ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND UNITED, DISJOINED. OR, A gentle Corosive, and healing Plaster, applied to two dying KINGDOMS: WITH Some Balsamum for wounded Ireland; HUMBLY Presented to both Kingdoms, and communicated to all good Subjects, that wish Peace and good to the Kingdoms, or to either of them. Wherein is represented, The Grievances of the PEOPLE, and their several Murmur. By Ethog Grimes Gent. Read before you judge: Read all or read none. 2 Sam. 2 16. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, shall the sword devour for ever? Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? Isa. 1 5. Why should ye be smitten any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the heart is faint. jer. 8. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the daughter of my people recovered? London, Printed for Laurence Chapman, and are to be sold at his sh●p, next door to the Fountain Tavern in the Strand, near the Savoy. 1648. England and Scotland United, Disjoined: OR, A gentle Corosive, and healing Plaster, applied to two dying Kingdoms: WITH Some Balsamum for wounded Ireland. BY your leave Gentlemen, give me leave to step in among you, and excuse my boldness, I have a little interest with you in the Kingdom, as well as you, which I would not lose, nor do I know how to save; deem me not an intruder, though I crowd in, I truly confess I scarce know where I am, things are so promiscously shuffled together, men and things are so metamorphosed; men know not themselves, nor their own, the world seems as it were turned round, or in confusion: Law is changed into Looseness, and Liberty into Licentiousness, where Order was, there is Confusion, and Fancy or Will, is come in the place of Conscience; Conscience is shrank or seared with an hot iron, or hath quite suffered shipwreck; sacred Truth analized, judged, misinterpreted, eclipsed, and condemned by Humane Reason, men and things all out of their places; conquering Mars threatens the Islands with new War, Jupiter casts ill aspects on men and things, love is departed from men, and malignity of spirit increaseth, horrid Pride, Ambition and Covetousness, have contracted destructive divisions, in Kingdoms, Cities, Societies and Families, The son dishonoureth the Micah 7. 6. father, the brother is against the brother, etc. and a man's enemies are the men of his own house: is Christ a Prophet? then conclude, a Kingdom, a City, a House so divided cannot stand. Mark 3 24. What's the matter? is all the world grown mad? the effects show the cause, are not England's brainsick distempers, conceited fancies, unparallelled headstrong passions, and unreasonable actions, the effects of the inflammation of the brain to madness? What Bedlam fantasies, whimzeys, and self-fooling affections are discovered in men, raging in all Societies and Families? violence overspreads all, as if there were new Nimrods' on the earth, or as if the people were building new Babel's; Midsummer-moon hath been apparently operative all this year: What influence the Moon, the Planets, or Comets have upon men's bodies or fancies, I know not; nor did ever regard, no more than some old new Prophecies lately discovered, which I heed as Necromancers predictions. But I cannot tell what to think, that Herod and Pilate are made friends, and yet love not one another, that M●rs should be in conjunction with Venus, and Vesta forsake her chastity; is honesty a fool? Minerva and Palace were wise, how is it they usurp Menesis and seek their own revenge? it's strange to me, and is no less than madness; or is it a mystery? but whether madness, or mystery, those are symptoms of Mortal-sickness in a Kingdom, and at this time predict a period to three kingdoms, all lying at this day upon the bed of languishing, tortured with the pain of these distempers, and the infected members of each, are worse than Solomon's madman, Who (saith he) cast firebrands, arrows Prov. 15. 18. and death: It is madman's pastime to do mischief, they care not who they hurt, whether themselves or others, so they fulfil their frantic fancies; a few such madmen may destroy all: But if all shall be mad, who shall prevent destruction? it was a curse threatened upon the rebellious Jews (and is verified in truth upon England and Scotland) The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindeness, and astonishment of heart, and thou shalt be mad for D●u. 28 ●. 2●, 34. the sight of thine eyes, that thou shalt see, etc. Self-pride, Ambition, Covetousness, and extreme Oppression, have put three Kingdoms into an extreme mad condition: Oppression (saith the Wise man) makes a wise man mad; the heart of the oppresser is mad in oppressing, the sweet of gain hath destroyed his heart, though otherwise a wise man, and like the horseleech he cries, Give, give: On the other side the oppressed, under the burden of pressures lying long upon him, forgets his wisdom, and patience, and grows into desperation, stark mad, throws himself upon any danger, counts it the smallest hazard (in way of revenge) Vid. S●nec● Cl●n. lib. 1 cap. 12. ult. to venture his life in every attempt, counting himself deprived of the benefit of it, whilst wounded by galling pressures: Ill causes we know too often produce worse effects. No man is born for himself, but for others good as his own, not for the hurt of any: We ought to do good to every man, but much more to seek to do good, by laying out ourselves for the public Weal; and in cases of necessity to the uttermost of our ability, without grudging, else were men ingrate to God, and betrayers of the Commonweal. But when Princes, or Magistrates, shall extort treasure from a willing and free people, and convert their public moneys to private uses, self-purposes, to particular ends, it cannot be well endured, especially when accounts of such moneys are not made to the Kingdom: This kindles a fire of jealousy, and makes men cry against it, as grinding oppression, and Robbing the Commonweal It was a reproof against the house of Jacob, and the Princes of Israel, That they built up Zion with Mic. 3. 10 blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity; not only killing by the sword is counted bloody (of which England stand guilty) but when The ve. 11, 12. Heads of the people shall judge for reward, and the Priests teach for hire, the Prophet's divine for money, yet lean upon the Lord and say, Is not the Lord among us, none evil can come to us: consider what follows, Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, etc. likeness in sin, brings likeness of judgement. You shall see that because the two sons of Samuel that judged Israel were not just in all the ways of their father, but turned aside after lucre, took bribes, and perverted judgement, all the Elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel, saying, Make us a king to judge us, like other nations: the thing 1 Sa. 8. 3. displeased Samuel, and was a sin against God; Why? not simply that they desired a King, that was not a sin, but because in discontent, with revenge against Samuel and his sons, they rejected the government that God had set over them, therefore the Lord saith, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me: Doubtless David should have been their King, though they had not Upon this ground the Army is not justifiable in their disobedience to Ordinance of Parliament, etc. Rom 12. 19 asked a King, their sin was, that they would not stay God's time: Private persons may not cast reproaches, nor calumniate the office, nor persons of the Magistrate, nor of the Ministry, nor prejudge Counsels, nor Actions, much less rise in Arms against them, but make humble address, and pray unto God, and wait God's time for redress of such evils, Vengeance is mine (saith the Lord) and I will repay it, etc. obedience is better than sacrifice, And rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft: Although the Magistrate fail in his duty toward the people (saith judicious Calvin) the people may not transgress in their duty to the Magistrate, but pray unto God for his or their amendment and conversion, and amend their own faults, considering, that God often punisheth the sins of a people by corrupt Magistrates. It may be some will object, that if this be good Divinity, we the people of England and Stotland ought not to have taken up arms against the King's Authority, etc. I Answer, We did it not as private men, but by Authority; therefore I say with Mr. Calvin, There is a time when God will raise 1 Sam 15. 