by prisons or exile all these I say were by those our blessed Master-builders in Parliament by their unanimous suffrages not onely voted against as a superfluous and unprofitable burthen on Gods Church but thereby also a way was made plain and wide-doores were set open for a blessed restauration and replantation of most faithfull and painfull Pastours and laborious Lecturers chosen and set up with the peoples consent and good liking and not to have dumb-dogs or soul-robbers and theeves which came not in at the doore but through the windows of the Church violently obtruded on them whereby the Gospel begins to thrive and flourish again and Sions young-converts to be graciously growing up among us in the true judgement and knowledge of Christ Jesus whereas formerly the Prelates and Pontificians durst scoffe fleer and jeer familiarly at those faithfull and painfull Lecturers and most atheistically ask in derision What kind of creatures those Lecturers were and most impiously and audaciously even in the presence of the great God of heaven vow to worm them out â—re they had done with them But our good God gave these curst cows or rather wilde buls of Bashan short horns and though they had gone-on in a great measure and done much mischief therein yet they could not do the hurt which their hearts aymed at ever blessed and praised be our good God for it And now good Reader reflect thine eyes and review these rare mercies and tell me then was not Englands God herein also seen in the Mount of Mercies by this so strange an overture and alteration of things interposed between such eminent and imminent danger of utter losse of our bright and burning Candlesticks of the Gospel and fear of stinking snuffs of ignorance errour and atheisticall profanenesse to be set up in their places and little or no hope at least itâ— humane apprehension of help by lesse than such miracles of mercies as God himself hath in these our happie dayes wrought and poured-down upon us and such indeed as none but a God could procure for us O how sweetly and suddenly hath God turned our Captivitie into admirable freedom and libertie And who can consider these things without serious and deep admiration and who can call them to remembrance without heart-ravishing ioy and delight yea who can chuse but acknowledge in his most gratefull heart the great praises of the Lord and with holy David that harmonious chanter and musicall inchanter of Israel confesse Gods infinite free favour and love to England in thus encompassing and begirting us about with sweet songs of such deliverances But yet here 's not all for our blessed parliamentarie Worthies have also given us great hope by Gods goodnesse of timely purging also the two famous Fountains of our Kingdom Oxford and Cambridge from the much myre and mud of Romish innovations which setling there also hath made their streams stink of Poperie yea I say great hopes of happily healing the once most clear-sighted but now and of long time blear-eyes of our Nation grown mightie sore with Romish-rednesse by drinking in too much of the wine-lees of poysoning Popish fopperies in so much that Truths clear sighted Servants eyes began to be mightily offended by but looking on them and not without cause for as our Saviour himself saies If the eyes be evill the whole bodie will be full of darknesse and if the light that is in a kingdom and especially which is to give light to a whole kingdom be darknesse O how great is that darknesse and such truly began to be our Kingdoms condition but now we have I say great hopes by Gods gracious assistance that our Parliament will seasonably provide a soveraign Collyrium or eye-salve some well-distilled eye-bright of Reformation to purifie the sight of these two once most glorious lights in the whole Christian world Yea these our noble Nehemiahs and grave and gracious Ezra's have taken most pious pains to see Gods Sabbaths more sincerely sanctified than of late they have been and the profane soil of trauelling Carriers Taverns Ale-houses and Tobacco-shops and other loose and irreligious Shop-keepers who heretofore mightily polluted that day most sweetly swept away any cleansed A work of great concernment and high esteem for the glorie of the Lord than which I am certain a greater a better cannot be undertaken as being the very prop and promoter of all true Religion and without the entire and sincere sanctification whereof all true religion would quickly decay and be utterly lost yea I say a Nation-upholding Christian dutie of richest valuation as having more precious promises annexed to it than any other I know of in the whole book of God and which hath more ennobled our Realm and made our Kingdom more illustrious God alone who hath so graciously upheld it among us have all the praise and glorie of it and we onely the comfort than all our reformed Neighbours about us yea such a blessed and holy duty as hath caused more mercies to fall yea flow upon our English-Nation than ever did on any people of the Christian world Yet our most iniurious Prelates together with their profane Pontificks have most shamelesly striven to viciate and defile this our Sabbaths precious honour the main readie and road-way to have brought the curse of God upon us and utterly to have ruinated our whole Kingdom by whose means it began in King James his dayes to receive a deep died stain by that most wicked and accursed book of tolerating vain sports and profane recreations forsooth on the Lords day which since hath been avowed and advanced more highly by them than at the first but now since in our present Soveraignes time more pertinaciously pressed and perniciously enforced on Gods dear Saints and servants in the ministerie than formerly it had been whose tender-consciences could not endure it and who being in their most just zeal for the Lords high honour therein and sincere love to true Religion transported above all fears and frowns were most egregiously abused vexed and punished for refusing to admit and read the said wicked-book in their Churches untill it most graciously pleased our good God by the blessed Parliament to prevent the most mischievous growth of this unexpressible abomination of our so holy Fathers of the Church together with the rotten rable of Pontifick-Arminians Romes Minions indeed by a particular Order from the House of Commons in Parliament for the more strict sanctification of that day which I have hereunto annexed The Order of the House of Commons for the due sanctication of the Sabbath or Lords day April 10 th 1641. IT is this day ordered by the House of Commons that the Aldermen and Citizens that serve for the Citie of London shall intimate to the Lord Maior from this Hou e that the Statutes for the due observing of the Sabbath be put in execution And it is further ordered that the like
have found him to be The Lord the Lord mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquitiâ— transgression and sin yet it is as true that he will by no means clear the guiltie but will visit the iniquitie of fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Wherefore I say let our onely fear be to offâ—nd this God as loving and obedient children to disobey so loving so gracious and indulgent a Father of mercies and God of so many comforts and consolations yea to provoke so patient a God so loath to strike when stirred yea constrained thereunto by our unsufferable sins so ready to help and heal what sin hath wounded Let us then be seriously advised since such free favour is shown unto us to behold the majestie of the Lord and to learn righteousnesse and not to do unjustly in the land of uprightnesse lest whiles we will not learn righteousnesse by the historical miseries of others I mean Germanie and Ireland God make us a historie of wo and wretchednesse â—o others round about us Yea I say let us contrariwise be coâ—strâ—ined cordially to love such a God of love who so dâ—lights to load â—s with his love in such unparralleld unpattern'd measure as never any Nation could produce the like presidents But let this our love be free and filiall not mercenarie and so as reverend M Calamie before mentioned in his said Fast-Sermon meretricious love onely or else mainly for love of reward or fear of punishment but let it be pure and sincere and out of an honest heart and good conscience as unto the Lord the onely searcher of the heart and reins and who is onely pleased with sinceritie and integrity of heart truth in the inner-parts And now to wind-up all and to conclude leâ— holy love I say and perfâ—ct obedience be the precious râ—â—ribution of all these rare and singular mercies of our bountifull God unto us unto us I say a Nation so iâ—â—â—deserving such an 〈◊〉 of oveâ—-flowing favours a Nation so well-deserving an â—npattern'd-deluge of direst destruction a Nation so freely so extraordinarily beloved a Nation so meretoriously deserving to be extremly hated a Nation I say so fill'd and fraught and beautifide with blessings and yet a Nation and people so defiled and stained with siâ—s and transgressions of deepest dies In sad and most serious consideration whereof I desire that what that good Prophet Samuel prest on the people of Israel might take deep impression on mine own and all my conscionable and Christian Readers hearts Though O England thou be a sinfull Nation yet fear not turn not aside from following the Lord but serve him now with all your heart And turn not aside with disloyall apostacie to base and bloodie and blasphemous Rome or any of her Romish innovations and Nation-confounding high provocations for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit or deliver you in the day of your distresse for they are vain But cleave and adhere fast to the Lord and to his pure and holy worship for the Lord will not forsake his people for his own great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make us his people above all Nations round about And as for me your poore and unworthie brother that I may use the said holy Prophets own words God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray continually for my land and nation But I desire by this Prophets blessed direction to admonish and shew you the good and right way to conserve and increase all these many and most rich mercies and deliverances to you and your springing posterity Onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you And now for a full and finall close and conclusion of all give me leave good Reader to use my most dear and even blessed Saviours holy and wholesome exhortation to that dispâ—ssessed man in the Gospel on whom he had wrought that great miracle Go home to thy friends saith our Saviour and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee So I to my self and all my godly Readers Let us go home to our own hearts to our own houses yea and to Gods house too and tell our own souls our wives children and friends yea and teach our children to tell their posterity after us how great and how good things the Lord our God hath done for us for England Scotland and Ireland three most sinfull Nations and how he hath had compassion on us meerly for his own free mercies sake and because mercie best pleased him And then and therewithall let us again and again ruminate and recogitate yea practise and perform that pregnant precept of our great Lord and Master Christ Jesus to that poore and infirm man who had for many yeers together been a poore lame creeple just our case in the spirituall sense and whom our Saviour had wonderfully cured Behold thou art made whole sin no more saies our Saviour lest a worse thing come unto thee So let us all say to our own souls in particular and to our land and Nation in generall behold we are all hitherto strangely saved and delivered out of the hands of our malicious and malignant enemies O let us take heed and labour by the help of Gods Spirit that we sin no more especially that realm ruinating sin of back-sliding to Romish idolatrie and Popish superstition lest a worse thing come unto us For certainly as a wise husband will discreetly bear with many failings yea and main faults and infirmities too in his wife whom he loves but iâ— she once defile his marriage-bed by adulterie O he can by no means endure that indignity and disgrace So undoubtedly it is with the Lord our God who hath married his Church and children to himself who will as we all have deep daily experience and as was most remarkably evident in King David bear with many grosse and foul faults and failings in them but if once they defile his marriage-bed as I may so call it violate their faith not that I think or beleeve t is * possible for his truly elected-ones and effectually-called-ones to fall away totally or finally from true faith or soul-saving grace and pure profession or religion by commiâ—ting idolatrie spirituall adulterie and foolish and faithlesse superstition he will by no means put-up or endure this heinous yea this hideous and most hatefull sin this infallibly punishment-provoking sin especially I say if it be stubbornly and stiffely persisted in but as was notably manifested in King Solomon will undoubtedly be avenged on us for this insufferable disloyaltie and the fire of his conjugall jealousie will most infallibly break-out upon us to our utter destruction without remedie
other Statestarving Monopolies whereof some as hath been seen in those fore-mentioned prejudiced the Kingdom above a Million of money yeerly all quite supprest by this renowned Parliament which formerly like so many greedily gaping graves or unsatiable horsleaches were continually crying-out Give Give and restlesly sucking-out the vitall spirits of the State and pitifully debilitating thereby the nerves and ligaments of the whole Common-wealth But that which was far more worth than all those fore-said great benefits which indeed was the very root and rice of all those and such like taxations and vexations is also by power of this Parliament quite taken away viz. the Arbitrarie power pretended to be in his Maiestie to tax his subiects and charge their estates at his pleasure without consent of his Parliament which great and grievous yoke which extremely wrung our wronged necks for the present and would have done much more for the future to our posteritie is now by this happie Parliament declared by Both-Hous s to be against Law and is also ratified by an Act of Parliament And was not Elohim our God all-sufficient most gloriously seen here in the Mount for our large deliverance from such and so many pinching straits and deep distresses as we were all brought yea plunged into as have been formerly most evidently and undeniably shewn And therefore have we great cause with that sweet singer of Israel to elevate his praises herein and to say I will magnifie thee O my God and my King and will blesse thy Name for ever and ever Yea every day will I blesse thee and praise thy Name for ever and ever For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatnesse is altogether unsearchable Yea and that which is very remarkable and no lesse extraordinarie comfortable to Gods children How did the Lord before this Parliament began and hitherto ever since stir-up and enflame the fire of supplicating faith or faithfull supplication and fervent zeal in private humiliation to seek the Lord in the face of Christ for mercie and reconcilement to our poor Land and Nation so as the like was never seen in this Kingdom before And O what faith-confirming and heart-cheering rich returns of prayers hath the Lord our good God cast into our blessed bosomes in both granting us the very things yea and much more than our hearts desired and crossing ours and the Churches enemies both Papists and Prelates in their plots which we feared yea and still making their own desperate devises to lite heaviest on their own heads and their own impious inventions occasions to make them still sit-down by weeping-crosse and bear the greatest damage and condigne detriment in themselves Whence we may very well conclude with Manoahs wife Sampsons mother against all false and faithlesse fears and jealousies whereunto I perceive even Gods own dear people are too-much addicted That if the Lord were pleased or had a purpose to kill or destroy us he would not have received an oblation or sacrifice from us neither would have shewed us all these things nor would as at this time have done all these great things and much more yet following for us But if God had had no delight in us but purposed to destroy us and to deliver-up our Land and lives into Papists hands and to make a prey of us and ours to them he would not surely have suffered us or given us hearts to seek him in prayer and importunate petitions and yet at last have frustrated all our hopes and expectations But contrariwise when God intended to destroy the children of Israel for their high provocations of the Lords irreconcilable wrath he flatly forbad the Prophet to pray for them whereas on the