unto the King as supreme c. Now what is this but to advance the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ The honour and happinesse of the King that is Covenant honour him as a King of England by a cheerfull obedience unto his Lawes in which consists his greatest happinesse honour him by your assistance as Subjects supporting and sustaining him by your supplies according to his important occasions calling for the same For as Christ advised his Apostles to expresse their affections by keeping of his Commandements if you love me saith he keep my Commandements as if he should have said if you love me you will keep my Commandements and if you doe keep my Commandements you then evidence that you love me so in this respect obedience to and assistance of His Majestie are but expressions of honour if you honour the King you will obey and assist him if you obey and assist him you make it appeare to the world that you do really honour him And Royall Posterity that is Covenant what Honour and Rights were justly due to the Father render to his Children deprive not them of any part of their inheritance their regall honour and power The publike liberty safety and peace of the Kingdome Covenant That must needs imply the * Magna Charta Law for by that we are distinguished from slaves and in that we have security and safety with peace the fruit of the observation of the Law Wherein every ones private condition is included Covenant That is Prince as well as people O Lord blesse the Kings Majesty and royall Posterity restore our Lawes to their vigor and this poore Kingdome to a lasting peace Calling to mind the conspiracies and practices of the enemies of God Covenant against the true Religion and professors thereof That is against the doctrinall part of our Religion Vide the qualification of an oath behind expressed in the 39. Articles of the Church of England for common reason and your Protestation affirmeth it necessarily meant of our Religion established and against the maintainers thereof Covenant Calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots against the Law of the Kingdome that is plots by such waies and meanes as the deplorable estate of Ireland long since was a sad witnesse of whose rebellious and trayterors courses against His Majesties Royall Person Crowne of England and Ireland sufficiently then spake their intentions to subvert both Religion and Law Covenant We have now at last for preservation of our selves and Religion from utter ruine and destruction That againe I say according to reason must have a respect to a Religion and Law that is established for it is improper and absurd to say much more vaine to sweare that I will preserve that from ruine and destruction which is not in being ruine presupposing somthing that is to be destroyed and preservation somthing that otherwise will be ruined Thus you have the ground of this Covenant without mentall reservation and equivocation which if the contrivers had any as since it appears they had non ad vos pertinet it savoureth too much of the Jesuite ipsi viderint let them look to it it concerneth not you to whom I write according to the literall and Gramaticall sense and consonant to the Rules of Religion Reason and Law explained I proceed to the Covenant it selfe wherein I shall observe the same religious rationall and lawfull method i Art Covenant That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings That is according to the station wherein God hath placed us the King in his regall Power Magistrates as derivatives from him in their places Ministers in theirs private subordinate persons according to their severall degrees in theirs none exceeding the rules proper to their peculiar Vocation where by the way take notice that although Superiours may and often do at one and the self-same time performe both their owne duties and also actions proper to Inferiours yet it is unlawfull for Inferiours to take upon them without lawfull Commission the duty of Superiours Lay private men must not inâ—ermeddle with what concerneth the proper duty of a Minister nor must Divines wilfully intrench upon the bounds of the Civill Magistrates nor they upon the Royall Fuction of the King for this were to authorize confusion whereas God is the God of Order Covenant Endeavour * That clause must be implied though not inserted Besides it is also confessed as needfull in the exhortation for taking the Covenant Ordered by the House of Commons Die Veneris Feb. 1643. Covenant so far as lawfully I may the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine That is if their Reformed Religion be not contrary to the Word of God this I adde because few in England know what it is in its Doctrinall part but by an implicite faith and I adde it the rather because the practice of the prevailing party there since these stormes first begun so contrary to professions may occasion suspition of their doctrines sincere truth