of the world that have beene as farr above others in Wisedome as they have beene in power Wee have lived to see that sore evill which the Scripture by the pen of a King and the wisest of men complained of to see Princes on foote Servants on horsebacke when the Licentious insolence of the meanest tramples vpon the Soveraigntie of the highest and the basest of the people revile their King He saies for their sakes that have not more Seriously considered Kings then in the gawdy name of Majestie and admired them their doings as if they breathed not the same breath with other men he will for it seemes he saies a Challenge both of him and his partie take vp the gantlet though a Kings in the behalfe of libertie and the common wealth Loyaltie hath no friends that so admire Princes as if they breathed not common breath of nature they wel know who hath said of Kings I have said you are Gods the guilt of their sin that disobey or revile thē yet non are ignorant that their breath is in their nosthrils that they shall dye as others They that are best instructed most considerate give most reverence to Kings They vnderstand that Princes have greater promises of wisedome frō God greater meanes to attaine it then others that by obeying them humane societie is maintained though they breath the same breath with them When Saul was made King of Israel there were wicked men that said how shall this man save us contemning his Authoritie because he was taken from among them selves in our dayes there is a Confluence of all the Rebellious inclinations that troubled the world pride of base people and disdaine of all Authoritie Because Kings are men must they not therefore Rule Must Gods vicegerents be despysed because they are men And because we know Kings to be men must wee beleive that seditious slanderers are more then men which are carryed as naturall brute Beasts The Archangell disputing with the Devill durst not bring against him a rayling accusation and such as take vp Rayling accusations against Princes partake of the wickednes of the evill and hate the holynes of the blessed Angell When the woman told David he was as an Angell of God did shee thinke he breathed not the same breath with others This Author by pretending to rectifie an errour that never was of admiring kings as if they breathed not the common breath of men would perswade men to scorne despise kings and Rebell against the king of kings God himselfe who wil be called king and to style that Title a gaudy name expresseth rather a scoffing Atheist then a profest Christian Ambitious Rebells that sow the seedes of disaffection to their king among the people begin with a plausible trueth that kings are men that they may erre that they may be wicked thence they come to application of particular Actions of their king represented as deceitefully as falshood can frame to the vnwary hearers because it may be so therefore in their logicke it must be so and experience it selfe hath made apparent how few or none admire Kings as if they breathed not the common breath of men and how many forgett their dutie to them that in Scripture are called Gods the prevalence of corrupt nature is so farr above reason that men are sooner infatuated by the plausible discourses of ambitious aspirers to beleive absurdities making way for Rebellion then mistaken of the nature of Kings by their sacred Title or dignitie for wee have seene men seduced to beleive they might make warr against the King so as they said it was aganist his evill Councellours and for King and Parliament that because the two houses sate by the Kings authoritie therefore him selfe had none That they made warr in their owne defence against the King and yet said they fought for King and Parlament and contrary to the knowledge of the whole world traduced his Majest Government which was the time if ever when his three Kingdomes attained the height of honour strength and wealth above their neighbours As the Arts of those seedes-men of sathan were jnspired by their Master to the ruine of mankinde so how farr they have effected it in his Majest three kingdomes by this logicke of the Devill all men are wittnesses All boundaries of right and wrong broken downe and any wickednes acted by authoritie that serves to secure the Tyranicall power will of the Rebell Masters What flouds of Christian blood what starving pininge to death of poore Captives have our dayes been wittnes of in England what jmpudent pretences of justice for publique Murthers scenes of Iudicature and theaters of slaughter honour and vertue prostituted to the Common Executioner so as the miseries of former times were but an Epitome of those numerous evills that have been brought vpon his Majest Dominions in these few yeares the facts would seeme incredible in after ages did not such as this Author undauntedly boast of the insolencies they have committed no historie yeilding on example of the like whether we reguard the impudence crueltie insolence and hipocrisie of the contrivers deceite imposture profannes of preachers or credulitie and precipitation of the vulgar The author might have done well to shew why his Majest booke seemed a Challenge it provokes no answeare nor handles any thing by way of controversie but his very devotions and instructions to his son seeme a Challenge Evidence of worth in the sufferer torments the persecutour and they cannot rest while the vertues live though the bodies are laid in the dust by their wicked hands But he wil take vp the gantlet that no man threw downe though a Kings He lately said Kings were puny Antagomists and no honour to begotten by writing against them and now he will take vp the gantlet though a Kings it seemes he reckons it a condescention to stoope to take vp a Kings gantlet those todes that thus swell wil breake with their owne venom This Authors pen shewes what libertie he loves to endure no justice towards the living or Charitie to the dead and to breake those fetters of modestie and truth wherein a Christians libertie consists Those pests of Government allwayes talke of libertie but it s only a licence to exercise their own inperious Tyrany over the people and when fire breakes out of the bramble to consume the Cedars nothing can be expected but insolence and crueltie wee have seene the libertie vnder the Rebells in England which is to rayle and Rebell against the King and destroy such as are loyall He saies its the drift of a factious and defeated partie to make the same advantage of his booke as before of his name authoritie and intend not so much the defence of his former Actions as promoting future designes Those whome he calls a defeated partie in so great contempt are never the neerer a faction for the successe that confessed Rebells have gained over
But such as make Psalmastrie a word of contempt relish not the Zeale of the sweete singer of Israell and their deedes are odious to all good men that seeke matter of reproach vpon the devotions of others and make their malitious surmises positive truths The instances of Tyrants counterfeiting Religion are frequent and that hipocrisie is inseperable from Tyrants by vsurpation such as this libellers Masters whose want of right seekes protection from dissembled vertue but this seldome happens to Kings by just Title whose power wants not that support His comparing his late Majest to knowne vsurpers that confirmed their Crownes gained by robbery and kept with falshood blood shewes his odious shamelessnes in the dissimititude whoever observes the prophane assumption of the Titles of pietie by these Monsters their hipocriticall professions to maske their wicked ends shall finde that Andronicus Comnenus and our English Rich. 3. Came short of them not only in counterfeiting Religion and conscience but in falshood and crueltie Insteede of shake speares scene of Rich. 3. The libeller may take the Parliaments declaration of the 29. May where their words are The providing for the publique peace and prosperitie of his Majest and all his Realmes we protest in the presence of the all-seeing Deitie to have been and still to be the only end of all our Councells endeavours wherein wee have resolved to continue freed and enlarged from all private aimes personall respects or passions whatsoever and againe in their petition of the second of June they tell him that they have nothing in their thoughts and desires more pretious and of higher esteeme next to the honour and immediate service of God then the just and faithfull performance of their dutie to his Majest and the libeller will not finde in historie or poet words of a deeper hipocrisie in the mouth of a villaine nor more contradicted by their Actions That which he adds from his Testimony out of shakespeare of the imagined vehemence of Rich. the 3. In his dissembled professions holds noe proportion with theis hipocrisies really acted not fancyed by a poet and this libeller hath learnt to act a part out of shakespeare and with Rich. 3. accusing loyaltie and innocency for high Crymes and crying out against their wickednes that sought to restore the disposessed heires of the Crowne to their right and amplifying their offence as the highest against God and man and wherein comes the libeller short of his patterne in this scene He sayes heerein the worst of Kings professing Christianisme have by farr exceeded him and he gives