also noted the same that this was the course which Julian the Apostate took in his dayes He having a purpose as these have to ruine the profession of Christianity Used not the sword as Dioclesian did though these indeed to make the work more speedy doe act Dioclesian too but he took away the means of the Clergies subsistance knowing full well that if maintenance once failed the number of Preachers would not long continue The said Julian also would tell the Bishops and Pastors when he stripped them of all they had that in so doing He had a speciall care of their soules health because the Gospell commended Poverty unto them Such like flowts at the Doctrine of Christ doth often fall from lips of the Apostates of these days 5. By their pulling downe all Christian order and formes of publicke Worship and Service tending to decency and edification by casting down defiling and defaming the Houses of God turning many of them into Stables Slaughter-houses Prisons and Jakes they have made close-stooles of Fonts and Pulpits and done as bad to Communion Tables they have rent the holy Bible in pieces scorned at the Sacraments Baptized Horses robbed Churches of Sacramentall Utensils as Plate Linnen calling it Idolatrous and Superstitious because it had been only used in Christs service nay the poore innocent Bells because they have been the meanes of calling people together to Worship God and to adore the Saviour of the World must be pulled down and turned into Guns that they may be another while Instruments of destruction to the Members of Jesus this indeed as I read was the manner of the Turkes when they tooke Constantinople they melted the Bells into Ordnances In a word what ever evill or impiety the Enemies were wont to slander our Church withall these men have acted or suffered to be done by those whom they maintaine insomuch that now the Priests of Rome shall not speak only lyes as heretofore when they tell the people That in England they abolish Church Sacraments the meanes of Salvation they either raze or rob Churches wheresoever they come and make Stables of them that they will neither have Temples nor forme of Religion nor doe they serve God any way yea the English Nation is growne so barbarous that they are very Canniballs and devoure one another God knowes my Soul abhorres to thinke much more to name those things that are acted done amongst as nor should my pen be fouled with the mention of them were they not visible to so many eyes and did not necessity of defending impugned Truth and an abused Church restraine me But I would have all the Papists understand for to that end do I thus speak that we who are of the true Protestant Christian Religion do abhor and loath these practices as much as any and are persecuted to death by them that do them for our dislike of them 6. By their suppression and demolition of all Monuments of Christianity that there might be seen no more tokens of it in the Kingdome as if they intended that no man should be able hereafter to say this Land was once Christian The very festivall times when the Birth Death Resurrection Ascension of our Saviour is commemorated which next to the Preaching of Gods Word and Administration of the Sacraments have been the most speciall means to confirme mens faith in the History of Christ these they have inhibited and forbidden as if they hated his very remembrance Gods wisdome appointed the Feast of Passeover to be kept as an Ordinance for ever among the Jewes to minde them of their deliverance from Aegypt and to be a mean to assure their Children in after-Ages of the truth of that great mercy And the Church conceiving that our deliverance from sinne and Satan by the Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ to be as a great a deliverance as that other and to deserve as well to be remembred did also apprehend that way or mean to be the best to convey the notice of it to Posterity which Gods owne Wisdome devised and that was by celebrating Annuall Festivalls in memoriall thereof but these men it seemes have resolved to the contrary for they will not have the same kept any longer in remembrance Nay that miraculous Thorne at Glassenbury which was wont to celebrate the Festivall of Christs Nativity by putting forth its leaves and flowers was cut in pieces by these Militia men that it might no longer Preach unto men the Birth day of their Saviour But what doe I speake of dayes and times and teaching Trees the very Doctrine it selfe which Christ himselfe taught and practised viz. the Doctrine of Peace Patience and passive obedience unto Princes is reckoned obsolete and uselesse by these men it was publickly maintained by a certaine worthlesse Member at a great Committee in the Checquer Chamber that such Doctrines were out of date in these dayes and had been onely proper to former times when the Church was in a low Condition and under the Persecution of Heathen Emperours Nay these men would not that any true Christian Protestant should have leave to live to relate unto posterity the Doctrine of his Saviour as seemeth by their doings their thirst for Protestant Bloud appeareth to be such as if they desired that all of that Profession in the world had but one Head that so they might cut it off at one blow for they have shed already more of it within these foure yeares then ever was shed in Great Brittaine since the world began and that for no other cause that we yet know for they never durst come to dispute it with us then for holding to the Doctrine of Christs Gospell because we will not contrary to that lift up our hands with them against our Soveraigne By these particulars and many others which I might alleadge it is evident what ever they pretend to the contrary that their endeavours are to destroy the Christian Protestant Religion Our Saviour doth warrant us to judge of men by their fruits wherefore t is no marvaile if the Reader being a true Protestant Christian be not well affected to that cause of Liberty and Religion which the two Parliaments of England and Scotland do seeme to maintaine SECT VIII 1. Of the feigned Combination against the Parliament 2. Our judgement of the Papists and of their assisting the King 3. Our abhorment of the Cruelties of the Irish and how they are out-gone by the English Rebells 4. Our Opinion of the Court Faction of what flock we are 5. How the Libellers call themselves the more beleeving sort of people BUt the Reason insinuated by our Subtile Brethren why men should be affected to that their cause is taken from the Consideration of the Persons against whom as they say t is maintained viz. against a combination of all the Papists of Europe almost especially the bloudy Tigres of Ireland and some of the Prelaticall and Court Faction in England That
was Because I had preached the Truth which the Member said was not to be spoken at all times no not by those intrusted with it of God though also a Divine Truth and in danger to be lost What an high Dignitie also was this to me to be ranked thus among Christs Disciples and thought worthy to suffer as the Apostles did for the Truth of God The third was Because I was for the King And what are my sufferings for this Reason but a publick Proclamation in my behalf that I am a good Subject and one of those few among many that have obtained mercy of God to be faithfull The fourth was Because I would not preach to promote the warre Now what fuller manifestation could they make of my being Philopatris a lover of my Country and a true Minister of Christ the Prince of Peaee then by their taking from me what I had because I would not be tempted to doe a thing destructive to my Nation and mis-becoming the Gospel yea and more then this themselves of late have punished diverse persons for not being like me of such conditions And thus Christian Readers having seen the Reasons of my sufferings I beleeve you will judge as I do that I have no particular cause of hatred against these men who have been as I take it but Gods Instruments to give a good testimony of me unto the World wheresore I beseech you all mistake me not in your reading my Book fancy not that under a notion of bitternesse which may be called Gratitude rather my endeavours are to bring them back out of darknesse into Light from under the power of Satan unto God My expressions to this end perhaps sometimes are sharp and home But I have been a practitioner in the high Art of Soul-faving this twentie years and by Gods blessing have attained to so much skill therein that I know all sinners are not alike nor must be dealt with in the same way our Saviour spoke to the Scribes and Pharisees after another manner then he was wont to do to the Common people Some must by violence be plucked out of the fire Last of all I desire this of you that fear the Lord to afford me the Protection of your Prayers I might require you by the Protestation you have taken to maintain and defend me also other wayes as thereby you are bound in whatsoever I have here said or done it being onely in pursuance of the said Protestation which I have perfixt to the beginning of the Book that with the more case you may observe and compare mine aims and endeavours with the words and scope therein But indeed your supplications to God is that onely which I desire for next to faith in God I count the Prayers of the godly the best Militia under Heaven for protection and preservation and so the Lord of Life and Spirit rest upon you and dwell in you for ever October 25. 1647. Your Brother in Christ and Servant for his sake E. S. A Preface to the Readers specially to the Loyall Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland Christian Friends ABout July 1645. a certaine scandalous Pamphlet entituled The Kings Cabinet opened c. was published by certaine unnaturall Englishmen and dispersed through His Majesties Dominions of Great Britaine and Ireland on purpose to make Him distastfull to His owne people Yea many of the Copies were transmitted to forraigne parts to render Him a spectacle of offence to the whole world one of them some moneths after the divulging fortuned into my hands which when I had read and with amazement considered the reproachful style and mischievous scope of the Authors therein finding it every way in regard of the persons from and of whom it was more vile then Senacherib's Letter or Rabshekah's Tongue I thought it my duty first to spread it before the Lord and then before the world in opening the true nature of it which I have here done for these ends First to vindicate my Soveraigns Name and Honour to which as a Subject I am bound by common Allegeance Oath and Protestation 2. To warne you my fellow-Subjects of the snare laid to catch you for your subversion as well as the Kings defamation is aimed at and to this I am engaged as a Brother as a Christian. 3. To detect the virulent natures and cursed dispositions of wicked men which I am obliged to performe in respect of mine office and calling being one of those whom God hath honoured to be a Seer or Watchman in his Israel a Minister of his Church whose imployment is to lay open Satans devices to discover Wolves to uncase Hypocrites according to Christs owne example in the dayes of his flesh And to these I may adde a fourth viz. to justifie the Church of England and true Protestant Religion whereof I am a member and a Professor from all allowment and approbation of any such unreverend blasphemous and reproachfull language against Soveraine Majesty as that malicious Pamphlet is stuffed withall Peradventure this work hath been already done by others of like relation with my selfe who have both confuted the Libell and defended the King but their Piety is no discharge to my Duty I must therefore answer my part unto it I must also declare my opinion of it for indeed as Elihu in Job said I am full of matter and the spirit within me doth constraine me I took the Protestation as well as any to defend my Soveraignes Name and Honour yea and to oppose in my way all such as by any means should endeavour to darken and impeach the same And let not those persons who first authorized that Protestation and afterward this Libel fancie to themselves that all men will be induced by this to break that though too many are or that God will so far neglect his Anointed as not to stir up some though of the meanest quality who by laying their actions to the rule of Gods Word shall freely notwithstanding their stupendious greatnesse discover to the world the irregularity of their doings in their countenancing so vile a thing as this is against Him whom by all Lawes of God and man they are bound to reverence and defend whereas disdaine at least and vexation shall be increased in them as was in those Pharisees whom Hosanna to the Son of David was ecchoed from the mouthes of children nay as our Saviour upon that occasion said should such hold their peace the very stones would cry out in a case of this nature As no Decree to the contrary could make all men abstaine from confessing Christ so no threats or feares shall restraine all persons from adhering to their Soveraigne and standing up in his behalfe against Calumnie For a good man some will even dare to die sayes the Apostle and for a good King shall not some alwayes dare to speak 'T is true He is in a low condition at the present but must our Alleageance therefore be at so
