of Fame shall most worthily sound out to posteritie and crown his temples with never withering-wreathes of laurell-branches who had no sooner espied them but most fiercely and furiously he set upon their whole formidable Spanish Fleet gave them such battering broad sides and such Canon-thundring and powder-roaring salutations as quickly puld down their so late so lofty Spanish pride and maugre all their espaniâ—lized bravadoes the utmost strength of their strongest vessels was so batter'd and bruis'd their falsly suppos'd impenitrable ribs and big-swoln bellies so peirâ—'t and pestred that they quickly queld their courage fir'd sunk and took many of their greatest ships and dissipated and scatter'd the rest from our coasts few of them escaping the heroick Hollanders martiall violence to our great though unsensible yet unspeakable comfort and security we our selves not having strook one streak in our own defence nay t is well if we did not yeeld the Spaniards supplie of powder and other necessaries that time to our own destruction had not God thus strangely and strongly withstood it Say then O England did not Jehovah our great Lord and God most apparently appear now in the Mount for thy mightie deliverance did he not make good his word and promise by his holy Prophet That no weapon forged against thee shall prosper and every tongue that riseth against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne Certainly if ever at this time was this prophesie most exactly made good to England and to our faithfull brethren of Scotland For what sharp and death-wounding weapons have been forged against us both abroad and at home what slanderous tongues have risen up in judgement yea in most false iudgement against both us and them calling and counting Gods beloved ones among us factious and seditious and among our honest brethren of Scotland traitors and rebels as hath been formerly touched but now we have seen to the high honour of God and ioy of our hearts that none of their weapons have prosper'd against us yea their slanderous tongues which so falsely iudged us and our beloved brethren we have condemned to the clear eyes of all men that wilfully look not a squint on all iust things For hath not this our most noble and renowned Parliament together with the Kings full content and consent therein proclaimed our brethren of Scotland the Kings most faithfull and loyall Subiects Confirmed a fair and full Pacification and union of firm love and mutuall defence twixt us and them and the Kingdom of Ireland with an Act of oblivion of all mistakes and misconceits on either side all these I say ratified by a blessed Act of Parliament Yea and that which adds no small lustre to it that it hath hereby freed us from civill-wars which of all warres are most uncivill from intestine wars wars that would have eaten-out our own bowels from wars I say of Christians with Christians yea of Protestants with Protestants which of all wars could not but have been most fell and fatall O who then can see these things these miracles of mercies without deep admiration and holy adoration of our great God Who can forbear to break-out into cordiall praises to raise-up trophies of everlasting fame and honour to our great and glorious Lord and King Who can chuse but ingenuously acknowledge with holy David That we got not these good things into our possession by our own sword neither did our own arm save us But thy right hand O Lord and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a love unto us Thou art our King O command deliverance still to thy poor worm Jacob. For through thee alone shall we pull-down our enemies through thy Name onely shall we tread them under that rise up against us Tâ—â— thou O God that risest up in judgement to save all thy weak-ones on earth turning the rage and furie of man into thy praise and making the remainder of their wrath to obey thee A most remarkable mercie was it also that the Lord put into the hearts of the renowned Scaligers of our corrupted times for the better purifying not onely of the conduit-pipes of Justice to begin as about this time to put pious and noble Peers into places of honour trust and power that thus the stern of government may be the more happily steered with uprightnesse and impartialitie To which purpose as a main help thereto they have most happily taken away that State-staggering Star-Chamber-Court dissolved and dissipated into smoke the crushing-Courts of the President and Councell of the North and limited and co fined the unlimited bounds of businesses at the Councell-Table but also to scoure the muddie and even stinking channels of wrong and oppression by easing the Common-wealth of those living-grievances thereof a great advantage to the peace and tranquility of the State I mean those evill Counsellers and Officers of State who had been principall actors of all our foresaid miscries and mischiefs making thereby as it were a plaster to heal the deadly wounds of Church and State and most hopefully to recover the almost incureable diseases of the Kingdom by a plaister I say of the blood of that insulting arch-traitor the Earl of Straford who as he had well-nigh stabd the State to the heart by his deep and most dangerous plots both abroad and at home So the stroak of Justice retaliated with blood his most bold and bloodie designes maugre all his slyest shufflings and crafty jeerings of the Law to have eluded it and thereby hoping to have prevented the said just vengeance on him And here by the way I desire the Reader to take notice of Gods most equall and upright wayes and dealings with wicked ungodly and blood-thirstie men how exactly he repayes the bloody plots and purposes of all proud and ambitious Hamans in their own coyn as here is most perspicuously seen in this our English-Haman who in his heart had vow'd the wrack and ruine of all Gods faithfull ones in England Scotland and Ireland at the least But we have happily seen this proud Haman the first that felt the due stroke of justice to the honour of God and the terrour of all such daring traytors And as for the rest of that rabble I may here take-up that of the holy Prophet David How long will ye imagine mischief against men ye shall be slain all the pack of you for as a bowing or tottering-wall shall ye be and as a rotten fence Tremble therefore at this all ye perfidious conspiring Shâ—ba's and fear in time such just retaliation Certainly There is none like unto thee O Lord thou art great and thy Name is great in might Who would not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee it doth indeed appertain to do justice and take revenge for as much as among all the wise men of the world and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee
in their consciences of what is already done yet extremly extenuate and under-value the same saying what have they done in so long time what is yet reformed by them that was amisse before Nay are not things say some spurious imps of Envie worse than they were before for so they count the works of reformation alreadie wrought and farther endeavours of pure ordinances in Religion right rules of justice which indeed is the main thing that vexeth them and which they extremly fear lest it cut them short of the former libertie of their base lusts This I say and much more dares black-mouth'd malignitie belch out against these our never-sufficiently to be praised and prized Heroes notwithstanding all those most admirable and amiable white-clouds of witnesses of their mightie and blessed pains and pietie as have been by me abundantly made known in all those fore-mentioned parliamentarie-mercies wherein as I have fully and fairly I think told my Readers what they have done So I could yet farther tell them what more they would have done had not the most notorious envie and malice of impious and irreligious opposers the malignant Elymasses of our times and enemies of all righteousnesse and true goodnesse mightily molested and perniciously opposed their pious purposes and religious resolutions therein As namely a full removeall of the inordinate power vexation and usurpation of Bishops the reformation of the pride and idlenesse of many others of the Clergie the casing of the peoples consciences from unnecessarie ceremonies in Gods worship the censuring and removing of unworthie and unprofitable Ministers and contrariwise the maintaining and setting-up of godly and diligent Preachers through the whole Kingdom together with many other things of great importance for the singular good of the Kingdom which long have been in proposition and agitation in Parliament which the Reader may see most particularly set forth by our Parliamentarie-Worthies themselves but which have been extremly and necessitously retarded and hindred by plots and projects of the malignant partie but which God I trust will in his own good time ripen and bring to maturity of a through reformation to the praise of his grace and wonder-working glorie The third serious consideration and observation of all these rich and rare Parliamentarie-mercies incomparable mercies and gracious deliverances of ouâ— land and Nation so deeply designed to destruction but so admirably pluckt as a brand out of the fire of confusion should most justly make us more faithfull and lesse fearfull The Prophet David made it a ground of comfort and encouragement to him to consider what God had done for his Church and children in former times We have heard saies he with our eares O God and our fathers have told us what works thou didst in their dayes and in the times of old But what a ground of comfort and heart-stablishing encouragement may it be to us who have not onely heard our fathers tell us of Gods former wonders but have visibly seen with our own eyes and found by our own present experience how our God hath with his mightie hand and stretched-out arm supplanted our enemies and blessedly begun to plant us How the Lords right hand and mightie arm and the light of his countenance because he had a favour to us hath put us into much present possession of our hearts desires and gloriously commanded great deliverances for us It was also and that most justly a strong strengthening supp rtation to loyall-hearted and royally-affectionated King David to assure himself of an undoubted conquest over that seeming unconquerable uncircumcised Philistine great Goliah namely the sweet heart-fortifying experience he had had of Gods assisting power and preservation against the paw of the Lion and the paw of the Bear And shall not these our so many and so marvellous great deliverances and so sweetly and so freshly tasting-merci s cause us to be confident that our God will deliver us also from the great Goliah-like and Philistine fears of future most dangerous designes by our most private and pernicious plotting enemies O foule shame if they should not Certainly Christian Reader experimentall faith must needs be an unmoveable an impregnable rock not to be dasht out of countenance or driven from its so fast hold by base and slavish fears but to be the more setled and confirmed in faith O saies couragious and noble Nehemiah shall such a man as I am flie for fear of any enemies So may I say to thee good Reader and to all my Christian brethren of England shall men of so many mercies so many rare pledges of farther purposed deliverances all readie put into our hands faint and be afraid Shall we damp and dead our hearts with base servile fear and slavish doubts of infidelity and thereby extremly discountenance our glorious cause and mightily encourage our insulting enemies who would gladly triumph in our pusillanimous terrours and effeminate faintings Ouâ— God forbid Let us call to remembrance and lay it sadly and seriously to our hearts for t is a most certain and undeniable truth that nothing did so cut short the children of Israel from entring into Canaan fruitfull Canaan the desire of their souls because the promised land of peace and plentie as godlesse infidelity still questioning and as it were catechising Gods power and faithfulnes O so let us take great heed that infidelitie and false-fears cut us not short of our hopes of a pure reformation the desire of our souls and of a perfect deliverance from ensuing dangers the promised heart-chearing happinesse of us and our posterity But here I desire I may not be mistaken I have not so prest this dutie of faithfull repose in God out of former happie experiments as to cast any of Gods children into a lethargi of supine securitie or improvident carelesnesse No God forbid this also For I hereby forbid not all fear but do desire we may still and over retain that godly fear which may graciously keep our hearts in such an humble posture and disposition as may preserve us from carnall securitie as may make us fear the Lord tremble at his judgements and not dare to sin against him fear thus still on Gods name and spare not for doubtlesse blessed is the man that thus fears alwayes But I hereby desire onely to beat down and keep-under that slavish f ar and cowardly fainting of spirit which I observe to be too frequent in Gods dearest children to the dishonour of our gracious and bountifull God and the wonderfull weakning and wounding of so glorious a cause as we are interessed in and blessed be our God that ever we had a part in it especially having God on our side and his sure word of promise to support us to back and bear us up in our strictest straits Wherefore my Brethren let us seriously and sincerely often check and controul such unsound and unwarrantable fears with that fair
saies our God to make England a School of mercies and to set it in the highest form thereof yea and to make it the captain of the School and thereby intend to set him one-lesson to get by heart even a lesson of true gratitude and holy obedience for the mercies which now I intend to shew and bestow upon it Such mercies indeed good Reader as thou shalt now see and to thy souls admiration and comfortable contemplation behold that had I as many tongues hands and pâ—ns as I have hairs on my head and exquisite dexteritie fitly to manage and make use of them all they would not suffice to set out the praises of our good God for them being indeed such mercies as none but God himself could miraculously conser upon us by such a mightie and admirably strange overture and turn of things which God now began to work by this Parliament and all for the better yea more and more admirable mercies to us within these two yeers than hath been bestowed on others in many ages Which now by Gods gracious assistance I shall abundantly make most clear and conspicuous to the high honour and glory of God and the unspeakable consolation and ioy of his saints and holy ones For now behold the Lord began to open the eyes and to touch the hearts of our Nobles now at York with the King and to make them wearie of their too-long silence and patience if I may so call it and to lay to heart the Kingdoms great distractions and deep distempers to be thereupon impatient of any longer delayes and very sensible of the dutie and trust which belongs to them some therefore of the most eminent of them adventured to petition the King who being now at York had there advanced his royall Standard and gathered thither the cream of