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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93346	Englands pressures: or, The peoples complaint, humbly related, for information and for satisfaction of the grounds and causes thereof, and communicated to the inhabitants of England, in the severall cities and counties of the kingdome. Also, a short reprehension to factious, seditious sinners, with a Christian exhortation to reformation, to brotherly unitie and concord, and conscionable performance of covenant, by assurance of Gods blessing, a glorious deliverance, with establishment of truth and peace to the three kingdomes. / By George Smith, Gent. Imprimatur John Downame.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1645 (1645)	Wing S4035; Thomason E295_9; ESTC R200196	33,562	43

which thou complainest and cast it from thee then Humbly Importune the Parliament to redresse the evils and put things right Judges know not who is wronged till the complaint come before them nor can they redresse the evill till proved by two or three witnesses If we thus doe we shall have no cause of any murmuring complaints for the Parliament will surely do justice x Rom. 13. 4. They are the Ministers of God to us for our good c. And know God is now about to set up Jesus Christ on his throns and to establish the puritie of Religion that God is now about a greater worke for this Kingdome and for the world of elect at this time then only the setling of our temporall freedomes for assuredly he will make Jesus Christ much more glorious to the world then ever before and his ordinances shall be set up in their puritie the truth of Religion shall be established not changed as some simple Ignoramuses report The Parliament is not about to change any thing in Religion onely to purge out the dregs of Antichristian doctrine that Christ may be worshipped in puritie according to the will of God revealed in holy Scripture and practised in the best reformed Churches Gre●t wo●●es mett with great oppositions The worke is great and difficult and we know great workes have ever met with great oppositions and much difficulty these are trying times y Heb. 11. 36 God proves us now whether we will follow Christ or Antichrist these are fyrie tryals such as the Apostle Peter speaks of which he saith z 1 Pet. 4. 12 is to try you When he hath tryed me a Job 23. 10. saith Job I shall come forth as gold b Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him If we will be blessed live must endure it and endure it to the end else there is no promise of blessednesse he onely c Math. 10. 22. that endureth to the end shall be saved Now give me leave to advise A Caveat to take heed lest we mistake Christ and beseech all men of all ranks and degrees to consider well and to take heed that none of us doe now reject Christ as the Iewes did They looked for the performance of the promise that the Messiah should come but because they were stupid and fancied that he should come onely to restore their d Joh. 6. 15. temporall Kingdome they fayling of their expectation in that rejected him when he came to establish the Gospel for that sin were rejected by Christ as we know they yet are to this day It will be worth your consideration to consider that because they so much sought their owne safetie and doted upon a temporall deliverance e Joh. 11. 50. Joh. 18. 14. God turned that verie meanes which they used to secure themselves to be their utter ruine God forbid it should be so with England yet surely our case is dangerous for f Math. 12. 25. a kingdome divided against it selfe is brought to desolation That the Kingdome is divided The dangerous Divisions that are in England I need not tell you all men see and feele it the bloudy divisions between the King and his Parliament have already almost brought it to desolation but there are yet more dangerous divisions then that If we that are Protestants were but against the Papists as the Papists are against us such a division would make happie Union in the end But we that are Protestants are divided among our selves in our judgements or rather fancies we run after shadowes and leave the substance we use our liberty to a liberty to sin to invent broach new errors and spend our time to make Proselytes to our selves to compasse our own ends some are Proud some are Ignorant some are Ambitious some are Covetous some are Prophane some Treacherous some Tyrannicall oppressors c. all seeke their owne ends but few seek Jesus Christ nor the good of others we seek the Goods of others and our owne good by others ruine Surely this is cause of complaint and I conceive is some ground of those generall complaints that have from everie Countrie come to mine eares Now I being bound in conscience to the uttermost of my endeavours to seek the reformation of Religion the peace safetie of the Kingdom I shall with sorow of heart in all humble submission present these 20 complaints of the people to the view and consideration of the Inhabitants of the Cities and Counties of England c. they are the peoples not mine First Twentie severall Complaints common among all sorts of the people related That the Government and Discipline of the Church is not setled according to the rule of Gods word in uniformitie