GOd never leaves Man untill Man first leaves God; Punishments are but the sad Concommitants of sinne, if every soule would avoid the cause, any soule needs not dread the effect. Sinne (my deare Countreymen) hath caused distraction, as a just revenge, to fall heavy on us. Let every one examine privately his owne heart, And I dare boldly say, it will evidently and manifestly appeare, that this Hell-poysoning venome [Sinne] hath too much taunted his soule, and brought upon us this present evill: and hence comes it to passe, that as the shaddow attends the substance: so a deluge of miseries waite upon a multitude of enormious sins, crying, as it were, for Vengeance, Vengeance. Yet see, see beloved, and justly Ponder and Admire Hea­vens Sacred Mercy, though our Nation hath beene swift in sinning, for these many yeares past: Yet our good GOD hath beene slow in pu­nishing; Witnesse those Halcyon Daies, those Nestor Yeares, I had almost said, even Heavenly ones, that we have many of us sweet­ly enjoyed for these threescore yeares and upwards. I might adde [Page 2] more, under that Mirrour of Women kind, the ever truly Famous Queen ELIZABETH, under that renowned Monarch, King IAMES, of ever blessed memory: and in a word, under our most happy and Vnpa­ralled example of all Princely and Heroique vertues, our Illustrious King CHARLES, untill these three last yeares of His present Raigne. And then, O then, and I feare, Woe ere long; me thought I perceived a blacke Cloude teeming in the North, in which were not darkely seene Armed men, of which I should remember to expatiate my discourse, but that I cannot, and ought not to forget, that there hath by Royall ascent passed an Act of oblivion touching that unhappy businesse. On­ly this, from the inward of my soule, I doe wish there never had beene such a president, or being, That like Apes our Brittish had not too greedily persued to soone to imitate them. Then should I have had just cause to have held my peace in peace, and no way have had so un­desired a Subject to treat of, as is said; unhappy distraction! of which, least I might seeme too much to distract you with a bare Denomination of it onely, my subsequent Discourse shall more fully and lively Portrai­ture it unto you.

Distraction is nothing else, but a strange Metamorphosis, or a sad change of welcome joy, into unwelcome sorrow; of smiling peace, into a frowning warre; or if you please, a drawing in of men into a maze of confusion, if it preoccupate the understanding; it is enough to hazzard the utter confounding of it, if the republique subvert and rui­nate it, if the minds of men do allienate them from their duty: and lastly, if it have seized upon the heart of the subject, 'tis unfortunately all-suf­ficiently able and powerfull to withdraw him from his due loyalty, yea even to soveraignty; and I feare it doth too many, yea too too many; in a word, 'tis a frenzy that so captivates poore man, that hee oft doth hee knowes not what, and lesse cares, (more is the pitty) a­gainst hee knowes not, or will not at least know, whom. And doth not our British Nation groane, groane, yea even to death almost, sorely vext and miserably tormented, withall the severall species and kinds of distraction City, Countrey, Court, Nobles, Gentry, Poore men, Good men, Clergy men, Lawyers, Physitians. Finally, all sorts of men are spiced with this distemper; some more, some lesse, yet all in some, though in a different measure, no sex, no age, but a taint of this malady. Goe into the City, and there you shall heare, a numberlesse number of all sorts of people lamenting at a dearth of Trading: Visite the Coun­trey, and there you shall finde the abler Sort complaining that they cannot get money for their Commodities. Poore men they want [Page 3] monie to buy Commodities, and worke to gaine moneyes. Fre­quent the Court, and then you will there finde a world of Distra­ctions caused, for that they cannot bee made Masters of a world of Possessions. The Nobles, they emulate each the other, I wish I could justly say, not envy one another. The Gentry, are doubtfull they shall hazzard the losse of what they have. The poore man is as much perplexed, how to get wherewithall to subsist. Good men are distracted, for to see Vice so much promoted, Vertue contemned, and Clergy men, many of them, (God forbid) I should thinke or say all) are more sorely perplexed for feare of a diminution of their yearely revenues, then an alteration in Religion. Lawyers are mole­sted for want of Clients, and Physicians enforced to have Patience in­stead of Patients. Finally, all sorts of men, all Sexes are distempered sorely, for feare of what will become of all: But what hath caused this Epidemicall disease. I shall not positively take upon me to afirme, but onely probably lay open unto your view, what my conjecture is, if I Augurate aright, you have cause to side with me; yea and to thanke me: If amisse, I pray excuse me.

