of conscience Moreoever the Nation it selfe wherein wee live was not inhabited at first with Protestants yet God forbid that any should be so simple therefore to forsake the Land or pull down the Churches For the abuse ought not to take away the right use of any thing 2 The Rails were not lawfully set up Ans The authority of subordinate Governours of the Church for the necessary repaire ornament and uniformitie of reverent and decent behaviours will hereafter more manifestly appeare For as there is but one God and one Truth so there ought to be amongst us but one way one coÌ„mon union But suppose they were set up without that authority which you call lâ—wfull They ought therefore to be taken down by a more lawfull authority For as a lawfull thing may be done unlawfully so what is unlawfully done may likewise be undone far more unlawfully 3 London and all other places have pulled them downe in the like manner Ans It is a question whether they have done the like or not The whole is not to be blamed for part unlesse all were actors or consenters Yet if it were so the actions of others will not justifie ours before God or Man wee must not follow a multitude to doe evill nor doe evill that good may come thereon 4 It is just with God they should be so pulled down Ans That which is just with God and according to his secret Will may be unjust in Man being done contrary to his revealed Will. As in the Death of Traytors and the like Offenders against the Common-wealth It is just with God and Man they should be cut off by them Yet it is unjust and unanswerable to God and Man for any to take away their lives before justice hath ordained the Execution and the Executioner also 5 There are none that truly feare God that oppose the pulling of them down or are offended with them who pulled them down Ans This is a rash and self-conceited censure too common amongst Christians wedded to their owne opinions Hee that serves God truly ought to serve him rightly according to his Word But Gods Word doth not allow or countenance Mutinies unlawfull Assemblies or Rebellions against Government pulling the Sword of Justice out of the Magistrates hand and using or rather abusing it as we please according to our perverse wils and affections Therefore consequently those that doe so doe not fear God truly Nor are offended c. It is not the Matter so much as the Manner that gives the occasion of the offence and not the persons so much as their offences And as there were probably severall sorts of people that were at the pulling of them downe for severall ends and intents most of them for sinister ends and by respects Yet some who were simple honest and well meaning people only mis-informed and mis-led So likewise all that are offended thereat have not the like affections yet most I believe are justly offended to see the Protestant Religion and Covenant so much dishonoured and abused Authority and Government contemned the bonds of Duty and Unity broken the Governours Officers and Town like to be prejudiced and the actors themselves like to be mischieved 6 Wee are bound by the last Protestation against Innovations This being an Innovation we ought to pull it down Ans This manifests simplicitie ignorance or worse It is true that wee are bound to maintain and defend the Protestant Religion contained in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all poperie and popish innovations contrary to the said Doctrine But what is that to any necessary or decent ornament of the Church besides wee are bound to maintain the protestant Religion no further then wee may lawfully do it that is by petition solicitation information affirmation to those who have authority to reforme Not by unlawfull assemblies and tumultuous riots especially in times of reformaon to be our owne Judges Juries and Executioners Moreover wee must remember that by the said Protestation we are bound according to the duty of our allegiance to maintaine the Kings royall person honour and estate Now all Royall and lawfull authoritie and honour is derived and given even from GOD Almighty to the King and from him to all his subordinate Ministers Hee then that offends this lawfull authority though in the meanest Minister offends and dishonoureth the highest authoritie from whence it came Againe we are bound by the said Protestation to maintaine and defend the power and privileges of Parlaments In both which certainly are included the Laws and Acts of Parlaments which concernes either of them Furthermore wee are bound in all just and honourable wayes to endevour to preserve the Union betweene the Kings three Dominions undoubtedly then wee are not to neglect our own For Unity as well as Charitie is to begin at home 7 We ought to maintain the cause of Religion and not to discover the faylings of the Professors thereof Ans Wee are to maintain the cause of Religion Religiouslie and lawfully and not otherwise True Religion needes not errors to maintain it it is able by sound truths and sollid reasons to maintain it selfe That which is contrary to it is not from God but rather from the delusions of the Devill who is the authour of all Rebellions Seditions and discords And certainly such courses are dishonourable and offensive to God and our governours and can wee suppose lesse then that we prejudice our cause and dishonour them also when we unlawfully and furiously anticipate their intentions when wee endevour to do that by our wils and perverse affections which they intend by lawfull authority and sound reason to grant us And not to discover the faylings c. It were to be wished that those that make so much profession of Religion would make conscience also of the discoverie of the faylings imperfections and infirmities of others