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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	day_n	lord_n	week_n	6,148	5	10.2436	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96886	The churches thank-offering to God her King, and the Parliament, for rich and ancient mercies; her yeares of captivity; her first yeare of iubile; that is, for the marvelous deliverances wrought with God the first wonderfull yeare (since the yeare 88) beginning at September 1640. and ending the ninth of the same moneth following: in all which time, the Lord appeared for his church, as in the dayes of old, out of the middest of the bush, so the church burn'd with fire, and was not consumed. In the preface, the thank-offering is vindicated, and set free, from all the cavills and charges against it; where also it is cleared to be, as every mans duty, so every mans purpose, to offer willingly now, who doth not make full proofe, that he falls short of pagan, papist or atheist; and is wilfully resolved to walk crosse to the most supreme law, the highest reason, and the unquestionable will of God.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1642 (1642)	Wing W3484; Thomason E122_1; ESTC R18182	151,993	158

breath of her nostrills and the life of her soule She doth professe unto you in the presence of her God that she hath but one meanes in her absence from Him whereby to seeke His face To know His mind concerning her and her conversation here below But one means to carry up all her wants and to bring down all her blessings for she accounts nothing a blessing which is not gained by Prayer and shee writes upon every thing she receives ASKT OF GOD But one meanes to hide her selfe in the clifts of the rock till the indignation be over For when the Lord sh●ll shut the Heaven and open His Armory against the earth a Ier. 50 25. bringing forth all the weapons of His indignation Then hath she but one meanes one shift but as one said its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greate one and a sure one HE ARE THOV IN HEAVEN THY DWELLING PLACE AND FORGIVE AND DOE This is all her refuge SVPPLICATIONS TO HER GOD. The Church hath much to say at this point But she humbly thankes you that you did not thinke it fit to bind her strictly in her Publike Assemblies to formes of others making Alas they cannot reach her wants nor the boosome of her God The heart knowes its own bitternesse and can best indite her own sorrowes and make them known unto her God But yet the Church will not prescribe heere only she hopes you vvill consider how shee hath been dealt with very lately when a stout Prelate was so daring as to prescribe her a prayer and then cheate the world with her Name The Churches Prayer when indeed it was Lincolns Prayer so the prayers have been all this Time some private mens devotions and then called the Prayers of the Church But had this beene all she had held her peace Behold how her Adversary like an imperious WHO RISH WOMAN hath dealt with her these l●st yeares which surely her Lord will take as a FORCING His QVEENE before His Face It is notoriously known that the Adversary hath by his prescribed formes comp●●led her to blaspheme the Name of her God and her own Name to curse her best friends and to bl●sse her worst enemies In consideration of the premises she conceives great hope that if you allow not her children to choose their speakers yet to allow of your choise such an one who is sincerely honest understands their case the weight of his office and is sufficient to be their mouth to their LORD and to make knowne His meaning to them The Church is confident that if you shall well consider her Negotiations you will find them weigh more upon the ballance then those concerning the greatest Prince in the world and yet she will take the grant of this her request as a speciall favour and grace from you though not only a Prince but inferiour persons will challenge so much as their proper Right But she referres her suites to the Closet she is now giving in the tribute of thankes and praise and she blesseth God and thankes you with all her heart for all the labour of Love worke of Faith Patience of Hope towards her Sonnes and Daughters that you have brought them so farre even HITHERTO she sets a marke upon it for it requires speciall observation SECT III. The ninth of September a notable Day to be written and to be named both written because on that Day an unrighteous Decree To establish a Service odious to God one of their own being Judge was made Null and of none effect Named as in Dayes of old forthe same Reason HEre I have concluded the yeare almost in the middest of a Month I could not else have given up the full tale of wonders It was necessary I should goe to the ninth of that Moneth so farre that it might the more fully appeare how farre the Lord hath brought His Church working wonderfully for His people That Day the Worthies adjourned their Court for five weekes that so they might look over their private interests and then returne againe well refreshed for the Common-weale and Gods worke vvhich that Day late at evening had a notable close The Church seemes to heare a voyce now as one of her sonnes once did comming to her eares with a double charge Sonne of man write the name of the Day even of THIS SAME DAY * Ezek. 24. ● And the spirit suggests unto her the same Reason in effect which He did to the Prophet for so doing She remembreth well some there were who that same Day vvould have established the Liturgi● as now it is with all it's faults which all indifferent men doe find there not a few and acknowledge it to b● a Service which God never commanded neither ever ca●e it into His Heart He that pleads so hard for the Liturgy as now it is for that must be remembred still the continuance and est●blishment of it in the Church even the same man t●ls us it is a S●RVICE ODIOVS TO HEAVEN Doth he so Truly I th●nke so but j●dge you No that you w●ll not you will say for you are not a judge let the learned give judgement in these matters and let my spirit be subj●ct thereunto I confesse this is a point of w●sdome and of modesty both But I take judgement here in a vulgar construction and so we may judge for the eare can try words as the Mouth can taste Meat * Iob 12. 11. I will then give you out his wor●s by tale for we find a pretty parcell of them together Thus he saith first GOD WILL HAVE NO WORSHIP OF OUR D. Hals Com. l. 2 p. 138. DEVISING Then God will not allow of all our Liturgy for sure there is something of mans devising therein as no man vvill deny that is not all fore-head and dares deny that Snow is white or fire will burne 2. WE MAY ONLY DOE WHAT HE BIDS US Then we must worship the Father in SPIRIT and in TRVTH for the FATHER SEEKETH such to worship HIM 3. NOT BID WHAT HE COMMANDS NOT. Ioh 4. 23. Then the Curate must not bid Saints dayes to be kept holy for God commands them not He commands His Day to be kept holy which the bold Priest hath count●rmanded and such dayes vvhich are to the Church now as dayes of PVRIM vvere to the Church of old Dayes turned unto them from sorrow to joy and from mourning into a good Day b Est 9. ●● So also dayes of Atonement Fasting Dayes called also Sabbath Dayes 2. The Bishop must not bid his Curate reade all the Liturgy for then he will reade Arch-Angels which he ought not to doe for God commands him not to reade a lye we never heard or read of that word plurall but in the Liturgie 4 NEVER DID ANY TRUE PIETY ARISE OUT OF THE CORRUPT PUDDLE OF MANS BRAINE We believe it and withall that all is not true Piety that is contained in the Liturgy for the worst part of it

