had the leading forth and management of all But when that Spirit had done its work and gone as far as it could goe which was to cut downe that Spirit and work that was more unrighteous then it self wherein God owned them and was assistant to them then other work of another and far different Nature appeared unto which this Spirit that had acted so strenuously and successfully all this while did bear no proportion which yet was the end that God had and still hath in his eye as the Crowne and advantage of all that Preparatory dispensation which was frequently in the mouths of many and they called it building work How often was the late Protector while General heard to say If ye have any more rough and breaking work for us to do We are ready but how to build or to lay one stone aright we have no knowledge Now was the time for faith to have been brought into exercise and to have looked up for another Spirit to take the work into its own hands to have resigned and given up to Him which Spirit was amongst us and not improbably was discerned to be growing upon us but men were afraid of it and could not trust themselves with it God ordering things so that it appeared in much weaknesse and unlikelinesse of the flesh and so was despised and rejected by the Builders Many stumbling blocks also of strange Spirits and principles being permitted to come forth with it so that then had been the time for men to have thought seriously of that Commonition of our Saviour Blessed is he that is not offended in me This work was the work of God which he hath been carrying on through all ages even the setting up his Son upon his holy hill of Sion This was that which God did but justly expect at our hands That he having subdued all our enemies for us and broken and put down all powers that stood in the way we should according to our many foregoing seeming promises and professions have acknowledged these Nations to be his and have given them up to be ruled and governed by him and this Rule must have been given forth and when ever it appears it shall proceed out of Sion from the Lords own Spirit in his poor broken Crucified ones whose earthly wisdom is brought into subjection by the Crosse of Christ to the Heavenly wisdom which is foolishness with the world whose weapons are not carnal but spiritual mighty through God The wisdom that is from above which is first pure then peaceable gentle easy to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie But the Master-builders reject this corner-stone and thinking scorn to deliver up the work to this Spirit and to be out at any thing though never so hard and difficult having had the Van all this while they could not fall in the Rear having had the guardianship of the Heir they were loath to part with it and to set up their younger Brother Must our sheaves bow to His Therefore they take up a Manly resolution having some convictions upon them of the right that Christ hath to the Kingdom 's of this World they could not down right deny him and therefore in part admitting his title they are only sollicitous to have as great a share with him as may be and therefore they will blunder upon the work as well as they may and they will square and model out the Government of Christ for him and so they call a number of Persons together of all sorts of judgments and interests which they chose with as much discretion as they had of such as were most likely to be friendly to this Mongrel Idea of a Kingdom partly Christs and partly this Worlds This so far as man can guels was the very Constitution of the thoughts and designs of the late Protector in Calling the little Assembly after the dissolution of the Long Parliament wherein he was upon this advantage with many honest people That he undertook this business not till such time as the forementioned Spirit and interest of Christ had been very much rejected and hardly intreated by the Builders in Parliament who had troubled some honest men and threatned a further storm upon tender Consciences What claim the Lord Jesus did then lay to the Government of these Nations in the very heart and conscience of the then Protector His Speech to that Assembly some passages whereof have been since quoted by others may testifie and how it was entertained the sequel will shew For though this Heterogeneous mixt Assembly were not found of wisdom and moderation sufficient to manage things according to the Platform in the head of the Designers yet they served to give the Protector a colourable ground and advantage to reject the thoughts of the Kingdom of Christ or the Rule of Saints having now tryed them and found such an improportionateness in them to such a work which some say was that which was sought and designed by him in the beginning We need not be so uncharitable to surmize that it is enough and too much that there was that ready and at hand to lay hold on this advantage to put Christ by the Throne as unfit to sit there And now having taken this offence without any remorse or regret of mind that generation of men turn their backs upon the the Kingdom of Christ and usurp the Grant of a longer Lease for a Kingdom of this World The Heir is an Idiot and He must have a Guardian a Protector Here was the first stone of Jericho laid again Now did they set themselves from that very day to build again the things they had destroyed How far and how fast the World recovered again after this in the space of five years I think can hardly be paralell'd by the Declensions of any time though some were to the last so * Of which number the Author confesseth himself to be one foolish as to hope the Protector did but put on a Disguise in all these Complyances with worldly Interest and that he would when he saw his opportunity throw off this Mantle and come forth in his own true Spirit which was hoped was to exalt Jesus Christ in the head of all If therefore it be demanded why we did not lift up our voice sooner and restify against this Apostacy in the life-time of his late Highnes The Answer is ready That with great longsuffering we did wait hoping better things looking ever when the Scene would change especially in every Crisis of Affairs the Lord hiding these dark Counsels from many untill the event and issue declared them of what sort they were But now God hath made them so manifest that he that runs may read and it is that which is due to his works to take notice of them and to sanctifie his Name which is holy in them Object But if the Kingdome of Christ was indeed at the door and come to the
