where the Prince and the Prophet Anglicè the * Civil and Ecclesiastical Tyrants had their Seats and their Seas the Cities Towns Countries were the most debauch'd parts of the whole Nation 5. He will rule all and be ruled by none he throws away the bonds of Nature Reason and Religion and acts by his pride pleasure and passion No not by God Nature Reason Law Exod. 5. 2. Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce and let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Pride compasseth them about like a chain violence covereth them as a garment Psal. 73 6. Taking pleasure in their pride and cruelty until their pride bring them low Prov. 29. 23. Their greatness and gallantry makes them swell and look loftily Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of my Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty said proud Nebuchadnezzar but God pluckt down his plumes and stain'd all his glory and sent him to school amongst wilde beasts that he might learn better manners then to vye it thus with the great God of Heaven Earth Sea the Râ—ign and Ruine the pride and punishment of Tyrus Eze. 28. 27. because his heart was liftâ—d up he said I am a God but God threatened to darken his brâ—ghâ—ness to shame his glory and to bring him to the pit I might instance likewise in Herod who glittering in his shining garb as Josephus hath it assuming the honour of God was ungodded yea unman'd by the basest of vermin The time would fail to speak to Bâ—nâ—adad Rabshecha Zenacherib Antiochus Nicanor of Alexander the Great of Nero of Bajazet the great Turkish Emperor with many others whose pride insolency and haughtiness brought the wheel oâ— Gods wrath so exemplaâ—lry upon them that they are made some in sacred and others in other Histories perpetual monuments of Gods most fearful indignation amongst whom may we not bring the late King of England of bleeding memory whose stubbornness resoluteness and unruleableness by Parliaments Councels or the wisest of his people brought him to ruine because they would not suffer him to command like a God without contradiction He acted so like a Devil murthâ—ring and massacring his people with fire and sword until the wrath of the Lord broke out upon him like a Lion from the thickeâ—s devouring him by the hands of his own people to the hâ—rror and amazement of all the Princes round about his Will was his Reason and his Reason his Will and both his downfall 6. His Commonwealth is a common woe where his pâ—or Subjects as in a great Bridewell receive their work and their wages their labour and their lashes their stripes and stipends as his meer discretion and the will of his Beadles Where a Tyrant rules the Estates Lives and Liberties of the People are not theirs but his not at theirs but at his commands Cato calls them Fures publicos pâ—blâ—qâ—e Tâ—ieves another Latrones cum privilegio Râ—bbâ—s by authority the very Scabs of a Nation Isai. 5. 7. He looked for Judgment but behold Oppression or a Scab for Righteousness but behold a Cry Like that of the poor Subjects of Phalaris whose delight it was to see and hear their tortures and screeches as John Maria Duke of Millane who took pleasure to throw his people to be torn in pieces by fierce Mastives With the Spaniard it is sin to enquire into Religion and punishable by a perpetual cruel Inquisition With the French it is crime enough in the poor Husbandman to wear good clothes of his own getting eat good meat of his own breeding it is meat for his Master and his Attendants too good for him The great Turk hath his Bow strings to strangle his Subjâ—cts at their pleasure whose commands must be obeyed though they be to require whom he pleaseth to throw themselves headlong and break them into pieces down steep Rocks and Clifts lest a worse thing if worse may be should befall them 7. In stead of punishing offences he arms Offenders whereby he becomes the greatest Traytor Murtherer and Thief violating the greatest Trusts of the Liberties Lives and Livelyhoods of the People As God hath his good Angels to do his Will viz. secure and defend protect and preserve his people and the Devil his evil Angels for contrary service even so Tyrants which are Satans first-born have their Angels or Messengers viz. whole Troops Regiments and Armies to execute their cursed Commands as Herod had his armed men sent out to destroy poor Innocents all Histories recording the cruelty of Tyrants mention their numerous and armed Agents their swift Mâ—ssengers and Executioners of fury who are commonly the scum filth and froth of the Nation hence it was that when the late King set up his Standard against his Parliament and People the vilest basest and worst of the Nation did flow in unto him whereof God made a great Sacrifice unto his Justice and Indignation by their utter ruine and destruction 8. He eats up the people like bread and drinks their blood like sweet wine commanding all as if he made all though he mars all making his Creators his creatures his Makers his meat his Lords his Loons All men naturally are born free made at first to command and not to obey and so lived until from the Spring of Adams transgression they fell among themselves to do violence and wrong and foreseeing that such courses must needs tend to common destruction they agreed by common consent