assured that i sin is the prime cause of all my sufferings and I fear that ingratitude in not being thankefull and walking worthy of those great mercies received hath been a principall cause why God hath shut the hearts of some of our Governours at this present as is much feared This whole argument is good and godly let the Devill have Answer his due and worthy of practise in all Protestants yet it tends nothing to prove that the Petitions against which my Author hath undertaken his discourse are unlawfull or that the authors of them hath therein acted any thing either against God or man And I do confesse that for the wickednes of a people God sendeth wicked Governors and that i sin is the prime cause of all our miseries But that ingratitude or other sin of the people is the principall cause why God doth shut up the hearts of Governours I do deny that is their own wickednesse Witnesse Pharaoh and Saul 1 Sam. 15. 23. 26. Many people have suffered for their Governours but to my knowledge I never read that ever any Governour suffered for the people Saul the hypocrite dealeth falsely and slayeth the Gibeonites but the people endure three yeers famine for it 2 Sam. 25. 1 2. So David sinneth but the people are plagued 1 Chron. 21. 7. 17. For the sin of Manasseh the King was all Judah carried captive 2 King 24. 3 4. And were they not the high Priests and Elders that crucified Christ yet was the whole Nation therefore destroyed And that it is the Governors own sin that causeth God to harden them I further prove it thus They having a will to fin and no regard unto God nor unto his word therefore doth he in his just judgement give them up to a reprobate mind to do things that are not convenient Rom. 1. 28. 30. Had Gods Word been by Saul regarded Saul by God had never been rejected And thus fall they to sin the more freely and abuse their authoritie eating up Gods people as bread untill God by their hand hath sufficiently punished them and then doth he break those rods in peeces and consume them in his wrath for the evill of the people shall not excuse their ungodly government no nor extenuate their judgement And so I proceed again as followeth fo 12. viz. Sixthly I know God will correct his children for their sins and in The Author the exceution of his judgements on the world he will begin at his own house either to work out sin or to work in grace or to make that grace more manifest which is already wrought I know that the end of Gods correction is reformation till then if smaller afflictions will not prevail greater shall if not one kind then another if the sword of our enemies do not the swords peradventure of our own amongst our selves shall if not they peradventure the pestilence or the famine or some other shall sundrie of which sometimes come together to let the world know that our afflictions come not immediate from any one k secondary or instrumental cause but that it is from the will and pleasure of the Almighty so to order and to dispose it who will not take off his judgements as the effects till our sins as the cause be removed Herein likewise is nothing to be gainsaid Onely I must still Answer notifie that whatsoever is here alledged doth not justifie mine Authors clandestine aspersions against the aforementioned Petitioners and Petitions or any wayes condemne therein either their actions or persons That our afflictions come not immediately from any k secondarie cause who knoweth not Is there evill in the City and God doth it not Amos 3. 6. Lam. 3. 38. Yet this doth not therefore prove that such instruments as aâ—â— manifestly the secondarie causes of our troubles either justifiable or tolerable And as mine Author would not have us account the Bishops the immediate cause of our perturbation and affliction so I wish he would advise them not to take us for the onely cause of their shamefull fall and confusion but their own detestable impietie and abomination the which the righteous Lord hath justly brought on the heads of them to the astonishment of the whole earth So I come again to his own words fo 13. viz. Seventhly I dare not l use any unlawfull means to ease mine The Author affliction I know no better way then by m humiliation and prayer to God for a sight of those sins whereby I had provoked him to wrath and for grace and true repentance for the same and remission by the merits of my Savâ—our Jesus Christ And then to apply my self with all diligence to all lawfull means to remove them yet I am not to put too much n confidence in them I could never yet find any benefit by o impatience under the hand of the Almighty I have found more afflictions procured thereby and I am assured that the Church and children of God never lost by their p patient suffering What this man l dare not do I am sure as yet we have not Answer done as hath been plainly proved albeit he secretly involves our rebuke in his dare not For as not he so no man can prove a petitionary way unlawfull and other means then humble petitions and modest solicitations there hath been none used by us excepting that principall means of m humiliation by himself so much preferred the which by the goodnesse of our King and Parliament hath rather been president then subsequent to our other endeavours And I verily beleeve men have been so farre from putting too much n confidence in the use of means as that they have not given due credit to the promise of God made unto them For how many but a while since did even despaire * Witnesse every mans arming himself and standing upon his guard notwithstanding the means used And of o impatience who can reprove us what people have so easily subjected their necks to such grievous yokes as we have done and that not for daies but yeers illegal taxes impoverishing Patents forcible impositions popish Inquisitions cruell censures and bloody sufferings And now the waters are moved God hath sent his Angel to cure us shall we not stir shall we not enter shall we not lay hold upon so happie an occasion if we cannot make means our selves we may with the lame man at the pool of Bethesda sit still long enough there are none so charitable many otherwise to make means for us We have not with the traiterous Papists rebelled for our oppressions but like a woman with child patiently waited though in great anguish the Lords appointed time for our deliverance and it being come and we in pain may we not seek for help to the Midwife of our heavy burthens the skilfull Parliament yes doubtlesse lawfully and ready and willing are we to undergo whatsoever charge or trouble they shall enjoyn and put upon us so that we
