THE LATE COVENANT ASSERTED.  
1. That it is in whole and in part agreeable to sacred Scripture, holy, just, and good.  
2. That Oxford-Covenant is abominable, contrary to Law, Right Reason, good Sense; whereby it appears, what Keepers the Lords of the world are of the Scales and souls there.  
3. That the Protestation two yeares agone, and Covenant now, are both one for substance; and a sweet agreement between all four, Protestation, Covenant, Oath of Supremacy and allegiance.  
4. That the five Observations sent us from Oxford upon our Covenant, are wicked and blasphemous; The first clean contrary to Law; The fourth most contrary to sense; The fifth crosseth Reason; The second and third blasphemeth the way of all Israel in their war,  
5. warranted by God himself in two most famous Cases, set down here, which will clear our Case as the noon day; Wherein these particulars are observable in passage; That Faith has a Bottom where Reason has none; That Gods People may fall in a lawful war, That they shall be remembered in a low estate; That it is as impossible to accommodate a Peace, as it is to bring the two Poles together, North and South, which stand at an eternal opposition.  
6. clear satisfaction given to all Objections,( I say all, because a Reasonable man shall not find what more to object) against the Covenant, and taking-up of arms; The Oath of Supremacy and allegiance binds us to it; The Kings Vow and taking the Sacrament upon it, is no more, but what the Lady Mary, before shee was Queen, had taken, and all the Papists do take, Rebells and Traitors all to the King and his three kingdoms.  
7. An infallible way to find out an Holy way, and an Holy war.  
8. One Objection Answered touching the Tumults caused by the Covenant.  
9. A Petition of the wild of Kent, and like places, showing the sense of the Inhabitants there: The Root of all these mischiefs, The Divine Bishops, and their Service-Booke, which Commands another Treatise.  
10. Oxfords Covenant is annexed to the end, and the Reason given in the next leaf.  Psalm. 25.10.& 103.17, 18. 
All the Paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his Covenant.  Psalm. 74.20, 21, 22, 23. 
Have respect unto the Covenant for &c.  
licenced and entred according to Order.  
Printed on this day, a day of Trouble, and of rebuk, and of Blasphemies, 1643. for Thomas Underhill.   

I Have at the end( to use the Observators clean language) set down the text with his Comment,( i.e.) for I would be understood) I have set down Oxfords Covenant, as he hath ours, that the Reader may the better observe my Comment upon it; too brief, I confess, yet I believe, I have set such a gloss upon it, that will set it out very ill-favouredly, and make it appear very detestable, as indeed it is. And had I had time and space for it, I should have made the wickedness of this Covenant more apparent, for I should have prosecuted these heads more fully, first; That Perniciosissimam contradictionem, that monstrous and pernicious contradiction of the hand and tongue; They will re-●stablish peace in the kingdom; and swear they will do it, who have taken peace from the earth,& swear they will never give it back again. Blessed be God, we are not at their allowance. They swear again,& forswear, They bear Arms, that his Majesties Subjects may fully enjoy their liberty and property, according to the Law of the Land. Very well, but see, what a Comment their hands have made upon this text! The righteous God hath smitten His hand at this, and his curse shall pursue these execrable— thieves, Robbers, Murtherers; these roaring lions; their Princes are such, says the Lord: and He says also, for He is sought unto night and day for this thing, He will persecute them with His Tempest: and make them afraid with His storm, When He hath cleansed and whitned His people by these scullions, for that must be done first. Amen.  
Secondly, I should have noted, Insulsam contradictionem, their absurd contradiction in very terms and words; not obliged by any Acts of State made by the Kings majesty[ solely:] yet obliged and sworn too, not to take or bear Arms, but by the express warrant of his majesty; or by Authority justly derived from his majesties immediate warrant. See! not solely, and yet immediately from his majesty; Justly, and yet derived from his immediate warrant, most unjustly. The Observator must observe here a contradiction in terminis, non-sense and blasphemy altogether, which I shall observe and make good in due place.  
