THE great Creator of Heaven and Earth, who by his provi­dence supporteth the whole Creation, hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men, for to dwell on the earth, and hath determined the times appointed, and the bounds of their Habitation; even he that worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, though man know it not, and perceive it not; without whom there is not a sparrow falls to the ground, nor the hair from a man's head; who hath bounded and limited all his Creatures, so that their bounds and limits they cannot pass without him: the Sun, and Moon, and Stars in their constant course are subservient to his will, the Sea keeps its bounds at the command of the Almighty; yea, every little Water course observes its Makers will: the same God by his determi­nate counsel, hath bounded and limited the sons of men, both in their habitations and power, beyond which they cannot pass; Moses the ser­vant of the Lord witnesseth, Deut. 32.7, 8. saying, Remember the dayes of old, consider the years of many generations, ask thy Father and he will shew thee, when the most high divided to the Nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. The same God, the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, by the same power will, and counsel, hath bounded, limited, and put an end to the power and reign of the Norman Race of Kings and Queens in England; yea, the time of the late Parliaments Government was limited by God. So that let them all be discon­tented never so much, fret, chafe, and rage; yea, nil they, will they, they must stoop to the determinate counsel of Jehovah's will: so that by the Divine institution of him, who hath wrought all these things af­ter the counsel of his own will, is the present Government established in Oliver Cromwel, (subordinately to God) the entituled Lord Pro­tector thereof; and whosoever he be that denies it, or speaks against it, [Page 2] denies the Omniregency of God, and the Ordinance of his will: for the Scripture saith, That promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south: but God is the Judge; he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

But for further satisfaction, (to my Country in general, & in particular to all those that have heretofore engaged for that Liberty we now en­joy) that the present Government established in his Highness and his Council, is of God, I have inserted these Arguments following.

First, that Government and Rule that answers the main desire and request of God for his people, must needs be of God. Now if it be proved, that this Government is correspondent to the main request and desire of God for his people on earth, then it must be of God: and that it doth so, I prove it thus:

God's main desire for his people on earth is, That the powers below touch not his Anointed, and do his Prophets no harm; but, that they may serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.

Now this Government hath answered the desire of God herein, and hath made provision for their peace and safety, and hath vowed their protection: so that they may without fear of any penal, bloody, per­secuting Law, worship him in the administration of the Gospel with Freedom and Liberty, without confines of time or place.

Therefore of God.

God hath promised by his servant Obadiah the Prophet, That Saviours shall come up on Mount Sion to judge the Mount of Esau; yea, this I say, that such shall come, and one is, that shall judge, condemn, and throw down the Mount of Esau. Esau was a Persecutor of his Brother Jacob, because he had obtained the blessing of spiritual things, and him­self went without them. Now by this Mount of Esau, I understand the Mountainous Power of Persecutors of the Servants of Christ for their Faith in him, which shall in due time be consumed like stubble, and by degrees come to nought, by the hand of those whom God shall send as Saviours for the same purpose.

Object. I know that this will be objected: If this Government be so care­ful of the Freedom and Liberty of the Servants of Christ, why then are so many eminent Servants of Christ restrained in prison?

I answer, Although the Lord knows I have both in private and pub­lick prayed for their deliverance, and that the difference between them and the Lord Protector (by whom they are imprisoned) may be reconciled; he to them in loving kindness and favour, and they to him by acknowledging the hand of God in exalting him to the Government in which he is invested: Yet I say, That they are not imprisoned as they are Servants of Christ, nor is it for their [Page 3] Conscience in the worship of Christ, in the Faith of the Gospel, that they are restrained of Liberty: but for their discontent, dislike, and dissatisfaction towards him, and the Government which God hath put into his Hand: and for my part, I think it no indiscretion nor cruelty for any man to tie down (for a time) that hand that cannot hold still, but must be scratching at his body till it bleed, and so endanger the whole to destruction: caetera mitto loqui; lest any should think that I either wish or desire their restraint from their Liberty, which the Lord knows I do not, but from my very Soul desire their enjoyment of it; so that it may stand with the peace and preservation of the whole body.

