REBELLION STRIP'T AND WHIPT THROUGH All its Principles and Pretences From the first to the last By way of Appeale to the Consciences of the City of LONDON in particular and the whole Kingdom in generall In the behalfe of his most Sacred MAjESTY and the Church now trampled on by Traytors Pro ARIS et FOCIS Printed in the yeere 1648. To all true-hearted Englishmen of what degree or qualitie soever especially to each particular Citizen of London Courteous and friendly Reader FOr so my believing charitie perswadeth me to style you although my mean and inconsiderable deserts cannot hope to lay claim to the title As it is a certaine truth for our comfort that man's passive extremitie is Gods active opportunitie deliverance then stepping in when in our apprehensions wee are past hopes of being delivered so it is as necessary a truth to be practised that when Kingdomes Cities Families or friends are most passive under the extremitie of accumulative miseries threatning ruine and desolation then to be most active in our assistance counsell and to our power deliveranco Such like thoughts as these possessing me in these unhappiest of unhappy times wherein a generally-feared destruction hangeth over our heads like a sharp pointed sword only by a small thread perswaded me with the poore widow my abilities not being able to bestow more to cast in this my following mite and if it shall though in it selfe worthlesse prove by the concurring operation of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of men in the least manner instrumentally contributary to the reformation of some information of others and a desired restoration of the whole Kingdome in generall the City of London in particular where I received my first birth and being to their ancient honour and former truth and peace return your thankes to the Lord of heaven and earth the fountaine of all Mercies and pray for the Eternall happinesse of Your reall friend Country-man and fellow Citizen Rexophilus Londinatus Christianus Protestans Maii prim 1648. Ne inutilis olim vixisse videar 25 Proverbs 11. A word spoken in season is like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver 122 Psalme 8. For my brethren and companions sakes will I now say peace bee within thy walls WHen the Hebrew-tongued bells sadly invite the Charitable assistance of others to a pacification of that rebellious Element Fire Hebrew Letters must bee read backward A Custome in England to ring bels backward when houses are on fire destructively active beyond its legall bounds and a reduction of it to its proper center and due obedience who will not unlesse some whose preventing care is little about their own and carefull pitty lesse imployed about others ruines willingly contribute their quenching paines Nay who except others as miserably destitute of honesty as wealth whose strangely malicious mindes repine at the fruitfull industry smiling prosperity of others and whose irregular expectations hope to supply the defect of their own wealth and boy up their almost irrecoverably sunk estates by a generally concurring destruction will not subscribe to a voluntary demolition of their proper and more peculiar buildings only to anticipate the devastation of others by that mercilesse raging tyrant When the angry windes begin to vent their spleen and the passive surges which not long before were united into one only unfurrowed face like slaves forced to a degeneration are compelled by those powerfully Commanding Masters into high swelling frowns and deep-furrowed wrinkles thereby menacing ruine to all floating travellers in that uncertain watery region Will not then all obliged and resolved guides Vela moderantes per aequoris undas unlesse some who with too much ease can change ingagements of publike preservation into permissive if not active resolutions of desolation or others whose winding limbs embarqued on gainfull private hopes or aguish losing fears can comply with every rouling wave thereby in vain expecting in a Fly-boat of neutralitie to swim safely to a self-securing shore will not all except such consult a prevention of such a universally-threaten'd destruction My dearest Country-men England hoc momento temporis O that Fame could give my Pen the lye but alas alas experience already hath and still doth afford us too too certain grounds evidencing its truth is at this very day become a sad paralell of these preceding lines England not long since famous abroad happy at home even beyond si foelicitatem noverit desire of additionall happinesse for its united domestick structures I mean its Monarchicall government compacted into so sweetly agreeing * King Lord and Common in Parliamenâ— disproportionâ—d proportion that setting aside those Concomitantes Regnorum devastatores those destroyers of men and Kingdomes Ambition Envy and Sedition which blind the judgements sight enforcing it to a partiall if not an envious construction of the best things the most prying eye