Thirdly, a most notorious scepticism in State policy, which was quiter forgotten, I will remember it now, it is this; If the Nobles and Commons, nay if the Commons( the Nobles may forget themselves, and the public, minding their private onely to maintain their Peerage) if the Commons, as the heads of the Tribes, each of whom do stand for their Thousands, observing the Ship of the State falling upon a Rock, where it will dash to pieces, shall jointly give their help to steer it off, to save the Ship and themselves; Their endeavour shall be to no purpose, if the master Pilot be drunk, or asleep, and cannot; ignorant, and cares not; conceited, and believes not; or wilful and will not give his consent. Without his majesties express consent. This says the Lord-Keeper is Law now, but never before now since the world stood.  
But now they swear and vow it is good law at Oxford, so mad they are, or drunk rather; for it is against the law of Nature, against the Law of Nations, against the Supreme Law, the safety of the people. There is no such law in a Cockboat neither, or Pinnace, nor in your great ships: If the Master pilot be drunk there, yet he hath his Mate: if both be drunk, as sometimes they are, yet in a tempest every man to his work, and all to save the ship for save that, and save all. I will repeat this, and add a maxim; when the ship is in danger all are at work, and all to save the ship; and the Pilot will not censure them as having their own ends; he will not drown for them, but drown they must, and he too, if they d● not save the ship. The maxim is, A Community can have no private end to misled it, and make it d●structive to itself. To withdraw now from this Community( the Parliament our Representatives) is next door to a with ●rawing from, and renouncing God H●mself; nay, it is a plain renouncing of Him: and warring against him. Yet I will not conclude, here, that no honest man hath taken this Covenant I do not know what fear may do, and sore oppression, such ●s is exercised at Oxford, which has made wise men ma●, and Christians turn Turks: But this I will conclude he that t●kes it as the Observator hath done willingly( I cannot say advisedly) he is monstrous in his ju●g●ment, and a most notorious— in practise. I have said, what I intend here, and should have been enlarged elsewhere.   

REader, the beginning shows, that the end should shave been with it in the same sheet; it was so desired and intended. But matter fell-in, and the substance of the work was so minded, that the form and fashion was a little neglected: good Reason why? for the glory of Christ is marred now, according to the power in the hands of the sons of Pride; and why should we look after forms and fashions? Though yet, haply, things might have been better digested upon after thoughts, had there been time and space for them: This will suffice thee; I intented my very soul to be short and compact for thy sake. It could not be; I am large, yet me thinks, not large enough, but for thy sake however, and fuller satisfaction, which truly my soul desires; and then thou wilt say I desire it hearty. I have not accounted the loss of spirits for thy sake; Do not think too much of thy labour to red what is so hearty intended for thy own sake. Here is now, besides what thou wilt have towards the close, a second Epistle, whereby thou wilt perceive, I am an earnest suitor. Indeed I am, That thou wouldst red and consider what thou readest; for thy souls sake, for Gods sake, Whom thou shouldst love above thy soul, do so, red and consider. Thou hast need of al● thy eyes, and to anoint them with eye-pleasing, that thou mayest see. The Lord give it thee, and us all, even this anointing. Thou wilt meet here with two cross Covenants, doubtless the strangest thing that ever was heard in the world. Nay thou wilt meet towards the end with a Vow and a Sacrament upon it, for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion; all is for confirmation. I remember now, and I should tremble: A Vow and a Sacrament both hath been taken to confirm the heart and hand in the prosecution of the most horrid and hellish designs that ever were invented. O the patience of God! I go on. Thou wilt meet with Observations also, as contrary as the Covenants are, ( i.e.) as hell is to heaven. The Scholar in Oxford is confident, that by his Observations, he hath made( he knows not how many) Proselytes. See how conceited a fool is! he is always so. As sure as we live the contrary is true; their Covenant( which he sent us) his Observations upon ours, are such, as that he, who reads them, and gives his heart to understand, will fly from that Covenant, as from that his soul most hateth,( Cane pejus& Angue,) as from a mad dog or fiery Serpent. I have made Observations here also; But I am not such a fool, as to boast, unless I could, as a wise man can, boast in the Lord all the day long, even now, the day of Jacobs troubles, and hath his songs also for the night of his afflictions. I cannot boast, I have entreated thee again and again, as thou lovest thy country, Truth, Peace there, &c. and that, which should be the Crown and Glory of thy rejoicing, the Gospel; as thou lovest thy life, the life of thy life, thy eternal soul, that inestimable treasure; Consider well what thou readest, and apply thyself to Him still, who giveth understanding to the simplo, and teacheth the humble His way; Cast thyself down at His feet; there the Elders cast their Crowns; then He will take thee up, and guide thee by His counsel; No matter what way He goes, whether through thick or thin, as we sometimes say; through rough-wayes or plain; through low bottoms, or high and mountainous places, no matter what way, so long as God leads thee by His hand, It is abundantly sufficient, He will bring thee to Glory. Amen.   

