necessarie provision Now then tell me good Reader whether the Lord appeared not in a Mount of Mercie in this so unexpectible an act of long desired reformation in this kind In these two so extremly deified Diana's of our English Ephesus so long setled upon their olâ— lees and so generally applauded by the Pontifician and other ignorant and malignant partie of our land so as it was thought a thing almost impossible to be effected Yet see I say what ouâ— God can do what mountains of difficulties and disturbances he is able to remove when he once resolves it according to that of the Prophet I have spoken it saith the Lord I will also bring it to passe I have purpos'd it I will also do it Hearken unto this ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousnesse I will bring neer my righteousnesse it shall not be so far off and my salvation shall not carry and I will place salvation in Sion for Israel my glorie Yet see still the malignancie of the serpentine-brood breeding and breathing more and more threats and vexations to the sacredseed of the woman For not long after that aforesaid hopefull amiable symphonic of sweet accord between the King and his Parliament began to be besmeard with the black-coal of evil counsell and his Majesties affections to be so alienated and estranged from his grand and grave Councell of Parliament that in discontent he most unhappily sequestred his person from it almost as far as his affection even from the Southern toward the Northern parts of his Kingdom to the universall and great grief of his loyall Subjects who made their earnest desires poste as fast after him by their humble Petitions to return to his Parliament but alas all in vain for in deep discontent his Majestie goes on in his journey takes the Prince along with him was accompanied or attended on by a company of furious Cavaliers who shewed themselves in an hostile manner about Hampton Court and Kingstone upon Thames past on thence to New-market and so into the North where an attempt was made by the Earl of Newcastle to have taken in Hull and the full fraught Magazine thereof varietie of martiall ammunition for the Kings use but he was prevented and Sir John Hotham a worthie Member of the House of Commons was put in possession thereof for the use of his Majestie and the good of the whole Kingdom Not long after the King went himself in person to Hull requiring the rendition of the Town and Magazine into his Majesties hands but Sir John Hotham having order to the contrary from the Parliament refused so to do and was therefore by his Majesties command declared a traitor Propositions were made to the Gentrie of York to assist his Majesties proceedings against Sir John Hotham for the taking in of Hull into his Majesties possession by compulsion since he could not obtain it of him by perswasion About which time Sir Francis Worthly and divers others siding together and pretending themselves to be for the King with their swords drawn in an unaccustomed and unexpected manner demanded who was and would be on the Kings side By this evill act act of theirs in an especiall manner manifesting themselves â—o be truly of the serpentine-seed and therein imitating their father the devill that grand seedsman of all sedition whose main plot is and ever was to divide and separate what God hath united Making a false and foolish discrepancie and difference first between the King and the Parliament which ought not to be and secondly between the Parliament and the people which cannot be For what is the Parliament but a representative-Bodie of all the people in the whole Kingdom and therefore to make men beleeve that the Parliament intends to wrong the people by bringing in an arbitrarie government the thing which they mainly hate and labour against is to make men mad with discretion to make us think the Parliament labours to undo themselves with us and to provoke us madly to rush on them to our own certain ruin To ask a man therefore whether he be for the King or the Parliament is to ask him whether he be for the King or for himself See then discreet Reader the drift of this devillish design and false distinction which is meerly to make men fall together by the eares and to sheath their swords in one anothers bowels But now the King receiving no content in this their fruitlesse meeting the Geâ—trie but not Free-holders which was taken ill were again summoned to assemble together before the King May the 23 th being Friday to resolve upon a guard of horse and foot to safeguard his person this also was a long time fruitlesly agitated About which time or not long before his Majestie published his resolution to go in person to Ireland to subdue the Rebels which was utterly disliked by the Parliament as a businesse of very dangerous consequence The Gentrie Yeomen and Free-holders of York again are summoned together to York but the honest yeomen were discourteously and uncivilly used by many of the Cavaliers or attendants about his Majestie complaints were made thereof to the King but not answered to their desire His Majestie much about this time also forbade the exercise of the Militia contrarie to the Parliaments constitution over the Kingdom and about the 15. or 16. of May 1642. directed his Letter to Captain Philip Skippon Sergeant Major generall for the Militia of the Citie of London a brave and expert old Souldier and Commander in Arms and a most pious and vertuous Gentleman requiring his personall attendance at York all excuses set apart and that there he should know his Majesties pleasure But this command was inhibited and contradicted to the said Captain Skippon by the authority of Both Houses of Parliament as is afterward more fully declared After this about May the 26 th the King sending a letter to the Lord Keeper to remove Midsommer Term from London to York this also was opposed by the Parliament as shall also be farther declared in its proper place Much about this time also or not long after this the said Lord Keeper and seven or eight other Lords left the Parliament on a sudden and without the consent thereof and departed from London to York to the King In all which time the Parliament sending many submisse Messages and humble Petitions to his Majestie at York all of them full of wisdom pietie and patience yet receive austere and unpleasing replies even as his Majestie found unsatisfactorie returns to his expectation and desires in all or most of his negotiations in those Northern parts ever since his unhappie aboad there But what is all this it may be objected to the present intention of parliamentarie mercies to be manifested to us I answer this fore-past brief discourse serves greatly to shew us in the first place a mightie
