they should not Effect to vex him to death or some way or other to bring him to his grave all their labour would be in vain and to little purpose and how can they consider of this without great grief and sorrow of heart But these good men our subtile Brethren doe here pretend that their sorrow is because their Prince is Seduced out of his proper spheare yet verily we on the other side do consider of this with more true Sorrow I dare say then they do for we confess never was Prince so far seduced out of his proper sphear as he was when He took them who now call themselves his great Counsell to be Honest men when He gave so much credit to their promises and protestations as to be perswaded by them to signe the Bill for the Continuation of that unhappy Parliament then O then be was seduced indeed from his proper spheare wherein his Father set and left him with this caution Alwaies to be suspicious of the Puritanicall faction and never to trust them above all people in the world as being for ingratitude lyes and perjuries surpassing the High-land theeves and Borderers His Seduction from this Paternal advise was the root and cause of all our Miseries and therefore with sorrow of heart we his Loyall Subjects cannot but thinke upon it But to do these men right they mention their sorrow here for the Kings Seduction to another purpose namely as a Preface to that which follows M. Dike in his book of the deceitfulness of mans heart sets down not for imitation as these take it but for discovery the method of a cunning Hypocrite in his venting a slander First saies he to gain Credit with the hearers he pretends great affection to the party against whom he is minded to speak professing that with great grief and sorrow of heart he doth think of him hoping yet that he is onely missed and seduced and so makes a long Preamble to this purpose as if the fault he intends to mention were as grievous to him as a blow with a Cudgell and then at last out comes the slander which his viperous tongue layes on with as much spight as malice is able these I remember are M. Dikes words Now after this very manner and in the same Method do these our subtile Brethren speake to us concerning their Soveraigne whom they are about to slander and defame First they tell us in some obscure and generall terms of strange Titles which the King bestowes upon his great Councell which say they we return not again but consider with sorrow that it comes from a Prince not so Naturally inclined as we hope for we would fain think better of him but Seduced from his proper spheare misled by ill Councell And so much for the Preface Now to the main businesse and let all Christian people observe it well how these good Sorrowfull men that promised even now to give no opprobrious Language will describe their Soveraigne He is say they One that hath left that seat in which he ought and hath bound himself to fit to sit as the Psalmist saies in the Chaire of the scornfull and to the ruine almost of three Kingdomes hath walked in the Councells of the ungodly Now 't is out and it conteines in our apprehensions these 6 Articles against the King 1. That the King hath not only neglected to perform his Office but voluntarily and upon no occasion moving hath left and forsaken his proper place and duty 2. That in the roome thereof he hath made choice of the Scorners Chaire which is the highest seat or throne of wickedness 3. That he hath even bound himself Prentice as it were by oath and Covenant to that trade of scorning 4. That he hath resolved to follow that profession so long as he lives for he hath bound himself to sit yea to sit scil for ever in the Chaire of the scornfull 5. That his aymes and endeavours only are and have been to ruine three whole Kingdomes which even almost he had effected 6. That to this very end and for no other reason as must be supposed he hath abandoned the Society of most Holy and good men and linked himself by a indissolvable tye to the Society of the wicked whose ungodly counsell he alwaies walketh in These are the particulars in this their first charge against the King but my purpose being to uncase these Hypocritical and blasphemous men I shall first lay open to the world the full meaning of their hearts in a true Paraphrase upon their words and then I shall shew how false and scandalous they be in every respect against his Majesty unto whom they naturally owe and solemnely have sworne obedience But first let me beg pardon of my Lord and Soveraigne and crave of all Loyall hearts that it be not imputed for an indecorum or want of Reverence in me to Kingly Honour if some of my words concerning His Sacred person do sound unseemly and unbecomming Let it be considered that I speak not my self but other men whose Hellish intentions toward their Prince are so black that 't is impossible to expresse them in a language meetly Reverend He that openeth rotten sepulchers may though unwillingly be offensive Secondly I desire of all men that I may not be thought by my manner of speaking to intend the working of any contempt in peoples hearts against the High Court of Parliament which being called in the Kings name by his Writ and acting under the obedience of just and regall power are with all Honour and Reverence to be thought upon and spoken of Yea and God knowes my heart abhors to be an instrument of working disesteem against any persons of this present Assembly who have pious and loyall affections in them as I beleeve there be divers even in this very Body that do truly detest the present proceedings of some of their fellow-members I do here profess to all the world though I use the name of Parliament and Great Councell in answer to these Libellers yet I meane onely the present swaying and prevailing faction in the two Houses who are and have been the Countenancers of all these abuses against their Soveraigne and the causers of all our sorrowes and who they in particular are I doubt not but in due time God the Supreame Judge will Evidence to this whole Kingdome This with all Humility premised and implored I proceed as followeth SECT IV. 1. The Nature of their Charge opened 2. Their vilanous and bloudy Scope therein clearely Evidenced and proved 3. How perfectly in their Tenents they hold with the Jesuites in the points of King-killing and King-deposing fully declared THe Charge or Bill of Attainder against the King together with the Reason why 't is thus published to us and to the people by these His most dutifull and loving Subjects who take upon them to be His Accusers according to their own full and clear meaning may be rendred more at
a most Heavenly work to rid the earth of him and a service most acceptable unto the Lord when Raviliack was demanded by his examiners to declare the reason moving him to his attempt he answered That the reasons why it was requisite to kill the King they might understand by the Sermons and Pamphlets of the Preachers Wel Sirs we all know the meaning both of you and of your Prophets and therefore as Elias from the Lord did charge Ahab with the death of Naboth because the letters provoking to it were signed with his seal so do I from the same Lord charge you with all those evil opinions and hard conceits which are already kindled in the mindes of any against the King by the meanes of this Pamphlet because 't is published by your Authority Yea if any further mischief shall befall his Sacred Majesty upon the same at your hands will the Judge of Heaven and Earth require it and know you further that the guilt of all the blasphemies reproaches scornes slanders which are spit out against the King either in this book or any other published by your leave and Order without your deep repentance and humiliation shal be heaped upon your Souls at the day of Reckoning even as if your own selves had been the Authors of them for nil interest sceleri an faveas aut facias to favour and to doe in this case is all one nay the Apostle speaks as if those who appove of other folks ill doings were in a degree worse then the Actors themselves and given up in a further measure to a Reprobate sense Qui non vetat peccare cum potest jubet saies the wise Heathen not to prevent a mischief when one may is directly to command it to be done Gentlemen for as your souls friend I would fain have you recover again that Title I charge you before the living God and Jesus Christ who shall one day sit in judgement upon you to ask your Consciences in secret whether it be not a sin and a wickednesse to speake evil of the Ruler of the people to act Shimei's part against Gods Anointed whether to write or publish such Pamphlets as this be the way to Honour the King in the eyes of his people Whether you have thus learned Christ from the Church of England Whether you ever met in Gods word with any saying or example to warrant you in this way of proceeding And I require you also as you will answer it before the Lord to ask your own hearts whether to Authorize such a work as this to the Kings defamation be a Christian work Honourable and becoming the dignity of a Parliament whose actions ought al to be glorious and presidentiall Nay is it an Act prudentiall in you thus publikely to own and countenance this prolem populi this abominable thing which the very Parents and Authors of are ashamed to father What will you say 't is one of the Priviledges of Parliament you fight for to Authorize things against the King against your own Allegeance end Protestation surely ab initio non fuit sic former Parliaments disdained to own such a Priviledge to tread in such pathes Or will you say you are more Omnipotent then those your Predecessours were who never had those brave advantages that you have true nor never did desire them But can your new Omnipotency make that which is evil in it self turn good by your Authorization I pray where had you this large Commission Who gave you this Authority Christ in whose hand is all power never did let your Chaplains prove it if they can or your Consciences affirm it if they dare Nor will that Writ which called you together and fixt you in your Spheare at Westminster tell you that the King the fountain of power under God did place you there in this sort to exercise your Activity against him your Patent therefore by which you have Authorized this work of darknesse must needs come ab Inferno And can you expect that the Judge of quick and dead will at the great day pronounce well done good and faithfull Servant unto you for doing Satans work for executing his Commission O how much better will you finde then it had been if you had wrapt up your Talents in a Napkin and in the meane time how much more had it been to the dignity of that High Court of Parliament which you pretend so much to stand for if you had but left out the name Parliament and said Published by speciall Order of the Rebellious faction in the two Houses at Westminster But now I have begun to take upon me to speak unto you O you lofty men let me ask you a question more to a like purpose What reward or commendation can you expect at Gods hand for maintaining your Beadsman Britanicus to libell against his Soveraigne to teach and excite by his weekly books the ignorant and seduced vulgar throughout the Kingdome to joyn with him in reviling and laughing to scorn their publike Father now your selves have most unjustly thrust him into affliction Dare you say his expressions are not vile O let me beg pardon of my Soveraigne and of all modest men if to the shame of these mens faces and to the increase of indignation in all godly spirits against their courses I doe with detestation repeate over here one of his passages published to the world on Monday the 4. of August 1645. Where is King Charles What is become of him Some say when he saw the storme comming after him as far as Bridgewater he came away to his dearly beloved in Ireland Yes they say he ran away out of the Kingdome very Majestically Others will have him erecting a new Monarchy in the Isle of Anglesey A third sort say that he hath hid himselfe it were best send Hue and Cry after him If any man can bring any tale or tidings of a wilfull King which hath gone astray these four yeares from his Parliament with a guilty Conscience bloudy hands and a heart full of broken vowes and protestations if these marks be not sufficient there is another in his mouth for bid him speak and you will soon know him then give notice to Britanicus and you will be payd for your paines GOD SAVE THE PARLIAMENT O you Men of Westminster is this your Beadsman that prayes for you that works for you that is maintained and cherished by you then these are the scornes of your hearts the flouts of your Spirits that are vomited up by his mouth and pen if not why have you not hang'd the villain or rather torn him in pieces with wild horses Are not you they that call your selves the Kings most Humble most dutifull and most Loyall Subjects Are not you they that would be accounted the Holy just most Christian and unerring Parliament have you not talked much of reforming our Church and Government and will you countenance and favour such persons Is this the Reformation you
large thus That the King or rather he who was once in that office hath voluntarily and freely without being urged by any occasion in the world forsaken his place wherein he ought to have remained and which to His great content He might still have enjoyed had he so pleased being not only obliged thereunto by His Duty but also importuned by the most Humble supplications and prostrate intreaties of His Great Councel But He meerly out of his own ill disposition is departed thence and hath taken up not onely a standing but a Seat yea hath bound Himselfe by obligation entred into a covenant with Hell to sit to sit we say as the Psalmist speake for we would have all the Common people know that we have Scripture for what we say in the Seat of the Scornfull that is as our Prophets interpret to remain for ever in the Highest Throne and degree of wickednesse that man or Devill can reach unto whereby it appeares that Ahab-like he hath sold himselfe to work all evill even with greedinesse and is past all hope of recovery Moreover he hath intentionally and on set purpose been already the ruine almost of three whole Kingdomes and had been so altogether ere this had not His Great Councell a company of most Holy Chast Innocent Wise and infallible good men sitting now at Westminster in their great pitty and commiseration of spirit and out of their abounding piety and meere natural goodnesse interposed themselves whereby thanks only to them the three Kingdomes are yet kept in being which before they put to their helping hands were at the very brim of destruction And yet notwithstanding this wilful King hath left their most Sacred sweet and peaceable society out of a pure hatred to them and to their vâ—rtues and hath not onely stepped unawares but hath even eat and drunk with Publicans and Sinners yea and walked deliberately in the Councels of the wicked and ungodly Insomuch that it is to be thought the total ruine of the three Kingdomes will shortly be accomplished do what the Great Councel can to the contray unless some Noble Brutus some Valiant Cassius out of love to their Countries Liberty will take the paines to stab this Cesar some devout Raviliack in his zeal unto Religion wil do God the service or the kindnesse rather to free the world and Church of this destructive Tyrant for 't is better as Scripture saies that one man should die then that all the People perish then that three whole Kingdomes should be destroyed We refer the matter to their own Consciences whether this be not the true sense of their spirits and whether they would not have the people thus to understand their words against the King And to prevent scruples which may arise in the hearts of any about the Businesse which they would have done they adde to the former the words following saying And though in our Tenents we annex no infallibility to the seat of a King in Parliament as the Romanists do to the Papall Chaire since all men are subject to Errour yet we dare boldly say that no English King did ever from that place speak destruction to His people but safety and Honour nor any that abhorred that seat and Councell but did the contrary These words I say are added to their foregoing description of the King not only to further the Businesse aymed at but also in way of prevention for some might make a scruple of Conscience as David did to kill the King notwithstanding these suggestions because He is the Lords Anointed Wherefore these circumspect mâ—n being ad omnia parati do signifie further in these words that no man need be precise in that respect for say they in effect thus We in our Tenents which are all the truth and the very truth and the truth indeed and so to be apprehended by all men living doe make no more of a King then we do of another man the seat of a King in Parliament it self is no more then the seat of Cesar in the Senate-house it may as well be empty as not were there but no King at all for 't is not so much his Presence there which we desire and quarrell about as his Nullity that He might be no where we hold there is no more virtue in the Seat of a King in Parliament then in the seat of an ordinary Burgesle no nor half so much neither we neither do nor wil in our Tenents annex infallibility to the Kings Seat for should we make a Pope of the King No no He is but a man subject to Errours as others be and therefore liable to be punished for his faults as well as others specially since the Soveraignty is transmitted into the hands of the Parliament which was done as the Parliaments own self judgeth when the Bil of perpetuâ—ty was signed It is granted indeed before that time the Supream power was in Him and we were all his Subjects and then perhaps some might Scruple to out his throat for there were lawes then in force against Regicides but now since his Resignation for so in our Tenents we hold this Act to be there is no scruple to be made those lawes against King-killers are suspended and he is now become as Samson was without his strength even like another man any of the wel affected Philistines may fall upon him mock him kil him or use him as they please if their new Lords that is to say the worthy members of the Parliament do but give leave for he is now but their subject their slave they are able by the infallibility of their Votes to make him a malefactor and then to order him if they can catch him as such a one for infallibly we grant is an Attendant on the Supreame power we do not indeed annex it to the Kings seat because the supreame power is now removed from thence while this was in the King the Parliament it self as appeares in some of their Expresses did use to speak as the Law did modestly of the King and to say he could not erre but now the case is altered with him the Supreame power being transferred unto other persons infallibility stil attends the same and not the Kings person And hence it was that after the aforesaid Act there was a large Remonstrance made which the Authours of durst never make before whilst the power was in the Kings hand it may be called the Parliaments Act of Gratitude for the Kings Act fore-named in which they declare sufficiently their judgement to be that the King may now be imputed fallible and unfit to manage the Supreame power from thenceforth any longer And hence also it is that a new Oath of Allegeance and Obedience to the Parliament is tendred to the People of this Land which plainly shewes that the Supreame power is concluded to dwel in them and that the old Oath is quite void and out of date together with the King And for the Protestation
generall which was took at the beginning of the Parliament to defend the Kings life and Honour that is to be understood only so long as the Kingly and Supreame power remained in him but that being once removed the Pretestation bindes us no longer to regard His Person and Honour but the Persons and Honours of them only in whom the said Supremacy is now seated And therefore all the world knows that the Parliament or great Councell never raised War against the King never suffered any to take away His Name Honour or to seize upon His revenews so long as the Supream power was in Him for that had been rank Rebellion in them indeed but now since themselves were invested in the same they set to their businesse as lawfully they may to establish the Kingdom upon themselves and their successours First by putting forth their Remonstrance against the King to loosen all the bands of ancient Loyalty and then by seizing upon the Militia of the Kingdome the Forts Castles Ships and Townes as their proper Rights and all the Kings Goods and Houses as being now in regard of their Supremacy solely at their disposing and then too after all this they thought fit in wisdome to Vote the King to be one that intends the ruine of three Kingdomes that abhors His Great Councell which speakes nothing but Safety and Honour to Him Yea and in very deed He doth Envy those worthies that Honour strength rule and dignity which now by Gods Providence is so happily cast upon them even as Richard the Third did grutch at those two innocent Princes whose by right the Kingdome was and thereupon did murder them to get the Scepter into His own Hands and the Crown upon His own Head So this man aymes at the destruction of the most blessed Parliament whose the Kingdome now by right is and in whose Hand all Power and Authority is lodged and fastned and there like to remain so long as a drop of bloud is left in the veines of English-men who shall fight for them to maintain it therefore let all men remember Richard the Third what peace the Land had after long Wars when he was once killed and let them expect the same now if this Man who is worse then He could be taken away And no man need scruple to do it for the Supreame Authority now above-board doth allow it and that is able to make sin no sin when it listeth that hath declared him to speake destruction to the Kingdomes to abhorre the Parliament and never any English King did so but he spake Destruction to himself thereby therefore let him have it we dare boldly say and assure that safety and Honour is not his portion but destruction from the Lord is appointed to him the Parliament so judgeth and blessed shall he be that shal divide it out unto him And thus all scruples of Consciences are removed I have been the larger in opening the meanings of these men that I might withall express the ground of their uncouth opinions and let no good people who have a Charitable conceit of them think that I stretch their words beyond their intentions I would not force any mans faith beyond his judgement much lesse against the same wherefore let these few following particulars be considered upon and I beleeve it will be evident to every reasonable man that I have spoken nothing but the reall desires of their hearts and spirits 1. Consider the Nature of the Crimes which most maliciously and falsly they lay to the Kings Charge that He hath neglected His office Forsaken His place that He Abhorreth the Parliament Walks onely in the Councell of the ungodly that he seeks the Destruction of three Kingdomes and is ascended to the highest pitch and throne of wickedness The seat of the scornfull and there hath Bound himselfe to sit and continue what is all this in effect but Away with him from the Earth 't is not fitting he should live 2. Consider of some of their Tenents which to this purpose they have been a buzzing a long while and whispering into the mindes of people viz. That the King is but onely for the peoples good He is but their Bayliff their Servant and that the Parliament without him is above him may wage war against him may depose him and turn him out of his Office if he be not for their turn that they can give Commission to any to apprehend yea to kill him if He doth oppose them that evill may be done to further the Publik good and in respect of the end aymed at it is not to be accounted evill and many such like Tenents they have which let any man consider of together with their accusations of him as also what they have done against him and then say whether all this doth not signifie that they would gladly be rid of him if any would take upon them but to kill him 3. Consider what high Holinesse Wisdome Justice care of the Kingdome is affirmed abroad and taught to be in them who take upon them the name of the great Councell or Parliament at Westminster How infallible they are preached to be in their judgements how unerring in their Votes and Censures when in Consultation together though perhaps as particular men they may chance to Erre sometimes for 't is confessed all men are subject to Errour yet when they are in Cathedris in their seats as Parliament men they are all as infallible as the Pope and have a power as well as he to do what they please to make Evil Good and Good Evil to make Rebellion and Treason to be Duty and Loyalty and Duty and Loyalty to be Rebellion and Treason to Vote Sacriledge Murder and Theft to be no sins Killing Slaying and Destroying to be acts of zeale and Christian Duty Yea what ever they shall authorize with approbation as they have done this Libel must be received without scruple and haesitation as pious and godly though as full of Blasphemy as this same is Nay what man living will not conceive but they who have Authorized this book against the King will also warrant any man to kill him to prevent his Capacity of punishing them hereafter for it and whosoever beleeves it was no sin in them to Authorize the one will not think it a sin in them to warrant the other 4. Consider how since that Act of Continuation of the Parliament they have plainly denyed the Supreame power to be in the King and affirme the same to be in themselves how they have suppressed the ancient Oath of Allegeance and Supremacy and disclaimed them both and have in the place of them framed a new Oath and Covenant which they have put upon the Subjects of this Kingdome to sweare adherence and allegiance to themselves how they have made a New great Seal as if the old one with the King were of no longer use How they have seized upon all the Royalties of the Crown and upon all the Kings
