Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	king_n	parliament_n	1,836	5	6.6012	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96074	The constant man's character. Intended to be sent first as a letter from a gentleman in the country, to a gentlemen his esteemed friend and countryman, a Member of the House of Commons. Since inlarged into a discourse by way of humble advice to keep him from revolting, either directly or collaterally by the side-winde of being Presbyterially affected, through the mistaken and unhappy conceit, that those who have taken the Covenant, cannot without breach of the same, assent and submit unto the late proceedings of the Parliament, when as the parts of the Covenant seem to be inconsistent within themselves, as the author's observations here discoursed do manifest. The scope whereof is 1 Historically to set down the occasion and beginnings of the war. ... 4 To prove the fitness and necessity (as matters now stand) of complying with, and submitting unto this present government. For the powers that be are ordained of God, Rom. 13. Together with some animadversions incident hereunto on the same book, and on the two declarations, intituled The declarations of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at Oxford. The one touching a treaty for peace, [the] other concerning their endeavors for peace. Printed there, 1643.	S. W.	1650 (1650)	Wing W105; Thomason E595_7; ESTC R204161	52,955	81

engaging for the King to be offenders now for their late submitting to their Compositions for Delinquency for their complying with the Parliaments Votes howbeit thereby they are free from molestation for the future whilest the Parliament maintain and keep up their Power Wherefore it is resolved that an universal Engagement shall be had as a Bond and League to bring all men into one and the same judgement that from an a Mr. Lambard's Eirenarch lib. 1. cap. 2. in in his Tract on K. Edw. 3. His Writ directed to the High Sheriff of Kent for the proclaiming a Peace where he speaks first of uniting mindes then of restraining hands as a means to the Preservation of the Publique Peace Unity of mindes a Restraining of the hands may ensue in order to the setling of a firm and lasting Peace Admit that these Doubts were unquestionable these Dangers so removed and taken away to our best advantage and security that there needed no Engagement or League to bring all men into one and the self same minde yet the constant prejudice and ill-will which the Enemy hath to the Parliament and their Proceedings causeth him with many more of his kinde and spirit to dislike and refuse the Engagement because the Parliament hath enjoyned it and for no other cause then to quarrel with and oppose their Authority The other sort of High Treason wherewith the Parliament stands charged is The making a new b See the Oxford Declaration page 21. Great-Seal counterfeiting the Kings Observe Sir the justness of such Charge The Great-Seal an instrument of State whereby Justice is derived and distributed to the People as the divided Members at Oxford do confess being surreptitiously and vafrously taken away from the Parliament the Representative Body of the People contrary to the Trust reposed in the Keeper of the same the making of a new one cannot be rightly judged Counterfeiting within the meaning of the c 25 Edw 3. Statute Counterfeiting is a close and covert act against the knowledge and privity of a Superior and lawful Power damnified by such Counterfeiting nor is every thing which is made to the mould by which 't is made a simply Counterfeiting The quality of the offence is discerned in the maner of the offending and the making a Law commonly relates to some preterite crime or fraud Now you will believe it is no where to be found upon Record whereon to ground a Law That a King and Parliament have at any time made use of any Great-Seal to cross or thwart each others Actings Many other Accusations of this kinde are charged on them * See the same Declaration pag. 27. as Disturbers of the Peace Authors and Fomentors of this they call Rebell on and what else Malice and Revenge can invent divulge to render Them and their Actions infamous But to return and shew the Royalist his next hopes of prevailing shadowed out even now By attempting to bring in any Forreign Force how wilde or barbarous soever they be how hard to get them out again out of this plentiful and flourishing Kingdom yeelding them all provisions all Habiliments of War to strengthen themselves in This as to provide for their next attempt elswhere after they have destroyed and harassed This not knowing how to distinguish between Presbyterian Independent and Royall Party and this to be driven on by him in an hazardous and uncertain way out of revenge and thirst to regain unto himself his power again long since forfeited through his mistaken Loyalty certainly through his disaffection to his Native Brethren of the same Kingdom or without considering which wise men should that a small Forreign Force unless aided by a discontented Faction here at home will not do the work a great one will destroy and overrun them also which is easie and obvious to every vulgar capacity to foresee for what Forreigner can be thought of to invade this Kingdom whilest the Natives thereof are true