to bind each other from mutual injury and because a mutual faith was not sufficient unto mutual peace therefore they ordained Authority by mutual consent and betrusted some therewith to restrain by force and punishment the violation of common right which Trustees were not so made to bâ— their Lords and Masters but Dâ—puâ—ies and Commissioners to execute that Justice which else every man by the bâ—nd of Nature and Covenant must have executed for himself and for another and why any man should have lordship or authority over others but for this common end is not imaginable Rulers were made by the people not the people by them they were made for the people not the people for them they are each particular mans Lord by their own consent for each mans peace but they are servants to the whole for the good of all no manâ—s bound to the Ruler in any matter of common prejudice but he iâ— bound to them all in common preservation the whole owe not their lives to any though never â—o great on Earth the greatest oweth his liâ—e to the whole and is made great by God and man for service and not for Lordship sake whâ—n such Trustees turn Tyrants what are thâ—y but the greaâ—est Traytors Is not Treason the betraying of just Trustâ— the greater the Tâ—ust the greater the Treason the worse the Tâ—aytor What greater Trust then that of Governmenâ— which being once voâ—unâ—â—râ—ly
TYRANTS AND PROTECTORS Set forth In their Colours OR THE Difference between Good and Bad MAGISTRATES In several Characters Instances and Examples of both PROV. 28. 15. As a roaring Lion and a ranging Bear so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people Chap. 16. 12. It is an abomination to Kings to commit wickedness for the Throne is established by Righteousness By J. P. London Printed for H. Cripps and L. Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes-head Alley 1654. To the READER Reader A Tyrants Test and a Protectors Pourtraiture are worthy thy contemplation in these froward times in the one thou mayest read what thy condition had been through Gods most righteous severity had he not graciously interposed in the other what thy condition is and mayst expect to be through his meer mercy so interposing Tyranny makes Earth a hell and a Tyrant is a Devil incarnate Just Government makes Heaven on earth and good Princes Gods in the likeness of men No Government is hell broke loose where all would rule and none be ruled every mans lust would be every mans law his wants measured by his will and his deserts by his desires which would render men Furies in flesh and daily tormentors to themselves and others and therefore any Government is better then none Tyranny then Anarchy but just Government banisheth the wicked from a Nation as it did the evil Angels out of Heaven making the remaining Inhabitants to shout for joy Here thou shalt find a Tyrant tryed and a Protector pourtraitur'd by plain Characters brief instances and examples of both which truly considered with our own concernments in both respects would muzzle the mouths of our muttering murmurours and render us more sensible of our present happinesse and thankful for it thou shalt not here find a censorious Condemnation of the long and short Parliaments nor a flattering congratulation of all publick transactions since their date for although these be ad nos in respect of their events yet are they supra nos in respect of our censures this is my principle this is my prayer that wherein men have been wise and done worthily for their Countreys Liberties and the Saints Interest God would remember it and never forget it and that wherein they have been weak and failed in their duty being but flesh and blood and men at best though the best of men God would forget it never remember it the Demonstration of Tyranny the Commendation of Magistracy the characterizing of good and bad Magistrates in their principles and practises with the effects thereof to themselves and their people was the designe of my heart had the fact answered the fancy and the product the project Reader If thou beest a Son of Sion and a Citizen of Jerusalem which is from above the peace that is within thy gates and the prosperity that is within thy palaces must needs render thee sensible of thy felicity by thy freedom from tyranny and fruition of liberty by our present Government thankful for it and fruitful under it except like Jessurun thou art waxen fat and kickest up the heel hast turned thy grace into wantonness and thy table be made a snare unto thee if thou beest one of them that have thus converted their fulness into folly and their liberty into licentiousness murmuring that Moses and Aaron I mean thy quondam preservers are thy present Protectors and hast forgotten the days of old and the years of many generations who hath sown that crop in tears yea in blood which thou now reapest in joy if that liberty will not satisfie the like whereof is not in all the world that liberty the like whereof the generations that are past did never understand that liberty a greater then which thou knowest not how to desire except it be to have power to tyrannize it over thy brethren dissenting from thee as precious in the eyes of the Lord as thy self and it may be more in the truth then thy self not a Son of Belial suffered to molest thee nor