A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House OF COMMONS At their late Monthly Fast, being on Wednesday, June 30. 1647. By NATHANIEL WARD Minister of God's Word. LONDON, Printed by R. I. for Stephen Bowtell at the sign of the Bible in Popes-head Alley 1647. The Bookseller to the Reader. Courteous READER: THis Sermon by a special Providence came into my hands. The ensuing Letter was written by the Author to some friends, for whom this Copy was prepared: That the printing of false Copies might be prevented which I heard were abroad, and intended for the Press: I have adventred at the earnest request of many, both godly and judicious, to publish this without the knowledge or consent of the Author, not doubting but that it will be both useful and acceptable to most, and justly displeasing unto none. Thine S.B. A LETTER To some Friends. Loving Friends, TO satisfy your expectations I am willing to send you a true copy of my Sermon as I wrote it, but I confess in some things a little differing from my preaching it: wanting time and rest, having traveled much a little before the day, and striving to speak loud in so great a Church; I soon discerned, that I could not be Master of my thoughts and memory: but forgot somethings material, and expressed two or three passages inconveniently, which sounded ill in mine own ears. I was very loath to read my notes more than some scriptures: had I done it, I presume I had not offended any: but my judgement is altogether against it. It hath not been my manner to grieve any man's spirit in the Pulpit, But in a distempered time, when occurrences of State are so violent and various that a man speaks for life, it is hard to speak pertinently to the case, and acceptably to all hearers, especially when there are so many counterparties, tuning their ears to the key of their own Interests, insomuch that I scarce know any man who lies not now under some pressing prejudice, most men seem to Exercere hanc artem industriously: and God seems to pinion up every man's arms, whose hearts is set to do him or this State any true service; but I am fare from excusing myself any farther than I may and aught. Two or three things I hear pleased not, 1 My persuading so much to lament the King, wherein I acknowledge I let fall one redundant expression; I am very ignorant of God's mind, if it be not a very Christian, and at this time a very necessary duty; I think I had spoke nothing to the Text, if I had not spoke to that which is the main point in it. I earnestly wish that time doth not drive us to a more bitter lamentation for his carriage and miscarriage, than now we are able or willing to foresee, I desire to bewail myself that I can bewails him no more. Yet if I may believe myself, hot or cold, I am as fare from being a Malignant as any man that heard me. Another was some passages concerning the Army, which I have sent you verbatim, I acknowledge I can but pity and pray for them, and so far as God who is able to work good out of evil, makes them his instruments to awaken the Parliament to expedite what is necessary. I look on them in hope they will do no great harm, but when I consider, how they have begun so vast and strange an enterprise without Warrant, I cannot but fear they will proceed besides and beyond rule, if God lead not their leaders, with his only wise hand, little do good men know what spirits themselves, much less rude men, are of, if once they be embroiled, in heat of action and opposition. The other was, the word carting, which you shall meet withal in its place, it grieved me to see divers smile at it with sleight Spirits in so solemn a time. I weighed it before and advised with a godly prudent Divine about it, who said it was no unfit expression, but might be well used. Christ calls himself a Husbandman, into which calling it falls; carting is as honest and honourable a work and word as Carpentering: I think I shall ere long show you a good Commentator on Ezek. who saith, Christus, or, spiritus Christi est optimus & peritissimus Auriga, etc. Some of you know how truly unwilling I was to come upon any public Stage, knowing how perilous and jealous the times are, and how seriously I declined this text suspecting the very words of it would be ungrateful to some. I consulted with seven intimate friends about it, and another much cooler and peaceable, whereto my own mind most led me, as they can bear me witness, six of them urged me to this, yet my heart did constantly discourage me from it, though upon many thoughts I could not conceive any subject so necessary as to persuade the restauration and conservation of our lost authority, in a time when Government is fallen so low, and men's Spirits risen so high: that if it be not suddenly looked into, no humane eye can see any help or hope how it can be screwed up again to its due altitude, unless it be by him who can do what he please. I trust I shall not be grieved that I was not thanked or ordered to print, I am not only above but a verse to both. I have had more thanks than I can tell what to do with, and many justify me I fear too much, and more importunity to print it then I have or shall listen unto, for I see the nakedness of it well enough, this I acknowledge grieves me sadly, that coming a hard Winter voyage over the vast raging Seas to do what service I could to my Country, in preserving Truth, and promoting Peace; I am obstructed so far as I am. I am not ignorant that there are some troubled at my being here, and watching an opportunity to weaken me and my work, which I have attended faithfully, meekly, and not without some success, but I am not altogether discouraged. I hope I shall make and keep my peace with the Lord, as for men I hope not for it, till he shall vouchsafe to give us more humility and fear than I can yet see in this Land, which two graces seem to me to be much more wanting than they ever were in my days. I pray let none take any copy of this Sermon, but such as are wise, and friends to me, and have no itch to publish it, I would not add offence to offence, it hath been often told me with some confidence, that it is already in the Press, but where and by whom, I cannot learn: I have used means and friends to prevent it, if it should by any other Copy. I shall then advise with you what to do. I entreat you, if in perusing it you find any evil in the matter or manner, you would charge me faithfully with it; I shall find a time and way to unsay and undo it, in the mean while pray for him, that shall be Yours if ever a time come again when men may be their own. Nath. Ward. A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House of Commons, assembled in Parliament: At their late Monthly FAST, Being on Wednesday June, 30. 