that particular we cannot but inferre that all that you want of evidence against him lyeth against your selves and doth convince you to have committed as high an offence against the duty of Subjects as against the candour of Christians But secondly in case it could be proved and so fully so demonstratively proved as is requisite to overcome that larg portion of Charity which is due unto a King above all other sorts of men and to him for ought wee know above all other Kings much the more for the sad condition wherein you keep him proved so clearly as to bee victorious over so many and so disswasive improbabilities that present themselves in array against it we should indeed even then admit it with great reluctancy as a truth that it might bee thought a kind of impiety to understand wee should then when we must needs looke upon it as a sad and great affliction unto our Nation and as a great cause of humiliation not of triumph or insulting unto us That God should suffer our King to fall into such a depth of impiety for the sins of the Magistrate as of the Minister are usually the iudgements of a people for their sins But yet neverthelesse we should hold it our duty even in that case to cry out with the holy Prophet Micha 7.9 We will beare the indignation of the Lord because wee ha e sinned against him c. And to set our selves to the duties of Fasting and Prayers and Fears for the lamentation and expiation of so horrid an iniquity from his Maiesty and the Kingdome But we could not be perswaded that it were a Christian course for us to make his iniquity the countenance or excuse of ours or admit it as a supersedeas or discharge of the bond of our allegeance though it should render it indeed much discomfortable unto us for as a child owes his filiall honour and obedience not to a good father but to a father be he good or bad as servants owe subjection with all feare not to a good master but to a master be he good or froward 1 Pet 2.18 if that be scriptu e with them and wives subjection nâ—t to a believing husband but to a husband he be a beleever or an unbeleever 1 Pet 3.1 compared with 1 Cor 7 13. So subjects owe their allegiance not to a good King but to a King And though wee deny not but Potentates may forfeit their Crownes by their impieties yet the holy Word of God leades us to beleeve that none is thereby enabled to take that forfeiture but God Saul forfâ—ited his Crown by his Sacrilegious intrusion into the Office and Function of the Priesthood 1 Sam. 13.8 c. and doubled that forfeiture by his disobedience unto the command of God concerning Agag and the spoyle 1 Sam. 15.9 c. And God both times proceeds to sentence against him but yet none must take the forfeiture nor put the sentence in execution till God himselfe was pleased to do it And therefore notwithstanding all that David durst not lift up his hand against him 1 Sam. 24 26. David himselfe afterwards though an holy man yet was so far left unto himselfe for a time by God that hee fell into two horrid and unworthy sinnes base in the eyes of men as well as hainous in the sight of God First committing adultery with Bathsheba at such a time when her husband whom hee so vilely wronged therein was imployed in the hazarding of his life to doe his service and then to cover that treacherously contriving and procuring his murther and yet this was no good plea to justifie Absalom or the sonne of Bichrâ— in their rebellions no nor yet Shimei in his foule-mouthed railing against him for it But all of them in their times were overtaken with their rewards and David yet ended his dayes in peace being reconciled to God by his repentance Nero was as it were a Devil incarnate so bad that his wickednesse added glory to the persecutions of those that suffered by him And Tertullian useth it as an argument to prove Christianity to be good because Nero opposed it He made it his sport to see his owne Imperiall City set on fire before his face and when he had done caused it most falsly and wickedly to be laid upon the Christians And embrued his hands in the blood of his own Mother and yet it is observed this very Nero was then Emperour and Governour of the Romanes at that very time when Saint Paul wrote unto them to be subject unto the higher powers and tels them withall that whoever resists shall receive to himselfe damnation Let not any think that in this we plead for the wickednes of Kings but for their impunity from men for the preservation of Government the good of the people Nor would we wish any to imagine that we think these patterns of wickednesse have any such paralells in his sacred Majestyes story if it may be truly set downe as some would perswade but only to shew the unforciblenesse of such kind of deductions as our dayes have produced and if it may be to prevent the like hereafter And to satisfie all men who will be satisfied that for all your conclusions that you draw so hard for that you have even broken your Geeres we are yet to seek for a sound reason why the King should be secluded from his Government or from the addresse of a Parliament unto him but only upon your bare averrements Si satis est accusasse quis tandem innocens God himselfe should not be innocnt if to be accused were to be convicted we hold it therefore most unjust and unreasonable for us to admit any of those