portrait of a man 
Carosus D. G. Rex Aug: Sco: Fran: et Hib:  
G: G: S●●    

THE persuasion OF certain Grave DIVINES,( Most of them of the ASSEMBLY) TO such AS SVFFER FOR THE KING, THAT THEY PERSEVERE IN THEIR SUFFERINGS.  1 SAM. 13. 20. The Israelites went down to the Philistines, every man to sharpen his axe. ECCLES. 5. 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher then the highest, regardeth, and there be higher then they. 
OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the University. 1645.   

TO HIS MAJESTIES HIGHNESSE.  
MAy it please You, to cast Your eye on these lines, of him who is cast down enough, that his Courage hath not been answerable to his Conscience to suffer for You. In a serious and sad sense whereof( Deum testor) to stir up his dull duty, he hath borrowed a goad from the averse party; whereby he hath so quickened himself, that though he hath Fled for You, yet rather then he will ever hereafter Flee from You, now( cum bono Deo) he will lay down his Living, livelihood, and Life, to testify that he is  
Your Majesties faithful( though most unworthy) Subject and Servant, Philosabilius.   

TESTES VERITATIS.  

D. burgess.  
D. Gouge.  
D. Gauden.  
D. Smith.  
M. Ash.  
M. Bridge.  
M. Calamie.  
M. Burroughes.  
M. Caryl.  
M. Case.  
M. Coleman.  
M. Goodwin.  
M. Harris.  
M. Herle.  
M. Hill.  
M. lay.  
M. Marshall.  
M. Will. Sedgewick.  
M. Ob. Sedgewick.  
M. Torshil.  
M. Prynne.   MAT. 23. 2, 3. 
They sit in Moses seat:  
What they( here) bid you observe, that observe and do: But do not after their works.   

TO THE READER.  
AS Master BUNNIE put forth the Resolutions of Parsons, so do I the Resolutions of these men. God make Thee, & Me to make the right Use of them.  
Philobasilius.   

THE PERSWASION OF certain grave DIVINES, &c.  
BE our Cause never so good, and were our Persons so too: howbeit, constancy and Courage are herbs of Grace, which grow not in every, even Christian, mans garden. If we could sell all we have to buy this Jewel, it were an excellent purchase.  
Cranmer, that admirable Arch-bishop, and Arch-enemy to the Papists, Gods instrument of our Reformation from Rome; yet, others flattering him, and he fearing others, even He fell from the faith, and did subscribe to Popery. jerome of Prague, that courageous volunteer, and Champion for the Church of Bohemia, who challenged that Popish goliath, even the whole Council of Constance; when he came thither, was there conquered by the foul usage of a filthy Imprisonment, and Recanted. Hosius the Holy, both nominal and real, after he had been President of that great Council, which condemned Arius; yet, when he was fourscore yeeres old, having one foot in the grave, the fear of Death forced him to find a hand to subscribe to the Arians. Origen, who exhorted his father Leonidas to go on constantly to martyrdom, and was himself Martyr voto, resolved to be Martyred, notwithstanding the many and mighty Torments, both threatened and acted to deter him; yet being assaulted by that devilish Dilemma, either to have his chast body defiled by an ugly Aethiop, or to cast Incense to an Idol; he sank, and suffered his hand to act that part of idolatry. Marcellinus, that famous Bishop of Rome, did render himself infamous among the Primitive Christians, for his falling from his constancy, and sacrificing to an Idol for fear of death. Finally, S. Peter, who did protest that he was ready to go with Christ, both into Prison, and to death; yet did he deny his Master, and that with dreadful execration.  
Now, though all these, through Gods gracious goodness, did recant their Recantations, and returned from their Relapses; yet, we may rather fear to follow their weakness, then we can be sure toreturne with their Repentance. Wherefore, their apostasy seemeth to preach to us, that Sermon of S. Paul to the Corinthians, Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed he do not fall, 1 Cor. 10. 12.  
A most necessary Exhortation. If their hopes, and our fears should come to pass; If the King be conquered, the very name of a Malignant will expose us to most miserable oppression. Then a man must be neither 〈◇〉, nor 〈◇〉: He shall not discover his Love, neither to the Kings Person, nor to his Prerogative. Then our Children shall be Orphans, their Parents surviving: we shall be divorced from their Education. Then our Preachers shall be exiled from their Parishes, and from their very Being too, even to an Extirpation. Then shall we be subject to the insolence of insulting Souldiers. Then shall we be liable to the fury of a foreign Army, who will be called in to support the sinking party. Then shall we be made Ludibrium populi, the scorn of the scum of the people. Then shall our Estates be sequestered, if not sold away absolutely: Our Persons shall be Imprisoned, Exiled, if not Executed. And although we may think our Innocence shall escape the Law; yet an omnipotent Ordinance will overtake us, and overthrow us. Then,( which is worst of all, worse then all I have spoken) Then shall our Conscience be brought into bondage: We shall be interdicted from worshipping our God in that way, which our conscience tells us is right, and our Chronicles that it is established by Law.  
He, who shall not be shaken by these storms, is built upon a Rock; 
Luke 6. 48. 1 Cor. 10. 4. Mat. 16. 18.  nay he is a Rock,( Petra fortis frangit, non frangitur) a member of Iesus Christ, of that spiritual Rock, against which the gates of hell shall never prevail.  
Now that we may know, and show ourselves to be such, let us seriously revolve, and resolve, what props we intend to depend upon, when we come to the grand trial. For which purpose, I will borrow the materials of our edification out of our Adversaries own Writings. I will rightly Apply their miserable mis-applyed Instructions: And I hope they will give us leave to make the true use of their Doctrines.  
That we may be soundly edified, I will not build without a foundation. First,( though most briefly) I will show that we have a Good Cause; then, instruct( in their words) how we may have a Good Courage. For, Causa, non Poena, facit Martyrem; If wee do not suffer for the Truth, we can have no True joy in those sufferings.  
Whose is The good Cause, and which side make just War, this is a subject for a Treatise. Here therefore, I will onely name one Praecognitum, as it were a brief Preface thereunto, in two words: First, by way of Conjecture: Secondly, by way of Demonstration. First, it may seem somewhat strange, that all the Grandies of their leading Preachers, in their most studied Sermons, at their most solemn Assemblies, choose their Texts out of the Old Testament: I have seen few in print out of the New. I conjecture this to be the cause: They cannot pitch upon one Text in the whole New Testament, but in that very Chapter, he shall meet with an Argument, either in the plain Letter, or in the strong Inference against their Opinion, That it is lawful for Subjects to take up arms against their King. Secondly, S. Paul doth declare Demonstratively, to my apprehension, that to assert a war of Subjects against their King, is an opinion both erroneus, and damnable; Let every soul be subject to the higher Power; and whosoever resisteth, shall receive Damnation, Rom. 13. 1, 2. The Apostle prescribing this Precept, both Affirmative and Negative, Universally, Indefinitely, and without Limitation, Let every man be subject,( whether he pertain to the people Collective, or Representative) Resist not the higher Power,( whether Good or Bad.) I dare not take up arms against my King, who is the Highest Power, by my solemn acknowledgement of a sacred Oath, and that twofold, of supremacy and Allegiance; and then seek satisfaction from Limitations and Distinctions. Nay, this apostolical menacing Precept appeareth so plain to me, and my conscience, informed by a full measure of my clear and convinced understanding; that if now the most learned, & most applauded Preacher in this kingdom; yea though an Angel from heaven should teach me another Gospel, I would say, Let him be accursed, Gal. 1. 8.  
Suarez said, it was the saying of King james, concerning Image-Adoration; 
Suarez. contra Anglican. s●ct●e errores, lib. 3. c. ●2. sect. 1. fo.— 224.  He did wonder what cunning wit, or cozening spirit did obtrude this gross figment upon the Church: and that he did marvelously misdoubt, that the Excuses drawn from their nice Distinctions, would not be approved by Christ, when he shall charge them with idolatry at the day of Iudgement. Here the jesuit confesseth, that he found it more difficult to give a sound Answer to this plain Demand, then to answer the strongest Arguments, and the most authentic Authorities, which could be alleged. So, in this jesuitical point, concerning war against the King; If King charles should say in the phrase of King james his famous Father, That he doth wonder what cunning wit, or cozening spirit did obtrude this damnable figment on his bewitched Subjects; and that he doth marvelously misdoubt that the Excuses drawn from their Distinctions, will not be approved by Christ, when he will charge them with the damnable sin of bloody Rebellion at the day of Iudgement; I believe it will appear to be a greater Difficulty for the most learned jesuit, or( in this point) jesuited Preacher, to satisfy the doubting conscience of a Christian, though of mean capacity, making these plain demands; then to untwist the most knotty questions of controversy, or history.  
This new doctrine of Defensive arms hath caused the shedding 
An Appeal to thy Conscience Conclusion, pag. 52.  of more true Christian blood in the space of one day, then queen Maries persecution did in all her reign. Nay, more then many of the Ten cruel Persecutions in the Primitive Church. Woe, woe be unto you Prophets, who daub with untempered mortar, seeing Vanity, and divining lies unto the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, when the Lord hath not spoken. Ezech. 22. 28.  
Though we do not despair, yet we dare not presume of success, and comfort our souls with that expectation. It is not the success, but the Truth of the Cause, which can cause us to be courageous. We are ready to be confessors, and Martyrs, to lay down our Estates, Liberties, and Lives: Not because we are assured of victory: but because we have so good a King, and so good a Cause, as no precedent can parallel: Yet that we may be comforted, though not confident in the success, thus are we instructed by our Adversaries.  
The rage of the wicked shall not ertend so far as they intend. 