His Merits are Beleeve it Sir unlesse some speedy course be taken with Him Caesar in whom the Supreame power is now seated and whose servants the people now are will be wronged and the whole Church and Kingdome wasted and destroyed and this we will boldly say who ever doth not joyn with us against bim is neither a friend to Caesar nor to the Common-wealth we are all for the Publick good and to preserve that we desire that this our King or rather this man that says he is our King may be crucified To this purpose was the Pharisees accusation against our Saviour of this disposition were their Spirits against the Son of God as Scripture teacheth notwithstanding their Religious pretences and that opinion of holinesse which the world had of them it need not therefore be thought an impossible thing that there should be men of a like spirit and of a like esteem in these days and that they should endeavour a like mischief against their Soveraigne Nothing but the Heart bloud of Christ would satisfie those his Enemies and can it be any thing but the very heart bloud of the King which these men thirst after indeed they do not lay any worse things to the Kings charge for I will do them no wrong then those others did to the charge of Christ And this for the first There is no impossibility in the matter 2. The truth of my interpretation of their meaning is Evident from the Tenents which they mention as proper to themselves at least as differing from ours Wee say they in our Tenents do annex no Infallibility to the seat of a King in Parliament as the Romanists doe to the Papall Chaire since all men are subject to errours These men desire as we learned by their Pulpit Doctrines of us that people should beleeve that those who are for the King do think of him as the Romanists do of the Pope that he cannot Erre which opinion by these their words they would have the world know that they disclaim and truly so do we as much as they for we never did nor yet ever dare we give the King so undue an Attribute nor would His Majesty suffer the same were any of us so sinfully disposed For we boldly affirm that never King was more Christian then He in yeelding himselfe culpable even in some matters wherein others could see no errour that so if possible he might give his Enemies satisfaction and purchase peace unto his people But whether it be so or no they conceive and report that to be our Tenent and we on the other side apprehended theirs to be that infallibility is rather in the Parliament without a King then in the Seat of a King in Parliament And our Reason is there hath been more Infallibility professed in Parliament since the Kings absence from Westminster then ever was before when either himself or any of His Predecessours have been there And though the Parliament hath been erroneous and faulty herefore by reason of the Kings faction mixt therein for by that name are modest and Loyal Gentlemen now called yet that being now purged away and driven from thence Errour also is vanished with it and Infallibility hath taken up its dwelling there ita praedicant ita clamitant And yet by the way we must tell the world we beleeve the King hath some friends still within the wals at Westminster even as Christ had at the Jews Councell Table although like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea they are over-powred and reviled when they speak truth and Conscience But to the matter We must tell these men that Scripture affords us better Testimony for the Kings not Erring then it doth them for theirs Solomon saies The Kings Heart is in Gods Hand and a Divine sentence is in His Lips His mouth transgresseth not in judgment We finde not the like expressions in behalf of an headlesse Parliament but because Solomon was a King himselfe He spake they say in his own case and therefore not much to be regarded but we will not contest with them at this time about his Authority we rather yeeld because all men are subject to Errour that a King may Erre and we adde further that a Parliament consisting of men may erre too and this Combination of Conspirators which to the high disgrace of the Supreamest Court some call the Parliament doth Erre most abominably both from Gods Law and the Law of the Land and this in very deed is our Tenent And let them deal ingenuously with us say whether they do not so hold of the Parliament though not of the King as the Romanists doe of the Pope whether by their Tenents the Parliament hath not the same power over Kings and Kingdomes as the Pope hath by the Tenent of the Jesuits The Jesuites hold that the Pope may dispose of Princes and Crownes for the service of God the good of the Church and salvation of Souls And do not these hold that the Parliament may both order the King and dispose of His Kingdome as they shall think meet for the advancement of their Cause which they call Gods pro salute populi Romanas Episcopus Zacharias Regem Franciscorum non tam pro suis iniquitatibus quam pro eo quod tantae potestati erat inutilis à regno deposuit c. By vertue of which Canon say the Jesuits the Pope hath power to depose Kings be they Hereticall or Catholick of vicious or vertuous lives if in his judgment he findes them unfit and some others more capable of Government And do not these men beleeve the Authority of Parliament to be as irresistable as that of the Pope and their Votes to be as ful of vertue as his Canons and altogether as Authentick even to the deposing of Kings and disposing of their Kingdomes Eudaemon Johannes in his Apologie for Henry Garnet teacheth that Subjects may be loosed from their Oath of Allegeance and then they cannot as Emanuel Sa affirmeth be held guilty of Treason though they conspire the Kings death because He against whom they conspire is not their Master or Lord they being formerly absolved from his obedience And hath not the same Doctrine been both taught and practised by these our opposers Have not they loosened people from their Oath of Allegeance to the King and then put them in Armes perswading them that 't is no Rebellion to fight against Him The Jesuits in their Chamber of Meditation taught as John Chastell who gave Hen. the 4. of France a stab in the mouth confessed upon examination that it was lawfull to kill that King and that He was now member of the Church nor ought to be obeyed or held for King untill he had received approbation from the Pope And one of them in his Apology for the said Chastell hath these words vulnerando Henricum Burbonium non voluerit laedere ant occidere Regem etiamsi se talem dicebat in quo praeter imaginem
nihil Regis quam quod genere Regio ortus erat In striking Henry of Burbon his intention was not to kill the King howbeit he called himselfe King sithence he had nothing left but the appearance of a King being of the bloud Royall Our Anabaptisticall Crew have their Chambers of Meditation too or their Conventicles where they meet with their disciples to whom they suggest as also they do in their Pamphlets and Sermons that the King is no true member of the Church because he dissents from them but a persecutor of it and is no longer to be obeyed or held for King then the Parliament or representive Body of the Kingdome in whom the Supreame power is inherent shall allow him so to be and therefore being now deciared by them to be an enemy to the Kingdome and one that seeks the peoples ruine he is to be accounted but as another man and hath but the bare Name or Title of a King as being borne of that family and stocke which formerly swayed the Scepter Now my Argument from all this stands thus who ever maintains that the Pope or Parliament may at pleasure alter Kingdomes exempt people from their Oath of Allegeance and arm them against their Prince do maintain that people in such a case may kill their King But this as appeares by their doctrine and practice is the Tenent of these men as well as of the Jesuites Ergo these men also by their Tenents hold it lawfull to kill the King The minor is proved already and the major is evident to sense and reason for no man wil doubt but a King from whom offer is made to take away his Kingdome will take Armes to maintaine his right and will labour to reduce them to Loyalty that stand armed against him and in so doing 't is impossible but he must run the hazard of his life since in defending himself he is resolute as in Conscience he is bound to be not to lose his Kingdome which God hath committed to his care without the loss of his life it self But perhaps some wil say that in some of their books and Sermons they disclaim killing the King yea though he were an Heretick or a Tyrant I answer the Romish Jesuites their Brethren in some of their books also have condemned not onely the murdering of Princes but also Rebellion against them though Hereticks and Tyrants but they meane sine permissu superiorum it is not lawful for a private man to do it say they of his own head untill he be permitted by his superiours but having leave and countenance from them if sentence and judgement be once passed that the King is a Tyrant or an Heretick or not capable to govern then obedience to the said judgement is to be given as to the voice of Christ So these when they speak against King-killing and Rebellion are to be understood until the King be declared by Parliament to be an Enemy to the Kingdome and to seek the ruine of it but when this is done then men may not onely arm themselves against him but kill him if possibly they can and by so doing they do but the Command of God and helpe the Lord against the mighty These be the nicetyes of Romish Jesuites and English Pharisees by which they inchant men they protest Solemnly that they allow not the murdering of Kings No not they but herein lies the craft they acknowledge none for Kings but whom themselves please to allow and maintain that to kill a King whose Government they cannot brook is not to kill a King but a man as they say masked under a Regall Title But indeed some of their faction have been more plain in their expressions and disclaiming this jugling distinction have declared their Tenents in down right English even as Parry of old affirmed that because Elizabeth stood excommunicated by the Pope he might lawfully kill her And as Catesby stood to it openly that because the Pope had not allowed the Catholiks to receive James for King the Powder-Treason was a work of Piety And as Raviliak affirmed that He had reason to kill Henry of Burbon because he would make warre against the Pope and so by consequent saies he against God for the Pope was God even so in this plain downright fashion we have had some of our Parliamentarians express their judgements and intentions that because the Parliament hath declared against the King 't is no sin to kill him yea they have professed that themselves would do it if they could reach him so long as he is in this condition not received or allowed on by the Parliament yea Raviliack-like they have affirmed that He wars against the Parliament and so by Consequent against God and therefore it would be a work not onely lawfull but also pious for to kill him such expressions have often fallen from the lips of many severall persons among them who might be named if we did Belligerare Hominibus magis quam vitiis And thus the people do now see how those who pretend to keep them from Popery do lead them into the deepest ditch and most Hellish puddle thereof themselves call the Jesuites the worst of Papists and yet hold with them in their worst of Tenents onely the difference is this the Jesuites place power and infallibility in the Pope and these place it in the Parliament for though these our Subtile Brethren will not like Romanists make a Pope of the King yet they will make one of the Parliament whose members are as perfect in their Seats as Pontifex is in Cathedra But I remember a distinction which the Secretary of Charles the 5. used to some English Ambassadours who upon his complaint of Pope Julius the 3. his foul play with the Emperour demanded of him how he being a Papist could excuse this unkindnesse of the Pope towards his Master He answered that the Pope was an honest man but Julius the 3. was an Arrant Knave so saving the Honours of the Right worshipfull as they are Members peradventure as they are men they may be subject to errours and be esteemed of according to their merits SECT V. 1. The falsity and injustice of the said Charge against the King manifested in all the particulars 2. Who they are that sit in the Scorners Chair 3. The Enemies reasons and ends of Charging the King with their own Conditions BUt we having now seen the Nature of their Charge we will consider also the Verity of it or the falsity rather for we apprehend it as false as foul as injurious as High were it all true yet according to Christian Religion and the doctrine of the Bible it were a great sin in them thus to object it For is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked or to Princes ye are ungodly When Saint Paul understood Ananias to be the Ruler he confessed he had done ill in calling him whited wall though indeed he was no better But
Accusers in so close obscurity that his sparkes if he had any in him to this purpose could not possibly flie abroad But let me ask a question did not the wisemen of the Kingdome quench these fire-brands to prevent the flame how came it then to break forth after they were extinguished had they lived been both at liberty and afforded their full concurrence could possibly the flame have been more great and detrimentall Againe why was not the imputation proved at least against Canterbury who lived almost three years after the war was begun when they wanted matter to put him to death Surely the Law hath so well provided in a case of this Nature that if there had been any such matter His Enemies should not have needed to solicite for the peoples Votes and Hands to get him dispatched But it was Canterburyes Honour to drink of his Masters cup The voices of the people and of the Priests prevailed And indeed these quenched fire-brands were so farre from kindling this fire that we apprehend rather they were quenched to this end lest they should have hindred it from being kindled When Charles was King and Strafford Deputy of Ireland and Canterbury Metropolitan of this Church we had no warres in England Straffords bloud we grant was a fire-brand which we with the King beleeve still burnes upon us his Prayers at his death to the contrary could not stop the cry of it from pulling downe of vengeance And Canterburyes bloud we feare will cry louder yet against the people of this Land who by giving their Votes where the Law gives none to take away his life have cryed out against themselves His bloud be upon us and upon our Children But say these men who never slandred any but their betters Strafford and Canterbury were two evill Councellours and yet Strafford and Canterbury dyed like two Christian Martyrs and might the latter end of their Accusers be but like theirs it would be their happinesse in one kinde and ours in another They chiefly incensed the King against the Scots but they did not stir up the Scots against the King in provoking them to an insurrection nor did they hinder the Kings Act of mercy and pardon towards them afterwards much lesse did they after that Act of Pacification with that Nation send for those Scots into England and hire them with English money to cut the throats of English men Had they been Councellours in such matters they had been ill Councellours indeed But say they Strafford and Canterbury endeavoured to submit all these three Kingdomes to a new Arbritrary Government and were duely executed for attempting that subversion of Law which the King hath perfected since It was wel they did but endeavour a new Arbritrary Government not erect it they did but attempt a subversion of Law not effect it but some others since their times have gone further and turned all Law into Vote and all Justice and Reason into Violence and Will For if there be this day in Europe a more Arbritrary cruel and butcherly Government then hath been exercised in England by some since Strafford and Canterbury were set aside from having to doe in the world my reading failes me if to take away lands estates goods good name and lives from men without any allegation of Law or reason but only the Parliament judgeeth so or the People will have it so if this be not Arbritrary Government I know not what is therefore if Strafford and Canterbury were justly executed as these say for attempting let all men judge how deservedly ought these others to be executed for accomplishing such designes But these men tell us further that the King hath since perfected that subversion of Law which those his ill Councellours had formerly attempted 'T is too well known that the customary way of these mens Honouring the King is by casting on him the scandall of their owne doings The Law we confesse is subverted and overthrown but the King can no more be said to have done the same then David could be said to have killedd Abner and Amasa because he was the Soveraigne to those sons of Zeruiah who did the deed and were so subtile and strong that he could neither restrain them from it nor bring them to condigne punishment for it And let all modest and ingenuous men observe how desperate and bold these men are in their aspersions against the King they affirme He hath subverted Law and walked in the Councell of the ungodly to the ruine almost of 3. whole Kingdomes They could have said no more if when the Militia and Power were in his sole hands things had been as now they are But we and themselves too can all witnesse that when the Parliament met no drop of bloud was yet spilt in Ireland no Commotions were stirring in Scotland for the King by his Grace and Goodnesse had allayed all nor was there any complaining of Souldiers nor plundering in the streets of England all the three Kingdomes were in peace and to continue them therein the King calls a Parliament and gives power to the Members thereof and encouragement withall to settle all things both in Church and Common-wealth for the Subjects benefit even as firmly as themselves who were intrusted and chosen by their fellow Subjects for that purpose could possibly devise He denyes them nothing in pursuance thereof suffers them to call all suspected officers and persons to account not excepting Strafford or Canterbury and further to assure His people of His strong desires to continue their happinesse He settles a Trienniall Parliament as the most speciall mean to prevent ill Councellours in after-times yet these Accusers tax the King of perverting the Law and speak as if the three Kingdomes had been at the very brim of destruction and quite ruined ere this if the power had not been taken out of His Hands by those who by their meeknesse wisdome and frugality have put all the said Kingdomes into a more hopefull condition of preservation as it must be beleeved though against all sense and experience then they were in before Indeed had those undertakers done that work for which they were summoned and called together the Kings good Subjects in all His Kingdomes might have had cause of mentioning their names with perpetuall Honour but they as it seemeth envying that happiness which their fellow Subjects were likely to enjoy by those new enacted Lawes and especially by the Trienniall Parliament fairly pretending other matters did get the same Act presently made uselesse by another for the continuation of this which hath created themselves as they suppose and intend perpetuall dictators and all their fellow Subjects perpetuall slaves For let these perpetuall great Councellours approve themselves never so evill and detrimentall to-Church and State yet the poore Subject must be forced by the Militia which they have got into their hands to beleeve them unerring for He shall have no benefit by the Trienniall Parliament to examine their doings
soon after they tell us the King sent them a message to state the differences between them on both sides promising that when they shall be digested into a body fit to be judged of it shall appeare what He will do In this sure the King was in a great errour thus to send to them about composing differences when their intended work was to make and widen them rather wherefore wholly neglecting that particular The House of Commons say they the Lords refusing to joyne did onely in Answer thereto requiâ—e the Tower of London to be at their disposing and withall for the King ever saved as little by delaying to grant their first demands as by yeelding to them they require now that the Militia of the whole Kingdome be put into such hands as they should recommend to which the King makes a reply which is also to be reckoned among the rest of his faults in these words as themselves testifie That the Militia by Law is subject to no Command but His owne which He will reserve to Himself as a principall and inseparable Flower of His Crowne and professes to take care of peace and the rights of the Subject equally with His life or the lives of His dearest Children He further also conjures them by all Acts of Duty and favour received by hopes of future mutuall happinesse by their love of Religion the Peace both of this Kingdome and Ireland not to be transported with feares and jealousies Surely here was enough from the mouth and hand of a Religious King to have prevailed with any that had not before entred into a Covenant with Hell But say these men the Parliament could not because they would not beleeve themselves secured by these professions and asseverations and the King would not because He could not understand that the setling the Militia at this time in confiding Hands to prevent Civill War was any other then the taking the Crown from his Head Hinc illa Lacrymae say they So they are resolved it seemes at the very first to raise a Civill War unlesse the King would beleeve that he might put more confidence in other men then in himselfe and that he might maintain his Crown and dignity without having any Command over the Militia Well yet notwithstanding all these affronts put upon His Majesties faithfulnesse and these contempts of His gratious Asseverations The King say these men neverthelesse persists to declare his abhorrence of the Irish Rebellion frequently inciting the Parliament to send succours which made them more averse thereto lest the King should please himself in thinking they regarded Him or his desires in any thing which indeed would have been a very Grand errour in him Then they relate How the King abjures any privity to plots and designes against the Laws and makes strict Proclamation for putting them in execution against Papists who were reported to be the plotters that so if possible He might give satisfaction But the Parliament being resolved do still pursue their own designe and as if it had been the onely Businesse for which the King by his Writ did call them together they still urge Him to settle the Militia upon them And as they remember us upon his refusall so to do thoughts of peace being laid aside they seazed upon the Towne of Hull His Magazine of Armes without his leave and held it out against Him and so taught him to seize upon New-Castle And now say they the Warre being thus far advanced yet it is not agreed which part was put to the Defensive and as it seemes to resolve this the 19 Propositions were dispatched to the King which indeed were the meanes of Light to thousands in this Kingdome of discovering the scope of their intentions namely to be to ruine the King and to bring him into a worse Condition then his meanest vassals Many men whereof my self was one did conceive from the grosnesse of them that they had been divulged by the speciall endeavoâ—rs of the Kings friends in the House for to discover to the world the unreasonablenesse of the then growing turbulent faction to the end that peoples spirits might be awakened to appear generally against the same in the defence of the Honour the Rights and Liberty of their Soveraign SECT XXV 1. Their Pretences of bringing Delinquents to punishment made a ground of the Warre The King acknowledged by his Enemies to be on the defensive part 2. His Majesties good opinion a long time of the Parliament objected as a fault against Him by themselves 3. The King makes no Warre against His Parliament Evidenced This Conspiracy of Traitours at Westminster no true Parliament fully proved The Conclusion of the Answer to the Libell BUt the maine thing in those 19. Propositions say these men were Reformation of Church-Government that power Military and Civill might be put into confiding Hands and that Justice of Parliament might passe upon Delinquents We grant they were for these three containe all the rest But here I must beg leave of the Reader to digresse a little to speake a word of this last particular having discussed at large of the two first already They had or have two Reasons for their requiring of the King that Justice of Parliament might passe upon Delinquents 1. To punish the Kings Errour in his requiring the Justice of Law against six of their Members it shall cost Him the Estates and lives of all his friends if they can bring it to passe that He may the better remember hereafter to do no more so His fault was so great and high in desiring that half a dozen of them might be tryed by Law that it cannot be expiated without His yeelding up many thousands of his friends yea of all that love him to be condemned without Law by bare Vote which they call Justice of Parliament from which Good Lord deliver us 2. To out-voice the Kings demand forementioned for if they should not shew zeal against sinne in calling themselves for punishment to be done upon Delinquents the world would think that the six Members whom they rescued from a legall triall which the King would have had them unto might be very faulty and that His Majesty had just reason to take Armes to bring both them and their abetters to it but to prevent this they by affirming they take up Weapons to bring Delinquents to punishment do avow the War to begin on their side and so leave the King to be Defender Although I must tell the world that this devise of bringing Delinquents to Punishment was resolved upon to be a chief ground of the Warre some certaine moneths after the War was begun I beleeve I could name the place and time when it was first taken into Consideration and upon what occasion and though I nominate not the Persons yet I may tell the story Upon a time diverse of the Members were met together at a certaine easie Lords House in the Kingdome who was also in his Country one