witnesse their Declarations and therein Protestations to maintaine the Kings Rights c. contradicted by assisting endeavours to deprive him of his Rights In worship discipline and government That is that Government which was established and so remained at the compiling of the Covenant grant it the Presbyterian by the lawfull and supreme power of that Kingdome untill that government shall be altered by virtue of the self-same power Against our common enemies That is Covenant all who by unlawfull meanes contrary to the Word of God the Lawes and customes of that Nation and the consent of his Royall Majesty shall indeavour an inforced alteration thereof And here by the way as well for vindication of my self and many others in England as also seeing they esteem the Presbyterian Government there so rich a purchased jewell for their future security I shall add thus much that since they enjoyed that government so confirmed as they have by the Royall assâ—nt we never would have disturbed them in their desired possession of their Church-government as they have visited for I love mildnesse in expressions in what concerneth my Countries interest us by oaths and armes for an extirpation of Episcopacy and for the future shall never intermeddle contrary to Reason Religion or Law Covenant The reformation of religion in the Kingdome of England and Ireland c. in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches As for the doctrine of the Church of England expressed in the * The doctrine of the Protestant Church in Ireland agreeable to them 39. Articles being grounded on a sure foundation the holy Scriptures which are onely able to make us wise unto salvation hath even to this very day by the assistance protection and efficaciously working of
the disturbance of the Peace of Church and State by complaining of their attempts and deeds to the Magistrate leaving them to the justice of the Law and lastly by recovering them by strength of holy arguments as with strong phisick from that infection of their judgment and consciences and their soul-poysoning heresies praying continually in the fervency of the spirit for their conversion But before I proceed to the next words Extirpation of Church-Government by Bishops c. I must desire the Reader to reflect back upon what I have already written concerning the Limitations of an Oath briefly thus That no unlawfull Oath bindeth Vide fol. 46. nor must unlawfull means be used for the compassing for effecting any thing in it self lawfull c. Extirpation of Government by Arch-bishops Bishops Covenant their Chancellors c. That is by using all lawfull means warrantable by the law of God and the Kingdome to that end as petitioning the supream Magistrate the King or any other way if any other way can be imagined not I say intrenching upon the law of God For were an abolition hereof absolutely necessary conducing to the generall peace of the Kingdom as it is upon good grounds believed rather altogether distructive thereunto will you buy a temporall peace upon such unequal termes as to hazard your soul eternally unlesse the mercy of God interpose by wilfull perjury in the purchase and gain an eating curse to your Posterity by Sacriledge Besides it is against the Principles of all Governments the Law of God and the Land to enforce an alteration by bloody force as I have already shewed Nay you doe not onely hereby make your selves guilty of perjury treason bloud and sacriledge but you endeavour to compell His Majesty to the breach of His Oath taken at His Coronation wherein He swore to Defend the Bishops their priviledges and Churches under their government Again were the Presbyterian government absolutely good so out of necessity the Episcopal must be removed as it is not yet a bloudy eradication is proculdubio unlawfull for we must not do evill that good may come thereof we must not like mad Mariners desperately steer our course amongst Rocks hoping to arrive at a rich freight lest we shipwrack our selves here and lose the end of our voyage our hopes hereafter therefore let all men take heed of pretending a necessity of keeping this one Article of extirpation because they have so Covenanted unlesse they will make good also a necessity of breaking all Gods Commandements which is an high degree of Blasphemy to maintain for that is impia promissio quae sine scelere impleri non potest nonque obligat no Law obligeth in opposition to the Gods Law if it doth binde it is to a repentance only Therefore Recollect your thoughts now for your owne Experience cannot but acquainte you that a violent deprivation of the Kings Regall power was at first the contrivers designe and now plainly appeareth to be the Result of the Warre on their part and reflect upon the almost six years means made use of or rather sinnes committed to effect the accomplishment thereof as Envy Hatred Malice Hypocrisie publick pretences of Reformation private intentions of Eradication and