22. Cilv. in institut. lib. 4. cap. 20 sect. 30. up open revengers of the unjust Government of Princes and Magistrates, such as he will arm with authority & command from himself, like as God stirred up Moses and Aaron, to deliver Israel from the bondage in Egypt, and several deliverers at sundry times to free his people from their several pressures, as Ehud, Barak, Deborah, Gideon, Samson, Jepththah, and others mentioned in the book of Judges; and such a deliverance God raised up to his people of England and Scotland, when he by his providence established this Parliament, at such a time when we thought ourselves past hope; We know it was contrary to the design of His Majesty's Counsel then acting, and we know it was not in our power to do it without the King, therefore it was of God only, who so ordered the King's heart, and infatuated His evil Counsel, that the King did it by His own Act, according to the Law of the Kingdom, and the Rights of the Subject, and in which the King is virtually present, though personally absent; we know also, that His Majesty passed several Acts of grace, for which we did, and do honour, and thank Him, but have no reason to thank that evil Counsel, who intended thereby only to sweeten the people, and steal away their affections to join in a war (being so deceived) to dissolve the Parliament, and Null all that they would, But job 5. 12. God disappointed the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. Again divine Calvin, the great supporter of Magistracy, and the Authority of Princes, the most earnest presser to obedience, saith thus of Parliaments (being once called) If they (saith he) shall wink at King's wilful raging over, and treading down the poor Calv. institut. lib. 4. cap. 20. sect. 31. Commonalty, it is a breach of Faith in them, because they deceitfully betray the Liberty of the people, whereof they are protectors by the Ordinance of God. While Israel lay under the sore pressures and bondage of Pharaohs taskmasters in Egypt, they groaned under their heavy burdens, as insupportable, and cried unto God, God raised up Moses their deliverer; but quickly they forgot the bitterness of that bondage, and meeting with some momentary hardship in the way through the Wilderness, to the Land of rest and peace, (which way God brought them to humble them, & to prove them: Deut 8. 2 verse 16. and that he might do them good in the latter end) they grew impetuous, murmured, and rebelled against God, and against Moses that led them, notwithstanding they had been spectators of Gods Almighty power, wonders, and outstretched arm against the Egyptians, for their deliverance, and sang praises unto God, that had triumphed gloriously, and thrown the horse and his rider into Exod. 15. 1. the Red-sea. Consider, I pray, can it be well with us of England and Scotland, or with our great City London, or mutinous Counties, if we shall parallel the Murmur and Rebellions of rebellious Israel: Can you, or either of you, forget how you have groaned under the pressures of an unlimited Prerogative, even whilst it was but in the infancy of it? Can ye forget how your Laws were stretched upon the tenters of Prerogative, till they were thin, and weak as spider's webs, and served only as snares and nets to catch small flies, through which stinging hornets, and hurtful wasps, broke at pleasure; your Parliaments were broken in pieces, disgraced, rejected, made useless, as having no consistence with lawless Prerogative, you know how the ill Counsel of those times bought and sold Justice, Judges were displaced for doing justly, and for refusing to do unjustly: They were made to buy their places dear, and suffered to sell their service dearer, that they might be gainers; No Bribe, no Justice; and the greatest Bribe, or best Friend, most times prevailed, whether just or unjust: men's Estates were forced by illegal Taxes, Loans, Knight-money, Forrest-lands, Timber, Woods, Buildings, Compositions for Cottages, Coat and Conduct-money, etc. also extreme Taxes by Customs, Tonnage and Poundage, Ship-money, and infinite Monopolies of all sorts of Commodities, to the overthrow of Trade, Commerce and Traffic, and ruin of several established Corporations, the whole Kingdom (as well as London) was sensible of the misery, and groaned under the burden: What Tradesman in the great City (Master or Apprentice) in those times, cried not out (in a feeling sense) that they should be all undone? many thousands complained they were deprived of their Livelyhoods, and of their Trades for which they served, all looking upon those burdens as remediless, all Gunpowder, and Arms of defence was at that time denied to the Subject, Bands of Soldiers were billeted upon the Kingdom in most of the great Towns, and some Villages, Horses and their Riders were contracted for, and coming from beyond sea; What to do? but to awe the Kingdom, and to enslave Posterity, no Foreign was then either envading nor threatening us: How many of our gallant fideal Gentlemen were drawn by pretences to the Isle of Ree, and to Cardise, there lost, betrayed and murdered; ships lent and sold to serve against the Protestants of France, the Town of Rochel and other places lost, all means used to weaken us at home, and the Protestants in other countries', all done to give way to Popery. Nor can our Brethren of Scotland forget, how a new old Mass Liturgy was forced upon them, such as was contrived at Rome, prepared by the arch Enemy Canterbury, which they refusing, were threatened by an Army; a Parliament in England was called to raise money to engage in a War with Scotland, the Parliament refused to contribute in that War, and was presently dismissed, yet an Army was raised, and Scotland in their defence brought their Army into England; how much they were engaged to England, for their brotherly love, and good affections (the people generally refusing to contribute any thing to hurt them) they cannot but remember; nor can they forget what humble supplicants and petitioners the Lords and Gentlemen of all Counties of England were in their behalf, which I hope shall never be repaid by any ill from that Kingdom: I would remind them of these things. Let me again put England in mind of the Plots and Designs of the Hierarchy, to corrupt our Religion by Superstition and profaneness, you had Canons, Articles and Liturgies, given you as gilded pills, to purge out sound Doctrine: And to plant profaneness, a Book was commanded to be read in all Churches, to give liberty to profane the holy Sabbath, forbidding afternoon Sermons; and there was injunctions penal to keep holy Popish Saints days, all Church-service was adulterated: In a word, Religion was choked with the lawn of Heirarchy, the mouths of godly Ministers stopped, their persons persecuted, imprisoned, banished (Bishop Wren will not deny it) as it was with Jeremiah and Baruch in the days of Jehoiakim, and with Micaiah in the time of Ahab, so was it unto them, because they spoke the word of God to the people, and said, Go not up to Ramath-Gilead. Good men were also cauterised, pillory'd, and stigmatised for like causes; and who knows but the Protestants in England should intentionally have acted the first scene in that Bloody Tragedy that Ireland hath done; it was not that the common Enemy had greater love, or more pity to us, but God's mercy to us; And shall we now destroy one another? Consider how we cried out in those times for a Parliament, a Parliament, a Parliament, saying, Nothing but a Parliament could deliver us, and keep our posterities from bondage; God gave us a Parliament, and made our Parliament a blessing to us, till we idolised them; and now because we find they are not Gods, but men, and men of infirmities, you cry out against Parliaments, and calumniate them, ready to stone them: O ungrateful people! because God tryeth you, as he did the Israelites in the wilderness, to humble you, and will not suffer the Parliament to establish your peace, so soon as you desire, you will like the Jews murmur, and sin against God, notwithstrnding God hath done very great and miraculous things for you: Why do you lust and look back to Popery, and say as the Idolatrous Israelites, It had been better for us Exod. 14. 12. to serve the Egyptians, then to die in the wilderness; you would eat the sweet, but you will not endure to taste of the sour; you would have your sore healed, but will not endure the plaster; you say many Members in Parliament are self-seekers, not minding the common good; I pray who sent them thither? If you were fools in your choice, your backs must bear the fools reward: will you therefore destroy Parliaments, and make your posterity-Slaves? will nothing satisfy you now but a King, & a King upon any terms? Truly, I wish and pray that we may have a King, and a blessing with him, But why do ye cry out as ye do, A King upon any terms? Is this less than madness in you? you have forgot the bondage of Egypt, and think only upon the fleshpots, onions and garlic, etc. O silly men! why do ye break your Covenant with God and men? Take heed ye be not like Israel in sin, lest ye be like Israel in punishment; they murmured and were disobedient to God, but therefore they were destroyed by the sword of the destroyer, Num. 14. 37. by the Pestilence, by Serpents; Korah and his company were swallowed up by the earth: consider that the Apostle tells you and me, even all us at this day, that All those things 1 Cor. 10. 