promised us the new Religion you will set up amongst us Is this the way to Heaven which you will trace out to your Country-men that adore you Doth your Discipline purchased with the effusion of so much Christian bloud allow of such expressions and persons without correction Indeed this is the way to work an Alteration from what was before the Devil had formerly but his Chappell where God had his Church but from henceforth if you prevail he is likely to have his Church where God shal scarce have a Chapell Wel as an Holy Martyr said to others so say I to you I thank God I am none of you and my prayer is Never let my soul O Lord partake in their Counsells nor my feet tread in their paths but give me I beseech thee thy grace to pray daily against their wickednesse And let it not O let it not good Lord be told in Gath or believed in Askelon that these bitter fruits do spring from the tree of Protestant Religion Let it rather be acknowledged and apprehended that these things are favoured and done by the men of this Nation as they are at this present by Satans working in a deadly enmity and opposition against their Soveraigne and not as they are either his sworn Subjects or Children of the English Church And thus O my God as thy messenger Liberavi animam meam I have dicharged my Conscience towards them SECT II. 1. Of the pretended end of publishing the Libell the true end thereof hinted 2. Their blasphemy against God noted 3. How these Letters of the King might have been made use of as Evidences of Truth and Loyaltie 4. Of what stock and linage the Authours of the Libell discover themselves to be 5. Of their subtilty and of that spirit of meeknesse which they boast of 6. How aptly for themselves they alleadge the Example mentioned by S. Jude I Now come to the Book it selfe whose publication they have Authorized and I observe that the persons for whose sake 't is pretended to be put forth are some whom the Authors call their Seduced Brethren to reclaime them I conceive they are so accounted because they will not concur in breaking their Protestation and opposing their Soveraigne I apprehend my selfe to be reckoned in the number and therefore in the behalfe of my self and the rest I desire these men who are so careful to Reclaim us that they would deal plainly with us and tell us in downe right English whether it be any thing else but our Loyalty our love and obedience to our Soveraigne which they would Reclaim us from let them in the first place declare unto us our transgression and prove out of Gods Word that we are such as they call us and account of us let them shew who hath Seduced us we are of the Prophet Jeremies minde If we be deceived it is the Lord that hath deceived us 't is his Word that hath taught us to Honour the King and to adhere unto our Soveraigne that is the foundation we stand upon and so strong and stable it is that we beleeve and hope these new Teachers shall never be able either to shake it or us from it Nay we have an apprehension that these men are in a Seduced condition themselves because they are gone out from us whereas they were once of us they took the Oath of Allegeance and afterward the Protestation as well as we to defend the Kings Person Honour and Estate against all opposers And now being themselves out of the right way we fear they would draw us into the same danger they tell us we are Seduced onely that we might yeeld so to be We remember that Satan Seduced our first Parents from their duty towards God by proceeding in the direct way and mothod of these men he pretended pity and respect unto them as to his Seduced Brethren and to the same purpose as these do He standred defamed and reproached his Soveraigne wherefore these men must pardon us if but for this reason we are somewhat suspicious of them Beside the Scripture tells us of some men who call Light Darknesse and Darknesse Light Good Evill and Evill Good and what know we to the contrary but these men may be of that number Our Saviour informes us that in the last dayes many wolves should come in sheeps cloathing who by fair pretences should deceive many and should carry their designes so cunningly that if possible they should deceive the very Elect themselves Now as these are the last dayes so these men have fair pretences are crafty in their carriages do deceive many and therefore may peradventure be those very wolves forespoken of Saint John adviseth us not to beleeve every one but bids us try their spirits whether they be of God or no wherefore having this warning if we trust these men before we have tryed them we shall shew our selves as they entitle us Seduced indeed they must give us leave therefore to examine of what spirit they are who thus take upon them to reclaim us whether their doctrine be of God or no we will go by Christs own rule let them except against it if they can or dare By their fruits saith he you shall know them and this their Book is their fruit we will consider whether their speech and language therein doth not bewray them They begin thus It were a great sinne against the mercies of God to conceale those Evidences of truth which He so graciously and almost miraculously by surprisall of these papers hath put into our hands I confesse they promise faire like those Galathians whom Saint Paul writes unto they begin in the Spirit with the mention of Sin and Mercy they have like those Locusts Rev. 9. the faces of men but observe them well we shall finde they have the teeth of Lyons and the tayles of Scorpions my endeavours shall be on purpose to discover them that men may avoid them and not be hurt by them which that I may do I beg of thee O most mighty Jesus who art the Light of lights and doest enlighten every man that commeth into the world to lighten the understanding of thy poore Minister that he may be able by thy light to enlighten thy people so as they may cleerely discerne this work of darknesse which is cast forth by an Hidden Crew to blemish and disgrace the Doctrine of thy Gospel professed in this Church to obscure those beames of Majesty wherewith thou hast decked thine owne Anointed and to seduce those Soules for which thou sheddest thy precious bould into wayes of perdition and destruction that by these my endeavours thy true Religion may be illustrated thy Servant the King Vindicated and thy people preserved to the Glory of thy great Name and to the inward comfort of me thy weak instrument and that for thine owne Merit and Mercies sake Amen Amen It is evident that the ends why these papers were divulged after
thought to be done out of zeal against sin and out of pure love to our Countrey we shall be looked upon as impartiall men that will wink at sin in no man no not in the King himself we will persecute and destroy him though he be our Common Parent rather then suffer sin to abide and domineere in him yea we shall be apprehended by the vulgar to be Gods speciall favourites elected and appointed by him on purpose to punish the King and to pull him from his Throne that so Christ in us the Saiuts may be set up and rule in his stead And what ever the King suffers at our hands shall be interpreted by the helpe of our Preachers men fitted for our turns to be Gods just judgement upon him for those very crimes which we lay to his Charge as Perfidiousnesse and Breach of speciall Vowes made to us his Protestant Subjects of England and Scotland for so we call our selves and under that guize we goe covered No doubt I say but the Consciences of those I mentioned have spoken to this purpose within themselves or else they would confess together with us that there is nothing in those Annotations upon the Kings Letters but what is most uncomly and misbeseeming Christian subjects And truly it is no difficult matter for men resolved and ingaged by all they care for bodily safety and worldly reputation to deprave the most innocent writing and to pick out matter thence to defame the Author Julian the Apostate these mens elder Brother having a deep hatred against Christ did imploy his maliciously-fine braine against the Sacred Bible and took great paines to cull out thence all shews of errour or places seemingly contrary to each other which he would formalize to his own purpose all ambiguous expressions which he would wrest and pervert to the most sinister construction and all obscure places which by a further entangling he would make more dark and cloudy and thus for a season with some men he disgraced Christ and his Holy Religion Now hence we gather that if one man alone was able by the helpe of Satan to do thus against the Sacred writings of God himselfe It is no marvail if many of the same rank and spirit laying their heads together shall with the like assistance doe thus against the writings of the King who is but a man for as we doe not make our King infallible like as they do the Parliament so we will not put His writings into the same skale of perfection wherein they weigh their Votes But this we will say and from their Malice against him do firmly beleeve that he is a lesser sinner then other men are for the more like in degree their spightfulness against him is to that of the Pharisees against Christ the more like unto Christ in innocency and Holiness is our Soveraigne the object of it That Hatred which is most deep and deadly in such men as these are is alwayes the most unjust And further too this we affirm concerning our Soveraigne that of all the Kings His Predecessours that swayed the English Scepter as he hath done we beleeve him to be the least sinfull and we may conclude it from the pride and fatnesse of these his people who Jessurun-like have kicked up their Heeles against him had he not been so good so milde so gentle towards them they had not been so malipert so proud so injurious towards him had he been a wanton Edward the fourth and borrowed a pace the rich Citizens monies and repayed them againe by lying with their wives or had he been a boysterous Henry the eighth and chopt off his Subjects heads in lust and anger doubtless he had found much better respect and fairness both of Carriage and Language from the men and women of this Nation London had not shut up their Gates thus long against him had he deserved less love they would have shewn more feare and Reverence to him No man was ever so perfect Christ alone excepted but at some times have been guilty of some obliquities which should they all that were committed through his whole life be mustered up and presented in one view and continuation together would make him appeare most strangely sinful whereas if his life were displayed in that tenour onely as led he would haply be an object of admiration for â—anctity and perfection These men and their faction have set nothing of the King to the worlds view since their unhappy meeting but his oversights and blemishes which they have narrowly searched for throughout his whole life and reigne nay they have made use of the â—ins and corruptions of those Monopolizing Lords and Gentlemen who are now right deare unto themselves and sit amongst them to make the King distastful to his people they have bedawbed him with others crimes for want of somewhat more proper and what have they to their utmost done thereby but purposed for an object of scorn and abhorring Him whom God by endowment with Principall and choise graces hath marked out for a ' Pattern of Honour and imitation to all Princes and men We dare challenge malice her selfe to open her mouth so wide as she can and for her better Advantage let her borrow the tongues and pens of these men to vent her worst of all and then let her speak out and tell the world what personall Crimes she can Charge the King withall Nay must she not needs confess if she say any thing that He hath been an example of meekness Temperance Charity Patience Mercy and Justice to all his Nobles and to all his people Had some of these great ones now with them been in these Vertues conformable unto him they had not haply been in that high esteem wherein they are at this present amongst them Nay because the Libellers in their height of impudency doe speake of the King as if he were not according to his profession a defender of the true Faith a tender Father of his Country and sincerely affected to the good of his Protestant Subjects in England and Scotland we doe appeale to all the world to Name an Age since England was a Nation wherein the Church and Faith of Christ flourished in such high lustre and glory wherein the Subjects of this Kingdome of all ranks and degrees did more abound in wealth and riches and wherein those of the true Protestant Religion which is the Religion of truth and peace of Humility and obedience were more countenanced and favoured then they have been in his dayes was there ever so much Splendour Bravery and Abundance in the City So much Plate and Money in the Country so many Pleasant Houses and Stately Buildings in all places throughout the Land Was there ever so much Feasting and plenty of food among all sorts of people so many good Garments and cloathes worne by men and women of all degrees so large Portions and dowryes given with Children in marriage were ever the Protestant Subjects
some others beside themselves as for example in a certain Dragon Rev. 12. 15. who when he had persecuted a woman there mentioned whom some interpret to be the Church of Christ and driven her into a wilderness i. e. into a low and desperate condition his patience provoked him to cast out of his mouth after her waters as a flood which as Expositors say were multitudes of slanders reproachful speeches scandalous reports and lies hoping therby to drown her honour and reputation for ever for they would be more easily believed of her in her affliction and to carry her away so far that she should never appear in any credible or comfortable condition more Nor did his patience end here but the Text tels us vers 17. that he went farther in the heat therof to make war with the remnant of her seed that keep the Commandment of God and have the testimony of Jesus We are sure this was such a patience which these men are seasoned withal and which they have shewn since their discovery of these Papers and do stil exercise towards their Soveraign and all that remain faithful and loyal to him Nay and farther too we must tel these men that this humour which they call patience in themselves though the name which they give it be somthing new yet for the nature of it 't is no whit strange or singular for many men before these times have bin infected with it Cain was when he kill'd his brother because his own works were evil and his brothers good and so was Nimrod that mighty Hunter before the Lord and oppressour of his neighbours Saul in the Old Testament was ful of this patience when the Evil Spirit was upon him and made him throw his Javelin against David at one time and against Jonathan at another and so was that Saul in the new Testament too at such time as he went panting up and down like a bloud-hound breathing forth threatnings against the People of God Shimei also was brim-ful to the very mouth of it when with his revilings and execrations he saluted David in the depth of his affliction and Achitophel did overflow therwith when in all haste he would have pursued his Soveraign while he was faint and weary This Patience was in Haman too when to be revenged for Mordecai's stifness he endevoured the ruine of the whole Jewish Nation it was in Nebuchadnezâ—ar also and made the form of his visage change against Sedrach Mesach and Abednego when in scruple of Conscience they refused to submit to an Ordinance of his almost as damnable as the Parliament Covenant And in the Scribes and Pharisees it was most plentifully abounding as appears by all their dealings with Christ and his Apostles Thus I say this condition which these men commend in themselves for the matter of it is not so new and strange though I confess the Name by which they call it seems so to be for it was wont to be tearmed Rage Cruelty Wrath and Fury and not Patience Yet I remember Master Fox tels us that Bishop Bonner and those of his bloudy Consistory in Queen Maries days who having with as much rage and passion as can be imagined handled and oppressed the Martyrs when they came to read the definitive sentence and to give them up to the secular power to be put to death were wont to make proclamation as these men here do to the whole world of their great meeknesse and strange Patience which they had used towards those obstinate Hereticks as they called them So that we see this Patience here mentioned is not only by Bishop Bonners Authority a strange Patience