too many; I condemne not the generation of the just: God hath his remnant, whom he will carefully preserve. If it bee time for men to take up Defensive Armes against such as are called Gods, upon the point of Salus populi, it is high time for him that is God indeed, to draw his Sword against wormes and no men, upon the point of Majestas imperii: The piercing of his Sword shall discover the thoughts of many hearts.
Lastly, I dare averre, that it ill becomes Christians any thing well-shod with the preparation of the Gospel, to meditate flight from their deare Countrey upon these disturbances. Stand your ground ye Eleazars and Shammahs, stir not a foot so long as you have halfe a foot of ground to stand upon: after one or two such Worthies, a great Victory may be regained, and flying Israel may returne to a rich spoile. Englishmen, be advised to love England, with your hearts and to preserve it by your Prayers. I am bold to say that since the pure Primitive time, the Gospel never thrived so well in any soile on earth, as in the British; nor is the like goodnesse of nature, or Cornucopian plenty else-where to be found: if ye lose that Country, and finde a better before ye come to Heaven, my Cosmography fades me. I am farre from discouraging any, whom necessity of Conscience or condition thrusts out by head and shoulders: if God calls any into a Wildernesse, Hee will be no wildernesse to them, Jer. 2. 31. witnesse his large beneficence to us here beyond expectation.
Ye say, why come not we over to help the Lord against the Mighty, in these Sacred battailes?
I answer, many here are diligently observing the counsell of the same Prophet, 22. 10. Weepe not for him that is dead, neither bemoan him; but weep for him that is gone away and shall returne no more to see his Native Country. Divers make it an Article of our American Creed, which a celebrate Divine of England hath observed upon Heb. 11. 9. That no man ought to forsake his owne countrey, but upon extraordinary cause, and when that cause ceaseth, he is bound in conscience to returne if he can: We are looking to him who hath our hopes and seasons in his onely wise hand.
In the mean time we desire to bow our knees before the Throne of Grace day and night, that the Lord would be pleased in his tender mercy to still the sad unquietnesse and per-peracute contentions, of that most comfortable and renowned island, that at length He may have praise in his Churches, and his Churches peace in him, through Jesus Christ.
Should I not keepe promise in speaking a little to Womens fashions, they would take it unkindly: I was loath to pester better matter with such stuffe; I rather thought it meet to let them stand by themselves, like the Quæ Genus in the Grammar, being Deficients, or Redundants, not to be brought under any Rule: I shall therefore make bold for this once, to borrow a little of their loose tongued Liberty, and mispend a word or two upon their long-wast
ed, but short-skirted patience: a little use of my stirrup will doe no harme.
Ridentem dicere verum, quid prohibet?