clandestine proceedings against us here c. SECT XVI 1. Of the Enemies late sufferings 2. Of their strange Patience 3. Of their extraordinary great successe and the true grounds of it 4. Successe no Argument of a good cause 5. The worst men have alway made most use of it HEre is much remarkable stuffe in these few words which I shal endevour to discover First say they Were our cause altered as it is not or we worse Rebels then formerly as none can affirm c. We granted them before that their cause is stil the same in specie as it was at first and so are they themselves no whit altered from what they were but only a malo in pejus from bad to worse and the Moralists account this an Alteration And let any one that hath the use of sense and reason judge whether Age doth not make some difference in sinful men as wel as it doth in Satan himself who in the beginning of the world was a Serpent as these at the beginning of the war were Rebels and it is true he is but a Serpent stil but he is come to be now an old Serpent so called Rev. 12. and that is aliquid amplius Antiquity in evil speaks both a further ability to evil and a larger measure of iniquity and in this respect he may be called a worse Devil then at the first and so may they worse Rebels But I wil not with Arguments either prevent or assist those proofs too sufficiently given of themselves by their own actions I had rather spend time to pray them better But they tel us of Notice to be taken of late sufferings which they have undergon and of some strange Patience which it seems as they say hath manifested it self of late to be in them Yea even now since the discovery of these Papers Truly we must confess our errour we have not hitherto observed any such thing but we are resolved upon this intimation to make inquiry first after their late Sufferings and then after their strange Patience These Sufferings of theirs we find upon Consideration began about the year 1642. some certain months before the â—â—rth of those 19. Propositions about the time of the Kings first removal North-ward which as we imagine and remember was Lent time and therfore most accursed doth that superstitious season deserve to be and for ever to be blotted out of John Bookers Almanack as wel as Christmas day because therin did begin their late great Sufferings Then O then most sadly they fel into the same Condition that Richard the third was in when alas ful sore against his wil the whole care and burden of the Kingdom was cast upon his shoulders then alas and from thenceforth wo and alas they were forced out of meer Necessity to begin to seize upon the Kings Magazines His Forts Towns and Castles His Navy of Ships Houses and all he had to their great discomfort and displeasure And how hath all their very Senses since that time bin continually troubled and molested their Ears O lamentable have bin loaden with the most offensive acclamations and Honourings of the people their Gust and Smel hath bin tormented daily with the perfumes and feastings of the City their Eies and Touch have bin most vexatiously tortured with those so loathed heaps of Plate and Monies which from all parts of the Kingdom have come trowling in unto them While the King in the mean time hath bin in great prosperity wandring up and down in Fields and Mountains Cold and Wet Weak and Weary Faint and Hungry with few friends and little mony Yea while he hath had time and opportunity to get himself a Stomack they good souls have bin wel nigh surfeited with good cheer and done to death with abundance Yea poor creatures they have bin constrained to sit warm and to lie soft to be served in state to drink Wine in bowles to be behonoured be worshipped to be crouched and kneeled unto and so forth Wherfore if that Pope of Rome when he lay beaking himself in the midst of his Luxuries had cause to cry out Heu quantum patimur pro Christo then great reason have these Complainants to cry out also of their late great Sufferings Yea and besides all these corporal calamities their very spirits have bin also distracted many times with most frightful fears and Jelousies as of Plots strange Plots under ground Regiments great Regiments of Subterranean Horses lay in wait for them Conspiracies dangerous conspiracies were contrived against their corporal welfare as that honest Tailour that sate close in Moor-fields can abundantly witness which doleful matters have oft-times put them into as pittiful a plight as that good Alderman of London their friend was in when he thought himself to be shot in the breeches Nor is here all yet these fears of theirs have bin followed with increase of cares also to provide plenty of Prisons and strong holds to hamper and restrain the Ministers of God those great enemies to their undertaking to devise means how to destroy both them and their doctrine and all that with them adhere fast to the testimony of Jesus concerning obedience to God and Caesar. These and such like have bin the late sufferings and great troubles of these men And they are indeed as we now confess the more remarkable because sufferings of this kind are seldom the portion of Gods children as these call themselves nor had we apprehended that this kind of life which they have lived had bin a suffering if themselves had not so called it and put us in mind so to account of it Indeed some of the Brethren of the Independent faction as M. Edwards that free-spoken Presbyterian in his Book detecting their late manner of living in Holland doth inform the world did call such a kind of life themselves living it a Persecution and a suffering otherwise we have not heard that appellation given unto it before But indeed these are new times and many other things have new names Loyalty is called Treason and Treason Loyalty Obedience Rebellion and Rebellion Obedience Truth Falshood and Falshood Truth and why may not as wel a pleasant life be called a life of sufferings and a suffering life a life of pleasure if it please the new Omnipotency now above-board so to ordain and establish No man must move the lip open the mouth or so much as peep against it And thus at last they may see we have taken notice of their late sufferings and confess them rare Now we shal view their patience too which themselves call strange specially that which they have shewn even now after the discovery of these Papers Indeed their publication of them together with their Preface and Notes upon them after their discovery is testimony sufficient of the strangeness of their patience And yet we must tel them that we conceive by the effects of this their patience that we have read of such a like patience before now in
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 Remember Lord the reproach of thy servant how he beareth in his bosome the reproach of all the mighty wicked people Wherewith thine enemies have rep2roached O Lord wherewith they have reproached the foot-steps of thine Anointed PSAL. 89. 50 51. His Enemies will I clothe with shame but upon Himselfe shall his Crown flourish PSAL. 132. 18. Even so Amen REV. 22. 20. But thou O Lord how long PSAL. 6. 3. Printed in the Yeere 1648. To all that truely feare God into whose hands this Booke shall come Christian Friends THis Book here tendred to your view was for the most part of it made in Cornwal in the year 1645. I was quickned in my undertaking by a noble Gentleman of great faithfulnesse and Loyalty that County hath many such Before it was quite concluded the Enemy like a flood brake in thither Whereupon to preserve and finish it I went to France but by so doing I had almost lost it for my Cloak-bag which contained it and all I had beside passed by accident in one Ship and my self went in another and we landed an hundred miles asunder that was Plundred and nothing therein returned unto me but onely these Papers they by meer fortune some six weeks after Which speciall Providence in their particular preservation spake them to my heart Gods will to have them published to my hopes his purpose to grant a blessing Hereupon I fitted them for the Presse with all speed and they were ready in May 1646. nor was the fault in my will that they were not then committed to the same But perhaps God had a speciall Providence in this also peoples hearts were not then so capable to receive a Vindication of their Soveraign from a fellow-Subject as now they are even forced to be by that illustrious eminency of his graces which hath beamed forth in his dark condition even to the conviction and admiration of all reasonable creatures Since the finishing hereof I had occasion to see and observe the manners and conditions of the French Nation both those of the Romish and of the Reformed Religion and my speciall care was to understand what sense they had of the present differences in our Church and Nation which truly to remember is but to renew that griefe I had in observing In briefe they both conjoyntly rejoyced at our follies and as appeared to me desired our ruine And this did chiefly occasion the writing my Post-script which was done the last Spring at my returne into the hither parts of that Kingdome where I understood also of His Majesties restrained condition at Holdenby About the time of his deliverance from that place by Gods direction and merciful protection I came back safe into England but fancying the season to be then past for publication of my Book in regard of those great alterations which had happened since its first composall and withall some hopefull reasons offering themselves to my thoughts at my first arrivall made me conceive it would not be so needfull Therefore I resolved to lay it aside But after some moneths expectance those new hopes being likely to prove tympanous I was solicited by some friends from the farthest part of the Kingdome to put it to the Presse now I was in a place where the same might be done who also informed me that in their apprehensions vulgar hearts wanted