unto at unity within themselves If it be objected That the Subjects of This taking up Arms to defend themselves will prove a leading case to the People in other States and Kingdoms to do the like T is answered The Government of This differs from all Forms of Government in other Nations This being no absolute but a limited and mixt Monarchy where the King is as a great a Bracton lib 4. Lawyer takes his Dimension Vniversis minor habet Superiores Deum Legem per quam factus est Rex Curiam scilicet Comites Barones c. The Laws Customs and Constitutions of This are distinct and different from all other Nations in the Christian world others being Free-States simply and absolutely Monarchies or Powers inforcing and conforming all under them to slavery and vassaladge So that if a Forreigner shall attempt to invade This it cannot be deemed he doth it from a sense of a like suffering with the King or to asist Him rather to enrich himself to prey upon the wealth and opulencie of a fruitful and flourishing Kingdom Your last Objection That the Army's most noted b Mr. H. P. Preacher is as you have heard a disguised Jesuite Other the like Falshoods put upon him of late reported which few men besides the reporters do believe and scarsly they If these Objections prove untrue or easily answered the disgrace will recoyle and injure them who lay them on Sir if a man hath a minde to quarrel 't is easie to finde a staffe Your Eminencie and Credit in your Country let in two Inconveniencies A danger to be tempted by the opposite Party to comply and fall in with them when mean and weak men are let alone The other that it will fare with you in your Defection as spots and soiles in fine cloth the finer the cloth the easilier the soiling is discerned in ordinary and course Cloths it is not so No question there are those in several parts of our Neighboring Counties who may instill into your Ears a likelyhood of the King's Party's prevailing upon their prevailing the Dangers whereunto you and the rest of His Enemies are subject also the weakness the often failings the inique or unfit Proceedings of the Parliament in prefering for the present Persons of a lower Degree then ordinary to Places and Offices of Trust when as They were forced thereunto in that men of an higher rank discontented that their side cannot prevaile refuse to bear such Offices In their Fining and Punishing the King's Party for Delinquency although not in so high and severe a way as the King's Party would have Punished Them in case they had prevailed In continuing Taxes and Impositions upon their fellow Subjects for the maintenance of their Power and Army Their Enemies not weighing the exigence and necessities which the Parliament is forced unto but moved by their own prejudice and spleen against the Proceedings of that Court and resolvedly engaged for the King to make such men as you to be of their Party

affections By their subtile practices to pursue and continue their Designs disguising them under several habits that what a Lions strength cannot the Foxes skin put on may work each one acting his severall part to the best advantage and improvement of the whole some bemoaning their dejected and low condition thereby to draw pity to their suggested wrongfull sufferings not that they think it so but that they may be thereby the less perceived to exercise their Art of gaining their strength and Power again both by nourishing Discontents and Seditions here at home and having Factors and Emissaries to solicite their Cause abroad By traducing and depressing the esteem of the Parliament and their Actions to render their Persons the more odious and contemptible thence the more weak and easie to be subdued By contriving and inventing Falshoods sometimes in the nature of reporting Prophesies in favour to the King and His success as to give out how happy and victorious He or His Posterity shall be Many the like devised Inventions in the nature of Predictions and Divinings some whereof made on purpose others as vainly reported and given out to give hopes unto His Party to try if the reporting such Prophecyings can bring the fruits of their endeavours within the compass of such Prophesies fulfilled By seditious Pamphletings and privily dispersing such by publishing other more weighty no less seditious Books obtruding them on such Authors as they please all to affect the Reader sometimes in the King s name always in His behalf particularly that Posthume one called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by many men given out to be His which if the Parliaments often Declarations Charges and Remonstrances against Him and His Proceedings be true those applauded Tracts and Meditations in that Book are but a reinforced dissembling put upon Him and the Greek words might be rather translated into the Image and Pourtraicture of a Counterfeit For the Author counterfeiting the King makes the Falshoods and Impostures obtruded upon the King to be his own then into the Image of a Prince Whosoever shall read the Parliaments often Declarations and Charges against the King set forth since the beginning of this War not denyed or answered by any of His Party saving in a recriminatory and scoffing way calling the Parliament and their Adherents Rebels Or who shall read the a Written by Mr. Tho. May 