Examples.

The first fearfull example (then) of Gods most just vindicative hand and avenging indignation, even most evidently falling heavy by a sore and heart-piercing personall blow upon the outragious maligners, and gracelesse and godlesse inveterate haters of the wayes of Piety, and truly and thorowly intended Reformation of Religi­on shall be this:

One Charles Rose (a Rose of a very unsavory sent) an Appren­tice to one Master Charnell a Carver of VVood, Gods hand up­on a most de­sperate malig­nant Appren­tice of London as a just caveat to all malig­nant London Apprentices. at the upper end of Fanchurch-street neere Algate in London, who put himselfe into the Parliaments service a little after Bartholomew tide 1642. pretending to be willing to side with the Parliament against the common enemy, but secretly intended and resolved when he should finde a faire op­portunity (as he told his fellow-servant) to joyne with the King and his Army against the Parliament: And when he was to goe forth, declared further (in the hearing of his Mistresse) That he was now going to helpe to make halters to hang the Round-heads. And it was observed by his Master, in his former carriage, That he was of a refractory, yet dissembling spirit; and thus he marching forth with a base treacherous heart to the cause of God and the Parlia­ment, was suddenly stricken by the just hand of God on the way, sometimes ill and sometimes well, and being at last in his march as farre as into Buckinghamshire in the way to Alisbury, he was suddenly and fearfully stricken mad and utterly distracted & bereft of his senses. Now three of my very loving and religious friends travelling into those parts, found this wretched young man in the high way as they rode, and saw him one of the saddest spectacles that ever they beheld, for he was starke naked, onely a course old sackcloth throwne over his shoulder, neither Hat on his head, nor Shoes on his feet, his eyes very red with weeping, and stand­ing and staring as one affrighted; so these my friends came to him, asked him whither he was going, and whence he came, but hee would give them no answer, nor take any reliefe in money (which they proffered him) but fell downe and cryed out, Oh my Soule, my Soule; whereupon they all three stayed still, alighted from their horses, and with much adoe, at last got him to the next Towne, and by the way he was heard to say, Blood, Blood. It pleased God to direct these my friends to an Inne in the Towne, where the Hostesse of the house, on knowledge of his name, knew his fa­ther; [Page 11] where these my good friends tooke some care to have him lookt unto, and some of the Towne tooke care after their depar­ture to have him conveyed to his Father, who lived some 16. or 18. miles from that place about Oxford. When his Father saw him, he churlishly refused to give him any entertainment (which, I con­fesse, was inhumanely and unnaturally done) yet herein observe the righteous hand of God too, who as he hath promised, that when a mans wayes please him, Prov. 16. 7. he will make even his enemies to be at peace with him; So likewise (by the just law of contraries) when our wayes, wits, and parts are against God and goodnesse, he will make even our best friends to be at enmity with us. For, as here, his fa­ther, I say, utterly rejected him, and suddenly dispatched him to London to his Master, where he lived a while after pitifully distra­cted, and never recovered his senses againe; but about three houres before his death, he seemed to have some reasonable apprehension of things, and to be somewhat sensible, and just then was heard to cry out bitterly, He was a dogge, he was a damned wretch, and thus miserably died. And the truth of all these passages, since my three honest and religious friends left him, they had from his Master and Mistresse, upon their farther enquiry after him. O that this sad and fearfull example of this so sure and severe hand of God up­on this malignant young man, might be as terrible to our London malignant Apprentices, yea, and their malignant Masters too, as that affrighting hand-writing on the wall was to that wicked Bel­shazar, to make them tremble and quake, and to make them heare and feare, and doe no more so wickedly.

In the time of the siege of Hull in Yorkeshire, in the yeere of the Lord 1641. 2. A Master Gun­ner, at the siege of Hull smitten dead upon his fearfull curs­ing and shoot­ing off of a Piece of Ord­nance. among many other very memorable and remarkeable passages in that famous siege this was one, which I have by most credible and indubitable information from thence, That the Kings Cormorants having straitly begirt that strong Town by land and by water also, and they having planted three pieces of Ordnance at a point of the river called Hassell, to hinder any passage of Barkes and Vessels from comming into Hull, and a Keele comming laden in the River toward the Towne, the Master Gunner shot at her, and mist her, whereupon being (it seems) inraged, he swore, God damne him, if he did not sinke her at the next shot: And presently charging a Piece as he thought fit, and furiously discharging it, the Piece brake in pieces, and instantly killed the Master Gunner himselfe, [Page 12] and some two or three others that stood neere unto him; but the Barke or Vessell passed safely into Hull, without any prejudice or hurt. A most fearefull example to terrifie (I should thinke, if it might be) such execrable cursing and swearing Malignants. The truth whereof was (I say) confirmed by most credible testimony from Hull, immediately after this accident [...] out.

In the yeere also 1642. some of Prince Ruperts Forces facing and assaulting Windsor-Castle, 3. A Captaine in Prince Ruperts Army at Eaton neer Windsore fearfully slaine as he was fu­riously cursing and making many shots at it, but still missing what they aimed at, it being a little aime, and so not easily hit, a Captaine amongst them (but his name my honest Intelligen­cer knew not) from Eaton, where they had made their Station, cryed out to the Gunner, who was going to fire a Drake against the Castle, Give me thy Gun-stocke, for, God damne me (sayes this wretch also) I will slay some of those Round-head Dogs; and while the Oath or causlesse Curse was yet warme in his mouth, ere hee could fire the Piece, a shot from the Castle dasht him in the face, brake his teeth into his throat, of the paine and smart whereof he lay lingring in much misery for two or three dayes, and then died in a miserable and wretched condition. This relation I had from a very honest Gentleman (then a Souldier and Officer in Windsore-Castle) and my very good friend and acquaintance, whose testi­mony I know to be without exception.

About Aprill 23. 1643. being the Lords Day, one Master Mor­ton, Vicar of Sheriff-Hales, 4. A malignant Minister in the midst of his Sermon in­veighing a­gainst Round-Heads, sudden­ly and fearfully smitten dumb. preaching upon a portion of Scripture out of the 120. Psalme, tooke occasion thence in his Sermon to vent bitter imprecations against Round-heads (that is, Gods faith­full servants, and the Kings and Parliaments loyall and fastest friends) charging them with Faction, Rebellion, and such like opprobrious scandals, adding withall, in expresse termes, That the Powder-plot, and other Treasons that have beene practised by Papists, were nothing to this late Round-new-invention of the Round-heads. At which words (having stood hardly halfe his time) he most strangely on a sudden gasped and gaped as he stood in the Pulpit, and stared in the Auditors faces, but could not speak a word more for a good space after, the people all that while, be­ing amazed at this so sudden and most strange a dumbe-shew in him. At length he stooping downe, as it were to take up some what at his feet, re-erected himselfe, and then said, Let us give thankes for what we have heard, which he accordingly did, in a [Page 13] sumbling and hardly intelligible manner▪ and soone made an end, and so went home; but what became of him since I have not heard.

Also in the parish of Hollowell in Oxford, one of the inhabitants of the said parish being a most licentious and prophane fellow, set up a May-pole in the Summer-time, 1641. and that it might transcend the vanities and impieties of other May-poles, 5. Gods judge­ment on a wic­ked fellow at Oxford in set­ting up a May­pole with a Roundhead on it, and shooting at it. set upon this the picture of a man in a Tub, thereby (as he said) to describe a Round-head; which picture, as it was credibly reported, he made in derision of a godly Gentleman, a Munciple of one of the Colledges in Ox­ford; and the reason why it must represent this Gentleman, was, because he was truely religious and used repetition of Sermons, singing of Psalmes, and other holy duties in his house. This pi­cture being thus set up on the May-pole, the said prophane fellow the authour of it, with his loose and licentious companions, ma­king themselves mad-merry about it, at last must needs goe shoot at the Round-head upon it, and having for this purpose brought Muskets with them and other pieces, one of them, being the servant of the chiefe master of this wicked May-game, shot and did hit the Picture; at which the said Master fell a laughing extreamly, and on a sudden sunke downe, falling into a sharpe and terrible convulsion fit, and so continued a long time after very sicke, and in great paine and misery; but whether he be since alive or dead, I am uncertaine. This relation I had confirmed to me by an honest young Gentle­man a Scholler of Oxford, then resident in Oxford, and an eye-wit­nesse of most of it, besides other credible information.

