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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93350	The Protestant informer, or Information to all Protestants: shewing the causes and end, of this unjust warre, plotted by Romish Jesuites, and now managed by English papists, and their abbettors against this Parliament, and in this all other Parliaments: proving by forepast proceedings, present actions and persons acting that: this warre is no new quarrell, nor caused by the militia but divellish malice, against the true Protestant religion, and lawes of this kingdom, to set up, and establish popery, and hath beene fifteene, or sixteene yeares last past, preparing. Also justifying this Parliaments proceedings, by nature, law, and religion, against the false calumniations of all malignants: with an exhortation, to courage, liberality, patience, and constancy, to the hazard of life, and fortunes: in defence of Gods true worship; your own rights, liberties, and this present Parliament; with confidence of a blessing, and victory, like Caleb, and Ioshua: for your God is with you. Published for information to the ignorant. By Gregory Thims Gentl.	Thims, Gregory.	1643 (1643)	Wing S4038A; Thomason E91_17; ESTC R13261	21,917	24

they sowed the seeds of popery through the whole kingdom which shewed they expected to have a crop of pure popery To bring this forward the power and professors of protestant Religion were disgraced and persecuted I will only give you a view of some particulars and you may Judge of the whole as the Geometrician did at the body of Hercules by his foot We can remember it is so lately that all our best Divines and honest Orthodoxe professors of Religion of the Laity were by Authority scoffed at and persecuted in the High Commission and all other Courts of that nature if it were but for going from a dumb arminian Reader out of his owne parish to heare an Orthodoxe Preacher All laborious Orthodox Preachers were pecked at and by some foule mouthes almost devoured I am sure very many suffered under the little Wren for he peckt up all those pretious plants out of his Diocesse Then Lectures were put downe in all places and afternoone-Sermons forbidden on the Lords day Books were also published and commanded to be read in all Churches giving liberty to prophane that Holy day contrary to the expresse command of God and against the enacted law of the kingdome all Ministers that refused to read these books were suspended thus good men were weeded out in all countries and all to displant religion and plant popery The Arminian Priests and Court-Chaplains cryed out against the Sanctifying of the Lords day called Sunday no Sabbath and denied the morality of the fourth commandement c. And these men would not be called Preachers nor Ministers names that Saint Paul gloried in but called themselves Priests the holy Table might no longer be called table but Altar and the standing of it was altered and it made a reall Altar ascended to by steps with bowing cringing and reverence to it Crucifixes set up Basons and Tapers were set upon it nothing was wanting of Popery but the name popery and the Idol Sacrifice of the Masse Nor was that Idoll altogether wanting for it was daily in Summerset-house Saint Iames-house and divers other places common to all that would go to it nor durst any man question those that went though they were seen to go every day Prieste frequented Papists houses in all counties and no man might question them if any by lawfull authority did apprehend a Priest they were checked for it and the Priest discharged by speciall command from the Queene or under some Privie Counsellors hands Court Chaplains and Bishops preached justification by works free will seven Sacraments and consubstantiation a faire way to transubstantiation with a number of other popish doctrines and maintained that there might easily be a conjunction between the Papists and us so it is plaine that we must have gone wholly to them for they professe they will not come one jot to us The presses were allowed to Arminians and the popish faction to print any popish tenents but forbid to the good Protestants none might preach against their positions much lesse print any thing for confutation of their errors or heresies upon paine of imprisonment fining suspension pilloring cutting off eares slitting noses banishment c more cruelty that hath beene inflicted upon any Protestant among the Turks when these and more have been questioned in Parliament our Parliaments were broken the evils increased Yea Parliament men were disgraced and imprisoned and because Parliaments would not give the kingdome money without redresse of these and other evils they devised wayes to rest by force great summes of money out of the subjects purse by illegall and unsufferable taxations First by loane and the refusers were imprisoned or put to intollerable charges by continuall attendance at the Councell-Table and many eminent Gentlemen died without mercy in the prisons others p●●sent into remote Counties Then Souldiers were billeted in all Counties and many Horses which their riders were sent for from beyond th● Seas to awe and subdue the kingdome and by strong hand to wrest from us our religion and lawes but divine providence by Feltons hand cut off the actor of that designe at that time Here observe and cleerely see that this warre is no new or sudden thing nor occasioned by the Militia