punishment for so great an Offence And this they have since seconded in sundry other Declarations and Impeachments Fourthly For that most notorious falshood of his because his Excellency and the Councel of war crave that justice may be done to say It is the foule and black design of a few unbeleeving people I let it passe the Lord I know will rebuke him for it For as in this so in all the rest he manifests himself to be one of that number who have said with our tongue we will prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us But for the persons upon whom you have laid so grievous an aspersion this is their comfort and rejoycing in the Lord that as God knowes their hearts so he knowes the sincerity and singlenesse of them that they look at his glory in seeking after the publick good As the clouds can neither lessen the light of the sun nor let the course thereof because at the last they are scattered by the heat of the sun which shineth out most comfortable So the innocency of their persons and justnesse of their cause shal disperse and drive away all black clouds of calumniations and the mouth of him that speaketh lies shall be stopt Now we come to the great work propounded in the Remonstrance That that Capitall and grand author of our troubles the Person of the King may be brought to Justice for the Treason Blood and Mischief he is there guilty of Here I find Mr. Sedgwick in his answer to say very little to it But 1. That no Law takes hold of the King 2. The crown is his birth-right and inheritance for the rest it is either a justification of the King as to be better then they or bitter reproaches Because this is a high subject and a businesse a foote I shall therefore speak the more largely to it not de facto but de jure for the Treason Blood c. laid to the King I shall leave that charge to others more concerned in it only I shall shew what justly and lawfully may be done in such a case And for the Readers clearer information and better understanding of the point I shall here assert 5. things First That there is a supream and Soveraigne power alwayes residing in the people above Kings Secondly That all Kings in all places and at all times have been and still are subject to and under Law Thirdly That the people have the power not onely to call their Kings to an account but to censure and remove them for their tyranny and misgovernment Fourthly That no nation is so tied to any form of civill government but that it is lawfull for the people to alter it into another form or kind upon occasion Fifthly That amongst all the formes of civil Government Aristocraticall or popular is best and safest for the people For the first That every Magistrate be he Emperor or King is inferior to the whole Kingdome and people it may plainly be demonstrated 1. Because he is not only their servant but creature too being originally created by and for them now as every creator is of greater power and authority then its creature and every cause greater then its effect so the authority and power of the people which creates the Prince and his princely power and enlargeth limits or restrains it as there is cause must needs be greater then the Prince or royal power And though Principallities as generally considered be of God yet the constitution of Princes and their severall degrees of power are meerly from men hence it is that Peter speaking of Kings and their supremacy cals them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} every creature or ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2.13 because originally instituted limitted and continued by and for the use and service of the people whose creatures as we said ministers and servants they are and ought to be and from them receive their whole jurisdiction power and authority Besides howbeit principallities as generally considered be indeed of God yet the constitution of all Princes and their severall degrees of power are meerly from men and this cannot with any shew of reason be denied For if the regall authority of Princes were meerly from the Law of God and nature it should be the same and like it self in all Kingdomes but t is not the same and like it self in all kingdomes but as every people please and make a free choise of neverthelesse every form and kinde of government is equally lawfull and good in it self whether Monarchy Aristocratie or Democratie as all on all sides doe acknowledge 2ly It is a thing neither probable nor credible that any free people when they voluntarily incorporated themselves into Kingdomes of their own accord set up an elective King over them that there was such stupidity and madnesse in them as absolutely to resigne up their soveraign and popular power authority right to Kings and their heires for ever to give them an entire full and incontroulable supremacie over them and so to make the creature inferior to the creator the derivative greater then the primative the servants more potent then themselves and thus of free men to make themselves slaves and for their more safety to be more enslaved But the contrary appears by the peoples constant practise in all ages as we shall manifest hereafter But admit which with sence cannot be imagined that such a thing had been so yet the Fathers could not take in their posterity with them neither oblige them any way in point of equity and conscience to confirm and observe what they foolishly had done but their children afterwards might lawfully yea and ought to stand fast in the liberty which the law of God nature and nations had made them free and not be entangled in the slavish yoke and bondage of their fore-fathers Hence Amesius in his cases of Conscience lib 5. cap. 22. Qu. 2. resolves that all fatherly power is in procuring the good of children and shewes in the next cha. That liberty in naturall estimation is next to life it self and of many preferr'd before it 3. Common reason Law and experience manifests that the whole or greatest part in all publick or naturall bodies is of greater excellency power and jurisdiction then any one particuler member Thus in all corporations the court of Aldermen and common-councel is of greater power then the Major alone though the chief officer so the whole bench then the Lord chief Justice and the whole Councel then the President And it is Aristotles expresse determination Polit. lib. 1. cap. 2. lib. 3. cap. 8. lib. 4. cap. 8. what forme of government soever it be whatsoever seemes good to the major part of the people that is more excellent and to be preferred before any part or member thereof and that it is unfit the part should be before the whole and he gives for it his reason thus The people know what is profitable necessary
THE ARMIES VINDICATION Wherein these five things are proved First That there is a Supream and Soveraign power alwayes residing in the People over and above Kings Secondly That all Kings have been and still are subject to and under Law Thirdly That the People have power not only to convent but to censure depose and punish their Kings for their Tyranny and misgovernment Fourthly That no Nation is so strictly tied to any one form of civill Government or Law but it is lawfull for the People to alter the same to another form or kind upon occasion Fiftly Amongst all formes of Civill Government Aristocratical or Popular is best and safest for the People Besides Here is shewed that to claim any Crown by an hereditary or successive title is upon a false and unjust ground In reply to Mr. William Sedgwick Published for the Kingdomes satisfaction By ELEVTHERIVS PHILODEMIVS 1 Cor. 7.21 But if thou mayest be made free use it rather Printed for Peter Cole at the signe of the printing presse in Cornhill neer the Royal Exchange Anno 1649. To his Excellency Thomas Lord Fairfax Lord General of the Parliaments forces and the General Councel of War My Lord and Gentlemen HAving spent some time in looking over the histories of Nations our own Records and Statutes with severall other works of Statists Politians Lawyers I found that saying truly verified of Solomon In much wisdome is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow and what he afterward concludes of all his own works and labour I observed to be most true in them touching Polities and civil government Behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit and there was no profit under the sun For indeed men have acted and written either in reference to Princes to humor and please their lusts and will or like the unwise builder the blind leading the blind have built upon the sand upon unsound bottomes and false principles And therefore as Christ in the controversie betweene him and the Pharisees touching divorce sends them back to the originall and first institution of marriage and to the Fathers of the first age of the world as being the first and best pattern and Paul to reform the abuses in the Lords Supper cals them Corinthians to the first institution So there is no better way to have a Common-wealth setled in peace and righteousnesse then to look back at the beginning when men walked by the exact and even rules of equity justice conscience and kept the clear and plain principles of reason and nature this is the Land-measure and Standard whereby the faulty measures coming after are to be corrected and amended How this light first came to be less'ned and then by degrees afterwards upon the matter quite extinguished in some Kingdomes and darknesse to break in as Soveraignities Monarchies Kings prerogatives arbitrary power regal immunities Crownes hereditary and successive c. all bloody and black Characters of Tyrants and conquest it is easie to be seen and I shall shortly by the good hand of God assisting me give you and the whole Nation good satisfaction In the mean time I have thought good to publish this small Treatise and howsoever I question not but your present work and way is clear to you yet to the nation generally it may serve in some good stead as to satisfie the weaker confirm the stronger informe the ignorant and leave the wilfull and obstinate without excuse For the man with whom I deal I have nothing here to say neither indeed would I have sayd any thing to his work considering what for a man he is but that I perceived it was in the mouth of some much cried up people it seemes that are not able to put a distinction between wind and words nor know any difference between rayling and reason And now my Lord and Gentlemen upon you at the present is the eye of the nation you are as a city set upon a hil all Kingdoms about us are looking on you and great things are hoped for and exspected from you and this I must needs tell you the cause of Christ lies much now upon your actings if you doe the worke of the Lord negligently unfaithfully fearfully oh my bowels doe yearn and I tremble to think what dishonor will come to Gods great name what scandal and proach to the glorious Gospel what sadnes and sorrow too the soules of the righteous and what tryumph and joy there will be in the tents of wicked men But I hope better things of you though I thus speak I need not tell you how much you have seen of God and how his powerfull presence hath gone all along with you to this present time neither need I tell you by what a strong arm and a strange providence you have beene brought up to this work But if you should now ask of me as the young man did of Christ what lack we yet I would say constancy and faithfulnesse to the end will crown not only this but all your former actions Methinks I could say more to you then Mordecai did to Hester Who knowes whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this We know and blessed be God for it the Lord hath made you his Israels Saviours and by you hath wrought deliverance for his people he hath put much glory already upon you now therfore stand fast quit your selves like men you have the prayers of the Saints with you and for you and for the enemies their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with you fear them not But seeing the Treatise is short I shall not make too large a forespeech I well remember your expression in the Remonstrance calling upon every man to contribute what help he can and truly there is all the reason in the world for it that every one now should lay himself out to further so honorable and good a work And for my part according to the small portion I have received I shall not be wanting in your vindication but for the things by you proposed and your prosecuting of them to wit that the King may be brought to his tryal the enemies of our peace punished hurtfull Laws nullified the peoples grievances and oppressions removed freedom and liberty of conscience without danger to the State granted a better form of Government setled as I shall undertake the just defence thereof so I shall shortly make it more manifest to the whole nation that there is nothing in all things desired of you nor prosecuted by you but what is according to justice reason nature conscience and what the Lord himself doth allow and call for In the mean time my prayer shall be for the blessing of God to be upon your labor and his powerfull protection over your Persons Sirs I am Your Honors devoted servant E. P. To the Reader Friendly Reader HOwsoever the Proverb be true he shall finde worke enough that hath to do with the multitude