1647. EZEKIEL 19 ver. 14. And fire is gone out of a Rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong Rod, to be a Sceptre to Rule, this is a Lamentation, and shall be for a Lamentation. THIS Chapter is a Tragical conclusion of the Antecedent part of this prophecy, wherein the Prophet tells them, 1 To what pass they have brought the state of Jsrael. 2 What God would have them now do. The first, under a twofold or rather threefold Allegory, it will not be amiss to take a very Transient view of the whole Chapter, being short; that we may take the better aim at the Text. Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the Princes of Jsrael. Ver. 1 It well beseems a State professing Religion to lament the miscarriages and miseries of their Princes, and good reason, for they are usually for their sin, and to their sorrow. And say, Ver. 2 what is thy Mother? a Lioness, she lay down among Lions, she nourished her whelps among young Lions. It seems God and the Prophet took the Commonwealth to be the Mother or Parent of their Kings, the Kings her Sons. If Commonwealths were such Mothers as we read of Prove. 31. And would instruct their Princes so piously as she did, they should probably have more lemuel's and fewer Rehoboams. If Princes would acknowledge their commonwealth to be their Mother, there were some hope they would better observe Solomon's advice, or rather Gods, which is not to forsake the Laws of their Mother to rule pro arbitrio, nor prove a heaviness to their Mother, nor a shame to their Mother, nor despise their Mother, nor chase away their Mother, nor curse their Mother, nor smite their Mother. But this Mother at this time was a Lioness, she couched among Lions, and nursed up her whelps among young Lions. If Commonwealths be Lions, how or why should their Kings be Lambs? If they will nurse up their Princes among young Lions how should they shift to share deep of their nature? Young Courtiers are lightly none of the best Tutors. And she brought up one of her whelps: Ver. 3 it became a young Lion, it learned to catch the prey, it devoured men. If Subjects will be Demobori why should not their Kings be Demophagi? Jehoahaz. It is pity a predant people should want a Rampant King; But a man had need to have a good thick skin, and good solid bones to live in such a Kingdom. It becomes a King to be a Lion, but a Lamb too, else he will not be like Christ the King of Kings, and King of Saints. The Nations also heard of him, Ver. 4 he was taken in their Pit, and they brought him with chains unto the Land of Egypt. Foreign Nations, though heathen, do neither like, nor love their neighbour Kings, if they hear they are oppressors. What pits Princes dig for their Subjects they often fall into themselves. 2 Chron. 12.7, 8, 9 Now when she saw that she had waited, Ver. 5 and her hope was lost, than she took another of her whelps, and made him a young Lyon. Jeofahei●● It is Christianity to wait with all patience for the return of a King: it will also stand with Christianity, when all patience, and hope is spent, to be thinking of a right successor. And he went up and down among the Lions; Ver. 6 he became a young Lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. Of this before ver. 3. And he knew their desolate places, Ver. 7 and he laid waste their Cities, and the land was desolate, and the fullness thereof by the noise of his roaring. When Princes begin to oppress they know not where they shall make an end; vice hath no mean but not to be at all. A King may roar his Land desolate, by roaring Proclamations and Edicts. Then the Nations set against him on every side from the Provinces, Ver. 8 and spread their Net over him: he was taken in their pit. And they put him inward in Chains, Ver. 9 and brought him to the King of Babylon, they brought him into holds, that his voice should not be heard upon the Mountains of Jsrael. It were Royal wisdom for Kings, to take warning by their erring Predecessors: but that's out of fashion. When Kings will not be quiet without absolute Monarchy and Sovereign Liberty, they may come at length to that Market where they can have none at all. These were foreign toils, but European Histories tell us of sundry Kings and Princes taken in home Toils. Civil Nets, which is a great trouble to Subjects, but a mercy to Kings if their people be Christian and merciful. Thy Mother is like a vine in the blood, Ver. 10 planted by the waters, she was fruitful and full of branches by the reason of many waters. And she had strong rods for the Sceptres of them that bear rule, Ver. 11 and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitudes of her branches. But she was plucked up in fury, Ver. 12 she was cast down to the ground, and the East-wind dried up her fruit, her strong Rods were broken and withered, the fire consumed them. And now she is planted in the Wilderness in a dry and thirsty ground. Calvin takes blood for pollution as cap. 16.6. But I must crave leave to think that the Prophet speaks in vinerous language. It is a great felicity for States to flourish in people and plenty. It is a peculiar mercy when they are well stored with strong Rods, or Sceptres of rule. It is an easy matter for Kingdoms to abuse prosperity, which too often destroys the foolish. Prov. 1.3 And it is as easy with God to destroy such kingdoms with a precipice, King and kingdoms are as little matters in his hands if he be provoked. And fire is gone out of a Rod of her branches, Ver. 14 which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a Sceptre to rule: this is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation. A Sceptre is an