11. happened for our ensamples, and are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Now we know that the many thousands that came out of Egypt, died all in the wilderness, except Joshua and Caleb, and their little ones that were born in Num. 14. 34. 35. the desert: Let not us flatter ourselves, to think though we do the same things, that we shall escape; but let us be admonished & do our duties in all obedience, that it may be well with us in the later end. I blame none simply for desiring a King, nor for petitioning for a Treaty with the King; for I wish honour to his person, and bliss to his soul, and so shall ever pray: But I cannot Idolise any King; Kings are but men, and all men have failings; what hath been, may be again, the child dreads the fire; and men once deceived, trust not again without assurance: Though Kings cannot err, their Counsels have erred, and for aught we know, will err again; first let the Kingdom have its rights, which Nature and Law hath given to free Subjects, then make the King as great as he can be, that his Honour and just Greatness may be ever splendent in Justice and Clemency: God forbidden, that because (through evil Counsel) he hath erred, and infringed the Subjects Liberty, that therefore we his Subjects should utterly cast him off, or take from him or his posterity any of his or their Rights: I hope none will say, that because his Majesty's Council (put on by Rome's Hierarchy) hath caused a War, that we will have no more a Peace. We know our War was to defend Privileges of Parliament, our Liberties and Religion (all which are involved in Parliaments) not to destroy the King, nor his posterity. But it highly concerns us to take heed what peace is made, and how; for there is a destructive peace, as there is a depopulating war: And herein we have made our respective Members in free Parliament, our Judge; and so long as a free Parliament, and of free Election, we are not to judge their actions, but are bound to maintain their Freedom and Privilege, for therein stands our Peace and welfare to our posterities; you know what Jehu said to Joram when he asked if it were peace, What peace, 2 King. 9 22. so long as the Whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts are so many? There is no peace saith the Lord unto the wicked: Will Isa. 48. 22. God give peace to a wicked Nation, when blood and oppression, and horrible hypocrisy cryeth for vengeance, and for desolation? Blood hath defiled the Land, and the Land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed, but by the blood of them that shed it: Num. 35. 33. God is surely making inquisition for blood, and for injustice, as well in Subjects as Princes; if therefore God will make his arrows drunk with blood, from the beginning of revenges upon his Deut. 32. 42. Enemies, who can withstand it? We have looked for peace, but no good came: and for a time of health, but behold trouble: For Ier 8. 15. spoilers and robbers are come upon us, and the sword of the Lord devoureth from one end of the Land to the other: Therefore we must seek God, repent of our blood guiltiness and secret robbery, our hypocrisy, and our idolatry, and purge the Land of pollutions, and erroneous damnable Doctrines, or God will cut off both branch and rush in one day; policy and craft may prosper in a man's hand, Dan. 8. 25. and he may magnify himself in his heart, and by peace destroy many; but he shall be broken without hand: We like Jerusalem have not known the things that belong to our peace, and they now seem to Luk 19 42. be hid from our eyes: but whilst there is life, there is hope, let us therefore repent and do our first works, lest we, like Judea and Jerusalem, be destroyed. Why are we divided in our judgements, and in our practices? some cry out for the King, and peace upon any terms; other say, Not the King, because he hath against the Law and his Oath, broken his trust, by which three Kingdoms are embrued in their bloods. Peter de la Primanday in his Academy (who was French Accadem. par. 1. cap. 39 Chancellor and Steward of the French Kings house) saith, No fault is more detestable in a Prince than Perjury, for if he that is debtor and pledge for justice be disloyal, there is no more trust to be given to him in all his Oaths, but if he be upright, his bare word ought to be to him for a Law: God himself (saith the Master of sentences) is bound by his promises. Now consider, what answer his Majesty sent to the House of Commons, 31 Dec. 1641. to their desires as touching a Guard; promising by the word of a King, that the security of them, and every one of them, was and should be as much his care, as the preservation of himself and children: Yet by the influence of evil Councillors on Tuesday the 4 of January, 1641. but four days following, (as by the Declaration of the House appears, touching the breach of privilege of Parliament) a personal force was made upon the House by about Five hundred Armed men, who, if his Majesty's clemency (through God's providence in that particular) had not transcended their mercy, they had (as some of them then said) cut See the Declar. of the House of Commons touching the breach of Privilege, Jan. 17. 1641. See Declare. of Commons 11 Feb. 1647. all the throats of the Members of the house of Commons: we know also that the Pacification concluded between the King and our Brethren of Scotland, was by His evil Council made Null after he came to Court: Protestations and Vows have been made, That no consent should ever be given to the toleration of Popery, nor to the abolishing of any Statute made against Papists; yet it is too evident, that evil Counsel prevailed, so as His Majesty under His own Hand promiseth the Queen and the Earl of Ormond, to take away all penal Laws made against Papists in England and Ireland: Many other things of breach of promise might be instanced, which I take no delight to divulge; Mercy and truth (saith the wisest of Kings) preserves the King, and is the upholding of his Throne. It was a good saying of Seneca to N●ro Cesar, Nature, Right and Justice commands to spare Captives, and such as are bought with money to be Slaves, are to be justly dealt with; Seneca of clemency l. 1. c. 18. much more just is it for thee (saith he) not to abuse freemen, ingenuous and honest, but to entertain them as under thy Government, to defend them as Subjects, etc. In the next Chapter he draws an inference from the King of Bees, who hath no sting, saying, Nature hath denied it, because he should not be cruel, nor seek revenge; he saith further, That Clemency will secure a King in the open field, and his impregnable Fortress is the love of his Subjects, Seneca of clemency l. 1. c. 19 when he so behaves himself, as that the Commonwealth is not his, but he the Commonwealths. The mutual love between Princes and people, is the upholding of a Commonweal: Well saith Seneca to Nero, The King in safety, all men live in peace, The King once lost, than Faith and Truth doth cease. Others there are like Lords of the first head, that cry, No King at all, but Kingly Subjects; but these men know not of what Spirits they are: Let these men examine themselves, what's become of Conscience, of Charity, and of their Engagement by Covenant, which binds so to accept of the King with honour and safety, so far as we may do it with security and preservation of our Laws and Religion. Yet let not men be so eager of a King, and of peace, but upon good terms, for God may give us a King in his anger, and take Hos 13. 11. him away in his displeasure; let us hold truth with us, though we lose all besides, and not be like profane Esau, Who sold his Birthright H●b. 11. 16. for one morsel of meat; nor like the Gadarens that would rather part with Christ, than their swine: The mad multitude seem like him whose abode was among the tombs, could not be restrained, nor bound with chains from violence; consider the saying of the Prophet, If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of Isa. 1. 19 20. the Land, but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. I know your allegations against the present evils, are in effect what you complained of under prerogative power (viz.) Arbitrary and Illegal power used over you, your money exhausted, divided, and given to private purses, Receivers, Collectors, Committees, Soldiers etc. not brought to strict Account for the vast sums received, a supernumerous Army maintained by continued Taxes and Freequarter, guiltless men accused, and guilty men not questioned, Faction and Self-interest preferred, public peace and safety neglected, Law and Covenant wrested, Religion discountenanced, Ministers contemned, Schisms, Heresy and Blasphemy cherished (at least connived at) public prejudice done by protections, etc. all which (you say) could not be born with in a King, therefore cannot be endured by any Subject; from all which you hoped a Parliament would have freed you, but the remedy is worse than the disease, and your pressures increased: All great Offices of profit in the Commonweal, are engrossed into particular men's hands (whose service and attendance ought to be employed to public benefit) which if executed by private men (reasonable salary being allowed them) who have lost their whole livelihoods by the Enemy, for their fidelity to the Parliament, would in overplus much benefit the Commonweal, have paid poor windows, maimed Soldiers, and much Arrears, etc. but (as the Prophet saith in another case) This is a people rob and spoiled, they Isa 42. 