is for we worke for a good Master * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He shall have the greatest reward who workes not for a reward Isid p●ll l 2. p. 184. But I speak to them that will bargaine with their Lord and well know their wages else will dee no work I demand of these why should this Discourage them in their studies or cut them short in their hopes that some men with their Et cetera●s shall not be ●uffered any longer to ingrosse or inclose the rich and fat pastures of the Earth to eat the fat and creame of the Land as those their B●ethren before them Abby-lubbers evill-beasts flow-bellies have done while the good Schollars feed upon a poore pittance the while nay are almost starved I pray ●●u might not good Schollars picke out many a good bit from such a place as ●au●s were it rid of these c. and their singing men And a very good riddance how well might they bee spared no fitter some of the● for a Church then a Swine for a Parlour And yet we doe not thinke that there ought to be an equall divident an equall d●stribution of honours and preforments in the Church but according to Desert and proportion in gifts yet we thinke the Proverbe hath some use here They are merry in the Ha●l when beards wagg all And not when the one table have their full messes even to a surfitting and vomit the other none at all or in no proportion And so much to the complaint touching Church livings now touching Church-men Ob. a Titularis nō Tu●elaris Rex desuit non praesuit reipublicae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. complained that in his time they were made Bishops who made themselves the basest servants servants to their lusts ep 10. They cannot give thanks to the high Court for they have cast forth of the Church their Church-men Ans Church-men As the Iudges the chiefesto them were Common-wealths men they so sought their owne private-wealth that they left the poore subject nothing he could call hi● own but his misery So these Church-men they called out the Church the Church when they stab●ed her to the ve●y heart Put we these together for they be M●●ches Church-men and Common-wealths men then you may saie worse of them then was said of Chilperick●d a bad King of Fran●e my English will not be so good as the Latine but too good for them He was a nursing Father not in deed but in●rame so He was set over the Common-wealth as a golden head there but he did not the office of an head of a foot rather and so stamped the Common-wealth to powder These good men are cast-out and good reason for they were as unsavourie salt neither fit for the Land nor yet for the Dung-hill but men cast it out a Luk. 14. 34. as the unprofitable wood of the fruitlesse vine were they meet for any vvorke b Ezech. 15. 4. But who cast them out and how It is worth our labour the inquiring out Surely the Lord God did it the God of recompences for the controversie of His Zion c Esa 34. 8. He did it even by His owne right-hand But so and there we set a marke as their owne mischiefe did returne upon their owne head And Ps 7. 16. his violent dealing came dovvne upon his ovvne pate The conclusion is The Lord cast them out by the helpe and violence of their owne hands It is true and but equitable That we should give all dues to man here for he was a noble and glorious instrument in Gods hand for the effecting this worke and disburthening the Church of these oppressours but we must resolve all into Gods Hand and unto the violence that was found in their owne hand It was the Lord That BENT Judah d Zach 9. 13. for Himselfe and FILLED the BOWE vvith Ephraim we may fitly allude to that place He hath raised up thy sonnes from the North and from the South O Zion against thy false sonnes and made them as the SWORD of a mighty man against those mighty Adversaries His arrovv vvent forth as the lightning against them He went out with VVHIRLE-WINDS of the South and North a CONTINUING k Ier. ●0 23. Whirlevvind and it fell vvith paine on the head of the vvicked We may reade on The fierce anger of the Lord shall not returne untill He hath done it and untill He performe the intents of His Heart For see what the intents of these Church-men were against the Lord even to make His Land desolate and His Church forsaken To set Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim snatching on the right hand and on the left so eating every man the flesh of his ovvn arme And yet their wrath is not turned away no not yet The same e Ier. ●0 23. ver 24. Esa 9. 20. malice boyles still and runnes over This is their worke at this Dait and these the intents of their hearts That the sword may be bathed in our HEAVEN That the Land may be filled with blood from corner to corner Observe againe what they have done and how they have prepared their own way for the bringing in the Deluge of wrath They have let the vineyard of the Lord lie waste and have broken downe the Hedge now a Serpent has bit them according to the threat f Eccl. 10. 8. removed the ancient Land marke made the Heritage of the Lord as a speckled bird g Ier. 12. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vol. bom 31. exposed it to the spoyle of Foxes and to grievou● Wolves Here Chrysostomes words would astonish them were they well pondred on I will but point at them in the margent h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in Ep ad 1 Cor. 3 Hom. 3. The same Father doth make it cleare to the whole world even now i That they have taught yea commanded Atheisme all over their Diocesses so Preachers doe saith the Father indeed they preach not at all when they spend an houre in a daie in Chrysostomes daies they preached every Daie in laying the Foundation of Repentance from dead workes and of Faith towards God k Heb. 6. 1. And the rest of the Day and whole weeke after turne their backes upon what they said in a lewd and wicked carriage This makes their hearers Atheists it commands l Suade● lingua iubet vita Gen. 18 19. An example hath the vertue of a Command nay it is a Compulsion Cogi cos dicit qui exemplo Petri iudai●aba●t Gal 2 14. Beza Atheisme and so we have a little of that much whereby the Father reproves the blasphemie of Minister● in his Daies whose examples destroyed what their preaching built up and so they taught flat Atheisme Our Church-men have done so too as is cleare to all the world and their judgement will be as manifest Now the Lord is beginning with them no● is the yeare of Gods