other side I say our gracious God hath freely poured on us the spirit of grace and supplication hath not onely received sacrifices from our though sinfull hands but in Christ Jesus his ever prevailing Blastus nay rather ever most meritorious blessed Son hath smelt a sweet savour in our sacrifices as hath been alreadie in part imparted to us and made clearly obvious to our eyes and understanding and comes now most copiously to be farther most fully demonstrated to us And here me thinks t is not improper or impertinent to put the Reader in mind of one remarkable mercie of the Lord unto us which though it be not I confesse on all parts absolutely concluded on yet for my part I confidently beleeve these plotting times and weightie circumstances considered and put together I may justly enroll it in one of the chief places and number of our most famous parliamentarie deliverances though I say it was and hath been covered and couched under fair machiâ—ilian vizards of other intentions when they saw God had miraculously crossed and defeated their former strong expectation For unquestionably the Popish and malignant partie had deeply perswaded if not assured themselves that long ere this especially about the time of this plot now to be mentioned their desperate projects should have been brought to a high pitch and that ere this time we and Scotland should have been deeply engaged in bloodie broils and been pell-mell together by the ears in the Northern parts of the Kingdom The sly Fox of Spain therefore must needs watch advantages on our home-bred and imbred distractions and uncivill-civill wars thus to purchase to himself the long lookt-for spoils and most precious prey of three fair Crowns at once To which purpose upon traiterous instigation and intelligence too no doubt from some of his pensioners in the Court of England he had made readie and set forth to Sea a mightie Fleet of ships a second great armado well fraught and furnished with men and ammunition and other instruments of wrath and furie for our certain perdition and designed destruction Thus unsuspected and unexpected they had smoothly and silently made their way into our narrow Seas and lay hovering within sight of Dover fearlesse it seem'd of least resistance from us if not hopefull of ample assistance to land their forces and make our Land feel the furie of Spaines conquering arm But behold as thus they lay about our coasts and we as it were lay fast a sleep in this great danger the God of our English-Israel who never slumbers nor sleeps in the protection of his people had his ever most vigilant and wakefull eye over us even then I say when we were most supine and carelesse or fearlesse of any imminent disaster so neer us the Lord our God fought for us yet without us stopt this otherwise over-flowing inundation of miserie and destruction crost and crusht their rotten-egge of windie hopes by sending our honest old neighbours of Holland to confront them though with but a very small Fleet at the first which afterward quickly encreased under the conduct and command of their heroicall and most magnanimous Admirall Martin Tromp whose honour and high renown the trump
of those Egyptian croaking Froggs the Filthy Capuchin-Fryers and Priests who lay lurking there too long like so many muzled Wolves and Tygers all these or the most of them banished and transported over-Sea from us And the Queen-Mother of France the more to free our hearts from feares and discontents happily also transported beyond Sea from us About which time also to settle our hearts with yet more solid comfort and the more firmly to consolidate our future hoped happines it pleased the Lord to put into the hearts of our most noble Parliamentary Patriots to unite and knit all the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland in-a most firme League and Conjunction of perpetuall love and amitie and of mutuall defence against all malignant Adversaries either domestick or forrein and to confirm all this by a particular act of Parliament ratified by a full consent of the King and both Houses together with an act of absolute oblivion of all exceptions and differences whatsoever formerly intervening twixt Prince and people Upon which both Armies of English and Scottish Souldiers were shortly after most happily peaceably dismissed and disbanded to the high hononr of our wonder-working God and the unexpressible joy and comfort of both Nations thus most lovingly and sweetly shaking hands of true friendship at their peaceable departure And for the farther confirmation of this our happines and due retribution of praise and glory to the Lord our God the authour of it there was an Ordinance of Parliament for a day of publick and solemn thankesgiving for this peace so happily concluded between England and Scotland which for the glorie of God and honour of our King and Worthies in Parliament I have thought fit here to insert verbatîm as it was published An Ordinance of Parliament for a day of publick thanksgiving for the peace concluded between England and Scotland VVHereas it hath pleased almightie God to give a happie close to the treatie of peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland by his wise providence defeating the evill hopes of the subtill adversaries of both Kingdomes for which great mercy it was by the Kings most excellent Majestie the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament enacted that there should be a publick thanksgiving in all the Parish-Churches of his Majesties Dominions It is now ordered and declared by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that the time for the celebration of that publick thanks to almightie God for so great and publick a blessing shall be on tuesday the 7 th of Sept. by prayers reading and preaching of the Word in all Churches and Chappels of this Kingdome whereof we require a carefull and due observance that we may joyne in giving thanks as we partake of the blessing with our brethren of Scotland who have designed the same day for that dutie According to the act of this present Parliament for confirmation of the Treatie of Pacification between the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland whereas it was desired by the Commissioners of Scotland that the loyaltie and faithfulness of his Majesties Subjects might be made known at the time of the publick thanksgiving in all places and particularly in all Parish-Churches of his Majesties Dominions Which request was graciously condescended unto by his Majestie and confirmed by the said Act. It is now ordered and commanded by both Houses of Parliament that the same be effectually done in all Parish-Churches throughout this Kingdome upon tuesday the 7 th day of Sept. next coming at the time of the publick thanksgiving by the severall and respective Ministers of each Parish-Church or by their Curates who are heerby required to reade this present Order in the Church And was not the Lord most gloriously heer seen in the Mount of admirable mercie and deliverance to England and Scotland after such a marveilous manner as never any Nation could produce the like parallell of gracious providence And may we not therefore with holy David Israels sweet singer confess we have found the Lord according to his word a sure defence for the oppressed even a refuge in time of trouble And therefore they that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that have seriously sought thee Yea he that is our God is the God of salvation and unto this God and mightie Lord belong the issues from death Heer also ere I have done with this mercie let me desire the Reader to take notice of the admirable wisdome and justice of God in thus clearing the innocencie and integritie of his children O what bitter aspersions did the Prelates Arminians and malignant partie cast on our brethren of Scotland at the first nothing but traytors and rebells could be heard out of their slanderous mouths But now see I say how Gods wisdome and justice ordered it that even those tongues that had so taunted them yea and in their pulpits too should now be forced even in the face of their Congregations to give themselves the lye That of Job being heerin most clearly ratified that The poore hath hope and iniquitie stoppeth her mouth and that also of the holy Prophet David which is full to our purpose That the King and all good men shall exceedingly rejoyce and glorie in God but the mouth of them that speake lyes shall be stopped And now also let me tell thee courteous Reader to make these mercies yet more glorious to the praise of our God that in the interim that those two Armies lay so together in the North the pestilent Spirits of the Malignant partie lay not still but were most maliciously working by their agents and instruments the Popish Lords and pernicious Prelates being also maine sticklers in all these mischievous designes to disaffect and discontent his Majesties Armie by scandalous and most false accusations and imputations on the Parliament thus to engage it for the maintenance of their most wicked designes of keeping-up the Bishops in their votes Lordly honours and functions and by force to compell the Parliament to order limit and dispose their parliamentarie proceedings in such a manner as might best concurre with the intentions of their dangerous and potent faction Now this plot of bringing the English Armie from the North Southward to London against the Parliament for the causes aforesaid having been particularly enquired into and examined both by that noble and vertuous Gentleman M r Fynes and Sir Philip Stapleton with others they made report thereof to the House of Commons about June 17. 1641. That they found that for the advancing of the said plott the Earl of Strafford had attempted his escape out of the Tower and to effect it the better had promised that worthy Gentleman Sir William Belfore then Leifetenant of the Towre 20000 li. and to marry his Sonne to his Daughter and to make it one of the greatest Matches in the Kingdome but Sir Williams loyaltie was
of a charge of high treason against the Lord Kimbolton one of the Members of the Lords House and against the said Mr Hollis Sir Ar. Haslerigg Mr Pym Mr Hampden and Mr Strode by Sir Will. Killigrew Sir Will. Flemen and others in the Innes of Court and else-where in the Kings name was a high breach of the priviledge of Parliament a great scandall to his Majestie and his government a seditious act manifestly tending to the subversion of the peace of the Kingdom and an injurie and dishonour to the said Members there being no legall charge or accusation against them Recollect now then good Christian Reader thy sad and serious thoughts and muster-up thy most exquisite meditations on this so ponderous and weightie a passage of Gods admirable providence and protection of his own parliamentarie-Worthies for so me thinks I may fitly call and count them and tell me whether God was not wonderfully seen here in the Mount of straits to turn it in a moment to a Mount of deliverance to his faithfull Servants yea and in them to the whole Kingdom whose weal or woe as we all are or ought to be most sensible was wrapt-up in them being the representative Bodie thereof And when thou hast fully and feelingly recogitated and ruminated on this exuberant parliamentarie-mercie tell me I pray thee whether thou and I and all true English-hearts have not most redundanâ— reason and copious occasion with blessed Moses a little before his death and dying mens words ought to make deep impression of credence in our hearts to confesse and acknowledge That there is none like unto the God of Jesurum who rideth upon the heavens in the help of his beloved-ones and in his excellencie on the skie The eternall God is their refuge and underneath them are his everlasting armes and he shall thrust their enemies before them And they shall know that it was thy hand O Lord and that thou onely hast done it and that though they have cursed yet thou hast blessed and that when they arose thou mad'st them asham'd but hast caused thy servants to rejoyce Yea and hast carried them on Eagles wings far and free from danger and hast brought and placed them neer to thy self Yea I say again now if ever those noble and renowned parliamentarie-Worthies found that of Solomon most true That the Name of the Lord is a strong towre the righteous run into it and are safe To conclude this therefore let the gratefull and gracious consideration of this so great a deliverance cause me and thee and them all whom it so neerly and peculiarly concerns to break-out with holy David that sacred and sugred Singer of Israel and to say O give thanks unto the Lord and call continually upon his Name Sing unto him O sing Psalms to his great Name and talk of all the wondrous works which he hath done and all the glorious judgements of his mouth Now after this so terrible affront and disturbant affright to the Parliament it pleased those pious and prudent Worthies of both Houses for a space to adjourn their sitting at Westminster and to turn Both-Houses into a grand Committee and for their greater safetie and assurance from Popish-plots and combinations to sit in the Citie of London in the Grocers-Hall Where by Gods mercie and most safe protection they were most cheerfully guarded every day by the train'd-Bands of the Citie and extraordinarie lovingly entertained and most respectively used according to the high merit of their worth and work and unto theirs and our high content and singular comfort In which interim of their sitting in London very many of the well-affected and faithfull Ministers of London unanimously petitioned the Parliament both for choice of an Assembly for setling Church-discipline and for the ordering of a Monethly fast throughout the whole Kingdom untill the distresses of Ireland and the distractions of England were by Gods mercie graciously quieted and composed Which petition of theirs in both those materiall branches thereof was most favourably entertained by the Parliament and received a desired answer the Assembly of Divines being now by vote in Parliament fully resolved on and all of them nominated for all the Counties throughout the Kingdom for their advise to the Parliament for setling and ordering the pure worship of our God and true Apostolicall discipline Wherein the Lord grant they may all be as meek-hearted gracious and faithfull as holy Moses was to do nothing therein no not in the least particular thereof especially in Gods worship but most punctually according to the pattern of the Apostles practise and precepts no question fully and sufficiently to be found in Gods Word The Monethly fast also was speedily put in practise all over the Kingdom which being as it were a spirituall Militia as a reverend and learned Divine of our Citie calls it most properly puts the Kingdom into a spirituall posture of a God-pleasing holy warfare if religiously kept both for sin and from sin that we may as it were even fight and contend with God by prayers and tears by sighs and groans as good Jacob was said thus to wrastle with God yea and may be prevailers with God for a blessing on our Land our King and Parliament Church and State and thus also at length may prevail with men even against all the enemies of our peace and prosperitie both domestick and forrein Domestick I mean our imbred sins base lusts and corruptions Forrein that is treacherous projectors and clandestine malignant emulatours of our happinesse both at home and abroad And are not here two parliamentarie-mercies more of most high concernment and such as give us strong and irrefragable assurance that God is with us and will be with us if they be rightly and religiously managed and then we need not fear who is against us Yea then as the Prophet said They are moe that are with us than those that be for our enemies Yea even the Lords legions of chariots and horsemen of fire round about us to defend us and to consume them Whereby we may even alreadie triumph and exult with pious Paul and truly say Thanks be unto God who hath given us victory yea and made us more than conquerors through Christ in whom he hath freely loved us But to proceed In this time also of the Parliaments sitting in London by a grand-Committee of both Houses the stout-hearted and well-minded Ship-masters and Marriners to shew their love and loyaltie to the King and Parliament exhibited their Petition to the grand Committee and therewith also their votes and desires full of courage and candor to serve his Majestie and the Parliament to the utmost of their power which their readinesse and cheerfulnesse therein was most lovingly regarded both by the Lords and Commons and shortly after a fair and fit occasion was offered to make use of their love and service therein which they most really