1647. beginning at Pag 6. unto pag. 46. Moreover how Corruption and Oppressions irremediably grew through the Discontinuance and defect of Parliaments not called through the often Dissolving them in the time of His Reign and His Declarations published against the Members of some of them which the Historian reports the dejected People were forced to read with patience and to allow against their own Reason Wherein many things are there observed concerning the maner of the Scots proceedings before and even at the first beginnings of these Troubles Their sufferings how by their humble applying themselves unto the King for redress they could have none In fine the aversness of the English People from a War with Scotland pag. 46. History of the Parliament of England summarily reciting the Kings aversness from Parliaments cannot but acknowledg that b See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on that Tract Book whatsoever the fair and plausible flourishes in it pretend of the King 's inclining to and desiring Parliaments to be falsly and injuriously Charged on him Falsely because They cannot but know how unwillingly and seldom He called any how oft he did dissolve or attempt to dissolve them when they were called whence the Answer meets the Objection That the Parliament's Party did begin the preparations for a War before the King 's The King's c Mr. May his History aversness to call Parliaments His d Mr. Hollis his Speech awing and dissolving them at pleasure often and long before any preparations could be thought of for a War may satisfie the objection when as moreover divers of his Friends and Party have long before fortified and furnished their houses in many parts of the Kingdom with Arms and Ammunition no other notice taken till of late then of adorning such for strength and splendor which w th some smal addition became strong Garisons for him The Parliaments friends had none or not so many Holds so soon or suddenly to be fortified for their defence The Author to have made his own Impostures and Dissembling the King's desires of Peace and Justice the more compleat and full might without blushing aswell have added one Treatise more to the twenty eight to have rendered the King free and innocent from that great offence of the Massacres committed in the Irish Troubles and declared Him guiltless of so much of his Subjects Blood as the Rebellion there hath cost A Treatise added to that Book with such an Apology on the King's behalf might have passed under the same belief and credit as other well penned passages in the Book when as the contrary is well known as the two Houses of Parliament have in their Charges and Remonstrances set forth to the publike view such Transactions of the King 's betwixt Him and the Irish concerning His conniving at and favoring the Rebels there under colour of raising freinds and Assistance thence to serve Him in the War against the Parliament here as to finde Him guilty of the Blood spilt in that Kingdom as in This. Injuriously charged on the King in that the Author and Reader also if a Friend to Him and would have the Book to be reputed His do wound His honor and render the maner of His death the more unchristian then otherwise it would be judged when whilest the Life is mortal they make the vices of Dissembling and uncharitableness to be surviving and immortall motions The reporting it to be the King 's seems besides to blemish the credit of those Penitentiall Expressions therein derogating from the serious retired and solid parts wherewith He was endowed then doubtless free from the affectated words whereof the Book is full in defence of the manifold actions of His incident to this War Many of them too weakly excused to be His although in an handsome way of writing to possess the belief of men obtruded on Him by indeed the Author of the Book Namely and more particularly That weakly objected Crime of the Author in the King's name blaming the Parliaments Army for discovering the King's Letters taken at Naseby Fight upbraiding them with an uncivil and inhumane dealing in publishing them Whosoever shall praise the Book and thence draw applause unto the King should for the better glory of it have expunged some improbable and extravagant passages and inserted others more necessary and satisfactory one Tract at least of the King's care and zeal for the security and maintenance of the true Protestant Religion what He hath written or acted to clear those doubts to wipe away those Jealousies had of Him no where to be found in the Book and a

