to the one sometimes to the other party There was much blood spilt much treasure exhausted and yet a desired and happy end thereof was to the eye of reason as remote and far distant as ever But in a good and beautifull season well known to the wisdome and love of our God to whom we had silently committed our selves and our cause There was on a sudden the breaking forth of a mighty presence the displayings of an invinsible spirit to decide the Controversie And when men failed some deserting and proving treacherous some designing the ruin of the Instruments engaged in the worke and almost all contemning them as uncapable to carry it on Even then did the Lord exalt himself and accompanying those poor despised ones even to wonders blessed them with uninterrupted successes It was then when the Providence of God contrary to all humane appearances and beyond their intentions had modelled and brought together his own people and imbodied them in an Army to effect his great designes It was by these that he thrash'd the Mountains that he hew'd downe the towring Okes that he brake the insulting tyranicall powers And whom he particularly singled out from amongst all others to accomplish the great Affaires then on the Wheel As if he distinctly pointed out thus much that he had reserved for them the honour of the day that it was peculiarly for their sakes that he had brought about those unexpected Revolutions That as they had been the chiefest sufferers and been trampled upon by the haughtinesse of those insufferable Oppressors so they should be the chiefest and most eminent that should at once both worke those deliverances and enjoy the fruits of them And though they were of different apprehensions and judgements in some things pertaining to the Conscience yet they were all indifferently made use of and in the bonds of strictest love united in the carrying on of that common Cause And there was not the least inconsistency but that they might still have mutually joyed in the Advantages arising from thence without jarrings and discords untill the day should dawn that by the revelation of Truth in its clearest appearances expelling all mists and mistakes they might firmly fix and center in one heart and in one mind Sect. 5. The interposall of a jurisdiction as destructive as the former AFter that this righteous Cause had been so triumphantly owned and witnessed unto even beyond the face of a deniall After that the name of God had been so lifted up and magnified in the vindication of it that all the adverse Forces were scattered and broken with all their Complices and Adherents After that we had risen up to full grown expectations that we should undoubtedly reape the blessings of our long and difficult contests and of the expence of all our toll treasure and blood There presently brake forth a furious fiery party which endeavoured to erect a Dominion as rigid and as destructive to the Peace and Liberties of the people of God as ever that Power was which had been formerly extirpated who breathing out threatnings and being of fierce spirits twisted severe rods for our backes and layd impositions upon our consciences as heavy and grievous to be born as those were under which the former generation had miserably groaned It is well known to what an height the Presbyterian jurisdiction did all on a sudden Mount how ruggedly they dealt with many precious tender hearts that could not in all things conform to their prescriptions And as if they had set themselves not onely to equall but even to outvy the Episcopall Tyranny they cast into prisons such as did encourage and frequent Christian meetings in private houses Wherein they did very little differ from their Predecessours the Bishops who branded the spirituall communion of the Saints in those daies with the name and crime of Conventicles They exacted Tythes without remorse they arrogated to impose Articlâ—â— of Faith to be necessarily owned and believed suitable to the narrow limits of their darke understandings They condemned for blasphemy errour heresie and sectarism all such opinions as did in the least differ from their over-weening conceits and apprehensions and assuming as it were an infallibility to their dictates and interpretations They prosecuted all dissenters with fire and sword and suited for them respective punishments according as their Arbitrary and enraged wills did hurry them They ambitiously aspired to seat themselves in the chaire and like the Episcopal Grandeur they encroach't over the civill power setting their foot upon it and wieling it at once both to serve their own Interests to execute the severity of their injunctions They grasp't after a Lordliness to inslave the Nation under their girdle and as their pride inconsiderate zeal and hot tempers did sway them they laid the foundation of a most bloody and insupportable persecution It was strange to see how all our hopes were dasht on a sudden how the heavens were overcast and the serenity which we rejoyc'd in for a season was obscured with the interposall of a thick dark cloud What a poor and barbarous requitall was it to the Army and to those good Hearts that had borne the burden of the day that had willingly hazarded themselves in the vindication of the just liberties of the Nation to be put to this streight for their conscience sake either to imbrace a prison or else to chose an exilement from their native comforts relations and into remote and forraign countries How dissonant was it not onely to all Ingenuity but even to the very ends and intrinsick intendments of their ingaging at