Paraphrastical MEDITATIONS UPON Isaiah 55.& Psalm 51.  
Likewise, Short Meditations; first of God and the Birth of Jesus: against some Sects and Errors: and against sundry Sins.  
ALSO, Meditations upon the sixtieth Psalm and the fourth Vers.  
By John Barford.  
COR VNVM VIA VNA  printer's or publisher's device  
Printed by W. D. and are to bee sold by Tho. Euster at the sign of the Gun in ivy-lane. 1649.   

On my honoured, though unknown, Friend, the author of this pious BOOk.  

HEnte, all profaner, and unhallowed lays,  
Wee admit no ivy Rival with thy bay;  
W●● se shad'ie Boughs like Trophies here o'erspread  
Thy sacred Temples, and empail thine Head.  
How charming are thy Raptures, and how sweet!  
Where Truth and blessed integrity do meet,  
And join in Consort! while wee all admire  
The music warbled from thyself the choir!  
Thou dost not here insinuat, to pleas  
thyself, or Reader, with hyperboles,  
Or purchase fond Opinion from the Time;  
Thy Muse is modest, but withal sublime:  
Convincing Hearts of marble; to tread under  
And dissipate that Man of Sin in sunder.  
Schisms may hence grow tongue-tie'd, and those wild  
Prevaricators, may bee reconciled:  
If they can have but patience to agree,  
To red these Lines, and practise what they see.  
Arminians here, whose loser Zeal hath hurled  
Such spreading Heresies through the poisoned world;  
With all those Sectaries, who hold forth new  
And strange Traditions,( such as Truth ne're knew)  
May on perusal of thy Book, submit  
themselves, and guid their better thoughts by it.  
By it; whose heavenly and Mysterious page.,  
Might prove the Pole-star to this wandering Age,  
Where Darkness sits at Stern, and Discord steer's  
Three Kingdoms sailing in a Sea of Tears.  
Then wake dull Souls! awake You, that have been  
Buoi'd up with Error, and o're-born with Sin;  
And to redeem your shipwrack't-senses, look  
And cast sure Anchor on this Sacred Book,  
Which, like the carded and Compass, shall safe guid  
Your Judgments, floating in a troubled Tide.   P. F.  

A prayer.  

O Lord my God! to thee, I humbly pray,  
To guid and keep thy people in thy way;  
That none do swerv, by erring from thy Truth;  
No, not in old age, middle, nor in youth.  
Think of the sad distractions in this Land,  
Which Errors cause, not guided by thy hand:  
Stirring up envy, 'twixt thy children dear,  
Which are not guided by thy love nor fear;  
Which undertake these things that hateful bee,  
And with thy sacred Word much disagree.  
Oh powerful God! with right invention guid  
My heart and judgement, that they no whit slide;  
That just and righteous things I may declare,  
By such expressions, justly as they are:  
To make sin loathsome and thy Name to fear,  
And sweet embracements 'mongst thy children dear:  
No more contentions tending unto blood,  
But brethren labouring to do brethren good.  
Now hear good God even for our Saviour's sake,  
This is my svit which I do humbly make.    

To the READER.  

he that but see's a cottage of one bay,  
Can never think it should contain a King:  
His great Magnificence, and 's princely raie,  
And Troon-like tendance, answering every thing:  
Must pass by that, into some castle fair,  
Where all things correspondent, suiting are.  
Even so where any high-asspiring wit,  
adorned with Arts, and magnanimity,  
This worthless Work, his fancy cannot fit  
These Corydonick-Lines so simplo bee.  
I him, even him desire, for to let rest  
These sillie Lines, and look where he like's best.  
But unto those, though learned, yet humble are:  
Though great& tall, but down may pleas to look,  
And like themselves, will but some patience bear;  
Spend one half hour, and view this little book;  
May chance confess, sometime they have spent wors  
For time ill spent, in time may bring a curs.  
And as th' Olympian wrestlers a crown to get,  
'Gainst their Antagonist, most careful were:  
stirred up with valor, with choice diet set,  
Their active bodies tend'ring their credit dear.  
Even so must every soul 'gainst hateful sin,  
wrestle and strive, if heaven they hope to win.  
Strive against those that strive against our peace:  
Strive, strive, and strive, and strive, and never cease.  
If any ask, what calling I have to 't:  
To writ Divine things, how durst thou dare to do 't.  
My answer is, Sure I have writ no more,  
But what the Lord's Divines me taught before  
From 
Thes. 2.2. 15. 2 Tim. 3.15.  God's most holy Word; that sacred Writ,  
inflamed my heart to writ, and stand to it.  
And that within my fifty years hath reigned,  
Still Kings and Princes, that the same maintained.  
That servant that interred his Talent fast;  
Even unto hell, himself was quickly cast.  
The Scholar that his lesson will not say,  
His Master sure will whip, or turn away.  
These were th'inducements which have lead me on,  
Factions and Errors I approve of none.  
Let not a Letter, wanting, or too much,  
Displeas the Reader, where he finde's one such.  
A little work, a little time doth ask:  
red if you pleas. 'tis but an easy Task.    

Paraphrastical Meditations upon the 55. Chapter of the prophesy of the Prophet ISAIAH.  

Vers the first.  
renowned Isaiah, the Prophet of the Lord,  
Exort's all men to harken to his word:  
And to that heavenly water to repair,  
All they that thirsty bee, right welcome are.  
Though ne're so poor,& destitute thou bee.  
Twice come away, he crie's aloud to thee.  
Denying not, if any thirst thou hast,  
That thou this milk should suck, or wine should taste.  
Let not thy labour then bee thought in vain,  
If thou this heavenly banquet so canst gain.  
But unto those, that hunger not at all:  
No right can claim unto this heavenly call.  
O thirstless soul! consider well and see  
This heavenly water, tend'red unto thee.  
It's from the Fountain, that no Vessel can  
Infect or change, though from the vilest man.   

Vers the second.  
THen to the rich he turns, admiring why  
Their money they should spend; and so let lye  
The Bread of Life; that from the Lord is sent:  
With great neglect, is all but time misspent.  
No satisfaction can it bring to thee,  
But horror, wo, and endless misery.  
If thou be'st lame, or blind, or weak though rich,  
No excuse may bee taken of one such.  
Why that this Bread of Life should bee neglected,  
And earthly fading trifles so affencted.  
Nay, if thou naked go, thou may'st not stay,  
I am not equipag'd yet, for that way.  
Art thou diligent, and wilt hear his voice?  
Then eat the good, and let thy soul rejoice.  
That it in fatness may have true delight:  
O let it bee thy care both day and night!  
Look and behold thy God in every thing,  
May stay thy failings, and more mercy bring.  
But here I needs must stay, and so turn back  
unto the place which give's so sweet a smack.  
And to thy soul doth heavenly counsel give:  
To eat the good, that in secondary thou may'st live.  
Five parts from hence, I here considered have,  
First what's the good, the soul should seek& crave  
Where must wee have't, whence may gather that,  
The heavenly food, our souls for to make fat.  
Who is he that the soul doth pine?  
Detein's and keep's us from this Food divine?  
And fourthly here God's Word doth plainly show  
Who poison bring's unto the soul also.  
Which 
Exod. 20.11. 2 Cor. 1.21. 1 John 2, 20, 27.  day to rest hath God appointed,  
Thy soul to feed with grace to bee anointed.  

The first Part.  
GOd's Word's the good of which thy soul must fee●  
When truly it is taught, or wee it red.  
God's 
2 Tim. 3.15, 16. Exod. 20.11.  Word doth feed the soul,& rightly cherish:  
As sure as strength'ning meat doth body nourish.  
The soul without God's Word, no food cave have;  
Therefore God's word thy soul it must needs crave  
God's word it is the soul's sweet heavenly food;  
His 
And so a murderer.  Law is blessed, holy, just and good.   

The second Part.  
THey feed the soul which God hath fed with grace.  
Where heavenly wisdom, virtues do embrace.  
being ioin'd with iudgment sound, and learning, true:  
God's hidden secrets for to search& view.  
They feed the soul, each soul may sweetly see:  
Good life, firm faith, and iudgment all agree.   

The third Part.  
he pine's the soul, that in the Church hath got  
Which in divine things is but an idiot.  
Though that some neck-vers he can perfect red,  
Dumb ignorance the soul can never feed.  
he pine's the 
Ezek 34.2, 3, 4.  soul, which can but will no more,  
That from his livings heaped hath such store.  
That fast asleep is fallen in his chair,  
That wak'neth doth but few times in the year.  
Then all in hast unto the Church do go,  
some sleep then missing he doth threaten so.  
Though that he slep't, they sought their soul to feed  
For he will pay them for that factious dead:  
And excommunicate them into hell:  
For with such Puritans he hate's to dwell.  
If that a sheep want food, and do not cry:  
A lazy shepherd may chance let him die.  
Or if his pasture him no food doth yield;  
he I lose his fleece to get a better field.  
Mistake me not, 
Acts 20.28.  I mean not here to touch  
God's Over-seers; all those I honor much,  
That stand for Truth, and Holiness maintain:  
All Popish relics utterly disdain.  
What doth he pine, that usury maintein's:  
Where swearing drunk'ness, pride,& envy reign's.  
I fear their scholar-ship's do but little good;  
From sin's foul fountain flow's but little food.  
God's Word is good, and every tittle true:  
But when it comes to 
The man not sent.  simplo men to view,  
And to unfold those secret Mysteries;  
Which gift God give's to none, but onely his,  
That he hath sent, for to declare his will;  
His Laws to teach, and eke his mind fulfil.  
How can that man, God's secret well e're know,  
Who dare's to run, whom God did ne'er bid go.  
Hence rise's Wars, Heresies, and Distractions,  
When seeming Saints, prove wicked in their actions.  
The Ethiopian Lord must need's a Philip have  
To teach the good, sith he the Lord doth crave.  
I need not show how God's fierce wrath doth rise  
'Gainst mighty King's; that willing to advice  
With Prophetsfall, against God's children dear,  
Search but the Scripture, thou shalt find it there.  
What King unjustly ever went to Wars:  
Or with his neighbors seemed to have some jars:  
But that a Priest or Prophet, did him tell,  
You may go on Sir; you do right and well.  
Or else forbear to show God's heavenly will;  
That 'tis not lawful brethren's blood to spill.  
When that our northern Earl by Pluto's plot:  
In Chevie-Chase, he thither had but got:  
Pretending for to kill some sillie dear,  
How many harmless hearts were slaughtered there.  
And then great henry, must revenged bee,  
Even against those that had the injury.  
Yet all this time you can in no place find  
Where any Levite ought to change his mind.  
Look but to Agen-Court, and blushy for shane,  
To think who were the 
The Bishops.  plotters of the same.  
And to conclude; who dare God's Laws withstand,  
If that the clergy in it have no hand.   

The fourth Part.  
NOr need to writ, for all men can it tell,  
How murth'ring Friars in their blood do swell  
Even against Kings, who are the Lord's anointed,  
Which reign in Peace as God himself appointed.  
Alas poor Friars, why do I wrong you so:  
It is the Pope that warn's you for to go.  
he like beelzeebub send's some under-Devil.  
For to dispose of Kings. Pretend's some evil  
That he hath don against the Lord of Might.  
Know he is Pope, he cannot but judge right.  
Massacres and murders is his practise still:  
Christ's dear redeemed he doth seek to kill.  
This is our honor, wee may truly say:  
They do us curl and wee for them do pray.  
This Church of 
Rev. 7.4.  Rome, though in a golden cup,  
Such deadly poison makes her children sup:  
In stead of fatness, they their souls do kill  
With fall Traditions, do so stuff and fill.  
Which they prefer before the Scriptures true:  
As it appears to every Christian view.  
Compelling them unto the Saints to pray:  
And take our Saviour's Office quiter away.  
More, that our works should meritorious bee:  
judge of those Errors, and thou may'st them see.  
And many falshoods more they do maintain;  
Which they from Fathers hold Traditions vain.  
Call to the Saints above with prayers hot:  
When they are in Limbo, but they had forgot.  
just like to boulers in the heat of play,  
As if the bouls did know what they did say.  
So wicked leaders make the people err:  
until destruction on them may infer.  
They teach small good, though all the good pretend  
No fatness to the soul, at all, they sand.   

The fifth Part.  
I Need not show the day, if thou wilt look  
The eight and fiftieth Chapter of God's Book.  
Which place will teach thee, how thou art to live  
That day, thou must thy soul true Manna give.  
I need not show how God his children tide,  
That blessed day, their soul for to provide.  
Nor need I show how God his iudgment sent  
Vpon those people, which that day misspent:  
And on that man, that did but sticks then gather,  
Denyings God's, fulfilled his own will rather.  
O for presumptuous sins lament them hey!  
he did his God withstand, and he must die.  
Speak, speak dull soul, what, canst thou nothing say?  
God doth give no time of another day?  
To eat the good, that thou thyself may feed:  
Yes, yes, I find it written in that dead:  
Six daies for labour, and all things to do;  
My soul I then must feed, for God saith so.  
To see my lamps prepared, and trimmed withall:  
And to bee ready when my Lord doth call.  
Who can abide a beast that's crawling lean.  
Ill look't, foul kep't, half pined and unclean.  
Or say some Monarch thee invite to come  
Unto the marriage of his eldest son:  
And thou thyself art fat, beaut'ful and fair,  
And all thy garments sweet and comely are.  
But thy poor soul is like a worthless worm:  
Faint, weak and sick, that even scarcely turn.  
Who would not loathe the same, and fearful bee  
At this foul inner man if they did see.  
If to thy brother, envy thou dost show;  
It were most shameful any should it know,  
Before thou truly reconciled bee:  
O fie! what brothers? and will disagree.  
But to thy soul th' art chiefest enemy:  
Who will condole thy endless misery?  
Then labour for thy soul, and make it fat:  
No satisfaction will bee like to that.  
And chiefly that thy God doth so advice,  
If that to glory thou dost hope to rise.    

Vers the third.  
STill come, he calls, if you incline your ear:  
Hear, and your souls shall live, my children dear.  
If thou dost then neglect, what canst thou say,  
If God should take his mercy quiter away.  
Hear, hear the promise, which the Lord doth make,  
An everlasting Covenant, for man's sake:  
Which he in mercy unto David made:  
come hast away, let no time bee delai'd.  
The heedful hearer, coming still shall find  
Distilling graces, to enrich his mind.   

Vers the fourth.  
BEhold! I give him for a witness to  
All nations, that his blessed name do know.  
Both Master and Commander for to bee;  
And eke a Prince to all eternity.  
O love surpassing all that e're was heard!  
That God should show his people undeserved:  
That he his onely Son from heaven should sand;  
And eke his blood, at length for them to spend.  
Was ever Covenant yet performed so:  
That every man did red, or hear, or know.  
Which teache's us to love, to laud, to prais,  
And magnify his Name, even all our daies.  
say that thou hadst some potent enemy;  
Which much too strong, and valiant was for thee:  
And thou thyself, fals-hearted, faint and weak,  
And that with him a combat thou must make:  
How wouldst thou quake and tremble for to see  
This mighty monster, much too hard for thee.  
But if a loving friend of thine step out,  
And for thy sake this furious combat fought:  
What canst thou say? which way wouldst thou requited  
Thy faithful friend, thou being no man to fight.  
Nay, which is more, thy friend for thee bee slain:  
Would not thou then lament, and cry amain.  
This loving combat, Christ for thee did fight,  
'Gainst Death, Grave Hell, which was by due thy right.  
O love! such love surpassing love ne'er found:  
Then let thy soul with thankfulness abound.  
If to Christ's head, thou vow'st thy dearest love;  
Nay, thou'lt him dagger, that will thee disprove.  
But for his hand, thou canst it not abide:  
some reasons to thyself thou dost reside.  
Where hand thou hadst, thou lov'st no head at all:  
Thy love's most base, and hypocritical.  
Which love, if truly, thou wouldst to him show,  
By sin's true hatred, thou dost let him know,  
And love unfeigned to his Members all;  
come life, come death, what ever do befall.  
Where he commands, no countermand must bee  
No trenching 'gainst his princely Regaltie.  
Kings at his feet, their Ruling-Scepters lay:  
And unto him, they humbly sue and pray;  
That he their Crowns would settle firm& sure:  
Not onely here, but ever to endure.   

Vers the fifth.  
BEhold! behold! again the Lord doth say;  
A Nation thou shalt call to the true way.  
Those people which thou didst not yet receive;  
To their messiah they did no whit cleav.  
And likewise those which knew thee not at all,  
Shall come in hast, and down before thee fall.  
because the Lord God, Israels holy One;  
To glory like thee, never will set none.  
blessed are those people which the Lord doth call;  
If they him fear, and serve, and love withall.  
That being so, what then must they needs bee,  
Which hid themselves, or always from him flee.  
How many strive to compass land and sea;  
If that some treasures they may bring away:  
Not thinking of the dangers they pass by;  
So that their prolects they can come but nigh:  
What combats fall, what shipwreck they do suffer,  
Tost with the raging seas, compelled to hover.  
some on the rocks are cast, some on the sands:  
some with the Cannon's force lose head and hands.  
But when Christ calls, most get them rather further  
Slight's his entreaty, and their own soul's murder.  
What do I( murder) say, 'tis not so well:  
Though always dying, there's no death in Hell.  
O Prince of princes Land King of kings own Son,  
Who will not to this princely Prince then run:  
Seeing rewards so great above all measure;  
No way compared may the whole world's treasure.  
For as the Lord hath glorified his Son:  
Thou shalt bee glorified if thou wilt come.   

Vers the sixth.  
O Seek to the Lord, while he may bee found  
For he in mercy always doth abound.  
he doth persuade thee, if thou him dost fear;  
To seek to call, to cry, while he is near:  
Unto this heavenly search make hast and go:  
It is the Lord that thee adviseth so.  
Such quiet to the soul it needs must bring;  
Where heavenly graces daily grow and spring.  
Where gold and treasure may bee gotten near;  
Who will to th' Indies then, go fetch them there.  
O fearful, fearful, that time needs must bee,  
When God will not bee heard, nor found by thee.  
To lose the favour of a gracious King,  
Were weakness madness, and a shameful thing.  
Yet death would surely give an end to all;  
Both losses, crosses, that on earth doth fall.  
But he that doth his loving God despise,  
Death will convey him to all miseries.  
If that some trivial thing thou dost but lack;  
How quickly thou wilt up, and roundly pack  
To fair or mercat, where it may bee had:  
No whit regarding way, or weather bad.  
But let thy soul want food, or what it will:  
Thou' lt say the ways are long, or weather ill.  
Or if a lump of earth thou hast but bought;  
And dost mistrust thy Evidences, nought:  
away thou' lt horse to Counsel, and to Term,  
And never rest till thou hast made them firm.  
But let thy evidence to heaven bee crost,  
Bee cras'd, canceled, or bee merely lost:  
Thou' lt slight the matter, or but little fear  
To mere thy maker, though that he bee near.  
Admit, ten thousand miles thou wert to go  
To meet thy God, if he appoint thee so:  
And that thy Patent home thou shouldst then bring  
That thou with him shouldst live a crwoned King:  
Wouldst thou this journey think was spent in vain,  
If that this kingdom so thou shouldst obtain.  
Then lose no time, sith he intreat's thee so:  
whilst he is near, before he farther go.  
O wretched man! rebel against thy Lord?  
Slight thy Redeemer? make thyself abhorred?  
The toad doth creep, the serpent swiftly slide  
From th'face of man, shee carefully doth hid.  
But God doth seek man to preserve, not kill:  
The more God calls man gets him further still.  
Still to the Serpent, which will him destroy  
With torturing torments, and with great annoy.  
The hateful'st creature that on earth doth crawl,  
Surpasseth man, where Christ's not all in all.  
Then hear my theme which I to all men give,  
That they in time will hasten, while they live:  
To seek and find the everlasting Lord;  
As he directeth in his holy Word.  
Lest that thou find him, that he will not bee  
A sin revenging God, for aye, to thee.   

Vers the seventh.  
O Wicked man! thy ways forsake and flee;  
Since to heaven's ways they nothing do agree.  
And every thought which leadeth unto sin  
Forsake, leave off, and do anew begin,  
With 
Bee sure you use the means to get faith and repentance.  Faith and true Repentance, come before  
Thy loving Lord, and do thy sins deplore.  
Then he stands ready, and will pardon all;  
Both thy back-sliding, and thy fearful fall.   

Vers the eighth.  
FOr my thoughts are not yours, nor your ways mine:  
From me they always differ& decline.  
As wicked thoughts make wicked actions grow;  
So heavenly thoughts make heavenly virtues flow   

Vers the ninth.  
FOr as the heavens are higher then the earth:  
God's thoughts from man's, so much still differeth  
God's thoughts by man cannot bee comprehended.  
Man's thoughts as man, may never be commended.  
Man's thoughts by God shall always be directed,  
When to his Laws he truly stands affencted.   

