consulendum de arduis Regni to treat and advise concerning the difficulties of the Kingdom Here is all the power (i) Yes to enact something too surely Sir you have forgot your self but if Delinquents be found out and rescued from the hand of justice what then Nay if they be armed against them which should do justice on them what then the Writ gives them and where they exceed they usurp the Kings power being both against the Law of God and the constitutions of the Kingdom Ob. Well but in case of necessitie when Religion and Liberty lye at the stake the Constitutions of the Kingdom for the preservation of the Kingdom may suffer a Dispensation (k) Here 's no law of God broken yet unlesse you shew us more Ans Admit that But what necessity may dispense with the violation of the Law of God the deviation where from is evill and Thou shalt do no evill that good may come thereon Ob. But we take not Armes against the King but only to bring Delinquents to condigne punishment Ans And who are they even those that take up Armes for the King which an unrepealed Statute 11. Hen. 7. acquits But admit Statutes may be broken and you seek to punish them Who gave you the power so to do The Law And what Law denyes the King power to pardon Delinquents God that hath put power into the hand of Majesty hath likewise planted mercy in the heart of Soveraignty And will ye take away both his birth-right and his Blessing also Take heed you do not slight that which one day may prove your (l) Our reioycing is the testimony of our conscience that we shall have mercy with the King of Kings which is our soul 's sole sanctuary In the mean time you reason well The King may pardon some Delinquents therefore ought to pardon any yea all A King hath mercy for Dâ—linquents therefore let him spare them nay arme them against those that indevour to do their duties in ridding the common wealth or Church of them Sanctuary Ob. But the King being a Mixt Monarch is bound to his own Lawes Ans There be two sorts of Lawes directive and coercive As to the first he is only bound to make his accompt to God so to the second he is only lyable to the hand of God who shall say unto him what dost thou Ob. But Kings now adayes have not so absolute a power as the Kings mentioned in the Scripture Ans Who limited it God or man Man (m) See before confessed that the Kings power is limited by Gods law and mans law too where 's the limitation if he may do what he will and must account to none but God For in vain is he petitioned or subsidy or aid denied him For he may take all when he pleaseth and is to account to none but God could not limit the Power he never gave if God shew me where till then this objection is frivolous Ob. But when Kings and their assistance make an offensive and a destructive warre against their Parliament may they not then take up defensive Armes Ans It is no offensive Warre for a King to endeavour the Recovery of his surrepted right (n) Prove a surrepted right and you say something however are not the Members of a Parliament Subjects to their Soveraign If not who are they If Subjects ought they not to be subject Gods people the Iews Hester 8. that were to be destroyed by the Kings Command neither did not durst make a defensive Warre against his abused power untill they first obtained the Kings Consent But admit it lawfull though neither granted nor warranted that subjects may upon such tearms make a defensive Warre does it not quite crosse the nature of a defensiue Warre to Assayle pursue and dispossesse When you shot five peeces of Ordnance before one was returned at Edge-hill was that defensive When you besieged Redding which you after slighted was that defensive When you affronted Basing-house was that defensive The warrantable weapons against an angry King are Exhortation Diswasion wise reproofe by such as are nearest to him Petition Prayer and Flight All other weapons will at last wound them that use them (o) For the two Examples of our blessed Saviour to it I answer that This example also I judge to be like the former and very impertinent My reason is Our blessed Lord had an aime only at the businesse which he came to do viz. 1 To do the work of his ministery Esa 61.1 2. And 2 in due time to suffer the death on the crosse upon which 2 of the parts of his office were dependant viz. the propheticall and priestly office for the 3 part that is his Kingly Ex. 2 The 2 Example was left us out of the New Testament by Him that is the true president of all holy obedience our blessed Saviour whose humility and sufferance was set before us as a Copy for all generations to practise by 1 Pet. 2. The temporall Kingdom of the Iewes successively usurpt by these two heathen Princes Augustus and Tiberius two Contemporaries was his naturall Birth-right descended from his Type and Auncestor King David Had not he as great an Interest in that Crown as we have in this Common-wealth Was not He as tender-eyed towards