as being the highest councel in the land in this cause I apeale debarred of my liberty before my cause according vnto the word be ouerthrowne The injury which I sustained the last parliament being a suitor in this cause enforceth me to craue this at your hands which otherwise I should haue perswaded my selfe to be a needles suit For wheras the auncient priueledges and liberties of this house do giue leaue during the parliament vnto any that are suitors thereunto quietly to follow their suits without feare of any arrest and being arrested do presently deliuer and set them free I was not suffred to enioy any the former liberties But contrary vnto all religion law equity and conscience to the great derogatiō of the liberties of this noble court was committed close prisoner by some who abused the high commission their dealing might haue appeared more tollerable lesse derogatorious vnto your Hh. worships if they had shewed any cause of mine imprisonmēt their abused authority only excepted which vnto this day is altogether vnknowne vnto me I know that the infirmities and wants of men who deale in good causes are commonly beaten vppon the back of the cause they handle Therefore the Lord knoweth how careful I haue bin to keepe it vnspotted and my selfe out of all vnnecessary danger Setting downe nothing before I had considered what might insue ether in regard of the matter or manner of deliuery But why did I publish a matter of such waight before I aquainted the parliament therewith Whie it is published to the ende that the parliament may bee acquainted with the suite which could not be done by priuate writing And it is but an vngodly shifte of those that woulde smother the trueth to pretend it to be against the law to moue the parliamēt in any suit that is printed As thogh the suits of men vnto that high courte were parliament statutes In deede if the parliament had enacted the remoouing out of Wales all L. Bb. dumb ministers c. Then were it an intollerable part for any to publishe their actes but by their appointment Graunt you the petition and the cauill of committing it to the presse will easily be answered If you do not meane to yeeld vnto the suite neither woulde you haue done it being mooued therevnto by priuate writing The cause I make knowne to the end it may be granted and herein let not my life be precious vnto me vpon the necessitie of the publishing hereof I stande because that the worlde may see when you redresse these things that you did nothing that you durst leaue vndone vnles you would bring swift destruction vpon your selues and the whole lande But what follie is it to thinke that such great matters wil be reformed in our dayes Rather what injurie doe they vnto the whole state who thinke that they wil any longer tollerate the breach of Gods law And in this point let the good opinion that they who alledge such pretences conceiue be wayed with my dutiful perswasions of this honorable assembly and both causes judged accordingly For mine owne part I think the majestie of the cause to be such as they who are the Lordes dare not but entertaine it and tremble to thinke that all this while it hath beene so carelesly attended vpon And it is in the behalfe thereof that I haue presumed to deale with you who otherwise durst not haue suffered my voyce to be hearde in the ears of the princes of my people Let what I haue written bee examined yea by mine aduersaries themselues if I haue any and it shal appeare that I haue made a conscience howe I haue delt with my superiors especially those concerning whom it is said you are Gods lest I should seem to leaue behinde me the least print of a minde in any sort tending to defame them or their gouernement As I haue bene carefull hereof so let the Lorde yea and no otherwise which I speak as far as my corruptions will permit grant this cause and my selfe also if it be his will fauour in your eyes In deed in regarde of the cause I come Mandatorie wise vnto this honorable assembly but in regard of my selfe I come in feare and trembling as vnto the Lords vicegerents entreating most humbly that the dignitie of so high a cause be thoght off nothing the more dishonorably because it is brought in my hands And I protest in respect of my sinnes that the Lorde may justly denie it the fauour it deserueth in your eyes because I am a dealer therein But this should be no reason why the parliament should giue it a repulse For in the eyes and eares of al the world I make it knowne that it is the cause of the liuing god wherin I deal And that if it had beene possible for me to haue written more humblye and dutifully I had done it Or if I had seene anye waye that might haue bene likelier to preuaile wirh my superiors then this I take the Lorde to witnesse vnto my soule that I woulde not haue vsed this course And I would to God I could tel how to make the cause plawsible So farre I am from setting downe any thing that might cary with it any shewe of occasion to hinder and disgrace the same Well I haue don my endeuour the successe I expect at the Lords hands vnto whome I commend the cause and the saluation of that poore people The sword of iustice reached vnto you by the Lord himselfe to take punishment onely of him that is an euil doer I fear not because I haue not offended If it should be drawne against me for this action the president would be such as they who ment herafter to prophesie vnto you might be aduisedly counseled not to prophesie and the Lord as a token of your iust destruction to ensue would say they shal not prophesie nor take shame If I haue spoken any vntruth beare witnes thereof if a trueth I dare stand to it by the Lords assistance and demand what he is that will presume to obiect and throw him selfe vnto the vengance of God by punnishing me an innocente It is a common manner with some in these dayes to threaten those who deale in this cause nowe in hand but they are to know that it is not so easie a matter to spil their bloud whose daies are numbered with the Lord. The Lord may I confesse with griefe in regard of my other sinnes bringe mine head to the graue with bloud but in this case what haue I offended And therfore vndouted woe wil betide him that shall molest me for this worke Howe soeuer it be thus I haue performed a duty towards the Lord his church my country you of this high court which I wold doe if it were to be done againe though I were assured to endanger my life thereby And be it knowne that in this case I am not afraid of earth If I perish I perish My comforte is that I knowe whither to go in that day wherein the secrets of all hearts shal be manifested the sincerity also of my cause shal apeare It is inough for me howsoeuer I be miserable in regard of my sinnes that yet vnto Christ I both liue and die and purpose by his grace if my life should be prolonged to liue hereafter not vnto my selfe but vnto him and his church otherwise then hitherto I haue don The Lord is able to raise vp those that are of puerer hands and lipps then I am to write and speak in the cause of his honor in Wales And the Lord make them whosoeuer they shal be neuer to be wanting vnto so good a cause the which because it may be the Lords pleasure that I shal leaue them behind me in the world I earnestly and vehemently commend vnto them as by this my last wil testament And haue you R. honourable worshipful of this parlirment poore Wales in remembraunce that the blessing of many a saued soule therein may follow her Maiestie your Hh. and worships overtake you light vppon you and stick vnto you for euer The eternal God giue hir Maiesty you the honor of building his church in Wales multiply the daies of hir peace ouer vs blesse her and you so in this life that in the life to come the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen may be her and your portion So be it good Lord. By him that hath bound him selfe continually to pray for your Hh. and worships IOHN PENRI