of their wearing clothes searched for Letters and writings another of them not long after close-imprisoned for not delivering to them some Petitions which he received by authority of that House in time of Parliament A false and scandalous Declaration was then published against the House of Commons in the Kings name which yet by Gods mercie took no effect in the hearts of the people but contrariwise made the impudencie of the suspected authors of it more odious to them A forced loan of money was then attempted in the City of London to be made a president if it prevailed for the whole Kingdom but some Aldermen refusing it were sorely thrâ—atned and committed to prison About which time there fell out a mighty and tumultuous rising of Apprentisâ—s and young-men in Southwark and Lambeth side with clubs and other such weapons especially at the Arch-prelates house in Lambeth which put him into such a fright and perplexitie as made him hide his head and flie from place to place from Lambeth to Croydon and from Croydon to convey himself to some more private and remote hiding place for fear of their fuâ—y So that we might have said of him as the Prophet Jeremie did of Pashur that false prophet Jer. 20. 3. The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur but Magor-missabib even fear and terrour and trembling round about thee Which as 't was probably beleeved was the cause that the farther and more furious execution of their violent courses to get money from the Subject was not prosecuted Now though Pharaoh's Magicians were so wise and honest that at the sight of the dust of the earth turn'd into 〈◊〉 they cried out it was the finger of God yet this loftie Levite of Canterburies heart was as hard as Pharaoh's himself and would not with any remorse or penitencie of spirit acknowledge the hand of God against him but just like Pharaoh I say grew more and more out-rageous hereby For in all this interim he and the rest of the Bishops and Clergie contâ—nued their Convocation though the Parliament was dissolved and by a new-Commission turn'd it into a Provinciall-Synod in which they audaciously contrived new Canons containing many matters contrary to the Kings prerogative which they so deceitfully pretend to uphold the fundamentall Laws of the Realm Parliament priviledges and Subiects liberties and mainly tending to dangerous sedition upholding their uniust usurpations and as impudently as impiously justifying their Popish innovations idolatries and superstitious worship of God Among which their accursed Canons they had forged a new and strange Oath for the establishing of their Antichristian tyrannie with a most prodigious and monstrous Et caetera in it thereby to have deeply ensnared and grosly abused both Ecclesiasticks and Lay-men as they distinguish them Which Oath for its craft and labyrinthick intricacie and no lesse hellish crueltie so to captivate mens consciences I have thought fit here to insert The Oath I A. B. do swear that I approve the doctrine and discipline or government established in the Church of England as containing all things necessarie to salvation and that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish doctrine contrary to that which is so established nor will I ever give my consent to alter the government of this Church by Archbishops Bishops Deans Arch-deacons c. as it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand nor yet ever to subject it to the usurpations and superstition of the See of Rome And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mentall evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willingly and truly upon the faith of a Christian So help me God in Jesus Christ Which Oath whosoever refused to take must be most severely punished with suspensions deprivations and excommunications or forced by other vexations to flie out of the Land that so the Kingdom being cleared of these squemish and nice-conscienced fellows as they call and count tender conscienc'd men a fairer and wider way might be made for the advancing of that grandâ—signe namely the Reconciliation of our English Church to the Church of Rome Now here me thinks I cannot pretermit to let the Reader see and take notice how properly this plot of theirs may be parallel'd with that of Pharaoh against the Israelites in Egypt who though kept-under with great and grievous thraldom and most heavie burthens yet grew to such a numerous multitude that Pharaoh being afraid of their number and still-increasing strength spake thus to his Lords and Counsellours Come-on my Lords let us deal wisely and endeavour timely to cure this growing Gangrene let 's keep the children of Israel under with vehement vexations and destroy all their male children in their birth lest they grow too strong for us and either forcibly get from us or joyn in battell with our enemies against us But God crossed this his craft and crueltie and made this very plot of theirs the ground-work of the greatest harm even to their whole land by Moses preservation whom God used as the main instrument of the Egyptians destruction Thus even thus I say it fared with our Prelates and Pontificians who by reason of our Scottish brâ—threns expulsion of their pernicious Prelates out of Scotland not