what means were most likely to do this I â—o think verily there is nothing â—nder the cope of Heaven comâ—arable to such a passing a really â—ee and ingenuous Act of Grace â—â—r Indulgeance in matters of Reâ—â—gion The King would see and â—â—e Nation would feel another â—pirit running in their Blood â—â—d what a difference there is â—etween a Man whose heart is â—ld at the thoughts that when â—e hath fought for his King and â—eaten his Enemies he must come home as it were again to his bonds and of his whose spirit is flush with assurance that after Victory abroad he shall return to the enjoyment of that thing that is dearer to him than his Life the Liberty of his Conscience O Sirs Is there never a drop of English Blood in the Veins of the Sectary How shall that thing you call Obstinacy and Faction when they suffer the violence of your Laws and are unmoved appear to be the most undaunted Courage of the English Spirit when it shall shew it self in the Field Are there no sober men amongst all the Malecontents whose advice assistance and prayers would do you no harm to take them with you It was not the Cause but the Party and this thing Liberty of Conscience that got the better of the King in our late Insurrections It was Laberty of Conscience got into the House and pull'd down the Bishops that went with the Parliaments Army and won all It was Liberty of Conscience came back and pull'd up the Parliament and then sate down and reign'd with Cromwel It is this piece of single policy the raising up such a Principle in base and mean fellows to mate the Bravery and Spirit of the Gentry shall eternallize that Mortal It was Liberty of Conscience when our Religion was at stake in those Confusions that tack't about and restored the King And if his Majesty wilâ— hearken to the counsel of a mean person rather than to the person of mean counsel let him keep this wild thing Liberty of Conscience on his side This Liberty of Conscience let me say againâ—â— is that mad Earl of Warwick iâ— the time of Edward the fourtâ— and Henry the sixt call'd Make King that the gain or loss oâ— him on either side was the gaiâ— or loss of the Kingdom with him It may be there is some greaâ— Prelate or eminent Statesman a the Helm are too hard for youâ— inclinations which steer by 〈◊〉 them unseen into other Counsels I will therefore humbâ—â— argue with them Behold I wâ—â— be to them in your stead I am framed also out of the clay Let me â—ot I pray you accept any mans â—erson neither let me give flattering titles unto Man for I know â—ot to give flattering titles in so â—oing my Maker might soon take â—â—e away Ye have said We are â—â—e men we have found out wisâ—om I will reprove them Great â—en are not alwayes wise Was it in the first place conâ—lted wisely when we restored â—piscopacy in this Nation to reâ—eive a company of men as low 〈◊〉 their interests as in their conâ—tion unto such vast Emoluâ—ents which never were and are ever like to be again being â—e fruits of twenty years togeâ—â—er in one unto which excepting a very few of them they had no relation in the Earth to challenge the least penny before actual possession How welâ— might such persons have been contented to have entered thâ— present Revenews Honours and left the Arrears for publick accounts or good works Thiâ— possibly was not wise Sirs noâ— only for the improvidence buâ— for that envy and just kind oâ— disdain that so excessive Richeâ— thrown upon men so undeseâ— vedly hath raised in the stomacks of others to the Function it self for the Covetousness oâ— the Persons especially of thoâ— whose high merits for the Kinâ— and his Cause did require somâ— other gratification than a languishing looking-on and repiâ—ing at their fortunes Great â—en are not alwayes wise Was it in the next place wiseâ—y consulted wherein yet above â—ll you would seem most wise 〈◊〉 making such a stir with the Covenant as hath been done in â—ur late Impositions It was the Visdom of the Antient Church â—â—stead of contention about the Jewish Ceremonies to take a â—pecial care that they might have â—n honourable burial and thereâ—y have they bin all husht withâ—ut trouble for many Ages Meâ—â—inks if the wisdom of these â—â—eat and wise men were not â—iser than the ancient Wisdom â—â—ey might at least for his Majeâ—es sake have dealt accordingly with the Covenant The might have laid it in a state of silence without light and without words evermore to be forgotten and never would it have done them further hurt But now have they raised it twice or thrice up in a former Subscription the late Oath as a dreadful Ghost out of his Grave to do what mischief or raise what troubles for the future I cannot tell but to little end at present for ought I see only to terrifie mens Consciences and keep alive the memory of it which were fitter to die be thought on no more Great men are not alwayes wise Once more There was a time when these wise and great men might have compounded for Episcopacy with the pious and learned of her Adversaries upon as high advantage and a sure foundation for themselves and the peace of the Nation as could be well wished or desired in any reason But they outstood their market and slipt the opportunity Great men are not alwayes wise They have slipt it yet may we redeem one lock of it to wit It is better the Parliament compounded them than that a foreign Enemy or the Papists should do it We know when it was our Ridley Hooper were agreed I draw up this If the