A FULLER ANSWER TO THE MODERATOR, WHEREIN His Argument of Advantage and Disadvantage is so opened, as that he is laid open too, and made manifest to be an impostor, most grossly abusing King and Kingdom. Worthy all men's observation, who, with an entire heart, wish Peace to both. Proverbs 25. 26. When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart. I Am not like one, that taketh a Dog by the ears, for I meddle with a matter belonging unto me a Prov. 25. 17. : In my Country's peace, I have peace; and while war is in her gates, I shall have no rest in my spirit. Peace is the mother blessing, we all as brothers of the same mother (but for our unnatural divisions, there are great thoughts of heart) are pretenders to it, we seem to follow, and pursue after it. The Answer to the Moderator before this, assureth us by the same word, The Heaven's and Earth have for their continuance, That all the powers on Earth cannot ac●mmodate a peace there; Our impieties, ungodly policies, Idols, and lying vanities, have thrust away our Peace: and now that it is taken from the Earth, it cannot be regained, till we have made Peace with Heaven. And this the Answerer has ●ld us, so well and so fully, that it were vain for me to meddle further in it. He knows very well, so do all, that have any understanding of the Times, or in the Records thereof, what became of all Treaties, wherein Idolaters were Agents: Therefore it had been folly for him or myself, to meddle with a Re●itting on either Party. The King's party will not remit any thing of their Rigid government (as the Moderator calls it in ●est, and we in earnest, for so it will be, if their counsell● prevail.) The Parliament must not remit of their Imperious Reformation (the Adversary calls it so, we say, and God says so too, It is not Imperious enough, not high enough, but) we are sure they should Remit nothing there: What the one parley will do, and the other should do, stands at as full a distance from an honourable Accommodation, as the two Poles stand: at such a distance stand these two Parties, and will stand so opposite while the World stands, and Rome in the World, and a Papist in the Kingdom, that has power in the hand there: And we of the lower sort, may stand with others of a contrary mind to us, like Dogs at a Bay: But agree we cannot, till the Temple of GOD, and Idols be agreed. And this the Answerer hath made as clear as the Sun beam. I shall apply myself only now, to the Moderatours' Argument, (handled in two pages, marked with the same figure) of Advantage and Disadvantage, which the Pag. 16. Answerer hath touched only, and no more: and in reference thereunto, I call this A Fuller Answer, not that I would diminish one mite from the abilities of the Answerer, or one grain from his Answer: He will give me good leave, to be fuller a● that point, whereunto he has spoken little or nothing; and yet it is the kill Argument; for when he hath well considered, what the Moderator hath spoken there, (which on the sudden he could not do) he will say, That the Pen of a mean and private person could not do better service to King and Kingdom, then in opening that point, and making a full Answer thereunto. And the Answerer will excuse me too, when he has read all, That I do not speak so comely of the Moderator, ●● he has done, f●● truly I am persuaded, That Charity itself cannot judge him to be an honest Man, because, directed by Reason, says he, by a low and unsavoury spirit, say I, this he says; M. WE shall find the Parliament hath nothing to cement its self, to increase and fix their party, and keep it from staggering, but a little temporary reputation, and a resolution to hold to the public good. A. I must not forbear him here, though the Answerer does; he speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickedly, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolishly; wickedly if he speak in earnest; foolishly if he speak in jest, speaking in such serious matters. He says, We find the Parliament hath nothing to cement itself and fix their party, but a little temporary reputation. Alas! what will that do to fix● a man (for I will speak in individio) and keep him from staggering in such an agony and shaking time as this is, when the wicked Prelates and such like, must be shaken out of the earth, where they have taken root this long time, I say, shaken out, and that is the reason of the Earthquake. And what will keep from staggering now, will a little temporary reputation do it? No, no; Alas it is a fluid thing, no fixedness in it at all; and therefore a great deal cannot fix the man, but unfixe him rather; make him as weak as water; it cannot hold up the spirit, and keep from staggering. Shall a Parliament-man, (I would be plain) one, that is chosen to stand for thousands, to appear for God; to standup for his Country, (he is engaged so to do, by all the obligations that are conceivable) Can this man fix himself by popular applause, by the esteem and repute the people have of him? Can this keep a man from staggering? But I am not such a fool to question it; ●● say, and there is no question to be made of it, A great deal of Temporary Reputation will not be sufficient to fix a man, no not a little, and to keep from staggering. But there is another thing, which foolishly and wickedly he puts together, and would cement with temporary reputation (but they can c●ment no better than Gold can with Clay) A resolution to hold fast to the public good. What is that? The public Faith of the King and Kingdom, Religion, Truth, Gospel; call it what you will, it is the public Good, the great Trust of the Kingdom: Hold fast to this, and this will do it, keep from staggering; This will ●●xe a man, keepup his spirit, make him stand u●right though the Earth totter like a drunken Man: How violent soever the motions are, though words against him, are Swords, and deeds are ungodly and devouring, yet he can appeal to GOD, that he has done his work, discharged his trust; he has laid out himself for the saving a distressed Ghurch and State; he has not been biased to his private wealth; thoughts of the public have drunk up his spirits; This fixeth a Man, keeps him from staggering in an earthquake, when the earth is smitten, and the Nations are angry, and the Kingdoms are moved; This I say, holds up the spirit of this Man, this fixeth him, that he h●th, doth, and will stand up in the breach; if he perish, there he will perish, in the breach, in the resolution to hold fast to the public good. And see I pray you, and consider how efficacious this resolution is to fix the heart, and to keep from staggering: And then see how this Fool or Knave, (which you will, for he is both) hath matched it here▪ with a little temporary reputation, and then calls it nothing, nothing but a resolution to hold fast to the public good: and that is all the Parliament hath to cement itself, to fix their party, and to keep it from staggering, a Resolution only to hold fast to the public good. They that are the Parliaments best friends, can wish them no more to fix and establish them, but such a Resolution; if they have that, they have all, that concerns them in this matter: for, Blessed is that Man, who is resolved to hold fast to the public good, for in such a business as this, this is all and abundantly sufficient to fix the person, and to keep from staggering; That he hath done his utmost; laid-out, and spent himself for the saving (as we may call it indeed) a distressed Church and State. Surely, though it be not saved (which yet we do not question) yet this person may comfort himself as his LORD before him, My judgement is with the Esa. 49. 