Selected quad for the lemma: war_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
war_n	great_a	king_n	scot_n	2,247	5	9.2324	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93350	The Protestant informer, or Information to all Protestants: shewing the causes and end, of this unjust warre, plotted by Romish Jesuites, and now managed by English papists, and their abbettors against this Parliament, and in this all other Parliaments: proving by forepast proceedings, present actions and persons acting that: this warre is no new quarrell, nor caused by the militia but divellish malice, against the true Protestant religion, and lawes of this kingdom, to set up, and establish popery, and hath beene fifteene, or sixteene yeares last past, preparing. Also justifying this Parliaments proceedings, by nature, law, and religion, against the false calumniations of all malignants: with an exhortation, to courage, liberality, patience, and constancy, to the hazard of life, and fortunes: in defence of Gods true worship; your own rights, liberties, and this present Parliament; with confidence of a blessing, and victory, like Caleb, and Ioshua: for your God is with you. Published for information to the ignorant. By Gregory Thims Gentl.	Thims, Gregory.	1643 (1643)	Wing S4038A; Thomason E91_17; ESTC R13261	21,917	24

he common-prayer in any assembly Yet I am con●●dent and I th●nk upon good ground that the common-prayer hath some nee●lesse things in it and some offensive as they may bee in the worst sence interpreted thus much for information of the present war Lastly consider who and what persons are the contrivers and actors in this war which are all of one of these six kindes First Jesuits and professed Bapists Secondly Bishops and corrupt Clergy Thirdly Lords and Gentlemen popishly affected Fourthly Delinquents and Pattentees Fiftly men of broken fortunes Sixtly Athiests and extreme deboyst men And these al● agree in one finall e●● viz. to betray Protestant religion Luies and the just Luierty of the subject But the three last s●rts named ●ave each a particular end to themselves The Delinquents aime is their ow●e present preservation to rescue their persons and estates from the iustice of the Law preferring themsel●es before Religion Law or Posterity Those of broken fortunes aime at pillage to make themselves great estates out of the ruines of the Kingdome which they cannot doe if law bee not destroied The deboyst Athiests seeke to enjoy their licent●ous liberty which they prefer before Law or Religion They hate the very name of reformation in others yet these are the men that tell us they fight for the Protestant religion priviledges of Parliament and the Subiects liberty But we must believe that they have learned that damnable art of equivocation or mentall reservation of the Iesuits That when they p●otest to fight for the Protestant religion priviledges of Parliament and the Subiects liberty their meaning is that they fight for all these as ours to take them from us as they doe our estates or as a chiefe fights for a true mans purse and this is these mens warre Now if we examine why the Parliament and Kingdome have raised an army and consider their forepast proceedings their present actions and the persons engaged in their war we shall plainly see that they aime at nothing but Gods glory the safety of the Kings person and posterity the defence of the true Protestant religion Parl. priviledges and the iust Liberty of the Subiect against those that say they fight for them and would take them from us all which are at once assaulted by the severall armies of the Cavaleers In their proceedings in this Parliament consider the declined and adulterated condition of things in Church and State as they found them when the Parliament began And then take notice of their care and wisedomes to make pe●ce betweene the two nations England and Scotland His Maiesty being then by a malignant counsel engaged in a warre against h●s good Subiects of Scotland which that counsell could not manage for him not his Maiesty desert with honour they vindicated his Maiestie stayed bloodshed reconciled the nations satisfied the wronged Scots payed the Kings armie disbursed great sums out of their owne purses and engaged themselves for much more Consider their pious care for the setling good order and government in the Church presenting their most humble desires to the King that learned and godly divines might consider of it and his Maiestie passe a bill to that purpose declaring their purpose was not to destroy our Liturgy onely take away unnecessary Ceremonies but were denied Their diligence to suppresse and take away our many oppressions and free us from the vexations of them Their Iustice and good endeavour to put the lawes in execution against Iesuits Priests and Papists addressing themselvs in all humility to his Majestie for the same but could not prevaile Their industry in providing severall Bills for the good of the