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A93350 The Protestant informer, or Information to all Protestants: shewing the causes and end, of this unjust warre, plotted by Romish Jesuites, and now managed by English papists, and their abbettors against this Parliament, and in this all other Parliaments: proving by forepast proceedings, present actions and persons acting that: this warre is no new quarrell, nor caused by the militia but divellish malice, against the true Protestant religion, and lawes of this kingdom, to set up, and establish popery, and hath beene fifteene, or sixteene yeares last past, preparing. Also justifying this Parliaments proceedings, by nature, law, and religion, against the false calumniations of all malignants: with an exhortation, to courage, liberality, patience, and constancy, to the hazard of life, and fortunes: in defence of Gods true worship; your own rights, liberties, and this present Parliament; with confidence of a blessing, and victory, like Caleb, and Ioshua: for your God is with you. Published for information to the ignorant. By Gregory Thims Gentl. Thims, Gregory. 1643 (1643) Wing S4038A; Thomason E91_17; ESTC R13261 21,917 24

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The Protestant INFORMER OR Information to all Protestants Shewing the causes and end of this unjust warre Plotted by Romish Jesuites and now managed by English Papists and their abbettors against this Parliament and in this all other Parliaments Proving by forepast proceedings present actions and persons acting that this warre is no new quarrell nor caused by the Militia But divellish malice against the true Protestant Religion and Lawes of this Kingdom to set up and establish Popery and hath beene fifteene or sixteene yeares last past preparing Also justifying this Parliaments proceedings by Nature Law and Religion against the false Calumniations of all Malignants With an exhortation to courage liberality patience and Constancy to the hazard of life and fortunes in defence of Gods true worship your own Rights Liberties and this present Parliament with confidence of a blessing and victory like Caleb and Ioshua For your GOD is with you Published for Information to the Ignorant By Gregory Thims Gentl. PSAL. 37. 14. The wicked have drawne out their swords and bent their bow to cast downe the poore and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation JUD 5. 23. Curse yee Meroz saith the Angell of the Lord Curse yee bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not forth to the helpe of the Lord to the helpe of the Lord against the Mighty GAL. 5. 15 But if ye bite and devoure one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another London Printed 1643. The Protestant Informer WEE all complaine of our present misery by the bloudy distractions of the kingdome by this unnaturall Warre But few of us consider seriously of the cause whence these distractions come For information herein take notice that sinne is the only cause of every affliction and of all punishments whether to private men or whole kingdomes Wee by our sinnes have provoked God Esay 26. 9. Deut. 6. 15. Deut. 28. 63. to anger and God sheweth his anger by his judgements upon us King and Subjects have sinned and now King and Subjects are punished God causeth us to punish one another He doth it either to reforme us or to destroy us But God is the efficient cause of all The cause of all causes all other causes are but Gods instruments Now the instrumentall cause of our distractions is wicked men God useth one sinner to punish another as Israels 2 Chro. 12. 2. Esay 10. 5. 2 Sam. 12. 11 12 sinnes was punished by wicked Shishake and by Idolatrous Asher Whom God calleth the rod of his anger and the staffe in his hand So God punished Davids sinne by wicked Absolom and King Rehoboams 1 King 14. 16. sinne by his rebellious people and the sinne of the people by their King Jeroboam Yet bee informed that though God doe use wicked men for his instruments wicked men do wickedly even in the things which God useth them to doe his will for they are naturally the Devils instruments to execute his will and their owne devillish malice as we see in Iob. That which God Iob 1. 15. doth by wicked men is just but that which wicked men doe is unjust for they have no eye to the doing of Gods will but to their own wicked ends which is alwayes unjust and sinfull For example It was just with God to punish Davids bloud-guilt nesse and adultery by Absoloms rebellion and defiling of Davids concubines But it was unjust and wicked in Absolom to doe it It was just with God to punish Rehoboam by the revolt of his people but unjust in them to cast him off from being their King So it is just with God to punish us at this day by these distractions and unnaturall warres and to suffer the King to be misled by a wicked counsell to afflict and spoile his people but it is unjust in that counsell and error in the King to be led by them to doe such things For their ayme is wicked and devillish and are naturally the Devils instruments to make warre against Christ their end is to destroy the true protestant Religion to subvert our good Lawes and to establish popery and bring us and our posterities our bodies