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THE COMPLAINT OF Engliſh Subjects, Delivered in Two Parts.
Firſt Part, Is the Complaint, of the Poor, Middle, and Meaneſt ſorts of Subjects, con
Second Part, Is the true Chriſtians Complaint, againſt Vice, and Wickedneſs, for the good of their Soul's health.
ALSO, Werein is ſet forth, the Late prodigious Growth, of Atheiſm, Errors, and Vice: With a Call to Repentance.
As alſo, How needful it is, in theſe Times, for every one of us, firſt of all, to look into our own Hearts, and en
And Laſtly, A Brief Diſcourſe, concerning our Late UnAſtrologers.
By Richard Newnam of Tiverton in Devonſhire.
Prov. 30.14.There is a Generation, whoſe Teeth are as Swords, and their Jan-teeth as Knives, to devour the Poor from off the Earth, and the Needy from among Men.
Prov. 31.9.Open thy Mouth, judge Righteouſly, and plead the Cauſe of the Poor, and the Needy.
Prov. 20.28.Mercy and Truth, [preſerve] the King; and his Throne is upholden by Mercy.
Eccleſiaſtes 4.1, 2, 3. Eccleſ. 5.8.
London Printed, and Sold by the Bookſellers of London and Weſtminſter, 1700.
I Have here undertaken the doing of that, which was the Duty of ſome one, or other, that is much more Eminent, and better Learned, than I am: For mean was my Education, and Scholar I am none, farther than the Engliſh Tongue, and that I underſtand but Imperfectly. And therefore, through weakneſs I may err, in many of my Expreſſions, but (however) I hope the moſt Learned, and the moſt Ingenious, will have ſo much reſpect for me, as to deal with me, in the Examination of my following Diſ
Thus refering to your Judgments, and Cen
AND now with all humble Submiſſion, ſay, what I have here done, I think is but my [Duty] ſo to do; for the ſtrict Ties (of the Oaths) of Allegiance and Supre
AND now before I proceed on the main of my DiſIntroduction, I ſhall give you a brief Account of the Heads of all my following Diſcourſes.
And firſt of all, herein is ſet forth the Great Abuſes, that of late hath been done, and ſtill is done, both to Your Majeſty and the Country, by means of the undue Execution, of Your Majeſty's and the late Parliaments ſeveral Acts, made for the raiſing of the ſeveral Sums of money, from time to time, on the ſeveral Lands and Stocks, of all Your Majeſty's Subjects within this our Nation.
2dly, The unſpeakable Loſſes and Damages, that of late hath, and still doth, lie on our whole Nation, by means of the most Wicked Actions of ſome men, who in the time of the Revolution of our late Coin, made even as it were a meer Prey, on all Your Majeſty's good and faith
3dly, How all manner of Trading is decayed, and even as it were meerly come to nothing; and all this is moſtly occaſioned, in and by the means, of the ſeveral Loſſes and Damages, which all ſorts of honeſt Trades-men, of the middle and meaner ſorts of them, have received in and by the Revolution of the late Coin, which hath ever ſince put them to great ſtreights, through want of money, ſo as that by means thereof, they are now many ThouEngland, for ever made un
4thly, How ſorely and grievouſly the Taxes of Births, and Burials, do gaul and pinch, the poor and meaneſt ſorts of Your Majeſty's good Subjects. But on the contrary, herein is ſet forth, how deſirable a thing it is, for the Rich and great Ones of our Nation, to have the opportunity to pay Birth-Taxes: And alſo, for Death-Taxes, amongſt them, how then 'tis in their own power to make themſelves no loſers, by any ſuch Taxes, as ſhall at any time hereafter become due from they, or any of them.
5thly, What a most wicked Trade is now of late ſprung up, and uſed amongſt ſome Evil-minded men, who Buy and Sell all ſorts of Corn, in and by ſuch Clandeſtine ways and means, as that thereby, they will always create a Dearth, on all ſorts of Grain in the midst of the greateſt Plenty; and this to the Poor, is now a preſent Sorrow added to their former Affliction.
6thly, That notwithſtanding all thoſe hard and dear times, that of late hath been, and now is, yet all this doth not ſtop or turn the Hearts of our Mobb or Va
7thly, How all my ſeveral Diſcourſes; are to my ſelf all known Truths, by true Information given me, and by experience tryed, and by way of Obſervation made on mens Actions, here with us in our County of Devon. Alſo, herein is ſet forth a ſhort Comment on our late and unfruitful Cold Summers, which we have had for ſome conſiderable time paſt, Year after Year; for which Cauſes ſome Aſtrologers, pretend to ſhew the true Reaſons of it: But by my ſelf, their Reaſons for that are denyed, and my own Reaſons in oppoſition to theirs, are in my follow
8thly, I have contracted, the ſum of all my ſeveral Diſcourſes, in a few plain low ſtile Engliſh Verſes, whoſe Sound and Dreſs, are eaſie, plain and ſimple: but without Compounds, of any Fraud, or Flattery; and ſo I moſt humbly offer them, hoping they may be rightly un
THeſe had been long ſince preſented unto your Greatneſs, had I not been from time to time continually prevented, by being much Exerciſed with many Troubles, which of late Years I have labour'd hard under them; which Troubles were brought on me, partly through the means of theſe our late hard times, as alſo by a mixture of ſome other Calamities, which the Hand of Providence was pleas'd to caſt upon me. And tho' I have good reaſon to complain, as to my own particular part, yet 'tis not my own Cauſe, that I take on me now to vindicate; but the Cauſes of many others, whoſe conditions are far more deplorable than mine. But however, as my ſelf am a great Sufferer, therefore I cannot otherwiſe but commiſerate the conditions of ſuch, as are far greater Sufferers than I now am: But ſhould this long continue, then 'tis much to be doubted, that at laſt, we may be all Sufferers alike; for the prevention of which I have taSolomon, in Chapter 16 of Proverbs, verſ. 3. 'tis there ſaid, Commit thy Works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts ſhall be eſtabliſhed. In hopes of which I further ſay;
Great Sirs, think it not ſtrange, that ſo mean a Perſon as I am, ſhould take upon me to write unto you in this way and manner; for no Man can do any thing but by permiſſion, or inſtigation; It is God that permitteth me, and the Spirit of
England's Good, I think now is the time; And it may be high time, yet hope not paſt time. Tho' great may be the Troubles of our Land, becauſe great are the Sins of our Nation, and moſt grievous are the Burthens that do now lie on the poor, middle, and meaneſt ſorts of Your Majeſty's faithful and true loyal Subjects, by means of ſome unworthy Men, I mean ſome of the late and now preſent Aſſeſſors and Commiſſioners, who have abuſed that moſt noble and honourable Truſt put in them, and confer'd upon them by Your Moſt Gracious Majeſty, and the late Parliament; and inſtead of performing that Truſt, by a juſt and due ExecuEngland: And alſo, have thereFour Shillings and Three Shillings the Pound on Lands and Stocks, if the Rich had but from time to time paid proportionably to their Abilities, as they always have from time to time compelled Your Majeſty's poor, middle, and meaner ſorts of Subjects to do.
And I do aver it for a Truth, that in the Town of Tiverton in Devonſhire, ſuch Matter s as aforeTiverton aforeſaid, ſome Men, that then were, and now are worth in ſtock Ten thouſand Pound each Man; And ſome that are reported to be worth in Stock twenty thouſand pound each man, and yet were not, nor are not rated for more than a few hundred pounds Stock each man, of the Richeſt ſort of them, as I am credibly informed. And alſo, in their Lands, all of them were ſo undervalued, as that they were, and now are Rated no higher for them, proportionably, then they were rated for their Stocks; And yet, at the ſame time, they Rated the ſeveral parcels of the Lands and Tenements of Your Majeſty's middle, and meaner ſort of SubTiverton in Devonſhire, but as far as I can underſtand, is continually uſed and practiſed all England over: and ſuch Evil Doings can never be well-pleaſing in the Eyes of God, or in the ſight of good Men; for to do Juſtly, and to love Mercy, is but our Duty, with humble ſubmiſſion, in obedience to the Laws of God. And it is the duty of every Man ſo to do, according to that eſtate or degree which he is plac'd in, here in this World; the truth of which is verified by the mouth of the Prophet Micha, as you may read it in Chap. 6. verſ. 8.
He hath ſhewed thee, O Man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Juſtly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. And alſo, agreeable to this is that moſt excellent Command of our moſt great Lord and Maſter, our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, as we may read it in the 7th Chapter of St. Matthew's Goſpel, verſ. 12. theſe his own Words, Therefore all things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. And thus from Chriſt's own Words, we may ſee that the doing of Juſtice to our Neighbour, and upright dealing between Man and Man, is highly neceſſary towards every man's Salvation.
But here a Query doth neceſſarily ariſe; and the poor, middle, and meaneſt ſorts of Your MaHave thoſe Men, whom we complain against, done by us as they would be done unto, had their Cauſe been ours?
I ſay No: and conſequently I ſay again, they have not ſhewed themſelves like true Chriſtians, nor can I think ſuch Men to be true Proteſtants, or true Loyal Subjects: And tho' they have ſaid, and do ſay, that they will hazard their Lives and all that they are worth, for the ſake of Your Majeſty, and the Proteſtant Religion; yet I can not believe them: for can any Man ſerve God and Mammon all at one time? or can ſuch Men be true Proteſtants, that will do ſuch vild and abominable things, which the very Heathens ab
And thus I have, in ſome meaſure, truly and plainly, diſcovered to Your Greatneſs, England's preſent Malady: But the Remedy, with all numble ſubmiſſion, I leave to the great Under
He that ſpeaks plain, hath in his Heart no guile, But he's moſt falſe, that hates when he doth ſmile: Some ſuch perfidious Souls on Earth there be, But ſuch a Soul ſhall not be found in me. [Prov. 14.25, 28, 34. Prov. 20.28.]
But, Secondly; There are ſeveral other Great, and Grievous Crimes, and other Wicked Actions, that of late were, and now are continually commit
And now finding that 'twill be too tedious to perſiſt on all the particulars of ſuch Crimes, and other wicked Actions, therefore I will moſtly pro
And now for the better Explanation of it, firſt of all, Metaphorically I ſay; This deviliſh Trade had its firſt Riſe and Growth from Clippers, and Falſe Coiners of Money, who laid their Heads toGentlemen, the People ſay that no manner of crack'd Money will paſs any longer: But if you will be rul'd by me, we will make it all paſs one way or other.