great Incentive to this Contention Some passages there are plausibly set down by way of censuring and speaking against Novelties and new fashions in Religion about the Form and Maner how God is to be served and prayed unto against the extemporary and unpremeditated Prayers of some Ministers and the like somewhat also by way of * In the Treatise concerning the Ordinance against Common-Prayer defending the Common-Prayer-Book about which there is no lasting and finall discord betwixt the King's Party and the Parliaments For for ought we know it may with some alterations to be made be hereafter received again rather then the Peace or Discipline of the Church shall be disturbed about the Form and Method of the Liturgie the Common-Prayer-Book if in some parts altered little differing from the Directory saving in the exercise of the Ministers abilities and their choice of words and quantities how much or how little their Prayers and Divine Service shall be Nothing in that Book delivered touching the Substance of Religion whether we take it in point of Maners or in Faith or Doctrine or of His professing to defend and secure it from Superstition and Idolatry as part of His * Desensor Fidei Title implies Rather the contrary as to the matter of suspition by reason of His profest indulgence to the Queen as the Author presents Him Bewatling Her absence and Her Fortunes c. And whatsoever His advertisements in the King's name are to the Prince in a skilfull Dialect expressed to perswade him to begin and end with God with other good Instructions frequently given him to be well grounded in his Religion to keep the middle way between the Pomp of superstitious Tyranny and the meaness of Phantast que Anarchy The Councell delivered is good if the season of the delivery a weighty circumstance be observed as well That the suspition and fear of the growth of superstitious Tyranny in the peacefull times were no greater then that of Anarchy easie to be let in through the licentiousness and confusedness of a Civil War And wherefore is that Councell given As if the Parliament did intend or had brought in Anarchy or devised to root out all Government No Calumny whereby to render Them and their proceedings odious and detestable is of extent enough to serve and satiate their enemies appetite The Parliament in their Prudence and Experience might discern a reason for the changing the Monarchicall into some other Form of as much conducement to the maintenance of Peace and Justice But what that Religion is which the Author enjoyns the Prince unto whether opposite to Popery or * The speedy and effectuall suppressing Errours and Schismes is charged on him p. 138. Schism This like Weeds in Corn choaking and hindering it's growth That like Mildews blasting and destroying it he defining not makes it seem doubtfull to the Reader For presently after he would have the Prince his judgment and reason to seal to that sacred bond which education hath written in him in which he hath been bred Let a computation be had of his yong years how in his infancy uncapable of discerning the differences of Religion before this War began where and with whom he hath lived these seven or eight years since it began all men will not believe that to be the Reformed Protestant Religion which is there enjoyned him take it in its purity or as the corruption of times hath fashioned it the Prince seems to go in a contrary Diameter to either as to those instructions given him by the Author by what is reported of his favouring and entertaining at his Court the greatest and most known Catholiques Forraigners of all parts setting aside his Protestant and native English So that either he takes not those Instructions to be truly and genuinely the King 's or little observes them That which should have been expunged out of the Book to make it the more admired His is that one passage strange amongst the rest about His challenging the Parliament for discovering the Letters taken at Naseby Fight even how mentioned For who shall look upon a War where Parties are resolutely engaged to defend their own to consume their Enemies Forces as His Party did by Fire and Sword laying waste many Villages and Towns not sparing their own Friends so they might be avenged on their Enemies will not expect that in the heat of War any regard should be had to the concealing or divulging Letters when the opposition was so extream the enmity so violent that no other censure serves to fill up His Parties malice then to judg the Parliament and their Friends False and Rebels From which calumny and stain fastened on their Credit and Posterity They will rather fight it out to vindicate themselves and their Friends from Attainders Forfeitures threatned a In the Declaration printed at Oxford 1643 pag. 27. on Them and sacrifice their Lives to the justice of their Cause then undergo the guilt of those aspersions the dispute resting still upon the Question Who be Rebels To resist and oppose the Will of a Lawfull King may more resemble the name of Rebell and in that acception the Parliament and their Friends may by the King and His be reputed Rebels Those who by practice or councell shall infringe or subvert the Laws and Liberties of a free-born People although in a small degree of exaction and oppression the Laws have their Metes and Limits to bound out unto every man his own are in the judgment of a Religious and Learned b K. James's Speech before-mentioned pag. 14. Prince no better then Vipers Pests and Traytors to a Kingdom styled in these latter times evill Counsellours to the King The violating the ancient Law of Magna Charta so industriously and religiously preserved by our Ancestours and above thirty severall times confirmed in Parliament to use the very words of the Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford in their Declarations printed there is objected against the Parliament sitting at Westminster to be a c See the Oxford Declaration p. 19. bold avowed transgression of the Laws and Liberties of the People as if the Party of those Lords and Commons were altogether free from the like transgressions so they may in like manner object the violating the late King 's Grant to the Petition of Right when they and their Party are as culpable as the Parliaments Party are The pillaging the Earl of Stamford's house in Leicester shire by the Kings Party commanding there an undoubted and notorious Felony by the Letter of the Law all His Souldiers guilty of the same The storming by day and night and breaking into the Marquesse of Winchester's House in in Hant-shire by the Parliaments Party the highest degree of Burglary Many the like Hostile actions may be instanced in on either side but how In the heat of War in the pursuit of Conquest each Party striving which should overcome and destroy their Enemy One other passage of