In the same City of Oxford also, a company of prophane fellows and deepe drinkers met together in a Taverne, and being ( [...] the custome is) mad-merry, 6. Gods hand up­on one drink­ing healths to the confusion of the Round-heads in a Taverne. in the midst of their cups would needs goe drinke a health to the confession of Round heads, which having ac­cordingly gone round, one among the rest not content therewith (being, it should seem, too soundly whitled with his caroused cups) would needs for joy (forsooth) of this health thus drunke, rise up and dance, and cut a caper, using these or such like words, Come (saies he) I will now cut a caper to the confusion of Round-heads; but he beginning to dance and cut his caper, his head it seemes, being too light to rule his heeles, suddenly fell downe and broke his legge, whereof (being carried home) he lay in great paine and misery, and not long after died thereof; this also confirmed by cre­dible [Page 14] testimony, In the time of the siege of Redding by the right honourable the Earle of Essex the Parliaments most renowned Lord Generall, there hapned (as is well knowne) a most notable and remarkable skirmish between some of our Parliaments forces, and the Kings Cormorants from Oxford, at a place called Cansam­bridge, In which fight most valiantly and victoriously (by Gods admirable assistance) performed by ours, there fell out a most me­morable and strange passage, most pertinent to this our present pur­pose and worthy our most sad and serious commemoration, namely, that among the many slaine and dead bodies on the Kings side, 7. Gods most re­markable hand upon Serjeant-major generall Smith, slaine in the fight at Cau­sam bridge, at the siege of Red­ding. (very many of them being prime Commanders and Officers in Armes, as was clearely discerned by their brave cloathes, pure fine Holland-shirts and faire skins, being stript naked at the end of the fight) there was found the body of Serjeant-major Smith Ge­nerall of the Kings Army, a most wicked and desperate Cormo­rant, who being a very fat and corpulent fellow, was found with his belly ript up, and his Greace taken away out of his body; which very thing (as I had it by most credible and that not single information) this wicked Smith had (about a twelve-moneth be­fore, or not so much) threatned to act upon the Round-heads at Okenham, where some of the Kings forces were then quartered, but driven out by the Parliaments forces; where, and at which time of his enforced departure thence he was heard in a furious threatning manner to say, Well, farewell Round-heads for this time, but I will returne againe amongst you, and then I will rip up your fat panches, and make medicines of your Greace, or words to this effect. A most remarkable patterne of the Lords justice on him, in so punctually repaying him ( Adonibezech-like) in his owne coyne. And in the stripping of him (as was credibly reported) they found a Crucifix about him and other markes of the Romish beast, a fit Champion (among the rest) to fight for the maintenance of the Protestant Religion. 8. Gods wrath­full hand on divers young Gentlemen in a Tavern, abu­sing the City Trainedbands, as they march­ed on in the street.

In the yeere also, 1642. there hapned another very fearefull example of Gods revengefull hand upon these most ungodly and gracelesse abusers and tongue-persecutors of Gods people, which was thus; Divers roystering and swaggering yong Gallants, being drinking in the Miter-Taverne in Fleet-street London, it so fell out, that in the time of their swaggering, swearing, and carowsing in the said Taverne, the Trained-bands of the City passing by, one [Page 15] of these roaring gallants cast out something most unseemely out of the Chamber-window among the said souldiers, using also some very abusive language against them; whereupon, one of them ha­ving more Gentility and ingenuity of spirit than the rest, reproved them that did it; whereupon they furiously asked him if he were a Round-head, and presently drew their Swords one upon an other, and this Gentleman being suddenly made at by one of them, puts by his thrust, got within him, and stab'd him with a Stilletto; the other two also comming on him, he likewise wounded them both; of which three wounded, two of them immediately died, and the recovery of the third was very questionable and dangerous; Which done, this Gentleman made a way downe the staires with his Sword in one hand, and the Stillet to in the other, and running downe Ram-alley got to the water and so escaped away. This I had from unquestionable information, the very morning it was done, I my selfe going into Fleet-street betimes that morning on some busi­nesse of mine owne, where and when I heard it exactly and fully telated to me.

About the 20 of Iune also 1643, One M ^rs ▪ Haughton wife to Mr. Wil. 9. A monstrous and prodigious child borne in Lancashire of most malig­nant parents, and the most fearfull and remarkable circumstances in and about it, to the terrour of malignants. Haughton of Prickmarsh within the parish of Kirkham in Ley­field in Lancashire, was delivered of a child still-borne, which had no head, yet two eares, two eyes, and a mouth in the brest of it, and the hands turning backwards to the elbowes, with a cleft down the backe; so as it was not discernable whether it were male or female. After this child had beene buried two or three daies, the Midwife teporting its monstrous and prodigious shape & not being credited, it was thereupon taken out of the grave and reviewed, and was appa­rently found to be as is already described, & as was reported to be; only a bundle of clouts was taken up with it, which (it seems, & was known) the parents had (in proportion of a head) caused to be fitted unto it. Now that which is very remarkable herein is this▪ That the parents of this monster were (even as their owne parents also and predecessours were) notorious profest▪ Papists, impudently abusive towards Protestants, cursing and calling them familiarly by the name of Round-heads; [...] that which is yet more memorable herein, and most remarkably worthy our serious consideration, and most clearely demonstrates that foresaid prodigious birth to be a direct judgement of the Lord for desperate malignancy against the Lords choice ones, is this, that the Grandmother of that monster [Page 16] was she (whom pious Mr Prynne (to her indeleble and perpetuall infamy) hath already set forth in print▪ in his famous History of that pair-royall of heroicke sufferers, Dr. Bastwicke▪ Mr. Burton, and Mr. Prynne,) who out of an inveterate malignity against, and in divellish derifion of those three foresaid Worthies, called three Cats (which she had at that time) by the names of those three preci­ous Christians, and cut off the eares of those her three Cats, both in desperate disdaine (as it should seem) of their glorious sufferings; and thereby also (in seeming jollity) to act again that more than Turkish Tragedy. And was not here a most notable and cleare evidence of Gods undoubted indignation against such intolerably impious and impudent malignants as these, the Lord thus manifesting that sooner or later he will meet with their insolent and most audaci­ous impieties?

In November also, 1643. a malignant Souldier (being intended for service of the Parliament) was hanged at Cambridge for running from his Colours, which came thus to passe: He with others also in the same condemnation being apprehended for the cause afore­said and by Martiall-law to cast Dice for their lives; 10. A malignant Souldier hang­ed at Cam­bridge for run­ning from his Colours. this fellow comming to the Dice, when he threw them out, cryed at the cast, Now, for God and the King, and God receive my soule. Whereupon it so fell out that he casting the least chance of the Dice, must suffer death, and so was accordingly executed at the same time▪ Now that which was very remarkable in Gods hand thus on this fellow (besides the voluntary discovery of his Cavalierian-heart [...] in those words, Now for God and the King, which is the Cavallers common signall word) was this, that when he was first prest for a Souldier he was heard often to say, He would be hang'd before he would fight for the Parliament. Even just like Sir Iervase [...]ll [...]wales, once Lieu­tenant of the Tower of London in King Iames his daies, who was hanged on T [...]er-hill, for being accessary to the poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury, then his prisoner in the [...]ower, about the Earle of Somersets businesse. Which Sir Jervase himselfe, being on the Ladder at the Gallowes freely confest; That in his life time he had oft (in his playing at Cards and Dice [...] that he might be hang'd if it were not so and so; and therefore ingenuously confes [...]'d Gods hand upon him for that sinne. And so say I now here, See O thou unflexible and flinty-hearted malignant, how the Lord most justly met with this malignant spirited Souldier, paying him most palpably [Page 17] in his owne Coyne; as this most notable and personall example hath most clearly declared. This I received out of a Letter sent by a religious young Gentleman, a Scholler of Cambridge, to his fa­ther, a very reverend Minister of the City of London, who gave me a transcript of it, and whose testimony is, I know, without all exception.

