GREAT BRITAIN'S MISERY; WITH The Causes and Cure.  
DESCRIBED First, as it is from the Justice of God the Author, who is now in controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land for Sin: Especially for Eight capital Crimes; all which are aggravated by sundry Circumstances. Secondly, the Injustice and Malice of the Instruments of this Misery, Satan and his Agents: Their main aim, and particular ends, moving them thereunto.  
Vindicating, Plainly and Fully, (By way of Answer to several Objections) The Lawfulness and Necessity of Raising Arms by the Parliament, and Kingdom; For the Defence of the King, Kingdom, Religion, Laws, and Known Rights of the Subject: Against that Viperous generation of Papists, Atheists, Delinquents, and Licentious men, who have at once invaded all.  
Showing The means how to appease God's flaming wrath, and suppress these insolent disturbers of Britain's Peace, and destroyers of three (late flourishing) Kingdoms. Also motives to use the Means and Encouragement, to believe confidently, and hope patiently, for a seasonable deliverance from our present calamities, with several Reasons or Grounds of assured success, and glorious Sunshine of Peace and Truth.  Isa. 63. 17. O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts. etc. jer. 30. 17. I will restore health unto thee, I will heal thy wounds, saith the Lord, etc. Pro. 25 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his throne shall be established, &c 
By G. S. Gent.  
Imprimatur Ja. Cranford.  
LONDON Printed for Laurence Chapman, and are to be sold at his Shop in Holborn, at Chancery Lane end. 1643.   

hands of the bvilders: Thus it is now in the building of God's Temple, Reformation of Religion, and of Laws.  
For myself, I freely offer myself a labourer to help forward the building, willing to bear some burden to the work; my will is good, my ability is small; but I know God will accept a willing mind, and expects no more in performance than he hath given strength: If with an honest heart I bring but an handful of Goat's hair to the building of God's Talernacle; or with the poor widow cast in my mite into God's Treasury, it shall be accepted with God. Upon which assurance I have brought some rough materials (not fit to face the Work, as those Pieces wrought by men of art and skill, but may serve) to strengthen the fabric in some places where they best fit.  
My end is God's glory; my endeavour to satisfy thee (if it be possible) to undeceive the ignorant, who are seduced, and to establish the doubtful; that every one to his power may help forward God's work, and cure their own misery.  
Thy misery thou feelest, if thou have either estate or sense. The Causes are laid down in the following Discourse, and that truly, without envy or flattery; as also the Cure is prescribed: which if thou read, and read all; thy little labour in reading shall sufficiently satisfy my much more labour in writing, for it is done for thee.  
It is my Duty to admonish my Brother, and will be my Brothers greater 
jev. 19 17. Jam. 5. 20.  Misery if he refuse admonition; My warrant is from God's Word, and God's Word is also thy precept to hear and avoid sin: It is true (and I confess it) I am one of the weakest and most unworthy of all God's Labourers, but I am bound to do what I am able. Now God requires it of all who expect any inheritance with God's people: My resolution is like that of Esther (in the like case) If I perish, I perish: I speak but truth, and that for God, the King, 
Est 4. 16.  his kingdoms, and posterities, and for the persecuted people and church of God, which I am sure is no Treason, but Duty. I do it with upright Conscience to God, and Loyalty to the King; and if I perish in God's Work, I shall be freed from perishing. I pass not for the judgement of man's Day, God is the righteous Judge of me, and of him who judgeth me; If thou accept my endeavour, and through God's blessing it be any advantage to thee, lend us thy Prayers (who shall ever pray for thee) and give the glory to God.  
Thine G. S.   

Great Britain's Misery: WITH The Causes and Cure.  
IF it be misery to lie under the afflicting hand of the Almighty God, when his Wrath is kindled against a people, to consume and to destroy; Then is Great- Britain miserable, now lying under that revenging hand, miserably afflicted, by a seditious, cruel, and unnatural War, under which the whole land bleedeth, and the inhabitants are daily cut off and consumed: Which misery, although all men see and feel, yet few of all, are truly sensible of their misery, and that is the greatest of miseries. It is true, the inhabitants of England and Ireland, see the bloody distractions of the Kingdoms, and seel the P●sse of their Estates, Liberty, and Trading; Their persons injured, their moneys exhausted, houses Plundered, Towns, Corn, and Barns burnt; Their goods and Cattles taken from them by violence; Their friends, kindred, neighbours and servants slain by the sword, etc. But this is not all. The misery of Great Britain is more; as will clearly appear when we consider the causes of it, the ends aimed at, and neglect of the remedy to cure it.  
He that knows not his Disease, seeks not for Cure; And Diseases are best known by their Causes, being known and removed, the Cure is not difficult.  
The efficient and first cause of all misery is God: And the want of serious 
God only is the cause of all misery.  and due consideration of this, That God's hand is in every affliction, augments the Misery, and hinders the Cure. This very thing is complained of by the Prophet; The people (saith he) turneth not to him that smiteth them, nor do they seek the 
Isa 9 13.  Lord of bests. But such stupidity hath possessed the most of the inhabitants of Great Britain, in this their miserable calamity; that although they feel the stroke, they consider not whence it cometh, nor why it is: either as it is from God, or as it is from men: We see the rod that 〈…〉 not the hand that holds it: we 〈◊〉 a● the sma●●, as a 〈…〉; and like C●i●, complain of the punishment: But we seek not God ●hat us. We complain of secondary causes, and cry out of other men's faults; but no man saith of himself, What have I done. 
Jer. 8. 6.   
Some complain of the diversity of opinions in matters of Religion, the many Sects and Schisines, not suppressed, but rather allowed; to the great disturbance of the nation, overthrow of Order and Government, and cause of all these evils and distractions in the Kingdoms.  
Some condemn the city of London, and say, The tumultuous multitudes that daily flocked to Westminster with importunate requests, were the cause of all; they made the King leave London and flee to York, and to get first a guard for the safety of his person, a●t●r, an army to defend himself and others.  
Others say, The Parliament was too strict, and stood upon too high terms with the King, raised neealesse Jealousies between His Majesty and His people, only upon suppositions; and possessed themselves of his Castles, Towns, Navy, etc. All his own proper and just rights; but they that ple●d this, we know, put fair gl●ss●s upon corrupted Texts.  
The rest complain of Evil Counsel'ours about the King, Bishops, and corrupt Clergy, that had sucked poison from Rome, and were engaged by vow to set up Popery in England; and therefore, they drew away the King from London; and from His Parliament, and resolved to join His Majesty and the Queen i● one Religion, as they are one body; and to that end they incensed His Majesty against His Parliament, first some, then more; and persuaded him, because they could not change Religion, except the Laws were in their own handling; and that was not ever likely to be, so long as Parliaments were of force, therefore the Parliament must be first broken; which they are now doing 〈…〉 Armies, one of Papists at York; another at Oxford, of Papists and Atheists or between both; and when that is done, the other will not bel●ng in effecting.  
Thus several men of several opinions, complain of several things, as causes of Britain's misery; (and not without cause) But God the cause of these, and all other causes, is not considered of; When indeed none of all those causes, nor 
Men, nor accidents no cause of misery without God. Isa 45 7.  all these, if all put together, could afflict or trouble us, if God did not affli●ct us by them. It is God that doth all things; I form the Light, and creates Darkness, I make Peace and create evil, I the Lord do all things: If the counsel of the wise Councillors do become brutish, and the Princes of Zoan become souls: or if the Princes of Noph are deceived, and have seduced Egypt, it is the Lord that hath done it: He hath mingled a perverse Spirit in the midit thereof. All secondary 
Isa 19 14.  causes are directed by God, and cannot of themselves do anything at all, either to Misery or Happiness; whether to a Kingdom or to a private man: God leadeth Counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the Judge's fools (saith Job) 
Job 12 17.  he is the cause of all, whether of Misery or Happiness: God stirred up Hadad 
1 Kings 11. 14, 23. Amos 3 6.  and Rezon to be adversaries to Solomon, who did much mischief in Israel; Shall there be evil in the City, and the Lord ●at● not done it: God is the Author of all the evil of punishment, (not of the evil of sin) he appointeth every afflection, wh●t it shall be, when it shall be, upon whom it shall be, how much, and how long it shall be.  
first, What it shall be: Whether Sword, Pestilence, or Famine; Thus saith 
God appoints what it shall be Jer. 15 2. Deut. 18 61. He appoints the time when, Job 7. 1. Eccles. 3. 1. Upon whom, Deut. 29. 21. Fzek 96. How much it shall be. Job 1 12. & 2. 6. God appoints how long every affliction shall last. Rev. 2. 10. Rev 11 11. Psa 129 2, 3.  the Lord, Such as are for death to death, such as are for the sword to the sword, such as are for famine to the famine, etc. 2. He appointeth the time when it shall be; There is an appointed time to man upon earth (saith Job.) God hath set a time to every purpose (saith Solomon.) 3. He appointeth upon whom it shall be, as well every particular man, as a nation or kingdom; The Lord doth separate every particular man to ●vil, he appoints who he shall be, and he appoints every particular man that is spared, in the time of a general calamity. 4. He appoints how much the punishment or affliction shall be; When Satan had leave from God to afflict Job (for before he had leave he could not do any thing at all) he was limited how much he must afflict him; first, he might afflict him in nothing but in his Cattles, Goods, and Children, not touch his body: After, he had Commission to afflict his Body, but not to touch his Life. 5. He appoints how long t●e affliction shall last; If Satan, or wicked men, have Commission to put any of God's people into prison, or to try them by any other affliction, the time is set; The devil shall cast some of you into prison, and you shall have tribulation ten days: Yea, if they have power to bring them to the brink of death, it shall be but for two days and a half. David complained, That the plowers ploughed upon his back, and made long their furrows: but when the time set was expired, the Lord cut in sunder their cords, and then they could blow no further; when the traces by which the horses draw be cut, the plough must needs stand still. Balaam cannot curse Israel, though Balack would give him his house full of silver and 
Num. 24 13. Gen. 27 33.  gold, except G●d give him leave. Holy Is●ack, cannot bless Esau, his eldest son, if God will not have him blessed: Nor can Luban nor Esau hurt Jacob, 
Gen. 31. 44. Pro. 16 1. Pro. 16 33.  if God will forbidden them, nor speak aught but good unto him; The preparation of the heart is in man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. The devil may plot, and wicked men may purpose, but God despiseth their words and actions. Pbaraoh may pursue the Israelites with a mighty host; but he cannot 
Exod 14. 3.  hur● one of th●m, when his Commission is out: nor can he save himself from God's hand. So long as God would have the Israelites afflicted, every taskmaster in Egypt, could make their lives miserable: but when the time is come that God will have the affliction cease, Pbaraoh and all his power cannot continue 
Exod. 21. 7.  it one day; not so much as a Dog in all Egypt can move his tongue at man or beast.  
And as no affliction can come to God's people without God, so God's people 
Good men cannot afflict the wicked without God. Num. 14. 40.  cannot afflict their afflicters, till God appoint the time and means. If the Israelites will of their own heads (without warrant from God) go up to sight against the Ammonites, they cannot prevail. If Abab will needs go to battle, (though against the enemies of God) without Commission from God, he shall not prosper: although he disguise himself, and arm himself completely, God can direct an arrow out of a bow, that shall smite him between the joints of 
1 Kings 22 〈◊〉.  his harness: Misery (saith holy Job) cometh not forth of the dust, not doth trouble 
Job 5. 6.  ●●●ing out of the ground; That is, It is not from below, but from above; there is no place for chance or fortune or can the miscarriages of actions and things beget misery: but as God useth such means to effect his own will. There can be no Peace, when God calleth for War; nor shall there be any War when God calls for Peace. When he gives quietness, who can make trouble; and when he hideth 
Job 43. 29.  his face, who can behold him: whether it be done against a nation or against a man only. War and Peace are at God's beck, so is all other calamities; If he call for Pestilence or Famine, in a Kingdom, City, or Family; it shall come, and cannot be hindered. He hath now called for War upon the inhabitants of 
Isa 25 19  Great Britain and hath begun to bring evil upon the Kingdoms and City's tha● are called by his Name; and who but he can call the Sword back from us: If God wound, who can make whole; when he troubles a nation, who can give quietness; if he have purposed to destroy us, the whole world cannot deliver us out of his hand. Every War is in its own nature destructive; but a seditious unnatural War, such as God hath now called for upon us is most miserable and most destructive, one of the forest of all God's Judgements, and yet may prove more miserable, in respect of the effects; if God should (as we have just cause to fear) call for Famine, and for Pestilence; both which are the usual companions of such a War: So it was in Jerusalem, as their seditious War increased 
Famine and Pestilence, the companions of Civill-War. jos J●ws wars, 1●. c 11. jos Jews wars, l. 7 c 8. Euseb. Ecclesiast. hist. l. 7 c. 21.  so the Famine raged, as a double fire it waxed hot, that (as Josephus reports) the rich by stealth, exchanged all their wealth for a measure of wheat; the poor all they had for a measure of barley: The Seditious, Rob, Racked, and killed those that had any food, and hide it from them; the mothers snatched the meat from the Infant's mouths, yea, did slay and eat their own children. And Eusebius relates the misery of Civill-Wars in Alexandria, accompanied by the Plague of Pestilence; so miserable that all houses were annoyed by the dead bodies, no house free, raging and infecting one another: And thus it was in Germany, by their late, and still continued War. Yet this doth not always fall out, because sometimes God forbids these two latter Plagues to enter, when his hand is seen and acknowledged in the first, and that he find the hearts of men to se●k out the true remedy of cure; for God brings not the first, but when he is provoked, nor will call for the latter, if his anger be appeased by removing the causes: For God openeth the ear to Discipline, and commandeth to return from iniquity; and the● who can say it shall be, when the Lord commandeth it not; 
Job 36. 10. Lam 3. 37. Job 12. 23.  He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he enlargeth the nations, and straitneth them again. The mightiest Monarches, Kingdoms, and Cities, have their Ebbs and Flows, and their ●e●iods too. God hath appointed their times of change, and of ruin. Ninevie once at the Preaching of Jonah was spared; but Ninevie whose walls were in compass 60 miles, in height 100 foot, the breadth able to receive three carts, one meeting the other, having 150 Towers of great height and strength yet was destroyed by the Caldees: And that famous City of Jerusalem, whose walls was treble, and bulwarks invincible, was made an heap of stones: And the Kingdoms of Judea destroyed by the Romans. Proud Nabuchadnezzar, when he had felt the all disposing hand of God, confessed That God doth all things what soever he will, in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants 
Dan 4 35  of the earth; n●ne can st●y his hand, or say to him, What dost thou. Thus much of the efficient Cause.  
In the next place, we are to consider of the meritorious cause of all misery, 
The meritorious cause is sin. Rom. 6. 23.  and of the misery of Great Britain at this day: The meritorious cause is sin; The wages of sin is death: There was no misery, no affliction, no sorrow, till there was sin: Where sin entered, it made way to misery; by Adam's sin, all men became sinful; and by sin all men became obnoxious to all misery; Sin is no creature, God made it not; nor is God the author of sin, nor of any evil, except the evil of punishment, which is the reward of sin; nor is God delighted to punish, or make his creatures miserable: In the midst of Judgements 
Psal. 73. 38. Lam. 3. 23.  God remembers Mercy; He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men; but is afflicted in all their afflictions: But God, who is essentially, 
Isa. 63. 9  and eternally just, rendereth punishment, as the wages and due reward for sin: All sorrow, sickness, pains, pestilence, famine, war, etc. are the effects, and rewards of sin: Sin makes a separation between God and a sinner; 
Isa. 59 2. Psal 66 13.  it causeth God to turn away his face from him: that he will not hear his prayers, though he make many prayers? yea, the prayers of such a man (as 
Isa 1. 15. Pro. 28. 9  allows himself to live in sin) is abomination to God: Sin is that only thing that God hates; and why he is angry with his creatures: Sin cast the Angels down from heaven to hell; and Adam out of Paradise: For sin the old world was destroyed by water; Sodom and Gomorrah by fire: The earth opened, and swallowed up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, for sin: And for sin Herod was 
Num. 16 32.  eaten with Worms. In a word; By sin we war against God; and for sin God maketh war against us: Sin sets open a wide floodgate for all judgements, to enter, and break in upon kingdoms, and people. Particular sins, let in particular judgements: Nationall sins, national judgements.  
Now, if any ask, What is sin? The Apostle gives the answer: Sin is the 
1 Joh. 3. 4. The description of sin, what it is.  transgression of the Law of God: Whosoever leaves undone any thing that the Law of God commandeth, or doth any thing that the Law forbiddeth; he sinneth (the sum of this Law is contained in the Decalogue, or, Ten Commandments) Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the 
Gal 3 10.  Book of the Law, to do them. This curse comprehendeth all misery, in this life, and in the life to come; though but once committed. The Angels sinned but once, and that but in thought, and were delivered to chains of darkness, to be 
2 Pet. 2 4. Gen. 3 13. Levit. 10. 1, 2.  reserved unto further judgement. Adam for our sin was punished, in his own person, and in all his posterity: Nadab and Abiram consumed, for once offering strange fire; and the sword never departed from David's house, for one 
2 Sam. 12 10.  act of Adultery, and Murder. Now if any one sin, but once committed, deserve the whole wrath of God; how much more when often itterated. But there are some sins that do provoke more wrath than others do; whether against kingdoms, or particular men.  
Touching those sins that most provoke God to wrath, and hasten judgements: Among many, I will name eight; all which have long, and do still 
Eight sins that hasten Judgements upon England.  rage's in this Kingdom. Idolatry. Prophening the Lords Day. Pride. Oppression. Murder. Drunkenness. Whoredom. lukewarmness in Religion.  
First, for Idolatry: This is a grievous sin, immediately against the person 
The first is Idolary. 1 Sam. 2. 25.  of God: If a man sin against God, who shall entreat for him? This sin is committed, either when we worship a false God; or the true God, in a false manner: and is a denying of God to be God: Sets up something created, in the room of the Creator; which is the greatest dishonour that can be to God, (being committed by any that have ever known God) and God is most tender, 
Isa 42 8.  and jealous of his honour: he will not give his glory to any other; but will surely make that man, or that nation miserable, that thus dishonour him; He commanded his people Israel; If any man or woman did worship any 
Deut. 17 3 5.  other God, he should be stoned to death; if a whole city, it was to be destroyed: And when the two Tribes and half beyond Jordan, erected an Altar, 
Deu 13 12, 15  (supposed by the other nine Tribes and half to be for Idolatry) they all with 
Josh. 22.  one consent took arms, to go against them: but being assured (by enquiry) that no such thing was intended, they desisted. But when all Israel fell to Idelatry (for it is a sin to which nature is very prone) and began to choose new Gods: (that is, to mingle with the pure worship of God, the superstitious Ceremonies of the heathens) presently war was in their gates, and God 
Judge 5. 8 Judg. 2. 14  gave them into the hands of spoilers that spoilt them; and into the hands of their enemies. See the same sin in Solomon; and the punishment of it in his 
1 Kings 11 11. 1 Kings 12 25. 16. 2 Chron.: 4 23 24. Ant. l. 9 c 2. 2 King 21 18.  son Rehoboam: Also in King Joash, for this sin, God gave him into the hands of the King of Assyria, by a sinal and weak army. So Joram, who had married with Ahabs' daughter, who drew him, as Josephm relates, to execute divers mischiefs; and amongst the rest, to adore strange gods: God punished him, by the revolting of the Idumaans'; and smote him with a grievous disease, of which he died; and afterward was not suffered to be lamented, nor buried in the sepulchre of the Kings. The examples of Gods high displeasure against this sin are many, both in Sacred and humane writings.  
Secondly, The profaning of the Lords day. This is also a sin, immediately 
The second is Sabbath breaking. l sa. 58. 13. Lev 24 11. Jer. 17 25. Vers. 27.  against God: and is committed, either by the neglect of Spiritual Worship; or by doing any bodily works of our callings: Also by Sports, Pastimes. idle words, or vain thoughts, on that day. The man that gathered sticks, was by God's command, stoned to death. Great blessings are promised to the keeping of that Day holy: And great Judgements threatened, if it be by any means profaned. God threatneth that he would kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem, that should not be quenched. And for this sin, in the reign of Zedekia●, 
● Chro. 36. 21.  Jerusalem was destroyed: and the people carried captive into Babylon, till the land, for the space of threescore and ten years, lay waste, to keep her Subbaths (for so long they were in captivity) of which sin and punishment, good Nehemiah puts the people in mind, after their return, when they began again to profane the Sabbath day; saying, Did not our fathers thus? And, Did not our 
Neh. 13 18.  God therefore bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city?  
Thirdly, Pride. This was one of the sins of wicked Sodom, that cried to heaven for judgement; It is a sin very hateful to God and not pleasing to men. 
The third is pride  In other sins men agree together in the sin, but one proud man hates another that is as proud as he: This sin engageth God in war against men: God resisteth the proud: The Lord threatneth that he will destroy the house of the 
Jan. 6. 4. P. o. 15 26.  proud: Proud men are great enemies to a State. If a people their affliction pray unto God, and are not 〈◊〉; it is because of the pride of evil men: 
Job 35. 12.  God will mar the pride of Judeh, and the great pride of Jerusalem: The prophet tells us, That because the daughters of Zion were haughty, Walked With outstretched necks, 
Jer 13. 9  and wanton eyes, mincing as they go, etc. The Lord will smite 
Isa. 3 16, 25.  them; and the men shall fall by the sword, and in the war. The pride of the women, shall be punished by the death of their husbands: Israel for her Pride 
Hos 6. 5. 2 Chro. 32. 25.  shall fall, and Judah shall fall with her: And because Hezekiahs' heart was lift up with pride, therefore there was wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem.  
Fourthly, Oppression. This is one of the crying sins that hasteneth Judgement, against a nation, or private men: Ye shall not oppress one another, but thou 
The fourth sin is Oppression. Levit 25. 27.  shalt fear thy God. This fear of God and Oppression, are contraries: Where the fear of God is, there is no oppression; and where dppression is, there is no fear of God: These cannot dwell together in one heart, nor in one kingdom; This is a sin contrary to the nature of God, who is Mercy itself: Therefore he heareth the cry of Labourers, servants, and strangers, when their hire is kept back, and it entereth into the ears of the Lord: If the cry of the less be so displeasing, 
Deur 24 15. Jam. 54.  much more of the greater: When the whole kingdom crieth, as the cry of the Israelites in Egypt: A people oppressed by authority, cries loud. 
Exod. 2 23.  This was in the days of Solomon, as well as Idolatry; and was as sevearly punished in his son Rehoboam: This is a sin as well against the Gospel as the Law; condemned by both: The Law commands to show mercy and compassion; Oppress none; But saith the Prophet, They (the Kings, Princes, and People) 
Zech. 79, 10, 11.  harkened not, they stopped their ears, that they should not hear, (this command) but made their hearts as an Ademant stone, etc. Therefore came great wrath, from the Lord of hosts, and afterward when misery was an them, they cried, but God would not bear, because they would not hear, when the Prophet of God cried to them in his Name; but they were scattered with a whirlwind among all nations. The Scripture sets forth oppressors, by the names and nature of cruel beasts, Bulls, Bears, Wolves, Dogs, Kine of Bashan, etc. And the Prophet Amos tells them, That the Lordhath sworn by his 
Ames 2. 4.  holiness, that he will take them away with hooks, and their posterity with 〈◊〉 as such devouring beasts and fishes are taken, that by't and devour one another; The stronger devour the weaker, and greater eat up the lesser: So the Prophet J●remiah complained, That among the people, there were wicked appressing 
Jer. 5 26.  men; who set traps to catch men: Deceit was in their houses; by it they became great, and were waxen rich; Therefore the Lord will be avenged on such 
Vers. 28. 29.  a nation as this.  
Fifthly, Murder. This is another crying sin: And this is committed, either 
The fifth sin Murder.  by shedding innocent blood, or by withholding judgement from the shedders of blood. The blood that is shed cryeth loud against both these, and ascends into the ears of God. It is a sin against nature, forbidden long before the Law was given by Moses; and it was punished in the first age of the world: The 
Gen. 9 5. 6.  voice of Abel's blood cried upto God from the earth; It is expressly commanded, 
Gen 4 11.  That the blood shedder shall be delivered to the hands of the avenger of blood; the reason is given in Verse 10. That the guilt of innocnet blood lie not upon 
Deut. 19 12.  the Land. If blood lie upon a nation, it leaves a stain that cannot be put out, except Judgement be executed. The guilt of blood may die long upon a nation, till men seem to forget it, but the Lord will not let it escape punishment: If the Magistrates of the Nation do not punish it, God will punish the Magistrate and the Nation too. Saul slew divers of the Gibeonites causelessly, contrary to 
Josh 9 15.  the Covenant and Oath which Joshua and the Princes of Israel made with them. And long after, in the days of David, God sent a famine in the Land 
〈◊〉 Sam. 21. 1.  three years, for that sin: Till David executed Justice upon the sons of Saul, the Gibeonites were but slaves to Saul and all Israel; Yet see God's Justice, saul's sons (though of the Royal blood) they must die for it: God is no respecter of persons: Where Judgement is not duly executed by man, God will do it with his own hand some other way, on whomsoever are guilty. Now if Great Britain be guilty of such blood, (as surely it is) than no marvel that God hath whet his glittering sword against us, and made his arrows drunk with 
Deut. 32 41.  blood, to avenge the bloods of the innocnet, and to destroy the withholders of Justice; for, he will avenge the blood of his servants, and render vengeance 
Verse 43. 2 Kings 24. 4.  to his adversaries. The Lord sent the Caldecs, Syrians, Moabites, and the children of Ammon, against Jehoiakim, to avenge the blood that Manasseh had shed in his days: Though God be patiented, yet he is just; God in Scripture is 
Psal. 9, 12.  said to make inquisition after blood; we see he did for the blood of Naboth, which Ahab by Jezebel had shed, and made the Dogs to lick the blood of Ahab 
● King's 21. 19 2 Kings 9 7.  in the same place, where they had licked the blood of Naboth; and of Jezebelt, by the wall of Jezreel, and cut off the bloody house of Ahab, by the bloody sword of Justice.  