but also such a Patience as Master Fox himself doth make mention of in the Book of Martyrs But the poor Church of Christ hath felt enough and too much of this their Patience therefore at this time I wil speak no more of it onely I conclude in the words of the Prophet Micha The best of them is as a Bryer the most upright of them is sharper then the thorne Hedge The next thing they mention wherein they Triumph indeed and glory is their late extraordinary success in the field some perhaps may wonder how these three can accord together great sufferings strange Patience and extraordinary good success and all of late but they must remember that their Sufferings and Patience being of that kind as was shewed before may wel stand with extraordinary good success yea in such men as they are such sufferings and such patience are the natural fruits and dependants of prosperity and Extraordinary good Successe But by the way take notice of their end in yoaking these three together Prosperity and good successe which of old went currant onely among the Papists for a Note of the true Church is now admitted also by these men to be a speciall marke of the goodnesse of their cause but in regard our Religion hath hitherto taught that sufferings and patience were rather the marks of Christs true flock then extraordinary successe in the world therefore Euphoniae gratia for sound sake the name of sufferings and patience are still retained and joyned together here with extraordinary good successe Alteratio non fit in instanti if the Change from one extreame unto another should not be by degrees it would be too grosse and palpable but by that time the three Propositions be granted to them Extraordinary good successe will be able to stan alone and to go currant among all their Proselites for an unquestionable note of the true Church or cause it will not need the countenance of these two names of Suffering and Patience which shall from thenceforth be rejected and wholly disclaimed as infallible marks of Loyalty and Malignancy Indeed successe is the best Argument they have to win and hold people to themselves and to their Cause wherefore t is requisite that for further discovery I shew the invalidity and weaknesse of this their Argument But first for our better progresse therein we shall consider what this extraordinary successe is which they so brag and boast of and what are the true grounds and causes of it Their Successe I confesse to narrow Capacities and low braines may seeme as they call it extraordinary but to those that consider the causes of things together with the meanes and manner of their proceedings it appeareth nothing so T is well known how by fraud and policy they seized at unawares upon the Kings Militia and Navy How they ingrossed into their hands most of his Townes Castles Rents Revenues and all he had leaving him nothing of his owne to subsist on How they rooked to themselves all the Plate and Money of the Kingdome and how by the service of false Teachers they poysoned the hearts of his Subjects drew them from their Allegeance and armed them against him And having done all this they were able to get a Victory against him at Nazeby-field after they had taken
Parliament may Vote a like businesse and he sayes further that we must not pin our soules to their sleeves we doe not know whether they may possibly carry them a Parliament is not immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost as the Apostles were Prynne is very eager for forcing mens Consciences But Burton is still as much against that Tenent as Prynnes own selfe was in former times and affirmes that no Rule nor Example nor Reason can be drawne from Scripture to force men to any Religion no sayes he we are not to proceed any further with the Papists themselves then to information and rectifying their Consciences by instruction and admonition And he adviseth Prynne in these words Brother let not that impartiall Edict be revived that if any confessed themselves to be Christians they should be put to death nomen pro crimine the very name of Christians was taken for a crime it seems he is of opinion that if the Presbyterians prevaile it is not unprobable that Edict may be revived againe And afterward when Prynne would have the Civill Magistrate to suppresse restraine imprison confine and banish the setters up of new Formes of Ecclesiasticall Government without lawfull Authority Burton conceiving himselfe aymed at cries out most pitifully And must I undergoe all these terrible censures because you so judge but what if your judgement be altogether erroneous what punishment is due to him that condemnes the Innocent you may be a Civill Judge one day Remember then Brother that if I come before you that you meddle not with my Conscience if you should make a Law like that of the Jewes that who so confesseth Christ to be the Sonne of God shall be Excommunicate I shall be apt to transgresse that Law but yet take heed how you punish me with an ense rescidendum or I know not what Club-Law It seemes Burton himselfe feares when his Brother Prynne comes to be Judge as if you his good Masters prevaile you cannot reward him for the losse of his eares and good service done you in writing and pleading for you with a lesse place we are in some likelihood to have such Lawes put in Execution against Christians as were of old among the Jewes for as John Goodwin another of Prynnes Brethren speaking of him in his Book forequoted sayes the Statutes of Omri are as good for his turne if authorized by Parliament as the Statutes of Moses the manner of the House of Ahab as laudable as the manner of the House of David yea of God himselfe And indeed Prynnes behaviour and language hath been such towards his Soveraign towards the Church of England his Mother and towards some of his own Brethren of late that every honest man hath cause to put it into his Let any and say from Prynnes pride malice and cruelty from his bloudy disposition and Tyranny from his cursed lies and calumnies his Religion practices and blasphemies Good Lord deliver us But to make an end with these two Brethren Prynne accuseth Burtons Faction of obstinacy singularity arrogancy selfe-ends and sayes that Independency stript of all disguising pretences is nothing but Pharisaicall vainglorious selfe-conceitednesse of superlative Holinesse Burton takes Pepper at this and sayes that Prynnes malice is liberall in throwing dirt in their faces and confesseth ingenuously that if he and his side should undergoe all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say nothing a fooles Cap and a Bell were fittest for them with which I leave them Now the reason of this large repetition of the Passages betwixt these men is to shew a proofe of that little agreement that is amongst the best of you and truly till you have brought these Brethren with their followers to a better unity we shall never thinke you guilty of any great Piety what ever your pretences be Besides by the way you may observe and sâ—e that Henry Burton himselfe doth not very well approve of your Parliamentary proceedings and lesse cause have we to like well of them I wonder how the best of you all will answer this you all take Henry Burton for a very honest man one he is that hath suffered much for the Cause and was up to the eares in the businesse as well as Prynne and in your grave judgements as worthy as he of the greatest Triumph that ever was permitted by a Court of Parliament to fellowes of such demerit since the world began one that is deeply gone in the way of perfection yea so farre that I hope you will think it impossible that he should slide back or fall away specially in these times of new Light and Revelation And further too himselfe affirmeth before all the world in his said Book whether you take notice of it or no I cannot tell but if you doe not you are much to blame that he was out for the State that is for you the Parliament 4 or 500 l. this was year 1644. it seems the Bishops had not left him so poore as you leave your prisoners or else he had thrived well since that he could spare so much yea and he professes too that he did it with a cheerfull heart not for squint-eyed respects to lay out so much at once to receive of the State so much Annuity as it seemes some provident men doe No what he did was out of pure and perfect love to you therefore no man can think that he speaks any thing of you out of malice or disaffection but only out of truth and singlenesse and yet you see he dares not trust his soule with you as you are a Parliament he reports of you as of persons to be suspected notwithstanding your Memberships And how you will ever be able to acquit your selves in this businesse I know not But againe as there is no unity in your Piety or Religion so neither is there any truth or goodnesse in it 't is neither vera nor bona and therefore you cannot be such holy persons as you would be accounted you intitle God indeed to your doings but this is no argument of godlinesse unlesse your Actions were more godly you mind not to approve your selves like him but desire that he should be thought like you you would have us conceive you to be great with God but we perceive you either will not or dare not trust him and this makes us believe that you are not very inward with him let your own Consciences speak do you not confide more in the Militia of the Kingdome then you do in his strength and providence for protection and preservation why else doe you keep such a racket to have the management of that out of his hands wherein God hath placed it did you live by Faith as the just and righteous doe you could not possibly be so eager after the arme of flesh the true Church of Christ was never in more security then when she had least of that to trust to I have heard it affirmed by a learned and peaceable Minister of the Protestant Church of France that they of their Religion never
our Saviour did with praiers in our mouths for them which it may be through Gods working may have a like effect after our death as Christs had to the conversion of some of them the conversion of those 3000. Act. 2. is held to be a fruit of Christs prayer upon the Crosse and Sauls conversion of Stephens prayer at his death so who knowes but our meeknesse our patience and our prayers at such a time may be effectuall to a like purpose even to draw some of our persecuting Countreymen from their bloudy and rebellious way into the paths of Christ and of his Gospel yea whether we live or die if we can do Christ and the King service no other way let us resolve and endeavour to pray down their and our enemies by praying for them And by all meanes while breath is in us let 's have a care so to live as we may still credit our righteous cause and as becometh those that are designed to slaughter for Jesus sake and for the Doctrine which he left us Holy bloud believe it will prove of harder digestion to them then prophane that they had killed the holy and the just one was that which afterward pierced the hearts of these mens elder Brethren when time was I say no more But the Lord strengthen and guide us all in our Christian and Loyall way by his grace and spirit that though we be a people robbed spoiled snared in holes hid in prison-houses driven to banishment and exposed for a prey yet we may walk before our God in all humilitie and well-pleasing to the restauration of his Gospells honour the inward comfort of our own spirits in the midst of miseries and to the conviction and shame of our unnaturall Countrey-men who seeke to take away our lives also from us Soli Deo Gloria Amen Amen May 26. 1646. A POST-SCRIPT to the READER THis Book was prepared as now you have it and might have seen the light within lesse then the compasse of that year wherein the Libell which it Answers was first published had there been at hand the convenience of a Presse and strength to bring forth But 't is no small advantage which the enemies have against Truth and the King that with them is both liberty and ability to vent what they please whereas with us is neither Had we but halfe the like helps encouragements and powers which they have had the world should see that the King hath Subjects and the Truth Defenders There hath been a further alteration of Affaires to the worse on the Kings side since this Book was written as may be collected from many passages therein and divers particulars concerning the enemies deportment here expressed have so fallen out as foreshewn for indeed 't is no difficult matter for any man acquainted with their spirits to fore-speak their doings Had there appeared any change in them to the better nay had their growth but promised a probability of more Christianity and duty in their future then hath been in their past Actions or then was here prognosticated of them this publication perhaps having been thus delayed had been still suspended though in very deed there is no reason why for such a cause it should have been quite stifled seeing that their Libell which it confuteth is divulged printed reprinted and still sold to the Kings darkening and defamation Besides many other scandalous and vile Pamphlets have been and are daily sent forth on purpose to damp his Lustre and to staine his Glory yea and translated too they are into other Languages that he might appear deform'd and spotted to the eye of Forraign Nations which because they have not been Answered with a like industry on our parts Strangers have thought yea and affirmed that nothing could be said for him because nothing was scil to their capacitie we have say they read in our owne languages many Bookes against him but none in his behealfe it must be acknowledged in very deed that this way the enemies have been more diligent in defaming then we have been in defending the King though in our own tongue there hath been abundance written in his justification and to their detection The Protestants of other Countryes unto whom the Kings bosome was alwayes open in their distresse towards whom his bowels alwayes yerned and for whose reliefe his commands went often forth to all Churches in his Kingdomes to make Collections how have they at least too many of them by meanes of those industrious Lies and Libels opened their mouthes and stretch'd forth their tongues against him And how are we that suffer with him and for him or rather for the Truth maintained by him esteemed of in our banishment amongst them are we any other but objects of scorn and taunting to them 't was our delight but 't was our duty and our work is with the Lord to obey God and him in contributing to their necessities in the day of their visitation but they take pleasure in this of ours to wound our very wounds and to enlarge our sorrows yea every way to help forward our affliction at what a distance have they looked upon us because the hand of God is out against us what bitter words have they darted at us and which is to our great griefe against the Sacred Person of our Soveraign with what violence and confidence doe they ignorantly undertake to justifie the false reports of his enemies against him Nay how is our Church it selfe the late glory of Christendome and of the whole Earth despised and slighted by them in this time of our persecution The Papists on the one side scoffingly ask us where is now your God where is your Church become you may now freely boast of its Invisibility if you please you have a ground for it c. And our Brethren on the other side that outwardly professe the same Faith with us and from whom we expected better they act Edoms part as reproachfully upon us crying out against our Church and the Government thereof down with it down with it even to the ground For they the Protestants of France in speciall are willingly perswaded by those Letters and Pamphlets sent them out of England that the Professours of the true Religion here before this Parliament begun were kept in a like underly condition as themselves are in their own Country though those French Congregations allowed in England might in their gratitude to our King have given them a better and more true information had they so pleased But upon this conceit they in France apprehend this Warre here against the King to be undertaken only to recover Liberty to worship God in the right manner that is to say after the French Mode or Discipline as they think at least and are made to believe and most people loving their own wayes and fashions best though lesse perfect then their neighbours cannot but wish good luck to all such as are stooping towards them and rejoyce for
