Look into Colossians the 3. v. 15 IF a dumb Beast cou'd Naturâ—s Silence break And Balâ—am's Ass at Heaven's Command cou'd speak Let 's wonder less that the same God cou'd reach The Voice of Ravens his great Truth to Preach â—ut 't is his own kind Call no less a Grace Than to invite us his Rich Peace â—'embrace Vâ—ion and Love Oh happy Isâ—ael When in Thy Gates such Heavenly Guests can dwell VOX CORVI OR THE Voice of a Raven That Thrice spoke these Words distinctly Look into Colossians the 3d. and 15th The Text it self look'd into and opened in a Sermon Preached at VVigmore in the County of Hereford To which is added Serious Addresses to the People of this Kingdom shewing the use we ought to make of this Voice from Heaven By Alex. Clogie Minister of Wigmore c. Licensed according to Order Matth. 21. xviii And Jesus saith unto them Yea have ye never read Out of the Mâ—uths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected Praise London Printed by W. B. And are to be sold by R. Baldwin at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane and by most Booksellers in London and Westminster 1694. TO THE Christian Reader THis following Discourse is presented to thy Perusal under a double Recommendation not only as containing so Evangelical a Blessing as the Peace of God in the Text offer'd to thee our heartiest endeavours for the obtaining whereof is so much our highest Christian Importance and Duty but likewise more particularly the Occasion that gave the Reverend Preacher the choice of this Text which first in the plain matter of Fact take as follows On the 3d. of February 1691. about Three in the Afternoon this Reverend Divine a Person of the venerable Age of Eighty Years and Forty of those a Laborious Teacher of God's Word in the Parish of Wigmore in the County of Hereford being in the Hall of his own House being with the Pious Matron his Wife some Neighbours and Relations together with two small Grand-Children of his in all to the number of Eight Persons Thomas Kinnersley one of the said Grand-Children of but Ten Years of Age starting up from the Fire-side went out of the Hall-Door and sate himself down upon a Block by a Wood-pile before the Door employing himself in no other Childish Exercise than cutting of a Stick when in less than half a quarter of an Hour he returned into the Hall in great Amazement his Countenance pale and affrighted and said to his Grand father and Grand mother Look in the Third of the Colossians and the Fifteenth with infinite Passion and Earnestness repeating the Words no less than three times which Depâ—rtment and Speech much surprizing the whole Company they asked him what he meant by those words who answered with great Ardency of Spirit That a Raven had spoken them Three times from the Peak of the Steeple and that it look'd towards W. W.'s House and shook its Head and Wings thitherward directing its Looks and Motions still towards that House All which words he heard the Raven distinctly utter three times and then saw it mount and fly out of sight His Grand father hereupon taking the Bible and turning to the said Text found these words And let the Peace of God rule in your Hearts to the which you are also called in one Body and be ye thankful Upon reading whereof the Child was fully satisfied and his Countenance perfectly composed agen Now as the Voice of a RÃ ven to speak in such a marvellous manner may seem an incredible Relation especially in an Age of such little Faith yet we do here offer these serious Considerations for the Manifestation of this real though amazing Truth First What may stagger some People viz. That the greatest and indeed only Authority in so weighty a Concern is only from the Testimony of a Child of but Ten Years old is upon due and full Examination one of the strongest Arguments of an undoubted Truth For first here were no less than Eight People of honest Credit and Reputation that heard this Declaration of the Child and were all Witnesses and Observers both of the Childs Countenance Gesture and Behaviour in the whole thing Now tho' but a Child of no more than Ten Years to come running from his Play with so alter'd and changed a Countenance and so much Vehemence of Spirit and Earnestness of Expression to press an aged Grand-father and Grandmother to so serious a work as the search of a particular Text of Scripture had something extraordinary in it Now had any Person of riper Years or any other single Authority come in the like manner and with the same Vehemency advised the Inquiry into such a Text and given any such credible Relation of hearing a Raven speak here might have been some Grounds of Suspicion in the Veracity of such a single Testimony for at those elder Years the change of Face and passion of Expression might possibly be Vizor and Artifice and consequently afford matter of Doubt and Scruple Nay possibly a Person of Maturity as knowing the Fewds and Jarrs of the Family towards which the Raven directed this Text might even out of a good and honest design have feigned such a Relation as thinking thereby to have reconciled the long Disunion and Discords of a Neighbour's House by so amazing a warning-piece for Peace and Concord as coming from the Mouth of a Raven tho' in reality a Fictitious story But in the case of a Boy all this shadow of Doubt is utterly