is made a Praise in the Earth and who are in truth as good as God hath made them great and modestly and justly as far excel all others in Virtue and true Piety as they are above them in Sphere or Station Now his Illustrious Highness the Prince of Orange knowing that the Enemies of the Lord had broken down the Walls of Jerusalem and raz'd them even to the ground in France because the publick and solemn Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth is not to be found in any part of that Kingdom now And seeing that those Engines of Satan were at work in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland Kingdoms unto which this great Prince had such a Right and Title not only by Affinity or Marriage of her Royal Highness his most entirely beloved Consort but also by Consanguinity or Birth his Royal Mother deceased being Daughter to K. Charles I. of blessed Memory for such was the Arrogance and Haughtiness of all Papists now in England Scotland and Ireland but especially of the Jesuits and Priests that they consulted how to destroy the Protestants and extirpate the Lord's Inheritance that they should be no more a People here and that their Name should be rooted out Nay so far had they proceeded in this Diabolical Design that even the Popish Kings of the Earth begun now to set themselves and the Rulers took counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed and the purchase of his Bloud therefore now they began to say of our Sion here Down with it down with it raze it to the ground and suffer not so much as one Heretical Branch to remain But he that sitteth in the Heavens did laugh the Lord had them in derision for he knew well their Fall was at hand and that the Righteous should have cause to rejoyce Nay as if 't were not enough for these Priests and Jesuits to insult over mens Bodies they pretend Authority over mens Souls and frequently would rush into what House they listed in a very impudent manner and molest the dying person with their destructive and pernicious Discourses torment poor Souls departing this life and where they could they forc'd the Breaden or Wafer-God to be received And which was no small aggravation to our misery or addition to our sorrow no part of our Nation was now free from these Ravening Wolves which went about in Sheeps cloathing These Serpents had now crept into every little hole or creek about the Land. And all this came to pass by the great encouragement and protection of the late K. James and Q. Mary persons every man can tell that made it their principal business to abet and protect the Priests and Jesuits enlarge the Kingdom of Antichrist and promote the Interest of Babylon the great Harlot and Mother of all Abomination and Wickedness therefore without all controversie their minds were blinded by the God of this World because of their unbelief lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Hence they were wholly given over to a reprobate mind to believe Lyes and Fables and Traditions of men before the pure Word of God and more sure Word of Prophesie which is Truth as Christ himself testifies Therefore they mightily encouraged the Evil and discouraged the Good abetted and protected them who said the Bible was false as Father Peters his Brother publickly preacht against our Bible averring there was several hundred Faults and Contradictions in it c. but suspended and disanimated our Reverend Pious and Learned Clergy who did not walk in Craftiness nor handle the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth commended themselves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God for the Doctrine taught and maintain'd in our Church is sound and uncorrupt and grounded purely on the sacred Scriptures Take but a glimpse of the irregular Zeal of the late K. James to promote the Mother-Church when he said to Father Peters in his Chamber who soon communicated it unto those at Antwerp Keulen and Liege of his own Society and commended his great and fervent Zeal I had much rather reign but one year to an end and then die a Martyr with the Conversion of England Scotland and Ireland to the Roman Faith than reign thirty years prosperously and leave them at my death in Heresie as I found them when I came to the Crown And I presume we may guess readily what would have been our Lot and was intended for us had not the Lord God Omnipotent shew'd himself Elehim in our behalf and remembred us when we were in trouble by that saying of the late Q. Mary unto the Pope's Nuncio I hope to dine all the Hereticks in the Kingdom by such a day naming the day for one Half-crown for even now they know not what to do and are at their Wits end God is always stronger than Men and greater is the Spirit that is in the Children of God than the Spirit that is in the World for when they concluded the Day was their own then were they on the top of the Precipice and all their evil Devices soon confounded Was it then any wonder at all to have our ancient