The tenth and eleventh Verses.  
AS rain& snow which from the heavens do fall,  
Descend's not down, and riseth up withall:  
But water's th' earth, and makes it spring and grow,  
And giveth bread to him that doth it sow.  
So shall the word which from my mouth doth come;  
It shall accomplish what I will have don.  
And not return in vain, and to no end,  
And prosper in the thing where I it sand.  
Then where's free-will? to which so falsely stood  
The late Pelagians, and succeeding brood.  
As if their wisdom far excelled more,  
Our Church and Martyrs, which are gone before.  
They feared no faggot, fire, nor bloody sword:  
Their faith was fast'ned firm upon God's Word.  
Those sweet Elizean flames they did embrace  
As heaven's transporters to their heavenly place.  
Those Saints and Martyrs no Pelgians were;  
As Fox( not Faux) recorded, doth declare.  
Faux was that wicked instrument of hell.  
Pluto's chief counselor, and foul actor fell  
Of that most hellish Treason, th' Powder-plot:  
whilst earth remains can never bee forgot.  
To have blown up King, Prince, and chief Estate:  
All but their friends and sides-men in that Fate.  
What's that Religion which such Facts maintain  
Of Blood and 
Prov. 24.10.  Treason, and do still remain.  
O fear and tremble, poor seduced ones!  
I do your case lament with sighs and moans.  
Nay, if Pope joan her self shee might be here,  
Shee would not find a place this point to clear.  
Why God did Esau hate, and jacob love:  
No reason but God's will can any prove.  
And mark the words which Iesus Christ doth say  
Two in the Mill shall bee at th' later day:  
The one, he saith, to him he will receive:  
The other sure he will forsake and leave.  
I will have 
Exod. 33.19. Ezek. 37.23, 28.  mercy where I will it show:  
And where I will not, there I'll answer no.  
Paul riding was the very way to hell:  
he road and road, yet thought he did ride well.  
It's Grace 
Acts 2.39.42. Job 33.26.  in man, that on man God bestow's;  
Begotten by his Word, God's truth it shows;  
Christ saith, All those thou gavest unto me;  
Shall everlasting 
John 17.24.  glory ever see.  
It's God that worketh both to will and do;  
Even of his own good pleasure, he saith so.  
You hath God quickened, and in mercy fed:  
Which in your sins and 
Eph. 2.5. Pro. 16.4.  trespasses were dead.  
Then what are those that like to God will bee:  
Which being dead; from death make them free.  
Can th' Ethiopian change his sulfer'd skin  
To purest white, which black 
Jer. 13.23.  hath always been.  
O● 
Psal. 141.1.  Leopard fierce, his sable spots remove  
When he doth pleas, where he these things can prove.  
No more can man, whose custom is to ill,  
From sin to 
Job. 26.19. Psal. 139.23, 24.  goodness alter when he will.  
Regenerate himself sure no man can,  
That lives on earth, and is no more but man,  
Who so is plunged and washed by his new birth;  
Must still bee washing, if he live on earth.  
Now unto him that doth Free-will maintain:  
And yet give's way and let's corruption reign:  
And longer will go on in slavish sin.  
And yet in time will mend, and then begin;  
To him I say, I do no cause find why  
That God should ever hear him call or cry:  
That any mercy he to him should show,  
That dare presume to slight his Maker so.  
But unto him whose holiness is clear,  
That can, and doth, and will God always fear.  
Astronomers which in their books must place  
Him for a Saint, to his great prais and grace;  
And unto him some Holie-daie direct;  
because he Holie-daies doth much affect;  
And rank's such daies even with the Lord's own day,  
And takes the fourth Command'ment quiter away;  
Or else it should some ceremony bee,  
To keep that day, the soul's felicity.  
These Popish tenants do distracted the Soul,  
Disturb the Church, end eke our Peace control.  
But now if all Free-willians holy are.  
I crave their mercy and do here so bear;  
But one thing fain of them I would demand,  
Which doth concern the matter here in hand;  
When in their Function settled that they were:  
What oath they took? to what then did they swear?  
Wa'st not our Churches Doctrine to maintain?  
Even the same 
Our Saviour's Doctrine, Mat. 5.18, 19.  Articles that still remain.  
me thinks I see our champions at a maze,  
Staring and looking, each one on other gaze.  
Like well-bred women, curt'sing for the way,  
which should give place, when they had rather stay.  
That Doctrine of God's Law, the fourth Command  
That God in Tables writ with his own hand.  
As they still taught, the same for to defend,  
And bring these Romish Errors to an end:  
For when the Lord upon Mount Sinah came  
In wonders, thunders, and a fiery flamme;  
With trumpets loud; that hill did quake& tremble  
When that her Maker thither did assemble  
Moses to meet; and him his Laws to give,  
That by his Law they all should learn to live.  
And to all ages, it should ever bee  
A Moral 
Psalm 119.156.  pattern to eternity.  
Christ did redeem us, and unto him draw,  
From the revenging Justice of the Law.  
some swearing Priest will sure hereafter call  
The third Commandement, Levitical.  
Say that a thousand men, against but one,  
Would part this Law, or else would have it none,  
What safety were't the greater part to take,  
Since't bring's no peace, nor conscience quiet make;  
The right-hand way the safest is of all;  
Never to yield it Ceremonial.  
With much admiring, I 
Ezek. 22.26, 16.  do stand and wonder,  
Who dare presume God's blessed Laws to sunder:  
And eke in Print, to testify the same;  
To the dishonour of his holy Name.  
O earth! hast thou forgot thy mouth to open,  
To swallow those that have God's Laws so broken.  
Bee thou not wors then is the horse or mule;  
Their master's they obey, and let them rule.  
The come and go, and eke such burdens bear  
For which th' are fit, and eke created were.  
But man those common graces doth abuse,  
Which God by nature gave him for to use.  
he doth not do his best his God to prais,  
But turns his will and strength quiter other ways;  
Think 'tis enough, that when he is to die,  
he then upon his God will trust and cry.  
For look how water gusheth down a hill,  
The noisom'st hollow ceaseth not to fill;  
Even so is man, which to himself is left,  
Swim's head-long down, from goodness is bereft.  
Do what thou may'st, what will to thee is given:  
Go thou not back, lest backward thou bee driven.  
All deeds of darkness do forsake and shun:  
For they to darkness will thee make to run:  
Unto that dark and direful place wilt bring,  
Like bide in th' pit fall which no more can sing.  
Thou' lt howl and cry, where thou the light shall see:  
because that darkness here was light to thee.  
Build not of that which mortal man hath founded,  
But hold to that from which all truth is grounded.  
Who so is wary of sins leprosy:  
Then learn a true and perfect remedy.  
straight in that place wherein thy Saviour heals  
By his sweet word, his own sweet self reveals.  
stay wait, and pray, if thou wait many a year,  
he'l come at last thou needest it not to fear.  
Truth calls for patience, and commands to stay,  
Till Christ bee pleased to walk the healing way.  
Then cease not cease not, but still to him cry:  
When death doth come, none can one hour buy.  
O were't not 
Rom. 8.18.  better for a man to bee  
Tormented here, with all earth's misery.  
Still firm by faith, my Christ my soul doth tell:  
believe and fear not, thou with me shalt dwell.  
Then long life, kingdoms health, and pleasure still,  
And should bee left unto my own free-will.  
But unto him that doth refuse to wait,  
Beware thou provest not a reprobate.  
The glorious Sun the blind man cannot light;  
Nor dead men heat though in her highest height.   

The twelfth and thirteenth Verses.  
FOrth shall you go in joy, and led in peace,  
In whom my word doth prosper and increase:  
This sentence sweet is spoken unto them  
Which makes God's word their soul's delighting jern.  
To them the mountains high shall seem to sing;  
Trees clap their hands, each thing doth joy them bring  
Instead of choking thorns fit trees shal grow  
And myrtle placed when raking briars blow.  
And this shall bee even to the Lord a Name:  
And everlasting sign of his great famed.  
Of his surpassing mercy and his love,  
The which none shall have power to remove.  
Those that before seemed fuel fit for hell,  
Are now God's buildings 
1 Cor. 6.19.  where himself will dwell.  
His 
John 3.9.  seed within them is so firmly sown,  
That none from God can separate his own.  
Like daded child new learning for to go:  
So weak is man, so 
Psal. 119.117. Mat. 16.23.  tottering to and fro.  
For look when God doth take away his hand,  
he falleth down 
Psal. 94.17  and hath no power to stand.  
But when he crie's and calls, the Lord doth come,  
Even as a loving father to his son.  
he ready is to help, to rais, to feed,  
And cloath the naked in due time of need:  
And make the lion fell a friend to bee;  
And fiery furnace comfort give to thee;  
Which to his enemies shall burn and tear,  
And rend in pieces when they, come but near.  
Will God such mercy to his 
Psalm 125.1.  children show?  
And yet will God to hell them cast and throw:  
No, no, God's word and promises are sure;  
Th' are truth, and truth, and truly will endure.  
God will not cast one child of his to hell;  
But often pay them when they do rebel:  
And mark the words of true converted Paul:  
Let him that standeth, take heed lest he fall;  
Fall from Election, that can never bee;  
But from some Grace that joys might bring to thee:  
Out-side Professors misled, they wholly may  
From God's eternal favour fall away:  
konrah with all them that the earth did swallow,  
They did profess God's Laws to keep and follow:  
And many thousands more, which all did perish;  
With Quails& Manna God did feed& cherish.  
Iudas professed, Christ did him devil call:  
Son of perdition no wonder of his fall.  
he love's his with an everlasting love:  
How'st everlasting if it may remove.  
he never will thee fail nor yet forsake:  
O wilt not thou thy heavenly God's word take?  
Heaven must first pass, and earth no more must bee  
Before God's word shall alter one degree.  
Thus here you see God's heavenly invitation;  
From heavenly water floweth true salvation.  
Our Saviour Christ, he doth likewise proclaim  
Soul's endless blessing and eternal famed.  
Where hung'ring thirst is after righteousness,  
They shall bee filled with true happiness.  
A Maker ever near, I owe honor new:  
blessed and renowned for our Redeemer's due.   
FINIS.   

Paraphrastical Meditations upon the 51. Psalm of the prophesy of the Prophet DAVID.  

THe King of kings, this King did make to bee  
From small repute, a conqueror great you see  
A stripling small that seemed but a boie,  
Did beard the Lion, and a Bear destroy.  
he slay a Giant, and more famed did get  
Then all the army, that in field was set.  
Yet was a shepherd in the wilderness;  
A place for men of 
Sam. 6.18.  war for to possess.  
Which David was reported for to bee,  
By Saul's attendants, in his misery.  
His learning, music, cunning, and his skill,  
Shew'd that his breeding was not on a hill.  
His valor seemed to surpass the rest,  
To keep the flock from the devouring beast.  
God did appoint him to anointed bee:  
Thus was he fitted for great dignity:  
Then brought unto his kingly state and chair;  
lived graciously, and served the Lord with fear.  
But mark when God doth leave man to himself;  
What's worldly wisdom, dignity, and pelf:  
he walked but upon his palace high;  
A naked woman bread his misery  
This sin-prov'd great, then he this Psalm did make  
To God, for mercy, for his mercie's sake.  
he lived too long, and in his sin did dwell,  
Till God by Nathan him his sin did tell.   

Vers the first.  

HAve mercy upon me, O Lord, he crie's,  
Teaching all sinners lessons that are wise;  
To cry and call, and seek for mercy all:  
Never to rest, but still for mercy call,  
At mercie's seat, where mercy doth abound;  
Where humble sinners mercy still have found.  
It is thy mercy that must do me good,  
Thy heavenly Saints for mercy all have stood.  
The Lord invite's me to it, then will I  
Still cry and call for mercy, till I die.  
To blot out my transgressions, which are more,  
In number, numberless, and the burden sore.  
O take them off, even for thy honor's sake  
Honor and mercy me a suitor make.  
Thy love, which is thyself, can never leave thee,  
For honor, love, and mercy, then do hear me.  
It is a work of mercy me to free  
Of this sore burden, and great misery.  
O let me find the sweetness of thy love,  
My soul's request, mine iniquities remove.   

It hath been asked, why David first did pray  
To God, to wash, and cleans his sins away,  
Before he first confessed them unto him,  
In order as they lay in every sin.  
The doleful sight, and heavy burden aye,  
Did wound, and ulcerate, and made him cry.    

Vers the second.  
irish me thoroughly from mine iniquity;  
And cleans me from my sins what e're they bee;  
By washing thou dost show thy love to me,  
So cleansing, maketh me, thy power to see.  
From outward spots, and inward putrefaction,  
O cleans both soul and body, life and action;  
Not onely from the sight of sillie man,  
But from that eye, that hidden nothing can.  
My tears, God know's are few and weak, and lean,  
But if thou wash me then I shall bee clean.  
A blessed and happy state shall I bee in;  
waked from iniquity, and cleansed from sin.  
Till I bee reconciled to my God,  
I take no rest, but fear his heavy rod.   

Vers the third.  
I Know mine iniquity, and my sin,  
They are before me, when they do begin:  
My miserie's not, that I my sins do know,  
But that they are mine, the breeder of my wo:  
A blessed thing, when that each soul doth see  
Each several sin, that mournful he may bee:  
They as tormentors, ceasing upon me,  
And add more sorrow to my misery.  
Too many seek their sins to cloak and hid;  
Which will prove heavy, when they must bee tried;  
Whether wee do confess our sins or no;  
There is no hideing, God each sin doth know.   

Vers the fourth.  
A 'gainst thee onely have I sinned, Lord,  
As God, and Father, sovereign, and thy Word.  
Adam might well have said, That onely he  
sinned against God; that did no other see.  
But how shall it bee said, that David did;  
Was then Vrias matter from him hide?  
What unfitter speech could then bee used?  
Which God, and self, and friend, had so abused.  
God gave the Law, and all our sins doth see,  
Which made this sin to him so fearful bee.  
Thy words are true, yet mercy thee doth stay;  
Wee sinful are, yet thou forbear'st to slay.  
Thy Judgments pure, for mercy still I cry;  
Sin's first beginner, Lord, that was not I.   

Vers the fifth.  
BEhold! I was born in iniquity,  
And in sin my mother conceived me.  
Seeing my birth conception did not mend,  
Let heavenly graces my new birth attend.  
For as the body groweth, so doth sin,  
If God's preventing Graces step not in.   

Vers the sixth.  
THou lovest truth in th' inward true affection,  
Therefore thou gav'st me wisdom& direction  
Thou art the God of truth, and so dost love,  
To the true heart a loving God to prove.  
Thou teachest wisdom in the secret heart;  
There's none but thee can teach it in that part.  
Though grace thou gav'st me not sin to prevent;  
Thou taught'st me wisdom that I should repent.  
It's hard to feel repentance still in soul,  
Thou art the giver, Lord, my sins control.  
External wisdom's given now and then,  
To art and nature, and the help of men.   

Vers the seventh.  
PUrge me with hyssop, and I shall bee clean,  
If thou still wash me, I shall still remain  
Then whiter then the snow, I shall appear;  
I shall bee purified, and made most clear.  
That promised messiah which did free  
His faithful people, from hell's misery.  
That blood, that hyssop, that was to bee  shed,  
Was as effectual, as now he is dead.  
This blessed messiah such sweet comfort bring's,  
That he will come with healing in his wings.  
So God's own people ever had the way  
To endless glory, even unto this day.   

Vers the eighth.  
MAke me to hear of joy and gladness, Lord;  
Of that sweet tidings written in thy word:  
Of a Redeemer, from that endless wo,  
Which, I beseech thee, I may never go.  
To bee rewarded as I have deserved;  
But by that hyssop I may bee preserved.  
he will make whole again my broken bones,  
Which shivered lye, with grievous sighs& moans.  
Then shall my heart rejoice, and tongue shall prais  
My blessed and dear Redeemer, all my daies.   

Vers the ninth.  
OH hid thy face from all my sins I pray!  
Great gracious God, and put them all away.  
O look on him, that did the burden bear!  
Let them no more continue as they were.  
Let me bee cleansed from all iniquity,  
That I thy mercy still may taste and see.   

Vers the tenth.  
CReate in me a clean heart, and renew  
A right spirit, that's holy, just, and true.  
When thou hast seated truth within my heart,  
Rebellion will bee routed in each part.  
Thy breathing Graces will me strengthen so,  
That I shall find out every deadly so,  
That would allure, or draw me from thy will,  
To things so hateful, wicked, vile, and ill.  
Then cleans my heart, Good God I do thee pray,  
Still to bee guided in thy blessed way.   

Vers the eleventh.  

FRom thy sweet presence, cast me not away,  
But let thy holy Spirit in me stay:  
As long as I am in thy presence Lord,  
Thy glorious presence, comforts me afford;  
What am I better then a sillie worm?  
If thou thy lovely presence from me turn.  
Wors then the vilest creature thou didst make,  
If thou thy graceful Spirit from me take.  
As God is said to bee in every place  
All are not filled with his heavenly grace.  
Both grace and presence, Lord, let me injoie;  
So shall I bee preserved from annoy.    

Vers the twelfth.  
SAlvation's joy, O Lord, restore to me;  
For unto it nothing compared may bee:  
It's better lose both goods, and health, and life,  
Then sweet salvation, ender of all strife.  
God took it not away, I did it lose,  
Which makes me tremble, yet my spirit rows,  
And look up to the helper of my wo,  
The gracious healer, though wee from him go.  
With thy free spirit, Lord, establish me,  
O then from slavish fear shall I bee free!  
Hope set's out first, and gets the start of fear;  
Faith build's up all in my Redeemer dear.   

Vers the thirteenth.  
THen shall I teach thy ways to wicked men:  
And sinners bee converted to thee then.  
Then shall I teach effectual, and bold,  
else fals, or idle, dull, or dead, or could.  
To fast, and kneel, and pray with hearty groans,  
Tis Christian's duty, God will hear their moans.  
Search every corner, every spot to cleans;  
Then God will hear, and pardon all thy sins.   

Vers the fourteenth.  
NO earthly man God's kingdom hope's to see,  
But that these words may savoury seem to bee;  
Can living Saint, or Monarch, bee so good?  
But still may cry, Deliver me from blood.  
Blood that's desired secret in the mind,  
'tis just with God, some judgement for it find.  
he was a man after the Lord's own heart;  
O but Vrias matter was his smart!  
Who is so clear but to the Lord may call?  
For to bee cleansed from sin, both great and small.  
Let bloody acts, or in the heart intended,  
Lamented bee, and wicked thoughts amended.  
he that doth think himself to bee most free,  
May bee in danger of hell's misery.  
blessed is that man with David, true can say,  
God is my portion, comfort, and my stay.  
God of salvation, what greater blessing then  
Can bee bestowed on the sons of men?   

Vers the fifteenth.  
O Lord! if thou my lips do open? then  
My mouth shall prais thee 'mongst the sons of men,  
endeavouring still, and striving for to bee,  
As Angels singing, with sweet melody.  
To generations I will show thy prais,  
For this thy bounty, even in all my daies.  
Whole troops of praises, must I show again,  
That thou disdainest not to make me clean.  
Then open thou my lips, my mouth, and all  
My secret parts, on thee to trust and call.  
I prais thy patience, for thou mad'st me new,  
And for accepting my repentance due.   

Verses the sixteenth and seventeenth.  
SAcrifice was shadows of things to bee;  
The substances are come, each soul may see.  
Bullocks, that burnt-offering, chief meant the heart  
Accept therefore, O God, that broken part.  
'tis no repentance, if this bee not in,  
A true heart-breaking, sorrowing soul for sin.   

Verses the eighteen and nineteenth.  

BEE favourable to Zion and do build  
Jerusalem's walls, descend it with thy shield.  
It is a work of thy almighty power,  
preserve it Lord, each day and every hour;  
Against the host of all her enemies,  
That both against thyself and people rise.  
For thy whole Church, O Lord, I here do pray;  
For wee are sinners and offend thee aye.  
Therefore, O Lord, thy judgments from us stay,  
That wee may give thee prais both night and day.  
Then thou our prayers wilt accept and hear,  
When wee do strive to live in thy true fear.    
FINIS.   

John Barford's prayer to God to prevent the Scottish Wars. 1639.  

ALL Powder smother, Bullet's fall down dead;  
Pikes lose their points,& Swords be turned to led  
No skin bee race't, nor drop of blood bee lost;  
Strife turned to Peace, and envy quiter bee crost;  
Sweet Peace disturbers come to open shane,  
Truth Standerd-bearer gain celestial famed.    

SHORT MEDITATIONS; FIRST Of God and the Birth of Jesus: Against some Sects and Errors. Lastly, against four and twenty SINS.  
By John Barford.  
Printed in the Year, 1649.   

To the READER.  

THe deeper sadder Poems are to thee;  
They will less profit, and less pleasure bee;  
But light and vain, though witty, yet they'l cause,  
Time much mis-spent; and idle fancy draw's  
Large Lines and Learned Wits do always fit;  
But short though mean, the wise will bear with it.  
If in some rapture any hence do gain,  
I joiful am, and think not of my pain.    

Short Meditations, &c.  

First of God.  
WHen of the heavens I think, and meditate,  
Of our great God, that all things did create,  
Without beginning, ending he hath none,  
This is too deep, too much to think upon:  
But of God's Word, Love, mercy, and free Grace,  
By faith in Christ, soul savingly embrace.   

Secondly, Of Christ his Birth.  

WHen Christ was born, and to his own was sent,  
A Proclamation from heaven's Parliament  
Wonder of wonders, of our Saviour's birth,  
All to redeem poor abjects of the earth:  
Armies of Angels like a heavenly host,  
revealed to us, even by the holy Ghost:  
That is the 
Ecce! Luke 2.11.  day, to you's a Saviour born;  
A day of mercy even to babes forlorn;  
This joiful tidings, first to shepherds mean;  
Should take off pride, that wee no men disdain.  
Gods Promise old, was here performed to man;  
Teach all our duty, do the best wee can.  
What God commands wee should remember still,  
Both night and 
Luke 2.11.  day, and to observe his will;  
The 
Psal. 111.4, 9.  Lord hath made his wondrous works to bee  
Had in remembrance, to eternity.  
Christ did refuse for to bee King on earth;  
But King of souls, and causser of new birth.   

A Riddle of the Soul.  
we have a gem which cost full dear,  
Which by the best is kept with fear;  
But fools this Jewel lose and keep;  
This is a Riddle, red and weep.  
If all the treasures that the world contain's,  
Which earth doth yield, or in the sea remains;  
Was heaped so that thou the same might see,  
This sight might well a wonder bee to thee:  
To view these things below which God did make  
That man might serve him for his mercy sake;  
This sight was nothing, and ten thousand more,  
Ten thousand times ten thousand o'er and o'er.  
When death shall summon thee away to high,  
farewell all earthly pomp thou may'st then cry.  
If all the wisdom that each one possessed,  
That is now present, or may bee expressed;  
And eke all valor, strength, with beauty placed,  
Beset with jewels, and with greatness graced,  
Were given to thee that thou might them injoie;  
And all the mentioned riches to employ;  
And that Meth●salah's daies thou were't to live;  
And likewise to thy heir thou mightst them give:  
If to Christ's purchase thou no right hast in,  
A poisonous serpent better thou hadst been.  
What's then these treasures, if thou consider well?  
Unto that price, which thee redeemed from hell.  
Slight neither price nor gem, but honor give  
To that Price-Giver, whilst thou art to live:  
he may bee begged that doth a feather choose,  
And will the ransom of a King refuse.  
Who yet will live in sin hale's down eternal wo;  
Are they not fools to lose the jewel so:  
I count that lost, which better had not been;  
Which lost all joy and all through slavish sin.  
Therefore bec careful for to bring to bliss  
That precious jewel, bought by thy Jesus;  
Esteem all flesh, delighting pleasure, toys,  
Which may deprive thee of thy heavenly joys.  
Till then, assure thyself, thou art but dead;  
Though all the world thou hadst, and by it fed.  
Who is't the Moon direct's, and Sun doth guid?  
Who doth command the winds, he sea, and tide:  
Which warm's& light's& comfort's creatures all;  
That they their bounds should keep when he did call;  
The earth was overwhelmed with waters fell,  
And all through sinful man, God's word doth tell.  
Who will consume the earth with fearful fire;  
he, he it is, Jehovah in his ire.  
And bring all men to judgement in one day;  
Sin, sin's the cause repent, make no delay:  
Sin rot's the body, and consume's the soul;  
Consume's and kill not: O for sin condole!  
What moveth God the pestilence to sand,  
By sword and famine, man to make an end;  
The mother then her tender child to kill,  
Her hungry body for to feed and fill:  
Her child to kill that shee thereof might feed;  
O 'tis God's vengeance! sin's the onely dead.  
Sin makes a wall, and fearful separation,  
'Twixt heaven's true joys and endless condemnation.  
Sin of that burden is, it prest to hell  
Thousands of Angels that in heaven did dwell.  
My sin my Saviour's face did make to sweat  
Drops both of blood and water, at one time;  
My sins a monster-like, so fell, so great,  
That none but God's own Son could purge that crime:  
God's Son God's onely Son and none but he,  
Must come from heaven and bleed, yea, die for me:  
My sin did make him to have stripes and scorns;  
And on his head to wear a crown of thorns:  
My sin did make him bear his heavy across,  
Which, if he had not, had been my soul's loss.  
My sin did make my hands the nails to drive  
Into his hands and feet, and he alive:  
Nay more, my sins did help to guide the spear;  
Which forth did let his sacred blood most dear.  
Six several times Christ for his own did bleed,  
Then suffered death, and they from hel were freeed:  
Lo here none lives that's free from hateful sin;  
At sin's command, keep watch wee walk not in:  
Christ in heaven onely mediateth for me,  
O but for him the Lord would sure abhor me!  
For sin let all men mourn and rend their hearts;  
That they in Christ his Passion had their parts.  
Yet joy, that they redeemed are by him  
From Satan's rage, and the reward of sin.  
When truly that thy soul doth sin detest,  
Oh then will death appear a welcome guest!  
His ghastly looks will make thee joy and sing,  
because his message is from the great King;  
Away to come from sorrow and from pain,  
In heaven with him eternally to reign.  
But where death is a messenger of wo,  
Then peals of thunder will torment thee so:  
Thy miseries then they do but new begin,  
because thou tookest such great delight in sin;  
No comfort canst thou find in death at all,  
For thou didst run from God, when he did call  
Thee to repent, and see where thou arifalling,  
Into that deadly gulf, where's no re-calling.  
O go! go cast thee at thy Saviour's feet,  
See thou bewail thy case, as it is meet;  
Bee gon away, and stay not till to morrow;  
delays breeds danger and increase's sorrow.  
Sin wounded Magdalen, let thy pattern bee  
joys true increase, and endless misery:  
Bee sure thou take up arms against that sin,  
Which in thy heart, thy Dalilah hath been.  
And never cease until thou conquered have  
That reigning sin, to which thou wert a slave:  
Defend no sin, though ne're so sweet to thee,  
What sin's defended, it will heavy bee.  
Though sable sin her dismal curtain cast  
About thy soul, from light to close it fast;  
Yet wait on God, the Prophets Esay crie's,  
From whom true joy and comfort may arise;  
Esteem thy jewel, set it not at nought,  
Think on the ransom that by Christ was wrought.  
Then all Christ's members, that the title take  
From our sweet Saviour, this true use may make;  
Most strictly strive for to bee like to him  
In life, and heart, and eye, and every limb.    