and soules into spirituall and slavish bondage for ever and to root out protestant Religion from all places in Christendome This is a certaine truth and will clearely appeare to any rationall man That will but take a view of their fore-past proceedings Their pres●nt war and the persons contriving and acting it First take a view of their fore-past proceedings and consider not to looke so farre as to the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth or King Iames both of blessed memory in whose times that Jesuiticall faction were active in treasons by poyson stabbing blowing up Parliaments destroying postrities of Kings Nobles and massacring whole kingdomes Onely note their proceedings in the passages of things since the first of his Majesties Raigne at which time we may remember the Duke of Buckingham was the great Favourite who by confederacy which Jesuites and Priests First in Spaine and after in France when his Majestie married with the French Kings Sister gave great incouragement to the popish party in all places and furthered their designes in England by uncontrolled power For through the favour and authority the Duke 〈◊〉 from the King hee ruled and swayed the course of thing● in the Kingdome and it was evident by those times that the Jesuites swayed him And by his greatnesse brought many of their owne faction into the greatest places of command whom they desired hee put in and whom they disliked he put out that most at the Counsell-Table were their such 〈◊〉 such as 〈◊〉 not oppose them And to make way for their designe upon England they set upon the protestants in France to weaken them and to that end His Majesties Shippes were ●ent against Rochell which destroyed their shipping and blocked up the passage and when the Duke was questioned in Parliament The answer was the Ships were not lent with intention to hurt Rochell but in complement to the King of France Then a Fleet was prepared the Duke himselfe ●ould go with it pretending to relieve Roc●ell but when they came to the Isle of Ree al our brave Souldiers were betrayed to the Sword Rochell robbed of their provision and the protestants Sold into their enemies hands What other Voiages were made to Cadis and other places we remember too and observed then that their end was nothing but to weaken the kingdome and prepare to the ensuing treason against our Religion and Lawes Then they began the work of England by crying up Arminianisme defending those tenents patronizing their writings printing and publishing those dangerous books of Mountagues which before King James had seene disallowed condemned and forbid to be printed Mountague was made a Bishop and Doctor White also for defending those bookes at a packt conference All others were presently preferred that favoured those tenents as Conzens Wrene Corbet c. Thus
they sowed the seeds of popery through the whole kingdom which shewed they expected to have a crop of pure popery To bring this forward the power and professors of protestant Religion were disgraced and persecuted I will only give you a view of some particulars and you may Judge of the whole as the Geometrician did at the body of Hercules by his foot We can remember it is so lately that all our best Divines and honest Orthodoxe professors of Religion of the Laity were by Authority scoffed at and persecuted in the High Commission and all other Courts of that nature if it were but for going from a dumb arminian Reader out of his owne parish to heare an Orthodoxe Preacher All laborious Orthodox Preachers were pecked at and by some foule mouthes almost devoured I am sure very many suffered under the little Wren for he peckt up all those pretious plants out of his Diocesse Then Lectures were put downe in all places and afternoone-Sermons forbidden on the Lords day Books were also published and commanded to be read in all Churches giving liberty to prophane that Holy day contrary to the expresse command of God and against the enacted law of the kingdome all Ministers that refused to read these books were suspended thus good men were weeded out in all countries and all to displant religion and plant popery The Arminian Priests and Court-Chaplains cryed out against the Sanctifying of the Lords day called Sunday no Sabbath and denied the morality of the fourth commandement c. And these men would not be called Preachers nor Ministers names that Saint Paul gloried in but called themselves Priests the holy Table might no longer be called table but Altar and the standing of it was altered and it made a reall Altar ascended to by steps with bowing cringing and reverence to it Crucifixes set up Basons and Tapers were set upon it nothing was wanting of Popery but the name popery and the Idol Sacrifice of the Masse Nor was that Idoll altogether wanting for it was daily in Summerset-house Saint Iames-house and divers other places common to all that would go to it nor durst any man question those that went though they were seen to go every day Prieste frequented Papists houses in all counties and no man might question them if any by lawfull authority did apprehend a Priest they were checked for it and the Priest discharged by speciall command from the Queene or under some Privie Counsellors hands Court Chaplains