Seventhly, that to bring the evill of Warre upon a potent City, argues both the greatneſſe of Gods power, and of that puniſhment: This likewiſe checks and confutes,

1 The great impiety of ſuch Chriſtians, (if they may be ſo called) who would make God the Author of ſin.

2 The Manichees, who would have God to divide the government of the World with the Devill;Epiph. Ha • eſ. 66. & Aug. de Ago. Chriſt. cap. 4. fancying two Beginnings of all things without Beginning; one of good, God, and the other of evill, the Devill; that theſe two did all things, the one all good, the other all evill; whereas we ſee that the permiſſion of ſinne is from God, and that the whole order and Regiment of ſinne depend upon his ſinguler Providence.

3 Hence alſo (againſt the Manichees) that ſinne is the onely evill and not the Devill;Joh. 17 • . 1 John 5.18. for although the Davil be called the evill one, hee is not ſo meant in the ſtate of his Creation (in which all Gods creatures are good) but depravation; for he was placed by God in the front of the moſt perfect creatures,Naturae omnes quoniam naturam prorſus omnium conditor ſummè bonus eſt, bonae ſunt. Ench. c, 12, and therefore called Lucyfer the morning Starre, the chiefe of the wayes of God, but from the corruption and malignity of his evill will, he is called the • vill one, becauſe he firſt brought the evill of ſinne, both into Heaven, and into the earth:Iſa. 14.13. But the Devill ſay they ſinneth from the Beginning, 1 John 3, 8,Job 40 19. and therefore hee was created evill:Iſa. 14.14. the Devill ſaith Saint Auguſtine is not to be thought to have ſinned at the inſtant or beginning of his creation;Gen. 3.5. but he ſinned at the beginning becauſe from his Pride ſinne began:Diabolus non ab initio ex quo creatus peccare putandus eſt ſed ab initio peccat, quod ab ejus ſuperbia caperit eſſe peccatum. Aug, l, de civi, D, l, 11, cap, 15, Inſtitutione Dei bonus, ſuâ malus 26, cap, 26, Joh. 6.70. Joh. 8.44. Ʋbi ſupra. by Gods ordination he was good, through his owne will he became evill, and wheras Iudas in Scripture is called a Devill, and ſome of the perverſe Jewes to bee of their Father the Devill; It is to be underſtood that they were ſuch by immitation, not Nature, ſayes Epiphanius: The Devill can doe no evill of himſelfe or by his owne power, for as unto the evill of ſinne, he cannot by any inward ſuggeſtion or operation, or immutation of the phancie or ſenſes (unleſſe in caſe or poſſeſſion) promote it, neither can he any wiſe cauſe ſinne, but either by perſwaſion thereunto, or propoſing ſome thing as deſirable. The D • vill conquers or overcomes no man but by a fellowſhip in ſinne;Demon non aliquem vincit aut ſubjugat niſi ſocietate p • ccati. Aug de C. D. l. 10. c. • 1. when ſub ſigno by outward ſignes, he diſcovers the inward affections, and can preſent objects ſutable unto them, and can onely promote ſinne, qua ad actum, Tho. Aq. 1. ſecundae q. 75.8. as unto the act, non qua ad peccatum, not as unto the ſinne: As for the evill of puniſhment, the Devill is onely the executioner of Gods wrath, for the evill of ſinne. Devils (ſaith the Wiſe man) are the ſpirits of Vengeance,Eccleſ. 39.28. which in their •• y lay on ſore ſtroakes, in the time of deſtruction they poure out their force, and appeaſe the wrath of him that made them: The Devill can doe no more, then hee hath warrant for from God, who hath his Hooke in his Noſtrils,Job 41.2. and ſuffers him not to act any thing without his ſpeciall Commiſſion;Mark. 5.12. hee could not enter into the Swine without our Saviours licenſe; ſo that although the will of the Devill is alwayes moſt unjuſt, yet his power is alwayes moſt juſt, for the boundleſſe malignity of his corrupt will is from himſelfe, but his power ſtill from God the fountaine of juſtice, who directeth and limiteth it. God as he is the moſt good Creator of all good creatures (ſayes Auguſtine ſpeaking of Devils) ſo he is the moſt juſt Orderer of all evill wils,Deus ſicut bonarum creaturarum optimus Creator eſt, ita malarum, voluntatum juſtiſſimus Ordinator eſt, ut cum malè illae utuntur Naturis bonis, ipſe benè utatur etiam voluntatibus malis. Aug. de Civit. D. l. 11. c. 17. that when they uſe their good natures evilly, he uſeth even their evill wils happily.

4 Hence likewiſe may be refuted that grave and ſupercilious error of the revived Stoiques of our times, who hold an inevitable Deſtiny, chained unto all actions and events, by an indiſſoluble neceſſity; whereas we ſee, the evill of ſinne is by permiſſion onely, and the evill of puniſhment is but the conſequence of that, which in it ſelfe is but Accidentall.

