leave you 1. When Humane helps are gone and no power left among men no reserve of succour to be looked for at their hand from whence formerly it was wont to come no second causes to be seen then will God arise and judge for us so we are told The Lord shall judge for his people and repent himself for his servants when he sees their power is gone and trere is none shut up or left and therefore we are advised in another place when we are in darknesse and see no light then to trust in the Name of the Lord and to stay our selves upon our God David did so and found the comfort of it 1 Sam. 30. â— c. God's use is not to reach out his hand till Peter be almost sunke but then he failes not 2. When the wicked that pretended to us but were not of us are scattered and destroyed when they that envyed at us maliced us and abused us because we durst not be so vile as they to run with them into the like excesse of riot but were more affected then they would be with our Kings sorrowes and Gods judgements upon our Nation when these I say are come to nothing and so likely to have no part of the glory of the work when done then will God himselfe appeare for us and this is intimated to us as was noted once before in Esay 26. where speaking of such a prophane and wicked crue who when God's hand was lifted up in judgement would not see it nay they maliced and envyeâ— as it seems those that did see it and layed it to heart but the fire of thine enemies O God shall devoure them for it saies the Prophet i. e. rage shall continue powerfull even in their hands whom thou hatest till those other wretches are consumed or blown to nothing and then it follows O Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us yea thou shalt then work all our works for us 3. When the sin of the enemy is high and himselfe higher in his own opinion then ere before when he puffeth at his opposites as too farre below him for to reach him and promising himselfe securitie thinkes the work done dares affront God his Word his Name and Glory and prophane what ever hath his mark upon it then will the Lord rouze up himselfe against him It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law sayes David When Balthazar was bold with those Vessels appointed to holy use the hand-hand-writing appeared against him when Rabshakeh and his Master were so bold with Gods name as to entitle that to their villanies the Lord put an Hook into their noses and a bridle into their lipps soon after when the proud Philistine disdained Davids littlenesse his own ruine was nigh at hand when those Amalekites that took Ziglag were eating and drinking and dividing the spoiles and dancing for joy of their great booties they lost all againe upon the suddain and their lives withall and the Apostle speakes it positively of all ungodly and self-promising men that when they shall say peace and safety then suddain destruction commeth on them as travail upon a woman with child which they shall not escape yea the day of the Lord shall come upon them as a Thiefe in the night suddainly unexpectedly when they are at rest and look for quiet 4. When the Stomacks of Gods afflicted people be down and they not only made like mire in the streets but contented with it in as much as they see Gods hand in it Behold saies the Lord I have taken the cup of trembling out of thy hand and thou shalt no more drink of it but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee and they shall drink of the dreggs thereof even they which have said to thy soul bow down that we may go over and thou hast laid thy body as the ground as the street to them that went over when the people of this Land have been content to bow their backs so low as under the name of Delinquents meekly and patiently to buy over at the hands of the Rebels those Lands and Inheritances left them by their Fathers then may the Lord make good his word unto the peeled and oppressed people of this wofull Nation In a word as when the wise Parent hath brought his child to kisse the rod then he gives over beating him and burns that so perhaps will God deale with us beat us with the rod till he hath brought us for to kisse it and this we do when with appeased spirits we can supplicate him to pardon them that have thus abused us when we have layed aside all thoughts of revenge towards them all purposes of crying quit for quit with them if God restore us and bring them into our condition Wherefore friends and fellow-sufferers we now see what we are to doe even to resolve by Gods grace if we live and thrive not to doe to them as they have done to us but to return rather good for evill for thus it becomes us to do as we are Christs members nos pati poenas decet non esse poenas we must be ambitious to be conditioned in this case like that good Archbishop Cranmer of whom it was said Do my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turn and you shall have him your friend ever after but of all people we must take heed of being like our enemies of whom it may be said on the contrary Doe them a good turn and you shall have them your enemies ever after their custome you know hath been when we have fallen into their power to interpret the same to be by Gods providence to the end that they might torment mischief and abuse us which they or some of them have not failed to doe in full measure and when they on the other side have fallen into ours and fared well to insult thereupon and say no thank to us therefore for we would fain have done them hurt but God would not suffer us but restrained us by holding our hands whether we would or no and delivered them from us to the end they may do God service in punishing us afterward if they can but get us Now perhaps they may be of the same opinion still when hereafter they shall be at our mercy but we must look to God and not to them remembring alwaies though they deserve no favour from us yet God deserves to be obeyed by us and for his sake we must shew mercy we have heard of Josephs kindnesse to his brethren that had evill thoughts to him-ward we must resolve to doe like him and if the conditions of Joseph be in our carriage the blessing of Joseph shall be our portion this must be our resolution if we live And if we die by their despightful hands before God doth turn the wheel upon them we must resolve to conclude our daies as Christ
words Times are not now as they have been Many of the Presbyterian faction in whom the spirit of cruelty is most naturall and who ruled the Rost when most of these villanies were acted which your Book reproveth are either runne away or turned the other way for the Militia now most in the others hands hath proved a stronger Argument with their Consciences then their Covenant therefore there is no cause to fear persecution for a discharge of duty And besides these are times wherein every one may speak and practice as himself pleaseth nor can any be imagined so vile as to permit all that will to write against that King whom God hath commanded to Honour and that Church which baptized and taught us all the knowledge of God we have and be offended onely at those that write in their behalf Shall we think that men have leave in these Reforming times to be any thing but true Protestants and to do any thing but their duties away away with all Panick fears To this I Answer 1. There is a Leaven of that proud and sower Faction yet remaining 2. There is a Generation of Apostate Priests too much in favour with men of Power and these are mischievous men who having themselves betrayed the Truth cannot abide that any should appear for it they have hitherto been the chief movers to persecution for those Greater persons would never doubtlesse have defiled themselves with such actions as casting Gods Ministers out of their Possessions if some of these little Satans had not stood at their right hands to tempt them provoke them Now these persons specially those of mine old acquaintance do cry nothing but hanging hanging against me for I believe their sight of me puts them in mind of their own Apostacy from that way of Christ wherein formerly they walked with me they have confidently said it that the Parliament would hang me And why Because I was one among many others that had proved this unnaturall Warre to be unlawfull by Gods Word and had Vindicated sacred Scripture from those false and perverse glosses which for ill purposes were put upon it And these Prophets that in this particular at least themselves may appear true will do their best I beleeve with the Members of both Houses to make good the word which they have spoken for those Lords and Gentlemen whom they relate unto if they can prevaile with them shall be all conditioned like Dionisius the Tirant of Siracuse who sent Philoxenus to the gallows because he would not flatter him But as the Prophet said so say I As for me behold I am in their hands let them do with me as seemeth meet good unto them c. It hath been mine endeavour this seaven years day and my usuall Prayer that I may be able to conclude as M. Bradford the Martyr did concerning those that had power over him viz. If they shall imprison me I le thanke them If they shall burn me I le thank them If they shall banish me I le thanke them but if they shall give me leave to preach the Gospell I le thank them more and I promise them withall by Gods grace to be a daily Petitioner for their Conversion and for the pardon of their sins And for my kind Brethren I will in requitall remember them of their destiny they may reade it themselves in Isay 9. 15. The Prophet that teacheth lies is the tail So in Mal. 2. 8. 9. The Lord speaking to some of their stamp saith Because ye have departed out of the way and caused my people to stumble therefore I le make you the most vile base contemptible among them Yea I doubt not e'relong but by most men they 'l be so reputed however of late they have been honoured and justly indeed do they merit to be the tail of the people for making themselves to be the tayl of the Dragon which they have manifestly done by their casting down the Stars from Heaven the Orthodox Ministers out of Christs Church But when this their day of contempt is come and they are assaulted as that Popish Doctor Bourn was in Queen Maries dayes even in the Pulpit from whence they have vented their lies and blasphemies as to this it will come I hope if I live to see it I shall have grace to approve my selfe to them as Master Bradford did to him and help to conduct them away in safety from vulgar rage perswade the people to rest quiet for thus it becomes the true Gospel No disaffection have I now as God knows unto their persons though I professe my selfe a perfect enemy to their courses But now good Readers to leave them there remains onely two requests which I make to you The first is this That you would not think amisse of the most High and Honourable Court of Parliament for those evils that are done in these daies under its name and if any suggest that such or such passages in this my Book are against the same believe them not for I professe unto you I neither do nor dare think the supreme Court of Justice in this Kingdome to be all one with sinne or that Oppression Sacriledge Rebellion Popery and those other Evils which I inveigh against are the Actions of that when God shall please to restore unto us a true Parliament you shall see all these things amended and the Authours of them severely punished Have still therefore a Reverend esteem of Parliaments Secondly I desire that you would not conceive any bitternesse in me or in my Book against the persons of those men that now are called the Parliament as perhaps some may fancy because my usage hath not been good for I professe here also unto you that I do not apprehend my self in respect of my self to have any true cause of hate towards them I thank God I can say to them as the Apostle to his Galathians You have not hurt me at all Nay rather I hope they have been the means to make me in some sort a better Christian. The Causes of my sufferings as I learned at first from some of themselves were these foure I hinted them indeed to the world before in my Loyall Subjects Belief and referre them now to your judgements whether they may not occasion comfort and rejoycing in me yea and love too towards them rather then hatred or ill affections The first was as I was then told because I was an honest man and thereby did more hurt to their Cause being opposite to it in the Country where I was known then an hundred knaves what greater Honour could they do me then by affording this Testimony of me This reason I confesse from their mouths was apprehended by me as a timely intimation and call from God to doe their cause from thence forth what hurt I could which by his power I have since endeavoured and by his grace shall continue so to doe unto my lives end The second
