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
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
peradventure that Consideration might have been as a Bridle to have restrained them viz. the outward just disgraceing and due deserved publique vilifying of their Reputations and Persons after the pestilent Perpetration of such Treacherie though never so eminent in the eyes and esteeme of others before the Discoverie the inward discontentments and vexations of Minde deeply wounding themselves with the unappeaseable Horrour of their guilty Consciences which will continually gripe gnaw and terrifie them unlesse they be cauterized but most of all the everlasting Damnation of both their Bodies and Soules for ever to the darke and unconceiveable tormenting Pit of eternall Perdition the which without true Repentance will at the last Judgement day certainly be their Portion Oh! that such guilty Persons had timely layd to heart even in those their daies the Felicity of Fidelity and the Misery of Treachery so might they faithfully have performed their loyall Promises which might have conduced to their owne both Temporall and Eternall Peace but woe and alas the former of these is to them already past and God grant the latter be not too late I shall not censuring charitably doome such guilty Persons being Selfe-servers for such their treacherous black-Workes to the Land of Eternall Darkenesse for so to doe farre transcends both the Power and Knowledge of any Mortall but I will speake both of them and to them by way of Interrogation for their present Convincement and future Animadversion What could seeming-loyall Subjects deale thus disloyally with their King Did He preferre them to honourable Places above others depending upon their Fidelitie and have they requited His loving Kindnesse with no lesse then damnable Treacherie Were they so farre intrusted by Him and have they dealt thus deceitfully with Him Did they pretend themselves as faithfull Friends to helpe Him and have they proved His perfidious Enemies for to hurt Him Oh treacherous Dealing This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed Simulatio ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Occultatio judicii Malum sub specie boni celatum It is Iniquitie in a Mysterie even masked Vngodlinesse a Thes 2.7 Et dum non cognoscitur non cavetur and being in their blacke Breasts not descried it could not be declined The which treacherous Iniquitie being most detestable abominable and double Impietie cryeth aloud in the Eares of God for Vengeance to fall upon the pernitious Perpetrators thereof I greatly tremble at the serious Consideration hereof and therefore let none that are guilty herein falsly flatter themselves in their corrupt hearts with deceitfull hopes of perpetuall Impunity for assuredly such Hypocriticall Treacherous Malefactors for such their Notorious Perfidious and cursed Malefactorship cannot without great Repentance escape the heavy Wrath and just Judgement of the sin-punishing just-revenging righteous God but it will follow after them overtake them and seize upon them to their Destruction Fidelitie and Treacherie are ever at Enmitie they are like two great Warriours in one and the same Heart stisly striving violently opposing and fiercely fighting against each other for Mastery And as they are Heterogenean in Conditions so in like manner as they prevaile they produce contrary Effects viz. Fidelitie Joy and Comfort But Treacherie Sorrow and Terrour As for Example Fidelitie seeketh no Corners but shineth splendidly as the bright Beames of the glorious Sunne in the firmament of Heaven at Noone-day when he is in his chiefest Brightnesse fullest Splendor and greatest Luster to the great comfort of the Actors thereof and all others concerned therein But Treacherie lyeth in Obscuritie ever fearing the Light and alwaies trembling at the remembrance of the Touch-Stone of Truth the which may not unfitly be compared to that thicke blacke tangible Aegyptian-Darkenesse sent as a Punishment upon Pharaoh for his Disobedience Exod. 10.21.22 The sharpe Smart whereof hath lately beene bitterly felt by too many thousands in this our Kingdome to the great terrour of Conscience to the Committers thereof and sorrowfull utter Ruine of many others thereby Fidelitie desireth heartily though it be to her Hinderance the full performance of that Trust reposed in her but Treacherie laboureth craftily for her owne Advantage to falsifie her Promise to those that intrusted her Fidelitie wisheth lovingly the wel-fare of others as well as her owne but Treacherie endeavoureth secretly but onely for her owne safety not careing for the Ruine of all others Fidelitie being rightly principl'd is syncerely guided by the blessed Spirit of God who is the King of Glory and he sweetly affects her and lovingly leads her in the delightfull and pleasing Paths of Obedience Truth and Righteousnesse and at the End of this World he will certainely remunerate her with the full Fruition of Eternall Happinesse but Treacherie being falsly grounded is corruptly guided by the cursed Spirit of the Devill who is the Prince of Darkenesse and he leads her on blindly in the deceitfull Wayes of Disobedience Errour and Unrighteousnesse and for her sinfull Service he will surely reward her at the End of this mortall Life with the bitter and cursed Wages of Everlasting Death Fidelitie Larke-like rejoyceth at the Light and desireth to be publiquely Exemplary to all others singing praises to God with a comfortable Conscience because her workes