the Scripture which these Dreamers have alleadged out of S. Jude it being the sole and onely one produced for their own Justification in these their Commentaries upon the Kings letters we must give them their due praise and yeeld it was very sutable for the purpose They goe on and tell us of something to be seen also saying They may see here in these his private letters what Affection the King beares to his people what Language and Titles he bestowes upon his great Councell SECT III. 1. The Kings great and true affection to his people Evidenced 2. How far divers of them that call themselves His Great Councell are from proving themselves his good Councellors The ten Rules or Precepts whereby they have proceeded 3. Of the Language and Titles which they complain of and how truly the name Rebell belongs unto them 4. The true cause of that great grief and sorrow so often mentioned An impudent Charge against the King propounded by the Libellers THe unlearned saith S. Peter do pervert many things in S. Pauls Epistles to their own destruction through the ignorance that is in them and if so then much rather may the malicious make perverse constructions upon the Kings Letters to the hurt of others through the bitterness that is in them Truly we do imagine that our subtile and suspected Brethren have even so done and malum being sui diffusivum they would fain season us with the same liquor which infecteth them to which end they would have us look with such Eyes as they doe and to judge with such hearts for thereby in time we may perhaps be brought to speak with such tongues and to act with such hands too And peradventure if we cannot read with their Spectacles or relish their interpretations they wil conclude us to be stark blinde and strongly Seduced But if they do we are of S. Pauls minde and passe not much to be judged by them our Judge is Christ whose Gospell hath taught us to interpret better These Letters we acknowledge have been read and as proceeding from their hands too together with their corrupt glosse upon them and we wish from our soules we had seen no more disloyalty in the one then we doe disaffection in the other no worse language in their notes against the best of Kings then we doe in his letters against the worst of Subjects we see his tender care to preserve in being his Protestant people in the Kingdome of Ireland he being made unable at the present to restore them to their former wel-being Pap. 16 and 17. we see also how desirous he is to settle a peace among his unkinde and unnaturall people of this Kingdome though with the diminution of his own undoubted rights and the lending away to his own great losse and prejudice his most just Prerogative Pap. 25. we see moreover how his spirit is grieved in him at the Stubbornnesse and perversnesse of the English Rebells that they hindred his hopes of an Accomodation by way of Treaty Pap. 6. which in the judgement of all that love their Country would be the best for the people of this land as the case now standeth we see in his Letters what resolution he hath to adhere to his Clergy the Messengers and Servants of the great God who were wont to be reckoned among the better sort of his people though now with these new and vile Reformers they are the most contemptible Pap. 1. Indeed his private directions for his Commissioners at Uxbridge do alone speake sufficiently his fatherly and Pious Affection to his people His words as his very Enemies record them are these Paper 25. I cannot yeeld to the change of the Government by Bishops not onely as I fully concur with the most Generall opinion of Christians in all Ages as being the best But likewise I hold my self particularly bound by the Oath I took at my Coronation not to alter the Government of this Church from what I found it And as for the Churches Patirmony I cannot suffer any diminution or alienation of it being without peradventure Sacriledge and likewise contrary to my Coronation Oath But whatever shall be offered for rectifying of abuses if any have crept in or for the ease of tender Consciences so as it endamage not the foundation I am content to heare and will be content to give a gratious answer thereunto Had any of the Kings Predecessours but offered thus much half thus much to the strictest non-Conformists in former times they would have cryed it up for a token of the greatest affection that ever King did shew unto his people But the men of our times unlesse their Soveraigne will commit perjury and break his Oath to God as they have done theirs both to God and him to please their Humours unless he will commit Sacriledge as they do destroy his own Conscience and damne his own soul to satisfie their lusts they are resolved to raile upon him for one that beares no Affections to his people But in these his Instructions to the same Commissioners we may and do observe more of his Affection yet to his own dammage and wrong unto his people his words are these by the testimony also of his own deadly enemies The Militia is certainly the fittest subject for a Kings quarrell for without it the Kingly power is but a shadow who can deny this and therefore upon no meanes to be acquitted but maintained according to the Ancient known lawes of the Land no otherwise doth the King desire to have it defended and upheld Yet because to attain to this so much wished peace by all good men it is in a manner necessary Scil. in regard of the guilty Consciences of the Rebells that a sufficient and reall security be given even to them to take away if possible their suspition for the performance of what shall be agreed upon I permit you either by leaving strong Towns or other Military forces in the Rebells possession untill Articles be performed to give such assurance for performance of conditions as you shall judge necessary to conclude a firm Peace Provided alwayes that you take as great a care by sufficient security that Conditions be performed to me good reason and to make sure that the peace once settled all things shall return to their ancient Channell Now behold and wonder O all ye Nations of the word and judge I beseech you betwixt this King and his Accusers Could any Christian deny himself more Did ever Prince deny himselfe so much Can the desires of any man be more equal and just then these are Doe you perceive in these his secret instructions that he covets any more power or Prerogative then is allowed or approved by the Ancient and known Lawes of the Land Can any innocent disposition upon the earth possibly give more satisfaction to a perverse froward and guilty Enemy then is here offered to these men by a most Gracious and Honest King onely to procure
in regard of their abuses of him I may say then they can beleeve him to be It was the saying of a good Subject since these wars begun O that the people of England did but know their King they would love him they would beleeve him they would not abuse him But we must not wonder to see a good King in Gods condition We proceed therefore to their next particular where they Charge the King to have settled himself in the seat of the Scornful and we will see their truth in that The Psalmist informes us that those onely that are at ease have leasure to take up a sitting in that place and not those that are in an afflicted condition Did the King live the life of the men of Westminster and had all the wealth and pleasures of this Kingdome at his command and were he withall of their disposition indued with their spirits to act their parts there might be some probability of truth in this particular but it being cleane contrary with them there is no likelyhood at all in it 1. Had He been a Subject and by good fortune chosen Burgesse of some Corporation or Knight of some Shire and sate in the House of Commons amongst them at this present and had concurred first in pretending to settle Religion to make a glorious Church to advance Christ and then afterward in consulting how to take away the Churches maintenance to slight the places of Gods Worship that they might be of no more esteem then common Houses Alehouses Barns and Stables in persecuting banishing and imprisoning the Fathers of the Church and Ministers of Jesus those in special who have been the greatest opposers of Antichristianity and Popery and in giving liberty to all Sects and Religions save only to the true one which commands Humility Loyalty and Obedience had he I say been such a man and thus imployed then he might justly indeed have been said to sit in the Chaire of the scornfull and to have exercised his scoffes and scorns against God himselfe Or 2. had he been one of those that under pretence of advancing the Liberty and Happinesse of the Subject should vote away the Subjects right to his own goods sometimes a twentieth part sometime a fifth part sometime all under a pretence of taking away Monopolies and Illegall payments should bring in such new toles and taxations as the Nation was never acquainted with excize upon bread beere butter cheese flesh and all Commodities that are used for the life of man under pretence of being one of the good Patriots and preservers of their country should raise Wars cause desolations burne houses hire strange Nations with their Countries money to come to kill their Country-men under pretence of keeping tender Consciences from unnecessary matters should force upon them unlawfull Oathes ungodly Covenants even to the taking up of Armes against their Soveraigne to whom they have sworne Allegeance to the damnation of their souls for ever without deep Humiliation and Repentance Had the King I say beene one of these men and done thus He might deservedly have been said to have sate in the Scorners Chaire and to have laughed to scorne a whole Nation Or 3. had He been one of that number who talke of making the King a glorious Monarchie and yet take from Him all His Power Authority not suffer Him to have so much as the choice of His own Servants the Rule of His own Family the disposall of His own Children the society of His own Wife That promise to make Him the richest Prince in Christendome yet rob Him of all His Goods and Revenews and not allow Him so much if they can help it as shall buy Him bread to eat or cloathes to wear that call themselves His most Humble and obedient Subjects yet obey Him in nothing but study to vex and crosse Him in every thing hire fellowes to hunt Him to shoot at Him and if they can to kill Him that avouch great love and affection to Him desires to advance His Honour and yet Authorize Libells and base Bookes to defame slander and reproach Him If the King were one of this Generation and should concurre in such Actions He might be said to sit in the seat of the Scornfull indeed and to bestow His Scornes before all the world upon His Soveraigne Or lastly were He one of them that partly by fraud partly by violence having stripp'd their Soveraigne of all His Weapons Castles Ships and Townes and of the Hearts of many of His People and scarce left Him a place to hide His Head in in three Kingdomes should maintaine a cursed villaine to proclaime up and down the world that He is runne away very Majestically to set up a new Monarchy in the I le of Anglesey this indeed were to sit in and to fill up the Seat of the Scornfull for this is right Hail King of the Jewes which was plaine scorning in the Hall at Jerusalem according to Scripture and so doubtlesse if Scripture might be Judge it is in the Hall at Westminster We doe confesse and beleeve that were the King in this sort qualified conditioned and exercised then that imputation of theirs might be laid upon him But it being with him as it is we see no reason above-board why they should entitle him to the scorners Chaire unlesse his Magnanimity and Christian Courage bearing his burden of affliction be taken to be a contemning and scorning at their malice But yet they have a reason doubtlesse and ends too for this their charging the King though they think it fit for to conceale them I am one appointed of God to detect the devices of Satan and to unkennell the thoughts of the wicked and I dare be bolder with them then they for their own Credit sake dare be with themselves and therefore I shall discover them First their Reason I apprehead is this they know themselves worthy to be both abhorred and scorned of all men and doe beleeve they are so in the Hearts of all the wise for their most abominable and grosse hypocrisie yea they know in their Consciences that God scornes at them they being exercised as those are whom Scripture affirmeth God holdeth in derision and therefore they speake of the Kings scorne at them from the guilt of their own merits and deservings Then their Ends I conceive are these first to make His Majesty appeare abhominable unto the world which is the main scope of all their endeavours for t is said the Scorner is an abhomination unto men And secondly that the blinde and seduced vulgar might not think them to be guilty of that sinne which with so much boldnesse and bitternesse they doe first of all charge upon the King It is the knowne policy of a wicked harlot to call her honest neighbour whore first and of a pick-purse pursued to cry stop the Theef that himself might not be suspected to be the man You take too much
thereof but more of this hereafter 2. Concerning the Bloudy Tigres of Ireland we doe abhorre their Cruelties and beleeve that their damnation sleepeth not but shall in Gods due time over-take and over-whelme them But we must adde farther that the Tigres of England even many of those whom they call the Parliament side have been full as Bloudy nay more Bloudy and base then those of Ireland who have persecuted with fire and sword from among them those only that were of a differing Religion and Nation unto themselves but these here have handled them of their own Country and Religion after the same manner never any Tygres so thirsted after the Bloud of their nearest kindred and best friends as these in England have done nor can any villany be named that was acted by them in that Kingdome which hath not been done and out-done by those in this these also have raised a Rebellion against their Soveraigne and in pursuance thereof have killed slaine and destroyed men women and children in some places where they have come these also have stripped people of both Sexes naked and then shut them up in Churches together or other places and afterward have come and in a barbarous and beastly maner have whipped and scourged them these also have rosted Christians at the fire and burnt them by piece-meales their toes from their feet and their fingers from their hands striking up halfe a dozen Drums in the meane time that the shreeks and cryes of the tormented might not be heard to move pitty in any towards them which was the custome of them in old time that Sacrificed Children unto Moloske was it ever heard that the Tigres of Ireland or the Spaniards in the Indies did ever act any such Cruelties upon them of their owne Faith and Nation Indeed modesty restraines from expressing all their doings and did I delight to make men odious as well as sinne I could name the Persons by whose Command and Authority some of these things have been Acted and the places where they have been done And confident I am if Master Fox were now alive to search into all the places where these Parliament Tigres have come and to write their doings the volume would be three times as big as his former and repleat with as Savage Actions as ever yet were recorded by the Pen of Man Onely this I must say further I have not heard that the Tigres of Ireland have shewn so much immediate spight against God and Christ in demolishing all markes of Christianity in destroying polluting and defiling the Temples of Gods Worship as these of England have done t is true we hear that since they have got our Churches into their possessions they have in their superstitious way consecrated them anew And truely had our Tigres of England been there and used the Churches of that Kingdome as they have done them in this there had been great need of a new Consecration Wherefore concluding this particular I will only speak to these men who have thus mentioned the Tigres of Ireland as our Saviour in the Gospell did to some of like Conditions You Hypocrites can you see Tigrely doings in your Brethren of Ireland And can you not discern these more Tigrely and bloudy Actions which are committed by your selves Amend first for shame your own doings and then you may speak with more credit against the Evills of others 3. Concerning the third sort viz. those some of the Prelaticall and Court Faction in England which these men cry out also upon to be of the Combination we doe confesse there hath been and perhaps still are some about the Court or that have too near a relation to it whom we doe dislike as much and more too then these men doe and we have reason for it they are such as neither serve God nor the King so faithfully as they ought to doe but are either secret pensioners unto his enemies pursuing their ends notwithstanding their pretendings and engagements to His Majesty or else they are slaves to their owne proper lusts making provisions only for their owne Flesh and Belly notwithstanding Gods wrath upon the Kingdome and from these is the speciall cause that the Kings affaires goe on so badly as they doe these be the men who by their Power and Authority have countenanced and advanced the vile even to abuse spoile and dishearten the good lest the Lustre of inferiours merits should discover the worthlesnesse of those that are in place above them and give too happy a progresse to His Majesties businesse Of which sort are they who when by their Treacheries Indiscretions Negligences or ill Governed behaviours Townes and Countrys are lost good undertakings nulled or made frustrate can very unreverendly and undutifully lay the fault upon the Kings ill fortune yea and tax His Majesty of this or that so making his Candour the Napkin as it were to wipe the filth from their own Noses These men we would that all the world should know we do dislike and perfectly abhorre for such their workes sake even as we doe the Irish Tigres or the Men of Westminster themselves But we do beleeve and know that besides these the King hath a Company belonging to him both of the Nobility of the Gentry and of the Clergy our subtile Brethren may call them a faction if they will or even what else they please that are both truly Religious and truly Loyall that have sacrificed their fortunes and are every one ready to sacrifice their lives too in defence of their holy Protestant Religion and of their King and Country that do truly mourn for the miseries of this Church and State yea many of them stand like Mary and John as being able perhaps to do little else looking with watery eyes upon their innocent and righteous Soveraigne whom they behold in their Saviours Condition Crucified between Theeves on both sides And of this flock we do professe our selves to be and to it we resolve by Gods Grace to adhere for ever although we should see every of them to be in the Kings very case and Condition wronged every way and abused by both their parties even as he no we will not leave to be on their side in this cause though we beleeve them to be the men whom together with the King the Heads of the Association made at London have vowed to destroy We know that the Lord whom we serve is able to deliver us from their cruell hands but if not let all the People know that we will never fall down before that many-Headed Idoll which they have set up or rather which hath advanced it selfe to be adored by the People And this is our Answer to these subtile men who by a tale of strange Combination did think as it seemes to perswade us to forsake the King and to adhere to his Enemies But they tell the Reader further Thou say they wilt be abundantly satisfied with these Letters here Printed and take
of the Kingdome more frequently taught or better fed did they ever in any Nation under the Sun injoy more Peace and Happiness then they did all the time of His Reigne untill this unhappy Parliament turned all things up-side down and so made us of all Christians in the world well-nigh the most miserable and disconsolate Certainly though the Parliament Ministers are pleased to cry out in their Rethorick O the Affliction the Misery the Wormwood and the Gall of those times Yet Posterity in after Ages will acknowledge that the Nobility Gentry Clergy Citizens and Common-people of this Nation in the General did all arrive at the height of earthly happiness in King Charles his time whilest he alone did sway the English Scepter It is true there were Particular grievances from particular men both in Church and Common-wealth and can it be expected otherwise while we live in this world and some good men haply did suffer some hard usage at the hands of evill but did the King ever stop His eares at any Petition Did He ever deny Justice to any that did require it Or did He ever harden His Heart from shewing mercy where ere it was needful There was perhaps much whispering abroad and murmuring in Corners but was there alwayes a cause Mans Nature is apt some time to complaine for nothing even when there is more reason to be thankfull I will name the main particulars of offence and let the world judge what matter of blame did truly arise from them unto the King 1. The Bishops were cryed out upon to be too Rigorous but hath not the carriages of that faction which the Bishops did oppose since they have gotten Head largely acquitted them of that imputation in the judgement of all wise men surely they forefaw the mischief which we all now feel and did labour as became them in their places to prevent the same Perhaps every of them did not go the best way to work nor did use such apt Instruments as the case and time required I justifie no man in all particulars and perhaps too some of us who are now imprisoned banished and divested of all we have by this Reforming Parliament did in those dayes suffer more molestation from some of their unworthy Officers then many of those did who since that time have been most revengefull Three factious fellows had their ears clipt by the sentence of the Lords in the Star-Chamber and were set in the Pillory and this was exclaimed upon for great cruelty in the Bishops because they having been abused by them did not beg their pardon but how truly their necks also deserved the Hâ—lter hath well appeared by the late temper of their spirits and the little good use they have made of that their too small and gentle chastisement 2. The Star-Chamber and high Commission were two great Eye-sores for many great and heavy fines were layd on men for their sins sake in those Courts by the Kings Nobles and Judges some of whom are now great men with His greatest Enemies But how many of those fines did His Majesty in His tendernesse and goodnesse afterwards remit or cause to be mitigated and since the people would so have it He hath now given way even before the Act of continuing the Parliament that those Courts should be suppressed and so be no more offensive 3. Many people of the Kingdome voluntarily departed hence to New-England and this was pretended persecution from some who differed in opinion from them whom they called their Antichristian Enemies but now t is plainly apparent by that spirit which stayed behind in some of their fellowes that the true cause of their departure was only pride In themselves Cesar-like they could allow of no superiour either in Church or State no Bishop no King perhaps some of them might have tender Consciences through weaknesse or mis-information and some of the plainer sort might be honest men and went for company with the rest they knew not whither in the simplicity of their Spirits But t is well known they had all the countenance of the King and Councell to further them in the voyage and Plantation they carryed their Wealth and Goods with them and had supply of relief sent them continually from this Kingdome afterward untill this Warre caused the returne of many of them to help forward the destruction of their native soile and Country Indeed some are of opinion that they went to New-England only to learn and inure themselves to shed mans bloud we hear of few of the Heathens converted by them but of many masacred and by accustoming themselves to slaughter Infidells they have learned without scruple to murder Christians are better proficients then the Spaniards themselves in destroying those of their own Nation and Religion But as was said when they went first from hence they were suffered to carry their wealth with them they were not used as they and their faction use us who now suffer at their hands for our Conscience and the Gospell sake They take away all our goods make us beggars and then afterward if they do not murder us or starve us in prison they banish us into strange and desolate places with scarce cloaths on our backs to seek our fortunes 4. Great Complaints also there was of monopolies people payed an halfpenny more for a thousand of Pins then they were wont to doe and almost half a farding more for a pound of Sope and Starch then in former times when money was not so plentifull and such like heavy grievances did mightily oppresse them and made them weary of the Kings Government because He did permit of such things And yet the Excize upon bread and beer and flesh and cloathes and such like things as are sold in the market for mans use or spent in families was not then set up the Monopolizers durst not be so detrimental to the poor Subjects of this Kingdom while the King had the sole power in His Hands But since they got to be Members and Favourites of the Parliament they with their fellowes have Epimetheus-like opened this Pandorâ—'s Box and let loose amongst us all those Dutch miseries and they say the people are content to have it so though perhaps when they have been pilled or milked a few yeares longger by these new-State men it will be confessed that the Old Government viz. that of the King was far the better and the more easie 5. But the greatest complaint of all was Ship-money Ship-mony O that was a grievous burden indeed not to be stood under for a twentieth Part a fift Part weekly Contributions billetting of Souldiers seizing on Rents plundring of houses cutting of throats ravishing of women deflowring of Virgins and such like matters were not yet in fashion nor yet felt or known by the people of the Kingdome and therefore Ship-mony that was the great grievance But was not Ship-mony disputed and judged Legall before His Majesty did require it And when