5 This likewiſe ſerves a ground of confutation of ſuch who hold Contingency and Chance in all things ſublunary, unto which unchriſtian opinion they would gaine Authority from that of the Wiſe man; That in all things there is Chance, Eccleſ. 9.22. Which is to bee underſtood unto meere humane conjecture onely, and for that the certaine cauſes of events (like thoſe of Sympathy and Antipathy) are hidden from us, which otherwiſe have their proper cauſes; for God is not Otioſus rerum spectator, a looker on onely upon humane affaires, and like Gallio to care for none of thoſe things that happen upon earth; for his infinite and alwayes ever active Providence extends even unto the moſt meane and interiour of his Creatures; even the leaſt lot that drops into the lappe is diſpoſed by him:Prov. 16.33. Sparrowes are not ſo gotten by him, the Lilies of the field are cared for, and the hayres of our head are numbred by him: That is, to ſhew us, that whatſoever men account muſt vile and deſpicable is governed by divine Providence.Hoc enim dixit, volens oſtendere, quicquid viliſſimum homines putant divinâ providentiâ Gubernari. Aug. l. de Ago. Chriſtiano, cap. 8. Deus qui nimirū dum ſit ſe • per omnipotens, ſic intendit omnibus ut adſit ſingulis: ſic adeſt ſingulis, ut ſimul omnibus nunquam deſit. Sic ſummaregit ut ima non deſerit, ſic imis preſens eſt, ut a ſuperioribus non recedat. Gre. M, in Job l, 16, cap, 5, That of holy Gregories is an ample and pious acknowledgement of the plenitude of divine Providence. God ſaith the Father, being alwayes omnipotent, ſo heeds all things, as though hee were preſent with every thing; he is ſo preſent with every ſingle and perticular thing, that he is never wanting unto all things • ogether: and a little after, hee ſo governes great matters, that he forſakes not ſmall things; hee is ſo preſent with inferiour things, that hee goes not from great matters.

From this joynt ſurvey of the evill of ſinne, and of the evill of puniſhment, wee may perceive, the convenienty of all Chriſtian and earneſt exhortation unto all men; carefully and induſtriouſly to decline ſinne, to flee it as the onely hurtfull thing unto us, the evill of ſinne which encompaſſeth us with ſo many evils of puniſhments, and this we may endeavour by the practice of theſe ſhort directions.

Firſt, By a Chriſtian and awefull circumſpection, and an holy jealouſie over all our actions, that ſinne inſinuate not into, or mix it ſelfe with them; this will preſerve us in the firſt onſets or beginnings of ſinne, whether by open invaſion, or by ſecret attempt, and practiſe, and this we may doe by a curious and dayly examination of all our actions, to take the moſt ſtrict account of them we poſſible may; Next to make an even reckoning each day, by unfeigned Repentance unto God, of theſe our dayly treſpaſſes and debts, in thought, word, and deed, which engage us unto theſe ſpirituall payments, the evils of puniſhments, for the evils of our ſinnes; this courſe will free us from the dominion and ſervitude of ſinne, in ſinning, in the inclinations unto ſinne, and in the puniſhments for ſinne.

Secondly, By moſt humble, earneſt, and frequent prayer, for the divine aſſiſtance of Gods ſpirit, againſt the evill of ſinne; prayers (like Jonathans arrowes) never returne empty without ſome ſupplies of Grace to ayde us againſt ſinne: This courſe will cauſe continuall diſcoveries of ſinne, and of the danger thereof unto us, and defend us againſt the power thereof; eſpecially let us pray that when opportunity to ſinne is preſent with us; God then in mercy would take from us a will to ſinne; and when wee have a will to ſinne God would graciouſly remove the opportunity from us, and interpoſe ſuch powerfull impediments that wee may not compleate an act of ſinne (eſpecially of a grievous ſinne) againſt God.

Thirdly, Let us ſtrive to gaine the power of a godly habit, by a conſtant and continued practice of all holy and pious duties, contemplative and practique; this will make ſinne odious, and the acts of piety moſt delightfull unto us, ſurely the many evils of our paſt and impending puniſhments, may ſerve as ſo many powerfull arguments to prove the neceſſity, and perſwade unto the dractice of their Chriſtian duties: How have we been whipped, and ſharply ſcourged by God through Warre? How hath God for our ſinnes denyed ſucceſſe unto the moſt juſt cauſe; and rendred our Loyalties as uſeleſſe and unſerviceable unto our Prince, as prejudiciall unto our ſelves?Dan. 8.12. how farre hath hee ſtretched his permiſſion unto our more ſinnefull Adverſaries to oppreſſe us engaged in the moſt righteous Quarrell? It is Gods puniſhment for our ſinnes, it was Gods act, it is from him that a people are miniſhed and brought low through oppreſſion, affliction, and ſorrow;Pſal. 107.39. whence we may ſee that although, the will and malice of our Adverſaries hath beene moſt unjuſt againſt us, yet their power hath beene moſt juſt, becauſe that was from God; (as Saint Auguſtine ſpeakes of the Romans againſt the Jewes) Their wickedneſſe was made Gods Axe to hew us: The wicked man puffeth at his enemies,Impietas eorum tanquam ſecuris De • facta • ſt. in Pſal. 73. becauſe Gods judgements are farre above his ſight, ſayes the Pſalmiſt; their power was to puniſh us for our ſinnes; the conſideration whereof may ſerve a juſt ground to exhort us unto theſe Chriſtian acts enſuing.

Firſt, unto a ſubmiſſion of our ſelves unto Gods will, in all our preſſures: Secondly, unto the principall application of our ſelves in them unto God: Thirdly, unto a patient expectation of Gods mercy and ſuccour in them: Fourthly, unto a breaking off from thoſe ſinnes have occaſioned them.

