fume and smoak now readie to break out into a most combustuous and furious flame by the perverse and most pernicious counsell of the malignant partie about the King as the Parliament had often enformed his Majestie in severall Messages if the Lords over-powering providence had not cast on the water of opâ—rtune qualification and timely quenching of the same by the admirable wisdom and singular moderation of this pious and prudent Parliament hindring the boysterous breaking-out thereof both by their modest grave and gracious Declarations their most humble Petitions their prudent and provident Votes and Orders and their patient and most submisse Messages to his Majestie at York especially by those two Declarations or Remonstrances of Both Houses March 12. and March 23. their most humble wise and moderate Petition March 26. About which time also it pleased the Lord to stir up the hearts of the Nobles and gentrie estated in Ireland but then residing in London to petition his Majesties return to London and gracious agreement with his great and highest Court of Parliament Together with the Gentrie and Commons of the County of Lincoln Staffordshire and Munmouth in Wales as also a most excellent and patheticall Petition from those of Cheshire and another cut of Lancashire all of them with an unanimous concurrence of Votes and suffrages beseeching and imploring his Majesties speedie and propitious affection and return to his Parliament Yea our ever to be honoured and intimately to be loved Brethren of Scotland also were not wanting in their love and loyaltie to send their faithfull Commissioners and among them the noble and renowned pious and prudent Lord Louthen to advise and beseech his Majestie to return and listen to his loyall and faithfull Subjects in Parliament The Gentrie also and Commons of the County of York most humbly and earnestly besought and petitioned his Majestie April the 30 th to reflect his favourable and princely affections on his great Councell at London and to cohere and adhere to their wholesome and honourable advise for his Majesties honour and welfare Together with the Knights Gentlemen and others of the County of Yorks wise and modest answer to his Majesties demands of them not long after in these words May it please your most excellent Majestie VVE shall all be ready to defend your royall Person from violence by all such wayes and means as the Law and our dutie bind us And as for the means to vindicate your Majesties honour and to put you into possession of your own we conceive that the best advise that we can offer to your Majestie is humbly to desire you to hearken to the counsell of your Parliament who we assure our selves will be carefull of your Majesties person and honour and to whom your Majestie hath already been pleased to direct a Message to that purpose Again a full and fair Declaration or Remonstrance was sent to his Majestie from Both Houses of Parliament and to the whole Kingdom bearing date May the 19 th wherein were expressed the severall Depositions of divers about the bringing in of the Armie formerly in the North and then intended against ouâ— Brethren of Scotland to London against this Parliament And since that another Declaration or Remonstrance bearing date May 26 th 1642 in answer to one under his Majesties name concerning the businesse of Hull sent in a message to Both Houses of Parliament May 21. In which Remonstrance was fully set forth the Kings of Englands deep tye of regall stipulation to rule the Kingdom according to the fundamentall Laws made by the Commons thereof or people of the Kingdom and ratifying and maintaining the Subjects immunities and freedoms to the reciprocall and harmonious happinesse of King and Subject Therein also fully and fairly clearing Sir John Hotham from the imputation of treason in his holding the town of Hull to his Majesties and the Kingdoms just use and welfare The safe transportation and removall of that great Magazine of warlike ammunition from Hull to London notwithstanding the Kings interdiction of the same The timely and happie discoverie of that dangerous plot against Hull by one Thomas Beckwith gentleman a Popish-recusant and an inhabitant of Beverly in Yorkeshire and others his confederates signified most fully and exactly by Sir John Hothams own letter to a worthy Member of the House of Commons and published in print June 3 1642. Both Houses of Parliament ratifying and confirming by their Orders unto York Lancas and all the whole Kingdom the exercise of the Militia for the better securitie and safeguard thereof both against homebred conspiring Popish recusants and forrein confederating Romish invaders of the land The Parliaments clearing of that most worthie and pious gentleman Captain Phillip Skippon from any legall disobedience to his Majesties command in not tender ng his personall attendance on him at York which was confirmed by 3. severall Votes in Parliament which for the Readers more full satisfaction I have here inserted May 17 th 1642. 