his reason for that the King hath as it were vnhallowed and vnchristned by borrowing to a Christian vse prayers offred to a heathen God And doth saint Paul exceede the worst of Kings professing Christianisme by borrowing to a Christian vse the words of an heathen Philosopher and poet did he thereby vnhallow and vnchristen Scripture His meaning is as followes afterward that the King vsed a prayer taken out of S. Philip Sydnies Arcadia After the first Edition of his Majest booke the Printers finding the greate vent of them in the following Editions Printed prayers and other things in the Kings name not belonging to the booke Among these prayers there is a prayer taken out of the Arcadia That prayer is neither made by a heathen woman nor to a heathen God but is composed by the Author a Christian without reference to any heathen Deitie and the Author is not thought to vnchristen prayer by it the libeller himselfe saying the booke in its kinde is full of worth and wit but as his outcry hath noe cause from the matter so heere is no evidence of the fact that his Majest made vse of that prayer or popt into the Bishopps hands as a relique of his exercise though he might warrantably have vsed it and professed it But he goes on to shew what he can say vpon this occasion Who would have imagined so little feare in him of the true alseeing Deitie so litle reverence of the holy Ghost whose office is to dictate and presens our Christian prayers so litle care of truth in his last words or honour to himselfe or to his friends or sense of his afflictions or of that sad hower which was vpon him as immediately before his death to pop into the hand of that grave Bishopps who attended him as a speciall relique of his saintly exercises a prayer stolne c. All men that have observed this Authors practice hitherto rest assured that he hath so litle feare or reverence of the all seeing Deitie so litle care of truth or honour as he stickes not to charge his Majest with facts neverdone and innocent Actions with transcendent guilt If his Majest had vsed the prayer or delivered it as he imagines no man of Christian sobrietie could charge the fact with Cryme what one word or sentence is there in that prayer which a Christian may not vse but the Image breaker hath a greate quarrel to al formes of prayer and by the reason he produces that the office of the holy Ghost is to dictate and present our Christian prayers all set prayers want reverence to the holy Ghost so tender is he of the best reformed Churchs of whome he so often makes a propertie And whence concludes he no care of truth in his last words when the King never spake of it He aggravates this fact by the person of the grave Bishopp who had been a Prelaticall leiturgist had it not been to paint a slander The laughter which he conceives is caused by the thought of this that he which acted so Tragically should have such a ridiculous exit might rather strike horrour in the libeller for his malitious opposition to truth that will so contrary to his owne knowledge charge him to act tragically that had governed so mildly and to have a ridiculous exit that left the world with so greate pietie and such vniversall greife of the people for his sufferings but desperate wretches laugh at the wickednes they act His Majest friends have had good experience that his Enemies who have spared no paines to traduce him would not for beare any occasion of detraction His Majest enduring afflictions with admired patience his fuffering death with Christian fortitude his vertuous life holy Martyrdome cannot be blasted by an Atheists scorne nor a Rebells malice His conclusion in the begging of the question that it is cleere the King was not induced but constrained to call the last Parliament which by his owne shewing is apparently false for if there had been such a constraint the Lords in vaine petitioned and all the necessities that he hath supposed may concurr with the Kings inclination to call a Parliament and if necessitie had constrained him to call a Parliament what should hinder but he might avouch in the eares of God that he did it with an vpright intention to his glory and his peoples good If necessitie of his peoples
ΕΙΚΩΠΑΚΛΑΣΤΟΣ The IMAGE VNBROAKEN A Perspective of the Impudence Falshood Vanitie and Prophannes Published in a Libell entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or the Pourtraicture of his SACRED MAJESTIE in his solitudes and Sufferings Printed Anno Dom. 1651. The INTRODUCTION WHen the booke called Icon-basilice was comming foorth the Rebells guilt Suggested Suspitions to them of danger from the memory of his late Majest as formerly they apprehended from his life striving that he might not appeare to posteritie out of those ignominious Circumstances which they had contrived in the murther of him and thence their rigid Inquisition after persons and Presses Rebells rise by flattery rule by force and they that made so many appeales to the people forbid them now to know the groanes of a dead Martyr Vpon the comming foorth of the booke they found what they feared that many whose passion kept them from a right judgment in the heate of Action saw their owne errours in that booke and that the person and cause of his late Majest began to be more Generally vnderstood and being not able to strangle it in the birth they sought how to cast itt foorth to be destroyed raysinge rumours that it was not the worke of his late Majest thinkeing to make men lesse intent on the booke if the author were suspected and that they might thereby take of all opinion of pietie and wisedome from his late Majest which might be collected from his writings it being the Custome of Rebells to prevaile more by Calumnies vpon the disposition then the Actions of Princes They seeke to improve crueltie above nature for having by wicked hands destroyed the Lords anointed they would deface the Memory of their owne vile Actions against him hyring false Prophetts to curse him they grudge at his Crowne in heaven as they usurped that on earth It s no new thing for persons of most eminent vertue to fall into the obloquy suffer by the rage of the misled people and therefore no wonder if innocence finde an oratour to accuse it Treason an Advocate to defend it Rebellion never wanted a Trumpet though the contrivance of it be in Caves vaults yet successe makes it outface the light His Majest booke hath passed the censure of the greatest part of the learned world being translated into the most spred Languages and strangers honour his Memory and abhorre his murtherers but such as regarde not the al seeing eye of God beholding their wickednes despise the judgment of the whole world and there is a man found out that will breake downe the united reason of mankinde he tells men they must take his word above their owne and all mens reason this he vndertakes that lookes on kings as Ants and the kings booke as wanting all moment of Soliditie and if as he chose the Title of Iconoclastes he had written his booke in a Forraigne or learned language his vnfaith fullnes and impudence would be as open and odious as his vanitie is ridiculous And though the exceptions against his Majest booke fall away of them selves and Traytours Apologies carry with them their owne Confutation yet indignation at the shamelesse insolence and vntruth of Iconoclastes provokes a just vindication of his late Majest from the lewde slanders of the answearer A Dumbe childe gott speech at the apprehension of an Injury to the father and its a dead Loyaltie that stands vnmoved at the cursing of a shimei and those curses of shimei recorded in Scripture were lesse virulent and more excusable then this Authors language of his late Majest through his whole Treatise which is a Treason against God and Man Religion Truth and Iustice THE Preface Examined HIS First words are To descant on the misfortunes of a person fallen from so high a digintie who hath also paid his finall debt to nature and his faults is neither of it selfe a thing commendable nor the intention of this Discourse That it is not a thing commendable is a greed by all and that it is the intention of this Authors Discourse all men discerne by this very expression and in every Period he insolently and scorne fully speakes of the person of his late Majest as fallen into that misfortune and his whole booke is a continued Confutation of this false assertion base natures delight in the misfortunes of persons in highest place It is hatefull in any to descant on the misfortunes of Princes but in such as have relation vnto them by service or Subiection as this libeller to the late king is the Compendium of all vnworthynes and vnnaturall insolence Could he say his Majest had paid his debt to his faults without descant on his misfortunes But he giues timely warning what is to be expected in his booke where like a shameles theife taken in the fact he denies what he openly acts He saies it is not to get a name for no man ever got honour by writing against a King being strong in Legions weake in Arguments Some men have desired a name for Brutish arrogance against Princes and that may be the Authors ambition but however it have fared with others that have spitt their venom in the faces of Kings its certaine he hath lighted vpon the prediction of his owne successe for he will gaine only in famy by this vndertaking