in regard of their abuses of him I may say then they can beleeve him to be It was the saying of a good Subject since these wars begun O that the people of England did but know their King they would love him they would beleeve him they would not abuse him But we must not wonder to see a good King in Gods condition We proceed therefore to their next particular where they Charge the King to have settled himself in the seat of the Scornful and we will see their truth in that The Psalmist informes us that those onely that are at ease have leasure to take up a sitting in that place and not those that are in an afflicted condition Did the King live the life of the men of Westminster and had all the wealth and pleasures of this Kingdome at his command and were he withall of their disposition indued with their spirits to act their parts there might be some probability of truth in this particular but it being cleane contrary with them there is no likelyhood at all in it 1. Had He been a Subject and by good fortune chosen Burgesse of some Corporation or Knight of some Shire and sate in the House of Commons amongst them at this present and had concurred first in pretending to settle Religion to make a glorious Church to advance Christ and then afterward in consulting how to take away the Churches maintenance to slight the places of Gods Worship that they might be of no more esteem then common Houses Alehouses Barns and Stables in persecuting banishing and imprisoning the Fathers of the Church and Ministers of Jesus those in special who have been the greatest opposers of Antichristianity and Popery and in giving liberty to all Sects and Religions save only to the true one which commands Humility Loyalty and Obedience had he I say been such a man and thus imployed then he might justly indeed have been said to sit in the Chaire of the scornfull and to have exercised his scoffes and scorns against God himselfe Or 2. had he been one of those that under pretence of advancing the Liberty and Happinesse of the Subject should vote away the Subjects right to his own goods sometimes a twentieth part sometime a fifth part sometime all under a pretence of taking away Monopolies and Illegall payments should bring in such new toles and taxations as the Nation was never acquainted with excize upon bread beere butter cheese flesh and all Commodities that are used for the life of man under pretence of being one of the good Patriots and preservers of their country should raise Wars cause desolations burne houses hire strange Nations with their Countries money to come to kill their Country-men under pretence of keeping tender Consciences from unnecessary matters should force upon them unlawfull Oathes ungodly Covenants even to the taking up of Armes against their Soveraigne to whom they have sworne Allegeance to the damnation of their souls for ever without deep Humiliation and Repentance Had the King I say beene one of these men and done thus He might deservedly have been said to have sate in the Scorners Chaire and to have laughed to scorne a whole Nation Or 3. had He been one of that number who talke of making the King a glorious Monarchie and yet take from Him all His Power Authority not suffer Him to have so much as the choice of His own Servants the Rule of His own Family the disposall of His own Children the society of His own Wife That promise to make Him the richest Prince in Christendome yet rob Him of all His Goods and Revenews and not allow Him so much if they can help it as shall buy Him bread to eat or cloathes to wear that call themselves His most Humble and obedient Subjects yet obey Him in nothing but study to vex and crosse Him in every thing hire fellowes to hunt Him to shoot at Him and if they can to kill Him that avouch great love and affection to Him desires to advance His Honour and yet Authorize Libells and base Bookes to defame slander and reproach Him If the King were one of this Generation and should concurre in such Actions He might be said to sit in the seat of the Scornfull indeed and to bestow His Scornes before all the world upon His Soveraigne Or lastly were He one of them that partly by fraud partly by violence having stripp'd their Soveraigne of all His Weapons Castles Ships and Townes and of the Hearts of many of His People and scarce left Him a place to hide His Head in in three Kingdomes should maintaine a cursed villaine to proclaime up and down the world that He is runne away very Majestically to set up a new Monarchy in the I le of Anglesey this indeed were to sit in and to fill up the Seat of the Scornfull for this is right Hail King of the Jewes which was plaine scorning in the Hall at Jerusalem according to Scripture and so doubtlesse if Scripture might be Judge it is in the Hall at Westminster We doe confesse and beleeve that were the King in this sort qualified conditioned and exercised then that imputation of theirs might be laid upon him But it being with him as it is we see no reason above-board why they should entitle him to the scorners Chaire unlesse his Magnanimity and Christian Courage bearing his burden of affliction be taken to be a contemning and scorning at their malice But yet they have a reason doubtlesse and ends too for this their charging the King though they think it fit for to conceale them I am one appointed of God to detect the devices of Satan and to unkennell the thoughts of the wicked and I dare be bolder with them then they for their own Credit sake dare be with themselves and therefore I shall discover them First their Reason I apprehead is this they know themselves worthy to be both abhorred and scorned of all men and doe beleeve they are so in the Hearts of all the wise for their most abominable and grosse hypocrisie yea they know in their Consciences that God scornes at them they being exercised as those are whom Scripture affirmeth God holdeth in derision and therefore they speake of the Kings scorne at them from the guilt of their own merits and deservings Then their Ends I conceive are these first to make His Majesty appeare abhominable unto the world which is the main scope of all their endeavours for t is said the Scorner is an abhomination unto men And secondly that the blinde and seduced vulgar might not think them to be guilty of that sinne which with so much boldnesse and bitternesse they doe first of all charge upon the King It is the knowne policy of a wicked harlot to call her honest neighbour whore first and of a pick-purse pursued to cry stop the Theef that himself might not be suspected to be the man You take too much
there is any such Combination opposed by the two Parliaments of England and Scotland as these men mention is more perhaps then the Readers have heard of before or then they do yet beleeve upon the bare affirmation of these Relaters who are but men all men are Subject to Error Indeed we have heard of a most ungodly and unlawfull Association betwixt those whom they call the two Parliaments and certaine other people in England and Scotland The tenour of which is if I rightly apprehend never to lay downe Armes nor to admit of Peace till they have accomplished their owne ends upon the King and his Friends and satisfied their Lusts upon them And to defend and assist with their lives and fortunes all those whoever they be without exception that shall joyne with them against the King his Party So that be they Papists Turkes Jewes Heathens Atheists Arrians Irish Tigres Devills of Hell if they do but joyne with them against their King and those that Honour him as Gods Annointed for this very cause and reason they have bound themselves by Oath they have vowed and protested to defend and maintaine them with their lives and fortunes even till death and never to forsake them If there be a more generall illegall and irreligious Combination then that is which any others have entred into these relaters should have done well to have given the Reader a Copy of the same who otherwise must apprehend them in these their words to be only at their old vomit againe Because they cannot possibly devise more evill and mischiefe to Charge upon others then themselves do practice against others therefore they still impute unto others their own iniquities or else their guilty Consciences makes them fancy that they see their own pictures in other mens faces But we will not omit to observe the ingenuity of these men though it be but a little intimated in those their two words Almost and Some they do not say all the Papists in Europe absolutely all the prelaticall Court faction without any limitation have entred into this fancyed Combination But all the Papists in Europe almost and some of the Prelaticall and Court faction the word almost doth exclude all the Papists that either are or may be under the Parliament Pay and Service and the word Some may excuse those of the Prelaticall or Court Faction that hold intelligence with those at Westminster and are men of like complexion with them dissemblers disobedient unthankfull treacherous heady and high-minded however they carry themselves to outward appearance And truly we beleeve that if these tale-tellers would but speak out when the fit of ingenuity is upon them they would confesse and acknowledge that if any Papists in the world any of the Bloudy Tigers of Ireland will but joyne with those whom they call the two Parliaments against the King and that little flock which for Conscience sake remain Loyall to him they shall be accepted and absolved presently from what is past they shall be reckoned Papists no more Bloudy Tigers of Ireland no more but all good men and true in a moment and have free leave yea and money too to act over againe their bloudy Tragedies here in England Or if any of the Court Faction of what Religion or conversation soever will but vouchsafe to be more vile and wicked then ever they have been and be hired as Judas was to betray their Master or to render up to his Enemies those places of Defence committed to their Trust and so come off from the King to their Parliament side they shall be welcome and Voted good all upon the suddaine Truly we never heard of any yet that had the Conscience to act the part of a Traitour or of a villaine against God his Prince and Country but hath been accepted by them and as was said we beleeve if our subtile and suspected Brethren would but speake out when the moode of ingenuity is upon them they would confesse as much But the Reason as we conceive why they yoke Papists Irish Tigers and the Court Faction thus together and affirme them to be entred into a Combination is this Because they would that the common people should have an equall odious esteem of each of these three sorts whom they would also should be apprehended to be the onely persons that maintaine and uphold the King and whom the King doth only respect and adhere unto therefore they would that we unto whom they direct their speech should decline him and his Cause and joyne with themselves and their faction against Him that and them In Answer to which I shall only declare in a word what our judgements and opinions are of each of these three sorts of people 1. Concerning Papists we the Persecuted and Loyall Protestants of this Kingdome doe more abjure their Religion then these men do that speak so bitterly against them though we do not think it lawfull to enter into a Combination to root them out of the Earth by shedding of their Bloud no though they should enter into such a one to destroy us for we have no warrant in the Gospell so to doe T is the Word of God that is ordained to suppresse false Religions and not the Sword of Man Fire Sword and Pistolls are the Weapons of Antichrist and not of Christ. And because of their Religion we are heartily sorry that there are any Papists in the Kings Armies for that scandall which ignorant people take by them through the perverse suggestions of the crafty Adversary who from hence take occasion to keep their affections enstranged from their Soveraigne Not that hereby any scandall is justly given by His Majesty for we hold it not only Lawful for him to make use of those of that Religion but also necessary yea it would be a sinne against God if being assaulted by Theeves and Rebells he should not use the meanes for his own Preservation and imploy for his own defence all those whom God hath submitted under his Government for that purpose there is no man if he should be assaulted by Robbers and Murderers but would make use of the aide of a Turke to save his life Yea these very men themselves we see can hire Papists from other Countryes to help them to destroy their Soveraigne and is it not meet and reasonable that the King should permit Papists his owne Subjects to help to preserve him from such their violence Indeed we are ashamed and blush that Papists should out-goe any that beare the name of Protestants in duty and obedience to their King that any whom this Church hath bred should so desert their Soveraign in his danger who hath protected them in theirs as that he should need the help of Papists Sorry we are at the heart that this occasion is given to have any of another Religion to defend the Defender of our Faith against the basenesse and violence of those persons whom he hath defended in the profession