1. THat this command of his Majestie to call Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London to attend his Majesties person at York is against the Law of the Land and the liberties of the Subject 2. That this command of his Majestie to call Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London to attend his Majesties person being employed by Both Houses to attend their service without their consent is against the priviledge of Parliament 3. That Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London shall continue to attend the service of Both Houses according to their former commands The same day also which was May 17 1642. It having been rumoured that Midsommer-Term should be adjourned to York and the Parliament understanding thereof the Lord Keeper was required to declare whether he had 〈…〉 any command from his Majestie to that purpose which being answered and satisfied by him to the Lords that he had such a command and the Lords conceiving how inconsistent the same was to a Parliament sitting at Westminster not to be dissolved or adjourned without their consent the Records being carried to York whereof Both Houses were to have daily use and that the Judges whose advise and assistance the House of Peers daily required should be so remote from them They therefore voted That the Kings removeall of the Term from Westminster to York the Parliament sitting at Westminster is illegall And therefore further ordered That the said Lord Keeper should not issue-out any Writs or seal any Proclamation for adjourning the said Term from Westminster to York as aforesaid About the 20. or 21. of May 1642. a Committee of Both Houses was nominated to consider how they should bring to con dign punishment those parties who are Delinquents and yet â—protected against proceedings in Parliament At which tim also the House took into consideration his Majesties
made between the King and Parliament Insanire cum ratione Who is for the King and who for the Parliament interpreted The gentrie at York assembled again The King resolved for Ireland but contradicted therin by the Parliament Freeholders of Yorkshire discourteously used The Militia interdicted to be exercised by the King Captain Phillip Skippon summoned to York to the King The K sends to the Lord Keeper to remove Midsommer Term. The L. Keeper and divers other Lords leave the Parliament An objection The Answer Gods over-powring wisdom and mercie still preventing our hastning mischiefs Instrumentally by the pious prudent demeanour of the Parliament The Lords gentry of Ireland petition his Majesties return to London So do others Our dear Brethren of Scotland also mediate with his Majestie to return The gentry Commons of Yorkshire petitioned his Majesties return to London The Knights Gentlemen others of York-shires Answer to his Majesties demands The Declaration or Remonstrance May 19. 1642. Another Declaration or Remonstrance May 26. 1642. Sir Io Hotham cleared from the imputation of treason laid on him The Magazine brought to the Tower of London The Popish pernicious plot against Hull timely discovered The exercise of the Militia ratified by the Parliament in York Lancas c. Serjeant Major Skippon cleared by the Parliament Parliamentarie Votes clearing Serjeant Major Skippon See here one notable advantage of the legall continuation of this Parliament Midsommer Term not to be adjourned from Westm to York Delinquents to be proceeded against Votes of ParliameÌ„t against the Kings proceedings in York Two Acts of Parliament in Ric. 2. Hen. 4. proving such proceedings to be flat treason An Ordinance of Parliament sent to York touching their train'd-bands Two Orders of both Houses sent into Lancas and to all Counties in England and Wales To oppose the illegall proceedings at York The Parliaments care to see to the arms and ammunition of the Kingdom The Militia exercised in divers Counties An Ancient of Sir Ioh. Hothams imprisoned at York The 19. Propositions sent to his Majesty from the Parliament for an accommodation A harsh message returned to the Parliament in replie to their 19. Propositions The summe of all these former passages considered together A clear deseâ—ption of the ayms of the malignant partie Mr Denzell Holles in his most excellent Speech to the Lords June 15. 1642. The loyall laudable ayms and ends of 〈◊〉 the Parliament in all the forecited particulars An irrefragable testimonie of the Parliaments integrity A most blessed marriage twixt Peace Truth 2 Kin. 20 19. God in the Mount 2 King 6. 11 12. Num. 23. 23. No enchantment against England no divination against the Parliament Deut. 32. 31. We have a Rock to rest on our adversaries have but an Egyptian Reed to relie on Psal 103. 