The Constant Man's Character Intended to be sent first as a LETTER FROM A Gentleman in the Country to a Gentleman his esteemed Friend and Countryman a Member of the House of Commons Since inlarged into a DISCOURSE by way of humble ADVICE to keep him from Revolting either directly or collaterally by the side-winde of being Presbyterially affected through the mistaken and unhappy conceit That those who have taken the Covenant cannot without breach of the same assent and submit unto the late proceedings of the Parliament when as the parts of the Covenant seem to be inconsistent within themselves as the Author's Observations here discoursed do manifest The Scope whereof is 1 Historically to set down the Occasion and Beginnings of the War 2 To shew That the Parliament had no intention to leavy a War 3 That the Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is probably none of the King 's 4 To prove the fitness and necessity as matters now stand of complying with and submitting unto this present Government For the Powers that be are Ordained of God Rom. 13. Together With some Animadversions incident hereunto on the same Book and on the two Declarations intituled The Declarations of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at OXFORD The One touching a Treaty for Peace Printed there 1643. Other concerning their Endeavors for Peace Printed at London for Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle neer the West End of Pauls 1649. Reader THis Letter rather this Narration is founded on a Discourse had betwixt two Gentlemen the one unto whom it was written having the abler parts of Wit and Speech the other the Writer having the juster cause or at least he judged it so the weakness of whose judgment may indeed be an Objection against the credit of the Work there being three means onely whereby to discern and report a Truth Judgment Knowledg Conscience the two first Judgment Knowledg in State-affairs the Author may be defective in the strength thereof notwithstanding in that he is neither engaged against the one nor obliged to the other Party other wise then by a common duty his judgment may seem the more right and clear by reason his Obligations are the less wherefore that which may be said in his behalf is That the Conscience and upright Truth by which he hath measured what he hath written is free from Faction or Partiality The danger whereunto a Writer in Divided and Seditious Times exposeth himself is known unto all men when whatsoever is received with Applause or Liking by the one is therefore rejected with Despight and Scorn by the other side The Promise and * See the Protestation taken May 1641. where the Protestors Vow by all good wayes and means to bring to condigne Punishment all such as shal by Force Practice Councels Plots and Conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this Protestation and further that he shall in all iust ways endeavour to preserve the Vnion and Peace betwixt the three Kingdoms c. Protestation made to Endeavour by all just ways out-weighs the Danger In this Discourse he arrogates nothing to himself but an even and true delivery of what he hath observed and is well known much less doth he think his strength or skill enough to help either side to Victory but according to his weak and spent abilities to endeavour the restoring the three Nations to their former Peace their mutual Interests and Rights unto which the only and next way is to deliver and uprightly to set down the truth A more able Pen-man may shew it more excellently None can shew a more excellent way The Constant Man's Character SIR I Know not how this Discourse may relish assure your self sent from the hand and heart of him who loves and honours you howbeit wise men leaning on their own wisdoms and sacrificing too much peradventure to their own Net commonly neither need nor care for the affections of their weaker friends What I am in relation unto you or in the rank of them is known to those who know us both what in my self I am conscious of wanting Experience and Learning to derive any knowledg from antiquated Times or Histories for the fashioning this into an elegant and polite work but in a downright way to fall on familiarly and plainly to set down the beginnings and first entrance into this present War which when it first broke out that the Gentlemen of this County did declare themselves unto what Party they would adhere Two eminent Leaders on the Parliaments side Sir R. C. and your self out-weighing as we judged so many more of the opposite