was Because I had preached the Truth which the Member said was not to be spoken at all times no not by those intrusted with it of God though also a Divine Truth and in danger to be lost What an high Dignitie also was this to me to be ranked thus among Christs Disciples and thought worthy to suffer as the Apostles did for the Truth of God The third was Because I was for the King And what are my sufferings for this Reason but a publick Proclamation in my behalf that I am a good Subject and one of those few among many that have obtained mercy of God to be faithfull The fourth was Because I would not preach to promote the warre Now what fuller manifestation could they make of my being Philopatris a lover of my Country and a true Minister of Christ the Prince of Peaee then by their taking from me what I had because I would not be tempted to doe a thing destructive to my Nation and mis-becoming the Gospel yea and more then this themselves of late have punished diverse persons for not being like me of such conditions And thus Christian Readers having seen the Reasons of my sufferings I beleeve you will judge as I do that I have no particular cause of hatred against these men who have been as I take it but Gods Instruments to give a good testimony of me unto the World wheresore I beseech you all mistake me not in your reading my Book fancy not that under a notion of bitternesse which may be called Gratitude rather my endeavours are to bring them back out of darknesse into Light from under the power of Satan unto God My expressions to this end perhaps sometimes are sharp and home But I have been a practitioner in the high Art of Soul-faving this twentie years and by Gods blessing have attained to so much skill therein that I know all sinners are not alike nor must be dealt with in the same way our Saviour spoke to the Scribes and Pharisees after another manner then he was wont to do to the Common people Some must by violence be plucked out of the fire Last of all I desire this of you that fear the Lord to afford me the Protection of your Prayers I might require you by the Protestation you have taken to maintain and defend me also other wayes as thereby you are bound in whatsoever I have here said or done it being onely in pursuance of the said Protestation which I have perfixt to the beginning of the Book that with the more case you may observe and compare mine aims and endeavours with the words and scope therein But indeed your supplications to God is that onely which I desire for next to faith in God I count the Prayers of the godly the best Militia under Heaven for protection and preservation and so the Lord of Life and Spirit rest upon you and dwell in you for ever October 25. 1647. Your Brother in Christ and Servant for his sake E. S. A Preface to the Readers specially to the Loyall Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland Christian Friends ABout July 1645. a certaine scandalous Pamphlet entituled The Kings Cabinet opened c. was published by certaine unnaturall Englishmen and dispersed through His Majesties Dominions of Great Britaine and Ireland on purpose to make Him distastfull to His owne people Yea many of the Copies were transmitted to forraigne parts to render Him a spectacle of offence to the whole world one of them some moneths after the divulging fortuned into my hands which when I had read and with amazement considered the reproachful style and mischievous scope of the Authors therein finding it every way in regard of the persons from and of whom it was more vile then Senacherib's Letter or Rabshekah's Tongue I thought it my duty first to spread it before the Lord and then before the world in opening the true nature of it which I have here done for these ends First to vindicate my Soveraigns Name and Honour to which as a Subject I am bound by common Allegeance Oath and Protestation 2. To warne you my fellow-Subjects of the snare laid to catch you for your subversion as well as the Kings defamation is aimed at and to this I am engaged as a Brother as a Christian. 3. To detect the virulent natures and cursed dispositions of wicked men which I am obliged to performe in respect of mine office and calling being one of those whom God hath honoured to be a Seer or Watchman in his Israel a Minister of his Church whose imployment is to lay open Satans devices to discover Wolves to uncase Hypocrites according to Christs owne example in the dayes of his flesh And to these I may adde a fourth viz. to justifie the Church of England and true Protestant Religion whereof I am a member and a Professor from all allowment and approbation of any such unreverend blasphemous and reproachfull language against Soveraine Majesty as that malicious Pamphlet is stuffed withall Peradventure this work hath been already done by others of like relation with my selfe who have both confuted the Libell and defended the King but their Piety is no discharge to my Duty I must therefore answer my part unto it I must also declare my opinion of it for indeed as Elihu in Job said I am full of matter and the spirit within me doth constraine me I took the Protestation as well as any to defend my Soveraignes Name and Honour yea and to oppose in my way all such as by any means should endeavour to darken and impeach the same And let not those persons who first authorized that Protestation and afterward this Libel fancie to themselves that all men will be induced by this to break that though too many are or that God will so far neglect his Anointed as not to stir up some though of the meanest quality who by laying their actions to the rule of Gods Word shall freely notwithstanding their stupendious greatnesse discover to the world the irregularity of their doings in their countenancing so vile a thing as this is against Him whom by all Lawes of God and man they are bound to reverence and defend whereas disdaine at least and vexation shall be increased in them as was in those Pharisees whom Hosanna to the Son of David was ecchoed from the mouthes of children nay as our Saviour upon that occasion said should such hold their peace the very stones would cry out in a case of this nature As no Decree to the contrary could make all men abstaine from confessing Christ so no threats or feares shall restraine all persons from adhering to their Soveraigne and standing up in his behalfe against Calumnie For a good man some will even dare to die sayes the Apostle and for a good King shall not some alwayes dare to speak 'T is true He is in a low condition at the present but must our Alleageance therefore be at so
a most Heavenly work to rid the earth of him and a service most acceptable unto the Lord when Raviliack was demanded by his examiners to declare the reason moving him to his attempt he answered That the reasons why it was requisite to kill the King they might understand by the Sermons and Pamphlets of the Preachers Wel Sirs we all know the meaning both of you and of your Prophets and therefore as Elias from the Lord did charge Ahab with the death of Naboth because the letters provoking to it were signed with his seal so do I from the same Lord charge you with all those evil opinions and hard conceits which are already kindled in the mindes of any against the King by the meanes of this Pamphlet because 't is published by your Authority Yea if any further mischief shall befall his Sacred Majesty upon the same at your hands will the Judge of Heaven and Earth require it and know you further that the guilt of all the blasphemies reproaches scornes slanders which are spit out against the King either in this book or any other published by your leave and Order without your deep repentance and humiliation shal be heaped upon your Souls at the day of Reckoning even as if your own selves had been the Authors of them for nil interest sceleri an faveas aut facias to favour and to doe in this case is all one nay the Apostle speaks as if those who appove of other folks ill doings were in a degree worse then the Actors themselves and given up in a further measure to a Reprobate sense Qui non vetat peccare cum potest jubet saies the wise Heathen not to prevent a mischief when one may is directly to command it to be done Gentlemen for as your souls friend I would fain have you recover again that Title I charge you before the living God and Jesus Christ who shall one day sit in judgement upon you to ask your Consciences in secret whether it be not a sin and a wickednesse to speake evil of the Ruler of the people to act Shimei's part against Gods Anointed whether to write or publish such Pamphlets as this be the way to Honour the King in the eyes of his people Whether you have thus learned Christ from the Church of England Whether you ever met in Gods word with any saying or example to warrant you in this way of proceeding And I require you also as you will answer it before the Lord to ask your own hearts whether to Authorize such a work as this to the Kings defamation be a Christian work Honourable and becoming the dignity of a Parliament whose actions ought al to be glorious and presidentiall Nay is it an Act prudentiall in you thus publikely to own and countenance this prolem populi this abominable thing which the very Parents and Authors of are ashamed to father What will you say 't is one of the Priviledges of Parliament you fight for to Authorize things against the King against your own Allegeance end Protestation surely ab initio non fuit sic former Parliaments disdained to own such a Priviledge to tread in such pathes Or will you say you are more Omnipotent then those your Predecessours were who never had those brave advantages that you have true nor never did desire them But can your new Omnipotency make that which is evil in it self turn good by your Authorization I pray where had you this large Commission Who gave you this Authority Christ in whose hand is all power never did let your Chaplains prove it if they can or your Consciences affirm it if they dare Nor will that Writ which called you together and fixt you in your Spheare at Westminster tell you that the King the fountain of power under God did place you there in this sort to exercise your Activity against him your Patent therefore by which you have Authorized this work of darknesse must needs come ab Inferno And can you expect that the Judge of quick and dead will at the great day pronounce well done good and faithfull Servant unto you for doing Satans work for executing his Commission O how much better will you finde then it had been if you had wrapt up your Talents in a Napkin and in the meane time how much more had it been to the dignity of that High Court of Parliament which you pretend so much to stand for if you had but left out the name Parliament and said Published by speciall Order of the Rebellious faction in the two Houses at Westminster But now I have begun to take upon me to speak unto you O you lofty men let me ask you a question more to a like purpose What reward or commendation can you expect at Gods hand for maintaining your Beadsman Britanicus to libell against his Soveraigne to teach and excite by his weekly books the ignorant and seduced vulgar throughout the Kingdome to joyn with him in reviling and laughing to scorn their publike Father now your selves have most unjustly thrust him into affliction Dare you say his expressions are not vile O let me beg pardon of my Soveraigne and of all modest men if to the shame of these mens faces and to the increase of indignation in all godly spirits against their courses I doe with detestation repeate over here one of his passages published to the world on Monday the 4. of August 1645. Where is King Charles What is become of him Some say when he saw the storme comming after him as far as Bridgewater he came away to his dearly beloved in Ireland Yes they say he ran away out of the Kingdome very Majestically Others will have him erecting a new Monarchy in the Isle of Anglesey A third sort say that he hath hid himselfe it were best send Hue and Cry after him If any man can bring any tale or tidings of a wilfull King which hath gone astray these four yeares from his Parliament with a guilty Conscience bloudy hands and a heart full of broken vowes and protestations if these marks be not sufficient there is another in his mouth for bid him speak and you will soon know him then give notice to Britanicus and you will be payd for your paines GOD SAVE THE PARLIAMENT O you Men of Westminster is this your Beadsman that prayes for you that works for you that is maintained and cherished by you then these are the scornes of your hearts the flouts of your Spirits that are vomited up by his mouth and pen if not why have you not hang'd the villain or rather torn him in pieces with wild horses Are not you they that call your selves the Kings most Humble most dutifull and most Loyall Subjects Are not you they that would be accounted the Holy just most Christian and unerring Parliament have you not talked much of reforming our Church and Government and will you countenance and favour such persons Is this the Reformation you