the whole Kingdom yea and at such a time too when as ill Counsellours were so powerfull and prevalent with his Majestie that they had reason to expect more hazard to themselves than fair and facile redresses of those palpable and publike evils for which they then interceded At which time also of this Kingdoms deadly burning-fever or violently shaking-ague of intestine miseries and oppr ssions the Scots having been long time restrained in their trades impoverished by losse of many of their ships and goods bereaved of all possibilitie of satisfying his Majestie by any naked Supplication wherein they had been long time tired and even quite wearied-out being as frequently as fruitlesly denied their desires and now at last to shut-up quite all doors of hope from them an armie marching to the gates of their Kingdom to force them to slavish subiection and obedience They hereupon resolving to stand on their most just defence and with their swords since words would not prevail to make their own passage for audience to the King with a strong armie as their last remedy of Saints rather than Souldiers entred the Kingdom and without any hostile act or spoil in the countrey as they passed save onely being affronted by some of the Kings armie to force their passage over the Tyne at Newburn neer Newcastle and had a fair opportunitie to presse on further upon the Kings armie out that dutie and reverence to his Majestie and brotherly love and true Christian affection to our English Nation according to the tenour of a most excellent Declaration printed and dispersed over the Kingdom immediately upon their entring the Realm intituled The Scots mind and intention with their Armie which gave great satisfaction therein made them stay there piously and patiently as loving friends not foes voluntarily to wait and supplicate again to his Majestie at York for iustice in their innocent cause against their wicked enemies Whereby the King had the better leasure to entertain better Counsell according to those Noble Peers Petition also fore-mentioned wherein the Lord our God so blessed him that he summoned a great Councell of Peers then at York to meet together with him on Sept. 24 1640. The Scots hereupon the first day of the great Councill presented another most humble petition to his Majestie whereupon a treatie was appointed at Rippon in which things were so wisely and worthily agitated by the Commissioners on both sides and in all that interim a sweet cessation of Arms agreed upon that at last it was resolved that the full conclusion of all differences between is and the Scots should be referred to the wisdom and care of a Parliament declared to begin Novemb. 3 d then next ensuing as the sole means under heaven to cure all these foresaid maladies and to recover the Kingdom of its heart sick diseases and otherwise incurable mortall wounds and to settle the State of things which otherwise seemed insuperable into a right frame and posture For as hath been abundantly manifested all things were so out of joynt the King and whole Kingdom brought to such exigents and precipitating sad and bad issues that had not God thus timously struck in and thus necessitated this Parliament England undoubtedly had been made long ere this a confused Chaos of confusion a gastly Golgotha and a most foule field of Blood and posteritie might have sighiâ—gly sobd out not sung of it Ah England England once call'd Albion for thy white rocks now too justly mayest be call'd Olbion for thy black deformitie of destruction and desolation O London famous London Englands once glorious Troynovant now become a desolate wildernesse the plowmaâ—s fallow-plains or vast fields of corn or as the Prophet Jeremie by his Jerusalem might most properly have painted thee out also as in the 1 of his Lamentations But now behold thy God is come unto thee is now seen yea now I say if ever in the Mount of Mercies for thy admirable deliverance from this most profound abyss of deepest danger in this mightie mercie of thâ— Lord to thee but new-now poor gasping-England in that the English and Scottish-armies should lie so neer each other in a martiall manner and yet seem Both to shake hands together should onely look one another in the face and not embrue their hands in the blood of each other but sit still rest together in peace and at length part as they did like good friends O who can forbear but in a transcendent rapture of ioy and gratitude break-out with holy David and say or rather cheerfully sing Ascribe unto the Lord worship and honour ascribe unto the Lord the glory of his name Sing unto God ye Kingdoms of the earth O sing praises unto our God Who maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth who breaks the bowe and cuts the spear in sunder and burns the chariots in the fire Who daily loadeth us with his benefits and is the onely God of our salvation Who infatuates the wisdom of the wise and prudent and makes the counsels of Princes to come to nought
of a charge of high treason against the Lord Kimbolton one of the Members of the Lords House and against the said Mr Hollis Sir Ar. Haslerigg Mr Pym Mr Hampden and Mr Strode by Sir Will. Killigrew Sir Will. Flemen and others in the Innes of Court and else-where in the Kings name was a high breach of the priviledge of Parliament a great scandall to his Majestie and his government a seditious act manifestly tending to the subversion of the peace of the Kingdom and an injurie and dishonour to the said Members there being no legall charge or accusation against them Recollect now then good Christian Reader thy sad and serious thoughts and muster-up thy most exquisite meditations on this so ponderous and weightie a passage of Gods admirable providence and protection of his own parliamentarie-Worthies for so me thinks I may fitly call and count them and tell me whether God was not wonderfully seen here in the Mount of straits to turn it in a moment to a Mount of deliverance to his faithfull Servants yea and in them to the whole Kingdom whose weal or woe as we all are or ought to be most sensible was wrapt-up in them being the representative Bodie thereof And when thou hast fully and feelingly recogitated and ruminated on this exuberant parliamentarie-mercie tell me I pray thee whether thou and I and all true English-hearts have not most redundanâ— reason and copious occasion with blessed Moses a little before his death and dying mens words ought to make deep impression of credence in our hearts to confesse and acknowledge That there is none like unto the God of Jesurum who rideth upon the heavens in the help of his beloved-ones and in his excellencie on the skie The eternall God is their refuge and underneath them are his everlasting armes and he shall thrust their enemies before them And they shall know that it was thy hand O Lord and that thou onely hast done it and that though they have cursed yet thou hast blessed and that when they arose thou mad'st them asham'd but hast caused thy servants to rejoyce Yea and hast carried them on Eagles wings far and free from danger and hast brought and placed them neer to thy self Yea I say again now if ever those noble and renowned parliamentarie-Worthies found that of Solomon most true That the Name of the Lord is a strong towre the righteous run into it and are safe To conclude this therefore let the gratefull and gracious consideration of this so great a deliverance cause me and thee and them all whom it so neerly and peculiarly concerns to break-out with holy David that sacred and sugred Singer of Israel and to say O give thanks unto the Lord and call continually upon his Name Sing unto him