and good for them better then their Kings who are their publick ministers and thus concluding itaque majorum rerum potestas jure populo tribuitur Therefore power of the greater things is by right the peoples 4. This may also appear by the histories and records of all Kingdoms in the world where Tyrants forc't not in by conquest and held not possession afterwards by force In the Romane state both under their Kings and Emperors the chief power in all things of highest concernment was alwayes in the Senate and people and so much Bodin grants That the people hadt he chief Soveraign power of enacting and confirming Lawes the Senates decrees being of no validity unlesse the people ratified them and if any of their Kings Consuls Emperors or Generals did things without their consent as making war concluding peace c. it did not bind but was meerly voyd unlesse the Senate and people together in a great assembly ratified the same by a publick Law But to let passe forreign examples our ancestors in this Kingdome which shewes what power was invested in the whole body of the people have not only constrained our Kings by threats yea force of armes to summon and continue Parliament but likewise compelled them to give their royal assents to Magna Charta Charta de Foresta Confirmatio Chartarum Articuli super Chart as with sundry other publick statutes of right and justice for common good and the subjects safety and to ratify them with their hands seales oathes proclamations against their will and liking which forced assents have been afterward justified and held good in law to bind these kings and their followers to the due observation thereof for where the lawes are convenient necessary or essentiall for the Kingdomes welfare the Subjects just liberty and safety and such as the King by duty and oath is bound to assent to there if they compel the King to give his assent in case of denyal the assent is binding and shall not be voyd by Duresse because the King doth no more then he is obliged by oath law and duty to condiscend unto and the people whose power is above him may justly require 5. And now in answer to Mr. Sedgwick affirming the Crown to be the Kings birth-right a thing which I utterly deny and have clear reasons against it For 1. Howsoever here in England the Crown hath gon often by discent yet never was it granted absolute successive and heretary but arbitrary and elective Hence many of our Kings have come to the crown without any hereditary title by the peoples free election and afterward obeyed as lawful Kings Thus Anno. 975. after Edgars disease not Ethelred the heir to the former King but Edward crowned So Edmund heir to King Ethelred refused and Canutus a stranger elected and crowned So Edmund and Alfred both heirs set a side and Harald and Hardiknute elected and crowned Kings I might also shew how upon the death of King Harald it was enacted by the English Nobility That none of the Danish blood should any more reign after them So after William the first not Robert the elder brother but Rufus the younger brother chosen So after the desease of Richard the first John Earl of Morton was crowned and Arthur the right heir refused The like might be manifested of other nations how their kings did not reign heretarily and by succession from father to sonne but those were chosen Kings amongst them which were held worthy which election was made by the people and revokable by them at any time and whensoever the Crown went now and then by succession it was by usurpation rather than right From humane Histories we might come to the holy Scriptures and shew that the original creation and constitution of the Isralites Kingdoms proceeded only from the authority and power of the people and that solely by Divine permission rather than institution as is apparant by Deut. 11.14 15. And howsoever the Lord did somtimes immediatly nominate the persons of those that should reign over them as Saul David Jehu Jeroboam c. yet the people did constantly confirme and make them Kings and gave them their royal authority none being made Kings by Divine appointment but such as they willingly accepted approved and confirmed to be kings Gods previous designation being but a preparative to their voluntary and free election Moreover It is very cleer that the kings of Judah and Israel were subordinate in power to the people and not only counselled but usually over-rul'd by them in al matters of publick concernment for though they asked a king yet they reserved sufficient authority to themselves to restrain him and to order and dispose of the publick affairs as they thought good But these things we have reserved to a larger treatise 2. Howsoever Bodin contrary to Aristotle Tacitus Lipsius Toloso Machavel Kirchnerus and the greatest Polititions prefers succession before election of Kings and instanceth several nations to be heretary yet this I say quo jure from the beginning it was not so for every heretary Crown is through custom not of right howsoever people have let it passe and admitted them in such a way yet this hath been still in the people a free act and it was in their liberty and power to have chosen any other 3. Whereas some Kings require an oath of their subjects that their heirs and successors shall enjoy the Crown after them and the grounds of taking this oath is upon an opinion that the Crown goes by succession from father to child so that in their understanding they give not any thing away from themselves but only acknowledg what they conceive the person already is Now this oath being given and taken upon a false ground cannot bind in point of conscience because if they knew it was not the others right they would not swear neither meant they in the least to pass away any thing of their own right for they thought it was the others properly before And here by the way observe how vain and groundlesse that common question pro and con is amongst Polititians Statists Civilians and some Divines whether succession or election be the better as if truly and rightly there were some such thing as succession whereas it is neither so nor so I confesse after a Kings desease the people may elect and crown the son and his sons son but that any such thing can be claimed or chalenged as a birth-right it is altogether untrue there is no Kingdom in the world where the crown descends from the father to the son by any true and proper succession the most that can be is not simple succession but a succession limitable and conditional that is a promise on the peoples part for some considerable causes that the son shall be crowned after the fathers death if he be fit to govern and they see it is for their good But that any people should absolutely bind themselves to have the son reign over
them after the fathers death should he be a fool a knave a madman a tyrant either such a thing was never meant or if it were ever so such people therein shewed themselves either to be fools knaves madmen or children as doing a thing against all reason all right the manifest law of God and very light of nature And this we further add That whatsoever covenants or contracts have been between former Kings and our Ancestors about succession and what acts of Parliament laws statutes they have made about it they are no way binding to us neither are we thereto related or concern'd in the same If two men make a contract together that the son of the one shall marry the others daughter if these children be under age they have liberty and power especially their fathers being dead to do as they think good being come to age neither doth that pre-contract binde them but they are still free and may dispose of themselves as they see good that is they have liberty and power to marry any other if they see it more convenient and necessary So I confidently affirm whatsoerer Crown Contract hath been made by our forefathers in our non-age pitch where you will touching this succession we have our liberty to take or refuse and are in point of conscience no more bound to crown the heir of William the Conquerer Henry the Eight James the Sixt of Scotland or this King Charles than any other man but if we will to be like other nations still have a King such then is our liberty and freedome now that we may yea and ought to elect and crown such a one whom we shall find to be best qualified and fittest for us Now we come to the next general Head That Kings are and ought to be bound by Lawes and are not to be exempted from them I shall not at this time shew the flattery and vanity of some Sycophants and Parasites who affirm that people may not prescribe any law to their Prince that Kings are above law Now touching that senselesse distinction of Bodin and others who hold that the Supream Magistrate howsoever bound to the laws of God of Nature and Nations yet are free from all Civil laws prescribed by themselves nor that Court destinction between Law directive and coactive what Kings should doe and what Kings may do This I say with Pareus Superior Magistratus est subjectus legibus divinis suae republicae The supream Magistrate is subject to Gods laws and to the lawes of his own Common-wealth Comment in Rom. C. 13. dub 6. yea more strictly obliged to observe his own lawes than subjects and departing from the law becomes a Tyrant and therefore the whole kingdom which is above the King may not only bind him by laws but question him and punish him for the breach of them And this is a most certain truth howsoever by some slavish pens opposed that all Kings are so far bound to the laws and customs of their kingdoms that if they violate and alter them at their pleasure they may truly be called Tyrants according to Aristotle and herein absolve their people from their aleagence which they have made unto them Take for instance the united Netherland Provences who for this very cause did declare Philip King of Spain to have fallen and cut himselfe off from the Seignorie of the Netherlands and caused a new form of an oath to be drawn in manner of an abjuration of the King of Spain every one swearing duty and obedience unto the Estates by the publick officers and magistrates of every town and province the which thing was and still is by all Protestants and reformed Churches justified and approved lawful I could here set down many such examples of other Nations who by their lawes required their Kings to be subject to their lawes aswell as any other yea all nations except where tyrants have reigned have alwaies had some lawe to restrain their kings from excesses and abusive courses Besides all good Emperours and Kings in all ages have professed and practised the same Trajan acknowledged that the Prince was not above law and giving the Sword to any Praetor or Cōmander he would say Hoc gladio contra me utitur si in rempublicam peccavero The like said Theodosius and Valentinian Emperours Digna est vox Majestate regnantis in legibus alligatum se Principem profiteri lib. 4. cap. d. leg. prin So Antiochus the Third King of Asia is commended that he writ to all the Cities of his kingdom If there should be any thing in his letters which should seem contrary to the Laws they should not obey them These men knew it is God only that may do in heaven and in earth what he pleaseth as for man whether Emperour or King he is under law and therefore must do nothing but what is lawfull just and right And for more authentick proofe we could produce the Kings of Israel and Judah who had no arbitrary power to do what they pleased nor exempted from laws but inferiour too and obliged by them as well as subjects this is evident by sundry impregnable texts Deut. 17.18 19. Josh. 1.1.8 1 Sam. 8.11 to 19. and 12. 14 15.20 c. Ezek. 46.18 The Jewish Doctors from these words I will visit their transgression with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men 2 Sam. 7. write that it was a custom in Israel If their Kings transgressed against the law of the King they were to be scourged for it But the question is not so much whether Kings are under law for this now begins now to be generally granted but the question is If Kings do break law what 's their punishment and who shal do it The answer to this belongs properly to the next point yet something I shall say to it in this place For my part I have not yet seen in any mans writing new or old though never so great a Kings-man any cleer and convincing reason that seeing Kings are subject to laws both the law of God and of men wherfore they should have any immunity or be priviledged from punishment appointed by law to such and such offences more than other men Plainly thus If King or Prince be a Murderer a Traytor a Pirate an Adulterer perjured c. why the punishment due to other murderers traytors c. and for the like crimes inflicted upon them should not be executed upon the other King or Prince what the custom hath been or what partial laws foolish ignorant men have made I count as nothing let reason justice Divine precepts be considered Hence let us take light and information First as for the law of God it goes generally and takes all in quisquis siquis quicunque whosoever if any man what mansoever if a murderer an adulterer c. let him die the death Kings and Princes are not here exempted And Secondly In the point of Justice 't is
