THIS Psalme, as the Title tells us, was pen'd upon the occasion of Sauls and Doegs cruelty against the Priests and people of God: the one commanding, & the other acting that wicked and mischie­vous exploit. A wicked King commands a wicked worke, and as wicked a servant o­beyes him. And commonly it is so, that when there are wicked commanders, there wants not one ill instrument or other to execute their wicked desires. Such a one was this man Dorg, an Edomite, or an Idumean, as the Greek here translateth it, or a man of Adamah, a City of the tribe of Nepthalie, Josua 19.36. And he it is to whom David here speakes, Why doest thou boast thy selfe to doe mischiefe, or, in doing mischiefe (as it is in the [Page 2]first verse) God shill destroy thee for ever, as it is in the fifth verse. God speakes not onely to him, but to all o­ther Doegs in the world, even to those of our times, which doe act their mischievous designes daily against God, his truth, and people, and all that they think stand in any relation to God, or doe engage themselves in any service for him; whose practice I shall here lay open, and the doome that will follow: and therefore I have chosen part of these two verses, in the unfolding of which, you may see the great Doeg of our Kingdome, Prince Rupert and all his bloudy followers, with their mischievous practices, and also their wofull doom that will follow.

And first, I shall speak of part of the first verse, Why dost thou boast thy selfe in evill, or in mischiefe, O mighty man? And first, here you may observe a charge laid upon Doeg, and all such bloudy ones that doe kill the Ministers and people of God, they are charged with doing evill, or mischief. Secondly, the manner of laying this charge upon them, it is by way of interrogation: Whey doe you doe it? The same expression is used Psal. 2.1. which shewes, that there is no reason to bee given for such wicked actions, much lesse for boasting in them.

Or if you will, here is set forth the practice of Dug, and all wicked men like him:

First, they doe evill.

Secondly, they doe it boastingly or joyfully.

Thirdly, here is set forth the unreasonablenesse of it, Why dost thou boast thy selfe, O mighty man?

And first of their practice, and from thence observe this point of Doctrine: That,

It is the practice of evill men to doe, evill things, of mischievous men to doe mischievous things.

Prov. 1.16. You shall find Solomon speaking of such, giving warning to his sonne to take heed of them, say­ing: Cohibe pedem tuum à s [...]mit a illorum, quia ped bus suis ad malu [...] concurrunt & festinant ad effundendum sangui­nem. They doe evill, and they make haste to doe it; they shed blond, and fill themselves with the spoyle of the shine. Such you shall finde also Psalm 10.7.8.9.10. and 11. verses: Execratione os ejus plenum est, fran­dibusque & dolo, subest lingue ej [...]s malestia & v [...]nit as: desidet in specu villarum in latebr is occ [...]sur is innocentem, [...] ­cuh ejus contr i defectum viribus delitescunt. His pra­ctice is to kill, and the wickednesse of his practice is, that he kills the innocent. Likewise Psalm 94.6. Vidu­am & peregrinum interficient, ac pupillos occident di­cent [...]s non respicit Iah, neque animadvertit Deus Iahakcbi. They kill the father lesse and widow. And see their wic­ked carriage in it; God, say they, sees not, the God of Iacob regards not. There is a pregnant place for this purpose, Esay 32.6.7. verses. Sed flagitiosns dicetur fla­gitium eloquens, cujus animus efficit iniquitatem; exercen­do by pocrisi & proloquendo in Deum err orem exhaurien­do animam famelic [...], & potum sitientis subtrahendo: & te­nacis instrumenta mala dicentur, qui scelerat a consilia init ad perdendum humiles sermonibus falsitatis etiam quum e­gens eloquitur jus. I might multiply many more pla­ces, but the point is so cleare and obvious, that it needs not.

The reasons of the point are these: First, Reason 1 Ephes. 2.3. it is naturall to wicked men to doe wickedly: if men are not restrai­ned by an over-ruling power, they run into all manner [Page 4]of wickednesse as the Horse rusheth into the battell.

Secondly, wicked men doe wickedly, because they love it, Psal. 52.7. There is a sutablenesse between sin and their soules, and so the acting of it is very easie to them, even the vilest abominations that can be wrought, as murdering the Saints, idolatry, blasphemy, and what ever else comes under the name of evill.

Thirdly, the Divell doth instigate and stirre them up thereunto; he rules in their hearts, 2 Cor. 4.4. He car­ries them with all swiftnesse and violence to accomplish his owne will.