in the truest and best sence because they do not do the workes of a Parliament Those Jewes in the Gospell were not Abrahams Children in Christs sense which was the truest and the best because they did not doe Abrahams Workes they called themselves indeed his Children in respect of the flesh or walls as I may say that did inclose them which they had from Abraham But Christ calls them A Generation of Vipers and Children of the Devill for all that because they went about to kill and destroy Him their King and Soveraigne which thing sayes he did not Abraham may not we esteem of this Parliament as our Saviour did of those Jewes since there is such a similitude betwixt them both in words and manners we know that Christ did well enough approve of those Children of Abraham who did Abrahams Workes notwithstanding his dislike of those in particular whom he speaks against so may we notwithstanding our dislike of this Parliament highly esteem of another which shall do Parliamentary actions Now the Works or actions of a Christian Parliament are to Heal and not to make breaches in a Church or State to settle Religion and peace not to destroy either to make and confirm good Laws not to null them to suppresse all sects and false opinions not to give free liberty unto them to consult for the Kings Honour and dignitie not to countenance and Authorize base Libells to his defamation to advise for the wealth and flourishing condition of the Subjects not to impoverish or to ruine them these and such like have been and properly still are the works of Parliaments and to such conditioned Parliaments we are no enemies we account a true Parliament our Palladium the strength of the Kingdome we have the same opinion of it as the Trojans had of their Palladium they held their City invincible so long as they kept their Palladium inviolate so might our Nation have been reckoned under Gods protection invincible if these unhappy men had not perverted the power and priviledges of that most High and Honourable Court But alas never was Noble Nation so abused and destroyed as this is and hath been per Catulos istos Catilinarios I may truly call them who have been the instruments of infection to this so much desired meeting who if the God of Heaven do not oppose and subdue we are never like to have any more Parliaments which is one of our greatest feares if these men prevail they will assuredly never have any above them that shall call them to a reckoning be they never so lascivious in evill never so mischievous or destructive of good Now must every one that disrelisheth the courses of this Parliament be judged an Enemy to all Parliaments Truly 't is too unreasonable too harsh a censure but 't is our Burden and we must bear it And yet this is not all for we are sentenced to be Enemies of Reformation too an Enemy to Parliaments and Reformation But do these two go always together May not a man possibly be a friend to the one and no wel-wisher to the other We have heard of some that have been well affcted to Parliaments and yet not to Reformation But this we apprehend is only added to exasperate the peoples rage against us that with the more violence and speed they may dispatch us as being Enemies to all that good is Indeed if Parliaments and Reformation were as they ought to be unseparable Companions then He or they who were friends to the one were also friends to both of necessity But these very men will confesse and say that in Queen Maries dayes there was Parliament and Deformation and so wofull experience tels us there is now Yea and Depopulation too of Houses families and men and Devastation of true Religion and Law The Reformation if they so call it by this Parliament is such a one as Nebuzaradan Steward to Nebuchadnezzar made at Jerusalem when he threw down the walls both of the City and Temple we confess to all the world we are enemies to this kind of Reformation and so hope shall ever be But to that which is of sin and evill whether in Church or State we are most affectionate friends do humbly beg of God to this end that he would please to settle the King in his Throne and give him such a Parliament as may have grace truly and intentionally not in pretence onely to go about it sed de his satis onely we doe observe from hence before hand how our Bill of indictment shall run if these men lay hands on us what those Crimes are which the people shall be made beleeve we are put to death for Because we are enemies to Parliaments and Reformation to God and all good men yea and wilfull on our Enmity too we would not be reclaimed by any meanes no not by the help of Miracles or such Revelations as these are But what is this we hear Miracles and Revelations pleaded in these dayes and by these men Are not these of that number who were wont heretofore to cry out against the Papists because wanting the written word to justifie their way they alleadged Miracles and Revelations See the strength of Resolution in these stout Champions rather then submit to Scripture to their Soveraigne to the Truth to Reason they will joyn hands in this also with the Papists whom they have formerly so much condemned and being brought to a like strait will make use of like Arguments to warrant their own proceedings I confess Astonishment did much possess my spirit for a great while at their courses so directly contrary to Gods plain word till at last I met with a certain Sermon preached by one William Bridge and ordered to be Printed by a Committee of the House of Commons subscribed by John White wherein the Preacher speaking of Reformation now so much talked on teacheth the people that 't is a sin in them to look that it should be effected in Gods ordinary way or to expect that Gods assistance should come as in former times to the furtherance of it for saies he now God is working extraordinarily and to tie him to ordinary ways and means in such times as these is to tempt and to limit God this he repeats over three or four times for peoples better observance and then concludes positively that ' t is the second great sin that hath made a stoppage in Englands mercies this tempting of God by expecting reformation in an ordinary way though it was wont to be accounted a tempting of God to expect his help in ways extraordinary His ful sense I suppose in those his expressions is as if he had spoken more fully out thus My beloved Brethren Gods word was indeed heretofore the rule and square to order your course by and because therein you find no warrant to rebel against your King to kil slay and destroy your Brethren to go in such ways as the Parliament hath voted
Chaos First down with a well governed Church then with a wel ordered State and then a Butcherly confusion follows presently not onely in one but in all places But I shall take the boldness to make a few queres about the particulars SECT XIII 1. Of their Propositions at Uxbridge Foure Pretences for their Abolition of Episcopacy 2. Four true Reasons of that their sinfull request 1. WHy the Abolition of Episcopacy Was not their pretence and promise at first to make the Church Glorious and according to the Pattern of Primitive times and was not the Church then Governed by Bishops Was not the Doctrine and Discipline of this particular Church settled here in King Edwards dayes by Bishops who sealed the same afterward with their bloud and hath ever any particular Nationall Church so flourished as this hath here done under that Government did the first establishers of any other Ecclesiasticall Discipline ever give so reall and substanciall a Testimony of confirmation as these did to what they had in this kind done Or was their work ever approved with a like measure of Gods blessing Hath ever any one Church since the Ascension of our Saviour brought forth in four-score years space so many learned men defenders of verity and oppugners of Antichristianity So many able Preachers and expounders of holy Writ so many knowing Christians and well gifted people of all sorts as the Church of England hath done under the Government of Episcopacy And must it now be abolished in all haste For what causes I pray Pretences they have which we will first consider on and their true reasons afterward 1. They say because t is Impious Unlawfull and Antichristian Were then those Martyr Bishops Cranmer Ridly Hooper Latimer Farrer all Antichristian Were Jewell Downam Andrews Abbot King and many others of that Order that writ against Antichrist all themselves Antichristian Must Gods Wisdome now receive a check for suffering his Church to flourish thus long under a Government Antichristian Will this new Generation undertake to teach the Almighty also to rule his Flock and Family better then He hath hitherto done by their Abolition of Episcopacy Indeed some of them have taught that Hierarchie it self was Antichrist though Scripture speaking of Antichrist calls him a man of sin not a sinful Order if Hierarchy were any such thing but no marvail that those who think they can teach God himself do take upon them to contradict the Scripture O but say they the Romish Religion is Antichristian and the Government of that Church is by Episcopacy And yet this Government is more Ancient then that Religion as now professed and therefore that Religion cannot make it Antichristian Nor is that Church Antichristian because of that Government but rather because the precepts of men there like our Ordinances of Parliament here are preferred before the Word of God The Bishops there are called Antichristian because like our men of Westminster they are such abrogators of and such dispensers with Gods Lawes and such tyrannous exactors and importuners of their owne Because like them they are or have been at least some of them so treacherous in their pretences so barbarous in their executions so contrary in their doings to the meek and milde Doctrine of Christs Gospell breathing forth cruelty fire and sword against those that are not of their own opinion though no otherwise offending them then in their desiring to amend them Because they are in their conditions so like unto those that would from amongst us abolish Episcopacy therefore are the Bishops in the Romish Church called Antichristian and for no other reason Their Second Argument or pretence why Episcopacy must be Abolished is because say they all other Reformed Churches have abolished Bishops and till we have abolished them too Reformation will not be perfect in this Nation This Reason is false Or were it true yet the conclusion from it is most untrue The Churches in Denmark Swevia and Poland do retaine Episcopacy after the manner of the Greek and Russian Churches and those of Africk and the Easterne Countries And for those particular Churches that have abolished that Government it is first to be enquired before there be a conformity to their practice whether therein they have done well or no and whether since that time they have thrived better without it then we have done that have enjoyed it If it be remembred what is recorded to be said at the meeting at Dort to our English Divines by some of them that were sent thither from those other reformed Churches concerning their own unhappiness in respect of the want of such an Episcopal Government as ours was and concerning our Churches felicity in its enjoyment therof perhaps it would be concluded that this similitude aymed at with other Churches is only in misery and imperfections and that those other so admired Churches come short of ours in perfection of Reformation and not ours of them and of this opinion doubtless were those wise and learned Divines of the Religion as they are called in France who petitioned the Cardinal Richlieu as I have heard credibly reported that they might be permitted to have Bishops over their Congregations But he answered No for then you would have at least the face of a Church among you That learned Gentleman Sir Edwin Sands tels us in his Europae Speculum that the Papists are more awed with the Reformation of Religion in England then with that in any other Country and have bin says he more busie in their attempts against our Church as conceiving it to be most perfect of any other in regard of that peaceable and orderly alteration introduced therein which was not says he in a tumultuous headlong way as was that in other Churches but by the general consent of the Prince and Realm representatively assembled in solemn Parliament as also in regard of the continuation of the Government by Bishops and vocation of Ministers which the inconsiderate weakness of other Churches did not retain or rather the violent wickedness of profane men coveting the Churches possessions would not suffer Thus he But now we have amongst our selves some above-board who it seemes are resolved though with the destruction of Church and Kingdome to free the Papists from their Ancient dread they will have all things here as they are and have been in other Churches that former orderly Reformation which did so awe the Adversary shall be over-done and made perfect by an heady tumultuous innovation our Government by Bishops shall be quite abolished even root and branch and all the Churches Revenues shall be imployed to prophane uses that so we may be fully conformable to other Reformed Churches this is the issue of their second Argument Their 3. Pretence to the same purpose is this Bishops must be abolished because they have been specially of late such enemies unto and Persecutors of Gods People viz. those of their Faction For as if they were all Kings of China they