Ensign of public authority, it is called Baculus Regius, le Baston Royal. Sceptrum Jovis, from whence I take other Sceptres were derived, was wont to solemnize great matters. A Sceptre is sometimes in scripture and other Authors taken for Monarchical power. Sometime for Aristocratical and the power of subordinate Princes. Sometime for the Standard rule or law whereby they rule. Heb. 1.8. Out of this 14 th'. ver. wherein there are no Criticisms, omitting other collections, or animadversions, which may be more offensive than profitable, I will only take this general Observation. When a State hath brought itself to that pass that the Sceptres of authority, and powers of Government are wasted and weakened, it is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation. The truth of this doth now stare us in the face with so grim a visage that I need not be long in confirming it. All the Schoolmen and wisemen in the world can hardly determine whether man be most beholding to God for his being or his well-being, much may be said on both sides from Scripture and reason, but there is no present need of this dispute. The being of man, God hath placed, in his natural constitution, his well-being in his political institution. Political Institution is completed in Ordination, Administration, Ordination, 1. Framing a State into the most proper form of Policy it is capable of. 2. In the Sanction of apt and regular laws, for Peace and War. Administration, 1. In placing pious and virtuous men in all Political Offices. 2. In their Just and diligent execution of their Charges. A fail in any of these, makes a mutulation in state. We are to speak most properly of the last, the Text confines us to it. If weak or unfit men be elected into public places, if Rulers prove defective in their Actual Administrations; If every wheel of Government keep not its proper station and due motion, but prove so vicious or stupine that they lose their strength, it brings a Commonwealth to a Common misery. The Scripture reveals the universal or general Policy wherewith God hath ordered the world. We may see it in a brief scale or Clymax. I. Knowest thou the Ordinances of Heaven, Job. 38.33. and their Dominions on earth? If these Celestial bodies should set themselves on fire by their over violent motions, or rout themselves into disorder by their distempers, or prove sluggish and uneven in their revolutions, or unfaithful in their influences and defluences, the inferior Creatures would soon come to putrefaction and destruction: This is natural. II. God blessed man and gave him dominion over the Fish of the Sea, the fowls of the Air, Gen. 1.28. and every living thing that moveth upon the Earth. Man by forfeiting this signory hath made himself obnoxious to Fish, Fowle, and Beasts, and all these mutinous and perilous one to another: This is humane or virile. III. God gave Rulers and Superiors dominion over Inferiors, some naturally, some Politically; Rom. 13.1.2. Prov. 〈◊〉 .16. if these through ambition fall into usurpation, or through Corruption into mali administration, Eph. 3.10. or through negligence into non-Administration. State's would be soon distated and prostrated to confusion: This is Political or Civil. FOUR God gave yet a higher Dominion to his Angels, 〈◊〉 10 making them principalities and powers in sublime places; they are his Nobility; If these should cast away their Dominions as some of them did, the world would soon be turned into a Hell: This is angelical. V God gave Christ who is right Heir to all Crowns, 〈◊〉. 9 ●, Isa. 22. 2●. Eph. 1.21. ●●. the Sovereign Empire over all, he laid the government on his shoulders, put the Key of all rule into his hand; He is Dei Claviger, as the Grand Tyrant of Russia mistiles himself; If he through unskilfulness, or unfaithfulness should confiscate his Dominion, it would soon be the dissolution of all, as his resignation shall one day be: This is Sovereign and Divine. These Ordinations are Gods foundations, which if they should fail, what can the righteous do? he must do as others do for aught I know; some translations have it where shall the righteous appear? The righteous have an Interest and access into all the sanctuaries and Citadels under the Heavens, yet he must appear in the open Streets, or on Hownsloe-Heath, or under a hedge, or in a Ditch, or where he can shift best for himself. Were it not altogether unmeet to damask fast Sermons with humane Histories, I might instance this truth in all or most of the states of the world, The Egyptian, Persian, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and in divers nearer hand, If my observation and memory misuse me not, I think I might give you Precedents from Classical Authors of 66. Empires, Kingdoms, Dukedoms, and Provinces, that have suffered wrack upon the Flatts of Authority, happily many of them driven by the tempest of Tyranny, But God delighteth not to be worshipped on these days in imbrothered Sackcloth, He bids us lay aside Ornaments and pleasant things at such times. Yet give me leave to mention one instead of the rest, The Greek Empire having flourished many years, especially after it was enlarged by the Median Kingdoms, When Alexander the great Sceptre failed, Leosthenes a very wiseman said, that the heart of it did presently Palpitare moribunde, the spirits of it huc atque illuc jactitare miserrimè, that it did scatere vermibus, ignavis Regibus, Ducibusque torpidis, and forthwith marcesere, et contabescere intra se, But I shall forbear and hold myself to Scripture, and scriptural reasons. When Dominion or Authority fails, Ordor. All Political Order fails. Scaliger saith, That Ordo est Anima mundi, another Author, that it is Anima Reipublicae; let order be dissolved, confusion follows. The Holy Ghost saith that Christ shall sit upon the Throne of David and his Kingdom, Isa. 9.7. He shall Order it and establish it; There is no establishing of Kingdoms, but by Order. Job speaking of the Territories of darkness, and the shadows of death saith, It is a Land without Order. Job. 10.20. Unity is the ground of perfection and perpetuity, Order is unity branched out into all the parts of consociate bodies to keep them in