Undoubtly, This unfortunate distraction, or fraction, shall I call it; for it hath indeed broken already too many, since God in his ju­stice hath permitted it to fall amongst us; For that we have broken and fallen from his Commandements. I will not Commemorate at large, the crying sinnes of our Nation, Pride, Envie, Whoredome, Drun­kennesse, Ingratitude, and a Thousand such like Diabolicall vices. Nor will I particularize any mans frailety, onely this I must deale plainely with you, I cannot but with unspeakable sorrow of heart, condole abundantly, to see how our good and gracious God, as well as our pi­ous and Religious King is lesse gratiously treated with by many of us; then iustly beseemeth such, who carry the name of good Chri­stians, and loyall Subiects; Witnesse our neglect of due obedience to Soveraigne power; Witnesse our undervaluing of holy men and holy exercises, I meane such, as efficaciously endeavour to invite and presse us to Feare God and Honour the King; Not such, who however plea­sing to the times, or plausible in outward shew in their Doctrine, vent little else but malice and Sedition, making it their inauspicious emulati­on and ambition, to draw the hearts of men, rather to themselves then to GOD, or their good King, Gods annointed, and the place where Divine Oracles should bee enucleated, a place where Gods Word is wrested to their owne ends, to maintaine that which I should iniure Truth, and wrong my owne Iudgement, if I should brand with any better appellation then Schisme, Faction, yea down [Page 4] right Treason. Treason against God, Treason against the King. For Tell me, deare Soule who ere thou art. Art thou in holy Writ denomi­nated to be a creature, made after Gods owne Image. Then let me tell thee, Gods owne command is, Honour thy Creator. Wouldst thou gladly learne to honour Him, O then obey and put in practise his Coelestiall commands, Be subiect vnto thy Prince, for Kings are Gods Annoynted heere on earth: and not he that knowes the will of his hea­venly Father, but he which doth it, shall receive the reward. I pray God direct all Christian hearts to put in practise this, and all other their iust duties.

Then shall we have no grounded reason to take up Armes, and im­brue one anothers hands in each others bloud.

Then shall we have no hopelesse hope, either of our Kingdome, or our owne particular safety.

Then shall we have happy Testimonies, that if we will yet returne to God, by a contrite sorrow for what is past, God out of the riches of his accustomed mercies, will cause Peace to be within our walles, and plenteous▪ within our Pallaces.

Lastly, Then shall all the people vnanimously yeeld a due Loyalty to their Soveraigne Lord the King, and the good King like an indulgent fa­ther seeke all Auspicious meanes dexterously to preserve his peo­ple.

Thus breifely, and plainely, I have made apparent unto you one cause, and a great cause of our present distractions, intimating unto you, how originally it tooke its first breath, essence, and being from our ne­glect of duty both to God, and the King, in not awefully fearing the one, and readily, and cheerefully honouring and obeying the other. I have also prescribed you a coelestiall Cordiall for the cure; let every one in Gods name make use of it: and I dare confidently affirme, that it will produce peace and plenty unto us; peace at home, and peace a­broad, peace Temporall, and peace Spirituall, plenty of good workes, and plenty of good rewards. O then deare soule, hast thou through negligence lost yesterday, yet through double diligence gaine tomor­row: 'tis never too late to mend, and never too soone to beginne. And thus much I recommend breifly unto you all, out of a Christian de­sire, prudently to direct; I dare at least say, most safely to admonish you all. I should now give a Period to this unpollished peroration, but that mee thinkes, I heare some factious Rabby, a man too well knowne in this age, too much favoured, and indeed, famous onely for his infamous life and doctrine, who hath more piety in his tongue and outward shew, then in his heart; impudently beginnes to teach you ano­ther kind of lesson.

I animated you to seeke after peace, but hee roares cut amaine, crying aloud, Arme, Arme, turning himselfe this way, that way, and the other, but never the right way.

