I Confesse that Prayer is so forcible, that it openeth the gates of Heaven; and as you read, how the holy Ghost descen­ded vpon the Apostles, in the forme of fiery tongues, so through the en­forcement of Prayer, all blessings spirituall and tem­porall are let downe amongst the children of God, like Peters sheete. Who would not then aske to obtaine: seeke to finde: knocke to have it opened: and importune the father of mercy to have no deni­all, considering the Parable tells us, That the wicked Judge who neither feared God nor man, granted the widowes Petition to be delivered frō her clamors, and her troublesome attendancy: and thus are wee beholding to our God.

But now, to make God beholding unto us, were a secret out of the Treasure-house of heaven indeed, wherein I will be bold to tell you how you may be proficient, and invite you to wisedomes schoole to learne a cunning, which the heart of the naturall man is uncapable of; and that is, to retribute thankes to [Page 2] God, to give his glorious name the praise, to bee gratefull unto him, and to rejoyce in hymnes and spirituall Songs, when a benefit is imparted, and our soules are comforted.

What a story is the story of the Iewes, being deli­vered from Hamans cruelty and persecution, for the purpose in hand. The Text saith; Hester 9.17,18 That they rested the same day, and made it a day of feasting and glad­nesse, a good day, and sent portions and presents one to another: but wherefore was all this? For saving their lives, and prevailing against their enemies.

But, oh thou God of heaven! that ridest vpon the wings of the wind, and holdest the reynes of the kingdomes of the world in thy hand, to let loose or restraine at thy pleasure. Thou knowest that we haue more causes to rejoyce and bee glad then the Iewes, in their Purim. For, if wee may compare the lesse with the greater, they had but the preservation of their bodies, and a slight tryumph against their cor­porall enemies, we are in the way to save our soules and put our spirituall adversaries to flight, the Flesh, the World, and the Devill

What? Papistry to be suppressed? The Priests and Iesuites to be banished? And the Gospell of Ie­sus Christ to flourish? Psalme 45. My soule leapes for joy, and my heart is enditing a good matter, I speake of the things which I haue made, touching the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Oh blessed be GOD for this alteration?

Doth not Ieremy tell vs, that, Ieremy 31. Math. 2. In Ramah there was a voyce heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachell weeping for her children, and would [Page 3] not be comforted because they were not. Did not al Eng­land wring their hands for sorrow, and begin to mourne and be affrighted, when they saw the Papists so arrogantly mischievous, to insult in every towne and shire, and mocke us to our faces, as if Sandolet and Tobiah were to scoffe and deride the Iewes, when Nehemiah came to re-edifie the Temple? And hath not God put into the Kings heart to dam vp this in­undation, and to keepe the raging Sea within limi­tation, that it doe not overflow the lower and fruit­full grounds.

Marke but the progression of businesse, tell it to your Children, and write it in the Phylacteries of your garments. Did not we determin some 16. years agoe to match with Spaine? And did not Spaine re­solve to overmatch us in the contract? Did he not re­semble an unmannerly and impudent guest, who in­vited to some neighbourly meeting, would not one­ly come himself, but brought a whole rablement of Cormorants with him, so Spain must not only con­dition for a daughter, but the Papists through the kingdome have liberty of Conscience, Masse in their houses, Priests within their doores, penalties remit­ted, and the Pursevants and Officers restrained from their privy searches, whereby the Spanish Ambassa­dour presumed on his meritorious service, & some Papists triumphed, as if the wiser sort knew they were in the right. And was not this a fearefull be­ginning, and who knowes with what strength the strong man would have encreased in keeping his possession: so have the Papists done within these 2. or 3. yeares, and insolently bragged of their great [Page 4] forces, and impudently threatned the utter over­throw of us all, especially of our renowned City of London.

But was this all? No, no, the severall shiers of Eng­land, worse then the Iewes that poysoned the springs of sweet water, in these dayes had malitious in­struments to corrupt the youth of the Countrey, and the Priests, Iesuites and Fryers ranne from house to house, and made them all amazed with crying out; Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

But now Papistry shall be suppressed, and the Priests and Iesuites banished. O blessed alteration! O blessed King! oh blessed Parliament! The Am­bassadours houses were so many hives, to which the drones resorted, who not onely fed vpon the hony of the Bees, but presumed to kill and beate them a­way, which preserved them: Thus these unconstant people, not onely despised the Pastors of their own Congregations, and under protection of the Pre­rogative of Kings, railed on the Lord & his annoin­ted: The Streets swarmed with ruffianly appariti­ons, Priests in disguised apparell, and Iesuites in Courtly vestments. And what did they? Not only watch the outward behaviour of men, and govern­ment of the City, but tooke advantage of the weake, carnall Gospeller, and set upon them with the out­ward glory of a visible Church.