are wrought in God but Treacherie Batte-like being an uncleane Bird flyeth not abroad but onely in Darkenesse Lev. 11.19 desiring no Notice to be taken of her for when once the Light approacheth she keepeth her selfe close in a Corner as not daring to appeare in the Light of Truth because her Workes are not wrought in God but onely by the Subtilty Instigation and Power of the Devill Loe thus we evidently see that there is as great an Antipathie Contrarietie Disparitie Difference between FIDELITIE and TREACHERIE as is between Light and Darkenesse Truth and Errour Obedience and Rebellion Peace and Warre Life and Death Heaven and Hell God and Satan So that no marvell although our perplexed Kingdome be at this day so greatly divided having lately had therein the damnable Sinne of Treacherie so frequently practiced Those that have done such treacherous Workes may justly challenge to themselves their due deserved Wages which Workes of Treacherie must have the Wages of Iniquitie the which Saint Paul expresseth in that Theologicall Aphorisme of his to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. ult Death temporall to the Body in this life and without repentance Death eternall to both Body and Soule in the life to come And therefore now as a spirituall Physitian for the speedy and perfect Curing of sicke fore and wounded Englands great Distractions and manifold Distempers my Soule sincerely desireth and Heart also earnestly wisheth as a Christian sensible and sorrowfull Sympathizer of Englands wofull Distresses that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong Omnipotent God would Graciously be pleased in much Mercy and tender Compassion towards this bleeding sinfull English-Nation for to set
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
we need not feare either the raging Malice of Malignant men or the hellish fury of Devouring Devils For the Love of God towards us will be as Armour of proofe for us to defend us against all their bloody malice fierce fury and raging cruelty whereby God shall be glorified our selves preserved and our Enemies confounded So that these Motives seriously considered should stirre us up to labour to become true Members of the Church of Christ I Will close this passage with the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through us we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God And therefore let all those that are as yet in their naturall condition hasten to become true Members of the Church of Christ and speedily Pray for her Peace O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem The Third and Last Use is to exhort us all in Gods feare to use the Meanes to attaine the End for procuring the Churches Peace and that must be by Praying for Her And therefore let us all zealously labour by our hearty prayers to awake Christ and earnestly intreat him to rebuke the boisterous windes and the raging waves of the turbulent Seas wherein the now distressed Church of Christ amongst us betweene Scilla and Carybdis doth dangerously saile and cause unto her with glory to himselfe and rejoycing to us all a comfortable Calme Mat. 8.26 Whereby also Glory may once againe dwell in our Land And let us not cease to importune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The strongmost mighty God Esay 9.6 to arise in his owne strength and make bare his owne arme on the behalfe of his Church Psal 68.1 and to scatter abroad all her enemies And to infatuate the Counsels blast the Designes and confound the Enterprises of all those malevolent spirited Persons that are Enemies to the Peace of our Church and Kingdome And by the joynt forces of our Prayers together to set upon God with an holy violence that he would be pleased to set on worke his Power his Wisdome and his Goodnesse for the speedy exaltation of his distressed Church and the utter confusion of her implacable Adversaries Yea let us all on her behalfe cry unto God for her Peace prayingly and pray for her Peace cryingly and through the importunity of our uncessant prayers unto God on her behalfe give him no rest untill he be intreated of us and till he repaire and set up our Jerusalem Esa 62.7 the praise of the world And herein let us take the Prophet Jeremy for our Patterne Jer. 9.1 Oh that my head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people And let not our hearts be possessed with blockish Senslesnesse and Stoik Stupidity called by the Phylosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that is averse to our fellow feeling of others calamity and also repugnant to our Christian Charity But if as fellow-feeling Members of the Churches miseries we faithfully and fervently pray for her Peace when she is in Calamity doubtlesse the Lord will be intreated of us and when it shall make most for his glory and her good Rev. 7. ult the Lord will wipe away all teares from her eyes and will give her rest Whereby also to many other of Gods former blessings bestowed upon us this of Peace may be added as one more having thereby as it were our lives given us for a Prey in this time of Warre it might be unto us as a farther ingagement of our humble and dutifull Obedience to carry our selves ever hereafter towards Him as a people preserved by their God And that so we of this English Nation may in sincerity of heart amongst our selves joyfully sing in this our Land that Angelicall Antheme once sang at the birth of our blessed Saviour Glory to God in the highest Luk. 2.14 and on Earth Peace Good will towards Men. The which Glory to thee our heavenly