3. Of Man.  
BUt looking to God's handie-work below,  
What he commands that he would have us do:  
Here finding man, rebellions dearest friend,  
Soul's daily wonder, darless of his end.  
Not striving so the heavenly Crown to gain,  
Nor much regarding hell's tormenting pain.  
Feed horse, feed dog, with far more greater care;  
As if the soul should vanish in the air.  
Wisdom adviseth those for to condole,  
That love the body and do slight the soul;  
For 
Rev. 3.16.  luke-warm Christians think their case oft best  
But God holds loathsome and doth them detest.  
Who vow's the most thy loving friend to bee,  
Love's least thy soul, is no right friend to thee.   

4. Of Mourning.  
O Now be wail with thy destructive 
Wars began.  Lines!  
Wee see God's judgments in these later times:  
His sword is drawn, for wee have sinned all;  
Wee must lament, all mourn, and on him call.  
Let brinish tears prevent unchristian War,  
To move our God to end our fearful jar.  
O see a grief! when souls should true bee fed;  
How many people there are captive lead:  
So many Sects within this kingdom dwell,  
As teach, and tract, and point the way to hell.  
which now doth swarm, each where, in several sort,  
As tongue and pen scarce able to report.   

5. Against popery, that bloody Church, or old Sect.  
1 SIx hundred year after our Saviour dear 
Boniface. ;  
Then never Pope was heard by any ear 
Boniface. :  
2. But when he mounted was to bee a Prince,  
Antagonist to Christians ever since.  
3. A purblind Vicar from the very birth,  
Would rule in heaven, and over-rule on earth.  
4. Kill and destroy both King and Subjects all,  
That him their holy Father do not call.  
5. That King that bow's not down to kiss his to,  
Shall bee no son, but aye displeasure know.  
6. They hold't no sin to swear and then to break  
All vows and covenants, with us that they make.  
7. For money any sin shall pardoned bee;  
Past, or to come, no matter what degree.  
8. Whosoever sitteth in the Pope's own chair,  
Must needs speak truth,& teach as he taught there.  
9. Whereby the holy Ghost was written Lord;  
One changed to lady, honoured by record.  
Detest their Doctrine they do but beguile,  
The chair's grown rotten, 't may last, but a while.   

6. Against Anabaptists.  
1 THe Anabaptist learning doth despise,  
2. In th' Preacher's place a 
Pet. 3.16.  cobbler he doth rise.  
3. When women and unlearned men will teach,  
They cannot choose but oft gross Errors teach.  
Silence is better in the public view,  
Then for to speak the things that bee not true.  
4. They allow no King, no Lord, nor no degree,  
But all men equal, and things common bee.  
5. Refusing Infants all their Baptism 
Gen. 17.7.  due,  
As if scarce one man was baptized 
Acts 2.39.  true.  
6. obey the King give honor where 'tis due,  
And owe nothing, all this they will not do.  
Where's all things common, there can bee no poor,  
No thief to steal, to take away thy store.  
some this doth hold that where the body lies,  
So doth the soul and both together rise.   

The 7th. Sect.  
BRownist that Sect, sinceriously declare,  
Our holiest Ministers, more traitors are  
To Jesus Christ; for them they will not meet  
At his own table, all with joy to greet.  
Is't not a shane to seek, to prove, to find,  
Father a traitor, mother a whore by kind.   

The 8th. Sect.  
OUr high Arminians swelled with envy so  
Towards all that sought the holiest way to go,  
They silenced, deprived, imprisoned, with that spite,  
As blessed men, as taught God's word aright:  
The Oath where added was, &c.  
Wrought their own bane& did themselves betray:  
They preached down Preaching and taught all to pray,  
Hold all that will, they sure bee* saved may;  
Those that subscribed not unto their will,  
They striven to banish, or their blood to spill.  
So likewise many that do them defy  
maintain free-will and many truth's deny;  
All those for whom Christ did refuse to pray,  
May then bee said at the later day.   

The 9th. against mixed Errors.  

1 some will not bee where sinners do partake;  
O then themselves themselves they must forsake;  
he that can live without fowl spots of sin,  
Must live in heaven, on earth no such is in:  
From th' Idol's Temple wee may safely flee,  
until that Idols thence quiter banished bee.  
2. some will not pray to God for to forgive,  
No sin committed, while they are to live;  
David's example, and Christ's own command,  
Is waved and slighted now within our Land.  
3. That Gospel-Prayer, Jesus Christ did frame.  
some slight and question, and neglect the same:  
That blessed Rule so sweetly closed in;  
That th' lamb may wade& th'elephant may swim.  
4. some use not for to 
Luke 22.41. Psal. 25.6.  kneel to God at all;  
In God's own house, when on him they do call.  
Who sits before a King? yet hope's to have  
All things he want's, yet sitting still doth crave:  
looks for great favour, to advanced bee,  
When he deserved hath the gallow-tree;  
Where pox in knees, or gout in toes they feel,  
They need's must sit when others stand or kneel.  
No warrant in God's word can any find,  
That lazy gesture should content the mind;  
Ejaculations no man will deny;  
Walk, sit, and pray, and pray as wee do lye.  
Fall down and 
Mat. 26.39. Luke 22.41. Ezra.  kneel when wee to God do pray,  
Was David's, Solomon's, and our Saviour's way.  
5. some slight God's house, and silily report,  
A barn's as good for Christians to resort.  
6. King David's gracious pattern, canonized,  
By some late up-starts simply is despised;  
And King of kings o'er rule sweet Psalms to sing,  
By some much questioned for a lawful thing;  
It is our duty, and a special way  
Well to consider, what wee sing or say.  
7. some dare to say they live yet do not sin,  
They needs must lye, there is no truth in him.  
8. some have been heard which praising God have said,  
They have had rest this month, they have not prayed  
9. The sinful man whose wife is of that breed,  
May change her mate to get a holy seed.  
Behold what's written in God's Law and Book!  
Before Christ came there on they need not look.  
10. some cursed Arians that dare to deny,  
That Christ for them did either bleed or die.  
So mi●●ed follies from God's Word and Law,  
Blinde's many a soul and them from truth doth draw.  
Those Errors which to Faith destructive are;  
loathe and avoid with diligence and care.   

A charitable Opinion.  
I Am persuaded there is none alive,  
That strive's for truth, with truth, in truth to thrive.  
Though error led them from the heavenly way,  
They shall find truth before their ending day.    

The 10th. Sect.  
THe Antinomians brought this Error in.  
That the regenerate need not mourn for sin.  
deny Repentance, then refuse all grace;  
Faith by Repentance shows Christ's bleeding face.  
Mourn for our sins, confess, and true repent,  
Are three sweet signs that Christ for us was sent.   

11. Against Antinomians that mourning for sins bring's joy.  
WHen that I think of my fore-father's sins;  
Then in my ears this direful ditty ring's.  
Their sins are thine, and thou for them must smart;  
This dreadful sentence pierceth then my heart.  
For when I think that in the very way  
That they have sinned, I do offend each day;  
In actions real, or in some desire;  
Justly deserving hell's tormenting fire:  
For this my heart doth griev, and grieving more;  
My eyes are dry, with tears they run not o'er.  
Tears  shed for sin will greater comfort bring,  
Then much rejoicing, though it cause to sing.   

12. The true cause of rejoicing.  
THen looking to my Saviour's merit,  
Sweet precious faith refuscitates my spirit;  
And tell's my soul this comfort it may see;  
Though sins were ne'er so great Christ died for me.   

13. Comfort in mourning for small sins against the Antinomians.  

IF it were possible that a man should live  
But one whole day, and no offence to give  
Against the Lord, but in one sillie thought!  
Though saving grace within him so hath wrought,  
That he beleev's what God hath for him don  
In that great ransom, by his onely Son,  
If for that thought he  shed a thousand tears;  
His soul it comfort's, and his heart it chear's.  
And when I think what Christ expect's from me;  
That I must mourn if blessed I would bee;  
Where sins are loathsome, joy must needs prove sweet,  
For godly sorrow heavenly comforts meet.    

14. Earthly comfort not to bee preferred before heavenly.  
CAn the enjoying of a pretty child;  
Or virtuous wife, most loving, or most mild;  
Or hopeful holding of a Lordship long;  
Or safely keeping gold, or treasures strong;  
Take off thy thoughts from heaven's ne'er ending joys,  
From fading trifles, or conceited toys;  
Make thee desire to live, or loth to 
To a godly man that was loth to die.  die;  
When thou seek'st passing unto heaven so high.  
The bride desireth more her wedding day,  
Then twenty other weddings see shee may;  
Bee sure you build on earth no settled joy;  
For these are transient things, and bring annoy.  
For once a glimpse of heaven, though in a dream;  
I may not say a vision, fearing blame;  
I knew one ravished at our Saviour's sight;  
That th' earth a long time gave him no delight.  
What's then the true enjoying of the same?  
Where's joys immortal, and eternal famed?  
Admit great Alexander thou didst see;  
That conquered all the earth, did call on thee;  
As thou were't standing at his Highness gate,  
In a poor, mean, and despicable state;  
And unto thee such liking he would take;  
That shortly, sure, a King he would thee make;  
But charging thee with patience for to stay,  
until by message he thee call away;  
he'l sand his chariot thee full safe to bring,  
Where thou undoubtedly shall live a King:  
What longing thoughts would still possess thy heart?  
Till thou within thy kingdom seated wert.  
One comes with thundering 
Death seems to come.  knocks, then up thou hies,  
To think that now to honor thou must rise;  
But if his message bee that thou must stay;  
me thinks 't should rather griev thee for delay.   

The 15th. Meditation.  
FOr National sins, I must desire to see  
My head into a river, turned to bee;  
Not like a pud-lake dried up with the Sun;  
But that my 
Lam. 6.20.  eyes like fountains still should run.  
Who hath a lewd son, or lascivious wife?  
That sore lament's not for them all his life;  
To think a branch, or his own flesh should fry  
In hell's eternal burning misery.   

16. The holiest Kings have cause to mourn.  
WHat King, though holy, ever reigned on earth?  
That molestations had not mixed with mirth;  
Seek, search, inquire, within God's holy Writ,  
What true contentment any found in it:  
some with foul incest, some arch rebels were,  
Of whom their kingly parents took great care;  
From pestilence, sword, disease in each degree,  
What child of God could ever yet bee free?   

17. Christ loved and despised.  
some took Christ Jesus as he did appear,  
A loving, blessed, gracious, Saviour dear.  
The wise-men ceas't not till that they had seen  
Their blessed Saviour, which should them redeem.  
Yet some despising, took him for to bee  
A Carpenter, and squarer of a three.  
Then in their darkness they might deem him so;  
Now Light is come, and many further go.  
he preached when he was but twelve years old,  
Even with the Doctors, in the temple, Bold;  
They sure contemn him that do know the truth,  
And yet do slight him so in age and youth;  
That love to sin till they can sin no more;  
And so appoint their God when they'l give o'er;  
But when death comes, O then that they might live,  
Then they would to their Maker honor give,  
Use means, and do thy best while time doth last;  
That thou from Christ's sweet presence bee not cast   

18. That Christ give's Free-Grace.  
AS sun& moon by God's command give's light,  
Sweeten's both earth,& comfort's every sight:  
Even so Christ give's free Grace of his free will,  
With joy, light, fullness, he his own doth fill.  
Free Grace it is a mercy peramount;  
Who will may gain it none may so account.  
Draw us sweet Lord, and wee shall sweetly run can,  
After thyself Lord, wee shall freely come.  
Who slight's God's Grace, and yet great learning  
Were fitter termed a devil then a man.  
Things in this life God give's to friend and fo;  
But on his own, heaven's Graces doth bestow.   

19. To prise Grace before health or riches.  
HEalth is a mercy, of that high esteem;  
So likewise riches, every man doth deem.  
Who so hath both, yet want's sweet saving grace,  
Hath restless comforts of heaven's resting place;  
Where health,& wealth, and grace abound in one;  
O this is mercie's admiration!  
Want's health and wealth, yet grace may thee convey  
To joys eternal, never ending day.  
When parents perfect their young child behold;  
This is a mercy that excelleth gold,  
And graces sweet inwrap't with wisdom true;  
This godly 
The remedy.  parents joiful are to view;  
Still train them up for wisdom and for grace,  
Then riches rolling on, may come apace.  
O prise that mercy! to have free access,  
To crave God's blessings either more or less.   

20. A Meditation of Mourning.  
LO here's a grief makes many a soul to mourn!  
Joints shakes and totter, hearts distracted torn,  
To see one sort so tender for to bee,  
Unto our Church to yield conformity.  
Eyes have beholded their pure untainted life,  
And ears have heard their doctrine freefrom strife;  
Then here's the grief that they are silent prest,  
Which wee call trifles, that they silent rest.  
some yet wee have as holy as they bee;  
Yet some do brand themselves with infamy.  
some will few Sermons make, but they must lash;  
And join those heavenly men with hellish trash.  
some are so greedy wealth for to hook in,  
As they regardless are their flock to win.  
some, if the hour-glass would but run with Ale,  
They would not then the pulpit so much fail.  
They seem to labour sinners to convert;  
And often cause them 
Have them to the Ale-hous.  sin before they part.  
Like to those people that, with act and will,  
Beget a child, and then the babe do kill;  
Too many heard, in their discourses sad,  
To swear, and rail, and curs, as they were mad;  
Yet like Free-holders, they did still injoie,  
Their lips and livings free without annoy.   

21. A mourning that any should he suffered to writ against the fourth Commanderaent.  
WHence spring those thoughts from gangrene Doctors high,  
That dare against God's sacred Laws reply?  
Even of that Law that God a charge did give;  
Remember thou it keep, and holy live;  
Is't not from those foul spirits that do dwell  
In that infernal lake and 
Psal. 74 3.  pit of hell?  
If that a King; by Act of Parliament,  
Doth make a Law by all the house consent;  
According to the Medes and Persians,  
Which altered might not bee by any hands:  
May then a peasant peeled this Law deny?  
And yet no treason 'gainst his majesty?  
And mark the wo and misery that doth fall,  
Alas it doth no good, no good at all;  
But makes poor soul's more loosely for to live,  
That unto Holiness themselves should give.  
Was this Command'ment onely for the Jews?  
That many brain-sick men do it refuse.  
Under each Law the Church a prayer set,  
That every one should use and not forget,  
To entreat the Lord our hearts for to incline,  
His Laws to keep, most sacred and divine;  
Which many hold it's in our power to do,  
Is't not presumption any should say so?  
some forth would raze,& fain would have a fable,  
Even every Law that God wrote in each Table.  
Christ did not come for to destroy the Law;  
But to fulfil, and keep us all in awe.  
These wretches may run on as they desire;  
But 't would bee head-long to consuming fire.   

22. Against Pride and Oppression.  
LO here's that sin, for which once Angels were  
Cast into hell, for ever to bee there;  
Me thinks this doleful change should fright as well  
Proud Angels here, as those that bee in hell.  
If Kingly favours, honors do bestow,  
Shall then those honors o'er their brethren crow?  
Pride may not seated bee in any heart,  
That pleads Religion for the better part.  
Adam in Eden was out-cast and thrown,  
That Pride recorded ever should bee shown;  
Pride comes so near unto each Christian man,  
That they can scarce walk free do what they can.  
Our Saviour spake these words unto the eleven;  
blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is heaven.  
From thence is drawn, which he might likewise tell,  
The proud are cursed, their place must needs be hell.  
This Land is grown into that height of Pride;  
In stead of ho●ses they on men do ride.  
What pride consume's, wisdom bearing sway,  
Might keep the poor from wandering by the way.  
Pride and oppression, where 'tis let have power,  
Is not of God; delay they do no hour.  
Where God give's wealth in him they trust& call,  
Pride and Oppression would take life and all.  
Great is their misery that are very poor,  
But to bee trampled on, thert's doubled o'er;  
True humbled hearts shall sure advanced bee,  
The proud must suffer wo and misery.   

23. Against hardness of heart.  
OF all the plagues that ever Egypt had,  
I do conceive of none to bee so bad,  
As a hard Heart; it shutteth out all grace;  
But opens wide to wickedness a place.  
A stony heart can neither sigh nor moan,  
Rightly for other's sin, nor for his own.   

24. Against envy.  
seest not old envy, Satan's ancient son?  
By hateful Plots about the kingdoms run;  
Which way to vex God's chosen children dear,  
So he his projects fit, he doth not fear:  
Like th' poisonous Serpent which on earth is cursed,  
Suck's th' Elephant's blood until his self bee burst.  
Let all men know, where envy it excel's,  
There's no Religion where that envy dwell's:  
Nor may'st thou any Christian blood to spill;  
But what's commanded in God's holy will.  
Beware revenging any private end,  
Of thy own part, or for thy dearest friend.   

25. Against murder.  
murder, that dark, concealed, hateful sin,  
cry's up to heaven, God's judgments soon to bring  
On those delinquents, that his Law withstand's,  
Contemn their Maker with their bloody hands,  
Like to those traitors that 'gainst King and State,  
Plot's deadly ruin, by inventing hate:  
Herein the Church of Rome stands stained so;  
The purer blood shee seeketh to let go.  
Then let this ever ring within your ears,  
Blood never pardonned but with mournful tears.  
Who ever heard of one that God did fear,  
Consent to treason either far or near;  
hast to repentance, they that may have time,  
Of that most heinous, bloody, sinful crime.   

26. Against Slandering.  

TO Slander any one of his good name,  
Is impious, hateful, and a horrid shane.  
What' art, what' art think of thy former state?  
If he thy brother bee, thy sin is great.  
Hate thou the sin that thou in him wouldst find;  
Instruct him first, conceal thy slandering mind.  
What in thy power is not to restore,  
Bee sure forbear, except thou canst give more:  
Who is so perfect as he ought to bee?  
Then from a slandering tongue strive to bee free.  
Is't not a sin, abusive names to give  
Against those people, which with God must live?  
Who stands for truth to bee a perfect man,  
Shall sure bee termed for an arch 
roundheads.  Puritan.  
And many known against all Sects to rise,  
By spite most falsely, by that name despise;  
Arminious Priests, that title rightly fit's,  
And the meritorious holy Jesuits.    

27. Against Swearing.  
THe black-mouthed Swearers wors then Bedlams bee;  
Blaspheme their Maker, and yet will not see  
God's bounty, nor the danger they are in,  
If they lament not that hell's howling sin.  
And thousands careless take God's Name in vain  
In their discourse; but some that hope for gain,  
Swear and forswear, so they their purs may fill;  
Let danger to the soul prove what it will.  
They love not God, nor yet do heaven regard;  
Slight his ambassage, and that great reward.  
Can those men think Christ blessedly to see,  
That call on God that damned they may bee.  
Even like some Scotch-men without all control,  
In their discourse, cry Devil of my soul.  
Art thou a Christian, darest thou use to swear?  
Thou art yet wors then cursed heathens are.  
If all must into 
Psalm 9.17.  hell that God forget,  
Then all take warning that's to swearing set.   

28. Against Passion.  
PAssion still strive's 't untie the marriage knot,  
To part those friends that perfect love hath got;  
Nay, Passion parteth oft such friends asunder,  
As makes true wisdom hold up hands& wonder.  
Passion, wrath, anger, once beyond the rule,  
Make man appear far wors then horse or mule.  
When wee want patience& God's wrath do see,  
Is to heap vengeance top of misery.  
Patience will make God's anger sooner cease,  
Then mighty Armies, though they still increase:  
Then let sweet patience have her perfect work,  
That seldom passion in us never lurk.   

29. Against melancholy.  
MOping melancholy damp's the senses dear,  
From soul's rejoicing in a godly fear;  
Striving to keep all light from the poor soul,  
That may give comfort, and that sin control.  
O that's the thing the tempter seeks to do!  
To bring God's dear elected children to.  
Fast, hear, and pray, it give's that three-fold blow,  
To scourge the devil, and to make him go.  
O fail not this! and let him not deprive,  
thyself of senses, whilst thou art alive.   

30. Against Despair.  
DEspair from melancholy doth arise,  
A sin as great as Satan can device:  
Thy soul to ruin and discomfort bring,  
Depriving thee of joy in every thing.  
And many sadly by foul dismal death,  
Are self deprivers of their vital breath.  
wouldst bee delivered from a present sore  
To live in endless torments evermore?  
O then awake I see from despair thou high;  
It was for sinners made our Saviour die.   

31. Against gluttony.  
THe Glutton foul within his paunch doth put  
Such store of creatures in his endless gut;  
That would refresh, reliev, and comfort give,  
To many a feeble heart, that scarce can live;  
he never dream's his secret sin will mount,  
To bee recorded in his great account.  
Ambitious pride first made man eat to sin,  
Remember Dives when thou dost begin.   

32. Against Drunkenness.  
SO tottering Bacchus, that with sickly soul,  
sergeant's in strong liquour without all control  
Of God, or King, or Laws, or friends, or health;  
His humour he must have, bids farewell wealth.  
And to bee plain, so framed and fitted still;  
Then apt to all things that the devil will.  
some seem so civil one may safely say,  
Will leave their wits, where they may nothing pay.  
The fearful Deluge God no sooner staid.  
But man by drunk'ness, sen●●ess over-laid.  
Compulsive cups, by healths, are coloured so;  
breeds causeless quarrels, and makes God thy fo.  
Examples from the Heathen wee may find,  
They were not forced to drink but pleas their mind.   

33. Against immoderate taking of Tobacco.  
LO here this weed not seventy years fullknown!  
But since that time, in hight, exceeding grown:  
'T were idle for to writ of Merchant's gain,  
But what's consumed therewith, and spent in vain.  
some seem to griev, and to their friend's declare,  
They are bewitched, they can it not forbear.  
If Merchants would not fetch this ticeing weed:  
The devil would turn Merchant then with speed.  
Immoderate use, the virtue doth destroy  
Of all good creatures and doth bring annoy.   

34. Of Slothfulness.  
WHo so to slothfulness doth give but way,  
In soul and substance, danger's his decay.  
All heaven's sweet graces he doth bid bee gon,  
And hell's ragg'd garments, hasting, putteth on.  
When neither mind nor body is employed,  
In God's own way, both apt to bee destroyed.  
Hopeless of blessings with the Lord above,  
When wee the talent strive not to improve:  
The Sun may cry against us for his light;  
For Idleness, and turning day to night.  
The Slothful man is good not for Himself,  
Nor Court nor country, nor for Common-wealth  
blessed bee those parents that do strive to fit  
Each child in's calling, rightly suiting it.   

35. Against Lust.  

LUst stifle's Grace, and striketh at the Soul;  
Kick's every virtue that would it control.  
Lust hath a master, that doth far surpass  
The cunningest Machiavils that ever was.  
The world allure's, the flesh doth still rebel  
Against the precious soul to cast to hell.  
some lust for honor with ambition high;  
Their honor's honor they with wings let fly.  
How many are there that like Iudas slight,  
Even for small things, the blessed Lord of Light.  
O where's that father friend, or Christian brother,  
That lust's not after one foul sin or other.    

36. Against usury.  
come now to usury that old moon-ei'd thing,  
Which by some clergymen is still kept in;  
They'l not have't usury for one to receive  
So much increase, as just the Law give's leave;  
Nor will they take our Saviour's meaning so,  
As he in Luke to his did plainly show:  
Do good, and lend, look for nothing again,  
And your reward shall bee full great in heaven.  
If that God's Children you desire to bee?  
From any thought of gain you must bee free;  
For if one groat thou tie'st one for to pay;  
Or clog'st thy thoughts with hope of gain that way:  
O Saint where art thou that from this art free!  
That lend's thy money upon usury.  
That Antichristian thought might thee confounded,  
If that God's mercy did not more abound.  
When other pine then he full fed doth cry,  
he calls out still, Bring in my usury,  
Though hand and purs,& bags& chests have store  
His heart's still empty, and he seeks for more:  
And when he dies, that sin may go on still,  
being uncorrected in his later will;  
Tush, they are fools, cry some, that is no sin;  
There is no State can stand where 'tis not in.  
some answer thus, Look what their coin will buy,  
They safe may take, 't can bee no usury.  
Then usury take, that dare to hazard so,  
God's endless hate, and Soul's eternal wo.   