The Cathedrall of Paules had her walkes mingled with a number of peremptory and audacious Roma­nists, who not onely branded us for lukewarmnesse and unjustifiable actions, but boasted both of and in their disputations, that they had put the true and [Page 5] learned servants of God to silence, as if Sidchiah should strike Machiah on the face, and peremptorily aske him, when the Spirit of God departed from him, to be infused into such an underling.

The Court hath not onely every corner, but pub­like walkes filled with Papists, and Hispaniolized tem­porisers. And what did they, appeare in severall dis­guised formes, and their corrupt hearts taught their tongues to vent forth blasphemy, and notorious abuses: For as you read how Ieremy was taken by his Enemies, and brought before the Princes and Priests, for weakning the hands of the men of warre, and danted their hearts that wished well to the peace of Sion: So played these imposturing spirits, charming all men with such subtilties. What? the house of Austria to be checked, and the Emperour of Germany to be affronted?

What? Spain to be threatned with warre, and in­trusions of hostility? Who is able to cover the Vienna, as Xerxes once did the Hellespont, with a num­berlesse, and invincible Armado, to set upon the Iland of Brittany as a Conquerour, and to make England to tremble with the multitude of his for­ces, and yet dare you talke of warre and assisting the Low-Countries? But now God be thanked, Papistry shall be suppressed, the Priests and Iesuits banished, and these mighty Buls of Bashan either have their hornes sawed off, or their chaps musled, and what an alteration is heere?

Oh let us then give thankes unto God, and con­fesse his mercy is beyond our apprehension, and his [Page 6] benefits are Ocean in comparison of our duty, or standing poole of deserving. And seeing the King is so gracious to looke upon us, like a faire moving Planet, in a conspicuous Orbe, from whose influence can proceed nothing but sweet presages: Seeing our Parliament is so religiously Honourable, to sound the foord of Spaines projects, and their countries ha­zard by collusion, and halting betweene two opini­ons; with the plummets of true Wisedome, and zeale to the Gospell of Iesus Christ: Seeing that they are so indulgent, and will not suffer either the wild Bore of the Forrest to trample downe the hed­ges; or little Foxes to destroy the Grapes, but are willing that Iehojadas filthy garments may be taken away, and a Crowne of pure Gold set upon his head, seeing the people are prepared to call and ha­sten one another to goe vp to the Temple of the Lord; and rather then Ruben shall rayse a heape of stones like an Altar, to put the people in feare of Idolatry, they are ready to arme with their bre­thren, and examine how the matter stands, let every man exhilarat himselfe, and cry out: Why art thou cast downe O my soule, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, he is the health of my countenance, and my God: So then if Paplstry shall be suppressed, the Priests and Iesuites banished, and our enemies, both Forraine and Do­mesticke over-reached: let God have the glory, the Prince the honour, the Parliament the commenda­tion, the people the comfort, the Country the bene­fit, and every true hearted Christian sing Iopaean, and Epithalamions to Iehovah.

Marke the difference betweene flourishing King­domes through the blessing of reformation, and advise of good governours, and the fearefull distra­ction of Common-wealths, where irreligion and in­direct courses over-maister: While the ambition of Athalia was predominant over her affection, and drive her head-long to all obscenity & tyranny, she cōmitted idolatry, she neglected the house of God, she defiled the Altar, she destroyed the seed royall, she usurped the Diadem, and disturbed the peace of Iuda and Israel: But when Iehoash was miraculously preserved and instructed by Iehojada: Athalia is slaine: Iehoash doth that which is right in the sight of God, the Priests repaire the Temple, the Altars are cleansed, the Common wealth reformed, and the whole Country resetled in order; and was not this a great alteration?