unjustly fearing that the English Puritans would endeavour the like supplantation of their English hierarchie by the Scots example Come therefore saies the Archbishop of Canterbury to his Pontifician crew let us now deal wisely lest too late we repent it let us curâ— the courage of that encreasing Puritanicall-sect which so hates our apostolicall-Prelacie let us vex and perplex them with the heavie and hard loads of cerâ—monies superstitious innovations and new-east Canons with an c. Oath right muddie bricks straw and stable of Romish Egypt which I hope shall prove the very Quintessence of all our former plots and projects and the onely way to fix our selves fast and rivet our selves so firmly into the aposâ—olicall chair of this Kingdom by swearing the Puritans both Clergie and Laicks to our Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction as that no power either of Prince or Parliament shall ever be able to set us hereafter beside the sadle But see I pray how the Lords over-powring wisdom and goodnesse defeated their so high-built hopes crost this their deep craft and made this Oath and book of Canons the ground of their greatest overthrow So that all that see with the right-eye of a true understanding may justly say with Jethro Moses father in law Now I know that the Lord is greater than all Romes idoll gods for in the very thing wherein they dealâ— proudly the Lord was above them For after this their courage began to quail for this present Parliament was resolved on shortly after those Canons
GOD In the Mount Or Englands Remembrancer Being a Panegyrick Piramides erected to the everlasting high honour of Englands God In the most gratefull commemoration of al the miraculous Parliamentarie Mercies wherein God hath been admirably seen in the Mount of Deliverance in the extreme depth of Englands designed Destruction in her years of jubile 1641. and 1642. By the unworthie admirer of them JOHN VICARS Jehova-jireh Genes 22. 14. I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart and wil shew forth all thy marvellous works Psal 9. 1. Commit thy cause to God which doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number Job 5. 8 9. Deut. 33. 29. Happie art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the sheild of thy help and who is the sword of thine excellencie And thine enemies shall be found lyers unto thee and thou shalt tread on their high places Psal 111. 2 3 4. The works of the Lord are great sought-out of all them that have pleasure therin His works are honourable and glorious and his righteousnesse endureth for ever He hath made his wondrous works to be remembred the Lord is gracious and full of compassion LONDON Printed by T. Paine and M. Simmons for John Rothwell and Thomas Vnderhill 1642. TO THE ETERNALL ALMIGHTY AND MOST GLORIOUS WONDER-WORKING INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND INDIVISIBLETRINITIEIN UNITIE JEHOVAH-JIREH GODIN THE MOVNT J. V. HIS MOSTUNWORTHIE AND SINFULL SERVANT DOTH DEDICATE AND CONSECRATE BY CHRIST JESUS HIS ONLY MERITS AND MEDIATION HIM-SELF AND THESE HIS POOR LABOVRS TO HIS EVERLASTING PRAISE AND GLORY TO THE RIGHT Honourable thrice Noble and illustrious Senatours of the House of Peers in Parliament TO OUR Trulie Honourable and most renowned Patriots the House of Commons in Parliament RIght Noble Lords and Englands Commons rare For whom the Lord hath joyn'd disjoyn who dare Your humble Servant Vowed Votarie Hath to Heav'ns-Honour And your Memorie ☞ * Most humblie this Pyramides erected Hopefull by your just power to be protected From sturdiest Stormes which Mischiefs mightiest blast May dare on It or your blest actions cast By foule aspersions Causelesse Calumnies To rob-both us and you Of our fair prize ☞ * Even happy Halcyor daies Which God by you Begins to bring To blessed Britains view Whose eyes and heart late full of frights and tears Your untyr'd Prudence Providence re-chears Courage great Patriots God is on your side Whiles you do to his Gospel close abide ☞ * Go on like Davids Worthies valiantly To curb and crush Truths-foes-malignity Go on I say like Nehemiah's brave Like Ezra's and Zorobabels most grave To work a pure A perfect Reformation As men most famous In your generation ☞ * Yea most renowned To Posteritie As Faiths fast friends And props of Veritie As wise Repairers of those Breaches great Which did both Church and State so sorely threat Go on though you great obstacles endure Sol shines most clear though clouds It oft obscure Heav'n crown your Counsels still with good successe And you and yours for all your labours blesse So ever prayeth Your most humbly devoted John Vicars TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL HIS MOST WORTHY and ever most highly honoured good friends Sir RICHARD SPRIGNALL Sir IOHN WOLLASTONE Alderman PENNINGTON and Alderman WARNER Together with each of their most truly virtuous and pious Consorts my singular good friends All of them eminent Patrons and Patterns of Piety Vertue Religion and Learning J. V. unfainedly prayeth the most happie fair and full fruition of the glorious effects of the plenarie-Reformation intended by this pious Parliament here And of the Saints celestiall beatificallvision in Heaven hereafter HAving by Gods good hand of providence and direction Right Worshipfull and my most highly honoured good friends undertaken a subject of Gratitude to our holy God in this succeeding historicall narration of all his wonder-striking Parliamentarie-mercies to us of this English-Nation in generall I could not but reflect my serious thoughts on your Worships as most worthie objects also of my thankefull heart for many singular favours and courtesies toward me in particular And somuch the rather because of that which Chrysostome in his 51 Homilie on Genesis hath as sweetly as succinctly touched Nihil tam gratum Deo homini quam anima grata gratias agens Nothing in the world is so acceptable to God or man as a gratefull-heart and a thankefultongue The