and Bishops preached justification by works free will seven Sacraments and consubstantiation a faire way to transubstantiation with a number of other popish doctrines and maintained that there might easily be a conjunction between the Papists and us so it is plaine that we must have gone wholly to them for they professe they will not come one jot to us The presses were allowed to Arminians and the popish faction to print any popish tenents but forbid to the good Protestants none might preach against their positions much lesse print any thing for confutation of their errors or heresies upon paine of imprisonment fining suspension pilloring cutting off eares slitting noses banishment c more cruelty that hath beene inflicted upon any Protestant among the Turks when these and more have been questioned in Parliament our Parliaments were broken the evils increased Yea Parliament men were disgraced and imprisoned and because Parliaments would not give the kingdome money without redresse of these and other evils they devised wayes to rest by force great summes of money out of the subjects purse by illegall and unsufferable taxations First by loane and the refusers were imprisoned or put to intollerable charges by continuall attendance at the Councell-Table and many eminent Gentlemen died without mercy in the prisons others p●●sent into remote Counties Then Souldiers were billeted in all Counties and many Horses which their riders were sent for from beyond th● Seas to awe and subdue the kingdome and by strong hand to wrest from us our religion and lawes but divine providence by Feltons hand cut off the actor of that designe at that time Here observe and cleerely see that this warre is no new or sudden thing nor occasioned by the Militia as they now pretend but the same in effect that was intended fifteen or sixteen yeers agoe after this another Parliament was called voices were forced and illegall meanes used but when this would not serve to their purpose that Parliament as others was dissolved Then came other taxes for non-knight-hood who and what persons See the first Remonstrance of bo●h the Houses was brought within this taxation we all know and the multitudes that were imprisoned and made to attend the Counsell-Table we cannot forget After that came shipmoney a boundlesse and endlesse tax also taxes for compositions for Cottages for Forrest-lands Timber Woods c. Mighty exactions upon customes and Monopolies almost of all things of If this Parliament had not taken away those Monopolies and taxe● the kingdome had suffered as much by this time in their estates as they have by this wa●re except the spoile by plundering which is not the Parliaments fault necessary use thereby inhaunsing the prizes to the prejudice or the whole kingdome yea to the utter ruine of divers Trades and Corporations So that multitudes of Masters and Prentises cried out of the burthens which is now forgotten by them and no thankfulnesse is returned by them either to God or the Parliament Other cruell taxes were imposed upon buildings together with many other oppressions all against law and yet law could not helpe us all Courts of law and our Courts of justice were corrupted Iudges and great Officers bought places deer and sold their service in them deerer to make themselves gainers Besides many Iudges were displaced for doing Iustice or for refusing to judge unjustly the whole kingdome was oppressed all were wronged and all left without remedy Gunpowder and other ammuniti●n was taken from us and we left destitute of necessary defence Popery broke in upon us Parliaments were neglected Prerogative was set up and they began to promise themselves a speedy accomplishment of all their designes onely they had some feare that Sco●land might be some obstacle in their way as indeed it prove God infatuating their counsels to thrust upon the Scots their new Liturgy and Popish Canons before they had fully finished the worke in England though under a faire pretence of a glorious uniformity which our brethren of Scotland did not so well fancy as we nor did they give Land any great praise for the present but refused it though it was manifest that it was no worse then was contrived A great providence of God at Rome and from thence sent into England Then the little great Bishop like a Pope sent his commands by his Legats and Commissioners that they should receive that Liturgy but not obeyed the honest Scots were proclaimed rebels and traitors and and an army raised to