satisfaction in nothing concerning the Kings integrity but only in the matter of those Letters which did still scruple many of them Wherefore they conjured me if I rendred His Majesties Honour indeed that I should give the world a speedy view of what I had writ to that particular These Arguments easily prevailed with a willing mind which was encouraged farther by that free liberty which I saw daily used by others in writing speaking against those sins and sinners which this Book reproveth though to my griefe withall I saw in many Papers wickednesse rather scoffed at then pursued with such grave and home rebukes as the case requireth and sin thereby I perceived was rather made a matter of laughter then of sorrow even to the most guilty through that impudence which is in them and yet I doubt not too but ingenious lashes are sufficiently distastfull to galled spirits because there is truth as well as wit in them they haply may be as rods to rotten hearts but Gods Word if closely applyed as I hope in some measure t is in this Book done will prove unto them as a very Scorpion if those make them hisse and spit this will make them even rage and roare for the more Divinity a proofe carryes with it or in it the more tormentfull it is alwayes unto the wicked Sic scriptum est may haply silence Satan but t is not alwayes so powerfull upon the spirits of proud men The Pharisees were so far from being quieted by Christs doctrine that they grew more inraged and were incensed thereby to seek his ruine and had no rest till they had procured it though they got none by it And let any one practice Christ or follow him in his way as close as he can he shall doubtlesse meet with those that will practice the Pharisees and follow them a great deale closer It was in my thoughts I confesse to have concealed my name as you may see in the following Preface and for what reasons but I have altered my resolution concerning that particular from these considerations First if I had not owned my work I had done that which I dislike and incurr'd the blame which I object to others I had hazarded my Book to be entitled a Libel and exposed my selfe to be reckoned in the number of night-birds that love darknesse yea I had receded from my former self for when the King was in a condition visibly Potent I prefixt my name to all I writ and if I should forbeare to do so now I should appeare as faln in my zeal and abated in my dutifull affections by the increases of his Afflictions I read of Nicodemus who affecting secresie while Jesus was at liberty came to him by night but when he was in restraint he thought it his duty to discover himself in his behalf and so he did more then ever All Scripture is written for our learning Secondly I held my self bound to attest my Keeping as I had done my Taking the Protestation and that was by writing my name For this my Book is nothing else but the discharge of my Conscience and Duty in that
doe you in your wisedome think in good earnest this world will last alwayes with you can you promise your selves a continuing happinesse in your lofty and Rebellious way did you never heare of that saying sequitur superbos ultor à tergo Deus nor of that ubi non est pudor nec cura juris sanctitas pietas fides instabile regnum est or can you be so blind as to think any of these are in your selves some folke perhaps according to the forme by your selves prescribed doe sometimes betrim you with such strange Titles but are you so simple as to conceit that wise men do fancy them to belong unto you no no Gentlemen befool not your selves all people have not lost their eyes nor is it a Cloud but a net that you dance in we see plainly under what pretences you have divided our Doctrine of unity and unswadled the bonds of Peace and Charitie amongst us we perceive how you goe about to make your usurped greatnesse wealth and honour the rules to square out Cannons of Faith for us by and how you set your Assembly of Divines as you call them on work to devise Arguments to uphold the same how you have silenced and suspended from preaching Gods truth all those laborious and faithfull Teachers that will not preach to please your lusts but rather to the discovery of your base ends and wayes And how you have set up an High Commission Court or somthing worse which you call a Committee in all Counties to that purpose notwithstanding not long agoe your selves did vote against some Bishops for so doing and did declare that in the sence of the House it was a very ungodly and wicked thing to barre any good man from Preaching and revealing the whole will and Counsell of God We perceive well enough how you have pursued your own private ends in all your wayes notwithstanding your publick pretences how you have greatned your selves by that wealth and moneys extorted both from City and Countrey and how unwilling you are to come to a reckoning for the same we cannot but note how you have invested your selves with all the Kings Revenews with all the great Offices of the Kingdome and with the Estates of all Loyall Subjects whom you have made Delinquents and I pray wherefore but only for their Conscience and Loyalty I dare challenge you to declare if you can any other reason why many of your fellow members who were men of sound and upright judgements sincere hearts and knowne integrity of as good credit in their Countrey as the best of your selves and chosen with as generall a consent unto their places why I say or for what other reason they have been made Delinquents by you then only because their Consciences would not suffer them to goe along with you in your way which they knew to be directly opposite to Gods word and the Law of the Land But doe you thinke that these and many such like things being observed altâ mente reposta will be patiently born alwayes will men of noble bloud and spirit indure this thraldome at your hands will they with contented eyes see Strangers enjoy and possesse that weath and those inheritances which God hath given to them and their Fathers have left them will they not rather hazard their lives to cut your throats in revenge of their own wrongs and think they doe God service in it seeing you have disabled Him from doing them justice whom God hath intrusted with the sword for that purpose doe you not think 't is possibie that you may eat the fruit of your owne wayes and drink the juyce of your own Doctrines quicquid indignum aut ferum cuiquam potuit hoc fecit dolor tenebraeque sayes wise Seneca Nay Sirs do you thinke that the Common people who now adore you will not at length fully sent you did you never read or observe that the temper of popular affection is very Aguish and its tenure slippery do not you apprehend that many of them already doe more feare then love you whence else being asked the Reason of their adherence to you doe they usually answer in this manner what would you have us to doe if we should not doe as they would have us they would plunder us of all we have and not leave us worth a penny Can you fancy that this businesse will not worke in time verily I am perswaded unlesse you breake off your sins by repentance and desist from Rebellion rapine and bloud rather then you shall go unpunished if the Sectaries whom you have fostered doe not the very people whom you have seduced will even teare you in pieces as you go in the Streets as they did Dr. Lamb whom they tooke for a Conjurer some 18 yeares ago and will pluck you as small as the people of Rome did Sejanus in times past for their apprehensions of you will be every way as bad as theirs was of him you know how your selves and your Preachers have taught the vulgar who were otherwise instructed before that the Supreme Power is in themselves and that they may reform and punish Malefactors and do God good service therein if they cannot otherwise have justice done upon them and you in your wisdome have so exercised them of late that they have undoubtedly learned to make no great scruple of shedding bloud specially of such as themselves apprehend to be guilty it would be your wisdome to think of these things in time As yet perhaps your vengeance sleepeth facta populus cogitur quam ferre tam laudare people are forced to beare with patience yea and to praise your doings but remember quos cogit metus laudare eosdem reddit inimicos metus that feare which extorts praise doth also engender and increase hate when they come to be sensible of your position and resolution scil Malis domanda est audacia populi gravi semper jugo premenda ne quid simile tentare audeat i. e. the people must be kept bare and low in an underly condition least they attempt such a thing against us as we have done against the King I say when they come throughly and generally to be apprehensive of this your purpose they will then remember where your selves have said the Supremacy lieth when they feele the Souldery maintained by you to offer them violence and no benefit of Law allowed them to right themselves as to this it must come that you will not dare to gainsay the Souldier in any of his wayes when these things come to passe then looke to your selves for your time approacheth but I am weary of your wisedome which will undoubtedly end in folly I will consider also what your piety is for as was said you would also be esteemed Holy Persons Thirdly Therefore for the Title of Godlinesse The Psalmist sayes that the wicked walke on every side when the vilest men are exalted We may give a guesse then at what is in