due and deep consideration whereof I say hath made me most desirous as most bounden to tender this â—umblâ— and plain-stiâ—'d historie of Englands God in the Mount of Mercies â—r Englands Remembrancer of gratitude to God for all the Parliamentarie precious blessings most fully and freely conferred or rather poured-down upon her within these 2 yeers last past as a â—estimonie of my most thankfull-heart to your good Worships for many both publike and private favours to me and mine Which historie though I ingenuously acknowledge it might well have befitted a far more fluent and high-soaring rhetoriâ—all-Penman than my poor and plain unworthie-self yet since it hath pleased the Lord that my poor zeal for Gods glorie hath thus prevented them I most humbly hope and heartily desire candide and courteous acceptance of it and of my sincere desire and endeavour mainly to manifest my infinitely obliged gratefull-heart first to our ever-living and ever-loving wonder-working Lord God next to our most Pious Patriots his precious Agents and instruments in these great and glorious works and then to your worthie selves my much honoured friends Which my endeavour herein though short I say of your judicious expâ—ctation and of the histories due desert yet hoping it may remain as a pledge of my plighted humble services and bounden gratitude and as the best Barthol'mew-faring which my poor abilitie was able to present to your good Worships with the humble tender also of mâ— heartiest poor prayers to the throne of grace for all sanctified sublunarie blessings and celestiall soul-cheering graces on you and aâ—l yours I ever rest Your good Worships in the Lord to be alwayes commanded JOHN VICARS GOD IN THE MOVNT OR ENGLANDS REMEMBRANCER THE omnipotent and omniprudent great God of heaven and earth having by his unsearchable wisdom unresistible power and most pure and inculpable righteousnesse from all eternitie both fore-seen and preordained the wayes and means of manifesting and declaring to the world his two especiall and most glorious attributes of Mercie and Justice Mercie on his elect and choice vessels of honour and justice on the forsaken vessels of wrath those devoted vassals of the devill and both these in that admirable Master-piece of his workmanship of the world Man Who as the Prophet David saies of himself was fearfully and wonderfully made And for this and and purpose having put this excellent creature Man into a most pure and perfectly holy condition placing him in Eden or Paradise a place of most wonderfull delight and admirable varietie of sense-affecting contentments and having also
or dunghill with this inscription engraven in Marble with fair capitall letters This jakes was once the High-Commission-Court So hatefull and hurtfull I say was that Court and its accursed effects to Gods people in this Kingdome especially being backâ— and â—oulsterd-up with the irresistible wrongs and unavoidable oppressive censures of the Star-Chamber whether godly men and women of all ranks and conditions that disobeyed the High-Commissions unlawfull Commands were turned over when their own Ecclesiasticall Power was not prevalent enough to punish and plague them so deeply as their malice and mischief aymed at Yea and the all-overtopping power of the Councill-Table was no small assailant of the subjects and assistant to the Prelates wicked Designes but that tyrannizing Starr-Chamber Court is by our prudent Parliamentary Worthies voted down as hath been formerly touched to the unspeakable comfort and freedome of the Kings best and most loyall Subjects and the immoderate and excessive power of the Councell-Table is by the wisdome of our most Worthy Senators so ordered and restrained that we may well hope by Gods mercie such things as were heertâ—fore frequently done to the intolerable prejudice of the Subjects libertie will appear amongst us in future times but onely in Stories to give us and our posteritie more just occasion to bless our God for his Majesties goodn ss and for the faithfull and indefatigable endeavours of this present Parliament Now then put all these last fore-mentioned Parliamentary-Mercies together into one account and then tell me whether they do not arise to a mightie 〈◊〉 and deep debt of â—â—erlastingly obliging gratitude to our so bountifull and â—pâ—n-handed enlargedhearted a God to us so und serving and rather wrath-provoking a people in thus conferring such 〈…〉 such incomparable free kindnesses on England such a sinfull naugâ—â—ie Nation Yea tell mee good Reader on serious recoâ—â—ction and recogitation of these most bounteous bl ssings whether the Lord Jehovah hath not been seen most conspicuously to England above all Nations round about it On the Mount of matchless Mercies to the ineffable joy and rejoycing of our Soules in the deepest gulfes of our stinging-Staites Whether our God hath not with admirable patience goodnes and favour waited on us that he might be gracious unto us and exalted himself that he might have mercie upon us for the Lord is a God of judgement O blessed are all they that wisely wait for him For his people shall dwell in Sion at Jerusalem and shall weep no more For he will be very gracious unto them at the voice of their cry and when he shall hear it he will answer them And though the Lord give them the bread of adversarie for a season and the water of affliction yet shall not their Teachers be removed into a corner any more but their eyes shall see their Teachers again Thus O even thus hath our gracious God directly dealt with us thus hath our English-Israels Shâ—aphâ—rd of his late poor despised stock kept a carefull watch over us who had been els made the Prelates perpetuall-Asses to bear all their Romish and slavish burthens Wherefore with holy David we may justly and ingenuously acknowledge Thy righteousnes O God is very high who hast done great things for us O God who is like unto thee Thou who hast shown us great and sore troubles yet hast quickned us