that stood sound why did not those continue in the House to have overvoted the rest and so have carried on their designe with more ease and safetie with lesse charge danger discredite to themselves their fortunes and their posteritie which now they are lyable to undergoe Howsoever many simpletones in the Countrey may be perswaded and deluded that the greater part of themselves are departed to the Kings side it is a grosse untruth for it is reported for truth that about some say at least 248. are in or of the Commons-House and I hope the flight of the perfidious gives not disanullity to the rest But let the number be few or many the Cause is one and the same still as at the first and their Call lawfull and if many more should betray their trust is not the Kingdome the people bound with person and purse to preserve the rest that labour to preserve their Religion Lawes Libertles for themselves and their posteritie The fewer they be that have stood permanent when so many have been Traytors it is so much the more honourable to the former as it is vituperable and dishonourable to the latter Hadst thou not a vote in choosing them particularly If so why shouldest not thou have a heart and a hand to defend them in the generall which consisted of so many particulars Why baltest thou so long Why trippest thou at the stone of offence Which may so easily be removed if thou wouldest but cast thy eye of Reason to consider thereon The examples of other great ones so increasing 2 Cau. adhering to the King in the Kingdome Shall Christ be set upon the footstoole because great ones will not indure him on the throe Answ Psal 2. Doe not the Scripture tell us that Kings of the earth stand up and Princes consult together against the Lord and his anoynted saying Let us breake their bonds and cast their cords away from us Why doe the Heathen rage when God will continue his Sonne upon his holy hill You know it is a truth Greatnesse is seldome accompanied with Goodnesse Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 Psal Col. 3. Their bellies are filled with the hid treasure of the earth therefore they seldome have appetite to hunger and thirst after that life which is hid with Christ in God They so minde Belly-blessings as that they neglect the care of spirituall mercies Yet a Pearle is a Pearle is precious though many with the Cocke preserre the Barley-Corne before it Greatnesse attended with goodnesse is like apples of gold in pictures of silver as gratior est virtus veniens e corpore pulcro Pietie in Majestie is most eminent transient Psal 133.2 and communicative it is like Aarons oyle that descended from the head to the Beard and so to the skirts of the clothing the Family the Parish the Countrey shall smell more fragrantly be animated more cheerfully hold out the more constantly by the good examples of the mightie As Labans flocks increased the better for Jacobs sake and Potiphars affaires succeedeth the more prosperous for Josephs sake Act. 27. And Pauls fellow-passengers sped the better were landed more safely for his sake so meane ones Tenants children families thrive and grow the better are more good and constant by reason of the goodnesse and constancy of their Superiours They being as a great Oake which standing yeeldeth shelter and safety to them that stand under it but falling crusheth down the underwood neere unto it They being as fresh-fish which if it be sweet in the head thou mayest taste of the whole body but if the head stinke the rest of the body is tanted if the fountaine be polluted can the channell be cleane Are not great ones Landlords Gentlemen as fountaines as heads as Oakes they being for the greatest part so corrupt rotten vile is it any wonder their Tenants neighbours underlings dance after their pipe Jeremy went to the people to expect information but found it not they were simple ones unlettered ones had not so much leisure bookes abilities opportunities he went therefore to the great ones looking for better things from them but these altogether broke the yoke burst the bonds Ier. 5.5 He could not expect the common sort to be good when the great ones were so bad Doe any of the great ones the chiefe Priests and Pharisees beleeve on him Ioh. 7.48 How dare you move one way when men of high place looke another way As I reade of some Master or Captaine that because be was crook backed all the rest of the Schollars or Souldiers stooped as the flattering servant said Ait aio negas nego Doth my Master say thus so doe I also doth he deny it so doe I also The coward ze of the Gentry have been a great bane to the Countrey because exemplum praevalet in re qualibet they have been content to make Kings to be Gods that they themselves might be Kings But consider how God hath infatuated their Cousells and defeated their hopes Parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus They conceive a mischiefe and brought forth a lye They have exposed themselves to the storme and contempt of all good men because they permit their greatnesse to bid adiew to goodnesse They caught after the shaddow and so have lost the substance too and they have but the bones of Promethius left for them the flesh being devoured Sumble not therefore at those bones have not their persons in admiration take not their evill actions for imitation seeing great ones are seldome good ones Many future generations shall call them cursed because they came not forth to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie they had not a foote to stand up in the gap Ezek. 22.30 they had not a hand to make up the hedge for the Land that the Lord might not destoy it mightie ones shall be mightily tormented Because they siune against many meahes 1 Can. enjoyed more by them than by other men Because they cause many to fall through their default 2 Can. which if people did beleeve they might be preserved from balting between two opionions Let people therefore for their preservation against the danger of this stone of offence pray often to the Lord that he would make great ones to be good and good ones to be great Misprission or overprizing of Prerogative hath blinded the eyes 3 Can. and cripled the feete of many a man the Parliament the people the Souldiers say many oppose the Kings Prerogative this makes many halt and stagger The honour of a King consisteth in the multitude of people Answ Prov. Those that labour most to diminish people doe most dishonour a Prince If the Kings of this Land have not a power to contradict the Censure and Judgements of insertions Courts should they have power to contradict the supreame Courts or Judicature 'T is true the Lawes
of the Kingdome are called the Kings Lawes not that either he made them or can at his pleasure alter them but that he is or ought to be the Conservator of them as well as the Consenter to establish them It is true Hen. 4. a King of this Land wrote to the Parliament saying Nollumus Praerogativam nostram disputari but they answered his nollumus with a nollumus Nollumus Leges Angliae mutari Is it not just that Princes should be ruled by Lawes otherwise their will would be a Law and so instead of Statutes there would be an Arbitrary a Tyrannicall power which might increase to infinite to monstrous shapes that either ignorance impietie lust or ambltion of Princes should bring forth If all Law and power lay in their own breasts a Kingdome could never promise themselves securitie longer than a pious and prudent Prince reigneth But as the King changeth the Lawes and Governments of the Kingdome must alter And he that out-lives as it may happen two or thres Kings shall not know what is the Law of the Land or what to call his owne Because he must not be beholding to Law but to the will of the King for what are his rights and proprieties By whose sole permission he may say This is mine When Lawes and Law-makers are suppressed are not the Subjects for whose sake they are made oppressed When the former loose their power and priviledge the other loose their due and propriety As the bead is ordained for the good of the members and not the members for the good of the head so a Christian King is ordained for the good of the people and not the people for the good of the King i. principally I am the head you are the members I am the Shepheard you are the sheepe I am the husband you are the wife And will any man think me a Christian King to be a Poliganist said King James in his speech to the Parliament March 19. 