promised us the new Religion you will set up amongst us Is this the way to Heaven which you will trace out to your Country-men that adore you Doth your Discipline purchased with the effusion of so much Christian bloud allow of such expressions and persons without correction Indeed this is the way to work an Alteration from what was before the Devil had formerly but his Chappell where God had his Church but from henceforth if you prevail he is likely to have his Church where God shal scarce have a Chapell Wel as an Holy Martyr said to others so say I to you I thank God I am none of you and my prayer is Never let my soul O Lord partake in their Counsells nor my feet tread in their paths but give me I beseech thee thy grace to pray daily against their wickednesse And let it not O let it not good Lord be told in Gath or believed in Askelon that these bitter fruits do spring from the tree of Protestant Religion Let it rather be acknowledged and apprehended that these things are favoured and done by the men of this Nation as they are at this present by Satans working in a deadly enmity and opposition against their Soveraigne and not as they are either his sworn Subjects or Children of the English Church And thus O my God as thy messenger Liberavi animam meam I have dicharged my Conscience towards them SECT II. 1. Of the pretended end of publishing the Libell the true end thereof hinted 2. Their blasphemy against God noted 3. How these Letters of the King might have been made use of as Evidences of Truth and Loyaltie 4. Of what stock and linage the Authours of the Libell discover themselves to be 5. Of their subtilty and of that spirit of meeknesse which they boast of 6. How aptly for themselves they alleadge the Example mentioned by S. Jude I Now come to the Book it selfe whose publication they have Authorized and I observe that the persons for whose sake 't is pretended to be put forth are some whom the Authors call their Seduced Brethren to reclaime them I conceive they are so accounted because they will not concur in breaking their Protestation and opposing their Soveraigne I apprehend my selfe to be reckoned in the number and therefore in the behalfe of my self and the rest I desire these men who are so careful to Reclaim us that they would deal plainly with us and tell us in downe right English whether it be any thing else but our Loyalty our love and obedience to our Soveraigne which they would Reclaim us from let them in the first place declare unto us our transgression and prove out of Gods Word that we are such as they call us and account of us let them shew who hath Seduced us we are of the Prophet Jeremies minde If we be deceived it is the Lord that hath deceived us 't is his Word that hath taught us to Honour the King and to adhere unto our Soveraigne that is the foundation we stand upon and so strong and stable it is that we beleeve and hope these new Teachers shall never be able either to shake it or us from it Nay we have an apprehension that these men are in a Seduced condition themselves because they are gone out from us whereas they were once of us they took the Oath of Allegeance and afterward the Protestation as well as we to defend the Kings Person Honour and Estate against all opposers And now being themselves out of the right way we fear they would draw us into the same danger they tell us we are Seduced onely that we might yeeld so to be We remember that Satan Seduced our first Parents from their duty towards God by proceeding in the direct way and mothod of these men he pretended pity and respect unto them as to his Seduced Brethren and to the same purpose as these do He standred defamed and reproached his Soveraigne wherefore these men must pardon us if but for this reason we are somewhat suspicious of them Beside the Scripture tells us of some men who call Light Darknesse and Darknesse Light Good Evill and Evill Good and what know we to the contrary but these men may be of that number Our Saviour informes us that in the last dayes many wolves should come in sheeps cloathing who by fair pretences should deceive many and should carry their designes so cunningly that if possible they should deceive the very Elect themselves Now as these are the last dayes so these men have fair pretences are crafty in their carriages do deceive many and therefore may peradventure be those very wolves forespoken of Saint John adviseth us not to beleeve every one but bids us try their spirits whether they be of God or no wherefore having this warning if we trust these men before we have tryed them we shall shew our selves as they entitle us Seduced indeed they must give us leave therefore to examine of what spirit they are who thus take upon them to reclaim us whether their doctrine be of God or no we will go by Christs own rule let them except against it if they can or dare By their fruits saith he you shall know them and this their Book is their fruit we will consider whether their speech and language therein doth not bewray them They begin thus It were a great sinne against the mercies of God to conceale those Evidences of truth which He so graciously and almost miraculously by surprisall of these papers hath put into our hands I confesse they promise faire like those Galathians whom Saint Paul writes unto they begin in the Spirit with the mention of Sin and Mercy they have like those Locusts Rev. 9. the faces of men but observe them well we shall finde they have the teeth of Lyons and the tayles of Scorpions my endeavours shall be on purpose to discover them that men may avoid them and not be hurt by them which that I may do I beg of thee O most mighty Jesus who art the Light of lights and doest enlighten every man that commeth into the world to lighten the understanding of thy poore Minister that he may be able by thy light to enlighten thy people so as they may cleerely discerne this work of darknesse which is cast forth by an Hidden Crew to blemish and disgrace the Doctrine of thy Gospel professed in this Church to obscure those beames of Majesty wherewith thou hast decked thine owne Anointed and to seduce those Soules for which thou sheddest thy precious bould into wayes of perdition and destruction that by these my endeavours thy true Religion may be illustrated thy Servant the King Vindicated and thy people preserved to the Glory of thy great Name and to the inward comfort of me thy weak instrument and that for thine owne Merit and Mercies sake Amen Amen It is evident that the ends why these papers were divulged after
their surprisal together with that bitter Preface and perverse Notes upon them was to weaken the Kings reputation among his people to take from him the affections of those that still remaine constant and Loyal and to stir up some already poysoned to act Raviliacks part upon him and yet these men would have us beleeve that it would have been a sin in them forsooth yea a great sin a sin against the mercies of God if they had concealed them Nay further they would have us think that God himself did graciously and even miraculously put them into their hands on purpose yea on set purpose that they might doe with them as they have done We doe confess if God should so far have forgot himself his holy Nature his Word and all his former doings as to put these Papers into their hands to that very end for which they publish them he should have done very miraculously indeed and what he never did since the beginning of the world before But we the Seduced Brethren as we are called should prove our selves Seduced indeed if in this we should beleeve them for we could never finde throughout the whole History of the Bible that God did ever yet allow any man to defame his Brother his equall his inferiour much lesse his Father the Father of his Countrey and Supreamest Magistrate in the Kingdome we finde there a strict precept to the contrary Thou shalt not speak evill of the Ruler of thy People But that God should be partaker also with the Calumniator as these men would have him that he should be chief in the sinne and help the ill disposed with occasions on purpose to render that Person infamous whom himself hath commanded in speciall to be honoured and to whom Allegeance hath been sworn and obedience protested truly the Authours of this Libell must not be angry with us whom they call Seduced if for this their assertion we think them guilty of most high Blasphemy for we suppose that Doeg might as lawfully have pretended that Gods mercy gave him advantage by being at Nob to exasperate Saul against the Priests of the Lord and Shimei might as well have said that Gods grace did adminster unto him the occasion of Davids passing by his house on purpose that he might curse him and raile upon him The Papists have often taxed us that we made God the Authour of evill and now these men as we conceive would faine draw us into that Heresie with themselves to confirme that slander of the Adversary but we would have all the world to understand that the true Protestant Professours in the English Church were never yet guilty of this Blasphemy they are rather Scabbs then true Members of the same from whence doth issue this Corruption We remember when Rabshakeh being flesh'd with his masters successe railed upon Hezekiah he uttered himself after the fashion of these men as if God had sent him on purpose to vilifie and defame the King Am I come up saith he without the Lord and God observed it and soon after punished him for it So we hope the Lord hath both seen and heard the Blasphemous words of these men whom their masters the Authorizers of their Libel have set on work to defame the Lords Anointed and to reproach the living God and wil in his due time reprove the words which they have spoken we have a ground for our hopes in Psal. 50. where God taxeth some that were great pretenders to Religion though haters of his word in their practice for they were malicious Accusers and Slanderers of others and like these men to the ful they intituled God to all their villanyes saying he was such a one as themselves But the Lord resolves in the following verses that there should come a time that he would reprove them and cal them to a reckoning for all these things yea saith he I will teare you in pieces and none shall deliver you and so doubtlesse he wil deal with these men like forgetters of God as they be unlesse by a timely repentance they consider of these their presumptions and most ungodly doings The Lord in mercy vouchsafe that grace unto them We their Seduced Brethren as we are accounted do in the mean time conceive from this their beginning what we shal have in their following discourse and we shal wonder the lesse when we meet with their unseemly Language of and against their Soveraigne now we have seen such their high boldnesse against the Almighty himselfe But one thing is to be noted further in those first lines they call those Papers which they Publish Evidences of truth their meaning is of what themselves have reported against the King