1 2 3 4. The summe of all A fourfold Vse or Observation Observation To admire adore Gods free grace and mercie Ezek. 36. 22 23. Isa 16. 11 1â— How to look on our sins Mark this wel Deut. 7 6 7 8. Psal 50 15. Gods way of saving a people by free mercy Psal 147. 20. Observation Thankfulnesse and obedience To God Psal 115 1. Psal 108. 1 2 3 4 5. Thankfulnesse must produce universall obedience True repentance is the golden-key to open the doorâ— of Gods treasurie To our renowned Parliament-Worthies Mr Calamie in his Fast Sermon p. 1â— A sutable simile Why we ought to be most obligedly thankfull to this blessed Parliament The Parliaments most just Panegyrick or due praise Envie and ingratitude against this present Parliaments proceedings The true cause of Parliament calumniations and slanders Act. 13. 10. What the Parliament intends yet farther to do * The first and famous Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom set forth Decemb 15. 1641. Observation To make ' us more faithfull and lesse fearfull King Davids encouragement Psal 44. 1. Ver. 2. 3 4. Davids experimental faith 1 Sam. 17. 37. Nehem. 6. 11. Sweet encouragements to relie on God Infidelitie a mostdangerous means to deprive us of our happie hopes Advise not to be secure or carelesse also What fear is requisite in times of danger A great failing in Gods people Isa 51. â— A precious preservative against false fears in Gods children Observation God onely is our salvation therefore to wait on him for deliverance Psal 3. 8. Isa 36. 6. 2 Chron. 22. 20. Isa 21. 9 Ier. 51. 8. Mr Carall Pastour of Lincolnes-Inne Haba 2 2 3 Infidelitie is the root of slavish fear Deut. 32. 4 5 6 Ezra 9. 13 14. Exod. 34. 5 6 7 Isa 26. 10. Mr Calamie in his Sermon on the Fast 2 Sam. 12 20 21 22 23 24. O England take heed of Romish idolatrie and superstitious innovations Mark 5. 19. Go tell whaâ— great things God hath doâ—â— for thee Ioh. 5 14. Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee The sin of Romish idolatrie a most dangerous sin A â—it simile Luk. 22. 32.
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
intimation from this House be made to the Justices of Peace in all the Counties of England and Wales And the Knights of the Shire of the severall Counties are to take care that copies of this order be accordingly sent to the Justices of Peace in the severall Counties And also by setting our Printing-Presses open whereby a happie way was laid open again for Gods learned and loyall Servants by their pious pens and elaborate labours to vindicate the Sabbaths most glorious lustre to the honour of godlinesse and purity of Religi n. And was not the Lord herein also seen in the Mount of Mercies for Englands preservation from the guilt of such a wrath provoking sin of such a Land-scourging râ—â— as this might have proved to out Kingdom had it so continued as by the hellish zeal of out Prelates it was intended Sing praises therefore O England sing praises unto God O sing praises sing praises to our glorious King For God is the King of all the earth sing praises therefore O England to thy God with understanding Thy God O England reigns over the whole world and sits gloriously triumphing on the throne of his holinesse Yet here 's not all for our ever to be honoured heroick Parliamentarie Worthies have added to that former pious pains oâ— theirs this their godly care also namely to 〈◊〉 and purifie the holy worship of our God from the filthie lâ—â—s and dregs of Popish Ceremonies whereby the tender â—onsciences or godly Ministers are not so tyed to Romish trumperâ—â— of vestures and gestures crouchings and cringings and Jesu-worshippings and a multitude of such like mimicall actions in Gods worship and service as formerly they had been most tyrannically pressed and enforced to Yea all Images Crucifixes and any pictures or representations of any of the persons of the Trinity or of the Virgin Mary quite dimolished and extirpated out of Gods house All corporall Jesu-worship I say and altar-adoration sure and infallible signes of Popish ignorance and of the Romish-Strumpets outward-paintings but inward rottennesse what ever fair yet false pretences foolish men and women would like Jeroboam for his golden calves-worship impiously put upon them most piously prohibited and Altar-rails pull'd-down and Communion-Tables set in their proper postures yea all high-steps and ascents to their Altars clean contrary to Gods prescript word by degrees commanded to be levelled burthens and conscience-grievances which neither we nor our fore-fathers that truly loved the Lord Jesus Christ and were tenderly-affected to his pure worship could possibly bear But now they are most happily taken from our tyred necks and almost broken-backs as by an Order of Parliament may and doth most comfortably appear which for the precious excellency and rare memory thereof I have thought good here to insert exactly and verbatim as it came from the Parliament to the everlasting glorie of our great and good God the honour of our Worthies in Parliament and the unexpressibly joy and consolation of all Gods people that peruse it An Order from the Parliament against divers Popish Innovations Dated Sept. 8. 