THE PRESBYTERIANS Remonstrance & Declaration TO The People of this NATION: AND Their Desires concerning the Parliament, His Excellency the Lord Gen. Cromwell, and the rest of the Officers of the Army.

WITH A wonderfull Prophecy, presented to M. Love in the Tower of London, the same day that he was brought to the place of Execution.

By Mr. Smith the Minister, who on Munday night last, being the 22. of this instant moneth, was buried in Saint Giles Cripplegate Church London.

LONDON, Printed for G. Wharton. 1651.

To the Reader.

IT is given in charge by the blessed Apostle Paul, That we mark them that cause divisions, contrary to the Doctrine which we have learned, and avoid them; Sure then, we should observe them that have it in design, to promote union, according to the Doctrine we have received and acknowledge and embrace them, and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake. Such is the worthy Au­thor of this ensuing Subject, who (with others of his brethren) lookes with a sad heart upon the heart-divisions of our times, and laments to see such as are happily divided from the world, unhappily divided a­mong themselves. The work and labour of love, which he hath here performed, is a labour for Love that's the subject-matter of his dis­course; a lovely argument worthy the handling, a precious grace most worthy the possessing; so much as we have of it, so much we have of God; so much as we expresse of it, so much we expresse of God; for God is Love. High and honourable are the Elegies and Encomiums given of it in Scripture, such as set forth the excellency, and usefulnesse of it; to account them then here, would be to anticipate what the following Subject will more fully and fruitfully perform: This only would I say, it is the spirituall Cement, by which believers, as Materialls in a buil­ding▪ are compaginated; that spiritual Ligament, by which▪ as members in a body, they are united: And this is the happy agreement between Faith and Love, as touching union that Love should y [...]eld it up to Faith, to be the blessed instrument of our union with Christ our Head in a my­stical way▪ and that saith should yeeld [...]i up to Love, to be the grace, that unites us one to another in a morall way.

[Page 2] The Author holds out love in the ensuing discourse, according to the guidance of the Text he handles, under the notion of a way wherein we are to walke; a good way it is, the good old way, or if you must have a new way, the Gospell new way. The old Commandment is for it, the new Commandment is for it also. It is a right way, a safe way, a plain way, a pleasant way, and in a good sence, a broad way, large enough: were we in it, we should not need to justle and shoulder one another as we do. Pity it is that such a way is not better known, more travelled. But so it is, we may justly compl [...]ine, as of old, many walke, but so as they wander from the right way. I say, as the Prophet of old, This is the way, walke in it. Every step we take in this way, is a part of payment of a debt we owe, which though we are required to be still ow­ing, and never in paying, we are too far in arrears one to another al­ready; let us take heed least our uon payment bring us under an ar­rest, and cast us into prison.

A wordmore, and the part [...]stall speake, We all professe to be for heaven, Love must be our way to bring us thither, Love must be our businesse, when we come there, the work in heaven to all eternity shall be to be reciprocally acting and expressing love. Let us doe that now which we hope to do for ever, But I forbeare to inlarge in this kinde, referring you to the following discourse, which I heartily commend to the perusall and practise of t [...]e godly: apply to it, it will be found of precious use, to set us into the way wherein we are to walke, to hand us up into that Charriot which is paved with Love.

Samuel Coleman.

The Presbyterians Remonstrance:

THe High Court of justice having denounced Sen­tence against M. Love, he was remanded back again to the Tower of London, where M. Smith (a pious and re­ligious Divine) gave him a visit, saying; Ah, my dear Brother, & precious Saint of Jesus Christ, The Lord streng­then you in this your day of temptation and tribulation: and blessed be the name of the most High God, who hath ordered and disposed of all things, as seemes most [Page 3] requisite and sitting in his Divine Power and Wisdom; for, indeed, you know that it is the usual way of the Lord to take away from off the Earth his precious Saints and Servants, before the casting down of his judgments; and to remove those bright Stars (whom the World are not worthy of) to a higher Orb. And truly thus much I dare divine, That when you are gone, I shall not stay long after. Which propheticks proved true; for im­mediatly after the execution of M. Love, he was exceed­ingly troubled in mind; And being asked the reason, of so sudden a change, and melancholy disposition, He an­swer'd, It was the Will of God so to translate him; and that he never should be well, till he was translated from an Earthly Tabernacle to a Heavenly Paradise, to be sing­ing Hallelujan with his brother in the presence of an innumerable Guard of Angels, &c. Soon after it pleased God to afflict him with a great Visitation, where he vsed these divine expressions in the presence of many Friend, and others.

Mercy and peace, and love be multiply'd.