was a woman once and that they may not be couz●ned the second time he must set upon a stoole so 't is related and before he must know himselfe to be Pope the st●●ders by must know him to be Iohn not Ione And tru●y bu● th●t he goes to the stoole every day he would quite forget that he were a man for he is above the Sacred Scripture too This is the HEAD a monstrous Head he is MANY a Legion and more for I joyne the whole Body with this Head and all those Heads too be they Kings or be they Emperours or what heads you can thinke off who have given up their Head ship to this Head I meane their power unto the Pope have made themselves Servants to that SLAVE Slave What a word is that to give to such a tall Head The Pope in a voluntary humility gives himselfe that Title SERVVS SERVORVM What 's that In plaine English the basest Servant S●ave for a● a Song of Songs is an excellent Song The God of gods is the true God the Lord of Lords is the excelling Lord th● Master of Masters is our Master in Heaven So a Servant of Servants is the lowest Servant the vilest bas●st Servant a true Slave But there is the Head with all the appurtenances and adherents And see how he contrived and plotted to enlarge his Dominions to dethrone the Lord Christ to take from Him His possession not onely the ends of the Earth but the head of Kingdomes See I say how he wrought to establish mischiefe by a Law How hee sought to curse the people of God! For that purpose his Balaams were posted to every place and Altars built up there and all to curse those whom God had blessed and they must be blessed but considering the height the power the policie of this Head and yet hee could nor prevaile he could not curse that is the wonder and yet we heare not the halfe ¶ 2. VVE must descend to the TAYLE that Nadar that despicable part as that Earth is whereon the foot stands if it stands upon a muck-hill that stinging part the Text saith and we feele the sting is in the Tayle What is that the sacred Scripture interprets it The Prophet that teacheth lies he is the TAYLE b Esa 9. 15. Reader looke about thee and observe in passage where he or they are who teach Lyes They that doe so though they be dignified with Titles and Honours and Preferments though they have their Schooles and Colledges for their encouragement and to engage them the more to their God yet if they teach Lyes they shall not be called by Him Who giveth to every man his dues and right name not Seers not the Eyes of the Land but the TAYLE The Prophet that teacheth Lyes hee is the TAYLE And he is many too and how did he wriggle I cannot expresse my selfe how did he struggle and strive and contend to wriggle-in that Head the Pope to sting the Church and to curse those that stood on her side Truly this was told in Gath what What Prophets we have it was published in the streets of Askelon and the daughters of the Philistines did rejoyce and the uncircumcised did triumph True but their rejoycing was but short for the TAYLE could not sting His People Of the sting in the Taile and poyson in the mouth the Lord made a preservative a soveraigne medicine and Hee turned the curse into a blessing Blessed be His Name Now the Church prayes the Lord unscale the eyes and unvaile the hearts of those Prophets that they may see and consider what they have done and doe and pardon them according to the multitude of His compassions Amen ¶ 3. THat the marvellous workes of the Lord may be raised in our thoughts yet higher that we may have an high and honourable esteeme of them we must consider as followeth Here was a Head which thought to establish wickednesse by a Law here was Tayle-Prophets who taught lies and these prevailed so far that they brought the people on their side as the sand on the Sea-shore for multitude These made the People glad with their lyes and he was a Prophet unto them that could prophesie of wine and strong drinke a Mic. 2. 11. See here Councell and Strength is for the warre the Adversary had both and multitudes so many as we heard and yet see the over-ruling hand of the Lord Almighty these prevailed not neither by their strength nor by their councell nor by their multitudes as appeareth this Day There is the marvellous worke of God and a wonder To make the wonder yet more compleat we must take-in a third person the most chiefe and principall BEE LZEBVB their Prince and King the Angell of the bottomlesse pit hee keepes his nature still so he keepes his name still in the Hebrew ABADDON b in the Greeke APOLLYON b Rev. 9. 11. two names different in language and in sound but in signification one and the same A man slayer a Soule-devourer He hath his name so in the Hebrew because he is a mighty let to the comming-in of the Iewes no such offence to them in the world as your Images and Image-makers And hee hath his name so in the Greeke because the head of this faction mightily opposeth the compleating or filling up the number of the Gentiles For he opposeth with all his might the spreading of the Gospell the revealing that mighty arme of the Lord. We have the principall now the King and Prince we will put all together the Head the Taile the bulky-Body with the King over them What is the marvellous worke now what is the wonder This That the gates of Hell prevailed not Wisedome mighty for plotting and contriving was turned into foolishnesse Strength mighty for action was turned into weaknesse Multitudes did fall as drunkards had not so much power as women or as wounded men We have not all yet this must be considered also for this is our designe to advance the name of God in confounding such a Troope by such weake meanes The Righteous who seemed a very few a thin scattered people these spake often not only as in an evill time one to another ● but openly and to the Adversaries face These I say though Prudent men Mal. 3. 16. did not keepe silence no not in that time such an evill time * Am. 5. 13. I should goe on but here an Objection will thrust in upon me to take off from this wonder and to shorten if it could be the Arme of God even the right hand of the Almighty SECT V. The Obiection That the Arme of the People was strong here and the Arme of God not so glorious SEe the manner of Men before we heare them if we can see any cranny or chinke whereat light and comfort comes in unto us to that we will looke not minding the Sunne whose beam it is If our net be quite broken all to peeces we will scarce