aspersions which you have laid upon his Majesty into our beleife or to make any results at all upon them in the least degree prejudiciall to his Majesty in our opinions untill we shall see as well what his Majesty can answer as what you have objected against him for since it is a justice not to bee denied to the meanest of Subjects nay to the greatest slaves that they have liberty to speake for themselves before iudgement be given upon their accusation we must tell you that we hold it a thing against all equity and right for you to take the freedome to say what you please against his Maiesty and in the mean time to keepe him in that restraint that hee can neither know what you have objected nor hath liberty to make his answer thereunto All which and much more that might be said proves substantially that the resisting not a good King but a King be he good or bad though by the Ordinance of them who call themselves a Parliament is a resisting the Ordinance of God that the imprisoning of King under what specious pretences soever couched is unlawfull and the deposing him and disposing his kingdome without him damnable according to the law of God what they are according to the law of this land
derived their being from him though now like cursed Vipers they endeavour to gnaw out the way to their resolved upon Democracy through the Bowels of their Father Monarchy But what ever we heare or see such Traitors Vote or Act let the remembrance of the Blessings both spirituall and temporall which under eighteen yeares of his Majesties good and happy Reigne we did enjoy and might stil have enjoyed if we would have beene content and could have knowne when we were well and undoubted hopes of what blessings his future Gouernment may bring upon this Land yea all his three Kingdoms Let I say the remembrance of the one and hopes of the other move all Loyall Subjects to lift up their hearts and hands to the King of Kings to multiply his dayes as the dayes of Heaven to deliver him out of his present thralcome and restraint to restore him to his rightfull Crowne and Dignity and us his Subjects thereby to the right profession of true Religion and an once more enjoyment of Peace and Plenty yea I am confident 〈◊〉 doe move all true hearted Nobility Gentry and Commonalty to pray for him as the Christians prayed in old time for their Kings though Heathens God of his infinite mercy grant him a Tertul. in Apolog c. 30. a long life a quiet Kingdome a safe Court strong and victorious Armies a faithfull Counsell yea with David b Psal 132.18 that God would cloath all his enemies with shame but set him at Liberty restore him his Scepter and on him and his to cause his Crown hereafter to flourish That so as on the day of his re-inauguration into all the hearts of his Subjects and re-establishment in his Throne the united voyces of his Majesties populous Kingdomes may annually send up to heaven their cordiall and continuall acclamations God save the King that the eccho thereof may resound in heaven as fervently as the noise of the Romans did in applause of Flaminius generally calling him Saviour Saviour the noise whereof was so violent and vehement that as c Plut. in vita Flaminii Plutarch writes it made the Fowles of the aire fall downe dead or that as the d 1 King 1. people of Israel did to Solomon when hee was created King in Gihon and anointed there by Zadock with an horne of Oyle taken out of the Sanctuary the e 1 King 1.40 people piped with pipes and rejoyced with great joy so that the earth rang with the sound of it f 39. blowing their Trumpets and saying God save King Solomon So may all the people within his Highnesse Dominions lift up their hearts and hands blow their Trumpets ring their Bells frequent their Churches and pray God save the King Corporally in Body God save the King Spiritually in Spirit God save the King Politically in Government And excite one another to say This is the day of our King we do not well then this day is a day of good tidings we doe not well to hold our peace And indeed we can never have greater cause to speake of and pray for our King then now in these Rebellious times upon which we are unhappily fallen For these are the times wherin by those that call themselves a Parliament Rebellion is countenanced yea counted Devotion and holy Reformation and the most desperate Traytors entitled Saints and Martyrs Wherein not onely in the Popes Conclave but also in the Sectaries Conventicles shall I say nay in the grand Counsell of the best reformed Protestant Kingdome nothing is more rife than the slandering rebelling against and Imprisoning shall I say Yea the Theorick and practicke of deposing nay it is to be feared which God prevent it will proceed to murthering Princes Wherein as Mariana that insolent Iesuite prescribes to Traitors rules and cautions for poisoning Kings and highly commends King-killers So Marten that impudent Rebell publisheth with the approbation of a Parliament too to the encouragement of Sectaries and Traitors grounds and reasons to proceed in Kings resisting and deposing and highly applauds that cursed crue of King catchers eclipped Saints of the Army Wherein those Traiterous assertions of Suarez and other Iesuites are the constant Positions of those who would be thought to abhorre and beate downe Poperie Subditos posse