In Cree-church parish also, by Algate in London, one James At­kinsons wife, who with her said husband, were both of them com­monly noted to be most malignant enemies of the power and purity of the Gospell, 11. Gods hand most fearefully upon one Mrs. Atkinson in Cree-church parish in Lon­don. and mockers of goodnesse and good men; which her ungodly and ill disposition she manifested in the Church of the said parish, at a Sermon preached there by reverend and reli­gions Mr. Wells of New-England, who in his Sermon, desired his auditors that they would not sleepe; & she being asleep at that time, and awakened by one Mrs. Clarke her neighbour, a godly Gentle­woman of the same parish, and that in a very loving and neigh­bourly way, by jogging of her knee as they sate together in the Pew; But she presently upon her awakening fell into strange ex­pressions of rage and fury, and instantly belched out these wicked words, O you bold drunken flut, doe you kick me? with divers other such uncivill speeches. All which the said Mrs. Clarke very pious­ly and discreetly (for the present) put up in modest and grave si­lence, and onely acquainted her husband, a very religious Gentle­man, with Mrs. Atkinsons said usage of her in the forenoone, and therewith expressed her unwillingnesse to fit againe with her in the Few. Whereupon Mr. Clarke unwilling there should be any fur­ther difference between them, at least to continue with any private heart-burning against each other, repaired to the Minister of the said Church, and desired that he with the Church wardens and some of the ancientest of the Parish would after the afternoones Sermon send for Mr. Atkinson to see whether he would abet or countenance his wife in this her ill carriage. According to the said desire he was sent for, and came; where, after he had asked the cause of his being sent for; and Mr. Clarke beginning to relate it, At­kinson would not suffer him to goe on, but he also brake forth into foule words, and told him, He lied; for Mrs. Clarke, he said, did kick his wife in the Church. Whereupon, the Lecturer of the said Church Mr. Falkingham, desired in love to take him off, intreating him that each of them might be heard, and so the businesse would [Page 18] be the better and sooner reconciled. To whom Atkinson replyed, Sir, I have nothing to doe with you; nor you with me. And to Captaine Cower, who reproved him for such ill behaviour, he said, You are a Bl [...]ckhead and a Roundhead; and thereupon went hastily and fretfully out of the Vestry, and fetcht his wife, who also came thither in a great heat, and (very probably) full of bitternesse; and some cre­dibly reported, that she had boasted, being at home, how she had used Mrs. Clarke. But most certaine it is, that in the Vestry, (being questioned of these things) she wished she might never goe home alive, if Mrs. Clarke did not kick her, and said, she would have the Law on her for it. And both she and her husband did utter many other bitter words, at, and before this most evident token of Gods dis­pleasure: for (as I before touched) it was well knowne that they both had been a long time much disaffected to pure religion and were very ready oft-times, not onely to speake evill of ordinary Christians, but even of Gods owne Messengers; and now, I say, at this time, she especially suffering her tongue to wander beyond its bounds, it pleased the Lord that presently after that fearefull im­precation upon her selfe, afore-mentioned, she was stricken so ill, that she began to falter in her speech; insomuch that those present tooke notice of it, and thereupon she was led forth of the Vestry into the Church-yard and set downe upon a bench there, where she had meanes used for her recovery; but she in a very short time there died, and was carried home dead: And which is yet more remark­ably fearefull, it was credibly affirmed that a little before her death (in her forementioned weakenesse, one of the women about her had said unto her, that certainely Mrs. Clarke would not abuse her; but she instantly cursed her, saying, A pox on you, you are one of the holy sisters; and that it was observed by some at the time of her death, that her tongue turned blacke in her head. A most terrible and dreadfull example of Gods wrath and indignation, both to her most malignant husband, and all such irreligious spirits, as either in themselves, wives, or friends mannage and countenance such un­christianlike waies and wicked courses. All this I have by most unquestionable information both from Mr. Clarke himselfe, and from others who most exactly knew the truth of these things.

Upon Tuesday also Novemb. 23. 1642. about 11 of the clocke at night, the monethly Fast-day being the very next day after it, one Captaine Bard of Sir Francis Wortleys Regiment, with about [Page 19] thirty Horse came from Ludlow in the County of Salop, of purpose to plunder the house of one Mr. Iohn Green a reverend, godly, and learned Divine (and one of the Assembly of Divines at Westmin­ster) Pastor of Pencombe in the County of Hereford, 12. Gods hand most remark­ably upon a Cornet of a Troop of horse comming to plunder a very godly Mini­sters house. being eleven miles distant from the said Ludlow. Who being accordingly come to the said Ministers house, whiles some of the Souldiers were breaking open the doore of his dwelling house, one Ogle a Northern man and a Cornet of the said Troope of Horse was the first that brake open the stable doore; and as soone as ever the said Ogle was stepping over the threshold to goe into the stable first, as the Mini­sters servants who lay in a chamber adjoyning to the stable repor­ted, and testified) he fell downe as dead into the stable, and in the morning his Hat and a small Piece were found in the stable behind a stone-horse (which stood in a stall next the stable▪ doore, which was made up so firme with plankes and barres both behind and on each side of him, that he could not possibly strike him) and so some of the other Souldiers brought him into the said Ministers house as a dead man, the Captaine saying, that he fainted for want of meat, and so desired that some comfortable refreshing might be given him. Then they placed him in a Chaire, and so having plundered what they thought fit from the godly Minister, they left the Cornet there and returned to Ludlow. About some 2 houres after he began to revive, and a little to come to his speech, and the first words he uttered (after an imperfect manner, were, Holy mo­ther of God helpe me; and by his often crossing of himselfe, and by the testimony of others there that knew him, he was discovered to be a profest Papist. Thus he continued a sencelesse man▪ his head, hands, and joynts of his body, seeming quite loose, he spake very little and seldome and imperfectly, did eate whatever was given him, and would plucke raw meat from the spit newly laid to the fire and offer to eate it; and as he sate in his chaire, if he offered to leane forward, he would fall into the fire; if he leaned backward, he would fall downe backward; and one night he was found under his bed wrapt up in one of the sheets onely in his shirt. The wo­men that attended and watched with him, upon a diligent search of his body, could not discerne or perceive any bruise or so much as discolouring of his skinne in any part of his body; whereby they all could not but clearely conceive and believe it to be the imme­diate hand of God upon him; and at that time some of his owne [Page 20] Companions were heard to say, (as was credibly informed) Let us be gone hence, for God fights against us. This said Cornet being sent for to Ludlow upon the Saturday following the Souldiers at his first comming seeing him in that sencelesse condition, said, Sure he was drunke; but he still continued after the very same manner as was forementioned, without sence or understanding, and a little time after (as the Captaine himselfe reported) died in that sencelesnesse. All this being testified for most true, both by the said reverend Mi­nister Mr. Greene himselfe, by his servants, and divers others who were eye-witnesses of all these premises.

About the midst of Ianuary also, 13. Gods imme­diate and re­markable hand upon one Lau­rence Hyde, a desperate ma­lignant against the Parliament 1643. there fell out a most me­morable and fearefull example of Gods immediate punishing hand (neere unto the City of Salisbury) upon a most pestilent and des­perate malignant and persecuter of Gods people in those parts; namely, one Laurence Hyde a Commissioner of enquiry after all such as had either given or lent any thing for the Parliaments service; who the very same day that Heath, Bankes, Foster, and Glanvill, those wicked Oxonian Earthwormes, Judges, and Law­yers of illegalities, came into the City of Salisbury, to keepe the Assizes there) having threatned most vigorously to prosecute all the Roundheads in those parts at the said Assizes; and thus riding with his Commission (as Saul to Damascus, though not with such a blessed blow to beat him off from his horse to holy repen­tance) as he was hastily riding on, within a mile of the said City he suddenly fell from his Horse and so brake his necke or his shoulder-bone in the fall, that thereby he instantly died before he could be brought alive into the Towne. Being thus by Gods most evident and heavy hand upon him, cut short and deprived of power to doe that mischiefe to Gods honest and innocent hidden-ones, which (as 'twas well knowne) he had frequently before menaced against them. The truth of this I have confir­med unto me, not onely by the printed relation, (but as my cu­stome is in all such like occasions) upon diligent enquiry from such honest and credible testimony, 14. Gods hand upon 3 malig­nant Citizens, being all three neighbours to­gether on Lud­gate-hill in London. as I know to be without all exception.