The first use may serve to informe us, that it is no wonder to see wicked men follow their wicked cour­ses so eagerly and so constantly as they doe: their owne hearts carry them on thereunto, and the Divell secon­ding them with his temptations, they are carried on ve­hemently, God also giving them up to their own wills, they can doe not otherwise. If you look into the Scriß­tures, you may finde wicked Cain killing Abel, a wic­ked Nimrod mightily hunting and persecuting the Saints, and a wicked Saul, and many others doing the like.

And now you see wicked men enraged against God, his truth and his people, even a wicked army of Cava­liets, led forth by a wicked Prince, fighting against re­ligion, imprisoning and killing faithfull Ministers, shed­ding the bloud of the Saints of God with all out-rage and cruelty. It is no wonder to see them so doing; all wicked men would doe the like if God should not re­straine them, they doe but what their own hearts carry them unto, God having given them up to their owne wills and affections: therefore thinke it not strange, see­ing [Page 5]they are carried by such a power that they cannot resist of themselves.

The second use may bee a use of instruction, to teach every one to take notice of the naturall bent of his own heart, and where God hath wrought a change, to ac­knowledge the freenesse of his grace, and the mighti­nesse of his power.

The third use may bee to reach all wicked men that are carried on with such violence in wicked wayes, to take notice by their actions what they themselves are, e­ven wicked persons, you are wicked, but you will not acknowledge your selves to be so; but looke upon your actions, and they will tell you to your faces, that you are wicked wretches.

But you will say, What actions?

I answer, your swearing, blaspheming, drunkennesse, with other outrages, which your owne hearts tell you of. All you wicked Cavaliers, loook upon your cursed and divelish actions, and they will cry to you with a loud voyce, that you are a company of wicked wret­ches, risen up against the Lord, and against his people, even company of wicked Doegs, to whom the Pro­phet speakes, Why doe you boast your selves in evill?

But you will say, our actions are not wicked, neither are we our selves so.

No: Are not your action; wicked? Then there were never wicked actions wrought in the world: take but a view of your actions. Is it not a wicked action to murder godly and faithfull Ministers, and to imprison them? Then Herods action was not wicked in impriso­ning and killing Iohn the Baptist, not the Jewes in im­prisoning and killing the Apostles: but they are char­ged [Page 6]upon them as wicked actions, even by God him­selfe, and so shall your actions be changed upon you; e­ven this of imprisoning and killing the Ministers of God.

Again, what think you? Is it not an evill action to kill the Saints, and to shed their bloud that are as the apple of Gods eye, and the signet on his right hand, that are his precious ones, Esay 43.4. of whom God hath said, he wil contend with those that contend with them? And yet these you kill and imprison; nay, you aime at them above all others, Psal. 37.14. Gladtum eduxerint impro­bi & adduxerint arcum suum, ad dejiciendu pauperem & egentem ad mact andum rectos via: here is a wicked crew charged not only with killing the godly in cōmon with others, but for aiming at them above all others: and is not this your practice? Doe not you bend your force most against them that are most godly? And yet, O yee wicked ones, you will not yeeld that your actions are wicked; but let your hearts speak, and they will tell you, that your actions are wicked, and that Cain-like you seeke to kill the Saints, because their workes are good, and your owne bad; and God will one day tell you so to your endlesse woe if you repent not.

But you will say, you fight not against the godly, but against rebels and traitors that will not yeeld obedi­ence to their King.

To which I answer: First, that they refuse not to o­bey the King, so far as his commands agree with Gods, and more ready they are to obey him in such things, then any of you which doe hate, and openly oppose all such persons, and things, and commands, as haue any stamp of God upon them.

Secondly, they doe not disobey the King, but stand up in a defensive way, to defend themselves and their posterity, from Popery, tyranny and slavery, which you labour to bring us all unto. Doe not some of you remember, how you gave the first onset against the Par­liament, endeavouring to destroy that honorable As­sembly before they ever took up arms, or did any thing in a hostile way? And therefore your first rising was not to suppresse disobedient subjects, but to destroy such as were obedient and loyall.

And both the Parliament, and all that stand up with them, doe what they doe in defence of the King, and that religion, and those lawes which the King himselfe is sworne to maintaine; and therefore that cavill will no way free you, being you are wicked persons, nor free your actions from being wicked actions.

But you may say, Have we shed more bloud then the Parliament, or imprisoned more then they? Wee may charge them with the same crimes that wee are charged withall.

