inexcusable malice of Nedham professing himself a Protestant not only in imitating this Jesuitical Romish practice against his own hereditary Protestant Soveraign Ch. Stuart but transcending it many degrees First by pretermitting his beheaded Fathers long education of him in the Protestant Religion whiles he lived and this charge unto him in e Writing a little before his death viz Above all I would have you as I hope you are already well-grounded and setled in your Religion the best profession of which I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England in which you have been educated Yet I would have your own Judgement and Reason now seal to that sacred Bond which education hath written that it may be judiciously your own Religion and not other mens Custome or Tradition which you profess In this I charge you to persevere as coming nearest to Gods word for Doctrine and to the Primitive examples for Government with some little amendment c. Your fixation in matters of Religion will not be more necessary for your Souls that your Kingdoms peace when God shall bring you to them c. If you never see my face again I do require and intreat you as your Father and your King that you never suffer your heart to receive the least check against or disaffection from the Religion established in the Church of England I tell you I have tried it and after much search and many disputes have concluded it to be the best in the world not only in the community as Christian but also in the special notion as Reformed keeping the middle way between the Pomp of superstitious Tyranny and the meanness of fantastique Anarchy The scandal of the late Troubles which some may object and urge to you against the Protestant Religion established in England is easily answered to them and to your own thoughts Keep you to true principles of Piety Vertue and Honour you shall never want a Kingdom For those who repent of any defects in their duty towards me as I freely forgive them in the word of a Christian King so I believe you will find them truly zealous to repay with Interest that Loyalty and Love to you which was due to me In summe What good I intended do you perform when God shall give you power Next in urging how long he was under the wing of his Mothers instructions in France but a few Moneths space at most and what a Nursery Flanders hath been for him since which is the most Iesuited place in the world as his principal reason to perswade both Papists and Protestants to believe him sufficiently affected if not sworn to Popery as if he had been there educated by his own voluntary election and not necessitated yea forced thither by the Army Officers and those in late and present power professing themselves the most zealous Protestants and eminentest Saints full sore against his will The General Council of Army Officers in their Remonstrance of Nov. 20. 1648. presented to the Commons House as they demanded the King to be brought to speedy Iustice so they propounded That the Prince and Duke of York his Sons might be declared uncapable of any trust or government in this Kingdom or any Dominions thereunto belonging and thence to stand Exiled for ever as Enemies and Traytors and to die without mercy if ever taken or found within the same After his Fathers beheading when he was called in and crowned King by his Protestant Subjects in Scotland where he took the Solemn League and Covenant according to their Oaths Covenant Duty Laws and principles of the reformed Religion our Republican Grandees and their Gen. Cromwel by a bloudy unchristian unbrotherly invasive war expelled and kept him out thence yea out of England too and all his other Dominions by force of arms after the battel of Worcester Septemb. 3. 1651. From whence he was forced to fly disguised to save his life into France where he landed at Newhaven Octob. 2. and some weeks after departed into Holland to the Princess of Orange his Sister a Protestant residing with her and other Protestants there remote from the company and seducements of his Mother and all Jesuites Papists that might any wayes seduce him in his religion living wholly upon the charity of foreign Protestants his own Protestant Subjects then and since swaying being so stupendiously unjust uncharitable as not to allow him or his Brothers one farthing out of all the Lands and Revenues of his 3. Kingdoms for their necessary support in forein parts and making it High Treason for any of his Protestant Subjects to contribute any thing towards their support in this their distressed condition so conscientiously did they practise these Gospel precepes Mat. 5. 44 45. c. 22. 21. Rom. 12. 13 19 20 21. c. 13. 1 to 12. c. 15. 26 27. 1 Cor. 16 1. Mat. 25. 