object mortall short-breathed and short-lived alas what waking dreames are honour beauty friends c Nay you shall find it non-satisfactory all the excellencies under the sun leave the soule to complaints of vanity and vexing and lastly you shall find it but partially not universally good Why will you lay out your money for that which is not bread all these things will but prove gravel under your teeth When David had reckoned mercies not a few he sayes upon the totall I will love thee dearly O Lord my strength I beseech you bethink your selves this day what lesse can you do then kisse the hand that hath preserved you Love climbes after more union with the object would you not be neerer to him who hath made such approaches and addresses to you that who so beholds not with wonder and joy is either stupid or envious Therefore O love the Lord yee his Saints 5. Love is an obliging affection and drawes forth much of God continually to the creature when the Lord by his servant Moses charged that people to love the Lord their God with all their heart and all their might he will fill up all the rest with heaps of promises of what he would doe for them enemies of all sorts should be subdued mercies of all kinds should be brought in deliverances preservations protections illuminations and what not Hosea seemes to delight to particularize the joyncture Gods people shall have in this case And it shall come to passe that I will heare saith the Lord I will heare the heavens and they shall beare the earth and the earth shall heare the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall beare Jezreel and I will sow her unto me on the earth and I will have mercy on them that had not obtained mercy and I will say unto them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God And if that bee too little I will be as the dew unto Israel hee shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the olive tree and his smell as Lebanon they that dwell under his shadow shall return c. Nothing can greaten a Nation as this nothing can maintaine what you have gotten but this and you will find Non minor est virtus quam querere parta tueri Therefore O love the Lord ye that feel mercy 6. You shall find that this is a strong and powerfull I was about to say omnipotent affection Much water cannot quench love it is strong as the grave If Paul would give an account of some undertakings he will tell you love carries constraint with it it lessens difficulties answers hard questions removes impediments over-powers feares cares doubts dangers makes wash-way of all Upon this the Apostle throwes the gantlet of famine want persecution principalities powers above beneath nay it will wait and serve in heats and colds as Jacob for Rachel I must professe Excellent Senators I know not how you will continue your wearying toyling incessant travels but by this cordiall it is this onely can oyle your wheeles and cheere your hearts pay you your wages after all expences of time estates spirits If a stranger should look upon your travels the bread of carefulnesse you eat your early risings long sittings late goings to bed can you give account of any thing but That you love Truly I know nothing so heavie but love can lift nothing so high but it can reach nothing so deep but it can fathom Love to this Cause I would rather say to this God hath quieted your Army often drawn out the deepest bloud of many emptied the purses of the rich drawn forth the teares of the poor and their sighes to heaven when they could doe no more Union with God the end of this love is the issue of all our labours Therefore O love the Lord yee that feel mercy But you may ask wherein it consists or how would I desire this affection should be manifested I answer 1. There is a love in imitation and indeed those we love most we make our copies to write after Then he pleased to mind the Text again He preserveth the faithful and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer there is your pattern imitation calls upon you to preserve the faithful to reward the proud doer And these two look like the main interests of this State the former a revereÌ„d brother under that name hath commended unto you worthily I am bold to adde the latter to it For if you hear Polititians abroad what they say even Roan to Richlien they tell us of this double interest which some think expired with Queen 〈◊〉 viz. that Wee should have continued the patrons of the Protestant cause as the King of Spain of the Catholique and so have preserved the faithfull which Germany and Rochel would have thanked us for And secondly We should have rewarded the proud i. e. kept our war at a distance even where shee left us ingaged and by this time it may be we might have dried up Eâ—â—phraâ—es I mean possest the whole West-Indies which with little time and help from these parts may bâ— accomplished The words that follow in that Treatise are That England is a great Animal and cannot be destroyed but by it selfe which injury we are still as likely to put upon our selves as any people in the world One Chapter in Amos hath bred me some sad thoughts of heart where he 〈◊〉 you of two Visions the one of G 〈…〉 ppers that devoured every greene thing which made the Prophet cry out By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small and those Caterpillers were swept away The other Vision was a contention by fire for which he useth the same prayer By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small It seems contentions yea fiery contentions may lay a