he had received it did He spend it in Luxury upon Himself or unprofitably to the damage of His Subjects Was it not imployed for the dignity and preservation of the Nation Were not the Ships built therewith the strength of the Kingdome Were we not by meanes of them become formidable to all about us Surely from hence it was that our Merchants sailed with more freedom at Sea and their Factors did negociate with more success and regard abroad hence it was that the inhabitants by the Sea Coasts slept more securely in their beds the worshipers of Mahomet durst not revell so neere them nor venture to steal their Children from them as alas of late dayes they have done In a word by the meanes of those ships had they still continued under the Kings Command all our poor Christian Brethren had been pulled ere this out of Bondage and Slavery from Turkish Dens through Gods assistance as diverse of them before had been yea and as was noted before all the people of this Kingdome had been interested in that so Pious and Christian a work by such their Contributions of Ship-money yet this was it they called their great grievance And thus I have shewn in brief the main things for which the King was clamoured against at large Now let all the world speak whether the Church and State were unhappy under his Government whether in the whole course of his Reigne he hath not approved himself a Defender of the true Faith a tender Father of his Country and sincerely affected to his Protestant Subjects And whether these men be not highly ingratefull both to God and him for their suggesting the Contrary But say they in these Letters are things unbeseeming a Prince who professeth himselfe to be such a Defender such a Father and so affected and a perfect Malignant they pronounce him to be that denieth this or cannot see it SECT XII 1. The Adversaries industry to find somewhat unbeseeming the King in his Letters 2. Certaine Christian Considerations propounded to the Readers evidencing them to be free from any such matter 3. Of the Adversaries pertinacy in their Rebellious way their endeavours that their Kings promises might neither be beleeved nor performed TO which we Answer and say That were the King but an ordinary man and did we observe such things in his Letters as they pretend yet remembring the benefits enjoyed by him the personall vertues shining in him throughout the time of his prosperity we should think it disagreeing both from Christianity and Humanity to publish such our observations against him in his adversity But considering him withall to beâ—our King our Soveraigne we are confident if we did see any thing unbeseeming that we are not bound to say we saw it or to tell others of it nor doe we indeed hold it lawfull but rather to hide it or to make the best of it Apelles was not bound openly to paint Alexanders skar it was allowable for him to lay his finger on it nor was that other Painter obliged plainly to paint Alphonsus wry necked it was lawfull for him to make it so as if he were looking up to Heaven for Alexander and Alphonsus were both Kings and so is Charles and by Gods grace shall still continue so to be in despight of all opposers But in our view of these his Letters we finde that which we conceived might have made their hopes desperate of doing his Majesty hurt by their publication of them and surely we think had not their confidence been great in that strong infection which they suppose their own Notes upon them doe carry with them the world had never seen them for whereas heretofore their endeavours were to darken and disparage the intellectuall vertues of their Soveraigne and peradventure his Majesties easiness at first in beleeving them to be Honest men upon their Religious Pretences and Protestations gave too great a furtherance to that designe David upon like grounds was so deceived in Achitophel But now these his Letters have quite dampt that business for they discover in him such Strength of judgement such Abilities of minde and Dexterity of parts that we are confident in this their divulging of them an everlasting check is given to that malignant Accusation And now his Morall Vertues onely are the Objects of their spleene which by their tongues and pens they hope to blemish and defile and from these his Letters they hope somewhat may be made use of to their assistance But what that Somewhat is will be seen hereafter In the mean time I shall be bold to propose a word of advice to the Readers of these Letters to be observed by them in their perusall of them For as my Duty doth constraine me to defend my Soveraigne so my Conscience and Charity doth perswade me to advise my Brethren for their good though I know the Enemies think to scare me and all men else with the name of Malignants for performing either these men in their impudent Notes have one speciall passage amongst others to this purpose Page 46. Their words are these The King wil declare nothing in favour of his Parliament so long as he can find a party to maintain him in his opposition nor perform any thing which he hath declared so long as he can find a sufficient party to excuse him for it We guess to what purpose this is spoken viz. To intimate that all such who out of conscience or duty shal indevour to vindicate the King from their unjust Caluminations and to preserve people from their snares shal be accounted Maintainers of opposition and excusers of sin and as such persons they intend either secretly or publickly to murder and massacre them But we hope through Gods good grace that neither their tongues nor their swords shal ever terrifie us from discharging our Consciences and we are confident that our God whom we serve who is the God of Peace and Truth wil witness for us that we neither delight in maintaining strife nor yet in excusing sin And for this advise which shal be propounded let the Readers examine it by the Gospel and if it be not agreeable unto that let no man follow it or regard it It is this If they meet in these Letters with any thing which in their apprehensions seems to speak a failing on his Majesties part in performing what he had formerly promised which indeed is one main thing that these King-accusers labour to fasten upon the Readers faith before they imitate these his Enemies and passe a sentence peremptory and condemnatory against their Soveraigne let them but consider of these three particulars 1. Whether the King was Able to keep his word in those things wherin he is apprehended to have failed whether the cause of that failing was not rather Lack of power then want of wil and whether his disâ—oyal Subjects who are most apt to accuse him were not they that robbed him of his power and on set
purpose do stil detain it from him Our observation of them hath been this They wanting matter to make their King odious to the world as they desire he should be did labour all they could to disable him from doing as he had said and purposed that so they might upon his failing have some pretence to tel the people he was perfidious and a Promise-breaker 2. Whether the Kings promises when first made were not intended performable only upon the Condition of their Faith and Obedience who now tax him and whether they have performed their duties in those particulars we conceive that as Gods promises so the Kings are made upon such supposals If ye be willing and obedient saies God ye shal eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shal be devoured by the sword and again The Lord wil be with you while you be with him but if ye forsake him and walk contrary unto him He wil forsake you and walk contrary unto you If the Kings promises should be more absolute then Gods they might be sinful and so a sin to keep them though he had power beside faith and obedience doth not only make people capable of the thing promised but doth also inable the party promising to make his intended goodness manifest It is said that Christ could do no mighty works in a certain place because of the peoples unbelief Did mens unbelief weaken Christs hands and can it strengthen those of the King I conceive no man can justly tax the King of any breaches in this kind unless they can shew that his promises were absolute and notwithstanding their continuation in Rebellion and opposition against him or at least can name some one particular of them for which they took his word and waited on him in the way of obedience which he did not perform to the uttermost of his power 3. Whether those men who take such pains to have the King accounted it in the world a Promise-breaker be themselves free from the same crime whether they have been precise and punctual in keeping all their Oaths Promises and Protestations made unto the King If not it may be suspected that their Policy is greater then their Honesty and that they hope to cloud their own fault by means of this dust which they raise against the King as conceiving that men wil not be so uncivil as to think them guilty of that which with so much mouth and fieriness of Spirit they censure in the King And yet verily many are of opinion that it cannot be shewn from any story that there was ever a like pack of perfidious wretches under the cope of Heaven professing the Christian Protestant Religion that have broken more Oaths of Allegeance Bonds of obedience and Protestations of Loyalty then these have done Again I do further advise the Readers that if from any passages in these Letters they shal conceive they see in the King some failing concerning his trust and dependance on God that he doth not so totally cast himself upon his strength and providence as in their thoughts it be seemeth the Anointed of the Lord and as at the beginning of his troubles he resolved to do but seems to look out for other helps as of Forreiners and people of another Religion which in their apprehensions is not so proper for him a Protestant Prince to make use of Yet before they passe a rigorous censure against him after the manner of these men Let them also consider of these three particulars 1. That the King is in the state of Mortality and so hath frailties in him as wel as others Nor was it ever known that Faith was at all times alike strong and lively in the best believers somtime they have relied wholy upon God but somtimes again they have been ful of doubtings specially when afflictions have bin hard upon them and God seemed to stand afar off David at some time thought that God had quite cast him off and forgotten him though somtime again he could say that God was his salvation and when Peter that great Apostle felt himself sinking his Faith failed him Now considering how tedious bitter and heavy the Kings afflictions have bin we who are more frail should rather magnifie and admire the strength of Gods grace in him that hath supported him so far and so long then condemn him for his weakness the best of us perhaps had despaired and bin distracted or dead long ere this under the like continuance of a far lesse burden 2. That necessity is a Tyrant and forceth men beyond their wils and purposed inclinations and therfore Seneca wel Magnum imbecillitatis nostrae patrocinium necessitas quae omnem legem frangit it breaks all laws and resolutions and thrusts a man with a kind of Authority into by-paths it did David when notwithstanding Gods particular promise to settle him in the Throne of the Kingdom and after a large and frequent experience of Gods delivering him from Sauls rage he said I shal one day perish by the hand of Saul and thereupon used that which is now counted an indirect mean for his preservation the help of Forreiners and men of another Religion He sought protection from Achish king of Gath and indeed behaved himself in his court being there also put to his shifts somwhat unseemly And so Abraham notwithstanding God had promised him his special guard wherupon he had the more reason to be confident and to depend upon him yet being in a strait to save his life used an undirect mean two several times and hazarded the loss of his Wives Honour Our King hath had no such personal and special promises of Gods preservation as those holy men had therfore if he had bin so weak in faith as some wil happily apprehend him yet had he shewn himself therein but the son of David the son of Abraham It would doubtless better become the best of us to pray with the Psalmist Let not the rod of the wicked lie alway upon the back of the Righteous lest the righteous put forth his hand unto wickedness then to condemn or censure a righteous Prince for his putting forth his hand for forrein help in a cause of this nature when he is in danger to be deprived both of life and Kingdom but more of this hereafter 3. Let it be remembred how highly guilty of hiring and impolying forrein aid these his Accusers with their faction are who oppose his Majesty notwithstanding that great strength of ships arms wealth and men which are at home under their Command they have the aid of all men whomsoever they can get or hire to help them in spoyling the King they called in the Scottish Nation to this purpose and it is wel known by divers where neer thirty of their men being at once taken together Prisoners were found upon examination to be of six several Nations and all Papists wherfore then may
not the King fight with his Enemies at their own weapons and oppose strangers to strangers Papists to Papists Is it so great a sin in him to use such men and are they no whit to be blamed for the same thing may not he with as much dependance upon God do in his necessity what they do in the midst of plenty may they imploy forrein aid to thrust him out of his inheritance and may not he with as good leave make use of the like to keep the possession of what God hath given him surely upon this consideration if the King for his part be worthy of censure they also deserve a portion of the same Condemnation no honest man but is of this judgment This is that advice which I propound to the indifferent Readers and which I conceive to be most agreeable to Christs Gospel if they now please to follow it they may through Gods blessing not only be kept out of a sinful path but also have better satisfaction in the matter discoursed upon then they are likely to receive from these Annotators whom I write against for these High-boys say plainly that all such who are not of their opinion are perfect Malignants and not worthy of any reply or satisfaction at all in this point viz. at their hands And they further proceed saying Our Cause is stil the same as it was when the King first took Arms and as it was when the King made most of these Oaths and Professions Our three Propositions concerning the Abolition of Episcopacy the Setling the Militia of the three Kingdoms in good hands by the advise of Parliament the Vindication of the Irish Rebels being all our main demands at the Treaty in February last and no other then the Propositions sent in June 1642. before any stroak struck wil bear us witness that we rather have straitned then enlarged our Complaints But were our case altered as it is not or were we worse Rebels then formerly c. These words are added to evidence their former And the Argument in them stands thus If our Cause be stil the same as at the Beginning and our selves as bad Rebels as we were at first then the King is such a one as we do repute him or would have him believed to be and those that think better of him are perfect Malignants and as unworthy of future satisfaction as we judge them But our Cause is stil the same as it was at the first and we are as bad Rebels as at the beginning Ergo. The Minor in this syllogisme we shal easily grant But did we not understand how unworthy we are in their account of any reply we should be bold to deny the Major For we conceive not how either the unalterableness of their Cause or their persistency in maintaining it can prove the King who opposeth both it and them to be as they report him Indeed if their reports of him were of a clean contrary nature to what they are the Argument might wel stand for the longer he perseveres to resist Rebellion and rebellious men the more fully doth he approve himself according to his Title and Profession The Defender of the true Faith and a tender Father of his Country for the continuance of their cause and of them in their way speaks a continuance if not an increase of their strength and this must needs infer a decrease of the Kings Power because what they have is taken from him and the Kings weakness affords an opportunity of shewing his own true worth He being debarred of outward assistance and supportments is separated from that which makes disfigured Monsters look handsomly Patience is a more substantial virtue then temperance and he that endures famishing without alteration hath more virtue then he that comes from a feast without a surfeit But I wil not spend words to them that list not to reply wherfore desiring all men to observe the simpleness and insufficiency of their Argument for the proof of what they would have it I shal shew the reason why their Cause is stil the same as at the beginning when the King first took up Arms in his own defence It is in a word because themselves are stil the same Traitâ—rs Heady High-minded lovers of themselves of their own lusts and wils more then of God their King and Country nor indeed can men ever love where they have cause to fear they must stil mistrust without all hope of reconciling whom they have injured beyond all remedy of amends Injuriam qui tulit oblivisci potest qui fecit nunquam though the King in his goodness may forgive yet they in their guiltiness cannot believe and therfore they are stil the same men and their Cause is stil the same Besides they have entangâ—ed themselves in such a labyrinth of mischiefs as in their own apprehensions they have no place left of acknowledging their error without a total ruine both of their Estates and Persons therfore also having learned the wisdome of Spes quisque sibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are stil the same men and their cause is stil the same And moreover too should they deny themselves in the least particular or retract an hairs breadth from their first position what a Jealousie might it breed in peoples heads of their infallibility how easily might those whom they have led all this while on the blind side suspect them also erronious in other matters and so might they come to be despised in those minds wherin hitherto they have been enshrined with all devotions Peoples love is commonly according to their hope it grows and fades with it therfore should their hopes in these new State-men begin to fail their love towards them might fail too yea and perhaps be turned into hatred of them and so people returning to their former Loyalty might force those grand Imposters that have seduced them to yeild up the Militia to its right owner and betake themselves to the due order of their predecessours in former Parliaments which to do as yet they have no intention and therfore are stil the same men and their Cause is stil the same as at the first when they forced their Soveraign in his own defence to make use of those few Arms his friends brought him even to maintaine that breath which God had given him At which time to disswade if possible from this un natural War which he saw they did intend and foresaw would be destructive to his poor Subjects the King endevoured to heal their ulcered minds with all Princely favours and true shews of trust to which purpose he made many of those promises which they reckon up in a reproachful way as not performed by him at the end of their notes and wanting other means to manifest further the reality of his heart in those his professions they having robbed him of all his power he did for their very sakes that they might have the more assured confidence confirm his
second had neglected to observe his Fathers Testament and therefore as one under Gods curse ought meritoriously to be dealt withall as Edward the second was first deposed and then put to death and so would they make use of that Act of his in fortifying themselves another way to do him a further mischief but God we trust will prevent them and guide him And thus we have seen the true reasons of their first Proposition concerning Abolition of Episcopacy And we hope if His Majesty be forced as Henry the third was to subscribe to any thing against his will he will do as some of the Martyrs have don in a like straite first of all require of them that urge these unreasonable propositions upon him before he signes them to imprecate publikely and in a solemn manner upon themselves and posterities all the demerit of guilt and sin which shall be incurred at Gods Hand by such a subscription If their Consciences think there be no sinne in the matter they will easily doe it but if they refuse it will manifestly appear to the whole world that they are most devillishly minded thus to presse the King to things unlawfull In the next place they require the settling of the Militia of the three Kingdomes in good hands by advise of Parliament SECT XIIII 1. Their unreasonablenesse in desiring the Militia to be in their sole disposall Four weak and dangerous pretences for it 2. Four true Grounds of this their demand 3. How sinfull and dangerous a thing it would be to the Church People and Kingdome if the King should grant it IT is to be noted the Militia not of one but of three Kingdomes they must have all or none as Moses would not leave an Hâ—ofe behinde with King Pharoah so these will not leave a weapon with the King They will have the whole Militia of the 3. whole Kingdomes settled say they in good hands But what Hands are those If gentle peaceable and Religious hands are such then was the Militia of the Kingdome in good hands before untill by the fraud and violence of these demanders it was wrested thence But if by good Hands they mean such as have now griped the same into their possession God forbid that the King should ever willingly yeild it should be setled there or that the people of the Kingdome should ever consent thereto for so they might pull the guilt of that Innocent bloud which hath already and is still likely to be shed by it while so setled upon their owne heads It was alwayes till now without scruple beleeved for an undoubted truth that those hands were the best which Gods Word and the Law of the Land so judged and committed the Militia into and those were only the Kings no law Common or Statute can be shewed whereby it was ever setled elsewhere And in Gods Word Kings though Heathens are intituled Gods sword-bearers in respect of their office to execute punishment upon evil doers In the story of Israels Government we read of King Sauls selected band which himselfe alone made choice of and of Davids Worthies and of his appointing Captaines over hundreds and over thousands the Militia it seemes was in his sole hands then Himselfe made Joab the Generall of his Hoste and displaced him again at his own pleasure Indeed we know that the forme of Government in the Jewish Common-wealth is much slighted and scorned at by our new State-mongers as weak unperfect and unfit for this Nation the Government of Heathen Rome is in their Judgements the most absolute and this is that say they which they aspire after But we are of opinion that God Almighties wisdome is better then theirs is or then that of the Heathens was and we believe that those State-Governments are the only best and most fit for Christians that come neerest unto that which God himself contrived and prescribed unto his own people and we well remember when ours here held a neer conformity unto that we best flourished Nor can we conceive why the same we had should be more unsuteable to the Nation now all upon the suddain then heretofore but only because these Innovators have at the present unfitted people for Gods Yoak by making them Rebellious And for this reason it seemes we must now forsake the direction of Gods Word and of Law established to listen after a certain new advise from these few men who call themselves the Parliament who as if all wisdom were lodged in them must take upon them to Nominate some New good hands to settle the Militia of the Kingdoms in for after-times But we are confident before-hand they wil like him that chose himself Pope determine only for themselves and judge their own hands the best of all others though alas the whole Kingdom hath felt the Contrary by smarting experience But may it not be imagined that men so excessively wise are ful of reason what therfore may the grounds be of this unreasonable demand the like to which I never met with in any story and doubtless should it be granted the King as himself says wel should remain But the outside but the picture but the sign of a King For in the Militia of the Kingdom consists the Kings power his Authority and to yeild to the setling of this in any hands but his own were to yeild up his Crown it self his very Kingdom Now therfore by what right or reason they should claim the Kings Crown I cannot imagine unless perhaps they have bargained for that right which the Pope had therunto by King Johns resignation The story saies that the King received it back of the Pope to hold from thenceforth in fee farm of Him and his Successours for the yearly rent of a 1000 Marks Now perhaps upon the Kings non-payment of the said rent they have gotten the Popes right conveyed to them and do bottom this their demand upon it and that strict intelligence which Lenthall the Speaker brags that himself keeps with the Cardinall Mazarine may peradventure be about the setling of the said conveyance but this is a secret which the people must not know of or wil not believe nor wil I press it upon them and therfore they have other pretences and say they demand it 1. Because those good Hands which the Parliament wil make choice of to settle the Militia in are sure hands that is hands that may be trusted which wil never part again with what they have once griped or laid hold upon never a pack of Knaves in the world shal be able to cheat them of their Magazines their Ships their Towns and Castles if once the whole power of the Kingdom be at their disposing they wil not take mens words nor believe their Oaths nor credit their Honesties as the King hath done nor wil they be so scrupulous as he hath bin of giving occasions of suspicion to his inferior Subjects Besides themselves being as themselves say Gods Children have