Deformation revilings of His Majesties Royall Person and Government Scandalizing of the English Nationall Church abominable Lying contempt of Superiors forceing of mens Consciences Disloyalty Perjury Theft Bloodshedding nay all imaginable Sinnes with renewing of old Heresies and raising of all manner of Schismes Now if you love your selves and your soules and would not contract the guilt of all these sinnes upon your owne heads and as it were set your Seal of confirmation and approbation to the Sinnes of others thus heaping up wrath against the day of wrath be perswaded to desert these Plotters and their Designes persist not contrary to Reason and Religion in a rigid and sinfull keeping of that extirpating Article Now seeing the day-star appeareth and every one who formerly were wraped up in the night of mistakes and misapprehensions or blinded with the silken veile of a good Opinion of the Contrivers because outwardly they appeared in Angelicall habits may without spectacles read that their pretences were only to usher in the intention therefore the plea of ignorance and good meaning as formerly can no longer be used but be perswaded to come out from among these progressive ROOTERS lest continuing with them in Sinne you also with them partake of punishment For God is just as well as mercifull Covenant Superstition Heresie Schisme and Profanesse c. For the residue of this second Article having already written something which also may aptly be applyed to these when I handled the word Popery I shall only turne it into a Prayer yet because Schisme is joyned with the rest if it were a time in these sad times to jest I should make it good Rationally that your Contriving Presbyterians have in that Sworn against their owne Practice for although the Protestant Church like the Spouse in the Canticles is black that is not appearing genuina gloria by reason of stormy weather yet still she is Comly still in her doctrine and discipline unaltered remaining firme upon its old established foundation notwithstanding the violent Endeavours of their changing times nor was their Presbyterian Government then extant and as yet but an infant for want of the Royall assent being neither able to stand goe or speak they themselves also very well knew what the word Schisme in an Ecclesiasticall sense meaneth how that ille Schismaticus qui a ritu Ecclesiae petulanter ambitionis studio discedit that Separateth himselfe upon a proud Pharisaicall conceit of holinesse from the Communion of the Church in the performance of Religious acts But I passe that by Praying that God the searcher of all hearts would be pleased to root out of all our hearts and mindes the destroying blindnesse of Superstition the spreading Leprosie of Heresie the peace-Eating Gangren of Schisme the tainting Corrupt humours of Profanesse and all other things displeasing unto him and contrary to His word that we enjoy a blessed harmonious consent in Truth and Godlinesse expressing the power thereof in our lives and conversations and that the Lord may be One and his name One in these three Kingdomes We shall with the same sincerity 3 Article Covenant c. Endeavour to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament These are freedome of expressing mens judgements if taken in a comprehensive compleate sense King Lords and Commons power to repeal old and Establish new Lawes to which every Subject is bound to yeild obedience Only thus much let me adde that no Priviledges of one or both Houses can Patronize Treason Murder Vide Lex terrae J. Jenkens or breach of the Peace by their own confession nor is it indeed consonant to reason that they whose first institution was ordained for preservation should themselves practice or command desolation whose
REBELLION STRIP'T AND WHIPT THROUGH All its Principles and Pretences From the first to the last By way of Appeale to the Consciences of the City of LONDON in particular and the whole Kingdom in generall In the behalfe of his most Sacred MAjESTY and the Church now trampled on by Traytors Pro ARIS et FOCIS Printed in the yeere 1648. To all true-hearted Englishmen of what degree or qualitie soever especially to each particular Citizen of London Courteous and friendly Reader FOr so my believing charitie perswadeth me to style you although my mean and inconsiderable deserts cannot hope to lay claim to the title As it is a certaine truth for our comfort that man's passive extremitie is Gods active opportunitie deliverance then stepping in when in our apprehensions wee are past hopes of being delivered so it is as necessary a truth to be practised that when Kingdomes Cities Families or friends are most passive under the extremitie of accumulative miseries threatning ruine and desolation then to be most active in our assistance counsell and to our power deliveranco Such like thoughts as these possessing me in these unhappiest of unhappy times wherein a generally-feared destruction