his own naturall people as we to one another Was not the Truth as deare to Him who was the very Truth and the way to it as direct to Him that was the only way as to us Was not He the great Reformer Had the Sword been a necessary stickler in Reformation how happened it that he mistook his Weapon so In stead of a trumpet he lifted up his Voice Were Plots Policies Propositions Prophanations Plunderings Militarie Preparations his way to Reformation were they not his own words Mat. 26.52 He that taketh up the Sword shall perish by the Sword Nor was it want of strength that he reformed not in a Martiall way Could not he command more then twelue legions of Angels Or had he pleased to use the Arme of flesh could not he that raised the dead raise a considerable Army Sure St. John the Baptist would have ventured his head upon a fairer Quarell and St. Peter drawn his sword to a bloodier end No question but St. Paul the twelve Apostles and Disciples would have proved as tough Colonells as your associated Essex Priests did Captaines and doubtlesse St. Peter who converted 3000 in one day would have raised a strong Army in six Our blessed Saviour well knew that Caesar came not thither without divine permission In respect whereof He became obedient to the very shaddow of a King and whom the actively resisted not he passively obeyed Ob. I but there was a necessity of his obedience and subjection to make him capable of a shamefull death Ans No his obedience as well as death was voluntary which makes you guilty of a shamefull argument (p) Bona verba quaeso you
the help of the Gibeonites against the Israelites sure it had been preposterous 2 If you say The King hath sworn to protect them every way you speak sadly And it is asmuch as to say The King hath sworn to protect them which if they grow strong and have not content will powder and poyson him You remember and we too the King of France And I beleeve some of the assistants of his Majesty that now is the son their neer friends should have been the assassinates in the time of his Majesty that then was King Iames his Royall Father 3. If you say the King protects them other way then by the Law it s no Protection but a toleration like that of Vsury c. in our Land But the Papists themselves renounce our Laws The last Iesuit that dyed did in my hearing at the Gallows rail upon them all he said They were bloody ill made and worse kept c. Then it must be Toleration but that word will sound ill Nay fourthly If you say the King protecteth or that he ought to protect Papists any way you speak Illegally for Whom the Law protects not the King either cannot or ought not to protect but the Law protects not Papists therefore the King ought not to protect them Whom the Law disarms of them the King ought not to require an armed assistance and that against Parliament and Protestant party but the Law disarms Papists therefore the King ought not to require an armed assistance of them Again I consider his Majesties Subjects 1. As Men and Subjects and so while they live amongst us doubtlesse they have and ought to have a kinde of protection viz. 1. Quoad sanguinem as to blood no man may kill them 2. Quoad jus possessionem no man may rob them But 2. If you look on them as enemies to Religion and Papists their portion is no more then To be tributaries To pay so much an hour sleeping and waking To hold themselves in their Ubi their place To be uncapable of some offices and many other things which other men of the Protestants have c. Papists as Protestants he hath sworn his Protection therefore from all His Subjects as well Papists as Protestants he may require assistance Neither does he call in Papists as Papists to maintaine Religion as himselfe hath often manifested but as Subjects to subdue or at least qualifie Sedition The aid of the Subject is either in his person or in his purse both are requirable to the service of a Soveraigne (k) As to your case Sir I give you this answer It cannot be but that offences will come but woe unto them by whom they come what necessity is there to use defence where there is no opposition Your devilish counsell tels His Majesty That they are against him which are indeed most of all for him And hereby he thinks himself straitned to call about him those to help him which indeed will neither help him nor you longer then they think you help to help on their Designe which is to set Antichrist in his throne in England once again The case then is this Let His Majesty please once to return to His great Counsell again Let Delinquents stand upon their own legs Let Papists betake themselves to their Tribute Restraint c. And then see Sir if you be not willfully blinde what necessity will be of this sin of calling in Papists Rebels Forreiners c. As to your distinction that they are called in not to maintain Religion c. Why Your Religion Sir and that of Rome will be enough consistent See Vertum Roman and you have the Iesuits