Let themselves call to minde whether there was not an Act which is more then a bare Order both made and nulled in the same Session since the Beginning of this Parliament though perhaps not dashed by that full Authority which did establish it yet was it not set aside as needlesse and vain or at least as not sufficiently advised upon beforehand The Act which I mean was that which concerned the Fleet or Navy against the Turkish Pirats to redeem our Christian Country-men from Bondage For their better remembrance of which I shall beg leave of the Readers to make a little digression in the relation of some few circumstances and if I rightly apprehend it the matter in brief was thus Our good King in his piety and pity to those poor Captives had formerly with that Ship-money so grudgingly paid built and sent out diverse Ships to the same purpose and God assisting a work so Religious and becoming a Christian Prince he provailed therewith against the Pyrats of Sally and freed many of his Subjects from barbarous slavery in that place whereupon he made preparation also against those of Argyer intending the like mercy for the Christians there but was prevented in his designe by the Scottish insurrection which forced him Northward And before his intentions could return to motion for that Southern Expedition this unhappy Parliament by his authority met at Westminster where that it might be conceived some others had Bowels as well as He a Bill was preferred and disputed upon concerning a Fleet to the fore-mentioned end for the maintenance of which though it might easily have been concluded by settling of Ship-money in a Parliamentary way with an Order for the manner of levying the same to the Subjects liking which had been a more safe and sensible kinde of payment then many disbursments extorted since and might have been a mean to continue Gods nationall blessing upon the whole Kingdome by interessing in that sort all mens hearts and hands in so charitable and Christian a work yet because it was a path wherein the King had trod and they had no purpose to deal either with or for him in any such friendly or Loyall way as might shadow his apprehended haltings from his peoples eyes by making that cleerly Legall which had formerly appeared somewhat warping Besides there wanted matter or stuff to fill up the belly of that monstrum horrendrum or ungospel-like Remonstrance which was purposed to be made against his Government by which the people were to be taught to beleeve that the King did never doe any thing well therefore by all meanes Ship-money must be damned and cryed down for ever in perpetuam Regis ignominiam if mouth can doe it And for the intended Navy another course was concluded upon to advance monies to maintaine that viz. from the importation and transportation of commodities But by the way while these things were in agitation amongst the wise the King having had more sincere and serious thoughts about that businesse then other men desiring and hoping to further and speed the designe with his advice and Councell sent them his judgement concerning some particulars about the matter only to consider upon and to follow if they so pleased or otherwise to proceed according to their own discretions which advise of his had they taken in good part from their Prince and Master they had shewn no more respect unto him then Job was wont to shew to his meanest servant but they lest they might seem to need his help by a civill acceptance of his Councel were so far from relishing of it that they presently voted the same to be an obstruction cast in on purpose to stop the businesse nay a plain refusall of the King to confirme the Bill Whereupon his Sacred Majesty being armed with meeknesse against affronts leaving them wholy to their own devises did presently signe their Bill and in that fashion as they would have him so discovering to all his people if they would see that a Vote of Parliament may be fallible And now behold to return to the matter when this Act was thus finished according to their desires and all Religious hearts raised to an high expectation of seeing their poor brethren quickly redeemed from Turkish thraldome whether from their dislike of the Kings readinesse unto so Christian a work or because they had some other imployment intended for the Merchants money here at home I cannot tell but that Act was never as I heard put in execution to this day but even quite set aside and as we may say so much as in them lay quite nullified cancelled and repealed and free leave given to the Turks thereby not onely to take our Country-men at sea but also to come into the very havens of our Kingdome and to carry away our Children to the ruine of Christian souls for ever insomuch that whereas there was but the number of some 2000. English in slavery when this so adored Parliament did begin there is now November 1645. above 5000. in most lamentable bondage our King being robbed and despoyled by his loving Subjects Who consult as they say to advance Christs Kingdome of his Shippes and Navy wherewith he was wont to defend his Realme from such Pyracies This is that Act which I spake of and the reason of my remembring it at this time is to helpe the Authorizers of this venemous Pamphlet with a president for the recalling their speciall Order whereby 't is published And now before I return to my work in hand let me assume the boldnesse to expostulate a little with these men I am one of Gods Ambassadours Jesus Christ who shall be their Judge is my Master and in his Name let me reason with them about this matter for I hope I may presume to speak unto them at a distance as they are like my self but Dust and Ashes Let me ask you a question in the first place O you superlative men Suppose some of your Novices and under-hand workers as alas you have too many such I feare even about the King should by this Pamphlet which you whom they think infallible have by speciall Order authorized or by any other of like nature published under your Protection be moved to act Jaques Clements part or Raviliacks part upon the Sacred person of their Soveraigne can you imagine that the same will not be set on your score as well as that of those Regicides was laid to the charge of the Jesuites whose custome it was as your selves well know while the doctrine of King-killing was appropriate to their order to inspire men to the perpretation of that supream villany by sending forth such conditioned books as this is which you have authorized wherein with most reproachfull language they would paint out the Prince designed for slaughter as if he were the greatest Tyrant promise-breaker and oppressor of his people in the world and a person in no sort fit to live that so it might be apprehended
Accusers in so close obscurity that his sparkes if he had any in him to this purpose could not possibly flie abroad But let me ask a question did not the wisemen of the Kingdome quench these fire-brands to prevent the flame how came it then to break forth after they were extinguished had they lived been both at liberty and afforded their full concurrence could possibly the flame have been more great and detrimentall Againe why was not the imputation proved at least against Canterbury who lived almost three years after the war was begun when they wanted matter to put him to death Surely the Law hath so well provided in a case of this Nature that if there had been any such matter His Enemies should not have needed to solicite for the peoples Votes and Hands to get him dispatched But it was Canterburyes Honour to drink of his Masters cup The voices of the people and of the Priests prevailed And indeed these quenched fire-brands were so farre from kindling this fire that we apprehend rather they were quenched to this end lest they should have hindred it from being kindled When Charles was King and Strafford Deputy of Ireland and Canterbury Metropolitan of this Church we had no warres in England Straffords bloud we grant was a fire-brand which we with the King beleeve still burnes upon us his Prayers at his death to the contrary could not stop the cry of it from pulling downe of vengeance And Canterburyes bloud we feare will cry louder yet against the people of this Land who by giving their Votes where the Law gives none to take away his life have cryed out against themselves His bloud be upon us and upon our Children But say these men who never slandred any but their betters Strafford and Canterbury were two evill Councellours and yet Strafford and Canterbury dyed like two Christian Martyrs and might the latter end of their Accusers be but like theirs it would be their happinesse in one kinde and ours in another They chiefly incensed the King against the Scots but they did not stir up the Scots against the King in provoking them to an insurrection nor did they hinder the Kings Act of mercy and pardon towards them afterwards much lesse did they after that Act of Pacification with that Nation send for those Scots into England and hire them with English money to cut the throats of English men Had they been Councellours in such matters they had been ill Councellours indeed But say they Strafford and Canterbury endeavoured to submit all these three Kingdomes to a new Arbritrary Government and were duely executed for attempting that subversion of Law which the King hath perfected since It was wel they did but endeavour a new Arbritrary Government not erect it they did but attempt a subversion of Law not effect it but some others since their times have gone further and turned all Law into Vote and all Justice and Reason into Violence and Will For if there be this day in Europe a more Arbritrary cruel and butcherly Government then hath been exercised in England by some since Strafford and Canterbury were set aside from having to doe in the world my reading failes me if to take away lands estates goods good name and lives from men without any allegation of Law or reason but only the Parliament judgeeth so or the People will have it so if this be not Arbritrary Government I know not what is therefore if Strafford and Canterbury were justly executed as these say for attempting let all men judge how deservedly ought these others to be executed for accomplishing such designes But these men tell us further that the King hath since perfected that subversion of Law which those his ill Councellours