●. B●●g●s S●● to the House of Commo●s, N●v. 5. 1641 pag. 40.  It is true, their rage sometime may go very far, and may do much mischief; but never beyond what may stand with Gods goodness, towards his people. When the enemy begins to make himself sure of his will on the godly, and to say, I will 
Exod. 15 9. Job 38. 11  pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my lust shall be satisfied upon them, I will draw my sword, my hand shall be satisfied upon them; Then God steps in, and sets bounds to their rage, saying to them as to the raging sea, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.  
And this he doth many ways: 1. By constraining them unto 
pag 4● Gen 33. 1.  mildness contrary to their nature. Thus he restrained the rage of Esau against Jacob, whose death though he had long vowed, yet at their meeting he was well pleased with him.  
2. By giving them so much work elsewhere, that they have no leisure to pursue the godly any further. We see it in Ahab at 
1 King. 22. 27 28.  Ramoth Gilead, who intended a further persecution against Michaiah. As likewise in Julian, who resolving to destroy the Christians, was necessitated to go into Persia, where he perished.  
3. By infatuating their counsels. Thus he made the Princes 
G●●g. Naz. Or. 4●● Julianum.  of Zoan fools, and caused Julian to fall by his counsels before the Persians, when he burned his ships, to cut off all hope of slight from his souldiers.  
4. By arming the creatures; as the stars against Sisera, the 
Esay 19. 11. Theod. l. 3. c. 30 Aug. de Civit. li. 5. c. 26.  waters against Pharaoh, and the winds against Eugenius, which beat his souldiers weapons out of their hands, fighting against Theodosius.  
5. By panic fears; So the Moabites were overthrown 
pag. 42. 2 King. 3. 23. 22 Judges 7. 22.  by occasion of a colour of blood caused on the waters by the Sun.  
6. By setting the enemies of Gods people one against another; Thus The Lord set every mans sword against his fellow, throughout the host of the Midianites, and the Amalekites. 
2 Sam. 17. tart. Apol. c. 5. Euseb. l. 2. c. 7, 8.   
7. By turning their own swords on their own bosoms. Thus Achitophel hanged himself, when he saw his counsels to destroy David were not followed. Pilate also the condemner of Christ, and Nero the persecuter of Christians, did both fall by their own hands, without effecting what they intended.  
8. By discovering their Plots; A Treason discovered is lost. 
pag. 43. easter 4. 1.  Thus he did discover the plot of Haman against the Iewes. And thus doth God provide, that rather then the rage of the wicked shall prevail, a bide of the air shall carry the voice, and that which 
Eccles. 10. 20.  hath wings shall tell the matter.  
Take the Reasons; 1. The power of God: There is no understanding, 
Prov. 21. 30.  nor wisdom, nor counsel against the Lord.  
2. All wicked men and devils are in Gods hand; The gates 
Mat. 16. 18.  of hell shall not prevail against his Church.  
3. Gods promise; No weapon that is formed against thee shall 
Esay 54. 17.  prosper.  
O that wicked men would yet desist from their conspiracy against 
pag. 56.  the godly, before the Lords wrath break forth, and they perish for ever! But if they will not be instructed, I must leave with them, that which the Lord denounced to the incurable enemies of the Church heretofore; Gird yourselves, and ye shall be 
Esay 8. 9, 10.  broken in pieces;( I must insert what the Doctor omitted in the beginning of that verse, Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces) Gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces; Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand, for God is with us. Sit veritas in ore Prophetae.  
Although I have confined my Discourse to those Motives, which the hands of our Adversaries reach unto us; yet I will go beyond those confines, and( obiter) insert some friendly Admonitions from the pens of some which love us, and our Cause. I will begin with this brief history. Bastian, an expert captain of the Savoyard 
Act. and Mon. Vol. 2. li. 7. so. 1100. Col. B.  against the Protestants, then called Waldois, going out of his lodging, threatened terrible things that he would do that day: To whom his hostess said, Monsieur, if our Religion be the better, you shall have the victory. That captain returning to his inn mortally wounded, she said unto him again, Monsieur, it is now well seen, That their Religion is better then ours. Although I consent not to this woman, That a good success shall alway accompany a good Cause; yet I concur with that man, who said, To oppose a good Cause, is 〈◇〉, to fight against God. And I am confident, God 
Act. 5. 39. Mat. 16. 18. Gal. 6. 7.  will never be conquered, no nor mocked neither.  
The means and motives to make us take a good Courage in our good Cause, I reduce to six Heads: Wherein, God is A and Ω, the first and last of our Encouragements. And it may be, these Arguments, like those loaves, Mat. 14. 19. will multiply in the breaking. I teach you as we have been taught by our Adversaries. If we fix our meditations on our God, our Selves, our Cause, our Foes, our Friends, our King, and again on our God, we cannot but be courageous.  
1. do we desire that our Courage may be like our Cause, Good? 
M. Calamy's Serm. to the H. of come. Dec. 22. 1641. pag. 9, 10.  Let us sly to the God of power, who giveth kingdoms, and taketh away kingdoms as he pleaseth. The great superintendant. Fly to him as to thy Ark, thy Pillar, thy City of refuge. And in our deepest miseries, let us sing cheerfully the 46 Psal. as Luther was wont, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; I will not fear, though the earth be moved, and the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea, &c.  
Take the improvement of this point in two particulars: 1. Gods Omnipotence, 2. Gods Omnipresence.  
1. Is there not more ability in GOD, then power in all 
M. Ash's Serm. to mayor Skippen, pag. 25, 26. 2 Chron. 32. 8.  the creatures, if combined together? Be strong, and courageous,( said Hezechiah) be not afraid, nor dismayed for the King of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there be more with us then with him: with him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us; and the people restend themselves on the words of Hezechiah. Ye see that this thought, The Lord our God to help us, did steel and strengthen their hearts.  
2. Have not I commanded thee? be of a good courage, for God is 
Josh. 1. 9.  with thee whither soever thou goest. The Lord is with us by the presence of his special favour, in all our good undertakings, wheresoever we go. The Christian carrieth his Commander, his Castle, his God along with him. Assurance therefore that the All-sufficient, and All-present God is ours, will lay a good foundation for a good courage.  
More compendiously, as substantially. Every one saith, I believe 
M. Chillingworths Serm. pag. 4.  in God the Father Almighty: But do we believe indeed that God is our Father Almighty? If God be our Father, he will do what he can; if he be Almighty, he can do what he will, to help us. Wherefore a Coward is an Infidel.  
2. Consider ourselves; how it becometh us to be both Consci●ntious, 
M 〈…〉 S●dgew 〈…〉 Serm. o● the H. of come. ●pist. Dedi●.  and courageous. We are possessed of a richer jewel then Life, Innocence. Let none purchase it of you; Nec Caesar, nec Populus,( neither the King, nor the Parliament) Resolve with Job, I will not leave mine innocency till I die. God many times 
●ob 27 ●.  suffers the tree to be shaken, that the rotten fruit may fall off. You must come armed with the blood of the lamb, Apoc. 12. 11. Think ye are to deal with bloody enemies, that thirst for the blood of Saints. And choose rather to be poor with Innocence and 
Pag. 9.  Honesty, then to rise by( Blood and) apostasy. A good courage( the next thing which every good Christian must labour for) is 
3●. 37.  an undaunted audacity of a sanctified heart to undergo difficulties for a good Cause. 2 Chron. 16. 13. Quit ye like men. 2 Chro. 
M Ash's Serm. to Mayor Skippon, 1642. pa●. 2, 3. pag. 13. 14.  9. ult. deal courageously. Hag. 2. 4. Be strong, O Zerubbabel, be strong ye people of the land. Some by reason of pusillanimity, dare not appear for the Cause which in conscience they are convinced to be the Cause of God. Joh. 12. 43. The consciences of many tell them, that such a way is the way of God; and yet for fear of I know not what, scorns, mocks, loss of friends, &c. they dare not be seen. It may be they will go to Christ with Nicodemus, in the night, for fear too many eyes should observe them, in such unwonted paths, which séme to proclaim strictness, pre●isenesse,( and loyalty.)  
A learned man, who doth not follow them, doth follow this 
M Udall The Good of peace, pag. 25, 26.  point to the full. We should be persuaded very studiously to provide for the safety and security of our souls, laying them up by faith in Christ in the hands of God, as in the hands of a faithful Creator, and a reconciled God in him; that if we fall into the common calamity and destruction of the sword, and be deprived of the outward peace which is in this world, yet keeping faith and a good conscience, the sword shall but let out our souls out of our bodies, as out of a prison, to enjoy eternal peace, and rest in heaven, the consummation of the blessed quiet begun in peace of conscience in this life. And we shall by death be delivered from all the evils of this world, Esay 57. 2. For, The righteous is but taken from evils here below, and peace doth come to them in death, the grave is but a bed of rest to them; and that fulfilled which our Saviour spake, joh. 16. 33. In the world ye shall have trouble, but in me ye shall have peace: The way whereunto is Faith with a good conscience, uprightness and integrity of heart; for the end of the upright is peace, Psal. 37. 37. Therefore saith the Psalmist, Keep innocence, and do the thing that is upright, for that will give a man peace at the last: And though the heavens fall, the ruins thereof shall not make him afraid, his heart being supported by a better hope and expectation, then the best things in the world can afford.  
