and the protection of officers in the exercise of just authoritie against the hatred of frenitique persons The hipocrisie of the schismaticall partie that professed greate tendernes of conscience and greife to see Children whipp a top on a sunday was ridiculous to al sober men yet theis are the motives to embroyle a state That which he calls the superstitious rigour of his sundayes Chappell is noe other then observation of the order of the Church of England which none but the Bedlam Brownist ever called superstitious His Majest Chappell had nothing in the exercise of Devotion but what the lawes of his Predecessours had appointed and this must be his rigour That which he calls his sundayes Theatre it seemes are recreations vpon sundayes and to that he prophanely and scurrilously adds his Dominicall Jiggs Can a Christian that hath respect to the day make Dominicall the matter of his jest but having abused sacred titles to impious Actions they proceede to scoffe with them He intimates a booke published touching recreations wherein his Majest followed the example of his Royall father and the advice of the most learned Divines Judaisme and ridiculous superstition of the hipocriticall sectaries cheifely occasioned that booke both in the time of his Majest and King James Permission of sunday recreations is more agreeable to the doctrine practice of other Churches then the prohibition the pretended tendernes of conscience in the Sectaries appeares as false as frivolous and these Sectaries that make this imaginary rigour and remissenes a foundation to overthrow a Kingdome allow noe limits to their owne rigour and remissenes taking all libertie to themselves denying any to others Why are theis doughty objections made against his Majest when all know it touches not him particularly if it were considerable but his Father queene Elizabeth in whose times recreations of sundayes were more practised then in the time of his Majest by the way we may take notice of his scornefull appellation of his Father James And for the miscarriages in state wee may expect that as the Actions will be by this Author vnfaithfully related soe they will appeare of as litle weight for a ground to those Calumnies which he frames vpon them His Majest disavowed none of these acts till this Parliament and heere seekes to wipe of the envy of his evill Government vpon his substitutes His Majest allwayes disavowed illegall Acts and whatever other mens rigour or remissenes had contracted And must a King satisfie the curiositie malice of all that cast envy on his Government And was there ever a Parliament wherein lawes were not made to expiate the odium contracted When his Majest seekes to take away the occasions of evill in his substitutes he deserves the love and thankes of his people but it is the practice of Rebells to cast the rigour and remissenes of the substitutes vpon the Government His Majest ought not to beare the evill of other mens Actions and his Government wil be glorious to posteritie as it was happy to them that enjoyed it in despight of envy and this Author and such as seeke to wipe of the guilt of this lewde Rebellion by pretences of evill Government which can noe more justifie their fact then provocation a private Duell sufficiently cleere his Majest of their reproaches by the lightnes of these objections and by offering vulgar envy as a reason to destroy the Kingdome He goes on jeering the Kings promises for reforminge Religion as too late and because popular confusions had overtopt reason therefore he concludes their Justice in working mischeife and breaking all the bonds of faith and Religion The purposes which his Majest had for reforminge Religion could not by him be expressed artificiallie to gaine abatement of that violence vnder which he suffered for they are noe other then what he had often proposed in the beginninge of the Parliament and the workes of the dead King lose not their weight because they declare to the world the vnjust vsurpation of his authoritie All his vndertakings heeretofor declared him to have little or no judgment in that worke of Religion This libellers booke declares him to have little conscience of Religion no wonder if schismatickes are so shamles in the contempt of the greatest judgments that differ from them when they acknowledge the authoritie of no person over them and that which Iconoclastes pronounces-heere of the King he will not sticke to determine of all the world besides that agree not with his sect Sectaries are no lesse insolent and cruell then false and fantastique there being not any like excesse in such as attaine to highest preferments in Church or state by ordinary wayes as in those popular seducers presumption being of more force then truth with vulgar spirits and thence this Champion of shismatickes not only vilifies his Majest judgment in Religion but tells the world That his breeding or course of life could not acquaint him with a thing so spirituall The breeding and course of life of this generation of sectaries is not vnknowne and they seeke to supply with impudence what they want of abilitie It were a fault to mention heere his Majest parts learning and pietie and the Scripture which directs vs to try the spirits hath give vs such markes of the false and lying spirits as wee should be much wanting to ourselves if wee could not judge those men that are proud-boasters despisers of Parents despisers of Dominion Traytours faith-breakers to be such as descerne not the things of the spirit though they pretend to them The Reformation they could expect from him must be some politique forme of an imposed Religion or perpetuall vexation to such as comply not with that forme And let all the Churches that professe the name of Christ through the world be produced and there is none of them but have a forme of Religion which this libeller heere calls politicke and an imposed Religion and the observation of such formes are in all Churches exacted with some penalties and heereby all men may see that wee have not to doe with a confined Rebell that hath only disaffection to the Government of the place where he lives but one that accuses all Churches but his owne Conventicle to have litle ore no judgment in Religion and not acquainted with a thing so spirituall for the ground of this reproach is from his Majest resolution to vse formes in the publique duties of Religion in the Church The like amendment he sayes he promises in state not a step further then his reason and conscience told him was fiâ—t to be destred wishing he had kept with in those bounds and not suffered his owne judgment to have been overborne in some things And this he sayes is to set vp an Arbitrary Government all Brittany to be chained to the conscience judgment and reason of one man as if those guifts were entayled vpon him with his Fortune to be a King Wee know not the Misteries