Never man found honour by raking in the ashes of dead Princes but vnnatural crueltie seekes to Surfeit vpon the grave This Author doth not only digg vp the bones of the dead King but seekes to bring Destruction on al Kings and bury them in the ruines of their Authoritie depraved natures account the greatest wickednes the greatest glory more honour to subvert humane Societie then destroy a Single person The first step where by he mounts to Triumph over his sacred Majest is for that he was a King and that is vrged as proofe Sufficient that he was weake at Arguments Kings he saies being accustomed from the Cradle to vse their will only as their right hand their Reason alwayes as their left Soe desperate is the wickednes of these men that must vilifie the Ordinances of God for their defence Had they matter of just exceptiō to his late Majest the needed not they would not draw matter of Reproach from his Office and had they any feare of God or reverence to man they would not thus Lewdly traduce this greate Institution of God for the governing of mankinde the Kingly Office God him selfe saies the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it as Rivers of water That a wise Sentence is in the heart of the King and yet this man pretends to expect beleife in his Calumnies vpon the late King when hee affirmes the kingly Office to bee a cause of weakenes of judgment and insufficiencie turning all the promises of God in Scripture for assistance of Kings with his spiritt to meere Compliment and wretchedly belying the many Monarchs
the cheife Calumnies whereby the Rebells sought to draw the peoples affections from his Majest were that he would introduce Tyrany and Popery and the publishing of such a booke in his Majest name was most effectuall to make good what was obiected And the man that thinkes the Kings partie so voyde of sense may thinke them well principeld men that swallow such crudities as he hath provided for them and they may be excused if they be not moved with his Majest booke for it cannot be expected they should vnderstand and receive reason and for those doubtles the Author writt his booke for it could not be hoped that they who had any dram of reason and had not resolved to continue in Rebellious vndertakings against all the light of Religion and reason would be fit readers of such incoherent Barbarismes Grounds of Tyrany and Popery are not so subtile to escape all the would without the helpe of this authors finger to point att it and had the booke conteyned any such matter he would have vsed lesse rayling and more reason heate fowle language proceede from impotencie of defence and thence is the greate noyse of words and insignificant matter of Iconoclastes Common angers disorder reason but vnnaturall furious distempers destroy it The present Traytours att least as many of them as sate in the beginning of his late Majest Parliament where this Rebellion was hatcht protested before God to defend with their lives and fortunes the doctrine established in the Church of England and that must conteyne the grounds of Popery or the author will finde none in that booke but in the sence of Traytours Church is Popery King is Tyrany If they that assigned this worke on the Author differed not in judgment from him touching moment of soliditie in his Majest booke they shewed a very slight esteeme of a Champion so confident of his parts but they knew his malice not his soliditie And they knew it was in vaine for them to seeke to answeare his Majest booke with soliditie falsities and detractions being all their hopes and they knew not a man els whose credit they could more easily prostitute nor any man more greedy of so base ane imployment He sajes if the late King had thought sufficient those answeares and defences made for him in his life time they who on the other side accused his il Government judging enough had been replied the heate of this controversie was in likelihood drawing to an end and the farther mention of his deedes not so much vnfortunate as faultie had in tendernes of his late sufferings been willingly forborne and perhaps for the present age have slept while his adversaries calmed with succes had been lesse vnfavourable to his Memory The late King thought those answeares and defences made for him in his life time abundantly sufficient and so did all indifferent men and it was not any thought of defect in theis that moved him to write on particular occurrents of most moment in the time of his troubles and as his memory will not stand or fall att the Rebells courtesie so their aspersions will rather increase then diminish it This Author thinckes that men are daunted with his Contumelies and that if the King had knowne what words he would have written against his booke he would not have adventured vpon such pikes but as the Kingly Prophet David sang to his harpe and wrote his Divine meditations while his Enemies sent foorth their sharpe Arrowes bitter words against him and that of so much venom as he sajes the poyson of Aspes was vnder their lipps so his late Majest composed those his meditations while his Enemies compassed him on every side and ceased not to persecute him with their Tongues set on fire of Hell and though his person suffered by them his cause and innocencie was above their reach His Majest expected the vtmost of their malice after death vpon his name as he had felt it in his life and it was so farr from his desire that mention of his deedes should be forborne especially those his Enemies excepted to that his endeavours were cheifely bent to make them manifest to the world with all the obiections and invectives that had been made against them and time hath tought this Author and others of his crew that many have been convinced of the wickednes of theyr Rebellion by the declarations and replies they made against his late Majest Truth feares nothing but to be hidden his late Majest needed noe other Advocate then the cleere discoverie of his deedes that he was vnfortunate was the greate wrath of God vpon the nation where so many in the middest of so great blessings of peace and plentie as they enioyed vnder his Raigne continued murmuring and vnthanke full and it is not the least signe of the heavines of his displeasure that makes the people executioners of it one vpon another and that they should act such execrable wickednes by words and Actions against that King who was freest from personall vices and publique pressures of all his Predecessors that had Raigned so long as he had done The present age must nedes have a deepe sense of his losse and posteritie aswell as strangers will wonder when they reade his story and finde such groundles slanders and barbarous cruelties acted against so eminent vertue and the confidence in obtruding such grosse absurdities for reasons as are vsed by this Author and others wil be the infamy of the present age when such evident folly and wickednes finde credit Can any man be so stupid to thinke that such wretches as boast of their destroying the innocent will cease to defame their memory and that such as had no mercie on their lives will have a tendernes of their sufferings That they which suborned detractours and raysed lewde reports to give colour to their crueltie would have a tendernes to him they had tormented and expresse no tendernes for their owne villanies It had been contrary to his Majest wisedome to have expected tendernes to himselfe from such Monsters and contrary to the nature of such savage beasts to have their blood thirstines slakt or their crueltie calmed with any successes But since himselfe hath left this booke as the best Advocate and interpreter of his Actions and his friends by publishing c. and almost adoring it seeme to place therein the strength of their cause it would argue doubtfullnes and deficiencie of the other partie not to meete his reason in any field the force of whose Armes they have so often mett victoriously This libell more evidently proves the deficiencie of the Rebell partie then the omission of an answeare could have argued and all men see they are not doubtfull but convinced by their owne reason of the lewdenes of their Actions It might be exepcted from the libellers mention of the esteeme his Majest booke hath amongst his friends that his answeare should be of equall account with his Masters and thereby the