Subject besides those his Maiesty was graciously pleased to sign as they made known to us by their first Remonstrance Their thankfull gratitude in readinesse to raise monies for his Maiesties present occasions and future store promising to make him the richest ●ing in Christendome Their unwe●ried pairs for almost two years and an half in spending their time strength and estates neglecting whatsoever was their owne for the common good Their carefull provision for the safety of the Kingdome against Papists ●nd popish affected by putting the Militia of the Kingdome into trusty hands when they saw eminent danger which hath hitherto preserved us and disappointed them which till they saw eminent danger they medled not with nor desired a guard for their owne safety in sitting but his Majestie then promised they should need no guard but should be as safe ●s his Queene or children yet within very few dayes after he came in person with about foure hundred desperate Cavaleers armed with swords pistols c. against some of them therefore no marvell if the Parliament doubt to trust the King with all our rights religion lawes and lib●rties Kings are not Gods but men and subject to mens infirmities yet I say not the King is not to be trusted God forbid I am bound to judge the best and believe when his Majesty promised safety to his Parliament hee intended it and was thrust upon that breach in some violent passion caused by that wicked counsell on purpose You will say the King hath acknowledged that fault and i● is no more to be thought on Answer acknowledgement is nothing without repaire 1 Sam. 24. 16. 17 1 Sam. ●6 read the l●ves of King Iohn Hen. 3 Ed. 2. R●●h 2. and consid●r but no repaire is made Saul confessed his fault in seeking Davids life and confessed it with teares ye● Saul by the wicked counsell of the Ziphites sought it againe And whilest his Maiesty still retaines such counsellors hee may still forget his promises That which hath been may be againe Who is that man for his owne particular that would bee willing at the Kings request to cancell all his evidence for his lands and inheritance and rest onely upon a bare word to posterities much lesse a Parl●ament to trust all the righ●s and inheritance of a kingdome upon the bare word of a King when guided by a malignant counsell who seeke the kingdomes ruine Consider also their tender care of Ireland to suppresse that bloody rebellion so soone as it was discovered earnestly supplicating his Mai●sty to ioyne with them by passing a bill for a speedy and sufficient expedition thither which was graciously promised why not performed let the world iudge Their many messages and petitions to the King sent from place to place till at York their messengers were beaten Parliament men threatned their houses besieged plundered their friends abused and pillaged before the Parliament had any Army on foote and after they had an army they never struck before they were strucken such was their backwardnesse to warre else they might easily have fetcht all that masignant counsell from Yorke and prevented all the mischiefe they have since made and done in the Kingdome which if the Parliament had foreseene and prevented men would not have believed what now they see but would have blamed the Parliaments forwardnesse

destroy it and with it all other and to bring in an arbitrary government c. It is true particular men and private counsells may be corupted to please Kings in hope of present honors and great estates to betray a kingdome as private counsels at this day And particular men lately fied from this parliament to a●chiev their privat ends care not to destroy the priviledges of parliament or to take away all Parliaments or which is worse by the same army they break this to force a pact Parliament of their owne choyse and soc make vs slaues by act of Parliament let up popery by the authority that threw it downe and kill us with our owne weapons This is cle●●e as the light yet men will not see it but are willingly held in the f●ols paradise and suffer themselvs to be deluded by proclamations declarations and protestations which are but the snares of the wicked to catch simple men al which though they have passed under the kings nams I hope his maiestic neuer saw nor heard of Because they have beene all falsified and their actions quite contrary to their promises and protestation● like 〈◊〉 who set their faces eastward when hey meane to now westward Therfore it will be the wisdom of every man to make his eyes judge in this cause rather ●hen his ears actions best shew the intentions every tree ●s knowne by his fruite At the entrance of Queene Mary to the Crowne great protestations was made to maintain the protestant religion but wee see her actions were destructive to it The like protestutions we have heard concerning Ireland and great calling on the Parl. for assistance for that kingdome but as often as preparations were made all assistance and helpe was hindred and the