Selected quad for the lemma: parliament_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
parliament_n	army_n	city_n	london_n	3,465	5	7.2357	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83990	Englands remedy of a deadly malady: the vvise-womans saving the city Abel, by delivering the head of Sheba, who was a traitor to the common-wealth of Israel. Which serveth as a pattern, whereby the City of London may be saved, by the wise endeavours of the citizens thereof, like this wise-womans, (which are upon divine record both for our learning and imitation) even by delivering up to law & justice, the traitors to the common-wealth of England. ...		1647 (1647)	Wing E3028; Thomason E397_20; ESTC R201676	19,353	23

but the word to vote would have been deceived by them as they have cheated the Common-wealth But to be short because we are all like to be assaulted with a stronger temptation then ever we were heretofore and that very speedily we have great need therefore to cast our greatest care and confidence on God and then we need not care nor feare what man can do we will be dealt withall either by flatterie or force if not by both to go up as it were to Bamath-Gilead and prosper even to take up armes against our owne beloved brethren and countrey-men flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone that most terrible Army with Banners who through God have done valiantly in subduing all our open enemies but we must altogether refuse upon whatsoever tearms offered or pretended least in obeying the lusts and arbitrary wills of wicked covetous ambitious and time-serving men who thirst after blood thinke to escape in the presse and still fish in troubled waters we fight against God be traytors to our Countrey guilty of much innocent blood absolve the wicked condemne the just and shew our selves both by evill example and otherwise both unjust and unthankfull even in rendring evill for good as now the Parliament doth to us For as this Army when former Armies could not have been the chiefest instruments of delivering us from regall oppression so they are the most hopefull worldly power to free us from Parliamentary corruption to see the time of each Parliament limited and how often to be called just libertie for tender consciences provided just Lawes made and executed unjust Lawes abolished our just Petitions received read and granted our grievances redressed this Parliament from all corrupt Members purged all our just Liberties recovered all who are unjustly imprisoned justly released and their illegall sufferings of all others since the Parliament began legally repaired the great accounts of the publike Treasurie required widdowes fatherlesse maimed souldiers and all other sorts of poor maintained just men advanced to places of trust both in Parliament and Common-wealth and unjust men deposed and punished so shall it bee well with us and our posterity throughout all Generations But if otherwise we yeeld now to wicked mens desires for their owne covetous and ambitious ends and no good to us when we have done all we can yea and past the bounds of our abilities we shall have no more thanks nor reward then now we have of the Parliament for all our unspeakable both actions and sufferings but be made such kinde of beggars and slaves both in our spirituall and temporall conditions as we shall bee a proverbe and a hissing to all Nations even as Gods owne peculiar people the Jewes were who had many happie opportunities and gracious influences of Gods speciall favours to have made them the most renowned famous yea and invincible people that ever were upon the face of the earth An Appendix containing divers worthy particulars belonging to the premises which doe most consist in Objections and Answers IF any doe demand why the Remedie is placed here before the Maladie it is done because there be too many maladies and too few remedies and therefore I place here first what is rarest and last which is oftenest or most frequent as the Prophet Nathan had his cure and remission ready to pronounce for Davids sins before ever he by his wise parable convinced him thereof And whereas some may object that our Army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax have not such power and authority of King nor Kingdome to demand those eleven Members of the House of Commons to be secured and delivered up to justice as Joab had of King David or his Kingdome to pursue Sheba or besiege a City for him It is answered that the Captaine Generall of our Army hath as much power and authority at least to doe what he hath now undertaken as Ioab the Captaine Generall of King Davids Army had for what he undertook for as the one tended to the well and safety of that Kingdome so the other tendeth to the well and safety of this Kingdome which is and alwaies should be the maine end both of all wars and governments If either the Citizens of London had offered or the Army of England had desired the heads of these eleven Members as was both offered and accepted concerning Sheba rather then that so reasonable a demand to have their persons only to bee alive secured untill they be tried it might have imported severity in the one and cruelty in the other but since neither were so much as once mentioned