1641. being Wednesday VVHereas divers Innovations in or about the worship of God have been lately practised in this Kingdom by enjoyning some things and prohibiting others without warrant of Law to the great grievance and discontent of his Majesties Subiects for the suppressing of such Innovations and for preservation of the publike peace it is this day ordered by the Commons in Parliament assembled that the Church-wardens of every Parish and Chappell respectively do forthwith remove the Communion-Table from the East end of the Church Chappell or Chancell into some other convenient place and that they take away the Rails and levell the Chancels as heretofore they were before the late innovations That all crucifixes scandalous pictures of any one or more persons of the Trinitie and all Images of the Virgin Mary shall be taken away and abolished and that all tapers candlesticks and basons be removed from the Communion-Table That all corporall bowing at the Name Jesus or toward the East end of the Church Chappell or Chancell or toward the Communion-Table be henceforth forborn That the Orders aforesaid be observed in all the severall Cathedrall Churches of this Kingdom and all the Collegiate Churches or Chappels in the two Vniversities or any other part of the Kingdom and in the Temple-Church and the Chappels of the other Innes of Court by the Deans of the said Cathedrals by the Vice-chancellours of the said Vniversities and by the Heads and Governors of the severall Colledges and Halls aforesaid and by the Benchers and Readers in the said Innes of Court respectively That the Lords day be duely observed and sanctified all dancing and other sports either before or after Divine Service be forborn and restrained and that the preaching of Gods Word be permitted in the afternoon in the severall Churches and Chappels of this Kingdom and that Preachers and Ministers be encouraged thereunto That the Vice-chancellors of the Vniversities Heads and Governours of Colledges all Parsons Vicars and Church-warden do make certificates of the performance of these Orders and if the same shall not be observed in any the places afore-mentioned upon complaint thereof made to the two next Justices of Peace Major or Head-officers of Cities or Towns Corporate It is ordered that the said Justices Major or other Head-officers respectively shall examine the truth of all such complaints and certifie by whose default the same are committed All which Certificates are to be delivered in Parliament before the thirtieth of Octob. next Resolv'd upon the Question That this Order now read shall be an Order of it self without any addition for the present and that it shall be printed and published Nay here 's not all yet for our God whose hands are still open to replenish and satisfie our souls with ioy and gladnesse yea now to nourish and cherish our formerly sad hearts with the failings of his over-flowing favours hath taken from us our accustomed terrours and restraints of free libertie to hear the sweet sound of Aarons bâ—ls especially on the Lords dayes As is more fully seen and assisted by a blessed Order from the Parliament to our unexpressible comfort which Order I have thought fit to be here inserted Die Mercurii Sept. 8. 1641. IT is this day ordered by the House of Commons now assembled in Parliament That it shall be lawfull for the Parishioners of any Parish within the Kingdom of England and Wales to set up a Lecture and to maintain an orthodox Minister at their own charge to preach every Lords-day where there is no preaching and to preach one day in the week where there is no weekly Lecture He. Elsyn Cler. Dom. Com. Whereby no man now is enforced to stay at his own Church where there is no preaching to promote the honour of the day and to feed hungrie souls with that heavenly manna whereof the Lord knows many thousand
of those Egyptian croaking Froggs the Filthy Capuchin-Fryers and Priests who lay lurking there too long like so many muzled Wolves and Tygers all these or the most of them banished and transported over-Sea from us And the Queen-Mother of France the more to free our hearts from feares and discontents happily also transported beyond Sea from us About which time also to settle our hearts with yet more solid comfort and the more firmly to consolidate our future hoped happines it pleased the Lord to put into the hearts of our most noble Parliamentary Patriots to unite and knit all the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland in-a most firme League and Conjunction of perpetuall love and amitie and of mutuall defence