which they onely call truth and would have all men beleeve for truth We know they have often wrested Gods Scriptures to make them appeare as Evidences of such their truths and therefore 't is no marvail if together with their own perverse notes upon them they use the Kings letters to the same purpose Indeed I beleeve that these Papers might have been Evidences of truth and of Loyalty too had the Surprizers of them been guilty of these vertues and so pleased if after their surprizall finding that by sinister construction they might prove blemishes to the Kings reputation should weak mindes but chance to see them they had presently locked them up in the Cabinet again sent them secretly to the King then indeed they might more properly have said in a private letter to their Soveraigne God hath graciously and in mercy to us put into our hands an occasion to Evidence our truth our honest hearts and Loyall Affections to your Majesty I would have these men ask their own Consciences whether they doe not think that David would have done thus had he met with such an advantage in the dayes of Saul surely they cannot conjecture he would have done after their fashion for when he had as large an opportunity of doing his King a displeasure as this was and some did advise him to make use of it to such a purpose telling him in effect that it would be a great sinne in him against the mercies of God who so graciously and miraculously had put the opportunity into his hand if he should balk the same But David being a man after Gods own heart knew Gods minde better then these men do and being as full of truth and Loyalty as ever he had been in his professions of the same rebuked those who thus advised him telling them plainly that never any could go in that way which they councelled him unto but would prove guilty of High Treason and become liable to Gods curse But sayes he by his actions I 'le make another use of this advantage even to Evidence my truth and Loyalty to discover mine honest intentions unto the King who hath conceived an ill opinion of me I 'le take away his speare and the pot of water that stands at
they should not Effect to vex him to death or some way or other to bring him to his grave all their labour would be in vain and to little purpose and how can they consider of this without great grief and sorrow of heart But these good men our subtile Brethren doe here pretend that their sorrow is because their Prince is Seduced out of his proper spheare yet verily we on the other side do consider of this with more true Sorrow I dare say then they do for we confess never was Prince so far seduced out of his proper sphear as he was when He took them who now call themselves his great Counsell to be Honest men when He gave so much credit to their promises and protestations as to be perswaded by them to signe the Bill for the Continuation of that unhappy Parliament then O then be was seduced indeed from his proper spheare wherein his Father set and left him with this caution Alwaies to be suspicious of the Puritanicall faction and never to trust them above all people in the world as being for ingratitude lyes and perjuries surpassing the High-land theeves and Borderers His Seduction from this Paternal advise was the root and cause of all our Miseries and therefore with sorrow of heart we his Loyall Subjects cannot but thinke upon it But to do these men right they mention their sorrow here for the Kings Seduction to another purpose namely as a Preface to that which follows M. Dike in his book of the deceitfulness of mans heart sets down not for imitation as these take it but for discovery the method of a cunning Hypocrite in his venting a slander First saies he to gain Credit with the hearers he pretends great affection to the party against whom he is minded to speak professing that with great grief and sorrow of heart he doth think of him hoping yet that he is onely missed and seduced and so makes a long Preamble to this purpose as if the fault he intends to mention were as grievous to him as a blow with a Cudgell and then at last out comes the slander which his viperous tongue layes on with as much spight as malice is able these I remember are M. Dikes words Now after this very manner and in the same Method do these our subtile Brethren speake to us concerning their Soveraigne whom they are about to slander and defame First they tell us in some obscure and generall terms of strange Titles which the King bestowes upon his great Councell which say they we return not again but consider with sorrow that it comes from a Prince not so Naturally inclined as we hope for we would fain think better of him but Seduced from his proper spheare misled by ill Councell And so much for the Preface Now to the main businesse and let all Christian people observe it well how these good Sorrowfull men that promised even now to give no opprobrious Language will describe their Soveraigne He is say they One that hath left that seat in which he ought and hath bound himself to fit to sit as the Psalmist saies in the Chaire of the scornfull and to the ruine almost of three Kingdomes hath walked in the Councells of the ungodly Now 't is out and it conteines in our apprehensions these 6 Articles against the King 1. That the King hath not only neglected to perform his Office but voluntarily and upon no occasion moving hath left and forsaken his proper place and duty 2. That in the roome thereof he hath made choice of the Scorners Chaire which is the highest seat or throne of wickedness 3. That he hath even bound himself Prentice as it were by oath and Covenant to that trade of scorning 4. That he hath resolved to follow that profession so long as he lives for he hath bound himself to sit yea to sit scil for ever in the Chaire of the scornfull 5. That his aymes and endeavours only are and have been to ruine three whole Kingdomes which even almost he had effected 6. That to this very end and for no other reason as must be supposed he hath abandoned the Society of most Holy and good men and linked himself by a indissolvable tye to the Society of the wicked whose ungodly counsell he alwaies walketh in These are the particulars in this their first charge against the King but my purpose being to uncase these Hypocritical and blasphemous men I shall first lay open to the world the full meaning of their hearts in a true Paraphrase upon their words and then I shall shew how false and scandalous they be in every respect against his Majesty unto whom they naturally owe and solemnely have sworne obedience But first let me beg pardon of my Lord and Soveraigne and crave of all Loyall hearts that it be not imputed for an indecorum or want of Reverence in me to Kingly Honour if some of my words concerning His Sacred person do sound unseemly and unbecomming Let it be considered that I speak not my self but other men whose Hellish intentions toward their Prince are so black that 't is impossible to expresse them in a language meetly Reverend He that openeth rotten sepulchers may though unwillingly be offensive Secondly I desire of all men that I may not be thought by my manner of speaking to intend the working of any contempt in peoples hearts against the High Court of Parliament which being called in the Kings name by his Writ and acting under the obedience of just and regall power are with all Honour and Reverence to be thought upon and spoken of Yea and God knowes my heart abhors to be an instrument of working disesteem against any persons of this present Assembly who have pious and loyall affections in them as I beleeve there be divers even in this very Body that do truly detest the present proceedings of some of their fellow-members I do here profess to all the world though I use the name of Parliament and Great Councell in answer to these Libellers yet I meane onely the present swaying and prevailing faction in the two Houses who are and have been the Countenancers of all these abuses against their Soveraigne and the causers of all our sorrowes and who they in particular are I doubt not but in due time God the Supreame Judge will Evidence to this whole Kingdome This with all Humility premised and implored I proceed as followeth SECT IV. 1. The Nature of their Charge opened 2. Their vilanous and bloudy Scope therein clearely Evidenced and proved 3. How perfectly in their Tenents they hold with the Jesuites in the points of King-killing and King-deposing fully declared THe Charge or Bill of Attainder against the King together with the Reason why 't is thus published to us and to the people by these His most dutifull and loving Subjects who take upon them to be His Accusers according to their own full and clear meaning may be rendred more at
large thus That the King or rather he who was once in that office hath voluntarily and freely without being urged by any occasion in the world forsaken his place wherein he ought to have remained and which to His great content He might still have enjoyed had he so pleased being not only obliged thereunto by His Duty but also importuned by the most Humble supplications and prostrate intreaties of His Great Councel But He meerly out of his own ill disposition is departed thence and hath taken up not onely a standing but a Seat yea hath bound Himselfe by obligation entred into a covenant with Hell to sit to sit we say as the Psalmist speake for we would have all the Common people know that we have Scripture for what we say in the Seat of the Scornfull that is as our Prophets interpret to remain for ever in the Highest Throne and degree of wickednesse that man or Devill can reach unto whereby it appeares that Ahab-like he hath sold himselfe to work all evill even with greedinesse and is past all hope of recovery Moreover he hath intentionally and on set purpose been already the ruine almost of three whole Kingdomes and had been so altogether ere this had not His Great Councell a company of most Holy Chast Innocent Wise and infallible good men sitting now at Westminster in their great pitty and commiseration of spirit and out of their abounding piety and meere natural goodnesse interposed themselves whereby thanks only to them the three Kingdomes are yet kept in being which before they put to their helping hands were at the very brim of destruction And yet notwithstanding this wilful King hath left their most Sacred sweet and peaceable society out of a pure hatred to them and to their vâ—rtues and hath not onely stepped unawares but hath even eat and drunk with Publicans and Sinners yea and walked deliberately in the Councels of the wicked and ungodly Insomuch that it is to be thought the total ruine of the three Kingdomes will shortly be accomplished do what the Great Councel can to the contray unless some Noble Brutus some Valiant Cassius out of love to their Countries Liberty will take the paines to stab this Cesar some devout Raviliack in his zeal unto Religion wil do God the service or the kindnesse rather to free the world and Church of this destructive Tyrant for 't is better as Scripture saies that one man should die then that all the People perish then that three whole Kingdomes should be destroyed We refer the matter to their own Consciences whether this be not the true sense of their spirits and whether they would not have the people thus to understand their words against the King And to prevent scruples which may arise in the hearts of any about the Businesse which they would have done they adde to the former the words following saying And though in our Tenents we annex no infallibility to the seat of a King in Parliament as the Romanists do to the Papall Chaire since all men are subject to Errour yet we dare boldly say that no English King did ever from that place speak destruction to His people but safety and Honour nor any that abhorred that seat and Councell but did the contrary These words I say are added to their foregoing description of the King not only to further the Businesse aymed at but also in way of prevention for some might make a scruple of Conscience as David did to kill the King notwithstanding these suggestions because He is the Lords Anointed Wherefore these circumspect mâ—n being ad omnia parati do signifie further in these words that no man need be precise in that respect for say they in effect thus We in