Party did seem to joyn and go one way for the Priviledges of that Court and the Subject's Liberties The infringing which added to some late Jealousies was the first Ascent to these Divisions how and by what degrees it went higher follows in this Discourse In your resenting which He as a Member of the House You as a Patriot of the Country We could not think Ye did it in a light Factious or Seditious way but as having seriously weighed and by your Readings even before and since the beginning of this War known That the Institution of Parliaments was had and made by an Ancient Necessary and wholsome Law That the Power Priviledges and Authority thereof were to be kept inviolable and entire That as to this present Parliament the King Himself in a See His Answer to a Declaration from both Houses in May 1642. His Answer to a Declaration sent Him from both Houses of Lords and Commons doth confess and allow Them a full and juridicall power to judg and determine the most doubtfull high and weightiest Crimes and Causes although He seems to limit it by particular Cases regularly brought before them acknowledging withall together with the b See the Declaration of the Lords Commons assembled in Parliament as they called it at Oxford 1643. Pa. 12. Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford The Priviledg of Parliament to be so substantiall and entire a Right that the Invasion of the Liberties of either House is an Injury to the other and to the whole Kingdom In severall His Messages returned unto their Propositions He repeats and confirms the same judgment of their full and ample Power being legally summoned and By a Law consented unto by Him in full Parliament not to be dissolved unless by their own consent Notwithstanding which several attempts of force and violence were offered as far as His Party's Power could extend it self to the dissolving it by contending to divide and scatter Them accusing the remaining part of the Members sitting in the House of being Rebels so being divided to account no other of the Parliament at Westminster then He doth of the Parliament in Scotland a In His Declaration concerning His Proceedings with His Subjects of Scotland since the Pacification in the Camp neer Berwick printed 1640. pa. 38. The divided Members of that distracted

of the two Houses of Parliament And hereupon we think our selves bound to let Your Majestie know That seeing the continuance of this Parliament is setled by a Law which as all other Laws of Your Kingdoms Your Majestie hath sworn to maintain as we are sworn to our Allegiance to Your Majestie those obligations being reciprocall we must in duty and accordingly are resolved with our Lives and Fortunes to defend and preserve the Just Rights and full Power of this Parliament And do beseech Your Majestie to be assured That your Majesties Royall and hearty Concurrence with us herein will he the most effectuall and ready means of procuring a firm and lasting Peace in all Your Majesties Dominions and of begetting a perfect understanding between Your Majesty and Your People without which Your Majesties most earnest Professions and our most reall Intentions concerning the same must necessarily be frustrated And in case Your Majesties three Kingdoms should by reason thereof remain in this sad and bleeding Condition tending by the continuance of this unnaturall War to their Ruine Your Majesty cannot be the least nor the last sufferer God in his goodness incline Your Royall breast out of Pity and Compassion to those deep sufferings of Your Innocent People to put a speedy and happy issue to these desperate Evils by the joynt advice of both Your Kingdoms now happily united in this Cause by their late solemn League and Covenant Which as it will prove the surest remedy so is it the earnest prayer of your Majesties Loyall Subjects the Lords and Commons Assembled in the Parliament of England Grey of Wark Speaker of the House of Peers in Parliament pro tempore William Lenthall Speaker of the Commons-House in Parliament Westminster the 9. of of March 1643. The Kings Parties Apprehension and Comment on the Letter in these words Whosoever considers that this should be a Letter from Subjects might well think it very unbeseeming Language in them to call His Majestie 's earnest endeavours for Peace but Professions and their own feigned pretences most reall Intentions but much more wonder at that menacing Language that His Majestie cannot be the least or last sufferer which expressions from Subjects in Arms to their Soveraign what dangerous construction they may admit We are unwilling to mention Thus much for the King's Parties Comment on the Letter One other intercourse of Messages between both Parties of a latter time * See the King's Letter March 23. 