be destroyed Counsels hid in the dark discovered and a Breach made-up great as the Sea so as the Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day THe people that doe know that is doe feare and rely upon their God shall be strong and doe exploits So it was in dayes of old Dan. 11. 32. So it will be to the end of the World Please you we will remember a sacred Story and consider it with our whole he●rt and with our whole soule Time vvas vvhen our Grand-fathers dwelt in seiled houses while they let the house of God lye waste Every man ranne after that is was very earnest in his owne affaires but the affaires of the Church no man regarded much vvorke was done but no Temple-worke The Lord by His Prophet Haggai admonisheth and reproveth for this correcteth and punisheth too bids them consider the order and method they tooke whether things vvere done decently and in order all for themselves their private wealth nothing for God and the Common g●od and how they prospered in their contrary way vvhither God vvalk'd not contrary to them also Shame devoured their labors a Ier 3. 24. there was a SWORD and a DROVGHT b ●er ●● 38. upon all they had and upon all they did They vvere in a deepe consumption They eat and they dranke and yet pined away c Hag. 1. 1● ●er 6. They laboured but in the fire Wages they earned but they put it into a bagg with holes much they did but nothing prospered After many ●ore and sharpe stroakes for man vvill not be made vvise but by blowes they began to looke up and consider their vvay vvhich vvas not right yet they thought to prosper in it but it was not possible At last they considered and thought thus if God does all and gives all richly to enjoy if He be the best and highest Master and payes the best vvages The greatest reason in the vvorld His vvorke should be done first and so like wise and considering Men they fell to Gods worke ranne as fast to His House as before to their owne This the Lord tooke very kindly as His manner is and ordered it so that is His manner too for His vvrath is quickly appeased when He sees Men but look STEDFASTLY to Him and His House that their own house should not fare the vvorse they should sensibly see now a strange alteration in things as a SWORD and a DROVGHT before upon every thing so now a BLESSING a shewer of BLESSINGS Yes but they must wait for it No no waiting now Behold presently a shewer of blessings that Gods people may for after times lift up their feet in Gods way observe good order and method there still to begin vvith God and Temple-work call it vvhat you vvill Religion if you please From this Day that the Foundation of the Lords Temple was layed CONSIDER IT d Hag. 2 18. What must they consider It followes FROM THIS DAY WILL I BLESSE YOV from that moment of time when they minded Gods worke to doe it I WILL BLESSE YOU saith the LORD If ever GOD made good this Scripture to His people in after ages then now He hath fulfil'd it even in our days Every man can make application for from this Day the Lord hath blessed you you must prosper now and doe exploits for you goe on now in the strength of a COVENANT and in the strength of the prayers of all those that are in Covenant with you and that ●s an ALMIGHTIE strength Y●u have given forth your MALE the first Borne of your strerg●h to manage the great things of HEAVEN assuredly from this Day the Lord hath blessed you You have found vvherein the strength and spirits of the businesse lyeth now these are contained in Religion very ●ffic●ci●us in vvorking and a mighty binder as vvas said ye have bound y●ur selves to G●d and God to you now ye shall g●e on as valiant men in the strength of God and with His increase and ●l●ssing Though you should heare in after time the multitude of many people a Esa 17. 12 13. vvhich make a noyse like the Seas and a reshing like the rushing of mighty waters Then shall ye see also that God vvill rebuke them and they shall flee faire off and shall be chased as the chaffe of the Moun●●ins before the vvinde and like a rowling thing before the whirle-winde c. For it followes but I forbeare for I must keepe my selfe within the bounds of this WONDERFULL YEARE This is but to shew that you have chosen a way to walk-in and a rule to walke by called the WAY of HOLINESSE the Lord keepe you in it and to it it is a cleare an holy a s●●e an une●ring way The way faring men though FOOLES shall not erre therin b Esa 35. Ye may fall into the straits there as was said ye may be troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed ye may be but not in despaire c 2 Cor 4 8. as you reade ye may meet vvith a Lyon in that way persecuted ye may be but ye shall not be forsaken The Lord whose ye are and whom ye serve and have engaged your hearts so to doe the greatest security that Earth or Heaven can give is yours now will carry you through all His NAME His GLORY is engaged too and make ye more than Conquerours at the last But for the present we are to Record yet farther what GOD hath wrought by you or vvhat you have wrought with GOD this Day vvhere you will see and take good notice what an easie passe or slide you had unto businesse as they have whom God will lead and prosper from this very Day the Lord did blesse you Take a short view of the works in the same order they were done so the Church will render you an account and an acknowledgement together very short in these particulars ¶ 8. Then from that Day ye marched valiantly ye trod down strength ye had Dominion over the Mighty d Iud. 5. ye troubled the Troublers and the Destroyer was destroyed Then no power of the adversary could with-stand you from that Day ¶ 9. Then from that Day ye found out the treacherous Priests and their Babylonish garments then you were to the poore Ministers as your good God before you you took off the yoake on their jaws and to the people you laid meat unto them h Hos 11. 4. Then you pursued your Adversaries to their strong-holds and you beat them there with their owne weapons Indeed their owne weapons weapons of unrighteousnesse were as Goliahs Sword to the Giants of the Earth as M. Dearing called them long agoe who searched the Scripture whether things were so and would take poyson from no mans hand Ye found these men overcome to your hand bound fast with the cords of their owne sinne as a wild Bull in a Net the Lord give them to feele it for their good full of