of worship nor is there a restriction to Sectaries and Schismaticks but they increase dayly and grow numerous in all places of the Kingdome to the griefe of the godly and wel-affected Minister preaching against Minister and one Congregation separating from another as if Christ the head of the Church were divided or as if there were more Christs then one hereby the illiterate and unstable people are either seduced or discouraged not onely to the disquiet of the Church of God but to the disturbance of the peace of the Kingdome insomuch that men rashly say they know not what Religion shall be set up c. Secondly That the secret evill councells that have or have had influence upon the Parliament the Committee of both Kingdomes and the Councells of Warre which have retarded and crossed severall good designes are not discovered nor questioned this I doe but name it is a generall complaint Thirdly That the Nationall Covenant by the providence of God Ordered to be taken in all the parts of the Kingdom within the Parliaments power hath beene much neglected by the Committees of Counties and in the Universitie which besides Gods anger is some Impediment to the peace of the Church and Kingdome it being war●antable by example in Scripture to urge it see 2 Chron. 15. 13. Ezra 10. 5. 8. Fourthly That the Committees of severall Counties doe tyrannize over the people and contrarie to the Ordinances of Parliament and intention of the Houses exact Taxations with much rigor and partialitie to the great discouragement of the people both Gentlemen and Yeomen c. even as in the dayes of Rehoboam which put the people upon resolutions of setting up a third partie Fifthly That manie men of meane qualitie indigent unfit and unexperienced men have crept into places of greatest command and trust in severall Counties and Committees and severall Gentlemen of qualitie education knowne abilities and of undoubted fidelitie are neglected and contemned by c. it is a cause of division and contention in Committees Cities and Counties Sixthly That men

ENGLANDS PRESSVRES OR THE Peoples Complaint Humbly Related for Information and for Satisfaction of the grounds and causes thereof and communicated to the Inhabitants of England in the severall Cities and Counties of the Kingdome Also a short reprehension to Factious Seditious Sinners with a Christian exhortation to Reformation to Brotherly Unitie and concord and conscionable performance of Covenant by assurance of Gods blessing a glorious deliverance with establishment of truth and Peace to the three Kingdomes By GEORGE SMITH Gent. Esay 5. 7. He looked for judgement and behold oppression for righteousnesse and behold a cry Exod. 16. 7. In the morning then ye shall see the glorie of the Lord for he heareth your murmurings against the Lord and what are we that ye murmur against us Phil. 2. 14. Doe all things without murmurings and disputings 1 Cor. 14. 33. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace in all the Churches of the Saints Jer. 11. 3. Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant Imprimatur John Downame Printed at London by E. P. for Lawrence Chapman and are to be sold at his Shop next doore to the Fountaine in the Strand 1645. The Authors Apologie to the READER RIght Honourable Honourable Right Worshipfull others c. When I had seriously considered what great thing● God Almightie hath done for us for our Nation in giving us a Parliament when we were almost past hope which is more establishing that Parliament as it were by infatuating the Anti-Parliament Counsell and against so strong opposition to select so manie Noble Wise able men not onely grave Solons and Lycurguses good Common-Wealths men but holy Religious men a Nehe. 13. Nehemiahs and Ezra's b Ezra 103. ● Ezra 9. 1. Nehe. 〈◊〉 31. Zealous Princes of the people that have set themselves to separate from Israel all the mixed multitudes and according to the Law of God reforme the evils in the Church and State c Ezra 10. 11. To make confession to the Lord God of our fathers and to doe his pleasure to set up Iesus Christ and his Gospel in holinesse and in paritie As also Gods great mercie in delivering this Parliament from the manie secret and dangerous Plots of the Enemie and not onely so but of late giving them dayly successe and Victories against their Enemies And when I reflected in my thoughts upon our evill requitall of God for all these mercies not making returne d 2 Chr●● 3● 25. according to the benefit done unto us but suffering our hearts to be lifted up everie man to seeke himselfe still adding new sins to old transgressions I could not but unmannerly crowd in abandoning all feare or flatterie to give information of danger e Joh. 5. 14. lest a worse thing may befall us I have no selfe-end nor private respect God and my owne heart knowes it my aime is onely Gods glorie and the Kingdomes safetie both which I am bound in conscience to endeavour First I consider it is the end of my Creation Secondly God hath expressely commanded it Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him Thirdly the State requires it by their solemne Covenant which 〈◊〉 not violate Fourthly the corruption of the times calls for it It is a time of Reformation but sinne is not reformed Fifthly holy example begets encouragement as in the time of righteous f Neh. 5. 