But then ſays another of the Company,
How can we make all manner of crackt Money paſs, for ſome is crack'd almoſt through; and ſuch crack'd Money as that cannot be made to paſs.
But then again ſays that cunning ſubtile Fellow that firſt ſtarted the Queſtion; Pray Sir, hear me; Doth not all manner of Clipt Money paſs without any objection made againſt it, tho' never ſo ſmall? And there is a great deal of good broad Money that is but a little crack'd, and ſome of it not quite to the Ring: and what if it be crack'd home to the Ring, all ſuch Money we can Clip, and afterwards it will paſs currently: And then all ſuch Money as is deeply crack'd, we can melt down, and new Coin it and Clip it afterwards.
But then preWhat need we give our ſelves double trouble? Why, do ye think that a piece of Money is not to be new made, in imitation of old clipt Money?
No, Sir, (ſays the Clipper)
I beg your Pardon, (ſays the Falſe Coiner) He's a bad Artiſt to his Trade that can't do that.
Then reply'd ſome other of the Clippers; I believe, Sir, you your ſelf cannot do it.
Then the Falſe Coiner reply'd again, Sirs, I will warrant to do it ar
Nay, (ſaid the whole Company) if you can do ſo, our Buſineſs is done.
Then ſays that Falſe Coiner, Gentlemen, reſt your ſelves contented in this matter; by me you ſhall ſee it done, and therefore let's now talk no more about it. Come, drink about, for our Trade will now and than afford us a Glaſs of Sack.
Ay, (ſays another of the company) and a Rope to boot for ſome of us, if we have not the more care on't.
Tuſh, (ſays another of the ſame Company) we muſt all venture that.
And ſo with a merry Fit of Laughter amongſt them, they all caſt off the thoughts of Hanging for it: And thus they all agreed. And then by their Maker, they all ſwore Fidelity to one another; and then (ſhaking each other by the Hand) they all unaEngland over in great abunEngland: And thus thoſe Money-Buyers were at that rate ſupplyed, as often as they then had occaſion for it. And was not this a curſed Trade for ſuch Men to uſe, that have ſworn to be true both to the King and County, and that profeſs themſelves to be both Loyal Men, and Proteſtants?
But now again, before I can proceed any farWhere could thoſe Clippers have all thoſe vaſt and great Sums of Money to Clip; all of i
To this I Anſwer: Undoubtedly they were ſo ſupply'd by many of our great Money Maſters, who were very Rich; or ſuch as have always to command vaſt and large Sums of Money, as great Bankers, great Uſurers, great Merchants, and ſome other great Receivers of Money; and alſo ſome great Rich Trades-men of other Callings: For all theſe ſorts of Men have always by them, or at their commands, great and large Sums of Money. And alſo, they all of them, had a more commodious way, and better opportunities to put off all ſuch Clipp'd and Falſe Coin'd Money, than any other ſorts of men could have had, if there then had been any other ſorts of Men that
And here I cannot otherwiſe, but comment on th
But now again, I ſeem to hear the ſound of a Voice, that doth propoſe to me this Queſtion, W
To this Queſtion I now Anſwer, and ſay; As for their Names, I do not readily know all of them; but ſome of them I think I may know: However, I muſt at preſent moſt humbly beg Your moſt Gratious Majeſty and the Parliament to excuſe me, tho' I do not now mention the Names of thoſe Men that have thus done, whom
But methinks I hear another Queſtion ask'd of me, which is this, Were there no other ſorts of Men concerned in ſuch Frauds and Cheats, as you ſeemingly lay to the Charge of ſome great Brankers, g
To this I Anſwer; I am apt to believe there were then concerned in ſuch Frauds and Cheats, about ſuch Moneys, as aforeſaid, ſome Men of all ſorts of Trades, Occupations, or Profeſſions, that then had Money, or drove any manner of Trade, had a ſnack of the Benefit of it, more or leſs, ſome way or other; and ſo at laſt, ſome ſorts
England to many thouſands of Your Majeſty's poor, middle, and meaneſt ſorts of true Loyal Subjects: For by theſe, and ſome other ſuch-like ways as theſe are, ſuch (and ſome other ſuch like vile Miſcreants) have made themſelves extraordinary Rich, and alſo thereby brought the major part of Your Majeſty's middle, and meaneſt ſorts of good Subjects into great ſtraits and extream Poverty: And is there no way to remedy this in time, e'er it be too late? Pray, great Sirs, I moſt humbly beg of You, for God's ſake, and for Your own ſakes, now take Compaſſion on the poor, middle, and meaneſt ſorts of true Loyal Subjects.
But here an Objection may ariſe, and it may be ſaid, I cannot think that the middle, and meaneſt ſorts of People could be ſuch Loſers, in and by the Revolution of our late Coin; for it did not then lie ſ
To this I Anſwer; I acknowledge that moſt of the late Coin then did, as the new Coin now doth lie moſtly in the Hands of Rich Men; and that the poor, middle, and meaneſt ſorts of Peo
And now (for the full Proof and better Ma
And now in Anſwer to it, I ſay; After that ſuch Men (as aforeſaid) had ſcattered all, or almoſt of all the ſuch Monies, as aforeſaid; then at a jump preſently they cry'd it down, and would not take it in any manner of Payment, or for any manner of Commodity, long before the ſeveral Limitations of Your Majeſty's then Proclamatho' no bigger than a Grain of Wheat, was the very words of ſome of them, as I was then Creditably informed: And yet nevertheleſs, they would then take it for Goods, until ſuch a time was paſt, which they then limited; And then preſently after that, all ſorts of People, both of Cities, Towns, Villages, Cottages, and all the remote Country-dwellings, hearing of this, were glad of ſuch an opportunity to put off their Bad Money, and then ſuch Trades-men had for a while a ſwinging Trade indeed, and profit enough by it, far beyond all manner of good conſcionable gain; for they all of them, from one to the other, then took Eighteen Pence for that Commodity, which at other times they would willingly have ſold for Nine Pence, Ten Pence, or Eleven Pence; and alſo took Half a Crown for that Commodity,
And now I could deſcend into particulars, had I time and room, to let Your Moſt Gratious Ma
And firſt of all I ſay, the Serage-makers by trade, they then, by reaſon of the ſcarcity of Broad Money, were then forced to take Bills inſtead of Money, for their Searges; and then they (thoſe Searge-makers) did then exchange ſuch Bills with the Shop-keepers, as Grocers, Mercers, and other Trades-men, who did then ſupply the Searge-makers with Money; and that in and by this way and manner, as followeth.
When they the Searge-makers, or any of them, had occaſion to exchange a Bill, either of ten pounds, twenty pounds, or thirty pounds value; then the Searge-maker, went to one of thoſe Grocers, Mer
But now again, here lyeth the mean Query of the matter; In and with what ſort of Coin did thoſe then Mercers, Grocers, or others, then pay the Searge-makers for their Bills ſo given to them?
To this I Anſwer; They the then Grocers, Mercers, or others, did then pay ſuch Bills to the then Searge-makers all in ſuch Money, as they or any of them then bought from the Poor, Hour
But now again, here comes the Tradegy of the matter at laſt, for 'twas the Poor Labouring SerChriſtians, and true Proteſtants, and alſo devout Loyal Men; But let any Judicious Man, or Men, judge what Principles ſuch Men then were of, or may now or hereafter be of, as to matters of Religi
But again, during the whole time of the ſcarEngland, gradually were then nearly Starved to Death; for with my own Eyes did I then ſee, in our ſaid Town of Tiverton, in Devonſhire, many Poor, Weak, Languiſhing CreaJeremiah throughout, but more particularly obſerve, verſes 4.5. and 25.
And therefore, Great Sirs. I moſt humbly BeEngliſh Subjects, who are yet driven to great ſtraits, and many of them now, at this preſent time, under great Wants.
But now again, after all the then ſcattering abroad ſuch (before mentioned) diminiſhed and corrupted ſorts of Coin, you may find by my diſ
And now the next Query that naturally flows from all my former Diſcourſes, I think muſt be this; What did thoſe ſeveral Shop-keepers, and all
thoſe other petty Buyers of Money then do with ſuch Money (as aforeſaid) at laſt?
To this I Anſwer; I believe all of them well knew, before-hand, how to put it off then at that time: And I am apt to believe alſo, that they (all of them) then had Commiſſions from ſome great Bankers, or great Receivers of Money, or great Merchants, or great and ſmall Cuſtom-Officers, or ſome other Officers of or belonging to the Duty of Exciſe; or ſome other great Rich Men, that could lend great Sums of Money to ſome other Men to buy up ſuch ſmall Money for them; for I am ſure ſome of thoſe Men that then bought up great quantities of ſuch ſmall corrupted Money, were then very poor in them
But now upon the whole, I ſay again, I am apt to believe that ſuch ſorts of great Rich Men, (as aforeſaid) had at laſt amongſt them, by ſome way or other, all the then ſuch ſmall Moneys, that the Money-buyers, Grocers, Mercers, and other Shop-keepers, then bought up and ſo received from time to time: And alſo, I am apt to believe that ſome of thoſe then Money-buyers, and Shop-keepers, did then put off their ſuch Monies on very good terms, and with great profit, eſpecially ſuch of them as could ſtay for their Money, until the Money-Merchant's returns could come about: But the then petty Chapmen of the Money-buyers, and other ſmall Shop-keepers, that could not for bear their Money, until the great Money-Merchant's returns could come about, ſuch as them, were the
But now again, methinks I now hear a ſuppoSuppoſe ſuch Men, as are before-mentioned, did then ſo get in all, or almoſt of all the then Monies, as aforeſaid, into their own Hands or Cuſtodies, what could they then do with it?
To this I Anſwer; I cannot tell all the ways that they then had for the putting off ſuch ſmall Monies at laſt: But undoubtedly they all of them had then a way for it, or otherwiſe they would not then have been ſo greedy after it, as they then were in the getting in of it then into their own Hands.