thereof is odious even as that of a rotten sepulchre Insomuch that he may justly be challenged for one of those the Psalmist denotes Psal 5. 9. But herein he resembles those shagg headed Sages who call the Kings best Subjects * Thus it is said the Damme Boyes or Long-heads at Yorke served the Lincolnshire Gentlemen others that petitioned the King to return to His Parliament Round-heads I am sure they are Grosse Heads making good the old Proverbe More haire then wit Meere Caca-fucoes and would you know whose Agents Plutoes But their madnesse is apparant to all men and their own venome will in the end burst them For were not the Petitions and the Petitioners purposes evermore notified and made known even before they came up and presented them how then were they done in private and in the night time it may be some mans hand might be had in the night whose businesse kept him all day abroad Truly they may rather be said to have done it on the house top so publique have they been Nor is there any reason why they should be so close in this good action For of whom should they be afraid it is neither Rebellion Treason nor Commotion the black deeds of Papists and Bishops which they contrived and what man good and wise would go about to barre them of so just a priviledge And for that he saith they did it without the l consent and commission of Authoritie I answer They had authoritie both strong and sufficient First their own right Secondly the Parliament the onely object of their suits a Commission better then any that issued out of the High Commission and such a one as my Author though perhaps he love them not dares not question For this is one of the prime proprieties appertaining unto Parliaments to receive and hear the grievances of the people and a grand priviledge of the Subjects freely without curb or prohibition of Magistrates and Officers to * See the right worthy Worthy Sir Arthur Haselriggs Speech in defence of himself and the other accused Members impart their grievances and seek for relief to the Parliament And if we might not petition without the Sheriffes Magistrates and Officers consent of the City or County where we live we should be but still in bondage For our task-masters would but revile us when we should come to crave their assents and say with my Author that we were idle and factious For it may be these are the very causes we must complain of and it cannot be that they will write against themselves And so the evill causes might still remain and we poore Subjects still groane under the miserable effects For the evill the Parliament knoweth not it cannot amend Besides admit that not onely Magistrates but all sorts of people as there are too many evilly affected should dissent to joyn with me in petition for redresse and reformation Is it unlawfull therefore for me to petition because I am left alone and the cause is diserted of all men No. to omit private interest and respect In case that the welfare and being of the Land and Nation City or Countrey where I live and whereof I am member is in jeopardy and danger I ought and it is my bounden dutie though it be with my life in my hand to make known the distresses thereof to the Ministers raised by God for preservation and redresse and also to use those means God hath put into my hands for the redemption and deliverance of that place and people Read that history of Esther from the 4. Chap. to the last Ecclesiastes 9. 14 15. Then he further shamelesly affirmeth that people are thereby m ingaged to break their Protestation he might better have said they were thereby ingaged to keep their Protestation for that had been truth But this is like the rest and ill will never spake well For is a certifying of their griefs with humble supplication that they may be eased and all things troublesome to conscience against which they have vowed removed a breach of their Protestation Contrarium verò verum It is onely the reall keeping of it indeed had they been perswaded to subscribe for the maintenance of such things as they have protested against then had my Author hit the nail on the head But none of them against whom he intends have been thus * As were of late some Kentish men insnared and therefore-his words here are both unjust and scandalous Neither have any been n enforced as he despightfully speaks to subscribe their hands for their own free wils have been their first movers and their own understandings their chief Councellors Nor is their ground or reason to force any in this action where is their authority where their justification neither would it ought avail or be profitable Yea it would prove very pernicious and prejudiciall But because my Author hath seen such great multitudes to accord in this thing therefore I beleeve the greater hath his spight and grief been And now I hope I have effectually proved those works by my Author injuriously called unlawfull and works of darknesse to be both lawfull and works of the light as clear as the Sun in his strength And whereas he saith they will not o endure the light Omnibus est notum It is well known to all men they have endured the very eye of light for all they against which my Author writes have had the full approbation and kind acceptation of the Parliament who are even as an Angel of light And so I come to his second and third cause why he is not satisfied with their manner of proceeding For I will put them both together because they are both of a nature fo 6. 7. viz. Secondly it is justly to be feared that these wayes are sinister in The Authors 2. and 3. cause the undertakers being very probable that some of them do it out of ill will hatred and malice as well to the government and governours or for favour and affection to some whom they suppose it pleaseth or for q gain and profit or fear of displeasure of p Landlords and Customers or for r vain glory that it may be said this is the Babell which they have wrought with their own hands and some few of those shall ingage and prejudice others and not without cause as it is to be feared by false informations and reasons to make men subscribe Thirdly the like sinister proceedings are to be supposed in the subscriber These kind of wayes by tumults and multitudes without legall allegations and probations to compasse that by will which you cannot obtain by reason is of a dangerous t consequence and threatens u the subversion of all government and governours For which of them be they never so good shall be secure if the multitude of distempered people please to will the contrary These cause much distractions hinder the s proceedings of the State and the relief of the oppressed breake
King 6. 26 27. And shall not we pray help my Lord O King Nay help O ye Noble Senators ye Parliament in whose power it is through Gods good hand upon them to help us For blessed be our God our case is not yet like the womans And if mine Author be a c Protestant as he boasteth himself and that in re and not onely nomine he ought the rather to sue in the Protestants behalf and be the more forward in promoting their cause unlesse he be a withered branch and live insensible of the generall calamitie and so more fit to be cut off then nourished Who will seek and sue if the Protestant do not neither the Papist nor the Atheist nay who should seek but the Protestant For his cause it is even his onely But mine Author is like the men of Ephraim that being called would not go Judg. 12. 