without any dispute For {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is Justice of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to part or divide in two Hence {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Judge as it were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} because he cuts a thing in two equal parts So in the definition Justice is Perpetua constansque voluntas jussuam unicuique tribuens And for distributive justice which according to Logicians is either rewarding or punishing this later Judicatory Justice is qua Paenis debitas aequalitur unicuique distribuit which distributeth due Punishment equally to every one Again If the offender because he is great as a king or prince should therefore be spared it were directly to depart from Justice both in propriety of speech true definition {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is a right judgment not respecting the person to wit for his greatnesse power place wealth c. Thirdly For Reasons I have this to say Wherefore Kings should be punished according to law if not more yet as much as other men 1 Because by their ill example they do more hurt than other men 2. Their sins do more provoke God and draw down Divine wrath upon a nation and therfore there is the greater reason that the Land should be purged of such pollutions 3. The taking of this course would be very much for the publick good and safety for if princes knew they should be punished as other men for their crimes according to law they would be as careful as other men to observe and keep the same Oderunt peccare mali formidine paenae 4. The practise of this would be a very helpfull means to save their souls for whence comes it to pass that they care not what they doe but because whatsoever they doe they know no man will punish them for it 5. If this course were taken there would not be such horrid and execrable wayes used to get Crowns as poysning and murdering of fathers brethren c. but conscience then and a desire to do good would be the chiefest motives leading men therunto 6. In constitution of a Prince whatsoever is confirmed upon a man in respect of office and authority it doth not any way make a change upon his Person neither puts him at any distance touching subjection to the Law more then he was before this relates only to a qualification that is the people judging him to be fit he is invested with a power and right to administer justice but for his personall estate that remaines the same as formerly neither is he by this exempted from Law either directive or coactive more then when a man is made a Judge Justice of peace or the like In this case Civil Magistrates and Church officers are alike what office or function soever a man hath in the Church of God he is still under the power of the Church and for his person the Church-censure can reach him still as it did before For the institution of Pastors Teachers or Elders doth not in the least exempt or priviledge such eclesiasticall officers from the highest censure of the Church more then any other member if there be just cause to proceed against them And there is something to this purpose in the Popish Cannon Law how in case of heresie the Pope ceaseth ipso facto to be Pope looseth his spirituall jurisdiction and authority and deserveth justly to be really deposed Can. si papa 40. Carer Azorius Antonine 3. part shewing that the office of a Pope adds nothing to the person of the man for howsoever he is above the rest for his place yet he is still subject to the Law and under censure yea to be deprived of jurisdiction and Papacie in case he prove an heretick For conclusion then this I positively affirm and will stand to it Where Kings are under Law and receive their Crownes from the people upon protestation and oath to keep the Laws and where the supream Soveraign power of a nation is invested in the Senate and people there Kings for their Tyranny and misgovernment may be convented judged and punished neither are they more exempted from the highest civill punishment then Eclesiasticall officers are from the highest Church-censure their persons are still in the same consideration as other mens persons are and therefore for their transgressions as other men may be judged and punished Now to come to the third particular which is That the people have power not only to convent but to censure depose and punish their Kings for their Tyranny and misgovernment For the confirmation of this I shall desire the Reader to take notise 1. What reasons there are for it 2. What Law 3. What Scripture proof 4. What prefidents and examples both of other nations and Kingdomes as likewise of our own 5. And lastly what the judgment is of learned men touching this thing Reas. 1. It is an undoubted rule of divinity and policie that it is more expedient that one man die though a Prince or King then the whole nation should perish John 11.50 18.14 If the right eye or right hand offend it must be pluckt out and cut off as in the naturall body if a member be so corrupt and putrified that unlesse it be taken away the whole body is in danger to perish in such a case for prevention and health sake every one wil allow the cutting it off so in the politick body when the safety of the whole lies in the removing of one or more unfound and bad members it must be don and it is necessary it should be so for it is a maxime in Philosophy that totum non subjicitur parti sed pars toti so again totum non regitur motu partis sed pars totius to which that is agreeable in the Poet immedicabile vulnus En se recidendum est ne pars sincera trahetur Reas. 2. Kings being the people officers ministers creatures as we said it must needs follow that they are responsable to their masters and makers and being found unfaithfull stewards they have power to displace them of their trust and office If the keeping of a city or castle be committed to a man and he betrayes the same to the enemy or dismantles the wals and fortifications to expose it unto danger is it questionable in such a case whether the State putting him into that trust may not call him to an account and punish him justly for it Reas. 3. When two men contract and covenant together upon certain conditions and termes if one party break the agreement the other is set free and no further bound to him either in point of Law or conscience When Kings break their coronation oaths and promises keep not the conditions and termes upon which they were elected and crowned but become tyrants the bond and knot between subjects and them is essentially broken neither is there any tribute duty custome or alleagance
c. from the people any further due unto them I know no faster bond or knot between any two parties then man and wife the relation between Kings and subjects I am sure is not neerer neverthelesse all grant adulterium etiam vinculum ipsum matrimonii solvit adultery in either person breaks even that very bond and knot of marriage why therefore a subject breaking his covenant with the King in being a traitor should be punished for it and the King breaking his covenant with the people in proving a tyrant or traitor to the people should not be punished likewise I am sure there is no man living able to give a just reason for it Reas. 4. If men by Law may be punished yea and great punishment is inflicted upon them who are onely as instruments used by Princes to accomplish their wicked designes and meerely act to please them surely it is against justice reason and all conscience that the first mover and grand author should escape unpunished Gods example teacheth otherwise who in all ages hath punished the author of sinne more severely and extreamly then the instrument we see many times the adulterous mother punished for her whoredome yet the bastard spared but that the bastard should suffer and the mother escape it is an example unheard of Reas. 5. Howsoever men may remit the wrong or injury as it it in reference to themselves and their own interest neverthelesse as the transgression respecteth Gods Law and so far as God cals for judgment and punishment it is not in their power to spare or pardon though they may doe with their own what they will yet what is the Lords they may not alter mitigate qualifie c. but they ought to proceed according to the directions and rules which he hath prescribed to them I say without addition or dimunition strictly punctually and precisely I shall end this point with the words of Bodin I am of opinion saith he that no Soveraign Prince neither yet any man alive can pardon the punishment due unto the offence which is by the Law of God death no more then he can dispense with the Law of God whereunto he is himself subject And if it be so that the Magistrate deserve capitall punishment which despenseth with the Law of his King how shall it be lawfull for a Soveraign Prince to dispense with his subjects from the Law of God And further if the Prince himself cannot give away the least civil interest of his subjects or pardon the wrong don to another man how can he pardon the wrong don unto ALMIGHTY GOD or murder wilfully committed which by the Law is death for all the pardon he can give vide lib. 1. de Reip. cap. 10. Secondly As for Lawyers law it is just like Mr. William Prin it speaks every thing and any thing and nothing Thus their law and he are like the Dutch mans hose you may wear them how you will put them up or down for they are made to serve both wayes but for that whirligig and busie body I do but mention him by the way for there is an Independant piece comming forth to shew his lightnesse contradiction extreme pride and malice What punishment by law is due unto a Traytor it is so obvious and well known as to cite Statutes for it would be but as a vain repetition Now the Law cleerly resolves 28. Hen. 8. C. 7 That if the King become an open enemy to the kingdom and subjects to wast or ruin them or shall seek to betray them to a forraign nation he becomes a traytor to the realm and hereupon doth forfeit his very title to the Crown Bracton saith the King is the highest Justiticiar in the kingdom Licet in justitia recipienda minimo de regno suo comparitur but as low as any in receiving justice lib. 3. cap. 9. fol. 167. c. This indeed is law for what is law {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} according to the strict Etimologie a proper signification but an equal distributing to every one his own whether it be reward or punishment and therefore whensoever any thing hath been enacted to priviledge kings and princes from personal punishment in case they transgressed against God and men and should prove Tyrants Traytors Murderers Pirates Witches and what not I do avouch it was no law to speak truly and properly it was not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as contrary to the law of God and nature as light is to darknesse and these were right Antinomians as opposing and denying law to establish their own wicked and lawlesse decree Law is ratio naturalis natural reason but it is no principle in nature to punish the lesser theft murder treason tyranny c. and spare the greater theeves murderers c. to execute the bastard and quit the mother as we said before Again 'T is without dispute when Princes prove Tyrants their deposition is justificable by law Now to know a Tyrant King James describes him thus A King governing in a setled kingdom ceaseth to he a King and degenerates into a Tyrant so soon as hee leaves to rule by his own laws If this be true as it is most true then it is the highest degree of Tyranny condemned and abhorred by God and all good men when the King begins to invade his subjects persons rights liberties c. to set up an arbitrary power imposeth unlawful taxes raises forces plunders wasteth and spoils his kingdom imprisons kills and banisheth his most faithful best people in an hostile and wrathful manner whom he ought to protect and rule in peace and whether this King have not thus done even our enemies themselves being judges There is one thing remarkable in the aforesaid speech where he saies He ceaseth to be a King Hence I gather that a King degenerating into a Tyrant hath no benefit nor any thing to help himself in point of law by any Statute containing an immunity or exemption of the Kings person from punishment as death it self for whatsoever is provided in such a case it is only in reference to a King but when he ceaseth to be a King he loseth the benefit of all such acts of Parliament neither is there any Statute broken if he personally suffer for his crimes Thirdly For Scripture proof or presidents Zuinglius positively affirms that the Israelites might not only resist but also depose their kings for wickednes idolatrie yea that al the people were justly punished by the Lord because they removed not their wicked Kings out of their places and brings sundry instances for it Explinat Aut. 42. That God did punish the people for their kings enormities t is evident by Jer. 15.1 2 3 4. 2 King 21.11 12. Chap. 23.26 24.3 and the history of the Kings and Chronicles in sundry other places clearly shew so much the which thing surely God in justice would not
and t is a hard thing to please all neverthelesse I have undertaken this worke in hope to satisfie all such who are not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} absurd and unreasonable but knowing men moderate and impartiall And confident I am didst thou know how free I am and disingaged in respect of any private interest thou wouldst consider the more seriously what is here written and reap the more profit by it For my name had I intended to have made it known I could have set it down and so have told it thee my self but thou mayest perceive my meaning is to conceale it and therefore thou needst not to enquire further onely thus much for thy satisfaction I have purposely forborn it that in reading thou mayest not have thy mind taken up with any thing but about the matter I make account I shall save Mr. Sedgwick the labour and all other Royallists of replying because I have in part don that my self namely collected all such Objections as I conceive carry any shew of contradiction to the particulars here asserted and shall very shortly set them forth with a full refutation Reader the main businesse is Liberty Liber captivus avi fere similis est Semel fugiendi si data est occasio Satis est nunquam post illum possis prendere A thing desired of all living creatures and therefore much unbeseeming man to strive for bondage Me thinks when J consider how the world hath been befool'd by Kings J could even weep and laugh to see what tame asses men have been to be ridden and beaten by them But the Lord is now risen up and doing his great work throwing down and breaking to pieces the proud powers of the earth both civil and eclesiastical It is good therefore thou consider where thou art and what the place of thy standing is he that hides himself under straw or chaffe will have small relief thereby when fire shall be put thereto and consume it All powers and places in opposition to Christ are but as dry stubble which the Lord is now about to destroy with the brightnesse of his comming But I shall not hold thee up with any longer discourse onely one thing I shall acquaint thee with there are some faults escaped which I have observed since it was printed and in some places greater then J wish they were the which J could not help beeing out of town when it was don and the badnesse of my hand may in part excuse the printer And so J bid farewell till thou doe hear again from me The Armies vindication in answer to Mr. Sedgwicks calumniation WHAT moves Mr. Sedgwick to shew himself such a bitter and cruell enemy to the Army and at this time to heat the furnace of his tongue seven times more then it was wont to be heat may in part be gathered from the Scripture set down in the Title page 2 Timot. 