compell them his Majesty was incensed and perswaded with his army to advance to Barwick but by Gods providence there was a pacification and his Majestie returned home in pe●●e Though quickly after he returned to that wicked Counsell of Bishops and popish affected all promises bu●i●d in oblivion was perswaded ●o raise another Army New Proclamations and Declatations were printed full of b●tternesse against the Scots and a Parliament called to raise monies for that warre the Parliament refusing was presently dissolved But the warre notwithstanding went forward then the Scots as we all know entred Newcastle standing upon their just defence Then this Parliament was called to debate of the war which through Gods goodnesse they againe pacified to the great content of both kingdomes onely Bishops Papists and popish affected stormed at the peace especially that his Majestie had graciously signed the Bill because of the many great affairs in hand that this Parliament should not be broken without the consent of both Houses and presently they plotted how to breake it First they endeavoured to bring the Kings army from York against it the Earle of Strafford having in readinesse 8000 Souldiers in Ireland to be brought hither to assist that worke and to subdue the kingdome as was before intended by the Duke of Buckingham but this plot being by Gods mercy discovered Lictors axe tooke off this actor as Feltons knife the other then they laboured to hinder the proceedings in Parliament by their votes as we are informed by the Parliaments first Remonstrance when votes could no longer hinder they bread division in both houses and then betweene the King and both Houses caused his Majestie to accuse some of both Houses of treason but could never shew what the treason was though desired by both Houses But indeed they thought to have put all in a present uproare and so to have broke the Parliament Having during the time they were with the King in Scotland as they hoped made a party there and by the Honour blinds the eyes and corrupts justice as Solomon speaks of gifts honours which they had perswaded the King to bestow upon some of the Citizens they thought they had blinded the City too and then having actually raised that bloody rebellion in Ireland intending the s●●e in England they prevailed with his Majesty to come in hostile manner against his Parliament to take from thence by force those members before accused having in a scrowle divers others they likewise intended to accuse so to have broken the Parliament or forced it to their own ends which Gods Providen●e and the Parliaments wisdome prevented Then presently they endeauored to make themselues masters and possessors of all the armes and strong holds of the kingdome first they bought out Sir William Belford out of his place in the tower whom they knew to be vncorrupted and no instrument for their treason and put Collonel Lunsford in his place after him Sir Iohn Byrone Captain Leg to be gouernor of Hull then the Earle of New castle Alluery fit men to betray a Kingdome These passages declare euidently their intention was to make warr against the Parliament and Subiects and hence it was that the Parliament desires to setle the militia of the Kingdom in safe hands and for this cause most Countyes petitioned to haue it soe Soe that the Militia was not the cause of their warr but their preparation caused the militia They also made mutinies and tumults against the Citizens First Lunsford began in westminsterhall then others of that faction in westminster and after at white hal gate and the strand cutting and slashing vnarmed and harmelesse citizens and then they perswade the King from London pretending danger to his maiesties person by tumults when indeed there was no tumult but what themselues caused But it is a paradox if his maiestie The letter that came from L. D. to the King makes it c●eare wishing the king to be take him to a strong hold left London because of tumults that they should endeauor as they haue done to make mutinyes and tumults in the city to bring him thither againe But it is manifest that his maiesty was not indeed afraid of any hurt by the city for then he would not hau● gone through the city with onely one coach and a lesse attendance then ordinary to guild-hall a lit●e before his goeing from London and it is clear there was no cause of feare because his Maiesty had no affront but Supplications and prayers from the people But wee now See they had an other end in perswading his Maiestie The answer to the London Petition in part promiseth so much away as well as in sending the Queene beyond the sea as alsoe the Lord Digby and others to trafficke for men and armes to assist their bloudy designes then they might not be suffered to gather an army at Kingston windsor c. Then they perswade the King to York where they also pretend danger yet there was no tumults but what they made in abuse to good protestants and prouide a guard of armed men and trayned bands which as we haue Seene quickly grew to an army of offence first to Hull and since to the whole Kingdome and thus you see what their preparation● were Now let vs consider and see what their war is They could vs they would make no warr against the Parliament But they told vs of the Kings rights and prerogatiues which they would maintaine and defend the protestant religion the priuiledges of parliament and the rights and libertyes of the Subiect against innovations and arbitrary government But if that were the cause of their warr they would not fight against the parliament for all these the Parliament would have to be established for ever first for his maiesties just rights and prerogatiue they offer to confirme to him and his posterity yea more to make him the happiest of all his progenitors And for the establishing the protestant religion together with the continuance of the just and ancient priuiledges of Parliament and the knowne rights of the Subiect it is all that the Parliament destre of the King that which