There were also three neighbours dwelling on Ludgate-hill in London, two of them Hosiers, dwelling directly one over against the other, the third a Wollen-Draper, who lived next doore to one of the Hosiers, all three of them of one minde in malignancy, and [Page 21] inveterate enemies to the Parliaments proceedings. One of these Hosiers in the moneth of January 1642. did intimate unto the other Hosier his desire and purpose to goe to Oxford, which the other understanding, consented and promised to goe along with him, and accordingly away they went, and what their worke and businesse was there, though not certainly knowne, yet may be easily judged, no goodnesse, to be sure of it; but about a weeke af­ter, one of them having spent (as 'twas beleeved) all his spare pro­digall money, or done his wicked worke, returned backe againe to his house in London; the other stayed there longer behinde, and came not backe with him. Within a few dayes after the returne home of the said Hosier, he with his said neighbour the malignant Woollen-Draper, went (as it was knowne to be their custome) to the Taverne, called The Devill and Saint Dunstones neere Temple-Barre, together with some others, ejusdem farinae, of the same tem­per, or untempered mouldy- Malignancy, their businesse there be­ing to be mad-merry, and to drinke healths to Prince Rupert that Prince of Plunderers, the Atheisticall Marquesse of Newcastle, and such others of that rotten-rout: Now it so fell out that one of their Companions proved more civill then the rest, and shewed his dislike of these their doings; whereupon the Hosier began to quarrell with that man, and from their wrangling discourse they both fell to fighting, and as the Hosier was strugling with the said party, there comes a third man and violently pulled the Hosier off, who instantly fell backward, and with the fall brake his legge, whereof he lay under cure a long time after. The Woollen-Draper, his foresaid Associate, being a prodigall Spend-thrift, and runne much in debt to his Creditors, they (on the very same day of this their drinking in the said Taverne, and at the very same instant time of his drinking healths there) came with Serjeants and Of­ficers, seized on all his clothes and goods, whereof hee hearing, and knowing himselfe thereby undone in his estate, instantly fled away, and was no more seene. The third partie of the foresaid un­godly society, to wit, the other Hosier, (late servant to one Pate, a most desperate Malignant also against God and the Parliament, and a notorious scoffer at godlinesse and good men) who, I told you before, continued at Oxford, and came not home with his fel­low Hosier, abiding still, I say, behinde at Oxford, kept continu­all company with the Kings Cormorants there, drinking and swil­ling [Page 22] day and night in their deboist company, and that in such ex­cessive and immoderate measure, that he was not onely drunke, but fell mad among them; in so much that getting his horse out of the Stable, he most desperately rode up and downe the streets there, till at last being espied by some Citizens of London that knew him, who perceived quickly in what condition he was, and being for London themselves at that time, they brought him home with them, with no little adoe by the way; who being thus brought home, continued so distracted and besotted in his senses, that he neither regarded what any said or did to him, and wholly neglected his calling, as being unfit to doe ought therein, and shortly after hee fell sicke for a season, and still continued so distracted, that at last it was held fit to have him away to Bedlem; yet for some credit sake, his friends so prevailed, that he was not put into the common condition of the Madmen there, but was kept private in the house of one that endeavours the cure of such persons, and there he was continued, but could not be cured of this his miserable and di­stracted estate. And was not here a most evident and remarkable hand of God upon them all three, to the terrour (one would thinke) of all such desperate and incorrigible Malignants. All which relation I have received from such honest and credible testi­mony of the truth thereof, even of such as knew the three par­ties very well, as is without all just exception therein.

And thus now, I have (as I suppose) sufficienly made good my word, and performed my promise in the two former parts of this my Looking-glasse, namely, in most clearly representing and set­ting forth to the eyes and understanding of every one, of any one that is compos mentis, and is not starke mad with malice and mis­chief, both Gods hand most eminently against our Anti-Parliament a­rians or Malignants, and also Gods evident heavy hand upon those our Malignants persons, even immediately in the very acting of their malignancy. Enough, one would thinke, to fright and terrifie them from such impious and audacious flouting, [...]ff [...]onting, and maligning of Gods honest and harmlesse servants, were not their Consciences cauterized with the hot iron of gracelesse impenetra­ble obstinacy, and their hearts more hardned (against pure and innocent Truth and Holinesse) than the impenetrable Tortice shell, and they thereby even given over by God to a reprobate sense, to their irrecoverable ruine and perdition.

[Page 23] But now, to goe on to my Third promised part or representation in this our Looking-glasse, 3. A Caveat for Cowards and Neutrall-De­serters of the Parliaments Cause. namely, the Caveat for Cowards and faint­hearted Neutrall-Deserters of the Parliaments cause; and therein, I say most clearly, Gods cause. As also hereby to speake to all un­setled and unresolved weake Christians (whom in this case we must pitty, pardon, and pray for, as being our selves subject to like failings and errours, should not grace prevent and support us) to shew them the great danger and hard hazards they put themselves on, both in soule and body too, in so unworthily fearing or refu­sing to owne Gods Cause, A briefe pre­mised Pream­ble to the sub­sequent ex­amples of this Caveat. though not out of treachery, yet if it be but of base timidity or feare; God herein shewing his wrath and indignation, and causing his jealousie to breake out against these also, letting them see how dangerous it is to jest or dally with such sharp edg'd tooles as these to the undoing of their soules and bo­dies too, I say, if in his owne free grace and meere mercy he did not in the midst of justice remember to intermix mercy, and to looke backe, as it were, on their sinking soules, as he did on Peter in such a case (if at least they belong to Christ as Peter did) tea­ching them thereby to know the price of denying their Master or his Cause before men, if not, I say, prevented by true and timely repentance. All which I shall make most evident and cleare by these foure or five Examples, all of them fallen out lately in these our probationall times, which (by Gods providence) have come to my hands and knowledge, and which for the glory of God and honour of our most precious Parliaments Cause, I could not con­ceale, but set forth most faithfully, as I have received them from most indubitable and unquestionable Testimonies of the truth of them all; even, I say, by those who were both Eye and Ear-wit­nesses of the truth of them.

And here now in the first place, I might instance in a learned and reverend Minister of Lincolnshire, 1. A Doctor in Divinity of Lincolnshire fell mad upon▪ the taking of the Oxonian Protestation against the Parliament. a Doctor in Divinity, who being taken by the Kings Cormorants, and carried prisoner to Ne­warke, and there enforced to take the Oxonian Protestation or Co­venant against the Parliament, which (it seemes) out of servile feare and unworthy pusillanimity, he did, immediately after it, out or remorse of Conscience, fell mad and fearfully distracted in his senses, and so continued for almost the space of halfe a yeere, this being done by him about the midst of the last Summer 1643. but being since at liberty among his Parliamentary friends, is in good [Page 24] measure recovered, and a hearty Penitent for it. But it being desi­red his name should bee concealed, I cease to say any more there­in save onely this, That I have this briefe relation from such un­questionable and credible testimony as most strongly confirmes the truth thereof unto me. And might we not, here now, thinke this one single example sufficient, to deter our cowardly Newters from so vicious and pernicious prejudicating and deserting the Parlia­ments pious proceedings? Yes certainly, had they but any small sparkes of ingenuity left alive in them: but since I know that they, yea, and Gods owne people too, must have line upon line (as the Prophet sayes) and example upon example, and all too too little, till Gods Spirit of Grace awakens their dead and drousie Consci­ences. I shall now give them another Example which comes more close unto them, and most worthy their deep and serious observa­tion and consideration, which briefly is this:

Upon the second day of May 1643. one Thomas Bretton a young man, 2. One Thomas Bretton, a most bitter and active Malig­nant against the Parlia­ment, remark­ably converted on his death­bed. and most bitter and active Malignant against the Parliament, late servant to Alderman Cullum in Gracious street in London, fal­ling very sick (which indeed shortly after proved a sicknesse unto death) desired most earnestly to speake with a reverend and religi­ous Minister of the City, whom he had formerly heard preach, and could not be quiet till he was sent for. The Minister being sent unto, and intreated to come unto him accordingly, very willingly came; of whom (so soone as the sicke party saw him) he most heartily desired his pardon and forgivenesse. The Minister answe­red, That he knew not any thing wherein the sick party had injured or offended him. But Bretton replied, That he had done him wrong in jeering and scoffing at him, though he knew not of it, and told him the particulars thereof. Whereupon this pious Minister told him, He freely forgave him. Then he desired the Minister to pray with him, which he also did for the space of about halfe an houre. Imme­diately after Prayer the sicke party said, He was now most happy, since God and Man had forgiven him; and told the Minister, hee was certaine God pardoned him all his finnes. The Mini­ster answered, It was well, if his assurance were on good grounds. He replied, That he was sure of it, for Christ had taken away all his sinnes, which God had in his sicknesse set before his eyes; yea, and some such finnes as he did not know or beleeve formerly to have beene sinnes; but now Christ had borne them all on his owne [Page 25] shoulders, and eased him of all that heavy burthen, with many other most heavenly and divine expressions. And being neere his death, even the night before he died, he said, Hee assuredly saw Christ in a vision appearing unto him, and telling him that his sinnes were pardoned, and that he had a Cause on earth, and that the Parliament of England defended it, and that in the yeere of our Lord Christ 1644. the Parliament should obtaine a great victory over the Kings Forces; and that then there should bee none of those wicked Ministers (that had mis-led Gods people) left among them, and that from that time the Parliament should prosper; but in the meane season, that the rod of the wicked should rest on the backs of his righteous ones. And after this hee lay glorying and rejoycing in the forgivenesse of his sinnes, and even triumph­ing over death till the time of his departure, which was the next day. This relation was testified both by the said learned, reve­rend, and religious Divine, who was often with him in his said sicknesse, and heard most of his expressions; and also by another religious Gentleman who was also then present, and heard what is here delivered, as aforesaid.

Also one Thomas Clarke, a ranke malignant young man, and servant to one Master Travill a merchant of London, 3. One Thomas Clarke also, a merchants man in London, a notable malignant, his penitent con­fession on his death-bed in honour of the Parliament. being in the yeere 1643) stricken with sicknesse, of which he died; about three dayes before his death, one William Coote (a neighbour of his) comming to visit him in this his sicknesse, and having sate a while with him, as he was going away the sick party desired him to stay a little, and told him, that hee would now say more to him then he had done to any, which was this, I am now (sayes hee) strongly perswaded in my heart, that the Parliament maintains a right cause, and at last shall have victory over the Kings Forces, for they, he said, fought for Antichrist; and he confest withall, that he had lived a very sinfull life, and was most of all grieved that he had spoken so much against the Parliament, for which he wished he could now weep teares of blood, together with very many pa­theticall speeches to this purpose, and shortly after it departed this life. This I have also from very honest and religious hands and te­stimony, who have faithfully informed me of the truth thereof, as having been both eye and ear-witnesses of the same.

In September also 1643. one Master Whitleigh in Golding, lane in London, with his wife Mistresse Whitleigh, both of them very [Page 26] religious Christians, 4. A remarkable example of one Master Whitleigh and his wife, who deserted the Cause of the Parliament. and truly fearing the Lord, came with their foure children (not long before) to London from Tewksbury in Gloucestershire, principally desiring to remove thence because of the wicked conversation of the Cavaliers, billeted where he lived. And hee having formerly served in the Parliaments Army against the Kings Forces, but being now at London, and for about three moneths space void of imployment, resolved to give over service in the wars, as finding a timorous fearfulnesse in himselfe to ad­venture any more into the Parliaments Army, thereupon at last he had some thoughts to goe into New-England, and advising with his wife, who also was most unw [...]l [...]ing hee should any more put himselfe into the Service of the Parliament, but by all meanes began to strengthen his resolution to goe away for New-England. Whereupon he peremptorily now resolving to depart thither with his wife and children, presently laid out thirty pounds for their passage by Sea, and as much more for provision of necessaries to the voyage. But being ready to depart, the Lord suddenly struck him very sicke, and in his sicknesse he was very much troubled in his minde, lamenting and crying out very much against the sinne of Cowardise and Fearfulnesse (which hee conceived to bee the ground of his intended removall to New-England) and therefore much distrusting his soules estate, cryed out often, That he had sinned against God in cowardly deserting his holy Cause; yet ear­nestly praying the Lord to forgive him this sinne, promising and protesting that if the Lord vouchsafed to restore him to health and strength againe, he would resolutely goe on to spend every drop of the blood in his veines for the Parliaments Cause; and af­terward blaming his wife for giving her consent and incouraging him therein, he shortly after died, yet before his departure he te­stified abundance of comfort and assurance of Gods favour and the pardon of his sin. Immediately also after his death, it so plea­sed the Lord that his wife fell so distracted, that three or foure women could scarcely hold her downe in her bed, and she taking no sustenance but what was forced into her mouth for many dayes, she still in all this time of most sad perplexity crying out, That she had sinned against God in counselling and incouraging her de­ceased husband to forsake Gods Cause, and thereby (she feare [...]) she had beene the cause of his death. And thus she lay divers dayes in much misery, crying out of this her sinne, and craving pardon of [Page 27] God for it. And about the end of September aforesaid, my godly friend, from whom I had this relation, comming occasionally to her house to see her, found that her raging fits had left her, but her spirits much spent, and she lying speechlesse, so that he knew not how to administer a word of comfort to her in that case; where­fore being about to depart thence, shee looked stedfastly on him, reached out her hand to him, which he tooke in his, being as cold as clay, and therewith spake many comfortable words unto her, and ere he departed she manifested very much consolation in her soule, both by words (though faintly) and gestures also, and in a most happy and comfortable condition departed this life also, the very next morning after his departure from her. This re­lation, I say, I had from a very religious Citizen of London, and faithfull servant of the Lord, who himselfe was with Mistresse Whitleigh thus departing, and whose own Sister lived close by these parties, was well acquainted with them both in their lives and death, and whose testimony I know to be without exception.

There was also about the time of the first victories of the fa­mous and renowned Towne of Manchester in Lancashire, 5. One Master Standidge a Lancashire Gentleman, deserting the Parliament, suddenly slaine in the act of his defection. in the yeere 1642. one M. Standidge a Gentleman of Lancashire, who had formerly beene a man much ingaged in his affections for the Parliaments Cause, and had oftentimes expressed so much both by his stiffe contendings with some that were very neere and deare unto him, as also by his practice and assistance given to the said Cause. But afterward, by the slye insinuations and perswasions of some seeming friends neere about him; but especially being at last overswaied and prevailed with (as was strongly supposed) by the Lord Strange (then a great, but, blessed be God, a most un­successefull stickler for the Kings party) he being very intimate with the said Lord Strange. This said Gentleman did at last so much crosse his owne former practice and good esteeme he had and held of the Worke and Cause of God in the Parliaments pro­ceedings, that he most unworthily quite deserted it, yea so farre as to take up Armes against it; and as he was in person, in com­mand, and going against that honest, famous, and victorious Town of Manchester in the Lord Stranges Army; the Lord God of Heaven, in apparent displeasure met with him in this most disloy­all Apostacie, and going against God and his Cause: For as he was going to take Horse upon some designe, neere to the said Town [Page 28] of Manchester, a bullet suddenly hit him, and kil'd him pre­sently, not directly from the Towne, but the bullet glancing upon a wall, reached him with a gliding blow, and so cut him short of his purpose, and gave him the sad reward of his unhappy backsliding. This I have from such unquestionable and religious testimony of a godly friend and neighbour of mine, as I know to be without all just exception.