a dog to move his tongue against thee If thou canst not in this fulness sit down with content who will pity thee if thou risest up and fall If thou wilt read and consider the difference between good and bad Magistrates thou mayest see the misery which thy Fore-fathers felt and our selves but lately feared under the one and thy present felicity which our fore-fathers desired and we now enjoy under the other the due and spiritual effects of which vision upon all our hearts through the Grace of our God in Jesus Christ is the fervent Prayer of Thy Friend and Servant J. P. ERRATA Page 31. l. 32. for spoil you read spoil him p. 11. l. 34. for violendum r. violandum p. 12. l. 13. r. profuseness p. 15. l. 32. for Asses r. Lasses These besides some others which I pray thee correct with thy Pen A Tyrant OR Homo Homini Demon 1. TYranny is a Complication of Iniquity whereby men being Gods in Power become Devils in practise to terrifie and torture all that withstand them in their devilish dealings A Tyrant is a Devil in heart a Man in shape a Lyon in power a Bear in practise affrighting his People with his rage and roaring and tearing them limb-meal with his teeth and â—aâ—ons The tendâ—r mercâ—es of Tyrants are cruel the Scripture calls them roaring Lyonâ— evening Wolâ—es that gnaw not the bones till the morning Zeph. 3. 3. not satisfied so long as any thing is left dealing by the people as the cruel Spaniards do by the Indians of whom it is storied that they shew them favour when they do not for their pleasure whip their nakâ—â— bodies with â—oards and dayly drop them with the â—at of â—uâ—ning â—acon They cause the just to perish and the wicked â—o flâ—uâ—â—sh quâ—ffiâ—g the tears of the oppressed making mâ—lody with their misâ—ry and musick with their signs The oppressed Romans complainâ—d to Pompey Nostra miseria tu es magnus Thou arâ— become great by our miseries like those Miscreants in Micah 3. 3. they â—at the flesh and flâ—y the skin break the bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot Like those American Canibals who when they take a prisoner feed upon him alive and by degrees cutting off from his body now a meal and then a meal which they roast before his eyes fearing up the wounds with a firebrand to stanch the blood to the unutterable aggravation of his horror and torment Such a Lyon â—ampant was Nero 2 Tim. 4 17. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon and the rest of those Monsters of mankind the bloody Tyrants Româ—sâ— Emperors in the primitive Persecutions and their Romish Successors the same in cruelty though not in profession extâ—râ—ing complaints against them 〈…〉 m the people of God in the voyce of the Prophet Jeremiah personating Sion Jer. 51. 34. Nebuchadnâ—zzar King of Babylon hath devoured me he hath crushed me he hath made
justice in a publick manner and himself and accomplices were rendred acceptable spectacles of justice unto the people When Rehoboam shall tread in the steps of his fathers unjust exactions and upon the complaint and petition of his people for their just rights and priviledges he shall refuse to hear them to ease them but tells them I will add to my Fathers yoke he chasâ—ised you with whips but I will chastise you with Scorpions Ten parts of 12. of his people cast him off made war against him What said they if this be the case that we must be whipt and slasht by this proud Tyrant and at his will and the will of his cursed Courtiers and his green-headed Grandees Away with him what portion have we in this Tyrant To your tents O Israel Arm arm let him now look to himself 1 King 12. from the first to the twenty one ver. his grave Councellors told him plainly Vers 7. If thou wilt be a Servant unto this people and serve them and speak good words to them treat them kindly they will be thy servants for ever Where you may see i. that the King was made so to be their Servant and not to Lord it over them And secondly That when Kings are Servants to the people the people are thâ—iâ— ready and free and willing servants yea vassels unto them Love will compel them But when they perceive that they have no portion in him he shall have as little in them By how much the greater the person is that offâ—nds by so much the greater is his fault by so much the greater his punishment ought to be And I believe that that late exemplary piece of justice at Whitehall Gate upon the late Tyrant was one of the â—attest richest and most acceptable Sacrifice that hath been offered up unto the most righteous God that loveth righteousness in this Nation before that day And that the zeal of our Judges in executing petty thieves robbers and murtherers at Tyburn was but as the tything of Mint and Cummin in comparison of that great thing of the Law then done 16. His light shall be put out his sparks shall not shine Terrors shall make him afraid on every side his own Counsel shall cast him down his roots shall be dried up beneatlh and above shall his branches be cut off His remembrance shall perish from the Earth and he shall have no name in the Street His triumph is but short and his joy but for a moment though his Excellency mount up unto the Heavens and his Head reaches unto the Clouds yet shall he perish for ever like his own dung he shall flye away as a dream and be chased as a vision of the night the eye which saw him shall see him no more neither shall his place any more behold him Solomon saith That a violent bloody Tyrant shall flee to the pit let no man slay him Prov. 28. 