they from the beginning and still doe humbly Suplicate his majestie for against all innovations and arbitrary government therefore that can be no cause of their warr Besides I thinke no man needs information to assure him that the cause why Popery is broken so farr in vpon vs and foe much innovation and arbitrary government as of late years hath bin want of Parliaments and would with greater violence break in if this Parliament were not Nor was it ever knowne that any free elected Parliament of 500 or 600 Lords and gentlemen of Severall countyes and familyes were the cause of any innovation or arbitrary government nor is it likely can be But contrary have ever beene and at this day are the securitie of this kingdome against both And therefore it is that this warr is made against this Parliament to
destroy it and with it all other and to bring in an arbitrary government c. It is true particular men and private counsells may be corupted to please Kings in hope of present honors and great estates to betray a kingdome as private counsels at this day And particular men lately fied from this parliament to a●chiev their privat ends care not to destroy the priviledges of parliament or to take away all Parliaments or which is worse by the same army they break this to force a pact Parliament of their owne choyse and soc make vs slaues by act of Parliament let up popery by the authority that threw it downe and kill us with our owne weapons This is cle●●e as the light yet men will not see it but are willingly held in the f●ols paradise and suffer themselvs to be deluded by proclamations declarations and protestations which are but the snares of the wicked to catch simple men al which though they have passed under the kings nams I hope his maiestic neuer saw nor heard of Because they have beene all falsified and their actions quite contrary to their promises and protestation● like 〈◊〉 who set their faces eastward when hey meane to now westward Therfore it will be the wisdom of every man to make his eyes judge in this cause rather ●hen his ears actions best shew the intentions every tree ●s knowne by his fruite At the entrance of Queene Mary to the Crowne great protestations was made to maintain the protestant religion but wee see her actions were destructive to it The like protestutions we have heard concerning Ireland and great calling on the Parl. for assistance for that kingdome but as often as preparations were made all assistance and helpe was hindred and the rebels were from hence strengthened Wee have heard severall proclamations to put lawes in execution against Papists but wee see that the Parl. themselves were restrayned and might not execute the knowne Laws vpon them though they by humble petitions sought it and now wee see them in best esteeme and most trusted Wee have heard great promises that there was no intention to make warr against the Parliament and seen it testified vnder many Lords hands now in the Kings army onely a guard desired for the Kings Person but wee see a miserable and bloudy warr to destroy the Parliament We heard great protestations that no papist should bee admitted into the Army but we may see papists swarme in that Army yea in the kings Court like wasps about a hony pot and in the north under the command of the Earle of Newcastle you may see eight thousand professed papists of one cluster We have heard heaven and earth called to witnes that their war was to defend Protestant Religion but it were strange to see so many papists fight for it but if it were so why do they set up publike masse in Yorke and other places where that Army is and imprison Protestant Ministers and a●l other that doc but say they fight for the Protestant religion We have heard protestations that priviledges of Parliament should be maintained and the liberty of the Subject but if a Parliament may be broken by force how can priviledges and liberties be preserved You will ●ay we have triennial Parliaments I answer that is nothing for the king is no more bound to be present at any triennial Parliament to confirme any act if it bee called then at this besides the King is no more 〈◊〉 to call any trienniall Parliament then he is bound to preserve this We haue heard Proclamations prohibiting plundering by the Kings Army and molesting his good subjects but wee see the doe plunder dayly in all places except where they cannot overcome or where nothing is to bee had We have heard of an acceptation of an accommodation and seen it published by their owne faction but we see them the next day come furiously and treacherously upon part of the Parliaments Army at Brai●ford and barbarously slue many men more righteous then themselves an act 〈◊〉 themselves We have heard of a gratious acceptance of the City petition and a readinesse to imbrace propositions of peace but we have seen some of the petitioners excepted against and accused of treason He that hath but 〈◊〉 an eye may see their aime when they flatter and animate the rudest of men to rebell against authority and overthrow the governement of the great City to make way to overthrow the lawes of the whole kingdome ●●lfull fishers will fish in troubled waters and bankrupt Cavaleers can make best pillage in a divided City and this is