removed for both the forementioned change of Countenance and importunate Earnestness together with the Child 's constant Asseveration of the Truth of this astonishing Accidents were all beyond the capacity of a Child to feign or counterfeit as being a Masque morally impossible for his young Face to wear And not only so but the matter and manner of his Delivery were Alien to his Years for a poor Infant then out of doors a whitling of a Stick or some such piece of innocent Childhood to come running home on such an important Errand as indeed no less than a Message from God take it in all the Circumstances was beyond the possibility of Art or Cunning. And moreover as a thing done at Noon-day here was the plain and sensible Conviction both of the Child's Eye and Ear in the case and not as people in the Dark many times frighted and Bug-bear'd into the seeing imaginary Chimeras and Fantoms To sum up the Evidences therefore Here is possibly a full Testimony even to demonstration it self And undoubtedly the Almighty was particularly pleased to deliver this unusual Warning from Heaven only to the Ear of a Child that Innocence and Simplicity might be the greater and stronger Commissioner of his Divine Will and Pleasure on such an occasion Now the Reasons why this Reverend and Pious Divine has appeared thus in publick and so long after now above Two Years since the thing was done are these As a modest sober good Man it
I did it to God's Glory that I might express my Thankfulness to him and the joy of my Heart in doing him Service whom since the rest know not they are not to be respected if they scorn nor is it to be wondred if they be strangely affected with it as above the compass of their Conceit Fifthly How without hope of Requital are all yea the least of God's benefits that call for Thankfulness a cup of cold water only given to drink in Christ's name because ye belong to Christ shall not lose a just and superabundant requital saith our Lord Mar. 9. 41. See the full and final requital of all good and charitable Deeds Matth. 25. 34 35 36. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was an hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prinson and ye came unto me The Wicked he requites here sometimes in their own Coin as Adoni bezek acknowledgeth when his thumbs and great toes were cut off As I have done to threescore and ten Kings so hath the Lord requited me Judg. 1. 7. We are all ready enough to requite Evil for Evil to give him quid pro quo as good as he brings as the Proverb rimes as Sampson served the Philistines As they have done unto me so have I done unto them Jud. 15. 11. But it being impossible to requite God in any thing it is a most heinous Provocation of his justice to render Evil for Good Do ye thus provoke the Lord O foolish people and unwise saith Moses with Astonishment and Abhorrency Deut. 32. 6. 'T is left as a sad blot in Hezekiah's Scutcheon tho' otherwise a good Man and a good King by God's own Testimony He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wroth upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chr. 32. 25. For after the defeat of Senacherib's Forces by an Angel of God that slew in one night an hundred fourscore and five thousand men of war in the Assyrian Camp and after the recovery of his Health confirmed by a sign from Heaven in the Sun's Retrogradation by ten degrees and the addition by Patent from God of fifteen years to his days with exceeding much Riches and Honour yet for all this he was not so careful to please God in an humble and thankful Acknowledgment of such great Favours as God was to pleasure him in them all Sixthly Consider from what odds the Person giving to our baseness have been all his benefits he being the great Independent Jehovah greatness is stampt upon all his Benefits to us and we a Seed of evil Doers a people laden with Iniquity children that are corrupters our spot is not the spot of his Children we are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and in want of all things as our Lord writes to the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. v. 17. Lastly Consider with what advantage of time and order in first bestowing have his Benefits been to us No eye pittied thee to have compassion upon thee I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 5 6. we love him because he first loved us saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 4. 19. His love to us is an antecedent love we love him with a consequential love because he hath cast his love upon us first and therefore is no way indebted to us for our love The Apostle asks this question Who hath first given unto him and it shall berecompenced to him again for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. v. 35 36. It is said by some we can never requite our Parents by some also we owe more to our Masters and Teachers than to Parents in as much as one gave being the other well being doubtless in both respects we cannot requite God and Christ First Our Parents begat our Bodies he gave us our senses who is therefore styled by the Apostle The Father of our Spirits Heb. 12. 9. 2. Our Masters and Teachers gave us with God's Blessing Knowledge and Learning Christ teacheth us the way to Heaven who is the Way the Truth and the Life Christ gave himself to us and for us to wash us from our Sins in his own Blood Joh. 14. 