In the story of Manasses, and Ammon his Sonne, you shall finde these imputations of wickednesse cast upon them by the holy Ghost: Hee did that which was evill in the sight of the Lord, he lived after the abominations of the Heathen, he reared up Altars for Baal, he offered incense to the Host of Heaven, he made his Sonnes passe through the fire, he used enchantments, observed times, and dealt with familiar spirits, and wrought much wickednes before the Lord: But when Iosiah came to raigne, and was instructed how? he feared God, and lived uprightly, he cleansed and repaired the Temple: he commanded the booke of God to be read, he rent his cloathes, as strucken with compunction of [Page 8] soule, he made a covenant with God to observe his testimonies, he put downe all the Offices of Baal, and the groves dedicated unto him: He slew his Priests, he solemnized the Passeover, and he perfor­med the words of the Law, which were written in the Booke; and was not this a great alteration?

Thus it is betweene the government of Spaine and England, especially the contrariety of Religion, and diversity of serving God, betweene Papists and Protestants: the Papists both in Spaine and in Eng­land, commit blasphemous idolatry, are polluted with incests and fornication; derogate from the ho­nour of God, to attribute adoration to creatures, pa­cifieth himselfe in the Labyrinth of aequivocation: Dissemble with God, their owne soules, and all that deale with them, care not by what meanes, or treachery they compasse their owne ends, deny Christs presence in Heaven, a maine article of Faith, exte­nuate the power of the God-head, by allowing a deity to Creatures, and invocation to Divells▪ First, they have made many Saints that are passed downe to Hell. Allow of murther, and monstrous impiety: and in a word, are poysoned with the dregs of abo­mination, wherewith the whore of Babylon hath filled her cup.

The true Protestant and zealous Christian allow­eth God the preheminence of all adoration, will by no meanes blaspheme with idolatrous exorcismes, detesteth whoredome, and all incestuous Leprosie, de­fieth the participiation of Gods glory to murther, simply and plainly contriveth his affaires, and kee­peth his word, though it be to his owne hinderance, [Page 9] intermeddles not with matters of state, except he be called to place of eminency, is with Anna pray­ing in the Temple, and continually rejoyceth in the conversation of Gods servants, and maketh the Church the sanctuary of his soule, in a word, is ruled by the directory of Gods word, and neither dare abuse the Majesty of Princes by inter jecting a Jealousie and suspition betweene the Prince and the Subject, nor runne away with the deceit of his owne heart, in presuming to be more holy then his brethren, or pre­judging others either maliciously, or foolishly. And is not this a great alteration? And is not this cause enough to induce us to thanke God, and acknow­ledge his mercy and kindnesse, that our King and Parliament would goe and buy eye-salve without money, perspicuously to looke into the enormities of the Church and Common wealth, and not onely with Ne­hemiah, to abridge the extreamity of usury: compell a relaxation of debts and oppression, keepe and sanctifie the Sabbath, drive the Marchants and Sel­lers of meate out of the City, and at last put away their idolatrous wives: but also will not suffer the Ammonites and Moabites to come into Gods Tem­ple, but enforce them to banishment out of Ierusa­lem. For as you read how Iacob after his return from Laban cleansed his house of the idols: so did Nehe­miah in despite of Eliashib the Priest, who had al­lyed himselfe to Tobiah a stranger and idolater, put him from his lodging, and cast out all the snuffe out of his chamber, which in the text is likewise called cleansing, and thus thankes be to God, our great Ne­hemiah [Page 10] dealt with the Papists, he hath not onely thought them as prickes and thornes in the sides of good Christians: but now found them as noy some and infectious weedes in the Common wealth, to choake and eate up the sweete Flowers, and spring­ing grasse; and thus hath the Church of God exam­ple enough in Scripture to be an enemy to Gods enemies, and fall to reformation with courage and magnanimity.