English Prelates by reason of their princely pomp and lordly dignities and familiar intermedling and tampering in temporall affairs to the continuall provocation of the wrath of God and the derogatorie dishonour of Christs will and prescript pleasure in their ministeriall function It shall not be so with you And now let the godly Reader here see and consider the admirable equitie and justice of our wise and most holy God meeting them full in their own wayes and works They who being Lords and Barons forsooth in that high Court of Parliament yet could seldome or never find a heart or voice for Christ and religion but freqently against Christ in his holy members and against the power and purity of religion have now most justly no voice or place in Parliament to help themselves but are thrust out as men not desired like that wicked King Jehoram who departed this life without being desired And take this note also by the way before we leave them That they who in themselves and predecessors ever since the time of glimmering reformation even in Queen Elizabeths dayes of ever blessed memorie to this very time all along without intermission had silenced suspended imprisoned and impoverished many hundreds if not thousands of holy painfull and profitable Preachers for Non-subscription have now by an act of subscription imprisoned themselves in the Tower of London and almost quite devested themselves of their Prelaticall arrogated superioritie over their fellow-Ministers Thus God hath taken them by their own iniquities and hath held them with the cords of their own sin Thus Goliah is slain with his own sword and Haman is hanged upon his own gallows And thus was their former furious and most injurious carriage and course a just presage and omen of their totall ruine and downfall which in substance is now blessedly come to passe in this their denudation stripping and whipping from their lordly dignities haughtie honours and busie intermedling in secular affairs the rest I hope and pray will perfectly be effected in Gods due time Now then see here and observe good Reader with a wise and most gratefull heart both in regard of the thing it self and also of those two materiall circumstances so observable therein whether the Lord was not admirably seen in the Mount of Mercie to his poore Church in this so rare and singular freedome of it from future fear of Prelaticall tyrannie And give me leave to use the Prophets own words by way of exulting gratitude to the Lord our God Hearken unto me dear Christians ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is the law of the Lord. Fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings for the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall gnaw them like wooll But my righteousnesse shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in ancient dayes and as in the generation of old Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab the Prelates of England and wounded the Dragon the whore of Rome Therefore do the redeemed of the Lord return and come with singing to Zion and everlasting joy shall be on their head They shall obtain gladnesse and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flie away About this time also it pleased the good hand of God to direct the hearts of our prudent and provident parliamentarie-Worthies to take notice of the most dangerous distractions of the kingdom and as just as great fears of intestine turmoiles which might arise among us by the Papists and malignant-partie if not timely prevented and therefore to resolve according to the joynt desires of the Subject in all their petitions exhibited in Parliament to settle a Militia by Act of Parliament for a certain time namely untill it might please the Lord happily to compose our differences and to put a blessed end to our domestick and forrein fears that thus by putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence we might by Gods mercie be the better secured both from homebred treacheries and transmarine invasions For which purpose they resolved in the first place to displace Sir John Byron from his Lieutenantship of the Tower of London and to put in Sir John Connyers a man in whom they had good assurance they might confide both for his fidelity and martiall abilities which though with much strugling at last they obtained of his Majestie to theirs and the Cities full content in that particular And for the better putting of life into the sad and bad affairs of Ireland and the more speedie and certain subduing by Gods assistance of those most barbarous and inhumane Rebels and accursed idolaters of Rome It pleased our most wise God to infuse a fair and famous project into the hearts of divers heroick and worthie Citizens of London first to proffer themselves by way of subscription of certain summes of money to be paid in at severall payments by them and other well-affected Subjects both in Citie and Countrey Whereunto the thing being moved by petition and singularly approved in Parliament the Lords and Commons in both Houses gave admirable encouragement by their free and forward subscription of great summes and all their moneys so laid out to be repaid and satisfied out of the Rebels lands when by Gods aid and assistance they should be totally suppressed and destroyed and not before nor by any other wayes or means And since that by reason of the most aâ—rocious and unparralleld cruelties of those Romish-rebels in Ireland very many of the distressed and bespoiled English-Protestant inhabitants especially women and children who were necessitated to flie thence carrying their lives in their hands and glad poore souls they so escaped to Dublin and so over-Sea into divers parts of this Kingdom being thereby plunged into deplorable povertie and miserie It was I say further ordered by our truly charitable and pious Parliament that there should be a generall collection or contribution over the whole Kingdom for and toward the present relief and supplie of such distressed men women and children as could hardly subsist without present help and relief Which said collection was so fully and freely advanced in this our noble and renowned City of London that at one Church therein viz Aldermanburie under reverend and religious Mr Calamies fruitfull Ministerie upon his pious and patheticall motion and instigation to his willing people a Collection was made and gathered at the Church-doores and parishioners houses which amounted unto between 600 and 700 â— at the least Toward the latter end of Februarie also 1641. It pleased the Lord to blow-off all clouds of displeasure from the Kings royall heart and to cause his countenance to shine so serenely on the Parliaments proceedings that he sent the House of Lords a most gracious and comfortable answer intimating his royall concurrence and
Members of both Houses away from their dutie and attendance on them and to go down to York thereby to make the Parliament as it were bleed to death and moulder to nothing and thus to blemish the actions of Both Houses of Parliament as done by a few and inconsiderable number and rather a partie than a Parliament and perhaps to set-up an Anti-parliament at York A desperate and most dangerous practise utterly to ruinate all But all in vain I trust in the Lord as hitherto we have happily seen in all their designes for ever blessed be the Lord our God for it But on the other side we may most apparently perceive and clearly behold by all those fore-mentioned particulars on the Parliaments part the most admirable and even onely-heaven-inspired wisdom moderation prudence pietie patience and indefatigable vigilancie of our ever to be honoured and everlasting renowned Peers and Commons in Parliament most humbly demeaning themselves alwayes toward his Majestie most wisely and courageously against the malignant partie most religiously and faithfully to Church and State in generall and most graciously tenderly and affectionately as so many fathers of their Countrey to all singular petitions and petitioners desiring their aid and assistance in a fair and fitting way for the good of Church and State which was most undeniably evident by the most sweet reciprocall resultaâ—ce and concurrent confluence of hearts and affections of all in City and Countrey over all the whole three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland that had any spark or glimpse of true grace yea of but meer common-grace and goodnesse to the infinite praise and glorie of the Lord our God be it spoken and to the unexpressible joy of our souls even of the souls of all those that cordially love and desire to live to see the glorious and most happie espousals and never-again-to be-sequâ—stred-union and marriage twixt Peace and Truth the grand and gracious desire of that good King Hezâ—kiah the main if not onely ayme and â—nd of this prudent Parliament and which ought to be also of every true godly Christian with them Now therefore friendly Reader I say all those fore-mentioned particulars conglomerated into one bodie of serious animadversion those clouds of witnesses attesting this truth say was not thy wonder-working God the Lord Jehovah most admirably most gloriously even far beyond all humane apprehension or expression seen in the Mount of mercies for Englands mightie Deliverance Tell me good Reader speak thy conscience freely hath not England found yea hath not this blessed Parliament found our God raising up one Elisha or other to reveal and timely to discover all the wicked plots and devises of the malignant partie even now and of late and indeed all-along against the happie hope-breathing condition of our greatly envied Church and State So that we may say of England now adayes especially within this yeer and a half as Balaam once said of the children of Israel Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel for according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought So certainly we have all seen it and the very adverse and malignant partie must needs confesse it Surely there is no enchantment against England and Scotland nor is there any divination of the wicked that can prosper against the Houses of Parliament for according to these times of our wonderfull deliverances It shall be said to succeeding posteritie of England and of Scotland O what hath our most gracious God freely wrought for us Nay let me speak in particular to those of the malignant faction or let me rather sing it out with most emphaticall joy as Moses did in his sweet song of Gods high praises and let them denie it if they can Their Rock is not as our Rock even they our enemies themselves being judges For had their rock or rather Egyptian-reed been able to have over-powred our celestiall-Rock we had undoubtedly long ere this been made most wofull spectacles to them and theirs of ineffable ruine and implacable wrath whereas we are now most hopefully happie spectators of their most black shame sorrow and precipitating confusion Even so Amen Lord Jesus hasten it for thine elects sake Now then these things being thus how can we but with holy David break out into over-flowing cordiall-gratitude and say with his heart and tongue What shall we render to the Lord for all his blessed benefits toward us We will take the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord. We will pay our vows of universall true obedience unto the Lord in the presence of all the people Yea I say how can we forbear to break-forth into pious King Davids excitation and stimulation of our hearts to infinitely obliged thankfulnesse but with sincere rouzed-up souls to sing Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all or any of his precious benefits Who hath forgiven all thine iniquities and healed all thy great and grievous diseases Who hath redeemed thy life from destruction and hath crowned thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies In summe therefore to wind-up all briefly let me beseech thee good Christian Reader to make this four-fold holy use and observation of all these premises these remarkable and unparalleld parliamentarie-mercies to England to unworthie sinfull England First to admire and adore the infinite and free mercie of our good God who hath done all these great things for thee even for his own Name sake because this so glorious a wonder-working attribute of free-grace and merci pleaseth him best of all Know O England that it was not for thine own sake that God hath done all these things for thee but for his holy Names sake which alas thou hadst most extremly profaned But thy God was willing to sanctifie his own great Name which thou I say hadst profaned and because he would make the wiâ—ked and ungodly among thee to know that God is the Lord and that he will be sanctified in you before their eyes and that they may see that the Lords hand is listed uâ— against them though they will not see yet they shall see and be ashamed of their envie at Gods people when the fire of Gods wrath devoures his enemies and when they shall perceive that the Lord onely hath ordained peace for his people and hath wrought al his works in us and for us Let us not therfore my dear Christian English brethren and friends so much look on our sins as to dead our hearts or to damp our faith by saying one to another O but our sins are greater than other Nations and therefore surely the Lord will not yet save and deliver us till we are fitted for mercie Alas alas if God should not be mercifull to us till
we are fit for mercie certainly he must never be mercifull to us But here we see and Moses confirms it farther to us that oftentimes God shews not mercie to a people because they are greater in number or better in condition or fitter for his mercie than another people but because the Lord freely loved us above or before all others ouâ— neighbour Nations round about us and that he might keep his word and promise made of old to save his people when they called on him in the day of their trouble that so they might glorifie him And most undoubtedly for this very end the Lord hath poured on his people of England within these two or three yeers an extraordinarie spirit of grace and prayer or supplication in these dayes of their distresse and great calamitie yea and notably manifested by all these fore-mentioned returns of prayer even far beyond their hopes and desires that he is a God hearing prayers and so hath encouraged his people notwithstanding their sins to come unto him and hath clearly let them see that t is not in vain to call on our God and to wait till he have mercie Hence therefore I say let us learn to admire and adore the bounteous and open-hand and enlarged bowels of love and compassion of our good God and indulgent Father who hath done all these so great and so good things for us even of his own meer mercie and free favour and because mercie pleaseth him Since then it is most true and unquestionable that God hath not so dealt with every Nation nay I may justly say not with any Nation as he hath with us of England O let us all seriously endeavour to out-strip every Nation round about 〈◊〉 Thankfulnesse and Obedience which is the second Observation I desire to make of these remarkable parliamentarie mercies to us Thankfulnes I say first to our good and gracious God who hath been the onely author and fountain of all these full and fairly over-flowing mercies to us Who hath thus blessed where the enemie hath cursed Who hath thus made the plots and devises of our adversaries the main means of their own shame and smart of their own certain ruin and destruction Yea who hath thus firmly and faithfully performed all his good word and will unto us hitherto and therefore with holy David to cry out and say Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give all the glory for thy mercie and for thy truths sake Yea to raise and rouze-up our souls to the highest peg and pitch of holy extasies of praise and thanksgiving to our God and to break-out as the same holy David did My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise even with my glorie Awake psalterie and harp yea awake soul and heart I my self will awake right early yea and right earnestly I will praise thee O Lord among the people and I will sing praises unto thee among the Nations For thy mercies are great above the heavens and thy glorie above all the earth Set up thy self therefore O our God more and more above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth And let not this our thankfulnesse be meerly a work of lip-labour but let it also yea especially produce an effectuall work of life-labour of true obedience which indeed is better than sacrifice Obedience I say to all Gods commandments universall-submission to the whole will of God Which is mainly seen in breaking-off from our sins those great blocks that stand in the way and hinder Gods good things from us accursed sin I say which locks up all the gates of Gods goodnesse and sweetnesse from us by true and cordiall repentance by hating and forsaking our closest and sâ—yliest insinuating darling sins our bosome-Dalâ—lahs which is the onely-golden-key to open the doores to lift-up the