6. without which it had been better for us to have been any thing rather than men yea at all not to have been Let us with the Psalmist again and again say What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116. 12. all his benefits are above us even the one also of our former means to express Gratitude here fails us what can we wish or desire to the most absolute and perfect Being Only we may acknowledge the Benefits and the Excellency and Liberality of the Giver which further may desire that all others would do the like this is our utmost unless further to endeavour not to be disobedient to this Heavenly Author of much good to us which yet is our duty otherwise the less we have means to the former the more ought we to be in this and say with the Man after God's own Heart I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praises to my God while I have my being my Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Psal 103. 33 34. and in another At Midnight will I rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous Judgments Psal 119. 62. Let us beg of him as another Benefit that he will give us Grace and a mind to do these things who hath given the ground an occasion of them even the same our Lord Jesus Christ Now because the Apostle Peter saith no Prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. so neither are all of sole private application but some are of a larger Extent and Compass than others if I should have studied long for a fit Text Psal 119. 16. Thy commandment iâ— exceeding broad and turned the whole Scripture I could not have had a fitter passage or greaâ—◠〈◊〉 in all the Book of God he calls more both for private and publick application than this that is in so strange a manner laid open before us to look into it and yet no more strange than true as the truth is in Jesu before whom I stand for this Doctrin of the Peace of God that ought to rule in the Hearts of all Believers gives great help advantage and admonition to Kings Law-makers Rulers to
end and largely doth he garnish this Similitude in the place I named right now pressing it to divers Duties which shortly to name because they serve to the maintenance of Peace in her Soveraignty are these 1. To rejoyce each at others good If one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12. 26. 2. To suffer Compassionately each with other And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it ibid. 3. To have Care each of another That there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another v. 25. to nourish and cherish them 4. The more weak and base to be compassed with Honour with the more comely Nay much more those members of the body that seem more feeble are necessary and those members of the body which we think to be base upon those we bestow more abundant honour and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness verse 22 23. 5. The worthier not to think they may be without the baser nor the baser think they are not in any place or reckoning because not the worthiest And the Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Hand to the Foot I have no need of you v. 2. 6. If the Foot shall say because I am not the Hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body And if the Ear shall say because I am not the Eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body v. 15. 26. Thus far the Apostle in his excellent Parallel between the Members of the Natural Body and the Members of the Body Mystical These Opinions and Practices befit such as would keep peace such as are Members of one Body which very Consideration that they are found in the Natural Body should draw us into the practice of them in the Spiritual and Mystical Christ our Lord flows into us by his Spirit of Peace and Love and gives us Grace so to do and this will enable us to obey the Apostle in the words before this Text. And above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness This word Bond is taken sometimes for the Sinews and Ligaments of the Joynts as Chap. 2. v. 19. Sometimes for the Band that tieth a thing composed of a great many small parts into one as a Sheaf or Faggot so I think Peace is called Ephes 4. 3. endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace And this Perfectness may be taken 1. For the perfectness of every man in the Gifts of the Spirit which are dissolved and fall one from another without Love Or 2ly For the whole Body of the Church which is dissolved and falls asunder without love of which in the two places last named I will include herein both inward perfectness in private Christians and publick in the body of the Church So the Church Christ's Body it is capable of a kind of perfection even when it is most imperfect in the Eyes of the World as now it was and when the Apostle wrote that Ephesians 4. v. 3. Observat The thing that makes the Perfection of the Church is Love He therefore that loves not is imperfect in Christianity A Child in Grace if he have any yet is Carnal not Spiritual a Babe not a Man as the Apostle concludes of the Corinthians from hence 1 Cor. 3. 1. 3. And those that take no care to maintain Love with their even Christians they do as much as they may maim lame and make imperfect the Body of Christ laying aside his new Commandment That ye love one another as I have loved you John 13. 