Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	high_a	king_n	lord_n	3,684	5	3.7870	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62103	A vindication of King Charles: or, A loyal subjects duty Manifested in vindicating his soveraigne from those aspersions cast upon him by certaine persons, in a scandalous libel, entituled, The Kings cabinet opened: and published (as they say) by authority of Parliament. Whereunto is added, a true parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our soveraign, in divers particulars, &c. By Edw: Symmons, a minister, not of the late confused new, but of the ancient, orderly, and true Church of England.	Symmons, Edward.; Symmons, Edward. True parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraign, in divers particulars.	1648 (1648)	Wing S6350A; ESTC R204509	281,464	363

upon you Moses and Aaron cryed those Grand Rebells when themselves onely did so And one who had sold himselfe to work wickednesse layed it to the charge of good Elias that he troubled Israel because his guilty Conscience told him that the Prophet and all other honest men beside had cause to accuse him for so doing and this is the very case of these men who as we see have done nothing in this particular without President and example though we confesse in respect of the Circumstances these men are more bitterly scornfull then ever any were that we read of in Scripture or elsewhere It was bitterly done of the Philistimes when they had weakned Sampson and brought him into an afflicted condition to mock and scorne at him in his misery yet they did not in those their mocks charge him with scorning them And the Persecutors of our Saviour did deal bitterly with him when in derision they Crown'd him with Thornes put a Reed into his hand in stead of a Scepter called him King bowed the knee to Him and then advanced him upon a Crosse instead of a Throne yet they did not at that time in their scoffing and flouting expressions say that His Crosse was the Chair of the Scornfull and that he being fastened to that did sit in the Scorners seat and scorne at them But these men are pleased even thus to deale with their King and Soveraigne as all the world may see by their Language so that the King hath cause to complain in the words of the Psalme Our soule is exceedingly filled with the scornings of them that be at ease and with the contempt of the proud And we his Subjects will pray in his behalfe as the Psalmist in another place Let the lying lips be put to silence O Lord which thus cruelly thus disdainfully and thus despightfully speake against the Righteous And we are confident as the Wiseman sayes that the High and Holy God scorneth at these scorners and hath prepared heavy judgements for them SECT VI. First of the Kings Errour in following evill Councellours and who they were His Majesty scorn'd at by the Libellers for his tendernesse of Conscience and hopes in Gods Justice 2. The folly and falshood of the Libellers Charge against Strafford and Canterbury 3. The Enemies acquit the King of having a voluntary hand in Straffords death 4. They hint the right Reason of his withdrawing from Westminster THe next particular which these honest and good men as they would be accounted doe charge their King withall is that He hath walked in the Councells of the ungodly to the ruine almost of three Kingdomes Indeed it cannot be denyed the King hath been exceeding unhappy in his Councellours and himselfe doth intimate that his walking after their advise hath been a main cause of Gods judgment upon this Kingdome His words to this purpose are these Paper 22. Nothing can be more Evident then that Straffords Innocent bloud hath been one of the great causes of Gods Judgement upon this Nation by a furious Civill Warre both sides being hitherto almost equally punished as being in a manner equally guilty but now this last crying bloud being totally theirs I beleeve it is no presumption hereafter to hope that his hand of Justice must be heavier upon them and lighter upon us looking now upon our Cause having passed by our faults This Christian and pious ackowledgement of the King these men scoff at in their Notes upon it and deride at that remorse of Conscience which his Majesty discovers for his permitting the shedding of Straffords bloud He left him say they to the Block against Conscience as is now alleadged and again Remorse of Conscience suggesteth to the King c. Yea and they doe seem to glory in what themselves did do to the spilling of it and to rejoyce that none but themselves had a hand in the death of Canterbury Yea and further how slightfully if not scoffingly doe they speak of the Kings mentioning Gods Hand of Justice in the businesse Their words are these Pag. 49. The King in his Letter of Jan. 14. takes it as evident that Straffords innocent bloud has brought the Judgement of this Civill warre equally upon both sides both being equally guilty thereof His meaning is that he and his side was as guilty in permitting as the Parliament was in prosecuting But now for Canterburies bloud that being totally put upon the Parliaments score he doubts not but the Hand of Justice will from henceforth totally lay the weight of this guilt upon the Parliaments side Yet the Kings words are I beleeve it is no presumption hereafter to hope that his hand of Justice must be heavier upon them Considering the time when this their scornfull Comment upon the Kings expressions came forth viz. immediately after their Victory at Nazeby field by their Victorious Sir Thomas Fairfax for so they call him we understand their sence to be this The King talks of Gods Hand of Justice and doubts not but the same will from the time of Canterburies death lay the weight of the guilt of bloud totally upon our side Victorious Sir Thomas Fairfax hath answered him sufficiently in that particular and declared to the world what his hopes in Gods Justice are come to well let him please himselfe still in those fancies so long as we have the ●●nd of Victorius Sir Thomas Fairfax on our side we will give him leave to flatter himself in that Hand of Justice he speaks of c. And yet let these scoffers of these last times that say Where is the promise of his comming for since the father fell a sleepe all things continue as succesfull as they did before let them I say know that Gods Justice may awaken soon enough to their Confusion Quod defertur non aufertur the longer the blow is in comming the heavier will its fall be Fortuna belli semper ancipiti in loco est the day of the Lord will come suddenly upon them as a thief in the night Quos dies vidit veniens superbos hos dies vidit fugiens jacentes But they go on in that place and inform us who those ungodly ones were whose Councell in this other place they say the King has followed to the ruine almost of three Kingdomes Their words are these The truth is Strafford and Canterbury were the chief firebrands of this war the two ill Councellours that chiefly incensed the King against the Scots and endeavoured to subject all the three Kingdomes to a new Arbitrary Government and are now justly executed for attempting the subversion of that Law which the King has perfected since Because dead folkes cannot speak for themselves and because it is so Voted therefore Strafford and Canterbury were the chief fire-brands of this war and so for truth it must be taken though one of them was quite extinct a year before this war begun and the other kept by his