judgement in it which I beleeve is of great authority with some of you I tell you once again That the Protestant Religion at large and that 's it which you would have there went but a pair of Sheets between it and Popery and such a Religion I beleeve the Rebels and Recusants too will be easily perswaded to maintain As to that that they are called in to subdue or at least to qualifie Sedition Truly you remember me of the trouble in Israel in Absaloms time which when it was composed and the people of the Land begin to differ among themselves again 2 Sam. 20.1 c. There was come thither one Sheba the son of Bichri a man of Jemini a wicked man and he blew the Trumpet c. and made a worse sedition then there was before Beleeve it Sir these Sheba's that you have called in when our division is at the height and their time is come will be the first that will blow the Trumpet and say We have no part in David c. we fought for the King because we thought he would fight for the Pope otherwise we cannot be for him unlesse he be against the power of Protestant Religion As to our using of evil instruments I give two things in answer 1. Woe to that wicked Counsell which brings the good men of a Land into such bad straits 2. I am perswaded there are some which put themselves into the service of the Parliament and are wicked that they may rob and steal and do wickedly and thereby in the eyes of them which cannot see asperse the Cause and Parliament-side One Captain was hang'd not long since who at his death confessed and professed himself a Roman Catholick I was a By-stander and dyed for plunder Put case His Majestie should use the assistance of none but Protestants Tell me would you not be apt to cavill that he is favourable to the Papists neither willing to endanger their persons nor endamage their purses or at least that they are reserv'd for a last blow Or in case Papists should largely under-write to your Propositions send in Horses Armes or other provisions would you not accept it and for its sake their persons too Are you so strict in your Preparations as to Catechize every souldier Or to examine first every Officers Religion Or having the proffer of a good Popish or debaucht Commander tell me should he be denied his Commission Remember Sir Arthur Ashton whom his Majestie entertains by your Example These things indifferently considered it will manifestly appeare that the honest-minded vulgar are meerly seduced under the colour of piety to be so impious as by poysoning every action of their lawfull Prince to foster their implicite Rebellion But in case your side should prosper and prevaile what then would then our Miseries be at an end Reason tels us No God keeps us from the experience Thinke you that Government whether new or reformed which is set up by the Sword must not be maintained by the (l) As to the maintaining of the government by the sword c. And if so set up it must be so preserved c I am sorry to see That a Gentleman a wise man as you would make the world beleeve you are should wrap and involve together so many so grosse and so absurd
own Blood not knowing the way (a) If you speak for your selfe Sir you are no good subject if for us you are no good Christian all our practises of mercy have shewed and all our prayers for mercy to God and man too do shew this to be most false we doe affect the meanes all the lawfull meanes of peace but our misery is that when we speake to men thereof they make them ready to battell The language of this Proemo is neat but very Iesuiticall and dangerous Take heed good Reader we live in the times now that even the Iesuites begin to plead for the taking of the Oathes of Supremacy and Alleagiance See the safeguard from shipwracke for a prudent Catholicke with Doctor Featlies Annotations thereupon published by order Sure our Church is either altered or the Popes stomack that he can now digest us But here it is Reader give it thine observation when there is hope that Kings will preserve Popery then Popery it selfe will sweare to preserve them nor affecting the means of Peace insomuch that she is now become the By-word of the Earth and the scorne of Nations The Cause and ground of these our Nationall Combustions are these our nationall Transgressions which unnaturally sprung from the neglect of that Truth we once had and from the abuse of that Peace we now want Which taking occasion of some differences betwixt His Majestie and his two Houses of Parliament hath divided our Kingdom within it self which had so divided it self from that God who blest it with so firme a Truth so setled a Peace and so sweet an Unitie As that sinne brought this division so this division sharpned with mutuall Iealousies brought in the Sword When the Lyon roars who trembles not And when Iudgements thunder who is not troubled Among the rest I who brought some Faggots to this Combustion stood astonisht and amazed to whom the mischiefe was farre more manifest