Sixthly, Drunkenness. This sin is of a double provocation. First, it provokes 
The sixth sin is Drunkenness. Isa. 5. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 10.  God to wrath, as it is a transgression of his law, and is by the Apostle, excluded from the kingdom of heaven. Secondly, it provokes men to the breach of every Commandment of God, either to the act or guilt of all gross sins; as Murder, Whoredom, Stealing, Lying, and Swearing, (a sin under which the Land mourneth) it takes a way the heart from God, and inclines it to all wickedness: Woe is the portion of them that follow after strong drink; 
Hos. 4. 11. Prov. 23. 29. Isa. 5. 11. Verse 22. Joel 15. Deu 29. 19 20  and to them that are strong to drink strong drink. The Prophet Joel awakes the drowsy Drunkards, and bids them weep and howl: But the Drunkard is of all men most fearlesle, till the Judgement be upon his head. The Drunkard blesseth himself in his sin, and says he shall have peace, though he add Drunkenness to thirst: Therefore the Lord will not spare us, but his Wrath and Jealousy doth sinoak against us, at this day: God commanded that the father 
Deut 2● 20.  of a Drunkard should bring his son to the Elders, and stone him to death. The whole nation of the Jews, for this sin, was carried into captivity, and the Prophet 
Isa 5. 13, 14. Neh. 1. 10.  (speaking of the destruction of Nineve) saith, While they were drinking, as Drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble, fully dry: Belsbazzars kingdom 
Dan. 5. ● King's 20. 16  was given from him while he was Drinking and Carousing before a thousand of his Lords: Benhadad, and thirty two other kings, his confederates, were all put to flight, while they were drinking drunk in their Pavilions.  
Seventhly, Whoredom. This is a very grievous and an unnatural sin; for 
The seventh sin is Whoredom. 1 Cor. 6. 18. Heb. 13. 4.  by it a man sinneth against his own body: In all other sins of the second Table, a man sins against another; but by this a man sins against himself, and others too. This is a double sin, not actually committed, but by two; as Zimri and Cozby. The whoremonger destroyeth two bodies, and two souls at once: Whoredom 
Prov. 6. 32.  is of two sorts; Adultery, and Fornication: Both are hateful to God, and God hath excluded both from him in heaven, and excludeth himself from them, upon the earth, by separating his servants from them, as the Prophet witnesseth; O (faith he) that I had a lodging place in the wilderness, that I might leave 
Jer. 9 2.  my people, and go from them, for they be all adulterers, etc. God is far from them, as a protector, he will come near to them in judgement, as he threatneth by 
Mat. 3. 5.  the Prophet. Josephus saith, There is no greater filthiness than the unlawful mixture of our bodies. The adulterer and the adulteress were both to be put to 
Deut 22 22.  death by God's command; but this sin reigns by custom, and is practised by authority in England, as was described by Seneca; What woman (saith he) so 
Sentc benif. l. 3. c. 16.  miserable or loathsome, that will content herself with one pair of adulterers; they are carried to one friend, and they dine with another; for every day they have one; and count the keeping of one Leman good Wedlock. We read, that the least punishment that the Egyptians inflicted upon adulterers, was to cut off the nose of the woman, and the privy parts of the man. Anthony, Duke of Venice, caused his own son to die in prison, because he ravished a maid; and God by the Plague of Pestilence, sinote with death of the Israelites (for this sin) three and twenty thousand; and probably many thousands more had died, if 
1 Cor. 10. 28. Num. 25. 8, 9  Judgement had not been executed upon Zimri and Cozki, which appeased God's wrath: therefore no marvel that so many plagues have followed this kingdom: And now, the mercylesse plague of the Sword of wicked men; if but for this sin.  
Eighthly, lukewarmness in Religion. This is also a sin that God hates: 
The eighth sin is lukewarmness in Religion.  When men are religious in profession, and irreligious in practice: When they allow it in the form, but deny it in power: When they hate to be zealous, and shame to be profane. This is a subtle deceiving sin, it stops the mouth of conscience, by doing something; and yet procures God's wrath, because they do not all: They flatter themselves, as the Church of Laodicea, that they are rich and want nothing; when indeed, they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, etc. This was the destroying sin of that Church, Thou art neither 
Rev 3. 15, 16.  cold nor hot, (saith the Spirit of God) but because thou are neither cold, nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth; The Spirit useth a comparison borrowed from a troubled stomach, that throweth out that which is loathsome to it.  
lukewarmness, is displeasing to God in divers respects: A Lukewarm man 
Lukewarm men are unconstant men.  is an unconstant man; and that God hates: A Lukewarm Professor, will change his Religion with the times and State; be of what Religion the King and State is, (be it what it will) these are (as James saith) like the waves of the sea, driven 
Jam. 16, 8. Gal 4 18. Tim 2 14. Rev. 3. 19  with the winds, to and fro; But God requires that we be zealously affected, and for that end Christ Jesus gave himself for us; therefore the Church of Laodicea is commanded to be zealous, and to repent of her lukewarmness.  
Again, Lukewarm men are further from heaven then such as are openly profane; 
Lukewarm men are in worse condition than men openly profane.  the profane gross sinner is more liable to pricks and checks of conscience, when the other rests with confidence upon the outside forms of Religion, and thinks he hath done well, and all, if he abstain from gross sins of commission; but regards not the sins of omission: These men cry as the Jews, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; and like those notorious hypocrites, 
Jer. 7 4. Ma●●h. 23. 23.  against whom Christ denounceth woe; They pay Tithe, Mint, anise, and Cumnun; but omit Justice, Righteousness, Mercy and Faith: Hence it is that they deride purity, and cast reproaches upon men zealous for purity; giving them names of Puritans, Precisians, and the new-come Name of Round-head; a name invented by the devil, and used only by his children: Those that called Christ Be●lzebub, were not of the scum of the Jews, but great Doctors (Bishops fellows) 
Matth. 12 34 Luke 3 22.  yet those Christ saith were of their father the devil: If those called the Master by such names, no marvel then if these, in these last times (when we know such must be) do call them of his household as bad; but he that despiseth 
Matth 10. 25. Luke 10. 16.  them that are Christ's, despise Christ himself.  
And which is most fearful; lukewarmness brings upon men stupidity in 
lukewarmness brings stupidity in judgement. Rom 1. 21.  judgement; When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, therefore they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened; They plead for Popery, and seek to reconcile Protestant's Religion with Popery; as the Israelites did the worship of God with Baal, which is Idolatry and Heathenish: 
1 Kings 18. 21. 1 Cor 6. 14.  what fellowship (faith the Apostle) hath righteousness with unright ousnesse? what concord hath Christ with Belial? What reconciliation can be between true Protestant Religion and Popery, which is Idolatry. The true worshippers of God worship him in Spirit and Truth: God seeketh such to worship him, and such 
John 4 23. Ephes. 1. 17. Judas 3.  will stand fast in one spirit, with one mind strive together for the Gospel of Christ, and earnestly contend for the Faith that was once given to the Saints. This is not the least of England's sins, that hasteneth Judgements, and for which we are now soarly afflicted: And probable it was; the sin for which our neighbour Churches and kingdom of Germany is laid desolate, who were a people, generally formal, without the power of holiness.  
But every sin is aggravated, and provokes more either by the persons that sin, 
Persons and circumstances aggravate sin.  or the circumstances in sinning.  
First, it is aggravated by the persons: The sins of the godly, that profess themselves to be God's servants and wear his livery etc. do provoke God more than the sins of the multitude of wicked men: First, because such men are entered into special Covenant with God; and bound to deny ungodliness and 
Acts 3. 25.  worldly lusts, to live sober, righteous, and godly lives: for to this end hath the grace of God which bringeth salvation, appeared unto all men; unto you first (saith the Apostle) God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning 
Tit. 1. 11, 12. Acts 3. 26.  every one of you from his wickedness.  
Likewise the sins of Magistrates: Those whose place; and authority, is to punish sin, who bear a stamp of the image of God, and are entitled by his 
Rom. 13 4. Psal. 82 6. 1 Pet. 1. 15.  Name: I have said ye are Gods, their actions should be holy, as their name is honourable: Be ye holy in all manner of conversation; they ought to be patterns and examples of holiness and justice: Their lives and actions are exemplary. If a Ruler (saith Solomon) be given to lies, all his servants are wicked. M. Antonius 
Pro. 29 11.  (as Pliny reports) by excess in drinking, drew all Asia to imitate him in 
Plutazeb in the light of Antonius. Senec. in Ep 7. Josans. l 8. 6. 3.  drunkenness. Seneca saith, One evil example in such men, causeth much mischief. And Josephus saith, That inferiors, seeing the evil actions of their superiors, will quickly follow their vices, as if they were professed virtues. It is the same in Ministers, whose office and place is to reprove sin, admonish sinners and cast them out (that are obstinate) from the Congregation of the 
2 Tim. 3 16. 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2 Tim. 4 12. 1 Pet. 5 3. Matth 5. 14.  godly: They should be lights to the people, to lead and guide them in holy conversation; ye are the light of the world: But the lose lives of Ministers encourage men in sin, more than their Doctrine prevail to good life. To teach by Precept (saith Seneca) is long and tedious, but examples are short, and effectual to teach evil: Therefore the sins of such men are more displeasing to God, and provoke him more to wrath then then the whole world, who lie in wickedness.  
First, Because all such men sin against greater means, greater mercies, more 
1 Joh 5. 19 Sins of the godly provoke more wrath than others. Luk. 12. 48. Verse 47. Ez●k 9 6. 1 Pet. 4 17.  light, more knowledge, etc. Where much is given, much is required: To whom a man committeth much, of him he will ask more. He that knows his master's will, and prepares not to do it, shall be beat●n with many stripes. Their sins hasten Judgements, as their prayers prevent Judgements: Therefore when Judgements come upon a Nation, it beginneth with them: Begin (saith the Lord) at my Sanctuary: Judgement must begin at the House of God.  
Secondly, The sins of the godly do most dishonour God; cause the Name of God to be blasphemed, and the way of godliness to be evil spoken of: The Name 
Esay 42. 5. Ezek. 36. 20. Rom. 2. 24.  of God, (saith the Apostle) is blasbhemed among the Gentiles through you. Hence it was that God's anger was great at David's sin; thou hast given great occasion 
1 Sam 12 14.  to the enemies of God to blaspheme.  
Thirdly, by their sins the Spirit of God is grieved, the hearts of the godly 
Ephes 4. 30. Psal. 119 158. Jer. 23. 14.  are made sorrowful; and the hands of the wicked are strengthened. I have seen in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing; they strengthen the hands of evil doers, that none return from his wickedness.  
Fourthly, The godly are of Gods own family; he hath continual eye upon them, and therefore chastiseth them first of all other; you have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities; he 
Amos. 4 2.  doth chastise them here; but usually deferreth the judgements of the wicked, reserving them to the great day of wrath: Yet alwayts when by the sins of 
1 Pet. 4. 18. Esal 51 17. Jer. 15. 28, 29.  the godly he is provoked to bring a general calamity upon a Kingdom, and makes the wicked his instruments as usually; even then in the end, the wicked shall bear the greatness of his wrath: God will deliver his own, in his own 
Psal 34 17. Rom. 8 18. Psal. 11 6. Psal 75 8. Circumstances aggravate sin & provoke more wrath.  time, out of all their misery, and will reward their short affliction with everlasting felicity, leaving the wicked to utter destruction: thus much of the persons.  
As by persons, so by circumstances, sin is aggravated; as when sin is committed openly, with contempt of God and Law, and not punished, this was El●●s sons sin their open contempt made the people a●ho● the Offerings of the Lord, therefore the Text saith, Their sin was very great before the Lord.  
So to sin with deliberation in cold blood, as we use to say, against checks of 
1 Sam. 2. 17.  consequence, not by sudden passion, of violent temptations: In this the sin of 
1 Sam. 11. 12. 13.  David was aggravated, in the case of Vriah: So to yield to sin upon every small temptation, to sin for a trifle; Shall a man transgress for a piece of bread? Or to sin presumptuously, in abuse of mercy, to●● liberty to sin because God 
Prov 26. 21. Rom. 6. 1.  is merciful: Or to make Religion a close to cover sin, to seem religious, to deceive, and co●●● it makes the sin greater, then to profess to be such a man, 
Psal. 10 16.  and to own the sin: So to betray men, or Towns, under pretence of friendship, as Joab slew Abner, and shed blood in a time of peace, and under pretence 
2 Sam. 3. 27. 1 Kings 2. 5.  of love: In a word, when men will offer injury to a good man for goodness sake, as Cain and Judas, in despite of holiness: And truly these circumstances aggravate the sins of this very time, and will be a means to hasten destruction upon such wicked men, and to bring deliverance to them that fear God; those that strongly oppose the Parliament, and hate Reformation, notwithstanding 
Prov. 29. 1.  they have had many exhortations, and sharp reproofs.  
And so the time when sin is committed is an aggravation of wrath: As to be drunk on the Lord's Day, a Fast day, etc. is more sinful then upon another day; and to sin at such a time, when God's Judgements are upon us; while God is whipping us for sin, then to sin, makes the same out of measure sinful, and 
1 Thes. 2 16. Deut 28. 20. 2 Cor. 36. 16.  provokes to wrath till there be no remedy.  
Now seeing all afflictions are from God, for sin, and that some sins provoke more than other; and those sins are aggravated by the persons and circumstances; and that those sins most provoking, are the common raging sins of Great Britain, aggravated by persons and circumstances; Let us consider (in the next place) whether God have not justly suited his Judgements answerable to 
Rom. 2 6. Rev 2. 23. Wisd 11 16. Judg. 1. 7.  our sins; wherewith a man sinneth, therewith he shall be punished: Adonibez●k, when his thumbs and great toes were cut off, confessed God has justly requited him, as he had done to others. God usually fits his Judgements answerable to sin, whether private men or Kingdoms: Elyes sons sinned by riot, and profaned the Priesthood; they were sons of Belial, and for the abusing the Priest's Office, they were for ever cast off from the Priesthood; for their riot and excess, punished by want, shall crouch to one of the Priests for a piece of silver 
2 Sam. 2. 36.  and a morsel of bread. David's sin of adultery and murder, was punished in the same kind: The Levites Concubine lived in adultery, and died by adultery: 
2 Sam. 12. 10, 21. Judg. 13 25. Psal. 109. 17.  The Prophet David prophetically saith of Judas (and so of all other) as he loved cursing, so let it come unto him; and as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.  
And thus do our present miseries justly answer to our sins. First, To 
Our present miseries are answerable to our sins.  instance in Idolatry our great sin; consider while it was but a little winked at, and Idolatrous Papists suffered amongst us, God made them to be thorns in our eyes, and goads in our sides, ever plotting treasons against us, yet we have harboured them, and hankered after their Idolatry; therefore just, that God should make them the instruments and actors of our misery, and were but just to deliver us up into their hands, that as we have by them dishonoured God, we might serve them, and be dishonoured by 
Jer. 8. 19 Jer. 5. 19  them, God gave, them into our hands in the year 1605. as a people appointed to slaughter or banishment; not only for their Idolatry, but for their bloody Treason: But contrary, we have cherished them, made Leagues and Matches with them; and mixed more of their Idolatry with the pure worship of God, then ever before, to the dishonour of God; therefore they dishonour and ruin us. When Ahab spared a people appointed to slaughter, God told him, His life, and the lives of his people should go for theirs; and it was so: And is, in part, already made good upon us; and is but the same that is threatened; That if the people make graven Images, and do evil in God's sight, he would soatter them among 
D●●●. 6. 25, 2●.  the ●●●ions: When Israel served other gods of the nations, God made the people of the nations rule over them.  
Secondly, for profaning the Lords Day: God hath showed his displeasure 
Profaning the Lord's day.  continually, by many particular Judgements (as some writers observe) the fall upon the Beargarden on that day, is remarkable; January 13. 1683. where 
See Stubb in Annatomy of abuse.  were slain and hurt many profane Sporters: We have had many warning Pieces of God's displeasure, now we have Volies of Musket, and murdering Canon, the execution of God's wrath; As we have slighted holy Ministers, so are they justly driven from us, into corners, we have gadded from place to place, after vain sports and recreations on that day, to (Court Masks and Plays &) all inventions either of profits or pleasure, to God's dishonour: in profaning the day of holy rest, therefore it is just, that the Land be laid waist, left without men or cattle to till it: That whiles it keeps such unhappy rest, the people are driven to as unhappy wand'ring, and hear no word behind them to tell them the 
Esay. 30. 21.  way; That blessed day of Peace is become a bloody day of Battle and Slaughter; our Churches for holy Assemblies, are become either recectacles of wicked seditious men, or prisons of durance and misery to the godly; and most justly, for the irreverent contempt of the use of Churches, by erroneous Anabaptists, (suffered amongst us) who esteem Churches no more necessary for prayer 
Vid. D. Wil●●● in Levit. 26 Conf. 3.  then a Hogsty; and say, Christ may be better worshipped in Woods then in Churches: Thus as we have all wandered from duty by disorder, and sin, God will drive us into order by punishments; As we have erred from the way of mercy, God will reduce us by way of Justice, as is threatened; I will do to them 
Ezek. 7. 27.  after their ways, and according to their desires I will Judge them. 
Pride is justly punished.   
Thirdly, for our pride raised up to the height of swelling ambition and disdainful carriage in all apish behaviour, imitating all Nations, in fashions and sins: God is now by the sword, justly pulling it, & us down to the lowest humiliation or misery; God's blessings in plenty, and peace made us fat and wanton, and we have like Jesurum kicked against God; glorying in our abundance, in all profussenesse, 
Deut. 32. 15.  and expense, upon vanity, in Buildings, Furniture, Ornaments, Plate, Jewels, Apparel, Feast, etc. every one above his degree, to the dishonour of God. Now God by answerable judgements afflicts the Nation, and meets with this very sin in every one of us, to punish us, and spoil our pride: Our eyes see our stately buildings demolished, the Monuments of our Ancestors, in which we gloryed are spoilt before our faces; our Plate, Jewels, Money, costly Furniture, and apparel, taken away by force, God hath stirred malignity from the pride of our spirits, to kindle a fire of contention, to consume and destroy one another, like those bloody seditious Jews, who would 
See Jos●p in war Jews. lib. 3. Chap. 14.  have killed their Captain, because they might not kill one another: He that destroys to day, is himself destroyed to morrow; pride and excess (saith Plato) is the destruction of Kingdoms. Pride is like a wild man, whose hand is against every man, and every man's hand, against him. It is the son of the 
Gen. 16. 12.  Bondwoman, envious at his brother, and by it we find as judicious. Seneca saith, there is but a moment of time between Royalty and Captivity; take notice 
Sencca in Tranq. cap. 11  of it, for God justly meets with this sin, and makes pride the punishment of pride; we have by pride fought against God, and God by proud men fighteth against us; and will assuredly (before he sheathe his sword) destroy our pride, or us. As God made the rich and the poor of one mould: So he is by these judgements bringing them into one condition, as is threatened, I Will mar the pride of Israel, and the great pride of Jerusalem. 
●●r. 13. 9   
Fourthly, Oppression; we know this sin hath cried long for judgement, the cry hath been loud against this Nation, and is now answered. As the sin 
Oppression justly punished  hath been general, so the punishment is general; all feel it, from the King to the Ploughman. Naboths Vineyard hath been taken by force, and fraud by the one, the covering of the poor by the other, and the Law that should relieve the oppressed, was tied up by money: Law itself was but a cipher and so nothing; if more, it was but a figure, and so any thing; our Judges were made on purpose to do injustly, and unmade for doing justice: They (as all Officers of Judicatory) bought their places dear, and sold their attendance dearer: They bought oppression by gross, & sold it out by retail, as their brethren the Patentees; and so ground the face of the very poor. Now God by his judgements payeth us in our own coin; observe how the monies received by oppression are spent in oppression; and by that which men paid against Law, they are oppressed, to destroy Law; those that gave moneys to oppress, are themselves oppressed; the Oppressor is oppressed, the Spoiler is by spoiling spoilt: The just oppressing sword of God's wrath, (for unjust oppression) is now in the Land, and oppresseth all; They that made the Law useless, that they might destroy others, have no Law to secure themselves from ruin; We must needs acknowledge that the Lord is righteous in all his Ways, and holy in all his works, and I will with confidence believe, that when God will in pity sheathe his sword, that law which wicked men seek to destroy, shall, by the ministration 
Psal. 145. 17.  of Justice, cut them off for their oppression and murder; God will plead his people's Cause, and will spoil the soul of the Spoiler; And 
Prov. 22. 23. jer. 51, 48. Esay 14. 2.  in the end make his restored people to rule over their Oppressors, as he hath promised.  
Fiftly, the Sin of Murder, we know is the sin of Britain; The blood unrevenged, 
Murder is justly punished.  hath cried to Heaven a long time, and now God sheddeth the Kingdom's blood by cruel murderers, because by foolish pity, the blood of them that wickedly shed blood, was not shed; God punisheth the impunity of murder by murder. As jacob's sons stained the coat of their brother Joseph with the blood of Kids, so Britain's sons (unnatural brethren) slain the garment of the earth with the blood of men, in every place; God is provoked to use the sword of wicked men, to punish these guilty Kingdoms: The sin is made the punishment of the sin, and the punishment will turn to sin upon the heads of the Punishers: Absoloms' sin of Rebellion, and defiling his father's bed, was the punishment of David's sin, yet it was not less than sin in him. The 
The blood of Queen mary's days cry.  blood of Queen mary's days is now required, which we have not lamented, and therefore hath since then cried against us; The blood of Queen Elizabeth's time is not forgiven, though some of those bloud-shedders were by God's hand cut off shortly after, who were guilty for the blood of guiltless Essex; and at their end some of them acknowledged God's hand justly was upon them.  
Other bloods of latter times, are fallen in with the complaint of the Marian blood, and now must be avenged together: The blood of Germany puts in an Indictment against us, for our neutrality, the blood of France pleads accusations 
The blood of latter times in the three kingdoms cry.  of treachery, the blood of all the three Kingdoms join in one complaint, for impunity and treachery; Some spilt in wrath, others by conspiracy and false accusations, some by poison and other secret plots, and some by causeless Imprisonment, etc. The bloods of all thus shed complain with one voice, that Justice hath been stopped, corrupted, and prevented. The Avengers of blood, roughly dealt with, beaten, accused, and wholly suppressed: false evidences hath been admitted, and true. Testimony cast out: The blood of the poor is heard cry in God's ears, as well as the blood of the rich; the blood of Princes and people cry, and God is come down, to see if it be according to the cry, and will not respect the persons of men: He is come to judge the earth, and will do right to all men: And now the bloody and deceitful men shall not live 
Psa. 58. 11. Gen. 18. 25.  out their days: This is the day of the God of Hosts, the day of vengeance, in which he will be avenged on all his enemies. He now makes inquisition for blood 
Psal. 55. 23. jer. 26. 10. Eccle. 8 12.  and will spare none when he hath used the rod to correct his people, he will cast it into the fire to be burnt.  
Sixtly, Drunkenness: the English mother sin, and master destroyer of souls, The cause of God's displeasure upon particular men, and the whole Kingdom, 
Drunkenness is justly punished, and ye● more is threatened.  as have formerly been observed by many: among other judgements upon the grain, (Barley) several times smitten by drought and wet, lesser judgements are warnings, and threaten greater, if the cause remain; but the sin remains, and still reigns, and is at this day threatened with greater judgements, just answering to the sin: Famine is the companion of War, and is now entering into the Land, hasted forward by an Army of Spoilers, worse than the Locusts of Egypt, to devour and eat up the fruits of the Land, as is threatened for this sin: Weep and howl ye drinkers of wine, the field is wasted, the Land 
Exod. 10. 12. joel. 1. 5. 10.  mourneth, for the Corn is dried up, the abuse of Pl●nty must be punished with want.  