Firſt, Let us cheerefully ſubmit our ſelves in all theſe paſt and impending calamities unto the will of God: Aged Ely when thoſe terrible judgements were denounced againſt himſelfe and his family, thus reſolves,1 Sam. 3.1 • . It is the Lord let him doe what ſeemeth him good: So holy David in his flight from the unnaturall conſpiracy of his ſonne Abſolon ſignifies his ſubmiſſion, and the ready reſignation of his own will unto Gods will; Here am I (ſaith he) let the Lord doe unto me as ſeemeth good unto him: 2 Sam. 15.26. Wherefore ſhould a man complaine for the puniſhment of his ſinnes, Jer. 3, 39. Such are all our preſent calamities unto us, and ſhall we receive good at the hands of God, and ſhall wee not receive evill, ſaith Job unto his fooliſhly repining Wife? Lupus the Biſhop of Rome ſaluted Attila, Job 2.10. who depopulated Italy, with a ſalve flagellum Dei, welcome thou whip of God: A due regard unto the providence of God, without which nothing can happen unto us, is the beſt lenitive in all dolorous Occurrents; this like Moſes wood will ſweeten Ma • a, the bitter waters of afflictions unto us; this is a ſure ſtop unto all inordinate griefes, and intemperate ſorrowes, it doth fit and eſtabliſh our hearts, and diſchargeth them of that great ſinne of murmuring againſt God, as in David, I was aumbe, I opened not my mouth (ſaith he) becauſe thou didſt it: Pſal. 39 9. This conforming of our owne wils unto Gods will, brings to paſſe that we ſtand perfect and compleate in all the will of God, Col. 4, 10. and will purchaſe unto us the ſupreamacy of all temporall bleſſings, an unſpeakable contentation in all the things of this life, either by a moſt thriving and happy exchange of our owne weake and perverſe wils, for Gods moſt perfect and bleſſed will; or it will procure a condeſcention in Gods will unto our wils, in either of which wee ſhall archieve thoſe victorious Prophees, which alwaies waite upon that moſt glorious tryumph due unto a Chriſtian conqueſt over our ſelves; ſo ſpeakes the conſcientious Hebrew. Doe his will as thy will,Fac voluntatem, ejus ſicut voluntatem tuam, ut ipſe faciat voluntatem tuam ſicut voluntatem ſuam, fac voluntatem tuam ſicut voluntatem ejus, ut ipſe irritam faciat voluntatem aliorum, propter voluntatem tuam. Druſins vet. ſap. Gno. that hee may make thy will as his will; make thy will as his will, that he may fruſtrate the will of others, for thy will.

This conformity of our wils unto Gods is the abſolute and free Monarchy of the eternall Monarch God in our ſouls, whoſe alone ſervice is perfect freedome: This is the gift and aſſignation of our hearts unto God, whoſe juſt demand it is. My ſonne give me thy heart; he hath given all unto God that gives this.

Next this gives an indefezible right unto Heaven: not every one that ſaith Lord, Lord,Mat. 7.11. ſhall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven:1. Joh. 2.17. The World (ſaith Saint John) paſſeth away, and the luſts thereof, but hee that doth the will of God abideth for ever: And unto this cheerefull ſubmiſſion of our ſelves under the good hand of God, let us adde:

Secondly, An immediate application unto Almighty God, and an humiliation of our ſelves before him, from whom theſe judgements come,Job. 16.2 • that hee would in mercy reverſe them; this was holy Jobs practice, My friendes ſcorne me (ſaith he) but mine eyes poure out teares unto the Lord; becauſe it was God that permitted his friendes to ſcorne him: ſo King David when foule mouth'd Shemei curſed him. David replyes unto Abiſhai, that would have kild the Rayler; Let him curſe becauſe the Lord hath ſaid unto him curſe David: 2 Sam. 16.10. Thus Jehoſ • phat environed with the multitude of his enemies, cryes out, Lord wee know not what to doe, but our eyes are upon thee;2. Chron. 20.12. but alaſſe how many of us like mad dogs bite at the ſtone, and looke not at the hand whence it was flung? whereas if we had recourſe unto God as the firſt cauſe, he would reverſe the decree againſt us, as hee revoked the Commiſſion given unto the deſtroying Angell in King Davids time: Let us thoroughly humble our ſelves before God for the evils of our ſinnes, and the evils of our puniſhments will ceaſe:Micah. 6.8. When we walke humbly with our God.

Thirdly, Let us have a patient expectation of Gods mercies and ſuccours unto us;Rom 5.3. patience is the proper and divine effect of affliction;Pſal. 51.18. God in his good time will doe good unto Sion and build the wals of Jeruſalem; and this appointed time with Job we are to waite for: Waite on the Lord,Pſal. 27.14. be of good comfort and he ſhall ſtreng then your heart, ſurely the patient abiding of the meake ſhall not miſcarry, but bring forth a joyfull and mature iſſue; the frequent reading,Pſ 62.5. and meditating upon the 37 Pſalme, will eaſily ſuppreſſe the ſedition and mutiny of our murmuring and repining thoughts, at the proſperity of violent men, who ſhall not bee eſtabliſhed upon earth: But let us with holy David, Pſ. 123.2. as the eyes of ſervants look up to the hand of their Maſters, and as the eyes of a may den unto the hand of her Miſtreſſe ſo let our eyes waite upon the Lord our God, untill he have mercy upon us.