then the Remedy At last I laid my hand upon my heart and concluded It was the hand of God Where being plundered in my understanding I began to make a scrutiny where the first Breach was made that let in all these Miseries I found the whole Kingdom now contracted into a Parliament which consisted of three Estates A King a House of Peeres and a House of Commons by the Wisdom and Vnity whereof all things conducible to the Weale-publique were to be advised upon presented and established I found this Vnitie dis-joynted and growne to variance even to Blood The King and his Adherents on the one party and his two Houses and their Adherents on the other The pretence of this division was the true Protestant Religion which both protested to maintain The Liberty of the Subject which both protested to preserve the priviledges of Parliament which both promise to protect Yet neverthesse (b) Sure this Gentleman thinks that any thing will be granted him I am confident and in this I dare appeale to God and all good men that England never saw her Religion and Ordinances in that glory of lustre as they have beene since this Parliament began Such a spirit of prayer and preaching is gone out amongst us as is indeed wonderfull But that which you call Religion's prophanation is in deed and truth Religion's purging and reformation viz. to plucke downe idolatrous crosses to silence Organs to abolish relickes of Popery to scum off the filth of our Liturgies and Church-service and to put away out of our Cathedrals those bawling Boyes and drunken singing men This is the prophanation of Religion we are guilty of in such mens opinions as this is True it is in these sad times of ours and exceeding full of distraction Sectaries creep in and increase abundantly whose suppressing in their and the Lords due time we doe not doubt but the great Reformer will blesse us with This you can remember object against our side But your open Masses on your side I hear no complaint of not a word of your Irish Rebels now Cum privilegio in the land here Accidentall prophanations in such a time as this will happen it cannot otherwise be but voluntary and desperate ones volent and violent prophanations your side is guilty of you authorise defend sight for or at least with professed prophaners yea professed enemies of Religion yea all Religion which hath any power or piety joyned thereunto This writer which in this straine of wit desires to strike through the sides of our Parliament and profession too at one blow dares not here undertake to instance any one peece of the prophanation of our Religion justifiedly published preached or practised in this distracted strait of time by the Authority of Parliament Religion Liberty Priviledge and all is troden under foot by that side to which this Gentleman is now a loyall Convert as is seen daily but what impudence dare averre that we doe any such thing Good Reader doe not be beguiled but hear what this man saith Religion Liberty Priviledge never more prophaned interrupted violated but by whom let him speake out and tell thee or doe thou open thine eyes and tell thy selfe rather and then thou wilt tell me that the Gentleman hath in this but throwne dirt in his owne sides face the first never more profaned the second never more interrupted the third never more violated Standing amazed at this Riddle I turned mine eyes upon his Majesty and there I viewed the Lords Annoynted sworn to maintain the established Lawes of this Kingdom I turned mine eyes upon the two Houses and in them I beheld the Interest of my Countrey sworne to obey his Majesty as their supreme Governour I heard a Remonstrance cryed from the two Houses I read it I approved it I inclined unto it A Declaration from his Majesty I read it I applauded it I adhered to the justnesse of it The Parliaments Answer I turned to the Parliament His Majesties Reply I returned to his Majesty Thus tost and turned as a Weathercock to my own weaâ—nesse I resolved it impossible to serve two Masters I fled to Reason Reason could not satisfie me I fled to Policy Policie could not resolve me at length finding no Counsellour but that which first I should have sought I hyed me to the Book of God as the Great Oracle and ushering my Inquest with Prayer and Humiliation I opened the sacred leaves which not by chance presented to my first eye the 20 of the Proverbs ver 2. The fear of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon and who so provoketh him to Anger sinneth against his own soul Now I began to search and found as many (c) And was there ever any pestilent heresie in Gods Church thaâ— had not numerous quotations of holy Scripture Augustine observes it sweetly that Heresies and perverse opinions insnaring the soules they are not vented but when the good Scriptures are not well understood then that which men understand wrongly they assert to others as rashly See