O sing Psalms to his great Name and talk of all the wondrous works which he hath done and all the glorious judgements of his mouth Now after this so terrible affront and disturbant affright to the Parliament it pleased those pious and prudent Worthies of both Houses for a space to adjourn their sitting at Westminster and to turn Both-Houses into a grand Committee and for their greater safetie and assurance from Popish-plots and combinations to sit in the Citie of London in the Grocers-Hall Where by Gods mercie and most safe protection they were most cheerfully guarded every day by the train'd-Bands of the Citie and extraordinarie lovingly entertained and most respectively used according to the high merit of their worth and work and unto theirs and our high content and singular comfort In which interim of their sitting in London very many of the well-affected and faithfull Ministers of London unanimously petitioned the Parliament both for choice of an Assembly for setling Church-discipline and for the ordering of a Monethly fast throughout the whole Kingdom untill the distresses of Ireland and the distractions of England were by Gods mercie graciously quieted and composed Which petition of theirs in both those materiall branches thereof was most favourably entertained by the Parliament and received a desired answer the Assembly of Divines being now by vote in Parliament fully resolved on and all of them nominated for all the Counties throughout the Kingdom for their advise to the Parliament for setling and ordering the pure worship of our God and true Apostolicall discipline Wherein the Lord grant they may all be as meek-hearted gracious and faithfull as holy Moses was to do nothing therein no not in the least particular thereof especially in Gods worship but most punctually according to the pattern of the Apostles practise and precepts no question fully and sufficiently to be found in Gods Word The Monethly fast also was speedily put in practise all over the Kingdom which being as it were a spirituall Militia as a reverend and learned Divine of our Citie calls it most properly puts the Kingdom into a spirituall posture of a God-pleasing holy warfare if religiously kept both for sin and from sin that we may as it were even fight and contend with God by prayers and tears by sighs and groans as good Jacob was said thus to wrastle with God yea and may be prevailers with God for a blessing on our Land our King and Parliament Church and State and thus also at length may prevail with men even against all the enemies of our peace and prosperitie both domestick and forrein Domestick I mean our imbred sins base lusts and corruptions Forrein that is treacherous projectors and clandestine malignant emulatours of our happinesse both at home and abroad And are not here two parliamentarie-mercies more of most high concernment and such as give us strong and irrefragable assurance that God is with us and will be with us if they be rightly and religiously managed and then we need not fear who is against us Yea then as the Prophet said They are moe that are with us than those that be for our enemies Yea even the Lords legions of chariots and horsemen of fire round about us to defend us and to consume them Whereby we may even alreadie triumph and exult with pious Paul and truly say Thanks be unto God who hath given us victory yea and made us more than conquerors through Christ in whom he hath freely loved us But to proceed In this time also of the Parliaments sitting in London by a grand-Committee of both Houses the stout-hearted and well-minded Ship-masters and Marriners to shew their love and loyaltie to the King and Parliament exhibited their Petition to the grand Committee and therewith also their votes and desires full of courage and candor to serve his Majestie and the Parliament to the utmost of their power which their readinesse and cheerfulnesse therein was most lovingly regarded both by the Lords and Commons and shortly after a fair and fit occasion was offered to make use of their love and service therein which they most really
GOD In the Mount Or Englands Remembrancer Being a Panegyrick Piramides erected to the everlasting high honour of Englands God In the most gratefull commemoration of al the miraculous Parliamentarie Mercies wherein God hath been admirably seen in the Mount of Deliverance in the extreme depth of Englands designed Destruction in her years of jubile 1641. and 1642. By the unworthie admirer of them JOHN VICARS Jehova-jireh Genes 22. 14. I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart and wil shew forth all thy marvellous works Psal 9. 1. Commit thy cause to God which doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number Job 5. 8 9. Deut. 33. 29. Happie art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the sheild of thy help and who is the sword of thine excellencie And thine enemies shall be found lyers unto thee and thou shalt tread on their high places Psal 111. 2 3 4. The works of the Lord are great sought-out of all them that have pleasure therin His works are honourable and glorious and his righteousnesse endureth for ever He hath made his wondrous works to be remembred the Lord is gracious and full of compassion LONDON Printed by T. Paine and M. Simmons for John Rothwell and Thomas Vnderhill 1642. TO THE ETERNALL ALMIGHTY AND MOST GLORIOUS WONDER-WORKING INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND INDIVISIBLETRINITIEIN UNITIE JEHOVAH-JIREH GODIN THE MOVNT J. V. HIS MOSTUNWORTHIE AND SINFULL SERVANT DOTH DEDICATE AND CONSECRATE BY CHRIST JESUS HIS ONLY MERITS AND MEDIATION HIM-SELF AND THESE HIS POOR LABOVRS TO HIS EVERLASTING PRAISE AND GLORY TO THE RIGHT Honourable thrice Noble and illustrious Senatours of the House of Peers in Parliament TO OUR Trulie Honourable and most renowned Patriots the House of Commons in Parliament RIght Noble Lords and Englands Commons rare For whom the Lord hath joyn'd disjoyn who dare Your humble Servant Vowed Votarie Hath to Heav'ns-Honour And your Memorie ☞ * Most humblie this Pyramides erected Hopefull by your just power to be protected From sturdiest Stormes which Mischiefs mightiest blast May dare on It or your blest actions cast By foule aspersions Causelesse Calumnies To rob-both us and you Of our fair prize ☞ * Even happy Halcyor daies Which God by you Begins to bring To blessed Britains view Whose eyes and heart late full of frights and tears Your untyr'd Prudence Providence re-chears Courage great Patriots God is on your side Whiles you do to his Gospel close abide ☞ * Go on like Davids Worthies valiantly To curb and crush Truths-foes-malignity Go on I say like Nehemiah's brave Like Ezra's and Zorobabels most grave To work a pure A perfect Reformation As men most famous In your generation ☞ * Yea most renowned To Posteritie As Faiths fast friends And props of Veritie As wise Repairers of those Breaches great Which did both Church and State so sorely threat Go on though you great obstacles endure Sol shines most clear though clouds It oft obscure Heav'n crown your Counsels still with good successe And you and yours for all your labours blesse So ever prayeth Your most humbly devoted John Vicars TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL HIS MOST WORTHY and ever most highly honoured good friends Sir RICHARD SPRIGNALL Sir IOHN WOLLASTONE Alderman PENNINGTON and Alderman WARNER Together with each of their most truly virtuous and pious Consorts my singular good friends All of them eminent Patrons and Patterns of Piety Vertue Religion and Learning J. V. unfainedly prayeth the most happie fair and full fruition of the