Secondly, Consider that the wayes and workings of God, especially in things of such great concernment as the Rule and Government of his people, do not answer the expectation, thoughts, nor will of man. I know, that if this Nation had been divided into ten parts, nine of them would have had the yoke of the Norman Race to have continued: if there had been one part of ten left, nine parts of that one, would have subjected themselves to the yoke of a Parliamentary Government; now that God might cross the expectation of man, and let us know, that our thoughts herein were vain, he did upon a suddain bring forth and establish such a Government that we least thought of; that less of Man, and more of God might be seen in it.

When the time of Saul's Reign over Israel in God's Decree was ac­complished, he commanded the Prophet Samuel to leave off grieving for Saul; telling him, That he had rejected him for being King over his people; and told him, That he had provided for himself a King amongst the Sons of Jesse the Bethlemite, one that was not so much as thought of, (in regard of ruling over them for the future) not in all Israel. The Prophet at first was afraid to go, for fear of Saul, that he would kill him; but at last he did go: and when he came and beheld his Sons, he found the secret will of God clean contrary to his thoughts and purpose: for when he beheld Eliab, he thought him to be most likely, and did pur­pose to anoint him for a future Governour of the people; but the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, nor on the hight of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as Man seeth; for Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart; and the most unlikely to carnal apprehen­sions, did God make choice of to be the Governour of his people, and by his Decree anointed him in Spirit for the same end, long before he came to the Government.

And truely for my part I do confidently believe from my very Soul, that from the beginning of these late Wars, the Lord did secretly De­cree, and in his own purpose set apart Oliver Cromwel (our intitu­led Lord Protector) to be the head Governour, below himself, of all the people in the three Nations; Although at the beginning of these late Wars, it was as unlikely for him to be Lord Protector of three Na­tions [Page 4] in the judgement of man, as it was for David (in the apprehension of his Father and Brethren) to be Ruler over Israel. But let all the Servants of God know; yea, let every individual Soul in the three Nations know, That the counsel and determinate purpose of God will stand as an irresistable prick against all that spurn at it, and a sharp thorn in the sides of all his enemies. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth; so are the wayes and counsels of God higher than the wayes and counsels of Men, and his thoughts transcending theirs. What earthly powers, what plottings and contrivings of an Enemy, what ragings, swellings, tumults of vanquished Foes, what murmurings repinings, or discontents of any people, shall reverse the thing that God hath purposed to bring to pass? God is not a Man, that he should lye, neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said it, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? for whatsoever the Lord pleaseth, that doth he in Heaven and in Earth, and in all places.

This therefore shall henceforth be the Petition of my Soul, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven: Let God make haste to compleat his purpose.

This also shall be my Souls melody, which I will sing with a joyful noise in my heart, Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore: From the rising of the Sun, to the going down of the same, the Lords name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all Nations, and his glory above the Heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwel­leth on high? Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are done in Heaven and Earth. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil, that he may set him with Princes, even with the Princes of his people, Amen, Hallelujah.

That Government that gives Christ the chiefest honour due unto him, is of God.

The greatest honour that belongs to Christ here below, is, That he may bear Rule without interruption in the hearts and consciences of his Servants:

If this Government then do leave the power over the consciences of the Servants of Christ solely to him, then it is of God.

But this Government doth so:

Therefore of God.

I shall say no more to this first thing, namely, That the Government is of God, until occasion of reply (which I look for) doth engage me to it.

Secondly, As the Government is of God, so there is none more de­serving to sit at the helm of it (in subordination to God) then Oliver Cromwel, the present intituled Lord Protector.

First, if constant, faithful, unwearied, undaunted Service, accom­panied with Magnanimity, Valour and Courage, for the Liberty and Freedom of the people of God in England, from the bloody and per­secuting [Page 5] Statutes and Laws do deserve it, then doth he deserve it: his Constancy hath appeared, in that he was in continual service day and night. His Faithfulness, in that he never betrayed the least of his Trust, but proved from first to last, as true as steel to his Country. His Unweariedness, in holding up his hand by Commission, when o­thers let theirs fall; for if he had threw up his Commission when others did theirs, when the Scots twice invaded us with a numerous Army, I believe we had been in a miserable condition before now. His Un­dauntedness hath the whole Army seen: he was never known to decline action, although the advantage have been never so great against him; for the most part, if not alwayes, charging in the Front of his Army, against the most resolved Enemy; and seldom, or never did he retreat without Victory.