34 35 36 37. for which they may justly expect that fatal sentence v. 40 to 46. Yet not content herewith to deprive Him his Brethren and followers both of the relief company comfort of all their Protestant Friends and Allies in the Netherlands and force them thence into Popish Quarters to the hazard of their Souls as well as Lives exasperate them all against the protestant Religion and enforce them if possible unto popery they engaged themselves and the English Nation not only in a most unchristian bloudy costly destructive war with our antient Protestant Brethren of Scotland till they had totally subdued them but also with our old Protestant allies of the Netherlands which war continued from Jan. 1651. till April 1654 almost to the ruin of both Nations and then Oliver Cromwel concluded a Peace with the Dutch on these terms sufficiently evidencing the true ground and end of that bloudy war That Charls Stuart with his Brothers followers and adherents should be forthwith banished out of the Low Countries and none of them permitted to reside there or return thither again Upon which by command from the States these distressed Exiles were forced to remove into France much against their wills having no other place of safety to retire themselves to where they enjoyed the company of their Mother and relief of their Popish allies as likewise the comfortable Christian Society Charity assistance of their French Protestant Friends Churches Ministers Ministry to confirm edifie them in the Reformed Religion which Cromwel and their English inveterate Enemies maligning endeavoured to expell them thence and by quarrelling with the French and â—atring into an intimate League with Cardinal Maâ—arine by the agency of Sir Kenelm Digby a Jesuited Papist concluded a Peace with France in Novemb. 1655. upon this condition That Ch. Stuart with all his brothers followers adherents should be forthwith removed out of France and all the French Kings Dominious and not permitted to return or reside therein Being thus driven out of Holland and France from the Society of all Protestants they were necessitated sore against their wills to cast themselves upon
Emperors and their Deputies in all publique changes revolutions as the best safest freest happiest universallest antientest honourablest durablest diâ—inest least inconvenient least oppressive and most agreeable to the temper weflare desires liberties of the people of all other forms of Government whatsoever 2. Because all our Great Councils Parliaments in all ages as their proceedings Acts Canons and Writs of Summons attest have constantly maintained continued established defended Kings and Kingly Government as their only publike Interest wherin the unity peace wealth welfare safety liberty property and hereditary succession of all the Subjects and their posterity in their Lands and Inheritances * most principally and specially above all other worldly things consist and rest whereupon they have most carefully and vigilantly * provided for the security of the Kings royal person succession heirs successors the rights privileges jurisdictions prerogatives lands revenues of the Crown and Kingly Government against all Treasons conspiracies insurrections rebellions attempts whatsoever to destroy disinherit suppresse alter subvert impair them or any of them by sundry successive Acts of Parliament sacred Solemn Oathes Obligations Securities of all kinds in all ages till 1648. and the last Parliament of King Charls whereof most now sitting were Members by more solemn †printed Oaths Protestations Vows National Leagues Covenants Petitions Votes Remonstrances Declarations Ordinances than any or all precedent Parliaments whatsoever as I have elsewhere proved at large and the imprisoned and secluded Members too in their Vindication 3ly Because the manifold incessant intestine and forein Wars Insurrections Tumults Divisions Factions Revolutions Alterations Subversions of Governments Parliaments Republikes Legal Processe proceedings the unconstant fluctuating condition of our State and Civil affairs the intollerable doubled trobled quadrupled Taxes Excises Imposts Militiaes and other Exactions amounting under our former and present Free State to one intire subsidy every week in the year when as our former publike Taxes under our Kings exceeded not usually one subsidy or fifteen in 2. or 3. years space the infinite unspeakable Oppressions Rapines Plunders Sequestrations Confiscations Forfeitures of our Offices Lands Estates Imprisonments close Imprisonments Confinements Banishments illegal Restraints executions of our personâ— ransacking of our Houses Studies Writings and other grievances outrages violences we have suffred by Unparliamentary Convinticles arbitrary tyrannical Committees new High Courts of Injustice Army Officers Souldiers Sequestrators Excisemen and other instruments of Oppression the Sales dissipations of all the Crown Lands Rents and standing publick Revenues of our 3 kingdoms which should defray the ordinary expences of the Government of Bishops Deans Chapters and many thousands of Delinquents lands estates woods timber without any abatement of publike Taxes the impoverishment destruction of most of the antient Nobility Gentry Corporations throughout our 3. Realms the infinite decay of all sorts of Trade by Land and Sea of publick and private justice truth honesty integrity charity amity civil society hospitality neighbourhood friendship the inundation of all sorts of vices treachery perjury hypocrisie cheating lying dissimulation subornation of perjury false accusations forcible ejectments detainers robberies murders treasons destruction of Houses Timber Parks Woods Ponds Forests with other miseries tending to publike desolation we have 〈◊〉 suffered groaned under without intermission or any hopes or probability of redresse with sundry other incroachments upon the City and Country in the Freedom of their Elections of Mayoâ—s Aldermen Officers Knights Citizens Burgesses and the frequent securing secluding of Parliament Members forces upon Parliaments themselves to interrupt dissolve them ever since the abolishing of our Kings Kingly Government the erection of a pretended Free State or Commonwealth and prologues thereunto compared with Judges 17. 