greatest Seers may fail in their Politicks and erre in Vision in some things when there is no man doubts of their integrity otherwise than of their ability why may they not possibly have been out here in their advising us to these Acts about Religion Come then and let us set the Sun and Wind to strive again for mastery You see what the cold boysterous blasts of these late Acts have done on the Travellour that they have made the most but hold their Cloaks the faster about them Now let us have some gentle rayes and warm beams from his gracious Majesty and his loving Parliament in an Act of Indulgence and Concord that shal please his People and you shall see them all not only to throw down their Cloaks and Estates but their Hearts and Lives at his feet saying with Amasa in holy Story Thine are we O David and on thy side thou Son of Jesse Peace peace be unto him and peace to those that help him I will here turn and look back on the way I have come You have my Motion and my Arguments under the three first heads mainly at first named I must explain my self a little upon the Motion and
A PROPOSITION FOR The Safety Happiness of the King and Kingdom both in Church and State and prevention of the Common Enemy Tendered to the Consideration of his Majesty and the Parliament against their next Session By a lover of Sincerity Peace The Interest of England lies in holding a firm Union in it self and the advancement of the Protestant Religion For England is a mighty Animal which can never die except it kill it self The Duke of Roan in his Treatise of the Interest of the Princes and States in Christendom London Printed in the Year 1667. A PROPOSITION for the safety and happiness of the King and Kingdom IT hath pleased Heaven to visit us of late with his heavy and astonishing Judgments The year before he swept away our Citizens from their houses The last year he swept away our houses from the Inhabitants And this year who knows what and who may be swept away by that divastation which accompanieth the Sword If there be not a spark as there is not a Sparrow lights on the House or the Mast top without the Divine Will methinks it will neither be unseasonable to lay his Providences to heart nor unsuitable to make use of them unto acts of mercy and commiseration of others I am a person that am not very careful how I appear to you and if it were a light matter I had to speak about you might turn away your ear from it and regard me as little But if it be a business of the greatest consequence as I am perswaded it is that can be tendered at this present for a healing of the Nation I hope you will both spare me a reasonable hearing and a candid interpretation There hath passed of late some Acts whereby you have been very severe against many innocent persons that fear God and do you no harm I am loth to declare my resentments in particular unless I have further necessity But I will pursue in the general those ends I have in my purpose which are the happiness of our State the peace of the Church the safety of the King and preservation of the Nation not in that way which hath been trodden hitherto in late proceedings but in the paths of moderation which some have not known and some will not know who have already perhaps imposed too much and would not I hope be imposing more on us It shall be an Argument good enough for me from this late calamity on the City and upon our Ships to alarm you to the quenching those Flames which we have helped to enkindle by the over-rigour of such Acts in the hearts of the Nation God Almighty's righteous dealings towards us may bring our own toward others into remembrance and his severity teach us indulgence It can neither be an unchristian or unwise admonition when our Churches with other buildings are laid in heaps to look after our Religion to prevent the ruine which therein also doth threaten us by beginning our repentance in those ashes I shall be clear and plain I desire to be faithful to my Country to my King and to my God I hope though I know not how I shall approve my self in the delivery In magnis pejus est illud non voluisse quam quomodo facias non intelligere We are at this time involved in Warrs abroad with our neighbours and we are incompassed as our Island is with a Sea of intestine dangers amidst our selves in the divisions of our people There is the subtilty of the Jesuite with those many too much to be feared advantages of that party and there is on the other side the wildness of the Sectary with their multitudes and high exasperations Both these are as it were the upper and nether jaw of destruction opening her mouth upon us If we do not finde out a way to reconcile the sober Protestant that we may have their combined strength to oppose these extreams in case of inundation I know not how soon these jaws may shut upon us and overwhelm us in our confusion The Motion therefore I have to make is for moderation in the business of Religion first seriously debated and then prudently concluded in an Act of Accommodation between the Conformist and Nonconformist that are sober in their principles and Indulgence toward others who are so in their lives So far I mean as ever it will stand with the Rules both of Civil and Religious Prudence and the good Order of the Land I am sensible of what a pause there will be on some mens spirits at this Motion I am with Coesar at the flood of Rubicon and the Dye is cast I will confess ingenuously I know not how it fares with