thing against the King whereat should they sticke their impudence is commended and rewarded Would they sticke at truth that 's out of fashion in the new state But perhapps they sticke to name a man least they have a conviction from him or some els that could discover the Circumstances about it But since he makes a scruple if there be not reason in the booke why is he soe vnwilling to admit the King to be the Author surely it were for his advantage to make the King author of such a booke and if they were a Coadiutors why doth he lay his weakenes or errours as he pretends vpon the King The Author doth not add nor take away from the reason in the booke but the booke commends the Author and shames the answeare But allegations not reasons are the maine contents of this booke and neede noe more then other contrary allegations to lay the question before all men in an even ballance The allegations in his Majest booke are either such as are only knowne to himselfe or such as were evident to all men by the light of reason or notorietie of Actions And Iconoclastes vainely flatters himselfe that his contrary allegations wil be of any weight to move the scale Sober men take his ostentation of confidence rather as an effect of frensy then a perswasion of reason But through his whole booke he offers allegations against apparent reasons Though it were supposed that the Testimony of one man in his owne case affirminge could be of any Moment to bring in doubt the authoritie of a Parliament denying a contrary allegation against this would weigh downe the ballance in most mens judgment The periuries impostures cruelties devastations of those he calls the Parliament are soe knowne common abroade that the mention of them is a name of infamy and takes away all credit from their Actions Their owne journalls tell the world that they never speake truth but for their advantage and omit noe falshood that will serve their turne But doth Iconoclastes thinke any Parliament infallible or that all men condemned by Parliament had Justice done them He wil then finde that they condemne one another and for this last misnamed Parliament their bloody executions have such apparent markes of Injustice and cruelties as themselves cannot deny it vnles they will deny the records themselves have made the Testimony of former Parliaments There are in his Majest booke many particulars that the Parliament neither did nor could deny and through the whole booke the Author hath produced few or none of their denyalls There hath been much vse made of the name of Parliament but the Author must thinke he hath an inchanting pen if after the murther of the king abolishing the Lords house plucking out the members from the lower house prostituting the very constitution of Parliament to the lawlesse multitude and packing the Roome with a few meane persons eyther terrified by power or flattered by promises he can perswade any that such a Company sitting on the vsuall seates of the lower house be the Parliament he may as well give the name of Parliament to a Parish vestry as that Convention all the odds is the place of their meetinge But if these his faire spoken words shal be heere fairly confronted and laid parallell to his owne farr differing deedes manifest visible to the whole nation then c. His Majest words he sayes are faire spoken and will appeare sincere against al the fowle spokē words of this author to confront them And his actions are soe wel knowne to the whole nation as he doth in vaine appeale to them as witnesses of the truth of those false and incongruous Calumnies that he hath produced His Majest Actions being laid parallel to this Authors different expressions shew the lewdnes of the Libellers impudence that will appeale for the truth of what he sayes to those that best know the contrary and in a case where the evidence of the fact excludes all appeale The Author concludes that we may looke on them who notwithstandinge shall persist to give to bare words more credit then to open Actions as men whose judgment was not rationally evinced perswaded but fatally stupified bewitched into such a blinde and obstinate beleife for whose cure he sayes it may be doubted not whether any charme though never soe wisely murmured but whether any prayer can be availeable If after the reading of this Authors booke any man thinke him a modest man that he hath dealt ingeniously with his Majest booke or person he may be sure that such a person were not rationally evinced but eyther maliciously prepossest or stupidly infaetuated and neither vnderstood words nor Actions And this Author meanes not to cure but to charme expressing his delight in the terme of murmuringe which was the Custome of witches in their Charmes never vsed by servants of God though wicked men are compared to the deafe adder whose eare is stopped to the murmuring Charmer as theirs to the holy advice But Iconoclastes may aswell hope to turne men into stones by his absurd assertions or into serpents by his lewde reproaches and perswade men of his reason or honestie We know the prayers of the wicked are abominable aswell as their wilfull falhood and slander while he seekes to place those that will not be led by him among those that Charmes cannot cure nor prayers profit declares his prayers noe other then Charmes and himselfe a man that can neither cure nor pray and sets prayer among those things he scoffes at aswell as the Titles of him that is only to be prayed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the KINGS Calling this last PARLIAMENT THat which the King lajes downe as his foundation that he called this last Parliament not more by others advice and the necessitie of his affaires then by his owne choice and inclination is to all knowing men so apparently vntrue that a more inauspicious Sentence could hardly have come into his minde That his Majest intention could be apparent to all knowing men must have better Authoritie then this Authors word to be beleived His Majest best knew his own intentions and ought to be credited against the Malicious conjectures of such as seeke matter of slander against him to shelter their owne impieties never King of England shewed greater affection to Parliaments then his Majest and never King found greater ingratitude His frequent coming to Parliaments in his Fathers Raigne His many good offices done the houses and the larg acknowledgments of their obligations to him are vpon the Records of both houses Vpon the death of his Father he instantly called a Parliament seeking to continue the same vnderstanding betweene him and his houses as there had been in the time of his Father He had then entred into a dangerous warr with Spaine vpon the Parliaments Councell was in preparation of a greate fleete stood charged with a greate debt left on him by his Father besides
presented him any greivances and therefore there could be no such dismission with scorne and frustration and he Phrases it There were evident tokens of greife and discontent in his late Majest that he was necessitated to that act but there was reioycing and insolence amongst the turbulent Sectaries for it Much lesse therefore did he call this last Parliament by his owne choice and inclination but having first tryed in vaine all vndue wayes to procure mony his Army of their owne accord being beaten in the north the Lords petitioning and the generall voyce of the people all most hissing him and his ill acted Regalitie of the Stage compelled at length both by his want and by his feares vpon meere extreamitie he summoned this last Parliament This man acts the part of a Lord of misrule to stirre the passions of the people with taunts and abuses and for his over acted petulant scurrilitie fitt to be whipped of the stage If he had ever given proofe of his owne courage hee would not thus barbarously reproach his late Majest with feares who was so well knowne to have hazarded his person in so many perills and these Phrases are the froth of a base insultation not the censure of a just Ennemy But why for feare should the King summon a Parliament if he fore saw as the libeller sayes it would be his vndoing Could he have greater feares then that He hath not instanced one vndue way of his late Majest to get money for the warr against Scotland therefore his repetitions import his impertinence as well as his malice but gaine no credit by their frequency The peoples hissing which the Traytours desired had been as inconsiderable and vndutifull as his assertions are false but as it no way contradicts what his Majest sayes if the allaying of popular discontents rectifying mistakes were one end of calling the Parliament so the petitioning of the Lords instructs all reasonable men to thinke that feares and wants were not the sole cause of summoning that Parliament and that his Majest choice was not excluded And as the beating of his Majest Army had not so disabled him but that they were in number and courage superiour to their Enemies so if his Majest choice had not guided him he might with lesse hazard in common appearance have tryed the successe of a battell at that time then he did at diverse tymes afterwards That which he sayes of the Armyes being beaten of their owne accord is little to their honour if it were true but infamous to this Author being false if there were any so perfidious to betray their own and their nations honour vnto strangers they could not be many for its a knowne truth that the most eminent persons in that service and the greatest number of common souldiers served his Majest afterward in his warrs not only against the English Rebells but the Scotts And how is it possible that be should willingly incline to Parliaments who never was perceived to call them but for the greedy hopes of a whole nationall bribe his subsidies and never loved never fulfilled never promoted the true ends of Parliaments the redresse of greivances but still putt them of and prolonged them whether gratifyed or not gratifyed and was indeede the Author of all those greivances It hath been already shewed how his Majest was perceived to call Parliaments out of his owne choice and inclination and it was not only in his Majest time but in the time of Queene Elisabeth that Parliaments were said to be only called to give subsidies there never wanting male contents and slanderers of the Actions of Princes and the case