could not discern the * Poorest men humblest stone remedilesly press'd by an oppressing * Rich persons Superiour or highest advanced pinacle proudly scorning inferiour subjected materialls without a check from the master builder I mean the established law whose enlivener fonsque origo is our Soveraigne Lord King Charles c. Sine quo nulla nova fuit est Angliâ lexque erit Jeremiah 9. chap. 1. v. This England quis non talia scribendo lachrymarum flumina mittet who can forbeare wishing with the Prophet That his head were full of water and his eyes a fountain of tears to weep for his Native Country by the beginning Sparcks of an unfortunate Northern fire-brand strange it is that so cold and almost benumming a climate should yield such nimbly-devouring fire intermixing in its consuming progresse with unnaturally connaturalizing materialls by degrees grown almost into one entire flame This winged Vessell truly styled Europ's Soveraigne whose swelling sayles not long since were filled even to envy and admiration of all round about her by long continuing uninterrupted succesfull gales At last by the enforcement of rigid necessitie justly steering its powerfully commanding course for its command proceeded from a * Commission from his Majestie Just power neere the * Scotland Calidonian waters met with some surly opposing gufts high-working ambitious and rebellious waves which not wanting a concurring assistance and incouragement from other mutinous spirits strange it is that children of the same wombe should rend the very bowels of their naturall parent upon the unreasonable invitation of aliens accompanying the same Fleet with this Royall Pilot denyed to strike sayle or expresse obedience to his lawfull commands Which strange and unnaturall opposition increasing like snow roul'd from place to place even to a monstrous heap by the senslesly assisting and furiously active hands of such persons was soon howsoever dissolved by the favourable breath and gracious condescentions beyond expectation of the Royall CoÌ„mander himself as it seemed having a brest more affected with the losse of any under his command however in their obedience repugnant although I cannot but
the disturbance of the Peace of Church and State by complaining of their attempts and deeds to the Magistrate leaving them to the justice of the Law and lastly by recovering them by strength of holy arguments as with strong phisick from that infection of their judgment and consciences and their soul-poysoning heresies praying continually in the fervency of the spirit for their conversion But before I proceed to the next words Extirpation of Church-Government by Bishops c. I must desire the Reader to reflect back upon what I have already written concerning the Limitations of an Oath briefly thus That no unlawfull Oath bindeth Vide fol. 46. nor must unlawfull means be used for the compassing for effecting any thing in it self lawfull c. Extirpation of Government by Arch-bishops Bishops Covenant their Chancellors c. That is by using all lawfull means warrantable by the law of God and the Kingdome to that end as petitioning the supream Magistrate the King or any other way if any other way can be imagined not I say intrenching upon the law of God For were an abolition hereof absolutely necessary conducing to the generall peace of the Kingdom as it is upon good grounds believed rather altogether distructive thereunto will you buy a temporall peace upon such unequal termes as to hazard your soul eternally unlesse the mercy of God interpose by wilfull perjury in the purchase and gain an eating curse to your Posterity by Sacriledge Besides it is against the Principles of all Governments the Law of God and the Land to enforce an alteration by bloody force as I have already shewed Nay you doe not onely hereby make your selves guilty of perjury treason bloud and sacriledge but you endeavour to compell His Majesty to the breach of His Oath taken at His Coronation wherein He swore to Defend the Bishops their priviledges and Churches under their government Again were the Presbyterian government absolutely good so out of necessity the Episcopal must be removed as it is not yet a bloudy eradication is proculdubio unlawfull for we must not do evill that good may come thereof we must not like mad Mariners desperately steer our course amongst Rocks hoping to arrive at a rich freight lest we shipwrack our selves here and lose the end of our voyage our hopes hereafter therefore let all men take heed of pretending a necessity of keeping this one Article of extirpation because they have so Covenanted unlesse they will make good also a necessity of breaking all Gods Commandements which is an high degree of Blasphemy to maintain for that is impia promissio quae sine scelere impleri non potest nonque obligat no Law obligeth in opposition to the Gods Law if it doth binde it is to a repentance only Therefore Recollect your thoughts now for your owne Experience