And is not here now (one would thinke) testimony enough for thee, O incredulous Malignant, yea, even from the mouthes of two Converts formerly of thine owne ranke and rotten condition, but now, and that upon their death-beds ( and the words of dying men we know, doe, or ought to take deepe impression) making ingeni­ous confession of their and your folly and madnesse in so injuri­ously opposing the pious and just proceedings of the Parlia­ment? But now take one more to cleare these truths yet more abundantly, 6. A most re­markable re­lation of Ma­ster Joseph Latch a Mer­chant, his great misery for de­serting the Parliament, and his merci­full recovery. yea, one of no lesse moment and materiality then any of the former, and most worthy serious notice and observa­tion, namely, of one Master Ioseph Latch, a Merchant in Bashings­hall-street in London, who having (by Gods blessing upon his en­deavours in his calling) gotten a good estate, and being a pious young Gentleman, and well affected to the publike good of the Kingdome in the beginning of this Parliamentary warre, and set forth two Horses for the said service at his owne proper charge; but having some considerable goods at Bristoll, which he desired to convey to Manchester by land, in which land-passage a prote­ction from the King was necessary for their safe convoy thorow Shrewsbury, where lay a Garrison of the Kings Cormorants: up­on this occasion hee forced himselfe to goe to Oxford to procure such a protection. Thus then he tooke his journey thither, where he was no sooner arrived, but it pleased the Lord it should so fall out, that he was presently espied by one that had beene a Ma­lignant neighbour of his in London, a Lawyer, by whose meanes he was presently apprehended as a Spie, on which suspicion hee was instantly clapt up prisoner in the Castle, and immediatly after was fetcht before the Councell-Table, and in danger of his life. But having there very good friends of the Kings party, namely, Sir George Binion, Sir Nicholas Crispe, and Mr. Bradborne his kinsman, and others, he was by the Kings owne Warrant set at liberty and entertained at Sir George Binious lodgings; and yet againe for all [Page 29] this, Smith that hellish Cerberus, the Provost-marshall fetcht him out of Bynions lodgings at eleven of the clocke at night, and carri­ed him to prison againe. Whereupon Bynion went againe to the King, together with Mr. Bradborne, told His Majesty of it, who seemed much discontented thereat, and presently sent a Squire of His body with a Commission to lay Smith by the heeles for his pre­sumption, and to enlarge Mr. Latch; yea, and that without taking the Oxford Protestation, lest thereby his estate in London should have been seized on by the Parliament, as the estate of a Sworne­malignant, yet with a private serious promise and engagement to Bynion, that he would never hereafter put forth himselfe in any publique service for the Parliament. So he at last returned safely home, and in order to his promse was now growen very shy of serving with his Company according to the Ordinance of the Mi­litia; and shortly after, through the ill-advice of a very malignant companion of his, made over his estate into Holland, put off his house in Bashing shall-street, and then withdrew his person also into Holland, Thus our Eng­glish Jonas would have fled from Ni­neve to Tarshish, but God raised a storme in his conscience, which drove him backe to our London Ni­neve there to cry repentance. intending there to have lived till these times might change; and thus he quite deserted the Parliament. But he had not beene there above three weekes or a moneth, but that it pleased God he fell sicke there, and had a great and restlesse desire to come backe againe into England; and accordingly, having a fit opportunity, imbarked himselfe, and was brought backe sicke to London, that thus by the providence of God so ordering it, he might manifest his repentance here where he had finned, and be an example to others both of the horrour which arises out of a guilty conscience sensible of apostacy from a good Cause, and also from our Parlia­mentary Protestation and Covenant to maintaine the same. Thus then, I say, being come off the water, on Munday Sept. 25. 1643. he went to a friends house of his, one Mr. Lacey in Canon-street, where he went sicke to bed, and in two daies his sicknesse and cor­science working together, he much desired to speake with some godly Minister. Whereupon one was sent for, who accordingly came to him on the Wednesday night; but knowing nothing of his defection from the Parliament, and hearing a good report of his former honest conversation, he onely questioned him about his faith in Christ; whereunto receiving an apposite answer, he held out unto him some promises of the Gospell, wherein his soule might cleave unto the Lord, and having commended him unto the [Page 30] grace of God, departed for that time; but Mr. Latch found such sweetnesse in those promises, that he still would be asking when that Minister would come againe. That Thursday and Friday past, and the Minister not sent for; but on the Saturday following he called very earnestly for the said Minister, and would not be satis­fied without him: so he being sent for, came to him that Saturday at night, and found him very anxious about getting Christ, he oft saying, if I have not Christ, I must perish eternally. But immedi­ately after, as a man swallowed up of despaire and drenched in the wrath of God, he cried out, I am in Hell, I am in Hell. Then an honest young Gentleman his loving friend, who had been his fel­low-apprentise, and unto whom he had used to unbosome him­selfe, stept to the Minister and told him what was the cause of all this horrour of conscience in him, and so related to him the sub­stance of all fore-mentioned. Then the said Minister went againe to M. Latch, and asked him if he had taken the Kings Protestation at Oxford, who answered, no; yet still rejected (in a desperate manner) all the comfortable words that were alledged for his faith to rest upon; still crying out, I am in hell, I sinke lower and lower; O was there ever such an hypocrite as I am, and therefore I must be damned, and I alone must have my portion with Iudas, and be an example to all the world and lie in hell to all eternity, in so deny­ing the Parliament: and goe, saies he, to his brother that stood by him, and tell such an one, and such an one, two persons to whom he had neere relation, that if they hold on their way, they must burne in hell as I doe; and neither his godly friend, nor the Mini­ster could perswade him that he was out of Hell; yet the Minister still most piously wrestling against his despaire, told him that Hell was not above ground (in the Land of the living) and therefore he was not yet in Hell, but that he should goe to Hell shortly if he would not believe in Christ Jesus; and then told him he would pray for him: But he replied, you shall save the Flocke of Christ, but you cannot save me, I am past prayer. And with the like lamen­table speeches, as of a man in the very torments of the damned; he did oft interrupt the Minister in his prayer, and so continued in this despairing fit till after prayer. Then the Minister charged him to hearken to him, saying, You never (you assure me) tooke the Protestation at Oxford against the Parliament, but Peter denied Christ with an Oath, yea and with a Curse too; yet he went out [Page 31] and wept bitterly, and was restored to grace and favour againe. Christ saith, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest: you are weary and heavy laden, come to Christ, believe in him, and he will ease you, and will blot out your iniqui­ties for his owne names sake. At which words, he suddenly raised up himselfe in his bed, and with exceeding earnestnesse of spirit put forth strong cries unto God, saying, Lord helpe mine unbeliefe, Lord helpe mine unbeliefe, Lord helpe mine unbeliefe, three times together; and immediately thereupon burst forth into exceeding great comfort, saying, O wonderfull mercy, Christ is come to fetch me out of Hell, and I shall not perish; my cries have entered into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath, who hath now given sweet rest to my soule. And thus with many heavenly expressions of Christs wonderfull mercy toward him, he continued at least two houres full of sweet raptures and ravishments of soule; and be­sought the Minister and his friends about him to make knowne these things, and how gracious and mercifull Christ had been unto him: and this also he desired them to take speciall notice of; namely, that he protested that what he had said (as before) was not out of any lightnesse or distemper of his braine, but in sensible ap­prehensions of his soule, and what Christ had dictated to him, in whose armes he said he now was most sweetly imbraced, and that he had now found (as he had often heard) that as the way to Hea­ven was by the gates of Hell; so he had found it true, and had not onely gone by the gates of Hell, but even through Hell it selfe, but now Christs glorious mercy had fetcht him forth; and therefore he prayed them againe to tell and publish abroad what great things Christ had done for him, and then all that were present went againe to prayer, and he prayed with them; and when his breath failed, he would lift up his hands; but before prayer was quite en­ded he most sweetly expired, as he said, in the Armes of his sweet Saviour Christ Jesus, leaving the Minister and his Christian friends (who had been sorrowfull witnesses of the former dreadfull people­xities and horrour of his conscience) now most abundantly cheered and full of comfort and consolation in the Lord, for this admira­ble, gracious change and conclusion.