Shall such a man as I flye (saith Nehemiah) shall such a King as I (saith King Charles) that have been trayned up from my infancy to deny Popery, and suffer my Kingdome of great Britaine, the very nur­sery of zealous professors, and mirrour of purity and piety, to be defiled and contaminated with the poyson of superstition, and now I have recollected my self, shall I give way to rotten and filthy policy to eat upon the heart of true Religion, or suffer pri­vate ends to thicken themselves, like some obscure and dangerous cloud, to stand as an interposition betweene the Sunny splendor of Gods word, and the faire progresse of government? No, No: J will now be my selfe, and therefore if either the Pope, or Spain deride me with Michol for dancing before the Arke, and bringing it into Gods house: I will answere with David, I will yet bee more vile and zealous for the Lord; and as he told his wife; that therefore God had taken the Kingdome from her Father, and invested him with the Diadem: so may King Charles answer Spain, that therefore God will make him mighty in his Provinces, in despight of [Page 11] malignant opposition, and great Britain shall not be onely able to stand firme, like an impregnable Rock in all honor, riches, & prosperity: but of sufficiency to protect distressed neighbours, and recover un­fortunate and surrepted Provinces. Therefore away yee Friests and Iesuites, packe hence for your lives; and let me not heare any further of your daring impostures, and you that will remaine Papists, and with the Adder stoppe your eares, that charme the Charmer never so cunningly, he shall not prevaile to remove you, take heed and be warned, that you live modestly in your wilfulnesse, neither daring to breake our Statutes against those Locusts of Rome, nor to insult your selves, or be offensive to any ci­vill conversation, by thewrong defence and suppor­tation of Romes corrupted Doctrine. For I protest unto you by the faith of a Religious King, I take a pleasure in hearing, what God said to Abraham: Genesis 18.19 For I know him, that he will command his children, and his houshold after him, and they shall keepe the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken unto him: And therefore as I am Gods sub­stitute in the supreame royalty, so will I be his in­strument in the practise of this Reformation, neither suffring any Papist whatsoever, to have the use of Idolatrous masses, nor to bring up their owne chil­dren in the Cimmerian darknesse of ignorance, and divelish devotion: For the Apostle tells us plainely, Colos. [...]. that the tormenting of the body, worshipping of Angels, observing of Dayes, and many foolish hu­miliations, likewise denying of lawful marriage, and [Page 12] forbidding of meates, and celebrating of superstiti­ous times, are all the doctrines of the Divell: and is not this joy to great Britaine, and how are our hearts cheered, as you read of the Israelites, that in the time of Salomon rejoyced with one another, and made merry eating and drinking under their owne Vines?

Thus shall we see the backes of our adversaries, and by Gods speciall favour and grace the banish­ment of Priests and Iesuites: But yee Magistrates of the Common wealth, let them not imitate the Is­raelites in this, to rob the Egyptians in their departure out of Egypt? Let them not export our treasures, nor enrich other Countries with our spoyles: Let not your Ladies bestow their jewels and ornaments up­on them: For though they could be contented to love them with gratuities and presents, yet must the Common wealth reserve some secrets of State, not to be impoverished by the lavish gifts of those, that understand not the Mystery of carying wealth out of the Land, or consuming our silver in trifles, let none of their houses be furnished with those rem­nants of gew-gawes, wherein the ancient idolaters excelled them in be decking their idols, I mean their medales, crucifixes, relickes of Saints, the Wood of the Crosse, the milke of our Lady, and a thousand such like trumperies fit for nothing but toyes to play with all, as Apes doe with Nut shells: For as you read how the children of Israel were tainted with the grosse su­perstition of Egypt: so must needs the tender hearts of your women be captivated with the reservation of these things: Let your Pursevants and Officers [Page 13] a Gods name be the researchers of suspected places, that the very children, which as yet, know no harm, may be sent to the Schooles of the children of the Prophets, and by that meanes learne to live in the feare of God, and dye in his favour: Let the po­tent men be disarmed a Gods name, not to give them cause to thinke the better of themselves, as if they were to be feared, or reputed dangerous and poli­ticke: but as you take knives and other hurtfull things from madde men to prevent mischiefe, that they neyther endanger others, nor themselves: In a word, let all good orders be observed, and a fashionable body of a religious Common wealth erected, that his Majesties person may be secured, the Prince, and the rest of that Royall issue protected and pleased, the honest neighbours sublevated with care and diligence, the whole Iland flourishing with prosperity and con­fidence, the poore releeved, the trades restored, the City repayred, the Marchant countenanced, the Souldiers esteemed, the Clergy-man beloved, the well deserving reverence, the weake supported, the obstinate finner punished, the offender through frailty remitted, and all justifiable actions practised to the glory of God, and comfort of our owne soules.