Seventhly, Whoredom; a common sin of these Kingdoms: secretly committed, and openly known, but not punished; if punished, it is the poverty of 
whoredom is most justly punished.  the whoremonger, not the sin; The Noble (so by Title) have a toleration by their greatness, the rest by their money: a sin punishable by God's Law with death, yet suffered by men to escape without correction; It hath contracted a double guilt upon the Land, the guilt of the sin and the guilt of Impunity; God sent the plague of pestilence among the people of Israel for this sin, and 
1. Cor. 10. 8  for it he hath sent several plagues amongst us, and smitten many thousands by death; but no Phinehas hath stood up to execute judgement: Adulterous marriage have been suffered and connived at, and strange marriages with strange 
Numb. 25. 7.  Nations, and strange religions, and strange rebellious broods have followed, and (likely) are crept into some of our greatest Families, who usurp the names 
Strange and Adulterous Marriages, are like to be some cause of our presens' milery.  and inherit the Lands of those that never got them. The old world was condemned for this, the sons of God took them wives of the daughters of men, of all that they would choose, and there were Giants in the earth; They made strange marriages such as we in England; as that between Lord Mount-Joy and Lady Rich, that between Lord Car and Countess of Essex: also secret whisper of unnatural Sodamy, never questioned: The sins connived at in this Nation, are such as Abimclech durst not commit, nor suffer, although he 
Gen. 20. 7.  were a man subject to behold beauty with desire: What absurdity were it to believe that the Offsprings of such kind of Matches and Brood's, have produced a generation, to punish the Kingdom for this sin of whoredom? and that God should make them Instruments and Actors to aggrivate our misery at this day, who set themselves to do mischief, and are mocking Ismaels', haters of the children of promise: as unnatural as Absalon, who abused his father's bed, and 
Gen. 21. 9 2. Sam. 16. 22 3. Sam. 13. 14.  as Ammon who d filled his half Sister: We see in nature that the creatures that generate by couples, are tender of the good and preservation one of the other: the young own the Male, and the Male take care of them; whereas among those that generate promiscuously, the Male never ●●reth for the young: or the young never own him: But we worse, and more unnatural than the bruit beast, seek to ruin one another, the father the son, the son the father, etc. Surely Gods hand is plainly seens in the miseries now upon us, answerable to this sin of whoredom, besides the former warnings we have had by lesser judgements That is ●ot he least that God hath a long time been silent, which presaged great wrath, as he said of Israel: I will not visit your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your Spouses when they commit adultery: Impunity betokeneth 
Hosea. 4. 14.  destruction, and now the days of visitation are come, these are the days of rec●m●ence, and England will know it; and acknowledge it is justly punished. 
Hosca. 9 7   
Sightly lukewarmness in Religion: England above all Nations is guilty of this sin, never people enjoyed so glorious means of knowledge, nor never 
Lukewarm a great sin and justly punished  had any people more encouragement to be zealous for God, than England; yet England, blind, naked, poor, miserable England is grossly ignorant, or carelessly formale: How shall God but spew thee out of his wouth, for thy lukewarmness, that art neither hot nor cold: for this sin the wrath of God is gone out against 
Rev. 3: 16.  us: we have revolted from him; We have pleaded for Popery, as Israel for Baal: we have swarved from the Covenant of our God, and are not zealous for his Truth, nor will not contend for the faith once given to the Saints; And therefore, because when we knew God, we glorified him not as God: 
Rom. 2. 12. etc.  Therefore God hath given up our Lukewarm Gentry in every County, (with their Followers) to vile affectious and a reprobate mind, to be deluded and believe a Lie, that while they profess to defend the Protestant Religion, they 
2. Thes. 2. 7. etc.  lose their lives in the offensive War against it: It is a strange mystery, that Papists should Jeopard their lives to defend that they most hate: but such is the mystery of iniquity that now worketh: with the deceivableness of unrighteousness in our Lukewarm (though Learned) Sentry: God hath for this sin given them up to a reprobate mind, filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, 
Verse 10.  wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murdering, debate, deceit malignity, haters of God, etc. to their own ruin, and their lasting infamy, to 
Rom 1. 29. 30.  Posterity to come: consider it, Oh ye Inhabitants of great Britain, for God's hand is heavy at this day for this sin, repent therefore and be zealous, or God will spew us out of his mouth, and separate us from the Congregations of his people: if for his own name sake he will preserve his Church, yet he will dispeople the Land, if we be not zealous in time. Thus much of the second cause, and of particular sins.  
The third thing to be considered is, the instrumental cause of great Britain's 
Satan is the efficient cause of sin, and the Instrumental cause in punishment.  misery, and that is either inward or outward.  
The inward Instrumental cause is the Devil, working upon men's corrupt nature, and drawing them to sin: The Devil is the efficient cause of sin, but the instrumental cause of punishment: He casts into men's hearts the seeds of all sins, and sin (as is before shown) brings all misery: Why hath Satan filled thy heart (saith Peter to Annanias) Satan fills the heart with sin, either by suggesting 
Acts. 5. 3.  thoughts into the heart, or bringing objects to the eye or ear: By thoughts he brought David to number the people, and so brought misery: 
1. Chr: 21. 1.  hence it is that the Apostle bids, that we give not place to the Devil, that is, to 
Eph. 4. 27.  evil thoughts: By objects to the eye, he brought David to commit adultery, and so brought misery: By objects to the ear he tempted Eve, by the voice of 
2. Sam, 11. 2.  the Serpent, and by the report of the Spies drew the people to murmur in the 
Gen. 3. 4.  Wilderness, and so brought misery: the Devil hath no power over the will of 
Num: 13. 28.  any man to compel him to sin, his power is only by such delusions to blind the mind, and darken the understanding: and his power is great by these means upon them that believe not the Gospel of Christ: hence it is that he is called 
2. Cor. 4. 4.  the God of this World, and a Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. 
Ephe. 2. 2.   
The Devil is the father of all Sedition: the original of Envy and all contention: he is the tempter to all wickedness: first he set man at variance with 
Gal. 5. 20. Iames 3. 15.  his maker, and so all the creatures one against another, & for this cause God hath put an everlasting enmity between him and the seed of the woman, and the same 
Gen. 3. 15.  enmity is between wicked men and the godly: By the seed of the woman is meant Christ and his children, therefore in Scripture those that are of Christ are called the Children of God, and all wicked men they are called the children 
1. Joh: 1. 12. john 3. 44.  of the Devil, and his works they do: Wicked men are the Devil's soldiers to make War against the Children of God, against all the seed of the woman, who keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of 
Rev: 12. 17.  Jesus Christ.  
So then the outward cause is wicked men, the seed of that old serpent the 
The outward cause of our misery is wicked men.  Devil: These are naturally stirred up to envy, and hatred against the godly: they hate purity and holiness, as that which is contrary to their very being, there is a direct Antipathy between their practice and holiness, as contrary as darkness is to light: They are therefore called the children of darkness. and 
Ephe. 5. 8. 3. Thes. 5. 5.  the godly Children of light; then what agreement between light and darkness, between God and Belial? These are the Devil's instruments that at this day war against us and cause our misery: some act by violence, some act by 
2. Cor. 6. 16.  counsel, all are doing, and will do till God take them off: some are like Achisopbell, when he counselled Absalon to lie with his father's Concubines: some 
2. Sam. 2. 621  like the counsellors of Rehoboam, set the King against his people, some like the Ziphits, to flatter with Saul, they make complaints, and use treachery against 
1. King. 12. 20. 1. Sam. 26. 1.  innocent David: some by wicked actions: as the Prophet told Ahab, that he 
1. King. 13. 18.  troubled Israel by forsaking the Commandments of God. Thus Athalia the Queen, daughter to idolatrous Ahab, she insinuated into Joram the King, and 
Vide josep an tiq. lib. 9 ●ha. 1.  taught him to do many mischiefs among the rest, to adore strange gods, and afterward she herself slew all the seed Royal: We see the words of Solomon verified, the things that hath been, is that which shall be, and we see no ne● 
1. King. 11. 1,  thing under the sun: We cannot say this is new etc. Besides all this, the Devil 
Eccl. 1. 9 10.  hath other instruments to make God's people miserable, by robbing, spoiling, kill, etc. Thus the Sabeans and Chaldeans were his instruments to afilict job: 
job. 1. 12. 14.  so soon as he had obtained Commission to afflict, he presently hath his instruments to act it, the Devil worketh in them at his will: so he hath the winds, 
Ephe. 2. 2.  and the waters, the air, fire, etc. which he can use for his instruments to afflict.  
Now that it may clearly appear, who they be that are the instruments of Britain's misery: I will divide them into seven sorts, when divided they may be easily known.  
First a woman, (it is pity, it is so: but it is true, and truth must not be concealed 
Seven sor●● of evil instruments the causers of our present misery.  in these times) 2ly. jesuits, 3. Bishops, 4. Ambi ious Lords, (or men ambitious of Lordships) 5. flattering Ziba's, (declining Lords, or rising Clergy) 6. Atheists, men (of any religion) of no religion, 7. Delinquents of all sorts and degrees: These are instruments of Satan, and principal workers for themselves to accomplish their own ends, as we shall show afterward. 
Their way & means to work mischief. 2. Thes: 2. 10. 11.   
Now the means by which these instruments do work, is by a mystery, the mystery of iniquity; that is by the subtlety of Antichrist (carried on by the power of Satan) with power and wonders, under false pretences, lying Policies, and strong delusions; so that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect, for so our Saviour Christ saith of them: But none are deceived but unbelievers, such 
Math: 24, 14.  as receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, (as the Apostle describes them.) Now the principal instruments in this work, (next to Satan himself) are the jesuits and Romish Priests, Satan is a lying spirit in the mouth of all 
1. Kings 12, 6 & vers. 22.  these, as he was in the mouth of Ahabs 400. court Prophets, to persuade Ahab to go up to Ramah Gilead to Battle; These are they that have corrupted the Clergy of England, Ireland, & Scotland, and seduced them as the lying Prophet of Bethel did the good Prophet of the Lord, to destroy him; And these like Locusts 
1. King. 11. 18  have over spread great Britain for the space of 18. or 20. years, in the habit 
jesuits have been longplotting & working this mischief.  of Gentlemen: (wolves in sheep's clothing) some in habit of Scholars, their receptacles have been the Papists houses of note in every country, and by those Papists they have been brought into acquaintance with the most of the Gentry of the Kingdom, and covertly they have cast poison into their souls, still in all that they have done or said they seem to be Protestants, but commend the Bishop's care in suppressing sects and schisms, and factious spirits, crying out bitterly against the Pur●tant, and through them glance at the Protestant Religion, urging the benefit of outward conformity, to the then new Cannons, Innovations, and Popish superstitions, and how easy a thing it were by such means to reconcile the Church of Rome, to the Protestant Churches: And since this Parliament began, they have been the poison of our Gentry, by the help of Arminian and Popish Clergy, to seduce our Gentry to take arms to destroy themselves, 
jesuits and Priests have taintedthe gentry.  partly under pretence of order, and partly under pretence of vindicating the King's Rights, (which none were about to prejudice) and withal affirming, what power and assistance the King had, so that if they shown not themselves in this Cause for the King, His Majesty would take special notice of them, as illaffected towards his welfare: By these and the like subtleties, they have seduced some well-meaning men.  
These are the Plotters of all this mischief, the Incensors of His Majesty against his Parliament, and people; the accusers of good men, and abusers of truth, have caused them as Zedekiah did Michaiah, to be fed with bread of affliction, 
1. King. 22. 24. 26.  and water of affliction; yea these have breathed venom into the bosom of our selected Assemblies (our supposed just men) chosen by their Countries, and trusted with our estates, and liberties; so that some of these are prefidious to God and men, and joint instruments of our misery, revolters from law, and justice, prophound to make slaughter, as the Prophet speaks, they themselves are the shedders of innocent blood, that they might become Masters of their estates and possessions.  
In a word, these seducers, dreaming Prophets, that speak lies in prophecy, 
jer. 23. 32.  come in the name of God, yet God hath not sent them; they prophesy for gain, l●ke Balam, and err through wine and strong drink; these have seduced 
Esay 28. 7.  all, and caused both King and people to err: Through these Pipes the Devil conveys the poison of Popery into the souls of men, drawing them that are 
Corrupt Ministers are the Conduit pipo through which the Devil conveys poison of Error into men's souls. 1. Tin●. 1. 19 20.  unstable, to be actors of their own, and the Kingdom's ruin: some have under pretence of duty to Kings, ushered men from their duty to God, having put away faith and good conscience, like Hymeneus and Al●xander, for the reward of fading honour, and brittle estate, as they themselves have found.  
By great promises of preferment, the foreleaders of th●se traitorous Brood's, drawn men to side with them in the preparation for the massacring war, that should have followed upon their blowing up of the Parliament House by gunpowder; by which they thought to destroy the Parliament, Religion, Laws, Records, the King, and all of the blood Royal, and Protestant Lords, at one blow: No Age, Nation, or People, yielding an example of the like cruelty, as was then declared by our State, Lords spiritual and temporal, who affirmed and 
See the Book appointed for the Thanksgiving on Nov 5 but if this last Impression be compared with the first, you shall find the Archbishop has minced the wo●●s.  published to the world, that the Religion of Papists, is Rebellion, their saith faction, and their practice murdering of bodies and souls; yet these Monsters of cruelty, are now assisted by our Princes, Nobles, and Gentry, to effect by the sword, what they could not do by treason, only our Princes, Nobles, and King Himself may, (it is possible) escape with their own lives this way, which had been lost in that hellish plot; But let His Majesty beware, and the rest that are not resolved to be Papists, for these bloody jesuits, Rome's Priests, and hell's devils, may, and do kill any Kings, that are Protestants, (their Religion allows it) yea if they be Kings that do but favou● Protestants; why else did they murder Henry the third, and Henry the fourth of France: they by't with their teeth and cry peace, but he that putteth not into their mouths, they prepare war 
Mica. 3. 5.  against him, they draw the Princes to evil as they in Juda, of which the Prophet complains, Thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of thiefs; They covet fields, and take them by force; they oppress a man and his heritage. 
Esay. 1. 23. Mica. 2. 2.   
But God sees all, and he is judge of the Earth, and of all Men; and that God will enter into judgement with them that are Thiefs, and companions of Thiefs; and will defend his truth, and his people's right, against all oppressors, 
Esay, 3. 14.  for God is no respecter of persons, he will do it against the Ancients of the people, and Princes thereof; Hear ye, O Priests, and hearken, ye house of Israel, for judgement is towards you, etc. 
Hosea 5. 1.   
The matter and form of Great Britain's misery, namely, that out of which it is, and that by which it is & what it is, are; Oppressions, Ambitious desires, Alteration of Religion, Destruction of Laws, Multitudes of Opinions, Sects, Schisms, Jealousies, etc.  
The Subject oppressed by Illegal Taxes, Loans, Mulcts, etc. The weaker 
The matter & form of our misery.  trodden down, and spoiled by the mighty; Laws awed by greatness, made snares to catch men, Wolves made Shepherds, to fleece the flock, and feed themselves; Bishops by unconscionable Edict, bind the consciences of men, which Christ hath made free; The purity of Religion contemned, Errors and Heresies maintained, Popery countenanced, and Idolatry set up, Synods deserted, 
Gal 5. 1.  and Parliaments annihilated; Godly men imprisoned, dismembered, banished, etc. against the justice of Law, under an established; j●st Law, used by the handlers of it, either as Law, or no Law; as the Ass' ears (in the Fable) either ears, or horns, as they would interpret them; at the best, the Laws were but like Cobwebs, (as Plutarch once said) they catch Flies, but cannot hold great Hornets; in short, Law was for the most part used (between a great rich man and a poor) but for (if such a thing can be) a Legal Oppression, to take away Rights and Inheritances, and to impose slavery upon sree Subjects.  
Hence grew Distractions and Fears; and from Fear, Commotions and Tumults: The unjust Oppressor was afraid of punishment, the Oppressed feared 
Gild and jealousy.  greater cruelty, and more violence, yea an overture of Religion and Laws, (and not without cause.)  
Here's the matter of Great Britain's Civil War, and present Misery animated by a third sort of discontented men, (like Sheba the son of Bichri) light, irreligious, profane, broken-fortuned men, Sons of Belial, that blow up the 
2. Sam. 20. 1.  fire of Contetion, hating Religion, and fearing Law, to whom war is peace, and peace ruin: These are most saf; in the midst of a seditious war, especially when under pretence of Loyalty to the King, and love to the common good, 
Desperate unth●●fis live by War & spoil.  they may draw many after them, to effect their own private ends, by raisurg, and continuing Seditious war.  
It was truly said by one of the Ancients, That that Man who is the causer of such a Civil, seditious war, is not to be numbered among men, but banished from the Society of men. And Nstor, a grave and wise Councillor, among the Grecians, affirmed in open Synod, (upon a cause of discontent) that a mover to Civil war, was a most cruel, wretched, and detestable man, not worthy to live.  
Add unto these many bloody, treacherous, cruelties, murders, rapine, and all violent insolences, spoiling of countries, burning of houses, towns, Corn, outcries of women, maidens, and children, abused by merciless, brutish Miscreants: Three Kingdoms all divided, not divided one against another; but every one divided within, and against itself: not as Ephraim against Mannassah, one Tribe against another, but every Tribe, every City, every Country against itself, to destroy itself, Father against the son, and 
The misery of Britain's division.  son against the father, Brother against Brother, Kinsman against Kinsman, dear friends are become deadly enemies: The sons of one Mother, nearest in alliance, the Professors of one Religion, and subjects under one King, by nature, religion, and law, bound to defend one another, against all other enemies: Th●se are enemies one to another, Traitors, destroyers, yea cruel butchers one of another, and are joined with foreign enemies, and homebred bloody Papists, Idolaters against themselves, the protestant Religion, the Laws of the Kingdom, the estates, rights, and liberties of their Posterities: Oh 
Esay. 1. 23. Rev. 2. 9 Zeph. 3. 3.  Misery of miseries sent from God to punish a sinful People! The Prophets cry Peace and make War, the Nobles pretend Law, and destroy Law: oppress and rob by violence: Those that say they be Protestants, destroy the Protestant Religion: the makers up of the breaches, are the pullers down of the 
Hosea 4. 9  walls to let in Popery and all Licentiousness: All sorts are joined with the Spoilers, and do destroy as far as fraud or force can prevail, no Age, no Sex, 
None freed from violenc● of any degree, age, or sex.  Degree, or Dignity, can protect any from violence: Ireland wallows in her own blood: England hath deeply imbruyed her hands in Phlebotemie, and still makes progress in all Immanity: Scotland stands at the brink of the same pit of misery: The first in intention, though last in execution: the same seditious seeds are sown there as in England or Ireland, although they have not grown up so fast in that Land, yet (if God prevent not) they may at the second Spring, sprought out, and prove as destructive, as else where: Ireland hath almost bled her last, England is waxed pale with bleeding, and Scotland trembles at the two first parts of the bloody Tragedy, acting in England and Ireland, expecting the next Scene upon their own Stage: And our watchmen that should give us warning of our dangers, are the men that bring us into danger, our shepherds, that should gather the dispersed flock together, they are the Scatterers of the sheep, and devourers of the flocks: our teachers, from whom we should receive direction and knowledge, are seducers and deceivers, they 
Mal. 2. 7. jud. 11. Ier: 5. 31.  run greedily after the way of Balaam for reward, the Prophet's prophecy lies, and the people love to have it so.  
Yea these men have deceived our King, our Hope, our peace, God's Deputy set over us to be our Protector, styled The defender of the Faith, etc. yet 
Psal. 82. 3. Indg: 10. 1. Esay. 49. 22  doth nothing in our defence, nor for the defence of the Faith; but is ofsended with the Faithful: our Queen appointed by God to be a Nursing Mother, seeks to take away the children's bread: And the hopeful Issue, are trained up amongst Swearers, Drunkards, Idolaters, and bloody wicked men: for these 
A presage of future misery.  things I weep, mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the Comsorter that should deliver my soul is fare off, the Children are desolate, because the Enemy prevailed. 
Lam 1. 16.   
If our misery, were but the misery of War, it were not so much, if a war against a Foreign Enemy, it were the lest of miseries, or but a war against Papist only, it were tolerable; for then a man might know his enemies, and fly to a Protestant for help or shelter, or at least to bemoan one another: The father might fly to the son, the son to the father, one brother to another, one friend, and one neighbour to another; but our enemies are promiscuously mingled with us, we know them not, till they betray us, they converse with us, in nearest familiarity, and as David spoke of Achitophel in the person 
●sa: 55. 1. 314  of Judas, so we may say of them, they take counsel with us, they eat and drink a our table, etc. and we have trusted them with our nearest secrets, it is with us as once with Jerusalem, among all her lovers, there was none tocomfort her, all dealt treacherously with her: And as our Saviour himself foretold, that a man's foes should be of his own household, meaning (as I conceive) 
Lam: 1. 2 Mica: 7, 6 M●●● 11. 30  those that profess to be his Desciples, as well as of a domestic Family: such as take upon them to preach Christ, that they shall be his greatest enemies; as we have seen, and find at this day: in Bishops, Deans, and the multitude of corrupt Clergy, and Minster-mungers, haters of holiness, hellish Sophisters, pretend to preach Christ, while they by all their power set up Antichrist, the Apostle hath long before told us, that in these last times it should be so, that some should departed from the Faith, and give heed to the Doctrine of Devils, Be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, without natural affection, despisers of them that are good: having a Form of 
2 Tim. 2. 3 5. 4. etc.  godliness, but denying the power thereof. And thus of the matter and form of Great Britain's misery.  
The final cause of it is two fold. First as it is from God the Author: secondly, 
The final cause of great Britain's misery, is, twofold:: first from God.  as it is from men the instruments: As it is from God, it is also twofold, for the good of his children, and to destroy his enemies: All the afflictions, calamities, and miseries, that God brings upon the godly, are for their good: All things work together for good, to them that love God, our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and 
Rom 8. 29.  eternal weight of glory: First by afflictions, God makes them examine themselves 
1. Cor. 4. 17.  for sin, thus David did: & thus the Church did; search, and try, and turn 
1. Sam. 22. 1. Lam: 3. 40.  to the Lord: affliction prepares the heart for grace, and advanceth to glory. Secondly it weaneth them from the world, makes them contemn the vanities of the world, which before they liked. David saith it was good for him 
Psal: ●19. Verse 67. 71.  that he is afflicted, before I was afflicted I went astray: 3. By it God tryeth their ●aith, and patience, as he did Job; every grace is exercised, which else lies dead in 
job 2. 6. Heb 11. 17. job. 34. 63  them, not known to themselves nor to others. 4ly. By it God corrects them for sins past, and brings them unto better obedience, that they may live after the will of God, not after their own lusts: In a word God afflicts the godly 
1. Cor. 11. 32. 1. Pet. ●. 7. 1. P●t. 4, 2.  for their Reformation, they are purged by it from their sins, as gold is purified in the Furnance of Fire: when thy judgements are in the earth, the Inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. The afflictions of the godly are 
Esay, 48. 10. P●●● 12. 6. Pro: 17. 3. Es●y. ●●. ●.  not punishments, they are but shows of punishment; showing only what they deserve, not inflicted as they deserve, their present affliction is their hell, and it lasts at the longest but for term of life, afterward cometh joy and everlasting happiness, as the Apostle teacheth: Henceforth is laid up a Crown 
God afflicts his children in love, showing what they deserve, not afflicting them as th●y deserve. 1. Tun. 4. 8.  of Righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give unto all them that love his appearing.  
Now for the ungodly and wicked, it is not so with them, for all afflictions to them are real punishments: and (as Mr. Calvin observes) are but the earnest of God's wrath, and beginnings of their everlasting misery; hasten their ruin and destruction: wicked men in all their afflictions, either run farther from God, or seek to unlawful means for help, as Saul did, or seek unto God 
God's afflicts wicked men in anger. 1. Sam. 28. 7. 1. King. 21. 27. Hosea. 7, 14. Esay 1. 5 Deut. 6. 15. D●ut. 28. 65. 2. Sam. 17. 23. Math: 27. 3. Exod: 14. 7.  with feigned affections, and with hypocritical hearts, as Ahab did; but they forsake not ●heir sin, they howl upon their beds, but in hypocrisy, while the judegement is upon them, for they still rebel against God: the Lord complaineth of them thus, Why will ye be stricken any more, ye will revoult more and more: And so they hasten destruction, till God's anger be kindled, and he destroy them from the face of the earth, yea themselves in their afflictions to ease their bodies, send their souls (by their own impatient hands) presently to hell: as Ahitophell and Judas, and Pharaoh, who were more hardened by afflictions, and grew more enraged against God, and God's people, and so hastened their own ruin.  