Father we heartily intreat the assistance of thy powerfull Spirit working in us to performe unto thee and blessing of Peace and Good Will amongst our selves we humbly pray thee to bestow upon us that so there may be a blessed and speedy Period to all the present distractions in this our Kingdome and thy blessing of Peace upon thy poor distressed Militant Church in this our Land That we may all with one minde and one mouth rejoycingly say with the blessed Virgin Mary Luk. 1.94 He that is mighty hath done great things for us and holy is his name And also justly say in Confidence and Thankfulnesse with the Prophet David We shall not die Psal 118.17 but live and declare the workes of the Lord. And that both in our Church and Common-wealth Mercy and Truth may lovingly meet and hold together Psa 85.10 and Righteousnesse and Peace sweetly imbrace and kisse each other That the Sonne of righteousnesse may arise Mal. 4.2 and speedily come amongst us with healing in his wings That so the Rents of this divided Kingdome may be closed and the Breaches thereof made up the destroying Angell put up the Sword of thy Justice into the Sheath of thy Mercy that the Sword of vengeance may eate no more flesh nor drinke no more blood in our Land but that the current of Christian English blood may speedily be stopped amongst us Psal 144.14 that there may be no more leading into Captivity no crying nor complaining in our Streetes but that we may all continually keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Ephes 4.3 and joyfully serve thee our gracious God with that willing obedience comfortable alacrity of heart as thou commandest And so we that are thy people and sheepe of thy pasture Ps 79. ult shall give thee thanks for it for ever and will alway be shewing forth thy praise for the same even from generation to generation Heare us and helpe us and heale us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name who art the God of Peace and for thy deare Sonne his sake who is the Prince of Peace to whom with thine owne Majesty and God the the holy blessed and sanctifying Spirit three Persons and one Eternall Immortall Invisible and onely wise God we ascribe as is most meete of us and of all thy Creatures all honour and glory power praise and majesty might dominion and hearty thanksgiving from this time forth for evermore AMEN Deo Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto omnis Laus Gloria in Seculo FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Diabolicall sinne of Hypocrisie must at the last breake forth be detected And therefore let them not be deceived for God cannot be mocked as they sow so shall they reape their seed-time wherein they sow nothing but the seedes of wickednesse is in this life and their harvest shall be in the end of this life in the land of everlasting darknesse for the Hypocrites portion shall be in utter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 24. ult 3. Those that are Schismaticks who separate themselves from the Church of Christ Against all such persons of that dangerous Brood S. Paul gave in one verse a Three-fold Caveat to his Philippians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.2 The first the Apostle termeth Dogs The Second Evill-Workers And the Third the Concision 1. By Dogs is meant those who barke against the truth of Christ for lucre sake And hence it is that there is such a Deluge of Errours at this day flowing in the Church viz. the splendor glittering shew of Balaks gold which hath not onely dimmed but also blinded the avaricious eyes of the bastard brood of corrupt-hearted Balaams and against the light of their knowledge turned their Consciences into covetousnesse answerable to that true saying of Virgil the Heathen Poet O sacra auri fames quid non mortalia pectora cogis O cursed desire of gold what mischiefe is it but for the love of thee thou forcest man to attempt it Whereby they are not onely fitted to worke their owne sinfull ends by sinister meanes but also eagerly exercised as every opportunity is offered in speaking both privately and publiquely those things though never so pernicious to the soules of their Auditors that shall conduce to their worldly Advantage and helpe to their expected and greedy-wished-for wages for the satisfying of their unlimited and avaricious desires Who serve not the Lord Jesus but their owne bellies whose glory will turne to their shame minding as they doe nothing but earthly things Phil. 3.19 The approach of which Medusa's head being Demas-like avariciously affected in this declining Age of the World 2 Tim. 4.10 wherein the people are as desirous of Novelty as subject to Discontent the world hath suffered a fearfull and fatall Metamorphosis and justly may wonder to finde her selfe so great and grosse a Changeling but politique Hypocrisie accounting Gaine to be Godlinesse is a building which hath but a lubricall sandie and slippery foundation and therefore with terrour to her co-operating Agents and comfort to her over-oppressed Patients she cannot promise to her selfe and her viperous Brood any certainty of long continuance although her deceitfull and pestilent Agents are never so Active The which pernicious practice of those pragmaticall and pestilent Impostors may not unfitly allude to those late upstart factious pedanticall Novelists who pretend to the world they are sufficiently gifted to be Teachers of others and that they also are the onely able Orthodox and powerfull Preachers of these latter Times and yet they are not able to read the Texts of