again and brought us up from the depth of the grave Our lips shall greatly rejoyce when we sing unto thee and our hearts and soules which â—hou hast redeemed Our tongues shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long for they are confounded and brought unto shame which most seditiously and scelerously ought our destruction And thus have we all most perspicuously â—een and observed how gracious and propitious the Lord hath been to his late most tottering Church crossing her 〈…〉 â—n all their deepest designes most sublime imaginations leaving them still in the lurch and loss when they seemed to swell with highest concâ—ipts of cruell and accursed conquests over their harmless brethren letting them see if they wilfully blind not their eyes their big-swoln tympanie of unsufferable pride and arrogancie to be turned into a flashie ignis fatuus of self-deceiving subtiltie and changing all their vaporous puffs of gross impiety into folly and madness But now let us proceed to enlarge our most serious observations on what remains still in a most admirable measure heerin and let us yet farther see and consider how the Lord who is neverweary of well-doing nay who takes delight and great pleasure to pleasure his freely beloved Ones with his plenteous benefits Of whom we cannot say as Esau to his Father Isaac Hast thou but one blessing my Father but a God who the more he gives the more he hath to give being indeed an unexhaustible spring and never to be dryed but ever-overflowing fountain of all goodnes whatsoever But withall take this note by the way with thee good Reader that as before so now especially in these ensuing remarkable mercies thou shalt see the rage and malice of the malignant partie marveilously interposing their wicked plotts to cross and utterly to frustrate as much as in them lay all the wayes and means of Gods intended yea and miraculously performed mercies to us but yet all their plotts and desperate designes by Gods good providence were still strangely thwarted and timely discovered and disappointed to our comfort and their shame and helpless vexation Let us now then I say goe-on to see how our glorious Lord and King persists to make us of our selves I confesse and in respect of our Capernaum-like means of grace so unimproved the most infull and undeserving Nation under heaven the most beloved and happiest Nation in the world See therefore how our renowned Parliamentary-Worthies freed the Kingdome from that former illegall compelling of the Subject to receive the order of Knighthood against their will from the encroachments and oppression of the Stannary-Courts and Extortions by Clerkes of Markets from vile vexations also by Parkes and Forrests which were now by a Law reduced into their right bounds and limits Yea how they moved and prevailed with the King to set forth his Proclamation for banishing all the Romish Priests and Jesuites out of the Kingdome on pain of death upon their after-apprehension in the Land Together with an Act of Parliament for disarming of all Popish-Recusants over the whole Kingdome to the great comfort and securitie of Gods people who before were in continuall feare of their mischievous insurrections as being well acquainted with their rebellious Spirits on all advantages it also being a Principle of their Religion for the advancement of the Catholick-Cause not to keep any plighted faith with Heretickes for such they account all that are not of their Romish not faith but faction Yea that cage of most unclean birds Sommerset-House I mean in the Strand cleansed in good measure
English Prelates by reason of their princely pomp and lordly dignities and familiar intermedling and tampering in temporall affairs to the continuall provocation of the wrath of God and the derogatorie dishonour of Christs will and prescript pleasure in their ministeriall function It shall not be so with you And now let the godly Reader here see and consider the admirable equitie and justice of our wise and most holy God meeting them full in their own wayes and works They who being Lords and Barons forsooth in that high Court of Parliament yet could seldome or never find a heart or voice for Christ and religion but freqently against Christ in his holy members and against the power and purity of religion have now most justly no voice or place in Parliament to help themselves but are thrust out as men not desired like that wicked King Jehoram who departed this life without being desired And take this note also by the way before we leave them That they who in themselves and predecessors ever since the time of glimmering reformation even in Queen Elizabeths dayes of ever blessed memorie to this very time all along without intermission had silenced suspended imprisoned and impoverished many hundreds if not thousands of holy painfull and profitable Preachers for Non-subscription have now by an act of subscription imprisoned themselves in the Tower of London and almost quite devested themselves of their Prelaticall arrogated superioritie over their fellow-Ministers Thus God hath taken them by their own iniquities and hath held them with the cords of their own sin Thus Goliah is slain with his own sword and Haman is hanged upon his own gallows And thus was their former furious and most injurious carriage and course a just presage and omen of their totall ruine and downfall which in substance is now blessedly come to passe in this their denudation stripping and whipping from their lordly dignities haughtie honours and busie intermedling in secular affairs the rest I hope and pray will perfectly be effected in Gods due time Now then see here and observe good Reader with a wise and most gratefull heart both in regard of the thing it self and also of those two materiall circumstances so observable therein whether the Lord was not admirably seen in the Mount of Mercie to his poore Church in this so rare and singular freedome of it from future fear of Prelaticall tyrannie And give me