe of Churches the wasters of their Country the casters of reproach and scorne upon their betters are the Enemies of Gods Church and people and so also of himselfe indeed the Psalmist in plain words calls them Gods adversaries Thine Adversaries roare in the midst oâ— the Congregations they set up their Banners for tokens they breake downe the carved worke in thy Temples with Axes and Hammers they have set fire upon thine Holy places and have defiled by casting downe the dwelling place of thy Name yea they have said let us destroy kill slay and destroy them altogether thus have they burnt up the Synagogues of God in the Land Now from this place of Scripture so happily quoted by M. Marshall we learne that the Authors of such actions or expressions may be concluded to be the Enemieâ— of Gods Church and people yea M. Marshall helpes us in this Collection too Pag. 18. of his Sermon where he pronounceth this sentâ—nce They must needs be blessed that serve the Church and he must needs be cursed that deprives it of its dues And who these are that doe so I leave to every mans owne observation to determine 3. The Church and people of God as M. Marshall Pag. 16. inferres unto us are they that maintains the good cause and saies 〈◊〉 when Davids cause was good his adversaries must needs be evill and then he could foretell that they should be ashamed and brought to confusion cloathed with reproach and dishonour who opposed themselves against him which indeed fell out accordingly upon all that pack of Rebells and Traitors that conspired against the Lords Annoynted to pull him from that honour whereto God had advanced him Achitophell hang'd himselfe and a Tree hang'd Absolom and twenty thousand of their followers that did associate with them were slaine in a day And Sheba afterward who trod in their rebelliouâ— steppes against the King had his head severed from his shoulders and therefore M. Marshall was in the right also for that particular And then that we might the better know the good Cause he gives us two markes of it which also may be allowed of the good Cause saies he which is Gods Cause is a noble Cause and a successefull Cause and therein he speakes right for the King For The Kings cause is a noble cause not onely in respect of his Royall selfe whose cause it is and in respect of those Noble Personages that are agents in it but also because it is not for a trifle or a thing of no great Consequent but even for a Crowne which according to Master Marshall's judgement in that place doth enoble the cause the Kings cause sure is for no lesse then for a Crowne and for to keepe the Dominion of three Kingdomes which the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath intrusted him withall He would still hold his Soveraignty onely and immediately from the Lord but they would have him acknowledge his dependance upon themselves and if he would but so farre deny God and debase himselfe as in that manner to worship them they tell him as one did once our Saviour all theâ—e will we give thee or wee 'l make you the most glorious Prince in Christendome but the King like a good Tenant maintaines the right of his true and old Landlord the glorious Lord God therefore his cause is a noble cause 't is Gods Cause and saies Master Marshall 2. Gods cause is a successefull cause in the end or finall issue it will prove so for a while the malignant Church may prevaile against the good and an ill cause may have the better and then that shall be called good falix prosperum scelus virtus vocaâ—ur and the good cause failing in the execution will have the denomination of bad and therefore I beleeve their great Major Crommell was in the right when he said if we prevayle our opposers will be acounted the grandest Traitors to the state that ever were and be used accordingly but if the King prevaile our undertaking will be judged the most horrid and blacke Rebellion that ever the sunne saw If therefore we will judge by the event we must suspend our sentence till all be done the good cause like good men growes illustrious by degrees as the sunne shines more and more bright toward the perfect dayâ— as the waters of Siloe run so doth Gods helpe often come to his people slowly but surely and though successe of late hath in some places favoured the Kings Enemies for the sins sake of us his followers yet I thinke Master Marshall cannot deny if he doth but remember that the King hath thriven somewhat since himselfe went downe with the Army towards Nottingham with this opinion in his heart and these words in his mouth for the incouragement of his Companions that the King might fly from place to place for a little while but there is no remedy he must yeeld and come in at last he cannot possibly withstand our great forces And I doubt not through the the mercy of our stong our just and holy God but in the end Master Marshalls quotation in his 17 pag. from Esa. 44.17 will be evidenced to be true no weapon can prosper that is formed against it the Kings cause and every tongue that rises up in judgement against it shall be condemned Fourthly and lastly we gather from Master Marshall pag. 18. that those who be of the Dragons Army of the Church malignant that have as in pag. 20. their names in the Dragons muster booke are none of the Church or people of God And herein he speaks most truly also But how shall we know who they are Master Marshall like a freind helps us in this too in the same place viz. the later end of the 18 pag. by his quotation of a Scriptures The first is Prov. 30.17 the eye