our Tenents which are all the truth and the very truth and the truth indeed and so to be apprehended by all men living doe make no more of a King then we do of another man the seat of a King in Parliament it self is no more then the seat of Cesar in the Senate-house it may as well be empty as not were there but no King at all for 't is not so much his Presence there which we desire and quarrell about as his Nullity that He might be no where we hold there is no more virtue in the Seat of a King in Parliament then in the seat of an ordinary Burgesle no nor half so much neither we neither do nor wil in our Tenents annex infallibility to the Kings Seat for should we make a Pope of the King No no He is but a man subject to Errours as others be and therefore liable to be punished for his faults as well as others specially since the Soveraignty is transmitted into the hands of the Parliament which was done as the Parliaments own self judgeth when the Bil of perpetuâ—ty was signed It is granted indeed before that time the Supream power was in Him and we were all his Subjects and then perhaps some might Scruple to out his throat for there were lawes then in force against Regicides but now since his Resignation for so in our Tenents we hold this Act to be there is no scruple to be made those lawes against King-killers are suspended and he is now become as Samson was without his strength even like another man any of the wel affected Philistines may fall upon him mock him kil him or use him as they please if their new Lords that is to say the worthy members of the Parliament do but give leave for he is now but their subject their slave they are able by the infallibility of their Votes to make him a malefactor and then to order him if they can catch him as such a one for infallibly we grant is an Attendant on the Supreame power we do not indeed annex it to the Kings seat because the supreame power is now removed from thence while this was in the King the Parliament it self as appeares in some of their Expresses did use to speak as the Law did modestly of the King and to say he could not erre but now the case is altered with him the Supreame power being transferred unto other persons infallibility stil attends the same and not the Kings person And hence it was that after the aforesaid Act there was a large Remonstrance made which the Authours of durst never make before whilst the power was in the Kings hand it may be called the Parliaments Act of Gratitude for the Kings Act fore-named in which they declare sufficiently their judgement to be that the King may now be imputed fallible and unfit to manage the Supreame power from thenceforth any longer And hence also it is that a new Oath of Allegeance and Obedience to the Parliament is tendred to the People of this Land which plainly shewes that the Supreame power is concluded to dwel in them and that the old Oath is quite void and out of date together with the King And for the Protestation
ingrosse to themselves the title of Filios Coeli Gods Children Heires of Heaven with exclusion of all that be not of their opinions I pray God they may prove so at last but as yet sure we are their actions proclaim them to be Filios inferni rather The Bishops in regard of their office and place in the Church were bound in Conscience as they would answer it to God and the King to suppresse Schisme to keep down Faction and Rebellion and to punish those that were Seditious and they apprehending from some strange positions vented in Pulpits and from the refractorinesse which they found in some spirits unto the Government established that some great mischief was in hatching did endeavour to hinder the sowing of that seed which hath brought forth these bitter fruits which now alas this whole Nation feeds upon and weepes under Now because they would not sleep and suffer those envious ones to scatter their tares into peoples Hearts so quietly as some desired therefore they open the mouth against them as against the Enemies and Persecutors of Gods People Perhaps as was said before every particular of the Bishops might not be so wary and considerate in the management of what they did as had they known the event of things they would have been and perhaps too they imployed some persons of too course or base an Alloy to act in the businesse who pulled up Wheat and Tares together or peradventure sometime and in some places the Wheat alone and not the Tares at all and so the Bishops good intendments became scandalous by the ilnesse of their instruments But I beleeve now experience hath taught it to all sober men that it will be confessed the Bishops were not such great persecutors of Gods People or Hunters of Christs Flocke as was so loudly voyced but rather good Shepheards that endeavoured to keep under those ravenous wolves who now so much destroy it Ask but the Country Farmer and even he will now tell you that since the Abolition of Episcopacy hath been in hand Christs Sheep and his have had but unsafe and unquiet pasturage in compare with that which they enjoyed formerly and thus have we seen the strength of their 3. Pretence or Argument A 4. followes and t is this Episcopacy must be abolished because it hinders the punishment of sinne in that brotherly way which suits with Christs rule in the Gospell which sayes if thy brother offend first tell him of it in private between him and thee if he doe not reform then carry two or three with thee and admonish him the second time if he will not yet hear then Dic Ecclesiae tell it to the Church and make a publike manifestation of his wickedness But by the abolition of Episcopacy this discipline of Christ shall be set up mens reputation may be saved and their monies too which is needlesly spent in Bishops Courts and people may be kept in good awe without charges So they say And the Warre they have raised to punish Delinquents doth sufficiently discover their brotherly way but not to insist upon that let us consider how well they have begun to put their discipline in execution with particulars First in the publication of their so much studyed and unmannerly Remonstrance against the King they begun their discipline at the wrong end even at Dic Ecclesiae or at Dic Mundo rather before they so much as touched upon a first or second Admonition Yea and though His Majesty before-hand by his suppressing offensive Courts and establishing a â—rienniall Parliament had largely testified His resolution of rectifying what was amiss had the things been true which they Charged upon him And 2. how Ecclesiastically have they dealt with him now also in their divulging these his Letters whereby they have done their worst to make him accounted an Heathen and a Publican without ever so much as the least hint or brotherly Admonition before hand But perhaps they 'l say the King is a singular person and considering the state of opposition wherein at this present he stands with them or they with him he is not worthy or capable of any such respect at their hands Let us consider therefore how fairly they have proceeded with others and how according unto Discipline And to this purpose let us but remember one particular which was before mentioned viz. how at their first meeting when they took from the Bishops power of punishing sinne they made a kinde of a publick O yes to the whole Kingdome and put the same in print that none might plead ignorance of it and sent it into all parts and corners of the Land whereby they invited all the Raskality of the Nation to bring up to Westminster all the complaints they would or could against the Ministers of Jesus which were there received with all alacrity and cheerfulness though never so false or so malitious and in their open Committees the man in the Chaire would give the Title of Sir and Master at every word to the basest beggerliest villaine that had but the fore-head to come before them and act the Devills part against his Minister and sometimes also on the other side he would rattle up and be Sirrah the Messenger of the Lord before the rabble and all this before any first or second Admonition yea perhaps before they knew upon proof whether he were guilty of any fault or no onely they saw somewhat written against him in a paper And then further yet lest the negligent world should chance to forget in after-Ages this remarkable Act of Zeal and Discipline in them concerning the Reformation of the Clergy One John White then a choice Member of the Lower House though now gone to his proper place did make a Book and Authorized it his own self wherein the said presentments though never proved were transmitted to posterity and this was his Dic Ecclesiae And to the end that forreigne Nations also as well as the Children yet unborne might the more fully note and know the Christianity of these Abolishers of Episcopacy they Authorized in like manner one William Prin a dear friend we may be sure of the Bishops to write an History in two volumes beside his Commentary upon the Arâ—â—-Bishops Note-Booke wherein all the obliquities of the Bishops that were whispered or could possibly be invented were at large recorded which was a Dic Ecclesiae to the purpose If Prin had made good use of that great Reading which he would the world should thinke him guilty of he might have remembred that the Ancient Councells when they deprived any Bishop never recorded the offâ—â—ce but buried it in perpetuall silence Or had reason bore any sway in him though things â—lameworthy had been in the Bishops yet to ascend from their persons unto their calling and to draw that into question he would have judged it high Injustice but for those his Books I leave him to the torture of his owne Conscience when he writ
themselves in the hearts of these very men and of their Masters at Westminster that they may look with better eyes then ever yet they have done upon Charles their Soveraign whose honour they have pierced and may have better breathings then ever they have had after Christ their Saviour whose Gospel they have scandalized Amen SECT XX. What good use might have been made of these Letters Of the faults laid unto the Queenes Charge specially in loving her Husband I Have done with their Prologue to the Kings Letters and in a manner with their Annotations upon them too which for the most part containe but the same over againe with the mixture of more malice therefore in examining the one I have also in a sort dispatched the other Nor doe I love any more then needs must to busie my selfe in repetitions There are I confesse a few particulars in these their Annotations which as I remember have not been touched upon in the discussion of the former Generall these I shall cull out and only shew them which will be enough and so leave them to the world to be judged of They begin at the end of the Kings Papers their Observations thus Much use may be made of these Precedent Papers and many things therein will appear very worthy our notice In which they speak truth and had not themselves been of too spiderous a nature they might have made much good use of them indeed and have noted from them such dexterity of understanding such undantednesse of resolution such fortitude of spirit in adversity such conjugall faith and affections such paternall care and pitty to his people and such true Christian patience and piety to be in their Soveraigne as cannot be altogether Paralell'd at this day in any Prince of Christendome In a word these Papers speak our King to be compleatly a Councellour a Souldier a Gentleman and a Scholler and had he but trusted to himself more and lesse to the advice of others in the management of his Affaires thousands of his Subjects from these his Letters are most confident that his enemies had not now been triumphant But the notice of such mattters serveth not the turnes of these men nor can their coloured eyes see any thing of this nature in these Letters faults and errors only are thought worthy their observance of which they fancy they have espied great plenty in the King and Queen both The Queens faults though for shew sake they have branched them out into many particulars may all be reduced to one and that is Loving of her Husband Indeed they begin their Complaints against Her with saying She is implacable to our Religion Nation Government but they can instance neither in