2. and will abuse his brethren for going ver 4. But let him take heed as like as he would seem to be a * Anguis later sub herba Gileadite he will be found but an Ephraemite he pronounceth Sibboleth for Shibboleth ver 6. And if none but d Law-makers ought to petition then the Parliament men themselves should onely petition and what needed that know they not their own minds and if the thing to wit petitioning be ipso facto unlawfull as he argueth against the Petitioners then I conceive it is much more unlawfull in the Law-makers as in Majore then it is in others But if it be lawfull in the Law-makers as by that word d Law-maker he inferres then it is also lawfull in others and so in the Petitioners Besides freedome of information and to make our grievances known is a chiefe priviledge of Parliament and of us by the Parliament And what e command more authentique then liberty confirmed by Law And although many have petitioned that there may be f no Bishops yet have they but done what they ought and what their oath doth require For both their standings and present titles as shall hereafter be fully proved are altogether Popish and unlawfull and to will that these Prelates may have no Votes in the house g of Peers who can deny it to be a thing not onely lawfull but expedient for can a man serve two Masters no more can they serve two offices And therefore all this sure can become no such heavy burthen to my Authors h conscience especially having received so much i light as he boasteth of Nor need he fear to comply herein with the people for these their humble supplications cannot by any judicious Doctors be accounted k distempers Indeed well he may do not to follow the l stream of a multitude to do evil for at this time it is so violent and strong as that perhaps it may suddenly carry him to ruine headlong But the Petitioners part is not this multitude for comparatis comparandis comparing them with the Adversaries they are but a manuall And it is certain they are fewer in number that desire the good of Zion and of the Citie Jerusalem then they that hate it But all this by the way upon his Exordium or Entrance Now to his grounds and I will repeate them in his own words as followeth fol. 2. of his book viz. First because I have by the example and recommendation of the The Authors 1. ground Parliament solemnly m taken the Protestation whereby I have seriously protested to maintain and defend so farre as lawfully I may the o true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the doctrine of the Church of England against all n Poperie and Popish Innovations contrary to the said doctrine Now in the 36. Article of the said expressed doctrine the office of Bishops is inclusively confirmed Here he confesseth himself solemnly to have m taken the Protestation for the maintenance of the true Reformed Protestant Religion Answer and yet is his writing against all such as according to this Protestation and their conscience do arise and apply themselves to the maintenance and defence of the same Religion making the Protestation which is the very ground and strongest obligation of the Petitioners performance his prime argument to dehort them therefrom so perniciously inverting the end of the Protestation as if it had been ordained and by the Worthies of the Land taken and to us commended rather for the quenching that little love of the truth and zeal of Gods worship which is in men then any wayes to inflame and excitate the same and for the shutting men up in silence and tying them up from action rather then to imbolden and strengthen them both by word and deed to further the work of Reformation and the building up of the house of God And although he hath sworn to defend this Religion against all n Poperie and Popish Innovations yet he maketh his oath the cause of his refusing to joyn with others in lawfull means for the defence thereof and thus he overthroweth his first * As read and mark it ground and plea from thence For if the Protestation doth bind a man as indeed it doth and so himself confesseth to defend the true reformed Protestant Religion and to oppose all Poperie and Popish innovations how then is he left free what excuse can it be to him not onely for his sitting still and giving way to Poperie for he that is not with us is against us but also for his opposition against such as in discharge of their oath do stir in defence of the true Protestant Religion and expulsion of poperie and popish Innovation The Protestation hath not Twinnes in it it comprehends not contraries nor doth it leave a man to his own pleasure Therefore being thus taken by him it doth for his negligence and aversenesse plainly condemne him and better had it been for him never to have taken it then having taken it not to keep it Eccles 5. 4. for the oath is not with man but with God When the people of Judah and Benjamin had sworn and entred into covenant with God Ezra 9. 5. so soon as the Priest had told them their sin and what they should do to glorifie God they presently consent and put it in practise ver 10 11 12. We have sworn and entred covenant with our God and our Priests the faithfull Ministers of God have told us our sin and what the strange thing is we must put from us that God may be glorified by us and is it not lawfull for us to sue for a Bill of divorcement yea to divorce our selves For we have loved our strange Ceremonies and Service as well as ever the Jews loved their strange wives And although we lay not hands upon vain crosses and pictures Copes and Surplices Organs and Cornets and the rest of the Whores Dresse yet give us leave at least to petition that they may be all abolished and that with all Israel 2 Chron. 31. 1. we may now at length break down all the
Altars and Images and cast away all vain Ceremonies out of the service of God throughout the whole Land For these must be removed before our oaths can be fulfilled or God truly worshiped And whereas in the close of his first ground he ratifieth the reason of his refusall by vertue of the 36. Article of the said expressed doctrine of the Church of England wherein the office of Bishops is inclusively confirmed I answer The Protestation bindeth not to the maintenance of the whole and sole Doctrine comprized and expressed in that book nor of any part thereof otherwise and further then it consents with the wholsome words of Christ for the very words in the oath are the o true * Note I pray reformed Protestant Religion Now in that same book and in many of those devised Articles are many things contained and enjoyned which are not truly reformed or rather conformed to Gods holy Word And therefore our Oath is of a larger extent and we are thereby bounden even to oppose those Articles and the whole form of Doctrine and discipline comprehended in them so far forth as they and it be not opposite to Poperie and Popish Innovation and dissent from the truth of Reformation and this is more amply and obviously expressed in that resolving clause next under and adjoyning to the Protestation It is true that in the said p 36. Article the consecration of Archbishops Bishops Priests and Deacons are there allowed according to the manner used at the first beginning of Reformation in the time of Edw. 6. But that therein or thereby either Archbishops or Lordbishops are justified or justifiable by Gods Word I do neither read nor beleeve And therefore his secret fear of transgressing an â—bsolute Act or unlawfull constitution of the Church is no sufficient plea for my Author to break his oath and to induce others to do likewise Besides grant what he pleads for that the present office of the Bishops as it is at this day executed by them be by a Law of Parliament confirmed as lawfull by Gods Word Is it therefore lawfull by the Word of God No. There is neither Law nor Counsell against Gods Law his Statutes are like himself pure and unalterable and need not the frothy device of men either to illustrate or authorise them And as for Archbishops and Bishops nay and Prebends and Archdeacons too I am certain there is neither precept nor pattern in holy Writ for them many against them Matth. 23. 8. 10 11. Mark 9. 35. and 10. 42 43 44. Luke 22. 25 26. and 1 Pet. 2. 3. Nor doth Timothy or Titus justifie our Bishops they were men of another order and stamp 1 Tim. 3. 2 3 4. Tit. 1. 