rebels were from hence strengthened Wee have heard severall proclamations to put lawes in execution against Papists but wee see that the Parl. themselves were restrayned and might not execute the knowne Laws vpon them though they by humble petitions sought it and now wee see them in best esteeme and most trusted Wee have heard great promises that there was no intention to make warr against the Parliament and seen it testified vnder many Lords hands now in the Kings army onely a guard desired for the Kings Person but wee see a miserable and bloudy warr to destroy the Parliament We heard great protestations that no papist should bee admitted into the Army but we may see papists swarme in that Army yea in the kings Court like wasps about a hony pot and in the north under the command of the Earle of Newcastle you may see eight thousand professed papists of one cluster We have heard heaven and earth called to witnes that their war was to defend Protestant Religion but it were strange to see so many papists fight for it but if it were so why do they set up publike masse in Yorke and other places where that Army is and imprison Protestant Ministers and a●l other that doc but say they fight for the Protestant religion We have heard protestations that priviledges of Parliament should be maintained and the liberty of the Subject but if a Parliament may be broken by force how can priviledges and liberties be preserved You will ●ay we have triennial Parliaments I answer that is nothing for the king is no more bound to be present at any triennial Parliament to confirme any act if it bee called then at this besides the King is no more 〈◊〉 to call any trienniall Parliament then he is bound to preserve this We haue heard Proclamations prohibiting plundering by the Kings Army and molesting his good subjects but wee see the doe plunder dayly in all places except where they cannot overcome or where nothing is to bee had We have heard of an acceptation of an accommodation and seen it published by their owne faction but we see them the next day come furiously and treacherously upon part of the Parliaments Army at Brai●ford and barbarously slue many men more righteous then themselves an act 〈◊〉 themselves We have heard of a gratious acceptance of the City petition and a readinesse to imbrace propositions of peace but we have seen some of the petitioners excepted against and accused of treason He that hath but 〈◊〉 an eye may see their aime when they flatter and animate the rudest of men to rebell against authority and overthrow the governement of the great City to make way to overthrow the lawes of the whole kingdome ●●lfull fishers will fish in troubled waters and bankrupt Cavaleers can make best pillage in a divided City and this is their aim without difference to friend or foe the pillage of one is as sweet as the other propositions of peace have been sent as we desired and they expected with an humble petition of both houses to the King to remove the cause of the war and accept of their propositions what effect it hath wrought let the world iudge and the Parliament consider to whom the answer is directed Yet thus much we may observe in it which shewes no forwardnesse to peace that no authority is ascribed or allowed to the Parliament save only the name both houses and wee may feare some designe against them and us if there be a cessation of armes without dispanding the armies But the people of this kingdome ever have and I hope ever will account Parliaments the fittest and best expounders of Law and Iudges of offenders either to acquit or condemne them they never wrest the Lawes for private ends as other expounders or rather forgetters of Law have lately done when the Subject had lesse use of the Law and lesse liberty were imprisoned contrary to Law beyond the knowne power and rights of any Kings of England their habeas corpusses and all baile denied them Nor knew we by what Law to proceed against any papist though the Lawes were knowne to us And by the discipline of our Church governement we could not well distinguish between protestant religion and popery the booke of common prayer though no idol was idolized which hath in it good and holy things may be and was abused contrary to the institution and meaning of the Parliament first instituting it Things ceremoniall were urged as substantiall what the arch-bishop and his Romish pensioners pleased and ye bee no innovator but for the Parliament to desire any dimination though of things offensive is innovation whatso●ver makes for popery may be added but nothing popish taken away For my p●rt I protes before God the searcher of al hearts ●hat I am no Sectary so called but a true pr●testant according to that established doctrine or Queene Elizabeth and King I●m●s of blessed memory I disallow the opinion of the Brownists as I condemne the opinion doctrine and It is a great disquiet and trouble to a state when men will go b●fore the law and not follow the law in obedience practice of Papists or Anabaptists and never contemned or willfully neglected