A viewe of some part of such publike wants disorders as are in the seruice of God within her Maiesties countrie of VVales togither vvith an humble PETITION vnto this high Court of Parliament for their speedy redresse ¶ WHEREIN IS SHEVVED not only the necessitie of reforming the state of religion among that people but also the onely way in regarde of substaunce to bring that reformation to passe ¶ To all those that faythfully loue the lord Iesus and vnfainedly desire the flowrishing estate of Sion together vvith the vtter razing of vvhatsoeuer obscureth the perfect beutie therof namely to such of my brethren and countrimen as the Lord hath enlightened with a true knowledge the ioy of an vpright and comfortable profession with the encrease of all other the Lords good graces be multiplyed in Iesus Christe our LORD I Am not ignoraunt beloued in the Lord hovv many and great causes there are vvherof the very least might seeme to haue bene sufficiently able to discourage me from this enterprise vvhich vnder the holy hand of my God I haue novv vndertaken J am guiltie vnto my selfe of great corruption and vveakenes The glory of God is not so regarded amongest men as it ought to be The Parliament hath hytherto reiected this cause The enemies thereof are many and strong But as the discouragements are not a fevve so J confesse my self to be dravvn back vvith none more then vvith the consideration of my selfe For looking into mine ovvn hart I do from the bottom therof protest so sinful base contemptible and euery vvay so vveak a vvretch as J am to be the vnfittest instrument vnder heauen to deale in so vvaighty a cause Jt commeth into my minde that the Lord in iust iudgments tovvards my sinnes should deny any blessing vnto my endeuors J knovv that my vveaknes in handling the cause might disgrace the same And inasmuch as states for the most part looke vvith fleshly eyes It commeth into my minde that the suit by reason of my base estate should be reiected and cast off But all those likelihoods notvvithstanding yet I see that the Lord vvill haue the cause once againe brought vnto the Parliament in my hands to try vvhether men vvill not acknovvledge the Gopell and the gouernment of his son to vvit the scepter vvhereby alone Christ Iesus ruleth among men to be vvorth the entertaynment in their assemblies thogh it be not accompanied vvith that vvorldly maiesty vvhervvith vvhen it pleaseth him he is able to countenance it And hereby it is in deed that men do truly shâ—vv themselues to tremble before the son of God and to stoop vnto his royall Scepter vvhen they are not ashamed of his vvord hovv base soeuer they be that become suiters in the behalfe therof For mine ovvne part hovvsoeuer I haue iust occasion to lament mine ovvne great corruptions yet J may boldly say in the presence of God al those vnto vvhose consideration these labors of mine are offred publish thus much that this cause as near as I could is altogither separated from those foul staines vvhervvith J acknovvledge my selfe to be defiled And J hope that it so offereth it selfe vnto the publike vievv and consideration of the Parliament as they haue no iust cause by reason of my great vveaknes and base estate to reiect the same Neyther is any man to maruell that J being charged of late by M. Doct. Some in publike vvriting to be not onely a defender of many blasphemous errors but also an vnderminer of the ciuill State durst presume to become a sutor vnto the high Court of Parliament before J had first cleared my selfe of those crimes For my purpose being to haue published an ansvvere to M.D. Some before this cause should be made knovvn I vvas dravvne vvhether I vvould or no to take the opportunity of setting out this vvhich I thought to be most vvaighty least that if I had deferred it vntill th' other had come forth I might haue bin preuented of the means to publish it in any due time Besides the 185. page line 2. 30. of M.D. Somes booke vvherein he hath freely graunted me the controsie betvveene vs vvhich is that vnpreaching ministers are no ministers and consequently not to be communicated vvith do euidently shevv that he did not vvell knovv himselfe vvhat he did in charging me so far beyond christian modesty for defending nothing els in these points but that vvhich his ovvne vvritings do publikely vvitnes against him to be Gods truth So that of al oother causes his bare and by his ovvne vvitnes for the most part false accusations ought least of all to disvvade me from this labour though I neuer ment to aunsvvere him But by the grace of God he shal be ansvvered and that very shortly And the Petition being in the behalfe of Gods honor and the good of his Church the small regard that the Parliament hath had heretofore vnto such suites ought not greatly to discourage me the nomber might povver and authoritie of the enemies of the cause much lesse He that ruleth the harts of men can encline them to the setting forth of his ovvne glory vvhen he thinketh good That vvhich the Lord for some cause seeming good vnto his vvisdome doth not grant at one time he being for the promoting of his honor lightly bringeth to passe at some other season And the attempts of his children for the buylding of his Church haue not alvvayes that successe vvhich they vvish vnder their hands For he vseth the endeuors of some not to finish the building but to be a preparation vnto that vvorke which he meaneth to effect by the hand of others Zerubabel and Ezra labored very hardly in the building of Ierusalem the Lord did not finish the vvorke by their means and yet that vvhich they did vvas a great furtherance vnto Nehemiah vvhose hands the Lord vsed in ioyning the vvall So the endeuors of Gods children in our dayes may haue their effect to the glory of God and the comfort of his Church amongst our posterities It vvas a common demaund the last Parliament vvhere the cause of reformation being then labored for vvas 26. or 28. years agone and vvherfore after so many years of the Gospell enioyed in this land the motion of altering the outvvard state of the Church in the offices and officers therof Came it so out of time to be considered off Least the like obiection should be vsed in the ages to come behold the mountayns of VVales do novv in the 31. yeare of the raign of Queen ELIZABETH call heauen and earth to vvitnes that they are vveary of their dumb ministers nonresidents Lord Bishops c. and that they desire to be vvatered by the devve of Christs holy Gospell and to be compassed about vvith that beautifull vvall of his holy gouernment Be it then granted that the Lord in anger tovvards our sins doth not account vs novv liuing vvorthy to be inuited by hir right excellent Maiesty