I answer as before, they are necessitated to what they doe, in defence of themselves, of religion and liberties. Besides their aime is not to shed blood, their endevours have been, and still are, for peace; but you are still for warre and bloud-shed. Besides all this, there is a great difference betwixt your shedding of bloud, and theirs: for they are exceeding tender and carefull of the faith­full Ministers of God, and of his servants, and would, if it were possible, preserve them above all other, from prison and sword: but your aime is altogether against such whom you are pleased out of your divelish malice to call Round heads, which terme shewes what you are, [Page 8]even such whose tongues are set on fire of hell, which doe speake worst of those of whom God speakes best. The holy God loves holinesse, and commands it, but you hate it and condemne it: you are contrary to God, and all his wayes, and yet in your opinion you are not a company of wicked wretches. But if all this will not convince you of your wickednesse, what thinke you of all your blasphemies, and cursed oathes, which daily ( Rabshakeh-like) you belch out against God, saying with those, Psalm. 42. Vbi est Deus tuus?

In a wod, doe but look upon the cursed practices of all the wicked wretches that ever you read or heard of, and see what villany was ever done by them to declare them to be wicked ones, that you are not guilty of, and then you will without doubt be of my minde, that you are a company of wicked ones indeed.

And so I come to the fourth use, which is a use of ex­hortation, to all you that stand up thus wickedly against God, to cease from all your cursed and wicked designes which you have so violently pursued so long. Goe no further on in your wicked wayes; heare what the Pro­phet David saith to you, Psal. 75.5. O yee vain-glori­ous fooles, bee not so vain-gloriously foolish, and you that are wicked, lift not up your horne on high, and speak not with a stiffe neck, march not so madly against God: for Iob saith: Never did any harden themselves against him and prosper. So Psal. 11. Depluet super im­probos prunas ignem & sulphur, ventusque procellosissi­mus portio calicis corum futurus est. Therefore take heed, it is hard for you to kick against pricks. Acts 9.6. Then even thou, bloudy Prince Rupert and all thy company, shall finde one day, that all the threatnings of God are [Page 9]against you, and that the way wherein you walke, is exosus Deo, and you will speed accordingly; which I will speak of in its place.

And so I have done with the first point: I now come to a second, which will arise from this word boasting, or glorying, they not doe evill, but they also boast in it, it is their glory: whence the point is this:

That wicked men doe not onely doe wickedly, but also boast and glory in the doing of it. So saith Solo­mon, It is a pastime to a foole to doe wickedly, Prov. 10.23. And again, Fools make a mock of sin.

What are those fooles but wicked men? for there is nothing properly folly but wickednesse. So the Prophet Hosea tells us, they make the King glad with their wic­kednesse, and the Princes with their lies, Hosea 7.3. [...] Surely they were first glad themselves, and then they made others so too.

The first reason is, because all their joy depends up­on the satis faction of their wicked desires: their wick­kednesse is the fountaine from which they fetch all their comforts. Now whatsoever a man makes the foun­taine and store-house of his joy, the more that is ope­ned unto him, the more he doth rejoyce: the wicked have no other fountaine of joy, but the bringing about of their evill devices; and when they have successe in them, then they most rejoyce.

The second reason is, because when they do wickedly, they have what they would: and we know in a naturall way; every on rejoyceth when he hath what he would; wicked mens wills are setupon wickednesse, and when they have most opportunity to practise it, then they most rejoyce, because their wills are fulfilled.

Thirdly, when wicked men are doing wickednesse, they are in their proper element, where they cannot chuse but sport themselves, even as the fowls in the air, and the fishes in the sea, and so every exeature else after its kinde.

First then, let us take notice how the sonnes of men are bewitched by Satan and their own wicked hearts, to sport themselves in that which is their mischief and un­doing, seeding their senses with the delights of wicked­nesse, and walking on merrily in the path that leads to the chambers of death, from whence there is no retur­ning.

Let all wicked men take notice in what a woful estate they are in, whilst they glory in their shame, as the A­postle saith, Phil. 3.17. Nay, in that which without re­pentance will hold them in everlasting chaines of death and darknesse: For the subject matter of your joy, is nothing but your wickednesse, worse then a thing of nought, as the Prophet speaks, Amos 6.