A VINDICATION OF THE LATE VOW AND COVENANT, FROM The vain Clamours and Cavils of the Ignorant: The Blasphemous Observations sent to us very lately from Leichfeilds press in OXFORD. Herein is cleared also, That the Protestation, and the Covenant are all one; and a clear Harmony betwixt all four, The Protestation, Covenant, Oath of supremacy and allegiance: And that all these are as contrary to Oxfords Covenant, as good is to evil; which fully cleareth, That the Lords of the world, Keepers of the Seals and Souls there, are such keepers, as Cain was of his Brother. This Epistle to the Reader contains the sum of the Answer.  

REader; for thy sake, and better information, who art not wilfully blind( i.e. not willingly ignorant) I will presume very far, To inquire into the Covenant, entred into lately by the Lords, and Commons, and charged upon the whole Land. This carries the face of Presumption, and Folly both together. Of folly, To take a Vow, and afterwards inquire: Of Presumption, To inquire into the Justice of that, which the Nobles and Worthies, so many wise, so many learned, all the faithful and truly Godly in that Court, have resolved upon, To be agreeable in every point and circumstance therein, with the sacred Rule: the practise also of all the excellent before them in the world, upward to this day. But, Pardon me, Reader, as the King of Heaven will, and all His good people on earth: for I can say hearty, when I heard of this Vow,( which I did before I saw it) I concluded presently, That it was as the Commandment, holy, just, and good; yet I would inquire into it, ponder it well, before I took it; And so I did: And so I quit myself of folly. So shall I of presumption too; Because, I hear this Covenant( sacred though it be) Preached against by some, a Bishop at large, and a Bishop would be: Contradicted by others, who know not what they say; Blasphemed by others, who care not what they say, having sold themselves to do wickedly. All this was expected; Expected, That they, who make no Conscience of their Duty, would make as little of a Covenant, and teach their Disciples so; expected, That Leichfeilds press should Print Blasphemies; for if there are mouths open that way( as there be very many) these are in Oxford good store; and, if Hell be above ground, and the Divels any where incarnate clothed with flesh, there they be. Truly I am glad that Leichfeilds press, has such a large Licence;( though I wish they had a better orator, and the press a more able Corrector) for my opinion is( I will not call it a Conceit) That the more visible the devil is, and his workmen are, and the more legible their works, the more we shall hate him, and them, and abhor their works. Now I shall tell thee my undertaking here for thy Profit; To set the Covenant clear, That it is agreeable to the sacred Rule in every part and parcel thereof; there I shall show( in passage) That the Protestation and Covenant are all one, And that Oxford Covenant is abominable; I shall be very brief where there is nothing whereat the tender Conscience can strain at; There we shall run apace, yet so as I may not out-run my Readers understanding. When this is done, I shall briefly show, That there is nothing in the Oath of supremacy and allegiance, which crosseth the Covenant now. In the last place, I shall answer the five Observations( sent from Leichfeilds press in Oxford) upon the late Covenant, and set down as many Castigations upon Oxford Covenant, tendered to all the Kings Subjects; then I shall put 2. Cases. And I verily believe, when this is done, I shall choke the press there, and render the said Covenant, as indeed it is, as his pernicious council hath framed it, so odious and abominable, That no honest man in the world, but will rather suffer himself to be cut in sunder, then take it. I have given thee an Account( Reader) of my under taking; now God speed us both, Me in what I writ; Thee in what thou Readest: then we shall see more then Reason, why we should take the Covenant, and stand unto it; for it shall appear now to be according to the exactest Rule, The good Word of God. It begins;   

I A. B. In humility and Reverence of the Divine Majesty.  