those blessings to blesse did belong to the children of the free-women the Church and her free-borne can blesse and they onely but yet though these were appointed by Moses to blesse yet there is not one blessing expressed and that is very notable by the way For by such silence Moses would have Gods people expect great Mr Ans blessings such as cannot be expressed by the tongues of Men or Angels but yet this good people must looke for those blessings by another that is Christ For the Curses these are mentioned not the people who must curse as if Moses were loath to name them for such a misery But the curse not causlesse must come e Pro. 26. 2. The point and comfort is which required clearing notwithstanding the haste for I would be very short though in such a businesse I cannot well frame to it the viols of the Saints so full of prayers and blessings are all powred out upon your heads and the Lord smels a savour of rest and peace from these odours for such they are being presented by the hands and through the Mediation of His Beloved Sonne CHRIST JESUS The Nations will rush now as the noyse of many waters There will be a shaking in the Earth much strife and contention there Who shall have the Day and overcome who shall returne ashamed from the battle with their hands upon their heads as Mourners A foolish question this I might as well aske what will prevaile most with God PRAYERS or CVRSES Who shall treade downe most the feet of the proud and lofty ones whom God resisteth and hath now cast out of their places or the feet of the poore and steps of the needy whom the Lord guides with His eye yet I determine not It sufficeth me and you too I beleeve that all the prayers in the world are for you all the blessings of all that can blesse there are upon you as assured yours as if they were pronounced by the very mouth of Christ and all the curses in the booke of God are upon your enemies and shall over-take them in due time if hearty Repentance prevent not So much touching the first great thing so prevailing in the world PRAYER You will be remembred of it again anon For as with Esther f Est 4. 16. you have commanded it so with her you will pray likewise THANKS follow and that is the subject of this Treatise a gaining commodity also freely laid out and the more freely so the more they receive-in the fuller are the returns and In-comes every houre These you have here from a most considerable person for I take a single word The CHURCH who can prise mercies speake them forth with rejoycing can skill in giving thanks for the time matter and manner and order in the same excellently well Thankes You may say That is a poore Returne No A rich Returne considering who offers them The Church and from her They never goe alone her hand goes with them she workes for you never was there a greater a better a more hopefull cause to set all on worke and her heart also she prayeth for you too she cryeth in the cares of her God night and day though you heare her not for so you reade of Moses he cryed * Exod. 14. 15. and yet there was not a syllable of a word heard Some doubts are to be cleared here the Method also which is easily done Another worke there is not so easie the answering some grave questions about the THANK-OFFERING Church-men so in name question it very much set themselves against it pleade rather not for a return of curses we hope but mightily set against a returne of thankes here they have indignation also saying to what purpose is this waste And some are so pinched gnawing their tongues that they know not what to say only they mutter that the LAW is against a Thank-offering too The Lord knowes how willingly I would have stepped over these blocks but He knows so I could not doe and not offend the Church and the Reader both so great is the offence in the way which by His strength I shall remove from before his eyes who is not resolved to shut them that he may stumble with lesse excuse and more impudence in a Sun-shine But I have so much wit and manners both to reserve this for him that hath leasure disposition and reason to hearken to it anon It will be sufficient for you if you take leasure for two things whatsoever the imployment is they must take place Consideration and Prayer the one will take up some length in your thoughts not more then may be thought necessary in this Paper the other may be lengthned also in your closet it shall be very short here Consider for it is also HIGGAION-SELAH g Psa 9. 16. Rem meditand●● summè Jun. A thing much to be considered on That there hath beene no undertaking no Designe of yours all this time which God hath not prospered and no designe of the Adversary which God hath not cursed You doe consider this and is it not wonderfull That you should goe over such Mountaines all along through a Sea so full of straits and and rockes on every hand and yet not dash the foot No for you consider this with it That you have managed the cause of Christ all this while you have carried all things your Counsels and Consultations and Actions levell to that Marke the advancing that STANDARD call it what you will that GLORY Your Adversaries have done the cleane contrary Not any one ACT hath passed through your hands all this long Session not any one Vote from your mouth that hath sadded those hearts which should not bee sadded c Eze. 13. 22. The Church hath high thoughts of this thus shee thinkes Nay shee knowes That never was there such a PRICE put into mens hands nor more wisely managed then by you for yee have set your hearts to it d Pro. 17. 16. You naturally a Phil. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cared for the CHURCHES state as Sons yee served with her in the GOSPELL The Church wonders not at all this for 1. You naturally cared for her therefore you worke and are not weary Love feeles no more burrhen then the Woman did taking the Childe into her Armes being the true Mother b Exo. 2. 9. Shee did it heartily 2. Heere wee can discerne GODS hand with you Wee must say as the Heathen did GOD IS c Gen 21. 22. WITH YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DOE GODS hand hath beene with your KING therefore hath His Hand beene so gracious to you and his heart is still in the same Hand not as Iron and Brasse and yet all is one to an Almighty Hand but as waters there d Prov. 21. 1. easily bent and called forth TO HIS FOOT e Isa 4. 1. 2. Vt aqua in areolâ quocunque dux ris sequitur Hier ep 16.