soon after they tell us the King sent them a message to state the differences between them on both sides promising that when they shall be digested into a body fit to be judged of it shall appeare what He will do In this sure the King was in a great errour thus to send to them about composing differences when their intended work was to make and widen them rather wherefore wholly neglecting that particular The House of Commons say they the Lords refusing to joyne did onely in Answer thereto requi●e the Tower of London to be at their disposing and withall for the King ever saved as little by delaying to grant their first demands as by yeelding to them they require now that the Militia of the whole Kingdome be put into such hands as they should recommend to which the King makes a reply which is also to be reckoned among the rest of his faults in these words as themselves testifie That the Militia by Law is subject to no Command but His owne which He will reserve to Himself as a principall and inseparable Flower of His Crowne and professes to take care of peace and the rights of the Subject equally with His life or the lives of His dearest Children He further also conjures them by all Acts of Duty and favour received by hopes of future mutuall happinesse by their love of Religion the Peace both of this Kingdome and Ireland not to be transported with feares and jealousies Surely here was enough from the mouth and hand of a Religious King to have prevailed with any that had not before entred into a Covenant with Hell But say these men the Parliament could not because they would not beleeve themselves secured by these professions and asseverations and the King would not because He could not understand that the setling the Militia at this time in confiding Hands to prevent Civill War was any other then the taking the Crown from his Head Hinc illa Lacrymae say they So they are resolved it seemes at the very first to raise a Civill War unlesse the King would beleeve that he might put more confidence in other men then in himselfe and that he might maintain his Crown and dignity without having any Command over the Militia Well yet notwithstanding all these affronts put upon His Majesties faithfulnesse and these contempts of His gratious Asseverations The King say these men neverthelesse persists to declare his abhorrence of the Irish Rebellion frequently inciting the Parliament to send succours which made them more averse thereto lest the King should please himself in thinking they regarded Him or his desires in any thing which indeed would have been a very Grand errour in him Then they relate How the King abjures any privity to plots and designes against the Laws and makes strict Proclamation for putting them in execution against Papists who were reported to be the plotters that so if possible He might give satisfaction But the Parliament being resolved do still pursue their own designe and as if it had been the onely Businesse for which the King by his Writ did call them together they still urge Him to settle the Militia upon them And as they remember us upon his refusall so to do thoughts of peace being laid aside they seazed upon the Towne of Hull His Magazine of Armes without his leave and held it out against Him and so taught him to seize upon New-Castle And now say they the Warre being thus far advanced yet it is not agreed which part was put to the Defensive and as it seemes to resolve this the 19 Propositions were dispatched to the King which indeed were the meanes of Light to thousands in this Kingdome of discovering the scope of their intentions namely to be to ruine the King and to bring him into a worse Condition then his meanest vassals Many men whereof my self was one did conceive from the grosnesse of them that they had been divulged by the speciall endeavo●rs of the Kings friends in the House for to discover to the world the unreasonablenesse of the then growing turbulent faction to the end that peoples spirits might be awakened to appear generally against the same in the defence of the Honour the Rights and Liberty of their Soveraign SECT XXV 1. Their Pretences of bringing Delinquents to punishment made a ground of the Warre The King acknowledged by his Enemies to be on the defensive part 2. His Majesties good opinion a long time of the Parliament objected as a fault against Him by themselves 3. The King makes no Warre against His Parliament Evidenced This Conspiracy of Traitours at Westminster no true Parliament fully proved The Conclusion of the Answer to the Libell BUt the maine thing in those 19. Propositions say these men were Reformation of Church-Government that power Military and Civill might be put into confiding Hands and that Justice of Parliament might passe upon Delinquents We grant they were for these three containe all the rest But here I must beg leave of the Reader to digresse a little to speake a word of this last particular having discussed at large of the two first already They had or have two Reasons for their requiring of the King that Justice of Parliament might passe upon Delinquents 1. To punish the Kings Errour in his requiring the Justice of Law against six of their Members it shall cost Him the Estates and lives of all his friends if they can bring it to passe that He may the better remember hereafter to do no more so His fault was so great and high in desiring that half a dozen of them might be tryed by Law that it cannot be expiated without His yeelding up many thousands of his friends yea of all that love him to be condemned without Law by bare Vote which they call Justice of Parliament from which Good Lord deliver us 2. To out-voice the Kings demand forementioned for if they should not shew zeal against sinne in calling themselves for punishment to be done upon Delinquents the world would think that the six Members whom they rescued from a legall triall which the King would have had them unto might be very faulty and that His Majesty had just reason to take Armes to bring both them and their abetters to it but to prevent this they by affirming they take up Weapons to bring Delinquents to punishment do avow the War to begin on their side and so leave the King to be Defender Although I must tell the world that this devise of bringing Delinquents to Punishment was resolved upon to be a chief ground of the Warre some certaine moneths after the War was begun I beleeve I could name the place and time when it was first taken into Consideration and upon what occasion and though I nominate not the Persons yet I may tell the story Upon a time diverse of the Members were met together at a certaine easie Lords House in the Kingdome who was also in his Country one