6 7 8. Neither doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which they so much stand prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ab inspiciendo their standing true the Etymologie thereof hath no Analogie with them their jurisdiction is originally from humane invention for their institution is not jure divino but jure pontificio not by God but by the Pope and for that cause the Pope calls himself Pater Patrum the Father of the Fathers that is of the Bishops * Episcopus idem quòd Presbyter The word signifieth no more then an Elder or Overseer Act. 20. 28. One that hath the charge or * Homer an Heathen Author many ages before Bishops calls Hector Prince of Troy Episcopum quòd esset Troje praecipuus inspector propugnator ejusque curam gerebat Magistratus Atticus dictus fuit Episcopus Cicero himself was called Episcopum or ae maritimae à Formiis Epist Famil lib. 6. care of any place and so it imports all the painfull Ministers of God as well as the Bishops And that a Bishop and an Elder are one to omit other Scriptures it is evident by comparing the 7. verse of the 1. Chap. of Titus with the fifth verse And if there be any difference between a Bishop or an Elder and another Minister a true Pastor or a Teacher it is in this that the Bishop hath the greater care and burden and therefore ought to be more humble and watchfull But our Bishops will have other Ministers to differ nothing from them in pains and care unlesse it be in taking more then they do for indeed they take none at all But for dignity and honour they will have a great distance betwixt them and their brethren even as great as that betwixt Dives and Lazarus They must be the Lords nay gracelesly gracious Lords and their Brethren the true labourers of Jesus Christ * Sometime the Bishops of Oxons phrase Rogues and Rascals Their very Titles are usurped and such as Christ the Lord never appointed for there is but one Lord saith the Apostle Ephes 4. 5. Isa 42. 8. and had they not made more use of the Temporall Sword whereunto they have no right then they have of the Spirituall for they and Gods Word could never accord their tyrannicall jurisdiction had not continued untill this time Seeing all this what sufficient ground then is there for mine Author to plead the Protestation in Bar against such as petition against them and their temporall power what cause of scrupulositie for him to refuse the endeavour of their removall Nay what cause is there not for him to endeavour it if he was well affected or had so much light to walk by and a conscience so tender as he speaks of Therefore for as much as they are justly deemed Antichristian because whatsoever office or officer in the Church Gods house is not by or is contrary to Christs own institution the onely King and Lord of the same Psal 2. 6. Joh. 13. 13. is against him the Petitioners have but done their duty and discharged their oath in seeking to have them expelled And so I will recite his second ground fo 2. viz. Secondly I am ingaged thereby also to maintain and defend the The Authors 2. ground powers and priviledges of Parliaments which is chiefly to be understood of the q established Laws concerning the same Now severall r Acts of Parliament do not onely confirm as aforesaid the office of a Bishop but by the powers and priviledges of those Acts of Parliament they are also to sit as Members of the Lords House I pray observe how this man doth preposterously tye the priviledges Answer of Parliament on the q Acts of Parliament Cujus contrarium verum est the contrary whereof is true For as I humbly conceive the Laws by them made make not their priviledges But they by vertue of that inherent priviledge and power ab initio established on them as the representative body of the whole kingdom are inabled both to enact Laws and if cause be to repeal them as the cause produceth the effect Otherwise it could not be that we should be our own Law-makers and in my understanding we are called a free people because we are governed
and yet prove our selves both loyall Subjects and conserve our Oath Acts 27. 28 29. Thus much for my Authors grounds the which I hope have been sufficiently refelled Now he comes to shew you further cause why he would not subscribe his friends Petition nor conjoyne in a petitionary way And this he usshereth in with an Adverb saying fol. 5. viz. Moreover the manner of the proceeding doth not satisfie me The Authors 1. cause First because it is not done in that f right way it ought to be For that which is to go under the name of a County or Town ought to be first k assented unto by the Sheriffe Justice of Peace or other Magistrates respectively and then they may be publiquely propounded and condiscended unto or contradicted that men may be incouraged or disswaded by good reasons pro con And this is that i lawfull and usuall way for the g election of Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament and of other Officers and matters concerning the publique Wherefore h clandestine and surreptitions actions going about from house to house by h night and without the l consent and commission of Authority to m ingage people to the breath of their Protestation and to make it an Act of a County or Town and in a manner to n force men thereunto are but unlawfull works of darknesse and will not o endure the light All his former grounds alledged for his non subscription to Answer their Petition are taken by him though falsely out of the Protestation Now these subsequent which he calleth causes are taken a modo from the manner of the action viz. because it was not done in f the right way For that which is to go under the name of a Town or a County ought to be first affented unto by the Sheriffe c. then publiquely propounded c. and this he subtilly doth exemplifie by the g election of Knights and Burgesses And for that their Petitions were not so obtained and approved therefore he most ignominiously termes them h Clandestine that is close surreptitious nightworks and works of darknesse not enduring the light How forcible are right words but what doth this arguing reprove Job 6. 25. In what manner the petitioners gathered hands I am ignorant But that is not pertinent the action being free and the end lawfull For it is not the doing of a lawfull work by h night or in a private assembly that maketh it unlawfull more then the doing of an unlawfull work by day and in a publike assembly doth make it lawfull And to frame a Petition to the Parliament comprehending not factions or * As the last of the County of Kent so much countenanced by Sir Edw. Deering and others may justly be suspected factious implications but the just fears and grievances of a City or County and the causes of them and to get others like sensible of them for testimony to subscribe the same is lawfull I am certain and past all controversie for neither the matter nor the manner is contrary to Law nor by Law prohibited nay the matter is for law and the manner both humble and peaceable free and voluntary and therefore also lawfull And a man may as soon and sooner if the heads or chief proposers be not honest and sound men be seduced and drawn to set his hand contrary to Law against his will and * Witnesse the Petition above noted Protestation in a publique Assemblie or meeting as at a generall Assizes then in a private Because the greater sort of men are like sheep led by example some relying on the judgement of particular men who are eminent amongst them for knowledge others being afraid to refuse the thing though they doubt and inwardly are unwilling lest they should be counted singular and more nice and wise then all the Countrey Whereas whatsoever is propounded in private or at home is alway more maturely digested the person taking boldnesse to require respite both to examine and consider it And for my Authors