as they now pretend but the same in effect that was intended fifteen or sixteen yeers agoe after this another Parliament was called voices were forced and illegall meanes used but when this would not serve to their purpose that Parliament as others was dissolved Then came other taxes for non-knight-hood who and what persons See the first Remonstrance of bo●h the Houses was brought within this taxation we all know and the multitudes that were imprisoned and made to attend the Counsell-Table we cannot forget After that came shipmoney a boundlesse and endlesse tax also taxes for compositions for Cottages for Forrest-lands Timber Woods c. Mighty exactions upon customes and Monopolies almost of all things of If this Parliament had not taken away those Monopolies and taxe● the kingdome had suffered as much by this time in their estates as they have by this wa●re except the spoile by plundering which is not the Parliaments fault necessary use thereby inhaunsing the prizes to the prejudice or the whole kingdome yea to the utter ruine of divers Trades and Corporations So that multitudes of Masters and Prentises cried out of the burthens which is now forgotten by them and no thankfulnesse is returned by them either to God or the Parliament Other cruell taxes were imposed upon buildings together with many other oppressions all against law and yet law could not helpe us all Courts of law and our Courts of justice were corrupted Iudges and great Officers bought places deer and sold their service in them deerer to make themselves gainers Besides many Iudges were displaced for doing Iustice or for refusing to judge unjustly the whole kingdome was oppressed all were wronged and all left without remedy Gunpowder and other ammuniti●n was taken from us and we left destitute of necessary defence Popery broke in upon us Parliaments were neglected Prerogative was set up and they began to promise themselves a speedy accomplishment of all their designes onely they had some feare that Sco●land might be some obstacle in their way as indeed it prove God infatuating their counsels to thrust upon the Scots their new Liturgy and Popish Canons before they had fully finished the worke in England though under a faire pretence of a glorious uniformity which our brethren of Scotland did not so well fancy as we nor did they give Land any great praise for the present but refused it though it was manifest that it was no worse then was contrived A great providence of God at Rome and from thence sent into England Then the little great Bishop like a Pope sent his commands by his Legats and Commissioners that they should receive that Liturgy but not obeyed the honest Scots were proclaimed rebels and traitors and and an army raised to

The Protestant INFORMER OR Information to all Protestants Shewing the causes and end of this unjust warre Plotted by Romish Jesuites and now managed by English Papists and their abbettors against this Parliament and in this all other Parliaments Proving by forepast proceedings present actions and persons acting that this warre is no new quarrell nor caused by the Militia But divellish malice against the true Protestant Religion and Lawes of this Kingdom to set up and establish Popery and hath beene fifteene or sixteene yeares last past preparing Also justifying this Parliaments proceedings by Nature Law and Religion against the false Calumniations of all Malignants With an exhortation to courage liberality patience and Constancy to the hazard of life and fortunes in defence of Gods true worship your own Rights Liberties and this present Parliament with confidence of a blessing and victory like Caleb and Ioshua For your GOD is with you Published for Information to the Ignorant By Gregory Thims Gentl. PSAL. 37. 14. The wicked have drawne out their swords and bent their bow to cast downe the poore and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation JUD 5. 23. Curse yee Meroz saith the Angell of the Lord Curse yee bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not forth to the helpe of the Lord to the helpe of the Lord against the Mighty GAL. 5. 15 But if ye bite and devoure one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another London Printed 1643. The Protestant Informer WEE all complaine of our present misery by the bloudy distractions of the kingdome by this unnaturall Warre But few of us consider seriously of the cause whence these distractions come For information herein take notice that sinne is the only cause of every affliction and of all punishments whether to private men or whole kingdomes Wee by our sinnes have provoked God Esay 26. 9. Deut. 6. 15. Deut. 28. 63. to anger and God sheweth his anger by his judgements upon us King and Subjects have sinned and now King and Subjects are punished God causeth us to punish one another He doth it either to reforme us or to destroy us But God is the efficient cause of all The cause of all causes all other causes are but Gods instruments Now the instrumentall cause of our distractions is wicked men God useth one sinner to punish another as Israels 2 Chro. 12. 2. Esay 10. 5. 2 Sam. 12. 11 12 sinnes was punished by wicked Shishake and by Idolatrous Asher Whom God calleth the rod of his anger and the staffe in his hand So God punished Davids sinne by wicked Absolom and King Rehoboams 1 King 14. 