Secondly, the final cause as it is from the Devil and his jesuitical Faction, 
The final cause of Britain's misery as it is, from the Devil & men. job: 1. 11. Luke 22. 31. Pet. 5. 8. job. 2. 2.  (the instruments) it is nothing but the utter subversion of our holy Religion, and replantation of Popery, the overthrow of Laws and Liberties, and introducing an Arbitrary Government: for Satan and wicked men hate the godly, and seek by all means to destroy them. As for Satan he compasseth the earth, and walketh continually too and fro in it, turning every stone to work molestation and mischief to the faithful. And for wicked men, though their chief Aim be that which I have spoken, yet they have also other particular ends of their own; especially in this present destroying and seditious war: and their ends are divers, according to the divers affections and inclinations; But all in general dis-affect holiness naturally: and therefore all take part against 
Wicked men hate holiness and holy men.  religion and laws, and desire their destruction that maintain or practise either: and associate themselves with those that seek to overthrow them: this is the first end, and only moving cause (in Jesuits, Papists, Bishops, and others Popishly affected) of this war and misery: Observe first how they used all hellish policy for divers years before this Parliament began, to keep off all Parliaments, 
Contempt of Parliaments.  and to bring them out of use: that so the laws might die by a poisoning death, and by degrees perish; And that our Religion might not outlive our Laws, (which indeed it cannot probably) they had a poison to destroy it secretly; and hypocritically under a fair pretence of God's honour, to settle Conformity 
john 19 7.  and Order in the Church, and by their policy and power, corrupted the Courts of judicature: Then by their own law (among themselves) punished, Fined, Imprisoned, and Banished, all true sound Protestants, zealous for God, and for the truth and power of Religion: Ministers and Laiety, calling them as Ahab did Eliah, Troublers of Israel: And as Saul (through ignorance) (they through malice) make havoc of the Church: accusing them by the 
Acts. 17. 19  names of factious men, that raised new Doctrines, which they cast reproaches 
Acts 28 22,  upon, and caused to be spoken against: thus they Suspended, Imprisoned, Silenced, and Banished, our best Orthodox Divines, men conformable to the established 
Persecution of 〈…〉 Ministers.  Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England: not Annabaptists, Brownists, Famalists, Donatists, etc. which if they had only done, we should not so justly complain; but choice Protestants, men fearing God, walking orderly, warranted by God's word, and the Laws of the Kingdom, only refusing their new popish Canons, and Oaths imposed contrary to God's word, and our established Laws, yet now these say, they fight for the Protestant Religion; (but, as before, to take it from us) and therefore when former policies could not prevail, they took arms to cut off Religion and Law at once, in destroying this Parliament by force, and by the same force to make a Parliament 
The destruction of this Pa●● were the destruction of all. They that were the Causers of the war in Ireland were cause of the war in England.  of their own choice, to repeal what Laws they please, and to set up Popery in full power in all the three Kingdoms of Great Britain, and afterward to suppress the Protestant Religion through all the Christian world: Nor let me be mistaken, for I think not that the King intends all this, but this is the intent and aim of the jesuitical Plotters: (We see a proof of it in Ireland;) They have persuaded the King to take arms against his Parliament, by their unjust reports and false calumniations, as if the Parliament would straighten the King's prerogative, and deprive Him, or his Posterity of their just Rights, and so they make it the King's particular quarrel, till they have made Him their Agent so far as lies in him; and then they will not spare to destroy him, if he hinder the rest that they have resolved upon: God rebuke them, and save his people: The Parliament, and with them all we Protestants may in the presence of God with upright hearts, say to the King, as David said to Saul in the like case: Wherefore 
1. Sam. 24. 9  hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold the Parliament, or thy people the Protestants seeks thy hurt: But we are all accused by corrupt Counsellors to our King, as the three Servants of God were to Nebuchadnezer by the heathen 
●an: 3. 8. 12.  Chaldeans, and for no cause, but as they refused to worship and Idol, so we for refusing to adore Popish Ceremonies, and to give away our Birthrights and Liberties: And as Daniel by the precedents and princes, because they hated him for his goodness, and could find nothing against him to accuse him of, but treacherously in the matter of his Religion: Therefore they devise a way pleasing 
D●n: 6. 3, 4  to the King, and destructive (as they thought) to Daniel: in which all the Precedents, 
Verse 5.  Princes, Governors, Counsellors, and Captains, consulted together, and come to the King, urging Him to establish a Royal and firm Decree, that 
Verse 7.  no man ask any Petition but of the King for thirty days, in which they pretend honour to the King, and order in the Kingdom, and the King signed it (for He looked not to their private bloody end:) Now they knew Daniel would be constant in Prayer to his God, therefore they watch him: and found him praying, 
Vers● 1●.  so accuse him of the breach of the King's Law, and regardless of the King: Then the King see his error, and as the Text expresseth, was displeased with Himself that He had made such a Decree, and set his heart to save Daniel to deliver him, but they urge his Acts (which they say cannot be changed:) The King yields to them against nature, both in respect of conscience and affection: (a weakness) but afterward he shown justice upon the unjust Accusers. 
〈◊〉 24.   
Here's the authority of Sacred word to confirm the story, and here's the example of error, mercy, and justice, in a heathen King: who, as Joseph●● relates 
example of 〈◊〉  was by the Malignant Princes (haters of Daniel) urged to cast Daniel into the Lion's Den a second time, alleging (as is usual in such men) to blind the King's 
See Jos●pas in his book of an-tiquities. Chap. 11.  judgement, that the Lions were all gorged before, and therefore had not destroyed Daniel: Whereupon the King commanded the Lions to be glutted with meat, and then cast in those Malignants Princes, to try if the Lions would touch them when they were gorged, who were presently devoured, etc.  
Hence may arise several Inferences, which for brevity I pass; only this by 
Inferences observable.  way of instance; First, that wicked Councillors seek the destruction of good men, more than the preservation of the common good: Here is a plain instance 
Ester 3. 8, 9 1. Sa. 2●. 9 10 Ier 20. 1. 2.  of the truth of it, as is seen in Hamans' plot against Mordecai and his people; we see it in Doeg against David, in Pashur the Priest against J●remy, and others frequent in holy Scripture. Secondly, that wise and good Kings may be entrapped by the snares of wicked Counsels, we have instance in this, King Nebuchadnezzer; so in King Ahashuerus, to the destruction of his Queen, and her people; in 
Ester. 3. 6 etc.  Solomon the wisest of Kings, by the counsels and insinuations of strange wives; in his son Rehoboam, by the counsel of young men, etc. See it in King James of happy memory (a second Solomon for wisdom) yet by the policy of Gundamores infusing a Romish Spirit into some of His council, which we believe he saw at last, but seeing, died, etc. And to the grief, and great misery of His Majesty's Subjects, His Majesty is this day abused, and His Kingdoms ruined, by the same Romish Faction.  
Thirdly, here is instance of God's protection to his people; When Kings (through God's mercy) for their errors, and the unjust malice of wicked Councillors, 
Example of gods protect. 6  God's people have present joy and comfort, both in the State, and in their own conscience; al●o that the enemies of God's people are cut off by the same judgements that they intended to bring upon the godly; it was so with Nebuchadnezzer, his Princes were e●ten by the Lions, but Daniel escaped; Haman 
Ester 7. 10. Ester 9 2. 3.  was hanged upon the Gallows provided for Mordecai; Mordecai had his honours; and all they that took Arms against the Jews, were slain by the Jews, and the jews escaped, etc.  
Observe, that our case at this day, is the case of the three Children, of Daniel, Mordecai, and the Jews, who may with good conscience say to our King, 
God delivereth his people and brings the wicked to destruction.  as Daniel did, We are innocent before God, and against the King have We done no hurt: And may expect deliverance by God, and revenge by his hand upon those that wrongfully seek our lives.  
Secondly, some men are moved to it by Ambitious desires, they make honours 
A second sort of enemies are men ambitious of honour and command.  and dignities their end; to obtain honour, they will use any dishonourable ways, and use honour as dishonourably: These are men like Aesop's dog, look at the shadow, and neglect the substance; Virtue, which is the way to Honour, they ●●un; and Vice, which is the original of shame they follow, and climb to Honour by the stairs of Vice, would be ennobled for ignoble actions: These are commonly very active men, in things they know will please Princes; without respect to Virtue, or Justice, their end is Honour, not Duty: And when their end is attained, they are yet unsatisfied, the more Honour, the greater their Ambition, especially in the Honour-seeking-Clergie, that when they are at highest, desire to soar higher, and endure no competitour; but if crossed in their end they grow secretly discontented, full of venom, malignity and hatred, against person's, or causes, that hinder, grow desperate, and seek any bloody revenge, and rather than lose their own private ends, care not to destroy Kingdoms. If they go not forward, they'll set all backward, and think it some honour to be buried 
Wicked men to game their own ends, care not to destroy whole Kingdom. ●.  in the ashes of a Kingdom; and therefore raise sedition, and civil war, against their Prince, if he hinder, or against God himself, to make war against his dearest members; and thus have some at this day done, and do, against conscience, and knowledge, and still blow the fire of Contention, to continue and increase Great Britain's misery.  
Thirdly, another sort of men make Profit and Command their end; they are moved, and stirred up to Contention and War, out of Covetousness, especially 
A third sort of enemies, are covetous men.  great men, when not contented with their own, will be owners of other men's Estates, Possessions, Inheritances and Rights, Kings over their Subjects, Lords over their Tenants, and men of place and authority over their inferiors, to make themselves commanders, and ●ords over other men's Rights, usurping power against Law, and distinguish not betwixt Law and will; hence ariseth murmuring, impatience, and opposition, bleeding cruelties, and seditious mutinies, from a spark to a flame; hence grew the discontent of the people of Israel, and the reason why they asked a King that a King might do them Justice; and hence 
1 Sam. 8. 3, 4, 5 1 King: 12. 16:  it was that they revoulted from their King, because he did not justice unto them, and this hath been one cause of our civil war, & is our present misery; and was the cause of the first civil war in England, in the ninth year of the reign of King John, which occasioned the great Charter, agreed upon, between the King and the Subject, the beam of upright Sovereignty, and subjection; but when covetousness 
See Daniel History:  gets into the one scale, the beam turneth, and becometh unequal.  
Fourthly, others are moved to it, by fear, safety to themselves is their particular end; when by their actions and projects, they have out of malice, ambition, 
A fourth sort of enemies are Delinquents:  covetousness, or any other way, done violence to religion law, or the peace of the State; and are by the law found faulty and convicted as Delinquents; they rise in Rebellion against the Law, to escape punishment, in hope by destroying the law they shall prevent the judgement of the Law; and hence they disturb the peace, and quiet of the Kingdoms, rather than they will suffer the just sentence of justice, they will destroy most unjustly their just Laws, Religion, and Kingdom: And of this sort there are of all degrees, Nobles, Clergy, Gentlemen, Citizens, etc. These are the principal causers, continuance, and aggravation of our bloody War, and the hinderers of peace; they eat peace as the greatest plague: Thus Catiline (did, being guilty of many crimes to save himself) conspired against his Country, and was assisted by Lentulus Cethegus, and many notorious offenders, and vile persons, who also stood in fear.  
The fift end is spoil and robbing; many deboyft men and of broken fortunes, decayed in estates, seek to get estates to themselves, out of the ruin, and destruction 
A fift sort of Enemies, are men of broken fortunes:  of the Kingdom, by robbing, plundering, and pillaging honest men, and therefore desire to break the Laws, that they may escape clearly unquestioned withal their thievery, and other insolences.  
Sixtly, some make liberty, and licentious looseness their end, they hate the very name of Resormation, either in Laws, or Religion, and look upon them as 
A sixth sort of Enemies, are licentious men  their enemies; and therefore desire the destruction of Parliaments; they prefer licentious liberty, and voluptuous pleasures above all Parliaments, Laws, or Religion: They look upon it as their God, preferring it above God, and are worse than Fpicuras their master, who knew no other God, yet (as Seneca saith) even in the shop of pleasures, voluntarily abridged himself of that content, but amongst us there are a sort of men, Gentlemen and others, who are never satisfied in their 
Senea in Epist:: 18.  disordered courses, like those described in the book of Wisdom, Say they shall be as if they had never been, and shall be forgotten in time, therefore will I enjoy all pleasures, and not lose any part of their voluptuousness. 
Wisd. 2. 1, 2. 7. etc.   
Others there are, that are malicious enemies, to the Kingdoms just defence (or Newters) out of an ignorance of God, and the just cause of God, as if all their service and obedience to God, hung upon their obedience to the commands of 
A seventh sort that are enemies to God and Religion. are Superstitious Ignorant men. Math. 15. 6.  men, make men gods, and God nothing; making the commandments of God of no effect, by the tradition and commandments of men.  
Now because some of these sorts of men (especially the latter) are so well instructed by the father of envy, and grand Seducer of men, that they, (as himself did to our Saviour) allege texts of Scripture to seduce men from their obedience to God, to the obedience of men: I conceive it very necessary to give a brief Answer to their main Objections.  
They object from that place Rom: 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher Power: for there is no power but of God etc. And that we are bound to render to all that which is their due, Tribute, Custom, Honour, Fear, to whom 'tis due: Object. 1 Hence they argue, that all men are bound to yield obedience to the higher power, but the King is highest in power, therefore he must be obeyed.  
Answer. All men are bound to yield obedience to the higher powers: that is granted: but that the King is the highest in power, is denied God is the highest in power, and there are no Powers but what is from God: Answer. Therefore God alone is to be obeyed in all things, and by all men: It is true, that the very Office of a King, (as He is God's Deputy on earth) is to be honoured, feared, and obeyed: Hence it 
joh. 19 11.  is that Peter in another place commands honour to be given him: and wise Solomon, joineth God and the King together: Fear the Lord and the King: Showing that there is a kind of holy dignity in the Office of a King: for which we must fear, 
1. Pet. 2. 17.  honour, and obey him: as also showing that there should be no difference between 
Pro. 24. 21.  the Commands of a King, and the Commands of God: and therefore to be obeyed for conscience sake, as Him that is sent of God for the punishment of evil doers, and the praise of them that do well; and for this cause Kings are to have Tribute, Customs, Fear, Honour, etc. King's are principal men set up to defend their Subjects, and 
Rom. 12. 5.  preserve Kingdoms by administration of justice, (not by tyranny to destroy men 
1. Pet. 3. 14.  and Kingdoms:) So then, the commands of a King is not to be obeyed further than their commands are agreeable to the commands of God: Plutarch relates a passage of a woman that was injured, and came to King Philip for justice: But he willing to put her off, she cried more, and with a loud voice, saying, hear, and help, Oh King, or be no longer King: Kings are indeed God's Ministers: as Judges, Majors, Bailis●s, Constables, etc. are the King's Ministers, they are to be obeyed for the King, and the King for God: whose commands, they are to command, execute, and 
see Bishop Andrew, in come. 5.  do● if the King command any thing contrary to God's command, we are not bound to obey it, nay we are bound not to obey any such command, for than we shall disobey God: therein we say (as Peter and john) we ought to obey God rather than 
Acts 4. 19 & 5. 29.  man: God only hath absolute power, and all other powers are from him. The power and authority of a King cannot warrant my disobedience to God: No more than a Major, or a Constable by his authority or command, can warrant me to act 
No command of any King ca warrant the left disobedience to God. Dan: 3. 16. & 6. 10. Ex. 1. 17. 20. 1. Sam. 14. 45 1. King 21. 3  Treason against a King: Else why did the three children and Daniel refuse to obey the command of the King? And why did the Midwives refuse to obey Pharob and God blessed them? And why did the people withstand the command of Saul concerning jonathan? And Naboth refuse to give his Vineyard to Ahab? So it is clear that a King's command is not to be obeyed, further than it is warranted by God's Word.  
Objection 2 Secondly it is Objected: That Subjects are bound to pray for Kings: as 1. Tim. 2. 2. and to defend their persons, life, and honour, with the hazard of their own bloods; as the people would not suffer David to hazard his person against Absolm. 2. Sam. 18. 3. nor would David lay his hand upon the Lords anointed. 1. Sam. 16. 11. Therefore subjects may not take arms against their King.  
Answer: Answer. It is true, all subjects are bound to pray for their King, that under His Government we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all goodliness and honesty: and I do believe, that for the ommission of this duty, God oftentimes punisheth a 
1. Tim. 2: 2  people, by the evil Government of their King, and that most justly: It is a doubtless a great sin in any subject not to pray for their King, if it be a duty to pray for 
It is a duty to pray for the K. and a sin not to pray for him. 1. Sam; 12. 23 Ester 6. 2  all men; much more Kings: God forbidden (saith Samuel) that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: Also it is the people's duty to defend the Person, State, Life, and Honour, of the King: So Mordecba revealed the Treason of King Ahushueru's eunuchs: and the people but as duty bond them, fought for David against 
2. Sam: 18: 3:  Absalon: for they say thou art worth ten thousand of us: But it was not duty, but wickedness in Doeg to slatter Saul, and to incense him against David, and 
1. Sam: 22. 9:  against the priests of the Lord: and duty in Abimetech to defend David's innocency against the wrath of Saul: but it was murder in Doeg (though at the command of the King) to fall upon the 
Verse 14. Verse 18. David might not have killed Saul.  Priests to slay them: and well done in other servants of Saul that refused to execute that Command: David thought it utterly unlawful to kill Saul, either in his Cave or in his Trenches., when he was in his hands, but that he was bound to spare him as he did, it being by the Law of Arms barbarous cruelty to kill an enemy treacherously: but much more for David to kill Saul: first because he was a King, the Lords anointed, (as David himself saith:) 2ly. because David should have showed distrust in God, who had promised him the Kingdom after Saul, (but not by such means to shorten the life of Saul:) Now faith makes not haste, but waits God's time & means, yet forbids not to use means of defence, when the person is unjustly assaulted: But we acknowledge it is the duty of every subject to pray for their King: we also confess, it is duty by all lawful means to preserve the life, honour, and state of the King: But, if this be duty (as undoubtedly it is) to do it to this end, that God may have glory, (for that is the Apostol call rule 
1 Cor. 10: 31 2. Tun. 2: 2  in all things) and that we may live quiet, peaceable, and godly lives under him: for the Apostle gives this reason, why we should pray for Kings:) Then we are bound to use those means that conduce to that and: Therefore to appose treacherous, dishonourable Counsellors, who by their 
Subjects are bound to oppose wicked & dishonourable Counsellors.  counsels and actions hinder the King's welfare, endanger his person and life, prejudice his honour, or molest the quiet and peace of his people and kingdoms; and especially such as seek the dishonour of God, and endeavour to take away holiness, religion, and just rights: take away the wicked from the King, and his throne shall be established: And this is all that the Parliament, and the Kingdom do at this day, they stand in the just defence of the King, and all that may conduce to his safety and welfare: all being by desperate men and armi s assaulted. Objection. 3 Thirdly it is Objected 
Prov: 25. 5.  from that place Daniel 3. 16 from the example of the three children and Daniel: that if the King command any thing which in conscience we may not actually obey, yet we are bound to yield passive obedience, by submitting ourselves to the King's mercy, but not make any resistance. Answer. For Answer to this objection (because it carries some truth in it) we must consider what kind of government we live under: for there are divers kinds & forms of government: some 
Difference in the government 〈◊〉 Kingdoms  people are bound to that which others are freed from, according to the several customs, constitutions, and laws of kingdoms: some Kings are more absolute in power of command some less● So some subjects are 〈◊〉 under their Kings: some free subjects.  
The Kings of those ancient Monarchies, Chaldea, Assyria, Media, Persia, 
Kings of Chaldea and Assyria, etc.  etc. ruled over their people, as Lords over Slaves; had power over their persons and goods, and had only nature for their Law, (yet lawful Kings) which they usually violated to satisfy their wills.  
The Kings of Israel and Judea were limited by the law of God: the 
Kings of Israel. and Judea.  rule of justice, commanding them not to multiply houses to themselves: nor cause the people to return to Egypt, etc. they were to judge the people according to God's Law, not their own wills: When he sitteth upon the Throne of the Kingdom, he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a book, and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he 
Deut. 17. v. 17, 18, 19  may learn to fear the Lord his God, and keep all the words of this Law, and these Statutes to do them.  
Now other Kings, and Kingdoms, differ from both these governments: as most Kingdoms at this day differ one from another: Only, in this, all Kingdoms have ever agreed: All have chosen and made their King. No King 
Deut. 17. 14. All Kings elected by the people.  ever made himself a Kingdom, but the people made their King, therefore the Kingdom is greater than the King. It is true, that Kings by force have usurped Kingdoms. And the Jews after they became tributary to the Romans, had Kings set over them, and their Customs, Laws, and Religion, changed; but that was by unlawful force: but else all Kings were elected and chosen by the people, some for life only, some for life and posterity for ever. The ancient Romans chose their Kings, and Emperors; but afterward the Soldiers set up in the Empire whom they would: as after, it fell out with those great Monarchies. But the people of those Monarchies had no 
Joseph in martyrdom. of Maccab. 2 Mac. 7.  right to resist their Kings, but were bound by the Law of nature, to obey them: either to do or suffer: Thus the three children and Daniel, submitted to the Edict of Nebucbadnezzar, and so that grave Matron Solomona, with her seven sons, yielded to the tyranny of Antiochus, as Josepbus relates it.  
The Kings of Israel and Judea, had a kind of power over the persons and 
Kings of Israel what power they had.  goods of the people, in necessary causes, but no further: although Samuel told the people (to deter them from their desire of a King) that their King would take their sons, and appoint them for himself, and for his Chariots, and to be his horsemen, etc. and that he would take the tenth of 
1 Sam. 8. v. 11. 15, 16.  their seed, and of their Vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants: But (saith he) you shall cry out in that day, because of the King which ye have chosen: Now Samuel tells them this would be the manner of their King, 
See vers. 11.  not that it was the justice of the King to do so; and therefore afterward when their King was established, Samuel vindicateth his own justice, and integrity to all the people, before the King: that he had not taken an Ox, or 
1 Sam. 12. 3.  Ass, or any thing from any of them, nor defrauded, or oppressed any, or taken any bribes, etc. yet in this the people were not to resist their King. Therefore Naboth made no resistance against Abab, when he would take his Vineyard from him: But right reason, the guide of all actions, and God's Law, the King's rule, which he might not transgress, forbidden Kings to oppress their people: some think it cannot be justified in the ten Tribes, that they cast off their King Rehoboam, for his oppression but sure I am, it was a just punishment from God upon him; and may serve for a caveat to oppressing Kings: and it was God that did it, who putteth down one, and setteth up another; therefore when Rehoboam had prepared an army of an hundred and 
Psal. 75. 7.  fourscore thousand chosen men, to reduce the kingdom again, God forbiddeth the people to fight: for this thing (saith he) is from me. 
1 King. 12. 2●. 24. Several governments of several kingdoms.   
Now other Kings are more limited by contracts, conditions, and Laws of the Kingdoms: which conditions and Laws are maintained by a middle magistracy between the King and his people, on the people's behalf, as there was among the Lacedæmonians, an Ep●ori, against the power of their King. The Athenians had their Demarchy, against the Senate; and the Romans their Tribune, against the Roman Consuls. And thus are Parliaments in England, and divers other kingdoms: Thus they were in France, but in France now lost by the same means, and in the same manner, as they are losing at this day in Great Britain; envied by oppressing spirits, and innovators: as 
Prrliaments are the only bar against unlimited prerogative.  the only bar against unlimited Prerogative. But yet this is England's Privilege above other Nations, wherein both King and people are (or may be) more happy than other kingdoms: and is our hereditory right, which by God's assistance we may still enjoy long, and long, to the glory of God, and the good of unborn posteritics, against all opposition of hell and earth, to defend our just Laws, and true Religion; except by our sins we so provoke God, that he will eclipse his own glory, and give over a stupid people (like France) to betray, and destroy their own happiness.  
We know that Parliaments of England have ever been the peace, and preservation of our Kings, maintainers of their honours, persons, and all just 
Parliament are the preservation of Kings and people.  rights: The defenders of the people, and their just liberties: have ever compelled due obedience to Kings, supported them in all necessities out of the people's estates, according to the necessity of the one, and the ability of the other; besides the certain revenues confirmed upon the Crown: And are whilst they are sitting (being called by the King's authority) his great, and alone known counsel, for the great affairs of the kingdom; and besides them we know none, nor can acknowledge any other, being of Sovereign, and highest power: The King only above them in person, and Prerogative, to call them together, as the necessity of the kingdom requires: of which they are conservers: for the kingdom is not wholly the Kings, but the people have 
See Senec. in Clem. l. 1. c. 19  a propriety. The King indeed is the head to defend and preserve the people: so it is his to preserve the peace of it, but not to destroy it. The covenants, and conditions, made between the Kings of England, and the people, at 
King's are bound to keep their covenants with their subjects. See Fren. Accad. c. 55. of L●●o. See Dr. Will. in come. 5. and Bish. Andrew's ●●de●n.  their Coronation, are (as it were) annexed to the Crown, and the King in conscience bound to observe and keep for the people's good, and Parliaments bound in conscience, and justice, to defend, on the people's behalf: as the people are bound to obey the King for his authority, so the King is bound to make good his covenants to the people; which he cannot, nor may violate without dishonour to God, and manifest injury to his people, having taken oath to perform and maintain the same: And those rights so reserved to the people, they may, and aught (by the authority of Parliament) to defend; (being assaulted) against all opposition.  