State as low as Caterpillers the Lord sprinkle the bloud of his Son upon this fire and quench it 〈◊〉 Doubtlesse much love of imitation will be shewed to God in recovering these two Interests abroad and if I might not be thought a designer I wish it at home Why should not the faithfull be preserved For the love of God doe it I speake not for my selfe for with Simeon I could even desire to depart in peace now mine eyes have seen so much of the Salvation of God Nor do I bring any Petition from your Army they never have nor ever will be burden some to you by Petitions but since you have trusted them with your own lives and estates they are contented willingly to trust you again with their libertiâ—â— It brings to minde that issue of a Combate whereof Livie is the reporter when the three H 〈…〉 i and the three 〈◊〉 had by the sword decided the quarrell betwixt the 〈◊〉 and their enemies and only one Hâ—â—arius survived 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ning met his sister the wise of one
for their and your patience towards my selfe in hearing what I now present for which I humbly crave favour of them and you for some inlargements being then pent into much narrownesse in regard of the time and the rather because I strove to sute your expressions of respect and love to them who deserve so much from your selves and the Christian World How I have been represented unto you and others by printings or otherwise shall not fill up this paper I must reserve to some other way which shortly I shall doe God willing but in the mean time and ever doe professe my constant respect to and esteem of this Citie from your first compliance to the great Counsel of this Kingdome that I have left remembrances of you in forren parts and without flattery do think this City one of the best peeces of ground in the World I am sorry I caus'd any unexpected smiles in my zeal for your further conjunction with the Head and Heart of this Nation If I commended you as a good portion he did not well that thought it ridiculous nor do I think you too good a portion for those I wooed you unto You know me and your wisdoms know how to make allowance to my zeal They have a strong appetite to quarrel that are offended at expedients presented against future quarrelling My sighs to God for you are these That you may still move with faithfulnesse in your own Orbe That you remember you and yours live in a Parliament That you are made wealthy for others not your selves alone That you would not make Opinions your Interest which are changeable but Godlinesse and Faithfulnesse That you would rather punish known sins shew mercy to the poor a known duty maintain Civil peace look to your City-priviledges rather then lose your selves in doubtful questions I must remember you that I have heard many of you wish for such a Parliament and such an Army Own your own desires and be assured your constant concurrence with our great Counsel will not onely be your present safety but strength to posterity Beleeve it a now suspected party in the Kingdom have no further designe then your and the Liberty of the Nation from Bondage who deserve your love not your displeasure The God of all grace be with your spirits and help you to love him who hath kept you in the midst of your relations and comforts whilest so many thousands have fallen on the one hand and the other of you May your souls prosper under the abundance of rich means you enjoy May your examples for wisdom piety faithfulnesse love to the Lord Jesus and his Saints provoke the next Generation to glorious things These are the desires and heartie breathings of My Lord and Gentlemen Yours in any service for Christ Hu. PETER To my truly Honorable and Faithful General Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX SIR ONe of the greatest comforts I have bad in this world next to the grace of God in Christ to my poor soul hath been to be a Member of your Army and a Spectator of his presence with you and it What others doe I know not but it is my duty to return to my work and to meet you again which I am bold to doe with this simple present I know your minde who must not will not be flatter'd nor am I skilful in that mystery I have seen you upon Earth and doubt not but to meet you triumphing in Heaven I onely must crave leave to speak your own words That your great experiences of Gods power and mercy have made strong obligation upon you to love him and the Saints which I have seen you doe impartially you have made it your interest and now finde you are not deceived The God of all your unparallel'd mercy dwell in that thriving soul of yours strengthen you throughout to the compleating of this great Work yea Serus in coelum redeas diuque Laetus intersis populo Britanno For my self if it be worth your acceptance I am resolved to live and die in your and the Kingdoms service and as you have obliged three Kingdomes to you and many thousands of Saints so none of them more to honour you then SIR Your ever faithful servant in Christ HUGH PETERS A Sermon preached before the Honourable Houses of PARLIAMENT the LORD MAIOR and ALDERMEN of the City of London and the Assembly for the glorious Successe it pleased God to give our Army in dissolving 5000 of the Kings Horse and reducing Cornwal and neer all the West PSAL. 31. 