3 9. But they shall proceed no further c. but more clearly a little after where he speaks of his sermon at Windsor Overturn overturn overturn mentioning withall Mr. Saltmarsh his message depart from the tents of these unrighteous men and Mr Pinnels admonition The thing is thus he hath deeply engaged himself concerning the Armies ruin and the safe return of the King and his Posterity to their glory and greatnesse and having with much confidence and boldnesse a long time thus affirmed he begins now to fear lest this should be added to his doomsday-prophesie and so whilst he is lifting up himself and intruding into those things which he hath not seen his folly be made manifest to all men to use his own words Hence he growes angry and flyes in the face of the Army cals them dogs and devils that their wayes are beastly cruell absurd monstrous men led by a dark and foule Spirit enemies to the Spirit and to the crosse of Christ and much more to this purpose as if they would at his calumniations and slanders fall down before him and give all up to him that so it might not come to passe which he foresees already is at the door and shortly will be in all mens mouths Sedgwick the false prophet God hath not spoken to him in these things but he hath prophesied a lie in his Name Oh that Mr. Sedgwick could take notice of the visible and senceable reproof of God upon him that blindnesse hath happened to him in part and professing himself to be wise becomes a fool if the thoughts of the snare which he is fallen into lay upon his heart he would give glory to God and with Iob humbly say behold I am vile what shall I answer thâ—e I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will speak no further Iob. 40 4 5. The Epistle Dedicatory is as the rest of the Pamphlet invective and slanderous Thus he begins You drive furiously over the necks of KING and Parliament Laws Covenants Loyalty Priviledges and no humane thing can stand before you Here Solomons words are verified Eccles. 10.13 The beginning of the words of his mouth as foolishnesse and the end of his talke is mischievous madnesse You found not any thing in the Remonstrance looking this way but expressions often to the contrary and were you as charitably minded towards His EXCELLENCY and the Generall COUNCEL of WAR as you are to the Malignant Party you had ground sufficient to judge otherwise But howsoever God will ere long clear their innocency and bring forth their righteousnesse as the light and their judgement as the noon day when by his gracious hand assisting them our Lawes Liberties and Priviledges shall be recovered the which by KING and PARLIAMENT have been trodden under foot But he tels them The Lord is here upbraiding your unbelief and after pag. 13. The Holy GOD will no longer suffer you to wear the name of Saints and godly but will discover you to be white sepulchres and cause your rottennesse to come forth But how may we know that the Lord hath called Mr. Will Sedgwick to this work and that it is the spirit of Christ speaking in him and he the man appointed to poure contempt upon the Army and to trample upon them as morter Must we take it as granted because he sayes it What if the Army should say in the words of Nehemiah And lo I perceived that God had not sent him but that he pronounced this Prophesie against me for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him Therefore was he hired that I should be afrayd and doe so and sin and that they might have matter for an evill report that they might reproach me My God think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works and on the Prophetesse Noadiah and the rest of the Prophets that would have put me in fear Neh 6.12 13 14. Is there no ground for them to think that the Malignant spirit drives on his old designe
exorbitances and abuses of Kings and Lords may be taken off and yet their persons remain and as much power left them as is their due 2. The rights and liberties of the people are above the places of Princes for Kings if duly chosen were set by the people for the better enjoying of their rights c. and therefore there is still in the people a standing power to alter their former choise and course of chusing if they se another way to be better for them 3. If by setting up of the people he mean the exercising of that power which God hath given them in changing one kind of government and setting another more safe and profitable for them it is well proposed As he that helps a man being unjustly thrust out of his possessions to set him into his own again is no way blame-worthy 2. He saith should you not rather propose that all power dominion and reign should be given to the Lord I must ingeniously professe here is a riddle and I understand it not But good Sir in your next tell us what power or dominion is taken from the Lord in seeking to have good laws established righteous judgment executed enormities removed righteousness and peace practised amongst men We have nothing more in his answer but much harsh and bitter language It is said of Lewes the Eleventh he had a conceit that every thing did stink about him all the odoriferous perfumes and fragrant savours they could get could not ease him but still he smell'd a filthy stinch It much grieves me that Mr. Sedgwick hath so ill an opinion of the Army that how precious and sweet soever their Proposals are yet all to his thinking is dung and trash A Third Exception is and a fault which he finds in them That they all along carry the interest of the publick in opposition to the King's Here he makes a tedious and long discourse and multiplieth words without knowledge First he saith The publick hath its interest in the King and the King his interest in the publick There is so much said in the Remonstrance from page 16. to 35. that if he had duly weighed and considered the same he would not have written as he doth It is not the Army as Sword-men that have cut the knot in pieces and divided them but indeed as it is there abundantly proved the King's il courses it is of himself that the union is dissolved and he wholly lost his interest in the publick for further satisfaction herein I refer the Reader to the Book and Mr. Prin's Charge against the King and the several Remonstrances and Declarations of Parliament to the same purpose 2. To omit his godding again of the creature he tels us how God is the God of Kings more than of common men assuming their titles kingliness agrees with all Christians It is a bastardly religion that is inconsistant with the majestie and greatness of the most absolute Monarch Ans. 1. Take notice Reader that in all this there is not one word which relates to the matter in hand 2. As the Lord honoreth good Kings so he is terrible to wicked ones cuts them off and powres out cuntempt upon them 3. Howsoever we grant that true religion is not inconsistant with monarchie yet we know and experienee shews it that there is no kind of civil government more averse and opposite to the Kingdom of Christ and lesse helpful to it than Monarchie For the rest which is the gathering all into one God and man into one person God and the King into one person to mention it is conviction enough A Fourth fault which he finds with them is In putting all the enmity against godliness and the power of it on the King's part and charging it upon him as his interest and assuming all religion and godliness to themselves Here first of all he makes a large discourse in praise of himself and speaks much in his own behalf as the like I never observed in a man truly fearing God It is personal and therefore I passe it over yet so as I wish him hereafter to remember that counsel of Solomon Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth a stranger and not thine own lips It was their custom at the Olimpick games that the winner should not put the garland on himself but some other was to do it for him Now to the Answer which is very large but summarily thus A justifying of the wicked and condemning the righteous Touching the Army he saith Their wayes are dark and slippery crying up the Lord the Lord when they do the works of the Devil they have not the power of godliness And for the King's party They do not oppose them for purity and are in their principles more righteous than they and many of their persons more sober patient loving gentle yea more knowing in the things of God than they He further tels them they are led to the destroying of others as righteous as themselves and are kept off from the sight of their own iniquity Next he mentioneth Rom. 2.1 2. and Matt. 7.1 and hereupon sharply reproves them for accusing of others and whilest he is speaking it accuseth them to go besides all law and right to set up will and power that they shed the true innocent blood of Christ spoil the temple of God harden their hearts to pride malice and wicked insulting over their brethren and much more to this purpose then speaking of the King he saith They persecute him whom the Lord hath smitten and he is the apple of Gods eye and that God hath declared and so much they know rich mercie to the King and his partie in his book called The Leaves of the Tree of life Thus Reader I have in brief given thee a true accompt of all that he hath written from page 12. to page the 20. I shall here only in short take some few observations and so go on 1. What a bold challenge that is page 12. where he Chalengeth the whol earth to accuse him of any injustice to God or man Now can there be greater injustice than to charge Gods people with manifest falshood and untruth Thine own mouth condemneth thee and not I yea thine own lips testifie against thee I hope I may without exception or offence use his own words page 50. You may reade your description excellently pen'd long ago 1 Tim. 4. speaking lyes in hypocrisie 2. Is it not also great injustice to God if not to prefer yet to equalize Satans working in wicked men with the Spirits working upon the souls of the Saints 3. What sober considerate or wise man as he is reproving another for rash judging and uncharitableness would at the same time shew himself so uncharitable and rash in the very same thing as there is scarce a president or example before of the like 4. Is this Mr. Sedgwick's Justice upon the Armies Remonstrance when there is a true report made of the King's
grievous crimes and miscarriages with his partie not having any thing at all to gainsay the truth of the relation to vilifie and reproach the reporters 5. In sending us to his book we take good notic of it and what he there saith of the rich mercy to the King and his party and from it do observe how extremly he is carried away with vain fancies and publishing idle dreams to the world The Spirit speaketh expresly clearly and with fulness of certainty which evidently demonstrates that in these things he speaks not by the Spirit of God seeing his words fall to the ground In page 19. he begins to take into consideration some grounds laid down in the Remonstrance why the King is not to be received again to peace nor restored to his Office and dignity and promiseth to let them see how much their injustice is against God and themselves in that which they profess for justice 1. Saith he you insist upon this pag. 24. God hath given him so cleerly into your hands to do justice and afterward God hath given a double judgment against him c. and pag. 5. God makes hast to judgment and hath appeared at a severe avendger To this his answer is The King is the greatest sufferer in the kingdom hath God judged him and why wil you not submit to his judgement will ye take it out of Gods hand when did God chasten or judge men then give him to men to chasten again or when did Gods people fall upon punishing after God hath done it is God weary or remisse that you would have men take it into their hands Ans. 1 It is a bad consequence because a man hath bin a great sufferer therefore no more should be inflicted God punished Phaeraoh many wayes and greatly too yet he hardening his heart had afterward heavier sorer and deeper plagues 2. Men in the execution of justice upon offenders take not judgment out of Gods hand but rather indeed are Gods hand in the work 3. When God gave in a witness against Acan that he had troubled Israel howsoever that was a Divine punishment upon him yet did the people afterwards stone him to death and so the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger 4. What weariness or remisness in executing judgement do men impute to God who having by his providence cast into their hands a principal offender if they according to his desert proceed to justice against him The truth is in his Answer there is not one word that comes directly home to the matter for which he brings it Secondly he saith You argue page 24. no remorse appearing proportionable to the offence if that could be seen you would regard it with a proportionable tenderness towards him Again you say There is no change of heart no repentance no free nor full yeelding to all the parts of a publick and religious interest This he refutes thus Herein you destroy and deny that free mercy of God upon which you have lived a long while manifest that your profession of the Gospel was indeed but in letter not in power God loves first before we can but you must receive good before you can give you know not the heart nor can you judge of the Kings principles they are too high for you If he should turn to you he should be but seven times more the child of the Devil Howsoever Mr. Sedgwick for his own turn takes some broken pieces of the Remonstrance and toucheth not the strength of the matter yet so much he takes out as he cannot answer But to the point 1. It is agreeable to Gospel truth and walking in the power thereof for Saints upon just occasion to lay open the unrighteousness of men and to endeavour that punishment may be inflicted whether it be in an eclesiastical or civil way 2. Observe the loosness of his arguing God loves first What 's the inference therefore offenders as murderers thieves c. ought not to be punished 3. If I see and tast the fruit I can easily discern what the tree is without digging to the root He tells us page 31. The speech sheweth what is within and cites Matth. 