1603 The Archbishop of Mentz wrote to Erasmus to resolve him what he thought concerning the writings of Luther Erasmus returned answer in writing that many things in the Writings of Luther were condemned as wicked and hereticall which in the writings of Bernard and Austine are accounted as holy and sound so many things were of esteeme as good and commendable in the dayes of King James which are condemned as wicked and abominable in the time of King Charles As though the over-prizing of Prerogative should pull downe all authoritie of Lawes or Priviledges of Parliament I will neither professe so much ignorance or arrogance as to prescribe a way as to delineate the disproportion to compose the differences touching Princes Prerogatives and Parliaments Priviledges I know this point hath been pulpited and in print Pressed by farre more able heads and hands than my selfe If Kings may doe whatsoever they please what need then of any Parliament If there be no necessity of Parliament what need the troubles of Subjects to choose Knights and Burgesses or they called to sit being chosen If there be a necessitie of Parliament why should they not be consolted with If consulted with why should not their Counsell be embraced The Counsell of Basyll in the time of Henry the sixt decreed that as the Authoritie of a generall Councell is above the Pope so the Authoritie of a generall Assembly of a Kingdome is above the King which is to be subject to Lawes All such are to be esteemed as flatterers who attribute such large authoritie unto Kings as that they will not have them bound under any Lawes such talke otherwise than they thinke Christ himselfe saith Jewell in his Apologie at the beginning was universally received and honoured through this Realme by assent of Parliament and without assent of Parliament the Pope himselfe was never received no not in the late time of Queene Mary Dion praised Trajan the Emperour because when he set a Tribune over the Praetors and put a sword into his hand he said Hoe pro me utere si justa imperavero si injusta contra me You must know Plus vident oculi quam oeulus a few private spirits may not be conceived to discerne more than the choicest wits most learned and pious judgements in the whole Nation who have been brought and kept together in the middest of all difficulties and dangers by Gods wonderfull providence and by the earnest prayers of many thousands of people in the three Kingdomes Parliaments may erre and I thinke this doth if they doe not redresse injuries presented and performe the Declarations printed and promised to be confirmed and may not one man one King much more erre Doth not Solomon say Take away the drosse from the silver Pro. 25.4 and a vessell of use shall be to the finer Is not the King the silver the wicked Counsell as drosse Doe not the next words make the Reddition Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established in Righteousnesse Wilt thou be preserved from this stumbling stone this cause of halting consider what he said that was a halting person and after professed and promised uprightnesse c. Sir Edward Deering I said quoth he whilest I was at Oxford I did beleeve the King might safely goe to Westminster with forty men I then said so and I thinke it will not be well till the King doth so Oh that God would raise up unto his sight some upright ones that from halting persons that have seduced him they may become perswaders of him to returne in person and affection to his great Counsell The greatest part of the people adhering rather to the Court 4. Cause than Kingdomes Cause make men halt in head hand and heart doubting whether it be better to goe forward or sit still in the Common Cause The most men ever side with the strongest side Answ Exod 23. Rom. 12. be it right or wrong But thou must not follow a multitude to doe evill Fashion not your selves like to this world For the world lieth in wickednesse saith S. John and wouldest thou desies to follow after wickednesse Whereas the Scripture commands Eschew the which is evill and follow after that which is good Broad is the way leading to destruction and many follow that way Is it not better to follow the few to salvation than the many to destruction The one is of large latitude therefore many travell in it the other straight therefore few delight to finde it Men like old sheepe are apt to be seduced The world divided into thirty parts as is observed nineteene of thirty are still overgrowne with Heatheuish Idolatry of the other eleven six overspread with Mahumetisme then but five of thirty remaine for Christians and among them how many are seduced Papists Sectaries of all sorts prophane irreligious ones and how few Protestants iudeed who if they have a shew 2 Tim. 3.5 yet deny the power of godlinesse Of the foure sorts of Seeds
godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance In the stead whereof untill the said Discipline may be restored againe which thing is much to be wished it is thought good at this time c. Was such a godly Discipline so long agoe wished to be restored and shall it now be opposed Either it was wished in fincerity or in hypocrifie if in hypocrifie why should it be printed If in sincerity why should it not be effected Should it ever be in wishing and never brought to perfection Parliaments were onely stately Pageants if they should onely confirme and not also reforme old Lawes If thou didst not halt in the Parliaments Election why shouldst thou halt now for feare what they shall doe in persons in Nations Reformation that Truth may succeed in the roome of errour and Christs Kingdome brought into the Land with more puritie and power both for Doctrine and Discipline Disestimation of the Parliament keepes men cold in the Common Cause men thinke their power too great over their Purses and Estates 9 Cau. On a time the members of the body cald a Counsell of Warre to consult why the stomacke devoured all what ever the eye did see the hand reach the mouth conveyed it to the stomacke Therefore they concluded to forbeare their accustomed offices and services seeing all tended onely to the benefit of the stomacke In short time it came to passe that the eye began to wax dim the hand weake the feete feeble and the mouth scaice able to open it selfe They quickly saw their Error and afforded their diligence in their wonted employments and all was well againe and they mutined no more I need not spend time in making the application If supportment should have been denied to the Parliament what had become â— Lawes Liberties Religion in the Kingdome Wee hoped the Parliament would have setled Peace long before this time Object the Summer is gone the winter come and yet wee are not delivered our shops are shut or unaccustomed in the Citie our grounds unstocked all Trading decayed in the Countrey If the Lord send not Peace Sol. can the Parliament procure it Shall not they have a share in it as well as any other Are not their Estates as much if not more ruined than others are 'T is true Peace is a fine thing a principall Blessing of God then which nothing can be named with more willingnesse desired with more heartinesse and obtained with more contentednesse yet there is a certain thing which they call Truth which was ready to be banished out of these Coasts and would outward Peace be much worth without Truth Is not Peace of Conscience an excellent Jewell which who ever enjoyes hath a continuall feast Is not Peace with God able to keepe our hearts and minds free from all feare of plundering and assaults of enemies Doth not this passe all understanding Is it not a glorious sight to see Righteousnesse and Peace kisse each other Therefore the Prophet commands Zach. 8.19 V. 16. Love Truth and Peace Truth you see is put in the first place Therefore execute Truth and Peace in your Gates implying the necessitie of the one as well as the other If it be possible have peace with all men but that is not approved possibilitie that is opposite against pietie Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holinesse with all else you shall not see God What God hath joyned together Man must not put asunder Peace with men will little profit whiles wee professe and practise warre