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
my boldnesse and to accept the minde of the Offerer accept also the Booke offered if not for the Authour of the Booke yet for the Authour of the Text and those necessary things contained therein being pertinent to these present times And thus fearing to hinder the course of your Honours more serious cogitations in all humility I take my leave heartily desiring Almighty God that when the last Period of your mortall life shall present it self you may looke Death in the face without Dread the Grave without Feare the Lord Jesus with Comfort and Jehovah blessed for ever with everlasting joy Your Honours in all duty to be commanded John Tarlton To the Christian Reader Gentle Reader ALthough the writings of all men that are presented unto the publique view are arraigned at the Barre of each Readers understanding and sometimes the Authors thereof too rashly censured by Polipragmaticall Over-curious and Criticall persons yet this should be no Obstacle to hinder the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell from doing their best endeavours as well by writing as by preaching to build up the Church of Christ This Booke although it treateth of the miseries of Wars and also of the Members of Christs Church yet it medleth not at all with any Controversies in the Church or any thing in the state Ecclesiasticall but onely for the good of Christs Church in a patheticall way imploreth our constant assistance by the practice of Prayer on her behalfe as the great prevailing Ordinance of God for the curing of all her distempers and putting a Period to all her distractions wherewith at this present she is greatly disquieted As for carping and censorious Criticks I care not to satisfie them my desire is to convince the Wicked to comfort the Godly being afflicted to edifie the Conscience and increase the Vnderstanding And if herein thou either finde any thing amisse or thy self not fully satisfied in particular then I pray thee remember what is the Lot of the most Learned mens Workes even to be left after a sort naked and imperfect for every one that is mortall knoweth but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 I crave thy charitable construction of my poore Endeavours being willing to be convinced and reformed read them impartially and those truths therein contained practice them both speedily and profitably give God the glory thereof and much Benefit and comfort may thy soul receive thereby The blessed spirit of God co-operate with this Worke in the hearts of the Readers for the glory of his great name and the salvation of their poore soules through Jesus Christ Thine in the Lord Jesus John Tarlton A REMEDY FOR THE VVARS PSAL. 122.6 O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem THis Psalme as one of our Church both Learned and judicious well observeth breaths out nothing but a sweet perfume of inflamed affection such as the only bird the dying Phenix lying in her bed of spices all the spices in Arabia fired with the pure beames of the Sun cannot parallel If you please with me to view it considerately with a spirituall eye we shall conspicuously see it primarily begins with Davids tryumphant joy I was glad when they said unto me we will goe into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem The first word of this Psalme in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Laetatus fui that is I have been glad and the Radix from whence it is derived is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Laetatus vel Hiralis fuit that is to say hath been glad or merry metaphoricè Luxit the which word Metaphorically is borrowed from the Light for as those that are blind or sit in Darkenesse are deprived of that benefit which the Light affords unto others that participate thereof So in like manner those persons who live in the Darkenesse of ignorance wandring in the devious by-paths of blind Superstition dangerous Errors and walking in the thick foggie mists of seducing opinions and shaddow of death never comming into the house of God but altogether neglecting his holy Ordinances neither tast the comfortable sweetnesse nor behold the joyfull Light which others partake of that zealously frequent them and conscienciously are exercised in them And hence is that saying of Solomon Prov. 13.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The light of the righteous shall rejoyce Thereby giving us to understand that the knowledge of God greatly delighteth his Children and they also rejoyce to communicate it to others So in like manner as is here expressed Davids delight consisted in gathering the children of God together and his joy was in the assembly of the Saints furthering them in the service of God But alas beloved what have we to doe in these cloudy and darkesome dayes with this Davids joy Every Naturalist will tell us there is an Antipathie between Joy and Sorrow yea they are as contrary Heretogeneall and opposite in their operations as Light and Darkenesse Peace and War So that our former late joyfull Comedy being turned into a present dolefull Tragedy how then can we rejoyce The sad and great disaster which lately hath befallen us whispers in our ears and tacitely tels us that we must now for a Remedy set our faces Sion-way and with our weeping eyes half blinded with brinish tears immitate those sorrowfull Saints in this