12.34 35. hence we may undoubtedly conclude that men apparently and visibly wicked are corrupt and unfound within 4. What the King's principles are which are so mysterious and deep we search not after them his known principles are known to be dangerous and destructive to the Nation he holds them without change or amendment 5. Is Mr. Sedgwick in good earnest and speaks as he thinks that the King should be seven times more the child of the Devil if he should turn to the Army What! in a condition better than they yea seven times better surely then they are very bad In pag. 12. he saith He understands not the utmost of the religion they walk in This seems to make the accusation the more probable but many others lesse prejudiced against the Army and better principled in religion know 't is false and that they are as holy and pure in conversation as he himself howbeit with lesse noise sound not a trumpet before them as the hypocrits do Thirdly He brings in the Remonstrance arguing against the accomodation because there is no equal ballance of affairs page 24. your meaning is saith he as you often express the King's forces are wholly subdued Here he is short Noble enemies require no more but to get their enemies into their power then they shew mercy for this he brings Elisha's example 2 King 6.22 and add how the Lord never brings us down but that he might restore us and lift us up again Ans. 1. It is sometimes so far from commendation to spare an enemy gotten into our hands as that not to do justice upon him exeedingly displeaseth God To omit many instances 't is memorable in Ahab's case what sad tydings the Prophet brought him for letting Benhadad to escape Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people 1 King 20.24 So Saul his sparing of Agag when he was in his hands was one cause that the Lord did rend the Kingdom of Israel from him Again what hath been more frequently practised by noble enemies than severity and justice upon such as they have gotten into their power who of all the Kings of Canaan taken in war by Joshua were not afterwards by his appointment put to death So Samuel did Agag and Jehu Ahaziah King of Judah 3. Touching Elisha's example in sparing the Syrians it teacheth us thus much that in our own cause we must render good for evil and if our enemy hunger feed him and from his words to the King of Israel we may gather that men used not to kill such as in the field were taken captives and stood not out in hostility But there is nothing from the place to be
collected that justice may not be executed upon some offenders for special and notorious crimes whether subdued in war or taken any other way Fourthly The often caused war to maintain his interest against the publick interest this constantly and unweariedly So the Remonstrance At this Mr. Sedgwick grows angry and fals into passion You lye grosly saith he But wherein These things which you propound were never thought of in the begining of the quarrel The Parliament alwaies professed never to alter the Government to protect the King's Person c. Afterwards we have something said in scorn of their present form of government with his fiction and dream touching the King Ans. 1. Touching the time when some things are to be proposed it is the necessary occasion which must alwaies be considered In civil affairs we see what at one time may be born others afterwards upon just and good ground may abolish and take away or otherwise we should deny men the use of their sense and reason Secondly We know it is no Parliament principle that their votes and agreement should be taken as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians which altereth not their constant practise is to alter and change as they see reason for it and therefore it is the weakest reasoning that can be to argue the Parliament voted so and so therefore it must stand For instance the Prelates with their courts cannons service-book and other dependances are abolished and that by vote of Parliament now put case they should be which God forbid again re-established aske of a Royallist if there might not be enough said to justify the Parliament in this latter act Thirdly For the odium and disgrace which he puts upon their present form of government calling it a headlesse monster a hoddy-doddy an all-breach able to affright solid and serious men to their armes and if he should fight against any thing he should fight against it and pag. 12. brats of their own brain Jn reading this it makes me thinke how Nichomachus in Plutarch very fitly answered an ideot that could see no beauty in the famous Helena painted by Zeuxis take my eyes said Nichomacus and you shall thinke her to be a goddesse J will not here speak how treasonable his words are as moving strongly to rebellion and to raise a new war and to cause commotions again in the land But J see t is true In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin and he that refraineth his lips is wise Fourthly He should have cleared the King of the things laid to his charge as to have been the author and contriver of a most unjust war and is consequently guilty of all the innocent blood rapine spoyl and mischief to the Kingdome as in the Remonstrance pag. 24. adde the losse of Rochel in France by his lending ships to the French King and the Isle of Ree and Cales voyage and the ground and reason of the quarrel How he endevoured to stir up factions and differences between the honest party in England and Scotland that he might take advantage by such division his open declaring in Parliament that he owes no account of his actions to none but to God alone What hath beene reported about his Fathers death and Marquis Hambleton his designe in bringing up the Northern Army and his large offers to the Scots Army to be brought up to London to awe the Parliament his usuall breaking of his promises protestations oathes as in many particulars might be named his sending over the Jewels of the crown to be pawned by the Queen for powder and ammunition to fight against the Parliament and the Priviledges rights and liberties of the subject How he made 1500 widdows in one morning as Mr. Henderson told him And concerning Ireland how clear it is by many severall passages and by the examination of Mar-carte and Macquire c. that the pretence of men for the King of Spaines service a year or two before the rebellion in Jreland was but a colour to keep some in armes for a foundation of that rebellion how the Jrish rebels call themselves the kings and Queens Army the first clause in the oath injoyned by the supream catholick councell at Kelkenny in Jreland was to maintain his royall prerogative against the puritants in the Parliament of England Jn one of his letters taken at Nazeby he commanded the Earle of Ormond to give particular thanks to Mustarre and Planket the two Arch-rebels in Jreland so divers of the Jrish rebels had private passes from the King for the heading of the rebels there J Iet passe loans shipmony monopolies Knighthood inlarging of forrests inclosing of commons ingrossing of gunpowder his unparrell uxoriousnesse and affections to the Queen and compliance with the Pope c. Now all these things Mr. Sedgwick should first have answered before he should have affirmed Jf there be any reason for a Prince to take up armes against his subject he hath and why so because there attempt is to destroy the King and overthrow the very foundations of Government and a little before the life of the King and his posterity is aymed at Answ The premises granted to put him by is a thing lawful and necessary of which more hereafter And this may be done without destroying the very foundations of government unlesse by foundations he means some particular form or kind of government but that is not proper to say for the foundations of government is indeed that absolute entire and independant power residing alwayes in the people and this foundation cannot be destroyed J meane the right and habit of it though the use and exercise may be wrung'd from them so that to change and alter in respect of the forme or kinde of governments by vertue of the said power it is in the peoples liberty whensoever they see just cause and reason for it Fiftly For the rest which is first reproaching the Army as to be their designe only to attain their end malice ambition and revenge And secondly That the King shall put all into Gods hand and shall receive it again in the life and glory of God This is capable of no other answer but reproof and pitty To follow Mr. Sedgwick in his own order next he comes to answer pag 26.27 c. which is the second part of the question and a second reason against accommodation The safety of an agreement here he takes some words out of the Remonstrance That the King hath forfeited all his power into your hands that the people are free to make the best advantages and pag. 27. having him and his party captivated and in their power Reader I professe unto thee in the word of truth here I have read over some leaves and have done my best to see what is in his answer but for severall pages together as 23 24 25 26 c. I finde nothing therein for I esteeme not his calumniations rash-judging self-prayse as any thing and for this be
thou thy self a witnesse Saith he We have all this while to justify our selves in this war said that our war was but defensive and if it prove otherwise we must repent of it Answ It is not alwayes a fault to change from a defensive to an offensive way and course A man being set upon by a highway-robber or pirate at sea may at first resolve only his owne safety and yet afterward seek to wound and kill the enemy and justly too To apply this when the war first began betweene the King and Parliament it was unknown to us what murders massacres and spoyles he would commit in and upon the land and people Again his former perfidiousnesse treacheries and destroying plots were not then so publickly and clearly understood as since and therefore no marvail there is a change from defensive to offensive seeing he hath given the cause and so no argument of lightnesse hypocrisie self-ends in persons thus changed Secondly He is large in giving out what was in their mindes when they began the war That the King and His party were wicked men not fit for the places and power they had they were Saints and no body fit to rule but they glad when the Parliment tooke armes thinke themselves the onely true Lords and except the King would become one of their Saints c. Answ It was a reason which Elias layd down why he was willing to die I am no better then my fathers for men eminent in grace gifts office c. to have things laid to their charge which they never knew it hath been practised in all ages Mr. Sedgwick is not the first that hath bent his tongue like a bow against the godly this way Tiberius on a time hearing certaine persons speaking unreverently of Augustus acquainted him therwith to whom Augustus answered let it not trouble you Tiberius that any man speaketh ill of us it is sufficient that no man is able to hurt us Gods presence with and protection for the Army is such as bad tongues cannot hurt them neither darken their splendor and beauty in the eyes of honest and godly people 3. Next he blames them in saying This miserable inconvenience of a Treaty this insnaring Treaty and because they call it a preposterous and self-deserting way pag. 27. And hence he takes occasion to tel them that they have defiled their cause count all their owne because they have fought for it they are no Saints yet he scornes that cause that is subject to ruin and destruction Answ. 1. What is said in the Remonstrance touching this last Personall Treaty is true enough for who but Malignants and Papists were the first contrivers and abetters thereof The Lord Goring in his former intercepted letters could tell us so much that if the King could cudgel the Parliament into a Treaty the King had brought his designe to perfection and t is reported of the King Himself that he should say if such a thing could be brought about then it should not be in the power of men or devils to hinder him from bringing all his designes to his own hearts desire Secondly For men to act for publick rights and to hinder wicked designes is no base and accursed way but an approved path walked in by the Saints in all former ages Thirdly It is not faith but fancie when God gives in meanes and wayes of preservation and safety not to observe the providence in the carefull use of them Fourthly He chargeth them to be of a base and poor spirit and unbecomming Christian Souldiers to speak of persons ingaged the party adhering and to think the King will be revenged on them for their eminent activity against him It is saith he a principle very destructive to continue the disturbance of a nation to save our lives afterward he shewes what he would doe himself in such a case Answ. 1. It is easily observed what is the main drift and scope of his whole dicourse in many pages here together namely a direct crossing and contradiction of Christs counsel Be ye wise as serpents and harmelesse as doves but according to his principle a man cannot be a sheep unlesse he runne himselfe into the lyons mouth nor a dove without falling purposely into the snare Because the Army to the doves innocency joyn the serpents prudence that is seek to avoyd danger so far as lawfully they may hence he cryes out Feare a snare and the pit have taken hold of you I laugh at your destruction and mock when your fear comes you are no Saints you live not in God c. as if a provident care of safety stood not with the fear of God Demosthenis upbraiding