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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	king_n	lord_n	power_n	3,232	5	4.9654	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

p. 7 8. Why Jehu was punished like Achab. p. 8. Admonition to those that God hath made punishers of others sins ib. Providence ordereth all actions and things to advance men and Nations as pleaseth him p. 9 10. Providence ordered Oliver Cromwell to be Lord Protector p. 11. Every mercy and every judgment is from God not from men but as instrumeuts in Gods hand p. 11 12. Inferences drawn from the Doctrine of Providence p. 13. All mercies to men or Nations are of Gods free grace and love ib. Particular mercies instanced p. 14 15. All Judgments are from God as recompence for sinne p. 16. Particular sinnes instanced and at ripeness in England ib. How Priviledges of Parliament were lost p. 17. A Memento of the Covenant ib. The wicked are taken in their own craftiness and fall by their own designs p. 18. Observations of some Actions and Designs of King James and of the late King p. 18 19. Six peeces of Providence very observable to the late King p. 20. Considerable Providences to the long Parliament p. 21. Six considerable Quaeries propounded p. 22. God hath set a time when he will give in mercies and when he will instict Judgements p. 22 23. And upon whom ib. And how much it shall be p. 24. But all those times and purposes in God are unknown to men p. 24 25. Mens boldness to foretell Gods times and purposes ib. Revelations and visions in these times but vain fancies p. 26. These are trying and shaking times p. 26 27. God shaketh Nations severall wayes ib. The word of God like fire shall consume all opposers p. 28. The greatest Reformation hath ever met with greatest opposition ib. Three things have long threatned Judgment to England ib. Men not able to bring any enterprise to pass by all their contrivings p. 29. The Lord Protector set up by Providence made successfull by Saints prayers ib. Although God hath set the time for every purpose which cannot be altred yet men are to be diligent in the use of all lawfull means p. 30 31. How God is said to repent or to be changed p. 32. No means must be used but lawfull means p. 33. We must not trust in means nor be too solicitous in the use of means without a particular Promise ib. Nor to use unwarrantable means to obtain lawfull things ib. Christs Kingdom is spiritual 34 He accepts not the use of the sword in the Saints hand to set up his Kingdom ib. Reasons why p. 35. The pressings in mens spirits not alwaies agreeable to the Spirit of God p. 35 36. The Spirit of God leadeth but to one truth ib. The right means to obtain Mercies and to avoid Judgments 36 37. What the Doctrine of Paul and Peter is concerning the civil Magistrate ib. The civil Magistrate hath authority to command the worship of God and to punish the contemners of it p. 38. When God hath manifested his will by the work of Providence we are to submit and not to murmur p. 39. Murmurers reproved ib. The effects of murmuring ib. The causes of mens murmurings p. 40. Severall sorts of murmurers noted p. 41 42. Order in discipline required by Christ in his Church ib. Men ascribers are God prescribers p. 43. The murmuring of Corah was against the Offices of Magistracy and Ministry p. 43 44. Advice to the people p. 44 45. Men are building new Babels ib. Kings nursing fathers to the Church under the Gospel ib. Christs enemies shall be slain miraculously by the sword that goeth out of his mouth p. 46. It was Israels sinne in asking a King before God gave him And it is a sinne in any people to reject a King when God gives him p. 47. Seditious persons like Sheba the sonne of Bichri ib. The bitterness of warre instanced in Abner and Joab ib. Five principall Objections made against the Lord Protestor Answered p. 48. The cause of our late warre what p. 49. The Lord Protector vindicated as to former promises p. 50. In his trust to the Parliament and Nation ib. In breach of Priviledges of Parliament p 51. That this is a free Parliament ib. Concerning the Militia p. 52. Concerning his Negative voice p. 53. Concerning Religion p. 54. Concerning making Laws and raising of Money p. 55. That he is no favourer of Cavaliers but as in justice he ought ib. Gods Vnchangeablenesse OR Gods continued Providence in preserving guiding ordering and disposing of all Creatures Men Actions Counsels and Things as at the beginning of the world so to the end of the world for ever According to the counsell of his own Will THat there is a God that hath created the world and all things we all acknowledge the Heathen confesse the same but know not the true God in his essence and being God hath hid himself from them farther then what is revealed to them by the works of creation therefore they frame gods to themselves according to their fancies and so make many gods We Christians do acknowledge one God and but one God distinguished by three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost And that there is three Persons or three Hypostases and but one God is revealed to us by the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament where only this mystery of the Godhead is to be known therefore the wisest and most prudent of the Heathen cannot know this because they have not the sacred Scriptures made known to them But this we all prof●sse to know and to beleeve therefore it we●e in vain