reader apply himself unto Master Burroughes in the end of the treatise intituled The Lord of hosts and othâ—rs abouring excellently upon that subject Only thus much give me leave to advertise The Gentleman doth first hoodwinck you and then abuse you 1. Gods command his reason and that under thereat they are altogether yea and every one by himself that which we desire to tremble to think of disobediencâ— to For they are such a three fold coard as cannot be broken but we break with them 2 Equality with our soveraign superiority or supremacy over him let this book object against them that are guilty of desiring such a thing We utterly disclaim and renounce the thought therof And therefore herein the author fights with his shadow and not with us 3 His distinction of active and passive obedience power praise pliance prayers c. Suppose all this should be admitted yet the author hits not the question alas he comes not neer the mark Indeed no more they do any of them by their good will 4 The paralâ—ll too between the two Scriptures that is to say between the 13. Rom. 1 2 3 and 1 Cor 11.29 with that flash of wit discerning the Lords body and discerning the Lords annointed that he sayâ—s of ordinance and the punishment of disobedience c allow him all this And all this is beside the businesse in hand and hath nothing in it but froth How easily and with no noise falls all this Babel to pieces thus 1 He that rebells against Gods commandement shall receive to himself judgment True but we do not so therefore c. 2 He that desires to be equall with or above his King he c. But we abhorre it with our hearts therefore c. and so of all the rest This spiders web is soon swept down you see Much reading I know by my self is a wearisomnesse to the flesh And though there be many books yet every one hath not time to read them observe therefore good Reader without prejudice these following things in answer to this precept 1 Obeâ—ience to the King may be denied not only in things unlawfull by the Law of God but man also This is granted by the Kings side this position That Gods Law and man's Law do limit Kings power 2 Resistance is lawfull with these three cautions 1 If there be the consent of the two houses of Parliament 2 If that resistance be defensive 3 If the King be bent to overthrow all religion Lawes Libertyes c. and shew nothing but will For you know sir and for shâ—me do not dissemble it that Aristotles old rule is He that Governs by Law is a King by lust is a tyrant The next book therefore that this Gentleman writes we shall intreat him to satisfy the reader in those particulars above and such as thâ—se below viz. 1 What is the difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength for surely this must be regarded 2 There is difference between these two He hath and He is the greatest power let it be spoken of whom it will 3 The resistance of the Power and the resistance of the will are things different 4 These concurrences in a Governour which all have graunted 1 The power which is from God 2 Person which is from men 3 Qualification which is from himself 4 Limitation which is from the Law divine and humane 5 Let him also satisfy us in these two things more that is to say 1 Though duty breach of oath and covenant doth not make forfeyture of power yet whether any breach doth so 2 Whethâ—r power given to King Parliament c. may be reassumed when how in what cases and by whom The light of reason we have hath taught us this and we cannot forget it That spirituall good things have such means to preserve them Which is a truth warranted by Gods word That naturall and civill good things must surely have means to preserve them also Such therefore would I intreate the next discourse of this Gentleman 's to be as may give satisfaction in these things or else he does nothing to the purpose 2 Pre. The second Precept is enjoyned us out of the New Testament Ro. 13.1 Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers for there is no power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation This Power this King to whom S. Paul commandeth this subjection was Nero the bloody persecutor of all that honoured the blessed Name of Iesus Christ Gods Command should be a sufficient Argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is enough But when he adds a Reason too he answers all Objections But when he threatens a punishment no lesse then damnation upon the resistance thereof he hath used all means to perswade a necessity of obedience Let every soul be subject Not equall much lesse superiour And what is taking up of Armes but an implyed supposition of at least equality What are the hopes of conquest but an Ambition of Superiority What is condemning judging or deposing but Supremacy For it is against the nature of an Inferiour to condemne judge or depose a Superiour And lest the Rebellious should confine his obedience to a good Prince the next words reply For there is no power but of God Power in it self is neither good nor evill