A SPEECH MADE By a True Protestant English Gentleman, To encourage the CITY of LONDON To Petition for the Sitting of the Parliament.  
GENTLEMEN,  
I SHALL not (I hope I need not) use many Arguments to persuade you to look about you, the Popish Clouds are gathered, and must and will fall: Matters of Fact and Important Truths need no Artificial Dress to re-commend them, but (to my unspeakable Grief I speak it) we live in a sordid, degenerate Age; wherein Truth is under the highest Discouragement, and forced into Corners, the secret Places where possibly a few own it; yet I cannot but hope at last it will work its own way, and will overcome and surmount all malicious Arts and Discouragements. However Gentlemen, I am not a little comforted, to see Men are more and more awake out of their Lethargy; I hope I speak to true Protestant English Spirits, my way is plainness, and I do study it, because I know Englishmen love plain, sincere Dealing. I shall not enlarge (though I could to a Volume) but will only, as in a Mirror or Glass, represent that you are determined by Popish Designs and Measures) to Bondage (worse than Egyptian) and that of a long Duration. I set before you the Death or Life of the Protestant Religion, our Lives and Liberties; let your Zeal direct your Choice: the Stock is great, we must work while it is day, lest the Night of Popery come (its already darkish) than it will be too late, except we see by Smithfield Lights. The True Worship of God is God's Honour, and the greatest Blessing on this side Heaven. It ought to be weighed how far the very Notional Honour of the World leads Men to a Vindication of the honour of a Friend or Relation, it puts Life and Estate to hazard; then how infinitely more ought we, upon a much more truly Noble Account? It is a Title and Character, infinitely above the highest Titles the World can confer, to be called and styled, The Friend of God; which none deserves, nor can ever arrive at, but such as vindicate and assert with their Blood the True Worship, which is God's Glory and Honour and our great Dignity and Privilege, to be called to so Noble at Work and Service, which has its Reward in itself and Crowns (that never fade) for the conquerors Life, Liberty, and Estate, are only desirable, as they are Inablements, and as it were Habiliments for this Glorious Warfare and but as Dust in the Balance, though great Temporal Means and Blessings thankfully to be valued and prized. Gentlemen, All those are now in manifest hazard, yet only (under God) a Parliament can secure them to us: May we not fear, Gentlemen, that there are some about the King, who from the horror of their Actions are afraid the Parliament should sit; and labour to possess the K. with an ill Opinion of this People; but when the K. sees the humble Desires of his People in their Petitions, no doubt he will alter his Resolutions, and let the Parliament meet in January. Let us do our Endeavours, and leave the Success to Divine Blessing; therefore proceed without any dismay: you walk within the Laws, and it's your Birthright and Privilege, and the King's Honour, to receive the Supplications of his People. The King of King's delights that we should come and draw nigh to him in times of difficulty and danger, and more especially encourages us to do it. And as it is our Duty and Privilege, so it's, if not the King's Duty, his Dignity, to hear, redress, and heal the Sores and Wounds of his People. I have found sweet Meditations in the Little Book of Martyrs (the Eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews) of whom the World was not worthy, who despised the shame, preferred the reproaches of the present World before their Laurels, Triumphs, and Preferments; having a Prospect of the Recompense of the Reward. I do earnestly recommend the frequent Reading of that Chapter, the more I read it, the more novelty I find in it; and it both kindled and bred in me such a Contempt of the World, that I could cheerfully sacrifice my all (a poor all) it's only what God gave or rather lent; and it were the highest and blackest ingratitude, not to leave it at his Feet for his Glory and Honour, and the True Protestant Religion. I hope, by God's Blessing, it may have the same effect and operation in you; it will be a Viaticum and Cordial in the Holy War, which is like to be not only here, but in Christendom: for Popery or Protestantisme must fall. Gentlemen, I have no more to add, I speak my mind freely to you, I advise you to do what I intent to do myself,  come of it. I know on whose side the Jails are, I may be committed; but I have the satisfaction that I have the Law as a Staff in my Hand to walk by. I am above the fear of Death, much more of a Jail; I hope all you are too; and therefore I will subscribe: My Courage allows me to own the Protestant Religion.   
FINIS.