persecution but the libeller will make Martirdome their ambition and wants their Covetuousnes He will have that English Episcopacie hath markes of schisme whether we looke at Apostolicke times or reformed Churches if he had shewed wherein it had deserved an answeare but we see what Apostolicke times he meanes that will not allow any Church of the world from the time of the Apostles til the present age because the Church of England is not vniversall therefore all Sectaries may pretend themselves the Church For the authoritie of Scripture he needed not take paines to prove it The Church of England claimes not power over other Churches but to correct Schismatickes within her selfe The exposition of Scripture may not be received from arrogant Sectaries against the judgment of the vniversall Church the King might very well reject such reasons as they which offered them had soe lately before disavowed and pretended themselves scandalized with the imputation of such opinions The greatest number of these pretended Reformers professed detestation of the opinion of lawfullnes in taking Armes against their Prince of the opinion of the vnlawfullnes of Episcopacy booke of Common prayer and Ceremonies and who now would dispute with such men maintaining these renounced opinions with such bloody vehemencie It is not for the King to defend the Church otherwise then the Church would be defended And what is the Church in the libellers sense nothing but the crew of John of Leydons saints and must the King follow them against the Church these are the Divill 's factours to sett vp an Idoll Religion These deceivers talke of the power of the keyes in whose power holy things are as if the keyes that Christ gave to his Disciples are transmitted to this distempered crew that pretend a power of their owne giving Their Blasphemous pretence of enthusiasmes hath been the wonder and scorne of wise men and that 's the spirit which must not be fettered with a negative voyce But may it not be fettered by the Parliaments negative voyce and why is it more fettered by the kings then theirs That which he calls Tyranicall and presumptuous in the king wich the same breath justifies in the Parliament and yet complaines of Tyrany vpon the conscience Such consciences are senseles of Tyrany aswell as of sin having given themselves vp to the Empire of hell The kings negative voyce could impose nothing yet these desperate hipocrites say they were compelled to implore the aide of Parliament to remove it from their consciences And if the ground of their warr were to take away his negative voyce their pretence of defensive force appeares noe other then violence and persecution which they soe hipocritically complaine of such tender consciences as feele not falshoods and Rebellion must be mercilesse destroyers of Religion and Government as these have proved The King had cause to seeke aide against Rebellion and oppression but that 's noe warrant for Traytours to linke themselves by conspiracies to performe it and the King might justly wonder at their confident boasting of Gods assistance as if they had the certaintie of some Revelation and flying to the Scotts succours while they were soe furnisht with provisions for warr And now after all the Libellers rayling at Episcopacie Copes surplisses he will not permitt Arch Presbiterie Classicall Provinciall and diocesine Presbitery claiming Lordly power and superintendencie to be imposed vpon them Heere 's Babell confounded and they that were linkt in disloyaltie must part for Presbitery and independencie and will not see the evill spiritt that first combined them in Rebellion and now divides them to fight one against another A Determination by the best divines in Christendome in a full and free synod is he sayes an improbable way and every true Church hath wherewithall from heaven to be compleate and perfect within it selfe And why doth he tell vs that no Church denominated by a particular name bindes our faith or obedience and hath any Romanist affirmed more for their infallibilitie then he ascribes to every one of his Parlours and wherefore is English protestant a Schismaticall name as he affirmes and that the whole nation is not to be thought soe raw as to neede the helpe of other nations But what is the whole nation to every conventicle are theis seperaists the whole nation And why would he bind the Kinge to other reformed Churches If the primitive Christians had been of his opinion Generall Councells had been of litle vse the Disciples at Antioch needed not have sent to Jerusalem for advice in a question But these men thus shuffle and pretend the sufficiencie of a nation intend only the perfection of their Parlour congregations and allow noe sufficiencie in Church or nation that submits not to their insolent prescriptions He sayes the King accuses pietie with want of loyaltie because he sayes in vaine doe men hope to builde their pietie on the ruines of loyaltie The King rightly determines that pietie is but pretended where loyaltie is despised as such doe that thinke it safe to renounce all fidelitie to their lawfull King and his family and depend on the faith of perjured villaines vpon pretence of pietie as he perswades the Scotts to doe Vpon the COVENANT HE seemes desirous to be short in this Argument being a point which he is loath to touch till he see the successe of some attempts and he would not willingly be out of hope of the Scotts nor venture to displease them by his glosses To the mention of the Bishopps possession heere since the first plantation of Christianitie in this Island and vniversall prescription since the Apostles till this last centurie he sayes But what availes the most primitive antiquitie against the plaine sense of Scripture which if the last Centurie have best followed it ought in our esteeme to be the first But where is the plaine sense of Scripture against antiquitie It s very plaine that these Sectaries noe more esteeme the present century then the ancient nor more the scripture then either of them but take a libertie to vent their owne fanaticall and arrogant fancies for Scripture and reject all ordinary meanes vpon pretence of a lying spiritt His Majest meant not to oppose antiquitie to Scripture but where the practice of antiquitie is consonant to Scripture It s impious to reject the Communion of the first age All helpes of interpretation are fetters to the proud Schismatickes and this Libeller that so lately obtruded the Example of the reformed Churches in the case of Epicopacie quickely scornes the Classicall Provinciall and diocesine Presbiterie and the last Century hath only seene the ascent of these Locusts and he only likes that part of the last Century wherein they crept soorth and they would willingly have the credit to be a part of other Churches though they are in truth Enemies to them all We may with farr better reason beleive the interpretations and practice of the primitive Church then any moderne
compasse And it s very likely never regarded by those who never guided themselves by other compasse then sea robbers that make prey only their compasse But were not these divided mindes heard of when he spake of Arch presbitery and other subdivisions And these windes he sayes were pretended to be foreseene least he should be taken at his word The King foresaw their intended murther and though he feared it not his word never was to be taken to make himselfe accessory to his Enemies impietie But that controversie he sayes divine lot hath ended Suffering and Martirdome hath been the lot of the righteous but Gods controversie with their persecutors is not thereby ended and the Libeller reckons too soone the end of his controversie that entitles God with such Actions The Kings knowledge is sufficiently evident and he hath distinguished the venerable gray haires of ancient Religion from the old scurfe of superstition and the vertigo of novell prophanes And the wholesome heate of his well governing shewes his judgment in state Phisike and while Emperickes and horse leaches tooke vpon them to amend the body they turned the equall temper of it into the feaverous rage of Tyranizing There neede noe oracle to tell who heated the furnace of this obloquy it is sufficiently confessed and they that endured Nobuchadnezars furnace might have warned this Libeller to have abstained from that allusion for if the oracle of truth God himselfe commaunded the Jewes to be subject to Nebuchadnezar notwithstanding his golden Image and madnes The libeller might see his litle with ill applyed in making the question who deserved to be throwne in