hangeth over our heads like a sharp pointed sword only by a small thread perswaded me with the poore widow my abilities not being able to bestow more to cast in this my following mite and if it shall though in it selfe worthlesse prove by the concurring operation of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of men in the least manner instrumentally contributary to the reformation of some information of others and a desired restoration of the whole Kingdome in generall the City of London in particular where I received my first birth and being to their ancient honour and former truth and peace return your thankes to the Lord of heaven and earth the fountaine of all Mercies and pray for the Eternall happinesse of Your reall friend Country-man and fellow Citizen Rexophilus Londinatus Christianus Protestans Maii prim 1648. Ne inutilis olim vixisse videar 25 Proverbs 11. A word spoken in season is like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver 122 Psalme 8. For my brethren and companions sakes will I now say peace bee within thy walls WHen the Hebrew-tongued bells sadly invite the Charitable assistance of others to a pacification of that rebellious Element Fire Hebrew Letters must bee read backward A Custome in England to ring bels backward when houses are on fire destructively active beyond its legall bounds and a reduction of it to its proper center and due obedience who will not unlesse some whose preventing care is little about their own and carefull pitty lesse imployed about others ruines willingly contribute their quenching paines Nay who except others as miserably destitute of honesty as wealth whose strangely malicious mindes repine at the fruitfull industry smiling prosperity of others and whose irregular expectations hope to supply the defect of their own wealth and boy up their almost irrecoverably sunk estates by a generally concurring destruction will not subscribe to a voluntary demolition of their proper and more peculiar buildings only to anticipate the devastation of others by that mercilesse raging tyrant When the angry windes begin to vent their spleen and the passive surges which not long before were united into one only unfurrowed face like slaves forced to a degeneration are compelled by those powerfully Commanding Masters into high swelling frowns and deep-furrowed wrinkles thereby menacing ruine to all floating travellers in that uncertain watery region Will not then all obliged and resolved guides Vela moderantes per aequoris undas unlesse some who with too much ease can change ingagements of publike preservation into permissive if not active resolutions of desolation or others whose winding limbs embarqued on gainfull private hopes or aguish losing fears can comply with every rouling wave thereby in vain expecting in a Fly-boat of neutralitie to swim safely to a self-securing shore will not all except such consult a prevention of such a universally-threaten'd destruction My dearest Country-men England hoc momento temporis O that Fame could give my Pen the lye but alas alas experience already hath and still doth afford us too too certain grounds evidencing its truth is at this very day become a sad paralell of these preceding lines England not long since famous abroad happy at home even beyond si foelicitatem noverit desire of additionall happinesse for its united domestick structures I mean its Monarchicall government compacted into so sweetly agreeing * King Lord and Common in Parliamenâ— disproportionâ—d proportion that setting aside those Concomitantes Regnorum devastatores those destroyers of men and Kingdomes Ambition Envy and Sedition which blind the judgements sight enforcing it to a partiall if not an envious construction of the best things the most prying eye could not discern the * Poorest men humblest stone remedilesly press'd by an oppressing * Rich persons Superiour or highest advanced pinacle proudly scorning inferiour subjected materialls without a check from the master builder I mean the established law whose enlivener fonsque origo is our Soveraigne Lord King Charles c. Sine quo nulla nova fuit est Angliâ lexque erit Jeremiah 9. chap. 1. v. This England quis non talia scribendo lachrymarum flumina mittet who can forbeare wishing with the Prophet That his head were full of water and his eyes a fountain of tears to weep for his Native Country by the beginning Sparcks of an unfortunate Northern fire-brand strange it is that so cold and almost benumming a climate should yield such nimbly-devouring fire intermixing in its consuming progresse with unnaturally connaturalizing materialls by degrees grown almost into one entire flame This winged Vessell truly styled Europ's Soveraigne whose swelling sayles not long since were filled even to envy and admiration of all round about her by long continuing uninterrupted succesfull gales At last by the enforcement of rigid necessitie justly steering its