but as it is in subjecto the person If an evill King an evill Power If a good King a good Power God sends the one in Mercy and we must be subject the other in Judgment and we must be subject in things lawfull actively in things unlawfull passively If a good King he must have our praise and our plyance If an evill King he must have our Prayers and our Patience He that resisteth the Power whether good or evill for all power is of God resists an Ordinance of God Ordinances of men are not resisted without ruine and whosoever resisteth shall receive but what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation to themselves Now compare this place with that 1 Cor. 11.29 He that shall eat this Bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily eateth and drinketh What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation to himself If then there be proportion betwixt the Sin and the Punishment you may hereby gather the heinousnesse of disobedience the punishment whereof is the very same with his that is guilty of the Body and blood of our Lord to the one for not discerning the Lords Body to the other for not discerning the Lords Annoynted Ob. The Lords Annoynted And who is he None but the regenerate Christ is not Christ to any to whom Iesus is not Iesus Ans Gods Word answers your silly Objection not I was not Saul Gods Annoynted 1 Sam. 26.9 Was not Cyrus Gods Annoynted and many more whom God acknowledges so and yet wicked Kings Cyrus is mine Annointed
with me these two things First who they are that fight against us that is to say a gracious Prince and some others missed into the deep mire alas where now they sticke so fast that God onely can help them out Secondly what it is to be feared these men will doe if they should prevaile viz. Pull downe any thing to set themselves up againe and to repaire the ruines of their thus spent states and fortunes Publique Faith Money like blood from the Liver conveyed through all the veines issued to make a large supply and where it stopt a while mountains of massie Plate from the vast Goblet to the slender Thimble this faith removed into their safe possession And when the great Milch-cow began to slake they prest her nipples and by hard streyning renewed the streame As Physicians evacuate the Body sometimes by Vomit sometimes by Purge sometimes by Phlebotomy sometimes by Sweating sometimes Fluxing sometimes Diuretically yet Purge but the same Peccant humour So did they first by Proposition then by way of Contribution now by way of Loan then by way of Subsidy no lesse then 50 at one time here by way of Assesment there by way of Twentieth part then by way of Excise one while by way of Sequestration then by way of Plunder but still the issue Money And to worke the better upon the affections of the Multitude all this for the behoofe of King and Parliament for the pretended defence of God knowes what Religion insomuch that men came in like Swarmes to the next Tree or rather like treacherous Decoyes with their innocent multitude into the Net and Horses without number Thus were they supplyed with all necessaries which the Arme of flesh could provide for the waging of an unconquerable warre whereon the money already expended makes no lesse figures then 17 Millions Sterling besides the Revenues of the King Queene Prince Duke of Yorke and the whole estates of all such as take up Armes against them besides free Quarter and Souldiers yet unpaid His Majestie on the other side driven away with a few Attendants not having among them so many Swords and Pistols as these had Canons wanting both Money Horses and Ammunition onely what he received from the piety of some beleeving Subjects whose eares were Pamphlet-proofe against all defamations and scandals cast upon sacred Majesty finding slender Provision in his own Dominions and that stopt or seized which came from forraigne parts No Shipping but what he purchast with the precious and extreame hazard of his few but Valiant Subjects No Armes but what he gained by the couragious venture of his owne neglected Life the Subject of our continuall Prayers Yet hath God covered his head in the day of battell and blest him with such successe that he is by the Divine Providence become a great (d) It is the desire of our souls that his Majesty were master of his own passions and then of all the three kingdomes And we do not doubt of both these if God would once please to rescue his sacred Person out of your hands in the mean time we will not cease to pray that God would give him the great evidences of his externall love to great ones that is to say a wealthy family solid honour and a sure posterity yea and that his soul may be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord his God while the soul of his and our adversaries be by God cast out as out of the middle of a sling Surely God is just and the misleaders houses have been as the moth or as the lodge that the watchman maketh Iob 27.18 Master of the Field and almost able to maintaine fight with his owne Ships at Sea The God of Heaven blesse him and prosper him and make his dayes as the dayes of Heaven that being here the Faiths Defender he may still be defended by the object of that Faith Nor is the (e) To your providentiall observations I say thus Sir Surely were not prophanenesse and blasphemyes as toyes and trifles among you you durst not speak much lesse print such blasphemyes as these such language as indeed befits heathens rather then Christians Solomon saith Eccle. 