had formerly attempted 'T is too well known that the customary way of these mens Honouring the King is by casting on him the scandall of their owne doings The Law we confesse is subverted and overthrown but the King can no more be said to have done the same then David could be said to have killedd Abner and Amasa because he was the Soveraigne to those sons of Zeruiah who did the deed and were so subtile and strong that he could neither restrain them from it nor bring them to condigne punishment for it And let all modest and ingenuous men observe how desperate and bold these men are in their aspersions against the King they affirme He hath subverted Law and walked in the Councell of the ungodly to the ruine almost of 3. whole Kingdomes They could have said no more if when the Militia and Power were in his sole hands things had been as now they are But we and themselves too can all witnesse that when the Parliament met no drop of bloud was yet spilt in Ireland no Commotions were stirring in Scotland for the King by his Grace and Goodnesse had allayed all nor was there any complaining of Souldiers nor plundering in the streets of England all the three Kingdomes were in peace and to continue them therein the King calls a Parliament and gives power to the Members thereof and encouragement withall to settle all things both in Church and Common-wealth for the Subjects benefit even as firmly as themselves who were intrusted and chosen by their fellow Subjects for that purpose could possibly devise He denyes them nothing in pursuance thereof suffers them to call all suspected officers and persons to account not excepting Strafford or Canterbury and further to assure His people of His strong desires to continue their happinesse He settles a Trienniall Parliament as the most speciall mean to prevent ill Councellours in after-times yet these Accusers tax the King of perverting the Law and speak as if the three Kingdomes had been at the very brim of destruction and quite ruined ere this if the power had not been taken out of His Hands by those who by their meeknesse wisdome and frugality have put all the said Kingdomes into a more hopefull condition of preservation as it must be beleeved though against all sense and experience then they were in before Indeed had those undertakers done that work for which they were summoned and called together the Kings good Subjects in all His Kingdomes might have had cause of mentioning their names with perpetuall Honour but they as it seemeth envying that happiness which their fellow Subjects were likely to enjoy by those new enacted Lawes and especially by the Trienniall Parliament fairly pretending other matters did get the same Act presently made uselesse by another for the continuation of this which hath created themselves as they suppose and intend perpetuall dictators and all their fellow Subjects perpetuall slaves For let these perpetuall great Councellours approve themselves never so evill and detrimentall to-Church and State yet the poore Subject must be forced by the Militia which they have got into their hands to beleeve them unerring for He shall have no benefit by the Trienniall Parliament to examine their doings
also noted the same that this was the course which Julian the Apostate took in his dayes He having a purpose as these have to ruine the profession of Christianity Used not the sword as Dioclesian did though these indeed to make the work more speedy doe act Dioclesian too but he took away the means of the Clergies subsistance knowing full well that if maintenance once failed the number of Preachers would not long continue The said Julian also would tell the Bishops and Pastors when he stripped them of all they had that in so doing He had a speciall care of their soules health because the Gospell commended Poverty unto them Such like flowts at the Doctrine of Christ doth often fall from lips of the Apostates of these days 5. By their pulling downe all Christian order and formes of publicke Worship and Service tending to decency and edification by casting down defiling and defaming the Houses of God turning many of them into Stables Slaughter-houses Prisons and Jakes they have made close-stooles of Fonts and Pulpits and done as bad to Communion Tables they have rent the holy Bible in pieces scorned at the Sacraments Baptized Horses robbed Churches of Sacramentall Utensils as Plate Linnen calling it Idolatrous and Superstitious because it had been only used in Christs service nay the poore innocent Bells because they have been the meanes of calling people together to Worship God and to adore the Saviour of the World must be pulled down and turned into Guns that they may be another while Instruments of destruction to the Members of Jesus this indeed as I read was the manner of the Turkes when they tooke Constantinople they melted the Bells into Ordnances In a word what ever evill or impiety the Enemies were wont to slander our Church withall these men have acted or suffered to be done by those whom they maintaine insomuch that now the Priests of Rome shall not speak only lyes as heretofore when they tell the people That in England they abolish Church Sacraments the meanes of Salvation they either raze or rob Churches wheresoever they come and make Stables of them that they will neither have Temples nor forme of Religion nor doe they serve God any way yea the English Nation is growne so barbarous that they are very Canniballs and devoure one another God knowes my Soul abhorres to thinke much more to name those things that are acted done amongst as nor should my pen be fouled with the mention of them were they not visible to so many eyes and did not necessity of defending impugned Truth and an abused Church restraine me But I would have all the Papists understand for to that end do I thus speak that we who are of the true Protestant Christian Religion do abhor and loath these practices as much as any and are persecuted to death by them that do them for our dislike of them 6. By their suppression and demolition of all Monuments of Christianity that there might be seen no more tokens of it in the Kingdome as if they intended that no man should be able hereafter to say this Land was once Christian The very festivall times when the Birth Death Resurrection Ascension of our Saviour is commemorated which next to the Preaching of Gods Word and Administration of the Sacraments have been the most speciall means to confirme mens faith in the History of Christ these they have inhibited and forbidden as if they hated his very remembrance Gods wisdome appointed the Feast of Passeover to be kept as an Ordinance for ever among the Jewes to minde them of their deliverance from Aegypt and to be a mean to assure their Children in after-Ages of the truth of that great mercy And the Church conceiving that our deliverance from sinne and Satan by the Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ to be as a great a deliverance as that other and to deserve as well to be remembred did also apprehend that way or mean to be the best to convey the notice of it to Posterity which Gods owne Wisdome devised and that was by celebrating Annuall Festivalls in memoriall thereof but these men it seemes have resolved to the contrary for they will not have the same kept any longer in remembrance Nay that miraculous Thorne at Glassenbury which was wont to celebrate the Festivall of Christs Nativity by putting forth its leaves and flowers was cut in pieces by these Militia men that it might no longer Preach unto men the Birth day of their Saviour But what doe I speake of dayes and times and teaching Trees the very Doctrine it selfe which Christ himselfe taught and practised viz. the Doctrine of Peace Patience and passive obedience unto Princes is reckoned obsolete and uselesse by these men it was publickly maintained by a certaine worthlesse Member at a great Committee in the Checquer Chamber that such Doctrines were out of date in these dayes and had been onely proper to former times when the Church was in a low Condition and under the Persecution of Heathen Emperours Nay these men would not that any true Christian Protestant should have leave to live to relate unto posterity the Doctrine of his Saviour as seemeth by their doings their thirst for Protestant Bloud appeareth to be such as if they desired that all of that Profession in the world had but one Head that so they might cut it off at one blow for they have shed already more of it within these foure yeares then ever was shed in Great Brittaine since the world began and that for no other cause that we yet know for they never durst come to dispute it with us then for holding to the Doctrine of Christs Gospell because we will not contrary to that lift up our hands with them against our Soveraigne By these particulars and many others which I might alleadge it is evident what ever they pretend to the contrary that their endeavours are to destroy the Christian Protestant Religion Our Saviour doth warrant us to judge of men by their fruits wherefore t is no marvaile if the Reader being a true Protestant Christian be not well affected to that cause of Liberty and Religion which the two Parliaments of England and Scotland do seeme to maintaine SECT VIII 1. Of the feigned Combination against the Parliament 2. Our judgement of the Papists and of their assisting the King 3. Our abhorment of the Cruelties of the Irish and how they are out-gone by the English Rebells 4. Our Opinion of the Court Faction of what flock we are 5. How the Libellers call themselves the more beleeving sort of people BUt the Reason insinuated by our Subtile Brethren why men should be affected to that their cause is taken from the Consideration of the Persons against whom as they say t is maintained viz. against a combination of all the Papists of Europe almost especially the bloudy Tigres of Ireland and some of the Prelaticall and Court Faction in England That