23. Love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer THe little time left for this Work must be improved to the best advantage and therefore though we must be beholden to the Neighbourhood of the words before and after the Text yet we shall forbear to speak any thing at all of the whole Book of Psalms and no more then neds of this It is easily agreed that this Psalm is 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1. His Prayer you have to the twentieth Verse and therein 1. His desires for his own safety to the 18. 2. His request tending to the ruine of his enemies in the two following Verses 2. His Praises in the 21 and 22 Verses which are 1. Either {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for all 2. Or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for himself in special 3. A hortatory Conclusion in the two last Versea O love the Lord all yee his Saints c. In the Text briefly thâ—se two things fall under consideration 1. The Duty Love the Lord and that set out divers wayes By intensivenesse in the Exclamation By the Object and by the universality of those engaged c. But time checks me these with others I can hardly name 2. The Arguments carrying on the Duty 1. Because be preserveth the faithful 2. Because be plenteously rewardeth the proud doer Thus much onely of the Logick of the Text something of the Grammar of it and then shortly to the Divinity and those profitable and seasonable Truths it will afford Some few words are to be attended in the clearing the sense Saints here in the text is or may be read Ye that feel mercies Faithful the word is sometimes taken for persons sometimes things and so the Lord is said to preserve True men and Truths Faithfull men and Faithfulnesses He plenteously rewardeth the proud doer or the Lord rewardeth plenteously The Lord who doth wonderful things Plenteously is either in cumulum abundè or in nepotes as some would have it But I would rather commend then goe about to amend Translations though I could wish some of my learned Brethrens quarrelling hours were rather spent upon clearing the Originals and so conveying 〈◊〉 pure Scripture to posterity then in scratching others with their sharpned
Right honorable and beloved let us a little go back and suppose that some Messenger were come from Bristol when we lost it or suppose you had Jobs messengers one after another and every one crying Luxuriat Britano sanguine pinguis humus Suppose you were againe hearing the story of that sad March out of that City with the breach of all Articles which they are not used unto from us and think your selves sitting as old Eli in expectation of tidings from the Army and what befell us in Cornwal in 1644 were now brought unto you Or if not so far back say that now you were reading the Letters from poor Leicester taken plundered abused beyond president what do you now think of this dayes mercy Do you beleeve what you enjoy to be reall or are you in a dream Remember I beseech you it is not above a yeare since when we had thought to have hung our harps upon willow trees in some strange countries under some strange Printes and there might have been called unto for our-English songâ— Alas how would they have been mingled with teares sighs and grones They say he that in a dark night came over a high bridge onely upon a slight board lying crosse comming the next day to look upon his deliverance could not beare the weight of the mercy but died away in the contemplation The good God give us skill to manage what we do enjoy left our preservation be but a reservation of us to greater calamity But because Generals may either deceive or at least not reach Individuals I shall take leave to present unto you a List of some speciall prints of providence which like floodgates opened may turn every wheele about to the duty of the day I shall but name some your own collection may swell these to a mountain of praises A List of speciall Providences since the breaking out of these Distempers which may provoke others to make up the Catalogue 1 THat this Nation proved so faithfull to our Brethren of Scotland in the time of their first trouble from the Prelates 〈◊〉 thâ—â— the profanest 〈◊〉 souldi 〈…〉 had no heart to that service And to th 〈…〉 I might â—ddâ— their dis 〈…〉 t and honorable comming in and going out the same good Spirit of God direct them still 2 That a Parliament was procured which makes me remember the faithfulnessâ— ofâ— and the hazâ—rds run by our noble Lords Comment Citizens and Ministers 3 That even to wonder Justice was done upon that great man and carried through so many difficulties 4 That the Bishops thrust themselves out by their own Protestation or Remonstrance 5 That the six Members of Parliament were preserved 6 That this City stood in that firmnesse with so much freenesse that the Apprentices and their gallantry will be renowned to after ages 7 That the Sea 〈…〉 who have long been tertible to forreign natio 〈…〉 should close aâ— they did And that the ships Royall were 〈◊〉 in that nick of time for which the State owes much to that Noble man which did it to which I adde the Sea-mens cordiall appearing above the Bridge 8 A That 〈◊〉 Nobles 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ook the leading of your Armies and to look the first dangerâ— in the face The good Lord requite it to them fully 9 Mony and Platâ— the sinâ—wa of your work offered to admiration as if every one had been perswaded of the time when to part with 〈◊〉 10 The standing out of Hull which compared with some other passages might make some think we are delivered against ouâ— wills 11 The discovery of men and their spirits together with the departure of some from us 12 That in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this 〈◊〉 all sorts amongst