that truth and Loyalty which themselves also once professed and we stil maintain truly we have had such an ample experience already of their goodness in our preservation that we publickly profess to all the world we daily find in England what our poor captive Brethren do feel at Argier that there is no such cruel Turk as the Renegado Christian. When the sole power of the Sword or Militia was in the Kings Hand the poor Country-men as wel as the rich and Noble lived in peace slept securely under his own roof and without any fear did eat his bread with gladness he could say that what he had bought and payed for was his own and if any did injure or oppress him the Law was open to do him right But since these new Preservatours as they call themselves are risen up those Golden days are vanished and Iron times are come upon us Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth a far off Truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter Yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Esay 59. 14. 15. Our Nobles and Gentry are debased our Rich-men are beggered and many thousands of all sorts are killed or starved the whole Commonalty of the Kingdom in the General are in the same Condition with the Asses of France thought fit for nothing but blows and burdens no man can now command the use of his proper goods or the service of his own Children we hear daily of rapes and robberies burning of houses depopulation of Towns violence and oppression reigns in all places and confusion is poured out in ful measure among us insomuch that our wel-ordered Common-wealth that was is translated into a very Conjuration of Tyrannies by the means of these men whose aims and endevours are only to keep us in perpetual slavery Militari Jure by the Militia which yet forsooth they desire may be setled in their good hands for the peoples security and preservation 'T is true the people at first chose them and now they feel them and have cause to know them and to confess of them that they are very Scorpions to them and that their little finger is ten times heavier then the Kings Loynes The people chose them to be Arbytratours on their side against their King to comprimize as it were on their behalf some matter between the King and them for under that notion do the people commonly chuse their Parliament men and such shal only be carried on their shoulders whom they apprehend wil be most stiffe against their Soveraign as if he were the only great Enemy to their welfare and prosperity But by this time the greatest part of them we believe are otherwise instructed and as some of them have confessed their apprehensions of the King and Parliament as they stand now in the tearms contradistinct and opposite is like that which the Heathens have of God and the Devil as those adore the Devil with gifts and sacrifices for fear of mischief from him so do these the Parliament but God say the Heathens is good and wil do us no harm so say these is the King and therfore they neglect to do him service And doubtless might people have but liberty now to speak their minds freely they would utterly renounce the preservation of those their Arbitratours and desire again the Kings protection after the manner of former times And wheras these new Governours desire to have the Militia of three Kingdoms setled in their own hands for our greater security we must needs apprehend from the proof they have given us of what they promised us that this their pretence is but one of those bitter flouts which in scorn at our simplicities for thinking them to be honest men they cast upon us Sed Deus vindex God shal one day sit in judgment on them 4. They have said It would be to the Kings great glory to let them have the whole and perpetual managing of the Militia for then they should be fully able to make him the most glorious Prince in Christendome which thing they have a long time promised purposed and endevoured and all this fighting must be belâ—eved to be to that very end for had the King but tamely at first delivered up into their hands what God committed into his trusted them for ever with that Power and Authority wherwith God hath trusted him Had he but for their sakes denied God to be the only Ruler of Princes and acknowledged them his Governours and Guardians Had he but resigned unto them what King John his Predecessour once did unto the Pope they would have made the Pope their President in this as wel as they do in many other things and have returned it back again to him as he did to King John and so the King holding his Kingdom from thenceforth immediately of them they would have done more for him I that they would then ever his old Land-lord God Almighty either did or meant to do For wheras God made him King but only of England Scotland and Ireland they would have given him moreover all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them so that had not the King stood in his own light they had Conquered for him long ere this the Kingdoms of France and Spain and the Empire of Germany yea and the last year they had pulled out old Antichrist by the ears and burnt the whore Babylon with fire together with all of her Trinkets and at this very instant they had bin stepping over unto Constantinople for to ding down the great Turk and in the next half year the Mogull of Persia had bin taught to submit himself and then also the King of China had bin summoned to an account for his usurping the Title of Filius Coeli which is proper to no man living but only to those of their faction and by that time the Grand Chams of Tartary would have learned so much wit as to forbear calling themselves Domini Dominantium and to leave that stile wholly unto these superlative Abamocchoes And now who wil not say it had bin a Glorious thing to the King for the world to take notice that so great a brood of such mighty Alexanders should like that Cadmeyan Progeny start up on the sodain at one time in his Kingdom But it seems the King wanted faith and thought such great Acts might be sooner purposed then performed or else was jealous of these his Worthies that in their subduing of these Kingdoms they would not have dealt with him as Joab did with David at the taking of Rabbah and yeilded to him the glory of the Conquest Now whether the King were too blame or no in so thinking let wise men judge But let me reason a little with these men about this their reason Suppose the King should settle as they would have him the Militia of the Kingdom in their hands and then they should chance to Vote Bonum est
nobis esse hic 't is better to stay at home and play 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then to adventure abroad How would the King then appear so abundantly glorious Do they imagine it could be any thing to his glory to have it reported in the Courts of forrein Princes that the Monarch of Great Brittain after twenty years managing his inheritance left him by his predecessours and weilding the Scepter of three Kingdoms to the great prosperity and wealth of his Subjects hath submitted himself to Pupillage under the Command of a few ordinary Gentlemen his own vassals at their requests who think themselves wise enough and therfore take upon them as his Tutors and Guardians to Govern not only himself and his Kingdom but also his very Family and Houshold they appoint him what Servants shal wait upon him and have power to dispose of his Children in marriage without his consent or if they please against his wil. Can any man think that such a report would speak the King in a Glorious Condition Would not Strangers reply and say Is this the Honour of the English King and his great Priviledge above other Princes He may enjoy it sure without Emulation no man wil ever envy him this glory But is this indeed the English mens kindness to their Common Father their gratitude for all their happiness and peace under him Is this the upshot of all their great promises to him Is this that Royal Prerogative that happy freedom which those who stand so much upon their own liberty can in their good nature find in heart to afford unto their Soveraign Would not the meanest of them all disdain to be in that Condition What Neither have Command over his Subjects nor yet over his houshold servants Neither have power to chuse a Wife for his Son nor to bestow his Daughter in marriage Must the Right Worshipful his Tutors and Guardians have the sole disposing of his Children No doubt but they wil have a care to match them into such Haggard stocks that the English Nation shal never more be blessed with any Right-bred Eagles Thus would Forreiners descant upon our Kings Condition should he yeild to the desires of these men and this they would have us believe would be to his great glory Yea and furthermore they have bin teaching the People ever since the Parliament began that the Kings office properly is but only to put in Execution what the Parliament shal Decree to see offenders punished according to the minde and pleasure of his great Councell From whence we learne that there is a preferment waiting for him if he have but a care to please his little Great Masters well and be dilligent to come when they call to go and do as they bid in lieu of his settling the Militia of the three Kingdomes in their hands they will bestow upon him the grand Executionership of the Kingdome which He and His after him shall hold of them and their successours quà m diù se benè gesserint which may be an Office not onely of profit in such Tyrannicall times as we are like to have under their Government but also of pleasure if the King will but put off his mercifull disposition and learne of them to delight in slaughter and shedding of bloud And thus we see what great Dignity and Glory upon his resignation of the Militia is like to be conferred upon Englands King But what man now not void of Reason considering withall the tearmes these Demanders stand in at the present with the King will not conclude this their pretence of making the King Glorious to be onely one of their Flouts which in their pride and bitterness they are pleased to put upon their Soveraigne even for his easiness and goodness in giving credit at first so far to their Oathes and Honesties as to suffer them already to over-reach him truly as a plain scorn we apprehend it for let them Answer us a question or too Would dutifull and loyall Subjects as they call themselves desire any thing in earnest of their Prince and not first lay down their Harness Do not these their weapons speak that by violence or dread they intend to obtain their purpose Have not these very men seized already by fraud and force upon that very thing without the Kings leave which they require of him to grant them Do they not by calling themselves the Militia declare Evidently that they account themselves the everlasting Masters of it Do they intend if the King shall think meet to deny their request to yeeld up presently that possession which they have already of the same We suppose not for they claime in their Tenents all earthly power and Authority to be theirs by right as they are Gods Children They are so bold as to say Gods Providence hath cast into their hands that strength of the Militia which by unjust meanes they have seized upon and they have entred into an Oath and Covenant in effect to keep the same in despight of the King and with it to suppress and destroy all them that shall ayde and assist the King to recover His own again And what is all this but as Micha speakes to oppresse a man and his House Yea a King and his Heritage and to resolve to continue in so doing even because they have gotten a power into their Hands But tell us O you pretenders to Piety where in the meane time is that Subjection to the King for Conscience sake which S. Paul calls for and that obedience for the Lords sake which Saint Peter requireth will you all hold as some of your fellow-members have maintained that these Precepts were onely in date in the Primitive times when the People of God lived under Heathen Persecutors and are of no concernment in these dayes now Gods people have got strength Or do you think the bare calling your selves His Majesties most Dutifull and Loyall Subjects a sufficient observance of those injunctions We beleeve neither of these excuses will satisfie Christ Jesus at the reckoning day But in the interim doth not your desiring the King that the Militia may be setled in your hands plainly infer that in your own Consciences you have done him wrong in seizing already upon it without his leave Surely if the right of settling it be now in him the right of seizing upon it before was not in you but you did a manifest injury to His Majesty in meddling with it against his will and a far greater yet you intend to do him by your resolving still to keep it by force if you may not have it confirmed by his Approbation unlesse you will yeeld that this your demand proceeds from the scorners Chaire you must of necessity grant us thus much But in very deed these men have other reasons for this their unreasonable request though they are ashamed to name them I shall do it for them for mine aymes are like those of Christ my Master in his preaching
to discover Hypocrites that men might beware of them They are these 1. If the King can be gotten to settle the Militia in their hands all the Injustice and unlawfulnesse of the war on their side will be thereby cancelled and whatsoever they have done against him and his subjects will be Authorized as found and good their crafty seizing upon it at first and their violent use thereof since to the destruction of so many will go for worthy deeds and the King will be judged to have been much to blame in making any opposition against them and for his calling them Rebells His own Act will be the eating of those his own words and speake them to have been His most humble dutifull and obedient subjects all the while they fought against him yea and all they did in that kinde to have been done out of pure love to His Good and Glory and for the benefit of Church and Common-wealth And then too if withall the King shall but confer some new Titles of Honour upon their Chieftaines as when time was he did upon Lesley for this they expect and intend to demand too then they shall appeare White all over and who will dare to say to the contrary and full as good subjects almost as their Brethren the Scots That is one Reason 2. If they can get the King to settle in their Hands that depositum of Power and Authority which God hath intrusted in His they shall bring him as they desire into their own condition and make him such a one to God as themselves have been and are to him whereby Gods displeasure may be so far kindled against him that he may permit them having all the power in their hands to bring their endeavours fully to passe in destroying Him and His posterity and then the world shall be taught to beleeve that Heaven hath punished him for such His sin and confirmed with its blessing all their sayings and doings against him that God was of their minde all the while as now by the success is most apparent Honesta quaedam scelera successus facit saies Seneca the highest Villanies if succesfull shall be accounted vertues and these men care not to obtain truths but opinions warrant 3. They desire the Militia may be settled in their hands quia omnis in ferro salus est their whole safety consists therein it is the Nurse of their wealth and the sole Anchor of their security for O si pateant pectora virûm quantos intus sublimis agit fortuna metus what great feares have these mens High fortunes created in their Bosomes could we but view their insides They dare neither trust the King nor yet the Countrey that trusted them for should the strength be in any hands but their own they might be called to an account for all their doings the Law might be in force again and Justice suffered to shew her face Treason should sit no longer in the seat of Religion Truth might appear above-board and Peace be restored unto the Nation and Order might come again into fashion Yea had the King His power again He might call a Parliament a true Parliament a free Parliament which is a thing that they quake to think on for then like a Company of poore Hope-losts they should stand below and look up to that place of Honour where erst they sat and have so much abused and who in their condition can indure this Nemo Hercule nemo No mervail therefore if they desire to hold fast the Militia in their own hands 4. Should they part with it they should not onely degrade themselves of their present Honour and disarme themselves of safety but of their wealth and riches too for all is now at their Command the Lands Estates the goods and Fortunes of all their Country-men which the Militia of the Kingdome hath invested them with a right in and possession must be maintainted by the same meanes as obtained But should the Militia return into the Hands of the right owner Honest men would enjoy their own as before and they who are now so Gay would remaine stark Naked like Jack-daw in the fable when every bird had re-assumed her own feathers And then further too their pleasures would also cease that sweetnesse they feel in shedding of bloud would be no more which very want would be as bad as death unto them their Natures are now so accustomed unto it In a word as Amos speakes they have gotten them Hornes by their own strength or sleight and the Hornes are the defence of the Head the Militia are these Hornes and should they part with that they fear they should not keep their Heads long after and therefore great reason they have rather to desire the settlement of it for ever in their own Hands But with their favour what reason hath the King to trust them that will not trust Him them with His weapons upon that experience He hath had of their love and kindnesse Who will not trust Him with His own Can it be imagined that they will imploy them otherwise then they have done considering what their delights are Nay may it not be expected that they will make Him the Author of all their Evill which from thenceforth they shall doe when by His consent the power is once settled in their goods Hands Surely they that used His name to the raising of so many men against Himself to the killing of so many of His Subjects when He openly opposed them will not scruple to doe all their mischeif under His Name and Authority when they have so faire a pretence for it Nay should the King doe in this as they would have Him may not the Just and Holy God account Him a partaker with them in Evill His Majesty by His own pious confession hath smarted under the Hand of God for His consenting though doubtlesse against His will to the shedding of Straffords innocent Bloud and should He againe after His Humiliation for that by a new consent make Himself guilty of many more Blouds the continued Anger of the Almighty might be too heavy a burden for Him to beare No doubt but they are and will be the more importunate for His consent now because they see His heart hath smot Him for His consent then for how ever it was blattered much at the beginning by those of their faction against forcing of tender Consciences yet verily we beleeve there were never men that delighted more in offering violence to the Soules and Consciences of the righteous then themselves do wherefore should His Majesty yeild to them in this particular it would be in singultum cordis a corrasive to His Heart for ever and therein a glory unto them and also it would argue too great a distrust in Gods defence of Him and be a mean to delay Gods punishment from falling upon the heads of these lofty Rebells And besides all this His Majesty hereby shall give way to the settling