6 c. c. 18. 1 c. c. 21. 25. Ezech. 19. 12 13 14. c. 21. 27. c. 29. 14 15. Hos. 3. 4. c. 10. 3 7 15. Are an infallible experimental sensible evidence and demonstration that Kings and Kingly Government are Englands true only publike interest as Men That it is so as Christians is apparent 1. By Gods own promise to his Church and people under the Gospel * That KINGS shall be their nursing Fathers and QUEENS their nursing Mothers more particularly †KINGS OF THE ISLES chiefly verified of our Island as I have evidenced in my Narrative p. 84. and Sir Henry Spelman in his Councils and Epistle to them and none other kinde of Governors expressed by name but they in sacred Writ 2. By the 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. I exhort therefore that First of all supplications prayers intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men for KINGS and for all in eminent places under them that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Compared with Ezra 6. 10. c. 7. 23. Jer. 9. 7. Which duty of making Supplications prayers intercessions for Kings and Emperors whether Pagan or Christian Heterodox or Orthodox Protectors or Persecutors the Churches Christians Saints of God in all ages places kingdoms have constantly conscientiously practised as their Interest and the principal meanâ— prescribed by God himself for their quiet peace good welfare safeâ—y prosperity increase in godlinesse honesty and well-pleasing unto God their Saviour whose * loving kindnesse is better to them than life and their greatest felicity as I intend to evidence in a particular Treatise Neither hath the Church and people of England been inferior to any others in this duty as I could abundantly evidence by ancient Canons Missals Processionals Liturgies the a Clause Rolls in the Tower and other testimonies with the praiers used at our Kings Coronations before the Reformation of Religion which I preterâ—it and shall give you only a brief touch of their loyalty and practice since we became Protestants At the respective Coronations of King Edward the 6. King James and King Charles there were sundry excellent fervent Prayers and supplications powred out to God with ardent affections on their behalfs wherein all the Prelates Clergy Nobility Gentry people present at this solemnity prayed frequently for the KINGS long life health wealth bonor safety prosperous reign victory over all his Enemies increase of all royal graces vertues for all temporal spiritual blessings and eternal glory in heaven c. to be abundantly powred forth upon his own royal person and likewise for the increase and succession of his royal posterity in the throne in all ages in these ensuing words in 3. several praiers Establish him in the Throne of this Realm Visit him with increase of children that his children may be Kings to rule this Kingdom by succession of all Ages Let the Blessings of him that appeared in the bush descend upon his head and the fulness of his blessings fall upon his children and posterity Let his horn â—e exalted as the horn of a Vnicorn by which he may scatter his enemies from the face
of the earth The Lord which sitteth in heaven be his Defender for ever and ever through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen After sundry such prayers and his Coronation all the Spiritual Temporal Lords present kneel down and do their Homage to him in these words I become your Man and shall be faithfull and true and troth bear unto you our Soveraign Lord and to your heirs Kings of England of life and limb and of earthly worship against all men that now live and die And I shall do and truly knowledge the service of the Lands which I claim to hold of you So God help me All of them kissing the Kings left cheek The Homage being ended they all touch the Crown with their hands by way of Ceremony as promising to support it with all their power Which done they All holding up their hands together in token of their Fidelity with one voyce on their knees say We offer to sustein and defend you and your Crown with our Lives lands and goods against all the world and with one voyce cry God save King CHARLES Which all the people follow with reiterated shouts and acclamations After the Coronation of every King and of our last King Charles in all Churches Chapels and religious Families throughout his Dominions and in both Houses of Parliament every day they sate as well after as before the wars constant publique and private prayers were continually made to like effect for Him and His royal posterity as the Liturgy Collects in the Book of Common Prayer the Directory it self the Practice of Piety other Prayer-books prescribing forms of Prayer for private persons and Families morning and evening and every mans experience attest yea such was our zeal and devotion in this