Laſtly, Let us breake off the former evils of our ſinnes, which have drawne theſe evils of puniſhments upon us: It is holy Jobs counſell, ſurely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have borne chaſtiſment,Joh 34.31, 32. I will not offend any more; that which I ſee not teach thou me; if I have done iniquity I will doe no more: Saint Paul when he was ſtruck downe unto the earth by God, cryes out, Lord what wilt thou have me to doe?Acts 96. he was then forbiden to perſecute Chriſt and to be converted; ſo we being ſmitten by the hand of God, if we enquire of him what hee will have us to doe, anſwer will bee made us, That wee muſt not perſecute Chriſt, or crucifie againe unto our ſelves the Lord of life by our ſinnes, but breake them off by righteouſneſſe, and repentance,Dan 4.27. and bee converted that God may heale us; Gods judgements heretofore like Jonathans ſignall arrows with David were ſhot beyond us,Acts 3.19. but now they are come on this ſide of us; ſo that moſt of us may ſay with Job, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the care, but now mine eye ſeeth thee;Job. 42. 〈◊〉 56. we have heard of God in his judgements towards others, but now our owne eyes ſee him in his judgements upon our ſelves; let every of us then with Job ſay, Wherefore I abhorre my ſelfe and repent in duſt and aſhes.

If wee deſire a liſt of thoſe ſinnes for which God puniſheth a people with Warre, the evils of our preſent puniſhments, ſerve as an Index to referre us unto them.

Firſt, Our inordinate exceſſe in meate and drinke, and luxury, in apparrell,Iſ. 5.11, 12 & 25, • 6. Warre and deſolation alwayes waite upon this ſin, ſo the Prophet Iſaiah cap. 5.

Secondly, Our unthankfulneſſe for temporall benefit • , plenty and the good things of this life, this ſinne is attended with Warre for a puniſhment thereof, Dent. 28.47, 48. Becauſe thou ſervedſt not the Lord thy God, with joyfulneſſe and gladnes of heart, for the abundance of all things, therefore ſhalt thou ſerve thine enemies, which the Lord ſhall ſend againſt thee, in hunger and in thirſt, and in nakedneſſe, and in want of all things.

Thirdly, Our diſobedience unto, and neglect of the good word of God, ſo much read and preached amongſt us; this ſinne brings Warre upon a people: As againſt the Jewes, Dent. 28. v. 45. Becauſe they hearkned not unto the voice of the Lord their God, to keepe his Commandements and his Statutes which he commanded them, v. 48. Therefore ſhould they ſerve their enemies.

Fourthly, The generall contempt of the Clergy, Gods Lot, whoſe contempt God interprets his owne, and will alwayes puniſh: Warre is the cloſe comerade unto this ſinne; this ſinne brought deſtruction upon the Kingdome of Judah, 2 Chron. 26. v. 16, 17. They mocked the Meſſengers of God and deſpiſed his words and miſuſed his Prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord aroſe againſt his people untill there was no remedy; Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Caldees.

Many good men free from the leaſt taint of theſe recited ſinnes,Object. have notwithſtanding beene deeply plunged in the miſeries of Warre.

Beſides that,Anſw. that the beſt of Gods Saints may with the Lepers cry, Uncleane, uncleane; that Gods judgements (who can doe nothing unjuſtly) are a great deepe; that the ſinnes of our Progenitors (of which wee are a part) or an approbation of ſinne, or neglect of the puniſhment due thereunto in our power,Dan. 12 10. may involve the beſt of men in temporall puniſhments:Rev. 2.10.) All afflictions and calamities are not puniſhments for ſinne, ſome are for the tryall of faith, and the addition of grace and glory unto Gods children: All things ſhall worke together for good unto them that love God (ſaith the Apoſtle) Rom 8.28. The love of God is the ſole ſoveraigne corrective of the vitulency of affliction, and makes it wholeſome and beneficiall unto us: Divinely Saint Auguſtine. Thoſe that love God,In omnibus cum bonum invenient, ſive emendantem, ſive conſolantem, ſive excercentem, ſive purgantem, ſive Illuminantem: In Pſalm. 124. ſhall finde him good in all things, whether (by afflictions) amending them, comforting them, exerciſing them, crowning them, purging them, or enlightning them.

But there is yet ſome thing lodged in thoſe words ſeemes to guide us to a further application; the Prophet ſpeakes of bringing the evill of Warre upon a City: That City was Samaria, the Metropolis of the Kingdome of Iſrael, and are not thoſe ſinnes which brought Warre upon her, viſibly raigning in London our Metropolis: Samaria was choſen the ſeate of the new erected Kingdome of the ten Tribes of Iſrael, who withſtood the Kingdome of the Lord in the hands of the ſonnes of David. 2 Chron. 13.8.

London is choſen the ſeate of a new Antimonarchicall Government, by ſuch who withſtand the Kingdome of God in the hand of the ſonne of King Henry the ſeventh, who united thoſe bloody differences in the Houſes of York and Lancaſter, and of King James the peaceable, who united the Kingdomes.