others but there is a company of people about us in the Country of different perswasions who meet sometimes many hundreds together that our Justices have been in perplexity what to do The most of them for ought I perceive are certainly inoffensive persons and they have really no more against them than Pliny against the Christians of old when he sent to Trajan about them that is only that they meet and preach and pray together And if that excellent Prince was ashamed after this report he gave him of them in his Epistle to have these good men sought out any more unto punishment I cannot but favour those inclinations which are averse from the like inquisition I profess to God it is such an ungentleman-like thing methinks to trouble ones Neighbors that I should be glad to rid modest men of that work It were better all these Acts suffered at once a due and Christian Regulation than we should be still put upon this untoward dragging innocent folks thus to prison for doing nothing in earnest but endeavouring to save their souls In the name of God take you your Psalter and let them say their prayers as they will I have made my Proposition I shall now offer you my Arguments Visa est enim mihi with the forementioned Author res digna consultatione maximè propter periclitantium numerum Multi enim omnis aetatis omnis ordinis utriusque sexus etiam vocantur in periculum vocabuntur Neque enim Civitates tantùm sed viros etiam atque agros superstitionis istius contagi◠pervagata est quae videtur sisti corrigi posse My Arguments may be reduced to these heads The course you have taken in your former Acts will not reach the End you have designed in them The way I propose in this Act is liker to do it The present consideration and exigency of affairs requires the same of us One more The present juncture of affairs and conscience toward our Brethren requires it These heads I will wrap together in my discourse and leave the Analysis to your acuter Judgments If it were not a time to speak now we might lay our hands upon our lips and our mouthes in the dust I said Dayes should speak and years teach wisdom But there is a spirit
in man Great men are not always wise neither do the Aged alwayes understand Judgement I am sorry to understand such a reverend silence to have been on the spirits of both Houses at the present prevailing Counsels of some great Persons which if I may speak it with lowliness to them as with zeal unto God and my Prince are not good at this season nor will answer their entendments I wonder really in whose Shops they have bought their Spectacles not of Menante I believe or Tacitus that they can see this great thing Unity of folks spirits in Uniformity and the establishment of old Foundations in new Impositions It is a principle of the serious tender Christian which he layes as a Rule to himself for practice That he will not do any thing for fear which he would not out of conscience And it is a deadly temptation against present Injunctions that they have a penalty annexed to them For besides that the sense of the unreasonableness and cruelty of such Acts are effectual wires upon the affectious There is a spirit in man and resolution of integrity Not to do evil that good may come of it as forestalls the mind with a steeling against it instead of submission If therefore in lieu of proposing such a piece of Banishment to fright the Non-conformists into the late Oath enjoyned in the Act at Oxford there had been offered a Liberty of the Ministry on that condition without any penalty the Act had been perhaps to purpose Conscience upon Conscience would do something when Force upon Conscience will do nothing Have we never read the Ecclesiastical Story or heard at least of the ten Persecutions how the Church grew in those times and what was the Seed of it I will tell you a way that a Politick Prince took in ill doing that you may take in doing better The great Julian that wise Apostate and cursed brave man when he saw that all the cruelties of predecessors did but encrease the vigour and life of Christianity The more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew and they were grieved because of the Children of Israel He took this course he would not let any Christian have Dignity or State-preferment no not so much as to be one of his Souldiers unless they came over to his Religion they might have their liberty to use their Consciences to themselves without persecution but they should have none of his Favour or Countenance By this means he did so starve any brave attempt of Christian Sufferings and kept them so low and out of heart in their Profession that it is judged he made more waste upon Christianity in a few years than all the Sword Fire and Torments could before in two or three Ages Lo here a line of Chalk after which your Timber must be cut that goes to the building the Ecclesiastical State in this Nation If there be any can cut it better by aim of his own head I am mistaken Vis Concilii expers mole ruit suâ— Vim temperatam Dii provehunt 〈◊〉 majus There are but two wayes resolve upon it In the Kingdom of Japan I heard lately there was some Jesuites had crept in and planted the Christian Religion Their King hearing this sends a present terrible Persecution whatsoever man is found Christian they execute him presently This not serving the turn they do not execute the man only but all the house where he was found to be harboured This not rooting them quite out neither the King