powerfully commanding course for its command proceeded from a * Commission from his Majestie Just power neere the * Scotland Calidonian waters met with some surly opposing gufts high-working ambitious and rebellious waves which not wanting a concurring assistance and incouragement from other mutinous spirits strange it is that children of the same wombe should rend the very bowels of their naturall parent upon the unreasonable invitation of aliens accompanying the same Fleet with this Royall Pilot denyed to strike sayle or expresse obedience to his lawfull commands Which strange and unnaturall opposition increasing like snow roul'd from place to place even to a monstrous heap by the senslesly assisting and furiously active hands of such persons was soon howsoever dissolved by the favourable breath and gracious condescentions beyond expectation of the Royall CoÌ„mander himself as it seemed having a brest more affected with the losse of any under his command however in their obedience repugnant although I cannot but
this day so appearing Whereas if these men pre-intended not these things but had really intended Peace or resented the then bleeding condition and ruining Kingdome of England they would not surely have stood upon such unnecessary punctilioes not any way absolutely availeable to the generall good of the Nation though absolutely necessary Rights belonging to his Majesty with which he could neither in Honour Justice or Conscience voluntarily part O Lord forgive them forgive them such their unreasonable and unseasonable Demands and lay not to their charge those severall bloudy issues which since that time have gush'd out in many places of this Kingdome Amen Againe let us take notice of the further progresse for nemo repente fit turpissimus of these destructive Engeneers Hath not his Majestie resigned all his regall Power since that unto the two Houses during his life being onely desirous that his royall Children may receive no prejudice by his too gracious condiscentions freely offering a generall Pardon and an Act of Oblivion to every one Yet this will not satisfie them they must have him forfeit his Honour and Reason by acknowledging himselfe the Fountaine and originall cause of their unnaturally shedding of his Subjects blood strange action that the gulty Offenders must be justified and the Offended guiltlesse desired unjustly to condemne themselves and wound his Conscience by pulling upon himselfe and Posterity that eating sinne of Sacriledge by assenting unto an utter Extirpation of Episcopall government and a devastation of the Churches patrimony contrary to his Oath taken at his Coronation Thus still you see the Designe of these Rooters at first was to alter the Government of this Kingdome and to that end have to deprive his Majestie of his regall Power Fo. 20 34 30 33. which since hath been openly avowed in their Declaration concerning the Scots Papers 13. Mar. 1647. But peradventure some will say that they are zealous supporters of the Subjects Liberties and quellers of wicked actions as Swearing immoderate drinking breaking of the Sabboth and the like To which I returne an answer in generall that nothing can be more desired either for the suppressing or punishing of all sinfull words and deeds and all such viciously guilty Persons or conducing to the liberty of the Subjuct if men desire onely to enjoy liberty under a Law and not live as libertines without a Government than what was established and confirmed by Act of Parliament before ever they exposed their grand Remonstrance that seede Plott of to the view of the World Decemb. 1641 witnesse that Declaration it selfe which recounteth severall Acts of favour condescended unto by his Majestie for the Subjects benefit which with that lasting Bulwarke of preventing or remedying Errours the Trienniall Parliament were enough to satisfie any but seditious and ambitiously aspiring thoughts To make this appeare It is worthy observation that after the issuing out of that Remonstrance not one Proposition was ever tendered to his Majestie really tending to the generall good and liberty of every Subject but whatsoever were presented unto him under the title of Propositions contained nothing but Demands in ordine ad Causam in order to this Designe of alteration and change of Government Now at this very day as every one not prepossessed with prejudice cannot but grant the visible purchase of Hypocrisie Perjury blood and oppression an ill foundation and the worst lime to erect a building with and which most commonly is followed with succeeding heavy judgements Micah 3.9 10 11 12. From which good Lord deliver us To this purpose further you have already seene Ordinances framed Oathes contrived for the Eradication of Episcopall government and least it should by degrees like a Flower pressed downe by the violence of a falling showre rise againe in future times when more favourable sunny dayes appear they have