I say the people are bound to defend their Laws, Religion, lives, estates, and liberties, by the authority of Parliament (not that any private man or men may make resistance) against the authority of a King: private men are bound to obey, or suffer the penalty of the Law: although the Laws be corrupt and wrested to injustice. Thus did many Worthies in this kingdom, 
Many Worthies of this kingdom while they were but private men suffered all penalty of the Law, and against Law.  both under the government of King James, and our now Sovereign King Charles: When oppressed by Loans, Monopolics, Ship-money, Knighthood-mony, and abundance of such unjust taxations: though they refused the taxes, being contrary to Law, and destructive to Parliaments, yet they submitted to the censure of Law, though the Law was then by a fuger, the Judges, and handlers of the Law corrupted, pronouncing unjust sentences, upon which came sinings, imprisonments, dismembering, banishment, etc. Yet for all this we did not, nor might make any resistance; all we did, was but to make our humble complaints, by petitions, and humble supplications to his Majesty; and especially our prayers to God for redress, that we might be eased of our burdens under which we groaned, and some perished, taking it as a just scourge from the hand of God for our sins, to suffer our Kings to be ruled by a Malignant counsel, to oppress and afflict their loyal people: it was one of the judgenents that God threatened against Jerusalem, I will give 
Job 34. 30.  children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them, the people shall be 
Esa. 3. 4, 5. vers. 12.  oppressed every one by another, and women should have rule over them: and again, I gave thee a King in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath: an oppressing, or ungodly King, is the wrath of God upon a Nation: otherwise 
Hos. 13. 11.  there should be (saith reverend Calvine) no more said of a King, then of a common robber, that violently taketh away thy goods, and an adulterer, 
See Calv. instit. l. 4. c 20. & Sect. 25.  that defileth thy bed, of a murderer that seeketh to kill thee; but as he bears the image of God, and is the hand of God to afflict, (though else worthy of no honour) he must be had in estimation, and honoured, and not to be resisted by private men.  
But God hath appointed his times and means, when, and how such unnatural and oppressing Kings shall be kerbed, though he use them for a time 
God appoints times & means to deliver his Church.  to afflict his people, he will raise up means to afflict them, and avenge himself upon them for their injustice, and deliver his people from their tyranny: it is in God's power to make private men of public authority, and arm them by his own authority to execute public justice, as he stirred up Moses to deliver his people from the cruelty of Pharaoh, by strong hand, so Othniel, 
Exod 3. 7. Judg. 3 8, 9  Calebs' brother, to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of Cusban-risbatbim: and by Deborah, and Barak, he delivered them out of the hands of Jabin, King of Canaan: And he stirred up Gideon, for a deliverer of his people; who 
Judge 46. 24.  by inspiration first broke down the Altars, cut down the Groves, and spoilt all the idolatry of the idolaters, and then gathered a mighty army, and 
Judge 16. 27. judg. 7. 37. & vers. 25.  God gave his enemies into his hands by a sinal army of three hundred men: and so from time to time, when for their sins God had afflicted them, he stirred them up deliverers armed by his own authority against Kings: the greatest in power (saith Calvin) subdued the lesser, and gave deliverance to his people. And by such means, and in such cases, it is lawful to take up arms against the tyranny of Kings.  
Such deliverers God hath stirred up unto us in England at this day: Who 
This Parliament called by the special providence of God.  can deny but this Parliament was called by the special hand & providence of God, assisted by the authority of the King, by order of his Writs, issued forth into all counties to bring them together, his Majesty's good correspondency with them in the beginning, till incensed by Malignant counsel, and established by his Majesties own act; and is now (as we have said before) of Sovereign authority, (his Majesty having by his Regal act stamped upon them his own image) his great Council, and supreme Court of justice, accounted so by all Kings of this kingdom, confirmed by the oldest Laws, iterated from generation to generation: What their authority is, how ancient, and of what power, is described fully by the zealous and learned Author of that treatise entitled the Sovereign power of Parliaments and Kingdoms: divine Calvin saith of Parliaments, that they ought to withstand the outraging licentiousness of Kings; Nay (saith he) I affirm, that if they wink at 
Parliaments are bound to withstand the outrage of Kings. Calvin. in Instit. l 4. c. 20. Sect. 32.  Kings wilfully raging over, and treading down the poor commonalty, their dissembling is not without breach of saith, because they deceitfully betray the liberty of the people, whereof they know themselves to be appointed protectors by the ordinance of God.  
Then I say, if Parliaments are protectors of the people's liberties, much more ought they to protect their Religion, and to defend it with the hazard of their dearest bloods against all opposers. I remember a story of the Emperor Trajanus, delivering a sword into the hands of one of the Governors of his Empire, said unto him these words, Use this sword for me, as long as I do justly, and against me if I do unjustly. Where the people are a free people, (saith learned Dr. Willet) and the Princes received with conditions, to maintain 
See Dr. Will. in Exod. c. 20. quest. 24.  the ancient franchieses, liberties, and immunity of the Country; the State may lawfully maintain their Liberties against all vexation and violence.  
Besides, if a King, or any his ministers shall (under an established Law, contrary to that Law) assault a private man to take away his life or goods without the sentence of the Law: such a private man is not bound to submit his life, but rather to preserve it, either by flight, or defend it by resistance; a man is bound to defend the life of another, if unlawfully assaulted, much more his own: every animal is by nature taught to defend itself, what 
A private man may descend himself against unjust violence  nature allows to other creatures, it denies not to a man; besides, the Law of the kingdom allows a man to defend himself against all unjust violence: And Scripture yields us warrantable example in that kingly Prophet David, he defended himself against Saul his King, although he would not lay his hand upon Saul teacherously to kill him, yet he would take up arms to defend himself: and himself saith, that three ways he might see the death of Saul, and be guiltless; either that he die a natural death, or that God smite 
1 Sam. 26. 10.  him by some extraordinary stroke, or that he wilfully descend into the battle and perish.  
Now that David would have joined in battle with Saul, if Saul had assaulted him, is clear; sor, when David had delivered the men of Keilab from the Philistines, and possessed himself of the Town, it being a strong place, with gates and bars: he heard that Saul would come thither against him. Then he inquires two things of God: first, whether indeed Saul would come: secondly, whether the men of Keilah would deliver him up into his hand; and the Lord answered him that Saul would come, and the men of Keilah would deliver him up: He asketh not whither he 
1 Sam. 23. v. 10 11, 12.  should fight with Saul, but resolved if the men of Keilah would stand faithful to him, to abide the siege, and stand battle against Saul: But because the Keilahites were treacherous, he departed, and went whither h● could for safety. So when Antiochus, by cruelty, oppressed the Jews; forcing them to forsake their Religion, the Laws, and Customs of 
Josep. war. jews, l. 1. c. ●. 1 Macc. 2. 24, 25. etc.  their Nation, Mathias, the son of Osmoneus, with his sons, took arms against him, flew Bacchades, chief Captain of his Garrisons, and by force opposed the cruelty and unjust commands of Antiochus.  
The office of a King is the ordinance of God, and Kings are Gods anointed; but we must consider there are anointed of God that are not Kings, all Gods elect, (Saints on earth) are Gods anointed, as well the beggar as the King; and these, whether King or beggar, are precious in God's sight: God hath reproved anointed Kings, for these annoynteds sake: saying, touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm: Kings 
Psal. 105. 15. Psal. 82. 6, 7.  are gods in the Throne, men in the grave; gods, as they are executioners of Gods will, and worthy of all honour, reverence, and obedience: men, as they are executioners of their own wills, and neglect Gods command: Kings are Kings in two respects, in respect of God, who sets them up, and 
1 Sam. 10. 24. 1 Sam. 11. 15.  in respect of men that chose them, and accept of them; and so every kingdom is bound to obey their own King, not another.  
Now God sets up Kings to be a terror to the evil, not to the good, to punish ungodly men, and oppressors, not to cherish them, nor to oppress; 
Rom. 13. 3. 1 Sam. 8. 5.  and the people choose and accept of Kings, to be their protectors, and to do justice betwixt man and man. Now if a King fail of the duty of a King, I say not that he is therefore no King, but still a King, and, Gods anointed: but if he command things contrary to God, and contrary to the Laws of his kingdom, he is not to be obeyed, but contrary, (if there be a Parliament) they, that is the Parliament, may and aught in the kingdom's defence, to oppose any power, (directly or indirectly) raised to the dishonour of God, and violation of the Laws of the kingdom, or the rights and freedom of the subjects: yet so, as they are bound to preserve (if possible) the person of the King: and this is agreeable to right reason, and is the judgement of the learned of all times, divine and humane.  
Object. 4 A fourth objection is, that some factious men in Parliament (not the whole Parliament) for their private ends, raised jealousies of the King, that by his counsels he was persuaded to change Religion, and Laws, and destroy the Privileges of Parliament, whereas the King by several Declarations to all his loving subjects, makes protestation of his real intention, to defend, and maintain, the Protestant Religion of Queen Elizabeth, and King James, as also all the known Laws, just privileges of Parliament, and the liberty of the Subject.  
Answ. Answer. This is a cavil invented by the popish faction, and Demy-Jesuits, put into the mouths of their speakers, and is a notorious false scandal cast upon good men, terming them scandalous, of whom we ought not to entertain an evil thought: Whereas indeed there were no factious men, in either house or Parliament, but of the popish faction, 
Whilst the Bishops & popish Lords remaened in the house they hindered all proceed, and as soon as they were out, they put the King upon a war.  who are separated from them, and have raised this war against them; we know they came as unjustly to their elections, as they have since unfaithfully discharged their trust, many of them obtained voices for their elections, by letters, bribes, threats, flatteries, and violence, and had Papists votes, which is contrary to Law: these only are the factious men, that for particular selfe-ends endeavour to destroy our Religion, and to ruin the Kingdom: Whereas the other (which is the Parliament) have, and do, hazard all that is their own, yea their darest lives, for the public good; They that flatter Kings seek worldly preferments, which these are willing to lose to discharge good conscience: Saul had no better argument to discourage his servants from holding with innocent 
1 Sam. 22. 7.  David, then to tell them David had not fields and Vine-yards to give to every one of them. But this Popish faction declared plainly that they sought the ruin of the Parliament, else why did they accuse five members at once of Treason, and persuade the King to demand them out 
Charging the five members, a breach of all privileges of Parliament.  of the House; if those had been delivered, by the same right, they might next day have accused as many more, and so as many as they pleased, (which we know they intended) where then had been the privilege of Parliament? (a precedent to Kings is no less than a Law) is this but a jealousy? Then they (by what means I know not) persuaded the King to come in person to the House, with 400. Cavaliers, desperate men, armed with weapons of war, to take them by force, or to destroy them, had not God sent them away (as he did Eliah, when Ahab sought his life.) I am sure this was no jealousy, when the Tower of London was committed to Lord Cottington, afterward to Lunsford, and others, it was jealousy enough; and when Captain Legg, and the Earl of Newcastle, were authorized to keep Hull, (both known Papists) afterward when the King withdrew himself by their counsels, to Windsor, and the Queen sent beyond Sea with the kingdom's jewels, to traffic for men, money, and arms, I am sure this proves more than jealousy.  
When they drew the King (by their counsels) to York, when there was no cause of fear, they deluded the people under the King's name, and procured a strong guard for his person, so they wrought means to make the King afraid of his people, and the people afraid of their King: Seneca saith, he that thinketh a King can be secure in the place where all are afraid of him, abuseth himself: Kings 
See Senec. in Cle'n. l. 1. c. 19  (saith he) need not sortifie unaccessable places, nor cut down sides of Mountains, nor ensconce themselves with walls, and towers; clemency will secure a King in the open fields, and that only is his impregnable fortress, etc. Thus when they had procured their guard, pretended for defence, it proved presently an army of offence to destroy the kingdom: And yet they would persuade us there was nothing but needless jealousies; any rational man will say it was now time that the Parliament should provide for the kingdom's safety, (for they prepared no army till things were gone thus fare against them) Then the King's Standard was set up at Nottingham, war professed, which before was by words, protestations, and attestations, under many of their false hands denied. Now they fell to sack houses, besiege Castles, plunder, abuse, and destroy those that favoured not the popish faction: from Nottingham they marched to Shrewsbury, where with Papists and Heathen-Welsh, they made a mighty army, which ever since hath overspread the kingdom, destroying men and beasts, just as their confederacy have done in Ireland, and yet these are all but jealousies: But besides these, we had jealousies apparent enough (that this would be the issue) by their preparations, for 20. years past, 
* See the Remenstrance of that Parliament Ann. Dom. 1628. lately printed. Gen. 47. 14.  all which shown their intent was to set up Popery, and to force, or weary out Parliaments, forcing them like Issachar to couch between two burdens: And these ten or eight last years, things have hasted to a period, as a stone to its Centre; at the beginning of this Parliament, we were almost brought to hold our lives by Patent of them, as they held our 
Former proceed clearly show an intent of innovation. 2. Sam. 3. 27.  livelihoods by Patents of the King from us; and still we must believe their fair words, and protestations, but not believe our eyes, nor their actions, although we have proved their words & protestations, all false, and all their actions as we feared and expected; their words have been, and are as deceitful as the words of Joab to Abner, that they may smite us under the fifth rib, without suspicion or resistance: We must believe, that those Irish Rebels, that are in the army of Cavaliers, and those that are to come, mean to fight for the Protestant Religion here, though they fight against it in Ireland. Truly it is a wonder, (but that it is done by the hand of God for our punishment) that ever a knowing people, after so many experiences of their  breach of promises, and insulting treacheries, should be led as the people of England are, to destroy themselves, and betray the Gospel of Christ: Was there ever any thing more manifest, than their unfaithfulness? if we had no other example, than the example of Ireland, what promises, what protestations, what mighty shows of good was intended 
Promises broken, therefore. not to be be: leeved.  to them, and calling upon the Parliament for help, that all the kingdom sounded with the noise of their zeal? but as provision was making ready they hindered it, stayed the sending of help to them: and at last openly opposed their assistance, made war upon us here, and secretly assisted the Rebels with what they were able from England, or other kingdoms, that so the Rebels might be quickly able to assist them here, 
Commission of Array is a direct breach of liberty.  to butcher us, as they have done the Protestants there. And now we ourselves are forced and compelled most slavishly, by the Commission of Array, to break our privileges and freedom, and fight against the Parliament, to make our posterities slaves, as well as ourselves; and yet we must believe we shall enjoy our liberties and the freedom of free subjects. He that will believe such impossibilities, and apparent untruths, and not believe that they mean, as some of them have sworn (in my hearing) that they will not leave a Protestant Round-head alive in England, is more stupid than Harpast Seneca's fool, who being strucken blind, would not 
Vid. Senec. E. pist. 50.  believe she could not see, but said the house was dark. Let no man imagine that those who are traitors to God, will ever keep any promise with godly men. We know a perjured Papist, (if by his forswearing he further the Catholic cause) shall be a canonised Saint.  
Object. 5 Objection fift. They say, although many great taxes, and grievances, lay upon the subjects before this Parliament we see his Majesty redressed all, and confirmed several Acts of grace, to the great benefit of the Subject, as is confessed by the Parliament, in their first Remonstrance, which his Majesty would never have done, if he had intended either change in Religion, or Privileges of Parliament, etc.  
Answ. Answer, whatsoever the grievances were, that have since this Parliament been redressed; or what Acts of grace his Majesty hath been pleased to pass for the kingdom's benefit, were as gratefully acknowledged, as graciously confirmed, and those redresses, and Acts, cost the kingdom a million and a half, as appears by that Remonstrance, which deserved all those Acts of grace, and more: especially it being but right and justice that the King should sign all such Bills as tend to his Majesty's honour, and the kingdom's safety. But of all those Acts of grace, that Act, for the continuance of this Parliament, was the chief: for the further redress in things and causes of the kingdom's grievances, which else we could not but think would quickly have returned to the former evils, as we know 
Petition of Right never observed.  things did formerly, notwithstanding the Petition of Right granted by the King, and accepted by the people with great joy and thankfulness: Yet his Majesty through that wicked counsel, hath not observed it. What assurance or hope can we have of the continuance of any of the rest, to enjoy them any longer than this, seeing this is all the security we have for them? And this which was one of the last enacted, is the first assaulted; for, if the King may, or can break this, he may, or will deny us all the rest: if such a wicked malignant counsel be still suffered.  
Therefore we have good cause to believe that that counsel consented 
The passing of the Bills of public benefit in this Parliament but a trap to catch the people, to make themselves destroy the Parliament and all Laws together.  to the passing of such Statutes, only to insinuate into the people's affections to blind their eyes with a show of reformation, because they well knew that the heavy burdens, and intolerable oppressions, that lay so newly upon the back of the Subjects, had embittered their hearts, and enraged the spirits of the people; which the passing of those Acts, they thought, would mitigate, that by such means they might seduce the people, and draw them (as they have done) to join with them against the Parliament, that so they might make them instruments to undo themselves, and to destroy all other Acts, and the whole Laws: for by this way they have taken, they may (and mean to) destroy all as well as this one, for all hangs upon this. He that sees not, or that will not believe that this is their purpose, is desperately blind, and maliciously wilful.  
Nor do I charge the King in these things, although it be our greatest misery, that his Majesty is thus misled, to his own Majesty's prejudice, and his Subjects ruin: we know Kings themselves cannot err: but Kings see with other men's 
King's see, hear▪ speak, and act by other men, and are often abused in counsels to the prejudice of their people. Dan. 6. 4. 14.  eyes, hear with other men's ears, speak with other men's tongues, and act by other men's hands: All Kings are guided by counsel, Nabuchadnezzar was ruled by his counsel, and entrapped by their subtlety, to sign a Decree against Daniel, which he intended not. Ahashuerus was persuaded by the counsel of wicked Haman, to sign a Decree against the people of the Jews, under a fair pretence (as the wicked counsellors to our King have done) and believed the counsel to be very good: there was a show of profit (which Kings love) and a show of conformity, and order, a thing very good, and desired by 
Esther 3. 8. 9  all good men. Now the King Ahashuerus could not imagine that Haman would betray the life of his Queen, who had done no harm to any, nor of Mordecai who had saved the King's life. King Rehoboam would not give an answer to his people's petition till he was advised by his counsel, and therein he did well; But he did not well to reject the counsel of the old grave counsellors, 
1 King 12. 8.  and follow the counsel of young gallants, brought up with him in his youth: Now we may think it was his affection to the persons of the 
Flattering counsel seek their own advantage, not the King's good.  men, that caused him to hearken to their counsel; and it is flattery in such men, to give such counsel as they know will best please Kings, because they seek honour to themselves, not good to the King, or revenge upon them they hate, though the hazard the King's prejudice.  
When Ahab had but a desire to Naboths Vineyard, and was denied, Jezabel thought that desire warrant enough for her to use the King's name and his Seal too, and to send to all the Elders, Nobles, and Citizens in the City of Naboth, and they all as ready to obey whatsoever was the desire and command 
1 King. 21. 8.  of a Queen: because she (as the counsellors that rule our Sovereign) puts a very fair pretence upon her bloody design, as different from her intentions, as God is from the Devil: the commands a religious fast to be proclaimed, and the man that she meant to destroy, she pretends to honour: Set Naboth (saith 
Verse 〈◊〉  she) on high above all the people, and that all may pass under pretence of justice, and Law: Naboth must be accused before all the people, and his accusations 
Verse 13.  testified upon oath, and he must be accused of no small crime, no less than treason, not only against the King, but blasphemy against God Naboth 
See Verse 1●.  did blaspheme God and the King: God's name is ordinary abused, in such bloody treacherous designs, that the show of holiness may cover the bloody designs, and all the multitude are ready and forward not only to 
Verse 11.  believe, but to act such wicked commands. Thus we see Kings have been misled, and wicked things have been committed under a show of good, and pretence of Religion.  
God hath in great mercy discovered letters written to the great City of 
Letter & Commission sent to London to act bloody slaughters.  London, the City of our Naboths, and Commissions under the great and Royal Seal, to effect as bloody and cruel designs, as that of the Counselors of Nabuchadnezzar against Daniel, or that of Haman against Mordecai, or of Jezabel against Naboth, not only to have destroyed one Daniel, one Mordecai, one Naboth, but many: yea, all our daniel's, all our Mordecai's, all our Naboths, and grave faithful Counselors of the kingdom, and under the notion of defence of the Protestant Religion, the Privileges of Parliament, and the known Laws of the kingdom, none of which are in the least manner opposed, but by them that protest to do all these bloody and barbarous cruelties, under pretence of defending them; I know not what Princes, Counselors, or Captains have consulted to plot this wicked design: what haman's, what Jezabels. But I know God hath discovered it, and I dare pronounce from the mouth of God, who ever they be, they shall not prosper: 
Plotters of ●●ca●herous & bloody designs shall not prosper.  whether they have prevailed with the King to consent to it, or whether they have done it without his consent, as they have done, and daily do, what his Majesty never heard of; they have more eye upon his Majesty, than his Majesty hath upon his Seal, or what passeth under it, in his name, especially in this time of war, wherein all things are common, and men cannot keep their own wives from the violent lust and rage of bloody Cavaliers. It is not long since God by his wonderful providence discovered a dangerous and bloody design upon the City of Bristol, somewhat in nature like unto that 
Plot against Bristol.  upon London, but much below it in cruelty, besides many other strange and dangerous plots, by divine providence all prevented and blasted, but assuredly when the time appointed by God is come, and the sins of those Popish and Heathen Protestants (for they would be called Protestants) is full, as the sins of the Amorites, for which God prolonged the time of making good his promise to his servant Abraham, and to his seed; till when, they were to serve under great affliction and bondage, as God promised Abraham; (and I am sure the same promise belongs to all the Church of God that are true Protestants) 
See Cen. 15. v. 13, 14. 16.  that he would judge that people under which his people should serve: and I hope none doubt of the performance of that, but that it was made good upon the Egyptians; nor will I doubt but it will be made good upon the Cavaliers, and plotters of these cruelties; it was so with all those wicked plotters, and Counselors of Kings, against God's people, that we mentioned in the last page. The Malignant Counselors of Nabuchadnezzar, were themselves devoured by those Lions that they thought should have eaten Daniel: 
Dan. 6. 24.  Wicked Haman that procured the King to sign a Decree against Mordecai, and 
Esther 7. 10.  the people of the Jews, was hanged upon the same Gallows that he had prepared to hang Mordecai: King Rehoboam, that followed the rash counsel 
1 King. 12. 16.  of greedy young men, lost the greatest part of his kingdom for ever: And Jezabell for her bloody plots against Naboth (with Ahab who did nothing to 
1 King. 22. 37. 2 King. 9 33  hinder her) were both destroyed: all this you may see confirmed by the witness of Sacred testimony. We know God is the same now, that he was in those days, he changeth not, he is no less just to avenge himself upon 
Mal. 3. 6. Esa. 59 1. Heb. 1. 12.  wicked men; he is as merciful to save his people, he is as strong and able to do it: And the same promises belong unto us as unto Abraham and his seed, we have had as great experiences of his love and mercy, as ever the Jews 
Rom. 9 8. Gal. 4. 28. Rom. 15. 4.  had (or any people since) by several and many deliverances from the invasions, and home-hatcht treasons of the hellish Papists, God by his providence hath made all their conceptions, plots, and treasons, abortive to this day, (only he hath, and must scourge us by them, for our sins) besides we have 
Fromer deliverances should strengthen our saith in God.  had wonderful experience of God's mercy, and his hand of providence with us in these present miseries, which should strengthen our faith & courage. David was encouraged by much lesser deliverance to encounter with Goliab (the terror of men) for (saith he) the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and of the Bear, he will deliver me from the hand of this Philistim. And we 
1 Sam. 17. 37.  may with assurance rest upon him for deliverance, when his time is come; if 
Psal. 94. 13. Prov. 11. 5. Heb. 3. 19 Psal. 56. 12. 2 Chro. 32. 25. Jer. 5. 25. Psal. 37. 5. 7. Rom. 8. 25. Heb 6. 15. Acts 17. 2 Chro. 39 36 Psal. 7 3. 19 Esa 51. 22, 26.  our unbelief, & unthankfulness hinder it not: The people of Israel could not enter into the promised Land, because of their unbelief; and wrath was upon Hezekiah, because he returned not thankfulness to God, according to the mercies he received; for such sins will withhold good things from us: But if we will wait by faith, and patience till the appointed time come, though we know not when it will be: for times and seasons of this kind are secret to God: But if we were hearty prepared to seek God, and fitted for reformation, as the people were in Hezekiahs' time, the thing would be done suddenly, and we should drink no more of the cup of God's fury: but he would give it into the hands of them that afflict us to drink: who say to our souls, Bow down that we may go over, etc.  
I know these things though they be sweet, and pleasant to them to whom they are chief meant, will be accounted bitter to guilty men: what I writ is truth, and it is written to a good end; but to them who are in the gall of bitterness, sweet things are bitter: I am not invective against the person of any man, if any thing I writ make any man sorrowful to repentance, I have my desire: and for my Sovereign Lord the King, I honour and reverence his person, and authority: my soul mourns for him, and my prayer ever shall be to the God of the spirits of all men, to open his eyes (for he is misled) and to give him a heart like David, that he may be a nursing Father, and his Queen a nursing Mother 
Esa. 44. 22.  to his people and kingdoms. Upon his head let his Crown flourish, that he may live to reign over his three kingdoms, long, and long, to the glory of God; and that the Sceptre may not departed from his posterity, while the Sun and Moon endure, but let shame be upon all his enemies. 