kinde that most persons concluded all their Graces before and after meat with this prayer or the like in effect God save his Church our King Prince the Royal issue and Realms God send us peace in Christ our Lord Amen As being Englands true Interest both as Men and Christians How can how dare we then unpray renounce abjure engage subscribe vote fight against all those publike private prayers Graces we thus constantly fervently made to God for sundry years together and the Oathes Homage Fealty Protestation Solemn League and Covenant we successively swore in the name presence of Almighty God with hands and hearts lifted up to him by praying engaging subscribing voting fighting against the Kings right Heir Successor and Royal Issue and banishing dishinheriting renounciâ—g abjuring secluding them out of all our Churches Prayers Realms for ever to set up an Vtopian Republike without * mocking God himself to his very face willfully violating this Evangelical precept contradicting the practice of all the Churches Saints of God in all ages places yea disclaiming Englands publike with our own private Interest and forfeiting our own eternal Interest in Heaven as we are Saints and Christians I beseech all Christian Englishmen in the name and fear of God most seriously to consider and lay it close to their consciences without delay and examine how they can justifie excuse it either to God or Man 3ly By the extraordinary inundation growth increase of all sorts of Blasphemies Heresies Errors Religions Sects Atheism Irreligion prophanesse contempt rejection denial of Gods word Sacraments Ministers Ordinances Prayer singing of Psalms Catechising repetition of Sermons Apostacy Lukewarmnesse Hypocrisie Perjury Spiritual and outward pride effeminacy luxury whoredom incest hypocrisie formality envy hatred malice back-biting slandering sacrilege libertinism covetousnesse oppression cruelty all sorts of â—ins and wickednesses whatsoever The strange decay decrease of true real Christian zeal piety devotion faith love charity brotherly kindnesse heavenly mindednesse contempt of the world fear of Gods threatnings judgements and all other Christian graces virtues substractions of Ministers Tithes Dues Glebes Rewards Pensions Benefices Augmentations scorned reviled railed against disturbed persecuted by Sectaries Quakers sequestred suspended ejected silenced by Arbitrary Committees as meer Tenants at will of their Ministry and Freeholds ever since the abolishing of Kings their Nursing-Fathers by those various Step Fathers and Plunderers of the Church and Ministers who have hitherto succeeded them and given publike toleration protection to all Religions Sects Seducers almost to the total extirpation of the true Orthodox Reformed Religion throughout our Dominions To this I shall adde that as there neither is nor can be any possible ease or cure of dislocated fractured joynts bones limbs in the natural body nor restitution of health and soundnesse to it by any unguents cerots balms bolsters or artifices whatsoever but only by the timely speedy restitution of every bone joynt member to its proper place and keeping them therein by strong astringent medicaments and ligaments So all our new State-physicians Chirurgions a Politicians Councils at Westminster White-hall or in the Army with all their arâ— skill for near 12. yearâ— space together by all their New-projected models of Republikes Parliaments Governments since the abolishing KingS and Kingship could not hitherto ease cure or restore to health the inverted broken bodies of our Church State which have grown every year more and more consumptive convulsive decrepit incurable disquieted tormented and lie now at the very point of death under all their several applications as we feel by sad experience because they have not endeavoured to restore the fractured dislocated chief Members bones joynts there of to their proper places but laboured all they could to keep and put them further out When as there neither is nor can be any probable or possible way of restoring ease health soundnesse safety prosperity to them but by a speedy restauration of their lawfull hereditary Head and Noblest Members to their due places offices in them This consideration not only the secured and secluded Members made the ground-work of their premised Vote Decemb. 5. 1648. upon the long Debate but likewise both Houses Kingdoms and those now sitting together with them the basis of their Protestation League Covenant Petitions to and Treaties with the late King and of these two Memorable Protestations Passages in their b Declarations of October 22. and Novemb. 2. 1642. worthy consideration We the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled do in the presence of Almighty God for the satisfaction of our Consciences and the Discharge of that great trust which lies upon us make this Protestation and Declaration to the Kingdom and Nation and the whole World That no private passion or respect no evil intention to his Majesties person no design to the prejudice of his Just Honor and Authority engaged us to raise forces or take take up Arms against the Authors of this war wherewith the Kingdom is now enflamed and We have alwaies desired from our hearts and souls manifested in our aâ—tions and proceedings and in several humble Petitions and Remâ—nstrances to his Majesty professed our Loyalty and obedience to his Crown readiness and resolution to defend his