Nebuchadnezar or his three Kingdomes And this high conceite of his deserves the fierie furnace that would perswade three Kingdomes they might cast in their King If his greate seale were not sufficient without the Parliament to create Lords his parole must be vnable to create learned and Religious men Surely this man doth not see what he sayes for it is a confessed truth that the kings greate seale without Parliament was sufficient to create Lords and though his judgment could not create men yet by the choise he made men are satisfied he descerned them better then they that would vndertake to point them out The opposition proceeded from heads farr wiser and spiritts of a nobler straine then popular preachers And are not their buffe and sword preachers popular preachers And are those wiser heads and nobler spiritts the Creatours of preachers And hath the tub overturned the pulpitt The Priest led herodians with their blinde guides are in the ditch already These are the constant Testimonies of the Libellers reverence to Scripture and things sacred what 's become now of the advice of the Parliament and three Kingdomes He was very much overseene that would have divided interests such vnknowne windes and heere blowes away his brother Presbiterian for a Priest-led herodian and blinde guide travelling as he thought to sion but moor'd in the Isle of weight And we see that these who began first with the Bishopps will at last have noe Presbiters at all but pretend with the Rebells against Moses that all the congregation is holy and will sayle by the winde of their owne braines without Card or Compasse Factions are not only like Mathematicall Lines allwayes divisible but perpetually dividing The Kingdome of England cannot acknowledge the wisedome of those heads from whome the designe of destroying King and Kingdome proceeded men willfull for mischeife are farr from wise heads nor is insolence or inhumanitie a Testimony of noble spirits Popular preachers now see they were deceived in their owne judgments and abilities to governe aswell as of the goodnes of the lawes they were governed by and the persons to whome they owed subjection and that their planting of disaffection to the Church of England in the people could not attract reverence to them but an attendance vpon vsurpers who made vse of such preaching to improve the peoples disobedience to their lawfull Rulers and they may now see that aversion to the Church is a false measure of sinceritie and that their followers after the shaking of their lawfull governours call them by whose ill principles they were misledd blinde guides and while this Libeller would seeme to be a Christian he not only seekes to make the name a reproach but the miseries thereof a scorne whence comes his allusion of Priest-led herodians but from the passage touching the place of our saviours nativitie enquired of the Priests by herod travelling to sion is not the subjects of common pasquils The Kings letter to the Pope imports nothing to his purpose and all men now see that Religion is not at all in their thoughts and that these repetitions are vulgar scare crowes The innovations alledged by professed schismatickes that innovate at vnquestionably demonstrate their owne confutation His vsing the assistance of some Papists in setling protestantisme was vnseemely and suspicious But the vse of them against such as would vnsetle the Civill Government and destroy the King vnder pretence of vnsetling the Religion established is just and necessary and it inferrs not that the most part of Protestants were against him because an active faction had surprized the strength of the Kingdome and necessitated him to seeke succours where he might have them the King never obtruded setlement of any thing new but defence against violence of what was established and Papists may fight for their King though Traytours pretend to the Protestant Religion for the ground of their quarrell That noe man ever thought that the King had learned that difference of perswasion in Religious matters may fall out where there is the samenes of dutie Alleagiance and subjection And the Libeller askes wherefore then such compulsion to the Puritans and Scotland about conformitie to the Leiturgie Doth the King say that those of different perswasions ought not to be better informed and sought to be gained to a right vnderstanding though there may be the samenes of alleagiance ought he not to seeke the samenes of perswasion in points of difference This is his common logicke and he askes wherefore then noe Bishopp noe King He might have answeared himselfe that there may not be the samenes of opinion touching alleagiance in differences of Religion though there may be and it s now plaine though formerly not beleived that such as would have noe Bishopps would have noe King and had not the samenes of intention though the same dutie and obligation of alleagiance to their King as those of the contrary perswasion and that Episcopacy is agreeable to Monarchy the contrary not but Rebells catch at every shaddow and offer every dreame for a truth and are as light in obtrudinge pretences as resolute to act their villanies either with or without them How diversified sects can be all protestants must be shewed by some doctrines that protestants yet vnderstand not and the medly of Papists and protestants in a religious cause is noe more
ΕΙΚΩΠΑΚΛΑΣΤΟΣ The IMAGE VNBROAKEN A Perspective of the Impudence Falshood Vanitie and Prophannes Published in a Libell entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or the Pourtraicture of his SACRED MAJESTIE in his solitudes and Sufferings Printed Anno Dom. 1651. The INTRODUCTION WHen the booke called Icon-basilice was comming foorth the Rebells guilt Suggested Suspitions to them of danger from the memory of his late Majest as formerly they apprehended from his life striving that he might not appeare to posteritie out of those ignominious Circumstances which they had contrived in the murther of him and thence their rigid Inquisition after persons and Presses Rebells rise by flattery rule by force and they that made so many appeales to the people forbid them now to know the groanes of a dead Martyr Vpon the comming foorth of the booke they found what they feared that many whose passion kept them from a right judgment in the heate of Action saw their owne errours in that booke and that the person and cause of his late Majest began to be more Generally vnderstood and being not able to strangle it in the birth they sought how to cast itt foorth to be destroyed raysinge rumours that it was not the worke of his late Majest thinkeing to make men lesse intent on the booke if the author were suspected and that they might thereby take of all opinion of pietie and wisedome from his late Majest which might be collected from his writings it being the Custome of Rebells to prevaile more by Calumnies vpon the disposition then the Actions of Princes They seeke to improve crueltie above nature for having by wicked hands destroyed the Lords anointed they would deface the Memory of their owne vile Actions against him hyring false Prophetts to curse him they grudge at his Crowne in heaven as they usurped that on earth It s no new thing for persons of most eminent vertue to fall into the obloquy suffer by the rage of the misled people and therefore no wonder if innocence finde an oratour to accuse it Treason an Advocate to defend it Rebellion never wanted a Trumpet though the contrivance of it be in Caves vaults yet successe makes it outface the light His Majest booke hath passed the censure of the greatest part of the learned world being translated into the most spred Languages and strangers honour his Memory and abhorre his murtherers but