the Old and New Testaments in those Languages wherein God by his Prophets and Apostles Originally spake to his Church wherein is contained the infallible Demonstration of the holy Scriptures Such ignorant Pedants not knowing what they speak or whereof they affirme must of necessity build their Christian Faith if they have any upon the judgements and opinions of other men as not being able themselves for to discerne betweene Truth and Error 1 Cor. 2.14 And yet notwithstanding they often speake swelling words being vainely puft up with their fleshly minds Who partly out of their Pride or Malice or Covetousnesse or Ignorance or some other as great or greater sins moving them teach desperately erroneous Doctrines to corrupt the minds of their itching-ear'd-hearers and divulge the brain-sick devices of male-contented factious persons which onely tickle their all-hearing Auditors itching eares but worke no saving grace in their hearts mixing with the limpid and pure waters of Life the putrified dregs and polluted schismaticall and foule corruptions of their owne filthy and deceitfull factions turning the heavenly sweetnesse of Truths infallible and plaine direction into the hellish bitternesse of hereticall expressions and erroneous Confusion Thereby causing their seduced Proselites to wander from the direct and true paths of Gods Commandements leading to Heaven and Salvation into the devious and by-paths of cursed sinne and infectious wickednesse walking blindly in the broad way leading to the wide gate going downe to the darke and uncomfortable lodgings of Death Isa 30. ult and terrible Tophet of Perdition 2. By Evill-workers those that make their whole life a trade of sinning whose sole practice is to doe nothing but evill and are also ever plotting mischiefe against the Church of Christ As was the practice of Cain against Abel Gen. 4. Esau against Jacob. Gen. 27. Pharaoh against the Israelites Exod. 14. Saul against David 1 Sam. 23. Benhâ—dad against Jehoshaphat 1 King 22. Senacherib against Hezekiah 2 King 19. Haman against the Jewes Esther 3. The Jewes against our blessed Saviour Christ Jesus Mat. 26. Also Nero Domitian Trajan Adrian Anthony Dioclesian divers other malignant Emperours against the zealous and religious Christians in the tender Ages of the Christian Church Loe thus there hath been even from the beginning inveterate hatred in the Church Malignant against the Church Militant the which Malignity even as a Gangrene or Leprosie hath pernitiously spread it selfe so far abroad into the world as that we of this English Nation may experimentally at this day with sadnesse of spirit and great griefe of heart justly complaine of the bitter fruits thereof the which hath unhappily produced by the violence of the enraged Sword the late great destruction that hath been in our Land and the present afflicting Distractions that still remaine amongst us Such persons are as opposite to the true Members of Christs Church as Light is to Darknesse Heaven to Hell and God to Satan Yea that cursed Brood of venomous Vipers having their hearts set on fire of Hell are both maliciously minded and bloodily affected whose wisdome is earthly sensuall and devilish Lam. 3.15 exercising their power to the uttermost against the true Members of the Church of Christ nothing regarding to contemne the approved Truth and Peace of the Church 3. By Concision those that make Rents and Divisions in the Church of Christ those Separatists that pluck up the pales and teare up the hedges thereof giving liberty thereby to the subtile Foxes to pluck off her grapes whereby to strip and speedily starve her and the wilde Boare of the Forrest to root her up and utterly destroy her Such as were those over-selfe-conceited arrogant and contemptuous Jewes of whom the Prophet maketh expression Isa 65.5 who said Stand apart come not neere to me for I am holier then thou But Agur the sonne of Jakeh describeth the condition of such insolent spirits Pro. 30.12
There is saith he a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthinesse The which truth will plainly appeare unto us if we looke into their conversations For we shall finde many of them possest with boyling Malice swelling Pride cruell Oppression cursed Covetousnesse swinish Drunkennesse beastly Whoredome abominable and crying sinnes leud and lascivious lives filthy Lusts and fleshly Pleasures Who may not unfitly be compared to the Athenians whom Pantolidas the Ambassadour hearing dispute of Vertue and being demanded how their speeches pleased him He answered Your talke indeed is good but this is greatly to be lamented that talking so well ye live so ill And so in like manner may I say of many such Separatists their words are commendable but their workes condemnable their speeches are glorious but their lives vicious Amply expressing in their vicious lives that Heathen mans complaining Accusation against precise and deceitfull Epicures Qui Curios simulant Bacchanalia vivunt I could willingly wish they might not too truly be termed Pedants condemning and rejecting all opinions which they either understand not or like not Supposing with themselves they have a speciall point of the Spirit and know more then the common sort of people being filled with an enraged folly resolving to reject all opinions and sayings but their owne which they keepe pertinatiously with themselves as Oracles And thus like positive and affirmative Dogmatists they are so wedded to their owne opinions as that they would have all the world to be ruled by their opinionated