but much more how they doe backbite slander and beare false witnesse as they too often use to do But such acts in Professors or others that are openly committed offensive scandalous concernes our late Protestation and are of dangerous consequence tending to the subversion of the fundamentall Maximes both of God and Man for Government ought to be discovered and disclosed by those who make conscience to feare God honour and obey the King 8 Many meddle and talke more in these matters then they need Ans It is true indeed there are too many vain idle and unjustifiable speeches which have no warrant or lawfull Calling thereunto so likewise there are more then ought to be that meddle too little For the truth is at all times to be mayntained the ways and end being good and lawfull the time and place seasonable and the persons considerable But if we were not Protestants yet as we are Christians wee are to mayntaine unitie prevent imminent dangers which we see counsell and informe the ignorant and blinde and other works of Mercie belonging both to soule and bodie And
slanderer Secondly wounds the reputation of him that is slandered Thirdly poysons the heart of him who receives the report with an uncharitable conceit Defence also of bad and ill causes not excluded Prov. 17.15 Hee that justifies the wicked and he that condemnes the just they both are an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 14.24 He that pray seth the wicked the people shall curse him The Law of the Land grounded on the Law of God provides to prevent all appearances and occasions of shedding of bloud of disobeying authority and of prejudice to others And because the enormities of unlawfull Assemblies Riots Routs and the like have beene such that they have endangered the Kingdome and peace thereof and put in hazard the very forme of government care hath been taken to prevent even words menaces or any other appearances of discontent the Kingdome having formerly beene sensible that from small sparks great fires have been kindled As namely that Riot at Dartmouth in Kent in Richard the Second his Reigne began first but between a Tyler and his Wife and a Collector of a Subsidie for one groat demanded It put in hazard the Kings life the burning of the Citie of London the ruine of the Nobility Gentry and Kingdome also So likewise in Henry the Sixth his time a small occasion a falling out between one of the Yeomen of the Kings Guard and one of the then Earle of Warwick his men came to a Riot of such a high nature that it was the root of many wofull and fatall Tragedies even the losse of Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke and after him King Henry the Sixth and Prince Edward his sonne with many of the Peers Nobilitie and Gentrie and many thousands of the Kingdome likewise Therefore Menacers shall be imprisoned St. 2. Ed. 3. Neither shall there be any Barrettors or Maintayners of Quarrels West 1.3 Ed. 1.32 There are also provisions made and punishments ordained against the enormitie of privie defaming and libelling invented to defame and tread the honour and estimation of a man in the dust to make him derided and despised amongst his Neigbours Scandala Magnatum Scandals of Peeres or Governours provided against in St. 3. Ed. 1.34 2. R. 2.12 R 2.41 There shall be no disturbance of a Preacher in his Sermon 1. M. 3. There shall bee no chiding or smiting in a Church or Church-yard St. 5. 6. Ed. 6. There shall be no assaulting of a Judge or Juror 22. Ed. 3.13 There shall be no Riots c. therefore for the punishment of them the Court of Star-chamber was ordained St. 3. H. 7.1 St. 21. H. 8.22 Not disclosing a Commotion or unlawfull assembly when one is moved thereunto within 24 houres to a Justice of Peace a Sheriffe Bailiffe c. is imprisonment for three moneths 1. M. 12. Procuring others to offend 1. M. 12. are to suffer imprisonment for three moneths also Juries ordained to enquire of Riots St. 13. H. 4. There shall be no Maintenance by Combination or Conspiracie St. 33. E. 1. 1. R. 2.7 There shall be no Maintenance by Embracery that is by comming to the Barre with the offendour and speaking in the matter or threatning or procuring of a Jury St. 33. E. 1. There shall be no Maintenance by Jurors that is when they corruptly take any reward directly or indirectly of the offendor Plantiffe or Defendant to give his verdict St. 34. Ed. 3. Ed. 3.38 Therefore a Riot not found by the Jury by reason of Maintenance or Embracery is to be punished St. 19. H. 7.13 There shall not be any Maintenance by great men in authoritie by speaking of words whereby to frighten the Jurie or to make them to encline to his desire and therefore also none but such as are in the Commission shall sit with the Justices of Assize 20. R. 2. 22. H. 6.5 13. H. 4.19 A Riot is when three persons or above assemble themselves to the intent to beat or maym a man to pull down a house fence or the like or to do any unlawfull act with force and violence against the peace St. 5. R. 2.7 Three or foure entring into Lands with force upon the possession of another though the entry be lawfull yet it is accounted a Riot And an assembly lawfully begun doth many times end riotously An unlawfull Assembly is when above three do assemble themselves with intent to beat or do as aforesaid though nothing be acted by them yet it is an unlawfull assembly A Rout is when above three doe assemble to revenge themselves to pull down c. or to beat a man that hath done some offence to them all or shew by gesture or speech that they mean to do any violence or doe feare any of the Kings people It is accounted in the Law a Rout though nothing be done 17. Ed. 4.4 The Doctrine of the Church of England confirmed by the Law in the twentieth Article