such as regarde not the al seeing eye of God beholding their wickednes despise the judgment of the whole world and there is a man found out that will breake downe the united reason of mankinde he tells men they must take his word above their owne and all mens reason this he vndertakes that lookes on kings as Ants and the kings booke as wanting all moment of Soliditie and if as he chose the Title of Iconoclastes he had written his booke in a Forraigne or learned language his vnfaith fullnes and impudence would be as open and odious as his vanitie is ridiculous And though the exceptions against his Majest booke fall away of them selves and Traytours Apologies carry with them their owne Confutation yet indignation at the shamelesse insolence and vntruth of Iconoclastes provokes a just vindication of his late Majest from the lewde slanders of the answearer A Dumbe childe gott speech at the apprehension of an Injury to the father and its a dead Loyaltie that stands vnmoved at the cursing of a shimei and those curses of shimei recorded in Scripture were lesse virulent and more excusable then this Authors language of his late Majest through his whole Treatise which is a Treason against God and Man Religion Truth and Iustice THE Preface Examined HIS First words are To descant on the misfortunes of a person fallen from so high a digintie who hath also paid his finall debt to nature and his faults is neither of it selfe a thing commendable nor the intention of this Discourse That it is not a thing commendable is a greed by all and that it is the intention of this Authors Discourse all men discerne by this very expression and in every Period he insolently and scorne fully speakes of the person of his late Majest as fallen into that misfortune and his whole booke is a continued Confutation of this false assertion base natures delight in the misfortunes of persons in highest place It is hatefull in any to descant on the misfortunes of Princes but in such as have relation vnto them by service or Subiection as this libeller to the late king is the Compendium of all vnworthynes and vnnaturall insolence Could he say his Majest had paid his debt to his faults without descant on his misfortunes But he giues timely warning what is to be expected in his booke where like a shameles theife taken in the fact he denies what he openly acts He saies it is not to get a name for no man ever got honour by writing against a King being strong in Legions weake in Arguments Some men have desired a name for Brutish arrogance against Princes and that may be the Authors ambition but however it have fared with others that have spitt their venom in the faces of Kings its certaine he hath lighted vpon the prediction of his owne successe for he will gaine only in famy by this vndertaking Never man found honour by raking in the ashes of dead Princes but vnnatural crueltie seekes to Surfeit vpon the grave This Author doth not only digg vp the bones of the dead King but seekes to bring Destruction on al Kings and bury them in the ruines of their Authoritie depraved natures account the greatest wickednes the greatest glory more honour to subvert humane Societie then destroy a Single person The first step where by he mounts to Triumph over his sacred Majest is for that he was a King and that is vrged as proofe Sufficient that he was weake at Arguments Kings he saies being accustomed from the Cradle to vse their will only as their right hand their Reason alwayes as their left Soe desperate is the wickednes of these men that must vilifie the Ordinances of God for their defence Had they matter of just exceptiō to his late Majest the needed not they would not draw matter of Reproach from his Office and had they any feare of God or reverence to man they would not thus Lewdly traduce this greate Institution of God for the governing of mankinde the Kingly Office God him selfe saies the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it as Rivers of water That a wise Sentence is in the heart of the King and yet this man pretends to expect beleife in his Calumnies vpon the late King when hee affirmes the kingly Office to bee a cause of weakenes of judgment and insufficiencie turning all the promises of God in Scripture for assistance of Kings with his spiritt to meere Compliment and wretchedly belying the many Monarchs
world may be informed how their cause hath been maintained They pretend to meete reason in any field but are resolved to contradict it and the Author will reproach and despise truth and reason as his Masters have fought against it and since their impietie cannot be denyed it must be avowed They glory in their victories in the field as theeves in their booties and boast that they can doe mischeife their victories being no other then the poysons and knives of Assassins that have destroyed Princes and successe is the evidence of their faith and reason He proceedes to say that he who at the Barr stood excepting against the forme and manner of his Iudicature and complained that he was not heard neither he nor his friends shall have that cause now to finde fault being mett and debated with in this Monumentall Court of his owne erectinge and not only heard but answeared But still he is vnwillingly heard and they which tooke his blood without hearing are loath to heare the cry of it and they endeavoured the same course with his booke they had taken with him to condemne it vnheard and as this worke was not chosen nor affected by Iconoclastes so was not the occasion acceptable to his Masters It hath been reported of some high way robbers that they vse a forme of Judicature vpon the Traveller when they take him and condemne him solemnely to lose his purse and Iconoclastes holds it strange he should stand excepting at the forme and manner of their Judicature It was the prodigie of insolence that Rebells presumed to bring their King to the Barr and the Prodigie of impudence in this libeller that imagines an expectation of the Kings submission to a Tribunall of Traytours But with Traytours where strength can act right and Justice are ridiculous considerations otherwise those Monsters that made themselves Judges without the least colour of authoritie the lower howse being not able to puinsh a wandring Rogue which the law allowes a Conestable would not so presumptuously sit in Judgment vpon a King and not only their own but of another Kingdome and professe wonder that any should thinke that they cannot bring any King to the blocke that they get into their hands Who may not defend the sins of intemperance to satisfie lust aswell as those of crueltie to satisfie ambition and why might not Ric 3 defame his mother and Kill his nephewes to secure his Tyrany aswell as theis men reproach and Kill their King doe outward solemnities legitimate Murthers and is a profest villanie innocent a secret only Cryminall Though those Murtherers before whome he stood at the Barr excepting had resolved that neither feare of God nor reverence to their lawfull king nor importunitie that moves such as the other respects doe not should prevaile with them yet he promises afaire debate though he justifies them and performes it with the same falshood offring clamorous reproaches and shamles vntruths instead of answeares erecting a Monument for him selfe wherein the defence of impietie and scorne of truth have engraven his infamy in everlasting Characters Which he sajes to do effectually if it be necessary that to his booke nothing the more respect be had for being his they of his owne partie can have no just reason to exclaime Truly his owne partie had reason to expect that from resolved Traytours his booke would have lesse respect for being his for having suffered greater crueltie in his