One of theirs, speaketh also to the purpose, concerning the conserving of a good courage in a good cause. They who have the good Cause, may achieve a good courage from this information: Sell 
Mr. Hills Sermon to the House of Commons, July 27. 1642. pa. 55, 56  not truth out of carnal fears: You have a good invitation to it, Rev. 21. 7, 8. 〈◇〉, He that is overcoming, not he that hath overcome, shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son; But the fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake. red over the story of ye: Spira with trembling, who out ot such fear betrayed the truth. After he had gone to Venice to the Popes Legate, with whom out of carnal fear he complied, craving pardon of him, and willing to recant that Religion which he had publicly professed; When he returned to his house, he could not rest one hour, no not a minute, nor feel any ease of his continual anguish. From that night he was much troubled with horror; and as he confesseth, he saw plainly before his eyes all the torments of hell; and in his soul did hear that fearful sentence, being drawn before the judgement seat of Christ. Hold fast the truth, let faith triumph over fears. If Peter will deny his Master, at best he must return by weeping cross. Many are irrevocably smitten with that thunderbolt from the Lord, Heb. 10. 38. If any draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  
I have laid my finger on the right sore; I hope it is not a Noli me tangere, ye will give me leave to touch it. carnal fear is a human passion; & homo sum, I confess I have been shaken with it. I have been afraid, when I have heard those fearful threatenings, of sending our Brethren to the Barbados, yea selling them to algiers; of extirpation of Church Government, and of Parliamentall poverty and imprisonment, even perpetual. Against this I aclowledge this Authors good advice; But there must be more then one arrow to smite this Aramite; I will draw others out of their Quiver, and 
2 Kings 13. 17, 18, 19.  I hope they will become Sagittae salutis, means to save us from this carnal fear, and to arm us with spiritual courage. The fear 
M To sh●ls Hyp●crite, li. 2. c. 14. pa. 137.  of God will destroy this carnal fear. This cuts off base and unworthy complyings, he( who is endowed with this fear) will not say, A confederacie to whom the people say a confederacie, nor 
Isa 8. 12, 13.  fear their fears, he who taketh the Lord of Hosts for his fear. A greater fear will swallow up the lesser. Christ improveth this argument upon his hearers, That they should not fear him that 
Mat. 10. 28.  can kill the body,( that is all they can do, and the worst of their spite) but that they should fear him who can cast both body and soul into Hell fire. The ass, a dull and slow creature, fears the spur or whip, and will drive on roundly; but if it come to a Fire, he fears so much, that the spur may fetch blood, the whip may be spent and worn away with lashing, yet he will not be forced to go forward. Here is a fear conquering a fear. You fear men; they frown, and threaten, and bear a sword; but offend not God to please them: For in his frown is death, his sword is sharper, and his arrows ready. This is finely urged by an apocryphal Author, They that fear the Lord, will seek that which 
Eccles. 2. 16, 17, 18.  is well-pleasing to him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law. They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight, saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of man. Therefore as Alexander the 
M. Bur●oughes ibid. pa 91.  Great, having a coward in his Army of his name, he bade him either change his name, or be valiant; so saith Christ, be either no coward, or no christian.  
3. A good Cause will beget a good Courage. It was a notable 
M. Burroughes ibid. pag. 90.  speech that Josephus reports Herod made to his souidiers; it came from the mouth of an Herod, but it will become the mouth of the most godly christian: Some men say, says he, our cause is just, but we are few and weak; Where Truth and Iustice 
D. Gaudens Serm. to the H. of come. Nov. 22. 1640.  is, there is God, and where God is, there wants neither multitude nor fortitude.  
Now that our Cause is the Truth, we have briefly shewed it, and shall show it occasionally in following passages. Now I prove it from the judgement of our learned adversary. For, certainly in the Church,( and in the kingdom) those propositions are likeliest 
M. Ca●yls Ser. Mar 27. 1643. pag. 25.  to be true, which tend to the peace of the Church,( or kingdom) as it was the true mother which pleaded against the dividing of the child. As God commandeth us, Heb. 12. 14. we do follow peace; as the word signifieth: We do not onely prosecute, but persecute it. We follow peace with as much love to embrace it, as our Persecutors do follow us( though most innocent) to destroy us.  
And for the other side, their Cause cannot be true, because they are against Peace. The most and best of them are zealously affencted 
D. Gauden ibid. pag. 18.  to the Truth, but want a sound knowledge, or meek and humble spirits,( which may engender affencted Ignorance.) Wherefore they are full of violence and bitterness; so prove to strife and contention, that from words and disputes they kindle unto blows: When we speak of peace, they prepare unto war, Q●ia 
Psal. 120. 7.  istis utile bellum, Their best fishing is in troubled waters.  
Moreover, our Cause being( in our conscience) so good, and( in 
M. Cases S●r●. Jan. 27. 1642. Epist. Dedic. Mat. 12. 30.  our understanding) so true; we aclowledge what we are taught; Neuters are Enemies in Christs catalogue He that is not with me is against me: and I would not have our names there for a thousand worlds. Wherefore we cannot but remember that; 
M. Bridges Ser. to the House of Commons, 1641. pag. 33.  speech of Gotes Oalchus; I am afraid to deny the Truth, lest I be for ever denied by the Truth. Wherefore, although we do full well understand that the Apostle Heb. 12. 4. doth speak to us, Ye have not resisted unto blood As if he had said, do ye begin to be faint-hearted? Alas, the worst is not yet come, God hath greater trials for you then these; ye have hitherto resisted but unto tears and sighs I tell you, ye must suffer more, You must resist to;; 
M. Case ibid. pag. 9.  blood. The enemy hath not yet filled up his measure. Yet withall, we are comfortably assured, That God will look upon all the 
M. Harris Ser. to the House of come. May 25. 1642.  blasphemies, insolences, outrages, and conspiracies against this our Church and State,( and against our King, his loyal Subjects, and his own worship) and retaliate our Adversaries, and justify our Cause.  
Buy Truth, Prov. 23. 23. Solomon here mentioneth no price, 
Mr. Hills Sermon to the House of Commons, July 27. 1642. pa. 11.  because he would have us buy it at any price. It hath cost already our credit, and liberty, as it did the Apostles, Act. 5. 41. It hath cost us the loss of our goods, as it did those Christians, Heb. 10. 34. It may be, Life itself must be the price of truth; we must be content to follow that cloud of witnesses, which appears in that little Book of Martyrs, Heb. 11. We must writ after that heroical copy which our own Worthies have set us, who sacrificed their lives to the cruelty of Bonn●rs flames, that they might possess the truth. It was heroical zeal in S. Basil, who for his defending the truth against the Arians, being threatened 
pag. 33.  to death, answered, 〈◇〉, O that I might die for the truth▪  
Our judgement is formed, and I hope our practise shall be framed according to the directions of our learned Adversaries. To purchase our peace, we will not sell truth by flattering, complying, 
D. Gaudens Ser. to the H. of come. Nov. 29. 1640. pag. 20.  and mancipating( enslaving) our judgments to other mens opinions and errors; either discovered, which is very wicked, or unsearched, which is very weak. Degenerate minds, which so easily enslave that 〈◇〉, the noblest and sovereign faculty of our soul, which is the understanding, to other mens erroneous opinions never so great, be their power so too. There is a labour of love, which loves its labour ready to deny ourselves, in; 
Pag 2●.  any thing near or dear unto us, rather then deny any saving truth; cheerfully suffering for it, rather then it should suffer. A good mind that loveth the truth, suffers more in truths suppression, than its own; yea by dying for it if need be; and God doth choose us out for his Champions to crown and improve the necessity of Death, with the glory of martyrdom, which is the highest witnessing of our love to God and his truth. Difficulties rather whet and twist to a firm Resolution, then any way blunt or discourage a well-placed affection. The Heathen set such a price on Truth, that he thought it worthy ourself,  
— Vitamque impendere vere  
Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causam.  
It is a blind and preposterous love, that loves life better then that for which onely life is worth the having. Better we die then Truth decay: which as a phoenix is wont to renew its life out of Martyrs ashes.  
Now let our Christians be like certain old Christians; who 
Act. and Mon. Vol. 1. lib. 1. to 60, & 69.  revolting, came trembling not as men which should do sacrifice, but which should be sacrificed themselves, the multitude laughing them to scorn. But we( with Gods assistance) will imitate holy Polycarpus, who, when the Proconsul said earnestly unto him, deny Christ, and I will discharge thee; Polycarpus answered, Eighty six yeeres have I served Christ, and hitherto hath he done no harm unto me; Shall I now speak evil of my Lord, who hath so long preserved me?  
4. Here, me thinks I hear the adverse party triumph, before their victory; confident of success, because of the holinesse of their partakers. Thus they speak. Herod feared John, because he was 
M. Colemans Serm. to the H. of come. Sept. 29. 1643. pag. 11.  holy; and so a long while did him no harm. And the Emperour Adrian ceased his persecution against the Christians, when he understood of their holinesse of life. Thus the power of holinesse is able to dazzle the proudest spirits. Such an holy army is raised for us: Where maugre the scur●ilous jeering of our blaspheming profane enemies, we do invest our general with that sacred Title, He is Lord of Hosts. Your courage therefore cannot but fail: 
M. Burroughes Epist. Dedic.  Can you have the smallest hope of success? No, no, our Cause must prosper; For although we were all dead, our Armies overthrown, 
M. Ma●shals Ser. at M Pyms Funer. p. 38.  and even our Parliaments dissolved, This Cause must prev●ile. I answer,  
While you extol your Holinesse, we feel the cruelness. If God 
Anti-Cavaler. pag. 2.  give you success, we hope he will give us patience, under the oppression, which you exercise upon us with affencted Ignorance. Have all the workers of iniquity( saith David) no knowledge, that 
Psal. 14. 4.  they eat up my people as they eat up bread? i. That they injure, vex, and consume them, with no more remorse, regret, or touch of conscience, then they eat and drink to preserve their natural lives: as if such men as these, the people of God, were made for the same end, to be eaten up and devoured by them. Have they no knowledge, saith the Prophet, that they dare attempt such a thing as this? Implying, that to vex, molest, persecute and destroy the people of God, argues the most profound ignorance, and thickest darkness, in the minds and understandings of men, that can be found there. And yet these men( you so much 
M. Leys Ser. to the H. of come. Apr. 26. 1643. pag. 48. Ezech. 21. 31.  extol and adhere to) are such as the Prophet Ezechiel sheweth to have affinity, or rather consanguinity with beasts, Brutish men, and skilful to destroy, take upon them the names of Christians, and which is more, most of them pretend themselves Champions for the true Protestant Religion, when they do what they can to root it out,( Extirpation) by ruining those who most sincerely profess it; and( which is yet more then that, and an undoubted evidence of his egregious imposture, who blinds the minds of men, as to make himself( though a devil) to be taken for a 
● Cor. 4. 4.  God) There are many who believe what these profess, though they practise the most contrary, and adhere unto them, to the hazard of their own temporal being, and eternal well-being▪ for with them they pursue the slaughter of Gods dearest servants, with such a mad malignity, as if it were a service acceptable to himself. Thu● we see that fulfilled on our Saviours Disciples in our dayes, which he foretold many hundred years ago, Whosoever killeth y●u will think he doth God good service. joh. 16. 2. Now this success you fore-tell, we fear; It may be, You may be the 
M Burroughes pag 20.  rod of Gods anger, for the chastisement of his( poor sinful) people. He may give his beloved into the hands of her enemy; as he hath already brought the worst of the heathen to inherit our houses. 