wherein then is the Army unjust unreasonable unequitable or any wise cruell as both Parliament-men who have so bad a conscience that they cannot indure triall and others would suggest and surmise to the rude people even by their base Queries and other aspersions which they imploy such as themselves also to divulge If it be objected that the Citizens of London are not so able to solicite or importune the Parliament of England for justice in this kind for the Army as the wise woman and Citizens of Abel were to procure justice of such forces belonging to the ten Tribes as did accompany Sheba to that City in this his rebellion It is answered that the Citizens of London are more able not only to solicite but even to prevail with the Parliament for those eleven men for divers respects which may be easilier understood then the Citizens of Abel were with the ten Tribes concerning Sheba yea and the ten Tribes of Israel were as great I suppose for that City to deale with though within the walls thereof as the Parliament of England is to this City which is so near adjoyning If others doe object that our Generall hath not a Commission from the Commons of England for whose Liberties he and his Army now stands to go against the Parliament upon whatsoever colour or pretence It is answered that he and his Army have as faire a Commission at least of the Commons so to doe as Joab and his souldiers had of King David or the Kingdome of Judah and Israel for what they did but what out Army doth is no wise against but altogether for the Parliament in generall as having relation to the well-being or better subsisting thereof chiefly by expulsion of corrupt and rotten Members who have lately crept in and over-voted the well-affected party in the House like so many drons in a hive so that the Army onely leadeth their helping hand to the Commons of England in this case for purging their House of Commons as they most powerfully and valiantly assisted both them and the Parliament formerly in another case by subduing all their open enemies which neither of them could do even by all their former Armies And if any would have further satisfaction herein if they will compare the 19. and 20. Chapters of the 2 Sam. concerning Joabs Commission in that his so faithfull service to the

the City Abell ought first to offer peace to that City as is formerly observed of that Joab and his souldiers ought to have asked of the City Abell whether or no they would deliver Sheba and to have offered them peace upon deliverie of him and not to have broken down the wall without any such question or condition contrary to the Law of God common sense and custome which may be drawne from these words of her speech and so have they continued or that they should aske concerning the person Abel calling to mind his innocent blood alluding to the people in the City who had not procured such an assault by any misdemeanour proceeding from themselves either of which senses or interpretations may be pertinent enough to the scope of what she intended in her dispute or speech to Ioab And the reason why Ioab was so easily pacified from all his fury and getting justice onely against one Traytor though there were a number of others in the City he himselfe declareth in the Historie that the intent of his coming was to have justice onely against one man and the cause was formerly shewed even that he was the ring-leader to all the rest in rebellion according to the old true proverb which a Member of the Parliament for once repeating in the House where oftentimes truth hath no place nor admittance pereat unus potius quàm unitas it is better that one or a few perish then a multitude Corporation City or Nation was commanded to the barre and committed to prison where he continued for a whole yeare at least Now all that is to be inferred from what is here spoken doth briefly tend to this effect there are many opinions concerning the intentions of our renowned Army especially for their advancing to this City Why what 's the matter Doth it not consist of very rationall men And doe not you think but they have many strong reasons and both weighty and urgent causes for what they doe We not only know by report but feel by experience that there is not only one Sheba among us but too many ring-leaders of rebellion incendiaries of sedition and raisers of anew warre which the Army doe demand and persue that they may be delivered up to the law and tryed according to justice which is the first and most speciall and effectuall meanes to recover both our Lawes peace and liberties out of which all the free-born people of England are like to bee stript naked and so are in a most dangerous capacitie of slaverie and miserie And if there be such treacherous enemies to the Common-wealth and betrayers of there trust concerning the recoverie and defence of our Lawes and liberties detained sheltered and maintained in and about the Citie of London as that Rebell Sheba was in the Citie Abell is there so much as my shew or colour of reason to the contrary but that the whole people of the land as one man if it were possible should seek all lawfull and timely redresse for justice as in the case of the ten Tribes against that of Benjamin before cited and of Achan Iesabel and