may be such that subsidies may be the cheife motive to call Parliaments considering the sufficiency of the lawes in force and the small number of greivances complained of Malitious detraction is accompanied with absurditie and Iconoclastes becoming a Champion of Rebellion reckons Tributes and supplies of the soveraigne by subjects which is their duty among the number of scandalous sins and that which was practised by our saviour and commaunded by his Apostles he calls nationall bribes This braine sicke and prophane Libelling can be acceptable to none but such as are delighted with the vnhappy distempers of Bedlam He hath not so much passion to have greivances redrest as love to the word because as he thinkes it imports matter displeasing to the people who yet are now satisfied that those which abused them by the frequent vse of the word greivances never intended the remedy but by multiplying complaints sought to leade them into discontents against the Government whereby they might become Captive to ambitious vsurpers That which he sayeth is the true end of Parliaments to reforme greivances justly condemnes those he now calls a Parliament who he well knowes sitt to no other end but to encrease greivances and in eight yeares time never redressed one Though Kings take notice of greivances in Parliament and take order to redresse them yet that cannot be called the true end of calling Parliaments for there are often occasions of calling Parliaments in respect of publique safetie against Enemies and conspiratours addition alteration of lawes publique supplyes the redresse of greivances is accidentall to the Parliament and the pretence of greivances hath proved the greatest greivance that ever the people suffered and his scurrilous objection of greedy hope to his late Majest on whome malice it selfe hath not yet layd such a Cryme encreaseth the Libellers infamy not the weight of his charge To say therefore that he called this Parliament of his owne choice and inclination argues how little truth wee can expect from the sequell of this booke which ventures in the very first period to affront more then one nation with an vntruth so remarkeable If the venturing vpon an vntruth in the first period be an argument to expect little in the sequell of the booke what may we expect of this Author whose whole booke is a confutation of his first period not to descant on the Kings misfortunes That in seeking to disprove this first period adventured on so many palpable vntruths and stickes not to pervert the very period it selfe and affront not only more then one nation but all indifferent men For if his Majest had been necessitared either through the disorder of persons to dissolve Parliaments or for beare them he might yet call a Parliament by his owne choice considering that not the condition of Parliament but the malevolence of some persons were cause both of the dissolution forbearance The often Parliaments in Ireland the precedent Parliaments in England to that which he mentions maintaine the truth of that first period against the many remarkcable falsities of this Image breaker And presumes a more implicit faith in the people of England then the Pope ever commaunded from the Romish laitie or els a naturall sottishnes fitt to be abused and ridden Kings may expect credit to their words from their people Rebells cannot
delivered from such madnes and yet this libeller sayes that the king praying to be delivered from the Tumults prayeth to be delivered from the people and blasphemously concludes God save the people from such intercessours And we cannot beleive that God is in his thoughts whose mouth soe often abuseth his name Vpon the Bill for TRIENNIALL PARLIAMENTS and for setling this c. HE sayes the Bill for Trienniall Parliaments was a good Bill and the other for setling this at that time very expedient And this he sayes in the Kings owne words was noe more then what the world was full confirmed he might in Iustice reason honour and conscience graunt them for to that end he affirmes to have done it This man hath a confirmed enmitie against truth cannot make a right recitall The Kings words are that the world might be fully confirmed in my purposes at first to contribute what in Iustice reason honour and conscience I could to the happy succes of this Parliament I willingly past the Bill for Trienniall Parliaments The greatenes of the trust which his Majest put vpon the people by passing that Bill was a strong Argument that he would deny nothing which in Justice reason honour and conscience he might graunt not that the world was confirmed he might graunt that Bill in reason honour and conscience in respect of the matter of it for a greate part of the world was of opinion he might with better reason have denyed it had not his desire to shew his purposes of contributing what he could to the happy successe of the Parliament moved him And they might be confirmed thereby of his purposes to deny nothing which in Justice reason honour and conscience he could contribute to the happy successe of the Parliament It is the Kings manner to make vertues of his necessities and that neither prayse nor thankes are due to him for these beneficiall Acts. It cannot be expected that Rebells will retaine gratitude that have cast of loyaltie but let vs looke on his reasons and the first is that this first Bill graunts much lesse then two former statutes yet in force by Edw. the 3. that a Parliament should be called every yeare or oftner if neede were Either the libeller is vaine in producing this instance or in commending the Bill that gave much lesse then two former lawes in force and he must make the Parliament very inconsiderate that would soe much Importune a law soe farr short of what former lawes had enacted His ancient law booke called the mirror and his late Treatise that Parliaments by our old lawes were to be twice a yeare at London carry as litle Authoritie as cleerenes what those Parliaments were they mention but neither the statutes nor law bookes did ever affirme the right of calling Parliaments in any other then the King or that he might not deferr the calling of them if he saw cause and these statutes were made to declare the subjects dutie to attend the King in his Parliament once a yeare or oftner if neede were and there was noe reason why oftner should have been inserted into the law if any obligation were intended thereby vpon the King And its contrary vnto the writt whereby Parliaments are called that the time of Parliaments should be defined for it is recited to be an Act of Councell to call a Parliament which needed not if it were necessary at a prefixed time The second Bill he sayes was soe necessary that nothing in the power of man more seemed to be the stay of all things from ruine then that Act. We are sure that nothing did more confirme the designes of the Traytours nor hasten that ruine of the Kingdome they have wrought then that Act. All men descerne the fraudulent artifices vsed to gaine that Bill by pretending publique debts which seditious faction had contracted and intended to encrease for the carrying on of their Rebellion and his Majest in graunting that Bill hoped to take of those occasions of it the Reports which they cast out among the people of his vnwillingnes to rayse money for discharge of the Armyes These charges were occasioned by the Kings ill stewardshipp but the world satisfied it was from a trayterous conspiracie of the guides of this Rebellion He alleadges his needeles raysing of two Armies to withstand the Scotts which noe man but a profest Rebell can soe call for should he have raysed noe Army but left all to the mercy of the invader next he had beggerd both himselfe the publique When by this libellers owne confession the King had received noe supplies from the publique for raysing those Armies and these shameles Traytours blush not to talke of the Kings beggering of the people when the greate plentie his Government had enriched them with is soe visible in those vast leavies which the Rebells have since made vpon them The King left vs vpon the score of his needy Enemies If they had not been too much friends to the traytours of England there had been noe score to them for all men know whatever they received from England was by the contrivance of the Trayterous faction in Parliament to accomplish their ends To disengage him greate summs were borrowed Which its well knowne was not to disengage the King but to advance the designes of the Traytours who dealt vnder hand with some of the Scotts to protract the Treatie that the charges might be encreast The errours of his Government had brought the Kingdomes to such extreames as were incapable of recovery without the absolute continuance of this Parliament They never did one act after that Bill but in order to the Kingdomes confusion and all men saw there were noe extreames to be recovered at the time of passing that Bill but the returne of the Scotts and the disbanding the faction in Parliament and the only recovery had been by setting an end to the Parliament which they that made it their propertie could not endure The King past these Acts vnwillingly It cannot be doubted but the King foresaw the danger of both and the libeller might have seene in the first section of this Chapter that his Maj was not without doubt that what he intended for a remedy might prove a disease beyound all remedy and though to avoyde a Civill warr he made some concessions in hope to bring the people to see their owne good which might turne to his and their greater mischeife if by them ill applyed yet his Majest deserves prayse and thankes for such Acts of grace and the necessitie which this libeller soe impudently vrges to take of his Majest just thankes was the danger of a Civill warr which his Majest sought by these Act to prevent and might have entred into with lesse hazard before the passing of these Bills then after The libeller only encreases the infamy of the Rebells ingratitude and his owne impudence by obtruding necessities to take of the Kings grace in passing those Bills and it had not the