the Athenians with improvidence and incircumspection presented to them an innocent fool who being struck on the one cheek laid his hand on the place where he received the blow and being smitten on the other did the like never using either of his hands to defend himself from further blowes Such ideots and blocks Mr. Sedgwick would perswade men to be take blows and stand still and never seek to avoid the stroke though God have put means into their hands and may lawfully escape the danger But Secondly It is a great mistake of Mr. Sedgwick to think that continuance of the Army is destructive to the Kingdom and that their disbanding would be for the peoples peace good welfare he harps often upon this string whereas there is nothing more cleer than the contrary Thirdly For the rest of the answer 't is only what he hath and what he can do propounded in four heads and I passe it over if any man can make use of it much good may it do him From pag. 27. to 37. we have a tyresome discourse of two things The Armies badness and his goodness their fear his faith 1. Whereas it is in the Remonstrance We might chalenge all story for one instance in the like case howsoever he grants a good use of story yet in them it is a dull thing c. Ans. 1. I never observed this principle before Because men profess the Kingdom of Christ and have a light of truth and justice that therefore they should be uncapable of the use of former story doth Religion take off from a Christian because a Christian what is proper to every man as a man moral civil natural 2. If there be a good use of story as he grants then might they at this time well challenge it reasoning the greater to the lesse as thus If all Nations keeping their interest and proceeding according to equity and justice have upon fewer and lesser crimes refused personal treaties with their Kings and called them to an accompt and done justice upon them according to their facts there is all the reason in the world that the like be done to this King whose exorbitances and enormities are beyond most parrellel instances Enquire saith Bildad of the former age and prepare thy self to the search of the fathers for we are
at the sudden discharge of a peece of Ordnance behinde his back who otherwise having time to collect and summon his spirits would not fear to stand at the mouth of a charged Cannon in a good cause Thus it is with the godly and so it seems to be the Armies case a sudden gust or storme comming unawares startled them But since the Lord having drawn up their spirits filled what was empty and laid in promises on their hearts of his presence and protection Now they fear not what man can do but in the strength of God are resolved to break through all difficulties go forward in spight of all opposition hold their own and stand fast in the work making this use and advantage of their former slip to look the better to their steps and walkings and seek in their actings Gods glory the more The Second thing is The Covenant which oblieges to the preservation of the Kings Person and Authority Here as his manner is he takes out of the Remonstrance some pieces and broken sentences as that clause page 55. In the preseruation of true Religion and Liberty of the Kingdom so page 57. If it have an evil sense it cals for repentance 't was betwixt man and man Page 59. And after saith he you would exclude God from being any thing but a witness Before I come to his answer I shal propound some few things to the Readers consideration 1. A Covenant though lawfully made yet if afterwards it cannot be performed without sin in such case it binds not neither may it be kept For it is a truth without dispute we may not do evil that good may come thereof 2. That Covenant is not binding where the condition or thing is not performed upon which the promise or tye was made For instance the people oblieging themselves to preserve the Person of the King and His Authority intended withall their own Safety Liberties Rights upon this ground I say they Covenanted namely the publick safety seeing therefore the publick good is inconsistant with the preservation of his person and authority that covenant binds not for when something is promised for such a cause and afterward is found not to be that promise is void so Amesius 3. If men either implicitely or knowingly bind themselves to breake any Law of God or rule of justice in such a case the ingagement holds not specially in that particular and so farre as that clause extendeth To apply it if men oblige themselves to preserve the Kings Person and Authority c. and God in the mean time cals for justice their obligation must give place to his commandment But it will be objected how Joshua and the Elders of the Jews kept covenant with the Gibeonites Joshua 9. howsoever devoted to destruction I answer that covenant was lawfull see Deut. 2.26 Josh. 11.19 23. Judg. 2.12.14 2 Sam. 21.1 2.29 14. Deut. 20.10 By all which places it appeareth that they onely of the Canaanites were devoted to destruction who did not seek for peace for if they would sue for it upon these conditions to wit abjure their idolatry embrace the true religion of the Jews and submit themselves their land good and all they had to their dominion it was to be granted them Fourthly It is no binding oath when either there wants power and right in the administrator or the persons taking it are not capable of the thing put upon them and here to speake my minde freely I have not yet seen a cleer ground either for the one or other touching that covenant Fifthly Take notise when persons enter into covenant about things out of their power and right such covenants are neither lawfull nor to be kept I would willingly know what was meant by the preservation of the Kings person and authority whether notwithstanding all the tyranny and oppression he should commit it was yet intended to preserve him from justice and to keep him in his place of government if so then it was an unlawfull covenant protestation oath because they had no right or power to doe such a thing it being a thing against the Law of God nature and nations and so went beyond their bounds But if in taking it it was intended by preserving the person of the King his authority c. so far as it should be agreeable to justice law conscience it was tolerable and no otherwise These things premised the lesse will serve in reply to his answer 1. To that he saith God put the preservation of the Kings life and authority into the covenant on purpose to save him after all his sufferings Answ 1. This is onely his saying and we may deny it with as much reason truth and authority 2. If God save him not he means a temporall salvation or else speaks impertinently then he put him not into the covenant for such a purpose for Gods counsel and purpose shall stand But 3. Charity thinks no evil it is the rule of love when speeches or actions are doubtfull in themselves and in their report and may be taken either well or ill alwayes to interpret them in the best part The preservation of the Kings person is in the covenant but how if we will judge charitably seeing nothing is explained it is thus the covenanters intended the glory of God in the Kings preservation that is oblieged themselves so far as it be lawfull and honorable Secondly That oaths and covenants should be the main pillars of humane societies we grant but there is one thing which you still want and that makes you to erre namely distinctions doe you mean all covenants and oaths I desire to think better of you and that your meaning is onely just ones but howsoever hereafter learn to make distinction and it will prevent much stumbling in you 3. That these are the last and perillous times spoken of 2 Tim. 3 1. we will take it so and doe observe your Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} accusers you speak also of applying that text you need not goe farre to make application for certaine if your pamphlet were divided into ten parts nine of the ten would be found vile slanders and false accusations It may be the Lord will smite you and make your heart tender for it Mr. Sedgwick by this time is neer come to the proposals that the Person of the King may be brought to justice but before he takes of that he tels us This is a strange remedy against civill wars to lay aside treating Answ 1. We may well desire to have that laid aside which we assuredly know was devised and carried on to the prejudice and hurt of the publick and so a remedy worse then the disease 2. You mistake your self to say treating is laid aside for t is neither so nor so unlesse you will say that a sick man layes aside the meanes and remedy of health when he refuseth bloody and murderous mountebancks and quacksalvers and make choise of honest able and
faithfull phisitians Secondly Speaking to the Army you say of the King pag. 41. Jf he were in power you would shrinke out of the Kingdom Answ 1. Jn this you shew much lightnesse and contradiction say and unsay and indeed know not what you say sometimes in your propheticall fooleries you cry up the King that when he comes again to be in power he shall be meek mercifull full of divine goodnesse and in particular doe assure the soldiers that he will forget the wrong they have done him and here you threaten them if he were in power they would shrinke out of the kingdome But 2. J verily beleeve howsoever like Caiaphas probably he knew not what he said yet in this he speaks the very truth that is if he were in power honest men would shrinke out of the Kingdome For as a Lyon at liberty after some restraint is more fierce cruel bloody then he was before so he following the steps of former tyrants would exercise more cruelty outrage and oppression then ever he did before he was hunted taken and shut up That is a remarkeable passage in the seventh book of the Remembrances of Monluc one of the Marshals of France and a profest Papist speaking of the massacre at Paris The King saith he never forgot the chase that the Admiral gave him from Meaux to Paris swifter then ordinary kings sooner forget a good piece of service then any offence Afterwards he saith J wonder how a man so wise as the Admirall in worldly matters could trust the King but he paid well for it for it cost him his life and many more This witnesse is true and this thing well to be thought of by his Excellency Lieut. Gen. Cromwell and such men for confident J am were this King againe in his power notwithstanding all his promises protestations oathes he would not forget how they chased him in such a place made him run for it at such a time and they should be served just as the Admiral of France was if he could not be revenged on them some other way George Bucanan King James his own tutor records a memorable story to shew the falshood and dissimulation of Princes in their treaties with the people Durstus the eleventh king of Scotland giving himself to all deboistnesse first banished his fathers friends from him as the troublesome reprehenders of his pleasures and sending for the most vicious young men to be his companions gave himself to luxury and venery he prostituted his wife daughter to the King of Britain to his companions and banished her At last the Nobles conspiring against him he awaking as it were out of sleep considering that he should find no place of safety neither at home nor abroad being equally hated of strangers and subjects thought best to counterfeit repentance of his former life for so he might retain his Crown and afflict punishments on his enemies Wherefore recalling his wife from exile he first of all endeavored to reconcile himself to the Brittains then calling the chiefest of his subjects to him he ratified with a most solemn oath the oblivion of his former courses he committed every most wicked person to prison as if he reserved them for punishment and religiously promised that he would do nothing hereafter but by the advice of his Nobles When by these things he had given assurance of his sincere mind he celebrated the agreement with pastimes banquets and other signes of publick gladnesse and now all mens minds being taken up with joy he called most of the Nobility to a Supper where when he had shut them up improvident and unarmed in one room sending in his assasnates he slew them every one But what follwed this inhumane action so incensed and exasperated the rest with new flames of wrath and revenge as ad muisum portentum tollendum eonjurantibus all agreeing together to take away this detested monster gathered a great army and slew him in battle with his wicked confederates The like falshood and dissimulation he sets down of James the Third King of Scotland upon promise of reformation the Nobles dismissed him but he immediatly falsified his oath thought upon nothing but revenge blood and slaughter whereupon knowing him to be so false and perfideous they would yeild to no terms of peace but slew him in battle as a common enemy I shall close this point with Bodins Observation If a Tyrant saith he he but shaken and not quite overthrown he will commit horrible murders of the best Citizens to satisfie and settle his tyrrany For a tyrant that hath esaped the hands of such as had conspired against him he becomes mad and furious like a wild beast that sees his own blood Lib. 6. 3. He makes much ado about offering to God the blood of men as a sacrifice to appease his displeasure c. This he calls an unparrelled wickedness Ans. As God maketh inquisition for blood so the standing law is He that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed 'T is who so whether Kings Lords and Commons the Commandement takes all in indiffinitly without respect of persons Ye shal take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death but he shall surely be put to death Numb 35.31 Thine eye shall not pity him but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee Deut. 19.13 Signifying that the rooting out of sinners turneth away Gods wrath from a people according to Solomon to do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice Prov. 21.3 Thus Solomon took away the innocent blood which Joab shed from him and the house of his father Thus the fierce wrath and anger of the Lord was turned away from Israel when they took the heads of the people and hanged them up before the Lord against the sun Numb. 5.4 Thus when seven of the sons of Saul were hanged up in Gibeath of Saul after that the Lord was entreated for the land 2 Sam. 21.6.14 Thus we see what Gods will is to appease wrath and what the people of God have formerly done and therein pleased the Lord To say therefore as he doth 'T is such u sacrifice as was never yet by the darkest heathens invented It shews his ignorance not only in humane history but his great contradiction and opposition to sacred truth and his seeking to have the land remain defiled and full of blood and other pollutions that God may yet plague us yet seven times more Besides there is nothing here propounded and desired by the Army but what the Parliament hath resolved long since in the Declaration of August 18. 1642. in these positive words The Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament do declare That all such persons as shall upon any pretence whatsoever assist His Majestie in this Warre with Horse Arms Plate or Money are Traytors to His Majestie the Parliament and Kingdom and shall be brought to condigne