new Laws Acts Treasons repealing altering old Lawes and forms of Processe imposing new Taxes Excises Forfeitures Militiaes erecting new Courts Judicatures neither of all which the King can do by his regal Power but in and by the Parliament only wherein both the Power of the King in its highest orb and of all the Lords Commons are united concentred must needs be the highest Treason that possibly can be committed both against the King Kingdom Parliament Lords Commons People all injured usurped on tyrannized over dishonored and oppressed thereby in the highest degree Which should discourage deterr the Anti-Parliamentary Juncto and all those who have any dread of God Men or love to Parliaments and their Native Country from usurping such a power as well for their own as the publick weal If the long Parliament be still in being and now revived as Nedham pleads but proves not at all his own principles evincing the contrary then all the Lords and secluded Members ought in right and Justice to be freely admitted to sit vote therein for the premised reasons else those now sitting and acting without them will incurr the guilt of Highest Treason for Usurping both Regal and Parliamental power by meer force without any Act of Parl. which an express Act of Parlament made by assent of all the 3. Estates cannot transfer unto them as the Statute of 1 H. 4. c. 3. and Parliament of 1 H. 4. rot Parl. n. 25. expresly resolve and I have proved in my Narrative p. 22 23 24. since the Highest regal and Parliamentary trusts for the publike good safety reposed in many by the people cannot be transferred nor delegated unto a few nor the Parliament power trust assigned over any more than the * Regal Having dispatched these grand questions I shall be briefer in the 4th being only this Whether the Oathes of Supremacy Question 4 Allegiance and Homage to be late King his Heirs and Successors were finally determined by and expired at his death Nedham p. 41 42 and Rogers p. 33. affirm they are because the old form of Kingly Government is lawfully as they say extinguished and a new form introduced and so the Oath impossible because the persons and things to whom they were made are at an end Which opinion having largely refuted in my Concordia Discors proving those Oathes to be still obligatory and binding by unanswerable Scripture-presidents and authorities to which neither of these Antagonists reâ—ply one syllable I shall briefly reply to what they object 1. That the frame of our Kingly Government was not legally dissolved but violently and trayterously interrupted only as he saith this Parliament and Republike were by Cromwels intrusion 2ly That by the resolution of our Statutes Judges Laws which admit no Interregnum we have still a Kingdom a King an Heir and Successor to the Crown in actual being though out of actual not legal possession to whom we may and ought to make good our Oathes 3ly That our fellow-members and subjects who took these Oathes as well as we can neither absolve themselves nor us by their perjury or treachery in violating them by their late forcible illegal proceedings and new Ingagement against the King his Heirs and successors 4ly That it is both possible just necessary safe honourable Christian for them and us and our 3. Kingdoms Churches Religion to call in the right heir and successor to the Crown upon honorable Terms there being no obstacle to it but only want of will or the covetousness rapine ambition guilt or fear of punishment in some particular persons in present power against the general desire and interest of our 3. whole Kingdoms Nations endangered embroyled oppressed and well-nigh totally ruined exhausted by his long seclusion 5. That these Objectors and others slighting neglecting violating absolving themselves and others from the conscientious obligation legal performance of these sacred Oathes obliging themselves in particular and the whole Kingdom in general to the late King his Heirs and Successors in perpetuity is no argument of their piety saintship religion fear of God honesty truth justice but of their avowed Atheism Impiety Injustice contempt of God and all his threats judgments denounced inflicted upon Perjured infringers of their Oathes Covenants to their King and others 6ly That for the violation of these Oathes the whole three Kingdoms have deeply mourned suffred in sundry kinds ever since 1648. and are now likely to be ruined by Taxes Contributions Oppressions of all sorts losse of trade unseasonable weather diseases epidemically reigning and other judgements 7ly That Abraham himself the father of all the faithfull swearing by God that he would not deal falsly with Abimelech nor with his Son nor with his Sons son but according to the kindness he had done to Abraham Gen. 21. 23 24 c. and his care to perform his Oath hath justified not only the lawfulness of all our Oathes to the King his heirs and successors but confirmed our Obligation to them all and how conscientiously we ought to perform them without fraud or falshood yea disowed all those from being of his faith or spiritual seed who make little conscience to perform them 8ly That as the Apostle resolves Gal. 3. 