to discover Hypocrites that men might beware of them They are these 1. If the King can be gotten to settle the Militia in their hands all the Injustice and unlawfulnesse of the war on their side will be thereby cancelled and whatsoever they have done against him and his subjects will be Authorized as found and good their crafty seizing upon it at first and their violent use thereof since to the destruction of so many will go for worthy deeds and the King will be judged to have been much to blame in making any opposition against them and for his calling them Rebells His own Act will be the eating of those his own words and speake them to have been His most humble dutifull and obedient subjects all the while they fought against him yea and all they did in that kinde to have been done out of pure love to His Good and Glory and for the benefit of Church and Common-wealth And then too if withall the King shall but confer some new Titles of Honour upon their Chieftaines as when time was he did upon Lesley for this they expect and intend to demand too then they shall appeare White all over and who will dare to say to the contrary and full as good subjects almost as their Brethren the Scots That is one Reason 2. If they can get the King to settle in their Hands that depositum of Power and Authority which God hath intrusted in His they shall bring him as they desire into their own condition and make him such a one to God as themselves have been and are to him whereby Gods displeasure may be so far kindled against him that he may permit them having all the power in their hands to bring their endeavours fully to passe in destroying Him and His posterity and then the world shall be taught to beleeve that Heaven hath punished him for such His sin and confirmed with its blessing all their sayings and doings against him that God was of their minde all the while as now by the success is most apparent Honesta quaedam scelera successus facit saies Seneca the highest Villanies if succesfull shall be accounted vertues and these men care not to obtain truths but opinions warrant 3. They desire the Militia may be settled in their hands quia omnis in ferro salus est their whole safety consists therein it is the Nurse of their wealth and the sole Anchor of their security for O si pateant pectora virûm quantos intus sublimis agit fortuna metus what great feares have these mens High fortunes created in their Bosomes could we but view their insides They dare neither trust the King nor yet the Countrey that trusted them for should the strength be in any hands but their own they might be called to an account for all their doings the Law might be in force again and Justice suffered to shew her face Treason should sit no longer in the seat of Religion Truth might appear above-board and Peace be restored unto the Nation and Order might come again into fashion Yea had the King His power again He might call a Parliament a true Parliament a free Parliament which is a thing that they quake to think on for then like a Company of poore Hope-losts they should stand below and look up to that place of Honour where erst they sat and have so much abused and who in their condition can indure this Nemo Hercule nemo No mervail therefore if they desire to hold fast the Militia in their own hands 4. Should they part with it they should not onely degrade themselves of their present Honour and disarme themselves of safety but of their wealth and riches too for all is now at their Command the Lands Estates the goods and Fortunes of all their Country-men which the Militia of the Kingdome hath invested them with a right in and possession must be maintainted by the same meanes as obtained But should the Militia return into the Hands of the right owner Honest men would enjoy their own as before and they who are now so Gay would remaine stark Naked like Jack-daw in the fable when every bird had re-assumed her own feathers And then further too their pleasures would also cease that sweetnesse they feel in shedding of bloud would be no more which very want would be as bad as death unto them their Natures are now so accustomed unto it In a word as Amos speakes they have gotten them Hornes by their own strength or sleight and the Hornes are the defence of the Head the Militia are these Hornes and should they part with that they fear they should not keep their Heads long after and therefore great reason they have rather to desire the settlement of it for ever in their own Hands But with their favour what reason hath the King to trust them that will not trust Him them with His weapons upon that experience He hath had of their love and kindnesse Who will not trust Him with His own Can it be imagined that they will imploy them otherwise then they have done considering what their delights are Nay may it not be expected that they will make Him the Author of all their Evill which from thenceforth they shall doe when by His consent the power is once settled in their goods Hands Surely they that used His name to the raising of so many men against Himself to the killing of so many of His Subjects when He openly opposed them will not scruple to doe all their mischeif under His Name and Authority when they have so faire a pretence for it Nay should the King doe in this as they would have Him may not the Just and Holy God account Him a partaker with them in Evill His Majesty by His own pious confession hath smarted under the Hand of God for His consenting though doubtlesse against His will to the shedding of Straffords innocent Bloud and should He againe after His Humiliation for that by a new consent make Himself guilty of many more Blouds the continued Anger of the Almighty might be too heavy a burden for Him to beare No doubt but they are and will be the more importunate for His consent now because they see His heart hath smot Him for His consent then for how ever it was blattered much at the beginning by those of their faction against forcing of tender Consciences yet verily we beleeve there were never men that delighted more in offering violence to the Soules and Consciences of the righteous then themselves do wherefore should His Majesty yeild to them in this particular it would be in singultum cordis a corrasive to His Heart for ever and therein a glory unto them and also it would argue too great a distrust in Gods defence of Him and be a mean to delay Gods punishment from falling upon the heads of these lofty Rebells And besides all this His Majesty hereby shall give way to the settling