I have heard with my own Ears, some gallant Sparks of the Cavalry say; That he was the most gallant resolved General that ever drew Sword in Christendom, since the time of Scanderbeg; and, that if it were against a Forrain Nation, they would as faithfully and as cheer­fully serve under his Command, as under any one in the world: And that at last the very name of him was such a terror to them, that they could not force on their Men to fight, if they knew he was in the Field.

A valiant and a couragious General strikes terror to the heart of an Enemy, although the number on his party be but few. The very name of Gideon struck terror into the hearts of the Midianites that lay as Grashoppers for multitude; yea, at the very report of the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon, they fled and were discomfited, though he had but three hundred men with him.

The Prowess and gallant Atchievments of the Army (since he was their Head in chief) in bringing to subjection a potent enemy in three Kingdoms, and setling them in peace and quietness, (except a few hot­spurs that bit their tongues with the very anguish of their spirits against him; and clandestinely making a pit for his life, they fell into it them­selves) hath made all the Nations stand amazed with admiration. His Understanding and Judgement both in religious and civil affairs, is acute and sharp; whereby he is able to judge the differences of the one, and with wonderful policy to act in the other for the protection and safety (in civil affairs) of the three Nations.

Therefore laying aside all envy, heart▪burnings, dislike, contempt, hatred, enmity, meditations of division, murmurings, repinings, grudg­ings, at the Government, and at the honourable Exaltation of the Person who (in submission to God) is dignified with the Titie of Lord Protector, it behoves all the good people of the three Nations, cheer­fully and cordially to submit unto it, and acknowledge it a Mercy that God hath placed such an one over them, that hath been a chief instru­ment in his hand, an invaluable Liberty to purchase for them; and is tender and careful of the continuance of it: for, for my own part, I [Page 6] look upon it as one of the greatest mercies that ever England enjoyed, and that it behoves all the faithful in the three Nations to submit unto it, let them consider these things.

First, Seeing that if there must be a Government till Christ shall come, let such a Government be acknowledg'd that comes nearest to Christ: and truely for my part it is clear to me, that this Government now established, comes nearer to Christ, (for reasons before alledg'd) then any that I have read of since Christs incarnation; whose coming is prepared as the morning, which breaketh forth clearer and clearer to the perfect day: Let us not then be angry at the Sun, because it is not in the height of the Firmment, so soon as the day breakes; but let's wait upon God as he moves in exaltation, for he that believes will not make haste; learn what that means, and be not like the Israelites of old, who fell out with Moses, because they did not presently enjoy the land of Canaan, which he had promised them.

Secondly, consider that there can be no breach made against this Go­vernment, but by Civil discord and bloody division amongst our selves; and except we delight in embruing our hands in one anothers blood, we will not hearken to any Seditious Principle. And I beseech you, dear Friends and Country-men, lay to heart the miserable desolation of Jerusalem; who though they were exceeding strong, and Victorious against an enemy, whilest they were united; yet what bloody slaugh­ters, and unheard-of massacres were wrought amongst them, by the civil discord of Seditious Captains, and their siding one against another! tru­ly my very heart hath bled within me to read of it. What ruine and misery did the seditious discord of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, and those two hundred & fifty Princes of the congregation that came to Moses and told him that he took too much upon him to rule over them! the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up part of them; and fourten thousand seven hundred were consumed by a noyson Plague: which shews the great wrath of God revealed from heaven against seditious principles amongst his own people, quarreling at that Government and Gover­nour whom he had placed over them. Now I beseech you, if you would not have your Country made an Akeldama, nor the channells of your Cities and Towns run down with blood; if you would not see your Wives and Daughters ravish'd before your faces, and the brains of your little ones dashed against the walls: if you would not hear your chil­dren cry to you for a bit of bread when you have none to give them, and your selves stagger and reel in the streets for want of bread to support you feeble bodies? would you not be drag'd by the hair of the head from your several meetings in the worship of God? would you not have your blood mixt with your Prayers? would you not have the eyes of all your comforts put out? would you not grinde in the mill of a cruel enemy? if you love your lives and liberties, or any thing that is dear; if you value christian liberty at any price; if you count it worth any thing, let no prin­ciple [Page 7] of sedition against the present Government be entertained amongst you, least you repent it when it is too late.