16 17. That the Covenant made by God to Abraham and his seed in Christ before the Law which was made 430 years after cannot disannull that it should make the Promise of no effect So the New Ingagementâ—â—de taken after these two Oathes to our New Governors and their late Oath so be Constant as well as True and Faithfull to their new Republike without King or Single person or House of Lords obliging those who take it if binding not only to sundry Prejuries Treasons but constant perseverance in them without repentance cannot disannul these former Oathes to the King his heirs and successors and make them of no effect as Rogers Nedham tell us which I have elswhere proved 9ly John Rogers p. 9. informs us that Cleomines the Lacedemonian sware to his friend Archonides that he would do all things joyntly with him and Act nothing without his HEAD were in it After which watching his time he cut off his Companions head and to keep his Covenant after he had parboyled it he kept it by him honored and preserved it and upon every weighty matter or consultation would set his Scull by him and tell it what he purposed saying that he did not violate his Ingagement or break his Oath in the least seeing he did ever take counsel withâ— the head of Archonides and did nothing without it Verily my Antagonists and those Members they plead for have dealt more falsly with the late King Lords and their fellow Members than Cleomines with Archonides they twice Swore Protested Vowed and Covenanted too over and over to be true and faithfull to the King and to act all things Ioyntly with him the Lords and their fellow Commons in Parliament and transact nothing without their heads and advice were in it But
the protection and charity of the Spaniard and fly into Flanders having no place else to rest their heads and there to sojourn among Papists and Jesuites in great danger and extreme necessity where to their immortal Honour the Admiration of all true Protestants and Papists too and the Envy of their Protestant malicious persecutors who forced them thither they constantly adhere to and publikely profess the Protestant Religion and will not be seduced from it to Popery notwithstanding the manifold affronts injuries provocations reproaches persecutions of some of their own Protestant Subjects their exile from their Protestant Kingdoms their Protestant Friends in France Holland their extreme pressing necessities and the frequent sollicitations arguments perswasions promises temptations of Priests Jesuites Papists and Popish Princes a to turn Papists as the only means to regain their rights and restore Ch. Stuart to his Crowns and Kingdoms Now that this his forced Exile into France and Flanders by a prevailing party of his own Protestant Subjects against all their Oathes Protestations Vowes Covenants Remonstrances Declarations Allegiancos Duties our Known Laws the practice of all the primitive Christians and other Protestant Churches the principle of Christian Religion and of our own Protestant Churchâ— both in our Articles Homilies Canons Writers Liturgies and his forced sojourning there amongst Jesuites Papists with his grand necessities of which they have been the only Authors to their own eternal infamy and intollerable scandal dishonour shame reproach of our Protestant Kingdoms Churches Religion enforcing him to cry out with holy King David when forced by Saul and his rebellious Son Absolom out of his Kingdom from Gods Ordinances among Pagan Idolaters Ps. 120. 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar My soul hath long dwelt with them that hate peace c. should be thus objected against him by this rayling Shimel and the Authors of it over and over as a convincing evidence that he is sufficiently affected if not sworn to Popery notwithstanding his open constant avowed profession of the Protestant Religion to the admiration of the world the joy of all true Protestants and Gods great glory as well as his own and made now a motive to excite his Protestant Subjects in this juncture of time and revolution of affairs to take up arms afresh against him to keep him still in exile amidst Jesuits Papists and hinder his restitution to his hereditary Kingdoms and the benefit of Gods Ordinances among his own Protestant Subjects for his and their preservation and of the reformed Religion now much endangered by intestin wars the policies of Jesuits and combination of the Pope and Popish Princes to be totally extirpated throughout the World is not only a most unparalleld piece of malice and calumny but the very quintessence of Jesuitism and Jesuitical policy The rather because all our Protestant Bishops Ministers Martyrs in Queen Maries daies when imprisoned by her for their Religion though restored to her Crown against the usurpations of Queen Jane a Protestant by their assistance and the a Suffolk Protestants quorum propter Religioniâ— causam propensissimus favor Janae adsuturum inde sperabatur by their joynt Letter to all their Protestant Brethren recorded in b Mr. Fox not only declared Queen Maries open obstinate profession of Popery to be no just cause in Law or Conscience to keep her from her hereditary Right to the