concerning the authoritie of the Church saith that the Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies and authoritie in controversie of faith being not contrarie to the written Word of God Article 37. conterning the Civill Magistrates saith that they are to have that Prerogative which was given to all godly Princes in holy Scripture by God himselfe that is that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether Ecclesiasticall or Temporall and restrain with the Civill Sword the stubborn and evill doers c. These and the like may be collected from the Law of God and Man for our dutie to our Governours and the preservation of the peace they may be applyable and may serve to convince the offences that have been done contrary to them and may be a preservative or remedie to prevent the doing of the like again To conclude It is manifest that the Laws of the Land concerning the dutie to the Civill Magistrate and our Governours the Maintenance of the Peace cannot be broken but with great violence and opposition to the Law of God Those then that labour against conformitie to them do little lesse then endevour to dissolve the bonds of Government and Unitie established by God and Man and so consequently all would fall to confusion Such are dangerous and pernitious to the tranquillity and prosperitie of a Kingdome The Law of the Land hath made provisions and ordained severe punishments for the offence done to the Majestie of Government and the peace of the Land calling it Treason or Crimen Laesae Majestatis for the preservation of the Supremacie thereof there is an Oath enjoyned St. 1. El. 1.5 El. 1. those that refuse it the second time are thereby made guiltie of high Treason And me thinks there is great reason that authoritie and government should be carefully preserved For it is as the Head Eye or Soule is to the body Take away the life and the senses and what remayns but a uselesse and sencelesse carcasse or as the Sun is to all things under it We know that by the benefit of the Sun and the properties belonging thereunto all subsolarie bodies and creatures are enlivened and bettered but when it is ecclipsed though never so little they are much the worse so while the bright and radiant beams of Sovereigne authoritie and lawfull Government have there due and proper influence upon the inferiour subjects they grow flourish in peace plenty but when it is ecclipsed by the interposition of the inferior Orbes What malignant calamities and pestiferous effects are always produced The bodie politick suffers no lesse then the naturall bodie by the obstruction of the animall and vitall spirits These I have thought fit as a private Christian called thereunto to commit to paper for the information of those who are ignorant My particular calling will not permit me otherwise or farther to express or enlarge my self I seriously protest I have no sinister end herein nor is it done out of any malice hatred or evill affection to any but in discharge of the late Protestation and as I verily believe I am bound in conscience and dutie to God and Man to maintain the truth peace and due government of the Church and Common-weale Peruse it therefore the more charitably and labour to be informed of the truth how mean clothed so ever you finde it and take heed how you persist in a known errour And as you have been an example of evill unto others who are too readie to take patterne of disobedience thereby so you ought to be an example of good to them in your obedience in your acknowledging and amending your errours Thus Paul exhorts Titus to preach Titus 3.3 For wee our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envie hatefull and hating one another In the 1 Tim. 6.11 His dehortation is But thou ô man of God flie these things with his exhortation and follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith love patience and meeknesse To this ye were exhorted by the same text at the visitation Sermon the very houre before your disorder You may see what it is to take Gods name into your mouthes and eares and to scorne to be reformed What inconveniences you might have prevented by observing it and other advertisements given you at that time What dangers you have run your selves into by contemning them Therefore sin no more lest a worse thing happen and according to Salomons advice Prov. 21. Feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to Sedition Love the Truth and Peace is the Prophet Zachary his counsell Zach. 8.19 Seek them follow them and contend for them as far as lawfully thou mayst for thou wilt finde the contraries of them full of miseries and calamities and so the God of Truth and Peace guide you and blesse you with what I heartily wish you externall internall and eternall peace I. W. FINIS
it many times falls out happily that such Christian offices prevent much danger and mischiefe And those that have publike spirits ayme more at the publike good then at their owne private or sinister ends and often doe good to the publike though they prejudice themselves in so doing 9 That which is done will be mayntained There are none called in question for doing the like And yee see there is like to come good of it Ans The maintenance of an evill action justifieth and aggravates the offence Do wee think it is no offence to make Combinations Conspiracies Riots and tumultuous oppositions against authoritie the publike breach of our Protestation with opprobrious and disgracefull words against the Ministers of Gods Word and others in authority and that after a Sermon and other Advertisements in the House of God There are none as yet called in question c. Ans Peradventure the Superiour Magistrate expects the dutie and office of the Inferiour And it is probable