de privare Reges a Papa excommunicatos vitâ Regno That is to say the Sectaries of England Subjects may deprive Kings if Voted against by the Parliament not onely of their Liberty Crownes and Kingdomes as appeares by the present sad condition of King Charles but also of life it selfe with their Tradatur Satanae and we know not though we feare what event that may in time produce Wherein that horred saying of that foule mouth'd Guignard concerning the murther of one of the Henries of France committed by two Jacobine Friers Heroicum factum donum spiritus sancti is become the oft incultated Doctrine out of Protestant Pulpits and re-resolved Votes of the grand Committee Chaire to resist fight against imprison Depose yea kill and slay the King and all his adherents is a most Heroicall act and the gift of the Holy Ghost Lastly these are the times wherein that knowne bloudy practice of the Spanish Inquisition is parallel'd shall I say nay out-practized by the action of the English Parliament As in the Spanish Inquisition their arguing is this whosoever is an Heretick ought to â—ee burnt but whosoever will not submit to our Canons and Decretalls is an Hereticke therefore whosoever will not submit to our Canons and Decretalls ought to be burnt He that is under the Inquisition denyeth that every one that will not submit to their Canons and Decretalls are Herereticks and consequently not to be burnt and offer to dispute it They of the Inquisition prove it thus They command him to withdraw decree his death dragge him to the stake bind him to it put Faggots about him set them on fire and burn him a most invincible argument So the Vote of this Parliament is whosoever will not doe the Law of God and the Law of the King ought to have judgement specâ—â—â—y executed upon him either by death or by banishment or by confiscation of goods or by imprisonment But whosoever will not obey the Orders or Ordinances of one or both Houses of Parliament doth not doe the Law of God and the Law of the King Therefore whosoever doth not obey the Orders or Ordinances bee they never so opposite to reason and justice of one or both Houses ought to have judgement speedily exâ—cuted upon him either by death or banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment Those men that are brought before them as guilty in this point Deny that whosoever will not obey the Orders or Ordinances of one or both Houses of Parliament therfore do not do the Law of God and of the King and consequently ought not to have judgement executed upon them without a legall Triall Hereupon they command them to retire resolve upon the
Question that judgement bee executed upon them and then either behead or hang them or banish them or plunder them or at least imprison them oh unparâ—lleld disputants This is most certainly true witnesse the case of Corew Lilborne Jâ—nkins Mainard yea which ought to make a deepe Impression in all good mens hearts of the Kings Majesty himselfe whom they unjustly keep a Prisoner because he will not contrary to his Conscience and Honour say as they say and enact that for Law which contrary to Law they Vote and accuse him of his Fathers Murther and other crimes of a high nature and yet not admit him to answer for himselfe or permit others to write in his Vindication So that th se things considered heare oh heavens and judge oh eartâ— have not all the people of great Britan just cause to joyne as their loyall obedience bindes them to their necessary service both in hearts and voices to Almighty God the protector of Kings to a Psal 2â— 8 9. finde out all his enemies and make them like a fiery Oven in the time of his anger to confound all their Conspiraciâ—s making them like the grasse b Psal 119.6 on the house tops which withereth before it come forth And when more seasonable than upon this day for this is the day of our King c. CHAP. III. BVt besides these Reasons I shall here produce other causes and motives to induce all good Subjects to this Christian service and loyall duty to pray continually for the preservation of the King which because many and manifold I will but touch some of them and omit the reâ—â— for we must be short â—â—â—im 2.2 The first is the Apostle Paules Precept ante omnia before al that Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks bee made for Kings c. and renders a powerfull motive to perswade all consiâ—ting of three benefits d Pâ—sâ— in â—â—â—um arising from it 1. a quiet and peaceable life 2. in all godlinesse and honesty 3. this is good and acceptable in the sight of God The Kings preservation is our preservation his welfare is the weal of our Common-wealth Pliny saith e Plin. 2 Panâ—g ad Praâ—◠〈◊〉 A Countrey is unhappy under an unhappy King so that if people desire to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty let them like dutifull members pray for the prosperity of the supreame head for if he fall upon the rocks they are like to come to ruine As a Ship whose Pilot perisheth is driven upon the rocks and so is cast away even so how can the ship of State saile with a prosperous winde whose Regall Pilot suffers shipwracke Regall adversity is the Harbenger of popular calamity and a Kings imprisonment of his peoples perpetuall slavery Wherefore if Subjects desire to bee happy themselves let them continually pray for the