34. Let Papists and such as rejoyce in bitterness against their Brethren think on this Let us learn by all means to maintain Peace and Love the untimely breaking of some Truth is not worth so much as to break Love As the curing of some Disease not worth the pain of the Cure as of some Wens and Warts c. worth the cutting c. and this is to be followed of us It is more than seasonable that we were put in mind of this Point for we are faulty in it much Now if one be more scrupulous than another in Ceremonies and Matters indifferent Minister or other one sort there is that presently abate their love Again if another take a little liberty in such things the other side bears not that hearty affection which should be unto him Though thus either think of the other they are men that intend to do vertuously yet there is not this equal Communication of the Offices of Kindness which this Form Above all things put on love would require What if men dissent from us in sundry Points of Judgment or of Affection as both may be and justly yet let the Consideration that they are Members of the same Body with us Men reclaimed to God Men which according to that which they know endeavour to Serve and Worship God makes us to strive so much the more that it might not seem to come through our Default that any Strangers should be between us or Differences grow to greater Extremities we shall have the better in the handling of the Cause to say nothing of the Truth whether we have it on our side or no. I would to God that we could be content in Matters of no great Consequence when many Differences be among us to comprise them with that of the Apostle If any man think otherwise the Lord shall reveal this also unto you Phil. 3. 15. And in the mean space in our Speeches Countenances Gestures Writings be mindful of this standing Rule That Love belongs to all the Saints as the Apostle describes these Colossians by their Faith in Jesus Christ and their Love to all the Saints Chap. 1. 4. So by letting go vain Clamours we shall find more Truth than we do as being better disposed to seek it which indeed no passionate man is and sure I am we should have more peace and comfort and be freed from much foolish Suspicions among our selves and many slanderous and foul Imputations from our common Enemies God give us Grace to see our Faults put a Remedy thereto in time before by our Dissentions we have weakened our selves that both together we be not matchable to our third and worst Adversary see Psalm 133. And be ye thankful The second Duty we are exhorted unto in this Scripture is the duty of thankfulness what variety is between these two Words Amiable and Thankful every man may at the first view easily conceive But our latest Translation of the Word is the best that for Amiable puts in Thankful whereunto the propriety of the Word and Authority of other Interpreters doth so lead me as Ephes 5. 4. but rather giving of thanks and 1 Thessal 5. 18. In every thing give thanks And although they 〈◊〉 Chrysost Bruno Osiandor refer it to God
she that is your Enemy may see it and shame may cover her Mic. 7. 10. That she may be removed that nothing of her be left amo 〈…〉 of her Idolatry and Superstition 〈…〉 your selves in array against Fren 〈…〉 abylon round about all ye that tred the bow shoot at her spare no Arrows for she hath sinned against the Lord saith the Prophet Jer. 50. 14. Some rubbish that escaped our first Reformers was left in the fall of so ancient and great a Building which remains yet untaken away but incumbers the Ground which in the Prayers that we are commanded to use in our Monthly Fasts run thus namely in the Prayer for the High Court of Parliament That all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours upon the best and surest foundations that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be established among us from all Generations Now another Foundation of Peace and Happiness can no Man lay than Christ and his Word We need not send to Rome nor any where else for any thing that concerns Religion The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart saith the Apostle Rom. 10. 8. and we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Eph. 2. 20. In the Prayer for the reformed Churches Purge all thy Churches from their Dreggs and make them meet for a glorious Deliverance that all the World may see that Salvation belongs to our God In the last Prayer Give us Grace Lord seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy Divisions take away all hatred and prejudice and whatsoever may hinder us from Godly Union and Concord that as these is but one Body and one Spirit and one Hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of us all so we may henceforth be all of one Heart and of one Soul united in one Holy Body of Truth and Peace of Faith and Charity and may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie thee O God through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The like Expressions are in the Prayer for the whole State of Christ's Church Militant here on Earth Let us deal plainly with God and our own Consciences and those to whom these Prayers are recommended unless we think to please God and Men with a few fair words of Devotion when our Heart is far from him and the performance of these things we pray for as the East is from the West Be not deceived saith the Apostle God will not be mocked Gal. 6. 