(Fo. 79v) For a charge 11 January 1641 

1. It wil be very useful for our service now in hand to consider some of the priviledges of a Godly Christian. Whatsoever he doth shall prosper. 2, he shall obtain al his prayers for the first the words of the first Psalm he shall be like a tree planted etc., and whatsoever he doth shall prosper. The Ungodly are not so, but as the chaf which the winde driveth as thistle down, Isay 17:13, or smoke before the whirlewinde. The prophet expoundeth the ungodly to be such as trust in man and whose hart departeth from God, and the Godly are those whose trust and hope is fixed upon God, Jeremiah 17:5. 

The extream vast difference between the righteous and the wicked all work together for the best to them, for the other the wrath of God abideth on them. They are accursed and every thing that they meddle with is blasted with a curse for theire sakes. And the reason of this is most appareh: God Almighty is the great disposer and overruler of all things. Now the desires and endeavors of the Godly are according to Gods will, his holy word is theire rule and guide and therefore he meditates thereon incessantly. Whereas, on the contrary, all the purposes and devises of wicked are utterly opposit to the holy will of God. How then is it possible but that the intentions and actions of the Godly shall be crouned with most blessed successe and those of the wicked shall be utterly disappointed? 

As the blessed virgin sings, he scattereth the proud in the imaginations of theire harts. There the wicked are stiled proud, mighty, and ritch; the godly are called lowly fearers of God and hungry ones, the Israel of God, the seed of Abraham. These God will save and fill with joy and praises of God. These he will regard and make blessed. All his mercies are for them, likewise, his power to bring mighty things to pass for them. Them he will exalt and make plenteous in all good things. Those he will help and assists on all occasions. And all this he is ingaged unto by his faithfull promises and his oath wherewith he hath been pleased to binde himself unto them. 1000 other places of holy scripture, and indeed the maine scope of the whole book of God from the beginning?Ghe end, doth is to confirm and shew forth the exceeding love of God toward the godly, his preserving and blessing them continually and his feirce wrath and vengeance and a horrible curse pursuing the wicked incessantly. 

Now it is most certen every man living is either a godly man or a wicked man. Either a blessing or a curelongs unto him. It is true that of good men some are more excellent then others, and likewise there are sundry degrees of wicked men, some more greivously given over to al mischeif, others more restraind. But yet certenly every one is either on Christs part or against him, though some be more desperatly malicious against our Saviour and his waies, others oppose him with less rancour. Yet all that are not truly his subjects, fighting with him against his enimies, are on the adverse part and fight against our Saviour. 

Every one of us here present is either a member of Christ, quickned with his spirit, sanctifyed to serve and please God in every syncerity, or els he abides in his corrupt natural estate, a child of wrath fit object of justly liable all curses and miseries. The work we have now in hand, it is not possible it should prosper except we be in Christ. In him only we come to a certen title and right to all the blessings, and out of Christ is nothing but curses and misiries, so that there is an absolute nacessity of beeing godly. Now certenly among such a company some are wicked. The Lord knoweth who are his, also, our owne consciences may give us a great light to discern on which side we are. Theose who are yet under the power of darknes, slaves to Sathan and their own lusts, must this instant resolve upon new courses, els nothing can be hoped for or expected by them upon any true grounds, but only curses, plagues, and destruction.  

Now for the other sort that are already quickened to a new life in Christ, inlightened and sanctified by his holy spirit: it concerns and import them principally to renue and reenforce their resolutions, to persisit and go on, more and more holily and unblamably, according to the perfect rule of Gods words. For first, that is the only sure proof that they are in Christ. If they stir up them selves to excell and abound continually more and more in all the holy graces of God. 2, if they that have been adopted in Christ, consecrated and devoted to God and sanctifyed by the Holy Ghost, shall neglect to perform the duty of children, not rouzing up themselves against al wickednes, burrning with zeal of giving glory to God and yeilding obedience to him in procuring the good of Gods people, doubtles this is a far greater wickednes in them then in any natural man other and will bring more fearful plagues and judgments upon them so that the wicked must turn, yea, and the best of us must amend. 