happinesse of their Soveraign whose prosperity is the Axis or Cardo the very foundation of their temporall felicity 2 Motive is the great difficulty in the right managing of the Regall Office and therefore had need to be assisted with the frequent and fervent prayers of the people imploring divine wisedome to direct the heart of their Soveraigne for it is the Art of Arts rightly to rule and governe Common-wealths this many-headed multitude so divided in faction and action scarce two of one minde or mould Peace pleaseth Cato Warre Pompey the Souldier cryes Arma virumque Cano War war that makes us merrie the Merchant prays give peace in our time oh Lord Brutus desires a Common-wealth Caesar a Monarchy Cicero's Counsel is Let us be Time-servers but Lentulus thinks that the voice of a flatterer in the f popular sort as many heads as hearts and let every one doe what seemes good in his owne eyes wee will not have Charles King in our Israel So that to reconcile and to reclaime to unity and unanimity this Babell of men and these men of Babell it is requisite that the King be for the people to God-ward Exod. 18.19 bring their causes unto God teach them Ordinances and Lawes shew them the way wherein they must walke V. 20. and the worke that they must doe and then provide out of all the people able men V. 2â— such as feare God men of truth who may judge the people in every small matter though every great matter be brought to him V. 22. so that each starre moving in its proper Orbe about the Sun who by this influence of his power unto others is not thereby accounted falne from his Sphere himselfe no more than to be conceited to bee placed therein at first by their appointment though such preposterous opinions have beene vented of late to the distraction of this poore Kingdome and without a timely retraction will produce its utter ruine and destruction which God of his mercy prevent I say that so each one in the Kingdome acting in his owne place the Commons under the Iudges or Peeres the Peeres or Iudges under the King and the King under God alone then shall the King be able to judge and rule this people wish ease and comfortably and all this people shall also goe to their place in peace â— â—od â—8 23 Now 't is the God of Heaven onely that can qualifie Kings with wisedome and knowledge fit for an imployment of such difficulty and he alone it is that will and must appoint the person whom he will thus qualifie For the Israel of God must accept of acknowledge and obey him for their King wh m the Lord their God shall chose not then whom themselves shall elect Deut. 17 15. Vnto God then it is the duty of all good subjects to pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and Supplication in the Spirit that God would enlarge with heavenly wisedome the heart of our Soveraigne and the Kings a Prov. 21.2 heart is in the hand of the Lord and furnish him with all blessed gifts sutable to performe his Royall Task making him as wise as b 2 Chr. 1.21 Solomon as religious as c Psal 27.4 Davia as zealous as the good King d 2 Kin. 2â— 1â— Iosias and in respect of his present condition as patient as Iob defending him against all forraine Invasions delivering him from all domestick Conspiracies and giving him Liberty from his present Captivity that so being by the power of our God restored to his Throne and Dignity full of the knowledge and experience of the great goodnesse of God towards him and endued with the wisedome which is ahout the Throne of the King of Kings with an understanding heart may judge this great people and awe and order this stiffe-necked and Rebellious nation then shall all this people also go to their owne place in peace and sit under their owne Vines and Fig-trees being for the future godly and governed quietly under him saying this is the day of our King this is a day of good
venerable name and great good of our Nation if not abused as it is now a Parliament Doe you ever hope to enjoy the joy and desire of each good Christians heart Truth and Peace under those who are enemies to both For if they were not enemies to the first they would not countenance such lying at best but equivocating double-sence bearing Treatises and Pamphlets to be published and stifle all other the writings of such honest men as would answer such false Propositions overthrow such principles and make the truth in Iesus Christ appear to the satisfaction of the whole world how your judgements are abused by these Imposters juglings If they were not enemies to Peace also would they hold up the sword still meerely to support thereby Rebellion-acquired Power over you their fellow subjects and to hold the King in his present Captivity contrary to the Law of Nature of Nations of this Kingdome yea of God himselfe who forbids resisting as you have heard proved much more restraining or imprisoning Kings Object Ah but you will say we have seen their late Declaration in which they satisfie us with the Reasons of their proceedings wâ—th the King and labour to possesse us with a beliefe that they are able to prove against him many soule Crimes before his comming to the Crowne and many tyrannous practises and oppressive enormities during his reigne Answ It is true indeed that they have beene very carefull that their Declarations should come to your hands for so they know