Divine. If it be Paradoxical, yet I am sure it is Orthodoxall, I remember judicious Calvin said the same of the German wars in his time. There is more danger, said he, like to come by our own then by our enemies victory. I desire his words may be well observed, and applied. I dare say, God is more gracious to us in continuing this war of ours, then if he should answer our desires in putting an end to it presently. When God blesseth our forces with any great success, nay when he doth but draw back his afflicting hand a little, and giveth us some lightning of our eyes, O how do we by and by forget God, and slight both Humiliation and Reformation. *Then Jesurum forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his •alvation. *But, when he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and inquired after God early. There were never serious and deep thoughts, either in the Parliament, or in the Kingdom, of fasting and praying, of covenanting with God, of purging our hearts, our lives, our families, of reforming the Church, according to the word, of building the Temple according to the pattern, of caring for the things of Jesus Christ more then for their own things; never but when we felt Gods hand smart and heavy upon us. And if now ⟨p. 3⟩the sword of the Lord should be still, and England a quiet habitation, every man sitting under his own vine, and under his own figtree: I verily believe our great State Physicians should heal the wound of the daughter of Zion slightly, and daub the wall with untempered mortar, and the Church of God in this Kingdom should have dry breasts, and a miscarrying womb, instead of bringing forth the manchild of Reformation, now sticking in the birth, but having no strength to come forth, till some new pains and pangs quicken and carry through the work.
Divine. If it be Paradoxall, yet I am sure it is Orthodoxall, I remember judicious Calvin said the same of the German warres in his time. There is more danger, said he, like to come by our owne then by our enemies victory. I desire his words may bee well observed, and applyed. I dare say, God is more gracious to us in continuing this war of ours, then if he should answer our desires in putting an end to it presently. When God blesseth our forces with any great successe, nay when hee doth but draw back his afflicting hand a little, and giveth us some lightning of our eyes, O how doe we by and by forget God, and slight both Hu•iliation and Reformation. *Then Iesurum forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his •alvation. *But, when he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and inquired after God early. There were never serious and deep thoughts, either in the Parliament, or in the Kingdome, of fasting and praying, of covenanting with God, of purging our hearts, our lives, our families, of reforming the Church, according to the word, of building the Temple according to the patterne, of caring for the things of Jesus Christ more then for their own things; never but when we felt Gods hand smart and heavy upon us. And if now ⟨p. 3⟩the sword of the Lord should be still, and England a quiet habitation, every man sitting under his own vine, and under his owne figtree: I verily believe our great StatePhysitians should heale the wound of the daughter of Sion slightly, and daube the wall with untempered morter, and the Church of God in this Kingdome should have dry breasts, and a miscarrying wombe, instead of bringing forth the manchild of Reformation, now sticking in the birth, but having no strength to come forth, till some new pains and pangs quicken and carry through the work.
- *Deut. 23.15.
- *••al. 78.34. Caiv. Opuse. de S•andalis gu•s Evangel pro[…] la••• in Germanian […], & •••zae adbuc e•sent corum […], qu• ad tuendam bonam causam videbantur animati, ha• que f••ucia susceptum esset luctuosum b•c bellum, quodque, insel•c•ter• […]: •rectis • magnas spes, p•rt•s nostrae animis; d•xi all quando publ•è, plus à nostra, quàm hostium victoria, nobis instare pericul•• • eque enim tam• m•tuenda• esse ullas clades, quàm n•m•s triumpha•e, •t ita loquar, Evangelium, quod nos adinsolentiam efferret. No• vero me i•ius voc•s bod•e quoque paenites. Nisi prophanae licentiae Dominis matu. e obviam ••sset, morbus fu•sset temporis successis procemodum incurablis. Null dollrinae piisgu monitionibus fuisset authoritas, &c.