37. Against Covetousness.  
COvetousness, thou bitter bane to bliss,  
And foe invective to true happiness;  
Thou lai'st thy level at the dearest heart,  
Still grace to hinder, or to cause a smart.  
Thy plaie's good husbandry to shade thy sin;  
But in the broad way thou still walkest in.  
Is there no gamester that will here confess?  
Himself 't have sinned, either more or less.  
What God hath given thee darest thou hazard so?  
To put to venture whether 't bee thine or no.  
Recreate thyself, but let thy conscience tell,  
Truth's touch-stone teach thee, that thou dost do well.  
Beware thou fix not that to thy heart-root,  
Which God hath placed down before thy foot.   

38. Against Vnthankfulness.  
INgratitude to God, and then to man,  
Stain's thy creation cloak it how thou can;  
This foul inhuman sin makes thee much wors,  
Then that foul Serpent which the Lord did curs.  
Thanks Christ exspect's, witness the Lepers then,  
That gave him thanks, there was but one of ten.  
Then thankless souls look up unto your Maker,  
And prais his Name he is the world's Creator.  
Give God the glory for his mercy shown  
To former Ages, and now for our own;  
It is a heavenly thing to prais our God;  
Who fail's therein deserveth well the rod.  
God give's the wicked all they do possess;  
But thankful children God will truly bless.  
Undervaluing mercies from a Saviour dear:  
A sin most hateful, that each Soul should fear.   

39. Against Cursing.  
CUrsing, that crying, foul, soul-wounding sin,  
Doth neither gain, nor credit get or win:  
Who hath an honoured friend that give's him gold  
To wear, and bear, and do with what he would;  
And choisly feed him, or defend him so  
From inward danger, and from foreign foe.  
If that a hawk, horse, dog, do him offend,  
Should brute-like rise against so true a friend;  
And beat, and dash him on his noble face:  
Even so is every cursing Gallant's lace.  
Art thou a poor man, and darest but give way  
To curs& ban, when thou shouldst watch& pray:  
Then rich, and poor, and old, and young beware,  
Of cursed cursing have a watchful care.   

40. Against Lying.  
THe Liar is so hateful in God's sight,  
As unto heaven they have no part nor right▪  
You are the Devil's brood our Saviour crie's,  
So loathsome is a Liar in his eyes.  
That gain that cursed lying doth get in,  
Will soon bee wasted, or confusion bring.  
Oh speak the truth, and for the truth still stand!  
It will defend thee from the tempter's hand.   

41. Against adultery.  
adultery is a sin pollute's the soul,  
Defile's the body, and God's Laws control.  
Most brutish, beastly, and of God accursed,  
And amongst men of all sins seems the worst.  
What man by God's assistance doth device?  
posterity to bless that it should rise.  
All friends deceived are parents mistaken.  
Fals seed is sown and the foundation shaken.  
The base-man's bastard often may bee known;  
Which the fall woman's husband thinks his own.  
If thou desire a blessing on thy breed,  
Know God doth truly love a holy seed.  
choose not a mate that for thee is unfit.  
That's one good means, that thou bee blessed in it.   

42. Against hypocrisy.  
hypocrisy is a sin of that high strain,  
Which lieth lurking in the mind and brain.  
Most holy, zealous, all for outward action,  
Inward deceitful, rotten putrefaction;  
Just like a serpent, looking for to wind,  
And twist her self into the holiest mind:  
Make us think much, of that wee best should love;  
Of hearing, praying, to our God above.  
Who entertain's it none but God doth know,  
'Gainst which he hath pronounced many a woe,  
Oh let us all get weapons for to kill  
This searching Serpent, lest he have his will.   

43. Against Theft.  
THe Thief and Traitor stands against the Law,  
And on his head he doth God's judgement draw;  
Think's not that Satan tiseth him to spend  
His time in Theft, and sooner come to end:  
Fearing he should his wickedness once see,  
And so from him converted he should bee.  
For look when he hath stolen the greatest pelf,  
he's then the greatest thief unto himself.  
To plunder, pillage steal from th' owner right,  
Is to resist the powerful God of might.  
There is yet many believes as great as they,  
That filch from other men their goods away.  
Those that by cheating, seek to gain thereby,  
And those who take that filthy bribery,  
To make bad causses good, or good seem bad;  
So gain bee got, they care not how 'tis had.  
For these foul crying sins, each Christian heart  
Should truly mourn, to show his Christian part.   

44. Against treachery.  
TReasons abhorred by God's children true,  
That endless comfort hope's to taste and view;  
But treachery like a cunning lurking fiend,  
Steal's in some hearts, even for a selfish end.  
'tis Christian's valor never to deny  
Those sacred truth's, wee must bee saved by;  
But to forswear, deny, and eke oppose  
The things they hold, what may bee thought of those?  
Beware lest private ends make thee betray  
Thy neighbour, though his mind hold not thy way   

46. Follie's Looking-glass.  
THere is no 
Psalm 14.1.  God, the fool saith in his heart;  
Three sorts there bee chief actors of that part.  
1. The first are Sleepers,  
2. next the Careless man,  
3. The last presumptuous sinners, small good can  
To their poor souls, find any true relief,  
Till for their sins, their heart bee rent with grief.  
1. The sleepy sot when he should pray or hear,  
mind's not his soul, nor yet the Lord doth fear.  
2. The Careless man, the thing he best should love  
he love's the worst, and so a fool doth prove.  
3. Presumptuous men, think God is at their beck,  
Presume of mercy, mind not conscience check.  
Awake, bee careful, and presume no more;  
Let's all seek mercy, where is mercy store.  
Beg graces, and eie-salv, for th' inner man,  
To purge out folly, Oh do all wee can!  
( Blame not the writer for this title true)  
It is the Scripture give's the fool to you.   

46. Against slavish Fear.  
'tis not a bullet from a cannon fell,  
Though 't kill thy body, casts thy soul to hell;  
Which Christ redeemed, he laid his body down,  
Thee to injoie and everlasting crown.  
Then fear, not death, by bullet, nor by sword,  
They will transport thy soul up to the Lord.  
Who love's the world, he draw's before his sight  
A foggy veil, heaven's beauty all to slight:  
Bid tising world, Flesh, Satan all bee gon;  
It is God's truth I truly rest upon.   

47. Against unjust quarrels.  
WHen that thy Maker thee commands to fight,  
Then march on man-like for thy quarrel right,  
Who 
That look not to God's cause.  fight's for money, honor, or for gain?  
Is merely sinful, cursed, vile, and vain.  
A single 
By gallauts.  duel is advanced high.  
That reputation do not trampled lye,  
Who goes to fight when God doth bid him stay,  
'tis good bee well advised in his way;  
So long lodged malice may procure thy woe,  
Lose Christ's sweet favour, and bid cursed go.   

48. A common saying.  
There's many boast that they have so much Faith  
As Christ for them he surely died hath:  
And look when they shall turn unto their rest,  
They shall as sure bee saved as the best.   

49. A heavenly jewel.  

THen there's a jewel if thou canst it get,  
Will make thee happy and from bondage set.  
Get the true love, where thou true love shouldst show,  
And then thy happy state thou sure shalt know.  
What canst thou do'gainst God, or yet 'gainst man?  
Lo there's the jewel! get it if thou can.  
True love will purchase heaven thou then shalt wear  
A crown of glory, endless ever there.  
What would bee heaven if God could absent bee?  
No heaven without the glorious trinity.  
Who then was burning in the pit of hell,  
God's lovely presence might the pain expel;  
This grace of Love the Jewel doth excel.   

The last Exhortation to hate sin.  
AS sin's displeasing in our Saviour's eyes;  
Let's strive with strictness, loathing to despise  
And heaven desire, because wee still may see  
God in his glory, and from sin bee free.  
Hate sin, Oh hate it! had it not been for sin?  
Hell, Devils, Death, or Torments, none had been:  
Mark and remember, if that sin bee don;  
Whose shape wee bear, and image wee have on.  
Great massy sins, and such as wee count small;  
Most true it is Christ  shed his blood for all:  
No one dear drop of his was spent in vain;  
Then sins, though small may cause eternal pain.  
Who know's God's will and yet presume's to sin;  
A fearful judgement may befall on him.  
Let's all bee warned, look where foul sins do reign;  
Tread's yet the path-way to eternal pain.  
Watch and beware, death doth not always come,  
By sounding trumpet, or with beating drum:  
Like thief by night, not partial in his way,  
With mortal sting he doth the body slay.  
some mount to honor, some descend to wo;  
Thus sin brings death, but how no man doth know:  
God by his Prophet's, or his onely Son,  
speaks not of powder, bullets, nor of gun.  
A death so cruel, that one fatal blow,  
May King and Prince, with People overthrow.  
A cripple coward, or a snottie boie,  
Might Hector kill, or Samson quiter destroy.  
God love's the truth, his enemies it do hate;  
Would banish love, and breed us all debate;  
Make us abuse peace-blessings which God sent,  
And stir up strife 'twixt King and Parliament.  
Strength to a Nation, is true fear of God;  
True fear once wanting, there expect the rod.  
But here I hold my pen out of my ink.  
because I may not writ more what I think:  
End with my prayer both for King and all,  
To stand for truth, I to the Lord do call.   

Duties to bee observed in prayer.  
1 BEE sure thou prai'st for things that lawful bee,  
2. With Faith,  
3. with Zeal, and eke  
4. with constancy:  
5. Wait then with Patience, for the Lord's own time,  
It will prove happy, if thou so incline.  
prayer not sincere, woundeth thy own soul;  
Prevaileth nothing, nor no sin condole.  
could careless prayers, like a simplo boie,  
That shoot's a cock-height, may himself destroy.  
Not like the piercing bullet from a gun,  
May hit the mark, before the burst do come:  
So precious prayers from a gracious heart,  
Mount's up to heaven, and may take off our smart.     

John Barford, his Petition to God for King, Parliament, and all his People.  

O God! thou God of truth, I pray thee hear  
My soul's request, for all that do thee fear.  
There's but one truth, to which command and bring  
All thine own people, to our sovereign King:  
Let no Tolerations, Lord, long granted bee;  
That hateful Errors cause not enmity;  
Which scorn God's house and Ministers do slight,  
As if they did not teach God's Word aright;  
When right convinced, and then they will not rest;  
Take speedy order they may bee suppressed.  
No more blind bullets, fire, nor bloody sword;  
dissensions end, but let just law accord.  
Brute bankrupt ruffians, and blasphemers are  
All chief rejoicers, when true Christians jar;  
That they may plunder, pillage, drink, and whore,  
And mourn when mischief they can do no more.  
Soul's murdering Jesuits, which God's truth betray,  
Abandon bolish, and expel away.  
That purblind eyes may better cleared bee,  
And so unmask't, that the true light may see.  
Then all great Rulers that the Sword do bear,  
Correct in time, such people do not spare.  
They may prove like wild children in their youth,  
To thank their parents, teaching them the truth.  
See those have right, to whom right doth belong;  
Christ's blessed Rule, let bee observed strong.  
Now hear good God, and settle Truth and Peace,  
Amen I cry, Amen and never cease.   
John Barford.  
FINIS.   

BRIEF MEDITATIONS Upon the Sixtieth Psalm of David and the fourth Vers.  
By John Barford.  
Printed in the Year, 1649.   

To the READER.  

To meddle with much I dare not.  
If worthy I were, I need not.  
For to speak truth, I fear not.  
What envy saith, I heed not.   

ACcept my will, 'tis good, I do desire;  
For good I writ, for good I do aspire;  
For if but one unto Gods banner turn  
From Satan's filthy rags that painted bee:  
And stand for truth, for which all men should mourn;  
That they neglected have that great duty:  
Then shall my joys bee endless for that one,  
But more, if thousands quickly that bee gon:  
Who from an Abcidarian art can find,  
Or eloquence, his curious brain to pleas:  
Must here surceas, or countercamp his mind,  
If he bee pleased to red this poor Treatis;  
Where he may find, who jeer's and scorn's at truth,  
Who from Gods colours run in age and youth.  
Who are the leaders to the light so clear;  
Who likewise envy God's own children dear.  
Who, Spider-like, most deadly poison gnaw's  
From that same leaf which Bee sweet honey draw's.  
If with the Lark, I soar too near the Sun;  
To deal in* things which are too high for me;  
Then look, O look! how humbly down I come,  
And pardon crave upon my bended knee.  
Truth set my heart on work, truth gave directions;  
Truth made me writ for truth, with true affections.  
The Lord to Bahes his truth doth oft reveal,  
That from high minded Doctors may conceal.  
God's aid I craved for to set forth his prais,  
'Gainst old new burnish't* Errors in these daies; Armin.  
Rome's cankered Errors, which her cup hath filled,  
That never King nor Martyr ever held.  
If one here now with scornful eye this slight's,  
But armed, resolved. For over-ruled delights  
Will safely end, and comfort bring at last,  
When scissors and scorn's their due reward shall taste.  
The names I bear thou hast already red,  
That would have all men by one truth bee seed:  
Add none by pride so enviously to wrangle,  
Like bells untun'd that boys do cause to jangle.  
I to the Reader now a suitor am,  
That first he will consider my good will;  
With patience spend two hours if bee can,  
To see what he may find, I hope no ill.  
If ten times two thou spend'st, thou art my debtor,  
For thee I took this pains, and wish it better.    

Meditations upon the 60. Psalm and the fourth Vers.  
HAving requested divers to teach of the fourth Vers in this Psalm of David, and could not prevail, I thought good not to let fall the Meditations that it pleased God I should gather out of the same.  
In the first, second, and third Verses, the Prophet there complaineth, that the Lord had scattered them, and cast them forth: that he had made the land to tremble, and shewed the people heavy things.  
But in this fourth Vers, he rejoiceth saying: But now thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may bee displayed because of the truth. Selah.  
As the Lord gave a Rain-bow for an everlasting sign that the world should never b●e drowned again; even so he hath given a banner whilst the world endure's for all his to fight under. The Prophet Isaiah speaketh of this banner or ensign. Isa. 5.26. and 13.2. and 10.12. and 99.22. and 62.10.  
In the 74. Psalm, the Prophet saith, Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregation, and set up their banners for signs.  
Out of which two places is set forth the spiritual combat betwixt God's children and the children of this world, even till the world's end.  
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may bee displayed because of the truth.  
First, wee are to consider who hath given this banner, namely, God.  
Secondly, what this banner is: the flag of the Gospel Christ displayed Isa. 11.10.  
Thirdly, to whom it is given, namely to those that fear him.  
Fourthly, to what end; That it may bee displayed.  
Fifthly, for what cause; because of the truth.  
That the truth may bee stood for, Iude 3.  

For the first, that God hath given a banner, is here plainly proved; it is without contradiction. Secondly, what the banner is; The flag of the Gospel: but here to David and his victory.  
Yet may it bee taken thus; That God will have a sign in all his children who stand for the truth of the Gospel.  
For seeing the banner is given to those that fear him; then it must follow, that both strong, weak, aged and lame, women and children, are for this spiritual combat.  
A banner is a sign of such a Captain's company: So likewise in a great city, a man is sooner found where a sign is at his door. So in an army, you can scarce find a soldier but by his colours, neither may he bee from them; but not found with the enemies colours, for then, Death: neither may God's soldier bee from his colours.  
For once from God's colours, presently with the adversary, no not under the greatest Monarch's standard that fight's against truth, to gain honor or riches: wee must boldly stand for truth.  
In our spiritual warfare for truth and salvation, every man is not to fight his own way, when great differences arise. God's great Vicegerent is to call a council of War, and make choice of faithful, wise, and valiant Commanders, to train and make fit the souldiers to so weighty a service: expecting godly zeal, courage, faithfulness, and vigilancy, as patterns to the souldiers: but first being chosen by the King of heaven, and then to bee countenanced by the Kings of the earth.  
So have wee a blessed King, God's Vicegerent: For by me Kings reign. And under him Doctors, and Ministers, colonels and Captains to teach us. The battle is like to go well, when the Commanders are all skilful, faithful, valiant, and all of one mind. But desperately dangerous, where they are close traitors, cowards, and agree not in judgement: or so idle, as to set unskilful officers to train in their places; at least-wise so careless.  
The enemies to sincerity are so great, God's souldiers are so few; that wee may even cry with Elisha's servant, and say, Alas master, what shall wee do? when he saw the enemies many, and they so few to fight against them. But wee must pray with Elisha, 2 King. 6.15, 16, 17. that wee may have our eyes opened to see the power of God, by his heavenly host ready to fight for us: as jonathan and his armor-bearer; joshuah with his five Kings; and divers other places: so God fight's for his children that put their trust in Him, that they need not fear the number of their enemies, nor greatness of their persons; for if their quarrel bee God's, what should wee fear? Remember Herod's great host, and God's little flock; but wee must bee sure to keep to God's rule, let us buckle on our armour, and match stoutly under our colours, for there was never more need.  
Let us look to some of our Commanders, for the fight must need's bee dangerous, where any Captains bee traitors, and the enemies best friends. They must bee all of one mind. In a temporal war there may bee peace concluded for a time; but in our spiritual war never any peace. The enemies best friends, and so traitors, are all enemies to sincerity, all close hypocrites, all opposers of the truth, and of God's children.  
Object. But some will say, Shall a private soldier meddle with colonels or Captains, let him bee cashiered? I answer, he may; nay, it is his duty, if he can find either traitor, or coward in the band. I speak not this of any in particular, but such as know these things to bee in themselves: our Captains ought to train and teach us, wee must, give them their due, and they must tarry with us and not leave us with unworthy and unskilful oshcers, as too many do; get the living, and let the flock starv, or bee taken with the wolf. All that live in any gross sin; as pride, drunkenness, covetousness, envy, swearing, Sabbath-breaking, idleness, or the like: these are not fit Captains to teach. There was never heard by any ears, a perfect soldier, that was onely trained under any of them; for he that teacheth me that I may not serve under the enemy, and as soon as he hath taught me will go sery him himself, is not worthy to have God's colours carried in his company. For seeing wee are commanded to bee all of one mind, what shall become of some of our Commanders that differ so much in opinion from our worthy ancient ones, the blessed Martyrs: wee have many worthy ones still hold together, and some differ but a little in a poor ceremony, a thing of nothing pertinent, in respect of a third sort that are accounted of us, that differ from the long taught Doctrine of our Church of England in many Poin●s of Religion far beyond the differences of the Ceremonies, in matters of great consequence: they have been but of a late time, though too long; their father and founder was not ancient: They are certain men crept in, judas 4. They come so near the Pope in opinion that it were well they were all there, so from us, if God were so pleased.  
As our late King james of blessed memory, hath declared himself against them, by his Book written to the States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, against Doctor Vorstius, in the year, 1612. It is( said His majesty) one of the principal parts of that duty which appertain's unto a Christian King, to protect the true Church within his own Dominions, and to extirpate Heresies, is a Maxim without all controversy; In which respect, those honourable Titles of Custos& vindex utriusque Tabulae: Keeper and avenger of both the Tables of the Law. And Nutritius Ecclesiae, Nursing father of the Church do rightly belong unto every Emperor, King, and Christian Monarch. Pag. 1.  
( Which title never Arminian had yet.) And further, in the same Book, writing to his Majesties ambassador at that time, to make unto them in his Majesties name, of a Seditious, Heretical Preacher, and not suffer any of them to creep into their State. Our principal meaning was( said His majesty) of Arminius, who, though himself were latelyd ead, yet he had left too many of bis Disciples behind him. And more His majesty said at the same time one Bertius a scholar of the late Arminius, was so shameless as to maintain in his Letter to the Archbishop, That the Doctrine contained in his Book, was agreeable with the Doctrine of the Church of England. Let the Church of Christ then judge( said His majesty) whether it was high time for us to bestir our selvs or no, when as this gangrene had not only taken hold amongst our nearest neighbors; so as not onely the next house was on fire, but also began to creep into the bowels of our own Kingdom.  
For before that time wee had no difference in Fundamental Points of our Religion, though some in Ceremonies. For whilst we were striving about those gnats, the devil brought in these camels even ready to choke us. Thus differences amongst our selvs hath bread such distractions amongst many, that they cry out, They know not what to do. Nay, even amongst good Christians, and a desperate confusion amongst many that are weak, so that some that have been accounted strong, have shut themselves up, and lived with bread and water refusing all society until they died; which otherwise might have lived with great plenty. All this and more hath diversities of opinions wrought, which the devil and our main adversaries rejoice at.  
Wherefore I exhort you to bee ruled by our blessed Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.10. who spake by the holy Ghost, I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that you all speak one thing: And that there bee no dissension amongst you, but bee knit together in one mind and in one judgement. Phil. 3.16.  
Acts 4.32. The multitude of them that believed, were of one mind and one heart. So shall our war bee joiful and prosperous, and make our enemies to tremble, to see us hold together in the bands of amity.  
Therefore, seeing that the almighty God that powerful Lord hath given us a banner, let our Commanders hold together, and teach one truth.  
And souldiers stand close to their colours. Thus much of the first part.  
God gave this banner here thou plain may'st see:  
A soldier faithful prove thyself to bee.   

Thirdly.  
IT followeth to whom this banner is given, namely, to those that fear God.  
Then it must needs follow, that none are yet God's souldiers but those that fear him, yea, and love him too; they must go always together like man and wife, that may not bee partend.  

