reason of the Abolition of Episcopacy that the Fathers of Gods Church might not have power to punish and suppress such kind of offenders 2. Because Episcopacy is the upholder of truth and order this is evident enough to be another reason themselves cannot deny that the same was first ordained established in the Church for a Remedy against Heresies Sects and Schismes which even in the Primitive times began to spring up among Christians the Smectymnists themselves confesse this and also for the maintaining of Order and Decency in Gods worship and service wherfore truth and order being the things which these men purpose to suppresse and destroy as appeares by that in-let which they have given to all false Doctrines and Teachers and by that confusion which they have set up in all places therefore a necessity lyes upon it Episcopacy must be Abolished as being a main obstruction to that their intendment or undertaking This is the second 3. Because Episcopacy is a great friend to Monarchy a maine supporter of it King James upon experience and observation was wont to say No Bishop no King which saying those that found most fault with it do now endeavour to make good unto the full for they intend the utter destruction of Monarchy in this Kingdome as will appeare by their words anon a form of Government indeed which their Faction have alway maligned and laboured to destroy King James in his Basilicon Doron pag. 4. which he made before he was King of England complaines of the men of this faction then in Scotland how they did use to calumniate him in their popular Sermons not sayes he for any evill or vice in me but because I am a King which they think the Highest evill and againe they informed saies he the people that Kings and Princes were naturall enemies to the Liberty of the Church and could never patiently beare the yoake of Christ which hath been the very Doctrine of these times Wherefore that wise King was most specially carefull all his dayes to countenance and establish Episcopacy in all His Kingdomes not onely as the main preserver of Religion but also as the speciall upholder of Monarchie and he layes it as a charge upon his Son to imitate him therein And indeed these innovators know full well that they cannot bring their designes to effect against Monarchy without the Abolition of Episcopacy for this keeps downe those unruly fiery spirits of the Ministry which are used as chief incendiaries in all State Combustions this restraines them from reproaching their betters and Speaking evill of Dignities this maintaines that Common form of Prayer in this Church established by the use whereof as by a daily Sermon of obedience peoples hearts are seasoned with Duty and Loyaltie in that they are taught continually to acknowledge God to be the onely Ruler of Princes and the Kings Heart to be in Gods Hand who alone must be sought unto to guide and dispose the same in that also we are all taught as we are subjects daily to consider that it is Gods Authority which the King hath and that we are faithfully to serve Honour and humbly obey Him in God and for God Viz. because God hath so commanded and because He is in Gods own stead by his appointment and ordination over the people And by many other such like Divine and Godly expressions people are taught in their use of that book to make profession of their Duty Loyaltie unto their Prince all which make directly against these men and their designes therefore Episcopacy the upholder of this book as the main impediment to their Project down the Common-prayer Book too without any reason at all alleadged on their parts that take upon them to be the Abolishers In a word Episcopacy with her Common-Prayer Book will not admit Treason to stand in the first rank of Christian vertues as these new-Reformers would have it nor be held the fairest and shortest way to Heaven Ergo She and that too must be both Abolished to make way for the downfall of Monarchy in this late most flourishing and happy Kingdom This is the third Reason The 4. is because the King at His Coronation did take a Solemne Oath to maintain Episcopacy it being the Government then established in the Church and the endeavours of these men are not only to destroy the Kings Honour by their Tongues and Pens His Body and Estate by their violence and oppression but also His Soul if they can possibly by forcing upon Him the guilt of perjury which if they could effect beside that unappeaseable grief which in so tender a Conscience as the Kings is they know they should create they would also purchase to themselves an Argument for confirmation of those their slanders already cast out against him to the same purpose viz. that he is regardlesse of keeping his Oath and Promise And besides too if they can make him their Instrument to ruine the Church of God which he loves so dearly and to destroy Monarchy and Kingly Government whereby himself and his posterity are supported if they can make him their Agent to ruine himself it will speake them admirable gifted and to have out-gone all the Machivillians that ever were before them most worthy therefore and fit to enjoy the Supremacy in the State and to be feared of all people And then further yet if they can get the King at their motion to Abolish Episcopacy they shall occasion him to break the Charge which his Father layed upon him to the contrary in his Basilicon Doron which he calls his Testament The Charge and Caveat there given is in these words Take heed my sonne of those Puritanâ— which aime â—t a parity who are the very pests in Church and Common-wealth whom no deserts can oblige no Oathes or promises binde they breathe nothing but Calumny and Sedition aspiring without measure railing without reason and making their own imaginations without warrant of the Word the square of their Conscience I protest before the Great God and since I am here as upon my Testament t is no place for me to lie in that you shall never finde with any Hye land or Border-theeves greater ingratitude more lies and viler perjuries then with these phanatick spirits And suffer not the Principals of them to brooke your Land if ye like to sit at rest except you would keep them for to trye your Patience as Socrates did an evill wife These were the words of the Kings Father wherefore should His Majesty let these men with his good will and approbation be principall in the Church and yeild for this purpose to their desires in abolishing Episcopacy God doubtless would be much offended with him for not minding the Commandement of his Father Yea and peradventure too these his tempters would goe neer afterward to suggest unto his Subjects for they have mouth and fore-head enough to do it that the King like his Predecessour Edward the
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
the Scripture which these Dreamers have alleadged out of S. Jude it being the sole and onely one produced for their own Justification in these their Commentaries upon the Kings letters we must give them their due praise and yeeld it was very sutable for the purpose They goe on and tell us of something to be seen also saying They may see here in these his private letters what Affection the King beares to his people what Language and Titles he bestowes upon his great Councell SECT III. 1. The Kings great and true affection to his people Evidenced 2. How far divers of them that call themselves His Great Councell are from proving themselves his good Councellors The ten Rules or Precepts whereby they have proceeded 3. Of the Language and Titles which they complain of and how truly the name Rebell belongs unto them 4. The true cause of that great grief and sorrow so often mentioned An impudent Charge against the King propounded by the Libellers THe unlearned saith S. Peter do pervert many things in S. Pauls Epistles to their own destruction through the ignorance that is in them and if so then much rather may the malicious make perverse constructions upon the Kings Letters to the hurt of others through the bitterness that is in them Truly we do imagine that our subtile and suspected Brethren have even so done and malum being sui diffusivum they would fain season us with the same liquor which infecteth them to which end they would have us look with such Eyes as they doe and to judge with such hearts for thereby in time we may perhaps be brought to speak with such tongues and to act with such hands too And peradventure if we cannot read with their Spectacles or relish their interpretations they wil conclude us to be stark blinde and strongly Seduced But if they do we are of S. Pauls minde and passe not much to be judged by them our Judge is Christ whose Gospell hath taught us to interpret better These Letters we acknowledge have been read and as proceeding from their hands too together with their corrupt glosse upon them and we wish from our soules we had seen no more disloyalty in the one then we doe disaffection in the other no worse language in their notes against the best of Kings then we doe in his letters against the worst of Subjects we see his tender care to preserve in being his Protestant people in the Kingdome of Ireland he being made unable at the present to restore them to their former wel-being Pap. 16 and 17. we see also how desirous he is to settle a peace among his unkinde and unnaturall people of this Kingdome though with the diminution of his own undoubted rights and the lending away to his own great losse and prejudice his most just Prerogative Pap. 25. we see moreover how his spirit is grieved in him at the Stubbornnesse and perversnesse of the English Rebells that they hindred his hopes of an Accomodation by way of Treaty Pap. 6. which in the judgement of all that love their Country would be the best for the people of this land as the case now standeth we see in his Letters what resolution he hath to adhere to his Clergy the Messengers and Servants of the great God who