but men l Psal 9. Vehementissimè agnoscant Iun. and therefore what they did was not by their owne strength It is a passage surely to be noted how brag Sampson was of what he had done What had he done With the jaw-bone of an Asse heaps upon heaps m Iudg. 15. 16 17. With the jaw of an Asse have I slaine a thousa●● me● ●● doubles it that the b●●enesse of the instrument might adde to his praise and then he cast away the Instrument as a contemptibl● th●n● th●t the victory might be given wholly to his owne hand Next newes we heare Sampson is sore athirst Then he speaks more sa●ly and wi●ely Thou hast given ●his deliverance into the hand of thy servant And then he lo●ked toward the bone that he had cast away with scorne and behold water thereout whereby his spirit revived That he might know and be humbled the same hand which gave him drinke now gave him the victory bef●re But such a proud spirit Man hath it will not downe till it be beaten downe he is seldome made wise but by stroakes The Church speaks as unto wise men who can ju●ge what She saith and account it but a point of her zeale and wisedome to put in Caution here and to shew her care and feare least praise and applause should doe you hurt least having done so much and so worthily and being so famous in Israel you should not be able to looke through all a●l you have and all you are and all you have done through all to Christ and through Christ to God for indeed the Church finds it by experience to be an hard thing nay without a great measure of Grace impossibl● to doe as aforesaid That is To say as one did I have laboured more abundantly then they all and then to conclude heartily I have done nothing at all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me a 1 Cor. 15. 10. To say in w●y of glorying as a man hath done and as you may doe In nothing am I behinde the very chiefest that have formerly or now have sate in Consultation and the●● in the close of the worke thinke truly as he saith though ●he nothing b ● Cor. 12. 11. A hard matter this to all that are made of one bloud c Acts 17 26. to that part we properly call flesh a great incroacher still upon Divine Right If God be pleased to honour flesh a little and to cast Hi● quickning Beames upon it then commonly fl●sh will honour it selfe a great deale it will come in carve liberally to it selfe All the Glory Indeed if we doe not looke well unto it and with a strong hand command and charge it so flesh will doe it will Bishop like take a large shar● at le●st it will incroach far upon Gods peculiar Right And then it doth just as if the Wall should now the Sun-beames are upon it boast That the Beames were produced by some excellent vertue and power in the Mud wall ●nd not by the Sun d Perinde ac si partes radium se par●●rire dicat Calv. Instit 3. Cap. 12. This is enough to shew the Churches engagement and to keep Man from incroaching upon Gods Right or from boasting in himselfe In God we may boast all the day long and spare not there is no danger there for in Him shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory * Isa 45. ●3 And this could not be well omitted here for in very deed the Church will Record very great things admirable works rich mercies mighty Deliverances strange Discoveries c. and She will enlarge her selfe very much in thanksgiving and praise for all this therefore the Caution was necessary SECT V. How the Church records Mercies Who the Fountaine to whom She payes Tribute THe Church records these things in her heart There she weigheth and ponders them She can be content there might be a Pillar raised and a perpetuall Remembrance written thereon of the wor●s of her God and in great Charecters so as he that runs might reade them But neverthelesse She records them as was said and She writes upon them all Askt of God and the gift of God through Christ She Records them as the purchase of Blood and so streaming downe to her Which quickens her up very much and raiseth her Spirits high in the receiving and Recording of them And then She is fitted and well prepared for the high worke of Thanksgivi●g and of Prai●e O S●e is abundant in Thanksgiving and in pr●ise for Christ as the bottome-Mercy Which beareth up all The Foundation Whereon She is established mightily even with the strength of God and in that strength She holds up all her Mercies and Records them from the least to the greatest from the first to the last He is the Root That beareth all her sweets All her Fruits are in Him and some She gathers up and picks from the earth but the full Vintage all below is but as the first fruits and gleanings is where the Root is in Heaven He is the Sun to her little World If He hide His face She is in the Dark though all the other Starres shine upon her though there be an influence of all earthly Comforts towards her habitation Still His Presence makes the Day His Absence the Night The Church doth sometimes reflect upon her old Condition She would not be in it againe f●r a world for therein She can behold now the very utmost of misery What is that and without God in the World a Ephes 2. 12. It was s●id before as the Sun to the great World so the Creatour thereof to our little World If that be eclipsed but for an houre see how the Creatures droop and hang downe the head so it is with the Church Let her be without health if her God please without liberty without any thing in the world so She be not with●ut God in the World all is well for it is Day with her notwithstanding all her Nights of sorrow For He i● the fountaine of Light and of Life too All her fresh Springs the very being of life the joy and comforts of her life are in Him And if some of her Rivelets some one or more streames be cut off or tu●ned another way yet the Spring-head runs cleare The fountaine is the same and She is sure That is her● She hath an interest therein Therefore She can make her boast of God all the Day and all the Night of her sorrow also For in Him She is justified and will glory And for Him her heart would be enlarged as wide as are the two Poles one from the other such an enlargement She would find in Thanksgiving but She is a poore straitned hand-maid yet so She would be enlarged to her God For She hath all from Him Blood to justifie Water to sanctifie She can desire no more and all this She Records here for all this