Samaria was the chaire of violence and ſeate of oppreſſion,Amos 3.10, 4. the Inhabitants of Samaria ſtored up violence and robbery in their Palaces, they oppreſſed the poore and cruſht the needy; their wealth and power ſerved them unto oppreſſion; and hath the wealth and power of this City of late beene more happily imployed? have not theſe been the chiefe Inſtruments to oppreſſe a moſt gracious and pious Prince, to cruſh his poorer party, and overpower a good Cauſe? ſo that beſides that they have divided with us in the guilt of thoſe War-boading ſinnes, inordinate exceſſe in meate and drinke, luxury, in apparrell, unthankfulneſſe for, and diſobedience unto the word of God, and contempt of Gods Miniſters; yet hath this City outvyed, and outbid us for Gods great judgement, (Warre) by one ſinne more then we, oppreſſion: and herein equald Samaria in her ſinne: God in mercy prevent that ſhee partake not with her in puniſhment, and grant unto this City timely repentance to prevent thoſe great calamities which (as thick clouds beſpeake raine and tempeſts) by many ſad prognoſtiques ate threatned unto her: Looke upon her now, (not without earneſt bowels) diveſted of all thoſe things, wherein ſhee promiſed unto her ſelfe ſecurity, wherein ſhe truſted, and in which her great ſtrength lay; unity of affection is loſt in her, there being ſo many different Abettors of matters in Faith, as were diverſity of opinions among the Heathen Philoſophers about the Summum bonum, Auguſt. which are reckoned above three hundred: Religion (the moſt firme and faſt knot of concord) as in the Church of Sardis. hath a name (in her) that it is living,Rev. 3.1. but it is dead; for that having itching eares ſhee hath multiplyed unto her ſelfe teachers, who differ as much in their judgements, as the builders of Babell at the diviſion of tongues, did in their language, ſcarce two of them ſpeaking the ſame thing: Her ancient Lawes are turned into the arbitrary power of her paſſionate Rulers, her glorious Liberties and Priviledges are upon their deathbed, and at the laſt gaſpe; the menaces of private perſons being able to extort more Treaſure from her, then by the intreaties of her borne Soveraignes in many ages could be borrowed from her: her chiefe ſtrengths are made cautionary, her munitions aliened, her workes and fortifications ſlighted: Behold her now (not without pity and teares) like poore Sampſon, luld aſleepe by the Harlot Dalilah, the hands of her Government tyed behinde her, ready to have the large and faire Nazarite lockes of her great and growing wealth quite cut off, the eyes of her Religion puld out, and then ſhee will bee forced like him to grinde 〈◊〉 the Mill for others food, be ſubjected unto ſlave •• 〈…〉 , and no ex • ectation of a fre ••• on •• 〈◊◊〉 , bu • w •• h burying her ſelfe with the Authors or 〈◊〉 wo •• 〈◊〉 heir common mines: O Lord by the power of thy gr • c • effectually move the hearts of the people of this City unto repentance, that thou, O Lord, mayſt remove from them th • ſe thy impending pu • nſhments. Our Prophet to prevent this puniſhment of War from Samaria, in • he perſon of God ſpeakes unto that City thus, Seek yee me and yee ſhall live, Amos 5.4. So if this City ſeeke God in her fo •• er purity of Religion and his worſhip, and her former in • eg •• ty of loyall affection unto the image of God in place and perſon, his ſacred Majeſty, ſhee ſhall live and continue in her ancient luſtre and happineſſe; otherwiſe it is no Enthuſiaſme from the evils of her ſins, to infer the evils of her puniſhments; God grant that as among this people ſhe was the firſt in the tranſgreſſion and ſin, ſo ſhe may lead the way unto repentance in obedience.

But for theſe mighty Ones,A • o • • 1. The Kine of Baſhan, that have neſtled themſelves in the Mountaine of our Samaria, let them as in a ſmall Map behold the vaſt continent and large and yet undiſcovered Regions of the evils of their ſinne • ; ſee if they have not outſtript the Grandees of the Kingdome of Iſrael in all their impieties.