But first of Fear.  
Here it is plain, that strong men and lame, weak and sicklie, women and children, that fear God, are to fight under his colours.  
Wee all made our Covenant with God in Baptism manfully to fight under the banner, against fin, the world, and the devil. Prov. 19.23. The fear of the Lord leadeth to life. It is an honor and excellent thing to fear the Lord. Truly God's children fear him when the sun shine's, when they have most prosperity and greatest peace. Not as worldlings do, in thunder, in wars, or famine, or the like, or fearful pestilence: but even when they receive the greatest blessings; and as wee are to fear God truly, so must wee bee valiant to serve him against his enemies.  
And if thou wouldst bee truly valiant, First, learn to put on Christ Iesus, Rom. 13.14. Secondly, Get strength in the Lord, in the power of his might, Ephes. 6.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may bee able to stand against the wil●ss of the devil. For wee wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, the rulers of darkness; against spiritual wickedness in high places.  
The devil fight's chiefly at the head, the holy Ghost doubles the charge again, that wee take the whole armour of God, that wee may bee able to stand in the evil day.  
And then being armed, keep true watch; for many times weak souldiers by watchfulness, have resisted the enemy when stronger, by carelessness, have received the foil. The Scriptures are full of those examples; as Iosh●ah and David, &c.  
When wee are thus armed, then the world, the flesh, and the devil, are at work to unarm us.  
The flesh, by heat of lust to cast it off; the world, by her over-spreading sin of covetousness to hook it off; The Princes of this world, by pride and envy to pull it off. God cannot abide pride, no not in Kings: what? not in princely offices: he hate's it more then in the clergy, they bring God no honor by it; so is it likewise in envy, if it bee gotten in the Church, they are the devil's musicians to play him a dance. The fear of God rest's not where envy is, especially against sincerity, they are but whited walls, mere hypocrites: and where that sin of hypocrisy reign's, they will give consent to kill, or dismember, or displace any of God's servants that offend them. They go as far as they dare for public shane, more rebels to God and all goodness; for they that strive to bee upright in his way, they are an abomination to the wicked, Prov. 29.10. But the godly pray for their souls.  
The wicked bend their bow, and make ready the arrow upon the string, that they may secretly shoot at them which are upright in heart, Psal. 11.2.  
This shows that secret plotters of mischief against God's children would not have it seen they have no true fear of God.  
Isa. 66.2. jer. 23.2. The time will come( saith our Saviour) that they will excommunicate you:( What, give God's children to the devil?) Nay, the time shall come( saith our Saviour, John 16.2.) that whosoever 
As those that vow to kill all Round heads as they call them.  kill's you, shall think they do God good service. I would to God that prophesy may have no reference to our 
There is no Church without some blemish.  Church, nor our Church had never been branded with that blemish. Excommunication must needs bee lawful, when the execution thereof is according to the pattern of the sacred Scriptures; For( saith God) see you do all things according to the pattern.  
As I have heard say( saith the Apostle) that there is fornication amongst you; yea, and such as hath not been heard of, that one should have his father's wife, 1 Tim. 1.20,  
More, If any love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him bee excommunicate? 1 Cor. 16.22. Here would bee enough to fill officers purses; but that foul and execrable manner of Excommunicating for money, came from the whore of Rome, there is no warrant out of God's Word for it: for it is chiefly against the poor with us, but the Pope will excommunicate Kings. It is either against thy brother that is, or may bee: Where is the command of Christ obeyed, that thou shalt forgive him seven times? Wilt thou give thy consent to give him to the devil for a little money, as Judas did our Saviour? If he bee poor, how dost thou feed or cloath him? If he bee not yet called, how canst thou call him? If thou cast him out; it is the greatest blemish in our Church. Oh sir! there is a colour for that, it is for the contempt: Then mark God's Word, Jam 2.13. There shall bee judgement merciless, to him that sheweth no mercy. Comfort you my people, saith God, Isa. 40.10.  
If the fear of the Lord bee but the beginning of wisdom, he that hath not this fear, cannot continue in the battle, but quickly discover whose colours he stands for. Wee may not bee like Bats, to turn to the greater side; nor Jack of both sides, nor John indifferent, nor yet good, onely in good company: but fear God truly in the inward closet, in thy heart, not to give entertainment there to lust; as to desire the presence of such a dansel, or the company of such a drunkard, to bee merry a while, as they call it; nor to desire thy enemy there, to bee revenged of him; nor when thou findest thy bags empty, to wish them full of such a man's money, though he bee never so rich, or so wicked; or thyself poor, though godly. Nor yet desire honor for thy own ends; for God knoweth which way thy heart stands affencted, and what thou wouldst do if thou hadst opportunity.  
Blessed is the man that feareth alway. If thou wouldst beget true fear in heart, learn of the wise man, Prov. 2.3, 4, 5. Incline thy ear to wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding. cry after knowledge, seek her as silver, and search for her as hide treasure. Then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord. Whose word thou maiest take, and find the knowledge of God, to fear him truly alway. 
True fear great joy doth bring, it makes thee bold;  
All slavish fear to slight, thy faith to hold.   
Thus much of Fear.   

WHen the fear of God, and love to God go hand in hand, that makes the true, valiant, loving, and faithful soldier of Christ. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. For what can man do against the Lord, if he both fear and truly love him? or what against his neighbour? God's children in this have had their greatest failing.  
Our Saviour Jesus Christ, in Luke 6.33, 34, 35. sheweth who are blessed, pronouncing wo to the rich, and those that are full, that are without love and mercy: teaching rich men how to behave themselves, whom to love, and how to suffer, and to whom to lend.  
For( saith he) if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank shall you have? he turns to his Disciples, his children, saying, Wherefore love ye your enemies, and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward shall bee great, and ye shall bee the children of the highest. An exhortation to the greatest task, for the greatest reward. What? Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, and hope for nothing again. he might well speak this to his, for none but his can do it. Wee must do good and lend to those that are enemies to us; Let God's enemies alone, he is all s●fficient. This teacheth us peace and charity, then are wee prepared for love.  
If wee must lend and look for nothing again, me thinks this should stop the mouths of Usurers though it give them no content to their mind; but look to the great condition, as much as if he should say, If you regard not heaven, take use. This cannot bee but a mad adventure.  
Object. But some will say there can stand no State without it; and some others hold opinion, that so much may bee taken as their money will purchase to them. I answer, it is but their opinion, and no true ground for it, neither is it a safe way; for if they must hope for nothing again, their thoughts must bee very pure that lend. For some expound the place, that in some cases the principal is not to bee looked for by extremity, if thy poor brother bee grown into poverty. For they that will bee rich fall into many temptations.  
They that will have riches without God's warrant; as by Covetousness, I surie, and gaming, can show little love to their brethren or neighbors, and as yet march not under the banner. For he that determin's to go to God's colours let him bee well advised not shrink, nor go from them; but hast thither betimes in thy youth and strength to get in sooner into favour and preferment. Learn the way to the standard; if thou beest out, ask of those that can ●ell thee, and never leave till thou comest there; but bee sure thou askest not him that will set thee out of thy way.  
For God deal's with us as a good father having children in for eign countries where he hear's some suffer imprisonment, some banishment some nakedness, some hunger, some one affliction, some another: Their loving father send's messengers to releas and reliev them with letters and directions of their way, by such a river, by such a wood, follow my instruction, come at the time appointed, before the Sun grow low, or bee set; and whereas I hear you suffer extremity and misery, you shall bee sure of joy and happiness.  
You will say now, if any of these sons will carelessly loiter, or presumptuously go out of their way, and neglect the time appointed he justly deserv's to live in misery still. Even so hath God dealt with us; he hath gon further then letters, he hath printed books of directions, and by such faithful messengers that cease not, calling and crying daily teaching us the way to heaven; saying. To day wee must hear his voice; before Sun set with us, whilst it is not dark, and the strong men bow themselves, and the doors shall bee shut, and fear shall bee in the way, &c. Eccles. 12.3 4 5. Here he calls the young man, though he refuse not the old, though late. Wee oft refuse. The good child that truly love's his father, will bee loth to offer d him in the smallest thing; but far from compelling others.  
some go carelessly and sleepily to the colours, as if they care not whether they went or no; their love is not hot, they deceive themselves. Which put's me in mind of a story once I red of two Travellers, That after many passages, they came to a great and sumptuous castle, and viewing the walls and buildings, they saw a little Devil sleeping; and traveling on further, they found a poor man's house, where they saw a monstrous raging Devil, sometimes tearing the thatch, sometimes the walls, and sometimes the windows: the one demanding of the other, why doth not the great devil go to the castle, and the little devil to the little house; who answered, that the great devil had been at the great house, and conquered all there already, and had set the little devil to keep it; and might sleep too, but the poor man by God's unresistible grace stands firm and keep's him at defiance.  
If this bee but a Fable the Moral may bee good; for the Lord respecteth not the persons that bee great that love him not: nor fail's the poorest that love him, and trust in him, and keep to his colours.  
True love is the greatest blessing that ever God gave to man, and there was never any perfect in love but one, which was Christ Jesus; who lovingly gave himself for us, which were his enemies; which tie's us all in love to give freely our lives to him again. Go to the first man that God made, who had free will, placed in Eden, which had both creatures and earth at his command, he wanted love to fulfil the Law. Jacob likewise when he made a vow, That if the Lord would bless him in his journey, bee would build an Altar. Peter bragged and said, If all men forsake thee, yet my love is so, I will not: Which shows, that wee are like dading children, not able to stand of our selvs; for when God takes away his hand of Grace, wee fall; then Grace is as it were raked up in ashes, and wee fall; but of this more at large hereafter. Oh that God's children would hold together in peace and true love! for love grow's so could in every place, let me tell thee, whosoever thou art, that hast not love to all God's children, examine but thy heart truly and thou canst not find Christ Jesus there yet.  
As many can say, wee have so many Sects of Religion amongst us, that there cannot bee that true love. Is it not lamentable to see our Captains at variance, that their example should teach us love. By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples,( saith our Saviour) if you love one another; and by this wee know that wee are translated from death to life, if wee love the brethren.  
More, If I speak with the tongues of men and Angels, and have not love, I am but as sounding brass or as a tinkling cymbal. This I dare bee bold to writ, that let him bee captain or soldier, comformitant or not, where there is not love, there Jesus Christ is not yet in that heart, but he that translate's himself into Angel of light, he whose name was Legion: Wee must hate the sin but not the sinner. As man and wife must not bee partend, no more must fear and love, if wee belong ●o God. And man cannot bee said to love wife or children truly, though he never bee so careful for earthly preferments, and let them go in an erroneous way for their souls; love thy wive's soul, thy childe's soul, and thy friend's soul, thy brother's soul, or no true brother, so no true love. What? love the cabinet better then the jewel: Oh worthless love! Wee pray all together in God's house for holiness and pureness of life, what greater hypocrisy can there bee as when wee never mean it; dissemble so before God: if thou dealest but so with man, whose breath is in his nostrils; judge but thyself then what thou wilt bee accounted: Nay, when wee are out of God's house, exclaim against them, which immediately before thou didst make request to God to bee one of. Wee pray always that God's 
Too many leave out that petition.  will may bee don, and yet how few there bee that intend it, who are hypocrites now; Oh they neither fear God nor love him yet, nor any of his children truly, nor is the banner given to them: yet are they bound to love God's children for their own safety, both of life and goods.  
This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather then light, because their deeds are evil, John 3.19. say a man that hath but one daughter, that hath two suitors, the one truly honourable, virtuous, beautiful, comely, wise, in every part exceeding and excelling the other; abounding in riches, promising to make her a jointure of a whole kingdom, and craving nothing but love.  
The other suitor, true it is, was honourable, but now is proved a traitor, and so deprived of all his glory he lived in; become a bankrupt, grown most ugly and misshapen, and one that hath no truth in him, nor estate to make her; meaning that when he hath won her always to afflict her, and never to give her one hour of true comfort more: and shee, being well informed by her father of these two suitors before hand; if shee leave the best and take the worst, deserv's utterly to bee forsaken of her loving father, and never to bee taken for his child again: but then, when the monster can prove a contract by her, and that shee hath served him more then an apprentice-ship, oh, then shee is fain to cry out to her father, It is true, O father! but I had no power of myself; help me dear father, for thou maiest yet help me, help me, or I am utterly undone and overthrown.  
Thus stands the case with most of us, Christ Jesus is our earnest suitor, who intreat's us by his sweet Epistles, his holy Word, his ambassadors, putting us daily in mind; yet wee refuse his kind embracements, his sweet society, and to bee inheritors of the kingdom of heaven; to yield to the enticements of this ugly, monstrous, raging, both soul and body destroying suitor.  
Now seeing it is so let us speedily with the prodigal turn to our father, and fall at his feet, and never leave him until wee find mercy; For love cometh of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, 1 John 4.7. The onely way to win us to this love to God is, First, sincerely to think what wee were without Christ, the basest of all creatures: they that love not Christ let them bee a Maranatha, that is, most accursed. Secondly, remember what wee are, if truly in him the most happy. And thirdly, meditate what he hath don for us, at what a high rate he hath purchased our love, by losing his life for us: this cannot but beget both love and thankfulness, without which, a man is no true Christian; want's thou this love to thy heavenly suitor.  
Look down upon the earth, what God for his sake hath don for thee; beholding it in the Spring, how it is bedecked with flowers fruit and riches, look on the precious stones and gold, what refulgencie there is in them, which God ordained for man: Then cast thine eyes up to heaven, behold the Sun, Moon, and Stars, without which thou canst not move; these drawing thee on still to a more divine Meditation of heaven, which God will give to them that truly love him. Oh then meditate of our Saviour's Passion! how there was no sorrow like his sorrow, witness the drops of water and blood which he sweat for us; the nails through his blessed hands and feet, his precious blood gushing out of his side, his choosing us from so many thousand; still caring for us, when wee cannot care for our selvs. If thy love want heat, learn to increase it of the careful woman, who finding but a small coal of fire in the ashes, gather's little straws, small sticks, blow's softly, and finding it to kindle, laie's on by degrees until shee hath made a strong and flaming fire. So pray for grace that thy love may increase until thou beest inflamed to thy Lord, and all his children.  
So concluding this point with that of Prov. 8.17. I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me.  
First, wee must consider whose words these were: the great God of heaven's who fail's not his promise.  
Secondly, the effects; If wee love God he will love us.  
Thirdly, the comfort wee shall find; an everlasting crown in heaven: which if it were on earth, would bee mixed with misery.  
Fourthly, the fearful and dangerous condition those are in that love not God.  
For if an earthly King should make such a Proclamation, and record it under his own hand; O what hasting! what striving there would bee to come before his presence to make profession of their love, though he could give no certainty to them of his life nor theirs, how long they should injoie his love, not one hour: How many thousand years hath God proclaimed this sweet sentence, and how few come into his presence to declare themselves. Then make use of those sweet succeeding words, Those that seek me early shall find me.  
And cease not to seek him whilst thou hast time and opportunity,  
And beg this Grace of Love, for it cannot bee bought with money;  
Which God truly shewed to us in sending his Son to redeem us, otherwise a lost people: then mourn that wee have neglected this heavenly search so long.  
This gracious jewel let us high esteem,  
God's endless love, for Christ did us redeem:  
Who love's God's truth, and sin doth truly hate;  
Of heaven's true joy shall sure participate.  
Compare true love unto a chain of gold,  
That link's God's children fast true love to hold.    

The fourth Part.  
THe banner is given that it may bee displayed.  
In every Temporal War, when the battle is ended the colours may bee rolled up; and likewise when the souldiers bee not in arms.  
But in this Spiritual battle always displayed, and the warriors still in arms and readiness.  
First, wee are to consider the time prefixed; They must bee displayed always: even as long as the enemy opposeth, till the end of the world.  
Secondly, the parties that must fight, are all God's children.  
Thirdly, against whom; against the world, the flesh, and the devil.  
Fourthly at what time; at all times but chiefly when the enemy is most stirring, which is when God commands most holiness on the Lords day.  
For the first, the banner must bee displayed night and day, and endeavour to bee best at last, whilst wee have life; for he that giveth over in the midst of the battle, or dare not draw his sword must needs bee cashiered.  
But if any bee seen to put forth his match on purpose, he must have marshal Law bee shot as a traitor; still the banner must bee displayed, and souldiers keep close, seeing it concerns your everlasting reputation and honor, or endless horror.  
Secondly, it followeth, that all God's children must fight this battle; even all that look for salvation.  
Wee must not then have Wars amongst our selvs; no rout, no bitter contentions, for that makes the enemy not onely bold, but likewise joiful.  
Under our blessed General, wee have many brave, stout, and valiant, both colonels and Captains, to led us on and direct us.  
And some tender-hearted Captains which( with grief bee it spoken) comform not, which fight as stout as the best, and many of their souldiers too; and yet shamefully, and ignominiously, and falsely nicknamed and hated of many, as if ●hey were of the contrary army, by the name of 
But now called Roundheads.  Puritans: They know not what they say, or will not say what they know; for a Puritan had his name from Novatus, as I have heard taught: That about two hundred years after our Saviour Jesus Christ his Passion, there arose one Novatus, who being an ambitious man, to the intent that he might led a party, broached a new opinion to this purpose.  
That Christians haptized into Christ, if through infirmity, in time of persecution, they fall away and deny the Faith, though afterwards they may seem to do all that concerns repentance, or conversion, or confession, they can have no pardon of sin, no repentance, no salvation.  
The which Doctrine, being in a general Synod, by the Orthodox Divines disavowed, Novatus and his followers separated themselves, and called themselves through pride and insolency, Cathari, that is, Puritans. They boasted that they were more holy then all other men, and did glory in the merits of their works.  
The Doctrine of this Cathari or Puritans, saith Austen, was,  
First, they denied repentance and pardon of sins to Christians that fell into sin through infirmity.  
Secondly, they admit not of second Marriages, detesting them as adultery. It is true that the professors of the Gospel have, in all ages, had bynames, and slanderous calumnies imposed upon them: as they have been called, Albingenses, Waldenses, Berengarians, Arnolists, Tossepines: and even in England in old time, Lollards, and Puritans.  
You may see the difference between the old Puritans which were so indeed, and those that are nicknamed in these daies.  
First, they name themselves so, for a difference between themselves and others orthodox: Wee are nicknamed so.  
Secondly they called themselves so through pride of their own piety: Wee not so, but hate the name.  
Thirdly they denied pardon of sin and repentance to them that fell through infirmity; they denied second Marriages: So do not wee.  
Fourthly, they gloried in their own merits of works; So do not wee.  
Fifthly, they separated themselves from other Orthodox Christians; So do not wee.  
Sixthly, they were condemned by Orthodox Fathers as heretics; So are not wee.  
Seventhly, some of them repented and returned again to the Church of God; Wee go not out from the Church of God.  
Thus you see the differences, how near they come together.  
The one condemned as heretics; the other differs in nothing but in a poor ceremony, as wee our selvs call it. This I have heard taught by brave and conformable Captains of happy memory.  
But the name of roundheads proceeded neither from wit, grace, or godliness, and so not worth the answer; but, as it is reported from a condemned Jesuit.  
A Long-head is like an Ass; a Logger-head is termed a Fool; but sure they are the wisest heads that stand for truth.  
Thirdly, wee are to fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil; but not against God's faithful souldiers, though they differ in a small thing.  
For( good Readers) if you observe, you will find the devil's tract in this, as easily as to see a man's nose on his face; for first he labor's to bring us out of love with them that comform not, by that fals name of Puritans; and then when those are shut out, to pick some quarrel against the most faithful as to term them Puritanical preachers; for our Saviour saith, There will bee differences amongst you,( speaking to his own) even till the world's end; But not in many points of Religion: for they are not of us that agree not with us in truth; especially those that refuse to hear and withdraw themsels from their ordinances.  
You see who wee are to make war against; this is no easy fight, though some Papists have reported that the Protestant Religion,( as they call it) is the easiest Religion.  
It may bee true, in a lazy licentious time-server, but not for a careful, vigilant, and true soldier of Christ. It is a hard task to mortify the flesh with the vain allurements of the world and to endeavour to resist the enticements of the devil, as not to bee over-ruled by them; this will not bee found easy. Herein let us imitate the good warrior that keeps a Castle, wee must look to the breaches for letting in the enemy, and when wee find a breach weak and failing, presently do all wee can to strengthen it: whosoever undertake's this task will not find it so easy a thing, though the joy it bring's will make al seem easy.  
Now fourthly follow's the time; at all times; but chiefly when the enemy stir's most; on the Lord's-daie.  
Wee must have our armour ready all the six daies, and watchful; but six daies shalt thou labour, and keep to thy Christian calling, but always in Christ close to the banner: but the seventh date remember to keep it holy, that thou must labour onely for thy soul. The seventh day is always the hottest skirmish; for if wee call to mind the many places in the sacred Scriptures, wherein wee are warned by God's fearful threatenings to sanctify this day and keep it holy; to get heavenly wisdom, to pitch all our thoughts and actions, to glorify him, which ought to bee our chiefest care, which most are most careless in: Wee do not that which wee may do, but far from doing that which God commands, wee abuse the common graces which God give's us; wee labour not to improve our talent but make our legs lame to go to God's house; our ears deaf to hear his word; our hearts otherwise affencted; our eyes blind to see his word. Thus making our members rebels against our soul, and bring that woeful sentence upon us; as Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently: so denying the way to heaven, refusing God's chief blessings then our deserving is hell and damnation. For he that is weary of Christian duties on the Lord's day, and likewise daily duties constantly to bee performed in every day of the week must needs bee unfit for heaven where there is nothing but praising God.  
Wee have many brave out-side men that day, for an hour in a day, or an hour in a month, that seem to put on the breast-plate of righteousness, and with the sword of the spirit, cut sin to pieces; but when the hour is ended, there they leave the armour, sheathe the sword, and roll the colours in the pulpit; and but for the out-side, shall not bee known to bee either Captains or Souldiers: nay, they will for that hour so rows up and awake sluggards, that the fore-named little devil is fain to call the great Beelzebub, and tell him, if he come not himself, his kingdom will bee thrown down, the field will bee lost: Beelzebub answers, Thou sillie weakling canst thou perceive nothing? these out-side men are my best friends, and do me most service; let them alone one hour, they will bee for me twenty. Mark but when a great man invite's one of them home on a Sabbath-daie to dine with him, where swearing, drinking, and beastly talking is, what will he say then? dost thou hear him speak one word against me then? no, he will either join in outward action or in silence, and base cowardice, and fight manfully under my colours all the week after. What? dost thou not know yet that a foreign politic Prince hath his best friends in his adversaries Court and Counsel: nay there are too many Captains and Souldiers that do in a manner make their apology to the Devil, and say, Though wee may not for the 
Nay the King of kings Law.  King's Law serve you in the day, yet you had our hearts, for now at night wee come to offer our free service. How can a soldier fight manfully when he see's his Captain fight six daies with the enemy, for one with his General; is not this petty treason? Can the poor soldier think he meaneth as he taught him? It cannot bee true, thinks he, for then he would never do so himself; what care and true love can he have to my soul that hath so little to his town. Souldiers are too apt to follow their Leaders in evil, such a master, commonly such a man. Thus wee see that upon the Lord's-daie is the hottest assaults both by the Devil and his followers.  
The conscionable keeping of the Sabbath( saith Doctor Bailie in his practise of piety) is the mother of Religion and good Discipline in the Church. Take away the Sabbath, and let men serve God as they list, and what will become of Religion? Pag. 403.  
For none a eless careful in keeping the Lord's day then those which are most superstitious observers of men's holie-daies. Pag 428.  
What God hath perpetualy sanctified let no man ever presume to make common or profane.  
The corruption of our nature is found in the manifest opposition of wicked men; and the secret unwillingness of the godly, sincerely to keep the Sabbath, sufficiently sheweth the Commandement to bee Moral. These words are worthy to bee written in Letters of gold; for one blessed man's opinion on God's side should sway more then never so many against him. holy Elijah, though a Prophet, said, he was left 
he thought all had been slain but himself.  alone to worship God aright: yet God said to this holy Prophet, he had yet reserved seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal; but what was seven thousand amongst so many millions of miscreants? though some great Doctors, they were never the holier in those daies for being Doctors. labour to be good before thou beest great; for I say if there were no more onely but that book called the practise of piety, which is approved of by our Church, it were, I say, a safer way to hold to that Doctrine therein contained, then to give ear to some late Writers, though 
As to Dr. Pocklington.  Doctors.  
For( saith that worthy Author) the Church of Rome commit's gross idolatry, in taking upon her to ordain Sabbaths, which belong's onely to the Lord of the Sabbath:  
And in dedicating those holy daies to the honor of the creatures:  
And in tying to those daies God's worship: as, prayer, Fasting, and Merit:  
And in exacting, on those daies of men's invention, a greater measure of solemnity and Sanctification, then upon the Lord's-daie which God commands. page. 429.  
I speak not this to cast down the wonderful works of God that must bee kept in perpetual memory.  
It is remarkable in the sacred Scriptures, That God never commanded any thing which was against the Law, but he came himself to appoint it, who was the Law maker: as to have Abraham to sacrifice his son, against the sixth Commandement. And likewise the children of Israel to rob the Egyptians, a breach of the seventh Commandement; which otherwise had not onely been an abomination, but death: but being commanded by the Law maker, had been death eternal to have denied.  
And more, our blessed Saviour being God, had given commandement unto the Apostles whom he had chosen, Acts 1.3. to whom he had presented himself alive after he had suffered.  
By many infallible tokens, being seen of them by the space of forty daies, Acts 1.3. and speaking of those things which appertain to the kingdom of God, even of all things. They, being directed by him, altered not the Commandement but the day from the Jewish Sabbath to the first day: which day is renowned by our Saviour's Resurrection, which is the Queen of daies; In which 
Dr. Bailie.  death is overcome, and life spring's up in glory in Christ, which can no way nullify the morality of it; for it was still God's proper act.  