Crown but likewise humbly required and in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ beseeched all that feared God to behave themselves as obedient Subjects to Her Highness and the Supreme powers ordained under Her and rather after their example to give their Heads to the block than in any wise to rebell against the Lords Anointed Queen MARY in no point consenting to any Rebellion or Sedition against Her Highness Much less then ought his slight suggestions of Ch. Stuarts secret inclination to Popery against his constant avowed profession of Protestantism in the very midst of the most Jesuited Papists to be any argument at all for his Protestant Subjects not to assist but to rise up and rebell against him to keep him from the Crown 3ly The extraordinary sottishness and infatuation of those Protestants who will be cheated seduced by such Jesuitical suggestions calumnies as Nedham and others have published of him touching his inclination to Popery to withdraw their affections assistance from him either to supply his necessities or restore him if not to his hereditary Civil Rights yet at least to the comfortable fruition of Gods Ordinances and Christian Society in our Protestant Churches and Kingdom for his spiritual Consolation and Salvation 4ly The most barbarous infernal matchless malice of those degenerated Republican and Army-Saints professing themselves Stars of the greatest Magnitude in the Protestant Orb in expelling their undoubted natural hereditary Protestant King not only out of all his own Protestant Realms and Dominions but likewise out of Holland and France where he lived in exile and had the relief and society of Protestants into Flanders the most Jesuited place in the world as Nedham prints where are none but Papists enforcing him there to live upon their alms alone and keep him there in Exile on purpose to necessitate him with his Brothers followers adherents to renounce the Protestant Religion and party and become professed Papists to destroy murder his and their souls and bodies at once and deprive him of his eternal Crown in heaven as well as of his temporal Crowns on earth a Be astonished O heaven and be ye horribly afraid at this unpresidented Tyranny and Treachery the highest Malignity of Jesuitism and express revived Image of the Jesuites design against his Grandfather King Henry the 4. of France who shifting his Religion by the Jesuites perswasion to secure his Crown and Life against their malicious designs was soon after b by their instigation deprived of both if not of his eternal Crown by a stab through his heart by one of their disciples though he had bequeathed his heart to them by will and built them a magnificent College richly indowed by him with lands and plate If then c the tree as Christ himself resolves may be certainly known by its fruits we may easily judge from whence these rotten bitter fruits of Jesuitism originally sprung and who were the planters of those trees which bear them But if they cannot effect this infernal design to destroy his Soul and body together yet they will make use of it to murder his reputation and render him a suspected if not a devoted proselyte to Popery to debarâ— his return to his Protestant Kingdoms d And shall not God visit for these sins Shall not his Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this I shall add a 4th Evidence I only pointed at e before worthy special observation which will fully answer the late printed Sheet intituled A clear Vindication of Roman Catholicks from a foul
lieu of the former 35 thousand besides Excises Customs New intollerable Militiaes amounting to thrice as much more Besides it consumed all the Crown-lands Church-lands publike Revenues of our 3. Kingdoms with thousands of Delinquents estates all alienated dissipated being more expensive oppressive wastefull to our Nation in ten years space than all our Kings since the Norman Conquest or Saxon line only to make us greater slaves to our late Mercinary Army Servants Fellow Subjects than ever we were to our beheaded King or any of his roial predecessors whose a loyns were nothing so heavy as their little finger chastising us with Scorpions in new arbitrary tyrannical Committees High Courts of Justice and other exorbitant Judicatures when as our Kings corrected us but with rods It hath subverted our Kings Parliaments Peers Laws Liberties Properties Great Charters legal Courts Writs Seals Commissions Judges Justices Sheriffs Officers Coynâ— Government destroyed our publike and private wealth Trade Unitie Amitie Peace Timber Palaces Woods Shipping and many thousands of our gallantest Sea-men Land-men by bloudy wars with our Protestant Brethren Allies and brought us to the very brink of ruin in all our Civil Concernments as Men As Christians by its toleration fomentation of Sects Heresies of all sorts it hath shaken undermined in a great measure the very Deitie of God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost the Trinitie of Persons and Unitie in the Godhead the Authoritie Divinitie of the Scriptures all the Artiâ—les of the Creed the Sacraments Ministers and Ministrie of the Gospel the Fabricks of many the Freeholds of all the maintenance of most of our Churches Ministers all now meer Tenants at