But now upon the whole of this Argument, if I may be permitted to ſpend my Thoughts upon it, and ſpeak my own Opinion in and about the whole matter, as I verily believe it to be; Then I will ſay, that I believe ſome of the aforeſaid ſuch Monies, was then paid into Your Majeſty's uſe for Cuſtoms, and ſome for Exciſe, and ſome for Taxes, and ſome by way of Lones; and ſo then at laſt, ſome by one way, and ſome by other ways, it was all, or almoſt all of it, lodged in Your moſt Gratious Majeſty's Exchequer, and there (I believe) was at laſt found much to light. But the Perjuries of ſuch Men, as might not then do Your Majeſty and the Coun
And now to conclude this ſecond part of my Diſcourſe, I cannot otherwiſe but ſay, that aOaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; and they do ſay, all of them, that they will fight for Your Majeſty and the Proteſtant Religion, and the good of their Country. But who can believe them? if thoſe Reaſons which I ſhall here now offer, be but well and duly conſidered.
And now I ſay, 'tis viſibly ſeen, and by their Actions too notoriuoſly known, that ſuch EvilProteſtant Religion, and King, and Country; no, no, for I am apt to believe that they will rather, every man of them, forſake the Proteſtant Religion, and leave our King and Country to the mercy of an Enemy, than fight for any Religion, King, or
ſecond part of my Diſcourſe.
But 3dly. There is one other fore Grievance which of late hath, and now doth continually damni
But again, ſuch covetous Rich Men, as aforeTiverton in Devonſhire, wrought by way of Truck; and inſtead of Money for Work, they had then moſt of them only Commodities, as Kerſie, Drugget, Serge, and Linnen-Cloath, or the like of other Commo
And now judge you, Great Sirs, were not thoſe
But 4thly. I cannot otherwiſe but make known to Your Moſt Gracious Majeſty and the ParliaEngland that have not the Alms of the Pariſh, that are in ſuch miſeEngland of late have, and now do Labour under them.
And therefore I will trouble Your moſt Gratious Majeſty, and the Parliament, no farther in theſe Diſcourſes, but will conclude all their Complaints of this nature, in theſe one or two true Stories, which I heard, as it came from the Mouth of one
And now, firſt of all, I ſay, in our Town of Tiverton, in Devonſhire, there was a Poor Man I think I must go away, and not write down thy Name now; for here is no place
Then this
Pray Maſter don't you go away, and not write down my Name; for if you pleaſe Maſter, I will turn me about, and ſtoop forward, and then you may reſt your Book upon my Back, and ſo write down my Name, and how much Money you have received from me. And ſo this poor man immediately ſo ſtoopt down, and the Re
My ſecond true Story is this; There was alſo a poor Widow Woman of our ſaid Town of Tiverton, who had buried ſeveral Children within ſome ſhort time together: And when the then ReceiGood God! was there ever any ſuch thing as this ever done in the World before until now? And then forthwith, ſhe the ſaid poor Widow Woman, went homeward, bitterly La
And now upon the conſideration of this, I can
And now, 5thly. I cannot otherwiſe, but make Tuſh Man, cannot go to ſuch a Price, as thee tells of, for Corn
But then ſays the poor honeſt CountryIndeed Maſter (with his Hat off, and ſcratchmethinks, Master, it ſhould go
(ſaith the Rich Country Gentleman, or Rich Grubinit will not go
(ſay they, or anwhat need we any more talk about this What wot thee take for all the Corn thou haſt i
To which the Poor Country-Man anſwers with a ſmile, and all this while (perhaps) his Hat is off; and in his Hand, (or) he holds it behind his Poll, (or) unMoney altogether, (Maſter!) will do me more kindneſs than to carry it into the Market, to ſell it out there by the Buſhel. And thus ſuch poor Country men, only reſerve for themſelves as much Corn as they think may be enough to ſerve their turn, both in Bread and Drink, and ſo ſell away the reſt all to a lump; and
And thus, by ſuch ways and means as theſe, ſome ſuch Men, as aforeſaid, have of late Years
And thus thoſe greedy Cormorants lay up ProRats and Mice, and thereby (meerly) ſtarve many good Chriſtians; and all this is for filthy Lucre's-ſake, and to heap up to themſelves the Treaſures of this World, which at laſt they muſt leave it all behind them, and ſo depart hence with a gauled Conſcience, by means thereof (or at leaſt) have a Curſe on it, unto the third and fourth Generation of their Poſterity: And the truth of this I muſt believe, becauſe God himCommandment, That he will viſit the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third and fourth GeneHow can you in your Conſcience ask ſo dear for your Corn? But then that word (Conſcience) hath put the ſaid Corn-ſellers into ſuch Cholerick Fits, as that then they have preſently took thoſe poor People by the Arms, and by their violent ſtrength, have thrown them off from their Corn-Tubs, to the very Ground it ſelf; and then in a little time after their Cholerick Fits were over, (then) they would (Impudently) Brazen out the ſaid Poor with Laughter, and then floutGo farther; away about your Buſineſs: Are you come to tell us of our Conſciences? We will have our Prices for our Corn, or you ſhall have none of us. Theſe, and many ſuch-like Actions as theſe, with my own Eyes and Ears, have I often
And is not this a hating of God, to deal with his poor Creatures (in ſuch) ſervile ways and manProv. 14.31. there Solomon ſaith, He that oppreſſeth the Poor, reproacheth his Maker: But he that Honoureth Him, hath Mercy on the Poor. Look alſo in Prov. 17.5. 'tis there ſaid, Whoſo mocketh the Poor, reproacheth his Maker; and he that is glad at Calamities, ſhall not be unpuniſhed. Again, I ſay, He that is Charitable to the Poor, loveth the Lord, and his Alms are acceptible, as if it were
Matthew's Goſpel, verſ. 40. 'tis there ſaid, Verily, I ſay unto you, Inaſmuch as ye have done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. And thus we may ſee from Chriſt's own Words, when any thing either of Mercy or JuMatthew's Goſpel aforeſaid, beginning at the 41 verſe, and ſo onwards to the 45th verſe, which 45th verſe ſaith, Verily I ſay unto you, inaſmuch as ye did it not to one of the leaſt of theſe, ye did it not to me. And now again, I ſay, then conſequently it muſt follow, that whoſoever ſhall ſee any of God's poor diſtreſſed People HunProverbs, verſ. the 17. 'tis there ſaid, He that hath pitty upon the Poor,
Lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given, will he pay him again.
But theſe things, few Men now do take into their Conſideration; for in this our Age, Men are now come to that height and degrees of CruAmos, as you may ſee in his 8th Chapter, verſ. the 4th and 5th, 'tis there ſaid, Hear this O ye that ſwallow up the Needy, even to make the Poor of the Land to fail, ſaying, When will the new-Moon be gone, that we may ſell Corn, and the Sabbath, that we may ſet forth Wheat, making the Ephah ſmall, and the Shekel great, and falſifying the Ballances by deceit. And for better ſatisfaction, you may Read the whole 8th Chapter of the ProAmos, and there you may ſee what ſore Judgments are threatned on ſuch a People as ſo do.
And now laſt of all, I Recommended (and ofDeuteronomy, and there may be ſeen what Bleſſings the great God of Heaven and Earth, hath in ſtore for ſuch as do well, as may be ſeen in the firſt verſe of that Chapter, and ſo onwards to the 15 verſ. of the ſaid Chapter, and then Read on to the end thereof, and there you may ſee, what (Curſes) God will power down on the Heads of all thoſe that will (continually) perſiſt on in their Evil ways.
But again, altho' in the Eyes of moſt Men, the greateſt loſs and danger of thoſe (Miſchievous) Actions, before-mentioned, are paſt and over; yet, I am to believe, that the moſt (malignant) part and direful effects of them are yet to come,
Come, I have a good ſtock of old Syder left, and for Apples, I believe we ſhall not want them very much, for I believe, I ſhall have ſome tho' not ſo many, as I was in hopes of, yet enough I hope, to make ſome Chriſtmas-pyes, to feaſt my Friends. But then afterwards it ſo happened, that this Gentleman's Old ſtock of Syder was well nigh ſpent before Winter came on, and when Chriſtmas came, he had no Syder to give to his TeChriſtmas. Pyes, to feaſt them; and then this Gentleman be
Again, I ſay, there was a certain Rich Man, who had in his Poſſeſſion ſeveral Mannours of Land, which were all well ſtockt, both with Horſes, Cattle, and Sheep; and alſo, he had by him much Treaſure; and to mannage theſe his Temporal Affairs, he had many Servants under him; ſome of thoſe Servants were very faithful to him; but others of them were as unfaithful to him, and yet ſo ſmooth and ſubtil in their way, as that they could not be by any way diſcerned from them that were faithful Servants to him; tho' at the ſame time (by a fair and Friend-like ſmiling kind of way) they did (Clandeſtinely) take from him much of his Treaſure: Which Loſſes, the ſaid Rich Man could no way diſcover, or avoid
But now, upon the whole of this matter, what can I ſay more of it than this, ſuch Evil-doings as theſe, ſometimes will be; (and yet) no Man can help it. And therefore, if any Man knows himſelf to be abuſed, and cannot help himſelf, (ſo well as he would) yet nevertheleſs I think 'tis but Prudence in any ſuch man, if he doth en
Such Sharking Wits, like (Weather-cocks) with the Wind, So nimbly turn their Faults, no Man can find: But Time will come, when All Things ſhall be known, And then ſuch Wits (ſhall) quite be overthrown. [ Read the firſtPſalmofDavid;but more particularly obſerve the ſixth Verſe.
And now may it pleaſe Your moſt Gratious Majeſty, and the now Honourable Parliament: By divers Ways and Methods, Arguments and Similitudes, both Metaphorically, and Really, I have endea(Majeſty) and the CounGratious [Majeſty] and the Parliament? And therefore I hope Your Goodneſs, and Greatneſs, (both) will be pleaſed (now) to lend an Ear to their ComGratious Majeſty againſt all Your Enemies: And therefore it is, that I have now taken upon me (to offer) unto Your Great
And again, I muſt ſay, there are ſome Men in the World, that have in them Accute Natural
Such Men are grown ſo Worldly Wiſe, Good Men they hate, and them deſpiſe; Such men now act (ſo) craftily, That Good Men (muſt) Meer Beggars dye. But mark the End, what comes at laſt, When Earthly Days are gone and paſt; DivesandLazarusdoth them tell,Beggars have Heaven, Rich Gluttons Hell. [ SeeLukethe 16th Chapter, verſ. 22, 23.]