I gave you wholesome advice to feare God, and honour the King, hee makes it (more is the pitty) the summe totall, almost of his dis­course, to deswade you from obeying your lawfull Prince; and so by consequence instigateth you to commit treason, both against God and Gods annointed: Nor feares hee to teach you this lesson againe and a­gaine, hee hath taken Sanctuary already, and will not I feare quit him­selfe of his Pulpit this two houres, nor stops he where many lose them­selves, At Arme, Arme: after which Alarum hee casts himselfe so furiously about to the people as if hee had meant to cast away his owne armes. No, hee hath found out many waighty motives and reasons to spurre on many of his Auditours, which in one halfe houre, hee had preacht almost fast asleepe; feare and jealousies possesse his brany, and hee is fully resolved ere long, they shall enter into the minds of his Au­ditours; for which end, hee roares like a Lyon, and cries amaine, plots! plots! unheard of plots! Popish plots! At the report of which his Au­ditory awakes, and beginne to prick up their eares to give attention to his frivolous seditious discourse.

These, even these, (though none such ever were,) hee avoucheth to bee true, and unlesse you will take Armes now to defend your selves, these plots menace your utter ruine. And thus hee poysons not a few of his auditory.

Stayes hee here? no, yet further hee goes, and impudently affirmes, that Bishops are Limbs of Antichrist, decent Ceremonies are super­stitious, hee counts order in praying, as the Church hath set downe unto us, as Papisticall; nay, the Lords prayer is abomination in his mouth.

Stayes hee here? surely no, further to enliven you in this cause, hee dares tell you, your life, your liberty, your religion, all that is neer or deer unto you is now at stake, except you fight, or at least assist with your purses this cause.

Desire you to know your enemies, why they are at hand, I am sure, at least they are in his mouth; who who are they? marry heele tell you, they are those damned Cavaliers, he is sure they are damned. And I am sure he said so, there is nothing wanting to compleat their damnati­on, if you will beleeve this grand Assertour; in truth, this uncharitable Christian: but that you reciprocally resolve to cut them off, and so send them immediately into Hell, where he leaves them in his own imagina­tion, and having wasted away two houres, takes his leave of his Pulpit.

I will not take upon mee to judge what may become of this man [Page 6] in the World to come, because sacred writ commands mee not to judge, least I bee judged. Let him that condemneth another take heed, least hee bee condemned: But sure I am, these and the favourers of such as these men are, who ever they bee, next to our sinnes are the onely cause of our woes, our miseries, our distractions. And as they are justly odious in the sight of God, who greets with a heavenly blessing the Peace-maker: saying, Blessed bee the Peace-maker, &c. So hee denounceth nothing but judgement, and direfull curses to fall on the contentious man, who sowes discord as tares to poyson and hinder the good seed; I will close up all in a word.

My deare Countreymen, and truly deare, if deare in the sight of God, as I hope and wish you all ever may bee; God hath pleased to blesse this Nation above all others with all manner of blessings, for many yeares past as I told you before. Vnder one Soveraignesse, and two Soveraignes, the latter of which God long preserve, hee being the mirrour of all Christian Princes, unexampled for his piety, unparallell'd for his free acts of grace and mercy, and one who so long, and no longer, desires the blessing of the Almighty to him and his Royall posterity, and his good Subjects lawfull assistance, as hee shall maintaine their religion in the purity of it; their estates, liberties, and lawes for the safety of them, their lives, and their posterity. And so long beloved Countrey-men, I dare sacrifice my life for to maintaine the assertion, if a just and necessary occasion should invite mee thereunto; wee are all bound to defend his Royall Person, Crowne, and Dignity, against any power whatsoever, that shall labour to hazzard the one, or infringe and debilitate the other. And if it should fatally fall out, that our King on his part should not performe his Royall and sacred word, for the word of a King, is and ought to be as sacred, as is his Person, (which as yet I deeme a kind of impiety the least to doubt of;) then, when hee breakes on his part, (which fatall omen God avert:) wee have some colour, though I cannot truly say, any just and lawfull cause to keepe from him any of his just rights, which wee are bound by the law of God to render unto him by the law of this our Nation; and finally by the oath of Supremacy, Allegiance, and the late Protestation; and in the name and feare of God I dare confidently assure you, that if you all faithfully resolve actual­ly to performe this duty, God will restore you aboundantly to your former happinesse, and multiply his mercies on you and your posterity. Yea, though the malevolence of some Sectaries, (those who are indeed the true Malignants;) maugre their spight, and spit their utmost venome. God dispose every one of your hearts, as may be best for his honour, and glory, your King his Kingdome, and every one of your owne safety.