Uses," published weekly, was intended for a ver hicle of intelligence. "New Christian Uses, upon the Weekly true Passages and Proceedings, which from Week to Week are most considerable in the whole Kingdom." "To the Reader. "Christian Reader, I spoke to thee in these godly notions towards the end of thy weeke, hopeing thou wilt be at leasure after thy reading the daily stories to thinke and observe with me. I can allow thee to turne thyselfe from one Diurnall to another, and to weary thyselfe, and refresh thyselfe with the witt and relations of all; only, in a Christian regard to thy condition and the time, spare one serious thought to looke backe upon all, and see the worke of a diviner hand. "Let us not be merely Athenians in asking for news; but let us all stay a little and consider what the Lord hath done; to every thing (sayes Solomon) there is a season, and to every purpose; there is a time to laugh, and a time to weep; and such is the mixtures of our providences; and I read divers in their suteable dispositions and expressions upon them, all have their freedom in observation; but all their relations are meerely historical and civill, and they are differently qualified; some are musicall, some more serious: I do desire to gather up, and glean such truths, as as others do 'scatter the weeke before me, and binde them into Christian observations and godly uses, that we may be a people rightly read in divine proceedings, and God expects such a reducement and application at our hands; if we would be wise Christians, we must study God in the creature, in the variety of his workes; Christ never came to any place, but he had an holy observation to draw forth occasionally; the people of Israel had such instructors, when God led them in the way of his providence. "Passage. "The trained bands and auxiliaries of London marcht in triumph into the city, with green boughs in their hatts, with the losse of few, not an hundred men it is thought, of the trained bands slaine and taken. "The providence and use. "The preservation God gave to this expedition is rare, that so many of the city men that had been used to "soft raiment," and to "fare deliciously," that had not been hardened abroad with cold and watchings, men nursed and educated in fulnesse and prosperity, that these should endure the marchings, the iourneyes, without distempers, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in watchings, in fastings; and a journey of so many miles to Glocester, and through so much of the enemies quarters, who had in policy and necessity taken away provision, and those places where they sojourned, like the inhabitants of Succoth, and Penuell, who were ready to answer them as they did Gidion and his army, when they sayd, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow, for they be faint and they replyed, Are Zeba and Zalmanna in thy hands, that we should give bread unto thy army? And then, after so many weary steps, at the period almost of their returne, to looke such a powerfull army as the Kings in the face, to fight against so many advantages, their enemies falling upon them like Amalek upon the children of Israel, in their weakest and faintest condition, and in the battle to cover their heads with such a mercy, that so many, after a victory in their own bloods as well as their enemies, should returne in safety, let us make this use a use of praise: "Oh give the thankes unto the Lord: among the gods there is none like unto him, neither is there any workes like unto his workes : he shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust." "Passage. "The taking the nationall league or covenant in Saint Margreats, where was a great confluence of commanders, gentry, and souldiers, and it was generally subscribed to after the sermon. "The providence and use. "The people of God have ever taken this course course of covenanting with God. Nehemiah with the elders and people made a covenant in the time of their affliction; and they all assembled, and sayd, "Because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it, and our Princes, Levites, and Priests do seale unto it:" and in Josiah's time the people made a covenant and stood unto it, to walke before the Lord, and to keepe his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart; and it is a signe it is a covenant from Heaven, and like to be a covenant of successe when the people willingly offer; and at such times of universall covenanting, God touches the heart, and prepares the soule, and infuses a secret disposition; this he did into his people of Israel and Judah, also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart; and when God would have Saul honoured, it is said, as many as went God had touched their hearts; the hearts of all are in God's hands, and they make forth, and withdraw according to the good pleasure of the Almighty; "he turneth them like rivers of water," let us make this use of it. "Use of addresse. "In all our solemn designes and congregatings which aime at confederating and binding up a multitude and people together, let us looke up to the first moover, who begins all motions, and in whome all motions end; the God of motion and of union, the God of illumination and con viction. viction. "O teach me in thy way, saies David, and lead me in thy truth." It is only God that gives knowledge and judgement, that gathers a people into harmony, or disperses them into factions; God made the tribes follow Saul, and leave him. "Passage. "There were some colours of the enemies taken this weeke, with severall mottoes and pourtraitures; as one with a House of Peers painted, and two traitors heads on it, and the motto, Ut extra sic infra,' as without so within.' The other, one looking downe to a broken crosse ; the motto, Spero meliora,' I hope better.' The other a picture of a Round-head and a Cavalier pursuing, with this motto, Qui sequitur vincit, 'he that followes conquers.' "Providence and use. "What can we esteem of this, but that God suffered them to be taken by us, the better to assure us of their intentions, hopes, and malice? Into what height of wickednesse are these men, that dare paint their malignity and devotion? And yet we read many serious and solemn protestations of love to the Protestant Religion and to the Parliament. But by such providences as these they are revealed and discovered. We see now God hath many wayes to detect them, and inform us. And, to take us off from credulity and beleife of their pretences, a few colours here shall discover S |