first in that quarrell to have the name only changed but to be really under as great yokes pressures and burdens to have arbitrarinesse oppression unrighteousnesse and slavery perpetuated under as strong enforcements as they were before the beginning of these differences Yet surely if we will not betray and forfeit our understandings we must needes say that the power which then had risen up with a new shape as dreadfull and dangerous as that former was which had been abandoned and subdued Sect. VI. The cause in it's second appearance explained and enlarged BUt in this difficult perplexed juncture the Lord of glory who had great discoveries of Love and goodnesse to dispence forth did not then desert his people nor their cause He was pleased to take that advantage to advance their's and the Nations concernes to an higher and more flourishing State than at first was in the eye I had almost said in the wishes of our Reformers The Army therefore groaning under those unjust provocations Having bleeding hearts for the enthralments and sufferings of their fellow-bretheren being excited and awakened by the Lord being assisted with the united prayers and counsells and strength of his people they did seasonably interpose And according to the duty incumbent on them and to the opportunity offered them They did endeavour as well to remove the miseries then impending and threatned as to
brought backe the glorious displayings of our revived comforts When reason was pâ—sled and could not discern the least probability of succour when our enemies triumphed that their mountain stood strong and that they had so firmly seated themselves as that it was impossible for them to be removed the Divine power and goodness which befool's the wisdome of the wise works contrary to humane appearances overthâ—ew their confidences as in a moment And woâ—king wonders for his people exalted them from the dunghill unto a conditâ—on of emâ—nency and enlargement It is a delight to consider what a lively generous active spirit was poured out in those daies upon those good hearts which befo e had suffered hard things who being awakened by the arâ—sing of the glory of the Lord upon them did pray believe and act vigorously to reduce this disordered shattered Naton unto a posture of a sixt and happy settlement The eminent Worthies then assembled in Paliament did sweat and toil and thought no hardship's too much to be undergone no difficulties too great to be encountred with to promote and accomplish a perfect Reformation How much do succeeding generations owe to them for all their diligence and sedulity for all their watchings and pains-taking for all the affronts and scorns which they endured The fruit and success whereof we are at this day reaping and enjoying It cannot be thought but that so great a work undertaken in such a distempered dreggy juncture of time should meet with strong oppositions and that many great Mountains should then stand in the way as hard to be removed as they were powerfull to darken and overshadow those small beginnings Hence was it that all sober and good men knowing themselves deeply concerned in those concernments and that all that was dear to them was wrapt up in the happy and uninterrupted proceedings of the Parliament they did to their utmost capacities endeavour to strengthen their hands and did bring in several materials to advance so excellent a structure The Parliament is no other than the high and supream Court of Judicature entrusted with the rights and liberties of the Nation and they acting singly for the good and advantage of those whom they represent and to redress all oppressions and grievances lying upon them They ought to challenge all their endeavours their counsels and their abillities to assist and support them in that work It would be a prodigie in the constitution if the Parliament should betray and sacrifice the Native freedomes of their Country unto the exorbitant will and lust of any person or Authority And it would be as g eat a senslesness and stupour in the people if by deserting the Paliament they suffer them to sinke and be ruined whilst they are contending with any Malevolent power that rises up to inslave them There was in these virgin daies such a mutuall strict and lovely harmony and agreement as this between the Parliament and the honest unbiassâ—d peopâ—e of the Nation wheâ—eby it came to pass that the management of the affairs then in their hands though intricate and perplexed enough and forcibly resisted yet made so succesfull a progress It was the great aim of those worthy Reformers to take away every thing that had the impress of usurpation upon it And as prophaneness and superstition had their birth and rise together and availed mutually to rivet and establish each other in the Commonwealth so was their extirpation and downfall together All that will-worship All those supeâ—stâ—tious rites and observations of daies and places All those exactions that had been prest upon the consciences of tender Christians all Innovations whatsoever not warranted by a Divine rule all prophane rioting disorders and excesses and all sports and pastimes the bane of youth and the poyson of good manners not consistent to a well-guided Commonwealth These and whatsoever else was contrary to sound Doctrine to an holy conversation and was an offence to good men were removed and taken out of the way And â—hey did not onely cleanse the outside and pare off some superficiall excrescencies but they pierced into the very heart and marrow and by makâ—ng the vitals sound they endeavouâ—ed