against all malignant Adversaries either domestick or forrein and to confirm all this by a particular act of Parliament ratified by a full consent of the King and both Houses together with an act of absolute oblivion of all exceptions and differences whatsoever formerly intervening twixt Prince and people Upon which both Armies of English and Scottish Souldiers were shortly after most happily peaceably dismissed and disbanded to the high hononr of our wonder-working God and the unexpressible joy and comfort of both Nations thus most lovingly and sweetly shaking hands of true friendship at their peaceable departure And for the farther confirmation of this our happines and due retribution of praise and glory to the Lord our God the authour of it there was an Ordinance of Parliament for a day of publick and solemn thankesgiving for this peace so happily concluded between England and Scotland which for the glorie of God and honour of our King and Worthies in Parliament I have thought fit here to insert verbatîm as it was published An Ordinance of Parliament for a day of publick thanksgiving for the peace concluded between England and Scotland VVHereas it hath pleased almightie God to give a happie close to the treatie of peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland by his wise providence defeating the evill hopes of the subtill adversaries of both Kingdomes for which great mercy it was by the Kings most excellent Majestie the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament enacted that there should be a publick thanksgiving in all the Parish-Churches of his Majesties Dominions It is now ordered and declared by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that the time for the celebration of that publick thanks to almightie God for so great and publick a blessing shall be on tuesday the 7 th of Sept. by prayers reading and preaching of the Word in all Churches and Chappels of this Kingdome whereof we require a carefull and due observance that we may joyne in giving thanks as we partake of the blessing with our brethren of Scotland who have designed the same day for that dutie According to the act of this present Parliament for confirmation of the Treatie of Pacification between the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland whereas it was desired by the Commissioners of Scotland that the loyaltie and faithfulness of his Majesties Subjects might be made known at the time of the publick thanksgiving in all places and particularly in all Parish-Churches of his Majesties Dominions Which request was graciously condescended unto by his Majestie and confirmed by the said Act. It is now ordered and commanded by both Houses of Parliament that the same be effectually done in all Parish-Churches throughout this Kingdome upon tuesday the 7 th day of Sept. next coming at the time of the publick thanksgiving by the severall and respective Ministers of each Parish-Church or by their Curates who are heerby required to reade this present Order in the Church And was not the Lord most gloriously heer seen in the Mount of admirable mercie and deliverance to England and Scotland after such a marveilous manner as never any Nation could produce the like parallell of gracious providence And may we not therefore with holy David Israels sweet singer confess we have found the Lord according to his word a sure defence for the oppressed even a refuge in time of trouble And therefore they that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that have seriously sought thee Yea he that is our God is the God of salvation and unto this God and mightie Lord belong the issues from death Heer also ere I have done with this mercie let me desire the Reader to take notice of the admirable wisdome and justice of God in thus clearing the innocencie and integritie of his children O what bitter aspersions did the Prelates Arminians and malignant partie cast on our brethren of Scotland at the first nothing but traytors and rebells could be heard out of their slanderous mouths But now see I say how Gods wisdome and justice ordered it that even those tongues that had so taunted them yea and in their pulpits too should now be forced even in the face of their Congregations to give themselves the lye That of Job being heerin most clearly ratified that The poore hath hope and iniquitie stoppeth her mouth and that also of the holy Prophet David which is full to our purpose That the King and all good men shall exceedingly rejoyce and glorie in God but the mouth of them that speake lyes shall be stopped And now also let me tell thee courteous Reader to make these mercies yet more glorious to the praise of our God that in the interim that those two Armies lay so together in the North the pestilent Spirits of the Malignant partie lay not still but were most maliciously working by their agents and instruments