THe many unpleasing ecchoes and reflections of these Times, and the sore and itching Ears of some men in all Ages, are such, that they will not indure healing, or sound and wholesome Doctrine, though the pain riseth from the soreness and inflimation in them­selves, and not from the plaister or hand which honestly applies it; yet they are as prone as in fell boles and acute tumors, when touched, though but gently, to fall upon those that are next them, and cry out aloud, O you hurt me; when the hurt is within and from themselves. Thus it is, that the Fanaticks of these Times are become Our Disturbers; and not onely against the person of the King, but against the root and foundation of all Monar­chy, as well as against the Holy Priesthood. This is the Patient, with whose Hurts, Sores, Bruises, Wounds, and Sorrows, these particulars have most impudently [Page 4]pudled and cruelly pleased themselves, in turning pub­lick miseries of Church and State to their private advan­tages: Long hath been these National sufferings, (which hath caused the Kingdomes unsetledness) with daily breaking out, and angry tumors, with new purg­ing and loathsome Potions, with Launcing and Blood­lettings, with cutting off and canterisings, which will not heat, restore, close, and retintigrate the body, but maim, defame, and cripple the same for ever. To prevent which successive miseries, let every one indea­vour to improve the Sanctity and solemnity of all occa­sions, for a thankful and hopeful opportunity of future miseries; and to vouchsafe us the onely means and di­rections for the right method and honest way of curing an Afflicted Kingdom, and to preserve her from all such pestring and cheating Undertakers, those false Quacksal­vers, those wanton and cruel Leeches, who did not want skill and knowledge to wrong both Church and State, to conspire the death of their Lawfull Soveraign, a Plot unparallel! and what in them lies, to obstract the setling of his Gracious Son, and Great Brittains Royal Soveraign King Charles the Second. But blessed be God for his deliverance, in that he is pleased to give us Phy­sitians of better eyes and hearts, that may both wisely discern our maladies, and seasonably incounter them with fit remedies. To which posture of Providence we are prone to hope, that we are this day restored by the Valour, Honour, and integrity of those who now have the conduct of Power and Council; I pray God we may have cause to rejoyce long in good earnest, for every days delay of our cure is a chargeable and painfull delu­sion to the Nation, threatning such a Consumption of [Page 5]Spirits, and such delititations of the Nations strength and estate (besides the debasing of its honour and repu­tation) as must necessarily [at last] betray us with our Posterity, Estates, Laws, Liberties, and Lives; yea, and with our Reformed Religion (which ought to be dearer to us, as it was to our Fore-fathers, then both our lives and estates) to that sorraign invasion and Ro­mish superstition, which is the grand design of the Jesui­tick agitation, whereto are subservient all the fanatick factions of those who are enemies to the just and le­gal closing or composing our Distractions in Church and State: For doth not experience make it evident, That a Kingdom divided in it self cannot stand. And the apparent demonstrations of Gods evident and eminent wrath of indignation, expressed against the enemies of the King, appears in these most memorable and remarkable ex­amples, viz.

1. One Sir Thomas Martin, Knight of Cambridgeshire, a great complier with the times, having been a Hunting in Holmby Park, and the Deer being faln, stuck and o­pened, he desired (together with the other Gentle­men) to wash his hands in the Deers blood: No (said he) I had rather wash my hands in the blood of the young King of Scots. And immediately after this, ri­ding home the same day at evening, his Horse violently threw him off his Back on the ground; in which fall, he pitcht on his Head with such force, that he broke his skull and shoulder, and so for a few dayes continued in great pain and died.

2. The Constable of Shaw in Lancashire, taking the Engagement, was suddenly so troubled in his Consci­ence, that notwithstanding the godly exhortations and [Page 6]comforts administred unto him by reverend Divines, yet the apprehension of Gods wrath for what he had done therein, so increased upon him, that he fell distracted, and so continued for many years together.

3. One Mr. Smith Minister of Stoke and Prior in Wor­cestershire, having taken the engagement for the procu­ring of an augmentation to his living, returning home from London after he had taken it, fell presently into such a frighting horror of his Conscience, that he did often indeavour to beat out his own Brains: At length reco­vering his senses by Gods great mercy, repented bitterly of what he had done, and thereupon departed his life in peace.

4. One Thomas Hoyl, who was alwayes accounted a very pious and religious Gentleman, an Alderman of York and Member of Parliament; having taken the en­gagement (even against his Conscience) turned a great complyer with them at Westminster. Not long after, it pleased the Lord so to leave him to himself, that on the very same day 12 moneth that King Chrales was behead­ed, yea as near as possibly could be judged about the ve­ry same hour of that day the same Gentleman hanged himself at his own house at Westminster, and was found dead by his Wife when she came home, who went out early that morning.

5. Mr. Shereman a Silkman in Pater-Noster-Row, at London, who had been lookt upon as an honest Gentle­tleman, had been a Tryer and an Elder in the Presbiteri­an Church Government, a very good friend to Mr. Love, then his Pastour; but afterwards turning with the times, he took the engagement, and that in form of an Oath; whereupon he was made a Common Council-man; and [Page 7]turned an utter enemy and hater of the party afore-men­tioned; who shortly after being in the shop with his Wife, and in very good health, yet in the evening stan­ding at his Counter in his shop, and his Wife close by him, he on a sudden fell down dead by her and never spake one word.

6. Colonel Ven, a Citizen of London, formerly a great Professor of religion, and a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, but he being turned with the times (as others were) became an engager and mighty stickler for and with them at Westminster, and proved a great enemy unto the Presbiterian Government, and would often use these words against them; That they at Westminster should never be quiet till they had provided a pair of shooes and a staffe for the turbulent Presbiterians, and banish them out of the Kingdom. But it pleased the Lord, that on the next day after that horrible abuse dome to M. Jenkin then minister of Christ Church, London, in both sequestring him out of his living, and banishing him out of the City, wherein this Colonel Ven was one of the cheif Actors, and had most churlishly carried himself to­ward the said man aforementioned in the Committee e­ven that day, whereon this godly minister was so censu­red, which was July the 6 1650. being Thursday. It pleased the Lord, I say, that Ven next Friday following, July 7. going to bed, as perfectly well and in health, as ever in his life, and his Wife lying by him, he fell asleep by her immediately, and slept without making any com­plaint of the least distemper, but the next morning she awaking, found him quite dead by her in the bed, he ne­ver having made the least groan. And thus God banish­ed him from the living!

[Page 8] 7. I shall conclude all with the memorable example of Gods Justice upon Lockier, an active Agitator and Le­veller in the Army, who had a great hand in bringing the King to his death, and cried out, Justice, Justice, Justice, openly against him, and spit in his face at Westminster-Hall as he was going to his Tryal, before his condemnation, conducted him to the Block: Not long after, this Lockier was Tryed for his life by a Council of War, who condem­ned him to beshet to Death, as a Mutineer; in Pauls Church­yard, London.

It is reported, That two of the Fanatick party having imbarqued themselves for Flonders, with a resolution to stab or Pistol the King; the one of them, when he arrived at Brussels was very much troubled in Conscience, and the third day after his arrive, resolved to declare that bloody attempt, and to acquit himself of the horrour, which consequently depended upon so notorious a Soul-damning-Guilt; and thereupon devoted himself to His Majesty: And humbly begging pardon, discovered the whole design; for which he was well rewarded, and the other secured.

One John Frith, a Franciscian Frier, for attempting to Poyson the King, was also beheaded by Orders from the most Christian King of France.