There is no other way left to the enemy, for to break in upon us, but our own sedition and divisions; consider how forward the Devil hath been in all ages to blow with his mouth at such a coale, and what un­quenchable flames he hath blown them to; 'tis that the enemy stands gaping for, you cannot do them a greater pleasure; how do they laugh in their sleeves when they hear of such a thing! 'Tis Nuts for them, you cannot offer them a greater present, 'twill make them more pastime then all the Play-houses in London: Remember how the Lords of the Phi­listines sent for Sampson to make them sport; the Nations that are round about us that are our enemies, they hate us already with a bitter hatred, and wait for an opportunity to do us any mischief they can: this way they hope to breake in upon us, even our disaffection to the Government, and divisions amongst our selves; if you think it cannot be, why Je­rusalem thought the same, yea their enemies thought so too: Jeremiah in his Lamentations, breaks forth into these words: The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed, that the ad­versary and the enemy should have entred into the gates of Jerusalem. Lam. 4. 12.

Let us frustrate all their hopes then, of bringing us into a two-fold slavery, of conscience, and body, by a resolvedness of heart to submit unto that Government, under which we enjoy unspeakable liberty; considering that in the destruction of it, lyeth our absolute ruine and misery: For I must tell you, whosoever you be, that cannot see it, and own it to be of God, ye are either as a common enemy possest with despe­rate envy, or else as seeming friends with rash judgement of blind zeal. But for my own part I am satisfied in this one thing, that there have been very few in former ages (if any at all) whom God hath made choice of, and by providence kept and preserved, to Rule over his peo­ple, but some of their friends have either enviously maglign'd them, or else clandestinely sought their harm. Joseph speaks to his brethren, of God's exalting him above them; and they presently conspire his death. Moses (although he had oftentimes endangered his life before Pharaoh, for the Israelites, and was instrumental in the hand of God for their freedom; yet) could scarcely get a good word from many of them: they could ask him, Who made him a Ruler and a Judge over them? And Corah and his confederates could tell him to his face, that he took too much upon him, they were as good as he. It is written of them in the Psalms, that it did proceed from envie: Psal. 106.16. They envied Moses also in the Camp, and Aaron the Saint of the Lord. Gideon found but small kinde­ness at their hands, for all his service done for their safety; So that Ephra­im chid him very sharply: the like requitall had Jephtha from Epbra­im; because he did not acquaint them with his proceedings, they threat­ned to burn his house over his head: Sampsons friends for his service, [Page 8] could binde him and deliver him to the Philistines: how often was Sauls Javelin cast at David enviously, because the Lord was with him, and had exalted him into the peoples affection and love?

So that its no marvail though he whom God hath made instrumen­tal for the peace and tranquillity of his people in England, do meet with the like ingratitude from some of them. I have observed this for a real truth, that if envy do fancy evil in a good man, it will both write and speak against him, as if he were the vilest man alive; because it is both blind, and is such a passion that will have no pacification,

Did ever any Generall in this world, engage for a people, and ob­tain Victory, but he was made Ruler over them? ‘Would not a Vir­gin if she be forcibly ravished against her will, and should be delivered out of the ravishers hand by some other man?’ Would she not all the dayes of her life, love, and honour and respect the rescuer? sure I think she would, or else she were very ungrateful.

Is not the conscience more pure then the body? the defilement of the body is nothing to the pollution of the conscience; the ravishment of the body is nothing to the forcing of the conscience.

If then he hath stood up faithfully and stoutly, to rescue us from the bloody penall persecuting Lawes of Tyranny over the conscience; if we do not all the dayes of our lives, love, honour and respect him, we are as ungrateful a people both to God and to him the instrument in chief as ever were in the world, and cannot in conscience desire any good from him. But the reasons (as I apprehened) why so many Christi­ans zealously professing Christ, are unsatisfied in their conscience, at the establishment of the Government, are these.