4. LORD, and my work with my GOD. He has done his duty as aforesaid, not with so strong an hand, but with as good an heart as Josiah did; and that is his comfort, and exceeding strong consolation; Now he can remit the matters, leave it in God's Hands, let Him do what is good in His eyes; he can now stand still and weight the salvation of GOD, for he has done his duty; Though, and so the Moderator goes on. M. And this (viz.) [a Resolution to hold fast to the public good] if things run so high as they do now, will be called Rebellious stobborunnesse, and be branded with the foul imputation of Treason. A. The Man says true; Things do run so high, as that a Resolution to hold fast to the public good is called Rebellion and Treason; but it moves not those, whose spirits are fixed. It was so in Ancient times, they that were fiexdly resolved to hold to God, His Christ, His people's good, were accounted no better than Rebels and Traitors; Gods servants are not careful about Neh. 4 & 6. this now. But yet let us observe how contemptably he speaks of this holding fast to the public good; It is nothing but; and what more? That which will be called Rebellion and Treason: Be it so, so called I mean, when it is in deed and truth, the truest obedience and highest point of loyalty to hold fast to the public good, to prefer that before all your private engagements. And this I thought fit to insist upon, and make the plainer, That we, the lowest of the people, may put the more observation upon it; and be more resolved for, and fixed on the public good also; That we may look to our standing, keep our holdfast, close to the public good: for that which is good for the Kingdom, is good for us also: as, what is good for the Beehive, is good for the Bee. Let us hold fast there, while the Moderator goes on in his Argument. M. Whereas the King (as the chief Master and dispenser of the Commonwealth) is able to fit the humour of every Man, that he hath a mind to take off. A. Take off! from what? from a Resolution to hold fast to the public good. That is his meaning, and it can be no other. And who must take them off? The King, the chief Master and dispenser of the Commonwealth; he that should stand like the stalk of a Balance; he that is the Father of his Country, and, as a Father, should tender his Subjests; and, next to his own Soul; mind only their good; he must take them off. Whom will he take off? The proud Man, the ambitious Man, the busy Man. And he shall do it, I mean, The King is able to call these forth, to his foot; for these mind their private wealth, and so they may build-up that, they care not though the public fall to ruin; he shall be able to tak●●hese off, for they were never on. But what means has the King to effect this? what ways hath he to take these persons off from serving the public good? M. That which will fit every man's humour, [the better, the verier Knave he is] The King has honour for the proud; places of Trust [such a place as Hull, a place of Trust, and being so, not] for the Ambitious man; inferior Offices, for the busy Man; favour and promises, and a possibility of several preferments to invite all sorts of men to him. What to do when they are come? To betray the public good, the places of Trust. Is this the advantage on the King's side! I speak it with indignation; is this it? Are these his gifts, and bestowed upon such persons, and for these ends? he could not have spoken more to the dishonour of his Prince, not more to the honour of the Parliament. M. The King has Power, etc. A. I will cut him short here, for he speaks proudly. The King has Power, so much as is derived from God, or permitted to him: So much Power he has and no more: Nor Prince nor people, have any power of their own, but to sin against God, to do wickedly, to shed blood to their power a Ezek. 22. 6. : But no power they have to do good, nor knowledge there; It is too high for them b Prov. 14. 7. ; This power is lost and never recovered again, but by a full and free acknowledgement that so it is, That a power of doing good is gone, and a power of doing evil as we can c jer. 3. 5. , remains, and will remain fixed in the heart, till an humble confession remooves, and throws it forth. This is not to the Moderatours' purpose; but of infinite concernment, and a prime point of knowledge this; To know That Man has no power of his own, to do good; But to do contrary, his power is sufficient. It follows; M. He hath the power of a Pardon. A. A Pardon! for whom? for Rebels and Traitors; Who are they? Those that are resolved to hold fast to the public good; To the cause of God; to His Worship; these are Traitors and Rebels in this man's account, for so his words relate if you will observe and construe them. M. He hath the power of a Pardon, to hold out like a Lure, to fetch in such as have turned tail, and would turn again, but dare not stoop till a Pardon call them in. B. No, Let them stoop to a Lure, who have stood-up stoutly against GOD; have turned head and tail against Him; These are resolved to look straight forward, and not look after a Lure, nor respect a Pardon for their good service done to the public: Though he that has done best, and has been most resolved for the public good, does say, as Nehemiah did, for our best works need a Priest, and an Altar, and a Sacrifice; I mean a pardon; Remember me (O my GOD) concerning this also, and SPARE me according to the greatness Neh. 13. 22. of Thy Mercy. I will add; I never yet s●w such a pack of knavery open before me in so narrow a compass, tending so directly to the dishonour of his Prince, and to the honour of his loving subjects; To the Disadvantage of the King, and to the Advantage of his faithful people; such as hold fast to the public good, and are resolved so to do. And yet we have not heard half; he goes on to show the Advantage on the King's side. What is that? M. A King can keep off the aid of foreign States from his Parliament: [who desire none but for the Defence of the King and Kingdom] how will he do it? The King will use all Arts, having the most expert instruments for it, to disable or take off that party; and he may do it very easily, by corrupting some Eminent Engineer there, some great Officers, or most popular Men, or by kindling some divisions, etc. A. Certainly there was never such a Knave read in Print; how dares he lay open the nakedness of his King? how dares he instruct his Prince to deal corruptly; To kindle divisions in other States, though thereby he could solder and cement his