And now to conclude, I ſay, by means of my thus doing, I am very ſenſible of it, that thereby I have (ſo openly) expoſed my ſelf, that I am now as a Mark to be ſhot at by ſuch Evil-minded Men, as I have here in this Small Treatiſe of mine, in ſome meaſure deſcribed: And therefore I hope, Your moſt Gratious Majeſty, and the Honourable Parliament, will now be pleaſed to ac
And ſo I conclude this Firſt Part of my Work, and farther ſay, (and now) from the very botGratious Majeſty, and the Honourable Parliament, and alſo preſerve our Nation from the Malice of all our Enemies, and all other Calamities whatſoever, that are any ways likely to attend us, is the Prayer of Your Majeſty's true Loyal SubHonourable Parliament's devoted Servant,
AS in my foregoing Diſcourſes, I have endeavouAtheiſm, Errors, and evil Examples, from whence ſpringeth forth all manner of Wickedneſs, Filthineſs, and Lewdneſs, as Prophanation, Swearing. Curſing, Lying, Murthers, Thefts, Sodomies, Buggeries, Inceſts, Drunkenneſs, Gluttonies, Whoredoms, Adulteries, Fornications, Chambering, Wantonneſs, Laſciviouſneſs, Looſe Looks, Unbecoming Behaviours, mimical
and Obſcene Talks, in all manner of Communications, in theſe our daily Buſineſſes. For now all chaſt Ears and Eyes are always (and ever) continually anoyed with
And all thoſe before-mentioned Evils, (muſt needs) proceed from ſuch Wants, as I ſhall now forthwith no
And firſt of all, I ſay, ſuch Evils, as aforeſaid, did firſt proceed through Mens want of a True Faith in God, and a true Reverence of God.
2dly, Through want of Mens having within them
3dly, Through want of the due Execution of ſuch good Laws as are already made for the
And now, Great Sirs, according to the beſt of my ca
And now again, I ſay, as I have in theſe my before
And now I come to ſet forth to Your Goodneſs, the Sixth general Head of my Diſcourſe, which I menIntroduction, to the main of my whole Diſcourſe, and all the before-mentioned Heads therein contain'd, I have already inſiſted on the Particulars of them, and in theſe my before-mention'd and ſeveral Diſcourſes, have therein finiſhed them. And now by God's aſſiſtance, I ſhall endeavour, to the beſt of my power, to ſet forth to Your Greatneſs and Goodneſs, the ſeveral Parti
AND now Sixthly, I muſt ſay, ſuch things as I now do intend to diſcourſe of, [are] as I think, all very neceſſary to be thought upon, and are of a far more higher Concernment, than any thing yet, that I have offered in any of my before-going Diſcourſes: And the firſt thing that I ſhall offer to the Conſideration of your Great
That notwithſtanding all thoſe hard and dear Times, which of late have been and now are, yet nevertheleſs, all this doth not any way work up
But theſe are not the Poor, that I have in my before-mentioned Diſcourſes, ſo much lamented and pittied; and if I may now be but permitted to ſpeak my opinion in this Cauſe, concerning ſuch a Mobb of ſturdy Vagabond Poor, or of ſome other ſuch-like vile and prophane Atheiſtical Spi
But here a Query may ariſe, and it may be ſaid, From whence firſt ſprung all thoſe Vices and Wickedneſſes which do now even as it were reign predominant in this our Land; and that not only amongſt the Mobb, and Vagabond ſturdy Foor, but to much amongſt (almoſt) all Sorts, and all Ranks, and all Degrees, and all Sexes, and (almoſt) all Ages of theſe our People (in this our Nation;) for the very Infant, even as it were, is now become (ſo prophane) as is the Old Man.
To this I Anſwer; All thoſe wicked and proAtheiſm Error, and Evil Examples.
But first of all I ſay, it firſt came from Atheiſm, for when once any one comes to deny God himſelf, what thing is there in the World that ſuch a one will not do next? I ſay, ſuch a one will do any thing whatſoever that his own miſchievous Heart at any time conceives to do, be it what it will: And indeed, much it is to be lamented, to ſee Atheiſm in this our Age, to become ſuch a vaſt and
Heathen-Philoſophers in their days, did plant this moſt pernitious Root of Atheiſm in moſt places of the World, which took deep root here in England amongſt us; for their have always, and ever ſince that time, remained amongſt us ſome ſuch Atheiſtical SpiAtheiſtical Root, from which ſpringeth forth that moſt damnable Doctrine, which teacheth ſuch wicked Men to deny all future Beings: But yet neAtheiſm had no room to ſpring up in this part of the World; for if at any time then it did but begin to appear, it was then preſently trodAtheiſm is
Protestant Religion, & Goſpel of our moſt Bleſſed Lord and Saviour Jeſus Christ, which is yet by ſome good men's endeavours, (deAtheiſm, that ſo at laſt, for want of future nouriſhment, it may at laſt (pe
But 2dly, I ſay, from this pernitious Root of Atheiſm, ſprings forth Errors: For no ſooner can a Traveller be out of his right way, but he muſt (inevitably) be in a wrong Path, that will lead him aſide, or backwards, ſo that by means thereDivinity, therChurch of England Men, (Truth) by means thereof, hath of late Years been a great Sufferer, (whilſt) Errors in the mean time hath gained great Applauſes amongſt ſimChurch of England, that can ſay no more in the defence of their Faith, than to ſay, Here is a Health to the Church of England, with confuſion to all them that are of any other Opinion. But ſuch Expreſſions and Sayings are not only fooliſh and bruitiſh, but they are very uncharitable alſo; and the Doctrine of the Church of England teacheth ſuch Men (as ſo ſay) better Principles; for it teacheth all Men to have Charity for all Perſons, and all ſorts of People, as well for ſuch (as are not of that Faith) as for thoſe that are within the Pale of that Church: And therefore, I ſay, great pity it is, and much to be lamented, and I my ſelf cannot otherwiſe but be much troubled for it, to ſee, and hear, ſuch (a) moſt worthy, honourable, excellent, (and) authenChurch of England is, by many poor, ſimple, (and weak Creatures) who through want of Right UnderEngland, whoſe Lives and Converſations, have alAtheiſm it ſelf: And ſuch things as theſe, I my ſelf do much lament them, as I my ſelf am one of that Faith, which is of, and belonging to that Church, known by the Name of the Church of England; from which Faith I hope I ſhall never waver.
But again, it may be ſaid, What, are there none that do live in Lewdneſs, and lead wicked prophane Lives, but ſuch Men as are called by the Name of Church of England Men?
To this I Anſwer; There be ſome of all Opi
And now I ſay to you my Native Country-men, of our Town of Tiverton in Devonſhire, ſpare me not, but either exclaim againſt me (or reprove me) in or for any thing that is Evil, that you either know (in me) or of me, or againſt me; and if it be true, that you lay to my Charge, I will patiently bare your Reproof, and endeavour to amend what is in me amiſs, to the beſt of my power; and for what is wanting in my ſelf, to be enabled ſo to do, I ſhall deſire God to aſſiſt me, ſo as that I may be the better able to eſchew all manner of Evil, and follow nothing but what is Good: And the ſame Reſolution (in every thing) I adviſe all and every of you, and all other Perſons whatſoever, that hope to be ſaved in and through the Love of God, and the Merits of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt) you all of you, and every of you ought to take; which Re
But again, ſomething more I muſt ſay concernErrors, and Erroneous Livers, and that is this; I ſay, take this for certain, that amongſt all our Opinions, Sects, and Religions, their are ſome Errors: For their is but One true God, but One true Religion, but One true Faith, and but One true Way, to ſerve this true God. (Then) how can ſo many Ways as we profeſs, in and about matters of Religion, be all and every of them true? [This] to the Eye of Senſe and Reaſon cannot be, (nor to the Eye of Faith either, can it ſo appear to be.) And therefore I muſt ſay again, [Errors] are crept in amongſt us, and we do even as it were cheriſh them in our Boſoms, only to gratifie our Pride, [or] Vain-glory, [or] Self-Intereſt, or to ſhew our Natural Parts: And unError, many do plainly ſhew to the World, that they aim at nothing more than what I have but juſt now ſaid; for how many Volumes have ſome Men writ to reclaim Errors? and when they have all done, by their [Works] it hath then plainly appeared, to the Wiſeſt and moſt Judicious Men of our Age, that what they have ſo much cavilled about, hath been at laſt (more) about indiffeWe ſee how all thoſe Scepticks, or Sectaries, differ in all their Points about matters of Religion, and ſome of them lead as looſe Lives as any other People whatſoever; and therefore we will believe in none of them. And ſo conſequently emAtheiſm it ſelf, and in their Hearts then ſay, if not with their Mouths, That there is no God to call them to Account; for ſay they, (theſe ſimple poor weak ones) If ſuch Men, of all Religions, did agree in their Opinions about God, and the ways of Godlineſs, we ſhould then think there were [a God] to puniſhus, for our Evil Doings: But we do ſee (they do not agree) in ſuch things: And beſides all this (ſay they) in and by their Looſe and Erroneous Livings,
For then If ſuch Men did really be
And then they, thoſe [Religion] that
And therefore I muſt ſay again, that I think, it would be much the better way, for all ſuch Men, as do ſpend (ſo) much time, in
But ſuch Complaints as theſe [made] by ſo mean a Creature as I am, may be but little reSolomon's own Words for it, which I think hath ſome relation to theſe Diſcourſes of mine, (here in before-mentioned) read Eccleſ. 12.12, 13, 14 it is there ſaid, And further by theſe my Son, be admoniſhed, of making many Books there is no end; and much Study is a wearineſs of the Fleſh. Let us hear the Concluſion of the whole mater, Fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole Duty
And thus I have endeavoured to ſet forth unto you, how that from Atheiſm comes Errors; and
Atheiſm: And then, thus conAtheiſm and Errors, muſt ſpring forth that dangerous, and moſt malignant Root, called Evil Examples; and this is the next thing that I ſhall now inſiſt upon.
And now I ſay, that Evil Examples may fitly be compared to a Wilderneſs-like Country, that
But now more really and plainly concerning Evil Examples, I ſay, too many of them there are
But ſo it is, that they now reign predominant in this our Nation, to that height and degree, ſo as that there are ſome of all Ranks, Degrees, Sexes, Ages, Profeſſions, and Callings, corrupted by them ſome way or other, more or leſs: For inſtead of Virtue and Chaſtity, is uſed ChamberGod ſave us, 'tis now (almoſt) a general ſaying, God D—m-us: And inſtead of ſaying, Chriſt have Mercy upon us, 'tis now a general ſaying, The D—vil confound us. O! what moſt horrid Sins are theſe! for Men to call on him that made them, to damn them; and alſo to call for the Devil to confound them, that is always ſeeking about like a Roaring Lyon to devour them, and would ſoon make them his Prey, if God out of his moſt bountiful Mercy towards poor frail SinHell it ſelf were in a Flame within your own Breaſts. O! ſuch Wickedneſs as theſe alone, are enought to pull down God's Vengeance upon us: But more-eſpe
But again, it may be ſaid, There are good and wholſome Laws made to prevent all manner of Wickedneſs; And what can there be more done to prevent ſuch evills, than there is done already?