1. Nehemiah and holy Ezra there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jewes which when Nehemiah heard of he rebuked them that were guiltie saying g vers 8. We after our abilitie have redeemed our brethren the Jewes which were sold to the heathen and will you even sell your brethren Or shall they be sold to us c In all this I have but done my dutie sinne is the accuser not I from which my care shall be to cleanse my heart and hands guilt is the defamer I defame no man which I seeke to prevent but I considently beleeve that if the cryes of the people shall come justified to the eares of our just Zerubbabe●s or Religious Nehemiahs they will remove the cause This is all my end this is my dayly prayer and this will be the Kingdomes happinesse to which I am From my Lodging Fleet-street London this 31 of Iuly 1645. A poore wel-wishing Servant GEORGE SMITH Englands Pressures OR The peoples Complaint HAving by the providence of God Almightie and in his presence in obedience to the Order and authoritie of both Houses of Parliament The Introduction taken the Solemne League and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the honour and happinesse of the King and the Peace and safetie of the Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland I have since my first and second taking thereof seriously and severall times considered my particular engagement thereby both to God and to men and have therefore resolved to discharge my conscience and duty to the uttermost of my abilitie in so great and necessarie a Work And to that end at this time I am bold in all humility to bring the generall cryes and complaints of the people to the eares of the sage Senators and Patriots of these times the great Steers-men and Pilots to the Common-Weale of the three Kingdomes We use to say of Kings that they heare by other mens eares see by other mens eyes and act by other mens hands The same I conceive may be said of great men and grand Councells not that other men are wiser then they to teach or to instruct them in dutie but to informe them what men doe and act and leave the rest to their wisedomes For in our proverb we use to say The stander by sees more then the Gamster Poore mens information not to be despised so the wandering eare and eye heares and sees more then the fixed actor Paul had not knowne the wicked conspiracie of those Jewes who bound themselves by an oath to kill him if he had not received information by a Young-man a Act. 23. 16 his Sisters son b 2 King ● 3 4. Naaman the Syrian had not known the Prophet Elisha if he had not been told of him by his servants and they by a poore captive Maid nor had c vers 13. Naaman beene cured of his Leprosie if he had not hearkned to the voyce of his servants my selfe a free borne man a subject to the King and servant to the great Councell of the Kingdome presume though uncalled to discharge my conscience to God and my dutie to men resolving as d Ester 4. 16. Ester If I perish I perish I have alreadie cast in my two mites into the treasurie and have yet one handfull of goats haire which I freely bring to the building of Gods Tabernacle Pilot nor Steers-man I am none but rather a despised one sitting on the top

of the mast If thence I may discover and prevent a danger I have my end acceptance is my reward however e Eccle. 11. c. I shall not with-hold to sow my seed in the morning and in the evening but know not which shall prosper this or that or whether both shall be alike good I know that all things in everie course are guided by divine providence God by providence guideth all things nor can any thing be altered by humane power or wisedome f Eccle. 3. 14. whatsoeevr God doth it shall be for ever but I also know that God hath appoynted the time and meanes when and how everie worke shall be established and my endeavour shall not be wanting as a meanes in my place and calling to accomplish Gods Worke God had appoynted the Amorites to be destroyed yet he had set a time in which the measure of g Gen. 15. 16. their iniquitie should be made full he had appoynted that Israel should serve and be afflicted in Aegypt but the time was set how long and when that time was expired h Exod. 12. 14. even the selfe same day they were delivered from their bondage The meanes by which they were delivered was also appoynted and so ordered by the Almightie and his ever-working providence that their deliverance was so glorious that manie Aegyptians and of other nations then in Aegypt seeing the great and mightie workes of God in Aegypt became Jewes and joyned themselves with the people of God and a mixt multitude saith the text i Exod. 12. 