And especially you which do daily bring upon your selves blood-guiltinesse, by plotting the death and un­doing of all that have any resemblance of God in their words or actions, you take pleasure in nothing but in unrighteousnesse, Rom. 1.21. in robbing, stealing, who­ring, and above all, killing the people of God when your Divelish pawes can fasten upon them, then you thinke you have cause to rejoyce more then ordinary; you are never so full of shoutings, as when your heats and hands are most full of theft and bloud shed; you make your selves drunk with bloud as with sweet wine, and make joyfull acclamations at the accomplishment of your most inhumane devites: there is nothing so de­lightfull [Page 11]you, as that which is most hatefull to God and all good men. O let not my soule, not the soules of any that thinke to come to life, come into the se­crets of your rejoycing, which doe by your joy, your present wicked joy, work out your eternall sorrow: for God in the midst of all your cursed delights, laughes at you; for he sees the day of your everlasting downfall comming, that take up Armes against the Lord Jesus Christ, his truth and people.

To informe us what will deprive a wicked man of his joy, namely to deprive him of his wickednesse. And a­las! that cannot hold long it self, it will weare you out, even your drunkennesse, your whoring, and the rest of your wickednesse. It may be the sword shall devoure you, there will be ere long the end of your wickednesse, or your end, or both, and then where will be your joy, when the matter and ground of your joy shall bee taken away? Nay, which is worse, there will be a sting sting­ing in your soules to all eternity; which remembrance of your wicked pleasures will dally renew, that you shal hever be able to withstand it. Why then wilt thou let the refreshments of thy soule depend upon so wofull a foundation as the satisfaction of thy wicked and beast­ly lusts, which can be but for a season, Heb. 11.26. The fountaines of thy joy will quickly be drawne dry, and then all thy joyes will bid thee an eternal farewell; nay, it may be, before thou are aware of it, even suddenly all you cursed lighters against God, may bee met withall and destroied. However, it will not be long before the foundation of your joyes and delights (namely your spoiling of the Saints, and robbing of the Lords deare once) shall be taken away from you, and then your joyes [Page 12]will perish. And so I have done with this second point, and come to the third, which will arise from the inter­rogation, Why dost then boast thy selfe in evill? The point is this: That

Wicked men have no good reason to commit evill, nor to boast in it: sinne is an unreasonable thing, no man can lay downe any good reason for the defence of it, Psal. 2.1. Quare tumultuantur gentes & nationes medi­tantur inane? They can give no reason for what they doe: and therefore when our Lord Christ laid a charge of wickednesse upon him that had not on the wedding garment, he was even speechlesse, he could give no rea­son for the way he was in. But I will bee briefe in this point.

The first reason is, because God never commanded sin, and nothing can bee reasonable but what he com­mands; no, though it have a shew of good in it: who re­quired these things at you hands? Esay 1.12.

Secondly, because God hath absolutely forbidden sin, therefore it is unreasonable.

Thirdly, because it tends to the destruction of him that commits it, and there is no reason why any one should destroy himselfe; nor is there any reason why it should be rejoiced or boasted in, because there is in eve­very sin a kinde of poison that eats out all joy, and over­throwes all peace and comfort, and there can bee no cause of rejoycing in that which overthrowes and spoils our joy, nay, it is the cause of eternall woe and sorrow.

The first use may be a use of information to informe us, that every wicked man is an unreasonable man, hee is not guided by reason, unlesse it be reason fetcht from [Page 13]beneath, even from the Divell or their owne darkned mindes, and carnall hearts, which are opposite to that divine reason by which we should be guided in all our wayes. And the truth is, no man walkes safely any longer then he is guided by this divine and pure reason, namely God and his truth. Indeed man is a reasonable creature, and indued with a reasonable soule, the powers of which carry him to actions reasonable, as they re­spect his outward being, and way of converse amongst men, so a wicked man may doe many actions in them­selves reasonable; but in regard of the manner of them, not being guided in them and to them (as was said be­fore) by that divine reason which should guide every man in all his actions, they are against God, and so most unreasonable. But I will not insist upon his: for we are not here to shew, that an action in it selfe good, being done in an evill manner, may be evill to a man, the text speakes here of actions every way evill, both materially and formally, and to doe such actions is an unreasonable thing, but more unreasonable to rejoyce and boast in them.