It begins very well; In humbling the soul before God, which cannot be, before His Excellency makes us afraid, and His dread fall upon us 
Job 13.11. . When we set God before us on His Throne; and draw-out His Attributes, Then we fall low; Then we are vile, and He is exalted; I have heard of ●hee by the hearing of the ear, now mine Eye seeth Thee 
Job 42.45. . What then? Therefore I abhor myself, and R●pent in dust and ashes. See the ninth Chapters, of Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel. red everywhere; where you see the Servants of the Lord entering upon such a business as this is, more closely drawing-up their Spirits to, and entering Covenant with their God.  
Declare my hearty sorrow: This is sacred Scripture sure. I have declared my sins as sodom 
Isa. 3 9. , I must now declare my hearty sorrow. If I have any ornaments, I must put them off from me 
Exod. 33.5. Every disciple thought himself the Judas.  I must declare my hearty sorrow, the affliction of soul, for the sin of my soul; [ for my own sins] The Disciples heard their Master speaking of treasonable thoughts against Him; then every one laid their hand on their heart, and, being exceed ng sorrowful 
Matth. 26 22. , they said, Lord, is it I?( it contains much). David said, Is it not I? Even I it is, that have sinned and done evil indeed 
1 Chron. 21.17. : but, as for these sheep what have they done? Let thy hand, &c and so forth, for it is very notable, but we proceed.  
And the sins of this Nation, which have deserved the Calamities and judgements that now lye upon it.  
When the heart is truly afflicted for its own sins, when a man can say, I am indeed justly in this condemnation 
Luk. 23.40. Nehe. 1. ●. 7. ; when he can red his own heart, he can red the sins of the Nation in that little map, We have sinned against Thee, both I and my fathers house have sinned; we have dealt very corruptly, our Princes, our Nobles, all degrees, all estates, in an unanswerablenesse to all our relations,( it is legible every where) judah is distressed, because of their idolatries, and bloodshed, and the Lord hath not spared. The confessions of the godly in all Ages have been free and full this way; They have sate down astonished confessing thei● contrary walking, and, in humble acceptance of their punishment. The Churches Lamentations are full this way, and their Prayers every where.  
And my true intention is, by Gods grace, to endeavour the amendment of my own ways.  
Yes, else all that went before is vain; serves but to increase sin, guilt, and the punishment. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, 
Job 34.31. Deut. 13. Josh 24.19.23, 24, 25 Act. 11.23  I have born chastisement, I will not offend any more. Do I enter into Covenant with God? Have I gained upon my will so far? Then I must resolve to cast away my Idols, strange gods, lying vanities, every thing which will thrust me away from God, for I have chosen the Lord, To serve Him, even I and my house. This is a clear command from the Word, Therefore agreeable thereunto; that, with full purpose of heart we should amend our ways and cleave unto God.  
" And that I do abhor and detest the said wicked and treacherous design lately discovered.  
I must digress a little, yet not from my scope; It is known to every man, who is not willingly blind that Covenants may be renewed, as Mercies or Deliverances are renewed; These may be made as often as Discoveries of Gods hand for His people; or of mens hearts against His People are made manifest. So also as God comes near to a people in His wrath, and sore judgements, so to come up nearer and closer unto Him in Covenant, is commendable, yea commanded evermore: and evermore hath been the practise of Gods people. And as we find our hearts fleeting, and started away from Him, so to recall them again, and put them under faster bands, thereby to engage ourselves more unto God. This, I say, is a cleared Truth. I speak of it here, Because it is said, The Nobles and Commons entred into a Protestation two yeers ago. Yes, they did so; I do not know how they did it, I know how I did it, slackly enough; but they and we did it. What then? May not they, that took a Protestation then, enter into a Covenant now? Yes, certainly, and upon as enforcing Reasons( if it could be, I would say, more enforcing now, then then). Then there were mighty Adversaries risen-up against the Lord to thrust His people from Him, and His service, Bidding them go and serve other gods. No not they, they would die first; the more they were pressed, the nearer and closer they came-up to their God, 