i example it is not consonant it concurreth not For what is done in that election is according to the great Charter of England and by the Kings speciall power and Prerogative The Sheriffes Justices and other Offices do nothing therein of their own free motion by vertue of priviledge onely as the Subjects do which petition But in obedience to his Majesties Writ and precept And how expedient it is that the whole County or City even to the lowest member should consent to the election of the person which is to be instead of their persons and the head and mouth of them I appeal to all men For the particular estates interests and liberties of every one of them is intrusted with him But in case of petitioning there is no such necessity every man feels the generall evill but every man desireth not the expurgation of it nor doth every man know the cause of it and therefore cannot make a particular remonstrance and sue for peculiar redresse And because every man seeth not the reason of the epidemicall maladie and so knoweth not what meanes to use for remedie and others that do see it as dead members desire no cure of it shall not therefore such as both know the cause and way of cure and thirst after it use the means law and liberty hath allowed for the effecting it it were unreasonable to deny it Neither doth the assent of a k Skeriffe Justice of Peace or other Magistrate argue any thing lawfull no more then the preaching of false doctrine by a publique Minister doth prove it true the Laws are to be the rules of our civill actions and not their licence Too many things fresh still in remembrance have been both commanded and countenanced by Sheriffes and * Prophanation of the Sabbath seizing of mens goods and imprisoning of their persons Magistrates which we know will neither stand with the Law of God nor of the Nation And if the Sheriffes or Magistrates assent and proposition make an Act lawfull then the bloody Rebels in Ireland are justifiable For as report tels they had for their beginning the consent both of * Sir Phileme Oneale and ochers Peers Justices of the Peace there Sheriffes and Magistrates yea themselves affirm authority for their present actions Again as there is no generall rule without its particular exception so there is no particular or extraordinary example to be taken for a generall rule Ergo though a universall suffrage and assent be necessarily required in the choice of Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament yet it followeth not that the like is requisite in the way of Petitions to the Parliament Now whereas he cals the Petitions Clandestine actions that is hidden and close done in hugger mugger and surreptitious that is as it were by stealth how unsavourie this is let every one that hath but a clear sence prove and trie These are breathings of a corrupt stomacke and the stench
it is much more easie to prove both altogether unlawfull and utterly to be abhorred and abandoned And that for the a present particular offences of some the innocent posteritie should suffer we have many presidents both Divine and Civill ancient and modern especially where the offence is of so high a nature as to strike at the publique authoritie and honour of God and the very being or well-being of his people Witnesse that ever dreadfull ingurgitation of Corah Dathan and Abiram with all their families Numb 16. what there had the poore infants and children done So likewise that universall desolation of Amaleke 1 Sam. 15. 3. and that of Edom Obediah ver 10. Both which Nations were wholly destroyed as well young as old children as parents for the iniquitie done not by them but by their Progenitors to the people of God many ages before they had any being Touch not mine anointed that is my chosen saith God and do my Prophets no harme God will not endure that his people shall be vexed and troubled in the way of his worship this was the ruine of Pharaoh and of all his hoste and shall be of the stoutest Prince or Potentate under the Sunne and of all his force Psal 76. 12. if he will not let Israel go to worship the Lord their God even Kings will he reprove for their sake Psal 105. 14. Amongst our selves is it not a Law and held for reason that he who seeks to ruine an innocent posterity should have his innocent posteritie ruined this is also ratified by Gods Word Because Agags sword had made women childlesse therefore shall Agags mother be childlesse amongst women 1 Sam. 15. 31. And thus was it done to Haman Esther 9. 10. he and all his sonnes perished and his goods were given to others yet he alone contrived that lethall plot against the Jews Esth 3. 8. 9. And truly it is equivolent to the rule of proportion that what measure they meet unto others should be meted unto them again this even dealing was Adonibezeks portion Judg. 1. 7. True it is there is some exception in that of Amaziah 1 King 14. 6. But it is where the wrong is personall not Nationall and principally concerning man not God But perhaps my Author here meaneth not this manner of suffering but that for the faults of these Bishops future posteritie should be deprived of the like state and preferment power and revenews Truly custome is no sound plea for the continuance of an evill cause And seeing these men have usurped the place and authoritie not due unto them and have enjoyed more wealth and honour then hath been fit or profitable for them all which meerly tend to insnare and corrupt men of holy function fraighting them full as experience plainly proveth with all manner of pride and insolence impietie and idlenesse It cannot be adjudged either improvidence or injustice to abolish these exorbitant usurpations of honour authority and power in them and to convert their superabundant rents and revenews to some more necessarie and pious uses that so the like enormities which in these persons have by these means hitherto accrewed may in succeeding ages be prevented And this can be no suffering to the future generation because they are spoiled of nothing But this I humbly refer to them whom it doth more principally as Judges concern Onely thus much for answer herein to my Author and so I come to his other matter I deny not but there have been godly b Bishops and many of them Martyrs but not because they were Bishops * Nor for the Service Book though sir Ed. Deering implyeth so and the martyrdome of those men doth no more hallow and uphold their standing therefore then Naamans conversion doth justifie his Idolatrous action 2 King 5. 17 18. or Luthers persecution and * For a man may be martyred living martyrdome his idolatrous transubstantiation And in charitie I will hope with him though few tokens appeare in assurance that there are some of them still godly Protestants But as he will not have the impietie of the person to abrogate the c office So I hope the pretended piety of the person shall not justifie the impietie of the office And as for the conviction of his d conscience it is a work onely proper to Gods holy Spirit and when he comes into his heart he will convince him Joh. 16. 