17. Let no man mediate for him lest he pay down as Ahab did life for life people for people 1 King 20. 42. When Tyrants perish the righteous increase Prov. 28. 28. They swarm like Bâ—es in a Sun-shine day When the wicked rise good men skulk and hide their heads as Moses fled from Pharaoh David from Saul Eliah from Ahab Obadiah's Clients from Jezabel Jeremiah from Jehoiakim Joseph and the Child Jesus from Herod c. But wherein they dealproudly God is above them He seeth their day is coming He sits in Heaven and scorneth these scorners The Most High cuts off the Spirit of Princes he is terrible unto these tyrannical Kings of the Earth those scourges of the World God so subdued Senacherib as the Egyptians in memory of it did set up his Statue in the Temple of Vulcan with this inscription Let all that behold me learn to fear God Tyrants shall be sure sooner or later to meet with their match The blood-thirsty man shall not live out half his dayes God will at last appear to their fearful destruction to be glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders of wrath and ruine upon bloody Pharaohs he will tear out those bowels that are fill'd and stuft with the blood of the poor and make inquisition for their blood then will he remember and not forget the complaint of the poor hâ—e hath fulfill'd his threatnings against Tyrants in our eyes and â—â—â—ed our Nation from those men of blood that they may fall and fall in all the parts of the world and never rise up again especially in our English Nation That God would melt all Crowns and Sâ—epters of the Potentates of the Earth into a Crown Sâ—epter for the Head and hand of Jesus Christ putting all Powâ—rs and Authorities under his feet making our Government peace and Exactors Righteousness that violence be no more heard of in our Land nor desolation nor destruction within ouâ— Borders Let all the people CRI IN HOPE AMEN A Protector OR Homo Homini Deus JUst Government is Gods Ordinance for mans good the form thereof mans appointment with Gods approbation the end thereof mans felicity and Gods glory and a just Governor is a Protector of both The Institution of Government is of God the Constitution of man the Governors themselves of both viz. Gods permission and mans election JVST GOVERNMENT IS GODS ORDINANCE The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. Mans sin was the cause of his subjection to all mortals but Gods mercy did institute the same to preserve him from ruine by his own wickedness had not man sinned there had been a priorâ—ty but not a soveraignty there had been a reverence in the child to the father as the instrument of his production but no subjection because no justiciating power had been stablished there being no need of it the eternal Law written in every mans heart would have been every mans guide had it not been for sin sin ushered in subjection as a curse at the heels of it Gen. 3. 16. Thy desire shall be to thy husband he shall rule over thee her disobedience expos'd her to subjection by Gods Ordinance Soveraignty and subjection are Gods appointment FOR MANS GOOD He is the minister of God to thee for good Rom. 134 Sociableness or appetitus convivendi is the impress of Nature and the reason thereof mutual preservation and accommodation which cannot be without Government Sin hath brought sorrow upon the world Sin entered into the world in the van of a black and bloody Regiment sorrows pains aches hunger thirâ—t shame c. with death through sin in the rear Conscience of guilt brings fear of death hence one end of society is preservation and because men need security from misery and ruine by one another therefore hath God appointed Government and Governors among themselves for the good of all the form of which Government is leâ—t by God to their own discretion who hath only confin'd them within the limits of this general rule His GLORY and THEIR FELICITY Forms
day their impossibility to stretch to Eternity That outward greatness is but a conceited wall Prov. 18. 11. He well considers that God humbles the haughty lifts up the lowly as the lower the Ebbe the higher the Tide so his humiliation shall not exceed his exaltation he looks not so much upon his fine feathers as his foul feet which is ballace to his bottom and prevents the danger of his Broad-Sails in the swelling and Surging Seas of outward pomp and greatness he blusheth not blesseth himself under popular applauses prayseâ— do more press him thâ—n please him and gâ—ate upon him then gratifie him the higher his head is before men the lower his heart before God he does worthily in Euphrata and therefore is he famous in Bethlehâ—m his same attends his vertue as the shadow the body he hath no tongue to praise himself Haec ego fâ—ci proves men no better then Faeces saith Luther Self-brags shews mens drâ—gs and dross not their valour and veâ—tue Laus proprio sordescit in ore he that commâ—nds himself vomits out of his own mouth his own shame nauciating the stâ—â—acks of standers by Moses glory was not known to himself but to those that beheld him his face did shine but he knew it not his ears are not tickled