English Laws sacrificed our Rights Liberties and Priviledges destroyed our ancient Charters wrested from us by violence of a Quo Warranto our Colledgians at Oxford turn'd out by a superstitious Mandamus and a Crew of Impostures placed therein The Law of God in effect made void and Popish Legends set up in the place when the late K. James and Q. Mary were fed with corrupt and unsound Food nay when they abetted and protected those who taught them Doctrines of Devils for such is the Doctrine taught and maintain'd in the Church of Rome in these days if we may credit St. Paul's words instead of the sincere Milk of the Word of God and wholsome Food of the Holy Scriptures What could our Nation expect from the hands of Bloud-thirsty Papists and especially Irish had they not been prevented by the goodness of God and the unparallel'd Resolution of the Prince of Orange but Fire and Faggot Wrack and Gibbet when many of them judg'd that to be the only way for to merit the Kingdom of Heaven by breaking Faith with Hereticks and destroying them in such a manner How many pious Lords and virtuous good men have lost their lives by the Papists Subtilty and Juggles thô pretensively by Law when unrighteous Popish Judges tryed and condemned them who had no fear of God before their eyes and whom the righteous Judge will accuse no doubt at the day of Judgment But there is one step higher to ascend and then we have done What was likely to befal us who destroyed Idols and burnt the Groves and sometime since drove out the Priests of Baal when one of that Communion did reign over us and one that thought himself cloathed with a Despotick and Arbitrary Power exercising the same
in Scotland beginning here to do the like And hence he told our Right Reverend Bishops when they waited on him about the reading of his illegal Declaration in the Churches I will make you to know that I am your King and that I must nay I will be obeyed be it at your peril Althô this command was contrary to the holy Word of God the Canons of our Church and the ancient Laws and Statutes of our Kingdom therefore our Right Reverend Bishops were hurried into the Tower. Now when the Priests and Jesuits saw plainly that they could not possibly get such a Parliament which would ease them of the Test and Penal Laws those two intolerable Yoaks as they forsooth called them thô the late K. James himself and all the Romanists within our Land had done their very uttermost using corrupt and unlawful means in order thereunto Then they thought to force us to take away the Test and Penal Laws therefore the late K. James sent out Mandamus after Mandamus but our brave English hearts would not be driven thô they might be won therefore they refused his Mandamus because it was contrary to Law Custom and Priviledge Then he commanded his Declaration to be read in every Church by the Minister after Divine Service and before Sermon and this not taking effect they knew not what to do for very few read his Declaration except some double minded men about our Church which are unstable in all their ways Now those Soul-deceivers about the Court advis'd the late K. James for to send unto Holland and try the inclination of the Prince of Orange and the Princess and desire their assent concerning the taking off the Test and Penal Laws which accordingly was done by his Envoy M. D' Abbeville But these two being like Zacharias and Elizabeth righteous before God and walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blamless not only refused to grant their royal Assent hereunto but even sign'd their Abhorrence of such a wicked Fact as appears apparently by the Lord Fagel's defence of himself against some implacable Papists in our Kingdom For which deed they immediately set themselves on work against the very best of Princes and broached the late Queens being with Child and it would certainly be a Prince of Wales But the All-seeing Eye being upon them soon brought to light their hidden work of darkness and raised up a good Josiah to break the power of Idolatry here For his illustrious Highness the Prince of Orance by his most accurate eye and with his profound sagacity soon espy'd the Popish Mystery of Iniquity which was so gloss'd over with equivocation prevarication and mental reservation and saw very plain thrô all the mists of their Roman and Italian Shams and thrô the clouds of their specious Pretences the inevitable ruin and destruction of England Scotland and Ireland if that this suspected Child was not timely prevented Nay he saw in the bottom of this Plot by the Sons of the Kingdom of Darkness the total Subversion of the true Reform'd Church of Christ therefore he judged it high time for the Lord 's peculiar People now to stand up for his Cause for the defence of his Truth and Gospel to resist the Devil and all his Imps now our necks being under oppression by Popish Governours our Inheritance turn'd to Strangers and our Houses to Aliens I mean unto these Soul-deceivers