uâ— have and must confesse they never saw more of God and lesse of man as if he resolved to own your cause 13 The maintaining and relieving Glocester and when there was little shew of an army yet marched in six dayes time when the other party could hardly expect them in six moneths and then it was when our hearts even melted away 14 C 〈…〉 cannot may not be forgotten it was a most seasonable mercy if you remember all circumstances about it 15 The enemy bewildred and divided in their counsels falling short of their hopes especially when they might have come to London they went to Glocester when they might have gone into the associated Counties they will fight at Marston Naseby and others the like 16 The businesse of that great Northern battell full of providences and rich ones 17 Their disappointments by Intelligence or rather the want of it many 18 The new Modelling of the Army and the filling up vacant places in the house of Commons two desperate designes drawing eyes round about us upon this Nation even to amazement by which work I would wish no chiefe Commander should think himself slighted or asperst but eye that change as the Product of unhappy mixtures of some inferiour Officers they that know the Low-Country warre may know how tender they are in mixing Nations and how Brigades are distinguished Civill warre is never soone ended by Souldiers of Fortune and I must here professe without flattery I know none of your Commanders in chiefe but have had their proper Excellencies 19 Lime and Plymouth deserve a story by themselves who so looks upon their works and remembers the power besieging them must say Digitus Dei hic hic it were pitie the instruments preserving them should be forgotten 20 The many things that rendred your last Army so contemptible the evill spirits about this town scorned them as poor skillesse helplesse beardlesse youths their friends trembled and feared to think what God would do by them hardly three strangers in place in the whole army home-bred new-bred souldiers like the choise of David from his sheep in comparison of Eliah Aâ—inedab and Shammah 21 Poor burnt aflicted Taunion twice or thrice relieved and that the first work of the yeare 22 The Kings Letters from Goring taken by the great care of our honest and vigilant Scout Watson the night before Naseby battell whereby the King was wholly disswaded from sighting with us then 23 Lieu. Gen. Cromwell and Col. Roffiter comming in so seasonably to that battell I say seasonably 24 Providence gave us the Kings Cabinet and thereby opened many eyes that before were covered 25 Since which this Army was never foyled hardly a Guard beate up all this yeare no inchantment against Jacob c. 26 The counsell of God leading the Army to Bristoll when it was expected by most we should have gone to the West and the western line so well kept in that juncture it was glorious mercy 27 That all the last summer when Bristol had neer 200 a week died when we entred all the country about infected with the plague our principall Officers even the Lieu. Gen. himself and otherâ— lying within the hearing of their gronts yet upon best inquisition we can heare
work you could not have amended your choise rebus sic stantibus Heraldry did not miscarrie that hath this word for your Chief in his Coat of Honour Fare Fac Say Doe I might adde your Cromwel with many others and know not how to forget our deare Pickering who had as much worth in him as such a parcell of clay could well contain and never left his work till he was called to his account But I forbear Men The LORD hath preserved the faithfull and plenteously rewarded the proud doer And now it will be seasonable to improve what we have said These things are your Honour let not your Duty seem a burden O love the Lord ye his Saints and ye that feel mercy And so I passe in the last place to the first words of my text which will be the reverse or the other side of our present businesse As if the Lord should say Thus and thus I have done for you You have seen the glance of my eye you have seen the smiles of my face what could you desire more that I have not done for you You did but knock and it was opened you sought and found askt and had Go every stage of your latter pilgrimage and tell me if you may not set up a pillar and write upon it Thus far God hath helped us Are not the faithfull preserved and the proud doer rewarded have any of you lost your labour in trusting me and my providence have you not the fulfilling of many prophecies and might you not draw forth more had you more faith Is there any Nobleman here but hath been honorable by me or can he repent of his owning my truth 〈…〉 ath his faithfulnesse proved a burden to him Speak Parliament City Ministery have I not done well by You And me thinks I heare you ecchoing again Lord what would'st thou have from thy servants And I hope you stand as Samuel Lord speak thy servant beares or as Saul after Paul Lord what wouldest thou I should do Yea as he said Da quod jubes jube quid vis David lets you know Gods minde O love the Lord ye his Saints And truly it is one of the hardest skils in the world to use mercy well I remember the old spirit of the Jewes I wish we had never felt it In sad houres they would ever be making great promises and in prosperity they would soon make new gods Beloved I beseech you consider this short duty Love the Lord I will but use a few arguments and then open your duty in the duty and end all 1. I pray consider good Christians how the Lord hath loved you you could never hate