their aim without difference to friend or foe the pillage of one is as sweet as the other propositions of peace have been sent as we desired and they expected with an humble petition of both houses to the King to remove the cause of the war and accept of their propositions what effect it hath wrought let the world iudge and the Parliament consider to whom the answer is directed Yet thus much we may observe in it which shewes no forwardnesse to peace that no authority is ascribed or allowed to the Parliament save only the name both houses and wee may feare some designe against them and us if there be a cessation of armes without dispanding the armies But the people of this kingdome ever have and I hope ever will account Parliaments the fittest and best expounders of Law and Iudges of offenders either to acquit or condemne them they never wrest the Lawes for private ends as other expounders or rather forgetters of Law have lately done when the Subject had lesse use of the Law and lesse liberty were imprisoned contrary to Law beyond the knowne power and rights of any Kings of England their habeas corpusses and all baile denied them Nor knew we by what Law to proceed against any papist though the Lawes were knowne to us And by the discipline of our Church governement we could not well distinguish between protestant religion and popery the booke of common prayer though no idol was idolized which hath in it good and holy things may be and was abused contrary to the institution and meaning of the Parliament first instituting it Things ceremoniall were urged as substantiall what the arch-bishop and his Romish pensioners pleased and ye bee no innovator but for the Parliament to desire any dimination though of things offensive is innovation whatso●ver makes for popery may be added but nothing popish taken away For my p●rt I protes before God the searcher of al hearts ●hat I am no Sectary so called but a true pr●testant according to that established doctrine or Queene Elizabeth and King I●m●s of blessed memory I disallow the opinion of the Brownists as I condemne the opinion doctrine and It is a great disquiet and trouble to a state when men will go b●fore the law and not follow the law in obedience practice of Papists or Anabaptists and never contemned or willfully neglected
he common-prayer in any assembly Yet I am con●●dent and I th●nk upon good ground that the common-prayer hath some nee●lesse things in it and some offensive as they may bee in the worst sence interpreted thus much for information of the present war Lastly consider who and what persons are the contrivers and actors in this war which are all of one of these six kindes First Jesuits and professed Bapists Secondly Bishops and corrupt Clergy Thirdly Lords and Gentlemen popishly affected Fourthly Delinquents and Pattentees Fiftly men of broken fortunes Sixtly Athiests and extreme deboyst men And these al● agree in one finall e●● viz. to betray Protestant religion Luies and the just Luierty of the subject But the three last s●rts named ●ave each a particular end to themselves The Delinquents aime is their ow●e present preservation to rescue their persons and estates from the iustice of the Law preferring themsel●es before Religion Law or Posterity Those of broken fortunes aime at pillage to make themselves great estates out of the ruines of the Kingdome which they cannot doe if law bee not destroied The deboyst Athiests seeke to enjoy their licent●ous liberty which they prefer before Law or Religion They hate the very name of reformation in others yet these are the men that tell us they fight for the Protestant religion priviledges of Parliament and the Subiects liberty But we must believe that they have learned that damnable art of equivocation or mentall reservation of the Iesuits That when they p●otest to fight for the Protestant religion priviledges of Parliament and the Subiects liberty their meaning is that they fight for all these as ours to take them from us as they doe our estates or as a chiefe fights for a true mans purse and this is these mens warre Now if we examine why the Parliament and Kingdome have raised an army and consider their forepast proceedings their present actions and the persons engaged in their war we shall plainly see that they aime at nothing but Gods glory the safety of the Kings person and posterity the defence of the true Protestant religion Parl. priviledges and the iust Liberty of the Subiect against those that say they fight for them and would take them from us all which are at once assaulted by the severall armies of the Cavaleers In their proceedings in this Parliament consider the declined and adulterated condition of things in Church and State as they found them when the Parliament began And then take notice of their care and wisedomes to make pe●ce betweene the two nations England and Scotland His Maiesty being then by a malignant counsel engaged in a warre against h●s good Subiects of Scotland which that counsell could not manage for him not his Maiesty desert with honour they vindicated his Maiestie stayed bloodshed reconciled the nations satisfied the wronged Scots payed the Kings armie disbursed great sums out of their owne purses and engaged themselves for much more