Josh. 24.  they Protested to take Him for their God; To hear Him, follow Him, serve Him; He is our God. We Protested ●o take Him for our God, to follow none other, but as they follow Christ, and led unto Him: To be commanded by none other, but as they command from His mouth; for He is given a Leader, and Commander to His people. And so we protested to maintain the worship and service of our God, against the devil and all his sworn servants, the Pope and all his Bishops. And whereas there was an Invasion upon the very Crown of the Kingdom, they protested to maintain the regal authority, the higher Power, and the Rights belonging thereunto, with their hearts and with their hands. And lastly, when the Adversary, mighty to oppress, had endeavoured, and laid hands on the kingdoms Birthright, their Rights and just Liberties; they vowed( and they will not repent) to oppose these Adversaries to the death; Be they Bishops, or Lawyers, or Divels( he is their Prince) they will oppose these to the death, for they are a free people, and so they will die, so runs the Protestation even into these heads; Now they enter into Covenant. These twain are one. But I am to show here, that, as the nearer God comes towards us in judgement, the closer His people ought to come-up to Him in Covenant: So also, when God shall discover His hand, His Right-hand for His people; And the hearts of His Adversaries against them, then ought His people also to enter into Covenant with their God, to stand faster to Him, and His Cause, I mean,( they ought) with more spirit and life, contend for God, His Gospel, the more; the more they find it opposed and contended against, as it is at this day. When God has discovered, laid open to the world a work of darkness( indeed I know not what to call it, a Hellish Plot, for the devil had his hand in it, and all his Right men) the utter destruction( upon design) of a Mother City, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. Oh horrible! Yes, 
Esth. 7.  but that is not all, though the enemy could not countervail the Kings Damage in this, the design was what ever the pretence was( hear what they say of it, who were appointed to die, that) the design was, to take away all that is dear and precious to the people either in Earth or Heaven. I know the adversary cannot take away God from a people, nor Heaven out of their eye; No their eyes are to Heaven, more steadfastly fixed thitherward, the more mad the Adversary is with rage against them: But this was upon design, to take away all( to their power in their hands over Gods people) Earth and Heaven, and all; when God now had made all this clear as the Sun; the Nobles and Worthies call a Conference, Resolve upon the question, to enter into Covenant, and enjoin all the Land thereunto, to abhor and detest the said design; Every man to wash his hand and heart of it, to do his utmost to prevent the like intendment in after times. And this I vow hearty, and upon as good warrant as Pauls Sisters son had, to discover these cursed Murtherers, who had bound themselves with a curse, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 
Act. 23.12   
Wee proceed. And whereas I do in my Conscience believe, That the forces Raised by the two Hous●s of Parliament, are raised and Continued for their just Defence, and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion, and liberty of the Subject, against the forces Raised by the King, &c.  
Here tender Consciences do Check, theirs I mean, who strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel; make no Conscience of holding two or three places; Th●y can gather their Easter-Book, and Tyth's from them all, and then their work is don; They have the fleece, let the devil and his grievous Wolves take and destroy the flock; Their Consciences make no check there: But at the Covenant th●y strain, and wa●ne their People so; one Minister, and but one that has the outside of holinesse, hath preached against the Covenant; he is a nov●ce, and I hear he has repented, there is good cause why he should, even open his ●outh in Confession before his God; for he has opened the mouth of the Adversary to blaspheme: wo unto those Ministers that have done so, for like Priest, like People. Reader, mark these fellowes, that oppose the Covenant; Th●y may be Divines( so they will be call●d) and Lawyers also, but make no question of this, That there are as good and conscionable Men as either of both in Newgate; They will lie and couzen, and swear falsely, holding fast unjust gains, and do yet more wickedly, and no offence to Conscience in all this. But to enter into Covenant, there is an offence. And yet they are not against entering into Covenant, so it be Oxford Covenant; That is to their hearts, they can take it, and yet not scruple their Consciences at all. And very good Reason why? Because they, who have framed that Covenant, are as themselves, Ungodly men, walking after their ungodly lusts, sensual, having not the Spirit.  

Oxford Covenant examined how sacred it is.  I will now for the Readers Information examine only the structure of Oxfords Covenant, what Bottom it has; Thus he Read●s, that takes it:  
I, Resting fully assured of his Majesties Princely truth and goodness, do freely and from my heart Promise, Vow, and Protest▪ What to do? To maintain the True Protestant Religion.  