to prevent the return of such destructâ—ve maladies That great Tree which had spread it self not onely to the hurt of â—he Nation but even to the terrour of all gracious spirits had not onely some of it's lofty boughs lopt off but was even pluckt up by the very roots They wâ—ll knowing that superstition and rigour would in time have pullulated and budded forth afresh had any of that Episcopall stemme been left remaining This was a great atchievement very unfeisâ—ble in the eye of reason but God who levells Mountains and mâ—kes rough things smooth put it in the hearts of the Nobles to effect it and the people were willing unto the work And as it was an inlet and a necessary precedency to their great mutations that were to follow so it could not be compast without a dreadfull noise such unexpected and unusuall shakings being ever accompanyed wiâ—h the fury and displeasure of the mighty ones Nor did they terminate onely here contenting themselves to take away those things and that Jurisdictâ—â—n out of which as out of a corrupt Fountain those disorders had issuâ—d But they proceeded also to call into question those persons who by their evil counsells had been the Author of alâ— our mâ—chiefs There is no greater Plague to a Commonwealâ—h than the swarm of Sycophants and evill Counsellours who are still excitiâ—g â—he Prince or chief Magistrate to tread upon all Lawes and to incroach upon the peoples rights who being it may be in some things obnoxious themselves to the censures of the Law can never think themselves safe but by walking in irregular extraordinary paths and by diverting the stream of all things into the channel of Absoluteness It was therefore the wisdom of our Worthies in Parliament not onely to degrade and remove such from their places and imployment but to bring the most notorious offenders in that kind unto condigne punishment That as they had publiquely offended so they might publiquely answer it at the barre of Justice under the stroke of which some of them fell though not without a mighty crackling and payd the punishments due to so great enormities Whereby there was as well publique satisfaction given to the Nation for the past in juryes it had sustained as a terrour and discouragement left to such as should succeed from attempting the like practises for the future Sect. III. The Cause in its first rise and production IN the pursuit after a thorow Reformation as a regard was had to the great interests and concernements of the people of God that their Consciences should not be under Snares and Yoaks by reason of rigid impositions nor their persons subjected to the Tyranny of any insulting Jurisdiction So the just Liberties of the Nation in things of a civill respect were industriously contested for and
THE GOOD OLD CAuSE DRESS'D IN IT'S PRIMITIVE LUSTRE AND SET FORTH TO THE VIEW OF ALL MEN. Being a short and Sober Narrative of the great Revolutions of Affairs in these later times By R. FITZ-BRIAN an affectionate Lover of his Country LONDON Printed for G. C. at the Black-spread Eagle at the West end of St. Paul's Church-yard 1659. The good old Cause drest in it's primitive Lustre c. The Preface When it is that changes evenes in States THe changes and revolutions in States and Common-wealths as they have by degrees issued out of the corruption and male-Administration of Governments so have they usually been accompanyed with most remarkeable Providences And by how much the more spiritual the designs of God are in the wombe of such productions by so much the more visibly doe's He let out the signal Testimonies of his Presence and Glory When States are at the worst when vitious and peâ—cant humours are every where predominant when the prevalency of evil Counsells doe's take place to the introducing of new and Arbitrary impositions contrary to the established Constitutions They must then either necessarily sinke under their own weight and crumble into disorder Anarchy and ruine Or else there will follow some notable alterations And the distempers being so great and enormous that they cannot possibly admit of a redress and healing and conserve still their old frame Things must unavoydeably wheele about and fix themselves upon another Basis In such a Mappe as this may we view the more than ordinary transactions of our later times which though they were small in their beginnings yet have they by severall steps and progressions been advanced to a considerable height And I may say there have been such interweavings of stupendious Providences such diversifications in the manner of proceeds such glorious exertings of power and goodness such astonishing successes and such legible characters of divine ownings That we are now bigg with just hopes of arriving in the end unto some eminent establishment even above the magnificence of all those forms which meerely have the worldly stamp upon them Sect. I. The true Sources of our late Revolutions IF we suffer not our selves to be misguided with prejudices buâ— impartially trace things into their beginnings we may easily discover tâ—â— inlet of all our mischiefs and the naturall spâ—ing of our late alterations The hinges upon which they gradually turned were the prelaticall Tyranny of the Bishops innovating in things of Religious concernment and laying insupportable burdens upon the consciences of tender Christians And the secret and politick insinuations of evil Councellours and Favourites invading all rights subverting the fundamentall constitutions and forcibly swayâ—ng all things unto an absolute Domination Both these joyned hand in hand