were wont to be reckoned among the better sort of his people though now with these new and vile Reformers they are the most contemptible Pap. 1. Indeed his private directions for his Commissioners at Uxbridge do alone speake sufficiently his fatherly and Pious Affection to his people His words as his very Enemies record them are these Paper 25. I cannot yeeld to the change of the Government by Bishops not onely as I fully concur with the most Generall opinion of Christians in all Ages as being the best But likewise I hold my self particularly bound by the Oath I took at my Coronation not to alter the Government of this Church from what I found it And as for the Churches Patirmony I cannot suffer any diminution or alienation of it being without peradventure Sacriledge and likewise contrary to my Coronation Oath But whatever shall be offered for rectifying of abuses if any have crept in or for the ease of tender Consciences so as it endamage not the foundation I am content to heare and will be content to give a gratious answer thereunto Had any of the Kings Predecessours but offered thus much half thus much to the strictest non-Conformists in former times they would have cryed it up for a token of the greatest affection that ever King did shew unto his people But the men of our times unlesse their Soveraigne will commit perjury and break his Oath to God as they have done theirs both to God and him to please their Humours unless he will commit Sacriledge as they do destroy his own Conscience and damne his own soul to satisfie their lusts they are resolved to raile upon him for one that beares no Affections to his people But in these his Instructions to the same Commissioners we may and do observe more of his Affection yet to his own dammage and wrong unto his people his words are these by the testimony also of his own deadly enemies The Militia is certainly the fittest subject for a Kings quarrell for without it the Kingly power is but a shadow who can deny this and therefore upon no meanes to be acquitted but maintained according to the Ancient known lawes of the Land no otherwise doth the King desire to have it defended and upheld Yet because to attain to this so much wished peace by all good men it is in a manner necessary Scil. in regard of the guilty Consciences of the Rebells that a sufficient and reall security be given even to them to take away if possible their suspition for the performance of what shall be agreed upon I permit you either by leaving strong Towns or other Military forces in the Rebells possession untill Articles be performed to give such assurance for performance of conditions as you shall judge necessary to conclude a firm Peace Provided alwayes that you take as great a care by sufficient security that Conditions be performed to me good reason and to make sure that the peace once settled all things shall return to their ancient Channell Now behold and wonder O all ye Nations of the word and judge I beseech you betwixt this King and his Accusers Could any Christian deny himself more Did ever Prince deny himselfe so much Can the desires of any man be more equal and just then these are Doe you perceive in these his secret instructions that he covets any more power or Prerogative then is allowed or approved by the Ancient and known Lawes of the Land Can any innocent disposition upon the earth possibly give more satisfaction to a perverse froward and guilty Enemy then is here offered to these men by a most Gracious and Honest King onely to procure
they should not Effect to vex him to death or some way or other to bring him to his grave all their labour would be in vain and to little purpose and how can they consider of this without great grief and sorrow of heart But these good men our subtile Brethren doe here pretend that their sorrow is because their Prince is Seduced out of his proper spheare yet verily we on the other side do consider of this with more true Sorrow I dare say then they do for we confess never was Prince so far seduced out of his proper sphear as he was when He took them who now call themselves his great Counsell to be Honest men when He gave so much credit to their promises and protestations as to be perswaded by them to signe the Bill for the Continuation of that unhappy Parliament then O then be was seduced indeed from his proper spheare wherein his Father set and left him with this caution Alwaies to be suspicious of the Puritanicall faction and never to trust them above all people in the world as being for ingratitude lyes and perjuries surpassing the high-High-land theeves and Borderers His Seduction from this Paternal advise was the root and cause of all our Miseries and therefore with sorrow of heart we his Loyall Subjects cannot but thinke upon it But to do these men right they mention their sorrow here for the Kings Seduction to another purpose namely as a Preface to that which follows M. Dike in his book of the deceitfulness of mans heart sets down not for imitation as these take it but for discovery the method of a cunning Hypocrite in his venting a slander First saies he to gain Credit with the hearers he pretends great affection to the party against whom he is minded to speak professing that with great grief and sorrow of heart he doth think of him hoping yet that he is onely missed and seduced and so makes a long Preamble to this purpose as if the fault he intends to mention were as grievous to him as a blow with a Cudgell and then at last out comes the slander which his viperous tongue layes on with as much spight as malice is able these I remember are M. Dikes words Now after this very manner and in the same Method do these our subtile Brethren speake to us concerning their Soveraigne whom they are about to slander and defame First they tell us in some obscure and generall terms of strange Titles which the King bestowes upon his great Councell which say they we return not again but consider with sorrow that it comes from a Prince not so Naturally inclined as we hope for we would fain think better of him but Seduced from his proper spheare misled by ill Councell And so much for the Preface Now to the main businesse and let all Christian people observe it well how these good Sorrowfull men that promised even now to give no opprobrious Language will describe their Soveraigne He is say they One that hath left that seat in which he ought and hath bound himself to fit to sit as the Psalmist saies in the Chaire of the scornfull and to the ruine almost of three Kingdomes hath walked in the Councells of the ungodly Now 't is out and it conteines in our apprehensions these 6 Articles against the King 1. That the King hath not only neglected to perform his Office but voluntarily and upon no occasion moving hath left and forsaken his proper place and duty 2. That in the roome thereof he hath made choice of the Scorners Chaire which is the highest seat or throne of wickedness 3. That he hath even bound himself Prentice as it were by oath and Covenant to that trade of scorning 4. That he hath resolved to follow that profession so long as he lives for he hath bound himself to sit yea to sit scil for ever in the Chaire of the scornfull 5. That his aymes and endeavours only are and have been to ruine three whole Kingdomes which even almost he had effected 6. That to this very end and for no other reason as must be supposed he hath abandoned the Society of most Holy and good men and linked himself by a indissolvable tye to the Society of the wicked whose ungodly counsell he alwaies walketh in These are the particulars in this their first charge against the King but my purpose being to uncase these Hypocritical and blasphemous men I shall first lay open to the world the full meaning of their hearts in a true Paraphrase upon their words and then I shall shew how false and scandalous they be in every respect against his Majesty unto whom they naturally owe and solemnely have sworne obedience But first let me beg pardon of my Lord and Soveraigne and crave of all Loyall hearts that it be not imputed for an indecorum or want of Reverence in me to Kingly Honour if some of my words concerning His Sacred person do sound unseemly and unbecomming Let it be considered that I speak not my self but other men whose Hellish intentions toward their Prince are so black that 't is impossible to expresse them in a language meetly Reverend He that openeth rotten sepulchers may though unwillingly be offensive Secondly I desire of all men that I may not be thought by my manner of speaking to intend the working of any contempt in peoples hearts against the High Court of Parliament which being called in the Kings name by his Writ and acting under the obedience of just and regall power are with all Honour and Reverence to be thought upon and spoken of Yea and God knowes my heart abhors to be an instrument of working disesteem against any persons of this present Assembly who have pious and loyall affections in them as I beleeve there be divers even in this very Body that do truly detest the present proceedings of some of their fellow-members I do here profess to all the world though I use the name of Parliament and Great Councell in answer to these Libellers yet I meane onely the present swaying and prevailing faction in the two Houses who are and have been the Countenancers of all these abuses against their Soveraigne and the causers of all our sorrowes and who they in particular are I doubt not but in due time God the Supreame Judge will Evidence to this whole Kingdome This with all Humility premised and implored I proceed as followeth SECT IV. 1. The Nature of their Charge opened 2. Their vilanous and bloudy Scope therein clearely Evidenced and proved 3. How perfectly in their Tenents they hold with the Jesuites in the points of King-killing and King-deposing fully declared THe Charge or Bill of Attainder against the King together with the Reason why 't is thus published to us and to the people by these His most dutifull and loving Subjects who take upon them to be His Accusers according to their own full and clear meaning may be rendred more at