Consider their pious care for the setling good order and government in the Church presenting their most humble desires to the King that learned and godly divines might consider of it and his Maiestie passe a bill to that purpose declaring their purpose was not to destroy our Liturgy onely take away unnecessary Ceremonies but were denied Their diligence to suppresse and take away our many oppressions and free us from the vexations of them Their Iustice and good endeavour to put the lawes in execution against Iesuits Priests and Papists addressing themselvs in all humility to his Majestie for the same but could not prevaile Their industry in providing severall Bills for the good of the Subject besides those his Maiesty was graciously pleased to sign as they made known to us by their first Remonstrance Their thankfull gratitude in readinesse to raise monies for his Maiesties present occasions and future store promising to make him the richest ●ing in Christendome Their unwe●ried pairs for almost two years and an half in spending their time strength and estates neglecting whatsoever was their owne for the common good Their carefull provision for the safety of the Kingdome against Papists ●nd popish affected by putting the Militia of the Kingdome into trusty hands when they saw eminent danger which hath hitherto preserved us and disappointed them which till they saw eminent danger they medled not with nor desired a guard for their owne safety in sitting but his Majestie then promised they should need no guard but should be as safe ●s his Queene or children yet within very few dayes after he came in person with about foure hundred desperate Cavaleers armed with swords pistols c. against some of them therefore no marvell if the Parliament doubt to trust the King with all our rights religion lawes and lib●rties Kings are not Gods but men and subject to mens infirmities yet I say not the King is not to be trusted God forbid I am bound to judge the best and believe when his Majesty promised safety to his Parliament hee intended it and was thrust upon that breach in some violent passion caused by that wicked counsell on purpose You will say the King hath acknowledged that fault and i● is no more to be thought on Answer acknowledgement is nothing without repaire 1 Sam. 24. 16. 17 1 Sam. ●6 read the l●ves of King Iohn Hen. 3 Ed. 2. R●●h 2. and consid●r but no repaire is made Saul confessed his fault in seeking Davids life and confessed it with teares ye● Saul by the wicked counsell of the Ziphites sought it againe And whilest his Maiesty still retaines such counsellors hee may still forget his promises That which hath been may be againe Who is that man for his owne particular that would bee willing at the Kings request to cancell all his evidence for his lands and inheritance and rest onely upon a bare word to posterities much lesse a Parl●ament to trust all the righ●s and inheritance of a kingdome upon the bare word of a King when guided by a malignant counsell who seeke the kingdomes ruine Consider also their tender care of Ireland to suppresse that bloody rebellion so soone as it was discovered earnestly supplicating his Mai●sty to ioyne with them by passing a bill for a speedy and sufficient expedition thither which was graciously promised why not performed let the world iudge Their many messages and petitions to the King sent from place to place till at York their messengers were beaten Parliament men threatned their houses besieged plundered their friends abused and pillaged before the Parliament had any Army on foote and after they had an army they never struck before they were strucken such was their backwardnesse to warre else they might easily have fetcht all that masignant counsell from Yorke and prevented all the mischiefe they have since made and done in the Kingdome which if the Parliament had foreseene and prevented men would not have believed what now they see but would have blamed the Parliaments forwardnesse
in opposition against the Law will force and destroy the Ordinance of the Law the sword by the equality of the Law may defend the Law But you will say You desire peace Answ So do all good men cursed be the man that desires it not so that it be such a peace as hath assurance of truth joyned with it But to desire peace or to accept a peace without truth will prove a cursed bondage a remedy worse then the disease Although War be a great punishment and the effects miserable yet a just War is better then an unjust peace a just War will establish a true peace but an unjust peace will prove a more destructive War our peace with Idolaters hath caused this War but to have a peace with their Idols too will be our present ruine Can we expect any good and happy peace so long as the whoredoms of Jezebel are so many when Israel chose new Gods then War was in the 2 Kin. 19 22. Iudg 5. 8. Iudg. 2. 