exposed to Sale its Lands the Churches patrimony You have seen the Presbyterian Government also digested into Ordinances the preaching of it into approbation the practice of it in severall Churcher in London and other adjacent parts the peoples obedience pressed thereunto by Divines of the present Synod You have seen the civill Government also changed Ordinances of one or both houses supplying the place of Acts of Parliament without the Royall assent Demands of a totall resignation of his Majesties regall Power and because not in every respect condescended unto as what father will be so unjust to his Posterity though he may be uncharitable to himself as to deprive them of their Inheritance contrary to the Law of Nature Religion and Law the King therefore detained a Prisoner Tantumne potest suadere malorum religio Thus you may see the Designers riding triumphantly in the bloody Chariot of their compassed Ends Revelling it at the Helmes of the Church and State whilest their Royall injured Master is forced to a sad Cabbin under decks O that my abused Country-Men would seriously consider of the Premises and that they would at length desert these Impostors who by their glorious pretences of Reformation have deceived them into a Ruining assistance of themselves and others not thinking it a shame to confesse an errour and return when their Judgements are informed that their former Judgements and practises have been erronious Againe you have seene the meanes used by them to effect their ends by Perjury infringing their Oathes of Alleagiance Supremacy and their owne famed Protestation by the effusion of Blood And here I cannot choose but adde my feares that some tall and gloriously spreading Cedars of Church and State have rather beene hewen downe because they hindered the Prospect of others or prejudiced the rising growth of some Neighbour shrubs than fallen because rotten uselesse or cumbersome to the grounds which if true as some in the world best know we had all need to pray that the Lord would even in the blood of Christ Jesus wash this Nation especially from such kinde of blood-guiltinesse You may read the sad effects of these Designes A wronged King in distresse A discontented Nobilitie A disconsolate and dispersed Gentry A disgraced disparaged and defamed Orthodox Cleargy A murmuring and repining Communalty An impoverished Countrey A selfe-dishonouring Nation Division Ambition Sedition and Security the forerunners of a generall ruine and desolation Helpe O Lord least we perish And it be said of us What is become of that glory of Nations England formerly feared and beloved by all yet not for feare expressing love to any least what was omce spoken of Troy be affirmed true of our Kingdome Jam seges est ubi Anglia fuit You may every where see God dishonoured the Church of God unfrequented Schismes and Prophanenesse every where abounded and Heresies of all sorts even to the denying of the Deity of Christ the holy Scriptures the immortality of the soule and all these if not publiquely maintained yet connived at by those who pretend otherwise you may see all Religion contracted into tongue discourse Sanctification swallowed up by
defence of any thing that thing necessarily must be extant must have a being otherwise we obliging our selves if we can properly be said to be ingaged to nothing to nothing attest God as witnesse thereunto thereby mocking him and taking his holy Name in vaine and in so doing erre against his third Commandement therefore the Presbyterian Government not being particularly mentioned in the Covenant nor at the first taking thereof now about foure years and an halfe since digested in England into any form much lesse obedience thereunto commanded cannot be intended as a fulfilling of the Covenant but the words Reforme preserve and defend must have a regard to the Doctrine Discipline and Government established as for that evasion that the then takers of the Covenant dispensed with resolutions and actions of preservation c. untill the same should afterwards be setled it is altogether unlawfull and vaine nor can any one by so doing observe the Prophets counsell in Oaths which must be taken in Righteousnesse Judgement and Truth These things premised I proceed to the Oath it self only by the way let me put you in mind of your first Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy with your Protestation an Epitome of the former in these words I promise vow and protest to maintaine so far as lawfully I may his Majesties Royall Person Honor and Estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England c. For explanation whereof I referre you to what already hath been said concerning the Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy advising every one to consider seriously that place in 30. Numb 2. Ver. If a man vow a Vow unto the Lord or sweare an Oath to bind his soule with a bond he shall not breake his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Solemne