large thus That the King or rather he who was once in that office hath voluntarily and freely without being urged by any occasion in the world forsaken his place wherein he ought to have remained and which to His great content He might still have enjoyed had he so pleased being not only obliged thereunto by His Duty but also importuned by the most Humble supplications and prostrate intreaties of His Great Councel But He meerly out of his own ill disposition is departed thence and hath taken up not onely a standing but a Seat yea hath bound Himselfe by obligation entred into a covenant with Hell to sit to sit we say as the Psalmist speake for we would have all the Common people know that we have Scripture for what we say in the Seat of the Scornfull that is as our Prophets interpret to remain for ever in the Highest Throne and degree of wickednesse that man or Devill can reach unto whereby it appeares that Ahab-like he hath sold himselfe to work all evill even with greedinesse and is past all hope of recovery Moreover he hath intentionally and on set purpose been already the ruine almost of three whole Kingdomes and had been so altogether ere this had not His Great Councell a company of most Holy Chast Innocent Wise and infallible good men sitting now at Westminster in their great pitty and commiseration of spirit and out of their abounding piety and meere natural goodnesse interposed themselves whereby thanks only to them the three Kingdomes are yet kept in being which before they put to their helping hands were at the very brim of destruction And yet notwithstanding this wilful King hath left their most Sacred sweet and peaceable society out of a pure hatred to them and to their vâ—rtues and hath not onely stepped unawares but hath even eat and drunk with Publicans and Sinners yea and walked deliberately in the Councels of the wicked and ungodly Insomuch that it is to be thought the total ruine of the three Kingdomes will shortly be accomplished do what the Great Councel can to the contray unless some Noble Brutus some Valiant Cassius out of love to their Countries Liberty will take the paines to stab this Cesar some devout Raviliack in his zeal unto Religion wil do God the service or the kindnesse rather to free the world and Church of this destructive Tyrant for 't is better as Scripture saies that one man should die then that all the People perish then that three whole Kingdomes should be destroyed We refer the matter to their own Consciences whether this be not the true sense of their spirits and whether they would not have the people thus to understand their words against the King And to prevent scruples which may arise in the hearts of any about the Businesse which they would have done they adde to the former the words following saying And though in our Tenents we annex no infallibility to the seat of a King in Parliament as the Romanists do to the Papall Chaire since all men are subject to Errour yet we dare boldly say that no English King did ever from that place speak destruction to His people but safety and Honour nor any that abhorred that seat and Councell but did the contrary These words I say are added to their foregoing description of the King not only to further the Businesse aymed at but also in way of prevention for some might make a scruple of Conscience as David did to kill the King notwithstanding these suggestions because He is the Lords Anointed Wherefore these circumspect mâ—n being ad omnia parati do signifie further in these words that no man need be precise in that respect for say they in effect thus We in our Tenents which are all the truth and the very truth and the truth indeed and so to be apprehended by all men living doe make no more of a King then we do of another man the seat of a King in Parliament it self is no more then the seat of Cesar in the Senate-house it may as well be empty as not were there but no King at all for 't is not so much his Presence there which we desire and quarrell about as his Nullity that He might be no where we hold there is no more virtue in the Seat of a King in Parliament then in the seat of an ordinary Burgesle no nor half so much neither we neither do nor wil in our Tenents annex infallibility to the Kings Seat for should we make a Pope of the King No no He is but a man subject to Errours as others be and therefore liable to be punished for his faults as well as others specially since the Soveraignty is transmitted into the hands of the Parliament which was done as the Parliaments own self judgeth when the Bil of perpetuâ—ty was signed It is granted indeed before that time the Supream power was in Him and we were all his Subjects and then perhaps some might Scruple to out his throat for there were lawes then in force against Regicides but now since his Resignation for so in our Tenents we hold this Act to be there is no scruple to be made those lawes against King-killers are suspended and he is now become as Samson was without his strength even like another man any of the wel affected Philistines may fall upon him mock him kil him or use him as they please if their new Lords that is to say the worthy members of the Parliament do but give leave for he is now but their subject their slave they are able by the infallibility of their Votes to make him a malefactor and then to order him if they can catch him as such a one for infallibly we grant is an Attendant on the Supreame power we do not indeed annex it to the Kings seat because the supreame power is now removed from thence while this was in the King the Parliament it self as appeares in some of their Expresses did use to speak as the Law did modestly of the King and to say he could not erre but now the case is altered with him the Supreame power being transferred unto other persons infallibility stil attends the same and not the Kings person And hence it was that after the aforesaid Act there was a large Remonstrance made which the Authours of durst never make before whilst the power was in the Kings hand it may be called the Parliaments Act of Gratitude for the Kings Act fore-named in which they declare sufficiently their judgement to be that the King may now be imputed fallible and unfit to manage the Supreame power from thenceforth any longer And hence also it is that a new Oath of Allegeance and Obedience to the Parliament is tendred to the People of this Land which plainly shewes that the Supreame power is concluded to dwel in them and that the old Oath is quite void and out of date together with the King And for the Protestation
His Merits are Beleeve it Sir unlesse some speedy course be taken with Him Caesar in whom the Supreame power is now seated and whose servants the people now are will be wronged and the whole Church and Kingdome wasted and destroyed and this we will boldly say who ever doth not joyn with us against bim is neither a friend to Caesar nor to the Common-wealth we are all for the Publick good and to preserve that we desire that this our King or rather this man that says he is our King may be crucified To this purpose was the Pharisees accusation against our Saviour of this disposition were their Spirits against the Son of God as Scripture teacheth notwithstanding their Religious pretences and that opinion of holinesse which the world had of them it need not therefore be thought an impossible thing that there should be men of a like spirit and of a like esteem in these days and that they should endeavour a like mischief against their Soveraigne Nothing but the Heart bloud of Christ would satisfie those his Enemies and can it be any thing but the very heart bloud of the King which these men thirst after indeed they do not lay any worse things to the Kings charge for I will do them no wrong then those others did to the charge of Christ And this for the first There is no impossibility in the matter 2. The truth of my interpretation of their meaning is Evident from the Tenents which they mention as proper to themselves at least as differing from ours Wee say they in our Tenents do annex no Infallibility to the seat of a King in Parliament as the Romanists doe to the Papall Chaire since all men are subject to errours These men desire as we learned by their Pulpit Doctrines of us that people should beleeve that those who are for the King do think of him as the Romanists do of the Pope that he cannot Erre which opinion by these their words they would have the world know that they disclaim and truly so do we as much as they for we never did nor yet ever dare we give the King so undue an Attribute nor would His Majesty suffer the same were any of us so sinfully disposed For we boldly affirm that never King was more Christian then He in yeelding himselfe culpable even in some matters wherein others could see no errour that so if possible he might give his Enemies satisfaction and purchase peace unto his people But whether it be so or no they conceive and report that to be our Tenent and we on the other side apprehended theirs to be that infallibility is rather in the Parliament without a King then in the Seat of a King in Parliament And our Reason is there hath been more Infallibility professed in Parliament since the Kings absence from Westminster then ever was before when either himself or any of His Predecessours have been there And though the Parliament hath been erroneous and faulty herefore by reason of the Kings faction mixt therein for by that name are modest and Loyal Gentlemen now called yet that being now purged away and driven from thence Errour also is vanished with it and Infallibility hath taken up its dwelling there ita praedicant ita clamitant And yet by the way we must tell the world we beleeve