1644. and the Answer to the Committees Summons in April fellowing The Summons sent by the Committee of both Kingdoms to the Governour of Newark for surrendring that Town and Fort. The Summons expressing perswasive and valid reasons to surrender it the Governour rather his Secretaries Answer full of good Language courage and strength of wit wherein mentioning the King's Parties Letter sent the 23. of March 1644. unto both Houses of Parliament he urges the King's granting gracious Conditions and proves it in that He would Disband His Forces Dismantle His Garrisons c. He who penned the Answer recites not all the King's Proposals as that He would have His Friends Pardoned the Sequestration taken from off their Estates and the like either he saw not the King 's whole Letter being he recites one part only or else he smiles in his sleeve thinking by his reserved and short Comment on His Letter to satisfie the Committee there and the whole Kingdom besides of the King 's gratious inclination in that Letter whereof the Answerer reciteth but one part The Letter was full and easie to be understood taking it collectively and altogether not apart as of Disbanding Dismantling c. had not He expected to have his Friends pardoned and their Sequestrations wholy taken off Such manner of collective speaking is conditional the one to be done on the one side if the rest be performed on the other The Answerer's mentioning so much of the Letter as may serve the turn in reciting the King 's gracious promise leaves out on what Condition the Promise is made the condition annexed to the Promise frustrates the vertue of the Promise for that which the Answerer cals gracious in the King's Letter of Disbanding His Forces if nothing else were to be expected are in every mans judgment as in the Answerer's gracious indeed but that the King expects to have His Friends His party pardoned the Sequestrations wholly taken off from their Estates were by giving way to the revoking their own Judgements to accuse themselves of injustice-doing to put them whom the Parliament accounted offenders and their Enemies into as good or better condition then their own friends the Answerer if knowing the King 's whole Letter and would contract it into parts reciting only that which serves his turn the Committee being presumed solid and understanding Gentlemen would questionless follow the Dictates of their own Judgment without replying to the Answerer For Oratory and strength of wit which haply may delight some Readers but cures not the Distempers and Calamities of a Civill War nor satisfies the serious expectation of unbyassed Spectators or Actors in these Tragedies it is confess'd that the Assembly at Oxford their Party in their Quarters there having the more facete and nimble wits with the help and influence of the Youth and Schollars there may seem to exceed the Parliament and those whom the Parliament imploys in their Empressions But let the Books on either side be examined by the Test of Reason Prudence the Reader will soon discern the Difference And these four remarkable Messages instanced in may decide the Contest none other of all their Conflicts of that kinde being more opposite each to other nor any of their Messages reciprocally sent more disdainfully rejected on either side as far as I have traced their Writings then these four above-mentioned But to the Reasons of your deserting your first judgment if so you have I rather judg it to be a fencing and tryal of wits in an Argumentative way of discoursing only then any settled revolting from your first Opinion you are well read in the good man's Character who will not be afraid for any evill tydings His heart standeth fast and will not shrink c. The Arguments you have lately taken up against the residing part of the Parliament and the Army the maintainer of your Power next under God the preserver of our Peace are none of yours nor like to yours The House of Parliament being grown thin By your and other Gentlemen of your Eminency deserting it is become more thin the more weak it is through your Defections the more need it hath of being supported by your Return As for the Force which you and your subdivided party urge to be offered to ye by the Army your Servants an high affront and breach of Parliament Priviledges Both your parties Presbyterian and Independent seem to be forced alike not in an equall degree of Strength and Number but in a strict and closer

of the stuff which is offered them Scripture is given to all to learn to teach to interpret only to a few It is the voice of God confessed by all that the sense is Scripture not the words it cannot therefore be avoided but that he that wilfully strives to fasten some sense of his own other then the nature of the place will bear must needs take upon him the Person of God himself and to be an inditer of Scripture No Scripture is of private Interpretation There can be but two certain and infallible Interpreters of it either it Self or the Holy Ghost the Author of it it self doth then expound it self when the words and circumstances do sound unto the Reader the prime naturall and principal sense Besides these two all other Interpretation is private wherefore as the Lords of the Philistines sometimes said of the Kine which drew the Ark unto Bethshemesh If they go of themselves then is this from God but if they go another way then it is not from God it is but some chance that hath happened to us So it may be said of all pretended sense of Scripture If Scripture come unto it of it self then it is from God but if it go another way or violently urged or goaded on then it is but a matter of chance of man's devising and invention As for those marvellous discourses of some framed upon presumption of the Spirit 's help in private in judging and interpreting difficult places in Scripture their boldness