cannot but acquainte you that a violent deprivation of the Kings Regall power was at first the contrivers designe and now plainly appeareth to be the Result of the Warre on their part and reflect upon the almost six years means made use of or rather sinnes committed to effect the accomplishment thereof as Envy Hatred Malice Hypocrisie publick pretences of Reformation private intentions of Eradication and Deformation revilings of His Majesties Royall Person and Government Scandalizing of the English Nationall Church abominable Lying contempt of Superiors forceing of mens Consciences Disloyalty Perjury Theft Bloodshedding nay all imaginable Sinnes with renewing of old Heresies and raising of all manner of Schismes Now if you love your selves and your soules and would not contract the guilt of all these sinnes upon your owne heads and as it were set your Seal of confirmation and approbation to the Sinnes of others thus heaping up wrath against the day of wrath be perswaded to desert these Plotters and their Designes persist not contrary to Reason and Religion in a rigid and sinfull keeping of that extirpating Article Now seeing the day-star appeareth and every one who formerly were wraped up in the night of mistakes and misapprehensions or blinded with the silken veile of a good Opinion of the Contrivers because outwardly they appeared in Angelicall habits may without spectacles read that their pretences were only to usher in the intention therefore the plea of ignorance and good meaning as formerly can no longer be used but be perswaded to come out from among these progressive ROOTERS lest continuing with them in Sinne you also with them partake of punishment For God is just as well as mercifull Covenant Superstition Heresie Schisme and Profanesse c. For the residue of this second Article having already written something which also may aptly be applyed to these when I handled the word Popery I shall only turne it into a Prayer yet because Schisme is joyned with the rest if it were a time in these sad times to jest I should make it good Rationally that your Contriving Presbyterians have in that Sworn against their owne Practice for although the Protestant Church like the Spouse in the Canticles is black that is not appearing genuina gloria by reason of stormy weather yet still she is Comly still in her doctrine and discipline unaltered remaining firme upon its old established foundation notwithstanding the violent Endeavours of their changing times nor was their Presbyterian Government then extant and as yet but an infant for want of the Royall assent being neither able to stand goe or speak they themselves also very well knew what the word Schisme in an Ecclesiasticall sense meaneth how that ille Schismaticus qui a ritu Ecclesiae petulanter ambitionis studio discedit that Separateth himselfe upon a proud Pharisaicall conceit of holinesse from the Communion of the Church in the performance of Religious acts But I passe that by Praying that God the searcher of all hearts would be pleased to root out of all our hearts and mindes the destroying blindnesse of Superstition the spreading Leprosie of Heresie the peace-Eating Gangren of Schisme the tainting Corrupt humours of Profanesse and all other things displeasing unto him and contrary to His word that we enjoy a blessed harmonious consent in Truth and Godlinesse expressing the power thereof in our lives and conversations and that the Lord may be One and his name One in these three Kingdomes We shall with the same sincerity 3 Article Covenant c. Endeavour to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament These are freedome of expressing mens judgements if taken in a comprehensive compleate sense King Lords and Commons power to repeal old and Establish new Lawes to which every Subject is bound to yeild obedience Only thus much let me adde that no Priviledges of one or both Houses can Patronize Treason Murder Vide Lex terrae J. Jenkens or breach of the Peace by their own confession nor is it indeed consonant to reason that they whose first institution was ordained for preservation should themselves practice or command desolation whose
Actions past present although spiced over with never so many plausible pretences affirme no lesse O Angliginae Angliginae quae vos dementia cepit O English-men let me expostulate with you Did all of you nay did any of you six years past by your first assistance intend what you now see brought to passe The frame of your Government altered Your King your Soveraigne a Prisoner I am confident that few or none of you you I meane to whom I write contributers of your assistance not knowing wilfull contrivers had then no such intentions Why then by silence will you suffer the guilt of these bloody designers to be originally pinn'd upon your back Take notice that sin-guilty men are of a nature much like the Plague they love to have company in infection avoid the one therefore as you would flie from the