that mocketh at his father and the King is Pater Patriae a common or publique father or despiseth to obey his Mother the Church of England is our mother that hath brought us forth to God the Ravens of the valley shall picke it out that is as if he had said such a one is heire of the curse as being one of the Church malignant and none of Gods people The second Scripture is Rom. 9.2 3. Paul saies Master Marshall thought it no more then his duty when he had great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart and could wish himselfe accursed from Christ for the good of his brethren his Kinsmen who were Israelites whence we gather that they who are so farre from thinking iâ— their duty to be so affected as Saint Paul was for the welfare of their brethren and Countrimen that they thinke it their duty rather and make it their endeavour to destroy the same are directly of the Dragons Army And these are they who have set their Countrimen and Brethren in a most bloudy Combustion against each other and have forced upon them most accursed oathes to the ruine of their soules for ever For I verily beleeve that let iâ— be well considered it well be yeilded that their Horrid Covenant which they have inforced and as they say now made it death to fall from is virtually as true and as perfect a God damne me as ever proceâ—ded verbally from the mouth of the most dissolute Cavaliâ—r But againe Master Marshall be freinds us farther by hinting to us another marke of one that belongs to the Dragons Army pag. 19. towards the end thereof where he saies that Gods spirit dwelling in all his Saints i.e. in all that belong to Christs Army works the same spirituall disposition in them namely as was in Christ their Captaine and that was a meeke milde mercifull an obedient patient and peaceable disposition from which speech of Master Marshall it may be inferred by the rule of Contraries that the Dragons spirit dwelling in all that belong to his Army doth worke them to be of his disposition and that is to be bloudy cruell barbarous contentious rebellious hating peace delighting in killing slaying and destroying yea of infants and â—ucking babeâ—â— therefore when we see or discerne these conditions in any men we may conclude them to be of those that have their names in the Dragons muster booke And indeed beside these helpes which Master Marshall hath afforded to us for the discovery of the members of the Church malignant the Dragons souldiers himselfe in his first use pap 21. very honestly out of Scripture deciphers them unto us I 'le give you his very words He saies 1. They are such as set themselves and take councell against the Lord his Church and against his Anointed his King digging as deepe as Hell for Counsell to doe all the mischeife they can 2. They are such as with Balaam doe what in them lies to Curse for reward the Children of the most High those of whom God hath said ye are Gods and for very malice to raile upon them and revile them 3. They are such as with Edom looke upon the Affliction of Israel rejoycing over them in the day of their destruction speaking proudly in the day of their distresse crying out against Jerusalem or the places of Gods worship downe with it downe with it even to the Ground 4. They are such as with Amelecke smite the Hindmost of Gods Church all who are weake and feeble not sparing sucking babes or harmelesse infants when they are faint and and weary loaden already with afflictions adding sorrowes to their burden as those who turne women and Children out of doores when they have taken away their maintenance and banished or imprisoned the masters of the family 5. They are such as with Sanballat and Tobiah are greeved when any are found to doe good or to be faithfull in Israel whom they will punish more then they will an Hundred Knaves because they are more serviceable to God and prejudiciall to them then so many and thus they endeavour saies Master Marshall to hinder the building of Sion or of peace and to further the repairing of the walls of Babylon or of Confusion Now all these sorts of men Master Marshall most truly calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} fighters against God and saies 't is the fittest appellation that he knowes for them And thus Master Marshall hath helped us with markes and tokens to know both the people of God and the Dragons Army by And I wish that all people in their secret thoughts would consider of this matter and of what hath beene noted from Master Marshall's Sermon and it will easily be suspected on which side those that he pleads for doe militare And so I end my third Section SECTION IV. In which is breifely expressed the rest of Master Marshall's Sermon with the explication and rectification of some particular passages therein ANd now I have done what at first I undertooke viz. to vindicate the Scriptures of God those three in speciall Iud. 5.23 Ier. 48.10 and Psal. 136.8 9. from the misapprehensions misinterpretations and misapplications of Master Stephen Marshalls the rest of his Sermon which is in way of use and indeed for the most part more suteable to the duty of the day then the text it selfe was being chiefely an exhortation to helpe the Church of God and to pray I shall but breifely pasâ—e over for I confesse taking the Church in the right sence his words are much unto the purpose I 'le note onely his Method tell you summarily what he saies and here and there put in a word for explication or rectification and so conclude with Master Marshall First He reproves Newters pag. 22. whom he likens unto the Samaritanes that feared the Lord and served their Idols as indeed is the fashion of too many amongst us feare the King at least say they doe and serve the Parliament as they call it But as he saies God will one day say of these they love not the Lord so may the King say one day of such they loved not him Now Mr Marshall notes well that his text doth Curse all them who came not out to helpe him as well as those who came to fight against him And our Saviour at the last day will as well denounce Goe ye Cursed against them who gave them not bread when they were hungry as against them who plucked their bread away from them for in this case 't is a certaine rule He that is not with me is against me These Newters pag. 23. he devides into two sorts and sayes 1. Some are Newters out of policy whom he compares to Zebah and Zalmanah that would first see what would be the event of the warre before they discovered themselves and to these he hinteth that if his side prevaile which God forbid they shall be rent with Bryers and Thornes have their houses beaten downe and