against God The injustice 10 Cause oppression tyranny and unreformation of Countrey Committees cause people to continue in a staggering estate both for their opinions and Purses in the Common Cause Because those that are appointed to be instrumentall meanes to relieve doe much grieve the people Yet Preachers before the high Court of Parliament cry out daily against their Injustice Master Case in his Sermon before the House of Commons intreats them for the Lords sake to have a care that none under the charge of the Parliament may be oppressed by their inseriour Committees least people oppressed have occasion to say You have pulled down one Starre-chamber and have set up an hundred Master Cheynell preaching before the Lords March 27 upon the Psalme Man being in honour c. in his Epistle to the Lords intreats their Wisdomes to have a care for the purging of Committees in Essex Sussex Surrey and Hampshire I thinke his Petition might have extended towards all the Committees in the Kingdome and he said that the spring was a fit time to give them Physicke yet people see none either given or taken or working effectually upon them in reformation They begin to halt in their opinions and to be cold in their former aeale for the Cause Which indeed reflects upon the honour of the Parliament as moysture in the feete strikes up into the head Cambyses a King caused Sycanus a Judge that had been hired by money to pronounce a wrong sentence to be flead and his skinne to be hanged on the Judgement-seate to be a torror to succeeding Judges I thinke if some Committee-men were so used they would have as little skinne left upon their backs as some of them have land in the Countrey where they execute their Commissions The Ethiopians were wont to set up a Chaire of State in their Senate and that to be empty as if the God of Judgement sate there to be Umpire and Moderator whom the Senators ought to looke upon in passing sentence that they might immitate him in Judgement The Lords in the upper-House have an emptie Chaire now in the absence of the King and yet not wholly empty if they consider the presence of the King of Kings that observes and heares all their Consultations I wish that County Committees might have an empty Chaire before them to put them in minde that there is a power above them to wit the Parliament and a power above that the God of Heaven If some Countrey Committee-Members were set in a lower Chaire and bound therein and kept without bread and water twenty-foure houres together and had their unjust actions and sentences writ before them in Capitall Letters with mementomori engraven on the upper Chaire I beleeve if they were left to be their own Judges they would passe sentence of condemnation against themselves But this is a Noli me tangere because they are by Ordinance of Parliament they thinke people will dare as soone adventure to enter into a Pest house as to endeavour any thing against them yet to keepe people from despaire of all redresse herein some Pamphletters have written besides what Preachers have pulpitted that there is as great necessitie for the new moulding of Committees as there was of the Armies who since they have been new moulded the warres have prospered the better so it is to be hoped if there were a new moulding of
true friends to the Parliament should not esteeme them undangerous enemies to Church and to the Common-wealth these get to an upper place if not in scituation yet in speculation as Metius Suffetius did spying which side is strongest and likeliest to prevaile and then towards that side they will wheele about and joyne themselves But what reward did his carnall compound policy his divided heart promote him too My Author saith that the body of Metius Suffetius who stood neuter in the warres between the Romans and the Fidenates to spy which side was strongest that thereunto he might turne was adjudged by a Councell of warre to be tyed to two teemes of horses which halled contrary wayee so his body was drawne asunder and pluckt into two pieces accordingly The portraiture of which Teemes halling and Metius Suffetius body so drawne asunder I wish were set upon the walls of the houses where such Compound Neuters dwell or on the horse-heads on which they doe ride or on the sides of the cupsin which they drinke or on the bedsteads on which they lye that they might learne by other mens harmes to beware of falling into the like sinne for seare they fall into the like punishment You know the History of the men of Succoth and Penuel Iudg. 8. what Gideon desired of them for his wearied Armies in the pursuite of Zeba and Zalmunna the Sucoothites jeered at him You will returne us our bread when you have your enemie in your band When will that be Your enemies are Kings and Kings will helpe one another they have power you are weake think you to overcome two Kings with your three hundred tyred Souldiers there is a great peradventure disadvantage Wee will see the successe first cleerer Ver. 16. you question not the victory it s a great question to us Are the heads c. you know what followes as Gideon threatned to deale so he dealt with them he tooke the Elders of the Citie and the thornes and briars of the wildernesse and with them he taught the men of Succoth he taught them a sore teaching a fearefull fight to see so many bloudy bones to start out of the flesh a sharp but very exemplary for unâ—iding men in these siding times They that will not be taught by precepts must be taught with paine I wish such briars and thornes grew and were seene in the hedges that mounded in the grounds of such Compounds fearefull faint-hearted cowardly hypocriticall dissembling lukewarme false-hearted trayterous neutralizing persons You know the parable of a man travelling falling among theeves and wounded Luke 10. that which was in parable then is in practise now the Land is fallen among theeves or theeves rather have fallen upon the body of the Land should it not work pitty compassion in all that see it are they Samaritans that regard it not woe woe to the lookers on and passers by Curse yee bitterly such Merozites Judg. 5.23 In cursing curse never cease to call for a curse Janius renders it Indesinenter Cursed be be that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and that keeps his sword from bloud Jer. 17 3. If negligent workers What no workers that are like standing water that neither ebs nor flowes These Ambodexters who are Compounds that care not what side prevailes shall be rewarded as Neuters shall not have Gods protection all left-handed persons shall be put on Christs left hand shall be sent away with a depart from mee God comes to helpe all simple ones in their misery and all such will helpe the Lord in his misery Mat. 25.35 36. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirstie and yee gave mee drink I was a stranger and yee took mee in naked and yee clothed mee I was sicke and yee visited mee I was in prison and yee came unto mee Having shewed the sin and shame of these Neuters I now come to shew the Cause and Remedy of their Maladie in the third Use Use 3. which you may call the Solution of the Question or satisfaction of the Doubts or removall of the rubs in the way or which I call in the Title for these times the Causes and the Cure of halting These people spake not a word to Eliahs Question yet they murmured in their minds though they manifested it not with their mouthes But now people both mutter inwardly and mouth it outwardly why they halt viz. Many 1 Cause yea the greatest part even of the Parliaments Members have deserted the Parliaments Cause Doe you not thinke they did it out of Conscience towards the Kings side And what thinke you of those few that are turned from the King Answ and offered their service to the Parliament againe confessed and recanted their errour and wondered that they could be so farre seduced to take up Armes against that Parliament which they had taken the Covenant to maintaine What if many have betrayed their trust and deserted Parliament and Kingdome doth this justisie their perfidiousnesse and halting condition or condemne the sincerity of such as goe on uprightly without backsliding Can any man have any colour to free them from never dying infamie who made elaborate Orations faire promises loud protestations That they would live and dye