after-birth For all this made their birth more vigorous strong and Man-like SECT IV. The Church returneth Praise and Thanks for all the good She received from That The World cals evill IT is not possible to reckon up the heads and particulars of the Churches accounts nor how She hath gained by her losses nor what ●ealings She hath had from her stripes nor how enriched by her poverties nor how enlarged by her straights But abundantly thankfull She is for former yeares and for all that which happened to her then and was as She thought against her being evill dayes and the yeares of her captivity for all that which happened to her then helped marvellously to cleare her vessell and She is as thankfull for that as for filling the same with Glory All that fitted made her meet a for after Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. 12. All that their Adversary did against them then his madnesse and rage his breathing out threatenings all tended much to their advantage These smitings of the hand and tongue hewed them polished them as the stone● of the Temple in the out-Court so making them as lively stones built up a spirituall house These preparations These fittings This making meet for glory are more to the Church though these are blowes prisons inquisitions fire faggot sword and the like These I say are more and of more account with the Church then Glory it selfe Their way thither to Glory I meane sometimes hedged about with thornes and blocked up against them as with hewn stone This way is as pleasant to thinke on when it is passed over as is the Crowne at the end The Summe is The Church gives thanks unto the Father Who hath strengthened Her with all might according to His Glorious Power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse and so hath made her meet hath fitted hath prepared her to be partaker of the inheritance of her Brethren and Sisters the Patri●●kes Prophets Apostles Disciples Martyrs of all the Saints by Calling while here below in this darke world now Saints in light And so the Church hath after her measure offered to her God the sacrifice of Praise and Thanks for His good and gracious dealing with her in former times the dayes of her captivity O what her enlargements then Their straights helpt to set their feet in a large place Their bonds made them free indeed Their wounds healed them Their distractions united them Their unquiet motions setled them Their ●eaths quickned them Their sorrowes comforted them The sh●me for Christ is their Glory Their reproach for Him their Crowne Who would not serve this God Who would not feare Him He turneth sicknesse into health weaknesse into strength mourning into Songs of rejoyc●ng The shadow of Death into the Morning * Amos 5. ● Who would not seeke this Lord Who would not feare Him This by the way we goe on This is written for our instruction whose minds are taken up with present things which fill us with so much hope as that we cast away feare o● with so much feare that we cast away hope We are in an extreame about them still either over-grieving or overjoying full of stirres we are a tumultuous people the Lord knowes A Gracious heart not so he can indite Psalmes not onely when out of ●fflictions but in the night of his sorrow even the deepest afflictions When flying before the enemy When persecuted and distressed When in darknesse of spirit yet then he can indite a Psalme Heman did so for he was the wisest man upon earth next unto King Salomon b 1 King 5. 4 31. but so sorely ●fflicted and suffering such terrours that in his sence he was distracted c Psal 88. 15. A Good heart can make the greatest sorrowes that he hath felt or doth feele matter of blessing and praise alwayes an hint for prayer How-ever it is to sense yet God is good to Israel still and doth good Therefore all the worke he hath to doe with his owne spirit is this To serve His God heartily and to submit to Hi● will patiently yea comfortably for many experiences have told him That the end will be good The Righteous know well That no Condition here below is like the Hill Olympu● some say wholly cleare a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without clouds No They expect windes and stormes both which when blowne over The aire is the clearer and wholsomer for it They have made application and counted their Cost and those happy who endure and so can wait patiently having seene the end of the Lord b Iam. 5. 1● CHAP. IV. Before the Church can Record the late wonderfull Works wrought for her by the ministery of Man She will put some things to our Consideration which observed may make us wise and fit us for the Times how hard fierce and perillous soever SECT I. What the Church is most taken with Whom She looks unto in all administrations What settles and calmes her spirit in the greatest Commotions THus we have cleared That the former Dayes Dayes of trouble are to be recorded for Gods Deliverance out of them is wonderfull and they have yeelded the Church in all ages a peaceable fruit of righteousnesse Now before She can Record these fresh and late works of wonder wrought with God this Day The Church will give us some Considerations from her owne practise to take along with us first so shall we understand the works and our selves and the Church the better ¶ 1. One Work only wonderfull and to be admired THe Church can muse on the workes of God and ponders them in her heart She can call them wonderfull works and marvellous But She can admire nothing but the riches of Grace those hidden misterious and unsearchable wayes of her Redemption There is matter of admiration and there only for other Works She laboureth to search them out and her Thoughts thereon are very precious But in this light path which so dazleth her eyes and amazeth her She stands admiring and it is her Lords pleasure She should doe so d 2 Thes 1. 10. ¶ 2. A Gracious spirit is not much taken with under-moone matters IF at any time we finde the Churches mouth wide open to Praise and Thanks Then we must know her heart is much more enlarged About what yes that is a necessary Question so is the Answer Evermore about spirituall matters such as concerne the soule the welfare and prosperity thereof At that point She is enlarged She is not over-much taken as we of the common sort are with under-moone matters She is not taken with the fl●wing in of Oyle and Wine nor with the recovery of Flaxe and Wooll of Soape and Salt and Leather and the like She observes the crooked wayes of men and carriage of things very well rejoyceth and mourneth in her measure but I say She is not taken with them as we are For we finde quicke flesh lively and stirring affections onely