(Fo. 80r) 1. The desires and endeavors of good Christians is to do theire duties wel and prosperously enjoy good success continually at all times and expecially now in the present time. Certenly, these must be our resolutions to discharge our duties in the best maner towards God and man in all our affairs and dealings throughout our whold life, that all things may be blessed unto us, but more especially that may we perform the great service now in hand with exact carefulnes and that it may produce the greatest good that may bee. 

To furder us hearein let us consider that most certen truth we read in Gods word, that Godlines is profitable unto all things. It hath all the promises, full assurance of al blessings and happines, both in this life and in the life to come. And principally Godlines is most available for the happy speeding of these sessions. 

5. How hath God delt with us of late and how is his dealing with us at this time. Never, I think, for so long a time together, have the people of God been continually in very great hope and expectation of prosperity and happines and withall in a continuall great feare and imminent apparent danger of some greivous calamity ready to break in suddenly upon us. And at this present, for ought I can heare or learn, the feares and hopes are as great or greater then ever they weare. Why is this so disposed of our infinit good God, but by the fear of destruction to make us abhor our sins, which is the only cause of all miseries, and by the hope of mercies and blessings to win and allure us to Godlines, that so we may be sure to injoy al happines and prosperity now and for ever. 

8. The foundation of Justice is the commandments of God. We must know and learn them. 2ly, we must observe and doe them, otherwise wroth and vengeance belongs unto us in this world and for ever. And God we know is most wise. He wil respect no mans person. Al are alike to him, the hyest and lowest. This we are especially to consider for our selves, we that are now appointed to examin and judg the actions of others shall more certenly our selves be weighed and judged of God himself. Neither let us imagin that Gods Judgment will be put of til after this life, for very usually he inflicts his righteous judging upon offenders here before men. And many examples are of this dayly before our eies. 

As I said, we must know and perform al the Commandments of God throughout our whole life. Any spot or blemish in exemplary men such as those who are to deale in the administration of Justice is a foul deformity and ful of mischeif but especially in that great and sacred work it self, you of the Jury, we on the bench, must with the greatest feare and reverence, with all care and heedfulnes, bend al uttermost force and power to perform this service most exzactly, according to truth and righteousnes, without sparing or favoring any offender that we can take notice of and dilligently bywaring that none be injustly charged in any maner, (Fo. 81r) so that, according to the duties of our places we may justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, and that the offendors may nether have less nor more but just according as belongs his fault extenuated nor aggravated, but may receav the right sentence belonging to his offence, that all may be terrified from offending.

11. Papists and popish Recusants. Certenly, many among them have been and still are most dangerous and desperanimies of this Kingdome. God Almighty hath oftentimes wonderfuly delivered us from theire most cruel and mischeivous designes for which we can never be sufficiently thankfull. Certenly, if wee will be zealous for truth and righteousnes and give glory to God laboring and striving to serve and please him accoring to his holy word and to eschew all ungodly the wicked superstitions and iodlatryes of Papists and all other ungodlines, then certenly the Lord our God will still keep us safe from all their rage and fury, so that they shall be unable to do any the lest hurt unto us. But if we make our selves guilty of theire idolatry, by wilful connivence suffring it to be practised among us to the great dishonor of God, or by living in the obstinate practise for any other leudnes contrary to the holy Religion we profess, then it may be just with God to give us over to theire bloudy cruelty.

Gentlemen, let us discharge our duties in this particuler in uprightnes and syncerity of heart, trusting unto and calling upon God to assist our endeavors. For without his especial help, in humane reason the Papists have such evasions, by equivocations and dispensations and other Jesuitical devises, that with present the P most dangerous and mischeivous of them will continu among us without being taken notice of, for by virtue of their dispensations they can go to Church with us and seem to men to profess and practise our religion, when their only plotting and working continually is to extinguish and destroy it utterly out of the world. But let us keep close to our rule, to lern and practise the holy will of God and to detest and abhor al wickednes, then God wil fight for us and discover and defeat al theire subtle mischeivous attempts against us and make them return upon their own heads. 