and the state as Jsrael vvas somtimes by the godly king Hezekiah to giue the hand to the Lord 2. Chro. 31.8 and to come vnto the Sanctuary vvhich he hath chosen serue the Lord our God that the fiercenes of his vvrath should turne avvay from vs yet notvvithstanding least it should be preiudiciall vnto our children that vve neuer claymed any interest vnto the trueth of the Gospell and neuer desired to be vnburdened of our blinde and tyrannicall guydes This Petition of mine shal be a vvitnes that both hath bin labored for VVhosoeuer they be then that vvould vvish men not to trouble themselues in that cause vvherein in their iudgements they can see no hope of preuayling doe not consider that thereby they bereaue our posterities of a great means to come by that vvhich the children of God novv liuing vvould so vvillingly obtaine And they do not consider that as the Lord hath appointed some to lay the foundation make vp the buylding of his Church so he hath ordayned others to prepare and as it vvere to clense the place vvhere he meaneth to buyld his Temple The aduersaries of this cause may be many and of great countenance but vve knovve that the Lord hath committed all povver in heauen and in earth not vnto man but vnto his ovvne sonne Christe Jesus the alone head and king ouer his Church Math. 28.18 The cause therefore in hand being his in vvhose hands is all povver and dominion vvhy should vve feare any thing that earth can inuent against the same And if the question vvere vvho ought to be terrified in this matter they by vvhom the Petition is promoted or they vvho oppugne the same it shall be found that the aduersaries hereof haue no other cause but to be stroken vvith a desperate and vncomfortable feare VVhereas on the other side the patrons of the suite may be euery vvay exceedingly comforted For vvhat els do the enemies hereof but after the manner of the vvicked mencioned in the booke of IOB say vnto the Almighty depart thou from vs Chap. 2â— 13 15. Because we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes any further then it may stand vvith the vpholding of the corruptions receaued and mayntained in our Church by the consent of the State Yea and in their practize they say vvho is the Almighty that vve should serue him if he be so strickt in his vvorshipp that he cannot abide a Church gouernment to be mayntained vvhich may be changeable at the pleasure of the ciuill State VVho is the Almighty that vve should serue him if none must he in our ministery but such as both for their gifts and faythfulnes do in deed shevv themselues to be his true messengers VVho is the Almighty that vve should serue him if men for the bettering of their outvvard state may not be Lords ouer their brethren and ioyn liuing vvith liuing that they may be able to maynayne a part vnbeseeming their calling And I vvould they did not say vvhat profit is there if vve did stoup so lovv vnto him as vvithout delay there should nothing be in our Church vvhich might svvarue from that seuere rule of his vvord Should Gods children then feare least these men should haue the vpper hand ouer them and the Lords cause vvhich they mayntayn Nay I tell you that although such aduersaries vvere of that povver and authority that it might be demaunded VVho they vvere that durst presume to declare their euill vvayes vnto their faces yet should they vndoutedly be made as stubble before the vvind and as the chaff vvhich the storm caryeth avvay For this cause and euery one that in the sincerity of his hart seeketh the prosperous successe therof may boldly say vvith IOB Mine enemie shal be as the wicked Iob. 27.7 20.27 21.10 and he that riseth against me as the vnrighteous the heauens shall declare his wickednesse and the earth shall rise vp against him The encrease of his house shall go away it shall flowe away in the day of his wrath his eyes shall see his destruction and he shall drinke of the wrath of the Almightie This shal be the portion of as many as to the end oppose themselues against the cause of reformation novv labored for Jt is not a matter of dalliance to vvithstand the povverfull ordinance of God in the gouerment of his Church especially vvhen in the steede thereof the marchandize of shamelesse Babylon is maintayned Jt is but folly to fight against the lambe in the defence of her pleasant things For the lamb shall ouercome because he is the king of kings and the Lord of Lords and they that are of his side chosen and called and faythfull Great Babylon the mother that mighty harlot being in her ful strength in this land vvas not able to stand against him vvhat then shall it boote the vveake daughter to striue And let them feare and take heede vvho defend the daughters fornication least they be made partakers of the punishment denounced against them vvho committed adultery vvith the mother Themselues they may hurt but their practizes against Gods trueth and his Sayntes ought not to discourage the Lords chosen from standing to the cause of their master Be they then neuer so many neuer so povverfull neuer so flovvrishing neuer of so great authority in the eyes of the vvorld vvho cannot abide that the Gospell should haue such a free passage in this kingdome as the heat thereof shoulde melt vvhatsoeuer is amisse in our state yet the Lorde not being of their side in this poynt they shall not be able to preuaile For this is that cause against vvhich neuer man as yet striued and prospered J knovve there vvill be many in this Parliament vvho questionlesse fauor the cause of God from their heart vvould be forvvard in pleading for the soueraigntie of Christ Iesus if they savv not their endeuors crossed and vvithstood by many of high place and authoritye All those vvhosoeuer they be J do from the bottome of mine heart earnestly beseech that they vvould consider that in dealing for the putting dovvne of the dumbe ministery for the abolishing of Nonresidency and the rooting out of Lord Archb. and Lord Bishops and vvhatsoeuer els the right hand of the Lord hath not planted and in seeing that the vvorde preached may freely sound thorowout this kingdome they do therby nothing els but desire that the God of heauen and earth may be acknoledged and accounted vvorthy alone to rule in his Church vvithin this land The consideration vvhereof ought so to mooue and stir them vp as no creature vnder heauen should be able to dismay them in this their Petition and request They seeke that he may rule his Church by his vvord and lavves alone at vvhose reproffe the a 2 Iob. 21.12 pillers of heauen do tremble and quake They seeke that he may be acknovvledged for the onely Sauiour and redeemer of men and for the onely
this honourable â—ourt of Parliament you are not to learne that â—o defend by lawe or to countenance by authoriâ—ie the breach of gods ordinance is the defence of sin and that the defence of sinne is the hatred of God who rewardeth them to their faces that â—ate him Deut. 7.10 and therefore also you are â—ot to be taught what horrible sinnes you shall â—ommit Nomb. 26.9 if hereafter you stil maintaine such plain manifest impieties They are no trifles as you â—ee For I assure you that Dathan and Abiram â—he sonnes of Eliab men famous in the congregation had more colour of right to claime vnto themselues either the ciuill gouernement from Moses or the priesthood from Aharon Because they were the sonnes of Reuben the firste borne vnto whose lotte had he not defiled his fathers a Gen. 49.4 bedd by all likelihood either the scepter or the priesthood should haue fallen then these vsurpers haue to claim the places they are in wherevnto either by right of inheritance according to the flesh or ordinaunce from God they came by no title Here it must needes followe you of this honorable assemblie hauing regarde vnto the estate of your soules and bodies before the Lord and your good names amoÌ„g posterities that if these things set downe be true if not bring vppon me deserued shame and punishment you wil either labor to redres the miserable estate of distressed wales by erecting there a godly ministerie and abollishing all Cananitishe relikes or for the defence of a fewe vnconscionable and godlesse men aduenture to vndergoe the fierie and flaming execution of the burning decree of