unity and perfection; where Order fails they are disjointed and convulsed; Symmetry and Harmony are the two supporters of the world; Plato said God was always setting things in their due stations and proportions; We shall often observe in Scripture when God threatens destruction, he threatens it under the word Confusion. When a man is confounded, the Animal, Vital, and Natural spirits are poured together, a man for that while is unmanned, so when popular bodies are confused they are for that time impolitized. The states of the Netherlands are wisely called Ordines, so should all other Statesmen be. When Dominion fails, Religion fails. Religion. Authority maintains piety, Government preserves Christianity, If not, It fails officially. David divided the Priesthood into their courses and Offices, 1 Chro. 23 ca, 24. It is said these are their Ordering, Christ hath done the like in the Gospel, but when Authority failed, Ephes. 4. these orderings failed. In the time of Jeroboam the lowest of the people were made Priests, such as were not of the sons of Levi, who ever would might be consecrated. It fails Theorically, In the times of these lamented Kings the Law of God was prevaricated, Ezek. 21.26. Zeph. 3.4. they offered violence to the Law. In the time of the Maccabees the Law gathered so much corrupt dross, and such false glosses, that Christ takes much pains to refine it. It fails Practically. In the time of the Judges when Authority declined, Piety degenerated, those were very sinful times, Judg. 7. There was no King nor Government in Israel, every man did what was right in his own eyes, They took what Gods, what Priests, what Concubines, what Heritage's, and undertook what war they pleased; When the Ordinances and everlasting Covenant was broken, then was the Earth defiled, and the Laws transgressed. Justice. When Authority fails, Justice fails. When the foundations are out of course, Psal. 82. than Governors will not know the mind of God, nor understand how people should be Governed, then will they Judge unjustly, accept the persons of the wicked, and not defend the Cause of the Fatherless, Widow, poor and afflicted; Amos 6.12. Then Judgement is turned into Gall, and Righteousness into He mlock: Then every man Hunt his Brother with a Net, they do evil with both their hands earnestly; Princes ask, Judges ask great men ask, Mic. 7.3. the best are as Briers, and the most upright as Thorns. When the mighty men, the Judges and, Ancients fail, and Children are Princes, Rulers Babes then the People shall be oppressed every one by another, Isa. 3.2. and every one by his Neighbour, the Child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the Honourable. When Political rule fails, than the strength of a State fails. When a Kingdom of Gold degenerates to Silver, Strength. Silver to Brass, Brass to Iron and Clay, a stone cut out without hands breaketh all in pieces. It was said of the Assyrian State, Dan. 2.34. the strongest State of those times, that their tackling being so lose, that their Mainmast could not stand strong, nor their Sail be well spread, that the lame might take the prey and divide the spoil; this Prophet saith of these times, that upon the approaches of Wars all hands shall be feeble, Isa 7.2. all hearts shall meditate Terror. The hearts of people in such times are moved as Trees are moved by the Wind; such States are like bodies out of joint, full of divisions, discontent, and Rulers have little or no power to rule them whom they have misruled. When Dominion fails, the wealth of a State fails. Wealth. Taxations, and oppressions are usually great, Rehoboams little singer was heavier than Solomon's Loins, 2 R. 23.35 Isa. 42.24. Isa 24. Jehoiachim, exacted the Silver and the Gold of the People. In such times God gives Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the Robbers. He makes the Earth empty and waste, States are spoilt, they fail and mourn and languish away, No man hath any mind to trade or Husbandry, they know not what's their own, nor how long they shall keep it, some Canker or Palmerworm, the Caterpillar or one East-wind or another devoureth all. When the Greek Empire was broken, one compared it to a great Chest of Gold and Silver, whose sides falling out, the Purpurati, and all that could, fell scrambling to the prey with all their might. When good Government fails, Honour. than the beauty and honour of a state fails. Jerusalem the City of God was beautiful, Psa. 48.2. the joy of the whole earth, but in these times all her beauty departed, the Lord covered Zion with a cloud, and cast down from heaven to earth all her beauty, all that honoured her despised her, all that passed, by clapped their hands, hissed, and wagged their heads at her, & said, is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? that flourishing State became a song. A State is happy when it is undique happy, Domi & foris, as this was in Solomon's time. Lamen. 2. A man may do as much by his name, as by the goodness of his talon or gifts, so may a state to themselves and others. When Government fails, Peace. 2 Chro. 15.5, 6. than peace fails, which is the soil of all felicity. In Abijahs and Asa's reign, Israel was without the true God, teaching Priests, without the law and Government; in those days there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countries, & Province was destroyed of Province, & City of City, for God did vex them withal adversity; thus it hath been with the State of Florence, Syracuse and many others: and thus it is now with Germany, and little better with ours. I take these seven things may well be accounted the seven Pillars whereon wisdom bulldeth her house, Prove. 