of the Kingdome more frequently taught or better fed did they ever in any Nation under the Sun injoy more Peace and Happiness then they did all the time of His Reigne untill this unhappy Parliament turned all things up-side down and so made us of all Christians in the world well-nigh the most miserable and disconsolate Certainly though the Parliament Ministers are pleased to cry out in their Rethorick O the Affliction the Misery the Wormwood and the Gall of those times Yet Posterity in after Ages will acknowledge that the Nobility Gentry Clergy Citizens and Common-people of this Nation in the General did all arrive at the height of earthly happiness in King Charles his time whilest he alone did sway the English Scepter It is true there were Particular grievances from particular men both in Church and Common-wealth and can it be expected otherwise while we live in this world and some good men haply did suffer some hard usage at the hands of evill but did the King ever stop His eares at any Petition Did He ever deny Justice to any that did require it Or did He ever harden His Heart from shewing mercy where ere it was needful There was perhaps much whispering abroad and murmuring in Corners but was there alwayes a cause Mans Nature is apt some time to complaine for nothing even when there is more reason to be thankfull I will name the main particulars of offence and let the world judge what matter of blame did truly arise from them unto the King 1. The Bishops were cryed out upon to be too Rigorous but hath not the carriages of that faction which the Bishops did oppose since they have gotten Head largely acquitted them of that imputation in the judgement of all wise men surely they forefaw the mischief which we all now feel and did labour as became them in their places to prevent the same Perhaps every of them did not go the best way to work nor did use such apt Instruments as the case and time required I justifie no man in all particulars and perhaps too some of us who are now imprisoned banished and divested of all we have by this Reforming Parliament did in those dayes suffer more molestation from some of their unworthy Officers then many of those did who since that time have been most revengefull Three factious fellows had their ears clipt by the sentence of the Lords in the Star-Chamber and were set in the Pillory and this was exclaimed upon for great cruelty in the Bishops because they having been abused by them did not beg their pardon but how truly their necks also deserved the Hâ—lter hath well appeared by the late temper of their spirits and the little good use they have made of that their too small and gentle chastisement 2. The Star-Chamber and high Commission were two great Eye-sores for many great and heavy fines were layd on men for their sins sake in those Courts by the Kings Nobles and Judges some of whom are now great men with His greatest Enemies But how many of those fines did His Majesty in His tendernesse and goodnesse afterwards remit or cause to be mitigated and since the people would so have it He hath now given way even before the Act of continuing the Parliament that those Courts should be suppressed and so be no more offensive 3. Many people of the Kingdome voluntarily departed hence to New-England and this was pretended persecution from some who differed in opinion from them whom they called their Antichristian Enemies but now t is plainly apparent by that spirit which stayed behind in some of their fellowes that the true cause of their departure was only pride In themselves Cesar-like they could allow of no superiour either in Church or State no Bishop no King perhaps some of them might have tender Consciences through weaknesse or mis-information and some of the plainer sort might be honest men and went for company with the rest they knew not whither in the simplicity of their Spirits But t is well known they had all the countenance of the King and Councell to further them in the voyage and Plantation they carryed their Wealth and Goods with them and had supply of relief sent them continually from this Kingdome afterward untill this Warre caused the returne of many of them to help forward the destruction of their native soile and Country Indeed some are of opinion that they went to New-England only to learn and inure themselves to shed mans bloud we hear of few of the Heathens converted by them but of many masacred and by accustoming themselves to slaughter Infidells they have learned without scruple to murder Christians are better proficients then the Spaniards themselves in destroying those of their own Nation and Religion But as was said when they went first from hence they were suffered to carry their wealth with them they were not used as they and their faction use us who now suffer at their hands for our Conscience and the Gospell sake They take away all our goods make us beggars and then afterward if they do not murder us or starve us in prison they banish us into strange and desolate places with scarce cloaths on our backs to seek our fortunes 4. Great Complaints also there was of monopolies people payed an halfpenny more for a thousand of Pins then they were wont to doe and almost half a farding more for a pound of Sope and Starch then in former times when money was not so plentifull and such like heavy grievances did mightily oppresse them and made them weary of the Kings Government because He did permit of such things And yet the Excize upon bread and beer and flesh and cloathes and such like things as are sold in the market for mans use or spent in families was not then set up the Monopolizers durst not be so detrimental to the poor Subjects of this Kingdom while the King had the sole power in His Hands But since they got to be Members and Favourites of the Parliament they with their fellowes have Epimetheus-like opened this Pandorâ—'s Box and let loose amongst us all those Dutch miseries and they say the people are content to have it so though perhaps when they have been pilled or milked a few yeares longger by these new-State men it will be confessed that the Old Government viz. that of the King was far the better and the more easie 5. But the greatest complaint of all was Ship-money Ship-mony O that was a grievous burden indeed not to be stood under for a twentieth Part a fift Part weekly Contributions billetting of Souldiers seizing on Rents plundring of houses cutting of throats ravishing of women deflowring of Virgins and such like matters were not yet in fashion nor yet felt or known by the people of the Kingdome and therefore Ship-mony that was the great grievance But was not Ship-mony disputed and judged Legall before His Majesty did require it And when
nobis esse hic 't is better to stay at home and play 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then to adventure abroad How would the King then appear so abundantly glorious Do they imagine it could be any thing to his glory to have it reported in the Courts of forrein Princes that the Monarch of Great Brittain after twenty years managing his inheritance left him by his predecessours and weilding the Scepter of three Kingdoms to the great prosperity and wealth of his Subjects hath submitted himself to Pupillage under the Command of a few ordinary Gentlemen his own vassals at their requests who think themselves wise enough and therfore take upon them as his Tutors and Guardians to Govern not only himself and his Kingdom but also his very Family and Houshold they appoint him what Servants shal wait upon him and have power to dispose of his Children in marriage without his consent or if they please against his wil. Can any man think that such a report would speak the King in a Glorious Condition Would not Strangers reply and say Is this the Honour of the English King and his great Priviledge above other Princes He may enjoy it sure without Emulation no man wil ever envy him this glory But is this indeed the English mens kindness to their Common Father their gratitude for all their happiness and peace under him Is this the upshot of all their great promises to him Is this that Royal Prerogative that happy freedom which those who stand so much upon their own liberty can in their good nature find in heart to afford unto their Soveraign Would not the meanest of them all disdain to be in that Condition What Neither have Command over his Subjects nor yet over his houshold servants Neither have power to chuse a Wife for his Son nor to bestow his Daughter in marriage Must the Right Worshipful his Tutors and Guardians have the sole disposing of his Children No doubt but they wil have a care to match them into such Haggard stocks that the English Nation shal never more be blessed with any Right-bred Eagles Thus would Forreiners descant upon our Kings Condition should he yeild to the desires of these men and this they would have us believe would be to his great glory Yea and furthermore they have bin teaching the People ever since the Parliament began that the Kings office properly is but only to put in Execution what the Parliament shal Decree to see offenders punished according to the minde and pleasure of his great Councell From whence we learne that there is a preferment waiting for him if he have but a care to please his little Great Masters well and be dilligent to come when they call to go and do as they bid in lieu of his settling the Militia of the three Kingdomes in their hands they will bestow upon him the grand Executionership of the Kingdome which He and His after him shall hold of them and their successours quà m diù se benè gesserint which may be an Office not onely of profit in such Tyrannicall times as we are like to have under their Government but also of pleasure if the King will but put off his mercifull disposition and learne of them to delight in slaughter and shedding of bloud And thus we see what