many others Therefore whosoever or how many soever shall oppose them in so lawfull and needfull apursuit will manifest themselves to be as great Traytors and enemies to the Commons of England as the other who are thus impeached yea and if it were in the way of revenge failing of ordinary justice as this act of Joabs pursuing Sheba may seem to be it is neither cruelty nor war but rather a seeking of justice and consequently of peace in so following after it One thing is to be feared and another to be wished the first is that the Citizens are not so diligent to treat with the Parliament for doing of justice as they are with the Army for yeelding to peace without justice for this woman was as carefull to deale with the Citizens as she was with Joab so soon as she knew his mind And the next is that neither Parliament not City permit their Clergie any more to preach war in the City and peace in the Army nor that such Incendiaries nor deceivers as those Priests and their followers be suffered any more to intice and poyson yea and undermine the weaker sort of the Army but be quite returned As this wise woman undertaketh begineth procedeth and prospereth in this great businesse as appeareth by Ioab and the Citizens both hearing and following her councells because they all attend to justice so by that most powerfull effectuall and commendable meanes which she useth it pleaseth God so to order the businesse that thereby justice is duly and speedily executed and so all is made quiet even as when Ionah was cast into the sea the powerfull raging thereof was changed into a great calme But in regard the matter is historicall and needeth litle illustration or scarce any application it being so suitable to our present condition therefore I will adde a simile for conclusion this whole Kingdome at the begining of this Parliament may be parallelled with Gedions Army of two and thirty thousand when he went to battel against the Midianites not in regard of our greater quantity or number but rather of our quality and nature this Nation being a mixed people like Gideons Army of good and bad souldiers able and unable whereof the greatest part were the open enemies of our peace and so verie unfit to fight for our lives Lawes or Liberties at least whilest they were under that banner But those two and thirty thousand being fined and a party singled out from amongst them extending to ten thousand which were not altogether so timorous and therefore somewhat more likely to carry on the worke in the day of battell this party is like our mixed Parliamentary multitude being chosen by all sorts or rather several dispositions of people as appeareth by the fruit and effect proceeding from the cause and as every living creature doth naturally produce and bring forth others both of the same kind and similitude And these ten thousand of Gideons Army who were thus fined being still unfit for the intended businesse notwithstanding therefore they were refined to three hundred which may be accounted those military members of valourous and victorious Souldiers of our Army by whom as the Lord hath done great works to his endlesse praise so our hope is that the same God will do yet greater works against both our open and secret enemies yea and pretended friends to his owne glorie and all our comforts who trust in him either by them or others We blesse his divine Majestie that like this wise woman he hath made this City so wise as to send forth some of their Aldermen and other ancients to parle with that renowned Army concerning the present expedition of whose wisdome and fidelity both to the City Parliament and Common-wealth as they have had already very sufficient so shall they have no doubt abundant satisfaction yea and will we hope crown

King and Kingdome with our Armies Ingagements Declarations Petitions and Remonstrances concerning Sir Thomas Fairfax's Commission in his so faithfull service to the Kingdome of England now in this our extreame necessitie they will find that hee hath a better Commission then Joab had in this his pursuit for as the one prosecuted with zeale for the weale safety and recovery of that Kingdomes Liberties against all adversaries he onely knowing the mind of the better party so with the like zeale doth our valiant Captaine prosecute for the weal safety and recovery of this Kingdomes Liberties against all adversarie powers knowing the mind of the well affected and at the earnest requests and fervent desires of many distressed and oppressed Commoners Prisoners Widdowes Fatherlesse maimed Souldiers poore and others And whereas it may be alledged that our Generall is out of his office and the Army ordered to be disbanded by the Parliament who both gave him his office them their power for the use they were at first appointed It is answered what the Parliament gave either him or them or took from him and them they neither gave the one nor tooke the other as they are an entire Corporation or State by themselves alone but as the representative Body of all the Commons of England and so in that respect but their agents and servants even as some Bishop or Minister after the example of Samuel the Prophet doth annoint a King being so ordained by the Kingdome yet it doth not follow by any good