Did oppreſſion ever cry more loudly unto Heaven then now, did ever any profeſſing the name of Chriſt ſo afflict and oppreſſe their poore brethren as theſe men have done? and that for conſcientiouſly (for the greater part) adhering unto their Soveraigne Lord; have not they oppreſſed the ſervants and ſubjects of our Lord the King, with inſupportable • ines, cruell mockings, filthy poverty, heavy bonds, cloſe impriſonments, i • keſome baniſhments, violent deaths? Surely were all Hiſtory utterly loſt, the preſent ſufferings of the beſt Subjects would abundantly furniſh poſterity with as various as true examples of thoſe many miſeries mankinde is ſubject unto; and as though it were not enough with the Samaritane Potentates,Amos • 8. to drink the wine of the condemned; to glut and ful gorge themſelves with their fines and fortunes, or as though the many prejudices ſuſteined by War were too little, like Syllas victory, the period of this war commeth greater cruelties againſt them: peace contends with war in cruelty and hath overcome it,Syllana victoria, &c. finite jam Bello crudelius in pace graſſata eſt, &c. Aug. de C. D. • . 3. c, 28. Pax cum Bello de Crudelitate certavit, & vicit: Illud enim proſtravit Armatos iſta nudatos. Bellum erat ut qui feri • batur ſi paſſet feriret, pax autem non ut qui evaſerat viveret, ſed ut moriens non repugnaret, ibid. for that overthrew armed men onely, this naked men. The condition of the war was that he who was wounded might ſtrike and wound againe; but the condition of this peace is, not that he who eſcaped the fury of war ſhould live, but that dying hee ſhould make no reſiſtance: Yea it notoriouſly ſuperads unto the malignity of all their inſolent oppreſſions, that they impiouſly and impudently countenance them with the face of equity, thus (as the Rulers in Samaria) turning juſtice into wormwood, and eſtabliſhing iniquity by a Law: and of what an infinite extenſion this their iniquity in oppreſſion is, appeares,Amos 5.7. in that it not onely reacheth unto mens lives and temporall eſtates,Pſal. 94.20. but even their ſoules and that great intereſt of future bleſſedneſſe; in the committall of that ſin of farre more viſible deformity and worſe aſpect even then murther, Sacriledge; (which by ſo much exceeds murther in guilt, as the concernement of the ſoule is to be preferred before that of the body,) whereby they have ſeized into their hands Church maintenance, not onely deſtroying (as the Heathen perſecutors did) Presbyteros, the Prieſts, but with Apoſtata Julian, ipſum preſbyterium, the very Prieſthood it ſelfe, killing both Learning and Religion in the root, by the taking from it that double nouriſhment ordained by God for it, both the reward of maintenance and of honour,1. Tim. 5.17. Eccleſiaſticall endowments and dignities; and to further this ſacrilegious deſigne, they have as Jeroboam caſt out the Prieſts of the Lord, the ſons of Aaron the Levites, the Orthodox Clergy,2. Chron. 13.9. (who have left their poſſeſſions to adhere to the houſe of David, 2. Chron. 11.13, 14. and preſerve Loyalty) and made unto themſelves Prieſts of the loweſt of the people; the loweſt and moſt deſpicable, either in ability or integrity, becauſe theſe low men prove the beſt ſetters for their ſacrilegious purpoſes, and therefore as Jeroboam did, that they may have the cheapeſt and leaſt coſtly Religion, and that the ſurpluſage of Church endowments may come into their private purſes, they allow every man to be his owne Prieſt, unto that end tollerating all ſchiſmes and hereſies, and patronizing even Ignorance it ſelfe, which cannot but beget ſuperſtition, and that wil introduce popery, ſo that theſe pretended Patriots build up what they ſeeme to pull downe, and make themſelves tranſgreſſors; yea this their ſin, ſacriledge, is yet of a more horrible influence, if we conſider the probable operation it will have upon poſterity, unto whom it threatneth Atheiſme and Irreligion, not onely a falſe Religion, but even no Religion at all: and with this concurs their,

Corruption of the received worſhip of God in Doctrine and Diſcipline: that ancient doctrine of Chriſt J • ſus, his Apoſtles,Mat. 22.21. and of the Primitive Church, the neceſſity of Chriſtian obedience unto the ſupream • Magiſtrate,1 Pet. 2.13, 17 they have (like ſalt that hath no ſavor with them) caſt out of dores and trodden under feet;Rom. 23.1, 2. what horrid impr • ties doe they broach publikely in their Pulpits, in making God the author of their ſins, from his permiſſion argue his approbation, from a naturall power to doe an act; infer the divine juſtice and equity thereof: That an undertaking is holy and lawfull becauſe anſwered by ſucceſſe, that the accompliſhment of their paſſionate wils is Gods bleſſing and goodnes unto them: what is Turciſme if this be not? 〈◊〉 . • 2.25. Thus doe they dayly uſe force unto the holy Scriptures by a moſt pr • poſterous and wicked application of all the promiſes, of God unto themſelves, and their irreligions practices, and a denunciation of the threats and puniſhments in Gods word, unto ſuch as arrive not at the ſame pitch of impiety with them that moſt ſelect choice of heavenly prayers, judiciouſly culd out of the beſt Liturgies of the Eaſtern and Weſtern Churches, elder (then what they reproach it with) Popery, received with our firſt and onely true Reformation, approved by Gods bleſſing our Kingdome in their uſe, which reached all our neceſſities, with which God and his people were acquainted, to every clauſe whereof we could ſafely ſay Amen. [the booke of Common prayer and Adiniſtration of the Sacraments] theſe men have (not without ••• oody violence) caſt out of their Synagogues, and in ſtead of theſe introduced long, tedious, oft repeated and unpremeditate, raſh and • umultuary prayers:Mat. 6.7. exploded by our Saviour, checked by Scriptures,E • cleſ. 5.2. forbidden by Councels and the Doctors of the Church:H • ſ. 14.2. How can a ſober devotion accompany that exp •• ſſion,Concil 1 Bracar. Can. 30. Concil. Milever▪ c. 12. it is not yet poſſeſſed with untill it come unto a period; and then perhaps an aſſent can hardly be gained unto it? how can a new faſhioned and unknowne apparrel of zeale be fit ſhaped unto our thoughts?Aug. in Pſ. 8 • . Greg M. in • ob lib. 22. c. 2. or how can we be acquainted with the piety of thoſe petitions the Preacher himſelſe knowes not before they are muſtred by his utterance for a ful ſentence. Are not the greateſt part of their prayers, unſhapen Embryons of their paſſions, fond expoſtulations with God, thin, uſeleſſe and weake Cobwebs of their fancies, and in thoſe for the Kings Majeſty, there is not ſo much of prayer for him, as of Satyr to abuſe him: that ancient forme of Church government Epiſcopacy (the fence of the Church and Church men) derived in a continual ſeries from Chriſts Apoſtles unto theſe times have they ſuppreſſed, and moſt injuriouſly and falſly ſtigmatized Antichriſtian.