wherewith our Nation did swarm For the Jesuits and Priests of Baal Anti-christ did now feed on the best of the Flock and devour the Fruit of our Land while many able Ministers of the Gospel had scarce Bread left for to put in their mouths I mean those that were suspended by the Bishop of Durham insomuch that the Protestants hang'd down their Heads like a Bulrush and were not a little concerned to see the partial proceedings of the Court and being unable for to bear any longer their most unjust and abominable Actions it pleased our heavenly Father so to rule and guide the Hearts and Minds of the Nobility Gentry and some others of our Land that they join'd together and with one accord earnestly invited and desired his most illustrious Highness the Prince of Orange as being the only Person under Heaven capable of doing it for to give himself the trouble and charge of coming over with an Army here to deliver our Land and Nation out of the hands of all those implacable and blood-thirsty Enemies who long'd now to destroy us as also to free us from a Despotick and Arbitrary Power Therefore the renown'd Prince of Orange who was ever forward to hazard his own Person and venture his Life for the Life of the Gospel to preserve and maintain the Truth and Purity of it against all seducers and opposers did not delay answering their earnest Invitation nor defer fulfilling their cordial Desires Therefore he consulted with the High and Mighty Lords the States of Holland and West-Friezland assembled now at the Hague concerning this great Work and the most proper Methods to be used by him that the glorious deliverance of our Nation thrô the blessing of Almighty God upon his Endeavours might effectually be wrought And the first step thereunto was to make choice of fit Instruments because God works in these days by Means Miracles being long since ceased Hence he commands all the Dutch Forces for to Muster and Encamp about Nimeghen not very far from the Brandenburghers Camp the famous Duke of Brandenburgh being alli'd unto his illustrious Highness The Regiments being all incamp'd according to his Princely Order he was pleased to view them one by one and make choice of the very flower of the Army to serve him in this glorious Expedition He thought it very requisite to carry over into England such a Force with him as might thrô God's assistance and the Protestants concurrence make the enemies of the Lord to flee before him and drive out all the Priests of Baal and cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of Idolatry as good Josiah did for now the Altars of Baal were set up by those cursed Vipers in most places of our Realm as divers were set up in our Metropolitan City of London that renown'd ancient Protestant City to the exceeding great sorrow of our Reverend Clergy and discouragement of our holy Reform'd Church Having now made choice of what Officers and Soldiers he thought most fit here he went unto the great Duke of Brandenburgh's Camp and made choice of what Regiments he pleased there for to take with him into England and then with all the speed that might be he return'd to the Hague It 's certain that very many people thought he took too much trouble upon him to ride thus from one City to another nay to fly as some express'd it because he made such haste and all was for to deliver the true Reform'd Church of Christ out of all her enemies hands and to make the people of God enjoy rest and peace
very pathetical and very pressing unto a holy life and conversation putting all in remembrance of the great peril we were in so lately at Sea and of the holy Vows and Covenants which says he no doubt most of you did then make to God and therefore he desired that we would not forget our selves any more and told us all in express words That if we were not truly reform'd in our lives and conversations that we should not be thought worthy to be instruments of so glorious a Work notwithstanding the Lord as he had begun would bring it to pass not by us but some others who were more sincere in his Service and in the due observation of his Laws The Air was extreme tempestuous and the Weather very stormy At this very day when I go to my Devotion methinks I see that most pious and exemplary Pattern of his Highness the Prince of Orange before my face how very earnest he was with the Lord in his Prayers here upon his bended knees after a most devout manner causing publick Prayer to be made in the House where he lodged twice a day he was an Example and President unto all about him how duly they ought to remember their Creator The Weather continuing very stormy and tempestuous and little or no probability of a change or alteration the People of this place proceeding still to exact on us all some of our Lords whether Dutch or English it matters not were pleased to inform his Highness thereof who presently sent to the States about it Therefore a positive Order came forth in print what we must pay and no