great Dignity and Glory upon his resignation of the Militia is like to be conferred upon Englands King But what man now not void of Reason considering withall the tearmes these Demanders stand in at the present with the King will not conclude this their pretence of making the King Glorious to be onely one of their Flouts which in their pride and bitterness they are pleased to put upon their Soveraigne even for his easiness and goodness in giving credit at first so far to their Oathes and Honesties as to suffer them already to over-reach him truly as a plain scorn we apprehend it for let them Answer us a question or too Would dutifull and loyall Subjects as they call themselves desire any thing in earnest of their Prince and not first lay down their Harness Do not these their weapons speak that by violence or dread they intend to obtain their purpose Have not these very men seized already by fraud and force upon that very thing without the Kings leave which they require of him to grant them Do they not by calling themselves the Militia declare Evidently that they account themselves the everlasting Masters of it Do they intend if the King shall think meet to deny their request to yeeld up presently that possession which they have already of the same We suppose not for they claime in their Tenents all earthly power and Authority to be theirs by right as they are Gods Children They are so bold as to say Gods Providence hath cast into their hands that strength of the Militia which by unjust meanes they have seized upon and they have entred into an Oath and Covenant in effect to keep the same in despight of the King and with it to suppress and destroy all them that shall ayde and assist the King to recover His own again And what is all this but as Micha speakes to oppresse a man and his House Yea a King and his Heritage and to resolve to continue in so doing even because they have gotten a power into their Hands But tell us O you pretenders to Piety where in the meane time is that Subjection to the King for Conscience sake which S. Paul calls for and that obedience for the Lords sake which Saint Peter requireth will you all hold as some of your fellow-members have maintained that these Precepts were onely in date in the Primitive times when the People of God lived under Heathen Persecutors and are of no concernment in these dayes now Gods people have got strength Or do you think the bare calling your selves His Majesties most Dutifull and Loyall Subjects a sufficient observance of those injunctions We beleeve neither of these excuses will satisfie Christ Jesus at the reckoning day But in the interim doth not your desiring the King that the Militia may be setled in your hands plainly infer that in your own Consciences you have done him wrong in seizing already upon it without his leave Surely if the right of settling it be now in him the right of seizing upon it before was not in you but you did a manifest injury to His Majesty in meddling with it against his will and a far greater yet you intend to do him by your resolving still to keep it by force if you may not have it confirmed by his Approbation unlesse you will yeeld that this your demand proceeds from the scorners Chaire you must of necessity grant us thus much But in very deed these men have other reasons for this their unreasonable request though they are ashamed to name them I shall do it for them for mine aymes are like those of Christ my Master in his preaching
which they pretend they would inflict upon the Irish Rebells for that Protestant bloud shed by them would but the King give them leave so to do Truly if they would go themselves and fight it out with those Rebels in Ireland we dare affirm they shal have not only free leave but thanks too yea and moreover they shal have not only the usual boon of such Malefactors as act the executioners part upon their fellows viz. the grant of their own lives but by our consent they shal also be the very great Oes of Ireland and they shal hold this Dignity by their dearly affected Irish Law of Tanistry which is That he who is best able by force and violence to wrest unto himself the estates of others shal be the Chief Commander among them We perceive by their doings that they would set up that Law here in England in stead of all others which they have put out of date or use But we conceive it is not so suteable for this Nation where men have bin wont to enjoy their own and to leave their inheritance to their own Children and therfore we suppose it wil be an hard matter for them to introduce and settle the same here But in Ireland it is a custome established to their hand Yea and further yet upon Condition that they wil go thither and so we in this land may be rid of their Companies we wil all supplicate the King for a further favour in their behalf viz. that every great O amongst them may have the Honour to give the Earl of Tyrones own Arms which is a bloudy Hand for their own proper and most deserved Cognizance and that they may also be all Barons of that Strong Iland which Tyrone fortified and called Fough-na-Gaul the Hate of English-men For in very deed no man living did ever better merit that Title then they have done But alas we have read that Ireland harbours no venimous Vipers therfore we are confident the great Oes of Westminster wil never adventure thither in their own persons But if they can get the Militia of the Kingdom setled by the King wholly in their Hands that so they may fear no rising here against themselves they wil therwith force and press all the English people who wil not take their unlawful and ungodly Covenant which is in effect to renounce the Doctrine of Christs Gospel and their obedience to the King for ever and send them thither where they wil expose them to be starved or slaughtered as many thousands have bin already and therfore let all the Countries that have stood out longest in their Loyalty and at last accepted of these New Lords expect to be thus punished for their tardiness in Apostacy And for those lusty Club-men in the Counties of Wilts Somerset and Devon and the like let them look for this reward at the hands of their Militia-Masters for taking part with them against the Kings men Such fellows as wil gather together and make head against those that wrong and abuse them wil be dangerous to live in a New State They that did thus against the Cavaliers may do as much against the Round-heads when they are but a while as wel acquainted with their Conditions They that wil be forced from their Duty to their Soveraign and natural Liege-Lord by such wrongs and oppressions as in these troublesome times are offered to them by the unruly Soldiers wil be easily driven upon a like sensible occasion to make resistance against tyrannical usurpers those Beasts that wil decline from their Allegiance to the Kingly Lyon wil never long rest contented under the obedience of Cat-a-Mountains therfore a timely course must be taken with such persons they shal all be sent into Ireland out of hand and be hampered there for Ireland must be the continual Spain or Carthage to our New Rome to rid her of all such mutinous and tumultuous persons and then shal these Saints these Bloudy Butcherly Saints have free Elbow-room to inherit this land and having neither truth nor King nor Enemy left for to disease them they shal be at leisure if Pride and faction wil give them leave to live at peace together And thus have we seen the scope of the third demand also which concerneth Ireland Now from what hath been said concerning these matters let any man judge whether these men have not reasons to pursue their desires without giving back an hairs bredth from their first proposals and whether the King hath reason or no to consent unto them Nay whether the Subjects of England have cause to wish the Kings complyance with them in all these things for my part I profess sincerely in the sight of God I apprehend their demands to be the most unreasonable that were ever made and therfore do hope that God wil ere long awaken in the Kings behalf for such hath bin his wont formerly in cases of like nature When Nahash the Ammonite required of the men of Jabesh Gilead to purchase a quiet bondage under him that he might pul out their right Eys So when Benhadad required of the king of Israel his Strength Treasures Houses Wives Children and what ever was dear and pleasing unto him when Senacherib required of the people of Jerusalem to forsake their own natural King and to submit their necks under his yoak to yeild up themselves into his hands to be carried from their own good Land they knew not whither We find that God did continually awake in the behalf of each of these distressed and most severely punished every of these unreasonable demanders and doubtless he did so for the very unreasonableness of those their requests And shal not we believe that he wil awake now also when all these unreasonable demands proceed together at once and from the same men who first require the Abolition of Episcopacy there is Nahash request to pluck out our right Eies Secondly they require the Militia of the three Kingdoms that is Benhadads request for all that the King and his friends have Thirdly under the title of Vindicating the Irish Rebels they require that the people of this Kingdom should be at their disposal to translate from their own Native Country and never to see it any more there is Senacheribs request Therfore Awake Awake as in times of old O Lord our strength arise for our succour at this present and redeem us for thy mercies sake Behold O God our shield and Look upon the face of thine Anointed as thou art the Judge of all the Earth and helpest them to right that suffer wrong Amen Amen I now proceed to Answer these men who in their Libell go on and say But were our cause altered as it is not or were we worse Rebels then formerly as none can affirm that takes notice of our late sufferings and our strange patience even now after the discovery of these Papers and our late extraordinary success in the field Yet stil this