9.1. if these fail, the house however wisely built at the first, must needs fall with a sorrow. And that which boileth up the misery to the full height is this, that in such times States are of themselves irreparable, now is Ephraim, like a silly Dove without heart, now is the State of Egypt intoxicated, the wisemen and greatest Counsellors infatuated, the Lord mingles a perverse spirit amongst them, there is nothing but contradiction and prevarication, Isa. 19.11.16. objections interjections, puzlings and counterpuzling, pluranimities and pluranimosities amongst them, nor shall there be any work which the head or tail, branch or rush may do. In that day they shall be like unto women which do nothing but talk, Jer. 8.22. brabble and squabble their council and States in pieces; in such times there is no Balm nor Physician, by whom the health of a people can be recovered; in such times the Stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light, the Sun shall be darkened in his going forth, Isa. 13.10. and the Moon shall not cause her light to shine; in these times the Lord will cover the heaven and make the Stars thereof dark, obscure the Sun with a cloud, and extinguish the light of the Moon, and darken all the bright Stars of heaven, that he may set darkness upon a land: Ezek. 32.7, 8. all which may be safely understood politically. In such days or rather nights wisemen are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. When the Macedonian State was broken, a wiseman said it was like a blind Cyclops that reacheth forth his arms and hands, to find somewhat to stay upon but cannot. Justus Maenius writing of the troubles of Germany, just a hundred years since, this present year, saith, it had been better for a man to have died by the first stroke then to be saved through so many distresses. These are the days wherein God will not be inquired of, Cap. 20.3. nor entreated to give any counsel, these are the days of perplexity and giddiness, wherein the best counsel a man can give or take is that of the Prophet Micah, to look unto the Lord, to wait for the God of his salvation, to bear the indignation of the Lord, because he hath sinned against him, until he pleads his cause and bring him forth to the light, and to persuade himself that at length he shall behold his righteousness. Application. TO this pass was this state now brought. We come now to the second part, What such a collapsed State should do, which shall stand for Application. This is a lamentation, and shall be for lamentation; for this very calamity the Lord commands this Prophet into these passions, Sigh, Cap. ●1. thou Son of man with the breaking of thy Loins, sigh with bitterness before the people, cry and howl son of man, because it is a trial (a trial indeed) thou therefore son of man smite thy hands together and lament. There is a time to rejoice, we have had such times long, I wish we had better improved them, there is also a time to mourn, into which time our Sins, and Gods righteous Judgements have now brought us. Let us first Mourn and Lament for our Royal Sceptre that he is thus weakened and unfit to Rule; Royal let us lament his Personal sorrows, pity should be shown to him that is in affliction; let us lament that he is deprived of his Royal Consort and Children, the supports and delights of nature, the sweet Objects of humane affection; deprived of his wont honour and attendance, his Nobility and Compeers; deprived of his wont Menial Servants, and attended with Military guards, unwelcome and ungraceful to him; deprived of his wont liberty; these things must needs make him a man of sorrows; howsoever his heart is supported, he cannot but look upon himself as a man under God's black rod; if God would soften our hearts to lament him as we should, it is probable he would soften his heart to lament his Subjects as he ought. God commands both this Prophet and this state to take up a lamentation for the Princes of Israel, Princes that were wicked enough, and more than enough instrumental, to the ruin of that Common wealth, and their own houses; let their demerits be what they will, it is God's mind and Subjects duty to lament them, They are bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, and as men ought to be pitied. David a man after Gods own heart, thinks it good Religion to lament Saul, Gods and his professed Enemy; I much fear that that man is much wanting in Grace and loyalty, which hath not shed tears in the behalf of our King, or done that in part of grief which amounts to tears. If he laments himself too little, let us be wail him so much the more. Let us also lament him in respect of his Political sorrows; Jer. 48.17. God saith of Moab, all that are about him bemoan him, and all that know his name say, how is the strong staff and beautiful Rod broken? blessed be God, our staff and Rod is not yet utterly broken, but greatly warped and weakened: The Lord in his mercy restore him and bind him up again. Cap. 32.2. The Lord chargeth this Prophet to take up a Lamentation for Pharaoh King of Egypt taken in a net, though he had formerly taken one of these Kings of Israel in his Net, much more for the Kings of Israel as bad as they were. Lam 4.20. The Prophet Jeremiah Lamenting Zedcahiah this finfull and miserable Prince, saith, the breath of our Nostrils is taken in their Net, Of whom we said under his shadow we should live. A natural Body hath vital parts, as Heart and Lungs, etc. Yet if the breath be not in the Nostrils all the wheels of life move not, but are suspended from their functions; so it is with a Political body, The Prince puts life into all Authority, and gives the Fiat to all Laws and Ordinances in an ordinary course; If in an Extraordinary, a State wants this breath, it breathes but faintly, Authority is not in the full, but much Eclipsed, at least in the thoughts of Subjects. Jet. 6.26. It becomes the Daughter of God's people in such a Case to Gird herself with Sackcloth, to wallow herself in Ashes, to take up a Mourning and a bitter Lamentation as for her only Son, for so is our King during his Reign. I will cause the Sun to go down at Noon saith God, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day, Amos 8.9, 10. and I will turn your Feasts into Mourning, and all your Songs into Lamentation, and I will bring up Sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head, and I will make it as the mourning of an only Son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. I verily believe this frame of Spirit would at this time be fare more pleasing to God then our slightness and Jollity. Isa. 28.5. God saith of Christ, he shall be for a Crown of Glory, and for a Crown of beauty to his people; so are all Kings in their Measure, or should be. All Common Societies, yea every good Subject hath a subordinate Crown or Coronet upon his head; while our King and his Crown are distanced, in this sort, every Subject stands bare, and the whole Land uncovered, which is a great abatement of Honour; Let us therefore lament him for his sake and our own. Let us also here Lament a Branch of our Royal Sceptre; Jer. ●8. 