shall understand._ That which we principally intend, is to hold forth (so farre as the Lord gives us light) how this Nation ought to be affected with the present Mercies and Judgements; What use is to be made of the Lords dealings: And, what is required of a people so dealt with. Had we been timely awaked, and taken warning, either from the exemplary judgement of other Nations; or from Gods threatnings by the mouths of his servants amongst our selves; or from our owne former visitations, and namely, The Sword, threatned and drawn against us, both at home and from abroad, but at that time through the forbearance of GOD, put up in the Sheath again, wee might have prevented the miseries under which now we groane. But the Cup of trembling, before taken out of our hands, is again come about to us, that wee may drink deeper of it: And although when these bloody Monsters, the Irish Rebels, together with some degenerate, unnaturall, and perfidious Countreymen of our own, did first lift up their heads, and enter this Kingdome in a hostile way, it was looked upon as a light matter, and the great judgement which hath since appeared in it, not apprehended: yet now wee are made more sensible, that they are _The rod of Gods __ wrath, and the staffe in their hand_, which hath stricken us these three times, is _his indignation. He hath shewed his people hard things, and made us to drink the wine of astonishment_. Take we therefore notice of the hand that smiteth us, _for affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground. There is no evill in the City_ nor Countrey _which the Lord hath not done._ He it is _that formeth the light, and createth darknesse; Who maketh peace, and createth evill_: He it is that hath given a charge to the Sword, _so that it cannot be still_: He it is that hath his other _Arrows ready upon the string to shoot at us_, the Pestilence and Famine.