Common right What needed written Acts when as it was anciently esteemed part of his Corwne oath His Crowne oath is well knowne and may not be tryed by estimation but inspection The libellers estimation hath as litle proofe as authoritie He referrs the lawerlie mooting of this point to a booke called the rights of the Kingdome written it seemes by some Author of as much fidelitie in his quotations as this libeller in his narrations and to other law Tracts being neither his Element nor proper worke since the booke which he hath to answeare pretends to reason not to Authoritie And he holds reason to be the best Arbitratour and the law of law it selfe And it appeares by his writings that reason is neither his Element nor worke heere for had he vse of reason he would not referr vs to bookes that are onely of Authoritie to prove the ignorance and boldnes of the writer neither could reason judge it a law that a king should not dissolve a Parliament till all particular greivances were considered though the setting of it might prove an incurable greivance but his reason would have the Parliament defend the Kingdome with their votes as the Roman Senatours their Capitall with their robes against the Gaules The King must not be at such distance from the people in judging what is better and what worse That the people are not the best judges of what is better and what is worse the libeller himselfe acknowledges saying they are excessive in all their motions and is it not reason that the King then should be at such distance in judging but the libeller seekes to be at greate distance with truth that sayes the Kings owne words condemned him that he had not knowne as well with moderation to vse as with tarnestnes to desire his owne advantages Where as the King spake not of himselfe but others his words were If some men had knowne as well with moderation to vse as with earnestnes to desire advantages of doing good or evill Doth this man thinke reason the law of law or falshood the Master of both law and reason that soe palpably belyes the booke before him The King sayes a continuael Parliament he thought would keepe the Commonwealth in tune To this sayes to Libeller Iudge Commonwealth what proofes he gave that this boasted profession was ever in his thought The king doubtles thought not that every Parliament would keepe the Commonwealth in tune but a Parliament that preferred publique good before private faction The King saith as he relates him some gave out that I repented me of that setling Act. The Libeller sayes his owne Actions gave it out beyound all supposition for be went about soe soone after to abrogate it by the sword Heere the Libeller omitts a materiall word which the King vsed which was soone for the Kings words are that I soone repented It is well knowne that the wicked vse which the Traytours made of that setling Act might give the king just cause to repent him of it but as the king vsed not the sword till many Moneths after the passing of that Bill soe the cause of his Armes were the violent and Trayterous Actions of a faction not the abrogation of that Bill The King calls those Acts which he confesses tended to their good noe more Princely then friendly contributions as if sayes the Libeller to doe his dutie were of Courtesie and the giving backe of our Liberties stood at the mercy of his contribution He would have it beleived that Parents can doe nothing for their childrens good out of favour all is of dutie and noe thankes belongs to them from their children nor any from subjects to their Soveraignes or rulers for the greatest benefitts they receive by good Government and all the vigilance watchfullnes pietie of Princes for the peoples good is not at all thankes worthy theis are the Maximes of Rebells and if Kings will not yeelde vp their power they may be compelled and the quitting of Government for which Kings must give account to God is by theis mens Divinitie the giving backe of liberties being noe other then to give licence to all wickednes and beare the sword in vaine The kings sayes he doubts not but the affections of his people will compensate his sufferings for those Acts of confidence To this sayes the libeller not his confidence but his distrust brought him to his sufferings and he trusted nere the sooner for what he tells of their pietie and Religious strictnes but rather hated them as Puritans whome he allwayes sought to extirpate The libeller himselfe cannot deny but that if the king had not had confidence that those Acts of his would not have beē abused he would not have graunted them for if the had not been so confident it had been much more eligible for him to hav run the peril of a war without graunting them and wee have seene by experience that many as well as the king were deceived in those that profest pietie and Religious strictnes and though the king had just cause to hate the faction of the hipocriticall Puritan yet he thought that there could not soe much impietie lurke in many vnder such profession of pietie and Religious strictnes as hath since exceeded the most blasphemous Atheist and had the king sooner distrusted he had in humane reason prevented much of the Calamitie that hath befallen himselfe and his kingdome That those Acts of the Kings did not argue that he meant peace knowing that what he graunted out of feare he might assoone repeale by force It is noe argument that he would doe it because he might doe it but it is one of the libellers vsuall Arguments to conclude from the possibilitie to the being and there cannot be a greater Argument of a mans desire of peace then to part with his right to prevent a warr and by this rule of the libeller there must never be peace nor end of Rebellion but by the destruction of the king because their guilt is still vnsecure That the Tumults threatned to abuse all acts of grace and turne them into wantonesse This sayes the libeller is abusing of Scripture not becomming such a saint to adulterate sacred words from the grace of God to the acts of his owne grace And is it an abuse of Scripture to say the King did Acts of grace and whence then comes it to be an abuse of Scripture to say the people abused the Kings grace or turned it into wantonesse was it not a sin of wantonesse in the people and may it not be soe exprest without any abuse of Scripture Scripture is abused when it is applyed to a prophane ludicrous sense but the words heere are not transferred from a right signification There are diverse words that signifie both divine and humane Actions there is noe abuse of them in either sense And the libeller having excepted to the vse of an expression of Scripture presently makes bold with Scripture saying that
imbroyle others How well he performes the first period of his booke not to descant on the kings misfortunes his readers may heere see that makes the kings misfortune his reproach and a ground of their wicked confidence to Rebell against him but that such men are readiest to imbroyle others is not soe certaine but vndoubted they are not readiest to imbroyle themselves and noe valour nor experience whereof his Majest is wel knowne to have had a greate measure can stopp a slandrous tongue The mischeifes brought vpon his Majest kingdomes sprung from such persons as sought their advantage by such broyles which all men see the King could never expect The King sayes he had a soule invincible And the Libeller sayes what prayse is that the vnteachable man hath a soule to all reason invincible And is an invincible courage noe prayse He seekes to shew his witt by applying invincible to vnteachable when as if he had cited the Kings next words as he ought he had lost his jest for the King sayes he had a soule invincible through Gods grace enabling him but he breaketh sentences and truth least he should breake for want of matter That the King labours to have it thought that his fearing God more then man was the ground of his sufferings The Libeller sayes he pretended to feare God more then the Parliament who never vrged him to doe otherwise And did they not vrge him to doe otherwise when they vrged him to doe that which was against his conscience But there neede not more be spoken of this for the Libeller calls that a narrow conscience which will not follow a multitude against its owne perswasion He shewes his levitie beyound that Creature he calls the vulgar who now affirmes the King was drawne by his Courtiers and Bishopps and yet in the beginning of his booke he sayes that the discourses and preachings of Courtiers and Prelates against the Parliament was but a Copy taken from his owne words and