our sad dejected and cast-downe condition Too truely may I for mine owne particular and that by wofull experience in the sadnesse of Spirit and pensivenesse of Soule together with many thousands more of this distracted Kingdome who are unhappily co-involved into the same pittifull predicament at this day condolingly complaine of Englands distractive and calamitous condition having had hastily taken from us altogether contrary and also inconsistent to the practice both of Humanity and Christian Charity our Houses Goods Lands Livings and all other meanes of our livelyhoods present subsistence both Spirituall and Temporall properly and lawfully belonging to us whereby we are now left in a most despicable languishing and perishing Condition And as an aggravation to this our present affliction our names are ignominiously traduced and we are both in the Judgement and also the Eyes of our remorselesse Enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spectacle or Gazing-stock to the World 1 Cor. 4.9 And even as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The filth of the World 1 Cor. 4.13 and the off-scouring of all things Yea as Abjects unto our Adversaries and also the very Objects of their reproach scorne contempt and derision So that we have cause rather Crane or Swallow-like to chatter Esay 38.14 or Dove-like to mourne with afflicted Hezekiah then with joyfull David here in the beginning of this Psalme to rejoyce Yea woe and alas may we justly cry out the bitter fruits of War in our Land proceeding from the provocation of our crying sins from the swift swords sharpnesse hath turned our former late joyes sweetnesse into present bitter
It is required as a due debt from the children of God that they should pray for the Peace of the Church their mother O Pray for the Peace c. Now let us returne to the Particle O. But here before we goe into the Temple with Peter and John to pray this Particle O doth as it were tell us it will not be amisse to make a little stop in Solomons porch that so all the people may flock about us Act. 3.11 as they did about them And also bear us company into the house of the Lord. This is that the Psalmest drives at in this Particle or Interjection O O Pray c. This Interjection O is like the Cryers O Yes before some weighty Proclamation or the ringing of a Bell before some excellent Sermon or the sounding of a Trumpet calling the Souldiers together for to March speedily upon some great weighty and important service Yea it may not unfitly be parallel'd to the Hebrew word Selah Psal 3.2 which signifieth a lifting up of the voice to cause us to consider the sentence as a matter of great importance Behold the Prophet here is earnest and patheticall in his perswasion to this Religious duty his heart breaketh out for the very fervent desire he hath that all good men should joyne with him in this Sacrifice of Prayer to offer up the calves of their lips unto God And for the kindling of which holy Devotion this O is as it were the bellowes of the Sanctuary to blow this Sacred fuell into a flame O Pray c. Not that David here intended to exclude himself and to ease his owne shoulders by laying the burthen on the necks of others As Pharaoh did by Moses and Aaron when his land was afflicted with horrible haile thunder and lightning Pray ye unto the Lord saith he for it is enough that there be no more mighty thunders and haile Exod. 9.28 and I will let you goe And as Simon Magus dealt by Simon Peter who when he was exhorted by the Apostle to pray If perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him revolved back the businesse upon St. Peter and would needs engage him to doe the service for him Pray ye saith he to the Lord for me Acts 8.24 that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me No David meant to be one of the company himselfe but would not willingly goe alone And therefore saith elsewhere O praise the Lord with me Psal 34.3 and let us magnifie his name together Now for proof of this Doctrine from the Particle O viz. Doct. 1 It is the duty of the children of God to provoke and stir up one another to the service of God Our blessed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount told his Disciples Mat. 5.13 14. they were the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World meaning thereby that their Office was to season the hearts of others with their heavenly Doctrine and also by their knowledge to give Light unto those that sit in darkenesse And when Christ taught his Disciples and others with them the true Patterne of a Christian life He set it forth by this Querie Mark 4.21 Is the candle lighted to be put under a Bushell or under the Table and not to be put on a Candlestick Alluding to those that have a greater measure of Knowledge and Understanding then others to impart it to them for their Benefit whereby others also might be brought to the service of God We have here also Davids practice and it is the very same lesson that S. Paul commends unto us 1 Thes 5.11 even to exhort one another and to edifie one another and to provoke one another to love and to good workes Yea this was the practice of St. Paul himselfe 1 Cor. 9.19 20 21 22 23. where he saith of himselfe For though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all men that I might win the more And unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might win the Jews to