The Commandement is of 2686 years standing.  Moses commanded the Law to bee put into the Ark, that it might bee there for a witness against them; for said he, I know your Rebellion; behold, I being yet alive; ye are rebellious against the Lord: how much more then after my death? Might not this great Prophet prophesy of these times, against those people that labour to make that Commandement( which the Lord put a memento too more then the rest of the Commandements) Ceremonial.  
The Ceremonial Law was enjoined to the Jews onely, but the Commandement of the Sabbath enjoined as well to the Gentiles. Christ took the Curs of the Law from his redeemed, and God sanctified the Sabbath.  
Paul saith, The Law is spiritual, but I am carnal. They then must needs be carnal that speak against the morality of this Commandement, so then, it must needs agree with the flesh. The Church expound's it in the margin, Of thine infidelity: when thou shalt turn away from the Doctrine contained therein, which is now verified by some.  
Moreover,( saith Dr. Bailie) The Church by an universal consent, even since the apostles time, hath still held the Commandement of the Sabbath Moral, and a perpetual Law of God; and the keeping of it upon the first day of the week, to bee the institution of Christ and his Apostles.  
Moreover, it hath been the Law of our Church, as in the old Book of Common prayer, Incline our hearts to keep this Law. And our Saviour saith, I and my Father are one. If you love me keep my Commandements, John 14.15, 21. twice repeating those words.  
Moreover, it was the order of our Church to have Evening prayer on Saturdaie, to prepare us for the holy Sabbath, that wee might bee fresh to go about that heavenly work for our souls; for it will bee a great comfort to thy soul when thou art to depart this life, to think that thou hast striven against thy flesh to find out the way to heaven; which wicked men and malefactors have lamentably cried out of their great abusing and wicked spending of God's holy Sabatth: so let every one that loveth the Lord Christ keep holy the Lord's day: for, saith the holy Ghost, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them: not to do his best endeavour, and to flee to Christ for help. For the Commandements are holy, and just, and good; and it must needs bee a safe way and most blessed so to hold, which the opposers will one day find.  
The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; this should make men take heed of entrenching against God that day, if thou wilt have him to bee the Lord thy God, then endeavour to keep his day holy.  
For if another keep his day holy and thou dost not; What is that to thee?  
If another cloth the naked and feed the hungry, and thou dost not; What is that to thee?  
If another love all God's children and thou lovest but some of them; What is that to thee?  
And whereas God hath promised to bee our God, and wee shall bee his people.  
If another bee one of God's children and thou find thou art not; What is that to thee?  
If another lay up treasures for his soul that day, and thou increase thy misery; What will become of thee?  
Oh bee entreated for thyself for the breach of the Commandements! God threatened to kindle a fire in Jerusalem, and it should devour the palaces, Jer. 17.27. If he bee the Lord thy God, suffer him, or earnestly desire he may rule over thy affections; and not say, Wee will not have him rule over us: let his messengers say what they will, wee will do what wee list.  
But if thou wilt not have him rule over thee, Rejoice O young man in thy youth! and let thine heart cheer thee, and walk, in the sight of thy own eyes; but know for all these things that God will bring thee to judgement, Eccles. 11.9. To day if you will hear my voice harden not your hearts.  
They that refuse to hear God's Word when they may, harden their own hearts when they use no means to get Grace.  
Not a part of the day, but all the day; come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will eas you: Wce must bee weary of sinning, but never weary of coming to Christ to attend upon the means of Grace. It is a rebellious thing not to come when our Saviour calls, for if a father 
The Reason  call his child, if he run from him, and regard him not he will certainly bee more offended. because I have called and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and none would regard; I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh. Then ye shall call upon me but I will not answer; they shall seek me early but they shall not find me, for they hated knowledge, &c. Prov. 1, 24, 26, 28, 29.  
There is no body that hath a burden on his back that will ruin him, if he bee not senseless, but he will hasten to bee delivered of it.  
So when our sins seem to sink us into the pit, and wee bee weary of them, and come when Christ calls and faint not, he will eas us.  
Object. But on the Sabbath day, many that are called Puritans will not keep their Parish Church; for that I cannot excuse, if they teach them in dead.  
many good husbands when they have tilled and manured their land and made it ready for seed, will change their seed for the better, especially if their own bee light; but if they have little or none, they must needs fetch more, or else their land will quickly grow weedy: so the hungry soul must have food though it cost money.  
The Lord sent his crier Esay, saying, Ho, every one that thirsteth come to the water; and many obey the flesh and the devil and sit at home: And ye that have no money, come ye, buy wine and milk without money, or money worth: what is this water but the Word of God? how can the poor man buy it that hath no money, but by his labour? so there is wine for the able man and milk for the poor and weak; who can find milk in an empty house, wine in a bottonles vessel? and calling again, hearken diligently unto me, eat that which is good, and let your souls delight in fatness.  
Wee must not neglect our service to God when he calls, God would have us look for good food that may feed our souls; he would not have our bodies pampered and our souls pined; how can he feed that hath but dry commons and want's the water of Life, or one to unfold the mysteries of salvation, which otherwise may but bee a dead letter. This may confute those that think they cannot err they are lead by the Spirit.  
The great lord Treasurer must needs have a Philip; here you see all are called that hunger and thirst, though never so little; nay, they are not excluded that thirst not, though not yet called. That none may despair, look further, Who is amongst you that feareth the Lord? let him hear the voice of his servant: they that fear God never so little are commanded to this duty.  
Psal. 107.5, 10. he that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God, Isa. 50.10.  
Oh what comfort is this to the most distressed that can but wait upon God.  
God commanded Ezekiel, Chap. 46.2. that the Church door should bee shut the six working daies, but it should bee open the Sabbath all the day, and not shut till evening: sure this signified some extraordinary worship of God that day above other holie-daies; certainly the doors were not to stand open but for some great end. Acts. 28.23.  
How dreadful is this place( said Jacob) this is no other but the house of God, this is the gate of heaven, Gen. 28.17. If the 
This may confute the jeerers of God's house.  house of God bee the gate of heaven to let us in there; then the houses of iniquity are the high way to hell.  
What would David have been called if he had lived in these daies? Who had gon with a multitude and lead them into the house of God with the voice of singing? &c. Psalm 42.2. But they that will follow the command of God by Isaiah, would bee termed Arch Paritans.  
Isa. 58.13, 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, non finding thy own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.  
From Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh worship before me.  
But to whom did the Prophet speak these words? to the Jews onely? or from whom did he speak, was it not from the Lord?  
The Lord made not this Covenant with our Fathers onely, but with us; even with us all here alive this day, Deut. 5.3. Psalm 105.8, 9, 10.  
So it is plain, that God the Father spake all these words of the Law, Exod. 20.1. God the Son came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it. For said he, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or title shall in no wise pass, Mat. 5.17, 18, 19. God the holy Ghost, laie's a curs upon every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. To endeavour to his utmost to do them: so Christ fulfil's all for us if wee do our best.  
some, wee have, hold this fourth Commandement to bee Ceremonial, but most blessed men Moral.  
some approve of recreations, some not: godly recreations must needs bee lawful, but recreations which the flesh desire's cannot bee: They that can leap and dance, and sing, and still prais God, must needs bee lawful, but if our righteousness bee as a menstruous cloth, what then? See that you do all things according to the pattern, Heb. 8.5. Dance like David, sing like David, leap over the wall like David; but take heed of giving way to lust like David: For the most part Recreations and Sanctifications are too contraries, wee may allow our selvs nothing, if before wee do it, wee know wee shall sin in it; neither eat or drink to sin; it is the best way to hold the safe way, for seeing our righteousness is as rags, our reading, hearing, and our Praying, wee must needs bee careful when wee pray.  
Thus wee see the differences in all ages; keep still to the safe way; none are commanded to use them; wee all pray for Holiness, without which none can see the Lord. Yet many contemn the means, and will say they hope to bee saved even as well as those that run after Sermons, and yet keep with Sir John their Parish Priest at home. These are like the sots that sit by the fire side, and cry for hunger, and will not rise to the table to fetch it: or like a slothful man in a room, having nothing there but weak and little food, and is invited to the next house to strong and strengthening meat. So there bee many that will frequent often God's house, as long as they dwell near, so long as it may bee neither painful nor chargeable; but if the means bee removed further, they will not stir one foot. This I say again, that let a man comform to all that is required, if he but abstain from drinking and ungodly company, and set himself to fear God, and but endeavour so to keep the Lord's-daie, as he commandeth, he shall bee accounted a Puritan or Roundhead; but if he chance to fail in his profession of a Christian, and commit any known sin, and will go on still in wickedness, then he goes currant for an Hypocrite.  
But against whom do you sport your selvs? &c. Isa. 57.4, 20. The wicked are like the raging sea that casts up dirt. but for all this, God's souldiers must not bee ashamed of their colours.  
Our Saviour prayed for his enemies that crucified him, for they knew not what they did; so must his redeemed do, they must pray for the conversion of the opposers of the Truth if they belong to God, for they know not what they do; it is the honor of the Church. I personate none, but all those that know in their hearts that they love not all God's children; that love to profane the Sabbath; that know they live in envy; that draw to day to give meetings to morrow, till they have drunk wit out of their heads, and grace out of their hearts, and health out of their bodies; that draw to go on in wickedness still, and exclaim against those that labour to make conscience of their ways, and rank them amongst reprobates and heretics, and plot how to mischief them.  
But such were some of you, but you are washed, but you are healed. I am sure such an one was I, and still too unworthy;( for I was forward in profaneness, and sorry when the Minister stayed us so long on the Sabbath-daie about God's service, and glad when all was ended, and have so wearied myself with vain and profane sports, even on the Lord's-daie, that I had not been able in five daies to use exercise again: nay, which was wors, when myself and my associates have been advised by those that feared God, to leave off those sports, wee have set them at defiance, and refused their good counsel.)  
Therefore, I had rather go to the house of mourning, to have my sins taken off by true repentance, then to the house of mirth, to have more laid on, seeing they are too heavy for me already, Psalm 38.4. Nay, where as God appoint's me six daies for worldly occasions, I had rather have but five, then presumptuously to take half an hour of the seventh. Thus seeing Christ hath promised to disburden the penitent sinners, and that he never refused to heal any that truly and hearty sought unto him for their bodily cure, either lepers, or the like; surely, no more will he deny us, if wee seek to have our souls cleansed from that foul taint and slain of hateful sin, he will not fail us; if wee die to sin, and truly and earnestly endeavour to live to righteousness.  
But to those that say, I shall have peace, although I walk according to the stubbornness of my own heart, thus adding drunkenness to thirst.  
The Lord will not bee merciful unto him, but then the wrath of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and every curs that is written in this book shall light upon him, and the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven, Deut. 29.19, 20.  
because ye have said, wee have made a Covenant with death and with hell, Isa. 28.15.  
Thus wee see what a fearful thing it is to flee from God's colours, and know wee sin, and will purposely go on a little longer.  
Thus much of the fourth part, that the colours must bee displayed, and when.  
Displaie God's colours both with heart and hand,  
Which vow thou mad'st, though by an infants band.   

The fifth and last part, containing five branches.  

THe banner is given because of the truth.  
Truth hath ever been the onely cause of this long contention and spiritual War, 2 Pet. 1.12. judas 4.  
In the first place, wee must consider what Truth is.  
God's Word written in the sacred Scriptures  
In the second, who hath ever up-held it under God, and stood for it? His true Vicegerents his Prophets, his Martyrs, and Ministers.  
And who hath withstood it? namely God's enemies.  
And lastly, who are to follow them in their Doctrine and good example?  
All that expect salvation; God's souldiers, his sheep.  
First of the opposers; his enemies, the deniers of his truth, the opposers of his truth, and enemies of his truth, which the Devil hath ever stirred up, hath been the cause that many millions of thousands have lost their lives, some compulsively as souldiers, some voluntarily, as blessed Martyrs.  
This ancient spiritual combat first began in Eden, and never must end till the world end's. For no sooner had God given the first Commandement to Adam that he should not eat of the forbidden fruit; For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die: but presently said the Devil to the woman, ye shall not surely die, until man by woeful experience was banished the Garden. When God made the Commandements, written with the finger of God miraculously, which were holy, Just and True; then the Devil must bee stirring against truth, making the People and Priest to commit idolatry, to make a golden Calf,( from which ground may come the Pope's Bulls) but let them know that presume to serve God otherwise then his Word allows, are of a beastly generation, though never so gilded; for when they were about their Idolatrous works, Moses cried out they were naked.  
Nothing can hid our nakedness but God's truth; Christ's garment; the costliest cope in Rome cannot hid the nakedness of sin, though worn by a Friar: Thus you see the Commandements have been opposed by the Flesh and the Devil.  
Seeking still to prevent the end of our creation, to stand for truth Ride upon the word of truth, Psalm 45.4. bee carried with it, bee supported by it, stand for it, die for it.  
Isa. 26.2. Open the gates that the righteous nation, which keep's the truth, may enter. For( saith God) surely they are my people, children that will not lye. As they that have least grace care least for it; so those that have least truth stand most against it. The greatest enemies to truth and the sincerity of it, are in the greatest places, and with the greatest persons; the Devil presumed to come into the presence of God, nay, and sometimes seems to stand for truth, as Pilate did for our Saviour Jesus Christ; till opportunity gave leave, then give the sentence against truth, and would fain shut truth both out of Court and Courts, yea, and out of country too. Seeing it is so, how valiant should both captain and souldiers bee?  
God's Word is this truth which every true warrior must stand for, which the enemies labour so much to deny and oppose; which wee( blessed bee God) have happily enjoyed amongst us, truly maintained, and courageously stood for, which God ever still continue, that no man ought to withstand; wee must bee all of one mind for truth, 2 Cor. 13.8.  
Object. But me thinks I hear some turbulent Romanist questioning me, how I know the scriptures to bee truth, and why I should despise their man's invented Religion so.  
To him or them, I answer.  
The long and safe continuance of them by the hand of God, the many opposers, the sweet concordance of the Scriptures, the malice they show to the Scriptures the heavenly effects wrought by them in God's children, the terrors to the wicked, which they that question shall bee sure to find if they repent not. and so much what Truth is.   

The second Branch, Of the upholders of Truth.  
AS wee have, so there hath been ever some good Kings, when not heavenly, faithful, and true Prophets, and blessed Martyrs; 
Ahab against Micah.  Kings against Prophets, and Prophets against Kings, and all for truth.  
There is but one way to heaven, not so many as there are Religions: there is but one truth, there is but the Lord's warriors and the Devils: wee have had more then seventy years by past, the Lord's three Vicegerents; truth maintained and truly stood for, and truly fought for; blessed bee our good God who ruleth their hearts: but now our peace is broken.  
Oh! but will some say, What have you to do with truth? you are no Captain, you are but a common soldier, you have no calling to it: To them I answer, red and see; examine, see what thou canst find me; If thou gettest goods, thank God the author of it. try the Spirits; it is not the name and out-side of a Captain that makes him one, neither of the soldier. The scholar must repeat what hath been taught him; the Steward must give up his account; if it bee true, he need not care who see's it: he that hath been a soldier more then five apprenticeships, if he cannot led on a loose wing, or bee able a little to train in his Leaders absence, he hath been negligent; but if he know's not the quarrel, the truth of it, he is but a fool;( he must not bee like the sleepy Jurier that cried, hang six and save six.) As wee may not hid our talent, though it bee but poor; he that love's the truth will stand to it, fall back, fall edge.  
When the enemy by his instruments stirreth up some to deny part of the Truth; as the Papists, Brownists, and Arminians; yea, and many Sects, as Anabaptists and others: one denie's the truth of Repentance, another the Sabbath, another Government, and yet all seem to stand for it; and some by bloody cruelty, by spite and envy. The Papist( in a murderous way) calls us heretics, and seeks for blood got in a Christian way; The Brownist calls us traitors to Christ; and the spiteful Arminian by cunning and cruelty put's good men or ministers to silence: These seek not truth in a loving way; is it not time for the Lord's children to buckle on their armour, and keep true watch?  
These times will try our Captain's what spirit they are of; me thin'ks their hearts should burn as David's did; stand for truth, burn for truth, die for truth or for nothing: yea but if a man speak against some Achans he shall bee accused for a malignant, and not know the accuser.  
Wee do not red often of many; as when Daniel stood for truth, who sided with him? but a few.  
Amongst many thousand thousands wee have but a few, yet God hath reserved those that are able to resist all opposers, and yet comform too. Those that are able to teach the truth, and follow it both in life and conversation with true love to all God's children, and envy not the persons of their enemies, but their errors, and pray heartily for their conversion; these are the true leaders on, they are like the sweet singers of Israel, that will tell Judah of her sins, and Israel of her transgressions: They are not like the flattering Surgeon that will make you believe that he can heal a sore with a plaster, that must needs bee launched to the bottom. These may bee compared to the skilful musicians that can play any lesson that is laid before them; this excellent consort truly understand's all the lessons in God's book truly. Muster up the Pope's Captains and ask them how they play these Lessons following,  