him so much as he hath loved you He loved you enemies traitours He loved you unkind to him and cruell to your own soules nay so as he is willing to take the Devils leavingâ— when sin and satan had taken the use of your best strength and time yet he loves wooes and waits yea when you have been proud and scornfull when he had besieged and beleaguered you with love and were loth to hang out the white flag he offers propositions still O love the Lord 2. See if any God be like unto him of all the gods and can doe such wonders at he hath done You remember what Saul said to Davids men in his case If the son of Jesse can give you orchards and vineyards as I can do then follow him If all the Gods of the world can do for you what he hath done can pardon sinne by giving his Son can heale your soules and save them after all Follow them Joshua struck home in that last speech of his I have delivered the Ammonites Hitâ—ites c. into your hand I have sent a hornes before you which drave them out before you even the two Kings of the Ammoni 〈…〉 s c. I have given you a hand for which you did not lab 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and put away the Gods your fathers served on the other side the flood and serve ye the Lord And if it seem evill to serve the Lord then chuse whether you will serve the gods on the other side the flood or the Gods of the Ammonites but as for me and my house I will serve the Lord Apply it to your selves and give me leave again to say therefore O love the Lord ye that feel mercy 3. You may be assured without love neither what you are nor what you do shall please him nay this whole dayes work will prove but a mockage Love will carry all home to heaven and gain acceptance Heare what Christ sayes Thou hast ravished me my sister my spouse with one of thy eyes and that was the eye of love I have many times thought of that of the Apostle giving so much to love even putting all upon love Yea though I gave my body to be burnt and had not love c. yea preferring it in some cases to faith truly it is worth your noting the summe of all is Nothing will passe without Love it is your ticket to passe into Heaven by They cry Wepreacht in thy name But wher 's your Passe did you do it in love to me We cast out Divels but was it in love c. Ah my beloved and honoured in the Lord we have prayed wept fasted feasted fought counselled c. but were all these in love to the Lord Jesus I am bold to say to my learned brethren that they shall find it the distinguishing character in their soule-trade I have seen this yeare some of the Enemy before a Councel of war and some of our own Officers upon some offence I have known both pardoned but here lies the difference the enemy pardoned is gone his pardon was all he lookt for but the other mourning what will this pardon do me good if I should leave this Army from which I know not how to live cheerfully It matters not for my lands saies poor Mephibosheth but I shall live in Davids presence and see his face Love makes way to the bosome of Christ incontinently and layes the soule in a bed of roses It is in all the world like Benjamin to Joseph if you bring Benjamin come and welcome I else look upon you but as Spies If this day all your graces were met to make a glorious flame that might reach heaven you shall find Love must doe two things it must put beauty upon all and perfume all Therefore O love the Lord ye his Saints 4. Let this prevaile that mountains of gold and silver are not desired nor fat bullocks and rams but only an affection Love the Lord If he had desired some greater thing of you as Naamans servants said would you not have done it Indeed you cannot bestow it better nor is there any object you call good can so justly claim it bestow this where you will else you shall find the
of the â—â—raâ—ii and she forgetting her selfe to her brother in language fell also by his hand The Senaâ—e would conâ—â—emn to death this Hora 〈…〉 whose father by the Author speaks to this purpose victoria 〈◊〉 vidistis Quiri 〈…〉 s nunc sub furea inter verbera cruciatus videre potestis I lictor obnuâ—e caput liberatoris hujus urbis colliga manus quae paul◠〈◊〉 â—rinatae imperium populo Romano peporerunt c. Can any man binde those hands which lately armed procured the libertie and safety of the Kingdom This I must take boldnesse to say that if this or the next Age shall bury those faithfull ones it must be either here among the Trophees taken from their enemies or abroad in the Country among the sepulchres of Cavaliers and so they will live when ever they die But I have held you here too long and I refer this head to that interest of England That which concerns the rewarding proud doers as the Lord hath gone before you follow after in his name for truly I fear not all the contentions among us but pride I fear the Mother Mid-wife Nurse of all contention I hear much of difference opinions sects heresies and truly I think they would be lesse if we did not think them so many One errour and but one our Saviour gives caution about and lately I have thought much upon He says Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and if we knew what that leaven were it would helpe us in these fearâ— This I suggest therefore Leaven hath three properties 1. It sowres 2. It tuffenâ— or hardens 3. It swels the lump Therefore that opinion which sowres 〈◊〉 spâ—â—its against their brethren and it may be against Authority that swels them and prides them that hardens them and makes tough and not easily intreated beware of that opinion as