they shall blinde you so that you shall not see their blasphemous Forgeries against a vertuous Prince and one as free from those crimes with which they seeme to charge him as the Sunâ—e is from darknesse or their owne s ules from hellish darknesse Were their accusations not false and malitious they would never suppresse imprison and declare those faithfull dispensers of the truth Traitors who desire to write in his vindication and take such speciall care that as few of such Books as discover their falsities shal come to sight but never to answer any of them for indeed they are unanswerable but by those their common Arguments the Axe the Halter the Goale or banishment If they would satisfie the world of the lawfulnesse of their proceedings let them if they can answer Dr. Ferne his Summary answer concerning Conscience satisfied of the unlawfulnesse and damnablenesse of their resisting and since imprisoning and deposing the King and disposing his Kingdome without yea against him Iudge Ienkins his Remonstrance the Plea for the Lords and Dr Huttons Divine Right of Government and if you my deluded Countrey-men desire rightly to satisfie your Consciences buy and read those Books and I beseech you as you desire not to bee more seduced and deceived read none of their licenced Books unlesse you are first satisfied that a free liberty is granted to any man that will to answer them for they are spells cast abroad to bewitch you into Rebellion and venemous principles prescribed by the State Mountebanks Walker Martin and others to poison your obedience and Loyalty If they would bee believed to have any reall charge against his Majesty Let them answer Master Simons his Vindication of the King or permit his Majesty to answer for himselfe by the assistance of such Secretaries and others that shall be needfull to helpe his memory and to do him such other service as shall bee requisite therein and let the writings and answers of the one side bee as freely published and perused as the Declarations Papers or Pamphlets of the other side in a word let the plaine letter of the Law decide the Controversie not the swo d and their wilfull Votes for what just sentence can be expected when they will be Iuâ—ges and yet are parties in the same matter If they shall deny this I have just cause to conclude that that Declaration of theirs and all other Bâ—oks licenced by them have more venome in them to poyson the yet Loyall hearted and dis-unite the hearts of the Kingdome from his Majesty than vertue to salve up the breaches of this distracted Nation And my discreet Countrey-men will you betray so much levity and easinesse of beliefe as to receive that for solid matter which dares not endure the examination and tryall of a just reply No let it bâ—â—sh all other impressions thereof from yâ—u but of hatred uâ—to such unrighteous practises and looke upon it as the bone and poyson of Aspes spot abroad to envenome your soules resolving never to believe more therein than themselves dare speake or utter◠〈◊〉 meane concerning the death of the King his Father and yet speake much more thaâ— they are able to prove Now if you desire to be armed with unmoveable resolutions and sufficiently fortified against the dangerous poyson and deadly venome of that their Declaration and all other their Pamphlets take next your heart the Antidote prescribed against the infectious Aire therof or a short Reply unto the Declaration of the 11th of Febr. 1647. But least you should not know how to furnish your selves with so Soveraiâ—ne a Cordiall it being very hard to be got and yet not wholly unâ—urnâ—sh'd therof I have made bold for which I crave that worthy Authors and the wel-wishers pardon to transcribe so much of that Epitome of true hearted Loyalty as shall serve to our present purpose set forth in our Title Page A Briefe of the briefe Reply to the Declaration of the House of Commons We have read your Declaration and have thought good to give you this short account of those impressions that it hath left with us The death of the late King is we conâ—ess a matter indeed of a very high nature and though you are loath to express your selves therein yet it is not hard to discerne what thoughts you would thereby commend unto us But if you can clearely make good what you intend â—hy did you not speak it plainly If you cannot why do â—ou go about by malicious art to insinuate that which you â—e not able to make good Men that are under the power of others use indeed sometimes to speak timerous verities But where men armed with greatnesse and strength speake fearfully there the truth is in danger Can you thinke to perswade us that the honour of so great a King or his just power and Rights are to be layd uâ—derfoot upon surmises and uncertain conjectures whose grounds and foundations are rather in the apprehensions of men variable according to the vaâ—iety of their affections then in the reallity of things or actions When events are liable to divers causes and those that have their residence within the breasts of men to fixe them upon one without any sound reason for the choice but because it appears mo t serviceable to our purposes is a fallacy of too open a collusion That wee should trust our judgements with it in so great a matter and therefore since you have proved nothing against his Majesty in