22. are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in Prison-houses, they are for a prey, and none delivereth, for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Besides, the people are brought into jealousy of a ruling over-awing Army, as it were forcing a Toleration and Liberty to all Sectaries, and their just Liberty is infringed, etc. The Righteous Amos 2. 6. Isa. 13. 14 are sold for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes, therefore the Lord entereth into Judgement with the Ancients of the people, and with the Princes, for they have eaten up the vineyard, and the spoil of the poor is in their houses: These are your allegations, all which I cannot excuse, for God and men know many things are not as they ought to be, nor as they might have been; but for what is now under Parliament pressures, some necessity may be pleaded; and what was by the King's evil Councillors, was Will, and their voluntary act to enslave, that would have been for ever, this is but momentary: 'Tis true, the Army in all things are not justifiable, they are but men, and have erred as men, in Judgement and practice, but have been, and are happy instruments (under God) to save us from destruction, faithful and victorious, deserving Honour and Recompense; let the people forget, and the Army repent, God will forgive and redress all grievances: The causes and cures I shall give you in the proper place: First give me leave to tell you a Story; In the time of Romulus' King of the Romans, he made a hundred Councillors of the best and honestest Noblemen; these (when together) were called Senatus, to whom there were afterward a greater number added, and called Senators; these were Patrons, Helpers, Defendors and Councelors to the People, counted then a shame to them to take any Bribe or Reward of the people; this caused great love and unity among them, the one were Protectors, the other were obedient: But Romulus growing great and successful, began to be Tyrantlike, the Senators did nothing, but were called a Council for fashion, not for any Advice or Counsel; for when assembled, they only heard the King's pleasure and commandment, and so departed: This put them upon a desire to have a free State, and not to be subject only to the rule of a King; shortly after Romulus making Oration to the people, at a place without the City, the Sun was suddenly darkened, and there was terrible Thunder, flashings of Lightnings, and mighty Winds, which separated the people every way one from another, the Senators remaining together, in which time Romulus vanished away, Plut. life Romulus. was no more seen alive or dead; when the Storm was past and the day cleared, the people asked for the King, the Noblemen wished them not to inquire after the King, but to honour and reverence him, for he was taken up into heaven, some of the people liked it well, others not satisfied, accused the Senators of making away the King; after much ado and discontent, one of the Noblemen of good esteem among the people, whom they held for an honest man, Arguments and by Oaths affirmed, the King was taken up by the gods into Heaven, to dwell with them, having built that famous City, and that Romulus should henceforth be their god, so he appeased all the people: The people afterwards not contented without a King, caused another tumult, about choosing a King, they being of divers Opinions; the Senators also were in suspicion one of another, but all agreed of a necessity to choose a King; and to prevent greater confusion, the Senators concluded that every one of them should by turns carry the State of a King, six hours in a day, and six hours at night, the next day another, and so in order: suspicion still grew in the people, who said, This was a device to get all Government into a few men's hands: At length to appease all, the people agreed to choose Numa Pompilius a Sabine, a man of virtue, and wisdom, free from tovetousness and vice, addicted to divine study, and the exercise of Justice: Messengers were sent to Numa to entreat him to accept of the Kingdom; he answered, the change of a man's life was ever dangerous, and for him that wanted nothing, it was folly to leave a certainty for an uncertainty, casting many dangers and perils in being a King, with other Allegations of his own unfitness, etc. The Messengers besought him by many Arguments to accept of it, and not give any cause of new trouble among the people, seeing all had so freely chosen him to be their King. After long persuasion Numa accepted of it, came to Rome, the Senate and people flocked to meet him, the women blessed him, and sang to his praises, Sacrifice was done for him in the Temples of their gods, and with great joy he was brought to the Marketplace, where his Election was Proclaimed, and he chosen by the voice of all the people. Having received the Royal Seat, he dismissed the guard of Soldiers that was to guard his person, saying, Plut. in life of Pompil. He would not mistrust those that trusted him, neither would he be King over people that should mistrust him. Then he began to work upon the affections of the people, to draw them from violent warlike desires, to quiet life, civility and meekness in manners, and to the service of the gods; by which peace was established at home, and with all Nations, all Numa's days. Let men make their own Application; only observe this, That Differences and Commotions have been in all Ages, and under all Governments, whether Monarchical, Aristocracy, Democracy, etc. all have been subject to Tyrannical Oppression, Injustice and Commotions, by Kings, by Senates, and by the People: But certain no Kingdom nor Commonweal in the world, had ever any better Government, for the constitution of well regulated Laws, than England, by King, Lords and Commons; That there are miscarriages in this Government, is neglect of Execution, arising either from greedy Oppression and Ambition in the superior, or from Pride and Disobedience in the inferior, both which are the defects of this Age. Now I shall truly show you the causes of all these Distempers, as they are at this day: We use to say, the disease once known, the cure is easy, if men will; the first cause is the Devil, he suggests evil surmises, suspicions and jealousies, leads men into errors, and propounds false ends in designs, by this we are divided and confounded; the Scriptures term him to be an Adversary, a Tempter, and a Murderer, etc. he is subtle in tempting, therefore called the Old serpent, the Red dragon, he is a fawning Fox, and a devouring Lion, his Government is only in this world, therefore called, The god of this world, and he ruleth only over such men 2 Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 2. 1 john 3. 8. joh. 1. 44 Ps. 52. 3. as are in darkness, therefore called, The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; and they that (willingly) commit sin, are said to be of the Devil, therefore wicked men that are his children (like him) love evil more than good, and delight in lies more than to speack truth; he hath also many baits to ensnare men, sometime he propoundeth Honour, sometime Riches, sometime Praise and Pleasure, etc. his mouth was full of this when he came to tempt Christ, All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me (or if we will but worship God in his way) yea he brings this Scripture too, It is written, saith he, thus and thus: When men give way to any temptation of the Devil, they forsake the truth, and not receiving the truth in the love of it, is the 2 Thess: 2. 10, 11. cause why God sendeth strong delusions to believe lies, and are given over to their own lusts; then God saith of a man or a nation, as of Israel, Lo-ammi, Ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. Hos. 1. 9 The second cause of our distempers is, our corrupt nature, which is prone to rceeive all evil from Satan, as the earth the seed cast into it, or the tinder at fire every spark; the Devil casts in the seed, corrupt Nature brings forth increase, he strikes the flint, and corrupt Nature makes it a flame; corrupt Nature is prone to delight in new things, & Satan always puts fair and specious shows upon every error, he casts them by the mould of truth, but ever adds or adminisheth, and that he brings under the notion of new truths, for Satan can be (and doubtless is at this day) transformed 2 Cor. 11. 