compell them his Majesty was incensed and perswaded with his army to advance to Barwick but by Gods providence there was a pacification and his Majestie returned home in pe●●e Though quickly after he returned to that wicked Counsell of Bishops and popish affected all promises bu●i●d in oblivion was perswaded ●o raise another Army New Proclamations and Declatations were printed full of b●tternesse against the Scots and a Parliament called to raise monies for that warre the Parliament refusing was presently dissolved But the warre notwithstanding went forward then the Scots as we all know entred Newcastle standing upon their just defence Then this Parliament was called to debate of the war which through Gods goodnesse they againe pacified to the great content of both kingdomes onely Bishops Papists and popish affected stormed at the peace especially that his Majestie had graciously signed the Bill because of the many great affairs in hand that this Parliament should not be broken without the consent of both Houses and presently they plotted how to breake it First they endeavoured to bring the Kings army from York against it the Earle of Strafford having in readinesse 8000 Souldiers in Ireland to be brought hither to assist that worke and to subdue the kingdome as was before intended by the Duke of Buckingham but this plot being by Gods mercy discovered Lictors axe tooke off this actor as Feltons knife the other then they laboured to hinder the proceedings in Parliament by their votes as we are informed by the Parliaments first Remonstrance when votes could no longer hinder they bread division in both houses and then betweene the King and both Houses caused his Majestie to accuse some of both Houses of treason but could never shew what the treason was though desired by both Houses But indeed they thought to have put all in a present uproare and so to have broke the Parliament Having during the time they were with the King in Scotland as they hoped made a party there and by the Honour blinds the eyes and corrupts justice as Solomon speaks of gifts honours which they had perswaded the King to bestow upon some of the Citizens they thought they had blinded the City too and then having actually raised that bloody rebellion in Ireland intending the s●●e in England they prevailed with his Majesty to come in hostile manner against his Parliament to take from thence by force those members before accused having in a scrowle divers others they likewise intended to accuse so to have broken the Parliament or forced it to their own ends which Gods Providen●e and the Parliaments wisdome prevented Then presently they endeauored to make themselues masters and possessors of all the armes and strong holds of the kingdome first they bought out Sir William Belford out of his place in the tower whom they knew to be vncorrupted and no instrument for their treason and put Collonel Lunsford in his place after him Sir Iohn Byrone Captain Leg to be gouernor of Hull then the Earle of New castle Alluery fit men to betray a Kingdome These passages declare euidently their intention was to make warr against the Parliament and Subiects and hence it was that the Parliament desires to setle the militia of the Kingdom in safe hands and for this cause most Countyes petitioned to haue it soe Soe that the Militia was not the cause of their warr but their preparation caused the militia They also made mutinies and tumults against the Citizens First Lunsford began in westminsterhall then others of that faction in westminster and after at white hal gate and the strand cutting and slashing vnarmed and harmelesse citizens and then they perswade the King from London pretending danger to his maiesties person by tumults when indeed there was no tumult but what themselues caused But it is a paradox if his maiestie The letter that came from L. D. to the King makes it c●eare wishing the king to be take him to a strong hold left London because of tumults that they should endeauor as they haue done to make mutinyes and tumults in the city to bring him thither againe But it is manifest that his maiesty was not indeed afraid of any hurt by the city for then he would not hau● gone through the city with onely one coach and a lesse attendance then ordinary to guild-hall a lit●e before his goeing from London and it is clear there was no cause of feare because his Maiesty had no affront but Supplications and prayers from the people But wee now See they had an other end in perswading his Maiestie The answer to the London Petition in part promiseth so much away as well as in sending the Queene beyond the sea as alsoe the Lord Digby and others to trafficke for men and armes to assist their bloudy designes then they might not be suffered to gather an army at Kingston windsor c. Then they perswade the King to York where they also pretend danger yet there was no