Jer▪ 12. 7. Ezech. 7. 24.  Yet we must tell you we foresee this danger in the Cause of God, and( with the help of God) we will resolutely encounter it. That 
M. Burroughes pag. 94.  speech of Esther came from a brave spirit, though of a woman, If I perish, I perish but it was a fruit of Fasting and Prayer; yea that is the way to get a spirit of courage indeed. The like we have of the three Children; O nabuchadnezzar, we are not careful; 
Dan. 3▪ 16.  to answer thee in this matter: Behold, our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us out of thy hand, O King; but if not, be it known unto thee O King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship thy golden image. That famous expression of S. Paul, hath the like Christian 
p●g 95.  valour sparkling in it, when it was prophesied that he should be bound at jerusalem, at which the Saints fell a weeping, Why do ye weep? I am ready not onely to be▪ bound, but to die 
Act. 21. ●3.  for Christ. Ignatius is famous for the like; Let the fire, the gallows, the devouring of wild beasts, the breaking of bones, the pulling asunder of my members, the pressing of my body, and the torments of hell itself come upon me, so I may win Christ. The like spirit had Luther, saying, If all the tiles in worms were devils, I would thither: knowing that he was called to witness the truth. Scaevola said, Romanum est fortia pati; If it be the part of a roman 
pag. 96.  to suffer great things, much more of a Christian. If we be dainty, and cannot suffer, we are not fit to be Christians. Nimis delicatus es( saith Tertul.) you are too delicate.  
And that some of our side( we hope and pray for the like in the 
The life of the Archbishop of Cant▪ by Master Pryn, pag▪ 15.  rest) have been endowed with a courageous spirit, Master Prynne doth assure us by a president which he hath published; March 29. A paper was found to this effect; Laud look to thyself, be assured thy life is sought, neither God nor the world can endure such a vile counsellor to live. Concerning which he penned this ejaculation, Lord I am a grievous sinner, but I beseech thee deliver my soul from them that HATE ME without A CAVSE. Feb. 28. 1632. Doctor Duck brought him word how miserable he was 
pag. 17.  SLANDERED by some Separatists; for which he renews this ejaculation: I pray God give me patience, and forgive them. Decemb. 18. 1640. he was accused by the House of Commons 
pag. 31.  for High Treason; upon which he composed this Prayer: O eternal God and merciful Father, I humbly beseech thee look down upon me, in this time of my great and grievous affliction. Lord( if it be thy blessed will) make my innocence appear: and free me and my Profession from all scandal thus raised on me. And howsoever, if it please thee to try me to the uttermost, I humbly beseech thee, give me full patience, proportionable comfort and contentment with whatsoever thou sendest; and a heart ready to DIE for the honour of the KINGS happiness, and the Churches preservation. And my zeal to these is ALL the sin( human frailties excepted) which is yet known to me, in this particular, for which I SVFFER. Lord look upon me in mercy, and for the merits of Iesus Christ pardon all my sins, many and great, which have drawn down this judgement upon me, and then in all things do with me as seems best in thine eyes. And make me not onely patient under, but thankful for what thou dost: O Lord my strength and my Redeemer. Amen.  
An excellent copy! we will▪ endeavour to writ after it, 
Act. and Mon. Vol. 2. lib. 8. Hen. 8.  though with a trembling hand: And like Bilney the Ma●tyr, wee will put our finger into the candle before our burning; hoping the Lord will enable us to endure both the small and the great, both the present and the future afflictions.  
Notwithstanding, we do not animum despondere, cast off all comfortable 
M. Sedgewicks Serm. Jun. 15. 1643. Epist. Dedic.  expectation of success; as we are well encouraged by a learned man on their side, In these wavering times, two duties do especially concern us; One is a constant respect to divine commands, and the other is a fixed respect on Divine Promises. Whatsoever the temporie event may be, we must be careful to do our work, and then be confident that God( in due time) will finish his. Perhaps the children of Christ shall suffer yet longer, but they shall not suffer for ever; For the mighty Angel which came down from heaven, Rev. 10. 1. though he was clothed with a cloud, yet he was clothed with a rainbow too, which is nuntius foederis & serenitatis. And if we cast our eyes on Zach. 14. 7. peradventure we may find as strange an evening time, as we now do a day time; It shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. O the wonderfully superlatively thoughts and acts of God! How high and contrary are his times and working to weak mans times and expectation? When we are most confident of Good, then behold evil is upon us; and when we are expecting nothing but darkness, then behold at the Evening time it shall be Light. So wisely doth the great sovereign of the world reserve himself, and times; that yet he can and will create light, clearest mercies, even then when his Church is setting in evening of darkest miseries.  
Nay, the success of your side may not succeed according to your expectation. For though our adversaries may swell much in 
M. Sedgewicks Serm. June 15. 1643. p. 16, 17.  their own eyes, and seem to be disposers of all men, and presume that they can do what they list; yet first, they are but men at most, and men at the best. And what is Man? That which is no more then Man, is no less then Vanity; mere Man is but the dream of a dream; but the generation of a fancy; but a vanity; but the curious picture of nothing; a poor, feeble, unable, dying flash.  
2. They are but naked men; they have no God with them, nor for them: Did God ever command them to destroy his Church,( and swear the extirpation thereof?) Did he ever promise them in that service, either assistance or reward? Assuredly our wicked adversaries have nothing but what hell and wicked men can help them with.  
3. They are but wicked men: hearken how the Scripture terms them, Haters of God, Enemies to God, Fighters against God. The very reason why they contend against the people of God, is, 
D. Gauden, pag. 43.  because they see any thing of God in them; and shall wicked men be stronger then God?  
Shall then the adversaries of truth and peace( and of our God and King) be so bold, vigilant, and desperately active to bring in( profaneness, schism, novelty,▪ parity, democracy, and) adulteries of Truth and Religion; and shall we be so could, remiss, timorous? Shall they as assassinates be so prodigal of their own and our bloods; and shall we be sparing of our words, estates, or persons?( of our Names, Liberties, Lives?) 〈◇〉; Why are we afraid, O we of little faith?  
The truth is this; The thing we most dread from our imperious 
M. Hill ibid.  enemy, if God permit them to prevail unto the Empire, both Civill and ecclesiastical, is Church-tyrannie; which of all other 
pag. 16.  is most grievous, because oppressive to the Conscience. It is too much to put such a high claim to their Government,( which is 
17.  a child of an hundred yeeres old) as suddenly to style it, The throne of Christ. If their Presbyterian power be the throne of Christ, let us see the Word of Christ for it; what need we such violent arguments to maintain it? Oath upon Oath, Subscription upon Subscription,( and Covenant upon Covenant.)  
Here I may hint an Item to our Adversaries, who thus violently 
20.  persecute us, to prosecute their( utopian) through-Reformation in Church and State. If with Absolom to humour their vainglory, 
12.  they will set the peace of a kingdom to sale; if with Haman to gratify their proud revenge, they will set a whole Church to sale; if to be purveyours for their lusts, as the profane Rom. 13. 14. they will be merchants for schism, as seditious Innovators; and Proctors for the devil, as Peace-opposers: Like Adam, they will make but an evil market to sell themselves and their posterity( for that will be the event of their war, if they conquer us) for the forbidden fruit. Our resolution( with Christs aid) is this: If our enemies will be inexorable, our patience shall▪ 
M. Sedgewick▪ pag. 43.  be invincible. We will fix our minds on the dignity of the work, and not much mind the malignity of our opposers.  
And for this national Oppression( for the design for Extirpation of our Governors and Government, of our Ministers and Ministry) Though heretofore it might have been said to be private and personal, 
M. Bridge pag. 22  as the project of some few persons, factious people; yet now having passed the House, it doth commence national. We hope for a national, though not a personal redemption. We hope 
M. Case, p. 153.  that our posterity, in the next generation, may say, not The Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, Jer. 16. 4. or The Lord liveth which saved England from the Spanish Invasion in 88. when the proud waves threatened to go over our souls; or The Lord liveth which snatched us as a brand out of the midst of the fire, and was seen in the midst of the flames of the hellish Powder-plot, Nov. 5. 1605. so that not one hair of our head was singed, or our coat scorched: But, The Lord liveth that did thus and thus for England, for poor, perishing, helpless, hopeless England, when there was but a step between them and destruction. We shall, and must want a Title for it, till mercy itself make it one. I will pronounce the Title. In that day our children shall say, The Lord liveth who hath brought poor England from a parity, democracy, anarchy; or from a tyranny presbyterial, or Independent.  