consequence that such a man meerly for his so officiating or discharging the duty of his Office is King Lord or Master of such a King so annointed by him but rather still a subject or servant to him because he is so ordained by the people as by a greater power then his owne to performe that point of duty as well as the rest belonging to his Office And upon this consideration he may neither justly say nor in any respect dare avow as Cardinall Weolsey presumptuously wrote to the Pope I and my King doe such and such things so that both the Armie and the Parliament or the Parliament and the Army which of them soever may justly at this time have the first place as the case now stands the one having the bare word and the other the sharp sword yea and the King himselfe though he were set as high as Solomon on his throne are all but the Commons of Englands Servants and they onely ordained for the weale and better being but never for the woe and worse being of the Common-wealth whereas the Common-wealth was never ordained for the better nor worse being of them in any regard but as they are servants to it or as shepheards and watch-men in keeping it in peace order and tranquility both from forraigne and intestine enemies and the other as speciall instruments both of defending them in the discharge of their offices and for that end of maintaining them in their authorities Needfull Queres to the Parliament Right honourable and truly noble at least should be like the men of Berea NOt to speak of the crying sins and great abominations whereof the Kings Parliaments Priests and People of this Nation are guilty even surpassing the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorah Tyrus and Sydon in so long injoying and yet never receiving nor obeying the glorious Gospell of Christ which if they had had as our Saviour said of Capernaum and Bethsaidah might possibly have brought forth better fruits then ever England did neither to insist of the innocent blood which cryeth from heaven against this Nation by our betraying under the colour of helping that worthy and strong City Rochell as well by cheating them of their provision in their extreame famine when they were so straightly besieged as by advancing their enemies with eight great ships to their utter ruine starving and desolation nor yet of the oceans of the guiltlesse blood spilt and treasures spent of late daies amongst our selves to small purpose yea and much thereof by your corruption carelessenesse double-dealing and other indirect and counterfeit meanes Did ever any Nation give better assistance to any Parliament then this distressed Nation have everie manner of way given unto you Was it all done to make you Lords and Knights and our selves but servants and slaves Was it to set you all in Coaches and on horse-backe and our selves but to run at your feet Was it not meerely that ye should redresse our grievances and recover our Liberties abolish wicked Lawes and establish good Lawes But have ye performed to us either one or other of these your duties Have ye not rather made the cure more grievous then the disease and the last errour worse then the first Have ye so often protested vowed sworne and declared before God and the world that you would deliver us from all oppression and tyrannie and yet are not ye your selves become greater oppressors and tyrants then ever we had Have ye not against all Law justice reason conscience and profession both done many things ye ought not and left abundance of things undone which according to the same grounds ye were bound to doe Did either Petitions Informations or Admonitions ever prevaile with you by word or writing but rather did you not hearden your hearts more and more like Pharoah Have ye not alwaies sought rather to be revenged on such as shew you your hainous sinnes then any wise except in hypocriticall Fasts to amend your faults Yea and I appease to your owne consciences Are not all these but meere shewes which now ye make to rectifie some of the innumerable things that are amisse by your owne meanes even rather for slavish and guilty feare of the Armies sword then out of any dutifull respect or true favour to the Commons of England who choosed and trusted you and whom as yee are bound ye should both serve and respect if ye made any conscience of Gods VVord A faithfull Advice to the Armie Renowned Brethren MAny of you know better then I can expresse what wise course Josuah that valiant Captaine Generall who for a long time fought the Lord of Hostes Battells in the behalfe of his peculiar people the Jewes did take when he saw the Lord shew himselfe so angry at the sins of the people though it was but of one man that he made them both fall and fly before their enemies he searcheth diligently either by lot or otherwise according to the custome of those days throughout all the twelve Tribes in which Tribe or person of the Tribe the fault was and finding it in the royall Tribe of Judah and in Achan by name through his covetousnesse which is the root of all evill did punish him according to the nature of his fault Ye have both begun and run very well hetherto yea and win one part of the prize praised be God but I pray who lets you that yee will not obey the truth but seem to be weary of