And now, I hope, I have fully performed what I promised at the beginning, and have copiously confirmed the truchs I intended to deliver and represent in this my Looking-glasse. And now I shall [Page 30] onely desire to summe up all in a very succinct hortatory observation of all hitherto delivered in this our Malignants mirrour or Looking-glasse. And first I desire to speake a word or two to our cowardly Neuters, and faint hearted deserters of Gods Cause in this our Par­liament; wherein I feare too many even of Gods children (and otherwise good Christians, I hope) are too guilty. That since the Parliaments cause is unquestionably Gods cause, and that our Ma­lignants have clearely seene that God is so jealous of this his ho­nourable Cause, that he will not spare even his owne Servants, if they either reject or neglect his Cause before men, and that he will certainly sooner or later wound their consciences with terrour, if they thinke to wound his cause, with either treachery or timidity and base cowardise; let them not, I say, thinke to sleepe in a whole skin, to shrinke their necks out of the coller and doe well enough for all that: for certainely God can and will find them out at last, as they also may have seene in these former examples of two or three, even of Gods deare children, who like Ionas would needs be flying from God and his cause, one into New-England, and another into Holland, but how the Lord found them out, caused them to see their faithlesse folly, and ere he was reconciled to them smar­ted them both soundly for it; and though he come slowly and (as the observation is) with Leaden-heeles, yet will come sorely, and with Iron-hands, as hath been here before most evidently seen. And let them often ruminate and remember (and that with trembling) what the Spirit of God saies in the booke of the Revelations, Revel. 21. 7. 8. He that overcommeth (that is, Heb. 3. 12. which stands close to God and his cause, without fainting or giving over) shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my sonne. But, the fearefull and unbelievers (see here, O cowardly Newters, to thy shame and terrour, who are put in the very front or forlorne hope of the rabble of wicked ones, that shall be shut out of the New-Jerusalem) shall have their part in the like which burnes with fire and brimstone. Take heed therefore my brethren (as the Authour to the Hebrews adviseth) lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe, Heb. 10. 38. in departing from the living God. Luke 9. 62. For certainely, saies the spirit of truth (in the same Epistle) If any man draw backe (or has, as Christ himselfe testifies, put his hand to the Plough of Gods worke and cause, and lookes backe, is un­fit for Heaven; nay more) Gods soule will take no pleasure in such an one. Besides, remember this seriously, I pray thee, that a Newter, [Page 33] or Key-cold fellow in Gods cause, is a most despicable creature, despised both of God and the Devill, The miserable condition of Cowards and Newters de­scribed. being apt to be false and faith­lesse to them both, and so good for the use of neither of them, as not caring whether Gods or the Devils cause faile or prevaile, sinke or swim; what cares he so he may sit stil and enjoy his base peace and pelfe? onely, it may be, he will give them some seeming good wishes, at most and best. O let such as these, timely take heed by these examples, that God meet them not sorely and surely too at last: and if thy Neutrality be from wilfull and wicked principles, then feare indeed and tremble at thy estate, by those examples of Gods hand upon those mischievous and malevolent malignants by death and destruction, even in the very acting of their evils. If out of meere slavish feare and unworthy cowardise, yet feare also by those other examples, considering what terrible straits and soule-pinching perplexities it may bring thee unto, at the best; and presume not, though they happily repented and were saved; for repentance is a Flower that growes not naturally in our Gardens, but is the onely gift of God, and he gives it graci­ously when and to whom he will. Therefore, I say, presume not but feare; and whiles thou hast yet space, labour for grace, even immoveable faithfulnesse, courage, and perseverance; remembring ever, who it was that said, even truth it selfe, He that denies me, or is ashamed of me before men, I will deny him and be ashamed of him before my Father which is in Heaven. And thus I have done with these.

But now in the last place I desire also to speake a word or two unto our most unhappy, miserable, and marble-hearted malignants (whom from my soule I pity and pray for, as my brethren in the flesh) implacable and inveterate haters of Holinesse and of a pure Reformation, who would faine (under a beggarly pretext of a lazy, licentious Peace, forsooth) still be more and more setled on the Lees of their old, infant, halfe Reformation, (comfortable then I confesse, in blessed Queen Elizabeths daies, if we reflect on the wofull Marian daies before) even meere formall Protestan­tisme at large, which in effect is but down-right Atheisme; or at best, a back doore to Papistry, as we have used the matter for so many yeeres past; The upholding and maintaining whereof, I take for granted; to be the ground of the great quarrell betweene them and Gods people now adaies. What will ye (then) or what can ye say for your selves poore mole-ey'd and miserable [Page 34] men? (after the serious fight and rumination on all these forelaid remarkable evidences and most luculent and conspicuous demon­strations of Gods immediate hand both against and upon you; and after all these notable Convictions and Confessions of the horrible and God-hated evill of your cause and cases;) what, I say, will you now answer for your selves, why you may not most properly and pertinently be called and counted wilfull and obstinate fighters against God and his just cause? See then, I beseech you (but if you will not timely see, you shall (as I said before) see at last and be ashamed and smart too) and be timely and wisely perswaded (as the truth is) that though you will not acknowledge it, you your malignant workes plainely shew it, and especially the Spirit of God (the onely true searcher and discoverer of the hearts and reines of all) hath most clearely declared to us in the second Psalme, both your worke and your wages, your wicked cause; and your wretched cases, viz. That all the banding and binding of the heads and hearts together of Gebal, Ammon and Amaleck &c. of sottish formall Protestants, What King our formall Prote­stants choose and refuse. Prelates and Papists, with all that Iesuiticall rabble, is mainely and onely this; We will not have this man, King Iesus; (but the tyrannicall and diabolicall usurpers, base lusts, soul-slaying corruptions, sinne and Satan) to reigne over us; and therefore let us (say they) breake his bands in sunder; that is, let us violate and vitiate his holy and wholsome Lawes and Com­mandements: let us east away his cords from us; that is, let us contemne and despise his soul-saving counsels, free grace and love, and all his heart-establishing precious promises: but all this while they blindly and blockishly forget, or will not see and per­ceive (as the same Spirit and fountaine of Truth tels them) that the Lord now resolves to set his onely begotten Sonne Christ Iesus, as Lord and King to [...]u [...]e and raigne (over the tops of all the Moun­taines of the earth) upon Sion his most holy Hill; and that he therefore, even the Lord, the great Iehovah sits in Heaven sees, and smiles at, and laughs to scorne all their combinations and accursed confederacies, all their freting and fuming, beating and breaking of their braines and hearts too, When Malig­nants cause shal overcome. and telling them to their teeth, and shewing them, maugre their brazen browes, that all the while they doe but imagine a vaine thing, which they never can they never shall bring to passe; For of this let them be most sure, that till they can make it appeare or probable that Satan is stronger and wiser [Page 55] than the Almighty, that Antichrist is able to overcome the Lord Christ, to whom the Father hath committed all power in Heaven and Earth; I shall never believe, that they or their cause shall pre­vaile. For, I say, God hath put into Christs hands an Iron Mace, not onely to bruise, but to breake in pieces (like so many pot-sheards) their earthen and stony hearts though ever so seemingly stout and stubborne, as partly and pretty-well (one would thinke) I have here, in these forecited examples made most plaine and conspicu­ous, but especially, as the Lord God himselfe in all ages and times hath made most manifest to the whole World, even from the begin­ning of it to our present times; Psal. 76. 10. nay, not onely so, but that the Lord hath most admirably made (and that with a witnesse too) the wrath of man to turne to his own high glory and praise, yea and so restrained and constrained the remainder thereof to keepe within limits and bounds, as not to breake out to do that mischiefe unto His which their ma­lignant adversaries most desperately and divellishly intended to have done unto them. Malignants are but Gods drudges, and scull-boyes to his Church and children. Nay (wherein they are yet farre more mi­serable, yea most miserable of all) God most wisely and wonder­fully makes them in this their intended malice and mischiefe, to be but as it were, the very drudges and scull-boyes of his Church and children▪ and to doe them farre more good than hurt, in scouring and refining them from their drosse and filth contracted from the rubbish of the world in this life; yea and by their malignant plot­tings, fighting and spighting, Reverend and religious Mr. Marshall. cursing, swearing, jesting and jeering at truth and holinesse) they shall (as a most holy and reverend Mi­nister of the Lord, said) exceedingly helpe forward, promote and advance Gods cause, yea more (many times) than many of the choice friends thereof; and yet (which, I say, is the height or ra­ther the depth of their misery) when they have thus done Gods worke (though they little thought it, and never intended it) they themselves (like the blinde builders of Noahs Arke, who were after it drowned in the Deluge) shall be so farre from having any part or portion in the comfortable issue & prosperity of his cause, that they shal die in their sinne, and be everlastlingly damned and perish for their paines therein; if, I say, in the interim▪ God in his infinite & boundlesse rich mercy, gives them not space and grace to repent.