them that are under the Law as though I were under the Law that I might win them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as though I were without Law when I am not without Law as pertaining to God but am in the Law through Christ that I might win them that are without Law To the weake I became as weake that I might win the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some And this I do for the Gospels sake that I might be partaker thereof with you And this lesson S. 2 Tim. 1.6 Paul gave in charge to Timothy that he should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the gift of God in himselfe The which Gift of God is a certaine lively flame kindled in our hearts by the Spirit of God which the Devill and our corrupted nature labour to quench and therefore we must nourish and stir it up And S. Paul exhorts Timothie with this expression viz. That the servant of the Lord must not strive 2 Tim. 2.24 25. but must be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the evill men patiently Instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the Devil who are taken Captive by him at his will Yea S. Paul exhorts his Galatians Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted And 1 Tim. 4. ult S. Paul there lessons Timothy to take heed to himselfe But this is not all True it is indeed that Charity is to begin at home but it is not also there for to end But to resemble that pretious ointment spoken of Psal 133. which being poured upon Aarons head did descend and worke downe by degrees unto the skirts and hem of his garment And therefore in our Charity we are commanded to be like to him who is the God of Charity Luk. 6.36 Be ye mercifull as your father in heaven is mercifull who saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 and to come to the knowledge of the truth It was Cursed Kain that member of the Church Malignant and bloody murtherer that was the first that thought himselfe discharged from being his Brothers keeper when he answered the Divine Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Am I my Brothers keeper when as his guilty Conscience within him tacitly told him his Brothers blood would be required of him Whereas the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 So that all those gifts and graces that descend from above
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
Angels that weake and mortall Men should be so sinfully wicked as to fight against the Omnipotent and Immortall God which all those Persons certainly doe who after such a manner as is here declared doe oppose take up Armes and fight against their lawfull King Loe such gracelesse and godlesse Persons have just cause to feare that the righteous Lord will open the revengefull Quiver of his displeasure and from the strong bent Bow of his unappeaseable Anger swiftly and fiercely send forth the sharpe Arrowes of his furious Indignation against them whereby they shall be deadly wounded to their utter Confusion According to the Lords righteous dealing towards those revolted Rebels adhering to wicked and usurping Jeroboam who tooke up Armes and fought against their good and lawfull King Rehoboam unto whose malecontented and rebellious people Jeroboam gave way to their Worshippe in Religion after that manner which best pleased them displaced and drave away the Lords faithfull Priests and Levites from their lawfull Habitations and also utterly suppressed them from the necessary Execution of their sacred Offices who were conformable to the Law and dutifull Subjects to their King lest they should keep up the peoples hearts in Obedience to their lawfull Soveraigne these things he did thereby to further his wicked Designes against their just and rightfull King Rehoboam whose Wronges shortly after his Death were mortally vindicated by his sonne Abijah for God stirred up the Spirit of good Rehoboams Sonne Abijah and he raised an Armie of Foure hundred thousand men and with them feared not to goe against wicked Jeroboam who had an Armie of Eight hundred thousand able fighting men and fought against him surprized him destroyed his great and mighty Armie and was through Gods Blessing unto him established in his Fathers Throne where he lived and reigned with great Honour and Kingly Glory all the rest of his daies in which he begot two and twenty Sonnes and sixteene Daughters and then slept with his Fathers and his sonne Asa reigned in his stead Of the which great and admirable Victory which God gave to Abijah the Scripture expresseth in these words Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter so that there fell downe slaine of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 five hundred thousand chosen men 2 Chron. 