16. sinne by his rebellious people and the sinne of the people by their King Jeroboam Yet bee informed that though God doe use wicked men for his instruments wicked men do wickedly even in the things which God useth them to doe his will for they are naturally the Devils instruments to execute his will and their owne devillish malice as we see in Iob. That which God Iob 1. 15. doth by wicked men is just but that which wicked men doe is unjust for they have no eye to the doing of Gods will but to their own wicked ends which is alwayes unjust and sinfull For example It was just with God to punish Davids bloud-guilt nesse and adultery by Absoloms rebellion and defiling of Davids concubines But it was unjust and wicked in Absolom to doe it It was just with God to punish Rehoboam by the revolt of his people but unjust in them to cast him off from being their King So it is just with God to punish us at this day by these distractions and unnaturall warres and to suffer the King to be misled by a wicked counsell to afflict and spoile his people but it is unjust in that counsell and error in the King to be led by them to doe such things For their ayme is wicked and devillish and are naturally the Devils instruments to make warre against Christ their end is to destroy the true protestant Religion to subvert our good Lawes and to establish popery and bring us and our posterities our bodies and soules into spirituall and slavish bondage for ever and to root out protestant Religion from all places in Christendome This is a certaine truth and will clearely appeare to any rationall man That will but take a view of their fore-past proceedings Their pres●nt war and the persons contriving and acting it First take a view of their fore-past proceedings and consider not to looke so farre as to the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth or King Iames both of blessed memory in whose times that Jesuiticall faction were active in treasons by poyson stabbing blowing up Parliaments destroying postrities of Kings Nobles and massacring whole kingdomes Onely note their proceedings in the passages of things since the first of his Majesties Raigne at which time we may remember the Duke of Buckingham was the great Favourite who by confederacy which Jesuites and Priests First in Spaine and after in France when his Majestie married with the French Kings Sister gave great incouragement to the popish party in all places and furthered their designes in England by uncontrolled power For through the favour and authority the Duke 〈◊〉 from the King hee ruled and swayed the course of thing● in the Kingdome and it was evident by those times that the Jesuites swayed him And by his greatnesse brought many of their owne faction into the greatest places of command whom they desired hee put in and whom they disliked he put out that most at the Counsell-Table were their such 〈◊〉 such as 〈◊〉 not oppose them And to make way for their designe upon England they set upon the protestants in France to weaken them and to that end His Majesties Shippes were ●ent against Rochell which destroyed their shipping and blocked up the passage and when the Duke was questioned in Parliament The answer was the Ships were not lent with intention to hurt Rochell but in complement to the King of France Then a Fleet was prepared the Duke himselfe ●ould go with it pretending to relieve Roc●ell but when they came to the Isle of Ree al our brave Souldiers were betrayed to the Sword Rochell robbed of their provision and the protestants Sold into their enemies hands What other Voiages were made to Cadis and other places we remember too and observed then that their end was nothing but to weaken the kingdome and prepare to the ensuing treason against our Religion and Lawes Then they began the work of England by crying up Arminianisme defending those tenents patronizing their writings printing and publishing those dangerous books of Mountagues which before King James had seene disallowed condemned and forbid to be printed Mountague was made a Bishop and Doctor White also for defending those bookes at a packt conference All others were presently preferred that favoured those tenents as Conzens Wrene Corbet c. Thus

destroy it and with it all other and to bring in an arbitrary government c. It is true particular men and private counsells may be corupted to please Kings in hope of present honors and great estates to betray a kingdome as private counsels at this day And particular men lately fied from this parliament to a●chiev their privat ends care not to destroy the priviledges of parliament or to take away all Parliaments or which is worse by the same army they break this to force a pact Parliament of their owne choyse and soc make vs slaues by act of Parliament let up popery by the authority that threw it downe and kill us with our owne weapons This is cle●●e as the light yet men will not see it but are willingly held in the f●ols paradise and suffer themselvs to be deluded by proclamations declarations and protestations which are but the snares of the wicked to catch simple men al which though they have passed under the kings nams I hope his maiestic neuer saw nor heard of Because they have beene all falsified and their actions quite contrary to their promises and protestation● like 〈◊〉 who set their faces eastward when hey meane to now westward Therfore it will be the wisdom of every man to make his eyes judge in this cause rather ●hen his ears actions best shew the intentions every tree ●s knowne