Psal. 132. 18.   
I charge not his Majesty as author of these evils, for it is all by a malignant counsel, by which he hath been misled, and is still swayed by natural love 
The King not charged with these evils, but his wicked counsellors.  and affection to some, who have craftily entangled him in the snares of their craftiness: slattery is very like true friendship, and some slatterers, in shows, can exceed a true friend, and such convey vice covertly in show of virtue, and is often received by men of good affections: as judicious Seneca speaks, when men affect the person, the counsel is very prevalent, because we seldom doubt such men: it was the Devil's policy first to deceive Eve, and leave her to seduce Adam, which probably the Devil could not have done himself. Solomon who was 
Gen 3. 6. 1 Tim. 2. 14. See Josep. in antiq. l. 8. c. 2. Ecclus. 25. 13  never, nor could be seduced by an enemy, was by his wives drawn to serve their gods; to gratify and express the love he bore to his wives, he grew to honour their gods, as Josephus shows: give me (saith the son of Sirach) any plague but the plague of the heart, and any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman.  
Object. 6 Other cavils malignant spirits make, not worthy any reply: They allege that the King's absence from the Parliament makes it no Parliament, he being not only a part, but the chief.  
Answ. Answer. This is a mere cavil, senseless and ridiculous, that the voluntary absence of the King's person, should frustrate the act (besides the Statute Law) of the King, which is absolute without condition, except they will confess, and say plainly, what we have before alleged; namely, that this Act, as all these Acts of grace, so much boasted of, was passed only to deceive the people, and therefore no Act, because no Act was meant: But this cannot annul the Act; it is but like the plea that the Argians made when they had falsified the truce with Cleomenes King of Macedon, which they made for seven days. And the third night after, the Argians (when the Macedonians were secure) fell upon them, and said the truce was but for the days, the nights were not mentioned We know divers such equivocations, and Jesuitical cavils were transported from Spain by Bristol, and so brought to the Court to counterfeit truth, as the Bristol stone doth the Diamond.  
But now they have a new devise, to deceive the people by Proclamation, under great show of justice, and tender care of the Subject; it is no better than the Fox's Sermon when he means to devour, we must obey frothy Proclamations, and disobey solid, and law full Orders of Parliament: we must count 
By Proclamaron we are ●abid to obey any Vote of parliament, & the parliament, ●●disallowed at Westminster as no parliament, but a Oxford, where it may beawed, it that he accepted.  the Parliament, a Parliament or no Parliament, as the Proclamation shall conclude; if it remove to Oxford, a Parliament; if it remain at Westminster, no Parliament: at Oxford it may be forced, but at Westminster it will be free: Therefore while it is at Westminster it is but a pretended Parliament, though by the Kings own Act confirmed, during the pleasure of both Houses, and necessity of the kingdom, yet now we must believe that they are traitors, and raised an Army to take away the King's life, and to murder the Queen: We must believe their gloss, not the text, what they say, not what's true, wise men may easily see the snare, and pass by.  
We see our misery, and the causes of it; the cure follows: but before we meddle with the cure, take notice of an error in men, seeking cure from things that 
Error in the cure of misery.  cannot help, and that increaseth our misery; we have in all our afflictions looked too much to the hand of men, as the causes, and so for cure; and we have trusted to the arm of flesh, to the creature, and to outward means, and consider not that they are vain: all things under the Sun, saith Solomon, are vanity, and vanity of vanities: not able to keep themselves from misery, much less can they help us, or cure our misery.  
When God hath (as formerly) afflicted us with pestelince, we have attributed it to outward causes, corruptayre, ill diet, etc. and sought cure by medicines, or fly from infected places to escape it. When God sent great droughts, or extraordinary rain, which hath smit the fruits of the earth, we have been ready to ascribe it to the conjunctions of Planets, and to natural causes: and from thence have expected remedy. When we have had rumours of any foreign enemy, by invasion, we have trusted to our seas and shipping, and our great preparations by Land. When we were afflicted by oppressions, taxations, and crrruption in justice, we ascribe the cause to the discontinuance of Parliaments, and seek to Parliaments for cure; thus we have looked to the arm of flesh in all.  
In our great and long afflictions under cruel taskmasters, and heavy burdens, laid upon us; we cried undo the Parliament to ease and help us: but we were not thankful to God, that miraculously gave us a Parliament, nor sought unto God by prayer to bless our Parliament to us, and make our Parliament a means to cure us; but we sought unto the Parliament earnestly by 
We look upon Parliaments as gods, not as God's means to deliver us.  Petitions from every part of the kingdom, as if they were our gods, and because they cannot help us, as we desire, we murmur against God, and against them, as the stubborn rebellious Israelites did against Moses and Aaron in the Wilderness, because they enjoyed not presently what they looked for; they wish they had died in Egypt, rather than to be brought into the Wilderness, to be a prey to the enemies, etc. So we, because we have not present cure of our misery, we wish we had no Parliament, we complain that our burdens are greater, and our misery much more increased, and better with us when we were in our former bondage: this was the Israelites sin, and is ours, for this sin, their carcases fell in the Wilderness for forty years, and they never see the good land of promise. And for this sin many of us have fallen, and more will surely fall (except we repent) and shall never see the day of our deliverance, nor cure of our misery, because our hearts have not been prepared 
2 Chron. 20. 33. 2 Chro. 12. 14.  to seek God. We have sought to our Parliament, and vanity was there, because we would not see God in it: we have sought to our King, and vanity was there too: we have sought to our Armies, trusted in the strength of our men, and horse, and glorious preparations, as if that could cure all; and vanity is writ in the face of all these things. We looked to Holland to befriend 
All the help looked for from any creature is vanity Eccles. 1. 14.  us, and upon our Brethren the Scots to come to our help: And behold, vanity is found in all our hopes. All creatures are vanity, we prove the words of the Preacher true in all: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. When God for the sin of his people Israel, sent unexpected terrible thunder and lightning amongst them, they cried to Samuel to pray for them: Samuel bids them not to turn aside to 
1 Sam 12. 21.  follow after vain things, which (saith he) cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain: all are like Jobs friends, miserable comforters, as a stasse of reed, on which 
Job 16. 2. 2 King. 28. 21.  if a man lean, it will break, and pierce his hand: all these things will fersake us, leave us in our misery: they shall wander every one to his quarter, none shall 
Esa. 41. 15. Psal. 60. 11. Psal. 62. 9 Psal. 31. 6.  save thee: vain is the help of man (faith holy David) and why? because men of lov degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: Therefore saith he, I have hated them that trust in lying vanities, but I will trust in the Lord; God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble. The righteous 
Psal. 40. 1. Psal. 34. 17.  cry and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their trouble: God will help the righteous when they cry unto him: He, and he only gives ability to Parliaments, turns the hearts of Kings, prospereth Armies, and stirreth up friends to help: God is the true helper, all else are but his instruments.  
Now we are come to the cure itself, God is he that cureth all misery, 
Esa 41. 22. Why, and how God will cure his people's misery when they cry unto him.  and he only can cure, and heal Great Britain's misery: Look unto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God there is none else.  
Now it is necessary that we inquire into two things: first, why God will cure his people: secondly, how God will cure his people, when they cry unto him.  
To the first I answer, no other reason can be given why God will cure his people when they are in misery, but for his own name sake: it is certain there is nothing in man that can merit the least good from God, for when the best of Gods own people have done all the best they can, they fall short of duty, and therefore are but unprofitable servants: now he 
juke 17. 10.  that is unprofitable, and comes short of that which is duty, cannot merit any thing: God at the first chose himself a people, of his free love, out of the corrupt lump of Adam's posterity, and out of the idolatrous Nations, to be a peculiar people to himself. There can be no reason given why he did it, but because it was his good pleasure, he had a delight to love them: there was nothing lovely in them, When I passed by thee, I saw 
Deut. 10. 15. Ezck. 16. 6. 8.  thee in thy blend polluted, and I said unto thee, Live: and I spread my skirt over thee, etc. Behold it was the time of love. He saith further: because I loved 
Dcut. 4. 37.  thy fathers, therefore I chose their seed after them: the Lord hath avouched them to be his peculiar people, that they should keep his Commandments, not because they did keep his Commandments; he did not choose them because they were holy, but because they should be holy: nor doth God save, or deliver them for their righteousness, but for his own name sake: The Lord will not forsake his people for his great name sake: (as Samuel tells 
1 Sam. 12. 22.  the people) because (saith he) it hath pleased God to make you his people. There is a covenant between God and his people which he made with Abraham his servant, and it is an everlasting Covenant, in which he hath bound himself, to be the God of Abraham's seed, and that they shall be 
Gen. 17. 7. etc. Psal. 50.  his people: therefore when they cry unto him he will hear, and will deliver them, and heal their miseries, that they may glorify him.  
The second Quere is, how God doth cure his people, when they cry unto him. To this I answer, God is unlimited, all power is in his hands, he can do it at his pleasure; he that created all things, can create deliverance for his people: But usually, God doth cure his people by means  

1. Inwardly  
2. Outwardly.   
First, inwardly, for God useth to humble his people by their afflictions, for this cause God led his people forty years through the wilderness, to humble 
Dcut. 8. 2. 16. Exod. 32. 9 2. Chro. 32. 26.  them and to prove them; for they were a stiffnecked people: so God brought wrath upon Hezekiah to humble him, and by this means he was delivered, and healed of wrath: Manasseh, that extreme wicked King, 
2 Chro. 33. 12.  by afflictions was humbled greatly before the God of his fathers, and was by that means healed of misery: the reason is, because God dwelleth 
Esa 57 15. Psal. 10. 17. Prov. 15. 33. 1 Sam. 2. 7 Job 2. 11.  with them that are of humble spirits, to revive them, and to raise them up. He heareth (saith holy David) the desire of the humble; and wise experienced Solomon tells us, humility goes before honour: The Lord first bringeth Law, and then he lifteth up; God saveth the humble persons.  
By humility God makes them sensible of the greatness of their sin, and God's displeasure for sin; and so they come to cry unto God, and complain of themselves; Woe unto us that we have sinned: When Job by 
Lam 5. 16.  affliction was sensible of God's displeasure for sin, he cried out, I have sinned, what shall I do, O thou preserver of men? Why hast thou set me as a 
Job 7. 20.  mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? Thus doth the Church in their misery: He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out, he hath 
Lam. 3. 7.  made my chain heavy: and again, Wherefore doth a living man complain: a 
Verse 39 Lam. 1. 8. 9  man is punished for his sins? Jerusalem hath grievously offended, therefore she is removed, and they that honoured her, despised her, etc. God sendeth afflictions upon his people to this end, that they may be humbled, and seek him: in their affliction they will seek me early: and in their affliction 
Hose. 25.  God will hid his face from them, till they be humbled. I will go to my 
Jam. 4. 6. Psal. 51. 9  place till they acknowledge their offences, and seek my face: God first humbleth, and then he giveth grace, he will teach the meek his way.  
The humbled heart is cast down, despairs in itself, and therefore 
Men of humble hearts seek unto God.  seeks to God, God gives that grace of faith to the humble; the humbled soul, is a believing soul, it believes God to be able, and all-sufficient to deliver, and to heal any misery, and so he is set a-work to seek 
2 Sam. 24. 10.  God, and to pray earnestly for mercy and pardon of sins, and blot out mine iniquities, etc. This brought the Leper to Christ, he believed Christ 
Psal. 31. 9  was able to cure his leprosy (though he doubted of his will) and humbly seeks to him, and kneeling down, said; if thou wilt thou canst make 
Mark 1. 40.  me clean. It set the Centurion to seek cure of Christ for his servant. 
Matth. 8. 8.  And the woman that had the Issue of blood twelve years, when she had spent all she had upon the Physicians, and could get no lrelpe, she comes confidently 
Matth. 26. 34.  to Christ, and therefore was healed; thy faith hath made thee whole. Thus the woman of Canaan came to Christ, and cried, Lord have mercy upon me, 
Matth. 15. 22.  etc. although Christ seemed to put her off, she still cried after him; when he seems to count her as a Dog, and tells her he was not sent to give the children's bread unto Dogs, she cries after him for all this, and is contented with all; she replies, Truth Lord, yet though I be indeed a Dog, 
Verse 27. 28.  give me the crumbs that fall from the table: that is, but a Dog's portion, but we know she had a child's reward.  
Now from these preparations of the heart, by the work of God upon the heart, ariseth (cordial sorrow for sin, and steadsast belief in God through Christ) the two radical graces, Faith, and Repentance; which are conditions upon which (or qualifications to which) God hath 
The Covenant and promises are to none but to them that believe and repent.  engaged himself by covenant both to pardon sin, and to deliver from temporal misery. It is true, the ground and cause is only Gods free love, why he engaged himself in a covenant to his people, that he might magnify his mercy through Christ, in whom is our righteousness and our life; but the covenant and promise extends no further than to Faith and Repentance. Such as believe, and such as repent, only, 
Acts 4. 12.  have right to the promise, not all that seem to be God's people: for there are that call themselves Jews, and are not: many profess themselves 
Revel. 2. 9  to be of the seed of Abrabam, but have no right to what God hath promised: the unbelieving Jews boasted of the privilege of being Abraham's: 
John 8. 39 44. Matth. 3. 9  sons, but they were the children of the Devil.  
Now the covenant was not with the Jews as they were lineally the sons of Abraham: but as they were of the faith of Abraham, nor to them alone, as they were, are, or shall be of Abraham's faith; but unto all Nations, none excepted: the Scripture (saith the Apostle) foreseeing that God would justific the Heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed. That is, all of all Nations, 
Gal. 3. 8. Rom. 4. 12. Gen. 17. 22. Gen. 25. 23. Mal. 1. 3. 2 King. 22. 2.  that walk in the steps, and faith of Abraham: for they, and they only, are of the seed of Abraham: Abraham had an Ishmael, that had no part in the promise. Isaak had an Esau that was excluded from the promise: and wicked Ammon had a good Josiah to his son.  
And as the promise was to all Nations, so the Gospel was appointed to all 
Matth. 28. 19 Mark 16. 15 Act, 20. 24  Nations, Go and teach all nations, baptising, etc. the Gospel is called the Gospel of the grace of God: because by the preaching of the Gospel, faith and repentance is wrought, and we are begotten to be the sons of Abraham through the 
1 Cor. 4 15. Rom. 10. 17. Maith. 16. 16 Act, 10. 34, 35  preaching of the Gospel: So then, he that believeth, & is baptised (of every Nation) shall be saved; He that feareth God, and worketh righteousne, is accepted of God; to believe and to be baptised, is to believe and repent: the water of baptism is called the water of repentance. We are baptised unto repentance, and this is that which John Baptist was sent to preach, and therefore he baptised: faith and repentance 
Mark 1. 15. Maith. 3. 2. 11.  go together; wheresoever is true faith, there is repentance, and where both are not, there neither; they are both together in nature, but faith is first in order, because no man repenteth, except he believe mercy is to be had 
Jer. 31 19 Heb. 11. 6.  in God: He that cometh to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him: faith and repentance are the badges of God's people, he owns them by it, and without it no man can call God his God; much less can any man expect deliverance or protection from God.  
We have in our former discourse proved that there is no misery but what is from God, for sin: we will also prove that there is no denunciation of wrath, or misery threatened for sin, but it is with condition: If you believe not, ye shall be condemned: if ye believe, ye shall not perish: if you repent not, ye shall perish; if ye repent, 
Mark 16. 16. John 3. 18. Verse 15. Luke 13. 3. Acts 2. 38. Rom. 15. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Rom. 4. 20.  ye shall have remission of sins: These, and these only have right in the covenant with God, and may claim the promises of protection, and deliverance; and these, without any presumption, may be confident: for God is true and faithful in all his promises; and is most honoured and best pleased, when we believe with assured confidence, if we perform the condition on our part. God hath promised if we believe and repent, to pardon our sins, and to heal our misery: if a wicked man will turn from all his sins, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, and shall not die; God 
Ezek. 18. 21. Rev. 21 3.  himself will dwell with them, and wipe away all tears. Thus saith the Lord, speak to the City of Judah, if so be they will hearken, and every one turn from his evil way, I will repent of the evil I purposed to bring, etc. 
Jer. 26. 2, 3.  again, If a Nation against whom I have denounced, turn from their snne, 
jer. 18 8. joel 2. 13. joel 3 4. Zach. 1. 3. A ● 3. 9  I will repent of the evil, etc. Promises of this kind are very frequent through the whole book of God, Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.  
This is the only and alone cure, of Great Britaires misery, God hath long looked that we should by faith look unto him: and by repentance make our peace with him: but we have deferred, and that hath increased our misery! 
jer. 25. 5. 2 King 17 13. jer. 18. 11. Acts 17. 30.  God Commands us to believe, and to repent, it is his glory, and our own good: and the omission of this duty makes us miserable; we have had many warnings from God, the cloud of God's wrath, hath long hung over us, before the storm came: he hath sent his messengers rising early and sending them as he did to his people Israel: because he had compassion on us, and on our dwelling place: but we like Israel, have mocked his messengers (our ministers) and despised his Word in them: we have misused his Prophets, 
2 Chro. 36. 16.  and now his wrath is broke out upon us.  
He hath several times afflicted us, with easier judgement, sometimes by 
Former judgements have not wrought upon us therefore we might, and may expect greater.  Pestilence, and sometimes by great droughts, and extraordinary reins, by murraines and rots, and diseases on our herds, and flocks, but we would not lay any of these things to heart: he hath bestowed great mercies, and given great deliverances from the destroying plots, of the bloody Papists: but we regarded it not, but have provoked him more, and cherished them that would have destroyed us, mingled with them, learned their ways, and served their gods; all mercies have been abused, all judgements have been slighted, all warnings despised: and now God hath increased our misery, as we have increased our sins. 
Ezra 9 6. jer. 5. 6. Levit. 16. 18.   
We know it hath been God's usual dealing with all Nations, especially with his own people, when they increase their sins that he hath increased their misery, when lesser judgements would not humble them, he brought greater, till they were destroyed: take a view God's dealing with his people 
An example of Gods dealing with his own chosen people the jews. Levit. 26. 17.  Israel: see first what he threatened to Israel, and observe his justice in inflicting all that he had threatened because they repent not: he threatened to bring upon them diseases, sickness, terrors, etc. if yet they would not hearken and repent, he threatens to punish them seven times more, break their pride their power, make the heaven Iron, and the earth brass: if yet this would not serve but that they would still walk contrary to God, he saith he would walk contrary to them; and bring seven times greater plagues upon them, according to their sins: if that would not bring them to repentance, and reformation, 
Verse 21.  he would bring the sword and avenge the quarrel of his Covenant, 
Verse 25.  send Pestilence, and deliver them into the hands of their enemies, make them eat the flesh of their sons, and of their daughters: destroy all their false worship, and my soul shall abhor you: he threatneth to make their City's 
Verse 33.  waste, and bring their Sanctuaries to desolation: and scatter them among all the heathen.  
Now ask but the sad stories of Jerusalem, judeth, and all Israel: if all that 
Lam. 1. 4. Psal 137. Sec josep in war Iewes l 2. cb. 13.  was threatened, came not upon them, to the uttermost, and all for their unbeleese, and Impenitency; witness the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah, the mournful weeping Elegies, by the Rivers of Babylon, see josephus sad story of their misery, when by seditious war they rob, and spoilt all their Country, and took away their goods under colour of justice, and they that had not to satisfy their covetous desires were abused, and imprisoned: and the wicked seditious malignants, within the City of jerusalem, set fire of the City, burnt and destroyed their Magazines, consumed men, and means to support themselves against the enemy: fill their streets and the temple 
War Jew 1. 6. c. 1. etc. 15.  with dead bodies, and no man reverencing the living, nor burying the dead: one sort of the living was desperately wicked; the other driven to be wretchedly careless, through despair.  
Then extreme famine broke in upon them, that men and women, reeled like them that are drunk: by extreme faintness, and were glad if they could 
War jews l. 7. c. 7. 8.  get the worst of excrements to eat, and accounted mouldy hay, and the leather of their targets, good food: yea women eat their own children: and were at last destroyed by their enemies, their temple burnt with fire, and their Cities defaced, and laid desolate to this day: and nothing left but a spectacle of pity, and an example to all others, to take heed of Impenitency, and unbelief.  
The threaten denounced against them, do all belong to us; our sins at this day are the same that theirs was, we have had as many warnings as ever 
All the threaten to the jews, and the examples of God's wrath upon them belong to us. Luk. 13. 3. Rom. 11. 21.  they had; our mercies have been no less than theirs: and God's hand hath been long streatcht out against us, by easier judgements from time to time: and may we not assuredly expect to be destroyed as they are? think not that they were greater sinners, I tell you nay, but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish: if God have cast off his own people, will he spare us: they were the natural branches, we (as the Apostle teacheth) but the wild Olive grasted in; What could God have done more for a people than he hath done for us? what could he have done to his vineyard, that he hath not done for England? he hath fenced it about, planted it with the choicest Vine, built a tower in the midst of it, 
Esay 5. 2. 4.  and made a wine Press therein, etc. He hath dressed, digged, and dugged it, as he did the fig tree, and waited many years for fruit, that fruit of repentance and reformation: but England, miserable England is yet fruitless! What can England expect but that fearful and last sentence, Cut it down? 
Luk. 13. 7. Esay 9 14.  God is now striking at the root, and will surely cut off branch, and root in one day.  
Consider it ye people, men and Brethren of England, Scotland, and Ireland: you that are called by God's Name, you that are Protestants: you that have 
God's people must repent & seek God, or the Kingdom must perish. Lam. 3. 29.  known the ways of God, have given your names to be Christ's, and are in covenant with your God, repeut, turn from your evil ways, renew your Covenant of God, prostrate yourselves in all humility before God; throw your faces in the dust: and cry mightily to God, who is merciful, and ready to forgive your iniquities, transgressions, and sins; God yet hath spared you an opportunity, he yet stands at the door and knocks, our day is not yet ended, our sun is not quite set, there is still a moment's time in our hand, bless 
Rev. 3. 20.  God for that mercy; and make present use of it; let not God departed from you, Wrestle with him like Jacob, strive with him like Moses, and speedily repent with Nenevie, Nenevie had forty days given her, we have had more than forty years, and are not sure of one day more than this present day: yet there is 
jona. 3. ●.  hope in Israel; if we will repent, God is able to prevent: we have his own promise, from his own mouth, in answer to the prayer of Solomon, if my people, which are called by my Name, shall humble their selves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then will I hear in heaven, and will forgive 
2 Chro 7. 14.  their sin, and beale their land: here is the promise, and the condition: do you but your parts, and God will assuredly perform his promise to the full, and will establish your peace and truth, in despite of war and falsehood, in whose hands or hearts soever they be cherished, God will purge the land from Popery, and Annabaptisme, with all erroneous sects, and establish his Church in doctrine and Discipline, according to his own heart: let me say to you as jehosaphat once said to the people of judea, and jerusalem, believe the Lord you God, and believe his Word, and Prophets, and so shall 
2 Chro. 20. 10.  you prosper. You ministers & people of the most high God, throw yourselves before the God of heaven, and make your supplications to him, as Hezekiah 
2 King. 19 14.  did, when Rabsheca blasphemed, cry to him as Eliah, did to show himself: let our enemy's curse, we will bless, let them blaspheme, we will pray, let 
1 King. 18. 37.  them mumble Pater Noster, and Ave mary's numbering their beads, whip themselves, or cutand launce their flesh, as the Priests of Baal: God will show 
verse 26. 28.  himself from heaven, and will destroy all our enemies, and deliver us, to the glory of his praise: remember what jehoshaphat did, when the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and a great many other came against juda: he set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast, and all judea gathered 
2 Chro. 20. 3. 4.  themselves togethered to ask helps of the Lord, and God fought for them.  
Therefore gather yourselves together all you that expect to have part in the inheritance of glory: before the ficrcenesse of God's wrath break forth, and 
Zeph. 2. 2. 2 Chro. 36. 16.  there be no remedy: your sins provoke more than the sins of other: and your prayers will prevail more than the prayers of other, and your neglect in this duty, and at this time, in performance of the duties of humiliation will open a floodgate, at which destruction will break in upon the Nation without resistance. God hath long cried to you, by his Ambassadors of peace: Now God calls upon you, by an Army of destroyers, you must now bow, or you must be broken, therefore hear the rod, and who hath appointed it: let 
Mica. 6. 9 Lam. 3. 40. Psal. 4. 4.  in search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord: let us commune every one with his own heart, let us every one consider of his own particular sin, your sins of omission, as well as your fins of commission: for your omnision of holy duties, and duties of charity, are as provoking as the great abominations of the Kingdom: and till you repent and reform yourselves, your prayers, and fastings, and all that you can do, in outward performances, will prevail nothing at all; if you retain but any one sin, it will be like one leak in a ship, which will sink it as well as if there were many, except it be stopped: examine yourselves, judge and condemn yourselves, and you shall 
1 Cor. 11. 31. Amos 4. 2.  not be condemned: God's eye is most upon you: and you must save, (or you will destroy) the Nation; be humbled for your neglect of God's worship; your formality in holy duties: your omission of mercy, selfe love, ambitious thoughts, pride, covetousness, Sabboth-breaking: your failing in family duties, in your several relations, as Masters to Servants, husbands to wife, father to your children: wherein you have been wanting in duty either in instructing as a Prophet, or Priest, which you are to be in your own house and family, to instruct and teach: the sins of your family are your sins, consider how God dealt with good Ely for this omission. The command of sanctifying the Lords Day is to you, and you must answer for your Son, your servant, and your stranger: their sin is your sin. Be humbled and repent, for your profusnesse in expenses, and voluptuous pleasures; your costly, and many dishes at your table: your rich and strange attire, feed the hungry, &  the poor, let the souls of the poor, the fatherless, and the widow 
job 29. 11. job 31. 20.  bless God for you; do as job did, take heed of lying for gain, and reproach not your brother by scandals or slanders; let his name be precious to thee, as thine own, and do as thou wouldst be done unto: first humble thyself, for thy own sins, and then be humbled for the sins of others; for we must 
Mat. 22. 39  repent for other men's sins, for the Idolatry, Sabbath breaking, swearing, lying, oppression, murders, whoredoms, and all the abominations of the Kingdom; and for the lukewarmness of neutral professors: David beheld the transgressors, and was grieved: So stir up others to seek God, by 
Psal. 119 158.  your example, call upon them and exhort them, as the shipmen did, when the storm was one the Sea, and the ship likely to perish, that every one may call upon God: Jonah was the most righteous man in the ship, yet it was jonahs' sin that caused the storm, God hath raised a mighty storm, in great 
jonah 1. 4.  Britain, and except we do thus we must perish.  