14. Mat. 24. 24. into an Angel of light, and so works upon men's fancies, That if it were possible, he should deceive the very Elect. The third cause is, evil men, Papists, Jesuits, Jews, Libertines, profane Worldlings, and all other seduced Schismatical Seducers that hate all Reformation, because they love not the truth; these are Satan's instruments, children of darkness, & hate the children of light, they hold counsels against them, make conspiracies, use diabolical divinations, pretend prophecies, revelations and miracle; some to broach false tenants, seeming to be zealous for Christ, but are his enemies, others to raise discontents & disobedience in the people, against the powers ordained by God, they invent lies, scandal, and foment jealousy, to make factions & divisions both in Church and State, & have influence into great Counsels, Societies & Families, yea, into our Victorious Army, where by division they have staggered more, than any power of the sword could ever have done; these are interwoven with us in disguised shapes, they are Presbyterians in the extremes, and Independents to all looseness of liberty and slighting of duty, tell you that you are in Christ (if you be as they) and cannot sin, nor aught to pray for pardon, that Christ died for all equally, for Judas as for Peter; that Revelations, and the motions of the Spirit (not Scripture) are your Rule to walk by, denying the Morality of the Law, question whether the soul be mortal or immortal; that men have freewill to repent, and to be saved; that the Christian Sacraments are no way necessary, and that rebaptising is lawful and necessary; that the Lords day is no more to be observed then any other day; that our godly Ministers are not Ministers of Christ, but their calling Antichristian, with a hundred more gross errors, destructive to the foundation of true Religion; all which they have spirits abroad to infuse into men, as they find their natural lusts inclined, by which they have brought confusion not only in Counsels, Societies, Cities, and our Victorious Army, but in all families, so as we err, and err exceedingly, both in judgement and practice: Take it for certain, there are many hundred Jesuits at this day among us, and have overspread the whole Kingdom of England (I will not believe Scotland is free) they are in all places like the frogs of Egypt, even in the Saints conventicles (as some call them) and it may be in our common pulpits sometimes; these are they that speak evil of Authority, and cast reproaches upon the Ministry, to bring Law and Gospel into contempt, and to set up new lights, and new Government in the world; they spread the failings of Parliament abroad to the ears of all countries, and belie them grossly, make every molehill a mountain, seem to divine their intentions, and belie the very truth, set the kingdom in hurly-burly, put whole counties to petition in unseemly manner, to command Requests, and to request things not to be granted without ruin, and thereby think to work ruin by the denial, all to hinder setlement, reformation and peace, and to bring in Popery in the crowd, among the rest of their old heresies newly revived; these like Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses, withstand and resist 2 Tim. 3. 8. the truth, being armed with all the power and policy of hell and Rome; but their great Masterpiece hath been to break the union between England and Scotland, as it was Rome's endeavours for many years to hold them from conjunction, and was no small disheartening to them when they became conjoined: What our brethren will do I know not, I will not prejudge a Kingdom, they have been true, and I hope will be ever, but Barwick and Carlisle ought not to be held in Garrison; our Covenant is with God, as well as one with another, and the Kirk to their everlasting praise uphold it, If it were but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no Gal. 3. 15 Lev 26. 25. man disannulleth, but God is a just God, and will avenge the quarrel of his Covenant on him that transgresseth: I would say to England and Scotland, as Abraham said to Lot, Let there be no Gen. 13. 8. strife between you, for you are Brethren, & so are your Army's too● if you jar to blood, you will commit two great evils, you will both fight for your enemies that will destroy you both, and you (or one of you) will incur God's judgements upon your posterities: I pray remember what the Lord himself saith, I will give the men jer. 34. 18, 19 that have transgressed my Covenant, and have not performed the words of the Covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, etc. I will even give them into the hands of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their life, and they shall be meat for the fowls, and for beasts, etc. Will you destroy yourselves, because the enemy could not do it? consider the saying of that wise & able Soldier Sir Jacob Ashley, when Routed and taken near Stowe, speaking to Colonel Morgan, and to gallant Major Hawksworth, and others, Gentlemen (said be) you may now put up your sword, for the War is done, we are able to do no more by the power of an Army, except you fall out among yourselves; this was a fair warming, he was more our friend in speaking it, than we to ourselves in contending: Know that this is the Jesuits Maxim, First divide, then conquer: History tells us, Rome by this means hath gained more Kingdoms then by the sword, and this is the design at this day. Now let England and Scotland say as Joab said to Abishai, If the Assyrians be too strong for me, than thou shalt help me, but if ●…am. 10. 11. the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, I will come and help thee; thus you have Covenanted, and woe to you if you do it not: Whether one or the other, whilst united, none can hurt you, once disjoined, you are both destroyed. There is yet one cause more, and that is God, he is the cause of all causes: Let the instrument be what, or who it will, by which a man, a family, a people or Kingdom is afflicted or destroyed, God is the effecient cause, men nor devils can do nothing without God; they are but God's executioners of wrath, and judgement for sin, but the rod in God's hand, Assyria is but the rod of God's anger: Isa. 10. 5. Sickness, pain, imprisonment, loss of goods, war, pestilence, famine, and all afflictions whatsoever, are from God; to some for chastisement, by which they learn righteousness; too others as judgements, to punish and to destroy, Is there any evil (saith God) Am. 3. 9 in the city, and I have not done it? (that is, evil of punishment, not evil of sin) God forms the light, and creates darkness, makes peace, Isa. 45. 7. Is. 42 24 and creates war, Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? when God will punish a sinful people, by the ill Government of Kings and Princes, He leads away Counsellors spoiled, and makes Judges job 12. 17 fools; when Israel will be hypocrites, to draw near unto God with their mouths, and remove their hearts far from him, God will make the wisdom of the wise to perish, and the understanding Isa. 29. 14. of the prudent shall be hid: When God will punish a King for oppression, that King shall hearken to evil Council, and refuse the good Counsel of grave and wise men; so did Rehoboam, and los● ten tribes, the text saith, The thing was done of the Lord: When 1 King. 12. 18 4. God will bring the sword upon wicked Counsellors, and upon a Nation together, he can make void all the Counsels of Judah and Jerusalem; When Israel devised mischief, and gave wicked Counsel, jer. 19 7. God turns that wickedness to effect his own purpose, and by it brings a sword upon themselves and the people: The Princes Ezek. 11. ver. 2. 8. of Zoan became fools, and the Princes of Noph were deceived, that they erred in every work, the text saith, It was God that mingled Isa. 19 13, 14. job. 34. 29. a perverse spirit among them: When God giveth quietness (saith holy Job) who can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only. When the sins of an impenitent people provoke God, to bring destroying judgements upon that nation, he withdraws his common restraining grace from men, and leaves them to their own lusts (he will punish sin with sin) wicked men shall act according to their own several lusts, and grow more wicked, oppressing, kill and reviling one another, till they be like Judea and Jerusalem, Vid. Josep. bell. Jud. lib. 6. & lib. 7 destroyed one by another, and at last made a spoil and a prey to the enemy: When a lying spirit is put into the mouth of a Ministry, as in Ahabs 400. prophets, expect speedy ruin and desolations; or if men and Armies will go against the word of God pronounced by the mouth of God's messengers, they are not likely to prosper, but like Ahab miscarry in their confidence; but to all that are godly, and of upright hearts, I say with the Prophet, Fear Isa. 45. 