What an unexpressible sad condition are ye (then) in, O most miserable Malignants, if you could but see this your wicked worke, and this your wretched wages, as aforesaid, even with pro­phane [Page 36] Esau, Hebr. 12. 16. 1 King. 21. 20. thus to strive and struggle to sell away (as 'twas said of Ahab, that he sold himselfe to worke wickednesse) your blessed Birth-right of life and salvation. (I speake here the pure language of Canaan, maugre the false and fl [...]shie conceits and whimsies of our impious Antinomians, those slye and jugling un­derminers of Christian humiliation for sinne, A just objur­gation to An­tinomians, by way of a briefe digression. and of all other ho­ly duties, under a colour of their either ignorant or perverse wrest­ing and misapplying of Gods eternall decree of salvation and free grace to his children. Yea, I say of those unjust and injurious scandalizers of our venerable, pious, and most painfull Pastors, falsly terming them Legall Preachers, and pressers of performance of holy duties in our owne strength and abilities; a most grosse scan­dall and aspersion audaciously cast on them by these Satans Seeds­men of sedition and division in point of Religion. Pardon, good Reader, this glancing digression of zeale in me, and now to go on) to struggle, I say, with prophane Esau, to sell your blessed Birth-right of life and salvation, for a poore, base, and beggarly morsell of meat, or messe of pottage of worldly pel [...]e, carnall pleasure, and pretended peace forsooth, which shall all perish in the use of them, and prove unto you nothing but meere vani [...]y and vexation of spirit.

Cease then, I beseech you, O most unholy and unhappy Ma­lignants, cease I say, and that timely too, thus to fret and fume, to swear and swagger, and to shew your selves such palpable and ap­parent fighters against God, such banders and combiners against Christ in his precious and peculiar members, whom though you doe in your life and healthy times scorne and contemne, The esteeme that Malig­nants have of Round-heads in the times of their sicknesse and distresses. yet in times of sicknesse or extreme straits and heavy pressures, and con­science-distresses, these are the onely men you fare the better for; these are the men, I say, that you are often enforced (even out of Conscience) to send for in your sicknesse (especially when you thinke 'tis a sicknesse to death) to pray for you, counsell and com­fort you; yea, and ofttimes in health too, are constrained to con­fesse of them, 1 Sam. 24. 17. and to say with wicked Saul to holy David, Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evill. And therefore truly friends, in these like cases, I may greatly and most justly feare (and I beseech you marke well what I now shall say unto you, and feare and tremble at it too) that most of the Grandees and Cosmopolites of these our abo­minably [Page 37] back sliding and apostatizing times, (most of them, I say, for I beleeve that they doe not all fight against God upon one and the same principle) especially our learned & knowing Courtiers, Marke this, O our learned and knowing Malignants. Prelates, scandalous Priests, and intelligent Protestants at large, I greatly feare, I say, that they come as neere to that sinne, that terrible and unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost, and are as deeply plun­ged into it as ever any Apostate before them which sinne, (if I mistake not) is wilfully, The sinne a­gainst the ho­ly Ghost. knowingly, maliciously, and perseveringly to persecute and prosecute with all spight and bitternesse of spirit the Truth and true Professors thereof, eo nomine, because it is, and they know it is the Truth of God, and therefore they cannot abide it, because their owne workes being darknesse, they love darknesse more than light. 2 Thes 2. 10. 11, 12. And that there are such to be found, the Apostle Paul testi­fies, and their desperate condition too) and I make no doubt but some of them have or will bee enforced ere they dye to acknow­ledge and cry out, I have credibly heard that a some of the Kings Cormo­rants or Cava­liers have in our late wars cryed out, Let us be gon, for God fights against us, as Serjeant-Ma­jor-Generall Basset a Roy­alist, who at the dissolution of the siege at Plimouth, spake the very words to one of our Commanders in our works at his going away. if not true penitence, yet in damnable de­spaire, with that accursed Apostate Julian the heathenish Empe­rour, Ʋicisti Galilae, vicisti; So these, You have overcome us, O Puritans and Round heads, you have overcome us; for Gods judge­ments have overtaken us in contending against you. And therefore I may and must say unto you all, who ever you be in this case, and persist therein, as Simon Peter said to Simon Magnus, You are certainly in the gall of bitternesse, in thus abusing the Spirit of grace and his peculiar and precious jewels; pray therefore, O yet pray, if peradventure this sinne may be forgiven you: which indeed is the ultimum refugium, the last and best refuge and hope you have, yet most unlikely to helpe you, if not serious and seasonable; For, he that turnes away his eare from hearing the Law (that is, from lo­ving God and goodnesse, his Cause, his Saints and Servants) even his very prayers are an abomination to the Lord. And then you may with wicked Esau begge the blessing you so carelesly and con­temptuously sold away, even with frightfull cryes and teares, and yet everlastingly goe without it. O consider this therefore, all ye that thus forget God, lest he suddenly teare you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you. Acts 8. 23. And since all these things are thus conspi­cuous and evident by all those remarkable forementioned and re­cited examples, Mal. 3. 17. let not any of the Malignant fellow-factors of so foule abuses to Gods Cause, Prov. 28. 9. his Church and Children, wilfully close up the eyes of their uunderstanding, Psal. 50. 22. and still harden their [Page 38] hearts and spirits against such providentiall workings and demon­strative convictions and confessions as those are, lest they also be­come fellow-seelers of the like exemplary and most just correcti­ons. But pray, Revel. 3. 18. O pray (as I will with you and for you) that God would annoint your eyes with that Collyrium, his precious eye-salve, that you may see; and that he would speake to your Soules and Consci­ences with a powerfull Ephphata, Mark 7. 34. Be ye opened; that so you might see and repent. For I ingenuously confesse, that unlesse his Spirit speakes thus, all the meanes in the world else that may be used come too short, and are but in vaine: yet give me leave to speake unto you as the Lord did to stubborne Israel by the Prophet, Ezek. 3. 5. You, whe­ther you will heare or not heare (for you are a rebellious and obstinate people) yet shall you know that there hath been a word among you; that the meanes have not beene wanting to you, and if you (notwith­standing all Threats and Treats, Mercies, or Judgements) will persist desperately in your malignant folly & madnesse, I must and will farther say unto you all, as the Spirit of God did of old Elies most wicked and malignant two sonnes, 1 Sam. 2. 25. Notwithstanding all that their old godly father had said unto them, they hearkned not to the voice of their father, and why? because (sayes the Spirit of God) the Lord had a purpose, for their incorrigible wickednesse, to stay and destroy them. Wherefore to conclude all, my counsell (in briefe) shall be unto you all, Psal. 2. 10, 11, 12. poore miserable malignant men and women, onely that of the holy Spirit of God himselfe by the holy Prophet David, Bee wise now therefore, O ye malignant Princes and Peers of the earth: be instructed and timely advised, O ye Judges and great Ones of the land. Serve the Lord with feare, and rejoyce with trembling. Kisse the Son, even the Lord Iesus Christ, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled, yea but a little: (O what will it be then when [...]is mightily inflamed?) O then most blessed are all they only that put their trust in him, Mal. 4. 2. and rest under the shadow of his wings, where onely is true healing for body and soule. The Lord give us all assisting and persevering grace so to doe. Amen, and Amen.

Omnis gloria solius est Domini.