person for being a King could they thinke his booke would have more respect for being his The Rebells themselves have published it a rule that a man borne in Scotland while the Kingdomes stood divided was not subject to their Judicature and therefore they vrged against Duke Hamilton that he was naturalized and yet they subjected the King to their will whome they could not pretend to have had that Ceremony and by the law of these miscreants the King must be more subject to them then any of his subjects of that nation and the Author might have spared the paines to seeke a reason for his impudent language for his Majest partie know it was for the interest of his Trayterous cause and a necessary effect of a Rebellious disposition The booke of any Author ought to finde respect according to its owne merit and its folly or injury to sleight or reproach it for the Authors sake and the like of a person for his office sake but they that reproach an office instituted by God or the person that beares that office for the office sake will hate a booke for the good that it conteynes and the Kings partie will never exclaime for the Authors detraction of the booke which they expected from him but they have just reason to detest his insolent language and impious assertions It were too vnreasonable that he because dead should have libertie to speake all evill of the Parliament and they because living or any for them have lesse Freedome It s too vnreasonable to bely the dead and to affirme his Majest to speake all evill of the Parliament when he well knowes that his Majest speakes nothing of them but what this breaker confesses to be true and if his Majest had spoken evill of a faction in Parliament it s too vnreasonable for him to censure it who not only speakes evill of a faction in Parliament but is the Advocate of those that not only speake evill of them but have destroyed them What if his Majest had spoken evill of the Lords house have this Authors Masters done lesse that have taken it away What if he had spoken evill of a part of the lower house have they done lesse that have imprisoned expelled the Members And if the King reprehend or reprove his subjects in the capacitie of Parliament or otherwise it is not only vnreasonable but damnable for them to censure and reproach him and most detestable for every licentious Pamphletter to traduce vilifie him Rebells vse not only feirce arrogancie but impudent petulancie and it makes for their designe that the scum of the people cast of all reverence and mention of superiours Have not the present Traytours reproacht and condemned the Parliament for their professions of loyaltie and dutie to the King Have they not made that the highest Cryme which the Parliament judged their necessary dutie to serve their King And may not the King complaine of their dealing with him as well as this Author with his new Masters can Iconoclastes reprove the Parliaments vote that it was Treason for the Army to overaw the Parliament which he doth in being Advocate for the Army against them And is it a Cryme in his Majest to represent their evill Actions against him The Parliament voted a Treatie with the King and voted his concessions to be a sufficient ground for peace the libeller taxes that vote for folly and falshood The Army remove that Parliament and call some Creatures of their owne the Parliament and they togeather take the person of
private ends and ambition At first noe man lesse beloved noe man more generally condemned then was the King from the time that it became his Custome to breake Parliaments at home and cyther willfully or weakely betray protestants abroade to the beginninge of those combustions He would prove the people inconstant who doubts it there hath been proofe enough of it in their wretched levitie tossed to and fro by these Rebells Bene facere male audire Regium est will not be denyed by Iconoclastes to be a knowne truth and that it is the common lot of good Princes to be misreported That his late Majest suffered by the privy whispes of ambitious seducers to the credulous vulgar is easily graunted but it was their ingratitude not his merit and the Authors lesse beloved and more generally condemned is a supposition voyde of truth as the Act it selfe was voyde of dutie the causes he would have to be his Custome in breaking Parliaments and betraying Protestants Let vs examine what ground there was for this aversion from the King vpon either of theis There were in the time of King James men that made ill vse of Parliaments and insteede of amending what was amisse strived to make the people beleive things were out of order which they felt not and to create discontents at the Government This caused the breach of some Parliaments in that Kings time his late Majest finding the people possest with great jealosies of his match with spaine greate desires to breake the peace with that nation in order to the recovery of the Palatinate became the instrument of setling a right vnderstandinge betweene the King and his Parliament in the 21. th Yeare of his Raigne Then was the Treatie of the match and peace broken the session of Parliament concluded to the greate joy of the people and with their greate professions of affection to his late Majest for soe happy a worke King James was noe sooner dead and his late Majest by the Councell of the Parliament engaged in a dangerous warr but the seditious contrivers that had pretended such Zeale for the regaininge of the Palatinate cast about how they might ruine his Majest by that vndertaking and in his first Parliament without respect to their owne promises his Majest merit from them in procuringe their desires or the publique necesisities ingratefully withdrew their assistance from him and spread abroade rumours against his Government and when he called a Parliament the private annimosities personall thirst of revenge in some men were entertained in the house of Commons to exclude the consideration of the pressing necessities of his Majest affaires and forreigne agents had their fingers with these leaders in Parliament to divert all supplies from his Majest that both Protestants and all other his allies might be disappointed and which by that meanes was effected It s well knowne with what industrie difficultie his Majest in the middest of his necessities advanct releife to the Protestants and if they were betrayed the Treason must lie on the Parliaments credulitie to those vnderminers that forsooke their King in the prosecution of that worke To betray Protestants theis Traytours know signifies much to the people therefore they make it a reproach to their King against the knowne evidence of the fact and all sense and though they hipocritically pretend affection to the Protestant Religion the world knowes they doe not asmuch as give it a toleration for the Protestants doe not account Iohn of Leidon and the mad men of Munsters Protestants there is noe Religion but theirs now current in England This Author sees the cleerenes of the proofe against their malitious allegations of betraying Protestants and therefore descends a little in his termes and sayes either wilfully or weakely Could he betray them by impotencie of force or Councell that a new found Treason that the minde intends not but it s too much respect to such an absurd Calumnie to give it an answeare He goes on all men inveighed against him all men except Court vassalls opposed him and his Tyranicall proceedings Inveighinge against the King was vnknowne in England before such Monsters as this Author were hatcht by Rebellion and made their words accord with their Actions when their lying and hipocrisie could noe longer serve turne Before this time malecontents muttered their censures of Government