The first Lesson containing sixteen short Arguments.  Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm.  
murder the anointed of the Lord; I hold him an heretic, saith the Pope, and I will pardon thee, I sit in Peter's chair and cannot err.  
Secondly, But, saith the Lord, I am he, and there is none that can deliver out of my hand; I will work and who shall let it, Isa. 43.13. Saith the Pope, I will let it, and I will pardon sins for many years. admit it should bee granted to the Pope and his Priests, that they had a commission to forgive sins, yet they could not forgive all sins, Isa. 44.3. For say 
More they are cursed that trust in man.  two come to his Holiness for Bulls, the one a true, broken, and contrite hearted sinner; the other seeming so, but indeed a mere hypocrite; one that hath borrowed the Crocodile's tears; and both suitors for Pardons; they appearing both alike to his Holiness, who knoweth not the heart, he give's his Bulls to both and they depart; the hypocrite looks into his purs, he finde's that lighter but his sins full as heavy as before; then looking to his Bull that is turned into a cow worth nothing, may not this man go to the Pope for his money think you? for the deceiver hath cozened the hypocrite: before Christ there was none could pardon sins; Ministers are but the declarers of God's will to the true penitent sinner, for the debt is the Lord's, Luke 6.21, 22, 23.  
Thirdly, you may red in Gal. 2. that more then fifteen years after our blessed Saviour, Peter went not the right way to the truth; So their Church may err.  
Fourthly, was not he a wrong man placed in Peter's chair, that would hear his holy brother Roh. Turtiensis, cry out before his face, fie upon Peter? &c.  
because Aristotle could not understand the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, as it is written of him, he threw himself into the Sea.  
Just so, because Lindan with the rest understood not the secret Mysteries of the sacred Scriptures; therefore they must needs blaspheme against God, and say, that the Scripture is a shoo fit for any foot; a matter of contention; a wood of believes; a shop of heretics; Imperfect; doubtful; obscure; full of perplexities; and a nose of wax, that may bee drawn backward or forward: And many blasphemous words more, not fit to bee written by any Christian, as that worthy Knight Sir Hum. wind prove's in his Book called Via tuta, page. 289. It is likewise said, Telenus in his Syntagma tell's us of a champion of the Church of Rome, who saith. The Church of God had been better provided for if the Scriptures had never been written: It is evident that they never understood the Scriptures, nor had any comfort by them, that durst say so; yet they will quote that Scripture that makes for their purpose: Search the Scriptures( saith our Saviour,) no saith the Pope.  
Fifthly, if they bee cursed that curs Jacob, Gen. 23.22. they are cursed that curs God's children, Numb. 22.12. for they are blessed.  
Sixthly, if they bee cursed that keep back their swords from blood when God commands, they must needs bee cursed that have bloody swords when God forbid's; as, Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm.  
That can bee no true church that allows of private murders.  
Seventhly, if they bee cursed that teach for truth the Doctrine of men, Gal. 1.7, 8. what will become of the Pope and his crew which oppose the Scripture? wee approve of no Fathers if their works differ from God's holy Bible.  
8. If they bee accursed that fulfil not the Law, Gal 3.10. that man that doth not his uttermost endeavour to keep the Law with a faithful heart; then cursed must they bee, that love not all God's children, seeing Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom, 13.10.  
Object. But me thinks I hear some questioning how I prove love to bee the fulfilling of the Law by explanation.  
Answer. If thou love the Lord thy God, that is, Father, Son, and holy Ghost, with all thy heart, truly fearing him, faithfully and carefully yielding obedience to him; if thou lovest every member of Christ as a part of him; nay, if thou lovest thy enemies because he so commands thee, let God alone with his enemies, take heed thou beest not in league with them, especially as they are God's enemies, then thou fulfillest the Law.  
Then is Christ's righteousness imputed unto thee; then are thy faults and failings covered with thy blessed Saviour's garments.  
Ninthly, If one title of the Word of God may not bee altered; for saith the holy Ghost, Deut. 4.2. If any man shall take away from the words of this book, Good shall take away his part out of the book of Life, Rev. 22.19. Prov. 30.6. Gal. 3.17.  
Prov. 7.2. What shall become of those that 
They may the better say, they can keep them.  leave out a whole Commandement, and take upon them to divide another to make up the number?  
For the Pope hath in his Church but sixty and six words in their Commandement, and they leave out above two hundred and forty words as it stands written in God's Book.  
The tenth; for their meritorious works. The Prophet saith, All our righteousness is even as a menstruous cloth, and as rags: surely this cannot bee but a noisome ragged way to merit heaven by, and as a holy man said, Wee are to ask God for every bit of bread wee eat; and yet they think to get into heaven by good works, not regarding the words of the Apostle, When wee have don all wee can, wee are unprofitable servants. Mistaking holy Nehemiah, when he endeavoured to do Gods will, he said, Remember me, O my God, for good: he said not, God reward me for my deserts, for I have merited heaven.  
The eleventh; pray for your enemies,( saith our Saviour) Bless, I say, and curs not, Tit. 1.8.  
Curs them with Bell, Book, and Candle saith the Pope, for I command it that am above Scriptures.  
The twelfth; what shall I say of their Doctrine of Devils, forbidding to marry? which God allows; seeing Marriage is honourable to all, the bed being undefiled; no saith the Pope, Ministers shall not marry, wee do rather allow Stews to them. Still they contradict God's Word.  
The thirteenth; and that abomination of praying to Saints; when none but God know's the thoughts of the heart; here they must needs forbid, or make nothing worth the prayers of the heart; so that he that hath no tongue to speak must think; farewell Saints, for I cannot bee saved.  
Ely said, 1 Sam. 2.25. If a man sin against the Lord, who shall pled for him? Certainly if ever man might have shamed to have come before the Lord without a Mediator, David might; who, notwithstanding the Lord's bringing him from the sheep to the sceptre, committed adultery and then murder.  
Yet he knew Abraham was ignorant of us, and Israel knew us not, Isa. 63.16. For( said he) Whom have I in heaven but thee? Psal. 37.29. Certainly if these Men Saints know us not no Women Saints do; then vain must the prayer bee, as, Woman, command thy Son. As they put too much honor to the Virgin mary, wee have some take too much from her: red Luke 1.43, 48. All generations must call her blessed: they were then to bee condemned that termed her like a saffron-bag.  
Our Saviour must bee all in all, he calls us all to him that are weary of their sins, that find them a burden to them. The Prodigal went to his father, who was ready to embrace him: it might have been, his brother, that grumbled at his entertainment would have failed him. If a subject had a great svit to his King, and he knew that his King had made a Proclamation, that he might freely come to His majesty for he would hear him; vain were it then for him to seek a Nobleman: as if a man should kneel down to the servant in the master's presence, which was most absurd.  
Object. But why should wee labour so in vain to those that deny the holy Scriptures, the fountain of all our knowledge, which our Religion is grounded upon; and theirs upon man's Invention.  
Answ. because our love is to them; they were once of us, but now they seek our blood and curs us: just as the Proud man cannot endure to hear the Doctrine of humility; the Envious man of charity; the Licentious man of chastity; the Covetous man of liberality; the Profane man of sincerity: no more can these monsters abide the sacred written verity, because the secret will of God is not revealed unto them.  
The fourteenth, now of that presumptuous sin, in picturing the almighty God, who saith, I am God, and there is nothing like me, Psal. 113.5. Isa. 46.9. And when none on earth might behold his face and live, Exod. 23.20. yet they will picture him like an old man graie-headed.  
It were abominable to think, much more to writ of the absurdities that might follow that fals interpretation.  
If it were lawful( as we hold it is not) to picture our Creator, the greatest probability is, he was like to Adam at his first Creation, for he was not created an old man, neither was our Saviour Jesus Christ: now because Daniel beholding the Lord in a Vision, calling him the Ancient of daies, and that the hair of his head was like the purest wool, therefore it must needs bee graie: As if he were not Alpha as well as Omega.  
For the God-head is not like gold graved by art and the invention of man: Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, Acts 17.29. Thus the holy Ghost expound's Gen. 26.20. If thou wouldst bee like to God, endeavour to kill every sin, and increase in every good thing which he commands thee.  
Certainly their Religion hath been but lately acquainted with God, For he is the same to day as he will bee to morrow: and a thousand years with him are but as one day. With him there is no shadow of changing.  
The fifteenth, for Transubstantiation I say but this; If he had ever red in the sacred Scriptures that ever our blessed Saviour had appeared to either Apostles or Disciples at one time in several places, then they might have been more confident of that Point.  
Lastly, the wise Preacher saith, And dust return to earth as it was, and the Spirit to God that gave it.  
No saith the Pope, it goes to purgatory, believe, me before the Scriptures.  
But I leave them to the more learned, and pray to God in his goodness that he would open their eyes, that they may speedily turn to the Lord's colours for truth.  
But for the seduced ones, I would wish my head a fountain, and mine eyes rivers, truly to mourn more for them, that they would onely seek to God in Christ, and think not of their Merits that they may find mercy, for they know not what they do.  
Oh house of Jacob! come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord, Isa. 2.5.  
Where on God's Word Religion is not grounded,  
Both soul and body needs must bee confounded.  
NOw for the Arminian Captains, those subtle Sophisters that dare bear arms, though their 
Pelag. and Armin.  Generals bee both dead: Those up-stars and non-conformitants to the Church of England, who never had King 
Never agreed with them.  held their Points, nor Martyrs ever died for them; their presumptuous opinions agree with the Pope, and, by many, feared, ere long will yield to more.  
renowned King James, and likewise Doctor Usher,  
Prideaux, and Pimble the Arminians crusher:  
And mame hundreds more do them confute,  
But many have the Tongue-tie, and are mute.  
Give me leave now in this poor Treatis to give account what I have learned in our long, blessed, and victorious times: blessed in our deliverances from the Spanish Armado; blessed in our discovery of the damnable Plot by the Papists, the Powder Treason; and our seventy years happiness in our true Religion, by one famous Queen and two Kings.  
Now seeing Wolvs are crept in, and disquieted our Flock, which hath so long lain at rest, and scattered some that can scarce bee found again; it behoov's every soldier to do his best to stand for Truth, that the flock may he at rest again. Wo bee unto those that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord, Jer. 23.1, 2.  
Now if I can give one blow to these disturbers of our Church and Peace, I shall think myself happy.  
To pass by three of their tenants and come onely to two which they play fals and quiter out, as wee have been taught; and even as the great adversary of ours, the Pope would have.  
That of Universal Grace. That any may bee saved that will.  
And the other, That God's children may both totally and finally fall away. Which cannot hold with God's truth.  
First, these tenants may well bee said to agree with the Flesh, that is with the carnal minded man.  
Secondly, with the Devil.  
Thirdly, not with, but against the Doctrine of our Church of England.  
Fourthly, from the Law and prayers of our Church.  
Fifthly, from the Peace of our Church.  
Sixthly and lastly, from the Scriptures.  
First, why they agree with the Flesh, that is the carnal minded man. Most are too apt to defer their repentance; then if any man may bee saved that will, they will make that their last act when they make their will; for none would bee damned, their hopes of mercy will give such liberty to sensuality.  
Secondly, nothing can bee more pleasing to the Devil then defering repentance until the time of sickness, or some heavy affliction, then he will hope to drive them to despair: every Christian must pray for repentance, and lye at God's feet until he gain it, and not think to obtain it when he will.  
Thirdly, against the Doctrine of our Church; against both the tenth and seventeenth Article. Rom. 16.17. Heb. 13.9.  
Fourthly, against the Petition in the Lord's prayer, led us not into temptation. And if the great glorious and onely Son of God, in whom all fullness dwel't would not assume unto himself the power of Free-will; when he fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it bee possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt, Mat. 26.39. What? shall wee then the sinful seed of Adam have Free-will?  
Fifthly, From the Peace of our Church, for it breeds Distractions and sets men at variance, that many poor souls know not what to pitch upon.  
Lastly, against the Scriptures, for if any man may bee saved that will, why did our Saviour teach by Parables, and answered his Apostles and Disciples? It it given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; Mat. 13.11, 15. but not unto them, lest they should bee converted. For the Church expound's it, the Gospel is hidden from them that perish; where is Free-will then?  
Moreover( our Saviour saith) Two men shall bein the field, one shall bee received and the other refused. Two women grinding at the mill, the one shall bee received, and the other shall bee refused; not they will bee, but they shall bee: certainly if Solomon had had Free-will, his wisdom would have kept him from running into so much folly so long.  
many shall bee purified and made white, Joh 32.8. Dan. 12.10. And saith our Saviour, John 6.44. None can come to me except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. Without me ye can do nothing.  
Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord, Isa. 45, 17.  
To will in me( saith Paul) is no good thing, by the grace of God, I am that I am: it is his mercy to give his grace.  
God's grace is the ground and foundation of all goodness: Satan can do nothing to God's children without leave.  
Paul being blindly lead persecuted the Church of God; so are all persecutors of God's children.  
But being called by Christ, John 1.12.& 3.8. when grace was given him, he then preached the way to eternal life: every man is a beast in his own knowledge, Jer. 10.14.  
It is grace given which set's the will on work to goodness: God set's on work this habitual grace.  
A father may give his child his lands, but not grace; he may use the means to beget grace in him: Repentance is the gift and work of God, a man cannot have will to repent without grace from God, Deut. 12.10.  
O let not my heart bee inclined unto any evil, Psal. 141, 4. God guideth me with strength, and maketh my wait upright, Psal. 18.3. God preserveth the way of his Saints, Prov. 2.8. Prais our God, O ye people, which holdeth our souls in life, and suffereth not our feet to slip, Psal. 56.13.  
he will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever, Psal. 55.22. They may fall but not for ever.  
I have commanded my sanctified ones, Isa. 13.3. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself, Jer. 10.23.  
I will run the way of thy Commandements, saith David,( I but when?) when thou shalt enlarge my heart, Psal. 119.32.  
The Black-moor cannot change his hue, nor Leopard take away his spots; neither are wee of our selvs sufficient to think any good thing, all is of God: It is God that worketh both the will and the dead, 2 Cor. 3.5.  
It is grace that makes's thee hunger and thirst after righteousness, 
God will not trust us with our own salvation.  to bee joiful of any soul's happiness: Tell me the holiest Arminian, canst thou perform holy duties rightly when thou wilt, without a secret unwillingness? Canst thou bee as joiful to meet thy heavenly Father in his Ordinances, as at 
Wee have nothing that wee have not received.  prayer, and hearing his Word; as when thou wert a child, to meet with thy natural loving father, which which hath been long forth? I should bee glad to know it by thee, but more joieful to find it in myself. Wee must labour and use the means to get grace; as, prayer, reading God's Word, Meditation, and Conference; for as he that makes himself a night-bird cannot see the Sun, if he shut himself in a close room: but look forth when the Sun shineth: refuse not the Light, abuse not the common Graces; for God hath given to most men their sensitive parts and to discern betwixt good and evil. For this( some will say) was a very good Sermon, but such a man made a poor and sillie piece of work. These are common gifts and graces, but when he hath given thee and me hearts truly sorrowful for our sins, with endeavouring to bee conscionable to amend what is amiss in us, this is the gift of God: Then learn of the careful Smith, strike whilst the iron is hot; Quench not the Spirit, despise not Preaching, neglect not thy salvation.  
Thus wee see many have judgement to discern betwixt good and evil; but few have grace to take the good and refuse the evil; that is the gift of God.  
Open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise what? not till then,( O poor Free-will! For salvation belongeth to the Lord, Psal. 3.8. In actions, civil men have Free-will between man and man.  
The ungodly man that maintaineth Free-will( if there bee any such) is unexcusable, if he do not presently amend his life, it being( as he saith) in his own power, why the Lord should ever bee merciful to him; nay, he deserv's death to brave it so with God, as that he will choose when he will bee saved. For if a Subject oppose his King and say, I will rebel but till such a time, but then I will bee a faithful subject, which answer no King will take; so is it with all that hold free-will, that are not holy people. Of his own good will hath he begot us with the Word of truth.  
What must wee do then? use the means and beget grace at God's hand, that his Word of truth may beget us; for it shall accomplish what he will have don. They can well agree with us to hold Church-livings by hypocrisy, which they show plainly as to bee of our Church, and hold tenants quiter contrary: nay, they will seem to pray with us, and yet hold tenants against those prayers.  
Grace to see our sins, and truly and hearty to repent, and so forsake them, is a mercy of mercies, when wee see by the eye of Faith that God hath blotted out the thick cloud of our transgressions, wee must return to God, Isa. 44.22.  
Wee must endeavour all wee may to grow in grace, and incline our hearts to perfect obedience to God's will for truth; for a hedge of his handiework will keep the Devil out, when the greatest buildings and bulwarks of man's invention will let him in.  
Thus I conclude, that a man must do his best, and earnestly call upon God still for better abilities. And thus much of Free-will.  
And for that Point they hold, The very Elect may finally fall away, is most pernicious and fals: fall wee say, but not finally, not fall from our Elections, but alas, wee may fall from our righteousness.  
Psalm 47.6. The Lord lifteth up the meek, he lasteth the wicked to the ground. I give them eternal life( saith our Saviour, John 10.8.) and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater then all, Ver. 29.  
1 Cor. 12.27. God's children are engrafted into Christ, and are members of his body; they will have his body imperfect if he lose a member.  
The Lord knoweth who are his, Mat. 11.52.  
Object. But what saith the Lord in Ezek. 18.26. If a righteous man turn from his righteousness and commit iniquity, he shall die saith the Lord.  
Answ. It is true, from his righteousness; that is, the fall opinion that hypocrites have of themselves, for all our righteousness, that wee have of our selvs is as rags. But they that are born of God, sin not, for the Lord remaineth in them, 1 John 3.9. Their sins are not imputed to them; but he that saith he can live and not sin, is a liar, 1 John 1.8.  
Rom. 9.15. The foundation of God remaineth sure; God seeth no iniquity in Jacob, nor transgression in Israel, being born a new not of mortal seed, but immortal by the Word of God, who liveth and endureth for ever, 1 Pet. 2. Isa. 45.17. Rom. 11.5. John 13.1. God loveth his with an everlasting love: therefore with mercy have I drawn thee, Jer. 31.3.  
some God calls on the sudden, as he did Paul, who consulted not with flesh and blood.  
some longer, like a house in building, first lay the foundation, and then the principal posts, yet no perfect house till all be finished.  
Solomon asked wisdom of the Lord, and he gave it him; he asked not grace to guid his wisdom; his house was exceeding long of building, he built a house to serve God in, but begged not grace to keep God in his heart. Peter's house was not finished of fifteen years, neither was David's of a long time.  
A limb may bee rotted and ulcered, but as long as there is any sound part, recovered again and made perfect, so it was with Solomon: but if it fall off quiter, can never bee knit to again: So it must needs bee granted, that he that finally falls away was never a true member of Jesus Christ.  
Object. but what say you then to David and Solomon, did they not fall wholly from God?  
Answ. To this I answer as before; wee are all like dading-children, if God take away his graceful hand, wee fall. But first of Solomon, whose sin was greatest and continued longest; as I said, he asked wisdom to govern his world of people, but not grace to govern his numberless sins. Yet God promised him, saying, I will bee his father, and he shall bee my son, 2 Sam. 7.14.19. And if he sin,( which God knew he would) I will chastise him with the rod of men, and with the plagues of the children of men; but my mercy shall not depart from him. As if he should say, Is it so Solomon that thou askedst not grace when thou praiedst for wisdom, and that all the world admire's thee for the same; I will take away my hand, that all the Free-Willians that shall bee in the world may see what the wisest men are of themselves. Yet, my mercy will I not take from thee; for the seed of God was in him: Our Saviour calls his father the husband-man.  
As the husband-man soweth some wheat in some ground, that it lieth all Winter before it appear to have life, yet it hath life all Winter; so was it with Solomon, whilst he gave his heart to know all things: but when the spring came, that the Sunshine of Grace shined in his heart, he cried, All is vanity: then his wheat sprung up and flourished.  
Even so God's seed in David grew up, until he arose from his couch, and gave but way to eas and idleness; then walking upon his palace, not checking his lustful eye, when he beholded Bathsheba, brought by the Devils bait;& then God took away his hand, and his fall was fearful. Then the Lord sent a storm, with a mighty wind and snow, which covered and overwhelmed his flourishing corn that it could not bee seen, yet there was corn; for when God dissolved the snow with that warm sun-shine of the Prophet Nathan's counsel, in discovering to him the foulness of his offence to his good God; then did his corn flourish and grow ripe even for the Lord's harvest; then he cried, Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice: for still the seed of God remains in the child of God; there is strength and life, though he fall he shall bee cast off, for the Lord put's under his hand. Psal. 37.24.  
Thus you see the Arminian to bee the greater non-conformitant, shaking hands in these Points with the Pope; and differ's in the Doctrine of our blessed Church.  
Now, they amongst them that hold the Jews must keep the Sabbath, 2 Pet. 16, 17. and that wee may keep it, as if it were in our choice: they, I say, that hold so, may hold that they may go to Hell if they will, but can have little comfort that they may go to Heaven until they change their mind, in holding close to God's most blessed Law. And thus much against Arminians.  
Those that in Doctrine with us disagree,  
May well bee said not of our Church to bee.  
NOw concerning the Brownist so called; the old Separatist( they onely, I mean, that hold, that the holiest Ministers, according to our Church of England, to bee mere traitors to Jesus Christ, for that their calling to their ministery is not lawful;) to him I speak, Goest thou not about to prove thy Father a traitor that begot thee, and thy Mother a strumpet that did both bear, nourish, and breed thee. Tell me, I pray thee, what thou hast proved thyself to bee? thus I answer thy first accusation, and prove it fals, for our Bishops did did not chiefly ordain Ministers; it is the Lord and not man. Bishops are but the admitters of them into the Church when they find them sufficient: if they admit of any unworthy, if they know it, that lies upon their own account and peril.  
For, as I said, it is the Lord; look into Jer. 1.5. Before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a Prophet, Luke 1.15. Moreover our Saviour choose his Apostles, and likewise Paul, which must go to Ananias: As Marriages are made in Heaven, if with God's consent, that is, when there is a heavenly choice, being joined together by God's appointment: The Marriage by the Minister, though it bee an honourable ordinance, doth but give satisfaction to the world, the Marriage was made before.  
So thou followest not the example of Jesus Christ, nor yet the holy Ghost. Paul went three Sabbath daies into the Jew's Synagogue to dispute, Acts 17.1, 2. Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the time of prayer, Acts 3. to the 15. vers. Wee are taught indeed to separate our selvs, but from whom? from Idolaters? if from sinners, wee must forsake all, nay, our own flesh: for seeing our righteousness is but as a menstruous cloth, where is then our purity? Thou thinkest thy calling old, but if from thy father Brown, thou art but as yesterday; but let me ask thee one question, as mary did the supposed gardener, where hast thou laid thy sinful body? go put it on, for I dare not question too much with a spirit lest it should bee evil, and a deceiver. But before, let me entreat thee to look into the Word of God, Hebr. 10.25. judas 19. Not forsaking the assembling of our selvs together, as the manner of some is: but exhorting one another. Mark well the place, and then thou maiest prove older then thy father Brown.  
Look well to the Caveat the holy Ghost give's thee there?  
And put on thy body again, and remember thy first love; confess thy fault unto thy Mother and submit, and then I will answer thee; until then farewell.  
Object. If it bee so said, that the Papist seeks our blood and fight's against us; the Arminian, like the Griffin on both sides; the Brownist runs from us and abhor's us: what say you of the nicknamed Puritans? what may wee call them?  
Answ. The Lord's dear and blessed children, true catholic Protestants; And I hearty desire that poor differences betwixt us were once settled and determined of; even, as wee call it, in their trifling Ceremonies:( I hope it will bee now.) For shall a ceremony divide the substance? shall a quarrel about a feather with brethren,( as our Bishops did) bee an occasion of the cutting of a limb? and the dividing of that Mystical body of Jesus Christ asunder for trifles, where there is no dissension amongst brethren: the father will hear it, even so will the Father of us all. judge the cause of this controversy, but when the father shall see his children come into his presence, and some without ears, and to bee cut off by their brethren for trifles, will he take it well?  
Oh! what a grief it is to think that the Ceremonies should make such a rent amongst us even like a knife that part's a piece of good stuff: If you see one come into a shop, and make choice of a whole piece of cloth of gold, or cloth of tissue, he buie's it all, and takes a knife and parts it; the one part he throw's by and regard's it not, because it pleaseth not him in the branch or wave, yet the stuff is of equal value: even so they cannot but bee accounted but for the Ceremonies; Oh wretched trifles! which signify nothing to us at all. many offences, as they are taken seem greater or less; are they not as much to bee condemned which slight the King's Laws and Proclamations? for when the Head and body of the Land have made Laws and proclaimed them, how many can you find that can stand up and say truly, I have constionably kept them; but take him Devil, if he deny the Ceremonies once. Wee should bee reconciled and bee all of one mind; will any father dislike a dutiful son for his true obedience to him, if he will make him his heir, though he strive's to pleas him above his brethren? Or a true, conscionable, faithful, diligent, and careful servant, always striving to pleas his Master in the smallest thing, because he truly fear's and love's him: certainly, none but disobedient sons, and wicked and slothful servants. It is nothing but the work of the Devil to make us hate those which God love's best, that he may deprive us of that happiness which he once enjoyed.  
Therefore, let us account them as enemies to our soul's bliss, that withstand the truth; and hold hands with those that truly maintain it.  
Who is he that lives but hath some blemish? some end or way of his own; old ely was a good man, but for his too much indulgence to his sons, which he paid for: have not wee too many that have that fault, which are too tender to reprove their children, or their Patrons, or their Lords, or Princes? it hath been said, that great men have cried out upon their death-beds of such dissembling, faithless friends, and Captains; which onely seem friends, but in dead, are enemies to the better part: Oh blessed bee he that tell's me what danger my wounded soul is in, and teacheth me the cure; but far bee he from me, which lead's me on to wound it, or will seem to cure that with balsam, that must bee launched to the bottom. Ezek. 16.2. Son of man, cause them to know their abominations, that they may bee ashamed of their wickedness, Ezek. 43.10. What might John Baptist have been raised unto, if he would have winked at Herod's adulterous 
Divorced from one and married to another.  marriage?( as some of ours did not many years since) What of Micah, if he would have pleased Ahab, and jeremy? of Amos and Paul, if they would have been corrupted? Flesh and blood cannot abide those men that will not wink at some sin: if Jeremiah had joined with Pashur, if Amos with Amaziah had pleased Jeroboam all had been at peace; the Devil he could never abide to have a searching, faithful, soul-saving Prophet to come near Kings, for then his army would bee put to flight: for Amaziah discharged Amos for prophesying any more at Bethel, Amos 7.12, 13. for it is the King's chapel, and it is the King's Court: as if those which God himself sent had nothing to do there.  
There was never mischief yet plotted against God's Prophets or children, that had authority, but still wicked Prophets or wicked Priests were the chiefest agents in that action.  
Witness our Saviour's enemies, and his Apostles enemies.  
some rebuk sinners as if they were loth to speak against sin, especially when they speak to great ones; then they fetch it far off, as if the man they speak to was not there. The drunkard unwilling to speak against drunkenness, it must not bee said to bee in him.  
The glutton ready to commend feasting.  
The idle time-server always against 
But now Roundheads.  Puritans: certainly God doth not wonder more, nor abominate any sort of men more, then he doth wicked and ungodly Teachers.  
Thou that teachest that another shall not steal, dost thou steal?  
Thou that preachest against pride, art thou proud and ambitious?  
Thou that teachest that another shall not swear; dost thou take God's name in vain?  
Thou that readest every day the Commandements to others; art thou the first that wilt break them?  
Thou that teachest others remember ye keep holy the Sabbath day; wilt thou profane it thyself?  
Such may well bee called Second-Table-men indeed.  
If I commit wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me; and if the Lord will not hear a wicked man's prayers, what then am I the better for his prayers?  
Thou that swearest till thy tongue bee black,  
Thou that drinkest till thy brain do crack,  
Thou that hast too much and still dost lack,  
Hear what our Saviour saith, and bee not slacken.  
he that knoweth my fathers will and doth it not, shall bee beaten with many stripes.  
Why dost thou preach my Laws, and takest my Covenant in thy mouth, and hatest to bee reformed? Psal. 50.16, 17, 18, 20.& Psal. 66.18. Dan. 12.3. Who doth the holy Ghost compare these to? not to the prattling parrot, for shee know's not what shee saith; to a wors creature. Isaiah saith, Chap. 56.10.11. These greedy dogs can never have enough; they cannot understand; they are blind and ignorant, &c. sleepy, and look their own way. red the Chapter, and Isa. 29.13. 1 Cor. 2.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Psal. 14.4. Prov. 29.27. Ezek. 8.8. Jer. 1.17. Gal. 5.10. Jer. 23.2. Ephes. 3.3. and 5.27. 2 Cor. 11.13.15. Jer. 14.15. Ezek. 13.6 and 34.3. and 36.27. John 3.34. and 8.32, 34. and 16.2, 13. Arts 9.26. Rom. 3, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 14. Heb. 5.45. 1 Cor. 14.12. 2 Cor. 3.1. Dan. 10.16. Isa. 29.20, 21. 
They can never have living enough.  
They can never show malice enough.  
They can never bee idle enough.  
They can never bee ambitious enough.  For which the Angels were cast out of heaven, which God cannot abide in his; they must bee true hearted.  
But that place in Isaiah is meant of those that cannot bark. Under correction I think it is not, but rather of those that can and will not, and not of them that would and cannot; for commonly poor Readers have poor livings, and for the most part poor men: though rich Patrons, which not onely muzzle the mouth of the ox, but take away that he should live by; besides, how saith the Prophet then, they never have enough. Or else it must needs bee, they are not sent of God; for there are but two callings, External and Internal: for else they might answer, Why Lord, teach me, I beseech thee, as thou didst teach thy blessed Apostles, for thou hast sent me; and let me not bee compared to a dog the basest of all creatures, that turns to his vomit: Give me understanding how to teach thy people, as thou didst those that thou hast chosen for that purpose.  
Moreover, many reading Ministers are good Christians which God never called dogs; which makes me gather it is meant by those which can and will not, or will but when they list: ask any of these Captains what lesson he can play to himself, sure he can play nothing but Hope, and fumble at that too: as when he thinks of this saying, Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently.  
How many parents are there that weaken their estates, carefully to breed their children, and sand them to the Universities to get virtue, and there they get 'vice? for in one year they become masters of Art, but it is in drunkenness: but in half a year more, Doctor-standing: Then when they have so much learning as to strout into a Pulpit, and exclaim against Puritans, then they are ready for a bnfice, but too ready to show evil presidents: thus wee know our right Teachers to this great combat, those that agree in judgement and Doctrine, and endeavour to live answerably.  
Object. Wee see many teach well, and yet live most licentiously.  
Answ. It is true, the word of God is the same, from whose works soever they have it which but seems their own; it makes God's children mistrustful; for who can expect he should find good water to come to flow out of rotten and noisome earth? it made them mistrust Paul, till they knew it was the Lord Jesus that had converted him: for as none know's man's heart but the ruler of the heart, so none know's God's secret mysteries, but he whom he hath sent. There is no man hath power over the spirit to receive the spirit, Eccles. 8.8. Peter must feed God's flock, what? all the flock, yes, all, if thou wilt bee the good shepherd; what? the sheep that are in the briars, and in the water, even ready to perish; for they are thy flock, though stragglers, for ought thou knowest. The safest sheep needs the least of thy help.  
Object. but they will be lost at one time or other.  
Answ. That is more then thou knowest.  
Object. But they bleat not when they are in danger, they sand not for me when they are sick.  
Answ. Then hast thou most need to go to them and reliev them, if it bee in thy power.  
Object. but they have despised me.  
Answ. Even so they didthy Saviour Jesus.  
Object. It seems you are of that mind that God send's not a wicked man, did not God sand Balaam?  
Answ. it was Balak sent Balaam to curs God's children, but God would not suffer him, but bid him bless them; so the blessing was God's: which may teach every wicked one in stead of malice to show mercy to those that belong to God.  
But Balaam was a wicked Prophet before, and wrought great wickedness after that, so that is no true argument that God choose him.  
Object. What say you then by Judas, did not he do all things after he was chosen and sent by Jesus Christ, as well as the rest of the Apostles?  
Answ. Yes. They taught all alike that the messiah was come and had power through his name to cast out Devils, Acts 1.17. but no further; for Judas had obtained but part of his ministery.  
Moreover, they were all ignorant of the Scriptures, nay, of the Principles of Religion; of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, without which no man can bee saved.  
Moreover, they were commanded not to go to the Gentiles, nor to the cities of the Samaritans.  
For in the choice of J●das our Saviour shewed his true humanity, in choosing twelve, and one a devil to betray him.  
But after our blessed Saviour's Passion, he sent his Apostles, as in the end of St. Matthew you may red, All power is given unto me( saith Jesus) both in heaven and earth. Go therefore and teach all Nations, to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo I am with you to the end. Then opened he their 
They spake all tongues.  understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures; these words Christ never spake to Judas, neither to any wicked one that succeed's Judas in betraying or persecuting any member of Jesus: Peter, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren; a man that is converted himself must use all his endeavour to convert others; it is not he, it is God's Word, till then they fight not truly under the colours, but more of the adversaries side. So the Papist fight's against us: the Brownist accuseth us of Treason, and makes us Rebels: the Arminian side's in part with our enemies: and the licentious 
I reckon him as nothing.  Captain is not to bee trusted with a company: nay, if he have one Achan, the battle speed's the wors for him.  
Let me end now with this friendly and loving Exhortation, both to Papist, Arminian, and Brownist: Have you learning joined with love and humanity? do you seek the truth unfeignedly from your hearts, with a desire to love every member of Jesus Christ? can you pray from your hearts for your enemies soul's happiness? fear not, depend upon God, he will show you wherein you err.  
But if you have learning, pride, and envy, and find your hearts not pliable for repentance; you may come in time to bee privy-councillor, but it must bee for the Devil's troop.  
Thus you see wee have but two sorts; I meddle with no degree above a Captain, For there is no power but of God; neither can it stand if not truly grounded by his Word, so no power.  
For those which bee his enemies he can quickly cast down; let him alone, the quarrel is his. I believe none to bee true Souldiers but two; 
Two sorts of true Souldiers.  one sort tender-hearted, and fearful if he should not subscribe, that he should highly offend: The other yet tender-hearted, and dare not. Therefore let not the conformitant contend in any bitter way against the non-conformitant, because as wee say, wee differ but in unsignificant Ceremonies. Neither yet let the non-conformitant in any invective way contend against the conformitant, because they both agree in Doctrine. But both stand firm against all that differ, though in part of the truth and Doctrine; for it is a miserable thing to have brethren at variance, or that wee should differ in the chiefest good; for that bring's the Devil a banquet of the greatest dainties and delight.  
Oh! how happy were it, that our thrice blessed General, and God's great Vicegerent, would judge the cause, and end the controversy for God's glory.   