Consider the practice of God's people in former time, and see the issue of it, when the Church in hester's time, was sold to be destroyed, by wicked 
Ester 4 16.  council, as we now are: Hester and Mordica, and all the Jews, they fasted and prayed, and humbled themselves before the Lord, and had a glorius deliverance: Nehemiah was sad in heart; and prayed unto God, and gained favour 
Neh. 2. 4. 6. Ezra 8. 21.  to build the Temple, and to establish the worship of God, in despite of all opposition: Ezra when he was in danger of the enemy, sought God by fasting and prayer, and was preserved: notable is the example of Daniel, when the Church was in captivity, he made prayers and supplications for the sins of the people; and while he was yet praying God gave him answer, 
Dan. 9 23.  and told him that at the beginning of his supplications, the command came forth, and the thing was granted, only the time was deferred, to finish the transgression: you know what a temporal blessing Nineveh obtained, by their temporary repentance (though afterward they were destroyed) but true 
jona. 3. 5. 10.  repentance never fails of certain deliverance and continued repentance hath a continued protection. Now as every one must examine himself of his sins, so it is as necessary that every one examine his repentance, whether it be good or not, for men are apt to be mistaken in the work of repentance, and think that to be repentance which is not; and so while we expect deliverance, we shall be overwhelmed with destruction: some think if they turn from some reigning sin, they have repent; as when a profused prodigals becomes a covetous worldling: some think that to abstain from the Acts of gross sin is repentance, as the civil honest man, or him whose abilities either in 
Luke 11. 26. jer. 3. 10.  nature or estate, cannot act with the will: some think if they confess their sins with plausible expressions, or affectionate tears, that they have repent; but this was the repentance of Saul, in case of persecuting of David, and so in the case of Agag: others think dejectedness of spirit, and grief of 
1 Sam. 26. 21. 1 Sam. 15. 24. Gen 4 13. Mat. 27. 4.  heart, is repentance, but such was cain's and judas repentance, other think that to come before God in the Congregation, to spend a whole day in fasting and joining in prayer, that they have done all the work of repenaance, especially if they forbe are for a little time, to follow after their usual (every days) 
Esay 58. 5.  sin, but this is that which is rejected, as to hang down the head for a day like a bulrush; yea there is a compunction or sorrow of heart for sin, as it brings judgement, yet not as it dishonours God, and this is but Hypocritical repentance, such as that of Ahab: judas went farther (and yet repent not) 
1 King 21. 27. Mat. 27. 3.  for he was sorry and confessed his sin and made restitution, and yet his repentance was not good.  
Consider therefore, that true, found, and acceptable repentance, is a turning to God, from all sin in action and will, totally, and for ever; with resolution 
Esay 31. 6. Jer. 25. 5. Ephes. 4. 23.  by God's grace never to return with consent, to commit sin again, it is in a word a changing of the mind, when the will and actions are turned from sin, and the occasions of sin, arising from the hatred of sin, and love to righteousness; not moved by the fear of punishment, nor hope of reward (although both necessarily follow) but love and obedience to God; where true repentance is wrought, it will produce inward grief, for every dishonour to God, whether in ourselves or in others: This repentance is the 
Acts 5. 31. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Tit. 3. 5. They that contemn and s●●ffe at the Preachers or preaching are far from repentance. 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1 joh. 3. 3.  gift of God (not in a man's own power) and is usually wrought in the hearts of men, by the preaching of the Word, and always by the inward working of God's Spirit, per●●●●ted by prayers, and intercessions through jesus Christ. Therefore they are fare from repentance that cry out of too much Preaching, and they farther that scoff at Preaching and holiness, etc. persecute holy preachers, and offer despite to the spirit of grace; God who hath called is holy, and requireth that every one that is called be holy in all manner of conversation, and every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure, every repentant sinner endeavours reformation in himself, and strives to the uttermost to perfection, he loves it in others where it is, and will endeavour it where it is not, by admonitions and exhortations.  
Now prayer is the chief means by which we obtain all blessings from 
Prayer the means by which we obtain all blessings. 2 Cor 7 14. john. 6. 23. joh. 14. 13.  God, and therefore it goes jointly, with the condition of faith and repentance, if my people humble themselves and pray, etc. whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my Name, he will give it you: again whatsoever you shall ask in my Name, I will give it: prayer is by God appointed (through the intercession of Christ) to be the means to obtain all blessings temporal and spiritual, and to keep bacl and remove all miseries. Now because every sin in a man is as a devil possessing him, and some sins as some devils that cannot be cast out but by fasting and prayer, as our Saviour teacheth us. 
Mat. 17. 21.   
Nor can fasting, joined with prayer, do it without faith, Christ telleth his Disciples they could not cast him out because of their unbelief, and hence it 
Verse 20.  is that all the faithful have upon any extraordinary cause (either to obtain great blessings, or removing great judgements) joined fasting with prayer. 
Judg. 20. 26. 2 Sam. 7 6. Nehem 1. 4. joel. 1. 14. Dan. 10. 3. joel 2. 16. What a holy Fast is. Levit. 23. 28. Ezra. 10. 3. Levit. 23. 29. Acts 10. 2. verse 30. 1 Cor. 9 27.  A holy religious Fast is a volentary abstinence from all food, and from all delightful things, and bodily labour, or recreations, for one whole day at the least; and it is to this end, that by the humbling of the body the soul may be afflicted too, which is a chief duty in a day of Fast; For that soul that is not afflected in that day shall be cut off from his people: the manner of keeping such a day must be even as a Sabbath day; wholly spent in the duties of Piety and Charity; pouring out our Souls by spiritual supplications and prayers unto God: and the work of it is repentance, to break the heart for sin, therefore it is called a day of atonement, or reconciliation; and surely the prayers that are put up to God upon such a day, are prevalent with God, able to open and shut the heavens: if the effectual prayers of one righteous man avail much, the prayers of many will prevail more; great and miraculous things have been 
james 5. 16.  effected, by the prayers of this kind: by prayer jacob held God till he blessed him, and Moses pacified great wrath; by fasting and prayer God's people 
Hos. 12. 4. Exod. 32. 11. 14. Nothing so hard and difficult but it may be obtained by prayer and fasting. Acts 12. 5. 7. Levit. 10. 1. 2. Holy duties unholily performed become very sinful. Esay 1. 11.  have obtained mighty things, nothing so difficult or hard, but prayer can make easy, it can make chains of Iron fall from Peter, and open Iron gates to give him passage to come to the Brethren, that had by unceass●nt prayer begged him of God, but the instances which we have before named shall suffice, but on the contrary, when this duty of fasting and prayer, is contemned, or formally observed, it hath procured wrath from God, and increase of misery, it is like the sin of Nadab and Abihu, when they offered strange fire before the Lord: for thus I reason, that duty which in itself is most holy, and most acceptible to God, being performed according to his Will; when done negligently in a formal manner is most profane, and most displeasing to God, abominable in his sight: to what purpose (saith he) is the multitude of your sacrifices, I delight not in them: bring no more vain oblations, your new Moons, your Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with them, it is eniquitie, even your solemn meetings, my soul hateth them, they are a trouble to me, I am weary 
verse 14.  to bear them: not that God is wearied with our many Fast, or desireth less; for he is best pleased when we are most conversant in such duties, but he hates formality and hypocrisy in them, and so they are a burden to him, and he is weary of them, and they become eniquitie to us: Who hath required these 
verse 11.  things at your hands, yet there was nothing in matter but what God commanded, and they were bound to do, it was the manner only that God misliked; therefore saith the Lord, When you fasted and mourned 〈◊〉 did not at all fast unto me, but to yourselves: the same thing is reproved by our Saviour Christ, 
Zech. 7. 5.  God hath denounced a curse to him that doth the work of the Lord negligently. The Jews when they had taken great pains in their formal Fasting, 
Mat 6. 16.  and afflicting themselves, they captitulate with God, Why have we fasted and 
jer. ●8. 10.  thou seest it not, we have afflicted our souls, and thou takest no knowledge: God gives them the reason; Because (saith he) in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your Labours: you fast for strife and debate, and smite with the fist of wickedness: is it such a fast that I have chosen, will you call this a fast, and an 
Esay 58. 3.  acceptible day to the Lord? God accounts of such services (although for matter they be the same that God requireth) but as if we slew a man, or cut off a 
verse 5.  dog's neck, or offer Swine's blood, all which he abhorreth and hath expressly 
Esay. 66. 3.  forbidden.  
Therefore it highly concerns every man, to examine his own heart: how, 
Man must examine their hearts in the duties of Fasting whether they do it to God or for their own benefit. jer. 14. 10.  and why he keep his days of fasting, whether it be in humility of soul, humbly to seeks God by repentance, and reformation of sin; or formally only to remove the evil of punishment that is present upon him? for than we fast to ourselves, not unto God: and so we may Fast and Pray, call and cry, but God will not hear us, to do us any good, but will punish us more, for our impenitency. God told his own people that thus fasted, When ye Fast I will not hear your cry: I will not accept of your offerings, and oblations: But I will consume you by the sword, and by the Pestilexce. The Fast that God hath chosen is to repent, and to be humbled for our sins, and to make our Peace and reconciliation with him: to cease from evil, and to do good: and exercise the duties of mercy and charity, to renew our covenant, and seek him by prayer: Thus God requireth to be enquired of. And this the Parliament 
Esay 58. 6. 7. Ezek. 36. 37. 2 Chron. 15. 15.  (like good Asa) in their late Covenant drive at, as the means to obtain mercy, and to be healed of our misery; for God will be thus sought unto, even for those things which he promiseth to give. God hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what he requireth of us, to do justly, to love mercy, and to 
Mica. 6. 8.  walk humbly. To this end he commanded the terrors and threaten of judgement for sin, to be read upon Fasting days unto all the people, to 
See jer. 39 ver. 2. 3. 6 7.  move them to Repentance, and to make humble supplications for mercy; if we thus keep our fasting days, with vows and Covenants to God Almighty, we may assuredly expect a blessing, and a healing of our misery, and our remiss, careless, and formal observing of our Fast days, is a chief cause, that hath so long hindered our deliverance: God's hand is not shortened that he 
Esay 49. 1. 21  cannot save, nor his ear heavy that he cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear; the Prophet tells us plainly; your iniquities and your 
jer. 5. 25.  sins have holden good things from you: thus much for the inward means of cure.  
Secondly, God cures his people of their oppression, and outward miseries: by outward means, this hath been usual in all times; that when the people 
We must use outward means to be cured of our misery.  have humbled themselves, and cried to God in their misery: he ever had compassion on them, for his own Name sake, and raised them up deliverers; armed private man with public Authority, enabling them by place, courage, and power to be deliverers of this people; to subdue their enemies and to afflict their afflictors. Thus we know he stirred up Moses, Othniel, Ehud, Samgar, Deborah and Barak Gideon, jephtah, Samson, Z●rubbabel, Nehemiah, and the like, God hath for us at this day, by his own hand, (in compassion to his people) in an unexpected way (almost miraculous) called a Parliament together in England; established them with Sovereign power by the Laws of the Kingdom, and stirred up the King by his own Act to confirm them, 
The Parliament a Sovereign power of command which the people ought to obey. The Parliaments faithfulness and courage. Esa 45. 22. Exod 17. 2. Exod. 15. 24. Exod. 16. 13. Num. 14. see the Chap. The people must trust in God and wait by fifth with patience. judg. 4. 3.  and Authorise their sitting during their own time, till by their Wisdoms (with God's blessing) they re-establish the perishing and long decaying principals of the Kingdom's Fabric; and God hath put into the hearts of them to be of faithfulness and courage for God's glory, and the Kingdom's lasting welfare, to hazard their lives and fortunes for defence of their Religion, and the people's rights and liberty, against the malice and opposition of the mighty, at this day combined against God and his people; and by this Parliament he will deliver Great Britain of their misery, if we look but upon them as God's Instruments, (nothing in themselves) or if we, like the Rebellious Israelites, provoke not God to more wrath by our unbelief, and murmuring against God and them, and will but wait by faith, with patience, while our deliverance is working: or that we (as too many of us are) be not like some of the Tribes of Israel, who proved traitors and cowards, in the work of their deliverance: The Jews were under the oppression of jabin, and Sisara, the Captain of his Host twenty years, and the people cried unto the Lord for their oppression was great and their oppressors strong, nine hundred Chariots of Iron, and a multitude of men: Now God heard their cry, though it seems it was more for the misery of their bondage; then for sorrow and sense of their sins, but God had compassion of them, and stirred up Deborah and Barack to deliver them; and of all the ten Tribes of Israel they took an Army of ten thousand out of the Tribes of Nephtali and Zebulun, 
vers. 6.  against the strength, power, and multitude of jabins' Army, for their hearts 
judg. 5. 18. The base cowardliness of the people a great discouragement. verse 16.  God had made willing, and ready to hazard their lives to the death, in the high places of the field: expecting all the rest of the Tribes would come in to their assistance, because the enemy was strong and mighty: but they basely therefore absented themselves, which caused great thoughts of heart; some few out of other Tribes came, and the Princes of Issachar came and joined with Barack; but Reuben disserted the cause altogether, he took no further care, but for his own flocks, and therefore stays at his sheepefolds, to hear the bleating of the sheep; let them fight that would, he would sleep in a whole skin: Gilliad takes example by Reuben, and kept within his own borders beyond Jordan, that was safety enough to him, let his brethren sink or swim; Gilliad will not cross the water to help them: Dan gets a Shipboard, and there he remains till his brethren fight for his safety upon the land: Ashur keeps about the Sea shore, hoping well that he should partake of the liberty 
Neuters in the quarrels of God.  as well as they that fought for it, (if they could prevail) but will not stir a foot from his place to help them. But Meroz, a City adjoining, considered the enemy was mighty, and he could not go to assist, but with eminent danger, they thought many of them must lose their lives in the battle, and besides, if they were not able to overcome, they should far the worse for their meddling; therefore Meroz resolves to sit still a Neuter, he would neither be with nor against, none shall know his mind, he can excuse himself well enough to his brethren, if they prevail; if jabin prevail, he'll find the more favour: but it seems the cowardly baseness of all these, discouraged the work, insomuch that Barack doubted of his strength, and would not go 
judg. 4. 8. judge 5. 15.  against Sisera, except Deborah the Prophetess, would venture herself to go with him, and this caused great thoughts of heart, among all the rest; and much search what they were best to do: but God that needs no help of man, holds up their courage, and did his own work, to the greater glory 
God needs no help of man, yet he requires man's obedience.  of his power: for it is all one with God to save with few as with many, this was Asas confidence, therefore when there came an Army against him of a thousand thousand, he cried to God, Help us O Lord our God for we rest in thee, and in thy Name we go against this multitude; the same jonathan said to 
2 Chro. 14. 11.  his Armour bearer, who believed it and was encouraged: and with his eyes 
1 Sam. 14. 6. 15  presently see it made good, for they two alone put the whole Host of the Philistimes to flight; and indeed God seldom delivers his servants by much strength of men, but when great preparations have been made, he doth the work by a few, as he did by gideon's Army of three hundred, yet God takes 
God takes notice who are forward in his cause and who not, and accordingly rewards them. judg. 5. 23. Num. 16. 3●. Meroz quite destroyed as Corah and his company. The people are bound to assist the Parliament. judg. 6. 35. judg. 7. 5. 3. judg. 7. 24. judg. 20. 11. 18.  notice who is for him, and who not, and accordingly rewards them: therefore he cursed Meroz with a bitter and irrevokeable curse▪ because they came not out to the help: of the Lord, to show their willingness to fight the Lords battles against the mighty, it seems their curse was much like that of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, when the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, with their houses, and all that appertained to them, not leaving so much as one to tell who hurt them; only their fearful example is left upon divine record for terror to all Cowards and Newters in the cause of God: as commendations of Zebulon and Nepthal● for encouragement of his people to all ages; for hence take notice, that when God stirs up a deliverer to a people, the people are bound to assist them, and to obey their commands, in assembling themselves in their just defence against their enemies; thus they did at gideon's command, in greater number than needed, by above nine and twenty thousand: So when some of the Tribes of Benjamin had committed horrible wickedness, and the rest of that Tribe would not suffer them to be proceeded in justice against, all the other Tribes gather together as one man before God, to battle against Benjamin, and when the war was ended inquiry was made whether any were wanting, that appeared not at the assembly; and it was found that the men of jabish Gilead were not there, therefore 
judge 4. 8. 21.  they all agreed to send twelve thousand men to destroy them of jabish Gilead.  
Great Britain hath been (for their sins against God) long afflicted under great oppressions and cruelty, and at this day more than ever, we all cried under the weight of our burdens long ago, (but not to God) yet God hath stirred up deliverers to us, and we (that is a great number) reject them, 
English neuters neglect God, and the means of deliverance, and cherish them they should destroy.  and have disserted God: therefore our misery is increased, and we justly given up to sordid stupidity, selfe-afflictors, defenders of them that afflict and destroy us: oppressing Monopolizers, Patentees, Papists, and seditious robbers, neglecting God, and our deliverers appointed by him, opposing the means of deliverance, as if we were ambitious, to leave our children and posterities in established slavery; bondslaves to merciless men for ever. The sons of Anack that hinder our felicity, and act our misery, which we ought to destroy, we cherish and defend: O fearful condition! The emblem of ruin and procurter of their own destruction, let Meroz and jabish-gilliad be their ensample, as in action so in punishment; and as Seneca saith, Let Histories tell their infamy, and register them to be hated to posterities, 
●●●ca in 〈◊〉, lib. 1. cap. 〈◊〉.  as those who had better never been borne, then to be born for a public misery. Most wretched, cruel, and detestable men, not worthy to live, and sure it is that insolent cruelties, beget everlasting hatred, and therefore bring continual and galling terror in conscience, which hastens an evil death; and therefore an ancient said well, that an old Tyrant is seldom seen, their actions call for destruction, and it hasteneth as their blasphe●●ie, murder, rapine, treasons, etc. 
Char. wisd.  are increased to fill up the measure, of their iniquity, and then he that clothed himself with cursing, cursing shall enter into his bowels like water, and like Oyl● 
I●. 109. 18.  into his bones, than the sword that the wicked have drawn to slay such as be of upright conversation shall enter into their own heart, and their bow shall be broken. 
Psal. 37. 14 15. 〈◊〉 woe things do hinder deliverance. ●●e these places Eze 33. 11. Jer. 51. 13. Math. 23. 32. Gen. 15. 16.  Two things do hinder Britain's deliverance, and a while continue our misery. First, the want of Repentance in God's people, the afflicted. Secondly, the filling up the measure of iniquity of the wicked and impenitent, the afflictors: if God's people would hasten to perfect the one, as fast as the Cavaliers hasten to fill up the other, Britain's deliverance would be speedy.  
Although no man can know the mind of God, and what he is about to do, nor what change he will shortly make in the world: for his ways are hidden, and his footestepts be not known, yet we can believe so much as he 
We cannot know when God will deliver us, yet we know he will deliver us. Acts 1. 7.  reveals to us, either by his Word or by his Works of Providence; we cannot know when he will destroy our enemies, whether within a month, or a year, or a day, It is not for us to know the times or the seasons, which God hath in his own power, we know not how fare their violence shall yet break in upon us, to kill, burne, and destroy; nor can we tell how God will destroy our enemies, when they are grown strong and we weak, (if God should suffer them so far) whetherby fire, or halestones from heaven, whether by pestilence, 
john 10. 11. Esay 30. 30. 2 Sam. 24. 13. ●er. 21. 6. ● Chron 32. 21 Exod. 8. 24. Iosh 24. 12. God will surely deliver his people, it they will repent 2 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 27.  or to fall by their own sword, whether by the stroke of an Angel, or by a swarm of fles; God only knows what he will do, and how he will do it, and we know he only is able to do what he will, when he will, and how he will.  
We also know that he will deliver his people and destroy his enemies, if we forsake our sins, and cry unto him, because his Word hath spoken it; and he hath already in part saved us from our enemies by the work of his providence in defeating their machinations, and diseovering their hellish bloody plots, and by saith we believe and know that he will effect his own work, for we live by faith and not by sight: Moses forsook Egypt, and was not afraid of the wrath of a King, because by faith he saw him who is invisible: but God hath visibly showed himself in the work of our deliverance, as afterward he did to Moses and his people in the wilderness: who but God 
Experiences of God's mercy and protection.  only saved the parliament-men's lives, in that bloody assault by the Cavaliers, when they stood with their pistols ready cocked, and cried when is the Word given, etc. Who revealed their intentions of bringing the King's Army from York, against the Parliament as so one as there was a pacification with the Scots? Who moved his Majesty's heart, to establish this Parliament, and these men now sitting, which now the Cavaliers would destroy? and who infatuated 
God's providence clearly seen for the means of Britain's deliverance.  their Counsels that they did not then hinder that Act, as they have done others since? Is not God seen in all these things, are not these clearer passages of his providence? hath not God preserved our Armies from utter destruction, by very weak and small means? Did not God deseate their first bloody design against Bristall, & probably would have showed his power to deliver them from the last assault, if men had not been afraid, and through distrust of his all-sufficiency lost themselves. Did any besides God dis-appoint that barbarous cruelty, and hellish treason against London? have not thousands of those Innocents', designed to death by that Plot, seen some of the Plotters and Actors hanged, like Hamon upon the Gallows he set up for Mordica? is not all this the work of God's Providence, with many others which for brevity 
Consider the treachery in Hull, in the Army, in Lincolre, and God's providence preventing. 2 Sam. 3. 27. 1 King 2. 5.  jomit: Stand still fear not, etc. And for confirmation of my former assertion, namely, that they aim at nothing but at our Lives, Laws, and Religion: Observe, that these Plotters and Actors in this bloody Treason, were the cortrivers of that Petition for Peace, any Peace, upon any conditions served their turn; Peace was in their mouths but War was in their hearts, for they intended no longer Peace then till they could take us by the heard and sinite us under the fifth Rib.  
True Peace is a blessing and, and to be desired, Civil War is a soar judgement, and to be (if possible) avoided, therefore Peace is better than War: but if War break in upon us, we must make resistance, and stand in our just defence as the jews did in Susham, and in all the Provinces of Persia, when 
An innocent defensive war is ever lawful.  through the wicked council and cruelty of Hamon they were appointed to slaughter; by their resistance they escaped, and besides that, they had no other means to escape; it was the work of God's Providence to give them lawful right to use that meaves, and they thankfully and prosperously used it, and slew of those men that would have slain them (as josephus relates) in one day, three score and fifteen thousand. This is our case, we are like them by 
josep. in antiq. lib. 11. c. 6. We may by authority of Parliamentas lawfully destroy our enemies that seek our lives as the jews did.  wicked counsellors sold to be destroyed, and our good God hath by his providence given us as just right lawfully to stand in our defence, and to make war upon out enemies, until they yield their Arms as the jews did. Those that have misled our Sovereign King are no better Subjects to him then Haman was to Ahashuerus, nor better friends to the people of God: neither can they ever recompense the King's loss.  
Therefore we are bound to make war against such men; Gods enemies, the King's enemies, our enemies; injurious misleaders of the King against his 
The Cavalicrs are God's enemies, the king's enemies and enemies to all God's people.  most Loyal and best Subjects: like that seed of malicious Amalack of which Haman was, of the by-race of wicked and profane Esau, a hater of his brother, and his posterity, implacable enemies to the people of God.  