here I think my self bound in Conscience not to let slip the means of setling that Kingdom if it may be fully under my Obedience Now if to preserve the lives of Protestant Subjects impossible otherwise to be done if to keep Religion and Regal Power from subversion be not two sufficient grounds to excuse at least a Christian Prince in a disabled condition for the Consenting to a present Peace with the vilest Murderers in the World I know not what is Yea and beside if the Conditions be observed which the King in his low estate requires to have this Peace granted upon perhaps they may speak the same very commendable 1. It must be such a Peace as must not be against His Conscience and Honour 2. The Penal laws against Appeals to Rome and Premunire must stil stand The Accusers themselves confesse these two 3. It must be on this Condition or so far forth as the Irish remain in their due Obedience to him and lend him their faithful assistance against his enemies as becometh Subjects This is apparent Paper 19. However these Calumniatours please to interpret to me it seemeth that this Peace with the Irish is like that which Solomon made with Shimei That wise King laid such an injunction upon him for the grant of his life as he foresaw he was likely to break and so would come afterward to a due punishment of his former offences and even so hath our King done in that his grant for doubtlesse it is as hard a thing for the Irish to abstain from appealing to Rome or to continue long in their due obedience as it was for Shimei to forbear going to Gath when he heard his servant was run thither and by that time the King through Gods assistance may be able to do justice upon them according to their merits Kings what ever people think have choice spirits differing from those of other men are better guided as being in a special sort in Gods hand which directs them in using a connivent lenity where a sharp insight or notice may work a greater damage for the present In matters of Government which every one that can find fault with skilleth not in such accidents fall out somtime that the Prince must not stand to ask what may be done by law but must do what is necessary to be done in that case If a Cholerick man as one saies be about to strike I must not go about to purge his Choller but to break his blow So doth the King in this case He labours to break the blows of the Murderous Irish that they may fall no longer so heavy upon his Protestant Subjects Time was when He would have gone in person to have purged their Choller and to let them bloud and so have redeemed his poor afflicted people from their fury in a more Kingly way only his good Subjects here that take upon them to command him would not give him leave so to do wherefore he must now do as he may and not as he would And surely if those Abbots of Westminster that sit there at ease fatted with the wealth and pleasures of the Kingdom sporting themselves with reports of bloud and slaughter had but any sensible feeling of those miseries which our poor Protestant Brethren in Ireland do indure by the continuation of that War they would be glad of a peace upon any condition so it were but with the enjoyment of Conscience and Religion But they as is conceived were the first kindlers of the fire there thereby to gain advantage to themselves of raising combustions here and as their phrase so their fashion is to go through with the work Ergo til there be a total ruine and desolation of all they wil admit of no peace in either Kingdom wherefore the King as the case then stood went the only right way at that present by a pacification with the rebellious Irish to inable himself to suppresse the rebellious English those roots of war and seeds-men of sedition and so to recover a Capacity sufficient to correct all offenders and settle a firm tranquility among all his Subjects But these Accusers at the end of their Notes Pag. 55. do object divers of the Kings expressions against the doings of the Irish which as they apprehend this his consent to agree with them did contradict His words say they once were these We hope the lamentable Condition of Ireland wil invite us to a fair intelligence and unity that we may with one heart intend the relieving and recovering of that unhappy Kingdome where those barbarous Rebels practice such inhumane and unheard-of outrages upon our miserable people that no Christian eare can hear without Horrour nor Story parallel And at another time say they thus the King speaketh We conjure all our Subjects by the bonds of Love Duty and Obedience that are precious to good men to joyn with us for the recovery of that Kingdom Also in July say they at the Siege of Hull He conjures both Houses as they wil Answer the contrary to Almighty God to unite their force or recovery of Ireland And in December the King answers some Irish Protestants thus Since the beginning of that monstrous Rebellion I have had no greater sorrow then for the bleeding Condition of that Kingdom Truly their bare repetitions of these pathetical expressions and desires of their Soveraign with which themselves were no whit moved to unite with him in so pious and Charitable a work doth plainly discover them to be none of that number of good men whom the King conjured nor to have any fear in their hearts of Almighty God And doing the same to this end viz. as they hope to disgrace the King who at the end of their relation they blush not to tax for his laying the blame of the Irish miseries upon the Parliament i. e. upon the faction so called which if he should not do he would sin highly against God and the Truth I say to repeat those his expressions to this end as they do doth witnesse them to be given up to Reprobate sense and to remain in the most hardened condition of impenitency And thus have I done also with the fourth particular There remains now only to observe the other Circumstances annexed to this their Charge for aggravation taken from the manner of working whereby these things are said to be effected in a close trading way and from the end for meer particular advantage I shal answer both these together in a word thus The King writes Letters to his Wife and his Wife to him again wherin they communicate their hearts and minds to each other Now because they did not shew those their Letters to the faction at Westminster before they sent them and crave their approbation of what they had written therefore they are here accused to go in a close trading way and to ayme at their own particular advantage by certain men who as must be supposed did never do any
respect Herein I have according to the very Letter of it with my power maintained and defended 1. The true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against Popish Tenents and Innovations 2. His Majesties Royal Person Honour and Estate according to mine Allegiance And 3. The Power and Priviledges of Parliament together with the true Rights and Liberties of the Subject Yea I have here endeavoured with all faithfulnesse to vindicate the Dignitie of that High and Supreme Court from the scandall of Rebellion Oppression Injustice and other evils which to its great disgrace have been practised under its venerable Name and thereby so much as in me lieth I have freed it from the merit of that Odium which is wrought in Peoples hearts against it For indeed the very name of Parliament is grown more hatefull to many of the vulgar through their ignorance then ever that of Starre-Chamber or High-Commission was and they wish and pray through their folly that the same may be quite abolished as those others are I have also herein opposed and endeavoured to bring by discovering their wickednesse to condigne punishment those evill workers who by Force Practice Councels Plots Conspiracies and every other way have done things contrary to all those things in the said Protestation contained All which I promised and vowed to do in a lawfull way which is that of my Calling even with the hazard of my life as well as of mine estate which is lost already and this my Conscience sayes I shall not fully do unlesse I publickly own my doings by prefixing my name unto them Thirdly I considered with my self that by concealing my name I should seem in a sort to be ashamed of that Truth which I professe to maintain and of following my Master Christ in his way of detecting Hypocrites and wicked men He saith of himself that in secret he had spoke nothing that is He was no back-biter no whisperer against any in private corners He spake openly against mens evill doings and was never ashamed to acknowledge his own Doctrines And he hath said too that I cannot be his Disciple that is approved indeed unlesse I follow him viz in his very way doing his work after his very manner though I meet with his Crosse in the doing of it which also I must take up chearfully after his example be it with the losse of my life it selfe He lost his before me Fourthly I considered that my Book is likely to prove more serviceable by mine open acknowledgement of it the writings of that couragious and learned Judge Master David Jenkins are believed to have done the more good by the setting his name unto them nor did I think it comely that any man should appeare more resolute for the Law of the Land then the Ministers of Christ are for the Law of their God For mine own part I am sure I should shew my selfe most strangely ungratefull to the Almighty and distrustfull of him after so large an experience as I have had of his mercy and goodnesse if any feare of danger should make me upon this occasion obscure my self My former Books though plain by his gracious blessing were not unfruitfull among many of my Countrymen unto whom my name as of late I perceive is not so distatefull that I should think them unwilling to see