6. however we may deceive Men with words smoother than butter but war is in the heart with words softer than oyl yet are they drawn swords Psal 55. 21. Is not this a casting of God's words behind us and taking his name in vain That lays us open to that surprizing expression of our Lord ex ore tuo est have ye not reason to fear the Lords Censure of the Elders of Israel that came and sate before Ezekiel in Babylon concerning whom the word of the Lord came unto him saying Son of man these men have set up their Idols in their hearts and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face should I be enquired of at all by them Exek 14. 3. And that of the Prophet Jeremiah that from the Prophets of Jerusalem hypocrisie is gone out into all the land Jer. 23. 15. If we build continually by our practice that which wont seem to destroy so solemnly by our Prayer what do we make of our selves in the Eyes of the World but Transgressors Gal. 2. 18. Children in whom is no faith Deut. 32. 20. What then are these Dreggs we desire God to deliver us from Are they not the remainder of our natural Corruption and the sin which doth so easily beset us within and of Popery without that have been a snare to us and removed our Souls far from Peace that we may be delivered from them as well as other reformed Churches Again What are these great dangers that we are in by our unhappy Division for the laying of which seriously to Heart we beg God's Grace Are they about matters of no value that in the ballance of the Sanctuary have Tekel written on them as being altogether higher than Vanity Are we like the Man lying in a ditch praying Lord have mercy upon me and yet will not stir Hand nor Foot to help himself out If we will not prevent these dangers when we know what the late attempt to remove the occasion of them cost these Nations that were sore afflicted and sorely tossed with the tempest of a long bloody War and not fully comforted to this day Again Take away all Hatred and Prejudice and whatsoever else may hinder us from Godly Union and Concord And we will part with nothing by our good Will that may please many good people and can never tend to the real damage of any but add more fuel still to the old hatred and prejudice until that be taken out of the way by which the offence cometh that may kindle a fire that will never be quenched and feed a worm that shall never die Mar. 9. 46. from which Judgment the Lord deliver us Lastly All the terms of Union of Peace and Love in Heaven and Earth are mustred up together one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God c. many Vanities that we may with one Mouth and one Mind glorifie God c. Here a Man would think If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort in love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels or mercies if any truth in men Phil. 2. 1. that we are resolved now to fill the Evangelical Prophecy of Zephany to serve the Lord with a pure lip and with one shoulder Zeph. 3. 9. with Uniformity of Doctrine Worship and Discipline that there may be one Lord and his name one according to that of the Prophet Zach. 14. 9. Lord put this heart in those that have commanded us to put up those sweet words to God in truth and simplicity of Heart Amen That we may not be said to have a form of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. is an outward delineation of piety of peace and unity denying the power and practise of it as the Apostle speaks or as Jeremiah They have healed the hurt of the Daughter of the my people slighted saying peace peace when there was no peace Jer. 6. 14. and those that are required to make their Addresses to God in these words say Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy soul loathed Zion why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us we looked for peace and there is no good and for a time of healing and behold trouble Jer. 14. 19. Then said I ah Lord God surely thou hast greatly deceivid this people and Jerusalem saying ye shall have peace whereas the sword reacheth unto
the soul Now most noble Lords and Commons Since God hath endued many of you with excellent parts of learning of all sorts and Wisdom both Theorical and Practical above all the Sanedrims Synods and Anti Synods since that of Nice in which a plain Country-man in demonstration of the Spirit and Power convinced the Heathenish Phylosophers more than all the three Hundred and Eighteen Fathers that were there I hope you will in the fear of God assert the everlasting Gospel in the purity and simplicity of it and all the approved Teachers of it in allowing them a just Maintainance for their Supportation that they may be encouraged in the Law of the Lord 2 Chr. 31. 