reason of the Abolition of Episcopacy that the Fathers of Gods Church might not have power to punish and suppress such kind of offenders 2. Because Episcopacy is the upholder of truth and order this is evident enough to be another reason themselves cannot deny that the same was first ordained established in the Church for a Remedy against Heresies Sects and Schismes which even in the Primitive times began to spring up among Christians the Smectymnists themselves confesse this and also for the maintaining of Order and Decency in Gods worship and service wherfore truth and order being the things which these men purpose to suppresse and destroy as appeares by that in-let which they have given to all false Doctrines and Teachers and by that confusion which they have set up in all places therefore a necessity lyes upon it Episcopacy must be Abolished as being a main obstruction to that their intendment or undertaking This is the second 3. Because Episcopacy is a great friend to Monarchy a maine supporter of it King James upon experience and observation was wont to say No Bishop no King which saying those that found most fault with it do now endeavour to make good unto the full for they intend the utter destruction of Monarchy in this Kingdome as will appeare by their words anon a form of Government indeed which their Faction have alway maligned and laboured to destroy King James in his Basilicon Doron pag. 4. which he made before he was King of England complaines of the men of this faction then in Scotland how they did use to calumniate him in their popular Sermons not sayes he for any evill or vice in me but because I am a King which they think the Highest evill and againe they informed saies he the people that Kings and Princes were naturall enemies to the Liberty of the Church and could never patiently beare the yoake of Christ which hath been the very Doctrine of these times Wherefore that wise King was most specially carefull all his dayes to countenance and establish Episcopacy in all His Kingdomes not onely as the main preserver of Religion but also as the speciall upholder of Monarchie and he layes it as a charge upon his Son to imitate him therein And indeed these innovators know full well that they cannot bring their designes to effect against Monarchy without the Abolition of Episcopacy for this keeps downe those unruly fiery spirits of the Ministry which are used as chief incendiaries in all State Combustions this restraines them from reproaching their betters and Speaking evill of Dignities this maintaines that Common form of Prayer in this Church established by the use whereof as by a daily Sermon of obedience peoples hearts are seasoned with Duty and Loyaltie in that they are taught continually to acknowledge God to be the onely Ruler of Princes and the Kings Heart to be in Gods Hand who alone must be sought unto to guide and dispose the same in that also we are all taught as we are subjects daily to consider that it is Gods Authority which the King hath and that we are faithfully to serve Honour and humbly obey Him in God and for God Viz. because God hath so commanded and because He is in Gods own stead by his appointment and ordination over the people And by many other such like Divine and Godly expressions people are taught in their use of that book to make profession of their Duty Loyaltie unto their Prince all which make directly against these men and their designes therefore Episcopacy the upholder of this book as the main impediment to their Project down the Common-prayer Book too without any reason at all alleadged on their parts that take upon them to be the Abolishers In a word Episcopacy with her Common-Prayer Book will not admit Treason to stand in the first rank of Christian vertues as these new-Reformers would have it nor be held the fairest and shortest way to Heaven Ergo She and that too must be both Abolished to make way for the downfall of Monarchy in this late most flourishing and happy Kingdom This is the third Reason The 4. is because the King at His Coronation did take a Solemne Oath to maintain Episcopacy it being the Government then established in the Church and the endeavours of these men are not only to destroy the Kings Honour by their Tongues and Pens His Body and Estate by their violence and oppression but also His Soul if they can possibly by forcing upon Him the guilt of perjury which if they could effect beside that unappeaseable grief which in so tender a Conscience as the Kings is they know they should create they would also purchase to themselves an Argument for confirmation of those their slanders already cast out against him to the same purpose viz. that he is regardlesse of keeping his Oath and Promise And besides too if they can make him their Instrument to ruine the Church of God which he loves so dearly and to destroy Monarchy and Kingly Government whereby himself and his posterity are supported if they can make him their Agent to ruine himself it will speake them admirable gifted and to have out-gone all the Machivillians that ever were before them most worthy therefore and fit to enjoy the Supremacy in the State and to be feared of all people And then further yet if they can get the King at their motion to Abolish Episcopacy they shall occasion him to break the Charge which his Father layed upon him to the contrary in his Basilicon Doron which he calls his Testament The Charge and Caveat there given is in these words Take heed my sonne of those Puritanâ— which aime â—t a parity who are the very pests in Church and Common-wealth whom no deserts can oblige no Oathes or promises binde they breathe nothing but Calumny and Sedition aspiring without measure railing without reason and making their own imaginations without warrant of the Word the square of their Conscience I protest before the Great God and since I am here as upon my Testament t is no place for me to lie in that you shall never finde with any Hye land or Border-theeves greater ingratitude more lies and viler perjuries then with these phanatick spirits And suffer not the Principals of them to brooke your Land if ye like to sit at rest except you would keep them for to trye your Patience as Socrates did an evill wife These were the words of the Kings Father wherefore should His Majesty let these men with his good will and approbation be principall in the Church and yeild for this purpose to their desires in abolishing Episcopacy God doubtless would be much offended with him for not minding the Commandement of his Father Yea and peradventure too these his tempters would goe neer afterward to suggest unto his Subjects for they have mouth and fore-head enough to do it that the King like his Predecessour Edward the
of all those Sects and Heresies to the destruction of Christian Protestation Religion which by their crafty and violent seizing upon the Militia were but only let in to the Church May it please His Sacred Majesty and all His Loyall Subjects to remember when the Pope of Rome these mens Grandsire for however in words they disclaime kindred with Him yet are they wholly like Him in Conditions they tread in His steps observe His method end in all their undertakings when He I say after the fashion of these His Nephews had fraudulently forceably seized upon the Militia of His Soveraign the Emperour then did all Corruption and false Doctrine make entrance into that Church the light grew dim And when the Emperour afterward gave his Consent that the said Pope and his conclave formerly His Subjects should have that His power and Authority which at first indeed he laboured to recover againe unto himselfe settled in their hands then was all that wickednesse formerly but admitted confirmed and established and the faithfull Church became from thenceforth a very Harlot Let Story be observed and it will be found that the fall of the Empire the rise of the Pope-dome above it and the spring of Mahumatisme happened all about one time and the two last might be permitted of God for a punishment of the first For it is no small sinne for the Supream Magistrate to part with that depositum out of his hands which the Almighty hath intrusted solely with him Histories doe sufficiently testifie what extreame molestations the Emperour hath been put unto and what base affronts have been put upon him by his proud Subjects of Rome Since he gave his consent that the Militia of that City and Country should be settled in their Hands Himselfe is there now but vox non significativa He hath the Title of Roman Emperour and no more And such must be the condition of our King if he be not warned by the Emperours example He must be content to be only an unsignificant voice too in his own Kingdom yea and to be regulated in his expences if he have leave to live yet he shall be so ordered that he doe not live profusely or have wherewithall to dare to practice ought to their prejudice Yea and he must learne to hold the Stirrup too to kisse the Toe to bow the Knee to the Supremacy or Popes of the Lower House if they shall at any time please to frown upon him or to Vote him a Delinquent Well let but these things be seriously and with judgement thought upon by moderate men and then let reason speak whether it be fit that the King should yeild to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they would have him whether it be meet he should suffer the Sword to be carryed before the Gran Concilii rather then still before himselfe and should settle the Militia of the three Kingdomes in their hands which are good onely by their own Testimony But I have been perhaps too tedious in scanning the Reasons of this their second demand we come therefore to advise a little upon the third Proposition which say they concernes the Vindication of the Irish Rebells SECT XV. 1. Of their Vindicating the Irish Rebells How fully they have done it in one sense 2. And how glad should we be if themselves would go and do it in the other Their true intention in that demand opened TO Vindicate in the most vulgar acception is to Justifie and acquit from blame and if they take the word in that sense they have Vindicated them too sufficienly already and much more then hath become men of their Profession For as God by his Prophets tells Jerusalem that she had multiplyed her abominations more then her sisters Sodome and Samaria she had justified them in all which they had done in her going beyond them in wickednesse and that she was a Comfort to them so may it be said of these men they have multiplyed their transgressions more then their Brethren the Rebells of Ireland they have Justified them in what ere they have done they have been a Comfort to them Surely the Irish doings shall not be remembred in the day that the impieties of those of this Nation are reckoned up Did the Irishâ—ob â—ob kill and roste Christians So have these done did they burn Houses strip Men and Women naked scourge them and expose them to the wide world These have not been behinde in such doings did the Irish Rebell against their Soveraigne These have both overtaken and also gone beyond them in this sin for though nothing should cause men to Rebell yet to say the truth the Irish lived formerly under a more hard bondage which might provoke their corruptions whereas these Jesurun-like rebelled out of meere wantonnesse Nor did those Irish execute their savage Cruelty as was noted before on those of their own nation and Religion as these English have done they did not defile their own Churches nor kill and abuse their own Priests but these have delighted to prophane and destroy those places where themselves had formerly met to worship God and have offered most speciall despight to the Ministers of their own Religion who baptized them and preached Gods truth unto them Besides the Religion which the Irish Rebells professe is not so directly opposite to such barbarous Cruelties which they have committed as is that which these of England pretend unto nor have they been so bold as those to entitle God unto all their outrages they think they need a pardon both from God and the King for their inhumanityes and Rebellions whereas these stand upon their Justification and have often despised the Kings mercy when tendered to them nor have they in Ireland persecuted and pursued the Kings Sacred person they have not reviled nor railed upon him as these have done Never any such reproachfull Libell as this which we oppose doe we read was sent abroad by the Rebells of Ireland against their Soveraign nor yet did we hear that ever those Irish took so solemn a Protestation at the beginning of their Parliament as these English did to maintain the Kings person Honour and Estate In a word Those Irish are not so impudent as these hard-fore-headed English are as to call them Rebells and Traitours who according to their Oath of Allegeance and Protestation do labour to maintain the Kings life and right against them but they yeeld themselves to be or to have been in a Rebellion Wherefore who will not say that the English Rebells have out gone the Irish and by committing evils in a more abominable way have even Justified those their Brethren as Jerusalem did her sisters Sodome and Samaria And yet as if all this were nothing these good men desire to be still Vindicating the Irish Rebells and would have the Militia of the three Kingdomes settled in their own good hands to the same purpose But perhaps by Vindication these mean punishment and revenge
meanes the land is restored to tranquility and the King to his Crown and dignity For doubtlesse the Religion of the Papists is as dear to them as the Religion of Miles Corbet Edmund Prideaux and Zouch Tate the three chief examiners of the Kings Letters is to them and may with as little detriment to any Church or State be tollerated And besides the Penalty which the King promiseth to take away is not as I conceive to be levied upon the Papists meerely because such for it may be exacted upon others also though of another Religion if they be guilty of these particulars Scil. if they shall refuse to take the Oath of Supremacy and Allegeance to the King 2. If they shall Raise disturbance in the Church or State 3. If they shall Seduce the Kings Subjects from their Religion and Obedience 4. If they shall Refuse to come to Church once in a month at least or to hear Divine service 5. If they shall many of them together Keep private Conventicles and meetings in such cases onely as I conceive the Laws are in force against Papists and against all men else as equally of what Religion soever Wherefore let any man of understanding and justice speak whether these fault-finders themselves be not under the same Penalties as deeply as ever were the Papists Have not they renounced the Oath of Supremacie and Allegeance to the King by making a new Oath and placing the Supremacy in the Heads of their faction Have not they raised such distractions and Rebellions in Church and State as the like was never known Have not they had their private meetings in all places of the Kingdome and seduced thousands of the Kings Subjects from their duty and obedience Do not they refuse to come to Common-Prayer Nay have they not Abolished the same out of Churches that no man at all might come unto it May they doing these things and indeavouring the Kings destruction withall be freed from the Penalty of these Laws And may not the Papists remaining in their due obedience and assisting their Soveraigne against his Enemies according both to Law and duty reasonably enjoy the same freedome though peradventure they come short of one of the particulars which perhaps too is not so much out of Malice as in these others but out of ignorance and mis-information and that is not coming to Common-Prayer to which neither can they come now if they had a mind because it is taken away by those very men who would have the Statutes still in force against the Papists for not allowing of that which themselves with all contempt and scorn have abolished But in the last Page of their Notes they Object in this case also the Kings resolution and promise not to Abolish these Lawes but to joyn with his Parliament in suppression of Popery In answer to which let what hath been said already be well remembred and withall how they that call themselves His Parliamant have not suffered the King to concurre with them but have opposed and persecuted him ever since he declared that his Resolution to the end he might not be able to pursue the same Yea How themselves have compelled him in the continuance of his affliction to do that which they cry out upon him