commands that both that house and the next two houses on both sides of it should be all put to execution The terrible dread hereof seizing upon all there is not a man can escape the discovery and the Sect is immediately extirpate Could your hearts now endure to do this or could your hands serve you Lay that right-hand on your breasts weigh what I say You must either come to this if you see to the end or you must come to an Accommodation And what are those things Iâ— pray you would have of them or destroy them It is not theâ— Dignity of the Bishops their Lordships and Revenues It is not their Cathedrals Organs and their Divine Service in what state and magnificence they please Iâ— is not Comman-Prayer no noâ— any Ceremony of the Church whatsoever for all its significancy if it be but a circumstance of worship and no more that could hinder most of the judicious and sober Non-conformists to come over to you but it is these Declarations Subscriptions and Oaths which you impose on them in your Acts as for which I will shew you they are one of the worst ways that could be devised â—o take or hold any I will convince you There is nothing under the Sun makes such a bruit and stir in the hearts of People â—s these Declarations and Oaths when it is no less than the Concience of a Lye before the face of God and men in a case too of Confession and the fear of Perjury with it that makes them leave their Livings and Ministry rather than keep them on such conditions and yet when all is done be they taken or be they not taken it signifies nothing I will make this appear And that not onely because there is no hole whereout a man can creep that has taken a former Oath but he can get out of the same or find another like it in any new Oath you put upon him but because there is nothing that is a man's duty or unlawful before he hath taken the Oath but it remains aâ— it was after he hath taken it and he will be obliged neither more nor less I speak as to the thing â— not degree whether he take iâ— or not take it Let a man be convinced in his conscience that Episcopacy is Antichristian and thaâ— it is much for the Glory of God and his Duty to extirpate it root and branch let him take a thousand Oaths yet so long as he retains his Principles and he accounts his Conscience stands bound by a former Obligation â—he latter Obligation can hold him nothing What is the Covenant to an Episcopal judgment that hath taken it and what will be the late new Oath to a contraâ—y judgment What but a few new Wit hs on Sampson's hands that brake like Tow when the Philistine comes upon him Again there is another thing â—pon this that is a dreadful thing â—nd that is When a man hath â—osned the reins of his Conscience a little too slack in swallowing a forced Oath there is nothing so like to imbitter his souâ— as this against those that impose it Like a Lion in a chain which not only holds no longer than he can break it but Wo be to theâ— he meets next when it is broken A certain plain honest Neighâ— bour of mine coming to Church constantly as others did it camâ— to his turn to be chosen Churchâ— warden He goes to the Court aâ— long with others when he come
of Parliament There is noâ— Act of Grace can pass the two Houses but it will prevent the inconveniences and answer for it self against Exceptions A legall stated Toleration will not undermine but uphold Religion and be no friend either of Superstition or Confusion To return from this pursuit It hath been I see the policy of late transactions to endeavour to root out those Principles from mens minds whereby they have maintained the lawfulness of former Sedition and Rebellion and hereupon hath the renunciation of the Covenant been so pressed in our Oaths and Subscriptions But if the Policy of those first Wheels that move others had bin rather to root out the Causes from us which make men willing to entertain such Principles I do humbly suppose that Policy to have been the deeper The way to establish the Kings Throne in the hearts of his People and to do it for ever is this to make it appear that all that Good to wit substantial Good which they ever expected or can expect from a change of the Government or a Commonwealth may be had from Him or from a Prince in the Acts of his Parliament This saying I will leave upon file as digested and I will adde something though more rawly hereunto that those Good things mainly which secretly have been and lie on the hearts of the Commons may be reduced to these An Enfranchisment of Servile Tenures Aâ— commutation of Tythes suppose by a Law enjoyning every man to buy out his own and the money be laid out in Glebe A Register of Estates A Tendernesâ— towards mens Consciences in matters of Religion Where there are no hopes from Inovation no body wil go about to make it But when a People have all can be had all that can come to a settlement with Judgment and Righteousness by the present Government already then will there be no hopes from â—novation Ergo When those â—ings are taken into consideraâ—on by the Parliament or Parâ—aments and after mature deâ—ate and consultation come to â—e concluded upon ingenuously â—nd sincerely wisely and righteâ—usly which have been on the â—earts and in the design of the â—ore publick-spirited in these â—te times rudely and wildly â—en shall our Government of Monarchy in this Land leaving â—e persons of our successive Soâ—ereigns unto Providence and â—heir chances be out of danger â—r future Generations