other follow the common Proverbe Set the saddle upon the right horse Weigh in your thoughts past and present actions have they not sufficiently abused you you deceived mislead Londoners I meane Could you ever some years past have supposed that an Army formerly stiling themselves your protecting friends â— July 1647. should by an opposing march come against you slaying even at your City wals some ingaged for your and its defence that the Cannons mouth should by them be turned against your dwellings that your defensive meanes of preservation within your wals your Chaines I meane by the prevalency of that faction should be knock'd off Could you then expect or fear to be thus domineered over by such bucklers and the Lording swords I am certaine such thoughts could not then possesse you Now all this being true why will you by your too too passivenesse be continuers of your owne Miseries Consider further do you all expect Clavum regni tenere doe you all hope to be Kings to governe none obey you cannot entertaine such vaine conceipts Do you expect that liberty should be granted in Civill affaires Vitam sine lege vivere to live without a Law No no deceive not your selves your cunning Masters that have hitherto blindfolded you and led you by the nose will when they have gained the full command of the reines make you passive in any thing that their ambition malice and covetousnesse shall though falsely suggest as necessary and convenient Therefore be perswaded to a desertion of them and their designes What though you have got a scratch or two in your reputation by your former erroneous actions would you rather have it fester through neglect and so indanger the losse of a member then apply this salve of a penitentiall returne which will heale you in a moment Non est perniciosum in praelio vulnerari sed post vulnus acceptum vulneri medicamentum non applicare It is more madnesse to refuse a cure then dishonour to receive a wound Is it not a far better happier Government and freer from oppression to live under our Soveraigne Lord the King Ruling His Subjects by a written Law and resigning the Ministers of that Law if they neglect executing Justice and Judgement according to the direction thereof to the strictly searching examination of a Parliament one of their proper workes and according to their merit by them to receive Punishment then under a company of Tyrannicall persons quibus voluntates solummodo leges governing according to their owne wils and from whom there is no appeale Once more therefore let me earnestly desire all my abused and deceived Country-men to returne to the God of heaven by a true and unfeigned repentance to their Soveraigne in Loyall affections and obedienciall actions to their Country in a true hearted fidelity And here although I have not the least cause knowing the principles of Religion on which they stand to doubt their contrary practice yet for the further advancement of His Majesties Honour their owne reputations as English Protestants Vindication of the Kings so just a Cause and stopping the mouthes of envious men who watch for reviling opportunities let me adde this request to all those who by the assisting and directing power of the Almighty God have ever since these dismall dayes of bloody disloyalty been kept in the straight path of obedience to His Majesty That they would invite all former wanderers out of that way unto a returne by perswasive arguments of reason sound principles of Religion alluring expressions of affection laying aside all bitternesse of spirit revenge and hatred the bane of Peace and reconciliation forgetting all former deviations putting a difference between the efficient and instrumentall cause I meane the contrivers of this Rooting designe and the Instruments who were abused into unlawfull actions by specious pretences and know not the end to which these beginnings did tend considering that though Nature hath equally bestowed eyes upon all birds yet she hath not given to all eyes alike qualified with the Eagles therefore let us all rather endeavour to cleare their sight then muffle them with the vailes of scornefull and reproachfull words Nay let us even to the most wilfull persisters and invenomed spirits imitate the example of blessed S. Steven whose heart hands eyes and tongue then begg'd mercy and forgivenesse of the God of heaven for his hard hearted adversaries when they were knocking him downe to the earth with stones And when in after times the wheel shall turne placing their expectations in the chaire of power with a nunc fruimur votis forget not to use the reines of command with Moderation still remembring that the irregular deeds of State affaires and Princes imployed instruments reflect alwayes upon their Royall Master the Kings honour being then wounded when they do but slip into the practice of unwarrantable unjust oppressing actions remembring also that many thousands in England have almost for seaven years time been bred