12 13 14 gates when Israel followed the gods of the Nations and worshipped Baalim God brought upon them the sword of the Nations and delivered them into the hands of the spoylers that spoyled them But England hath followed the Idols of the Papists and worshipped Baalim therefore God hath brought upon England the sword of the Papists and may most justly deliver us up into their hands to be spoyled and ruined Eighteen yeers ago the Lord delivered them into our hands as his and our enemies to be destroyed for their Idolatry or at least to be banished for their Treason but we spared and cherished them to be as thorns in our sides and their gods to be a snare unto us We have spared them as Benhadad was spared by mercifull though wicked Acbab and 1 Kin. 20. 42. 1 Kin. 22 37. as God punished Acbab and his people by the hand of Benhadad and his people so is the King and the people of England punished at this day by the hands and plots of bloody Jesuites and Papists Their designe is great upon our King upon us and upon all his Majesties Kingdoms God rebuke them and deliver us And that we may not fail of deliverance in due time let us all of all sorts sexes and conditions seek the Lord by hearty humiliation and resolved Reformation and in the first place with zeal and detestation set our selves against that sin of Idolatry as Phineba● did against Zimri and Cozbi that Numb 25 11. so we may appease Gods anger if we with all our hearts seek truth it will bring us to true peace with God and men We have sought to the Parliament for Peace but they cannot give it us We have sought by humble Petition to the King for Peace and that procured our further prejudice For while we sought for the peace of the whole Kingdom we received from some of that malignant bloody Counsell an Answer altogether contrary to our expectation and after it a Letter to the former effect both tending to stirre up Warre where yet by Gods mercy none is in the great and pupulous City London That because they cannot destroy us themselves they would set us to destroy one another which God forbid We know that while we hold the band of Unity we are able by Gods assistance to defend our selves But if we be once divided we lay our selves open to every adversary without resistance to be devoured We will be warned by Jerusalems misery that once famous City of the world by See losephus in War Ierus such sedition brought to be a heap of stones And by the experiences of the bloody cruelties and mercilesse plundrings of all those Towns that have or do by such division give them entrance Banbury had as much securing as King could give them and yet plundred and the man M. Vivors by name who was the chiefest agent to bring them in was most plundered But we will honour our King and hazard our lives and fortunes for His Person Posterity and Parliament to rescue them from the bloody hands of that malignant Counsell and Army of Cavaliers and will assure His Majesty of safety and security in this City if His Majesty will be pleased to come to His Parliament and to us peaceably as our King and to the Parliament as his great and faithfull Many Procters Prebends c. and mercinary trades men for profits and favour care neither for the welfare of King nor Kingdom If we lose this Parliament we must expect to have greater without all remedy Exo. 7. 11 Exod. 14. 10 11. Icr. 5. 25. Councell and besides them we know no other though some who seek honour from the King rather then honour to the King divide between his Majesty and them We cannot forget how much we all groaned under the burdens of oppressions late layed upon us by the hard task-masters that were set over us and then we all cryed fot a Parliament to ease us Our Bondage had some resemblance to that of the people of Israel in Aegypt and so hath our ingratitude For whilst their deliverance was working their burdens grew greater and then they murmured and so have some of us They cryed for deliverance and God heard their cry we cryed for a Parliament and God graciously yea miraculously gave us a Parliament But because malignant Counsellors as the Magicians of Aegypt have hindered our present deliverance we murmure against the Parliament as they against Moses and Aaron God led them thorow the Wildernesse to prove them and they said They bad rather have died in Aegypt c. Thus God proves us by some opposition and some say It was better with us when we endured our former oppressions but consider not that our sins have provoked God and therefore he suffers our King to be misled for a great punishment to us nor understand that our impenitency hinders good things from us and stop the Parliaments proceedings We are a foolish and sinfull people that love our sins and lose our Liberty we prefer the twentieth part of our money before our Religion as the Gadarens their swine before Christ But let us not tempt God as the Israelites did nor with the multitude of Atheisticall Libertines revile our Moses and Aarons much lesse give assistance to destroy them and our selves left we be found to fight against God We know what became of those wicked men that east an evill report upon the Land of Promise and discouraged the people saying Mighty men were in the Land that could not be overcome But thus some do by reproachfull speeches and spreading venomous Pamphlets and lying Fictions to the dishonour of this chrice honourable Parliament as if the Parliament had brought these things to this passe to make us die by the sword and our children to be a prey c. Thus the Israelites murmured and were destroyed by the Plague before the Lord Numb 14. 37. and all their Carkasses fell in