with the Parliament to spend their lives and fortunes in the cause confessing that to be the cause of God yet either through feare or hope of favour have forsaken that Cause which at first they then so strangely maintained and have been instruments of betraying much innocent bloud and bringing more cares upon the heads of those that have continued constant If the Kingdome stand doubtlesse such Traytors shall not long stand in credit or libertie but shall be brought unto condigne punishment that others may feare Apostacy and the sincere be cherished in their fidelity If the Kingdome doe not stand for a house a Citie a Kingdome divided cannot long stand God will finde them out and reach them a rap for cursed be he that putieth his hand to the Plough and looketh backs is not fit for the Kingd me of Heaven How can it be expected otherwise but that Gods curse and shame with men should overtake such runawayes and all other dissembling Neuters who seeme to be so high in eminency above others yet have discovered such base spirits when as the lowest peasant would hardly be perswaded to doe more monstruously nay scarce Heathens would have been hyred to doe so much Let such dissemblers never account hypocrisie a sinne or sinceritie a grace nor Christianitie an honour unto them What doe they discover themselves to be in the hearts of all that know them but base peasantly spirited spectacles of disgrace and infamie in betraying their own certain proprieties liberties in hope of uncertain honours and profits in the Clouds yea captivating and slaying their owns posteritie and children together with the Inhabitants of a whole Kingdome If the Members departed be the greater number than those
feare have been most unhelpfull and deceitfull to their Countrey have felt the hand of their conceited friends as heavy upon them as upon their neighbours estate and their hypocrisie could not be a sufficient protection to them But why shouldest thou feare Plundering and so make the feare more than the hurt They who have been Plundered their feare is already past and thou makest thy selfe by thy tormenting feare all thy life long subject to this fiend as if death were approached the King of feare Doest thou not know that either thou must be plundered from the world or the world from thee Art thou now being deprived of estate friends libertie in any other estate than thou wast in when thou camest into the world or shalt be when thou goest out of the world If thou couldest but plunder thy selfe in thy contemplation before others doe in action it would not be so grievous unto thee As Anaxagoras being told of the death of his Sonne I am not much troubled therewith said he because I long confidered before Mat. 6. that he was but mortall Did not our Saviour foretell that heere thieves should breake through and steale and cautioned us thereby to lay up Treasure there where thieves could not breake through and steale Vilescunt temporaria dum recordantur aeterna The losse of under-Moone contents Creature-Comforts cannot disturbe when the presence of spirituall mercies doe affect us Had not many been miserable for ever if they had not been miserable once Their present belly-blessings had prevented the comfort of their insuing eternall Glory The Arch Plunderer the Devill under whom others are but instruments might have snatched away their soules at their deaths and where had they then been O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule and where then shall these things be Thy Executors then had not been more nimble to have carried thy body to the grave than this unsatiable Plunderer would have been like a nimble under-Sheriffe quickly ready to take all into execution and carry thy soule into Hell Feare not therefore though they have or can hurt the body and can doe no more Mat. 10. intimating that they would hurt the soule also if they could It is true the outward condition of plundered persons deprived of some libertie wealth wife children comforts hath had a sad aspect to looke upon by the eye of reason But consider deare Christians are you driven from the Creature to the Creator what if forced from the lower yet hasted to the upper springs from the streame to the fountaine from worldly to heavenly Enjoyments Whether the losse in the one be greater than the gaine in the other Before these troubles you had Ordinances common with other beleevers but now your daily food is choicest morsells waters of life superlative refections Benjamins Messe the love of God the power of Christ the Spirit of Glory the care of Angels the prayers of Saints are all upon the wing for your present welfare your Earth is dissolved before your body your Heaven prevents you before your time your joyes are immediate you reape without sowing you feed on the kernell and breake not the shell you rest from your labours in this life the bloud of Christ the vision of God the joy of the Spirit the food of Angels 2 Pet. 1.4 the many great exceeding precious promises whereby you are made partakers of the divine nature are not these the daily repasts of your soules Such honour have all Gods Saints they have Heaven whilst they are here on Earth and can they then be in a miserable distressed condition Such are to be looked upon I doe not know whether with more compassion or holy emulation to whom it is given not only to beleeve but to suffer for the sake of Christ Philip. 1.29 Whether the depth of misery or the weight of Glory by greater in these is hard to distinguish halt not therefore at this stone Selfe-seeking Gau. 7. with the neglect of the Publique makes men goe in a lazie or limping pace when men so looke to things at home for their own private ends as that they neglect the Publique If mens eyes be seriously fixed on their own pleasure or profit their hearts cannot be guided by a right rule When our Saviour propounded the Parable of the husbandmen unto the Scribes and Pharisees saying What shall be done to these husbandmen The Jewes answered Mat. 21.41 Luk. 20.16 He shall miserably destroy these husbandmen Yet in another Gospel where our Saviour said He should miserably destroy them the Jewes answered God forbid In one Gospel their answer is related to be He shall miserably destroy them in the other Gospel the Answer is related to be on the contrary God forbid How can these agree Yes saith Chrysostome for first they say He will miserably destroy these but handmen But when they perceived Christ aymed at them then they said God forbid so helpfull to halting for owne ends and selfe-indangering-respects Many seerned forward for the Parliament at the beginning before the wars were raited but when they saw the King oppose the Parliament then they fall off likewise like Beasts that cropt the Thees that gave them shelten being resolved to account Kings to be Gods that they themselves may be accounted Kings But truth standeth in the open field knowes neither father nor mother house nor home Land nor Lordship all goe down to Church and Common-wealth may stand Christ and his Gospel may be set up But is it not reason every man should looke to himselfe I answer Object Sol. 1. is it not greater reason every man should looke to the Publique wherein every good mans private doth consist Pray for the Peace of the Citie Ier. 29.7 said the Prophet to the captived oner Knowest thou not that in the Peace thereof thou shalt have Peace What place should be left for reasoning about reason when faith should have the predominance Sol. 2. Da mihi baptizatam rationem Mortified reason saith one this is your victory that overcometh the world and all worldly reasoning even your faith 1 Ioh. 5.4 Naturall reason may be a drawer of water for the Officers use but it must not have office of Command in Gods Church and Common-wealths businesse every man knoweth that the Saints in Heaven are the least propriaries to their own will Christ himselfe said I am not come to doe mine own will but the will of him that sent mee which were it but remembred it would be a meanes that many from halting might be preserved In good works doing men must not ayme at themselves much lesse in evill actions attempt to seeke their own rising by others ruine When the whole State staggers and the Realme reelds must they continue in a lazie lame halting estate and posture with their hands in their pockets moneys in their Coffers and tongues in their mouthes without bringing them forth for the preservation of the Publique