and lost labour to use Arguments to prove it But that this one God the God of Israel doth govern order and dispose all C●eatures Actions Things Men and Counsels according to the purpose of his own will is not so clearly acknowledged nor beleeved but contrary it is denied by some though by name they are Christians yet they go not in their practise in this particular beyond the old Sect of Stoick Philosophers who though heathen acknowledge a Deity yet leave the guidance and ordering of things to nature and so tye God to second causes Therefore it will not be unnecessary to prove that there is a secret and special providence of God that governeth and ordereth all things for indeed the want of the knowledge and practice of this is the cause of great complainings discontents and murmurings against God and against men We look at instrumental causes but see not the efficient cause the cause of all causes Jaco● did not only look to the foot of the ladder which he see in his vision but he 〈◊〉 at him who sate at the top of the Ladder a This Ladder doth literally set forth Gods Providence governing all things The steps or gradations of the Ladder are the divers means which God useth The Angels ascending and descending are the ministring spirits which God sendeth forth to execute his will as the Apostle tels us they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister

could any know him for he had disguised himself Ahab wanted not for any contrivance policy counsell nor strength to preserve himself yet maugre all policy the arrow thus shot at a venture findes out Ahab and although Ahab was armed it is by providence guided to the joynts of his armour where it enters and hits Ahab so that he died u Here providence executeth the decree of God upon Ahab You know the King of Assyria sent a mighty and invincible Army against Hezechiah King of Judah confident of successe Hezechiah unable to make opposition by any equality of strength yet this invincible host is destroyed not by any art wisedome counsell or strength of men all was wanting But an Angell of the Lord went out and smote the Camp of the Assyrians in one nigh●One hundred fourscore and five thousand w This is also the work of Providence As the Actions of men so their daies and life are ordered and appointed by God therefore saith holy Job the daies of every man are appointed by God and all those daies are ordered by providence though men know them not nor how they are secretly ordered and every hour preserved till the appointed time be come for saith Job Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe x therefore saith he I will wait till my change come y So the Pro David My times saith he are in thy hands z And as Providence ordereth the Actions and Lives of men so it doth reach to the orderings of the disposition and naturall affections of men either to love or hatred to kindnesse or to chur●ishnesse what else changed the disposition and affection of Esau from bloudy wrath to loving kindenesse when he came out against Jacob with hatred and when he meeteth him he embraceth him with loving-kindenesse and brotherly affection a So you shall see Laban pursuing Jacob in great anger and when he is on the way his disposition and anger is changed b You may see the Midianites that came out against Israel all in love one with the other and hatred against Israel fall one upon another and destroy one another providence ordereth that every one set his sword against his fellow c The like you may see in the Army of the Philistims d Yea more It is evident from sacred Scriptures That all the wicked Actions of wicked men are ordered by providence God ruleth them and orders them for the accomplishment of his secret counsel and by the ordering of those Actions God hath glory I say they are ordered by providence not as wicked men intend or act them they intend and act out of a wicked principle to a wicked end but God orders them otherwise to effect something of his own decree and turns it to good in the doing his will The action and the sin in the action is their own but the ordering of the action is of God All wicked actions of wicked obdurated Pharaoh providence ordered to the glory of God St Paul hath this expression For the Scripture saith of Pharaoh even for this cause have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth e Rom. 9. 17. His cruelty in destroying all the male-children of the Hebrews Moses being cast into the River the repulse that Pharaoh gave to Moses message from God his encrease of the burthens and labours on the Hebrews and his oft refusing to let the people go c. Providence ordered all these things to the advancement of Gods glory So it is said of Sihon King of Heshbon that God hardened his heart and why that Sihon King of Heshbon out of the bitternesse and envy of his own heart against Israel should refuse to suffer them to passe peaceably through his Countrey to the end that Israel might have a just cause to engage warre with them and destroy them f Was there ever so great an Act of wickednesse acted in the world or invented as that horrid conspiracy of Herod Pontius Pilate Judas the Gentiles and the people of the Jews against the Lord Christ yet providence ordered all this and brought the greatest good out of that most horrid act The Scripture saith plainly that all this was no more but what was before-determined should be done g St John speaking of the unbelieving Jews from that place Isa. 6. 