Withall, I must tell you, we have heroical thoughts which sore higher, above these hoping and expecting consolations; the Memorandum whereunto we must ascribe to their Quotation. Licet 
M. Leys Monitor, pag. 7. Hieronymus ad Heliodorum.  parvulus ex collo pendeat nepos, licet( sparso crine & scissis vestibus) ubera( quibus te nutrierat) matter ostendat, licet Pater in limine jaceat, per calcatam perge patrem, siccis oculis ad vexillam crucis evola. Although my tender children should hang about my neck, although my dear Mother should kneel unto me, and although my reverend Father should lie prostrate on the floor, and entreat, beseech, and command me, for His, Her, and Their sakes, not to expose myself to the merciless oppression of our cruel adversaries: I would trample on Him, Her, and Them, all, to go to take up my cross, to suffer for the Lord, and for the Lords Anointed, for our Church, and for our Religion, in so pious and just a Cause, as His Majesty is now enforced to defend by force of arms.  
He that cannot endure to strive against the wind, shall hardly attain 
Sir Walt. Rawl. l. 4. c. 2. sect. 1. so. 169. D. Jacksons Divine Essence part 2. p. 268.  the Port which he purposeth to recover. And it is no less becoming the worthiest men to oppose misfortunes, then it doth the weakest children to bemoan them. Detricus being beaten by the huns( or Scythians) which invaded hungary, carried in his forehead to Rome, the stump of the Arrow, in witness that he had confronted the enemy, and was not wounded in the back. Our enemies may beat us, but they shall not make us turn our back, and become backsliders by all their Oppressions.  
Although I be not endowed with that heroical courage mentioned 
Act. and Mon. Vol. 2. lib. 7. fol. 1017.  by S. jerome; nor yet am I able to say with George Carpenter Martyr, My wife and children are so dear to me, that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches of Bavaria; yet for the love of my Lord I will forsake them: Notwithstanding, I say with S. jerome, Laudo in aliis, quod non habeo in meipso, I admire this resolution in others, which I deplore to be wanting in myself. And I hope in time the Lord will strengthen my weakness, as he once did one Austine a german Protestant; who at the first did flee from 
Ibid. fo. 1027.  his wife, when she was surprised by the Officers; and afterward dwelling in Bellimonte he was detected again, and his house beset, whence escaping, he hide himself in a bush; but being brought from thence by a soldier before the Magistrate, he answered boldly, defended the truth valiantly, and dyed courageously.  
5. again, upbraidingly they tell us, that we may conceive just cause of discouragement, if we consider that the Kings party are few, faint-hearted, falling away, and already( for the most part) fallen under the conquering hand of the prosperous Parliament. No weapon formed against it hath prospered; there hath been no enchantments 
M. Case, pag. 73  against this Parliament, nor divination against this great council of the kingdom. Tell me but one design wherein the 
108.  Parliament hath miscarried: and but one project, wherein the Malignant party have prospered, and I will give you leave to call all our hopes into question.  
But the weakness of the Kings party doth not much weaken our courage: it is the goodness of his Cause, not the greatness of his Power, which doth encourage us to adhere to his Majesty. There 
D. Gouges Ser. to the House of Commons, Jan. 29. 1●42. pag. 32. Ezech. 29. 6, 7.  is an impotency and disability of any creature to help and support us. All creatures are réeds, weak, brittle, and tear the flesh of such as lean upon them. So as it is not onely unuseful and vain, but also dangerous and damageable to rest on mere creatures for support.  
Of all human helps, the Parliament is the principal, whereunto 
M. Herls Sermon to the House of Commons, July 15. 1643. pa. ●0.  our weeping, bleeding hopes have addressed themselves; but with what success, all see, we feel. Yet these were, and still are the words of our complaint.  
Be pleased to imagine Religion( Protestant Religion) as an Orphan Virgin, by her so much the worse enemies, in that; Pretenders, bathed in her own tears and blood; throwing herself at your feet, sighing out some such sad complaint as this, Whither shall a distressed Virgin fly, but to her Guardians? Ye are they. Is it not enough that( against the Law of Nations) my ambassadors have been not onely denied Audience, but silenced, sentenced, imprisoned, banished; my faithful servants every where insulted on, reviled,( for Malignants) pursued hitherto to their undoing, and now come to very death; while my sworn and professed enemies are generally secured, countenanced, employed, advanced? Is it not enough that my name hath 
pag. 21.  been prostituted as the common bail of every compliment, lie, cheat, treason, and made the guilty shelter of the foulest errors,( Innovation●, profaning of Churches) sects, and seditions? Is it not enough that( with his in Lucan) totum est provulnere corpus, that my whole body for these three years hath been but one wound, by the blows of those Masters of murders,( Rebels, pretending Reformation) but that now ye have suffered Walloones and others practised Blood-suckers( nay, and our neighbours of Scotland) to be let in upon me every day afresh; to make upon me inquisition for blood, to see if there were any more yet left? Oh suffer not my blood to be spilled like water on the earth. Tis I, I that have brought you that precious blood of Redemption, and thereby have made too your blood precious in Gods eyes; O let mine be so in yours, at least the poor remainder of it that is left. O pass not by as wayfaring unconcerned men, with hands folded in your bosoms, but Behold and consider, if there were ever sorrows like unto these of mine, or mine had ever cause to be such before. What do ye mean? do ye stay to see if Angels will come and rescue me?( as another Susanna at the stake.) To you ye Captains of Israel it belongeth. Ye are Equites cataphracti, the Horsemen and 
pag. 22  Chariots of Israel, the Vindices sanguinis, the avengers of blood▪( yet I desire none, no not the blood of them that seek mine.) If ye stay till the Angels come to my rescue, they will in all likelihood( as thēy did by Philip) snatch me up from among you, and land me, it may be in America. And if you suffer the Dragon once to drive the▪ woman into the wilderness, the Ark to be taken, then ye may call the issue, Ichabod, The glory of Israel is departed.  
This is our supplication, though in their words. The Parliament will not, the King cannot succour us; GOD can both. To Him therefore we remit our Cause and ourselves, with all Christian patience.  
That the Kings part are few, compared to the Parliaments party, we hear so, we think so: but we are lead into great comfort, by one of their great leading men, who teacheth us thus: God doth oftentimes 
M Marshals Funer. for M. Pym, p. 8.  take away instruments, that it may be known, that his Church and Cause is not supported by them, but by himself alone; that we may know, when the youths faint and be weary, and the young men utterly fall, then the Church is carried in his bosom.  
And that the Kings Part are faint-hearted, so they say, and so we see all so: Some such there are, who are for the King, with the orators 
Mr. Harris, pag. 20. M. Ob. Sedgewick, p. 24.  qualification, modo audeant quae sentiunt, if they durst say what they think; and do what they say. But others that are on the Kings part, will permit you to put ●●e case, What if after all our Fastings, the same judgement( or worse) should befall us, which befalls our poor Brethren in Ireland, that the Sword should break forth amongst us, and all the unmerciful and sudden calamities of war should beleaguer us; that in a moment the Gospel( and the Preachers thereof) should be banished, our Liberties should be imbondaged, our Estates should be exhausted,( ●ay ●●ques 〈…〉 d) our Lands should be dispossessed,( yea sold away) our houses burnt, our coffers ransacked,( our persons imprisoned) our bodies tortured, and our lives threatened;( yea, which is worse, what if we should be threatened to be sold to algiers?) Deus bone experti loquimur. Some of the Kings party( 〈◇〉) can resolve this case in the words of the same man, and of other men of the same mind. First, by this we should be persuaded 
pag 43. pag. 46.  to repent; if ever we purpose to repent, or would repent to purpose, this is the time. Secondly, they will say, We must put off irregular fears. We shall not be exactly serviceable to God, nor Religion,( nor to our King) if we have any thing to lose: Should such a man as I flee? said Nehemiah, 6. 11. Guilty persons, who are contriving against the foundations of a Church and State, they may well fear; Their consciences may read terrors, dangers, losses to them. But persons royally summoned and piously employed, for the( defence of a) right settled Church and kingdom,( for the Prerogatives of our King, privileges of the Parliament, Liberties of the Subjects, and laws of our kingdom) As their attempts are above all contumely, so their hearts should be above all fancies and fears: If ye be followers 
1 Pet. 3. 13.  of that which is good, who is he that will harm you? There can never be any true danger nor loss by being good, nor by doing good in our callings. The King of Poland, when his servant Zelislau● lost his hand in his wars, sent him instead thereof a golden hand: We shall never spend our strength in vain for God,( and for his Vicegerent) his service is good, and reward sure.  
That some of the Kings part should fall from him, it is not impossible. Men may turn their backs to the sun setting, and the prudent, who are more provident for their Estates, then for their Consciences, may provide for themselves( eyeing the Parliaments success) by a prudential submission. Yet, those that continue loyal to His Majesty, are encouraged to the continuance in that loyalty, by Ministers who are Adversaries to his Majesty. Consider 
M. Case, p. 52.  that the blessing doth consist, not in the removing of an affliction, whether public or private, but in the sanctifying of it. Blessed 
Psal. 94. 12.  is the man whom thou correctest and teachest in thy law. He saith not, Blessed is the man who was in prison, and is enlarged; nor Blessed the man who was sick, and is recovered; nor Blessed are people who were likely to have been consumed by Civill Wars, but now a Pacification is made: but, Blessed is the people or person whom thou correctest and teachest. When Teachings go along with Corrections, there is the Blessing. Yea, the revolting of them which fall from Him( a most heavy affliction) doth teach the loyal to fall from their sins; which is the removing of Achan out of His Majesties Army. No man stood by me, but 
M. Ash, p. 25. 2 Tim. 4. 16, 17, 18.  all forsook me, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion. Now his Inference is observable, And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil WORK.  