by his fruite At the entrance of Queene Mary to the Crowne great protestations was made to maintain the protestant religion but wee see her actions were destructive to it The like protestutions we have heard concerning Ireland and great calling on the Parl. for assistance for that kingdome but as often as preparations were made all assistance and helpe was hindred and the rebels were from hence strengthened Wee have heard severall proclamations to put lawes in execution against Papists but wee see that the Parl. themselves were restrayned and might not execute the knowne Laws vpon them though they by humble petitions sought it and now wee see them in best esteeme and most trusted Wee have heard great promises that there was no intention to make warr against the Parliament and seen it testified vnder many Lords hands now in the Kings army onely a guard desired for the Kings Person but wee see a miserable and bloudy warr to destroy the Parliament We heard great protestations that no papist should bee admitted into the Army but we may see papists swarme in that Army yea in the kings Court like wasps about a hony pot and in the north under the command of the Earle of Newcastle you may see eight thousand professed papists of one cluster We have heard heaven and earth called to witnes that their war was to defend Protestant Religion but it were strange to see so many papists fight for it but if it were so why do they set up publike masse in Yorke and other places where that Army is and imprison Protestant Ministers and a●l other that doc but say they fight for the Protestant religion We have heard protestations that priviledges of Parliament should be maintained and the liberty of the Subject but if a Parliament may be broken by force how can priviledges and liberties be preserved You will ●ay we have triennial Parliaments I answer that is nothing for the king is no more bound to be present at any triennial Parliament to confirme any act if it bee called then at this besides the King is no more 〈◊〉 to call any trienniall Parliament then he is bound to preserve this We haue heard Proclamations prohibiting plundering by the Kings Army and molesting his good subjects but wee see the doe plunder dayly in all places except where they cannot overcome or where nothing is to bee had We have heard of an acceptation of an accommodation and seen it published by their owne faction but we see them the next day come furiously and treacherously upon part of the Parliaments Army at Brai●ford and barbarously slue many men more righteous then themselves an act 〈◊〉 themselves We have heard of a gratious acceptance of the City petition and a readinesse to imbrace propositions of peace but we have seen some of the petitioners excepted against and accused of treason He that hath but 〈◊〉 an eye may see their aime when they flatter and animate the rudest of men to rebell against authority and overthrow the governement of the great City to make way to overthrow the lawes of the whole kingdome ●●lfull fishers will fish in troubled waters and bankrupt Cavaleers can make best pillage in a divided City and this is their aim without difference to friend or foe the pillage of one is as sweet as the other propositions of peace have been sent as we desired and they expected with an humble petition of both houses to the King to remove the cause of the war and accept of their propositions what effect it hath wrought let the world iudge and the Parliament consider to whom the answer is directed Yet thus much we may observe in it which shewes no forwardnesse to peace that no authority is ascribed or allowed to the Parliament save only the name both houses and wee may feare some designe against them and us if there be a cessation of armes without dispanding the armies But the people of this kingdome ever have and I hope ever will account Parliaments the fittest and best expounders of Law and Iudges of offenders either to acquit or condemne them they never wrest the Lawes for private ends as other expounders or rather forgetters of Law have lately done when the Subject had lesse use of the Law and lesse liberty were imprisoned contrary to Law beyond the knowne power and rights of any Kings of England their habeas corpusses and all baile denied them Nor knew we by what Law to proceed against any papist though the Lawes were knowne to us And by the discipline of our Church governement we could not well distinguish between protestant religion and popery the booke of common prayer though no idol was idolized which hath in it good and holy things may be and was abused contrary to the institution and meaning of the Parliament first instituting it Things ceremoniall were urged as substantiall what the arch-bishop and his Romish pensioners pleased and ye bee no innovator but for the Parliament to desire any dimination though of things offensive is innovation whatso●ver makes for popery may be added but nothing popish taken away For my p●rt I protes before God the searcher of al hearts ●hat I am no Sectary so called but a true pr●testant according to that established doctrine or Queene Elizabeth and King I●m●s of blessed memory I disallow the opinion of the Brownists as I condemne the opinion doctrine and It is a great disquiet and trouble to a state when men will go b●fore the law and not follow the law in obedience practice of Papists or Anabaptists and never contemned or willfully neglected