10. saith God hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts h and Esay saith the Lord hath powred upon them the spirit of deep sleep and hath chosed their eyes The Prophets Rulers and Seers hath he covered i God is not only a bare permitter of evil actions in men but he is a powerful agent ordering of those evil Actions by his wise and secret providence to serve to the purpose of his own will the sinne is their own but the guidance of the Action is Gods ordered to his own glory Job tels us that the deceiver and the deceived are both his k he ordereth both If a Prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing I the Lord have deceived him l that is such Prophets as Ahabs four hundred Prophets were whom Satan could not deceive till he was bid to go and prevail All the actions of the devil are ordered by providence and there is not nor cannot be any action of the devil but what is extreamly wicked Remarkable is that place of St John Rev. 17. 13. speaking of that foul apostacy of Papacy he saith They shall give their power and strength to the beast He saith not they will give but they shall give as a thing that God had pre-ordained to be much more may be said this I hope may suffice to prove this Truth Yet furrhermore you shall see that as God orders by his providence all Men and all Actions of all sorts their times their dispositions c. so he ordereth the very secrets of the heart and the answer of the tongue The Wiseman tels us The Kings heart is in the hand of God be turns it as the Rivers of waters whithersoever he will m And the answer of the tongue is from the Lord n to this effect is that saying of Christ to his Disciples take no thought what you shall speak for it shall be given to you what to speak at the same hour o The man thar shall consult within himself and debate in his own thoughts and come to a full resolurion what he will answer or speak to this or that thing so as that he thinks nothing shall alter him yet that man when he comes to put his resolves into action shall speak or do as providence shall order and direct it may be quite contrary to what he resolved something will come in between the preparation and the action Caiaphas the High Priest doubtlesse spake not those words of himself when he said It was expedient that one man should die for the

Iacob might in him be accomplished That a Scepter should not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come f which was spoken of David and in him fullfilled g the particulars would be too long to instance them it may be I shall touch some of them in another place afterward and leave the whole story to the Reader to contemplate Something I might say of many particulars and clear providence observable of late daies in ordering things Actions and Instruments leading Oliver our present Lord Protector to the place office and dignity in which he now ruleth with the Honourable High Court of Parliament for whom I pray and of whom I intend to say something more in the proper place afterward in the mean time we have I hope said enough to prove that God and God alone pulleth down Kings and setteth up Kings That so we may acknowledge that every mercy and every judgement is from God ordered by him and is not from men whatsoever their designs are or whatsoever they intend or aim at as their end for all men good and bad are but Instruments in Gods hand secondary causes and can do nothing but what God by Providence leads them to do or permits to be done to effect his own purpose and secret decre● ordering all and every Action thereunto It is true that a merciful man doth good and a good man sheweth mercy but a good mans goodnesse is not his own he hath received it from God who is the fountain of all good nor can a good man distribute good to another but as he is guided by God he is but the Instrument in Gods hand Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights h A man may be able to do good to this or that man yet he may sometimes want will to do it if he have a will it is from God where how or to whom he shall do that good or if a good man have a will and intention to do good to this or that man his intentions may be crossed that he cannot do it or if he be not crossed in his intentions yet the good he doth may turn to the hur● of him that receives it except God blesse and prosper it so that all good and every mercy to any man let the Instrument be what it will it is from God God gave Ioseph favour with the Keeper of the prison i and God extended mercy to his people in the sight of the Kings of Persia k all is from God Men are but Gods Instruments therefore Iacob praieth to God that God would give his Sons favour with the men they had to do with l And as it is in mercies so it is in judgements and afflictions all is from God men are his Instruments secondary causes It is true that wicked men devise and imagine mischief continually and plot against the righteous to afflict and to molest them although the wickednesse which they plot is their own And they think they have power to act accordingly they never wanting will to do it yet they are crossed by providence in acting what they intend And often yea alwaies to the Elect of God the evil they think to do turns to the good of them against whom it is done as the bufferings from Satan did to Paul it was advantage to him for if wicked men could act answerable to their wils and intentions neither righteousnesse nor