Gods wrath My Lords and you the rest of this assemblie be not deceiued the Lord of heauen is angrie with you and his whole hoast for the Babilonish garments of these Achanes Ioh. 7.9.21 Retayne them no longer if you would not fall before the enemie When the L. shall plead with you your wiues children family the whole land Ezek. 38.22 with pestilence or with blood as he is likely to do for these wedges of execrable golde it is not the pontificall Lordships of Bishops at whose commaundement the Lords sword wil returne again into his sheath when your gasping soules shal cry for mercy at the Lords hand it is not the proud and popelike Lordshipps of Bishopps their vsurped jurisdictions their profane excommunications their pitiles murthering of soules their railinge slaunders against Gods truth and his seruants their impious brething of the holy Ghost vpon their Idol priestes that wil driue the Lord to giue you any comfort Let me therfore thogh my persoÌ„ be base entreat you that the judgments of God against sin both in this life in that other of eternal wo misery may apeare so terible in your eies and of that vndouted consequence as you wil no longer retain vnder your gouernment these things whose continuance do giue the Lord just cause in this life to pronounce this sentence by the mouth of Ieremie against euerie on of you Iere. 22.29 that wil not promote this sute and execute the same O earth earth earth here the wordes of Iehouah write these men destitute of children men that shall not prosper in their dayes yea there shal not bee a man of their seed that shall prosper and bee a-parliament man or beare rule in England any more And in the life to come to say moreouer These mine enemies that would not haue me to beare rule Luk. 19.27 by mine owne lawes ouer them and their people bring hither slay before my face yea bind them hand and foote and throw them to vtter darknes there is weeping gnashing of teth And let me crauing vpon my knees with all submission and earnestnes and more earnest if it were possible to obtane that my countrymen by your meanes may haue the word preached euen the meanes whereby they may liue for euer with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Graunt them this my Lordes though I dye for it And this the Lord knoweth is the only scope of my writing and not the discrediting or galling of our Lorde Bb. Let not their places withstand the saluation of my brethren and the true seruice of God among them and if euer I either write or speake more against them any further then their places are like to be the ruine of hir Maiestie and the whole state let it cost me my life Here me in this sute good my Ll. The reward thereof your soules shall find otherwise I am likelie to become a wearisom and an importunate sutor vnto this high assemblye The cause is so juste that if it were as sometimes it was by the apostle him selfe decided in the Athenianes Areopago a court for heathen justice of famous and celebrated memory I doubt not but it should be hard And shal it not haue justice in the christian parliament of England Iustice my Lords I say for I seeke nothing else but that the statutes of the God of judgment and justice may be made known in my country wher now they are vnhard of Then the which I know not what can be more just neither can I see what justice in truth can be administred by them that neglect this cause Trulie for mine owne parte God aiding me I wil neuer leaue the suite though there shoulde bee a thousand parliaments in my dayes vntill I either obtaine it at your handes or bring the Lord in vengeance and bloud to plead against you for repelling his cause I hope it wil not be here said that the parliament can doe nothing in the matter because hytherto all Churche causes haue bin referred vnto the conuocation house the leaders thereof namelie to our Bishops And doe you meane it shal be so still Then shall you still maintain these horrible profanations of Gods sanctuarie whereof I haue spoken Then may it be said vnto your shame that Sion lying vppon the ground and mourning like a widdow stretched out her handes vnto the parliament of England but could find no comfort Then may you stil be said to betray Gods truth to betray the saluation of his people yea and to betray the liberties of this parliament For what assembly is there in the land that dare chaleng vnto it selfe the ordering of religion if the parliament may not When you say then that you may not deale in the matters of religion because the determinations of that cause is referred vnto the Bishops assembled in the conuocation house who in their Cannons are to prouide and see that the church be not in a decaied state do you not thereby thinke you rob your selues of your owne prerogatiue and liberties and take order that the church without controuersie may be starued and spoiled In deed if the conuocation house were such as it ought to be vz. a sinod of sincere and godly learned ministers wherein matters of relligion were determined of according to the worde and
honorable assembly let my counsell be acceptable vnto you breake of your sinnes by rooting out these plants which the Lorde neuer planted in his vineyarde and your iniquities by abandoning the same so much as in you lieth so there may be a healing of your former ouersight If not the Lords face will be against you yours and the wholland for euil not for good Oh my Lords is it not a miserable case that men should so liue vnder your gouerment in this life as they cannot possibly but liue in hel in the life to come Oh my Ll. heauen cannot be obtayned whē we are gon Oh my Ll. now is the time for the gospell to florish in Wales or neuer Oh my Ll. if her Maiestie and your honors whome from my verye heart I wish the Lorde to blesse should be gone the way of all the world for mine owne part the staffe of mine hope to see any good done amongst my brethren should be broken Blame me not therefore if I deale earnestly in a cause of so great a moment and so vnlikely to be obtayned of our wofull posterities whom my suit in a most neere sort concerneth Oh why should they haue cause to say the Lord be judge between vs and the gouernours which were vnder Queene Elizabeth in the dayes of our fathers for they might haue opened our eyes and healed our woundes which now alasse are desperat and past recouery It is now full 30. yeares and vpward since Babylon hath bin ouerthrowne in Wales rather by the voice of her maiesties good laws whom good Lord forget not for this worke then the sounde of any trumpet from the mouthes of the sonnes of Aaron among vs. But alasse what shall we and our posterities be the better for this if Sion bee not built And what comfort can Zerubbabel or Nehemiah haue to bring them out of Babylon if they meane but to reaedifie Shilo seeing it is the beautie of Sion wherein the Lorde delighteth We haue cause in deed to thanke God that this wicked citie hath beene by her Maiestie broken downe in some sort but are neuer the better seeing the walles of Sion lie euen with the grounde Nowe for the space of 28. yeares no man greatly laboured to her Majestie the parliament or the people themselues eyther by speaking or writing in the behalfe of eyther of these vnreconcilable cities Men belike thinking no more to be required at their hands then the razing of Babel and the diuel as yet contenting himselfe with Bethel The last parliament by al liklihod the very same week vpon a sodaine the interprises of the building of both in 2. seueral books issuing from 2. of the remotest corners in our lands Southwales and Northwales was taken in hand The one of the books pleading