more so much a night for Lodging so much a pound for Cheese Butter Bief Mutton Veal Bacon c. so many Eggs for a Styver and so much to sit up by the Fire Eighteen Styvers for one Night having a fresh pair of Sheets and lodging there no more but if he continued Six Styvers a Night Four Styvers for to sit up by the Fire Ten Styvers a Pound of Butter c. Divers Lords came to visit his Highness after the Storm and her Royal Highness came in her Yacht unto the Brill where his Highness met her with many English Dutch and French Nobles Knights and Gentlemen and having dined together they parted each from the other the Prince returning in the Evening unto his Fleet at Hellevoot-sluys and her Royal Highness the Princess of Orance unto Honslaerdyke People came daily from all parts of Holland to visit their Friends and very many Dutch-women to visit their Husbands but most went to the Brill for Provision and Lodging the Brill is about some four or five English Miles from this place Being noised abroad that we were at Hellevoot-sluys and that all sorts of Provisions were so excessive dear the People came thronging with their Boats and all things within a while was at a very reasonable rate Here we heard that the Priests and Jesuits with the Papists at Antwerp in the Spanish Netherlands sung Te Deum in their Churches because the Hereticks were cast away with their great Conductor and made use of Moses Song when as we were daily rendring our hearty Praises and Thanksgivings unto the Lord our God for his stupendious deliverance of our whole Fleet out of such a storm and all the Churches in the Netherlands did the same His Highness the Prince of Orange was not in the least dismay'd in all the Storm when most mens hearts were as stones dead with fear his Countenance was observ'd not to alter as other mens did but like a true Paul or servant of Jesus Christ he encouraged all in the Ship where he was making them cheerful when their Spirits were dejected saying to some in the Ship these words or to this effect as I received information from one in the same Vessel For my own part I am not in the least doubtful but that we shall do very well I know God is a righteous God and trys the very hearts and reins and sees the very end and bottom of my thoughts He knows my integrity in this Vndertaking that 't is not to get my self a name or for my own sake but for the promotion of his Glory and his Churches good and therefore he will not give his enemies any cause to rejoyce in the destruction of the pure in heart Our Horses dying daily were thrown over-board and every person now begins to think of setting out again all the Ships are revictuall'd with a Month's Provision more besides the old Store which was left so that every Ship must needs have overmuch rather than too little And thô people may speak their pleasure concerning Holland how they feed on Hèrbs and Fish altogether I am sure there were sundry Barrels of good Beef and Pork with sufficient Cheese and Butter as could be eaten on board every Ship. Order was now given unto all the Schievelingers for to come to the Fleet at Hellevoot-sluys and accompany us to England for to set the Horses and Soldiers on shoar with all expedition which the small Ship-boats could not do And according as they receiv'd order so they came and sail'd about from one Ship to another While we were here riding at anchor for we tarried here about eleven days there was a certain Minister went unto the Brill to purchase some things he wanted to take along with him in the Ship for to eat and a Papist seeing him in a Shop and hearing him speak to the people about the Storm whether or no he was a Priest he could not say in a taunting impudent manner began thus Now Sir I suppose the Courage of you all is well cool'd and you are convinc'd that the Lord was much offended and angry with the Prince of Orange and his whole Fleet for this rash Vndertaking and therefore he made the Wind and the Seas to resist them and take his Churches part and it may be a warning unto every one of you that you do not fight against God. Unto which this Divine soon made answer saying Alas you are very much mistaken and far from the truth for by these external Providences and Dispensations of Almighty God no man can judge aright of his love or hatred because himself tells us plainly that God maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and unjust St. Paul's Shipwreck was no argument God was angry with him nor was that a sign that he was a murderer because the Viper hang'd on his hand altho' the censorious foolish Barbarians judged so in like manner This Storm coming when our Fleet was at Sea is no argument that God was offended with the Prince of Orange or this Navy for he is a consuming fire when he is provoked And hence we may certainly conclude that it was to prove us not to destroy us for 't is apparent to the World that we are not consum'd Therefore as the Barbarians chang'd their speech when they saw