your Father the Devill for his works yee doe From whom can they then expect wages but from him for whom they worke To prevent this danger of halting in the people it must be the care of faithfull Pastors to lift up their voyces to cry aloud for my part I know little use of Bells without clappers Watch-men without eyes Souldiers without weapons Preachers without crying and Cryers without courage They are but as Idolls that have eyes and see not mouthes and speak not such cannot but be seduced that put their trust in them Travellers need prudent and faithfull Guids especially when they passe doubtfull and dangerous wayes Safe and bold Convoyes requisite in wayes beset with many adversaries skilfull and couragious Pilotts expected when men are to glide between Sylla and Charibdis to encounter with multitude of Pirats You heare of Antinomians who deny the Law to be the Rule of life Of Arminians who undermine the Covenant of free grace that they may gratifie free will Of Anabaptists who withhold Baptisme the Seale of that Covenant from Infants children of those that are within that Covenant of others that question the truth of our Church and Ministrie in and by which so many thousands have been new borne unto God of others that say that there is no need of Ministrie flattering us with hope of new Apostles and glorious revelations Have wee then not need of many Eliahs that may shew skill and zeale in crying Why halt you so long between so many opinions Have they not need to warne against enemies to direct against error by the light of the Word Will not Satan use all meanes and methods to puzzle men in the mists of new opinions that so they may be mis-lead or caused to halt and fall by the many stumbling blocks he casts in their way I thinke the late Archbishop of Canterbury in that part of his own funerall Sermon preached by himselfe to that ample open Auditorie spake this truth That the Pope had never such a harvest in England since the reformation as he hath now by the sects and divisions that are among us But he spake nothing of the hopes of the rooting out of the multiplicitie of divisions by the power of Parliament Who can tell what light at length may breake forth after these blacke and bloudy Clouds are scattered Master Farrell was long opposed and threatned in the reformation of Geneva and other Cities yet did they then coyn money with this posie on the one side Post tenebras Lux and on the other side Deus pugnat cum nobis I hope wee once may have cause to be such coyne notwithstanding the numerous errors divisions difficulties dangers yet hovering over our heads God can easily rebuke Satan as he did when he resisted Josuah Zach. 3.1 2 labouring a reformation he knows how to consute errors to resolve doubts compose differences conquer difficulties remove dangers with advantage to his own Cause and wee may have peace after so many perturbations Esa 62.7 Rest after long motions and stablishment after such quassations and our Church and Kingdome may be made a praise on earth and reape the harvest of so many prayers sowen in and for the same yet the great divisions amongst Brethren emulations between Ministers Presbyterian Independents cause heart-burning and judgement halting among the people Many people imagine some great mystery of Atheisme now broached that was never revealed before When they have heard Preachers so oft perswade to love and unity among people yet they themselves to personate and practice so much envy hatred and fiery contentions which seeme to cast oyle on the fire so mightily flaming in the Kingdome It is good to be zealous alwayes in a good matter But there is a time for all things A word in season c. Should not all labour to quench a common fire rather than coutend who shall have the goods in the house if it be not burned Should not the Marriners row hard to bring the Ship to shoare rather than strive about trimming the Cabinets or dividing the fraught in the midst of a storme Should not the sick man be more carefull to recover from his disease than in the midst of his sicknesse to be curious for this or that trimming on his apparrell The whole three Kingdomes are sick by sinne sorrowes sufferings Should not remedies be sought rather than the miseries augmented Sheep wandring heere and there when they see the Wolfe comming they run apace and flock together Two Mastiffs fighting and not by men partable yet if a Lyon or Beare approach they part of themselves The Turk the Pope endeavour the Kingdomes destruction should not Independents Presbyterians All good Protestants unite their heads hands hearts tongues pens all for the conservation of themselves and the whole Land Men must contend for the truth prove all things and hold that which is good Is it not a good a joyfull thing to see Brethren to dwell together in unity It is like Aarons oyle if it fall from these heads the Pastors It will descend to the beards and bodies of the people yea to all the skirts of the Kingdome If the Anti-Parliament Army should approach and assault the besieging of the great City which God forbid the greatest part being but Neutralls many strong Malignants and too many Papists in the same if either side of the now much divided and strong contending Brethren should assist so many inveterate enemies within would it not mightily encourage the assaulting forces and foes without O therefore pray and preach and practise for the peace of Jerusalem in generall and of these three Nations in particular They surely shall prosper that love so to pray preach practice because the well being of any thing depends on the being of the same Should not all seek the peace of the Citie Kingdome as knowing that they themselves shall have peace in the peace thereof Ministers People Presbyterians Independents all should have peace in the peace of the Land and this Land and many other Nations are in more probabilitie to have publique peace in the private peace of these warring brethren Doe not wee see the whole three Kingdomes in the Parliament lie as a Traytor upon the blocke ready to have the head thereof strucke off at one bloudy blow For as the King is head in regard of the Parliament so the Parliament is head in relation to the Countrey and is this a time to nourish contentions amongst any of those who should studie the peace of the Publique The dogge is sometime let out to keepe the sheepe together our punishments many times carry our sinnes in their foreheads our divisions have been still are great contentions increase God punisheth our divisions with divisions The water leads to the fountaine whence it flowes God points to our sinne by our punishments that by punishment sinne may be cured and after the Judgements may be removed Wee would seperate from Gods house God seperates
then imagined that such qualified persons were not in rerum naturae And what is inserted touching flattering Ministers that have betrayed the trust that God and man have committed to them was also unhandled both which are proper to the subject here in discourse as main causes of the people halting between those two different opinions in the then common Cause of the Kingdome Omnia dat qui justa negat he that denieth that which is just gives liberty to speak any thing If I have unjustly blamed one of the said Committee whose advice as another Achitophel in those parts was so highly accounted of as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God in that censure against me before any witnesses in that cause were examined by me though many of the Committe by the procurement of one certified under their hands the contrary as grosse untruths as if they had subscribed that there is no light in the Sunne nor heat in the fire or that the Pope in person sits daily in the Parliament House to the great losse of my livelihood danger of my life and dishonour of the Parliament had I not been relieved let me suffer more in name person estate Whosoever knowes what hath happened unto me as many thousands have heard may guesse that I am necessitated to publish this Newes for Newters He that was once an eye-hearer of this Sermon beleeved in heart and subscribed with hand that I had the harder usage for the message sake else that Committee man