13.17 The which words being the Language of the Holy Ghost both may and also ought usefully to serve as a memorable Caveat unto all Rebels that either now are or hereafter shall live upon the face of the Earth to take heed that they neither take up Armes nor fight against their lawfull King for here you plainly see that it was neither their gratnesse in Number nor expertnesse in Warlike Service that could preserve these Men from Ruine but they must be mortally wounded fall downe and be destroyed because they had rebelled taken up Armes and fought against their lawfull Soveraigne And God is the same God in these daies that he was in those as he hath done in times that are past so can he doe for times that are to come for he is JEHOVAH he changeth not Mal. 3.6 So that although Rebellion lyeth never so long lurking abstrucely in the corrupt hearts of disobedient Persons yet notwithstrnding when once she appeareth practically in the view of the World actuating her cursed Designes against that lawfull Authority unto which she ought to subject her selfe with all dutifull Obedience then she must not looke for any long Continuance For looke into the Generations of old even from the Creation of the World untill this very day and then tell me if ever any rebellious Persons taking up Armes and fighting against their lawfull Soveraigne have enjoyed one Age of an uninterrupted continued Prosperity but that the black Cloudes of just Revenge have appeared unto them and fiercely showred downe the terrible Stormes of Gods righteous Vengeance upon them to their deserved Confusion Object But here peradventure some may object Why should any tell us of Rebellion or of taking up Armes and fighting against our lawfull Soveraigne or of Confusion that is like to befall us for our so doing What Are not we in the Favour of God Hath not God assisted us in all our Endeavours Have not we had the Blessing of God upon all our Military Practices Hath not God made us Victorious Have not all our Attempts been successfull and Designes prosperous Wherefore then should not we comfort our selves and both boldly and fearlesly goe on in the same waies which others call Rebellion wherein now we walke Answ Unto which I answer with the wordes of Salomon There is a way which seemeth right to a man but the end thereof are the waies of death Prov. 14.12 And Prov. 11.19 He that pursueth evill pursueth it to his owne death Yea and it is one of the greatest Judgements that usually befalleth the men of this wicked World when God suffers them to prosper in their sinfull Courses Prosperity is no infallible Argument of Gods Favour neither is Adversity any evident Testimony of his Displeasure for sapient Salomon tells us that no man knoweth either love or hatred of all that is before him Eccles 9.1 And that There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousnesse and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickednesse Eccles 7.15 And therefore let no such blinde infatuated Persons being mis-guided by their erroneous Conceptions falsly flatter themselves with any such fallacious Conceits of being in Gods favour because their actions for the present are prosperous for they can never comfortably assure themselves of Gods gracious Love and speciall Favour towards them though never so prosperous in their Designes unlesse they have his feare before their eyes which teacheth them to abstaine from the working of all Iniquity and to depart from the practice of all Impiety which none of those either doe or can doe so long as they continue in the sinfull perpetration of horrid Rebellion Now for a spirituall Salve wherewith to cure this carnall Infirmity I doe referre all such deluded and selfe-deceiving Persons for their farther and fuller Convincement herein wandering in the foggie Mists of blinde Ignorance and dangerous Errours to that cleere and infallible light of Truth which the holy Scripture by way of Collection expresseth viz. That every successfull and prosperous military Action which the Providence of God permits is not justifiable in the sight of God from the Actors thereof although God himselfe commands it to be done Loe this Truth evidently appeareth unto us in the military Practises of Jehu that Valiant Couragious and Kingly Captaine who exceedingly prospered in his War-like Actions and did great Execution upon divers Malefactors and that also by Gods owne appointment and yet notwithstanding even Jehu himselfe must be accounted as a Murtherer in the sight of God for his heart was not sincere in the service of God he was a Selfe-seeker and Selfe-server aiming at his owne Ends and not at the Glory
fight under his Banner against Sinne the World and the Devill is now brought by the Providence and Permission of God into the fiery Fornace of Affliction for the firme triall of His saving Faith and profitable Christian Exercise of Gods heavenly graces within Him and also by probability extracted from fatall Conjectures in the very Twilight of His time betwixt the Day of Life Night of Death being now a PRISONER in Carishrooke-Castle in the Isle of Wight mournfully complaining unto God in these words Oh! my loving and compassionate God who by thy most holy wise and powerfull Providence dost continually preserve and governe all thy Creatures and all their Actions I humbly pray thee for Jesus Christ his sake to grant me Pardon and Patience thou that searchest the heart and triest the reines thou knowest the Sincerity of my Soules Service towards thee my constant Resolution for the continuation of the Protestant Religion the carefull Preservation of the Ancient Lawes of this Kingdome the rightfull Priviledges of Parliament the just Liberty of the Subjects the firme Settlement of Truth and Peace amongst the People and the Conscience I make of keeping that Oath administred to Me and also taken by Me at My Coronation for which things sake c. I am now deeply involved into great Misery and therefore O My tender-hearted God take Me into the safe custody of thy powerfull Protection and shelter Me under the