I am not by Profession a Divine, or Lawyer, yet I am confident, this is not good divinity, nor Law neither; That I should Rest so assured of a Mans Truth and goodness,( I will speak of him under that general Notion) as That I may thereon ground and Bottom, so sacred a Promise, Vow, and Protestation. Man is a creature full of Changes; he has a heart desperately wicked; he that had yesterday some shows of Truth and goodness, may be to day so drawn aside by his own will, so affianced, nay married to his own Lusts, that there is no appearance in him at all of any Truth and goodness. Therefore a mans Truth and goodness is no bottom for me, whereon to ground such a structure, as the Divines and Lawyers in Oxford have framed. So sure as wee live, so sure it is against sound divinity and Law both. And me thinks it is no good logic neither, and that is sound Reason, which assureth me, That, whether there be truth and goodness in the Ruler, or none at all, yet I stand bound to the uttermost of my Power, To maintain the Protestant Religion. This is enough to show, The Bottom is nought; They make mention of the God of Israel, but not in Truth, in Iudgement, nor in righteousness. But now the Kings loyal Subjects have taken this Vow and Covenant. Who have taken it? All the Kings Army, and they are Papists every man. You must be so charitable as to believe it, for one of their own tells us so much, he that sent us a Copy of their Covenant, he( I think before he was ware) tells us so, in his second Observation, which I will observe, I warrant him, when I come to it. I was making a question a little before, how these sworne-men perform their Vow, their sacred Vow and Covenant? It is Answered, To the utmost of their Power, so they will maintain the true Protestant Religion, his Majesties Sacred Person, the just Power and privileges of King and Parliament, against the forces, &c. And will not take, nor bear arms, but by the express and immediate Warrant of his Majesty.  
look you here with half an Eye, for that will serve the turn, To find out the most illegal Oath, that ever was taken, for he swears it lawful for a King, by his immediate Warrant, to array three kingdoms ( i.e.) To call forth All his People to war●e. If this be good Law, then wee know not what is good Reason. But though there be neither Law nor Reason in their Covenant, yet may this Legion of Papists( that is granted) Evidence both, That they are loyal Subjects, and Reasonable Men, in their legal Prosecution thereof; for the Defence of the True Protestant Religion, his Majesties Sacred Person, Just Power and privileges of Parliament. Where is their Evidence, that they have kept Covenant? That is declared to all the world, a year since, and now very lately, what they have d●n in Ireland; Besides the Evidence is very clear here also, for wee may read it written very legible, as their laws are, in most bloody Characters. Let them swear, wee will pray; Into their secret let my soul never come: 
Gen. 47.6, 7.  unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united; for in their Anger they have slain men, and in their self-will they have Thrust sore at three kingdoms. Cursed be their Anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath for it was cruel: Lord divide them in jacob, and scatter them in Israel, Amen. O do not Deliver-up thy Turtle Dove, thy own People, thy own truth, into the hands of such Defenders, not the sheep of thy Pasture unto grievous Wolves, Amen, and Amen.  
And now Reader, having given thee a taste of Oxfords Covenant,( I have but dipped my pen in it) I am very confident, wee shall Relish ours the better; wee can now with more clearness of Judgement, Proceed, every Man saying, In my Conscience I believe. That the forces raised by the King& Queen, are raised purp●s●ly to destroy( to their Power in their hand) the true Religion, Just Power and Priviledg●s of King and Parliament: And that the forces raised by the Parliament, are Raised and Continued for the just defence of all the fore-mentioned, in Defiance of, and against all the Devils in Hell, and his Subjects on Earth, now giving forth their hands and hearts to the King and queen, for the Destruction of three Kingdoms at once. In conscience and full belief hereof, I do here in the presence of almighty God, Declare, Vow, and Covenant, to assist the Parliaments forces, according to my Power, and Vocation, Raised and continued in defence of themselves, the true Protestant Religion, and Liberties of the Subject. And according to the utmost of my Power, and in my Place, I will call in all to assist, associate, and knit themselves together, as one man, in pursuance of this design, for Defence of them, whom wee have Chosen to stand up for us; and who have engaged themselves in the breach; In Defence of them, who have layd-out themselves for us, with