up like wilde Colts by their Riders unto stubbornesse and disobedience and therefore in probability may sooner be stroked then whipp'd into a condescending compliance for oftentimes we know that the sence of an immoderately beating hand forceth a penitentiall though formerly prodigall child to a backsliding and re-excursions unto more desperate undertakings Although England hath been long troubled almost with a general phrenzie yet the Iron rod Bread and Water are not properly to be given them as food whom Time the mother of Truth and Instruction the Judgements Informer hath like Physick recovered from that distemper Remember that England hath been long sick of a Consumption even to a fear'd dissolution of the whole body like a Patient by the losse of much blood brought into an extreame weakenesse and all know that knowing Physitians although probably there may still remaine some bad humour administer not strong Purges but comforting Cordials then when there is as it were an interregnum inter mortem vitamque not knowing which will be the Conquerour life or death still having in your thoughts that it is the onely glorious property of mercy for a man then to pardon
of themselves to which even the knowledge of the meanest judgement if he know any thing cannot but assent as reall truth Presupposed the King not the King in his minority although it is as true then for there is his tacite supream power implied his Protectour â— Jenk Remonstr Febr. 21. 1647. Vide Recordi Whether ever in this Kingdom any new Law was enjoyned or new Oath imposed upon the people in opposition to the Law established by the two houses conjunctim or by either of them seperatim without nay against the King's consent and if none as none can be produced by what power have they contrived Ordinances and imposed them with a Vow and Covenant solemn League and Covenant contrary to established Law and his Majesties Proclamation Whether or no turbulent violent and irregular transaction in former Parliaments wherein Kings have been deposed or necessitated to unlawfull condescentions through force or fear have not been by succeeding Parliaments made null and those Parliaments themselves esteemed but as traiterous Assemblies and so as cannot be denied Res pares cum paribus comparemus And let us all pray that England may enjoy the happinesse of a free lawfully acting Christian like peaceable unbyased no private self ends respecting but the truly publike and generall good cordially affecting and really effecting Parliament To which let all true English men with my self say Amen Amen Whether ever formerly the Lords and Commons conjunctim or either of them divisim had the disposing of the Militia of the Kingdom did create Magistrates had power over life and death to whom highest and last appeal were made did make a great Seal acting by vertue thereof by any Law of the Land established without nay against the King's consent And if there be no Law extant interesting them in such a power but on the contrary it must necessarily be confessed that all these things by the letter of the Law and the continuall practice thereof which is optimus leges interpres do belong to the King's Majesty his Heirs and Successors their own Propositions of the second of June 1642. confessing no lesse First Book Col. Ordnan 307. for then they petitioned him for a resignation of all these insignia regalia for the removing of fears and jealousies between him and his people which must necessarily imply a tacite confession that his Majesty is solely interested in the disposing of them for to what end should they petition for those things which without his consent they may claim as their own and if so let every mans judgement speak Quis reus Whether or no there be any Law remaining established or any clause reserved in the Law by vertue whereof the Lords and Commons or either of them are authorized in any case whatsoever reall much lesse upon a pretence of any case to remove Counsellours from his Majesty by force to imprison his sacred Person to use the regall Power to alter the Lawes established to impose new Lawes without his consent upon his Subjects and the like by force All which and more then these have been put in practice since these unhappy times began and if they cannot produce any Law or the least resemblance of a Law nay of Christian reason to warrant such like actions Judge Jenkins Lex tâ—rrae Remonffr Frb. 1647. they must give us leave to ask the question Who are guilty of Treason seeing all these particulars thus usurped are by the Law declared no lesse And here by the way let me put them in mind of the different judgement of former Ages in Bishop Cranmer a glorious Martyr for our Religion from such kind of positions or practices He would not admit of the Popes authority in England because he was pre-engaged to the King by Oath Book Martyrs according to the Law of the Land affirming that the Popes authority was against the Crown Custome and