markes upon it for it clears forth unto us as the Morning light no such demonstration as this vvho are the Church indeed who but in name so and that the MALIGNANT Church It cleares the Churches innocency also as the Sunne beame and cleares our duty to walke exactly as a peculiar people if we looke to be delivered how So miraculously after THAT SORT that all must say The Right-hand of the Lord did This. † 2. The Reader may consider that in the following Month I met with that ROOT the PARLIAMENT I mean which beares all our sweets here below our Religion our Lawes our Liberties our Lives by the good hand of God upon that High Court the KING and PARLIAMENT accursed be they that divide them and accursed be they also that strike at that Root we gather all the fore-mentioned for our selves and our children after us even all that blessed fruit for there it is as in a common root Therfore I staid the longer upon that fundamentall blessing Now I can goe on apace for I am but to bring in these after fruits as they did the Grapes all in a cluster but we must view over the lessons vvee tooke forth last and make a short collection thereof 1 The Lord hath triumphed gloriously H●s right Hand hath dashed to peeces the enemy In the greatnesse of His excellency He hath over-thrown them that rose up against Him 2. We have seene the Salvations of God great Salvations therefore the Israel of God is here amongst Exod. 15. 7. us a people greatly beloved Saved by the Lord for whose helpe Herideth upon the Heaven and in His excellency on the Sky Deut. 33. 26. Lastly Would vve be so saved then vve must be guided as the Church is according to her Lords WILL and so commanded by Him if we would be carried as upon the wings of Eagles then we must bee found walking in His way Thus we have seene the strange Overtures and turnings of things in these two Moneths and vvee have observed the certaine Uses and Conclusions there-from Now vve goe on to set downe the Heads of the after proceedings ¶ A Transition to the next Chapter Hitherto vve have observed vvhat God hath vvrought vvorking alone and by His own Arme bringing Salvations Now vve must observe vvith the same observation vvhat Salvations Man hath wrought with God the following Months as strange as vvas that Salvation vvhich Ionathan vvrought for Israel a 1 Sam. 14. 45. I have treated thereon severally not according to the excellency thereof but after my measure as I vvas inabled and am resolved not to mutilate or maim that continued Story by taking any part thence But which is more sutable to this place and my scope to set downe the Heads therof in as narrow a compasse as may be and as the matter can be contracted to give an abstract only leaving the specification of the set time vvhen the Salvations were vvrought the Month and the day to those Diurnals vvhich are vvritten before me vvhere also I blotted a few sheets of paper but specially to the vvorthy pains of good M Vicars vvorthy all acceptation So I proceed CHAP. IX The Heads of proceeding the following Months to the end of the first Jubile holding forth the wrath of God fury to His Adversaries His marvellous workes of Grace to His people breaking bands and taking off yoakes and bringing them into the band of a Covenant engaging His Church for ever to Record to Thanke to Praise SECT I. The Church blesseth God for you That you did not ioyne your selves with the Men of the Earth nor after the manner of Men forsake her in her low estate That you did not establish iniquity by a Law that yee read her petitions and heard her complaints that you opened her prisons and mouthes of the Ministers And had Dominion over the Mighty NOVEMBER a Month specially to be observed The third Day the High Court assembled things vvere done after the Manner c. At this point others begin and here I shall not breake off but dissolve a well continued Story into some chiefe Heads vvhich vvill containe the chiefe workes of wonder and so yeeld us matter enough of praise to God and thanks to Man The Lord tune our spirits to the setting forth the high praises of the Lord. The first Head will lead-in all the test for it containes much a Ezek. 23. 32. therefore that we may begin right the Church would have us consider That her enemy and adversary the Head and the Tayle who these are is now fully manifested and declared before had wrought effectually in the children of disobedience They had carried all before them levell to their owne mark They had levened the Land they thought from corner to corner with most impure Doctrines and as uncleane practises Indeed as was said they had vvrought very effectually as appeareth this day They had prepared their owne way made it so strait plaine and levell so as they thought verily they could find no rubb no opposition none at all they might goe on smooth away the Angell of the Lord could not meet with them at least could not stop controll nor crosse them in the way no not with the Sword in the hand They had now set the BVSH on fire round about I meane the Church a flaming Bush was her Embleme once and it must be her Embleme there you see the Church to the Worlds end They had set the Church all on a flame and thought verily if Gods dwelling were there which they thought not of they could if not thrust Him out of His House yet they could fire Him out for they looked wistly when His House would sinke downe and fall into ashes Indeed this is notable by the way and engageth the Church mightily That God dwelleth vvith her when she is all on a flame in the fornace of afflictions then He DWELS in the BVSH therefore it consumes not But the Adversary and enemy thought not of this they looked when the House should fall as aforesaid and hastened vvhat they could the Ruine thereof They would put to more wood and make the burning yet greater This then is the first Head for this the Church blesseth God and thanks you ¶ 1. That you did not joyne with the stronger side I meane in appearance That you did not joyne strength to strength and adde more fuell also to make the flame the more fierce and raging for this is the manner of men To oppresse the oppressed to add to the affliction and like Mice as to runne out vvhen the House is on fire So to judge of Gods workes before they bee ripe I meane before the FIFT ACT and that is against the Rule b De operi●us Dei 〈◊〉 quintum actū 〈…〉 If a storme lye upon the Ship of the Church and she be tossed with tempests men will not waite till the fourth watch commonly so long the Lord deferrs His comming but