Then if there be cause of warre, and so successe fallen, Moses and Israell shall sing a song of Try­umph to the Lord, and Miriam the Prophetesse shall take a Timbrell in her hand, and all the women goe after her with Timbrels and Dances: Then if there be the flourishes of peace, and that Salomon [Page 14] hath finished the Temple of God, and his owne house, 1 King 3.22.9 he will present himselfe before the Lord, and kneele to his prayers, spredding forth his hands to­ward Heaven: And then to conclude both in warre and peace shall great Britaine confesse to the Lord. What is man, that thou shouldst thinke upon him, or the sonne of man, that thou wilt remember him? And so prayse the Lord in his Sanctuary, and in the firmament of his power: praise him in his mighty acts, and according to the excellency of his greatnesse, praise him for thinking vpon vs, even in this particular of suppressing Papistry, and banishing the Priests and Je­suites.

I will meddle with no matter of State, nor ad­venture traducing for selfe love, or advising others wiser then my selfe, but keepe close to the shore of this one speciall observation: Let the adversaries of Religion say what they can to accuse a Protestant of one murther, whereas God and the world knowes, that not onely the turbulencies of Europe have beene blowne up with Popish breath, and sufflation of Consi­storian Cardinals: but the fearefull slaughters of Princes have beene andaciously prosecuted, eyther by Friers and Priests, or such instruments, whom the pestilent Iesuites have seduced: what state then in the world (especially our reformed Churches) if there were no other cause then this affrighting, would endure them in the government, and therefore now this must needs be a happinesse to England, that at this instant such a mercy floweth towards us, as a Proclamation against them.

How Geneva hath continued, and groaned under [Page 15] the pressure of many difficulties, yea, endured divers assaults of whole Armies, and volleies of shot, from the mounted Cannons against her; and yet was ne­ver any attempt made upon the Duke of Savoy, and her adveisaries by her procurement, or suggestion, is well knowne to the world.

In all those bloody massacres of France, and ter­rors of the civill warres there, what one mischiefe was ever conceived against the persons of their Kings, by any Protestants, and who but Papists durst lay hands on the Lords Annoynted? In that fiery tryall in the dayes of Queene Mary, when the rages of Papists made them more furious, then a Beare robbed of her Whelpes: What one Protestant slip­ped out of the circle of obedience, to put her in suspition of her life, yea it is well knowne, that the Protestants of Suffolke, advanced her to the Crowne though they were the first that felt the effect of her ingratitude. In all the troubles of Germany, and ex­actions upon the free Cities, how securely did the Emperours goe on concerning their owne persons, and when did you read of a Pope slaine, but as they poysoned one another. I will name but one thing in the Low-Countries, and that is the pride and cruelty of the Duke of Alva; so that if ever an ex­cuse might have been made for taking away a Ty­rants life, it might here in some action or other, have received a justifiable forme, and yet Alva lived with­out touch, and practised all manner of wickednesse without controule: whereas on the contrary side in these Countries formerly mentioned, there hath bin [Page 16] a 1000 severall murthers committed upon the bo­dies of publicke and private persons, or at least pro­secuted with resolution to be actuated upon advan­tage by Popish Priests, Iesuites, and their Officials, and Ministers: Is it not high time then to banish them our Common-wealth, or do as we have done (and so it shall be no new matter or devise of pu­nishment) even hang them up at Tyborne, or de­trude them into the house of slaughter, where Ju­stice is predominant.

Marke for Gods sake, marke the secrets of good husbandry, he that means to till and manure a wod­dy ground, must leave no stumps within touch, lest he break his plow in the labour, and see fresh scien­ces, as sprigs to sprout up to choake the Corne: the best way is to stocke up roote and tinde, and follow the picke-axe with a spade, that the ground may be throughly searched indeede; and so must great Britaine do with this brood of Vipers, eyther pull out their stings, or chap them in peeces: For so were the Priests of Baal served at severall times, and in severall places by Gedeon, Iohn, Elias, Iosias, and other good Priests and Princes: but seeing this good beginning of our gracious and iudicious King, in quenching the smoake of these fire-brands, which in time would eyther have blinded our eyes, or put them cleane out, hath cheered our hearts, and pow­red the balme of Gilead into our wounds, let him have the glory of his owne handy-worke, and great Britaine the joy, and so both he, Great Britaine, and every true Christian retribute all possible thankes to the ancient of dayes, whose haires are as white as [Page 17] wooll, and dyes as a flame of fire; and to the voyce that commandeth us out of Babylon, lest we be de­stroyed in her abominations: For Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great City, because she made all the Nations drinke of the Wine of the wrath of her Fornication.