Land that want bread are numerous 3. Kingly Government is a kind of Scourge and at best an allay of the freedome of a people a sacred thing esteem'd of difficult accesse Idolatrously adored an occasion of great superfluity excesse and vanity unsuitable to this day that is upon us and lastly makes the Person too stour and haughty to fall under the reproofs of the poor mean servants of Christ that come to them onely in the name of the Lord and so exalts their hearts to their own destruction in the end and the people's smart in the mean time 4. The Kings of Judah were Types but Types are Ceased Kingship is now to be preserved in the Person of Christ He will administer it in Truth in the truth of his own righteous and royal spirit not in figure and shadow through pitiful poor base men servants of lusts The poorest Saint that Cobbles under a Stall hath more of true Majesty and is more a King then the greatest Prince among them that is under the power of lust in his own soul I might give many other Reasons as the Impolitiquenesse of it to make a Family-quarrel the unsafeness of it for the person or family we should so set up But I leave politiques to Statesmen I am chiefly exercised in the Conscience of the thing The like I say for Lords I am not against Lords simply But they are thrown out It concerns us to consider by what hand and on what grounds before we admit them again If they were unnecessary and hinderful of our Cause and proceedings either we have altered our Cause or they are so still It was not the Persons we animadverted against but the Power How unrighteous is it if our Judgments be altered of the Power to place it in New Persons when many of the Ancient Peers are yet living as deserving as the New Is not this the way to breed a quarrel between Peers and Peers as between King and King 2. Walk not in the way of the Gentiles The Judgment of God made Kings Kings made Lords They were onely to help the King to inslave the people What people that had their choice would set up either Lords without Lands can do no more service for God nor their Country then other men 3. I am not against a Distinction of Ranks of men Variety is the beauty of the universe and an exercise of Vertue Where would bounty and humility be if there were not Rich And where were patience and contentation of mind if there were not mean men I would have every one have their Rights no industrious men want all honest men free I would not affectedly set up mean men against the wealthy nor would Itye wisdome and understanding to men of Estate Liberal and generous Education is a good quality but let it not go alone in the choice of men to rule but look for the spirit of Government 4. It is far from me to Monopolize or ingrosse in my judgment the priviledges and advantages of that Righteous Kingdome which God is setting up over the Earth to Saints onely which shall be shared among all that submit to it and oppose it not so far as they are Capable much lesse do I reckon of Saintship by any form of words that men expresse themselves in And though I dare not abett all that are zealous for this Cause for Saints yet I must professe my faith is shaken concerning those that desert it and it is an argument of some more Noble if not divine thing in men through all Shocks of temptations on the one hand and the other to preserve their Integrity And this I am perswaded As many have bin already shaken off as untimely figgs so few or none will hold out with this good Cause to the end but those that are of an Incorruptible seed whom therefore I shall desire to know by their fruits and judge of them according to their works 5. And as I am not able to say but a spirit of righteous Government as to things between man and man may be found in some who are not Saints upon the Strictest account of regeneration who may therefore for ought I know have the exercise of their talent allowed them even in the Kingdom of Christ subjecting that Rule of theirs in due subserviency to the spirit Spiritual affaires so can I not on the other hand admitt that to be the proper Rule and Government of Christ be it exercised by whomsoever though the Highest Professors in Religion and on never so high an account that is contrary to the light of Scripture rightly understood or the light of incorrupt Reason in any sort of men The Demonstration of the spirit and the righteousness of that Kingdome justifying its self undeniably to the conscience of the natural man in things that are under his Judgment as well as to the spiritual Christian in things which are proper to his discerning So as there is no Arbitrariness here in this Kingdome but all by Rule and that Rule is so clear and undenyable as nothing can rise up against it in any mans conscience Lastly I desire I may be believed that I have not bin led by any prejudice against his present Highnesse in this Testimony which I bear who as He hath not by any Publique Act of his Government disobliged any that I know of so by his affability and Courtesie wins upon all if any private passages have not bin so to the Rule I would not mention them because I would not multiply them As the Place he is in sought him not he it so I desire He may lay it and himself at the feet of Christ to dispose of him and his Interest as may be most for his glory So is he sure not to be layd-by dishonourably if any could have a heart or stomach so to do Christ himself must give up the Kingdome to God and so must all Rulers and Potentates unto Christ else Wo be to them THE Cause of God AND Of these Nations CHAP. I. Of the deplorable Estate of the Nation at this day after so fair advantages as were put into our hands IT is a certain truth No man is made unhappy but by his own choice God hath not bin wanting to let us find that all the power of our enemies either at home or abroad could not destroy us while we had hearts and were watchfull to use the means to preserve our seivs confidence in men and distrust in God commonly go together and are much of like dangerous Issue and Consequence We have lost more in this seven years Peace by trusting too much to a friend then we did in all our twelve years war while we conflicted with hoasts of enemies inasmuch as we have been still losing our liberty by little and little which all the time of the wars we went on gaining more and more and if we get no more by losing him but resolution to take up our trust we shall be confiderable