2. O Vine of Sybnah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer, thy Plants are gone over the Sea, the Lord keep him there without infection, and return him in safety. The Prophet jeremiah bewailing Jerusalem, in her comfortless Condition, saith, There is none to guide her of all the Sons she hath brought forth, neither is there any to take her by the Hand of all the Sons she hath brought up; our Case is not altogether so, but too near it. Let us in the next place sadly lament our Nationall Sceptre, Nationall. this present Parliament. Our State may be compared to the Theatre of the Philistines which was supported by two Grand Pillars, so are we by our King and this Honourable Parliament, If these two fail, Our Theatre will hardly avoid falling, so may much more harm be done to our Lords and People at the latter end, then in all our former late troubles. Howle ye Fir-trees, saith the Prophet Zachari, for the Cedar is fallen, the mighty are spoilt; Howle ye Oaks of Bashin, Zach. 11.2. a voice of Howling of the shepherds, for their Glory is spoilt; a voice of roaring of young Lions, for the pride of Jordan is spoiled; you are our Fir-trees, our Cedars, our mighty men, our Oaks, our shepherds; If you be fall'n we cannot stand, if you be spoilt, we are undone; If our shepherds be smitten, we your flock are scattered & lost. You know how it was with Rome in Anthony's time, and in the Reign of Valentinian the third, and Placidia his Mother, how with the State of Germany, when the Empire was translated to Charles the fifth. If the whole head be sick, and the whole heart faint, there will be no soundness from the sole of the foot to the Crown of the Head, but wounds and bruises, and putrifying sores, which can neither be closed, nor bound up, nor Mollified. Lament your constitution, Constitution. that it is so Heterogeneus, dissimular, and contramixt. Where the Members are Membra dividentia the whole can hardly be whole; An Heterocranian in our national head will necessarily breed greater troubles in our national bodies. I conceive it would please God and the Land well if you would please to give some general directions, if it were but by way of request to the people, for the choice of Parliament-men; you are not ignorant what Laws and limitations not only the Scripture but Heathen States have instituted in this behalf, they should be natu majores, primogeniti, sapientes, probi, seniores. etc. Lament that the Providence of God, and the improvidence of men having made it so, the grace of Christ cannot or doth not amend it. I will plant together the Cedar, Isa. 41.19. the Shitrah tree, the Myrtle, the Oil tree, the Fir, the Pine, and the Box tree all together, that you may consider that the Hand of the Lord hath done it; It would be a great Honour to the Religion of England, if the world might know, though there be varieties of constitutions, difference of degrees, and diversities of Judgements among you, yet that your hearts were united in the fear of the Lord; when God means to restore his people to happiness, he saith he will unite the stick of Joseph in the hand of Ephraim with the stick of Judah, Ezek. 37.17. and make them one in his own hand; when he means to ruin them he threatens to break their staff of Beauty and their staff of Bands, and the Brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Zach. 11.7.14. If a thin and sharp vapour get into any of the two Membranes which cover the brain, it causeth convulsive motions in the body; when the spirits move unevenly a vertigo in the head: you are the lifeguard of our King and Kingdom, If you agree not in your Counsels we shall hardly agree in our courses; If ye mutiny in words we shall be too ready to mutiny with our Swords. Lament your Administrations, Administrations. in special Lament that you have not endeavoured so speedily and sufficiently to establish the Sceptre of Christ, which is the primum mobile of all good Government. He cannot reign with strength if his Sceptre be weak: To put but a Reed into his hand is next door to the setting of a Crown of Thorns on his head; let him have his complete Dominion, and he will have a care of your regular Authority, both to preserve it and improve it. The delays and disagreements about this, have weakened all the Sceptres and strengthened all the stirs in the Land. Lament if you have not sufficiently attended the re-establishing of the Royal Sceptre, which is our secundum necessarium. The providences of God are immensly deep, he can turn our delays into his expeditions, a King's peremptoriness and a Parliaments slackness, into a greater good than all the eyes of the Land can foresee, yet certainly it is no less than an amazement to many considerate men, that that work should go so slowly on. If a Commonwealth be headless the people will be brainless. I dare profess in the ears of God and this Honourable Senate, that I know not how any man can be more jealous than myself, that he should be restored upon imperfect and unsafe terms, but if it may be done upon good terms and Gods terms, the sooner it is done the sooner all will be quiet; Fare be it from me to press an interruption or intermission of such ●●●●ires as are instant and urgent, only I humbly entreat you to remember again that it is our secundum necessarium, and that till you two our great wheels be set right, all the lesser are like enough to go wrong. If you have not been early enough in rewarding the Army, with just payments, and due honour, I humbly entreat you to lament it: If any of this honourable House have erred in discouraging, or disparaging them, I entreat them to lament it, yea though it be now healed, it is no dishonour to honest men, (as we presume you are) to repent of what incogitancy