could not have so posted out of the Colledge when hee saw me in the Pulpit unlesse he had almost as much feared my message whom he never heard in publique in his life as hee dreaded the roaring of the Cannon when he hasted out of the Citie immediatly before the Kings Army came to besiege the same What in publick I have spoken done and suffered for the common Cause hundreds have and thousands will testifie yet all praying preaching doing and suffering must be buried under the beastlike skin of Scandall to provoke and satisfie the greedy appetites of a New Committee man an old Hangman and a posted Malignant and a professed Newter I attended eleven dayes during part of which time this newes was related to see these hideous November-Articles I was to answer yet could not all that time have a sight of them till that quick-sighted much knowing justice Colonel Bromwich told the Committee it was a shame to make me wait so long for the said Articles Then had I December-Articles and those concerned the Committee themselves because they would be sure to strike a deadly blow against such a Traytor Then had I January-Articles preferred and had I not appealed to this Honorable Assembly I thinke I should have had February-Articles and so ad infinitum that no moneths malice might be left unattempted to ruine him whom the Parliament had published and declared 1643. to honour I was accounted by the Plundering warrants of Malignants at the siege of Glocester an aider to the Rebels meaning this Parliament and by the said warrants had my goods and Cattell taken away That the same Parliament Committee after I had appealed to the Parliament it selfe from them they under their hands denying me Copies of depositions taken against me and denying me to be present at the examination of witnesses was by the testimony of divers members of this great Assembly deemed unparallel As these things with the effects thereof to me have proved a burthen almost intollerable the scarre of discredit it being incurable so to all men may seeme incredible that a constant sider with the Parliament should unheard out of his living be ejected and himself and his family be to all misery exposed when that right-discerning and Parliament-promises-promoting Justice Mr. Anthony Clifford opposed in my absence the rest of my ruining unjust Judges If I should forbeare the stones would cry aloud in the eyes and eares of the world for justice against this matchlesse malicious abominable censure But the blessing of the Lord for ever be and abide on the heads and hearts of the honorable Committee for plundered Ministers and in particular on Mr. Millington Mr. Rouse Sir Arthur Hazelrig Mr. Tate who oft afforded me patience audience countenance If I should repeat every member of that Committee I might seeme to flatter if I should not mention you I should surely be ungratefull My Countrey-man Mr. Pury was one of the first that after my freezing and long waiting broke the Ice for my return and Mr. Edward Stephens and others quickly apprehended and couragiously reported the injustice of the proceedings against me Whereupon I had an Order of restitution to my Priviledges and Arreares till the matter be heard notwithstanding which Order of Restitution that active Committee man hath been an Instrument to place for my supplanting in my Chappell to enjoy those profits that are almost the one halfe of my little livelihood a Minister that hath been taken in Armes against the Parliament and hath beene ejected out of his living in Monmouth-shire for being contentious against his neighbours a common Drunkard a Rayler against the Parliament who also said since he was obtruded on my Cure a Cavaliere I was a Cavaliere I am and so I will continue Whether such a Committee man in permitting such a Malignant Minister that hath been so often active in Armes to be placed and officiate within three miles of Glocester Garrison hath thereby promoted the honour of the Parliament and the safety of that Citie let all men judge If I have been illegally proceeded against by this principall Agent in that Committee as my worthy constant free and faithfull friend Mr. Pryn hath by tongue and pen maintained I shall account it a great honour from this Honorable Assembly to have an Order and Commission to some Gentlemen I shall nominate to examine all proceedings of this Committee man and the combination of such malignant malicious persons as have been unjust practizers against me that I may receive such reparations from them as the merits of my cause and their cruelty shall require All which is committed to the serious consideration of this honorable Senate for the relief of Your faithfull Servant yet suffering supplicant WALTER POWELL Doctrines deduced DOct. 1. It is a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal Truth and Error pag. 5 2. Those that are good will shew zeale for God pag. 5 3. People continue long in a lingring condition notwithstanding long and sharp reprehension pag. 6 4. Many are yet to seek who is the true God pag. 6 4. God alone is to be followed pag. 6 6. Men are oft convicted before they are once converted pag. 6 The first Doctrine prosecuted Uses 1. Of Information 2. Reprehension of Newters 3. The Causes with the cure of Halting pag. 7 8 14 Cause 1. Because many members of the Parliament have diserted the Parliaments cause pag. 14 2. The greatest part of the Great
ones have adhered to the adverse part pag. 16 3. Misprision of prerogative pag. 17 4. Most of people siding with the contrary rather than the Kingdomes Cause pag. 19 5. The great pressure by payments pag. 21 6. Feare of being plundered pag. 22 7. Selfe-seeking with neglect of the publick pag. 24 8. Vndesire of change for feare of changing for the worse pag. 25 9. Estimation of Parliament-power too great pag. 27 10. Injustice and oppression by Countrey-Committees pag. 28 11. Flattery in and divisions between Ministers pag. 30 12. Doubt of the successe of the cause in hand make men halt herein pag. 35 Which last rub is removed in briefly opening many Doores of Hope for the good successe of the Common Cause pag. 35 36 37 to the end Errata's For 1 Kings 19. read 18. PAG. 1. in the magent for use 1. and use 2. read verse p. 2. l. 5. for pursuane r. perseverance p. 2. for use r. verse 4. and verse 5. p. 2. l. 27. for Daobolum r. Da obolum p. 3. l. 19. for liezure r leisure p. 3. l. 21. make a period between yea and plain p. 5. l. 3. for there r. these p. 7. l. 23. for nor r no p. 7. l. 35 after Pastors make no period p. 8. l. 18. in Margent read use 2. p. 8. l. 22. for defendant r defendit p 14. l. 2. after sharp but very exemplary put president p. 15. l. 7. for strangely r. strongly p. 16. l. 7 for the r. this p. 20. l. 27. for belluae r. Bellua p. 20. l. 31. ptt out they before say p. 26. l. 23. r. an after p 29. l. 7. for torror r. terrour p. 29. l. 9. for have r. had for I think some Committe-men have bought more land since then they sold before they were preferred to their Committeships p. 31. l. 3. unto seduce strayable people adde and pesecute Gods zealous ministers P. 38. l. 2. for he r. Shammah p 42. l. 4. for reigne r. rejoyce p. 47. l. l. 34. for And r. Are these duties p. 48. l. 11. in stead of an evill cause read and will not he regard the voyce c. Newes for Neuters OR The Checke Cause and cure of HALTING 1 King 19.21 And Elijah came unto all the people and said How long halt ye betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him and the people answered him not a word THE Fountain or Well-head is farre from whence floweth my Text It is twenty steps off Judges 7. Give me leave with Gideons Souldiers to lap a mouthfull as I run along by the streame Before I come to my station to view these words This Chapter containes a Dialogue or Commemoration of many historicall passages 1. Betweene the Lord and Eliah Vse 1. Goe shew thy selfe to Ahab Meane ones must not be affraid to deliver messages to the Mighty Doct. Vse 2. Ch. 17.2.5 Chap. 19. Doct. 2. Eliah's ready obedience to the word of the Lord. There is a time when Eliah must flye from Ahab and Jezabell if the Lord command him Where God hath a Tongue to speake there man must have an eare to heare There is a time to flye Doct. and a time to stay God may be glorified sometimes more by flying than by staying When the force of the