38. went up with them out of Aegypt Now this mixt multitude did not joyne themselves with the Iewes Man of the world joyne themselves with the godly for carnall respects in zeale to their Religion nor in love to their God Iehovah but for carnall respects they seeing the wonders that God had wrought in Aegypt for his peoples deliverance joyned themselves with the Iewes in hope of outward safetie and prosperitie therefore as soone as they came into the wildernesse and were but a little proved by hard travell through a barren desert they grew discontented with their condition and fell to murmur against God and against Moses The k Numb 11 4. mixt multitude saith Moses that were among the people fell a lusting they lusted after carnall contents despaired of Gods power and promise saying who shal give us flesh to eate As if they should have said we shall dye and be destroyed and neither God nor this Moses can provide for us either against hunger or the enemie Therefore they look back to Aegypt and say l vers 5. We remember the fish we did eate in Aegypt freely the Cucumbers the Melons the Leekes Onions Garlicke Evill examples corrupt many c. Now by the example of this mixt multitude these ingrate murmuters the Israelites were stirred up to murmur too and joyned with this godlesse multitude to mutinie against Moses and so procured a curse upon themselves in stead of a blessing Such mixt multitudes are joyned with the people of God at this day and for the verie same ends and doe likewise cause murmuring mutinie against God and against the Parliament and holy Assemblie both which God hath called together and established as he did Moses and Aaron for the deliverance of his people from bondage But the railings of these mungrell mixt companie are but as the railings of m 2 Sam. 16. 6 7. Shimei or like the murmurings of n Numb 26. 2. 3. Korah and his rebellious companie nor is their condition much unlike his o Marke 5. 3. 4. whose dwelling is said to be among the tombs for they like him are possessed with uncleane spirits nor can any man tame them they speake proud things and p Psal 12. 3. will have no Lord to rule over them to whom I say no more q Jud. 9. b●t the Lord rebuke them These are in the gall of bitternesse r Act. 8. 2● they run in the way of Baalam for reward and shall perish in the gain saying of s Jud 11. 〈◊〉 Korah But besides these wicked men The cryes and complaints of all good m●n ought to be heard in all ●ust causes sons of Belial there are other complainers more grievous and more considerable and these have filled mine eares from all places and parts of the Kingdome with cryes against oppression and hard task-mast●rs set over them whether it ariseth from the evill example of those sons of Belial or from their owne lusts or out of any sensible feeling of their owne sense by unjust oppression or whether from all these I will not dispute But the complainings are like as in the daye● of Ely when his sons were wicked and caused the people to t 1 Sam. 2. ● 17. abhorre the offerings of the Lord and as in the time when the sons of good Samuel judged Israel and were u 2 Sam. 8. ● ● given to Lucre and tooke bribes to pervert judgement and caused the people to sinne in asking for a King but that sin in the people was pardoned The Complainers in our times are of all rankes Two sorts of men that complaine callings and degrees I divide them all into two sorts they are either carnall men such as were Israelites by name w Rom. 9. 8. according to the flesh or regenerate men sons x Luk. 23. 5● according to promise such as wait for the kingdom of God For we know there have ever been two sorts of men in the Church of God good and bad there were true and false Israelites there are regenerate and unregenerate the examples of all times prove it In the first age there was a y Gen. 4. Cain as well as an Abel In the next there was a z Gen. 9. Cham as well as a Shem and afterward there was an a Gen. 22. Ismael as well as an Isaack and an Esau as well as a Iacob there was also a Saul as well as a David and among the Apostles a Iudas as wel as a Peter in the Primitive times there was a b 2 Tim. ● Demas and an Alexander c. Sacred Scripture tells us that c Rom. 9. 7. the seed of Abraham are not all children our Saviour Christ compares the Church to d Mat. 13. 30. 47. a net cast into the Sea that gathereth of everie kind and e Mat. 13. 12. to a Field in which growes Corne and Tares to a threshing floore in which is wheat and Chaffe There have beene there are and there ever will be in the Church Militant good and bad some f Joh. 2 19. in the Church that are not of the Church they are not all g Rom. ● 6. Israel saith the Apostle that are of Israel Now these two sorts of men are of different aff●ctions The different aimes and ends which men propound to themselves cause differences and have

shall we call this a building of God a house when one calls for a Stone another brings him a Mattock when another wants Mortar a Maule is put into his hand one cals for Bricks and an Axe is given to him one builds and another beats downe but c Jer. 8. 6. no man repents of his wickednesse saying what have I done We strive one to goe before another in places of honour but we will neither goe before nor follow after in the way of honourable humiliation All sinnes doe raigne in some men at this day and are increased where is one man among a thousand through all the Families of England that is a reall truely reformed man Is not the proud as proud as ever witnesse gay clothes rich attire strange fashions patcht faces curld haire loftie carriage c. Is the covetous man lesse covetous doth he not adore his bags as much as ever over-reach in bargaining spare more then is right and everie way d Jer. 15. 