Lawes and subject themselves to the Scepter of their sayings although they be never so unconformable and inorthodoxall God in mercy to us of this English Nation prevent our Christian Kingdome from being involved by such turbulent Spirits into a new Chaos of spirituall Darknesse Combustion and Confusion For when once such pestilent over-selfe-conceited Church-renting Hypocrites have palliated themselves with the Cloake of fained puritie by the externall profession of Religion and masked their impudent faces with the Vizor of seeming Sanctitie and anointed their fraudulent tongues with the oyle of smoothing Flatterie whereby they can deceitfully expresse themselves in Saint-like Discourses speaking lyes in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4.2 whereby to delude ignorant persons Loe then they can cunningly like the Scribes and Pharisees under the colour of long prayers devoure widdows houses Mat. 23.14 And are in a Capacitie to Creepe into houses and lead Captive sillie women laden with sinnes led away with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3.6 Yea if it were possible to deceive the very Elect Mat. 24.24 but that their names are written in heaven Luk. 10.20 and the foundation of God which is the Election of his Children remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 Loe thus they seeme externally to the World like harmlesse Sheep but they are internally to the Church Mat. 7.15 ravenous Wolves They appeare extrinsecally like innocent Lambes but they are intrinsecally devouring Lyons Foris Catones Intus Nerones Grave Cato's without but Cruell Nero's within They have Jacobs voice but Esaus heart and hands They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men of double mindes having a heart and a heart to comply both with persons and times for their own advantage as all occasions are offered swimming like Fishes with the streame and steering all their courses and passages temporizingly suitable to the present times Shifting their Sailes with the turning of every wind and sowing satisfactory pleasing Pillowes under godlesse gracelesse and wicked mens Elbowes Resembling those four hundred flattering falfe temporizing Prophets 1 King 18.19 who were not onely invited but also advanced to Jezables table Such Ambidexters playing with both hands They are like Janus with his two faces who looketh both before and behind They are like those Israelites who speak both Ashdod and Hebrew Nehe. 13.24 They are like the Barnacles who are both flesh and fish They are like Balaam Num. 23.25 who doth both blesse and curse They are like Tullie amongst the Romances who could not for the present fully perswade himself whether he should take part with Cesar or Pompey They are like Tytides amongst the Grecians who could not resolve whether he should adhere to Achilles or Hector They are like the Tribe of Ephraim amongst the Jewes which was as a cake upon the harth not turned Hos 7.8 baked on the one side but raw on the other They are like the Church of Laodicea amongst the Gentilos which was neither hot nor cold Rev. 3.15 And therefore as lukewarme-water offensive to the stomack and incident to be spewed out of the mouth of Christ They are like the Ostriches which have wings to flie but never doe flie pretending that to be in their deceitfull heads and hearts which they have neither purpose nor ability to performe They are like the Beasts of Ethiopia called Nabes or Camelopardales whose heads resemble the Camell their necks the Horse their legs and feet the Oxe and their spots the Tiger Fronti nulla fides They are like the Herbe Moli whose flower as the Herbalist reporteth is as white as milke but the root thereof as black as inke They are not in practice much unlike the Cameleon or fish Polypus who change themselves into variety of Colours or like to Protheus Metamorphosing themselves into diverse formes of whom it was said Formas se vertit in omnes he turned himself into all fashions Yea they imitate those out-side persons who have musked mouthes but stinking breathes whose words and wayes are like the Hermites breath wherewith he both warmeth his fingers and cooleth his broth And thus have I as briefly as I could both truly and plainly deciphered unto you the both dissembling and cursed condition of such Church-lacerating Hypocrites who when they are so deceitfully furnished and wickedly qualified loe then they have fitted themselves meete to be listed under Satan their infernall Generall the Prince of darknesse 2 Cor. 11.14 who can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light For then they can worke craftily and politiquely as well as fight stoutly and boldly under his Banner of Dissimulation for the enlargement of the hellish Territories of his Kingdome of Darknesse Loe thus the Devills hypocriticall Souldiers serve him as well internally by craft and subtilty as externally by strength corporall ability working mischief every way that lyeth in their power against the holy harmlesse Members of the Church of Christ But let all such Soul-destroying Hypocrites know for their present convincement that true Piety was never pinned upon the sleeve of wordly Policy and that no service can be acceptacle to God but that which is performed with the hearts sincerity But I beseech you mistake me not let me not be accounted an Enemie because I tell you the truth Gal. 4.16 Neither make me that Requitall which the obstinate Jewes did to the Lords Prophet Jeremiah when he justly reproved them for their sinnes Jer. 18.18 Then said they come