First, the suddain appearance of it, contrary to their thoughts and expectations; because their thoughts and mindes were contented and satisfied in the Government of a Parliament, not thinking in the least, that God would have established any other Government in the Nation; the appearance of such a Government, which was directly contrary to their faith and premeditation of heart, startles their Spirits, and fills them, not onely with doubt whether it be of God or no, but with absolute perswasions, that it was not of God.

Now then, my dear Friends, I would ask you this single Question, If God will restore to his people, Judges as at the first, and Counsellors as at the beginning, then whether or no that the ancient Commonwealth of Israel was not governed by Moses as a Protector, who also had Counsellors with him; by Joshua, Gideon, Jephtha, and the rest, before either Kings or Par­liaments? So that I cleerly see in the establishment of this Govern­ment, the beginning of God's work in fulfilling his promise of pri­mitive restitution of Judges and Counsellors, as at the beginning, before they were governed either by Kings or Parliaments. All the Promises of God are yea, and Amen: Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but not one jot or tittle of the promises of the Lord, till all of them be ful­filled. And I am sure that's one.

[Page 9] Let us take heed then of murmuring at the appearance of the fulfil­ling of God's promises, lest God hide it from us again, as he did from the Children of Israel in Egypt, God having told Abraham above four hundred yeers before, That they should be Strangers in a Land that was not theirs, and that they should be afflicted four hundred yeers, and that afterwards he would bring them forth of it: the time being come that God would accomplish his promise in his own secret will and deter­minate counsel, he did purpose to make it good by the hand of Moses; who, when he was full forty yeers old, God put it into his heart to visit his Brethren, the Children of Israel; and seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: for he supposed, that his Brethren would have understood, how that God by his hand would deliver them; but they understood it not. And when he would have made peace betwixt two of his Brethren that were at strife, one of them asked him, Who made thee a Ruler and a Judge over us? at this saying, Moses fled▪ And forty yeers more affliction did God continue unto them for this one Murmurer. Let our English Israelites consider this, and take heed of murmuring and repining at the good hand of God in giving us a faithful and a careful Governour of his peoples Liberty, lest God withdraw his hand, and leave us and our children to a farther trial of Bondage.

The second I apprehend was and is this: they did not wait upon the Lord, nor seek unto him by prayer to know his minde and will in such a sudden Change: so that in stead of waiting upon God, and seeking un­to him by prayer to know his minde and will therein; supposing it not to be of God, because it was contradictory to their thoughts and expe­ctation; they rather bent their mindes and studies to finde out some­thing of corruption in it, that might make it appear not to be of God; and finding something in it, which their Spirits did not disrelish, they could not be satisfied that it was of God: whereas I am confident, if they had waited upon God, and sought unto him by Prayer, to know his minde and will in such an extraordinary change, they had been sa­tisfied, and could not but have seen it to be of God.

A third Reason was: they were afraid, lest way would have been made by it, for the induction and bringing in of such false worships, as would embondage the free Spirits of the zealously godly people in the three Nations; whereas provision is made to the contrary, and their pro­tection vowed; yea, and we shall enjoy it, if we do not wilfully de­prive our▪selves of it, and by our own divisions make ourselves a prey to our enemies: for that Proverb is certain true,

[Page 10] A fourth Reason was, Because they were not made acquainted with it; and so like Ephraim, against Jephtha, they were displeased with him, though he had deserved no such thing at their hands.

Fifthly, being formerly their equal, they took it ill (many of them) that he should be exalted to rule over them: therefore many of them thought, and do still think, that he hath taken too much upon him. Co­rah and his Accomplices told Moses as much; but the Holy Ghost com­mandeth us to rejoyce, when a Brother of low degree is exalted: for such a one is most fit for it, especially being endowed with sutable qualifica­tions, as none alive I think can deny, but that our present Lord Pro­tector is, and as prudent Counsellors for his Assistants. So that in such a Government, and such Governours to manage it; let all the wel­affected people of the three Nations rejoyce, Amen.