own? how dares he put that down for an Advantage to his King's Crown and Dignity, which la●es his Honour in the dust? Corrupt dealing! how fare below a Prince! [The chief Master and dispenser of the Commonwealth] that is uncomely for a Peasant? Let right be done though the world and the things thereof shatter to pieces. M. He tells us next; We have an encouraging Precedent of the Scots, as we look upon it, but we are mistaken both in the circumstances and nature of the Case. A. Truly mistaken we are (I think) and yet not in the nature of the Case, but unhappily, perhaps, in the managing of it. The Cause the Scots maintained, was the Cause of GOD, and His Anointed, The Public Faith of the Kingdom, Religion, Truth, Gospel: That is our case too. But I fear we do not make it the principal, chief and masterpiece of our work, as certainly they did; for they did manage it as the Cause of GOD. We do not follow it so, with so single an eye; we do not, if I observe aright, keep close to the Cause, nor to our covenant: we are not constant, we do not holdfast to it; we do not shape and mould all our actions thereunto; we are more for our outward liberties, then for the privileges of the Saints, our eye is not single that way if I discern aright: And if so, then there is a great difference in point of circumstance and manner of prosecuting this great work; but in the nature of the Cause, the Scots and ours, I conceive there is no considerable d●ff●rence at all. He prosecutes the Argument of Advantage on the Kings ●ide, h● says; M. The King is more likely to draw to him the affections of the people, in that the pressures and miscarriages of this late government are passed, and almost expiated by his acknowledgement. A. Here he speaks reason, and more; It is the honour of a King to pass by an offence, than the duty of a subject to pass by the error of their King; and, though he should not acknowledge it, yet our duty to go backward with a cloth to cover what might be uncomely in a King. Doubtless, and so his good people did, and so I pass it over. The Moderator adds. M. And a Promise of a Redress. A. A Promise! he might have added, and Protestations too, as solemn as are conceivable. And we will believe, That the King speaks as he means; his thoughts are sad and serious for the public good; we will hope and think so. It is the glory of GOD to conceal a thing; but the honour of Kings is to Prov. 25. 1, 3. search out a matter: The Heaven for height, and the Earth for depth, and the heart of Kings is unsearchable. The wise Man does not tell us here what guile and deceit lies in the heart; nor what an Abyss, a bottomless thing the heart is; though that be true also: But how sad, and serious, and deep the thoughts of Kings are for the good of their subjects, and establishment of Peace in their borders, how fixed upon that. And this we will force ourselves, notwithstanding what went before, and what will follow anon, to believe, is the King's purpose. But this we must believe also; That the heart is, in this sense, an Abyss, a deep, which the wisest Man, (a Man and no more) that ever was upon the earth, could never bottom. It is deceitful above all things, and, we jer. 17 9 may add, desperately wicked: No wise Man did ever give trust unto it, no not to his own promises: A man may promise that, which he thinks verily to perform, as the Israelites once did; speak thou unto us, all that the LORD Deut. 5. 27. our GOD shall speak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it: And yet all this was as the LORD said, but the voice of words, not the voice of the heart; That flinkes away, would not be engaged. And, yet I say, a Man may promise, that, which he thinks verily to perform; and, when it comes to the point, he flies off: why? The reason is: It was the voice of words, not of the heart. A deceived heart has beguiled him, it has turned him aside from his purpose; The heart would bear no part there, would endure no band or engagement; We cannot forget what we read related of Lady Mary, Daughter to Hen. 8. The Crown was now unsettled; and, to settle it upon her own head, she craved the aid of Suffolk men, amongst whom she was in Framingham Castle there. They were very ready to give her their best help, and assistance, on this condition, That she would make no alteration of Religion, which her Brother King Edward had before established: The Lady was as ready to Promise, as they were to ask: And such a Promise she made unto them, [That no alteration should be made of Religion] as that (I will set down the very words) no man would or could then have misdoubted her. That which follows is remarkable, but this only to our purpose; By the help of the Gospelers (that is the Authors word, he means the Suffolk men, forward in promoting the proceed of the Gospel) she did vanquish the good Duke of Northumberland, attained her haven, and had the Crown. These Suffolk men now, to whom she stood engaged next unto God, supplicate their Queen now to perform her Promise, from whom they received this heavy Answer (so Mr. Fox calls it, and I will keep to his words) forsomuch (saith she) as you, being but members, desire to rule your head, you shall one day well perceive, that members must obey their head, and not look to bear rule over the same. I will take leave to reply; The Gospelers did not seek to bear rule over her; No, They sought her peace, and the peace of her Kingdom, the maintenance of that, which would effect all this, establish her peace, and theirs. They besought her to remember her Promise touching the Gospel, which, being maintained in truth, would establish her Throne, and Kingdom for ever: so they besought her. But they saw now, that she spoke to them before, as a Lady, that would be Queen; and now, as one that knew herself Queen: and so answers them clean cross to expectation and Promise. For, indeed, what she promised them before, was the voice of words only; and what she said afterwards, was the voice of her heart. The result of all this is, That the Promise of the tongue is but the voice of words, which may deceive a man's self, as well as those, that trust to it: The voice of the heart is not heard till afterwards; and what that will be, the Man himself, perhaps, knows not, till time has told him how false the heart is; so false, that no man will trust it; for a thousand experiences have told him, That, when he thought verily the heart spoke, it was but the tongue, the voice of words, the heart spoke nothing, that was silent. The Moderator goes on, will tell us the Advantage of syllables, and yet we will not think him a Conjurer. M. But to go on in our Argument of Advantage and Disadvantage; The King is a syllable of as much Advantage as another Army. A. And more; we acknowledge it with as loyal hearts as once the people shown to David, Thou art worth Ten thousand of us d 2 Sam. ●2. 