Actions that all remissenes in Religion issued originally from his owne authoritie all miscarriages in state may be imputed to noe other person cheifely then to himselfe He goes on to compare the words of Saul that he had performed the Commaundement of God to the Kings mention of his fearing God the kings vpholding the Prelates against the advice of the Parliament example of al reformations is not much vnlike if not much worse noe neerer like then this Authors writings to modestie loyaltie Is the advice of the Parliament and the example of all reformations equall to the expresse Commaund of God The examples of all Reformations himselfe tells afterward are not concurrent in the matter he mentions and if they were soe are all points of reformation equally necessary and of the same obligation with the commaund of God and was the Reformation of the Church of England noe reformation Why then doth he say all Reformation And is not the Church of England equall if not superiour to any part of the world that hath reformed But we see what account these hipocrites make of the Example of all Reformation that have set vp schismaticall confusions of Religion in contempt of all Reformation His Majest did noe more in vpholding the Prelates then what the example of the most primitive times Godly Emperours holy martyrs instructed him in which noe Reformation ever contradicted and he had no reason to hearken to the advice of such as then called themselves a Parliament who had broken and the lawes and priviledges of Parliament expelled the members and were governed by Tumults a company of Bedlam Sectaries against de doctrine and practice of the vinversall Church The practice of Saul in persecuting David wel sutes with the course of these Rebells but they have gone beyound him in malice and disobedience in the matter both of David and alsoe the Amalekites he brake the Commaundement of God in sparing Amaleke these traytours presumptuously breake the Commaund of God in destroying their King Church And this man exceedes Sauls presumption that makes the preservation of an order continued in the Church in all ages as bad or worse then the sin of Saul He sayes acts of grace are proud vnselfe knowing words in the mouth of any King who affects not to be a God Certainly this Libellers words shew him not only in affection but in Act a proud vnselfe knowing man Are there noe Acts of favour noe Acts of mercy in Kings but all of necessitie but enough hath been said to these brainesicke dreames Never King was lesse in danger of violence from his subjects till he vnsheathed his sword nay long after when he had spilt the blood of thousands they had still his person in a foolish veneratiō Should a Christian cal that which God Commaunded David practised foolish veneration but they whose wisedome is Rebellion hold Divine wisedome foolishnes And was he in so litle danger from those that held that veneration foolish were there none that held soe when they affronted him and threatned him every day To what end should multitudes come about his Pallace and cry Justice when they sought murder What would they have done if he had denyed their demaunds shall we beleive they intended noe violence or shall wee beleive that they who had seised the forts and navy and vsurpt the Government would have used noe violence to his person when they had him if he plyed not with them It s true many were not wholy vnshamed at the first but the malice and ambition of others was sufficiently confirmed and the multitude easily falls by Example The King complaines that Civill warr must be the fruites of his seventeene yeares raigning with such a measure of Iustice peace plentie and Religion as all nations either admired or envyed The Libeller sayes for Iustice let the Councell table starr Chamber and high Commission speake the prayse of it Wee may be assured that malefactours will never prayse Court of justice we know Sectaries and seducers hated the high Commission and seditious Libellers the starr chamber conspiratours incendiaries the councells of Kings and there were noe Acts past in these places of such exception as the measure of justice which he enjoyed was not admired or envyed by all nations His mention of abolishing Parliaments detracts not from the measure of justice peace plentie and Religion we have found what injustice hath succeeded The displacing of honest Iudges he hath misplaced to detract from the justice of his Majest Government and as the placing of judges was in his Majest choise soe he might take notice whether their places might not be better supplyed by others and the change of two judges for that 's the number in seventeene yeares is beneath an exception his rayling declamation against corrupt Government being only in generall deserves not an answeare and the knowne prosperitie peace and plentie of the Kingdome are a sufficient confutation of such imaginary oppressions He sayes what
the Libeller sayes concerning Gods graces is nothing to the question touching the vse of Leiturgies vnlesse he would have that in the publique congregation every person should have his prayer a part and bring that disorder which the Scripture forbidds Voluntary prayers are lesse subject to formall and superficiall tempers then set formes for in those hee who prayeth must consult first with his heart which in all likelihood may stirre vp his affections But he doth most commonly consult with his braine both for matter what is most pleasing and what most proper in expression and it is incident vnto most to fall into an affectation of their owne conceptions and abilities in these voluntary prayers rather then true devotion Affections grow lasy in set prayer and come not vp easily at the call of words But much more easily then in the labour for words and matter and those words are most emptie of devotion and prayer which are the ostentation of the presenters abilities who is apt to seeke satisfaction in contemplation of his owne parts and his fervour is greater in looking on himselfe then God Ostentation and formalitie may taint the best duties And why not then the best institutions and if vnpremeditated babling may be restrained without forbidding the spirit of God which is in his sense his extemporary prayer why may not lasines and formalitie be reprehended in such as vse the publique leiturgie without forbidding the vse of it but it is as himselfe sayes the Custome of hipocrites to take advantage at the least abuse of Good things that vnder that covert they may remove the goodnes of those things rather then the abuse Constancie attributed to the vse of set formes he calls the constancie of the Cuckoe to be allwayes vsing the same Leiturgie And what then are his best reformed Churches this shewes him one of those chattring birds that Abraham drave from his sacrifise and this wretch trembles not to compare the sett formes appointed by God himselfe in the Scripture to the Cuckoe and the vse of the Scripture is the constancy of the Cuckoe The booke for aught we know was composed by men neither learned nor godly But they are vngodly that without knowledge will suppose them neither learned nor Godly but was the Martirdome of many of them noe proofe of their Godlines And are there noe workes that prove the learning of those Composers doth this man thinke vpon the credit of the protestant Religion Noe doubt the spiritt helpes our infirmities but we have noe promise that the spiritt shall enable every Christian to compose prayers for the whole congregation neither doth the Libeller beleive that all his Ministers of the new Religion are soe endowed if he doe he hath few associates It is Gods promise that where two or three gathered togeather in his name shall agree to aske any thing it shal be graunted And how can they agree without a prescript forme is the agreement that all must follow the desires of one That there was a Leiturgie in the Church of the Jewes hath not been denyed by any learned man its apparent by the Titles of many of Davids Psalmes that they were vsed by the singers in the ordinary service of the Church That Christians vsed the Lords prayer and other sett formes cannot be denyed and the Libeller is much deceived in his computation of the time when Leiturgies begun for the Church never wanted them and we have seene by experience that true pietie followed the vse of Leiturgies disobedience and prophanes the rejection of them such as have rejected them have proved not only Truants but Apostates to all sanctitie What is said of Leiturgie is said of Directorie and soe farewell Presbiterian We finde that none make such presumptuous claime to Ministeriall guifts as ignorant and braineles persons that have noe Title by calling or endowment The King had noe reason to object that the Common prayer booke was rejected because it prayed soe oft for him for large and laborious prayers were made for him in the pullpits But it s well knowne that the Sectaries were neither large nor laborious in such prayers and it s justly doubted not sincere when they vsed them but would have men heare their hipocriticall formalitie not God to graunt what they seemed to pray for and all men can witnes what prayers were made for him in pulpits after the leiturgie was rejected al the largenes and labour appearing in their prayers was to reproach his person and procure him dishonour and