the cause of Sion cōminig forth by publike authority and alowance was directed vnto her Maiestie and the parliament requiring at their hands by vertue of the lords own mandatory letters the performance of this work shewing by euidence of greatest antiquitye this to be required of duty at their hands as a part of the homadge due vnto his highnes whose foedaries and vassales all the princes and states vnder heauen must acknowledg themselues to be and a portion of that inheritance being theirs by lineall dissent from their predecessors the godly kings and rulers who time out of minde alwaies laid their shoulders vnto this burthen y druch Christiano-gawl The other written in weltch printed in an obscure caue in Northwales published by an author vnknowne more vnlerned for I think he had neuer read any thing but the common published resolution of R. P. a booke contayning many substantiall errors Fryer Rush and other shamful fables stood to by non and hauing no reason to shew why his Babilon should be raedefied it contained it self within the hands of a fewe priuate men and neuer durst to this houre be made knowne vnto any of our magestrats Both the books in this thing had the same successe in that both together they fel into the hands of the prelats who as they pretend are enemies vnto both places but vndoubtedly vnto Sion especially as it apeared by their hard dealing with the patrone of that cause This is spoken in respect of the church gouernment whereas the fautors of the other being also in their handes were either not at al delt with or very curteously entertained of them The reason of their enemity vnto both but their hatred vnto Siō is that neuer I feare me meaning to go thether and constrained by lawe to be enemies vnto the other they haue of the gold of Caldea and the drosse of Ierusalem compacted them a citty wherewith they meane to content them selues vntil they returne to Babel again or the Lord be merciful vnto thē vnto a worse place Haue they not therfore good cause to be the more beholding to the on for the gold then the other for the drosse Wel be you asured hereof that they who stirred vp both these instruments both at one time will neuer suffer them to cease vntil in Wales either a church of Christ or a sinagogue of sathan be built Out of question the concurring of both causes sheweth that the lord hath som secret work in the matter Sathans instruments for their parts were neuer busier then they are at this houre and shal I be silent They trecherously against the lawes of God and this land seek to bring the people again vnto Egipt I according vnto both endeuour neuer to let them rest vntil it please the Lord by meanes of her Maiesty and the parlament to bring them within the land of promise no though they were vppon mount Nebo whence with their eies they might view the same They haue delt and deal secretly with poor soules in dark corners and dare not make knowne the fabulous cause I haue delt al this while in the face of the sun and nowe before the state of the land assembled together I-want not a good cause and by the grace of god it shal neuer want the poore defence which I cann yeld vnto it or hide the face as long as I liue whether you countenance it or no I know that on day it shal preuail when this wil be the Lord knoweth best but the matter is whether you wil embrace Christ in the building of his Church or Sathan in continuing the breaches thereof Therfore entertaine this cause you giue Sathan the foile reject this and you strengthen him And try if you deny it the hearing whether the very papists in this land wil not be thereby encoraged to supplicate vnto the parliament that you would graunt them the liberty of their seared consciences to commit publike idolatry Al that hitherto I haue spoken hath ben said either in the cause of Christ which is a good cause or in the behalfe of Sathan If I seeke the building of his sinagog wil you let me liue If of the
lavvgiuer in his Church vvho hath protested that he vvil not abide to impart the glory thereof vnto any other And vvhom should they then feare in this suite The Lorde hath promised that none vvho trust in him shall perish Psal 34.22 And he hath promised that although the vvicked vvatch to slay the righteous yet he vvill not leaue him in his hand psal 37.32 Yea he hath promised to be vvith those that fear him vvhen they Esay 48.1.2 passe through the vvaters that they should not be ouerflovven and vvhen they vvalke thorough the fire that they should not be burnt VVherefore then shold they fear man whose breath is in his nostrels as long as they sincerely stand to the cause of their God Though they be but a fevv in nomber yet the Lord vvith legions of Angels standeth on their side to d scomfite all those that contende vvith him Oh J vvould that the vvords of the Lord spoken by Isaiah the Prophet vvere thoroughly vvritten in the hearts of as many in this honorable assembly as for the feare of man vvill be the hardliar dravvn throughly to stand to the cause of their God For thus comfortably the Prophet Chap. 51 of his prophesie speaketh vnto all those that vvith an vpright heart seeke the honor of the Lord. Heare me ye that follow after righteousnes and ye that seeke the Lord looke to the rocke whence you are hewen and to the hole of the pitt whence you are digged Consider Abraham your father and Sarah that bare you for I called him alone and blessed him and encreased him Hearken vnto me yee that know righteousnes and the people in whose hearts is my law fear ye not the reproch of men neither be you afraide of their rebukes I euen I am he that comfort you Who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man which shal be made as grasse and forgettest the Lorde thy maker which hath spredd out the heuens layd the foundations of the earth c. Novv then vvhosoeuer they be that are timerous in the cause of God as alasse vvhat flesh and blood is not too too feareful here is a stedfast rocke for them to leane vnto here is a defender for them vnder the shadovv of vvhose vvings they might be bold to contemne vvhatsoeuer their aduersaries can bring against them Are they but a fevv in nomber let them looke vnto Abraham he vvas called alone and yet the Lord blessed him and encreased him Are they afrayd of the rebukes of man vvhy they seeke the righteous vvayes of the Lord and therefore he commandeth them not to feare Are they povverfull and mighty by vvhom the suit is d scountenaunced yea but notvvithstanding they are but mortall they shal be made as grasse and the time vvill come vvherein it shal be demanded VVhere are they novv that vvithstood the cause of God in the Parliament of England Js not their memory vvritten in vvater and their hope perished together vvith them To desire the free passage of the Gospell in this land together vvith the speedie remoouing of all that hindereth the same is to plead the cause of that God vvho hath controlled kings and great Monarches yea quite ouerthrovvne them their kingdomes for denying the free vse of his seruice vvithin their dominions Euen the cause of that God vvho hath not onely brideled the rage of tyrants entending the suppression of his trueth but also turned that vnto the great good of his Church vvhereby they sought to vvorke the ruine thereof Pharaoh Achitophel Senacherib Haman came to the graue vvith blood vvhen in the eyes of men the most of them vvere likeliest to preuayle and the cause of God and his children vnlikeliest to stand The Lord in this kingdom can do the like vvhen he thinketh good Ezra 4.7.8 5.3 Cap. 6.7 7.23 The accusations and slanders of Mithridath Tabeel Rehum Shimsai