the King hath some friends still within the wals at Westminster even as Christ had at the Jews Councell Table although like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea they are over-powred and reviled when they speak truth and Conscience But to the matter We must tell these men that Scripture affords us better Testimony for the Kings not Erring then it doth them for theirs Solomon saies The Kings Heart is in Gods Hand and a Divine sentence is in His Lips His mouth transgresseth not in judgment We finde not the like expressions in behalf of an headlesse Parliament but because Solomon was a King himselfe He spake they say in his own case and therefore not much to be regarded but we will not contest with them at this time about his Authority we rather yeeld because all men are subject to Errour that a King may Erre and we adde further that a Parliament consisting of men may erre too and this Combination of Conspirators which to the high disgrace of the Supreamest Court some call the Parliament doth Erre most abominably both from Gods Law and the Law of the Land and this in very deed is our Tenent And let them deal ingenuously with us say whether they do not so hold of the Parliament though not of the King as the Romanists doe of the Pope whether by their Tenents the Parliament hath not the same power over Kings and Kingdomes as the Pope hath by the Tenent of the Jesuits The Jesuites hold that the Pope may dispose of Princes and Crownes for the service of God the good of the Church and salvation of Souls And do not these hold that the Parliament may both order the King and dispose of His Kingdome as they shall think meet for the advancement of their Cause which they call Gods pro salute populi Romanas Episcopus Zacharias Regem Franciscorum non tam pro suis iniquitatibus quam pro eo quod tantae potestati erat inutilis à regno deposuit c. By vertue of which Canon say the Jesuits the Pope hath power to depose Kings be they Hereticall or Catholick of vicious or vertuous lives if in his judgment he findes them unfit and some others more capable of Government And do not these men beleeve the Authority of Parliament to be as irresistable as that of the Pope and their Votes to be as ful of vertue as his Canons and altogether as Authentick even to the deposing of Kings and disposing of their Kingdomes Eudaemon Johannes in his Apologie for Henry Garnet teacheth that Subjects may be loosed from their Oath of Allegeance and then they cannot as Emanuel Sa affirmeth be held guilty of Treason though they conspire the Kings death because He against whom they conspire is not their Master or Lord they being formerly absolved from his obedience And hath not the same Doctrine been both taught and practised by these our opposers Have not they loosened people from their Oath of Allegeance to the King and then put them in Armes perswading them that 't is no Rebellion to fight against Him The Jesuits in their Chamber of Meditation taught as John Chastell who gave Hen. the 4. of France a stab in the mouth confessed upon examination that it was lawfull to kill that King and that He was now member of the Church nor ought to be obeyed or held for King untill he had received approbation from the Pope And one of them in his Apology for the said Chastell hath these words vulnerando Henricum Burbonium non voluerit laedere ant occidere Regem etiamsi se talem dicebat in quo praeter imaginem
wherefore sure if it be medesty to accuse the Sun of darkness or Piety it selfe of wickedness then these Annotators are wonderfull modest men 5. They accuse him most plentifully of those things whereof themselves are most guilty they lay their owne faults to his Charge as Corah and his companions dealt with Moses as Ahab dealt with Elias and as Nero with the Christians so doe these men with their Soveraigne was there ever in any Age read or heard of grander Hypocrites greater deceivers oppressours scorners more cruell Tyrannicall or trecherous Persons greater Oath or Covenant breakers then these men are who now oppose their King and yet in their superlative modesty they are pleased to calumniate burden him with these conditions Nay that one Charge of theirs upon the King Pag. 44. which they call stirring Rumours about his Mother may make all Englishmen stand amazed at their impudency for all that had ears to hear and lived neer London can witness how publikely base and villainous they were in their scandalous inventions and designes against the Honour of that our disseised Queen as well as against Her that is now living and because His Majesty complaines of this their transcendent villany in a private Letter unto the Danish King who was interessed with him in the wrong these Diabolicall wretches are so impudent as to publish this private Letter and then to tax him as if he thereby had raised that Rumour which themselves I say first contrived and now have the 2. time divulged onely to vex his Spirit now if this be modesty then Potiphars Wife was a modest woman for accusing Joseph of incontinency Satan himself was a modest creature in his charging Job with blasphemy Nor need any wonder that these Royall Ladies should fall under the lash of these mens defaming Tongues for t is well knowne that the Blessed Virgin Mary her selfe by diverse of their crue hath been used in the same manner so that in this those two Queenes are but fellow-sufferers with Christs Mother And thus we have seen a glimpse of that perspicuity and modesty which is gloryed to be in these Annotations we shall perceive more thereof anon surely had it been of any other sort or kinde then what it is they could never have been so confident as they are that all mankind shall be injurious and doe them wrong if they fail to commend of them such perspicuity and such modesty is in very deed the foundation of such Confidence But what doe they tell us in the next words Indeed say they most of all the main circumstances want no illustration at all to the most vulgar Capacities and therefore we affirme nothing necessary to be beleeved but what the Printed Papers will themselves utter in their own Language Could any men in the world speake more effectually to perswade us all to be of their opinion Polus in the Spectrum of Erasmus did never act his part better He faigning that he saw a strange sight in the skie did by his expressions so well set it forth and demonstrate it by his words and fingers unto the other spectatours that every of them at last one after another lest they should seeme to be parum oculati dim-sighted Adfirmârant se quoque videre said that they saw it too and just as he had described it pudebat enim non videre quod tam esset perspicuum as the story goes they were ashamed not to be thought to see what he said was so easie to be seen even so these men having told us a pretty tale of a certain Spectrum of modesty and perspicuity in their own Annotations they affirm it is so evident to every Eye that it needs no illustration yea and what ever they say upon the Kings papers is so manifestly true that the Papers themselves doe speak the same even to the easiest capacityes Wherefore they hope unlesse people will yeeld themselves fooles and blockheads such as have no understanding to perceive what they read they will all out of hand be of their opinion and speak just as they do for it may be a great shame to any body not to observe that which these say is so perspicuous Nor indeed will it be safe for any that resolve to sleep in a whole skin not to be perswaded of this matter for it is concluded by those of that side to kill slay and destroy at least to banish and turn out naked as men wilfull in Enmity beyond the help of Miracles and Revelations all such as are contrary minded unto themselves But suppose any body should be so impertinent as to desire a further Testimony of what they would have beleeved of the King then these Papers doe afford Why these Publishers tell us for our further satisfaction but we must take their bare word that they have in some by-corner sure more Papers then yet they have made shew of their words to this purpose are these that follow And yet for that which is not so clearly warranted here we have other Papers for their warrant were they not so Numerous and Vast and too much intermixed with other matters of no pertinence for publication at this time The reasons why they do not produce their full store we perceive are two 1. The overflowings of their own Modesty Civility they will not weary their Readers with things so Numerous and so Vast. 2. Their predence and discretion there is too Great an intermixtion of other matters of no pertinence for publication at this time for haply it is of such matters as would clearly evidence to the abused world so much of the Kings goodnesse as could not possibly be clouded and darkened with their spightfull glosses which would rather oppose then further their present purpose For indeed should the Kings gratious disposition be fully known unto His people they would be all more sensible of the wrong He suffers and so perhaps the men of Westminster might be forced to yeeld up into His Hands again His Sword and Crown and be made to return into the Order of their Predecessours the Parliament-men in former times which to do as yet they have no intention The way to maintain their own Reputation is to Defame the King to keep themselves up is to keep Him down In a troubled State all discontented persons whereof the land is ful do naturally draw to the grieved party even as humours in the Body to a sore place wherefore if all the people of this Nation who have been wronged peeled and oppressed by these mens meanes since power hath been in their hands were but well certified of the Kings Candour they would all with one accord in consideration of those unexpressible abuses offered unto Him unite themselves in His behalf joyn with Him against them Therefore it is great wisdome in these men and their Masters to do as they doe and to conceal that which might hurt themselves if known It may easily be gathered from