Finally, I must tell you, there are some innocent, patient people on the Kings part, who sand out against His Majesties enemies, Arma Christianorum, an Army of Prayers and Tears, as we are taught 
M. Burroughes, p. 86, 87.  by the adverse party. Hence as Sacrifice hath the name Hostia, because when they went against Enemies,( Hostes) they offered it. Saul thought it an hard thing to go forth to war, not having 
1 Sam. 13. 12.  offered sacrifice. We say with Luther, Praeces nostrae bombardae nostrae, our Prayers are our Guns. An Army of Prayers is as strong as an Army of men; yea one man praying, may do more 
M. Case, pag. 13, 14▪  then many fighting. God suspends deliverance many times, that he may draw out prayers and tears from his people, which are like music in his ears, and pearls in his eyes. And that when it is full tide with Gods peoples sorrows, then it is full time with Gods mercies and compassions. Thou wilt arise▪ and 
Psal. 102. 13.  have mercy upon Sion, for it is time that thou have mercy upon her; yea the time is come. We having put on these arms, whatsoever shall become of our Persons, and of our Time; for the public and Future we are promised undoubted success. Be confident of it, that 
M. Sedgewick Epist. Dedic.  whosoever may be your enemies, and whatsoever may be your hazards; yet Christ and his Church will be conquerors. Exurgat 
Psal. 68. 1.  Deus, & dissipentur inimici ejus.  
6. I must not omit, that those of our side, some are active under, and some do suffer for and with our KING. An admirable argument against all Adversaries, and Adversities whatsoever. So good a King to be slandered, so great a King to be deposed; where is the courage and conscience of those Subjects, who will not assist him?  
Some of theirs gain-say this, Far is it from our hearts to wish or imprecate the least evil to His Majesty, for whose real happiness 
1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. M Pryns royal Favourite, Epist. to the Reader.  and prosperity we shall ever be daily orators to the Throne of grace; as also for his royal Consort, and Posterity. But we must take heed( as the same Author in the same place adviseth) that we walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,( weighing all mens actions, not their protestations) redeeming the time, because the dayes are very evil, deceitful beyond all former ages; Yea far more dangerous then most men apprehended them. This is M. Prynnes admonition, which he hath verified in his own practise: For, notwithstanding his most pious Protestations, in that very leaf he doth most impiously slander His Majesty, and in the next, threaten him to be deposed from his Throne.  
And surely all good Subjects are obliged to assist their KING 
M Caryl, p. 32.  by all good means, but principally by the principal, our prayers. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. For, the crown of a King is set with rich stones, but is lined with cares; and they who have many cares, need many prayers: prayers of their own, and prayers from others. There is many a man consumed with the care of a single Family; yea some are consumed with the care of single self: What then think you may be the cares of a whole kingdom, what the cares of three kingdoms upon one man, unless Prayer prop him up? Pray therefore, Give the King thy Iudgments O God.  
The Lord hath taken him into commission with himself; 
M. Harris p. 25  put his name, his power upon him. What it is I cannot determine, nor do I meddle with his prerogatives; what ever 'tis, tis Gods; 'tis of him, and for him; and he should be obeied, and shall be protected accordingly. Therefore, to fight against the King, is 〈◇〉, to fight against God. I know thy rage against ME, 
D. burgess p. 6.  saith the Lord, 2 Kings 19. 29. that is through the loins of King Hez●chiah. But this rage shall turn to the praise of God: not intentionally on mans part, as if he in his rage aimed at it, for so, God is not in all his thoughts but occasionally on mans part,; 
Psal. 10. 4.  and efficaciously on Gods, who brings light out of darkness, and good out of evil. His power and providence so ordereth and disposeth of all the malicious machinations, and bloody designs of the most desperate men, that they go away with shane, his people with joy,( his Anointed with safety) and himself with honour.  
Yea, the name of a King, and the words of our King, kindle in us an hope of success: I am confident( saith His Majesty) of Gods 
His Majesties Protest. prefixed to Vindiciae regis.  blessing. Come see the works of the Lord, what wonders he hath wrought in this kind! A King injuriously put from his Right by an usurping hand, after a Covenant between the Lord, the King, and the people, That they would be the Lords people, 
M. Coleman, pag. 33, 34.  2 Kings 11. 19.( now, many of the Kings part make this Covenant from the ground of their hearts) He was re-established; He sate him down on the throne of Kings.  
2. A Land miserable put from its peace, after such a Covenant, was re-setled: Peace was re-obtained, and that as a fruit of Prayer, 2 Chron. 15. 15.  
3. Religion craftily( now forcibly) put from its purity, after such a Covenant, was reformed; and after such a Reformation continued, 2 Chron. 34. 34. indeed, The Lord will bring evil upon this place, and upon the Inhabitants thereof: but as for the King, because his heart is tender,( tender of blood, ever desirous of Peace) He shall be gathered to the grave in peace, 2 Chr. 24. 24, 27, 28.  
4. Rebels and Rebellion basely and bloodily backed and managed, against the Lord,( and his Anointed) after such a Covenant( with the King unto God, never with the people against their King) have been overthrown and subdued, Ezech. 20. 37, 38. I will sever from among you the Rebels. The Lord give this success concerning England. Sever out the Rebels here from the true Subjects. Amen.  
Howbeit, although we do not despair, yet we dare not presume 
M. Harris, pag. 44.  of success on the Kings side. If we presume upon the goodness of the Cause, or greatness of our strength, we may be crost, as Israel was, in that of Judges 20.  
Although, when David was hemmed in with Sauls Army, yet 
1 Sam. 23. 26. M. Ob. Sedgew. pag. 7.  God made a way for him to escape, yet it is possible for the Lord in his secret, but just judgement, to permit josiah to fall before the Forces of Pharaoh, Necho, and the Egyptians; wherefore it is 
2 Chron. 35. 20  His Majesties Cause we adhere to, rather then to His Person. Yet if He should fall in this war,( Novimus illum esse mortalem: at absit) This War which is waged against Him, though Defensive, 
D. burgess, Fire of the Sanct. c. 3. pag 41.  is FLAT REBELLION, as we are taught by one of your own Doctors. Our comfort then is, if we suffer for our KING, we shall not suffer as REBELS. No small Encouragement.  
This may be an excellent encouragement to our despised, and dejected clergy. If their KING be charged with Popery in Print; is it so great a matter to be printed, Popishly-affected, Ill-affected, Scandalous Priests, Malignants? &c. indeed I perceive there 
M. Goodmans Theomachia, Epist.  are more sons of Belial, then those that witnessed against Naboth, That he blasphemed God and the King. But our( Imprisoned, Plundered, sequestered) Ministers having no Vineyard to accommodate any man, I cannot easily conceive, what men, and their tongues( and their pens) mean, to be still up in such unchristian contestations( and uncharitable censures and calumnies) against them; except this be it, Because they speak the Truth,( of Loyalty towards their King) and men are not able to bear it. I am confident our Ministers do not much dread this Fire, made of tongues of asps and Vipers, not because they have not been sufficiently burnt by it, but partly because they have been a long time accustomend to such burnings, and found them more purifying, then consuming; partly because the great Apostle informed them, that the way to glory is through honour and dishonour, through 
2 Cor. 9. 8. John 18. 37.  good report and evil report; and partly because they may, must bear witness to the truth,( for loyalty against R●b●ll●on) and partly because God hath made them lovers of men( ●f their Countrymen) in such a degree, that they can willingly consecrate themselves to their service, through any sufferings from them. If this world fail them, they know, God hath prepared another, which will stand by them, and not fail.  
But if the Parliament prevail, what comfort and courage can we take up, when we shall see a consummation of those Calamities, whereof we have( 〈◇〉) a taste already in no small measure? When we shall be driven out of our Country, or shut-up 
M. lay, p. 46.  in prison; stripped of our clothes, cast into nasty dungeons, and denied diet necessary to support nature. When we shall hear the confused noise of warriors, and see garments rolled in blood; one street flaming with fire, another groanning under the wounds of death; In one house the parishioner hunting 
M. Sedgewick pag. 20.  after his Minister to brain him; in another the brother laying hold on his brother to pistol him; and others crying, Oh spare my father, spare my mother, spare my tender children. In which rage( and furious zeal) Nature shall be forgotten, Law shall be( is) forgotten, Religion shall be forgotten, and all Relations shall be( are) forgotten, because now the fear of God( and obedience to our King) hath been long forgotten; what comfort, what courage can we gather in such calamities?  
I here have laid my finger on the right pulse, and have declared what we feel in part, fear in the full, viz. the loss of our Liberties, Estates, Names, Countreys, Children, and Lives. But we are  told by a Grandie, That in these present Wars against the Parliament, 
M. Pryns Royal Favourite. p. 41  the King doth hazard his State, Life, and kingdoms. If we suffer not onely for the King, but with the King, accursed be that cowardice, which shall cause us to sink, or shrink in such a suffering.  
7. Thus many are our Consolations in these woeful times, arising ( as we are instructed by the learned of the averse part) from the consideration of ourselves, our Cause, our friends, our foes, and our King; but 
D. Gouges Ser. to the House of Commons, Jun. 29. 1642. pag. 30. 37. 38. 39. 40.  there is one surmounts them all, our meditation upon our God. God is the support of his Saints. Many, many epithets attributed to God in the Scripture, are so many proofs of this point; such as these, Refuge, house of defence, shelter, fortress, high tower, buckler, rock, and hiding place.  