There is a destructive Peace as well as a destroying War, therefore a just War is to be chosen, rather than an unjust Peace, and is warrantably just from the Authority of God's Word: there are four things necessary to make a just water. First that the cause be just. Secondly that the cause be weighty. 
Four things necessary to make a just war.  Thirdly, that it be the last means left to maintain or defend that cause. Fourthly, that the end be to God's glory: but such is the defensive war of Great Britain, the cause is Gods in defence of his truth, the King's person, and safety of his Kingdoms, his subjects lives, estates and freedom, against that abominable Idolatry of Popery, and Papists, and it is the last means, or refuge to keep all or any of these, weighty and precious rights. The world knows how often all other means have been assailed, before the taking up of Arms, and since by humble supplication, arguments of law, 
All means of peace was used before the parliament took arms, and since, and all rejected.  arguments of danger: Petitions, Messages, Treaties, and what not? but all was rejected: and these means were so long used, that it came near to a tempting of God, and betraying his cause, and we are sure no war was ever under taken more directly to God's glory than this, as it is defensive by the Parliament; nor can any war be more directly against God than the offensive war on the contrary party: it being against his known and confessed truth, and our undeniable birth rights, which we are in conscience bound to leave free to our posterity, as our progenitors left them to us.  
Our sinful peace hath been the cause of this our punishing miserable war: 
Sinful peace hath caused a punishing war.  and I see no scruple of doubt, but that we may with confidence, believe, that this so just a defensive war (by the blessing of God, for whose glory it is) will in God's time establish a true, blessed and happy peace.  
I am no Prophet, nor do I assume to myself, to write any revelations, nor do I rashly through passion vent my thoughts, but what I affirm is from a serious search of Scriptures, and consideration of God's usual dealing with people and Nations, grounded upon confidence of God's promise to his Church and people, that repent and turn from their evil ways, which if we of Great Britain do, the promise belongs to us; but we must freely and courageously use the means put into our hands, every one in his place to do his part; some fight, some pray, some feed and  the Armies, draw out ourselves 
Every one must use his talon and lay it out for God whose stewards all men are.  willingly to the uttermost for the cause of God, if we die, we die for Christ, who died for us, if we spend our whole Patrimony, God is able to double it to us again, if our children's portions, God hath promised to be a father to them: we are Gods, all we have is Gods, he hath but made us his Stewards, and it is required that afterward be found faithful, herein is our faithfulness, to use what he hath trusted us with to his glory, to lay it out for him when he calls for it, he now calls for our help, he can help himself without us, but he now tryeth us; tries our love, our faith, our obedience: this is to give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Nam●, this is to bring an offering before him; 
Psal 96. 8.  withhold not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it, much less withhold from God what he requireth and 
Pro ●. 27.  needeth. God hath promised to give men for thee, and people for thy life, and shall we withhold from God his own: what we do for God's Church and people 
Esay 43. 4. Psal; 6. 2. Math. 25. 45. Math 12. 30.  we do for God, our good and our bounty extendeth not to God, but to his Church and Saints upon the earth, our not helping them is to deny Christ: now if we of Great Britain, will indeed reform our evil ways, earnestly seek God, and diligently use the outward means, which God hath by the work of his providence put into our hands; I dare from the mouth of God affirm, that we shall see a glorious deliverance, from our oppression, bondage, and misery; and see a settled peace, both in Church and State: the Kingdom sreed from tyranny, and the Church purged from the Superstitions of Popery, Anabaptism, 
God will, if we will, give us deliverance, and free the state from oppression, and the Church from heresies. Maca. 41  Antinomianisme, Familists, and all other erroneous Sects, to the destruction or conversion of our implacable enemies, as is promised to the Church, though we seem as if we had no King, and our counsels perished and pangs hath taken us, as a woman: we are in pain and the child of reformation, sticks in the birth: Now labour to bring forth O daughter of Zion, like a woman in danger of life, for now thou mayest be delivered, and dwell safely, and be freed from the yoke of Babylon, for the Lord will redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies: Now also many Nations are gathered against thee, that say, let her be defiled and let her eye look upon Zion. they threaten much, and promise much to themselves, like Rabshakeh, 2 Kings 19 10. 11. 12. and scoff like Sanballat, Nehem●●h 4. 2, 3. but they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his council, for he shall gather them together as the sheaves into the floor: and then he will say arise and pursue as Barack pursued the Chariots and Host of Sisera, judges 4. 16. and as Dodo arose and smote the Philistimes, until his hand was weary: 2 Sam. 23. 10. Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion, for I will make thy horn Iron, and I will make thy 
See this place in Mica. 4. 9, 10 11. 12, 13.  hooves brass▪ and thou shalt beat in pieces many people, and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the God of the whole earth: To me belongeth vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time, for the day of their Calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make haste: the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants: when he seethe that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left: The Lord our 
Deut. 31. 35. 36 Deut. 7. 9  God, he is God, the faithful God; that keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him: but if we will still retain our sins and break our Covenant with God, he will forsake us; and then the Word of our Saviour Christ shall be made good upon us, as our fearful doom, Except ye Repent ye shall 
Luk. 13. 3.  all likewise perish; or if we withdraw ourselves from the help of the Lord, either in our hands or hearts, it is a token of God's greater wrath; and then the righteous (though many) in the Land, shall but (like Noah, Daniel, and job) 
Ezek. 14. 20.  deliver their own souls by their righteousness.  
We see God in great mercy discovering treasons against the Kingdom and our lives, to win us to seek him. We see God in his displeasure against some of our Armies for our sins, that they are not prosperous; and yet his mercy too, for he suffereth not his wrath to break out to the uttermost, because he is 
Psal. 78. 38.  full of compassion he destroyed them not, but would rather that we should repent and live; Why will ye die O house of Israel, if we will yet repent and turn 
Ezek. 33. 11.  to God, he will surely save us, and destroy our enemies: Surely the wrath of 
Psal. 76. 10.  man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath thou wilt restrain: God will have glory by the wrath of wicked men, and will restrain wrath against his people.  
Now for further encouragement to repent, and to use the outward means 
Six motives to repentance.  of our cure, consider these motives: first to repentance and to stir us up thereunto, let us seriously consider these six.  
First, God's willingness to spare and to deliver us if we will repent and 
Ezek. 33. 11.  turn to him, he sweareth by himself that he hath no pleasure to destroy us, he shows it by his patience and preservation, else why hath he so long and so many ways delivered us from destruction, which our enemies had prepared, and thought themselves sure of long ago, he hath looked for a man to make up the breach, and to stand in the gap for the land, that he might not destroy it, 
Esay 63 5. Ezek 22. 30.  but found none.  
Secondly, consider that there are many righteous men, that do at this time labour to make up the breach, and crowd into the gap to keep out destruction, but not enough; God seeks for more in England that hath been so long taught and instructed by God above all Nations, therefore be encouraged to thrust in among them, and it will prevail with God at the last, let every one make one, and the number will quickly be made up, and so wrath will be removed from us.  
Thirdly, consider God calleth still upon us all, he calleth by his Ministers, and he calleth by his mercies, and he calleth by his judgements, that he might win some by love, others by fear; because he hath compassion and would save and deliver us, if by any means we would be brought to reformation of our evil ways.  
Fourthly, consider God hath by his own power, in mercy to us, began the work of reformation for us, to give encouragement to us, and to strengthen our faith and hope, to believe, to trust and rely upon him.  
Fifthly, consider that if for all this, we will not now labour to believe, repent, pray, and reform our evil ways; destruction and damnation will at once break in, and seize upon us for our wilful impenitency: and impenitency is the only damning sin.  
Sixthly, consider the infallibility of God's promise, if we will confess our 
6. Pro● 28. 13. ● john 1. 9: Deut. 7 9 ● Sam. 12. 22. john 24. 20. ● Chro. 28. 9  sins and forsake them, we shall find mercy; God is a faithful God and keepeth Covenant and mercy with all them that love him, and turn unto him, and he hath said he will not forsake his people, although they have committed great wickedness, if they again seek to him and repent, but if they continue in their wickedness, and will not turn unto him, but forsake him, he will cast them off for ever: if thou wilt seek him and turn from thy evil ways, he will forgive thy sin, heal the land, and cure all thy misery. 
2 Chron 7. 14 Ten motives for encouragement, to use the outward means of our deliverance in assisting the armies.   
Secondly, for encouragement, to use the outward means of deliverance, that God hath put into our hands.  
Consider, first, that God usually worketh by means; in the use of means we show our obedience, and carry ourselves as men; and by our use of such means, as God offereth to us, GOD is glorified by us ● and will glorify himself in prospering such means, and in the end (after the exercise of our patience) will give deliverence by that means, and it shall be seen to be his own hand, working by and in the means; God requires that men be active, and doth not usually give deliverance without the industry of men, as we have showed by the fore going examples of Barak, Gideon, Mordica, Nehemiah, etc.  
Secondly, consider the many, and great blessings God hath already given, to very weak and unlikely means, yet by God's blessing have been most prosperous, this should encourage us, for this showeth God's presence with us in the means.  
Thirdly, consider, that as it is the means appointed by God, so it is for God that we fight, it is God's quarrel maintained by Sovereign power, by the Law of the Kingdom, in defence of God's truth, the Gospel of Christ, against Popery and superstitious bloody Papists and Atheists: it is also in defence of our lives, estates, and the inheritance of our children, and our children's children, to all posterities, which if now lost is lost for ever, and will be taken from us and from them, by oppressing robbers, and violent lawless men.  
Fourthly, consider all other means hath been used, and in all humility tendered to his Majesty, but through evil council have been rejected, or entertained treacherously, to ensnare and destroy us in our innocence, and we have no other means to rest upon, but God's blessing upon this, to make ourselves free men, or yield ourselves slaves, and leave our posterity bondslaves.  
Fiftly, consider that if those wicked Council ours be not by power suppressed, having consumed their fortunes in this seditious war; the whole riches of the Kingdom will not serve to make themselves whole, and reward the multitude of Cavaliers that have assisted them.  
Sixthly, consider that in disserting this cause, we shall dissert God; and than 
Esther 4. 14.  God will dissert us, and it will be to us as Mordica said of Hester, If thou at this time withdraw thyself, though God do give deliverance and enlargement another way, yet thou and thy posterity may justly perish.  
7ly, desperate cures heal desperate diseases, and that courage (saith Seneca) 
Sene. of Clem. lib. 1. ch. 12.  that grows from extreme necessity is marvellous forcible, and who (saith he) would not hazard that life which he cannot count his own; especially if by such a hazard he may secure himself, or his posterity after him, from cruel tyranny▪  
Eighthly, consider the comfortable and encouraging promise of Christ that 
Mat. 16. 25. Mark. 8. 35. Mat, 19 29.  he that shall lose his life for Christ's sake and the Gospels' sake, shall find it; but he that will draw bacl to save his life shall lose his life; again he hath promised that if we lose Brothers, Sisters, Father, Mother, Wife, Children, Houses, Lands, or any thing whatsoever for Christ's sake, he (or his) shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit eternal life: therefore be courageous, this was that which encouraged the jews wonderfully against the Commission of Calus, saying, We are ready to die, or to encounter any misfortune, under hope that God will assist us, and for whose honour we fear not to adventure any 
See josep. in antiq lib. 18. cap. 11.  danger, rather than to obey through ●owardlinesse, and incur perpetual Ignominy, and God's wrath in neglect of his Laws, so as to viol te our Country Laws and our Religion, etc. Ninthly, consider the several Proclamations under the King's Name which (whether he know or not) declare the resolutions of his Councillors and Cavaliers, is not to lay downs Arms, till they have fully dissolved this Parliament, and made a Parliament at Oxford, which they may sway to destroy our good Laws, and take away our lives and all we have, also to hinder the settling of Church Government, till they can compel Popery to be set up; and bring over the Irish Rebels to assist them, which is now their great business in hand: therefore if we either love God, ourselves or our Posterities we must now bestir ourselves and quit ourselves like men.  
Tenthly, consider that delays are dangerous, we see what misery many have suffered which might have been prevented, if we had been more forward to make resistance, and not suffered ourselves to be deluded by Proclamations and Protestations. Besides if we defer any longer our corn will be destroyed and taken from us, with our cattle and all provision, and famine will come quickly among us; but by our speedy and unanimous resistance we may by God's blessing quickly establish our peace and happiness, which the enemy unjustly doth annoy.  
I have been much larger in this discourse than I intended, when I first set Pen to paper, and now want time, and phrase to abreviate it: therefore I send it (as it is) among friends and foes, entreating the Reader to excuse all errors or mistakes by haste, and accept the uprightness of my intentions.  
I will conclude with a story I remember, mentioned by Plutarch, concerning Marcus Otho, who was by the soldiers Elected Emperor of Rome, and opposed by Vitilius Cecenna, where upon a Civil war began, and one battle fought for the Empire, the Soldiers pressed Otho to go on, and continue the war, assuring him of victory, offering him the last drop of their blood in the cause, Marcus Otho replied, I account this day more happy to me then the day I was pronounced Emperor, seeing your real affection unto me; and I must dow show it in not sparing my life for the good of my Country; this war (saith he) is not a war against Hannibal, nor Pyrrhus, but against the Romans themselves; and whether I conquer or am conquered, I shall offend my Country, I would rather sacrifice my life for the peace and unity thereof: which said; he fell upon his own sword: this was his love to his Country. But God be praised there is no such cause of a war in Great Britain, nor cause why there should be such an end of it: we desire but our rights and are ready to defend and maintain the Right, Crown, Life, and Honour, of the King, to the last drop of blood, yet we cannot have peace; but his Majesty is pleased to hear wicked Councillors, and give them leave to War against us his faithful Subjects, to destroy us, though with the hazard of his own life and Kingdoms, which needlessely he hath and doth expose to danger. The whole passages of the late Treaty show the Parliaments desire of Peace, so it might be with security: there is nothing the King desires but they Grant, except the delivering the K●yes and strength of the Kingdom, and all our lives into the hands of them that thirst after our blood. The main thing of difference is, Whether the King by advice of Parliament, shall appoint what persons shall be trusted; or whether the King shall appoint (contrary to Parliaments advise) such persons as his Council shall choose in these times of danger: now if this were not to betray the Kingdom, our lives, and laws to the hands of destroyers, let the world judge; (especially if we 
See the Treaty and Letters.  will but take notice who, and what persons, they have long since pitched upon for the chief places, as is made known to us by the letters that have been intercepted,) traitors to the State.  
Now the Parliament is bound in Conscience to God and in Faith to the King and Subject; to secure the Kingdom, the King, and Us, from Treason: therefore we are bound in Conscience to God, in faith to the King and to the Parliament, to assist the Parliament with our lives and estates, to the last drop of blood, and the last penny we are worth, against all desperate enemies, evil counsellors, and destroying murderers and robbers. Seneca saith, There is a King among the 
Seneca in Cl●●. lib. 1 chap. 19  Bees, and he hath no sting, Nature hath denied it to him, because he should not be cruel to seek revenge, nor hazard his life, and therefore took away his weapon, and disarmed his wrath; all Kings and Princes (saith he) ought to consider this excellent example, for it is the Custom of Nature to discover herself in little things.  
I might add other motives, but if we look upon the horrible cruelties of the Rebels in Ireland, and consider the rise of that Rebellion, set forth in the Parliaments late Declaration, that alone is motive enough, being in itself more horrid, and in the consequence much more dangerous to us, than that act of the Benjaminites in abusing the Levites Concubine, was to the other Tribes of Israel. 
judg. 19 25.  This being every one's case, which we are all bound to vindicate. Me thinks that Declaration from the Parliament is sent through all Britain, like the divided 
See the Declaration entitled the rise of the Grand Rebellion in Ireland.  pieces of the Concubine, into all the Coasts of Israel, and I cannot but say of it as they said of that, Consider it, (take notice and speak your mind, judges 19 29. 30.) if we have not more reason, and juster cause than the Israelites, to gather together as one man, from all parts of Britain, and resolve never to return to our own houses, till those miscreants (those men of Belial) be delivered up to the hand of justice; see the place judg. 20. 8. 13. and withal consider that place Proverbes 25. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and the throne shall be established in righteousness.  
Now to close up all, let me give you some Reasons, of my confidence (if you thus do) that God will prosper you, and give deliverance in his due time to his Church, and to his people in this Kingdom, and for that take briefly these grounds following.  
First, it was the especial hand of God, and his Providence that brought this 
7. Reasons or grounds of confidence that God will deliver his Church and people in this Kingdom at this time, if we use the means before prescribed. john. 11. 10. 51.  Parliament to sit, (the King was the Instrument) and after to establish it for some continuance of time, contrary to the expectation of all men, and opposite to the long continued purposes and designs of Malignant councillors: whom God as strangely infatuated at that time, as at another time in another case, he as strangely inspired Caiphas to Prophesy that Christ should die for the Nation.  
Secondly, God's wrath was never kindled against any people, or Kingdom, but for sin, especially for the sins of Idolatry, Sabboth-breaking, and public injustice: nor hath his wrath continued to desolation, but for non-reformation: But God hath called this Parliament to purge sin, to overthrow Idolatry, to suppress Sabboth-breakers, and to reform public injustice, arming them with Sovereign Authority by his own power, and by the Authority of the King: to which work they have wholly devoted themselves; and for that very cause, they are at this time so strongly opposed by the powers of hell and earth. Therefore God will maintain his own cause, and his servants working his work, and in his own time will make their work prosperous in their hands, as he did to Nehemiah. 
Nehe. 6. 15. 16.   
Thirdly, God hath afflicted Britain for these sins, and a multitude of other transgressions, and doth still continue to afflict us for our impenitency: but it is observable that he whips us because he would convert us; and yet he preserves us from destruction, because he would not totally destroy us: therefore hath wonderfully discovered the Plots of the enemy, and blasted their bloody designs, when they had prepared them (as they thought) ready to destroy us; former mercies are engagements of future deliverance; hence I conclude from the confidence of Manoahs' wife (when an Angel had told her she should bear a 
1 Sam. 17. 37.  son, that should begin to deliver Israel, her husband seeing the Angel assend 
judg. 13. 22, 23  up in the flame, said, we shall surely die, because we have scene God) if (saith she) the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have showed us these things.  
Fourthly, I find by all Stories Divine, and Humane, (that ever I read) that before God destroyed a people or Kingdom, he hath taken away his Prophets, judges, and righteous men, or they have been rarely found, or else he hath taken 
Esay 57 1. Exod. 32. 10. jer. 7. 16. jer. 14, 11.  off their affections, and spirits from prayer, for that people or Kingdom.  
I confess this hath in part been made good to England, some have been over awed, their mouths stopped, some banished, others destroyed, and many forced to fly to other Countries for shelter: Yea, the two Fountains of Religion and holiness (as well as the Courts of justice) were exceedingly corrupted: all which presaged a storm coming, and now it is come: But consider God's 
Isay 1. 26.  Ministers are restored, increased, and many returned from their Exile, righteous judges are set up, and good men put in Authority. The affections of the godly (and that of many thousands) are moved with zeal to God exceedingly, and their hearts stirred up to earnest constant prayer, and unwearied labours: have seen some gracious returns of their prayers, and fruit of their labours, and wait 
Mica. 7. 9  by faith with patience, till the Lord plead their cause, and execute judgement for them.  
Besides, notwithstanding the corruption of the fountain, God hath from thence produced pure streams, planted fruitful vines in his Orchard. When were more young, able, godly, Ministers in England then now? When were men stirred up with zeal for God to lift up their voices like Trumpets, to tell Israel 
Esay 58. 1. Act. 4. 36. 1 Thes. 5 14. Psal. 147. 1. Esay 8. 11. etc. Esay 10. 14. vers. 15. 16.  her transgressions, and judah of her sins? When were more sons of consolation, to comfort the feeble minded? But if God graft new scions, and plant young Vines in his Vineyard, he is not about to destroy it, but rather to gather his own together, that he may destroy the wicked by themselves.  
Fifthly, no story of any age or people, can give a precedent, that ever God destroyed an humbled praying people, (notwithstanding the irreligiousness of a multitude of godless men, amongst which they live, whom God can cut off 
Mat. 13. 30.  some other way, or reserve to greater wrath) but if a considerable number of repenting reformers have been found, God hath for their sakes spared such a people or Nation; therefore this Church and Nation: Only we must consider 
Tim 2. 19  God looks for a greater number in Great Britain, than in any other Nation or Kingdom; God would have spared Sodom for ten righteous sake, yet seven 
Luk. 12. 48. Gen. 18. 32. 1 King. 19 18.  thousand in Israel was too few, (although God took notice of them all) and surely twice seven thousand cannot save England: but if those in England who have given their Names to Christ, be found to be truly repenting, praying, and reforming their evil ways, with resolution to perseveere; undoubtedly England 
2 Chro. 7. 14. john. 17. 19  shall be saved for their sakes. The example of Judea and Jerusalem in the time of Josiah; nor the present condition of Germany are no objections of validity against this truth, except we resolve to cherish our base lusts, seek our private ends, love ourselves; so as to neglect God and the means he hath in mercy freely 
1 Chron. 28. 9 ult.  given us to save us: this is to forsake God, and then God will forsake us, and cast us off for ever; and it shall be said of England, as once of Babel; we would have 
Jer. 51. 9  healed Babel, and she would not be healed, etc.  
6ly, Although for these sins, now reigning in this Kingdom, namely Idolatry, profanation of the Sabbath, oppression, etc. God hath destroyed whole Kingdoms, laid them mast, and given up his own people with the wicked into his 
jer. 24. 5.  enemy's hands. Yet you must consider it was when generally or wholly, the people were willing to yield to such sins as it was before and instantly after josiahs' time. Besides when those men so given into captivity, have been sold, 
Dan 6. 6. verse 23. 24. Esth. 8. 7. Neh. 4. 8. etc. Nehe. 6. 15. 16 1 King. 18. 24.  to destruction and appointed to slaughter by their enemies, maliciously to destroy the Church of God: God hath for his own Names sake given them a glorious deliverance, much more will he deliver at this time, being now invocated on both sides, and called to be judge of the truth, as in the time of Eliah.  
Yet I say not but England is punished for these sins, and may be brought very low and into great straits because of unbelief, lukewarmness, and impenitency, before she see a full deliverance: which if it be so the fault is our own. 
Hos. 13. 9   
Seventhly, it hath been usual with God when admonitions have been rejected, and easier chastisements slighted, to lay great and heavy judgements upon 
Deut. 28. 29.  his own people, and of long continuance; and in these judgements to take away many of his children, till his people return and earnestly seek God, and till 
Hos. 5. 15. Ezek. 5. 13.  the time of his indignation be accomplished; great sins, and long continued in, bring great and long judgements, (except there be proportionable humiliation to prevent it) but glorious deliverance to God's people will come, and wonderful 
Deut 7. 23.  destruction to their enemies will be seen to all the world: and assuredly deliverance will come to Britain, if we wait by faith and patience, with diligent use of the means, without murmuring at the miscarriages, and accidents in things, failing of men or Armies, confided in: or be discouraged at the seeming unprosperous success of our Armies, or the successful enterprises 
Psal. 73. 18. Psal. 76. 10.  of the enemy; in all which God hath a secret way of providence, and will make to the manifestation of his glory. Nor let any man think that he shall be delivered by another man's faith and repentance, or escape by other men's cost and industry: for although enlargement come, and the Kingdom be delivered, yet 
Esth. 4. 14.  the unbelieving and mammonist may be cut off before or after. Consider what became of that great Lord, on whose hand King jehoram leaned, because he believed not the Word of God. Besides at the great day of account, Christ may say to such, 
● King. 7. 17.  I know you not, depart, etc. You that were not with me, were against me. Therefore let every one conscionably do his own part and duty; and then depend 
Mat. 25. 40. 41 Mat 12. 30.  upon God for a glorious and comfortable deliverance, which God grant for his Names sake.  
But there are four evils that exceedingly hinder the work of Britain's deliverance, which must be removed. Two concern private men, two concern the Public Magistrate: the evils in private men are, first, neglect of selfe-examination, every ones not judging and condemning his own sin. Secondly, our forwardness and rashness to censure and condemn the faults, miscarriages or neglects of others: Parliament, Armies, Commanders, etc. whom we are bound to pray for, as they are the Instruments of God for our good. The evils in the public Magistrate are, first, not cleansing God's Armies of known achan's, who seek the wedge of Gold, and the Babilonish Garment: these 
Iosh 7. 11. 12.  hinder God from going out with our Armies; cause the mouths of ill affected men to be opened against our just cause, and discourage many well affected people, and is an occasion, Why our Armies turn the back upon the enemy: secondly, the nourishing of flattering Zibas, and traitorous judasis; who take pay of our money, are maintained in excess and riot at our costs (while the common Soldiers want necessaries) yet like judas betray our cause, and sell us for gain. Let us pray, and our Parliament and General's endeavour to have these evils removed. And God will be seen to go out with our Armies, and will undoubtedly work our work for us; save our King, and destroy his and our enemies. Let all Glory be given to God.  
FINIS.