will the King appear so aboundantly culpable in this case as these men would have Him if these 3. following particulars be well considered upon 1. The lawfulnesse of using the ayde of Papists specially being His own Subjects in case of life and extremity of which I have spoaken somewhat before to which I referre the Reader All that the Enemy can object is the Kings Resolution to the contrary at the beginning of this Rebellion His words to this purpose they faile not to alleadge in the end of their observations Pag. 55. where also they tell us that the King made a strict Proclamation for the punishing those of that Religion that should presume to list themselves under Him and that a way by Oath was prescribed for discrimination of them and instructions granted to the Commissioners of Array in all places to dis-arme them All which doth but speak His Majesties full purpose of keeping his Resolution for the King doubtlesse did verily beleeve till experience taught the contrary that Protestant Religion had such a power in the hearts of those that pretended so much unto it that they would never suffer Him their Soveraigne and protectour to stand in need of the help of Papists to defend Him And these men in the same place confesse that at the battle of Edge-hill the Papists were taken into the Kings Army of meere necessity and they alleadge in scorne the excuse as they call it which the King gave for the same namely that by law they were prohibited Armes in time of peace and not in time of Warre which distinction say these bore date long after the Warre begun but that was want of invention only perhaps so for who could have beleeved that men of their pretendings should prove so highly vile and base as they have done in driving their King to such exigents or that the People of our Religion should prove so ingratefull as to leave their Soveraigne and protector so desolate as that contrary to His own Resolution He must be forced in defence of His life to use those of another Religion and be put to excuse Himself by that distinction This makes me remember that in Seneca when Hercules familie was abused Ingrata tellus nemo ad Herculeae Domus auxilia venit vidit hoc tantum nefas defensus Orbis 2. The time when this Letter unto the Queen was writ wherein this promise was made and the occasion moving thereunto The time His accusers confesse was March 5. 1644. immediately after the breaking up of the Treaty at Uxbridge when all hopes of peace by way of an accommodation were frustrate and dissolved when the Kings affaires were very low and the enemy high having newly taken the Town of Shrewsbury one of His Majesties best Garrisons And the particular moving him at that time to think of this meane of procuring assistance from his Subjects of that Religion was as appeares in the Letter His discovery that the English Rebels had so much as in them lay transmitted the command of Ireland from him to the Scots Which might easily perswade him that their purpose was to take that of England unto themselves and so his whole Authority in all his Dominions being totally rent from him and divided amongst them he was like to be but a Sans terrae or a Cipher signifying just nothing in his three Kingdomes which also spake plainly to his Conscience that it was nothing lesse then Reformation of Religion what ever was pretended that the Puritane Rebels aymed at upon which considerations he concluded with himselfe as the Letter infers That it would be no Piety at all but plain Presumption in him to neglect any lawfull meane for defence of himselfe and that authority which God had entrusted him withall or still to stand upon scruples which word the malitious Observatours Pag. 45. would have the people take speciall notice of and truly what is it but a Scruple a needlesse Scruple for any to question whether a Protestant Prince should use the helpe of Papists in case of necessity to defend himself in his naturall rights and Royalties it being not onely lawfull but according to his Office and duty to preserve his Crown and Dignity by the help of his Subjects of what Religion soever they being by the providence of God lotted under his Government as the proper meanes and Instruments for that very purpose Wherefore now at length though the King had not hitherto as himself saies though of this meane scil with intent to use it yet upon this occasion and consideration I give thee leave says he to promise in my name that I will take away c. 3. The thing promised which is the taking away the penall Statutes against the Papists provided that in this his necessity they afford him that powerfull assistance as shall inable him to do it And truely if extraordinary successe be such a full proof of a good cause as these Libellers would now have it and the King by the assistance of his Popish Subjects should obtaine the same against his Puritan Rebells then their cause and Religion must for another while be concluded the best and this Argument being fore-swallowed much wrong should they have in the worlds deeme if at least He whom they have enabled should not suffer them to enjoy the free use of it under his protection And besides if we do but consider the Carriages of the Rebells themselves what allowance they have given and what promises they have made to men of all Sects and Religions for to purchase their assistance in taking from the King his inheritance and Authority What advantages they have made of the Kings fore-mentioned purpose and promise not to use the ayd of Papists How they have sued for that assistance which he resolved against and have entertained many of that Religion into their Armies and what proffers they have made to those whom they could not prevaile with to help them only to sit still and not help him I say if we consider of these things this promise which the King made will not appeare so unreasonable to men of understanding as these would have it But they Accuse the King afterward for offering this to the Queen in behalf of the Papists without either her or their request It may be easily beleeved that they have sued for it heretofore Besides if it be but considered what the fashion of the world is now come to be since the Puritans pricked up their ears Namely to Capitulate and bargain with their King for what they shall have and what he will grant before any duty or service shall be afforded to him and then too if it be remembred what large and unreasonable demands the Kings worst deserving subjects do require at His hands onely for the purchase of life and peace to himselfe and his people No man will wonder if the King do think the Papists will look at least for Liberty of Conscience and Religion under him when by their
meanes the land is restored to tranquility and the King to his Crown and dignity For doubtlesse the Religion of the Papists is as dear to them as the Religion of Miles Corbet Edmund Prideaux and Zouch Tate the three chief examiners of the Kings Letters is to them and may with as little detriment to any Church or State be tollerated And besides the Penalty which the King promiseth to take away is not as I conceive to be levied upon the Papists meerely because such for it may be exacted upon others also though of another Religion if they be guilty of these particulars Scil. if they shall refuse to take the Oath of Supremacy and Allegeance to the King 2. If they shall Raise disturbance in the Church or State 3. If they shall Seduce the Kings Subjects from their Religion and Obedience 4. If they shall Refuse to come to Church once in a month at least or to hear Divine service 5. If they shall many of them together Keep private Conventicles and meetings in such cases onely as I conceive the Laws are in force against Papists and against all men else as equally of what Religion soever Wherefore let any man of understanding and justice speak whether these fault-finders themselves be not under the same Penalties as deeply as ever were the Papists Have not they renounced the Oath of Supremacie and Allegeance to the King by making a new Oath and placing the Supremacy in the Heads of their faction Have not they raised such distractions and Rebellions in Church and State as the like was never known Have not they had their private meetings in all places of the Kingdome and seduced thousands of the Kings Subjects from their duty and obedience Do not they refuse to come to Common-Prayer Nay have they not Abolished the same out of Churches that no man at all might come unto it May they doing these things and indeavouring the Kings destruction withall be freed from the Penalty of these Laws And may not the Papists remaining in their due obedience and assisting their Soveraigne against his Enemies according both to Law and duty reasonably enjoy the same freedome though peradventure they come short of one of the particulars which perhaps too is not so much out of Malice as in these others but out of ignorance and mis-information and that is not coming to Common-Prayer to which neither can they come now if they had a mind because it is taken away by those very men who would have the Statutes still in force against the Papists for not allowing of that which themselves with all contempt and scorn have abolished But in the last Page of their Notes they Object in this case also the Kings resolution and promise not to Abolish these Lawes but to joyn with his Parliament in suppression of Popery In answer to which let what hath been said already be well remembred and withall how they that call themselves His Parliamant have not suffered the King to concurre with them but have opposed and persecuted him ever since he declared that his Resolution to the end he might not be able to pursue the same Yea How themselves have compelled him in the continuance of his affliction to do that which they cry out upon him for have endeavoured all they could to force him further had not a great measure of Divine grace upholden him He may justly complaine of them as David did of some in his time They have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other gods They have done what they could to violence him from his Religion and to force him to be a Papist according as they voiced him Never Prince had greater temptations and inforcements yet never Prince was more constant in his Religion blessed be the Majesty of Heaven for him A perpetuall disgrace will it questionlesse be to Protestant Religion in the eyes of all the world beside that any pretending to it should shew themselves so unworthy as to suffer so gratious a Prince to stand in need of Papists to defend him much more that they should by ill usage force him with such promises to seek their ayd but that they should accuse him also for doing the same after they have inforced him to it we must needs cry out O nullo scelus credibile in aevo quodque posteritas neget the Height of their villany is the only advantage they have that it wil not be believed by posterity Wel I say let all those particulars be thought upon by all sober men of this Age and if they be not sufficient in their judgments to plead the King Excusable in this case then let them remember as they were advised before that the King is a man as others are and in his extremity he declared himself to be the Son of David and the Son of Abraham SECT XVIII 1. The Kings granting indempnity to the murderous Irish another Slander The necessity and Reasons of the Kings yeilding to a Peace at that time with the Irish And the Conditions upon which that Peace was to be granted This Act not contradictive to any of his former expressions against their detestable doings 2. The Vanity of their Charge against the King for going in a close trading way Two sufficient Evidences of His Majesties sincere and constant affection to the Protestant Religion 3. The whole Charge against the King most truly retorted upon the Objectors WE come now to the fourth particular in their Charge which is say they granting indempnity to the murderous Irish. This is collected as they tel us in their after-notes from the Kings Letters to Ormund Pap. 16. 17. 18. 19. in all which I assure the world there is no such word or phrase to be found as I wil or I do grant indempnity to the murderous Irish Indeed I find therein his Majesty consenting to a peace with the Irish and he sets down the reasons necessitating him thereunto which these honest Observatours have totally omitted to take notice of lest there should have bin no appearance of blame at all in their accusation in which they do altogether as wisely as Satan did when he spake Scripture to our Saviour for he did omit but only so much of the sentence as would if expressed have made that part alleaged nothing to his purpose And of this all men shal judge for I wil set down in the Kings own words the grounds moving him to write to that purpose unto Ormund Paper 16. Ormund THe impossibility of preserving my Protestant Subjects in Ireland by a continuation of the War hath moved me to give you these powers and directions that is one ground A 2. follows in these words It being now manifest that the English Rebels have as far as in them lyeth given the Command of Ireland to the Scots that their aym is at a total subversion of Religion and regal power and that nothing else wil content them or purchase Peace
of the maine Pillars of this rank faction where in like sort were present some of their Chaplaines and amongst them there was one Scholler who I think truly was an honest man at that present and verily I beleeve doth stil so continue he being like that Disciple which was known to the High Priest well acquainted with the Company and therefore might speak more freely to them and amongst them then another man could be suffered to doe and indeed so did He moved them to this purpose while they were at Supper or sitting at Table Gentlemen you have begun a Civill Warre in this Kingdome and you are come bere into the Country to draw us further to your assistance by requiring us to Associate with you You shall doe well to declare what it is that you doe bottome your Warre upon and what is the cause of this your undertaking that Seeing your Grounds to be lawfull and good we may with the better Conscience concur with you for though we take you to be wise and honest men yet it doth not become us to yeild you our blind obedience in a matter of so High concernment as this is Say therefore I pray for what cause doe you wage this Warre Is it for Religion Can you complaine of any restraint in that Are not the Temples open Have we not Liberty to Preach and professe the whole Truth of God Is true Religion so freely exercised in any Nation under Heaven as here Is not the King himselfe a Protestant â— Hath he not granted you a power to devise for its continuance and a promise of his concurrence with you to establish and settle it as strongly as you please What can you hope to get more by Warre concerning this thing then you may have nay then is offered to you in a way of Peace Wherefore declare I beseech you whether it be for Religion that you fight and if so what Particular in Religion it is that you would have us joyne with you to maintaine and defend One of the Members that thought himselfe the best speaker undertooke to Answer the Schollar for the Chaplaines poor soules were posed they sat stil and said nothing though some of them had been as far as Edge Hill And at length did after some shuffling fairly confesse being thus urged that in very deed it was not Religion they fought for the Doctor asks Why do you then pretend it to be so unto the people His answer was we shall never else win the people to us Well but what is it then replyed the Doctor Is it the Abolition of Episcopacy that you so contest about You know God hath sufficiently manifested his approbation of this Government by his so abundant blessing of this Church and Nation under it none in the world hath thrived better nor so well under any as ours hath done under this you know also that the King hath given you leave to punish or to see punished in a regular way all persons that have miscarried themselves in the execution of that Government without exception of any He hath given you power to see that all abuses in Discipline be removed yea and what ever is liable to exception in our Canons and Lyturgie to be altered for the ease and satisfaction of tender Consciences yea He hath yeilded to you for prevention of injustice afterward the taking away the High Commission and hath left it to you to purge all Ecclesiasticall Courts beside and as a pledge of Assurance against all growing Corruptions he hath enacted a Trienniall Parliament for the calling of ill officers and faulty Church Governours to an examination every three yeares before your selves Now do you think that notwithstanding all these particular Considerations that the Abolition of Episcopacy is a thing of that grand necessity as to imbroile this whole Nation and Kingdome in its own Bloud The Member being convinced also by these Reasons of this particular answered Truely it was not but as the former so this pretence also was to be used to winne and hold the people Why then sayes the Doctor will you tell us what is the cause why you fight The Wiseman answered to bring Delinquents to punishment and so for ought I know the disputation ended for this is all that I heard of it But I would have any of them all to name six Delinquents if they can that were so declared to be when they raised their first Forces some 3. or 4. persons perhaps fled the Kingdome but must the whole Nation bleed for that reason 'T is true indeed they fell afterward to make Delinquents apace and all that would not renounce the Doctrine of Christs Gospell which is a Doctrin of Loyalty and obedience and which they had alwayes been instructed in all that would not abjure their Oath of Allegeance break that Protestation lately imposed by these very men which was to maintaine defend the Kings Person Honour and Estate are looked upon as Delinquents and persecuted as such with fire and sword yea divers of the Members of both Houses who had to speak in these mens owne phrase so much Conscience and goodnesse in them as not to desert their trust in Parliament to their King and Country by giving up themselves to their wills are all become Delinquents too upon the suddaine and to bring all these to punish nent that Justice of Parliament may passe unto them are these Warres said to be undertaken and pursued and when they have by their Votes put all them to death whom they have done wrong unto perhaps they will sit still and be quiet but not before Well fare the good King yet He named six notorious Delinquents whereas these men never named any and when he saw he could not have the Justice of Law against them rather then make any further disturbance he declined their prosecution indeed he is blamed for his so doing by these men as was noted before but O that they had had the grace to have been guilty of such an errour And thus much by way of digression in the case of Delinquency I now return to their Story They tell us that the Answer returned to the foresaid Propositions was That if these things were granted the King should remain but the out-side but the picture but the sign of a King which very Answer they say was the Trumpet of War and the sound of defiance scil in their ears who had a great lust to quarrel now they had got weapons but their misery was the King stil crosses them for He would not permit it to be so owned Stil say they He saies He intends not to fix any disloyal design upon both or either House of Parliament He is rather most confident of the Loyalty good Affections and integrity of that great Bodies good intentions but the malignity of the design He saies hath proceeded from the subtile informations mischievous practices and evil Counsels of ambitious turbulent Spirits not without a
vindicating my Lord the King from the aspersion of these men whereby they endeavoured to besmeare his Honour in their malicious Notes upon his Letters they aymed to make him as the Philistims did Sampson an object of contempt and scorne but their pillars being false and therefore weak whereon their building stood the same is fallen most heavie downe upon their own heads they hoped to portray him forth according to the Image of him in their owne minds by wresting his expressions to the highest pitch of misconstruction and charging upon him their own conditions but through Gods help those filthy Garments they arrayed him with are taken off and sent home to their proper owners And what â—s to be done now having uncloath'd the King shall I so leave him as many false friends have done that would not be so comely wherefore I will present him once againe as habited in another mantle more truly his then that other was though put upon him for the most part by the same men in opposition of that Act of theirs which I have undone I will set him forth in Christs Robes as cloathed with sorrowes and shew what a perfect similitude there hath been and is between our Saviour and our Soveraign in the foure last years of both their sufferings Such entertainment as Christ had such usage as he met withall from such conditioned enemies and such friends such temptations as he was assaulted with such wrongs and for such things such causes of sorrow and of complaint in all particulars even in specie hath our King had in the like manner observe I pray you and mark it well O all you Loyall English Scottish and Irish and you will say that never Prince had a more perfect fellowship with the Son of God in this worlds miseries then yours hath never was Christs yoke better fitted for any never did any beare a greater measure of his burden And if nearenesse in condition here fore-speaks a nearnesse of conformity in the life to come as the Apostle teacheth then think with your selves from what you observe how superlatively glorious above other Kings will yours be at Christs appearing First of all was Christ rejected of his owne people so the Text sayes He came to his owne and his owne received him not nay so farre were they from so doing that they denyed the Holy and Just one and desired a Murtherer to be granted to them This hath been directly the Kings case He hath been rejected by his owne people who have refused to own him for their King denying the Supreme power to reside in him which they have laboured to take from him yea with open mouth they have cryed out we will not have this man to reigne over us we are none of his Disciples we are for the Parliament they have preferred Murderers and Robbers before him chusing rather to live under the bloudy and iron yoak of such then to submit themselves to his most just gentle and easie Government 2. Did Christ complain that the foxes had holes and the birds of the aire had nests but himselfe had not where to hide his head and may not the King take up the same words all that was his is taken from him craftie Foxes and ambitious Kites have seized as a prey upon his Houses and Habitations when his Majesty at the beginning of these Troubles had travelled from Shrewsbury to Wrexham in Denbighshire and being to returne the same night he dismissed the Gentry desiring his stay with these words Gentlemen Goe you and take your rests for you have Homes and Houses to go unto and beds of your owne to lodge in and God grant you may long enjoy them but I am deprived of those Comforts I must intend my present affaires and return this night to the place from whence I came 3. Was Christ tempted in his necessity to distrust God to turne stones into bread for his present sustenance and hath not the King been tempted so to doe sure little else have they allowed him to live upon Was our Saviour moved to take desperate courses to cast himselfe down yea to humble himselfe unto his Creature and was he offered to be made a glorious Prince if he would so doe to have the Kingdoms of the world bestowed upon him by one that had no right to give them All men know that such assaults and such motions with such like profers by such persons have been made and put and tendered to our Soveraigne 4. Was not Christ accounted a deceiver of the people called a fellow an impostor a Malignant one that had a Devill and railed upon in all places whispered out of credit where ere he came by a Pharisaicall brood who sought only to themselves mens praises and hath not the King been so called intitled esteemed and used by a like selfe-seeking generation Indeed Christ and the King have like conditioned Enemies great pretenders to Religion and in that regard of great repute among the people were and are the the chiefe opposers both of the one and of the other the great Sanedrim or Counsell at Jerusalem were the Heads of the Faction against Christ and plotted all his miseries they made Decrees against him and his Followers and molested those that did confesse him they stirred up the people to cry out upon him and countenanced all men in speaking evilly of him they hired the Souldiers and men of warre to go out with swords and staves against him and as if he were a thiefe to apprehend him And hath not the Sanedrim or great Counsell at Westminster been the Authors of all such things against the King as Scripture affirms the one so alas doth experience confirm the other 5. As Christ was opposed by men of severall Sects and Factions as by Pharisees and Sadduces who were at odds enough between themselves yet banded together against him So is the King assaulted by men of severall Religions and Opinions as by Presbyterians and Independents who are divided sufficiently inter se yet both united in their oppositions against him nay as the prophane Herodians were admitted Associates with the precise Jews in their conspiracies against Christ so the most vile cursers and prophane swearers being apprehended likely by their greatnesse wealth or friends to further the designe have been admitted by these pure conceited fellows into their combination against the King and advantages taken from their private discontentments to hook them into their Association 6. As Christ was watched in all he did and perverted in all he said if any thing that proceeded from him could be wrested to a wrong sence it should be surely done but no notice at all would be taken of his Vertues or his Miracles yea he was oft accused for his eating and drinking with Publicans and sinners even by these men that would allow him no other Company for they had thrust him out from among themselves because he disliked and