word or action to make the same appear conjecturall only they tell us afterward of her great care that our Bishops be provided for and the blessing of God be upon her for it they hope that people doe still beleeve that Bishops were enemies to all good and therefore if the Queen doth but manifest any respect to them in their present affliction and persecution it doth sufficiently speak her implacablenesse to our Religion Nation Government Well I wish with my soul that the men of Westminster had proved themselves no worse affected to our Religion Nation and Government then the Queen hath done for then I am sure they had all still been in a most flourishing and happy Condition But the Queen being the Kings Wife must help to bear her Husbands Burden of blame as well as Sorrow even as it shall please these His vassalls to cast it on Her Indeed they tell us also afterward out of Paper 27. that the Queen desires the disbanding of the Parliament in which perhaps they would have her thought an Enemy to our Religion Nation Government But we shall first read Her words and then we may judge whether they import such an interpretation the Queen writing to the King from York saith I understand to day from London that they will have no cessation and that they treat at the beginning of the two first Articles and afterward of the disbanding of the Army certainly I wish a peace more then any and that with greater reason but I would the disbanding of the perpetuall Parliament first and certainly the rest will be easily afterwards I doe not say this of mine own head alone for generally those that are for you and against you in this Country wish an end of it These be the Queenes words entirely She desires a peace more then any and in order to that she wisheth a disbanding of the perpetuall Parliament because otherwise peace is never likely to be had and this is not the judgement of herselfe alone but of all in generall that are both for and against the King in that Country wherefore if this be an Argument of the Queenes enmity against our Religion Nation Government then all those that are both for and against the King in that County of York-shire are Enemies as well as she because they joyne with her in wishing an end to the Warre and restoration of peace unto the Kingdome But by the way I wonder why they should Tax the Queen with implacablenesse to our Government is not that of our nation Monarchiall and that of our Church Episcopall and her Husband the Head and upholder of both can the Queen then be beleeved to be disaffected to either of these the men doubtlesse have lost their senses together with their Loyalty Concerning her Majesties affection to our Religion and Nation let me be bold though one of the meanest upon this occasion to give a Testimony unto my Country-men from mine own experience Those English Protestants who have been in France in these times of persecution cannot but witnesse the same with me and say That the Queen hath been to the uttermost of her power a most tender carefull nursing Mother both to our Religion and Nation in that her Native Kingdome for by her sole meanes and great industry we had places allowed us to meet together to serve God in even publickly after the English manner in each of which Gods Word was faithfully Preached on the Lords Day and truly read together with Divine Service twice a day throughout the week wherunto she was careful that her own Servants of our Nation and Religion whereof she hath many should duly and constantly resort which great priviledge and favour to us was looked on with much regret and spleen by some Jesuited Papists who wickedly reproached Her Majesty for the same exclaiming upon her for a Lutheran and a Protestant even because she had manifested such love to our Nation and Religion in providing for us these Sinagogues which rebukes and reproaches she good Princesse was content for our sakes to bear with meeknesse and patience undoubtedly it may be easily believed from this sweetnesse and goodnesse of her nature after her receipt of so many abuses from some amongst us that had our
State yet now found upon experience to study only to keep themselves up and their patients down I would never talke to them of such stuffe but I would tell them that all the people doe with all thankfulnesse acknowledge their unwearied paines uncessant labours and constant endeavours in the Common cause of God and this Kingdome and that the Nation doth at this present enjoy a quiet exemption from all illegall impositions a blessed deliverance from all tyranny and oppression and many unparalleld benefits and freedoms by their sole meanes and happy Government I would applaud all they doe their very opening of Tavernes and Alehouses by command and shutting up Church dores on Christs birth day their silencing suspending and imprisoning the Ministers of Jesus for taking the opportunity to offer the knowledge of him unto the people I would warrant them they did all things well and nothing was amisse in their doings though their infallibility should fal into contempt yet their power wil carry them out Thus would I busie my selfe and thus make my applications to men of place and power if I were a flatterer and not stand wasting time and words in speaking good of the King unlesse He were in a more shining and promising Condition I thinke most men of commonsence considering His Majesties present state will take my word in this particular and so acquit and discharge me of the second imputation But now let me aske my Accusers a few questions would they in their good natures have no man lay to Heart or take notice of the sufferings of their Soveraigne desire they that He might have the occasion also to use those words Have you no regard all you that passe by the way Do they thinke it was well done of the Priest and Levite to afford no compassion to the wounded man would they have me carry my selfe towards the King as many of my Coat in these dayes have done Helpe to wound Him and then divert others eyes from looking on Him must I be a blasphemer and a flatterer if I doe not adde something to His burden and speake of Him as of one hated of God because afflicted were Jobs friends commended by the Almighty for so doing let them deal ingenuously and make the case their owne suppose themselves were in the Kings condition afflicted and wrong'd on every side as He is and I as a Minister should remember them of their Saviours usage in the world and shew them how in many particulars their condition is like unto His and thereupen should say unto them in the Apostles words Rejoyce that you are partakers of Christs sufferings would they account this Blasphemy and flattery in me I suppose not must the King then alone be deprived of the Comforts of Gods word and of Christs Example must these together with those of His Crowne be taken from Him then I would say O the miserable Condition of a King That is now accomplished in our land and dayes which Moulin Prophesied would come to pass if Jesuiticall spirits and attempts were not prevented viz. that t is even a punishment to reigne and the Coronation of Kings is but a designation to Misery a consecration of sacrifices markt out to slaughter Well be advised all you who think all is yours who ingrosse to your selves the comforts of Gods word as well as the goods and possessions of your Brethren who cannot abide any body should be thought well of unlesse they be of your faction who thinke it a sin to speak Reverentlyto or of your Lord and Soveraign who call Civility flattery and Truth Blasphemy if it looketh to himward Be advised I say the times may change and the cold North-winde may blow upon you Judge not that you be not judged speak not to the grief of the grieved but rather so as your selves in your Afflictions may be Comforted for with what measure you meat it shall be measured to you Be it known unto you all this Anointed of God whom you have persecuted however He hath been neglected and is still rejected and refused by the new Master builders of these times yet must be the very Head stone of the Corner before any thing can be setled among us to our comforts He it is that must reduce Ireland and compose Scotland He and none but He can make up the sad and wide breaches of poor England He He is that right-handed man ordained and appointed of God for that Happy worke and furnished from above with wisdome Mercy and abilities to effect it yea His inspection into State affaires especially into the Constitution of this Natitions Government is far beyond that of all your New State-mongers He alone is able to do more in six weekes for the benefit of it by His direction if he might be suffered to goe about it then they have done in this six yeares by all their Consultations yea and He who by that Divine strength bestowed upon him hath been able hitherto to stand under such a weighty burden of wrongs and sorrowes is onely able to remit and forgive so many and such High indignities as have been offered to Him And beleeve it all you His guilty and distrustfull people His high vertue and Magnanimity disdaines to take revenge upon you It would be dishonourable for Him that hath Paralleld with Christ in so many other things not to conforme also to his example in pardoning Injuries yea and in praying too Pater ignosce illis I am perswaded that nothing but the Kings prayer can obtaine Gods pardon for His Afflicters it is worth the observing the Sin of Jobs friends and we know what that was could not have been forgiven if Job whom they had afflicted though but with harsh censures had not been their intercessour the Lord said to Eliphas the Temanit my wrath is kindled against thee and thy 2 friends wherefore go ye to my servant Job and offer up for your selves an offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept lest I deal with you according to your folly To conclude therefore let me advise all that have had any hand against the King in the causing or aggravating of his sorrows that they would fear the wrath of God which hangs over them for the same and in pitty to their own soules and to their posterity that they would in true humility goe to their Soveraigne and beg both his Pardon and his Prayers And so by giving him the advantage of shewing his mercy and goodnesse they may at last there being now no other way left be helpers in making him to appear according to their word at first The most Glorious Prince in Christendome The God of all power and grace bow and incline their Hearts unto it Amen Amen SECT XXVI A true Parallel between the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraigne in divers speciall particulars THus have I by Gods assistance discharged this part of a Subjects Duty in