generall which was took at the beginning of the Parliament to defend the Kings life and Honour that is to be understood only so long as the Kingly and Supreame power remained in him but that being once removed the Pretestation bindes us no longer to regard His Person and Honour but the Persons and Honours of them only in whom the said Supremacy is now seated And therefore all the world knows that the Parliament or great Councell never raised War against the King never suffered any to take away His Name Honour or to seize upon His revenews so long as the Supream power was in Him for that had been rank Rebellion in them indeed but now since themselves were invested in the same they set to their businesse as lawfully they may to establish the Kingdom upon themselves and their successours First by putting forth their Remonstrance against the King to loosen all the bands of ancient Loyalty and then by seizing upon the Militia of the Kingdome the Forts Castles Ships and Townes as their proper Rights and all the Kings Goods and Houses as being now in regard of their Supremacy solely at their disposing and then too after all this they thought fit in wisdome to Vote the King to be one that intends the ruine of three Kingdomes that abhors His Great Councell which speakes nothing but Safety and Honour to Him Yea and in very deed He doth Envy those worthies that Honour strength rule and dignity which now by Gods Providence is so happily cast upon them even as Richard the Third did grutch at those two innocent Princes whose by right the Kingdome was and thereupon did murder them to get the Scepter into His own Hands and the Crown upon His own Head So this man aymes at the destruction of the most blessed Parliament whose the Kingdome now by right is and in whose Hand all Power and Authority is lodged and fastned and there like to remain so long as a drop of bloud is left in the veines of English-men who shall fight for them to maintain it therefore let all men remember Richard the Third what peace the Land had after long Wars when he was once killed and let them expect the same now if this Man who is worse then He could be taken away And no man need scruple to do it for the Supreame Authority now above-board doth allow it and that is able to make sin no sin when it listeth that hath declared him to speake destruction to the Kingdomes to abhorre the Parliament and never any English King did so but he spake Destruction to himself thereby therefore let him have it we dare boldly say and assure that safety and Honour is not his portion but destruction from the Lord is appointed to him the Parliament so judgeth and blessed shall he be that shal divide it out unto him And thus all scruples of Consciences are removed I have been the larger in opening the meanings of these men that I might withall express the ground of their uncouth opinions and let no good people who have a Charitable conceit of them think that I stretch their words beyond their intentions I would not force any mans faith beyond his judgement much lesse against the same wherefore let these few following particulars be considered upon and I beleeve it will be evident to every reasonable man that I have spoken nothing but the reall desires of their hearts and spirits 1. Consider the Nature of the Crimes which most maliciously and falsly they lay to the Kings Charge that He hath neglected His office Forsaken His place that He Abhorreth the Parliament Walks onely in the Councell of the ungodly that he seeks the Destruction of three Kingdomes and is ascended to the highest pitch and throne of wickedness The seat of the scornfull and there hath Bound himselfe to sit and continue what is all this in effect but Away with him from the Earth 't is not fitting he should live 2. Consider of some of their Tenents which to this purpose they have been a buzzing a long while and whispering into the mindes of people viz. That the King is but onely for the peoples good He is but their Bayliff their Servant and that the Parliament without him is above him may wage war against him may depose him and turn him out of his Office if he be not for their turn that they can give Commission to any to apprehend yea to kill him if He doth oppose them that evill may be done to further the Publik good and in respect of the end aymed at it is not to be accounted evill and many such like Tenents they have which let any man consider of together with their accusations of him as also what they have done against him and then say whether all this doth not signifie that they would gladly be rid of him if any would take upon them but to kill him 3. Consider what high Holinesse Wisdome Justice care of the Kingdome is affirmed abroad and taught to be in them who take upon them the name of the great Councell or Parliament at Westminster How infallible they are preached to be in their judgements how unerring in their Votes and Censures when in Consultation together though perhaps as particular men they may chance to Erre sometimes for 't is confessed all men are subject to Errour yet when they are in Cathedris in their seats as Parliament men they are all as infallible as the Pope and have a power as well as he to do what they please to make Evil Good and Good Evil to make Rebellion and Treason to be Duty and Loyalty and Duty and Loyalty to be Rebellion and Treason to Vote Sacriledge Murder and Theft to be no sins Killing Slaying and Destroying to be acts of zeale and Christian Duty Yea what ever they shall authorize with approbation as they have done this Libel must be received without scruple and haesitation as pious and godly though as full of Blasphemy as this same is Nay what man living will not conceive but they who have Authorized this book against the King will also warrant any man to kill him to prevent his Capacity of punishing them hereafter for it and whosoever beleeves it was no sin in them to Authorize the one will not think it a sin in them to warrant the other 4. Consider how since that Act of Continuation of the Parliament they have plainly denyed the Supreame power to be in the King and affirme the same to be in themselves how they have suppressed the ancient Oath of Allegeance and Supremacy and disclaimed them both and have in the place of them framed a new Oath and Covenant which they have put upon the Subjects of this Kingdome to sweare adherence and allegiance to themselves how they have made a New great Seal as if the old one with the King were of no longer use How they have seized upon all the Royalties of the Crown and upon all the Kings