and people that beleived them thought it their sin and shame to inveigh against their King Though discontents were nourisht among many few or none were soe impudent to inveigh There is noe Courtier whose observance to his Prince or his flatterie of him can binde him to like vassallage as he is that serves Rebells by false and impudent detractions of Rulers Noe slave soe base as he that wil be hired to murther the fame and honour of others There are some Courtiers among his new Masters whose falshood to their true Master and base observance of the Traytours to him entitles them to the worst of vassallage This Author goes an ill way to prove Tyranicall proceedings when he sayes they were soe opposed It s strange a Tyrant should suffer himselfe to be opposed and how were those Tyranicall proceedings opposed he will say by disputes in Courts of Justice was this Tyrany to admit contestations in ordinary Courts There was never time wherein there were not questions of right betweene King and subject is it Tyrany in a Prince to be a partie in a Proces And doth this Author hold malicious reports and rumours notes of disgrace vpon King or any other Magistrate good Princes lives confute detractours and though the people for a time may be deluded they will come to know a good King in his losse Rebellious humours are an Epidemicall pestilence whose violence cannot continue This full Parliament was at first vnanimous in their dislike and protestation against his evill Government This hath not the least colour of truth and as there was never time wherien somethinge was not to be amended soe in the beginninge of this Parliament there were things of that nature but not such as laid Cryme vpon his Majest Government nor did the Parliament judge soe but all corruptions of Courts Errours of Councell ill successes of Actions are charged by this Author as his Majest ill Government and every judgment of Parliament in a particular case made a protestation against it This Author cannot but know that the most vnamimous protestation that ever the Parliament made was to defend the Kings person honour and Estate and they that made this protestation could not be vnanimous in protesting against his evill Government nor in destroying both him and it They protested to defend the lawes of the land one of which they declared to be that the King could doe noe wrong and that if they should say his late Majest did they should speake against the law the affection of their owne hearts Can this Author finde any roome heere for an vnanimous protestation of the
thing against the King whereat should they sticke their impudence is commended and rewarded Would they sticke at truth that 's out of fashion in the new state But perhapps they sticke to name a man least they have a conviction from him or some els that could discover the Circumstances about it But since he makes a scruple if there be not reason in the booke why is he soe vnwilling to admit the King to be the Author surely it were for his advantage to make the King author of such a booke and if they were a Coadiutors why doth he lay his weakenes or errours as he pretends vpon the King The Author doth not add nor take away from the reason in the booke but the booke commends the Author and shames the answeare But allegations not reasons are the maine contents of this booke and neede noe more then other contrary allegations to lay the question before all men in an even ballance The allegations in his Majest booke are either such as are only knowne to himselfe or such as were evident to all men by the light of reason or notorietie of Actions And Iconoclastes vainely flatters himselfe that his contrary allegations wil be of any weight to move the scale Sober men take his ostentation of confidence rather as an effect of frensy then a perswasion of reason But through his whole booke he offers allegations against apparent reasons Though it were supposed that the Testimony of one man in his owne case affirminge could be of any Moment to bring in doubt the authoritie of a Parliament denying a contrary allegation against this would weigh downe the ballance in most mens judgment The periuries impostures cruelties devastations of those he calls the Parliament are soe knowne common abroade that the mention of them is a name of infamy and takes away all credit from their Actions Their owne journalls tell the world that they never speake truth but for their advantage and omit noe falshood that will serve their turne But doth Iconoclastes thinke any Parliament infallible or that all men condemned by Parliament had Justice done them He wil then finde that they condemne one another and for this last misnamed Parliament their bloody executions have such apparent markes of Injustice and cruelties as themselves cannot deny it vnles they will deny the records themselves have made the Testimony of former Parliaments There are in his Majest booke many particulars that the Parliament neither did nor could deny and through the whole booke the Author hath produced few or none of their denyalls There hath been much vse made of the name of Parliament but the Author must thinke he hath an inchanting pen if after the murther of the king abolishing the Lords house plucking out the members from the lower house prostituting the very constitution of Parliament to the lawlesse multitude and packing the Roome with a few meane persons eyther terrified by power or flattered by promises he can perswade any that such a Company sitting on the vsuall seates of the lower house be the Parliament he may as well give the name of Parliament to a Parish vestry as that Convention all the odds is the place of their meetinge But if these his faire spoken words shal be heere fairly confronted and laid parallell to his owne farr differing deedes manifest visible to the whole nation then c. His Majest words he sayes are faire spoken and will appeare sincere against al the fowle spokē words of this author to confront them And his actions are soe wel knowne to the whole nation as he doth in vaine appeale to them as witnesses of the truth of those false and incongruous Calumnies that he hath produced His Majest Actions being laid parallel to this Authors different expressions shew the lewdnes of the Libellers impudence that will appeale for the truth of what he sayes to those that best know the contrary and in a case where the evidence of the fact excludes all appeale The Author concludes that we may looke on them who notwithstandinge shall persist to give to bare words more credit then to open Actions as men whose judgment was not rationally evinced perswaded but fatally stupified bewitched into such a blinde and obstinate beleife for whose cure he sayes it may be doubted not whether any charme though never soe wisely murmured but whether any prayer can be availeable If after the reading of this Authors booke any man thinke him a modest man that he hath dealt ingeniously with his Majest booke or person he may be sure that such a person were not rationally evinced but eyther maliciously prepossest or stupidly infaetuated and neither vnderstood words nor Actions And this Author meanes not to cure but to charme expressing his delight in the terme of murmuringe which was the Custome of witches in their Charmes never vsed by servants of God though wicked men are compared to the deafe adder whose eare is stopped to the murmuring Charmer as theirs to the holy advice But Iconoclastes may aswell hope to turne men into stones by his absurd assertions or into serpents by his lewde reproaches and perswade men of his reason or honestie We know the prayers of the wicked are abominable aswell as their wilfull falhood and slander while he seekes to place those that will