purpose do stil detain it from him Our observation of them hath been this They wanting matter to make their King odious to the world as they desire he should be did labour all they could to disable him from doing as he had said and purposed that so they might upon his failing have some pretence to tel the people he was perfidious and a Promise-breaker 2. Whether the Kings promises when first made were not intended performable only upon the Condition of their Faith and Obedience who now tax him and whether they have performed their duties in those particulars we conceive that as Gods promises so the Kings are made upon such supposals If ye be willing and obedient saies God ye shal eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shal be devoured by the sword and again The Lord wil be with you while you be with him but if ye forsake him and walk contrary unto him He wil forsake you and walk contrary unto you If the Kings promises should be more absolute then Gods they might be sinful and so a sin to keep them though he had power beside faith and obedience doth not only make people capable of the thing promised but doth also inable the party promising to make his intended goodness manifest It is said that Christ could do no mighty works in a certain place because of the peoples unbelief Did mens unbelief weaken Christs hands and can it strengthen those of the King I conceive no man can justly tax the King of any breaches in this kind unless they can shew that his promises were absolute and notwithstanding their continuation in Rebellion and opposition against him or at least can name some one particular of them for which they took his word and waited on him in the way of obedience which he did not perform to the uttermost of his power 3. Whether those men who take such pains to have the King accounted it in the world a Promise-breaker be themselves free from the same crime whether they have been precise and punctual in keeping all their Oaths Promises and Protestations made unto the King If not it may be suspected that their Policy is greater then their Honesty and that they hope to cloud their own fault by means of this dust which they raise against the King as conceiving that men wil not be so uncivil as to think them guilty of that which with so much mouth and fieriness of Spirit they censure in the King And yet verily many are of opinion that it cannot be shewn from any story that there was ever a like pack of perfidious wretches under the cope of Heaven professing the Christian Protestant Religion that have broken more Oaths of Allegeance Bonds of obedience and Protestations of Loyalty then these have done Again I do further advise the Readers that if from any passages in these Letters they shal conceive they see in the King some failing concerning his trust and dependance on God that he doth not so totally cast himself upon his strength and providence as in their thoughts it be seemeth the Anointed of the Lord and as at the beginning of his troubles he resolved to do but seems to look out for other helps as of Forreiners and people of another Religion which in their apprehensions is not so proper for him a Protestant Prince to make use of Yet before they passe a rigorous censure against him after the manner of these men Let them also consider of these three particulars 1. That the King is in the state of Mortality and so hath frailties in him as wel as others Nor was it ever known that Faith was at all times alike strong and lively in the best believers somtime they have relied wholy upon God but somtimes again they have been ful of doubtings specially when afflictions have bin hard upon them and God seemed to stand afar off David at some time thought that God had quite cast him off and forgotten him though somtime again he could say that God was his salvation and when Peter that great Apostle felt himself sinking his Faith failed him Now considering how tedious bitter and heavy the Kings afflictions have bin we who are more frail should rather magnifie and admire the strength of Gods grace in him that hath supported him so far and so long then condemn him for his weakness the best of us perhaps had despaired and bin distracted or dead long ere this under the like continuance of a far lesse burden 2. That necessity is a Tyrant and forceth men beyond their wils and purposed inclinations and therfore Seneca wel Magnum imbecillitatis nostrae patrocinium necessitas quae omnem legem frangit it breaks all laws and resolutions and thrusts a man with a kind of Authority into by-paths it did David when notwithstanding Gods particular promise to settle him in the Throne of the Kingdom and after a large and frequent experience of Gods delivering him from Sauls rage he said I shal one day perish by the hand of Saul and thereupon used that which is now counted an indirect mean for his preservation the help of Forreiners and men of another Religion He sought protection from Achish king of Gath and indeed behaved himself in his court being there also put to his shifts somwhat unseemly And so Abraham notwithstanding God had promised him his special guard wherupon he had the more reason to be confident and to depend upon him yet being in a strait to save his life used an undirect mean two several times and hazarded the loss of his Wives Honour Our King hath had no such personal and special promises of Gods preservation as those holy men had therfore if he had bin so weak in faith as some wil happily apprehend him yet had he shewn himself therein but the son of David the son of Abraham It would doubtless better become the best of us to pray with the Psalmist Let not the rod of the wicked lie alway upon the back of the Righteous lest the righteous put forth his hand unto wickedness then to condemn or censure a righteous Prince for his putting forth his hand for forrein help in a cause of this nature when he is in danger to be deprived both of life and Kingdom but more of this hereafter 3. Let it be remembred how highly guilty of hiring and impolying forrein aid these his Accusers with their faction are who oppose his Majesty notwithstanding that great strength of ships arms wealth and men which are at home under their Command they have the aid of all men whomsoever they can get or hire to help them in spoyling the King they called in the Scottish Nation to this purpose and it is wel known by divers where neer thirty of their men being at once taken together Prisoners were found upon examination to be of six several Nations and all Papists wherfore then may
second had neglected to observe his Fathers Testament and therefore as one under Gods curse ought meritoriously to be dealt withall as Edward the second was first deposed and then put to death and so would they make use of that Act of his in fortifying themselves another way to do him a further mischief but God we trust will prevent them and guide him And thus we have seen the true reasons of their first Proposition concerning Abolition of Episcopacy And we hope if His Majesty be forced as Henry the third was to subscribe to any thing against his will he will do as some of the Martyrs have don in a like straite first of all require of them that urge these unreasonable propositions upon him before he signes them to imprecate publikely and in a solemn manner upon themselves and posterities all the demerit of guilt and sin which shall be incurred at Gods Hand by such a subscription If their Consciences think there be no sinne in the matter they will easily doe it but if they refuse it will manifestly appear to the whole world that they are most devillishly minded thus to presse the King to things unlawfull In the next place they require the settling of the Militia of the three Kingdomes in good hands by advise of Parliament SECT XIIII 1. Their unreasonablenesse in desiring the Militia to be in their sole disposall Four weak and dangerous pretences for it 2. Four true Grounds of this their demand 3. How sinfull and dangerous a thing it would be to the Church People and Kingdome if the King should grant it IT is to be noted the Militia not of one but of three Kingdomes they must have all or none as Moses would not leave an Hâ—ofe behinde with King Pharoah so these will not leave a weapon with the King They will have the whole Militia of the 3. whole Kingdomes settled say they in good hands But what Hands are those If gentle peaceable and Religious hands are such then was the Militia of the Kingdome in good hands before untill by the fraud and violence of these demanders it was wrested thence But if by good Hands they mean such as have now griped the same into their possession God forbid that the King should ever willingly yeild it should be setled there or that the people of the Kingdome should ever consent thereto for so they might pull the guilt of that Innocent bloud which hath already and is still likely to be shed by it while so setled upon their owne heads It was alwayes till now without scruple beleeved for an undoubted truth that those hands were the best which Gods Word and the Law of the Land so judged and committed the Militia into and those were only the Kings no law Common or Statute can be shewed whereby it was ever setled elsewhere And in Gods Word Kings though Heathens are intituled Gods sword-bearers in respect of their office to execute punishment upon evil doers In the story of Israels Government we read of King Sauls selected band which himselfe alone made choice of and of Davids Worthies and of his appointing Captaines over hundreds and over thousands the Militia it seemes was in his sole hands then Himselfe made Joab the Generall of his Hoste and displaced him again at his own pleasure Indeed we know that the forme of Government in the Jewish Common-wealth