I descend to what remains â—at is the last head unto which reduced my Arguments Hitherto then I have spoken to you as Men I will speak to you now as Christians and Believers of the World to come and if I differ something in my stile upon that account I hope you will bear with it O you Governours and Rulers let me address you as fellow-mortal-men who must appear before the great Tribunal one day to give an account of your Stewardships unto Jesus Christ your Prince and Lord as my self must who am not able ever to stand there but by infinite exceeding mercy in the bloud of the Lamb who was slain for the remission of ouâ— sins I know not any kinder office can be done you than this in all humility to advise you to let none prevent you but be your selves the Authors of that Grace and Benignity which is â—o absolutely necessary to the Nation It will make the dignity of â—our high places and the face â—f your lives past look more â—hearfull to you when Death â—all bring his Leaden Mace to â—change with your Goldenâ—itles if you shal have the Testiâ—ony of your Consciences that â—ou have been content to deny â—ur selves in this thing and â—splease some men for the sake â— our Lord who was so merâ—full and good to every body at he exercised Indulgence all â—s life long and then died that 〈◊〉 might obtain more for you â—d me and such as could not receive any of him while he waâ— here There is a Person I hope you would do a kindness for with aâ— your heart and you have reason it is for your dear Lord thaâ— bought you and there is noâ— thing in the World you can dâ— I am perswaded that he wil takâ— so kindly from you at this time as to be pittiful to his Servant who are distressed about you Acts in point of Conscience and who the more despised the are and like unto their Lord the fitter subjects they are foâ— your compassion Neither wâ—â— it hurt you in another piece 〈◊〉 tenderness towards the Peoplâ— to prevent Insurrection and 〈◊〉 tifie against Invasion securinâ— hereby both the Bad from punishment and the Good from danger It were better certainly for any one mans own part that there never had been Bishops than that he should be one condemned hereafter for taking that course in establishing of them as thereby to have sinned without repentance against the souls of many whom Jesus Christ â—s not ashamed to call his Breâ—hren and so against him who â—hall be our Judge and will take whatsoever we do unto them â—s if we did it unto Himself â—f you had no need of mercy â—rom God it were tolerable then â—or you to be extream towards others But if you are ready to indulge your selves too often in many things that are not allowed by him when permitted by you methinks the way to enâ— gage the Lord unto pardon should be in bearing with them in these things which are disallowed only by you and permitted by him If you forgive noâ— your Brethren their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses He shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Do you know that many oâ— these things which are imposed are really against mens Consâ—â—ences and would you indeeâ— have any such to do them thougâ— they be so Do you conside this and what it is If it bâ— better to be drown'd in the Sea with a Milstone than to offend â—ne of God's little ones what is it â—o offend multitudes that is so â—ffend them as to inforce them â—o sin against their Consciences which is to wound them and to â—uine them Why Sirs if one â—f these men on the sudden to â—void the penalty shall do what 〈◊〉 enjoyned unsatisfiedly his soul when he reflects on it is smitten â—nd he can hardly again ever reover it perhaps all his life I â—rofess to you it is better in this â—ase really you had taken a Poâ—iard and stabb'd him to the â—eart it had been less pain and â—e stroke of lesse deadly conseâ—uence to him If you sin against â—e Brethren and wound their weak Consciences you sin against Christ Do you believe the Gospel or that there is such a thing as sin what then is stealing and drinking and lying with women iâ— such damnable untenderness as this is be nothing Is it a sin to kill a man and no sin to damâ— him everlastingly On my conscience you would be grieveâ— all your life if you had murdered any man and shall you really bâ— the occasion of murdering the
by his Majesties any more than by mine who do study thus if possible to set it afoot and would be content to have it rebuilt any way rather than not at all Let me hear that gracious word Thus saith Cyrus Arise and Build and when 't is builded I would have that Motto on it as my Lo. Bacon hath on his House now the worthy Master of the Roll's of Goram being a modest but fair structure In the front of it there is this written Mediocria firma If the Bishops will not yet may they at least hear a little of his Majesties or the Nation 's mind about it That they may write down in the Book of what hereafter shall befall them Moniti meltora There are I perceive many fears and hopes upon the minds of people and the presages of their hearts are many I do not know whether there be any dark Notices from some Spirits that preside over us of some great Events sometimes when they are near us But methinks the minds of some have of late aboded us some very great Evil or great Good not to be far from us For my own part as I am a Christian and born under the constitution of this State I must profess and declare that it is unlawful for any to expect Deliverance I speak it as to