enemie may be too strong Mat. 10.22 and the Faith of the persecuted may be too weake When they persecute you in one City flye into another When you may glorifie God more in the place to which then in the place from which you flye You may take leave to depart from men when first in given by God Mat. 10.23 And this counsell is given Doct. When they persecute you into one City flye into another After the command of pursuance Mercies and miseries are oft mixed together Chequer worke is a daily Trade in these times God promised raine when there was a great famine in Samaria Great peace may ensue these great wars And Ahab called Obadiah who feared God greatly Some raised up to be good in a generall Apostacy from God Doct. else woe were to the Kingdome in these times Obadiah tooke a hundred Prophets Vse 4. and hid them by fifty in a Cave Wherein appeared his zeale and care This hath encouraged Londoners to entertaine Strangers in these times of danger The names and actions of the godly shall be had in everlasting remembrance Doct. A groane shall be registred A cup of cold water remembred Teares shall be botled and shall not blood be booked He feedeth them with Bread and Water Those that feare God Doct. he will shew succour to them in time of need Gods dearest Saints may be brought to a morsell of bread Doct. to a cup of cold water Bellissarius a great Commander came being blinde to stand on the high way with a Daobolum Bellissario Give one half-penny to poor blinde Bellessarius Another wrote to his friend to send to him a Spunge a Harpe and a loafe of bread A spunge to dry up his teares A harpe to solace his minde And a loaf of bread to satisfie his hunger Ahab's command to Obadiah for the preservation of grasse for the lives of the Horses and Mules Vse 5. Was Ahab so carefull for grasse how carefull should our King be for Corne and Cattle Laws and liberties persons and Kingdome Bodies and Soules of living men that all be not lost Ahab was carefull to seeke for sustenance though it was upon an if so be a peradventure to finde or not Ioabs resolution was Let us be valiant for our people 1 Sam. 10.12 and for the Cities of our God and let him doe as seemeth him good Let men doe as God commands and let God doe as he hath decreed How carefull how earnest should men be for Grace for heaven These may be sought and found Verse 6. upon certainties without peradventures shews their policie and care the King to goe one way and Obadiah another Policy to direct the best course and care to put it in execution Policy may be used so piety be not suppressed Doct. Gods providence seene in bringing together Eliah and Obadiah Verse 7. Behold Eliah was in the way Saul went to seeke his Fathers Asses and found a Kingdome Obadiah went to seeke water and grasse and behold he findes a way and meanes to bring salvation to people He went in obedience to the command of a King on Earth and meetes with an unerring command of the King of Heaven Doct. Gods providence over-rules all actions Text. persons times things fell downe on his face c. The Messengers of God find favour from those that are good Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3 Good Christians will know one another in times of adversity Good men desire to be resolved of their doubts Obadiah thought that it was Eliah yet labours to be assured thereof And he answered
and filth of those that dwell over them so smoake and smoother shame disgrace are the portion of such neutrall middle people They that cleave heartily to neither side are justly suspected and abhorred of each side hee that is neither throughly for God nor man is rejected both of God and man Doe not therefore say in these dayes of danger as sometimes Cato the Roman did in the Civill Wars betweene Caesar and Pompey Quem sugiam video quem sequar non video I discerne whom to flye but not whom to follow Mark 8.34 Judg. 5.23 Christ is to be daily followed or the curse of Meroz to be expected which words I wish as once Chrysostome did that sentence Eccles 2.11 were engraven on the doore posts into which these Politicians and Neutralists doe enter on the Tables where the sit on the dishes out of which they did eate on the cups out of which they did drink on the beds whereon they did lye on the walls of the house wherein they did dwell on the garments which they did were on the heads of the horses on which they doe ride on the foreheads of all those whom they doe meete that they might learne and continually remember that there is a bitter curse attending not onely those that powerfully oppose Christ but those that neglect to assist him But men should doe rather as the noble Souldier in Erasmus did to one that told him a most numerous Armie was against him Answered Tanto plus gloriae referemus quantô sunt plures quos superabimus The most numerous opposers make the Christians Conquest the more illustrious Christs faithfull Souldiers they are all glorious Conquerours 2 Tim. 4.8 they have alwayes Crownes though sometimes they are enforced to swim to them in streames of bloud take to thee therefore the heart and courage of Shammah 2 Sam. 23 12. one of Davids Worthies who stood and defended the field when all the rest fled He that stands not by his Master in the time of danger is not worthy the name of a servant shouldst thou helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord 2 Chron. 19.2 Such as turne with the Weather-cocke and field of Corne with every blast will the Lord account as his Servants Friends and Souldiers I have read of a Creature which they call a Hedge-hogge or Urchin which hath two holes the one towards the North the other towards the South if the winde blowes Northwards it stops that hole and opens the other towards the South if the winde blowes Southward it stops that hole and opens the other towards the North So these Neuters if the one Armie comes to quarter in their Coasts they stop the mouth of exclamation against them and open against the adverse Armie if the other Armie come they stop their mouths in speaking any thing against them and open them wide to rage and raile freely against their opposites or I may make the application thus while the Parliament went on smoothly in the beginning under the faire gale of probabilitie to land the ship of intended reformation upon the shoare of long desired and happy successe not a mouth then was open against them but when a Boreas blast comes against them an Euroclydontizinge i a quiet-sayling-opposing-storme a State staggering a Realme-reeling tempest under the power of Prerogative Command then men began to open their mouthes at large ready to cry downe the very same Parliament by their invectives and imprecations which they had a little yet long before cryed up in their desires and earnest prayers to God so mutable are these dissembling temporizers when all things concurre not with their carnall contents and earthly hopes What will these neutralizing double-minded persons say or how will they answer for themselves if they live to see the warre ended Shall I guesse at their answer and then you may guesse at their Ambodexterisme and palpable hypocrisie I thinke when these civill or rather uncivill warres are ended they will answer to such as heard them in speeches and knew them in actions to play fast and loose to be Jacke on both sides they will answer I say as the Dunsticall Doctor or equivocating Astronomer answered which Story I have read in a Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse if my memory fayle not above forty yeares agoe which Pedigree of place and time I name for the more Authorities sake that it may not be an occasion to move laughter in the hearers yet howsoever the guiltie may laugh at the hearing of it the innccent may weepe for the laughter of the guiltie This Astronomer in a Moone-shine-night walked up and downe the streets in a populous Towne and looked up unto the Starres and the people flocking about him asked him What weather Master Doctor What weather Very soule quoth he very soule and walking along into another streete and looking into the skie the people came to him and asked him What weather What weather Sir To whom he answered Very faire weather very faire afterward the weather proving foule the people that dwelled in the second streete meeting the Astronomer said to him You were deceived Master