glorious effects of the plenarie-Reformation intended by this pious Parliament here And of the Saints celestiall beatificallvision in Heaven hereafter HAving by Gods good hand of providence and direction Right Worshipfull and my most highly honoured good friends undertaken a subject of Gratitude to our holy God in this succeeding historicall narration of all his wonder-striking Parliamentarie-mercies to us of this English-Nation in generall I could not but reflect my serious thoughts on your Worships as most worthie objects also of my thankefull heart for many singular favours and courtesies toward me in particular And somuch the rather because of that which Chrysostome in his 51 Homilie on Genesis hath as sweetly as succinctly touched Nihil tam gratum Deo homini quam anima grata gratias agens Nothing in the world is so acceptable to God or man as a gratefull-heart and a thankefultongue The due and deep consideration whereof I say hath made me most desirous as most bounden to tender this â—umblâ— and plain-stiâ—'d historie of Englands God in the Mount of Mercies â—r Englands Remembrancer of gratitude to God for all the Parliamentarie precious blessings most fully and freely conferred or rather poured-down upon her within these 2 yeers last past as a â—estimonie of my most thankfull-heart to your good Worships for many both publike and private favours to me and mine Which historie though I ingenuously acknowledge it might well have befitted a far more fluent and high-soaring rhetoriâ—all-Penman than my poor and plain unworthie-self yet since it hath pleased the Lord that my poor zeal for Gods glorie hath thus prevented them I most humbly hope and heartily desire candide and courteous acceptance of it and of my sincere desire and endeavour mainly to manifest my infinitely obliged gratefull-heart first to our ever-living and ever-loving wonder-working Lord God next to our most Pious Patriots his precious Agents and instruments in these great and glorious works and then to your worthie selves my much honoured friends Which my endeavour herein though short I say of your judicious expâ—ctation and of the histories due desert yet hoping it may remain as a pledge of my plighted humble services and bounden gratitude and as the best Barthol'mew-faring which my poor abilitie was able to present to your good Worships with the humble tender also of mâ— heartiest poor prayers to the throne of grace for all sanctified sublunarie blessings and celestiall soul-cheering graces on you and aâ—l yours I ever rest Your good Worships in the Lord to be alwayes commanded JOHN VICARS GOD IN THE MOVNT OR ENGLANDS REMEMBRANCER THE omnipotent and omniprudent great God of heaven and earth having by his unsearchable wisdom unresistible power and most pure and inculpable righteousnesse from all eternitie both fore-seen and preordained the wayes and means of manifesting and declaring to the world his two especiall and most glorious attributes of Mercie and Justice Mercie on his elect and choice vessels of honour and justice on the forsaken vessels of wrath those devoted vassals of the devill and both these in that admirable Master-piece of his workmanship of the world Man Who as the Prophet David saies of himself was fearfully and wonderfully made And for this and and purpose having put this excellent creature Man into a most pure and perfectly holy condition placing him in Eden or Paradise a place of most wonderfull delight and admirable varietie of sense-affecting contentments and having also
given him an absolute power to have persisted and continued in that holy and blessed estate Satan that subtill and accursed Serpent and that arch-enemie of mans holinesse and happinesse being by self-pride and arrogancie thrust out of heaven and thrown headlong into hell and so to abide to all eternitie in an unrecoverable cursed estate of damnation Hereupon being become Gods enemie extremely envied that holy and happie condition of Gods then darling Mankind and therefore to bring his malignant spight to the issue he aymed at fals a belying of God to man tempts and at last deludes man makes him fall into his sin pride and disobedience thus prevails in his project and thereby made man unhappie man as miserable as himself by being for sin deprived and divested of his former fair rooes of beautie and holinesse and depraved and poysoned in his whole soul and body with sin and uncleannesse and thus in himself a forlorn creature perpetually liable to Gods wrath and so consequently to eternall damnation But now God out of his infinite wisdom and mercie found out a ransome and mighty Redeemer for man even so many as he had predestinated to salvation the Lord Jesus Christ the second person in Trinity In whom and by whom even this promised seed of the deceived woman the Lord resolved to repay and revenge Satans malice and mischief to man promising that though Satan by mans fall had bruised the womans heel yet her seed the Lord Jesus Christ should by a strange way break his head even by his death be Satans death and destruction And hereupon the Lord God denounced an everlasting combate and irreconcilible enmity between these two and their off-spring to the end of the world namely Christ and the rest of the holyseed of the woman even all the succeeding Saints chosen-children of God in Christ And the Devil and his angels even all the desperate profane-ones and craftie hypocrites of the world who should from time to time in all ages most maliciously harbor in their hearts a natural antipathie against the godly to hate and despise them and therewith also take pleasure and delight in plotting and practising all mischief and villanie toward them though God in his wisdom and mercy having so graciously ordered it alwayes for the most part with ill-successe to themselves in the issue God who is most faithfull and able to perform having promised to be with his Church in a way of protection and preservation even to the end of the world Now thus you have briefly seen the combate decreed and the combatants also to maintain the warfare whereby the Church of God is put into a truly militant condition and daily constrained to exercise its spirituall Militia as the wicked do their Malitia against them and to be alwaies armed not onely with the whole armour of God spoken of by the Apostle Ephes 6. but also with worldly weapons and humane power and prudence to defend themselves and offend their enemies as God shall enable them But if you ask me now the cause of their quarrell the reason and ground of the grudge and clandestine hatred which the wicked of the world bear to the holy and humble Saints and servants of the Lord Truly the answer is easie and at hand yea the Apostle hath made it for me who by way of argumentation asks himself the very same question touching Cain and Abel Wherefore did Cain who was of that wicked-one the devill kill his godly brother Abel Because saies he his own works were evill and his brothers righteous Religion innocent-religion and true Holinesse is the great eye-sore to the ungodly and therefore as the said Apostle in the same place ver 13. marvell not that the world hates them This then I say is the main-ground of the quarrell betwixt these two combitants which hot combustion and contention as it hath been fiercely followed in all ages past from the beginning of the world and will be so till the end thereof So it was never more mischievously manifested to be so than in these our dayes I mean for at least these two or three hundred yeers last past to this present time and that in all the parts of Europe especially by the Papists or Romish Catholiques as