9.2.3 That all things come alike to all and the same condition in regard of outward things is to the just as to the wicked as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath On all this this Gentleman concludes presently that which Solomon gave his heart to know and could not comprehend verse 1. This Gentleman concludes 1 That Master Hampden was punished 2 Thus and in this manner 3 For this and this Though you dare deal thus boldly with the secrets of humane majesty yet if you presume so with the divine Look for your reward and be sure the damnation doth not sleep of those which like bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evill of things and men they know not But to the particulars reader the reproch which he would cast upon that honourable man Master Hampden hear the truth of Master Hampden as many other godly and gallant patriots stood against shipmoney and such things as being for so indeed they were against law and liberty of the subject denying to pay those things which indeed ought not to have been demaunded here-hence a suite is commenced against the said Master Hampden a suite in his Majesties name for the things aforesaid wherein he endeavoured legally to defend himself and with himself us ours and the kingdome choosing rather to suffer imprisonment c then to do act either against conscience within which is and wil be index judex carnifex or law without which ought to be to every good subject sicut murus aheneus as a sure defence Sir had his Majestie had about him such as Master Hampden was and would have pleased to have given eare unto them which we do not desire to doubt his gracious disposition in he would have spoken to our Soveraigne words of truth and sobernesse which would have been as so many pretious preservatives against precipices but the Court was then as it is now full of pestilent sycophantisme more the pitty wherein I beleeve your reader will allow you none of the least sharâ— Sir I must tell you many blesse God for those few such as this Gentleman was and what aspersion you cast on him you will never keep from recoyling in your owne face providentiall hand of God more visible in prospering him then in punishing his Enemies whose ruines may remaine as Sea-marks to us and Pyramids of Gods Power wherof a touch Sir John Hotham then Governour of Hull who first defyed and dared his Soveraigne to his face what is become of him How stands he a Marke betwixt two dangers having nothing left him but guilt enough to make him capable of a desperate Fortune Master Hampden that first waged Law and then War against his own naturall Prince hath not he since these unhappy
ignorances I will but aske you and the men of your side these questions 1 Is the Government of Christs Church now to set down Or the judgement to be executed upon his adversaries is it now to be written See Psa 149.9 to execute on them the judgement written c. see the places whereto all our expositours send us as Deu. 7. And then I must tell you you have told the world what a Divine and Text-man you are 2 Do we dream of our Power or of an arm of flesh to maintain the Government of the Church of our Lord once recovered out of the Divells hands alas for you 3 Dare we distrust the Lords blessing think you we doing our utmost duty herein both upon our King and us You render your self to me a meer carnall man He who hath promised to be with us to the end of the world To set his Kingdom in the midst among his enemies To tread down Satan shortly under our feet To give a spirit of life to the two dead witnesses that great fear may come on them which see them Rev. 11. Into his hands and protection we commend our poore endevours and let him do what seemeth him good sword And how can Peace and Plenty be consistent with perpetuall Garrisons which must be maintained with a perpetuall charge besides the continuall excursions and conniv'd-at injuries committed by Souldiers judge you Or put the case this necessary Consequence could be avoyded think you the ambition of some new States-men accustomed to such Arbitrary and necessitated power on the one side and the remaining loyalty of his Majesties dis-inherited Subjects watching all opportunities to right their injur'd Soveraigne and themselves on the other side would not raise perpetuall tempests in this Kingdome Or if such an almost unpreventible evill should not ensue think