for have endeavoured all they could to force him further had not a great measure of Divine grace upholden him He may justly complaine of them as David did of some in his time They have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other gods They have done what they could to violence him from his Religion and to force him to be a Papist according as they voiced him Never Prince had greater temptations and inforcements yet never Prince was more constant in his Religion blessed be the Majesty of Heaven for him A perpetuall disgrace will it questionlesse be to Protestant Religion in the eyes of all the world beside that any pretending to it should shew themselves so unworthy as to suffer so gratious a Prince to stand in need of Papists to defend him much more that they should by ill usage force him with such promises to seek their ayd but that they should accuse him also for doing the same after they have inforced him to it we must needs cry out O nullo scelus credibile in aevo quodque posteritas neget the Height of their villany is the only advantage they have that it wil not be believed by posterity Wel I say let all those particulars be thought upon by all sober men of this Age and if they be not sufficient in their judgments to plead the King Excusable in this case then let them remember as they were advised before that the King is a man as others are and in his extremity he declared himself to be the Son of David and the Son of Abraham SECT XVIII 1. The Kings granting indempnity to the murderous Irish another Slander The necessity and Reasons of the Kings yeilding to a Peace at that time with the Irish And the Conditions upon which that Peace was to be granted This Act not contradictive to any of his former expressions against their detestable doings 2. The Vanity of their Charge against the King for going in a close trading way Two sufficient Evidences of His Majesties sincere and constant affection to the Protestant Religion 3. The whole Charge against the King most truly retorted upon the Objectors WE come now to the fourth particular in their Charge which is say they granting indempnity to the murderous Irish. This is collected as they tel us in their after-notes from the Kings Letters to Ormund Pap. 16. 17. 18. 19. in all which I assure the world there is no such word or phrase to be found as I wil or I do grant indempnity to the murderous Irish Indeed I find therein his Majesty consenting to a peace with the Irish and he sets down the reasons necessitating him thereunto which these honest Observatours have totally omitted to take notice of lest there should have bin no appearance of blame at all in their accusation in which they do altogether as wisely as Satan did when he spake Scripture to our Saviour for he did omit but only so much of the sentence as would if expressed have made that part alleaged nothing to his purpose And of this all men shal judge for I wil set down in the Kings own words the grounds moving him to write to that purpose unto Ormund Paper 16. Ormund THe impossibility of preserving my Protestant Subjects in Ireland by a continuation of the War hath moved me to give you these powers and directions that is one ground A 2. follows in these words It being now manifest that the English Rebels have as far as in them lyeth given the Command of Ireland to the Scots that their aym is at a total subversion of Religion and regal power and that nothing else wil content them or purchase Peace
themselves in the hearts of these very men and of their Masters at Westminster that they may look with better eyes then ever yet they have done upon Charles their Soveraign whose honour they have pierced and may have better breathings then ever they have had after Christ their Saviour whose Gospel they have scandalized Amen SECT XX. What good use might have been made of these Letters Of the faults laid unto the Queenes Charge specially in loving her Husband I Have done with their Prologue to the Kings Letters and in a manner with their Annotations upon them too which for the most part containe but the same over againe with the mixture of more malice therefore in examining the one I have also in a sort dispatched the other Nor doe I love any more then needs must to busie my selfe in repetitions There are I confesse a few particulars in these their Annotations which as I remember have not been touched upon in the discussion of the former Generall these I shall cull out and only shew them which will be enough and so leave them to the world to be judged of They begin at the end of the Kings Papers their Observations thus Much use may be made of these Precedent Papers and many things therein will appear very worthy our notice In which they speak truth and had not themselves been of too spiderous a nature they might have made much good use of them indeed and have noted from them such dexterity of understanding such undantednesse of resolution such fortitude of spirit in adversity such conjugall faith and affections such paternall care and pitty to his people and such true Christian patience and piety to be in their Soveraigne as cannot be altogether Paralell'd at this day in any Prince of Christendome In a word these Papers speak our King to be compleatly a Councellour a Souldier a Gentleman and a Scholler and had he but trusted to himself more and lesse to the advice of others in the management of his Affaires thousands of his Subjects from these his Letters are most confident that his enemies had not now been triumphant But the notice of such mattters serveth not the turnes of these men nor can their coloured eyes see any thing of this nature in these Letters faults and errors only are thought worthy their observance of which they fancy they have espied great plenty in the King and Queen both The Queens faults though for shew sake they have branched them out into many particulars may all be reduced to one and that is Loving of her Husband Indeed they begin their Complaints against Her with saying She is implacable to our Religion Nation Government but they can instance neither in word or action to make the same appear conjecturall only they tell us afterward of her great care that our Bishops be provided for and the blessing of God be upon her for it they hope that people doe still beleeve that Bishops were enemies to all good and therefore if the Queen doth but manifest any respect to them in their present affliction and persecution it doth sufficiently speak her implacablenesse to our Religion Nation Government Well I wish with my soul that the men of Westminster had proved themselves no worse affected to our Religion Nation and Government then the Queen hath done for then I am sure they had all still been in a most flourishing and happy Condition But the Queen being the Kings Wife must help to bear her Husbands Burden of blame as well as Sorrow even as it shall please these His vassalls to cast it on Her Indeed they tell us also afterward out of Paper 27. that the Queen desires the disbanding of the Parliament in which perhaps they would have her thought an Enemy to our Religion Nation Government But we shall first read Her words and then we may judge whether they import such an interpretation the Queen writing to the King from York saith I understand to day from London that they will have no cessation and that they treat at the beginning of the two first Articles and afterward of the disbanding of the Army certainly I wish a peace more then any and that with greater reason but I would the disbanding of the perpetuall Parliament first and certainly the rest will be easily afterwards I doe not say this of mine own head alone for generally those that are for you and against you in this Country wish an end of it These be the Queenes words entirely She desires a peace more then any and in order to that she wisheth a disbanding of the perpetuall Parliament because otherwise peace is never likely to be had and this is not the judgement of herselfe alone but of all in generall that are both for and against the King in that Country wherefore if this be an Argument of the Queenes enmity against our Religion Nation Government then all those that are both for and against the King in that County of York-shire are Enemies as well as she because they joyne with her in wishing an end to the Warre and restoration of peace unto the Kingdome But by the way I wonder why they should Tax the Queen with implacablenesse to our Government is not that of our nation Monarchiall and that of our Church Episcopall and her Husband the Head and upholder of both can the Queen then be beleeved to be disaffected to either of these the men doubtlesse have lost their senses together with their Loyalty Concerning her Majesties affection to our Religion and Nation let me be bold though one of the meanest upon this occasion to give a Testimony unto my Country-men from mine own experience Those English Protestants who have been in France in these times of persecution cannot but witnesse the same with me and say That the Queen hath been to the uttermost of her power a most tender carefull nursing Mother both to our Religion and Nation in that her Native Kingdome for by her sole meanes and great industry we had places allowed us to meet together to serve God in even publickly after the English manner in each of which Gods Word was faithfully Preached on the Lords Day and truly read together with Divine Service twice a day throughout the week wherunto she was careful that her own Servants of our Nation and Religion whereof she hath many should duly and constantly resort which great priviledge and favour to us was looked on with much regret and spleen by some Jesuited Papists who wickedly reproached Her Majesty for the same exclaiming upon her for a Lutheran and a Protestant even because she had manifested such love to our Nation and Religion in providing for us these Sinagogues which rebukes and reproaches she good Princesse was content for our sakes to bear with meeknesse and patience undoubtedly it may be easily believed from this sweetnesse and goodnesse of her nature after her receipt of so many abuses from some amongst us that had our
These two last lines were scraped by Miles Corbet the Examiner for the Printer to put into a different Character that the Reader might the better observe the Kings fault in them But fearing the dulnesse of mens Capacities if let alone to themselves these quick-scented Note-mongers have put too their helping hand and Collected from them that the King professes to prefer the Queens Health before the Exigence and importance of his own publick Affaires and they hope that people will from hence believe that he prefers his private Affections to his Wife before the care of the whole Common-wealth and therefore will judge it very fit that he be not onely put by his Office for that he is already by his new Masters at Westminster but also kept out for ever and never trusted more with any Affaires of importancy And further they accuse him for avowing Constancy to his Wife and as they expresse it to Her grounds and documents which they would have the Reader apprehend to be to whatsoever the Queen had already or hereafter should propound unto him concerning Religion and the Government of the Common-wealth to which purpose also they say that His Counsels are wholly managed by the Queen though She be of the weaker Sex born an Alien bred up in a contrary Religion yet nothing great or small say they is transacted without her privity and Consent And for this they quote Paper 38. by all which it is apparent they would have it believed that as divers mens Wives being of Masterly dispositions do take upon them to command their Husbands so the Queen doth take it upon her to rule the King and all his Affaires and as many men have submitted themselves to their Wives yoake so hath the King yeilded up himself to his Queens direction and therefore they hope that people have wit enough to conclude from hence that it is not fit the Government of this Church and Kingdom should remain in such hands as heretofore but rather in the hands of his Great and Wise Counsel who are men all of this Nation and bred up in the Protestant Religion and so fitter in all respects then the Queen is Who is one of the weaker sex born an Alien and bred up in a contrary Religion This mischievous suggestion if swallowed for a truth may be of dangerous consequent and therefore I hold it necessary to shew the falsity of it which I shall plainly do both from these letters which these Calumniators have published for their own pernitious purpose and also from their own very words and confessions in another place of these their Annotations 1. The Queen is far from that disposition to take upon Her to rule Her Husband wholly and in all things as they would have it beleeved for the direct Contrary is most apparent in Paper 29. where She submits Her self wholly to His direction and desires Him to send Her His commands concerning a particular business that She was requested to write about affirming that She neither would nor durst do any thing in it without His direction Her words are these I thought it to be a matter of so great ingagement that I dare not do it without your Commnad therefore if it please you that I should do so send me what you would have me write that I may not doe more then what you appoint Had She been of such an imperious spirit towards Her Husband as these Her back-friends report Her and would have Her supposed surely She had never writ so like an obedient Wife for His Commands and particular directions Thus the Queen is cleared Secondly Neither is the King as they suggest of so subjective a Nature as to submit His affaires wholly to His Wives guidance were She as She is not ambitious of the same He is more a man then to forget himself to be an Husband if the 34. Paper be observed it will be clearly Evident that the King was never so weakly uxorious no not the first year of His marriage when in most men affection prevaileth over judgement as to lose any whit of His Husbandly Authority in matters of Houshold Government He would not consent to any thing though of private concernment which was either unfit for Her as a Wife to undertake or for himself as an Husband to permit and is there any liklyhood He should now have submitted all His publick Affaires and Kingly Councells wholly to Her managemeet and disposall no man of wisdome or reason can beleeve it If that which is intimated in the said Letter concerning the Queens disposition when She was young and yet unacquainted with Her Husbands instructions be compared with Her present dependance upon his Commands already proved and that abundant readinesse now in Her to do Him service which these men so tax and blame Her for there will appeare to every Eye not onely the Kings Pious discretion and the Queens Godly obedience but also Gods gratious blessing of his endeavours upon Her spirit and doubtlesse this inward benefit received from him is a ground of Her more strong and fervent affection towards him and makes Her resolve rather to neglect her own health yea to die by Famine then to be failing in Her Negotiations for Him A full compliance in all things but rarely found between man and wife at their first meeting nor is the same so perfectly effected afterward in many persons as is evident to be in this Royall paire for either the Husband wants that Wisdome and care to work it which the King had or the Wife that goodnesse of disposition to be wrought upon as was in the Queen I could name some Lords and Gentlemen too amongst the Kings enemies who were never so notable for wit or honesty as to seek their Wives Conformity in this Christian way as their Prince hath done But I spare them now and return to the thing in hand It is probable at least by this time that the Kings Councels rule the Queen and not the Queens Him as these slanderers say but to put the matter quite out of doubt let us listen to what these very men say themselves to this purpose in the next Page where among other railing expressions against the King forgetting what they had said before they affirm that as He surpasseth the Queen in Acts of Hostility so in the way of managing the same scil with more close and deep secresie and a little after they tell us that He urgeth the Queen to make personall friendship with the Queen of France they do not like the word friendship and say they He doth furnish the Queen with dexterous polliâ—ies and Arguments to work upon the Ministers of State in France All which as I apprehend puts the plain lie upon that their former Charge which they had took such paines about to collect from the fifth and 38. Papers which now also wee will looke into for the further manifestation of their Honestie The fifth Paper from whence they collect that