4. not, be strong, behold your God will come with vengeance, even God, with a recompense he will come and save you: This is the time of God's indignation, he will punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, the earth shall also disclose her bloods, and shall no more cover her slain, it will be but for a moment (the time is appointed by God) and the indignation shall be overpast: Believe in the Lord 2 Chro. 20. 20. your God, so shall you be established; believe his Prophets, so shall you prosper. God (now in special manner) calls his people to humiliation, to repentance, and reformation of sin; when God's hand was upon whole Israel in the days of David, he enquired the cause (he knew it was for sin, for God only punisheth for sin) and the Lord revealed to him that it was for Saul and his bloody house, because 2 Sam. 21. 1. he slew some of the Gibeonites, contrary to Covenant; it was many generations before saul's time, that Joshua and the Princes of Israel had made a covenant with the Gibeonites, Saul swore not to it, and Joshua was forbid to make any league with them, yea, the Gibeonites engaged Joshua and the Princes by craft; and further, the people of Israel swore not unto it, but after three days (when their craft was discovered) murmured because of the Oath; not withstanding all this, Joshua durst not make null that Covenant; And why? Lest (faith he) wrath be upon us because See joshua chap. 9 8 of the oath, not so much as put one of them to death, who had by craft deceived them. We know when our Enemies were strong, and we very weak, the Kingdom of England invited the Kingdom of Scotland to our assistance, they as wilingly came, but desired a perfect union of both Kingdoms, and to that end a Solemn League and Covenant was entered into by both, and joyfully received, not only sworn unto by our Nobles, Knights and Gentlemen, but generally by all the people (or by sinful negligence omitted) the command is warrantable by Scripture, Whosoever would not Covenant to seek the 2 Chro. 15. 13. Lord, should be put to death, whether small or great: In our Covenant we swear Reformation, Ecclesiastical, and Personal defence of Religion against the common Enemy, Reformation in Religion, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, etc. according to God's word, and the best Reformed Churches: And we have sworn (every one for himself) to endeavour the nearest conjunction that can be in the three Kingdoms in Religion, Form of Government, Directory of Worship, etc. as shall be found most consonant with Scripture, not as it is established in Scotland, or any other Reformed Church, except in trial they be found the best; and herein the Kingdom of Scotland is to alter (as well as England) any thing not fully agreeing with God's Word: Now he that hath not endeavoured this, and doth not still endeavour it, hath broken his Covenant; but such as have opposed it (let their pretence be what it will) are guilty of perjury before the high and holy God. 2. We have sworn to endeavour to extirpate Popery, and Prelacy, and Church Government by Prelavical Bishops, etc. and also to extirpate Superstition, Heresy, Schism, Profaneness, and whatsoever is contrary to sound Doctrine, and the power of godliness: Therefore, he or they who look back to Popery, or that endeavour not to the uttermost to abolish all Popish Superstition, and suppress, Heresy, Schisms and Blasphemy, violate their Oath; but they that endeavour to support either Popery, Prelacy, Heresy or Schism, are injurious to God, to his Truth, and to the Kingdom; and of such God will surely avenge his Covenant. 3. We have sworn to endeavour with our Estates and Lives (every one for himself) mutually to preserve the Rights and Privileges of Parliaments, and the Liberties of the Kingdoms: Consider, how many among us may be taxed in this particular, for false swearing and for prefidious persons; 1. They that endeavour not to assist the Preservation of Parliament Privileges: 2. They that make breaches, and join with them that do, as too many have done, of Soldiers, Apprentices of City and Country: 3. The Liberty of the Subject, which many for Self-interest infringed; this latter we know is involved in the former: 4. They that shall or have endeavoured to bring His Majesty to the sole rule of the Kingdom, till assurance be given to the Parliament, of the Preservation of Religion, and of the Subjects Liberty for future, are Covenant-breakers, and may be deemed as enemies to posterity; but security once given to the Parliament, God forbidden that Parliament or people should desire to diminish any thing in His Majesty's just power and greatness. 4. We swore, that we wo●●… endeavour that all Incendiaries, Malignants, evil Instruments, that hinder Reformation of Religion, divide the King from His People, or one of the Kingdoms from another, or that make Factions and Parties among the People, contrary to the Covenant, may be brought to condign punishment, etc. What shall we say or think of this, when any one Kingdom shall not only not bring to punishment such persons, but connive at them, and suffer them among them, though they are, and have been known Enemies and Incendiaries, Hinderers of Reformation, and Dividers between both Kingdoms, to set them together in blood, and that make Factions and Parties among the People, contrary to the Covenant, Is not this a breach of the Covenant, and dishonour to the most high God before whom we have sworn? 5. We have acknowledged it a great mercy and blessing, that the Peace is concluded and settled between the two Kingdoms (such as God denied to our Progenitors) and therefore swore to endeavour, the two Kingdoms may remain conjoined in a firm Peace and Union to all Posterities, and that Justice may be done upon the wilful opposers thereof, if so, Who dare break this Union, whether Kingdom (without perjury) can attempt a War, or draw a sword against the other, except first he were set upon, and that no pacification could be made (and I hope neither Kingdom will blame me for what I writ) I have entered into the same Covenant, and am bound by my Covenant to endeavour the Peace and Union, though it prove my prejudice, 'tis my duty, which to neglect were to incur God's displeasure, and just judgement upon myself. 6. We did swear, In this common cause of Religion, Liberty, and peace of the Kingdoms, to assist and defend all that entered into this Covenant, in pursuance thereof, and not to suffer ourselves by persuasion or terror, to be divided or drawn from this conjunction, nor to be neuters in this cause, but to continue in it all the days of our lives against all opposition: Now let every man, and both Kingdoms lay it to heart, and consider how base and cowardly they have been (I mean not all) to own this Covenant, and to act according as they have sworn, I utter it with grief; I know many that have taken it, are quite fallen from it, some to the left hand, some to the right hand; all w●●…h God sees, and will once exact an account of every man, For God is not mocked; deceive not yourselves, God's Honour and Justice is engaged in it, Judgement Hos. 10. 3 shall spring up (upon them) as hemlock in the furrows of the field, that have sworn falsely in making a Covenant. I find recorded in the Turkish History a remarkable story, That after a long War between Vladislaus King of Hungary, a Christian, (but a Papist) and Amurath Emperor of Turkey, Vladislaus made a Pea●e with Amurath, and entered into a Covenant, which was interchangeably given in writing; but the King of Hungary was persuaded by Julian a Cardinal, to violate that Covenant, which he did, and at great advantage, secretly and speedily prepared a mighty Army, and fell upon the Turks territories; the Emperor of Turkey hearing of it, as soon as he could, prepared to oppose him, they came to a field hatrel, and the Turks lost many men, so that the Emperor and his whole Army were in danger, at last the Emperor seeing a Crucifix in one of the King of Hungaries Banners, he plucked forth of his bosom the Writing and Covenant which he had received from the King of Hungary, and holding it up in his hand, with his eyes cast up to heaven, said these words (Behold thou crucified Christ, is this the League thy Christians in thy name made with me which they have without cause violated? if thou be a God, as they say thou art, revenge the wrong done unto thy name, and to me, and show thy power upon thy perfulious people, who in their deeds deny thee their God: This said, the battle grew fierce on both sides, Vladislaus was wholly and totally routed, himself slain by a Janisary, and great numbers of the Christians slaughtered: Consider this example, England and Scotland: and as Christ said to his Disciples, Remember Lot's wife; So say I, Remember Vladislaus. Tissaphernes, Lieutenant to the King of Persia, broke a truce which he made with the Grecians; the Grecians sent him thanks by his own Herald, saying, he had thereby engaged the gods, in whose name the truce was sworn, to be on their side: Cleomenes King of Lacedemonia made a truce with the Argians for seven days, but did it with deceitful equivocation, meaning to take advantage of the night; And so did, for the third night when the Argians were secure, and asleep, he fell upon them, and was afterwards beaten, and his Army scattered by the women of the City of Argos, in revenge of their husbands that he had treacherously slain, and after this, Cleomenes killed himself with a knife. It would be great happiness, if England would inquire as holy David did, whether God's hand now against us, be not for our breach of Covenant, (though not National, for I hope better, but as to particular men it is manifest) Consider, I pray, why is it that the common people of England rise up tumultuously against Authority, and Privileges of Parliament, contrary to their Covenant? is it not a just Judgement from God, because Authority have been remiss in their Covenant, and many have absolutely broken it with God; therefore God suffereth a Covenant-breaking people to break Covenant with them, now tumultuously risen against them in ESSEX, SURREY, KENT, etc. that God may destroy the one by the other: If it be so, it concerns every man to humble himself before God, renew his Covenant, and in the strength of the Almighty, to resolve to keep it to the death: or let it be done to the persisters in breaking, as to the seven Sons of Saul; for if we suffer the Covenant to be broken, We cannot prosper, nor shall we be delivered: Besides consider, Ezek. 17. 15. Isa. 26. 9 we are not only reform, Nor have learned righteousness, though God's judgements are in the earth, and upon ourselves; but are grown more impious in finning then before; I will Instance in ten particulars, for God which is now in controversy with us. First, Pride; pride of the inward man, or of the outward man, is a sin transcendent to what it hath been, witness mens and women's high conceits of themselves, boastings of gifts, etc. Their high looks, antic gestures, etc. Their new invented fashions, rich Clothes, painted and spotted Faces, costly Coaches, and empty Purses, etc. Pride we know is a sin of Sodom, God hates it, makes war against it, He resists the proud, therefore saith, He jam. 4. 6. jer. 13. 9 2 Chro. 32. 25. will mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem: God saith, for the pride of the women, the men shall salt by the sword, and mighty men in the war, the pride of Hezekiahs' hear caused wrath upon all Israel. Secondly, Covetousness; This is a sin no less hateful to God, then hurtful to men; but never more evidently seen to rage in men, then at this day: Witness men in places of trust in the Common-weal, see if (as the Prophet saith) From the least to the jer. 6 13 greatest, every one be not given to covetousness; Covetousness is a sin that excludes men from the Kingdom of Heaven when they die, Eph 5. 15 jer. 8. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 10. and covetous men are burdens to the earth while they live, The love of money causeth men to err from the faith, and pierce themselves through with many sorrows. Thirdly, Oppression; This sin and the fear of God are opposite, they dwell not together in one Kingdom, Thou shalt not Levit. 25. ●7. oppress, but thou shalt fear thy God; Where the fear of God is, there is no oppression; where oppression is, there is no fear of God: Oppressors are in Scripture set forth by nature and names of cruel Beasts, Bulls, Bears, Wolves, Dogs, Kine of Bashan, etc. Now let me appeal to all men, if there were ever more beasts of this kind in this Kingdom, Are there not sound amongst us wicked jer. 6. 26, 27, 28. men that lay wait as he that setteth snares: they set a traps they catch men, their houses are full of deceit, they are become greats and waxed rich, etc. Fourthly, Robbery is a sin abounding in England, open and secret Robberies are committed and connived at; many more have been Executed for Robbing then now, but never so many Robbers as now; they that will crucify Christ, will set Barra●●● free; there are men not only like the men of Shechem, liars in wait in the mountains, but those that rob the Kingdom by a kind of Toleration, yea, that rob the poor and the fatherless, That turn Isa. 10. 2. the needy from judgement, that widows may be their prey; yea, they will be found to be robbers of God's people distressed in Ireland, and some will even rob God himself. Mal. 3. 8. 5. Murder; This is a crying sin, it cried to Heaven against us, before our great afflictions came upon us, and now it cries double as much as before; it called the Sword upon us, and the Sword hath increased our guilt: God stirred up the Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and children of Ammon against Jeboiakim, to avenge the blood that Manasseh had shed in his days; the blood of Rochel, and of Germany, still cries against England, and the blood of Ireland will not be satisfied, but blood for blood: Ireland once bled by Massacre, now bleeds by flattery; we feed them with words, but destroy them by withholding actions; the contenders for Self interest, and unjust Stewards in England, are the slaughtermen of consumed Ireland: Not to save, is to kill, this is not to cleanse the Land of blood, but to make it more bloody; we would not endure to be so dealt with. 6. Excess; In eating and drinking to gluttony and drunkenness, it hath long been England's sin, but is now greatly aggravated by the circumstance of time; God by his great scourge calls us to humiliation, To fasting, and to weeping, but behold feasting and drinking Isa. 22. 19 wine in bowls, lie upon beds of ivory, invent instruments of music, eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall, for this cause God said, He hated the excellency Amos 6. 4, 5, 6. Vers. 8. of Jacob, and abhorred his palaces, and saith, Therefore will I deliver up the City, and all that is therein: God may as justly deal so with us, and will if we reform not, And lay to heart the afflictions of Joseph, and relieve the objects of pity, every hour before us, who have lost all, but they give nothing that have gained much. 7. Whoredom; A sin punished by death by God's Law, and the sinner shut out from heaven by Christ's Gospel, but in England neither punished, nor excluded from the seat of Justice at this time; he is counted gallant company, that will whore, and boast of it when he hath done; remember Zimri and Cosbi, that sin cost Num. 25 ●. twenty four thousand lives, themselves also slain for that sin by Phinehas. 8. Profanation of the Lords day; A sin of which this Kingdom hath been much guilty in many parts of it, and is at this day, by doing the works of our calling, using sports, and recreations for pleasure, idle speaking, and omission of holy worship, contrary to the precept, Thou shalt not do thine own work, nor speak Is● 58. 13. thine own words, but shalt honour God wholly on that day. But of late days men are so impious, that they deny the Command to keep it holy, as if God had neither appointed a time for public worship, nor required any worship of us, but after our own wills. 9 Contempt of the Ministry; What opposition corrupt nature hath made against the Ministry, we know in all times; but when, or in what Kingdom was it ever more opposed then now? except in Jerusalem, till God's wrath arose against them without 2 Chro. 36. 16. remedy, and in Germany (a little before the desolation of that Monarchy) by the Anabaptists, who have been cherished in England for such a purpose: Those Ministers by whose Ministry they were converted (if converted at all) are by them contemned and despised, their Ministry abhorred as old truths, common things, nothing but new errors and heresies will serve them; these men do but their kind, and I complain not so much of them, as that they are suffered to disturb a Commonweal, and be a stumbling block to weak Christians (I mean not such as only descent in matter of Ceremony or Circumstance, but such as err in Doctrine) some are to be cast out according to the Apostles rule, by excommunication, that is, such as are Church members; There are others, such as are not properly Church members, yet live within the pale of the Church, turbulent to the State, and the peace of the Kingdom, that seduce souls to error, and to rebellion, under the notion of Religion; these are to be dealt with by the Civil Magistrate, and that sharply, I would Gal. 5. 12. (saith the Apostle) they were even cut off that trouble you; he means not by Excommunication, for that he and the Church had power to have done, but not to punish as a Magistrate ought in such a case: The Prophet that did seduce any to false Worship, was by the Law put to death, not by Aaron, but by Moses; If Deut. 13. 