reproved so sharply their hypocrisie and base carriages and even thus hath the King been dealt withall His actions have been watched his words misconstrued his graces neglected yea obscured and himselfe censured for his followers by them that have forced him from their own society for his not allowing their unjust proceedings when Christ was at Jerusalem those his Enemies stirred up the people to be tumultuous against him and to throw stones at him when therefore he had withdrew himselfe from thence they whispered surmizes and suspitions of him what thinke you say they that he will not come up to the feast so that whether he were present or absent he could not please them they were never content till they had him in the condition of a Prisoner and then how they used him the Scripture shewes And even this hath been directly the Kings condition when he was at Westminster Tumults were raised and stones and blasphemies cast against him when he was retired from thence they mouth it as fast in suggesting misprisions what think you say they that he comes not to the Parliament nay let him but offer to goe thither again why they will none of him but are ready to cry He comes to torment us before the time unlesse they may seize upon him in the nature of a Prisoner nothing will give them satisfaction and how they will use him then we may easily conclude by their former dealing with him and language of him 7. Christs Doctrine though uttered with better Authority then that of the Scribes was lesse regarded he and that too were both slighted and despised his complaint was if I tell you the truth you will not believe me nay they forbad the people to heare him the Devill is in him cry they why heare you him they would have their owne example the sole rule for all men to go by in their regards and thoughts of him Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed on him because they had not they expected that no bodie else should thus they dealt with our Saviour and have they not even so done with our Soveraign are not his Dictates and Commands though uttered with farre better Authoritie then the Votes and Ordinances of his Enemies of lesse observance are not they and himselfe too slighted and contemned may not he also complaine though I tell you the truth you will not believe me do not the Heads of this Faction against him expect that all mens credit to him and carriage towards him should be ordered by the square of their owne example Hath it not been cried doe any of the Worthies of Parliament believe him or give respect to any thing that proceeds from him Are not all men brought into a wretched and cursed condition that doe not in this conforme themselves and their judgements to the Parliament practice I would to God all these particulars were not too evident 8. Christs enemies not only hated and abused him but for his sake all that loved him all that were instruments of others believing in him it is said Joh. 12. that they consulted how they might kill Lazarus also because by reason of him many believed in Jesus and most urgent were they with our Saviour about his Disciples asking him of them because they would have had him betrayed them into their own hands which he knowing their malice would by no meanes do nay this was his onely request when he delivered up himselfe into their hands that his Followers might but have their lives spared I say unto you I am he and if you seeke me let these go their way And in this the King also is Christs direct Parallel for all his friends are hated in like manner for his sake those that are instruments of working a good opinion towards him are persecuted to the very death and to the end they might wreake their malice upon such they have been urgent with his Majestie to deliver up his friends into their hands which the King according to Christs example thinks by no means he ought to doe yea and when he hath offered up himself unto them as wee know he hath done he hath made only Christs request that his friends may go away in peace and safety but this would not be granted for 't is Bloud Bloud Royall Bloud and Loyall Bloud and Christian faithfull Bloud which these bloudy and deceitfull men thirst after nor will a little measure of it satisfie their greedy appetites 9. Yea and as those enemies of Christ would have no man to love or confesse him so not to conceal or hide him from themselves who desired above all things to lay hands upon him and therefore they set out an Ordinance against harbouring or concealing of him requiring and commanding that if any man knew where he was they should discover him And truly so have the Enemies of our King done set out a like Order to a like purpose though with farre more severe and cruell penalties to the contemners of it witnesse their very words Die Lunae May 4. 1646. Ordered that it be and it is hereby declared by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled That whâ—t person soever shall harbour and conceal or know of harbouring and concealing the Kings person and shall not reveale it immediately to the Speakers of both Houses shall be proceeded against as a Traytor to the Common-wealth and forfeit his whole estate and die without mercy 10. In a word as Christ was belyed slandered betrayed bought and sold for money reviled mocked scorned at spit on numbred among transgressors and judged to be such a one from his great misery and from the successe his enemies had against him and at last put to death even so hath the King been used in all respects by his rebellious people who have alreadie acted all the parts which the Jewes acted upon the Son of God the last of all only excepted which may also be expected in the end from them when oportunity is afforded they have baited him weekly for four years space at the stake of scorn emptied the froth of their scurrilous wits upon him and spit out the scum of their ulcerous lungs against him they have crown'd him with Thornes and then derided at his sorrows fastned him to his Crosse as I may fitly speak and then bad him come downe from it no man could possibly be more vilely used then he hath been numbred he is to this very day among transgressours and crucified between Theeves on both sides yea many of those that suffered with him have been tormentors also and abusers of him and like that wicked Thiefe even because he did not help them when he could not have rail'd upon him 11. And further as Christ was thus afflicted by his open enemies so to greaten the burthen of his sorrowes he was too much troubled with the contestations of his own followers who strove for places of preferment
trembled at his word yea and for their successe against them in these their mischiefes and unjust doings they praised God and said The Lord be glorified they had dayes of Thanksgiving to that very purpose Therefore since it hath been the usuall custome of the grandest Hypocrites to doe after this fashion you have no reason now to think any whit the better of these men for their outside professions Last of all consider the relation which these men the Members of the Commons House I mean do stand in unto your selves whom they command and to your Soveraign whom they oppose to your selves they are publick Servants chosen by you to agitate for you in Gods way and according to Law your common affaires scil to confirme your Religion Peace and Possessions to you and not to raise warres to the destruction of all these To the King they are sworn Subjects bound by Oath and Protestation to preserve his Person Estate and Honour safe and intire against all people in briefe they are the grand Jury-men of the Kingdome and nothing else and their office is not to judge or passe sentence against any persons but to enquire after the grievances of the Countrey and to make presentment of them with all humility unto the King who is the Judge so deputed of God and to the Nobles of the upper House who are with him as Justices upon the Bench and to supplicate of them in whom the only power judicative is resident a redresse of things amisse and then when a good Law is made to give their assent unto it and notice of it to the Countreys or places whose Deputies they are and to stirre them up to honour their King and to praise God for him who is so ready to do Justice and to shew grace unto them this is the proper office and work of the House of Commons in the discharge of which only you are to shew countenance unto them but if they shall doe things out of spleen or unbecoming their places you are to withdraw your favour from them and to bestow your frowns upon them for if the Grand Jury at an Assizes in stead of doing that duty whereto by Law they are designed should fall to pull the Justices from the Bench and to beat the Judge out of Town and to imprison and kill their Neighbours as good men perhaps as themselves would you think it fit to take their parts in such their doings would you not rather all joyn to lay hands upon them and bring them to be punished for their misdemeanours and desire to have them put out of their places and wiser men appointed in their stead that know how to behave themselves better I pray consider well of these things and remember at length what you have done and what you have now to doe under whose fealty you were born and to whom you have sworn Allegiance and observe what intimation our Saviour gives in that saying of his if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes or to them that seek to take away my life doth he not plainly inferre thereby that the Subjects of earthly Princes who have Kingdomes in this world ought to fight for their Soveraign to endeavour his deliverance from injustice and wrong and not to suffer him in any sort to be rendred up into the hands of his enemies and be you certain of it that so long as the King Gods Deputy and your Protector under God is thus abused and kept from his Rights you shall never enjoy peace or prosperity nor the quiet possession of what is yours for Gods heavie Curse will so long hang over this Nation and Kingdome Well think of it well and doe accordingly Confident I am Brethren that the major part of you did Associate your selves with these ill disposed men as they of old did with Absalom and Achitophel in the simplicity of your Hearts by giving too much credit as they did to those false reports which in their wicked policy they cast out against the King and Government you were perswaded before you were instructed and in your good zeale you have walked thus far to the extirpation as you hoped of Popery and prophanenesse which alas you have exceedingly increased though sore against your wills and are likely to thrust your selves into it or into other as deep errours you have heard say that zeale without knowledge is very dangerous and let me tell you further that the highest Heresies have risen from misguided zeal Arrius upon detestation of Gentilisme least he should seem to acknowledge more Gods then one by confessing a Co-equality of Christs Divinitie with his Father denied the same and Sabellius in detestation of Arrius fell into the other extreme and denyed the distinction of Persons And be your selves the Judges do not many of you measure what is good and holy by its opposition to the Constitutions of the Church of Rome accounting most perfect what is most opposite thereunto and that polluted which participateth in any thing with the same doe you not thinke your selves rightest when unlikest the Papists and nearest to Heaven when furthest from them though perhaps then you may be nearest to them in substance even when most opposite in Ceremony somwhat in this Book hath been discovered to this purpose but that is not the right rule to go by well consider I beseech you of what I have said unto you and desist from having any further hand against your King and from labouring the extirpation of that Government you were born under which to doe doubtlesse is a most heinous sinne if a man were borne in another Land where is a Government lesse perfect then ours is he ought not by any meanes to joyne in fighting for the destruction of it nor is our Posteritie so strictly bound by such strong engagements of Conscience to endeavour the restauration of this if by these violent and unlawfull courses it should be altered which God forbid as we are now to uphold and maintaine the same or to prevent the Change thereof Wherefore I beseech you all remember your selves think what you have alreadie done what you are in doing and stay your hands Object Perhaps some of you will say but we have taken an Oath a Covenant which our Preachers put us often in minde of to persevere in our way and not to forsake those men with whom we have entred into Association Answ. Master John Goodwin one of your Ministers doth enform you in his 12. Serious Considerations that to violate an abhominable and an accursed Oath out of Conscience to God is an holy and blessed Perjury Now therefore if I prove that your Oath and Covenant is abhominable and accursed then it will follow that as it was an high sinne to take it so is it an higher to keep the same and according to the Doctrine of one of your own Teachers an holy and blessed Perjury will