In the next place, this will lay a heavie charge of unreasonable nosse and spirituall madnesse upon those who, like Ahab, have sold themselves to work wicked­nesse, that devise mischiefe upon their beds, and when they come abroad, they practise it and tell it, that like Doeg murder the Ministers and people of God. O yee unreasonable ones, why doe you doe thus? O yee bloudy Prelates which have (not long since) shed the blood of many godly Ministers and people, whipping some, starving some, and stigmatizing others, nay, you have shed the bloud of souls by taking away the power­full [Page 14]preaching of the Word from them, as much as is you lay. And now being by the force of a Parliament for the present restrained, you thirst after the bloud of godly Ministers and people, more then after wine: and now, whilst your hands are bound, you send abroad your hellish devices, which like an cating gangrene, have gone thorow the land; you must one day bee brought before the great Judge, who will demand a reason of you why you have done all these things, when you will not bee able to render a reason for the least of you wicked wayes.

And all you roaring and revelling Cavaleers, why do you kill, steale, and follow such vile and rebellious courses? Can you tell why? What hath God done to you? Or what fault can you finde with his wayes, that you so stand up against him? You would have his true worship downe, and false and Popish worship let up. Why do you rise now, and gather on heaps, to pull down and hinder that true spirltuall way of worship of the Lord Jesus, which he himselfe hath constituted by his apostles and Teachers in the primitive times? Sure you can give no reason for it. And why doe you kill the Saints, and imprison them above all others? What have they done to you? Sure they have not hurt you. I know you have nothing to say unto them, unlesse it be [...] in matters of their God, as those wicked ones had a­gainst Daniel. Daniel 6. And I am sure you will finde that but an unreasonable reason, if you doe but confider it: if there be no reason for any thing that God commands not, as sure there is not, then this your doings will prove un­reasonable, for I am sure God never commanded you to spoile his people, whom hee loves there all other: [Page 15]therefore doe but consider what you doe, and you will finde that all your actions in this bloody warre against the Saints of Jesus Christ, have beene all this while, and still are against the highest and purest reason, even against God himselfe, the spring and fountaine of all good reason.

You most barbarously prophane the Lords day in buying and selling, playing and sporting, and if you solemnly performe any service to God it consists in nothing for the most part, but reading a Popish Ser­vice booke, and surely God will aske you also why you doe this, when you shall never be able to answer him, but shall be [...]ritten dumb before him, though now you will not feare him, not regard his counsells to be gui­ded by them: and so I have dome with this point also, and with these words, Why be stest thou thy selfe in mis­chiefe.

I now come to speake of the wofull destiny of these wicked unreasonable men, which is set before their and our eyes, in part of the fifth verse, God shall destroy thee for eves. In which words, you may observe these two generall things:

First, the certainty of the destruction of wicked men, They shall be destroyed.

Secondly, the irrecoverablenesse of their condition, being once destroyed, It shall be for ever.

In the first, we may take notice of the person that shall undertake this worke, and that is one which can goe through with it, & do it to purpose, even God himself.

Secondly, the manner of their overthrow, They shall be destroyed, which word hath a great force in it, and so I might make divisions of the two generall things, [Page 16]but I will handle them as they lye in the lumpe, be­cause I shall not have time to unfold every word ac­cording to the extent of it. And therefore I will fall first upon the first generall, the certainty of the de­struction and overthrow of all wicked men, and bloody persecutors, God shall destroy them; whence the point is this, Doctrine 4 That all bloody persecutors; and plotters, and workers of mischiese against the Saints and people of God shall certainly be destroyed, Psal. 9.18. Retrea­gentur improbi ad sepulcrum usque omnes gentes oblita Dei. Psal. 37.2. The Lord there doth encourage his people to a patient abiding the malice and mischiefe of wicked men: for saith he, they shall be soone cut off as the grasse, and wither as the green herbe; and so verso 20. saith he, The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of Lambes, they shall consume into smoake: and so also, verse 15. Glad [...] corum intrabit in cor corum, & arcus corum confringen­tur: Here in all these expressions as you may see in the whole Psalme, he aimes as at all wicked men, so espe­cially at such as aime most at the ruine and overthrow of his people, they above all shall be met withall; the heat of Gods judgements shall melt them even as the fire melteth the wax, their prosperity shall vanish away even like smoak, and the very remembrance of all their wicked persecuting the Saints, shall like a sharpe sword pierce their soules for ever.

The first reason is, because God hath decreed the destruction of such. So Iude tells us, Iude 4. verse, and Psalme 33.11. Consil [...]um vero Ichova in seculum con­sistit, cogitationes animi ejus in at a [...]es singula [...] [...]o who can hinder what he hath decreed, all the world cannot doe [Page 17]it. Have I said it, and shall I not doe it, saith he by that wicked Prophet Balam, Numb. 23.18. therefore it must be so that you must be destroyed all the roote of you that stand up against God and his people.