they call themselves against the Hugonets in France Lutherans and Calvenists in Germanie and Protestants in England Scotland and Ireland and in brief by the Romish Antichrist against the Reformed-Christian in all parts And the implacable rage of this arch-adversarie of the Lord Jesus Christ hath far transcended all the malice and mischief of all former ages cruelties both of the old Assyrians and Philistines to the ancient Israâ—litâ—s or the last ten persecuting heathen-Emperours to the Primitive-Christians But as in all those former ages the more Satan by his impious agents and wicked instruments hath with inveterate vexations and extremest persecutions mangled and maligned the people of God So the more propitiously God hath preserved and encreased them like innumerable Phenixes rising and reviving out of their dead ashes fully confirming that old adagie The blood of the Saints is the seed of the Church This truth in both its branches hath been also most copiously confirmed in these our more modern times and chiefly I may well say in this our Kingdom of England among all the Nations of Europe Germany onely and Ireland excepted at this time foâ— cruelties but not for preservations which hath tasted the bitterdrafts of Romes wrath in a deep measure and yet the more this Antichristian enemie hath raged against Christ and his faithfull servants against the Gospel and its true professors the lesse he hath prevailed and the more they have encreased to the glory of God and the terrour and amazement of the wicked of the world Their divellish and desperate aymes having been deceived in the issue as was toucht before and God having faithfully performed his good word and promise to his Church and children to be with them and for them to the end of the world And though he suffers them oft-times to be closely and strictly hem'd in on all sides with great straits and distresses yet their greatest necessities have ever proved Gods fairest and fittest opportunities to be seen in the Mount for their deliverance even then I say when the enemie thought to have swallowed them up quick without all humane hope of redemption and redresse then yea even then hath our good God alwayes for the most part plucked the prey out of their devouring jaws broke the cheeks and teeth of the ungodly and rescued and recovered his darling the Church from the Lyons-den their destinied destruction Which is the main scope and drift of our intentions at this time and in this Treatise even to make clear to the eyes and understanding of all the world that will not wilfully blind them and obstinately shut them up from
and Oath were made their proiects prospered not all their devisâ—s were on the declining hand Gods vindicative indignation continually prosecuting them to their shame and I hope to the utter ruine of their most insolent and unsufferable Antichristian tyrannie as the sequill shall manifestly make clear in the description of our deliverances whereunto I mainly addresse my thoughts and intention Now for the yet more absolute furthering of their most pâ—stiferous proiects they in that Synod laid great taxations on the whole Clâ—rgie as namely 6. Subsidies besides a bountifull contribution to forward the intended war against Scotland to which they all of the pontifician and scandalous rout especially shewed themselves generally very free and affectionate and which war some of them in their mad and hair-braind zeal were not asham'd to stile and entitle the Bishops War yea a solemn prayer was composed and enjoyned by the Bishops to be used in all Churches calling the Scots Rebels in it thus as much as in them lay to embrew both Nations in blood and to make the wrath and furie between them irreconcilible And here now the Reader must be pleased to take notice that the Armie was now going forward for York and therefore we may here not unfitly observe as a first demonstration of Gods beginning to crosse countercheck their malevolent machinations how the souldiers which were pressed and now passing forward to York did most strangely and uncontroulably turn rude-reformers as they marched through the Countreys forcibly intruding and getting into Churches and there irresistibly pulling-down altar-rails turning altars into Communion-Table postures making enquirie in the Towns where they came how the Ministers carried themselves in their pastorall charges if godly and diligent Preachers they reverendly and respectively used them but if Romes Minions I mean Arminians superstitious lazie drones rotten-hearted Baals priests or covetous pluralists where-ere they came and found such they vexed derided and most contemptuously used them utterly disdaining also and refusing to be ordered or commanded by popish-Leaders Now although I do not I may not justifie these their mis-carriages yet who can denie a speciall hand of divine providence taking most high displeasure and just offence against our Prelates and Pontificians former violent and furious practises and beginning thus at the very first on-set in this their great designe to blast their bloodie intentions And certainly if prudent Deborah did curse Meros iustly and the inhabitants thereof with bitter curses because they went not out to help the Lord against the mightie What bitter curses think we then shall fall upon those who most affectionately afforded strong aid to mightie and most malicious Popish enemies against the Lord and his dear saints and servants Even so O Lord as she goes on let all thine enemies perish but let those that love thee be as the bright and glorious sun when he goeth forth in his resplendent might But to go forward At this time also the Popish faction enjoyed such exemptions and exceptions against the penall Laws of the Land as amounted very neer to a full toleration of their religion Besides many other favours and Court-encouragements They had a Secretarie of State Sir Francis Windibank a powerfull agâ—nt for the expediting of all the Papists desires a Popes Nuncio residing here to act and govern them according to Romes influences and to mediate for them with the concurrence of forrein Popish Princes By this Nuncio's authority the Papists of all sorts Nobilitie Gentrie and Clergie were convocated after the manner of a private Parliament new Popish jurisdiction erected of Romish Archbishops taxes leavied a new government of State contrived independant to ours yea contrarie to ours both in interest and affection secretly corrupting the ignorant or negligent professors of our religion and closely combining and uniting themselves against such as were sound professours and in this posture onely watching and waiting for an opportunity by force to destroy those whom by fear or fraud they were hopelesse to seduce For the full effecting whereof they were strongly strengthened with all kind of war-like ammunition encouraged by Popish prayers weekly enjoyned by their Nuncio and such power had they then procured at Court that secretly a Commission was issued out intended for some great Ones of the Popish profession both for leavying and martiall command of Souldiers according to those private instructions His Majesties treasure also was extremely exhausted and consumed his revenews anticipated his Servants and Officers compelled to lend him great summes of money multitudes tyred with attendance on the Councill-Table for refusall of illegall payments prisons were filled with their commitments and many Sheriffes summoned into the Star-chamber and some imprisoned for not being quick enough in leavying the Ship-money and generally all the people over the whole Kingdom languished twixt grief and fear of the