the expense of Time, Spirits, and Estates. God be thanked, wee are not so brutish, so forsaken of our wits, or common light, to make choice of Men, to Defend us, our Religion, our Liberties, and then to leave these Men to the rage and fury of these oppressors so bloudy-men. In truth, to Desert a Parliament, were a dealing with the politic Body, head and members all, as the Adversary once dealt with Christ our mystical Head; He had taught th●m, spent himself that way, and in requital, they carry him to Edge-Hill, the very brow there, to break His neck down from thence. God has added more Grace, Praised be his Name, Wee are a Willing People, for the Defence of all the forementioned; Wee solemnly vow, and covenant, to gather and knit ourselves together, All as one Man, so to expose our Bodies to be trodden upon, as mire in the streets, before the foot of Pride shall prevail over our Worthies, destroy the true Religion, and enthrall a free People. This is our Vow and Covenant; And wee solemnly call God to witness, The Almighty God, ever present to assist His friends, and to confounded His Adversaries; The searcher of all hearts, knows the hearts, thoughts, purposes, intentions there; Wee will deal clearly with Him. To perform my Vow and Covenant fully according to the matter and manner of the same, as I shall answer at the great Day, when my body and soul must appear: my heart must appear also; all visible there, words, deeds, thoughts, all secrets shall be Disclosed: As I look, that God would be merciful to me at this Great Day; so have I vowed and covenanted with Him in this day, for the Defence of King, Parliament, Religion, Liberties, as at this day, So help me God. Amen.  
So far for Explication and Information, now hear what is objected.  
But what have wee don now? Wee have forsworn ourselves; wee have sworn obedience to the King, the supreme Power. Now wee vow and swear clean cross to our Oath of Supremacy, allegiance also, says the Divine and Lawyer both.  
These are— wee know what, not such fools as to believe, what themselves say: wee have sworn, and wee verily believe what wee swore, That the King, ruling by Law, is the supreme Power: and so wee have sworn Obedience to him: Wee abjure any foreign Power, wee have sworn, that neither Pope, nor cardinal, nor the most catholic King, nor the most Christian( as they style themselves) shall over-rule our King, or kingdom, if wee can help it. Wee have sworn, and wee do not repent, for in pursuance of this Oath, to repel foreign Power, wee are in arms at this day. We have taken the Oath of Supremacy: I pray you peruse it well; A good Man, and a good Lawyer ( Nobile par) has fitted it to our hands, and the Oath of allegiance too. Wee have sworn allegiance. To whom? To God, and to the King, in reference to Him. And this I think verily the Adversaries will grant, unless the devil be in them. Let them swear, and curse, and blaspheme, and damn themselves, yet shall they never swear themselves into this Oath, nor swear us out of the same. Wee have sworn, and will not repent; to obey the King, while he obeys God, ruling his People by his lawbook; Wee have not sworn ourselves servants to men, to their private wills, to their lusts, &c. Wee have taken the Oath of Supremacy and of allegiance, and by the grace of God, wee shall stand unto both to the death; Wee will maintain the King, the higher Power, with our lives and fortunes, wee will obey all his( lawful not his personal) Commands. look into these Oaths, they are presented to your eye, you shall not find a word there soberly understood, contradicting this Vow and Covenant. God forbid, that wee should vow ourselves servants to men, and rebells to God, God forbid. Reader, I must break off here, else I should not only manifest the Kings Army to be perjured persons all, the most notorious Covenant-breakers, that ever were in the world; but also, I should give clear notice, that the queen, and King( I name her first not for honour sake) are notoriously faulty touching both these Oaths; the one doing her utmost to bring in and establish a foreign Power; the other denying allegiance to the most Supreme. I have don.  
" But where have you any warrant to take up arms against the King?  
Wee will never allow those words against the King, they are taken up for the King, for the defence of him, and all that should be dearest to him. But let it go, Against the King; wee have warrant for it, when he bends his force, all his might, sets open the gates of hell against the Parliament, against religion, against our laws, &c. Wee vow and covenant now, to take-up arms now against King, queen, both( for shee is more masculine at this work) setting themselves against God, and the power of godliness. And wee have as good warrant,[ which I will bring forth anon,] as can be desired for so doing.  