tumults but what they made in abuse to good protestants and prouide a guard of armed men and trayned bands which as we haue Seene quickly grew to an army of offence first to Hull and since to the whole Kingdome and thus you see what their preparation● were Now let vs consider and see what their war is They could vs they would make no warr against the Parliament But they told vs of the Kings rights and prerogatiues which they would maintaine and defend the protestant religion the priuiledges of parliament and the rights and libertyes of the Subiect against innovations and arbitrary government But if that were the cause of their warr they would not fight against the parliament for all these the Parliament would have to be established for ever first for his maiesties just rights and prerogatiue they offer to confirme to him and his posterity yea more to make him the happiest of all his progenitors And for the establishing the protestant religion together with the continuance of the just and ancient priuiledges of Parliament and the knowne rights of the Subiect it is all that the Parliament destre of the King that which they from the beginning and still doe humbly Suplicate his majestie for against all innovations and arbitrary government therefore that can be no cause of their warr Besides I thinke no man needs information to assure him that the cause why Popery is broken so farr in vpon vs and foe much innovation and arbitrary government as of late years hath bin want of Parliaments and would with greater violence break in if this Parliament were not Nor was it ever knowne that any free elected Parliament of 500 or 600 Lords and gentlemen of Severall countyes and familyes were the cause of any innovation or arbitrary government nor is it likely can be But contrary have ever beene and at this day are the securitie of this kingdome against both And therefore it is that this warr is made against this Parliament to

For the Parliaments Army is the Kingdoms for God the King and the Kingdom The other is the Cavaliers Army against God the King in future though hid by present flatery and the Kingdom which they would destroy as we by wofull experience see whereever they come or can prevail Be therefore exhorted to be couragious in this Cause for God the King and your Posterity Wisemen forewarned will be forearmed If through our credulity to deceivers we suffer our selves to be destroyed Or if we believe our danger and do nothing to prevent it Our misery will be the greater And we most miserable under it Consider what Mo●dica in such a case said to Ester and the same I say to thee If thou help not at this time according to thy ability place and degree Deliverance shall arise some other way but thou shalt perish Destructive warre is now Est 4. 14. in the Land Such a warre as is against God Therefore sit not still and say with thy self let others fight give pray c. and think to be safe thy sell like Gilead Dan and Ashe● all reproved But Zebulon and Iudg 5 Nephtalie are commended who Jeoparded their lives in the fields against the enemy In the mean time Meroz a people able to help and neer at hand stood Newters But Meroz is therefore cursed and that bitterly because the Inhabitants came not out to the help of the Lord and his people Therefore all that are Gods people or tha● look to have part in Christ will now come forth to the help of the Lord against Baal Halt not between two opinions If thou be a Protestant defend thy Religion against them that say they are Protestants but are not If thou be a Papist why doest thou desemble Professe to be what thou art and be what thou professest A profest Papist is in a better condition and more to be trusted then a lukewarm Newter There is but one God one Truth and one Faith in which men can b● saved The Parliament professe that one God Truth and true Faith of Jesus Christ and that they and all Gods Elect except such as are yet ignorant do defend The other Army say the like but 't is to deceive us and say they take Arms to defend that which none oppose but themselves They make protestation and urge it upon men by force wherein they call God to witnesse and so do we But they have now brought the controversie to a desired Issue for surely The Judge of all the world will do right and though he now afflict his people and for a time suspend sentence it will not be alwayes so But he will shew wonders in the world and declare to the eyes of men who speaks the Truth and who desemble A considerateman may see the Parliaments reality and the others dissimulation by the mercies of the one even to their professed enemies and the barbarous cruelty of the other not onely to us but to their own friends spoyling and plundering all one as well as another witnesse Banbury Brainford Reading Newbury and all Towns and places where by force or fraud they have entred which the Parliament forces have not done in any Town or place where they have entered with the hazard of their lives Thus