holinesse should be amongst men not the man on earth that should practise either but they are in Gods hand his Instruments to do his pleasure and no more neither wicked men nor Sa●an himself cannot do as shall be shewed afterward The want of due and serious consideration of this truth and submission to it causeth much discontent and murmuring among men for in our affl●ctions we are ready to fly in the face of men meer instruments secondary causes and as the Prophet complains We turn not to God that smiteth us nor seek to the Lord of hosts m We are like the dog that bites the stone that is cast at him but looks not at the hand that cast it We are sensible of the rod that whips us but take no notice of the hand that holds it We complain of men and things Accidents and Causes and it is likely not without cause but God the cause of all causes except sin we consider not who saith of himself I the Lord do all things I create the light and make darknesse I make peace and create evil n God mingleth a perverse spirit in the midst of counsell o he leadeth away Counsellors spoiled and maketh Judges fools p God stirred up Hadad and Rezon to be adversaries to Solomon q and they did much mischief in Israel all Solomons daies Shall there be evil in the City saith the Lord and I the Lord have not done it r that is evil of affliction punishment not the evil of sin for that is the procuring cause of all punishment as we shall shew in the proper place All that I now drive at is but to prove that all secondary causes men or things can do nothing of themselves either to misery or to happiness But that all mercies and all judgements are of God from him and by him he disappointeth the devises of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise This I say is the Soveraignty of God the Creator over all things governing the world by his wise and secret providence And it doth above all things declare the glory omnipotency and incomprehensible wisedom of God working in and by all things after the counsell of his own will That all things though in motion and use never so contrary one to another and in their nature and ends destructive one to another yet all and every thing in most harmonious union work together in one consent to effect and accomplish whatever God hath in his secret counsel determined yea by the worst of Instruments to do glorious things bringing good out of their evil and work deliverance to his Church by the Enemies Actions and destroy his Enemies by their own counsels causing the wisedom of the wise to perish and to hide uuderstanding from the prudent ſ When he giveth quietnesse who can make trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or against a man only t Thus much shall serve for foundation or groundwork of our intended discourse from whence we may gather some inferences and therein take a view of some late and remarkable Providences in these our daies ordering Counsels Actions and Things contrary to mens designs and endeavours and working all things after the counsell of his own will pulling down and setting up whom he pleaseth for the accomplishment of his own secret purpose first one and then others changing times and seasons men and counsels

u there is a time of warre and there is a time of peace w We had our time of war and tasted of the bitternesse of it God now in great mercy offereth us our time of peace if we will not accept of it but provoke God by our murmuting we may fear the event Christians and Englishmen I pray consider that saying of Ahner to Joab Shall the sword devour for ever will it not be bitternesse in the latter end x You know how it proved bitter both to Abuer and to Joab Discontents Ambiand false Interest procured the sword to eat the flesh of them by the just hand of God As Abuer had shed the bloud of many in Israel in an evil cause his bloud was shed by Joab wickedly y And Joab because beshed the bloud of war in the time of peace z he was slain by the sword at the horns of th● 〈◊〉 a God hath manifested his will to us by clear providences Let us as men tha● fea● God and own his providence submit unto it and not murmure nor repine but with patience wait to see what God will yet do for us He hath multitudes of blessings to the obedient and as many curses and scourges to the murmurers If it he as the Psalmist saith a good and pleasant thing for brethren to dwell together in unity b Then it must needs be an evil and unpleasant thing for Brethren to dwell together in discord dissention strife and variance all disunited and disjointed in affections Consider what I have said and the Lord give every one a good and right understanding in all things If that I have said being well weighed be not found to be truth beleeve it not But if it be the truth follow it practise it or this that I say shall one day be a witnesse against him that readeth and slieghteth it and give me leave to adde this to the rest and tell you that those that are contemners and murmurers against the government of a Common-wealth in the Infancy of it they are he greatest enemies to that Common-wealth not hurtful only to themselves but to the whole Nation the evil example of one murmurer draws more to the imitation of that sin then the perswasion and good counsell of many can divert and so all or multitudes oft perish together As we see in the men that were sent to spy out the Land of Canaan they murmured and brought an evil report of that good Land which