1. A Refuge is a place for such as are in danger to fly unto for succour and security; such were the Cities of Refuge among the Jews. When a man was unjustly suspected of wilful murder, and hotly pursued by the revenger of blood, he made all the speed he could to the city of Refuge. There was his cause rightly judged. do ye also fly to God in all undue suspicions, and unjust accusations,( though it be in an authentical, appl●uded century) In Him ye may be sure to have your cause righted, and your person secured.  
2. A shelter is for such as in their journey are overtaken with showers of rain, hail, snow, storms or tempests. In such a case if a traveller espy a shelter, he will make hast to it. God hath undertaken to be a covert from storm and rain. When the raging rain of 
Esay 4. 6.  oppression, or storm of persecution or violent tempest of any malignant opposition falls on you, shelter yourselves under the covert of your God.  
3. An house of defence, or castle, or fortress, or high tower, are also for safety against Armies of Enemies that compass about and besiege us, and would utterly destroy us, if we had not such a place of safety. Now God indeed is an high Tower and impregnable Castle. Abide therefore in him, and fear not; though multitude of enemies do on every side set against you. They are safe whom God doth guard.  
4. A buckler or shield is of singular use to keep off push of pike, stroke of sword, force of dart, arrow, or bullet, that shall be flung or shot against us. So Faith in God will keep off all the fiery darts of the devil; much more the furious, envious, and malicious words 
Ephes. 6. 16.  of wicked men.  
5. A Rock is a firm, and a sure foundation; any edisice that is well erected and settled on it, cannot be overthrown. Though the rain descend, 
Mat. 7. 24, 25.  and the floods come, and the wind blow, and beat upon that house, yet it falls not, because it is founded on a rock. For Application of this Metaphor, note what Christ saith of himself, as he is a Rock: Vpon this 
Mat. 16. 18.  Rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. again, a Rock being in the Sea, remaines immovable. The strongest tempests and violentest waves of the sea cannot shake it, much less overthrow it. If therefore any who have suffered shipwreck by floating on the sea, and espy a Rock, they will make to it. So in our greatest troubles, and most desperate dangers, let us go to God, the Rock of our salvation, and we may be sure to be safe.  
6. An Hiding place, is that wherein many beasts do repose themselves on all occasions: as a Conies borrow, a Foxes hold, a Lions den: when they are there, they think themselves safe. There therefore they use to sleep, thither they use to carry the prey they get, and there to eat it: if they be hunted, or fear any danger, they will make thither as fast as they can: if they be hurt, there they use to lick themselves whole: yea in these their hiding places they die for the 
Psal. 119. 114. Esay 4. 6.  most part. seeing it pleaseth the holy Ghost to attribute to God this resemblance of safety,( an hiding place) give me leave in Christs phrase to say to you, Behold the beasts of the field: behold them in this particular, and use God for your hiding place, as they use their holds and dens. On all occasions repose yourselves on him, and rest secure on him, when you sleep and wake. Have ye good success in your affaies? go to God, to rejoice in him, and to praise him. do thy affairs succéed ill? even then also go to God for redress & right. In peace, in trouble, in hope and fear, in safety and danger, in all cases, on all occasions, have recourse to God. Live in God, die in God.  
This military Metaphor, I hope, will be profitable to us, who are truly militant. God is our Castle, and captain. Iulius Pflugius, who 
M. Sedgewick pag. 50.  had been employed by the Emperour, but much wronged by the Duke of saxony; whereof complaining, Caesar returned this answer, Have a little patience, Tua causa erit mea, thy cause and condition shall be mine own; and this was heartening enough. God saith the same to us; make we the same forerunning use of it. weakness( said he in Sophocl●s) is strong enough, if God will fight. But if that for the chastisement 
D. Smiths Sermon to the House of Commons, May 29. 1644. pag. 4.  of our sin, as it is to our Brethren already, There be no peace to him that goeth out, nor to him that cometh in; but that great vexations are upon all the inhabitants of the country: so for us also, that God will deliver us to the ungodly, and turn us over to the hands of the wicked: Shall we therefore cast off our hope of God? God forbid. No, 
2 Chron. 15. 5.  he will make his enemies to know what it is to fight against God. 
Job 16. 11.   
Another metaphor concerneth God, and our godly encouragement against our ungodly adversaries; He shall deliver thee from the snare of 
D. Smith, p. 42.  the hunter. Such hunters have been spoiling with all cruelty many of our Brethren, and still the Hunt is up, they make it a matter of sport These are Nimrods, Esaus, Hunters of men. Whereupon I remember S.; jerome saith, We read of holy Fishermen, never of holy Hunters. The time will come, when God shall laugh at their calamities, and mock when their fear cometh. Let them while their sport 
Prov. 1. 16.  lasteth, boast themselves, as if they had all sure enough; and let them add to their other blasphemies, and say with that proud tyrant in Synesius, No man shall escape our hands, no, though he held Christ himself by the foot. Let them proceed, and presume on their strength, who have nothing else to rest upon: But, it is good for us to keep fast by 
Psal. 73. 28.  God, not to let go our hold. As Homer said of the walls of Troy, Their Forts and Bulwarks cannot be strong, that are built without God, or against him,( because without the King, and against him.) Let us then still trust in God, and be unwearied, and undaunted in his service; who hath delivered, and doth deliver, in whom we trust, that he 
2 Cor. 1. 10.  will yet deliver us. But if our God will not deliver us; yet let our hunters, know, we will not adore their Idol, nor for fear of their fiery furnace, 
Dan. 3. 17.  commit that sin( Rebellion) which is idolatry. 
2 Sam. 15. 23.   
These perilous times are fertile of Temptations to affright men from their loyalty, for their personal safety. But we must not dare to adventure 
M. Ash, p. 28. 26.  upon any known sin,( and we know what Rebellion is) though it be to safeguard our persons, our estates, our places of favour and honour, or any thing, or all things under the Sun. What if they take away my trash? the true treasure is out of their reach. What if they take down my tottering tabernacle of day? I shall have a glorified, a beautified body to all eternity, in spite of hell and earth combining against me. What if they drive me out of my house, city, and kingdom? the best is, they cannot expel me from God, nor deprive me of a mansion, an abiding place in the City of God, in the kingdom of heaven. Mind this,( my beloved) that though England, Ireland-like, should be wasted, although there should be sad things in Church and Common-wealth, in City, Country, 
p. g. 32.  towns, and Families, yet still our jehovah continues himself, and unto his people the selfsame, All-sufficient, All-satisfying God. Surely we who pitch our hearts and hopes upon this unchangeable foundation, The Lord jehovah, may abide steady in our spirits, and comforts, in the midst of the worst alterations that can overtake us.  
If ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; be not afraid of their 
M. Ash's Serm. May 17. 1642. pag. 6.  terror, neither be troubled, 1 Pet. 3. 14. It is a noble, a Christian resolution in any man to determine, Rather then I will make a wound in my conscience, a breach between God and my soul; rather then I will violate a sacred Vow,( my Oath of Allegiance) & transgress the command of my God,( Honour the King, 1 Pet. 2. 17. Resist him not, Rom. 13 2.) I will run the greatest hazards that can be imagined. And indeed it can hardly be imagined, what hazards we undertake, yea what calamities we undergo, in the Courts of Iustice, shall I say, or Injustice?( Justly do we complain of Summum jus 
D. Smiths Ser. May 29. 1644. pag. 33.  in the Committees.) Nicolaus Clemangus said, that there was more justice in hell, then was in that kingdom; and may we not say the same of ours as truly? Take but his reasons along with you. In hel( saith he) there is no just or innocent man oppressed or wronged. And again, In hell there is none unjust or wicked scapes unpunished. But alas, what unjust extortions, what oppressions and cruelties doth our Land groan under?( In our Land the Accused unheard, the Witnesses unsworne: Centuries have been defamed, and millions put into prison, and out of their Estates, onely for suspicion of being loyal to their King?)( what plundering of neighbours, profaning of Churches, and blaspheming of our King have passed unpunished?) The Prophets often call such, bloody sins, and shedding of blood: and truly what is a mans livelihood, other then his life?( and truly what is the Sequestration of a mans estate first, and then to put him in prison?) jerusalem, where the seats and thrones of judgement 
pag. 46.  were, was for this called a bloody city. Let our adversaries consider this, and tremble: whilst we comfort ourselves in that of the Apostle, as if directly spoken to us, It is a righteous thing to God, to recompense▪ tribulation to them that trouble you: And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty Angels, 2 Thes. 1. 6, 7. Even so Lord Iesus come quickly, Amen.  
I will not cover, but rather endeavour to strengthen my weakness. 
M. ●●y, p. 24.  I confess myself too much affencted with passion of mine own misery; yet more with passion of my wife and children, if they should become miserable. Yet concerning them, I am thus encouraged: indeed we use to speak of them with a term of propriety, MY wife, and MY children; but our title to them is not original, but Derivative from God: for it is God that killeth and maketh alive. And this he doth 
Esay 45. 7.  not onely de facto, but de jure he hath not onely a Power to do so, but a Right also. For we are all of us unto him, as the day in the hands of the Potter, not onely to make us vessels of honour and dishonour as he pleaseth, but( when we are made) to dash us in pieces if we please him not. Shall I then be displeased with him, when;( in the misery or death of my wife and children) God doth what he will 
Mat. 23. 15.  with his own? Wherefore, I must equal that Heathen, saying of them, Novi esse mortales, I know they are mortal, subject to death 
D. Smith, p. 3●  natural, or violent, as it pleaseth God. Nay I must excel him, and with a better spirit( the sweet expression of holy Job) say, The Lord 
Job 1. 21.  hath given, and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. I will labour for the spirit of the Primitive Martyrs, who freely offered their children unto God, rejoicing that they were laid so sweetly, and so safely in Gods arms. I remember how God dealt with Job; 
pag. 44.  how after his long patience under sore calamities, the Lord was pleased to refresh his soul, and to give him twice as much as he had before; 
Job 42. 10. Job 1. 2. 42. 13.  onely he had no more children given him then he had at first. Why were not they doubled likewise? Surely he had them double; because the former were not lost, who were locked up safe in heaven. Now, I know not how soon, I may see my children sacrificed in this Cause of God,( and of our King) and at length I may taste of death herein myself. The will of the Lord be done.  