not be led by him among those that Charmes cannot cure nor prayers profit declares his prayers noe other then Charmes and himselfe a man that can neither cure nor pray and sets prayer among those things he scoffes at aswell as the Titles of him that is only to be prayed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the KINGS Calling this last PARLIAMENT THat which the King lajes downe as his foundation that he called this last Parliament not more by others advice and the necessitie of his affaires then by his owne choice and inclination is to all knowing men so apparently vntrue that a more inauspicious Sentence could hardly have come into his minde That his Majest intention could be apparent to all knowing men must have better Authoritie then this Authors word to be beleived His Majest best knew his own intentions and ought to be credited against the Malicious conjectures of such as seeke matter of slander against him to shelter their owne impieties never King of England shewed greater affection to Parliaments then his Majest and never King found greater ingratitude His frequent coming to Parliaments in his Fathers Raigne His many good offices done the houses and the larg acknowledgments of their obligations to him are vpon the Records of both houses Vpon the death of his Father he instantly called a Parliament seeking to continue the same vnderstanding betweene him and his houses as there had been in the time of his Father He had then entred into a dangerous warr with Spaine vpon the Parliaments Councell was in preparation of a greate fleete stood charged with a greate debt left on him by his Father besides
Bell the Dragon But he gives a reason why the King would speake sense for he thought sayes he Freedome to high a word for them and moderation toe meane for himselfe and he concludes this was not the way to prevent misvnderstanding It s sure this man tooke the way to make misvnderstandings that would have Freedome applyed to the people what ever the subject be that is spoken of and its like he would be well pleased that they had Freedome from law prosperitie loyaltie and obedience which might be as well spoken as the sense he hath framed to prevent mis-vnderstandings He sayes the King still feared passion and prejudice in other men not in himselfe and doubted not by the weight of his owne reason to counterpoise any faction it being so easie for him and so frequent to call his obstinacie reason and other mens reason faction He had greate reason to feare passion and prejudice in others which he had so often tryed and which they that then feared not have since found true and the concessions the King purposed and performed might make him confident to counterpoyse any faction but the libeller will have it beleived that he which graunted more then any of his Predecessours was obstinate and they that demaunded what former Parliaments thought vnreasonable and impious had reason But the King was deceived that had to doe with Monsters not reasonable men We in the meane while must beleive that wisedome and all reason came to him by Title with his Crowne Passion prejudice and faction to others by being subjects Kings have advantages above others for wisedome and reason they are assisted with diverse Councells and in publique affaires reason must be presumed in Kings and faction feared in subjects nature being averse to submit and interests and partialities incident to all greate Assemblyes and the detraction from the wisedome of Rulers in the Rebells foundation and a sure signe of corrupt intentions He was sorry to heare with what popular heate elections were carryed in many places To these words of the Kings he sayes sorry rather that Court letter and intimations prevailed no more to divert or to deterre the people from their free election of those men whome they thought best affected to Religion their Countryes libertie both at that time in danger to be lost They were in danger to be lost by a Trayterous conspiracie with an invading enemy but no other danger imaginable to any There was never lesse cause to complaine of Court letters and intimations nor ever greater mistakes of persons chosen the Countryes affections to Religion and libertie making way for the insinuations of Hypocriticall seducers and had the Countryes knowne the dispositions of the men they chose as their Actions have since discovered they would not have trusted them with their Religion and libertie which they have betrayed This Image breaker declaimes against the violence levitie of the people and heere calumniates his Majest for observing the popular heate whereby elections were carryed in some places it being a most knowne truth that popular heate is as frequent vpon such occasions as any other witnes the long annimosities between families and the greate contentions that arise from such Elections Among the many clamours in the late Parliament where malice was as busie as this Author is now to finde out Court letters to divert or deterre the people from free Elections there was not one instance produced of such letters or intimations How wickedly industrious many were to blow abroade jealosie suspition of the danger of Religion libertie how causelessely the people in many places were drawne into passion by vaine surmises is too well knowne and it is too late for the Image breaker to seeke to reduce the people into those misopinions which they have detected by too deare bought experience for they well see that there was no way so certaine to endanger Religion and libertie as they were seduced into vpon pretence to preserve them And such men they were as by the Kingdome were sent to advise him not sent to be Cavilled at because elected or to be entertained by him with an vndervalue and misprision of their temper judgment or affection Though such as were elected were not sent by the Kingdome but by the respective places one not intermedding with another yet if Iconoclastes had not been more forward to expresse his impotencie then warry in producing reason he would not have spokeÌ„ of being Cavilled at whereof he had not montioned the least colour and if he hold the persons of men elected so sacred the King faultie for not esteeming them as he ought what is the reason that he defends the Tumults that reproacht and assaulted them What is the reason he professes so much honour to those Masters that plucked them out of the house kicked them into prisons Kings send for their subjects to advise with them and Iconoclastes might finde by the Elections of members of the lower house that they were sent to doe consent to such things as should be ordained with the common Councell of the Kingdome and therefore mistakes their directions that sayes they were sent to advise him with what childish levitie doth he insult on his soveraigne for vndervaluing of the temper judgment or affection of persons chosen as if their Elections reâ—ned their natures sublimated their tempers as this mans Rebellion hath inflamed and besotted him In vaine was a Parliament thought fittest by the knowne lawes of our nation to advise and regulate vnruly Kings if they insteede of hearkning to advice should be permitted to turne it of and refuse it by vilifying and traducing their advisers or by accusing of a popular heate those that lawfully elected them If a Parliament were thought fittest by the knowne lawes of our Kingdome to regulate vnruly King it was certainly in vaine for such Kings as stories report mostirregular were least regulated by Parliaments but on the contrary the Parliaments concurd to their desires and in such extravagant Actions as were the greatest blemishes of their Government Iconoclastes doth well to make a supposition of knowne lawes for he knowes not any that thought his supposition true for the knowne lawes will not suppose an vnruly King and therefore cannot thinke of a way to regulate what they will not suppose but were it supposed that a Parliament were the fittest way toregulate vnruly Kings doth it follow that there wil be no heate in elections nor noe misadvice in persons elected Must the King take all for truth and reason that any of these advisers will tell him Or is a Major part of them so infallible as the whole Kingdome must stand or perish by the advantage of a few voyces perhaps one onely But this breaker hath broken out into this vnnaturall heate vpon the alone mention of heate in Elections a matter not only of possibilitie but knowne truth His owne his Childrens interest oblidged him to seeke