The second reason why God will destroy them is, because they are his enemies, Those mine enemies, saith he, that would not that I should reigne over them, bring them hither and slay them before me. Such as are ene­mies to Gods people, are enemies to God himselfe, be­cause there is such a neare relation betweene God and them, they are his Spouse, his betroathed ones, Hos. 2.19. they are his children, 2 Cor. 6. ult. and therefore those that fight against them, fight against him, their enemies are his enemies, and therefore hee will destroy them.

Thirdly, God will destroy wicked men and bloudy persecuters, to declare his justice. So the Apostle saith, Rom. 9.22. Those that doe oppose him to his face, and blaspheme his name, and doe that which hee hath forbidden, and will not be reformed, he will declare his justice upon them to their destruction: he will even teare them to pieces, and none shall deliver them, Psal. 50.22.

But it will be demanded, who are these wicked men that shall be destroied?

I answer first in generall, that all may bee said to be wicked men that have not interest in the Lord Jesus, and all such must be destroied. To such hee will say at that great day, Depart from me yee wicked, yee work­ers of iniquity, I know you not, that is, I approve you not, you have no interest in me, you shall bee destroied, [Page 18]you are workers of iniquity, Matth. 7.23.

But secondly, I answer more particularly, that this Text which I am now upon, doth not aime especially at these, neither doe I aim at them in my discourse; but especially at such as doe (as I may say) constitute them­selves in a posture of open warre against God and his people.

You will say, Who are they?

I answer, they are the wicked Bishops, and all the wicked Cavaliers which are now gathered together in­to an Army, under the command of the grand Captaine of wickednesse, the Divell, which like a Captaine goes about daily to see how many of the Saints of God hee can devour.

First, I say, the Bishops, because I doe beleeve, that they have been the great incendiaries and blowers up of all this mischiefe, partly by introducing so many base and wicked innovations in the worship of God, which godly Ministers and godly Men could not endure: and partly by working out so many Monopolies and un­lawfull taxes upon the State, that men were not able to beare. And in the defect of the observation of their Canons and inventions, what miseries were men brought into? They were persecuted even to strange Cities and Countries, kept in dungeons and darknesse, in hunger and solitarinesse, spoiled of their goods and en­joyments; and what ever those bloudy villaines could say or doe, was in a manner made law; so that your cursed and irregular wills, almost ruled the Land. How many godly Ministers have you silenced? And the bloud of how many soules have you shad, O ye blood­guilty [Page 19]wretches: therefore you are worthy to goe in the first rank of persecuters, whose sinnes are gone before hand to judgement, 1 Tim. 5.24. You have openly declared sinnes before hand, and therefore surely the Lord aimes at you in speciall, at at a generation whom he will destroy.

And the next to you are those men whose hearts your cursed Canons have taken such impression upon, that they are carried out to practise that which you first be­gan: and surely your hands and hearts are still in the businesse, and many of them are held and led on in the worke by your subtile perswasions, and the force of your deceitful arguments, but this cannot excuse them. For seeing they follow your wicked steps, they must also partake of your wofull destruction: so now I have told you who I meane by wicked and bloudy men, that must be destroyed, even the whole Army that standeth up in this wicked warre: I say all, both head and taile, without repentance, must fall under the revenging hand of the Almighty God, and feele the weight of his just judgements.

But it will bee demanded who I meane by the faith­full Ministers and faithfull people of God, whom I say are imprisoned, persecuted, and killed?

I answer: I mean such as the Scriptures set forth to us to be such, even such as are in their hearts and lives a holy people unto God, 1 Peter 2.9. You are a holy Nation, saith the Apostl [...]: and doe you not hate these, and [...]o [...] and revile at these, even because they are holy? Doe you not seeke to kill these? Your very soule [...] you th [...] you doe, and you doe it in de­spig [...] God, because it is against his expresse word, [Page 20]who hath said, Sancti estote: nam ego sanctus sum, 1 Pe­ter 1.16. And yet you would destroy them for their holinesse: God commands them to bee holy, you de­ride them for it: whose word shall stand, Gods or yours? God saith they are a holy people, you say they are Round-heads, Sectaries and Schismatickes, and what you please. These are the Saints, which as strangers and Pilgrimes, Abstineatis à carnis cupidita­tibus, 1. Peter 2.11. Such as desire to walk with their God, though it bee in a way which men call Heresie, Acts 24.14. Such as desire to have, Conscientiam sine offensa apud Deum, & apu [...] homines semper. Acts 24.16. Such as cannot, nor dare not, to follow the wayes of Popery, and other like courses which the world will follow to save their liberties and outward estates. Such a one Moses was, that forsooke the pleasures of sinne to follow his God, Hebrewes 11.26. Such were those which you may read of at large in the same Chap­ter, that suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods for the Lord Jesus sake.