preservative Wings of thy speciall Providence for the fierce Floods of popular Rage are risen up against Me the swelling Surges of mischievous malitious Adversaries looke big upon Me the rough Waves of the rude Multitude strive to overflow Me the proud Billowes of insolent insulting Enemies have almost overwhelmed Me and the violent Streames of the bitter waters of Affliction are also every day ready to swallow Me up all which I know thou canst if thou wilt suppresse at thy Pleasure who stillest when thou pleasest the raging of the Seas Psal 65.7 the noise of the Waves and the madnesse of the People And now ô Lord in this My great Extremity I flie unto thee who art Almighty with whom there is Helpe from whom there may be Reliefe upon whom dependeth My Hope and in whom resteth My Confidence one Deepe calling upon another Psal 42.9 the Depth of My Misery calling upon the Depth of thy Mercy craving thy present powerfull Assestance for My speedy and joyfull Deliverance And though for the present My Body from Liberty be restrained yet through thy Mercy towards me My Heart with grace from thee is greatly enlarged and Love in Me towards thee much increased thou hast often put the oyle of gladnesse into My heavy Heart and such sacred Influences of heavenly Comforts I daily doe receive from thee as that I nothing doubt of thy Mercy towards Me. Oh my deare God! thou hast beene graciously pleased to make Me thy Vice-gerent over three Kingdomes but woe and alas I am now deprived of all that Power which formerly I had in them all three abridged not onely of that sweet Society of My deare Consort but also of all My loving and tender-hearted Children who might in this My great Distresse as comfortable Cordials to My heavy Heart afford Me some Comfort those who formerly were and still ought to be My loyall Subjects are now risen up against Me have here Imprisoned Me and I am now become not onely as an Abject unto them but also the very Object of their Reproach Scorne Contempt and Derision and none of My Subjects in all My three Kingdomes will vouchsafe to rescue Me out of Mine Enemies hands And in this My great Distresse My teares have beene my meate day and night Psal 42.3 while Mine Enemies daily and hourly reproach Me and also craftily plot greater Mischiefes against Me not onely for the deadly destruction of My mortall Body but also for the utter Extirpation of Monarchicall Authority whereby My Royall Issue and their Princely Posterity should for future times be for ever abridged of all their just lawfull and Kingly Power in this Kingdome after Me for which My potent Adversaries so wickedly intending and cruelly practising against both My selfe and Mine I have often eaten the bread of Carefulnesse and mingled my drinke with weeping Psal 102.9 Now in this My deplorable captivated and calamitous Condition I beseech thee O My gracious God who breakest not the bruised reede nor quenchest the smoaking flax looke downe with thy favourable Eyes of fatherly Pitty upon me and let thy mercifull and loving Bowels of tender Compassion yerne towards Me Heare my prayer ô Lord with thine eares consider my calling hold not thy peace at my teares Psal 39.13 And if it shall please thee O my good God to deliver Me out of the hands of Mine Enemies whereby My Life may be preserved from their furie I shall ever praise thee for being so mercifull to Me but if otherwise in thy heavenly Wisdome thou hast decreed concerning the last Period and inevitable Expiration of My naturall Life that Martyr-like I shall deeply drinke with My blessed and sweet Saviour in his owne passionate Cup of bitter Death and so My mortall Body to perish and be destroyed by the Violence of the People yet shall I ever acknowledge thee to be righteous and will alwaies even to the last breath of My Life pray from the ground of My Heart Lord pardon whatsoever I have done amisse through the whole course of My Life and sanctifie all the Dispensations of thy Providence in these My great Sufferings unto Me forgive all Mine Enemies their cruell and unnaturall dealing towards Me lay not their Sinnes to their Charge and then Not my will but thine ô righteous Father for ever be done Loe these pittifull Passages proceeding from His Majesties greatly grieved Heart together with many others me-thinks I heare Ecchoing in mine Eares for which by way of Christian Sympathie as well as obliged subjective Duty towards His Majesty my heavy Heart Heaven is my Record doth often pray privatly and sorrowfull Soule mourne secretly on his behalfe and so in like manner all other loyall hearted Subjects ought for to doe as well as my selfe that thereby we might prevaile with the God of Heaven for our gracious Soveraigne His present Deliverance out of all His Troubles and speedy Re-establishment in His Throne of Righteousnesse The which over-joyous welcome Blessing to this perplexed and distracted King-dome our good God in his great Mercy grant to us all for the Glory of his great Name the Peace of this disquieted Land and the slourishing Estate of this English Church Common-wealth wherein we live and let all those who sincerely professe and faithfully love the Lord Jesus Christ truely searing the living God and heartily honouring their lawfull King say hereunto unfeignedly with my selfe even from the very ground of their HRARTS and SOULES So be it Amen Amen Oh! let us all in the filiall feare of God