issue of these strong and strange snares and entanglements no visible signe nor hope of humane help being left us but in dolour and desperation And was not England now brought into a Mount of straits indeed Could hell it self or the fiercest fiends and furies the rein have hatcht a more horrid and hideous contrivement and that under a colourable pretence of law and right forsooth and royallprerogative Were not these like to prove rare Common-wealths-men and States-men who as the Prophet David complains and as toucht before would establish and set up wickednesse by a Law Yea these were truly Those many fishers which the Lord threatens to send against his sinning people to fish them and many hunters to hunt them Yea I say those most nefarious Nimrods those mightie hunters even most audaciously before the Lord who to raise-up and erect this their Babel of confusion hunted not beasts but the best of men not for recreation but for rapine and the utter ruine of true Religion Wherefore now at last the Lord our great Jehovah whose eyes run to and fro through-out the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him hearing the groanes and crying prayers of his poor afflicted people to whose throne of grace and mercie they now made their onely earnest addresses and pressing approaches who I say being a God hearing prayers pardoning sins and a present help in greatest straits and distresses gives them a gracious return bids them be of good comfort and fearlesse yea bids them stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew them For to me saith the Lord belongeth vengeance and recompence your enemies foot shall slip in due time for the day of their calamitie is at hand and the the things that shall come upon them do make haste For the Lord will judge his own people and repent himself for his servants iniuries when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none else to help I am therefore graciously resolved
Peers untill your Majestie shall further secure them from all affronts indignities and dangers in the premises Lastly whereas their fears are not built upon phantasies and conceits but upon such grounds and objects as may well terrifie men of good resolutions and much constancie They do in all dutie and humilitie protest before your Majestie and the Peers of that most honorable House of Parliament against all Laws Orders Votes resolutions and determinations as in themselves null and of none effect which in their absence since the 27 th of this instant moneth of December 1641. have already passed as likewise against all such as shall hereafter passe in that most honorable House during the time of this their forced and violent absence from the said most honorable House not denying but if their absenting of themselves were wilfull and voluntarie that most honourable House might proceed in all their premises their absence or this protestation notwithstanding And humbly beseeching your most excellent Majestie to command the Clerk of that House of Peers to enter this their petition and protestation among his Records They will ever pray to God to blesse c. Jo. Eborac Tho. Duresme Rob. Co. Lich. Jos Norw Jo. Asa Guli Ba. Wells Geo. Heref. Rob. Oxon. Ma. Ely Godfr Glouc. Jo. Peterburg Morris Landaff This petition and protestation being thus exhibited to his Majestie the King was pleased to send it immediately to the House of Peers who having seen and perused it were forthwith highly offended with it and so sent it immediately to the House of Commons whereupon both Houses met in the painted Chamber at a Conference there and after it accused those 12. Bishops of high treason for endeavouring to subvert the fundamentall Laws of the Realm and the very being of Parliaments whereupon they were by the Lords sequestred from the Parliament and imprisoned ten of them in the Tower and for their age sake two of them committed to custodie to the Black-Rod Thus was the Parliament most happily freed of 12. of them at one clap And thus I say ever blessed be the Lord our God for it that which the Parliament long desired and the well-affected people over the whole Kingdom so long and so unanimously petitioned for even the extirpation of the Bishops out of the Parliament but could not well tell how to accomplish it God hath made themselves agents and actors of to their own just shame and sorrow but to the high content and rejoycing of all Gods faithfull children and servants And certainly if ever here was a most visible print of Gods over-powring providence crossing these Prelates craft paying them in their own coyn and most clearly manifesting himself to behold all the high things of the earth and that he onely is King over all the children of pride And yet give me leave good Reader to give thee this one note by the way of no small consequence and concernment touching these our present Prelates of England notwithstanding all the most evident and undeniable manifestations of Gods arrows of wrath and high displeasure shot against them all partly for their craft and crueltie exercised against Gods faithfull-ones and partly for the Laodicean-temporizing coldnesse and security even of the very best and most moderate of them all without exception of any one who have rather chosen like the accursed yea bitterly accursed rulers of Meros to lie still to sleep in a whole skin enjoy quietly their fat Bishopricks and lordly dignities and ease therein than with noble and renowned Queen Hester who in the cause of her afflicted people the Jews resolved in a far more certain danger every way than they could have been liable to to hazard her life and honours with an If I perish I perish ah shame unexpressible shame to them all that a weak-woman should out-strip them all in a masculine heroick spirit for her religion and people than like her I say to expose their rich revenews much lesse their very lives as she did hers tell me I say of one among them all that did thus to danger or losse to adventure the safeguard and welfare of the Church and children of God which they saw daily so overtop't by rank over-growing poperie and atheisme Which lazinesse and coldnesse of theirs though they sleightly passe it over as a small sin or no sin at all yet Christ himself our blessed Saviour tells them they are no lesse than down right Antichrists even flat and false enemies of the Lord Christ as is clear Matth. 12. 30. by our Saviours own words He that is not with me is against me Which being so let them all even the best and most moderate among them take heed of that fearfull sentence of the Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha Even accursed with a most bitter curse And how can these Prelates say truly that they love the Lord Christ when they either so palpably persecute him in his beloved members or at least egregiously slight and disrespect him in suffering his holy cause and faithfull servants to be so discountenanced and trampled upon as they have been these many yeers especially of late And yet I say in all this so dangerous and double-guilt and deep-die of grosse impietie in them which indeed is the note I aym at and is the wonder and admiration mixt with grief of my soul to see and consider that even the very best of them hath not to this very day given us the least print or expression of true repentance and godly remorse of soul and spirit for these so great and grievous sins of theirs of crueltie and security or carelesnesse of Gods people and their religion but even the best of them still I say suffering the Gospel of grace and truth to sink or swim what car'd they so they may be quiet and be thought great Clerks rare disputants against Popery in words and writings onely yet oft jugling with us therein too and the wise and moderate men forsooth of the world Yea I say so far are some of them from cordiall remorse and penitencie for those accursed abhominations aforesaid that one of their most moderate wise men of peace since his being in prison in the Tower hath not been asham'd with his accustomed rhetorically-glorious and smoothly painted phrases to daub over his great-guilt of conscience especially in point of security and carelesnesse of Gods truth forementioned by me O these men of peace forsooth how have they forgotten even hypocriticall Jehu's asseveration What peace so long as the whoredoms of that Romish Jezebel are so many and so mischievous amongst us Yea I say again to him in particular he should have had no peace with Rome as well as he wrote of the no peace of Rome But thus I say these our holy Fathers of our Church forsooth these our lordly Prelates who with Bishop White must be counted