flood-gates of all Gods rich treasury of grace and over-flowing favours and mercies to us Objection But here I may demand and not impertinently I hope May we not also give thanks and due commendations to our noble and renowned Worthies in Parliament who have so cheerfully and so indefatigably spent themselves and their precious time for us and the Kingdoms good Answer Yes undoubtedly and that most duely but in the first and most and best place to the Lord our God who is the author and fountain of all our mercies and unto them in the next place as the channels or conduit-pipes by and through whom God is pleased to convey these comforts to us And as a grave godly and learned Divine of our Citie fitly observed It is not onely decent and comely to give them thanks even as we would if a Lord or great friend should send us some extraordinarie gift by his servant we would first give condign thanks to the Lord or friend that sends it and also gratifie the servant or messenger by whom t was sent with some reall expression both of our high esteem of the donor and also of our gratefull hearts to the messenger for his pains in bringing it to us So without all question it is not onely decent as I said before but due and equall that we should at least return most heartie thanks to these honourable and happie Messengers of our great Lord and gracious God who hath by them conferred upon us such and so many indelible monuments of mercies and admirable Deliverances especially when we consider I say with what invincible patience and pains what admired wisdom and untyred sweetnesse of spirit both Lords and Commons have for us and our good neglected their own lives and livelyhood their own private and personall affairs and just delights otherwise befitting such persons and personages even beyond the slender and lanck expression of my poore pen yea of the most eminent parallel of any by-past times And therefore worthie yea most worthie that we should praise and prize them and pray for them too that our God would repay into the bosomes of them and their posterity all the sweetnesse of their love and loyaltie to God their King and Countrey which we all have found and felt to our unspeakable joy and comfort Which being so as most certain so it is Ah foule shame for such as most injuriously endeavour to traduce and blemish as much as in their foule mouthes and false hearts is the most honourable name and unspotted reputation of so renowned prudent Peers and pious Patriots whose equals for pietie prudence patience and indefatigable pains for Church and State this Kingdom and Nation never since it had a being beheld Yet some I say have not blushed nor been asham'd to manifest such foule effects of black and ignominious ingratitude and therein most palpable impietie as cannot chuse but be most exceeding irksome and odious both to God and man Some saying they see little or nothing done as yet others convinc'd
in power or authority onely used at the Councill board to execute and countenance not to debate and deliberate-on their State resolutions nay so far from being employed in any place of trust and power that they were utterly neglected discountenanced and on all occasions injured and oppressed by the rest of the contrarie faction which now was grown to that heighth and entirenesse of power that now they began to think-on the complete catastrophe and consummating of the whole work to their hearts desire which stood on these three parts or pillars of confusion First that the Government must be arbitrarie set free from all limits of Law both concerning persons and estates Secondly that there must be an union and conformitie between Papists and Protestants both in doctrine discipline and ceremonies onely it must not yet be called or counted Poperie Thirdly Puritans under which name all that were zealous for the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and for the maintenance of Religion in the power of it were included must be either rooted out of the Realm by force or driven away by fear And thus now at last we have the full dimensions every way of this pestilent and most pernicious plot And could they possibly have digged deeper or in humane apprehension and contrivement have founded it firmlier Whatsoever worldly wit and wealth could do whatsoever carnall craft power and policie could effect was wholly for them with full and copious concurrence they now seemed to carry all irresistibly before them And now nothing was wanting fully to finish the work no stone unturned no Remora to be removed save onely one In which God gave them the lie to their teeth according to that of the Psalmist Surely men of low degree are vanity and mâ—n of high degree are a lie and both to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter than vanity it self Such vanity yea such lying-vanity these great-ones in their supercilious high-built hopes and bigg-swoln timpanie of ambition pride and perfidie began to be now rendered by the wisdome and mercie of our good God This one rub I say now to be remov'd proved the main break-neck of their whole designe and makes way for mine also which is to let you and all the world see moss cleerly how heaven made these impious plotters fall by their own folly and madnesse by their own creft crest all their secret counsels and confederacies and made their own invented mischief work-out their own miseries According to that of the sween Singer of Israel most pertinent to this purpose Behold he travelled with iniquity hath conceived mischief and brought forth falsehood He made a pit and delved it and is fallen into the ditch which he made for others his mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall fall upon his own pate Whiles Gods dear Saints of England and Scotland escaped as birds out of the snare of those Fowlers and by Gods free grace and rich mercie found full and fair deliverance Which I say is the main scope and principall aym of this our present history For now as they verily beleeved they had made England their absolute-asse to bear all their back yea soul-breaking burthens So that they thought it most fit now in the last place to reduce Scotland to such Romish-harmonie and conformitie to embrace those Popish superstitions and innovations as might make them apt to joyn with England in that great change which they intended for as for Ireland they were sure enough to prevail there at their pleasure as t is too well known to us all and to themselves also by their late bloody experience which had been much more had not God crost their plot there also and enabled us to help them Whereupon our Church-Canons and a new-minted Liturgie not the very same which is used with us in England which with our vestures gestures and superstitious service-ceremonies had been abundantly enough to have vext them but with most pestilent Popish-additionals and unsufferable new inventions of the Arch-prelate of Canterbury or some of his Romish-factors framing put in over and above ours to make them starke mad as it were must be sent unto them and most violently obtruded on them Both which they instantly and stifly opposed especially when they considered and called to mind those three rare gentlemen as some imminent Scots have acknowledged who had been so lately and barbarously abused on pillories in England but the 30 th of June before and this attempt on them was in August immediately following for opposing and writing against those and such like Romish fopperies their women in Scotland being the first and forwardest stoutly to resist such an uncouth and strange imposition on them Where by the way let me desire the godly Reader not to passe over this remarkable passage sleightly as a triviall thing For though this child of hope was now but in the embrio and unpolisht conception and as yet had no strength at all to bring forth a perfect birth of deliverance to them or us in the eye of the world yet let us remember what a notable caution the Prophet gives us Despise not the day of small things For they shall rejoyce and shall see the plumet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth Now the women having thus begun to oppose this new English-Romish Pope an Archbishop of Scotland appointed as they called it to read and publish it in his fine linen Ephod and other Popish-Pontificalibus were seconded by the men between whom was a huge hubbub made in the Church at the bringing in of the new Liturgie or Service-book which they I say thus utterly rejected and cast out from amongst them and upon this first and small rising like the cloud at first no broader than a hand it quickly grew so bigge that the whole Land was over-spread with it the Kingdom in generall being highly incensed also against it did utterly refuse to admit it among them Whereupon foule calumnies and scoffs were cast upon them in England yea a Proclamation read in all Churches calling and counting them Rebels and Traytors for thus resisting our Prelats most injurious impositions on them and an Armie was speedily raised at the Prelates instigation to enforce them by fierce compulsiâ—â— to obedience and to take that yoke on their necks for the advancing of which said armie our Prelates with the rotten-hearted Clergie and Papists were most free and forward with libeâ—all contributions The noble and valiant Scots were thereupon constraineâ— to do the like in their own just defence But when both Armies were met and ready for a bloody encounter God who hath the hearts of Kings in his hands by the honest and wholesome counsell of his Nobility so wrought on the heart of our King that maugre all the prâ—gging
and Oath were made their proiects prospered not all their devisâ—s were on the declining hand Gods vindicative indignation continually prosecuting them to their shame and I hope to the utter ruine of their most insolent and unsufferable Antichristian tyrannie as the sequill shall manifestly make clear in the description of our deliverances whereunto I mainly addresse my thoughts and intention Now for the yet more absolute furthering of their most pâ—stiferous proiects they in that Synod laid great taxations on the whole Clâ—rgie as namely 6. Subsidies besides a bountifull contribution to forward the intended war against Scotland to which they all of the pontifician and scandalous rout especially shewed themselves generally very free and affectionate and which war some of them in their mad and hair-braind zeal were not asham'd to stile and entitle the Bishops War yea a solemn prayer was composed and enjoyned by the Bishops to be used in all Churches calling the Scots Rebels in it thus as much as in them lay to embrew both Nations in blood and to make the wrath and furie between them irreconcilible And here now the Reader must be pleased to take notice that the Armie was now going forward for York and therefore we may here not unfitly observe as a first demonstration of Gods beginning to crosse countercheck their malevolent machinations how the souldiers which were pressed and now passing forward to York did most strangely and uncontroulably turn rude-reformers as they marched through the Countreys forcibly intruding and getting into Churches and there irresistibly pulling-down altar-rails turning altars into Communion-Table postures making enquirie in the Towns where they came how the Ministers carried themselves in their pastorall charges if godly and diligent Preachers they reverendly and respectively used them but if Romes Minions I mean Arminians superstitious lazie drones rotten-hearted Baals priests or covetous pluralists where-ere they came and found such they vexed derided and most contemptuously used them utterly disdaining also and refusing to be ordered or commanded by popish-Leaders Now although I do not I may not justifie these their mis-carriages yet who can denie a speciall hand of divine providence taking most high displeasure and just offence against our Prelates and Pontificians former violent and furious practises and beginning thus at the very first on-set in this their great designe to blast their bloodie intentions And certainly if prudent Deborah did curse Meros iustly and the inhabitants thereof with bitter curses because they went not out to help the Lord against the mightie What bitter curses think we then shall fall upon those who most affectionately afforded strong aid to mightie and most malicious Popish enemies against the Lord and his dear saints and servants Even so O Lord as she goes on let all thine enemies perish but let those that love thee be as the bright and glorious sun when he goeth forth in his resplendent might But to go forward At this time also the Popish faction enjoyed such exemptions and exceptions against the penall Laws of the Land as amounted very neer to a full toleration of their religion Besides many other favours and Court-encouragements They had a Secretarie of State Sir Francis Windibank a powerfull agâ—nt for the expediting of all the Papists desires a Popes Nuncio residing here to act and govern them according to Romes influences and to mediate for them with the concurrence of forrein Popish Princes By this Nuncio's authority the Papists of all sorts Nobilitie Gentrie and Clergie were convocated after the manner of a private Parliament new Popish jurisdiction erected of Romish Archbishops taxes leavied a new government of State contrived independant to ours yea contrarie to ours both in interest and affection secretly corrupting the ignorant or negligent professors of our religion and closely combining and uniting themselves against such as were sound professours and in this posture onely watching and waiting for an opportunity by force to destroy those whom by fear or fraud they were hopelesse to seduce For the full effecting whereof they were strongly strengthened with all kind of war-like ammunition encouraged by Popish prayers weekly enjoyned by their Nuncio and such power had they then procured at Court that secretly a Commission was issued out intended for some great Ones of the Popish profession both for leavying and martiall command of Souldiers according to those private instructions His Majesties treasure also was extremely exhausted and consumed his revenews anticipated his Servants and Officers compelled to lend him great summes of money multitudes tyred with attendance on the Councill-Table for refusall of illegall payments prisons were filled with their commitments and many Sheriffes summoned into the Star-chamber and some imprisoned for not being quick enough in leavying the Ship-money and generally all the people over the whole Kingdom languished twixt grief and fear of the issue of these strong and strange snares and entanglements no visible signe nor hope of humane help being left us but in dolour and desperation And was not England now brought into a Mount of straits indeed Could hell it self or the fiercest fiends and furies the rein have hatcht a more horrid and hideous contrivement and that under a colourable pretence of law and right forsooth and royallprerogative Were not these like to prove rare Common-wealths-men and States-men who as the Prophet David complains and as toucht before would establish and set up wickednesse by a Law Yea these were truly Those many fishers which the Lord threatens to send against his sinning people to fish them and many hunters to hunt them Yea I say those most nefarious Nimrods those mightie hunters even most audaciously before the Lord who to raise-up and erect this their Babel of confusion hunted not beasts but the best of men not for recreation but for rapine and the utter ruine of true Religion Wherefore now at last the Lord our great Jehovah whose eyes run to and fro through-out the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him hearing the groanes and crying prayers of his poor afflicted people to whose throne of grace and mercie they now made their onely earnest addresses and pressing approaches who I say being a God hearing prayers pardoning sins and a present help in greatest straits and distresses gives them a gracious return bids them be of good comfort and fearlesse yea bids them stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew them For to me saith the Lord belongeth vengeance and recompence your enemies foot shall slip in due time for the day of their calamitie is at hand and the the things that shall come upon them do make haste For the Lord will judge his own people and repent himself for his servants iniuries when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none else to help I am therefore graciously resolved