Lawes of the Kingdom Now unlesse there be a Law authorizing the People under what notion soever to do that which was unlawfull in the Pope to do the offence being one and the same committed only by differing persons I know not what to write more but that Pope and People begin both with one letter praying God to deliver us from the Pope and Papistical false Doctrines As for that old stalking-horse the fundamental Law which hath so often and so long been pretended as an undeniable warrant authorizing their beginnings and proceedings in opposition to his Majesty Truly loyall English hearts and rationall men will no sooner credit that there is such a Law because of their meer declarative affirmation then that there is such an one as Atlas really supporting the Heavens with his shoulders because Poets have delivered so much to succeeding Ages in their feigned writings There indeed not any such Law warranting these kind of actions for none hitherto hath appeared in view it being a maxime that quod non apparet jure non est therefore shall be bold to put them in mind of part of Master Pym's speech at the beginning of this Parliament leaving the application to their consideration The Law is that which putteth a difference between good and evill between just and unjust if you take away the Law all things will fall into a confusion every man will become a Law to himself which in the depraved condition of humane nature must needs produce many great enormities Lust will become a Law Envy will become a Law Ambition will become a Law and what dictates and decisions such Lawes will produce may easily be discerned Thus far Master Pym. Now that these things may not come to passe in its height however and perfection in these our dayes Let us pray that the Lord would grant us all grace to tread constant steps in the path of his Law giving us loyall hearts to the King and causing us to expresse a reall not verball obedience to the Law of the Land Further because humanum est errare and omnis perfectio nostra est imperfectio all of us being full of originall sin by reason of which the suggestion of Satan and the enticing pleasures and profits of this life we are alas quamvis Christiani though stiled Christians yet ready to commit sin with greedinesse against the God of heaven as also too too apt to prefer our own private advantage and interest before the publike good and benefit not minding the peoples happinesse in practising piety and enjoying Peace the mother of plenty but oftentimes spurred on by avaritious and ambitiously aspiring thoughts we neglect rendring to God his and all other degrees of men from the Prince to the meanest of the people their respective dues which often occasioneth that confusion like a fierce torrent overfloweth and ruine like a boisterous storme suddenly shipwracks a well governed Kingdom Therefore are Oathes tanquam Clavi religiosi framed to keepe this building of Government more firme and close together To this end the Oathes of Alleagiance and
and Constitutions nor publish and put in uâ—e any of them being made Now Presbyterians take upon them to set up their Discipline in a Kingdom therein indeed shaking hands with Jesuited Papists maugre all opposition It is true for external peace sake they hold it fit to crave leave first and beg the assistance of the Civil Power but if denyed will proceed without it assembling together and making their own Laws without regulations from the Civil Power for the manner and form of exercising their Discipline allowing only the Prince Potestatem Cumulativam as they speak a power to add more strength and vigour not Privativam to interpose or hinder their assemblies or decrees And in this respect it were to be wished that England had never proved exemplary as now in these latter times it doth by such kind of proceedings The fountain from whence hath issued too ny bloody streams And here it will not be amiss to present the Reader with the grounds and reasons enforcing his Majesty with his loyal Subjects assistance to defensive Arms and in that a Declaration of my own in particular and many thousand English Protestant Judgments more whose pens tongues and hands only endeavored a restoration of his Royal Majesty to his just regal honor and authority Themselves and their fellow-subjects unto their due liberties both Parliamentary and private The preservation of the Protestant Religion in the Doctrine and Profession of the Church of England against all Papists and Sectaries The maintenance of the Government of the Church of England as it standeth still by Law established until the Law of the Land shall make alteration thereof not so peremptorily maintaining the continuance of Episcopal Government as to enforce the remaining of its general practice in England by force of Arms in opposition and against his Majesties suppose that the King could or would dispence with his Coronation Oath will and consent to that purpose cheerfully and voluntarily