the Popish Lords and pernicious Prelates being also maine sticklers in all these mischievous designes to disaffect and discontent his Majesties Armie by scandalous and most false accusations and imputations on the Parliament thus to engage it for the maintenance of their most wicked designes of keeping-up the Bishops in their votes Lordly honours and functions and by force to compell the Parliament to order limit and dispose their parliamentarie proceedings in such a manner as might best concurre with the intentions of their dangerous and potent faction Now this plot of bringing the English Armie from the North Southward to London against the Parliament for the causes aforesaid having been particularly enquired into and examined both by that noble and vertuous Gentleman M r Fynes and Sir Philip Stapleton with others they made report thereof to the House of Commons about June 17. 1641. That they found that for the advancing of the said plott the Earl of Strafford had attempted his escape out of the Tower and to effect it the better had promised that worthy Gentleman Sir William Belfore then Leifetenant of the Towre 20000 li. and to marry his Sonne to his Daughter and to make it one of the greatest Matches in the Kingdome but Sir Williams loyaltie was
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
and favourable reproof from the Lord himself of such false and faithlesse fears in his children Hearken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law Fear ye not the reproaches of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings For the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them like wooll but my righteousnesse shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation And that especially in the 12 and 13 verses of the same chapter I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die and of the son of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth and hast feared continually every day because of the furie of the oppressour as if he were readie to destroy and where is the furie of the oppressour Certainly good Reader here 's a most exact description of the condition of very many of Gods children even at this very day O what fear of the force or fraud is there of men yea of wicked men who shall undoubtedly perish together with their most desperate designes and profoundest policie What startling is there at a base weak project of theirs though our eyes have seen them vanish like a vapour and come to nought What frights and fears are in the hearts of Gods people even every day as the Lord saies because of their seeming furie but certain frenzie and madnesse which yet our God hath crusht and confounded in its highest ruff and deepest danger-threatning bluster For shame therefore for shame let us labour against such groundlesse such causelesse fears and put on godly resolution and invincible courage since the Lord is our God and is good and does good and who hath done all this great good for us Which brings us to my fourth and last Observation on these fore-mentioned pa liamentarie mercies namely That the Lord onely is our salvation and hath engaged himself and his own great Name to deliver us by his faithfull word and promise and that therefore we should patiently wisely and zealously depend on him for deliverance Since I say the Lord onely is our strength and not the failing arm of flesh which we know is an accursed prop and will deceive like the broken reeds of Egypt let us therefore often remember that of good King Jehosaphat which indeed I desire may be a constant and cordiall memento to us all to stablish and strengthen our hearts piously and patiently to wait on the Lord namely Hear me saies that good King O Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem beleeve the Lord your God so shall ye be established beleeve his Prophets and promises so shall ye prosper Even so I say to thee O England and ye noble and renowned inhabitants of London famous over the whole Christian world for the glory of God among you beleeve the many and most sweet and precious-promises which God in Christ hath made unto you so shall ye certainly prevail and prosper lay hold on the promises yea rest and roul your selves and even live upon the promises so shall it undoubtedly go well with thee Now we have a sure word of promise that Babylon shall fall yea saies the Lord by the Prophet in respect of the certainty of it Babylon is fallen is fallen with an ingemination which implies matter of moment and all the graven images of her gods the Lord hath broken to the ground Yea saies the Prophet Jeremie Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed Now then I say good Reader having such a sure word of promise even from the fountain of Truth yea Truth it self let us with Christian courage by faith lay fast hold on it and infallibly beleeve it for Truth hath spoken it