commō counsel of Presbiters whē these schismes began and when things were soe governed were there not Apostles in the Church and superiour to Presbiters St. Ierome affirmes that Bishopps rather by custome then ordainement of Christ were exalted above Presbiters St Ierome speakes of priviledges given to Bishopps above Presbiters by custome but he affirmes the power of ordination belonging to them and not to Presbiters Though St. Ierome make a difference betwixt the ordainment of Christ and the practice of the Apostles neither he nor any good Christian ever questioned the lawfullnes authoritie of such Custome of the Church in the times of the Apostles and this man that in this very Chapter said the King produced noe Scripture and that antiquitie was not of weight against it now gravely determines that interpretation of St. Ierome in his sense shal be received before intricate◠stuffe tatled out of Timothy and Titus Thus this prophane hipocrite prostitutes Scripture where it contradicts their practises and St. Ierome shal be preferred before Scripture if he seeme to favour their sense and vilified beneath Esops falles if he dissent from them If it be farr beyound Court Element what is said by his Majest it is not above his owne the proper Element of this breaker is prophanes and impudence and heere againe he importunately obtrudes the Kings letter to the Pope which he makes a cheife support of his Trayterous pretences but the authoritie of a gazet out of which he quotes it is too meane to rayse a scandall vpon a Prince in the judgment of any reasonable men and this man well knowes the fraude in publishing that false Copie of the Kings letter which he willfully passes by and the satisfaction which the King gave the Parliament and whole Kingdome vpon his returne out of Spaine the dissolving of those Treaties which occasioned that letter must stopp the mouth of all detractours to offer it as an argument of his Majest inclination to the Roman Religion The Libeller answeares his Majest argument to prove his sufferings out of conscience not Policie because his losses were more considerable then episcopacy with objecting hardning and blindnes being himselfe hardned to oppose all light of truth and shut his eyes against the cleerest demonstrations Where hath more faction and confusion ever been bredd then vnder the imparitie of his owne Monarchicall Government The king pretended not any Government could absolutely shut out faction but we may be sure those factions are most dangerous to all Governments whose principles are destructive to it and these factions were not bredd in the constitution of Monarchy but among the Enemies af it and the envious man sowed his tares while men slept and as he will not stand powling of the reformed Churches to know their numbers soe he wil hand over head affirme that the farr greater part in his Majest three kingdomes desired what they have now done to throw downe Episcopacie which hath as litle weight as truth the reformed Churches are not vilified one by another though each maintaine their severall formes of Government and his Majest is farr from vilifying those Churches but the Libeller vilifies himselfe and them that scoffs at their Arch presbitery classicall and Diocesine Presbitery and their Priest-led herodians blinde guides None but Lutherans retained Bishopps and therein convinces himselfe of his often repeated vntruths that all the reformed Churches rejected Episcopacy for the Novations Montanists having noe other Bishopps then such as were in every village is another of his falsities in adding the word every and it doth not prove that these heretickes had not Bishopps and Presbiters which Christians may have though they live in Caves and deserts and its evident in story those heretickes had Bishopps That the Aerians were condemned for heretickes the Libeler well knowes and the King naming them soe meddles not with their particular heresies and it is too obscure to be seene that the King fastens that opinion touching Bishopps and Presbiters for their heresie Though the Clergie ought to minister the gospell if the people supply them not yet such temutie and contempt quickely becomes a Carkase indeede The Sectaries that place their greatenes in being the ringleaders of faction turne all Religion into a fantasme and knowing they could never by any judicious choise obtaine preferment in the Church professe the dislike of them and seeke their fortunes in seducing the multitude It s easily beleived that wealth may breede vices in the Clergie as well as others but must they therefore be made poore and others rich by the robbery of them the Kings choise of Bishopps will convince the clamours of the Schismatickes and gives just cause to expect the evill consequences the King foretells of their removall That the function of Bishopps and Presbiters was not tyed to place though the exercise of it was by Ecclesiasticall constitution he hath been already told and that it was necessary the Apostolique power for the Government of the Church must descend to Bishopps there being noe others that ever pretended to it How the Church florisht vnder Episcopacie the extent of the Christian Religion over soe greate a part of the world doth sufficiently testifie the corruption of many in that order doth not take away the benifitt of it which acrewed vnto the Church by the labours of others and all ages have recorded persons of greate learning and holines of life in that order He talkes againe of the Kings Coronation oath to give vs such lawes as our selves should chuse when he knoweth that the clause which he pretends to be in that oath imports noe such thing nor was that oath wherein the clause in pretended ever ministred to the King nor diverse other Kings nor ordeined to be soe In likelihood they were neerer amendment that sought a stricter forme of Church discipline then that of Episcopacie But they that sought to remove Episcopacy would have the Church discipline in their owne hands that it might be loose and in likelyhood they would not be strict to themselves his boasting of what the Scotts could worke by power shewes that he regards nothing right but power and soe he can prevayle despises all Justice and conscience Vpon the VXBRIDGE TREATIE THat men may treate like beasts aswell as fight noe way opposes his Majest Aphorisme which affirmes Treaties a retiring from fighting like beasts to agreeing like men Treaties being managed only by the vse of reason fighting by force and his Majest spake of the nature of Treaties not the abuses of men in them and though some fighting may be manlike yet the Act is common to beasts rationall Treaties cannot The Kings march and fight at Brainford the Libeller would make a thirst of warr though in the rigour of Marshall law it might have been excused in a naturall Enemy that makes a trade of warr And may as justly be defended in the King whome that faction which proferred a Treatie to him at Cole-brooke intended to