3. . So David was when he ruled with God; and for God, by His Lawbook, and sitting in God's Throne, God's Deputy, and Vicegerent: so considerable David was, a syllable of such advantage to his Kingdom: And the desire of our souls is, That our King may be such an one, so considerable, and of that advantage to himself and to his whole Kingdom. But, so he is not as he is King, but as he rules for God; commands from His Mouth; orders and directs all by Statute-law, in his Lawbook; If he goes cross to this, he is a syllable still, Deut. 17. and of the greatest disadvantage to himself and Kingdom, That is conceivable. I remember a sad Story; Jehoram Son of Ahab, being with two more Kings in a great strait, went down to Elisha, thinking himself a very considerable Person, being King; and that Elisha would respect him. It was otherwise, What have I to do with thee, said Elisha to the King; get thee to the Prophets of thy Father, and to the Prophets of thy Mother. O say not so says 2 King. 3. 13. the King; send me not to them, they cannot help me in this extremity: And Elisha said; As the LORD of Hosts liveth before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, I would not ver. 14. look towards thee nor see thee. I relate it here for this very reason, That we may know, a King is not a syllable of Advantage, if he rule not as a King, by the Rule of Heaven and Law of his GOD. Again, we do not well to put virtue and efficacy into syllables, they have no more virtue in them, than is in spells, and that is to do hurt and mischief, for they work in the Devil's Name. If I would put any virtue there, I could say as much for Disadvantage; The King is but one syllable, no more is a Queen neither, yet, coming to Jerusalem, she turned away the heart of the wisest King from God, she darkened all his glory: And afterwards she was of more disadvantage to all Judah, than an Host of a Thousand thousand: for such an Host could not hurt Judah, nor the King thereof; but a Queen destroyed the King, and his house, and his Kingdom. We might go on and show the virtue and effecacy of monosyllables, for disadvantage to King and Kingdom. Blood, but one syllable, and yet, the stain of it could never be remooved till Judah was remooved from out of God's sight; And when God makes inquisition for blood, lays it, reallizeth it upon the conscience, it shall be shaken as Belshasars' knees were when they smote one against the other. So, these Gods, which Idolaters make so, are but one syllable neither, yet more skilful to destroy Kingdoms, than Armies are. M. The King in his very Name is sacred and Powerful, and shakes the consciences of many. A. Yes; it is a sacred Name and powerful, and may shake the consciences of them, that have so much as a disloyal thought against his sacred Majesty. But it cannot shake them, not their consciences, who have resolutly held fast to the public, laid out themselves in maintaining the Cause of their God, the Crown of their King, the glory of his Kingdom; his Name cannot shake their consciences, bearing them witness, their God also, that so they have done in sincerity and uprightness of heart; And in this thing they appeal to God, and stand better bottomed then the everlasting hills, they cannot be moved. Nay, the sacred Name of a King shakes no Man, that does not see more in his King then in his God. And many such there are, that walk by sense, they know their King, but they know not their God; with His help I shall unveil their eyes anon, only this here. Doth this Name of a King, and no more, shake the consciences of men? What can GOD do then, but one syllable neither, He will shake them to pieces, (their consciences are rotten already,) He will break them as a Potter's vessel, who, for fear of a Man, have deserted His Cause, the Truth, the Gospel; and, what in them lies, have given it up to the enemy's hand: God, the KING of Kings, and LORD of Lords, will shatter these men to pieces, who have turned head and tail both against their God, their King and Country. I will add a word or two more, for this is the kill Argument; Your King! go against your King! he is more considerable than an Army! will you fight against him? That has been Answered Ten times, It shall have no Answer here. If I could teach the Country man to speak, who sees more in a King, than he does in his God, he should reply from God's Mouth, by way of Question too; A GOD! but one syllable, yet of more Advantage than all the Armies in the world; In His very Name, He is sacred, and terrible; I heard Thy voice, and I was afraid, said Adam: I heard Thy NAME says another, and I trembled. Shall I fight against GOD, His Christ, His Truth? His terror makes me afraid. If I do, so, as now the most do, He will hold me up to the wind, and shake me to pieces; for He is God, hear Him what He saith; Gird up thy loins now like a man, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me: job 40. 7. Wilt thou also disannul my judgement; wilt thou condemn Me that thou ver. 8. mayest be righteous? Hast thou an arm like GOD? or canst thou thunder with a voice like Him? Deck thyself now with Majesty and excellency, ver. 9 ver. 10. and array thyself with glory and beauty: Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath, and behold every one that is proud and abase him: look on every ver. 11. ver. 12. one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place: Hid them in the dust together, and bind their faces in the secret. ver. 13. (If thus thou canst do, as God can do, and does do,) Then will I also confess unto thee, that thine own right hand can save thee. I add; then let the ver. 14. terror of the LORD make me afraid; and not the terror of a Man; let His Name be sacred and Powerful, to shake my conscience, that I may not entertain a proud thought; much less lift up a hand against Him. The Moderatous sets up Man too high, he sets him as Lord in the consciences of men; God is to be set there, for He has His Throne there, and He only; A King not so, but as he commands from God's Mouth; so he must be obeyed: And he may be followed, but not a step farther than as he follows the LORD CHRIST; Who is given a Commander and a Leader to His people. Esa. 55. 4. M. The King hath the Advantage of the written Law. A. If he has the Law on his side, the L●w of GOD, or the Law of Man, (I would speak as briefly as I could) If he has any Law on his side, the least tittle of Law, then accursed be they, that are on the other side; for they pretend to standup for the Law, and they go pointblank against the Law, if this be true, for says the Moderator, The King has the advantage of the written Law. We need not the honest Lawyers help here; he has done his part, and has declared it twice, nay thrice; That the King has no more Advantage of the written Law, for that he does, Then Jezabel had (for she ruled in chief) and Ahab, for taking away Naboth's life, and then his vineyard: And yet the Moderator goes on; M. Which wtitten Law, the King can use now in his Defence. A. Now! and heretofore as well as now, and hereafter as well as now; If he has the advantage of the written Law, let him take it, cursed is he that denies him that Advantage, which the meanest subject will challenge as his birthright, and would fight for it too, if his Armour were not taken away, for