12. For separatists, especially those that therefore separat becaus they conceit that we practise retain among us some of the Popish abominations, God in his infinit mercy give them right discerning judgments and by his Majesty endu us with compassionat and charitable mindes towards them that they may not strengthen our common adversarie with unhappy groundless devisions from us, they had Let them shew and perform obedience to lawfull authority according as God command ment to them. They may dutifully present unto his Majesty and his great councell anything that their weak conscience takes offence at and they may well hope to finde that compassionatenes and charitablenes there, towards their infermities that what possibly may bee without great mischeif and inconvenience they shall have no color nor pretence for any just offence. So that if they be not bewitched with the spirit of contention to abhor that peac and concord which all the Gost word of God teacheth us to love and long for exceedingly, and to love devision which we should detest as utter destruction (for thereunto certenly it tends), they will now conjoine unite them selves firmly unto us, that with one hart and mouth we may glorify God and stand fast Wnited forces for his holy truth. But if they or any els shall, in despite of the Power given by God unto his majesty, shall seditiousli and wickedly shall of themselves presume to of themselves to innovate or alter anything in the service of God or the decent order lawfully used, appointed in the Church such ungodly and pernicious attempts must be severely punished, and therefore you must be carefull to finde out and present such offendors. (Fo. 81v) 10. You know our Saviours rule, give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to Gods what is Gods. We are first to consider we have our authority from God for al power is from him, the his especiall ordinance, and therefore must al be imployed that he may be glorifyed, obeyed, and served, according to his will. And this God straitly and severely requireth as most du unto him from the highest a(s) much as from the meanest. If any power be otherwise used, it is an horrible abuse, and God will be a severe revenger of such wickednes. Absolute obedience for himself without any exception or reservation is wholy and everlastingly g due to God in every thing. Then secondly, we have all our power and authority derived unto us from the Kings Majesty whom we must serve and obey in God and for God as is most rightly expressed in the Book of Common Prayer. That obedience, loialty, and dutifullnes which God commands and in such maner as God commands it, must we carefully and hartily perform to our king... 

Concerning this it worthy the considering what speciall prerogative the Lawes of his Kingdome do give his Majesty. He can have no infirmity of age nor otherwise. He is alwaies taken by the law to be excellent and perfect in wisedome and Judgement. 2ly, that he can do no wrong, no Injustice, but every thing rightly and duly as it ought. This singuler prerogative that law attributes and imputes to his Majesty. I desire that all men would rightly conceive of this and not mistake, for the undoubted truth is that al Kings, even the best men that ever weare, and all other men whatsoever, are extreamly ful of infirmityes and commit innumerable sins. It is needles to cite examples of that that is so common and apparent. 

So I say may be instanced in near every one of the best rulers. Moses, Hezikiah, etc. But yet note withall, they humbling themselves most earnestly, and truly repenting and abhorring their wickedness, they lived and died full of honor and glory. Yea, they never lost any of the loialty, obedience, and entire affection of their subjects towards thea, notwithstanding such stains and blemishes appearing manifestly in the sight of all and themselves freely confessing and publishing them. Certenly Kings have the same corruptions naturally in theire bodies and souls that al other men have and must take the only course of Godly sorrow, repentance, humility, and faith to obtain mercy, sanctification, and salvation by Christ. Therefore the law conceave of the King, assisted by his Councel of Judges and the Lords of his Privy Councell at all times and especially during the time of Parlament by all the Lords of the Kingdome and choice men out of the whole Relm to represent at the commons, of and being assisted by such a councel he managest at his Roial affairs. 

But yet neither Judges nor Privy Councell, no nor Parlements, are sufficient to free free (sic) from errors and other faults, as experience of al times doth evince, but only when God is wholy relide upon and sought unto according to his will, so that Kings may and do er and offend in divers particulers, notwithstanding al this help and assistance. But yet, saith the law, the King cannot er nor do amiss. The meaning is the law to preserv the loial affections of al the English to their Prince, that it may not be lessned or admit any fading or decay, will impute the fault and lay the blame wholy upon the councellors of the king who certenly are justly to be punished if they any way have a hand to cause it or if they strived not by al means they to hinder it, acquainting his Majesty truly with the true nature of the act and with al humble vehemency supplicating his Majesty to forebeare it. If his Majestys Cou\cellors do not can not make good that they thus far bestir them in their faithful advise and humble sollicitations of his Majestys, whatsoever is done his amiss by is worthyly imputed to them and they are to suffer for t. His Majesty, saith the law, is clear of it, that is he is not to be malined to be absolutely cleared before men and wholy to be left to his own Conscience and the Judgement of the Almighty who will especially declare himself a righteous judg of those that are exempt from the Judgment of al others. 