But now to proceed where I left A Parliament was I say appointed to begin Novem. the third a Parliament said I strange word what a Parliament why who durst once be so bold as onely to whisper his desires of a Parliament who once durst mutter much lesse utter-out such a word A Parliament in England again Yet thus it was yea and thus timely too yea and such a Parliament too as this Kingdom never saw â—he like for length and strength of goodnesse for Church and State to Gods due glorie and everlasting praise be it spoken Certainly then if ever now was our God gloriously seen in the Mount of Merci s for Englands greatest good and hoped happinesse But now see again as I premised at the beginning the serpentine-seed Satans agents must be still working and plotting against all the springing hopes and budding comforts of Gods people if it were possible to blast them in the blossomes For now since they saw to their secret sorrow a Parliament must needs be this omen also unavoidable all their crafty pates were contriving and casting about how to stifle this conception of comfort in the very wombe For the malignant partie spying well that they could not as I said put off the Parliament they therefore cunningly and closely endeavour by their Courtly agents to have such Members of it chosen in every Corporation City and Shire as might onely advance their mischievous Machinations and base designes in Parliament They therefore procure the Kings and Queens Letters to Counties and Shires get both Earls Lords Knights and Gentlemen to ride in person and rove up and down to all parts and places of the Kingdom to make parties for them in choice of such as they should nominate Yet see again on the other side how the Lord counter-plotted and infatuated all their craft care and industrie therein for notwithstanding all their cost and coyl all their running and riding God I say frustrated their impious expectation in most places The Lord who holds the hearts of all men in his hands caused the willing people from all parts spontaneously to flock and assemble together like such unheard of numerous swarmes of bees of all requisite sorts and qualities with most unbended courage and irrefragable resolutions to chuse-out and select such pious prudent and every way accomplisht Worthies for this high and honourable work as are most hopefull by Gods gracious support and assistance to strike the stroke of a most blessed and long looked for yea longed-for happie Reformation yea I say making up such a blessed Colledge of Phisicians as are likely by Gods benediction on them and protection over them to cure the else almost curelesse maladies and infirmities of Church and State which were readie to sink into the inevitable gulf of wo and wretchednesse and to drink the last draft of deadly destruction O who can passe-by such a remarkable passage of Gods admirable providence surpassing admiration in this speciall piece of comfort to us yea I may justly say this master-peece of the whole ensuing frame of all our succeeding parliamentarie-rejoycings and not cry-out with most emphaticall cheerfulnesse with holy Moses Who is like unto thee O Lord among the gods Who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders And with the sweet Psalmograph holy David The heavens shall praise thy wonders O Lord thy faithfulnesse also in the assembly of Saints For who in heaven can be compared to the Lord Who among the sons of the mightie can be likened to our God Now at the first sitting and meeting of this blessed Parliament though all oppositions seemed to vanish the fore-mentioned mischiefs of the malignant partie being so evident which their accursed counsels and co-operations produced that no man durst stand-up to defend them yet the whole work it self afforded difficulty enough if you cast your eyes on these particulars First the multiplied evils and long-rooted corruptions of 16. yeers growth at least by custome and authority of the concurrent interest of many powerfull delinquents who were now to be brought to judgement and reformation Secondly the Kings houshold was to be provided for for they had brought him to that want that he could not supply his meer ordinarie and necessarie expenses without the assistance of his people Thirdly two armies were then to be paid which amounted very neer to 80 thousand pounds a moneth and yet the people over the Kingdom must be tenderly charged having been formerly miserably exhausted with many burthensome projects Fourthly the contraâ—ieties they met with in all these were very incompatible which yet in a great measure they calmly reconciled these difficulties therefore seemed to be invincible yet by Gods good providence and these most renowned Worthies indefatigable care and diligence they comfortably over came them At the beginning of the Parliament six Subsidies were freely granted together with the passing of a Bill of Pole-money for speedie supply of present occasions which could not amount to lesse than 600000. l. besides the said six Subsidies Yea these prudent patriots contracted that great arrere-of charges due to our faithfull brethren of Scotland to 220 thousand pounds And notwithstanding all these most urgent and inevitable charges and pressing occasions the Lord so blessed the proceedings of this precious Parliament that the kingdom is for the present and will be much more for the future by Gods mercie a great gainer by all those charges as will evidently appear by the subsequent cloud of witnesses the many remarkable parliamentarie mercies which our great Jehovah hath graciously strewed into our happie laps and bosomes by them And this is here the rathe toucht and mentioned to stop the mouthes of those repining envious elves of ingratitude who notwithstanding these so conspicuous and egregious restimonies of these ever to be honoured Worthies most impregnable pains and industrie yet would fain fasten their fangs of calumnie and detraction on their most honourable actions and proceedings which even their infâ—rnall black-mouth'd mother Envie her self cannot but though contrarie to her nature most justly commend As first that uncouth and till of late unheard of heavie taxation of Ship-money by this Parliament abolished which drained from the Kingdome above 200 thousand pounds a yeer Coat and Conduct-money taken away from unjustly troubling the Subject which in many countreys amounted to little lesse than Ship-money That scouring project of New-sope also overthrown which brought an hundreth thousand pounds a yeer into private proiectors purses That soaking plot also on Wine which amounted to above three hundred thousand pound And that of Leather which rightly computed could not chuse but exceed both those former put together this is also annihilated Yea that unseasonable and indeed unreasonable patent for Salt puld out of their enhansing hands which could not but countervail in value that of Leather Besides many
of Fame shall most worthily sound out to posteritie and crown his temples with never withering-wreathes of laurell-branches who had no sooner espied them but most fiercely and furiously he set upon their whole formidable Spanish Fleet gave them such battering broad sides and such Canon-thundring and powder-roaring salutations as quickly puld down their so late so lofty Spanish pride and maugre all their espaniâ—lized bravadoes the utmost strength of their strongest vessels was so batter'd and bruis'd their falsly suppos'd impenitrable ribs and big-swoln bellies so peirâ—'t and pestred that they quickly queld their courage fir'd sunk and took many of their greatest ships and dissipated and scatter'd the rest from our coasts few of them escaping the heroick Hollanders martiall violence to our great though unsensible yet unspeakable comfort and security we our selves not having strook one streak in our own defence nay t is well if we did not yeeld the Spaniards supplie of powder and other necessaries that time to our own destruction had not God thus strangely and strongly withstood it Say then O England did not Jehovah our great Lord and God most apparently appear now in the Mount for thy mightie deliverance did he not make good his word and promise by his holy Prophet That no weapon forged against thee shall prosper and every tongue that riseth against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne Certainly if ever at this time was this prophesie most exactly made good to England and to our faithfull brethren of Scotland For what sharp and death-wounding weapons have been forged against us both abroad and at home what slanderous tongues have risen up in judgement yea in most false iudgement against both us and them calling and counting Gods beloved ones among us factious and seditious and among our honest brethren of Scotland traitors and rebels as hath been formerly touched but now we have seen to the high honour of God and ioy of our hearts that none of their weapons have prosper'd against us yea their slanderous tongues which so falsely iudged us and our beloved brethren we have condemned to the clear eyes of all men that wilfully look not a squint on all iust things For hath not this our most noble and renowned Parliament together with the Kings full content and consent therein proclaimed our brethren of Scotland the Kings most faithfull and loyall Subiects Confirmed a fair and full Pacification and union of firm love and mutuall defence twixt us and them and the Kingdom of Ireland with an Act of oblivion of all mistakes and misconceits on either side all these I say ratified by a blessed Act of Parliament Yea and that which adds no small lustre to it that it hath hereby freed us from civill-wars which of all warres are most uncivill from intestine wars wars that would have eaten-out our own bowels from wars I say of Christians with Christians yea of Protestants with Protestants which of all wars could not but have been most fell and fatall O who then can see these things these miracles of mercies without deep admiration and holy adoration of our great God Who can forbear to break-out into cordiall praises to raise-up trophies of everlasting fame and honour to our great and glorious Lord and King Who can chuse but ingenuously acknowledge with holy David That we got not these good things into our possession by our own sword neither did our own arm save us But thy right hand O Lord and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a love unto us Thou art our King O command deliverance still to thy poor worm Jacob. For through thee alone shall we pull-down our enemies through thy Name onely shall we tread them under that rise up against us Tâ—â— thou O God that risest up in judgement to save all thy weak-ones on earth turning the rage and furie of man into thy praise and making the remainder of their wrath to obey thee A most remarkable mercie was it also that the Lord put into the hearts of the renowned Scaligers of our corrupted times for the better purifying not onely of the conduit-pipes of Justice to begin as about this time to put pious and noble Peers into places of honour trust and power that thus the stern of government may be the more happily steered with uprightnesse and impartialitie To which purpose as a main help thereto they have most happily taken away that State-staggering Star-Chamber-Court dissolved and dissipated into smoke the crushing-Courts of the President and Councell of the North and limited and co fined the unlimited bounds of businesses at the Councell-Table but also to scoure the muddie and even stinking channels of wrong and oppression by easing the Common-wealth of those living-grievances thereof a great advantage to the peace and tranquility of the State I mean those evill Counsellers and Officers of State who had been principall actors of all our foresaid miscries and mischiefs making thereby as it were a plaster to heal the deadly wounds of Church and State and most hopefully to recover the almost incureable diseases of the Kingdom by a plaister I say of the blood of that insulting arch-traitor the Earl of Straford who as he had well-nigh stabd the State to the heart by his deep and most dangerous plots both abroad and at home So the stroak of Justice retaliated with blood his most bold and bloodie designes maugre all his slyest shufflings and crafty jeerings of the Law to have eluded it and thereby hoping to have prevented the said just vengeance on him And here by the way I desire the Reader to take notice of Gods most equall and upright wayes and dealings with wicked ungodly and blood-thirstie men how exactly he repayes the bloody plots and purposes of all proud and ambitious Hamans in their own coyn as here is most perspicuously seen in this our English-Haman who in his heart had vow'd the wrack and ruine of all Gods faithfull ones in England Scotland and Ireland at the least But we have happily seen this proud Haman the first that felt the due stroke of justice to the honour of God and the terrour of all such daring traytors And as for the rest of that rabble I may here take-up that of the holy Prophet David How long will ye imagine mischief against men ye shall be slain all the pack of you for as a bowing or tottering-wall shall ye be and as a rotten fence Tremble therefore at this all ye perfidious conspiring Shâ—ba's and fear in time such just retaliation Certainly There is none like unto thee O Lord thou art great and thy Name is great in might Who would not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee it doth indeed appertain to do justice and take revenge for as much as among all the wise men of the world and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee
intimation from this House be made to the Justices of Peace in all the Counties of England and Wales And the Knights of the Shire of the severall Counties are to take care that copies of this order be accordingly sent to the Justices of Peace in the severall Counties And also by setting our Printing-Presses open whereby a happie way was laid open again for Gods learned and loyall Servants by their pious pens and elaborate labours to vindicate the Sabbaths most glorious lustre to the honour of godlinesse and purity of Religi n. And was not the Lord herein also seen in the Mount of Mercies for Englands preservation from the guilt of such a wrath provoking sin of such a Land-scourging râ—â— as this might have proved to out Kingdom had it so continued as by the hellish zeal of out Prelates it was intended Sing praises therefore O England sing praises unto God O sing praises sing praises to our glorious King For God is the King of all the earth sing praises therefore O England to thy God with understanding Thy God O England reigns over the whole world and sits gloriously triumphing on the throne of his holinesse Yet here 's not all for our ever to be honoured heroick Parliamentarie Worthies have added to that former pious pains oâ— theirs this their godly care also namely to 〈◊〉 and purifie the holy worship of our God from the filthie lâ—â—s and dregs of Popish Ceremonies whereby the tender â—onsciences or godly Ministers are not so tyed to Romish trumperâ—â— of vestures and gestures crouchings and cringings and Jesu-worshippings and a multitude of such like mimicall actions in Gods worship and service as formerly they had been most tyrannically pressed and enforced to Yea all Images Crucifixes and any pictures or representations of any of the persons of the Trinity or of the Virgin Mary quite dimolished and extirpated out of Gods house All corporall Jesu-worship I say and altar-adoration sure and infallible signes of Popish ignorance and of the Romish-Strumpets outward-paintings but inward rottennesse what ever fair yet false pretences foolish men and women would like Jeroboam for his golden calves-worship impiously put upon them most piously prohibited and Altar-rails pull'd-down and Communion-Tables set in their proper postures yea all high-steps and ascents to their Altars clean contrary to Gods prescript word by degrees commanded to be levelled burthens and conscience-grievances which neither we nor our fore-fathers that truly loved the Lord Jesus Christ and were tenderly-affected to his pure worship could possibly bear But now they are most happily taken from our tyred necks and almost broken-backs as by an Order of Parliament may and doth most comfortably appear which for the precious excellency and rare memory thereof I have thought good here to insert exactly and verbatim as it came from the Parliament to the everlasting glorie of our great and good God the honour of our Worthies in Parliament and the unexpressibly joy and consolation of all Gods people that peruse it An Order from the Parliament against divers Popish Innovations Dated Sept. 8. 