he fights for the Law of his God too. The Moderator goes on; M. And by the Authority of the written Law joined with the Power of the Sword, etc. A. The King hath as loyal subjects as ever any King in the world ever had, they never put up any other Petition unto their King, then that he would govern them by the written Law, for therein is contained, the King's power, and his people's rights; The Law dispenceth, orders, and limits all this. Why then does the King join thereunto [to the written Law] the power of his Sword, that oppressing thing, which works so contrary to the Law, making it speechless, and putting it out of office? The Moderator will do us some little favour and resolve us here. M. By the Authority of the written Law, joined with the Sword, the King can thunder out accusations, and, perhaps, the penalties of Treason against those, whom he shall call his opposers. A. Call his opposers! That's brave but not good Law sure. Pardon me, No mat●●r whom Man calls but whom Go● calls opposers. Sir, but I will not pardon you; you do enable the King by the authority of the Law, to do the greatest injury that is imaginable. What is that? To thunder out accusations against the innocent, and penalties of Treason against the lawalists in the Kingdom; for so he does, when he does it against those, whom he calls opposers, and so exposeth himself to the wrath of the Almighty; The LORD will smite that Ruler (a most notorious hypocrite, like a Mat. 23. 27. whited wall or Sepulchre) who sitteth to judge His people after the Law, and will smite those with his tongue, and hand, whom he shall call opposers, Acts 23. ●. contrary to the Law. He calls opposers! then ●e does them wrong; if the Law calls them not so, they stand recti in Curiâ, clear and upright both in the Court above, and here below, and within their own breast; It is not whom the King calls opposers, but whom the Law calls opposers, and by authority thereof are found so to be; and if the King shall lighten and thunder too against those, he shall call opposers against the authority of the Law, they so called, and so thundered against, will regard this thunder, no more, than they do the crackings of that the boys call Grackers and Squibs I think, but I know no more do they care what they be called, whom the King calls opposers, the Law calls good subjects. And though he takes to him the power of the Sword, against the authority of the Law, yet it is God's Sword, and the judge of all the world will do right: And these men, whom the King calls opposers, do expect help from God according to the uprightness in their hearts, and the innocency found in their hands touching this matter. M. The King has a Counsel. A. Yes, that he has; as Israel said once, so the worm Jacob now, My soul come not thou into their secret, unto their Assembly, mine honour be not Gen 49. 6. united: for they counsel the King to the destruction of the King and Kingdom, To go against Law; to call them Rebels and Traitors, whom he calls opposers, but the Law calls the best subjects. Let me be called a Rebel and a Traitor too (for truly it is an honour) so long as the Law cleareth me to be a good subject and an honest Man. But this is the result of the Counsel; I cannot forbear, cursed be their advice for it is carried headlong, and their counsel for it is cruel, The Lord will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in ver. 7. Israel, Amen. He goes on to tell us more touching the King's Counsel. M. He has a Counsel so well mingled. A. What are the ingredients? They have knowledge, that is granted them: What is mingled with it? The Moderator tells us in plain terms, cunning, fraud, craft; his Counselors, like the crooked Serpent, are subtle, and can turn and spy into all the wind of State. He might have called them Knaves as well, for it is as good English, and certainly good Law too; Knaves in grain, Magni Nebulones, as one saith, and Magni Latrones too, Great Robbers: and the Moderator shall prove it to be even so; for he tells us, The King's Counselors, some of them, are versed and cunning in the Law, and know: what do they know? how to turn the Law to the most necessary use; I pray what is that, for I would feign know the use of the Law? He tells us; to the destruction of King and Kingdom; it is just so; when cunning crafty Lawyers will turn the Law, which is a straight Rule, when they will turn it, and bias it at their pleasure, it is to the destruction of King and Kingdom, that all may be wiped as a Man wipes a dish, turning it upside down. So I say it is, when the Law is turned; for let the Law go on its 2 King. 21. 13. course, it tends directly to the salvation of the King and Kingdom. These cunning Lawyers then, so crafty in all the wind of State, are great Knaves, I will speak it again, and great Robbers, for they steal away the supporters of the King's Throne; and, by turning the Law (that sweet blessing) into gall and wormwood, they lay waste his Kingdom. Is he a Thief that picks my pocket; or breaks open my doors? That he is, the Law tells me so, he is a thief? what is he then that steals away the Kingdom's chiefest tre●sure, its birthright, and lays open the frontiers of the Kingdom, to Beasts like themselves, Robbers and spoilers skilful to destroy? The Law assureth us, that these are Thiefs, Robbers rather. This puts me ●● mind of a pretty distinction between Fur a Thief, and Prado a Robber. The Fur is he, who picks your pocket, or your house; takes away your Ox or your Ass●, does you some private injury; This Praedo a Robber is he, who robs a whole Nation, and what in hi● lies, ruins a whole Kingdom. It minds me also what a poor little Thief told Alexander the great. I steal some petty matters from some private men; Thou dost spoil and rob whole Kingdoms: I am poor and am quickly taken off, and short by the neck, thou art mighty and canst break through; but so it comes to pass, That great Thiefs send little Thiefs to the gallows: and these we have met with here, Men versed and cunning in the Law, that know how to turn it to the most necessary use, says the Moderator; to the most pernicious abuse say we; and to the greatest disadvantage of King and Kingdom. Now we may discern what peace we shall have of this Parties making, when these are the agents for an Accommodation, proud, ambitious, busy men, taken off from the public good by favour and promises; and made to turn head and tail against GOD, His Truth and Peace. When Spiritual Lords are agents for Peace, whom the Land have sp●ed-out, because they have taken Peace from the earth: and now they would accommodate a Peace, that they might thrust themselves into their places again, there to murder more souls, as if their iniquities that way were not yet full. When Achitophel's are agents for Peace; Men cunning and crafty in all the wind of State, and so know how to turn the Law to the most pernicious abuse: And when corruption is used also, to fetching some eminent Engeneers, some great Officers and most popular Men. I ask again; what kind of Peace will this be, which this Party will