And so now I have told you who I mean by wicked men, and who I mean by the Saints of God.

Now I come to the use of the point that I delivered, namely, that wicked and bloudy persecuters must be destroied.

The first use is a use of instruction to the Saints that are persecuted, to teach them to pitty the wicked, though they persecuted them: for they must be destroi­ed, it will be misery enough to them that God will de­stroy them. So did Stephen Acts 7. towards the end: Positis antem gentbus clamavit voce magna Domine ne statuas ets hoc peceatum. So did our Lord and Master [Page 21]Christ, Father forgive them, they know not what they doe: so let us doe when they lay their wicked hands upon our bodies, let us pitty their miserable souls.

Secondly, let it teach us patience in all our sufferings, because they cannot be long, the workers of our sor­rowes shall shortly be destroyed.

The second use is a use of terror to the wicked them­selves that must bee destroied: Take notice of your doome and misery, your future destruction is more cer­taine then your present enjoyments, your sorrowes will come certainly and wonderfully upon you, and you shall not escape his hand. All your strength and policie shall not bee able to deliver you. It is likely you may thinke with Senacherib, Isa. 36. that your great multi­tude will be a means to preserve you; but alas! if you had all the men in the whole Kingdome together on your side, this would not doe it, when God shall once arise to fight against you. Know you not that hee slew by his Angel in one night, an hundred fourscore and five thousand, Esay 37.30. And are not you an Army much like unto his, that doe reproach and blaspheme the living God? Have you not uttered the same lan­guage that some of them did to the servants of Heze­kiah, saying, Your God whom you serve, shall not bee able to deliver you out of our hands. And as the wic­ked Jewes to Christ, Where is the God in whom you prayed? let him deliver if hee will have him. Now what is become of these? Are they not destroied? And shall you escape? No, no, it cannot bee, you shall not escape, when the time is once come that God will have you down, even the stars in their comse shall fight against you, as they did against Sisera, Judg. 5.

But you will say, We have strong horses, and they may be a means to save us.

I answer, No: they cannot neither, Psal. 33.17. Men­dax est equus ad salutem, & multitudine roboris sui nonli­berat sessorem. A horse is a lie: For so it is to bee read.

How a lie?

Why? Because strong horses doe in regard of out­ward strength, promise a great deale of help in time of warre, and whosoever shall depend upon this strength, as upon a promise, will finde it but a lye; and so shall all you Cavaliers finde, not onely horses, but all the outward strength upon which you doe depend, it will prove but a lie.

But you may say, Wee are Princes, and Lords, and great men, our means and titles will beare us out.

I answer, No: this cannot; for those great Princes we read of, Ezek. 32.24.25.26. The Princes of Elam, Meshek and Tubal, they being great Princes, while they were alive and in prosperity, they caused a terrour in the land of the living, even among the people of God; yet now they lie with the uncircumcised, which are gone downe to hell with their weapons of warre, and they have laid their swords under their heads, and which is worst of all to them, and shall be to you, their iniquities are upon their bones, and your iniquities shall bee upon your bones; and this will bee intolerable. They notwithstanding their Princely power, were o­vercome, and so shall you be. You may now walke in the pride and stubbornnesse of your owne hearts, say­ing, Wee have gotten us hornes by our strength: but these your hornes of strength shall bee broken. God [Page 23]himselfe will fight against you with an out-stretched arme, and none can turn him back.

But you will say, Stay a while, wee are not destroyed, yet, it may be yet that you Round-heads may be made quake by us first.