them he was surely in that his Tartarean Extasie which his brother John Goodwin affirmes him to be sometimes in and then sayes he he speaks the Dialect of Dragons And by the way that the world may the better know him let but the Testimony be remembred which the said learned brother of his gives publickly of him Since the mountains saith he were brought forth and setled it may probably be thought that there was never any son of Adam whose pen made a broader digression from that Christian brotherly way which himself speaks of then his own for look as low as the earth is beneath the Heavens so far is Mr. Prins way of dealing with his friends beneath that which is Christian and brotherly and if so we cannot suppose him to deale better with those whom he accounteth his enemies He can spie Beares and Tigres Lyons and Dragons where other men can see nothing but Doves and Sheep and hath eyes given him to condemn all the world beside of blindnesse this is the very Testimony which John Goodwin one of the Parliament Ministers giveth to the world of William Prin and He professeth solemnly withall that himself can hardly refrain from taking a solemn Vow and protestation in the sight of God Angels and men to have no more to doe with him either in word or deed untill He turnes Christian But as I said before I leave him to the torture of his own Conscience as well as to John Goodwins censure and return to my proper business I remember the fore-named Sir Edwin Sands in his fore-mentioned discourse tells us that when he writ the said book which is above 50. years ago the Papists in their hatred against the Church of England did give out that they had a Booke in hand of the lives of the Ministers of England viz. of defamation against them if that Booke be not yet out as for ought I know it is not for want of matter perhaps to make up or strength to bring forth they may now spare themselves the labour for John White and William Prin by strong Authority have done the work for them and with as perfect spight and vilenesse as the worst of them could possibly have done it I wish with my soule that dissolute and corrupt Ministers upon sufficient testimony of their guilt had in a d●e and orderly way received exemplary punishment to expiate the scandall and reproach which by their meanes hath been cast upon our Holy Office and function but undoubtedly the course which Prin and White have taken and which these Abolishers of Bishops have countenanced them in is most base and beggerly and altogether unworthy ingenuous and true Noble spirits Sure had their delights been to have soared on high in the pure and candid paths of verity they would have disdained in that sort to have raked in the puddles of obscenity but in that to their basenesse of discoveryes they have added Injustice too and suffered Malice to prefer Spight to increase and Slander to taint all that was done in this nature they have deservedly purchased to themselves a place with the grand Calumniatour himself whose title is The ●●cuser of the Brethren And thus we have seen what their grand pretences are for their Abolition of Episcopacy now we shall note their true reasons which are these some say 1. Because Episcopall Government confines people as Gods word doth to the Bonds of Wedlock and punisheth those that vitiate themselves in forbidden pathes by ordering them to stand in a White sheet or to pay a good sum of money for a Commutation Yea some persons of place and note in the world who think it no shame to commit folly but to be reproved for it are liable to suffer rebuke and so disgrace as they take it for their wantonnesse if Bishops continue still Honourable and in esteem amongst us for the outward dignity of the reprover adds much vigour to the reproof with some men Wherefore that people might be free and enjoy their Liberty without check or Controule the Persons of Bishops must be vili●ied their Estates and revenews taken away from them and their Jurisdiction from henceforth quite abolished Indeed it makes all modest men blush to hear what Harlottry and filthiness is voiced to be practiced and countenanced even by them that would be esteemed the Reformers of our Church and Nation since the Courts which punished that sin have been suppressed notwithstanding Gods heavy judgements upon the Nation ever since nor must men now speak their minds freely for feare of being accounted disaffected persons Enemies to the State and to the Priviledges of Parliament But as Saint Paul said in his time to the Corinthians so I must say for I am Gods Minister to those above board in these dayes I hear there is such f●●nication committed and such filthyness suffered to goe unpunished amongst you as is not to be named among Saints much less to be connived at by them that would be esteemed members of the High and Supreame Court of Justice It was not thus when Episcopacy was in force nor when Bishops had their place in Parliament O might there but come forth an Ordinance to warrant and encourage all men to bring in Complaints against Bawds Panders and Harlots with their abetters and maintainers as there was once to invite all that would to bring in accusations against Gods Ministers the world might haply see or heare some new Centuryes of ill livers yea and proofs too into the bargain Yea perhaps they might hear how some unworthy Members have attempted to ravish and defloure Ladies of Honour and no punishment inflicted for the same How some others neglected their own wives have kept divers lewd women yea and allow yearely pensions to filthy Bawds to furnish them with such Commodities for the satisfying their brutish lusts and base appetites How some have defloured young Virgins whose Parents in respect of their abused Children are unwilling to publish their dishonour to the world How some having committed this vile wickedness with young Gentle-women have used or advised to meanes to hinder conception yea and to destroy the fruit in the wombe when conceived which I beleeve in the sight of God is no lesse then rank murder How some having undone Gentlemen of good quality by taking away their estates have taken advantage of the poverty of their Children and allured their daughters personable and proper women unto their own basenesse to the losse of their Honours and precicious Soules for ever and to continue in these courses without controule is thought by many to be one of the chief designes which divers of these new reformers ayme at I say these and many such like things might haply be evinenced to some mens shame if they have any left in them might but as free leave and Countenance be granted to impeach such persons as was once to accuse Gods Ministers Well some men imagine this to be one