4. as Hezekiah is recorded to have done in his Reign according to that of the Apostle Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things which I take to be the Patent of the Ministers of the Gospel The gleanings of your Grapes are better than the Vintage of some Countrys where there is a competent Provision for their Ministers many able Men of yours have small allowance even for the meanest Imployments all Tyth being lock'd up in the Hands of Impropriators in many places and nothing left of the spoil but the old allowance The Nethimims that were of two sorts the Gibeonites and the Levites that were imployed to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the Alter of God t had a far more plentiful provision for themselves and their Families than many of your most painful Ministers have at this day that labour in the Word and Doctrine as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 5. 17. Prove me now herewith saich the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it Mal. 3. 10. That he may cause the blessing to rest in thine House saith the Prophet Ezekiel ch 44. v. 30. More over most noble Patriots that are called to sit on Thrones of Judgment for such a time as this where many of your Pregenitors Parents Kinsmen dear Friends fellow-Subjects and Country-men did sit above Fifty years ago that were able Men fearing God and honouring the King that were zealous for God and valiant for his truth as ye are all this day Act. 22. 3. that resisted all inevitations on Church and State even unto Blood Heb 12. 4. in themselves and others to prevent the setting up the image of Jealousie that provokes to Jealousie Ezek. 8. 3. which was like to bring the calamities of Esau upon them Jer. 49. 8. and their posterity after them that they might not be called the border of iniquity the people against whom the Lord hath Indignation for ever as the Prophet speaks Let not all the trouble seem little to you that hath come upon us our Kings on our Princes on our Priests and on our Fathers and on all the people Neh. 9. 32. since the time of King Charles the I. whose shield in that combustion was vilely cast away 2 Sam. 1. 21 as if he had not been anointed with Oyl as David laments the violent Death of Saul lest these things should be revived and advanced with a high Land that caused such alienation of affection and bitter destruction of many Persons and Families in these three Kingdoms You have like the Nobles of Israel given their evidence to the contrary Thas when Popery was issuing upon us like a mighty Stream Root and Branch in all the parts and Pendicts of it Then they had swallowed us up quâ—ck when their wrath was kindled against us Then the waters of Mara of bitterness had overwhelmed us the stream of Idolatry and Superstition had gone over our Soul Psal 124. 3 4. Then like so many Moses's you stood in the breach to resist Satan and all Iniquity and to turn away God's wrath from his People occasioned by the golden Calf or as so many resolute and self-denying Leviâ—es of whom it is written That he said to his Father and to his Mother I have not seen them neither did he acknowledge his Brethren nor knew his own Children when a Proclamation was made by Moses through all the Camp of Israel Who is on the Lords side let him come unto me Exod. 32. 26. In all these things you have approved your selves the faithful and true Servants of God Be it spoken to the glory of God and recorded among your Archives for your honour and of your posterity for ever that you did really thus with all your high and low Court-Relations Ye have seen also that Prophecy of Isaiah actually fulfilled in the Royal Person of our King when the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him Isa 59. 19. put him to flight by whom But by our King William whom God hath made to be his Standard-bearer against the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition in Honour and Obedience to him that is styled The standard-bearer among ten thousand Cant. 5. v. 10. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath in love to us all set his own King over us to assist you in all things that may do most good In whatsoever things are true in whatsoever things are honest in whatsoever things are lovely in whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise that ye may think on these things with him as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 4. v. 8. What God said to David Psal 2. This is my King generally he saith it of all that be like to David for he is the same The King whose Heart is upright with God as was David's the temper whereof you may see Psal 101. and Psal 131. as touching the Administration of the Common-wealth and his own Person and Family but more excellently as in his duty to God in the whole 119th Psalm Such a King is God's King himself such may assure themselves of safety and protection from the treachery and power of their Advesaries as Psalm 144. 10. It is he that giveth salvation unto such Kings that delivered David his servant from the hurtful hurt of Saul and all his enemies as the title of the 18th Psalm bears And without flattery be it spoken if God have any such King in the World it is our King as he hath well declared even by that very Argument of Protection from such villainous Practices as were contrived against him and such eminent dangers that he exposed himself unto both by Sea and Land to them that can or will mark no other reason Certainly if Sion if Jerusalem if Israel were beholding to the Lord for giving them the honour above all other Nations to be ruled by this King we are in the same debt to whom the best King in this World hath been given by him and then given when we feared the worst of all extremities that we could imagine