Shetherboznai vvith their companions did seeme likely once and againe to hinder the buylding of the holy citie but at the length it broght froÌ„ Darius a most sure strong commandement for the furtherance of the work clean contrary to the expectation of the enemie And vvho knovveth vvhether the Lord at this Parliament vvill not stir vp the spirits of the Sates and especially of her R. excellent Maiestie that they may say vnto the enemies of this cause as Darius did vnto the men aforenamed Therefore Tatnai captaine beyond the riuer Shetherboznai vvith their companions be ye far from them Suffer the vvorke of this house of God to go forvvard And a Ezra 7.23 vvhatsoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen let it be done speedely for the house of the God of heauen for vvhy should he be vvroth against the realm c. vvherfore beloued vvhosoeuer you be that at any time shal be imployed eyther as Parliament or othervvise in the sâ—tting forvvard of the cause of reformation stand manfully in defence of the truth the liberty of his Church The practises of the aduersaries I mean of our bishops shevv manifestly that these reliques of cursed Babylon vvhich they maintayne among vs must needs go avvay vvith a noyse as the rest vvas ouerthrovvne They vvill not yeelde to the trueth hovvsoeuer it hath gotten the vpper hande of them The Lord must vse violence to throvv them out as he did against the caterpillers their forefathers Reuel 18.19 They haue manifested hitherto hovv desperate and past recouery the cause vvhich they defend is become in that they haue denyed to yeelde a quiet and a brotherly conference or disputation vvith those vvho are contrary minded vnto them Jf J may but procure this vvith our BB. in VVales I vvill loose my life if they be not ouerthrovven vvhich I speake not vvithout the humble acknovvledgement of myne ovvne vveaknes And let me not be thought by any to deale too confidently for J deale in a sure and a confident cause vvhich is not timerously to be delt in but in the feare of God vvith all boldnes to be stood to and auouched And whensoeuer they or any of theirs shal but aduenture their places against my life they shall perceiue by the grace of God that there is strength in the cause which hitherto they haue withstood to their smal gaine Yea but I might haue dealt more sparingly against them It vvere pity in deed but J should intreat the high court of Parliament to heale the disease of my countrie but so notvvithstanding as they vvould suffer the cause of the griefe and misery thereof still to remaine The Parliament should be sued vnto for helpe against the disease and bane of the country of VVales but so as they vvould fauor the causes thereof And vvhat malladie is there J pray you in our Church vvhereof the dumbe ministers nonresidents our Lord BB. vvith the rest of that vngodly generation are not the cause J should spare them vvho spare not the Church
to consider so shal it be plaine and free without minishing or clipping any part of the trueth for the feare or fauor of any creature which it concerneth you to heare wherein I will vtter nothing but that which by the assistaunce of God I will seale with my blood if I shall be driuen therevnto The reason moouing me to so free and plaine a kind of writing as neither I dealing in the same cause nor yet any els before me haue vsed is not the Lord is my witnes because I would hereby arrogate vnto my selfe the prayse of a bolde rebuker of states great personages but it is first because I deale in that matter vpon the goodnes whereof I may presume to speak the whole truth of God especially writing vnto an assembly professing true religion Secondly because the suite is put vp vnto them who although they professe to seeke the honor of God yet haue heretofore altogether vndutifully refused to giue the hearing vnto any motion tending vnto the reformation of the religion which they pretend to fauor and professe Some of them thinking the cause at all not worthie to be delt in Others not altogether disliking the suite iudged notwithstanding the time wherein it was to be handled not to be as yet come Because they saw that the base and supplicatorie maner whereby it desired the hearing made al other causes comming with authority from men to be preferred before it The most who in deede sincerely fauoreth the cause haue thought it to be a gaineles matter to deale at all therein For as much as it is the generall voyce of all men that reformation cannot be taken in hand without the high and heauie displeasure of her Maiestie who to speake as I am perswaded being borne in hand by the vngodly perswasions of some godlesse and irreligious men of the Ecclesiastical state that the Church within her Maiesties dominions cannot be at a better stay then it is hath not without great reason bene hitherto the hard liar induced to haue the cause of religion againe dealt in which she is perswaded altogether to be in a tollerable sort according to the will of her God Being also vndutifully borne in hand that the endeuour of reforming religion is nothing else but a new fangled and seditious attempt proceeding from the factious discontented braines of those who are slandered to desire thereby nothing els but the alteration of the present state dangerous to her royal crowne and person and ruinous vnto the whole kingdome In respect whereof the cause offering it selfe againe to be considered of this high court it became the same to come with a maiesticall and terrifying countenance that if it pleased the Lorde it might this way for feare compell them dutifully to stoupe vnto it whose fauor and good liking in a peaceable manner hitherto it coulde by no means procure And it became it so to offer it selfe as withall it might appeare that the enterprise of reforming religion is not a matter tendinge to the disturbinge of the common-wealth and the disliking of her Maiestie Except men would slanderously surmise the estate of this kingdome to be so out of square as Gods trueth cannot haue passage therein without the imminent ruine of al and slanderously report her Maiesties will and affection to be then intollerably crossed when the will of her God is sought to be established which assertions shal be manifested to be grieuous and vndutifull slaunders against hir Maiestie and the state by the opening of such thinges as being amisse within Wales the Lorde requireth to be reformed at the handes of her Maiestie and this Parliament The wants therefore and corruptions of the seruice of God in Wales joyned with the misery of that people are first in that the most congregations within that countrie haue all this time of the Gospell preached in Englande had no other seruice of God for the working of fayth and repentance sounding in them but such as whereby the people partaking the same cannot possibly be saued ordinarily Mistake me not For I doe not saye that eyther that seruice which all this time of her Maiesties gouerment they haue had and now haue is idolatrous or that by the publike authoritie of her Maiestie and the Parliament they haue bin publikely enjoyned to professe any other religiō then that only true religion in the professiō wherof alone ordinary saluation is to be had But I affirme that God is not otherwise serued in the most assemblies there then that way whereby the food of eternall life shall neuer be ordinarily conuayed to the people This I affirme and this I will stand vnto because for the space nowe of 30. yeares complete they haue euery where for the most part wanted the preaching of the word without which as it is plainely set downe in manye places of