but tingle when he hears men speak of his worth and worthiness When an elegant Speech was made in the commendation of Charls the fifth by a great person rehersing his noble and famous acts the Emperour modestly replyes That he accepted of the Oration because it did admonish him not so much what he had been as what he ought to be He remembers what he was when he sees what he is It is stoâ—ied of Agathâ—cles who of a Potters son became King in Scicily that he would ever be served in earthen vessels and of one Willigis Bishop of Mentz being a Wheel-wrights Son that he caused wheels to be hanged up aâ—d down the walls from his Palace with these words over them in Capital Letters Willigis Willigis recole unde Venris Mind thy beginning It was good counsel given by Placilla the Empress to her Husband Theodosius Remember Sir what you were laâ—ely and what you are now this will make you mindful of your duty and give God the glory A man as good as great considers what he must be as well as what he was and is he makes account of his accounts and is frequently reckoning his reckonings his Masters Redde rationâ—m is much in his mind his receipts are in his eyes and his account current in his heart and his quietus est is the first-born of his desires his even reckonings make long friendship between God and him he is often casting up his books lest his books should cast him up at last which makes him diligenâ— watchful humble and low in his own thoughts the noise of the feet of them that buried his Predecessours is much in his ears he hâ—aâ—s the sound of his own passing bell and in his thoughts goes to his own Funeral he considers that as he hath had a time to be born so he will have a time to die and that he is every day drawing on towards his drawing on that his last day stands but all the rest runs that the mortal Sythe is Master of the royal Scepter and that it mows down as well the Lilies of the Crown as the Crown of the Lilies he remembers that though his Palace be built of hewen stone yet his life is immured within mud-walls in a clay cottage and earthly tabernacle that his foundation is the dust ready to be shattered and scattered with every blast that he is but terra friabilis crumbling loose earth Pride passion and self-will are his constant caution First Pride he that saith he hath no pride cannot want it this made a devil of an Angel and threw him down from his Throne with a vengeance God resisteth a proud person as in battail-array It is God's resoluâ—ion not to â—taâ—n all glory but the pride of all glory and bring into contempt all the proud though honorable of the Earth Isai. 23. 8. He hath his day for the proud and lofty for every one that is lifted up he shall be brought low his loâ—ty looks shall be humbled and the Lord alone shall be exâ—lâ—ed he pulleth down the proud and lifteth up the lowly He doth carefully cautelously yea very curiously look to himself leâ—t his valour his victories his greatness his Highner his Armies his Navies the crowchings of his enemies the applications of the great Princes of other Nations his great houses his revenues his aâ—tendance do steal in upon him bâ—leagure his heart seize it and take it before he is aware and carry him into captiviâ—y under pride and vanity and bring him to ruine without remedy he well remembers that by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life Prov. 22. 4. When pride cometh in shame cometh on but while he is humble God is at his right hand so that he shall not fall if he grows proud he will know him at a distance yea afar off And therfore he studies God who pulleth down and setteth up whom he pleaseth whose are all Kingdoms Power and Glory and he studies himself his dust and ashes his heart his lip his life infirmities he watcheth and prayeth against pride and vanity which will make him humble and happy Secondly His own Passion is his own pain and sorrow Commonly Princes think they may be passionate by priviledg and peevish by prerogative Moses was an excellent General an eminent Governor and his meekness did add much to his merit Anger is little better then a short Devil and he that gives way to it gives place to him He that is big with wrath breeds contention and brings forth transgression in abundance A furious man is a man master'd by furies and as the Persian Kings to their Concubines is a slave to a slave Anger may rush into the heart of wise men but it resteth and roosteth only in the bosom of fools The hasty man never wants woe One counselled Augustus to determine nothing rashly when he was angry but that he should first repeat the Greek Alphabet Ambrose taught Theodosius in that case to repeat the Lords Prayer He that is slow to anger is of great understanding but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly 'T is true it 's good to be angry and not to sin but then a man must be angry at nothing but sin and not as it is an offence to man but to God nor yet so angry as to be unfit for prayer Moses was angry at the Israelites golden Calf but could pray for them Christ at the unbelief of the Pharisees but was grieved for the hardness of their hearts Right anger is a very tender vertue and such as by reason of mans unskilfulness may be easily corrupted and made dangerous The Spirit of Prayer Meditation Communion with God