did hurt or harme unto us they that brought you into these miseries however they courted and encouraged you before will reject your complaints with a quid haec ad nos you should have looked to these things before hand for Pharisees will be Pharisees unto the worlds end It is a fearefull thing to be given up to shed bloud King James would say if God should leave him to kill a man he would think God did not love him and I believe your selves were of the same opinion all the while the Doctrine of Jesus Christ which commandeth love to enemies did season your hearts but what a strange alteration is there now in your dispositions since the Doctrine of Devils hath been preached unto you for no other is this of butchering your brethren of killing slaying and destroying then the doctrine of him who is a murtherer from the beginning you would not have been hired heretofore to have acted the executioners part which is a lawfull office upon a Malefactor condemned by lawfull Authority so tender you were of shedding bloud but now you make no scruple at all of it you are greedy and thirsty many of you to spill the bloud of Innocents only for their constancy in that Doctrine of Obedience and Loyalty to the King which your selves also in Christs Schoole have been instructed in meerly upon the temptation and motion of them you call the Parliament who have no more Authority over the lives of men without the Kings allowance then your servants have over yours nay which is more strange yet you are bewitched by their seduction to think that in killing your Brethren you do God service though our Saviour fore-speaking of this very particular shewes the ground of this ill opinion to be only ignorance of God and want of knowledge Nay not only those that have been Agents or Souldiers in this Rebellion but in like manner all you who have willingly contributed Plate Moneyes Horses or any thing tending to the advancement of it I feare you are under the guilt of bloud and will be indicted one day at Gods barre as accessaries to all these evills that have been committed against the King and against your brethren all the men and all the women that brought in their Salts Spoones Rings and Thimbles by the suggestion and perswasion of false Teachers must hold up their hands at Gods Tribunall as guilty persons for doing things by the seduction and example of others so cleane contrary to that light of the Gospell which so many years together had been taught unto them O friends strong and strange is the delusion that is fallen upon you and thick is the veile that is over your eyes farre are you gone without looking back and most difficult is it yet to perswade you to it I have often feared with my selfe that place in Esay to have too neer a relation to you The hearts of this people are made fat their eyes dim and eares heavie and to continue so till the Cities be wasted without an inhabitant the houses without man and the Land be utterly desolate I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ think seriously upon the matter O that I could perswade you to it while there is time for repentance and save your selves at length yet from this untoward generation break their yoak from off your necks renounce their societies have no more to doe with them read mark and ponder upon that place Prov. 1. 10. to the 20. Verse and remember from whence you are fallen and return to your Loyalty O Countrey-men Return return and to provoke you more earnestly hereunto consider with your owne hearts of these particulars 1. Whether this way wherein you have gone be not directly opposite both to Christs Doctrine and example doth not the Gospell command to give tribute to whom Tribute is due feare to whom feare and Honour to whom Honour belongeth and doth it not teach that all these appertain to the King and yet have they not all been with-held from him was not our Saviours practice in this particular most remarkable for our imitation He wrought but one money miracle while he was on the Earth and that was to have wherewithall to pay Caesar his Homage and himselfe sayes he did it least he should offend so carefull was he not to displease the King and being tempted at another time to give some countenance for with-holding the Kings Rights disclaimed the motion and cryed out redde Caesari quae sunt Caesaris Deo quae sunt Dei inferring that God and Caesar in such matters go together to injure the one is to wrong the other for God hath commanded that Caesar be honoured and that all which is his be rendred to him Now whether you and your Leaders have done according to this doctrine and example let your own consciences judge 2. Consider whether this way wherein you have gone be not also contradictive to the Law of the Land The denyall of the Kings Supremacy in this Kingdome hath been wont to be accounted so heinous an offence that he who is guilty of it is judged by the Law to die as a Traytor And the doing of any thing in prejudice of the Kings Authoritie as the raising of Forces without him nay the having but thoughts of mischief towards him though they never breake forth into Action is reckoned by the Law for no lesse then High Treason and some have suffered death for such things nay further yet the bare instilling misconceits of the King into the people to with-draw their affections from him hath even in this very Parliament been cald High Treason Now whether the Kings Supremacy not only in things Spirituall but also Temporall be not denied and whether by your opposition to his Majesties Person and commands and by whispering yea by open speaking evilly of him and consenting to what hath been written against him you have not made your selves guilty of that grand Crime let your own consciences also determine unto you 3. Consider whether it be not against common equity to practice the taking away from any one that which comes unto him by lawfull inheritance succession or just election whether you would not so judge it if any should divest you of what was left you by your Parents and whether the Kings Authority and Revenews which you with others have endeavoured to dispossesse him of be not of the same Tenure and held by the best Title indeed if men come to power and Authority by fraud and violence as your new Masters have done the case is otherwise lives lost in conspiring the downfall of such may be reckoned well sold every man in common equity were there no tie of duty or allegeance is to help him to right that suffers wrong but to concurre in oppressing the Supreme Magistrate and in taking from him what belongs unto him if conscience be suffered to make report it will be confessed to be the
highest injustice for as to detract from the Standard which is the rule of measures is the greatest sinne so is it to detract from the King who is the Standard of righteousnesse in his Kingdome 4. Consider whether the demand of having the Militia out of the Kings hand wherein his Authority and Power consists which your Leaders and you insist upon be not against piety and a plaine urging the King to act Esau's part in resigning up his birth-right and whether you think in earnest as some of your Preachers have suggested that you have a sufficient ground to expect Gods blessing upon your undertaking though it be unlawfull because Jacob was blessed afterward though the means which he used to accomplish his design were not approvable nay seeing the King is not like Esau so easily drawn to part with his birth-right but rather like Naboth will keep his inheritance for feare of Gods displeasure consider I pray whether you in going about to force him thereto by violence are not all the while acting the parts of Ahab and Jezabel who were persons that had sold themselves to work wickednesse nay whether you are not more deep in the evill then they were in regard the King is not to you as Naboth was to Ahab a subject nor have you as he did tendred an answerable exchange or rather a better for what you demand from him consider I beseech you and thinke well in your owne hearts of this particular 5. Consider and call to mind whether those Teachers who have been most active and busie in drawing you into this your way have not hereby contradicted their own former Doctrines It was said of Stephen Gardiner that no man in the daies of Hen. 8 had spoken better for the Kings Authority then he had done in his Book de vera obedientia and yet no man more violent then he was in Queen Maries time in persecuting those that held fast to the same truth and Doctrine may not the like be said and affirmed of many of your Preachers that no man taught the duty of Obedience better or inveighed more against Rebellion and shedding of bloud then they heretofore have done but now none more violent then themselves in opposing those that practice according to the same Doctrine if it be lawfull to resist defame and oppresse the King now why did they then speak against such doings or if good language of him as their Soveraign and humble obedience to him was true Doctrine then how comes it to passe that 't is not preached still now there is such need of it truth is unalterable They tell you of a certaine New Light received which it seems was an attendant upon the Militia for till this was seized on by their Faction that was not seen and had not this been first obtained probably that had been still concealed may not this New Light therefore be suspected and the rather because 't is so contrary to that which Gods Word holds out unto us which as a sure and certaine guide we are commanded to take heed unto Esay affirmes that whoever speaks not according to the written Testimony bath no light in him And Saint Paul is resolute that if an Angell from Heaven shall teach contrary to that Gospell himselfe had preached which was the Doctrine of obedience to Princes and of love to his Brethren he ought to be held accursed wherefore consider seriously in your own hearts whether you have done well in suffering your selves to be thus led by your new lighted Teachers 6. Consider whether they doe not onely oppoâ—e their owne former Doctrines but also their own former doings and perswade you to goe with them in those wayes which heretofore they exclaimed much upon others for going in did not they complaine much against forcing tender Consciences and against urging subscription to things of an indifferent nature though allowed by Law because scrupled at affirming the same to be against Christian Liberty and yet do not they now countenance farre greater violence in pressing of things more directly unlawfull As for example would not they have the King forced against his Conscience to consent to the altering of that Church-Government which he in his soule is perswaded to be most Orthodox and agreeable to Gods Word and to the State of this Kingdome and which this Church and Nation hath so thrived under yea and which himselfe at his Coroâ—ation took a solemn Oath to maintain And have not their very selves been the chief Instruments of urging their Brethren to the taking of new and unlawfull Covenants and when unto tender and scrupulous Consciences the offensive Oath hath been tendred in one hand and an Halter in another with a furious Commination that they should have the one if they did not presently accept of the other a course which the Bishops never used have not some of these Ministers approved of this rigorous dealing yea and when some of the members of Christ have been at the place of Execution to be murthered and Martyred by their Faction for their Loyalty to their Prince or for falling off through trouble of Conscience from their ungodly Covenant and way have not some of their Preachers stood barking at them on purpose to disturb their spirits and to hinder their quiet passage out of this miserable World even as that bawling Fryer did doe unto Archbishop Cranmer when some have seen or heard them acting their parts in this manner they have thought of that Fryers Picture as it standeth there in the Book of Martyrs And here by the way let me exhort all men to read that Book often in these times and they shall find a very great resemblance between the bloudy Persecutors of those dayes and these now and a great similitude in their courses it was not doubtlesse without a speciall providence that the said Book was of late twice reprinted that so there being a greater plenty of them we in these times might being many of us be more enlightned supported and comforted in our sufferings And I would have you observe among many other things that Note of Mr. Fox How Henry the Fourth that deposed Richard the Second was the first of all English Kings that began the mercifull burning of Gods Saints for their standing against the Papists so that we may thence learn that 't is no new thing for them to be given up to the acting of cruelties against Gods Church and people who have first given up themselves to practise Rebellion against their Soveraign these two sinnes as it seemes before now have gone together But I return Did not many of those your Ministers complain most fearefully in times past for the meer change and alteration of some few phrases and expressions in the Common-Prayer-Book holding it then as it seemed so perfect a platform of Church-Service as that no word or sillable ought to be altered in the same and yet now upon the suddain have not
themselves abolished the same wholly as if there were nothing at all good in it How lamentably did they some of them raile even in print upon the Bishops for endeavouring as they said though most unjustly to weaken that honourable esteem which the people had or ought to have of the Kings Wife and Children by omitting in the prayer for them that usuall attribute therein given to God scil that he is the Father of his Elect and of their seed and putting in the room thereof the fountain of all goodnesse which thing did then speak to their hearts as themselves then said that the Prelates would have the world think that the Queen and the Royall Progeny to be none of the number of Gods Elect and yet since that time how themselves have concurred in speaking of the Queen and in abusing the whole Royall Stock and Family is too sufficiently evident to all people and too grosse for me so much as to repeat Consider I beseech you good people of these things and conclude in your own hearts whether it be any wisedome in you to follow such Whirle-gigs such Weather-Cocks as these your Preachers are 7. Consider how these your men have most carefully shunned all publick Disputes with our Orthodox Divines about this case of Difference which themselves have helped to raise against our Religion Church and King for might we but have obtained so much from them as th◠Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes did from the Papist◠we doubt not but long ere this by Scripture Evidence and streams of Reaso◠in Truths behalfe to have over-born that power by which now they over-beare us and to have made you the seduced confesse in falshoods ruine and discovery that the credit of your Teachers like that of facing shifters is but very little being well known might such men as Dr. Usher Dr. Morton Dr. Hall Dr. Prideaux Dr. Featly and many others that might be named who have most valiantly held up the Banner of Christ against the Papists have been but suffered to defend his Cause also against these men the vaile had been puld from your eyes many years agoe but these Craft-Masters are so full of their Trent wisedome that by no meanes will they abide any disputes face to face with our Protestant Divines The Militia is their best Argument fire and sword is more sutable to their purpose then Gods word is And as the Papists urge the Authority of their own Pope and peculiar Church so doe these of their Parliament for a sufficient ground of peoples faith and practise the Parliament judgeth so Ergo 't is verity and you must believe it without any hesitation or doubting that it may be otherwise Because Mr. John Goodwin did but conceive a possibility of errour in the Parliament and out of love to them as himselfe professeth was affraid they might possibly tread awry and hurt their foot against a stone Prynne the Parliament Champion cryes out upon him for being malignantly jealous over them and sayes 't is most uncharitable unchristian detestable fanatique groundlesse and execrable jealousie in him yea venomous Malignancy Oxfordian Aulicisme But to proceed These men do and will as you shall find unlesse God blast them require as simple as absolute and as unlimited an obedience at your hands as ever the Turk or Pope hath done from their Vassals an obedience not of will only but of judgement also which is a direct blind obedience And truly as the Doctrine of infallibility is the root of all errour among the Papists so is it now among them that are the worshippers of the Parliament for when it was once believed that the Pope could not erre then he might oppose Princes Excommunicate Kings absolve Subjects from their obedience raise warres shed bloud yea live as wickedly as he pleased have as many Bastards as he could get the people were fast enough locked up unto him in obedience so now this being swallowed that the Parliament cannot erre the lusty Members thereof may raise Rebellion too absolve people from their Loyalty persecute the King and murther his Subjects seize upon all their Estates and sell or give them to whom they please yea and let them live as wickedly as they list as vilely and basely as they please let them get Bastards ravish and defile Ladies of Honour and then defame them when they have so done or attempted so to do they may doe it impunè for they be worthy Members all the while they have none above them to call them to an account and the people being fast linked to them by the vertue of blind obedience will be apt to give faire interpretations of all their doings well think seriously of these things in your retired thoughts 8. Consider also of times past and compare your experience of the present with them and say whether the light of God doth now shine so comfortably upon your Tabernacles as when the King enjoyed his Rights and possessed his Throne whether you are now so stored with coyne or have that leisure and wherewithall to build pleasant Houses whether you lie so soft all of you fare so well and have that entire Command in your own Houses over your own goods and servants as formerly whether you can say as truly and freely that what you have bought and paid for is your owne as heretofore I would that the Londoners and Citizens would consider whether they be all so well Plated Jewelled and attired themselves wives and children whether their bags be not lanker their banks lesser and their meanes scanter then in those times of old whether they enjoy like Liberties and Priviledges under their new Masters as they did under their King And I would have the Countrey-man consider whether his payments bee not more and his oppressions greater then they were wont to be whether hee had not a merrier heart in his bosome and more money in his purse when hee payed his Rents to the true owner his right Landlord then ever he hath had since he dealt with these new Usurpers O you poor seduced and abused people these new Lords promised indeed that you should have your Farms at a lower rate then formerly so they might receive the Rents but consider with your selves hath not your supernumerary Rates and Taxations and your Billiting and furnishing out Souldiers amounted to more then the full payment and can you think that you shall not be skrewed up to the highest pin by those Hucksters to whom they shall sell or give away your true Landlords Estates or appoint to be as their own Task-masters over you can you expect possibly any thing but blows and beggery under them perhaps indeed you may obtain at last in lieu of all your Wealth and Labours and former happinesse to be partakers of that Priviledge which the Pesants of France and specially of Normandy doe enjoy scil you shall have leave to begge freely up and down the Kingdome without danger of whipping consider seriously
trembled at his word yea and for their successe against them in these their mischiefes and unjust doings they praised God and said The Lord be glorified they had dayes of Thanksgiving to that very purpose Therefore since it hath been the usuall custome of the grandest Hypocrites to doe after this fashion you have no reason now to think any whit the better of these men for their outside professions Last of all consider the relation which these men the Members of the Commons House I mean do stand in unto your selves whom they command and to your Soveraign whom they oppose to your selves they are publick Servants chosen by you to agitate for you in Gods way and according to Law your common affaires scil to confirme your Religion Peace and Possessions to you and not to raise warres to the destruction of all these To the King they are sworn Subjects bound by Oath and Protestation to preserve his Person Estate and Honour safe and intire against all people in briefe they are the grand Jury-men of the Kingdome and nothing else and their office is not to judge or passe sentence against any persons but to enquire after the grievances of the Countrey and to make presentment of them with all humility unto the King who is the Judge so deputed of God and to the Nobles of the upper House who are with him as Justices upon the Bench and to supplicate of them in whom the only power judicative is resident a redresse of things amisse and then when a good Law is made to give their assent unto it and notice of it to the Countreys or places whose Deputies they are and to stirre them up to honour their King and to praise God for him who is so ready to do Justice and to shew grace unto them this is the proper office and work of the House of Commons in the discharge of which only you are to shew countenance unto them but if they shall doe things out of spleen or unbecoming their places you are to withdraw your favour from them and to bestow your frowns upon them for if the Grand Jury at an Assizes in stead of doing that duty whereto by Law they are designed should fall to pull the Justices from the Bench and to beat the Judge out of Town and to imprison and kill their Neighbours as good men perhaps as themselves would you think it fit to take their parts in such their doings would you not rather all joyn to lay hands upon them and bring them to be punished for their misdemeanours and desire to have them put out of their places and wiser men appointed in their stead that know how to behave themselves better I pray consider well of these things and remember at length what you have done and what you have now to doe under whose fealty you were born and to whom you have sworn Allegiance and observe what intimation our Saviour gives in that saying of his if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes or to them that seek to take away my life doth he not plainly inferre thereby that the Subjects of earthly Princes who have Kingdomes in this world ought to fight for their Soveraign to endeavour his deliverance from injustice and wrong and not to suffer him in any sort to be rendred up into the hands of his enemies and be you certain of it that so long as the King Gods Deputy and your Protector under God is thus abused and kept from his Rights you shall never enjoy peace or prosperity nor the quiet possession of what is yours for Gods heavie Curse will so long hang over this Nation and Kingdome Well think of it well and doe accordingly Confident I am Brethren that the major part of you did Associate your selves with these ill disposed men as they of old did with Absalom and Achitophel in the simplicity of your Hearts by giving too much credit as they did to those false reports which in their wicked policy they cast out against the King and Government you were perswaded before you were instructed and in your good zeale you have walked thus far to the extirpation as you hoped of Popery and prophanenesse which alas you have exceedingly increased though sore against your wills and are likely to thrust your selves into it or into other as deep errours you have heard say that zeale without knowledge is very dangerous and let me tell you further that the highest Heresies have risen from misguided zeal Arrius upon detestation of Gentilisme least he should seem to acknowledge more Gods then one by confessing a Co-equality of Christs Divinitie with his Father denied the same and Sabellius in detestation of Arrius fell into the other extreme and denyed the distinction of Persons And be your selves the Judges do not many of you measure what is good and holy by its opposition to the Constitutions of the Church of Rome accounting most perfect what is most opposite thereunto and that polluted which participateth in any thing with the same doe you not thinke your selves rightest when unlikest the Papists and nearest to Heaven when furthest from them though perhaps then you may be nearest to them in substance even when most opposite in Ceremony somwhat in this Book hath been discovered to this purpose but that is not the right rule to go by well consider I beseech you of what I have said unto you and desist from having any further hand against your King and from labouring the extirpation of that Government you were born under which to doe doubtlesse is a most heinous sinne if a man were borne in another Land where is a Government lesse perfect then ours is he ought not by any meanes to joyne in fighting for the destruction of it nor is our Posteritie so strictly bound by such strong engagements of Conscience to endeavour the restauration of this if by these violent and unlawfull courses it should be altered which God forbid as we are now to uphold and maintaine the same or to prevent the Change thereof Wherefore I beseech you all remember your selves think what you have alreadie done what you are in doing and stay your hands Object Perhaps some of you will say but we have taken an Oath a Covenant which our Preachers put us often in minde of to persevere in our way and not to forsake those men with whom we have entred into Association Answ. Master John Goodwin one of your Ministers doth enform you in his 12. Serious Considerations that to violate an abhominable and an accursed Oath out of Conscience to God is an holy and blessed Perjury Now therefore if I prove that your Oath and Covenant is abhominable and accursed then it will follow that as it was an high sinne to take it so is it an higher to keep the same and according to the Doctrine of one of your own Teachers an holy and blessed Perjury will