they And thus may we say of them they were once a true Parliament at their first constitution and meeting but now they swarm so much in evils are guilty of acting and authorizing so much wickednesse that they have plainly un-Parliamented themselves and are become no true Parliament but even the Throne and Synagogue of Satan Besides a true and compleat Parliament as every one knows consists of Head and Members of King and People and as a man without an Head is no true man so a Parliament without the King is no true Parliament Indeed if the King should come to Westminster and sit amongst them and they behave themselves towards him yet at last as becometh Christians and Members of that Honourable Court I know no reason but they may by the Kings mercy and favour recover again that truly honourable Name and Title Though some affirm when both the Speakers fled from them in regard of these late tumults that according to Law the Parliament was dissolved The true Parliament they say ran away and that which now remaineth is an Adulterous Parliament a very Junto and there must of necessity be a new Writ from the King to the making of a true Parliament But I leave that to be argued by the Lawyers My observation only shall be of Gods Hand in that businesse First that themselves were driven away from the Houses in the same manner as by their procurement the King and His friends were formerly Secondly that the Almighty by his permissive Providence hath exposed them who thought and called themselves a perpetuall Parliament to be denied to be any Parliament at all by their own Adorers and to become a publick scorn and derision by the means or assistance of those that had so many years together paid their devotions to them Let all the world admire Gods wisdom And let all that fear the Lord praise his holy Name And thus all may see whither I have brought these men or rather more properly whither they have brought themselves by this their impertinent and peremptory question How can the King deny us the name of a Parliament They are proved to be no true Parliament by the witnesse of Jesus Christ who is Truth it self by the testimony of S. Paul in a like case by the judgment of all Reformed Churches in Christendome and by the evidence of their own dear selves and faction in their way of opposition unto other parties Wherefore stil may His Majesty in truth and with a good Conscience say as He did at first We again in the presence of Almighty God Our Maker and Redeemer assure the world We have no more thought of making War against Our Parliament then against Our own Children And He may desire stil no longer to enjoy the Protection of Almighty God upon Himself and His Posterity then He and They shal solemnly observe the Laws in defence of Parliaments for as yet He hath done nothing against His high Court of Parliament nor ever wil He for according to His owne acknowledgment He and that are like Hypocrates twins they wil live and die together And let them not die but live O Lord our God Let the King live that Parliaments may not die save thou Him that this Kingdome may still be blessed with them and in thy pitty to this poor Nation break thou in pieces this confederacy of rebellious men who do so earnestly endevour the destruction of both Put thou a period to this false Parliament which they resolve shal be perpetual in despight of Thee O God and of thine Anointed that we may have the benefit of a true one for the mending up of those great breaches which have been made by these Conspirators upon our Religion our Laws and natural Liberties yea and upon our high Court of Parliament it self This grant O thou mighty Majesty of Heaven an Earth for thine own Honour and Justice sake and for the sake of Christ our Saviour Amen A TRUE PARALLEL BETWIXT The Sufferings of our SAVIOUR and our SOVERAIGN in divers particulars TOGETHER WITH 1. A Brotherly Discourse to the Seduced and Oppressed Commons 2. A Ministeriall Admonition to the Troublers of our Israel 3. A Consolatory Speech to the Truly Loyall-Hearted And A Post-script to the Reader There is also prefixed in this Edition a Preface unto the Parallel to give satisfaction to those who took some offence at it By the Author Printed in the Yeere 1648. TO THE READERS Readers I Thought it requisite in this new Edition to prefix a few words to this following Parallel because I understand that some few persons through inadvertencie have taken offence thereat and affirmed of me that out of my zeale to flatter the King I had blasphemed Christ in comparing them thus together Yea some of them upon their bare view of those words in the Title A Parallel between the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraigne have presently shot their bolt as men byassed with ignorance and prejudice use to doe and rejected the whole Book as unworthy their further inspection Now though the ready and friendly acceptance which the same hath found with the Church and people of God doth speake me cleare in the opinions of most so that I need not say any thing to vindicate my selfe from the inconsiderate censure of these few yet because Soules are precious things and I am forbidden as a Brother to suffer sin to rest upon any and commanded as a Minister to instruct with meeknesse them that oppose or are contrary minded therefore I must not slightly and with contempt of them passe by their errour as they doe my Booke but will speak somewhat for their satisfaction or better information in the thing which they take offence at The two crimes which at one breath I am charged withall are Blasphemy and Flattery Concerning the first may my Accusers please to know That I understand not the word Parallel as Mathematicians doe though perhaps if I did I should not in the judgement of learned me● transgresse much for with them a Parallel is a Parallel be it at as great a distance as betwixt Heaven and Earth but I intend it not in so exact and strict a sense I take it onely in its ordinary acceptance as t is commonly used amongst us viz. for a similitude a likenesse or a resemblance May they also please to consider that the persons betwixt whom the Parallel is made are Christus Dominus Christus Domini our Saviour and our Soveraigne T is true as they object the one is the Eternall Son of GOD and the other a Mortall man yet Christ was Man too and as Man He suffered He was in all Miseries like unto us and therefore sure He cannot Blaspheme that sayes another may in miseries be like to Him Nay every true Christian must hold Parallel with Him the Captaine of our Salvation in such things and be conformable to Him in some measure and degree 't is