I answer, it may bee indeed that God may suffer you to doe more mischiefe before he destroy you: hee may suffer you to doe the Scullians office, to scoure his cho­sen vessels, he may make rods of you, as hee did of Cy­rus, to whip his people; and then into the fire of his judgement you goe without remedy. And what then will you, nay, what can you doe, though you cloath your selves with scarlet, and deck you with ornaments of gold, yet all this will not helpe you? Jerem. 4.30. Your terrible lookes will not fright him that sits upon a glorious throne, and sendeth forth his destroying mes­sengers when hee pleaseth: Nor will the glittering of your speares and weapons of warre daunt him; neither will hee bee allured by the costlinesse of your apparrell (though it be golden and shining) to forbeare you: But he will come against you with the force of his power; he now speakes against you every day, and you will not heare his voyce, he bids you take heed of medling with his people, for whom hee hath ingaged himselfe. Yea, he speakes to you by signes from heaven, foretel­ling your future destruction, which in its season shall come upon you: therefore give glory to the Lord God of Israel, before he send darknesse, and your feet stum­ble upon the dark mountaines, and while you looke for light, he turne it into the shadow of death, and make it as grosse darknesse, Jerem. 13.16. light being here ta­ken for prosperity, joy and deliverance, it shall be turned [Page 24]into sorrow, trouble and destruction. Wherefore be not proud, but heare and regard the word of the great God, which now sounds in your eares, that so, if it bee possible, you may returne and escape that terrible de­struction which will be so tedious to you: But if you will still persist in your courses of fighting against God, and seeking to set up Popery, and laying heavie bur­dens upon the consciences of godly men, then [...] what God saith further to you, Esay 8.9. Consoci [...]ini, ô populi, & conterimini, auremque prabete quotquot estis in locis longinquis terra: accengimini & conterimini, accin­gimini & conterimini. This is spoken to you, even to you the whole Army of Cavaliers. This will bee your end though you gather your selves; nay, though you gird your selves with all the strength you can, yet you shall be broken in pieces. And so because time calls upon me, I must have done with the first generall, namely, the certainty of the destruction of wicked men. I come now briefly to speake of the last, namely, the ir­recoverablenesse of their condition, being once de­stroied. Whence the point is this: That

The condition of wicked men, being once destroied, is irrecoverable, they can returne to their place no more, nor never see light, but must to all eternity en­dure that which is unsufferable, 2 Thessal. 1.9. There the Apostle saith, that they shall be punished with eter­ni exitii, eternall destruction. And Mark. 9.16. our Sa­viour saith, that the sire of their destruction is never quenched. So saith the Prophet David, speaking of the wicked, they shall arise, saith he, to everlasting shame and contempt Dan. 12.2. Rev. 20.10.

And our Saviour himselfe tells us the reason of it, in [Page 25]that parable, Luke 16.26. There is a great gulse [...] ­ed between them and life, which they cannot passe nor recover themselves from their miserable condition.

The second reason is, because they shall bee held by the almighty power of God in that destroyed conditi­on; there shall be, as it were, fresh blasts of his power­full wrath to kindle the flame of their torment, Isai. 30. ult. Flasus Ichova quasiterreute Sulphuris, incendit eam. The force of this flame, and the power of this breath, shall for ever over over whelme them, that they shall never recover themselves.

I might draw another reason from the manner of their destruction: It shall bee a destruction that makes them uncapable of recovery, even like the breaking of a Potters vessell, Psalm 2.9. which you know can never be made whole againe.

Let every one then take notice of the wofull estate of wicked men; when ever the day of their destruction comes, it comes for ever. Indeed it is true, Mors com­munis onunibus, death is common to all, but there is a secondamors, a second death, which binds up all its pri­soners to all eternity. Do but think then what all wicked men will get at last when they come to end their dayes, when all their fore-past happinesse will bee swallowed up with the thoughts of their endlesse misery: What good wil it doe them, like the rich glutton, Luke 16. to fare deliciously every day, and to glory in their doing mischiefe, when at last they must bee destroyed for ever.

Let all the wicked crew of blasphemous wretches see, if they can comfort themselves with hopes of obtai­ning their ownedesires, their desire is, that God would [Page 26]damne them, and that he would ram them into hell, that they may returne no more. See, I say, if you can comfort your selves with these hopes, you shall have your desires without all question, you shall bee so stopt, as it were, into the gulfe, that you shall be sure never to get out. Can you cheere your hearts with it? Oh no! rather tremble at it, and bee afraid thus wickedly to o­pen your mouthes any more: You now glory in your firing houses, and doing all themischiefe your divellish hearts can invent; but you little thinke (what ever you say) of dwelling with everlasting burnings, Isai. 33.14. which will (not withstanding all your pomp and wicked boasting in your present evill courses) bee your wofull condition ere long, when you will ourse the day that e­ver you set your hearts, and tongues, and hands, to fight against God, and against his people.