cannot be sufficiently wondered at The Spirit is a thing of dark secret operation the maner of it none can descry As underminers are never seen till they have wrought their purposes so the Spirit is never perceiv'd but by its effects The effects of the Spirit as far as they concern knowledg instruction are not particular information for resolution in any doubtful case for this were plainly Revelation but as the Angel which was sent to Cornclius informs him not but sends him to Peter to School so the Spirit teaches not but stirs up in us a desire to learn desire to learn makes us thirst after the means pious sedulity and carefulness makes us watchful in the choice and diligent in the use of the means The promise to the Apostles of the Spirit which should lead them into all Truth was made good unto them by private and secret informing their understandings with the knowledg of high and heavenly Mysteries which as yet had never entred into the conceit of any man the same promise is made unto us but fulfilled after another maner For what was written by Revelation in their hearts for our instruction have they written in their Books to us for information otherwise then out of these Books the Spirit speaketh not When the Spirit regenerates a man it infuseth no knowledg of any point of Faith but sends him to the Church and to the Scriptures when it stirs him up to newness of life it exhibits not unto him an Inventory of his sins but either supposes them known in the Law of Nature of which no man can be ignorant or sends him to learn from the mouth of his Teachers More then this in the ordinary proceeding of the Spirit in matter of instruction no sober man could ever yet determine So that to speak of the help of the Spirit in private either in dijudicating or interpreting of Scripture is to speak they know not what Which is the rather worth the notice because by experience we have learnt how apt men are to call their own conceits the Spirit which because it is an especiall Error charged by a * S. Augustine Father of the Church on this kinde of men to be the more prone to kindle Schism and Contention in the Church by how much the more they seem to themselves to be endued with a more eminent measure of Spirit then their Brethren deserves reproof whilst under pretence of interpreting they rudely and rashly broach their own conceits Sir there may be much spent upon this one effect of this Civil War I have been too long in these digressions the labour of another man but that you may be hereby satisfied how improbable it is that well-bred wise and learned men however Malice hath cast this Contumely on them do wilfully and willingly countenance these unlearned Sectaries and rude Intruders into Moses Chair They are willing for ought it appears to the contrary to promote the means of Learning to give encouragement to the increase thereof by their favour and respect shewn unto the Schools and Nurseries in their Acts and Ordinances exempting them from any Charge or Taxe for raising Monies towards this War by placing painfull and sober Governours in the severall Societies of the Universities to reduce them to their former temper of acquiring Learning and good Manners that what the fury and fierceness of a War was likely to demolish and destroy is yet recoverable by the care and industry of their Governours and whereas there is a disproportion and Antipathy between Science a soft milde and tender habit and a War a privative and destroying judgment there is yet by God's blessing left a possibility and means of a Regress from a War and Garrison of Souldiers in one of them to an acquisition of Sciences and Nursery of Scholars Neither doth the Parliament for ought we see neglect or dis-esteem the Vniversities or other Seminaries of Learning or take away the Endowments of Colledges as their Enemies give out because of able and learned Scholars of the Vniversities and elswhere sequestred for a time and dispossest of part of their Estates by reason of their constant prejudice and ill-will against the Parliament and their Proceedings the Parliament knowing such to be interested engag'd not long since seasoned by the Enemy Garrisoning in one of the Vniversities to contrive their overthrow Delinquents Compounding for their offence or the Sequestring their estates a Punishment inflicted by the Parliament is easier to be born taking withall the justice of the Cause which is here examined then the Confiscating the Parliaments Friends estates for adhering to that side which they could not but expect when Spectators only taking part on neither side are in danger and a Law enforced for their a See the Oxford Declaration p. 27. forbearing to defend the King The unhappiness of this Disease viz. of Heresies abounding of the unlearned their broaching them of the causes and consequences thereof is to be ascribed to the Authors and Occasion of the War before which and b Jewell in his Apolegie of the Church of England many years together the Church was at Peace and Unity within it self it had none of this sort of Adversaries to disturb the same But enough of this To your other Objection That Independency as 't is called denies all Order and Government when as they have Remonstrated and Protested for the contrary Whatsoever they may for a time for reasons best known