through their own easinesse they had been perswaded into such bondage under such Masters as did nothing but pill and oppresse them and would afford no justice or remedy unto them upon their complainings Nay and yet this was but the least part of their punishment the worst is behind vers 13. Therefore sayes the Lord viz. because they willingly walked after the Commandement or were so easily perswaded to take a wicked Covenant I will be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the House of Judah as rottennesse i. e. my Curse shall consume them and their Families as a moth doth a Garment or as rottennesse doth a thing that is already putrified Consider I say whether this may not in some sort concerne you and if you think it may I beseech you deare Countreymen renounce speedily that sinfull Oath which you have too unadvisedly taken least as oppression hath already overwhelmed you so the moth and rottennesse from the Lord doe also seaze upon you Say not you a Confederacy any longer with them that have confederated against your Church and King neither feare you their feare God is yet gracious and will pardon what is past if you repent therefore let him only be your feare let him be your dread And your King also is gracious ready upon your return to Loyalty like the Prodigals Father to remit your unkindnesse and to receive you with gladnesse let him also be the object of your Reverence and let the desires of your soules be to rejoyce his spirit now after this time wherein you have so sadded and afflicted him that so at last yet he may give up his account with joy which will surely be most for your profit And now for those your Teachers who have seduced you both from Gods blessing the warm Sun too of outward prosperitie which did so comfortably shine upon you undoubtedly they were Satans Ministers in Angels shapes as once he made use of Peters tongue to tempt our Saviour so now he hath of theirs to deceive you and observe them well their gilt ere long will fall off and their good report will die before them And deare Countrey-men let me not be thought to boast overmuch if after S. Paul's manner I compare my selfe with them to your cogitations and opinions Are those your Preachers Englishmen so am I are they Protestants at least in your esteem so am I are they Ministers of Christ think you know this that by the favour and grace of God so am I and perhaps may say that through divine assistance I have given as true a proof of my Ministery among some that know mee as they have done I have been in labours as aboundant and in reproaches for Christs sake more in prison as frequent in dangers of death as often in as many perils by Robbers by mine own Countreymen by false brethren as the best of them And therefore I hope I may obtaine credit with you as well as they I tender your salvation I dare confidently say for Christ my Masters sake as truly as they do I have no design at all of mine own upon you to get your moneys or ought you have I aime only God is my witnesse to free you from the snare wherein you are intangled I am a stranger to you and so am content to be untill the great day when we shall all meet before the great Judge to have our hearts opened and our works manifested And I doe beseech you God knowes I write this with teares and begge of you even in the bowels of our Saviour and for the sake of those your precious soules which he purchased with his dearest bloud that you would but be advised to consider seriously of what I have said unto you my prayer to the Almighty is and shall be that you may but accept of the same with a like heart and spirit as 't is propounded say but you Amen to this my petition and we shall be againe of one mind and judgement And O let us not let us not my deare Brethren thus continue fighting one with another or divided one from another for if we do we shall ere long be destroyed one by another but let us lay aside all malice against one another and all evill speaking one of another Sirs we are Brethren why should we strive and quarrell after this sort to the sport and scorn of all that dwell about us and to the obloquie and disgrace of our Holy Religion O let our contention I beseech you only be like that of the Vine and Olive which of us shall beare best fruits and not like that of the Bryer and Thistle which of us shall be most mischievous and unprofitable And so Countreymen I conclude my speech unto you with this Prayer for you Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Father of mercies forgive the people of this Land who have been seduced into this Rebellion against the King their sinnes committed in the same for they know not what they have done lay not the evill unto their charge but wink at their former ignorance and open their eyes now at length and henceforth to see their errour and blesse these considerations unto them to that end and purpose for Christ Jesus sake Amen And be you assured Sirs that not only my selfe but also many others whose bloud you have thirsted for whose Estates you have gaped after and whom divers of you have been wont to entitle with the odious names of Malignants Papists Devils and Dogges doe dailie pray to this purpose in your behalfe for we apprehending you to be in the same condition and state as S. Paul was in while he yet went breathing out threatnings against the Church of Christ doe thinke it our dutie to approve our selves such as he was when he prayed for the persecuting Israelites his Brethren according to the flesh that they might be saved we conceive of you as he did of them that you have a zeale though not according unto knowledge this our Religion teacheth us to doe and thus to think And so God be with you SECT XXVIII A faithfull and Ministeriall Admonition to the Troublers of our Israel scil the Factious Members of the pretended Parliament at Westminster who are Evidenced to be neither Patriots to their Country Wisemen nor good men Their Religion discovered to be nec una nec vera nec bona IN the next or second place I shall assume the boldnesse to speak a little unto you O you men of Westminster and I pray observe my words if Providence shall please to bring this my Book unto your view And first let me desire of you not to be angry if I speak rather to profit then to please you forbearing altogether those false and clawing expressions which your adorers use when they addresse themselves to speak unto you I dare not tell you of any Humble tenders of my constant Devotion to serve you in your way