5. seeke great things for himself Is not the ambitious man as greedie of honours as ever he was doth he not seek honours and greatnesse by vitious wayes and despise him that shall be said to be his equall I would 〈◊〉 God it were not thus Consider it Is the oppressor lesse cruell or is he not more violent in oppressing then ever doe not oppressors every where in everie place of all degrees e Esay 3. 15. grinde the faces of the poore without mercie and beat the people to peeces I know it hath beene said by some get their money and let them starve or hang c. I wish men could prove me a lyer in this thing and that there were no such oppressor Is the voluptuous man lesse given to his appetite and to all sinfull pleasures or lesse profuse in unnecessarie vanities What pleasure is there that he forbeareth that he is able to compasse wherein doth he restraine himselfe except for want of money doth he not seeke after all varieties after everie kickshaw and toy and the ver●e fulnesse of Sodome In like manner doth the drunkard drinke fewer hea●ths goe more nights sober to bed doth he sweare fewer Oathes or use lesse obscenitie then he was wont Nor is the luke-warme Formalist more zealous but still the same that he ever was except such zeale as is by the Apostle condemned f Rom. 10. 1. that is not according to knowledge or rather are not men of knowledge such as have formerly been zealous for God in a right way g Rev. 2. 4. Fallen from their first love Are there not many such that seeke to bring in new and strange doctrines into the Church like the doctrine of h Rev. 2. 14. 15. Balaam and the Nicholaitans and are a stumbling block to Gods people and say of themselves like some in the Prophet Esay's time i Esay 65. 5 Come not neere to me for I am holier then thou It is true everie one will say sinne aboundeth and it is for sinne that God hath layd all this upon us but we looke at other mens sinnes Men looke at the sinnes of others not at their owne not our owne either spirituall pride or carnall securitie hath blinded the eyes of the most of all English people so that few lay his owne sinne to heart or at least afflict his soule because by his sinne he hath dishonoured God but my Christian brethren if we would have all cleane we must everie one sweep his owne door everic one must cleanse his owne heart Then be exhorted everie one of all degrees from the Prince to the Peasant Exhortation to repentance and to reformation high and low rich and poore If you love your lives if you desire Gods favour and blessings to your selves If you love your Families if you love your children if you have any love to the Kingdome or to the Church of God yea if you love your owne soules or love Jesus Christ that hath bought you by his owne blood k Lam. 3. 40 Search and try your wayes l 2 Cor. 13. 5. examine your owne sins and turn with all your heart unto God Resolve everie one for himself and for his Family as good Joshuah did m Iosh 24. 15. Chuse ye saith he whom yee will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Except we thus doe and everie one of us mend one we may all perish as the Israelites did and God will fayse a people to himselfe out of our dust let no man looke who shall beginne but rather everie man strive who shall be first that he may bee an example to others and hee shall have greatest honour Besides Exhortation to liberall contribution God loo●●● 〈◊〉 let every man with all diligence helpe forward Gods work by liberal large contribution according as God hath made him able the enemy wicked men have drawn their sword to star the righteous n P●a 7. 1. and have taken counsell together against the Lord Christ o Psal 2. 2. Now God requireth a help with hand and estate Mero● was cursed because they helped not p Iudg. 〈…〉 He that is not now for Christ must expect the same reward with them that are against Christ q Math. ●2 ●0 be not di●con●●ged at any miscarriages it is God that doth all doe thou what God would have thee and leave the issue to God give freely for that onely is acceptable God delighteth in a cheer●f●ll give● r 2 Cor. 9. 7. but God accepteth no forced duty obedience is more acceptable the● Sa●rifice ſ 1 Sam. 15. 22. Consider that when those sons of Bel●al of the tribe of Ben●am●● that wrought villany in Israel were refused to be given up to the ustice of the Law the other tribes of Israel made war against Benjamin and by Gods own appointment as you may fee in the story t Iudg. 19. Iudg 20. c. all the tribe of Rev●●mine defended those wicked men and came on t to batted gave their brethren two great defeats but at the third they were wholly destroyed And you shall see that after the Tribes of Israel returned from the battel they made enquiry who of all the Tribes were not there to assist them and they found that none of Iabish Giliad were there and for that neglect sent and destroyed them all u Iudg. 20. 9 10. Also you shall see that for this very neglect in Nabal Read the story refusing to rel●eve David in the same case that ours is at this day he was by the hand of God struck with death God gave to David his Wife and all his substance w Sam. 25. 3● 3● And as every one must give freely so let all those that are Collectors and receivers of moneyes take heed that they deale truly and justly He that keepes any thing that is given is a r●bber of God