caused all the people to weep and murmure and cry out against Moses and Aaron c for which their murmuring they were excluded from that good Land and promise And not only so but they even those men that brought up the evil report were destroied before the Lord by a plague d Consider what God hath done he will do still For God is unchangeable It is one of his Attributes which he takes only to himself I am the Lord I change not e In him is no variablenesse neither shadow of change f Therefore it must of necessity follow from Gods unchangeablenesse that whatsoever he hath done in former times he will do the same for he is the same what judgements he hath inflicted for any sin or that he hath threatned to inflict he will still do the same therefore the Apostle tels even us Christians that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning g c. I confesse my Brerhren when I took my pen in hand to write upon this subject Discourse I intended not above three sheets of paper but the matter is encreased before me and I could not expresse my self with more brevity I would yet for further satisfaction modestly give Answers to some Objections made by some sorts of men against his Highnesse the Lord Protector which I will do in as few lines as I can possibly Object It is Objected That the cause of our war which hath cost so much bloud and treasure was To defend our Rights and Freedoms against the Tyranny of Kings to be governed under a Parliament as free People by just Laws c. But the Lord Protector assumes to himself the Authority of a King by exercising a greater Tyranny over the people then the King did to give Laws c. Answ I answer the cause of our warre as instrumental was To defend the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament the Freedom and liberty of the People and the defence of the true Religion against incroaching Tyranny and innovations subtlely insinuated by the late King and his evil Counsel But that our Warre intentionally was against the lawful Authority of Kings or against the Person of the Late King as he was King or against his just prerogative I deny Only against his evil Councel the War was raised that the Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the People and the truth of Religion might be defended and established This will appear by severall Parliament Declarations Protestations and solemn Covenant wherein the Parliament do declare protest and covenant as their own priviledge freedom and liberty c. to defend and preserve the Kings person his just Rights and Prerogatives so far as it might stand with the preservation of Religion and the peoples Rights But the late King standing in strong opposition to the Parliament and Liberty of the people and his Rights and Prerogatives coming in competition with or against the preservation of Religion and Priviledges of Parliament and the peoples Right He defending and taking upon himself all the evil Actions and wicked devices of his evil Councell miscarried for so providence had ordered it should be And the people as providence led them submitted to a Parliament to govern them as a free People they expected much ease and great Reformation but enjoyed Now I would ask the Objectors these two short Questions 1. If a Parliament should become more tyrannicall then a King and lay heavy burthens upon them reaching to their persons lives and estates by an unknown Law or arbitrary power and suffer Innovations to come in on every side to the contempt of Religion and adulterating every truth turning Religion into every shape to metamorphise truth whether in this case if such should be the people might not as justly cry out and take up Arms against such a Parliament as against a King 2. If all these evils could be found and sensibly felt by the people whether it were justice to themselves acceptable to God or benefit to their posterity to cast off and to abandon for ever the authority and use of Parliaments I think they would give their negative except such as would live without all order or command which is to be worse then devils Nor is the office nor just power of a King to be for ever rejected because there have been Tyrannical oppressing superstitious or idolatrous Kings for the office of a King is the Ordinance of Jehovah and cannot be made null by man To this

men if all might elect whom they would to serve in Parliament or all that would by designs get to be elected should be Members it is more then probable the Enemy might in short time be Masters of the Militia and by it not only give away our Freedoms so much talked of and the liberty of the people but take away our lives also and which is more then all take from us the priviledge of the Gospel and what else hath been purchased with so much bloud and treasure and turn our pleasant Eden into an Acheldama The good people of this Nation with his Highness may say at this time as David once said The Sons of Zervia he too hard for me which caused David to omit the doing that justice he willed to be done And truly my judgement tels me if his Highness should for his time whatever he may for publike good grant for future part wholly with the Militia from his hand he should provoke providence and betray his trust to the Commonwealth which consists not of a few men that appropriate singularity to themselves for private interests but all the people and give his life as a prey to his enemies and with himself the three Nations which