corruption in our nature and practice and for mine owne Name sake saith the Lord I will defer mine anger and for my praise will I refraine from thee that I cut thee not off and againe the second and third time for mine owne sake even for mine owne sake will I doe it and in another place not for your sakes be it knowne unto you will I doe this but for mine owne holy Name sake this Name of God is that strong hold which Zachariah the Prophet directs unto in times of danger and that Tower whereunto the righteous flie and are safe as Solomon tells us But then though our selves indeed be as nothing in this case yet our miseries which are great upon us may be said to have an influence upon Gods pitie to stirre him towards us for the oppression of the poore and sighing of the needy I will arise saith the Lord and will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him And againe because they have called thee an out-cast I will restore health unto thee and heale thy wound thus have they called us thus have they made us and that for Gods name sake which makes the more for us yea and yet they give God thanks for their successe against us as if he approved of their injuries to us and this is further also to our advantage as the Spirit tels us in the Prophet Your Brethren that hated you and cast you out for my name sake said let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed as if he had said the sooner for that And to assure us of this we have a further argument yet scil the engagement of his Gospel with us which is as deeply interessed in our sufferings as we our selves are and doth as equally need deliverance yea that is likely to abide under disgrace and obloquy if the cause we are persecuted for be not supported nay if our enemies meet not with Confusion in their way Christ's whole life and carriage as well as his Doctrine will fall under suspition and condemnation by their prevailing 't is well known that his name is pretended in all their proud rebellious butcherly opinions and proceedings as if he had given some precept or example for such doctrines and doings and had discountenanced that low way of humilitie obedience meeknesse and love to Brethren yea to enemies which we maintain and suffer for But Christ's Gospel is his glory 't is his word which he is resolved to magnifie above all things and to vindicate the Honour of that his Father to whom he cannot be unfaithfull hath committed all Authoritie and power into his hand wherefore we need not feare though we are now down we shall rise again though we sit in darknesse yet the Lord shall be a light unto us he will plead our cause he shall execute Judgement for us Yea and that for his Justice sake also for Christ is King still for all this and Judge of all the earth and his office is to help them to right that suffer wrong to punish ill doers yea his delights are to confound the crafty and to throw down the proud and lofty Bloud guiltinesse he hareth how was Cain branded for it and cursed How were Simeon and Levi in their posterity scattered but for one bloudy act in heat and anger they had not yet arrived at studied or reiterated murther Rebellion he abhorreth and rather then that shall goe unpunished God will create a new thing the earth shall open her mouth and swallow up Corah and his Companions if Moses cannot master them and rather then Absalom and Achitophel shall scape their due demerits the one shall hang himselfe and his haire the other let David doe his best to save his sonnes life he shall not have his will for God is King above him and hath decreed that Justice shall be done upon all Traitours Treachery and falshood his soule loatheth and therefore hath ordained it shall cut its own throat rather then want an Executioner and be the cause of its own ruine in deed what was never true in it selfe cannot be long true unto it selfe Ephraim and Manasseh may be both against Judah but before they have done they will be as much against each other nay rather then faile Egyptian shall be against Egyptian falshood will find enemies amongst those of its own House and herd there may be a Conspiracy in it but no true concord for 't is only righteousnesse and peace that can kisse each other The strongest fire-brands in ill are like the fire-brands of Sampsons Foxes knit but in the tailes not heads nor hearts how sure in the end are they to burn their own knots asunder No Confederacy sayes God nor Association without me shall stand take Councell together it shall come to nought and gird your selves as strongly as you can you shall without faile be broken in pieces the zeal and justice of the Lord of Hosts will bring this to passe for us He hath done the like for his people in times past and he will not leave his ancient custome which may bring to our thoughts another Argument of assurance It hath been Gods wont when he hath beat his child to burn the rod Babilon the Hammer of the whole earth was at length broken Ashurs glory and greatnesse though some years in growing was consumed in a moment the rod of Gods anger is also the object of his indignation the instruments of his judgement scape not his fury the dreggs of the cup fall out to be their portion I will take the dreggs of the cup of my fury out of thy hand saith the Lord to his people with whom he had begun and will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee and have said to thy soule bow down that we may go over The rod of the wicked may be upon the back of the righteous but it shall not rest there namely for ever But perhaps you 'l say when will God doe this How long How long shall we stay before we have experience of it Himselfe sayes after a little while mine indignation shall cease towards thee and mine anger shall end in their destruction God doth all things in due time he gives rain to the earth food to man and fury to his enemies and all in due serson to me belongeth vengeance and recompence saith the Lord their foot shall slide in due time for the day of their calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make hast every thing is most beautifull in its season and a worke of this nature is then in season and most beautifull when Gods hand is so clearly seen in it that all men may confesse and say verily it was his doing But what are the signes of that season I 'le name four and so