leave to use the Prophets own words by way of exulting gratitude to the Lord our God Hearken unto me dear Christians ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is the law of the Lord. Fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings for the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall gnaw them like wooll But my righteousnesse shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in ancient dayes and as in the generation of old Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab the Prelates of England and wounded the Dragon the whore of Rome Therefore do the redeemed of the Lord return and come with singing to Zion and everlasting joy shall be on their head They shall obtain gladnesse and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flie away About this time also it pleased the good hand of God to direct the hearts of our prudent and provident parliamentarie-Worthies to take notice of the most dangerous distractions of the kingdom and as just as great fears of intestine turmoiles which might arise among us by the Papists and malignant-partie if not timely prevented and therefore to resolve according to the joynt desires of the Subject in all their petitions exhibited in Parliament to settle a Militia by Act of Parliament for a certain time namely untill it might please the Lord happily to compose our differences and to put a blessed end to our domestick and forrein fears that thus by putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence we might by Gods mercie be the better secured both from homebred treacheries and transmarine invasions For which purpose they resolved in the first place to displace Sir John Byron from his Lieutenantship of the Tower of London and to put in Sir John Connyers a man in whom they had good assurance they might confide both for his fidelity and martiall abilities which though with much strugling at last they obtained of his Majestie to theirs and the Cities full content in that particular And for the better putting of life into the sad and bad affairs of Ireland and the more speedie and certain subduing by Gods assistance of those most barbarous and inhumane Rebels and accursed idolaters of Rome It pleased our most wise God to infuse a fair and famous project into the hearts of divers heroick and worthie Citizens of London first to proffer themselves by way of subscription of certain summes of money to be paid in at severall payments by them and other well-affected Subjects both in Citie and Countrey Whereunto the thing being moved by petition and singularly approved in Parliament the Lords and Commons in both Houses gave admirable encouragement by their free and forward subscription of great summes and all their moneys so laid out to be repaid and satisfied out of the Rebels lands when by Gods aid and assistance they should be totally suppressed and destroyed and not before nor by any other wayes or means And since that by reason of the most aâ—rocious and unparralleld cruelties of those Romish-rebels in Ireland very many of the distressed and bespoiled English-Protestant inhabitants especially women and children who were necessitated to flie thence carrying their lives in their hands and glad poore souls they so escaped to Dublin and so over-Sea into divers parts of this Kingdom being thereby plunged into deplorable povertie and miserie It was I say further ordered by our truly charitable and pious Parliament that there should be a generall collection or contribution over the whole Kingdom for and toward the present relief and supplie of such distressed men women and children as could hardly subsist without present help and relief Which said collection was so fully and freely advanced in this our noble and renowned City of London that at one Church therein viz Aldermanburie under reverend and religious Mr Calamies fruitfull Ministerie upon his pious and patheticall motion and instigation to his willing people a Collection was made and gathered at the Church-doores and parishioners houses which amounted unto between 600 and 700 â— at the least Toward the latter end of Februarie also 1641. It pleased the Lord to blow-off all clouds of displeasure from the Kings royall heart and to cause his countenance to shine so serenely on the Parliaments proceedings that he sent the House of Lords a most gracious and comfortable answer intimating his royall concurrence and
much countenanced and encouraged by the Earl of Bristow and judge Mallet and for which they were both sent prisoners to the Tower of London which Petition being on the 29 th of April 1642. brought to the Parliament by some of the prime malignant-ones the rest of that rout being some certain thousands remained at Blackheath for an answer but were fain to depart with a flea in their cares they received most foul but most just disgraces at their entrance into the Citie the gate at the Bridge-foot was shut against them they themselves were disarmed their weapons being there taken from them two of their prime leaders having exhibited their Petition in Parliament were committed to safe custodie till fit opportunitie of further examination of this their high contempt and arrogancie But immediately after the truly religious honest and well-affected partie of the said County of Kent unanimously also united themselves in an honest and loyall Petition therein utterly disavowing and protesting against that other seditious and scandalous one who were all together with their Petition most courteously and lovingly entertained and dismissed with great thanks from the Parliament for that their so honest and peaceable demeanour And was not the Lord Jehovah seen here in the Mount of Mercie in thus both timely discovering and discountenancing these very dangerous designes of theirs as much as in them â—ay for the present extremly to blend and disgrace the just fair and faithfull proceedings of the Parliament and though they most secretly and subtilly carried and contrived