Thus the law is most careful to preserve inviolable and vigorous al loial affections of his Majestys subjects unto him, and certenly we are to bless God who hath set such a King over us that at this time assisted his Majesty with such a loiall and faithful councell of Lords and common that never weare known, such a company of men, godly and religious, wise and learned, so dilligent and industryous men, a great many of them fitted extraordinarily with those with eminent excellent guifts of God and now happily assembled and kept together by his providence for the effecting of some notable singular blessing for the good of Gods people. This we ought to hope for with much comfort and to furder it by our fervent prayers and by an earnest carefulnes to amend and reform the great wickednes that we are every one guilty of. This I say to chear dhe harts of many of Gods faithful servants who are apt to be dejected and desmayed with reports that are carried about. Never had any an abler or faithfuller councel in Parlament that will most confidently rely upon God only and bestir themselves incessantly with all their power with that admirable wisedome that God hath put in their harts that we may conceave abundance of comfort that certenly God by their means will effect happines, honor, and prosperity to this whole state. also And say this also, that we may more happily and chearfully perform our duties in this service, for assuredly if we be disheartned and quite cast down with feares of confusion and general ruine upont he whole kingdome, it wil mightily weaken and abate our resolution and courage for the performance of this service. 

(Fo. 82r) 6, Psalm 112 The godly man shal not be afraid for any evil tidings for his heart is stedfast and trusteth in the Lord.that can upon a sudden make the worst newes the cause and ground of the best newes that shall presently follow upon. Nay, his use is to work wonderfully in all ages and if we be not greivously blindeded we may plainly discern he hath begun to work mervailous things by his infinit power and wisedome at thigery time and gives most comfortable hope that he is still going on to perfect his blessed work in his due season to the exceeding joy and comfort of all that are faithfull and synceare in his service, whome he is pleased to make an excellency and a glory throughout the world if they persist to depend and wait patiently upon God and keep close to the rule of holines and bee not drawn upon any pretence to consent to any cours contrary there unto.  

One notable example more. King Darius found his servant Daniel to do him better service then all other his officers and ministers, whereof he had 150 princes to whose charg the ordering of al affaires in his larg Empire was committed. He intends to place the cheif whole authority in Daniel alone. Al the 150 join in examining and serching curiously into al Daniels action but no error nor fault could be found. For God wonderfully enabled and assisted him in everything. At lenght, with much plotting, they get a law to be enacted by the King and all the estates of the Kingdome to restrain al men for the space of a month from Praying to God by the space of 30ty daies upon pain of deth. Certenly Daniel might have prayed secretly in his hart unto God during al that time and they could not possible have accused him for it, for clearly the thoughts and secret desires of the hart weare absolutely free from that law. But Daniel knew the law was wicked and ungodly, made against God and therefore void of no force but Gods law being expresly to the contrary must be observed and obeyed and this must be broken. And therefore he prayes with his voice 3 times a day according as he used before this new law was made. His adversaryes accuse him, require justice against him he may be condemnd to deth according as was inacted by the law. The king takes his part and labored a the day to save him. But the importunity and violence of such a multitude having this new law for them did wrest and extort from the King to pronounce condemnation upon Daniel, according as the new law enacted, and execution is don accordingly. 

What danger was heare, yet you know the story. Daniel is preserved and safe notwithstanding all this. The first signe of comfort to Daniel is the Kings words to him, the true God whome thou servest continually will deliver and save thee though I deliver thee up to destruction. And so it came to passe and the issu you know, that all the accusers of Daniel weare suddenly cut of at once. So if you consider it, all theire contrivings and laborings against Daniel had no other effect but to work theire own utter destruction and the greater glory and dignity of Daniel. So let all thine enimies perish, o Lord, but let them that love thee be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might as Deborah and Baruch sing in their song.