is much slighted and scorned at by our new State-mongers as weak unperfect and unfit for this Nation the Government of Heathen Rome is in their Judgements the most absolute and this is that say they which they aspire after But we are of opinion that God Almighties wisdome is better then theirs is or then that of the Heathens was and we believe that those State-Governments are the only best and most fit for Christians that come neerest unto that which God himself contrived and prescribed unto his own people and we well remember when ours here held a neer conformity unto that we best flourished Nor can we conceive why the same we had should be more unsuteable to the Nation now all upon the suddain then heretofore but only because these Innovators have at the present unfitted people for Gods Yoak by making them Rebellious And for this reason it seemes we must now forsake the direction of Gods Word and of Law established to listen after a certain new advise from these few men who call themselves the Parliament who as if all wisdom were lodged in them must take upon them to Nominate some New good hands to settle the Militia of the Kingdoms in for after-times But we are confident before-hand they wil like him that chose himself Pope determine only for themselves and judge their own hands the best of all others though alas the whole Kingdom hath felt the Contrary by smarting experience But may it not be imagined that men so excessively wise are ful of reason what therfore may the grounds be of this unreasonable demand the like to which I never met with in any story and doubtless should it be granted the King as himself says wel should remain But the outside but the picture but the sign of a King For in the Militia of the Kingdom consists the Kings power his Authority and to yeild to the setling of this in any hands but his own were to yeild up his Crown it self his very Kingdom Now therfore by what right or reason they should claim the Kings Crown I cannot imagine unless perhaps they have bargained for that right which the Pope had therunto by King Johns resignation The story saies that the King received it back of the Pope to hold from thenceforth in fee farm of Him and his Successours for the yearly rent of a 1000 Marks Now perhaps upon the Kings non-payment of the said rent they have gotten the Popes right conveyed to them and do bottom this their demand upon it and that strict intelligence which Lenthall the Speaker brags that himself keeps with the Cardinall Mazarine may peradventure be about the setling of the said conveyance but this is a secret which the people must not know of or wil not believe nor wil I press it upon them and therfore they have other pretences and say they demand it 1. Because those good Hands which the Parliament wil make choice of to settle the Militia in are sure hands that is hands that may be trusted which wil never part again with what they have once griped or laid hold upon never a pack of Knaves in the world shal be able to cheat them of their Magazines their Ships their Towns and Castles if once the whole power of the Kingdom be at their disposing they wil not take mens words nor believe their Oaths nor credit their Honesties as the King hath done nor wil they be so scrupulous as he hath bin of giving occasions of suspicion to his inferior Subjects Besides themselves being as themselves say Gods Children have
meanes the land is restored to tranquility and the King to his Crown and dignity For doubtlesse the Religion of the Papists is as dear to them as the Religion of Miles Corbet Edmund Prideaux and Zouch Tate the three chief examiners of the Kings Letters is to them and may with as little detriment to any Church or State be tollerated And besides the Penalty which the King promiseth to take away is not as I conceive to be levied upon the Papists meerely because such for it may be exacted upon others also though of another Religion if they be guilty of these particulars Scil. if they shall refuse to take the Oath of Supremacy and Allegeance to the King 2. If they shall Raise disturbance in the Church or State 3. If they shall Seduce the Kings Subjects from their Religion and Obedience 4. If they shall Refuse to come to Church once in a month at least or to hear Divine service 5. If they shall many of them together Keep private Conventicles and meetings in such cases onely as I conceive the Laws are in force against Papists and against all men else as equally of what Religion soever Wherefore let any man of understanding and justice speak whether these fault-finders themselves be not under the same Penalties as deeply as ever were the Papists Have not they renounced the Oath of Supremacie and Allegeance to the King by making a new Oath and placing the Supremacy in the Heads of their faction Have not they raised such distractions and Rebellions in Church and State as the like was never known Have not they had their private meetings in all places of the Kingdome and seduced thousands of the Kings Subjects from their duty and obedience Do not they refuse to come to Common-Prayer Nay have they not Abolished the same out of Churches that no man at all might come unto it May they doing these things and indeavouring the Kings destruction withall be freed from the Penalty of these Laws And may not the Papists remaining in their due obedience and assisting their Soveraigne against his Enemies according both to Law and duty reasonably enjoy the same freedome though peradventure they come short of one of the particulars which perhaps too is not so much out of Malice as in these others but out of ignorance and mis-information and that is not coming to Common-Prayer to which neither can they come now if they had a mind because it is taken away by those very men who would have the Statutes still in force against the Papists for not allowing of that which themselves with all contempt and scorn have abolished But in the last Page of their Notes they Object in this case also the Kings resolution and promise not to Abolish these Lawes but to joyn with his Parliament in suppression of Popery In answer to which let what hath been said already be well remembred and withall how they that call themselves His Parliamant have not suffered the King to concurre with them but have opposed and persecuted him ever since he declared that his Resolution to the end he might not be able to pursue the same Yea How themselves have compelled him in the continuance of his affliction to do that which they cry out upon him for have endeavoured all they could to force him further had not a great measure of Divine grace upholden him He may justly complaine of them as David did of some in his time They have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other gods They have done what they could to violence him from his Religion and to force him to be a Papist according as they voiced him Never Prince had greater temptations and inforcements yet never Prince was more constant in his Religion blessed be the Majesty of Heaven for him A perpetuall disgrace will it questionlesse be to Protestant Religion in the eyes of all the world beside that any pretending to it should shew themselves so unworthy as to suffer so gratious a Prince to stand in need of Papists to defend him much more that they should by ill usage force him with such promises to seek their ayd but that they should accuse him also for doing the same after they have inforced him to it we must needs cry out O nullo scelus credibile in aevo quodque posteritas neget the Height of their villany is the only advantage they have that it wil not be believed by posterity Wel I say let all those particulars be thought upon by all sober men of this Age and if they be not sufficient in their judgments to plead the King Excusable in this case then let them remember as they were advised before that the King is a man as others are and in his extremity he declared himself to be the Son of David and the Son of Abraham SECT XVIII 1. The Kings granting indempnity to the murderous Irish another Slander The necessity and Reasons of the Kings yeilding to a Peace at that time with the Irish And the Conditions upon which that Peace was to be granted This Act not contradictive to any of his former expressions against their detestable doings 2. The Vanity of their Charge against the King for going in a close trading way Two sufficient Evidences of His Majesties sincere and constant affection to the Protestant Religion 3. The whole Charge against the King most truly retorted upon the Objectors WE come now to the fourth particular in their Charge which is say they granting indempnity to the murderous Irish. This is collected as they tel us in their after-notes from the Kings Letters to Ormund Pap. 16. 17. 18. 19. in all which I assure the world there is no such word or phrase to be found as I wil or I do grant indempnity to the murderous Irish Indeed I find therein his Majesty consenting to a peace with the Irish and he sets down the reasons necessitating him thereunto which these honest Observatours have totally omitted to take notice of lest there should have bin no appearance of blame at all in their accusation in which they do altogether as wisely as Satan did when he spake Scripture to our Saviour for he did omit but only so much of the sentence as would if expressed have made that part alleaged nothing to his purpose And of this all men shal judge for I wil set down in the Kings own words the grounds moving him to write to that purpose unto Ormund Paper 16. Ormund THe impossibility of preserving my Protestant Subjects in Ireland by a continuation of the War hath moved me to give you these powers and directions that is one ground A 2. follows in these words It being now manifest that the English Rebels have as far as in them lyeth given the Command of Ireland to the Scots that their aym is at a total subversion of Religion and regal power and that nothing else wil content them or purchase Peace
