A sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, in the Abbey Church…A sermon preached before the Right Honorable House of Lords, in the Abbey Church…

Others say rebellion against the King is the cause, but rather the not timous rising to help the Lord, and his oppressed people against the mighty is the cause. The defection of both kingdoms to altar worship, imagery, idolatry, Popish and Arminian Doctrine, the articles of Perth Assembly followed and practised in our own kingdom without repentance, the ignorance of God, people perishing for want of knowledge, both under prelacy, and now the not building of the house of God in this land, the backsliding of ⟨p. 45⟩many after the Covenant of God is sworn, are the true causes, and it is to be feared that if Presbyterial government be erected in this land (as we hope it shall) if this be not taken heed to, it shall continue a judgement on the Land, and it is this, many both preachers and professors shall conform to the Government (as they would do to either the prelatical, or congregational way as many time-servers do) and shall hate and persecute the power of godliness under the pretence of Sectaries, Brownists, Separatists, independents, and the like, and retaining an Antichristian and rotten heart shall do what in them lies, under that colour to vex, oppress and banish many godly men out of the land. But this is to be considered, if it were not needful there were a Fast through both kingdoms to deal with God to find out the true causes of our fastings, and these heavy judgements in which in the three kingdoms many hundred thousands are killed. I doubt if under any Prince or Emperor there be a history can parallel the blood shed within these few years; Job when God visited him desired to know wherefore God contended with him: it is a sad thing to lye drowned under unknown and fatherless plagues, we being ignorant of the causes of Gods judgement; so we suffer blind crosses like the Ox that bears the yoke and knoweth nothing of the art of husbandry, or the horse killed in the battle, and yet is ignorant of State-affairs, and of the causes of war, and of disorders in Laws, Liberties, Religion in State and Church, we are like one smitten in the dark night by a spirit or a ghost, but he seeth not who striketh. Oh it were good we would inquire, as the Prophet doth, Esa. 42. 24. who gave Jacob for a spoil; and Israel to robbery? and wherefore is all this come on us? why doth the Lord contend with us? O make us know our iniquities.

Others say rebellion against the King is the cause, but rather the not timous rising to helpe the Lord, and his oppressed people against the mightie is the cause. The defection of both kingdomes to altar worship, imagerie, idolatry, Popish and Arminian Doctrine, the articles of Perth Assembly followed and practised in our owne kingdome without repentance, the ignorance of God, people perishing for want of knowledge, both under prelacy, and now the not building of the house of God in this land, the backsliding of