5. Vers. 9 any Brother, Son, Sister, Wife, Friend, etc. should entice any man to false Worship, he or they was to be put to death without pity: I say not that error nor all heresy is to be punished with death, though all to be suppressed by penal Laws, and punished according to the offence and nature: The Apostle Peter urging the duty of Christians to the Magistrate, saith, It is the will of God to submit; he means not Thiefs, Murderers, Blasphemers, etc. but Christians within the Church, such as Christ had made free, therefore he saith, As free, and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness. 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14, 15 There is a liberty left in matter of Discipline, but no liberty given to particular men to repugn that Discipline that is established by the Magistrate, not disagreeing from God's word, much more in matter of Doctrine, nor do I say, any particular man doubting shall be compelled or punished, but exhorted from day to day, except he labour to draw others, and thereby the peace of the Church and State be disquieted; if so, such aught to be curbed by the sword of the Magistrate, and this cannot be said, is to punish for conscience, nor for opinion, but for turbulence. The Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering that woman Jezabel, that called herself a Prophetess, to seduce the people to error: Pergamos for suffering erroneous Doctrine, is threatened sharply; The error of the seven Churches of Asia, caused God to departed and to remove the Candlestick from them; Rome once Christian, by permitting one error then error begetting error, she became Antchristian: There is a propinquity between error and error, and between error and heresy; one ushereth in the other, and a multitude followeth at their heels, experience shows it and we know (except any be wilful igno ant) that our present errors and diversity of opinions, have been spread by the subtlety of the common enemy, whilst they have united themselves against us, and is their sole refuge and ground of their confidence, that by which they have divided the Parliament among themselves, lost the people's affections to them, alienated one friend from another, and made one man jealous of another, that we are grown to discord, and scattered as a people without a head, like sheep without a shepherd. Lastly, The sin of Self-love, a known iniquity of all times, and mother of Mischief, now a destroying sin in this Kingdom, I may say of three Kigdoms, all lying upon the bed of languishing; it is a sweet sin, whilst the sinner pleaseth himself in it, but afterward fills the mouth with gravel: it produceth most bitter fruits, Prov. 20. 17. like that which Eve eat in the garden of Eden, kills all; Self-love is said to be blind, it sees not to Judge itself and in Judging others is always partial; How then can it be well when self-lovers judge all things? If any man (saith Christ) will follow me, let him deny himself; he that denies not himself cannot be Christ's Mat. 16. 24. Mark 8. 34. Disciple, and he that is not Christ's Disciple, is not one of his members therefore cannot be a good Member of the Common-weal; other Members may die, the body be sick, but he knows it not, he owns it not: As was said of Ephraim, so may be said of England Grace hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knows it Hos. 7 9 not; Self-love and self-interest hath devoured his strength, and he is brought to the last gasp. The remedy is clear, if the forenamed sins be the cause; take Ps. 25. 10. Isa. 57 15 away the cause, and the effect will cease: Keep thy Covenant with God and man conscionably, Extirpate Pride, and plant Humility Isa. 58. 6. in the room, Hate covetousness, Do good to all, Oppress none, Lose the bands of wickedness, Undo the heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go free, Take nothing from any man; if Luke 19 8. & 3. 14. Ps 51. 14 you have taken any thing falsely, restore it as Zacheus did; Let the Soldier offer violence to none, neither to Law, nor to Religion, but be content with wages; Seek pardon from heaven for Blood guiltiness, redeem the time passed by vigilance, and double endeavours for time to come, to preserve the lives of them yet living, especially those in joseph's afflictions, now in jeopardy in Ireland; Be temperate in the use of all God's creatures; use every 1 Thess. 5. 6. Eph. 5. 18 Pro 2. 16 1 Thess. 5. 22. thing with sobriety, moderation and thanksgiving; Let not that which God gave to cheer the heart, destroy the soul; Keep thyself from the evil woman, from the flattering of the tongue of the strange woman; Abstain from all fleshly lusts, and from all appearances of evil; Worship God in Spirit and in Truth, Sanctify his Sabbath, and sanctify your days of Humiliation; Humble yourselves, & afflict your souls, they are days of atonement and Leu. 23. 27. Reconciliation, then make them not formal only, as mock-Fasts, but holy convocations, reverence God's Ministers, sent of God with 2 Thess. 5. 13. Mat. 10. 41. Mark 8. 34. tidings of peace, Honour them for their Office, and for their works sake, as those that labour & watch for your souls; Receive a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, and you shall have a Prophet's reward; Deny thyself, take up the cross, and follow Christ: Happy were it if all that are in Authority would deny themselves in action, as in words, Deny their profits, their self-honor, and all self-interests, Pro. 13. 10. and seek the public good; by pride comes contention, and self-interest causeth quarrels, humble yourselves before God, and 1 Pe. 5. 6. he will exalt you: but if you seek honour, it will fly from you; God will honour them that honour him: Consider this promise, 1 Sam. 2. 30. If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray & seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will 2 Chro. 7. 14. Pro. 16. 7. I hear in heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land: when a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him: This is the sure & neverfailing healing Plaster; apply it, ye Physicians, & heal the Kingdoms before they be past cure. In the next place, because there is a Disease that men call The King's Evil, which they say none can heal but the King; and because His Majesty hath offered some 〈◊〉 to it, let Addresses be made unto Him again and again, in the Name of three diseased Kingdoms: In the morning (saith the Wise man) so●… thy seed, Eccle. 11. 6. and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper; this or that etc. All blessings are from God, The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, 〈…〉 Pro. 21. ●. soever he will: If Kings have a gift to heal, Kings being nursing-fathers' to their People, you that are Physicians, that cannot agree upon the cure, humbly supplicate to the King for a touch: if he shall refuse, tell his people, to secure just Rights, for people chose Kings to defend them, to maintain their Rights, and to heal their sores, not to destroy them, or infringe their Liberties, nor to hurt them any way, against which Parliaments are the people's security, and may not be prejudiced: If the King secure the people's Rights, and the people and A●my obey the Parliament, the work is ended: but sores neglected often ulcer, and become incurable. Add hereunto, the change of country, Committees, tyrannical as Pharaohs Taskmasters over the people, that create Malignants, as Pickpockets make Tumults: so long as Oppression is kept up, Insurrections and Rebellions cannot be kept down: The Wiseman saith, For the transgression of a Land, many a●e the Princes thereof: Pro. 28. 2. Chap. 28. 15. As a roaring Lion and a raging Hart, so is a wicked Ruler over the people: Many Rulers is a burden, and one roaring Lion is fearful; case the one, and take heed of the other, lest we be torn in pieces, and there be none to deliver us: A Lion hath roared, Amo. 3. 8 who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy? There is a time to kill, and a time to heal, a time to break down, and Eccl. 3. 3. Eccl. 8. 6. a time 〈…〉 And because to every purpose there is a time, (man not knowing that time, ●…isseth it) therefore the misery of m Eccele. 9 12. n in great upon the earth: And the sons of men are snared in an Eccle. 9 12. evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them as fishes that are taken in an evil net, and birds that are caught in a snare: As men, so Monarchies and Kingdoms have their ebbs and flows, and their periods too. God hath appointed their times of change, and the means of their ruin; He increaseth the Nations, and destroyeth job 12. 23. them; he enlargeth the Nations, and straitneth them again. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation, to pull down and to destroy it, if that Nation turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them: And at what instant I shall jer. 18. 7. 8, 9, 10 speak concerning a Nation, to build and to plant it, if that Nation do evil in my sight, and obey not my voice. I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them: Yet let not him that putteth on his Armour boast, for the battle is not to the strong, nor the race to the swift. FINIS.