Accomodat? We need not guess, we can answer punctually to the matter; A peace, that has no respect to the honour of GOD; to the glory of His Anointed, none at all. No regard to Truth, to Holiness, none at all; A Peace, which will be as a Sword in the bones of the Righteous, because thereby the Name of the LORD will be blasphemed. Do we doubt of this? Look again upon the King's Party, whom he reckons on his side, and are of his Counsel here, proud Men, ambitious busy Men, Spiritual Lords, cunning, subtle, crafty in all the wind of State, and know how to turn the Law (as they have turned Religion) to the most necessary use. We need no more. They that are so cunning to turn the LAW of GOD and Man as they please, know as well, and are as skilful to turn the Peace as well (for it is as ductill through their hands as the Law is,) they can and will bias that also to their own ends, the dethroning the LORD CHRIST, and inthroning the Pope and his Prelates; the setting up their Dagon, the furthering their Party; their desperate and bloody designs. From a Peace made up by these men, and by their means, such a pack of knaves and their knavery, good Lord deliver us: Amen, say all that know what they say; and they know their GOD will do it: Their GOD and Prince of Peace will not give His people such a Peace, so packt-up; for they will give their LORD no rest for this thing; that they may have a Peace of His giving, and bequeathed unto them by their PRINCE of Peace, Amen. From these premises well thought upon, we can commune with our own hearts, and argue the Case as men, that have sense left them, and are directed by reason: As for any higher principle, we will not seem to reach after it, or care for it; We will reason with ourselves according to our common capacity as reasonable men. Thus we reason; They that hold fast to the public good, [the common faith of the Kingdom,] these are called Rebels and Traitors: and are so dealt with, and injured according to the power in the hand. The Law which is every man's Master, and the common Treasury, which dispenseth to every Man his right, is turned to the destruction of King and Kingdom: They, who oppose with all their might, the Laws of GOD and Man are accounted good Men and Subjects: They that oppose these, and withstand their desperate and bloody designs are called opposers. Directed by reason what is to be done now? certainly it is not questionable, not a matter to be parleyed on, whether a free people shall stand up for their own lives, their Wives and children, against merciless and bloody Adversaries, who delight in proud wrath? Directed by reason we cannot stand to parley about this, for know we not yet that our Canaan is destroyed? We Exod. 10. 7. have the same reason now as once Israel had, when their Right eyes a 1 Sam. 11. 2. were demanded; and afterward the Jews b Esth. 9 , when designed to destruction, the same reason I say to ASSOCIATE ourselves (there is no other way) To Assemble ourselves, to stand up every man in his place, for our lives; that we may do unto those, whom the Laws of GOD and Man call opposers, as they would do and have done to their power, against them, whom the King and his party call opposers, for no other reason, than (as was said of a Poor man oppressed by the mighty) because they will not receive the Adversaries whole Qui totum telum in corpus non recipisset. Cic. de Fimb●●â. Sword, blade, hilts and all into their bodies. We may stand looking one upon another, consulting the way how to Accommodate a Peace, when in the mean time, the contrary party gains Advantage, and strengthens his hand and heart to accomplish his bloody resolution: Therefore we must think only of our duty, and conclude to ASSOCIATE ourselves against these sons of Belial; for there is no pa●lying with them. The Spring is now come, a time of action, and hear how the Moderator prosecutes the Advantage on the King's side; M. The King hath those that are experienced in all the designs of War; Intelligencers in the bosom of his Antagonists, or else his Agents conjure; he has them, that serve him to make him Great [let that pass, though they will make their Master the most inglorious Prince in the world] The Nobles and Gentlemen bear their own charges; his Army can defend its self till the spring, and what is likely to be done then let every man judge, that considers his party abroad, and almost in all Counties. A. Why does the Moderator leave it to every man's judgement, whenas every man cannot judge charitably? The King's good people will think as charitably as possibly they can; That he, who is the Shepherd of his people (the King is called so I know not how often in sacred and in other books) That he will not persist to hurry and spoil the Sheep, over whom God has made him a Shepherd. It is enough and too much that he hath so done this winter. His good people can hardly think, That he, who is the Father of his Country, will seek all means to destroy his people, whom he should respect as his Sons and Daughters; Nor that he, whom God hath made King, hath set upon his own Throne, will endeavour, with his own hands to lay his own Kingdom waste, to make his Eden a wilderness; Nor that he, whom God has made the Head over a great people, will spy out what Port is open thereby to takein instruments of cruelty, wherewith to tear the whole body? because he is pleased to call some members there, opposers. His good people will hope as charitably as possibly can be, That their King will understand his place and Office there; That, ruling over men, he must be just, ruling in the 2 Sam. 23. 3. fear of GOD: Equity and justice must shine in him, even as the Sun when it is at the highest, whereof poor and rich may take refreshing: he must be as the morning when the Sun riseth, even as the morning without Clouds. Thus his poor people will hope concerning him, for a Prince, that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor c Pro. ●8. 16. ; his people will think as charitably as possibly they can, concerning their King and these matters, notwithstanding what the Moderator speaks to the contrary; he says; M. And it is a fond thing certainly to think his Army can want Ammunition, having any Port open, or that it will want money more than the other: If the Kingdom hath it, the Soldier will not be without it, if it have not, they must feed on free cost. A. Here we may take a full view of the King's Army, not so terrible for multitudes as they are for injustice and violence in their hands; they carry their right on their Sword's point; they spoil and lay waste according to the power in their hands, and so have a great advantage indeed of those, who must walk by rule. This is enough to fray us into a Peace, as I have seen some fray Sheep into the water. For now that the Spring is come, and such expectation of Forragne help to take part and join with his Forces here; Surely now, if there be not a Port and refuge open (and GOD be praised, that is always open) we will lay down our weapons now, and make Peace with the Devil: for so we may, as the Answerer has told us, upon