and certainly heaven and earth shall sooner perish than one jot or tittle of his precious word and promise shall not be performed Hast thou I say as a reverend and learned Divine once sweetly delivered a sure word of promise abide close by it for certainly whatsoever the work of Gods providence may be which ofttimes I confesse seems even point-blank to crosse and contradict our hopes mainly for triall of our faith and patience yet stick-fast to the word of promise rest and relye on it wait with the patience of the Saints for the performing of it For as the Lord said to the Prophet Write the vision and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarrie wait for it because it will surely come and it will not tarry See here good Reader what sound and solid grounds of Christian courage comfort and confidence is here Who then would be afraid Who would not strongly and immoveably relie on the Lord his so mightie so sure foundation See I say what an abundant Cornucopia of sweet refection is here for the most drooping heart that may be who then would Tantalize in the midst of such so fair heart-upholding store Alas alas good Reader if under such props and supportations our hearts should flag and faint and sink by fear and infidelity which indeed is the bitter root of slavish fear might not the Lord too justly upbraid us as once he did the murmuring children of Israel the sinfull and rebellious Israelites Since the Lord onely is our fast and firmly-rooted Rock and his works are perfect and all his wayes judgement a God of truth and without iniquitie most just and right If we thus corrupt our selves with sinfull infidelity our spot is not then the spot of his children but we being thus a perverse and crooked generation may not the Lord then I say most justly upbraid us and say Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not God your Father that hath bought you and establisht you O remember the dayes of old of thy old slaverie and bondage of Romish-Egypt the black and palpable fogs of Popish idolatrie and superstition consider the yeers of many past generations ask your fathers and they can shew you your elders and they can tell you And certainly as good Ezra said in such a like case If after these great mercies and deliverances which God hath wrought for us and wherwith he hath so graciously crowned us we should yet again break our covenant with God we should violate his righteous commandments turn his so sweet and precious grace into wantonnesse and make this his patience and goodnesse to us a ground of our licentiousnesse and loosse living would not the Lord and that most justly be angrie with us untill he had utterly consumed us Yes certainly he would For though t is most true that the Lord hath proclaimed himself to the whole world and all generations
68. 19. Iob 5. 13. Psal 94. 11. Isa 29. 14. A Parliament A plot to spoil the Parliament The Kings Queensletters Earls Lords Knights and Gentlemen ride up and down to help them God counterplots and crosses them Parliamentary Worthies chosen A blessed Colledge of Physicians Exod. 15. 11. Psal 89. 5 6 7 8. Divers difficulties at the first beginning of this Parliament Six Subsidies granted Pole-money The mountanous dispatch of great affairs of the Parliament at the first To stop the mouthes of slanderers Ship-money abolished Coat and Conduct taken away Sope. Wine Leather Salt Many other Monopolies suppressed The root of all the former evils pluckt up viz. Arbitrary government God in the Mount Psal 145. 1 2 3. A spirit of prayer and humiliation stird up in the hearts of Gods people in private Rich returns of our prayers Our enemies plots proved their owngreatest plagues Iudg. 13. 23. Against the false fears and faithlesse faintings in Gods people Ier. 7. 16. Acts 12. 20. A Fleet of Spanish-ships at Sea The Spaniard is apt to watch and catch advantageâ— The Spanish fleet on our Narrow-Seas in sight of Dover The Hollanders meet with them Martin Tromp Admirall of the Fleet. The Spanish fleet beaten and destroyed Isa 54. 17. No weapon can be forged nor tongue raised against England and Scotland A Pacification and blessed union between the three kingdoms by Act of Parliament Psal 44 34. Psal 76. 9 10. Good men made Officers of State The Scaligers of our rustie times The Star-Chamber-Court President Councell of the North c. dissolved The Earl of Straford beheaded â—ex â—alionis An English Haman Psal 62. 3. 2 Sam. 20. 12. Ier. 10. 6 7. Iudge Bartlet other Iudges and Bishops impeached of high treason and imprisoned Much content among men upon the Earls beheading The Arch-prelate of Canterbury impeached of high treason and imprisoned Q Elizabeths saying touching Popish Bishops in her dayes of deliverance The malignant partie now began to fear Sir Ioh. Finch Secretary Windibank c. flie away for fear A fit simile of Rats and Mice in an old house or barn A double benefit came to the Kingdom hereby Cateline aâ— traitor to old Rome We ought to be as thankful for privative as positive mercies Prov. 6. 