To this I anſwer; There are good and who;lScribes and Phariſees, when they brought the Woman taken in Adultry, before our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, and then ſaid to him, Moſes in the Law, commanded us that ſuch ſhould be Stoned; But what ſayeſt thou? The Chriſt anſwered them, He that is without Sin, amongſt you, let him firſt caſt a Stone at her; Which neither of they (the ſaid Scibes and Phariſees) did do; becauſe every one of them (was convicted in his own Conſcience) to be as great a Sinner, as the Woman whom they had then taken in AdulWoman, where are thoſe thine accuſers; hath no Man condemned thee? She ſaid, No man, Lord. And Jeſus ſaid unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go and Sin no more. See in the 8th Chapter of Saint John's Goſpel, beginning at the 3 d. verſe, and ſo on ward to the 12th verſe.
And now to apply theſe things to our ſelves, I think I may without giving offence to any one, (ſay) that it would be beſt of all, for all ſorts of
But again, I ſay evil Examples have been ſo many of them in this our Age, that their(proDrunkards, Swearers, Whoremongers, Thieves, Lyars, ſecret
Ʋnderminers, and Clandeſtine Deceivers, and all other ſorts of diſſembling Hypocrites whatſoever, do na
Again I ſay, Evil Examples are very malig(How) Sarrah, can't you drink? (what) you dont know what's good for your ſelf; Come drink it all up Boy, and I'll make you love good Liquor as well as my ſelf; for I find it to be a great Comfort to my Heart. And this way the Drunkard in time, makes his Son to become as common a DrunkWhy may not I my ſelf do the like? And thus through want of good Examples, he is prone to all manner of Evil, and then he the Son, preſent
Again, the ſame may be ſaid concerning Mothers and Daughters, for if the Mother, throughout her whole Life and Converſation, be Vitiouſly given to all manner of Lewdneſs, and WickedJoſeph learn to Swear by the Life of Pharoah, after he had been but a little while in the Egyptians Court, and it may be, he had heard many of the Egyptians oftentimes ſo to ſwear; ſee Geneſis the 24th Chapter, verſe 15.
But farther, concerning Evil Examples, I muſt ſay the greateſt danger of them all, is when they are found in Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, for they hereby do not only (corrupt) ſingle Perſons, or peculiar Families, but whole Cities, Towns, and Villages.
But again, The next thing, that will come in this my way of Diſcourſe, I think will be to enEngland: But however, when God is diſpleaſed with any Nation and People, that it is then his Good will and Pleaſure, to give Warnings before he ſtrikes, is plainly to be made manifeſt; and to prove this, I need not uſe many Arguments, for both Divine and Moral Hiſtories are full of ſuch Preſidents:
And the firſt of them that I ſhall offer to you, for the proof hereof, ſhall be that of Joſephus, in his Moral Hiſtory, concerning the City of Jeruſalem, who, if I miſtake not, therein ſaith, That a Flaming Sword for a conſiderable time appeared over that City, before the Deſtruction of it: And if the Impenitent Jews had then at the ſight thereof, truly Repented, who can tell but God might have had Mercy upon them. But they did not Repent, and therefore at laſt they felt the ſad Effects of it.
But 2dly, Divine Hiſtory ſaith, That the WickGeneſis, verſ. 3. But they of the Old World in all that time, did not Repent; and therefore at laſt they were all drowned in the Flood; ſee in 7th Chapter of Geneſis, verſ. 12.
Again, I ſay, Nineveh was a great City, and the People thereof very Wicked; ſee Jonah, chap. 1. ver. 2. For their Wickedneſs was grown to that prodigious height, that it aſcended up to Heaven before the Lord, and therefore God pronounc'd his Judgments againſt them, by the Mouth of the Prophet Jonah: But as ſoon as Jonah had Preach'd the Word of the Lord unto them, and told them, Yet forty Days, and Nineveh ſhall be overthrown. Then they preſently Believed, and ReJonah, chap. 3. from the firſt verſe to the end of that Chapter.
And thus we may ſee, that God doth firſt of all ſhew himſelf a God of Mercy, before he doth ſhew himſelf to be the God of Juſtice.
And therefore I may now (juſtly) and truly ſay, without giving offence to any Man, that God hath been, and ſtill is, very Merciful to us here in England, (and that) in his forbearing of us, in all theſe our Infirmities, with great Patience: For is not our Land now become a very ſinful Nation? (O) what Wickedneſs is their in the whole World, that is not (now) acted, done, and committed here in England amongſt us; (for now) in this [our] Age, (home) to this very day, do not we continually (wallow) in the
Sabbath-breaking, Hypocriſie, Pride, Whoredoms, Sodomy, Murthers, Blaſphemy, Swearing, Curſing, Flattering, Lying, Frauds, Perjuries, Thieving, Oppreſſion, Ʋnjuſt Dealing, Covetouſneſs, Self-intreſt, with all maner of Undermining, Falſhood, and with Hearts full of ſecret Miſchief, ſtriving by all manner of falſe ways, (Clandeſtinely) to deJudas-like Kiſs, or Counterfeit Smile, profeſs themſelves real Friends [to him] or them [whom he or they] at that veEngland over.
And therefore (I ſay) both from Reaſon, and Scripture, rationally and divinely, we may all of us [think] our ſelves to be as great Sinners, as any were in the Old World, or in any other Nation, ever ſince the World began, who have been deſtroyed for their Sins: And therefore ['tis now] high time for us all to Repent, and Amend our Lives, for who can tell what may follow theſe our moſt great and grievous Sins? And 'tis to be queſtioned, whether our Sins may deſerve that Mercy from God, which the Ninehvite's then received from him; for they, the Ninehvite's, imJonah, as you may read it in the 12th Chap. of Matthew, verſ. 41. But for our ſelves, 'tis much to be feared, that our Impenitent Hearts, are
Jews, who were too much hardened to repent; which if ſo, who can tell, how ſoon we may feel the ſevere Judgments of God amongſt us; for we are as great Sinners as any of they were; look in the 13th Chapter of Saint Luke's Goſpel, the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5th verſes, and there you will find, that when ſome told Chriſt what great Sinners the Galileans were; Jeſus anſwered them, Suppoſe ye that theſe Galileans were ſinners above all the Galileans? I tell you Nay: But except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. Or thoſe eighteen, upon whom the Tower in Siloam fell, and ſlew them, think ye they were Sinners above all men that dwelt in Jeruſalem? I tell you, Nay: But except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. And thus we ſee, the Jews had warning from Chriſt himſelf, and yet they did not Repent. And now are not we in England warned to RepenChurch of England, many good, devout, and moſt eminent Preachers, that do conSabbath-day, do by their moſt powerful and preſſing Arguments, uſe their utmoſt endeavours to perſwade Sinners, and to reclaim them from all their Evil Ways, exhorting them to true ReMoſes's, & Aaron's that are now left on the Earth, to ſtand in the Gaps, and Ways, in which deſtruction cometh; and there do lift up their moſt devout Hearts and Hands, and interceed unto the Lord for us. And thus by their Prayers, togeChriſtians, God's moſt ſevere Judgments, (have hitherJews, and will not repent us of our Evil Ways, then our Puniſhments will be only from our ſelves: Ninevite's did (and alſo) that we may be the better, enabled ſo to do, let us now forthwith (firſt of all,) every one of us look into our own particular Hearts, and ſee what is there amiſs, and amend it: And after that, to the very utmoſt of our power, (evermore) ſhun all manner of Evils, and then we may (yet) hope for Mercy at God's Hands; but otherwiſe, no leſs can be ex
And now Seventhly, I ſay, from the Holy Bible, which I believe to be the written Word of God, and from the Experience of my own Actions; as alſo from the obſervation and experience of many other Men's actions, that I have known, or have heard of, from the Mouths of credible Perſons, I have grounded all theſe my former Diſcourſes; from which Fountain has flown all that I have ſaid, wherein I have endeavoured to ſet forth the ſeveral wicked Actions, of almoſt all People, here within this out Land or Nation: And with theſe our Actions [God] is not well pleaſed, as doth ap(Mammon) than they do in the Great God of Heaven: But let ſuch Men know, that, that God, that made them to that end and purpoſe, to do good in their Generation, can deſtroy them for their WickedObadiah, but more particularly obThe pride of thine Heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwelleſt in the clifts of the rock, whoſe habitation is high, that ſaith in his heart, Who ſhall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thy ſelf as the Eagle, and though thou ſet thy Neſt among the Stars, thence will I bring thee down, ſaith the Lord. And in the 6th, 7th and 8th Verſes 'tis ſaid, How are the things of Eſau ſearched out? How are his hid things ſought up? All the Men of thy Confederacy have brought thee even to the Border? the men that were at peace with thee, have deceived thee, and prevailed againſt thee; they that eat thy Bread, have laid a Wound under thee; there is none underſtanding in them. Shall I not in that Day, ſaith the L
Edom, and Ʋnderſtanding out of the Mount of Eſau? And in For thy violence againſt
Jacob, ſhame ſhall cover thee, and thou ſh
And alſo, in the 15th Verſe 'tis ſaid, For the
And now again, I ſay, if any of our Star-gazers, who are called by the Name of Aſtrologers, ſhall read theſe my Diſcourſes, they will ſay of me, He hath written like a Fool; for we know that all ſuch diſorderly ſeaſons, as have been of late Years, comes from no other Cauſes, than from the natural Influences of the Heavenly Bodies, acAſtrologers (in this cauſe) now ſtated.