gainers I am I confesse so much a Leveller that in this corrupt state of mens principles and minds corruptible at the best it is safer for Laws to govern than Men. Not but that that blessed day of the Lord 's own righteous Reign may be neerer the dawning upon us than perhaps the present dark and cloudy complexion of our thoughts and affairs would seem to hold forth Therefore I would not have the door of a lively expectation shut against our Lord's appearing as I would not that in the mean time though we knew He were to come to morrow we should throw away our Reason and put out our Lights as men and despise those liberties he hath given us as advantages for our serving of him The late violent turns and changes that have befallen this poor Commonwealth since our Arms rested from the common enemy have to my apprehension lookt more like the Trumpets in the Apocalypse that with gallantry and state brought in Corruption than the Vials that work it out These pour not forth themselves at once with observation but leisurely and secretly wast and consume long-rooted Usurpations And all that either the Civil or Military power hath to do is but to maintain us in peace and freedom that so we may attend unto that Light of God which according to the prophecies of Scripture is breaking forth which will certainly undermine and destroy the State Anti-christian as well as the Church Anti christian for there is both and both shall be destroyed with the Spirit of Christ's mouth and the brightnesse of his Appearing And without his appointment it will never be done by secular Sword or Arm. When I say The Powers are to maintain our peace and freedom I am aware what I say and that it implyes We were in the possession of them and indeed so we were and they were given us of God If it be demanded when we were so and wherein it appeared I answer When our Arms were victorious over all our enemies in the field which was not till after Worcester fight Then was there nothing in our way visibly but Mercy and Truth Righteousnesse and Peace might have embraced each other The Enemy was subdued in England before that but there was a remnant of him in Scotland and Ireland And then the Rent that was made among us by the taking off the King weakned the honest Interest much as the Action it self gave opportunity to the ambitious aspirings and designs of some when that place was empty to get into it at least wise such jealousies there were Perhaps when that action shall be reveiw'd by us in Cooler Spirits we may see Cause to acknowledge that the King was not so ripe for the Capital Justice of man in those passive Circumstances wherein he then stood as a Prisoner of War till he had forfeited the security we might have laid upon him I am sure our Eager policy in that Action for self-preservation hath little succeded or answered our desires However the sickle of Divine Justice cutting him down it was not adviseable for honest men when they had discharged their judgments and consciences in a saithful testimony to divide thereupon But notwithstanding this breach we were again as I said upon fair advantages after the Battle at Worcester when nothing was wanting but a Spirit and wisdome to manage so great an opportunity A time like that of Augustus Caesar When our Saviour was born all the World was quiet So was all our little world for the Saviour to be born into it the 2d time Tyrants both in Church and State expel'd their Armyes vanquisht The Nations like wax ready to receive any good and righteous impression yea the Parliament it self expecting what good thing would be required of them to do having power to refuse nothing should have bin demanded The Lawyers quaked the formal Clergy were down in the Mouth the Malignant trembled the loose Nobility and Gentry lookt pale All men were frighted into a fear and awe of God and the hearts and expectations of all good men were up exceedingly But wherefore is a price put into the hand of a fool when there is no heart Now was the time that God said unto us as once unto Israel Go up and possesse the Land which I have sworn that I would give you Go fill the Land with Righteousnesse plant my Name and my Truth there Drive out all profannesse unmercifulnesse injustice oppression ease the burdens break the yokes relieve the necessities of my people stamp my Image upon the Nation consecrate it to me whatever thing in your minds that is honest and just and good and merciful bring it forth and fear not for the Lord your God which goeth before you He shall fight for you according to all that He did for you in Egypt He that brought you up from under Regal Tyranny and Episcopal domination that hath vanquished the Enemy in the three Nations before you and all their formidable hosts He is with you 4. This was the possessing of the Land which the Lord called his people then unto Even to fill the seats of Judicature and all places and things with the presence of God not to satisfie our selves to possesse the King's and Bishops Lands and Deane and Chapters Lands or rather to be possessed by them All men must here needs understand that I charge the Army And indeed I do so though not them alone but many of the then Parliament who took a new scent of the Honors promotions and Advantages of those whom God had cast out before them and lost the scent of the Cause yea and many of the zealous people of the Nation too were taken off by these things These were the Moabitish snares that inveigled the Princes And what hath followed thereupon is sad to behold at this day We having lost in a manner all that we had got and being relapst deeper into bondage then heretofore in the Kings time He is not an Englishman that doth not bleed to see how since that Liberty is lost Property expos'd to Arbitrary Lust and Will The Publique Cause and Interest laid-by A Private Cause and Interest set up Men sworn to it Judged by it not only as to liberty and livelyhood Officers being Casher'd the Army and others put out of Places of Trust but some put to death for not preferring it before the publique Malignants countenanced and taken into favour occasion given to the formal yea the profane spirit to lift up its head while publique spirits and the precious of the Land were discouraged yea that very spirit whereby our Cause rose and obtain'd so far lookt upon as an Enemy and watcht over with a jealous eye Tryers set up to keep it out of the Pulpit good Justices removed and the old spirit of the Gentry brought in play again worldly greatnesse again affected by those that sometime seemed to set their face another way The burdensome pompe and vanity of a Court again revived