the Oppressed in the chiefest of their possessions their Consciences from any hands whatsoever but his only in whose are the heart of the King to turn it as the Rivers of Water The Supream Authority lies in his breast and if we go any way that is not in order to the attaining the stamp of his Will a le Royâ—e Veult we go out of the way of our Constitution and consequently against the Ordinance of God in our Nation Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God and the Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation But now if it shall please Almighty God to touch that Heart he hath in his hands the Heart of his Sacred Majesty our Lord and King with the prevalent sentiments of Clemency and Mercy of Nobleness and Pitty of Righteousness and Peace so as he shall come to see that this narrow uncatholick spirit that would have the minds of all persons of every sect and condition to be of the size of theirs only is unbeseeming his Royal Grace and Influence who is not the Father only of the Circumcised but of the Uncircumcised also Then shall the Salvation of God come out of Zion and the Captivity of his People be turned back Then may those blessed Seeds that were sown in his Majesties wise and gracious Declaration so long since revive take root and spring up Then may the Ejected Ministers and other Civil Officers worthy of trust that like the Witnesses in the Revelation have lain dead for these three dayes a day for a year and half 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a half but half three dayes more by their Civil death insomuch as others have come into their places as dead by the Act in a Street 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain Street of the great City The great City sayes Mr. Mede is Rome with her ten Tributary Kingdoms whereof Britain was one have a Spirit of Life enter and set them on their feet that is raise them from this condition and they ascend up in a cloud to Heaven that is with remark to preferment by the call of a Voice from thence which can be no other than that of the Supream Magistrate saying Come up hither Pardon the Allusion which seeing others are or have been too apt to make use of to the entertaining such hopes and thoughts that are perhaps of dangerous consequence I would direct unto a Hope that is lawful if at all there be any while so many distressed Consciences lie bleeding and know not whither they are to have recourse for succour May it therefore please his most excellent Majesty with the Lords and Gentlemen of both Houses to take this Motion at their Session into consideration that the matter being first duely weighed debated digested for the agreement of things â—hat seem to differ the difficulties may be cleared inconveniences prevented none displeased and so the Proposer may have pardon and the Proposition a soit fait comme il e desirè Give Indulgence stated consultedly and you remove Discontent You put an end for ever to Sedition and Rebellion You root out the seeds and foment of them You take away the very pretence You prevent the Evil you encourage the Well-meaning and Good You will establish the Church Do all good No hurt You will win our hearts You will unite us at home and for our Enemies abroad if they dare let them come Ecce quam bonum amaenum est habitare Fratreâ— etià m unà VVhen Popilius came from Rome to Antiochus he declares his message that the Senate required of him to withdraw his Armies from Egypt for Ptolomy was their Friend and Confederate The King answers he will take respite and consider of it Popilius with the end of his Rod draws a Circle round about him upon the ground Before you pass this Circle sayes he resolve that I may declare you Friend or Enemy to the Romans Antiochus whether daunted at their known Power or affected with the Bravery or whether as is not unlikely out of the Native goodness that accompanies Princes which makes them receive such unexpected Actions with grace candour and generosity he seeing indeed it was best for him answered immediately He would do as the Romans would have him Great Sirs I am come to You this day from an Authority more mighty than the Senate of Rome in the Name of the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel There are a People you prosecute in your Acts that make conscience of their wayes and live peaceably Withdraw this Hostility of yours for they serve God and are his Confederates as well as you or others and he will bless those that bless such and be an Enemy to their Enemies Thus saith the Lord Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful Before you pass over these few Lines that are left Resolve whether you will be like him or like him not Resolve that I may declare you to be his Sons and him no Enemy but a Friend to our Sovereign and to his People And it came to pass as he was speaking Amaziah said unto him Art thou made of the Kings Counsel Forbear why shouldest thou be smitten Then the Prophet forbare June the 18th 1667. FINIS Reader By reason of the Author's absence from the Press these faults have escaped which thou art desired thus to amend with thy Pen. Page 6. line 3. for we read you p. 10 l. 2. f. these 1. those l. 4. f. those 1. their p. 11. l. 10. f. viros 1. vicos p. 17. l. 2. f. ni r. in p. 25. l. 18. f. Vestitum r. Vetitum p. 35. l. 7. f. where r. when p. 53. l. 15. f. Namquid r. Nam quod l. 17. f. stultae r. stulta p. 57. l. 17. f. amo-ares r. amours p. 62. l. 7. f. Causes 1. Cause