their designes therein yet the Lord graciously caused them to be stifled in their birth So that we may most fitly take up that of the Apostle Paul who speaking of the perillous times that should come in the last dayes after a recitall of a ragged-regiment of malignant and ill-affected persons brings in Jannes and Jambres two audacious and arrogant companions who obstinately and proudly withstood Moses reviling and speaking evill of the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith But they shall not proceed saies the Apostle for their folly shall be manifested to all men As t is now with ours blessed be the Lord our most wise God for it and all their malice and mischief is fallen still upon their own hoads Wherefore we may nay we must with holy David most gratefully acknowledge Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be all the glory given for thy mercie and for thy truths sake Who hast not suffered the heathen or wicked to say where is now their God But our God is in heaven and hath done whatsoever he pleased Now after these things the King having prest the Parliament with divers Messages in his unhappie departure and distance from it as by and by shall be more fully and particularly set forth and thereby constrained our prudent Worthies in Parliament to clear their integritie to his Majestie and the whole Kingdom yea and to the whole world also if occasion were offered they sent to his Majestie and afterward set forth in print divers Declarations Remonstrances and Messages from both Houses of Parliament all of them written and penn'd with such prudence piâ—tiâ— and humilitie toward his Majestie as most apparently evidenced their great and godly care for the preservation of his Honour and the Kingdoms welfare to the great and unexpressible comfort and content of all Gods people especially in the most sweet continued symphonie and harmonious concurrence of Both Houses which now began to be more and more strongly increased notwithstanding the great and even mountanâ—â—â— obstructions and terrible distractions of the times mightily molesting and retarding their most important and weightie affairs ouâ— most prudent and pious Peers still shewing themselves as was toucht before more forward if possiâ—ly it might be in all good motions than the House of Commons A mercie which things and times considered we are not able sufficiently to prize and praise the Lord for it being that blessing of the Kingdom which was so long and so earnestly desired by the universall confluence of the Petitions of the whole Kingdom yea that great blessing I say which the Apostle Paul so heartily and vehemently desires among his beloved Corinthians That they might all speak the same thing and that there might be no division among them but that they may be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement Yea that rare blessing which the Prophet David cannot set out sufficiently without a note of admiration in the excellencies of it when he said Behold how good and joyfull a thing it is brethren to dwell together in unity Yea sayes he t is like the precious oyntment upon Aarons head distilling thence to his beard and running down to the skirts of his garment Such a prâ—â—ioâ—â— oyntment may I truly say is this unity and concord in these two honourable Houses of Parliament poured on the head of our Soveraign distilling thence on the comely beard of his Kingdom this renowned Parliament and sweetly streaming thence down to the skirts or garments of the Land the people and inhabitants thereof And now see I pray the blessed effects of this happy union and precious complacencie between the King and Both Houses of Parliament at this time For about the 9 th of April the Lords and Commons in Parliament resolved to set upon the reformation of the Liturgie and government of the Church wherby Gods worship and service should be more purely performed than formerly it had been and discipline more piously administred And for this purpose they passed Votes in Both Houses and most prudently pitched upon certain eminent godly grave and learned Divines out of every Shire and Corporation of the Kingdom who should meet together at a time appointed to discusse and consult among themselves what should be most apostâ—licall orthodox and neerest to the truth of Gods word and so to advise the Parliament for the setling of the same as by their order printed and published by their authority may and doth more fully appear which here I have thought fit to insert and mention to thee The Order of the Lords and Commons touching the Liturgy and Church Discipline Apr. 9. 1642. THe Lords and Commons do declare that they intend a due and necessary reformation of the government and Liturgy of the Church and to take away nothing in the one or other but what shall be evill and justly off nsive or at the least unnecessarie and burthensome And for the better effecting thereof speedily to have consultation with gâ—â—ly and learned Divines And because this will never of it self obtain the end sought therein they will therefore use their utmost endeavour to establish learned and preaching Ministers with a good and sufficient maintenance throughout the whole Kingdom wherein many dark corners are miserably destitute of the means of salvation and many poore Ministers want