men consider not Nor compare their barbarous cruelty to our men their prisoners whom they beat wound and starve with the good usage their Cavaliers have which are the Parliaments prisoners who are allowed good lodging fire food of all sorts Bear Wine and what not They want nothing but honesty and liberty to act more mischief but ours are denyed all things but honesty which they cannot take from them All this God beholds whose eyes run too and fro through the earth beholding the good and bad and will recompence all according to their doings God is the righteous Judge of all men he is unchangeable his power is not weakned his eye not shut nor his ear heavy to hear his iustice and his mercy is the same as in former Ages On him our eyes waite to see his iudgements upon out enemies and his deliverance to his people We know there 2 Thes 12 7. Reve. 13. is a mistery in the working of Antichrist and he a Monster having many heads and horns But we are sure that Antichrist shall fall and it is probable that this is the time and warre in which England shall cut off one of those heads This Warre is his warre against Christ And now Christ calls all that are his to stand for him If now you deny your help you deny Christ and therefore give me leave to rememb●r you of Christs words spoken in this case to you That if you deny him Matth. 10. 33. before men he will deny you before his father If you by Newtrality think to save your lives you will indanger to lose your souls for ever But if Matth. 16. 25. in this case for Christ and his Gospels sake we loose our lives we shall surely save our souls and procure a blessing to our posterities Every man is willing to enjoy the propriety of his Goods his Liberty and Peace c. But are unwilling to be at any pains or cost to preserve or procure it But contrary many at this day are so extreamly stupid and grossely fordid That they take more pains run into greater danger and bestow more cost to betray their Rights and Liberties c Then is by the Parliament required of them for their present and future security The twenty part is the most they require And that but lent Your charge for your wives ●evers and Taffaty Gowas and your own expence in Taverns would quickly recover that charge What may we think of such men But as men void of naturall affection much more destitute and empty of Religion Love or Charity who disobey or refuse such an order seeing by lending a twenty part the other ninteen may be preserved which else without order or parts those Cavaliers will by force take altogether and by it strengthen themselves to continue a warre to destroy our Laws and posterities That which the Parliament requires of you and me is but to defend you and me c. against their rage and rapine But you will say and think you hit the nail on the head that it is against Law Answ If it be not against Law to defend thy self against violence or to preserve the Law it self from violation Then it is not against Law to contribute mony as a means But a man in case of necessity in his just defence may kill Although the Law say he shall not kill Much more a Parliament who are providers maintainers and best Judges of the Law may by their Order lawfully in case of necessity to defend the Law cease the Subiect at their descretion The whole Kingdom have trusted them with Religion Laws and Estates which they are to maintain and defend at the Kingdomes charge If the sword

in opposition against the Law will force and destroy the Ordinance of the Law the sword by the equality of the Law may defend the Law But you will say You desire peace Answ So do all good men cursed be the man that desires it not so that it be such a peace as hath assurance of truth joyned with it But to desire peace or to accept a peace without truth will prove a cursed bondage a remedy worse then the disease Although War be a great punishment and the effects miserable yet a just War is better then an unjust peace a just War will establish a true peace but an unjust peace will prove a more destructive War our peace with Idolaters hath caused this War but to have a peace with their Idols too will be our present ruine Can we expect any good and happy peace so long as the whoredoms of Jezebel are so many when Israel chose new Gods then War was in the 2 Kin. 19 22. Iudg 5. 8. Iudg. 2. 12 13 14 gates when Israel followed the gods of the Nations and worshipped Baalim God brought upon them the sword of the Nations and delivered them into the hands of the spoylers that spoyled them But England hath followed the Idols of the Papists and worshipped Baalim therefore God hath brought upon England the sword of the Papists and may most justly deliver us up into their hands to be spoyled and ruined Eighteen yeers ago the Lord delivered them into our hands as his and our enemies to be destroyed for their Idolatry or at least to be banished for their Treason but we spared and cherished them to be as thorns in our sides and their gods to be a snare unto us We have spared them as Benhadad was spared by mercifull though wicked Acbab and 1 Kin. 20. 