together and mutually conspired to accomplish the same design The tendency whereof was in the issue to trample upon all Lawes to inthrall us at pleasure and to subject us under the iron yoke of an absoluâ—e disposall The Episcopal Jurisdiction was in it's day very fierce and lofty witness those severe sentencings to imprisonments to wh ppings to Pillories and to stigmatizingâ— which were then frequenâ—ly thundred against many honest innocent persons in whom there was found nothing criminall but that they worship't God in purity of spirit and durst not conform to their superstitious in junctions What a rabble of exotick ceremonies unwarrantable traditions were then brought in and imposed All that consult with the naked history of that generation may easily take notice of And as if a prophane and profligate spirit were the fittest to swallow down and without scruple to live under such superstitious rites and observances They decryed and discountenanced Preaching they pleaded publiquely for and with the face of Authority tolerated sports and pastimes on the Sabbath dayes Hence was it that these two being thus twisted and married together there sprung up a monstrous brood of all disorders and usurpations And the generality having thereby their reason darkned and besotted as well as their consciences were in a pliant temper to receive the impressions of slavery and unjust encroachments In this juncture the precious people of God who were at once made the object both of their scorn and fury were trampled upon by the foot of pride and insolency They were driven into corners They were made to serve with rigour and hard bondage Their ruine and extirpation was designed Many of them being haled to their illegall Courts endured cruelties as barbarous as are acted in the Inquisition And others being willing to preserve peace wiâ—hin and to free themselves from their mixtures and defilements were enforced to exile themselves from their native comforts and relations here and to wander desolate in forrain deserts At the same time and confederate with this Exorbitant power did the evill Councillâ— of the Nation in things also of civill cognâ—zance hurry all things head long into one absolute Grandeur The great Master-piece of their design was if possibly to elude all Parliaments knowing that those oneâ—y stood in the way to hinder and dâ—sappoint their intendments And the better to strengthen themselves herein They starred many projects and inventions hoping either by their Monopolies or by â—heir Knighthood or by their shipp-â—onies or by some such obsolete quillet to have preserved their Treasures full and entire And they ceaâ—ed not to screw up and distort as well their own wiâ—sâ— as our rights by endeavouring to make those devices of their's to appear with the face and colour of a Law Things being thus postured there wanted but very little of effecting what they so strenuously sought after to be the absolute Masters of our lives liberties and estates at their own pleasure The whole current of the Administration of Justice being out couâ—se the Judges of the Land that should be the directours of what is Law and Right either corruptly opposing or else not daring to declare the truth And those that did speak their judgements freely and honestly being upon that very account immediately displaced and put out of Office Sect. II. The dawning of the day of Reformation WHen the thickest darkness of the night had thus overshadowed us and the declining of the Sun towards its Biuniall solstice had sufficiently assured us that it was a sharpe and rigorous winter Bâ—hold all on a sudden the day began to dawn and the return of the long absent Sun gave us the unexpected hopes of an approaching Summer The grievances of the Nation were become insufferable Arbitrariness and Lordly Domination was risen up to the height all things were stretch't out to their utmost length and the whole frame of affairs was so deplorable that we were as hopeless of having redress as we were certain that we were plunged under ruin Yet even then did the light breake forth and that very dismall season when it was at the blackest prov'd the vertical point which at once put a stop to the further carreer of our designed miseries and
asserted This being an indubitable Principle That the civill Liberties do in their true and genuine intention conserve the interests of the people of God and the interests of the people of God do reciprocally uphold and give a blessing to the civill Liberties So that they cannot they ought not in reason to be divided But to make up a flourishing Common-Wealth they should twine and intimately embrace each other in an union never to be dissolved It was therefore necessary to enquire into the antient and fundamentall Constitutions which being established by a grand Charter and so often renued and attested by the Petition of Right it was not lawfull for any Power whatsoever to alter invade Hereupon the prison doores were opened and such as had been cast into Durance and confinement by an high hand and by an Arbitrary Lawless Act of supreme will were released and set at liberty The illegall oppressive Courts which had been ejected meerely to serve the lust of one man and to gratifie the insatiable humours of corrupt spirits and Interests were at once condemned and exploded And all things that were miserably blended and put out of order were made to revert again into the known and warrantable course and proceedings of Law and equity In the progress of this inquiry into our undoubted rights and immunities It was found