of Christians is the best Sacrifice to God and of a like Religion with the Assassines among the Mahumetans who deeme it Soveraign devotion puritie of manners and the readiest way to Paradise for to kill those of a differing opinion to themselves and of the same faith with the Donatists of old who held none to be Gods children but themselves and made it both their position and their practice occidere quenquam qui contra eos fecerit to kill and make away whoever durst oppose their doings or was conceived to be any hinderance to their growing Faction But what warrant you have for these things we know not sure we are you have none from the Old or New Testament delivered by the Prophets and Apostles from God to the Church what to this purpose will be found in your new Bible which as reports goes you are about to set forth we cannot yet tell nor can we imagine how you will escape that threatning of God Bloudy and deceitfull men shall not live out halfe their dayes God accounteth mans bloud so precious a thing though you have set a low rate upon it that he requires the unjust spilling of it from the unreasonable creature and would not allow the knowne Murderer the Sanctuary of his Altar Therefore we are confident that when he maketh inquisition for bloud he will remember you to your smart and sorrow for all your Pietie and will call you to an account for that and all your other evills with so much greater severity as Conscience hath been pretended to such high and open violations of Sanctity and Holinesse In a word your Piety is an enemy to Truth for it persecuteth that 't is an adversary to Peace for it opposeth that 't is a foe to Order for it hath pull'd downe that it will allow of no Bishop no King like that of the Pope it must be above all or that of Lucifer it will admit of no Superiour it hath not onely defiled the whole Land with bloud but the whole bloud of the Land with Treason for scarce a Family throughout the whole Nation but some one or other of it has been drawn by you into this Conspiracy insomuch that Norfolke I feare can no longer boast of her 100. Houses of Gentlemen never yet attainted Cheshire I am sure by your meanes has lost for ever her ancient glory which was that it was never stained with the blot of Rebellion but alwayes stood true to their King and to his Crown whose Loyalty Richard the second so farre found and esteemed that he held his Person most safe amongst them and by Authoritie of Parliament made that County for this cause a Principality stiling himselfe Prince thereof doubtlesse when these things come to be considered upon in after-Ages most odious will your names be to succeeding generations To conclude your pietie hath merited for you those Titles which S. Paul bestowes upon Elimas the Sorcerer Act. 13. 10. and it being attended with so much knowldge I feare it hath advanced you to that high pitch which those Pharisees in Christs time were ascended to whom our Saviour intimateth to have committed that sinne which should never be pardoned in this world nor in that to come and so it hath made you capable to be given over ad Hospitalium incurabilium as Erasmus speâ—kes But my prayer for you is and shall be as Peter prayed for Simon Magus that if it be possible you may be pardoned and that the wickednesse of your hearts and wayes may be forgiven you And to this purpose I desire you all who like them Mat. 21. 45. doe conceive your selves concerned in these my words that you would but consider of this short advice which I shall propound unto you and then say Amen to a short Collect which I shall make for you My advice is this that upon your serious thoughts of these things which as Gods Minister I have said unto you you would remember what poor wormes what Grashoppers what graines of dust your selves are in compare with that great God whom you oppose by your endeavours to pull downe his Annointed the King and his Spouse the Church and whose eternall curse hangs over your heads which together with the odium of the whole Nation will o're-whelme you speedily if you doe not by your more speedie and unfeigned Repentance prevent the same And thereupon cast downe your loftie looks and stout hearts lay aside your high stomacks and in an humble selfe-denying way throw your selves down at the feet of your Soveraigne yea if it be in the habit and posture of those men of whom you may read 1 King 20. 32. it will be so much the better for believe it you have farre more reason to doe it in that manner to your King then those Syrians had to doe so to the King of Israel and resolve with your selves that if your lives be granted you will spend the remainder of them solitarily in practising the duties of Penitentiaries this is mine advice to you which by Gods grace may prevent Hell if imbraced by you my Prayer followes in these words O omnipotent and Almightie God to whom nothing is impossible be thou pleased to magnifie thy power and thy mercy in converting these men bring them upon their knees good Lord before thee before their Soveraigne and before the Nation and perswade their proud and rebellious spirits to begge pardon of all for their evils done and to beseech the supplications of the whole Church and Kingdome unto thee for themselves and to this end let them feele that Hell which is in their owne bosomes let the bloud which they have shed cry and the evills they have committed roar within them let them seriously think of those devouring flames of those everlasting burnings upon the worme that never dieth and upon the fire that never shall be quenched as their sinnes have abounded towards thee so let deare God thy grace be more abounding towards them it will be to the greater glory of thy goodnesse at the great day to have pardoned such great sinners as these be when every Saint shall extoll thy mercy to his owne particular selfe if they shall come forth among the rest and say but to us to us God hath been more mercifull then to all others in his forgiving us more and greater evills O remember holy Father thy Sonne came into the world to save chiefe sinners and these are such and his bloud is able to wash away the deepest staines even those of these men therefore for his sake grant pardon if possible unto these bloudy and rebellious persons Amen And thus Gentlemen I have as Christ's Messenger discharged mine office to you in telling you plainly of your transgressions I thought though perhaps others may not be of my mind this time of your height and greatnesse to be fittest for this performance for if not now I know not when had been the season when your night which is drawing
on hath overtook you and brought you under hatches into bonds and prisons it will not be then so proper for a man of my condition to torment you further with the remembrance of these things and the truth is I am not base enough to act Prynnes part or to visit you as some of your Ministers did the Bishop of Canterbury in the Tower to triumph and insult over him in his miseries I abhorre to set my foot upon the neck of a fallen foe to widen wounds or to greaten sorrows I blesse my God I can look upon mine enemy in his affliction with an eye of pity and weep for him yea and I hope when that day of darknesse comes upon you to be one of those that shall indeavour to bring balme from Gilead to you and indeed if God would but please after all my sufferings at your hands to vouchsafe me but that honour I should conclude it were enough for a poor mortall and should say upon it with that Simeon in the Gospel Lord now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation thy rich thy great thy plenteous salvation unto thy people that wait for thee and so till then Gentlemen Adieu SECT XXIX A consolatory Speech to the Loyall-hearted that suffer for Conscience sake in these times Arguments to assure them of Gods helpe in due time 4 Marks to know the approach of that time How they are to demeane themselves in the meane time living and dying I Have now but a word more to adde and that shall be to those Loyall men who for Conscence and duty sake have adhered to their Soveraign and kept themselves unspotted from this sinne which like the Arian Heresie hath so suddenly orespread the whole Nation and for this cause have been persecuted and hated by these evill men who have also deprived them of all their outward comforts And what shall I now say unto you most worthy and approved shall I bewaile your sad condition or lament over you for the wrongs suffered this would be an endeavouring to bring you lower then you are to draw you down to basenesse to weaken your spirits and to expose you to be more despised and so to do you a greater injury then hath yet been done you for Pity is the poorest and most helplesse salve of misery and by noble minds farre more abhorred then the worst of fortune Away therefore with such feminine and feeble Cordialls which women use and children relish let me tell you that you are more then men you are Christians chose out of many by Almighty God to suffer for his sake to be in your Age the glory of Religion and the honour of your Nation you are no chaffe the wind hath not blown you away nor can the flaile hurt you as they fancie that afflict you they think they rob you in taking from you what God gave you but they think amisse for he can make them vomit up againe that wealth of yours which they have swallowed or can return it in specie another way all the substance and riches of the Earth are at his disposing who observes and notes who they are that lose all for his sake at least doubtlesse he will and doth repay outward losses with inward graces And be confident of it the more damage and affliction Gods truth brings you the more felicitie and joy abideth for you 't is Gods cause for which you stand 't is the honour of the 5. Commandement which you maintaine as the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies did of the second and hence 't is that you are spoiled and have your lives sought after but what an high dignitie is it in the meane time which God hath here called you to It was the confession of blessed Mr. Bradford in a case of like nature that himselfe had deserved the miseries he lay under at Gods hand and not only them but even Hell too notwithstanding sayes he so loving hath God been that he hath converted the punishment of my sinnes into a testimoniall of his truth and verity which indeed the Prelates persecute in me and not my sinnes and therefore they persecute not me but Christ in me who I doubt not but will take my part unto the end put but Parliament instead of Prelates and the words may be your own without alteration of a syllable So Bishop Hooper in those daies being at the stake appeales to God in these words ' T is knowne to thee O Lord wherefore I am come hither and why the wicked doe persecute thy servant not for my sinnes and transgressions committed against thee but because I will not allow of their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy bloud and the deniall of thy truth received each of you in your condition may make a like appeale and also adde what another Martyr said in the behalfe of himselfe and others If we would but seek to please men in things contrary to thy holy Word we might as others doe enjoy the Commodities of Wife Children Goods and Friends Besides 't is not for Gods truth only that your engagement is but for your Countrey too dulce est pro patria mori it hath at least in old time been so accounted nay what good man can wish life to see his Countrey buried vitae nimis est avidus quisquis non vult mundo secum pereunte mori saies wise Seneca they are over greedy to live that think it not an honour to die at the funerall Celebration of Church and Kingdome which to the eye of over-timerous and doubting nature may seeme perhaps to be neare approaching And were it so that a generall destruction should come yet how happie shall you be above those other men who having first made ship-wrack of a good conscience are forced afterward to lose all things else But our dutie is both to hope and pray for better for God is now the same he was of old as gracious still as ever nor must we as many doe trouble our selves with Gods Decree and grow dull upon it for himselfe sayes if the same at any time be gone forth for the plucking up or pulling downe a Nation or Kingdome an Humiliation or turning from sinne shall suspend the execution so did that of Ninive in like case and that of Hezekiah when word was brought him that he should die 't is Gods custome to Moses-like may stand in the gap upon such occasions he had spared Sodome it selfe had there been but ten righteous in that City his bowels are no whit contracted in these Gospel-times and there are no doubt manie thousands in this Land whom himselfe is pleased to account righteous Nor doth God regulate his dealings by what is in us but by what is in himselfe and there is mercie in him though no merit in us Christ is full of righteousnesse though we be full of sinne Holinesse and Truth are in Gods nature and promise though there be nothing but