The Conformitant saith,  
Our Saviour Jesus Christ saith, Feed my flock. The holy Ghost saith, Bee obedient unto authority: Bee all of one mind: Wo is me that I preach not the Gospel. To the Jew I became a Jew. Nay, to them that were without the Law, as though I were without the Law, Luke 14.23. All things must bee don in order. Our blessed Saviour was careful to give caesar his due.   

The non-Conformitant saith,  
But our Saviour saith, Learn of me. The holy Ghost saith, Bee holy. Bee without spot. Touch no unclean thing: bee perfect. All things must bee don according to the pattern. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Prove all things, hold fast, and keep that which is good. abstain from all appearance of evil. Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost? Oh that these Points were decided.  
Thus much of those that stand for the truth, and them against it.    

The third Branch.  
HEre followeth the third and last Branch of the fifth part, which sheweth who are to follow their Doctrine and good example; namely Christ's souldiers, his sheep. Lo here the Banner is given to those that fear God for truth's sake: O then! none that stand for truth must bee fals.  
The truth will make us free, then wee must all away to truth for shane, which is to God's colours: God's colours are for truth and salvation, the Devils for hell and destruction. God's souldiers for truth, the Devil's against it: God hath his flock, and the Devil his flocks: there are but two 
A lookingglass for God's souldiers.  ways, the greater part runs wrong; for let God sand his Trumpeters to call his Souldiers to his colours, how slow they come? but if the Devil, do but becken to them, away they will run.  
But what is the Devil that so many strive to serve? or what is hell that so many labour to purchase? surely people cannot bee so much mistaken both in the leader and master of their affections, and likewise of his place and habitation, because he can( think they) change his shape into an Angel of Light; therefore, think they, his place of habitation must needs bee glorious; and that the Scriptures in that point cannot bee true, and men's judgments likewise fail: or else they would never labour with might and main( and think not of God but by way of profaneness) hazard both life, health, and substance, to possess that their, much mistaken, place of happiness; for as with God in heaven there is exceedings, exceeding in beauty and glory, exceeding in blessings and reward, and exceeding in joieous habitation unspeakable.  
So likewise with the Devils in hell there is exceedings, but exceeding deformed and ugly which sin makes so; exceeding full of horror and torment; his habitation most noisome, horrible, and cursed, but endless and remediless: Oh consider this all ye that forget God! Do the best, and hast to the Lord's colours, lest he tear you in pieces, when there will bee no redeemer to help you: when he shall say, Depart from me ye cursed into the place prepared, for I know you not.  
The wicked are an abomination to the just, to that desire's uprightness.  
Object. What a stir is here, crie's a common soldier that is a drunkard, I will go live under a drunken Captain, that is not so precise: and saith the Usurer, I will go live under that Captain that is an Usurer himself: And crie's the Gamester and profaner, so will wee, for wee have Captains 
The Captains will bee sure to pay for it  enough of our own mind, and yet hope not to go to hell neither.  
Answ. Yes Sir, but for all your Captains have a care of your selvs, or you will pay for it; God will meet with you for profaning his day, and justifying your selvs in it, let your Captains teach what they will.  
This is the endless quarrel: My sheep will hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me( a Caveat for those that will not come to the Ordinance) and I give them eternal life, John 10.27, 28. A most gracious promise of a blessed reward to his Souldiers; Christ calls none his but those that follow him, nay daily follow him: and as he know's which are his, even so he hath left us signs to know whether wee bee his or no: wee must bee born again if wee belong to God, wee must bee twice born; our lives must bee quiter changed, from evil, to a right endeavouring to all goodness, and earnest labouring to all perfect obedience.  
The stream of our affections must bee turned another way, from noisome and rotten ground, to sound and perfect earth. If thou beest twice 
The sign to know.  born, thou wilt not appoint a meeting to day to sin to morrow, but truly mourn for thy sins committed; if thou beest a 
Another sign.  member of Christ, then thou hast received warmth from him: for every member receiveth nourishment from the chief part; hast thou true sight in him, true love to him and all his members? then art thou baptized with the holy Ghost. O let no man rest until he have got this assurance, that God is his Father, which is seen by true obedience; for heaven is not so easily gotten as many think it is, with a sigh, a sob, and away. If worldly things must bee both gotten, and kept with care and industry, which are transitory, then much more heavenly which are permanent.  
It is a blessed thing to bee one of Christ's sheep, to bee guided by him; for as good sheep that are sound are for the King's table; so are those sheep that love the Word of God, for to sit at the King of heaven's table: As those sheep that are careless of their food, become rotten, and meat for dogs; so those sheep that love' not sound food, the Word of God; to labour for it, and endeavour to live there after: even meat for Devils, not to kill, but to torment for ever.  
Use. Wee must imitate the sheep, not onely as they are harmless against other creatures, but profitable for God's children; wee may not imitate them in their greediness, nor being fearful at the barking of every Cur.  
Now seeing that the truth will make us free, what great comfort doth it bring to those that stand for it, though it bee even to death: our souls are purified in obeying the truth; every man love's freedom, none desire's bondage, yet most men take the greatest pains to get it; even to bee bond-slaves to Satan, and fire-brands to hell: What pains doth the covetous man take to get his desire, yet never satisfied?  
The thief in watching when others sleep, hasting to his end.  
The whore-monger consuming his body.  
The blood-sucker to shorten his daies.  
The gormandising glutton, and swill-bellied drunkard, by their self-murthering surfeits, all hasting to their end, to shorten their daies, and hast to their sorrow, without timely repentance.  
It hath been as rare a thing to see a man drunk as to see a man murdered; but now it is a common thing to see a man murder himself with drunkenness.  
The Jews would rend their clothes when they heard one swear, as it is reported; but he that doth so now, should keep none on his back.  
One reason is why men are so abominably wicked, they do not believe that God's eye is every where beholding the good and the evil; the holiest of all fail too much in that meditation; the wicked have their heaven in this life, and the godly their hell; yet though the wicked have their heaven here, the painted'st gallant is but as a butter-flie; good for little blown away with a could blast, if he want Religion. If one out of a loving desire do exhort one that riot's it so, and adviseth him to go to God's colours for truth, he would presently answer, would you have me turn Puritan? as if it were a dishonour to a gentleman to bee religious: but if you should desire him to consider how God hath hired you to serve him behold how brave you go! when many go almost naked; you fare deliciously when many cannot get bread; you see how God whip's them, and hire's you to serve him, beethink your selvs: But if you should tell him if he go not to God's colours, he is a traitor to him, and a bond-slave to Satan, you should bee sure of a stab if you look not to yourself; he would bee like a horse that hath a galled back; bring him a plaster; though you speak him fair and would his good, he will kick you: or like a mad dog, bring him a medicine to cure him he would bite you: yet if he bee clothed in scarlet, he is poor, naked, and miserable, as a holy man hath writ; there are so many that are not sensible of their miseries, they are like one sleeping in a rotten house ready to fall on his head, if the wind should blow; and under his bed many venomous creatures to sting him; if he go forth, wild beasts to devour him: this man's case was miserable, but if no friend to help him, much more: one lovingly comes and adventure's to awake him it may bee, until he come to himself he may strike with the elbow; but when he behold's his danger, he sure would love that friend: So fare's it with many that sleep in sin, awake some, and when they bee come to themselves they will bee thankful; but many will hate you the more, for you are not a chip of the right block. every man will confess that the mad-man, the fool, and the dead-man are all senseless: But if thou beest mad after thy fleshly desires, thou art the mad-man when thou neglectest heaven; if never so witty for earthly things, and sottish for thy soul, thou art the fool. If never so quick and nimble after thy business, and spiritually dead, thou art the dead man; Oh bee entreated for thy soul!  
As wee may not follow the example of the ungodly, so we may not take encouragement from the infirmities of the Saints. For in the dearest of God's children there is this spiritual combat, corruption against grace, and grace against corruption, and sometimes grace gets the foil; but bee sure make still at the darling sin; let no man think himself pure, but strive to bee so; for come but into a room that is pure and white, and seeming cleanly, not one soul spot to bee discerned; open but the casement when the sun shine's clear, you shall see a world of motes: Even so, when the sun-shine of grace shineth in our hearts, wee shall see our own foulness then; for when wee are left to our own base lusts, wee see onely the glory of the heavens, and beauty of the earth, and no marvel though wee bee taken with the lusts and pleasures thereof. The sheep love's the briar-leaf, and is catched with the briar for her labour; so it is with us when wee give but way to our affections; for how can it bee otherwise? such as wee sow such wee must reap; if wee sow cockle, wee cannot look for wheat, nor to prise God's Word as wee ought, but hear it as a tale that is  told: but when the Lord hath powred clean water upon us, and washed us from all our filthiness, and all our Idols, and given us a heart of flesh, and breathed his graces in us, then are wee fit to stand for truth; then wee cannot look into the world to set or pitch our affections on it; then will wee die for truth; for hardness of heart was the greatest plague of all the plagues of Egypt: for if a man was in a house all on fire, and his God with him, what then? It was but the sooner to bring him to heaven; or in the midst of the raging waters; or had the noisome pestilence, or incurable sore? yet all was not so bad as a hard heart, Ezek. 36.31. Yet still God must bee sought for to perform it; God's children pray for tears, true sorrow for sin; which being granted, bring's more joy of heart then any worldly pleasure. God hath given to man reason and understanding above all creatures, to bee in subjection unto him; therefore the more hired to love him and daily to crave for the assistance of his holy Spirit. If wee can prais God, when others serve God better then wee, and desire that wee may serve God better then they, wee are happy: but when wee despise others for their holiness, wee are yet most wretched. Wee must bee joifeul for the good of others, and sorrowful for their sins; God commanded Ezekiel to set a mark upon the fore-heads that mourn for the abominations that bee●don.  
When the Prodigal child was come to himself, he returned to his father; so I hearty desire, that all that are enemies to their own souls, may turn to God's colours and stand for truth, for he that fight's against it is not come to himself, but is mad: Oh bee entreated for thyself!  
Know you not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost? Where Temples are kept for God's service, they are not onely carefully look't to without, that they may stand, but within: so are wee, much more to look to our bodies, if wee think to entertain that blessed guest. As Christ whipped the bulers and sellers out of his Temple, so must wee whip sin as well out of our temple; he called it his house which many now despise. This may not onely teach us to behave our selvs orderly without, but much more within to bee adorned with heavenly thoughts and meditations, with graceful and Saviour speeches, and wisely to moderate our selvs with the use of God's creatures; as, in meats and drinks, seeing we have so many sorts to feed and refresh our selvs withal.  
Wee must receive them as wee do gold with the allowance but no further, for when the beam turns wrong way, then refuse them; so long as they make us fitter for God's service and our calling, thankfully receive them; but when they make us any way apt after our fleshly lusts, then the beam turns wrong, then they are as baits to betray us; for the Devil comes every way he can device, when thou wilt abuse thyself by God's creatures: then he work's thee to bee out of love with those that will not run with thee into the same excess of riot, those which grace hath wrought upon; then he labor's thee not to seek so much after God's Word; or else to grow out of love with the Preacher; and lastly to contemn God's holy Laws, which is not to love God at all: still labouring to bring us to fight under his noisome colours against truth.  
That man that hath but one house to entertain his best friend in, and hath an enemy that watcheth daily to get possession of it, if he come in unawares, he will surely try his strength to throw him out by head and shoulders: so wee must keep our hearts for our good God, who will have them for himself, or not at all, and wrestle with him at the beginning, and manfully fight under the banner for truth. For in man is two works; first God's work in creating him; then his own work by sin, to destroy the end of his creation which began first in Adam. If wee would judge our selvs, wee should not bee judged, 1 Cor. 11.13. judge our selvs, but not so ready to judge others, and learn not of Adam to hid our selvs from God, but call a privy sessions in our own hearts, and bring our selvs to the bar, and sift and try our selvs by God's Word and our own consciences, and prove how the case stands, guilty or not; God's Souldiers or the Devil's; do wee stand for truth or stand against it. Answer for thyself, for though no man can number his sins, yet any man may know his way of sinning, which way he hath been given to offend the Lord in; whether by lust or drunkenness, by pride, or envy, or the like.  
Wee must endeavour to do as well as wee desire to do, for if many bee together, it may bee half of them may detest great sins, but small sins( as wee call them) too few regard; for if a man owe to two thousand men one thousand pounds, the debt is as much as if it were owing to one man; so a world of small sins not truly repented of, may prove wors then one great sin which lies at the heart and truly mourned for. But small sins are called venial sins; a thief doth not suffer for a penny, but if he take many they may cost him dear: all sins are death to us, but those which our Saviour suffered for, which are those that are truly repented of: let no man deceive himself.  
If wee see a poor prisoner condemned before a judge for stealing or the like, Oh! say some, that he had more grace; when sometimes those that say so are more graceless; he stands there before many spectators, if they would but judge themselves rightly, they might well lament their own case; for as the Commandements are ranked, so are they in greatness, though he that will break one is liable to all.  
For first where Gods commands, thus he saith, Exod. 20. Thou shalt have no other Gods but me; thou deniest it not, yet if either by preferring thy riches, in love to them, before the glory of God, or takest more delight in earthly vanities then in thy God; thou art yet wors then the thief.  
Secondly If thou committest idolatry by the fals worship of God; Thou art wors then the thief.  
Thirdly, If thou take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain by swearing or fals-swearing, as Goddammees use to do; Thou art yet wors then the thief  
Fourthly, If thou keepest not the Lords-daie holy, the Lord's Sabbath, and constrainest not them that are under thee of thy house to do the like; Thou art yet wors then the thief.  
Fifthly, If thou beest disobedient to parents; thou art yet wors then the thief.  
Sixthly, If thou beest any way a murderer; Thou art yet wors then the thief.  
Seventhly, If thou committest adultery, as the thief stands onely accused for theft; Thou art yet wors then the thief.  
Moreover, if thou beest proud and ambitious; Thou art yet wors then the thief: for many Angels, for pride, were cast out of heaven; when our Saviour took the penitent thief to heaven with him; a fair looking-glass for proud men. And if thou consumest thy patrimony, thou overthrowest thy posterity, and art wors then the thief.  
And if thou beest a scorner of Religion and Holiness, thou art a traitor to truth, and so to thy God, and to thy soul; thou art the Devil's steward, and wors then any thief.  
And lastly, if the old saying bee true, as true it is, if thou beest a liar, thou art wors then the thief, for a liar cannot call God father: For you are of your father the devil, saith our Saviour Jesus Christ, John 8.44.  
And if a thief deserv's death, even so do all that break the fore-going Commandements much more. I frame not this speech any way to countenance a thief for there are but few believes that make conscience of the Commandements; but to teach us, when wee see them condemned, to look to our selvs.  
And to conclude, if a soldier run from his Generals colours to the enemies, he must have marshal Law; for if a King have a Subject that lives under another King or Prince, that is an enemy to him; if he sand for him, and he refuse to come, then he send's his Proclamation, and denying that, he stands a traitor, until he hath procured a pardon: so it is with all that stout it so with God, and refuse to come to his colours, slighting his daily Proclamations, spurning at his Commandements, and make their destruction their great delight, and murder their own souls. This may serve every one to examine himself by, whose soldier he is, and though poorly, yet truly and plainly proved who are yet traitors and the enemies best friends, For God hath given a Banner to them that fear him, that it may bee displayed because of the truth.  
Let none bee troubled, though they often see  
Errors in several still confuted bee.   
FINIS.   

A prayer for the Evening.  
O Most glorious and everlasting Lord God, which inhabitest eternity, and dwellest in that light which no mortal eye can attain unto; the God in whom wee live, move, and have our being: wee thine unworthy servants do here in lowliness and humility present our prayers and persons before thy divine majesty; confessing and acknowledging that wee were conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity, and, as it had been but a small matter, wee have heaped up our actual transgressions as the sands upon the sea shore, and as the stars in the firmament for number. Wee have broken thy Commandements, wee have wounded our own consciences, and weakened our assurance of salvation, and grieved thy good Spirit which sealeth us up to the day of our redemption. And now holy Father, if thou shouldst deal with us after our deservings, thou maiest power upon us the deluge of thy wrath and fury, to sweep us out of the land of the living into that place of torments, prepared for the devil and his angels. But thou hast revealed thyself unto the sons of men, to bee the Lord; merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and of great goodness, one that pardonest sin, and passest by the transgressions of thy people; this is thy name for ever, and thy memorial throughout all generations. Wee appeal therefore from thee, unto thee; from the bar of thy Justice to the bowels of thy mercy; beseeching thee for Jesus Christ his sake to bee merciful unto us, in the free pardon and filthiness of all our sins that ever wee have committed against thee: And now holy Father, seeing the night is upon us, and wee are ready to take our rest, wee commit our souls into thy hands, and our bodies, and all that wee have, beseeching thee which art the keeper of Israel, and that neither sleepest nor slumberest, to take care of us; for if thou protect us not, satan will rule over us, wee shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and never rise up to prais thee. Wee pray thee therefore bee good to us this night, defend us from danger, refresh us with comfortable sleep, and rais us up to glorify thee in the due time of the day following. And when it shall pleas thee to cast us upon the bed of sickness, and compass is about with the sorrows of the grave, wee beseech thee for thy name sake, and for thy Mercies sake, for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake, not to bee far from us in thee needful time of trouble, when wee shall find heaviness in our flesh, and there will bee none to deliver us; but bee about our beds, to pardon our sins, pacify our consciences, strengthen our faith to mitigate our pains, and receive our souls which shall bee commended unto thee; receive them, Father, who hast created them; receive them, O God the Son, for thou hast redeemed them; receive them, O God the holy Ghost, for thou hast sanctified them; receive them, O holy, blessed, and glorious trinity, that being translated out of this vale of misery, wee may live and reign with thee, now everliving and immortal God. in the kingdom of glory world without end, Amen.   

The Table.  

PAraphrastical meditations upon Isaiah, 55. pag. 1  
Paraphrastical meditations upon Psalm 51. 21  
J. Barford's prayer to prevent the Scottish Wars. 30   

Short Meditations.  
1. Of God. 33  
2. Of Christ his Birth. ibid.  
A riddle of the Soul. 34  
3. Of Man. 37  
4. Of Mourning. 38  
5. Against popery. ibid.  
6. Against Anabaptists. 39  
7. Against Brownists. 40  
8. Against Arminians. ibid.  
9, Against mixed Errors. ibid.  
10. Against Antinomians. 42  
11. Against the same. ibid.  
12. The true cause of rejoicing. 43  
13. Comfort in mourning. 43  
14. earthly comfort. 44  
15. Meditation. 45  
16. The holiest Kings have cause to mourn. ibid.  
17. Christ loved and despised. ibid.  
18. That Christ give's free grace. 46  
19. To prise grace before health and riches. ibid.  
20. A meditation of Mourning. 47  
21. Mourning that any should bee suffered to writ against the fourth Commandement. 48  
22. Against Pride and Oppression. 49  
23. Against hardness of heart. 50  
24. Against envy. ibid.  
25. Against murder. ibid.  
26. Against Slandering. 51  
27. Against Swearing. 52  
28. Against Passion. ibid.  
29. Against melancholy. 53  
30. Against Despair. ibid.  
31. Against gluttony. ibid.  
32. Against Drunkenness. 54  
33. Against immoderate taking of Tobacco. ibid.  
34. Of Slothfulness. 55  
35. Against Lust. ibid.  
36. Against usury. 56  
37. Against Covetousness. ibid.  
38. Against unthankfulness. 57  
39. Against Cursing. ibid.  
40. Against Lying. 58  
41. Against adultery. ibid.  
42. Against hypocrisy. 59  
43. Against Theft. ibid.  
44. Against Treaeherie. 60  
45. Follie's Looking-glass. ibid.  
46. Against slavish Fear. 61  
47. Against unjust Quarrels. ibid.  
48. A Common Saying. 62  
49. A heavenly Jewel. ibid.  
Exhortation to hate sin. ibid.  
Duties to bee observed in prayer. 63  
J. Barford, his Petition to God for King, Parliament, and all his People. 65  
Meditations upon Psalm 60. Vers 4. 69   
FINIS.   

Imprimatur,  
J. Downame.