Minister of the Protestant Church of France that they of their Religion never lived so safely and so comfortably before as they have done since they were disarmed of their weapons which they were at the end of their last warre which he called a Rebellion But with you all the strength and promises of God it seemes are nothing unlesse you have somewhat that is sensible to trust unto O if you knew God and were religious indeed you would be of another mind for they that know thy Name will trust in thee sayes the Psalmist Nay we read in Scripture of haters of God that should come in the last times who should have a form of Godlinesse notwithstanding we feare you are rather of that number and that you hate God for his word sake because therein he so plainly opposeth those waies of Rebellion cruelty oppression and injustice which you walke in and commandeth so strictly those things which as it appears you have resolved against and for his sake you hate all that belongs unto him his Church which you have destroyed his Prophets whom you have persecuted his Service which you have abolished his Temples which you have defiled and his Annoynted whom you have vilified because in meeknesse gentlenesse mercy patience and goodnesse he is so like unto him and are these markes of true Piety not they that commend themselves but whom their works commend and whom God commends are and shall be the onely approved persons I dare boldly affirm and I call your own Consciences to witnesse it with me that Kingly Majesty was never so blasphemed and exposed to vulgar contempt as it hath been since you sate nor was the dignity of Parliament which next to the Kings honour ought by all true Englishmen to be held as sacred so abused as it hath been by you who have used its venerable name to countenance all your evill and illegall actions against your Soveraign and his Subjects and have made that High and Supreme Court as the Pharisees of old did Gods House no better then a very den of Thieves and I am confident if Jesus Christ my Master were here he would tell you so to your faces and bestow as many woes upon you as he did upon your Brethren in those dayes who like you did pretend so much to Piety when they had so little of it You take to your selves the Title of the Lords Worthies forfooth but good names doe not alwayes prove good men Titles without truth serve but to enhance and disexcuse damnation you call the warre on your side Sacrum so was the Pope wont to call his though it be both against Law and Religion your League and Covenant you stile Holy as was that in France when time was though like that it be to root out Protestant Profession and the King your Armies you intitle the Armies of God as the disobedient Barons in King Johns time did theirs and your worke you call opus Domini the Lords work and the Lords cause though such as the Lord abhorreth and detesteth thus bold are you with the Almighty as if he were such another as your selves but is this true Godlinesse it will not be so found at the great day you talk much of Conscience but doth this alone prove you have any do not many men use to plead Conscience when through passion or opinion they pursue a cause with greater heat then themselves can give or others discern a reason for your Consciences scruple as you would have us think at a gesture or a Garment in Gods Service but they are secure in Actions of killing robbing rebelling and breaking all Lawes of private interest and Soveraign Power we see you are resolute in bloud and rapine and can even scorn at those that make Conscience at such crimes you talk of mens having Authority from Gods word for what they doe and yet practice your selves things above measure sinfull as if they were necessary duties and are able to shew no Scripture at all for the same we are posed we confesse at your Pietie we can see no dram of goodnesse in your doings and therefore must conclude there is as little in your selves Policy we confesse we see great store in you even such as was in Jeroboam that sonne of Nebat who made Israel to sinne for to prevent the peoples return to their Loyaltie whom himselfe had drawn into Rebellion he altered the established way and manner of worshipping God which he knew would have reduced them to their right obedience ver 27. Jeroboam said in his heart if this people go up to doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem then shall the hearts of this people turn againe unto their Lord even unto Rehoboam King of Judah and they shall kill me And hereupon he sets forth a Directory or new way of serving God and perswades the people that other places were as fit for that purpose as the Temple or Church it selfe yea and vers 31. He made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the Sonnes of Levi and Chap. 13. 33 34. Whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of their Priests which thing saith the Text became sinne to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it from off the face of the earth Truly Sirs 't is too evident to all men that your Piety hath runne in the very same Channell after Jeroboams example you have made England to sinne looke you to the consequent We confesse also you have as much Religion and Pietie as Absalom had enough to vizard over for the while your cursed Design till you had supplanted your Soveraign stole away the hearts of his people from him insinuated into them a suspition of his truth and justice perswaded them to accept of you to be Judges in his place wherein you have received as many complaints and relieved as few as ever Absalom did In briefe such hath been your godlinesse and humilitie that you have declared the King to have failed in his Trust and Voted the Royall Power to be in your selves yea a power more then Royall even to subvert all Lawes which because the King approves not of you have drawne his own sword against him and pursued him as eagerly on all advantages as ever Absalom did his Father while he in the meane time David-like hath pitied you and was unwilling to spill your bloud surely if there were nothing else then your unnaturall violence against your Soveraign in all your wayes opposed to his mercy towards you in the height of injury it were abundantly sufficient to discover to all the world that little true Pietie that is in you But if to this we adde also the consideration of that superlative crueltie towards your brethren we are confident that no tongue touched with Christianitie will dare to speak one word in your commendations Your proceedings against them speak you to be of the Tyrant Maxentius mind that the bloud
our Saviour did with praiers in our mouths for them which it may be through Gods working may have a like effect after our death as Christs had to the conversion of some of them the conversion of those 3000. Act. 2. is held to be a fruit of Christs prayer upon the Crosse and Sauls conversion of Stephens prayer at his death so who knowes but our meeknesse our patience and our prayers at such a time may be effectuall to a like purpose even to draw some of our persecuting Countreymen from their bloudy and rebellious way into the paths of Christ and of his Gospel yea whether we live or die if we can do Christ and the King service no other way let us resolve and endeavour to pray down their and our enemies by praying for them And by all meanes while breath is in us let 's have a care so to live as we may still credit our righteous cause and as becometh those that are designed to slaughter for Jesus sake and for the Doctrine which he left us Holy bloud believe it will prove of harder digestion to them then prophane that they had killed the holy and the just one was that which afterward pierced the hearts of these mens elder Brethren when time was I say no more But the Lord strengthen and guide us all in our Christian and Loyall way by his grace and spirit that though we be a people robbed spoiled snared in holes hid in prison-houses driven to banishment and exposed for a prey yet we may walk before our God in all humilitie and well-pleasing to the restauration of his Gospells honour the inward comfort of our own spirits in the midst of miseries and to the conviction and shame of our unnaturall Countrey-men who seeke to take away our lives also from us Soli Deo Gloria Amen Amen May 26. 1646. A POST-SCRIPT to the READER THis Book was prepared as now you have it and might have seen the light within lesse then the compasse of that year wherein the Libell which it Answers was first published had there been at hand the convenience of a Presse and strength to bring forth But 't is no small advantage which the enemies have against Truth and the King that with them is both liberty and ability to vent what they please whereas with us is neither Had we but halfe the like helps encouragements and powers which they have had the world should see that the King hath Subjects and the Truth Defenders There hath been a further alteration of Affaires to the worse on the Kings side since this Book was written as may be collected from many passages therein and divers particulars concerning the enemies deportment here expressed have so fallen out as foreshewn for indeed 't is no difficult matter for any man acquainted with their spirits to fore-speak their doings Had there appeared any change in them to the better nay had their growth but promised a probability of more Christianity and duty in their future then hath been in their past Actions or then was here prognosticated of them this publication perhaps having been thus delayed had been still suspended though in very deed there is no reason why for such a cause it should have been quite stifled seeing that their Libell which it confuteth is divulged printed reprinted and still sold to the Kings darkening and defamation Besides many other scandalous and vile Pamphlets have been and are daily sent forth on purpose to damp his Lustre and to staine his Glory yea and translated too they are into other Languages that he might appear deform'd and spotted to the eye of Forraign Nations which because they have not been Answered with a like industry on our parts Strangers have thought yea and affirmed that nothing could be said for him because nothing was scil to their capacitie we have say they read in our owne languages many Bookes against him but none in his behealfe it must be acknowledged in very deed that this way the enemies have been more diligent in defaming then we have been in defending the King though in our own tongue there hath been abundance written in his justification and to their detection The Protestants of other Countryes unto whom the Kings bosome was alwayes open in their distresse towards whom his bowels alwayes yerned and for whose reliefe his commands went often forth to all Churches in his Kingdomes to make Collections how have they at least too many of them by meanes of those industrious Lies and Libels opened their mouthes and stretch'd forth their tongues against him And how are we that suffer with him and for him or rather for the Truth maintained by him esteemed of in our banishment amongst them are we any other but objects of scorn and taunting to them 't was our delight but 't was our duty and our work is with the Lord to obey God and him in contributing to their necessities in the day of their visitation but they take pleasure in this of ours to wound our very wounds and to enlarge our sorrows yea every way to help forward our affliction at what a distance have they looked upon us because the hand of God is out against us what bitter words have they darted at us and which is to our great griefe against the Sacred Person of our Soveraign with what violence and confidence doe they ignorantly undertake to justifie the false reports of his enemies against him Nay how is our Church it selfe the late glory of Christendome and of the whole Earth despised and slighted by them in this time of our persecution The Papists on the one side scoffingly ask us where is now your God where is your Church become you may now freely boast of its Invisibility if you please you have a ground for it c. And our Brethren on the other side that outwardly professe the same Faith with us and from whom we expected better they act Edoms part as reproachfully upon us crying out against our Church and the Government thereof down with it down with it even to the ground For they the Protestants of France in speciall are willingly perswaded by those Letters and Pamphlets sent them out of England that the Professours of the true Religion here before this Parliament begun were kept in a like underly condition as themselves are in their own Country though those French Congregations allowed in England might in their gratitude to our King have given them a better and more true information had they so pleased But upon this conceit they in France apprehend this Warre here against the King to be undertaken only to recover Liberty to worship God in the right manner that is to say after the French Mode or Discipline as they think at least and are made to believe and most people loving their own wayes and fashions best though lesse perfect then their neighbours cannot but wish good luck to all such as are stooping towards them and rejoyce for
them though we believe it would be wisdome in them to beware that their Jubilation at the prevailing of the English Rebels doth not work a jealousie and suspition against themselves in the hearts of their own Princes our prayers are and shall be that God would not lay their inhumanities against us to their charges we know the Lord was sore displeased at the Heathen for their unkindnesse to his people in their affliction and we believe he cannot be well pleased to see Christians so conditioned O sayes God to Edom Thou shouldst not have looked with pleasures on the day of thy Brother in the day that he became a stranger neither shouldst thou have rejoyced over the Children of Judah in the day of their destruction neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse That speech of God to Moab is worthy the observation of all that are at ease when other Nations are in trouble Take Councell and be well advised let mine out-casts dwell with thee Moab make thy shaddow as the night in the midst of the noone-day be thou a Covert to them from the face of the spoyler hide them and bewray not him that wandereth But Moab cast these words behind her and was so farre from comforting the distressed Israelites that she derived at them in their banishment and skipt for joy to see them miserable and therefore within three years after Moabs own self was in as wofull and deplorable a condition which as appears by the two Prophets was layd upon her for a punishment of that her unkindnesse Had she afforded shelter she had not her self at least so soon been put to seek it Deus fratribus nostris Ecclesiae Gallicanae praesertim avertat omen But probably these sinnes of our Brethren of other Churches will in a great measure be imputed partly to the malice of our enemies for impoysoning their mindes by their Lyes and Pamphlets and partly to our negligence if it may be so called who have not been as equally active in giving them the true information of things in their own Language from the beginning Wherefore I wish that now at length all those who love the Truth and are acquainted with our English Affaires and have a skill in forraign Languages would consider seriously of this particular and as they are Christians not permit those for whom Christ dyed thus to perish in their Errours for want of knowledge Thou shalt in any wise saith the Lord rebuke thy brother when faulty or mis-led and not suffer sinne upon him yea I would desire all Loyall Englishmen to whom God hath given the tongue and pen of the Learned that they would imploy their Talents at this time this way in the vindicating of Truth and the King and so manifest their bowels of compassion towards their dear and native Countrey for undoubtedly so long as our Soveraignes name lies thus imprisoned under obloquy we his people and the whole Nation shall lie burthened under misery never since the birth of that grand scandalous Remonstrance which as an usher made way to all the reproachfull Libells and Sermons that have been vented since did this Kingdome enjoy one day of felicity The Prince's Honour is the Subjects glory and so ought to be esteemed 't is that Majesty that beame of Divinity which God hath stampt upon Him and commanded us to maintaine and reverence in Him t is to be regarded by us above ten thousands of us yea certainly he that preferres not the advancement and illustration of it before his own pofits and safety and all he hath deserves not the name of the Kings friend of a Loyall Subject nor of a good Christian. Many think and say that writing will doe no good enough is writ already for people are given up to beleeve lies they are willingly deceived and even hardened against the knowledge of the truth Perhaps all are not but were they so how came they into this condition was it not by those untruths which have bin Published and Preached to them Surely by defaming the King these mischiefes have been raised this Rebellion against him hath been woven up is it not therefore the more probable that the same may be unreaven againe by a full Vindication of the Kings name and a frequent ditection of these evill workers What is not effected at first may be done at last and by others which is not by some In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening hold not thy hand thou knowest not whether may prosper this or that if we persevere with meeknesse to enforme the contrary-minded God may at length give light and repentance to them This hath been wont to be Gods way both of converting the ignorant and confounding the obstinate and the truth is we have nothing else now left us but tongues to pray for our King and pens to write for him but the Apostle tells us that when we are weakest in our selves or to outward appearance then are we strongest scil in regard of the neernesse of Gods blessing his power is most apparent at such a time he chuseth the weakest to confound the mightiest poore Luthers tongue and pen when things were in a low condition did Christ and his Gospell more service against the Pope then all the swords that have been drawn against him or his Religion have done ever since Doubtlesse there be thousands of honest and Religious soules that in the simplicity of their spirits are hooked into this black Rebellion by the craft of others to whom if the wickednesse of the scope aymes and actions of their leaders were well layed open and proved they would hate them with a perfect hatred and rather lose all they have lent them then proceed one foot further in their way with them Nay who knowes but the greater part of their Souldiers and men of warre in many of whom to speak truth the sparks of Ancient English valour are apparent if they were at length but well informed might quickly turne the points of their swords the right way and so redeeme their lost glory without all question discourses of this nature will be meanes to rouze up and awaken those truly generous and noble Spirits that have been alway loyall and are still alive to consider more feelingly yet of the condition of their King of their Country and of the Royall Progeny those sweet and heart-conquering Princes who are all now either in banishment or in bondage and thereupon to enterpize in their behalfe some such high and worthy Acts as may eternize their owne names and convey them with an honourable mention to Posterity Or however were we certaine of it as we are not that these of this Age on the one side who received not the Truth or retained not the love thereof when they had it are given up to such strong delusions that they cannot be recovered out of Satans snare and those on the other side were
all power and authority and what ever else is good upon the earth of right belonging unto them as their proper inheritance though hitherto it hath bin kept from them by usurpers such as Kings and Princes are and all others that be not of their Faction therfore if now by any means they can but be stated in their own rights it is very probable that they wil see the whole Kingdom destroyed rather then part with the same again for the Israelites did never deliver back the Aegyptian Jewels after they had once borrowed them nor did they ever resigne to Og the King of Basan his Kingdom any more when once they had gotten possession of it Ergo because these good hands are such sure hands such hold-fasting hands they would have the Militia setled in them Indeed we do remember that for the space of two seven years before this unhappy Parliament did begin vulgar hearts were seasoned with this Doctrine that Gods people only have a right to the things of this life and all others Kings and all are but usurpers of what they do enjoy and therfore may justly be dispossessed of the same by them who call themselves the people of the Lord. But we do not believe this to be a true Doctrine because Christ hath said His Kingdom or that which properly belongs to his people is not of this world Therfore we conceive the Argument and reason built upon the same to be neither substantial nor sufficient but only a bare pretence to gul the ignorant and to seduce the simple 2. They desire as they say to have the disposal of the Militia that so they may go through-stitch with their Reformation as they call it For say they it is an hard task we have undertaken and like to he long in doing for we shal meet with many rubs and therfore have need of Power to remove obstructions Indeed we grant that Rome was not built-in one day it was many years before she had gained her present height of wickedness and before â—he could reach the same she did wrest the Militia out of the Emperours hands wherby she was able to bring her Soveraigns neck under her Popes feet by making him glad to hold the stirrup And now a like design being here on foot it must be pursued in a like method the Militia must first be seised upon beside the doctrine of Christian obedience hath bin so long rivetted into peoples hearts that though it be shrewdly shaken already by these Militia-men yet it is likely to settle and appear again unless they have the strength continued in their violent hands to suppress and keep under the growth therof And then further too that Publick form and manner of worshipping God wherin people have bin bred and nourished in the Church hath bin so decent and Reverend that this beastly and slovenly way which these New Reformers as they call themselves would introduce in the room therof is never like to be wel digested and therfore as the Papists on the one side have need of a bloudy Inquisition to uphold their ridiculous fopperies and superstitious vanities in their worship of God so these on the other side have as much need of the Militia to maintain and force their unhandsome carriages and proud undecencies in their serving of him But these men pretending to reform a Christian Church do they not make use of a wrong instrument Was the Militia of kingdoms ever appointed of God to such an end We have always believed that the Word was the ordained mean for such a purpose the Sword of Christs mouth and not of mens hands must both cut sin from Christs members and subdue his enemies Had these men set up a faithful teaching Ministry in all parts of the Kingdom we might have hoped for some good by them but as that Pope who cast away his Keys and betook himself to his Sword so do they betake them to their iron and steel they desire the Militia of the Kingdom with which they persecâ—te and destroy the faithful Preachers and this they call Reformation Indeed Antichrist and Mahomet went this way to work for the erection of their Religions and our men coveting and exercising a like power to a like end may be truly called their Disciples whom they imitate we would fain have them declare unto us how this course which they take and which it seems by this their desire they are resolved to proceed in can possibly consist with that Religion whose root is truth whose branches are charity and whose fruit is good deeds both towards friends and enemies we find in Micah the Lord complaining of some wicked Heads of the people and false Prophet who jugling together did endevour to build up Sion with bloud and Jerusalem with iniquity and had got the Power and Militia into their hands to that purpose and that the silly people might think that God was wel pleased with that their way they would saies the Text lean upon the Lord and were so impudent as to say the Lord is among us or on our side But how did the Lord take this at their hands It follows in the next Verse For your very sakes saies God to them Sion shal be plowed like a field and Jerusalem shal become heaps and by those unfit means wherwith they pretended to build up the same was brought to pass its destruction Wherfore doubtless this second Reason which is alleaged to get the Militia setled in their Hands is not only weak but extreamly wicked and tendeth not to Reformation but to the destruction and ruine of Christian Religion and of the Nation Thirdly They pretend it would be for the Peoples greater preservation to have the Militia of the Kingdome setled in their own good Hands for say they we stand for the People we are the men whom the People have chosen and therfore it is most likely that we shal imploy the strength of the Kingdom best to the Peoples safety which above all things is to be looked unto Thus they speak and wel have they evidenced their pretended care for us the People since they got the sword into their hands for therwith the first thing they did for our preservation was Mustapha or Mahomet or Amurath-like to cut off fair Irenes head with whom indeed the whole Nation had formerly too much wantonized and what have they done beside but often strewed our fields and high-ways with heaps of mangled carkasses and filled our Channels with the spilt-out bloud of our murdred Country-men O wo wo and alas they have done that quod nulla posteritas probet quod nulla taceat what true English heart without most bitter Lamentation can think or speak of their doings What persecution What banishment What confiscation of goods What corporal bondage Yea What cruel tortures What merciless burnings What secret murders What publick massacres have they committed upon the people of this Nation only because they refused to renounce