State yet now found upon experience to study only to keep themselves up and their patients down I would never talke to them of such stuffe but I would tell them that all the people doe with all thankfulnesse acknowledge their unwearied paines uncessant labours and constant endeavours in the Common cause of God and this Kingdome and that the Nation doth at this present enjoy a quiet exemption from all illegall impositions a blessed deliverance from all tyranny and oppression and many unparalleld benefits and freedoms by their sole meanes and happy Government I would applaud all they doe their very opening of Tavernes and Alehouses by command and shutting up Church dores on Christs birth day their silencing suspending and imprisoning the Ministers of Jesus for taking the opportunity to offer the knowledge of him unto the people I would warrant them they did all things well and nothing was amisse in their doings though their infallibility should fal into contempt yet their power wil carry them out Thus would I busie my selfe and thus make my applications to men of place and power if I were a flatterer and not stand wasting time and words in speaking good of the King unlesse He were in a more shining and promising Condition I thinke most men of commonsence considering His Majesties present state will take my word in this particular and so acquit and discharge me of the second imputation But now let me aske my Accusers a few questions would they in their good natures have no man lay to Heart or take notice of the sufferings of their Soveraigne desire they that He might have the occasion also to use those words Have you no regard all you that passe by the way Do they thinke it was well done of the Priest and Levite to afford no compassion to the wounded man would they have me carry my selfe towards the King as many of my Coat in these dayes have done Helpe to wound Him and then divert others eyes from looking on Him must I be a blasphemer and a flatterer if I doe not adde something to His burden and speake of Him as of one hated of God because afflicted were Jobs friends commended by the Almighty for so doing let them deal ingenuously and make the case their owne suppose themselves were in the Kings condition afflicted and wrong'd on every side as He is and I as a Minister should remember them of their Saviours usage in the world and shew them how in many particulars their condition is like unto His and thereupen should say unto them in the Apostles words Rejoyce that you are partakers of Christs sufferings would they account this Blasphemy and flattery in me I suppose not must the King then alone be deprived of the Comforts of Gods word and of Christs Example must these together with those of His Crowne be taken from Him then I would say O the miserable Condition of a King That is now accomplished in our land and dayes which Moulin Prophesied would come to pass if Jesuiticall spirits and attempts were not prevented viz. that t is even a punishment to reigne and the Coronation of Kings is but a designation to Misery a consecration of sacrifices markt out to slaughter Well be advised all you who think all is yours who ingrosse to your selves the comforts of Gods word as well as the goods and possessions of your Brethren who cannot abide any body should be thought well of unlesse they be of your faction who thinke it a sin to speak Reverentlyto or of your Lord and Soveraign who call Civility flattery and Truth Blasphemy if it looketh to himward Be advised I say the times may change and the cold North-winde may blow upon you Judge not that you be not judged speak not to the grief of the grieved but rather so as your selves in your Afflictions may be Comforted for with what measure you meat it shall be measured to you Be it known unto you all this Anointed of God whom you have persecuted however He hath been neglected and is still rejected and refused by the new Master builders of these times yet must be the very Head stone of the Corner before any thing can be setled among us to our comforts He it is that must reduce Ireland and compose Scotland He and none but He can make up the sad and wide breaches of poor England He He is that right-handed man ordained and appointed of God for that Happy worke and furnished from above with wisdome Mercy and abilities to effect it yea His inspection into State affaires especially into the Constitution of this Natitions Government is far beyond that of all your New State-mongers He alone is able to do more in six weekes for the benefit of it by His direction if he might be suffered to goe about it then they have done in this six yeares by all their Consultations yea and He who by that Divine strength bestowed upon him hath been able hitherto to stand under such a weighty burden of wrongs and sorrowes is onely able to remit and forgive so many and such High indignities as have been offered to Him And beleeve it all you His guilty and distrustfull people His high vertue and Magnanimity disdaines to take revenge upon you It would be dishonourable for Him that hath Paralleld with Christ in so many other things not to conforme also to his example in pardoning Injuries yea and in praying too Pater ignosce illis I am perswaded that nothing but the Kings prayer can obtaine Gods pardon for His Afflicters it is worth the observing the Sin of Jobs friends and we know what that was could not have been forgiven if Job whom they had afflicted though but with harsh censures had not been their intercessour the Lord said to Eliphas the Temanit my wrath is kindled against thee and thy 2 friends wherefore go ye to my servant Job and offer up for your selves an offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept lest I deal with you according to your folly To conclude therefore let me advise all that have had any hand against the King in the causing or aggravating of his sorrows that they would fear the wrath of God which hangs over them for the same and in pitty to their own soules and to their posterity that they would in true humility goe to their Soveraigne and beg both his Pardon and his Prayers And so by giving him the advantage of shewing his mercy and goodnesse they may at last there being now no other way left be helpers in making him to appear according to their word at first The most Glorious Prince in Christendome The God of all power and grace bow and incline their Hearts unto it Amen Amen SECT XXVI A true Parallel between the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraigne in divers speciall particulars THus have I by Gods assistance discharged this part of a Subjects Duty in
did hurt or harme unto us they that brought you into these miseries however they courted and encouraged you before will reject your complaints with a quid haec ad nos you should have looked to these things before hand for Pharisees will be Pharisees unto the worlds end It is a fearefull thing to be given up to shed bloud King James would say if God should leave him to kill a man he would think God did not love him and I believe your selves were of the same opinion all the while the Doctrine of Jesus Christ which commandeth love to enemies did season your hearts but what a strange alteration is there now in your dispositions since the Doctrine of Devils hath been preached unto you for no other is this of butchering your brethren of killing slaying and destroying then the doctrine of him who is a murtherer from the beginning you would not have been hired heretofore to have acted the executioners part which is a lawfull office upon a Malefactor condemned by lawfull Authority so tender you were of shedding bloud but now you make no scruple at all of it you are greedy and thirsty many of you to spill the bloud of Innocents only for their constancy in that Doctrine of Obedience and Loyalty to the King which your selves also in Christs Schoole have been instructed in meerly upon the temptation and motion of them you call the Parliament who have no more Authority over the lives of men without the Kings allowance then your servants have over yours nay which is more strange yet you are bewitched by their seduction to think that in killing your Brethren you do God service though our Saviour fore-speaking of this very particular shewes the ground of this ill opinion to be only ignorance of God and want of knowledge Nay not only those that have been Agents or Souldiers in this Rebellion but in like manner all you who have willingly contributed Plate Moneyes Horses or any thing tending to the advancement of it I feare you are under the guilt of bloud and will be indicted one day at Gods barre as accessaries to all these evills that have been committed against the King and against your brethren all the men and all the women that brought in their Salts Spoones Rings and Thimbles by the suggestion and perswasion of false Teachers must hold up their hands at Gods Tribunall as guilty persons for doing things by the seduction and example of others so cleane contrary to that light of the Gospell which so many years together had been taught unto them O friends strong and strange is the delusion that is fallen upon you and thick is the veile that is over your eyes farre are you gone without looking back and most difficult is it yet to perswade you to it I have often feared with my selfe that place in Esay to have too neer a relation to you The hearts of this people are made fat their eyes dim and eares heavie and to continue so till the Cities be wasted without an inhabitant the houses without man and the Land be utterly desolate I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ think seriously upon the matter O that I could perswade you to it while there is time for repentance and save your selves at length yet from this untoward generation break their yoak from off your necks renounce their societies have no more to doe with them read mark and ponder upon that place Prov. 1. 