42. 1 Kin. 22 37. as God punished Acbab and his people by the hand of Benhadad and his people so is the King and the people of England punished at this day by the hands and plots of bloody Jesuites and Papists Their designe is great upon our King upon us and upon all his Majesties Kingdoms God rebuke them and deliver us And that we may not fail of deliverance in due time let us all of all sorts sexes and conditions seek the Lord by hearty humiliation and resolved Reformation and in the first place with zeal and detestation set our selves against that sin of Idolatry as Phineba● did against Zimri and Cozbi that Numb 25 11. so we may appease Gods anger if we with all our hearts seek truth it will bring us to true peace with God and men We have sought to the Parliament for Peace but they cannot give it us We have sought by humble Petition to the King for Peace and that procured our further prejudice For while we sought for the peace of the whole Kingdom we received from some of that malignant bloody Counsell an Answer altogether contrary to our expectation and after it a Letter to the former effect both tending to stirre up Warre where yet by Gods mercy none is in the great and pupulous City London That because they cannot destroy us themselves they would set us to destroy one another which God forbid We know that while we hold the band of Unity we are able by Gods assistance to defend our selves But if we be once divided we lay our selves open to every adversary without resistance to be devoured We will be warned by Jerusalems misery that once famous City of the world by See losephus in War Ierus such sedition brought to be a heap of stones And by the experiences of the bloody cruelties and mercilesse plundrings of all those Towns that have or do by such division give them entrance Banbury had as much securing as King could give them and yet plundred and the man M. Vivors by name who was the chiefest agent to bring them in was most plundered But we will honour our King and hazard our lives and fortunes for His Person Posterity and Parliament to rescue them from the bloody hands of that malignant Counsell and Army of Cavaliers and will assure His Majesty of safety and security in this City if His Majesty will be pleased to come to His Parliament and to us peaceably as our King and to the Parliament as his great and faithfull Many Procters Prebends c. and mercinary trades men for profits and favour care neither for the welfare of King nor Kingdom If we lose this Parliament we must expect to have greater without all remedy Exo. 7. 11 Exod. 14. 10 11. Icr. 5. 25. Councell and besides them we know no other though some who seek honour from the King rather then honour to the King divide between his Majesty and them We cannot forget how much we all groaned under the burdens of oppressions late layed upon us by the hard task-masters that were set over us and then we all cryed fot a Parliament to ease us Our Bondage had some resemblance to that of the people of Israel in Aegypt and so hath our ingratitude For whilst their deliverance was working their burdens grew greater and then they murmured and so have some of us They cryed for deliverance and God heard their cry we cryed for a Parliament and God graciously yea miraculously gave us a Parliament But because malignant Counsellors as the Magicians of Aegypt have hindered our present deliverance we murmure against the Parliament as they against Moses and Aaron God led them thorow the Wildernesse to prove them and they said They bad rather have died in Aegypt c. Thus God proves us by some opposition and some say It was better with us when we endured our former oppressions but consider not that our sins have provoked God and therefore he suffers our King to be misled for a great punishment to us nor understand that our impenitency hinders good things from us and stop the Parliaments proceedings We are a foolish and sinfull people that love our sins and lose our Liberty we prefer the twentieth part of our money before our Religion as the Gadarens their swine before Christ But let us not tempt God as the Israelites did nor with the multitude of Atheisticall Libertines revile our Moses and Aarons much lesse give assistance to destroy them and our selves left we be found to fight against God We know what became of those wicked men that east an evill report upon the Land of Promise and discouraged the people saying Mighty men were in the Land that could not be overcome But thus some do by reproachfull speeches and spreading venomous Pamphlets and lying Fictions to the dishonour of this chrice honourable Parliament as if the Parliament had brought these things to this passe to make us die by the sword and our children to be a prey c. Thus the Israelites murmured and were destroyed by the Plague before the Lord Numb 14. 37. and all their Carkasses fell in