you such swarms of Sectaries sweat for nothing Are their (m) You speak ignorantly and poorly so you think and write Sectaries purses Alas Sir God help our Treasuries if wee spent out of their Coffers These are the men hinder us you are deceived There is about London one and I beleeve he is not alone Iesuite in the Sect of the Anabaptists He labours sweats confers preaches defends that point with all his might And why because he knowes that all the Disciples he gets into that way are all cleerly withdrawn from the Parliament Their Tenent is you know if you know any thing that Christ can defend his Kingdome without war and their usuall quotation that of our Saviour to Peter He that takes the sword shall perish thereby purses so apt to bleed to no end Will not their costs and paines expect at least a congratulatory connivence in the freedome of their consciences Or will their swords now in the strong possession of so great a multitude know the way into their quiet Scabbards without the expected Liberty of their Religions And can that Liberty produce any thing but an establisht Disorder And is not disorder the mother of Anarchie and that of Ruine Open then your eyes closed with crasse and wilfull blindnesse and consider and prevent that which your continued Disobedience will unavoydably repent too late But the truth is They are all Papists by your Brand that comply not in this action with you Admit it were so Are not Papists as tolerable for his Majestie as Anabaptists Brownists Separatists Atheists Antinomians Turkes and indeed all Religions and Factions nay Papists too for his Subjects These of his Majesties side come freely out of their Allegeance as Subjects Yours are preached in comming out of obstinacy as Rebels They at their owne charges proportionable to their Abilities These like Judas selling their Soveraignes Blood for ill-paid wages Yet both sides pretend a Quarrell for the true Protestant Religion Good God! What a monstrous Religion is this that seeks protection from the Implacable opposition of her two Champions His Majesty protests to maintaine it The two Houses Protest to maintaine it O for an Oedipus to read this Riddle His Majesty addes one Clause more wherein if the other Party would agree the worke will be at an end which is According to the establisht Constitutions by Oath (n) You may blush to mention such a word was it not enough for your selves to forsweare lie c. But you must seek to be guilty of other mens sins also your oath Et cetera was it not a fine one And that I may say no more borresco referens God is to the everlasting shame of that party now shewing what the head of that faction durst do and did do in the great Oath you mention of which the world will ere long receive enough of satisfaction in his condemnation and the truths vindication taken by him at his Coronation And there the two Houses leave him contending for a yet undetermined Alteration And for my part I dare not conceive such evill of the Lords Annointed and my gracious Soveraigne as to fear him perjured Hath not his Majesty in the presence of that God by whom he raignes imprecated the Curse of Heaven on him and his Royall Posterity Sub Sigillo sacrament too if He to his utmost maintaine not the true Protestant Religion exercised in that blessed Queenes dayes and propagated by the blood of so many glorious Martyrs at which time God blest this Island in so high a measure if he preserve not the just Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberty of the Subject Nay more did not His Majesty so promise the severe execution of the Statute against all Recusants that if he failed he desired not the aide of his good Subjects What inferiour person would not thinke his Reputation wronged not to take up confidence upon such terrible termes What notorious evill hath his Majesty perpetrated to quench the sparkles of a Common Charity Consider O Consider He acts his part before the King of Kings whose eye is more especially upon Him He acts his part before his fellow Princes to whom he hath declared this his Imprecation He acts his part before his Subjects whose stricter hand weighs his pious words with too unequall Balances Were he the acknowledger of no God yet the Princes of the earth if guilty of such a Perjury would abhorre him Or were all the Princes of the earth blind deafe or partiall would not he think his Crown a burthen to be worne upon his Perjured brow before his own abused people Or having renounced his Subjects aide upon his faile could he expect that loyalty which now he wants upon a meer suspition But He is a Prince (o) Hâ— is our dread Soveragin never the better I must tell you Sir for such as your commendation if the old rule be true which is A peâ—versis vituperari decorum est It is ill to be commended of wicked men We desire that our King may be inferiour to none of the Kings of Israel in heavenly graces no not Iosiah Hezekiah To none of the Kings