that there are matters of greater consequence in hand But we know forbearance is no acquittance And there is like to come good of it That may seeme to be which is not and will not prove so in the end If there be any true good thereby it is from the infinite mercie and goodnesse of God who is only able to turn all things to the best to bring light out of darknesse good out of evill and a remedy out of a maladie but wee have no warrant to doe evill that good may come of it Neither are we to forget the clemencie and goodnesse of our Governours who peradventure forbeare the inflicting of the due punishment for the good opinion they have of the simplicity weaknes and good intentions of some of the offenders therein 10 But there are honest and good Christians who have a hand therein Ans They are the more to be pittied and commiserated for good and honest Christians too are a great honour to Religion and God grant that all Protestants may endevour to adorn their profession with so rare companions the want of which makes Religion very evill spoken of But suppose they were the best Christians Wee are to know that the best of Gods Saints and deerest children in all ages have been subject to and have committed great errors and offences but neither they nor any that truly feare God will justifie and mayntaine them but rather acknowledge them be sorry for them and forsake them Especially if they be publikely committed offensive and scandalous to Religion and this is the only way to give satisfaction both to God and Man And the acknowledgment of errours hath found favour remission when the mayntaining of them hath procured the greater and severer punishments 11 Our endevours are but for Reformation Ans The best endevours of the multitude will be prayers to God and obedience to their Governours till by lawfull authoritie they are called to doe otherwise For if they might have the handling and managing of it they would quickly pull an old house about their heads and insteed of Reformation bring all to confusion Thâ—ir judgments are too weak for such great undertakings They are too apt to coÌ„demn the right use of any thing for the abuse sake They would have no Luurgie or Letany used in the Church of England because as they are informed it came from Rome the Papists use it As if because the Pope makes use of the Lords Prayer we Protestants therefore are to renounce it Or because the Devill and evill men pervert and make a bad use of the Scriptures wee should forbear to make the right use of them When it comes to a moderate and judiciall triall it will be found that the Liturgie and Letany and other the like which are now by many abhorred being corrected as authoritie shall think fit that they will not only be convenient but necessary in the Church of England for the due and decent service of God Againe the multitude are apt to hate the person for the vice Rome was once a true Church Witnesse Saint Paul his works to the Romans Now it is full of Corruptions and Errours It is dangerous to suffer a sword in a mad mans hands Peradventure they may think the best way to cure them of their corruptions is to cut their throats If wee are bound in charity to pray for the conversion of the Jews Turks Heathens Infidels certainly wee are not to neglect the praying for the conversion of Papists who are Christians As God so godly men doe not delight in the death but rather in the conversion of sinners And it may please God to make England as happy an instrument of converting and reforming Rome and such that belong to them as it pleased him to raise instruments from Rome for Englands conversion to the Christian Religion Which God in his due time grant and I hope every charitable Protestant will say Amen 12 There are Wisemen that publish incitations to oppositions c. Ans There are many that are wise onely in their own conceits But if they were the wisest of men yet they may erre No man is wise in all things or at all times Wisdome is alwayes accompained with reason There are many things that are accounted for wise actions which wil not hold the touch of common sense and reason It were to be wished and it would prove happie for the peace and tranquility both of the Church and Common-wealth that there were a restraint that none should publish any thing to the publike against the established lawes of the Kingdome much less that they should presume to utter factious words and put forth libellous and seditious pamphlets without their names to them to the great dishonour of government and the breach of peace Hee that is offended at any thing contained in the Laws for either the Church or common-wealth and that he can neither by Prayer or conference receive nor give his conscience Satisfaction Let him then in all humility present his arguments with his reasons annexed to those who have power to reforme to this I conceive he is called and bound in conscience to do and with this obedient Sacrifice God and the Country too would be well pleased The want of which course hath caused much distraction and confusion and whereby many simple honest people are mis-led and mis-informed They little consider of the policie of the Devil who makes them instruments of breaking the peace of the State Neither doe they well ponder the dangerous consequences that attend consciences misguided and distracted producing manifold miseries and calamities besides the losse of many mens lives They may repent to late when they cannot repaire the injury they doe thereby Let them therefore consider well hereof how they are the authours of miseries and afflictions to others for there is a wo pronounced against them by whom they come The Law of God in his Word commands and exhorts as followeth In the fifth Commandement