1641. being Wednesday VVHereas divers Innovations in or about the worship of God have been lately practised in this Kingdom by enjoyning some things and prohibiting others without warrant of Law to the great grievance and discontent of his Majesties Subiects for the suppressing of such Innovations and for preservation of the publike peace it is this day ordered by the Commons in Parliament assembled that the Church-wardens of every Parish and Chappell respectively do forthwith remove the Communion-Table from the East end of the Church Chappell or Chancell into some other convenient place and that they take away the Rails and levell the Chancels as heretofore they were before the late innovations That all crucifixes scandalous pictures of any one or more persons of the Trinitie and all Images of the Virgin Mary shall be taken away and abolished and that all tapers candlesticks and basons be removed from the Communion-Table That all corporall bowing at the Name Jesus or toward the East end of the Church Chappell or Chancell or toward the Communion-Table be henceforth forborn That the Orders aforesaid be observed in all the severall Cathedrall Churches of this Kingdom and all the Collegiate Churches or Chappels in the two Vniversities or any other part of the Kingdom and in the Temple-Church and the Chappels of the other Innes of Court by the Deans of the said Cathedrals by the Vice-chancellours of the said Vniversities and by the Heads and Governors of the severall Colledges and Halls aforesaid and by the Benchers and Readers in the said Innes of Court respectively That the Lords day be duely observed and sanctified all dancing and other sports either before or after Divine Service be forborn and restrained and that the preaching of Gods Word be permitted in the afternoon in the severall Churches and Chappels of this Kingdom and that Preachers and Ministers be encouraged thereunto That the Vice-chancellors of the Vniversities Heads and Governours of Colledges all Parsons Vicars and Church-warden do make certificates of the performance of these Orders and if the same shall not be observed in any the places afore-mentioned upon complaint thereof made to the two next Justices of Peace Major or Head-officers of Cities or Towns Corporate It is ordered that the said Justices Major or other Head-officers respectively shall examine the truth of all such complaints and certifie by whose default the same are committed All which Certificates are to be delivered in Parliament before the thirtieth of Octob. next Resolv'd upon the Question That this Order now read shall be an Order of it self without any addition for the present and that it shall be printed and published Nay here 's not all yet for our God whose hands are still open to replenish and satisfie our souls with ioy and gladnesse yea now to nourish and cherish our formerly sad hearts with the failings of his over-flowing favours hath taken from us our accustomed terrours and restraints of free libertie to hear the sweet sound of Aarons bâ—ls especially on the Lords dayes As is more fully seen and assisted by a blessed Order from the Parliament to our unexpressible comfort which Order I have thought fit to be here inserted Die Mercurii Sept. 8. 1641. IT is this day ordered by the House of Commons now assembled in Parliament That it shall be lawfull for the Parishioners of any Parish within the Kingdom of England and Wales to set up a Lecture and to maintain an orthodox Minister at their own charge to preach every Lords-day where there is no preaching and to preach one day in the week where there is no weekly Lecture He. Elsyn Cler. Dom. Com. Whereby no man now is enforced to stay at his own Church where there is no preaching to promote the honour of the day and to feed hungrie souls with that heavenly manna whereof the Lord knows many thousand
or dunghill with this inscription engraven in Marble with fair capitall letters This jakes was once the High-Commission-Court So hatefull and hurtfull I say was that Court and its accursed effects to Gods people in this Kingdome especially being backâ— and â—oulsterd-up with the irresistible wrongs and unavoidable oppressive censures of the Star-Chamber whether godly men and women of all ranks and conditions that disobeyed the High-Commissions unlawfull Commands were turned over when their own Ecclesiasticall Power was not prevalent enough to punish and plague them so deeply as their malice and mischief aymed at Yea and the all-overtopping power of the Councill-Table was no small assailant of the subjects and assistant to the Prelates wicked Designes but that tyrannizing Starr-Chamber Court is by our prudent Parliamentary Worthies voted down as hath been formerly touched to the unspeakable comfort and freedome of the Kings best and most loyall Subjects and the immoderate and excessive power of the Councell-Table is by the wisdome of our most Worthy Senators so ordered and restrained that we may well hope by Gods mercie such things as were heertâ—fore frequently done to the intolerable prejudice of the Subjects libertie will appear amongst us in future times but onely in Stories to give us and our posteritie more just occasion to bless our God for his Majesties goodn ss and for the faithfull and indefatigable endeavours of this present Parliament Now then put all these last fore-mentioned Parliamentary-Mercies together into one account and then tell me whether they do not arise to a mightie 〈◊〉 and deep debt of â—â—erlastingly obliging gratitude to our so bountifull and â—pâ—n-handed enlargedhearted a God to us so und serving and rather wrath-provoking a people in thus conferring such 〈…〉 such incomparable free kindnesses on England such a sinfull naugâ—â—ie Nation Yea tell mee good Reader on serious recoâ—â—ction and recogitation of these most bounteous bl ssings whether the Lord Jehovah hath not been seen most conspicuously to England above all Nations round about it On the Mount of matchless Mercies to the ineffable joy and rejoycing of our Soules in the deepest gulfes of our stinging-Staites Whether our God hath not with admirable patience goodnes and favour waited on us that he might be gracious unto us and exalted himself that he might have mercie upon us for the Lord is a God of judgement O blessed are all they that wisely wait for him For his people shall dwell in Sion at Jerusalem and shall weep no more For he will be very gracious unto them at the voice of their cry and when he shall hear it he will answer them And though the Lord give them the bread of adversarie for a season and the water of affliction yet shall not their Teachers be removed into a corner any more but their eyes shall see their Teachers again Thus O even thus hath our gracious God directly dealt with us thus hath our English-Israels Shâ—aphâ—rd of his late poor despised stock kept a carefull watch over us who had been els made the Prelates perpetuall-Asses to bear all their Romish and slavish burthens Wherefore with holy David we may justly and ingenuously acknowledge Thy righteousnes O God is very high who hast done great things for us O God who is like unto thee Thou who hast shown us great and sore troubles yet hast quickned us again and brought us up from the depth of the grave Our lips shall greatly rejoyce when we sing unto thee and our hearts and soules which â—hou hast redeemed Our tongues shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long for they are confounded and brought unto shame which most seditiously and scelerously ought our destruction And thus have we all most perspicuously â—een and observed how gracious and propitious the Lord hath been to his late most tottering Church crossing her 〈…〉 â—n all their deepest designes most sublime imaginations leaving them still in the lurch and loss when they seemed to swell with highest concâ—ipts of cruell and accursed conquests over their harmless brethren letting them see if they wilfully blind not their eyes their big-swoln tympanie of unsufferable pride and arrogancie to be turned into a flashie ignis fatuus of self-deceiving subtiltie and changing all their vaporous puffs of gross impiety into folly and madness But now let us proceed to enlarge our most serious observations on what remains still in a most admirable measure heerin and let us yet farther see and consider how the Lord who is neverweary of well-doing nay who takes delight and great pleasure to pleasure his freely beloved Ones with his plenteous benefits Of whom we cannot say as Esau to his Father Isaac Hast thou but one blessing my Father but a God who the more he gives the more he hath to give being indeed an unexhaustible spring and never to be dryed but ever-overflowing fountain of all goodnes whatsoever But withall take this note by the way with thee good Reader that as before so now especially in these ensuing remarkable mercies thou shalt see the rage and malice of the malignant partie marveilously interposing their wicked plotts to cross and utterly to frustrate as much as in them lay all the wayes and means of Gods intended yea and miraculously performed mercies to us but yet all their plotts and desperate designes by Gods good providence were still strangely thwarted and timely discovered and disappointed to our comfort and their shame and helpless vexation Let us now then I say goe-on to see how our glorious Lord and King persists to make us of our selves I confesse and in respect of our Capernaum-like means of grace so unimproved the most infull and undeserving Nation under heaven the most beloved and happiest Nation in the world See therefore how our renowned Parliamentary-Worthies freed the Kingdome from that former illegall compelling of the Subject to receive the order of Knighthood against their will from the encroachments and oppression of the Stannary-Courts and Extortions by Clerkes of Markets from vile vexations also by Parkes and Forrests which were now by a Law reduced into their right bounds and limits Yea how they moved and prevailed with the King to set forth his Proclamation for banishing all the Romish Priests and Jesuites out of the Kingdome on pain of death upon their after-apprehension in the Land Together with an Act of Parliament for disarming of all Popish-Recusants over the whole Kingdome to the great comfort and securitie of Gods people who before were in continuall feare of their mischievous insurrections as being well acquainted with their rebellious Spirits on all advantages it also being a Principle of their Religion for the advancement of the Catholick-Cause not to keep any plighted faith with Heretickes for such they account all that are not of their Romish not faith but faction Yea that cage of most unclean birds Sommerset-House I mean in the Strand cleansed in good measure
were to be free-men of the Citie if these inconveniences continued They also hereupon took the courage and resolution to exhibite their Petition to the Parliament for speedy and timely redresse of these encroaching and growing evils Which act of theirs was so modestly and orderly managed by them that the Parliament received their petition most courteously and returned them a very fair and favourable answer in brief for the present with promise of a more full and satisfactorie answer in convenient time After whom also the Porters of London pinched with extreme povertie by reason of the decay of trading were thereby necessitated and by Gods providence thousands of them stirred up and stimulated to petition the Parliament for speedie redresse of their present pressures whose Petition also was very lovingly received by the Parliament and they received a well-pleasing replie for the present Now what an admirable and rare effect these Petitions produced to adde most justly to this catalogue of our parliamentarie mercies this subsequent passage shall clearly demonstrate to the godly Reader viz. Not long after a certain convenient number of Apprentises being very modest in carriage and well-spoken young men went very civilly and peaceably to Westminster to the Parliament for a further satisfactorie answer to their Petition as was promised to them But it pleased the Lord it so fell out that that desperate and furious Collonel Lunsford and very many ruffian-like fellows with him being at that time in Westminster-hall and there walking up and down at last took occasion by uncivill and provoking words to the said Apprentises and Citizens at that time also walking there to make a great disturbance and hubbub among them and from mocking and jeering of them and quarreling about Bishops whom the Apprentises and Citizens had indeed petitioned against in all their Petitions threatning those that durst once speak against their reverend Bishops at last they drew out their swords and the said Collonel Lunsford and his quarrelling comrades flew in the faces of the Citizens and furiously beat them out of Westminster-hall before them being all unweaponed and coming onely in a fair and unoffensive manner as aforesaid to receive an answer to their petition and as they departed home from Westminster by Whitehall they were there again most grosly abused and beaten by the Courtiers and such like so that divers of them were sorely wounded and some thereby killed by them Whereupon the next day these things falling-out about Newyeers-tyde or in Christmas-holy-dayes very many Citizens and apprentises went again to Westminster armed and better prepared than the day before for such affronts if any were offered to them But now see how it pleased the Lord it should come to passe some of the Apprentises and Citizens were again affronted about Westminster-Abbey and a great noise and hubbub fell out thereabouts othersome of them watched as it seems by the sequell the Bishops coming to the Parliament who considering the great noise and disquiet which was by land all about Westminster durst not come to the Parliament that way for fear of the Apprentises and therefore intended to have come to the Parliament by water in barges but the apprentises watched them that way also and as they thought to have come to land were so pelted with stones and frighted at the sight of such a company of them that they durst not land but were rowed back and went away to their places Now see herein good Reader a most notable over-powering impression of divine providence on this businesse and learn hence so much wisdom as not to despise seeming contemptible things and small beginnings as I have formerly touched on a like occasion These lordly and loftie Prelates among whom and a prime one too it seemed was that supercilious Arch-prelate of York Bishop Williams took foul scorn and high indignation at this affront by Boyes and prentises thus to be debarred from the Parliament especially fearing lest any thing might passe in the House against them touching their lordly dignities by their absence on which they had great cause to keep continuall jealouseyes and vigilant watch they now standing on very ticklish terms with the State and being so perpetually and universally petitioned against from all parts of the Kingdom as a prime branch of the malignant partie and speciall perturbers of all good for Church or Common-wealth therefore I say being ve xt to the heart and deeply stung with discontent they vowed revenge and thereupon gathered together into their secret Conclave full fraught with Stygian-rancour and rage and assisted no doubt with some Jesuiticall influence of Romish spirits they contrived and contracted a peice of mischief or mischievous petition to the King and House of Peers which they wholly intended against the happy and successefull proceedings of the Parliament but our good God diverted it to their own further ruine and destruction Now that you may see their own act and deed attested and avouched under their own hands I have thought fit here to insert it verbatim as they themselves penned and exhibited it to the King To the Kings most excellent Majesty and the Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament The humble Petition and Protestation of all the Bishops and Prelates now called by His Majesties Writs to attend the Parliament and present about London and Westminster for that Service THat whereas the Petitioners are called-up by severall and respective Writs and under great penalties to attend the Parliament and have a clear and indubitable right to vote in Bils and other matters whatsoever debateable in Parliament by the ancient customes Laws and Statutes of this Realm and ought to be protected by your Majestie quietly to attend and prosecute that great Service They humbly remonstrate and protest before God your Majestie and the noble Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament that as they have an indubitate right to sit and vote in the House of the Lords so are they if they may be protected from force and violence most ready and willing to perform their duties accordingly And that they do abhominate all actions or opinions tending to Poperie and the maintenance thereof as also all propension and inclination to any malignant partie or any other side or partie whatsoever to the which their own reasons and conscience shall not move them to adhere But whereas they have been at severall times violently menaced affronted and assaulted by multitudes of people in their coming to perform their services in that Honourable House and lately chased away and put in danger of their lives and can find no redresse or protection upon sundrie complaints made to both Houses in these particulars They likewise humbly protest before your Majestie and the noble House of Peers that saving unto themselves all their rights and interests of sitting and voting in that House at other times they dare not sit or vote in the House of