hath done amiss. If the zeal of maintaining the Power, and Liberty of the Parliament, and the Peace of the Commonwealth hath moved you to prevent, or reject some Petitions, though they were ill countenanced, and thereby caused the people to fear a loss of their popular Liberty, I likewise humbly entreat that you would lament it, and to remember what a King, and Kingdom within the pale of Christendom, I mean Henry King of Swede, suffered, for an error of this kind, though I confess much worse in degree. If through connivance, and indulgence you have too long spared some that have too boldly blasphemed our supreme Court and Council, and thereby emboldened others to speak more evil of you then there is cause, you should do very well to lament it, and reform it. If you and your Officers have been any thing unthrifty in the accounts and disbursements of the Kingdom's Treasury, I pray let it be lamented and amended. If you be so deserted that you are necessarily exposed to such yielding as may prove prejudicial precedents to future Parliaments, and deep detriments to the whole Realm, it would be cordially lamented. If by these or any other defects you have laid your selves low, in the estimations and animadversions of the people, it would be sadly lamented. I somewhat fear that you may take up part of Job's parable, and say, Job. 29. Oh that you were as in months past, when God honoured you, when his candle shined upon your heads, and when by his light you walked through darkness, when the almighty was so present with you, when the ear that heard you blessed you, when the eyes that saw you gave witness to your proceed, when you put on Righteousness as a Robe, and Judgement as a Diadem, when your glory was fresh in you, and your bow renewed in your hand, when the people waited for you, as for the rain, and when you chose out their way, and dwelled as a King in the Army, comforting the Mourners! But now those that are far short of you in age, and worth, yea some, that are children of Fools, and base men, viler than the Earth, make you their by word spare not to spit in your face, (Oh that you will spare such!) Job 30. let lose the bridle before you push away your feet, and raise up against you the ways of their own destructions, for which the Soul of this good man poured out itself upon him, and complains, that they were days of great afflictions, that God had cast him into the mire, and made him become like dust and ashes. I hope you are not yet at so low an ebb, I pray God give you hearts to lament the least loss of your Authority. I shall not need to re-mind you, that the loss of the power, and honour of a Parliament is the greatest loss our Kingdom can sustain, the loss of a King clothes the whole Land in sable, but the loss of a Parliament in a winding-sheet. Our lives and all that we are, and have, are bound up in your reputation, and all that yourselves are, and have, also; But I must excuse you the more, because it is a time wherein the Lord of Glory is staining the pride of all glory; the Nobility, Gentry, and Commons of England want no grace more than Humility, which is the soil of all graces, and the best way to Exaltation. Let us also lament our present Martial Sceptre. Marshal. We have slighted Gods Moral, and Evangelicall Law, he hath now brought us in some sort under-Martiall Law: Let us lament, that so good an Army should be so ill-guided, as to do what they do without warrant from God or state, so fare as wisemen can yet discern. Let us lament, that a Sceptre made of so much gold and silver, and true English mettle, should have any part of it of a westphalian temper. Let us lament that such honourable and serviceable Troops should have any mounted upon any Saddles of John a Leyden's make. Let us lament that so good an Army should advance toward so ill a work, at least in their shows, and our fears, as to deliver a Parliament of some eminent Members by a Caesarian section. Let us very sadly lament, that some of them of a mechanic alloy should be so bold, as without warrant from th●● chief leaders, to plunder us of our King; it was so malapert an act, an act that would have better become a John a Loyden, Knipper Dolling, or Jack Cade, than a Loyal English Subject. But what if the sword contemn even the Rod, what? Ezek. 21.13. It is great pity but that Sword should meet with a sound Rod: If no body else will provide it, I hope God will. But I trust Gentlemen some of you will call to mind what an old Roman, a wise Statesman, wrote to Marcus Brutus in the like case. It was too great a disparagement to make out King who is the Lord paramount of all our free-holds, such a movable: I believe there have been Spirits in the World which would almost scorn to be King again after such a handling. If he went willingly, let us bewail his error. Let us lament that there should be any Korah's, Dathan's, and Abirams, in an Army, that lays so much claim to Piety. Let us lament with much spiritual grief, that many of this Army have bemeazled so many ignorant Country men and Towns, with impious and blasphemous opinions, and rude manners. I marvel much that any man who fears God closely and uprightly should fear this Army, whereof a great part is said to be so good, that surely they will not, and others so bad, as surely they cannot hurt us. In the first of Ezek. there is a description of a strange wheel; it was a wheel, and wheels, and a wheel within a wheel, and four wheels, and there were four flashing, and sparkling Creatures, guided by a spirit, that was in the midst of them, whither the spirit went, they went, the form and motion of this wheel made the Heavens look terrible; I could parallel our Army to this wheel allusively but not abusively; If they can so drive their wheels that they overthrew not Charles his wain, nor break the axletree of the State, I mean the Parliament, and run not the wheels over some of their own loins, and can be so wise, as to unload on this side Munster, before they come to battle and slaughter. I dare be bold to say with all reverence, that either the General, or Christ his General, hath more skill in carting, than I ever look to have while I live. Let us lament that these our Brethren have embarked themselves into an act unparallelled, and an enterprise so snarled, and imbranched, that I dare say, all the eyes amongst them can not see to the end of all ' its issues by a thousand leagues; Let us seriously lament, so seriously, that we may prevent all lamentations by these our Brethren, and more than fellow Subjects. Let us lament that such an English Army have cast so much well deserved honour in the dust, and such a black voyle over the face of the Gospel. Let us also lament the whole State, Popular. and people, who feel in part but do not sufficiently see their sin, and sorrow. The anger of the Lord was moved against the people, 2 Sam. 2●. 