8. In the mean time I will do my good will to inform him And so I proceed to his own words fol. 8. viz. Secondly though time of e prosperitie hath made some of them The Author guiltie of f foule offences and it may be with the children of Israel they have not worshipped the true God as they ought and have inclined to Idolatry and thereby justly provoked the Almighty to wrath and indignation against them Yet I am perswaded that for the very execution of their h office and the g Ecclesiasticall Laws for the k unity and peace of the Church they suffer instrumentally by divers ill l affected to government or by such as have been punished by them for doing i contrary thereunto and if the like proceedings may be suffered against all m Judges and other n executioners of the Laws of the Kingdom there shall be no o secure execution of the Laws against offenders and so we shall live lawlesse and let in all manner of disorder and vice murther rapine and the like Those Bishops rather under correction that have done contrary p to the Law are to be punished by the Law on due and true proofs and not according to your wils In this instance and what followeth you may plainly see Answer what stamp my Author is of what I all the way feared he hath here verified For he is a worshipper of the great gods of these times the ambitious Prelates who lifted up themselves above all that is called God But as they have been exalted so blessed be God have they lately been humbled But he saith that e prosperity hath made them faulty it is true For many of them before they were Bishops were daily and diligent fishermen drawing many unto God but having caught what they fished for the world and preferment they presently left both their nets and the waters their Ministerie and the Word and forthwith fell to drive men from God with Demas giving themselves up to the present world Howbeit in as much as their exuberancy of wealth and lordly power instead of advancing them forward hath become an impediment to the discharge of their duties and are the chief means to canker and corrupt them the grave and gracious Parliament I beleeve as is most meet will impaire and lessen them that being rid of so great a clog they may the better gird up the loyns of their minds and be more watchfull and sober And I pray note that my Author himself pronounceth them f foule offenders false worshippers of God and idolatrous a thing which themselves vile
commanded us to pray unto him Matth. 9. 38. he will make his word in all those whom he appointeth unto this work as it was in the Prophet like fire they cannot withhold it they cannot keep it in Jer. 20. 9. it will be more then their meat to them or any worldly respect Joh. 4. 32. 34. Now the glory of the Church Christs Spouse and of all her Ministers is inward in the graces of the spirit God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith Jam. 2. 5. and the weak things of this world to confound the wise c. 1 Cor. 1. 27. 28. The Kings daughter is all glorious within Psal 45. 13. It is the propriety of a harlot outwardly to paint and adorn her self but the honest woman arayeth her self in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modesty as it becometh one professing the fear of God 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. and 1 Pet. 3. 3. Thus doth the Spouse of Christ whose apparelling is not outward but the hid man of the heart her voice is sweet but not seducing her sight is comely but not gorgious Cant. 2. 14. Here I have somewhat digressed because most conceive that outward estate is so exceedingly advantagious to the Church of God But I say such abundance is rather disadvantagious as wofull experience palpably testifies and the Apostle saith that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink that is in the things of this life but righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost in vertue and grace and he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved to men Rom. 14. 17 18. Wealth indeed is good and profitable but it edifieth not Let us follow therefore after the things which make for peace and the things wherewith one may edifie another Rom. 14. 19. Now I come to my Author To whom I grant yea I fear that others though t inferiour in place and power to the present Bishops may prove as imperious and tyrannicall as they have been if not worse and it is most probable if they be not rightly chosen and constituted And who knoweth if that little horn spoken of in Daniel 7. 8. be not now to come up For it must rise up among the ten horns in some of the ten kingdoms this shall look well but it shall speak big and before it there shall be three of the first horns plucked up by the roots it may be A. S. H. but I prophesie not nor am I a Prophets sonne Howsoever it is justly to be feared and may be expected that yet within this Nation there will be a generall apostasie in Religion which in fine will produce a generall desolation For light and that in abundance is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light Like Jannes and Jambres they resist the truth men of corrupt minds that turn their eares from the truth unto fables being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate 2 Tim. 3. 8. and 4. 4. Tit. 1. 16. Oh how averse is the whole kingdom to a * Molū omen For for this very cause hath God a quarrell with us and if we will not bowe he will break us through Reformation Will God think you alway brook our loathsome Laodicean like qualitie No certainly Revel 3. 16. The * Here I understand the regallor Imperiall State Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the * The Church or Ecclesiasticall State The Author Moon by persecution unto blood before that great and terrible day of the Lord come Joel 2. 31. Neverthelesse all this argueth not that because through ignorance or negligence as great inconveniences may come in these present known evils are not to be taken away no more then it followeth that a man should not repaire his house because it may in time want repaire again Yea we had the more need to remove the evils present and to use the best means and heed to prevent the like for time to come And so I come again to cite his own words fo 10. viz. Fourthly that though there be obstacles and mountains in the way and the supposed u enemies of Gods Church and children yet as I am a Christian I w dare not judge them or curse them as they do or use any unlawfull x means to remove them or under the pretence of pulling down one Babell to set up another What David did by way of prediction as he was a King and a Prophet against the inveterate and y incurable enemies of the Church of God I as an ordinarie Christian ought not to do I may live peradventure to see mine enemies desert upon them which I may not desire to see That there are mountains in the way and u enemies to the Church and children of God my Author acknowledgeth but Answer judge or curse them he w dare not Indeed I beleeve him lest the curse being just should come and so he suffer with them being a Dependant on them Touching the unlawfull x means used and Babel raised by my Author so much objected read my answer to his first Cause fol. 17. c. of this book and my Answer to his second and third Cause in the 22. fol. of this book in both which places and elsewhere that grosse aspersion is refelled Judgement I confesse is onely proper to the Lord and so is vengeance nor may we either curse or prosecute for any personall injury yet of their outward actions and obstinate transgressions we may judge and ought to be jealous of them untill we see some assured testimony of their good will to Zion Act. 9. 26 27. and have we not good cause to suspect those for inveterate and y incurable foes that in stead of confessing and repenting their Popish superstition and Ceremonies usurpation and violenoe over Gods people do still persist therein and * Witnesse the Bishop of Peterborough Elies and Glocesters beastly bowings rotten Sermons and Popish prayers justifie their actions yes and still would were they not restrained exercise their Antichristian power and cruelty by obtruding * Witnesse at the Kings return from Scotland their violent pressing that grand Idol the Service Book to all good men so detestable and burthensome on the conscience things offensive and idolatrous And under favour so farre forth as they manifest themselves the professed foes of Christ and his Kingdom I hold it lawfull to curse them and that without prediction for if they remain hardned as may be justly Feared God hath alreadie told what shall become of them Psal 129. 5 6. And do not I hate them that hate thee and contend with those which rise up against thee saith holy David Psal 139. 19 20 21 22. yea I hate them with an unfeigned hatred as they were mine utter enemies Now did ever any man hate another unfeignedly as his utter enemy and not curse him I think not But see Psal 28. 4. Lament 3. 64. to the end If Meroz