Again, the like alſo, they ſay of any man's NaStars, muſt be either Good or Evil, more or leſs, in their ſeveral Degrees, and Qualifications, of their Minds, as well as Rich or Poor in Fortunes; for I do not underſtand, that they do any of them (make any exception) in theſe things; and if ſo, then thoſe Aſtrologers make room for Atheiſm alſo. And indeed, great pity it is, that ſo many Wiſe Men, in Worldly Affairs, ſhould be ſo ignorant in that point, as to put any Confidence in ſuch Lying Fops, as many of them
Predictions give themſelves (ConAſtrologers) who are in themſelves, ſome of them, almoſt as bad as Devils; and I had no need to have ſaid, almoſt as bad, for the very Devils themſelves believe and tremble: But ſuch Men as do pretend to this great Art in Aſtrology, ſome of them, have as I have been told, deny'd the very Being of God himſelf. But however, I will alAſtrologers pretend to foretell; and ſome Men there be now living, that do put too muſt truſt in them, and ſeem to plead for the certainty of their knowledge; for ſay they, Some of them do ramble very right in ſome of their Predictions. To which I anſwer, The greatAſtrologers Predictions whatſoever, that they ſhall really come to paſs, as they predicted it. But however, for Argument-ſake, I think it fit to compair their Predictions, to be ſomewhat like unto Lotteries, as to the unAſtrologers, by their foreAſtrologers will be ſure to catch at, and will ſay, That, that was the thing they meant in their Predictions, when (per
But again, (if I miſtake not) the very FoundaAſtrologers, who did then, in their days, both quote, and chronicle, the ſeveral Poſitions, of the heavenly Bodies, and the Effects which enſued in their time, and ſo have left it down to our PoWinds, for the North and Eaſt Winds are uſually cold and dry; and the South and Weſt Winds uſually more warm and moiſt, and more inclinable to Wet Weather: And yet ſometimes, the South and Weſt Winds, are ſomewhat dry and cold, as the North and Eaſt Winds are ſometimes more warm and moiſt; and in theſe things, as well as in many others that I could mention, all, like Cauſes have not their like Effects. But again, as to the Weather, how unAſtrologers will take it upon them, to foretell it to the whole Country: And indeed, I muſt ſay it, that it is a foul ſhame to all our Aſtrologers, to write ſo many genteel Complements, if not Lyes it ſelf (about the Weather) for ſome of them, do point-blank, ſay wet Weather, when at the ſame time, the Weather proveth to be very dry: And when they ſay very Cold, then it doth very commonly fall out to be very Warm for the time of the Year: And when they downHalcyon-days;
Halcyon-days, for conſtant Fair Weather.—But again, Aſtrologers will ſay, That there is not that certain Rule, for the Knowledge of the Weather, as their is for the Calculating of Nativities: For ſay they, the innumerable Company of Stars, (are fix't) and move not at all, but in their grand Motion, and the Seven Planets, keep their due Courſes, (always) according to their ſeveral MoAſtrologers do ſo very much fail in theſe our Predictions about the Weather.
To this I Anſwer, (and ſay) you (Maſters) and Aſtrologers, what you do now offer in your deAlmanacks aAlmanacks, tells them that they may expect Fair Weather: But then, when thoſe Country-men find themſelves (ſo diſappointed) with ſuch wet Weather, as that they are hindred both from Plowing and Sowing their Seeds; then it may be ſome of them may be apt enough, to ſay their Prayers backward, on the behalf of their Almanack-Makers; for indeed, they are many of them ig(Ay) (do) God Almighty, do, ſpoil all, do ſo; do. And thereMaſters, and Aſtrologers, if ſuch men are ſo apt to blaſpheme or mock at God himAſtrologers, when they find how often you have deceived them with your falſe Predictions about the Weather.
But again, I muſt have the other touch, with you Aſtrologers, about your Predictions. And now I ſay, I have heard, that there hath been obſerAſtrologer, what was the Reaſon, why one of them was ſo Poor, and the other ſo Rich?
Mr. Aſtrologer. I'll anſwer you Sir, to this; the Reaſon was, becauſe they were not Born both together in the ſame Minuit, or Moment of time; for one Moment may make ſome alteration, in ſuch Cauſes; for if they had been both Born into the World (in one) and the ſame Minuit, or rather Moment of Time, then I do aver it, that they would both of them, have had very nearly (if not) equal ſucceſs in thoſe their Worldly Affairs.
Author. Sir, was this the very Reaſon, why theſe Men were ſo different, in their worldly Fortune?
Aſtrologer. Yes, Sir, that was the very reaſon of it.
Author. I do not believe it: But however, provided, it be true, that every Man's good or evil Fate, doth depend upon that very critical point of Time, pray Sir, where is that Man or Woman in the World, that is either Father or Mother, of any Child, whoſe Nativity you have ever calculated, that could ever tell the very Ex
Aſtrologer. Yes Sir, very well, there be them that have obſerved the very Minuit.
Author. By what rule, Sir?
Aſtrologer By Clocks, Watches, and Sun-Dials, or by the Courſes of the Sun, Moon, and Stars.
Author. But what if the Sun, Moon, or Stars, are not to be ſeen, either [by Day] or by Night, by reaſon of dark, thick, groſs Clouds, that may interpoſe between us and them, ſo as that neither of them could, or can, or may be ſeen at the time of the Birth of any Child? or how can you, or how will you, or how could you, ever know the very exact Minuit or Moment of Time in ſuch Weather?
Aſtrologer. Why, then we muſt trust to Clocks, or Watches.
Author. Ay, ſurely, that way you muſt needs be deceived, in the knowing the very exact minuit, or moment of the time, of any Child's Birth: For where is that Watch, or Clock to be found in the whole World, that doth always keep the true time of the Day and Night (ſo exactly) as not to fail, in one minuit or moment's time? Or if there could be any ſuch Clock, or Watch (made) that would keep time ſo (exactly,) where is that Man in the world, that can ſet any Clock or Watch, ſo exact to the very time, of the Day, or Night, as that he doth not err in one minuit, or moment's time, ac
Aſtrologer. There are Men, that can make a Watch, or Clock, that will conſtantly carry the true
time, of the Day or Night, when it is once but truly ſet by the Sun Dial, I ſay to a moment of time.
Author. Sir, I do not believe that; tho' for Argument-ſake, if I allow it ſo, yet I have this to ſay; Pray, Sir, where is the Man to be found, in the whole World, that can meaſure the Hea
Aſtrologer. Sir, there be them, that can do theſe things, which you queſtion the truth of it, whether you will believe it, or not.
Author. Sir, I muſt ſay ſtill, I do not believe, that any man in the world, can make any ſuch Clock, Watch, or Sun-Dial, that will keep true Time (exactly) and equally, not erring one mo
And now to conclude our Diſcourſes, I ſay, no ſuch Foundation could ever be found, for ſuch an Engin to reſt upon; nor can I believe, that the very exact moment of time, can ever be found out, for you to work by it without Er
But as for Aſtronomy, that I will allow, to be a noble, lawful, and honourable Science; for they plainly demonſtrate, what they pretend to know, and for the moſt part of it, the truth of it, is, effectually found; but as to any thing concern
Aſtrologer. Pray, Sir, before we part, let me ask you a Queſtion; What ſay you, is the reaſon, why thoſe two Men were ſo unequal in their Worldly Fortunes? (ſeeing) they were both equal in their (Births) Parentage, Parts, Education, and in all manner of Qualifications; and alſo, were both born into the World, in one and the ſame Hour, and Minuit as it were, they both of them, came into the World together.
Author. Sir, I will Anſwer your Queſtion: The reaſon of it (was this) God) that made them, and ſent them both into the World (at) or nearly at one and the very ſame time, he for Reaſons beſt known to himſelf, thought it not fit, to give them an equal ſhare alike of worldly Goods, or ſuch things as we call Riches, (altho') he was then pleaſed, to make them both equal in Qualifications, as to their natural temperaLuke's Goſpel, verſ. 15. theſe words, And he ſaid unto them, Take heed and beware of Covetouſneſs, for a Man's Life conſiſteth not in the abundance of the things which he poſſeſſeth. Again, I ſay, is it not oftentimes ſeen, how Riches puffs up ſome Men into Pride, and makes them oftentimes undertake, the doing of many unjuſt things, which many times, brings them inMatthew's Goſpel, beginning at the 15th Verſe, and ſo onwards to the 31 Verſe.
And now, I ſay again, It is the Will and PleaSolomon ſaith concerning this matter, in the 9th Chapter of Eccleſiaſtes, verſ. 11.—I returned, and ſaw under the Sun, that the Race is not to the ſwift, nor the Lattel to the strong, neither yet Bread to the Wiſe, nor yet Riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill, but Time and Chance happeneth to them all.
But again, you Aſtrologers, (perhaps) may queſtion and ſay, Pray Sir, what doth the Wiſe Man (mean) by his ſaying, But Time and Chance happeneth to them all? For by theſe his own Words, it ſeems to us, as if they were ſpoken in favour of our Science.
Author. Sirs, this Queſtion I will endeavour to anſwer you alſo; and now I ſay, Solomon, by them Words, doth not mean any ſuch Chances, as you Aſtrologers do ſay, doth betide every man, according to his Fate, or Deſtiny, as it was deSolomon, in another place of this his ſame Book: declares expreſly againſt you, and in effect by his Words there expreſt (to me) it doth plainEccleſiastes, Chap. 8. Verſ. 17. And there you will find, Solomon's words to be theſe as followeth; Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out, the work that is done under the Sun: Becauſe though a man labour to ſeek it out, yet he ſhall not find it; yea further, though a Wiſe Man think to know it, yet ſhall he not be able to find it out.
And now upon the whole of our Arguments, between us, I farther ſay, Away with all your Predictions, for I cannot otherwiſe but abominate them; for theſe things which you pretend to know, are the very Secrets of [God] himſelf, and paſt your finding them out. And therefore it is not worth my labour, to diſcourſe you any more about it, [for Seeing] is Believing; and every Year, we find all your Predictions, ſo far from truth, that I think any of them not worth any man's Obſervation, (otherwiſe) than to laugh at them, and not to depend on them; nor can any man truly believe in God, that doth believe and put truſt in any of your Predictions; for how can any man believe in [God] that will not believe in the Holy Bible, which is God's Word, and ſpeaks directly againſt ſuch ones as you are, as you may read it in the 47th Chapter of the ProIſaiah, verſ. 12, 13, 14. It is there thus writStand now with thine Inchantments, and with the multitude of thy Sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy Youth, if ſo be thou ſhalt be able to profit, if ſo be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy Councils: Let now the Astrologers, the Star-gazers, the Monthly Prognosticators,
stand up and ſave thee. Behold, they ſhall be as stubble, the Fire ſhall burn them up, they ſhall not deliver themſelves from the power of the Flame. And thus by the written Word of God, you may ſee what a vain thing Aſtrology is; for all the Prophets of the Lord exclaimed againſt it.