that the chief Magistrate had usurped a Prerogative which was never rightly inherent in him to dissolve Parliaments at hs pleasure When as by the anâ—â—ent foundation they were to continue as long as any grievance was unremoved or any Petit on was unanswered It was also found that he had not power to defer the assembling of Parliaments at his own Arbitrement as was generally practised and believed but according to the ancient constitution He was to call them once a year or oftner as occasion should require Which were to be for the better Goverment of the people of God and to gâ—ve redress to such injuries as any had sustained by the means of the King Queen and Prince or by the misgovernment of any person whatsoever It was found likewise that He had injuriously usurped the power of a Negative voice either to assent unto or dissent from those Acts which the Parliament brought unto him according as he pleased when as He was obliged by the inviolable bond of his oath to confirme and ratifie all such Laws as the people by their Representatives in Parliament should make choice of It was further made evident that the power of the Militia which He would have graspt into his own hands was solely and intrinsecally residing in the Parliament It being not consistent with reason nor with the Maximes of Nature that any should have the power of declaring and making war but the Representatives of the people whose blood and treasure was necessarily to be spent and ingaged therein It was also evident that the Revenue of the Nation was not to be imbesled and squandred away by the will of any but that the Parliament had onely and absolutely the disposall thereof And that no tax or imposition either by way of Loan or fine or by any other project or invention upon any pretence whatsoever was to be levyed upon the people without the consent of their Representatives in Parliament These are without doubt the naturall fundamentall and essentiall Principles constituting this Commonwealth which at once both propagates our Liberties and distinguish us from Brutes and Slaves Which cannot be infringed much less parted with to any be the Government in what mode and form soever without manifest and open violation of our indubitable rights And in this channell glide along the stream of the spirits of our renowned Patriots never to be mentioned without respect and honour Who wearied and wasted themselves with indefatigable paines who encountred with ravenous and Lion-like tempers and contested unto blood that they might both vindicate us and all that is of nearest concern unto us from under the paw of Tyrannycal encroachments Whilst these things were on the stage there were many various occurrences and providentiall appearances evidently witnessing to the truth and righteousness of such undertakings There were about two years spent in endeavouring to bring them to an happy birth but they proved succesless so great an influence had the Malignant aspects of the evill Counsellours to hinder the Nation of such high advantages And though some faint concessions were made in order thereunto yet it was with the reserve of such an unlimited power that would in time have blasted all the rest and have certainly subjected us again under the thraldome of our ancient grievances The contests and differences hereupon did swell to an irreconcileable height a civil war brake forth the flame being so fierce and violent that it could not be quenched till the sword had given a decision on what part the righteousness of the quarrell lay It is undeniably evident that the whole series of those proceedings were distastfull and against the hair But that which was in view and openly declared to be the point they brake on was the Negative voice and the power of the Militia Wherein every one that is not of a perverse cavilling spirit may receive full and pregnant satisfaction by having recourse to the naked story and passages of those times It was upon this account that both parties joyned issue that they entred into the field and fought so many fierce and bloody Battels In the prosecution whereof knowing that our lives liberties and estates and all our spiritual as well as civil endearments were involved in it we did make so many solemne and serious appeals unto the righteous God and whereunto He was pleased reciprocally to return so many glorious pregnant proofs of his power and goodness Hence it is that we call it by way of Eminency our Cause our first and virgin-virgin-Cause never to be receded from nor blotted out of memory since God has stampt upon it so many golden characters and pledges of his incomparable Presence And as it was a blemish in any of the people of England in those daies to desert the Parliaments Interest and to joyne with that power that would have inslaved them So it will strike posterity with astonishment If after we have broken that rod that did oppress and smite us after we have rescued our liberties out of the very fire we should again resign the bucklers and prostitute them and our selves to the will mercy and courtesie of any This being a safe prudentiall Maxime that it is easier for the people to keep what they have rightly gotten than by intrusting it to others upon apprehension of their ingenuity and candour to fetch it back again out of their encroachments Sect. IV. The provident all uniting of the honest party in a victorious Army THis Warre being undertaken the successe was for a long time various the issue doubtfull It seemed to bechecquered with d fferent uncertain appearances The victory sometimes inclined