till some settlement be established depend upon his welfare As also the interest that all true Christian people in the world have in the welfare of this Nation There must be a trust somewhere but every man may not be trusted though every free born subject have right in it Nor can it be trusted in the hands of the multitude for they rule by voice not by Law nor to some of them because others have equal right Nor can it be safe under the hand of a government Democratical the thing mightily aimed at by the opposites to his Highness under specious shews to please and to deceive the people which is as experience tels us next cosen to the highest Tyranny why then not rather in him of whose trust and fidelity the people of this Nation have good experience and great deliverance from a first and second thraldom till he by Gods blessing with his Parliaments advice can settle it in safety for the future And whereas it is objected That he seeks a negative voice to the Parliaments resolves is a scandal He asks it not but only in those things that fundamentally concern the government and that is if men could see for publike benefit that neither Oligarchy nor Domocracy may start up to enthrall and enslave the people by governing them according to will and fancy by promises without known Laws where then would be the freedom and liberty of the people now so much talked of by the Objectors These things he only excepts against in all other things whatsoever of Parliament Resolves being drawn into Bils and offered unto his Highness if he consent not unto them within twenty daies they are to passe into and to become Laws although he shall not give his consent as is exprest in Art 24. And for his seeking to have power to make Laws and to raise money it is meer calumniation he seeks it not nor claims it not but leaves it to the wisedom of Parliament as appears in Art 6. except as is there excepted for and in cases of safety and of necessity till the time that this presant Parliament were assembled and that to be done by him with the advice of his counsel as in Art 30. so then he seeks not the strength nor treasure of the Nation to himself nor to have it in his own power as is objected And for Religion he seeks nor to have it in his power but leaves it also to the Parliament to debate consult and resolve that he by them and they by him might receive all light possible in so great a business for In the multitude of counsel there is safety It is indeed a great work beyond the wisedom of man to appoint without divine assistance and spiritual wisedom His Highness well knows the evil of the rigid prelatical Persecution in Tyrannizing over the consciences of men in that rigid st●ictness And he as well knows the evil of unbridled liberty that it is abused and made a Cloak of maliciousness and as servants to corruption occasions to the flesh and to licentiousness blasphemies heresies and doctrines of devils the original of all discord dissenti●ns quarrels seditions and confusion which seldom ends if tolerated but with destruction to the best and most flourishing Commonwealths These are Rocks that will split the Ship of the best fortified Commonwealth therefore carefully to be avoided by the best advice and skill of the most experienced Pilot in which his Highness doth not refuse the counsel of this Parliament nor doth he refuse to pass the Bill they shall agree on except in his wisedom he see as our chief Pilot something in it be dangerous to the well-being of the Nation and give them satisfaction therein for he is more in this case then any one man in Parliament possibly a vote may be carried by one man which in such a case he may justly deny because the utility peace and happiness of a Commonwealth depends upon the right Discipline in Religion and the justice of Execution of just Laws for regulating between two extreams Religion in the power of it in all godlinesse is a Law in it self and needs no Law to command it for Religion is truly the very nursing Mother to all vertues graces peace and unity among men And I must tell the Objector that the late Kings have not really endeavoured this but he or they had power to have done it the neglect was his ruine and a chief cause of Englands misery Nor did we engage against this power or authority of the late King but against his misusing of that power casting off those just Laws which by his authority he should have observed and commanded to be executed for the good of his people He seeking to rule by his own will by absolute power in himself to cast off all just Laws and adulterate Religion at his pleasure this was the Original of our war and this is that which the Ancients in all times have called Tyranny But his Highness assumes not to himself so much Authority as the late and former Kings claimed and exercised That which he claims is such a power as may enable him to establish Religion in its purity and that he with his Parliament might enact and give life to all just Laws under which the people may live in all peaceableness and be governed in all sobriety and godlinesse with tranquillity and utility for present and future that the people may dwell safely every man sitting under his own Vine and under his Figree as in the daies of Solomon 1 King 4. 15. Besides we ought to consider that for severall years past we have travelled in a wilderness in untroden and uneven waies and are digressed much from the right way of good discipline almost