as good terms as with this party, which the Moderator hath so fully described unto us, and discovered before us, viz. That rob and pillage and lay all waste wherever they come; And now that the Spring is come, they expect supplies from the Pope's side, who wait this Advantage, That those angry people and as skilful to destroy, may join Forces with the King's Armies here, to maintain the established Religion (that is the pretence, and the Protestation too,) the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom, after they have laid all waste, and destroyed the King's good people there. And this is the Party with whom we would accommodate a Peace: God say it not unto our charge. But to the thing in hand; Here we have all the Advantages on the King's side; And surely a man directed by reason cannot tell what to say unto all this, But there is one Port always open, a Refuge, whereunto the LORDS people can continually resort, in assured confidence; That GOD, who remembered Noah, and every living Gen. 8. thing, and all the Cattles that was with him, will remember His people also; He that remembered the Beasts will remember the Sheep of His pasture; He will have a special and peculiar eye to them, who have held fast to the public good, and to their GOD, and are resolved so to demean themselves, That man shall not be able more than to call them opposers; Certainly the Lord will remember these; The proud waters threatened to go over their souls; The floods have lifted up (O LORD) they have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. (i. e.) The wicked are exceeding proud, and so they speak and do, as if they could do what they have a will to do, against those, whom they shall call opposers. The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea then the mighty waves of the Sea (i. e.) The LORD is above them: And though the LORD be so high, yet hath He a respect unto the lowly: Though I walk in the midst of trouble Thou wilt revive me; Thou shalt stretch forth Thine Hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me, saith the Ps. 1●8. 7. Church; And it is the Anchor of their hope, sure and steadfast. Therefore now that the Spring is come, this people are not afraid with any amazement; now that the Adversary, by his fraud and cunning, is turning the Peace as they have turned Religion and Law, all to the most pernicious and cursed abuse; Now are God's people turning themselves to GOD; They put no trust in a syllable, but in GOD, Who is of more Advantage to His people then are the Armies of Men and Devils against them. He is GOD of Hosts, Power and wisdom ar● His, A a Neh. 4. 14. Great GOD and terrible, a discovering GOD; Let Israel say so, He that told Elisha the words, that were spoken in the King's Bedchamber. b 2 King. 6 12. He revealeth the deep and secret things; He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth in Him c Dan. ●. 22. , His servants need not conjure, their God is a discovering God, Israel must say so. Jacob, though a worm, is not afraid now, no not at all this; They will set this one GOD against all that we read before; They will take courage and be confident, for their God is on their side, and that is Advantage enough. And the LORD CHRIST, (of no Advantage, as He is but a syllable,) but of mighty Advantage, as He is a mighty Saviour, a Redeemer that i● strong, th● LORD of Hosts is His Name, He shall throughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the Land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. Truth is ● syllable also, (our English Tongue abounds there, no Tongue more, therefore no trust 〈◊〉 that, but) of mighty advantage as God's eye is upon the Truth; He will maintain His own Cause, and His Hand is upon all them for ●ood that seek 〈◊〉 but His Power and His wrath is against all them that forsake. Him * Ezra. ●. 22. , them that the Law calls opposers, and resisters of His holy will; th●se shall one day feel to their smart and everlasting confusion, what it is to be a Rebel, and a Traitor in God's account, To be called so by Him, Who calls things as they are. But by Him Jacob shall run through a Troop, and by this God he shall leap over a Ps. 18. 29. ●all; with the help of God we also, that were ●oward● before will be valiant for the Truth, His Cause, (though we be called oppos●rs for that) and for the Cities of our God, and then remit the whole matter to Him our Righteousness; Let Him do what is good in His eyes f 2 Sam. 18 1●. . The Lord does all things well; and Israel shall say, All that was done, was done for the best, to magnify the Name of their God and His Hand in the salvation of His people. Wait we a little for th● Lord waiteth to be gracious and all these seeming Advantage● on the Adversaries side, shall greatly Advantage His people in the prom●ting the Glory of GOD and the Peace of Israel, Amen. The Moderator ha● done now with the Advantage● on the King's side; and he tells us, it were a vain work for him, To s●●mme-up all the strength and Advantages which the Parliament has go● together for its des●●●●; and to go, through with its designs: And there ●● puts a scorn upon them, ●s●er his manner, and passeth on: I will pass on too, only we must remember w●●t we read, The scorner is an abomination g Pro. 24. ●. : and the greatest reason he should b● so, for be bringeth a City into a ●nare h Pro. 29 8. , nay more than so, he sets a City o● 〈◊〉. And yet he hath not done so much to the scorn of the City; as he hath to the scorn and reproach of his King. Certainly a Man cannot imagine what h● i Inflammant sufflant. Trem. could have spoken more to his King's dishonour, and to the scorn and eternal reproach of his party. But for all this, he may find an Advocate. He hath spoken also to the dishonour of God, and to the weakening the hands of His people lifted up for the Cause of their God, and His Anointed, and there I will not spare him; he hath laboured what he can, that the poor people may see more in their King, then in a God; more in the anger of a King then in the wrath of the LORD; more in a Peace accommodated by Man, then in a Peace given from God. My work is now to remove the veil which he hath spread before the eye. By God's good hand with me, I shall be able to do it; To make it clear to every man's eye, who will not wilfully shut it up, That GOD answers every particle, jote and tittle, in the Advantages on the Adversaries side; And shall willingly endeavour this for my Country's sake, whose peace I wish as I do the peace of my own soul; first; M. The King can call an hold fast to the public good, a Rebellion and Treason. A. Look to God now. He will call things as they are, and this hold fast He will call Loyalty to thy Prince, and faithfulness towards his people: And He will clear thy innocency at this point as the morning; and thy Righteousness as the noon Day. He will account and call thee His Friend, and then no matter what others call thee. M. 2. The King is able to fit the humour of every Man. A. Look to God, and be upright, Then enlarge thy desire towards Him; He will satisfy thy desire; whereas thou mayest search all the world over, and all the creatures there, and distil the marrow and juice of them, and yet find but weariness, and emptiness in them all; for so capacious the soul is, and so unsatisfiable in all she finds and fixeth upon here below, till it cometh and fixeth on Him, in Whom i● fullness and satisfaction. M. 3. The King has favour and promises, and possibility of preferments, etc. A. Look to God, In His favour is life k Psal. 30. 