it in print again and from any hurt by those that took offence at them my God hath hitherto protected me as he hath often done praised be his Name from the mischiefs of being beaten and pistolled often threatned by some of the prophaner sort of our Cavalleers for my free preaching against their blasphemy and dissolutenesse their selfseeking lust-pleasing and King-neglecting basenesse Now after Davids way of arguing He that delivered me from the Lion and the Beare can also c. He is the same God still if I can but believe He can yea and will preserve in the midst of danger wherefore though it was once in my mind viz. when I was at a great distance both to conceale my name and also to keep out of their reach as may appear by that passage page 275. yet now being returned amongst them I have for these reasons altered my resolution in that particular And again beside these Reasons I had in my heart also these Reasonings What if I do suffer is it not for a King a gracious King to whom I have sworn Allegiance and under whose Protection I have laboured in Gods Vineyard Is it not for a Church a mother-Church that admitted me first Christs Member and afterwards Christs Minister is it not for keeping the Protestation that Protestation tendred to me by the Parliament when it was a Parliament is it not for discharging my Conscience and Office for telling people of their sins according to Gods Command for detecting Hypocrites after Christs own example and shall I by suffering for the same do any other then with Simon of Cyrene help my Saviour bear his Crosse Have I yet resisted unto bloud as many before me have done Ought I not to be willing to lose life it self for my Brethren to redeem them from the wayes of sinne and errour May not haply this their redemption be effected sooner by suffering then by preaching Is not my exclusion and debarment from an appointed place to preach in a kind of a call or setting aside to sufferings Could Saint Paul have wished himself even separate from Christ if on that condition he might have united his Countrymen unto him and should not I be willing to go to Christ for the gaining of mine Am I not Christs own to be disposed of for his service Did not he buy me for that end Did not he honour me with the dignity of being one of his Ministers of purpose that I should bear witnesse of his Truth is it any new thing to suffer for the sake of that Shall I if thereunto called be the first that have attested the same unto the world Beside what advantage will the Adversaries get to themselves by being cruel to me Shal they not rather confirm thereby to the world what I have written of their conditions Nay shall not those whom I have detected onely in the generall by their being angry at me expose themselves to be known particulatim nominatim and shall hey any whit strengthen their Dominion by my ruine Shall they not rather hasten their own thereby Was not the reigne of the Popish Bishops here in Queen Maries dayes the sooner at its period in the judgements of all men for their persecuting those Reverend Bishops and Ministers who opposed their sinnefull wayes and sealed wiâ—â— their bloud that Doctrine and Lyturgie which is now a pulling down in this Kingdome These and such like also were the reasonings of my spirit concerning this matter of prefixing my name to this Vindication But perhaps some of you will say Ad quid perditio haec what needs all this waste of
words Times are not now as they have been Many of the Presbyterian faction in whom the spirit of cruelty is most naturall and who ruled the Rost when most of these villanies were acted which your Book reproveth are either runne away or turned the other way for the Militia now most in the others hands hath proved a stronger Argument with their Consciences then their Covenant therefore there is no cause to fear persecution for a discharge of duty And besides these are times wherein every one may speak and practice as himself pleaseth nor can any be imagined so vile as to permit all that will to write against that King whom God hath commanded to Honour and that Church which baptized and taught us all the knowledge of God we have and be offended onely at those that write in their behalf Shall we think that men have leave in these Reforming times to be any thing but true Protestants and to do any thing but their duties away away with all Panick fears To this I Answer 1. There is a Leaven of that proud and sower Faction yet remaining 2. There is a Generation of Apostate Priests too much in favour with men of Power and these are mischievous men who having themselves betrayed the Truth cannot abide that any should appear for it they have hitherto been the chief movers to persecution for those Greater persons would never doubtlesse have defiled themselves with such actions as casting Gods Ministers out of their Possessions if some of these little Satans had not stood at their right hands to tempt them provoke them Now these persons specially those of mine old acquaintance do cry nothing but hanging hanging against me for I believe their sight of me puts them in mind of their own Apostacy from that way of Christ wherein formerly they walked with me they have confidently said it that the Parliament would hang me And why Because I was one among many others that had proved this unnaturall Warre to be unlawfull by Gods Word and had Vindicated sacred Scripture from those false and perverse glosses which for ill purposes were put upon it And these Prophets that in this particular at least themselves may appear true will do their best I beleeve with the Members of both Houses to make good the word which they have spoken for those Lords and Gentlemen whom they relate unto if they can prevaile with them shall be all conditioned like Dionisius the Tirant of Siracuse who sent Philoxenus to the gallows because he would not flatter him But as the Prophet said so say I As for me behold I am in their hands let them do with me as seemeth meet good unto them c. It hath been mine endeavour this seaven years day and my usuall Prayer that I may be able to conclude as M. Bradford the Martyr did concerning those that had power over him viz. If they shall imprison me I le thanke them If they shall burn me I le thank them If they shall banish me I le thanke them but if they shall give me leave to preach the Gospell I le thank them more and I promise them withall by Gods grace to be a daily Petitioner for their Conversion and for the pardon of their sins And for my kind Brethren I will in requitall remember them of their destiny they may reade it themselves in Isay 9. 15. The Prophet that teacheth lies is the tail So in Mal. 2. 8. 9. The Lord speaking to some of their stamp saith Because ye have departed out of the way and caused my people to stumble therefore I le make you the most vile base contemptible among them Yea I doubt not e'relong but by most men they 'l be so reputed however of late they have been honoured and justly indeed do they merit to be the tail of the people for making themselves to be the tayl of the Dragon which they have manifestly done by their casting down the Stars from Heaven the Orthodox Ministers out of Christs Church But when this their day of contempt is come and they are assaulted as that Popish Doctor Bourn was in Queen Maries dayes even in the Pulpit from whence they have vented their lies and blasphemies as to this it will come I hope if I live to see it I shall have grace to approve my selfe to them as Master Bradford did to him and help to conduct them away in safety from vulgar rage perswade the people to rest quiet for thus it becomes the true Gospel No disaffection have I now as God knows unto their persons though I professe my selfe a perfect enemy to their courses But now good Readers to leave them there remains onely two requests which I make to you The first is this That you would not think amisse of the most High and Honourable Court of Parliament for those evils that are done in these daies under its name and if any suggest that such or such passages in this my Book are against the same believe them not for I professe unto you I neither do nor dare think the supreme Court of Justice in this Kingdome to be all one with sinne or that Oppression Sacriledge Rebellion Popery and those other Evils which I inveigh against are the Actions of that when God shall please to restore unto us a true Parliament you shall see all these things amended and the Authours of them severely punished Have still therefore a Reverend esteem of Parliaments Secondly I desire that you would not conceive any bitternesse in me or in my Book against the persons of those men that now are called the Parliament as perhaps some may fancy because my usage hath not been good for I professe here also unto you that I do not apprehend my self in respect of my self to have any true cause of hate towards them I thank God I can say to them as the Apostle to his Galathians You have not hurt me at all Nay rather I hope they have been the means to make me in some sort a better Christian. The Causes of my sufferings as I learned at first from some of themselves were these foure I hinted them indeed to the world before in my Loyall Subjects Belief and referre them now to your judgements whether they may not occasion comfort and rejoycing in me yea and love too towards them rather then hatred or ill affections The first was as I was then told because I was an honest man and thereby did more hurt to their Cause being opposite to it in the Country where I was known then an hundred knaves what greater Honour could they do me then by affording this Testimony of me This reason I confesse from their mouths was apprehended by me as a timely intimation and call from God to doe their cause from thence forth what hurt I could which by his power I have since endeavoured and by his grace shall continue so to doe unto my lives end The second