by a free Law and not by constrained Ordinances violently obtruded against our wills upon us The bounds of our Law being Meum Tuum and the Ends Defence and Freedome And therefore we are not free because the Laws do make us free for by our Laws we are bound and must obey But because we have free power to make such Laws unto which we willingly do assent and obey Now that these priviledges of Parliament are confirmed by Law is undeniable and therefore he that violates the least of them is punished as a Law-breaker But that there may be Laws or Acts altered and repealed and no priviledge broken is manifest and one Parliament may and we know doth often alter and abrogate what another did establish and enact Ergo the maintenance of priviledges of Parliament is not to be understood chiefly of the Laws thereby established but of the legislative power priviledges and libertie wherewith they of the Parliament are invested as of right and as I may say in feodo simpli for the doing of whatsoever shall seem good unto them for the honour of the King relief of the Subject and good of the Kingdom the which they lively personate Therefore it is that their power their priviledges and personall liberties which we are more principally bound to defend and most nearly doth this concern us For the life and libertie estate welfare and verie being under God of you and me and of every man and member of this Kingdom is wrapt up in them and their priviledges And if we stand onely in defence of the Laws enacted as they of the * The Kings Army in the North who under colour of maintaining the Law would have imployed their Forces against the Parliament for the support of Bishops Army in pretext would have done and not of their persons and rights to them adherent as they are Parliament men We may have still our old Laws if not our old oppressions but no execution of them our Law-makers being illegally taken from us as wofull experience of late had almost * The case is plain because the accusation was palpable taught us And albeit severall r Asts of Parliament do confirm both Bishops and their Votes in the Lords House yet neither Bishops nor their votes are therefore lawfull nor yet necessarie Neither custome nor antiquitie can justifie falshood or tolerate incommoditie As for Bishops I have spoken somewhat alreadie sufficient as I suppose for this Treatise they are a theme requiring a more ample discussion And as for their votes in Parliament it hath been proved and long since adjudged that a Parliament may be absolute without them * De Doctor Standish 7. H. 8. and often have Laws been made and ratified by the Parliament without them 25. E. 1. and 35. E. 1. and 7. R. 2. and what may be done in this case at one time may be done at any time and therefore it followeth there is no necessitie of them and what should any member unnecessarily do there Besides the Bishops right in Parliament is of another nature then that of the Noble Peers for that of the Peers is inherent and hereditary but the Bishops theirs is onely durante bene placito during the Kings pleasure or so long as they shall please him For they sit there but by their Masters favour and what hope of good from him that is disswaded through fear or perswaded for favour Again it is incongruous and inconsistent with their * See the Speech of the Right Honorable the Lord Say against the temporall power of Bishops function The Bishops have often used that Proverbe Ne sutor ultra crepidam let no man meddle out of his calling to silence the just reproofs against them when as indeed it might more justly have been objected to them Ne Episcopus verò ultra Ecclesiam But let not a Bishop leave the Church But I will desist from further prosecution of this point because blessed be God we have our desire in this matter most rightfully alreadie granted Howsoever thus much may suffice to prove that such as have petitioned against Bishops and their votes in Parliament have done nothing against their oath as my Author doth subtilly infer but truly done their duty and discharged their conscience And so I come to my Authors third ground in these words following fol. 3. viz. Thirdly I am bound by the said Protestation to s maintain and The Authors 3. ground defend the lawfull rights and liberties of the Subject and if this extend to every subiect in particular much more to a Parliament man Now they being Subiects and their rights and liberties being lawfull I am bound to maintain them so far as lawfully I may in those lawfull rights and liberties Again the t making and repealing of laws for the good of the Common-wealth is a speciall and peculiar power priviledge and right proper t onely to Parliaments Therefore not to be v forcedor coacted by me being no Parliament man For that may be lawfull and warrantable in my governours to do by reason which is altogether unlawfull and unwarrantable in me to require by will This is rather to be a tyrannicall w Judge then a legall witnesse to break Laws rather then to preserve them and in stead of Reformation to bring in confusion Here is much chaffe but little corn Now he acknowledgeth that he is bound to s maintain the lawfull rights and libertiâ—s of Answer every subiect and therefore much more of Parliament men before he takes care onely for the established Laws but as for the Law-makers he argueth nothing I had almost thought him to be of those that would lately have had them in prison And again here he grants that it is onely t proper to Parliament men to make Laws and repeal them the which I am sure they can never do without their liberty to convene and consult and therefore as I have already said it is not so much the established Laws as the power priviledges and personall liberties of Parliament men whilest they are so and do onely what is meet that we must defend Nor hath any man assumed this power and proprietie but they as I know though my Author doth insinuate t so Unlesse it be such as would limit their Councels and propose them a way after their own fancies accounting all that is done by the Parliament contrary to their crooked will and liking to be contrary both to law and justice for there is a generation with whom onely quod libet licet what pleaseth is lawfull But the Petitioners are not of this kind and therefore not thus presumptious for they onely sue for justice not directing but begging redresse But toward the end my Author imputes an enforcement v or coaction to such as petition them What impulsion he meaneth I am ignorant for I am privie to none I am sure not that * By the Cavalliers and broken Souldiers martiall commination Januar. 4.