the a Iam. 1.12 1 Pet. 1 2◠Iob. 33.23 1. Cor. 121. Rom. 10.14 Ephes 1.13 and 2.17 Acts. 20.32 Pro. 8.34.35 Isay 53.11 word and I haue elswhere largely prooued vnto her Maiestie and this high court ordinarily no fleshe can be saued Now my Lords and you the rest of this Parliament consider I pray you what care hath bin had of the soules of men vnder her Maiesties gouernement and how in the dayes of reckoning and account these things wil be answered Consider how lamentable a case it is that in the flowrishingest gouernment for outward peace that is again vnder the cope of heauen where publike idolatrie hath bene bannished not one family or one tribe but a whole nation should perishe for want of knowledge And see whether I haue not sufficient cause to deale with you on the behalfe of my countrie My crie my crie is not the crie of b Deut. 11.8 giltlesse and innocent blood which were verye woefull but of lost and damned foules which is most lamentable and giue you eare vnto it my LL. least the blood of soules bee laide to your charge and required at your hands For it is not the judispensible dutie of the Parliament to giue eare vnto this crie Howe then I pray you will it be answered before the judge of all the worlde in the day of judgement if you be carelesse of a dutie so necessarily required at your handes when our Sauiour Christ affirmed it to be nothing availeable vnto men to winne the whole worlde Luk. 9.22 if they lose their owne soules Did he thereby thinke you not only enforce that they are in a miserable taking who in respect of the knowledge of their saluation know not the right hand from the left but also forcible in feare that gouernours vnto whome of trust he hath committed inferiours discharge not their duties in his sight vnlesse they haue great care of the saluation of their people Questionlesse he doth Let them therefore be afraide of aeternall shame and confusion who blushe not to be busie in the consultation of euerye trifling matter and would be accounted great
the cause of God heard with out partiallitie then indeed were it their partes to set downe for the direction of the parliament such thinges as were behoofull for the glorie of God and the good of his church the parliament by their direction according to the word ought to enjoine all the ministers and people whatsoeuer should be thus enacted by the ciuil state And if the conuocatition house were such an assembly then were it not laweful for the parliament to establish any thing in the matters apertaininge vnto the pure worship of God among their people but that wherein they shoulde be directed by the aduise of the churche gouernours For as in a christian common wealth where the ciuill state sincerely fauoureth the true worship of the Lord it is not tollerable no not for the right and lawful muchlesse say the vsurping tiranical gouernors of the church establish any thing in the church but by the authoritie of the christian magistrat so wher there are godly wise and sincere ministers it is vnlawfull for the ciuill gouernour to order any thing in the church within his domminions but by their direction according to the word So that I doe not denie but that the conuocation house being an assembly of true and lawful church officers you ought to vse their advise and direction how the wants of the church might be supplied But you shoulde not permit them to enact what they would by their owne authoritie especially their decrees being as now they are to the ratifying of corruptions and to the continuance of vngodly callings within these dominions And if you mean to giue ouer your right in dealing with the case of God vnto the conuocation house to what end shall the states of the land meete together in parliament be euer againe sued vnto But alasse that any thing in church causes shal be referred vnto that assemblie which would not stand as it doth if there weare that good order in the church which the Lord requireth and and as long as it doeth stand must needs be the cause of all disorders therein and must needs be a meanes of continuing that staruing ignoranuce which raigneth in this land Why my Lords to referre the cause of religion vnto the Conuocation house is nothing els but to charge the wolues vnder paine of the displeasure of careful shepherds to see that the lambes may be fedd besides the injurious derogation that thereby is offered vnto the liberties of this house And that it may appear how justly I apeal from that sinagogue vnto this high court of parliament and what small hope there is to be conceiued of reforming the abuses of our Church if the redresse be committed vnto that meeting you of the honorable court of parliament are to vnderstand that the conuocation house condemneth this cause of christ now in hand before it be hard and that their onely endeuours who are there mett is howe to preuent him from bearing rule in the Church by his owne lawes For it is well knowne that all of them haue banded and linked them selues together to maintaine the corruptions of our Church whereof I haue before spoken as the vngodly and popish hierarchie of bishops the ignorant ministery c. Which thing shal be manifested by the consideration of the persones who are admitted vnto the consultation meeâ—ing And they are of 2. sorts First these whoe by â—easoÌ„ of the superiority they vsurp over their breâ—hreÌ„ must needs be the chief doers in that house â—ow ignorant vnconscionable and vnfit for the gouernment of the Church soeuer they be Of which number are our Archbb. and L. bishops c. The second sort is of these who hauing no interest to be there in respect of anye superioritie they beare in the Churche are therefore elected and chosen to be there as the clarks of the Convocation house c. But there is such freedome and liberty in the choyse of these men that great care and heede is alwayes had by our L. Bb. that none shal be chosen thither but such as for good causes are knowen to bee vtter enemies vnto all sinceritie and strong maintainers of the established corruptions if any other by some meanes be gotten thither who doth but once mention the healing of the wounds of our Church he is straightwaies taken for a Nicodemus among theÌ„ namely for a man fauoring that side which none of the great Scribes and Pharises can brook and lightly they take that order with him which the Iewes tooke with those who professed our Sauiour Christ that is they bannish him out of their Synagogue To be briefe whosoeuer are of the house there is nothing done there but what the former sort to wit L. archb Bb. would haue enacted For the rest eyther cannot or wil not withstand their proceedings The whole sway then direction of this synod being in their hands who are for the most part the greatest cause of the teares of our Church will you referre the ordering of religion the reformation of the church vnto the Conuocation house I haue alreadye shewed that you ought to be so far from permitting vnto L. Bb. the disposition of any thing behofull vnto the Church of God as the very names and places should be razed from vnder your gouernment And wofull experience these 30. full yeares hath taught vs what a lamentable reformation these men now bring to passe if they may haue their owne wils Why these men my Lords and consequently the whole Conuocation house are in judgement contrarye vnto our a Luk. 22.25 Sauiour Christ for they holde it lawfull for ministers to be Lordes ouer their brethren These men my Ll. are of judgement that the exhortation of the Apostle Peter was not directed vnto them The Elders which are among you sayth the Apostle I beseech which am also an Elder and a witnes of the sufferings of Christ also a pertaker of the glorye that shal be reuealed Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vppon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lukers sake but of a readie minde not as though ye were Lords ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke and when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory These men I say are in judgement contrary vnto this blessed Apostle for they drinke it lawful for theÌ„ to be Lords ouer Gods heritage They are of judgment that christ Iesus was not so faythfull as Moses in the gouerment of his owne house And do you then thinke that they care how vnfaythfull rhey doe behaue themselues in the ouersight of the Church They hold the gouernment of the Church to be an humane ordinaunce and so holde the Pope to haue sufficient warrant of his hierarchie They my Ll. hold the kingdome of Christe in the outward gouernment to be a kingdome the lawes whereof may be chaunged and abrogated at the pleasure