And now I ſay upon the whole of this my Diſ
And now by the courſe of Argument, I think it comes again in my way, to ſpeak ſomething more concerning our late Unfruitful Years, and there
Both from Reaſon, and Scripture, it doth appear to me, that our late Long Winters, cold Springs, cold Summers, Wet Harveſts, and Unſeaſonable Sowing times, which hath been of late Years, [was not] wholly from the Natural Cauſes of the HeaSun, which for ought I know, may be the Centre, and there placed, beSun, all compounded Ma
Again, I do not ſay, but that all the reſt of the other Heavenly Bodies, have their ſhares, in the beAſtrologers pretend to know. And therefore, I ſay again, it is idle and fooliſh, for any one to put truſt in Aſtrologers Predictions; for it was only [God] that at firſt created all thoſe Heavenly Bodies, and it is (only) he himJoſhua, in whoſe Book I find, that the Gibeonites did by a ſubtil way obtain their Peace with Joſhua, who by his League then promiſed that the Gibeonites ſhould live; and alſo therein I find, that the Princes of the ConIſrael, ſwore unto the Gibeonites alſo, that they ſhould not be deIſrael underſtood, by what an undermining way, they had obtained their Peace; then they were in great wroth with the Gibeonites, and the Children of the Congregation of Iſrael, then murmured againſt their Princes, becauſe they had Peace with the Gibeonites; and yet nevertheleſs, notwithſtanding that Peace, I find that the ConIſrael would have deſtroyed the Gibionites, had not the Princes of their CongregaGibeonites, becauſe they the Princes had ſworn unGibeonites, that they ſhould live; as you may read it at large in the 9th Chapter of the Book of Joſhua. And from thence I obſerve this alſo, that their is a moſt ſacred tye (in Oaths) and that God doth expect from all men, that all manner of legal Oaths, made and ſworn, to good Intentions, as they have relation (only) to the Glory of God, and the Good of all Mankind, ſhould be always performed, and kept unviolated, as we may ſee by this League and Oath, between
Iſrael and the Gibeonites: And tho' the Gibeonites did at that time, by ſuch a beIſrael, yet it was ſomewhat excuſable in them, becauſe they did it (only) to ſave their Lives, and not to ſave their Money, for they the Gibeonites, offered up both themſelves and all that they had, ſaying to Joſhua, And now behold, we are in thine Hand, as it ſeemeth good and right unto thee (to do unto us) do; as you may read it in the ſame 9th Chapter of the Book of Joſhua, verſ. 24, 25, 26, 27. Again I ſay, that action of the Gibeonites, is to be thought ſomewhat the more excuſeable, if we do but conſider with our ſelves how good and faithful Abraham, did the like, when for fear of Death, he ſaid to the Egyptians, that his Wife Sarah was his Siſter, and alſo Abraham himſelf perſwaded Sarah his Wife to ſay the like alſo, to the Egyptians, look in Geneſis, Chap. 12. verſ. 13. and ſo onwards to the end thereof. But again (I ſay) good Mens Evaſions are no ſufficient Warrants to allow evil Men in their moſt NotoPerjuries both towards God and Men (only) for to get (or) ſave a little Money; for that Sin, of evading Truth, (only) to ſave (Life it ſelf) may be forgiven, in and through the Mercy of God, barely, by a true Repentance for it: But Frauds, and Perjuties, are not forgiven (by Repentance alone) for ReſtituAmorites, went up to Encamp before the City of Gibeon; (then) the men of Gibeon ſent unto Joſhua to the Camp of Gilgal, ſaying, Slack not thy hand from thy ſervants; come up to us quickly, and ſave us, and help us, for all the Kings of the Amorites, that dwell in the mountains, are gathered together againſt us. And then I find (immediately) upon the Gibeonites requeſt, Joſhua with all the mighty men of valour, aſcended from Gilgal; and then the Lord, to encourage Joſhua, ſaid unto them, Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thine hand, there ſhall not a man of them ſtand before thee. And thus Joſhua was encouraged by the Lord, and thereGilgal all Night, and came ſuddenly upon them; and then, as the Scripture-Text ſaith, The Lord diſcomfited them before Iſrael, and ſlew them with a great ſlaughter at Gibeon, and chaſed them along the way, that goeth to Beth-horon, and ſmote them to Azekah, and unto Mak-kedah. And more, the Text ſaith this, And it came to paſs, as they fled from before Iſrael, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great Hail-ſtones from Heaven upon them, unto Azeand they died. And then the Text ſaith, in theſe words, [They were more] which died with the Hail-ſtones, than they whom the Children of Iſrael ſlew with the Sword. And more the Text ſaith, Then ſpake Joſhua to the Lord, in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the Children of Iſrael; and be ſaid in the ſight of Iſrael, Sun, ſtand thou ſtill
upon Gibeon, and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon. And the Sun ſtood ſtill, and the Moon ſtayed [untill] the People had avenged themſelves upon their Enemies. And then the Text ſaith, Is not this written in the Book of Jaſher? So the Sun ſtood ſtill in the midſt of Heaven, and haſted not to go down, about a whole Day. And there was no Day, like that before it, or after it, that the Lord hearkened to the Voice of a Man. All this at large you may read it, in the 10th Chapter of the Book of Joſhua. And now the uſe that I ſhall make of this, is as followeth.
And first of all, I find, that notwithſtanding the Gibeonites ſeveral evaſions, which they uſed in making up their League of Peace, with the ChilIſrael, yet God was pleaſed to own them, (becauſe) he knew, that the Gibeonites in their Hearts believed in his Word, and dreaded his PeoIſrael, and what they then did, [God] himſelf (knew) that it was not to deceive the ChilIſrael of any of their worldly Riches, or to do them any bodily harm; (but) that it was (only) out of an innocent fear, to ſave their own Lives; for they then thought with themſelves, that if they ſhould then have appeared plainly unJoſhua, that then they ſhould not have obtained their Peace with Iſrael: And by this we may ſee, that in all things, God obſerves the Wills of Men, and that he takes for their Deeds, whether it be in things that are good, or whether it be in things that are evil.
2dly, I find, that at any time whatſoever, when God ſhall think it fit, he can then (immediately) augment, or diminiſh, the Forces, (or) Influences, of all the Heavenly Bodies, (or) change, or ſtop
Aſtrologers do afAſtrology is a fallible Art; and for the better Confirmation of it, I cannot well omit that Preſident of good King Hezekiah, for when the Prophet Iſaiah told him, Thus ſaith the Lord, Set thy Houſe in order, for thou ſhalt dye, and not live. Then immediately Hezekiah turned his Face to the Wall, and with Prayers, and Tears, pleaded with God, [how] he had walked before him, in Truth, and with a perIſaiah was gone out of the middle Court of the Houſe or Palace of King Hezekiah, the Lord commanded the Prophet Iſaiah, to return back to Hezekiah, and to tell him, That the Lord had heard his Prayer, and ſeen his Tears, for which he would heal him of his Sickneſs, and alſo on the third day, he ſhould be able to go up into the Houſe of
Hezekiah, Fifteen Years: But Hezekiah having on his Spirit ſome doubt, deſired a Sign, whereby he might know, that the Lord would heal him; which deſire of good Hezekiah God complyed with, and gave him a Sign, which was, that the Sun ſhould go backwards ten DeAhaz, as you may read it at large, in the ſecond Book of Kings, the 20th Chapter, from the beginning of that Chapter, unto the 12th Verſe. And this I offer at large (only) to prove, that God can as well (now) in our days, take off the warm Beams, and moſt comfortable Influences of the Sun from the Earth, by way of Judgment, on the Wicked, as well as to make the Sun go backwards from his Courſe, by way of Mercy, for a Sign (only) to ſatisfie the doubt of one ſingle Man, and that (becauſe) he had in him an upright and perfect Heart.
And now, I ſay, by this place of Scripture, as well as in ſeveral other places of Scripture, we may ſee, that Prayers, and Tears, prevailed much with God, when they have been offered up unto him, with a true, devout, and ſincere Heart; for were not David's Prayers heard by the Lord, and his deſires, granted unto him, from time, to time, when he Prayed, that he might be delivered out of his Afflictions, and from the Malice of his Enemies; read all his Pſalms throughout, and in many of them, you will find, how much, David depended upon Prayers, and how often from
David's requeſt was granted to him by Prayer. Again, I ſay, read the firſt Chapter of the firſt Book of Samuel, but more particularly obſerve the 10th verſe, and ſo onwards to the 21ſt verſe, and there you may find, how much the Prayers of Hannah, the Wife of Elkanah, prevailed with the Lord, when they were by her offered up with Tears, in the bitterneſs of her Soul; and altho' Ely the Prieſt, thought ſhe had been drunken, yet at the ſame time, ſhe was earHannah, but ſuch a Man-child, as afSamuel: And after that, I find (beſides Samuel,) Hannah had by her Husband Elkanah, ſeveral Sons and Daughters, as you may read it in the 2d. Chapter of the 1ſt. Book of Samuel, verſ. 21. And thus we may ſee by thoſe Preſidents offered, and mentioned in theſe ſeveral Scriptures herein quoted, and alſo, by ſeveral other places of Scripture, the like PreJoel, verſ. 12, 13, 14. Therefore alſo now ſaith the Lord, Turn ye even unto me with all your heart, and with faſting, and with weeping, and with mourning. And rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſs, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a Bleſſing behind him, even a Meat-offering, and a Drink-offering unto the Lord your God?
But again, I ſay, that God doth ſometimes by the diſorder of the Elementary Parts of this World, bring upon the Earth, Dearths and Famine it ſelf, (is plain) by what God himſelf made known to Pharaoh in his Dream, for God did not only make known unto him, that he would bring a Famine upon the Land of Egypt, but by what means the Famine ſhould come, was alſo made known unto Pharaoh in his Dream, (and that to be) by means of unſeaſonable Weather, as violent Eaſt-Winds, which ſhould blaſt and wither the Corn-Fields, ſo as that they ſhould come to no perfection, to bear Corn for the Egyptians to have Bread out of them; as you may read it in the 41 Chapter of Geneſis, the 6th, the 23d, and 27th verſes.