deserved a bitter curse for not coming forth to help the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5. 23. a place considerable Much more then deserve they to be cursed that help against the Lord and take part with the mighty against his people Even so let thine enemies perish O Lord But they that love him shall be as the Sun when he riseth in his strength And so I return to the words of mine Author as followeth fol. 11. viz. I am to judge charitably of the z actions and intentions of my The Author Governours what I think a peradventure is for my hurt may be b intended at leastwise turned to my good I must walk by the c rule of Gods Word and follow the d examples and precepts of my Saviour To pray for them that hate me and do good to them that persecute me and not to forget to pray for all that are in authoritie that I may live a godly life under them in all peace and quietnesse Why may I not suspect that this long enjoyment of the Gospel in peace and plenty hath produced e ill effects in me as well as in my governours But be my governours what they will I have learned to obey all their f lawfull commands and g thank God that I may live under so happy a command If they command me to do no otherwise then what is just and right I must and will willingly do it neither dare I h neglect my duty to them though they forget theirs to me For their offences and neglects to me shall not excuse me to God for them for my offences and non performances of mine to either of them We are not onely to judge charitably of the z actions and Answer intentions of our governours but of the actions and intentions of other men also yet with this proviso that they be not obstinate and persist not in their actions and intentions when as they see or are informed that either in themselves or the issues of them they are evill and ungodly and that they do it of ignorance and misunderstanding and not of wilfulnesse despight and malice as many of the Bishops works and plots yea and of others in authority too have been and are proved Nor must we go upon a peradventures in cases so fundamentally adverse to the universall good For it is not peradventure but most sure that he which seeks to raze the * And by the Bishops and their faction the very foundations both of Church and State have been shaken foundation of an edifice seeks utterly to subvert it nor will any man be so charitable as to let him alone saying he perhaps may intend some better structure or other work to it Nor is it wisdom in any man to suffer a known evill if it lie within his power to avoid it in hope or meer conceit it may be well b meant or at least so prove This is a tempting of the most holy One. We know God turneth all things to the best of his chosen but ought not therfore his chosen to use the lawful means for the avoiding those evils which palpably threaten them or the State and Nation wherein they live or whereof they are members Yes sure Otherwise Mordecai and Esther might have done well to have sate still and said in secure charitie or uncharitable securitie sure Haman intends not such deadly mischief against us as he seemeth or howsoever it may peradventure turn to our greater good But they took another course or else they had been in a dolefull case and all their people And even so had we and this whole Land if we had not used the means God called us to Mine Author saith he must follow the c rule of Gods Word I wish he may for as yet in this he hath not to call evil good and good evil and the d examples and precepts of our Saviour who teacheth us to pray for them that hate us c. and for all that are in authority that we may live godly c. that precept of praying for our enemies is as I conceive principally meant as they are private enemies to our persons onely so prayed Stephen for them Acts 7. 60. not as they are publique and irreconcileable foes of Christ and his Church Anathema Maranatha saith Paul to all that love not the Lord Jesus And for praying for all Governours I agree with him provided they be in lawfull authority and with his own conclusion that we may live godly under them in all peace and quietnesse the which we must not expect under the Bishops That long peace and plenty under the Gospel hath produced e ill effects in us as well as our Governours is undeniable And we are all like a ship that hath laine long still in harbour over grown with the mosse and slime of corrupting securitie and what then Must we therefore any longer abide therein God forbid Let us up rather and be doing and the Lord will prosper us Let our sleeping Commanders be either rowsed or with supine Jonas be cast over board better they then the whole vessell the Nation perish And let our great Barke of Church and State be careined have her very keele turned upward scraped searched calked rigged and trimmed and so faithfully maned out again to the astonishment of our foes and the rejoycing of all those which are imbarked in her and wish well unto her And although the f lawfull commands of evill governours are to be obeyed yet it argueth not that evill Governours are to be tolerated And indeed it is well nay a Miracle and a man hath speciall cause to g thank God if his Governours being evill command nothing but what is lawfull But can an ill tree bring forth good fruit raro aut nunquam very seldom or do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles if it be so is it not by an overruling hand are not the wicked tethered doth not the Almighty turn their wrath to his praise and restrain the rest of their rage Psal 76. 10. yea and bridle their thoughts too But we have much more cause to praise God when our Governours be good men of courage fearing God and hating covetousnesse Exod. 18. 21. then may we with boldnesse expect both good commands and good effects and blessed are the people that are in such a case Eccles 10. 17. True it is that we must h do our duty and perform on our parts though the Governours be wicked and fail on theirs for their neglect shall not excuse ours every vessell shall stand on his own bottome Yet for such Governours as are not lawfully constituted and authorised as the Bishops it is a Quaere what duty is there due whether any So I come to what followeth fol. 11. videlicet Fifthly I dare not but look at the hand of God and not at the instrument The Author onely of my afflictions I know nothing can come to passe but by his permission I am