for I am sure 't is not the way of Christ and God nor can I humbly acknowledge your great Labour and endeavours imployed these many yeares in the Reformation and preservation of Church and Common-wealth for I know no such matter but rather the direct contrary I love not to jeere you for such language to you I take to be none other then a plaine jeering of you nor can I tell how to give flattering Titles I am one of Christ's Messengers and have a charge to tell you aloud of your transgressions and of your sinnes perhaps there are but few that will in all things do it so plainly as I have done or shall do but as it is my duty so I thank God it hath alwayes been my custome and care to keep a good Conscience in this matter and though I am guilty of many sinnes for which the Lord be mercifull unto his servant yet praysed be his grace I never had any inward check for any knowne flattery of any in the serious discharge of my calling I hope I may without presumption say that I am as free from that sinne as Luther was from that of Covetousnesse I make no question if you can gripe me you the guilty Faction I meane will deale with me as your Fore-fathers did with my Master Jesus for my going in this his way of plainly detecting Hypocrites and evill men and therefore I shall keep my selfe out of your power so long as I can and doe pray that if it be my portion at last when mine hour is come to fall within your reach I may have strength and patience from above to endure the paines of death which I shall confidently look for at your bloudy hands though let me tell you one thing and it shall be only that which blessed Sanders the Martyr told your brother Stephen Gardiner you were best to take heed of shedding innocent bloud for truly it will cry And as Jerome of Prague did his Enemies at the Councell of Constance so shall I cite you to answer for it before the Tribunall of the most High and just Judge Well this being premised I doe now addresse my selfe unto you for the present in this manner Be it knowne unto you O you unhappy men you have been the principall instruments of all our woes and have given life and motion to all our miseries you are they that have most highly scandalized the Gospell of the Sonne of God by your acting under the profession of it most horrid evills as if that had countenanced you in your so doing you are they that have turned this well-ordered Common-wealth into a confused Chaos and have laboured with all your might to pull down the prosperous Government of this most renowned Church you are they that have persecuted and defamed a most pious King and exposed to eternall disgrace and suspition the Religion of the Protestants you have suppressed silenced banished murthered and undone many thousand Preachers and Professours of it you are they that have deceived your Countrey in abusing that trust which they imposed in you you would be accounted Patriots forsooth but you have acted the part of Butchers rather both upon the soules and bodies of your Countrey-men you would be thought wise men but your wisdome hath been only shown in ill doings you would be esteemed holy persons but where then is that harmlesness that undefiledness which should have appeared in you you have been full of bloud-guiltinesse yea of Rebellion which as the Scripture sayes is like the sinne of Witchcraft Majestie and Mercy were wont to be the strongest guards against Treason till your dayes but you have violently burst through that double fence and pierced through the privie maile of Innocence too Majesty Mercy and Innocence all have been rather as a prey to invite your evill natures then any guard to keep you back from offering violation O to what an high pitch have you ascended what transcendent impieties what blouds and blasphemies have you countenanced and committed quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis who without flouds of tears is able to expresse or think of what you have acted First for the Title of Patriots which you thirst after O had you been advised by your King had you closed with your Soveraign when he at first committed things to your care to order rectifie and settle for our good had you minded that work for which you met and made that your businesse as he would have had you how should we all have rejoyced in the very mention of you as of Patriots indeed how should we have hugged your names in our affectionate memories and conveyed them to Posterity with a charge to keep in everlasting Honour As Adam and Eve were our undertakers or representers in Paradise so were you in Parliament and as God to them so the King to you gave a Liberty over all the Plants and Creatures in his Garden restrained you in nothing save onely from one particular thing which was the forbidden fruit but nothing would satisfie your ambitious reach save onely that whereby you have brought upon us all Gods heavie curse and all kinde of miseries O how farre were you from the disposition of honest Joseph who being tempted to meddle with that which belonged not to him was with-held by the consideration of that great trust which his Master had reposed in him and of that liberty and authority which in all things else was granted to him And how did God soone after reward this his faithfulnesse by advancing him to as great Authority over the whole Realm as he had before over one Family wherein also all but the Throne was at his disposing in that only sayes Pharaoh I will be above thee which he good man was farre enough from seeking after for his endeavours only were to settle Pharaoh more firmly in it and to advance his wealth and dignity as the story at large tells us by which meanes he procured honour and favour sufficient to himselfe both with God and Man he lived desired of all and died lamented by the whole Nation O I say that you had had the wisdome and the grace to have imitated this Joseph this good Councellour of State you were tied in as great engagements of gratitude as he but you without any other temptation save only the corruption of your owne hearts have laboured to ravish from your Lord and Master his reserved jewell of Majestie and to rob him of his wealth and of the hearts of his people yea and to invest your selves with that Honour and esteem which with your strongest studies you ought to have fastened eternally to his Crown and Diademe Therefore you must never think however your flatterers doe bedawb you that you shall ever be dignified by good men with that Title of Abraes as Joseph was or be reckoned for Patriots of your Countrey I have read that true Patriots have these foure conditions 1. They will
a most Heavenly work to rid the earth of him and a service most acceptable unto the Lord when Raviliack was demanded by his examiners to declare the reason moving him to his attempt he answered That the reasons why it was requisite to kill the King they might understand by the Sermons and Pamphlets of the Preachers Wel Sirs we all know the meaning both of you and of your Prophets and therefore as Elias from the Lord did charge Ahab with the death of Naboth because the letters provoking to it were signed with his seal so do I from the same Lord charge you with all those evil opinions and hard conceits which are already kindled in the mindes of any against the King by the meanes of this Pamphlet because 't is published by your Authority Yea if any further mischief shall befall his Sacred Majesty upon the same at your hands will the Judge of Heaven and Earth require it and know you further that the guilt of all the blasphemies reproaches scornes slanders which are spit out against the King either in this book or any other published by your leave and Order without your deep repentance and humiliation shal be heaped upon your Souls at the day of Reckoning even as if your own selves had been the Authors of them for nil interest sceleri an faveas aut facias to favour and to doe in this case is all one nay the Apostle speaks as if those who appove of other folks ill doings were in a degree worse then the Actors themselves and given up in a further measure to a Reprobate sense Qui non vetat peccare cum potest jubet saies the wise Heathen not to prevent a mischief when one may is directly to command it to be done Gentlemen for as your souls friend I would fain have you recover again that Title I charge you before the living God and Jesus Christ who shall one day sit in judgement upon you to ask your Consciences in secret whether it be not a sin and a wickednesse to speake evil of the Ruler of the people to act Shimei's part against Gods Anointed whether to write or publish such Pamphlets as this be the way to Honour the King in the eyes of his people Whether you have thus learned Christ from the Church of England Whether you ever met in Gods word with any saying or example to warrant you in this way of proceeding And I require you also as you will answer it before the Lord to ask your own hearts whether to Authorize such a work as this to the Kings defamation be a Christian work Honourable and becoming the dignity of a Parliament whose actions ought al to be glorious and presidentiall Nay is it an Act prudentiall in you thus publikely to own and countenance this prolem populi this abominable thing which the very Parents and Authors of are ashamed to father What will you say 't is one of the Priviledges of Parliament you fight for to Authorize things against the King against your own Allegeance end Protestation surely ab initio non fuit sic former Parliaments disdained to own such a Priviledge to tread in such pathes Or will you say you are more Omnipotent then those your Predecessours were who never had those brave advantages that you have true nor never did desire them But can your new Omnipotency make that which is evil in it self turn good by your Authorization I pray where had you this large Commission Who gave you this Authority Christ in whose hand is all power never did let your Chaplains prove it if they can or your Consciences affirm it if they dare Nor will that Writ which called you together and fixt you in your Spheare at Westminster tell you that the King the fountain of power under God did place you there in this sort to exercise your Activity against him your Patent therefore by which you have Authorized this work of darknesse must needs come ab Inferno And can you expect that the Judge of quick and dead will at the great day pronounce well done good and faithfull Servant unto you for doing Satans work for executing his Commission O how much better will you finde then it had been if you had wrapt up your Talents in a Napkin and in the meane time how much more had it been to the dignity of that High Court of Parliament which you pretend so much to stand for if you had but left out the name Parliament and said Published by speciall Order of the Rebellious faction in the two Houses at Westminster But now I have begun to take upon me to speak unto you O you lofty men let me ask you a question more to a like purpose What reward or commendation can you expect at Gods hand for maintaining your Beadsman Britanicus to libell against his Soveraigne to teach and excite by his weekly books the ignorant and seduced vulgar throughout the Kingdome to joyn with him in reviling and laughing to scorn their publike Father now your selves have most unjustly thrust him into affliction Dare you say his expressions are not vile O let me beg pardon of my Soveraigne and of all modest men if to the shame of these mens faces and to the increase of indignation in all godly spirits against their courses I doe with detestation repeate over here one of his passages published to the world on Monday the 4. of August 1645. Where is King Charles What is become of him Some say when he saw the storme comming after him as far as Bridgewater he came away to his dearly beloved in Ireland Yes they say he ran away out of the Kingdome very Majestically Others will have him erecting a new Monarchy in the Isle of Anglesey A third sort say that he hath hid himselfe it were best send Hue and Cry after him If any man can bring any tale or tidings of a wilfull King which hath gone astray these four yeares from his Parliament with a guilty Conscience bloudy hands and a heart full of broken vowes and protestations if these marks be not sufficient there is another in his mouth for bid him speak and you will soon know him then give notice to Britanicus and you will be payd for your paines GOD SAVE THE PARLIAMENT O you Men of Westminster is this your Beadsman that prayes for you that works for you that is maintained and cherished by you then these are the scornes of your hearts the flouts of your Spirits that are vomited up by his mouth and pen if not why have you not hang'd the villain or rather torn him in pieces with wild horses Are not you they that call your selves the Kings most Humble most dutifull and most Loyall Subjects Are not you they that would be accounted the Holy just most Christian and unerring Parliament have you not talked much of reforming our Church and Government and will you countenance and favour such persons Is this the Reformation you