5. ; And He has given thee rich and precious promises, both concerning this life and a better; and more than a possibility ●● certainty of such an honour, as have the Saints * Psa. 146. 9 , and that is an honour unspeakable, to have the friends and favourites of GOD, whom He will honour. M. 4. He hath the Power of a Pardon. A. I would the Moderator had not said so, That the King has a Power on will either, to pardon the wicked, to account them innocent, whom the LORD ●a●eth. But so the will of man may be, and his power also. Look to God now; He will by no means clear the guilty l Exo. 24. ●. : But the LORD the LORD GOD, merciful, etc. will multiply pardons to the hu●be soul, as his sins are, though as the ●●nds for multitude: fix upon this GOD; surely it belongs to Him to say, I have Power to Pardon. Let others say what they will, and boast of their excommunication (which we care no more for, than we do the bellowing of a Bull:) or their pa●dons (which we respect no more than the dirt under our feet) The said full soul will hearken what the LORD says for He speaks Peace. Ps. 85. 8. That which follows is corrupt dealing, and fase-hood, which th● Lords soul hates; His eyes are upon the Truth. M. 5. The King has penalties of Treason against those, whom he shall call opposers. A. The Lord has abundance of mercy and loving kindoes, to show to those, whom He accounts faithful. M. 6. The King hath a Counsel well mixed, cunning in the Law, and that know how to turn it to the most necessary use [here is plain dealing.] A. Look up to God now, for now is the time; Thou art in a wilderness, seest no path there; knowest not in the world what way to take; Cunning crafty men devise mischief, they are turning the very Law against thee, whence thou dost expect help: It is time now to look about thee and consider: on whose shoulders is the government m Esa. 9 6. ? Inquire into that, and what His Name is? It will be told thee, His Name is called WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR, The mighty GOD: One letter of this Name is enough to sustain all the faithful in the world, though all the wisdom and strength in the world, and the gates of H●ll, be against them. There is no wisdom, nor understanding nor counsel against the n ● Pro. 21. 30. LORD. Will the cunning, crafty man, will he counsel against the LORD? The steps of his strength shall be straitened; and his own counsel shall cast him down o job 18. 7. . There is no Power against the LORD neither; will the Assemblies of the wicked Associate themselves; will they gird on their harnesses, and go out against the LORDS hidden ones? Is this the very purpose of their Association? It tells the Righteous what they are to do as it bids them, Look up to GOD, harken what He saith; ye shall be broken in pieces; ye shall be broken in pieces; ye shall be broken in pieces; Most certainly so, and therefore it is thrice repeated in one place. Ob. But in the Esa. ●. 9 mean time the wicked break the Righteous to pieces; A. I pray you now mark what follows; The LORD, the LORD, the discovering GOD, the COUNSELLOR, as well versed in the Law, as the mixed Counsel ar●; and as they can turn the Law, so the LORD GOD can turn their might and counsels upside down: All their malignancy to the most necessary use. What is that? To the magnifying His own Name, and His people's comfort, in the confounding of them and their counsels. We must not stand and 〈◊〉 into the manner how, The LORD will turn about all this, To the most necessary use; But the Lord will do it, we are resolved upon that, and in the best time. And now we care not, how big the King's Army is; we have known an Army a thousand times bigger, and yet could do Judah no hurt, none at all, but good a great deal. Nor are we afraid of the Spring now it is come. We know the Nations are angry; and we know the reason of their wrath, though their wrath knows no reason: And yet what a fond thing is it to think, that the Nations can do what is in the purpose of their hearts to do. While His servants are about His work, apply themselves to that, Let the LORD alone with ●●e rest, He can order it so, that the Enemies shall not desire this Land p Exo. 34 25. : He can take-off their spirit; But if they do comein, with GOD'S leave, like a flood, He can lift-up a Standard against them, for that is His promise q Esa. 59 19 ; He can lookout upon them, r Exo. 14. ●4. Esa 17. 12, 13. and truble their Host, make them drive heavily; He can chase them, as the chaff of the Mountains before the wind, and as a rolling thing the whirlwind. M. Lastly, and so to give the marrow of all the Moderator hath said in point of Advantage, and to Argue the accommodating a Peace with the King's party; They have Power and Policy with them; That is all; A. By the same Argument and no other, I can argue for a peace with the Devil; but I must conclude a Peace with God, for Counsel and Might are with Him. I have said: and this I have said for excellent reason; 1. That we may fear more the frown of God, than the wrath of Principalities, and Powers, Angels and Men; That we may see more in the favour of God, then in the favour of all the Emperors, Kings and Princes of the World; More excellent Glory in Him, then in all their Courts and Crowns. In a word, That we may see All in Him, and then we shall find all in Him; All Advantages in His being on our side: we shall expect all from Him; and then return all to Him. 2. That we may make this Conclusion; we will sum up all we have in one GOD; All our counsels, All our strength, All our comforts, we will summe-up all in one God: for as Jacob said, He is ALL a Gen. 33. ●1. , And if we have Him, we hav● ENOUGH indeed. Oh that we could see what is in GOD! what Wisdom what Power, what Good●●sse! we should then say, He is ALL indeed. Oh tha● we did know this GOD! we should then know the weight of duty, how t● fear GOD, and honour the King. We should then be able, as to resolve our ●ill into His Will; so also our fear into His Fear; our love into His Love, We shoul● resolve all our comforts into Him; We would not be troubled how broke● our Cisterns are, all our pursuit, the very strength of our desires would be after the fountain. And thus much in a dear affection to the King and Kingdom; That we ma● see where ou●●dvantage lieth, and where Peace is to be had, from the Prince of Peace, and Father not of some, but of all Consolution; And all this, That we ma●●asten to make our Peace with Him, that we may be found of Him in Peace and su●●●e-up all in Him, Amen. Printed in the Day of jacobs' trouble, and Year of hope that he shall be delivered out of it, 1643.