Thus the fear of some is for their wife and children; yet my fears are rather multiplied for our Brethren, and our dear Mother, the Church of England; the government whereof is menaced, even to extirpation. Matters of Religion lie a bleeding, all government and 
D. burgess Ser. Nov. 5. 1641. pag. 6.  discipline of the Church is laid in her grave, and all putredinous vermin of both schismatics and frantic Sectaries glory in her ashes, making her fall their own rising, to mount our Pulpits, to offer strange fire, to expel the gravest, ablest, and most eminent Ministers in this kingdom,( if not out of their Pulpits, yet) out of the hearts of the people, as a company of weak men, Formalists, Time-servers, no Ministers of Christ, but limbs of Antichrist, having no Calling, except from the devil, and forsake our Church, as Babylonish and Antichristian; so as in short time they will not leave us the face of a Church▪ yea there will be a success against us. For, I am almost confident, that whensoever God indeed delivers England,( and the English Church) we must be at such a loss, as we 
M. Case, p. 159.  shall give all for a lost Cause; and then when our strength is gone, Now will I rise,( saith God) now will I be exalted, now will I lift up my 
M. Sedgew. p. 7.  self. You may read in one of the psalms, that the Church was as near to destruction, as a Lamb sticking between the teeth of a Lion was to be devoured, and yet God took the prey out of his teeth; and as near to destruction as the bide is to catching which is fallen into the net, and entangled, and yet God broke the net, and the bide escaped: And again, as near to destruction as the brand is to burning, which is thrown into the fire, and yet God hath snatched the Church out, even as a fire-brand is snatched out of the fire. When peter was 
pag. 8.  fettered in prison, and the next day to be executed, yet God by an Angel delivered him. When the three Children were cast into the fiery furnace, yet God preserved them. When Daniel was thrown into the Lions den, yet God kept him. When Abraham was lifting up the knife to kill Isaac, yet God stayed his hand. Notwithstanding ye must distinguish betwixt a particular person, and betwixt a Church: It may sometimes so fall out, that the cruel designs of the wicked adversary may prevail to the destruction of this or that individual person,( if that may be styled a destruction, which yet virtually redounds to the enlarging of the Church, for seed when it is sown multiplieth the more, and sanguis Martyrum est seemen Ecclesiae: Faecundi sunt Martyrum cineres) but they shall never prevail to the ruin of the Church. Herod, Act. 12. 2. killed james with the sword, yet ver. 24 for all that the Word grew and multiplied. It is one thing to take a rafter out of the house, and another to demolish the house itself; to lose a board in a ship, and another to lose the ship itself. It is with the Church in persecution, as it is with wheat in the sifting; perhaps some grains may slip through, and yet the bulk may, and doth remain behind. The adversaries must learn the Art to 
pag. 9.  kill God, as they have already the malice to fight against God, before they shall be able utterly to destroy the Church of God: For God( when they come to the destroying work, to root out his Church, Extirpation) will certainly infatuate and prevent them. Wherefore I beseech 
pag. 32.  you, when you hear of Policies, use means, but still trust on Gods wisdom; when of Power, use means, but still trust on Gods omnipotency; when of contrary Events, use means, but still trust on Gods fidelity. Though Men may fail you, though Friends may fail you, though Strength may fail you, though Expectations may fail you, though Reason, though Counsel, though your own Hearts may fail you, yet, yet still depend on God; He yet never hath failed, he never, never will fail, nor forsake the righteous, who dare trust upon him.  
I will conclude our Encouragements with the Consolations which I will borrow from M. Harris his Laconismes, short sentences, & from 
M. Harris Ser. to the House of come. May. 25. 1642.  M. Burroughes his larger Exhortations. O ye loyal Subjects of the King of England▪ and true lovers of the Church of England, think upon Esther; What! a woman masculine, and we womanish! God is patient; must not the Saints? Else we question sometimes his Truth, most times his Care▪ His will be His, and He will be Theirs, if it be not long of them. blushy we at our boldness, who take upon us to control, or confine the Allwise God. What is this but to charge God with foolishness, which Job did not? What is this but to set the sun by our dial? A great sauciness 
pag. 6. pag. 34. pag. 35. pag. 40. pag. 41. pag. 45.  it is to confine the Almighty. Now he must help, or never. This way, or no way. By this Parliament, or by no Parliament.( By this Army, or by no Army.) Stop for shane. The fault is ours, not his, if we be not seasonably holpen. Gods hand is not shortened: his ear is not deafened. He is able, he is willing to do us help. Where is the hindrance then? He tells us, Your sins keep good things from you. We speak much of a Malignant party; But shall I tell you? Our sins be the Malignant party. These stop the ears of God against us.  
A spirit of true courage, hath all its fears swallowed up in the fear 
M. Burroughes, pag. 102.  of God: it hath learned to fear nothing but God it sets the fear of God against all fears. One man feareth poverty, but I fear the God▪ of heaven, another fears reproach, but I fear the God of heaven; another imprisonment, but I fear the God of heaven; another death, but I the God of heaven. If our estates, or lives should be lost, suppose; 
pag. 104.  the worst, they will be lost honourably,( for our King.) The loss of them will be better then that enjoyment we shall have of them,( if I may call it an enjoyment) that we are like to haue of them, if nothing now be ventured. What will our Estates, or our lives be worth, if our Religion be gone, the Saints be fled, imprisoned,( as they are already) or massacred? when our Liberties are gone,( as they are gone already) our lives will then hardly be worth the account of the lives of men,( such they are already) much less of Christians. He must be very greedy of a life, who desires it upon such terms. We red of Anchises, Eneas his Father, when Eneas would have saved his life in such a way as he judged not honourable, he maketh this Answer, Absit ut excisa, possim supervivere Trojâ!( So say we, good forbid that I should over-live our Church) If it be spoiled, what is my life worth? will our lives be worth the taking up in the street, if we over-live our Religion, Liberties, and our Church? If we die( courageously in this good Cause) we shall free ourselves from many temptations, we shall honour our profession,( we shall appear loyal to our King) we shall do God abundant service, and at last have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Iesus Christ, who is God blessed for evermore, Amen.  
Hitherto have I spoken out of our Adversaries mouths: now I will speak a little out of mine own heart. Why are we fearful, O we of little faith? We believe 
Mat. 8. 26.  that we have a Good Cause. The contrary Cause is palpably, perniciously bad. Our Adversaries to warrant them in their War against their King, have not one Precept from the Word, no● one Statute of our Law; thereby they evacuate the cross, and extirpate martyrdom; their drift is to extirpate the Government of our Church, which we have received from the Apostles, and the Worship of our God, which we have received from the Martyrs. But we believe, that we have a good Cause, a good King, and a good God; do we, can we yet fear? Our Cause is very good, though our Case be very bad. We suffer for our King, with our King: out King doth suffer for the laws, for the Church, for his Prerogatives hereditary, and for our Liberties. Our sufferings are infamy, Imprisonment, Plundering of our Goods, Sequestting of our Estates, Calumnies, Contempts; Preachers are divorced from instructing their Flocks, Parents from educating their Children; All from the sacred, settled, solemn service of our God. We are threatened( and some have felt it) with the gallows, and Gallies; to be banished into Africa, and America; to be sent into New-England, or to be sold into algiers: besides, the burning of our houses, the stealing of our cattle, the killing of our Countrymen, and the profaning of our Churches; the barbarous effects of our bloody Civil War.  
All this is Pressura, our heavy oppression; for which we shall be rewarded with usura, an heavenly retribution. For, I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Hereby 
Rom. 8. 18.  our foes become our friends; they effect our weal, who affect our woe. Like Jason Phereus, they prevent our death by stabbing us, and heal our souls by smiting our bodies: they become the instruments of our sanctification, mortification, and salvation. For, we know that all( these) things work together for good, to them that love 
Rom. 8. 28.  God. Which we know we do, by our suffering of these things for, and by out continuing loyal to his Anointed.  
And for the conspiracy of the mighty, the combination of the multitude, and the concurrent Covenanting of two Nations; in the conclusion will be but a staff of reed, but a spiders web: these will fail them, by these they shall never foil us, totally nor finally; they may prevail against our Persons, but never against our Cause. For, If God be for us, who can be against us? 
See Rom. 8. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. The Ordin. for the Ordination, p. 10. The Covenant 25. Sept. 1643. Artic. 1. & 6.   
Here therefore as we are taught by the Assembly, and commanded by the Parliament, We promise to maintain the Truth of the Gospel, and the unity of the Church against Error and schism; and we will continue in this against all trouble and persecution. And with hands( and hearts) lifted up to the most high God, we do swear that we will according to our callings and places, in this common Cause of Religion, Liberty, and Peace of the kingdom, assist and defend( our Kings sacred Majesty) and shall not suffer ourselves, directly nor indirectly, by whatsoever Combination, persuasion or terror to be withdrawn( from this blessed obedience and loyalty.) So God help me.  
Amen. Amen. Fiat. Fiat.  The fearful shall have their portion in the lake, Rev. 21. 8. Da Domine quod jubes, & jube quod vis. Aug. My grace is sufficient for thee: my strength is made perfect in weakness, 2 Cor. 12. 9. 
FINIS.