1. and moved David to sin against them. King's can sinne fast enough of themselves, and kindle fires upon themselves, and the people but usually people, by their sins, blow the Coals to a flame. Lament that they have a suspended King. Did they know what the Egyptian and Russian States, and what the Kingdom of Fez suffered for more than seven years together, for want of a King, they would lament to purpose. Jsrael shall say we have no King, Hos. 10.3. because we feared not the Lord; what then should a King do to us? he that can tell what a King should do to a people that will not fear the Lord, I could earnestly wish him our King's Viceroy in a Country that I know, I should hold him as good, & as wise a man as ever was Papirius Censor, What should a King do to his people embroiled in so many Divisions, Commotions, and Distractions? What should a King do in a Country where there are so many Kings, and so few Subjects? I dare frcely say, that Claudius Gordianus nor the Barbarian Hermit, would not willingly at this time take the Royal Sceptre into their hands, though the Subjects, in the plight they are, would swear sealty to them with their hearts pinned upon their tongues ends. It may be an Abimileth, or a Perkin, or a Michael de Lando, would if they might. Let us lament, that through these distractions, Jere. 8.22. and People's clamours, there is nor balm enough, nor sufficient Physicians left in our Gilead to recover our healths. Lament that you pursue your own Parliament with so many strifes, and stripes of tongues, whereby you may degrade them much more than any defects of theirs, or any contest or affront of an Army. You go the next way to cut off your own necks, and your children's throats with your own Raisors: such gales, Psa. 52.2 or gusts of so ill breath, may soon burn down, and abate the height and breadth of your tallest and straitest Cedars, under which we must take shelter in such storms as these. Lament that you have so fare lost your proper popular Sceptre, the fear of God, and the power of godliness, for which these troubles are come upon you. Lament, that the Figtree languisheth, the Pomegranate tree, the Palm tree, the Apple tree, and all the trees of the field. Our Gentry, Citizens, Yeomen, Joel 1.11.12. Husbandmen, and Tradesmen, are so fare withered that their wont joy is taken from them. You should do well to consider that these national fires do not only burn the strong rods, Isai 5.24. Isa. 9.18. But as the Prophet saith wickedness burneth as a fire, and devoureth the stubble, the chaff, the briers, the thorns, Mal. 3.2. and the thickets of the Forest. You cannot endure the refining fire of Christ willingly, he can make you endure his consuming fire whether you will or no. Lament in a special manner, that your Towns, and Churches, are so belepered with errors, and strange opinions, and that so many are roblet-led with new lights, which though they be but Candles-ends will hardly be extinguished, till they have set God's wrath, and the People's spirits on fire. Lastly, let us lament, that we cannot lament, at least as God would have us lament; because it is not a lamentation, it shall be for a lamentation; so it proved by the Lamentations of Jeremy, who lamented for these miseries with more bitter lamentations then ever any mortal man made, or Poet feigned. He lamented till his eyes failed with tears, his bowels were troubled, and his liver was poured upon the Earth, and sped never the worse for his lamentations. The Lord threatens the people to double the Sword the second and third time; if he hath intermitted a while, that he might whet and furbish his Sword for a second scene, or act of War, He that cannot see whence the third is like to come, Ezek. 21.14 hath very dirn eyes. He can overturn, overturn, and over-turn, he can shave the head, & after that the beard, & after that the feet, Isai. 7.20.27. Leu. 26. he can walk seven times contrary unto us, he can give us real signs, and good hopes of making us a comfortable settled & reformed State; But when the vessel is well near finished upon the wheels, he can break all again, and make it of a miserable form, if the sins of a Nation provoke him to it. But some may say, Jer. 18 10. or think, as the people did of this Prophet, that he speaks parables, and that these visions are but sailing visions; I pray God they may prove so, for his tender mercy, and holy names sake. I had thought to have spoken somewhat of Ecclesiastical and Domestical Sceptres, and how weakened Sceptres might be restored to their strength, so far as belongs to a Divine: But fearing that the State is at this present in too violent and hot a Paroxysm to take physic, and that it would cost more time than can be allowed, I shall here conclude with these four conclusions, which I take to be everlasting truths. I. That the highest honour, and weightiest charge, God hath betrusted any of the sons of men with, is public authority. II. That no man can sinne a greater sin against God and Men, then to cast the honour and power of authority in the dust: The sin against the Holy Ghost excepted. III. That besides the Mal-Administrations of government by Magistrates themselves, there is no readier way to prostitute it, then to suffer vile men to blaspheme and spit in the face of authority. FOUR That if Rulers once lay public authority waste, they will find it the difficultest piece of work that ever mortal men took in hand to raise it up again to it's due height, and true strength. FINIS.