So deerly is the erecting of this new and Antimonarchical government like to coſlus, ſo they may arrive at their owne ambitious ends, they care not if Heaven and Earth meete together and the old Chaos of confuſion ſucceed; this is the cauſe why,

They have no ſympathy or fellow-feeling with the ſufferings of their brethren, it is not to be marveiled at, that they grieve not at the ſufferings of their other brethren, ordinary men; when they grieve not at the afflictions of Joſeph, Amos 6.6. their eldeſt brother, (for he had the birthright) and for the beſt of men, their Prince a true Joſeph; having ſuſteined the ſame injuries from his people, that Joſeph did from his brethren: for Joſeph going out to enquire of his brethrens welfare;Gen. 37. firſt they mock him, ſecondly they ſtrip him, thirdly they endanger his life, and laſtly they ſould him: and how hath a packt and prevalent party under the ſpecious pretenſions of making him a glorious Prince, of enlarging his Revenues, of reforming Religion, reſtoring of liberty and property unto the ſubject, mocked him (who went to ſee them in a condeſcention unto their good) ſtripped him of his Regal power, often hazarded his life; and if his owne brethren ſould him not (and if they did this Joſeph wil eaſily be reconciled unto them) yet theſe men (ſad experience ſhewes us) bought him: The vertues of this Joſeph our Soveraigne is too excellent a peece to be copied out by an unskilful pencil; yet I may adventure without impertinency or digreſſion from the ſpiritual features, and divine graces in Joſeph (taken out of the Scriptures) to ſhew you how as perfect paralels and equal lines they concentrate in his ſacred Majeſty: Joſephs memory ſhould be precious, and his afflictions grievous unto his brethren for his prerogatives and vertues, and that in theſe reſpects:

Firſt, for the honour given him by God (the birthright) for although Reuben were Jacobs natural Heire, and Judah his ſpiritual Heire,Gen • 48.22. yet Joſeph was Jacobs actual Heire; what Jacob recovered by his Sword and his bow out of the hand of the Amorites, was aſſigned unto him and his poſterity.

Secondly, for his exemplary chaſtity and fidelity.

Thirdly, for his predictions, and providence in ſaving his Brethren.

Fourthly, for the cauſe of his ſufferings.

Fifthly, for his patience in his ſufferings.

Sixthly, for his eaſineſſe to forgive his Brethren who had injured him.

Our Soveraigne Lord and Prince was honoured by Almighty God with the Birthright and Crowne of three Kingdomes, of unblemiſhed chaſtity, and untainted fidelity in that truſt and charge repoſed in him by his Maſter God, of his Church and people, witneſſe his denyal of ſubſcription unto the Acts for the Aboliſhing of Biſhops and ſale of Church Lands; and thoſe other Acts lately preſented unto him, wherein the Liberty and property of the ſubject were ſo much concerned: By ſubſcription unto which he might have purchaſed his Liberty; how often hath he foretold of the deſtructive courſes of thoſe who ſtand in oppoſition unto him, and with what providence hath he withheld his concurrence with them to ſave the Kingdoms from deſtruction? what have been the cauſes of his ſufferings, but that he hath been ſo conſcientious as not to joyne with theſe men in their oppreſſion, ſacriledge, corruption of the worſhip of God in Doctrine and Diſcipline; and that he hath had a ſympathy and fellow feeling with the ſufferings of his ſubjects whom he reſolveth never to abandon? and of what a ſweet facility and divine eaſineſſe he is to remit and forgive al the injuries and inſolencies of his people againſt him; his frequent offers of an Act of Indempnity ſufficiently ſpeake: Yet notwithſtanding all theſe divine Prerogatives and vertues of our Joſeph, theſe men are not grieved for his afflictions: great and heavy afflictions indeed if we conſider his violent expulſion from his unqueſtioned Patrimony, and right of regal government, his reſtraint from Gods houſe, the place of Gods publique worſhip, the Church, from the Miniſtry of the Prieſts of the Lord, the Orthodox Clergy, from the fellowſhip of his royal Conſort, his moſt beloved wife the Queenes Majeſtie, from the ſociety of thoſe deareſt pledges, his ſweet Children, from the attendance of his faithful ſervants to bee narrowly confined and impriſoned, and (which is worſe then impriſonment) to be neceſſitated, to converſe with beaſts after the manner of men ſavage and barbarous perſons; can any ſorrow be like unto this ſorrow? is not this to be Vir dolorum, a man of ſorrowes and acquainted with griefe, and to lye under the heavieſt burthen of afflictions? yet for all this (as if they had been nurſed up by Tygars) theſe men are not grieved, but rather exult and rejoyce in the afflictions of this our Royal Ioſeph.