sufferance and removable sequestrable taxable at our Republican Grandees pleasures yea their new Heralds Baylifs to proclame in Churches whatever they prescribe under pain of ejectment or their heaviest indignation In brief the introduction of our unshaped Republike by Perjurie Treacherie Violence bloud fraud Injustice destruction of our Protestant Kings Lords Parliaments hath made many zealous professors of Religion Jesuites in their policies principles practises a Atheists in their works Christ himself and the Gospel as the Atheistical Pope esteemed them a meer Fable in the repute of many yea the Protestant Religion a meer seminary of Treason Rebellion Sedition Hypocrisie Perjury Disloyalty Villany Ataxy Antimonarchy and the zealous Professors of it the meer firebrands of Rebellion Sedition high Treason against their Soveraigns in the estimation of b Foreign Jesuits Papists and Popish Princes who endeavour their total extirpation throughout the world as such And can it be then Englands true Interest as Men or Christians 5. J. Rogers himself the Grand Champion for the Good Old Cause and Commonwealth in his Concertation p. 100 103 104 116 117. informs us That Commonwealths are alwayes subject to frequent changes and alterations every one more oppressive tyrannical cruel bloudy prejudicial destructive to the peoples Liberties properties lives than the other instancing in the Romans and Athenians which committed the greatest outrages upon the people being little better than a daily Massacre of the most eminent Worthies and Hangmen Tormentors of the Commons Which Vicissitudes Alterations proved the Athenians utter destruction and may be a fair warning to us because the Causes of such mutations are the most dangerous Commotions which tend to the Ruine of All as he proves but of Aristotle Polit. l. 5. c. 1. for prevention whereof he prescribiâ— 12 Considerations unable to cure the fluctuatinge uncertain state and mischief of a Commonwealth of which we have already had and shall sodenly have again sufficient experience And can a Commonwealth then be Englands present or future Interest in any sence In brief as it is the beautie safety interest of every natural living body whether of men beasts fowls fishes or creeping things to have only one head to govern one Soul to animate it by Gods own most divine and wise institution a two-headed bodie being an unnatural uselesse Monster and a double-souled man creature unstable in all his wayes Jam. 1. 8. So it is the safetie beautie interest ligament of every Politick bodie whatsoever Hence we find not only in all Monarchies but in all Republikes themselves one Master over every Family one Mayor over every City one Rector over every College School Hospital Fraternitie one Sheriff over every County one Governor over every Province one Rector over every Parish Church and Congregation as there is but ‖ one King Lord Head Mediator Jesus Christ over the Catholike Church one Pilot over every ship one Admiral in chief over every Fleet and in Armies themselves one General and Chief Commander over every Army Brigade Partie one Colonel over every Regiment one Captain over every Companie Troop one Governor over every Fort Garison both abroad and at home a Pluralitie of Lords Masters Generals Governours Rectors c. being alwaies in all and every of these not only dangerous troublesom inconvenient chargable but distractive and destructive too as all Ages Nations have concluded from reason and experience Therefore a Monarchical hereditarie Kingly Government let Rogers Nedham and our Innovating frantick Republicans prate what they will must be Englands true and only Interest honor safety felicity both as Men and Christians so long as there shall be but * one Sun in the heavens to rule the day and one Moon the night Monarchy and One-nesse being the only Ground ligament of Peace Unity Safety both in Church State but Polarchie the cause of ruin confusion as God only wise resolves against all brain sick Novellers Ephes. 4. 3 4 5. 6 1 Cor. 8. 6. c.. 12. 4 5 6 11 to 31. Pro. 28. 2. Isay 19. 2 3. c. 9. 19 20 21. Ezech. 37. 22 to 28. 1 Kings 14. 30. c. 15. 7. 16. Let this last Question be now put to all the Freemen of the English Nation and of Scotland Ireland too whom it all alike concerns and the a Army with those b now sitting have formerly voted TO BE THE ONLY SUPREME AUTHORITY OF THE NATION and themselves to be but their Servants not their Soveraigns and therefore cannot in reason justice conscience deny them or any of them the freedom of their voices herein in the present juncture of our affairs and then I dare pawn my reputation life against my Antagonists I shall have above a thousand voices concurring with me to one consenting with them And having both Vox Populi and Vox Dei too thus suffragating with me in the Supreme universal Parliament of all English Freemen without the House I hope no private Persons not commissioned by the peoples free elections will presume to contradict or repeal their Major Vote within the Commons House though they have thrice secluded me out of it by armed guards before any legal Accusation trial or conviction whatsoever from pleading of this their publike cause therein which I wholly submit to their Universal Censure and Decision