p. 398. Again Anno 1399. King Richard the second for sundry misdemeanors objected against him in 32 Articles in Parliament and breach of his coronation oath was judicially deposed and Henry the fourth elected and crowned in his stead So in Anno 1462. King Henry the sixth Queen Margaret and Edward their son by Parliament dishinherited of their right to the crown and Edward the fourth made king Here I shall end this point with a few proposals to the Reader 1. Thou mayest observe when a King proves a Tyrant it is the peoples own fault if they relieve not themselves and recover their ancient rights and liberties 2. Note what mischiefs and miseries this Monarchy and King-craft brings with it for it is no small disturbance and trouble to a nation to be forced to take up armes against a tyrant and bring him to punishment 3. And mark it wel according to the fact so tyrants have been punished more or lesse that saying in former times hath been held for a maxime fiat justitia mundumâ—â—at 4. Here also thou mayst observe how false to their trust prejudicial to the kingdom the late Treaty was for what men unlesse ignorant in State matters dul of action slavishly minded fearful unbelievers or such as have cozened and cheated the countrey and so made account by a generall act of indempnity to escape punishment hanging I should have said would ever have moved in such a way as being free from a tyrant with great expense and much pretious blood would seek to set him up again and so by degree to be in greater slavery then before Lastly For the opinion of learned men whether Papists Lutherans or Calvinists they do unanimously hold that Kings for their tyranny and misgovernment may be censured and deposed by the people because I have proposed to my self to be briefe I shall onely mention a person or two There is a book entituled de Rege Regis Institutione written by one Joannes Mariana a Jesuite wherein I find his words thus A Tyrannicall King continuing incorrigible after publick admonitions of the whole State if there be no hopes of amendment may not only be deposed but put to death and murdered by the whole State or any particular persons by their appointment yea without it if he be declared a publick enemy by the whole State and in case the whole State cannot publickly assemble by reason of such a Princes known notorious Tyranny then in such a case it is lawfull for any private man to murder him to free the countrey and Kingdom from destruction Lib. 1. c. 9. Howsoever I shall not stand to justify all that he sayes yet his book was dedicated to Philip the third King of Spain and published by his speciall priviledge afterward reprined at Mentz in Germany Cum privilegio sacrae Caesariae Majestatis permissa Superiorem Danaeus allows not only subjects actual resistance but deprivation of Kings where princes set themselves to subvert Religion Laws Liberties Polit. Chryst lib. 3. cap. 6. So Zuinglius When princes shall deal perfideously and contrary to the rules of Christ they may be deposed by the consent suffrages of the whol or at least the greatest part of the people God helping them therein Explin Art 42. And howsoever Calvin pleads as much as a man can for Tyrants and wicked Magistrates yet thus he saith I alwaies speak of private men for if there be any popular Magistrates constituted in the behalf of the people to restrain the lusts of Kings such as heretofore were the Ephori who were opposed to the Lacedaemonian Kings or Tribunes of the people against the Roman Senate or the Demarchi against the Athenian Senate the which power peradventure as things are now the free Estates in all kingdoms enjoy when they assemble I am so far from inhibiting them to withstand the raging licenciousness of kings according to their duty that if they connive and wink at Kings outragiously encroaching upon and insulting over the poor communality I shall affirm that their dissimulation is not without wicked breach of faith because they deceitfully betray the liberty of the people of whom they know themselves to be appointed protectors by the Ordinance of God Instit. lib. 4. c. 20. Sect. 31. Fourthly That no Nation is so strictly tied to any form of Government or Law but it is lawfull for the people to alter the same into any other form or kind upon occasion We prove and for the first thus 1. Because all formes of Government were ordained for the peoples welfare protection peace c. and therefore in case any one becomes incompatible or inconsistent with the publick safety it may be changed without injustice and grounded upon that first and chief Law of all common-wealths Salus Populi suprema Lex esto the safety of the People let that be the last Law grounded also upon that saying of Christ Mark 2.27 The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath Whence I reason look as man was before the sabbath and the day made as serving to the preservation and safety of him and so his life to be preserved by omitting the observation of the sabbath So man being before the Goverment and Government ordained for his safety there is no form of Government but he may omit the use of it if it be for his peace profit and welfare 2. It is a received principle of nature and reason eodem modo quid constituitur dissolvitur in what manner a thing is constituted it may be dissolved Again Omnia quae jure contrahuntur contrario jure pereunt The Apostle Peter as we have already noted cals kings and their supreamacy a humane creature or ordinance of man because the same took its original and rise from men and therfore that form of Government is changable and revocable as the people whose creature the form is shall see reason and cause for it As the potter hath power over his pots and the gold-smith may alter and change his vessels and cups from one form to another so here 3. Howsoever all Government in general be of God yet the kinds of it are left arbitrary to mens institution and free election here I say people have liberty to take or leave as to lay aside one form and establish another when they see it is more to the preservation of humane society and the advancement of Gods glory Thus Aristotle and all Politicians hold all forms of Government are changeable Lambertus Danaeus Polit. Christ l. 3. c. 6. pag. 217. speakes thus When the Lawes of a Kingdom or Common-wealth are not observed but manifestly and obstinately violated by that Magistrate to whom and whose family the supream Government is granted under certain conditions I say that Kingdom or Government so granted and conferred on conditions may by all godly and Christian people with a safe conscience be taken from him and another form of Government erected by a publick Edict of
without forcing of any thing Phisitians observe that violent medicines in some cases raises up the humors and disperseth them so through the whol body as the party becomes more distempered and made the more uncapeable of health and so the lesse hope of recovery Nevertheles in some other cases quick and strong phisick doth wel and safe Gal. de simp. me facult. c. 15. 5. This also must be looked to What shall be next and come into the place when such and such things shall be taken away a man may pull down both sides of a house who hath not the skill and art to lay one stone orderly and as it should be to build a new and better I do ingeniously professe there are many things yet in Church and Common-wealth which I wish were taken away and to me they do appear faulty but hic labor hoc opus if they were removed what should come in their room that needs some consideration both what and how In The Peoples Agreement I observe they are much for pulling downe and it is soon said there needs not many heads or hands for such work now I could heartily wish that these men or some other would satisfie the Land if every particular by the Parliament should be granted how we might have their rooms and places fil'd again It is an easie thing to tell where the sore is and to shew it but to make a salve to heal it is more difficult 6. I do find in sundry Histories when the laws and customs of a nation hath been changed howsoever the thing was good in it self and some men had therein what they desired yet afterwards great troubles and miseries have ensued because the greater part saw no ground or cause of such changes neither apprehended the benefit and usefulnesse thereof And therefore it is the judgment of the wisest Polititians whensoever a State intends to alter the form of Government or Laws to let the people see beforehand upon what ground and just cause they will do it and what conveniency safety and profit the publick shall have thereby This will not only so take with the people as to make them willing and desirous of the thing but to contribute to the work what they are able that it may be well eâ—ected Now to the last point what form of Government is best This is a great question among Polititians largely debated and diverse men are diversly minded for my own â—udgement herein it is this Monarchie is the worst And my Reasons for it are these 1. Because a great Part of the land is unnecessarily deteined and kept away from the publick use and profit of the people to maintain an unuseful creature What a number of Courts Pallaces Mannours Parks Forrests besides other Rents Revenues Customs c. there goes to maintain this King-ship 't is hardly credible and how it is imployed it 's worth the noting Now what more absurd and inconsiderate than for a people to be at such unreasonable expence and charge to keep one of whom they have no need or use at all but can do much better without him We read how the Prince of Crange gave money to one Bellazar Gerard who named himself Frances Guyon to buy him provision and therewith he bought pistols powder and shot and killed the prince And what else do Kings many times with the great treasury allowed them by their subjects but procure ammunition raise up forces to murder and destroy them The children also of Kings are no small burden and unnecessary charge to a nation considering their excessive riot and expences We speak not of doweries and other portions and what serve they for or what profit have the people by them the truth is there is little or no good expected if they prove not a curse and plague to the kingdom we think it is well and take it as a great mercy Would it not therefore be better what is needlesly wasted on them to be converted to some pious and charitable uses 3. Look upon Monarchie and compare them with other forms of government and this you shall certainly find that whensoever corruptions and abuses break forth in a State they are not so easily suddenly and thorowly suppressed in the former as in the latter and no marvail for 1. As they have their original and rise usually from the Court so the King will labour what he can to uphold and defend the same Hence it comes to passe as many sad examples in this land shew that enormities have so long continued and grown to such a height as the people have been forced to make war against the Prince and with the losse of much blood and other charges to reform the same which otherwise would never have been don But where there is a free State you have no such inconvenience neither indeed are such abuses and corruptions ever seen but if they did appear the matter would not be so difficult to suppresse them there 2. Put case the King hath no hand in these abuses which would be a strange thing yet are they not easily reformed because what he heares and sees it is by other mens ears whereas in the other Government magistrates are abroad to see and hear what is amisse with their own eyes and ears 4. If things be compared together this we shall find in a Monarchy the officers and ministers of State are usually as the King corrupt men abusers oppressors of the people and little or no help is to be had of relief and satisfaction But in the other Government places are not open for such men or should they once appear to be such the people know a way soon to right themselves Besides where the people chuse their own Magistrats they must needs be the best For Princes do not use to put men into office so much for the publick good as how to carry forth their own private interest 5. This misery and mischief ordinarily goes along with Monarchies a slaughtering and murdering of the people by some devilish plot or other pressing them forth to so me unnecessary war to satisfie their lust and pride or imposing intollerable taxes upon them having some treacherous designe in hand But in a free State there 's no fear of such things neither indeed can they happen 7. If one form of Government may be held better then another for Religion and the gospels sake then our position is certainly true that Monarchy is the worst for by experience in all ages under the Kings of the earth the truth hath had least favour and greatest opposition and most have suffered death for the witnesse of Jesus Christ and therefore these powers of the world shall be first broken in pieces and consumed by the stone cut out of the mountain without hands when the God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed Moreover it is remarkable what frequent changes and alterations of Religion there are where Kings do reign