of the leaven of the Pharisees Errors in us are like corn in the sowing of it if it lie above ground it may be gathered up again but if plowed in and harrowed lie under the clod there is little hope Whilest Errors lie in the understanding Scripture reason argument time sweetnesse and tendernesse may do much to the curet the danger is when they lie under the will when we shall say we will have what we will or all shall crack with Sampson pull down the two great posts that others may perish though we perish with them Beware of this leaven of the Pharisees You shall ever finde pride the fomenter of differences I beseech you therefore reward the proud doâ—â— and sparâ— not But those opinions that find a soule in a lowly frame and after 〈…〉 ved keep the soule so and carry it to Christ they need not trouble State nor Church I long since learnâ—d if we could 〈◊〉 imagination we might soon cuâ—e tribulation But I proceed 2. It will be love to the Lord if we love him in his dispensations when they have their vicissitudes to love him smiling and love him frowning too to love him sitting upon his knee and love him under his lash too to maintain that Compositi jus fasque animi sanctosque recessus Menâ—is To be mediis tranquillus in undis to say the Lord doth well what ever he doth I will love thee though thou kill me and trust in the cries Joh. This looke like love otherwise your mistakes will be many about the creature and the Creator You are now come upon a new triall the Lord outwrastles the temptation for you You may think now the danger little I pray remember Sisera he took a nap after his lordly dish and a womans hand nailed his head to the ground David thought it no danger to take a nap in an afternoon but there he split his soule and hardly made up againe You may think it looks now like the afternoon of the day to you and as if your work were towards an end mistake not I believe you have seen most of the miracles but are not yet over the red sea or if you were over yet love the Lord in this dispensation lest you be brought to tack about two and forty times in the wildernesse It argues much feeblenesse of spirit to change our affections upon changes of Providence he never loved well nay hardly at all that can love no better yea this you shall finde most true that all backslidings from God spring from the change of our opinions concerning God and these we do often from the varieties of his dealings with us as if he were a better God one year than the other and this is often our folly who can easilier look upon the barks and outsides of things than their insides Because he was a Carpenters son therefore a stumbling block to the Jews they could see no further The glitter and glory of a painted world hath made blind the eyes of many Nor is it a small mistake among men when they keep their thoughts upon present things with neglect of future hence the Psalmist concludes the 107. Psalme Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Now the infide of all was loving kindnesse and the issue of all will be loving kindnesse to the Saints It concerns you therefore to look to your love in storm and calm in war in peace to love the Lord then is to love him in all changes 3. It appears you love him when you are promoting his ends and ayms thus wives love thus faithfull servants love who stand not in shops to sell Apprentices but their Masters wares not advance themselves but him they serve That humble loving John Baptist I must decrease but he must increase and willing he was Christ should have all and that love discovers it self much when you are ready to live in his will not your own that he may have not onely meat drest but as he pleaseth such Worship as he likes such Governments as he takes pleasure in yea when you will be reaching your duty through the fire even to become fooles that you may be wise in his account If the Lord be gainer what if all the world be losers These are my daily sighs to heaven for you all that he may be lifted up who hath held up your heads above the water that you may hear that Euge at your great accompt Come you blessed and faithfull servants enter into your Masters joy And if you ask me what I conceive the Lords great design is in these dayes that you may attend it I answer Doubtlesse it is to pull down all the glory of the world that his Son may be advanced He is now preaching All flesh is grasse you are certainly upon the edge of the fulfilling very great and glorious Prophecies You see the heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the Earth are in Councell Be wise therefore O yee Judges kisse the Son lest be be angry and you
tell me who shall breake that cord it will be stronger then all the Covenants the sons of men can make either nationall or otherwise I am herein the bolder because the cursed world neerer hand and further off are projecting a breach here and some men within this City wals are ridden up and down by Jesuites to perfect this work and feel not their burden Would you go again to Egypt shall we give away our Bibles to Papists and our libertles to Locusts and Caterpillars Shall we deliver up the towns we have taken to them that are subtle to destroy Have we not heard of murthers and rapines enough Mind what Abner said to Joab Hath not the sword devoured enough will not the end be bitternesse Let us have but love at Westminster and London and we shall crown the day and derive something from this day to the childe unborne to give it matter of rejoycing If you shall object the work is not done we are now upon a Crisis I answer Your temptation is new this was the time of the year when Princes were wont to goe forth to war but now it proves a time wherein they sue for peace Blessed change and the truth is the Sun may sooner get off your Cloke now then the Storm could before the fawning world may do that the frowning never could I shall commend unto you two or three Scriptures The first the words after my Text Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord The second shall be Eccles. 