Peers untill your Majestie shall further secure them from all affronts indignities and dangers in the premises Lastly whereas their fears are not built upon phantasies and conceits but upon such grounds and objects as may well terrifie men of good resolutions and much constancie They do in all dutie and humilitie protest before your Majestie and the Peers of that most honorable House of Parliament against all Laws Orders Votes resolutions and determinations as in themselves null and of none effect which in their absence since the 27 th of this instant moneth of December 1641. have already passed as likewise against all such as shall hereafter passe in that most honorable House during the time of this their forced and violent absence from the said most honorable House not denying but if their absenting of themselves were wilfull and voluntarie that most honourable House might proceed in all their premises their absence or this protestation notwithstanding And humbly beseeching your most excellent Majestie to command the Clerk of that House of Peers to enter this their petition and protestation among his Records They will ever pray to God to blesse c. Jo. Eborac Tho. Duresme Rob. Co. Lich. Jos Norw Jo. Asa Guli Ba. Wells Geo. Heref. Rob. Oxon. Ma. Ely Godfr Glouc. Jo. Peterburg Morris Landaff This petition and protestation being thus exhibited to his Majestie the King was pleased to send it immediately to the House of Peers who having seen and perused it were forthwith highly offended with it and so sent it immediately to the House of Commons whereupon both Houses met in the painted Chamber at a Conference there and after it accused those 12. Bishops of high treason for endeavouring to subvert the fundamentall Laws of the Realm and the very being of Parliaments whereupon they were by the Lords sequestred from the Parliament and imprisoned ten of them in the Tower and for their age sake two of them committed to custodie to the Black-Rod Thus was the Parliament most happily freed of 12. of them at one clap And thus I say ever blessed be the Lord our God for it that which the Parliament long desired and the well-affected people over the whole Kingdom so long and so unanimously petitioned for even the extirpation of the Bishops out of the Parliament but could not well tell how to accomplish it God hath made themselves agents and actors of to their own just shame and sorrow but to the high content and rejoycing of all Gods faithfull children and servants And certainly if ever here was a most visible print of Gods over-powring providence crossing these Prelates craft paying them in their own coyn and most clearly manifesting himself to behold all the high things of the earth and that he onely is King over all the children of pride And yet give me leave good Reader to give thee this one note by the way of no small consequence and concernment touching these our present Prelates of England notwithstanding all the most evident and undeniable manifestations of Gods arrows of wrath and high displeasure shot against them all partly for their craft and crueltie exercised against Gods faithfull-ones and partly for the Laodicean-temporizing coldnesse and security even of the very best and most moderate of them all without exception of any one who have rather chosen like the accursed yea bitterly accursed rulers of Meros to lie still to sleep in a whole skin enjoy quietly their fat Bishopricks and lordly dignities and ease therein than with noble and renowned Queen Hester who in the cause of her afflicted people the Jews resolved in a far more certain danger every way than they could have been liable to to hazard her life and honours with an If I perish I perish ah shame unexpressible shame to them all that a weak-woman should out-strip them all in a masculine heroick spirit for her religion and people than like her I say to expose their rich revenews much lesse their very lives as she did hers tell me I say of one among them all that did thus to danger or losse to adventure the safeguard and welfare of the Church and children of God which they saw daily so overtop't by rank over-growing poperie and atheisme Which lazinesse and coldnesse of theirs though they sleightly passe it over as a small sin or no sin at all yet Christ himself our blessed Saviour tells them they are no lesse than down right Antichrists even flat and false enemies of the Lord Christ as is clear Matth. 12. 30. by our Saviours own words He that is not with me is against me Which being so let them all even the best and most moderate among them take heed of that fearfull sentence of the Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha Even accursed with a most bitter curse And how can these Prelates say truly that they love the Lord Christ when they either so palpably persecute him in his beloved members or at least egregiously slight and disrespect him in suffering his holy cause and faithfull servants to be so discountenanced and trampled upon as they have been these many yeers especially of late And yet I say in all this so dangerous and double-guilt and deep-die of grosse impietie in them which indeed is the note I aym at and is the wonder and admiration mixt with grief of my soul to see and consider that even the very best of them hath not to this very day given us the least print or expression of true repentance and godly remorse of soul and spirit for these so great and grievous sins of theirs of crueltie and security or carelesnesse of Gods people and their religion but even the best of them still I say suffering the Gospel of grace and truth to sink or swim what car'd they so they may be quiet and be thought great Clerks rare disputants against Popery in words and writings onely yet oft jugling with us therein too and the wise and moderate men forsooth of the world Yea I say so far are some of them from cordiall remorse and penitencie for those accursed abhominations aforesaid that one of their most moderate wise men of peace since his being in prison in the Tower hath not been asham'd with his accustomed rhetorically-glorious and smoothly painted phrases to daub over his great-guilt of conscience especially in point of security and carelesnesse of Gods truth forementioned by me O these men of peace forsooth how have they forgotten even hypocriticall Jehu's asseveration What peace so long as the whoredoms of that Romish Jezebel are so many and so mischievous amongst us Yea I say again to him in particular he should have had no peace with Rome as well as he wrote of the no peace of Rome But thus I say these our holy Fathers of our Church forsooth these our lordly Prelates who with Bishop White must be counted
desire of correspondencie with both Houses both in passing those Bils then exhibited to his Majestie and also referring all matters touching the Liturgie and Church-Government to the wisdom and pietie of the Parliament to settle and resolve on And here again good Reader let us reflect our eyes and serious thoughts and see whether the Lord does not still carryon his works of mercie to us by his own strong-arm and almightie power and providence that thus we should now have such strong and heart-chearing hope of a happie and long desired rectifying and reformation of our Liturgie and Discipline two ticklish peices to be tampered with on pain of highest indignation and displeasure in by-past times but now you see and hear of talk yea resolution of reforming them Hereby ratifying and confirming his most righteous word and promise by the Prophet in shewing himself unto our Kingdom a most resplendent glory in the midst of us Making good also that old promise of his to his ancient people of Israel namely I will turn my hand upon thee and will purely purge away all thy drosse and take away all thy tinne O that we therefore in the way of thankefulnessâ— would sincerely perform his holy and just desire of us namely in deed and in truth to obey his voice and cheerfully to do all that he hath commanded us Yet see the still invincible and inveterate malice of the malignant partie who notwithstanding that they cannot but evidently see the hand of God against them crossing all their counsels turning their perniciously boiling obstrisctions to their own destruction in the issue yet still I say they manifest right Pharaoh-like more flintinesse and hardnesse of heart presumptuously spurning at as it were and despising all Gods most wise and over powering proceedings against them thereby most clearly treasuring-up wrath and confusion unto themselves against the day of Gods vengeance and heaping up coals of calamity on their own heads against the day of the Lords burning jealousie For much about this time a most pernicious and seditious Petition was forged and framed by some of the grey-headed but not grave-hearted Citizens of London which was boldly presented to the Parliament by them A Petition I say much tending to sedition and the overthrow of the Parliaments proceedings especially concerning the Militia of the Citie ayming therein at the overthrow of the said Militia and the sure defence of the whole Realm under God which they had formerly most firmly setled over the whole Kingdom In which seditious plot and devillish design of theirs though many of no small or mean rank and qualitie in the Citie yea and some of the highest degree thereof had deep hands and spotted hearts to further it and therefore had subscribed to it yet one or two most pragmaticall spirits among them were chief agents and active instruments openly and audaciously appearing and persisting in it namely one Mr Binion a Silkman in Cheapside who carried himself most proudly and insolently therein from first to the last But the truly godly grave and loyally-affected Citizens of London understanding thereof disavowed it immediately joyned together against it in another most honest fit and fair Petition clean contrary to that other exhibited the same in Parliament desired the justice of the Parliament against â—he other which was received with singular approbation of both Houses Whereupon the other was not long after cast out of the House condemned to be burnt by the hangman as a most scandalous and seditious paper and the foresaid Mr Binion himself persisting in his obstinate and malevolent misbehaviour was made an example of terrour to the rest who more wisely shrunk-in their heads and recanted their former oversight being for his foresaid insolencies and misdemeanours fined 3000. l. disfranchised from the immunities of the Citie made uncapable of ever bearing any office in the Common-wealth and imprisoned for two yeers in the Castle of Colchester And yet again notwithstanding all this I say yea this so fresh and modern admonition as a man might have thought to those malignant spirits They not long after brake out again into a like misdemeanour in the Countie of Kent by the main instigation as it is conceived of Sir Edward Deering late a Member of the House of Commons who at the beginning and for some continuance of this Parliament was well reputed and reported of but at last brake-out into a most violent and virulent opposition of the honourable and pious proceedings of the Parliament which he further most undiscreetly prosecuted by printing and publishing a book of all his former and later Speeches in Parliament and one especially not spoken but onely intended to have been spoken in Parliament Whereupon the said Sir E. Deering was call'd to the Bar sent prisoner to the Tower cast out of the House from being any longer a Member among them his said book condemned to be burnt Which book though it cannot be denied but must be ingenuously confest did render him a Schollar and wittie acute râ—etoriâ—ian yet was full fraught with palpable expressions of an ill-affected heart not onely to the most wise worthie and untainted negotiations of the Honourable Parliament but even to religion and the power of godlines A gentleman he was whom I must acknowledge I my self much honored for the good things I conceived to be in him at first but when I had read this his book which I did all-over as advisedly and impartially as God enabled me I found therein even almost in its very portall or introduction to the matter of it and so along such an unjust and immeritorious eulogie or elogie and hyperbolicall praise of the Arch-prelate of Canterbury in generall and of his book if his of his conference with Fisher the Jesuite in speciall A book most full of pregnant expressions yet cloudily couched of the said Prelates Popish rotten-heartednesse as a most sound and learned Replie to it hath copiously and clearly discovered to all judicious and impartiall Schollars that have read it together with his affected wittie jeâ—ring and scoffing at true pietie in some places and irreligious sublime justification of grosse Popish superstition in other some I could not hereupon I say God knows my heart but greatly grieve for his sake thereby so dishonoured and blush at mine own so clear mistake who had willingly harboured so good opinions of him before But to leave him to his great Lord and Master to whom he must either stand or fall with my heartie prayers for his true and timely retractation I return to my purposed matter from which I have a little digressed but I hope not much transgressed therein Another seditious Petition I say was hatched and contrived in Kent wherein I say t is more than conceived that Sir Edward Deering had a deep hand which contained matter much to the same effect with the former of London Which also it seems was
much countenanced and encouraged by the Earl of Bristow and judge Mallet and for which they were both sent prisoners to the Tower of London which Petition being on the 29 th of April 1642. brought to the Parliament by some of the prime malignant-ones the rest of that rout being some certain thousands remained at Blackheath for an answer but were fain to depart with a flea in their cares they received most foul but most just disgraces at their entrance into the Citie the gate at the Bridge-foot was shut against them they themselves were disarmed their weapons being there taken from them two of their prime leaders having exhibited their Petition in Parliament were committed to safe custodie till fit opportunitie of further examination of this their high contempt and arrogancie But immediately after the truly religious honest and well-affected partie of the said County of Kent unanimously also united themselves in an honest and loyall Petition therein utterly disavowing and protesting against that other seditious and scandalous one who were all together with their Petition most courteously and lovingly entertained and dismissed with great thanks from the Parliament for that their so honest and peaceable demeanour And was not the Lord Jehovah seen here in the Mount of Mercie in thus both timely discovering and discountenancing these very dangerous designes of theirs as much as in them â—ay for the present extremly to blend and disgrace the just fair and faithfull proceedings of the Parliament and though they most secretly and subtilly carried and contrived their designes therein yet the Lord graciously caused them to be stifled in their birth So that we may most fitly take up that of the Apostle Paul who speaking of the perillous times that should come in the last dayes after a recitall of a ragged-regiment of malignant and ill-affected persons brings in Jannes and Jambres two audacious and arrogant companions who obstinately and proudly withstood Moses reviling and speaking evill of the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith But they shall not proceed saies the Apostle for their folly shall be manifested to all men As t is now with ours blessed be the Lord our most wise God for it and all their malice and mischief is fallen still upon their own hoads Wherefore we may nay we must with holy David most gratefully acknowledge Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be all the glory given for thy mercie and for thy truths sake Who hast not suffered the heathen or wicked to say where is now their God But our God is in heaven and hath done whatsoever he pleased Now after these things the King having prest the Parliament with divers Messages in his unhappie departure and distance from it as by and by shall be more fully and particularly set forth and thereby constrained our prudent Worthies in Parliament to clear their integritie to his Majestie and the whole Kingdom yea and to the whole world also if occasion were offered they sent to his Majestie and afterward set forth in print divers Declarations Remonstrances and Messages from both Houses of Parliament all of them written and penn'd with such