For, saith he, The Scripture tels us, That many waters will not quench love Cant. 8. 7. And experience tels us, That much fire will not kindly love; especially such fire as we have among us, the sire of contention, (I mean) much augmented, inflamed, and blown up, by the bellowes of unnecessary and unprofitable Disputes; which are car­ryed on with much heat, most men contesting rather for victory then verity; few arguing for God, fewer accor­ding to God: Hence is many different Opinions, which beget so many difference in Opinions amongst us; That as in the primitive times the beloved Disciple was ba­nished; so in our times, the love of Disciples is banish­ed; Sad times! When so sweet a thing, so choice a grace, is so little set by: when men study more to grati­fie [Page 4] Sathan by dividing, then to please Jesus Christ by uniting; when instead of helping we are hurting; in­stead of hearing with, we are binding of one another. But the Lord manifest his love to you all, and teach you to manifest your love to him, to the Truth, to one another, and to all the Saints; and grant, that the Parl. his Excel­lency and Officers, may be Jethroes Justices, men of cou­rage, fearing God, dealing truly, and hating covetousness. Alas! We see that the Ax is even laid to the Root, and many thereby have undergone an untimely death: But happy are all those that suffer for the Cause of Christ; nay, thrice happy are they who suffer for Him, that so willingly laid down his life for them. O! consider, I be­seech you, the torments he indured:

1. Jesus Christ died a shamefull death, he died as a Malefactor, among Malefactors, and yet innocent; Isa. 53. 12. He was numbred with transgressors. Crucified be­tween two Theeves, as if he had been the Captaine or chief over them, yet the Apostle saith, 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, though he were slaughtered, yet he was a Lamb without blemish, and without spot.

2. Jesus Christ died an accursed death, and that not only according to mans conceit, or opinion, but accor­ding to the decree of the divine Law, Deut. 20. 23. he that is hanged, is accursed of God: Which the Apostle brings in applying it to Christ, Gal. 3. 13. Who was made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree.

3. Jesus Christ died a painful death, and this wil appear in several particulars: 1. He was scourged, Mat. 27: 26. When he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucifi­ed. This scourging was painful; for Christ was not scour­ged virgâ with a rod, but stagello with a whip or scourge, [Page 5] which pierced the more, & put him to more pain. 2. His head was crowned with thorn, Mat. 27. 29. They platted a Crown of thorns, and put it upon his head: These thorns pierced his temples, & this must needs aggravate his pain and misery. 3. His hands and feet were nailed, which was very grievous, for those members being full of nerves, and sinews, they feel torture so much the more. 4. He di­ed a lingering death, sudden death is not so painfull as a lingering death; to be dying, but not dead, is painfull in­deed; when he was nailed to the Crosse he was not pre­sently dead. Secondly, Let us consider his inward soul-sufferings, and these we shall look upon under three heads.

1. Consider what temptations he lay under, as soon as he was baptized and set apart for his office, Satan temp­ted him, Mat. 4. But now he being ready to depart the world, and to compleat his conquest, Satan set upon him with fresh force, this was in his Agony, Luk. 22. 44:

2. Consider what sence of wrath he went under, he was wont always to have his Father smiling on him, now he finds him frowning on him, discovering nothing but anger and wrath, On him was laid the iniquitie of us all, and the wrath that was due to all the Elect for all their sin; yet all this Christ bears, even all the wrath that the Father had to lay upon all the elect; yea, and he cries out, Joh. 19. 28. I thirst: That i [...], I thirst after the salvation of poor sinners; I thirst after more wrath, if there be any more to be charged upon them, I thirst to have it laid up­on me; and then when there was no more to be laid up­on him, he cries out, [...]etel [...]stai. It is finished; he would not off the Crosse till all were done, and then he gave up the Ghost. 3. Consider what desentions he lay under, all com­fort was gone, God seemed to have forsaken him; Matth. 27. 46. He cried with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, Lamasa­bachtheni, My God why hast thou forsaken me? Let misery [Page 6] be never so great, yet if we enjoy the presence of God, it will make amends for all: hell would be no hell, if we might enjoy Gods comfortable presence there: so let outward enjoyments be never so great, yet without the presence of God they are nothing: hea­ven would be no heaven, if the comfortable presence of God could not be enjoyed there: Here was Christs misery Iudas betrayes Pilat condemnes, the Iews Crucifie, and to make up the measure, God for­sakes him too. Oh what a sad thing was this!

Now, let us put all these together, and we must needs conclude, that Christ loves us dearly. Jesus Christ the Son of God in whom was no iniquity; looks upon us polluted creatures, that were his enemies; and is con­tented to suffer a shamefull, cursed, prinfnll death, and to be [...]empted of Sathan, to feel the great wrath of his Fa­thers and to be forsaken of him also, and all this to do us good, that we might escape these things, Oh inxpres-love. If Christ love us dearly, then [...] love him in­tirely, we are not worthy of his love, but he is worthy of ours. Did he so love us, as to give himself for us, & shall we not so loue him, as to give our selves to him. I beseech you by the mercies of God, by the love of Chist that ye present you [...]selves a living sacrifice [...]y him: Oh that this love of Christ to us might constrain us to do, or suf­fer any thing for him! Did Christ so great, so good: shew such love to us, so weak, so unworthy? and shall not we love one another? Did he that is God so holy, shew such great love to man so unholy, and shall not we love one another? Did he that is so high above us, love us so low, so inferiour to him, and shall not we that are equals love one another? Did Christ give himself for us when he were enemies [...]nd shall not we love one another whom he cals friends? Doth Christ love all that are godly, and shall not all that are godly love one onother? This is the Apostles argument, 1 Iohn 4. 11. If God so loved us we ought also to love one another. Oh that it might be a prevailing argument with us, that it might have such a power over us, as to perswade us to observe the text, To walk [...] Love, as Christ hath loved us.

FINIS.

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