Doctor you told us wee should have faire weather but it proved otherwise To whom he replyed I did but jest in what I spake to you but aske the men that dwell in such a streete what I spake to them I spake in earnest unto them So such linsey-wolsey-mungrill-motley-minded-men being hereafter told you said such an Armie was in the right and the other in the wrong will reply when they see the issue I did but jest in what I spake in such a Cause that I see now sunke but I spake in earnest touching the Cause which I now see stand and hath prevailed Like the man mentioned in Macrobius who in the warres between Anthony and Augustus had two birds or Parrotts He taught one of them to say Ave Imperator Antoni and the other Ave Imperator Auguste so that whosoever got the day or won the victory still he had a bird to give him the congratulation of all hayle or God save you Empercur whether it should be Augustus or Antonius so unsiding persons in these siding times have a bosome-bird in a readinesse to salute either prevailing partie with a joyfull acclamation of God blesse and prosper you c. Whereby they become guiltie of the sinne here reproved namely of balting between two opinions The word signifies a lamenesse on both feete the same word that is translated halt signifies lamenesse on both feete which is used to expresse Mephibosheth's lamenesse 2 Sam. 4.4 Jacob had but one side lame therefore there is another word used in Gen. 32.31 And as he passed over Pennel the Swnne rose upon him and be halted upon his thigh These Neutralists are lame on both feete they neither serve God King nor Countrey cordially 2 King 17.33 34. God looks upon divided worship as
no worship The Idolaters feared God and worshipped Idells and in the next verse it is said they feared not God Those are threatned severely that sweared by the Lord and by Mal chom Zeph. 1.5 If the Parliament be not for the weale of the Kingdome ' why gavest thou a voyce to choose them If they be for the weale of the Kingdome why doest thou not in words judgement and practise adhere to them still Consider what infamie will befall thee every one points with the finger saying There goes an Hypocrite Shifter Turne-coat neither hot nor cold a traytor to his Countrey These Apostatizers either from Parliament or from their Countreys good doe resemble the Devill for what makes the Devill so black but his Apostasie What other are such receders When the Lycaonians saw the miracle that Paul wrought in curing the Creeple they cryed out The Gods are come downe amongst us in the likenesse of men Act. 14.10 11. But when the Barbarians saw the Viper upon his hand they eryed out This man is a Murtherer whom vengeance sussers not to live Chap. 28.4 When at the beginning of their sitting the Parliament cured such as were creepled in their Estates and Liberties when they took away Ship-money Monopolies When they made the lame to walke opening prison doores to such as were in bonds when they made the dumme to speake opening the mouthes of many frienced Ministers then they could say Oh this is a blessed Parliament but when they saw Malignants Flatterers and Papists up in Armes then men beginne to change their note and why O peace peace peace upon any termes yet the Sunne is the Sunne though sometimes clouded Doth not the Lord command Zach. 8.16 Vers 19. Heb. 12. Love Peace and Truth nay Truth and Peace must not peace and holinesse be followed of all Have not the Parliament petitioned againe and againe for peace doe not wee pray daily for it doe not our Armie fight for it Pyrrbus fought three sore battles against the Romans in the two first he got the victorie but with so great losse of his men in both that it was said of him for the first he might gloriari magis quà m gaudere brag of his victory not rejoyce in it for the second he was heard himselfe to say that if he got such another victorie he was undone Conditions of peace after the first victory were offered by Cineus Pyrrbus his Ambassadour in the Senate and many among the Romans were apt to encline to it as being disheartned by Pyrrbus his victory Appius Claudius having notice of it devoted to privacy for a long time aged and blinde caused himselfe in his Couch to be carried to the Senate-house and said Worthy Patriots I have hitherto with sore griefe endured losse of sight but now hearing your inclination to conclude such a dishonorable peace with Pyrrbus a prosessed enemy to Rome it now troubles me more that I am not dease also that my eares might not heate of such an infamy and reproach to such a tenowned Citie of Rome you may make the application But you will say Quest Answ who are Neuters Est neutrale Genus signans rem non animatam Liselesse men A cursed generation of men who seeme not to know their right hand from their left nor which way to turne One compares these to the shadow of a man Another to a picture commonly seene in Flaunders and too often I beleeve in England also In which there is a thing they call a Christ on the left hand another thing they call the Virgin Mary on the right and in the middle a third thing called a Catholicke with this inscription before him Cui me vertam nescio Let us apply it to our times Christ and his truth are on the right hand for he hath too long been set on the left hand let us now endeavour to set him on the right the Devill and the Pope on the left hand the Faith the Law Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome are on the one hand Popery slavery prophanenesse on the other hand yet Cui me vertam nescio he knows not which side to take is not he a Neuter On the one hand are the great Councell of the Kingdome who have lost much outward liberties and profits to procure peace for the Church and puritie for Gods worship on the other hand are left-handed men Robbers spoylers murderers roaring Lyons devouring Wolves who labour to fight in Popery to the Church beggary to the State and slavery to the Subject yet Cui me vertam nescio to what hand he may turne he cannot tell Goe Hest 4.16 fast and pray for us wee will doe so likewise say Gods faithfull people in their inisery Goe feast and play swill and sweare say Athisticall Papists and popishable persons God on this day calls for fasting the Devill calls to feasting Esi 22.12 13 14. to riot sports works of calling God calls to weeping mourning baldnesse girding with sackcloth And Behold and indeed it commands admitation joy and gladnesse slaying Oxen killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine and saying Let us eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye if wee 'le beleeve Preachers prate yet Cui me vertam nescio sayth your meale-mouth'd-ling-medly-man your carnall Politician It was revealed in my eare from the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not be purged till yee dye Ecquis mecum 2 King 9.32 who is on my side who throw downe this cursed Jezabel painted pietie Romish Idolatry Image-worship false worship who will rise up with mee against the evill doers who will stand for mee against the workers of iniquitie Pfal 94.16 Who will come up to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5.23 Yet most men will stand with their hands in their pockets and their coyne in their Coffers and will not come forth and shew themselves I will not undertake to propound a way to reforme them I thinke I can discover some cause of their encrease pitty lenity connivency towards them pitty shewed to enemies is cruelty to friends Is it not against the law of nature that they who are without naturall affections should enjoy the common gifts of nature light ayre fire water Is it not against the law of Nations Armen that those Subjects should enjoy the priviledges and immunities of Subjects who see with open face the enemies destroying all these yet lay it neither to head nor to heart They that are the same and have done the same for doing whereof others their neighbour-Neuters have had the skin torne from their flesh and their flesh from their bones these do deserve to be cast out of the land But these dissembling Neuters are the same and doe the same which they did in former times that were so punished therefore these Compounds deserve no favour but to be cast out of Citie Countrey Kingdome The Parliament accounts such no better than professed Malignants I thinke they are worse