10. 4. If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee keep thy place Learn for ever to make good your experiences and let it blow high or low keep your places I humbly beseech you noble Speakers of both Houses keep your places as hitherto you have done Be not ashamed of that seasonable and wise Answer once made at that exigent You have neither eyes to see nor tongues to speak but by order from the house in such cases I desire my Lord Major and his brethren to keep their places and not to be dub'd out of them nor courted from your comforts and safety remember what we all fought for prayed for adventured all for let not all be lost in the kisse of a Royall hand nor suffer your eyes to be put out with Court-glitter and glory And I humbly beseech your Lordships not to lead us the way to that mischiefe for us Ministers truly we may be apt to catch at the old bait the Lord help us to keep our places also It would grieve your soules to be Court-scoffed after all Let me leave with you what Tacitus sayes of Caesar Quotis scunque e curia egrederetur in haec verba prorupisse ferâ—ur O homines ad servitutem paratos Etiam illum qui publicam libertatem nollet tam foede servientium patientiam taedebat Therefore every man keep his place and in so doing another objection is answered But our old laws and priviledges may again be struck at read the 8. v. of Eccles. 10. Who so breaketh a hedge a Serpent shall bite him an old hedge are old good laws and those that will break them shall finde a Serpent you can apply He that removeth stones shall be hurt therewith And though it should be that Shimei might escape for a time with his confinement yet in the next generation he will break his Covenant his neck and all and thus I thinke of many that have railed against heaven and earth who will be found out by divine Justice when your hand cannot reach them To close up my thoughts in this you have hitherto lived upon daily provideÌ„ce as you do upon your daily bread by providence I believe you are brought beyond your own first imaginations and I know the wisest man here cannot tell what will be next though in order of causes he may say this or that should be for who can tell what is in the womb of a day or what it will bring forth unto us This is certain when there 's darknesse in Counsels in promises the Lord is pleased to dissipate clouds and disperse mists by providence you shall not need to feare relying upon that Provident hand which hath left you with so many glorious experiences Onely these cautions I must commend to your wisdomes 1. That providence be not slighted and bestow that upon Fortune and Chance which is handed to you by Providence Sed nos Te facimus Fortuna Deam coeloque locamus 2. That you withstand not providence but accept and improve the offers of mercy 3. That you out-run not providence but be contented to want what the Lord is not willing to give not to over-hasten your deliverance for it can never come seasonably being wrought by friend or foe unlesse the God of your mercies have a hand in it and truly he that cannot freely trust God in his way upon what you have received already is not fit to receive more How good it is to live in his bosome and upon his hand who knows how to take measure of your wants and supply your needs and that out of an inexhaust fulnesse Lastly since feasts are seldome without beggars give me leave to be the first and if we had not been over-bold in detaining you already I should have been large even from my soule to beg help from this most Honourable Assembly in foure particulars 1. I beg for Soules 2. For Bodies 3. Estates 4. Names 1. And for the first I present you here the teares and cries of many thousands in the countries we have conquered who poor souls cry like prisoners at the Grate Bread bread for the Lords sake bread all you that passe by take Pitty pitty of us we have lived upon husks time out of minde Men brethren and fathers whilest we are disputing here they are perishing there and going to hell by droves If I know any thing what you have gotten by the sword must be maintained by the Word I say the Word by which English Christians are made In other countries discipline makes them so drive them into a Church together and then dub them Christians you will find too much of this abroad and hence it comes to passe that most of their Religion lies in Polemicks which is the trade we are likely to drive if God prevent not I need not tell this Assembly that every where the greater party is the Orthodoxall and the lesser the Hereticks so once the Aâ—rians afflicted the sound Christians and they increasing requited it again to the Arrians It was once my lot to be a Member of that famous ancient glorious work of buying in Impropriations by which work 40 or 50 preachers were maintained in the dark parts of this Kingdom Divers Knights and Gentlemen in the Country contributed to this work and I hope they have not lost that spirit I wish exceeding well to preaching above many things in this world and wish my brethren