for this how doth he make it good Here he useth the common practice of false accusers but I shall leave that to some other pen and why not the falshood as wel 2. Whereas in the Remonstrance the instability of the Parliament is shewed and the evil practices of the King's partie Here he saith they are too harsh and without any molifying oyl c. First 't is cleer to every man that hath sence that Mr. Sedgwick is not sometimes at home to take an account of his own soul he taxes the Army as over harsh too large in opening the faults of others whereas he pitiful man hath written six or seven sheets and all for the most part are accusations against the Army and the grossest and vilest that can be aggravated to the highest 2. That the Parliament for their sins are scattered and broken This in part is true to wit such Members as turned aside to their crooked waies the Lord hath led them forth with the workers of iniquity but peace shall be upon the rest 3. That the whol Kingdom is full of discontent against them I beleeve t is so and more discontented will they be when they shall more cleerly understand their particular treasons and bloody designs in joyning with Malignants their under-hand plottings to raise up farraign and domestick forces to destroy the Army and the wel-affected through the Kingdom 4. That the King's partie are strugling to get from under their intollerable afflictions but cannot No marvail seeing they grow worse and worse and like mastives are the fiercer for their chain and you Mr. Sedgwick seek to increase their miserie by your daubing with untempered morter prophesying peace and safty to them and that their deliverance is at hand and you know who did so Ezek. 13. by which means they are hardened and so fatted for destruction 5. To that which you say of the Army that they are not like the good Samaritan but are as flesh flies or the man possessed with Devils seek the lands ruin to the furthest As the Lord hath hitherto spoken for them cleered their innocencie in spight of Hell and maugre all the powers of darkness so he will in this present work be a witness for them and make it manifest to the world by setling a wel-grounded peace what they have desired fought for and sought after and what hard things they have suffered for the good of the Nation The Righteous shall see it and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth We have next his Story and 't is a wofull one First he saith Once our King and Parliament or people lived quietly and lovingly together imbraced in the arms of Divine Goodness prospered together as husband and wife When was this once It is so known an untruth what he speaks as I need not say any thing to it onely wish him hereafter to pray with David set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips I could multiply instances of the continual dissentions and differences between King and Parliament from the beginning of his Reign down al along to this present Parliament and for the People such as were most sincere and pious lived not quietly and lovingly together with him but suffered extremly under him even to the spoiling of their goods imprisonment banishment and some losse of life and this only for the truth sake 2. In calling the King husband and the Parliament wife as the former was false so this is foolish And 3ly Is that true that the Army have alwaies lusted after the royal bed What alwaies how are they then deeply revolted and turn'd back to the world In pag. 43. you say they have been led up into the high things of God and did all things in the Spirit of God But I shall not presse it further 4. I perceive you are a stranger to the ground-work of the Treaty 't is too wonderful for you and therefore have stated the thing amisse it was to advance the King's party stop the course of Justice against Capital offenders that such as had notoriosly cheated the Kingdome might not be questioned the people brought again into their former bondage such as would not nor could in conscience submit to their Church-government and other forms might be suppressed and under the name of Sectaries banished the Kingdom Lastly you say There is a blessing in this Treaty destroy it not tell us how the Lord will come in as a thief in the night and steal away the evil I answer You may see the Lord is already come in not in the night but at noon-day and hath discovered the deceitfulness of it the snare is broken and we are escaped and blessed be the Lord who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth Mr. Sedgwick is now come to examin their Reasons given in against the Treaty and here he finds sundry faults First Because they would make their own and the puplick interest to be one Answ. 1. Howsoever such as have engaged for the publick are in some things to be considered apart and so their particular safety to be provided for yet doth it not follow that they have therefore no interest in the publick or what is offered to us by them is not the publick but their own particular interest 2. I do not well know what he means by generally the people of the Land if he intends the King's party all Papists and other malignants I confess they go not with the Remonstrance but desire rather to see all things in the condition they were in before these wars began but for others and this is properly the publick interest they are one with the Army holding fast to their first principles namely To be free from all arbitrary and tyranical power whether in King or Parliament to enjoy all their rights priviledges and liberties to have all hurtful laws and customs removed not to have their consciences lorded over by any to have justice done impartially upon offenders and such a Government to be established as most tends to a publick peace and safety And therefore whereas he saith These devised things you propose the people know them not affect them less than they know them Unless by people he mean Royallists Delinquents Malignants and other treacherous plotters and their adherents it is not true for the publick doe desire them call for them and have a long time contributed their estates and engaged their persons in hope that these things would at last be procured His Second Exception is Because the Remonstrance propounds That all power should be in the hands of the Parliament and that to be certain and in the hands of a subordinate officer to call c. There is a great deal here left out which makes the matter more full and cleer but I let it passe let us consider his reasons against this It is to throw down a King and lords and to set up the people Ans. 1. The
have done had not the people power to hinder censure and depose them for their sins It is said of Amaziah King of Judah 2 King 14.19 That they made a conspiracie against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish but they sent after him to Lachish and slew him there not privatly but openly as acted by publick authority for his great impiety as having broken his oath and covenant whereupon we reade not of any complaint inquisition proceeding or punishment inflicted on those that slew him after his death either by the people or his children as there was upon those that slew king Ammnon but being slaine they to wit the persons who had put him to death brought him on horses and he was buried in Jerusalem and all the people of Judah made Ahaziah King in his stead Which plainly shews that what was formerly done by the greater part of the States at Jerusalem was afterwards confirmed by common consent and executed by command of those which might lawfully do it Fourthly For examples all histories are full nothing more frequent than to reade how people having the supream power would judiciously convent censure depose yea and judge their kings to death for their evil and wicked courses Thus amongst the Romans the Senate and people together proceeded against Nero Julianus Vitellius Maximinius Heliogabulus c. I speak not of Traquin the proud expelled the kingdome by the people So other Emperours likewise being found unfit unable to govern the kingdom have been deposed and others elected and crowned in their stead as Cbilderiek Charles the third Justinus the second Wenceslaus all put off and Pepin Arnolph Fiberius and Rupert Count Palatine of Rhine chosen and set in the Empire The Cumaen State usually arraigned and punished their Kings juditially if they saw cause Thus the French by authority of a publick Councel through the prudent care of the officers of the Realm deposed Childerick the first Sigebert Theodorick and Childerick the third So Gyl for his grievous taxes and other miscarriages they chased into Soysons Theoduricus because he vexed and oppressed the people was by the authority of the State deprived of all dignity Touching the Kings of Spain we shall finde in Histories and good Authors that frequently for their tyrranny and misgovernment they were deposed by their subjects as Theo-discle the tenth Vttiza and other Gotish Kings as infamous monsters were chased from their thrones So Don Pedro the first Ordogno Alphonso the great Astronomer kings of Castile for their cruelties murders and treacheries all rejected and deprived of their Realms Ramir of Leon and Garcia King of Gallieia both deposed for their vitious and base doings In Hungaria Peter the second and Solomon the first to omit some others for their great insolencies and injustice were both deposed the first afterwards banished and the other kept in prison till he died So the Bohemians deposed and banished Boleslaus Rufus Berzinogius Sobeislaus Vladislaus and twise imprisoned Wenceslaus for his drunkennesse neglegence and cruelty In Poland the people have deposed imprisoned or expelled out of the kingdom many of their Kings for their oppressions and injustice as amongst others Miesco their second King Boleslaus his son Myoslaus Henrie c. Neither have the Swedish Kings been used otherwise but for their cruelty treachery and tyranny have been thrust out of their thrones and Realm by the people as Halsten Aminander Burgerius Magnus Henry Christierne the first and second and others elected and crowned in their stead So in Denmark Humbus Ericus Christierne father and son censured and deposed by the State for their licenciousnesse and misgovernment Not to mention Canutus Magnus Suano put to death by the people I passe over Canades King of Persia Dionysius the younger King of Sicile Timocrates of Cyrene Andronicus Emperour of Constantinople by the people rejected upon just cause For Scotland If George Bucanan and others of their own Historians write truth as there hath seldom ever bin good King thereof so very few of them begin with this mans father and so go up that ever died an natural death But touching the point in hand how frequently the Parliaments and Nobles there have questioned their Kings imprisoned deposed yea judicially censured them for their tyrannies oppressions whoredoms murders falshood and evil adminstration you may see at large in the aforesaid Bucanan some I have taken out of him as Durstus and his sons so Dardan Luctack Conarus Ramack Fereuhard Euginius Constantine Ethus Donald Lugrac Megal Edward Baliol James the third all these have been sentenced rejected I mention not such though he doth many whom the common people for their intollerable basenes murdered and put to death To which I might adde this mans Grandmother whom they imprisoned and caused to abjure and resign her Interest in the Crown and kingdom to her Infant son and at last was solemnly arraigned and condemned to death by the Parliament of England and beheaded at Fatheringham Castle all which proceedings against her as her Deposition Imprisonment ahd Execution hath hitherto been justified as lawful To come now to our own nation many examples we have upon record in our Chronicles concerning the matter in hand I shall at this time but only touch things in a brief way King Vortigen after six years raign for his negligence and evil government was deposed from his crown by his subjects and his son Vortimer chosen and crowned in his stead Speed Chron. pag. 207.266.267 Sigehert King of the sumptuous using exactions and cruelties upon his subjects was put by his place and Kenwolfe made King in his steed Speed hist. pag. 229. So Ofred King of Northumberland for his ill government was expelled by his subjects and deprived of all Kingly authority Speed pag. 245.246 Ethelred the son of Mollo so far offended his subjects that they tooke up armes against him and slew him at Cobre Beornerd King of Mercia because governed the people not by just Laws but by Tyranny was expelled the kingdom and Offa chosen and crowned Mat. Westm. pa. 275. The like was Edwins case King of Mercia and Northumberland for his misgovernment tyranny and oppression and following vaine base and wicked Councellors was removed from all kingly dignity in whose place Edgar was elected King I might have mentioned Archigallo one of our ancient Brittish Kings in times of Gentilisme for some misorders was deposed by the people when he had reigned almost five yeers and his brother Elidurus chosen in his room So Emerian another old British King deprived of all kingly honor and dignity and Yowally promoted to the crown Fabian par 2. chap. 49. p. 30.31 chap. 46. p. 34. Since the conquest as they call it King John disavowed by his Lords and Commons for wasting burning and spoyling the kingdome like an enemy electing Lewes of France for their King Speed p. 585. Edward the second for his misgovernment put down and Edward his son elected and crowned Walsing. hist.