ratified not by the pressing violence of almost unavoydable necessity or tyrannizing power of the prevailing Sword but freely confirmed and declared by Act of Parliament although peradventure they may mourn the alteration and abrogation of so ancient and apostolical a Government But because my Judgment pleadeth for Episcopacy and it hath been an argument much urged against the Bishops and in them the Government it self defamed That That formerly they silenced severall godly Ministers prohibiting them and others the exercise of holy duties because they did only exercise duties that were holy I shal write my thoughts freely herein For far be it from me to speak against or any to forbid the Exercise of holy duties as hearing praying reading living strictly Endeavouring to have a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men No no the practice of them in sincerity is the high way to Heaven for without holinesse none shall see God but in the mean time take heed what you hear beware of swallowing poyson wrapped up in Leaves of gold take heed of these who have a forme of Godlinesse a forme in Practice onely that under pretence of long Prayers and outside piety devour Widdows houses that deny the truth of the word of God the holy Scriptures by their false Doctrines seducing many into erronious Opinions the parents of worse succeeding actions For my part if any did so forbid performance of holy duties as I am altogether ignorant of any such nor can easily be induced to believe it howsoever were I assured of its truth I would not minima defendere peccata plead an excuse for them But if then they did as I believe they did onely by suspensions endeavour to prevent the sowing of the seeds of sedition schisme and heresie or the growth thereof to any strength either in publick or in private as it was there and is the duty of all Ecclesiasticall Governours they did no more then what the law of God and the land gave them a warrant for therefore let every one as well take heed of calling good evill as tearming evill to be good for in all probability had such preventing-remedies as these been timely applied when sedition schisme and heresie first opened their black mouths we never had arrived at this high degree as at this present we are of variety of Errours and pernicious destructive Opinions O Lord have mercy upon us But grant that some of them stretched the exercise of power beyond its lawfull bounds and in that respect were guilty deserving punishment What is the fault of one or more Bishops to the Government it self could not the errours of particular persons be reformed or punished but by an extirpation of the whole Government durus est hic sermo it is hard indeed if God for the sin of two Adam and Eve nay of many thousands more should have therefore denied mercy and reconciliation to all mankind How everlastingly unhappy would the residue of the world have been Deliver us good God from the cruell dealings of men and if affliction must be our portion let us fall into thy hands O Lord for thy mercy endureth for ever As for the remaining clauses in the first Article viz. Of bringing the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest uniformity c. these things considered Covenant That the Discipline of the Church of God is most Consonant to the word of God approved of and desired by forraigne Divines and therefore the best reformed not intrenching with the Papists upon the Civill power nor with them denying the Kings supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall agreeing best with Monarchy confirmed by the Law of the Land Other Churches therefore according to the rule of reason and religion within His Majesties Dominions should rather conform to ours then the uniformity of ours in Religion Government and Worship admit a change or be transformed into any other form To this purpose O Lord inspire the universal Church with the spirit of truth unity and concord and grant that all that do Confesse thy holy name may live in peace and godly love one with another Amen Covenant This limitation is approved by the Parliament as behind fol. 53. That we shall in like manner that is in a lawfull manner according to the word of God endevour the extirpation of Popery that is their tenents of transubstantiation worshipping of Images praying to Saints Preaching good works as meritorious to everlasting life and salvation that Kings for diverse respects may be Deposed by the people that then Subjects Oaths of Alleagiance may be dispensed with King James Apol. Oath Alleg. with their deniall of the Kings Supremacy in all Causes as well Ecclesiasticall and Civill and the like Endeavour extirpation of these by execution of good Laws already established against their Errours and Professours thereof by that meanes preventing their further growth hindring their seducing of ignorant and unwary people and in case of Conspiracy and Treason against the Kings Majesty His Queen or Royall off-spring