make their remembrance to cease from among men saue that I feared the fury of the enemie lest their aduersaries should wax proud lest they should say our high hand and not the Lord hath done al this Therefore let not our deliuerance harden you of the parliament in the sinn of maintayning the breaches of the Lords house The same Lord that wrought our deliuerance wil surely be the cause of our ruine if his honor be so neglected by you as vsually before time it hath ben And we are to take heed lest the Lord seeing our profane and vaine insulting of the victory when we are not a whit bettered thereby send some Ieremy among vs which may cry as he did vnto the king and states of his time in the like matter Thus saith the Lord God of Israel thus shal you say to the parliament of England Behold except at this your meeting all the deformities that are tollerated in my seruice be at once done a way and except you grant free passage vnto my gospel the nauy of the Spaniard which I discomfited before you shal come againe and fight against this land and waste it with fire and sword Therefore deceiue not your selues saying the Spaniardes are so weakened by their last discomfiture that they are not able to pursue their intended inuasion for it shal not be so No though you had smitten the whole hoste of the Spaniard that fought against you and there remained but wounded men amonge them yet should euery man rise vp in his tent and ouerrun this land And let vs looke assuredly whensoeuer the abject and contemtible enemy shall assaile vs abject and contemptible I say in al respectes in comparison of the value and strength of our men and munition and the Lord increase them a thousand fold more that this God whose seruice is so litle estemed of vs wil send a terror into the hart of our valiantest and stoutest men so that he whose hart is as the hart of a lion shal be as weake as water and on enemye shal chase a thousand of vs because the hand of the Lord wil be against vs for our sinns It is not therefore the Spanish furniture and preparations but the sins within the land which we are most of all to feare For although the army of the Spaniard were coÌ„sumed with the arrowes of famine although the contagious and deuouring pestilence had eaten them vp by thousands although their totterting shipps were dispersed and caried away with the whirlwinde and tempest although madnesse and astonishment were amongst them from him that sitteth in the throane vnto her that grindeth in the mill although the Lords reuenging sword in the hand of our valiant captaines and souldiers had so preuailed against them as it had left none in that vncircumcised hoast but languishing and foyled men notwithstanding a contemptible wythered remnant of the plague and famine a navie of winde and weather beaten ships a refuse of feeble and discomfited men shal be sufficiently able to preuaile against this lande vnlesse another course be taken for Gods glory in Wales by your Hh. then hitherto hath bene If I did speake vnto infidels vngodly atheists I know I should not be so plaine because vnto such the trueth at sometimes is vnseasonably spoken But I speake vnto those that haue vndertaken the profession of Christianitie and therefore should at all times be fit to heare the trueth of God And I know no temporizing trueth no temporizing judgements of God against sinne no trueth that is to be concealed vnto christians because their Hh. cannot brooke the same no trueth that is eyther not at all or minsingly to be vttered because states loue not to here thereof So that I was in this matter not to consider what your high places were content to here but what was the dutie of your high places to heare And therefore I should thinke it I protest an vndutifull and flattering petition to entreat your Hh. not to be offended with mee for vttering the trueth As though I supposed you would thinke it wonderful that a man should aduenture to speake euen in the cause of his God any farther then stood with your good liking The sum of all that the Lord requireth at your hands in the cause of his honour is concluded in these 2. points First that you abrogate out of the Churche whatsoeuer you finde therein to be a breach of Gods ordinaunce Secondly that you countenance the preaching of the word in such sort as the course thereof be not stayed for the pleasure or profit of any creature These poyntes are so reasonable that whosoeuer vpon choise deliberation denieth any of them of inconsideracie and want of due examination of matters I know many things may be done amisse I cannot see what he differeth from a plaine Atheist And therefore againe I admonish you in the name of God to looke vnto your selues and thorowly to waigh what the Lorde by the mouth of Ezekiel threatneth against you if you stil refuse his waies and mainteine these bypaths of mans inventions in his Church You haue feared the sworde Ezek. 11 8â— 10.12 sayth the prophet and I will bring a sworde vpon you sayth the Lord Iehouah and I will bring you out of the middest of this land and deliuer you into the hands of strangers and execute judgements among you You shall fall by the sworde and you shall know that I am the Lorde for you haue not walked in my statutes nor executed my judgementes but haue done after the manner of the heathen that are round about you The lawes offices and officers of our church for the most part being not according to the statuts of the lord but framed after the maner of the popish gouernment whereby the nations round about vs are tiranized by the maÌ„ of sin that is not a matter to be wondered at that the alteratioÌ„ of our ecclesiastical state is desired And besides our sauior Christ his Gospell came into the world to alter yea and ouerthrow states and gouernements in al things wherin they should be contrary vnto his wil and I hope that you of this parliament wil not deny him this prerogatiue If I haue sought the remouing of any thing which the lord requireth not to be altered I craue no pardon of mine ouersight What I haue written in this whol treatise I am ready by the grace of God personally to make good though it were vppon mine vttermost peril whensoeuer I shal be therevnto called by you of this honorable assembly wherein there are many of good estimation and credit who vpon the motion of mine apperance by this house wil I trust vndertake that I shall come to stand vnto the premises by me set downe So that I may obtain which I most humbly craue of you R. Hh. and worshipful that vpon mine apperance I be not â—y any court or prerogatiue only the H. court of parliament excepted vnto whom