miserie The King in his prayers presumes Leiturgies to be lawfull What should hinder praying that the Church and he might never want them And what sayes the Libeller could be worse prayed extempore he might have answeared himselfe that Prayer to want them was to call for Desolation vpon the Church Of the Differences in point of CHURCH GOVERNMENT THe Libeller sayes the Author in this Chapter discovers more of misterie and combination betweene Tyrany and false Religion then from any other hand would have been credible T is strange that soe obvious a truth should be incredible from any hand Was not Jeroboams new Religion the foundation of a Tyrany and have not all vsurpers in the Civill state pretended some false Religion Was not Mahometts wicked imposture and Tyraniall vsurpation bredd togeather and have not the present Tyrants introduced a false Religion to support their power Hath not schisme been joyned with the Rebellion We may have learnt both from sacred story and times of reformation that the Kings of this world have ever hated and instinctively feared the Church of God It s manifest Sectaries hate King and Church malefactours will complaine that Judges hate them for their vertues We finde in the ancient Church that Kings were the greate protectours and reformers of the Church and its strange that the Libeller if he had looked backe at all had not seene David Solomon Hezechiah Josiah and others The Kings of Israell politiquely opposed the true Church for feare the people should returne to the house of David and if we looke vpon Pagan Kings we finde Cyrus and Artaxerxes helping the establishment of the true Church This Libeller hath discovered a greate Misterie of Rebellion that having made such outcryes of Tyrany against his late Maj heere tells vs the Tyrany was Monarchy they would not be subject to the Kings of this world to such impostors is England now subject that kill Kings and make Tyrants and this blaspheamer stickes not to charge the Church of God and the Doctrines thereof with opposition to Civill Government and to commaund the destruction of Kings Because the doctrine seemes to favour Libertie and equalitie And are there not Republiques that oppose the true Religion True Religion presseth obedience falshood and imposture allwayes hold foorth licence to the people Is there through all the booke of God one word in favour of this Rebell libertie and equallitie And did not God plant his Church at first
surprize him having disposed their forces in such places as must have effected it if he had not speedily prevented it by that onset What he intimates touching Oxford Bristow and scarborrow naming noe particulars he can expect no answeare whoever lookes over the memoriall of passages touching Treaties will finde that the Kings offers were soe large as nothing but desire of peace could have moved him to it and nothing but guiltines and ambition could be the cause of their refusall That the faction in Parliament would have compelled him to part with his honour as a King the Libeller denyes not but askes what honour he had but the peoples guift yet he seekes to defend the Actions of theis villaines as defending themselves and resorts to his common principles that Kings are but the servants of the people who may dispose of their Kings and their honour as they thinke best And by his doctrine the King and people must be the prey of every powerfull Traytour It neede not be repeated that the peoples welfare consists in supporting the rights of their King and that it is their miserie to deprive themselves of him and turne into confusion and slavery to vsurpers And it is Monstrous that a kings highest Court sitting by his regall authoritie should bandie themselves against their soveraigne and like vipers eate out the bowells of their parent fighting against that power which gives them being and by an vnnaturall malice of the members to the head cast the whole body into and incureable consumption This insolence and presumption of the pretended Parliament hath brought the loose rabble and lawles Army to despise the representation which they soe much magnifie and doe that vnto them which they did vnto their king It cannot be doubted that subjects cannot with dutie treate on equal termes with their king and the practice of all times makes it manifest that none but Traytours attempted it and it was a sufficient proofe of the kings desire of peace that he sought a Treatie where a submission was due to him The Kings instructions were to bribe their Commissioners with promise of securitie rewards and places How he proves such instructions he tells vs not but we are sure that the demaunds of their Commissioners were securitie rewards and places for they would have all in their power There were but three heads of the Treatie Ireland Episcopacie and the Militia the first was forestalled by a peace that the King might pretend hu word against the Parliaments Arguments And if there had not been a peace made it was a most detestable Rebellion and blood thirstie crueltie to continue an intestine warr against the King and his people of England vnles a few Tribunes might have the management of that warr in Ireland and exclude the King from any interest in that kingdome and yet this must be a defensive warr on the Rebells part The King bids the Queene be confident he will never quit Episcopacy which informes vs by what patronage it stood And how could that informe you even as well as the Kings telling her that Religion was the sole difference betweene them informes you that the Queene directed him in matters of Religion The sword he resolves sayes the Libeller to clutch as fast as if God with his owne hand had put it into his And there is noe doubt but he had and it was a Rebellious wickednes in that faction which sought to wrest it from him in despite of Gods ordinance and their owne sworne subjection In all these the King had reason honour and conscience on his side and his pretence that the Queene was Regent in all these is farr from credible when causes to the contrary are soe obvious to every vnderstanding The Libeller himselfe professes their intentions to take away the Kings right and would suggest to the world that it was only the Queenes Councell that he would preserve his Crowne Wise men could judge the composure likely to be more miserable then happy But these wise men were taught by their guilt never to thinke themselves secure and to preferre their power before their conscience and the Kingdomes peace The English were called Rebells during the Treatie And why not till the Treatie had made an abolition of their offence for did they forbeare any of their reproachfull termes or Rebellious actions against the king and his partie during the Treatie The Irish were called good and Catholique subjects And that some of them might be though the Libeller cannot produce the instance of it The Parliament was called a Parliament for fashions sake and in the Counsell bookes enrolled noe Parliament That it was no Parliament all knowing men agree and the enrolling of their opinions that held it noe Parliament was noe injury to the Treatie and the Kings appellation of them a Parliament because they would not be treated with otherwise gives them noe right nor shutts vp him from that opinion of their condition which was true and reall Christians treate with the Turke by those appellations he will be called by though they doe not acknowledge them belonging to him It was a divellish fraude that the King in his owne esteeme had been absolved from performance as having treated with Rebells and noe Parliament and they insteede of an expected happines brought vnder the hatchett Who now doth not fee that force and guilt were the continuers of this horrid Rebellion and blood and that these Traytours perferred their private securitie before publique peace But whence is this collection of a divellish fraude by a divellish interpreter If the King thought not the appellation due to them which he gave them doth it follow that he must esteeme himselfe absolved of performance of his promises therefore These are dreames from divellish infusions not reasonable suppositions the titles of treating parties having noe influence vpon the performance of the things promised and they of the other side might have said they were absolved from performance because they treated with the Kings Commissioners vnder other Titles then they had or were knowne by but they would perswade the people that they cannot be safe vnlesse the master Rebells rule May not that bratt superstition be justly laid to their charge that impose for the Scepter of Christs Kingdome a yesterdayes invention of congregationall consistories and make it Religion and truth of God to roote out Prelates of the Church of God For the meritt of the Treaties and where the blame lay of their breach the world hath long since full satisfaction and that the Rebells came but vnwillingly to Treaties and with reserves allwayes to breake it of never mittigating the rigour of any proposition in the least degree and though the Libeller and others spitt Sulphur and cast foorth their cloudes of lying and slander yet the evidence of the facts dissolve and consume their venome and confidence and the meanest capacitie descernes the falshood and crueltie of their proceedings both in warr and Treaties Vpon the