Theſe are the evils of theſe mens ſins, the words of the Prophet wil warrant me the boldneſſe of a ſhort expoſtulation with them: Surely they wil not deny but their diſobedience is clearly checked by the word of God, and the beſt interpreter thereof (the practice of the Primitive and pureſt times) So that they have no power as unto an authority, or lycenſe to run courſes of diſobedience unto their Soveraigne Lord; and for Gods permiſſion unto their power and wil, as unto an ability, they cannot thence infer the equity of their actions, ſeeing ſuch power and even ſucceſſes themſelves, are puniſhments for ſin, where the act is not licenſed by God & grounded upon divine authority: but theſe men cannot plead a ful permiſſion unto their ability, God dayly oppoſing powerful impediments unto it; by War the diſſent of his ſacred Majeſty the reſentment of their fellow Subjects, differences and fractures amongſt themſelves; ſo that notwithſtanding their long and deepe contrivances, their diſſembled pretentions, knotty Covenants, huge preparations, vaſt and ſtrong confederations, they cannot perfect their impious intendments; (God in mercy unto the three Nations oppoſe ſufficient impediments unto them) and although arguments are offered, and opportunities preſented unto them; yet they ſhal no wayes have the direction, limitation, and diſpoſition of this prodigious Twin; The powerful pride and armed envy of theſe laſt & perilous times; Soveraignty and Church maintenance; for which (as the Roman Soldiers did for Chriſts Coate) they caſt Lots for; ſhal never come into their hands, but if ever (even then for the greateſt puniſhments) it wil come unto them like Joſephs Coate, torne and dipt in blood; uſeleſſe and bloodily: God give them grace to repent of this their wickedneſſe if perhaps the thoughts of their hearts may be forgiven them;Acts 8.22, 2 • . for they are in the gall of bitterneſſe and bond of iniquity, otherwiſe as they have beene like unto the Samaritane Potentates in their puniſhments. Amos. 4.2. The Lord God hath ſworne by his holineſſe that loe the day ſhal come upon you, that he wil take you away with Hookes, and your poſterity with fiſh-hookes. Let them not longer tryumph in our miſeries; we juſtly referre the power given them unto God, and acknowledge our ſinnes the cauſes of our calamities; they were the rod in Gods hand to ſcourge us, hee directed and limited their malice againſt us,Pſal. 124.3. otherwiſe they had ſwallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled againſt us; wee have learnt that God ſometimes by wicked perſons exerciſeth good men,Aliquando Iratus homo apprehendit virgam jacentem in medio, fortaſſe qualecunque ſarmentum: cadit inde filium ſuum, ac deinde projicit ſarmentum in ignem, & filio ſervat haereditatem: ſic aliquando Deus per malos erudit bonos, & per temporalem potentiam damnandorum, exercet diſciplinam liberandorum. Aug. in Pſal. 73. Prov. 16.7. and by the temporall power of them that are to bee damned, diſciplineth them that will be ſaved; we comfort our ſelves in this aſſurance that when wee have thoroughly humbled our ſelves before our God, hee will make our moſt potent enemies to be at peace with us; they ſhall not have a wil, or if that, not a power to hurt us: When the French recovered Callis, a Commander of that Nation jeeringly demanded of an Engliſh Captaine, when would the Engliſh recover that place? who religiouſly replyed; When your ſins are greater then ours: And this was but an extract out of the divine dictate of our Prophet, to ſeeke God that ſtrengtheneth the ſpoyled againſt the ſtrong; ſo that the ſpoyled ſhal come againſt the Fortreſſe.Amos 5.8 9. The Pſalmiſt aſſures us that if we hearken unto God and walke in his wayes,Pſ. 81.13, 14. God will ſoone ſubdue our enemies, and turne his hand againſt our Adverſaries;Iſ. 9.4. the Prophet Iſaiah, that God will breake the rod of our Oppreſſor, and that his wrath and anger ſhall ceaſe in their deſtruction, God ſhall breake in peeces our Oppreſſors, and caſt his rod into the fire;Iſa 10 25. and make us againe families like ſheepfoulds, and bleſſe our later end more then our beginning;Pſ. 72 4. the Hypocrite ſhall not longer raigne,Job 42.12. nor the people bee enſnared: Or if there be a further puniſhment due unto our ſinnes,Job 34.30. let us not forfeit a good conſcience, but know that theſe calamities are puniſhments due unto our owne ſinnes, and not unto ſo juſt a cauſe as our Loyalty, and (if it ſhal yet ſo pleaſe God) further to afflict us in the purſuance of that, make Mauritius the Emperour his choice (though with the ſame puniſhment, the extirpation of himſelfe and his poſterity;) Potius hic Domine quam ibi; 1 Chro. 19.13. Lord let us rather be puniſhed here then hereafter, much rather temporally then eternally. I conclude with theſe divine adviſoes unto all Loyall Subjects: Firſt that in theſe publique calamities which require humiliation, they fiſh not in troubled waters or ſeeke great things for themſelves, but acknowledge Gods mercy, in that hee hath given their lives unto them for a pray: (in ſtead of all the ambitious ends their fancies embraced in theſe broyles:Je • . 45 5.) Next that like that true mother they would ſave the life of the controverted Childe, which is living, not to diſpute whoſe is the dead, but labour to compoſe (what in them lyes) the preſent unhappy occaſions of differences and diſtempers,1. Kings 3. (without relation unto former) and piouſly and paſſionately endeavour to beget unity and concord, to preſerve what is living of the three bleeding Kingdomes from enſuing deſtruction: Laſtly, that by true and unfained repentance in amendment of life, they would take off from the generall Talley of their ſinnes, which ſcore up ſo many evils of puniſhments againſt them, that we ceaſing from the evils of our ſinnes, God may ſurceaſe the evils of our puniſhments. Which God through his infinite mercy effect by the power of his holy Spirit in us all, and let all true hearted Engliſh men ſay, Amen.