11. Psal 92. 7. Psal 73. 18 19. Psal 58. 10 11. A Trienniall Parliament The most blessed continuation of this present Parliament The excellent benefit of these 2. last Laws A three-fold cord is not easily broken Both Church and State sick at the very heart The Church sick of a quotidian-ague of Popery The State of a Consumption by oppressive taxations A Protestation Wednesday May 5. 1641. Who they be that refuse to take the Protestation Friday July 30. 1641. God in the Mount of Mercies Psal 18. 1 2 3. and 31 19 23. Psal 27. 14. Parliamentarie mercies to the Church of God * Prelates and Pontificians Ier. 38. 7. Dr. Bastwick Mr. Burton Mr. Prinne freed from prison Dr. Laighton also M. Smart Mr Walker Mr. Foxely Mr. Lilborn many others set a liberty Isa 29. 20 21. Prov. 11. 8. Hesth 6. 11. Mr. Prinnes most excellent History of all those three famous-sufferers Gen. 22. 13. Psal 32. 11. 3. 1 3 4. Paarliamentaâ—â—â—rdiners State-Engineers The Prelates ill-legall Synod nullified Their accursed Canons damned Their monstrous Et caetera-Oath also condemned Scandalous priests discovered and discountenanced 1 Sam 2. 17. Non-residents and Pluralists voted against Deans Prebends voted down Godly Pastort and Lecturers set up again with the peoples consent Isa 1. 27. * Which very words the Arch-prelate of Ganterbury spake most proudly to a godly Pastour my worthy friend Our Candlesticks almost lost and stinking-snuffs setting-up Psal 126. 1. Psal 32. 7. Oxford and Cambridge hopefull to be purged Matth. 6. 23. Sabbath-dayes better sanctified The due praise of the true sanctification of the Sabbath A profane book for sports on the Lords day Most violently pressed by the Prelates on Gods people Printing-Presses set open again The Sabbaths honour thereby vindicateâ— God in the Mount Psal 47 6 7 8. Gods worship in the Church better ordered From Romish Ceremonies Crucifixes and Popish pictures in Churches dimolished All Jesu-worship prohibited and all altar-rails dimolished * Exod. 20 26. Libertie to hear the Word without controlment The miserie of mens souls by Prelates soulcrueltie A notable peice of Prelaticall tyrannies now blessedly abolished The Kings Declaration before the book of Articles The High-Commission Court most blessedly put down A fit description of the Arminian rabble Romes caterpillers blown away Persecuted Pastors return home The High-Commission-Court most blessedly put down A brief description of the High-Commission-Court The members of the High-Commission-Court duely delineated Mat. 5. 20. The Ex Officio Oath damned Church-WardeÌ„s freed from their visitation vexations Dan. 2. 5. 3 2â— * The High-Commission-Courts deserved destinâ—e being the vote of a reverend holy Minister of this Kingdome See beer the extreame malice and rage of the Prelates The Starr-Chamber Court voted down and the Councill-Table limited restrained Those last great mercies summed up together God in the Mount Isa 30. 18 19 20. England like to have been Romes perpetuall Ass Psal 7â— 19 20 23 24. A tympanie of pride An 〈…〉 fatuus oâ— self-deceit Gen. 27 38. God is an unexhausted Spring of mercies Compelling of the Subject to take the Order of Knighthood abolished Stannary-Courts and Clerkes of Markets rectified Parkes and Forrests also rightly ordered Priests and Iesuites banished Sommersett-House that cage of unclean birds cleansed The Queen-Mother of France also sent away A most happie union between all the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland An act also of oblivion therunto annexed Both Armies in the North disbanded August the 27. 1641. Our brethren of Scotland attested to be loyall faithfull Subjects What said our Arminian foul-mouth'd Priests to this God in the Mount Psal 9. 9 10. Psal 68. 20. Those slanderous tongues of wicked Priests forced to give themselves the lye in their Pulpits Iâ—â— 5. 16. Psal 63. 11. A notable design of the Popish Lords and Prelates with the English Armie in the North. The Earle of Straford attempted his escape out of the Tower Sir Iohn Suckling a partie in this plott The Prince also and the Earl of Newcastle were to advance the work The French also were to assist in it The hot zeale of our holy Bishops to work our destruction Master Iermines Letter intercepted Portsmouth also attempted to be got into their hands Another design with the Scottish Armie also against the Parliament Citie of London Both designes timely discovered and disappointed The most bloodie and barbarous rebellion in Ireland discovered The great danger of the utter losse of Ireland The Irish-Remonstrance Irelands Tears England mainly intended to have been the prologue of Irelands miseries Psal 124. 1 2 3 4. c. Sir Wil. Belfore put out of his Lieutenantship of the