of the Church according to his oath of obedience so was he also a man of an unblameable life and carriage of a cheerefull and affable disposition exceeding loving to his freinds and communicative of any good unto them very Charitable to those whom he saw in misery though enemies unto him in a word his acquaintance was so gratefull and pleasing that many Ministers among whom my selfe was one did account it one of our greatest outward blessings that we dwelt neere unto him But alas how hath this Rebellion like Witch-craft indeed conjured him out of himselfe and transform'd him into another man both in his conversing and in his teaching 1 For his conversing my selfe had a little experience of it the last time I had discourse with him at his owne house about the Subject matter which I writt unto him of afterward in my booke called the Loyall Subjects Beleife when as indeed I found in him so great an alteration from that wonted mildenesse and sweetnesse which I had formerly knowne in him that I should not have beleeved the same upon the bare report of another man so tetricke and waspish and froward was he in his arguings that unlesse I would yeeld to his sayings and fancies without reasons he would dispute no more 2 For his teaching others even of the common sort of people have observed that a little before I was driven out of Essex his fortune was to preach at Brainetree a neighbour Towne to me upon a Lecture day where my selfe had lately before preacht obedience to the King and thereby made divers of my factious Auditors run out of the Church But I say Master Marshall coming to repaire the breach made there such a Sermon to provoke unto the warre and to assist the Parliament as he called it that some Godly Christians for there be some such even in Essex that love the King and are resolved to part with their lives rather then to start from that doctrine of obedience unto him which heretofore they have learned from Master Marshall and others some such I say who had all their dayes highly Honoured Master Marshall heareing that Sermon of his were most extremely astonished at it and came to me with sadded hearts and weeping eyes for to bewaile him Never cryed they did we expect to heare this from Master Marshall so contrary to himselfe his former doctrine and way of Preaching So that alas we see what man is if God leaves him for a season to himselfe how unable to stand or persist in wayes of good by grace we are saved by that we are preserved our whole sufficiency subsistency and persistency is of God it was a good Caveat therefore of the Apostle be not high minded but feare and it was good advice of His too to others that they should follow him no farther than he followed Christ indeed no examples of good men must we make our absolute rule for practice to the law to the testimony saies the Prophet when they speak not or walke not according to that leave them There are too many I know that did depend upon Master Marshalls example and are fallen with him for his Apostacy is like the fall of a great Oake which beares downe much of the underwood with it I beseech God reduce him for I thinke his recovery might pull backe as many people from this rebellious way as any one mans example whatsoever The Lord open his Eyes and worke upon his Heart But in the meane time it is my duty and so the duty of every faithfull Minister to detect the wickednesse of that way which he with others have Apostatized into and truly I have often thought with my selfe that as these men have beene the Cheife exciters unto and promoters of this unnaturall Rebellion so perhaps the Providence of God hath ordered that the discovery of them must be the meanes to appease the storme we see fighting doth but increase the fire happily 't is writeing which may quench the flame and therefore I wish with my soule that every conscientious and faithfull Minister where ever he lives would make it his sole worke to detect these men for the recovery of the seduced out of their snares and to vindicate Gods holy word from their abuses of it And the blessing of God rest upon the spirit of the Author of that booke Against Resisting the Lawfull Magistrate under colour of Religion who hath in the same most learnedly and religiously vindicated some other texts of Scripture from the misinterpretation and abuses of Master Stephen Marshall in particular Surely we all owe this duty to Christ and to our King we must shew our valour and courage in our place and callings as well as others doe we in our way as they in theirs the feare of the prevailing Rebellâ— in any place should no whit dâ—unâ— us for if our faith and zeale in the service of our Saviour whose Ministers we are and of our Soveraigne to whom we have sworne Allegiance should be awed with the power or malice of any rising foe we should â—hew our selves most unworthy of Christs favour or of the Kings protection our daies are all numbred in Gods Holy Booke and 't is too great a degeneration both from our Religion from our Ministry and from the Nature of true Englishmen to thinke to purchase a spanne of time at so deare a rate as for feare of any mortall creatures in the expence of our Talents aut Deo aut patria aut patri patriae deesse to be failing in our duties to God to our King or to our Country We We are they that are intrusted with Gods Holy truths we are they that must answer it to the Iudge of Heaven and Earth if by our silence we suffer his Holy Gospell to be scandalized or abused We have some advantages me thinke to incourage us which our Predecessours the Martyrs and Witnesse-bearers of Christs truth scarce ever had 1. Never was there so cleare a truth so ancient so generally acknowledged by all Christians in all ages upon the stage of persecution as this is which we are called to maintaine the Doctrine of faith in God and of Obedience unto Princes which alone indeed makes Christians and Christian Religion to differ from all other people and Religions in the world if we let this Doctrine goe then farewell the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and assuredly to deprive the land of that is the thing which the Devill aimes at by these men whom he makes his instruments to restore Popery in this Kingdome and to heale up those deadly wounds which the Beast hath formerly received by many of our Reverend Bishops and grave Divines 2. Never had any of our Predecessours such Honourable Associates in persecution as we have our King and Soveraigne the most illustrious defender of Christs faith the most Noble and Holy Christian upon the earth is under the same burden of persecution with us for our bloudy Domitians scorne to spend their time onely