prudence piâ—tiâ— and humilitie toward his Majestie as most apparently evidenced their great and godly care for the preservation of his Honour and the Kingdoms welfare to the great and unexpressible comfort and content of all Gods people especially in the most sweet continued symphonie and harmonious concurrence of Both Houses which now began to be more and more strongly increased notwithstanding the great and even mountanâ—â—â— obstructions and terrible distractions of the times mightily molesting and retarding their most important and weightie affairs ouâ— most prudent and pious Peers still shewing themselves as was toucht before more forward if possiâ—ly it might be in all good motions than the House of Commons A mercie which things and times considered we are not able sufficiently to prize and praise the Lord for it being that blessing of the Kingdom which was so long and so earnestly desired by the universall confluence of the Petitions of the whole Kingdom yea that great blessing I say which the Apostle Paul so heartily and vehemently desires among his beloved Corinthians That they might all speak the same thing and that there might be no division among them but that they may be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement Yea that rare blessing which the Prophet David cannot set out sufficiently without a note of admiration in the excellencies of it when he said Behold how good and joyfull a thing it is brethren to dwell together in unity Yea sayes he t is like the precious oyntment upon Aarons head distilling thence to his beard and running down to the skirts of his garment Such a prâ—â—ioâ—â— oyntment may I truly say is this unity and concord in these two honourable Houses of Parliament poured on the head of our Soveraign distilling thence on the comely beard of his Kingdom this renowned Parliament and sweetly streaming thence down to the skirts or garments of the Land the people and inhabitants thereof And now see I pray the blessed effects of this happy union and precious complacencie between the King and Both Houses of Parliament at this time For about the 9 th of April the Lords and Commons in Parliament resolved to set upon the reformation of the Liturgie and government of the Church wherby Gods worship and service should be more purely performed than formerly it had been and discipline more piously administred And for this purpose they passed Votes in Both Houses and most prudently pitched upon certain eminent godly grave and learned Divines out of every Shire and Corporation of the Kingdom who should meet together at a time appointed to discusse and consult among themselves what should be most apostâ—licall orthodox and neerest to the truth of Gods word and so to advise the Parliament for the setling of the same as by their order printed and published by their authority may and doth more fully appear which here I have thought fit to insert and mention to thee The Order of the Lords and Commons touching the Liturgy and Church Discipline Apr. 9. 1642. THe Lords and Commons do declare that they intend a due and necessary reformation of the government and Liturgy of the Church and to take away nothing in the one or other but what shall be evill and justly off nsive or at the least unnecessarie and burthensome And for the better effecting thereof speedily to have consultation with gâ—â—ly and learned Divines And because this will never of it self obtain the end sought therein they will therefore use their utmost endeavour to establish learned and preaching Ministers with a good and sufficient maintenance throughout the whole Kingdom wherein many dark corners are miserably destitute of the means of salvation and many poore Ministers want
fume and smoak now readie to break out into a most combustuous and furious flame by the perverse and most pernicious counsell of the malignant partie about the King as the Parliament had often enformed his Majestie in severall Messages if the Lords over-powering providence had not cast on the water of opâ—rtune qualification and timely quenching of the same by the admirable wisdom and singular moderation of this pious and prudent Parliament hindring the boysterous breaking-out thereof both by their modest grave and gracious Declarations their most humble Petitions their prudent and provident Votes and Orders and their patient and most submisse Messages to his Majestie at York especially by those two Declarations or Remonstrances of Both Houses March 12. and March 23. their most humble wise and moderate Petition March 26. About which time also it pleased the Lord to stir up the hearts of the Nobles and gentrie estated in Ireland but then residing in London to petition his Majesties return to London and gracious agreement with his great and highest Court of Parliament Together with the Gentrie and Commons of the County of Lincoln Staffordshire and Munmouth in Wales as also a most excellent and patheticall Petition from those of Cheshire and another cut of Lancashire all of them with an unanimous concurrence of Votes and suffrages beseeching and imploring his Majesties speedie and propitious affection and return to his Parliament Yea our ever to be honoured and intimately to be loved Brethren of Scotland also were not wanting in their love and loyaltie to send their faithfull Commissioners and among them the noble and renowned pious and prudent Lord Louthen to advise and beseech his Majestie to return and listen to his loyall and faithfull Subjects in Parliament The Gentrie also and Commons of the County of York most humbly and earnestly besought and petitioned his Majestie April the 30 th to reflect his favourable and princely affections on his great Councell at London and to cohere and adhere to their wholesome and honourable advise for his Majesties honour and welfare Together with the Knights Gentlemen and others of the County of Yorks wise and modest answer to his Majesties demands of them not long after in these words May it please your most excellent Majestie VVE shall all be ready to defend your royall Person from violence by all such wayes and means as the Law and our dutie bind us And as for the means to vindicate your Majesties honour and to put you into possession of your own we conceive that the best advise that we can offer to your Majestie is humbly to desire you to hearken to the counsell of your Parliament who we assure our selves will be carefull of your Majesties person and honour and to whom your Majestie hath already been pleased to direct a Message to that purpose Again a full and fair Declaration or Remonstrance was sent to his Majestie from Both Houses of Parliament and to the whole Kingdom bearing date May the 19 th wherein were expressed the severall Depositions of divers about the bringing in of the Armie formerly in the North and then intended against ouâ— Brethren of Scotland to London against this Parliament And since that another Declaration or Remonstrance bearing date May 26 th 1642 in answer to one under his Majesties name concerning the businesse of Hull sent in a message to Both Houses of Parliament May 21. In which Remonstrance was fully set forth the Kings of Englands deep tye of regall stipulation to rule the Kingdom according to the fundamentall Laws made by the Commons thereof or people of the Kingdom and ratifying and maintaining the Subjects immunities and freedoms to the reciprocall and harmonious happinesse of King and Subject Therein also fully and fairly clearing Sir John Hotham from the imputation of treason in his holding the town of Hull to his Majesties and the Kingdoms just use and welfare The safe transportation and removall of that great Magazine of warlike ammunition from Hull to London notwithstanding the Kings interdiction of the same The timely and happie discoverie of that dangerous plot against Hull by one Thomas Beckwith gentleman a Popish-recusant and an inhabitant of Beverly in Yorkeshire and others his confederates signified most fully and exactly by Sir John Hothams own letter to a worthy Member of the House of Commons and published in print June 3 1642. Both Houses of Parliament ratifying and confirming by their Orders unto York Lancas and all the whole Kingdom the exercise of the Militia for the better securitie and safeguard thereof both against homebred conspiring Popish recusants and forrein confederating Romish invaders of the land The Parliaments clearing of that most worthie and pious gentleman Captain Phillip Skippon from any legall disobedience to his Majesties command in not tender ng his personall attendance on him at York which was confirmed by 3. severall Votes in Parliament which for the Readers more full satisfaction I have here inserted May 17 th 1642. 1. THat this command of his Majestie to call Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London to attend his Majesties person at York is against the Law of the Land and the liberties of the Subject 2. That this command of his Majestie to call Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London to attend his Majesties person being employed by Both Houses to attend their service without their consent is against the priviledge of Parliament 3. That Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London shall continue to attend the service of Both Houses according to their former commands The same day also which was May 17 1642. It having been rumoured that Midsommer-Term should be adjourned to York and the Parliament understanding thereof the Lord Keeper was required to declare whether he had 〈…〉 any command from his Majestie to that purpose which being answered and satisfied by him to the Lords that he had such a command and the Lords conceiving how inconsistent the same was to a Parliament sitting at Westminster not to be dissolved or adjourned without their consent the Records being carried to York whereof Both Houses were to have daily use and that the Judges whose advise and assistance the House of Peers daily required should be so remote from them They therefore voted That the Kings removeall of the Term from Westminster to York the Parliament sitting at Westminster is illegall And therefore further ordered That the said Lord Keeper should not issue-out any Writs or seal any Proclamation for adjourning the said Term from Westminster to York as aforesaid About the 20. or 21. of May 1642. a Committee of Both Houses was nominated to consider how they should bring to con dign punishment those parties who are Delinquents and yet â—protected against proceedings in Parliament At which tim also the House took into consideration his Majesties
and favourable reproof from the Lord himself of such false and faithlesse fears in his children Hearken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law Fear ye not the reproaches of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings For the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them like wooll but my righteousnesse shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation And that especially in the 12 and 13 verses of the same chapter I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die and of the son of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth and hast feared continually every day because of the furie of the oppressour as if he were readie to destroy and where is the furie of the oppressour Certainly good Reader here 's a most exact description of the condition of very many of Gods children even at this very day O what fear of the force or fraud is there of men yea of wicked men who shall undoubtedly perish together with their most desperate designes and profoundest policie What startling is there at a base weak project of theirs though our eyes have seen them vanish like a vapour and come to nought What frights and fears are in the hearts of Gods people even every day as the Lord saies because of their seeming furie but certain frenzie and madnesse which yet our God hath crusht and confounded in its highest ruff and deepest danger-threatning bluster For shame therefore for shame let us labour against such groundlesse such causelesse fears and put on godly resolution and invincible courage since the Lord is our God and is good and does good and who hath done all this great good for us Which brings us to my fourth and last Observation on these fore-mentioned pa liamentarie mercies namely That the Lord onely is our salvation and hath engaged himself and his own great Name to deliver us by his faithfull word and promise and that therefore we should patiently wisely and zealously depend on him for deliverance Since I say the Lord onely is our strength and not the failing arm of flesh which we know is an accursed prop and will deceive like the broken reeds of Egypt let us therefore often remember that of good King Jehosaphat which indeed I desire may be a constant and cordiall memento to us all to stablish and strengthen our hearts piously and patiently to wait on the Lord namely Hear me saies that good King O Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem beleeve the Lord your God so shall ye be established beleeve his Prophets and promises so shall ye prosper Even so I say to thee O England and ye noble and renowned inhabitants of London famous over the whole Christian world for the glory of God among you beleeve the many and most sweet and precious-promises which God in Christ hath made unto you so shall ye certainly prevail and prosper lay hold on the promises yea rest and roul your selves and even live upon the promises so shall it undoubtedly go well with thee Now we have a sure word of promise that Babylon shall fall yea saies the Lord by the Prophet in respect of the certainty of it Babylon is fallen is fallen with an ingemination which implies matter of moment and all the graven images of her gods the Lord hath broken to the ground Yea saies the Prophet Jeremie Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed Now then I say good Reader having such a sure word of promise even from the fountain of Truth yea Truth it self let us with Christian courage by faith lay fast hold on it and infallibly beleeve it for Truth hath spoken it and certainly heaven and earth shall sooner perish than one jot or tittle of his precious word and promise shall not be performed Hast thou I say as a reverend and learned Divine once sweetly delivered a sure word of promise abide close by it for certainly whatsoever the work of Gods providence may be which ofttimes I confesse seems even point-blank to crosse and contradict our hopes mainly for triall of our faith and patience yet stick-fast to the word of promise rest and relye on it wait with the patience of the Saints for the performing of it For as the Lord said to the Prophet Write the vision and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarrie wait for it because it will surely come and it will not tarry See here good Reader what sound and solid grounds of Christian courage comfort and confidence is here Who then would be afraid Who would not strongly and immoveably relie on the Lord his so mightie so sure foundation See I say what an abundant Cornucopia of sweet refection is here for the most drooping heart that may be who then would Tantalize in the midst of such so fair heart-upholding store Alas alas good Reader if under such props and supportations our hearts should flag and faint and sink by fear and infidelity which indeed is the bitter root of slavish fear might not the Lord too justly upbraid us as once he did the murmuring children of Israel the sinfull and rebellious Israelites Since the Lord onely is our fast and firmly-rooted Rock and his works are perfect and all his wayes judgement a God of truth and without iniquitie most just and right If we thus corrupt our selves with sinfull infidelity our spot is not then the spot of his children but we being thus a perverse and crooked generation may not the Lord then I say most justly upbraid us and say Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not God your Father that hath bought you and establisht you O remember the dayes of old of thy old slaverie and bondage of Romish-Egypt the black and palpable fogs of Popish idolatrie and superstition consider the yeers of many past generations ask your fathers and they can shew you your elders and they can tell you And certainly as good Ezra said in such a like case If after these great mercies and deliverances which God hath wrought for us and wherwith he hath so graciously crowned us we should yet again break our covenant with God we should violate his righteous commandments turn his so sweet and precious grace into wantonnesse and make this his patience and goodnesse to us a ground of our licentiousnesse and loosse living would not the Lord and that most justly be angrie with us untill he had utterly consumed us Yes certainly he would For though t is most true that the Lord hath proclaimed himself to the whole world and all generations