10. to the 20. Verse and remember from whence you are fallen and return to your Loyalty O Countrey-men Return return and to provoke you more earnestly hereunto consider with your owne hearts of these particulars 1. Whether this way wherein you have gone be not directly opposite both to Christs Doctrine and example doth not the Gospell command to give tribute to whom Tribute is due feare to whom feare and Honour to whom Honour belongeth and doth it not teach that all these appertain to the King and yet have they not all been with-held from him was not our Saviours practice in this particular most remarkable for our imitation He wrought but one money miracle while he was on the Earth and that was to have wherewithall to pay Caesar his Homage and himselfe sayes he did it least he should offend so carefull was he not to displease the King and being tempted at another time to give some countenance for with-holding the Kings Rights disclaimed the motion and cryed out redde Caesari quae sunt Caesaris Deo quae sunt Dei inferring that God and Caesar in such matters go together to injure the one is to wrong the other for God hath commanded that Caesar be honoured and that all which is his be rendred to him Now whether you and your Leaders have done according to this doctrine and example let your own consciences judge 2. Consider whether this way wherein you have gone be not also contradictive to the Law of the Land The denyall of the Kings Supremacy in this Kingdome hath been wont to be accounted so heinous an offence that he who is guilty of it is judged by the Law to die as a Traytor And the doing of any thing in prejudice of the Kings Authoritie as the raising of Forces without him nay the having but thoughts of mischief towards him though they never breake forth into Action is reckoned by the Law for no lesse then High Treason and some have suffered death for such things nay further yet the bare instilling misconceits of the King into the people to with-draw their affections from him hath even in this very Parliament been cald High Treason Now whether the Kings Supremacy not only in things Spirituall but also Temporall be not denied and whether by your opposition to his Majesties Person and commands and by whispering yea by open speaking evilly of him and consenting to what hath been written against him you have not made your selves guilty of that grand Crime let your own consciences also determine unto you 3. Consider whether it be not against common equity to practice the taking away from any one that which comes unto him by lawfull inheritance succession or just election whether you would not so judge it if any should divest you of what was left you by your Parents and whether the Kings Authority and Revenews which you with others have endeavoured to dispossesse him of be not of the same Tenure and held by the best Title indeed if men come to power and Authority by fraud and violence as your new Masters have done the case is otherwise lives lost in conspiring the downfall of such may be reckoned well sold every man in common equity were there no tie of duty or allegeance is to help him to right that suffers wrong but to concurre in oppressing the Supreme Magistrate and in taking from him what belongs unto him if conscience be suffered to make report it will be confessed to be the
through their own easinesse they had been perswaded into such bondage under such Masters as did nothing but pill and oppresse them and would afford no justice or remedy unto them upon their complainings Nay and yet this was but the least part of their punishment the worst is behind vers 13. Therefore sayes the Lord viz. because they willingly walked after the Commandement or were so easily perswaded to take a wicked Covenant I will be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the House of Judah as rottennesse i. e. my Curse shall consume them and their Families as a moth doth a Garment or as rottennesse doth a thing that is already putrified Consider I say whether this may not in some sort concerne you and if you think it may I beseech you deare Countreymen renounce speedily that sinfull Oath which you have too unadvisedly taken least as oppression hath already overwhelmed you so the moth and rottennesse from the Lord doe also seaze upon you Say not you a Confederacy any longer with them that have confederated against your Church and King neither feare you their feare God is yet gracious and will pardon what is past if you repent therefore let him only be your feare let him be your dread And your King also is gracious ready upon your return to Loyalty like the Prodigals Father to remit your unkindnesse and to receive you with gladnesse let him also be the object of your Reverence and let the desires of your soules be to rejoyce his spirit now after this time wherein you have so sadded and afflicted him that so at last yet he may give up his account with joy which will surely be most for your profit And now for those your Teachers who have seduced you both from Gods blessing the warm Sun too of outward prosperitie which did so comfortably shine upon you undoubtedly they were Satans Ministers in Angels shapes as once he made use of Peters tongue to tempt our Saviour so now he hath of theirs to deceive you and observe them well their gilt ere long will fall off and their good report will die before them And deare Countrey-men let me not be thought to boast overmuch if after S. Paul's manner I compare my selfe with them to your cogitations and opinions Are those your Preachers Englishmen so am I are they Protestants at least in your esteem so am I are they Ministers of Christ think you know this that by the favour and grace of God so am I and perhaps may say that through divine assistance I have given as true a proof of my Ministery among some that know mee as they have done I have been in labours as aboundant and in reproaches for Christs sake more in prison as frequent in dangers of death as often in as many perils by Robbers by mine own Countreymen by false brethren as the best of them And therefore I hope I may obtaine credit with you as well as they I tender your salvation I dare confidently say for Christ my Masters sake as truly as they do I have no design at all of mine own upon you to get your moneys or ought you have I aime only God is my witnesse to free you from the snare wherein you are intangled I am a stranger to you and so am content to be untill the great day when we shall all meet before the great Judge to have our hearts opened and our works manifested And I doe beseech you God knowes I write this with teares and begge of you even in the bowels of our Saviour and for the sake of those your precious soules which he purchased with his dearest bloud that you would but be advised to consider seriously of what I have said unto you my prayer to the Almighty is and shall be that you may but accept of the same with a like heart and spirit as 't is propounded say but you Amen to this my petition and we shall be againe of one mind and judgement And O let us not let us not my deare Brethren thus continue fighting one with another or divided one from another for if we do we shall ere long be destroyed one by another but let us lay aside all malice against one another and all evill speaking one of another Sirs we are Brethren why should we strive and quarrell after this sort to the sport and scorn of all that dwell about us and to the obloquie and disgrace of our Holy Religion O let our contention I beseech you only be like that of the Vine and Olive which of us shall beare best fruits and not like that of the Bryer and Thistle which of us shall be most mischievous and unprofitable And so Countreymen I conclude my speech unto you with this Prayer for you Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Father of mercies forgive the people of this Land who have been seduced into this Rebellion against the King their sinnes committed in the same for they know not what they have done lay not the evill unto their charge but wink at their former ignorance and open their eyes now at length and henceforth to see their errour and blesse these considerations unto them to that end and purpose for Christ Jesus sake Amen And be you assured Sirs that not only my selfe but also many others whose bloud you have thirsted for whose Estates you have gaped after and whom divers of you have been wont to entitle with the odious names of Malignants Papists Devils and Dogges doe dailie pray to this purpose in your behalfe for we apprehending you to be in the same condition and state as S. Paul was in while he yet went breathing out threatnings against the Church of Christ doe thinke it our dutie to approve our selves such as he was when he prayed for the persecuting Israelites his Brethren according to the flesh that they might be saved we conceive of you as he did of them that you have a zeale though not according unto knowledge this our Religion teacheth us to doe and thus to think And so God be with you SECT XXVIII A faithfull and Ministeriall Admonition to the Troublers of our Israel scil the Factious Members of the pretended Parliament at Westminster who are Evidenced to be neither Patriots to their Country Wisemen nor good men Their Religion discovered to be nec una nec vera nec bona IN the next or second place I shall assume the boldnesse to speak a little unto you O you men of Westminster and I pray observe my words if Providence shall please to bring this my Book unto your view And first let me desire of you not to be angry if I speak rather to profit then to please you forbearing altogether those false and clawing expressions which your adorers use when they addresse themselves to speak unto you I dare not tell you of any Humble tenders of my constant Devotion to serve you in your way