Members of both Houses away from their dutie and attendance on them and to go down to York thereby to make the Parliament as it were bleed to death and moulder to nothing and thus to blemish the actions of Both Houses of Parliament as done by a few and inconsiderable number and rather a partie than a Parliament and perhaps to set-up an Anti-parliament at York A desperate and most dangerous practise utterly to ruinate all But all in vain I trust in the Lord as hitherto we have happily seen in all their designes for ever blessed be the Lord our God for it But on the other side we may most apparently perceive and clearly behold by all those fore-mentioned particulars on the Parliaments part the most admirable and even onely-heaven-inspired wisdom moderation prudence pietie patience and indefatigable vigilancie of our ever to be honoured and everlasting renowned Peers and Commons in Parliament most humbly demeaning themselves alwayes toward his Majestie most wisely and courageously against the malignant partie most religiously and faithfully to Church and State in generall and most graciously tenderly and affectionately as so many fathers of their Countrey to all singular petitions and petitioners desiring their aid and assistance in a fair and fitting way for the good of Church and State which was most undeniably evident by the most sweet reciprocall resultaâ—ce and concurrent confluence of hearts and affections of all in City and Countrey over all the whole three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland that had any spark or glimpse of true grace yea of but meer common-grace and goodnesse to the infinite praise and glorie of the Lord our God be it spoken and to the unexpressible joy of our souls even of the souls of all those that cordially love and desire to live to see the glorious and most happie espousals and never-again-to be-sequâ—stred-union and marriage twixt Peace and Truth the grand and gracious desire of that good King Hezâ—kiah the main if not onely ayme and â—nd of this prudent Parliament and which ought to be also of every true godly Christian with them Now therefore friendly Reader I say all those fore-mentioned particulars conglomerated into one bodie of serious animadversion those clouds of witnesses attesting this truth say was not thy wonder-working God the Lord Jehovah most admirably most gloriously even far beyond all humane apprehension or expression seen in the Mount of mercies for Englands mightie Deliverance Tell me good Reader speak thy conscience freely hath not England found yea hath not this blessed Parliament found our God raising up one Elisha or other to reveal and timely to discover all the wicked plots and devises of the malignant partie even now and of late and indeed all-along against the happie hope-breathing condition of our greatly envied Church and State So that we may say of England now adayes especially within this yeer and a half as Balaam once said of the children of Israel Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel for according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought So certainly we have all seen it and the very adverse and malignant partie must needs confesse it Surely there is no enchantment against England and Scotland nor is there any divination of the wicked that can prosper against the Houses of Parliament for according to these times of our wonderfull deliverances It shall be said to succeeding posteritie of England and of Scotland O what hath our most gracious God freely wrought for us Nay let me speak in particular to those of the malignant faction or let me rather sing it out with most emphaticall joy as Moses did in his sweet song of Gods high praises and let them denie it if they can Their Rock is not as our Rock even they our enemies themselves being judges For had their rock or rather Egyptian-reed been able to have over-powred our celestiall-Rock we had undoubtedly long ere this been made most wofull spectacles to them and theirs of ineffable ruine and implacable wrath whereas we are now most hopefully happie spectators of their most black shame sorrow and precipitating confusion Even so Amen Lord Jesus hasten it for thine elects sake Now then these things being thus how can we but with holy David break out into over-flowing cordiall-gratitude and say with his heart and tongue What shall we render to the Lord for all his blessed benefits toward us We will take the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord. We will pay our vows of universall true obedience unto the Lord in the presence of all the people Yea I say how can we forbear to break-forth into pious King Davids excitation and stimulation of our hearts to infinitely obliged thankfulnesse but with sincere rouzed-up souls to sing Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all or any of his precious benefits Who hath forgiven all thine iniquities and healed all thy great and grievous diseases Who hath redeemed thy life from destruction and hath crowned thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies In summe therefore to wind-up all briefly let me beseech thee good Christian Reader to make this four-fold holy use and observation of all these premises these remarkable and unparalleld parliamentarie-mercies to England to unworthie sinfull England First to admire and adore the infinite and free mercie of our good God who hath done all these great things for thee even for his own Name sake because this so glorious a wonder-working attribute of free-grace and merci pleaseth him best of all Know O England that it was not for thine own sake that God hath done all these things for thee but for his holy Names sake which alas thou hadst most extremly profaned But thy God was willing to sanctifie his own great Name which thou I say hadst profaned and because he would make the wiâ—ked and ungodly among thee to know that God is the Lord and that he will be sanctified in you before their eyes and that they may see that the Lords hand is listed uâ— against them though they will not see yet they shall see and be ashamed of their envie at Gods people when the fire of Gods wrath devoures his enemies and when they shall perceive that the Lord onely hath ordained peace for his people and hath wrought al his works in us and for us Let us not therfore my dear Christian English brethren and friends so much look on our sins as to dead our hearts or to damp our faith by saying one to another O but our sins are greater than other Nations and therefore surely the Lord will not yet save and deliver us till we are fitted for mercie Alas alas if God should not be mercifull to us till