League and Covenant We Noble-men Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospell and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdom of England c. by the providence of God living under one King Vnder one King that according to common sense and reason must imply obedience and subjection in us unto him as a King enabled with power to governe and that obedience must presuppose a rule of reason and law now what that Law is I have already handled to square our actions of obedience by O that the people of England c. would in in this respect obey the Precept of Christ Give unto Caesar what belongs unto Caesar His Majestie never expected more then what the Law manifesteth to be justly his Witnesse all his Declarations why then should we give him lesse Nay endeavour to deprive him altogether of what we have neither reason nor just power to attempt And being of one reformed Religion The Covenant This must necessarily intend our Religion established a Religion that is not that shall be which Religion commandeth obedience to all His Majesties lawfull commands denieth the Subjects Liberty to take up armes against their lawfull Soveraigne acknowledgeth him to be Supreme in all causes and over all persons Vide homilies 37. Artic. Church Engl. as well Ecclesiasticall as Civill c. that to him properly and wholly belongeth the government of all Estates of this Realme therefore without and against his consent no different Government can be introduced Covenant Having before our eyes the glory of God God is never more glorified then when we expresse a willing obedience to his commands two whereof emphatically enjoyne obedience to Superiors and forbid wrong and prejudice to be offered by any to any one whomsoever First Honour thy Father and Mother that is all those that have authority over us as all Expositors upon good grounds render the meaning of it Secondly Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house c. nor any thing that is his that is thou shalt not wish thy Neighbours hinderance in any thing much lesse deprive him of the least thing properly belonging unto him Vide the Margent of the Bible or you shall not offer any wrong to any man whomsoever whereby he may suffer damage in person estate reputation or otherwise for the word neighbour must be taken in a more extensive signification in the Commandement then we commonly use it O that every man with one eye fixed upon these two Commandements would with the other view what by the Law is justly due to his Majestie and Posterity and then consider c. Besides these you have the Prophets and Apopostles Pro. 27.29.30 speaking the same truth as Ambassadours from heaven Solomon adviseth us not to with-hold the goods from the owners thereof though there be power in thy hand to do it Prov. 3.27 29 30. nor to intend hurt against our neighbour seeing he doth dwell by us without * Feare that is putteth trust in us Pro. 24.21 Eccles 8.3 4. Vide margent in the Bible Covenant feare not to strive with a man causlesse seeing he hath done no harme My sonne fear the Lord and the King and meddle not with those that are given to change saith the same wiseman Take heed to the mouth of the King and to the Word of the Oath of God saith the Preacher that is obey the King and keep the Oath that thou had made for the same cause The advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ His Kingdome is never more advanced then when we obey his Precepts and imitate his practice Mat. 5.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.16 Now his Precepts will appear in part if we consider that in his Sermon upon the Mount after he had pronounced blessednesse to the poore in spirit to those that mourne to the meeke to those which hunger and thirst for righteousnesse to the pure in heart to peace-makers to those which suffer for righteousnesse sake to those that are falsly reviled and persecuted he addeth this Exhortation to his Apostles Let your light so shine that is let these things for which men shall be blessed practically appeare in your lives and conversations that so they may see your good workes that is others by your example of holinesse may be brought home to the fold of Christ and glorifie his Father which is in heaven And for his practise you may read it in respect of his paying tribute Matth. 22.21 as also how that being brought before Rulers whom though causelesly reviling of him hee reviled not againe being led as a sheep to the slaughter and obedient unto death that thereby hee might be a patterne for our imitation to which purpose he invites us Follow me for I am lowly and meeke c. and in our imitation we must follow him in obeying his Messengers the Apostles counsells for they are sent from him and what their counsell was you may peruse Rom. 13. submit your selves unto the higher Powers c. 1 Pet. 2.13 14 17. be obedient to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether
and forgive injuries when it is in his power to be revenged Thus let us win all unto us and being won lock their affections and judgements by such Christian-like examples and like true followers of Christ pray for all men first for our Soveraigne Lord King Charls to this purpose O Thou Lord of Hosts pitch thou thy tent hourely round about Him be a shield to defend Him from all violent attempts against His Royall Person from cunning insinuations against His Honour Crowne and Dignity be thou good God His comforter in this His day of Tribulation permit not the waters of affliction to overwhelme His soul with sadnesse but continually supply Him with patience proportionable to His sufferings hasten hasten good Father His deliverance Restore Him unto His Regall Power and just Rights settle Him settle Him fast in His Throne place the Crown upon His head and suffer it not by the hands of Treason or Rebellion to be shaked or removed from Him or any of His Royall off-spring untill Shiloh come Blesse His Majesties Royall Consort our most gracious Queen Mary cause Her with Mary in the Gospel to choose that better part which never can be taken from Her Blesse protect and defend our Noble Prince Charls with the rest of His Majesties Princely Progeny Blesse these Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland and all degrees of men therein from the highest to the lowest Forgive the iniquity of the people turne us O Lord from our sins and we shall be turned take away the heavy judgement of the sword from us Restore our Peace renew and continue our Plenty comfort us according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us according to the years that we have seen evil Take away all bitternesse of spirit revenge hatred and give us unity brotherly love and concord Blesse the famuos City of London grant the Inhabitants a serious consideration of their former wayes repentance and pardon for all their offences turne them turne them O Lord into thy paths Let thy word be a Light unto their feet and thy testimonies a guide unto their step Restore unto them their ancient Government and to that end give them Governours Magistrates and all other Officers according to thy own will Religious not Rebellious faithfull not factious carefull to discharge that trust which God and His Scared Majesty shal intrust them with propounding thy Law for their imitation the knowne Laws of the Land for their direction studying onely the glory of thee our God the Honour of our Royall Soveraigne and His Posterity The peace and plenty wealth and weale prosperity and happinesse of all their fellow Citizens from the greatest to the least and meanest Preserve them and the whole City from the boundlesse rage of devouring fire from Plague pestilentiall diseases famine defend it from the ravenous violence of maliciously ambitious men from being tyrannized over oppressed by the insulting sword let not O let not the wealth and glory thereof nor any of the Inhabitants be exposed a prey to the unsatiable fury of avaricious revengefull blood-thirsty men purge it from all heresie schisme profanenesse and whatsoever is contrary to thy word and Commandments and to this purpose bestow upon them faithful dispensers of thy Word feeing their flocks with wholsome food not leading them unto Rockie Mountaines to famish nor leaving them amongst Wolves killing heresies to be destroyed not giving the children of thy family either for fear or hope stones instead of bread Serpents in place of Fishes not Preaching themselves but the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity O Let not my Lord be angry and I will speak but this once Be thou O Almighty Omnipotent God a strong tower of defence to all the particular Citizens Members of that Honourable Corporation with all the rest of the people within His Majesties Realms and Dominions high and low rich and poor young and old even from our Soveraigne Lord the King to the tender infant newly stept into the world out of the darke prison of the wombe and together with them all others belonging to His Royall * Eng. Scot. Irel. Family and household wheresoever dispersed Take thou every one of them into thy all-securing protection give them blessings proportionable to their severall degrees conditions and necessities showre downe thy blessings upon all men from one end of the earth to the other Let the sun-shine of thy Gospel breake forth in all dark corners of the world dispelling the black clouds of Judaisme Turcisme Paganisme and all other Errours whatsoever Accomplish the number of thy Elect and then come Lord Jesus come quickly Grant these Petitions O thou Father of all mercies and God of all consolations for the sake of thy Son our Saviour to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be ascribed all Honour and Glory now and for evermore Amen Amen Amen Soli Deo gloria Si quid novisti rectius istis Imperti si non his utere mercum FINIS