Again, I ſay, that God [hath,] and yet [can] by his immediate Power, that he hath over all
Jeremiah 5th Chap. verſ. 24, 25. Ezekiel 4th Chap. verſ. 16, 17. Hoſea 2d Chap. verſ. 8, 9. Read Joel the 1ſt Chapter, all over from the beginning, to the end thereof. Amos 4th Chapter, verſ. 6, 7. And laſtly, look in the 14th Chapter of the Prophet Ezekiel, verſ. 12, 13, 14. It is there thus written, The Word of the Lord came again to me, ſaying, Son of Man, when the Land ſinneth against me by treſpaſſing grievouſly, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the Staff of the Bread thereof, and will ſend Famine upon it, and will cut off Man and Beast from it: Though theſe three Men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they ſhould deliver but their own Souls by their Righteouſneſs, ſaith the Lord God.
And thus we may ſee, that when Men, by their Iniquities, do provoke God to anger, then, in his Wrath he immediately, changeth and diſ
And therefore I muſt now ſay again, that no Aſtrologers, (or) any other Men, of any other (vain) Sciences whatſoever, (can foretell) by the Courſes of the Stars, (or) by any other way whatſoever, what ſhall fall out, or come to paſs, either of Plague or Famine, (or) what ſhall be the event of Wars, (or) who ſhall have the ViPharoah; for God did not forewarn Pharoah, King of Egypt, of what he was about to do, (wholly) for the ſake of Pharoah himſelf, or for the Egyptians ſake; but (moſtly) for the AdvanceJoſeph, and then conſequently, for the Preſervation of all the Children of Iſrael: And therefore it was, that none of the Magicians, or any of the Wiſe Men of Egypt, could interpret Pharoah's Dream, for it was only God's choſen One, that could do it, who was Joſeph, and that not of himſelf, but by the Inſpiration of the Lord, as Joſeph himſelf (acknowledgeth) in this ſame 41 Chapter of Geneſis, and the 16 verſe, It is there ſaid; And Joſeph anſwered Pharoah, ſaying, It is not in me, God ſhall give Pharoah an anſwer of Peace.
Again I ſay, that the Revelation of Secrets, doth only belong unto God, and not unto ſuch Men as are called Aſtrologers: But when God thinks fit, [he] revealeth them to his own choſen Ones, as you may read in the third ChapAmos, verſ. 7. theſe words, Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his ſecret unto his Servants, the Prophets. And thus you may ſee by this Scripture alſo, it is plain that all Secret Things belong only to God himſelf, until ſuch times as he is pleaſed to make them known to ſome of his own choſen Ones, and that [only] upon ſome Extraordinary Occaſions, in order, to and for, the preſervation of God's Holy Ones, as may be ſeen alſo, in that of God's preDaniel, on ſeveral ocDaniel, verſ. 13. thus written, And the decree went forth, that the wiſe-men ſhould be ſlain, and they ſought Daniel, and his fellows, to be ſlain: And that only becauſe the Magicians, and the Aſtrologers, and the Sorcerers, and the Caideans, could not Interpret, unto King Nebuchadnezzar, his Dream; (therefore) Daniel and his Fellows alſo, muſt be ſlain with them: But then, (God) for the manifeſtation of his own Power, as alſo, for the preſervation of Daniel, and his FelDaniel, which God himſelf had then before revealed unto King Nebuchadnezzar, and yet, at that time, God was pleaſed to deny unto King Nebuchadnezzar the remembrance of his Dream, and that (only) becauſe God himſelf would make it more manifeſt, that it is himſelf only, that doth, (or can) reveal Secrets, and that only and immediately from himſelf, (or) by the Mouths of his own Choſen Ones; and this Daniel himſelf acknowledgeth, as you may read it in Verſe 30. of this ſaid Chapter, it is there thus ſaid, But as for me, this Secret is not revealed to me, for any Wiſdom that I have more then any living: But for their ſakes that ſhall make known the Interpretation to the King, and that thou mighteſt know the thoughts of thy heart. And thus you may ſee, how Daniel himDaniel praiſed God; and alſo, he acknowledgeth, that all Power, all SeDaniel, the 19th, 20th, 21, 22, and 23 verſes. And thus Daniel, and all the reſt of the Prophets of the Lord, they do all agree, that it is from the (immediate) power, of God alone, that all Seaſons are chan
And now I think, it remaineth needful, that I ſhould give ſome Reaſons (wherefore) I have written ſo much againſt Aſtrologers, and other Men of vain Sciences. And (therefore) my ReaAſtrologers do ſay, than they do to what God himſelf ſaith unto them in his Word; for it is now become a common thing, amongſt them, to go to Aſtrologers, to have Queſtions and Doubts, Anſwered and Reſolved; as alſo, to know what Succeſs they ſhall have in their Undertakings: And alſo to know, what Days are good, or evil, for the unAſtrologers skill, in ſuch matters, then that doth much encourage others, that are but of weak Capacities, to believe in them likewiſe: And ſo by this way, more room is made for Atheiſm alſo.
And thus, by ſeveral ways, and methods, I have endeavoured to ſet forth unto Your GreatAtheiſm, Errors, Evil Examples, and other Vices, are now grown to this moſt prodigious height: But the Remedy of all theſe things, I muſt leave to the great power of the Almighty God, and to the great Underſtanding, and Care, of Your moſt Gratious Majeſty, and the Honourable Parliament.
And now again, before I conclude, I cannot oFor what Reaſon doth ſuch a one as he take upon him to Diſcourſe about Matters of Religion, and State-Affairs? For he himſelf confeſſeth, in his Epiſtle to the Reader, that his Education, was but mean, and Scholar he is none, farther than the EngTongue; and therefore, how dare ſuch a one as he, take upon himſelf, to ſpeak, or preach at this rate?
To theſe ſuppoſitive Objections, I ſhall endea
And firſt of all I ſay, That in this Work of mine, I have done nothing at all, that hath in it, in the leaſt, that I know of, any thing of the nature of a daring Faculty; for with all humble ſubmiſſion, (both) with my Heart and Tongue, I have endeavoured (always) ſo much as in me lieth, ſo to ſpeak, as not to offend (any) in their ſevePaul his ſaying, in his 16th Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Romans,
And therefore, I hope all Men whatſoever, will have ſo much Charity for me, as to believe me, (in what I here ſay;) for the God of Heaven doth know that I ſpeak the truth.
And now, 2dly, I ſay, as to Preaching, this Treatiſe of mine, (I think) hath not in it, in the leaſt, any thing of that nature, that may any way (properly) be called Preaching; for I dare not, take upon me, to mention any particular ScripPaul to the Coloſſions, the 16, 17, 23, 24, and 25. Verſes. And alſo to the ſame purpoſe, you may read it in the ſecond Epiſtle of Paul to the Theſſalonins, the third Chap. the 13, 14, and 15 Verſes.
And now, I moſt humbly Beſeech, the Great God of Heaven, to beſtow his Bleſſings, upon theſe my weak Endeavours, and alſo, to give you all a Right underſtanding, of this my Poor, Mean, yet, well intended Treatis (now offered unto Your Greatneſes) with an Heart full of Integrity, and true Loyalty, both towards God, the Proteſtant Religion, my King, and Country.
DUring the whole time, of my now being in London, I have always taken my Victuals, from the Cooks, as many other Lodgers, TraThat if it were not, for ſome greedy-minded Men, that do make a continual Trade of it, to foreſtall Markets, [Proviſions] would not have been (altogether) ſo dear here in London, as of late they have been, and now at preſent are. And it is now a common thing, for Country Graſiers, to take up their abode here in the City of London; and when they know of any Cattle that is coming up to this City, and that the DriLondon-Markets. [Then] thoſe Graſiers, which take up their abode here in London, only to make advantage of all ſuch OpporLondon; and ſo buy up ſuch Cattle there upon the Road; and after that, drive them to London, [and then] fell them much dearer, than the firſt Owners of them would have ſold them, if they had drove them into London themſelves: And the like Fore-ſtalling, or Engroſſing Trade, is alſo continually uſed, in buying up before-hand all other ſorts of Proviſions whatſoever, here in London: And in all England over, it is now beEngland more Engroſſers, Huckſters, and Regrators, than of any other (one) Trade whatſoever. And in fine, to ſay all, in a word or too, ſuch Doings, as theſe, are now become the very Bane of England; for it will always create a continual Dearth on all ſorts of Proviſions: And what is this otherwiſe, (than) a taking away the Staff of Bread, and the Stay of Proviſions, from the Poor and Needy; [or] do not ſuch things as theſe, (prove) to many poor People, (at laſt) a meer lingering Death it ſelf; for it is they poor Creatures, that at laſt, pay for all. For they have neither their due Weight nor Meaſure, in any thing that they buy, from ſuch Huckſtring Regrators. And all ſuch Engroſſing Trades, are of no better uſe to England, than to make fat, and puff up in Pride, a meer Bruitiſh, Heatheniſh, and Swiniſh ſort of People, to the meer deſtruction, or almoſt ſtarving of many honeſt, ſoChriſtians, who have in them hoSolomon ſaith in his 8th Chapter of Eccleſiaſtes, 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13 verſes. And theſe things alſo, with all humble Submiſſion, I leave to the Conſideration of Your moſt Gracious Majeſty, and the moſt Honourable Parliament.
IN looking over this Treatiſe, I have obſerved ſome Letteral Faults, which will not much alErrata, by which, with a little Care and Pains, you may be ſatisfied in any of the Faults, which you may diſcover in the whole work.
PAge 3. line 26. for onlv read only. pag. 9. in ſeveral placees for crack'd, read crackt. pag. 36. line 32. read buy their Corn. pag. 41. line 4. for it read if. pag. 42. line 20. for tme read time. pag. 52. line 8. for uphoden read upholden. pag. 49. with the Letter [I] at the bottom of the ſame Leaf, ſhould be marked in the Folio 57, and ſo onwards accordingly; but this miſtake is not worth your obſervation, becauſe notwithſtanding that, yet the Diſcourſe of the whole Treatiſe leads on in its due and orderly method pag. 59. line 11. for Geneſis 24 chap. 15 verſ. read 42 chap. 15 verſ. pag. 61. line 5. look Geneſis 7 chap. verſ. 12. and ſo read onward to the end of the Chapter. pag. 75. line 27. read I am apt. pag. 84. line 26. for timet he, read the time.