Members of both Houses away from their dutie and attendance on them and to go down to York thereby to make the Parliament as it were bleed to death and moulder to nothing and thus to blemish the actions of Both Houses of Parliament as done by a few and inconsiderable number and rather a partie than a Parliament and perhaps to set-up an Anti-parliament at York A desperate and most dangerous practise utterly to ruinate all But all in vain I trust in the Lord as hitherto we have happily seen in all their designes for ever blessed be the Lord our God for it But on the other side we may most apparently perceive and clearly behold by all those fore-mentioned particulars on the Parliaments part the most admirable and even onely-heaven-inspired wisdom moderation prudence pietie patience and indefatigable vigilancie of our ever to be honoured and everlasting renowned Peers and Commons in Parliament most humbly demeaning themselves alwayes toward his Majestie most wisely and courageously against the malignant partie most religiously and faithfully to Church and State in generall and most graciously tenderly and affectionately as so many fathers of their Countrey to all singular petitions and petitioners desiring their aid and assistance in a fair and fitting way for the good of Church and State which was most undeniably evident by the most sweet reciprocall resultaâ—ce and concurrent confluence of hearts and affections of all in City and Countrey over all the whole three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland that had any spark or glimpse of true grace yea of but meer common-grace and goodnesse to the infinite praise and glorie of the Lord our God be it spoken and to the unexpressible joy of our souls even of the souls of all those that cordially love and desire to live to see the glorious and most happie espousals and never-again-to be-sequâ—stred-union and marriage twixt Peace and Truth the grand and gracious desire of that good King Hezâ—kiah the main if not onely ayme and â—nd of this prudent Parliament and which ought to be also of every true godly Christian with them Now therefore friendly Reader I say all those fore-mentioned particulars conglomerated into one bodie of serious animadversion those clouds of witnesses attesting this truth say was not thy wonder-working God the Lord Jehovah most admirably most gloriously even far beyond all humane apprehension or expression seen in the Mount of mercies for Englands mightie Deliverance Tell me good Reader speak thy conscience freely hath not England found yea hath not this blessed Parliament found our God raising up one Elisha or other to reveal and timely to discover all the wicked plots and devises of the malignant partie even now and of late and indeed all-along against the happie hope-breathing condition of our greatly envied Church and State So that we may say of England now adayes especially within this yeer and a half as Balaam once said of the children of Israel Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel for according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought So certainly we have all seen it and the very adverse and malignant partie must needs confesse it Surely there is no enchantment against England and Scotland nor is there any divination of the wicked that can prosper against the Houses of Parliament for according to these times of our wonderfull deliverances It shall be said to succeeding posteritie of England and of Scotland O what hath our most gracious God freely wrought for us Nay let me speak in particular to those of the malignant faction or let me rather sing it out with most emphaticall joy as Moses did in his sweet song of Gods high praises and let them denie it if they can Their Rock is not as our Rock even they our enemies themselves being judges For had their rock or rather Egyptian-reed been able to have over-powred our celestiall-Rock we had undoubtedly long ere this been made most wofull spectacles to them and theirs of ineffable ruine and implacable wrath whereas we are now most hopefully happie spectators of their most black shame sorrow and precipitating confusion Even so Amen Lord Jesus hasten it for thine elects sake Now then these things being thus how can we but with holy David break out into over-flowing cordiall-gratitude and say with his heart and tongue What shall we render to the Lord for all his blessed benefits toward us We will take the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord. We will pay our vows of universall true obedience unto the Lord in the presence of all the people Yea I say how can we forbear to break-forth into pious King Davids excitation and stimulation of our hearts to infinitely obliged thankfulnesse but with sincere rouzed-up souls to sing Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all or any of his precious benefits Who hath forgiven all thine iniquities and healed all thy great and grievous diseases Who hath redeemed thy life from destruction and hath crowned thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies In summe therefore to wind-up all briefly let me beseech thee good Christian Reader to make this four-fold holy use and observation of all these premises these remarkable and unparalleld parliamentarie-mercies to England to unworthie sinfull England First to admire and adore the infinite and free mercie of our good God who hath done all these great things for thee even for his own Name sake because this so glorious a wonder-working attribute of free-grace and merci pleaseth him best of all Know O England that it was not for thine own sake that God hath done all these things for thee but for his holy Names sake which alas thou hadst most extremly profaned But thy God was willing to sanctifie his own great Name which thou I say hadst profaned and because he would make the wiâ—ked and ungodly among thee to know that God is the Lord and that he will be sanctified in you before their eyes and that they may see that the Lords hand is listed uâ— against them though they will not see yet they shall see and be ashamed of their envie at Gods people when the fire of Gods wrath devoures his enemies and when they shall perceive that the Lord onely hath ordained peace for his people and hath wrought al his works in us and for us Let us not therfore my dear Christian English brethren and friends so much look on our sins as to dead our hearts or to damp our faith by saying one to another O but our sins are greater than other Nations and therefore surely the Lord will not yet save and deliver us till we are fitted for mercie Alas alas if God should not be mercifull to us till