I must first contend with an Adversary, who having the university licence, to speak from Leichfi●lds press in Oxford, boasteth great things. Truly I had almost called him knave at the first dash; And well he deserves it, for he calls the Parliament of England Malignants all, at the very first word. But though he deserves that name, and more, a Rope to boot, yet I think better of myself, and of my rule, 
judas 9.  then to return railing words, though I were to contend with the devil, and with him, surely, I must contend now, for without controversy, the devil is the Bishop of Oxford, now chief overseer of all the affairs don there, the great Mannager, by his under-officers, of all business concerning the state, and the Popes kingdom, and has supplied Leichfeilds press with work good store, ever since the Kings council came thither. Therefore I cannot doubt neither, but if I can answer this Adversary,( as I doubt not but I shall,) I shall silence the devil; And yet I would not have Leichfeilds press stand still; I speak from my heart, I think he does God service against his will; he Prints such horrible lies, and blasphemies, that Gods servants, are the more in love with truth: And sending us up their Covenant last week, with some Clerke-like Observations upon ours, he has rendered their Covenant more horrid and formidable, and ours more desirable and gracious. Truly when I take a journey to Oxford, which with my will, will not be yet, I may thank Leichfeild for all this; and shall endeavour to procure a Check to the Lord Keeper, even from his King, whom he has notoriously abused by his careless oversight of the Covenant there, which I presume passed his hand, as the Proclamations do, yet does he suffer men to vow and covenant, that they will bear or not bear arms at the sole Command and immediate Warrant of their King; whom they have stolen from his Court, even the high Court of Parliament; and left alone to rule by his own Will, whereto, notwithstanding, the Keeper, swears allegiance. Indeed he will be blamed for that, for he knows it is against Law and all good reason: A grand exception against the legality of that Covenant. Now hear what the Observator says touching ours.  
His Preface contains very bad language, and very little Reason, but it came from Oxford; I pass it over, noting onely, before I come to his Observations, that he says, These two Covenants tendered now to the kingdom are contrary. Indeed they are, I could have  told him so much; the Parliaments Vow and Covenant is as contrary to Oxfords Vow and Covenant, as Light is to darkness: Heaven is to Hell. Look through the whole structure, and composition, the matter and manner of both, how they begin, proceed, how they end. It were worth the going over by pieces again, but it cannot be. There are the most notorious contradictions in Oxfords Covenant, that ever were red. God forbid there should be a letter sounding that way, in this we have taken. But in Oxfords Covenant, besides the illegalitie and unreasonableness of it, there are the most manifest contradictions, that are imagineable. No such contradiction as when the hand contradicts the tongue, the Practise goes against conscience, 
Math. 21.28.  that is a notorious contradiction. What think you? says our Saviour Christ: A certain man had two sons; he said to the first, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not. There was a contradiction from the tongue. But afterwards he repented and went. To the second the Father said likewise; the son answered, I go sir, and went not. There was a contradiction of the hand, or heart, or life, take which you please. A notorious Hypocrite, he made shows and semblances of doing his Fathers will; I will sir: but it was in his heart to do contrary. Our Lord puts a question upon this, Whether of the twain did the will of his Father? Not he, that said well, but he that did well: Not he, that was contrary in his word, but he that was contrary in his dead. Verily says the Lord Christ, the most notorious sinners that ever were upon the face of the Earth will go into the kingdom of God before this man. What man? That son, who made a semblance, gave a fair promise( though he did not vow) of obedience ( I go sir) yet went not. Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before this man. I ask the same question. What think you, of all them, who have taken Oxfo●d Covenant? Good men all, you will say, for they promise faire, and vow too, so they are and are before the wicked son in the Gospel: But the most notorious sinners, that ever were, shall go before them into the kingdom of God. Because they promise and vow, and do not; they contradict with the hand, what they said and vowed with the mouth. They said they will maintain the true Religion, the Kings sacred person, his and the Parliaments just power and privileges. I go sir, so every man for his part, hath promised and vowed. Have they done it? Yes, the clean contrary way, to the uttermost of their power, to destroy Religion, King, Kingdom, witness their open force and secret treacheries; I was about to say more, but more needs not, all the Christian world is satisfied, we need not farther witness.  
We examine now the harmony and sweet agreement betwixt the tongue, and hand in the other Covenant. The Lord Christ hath charged upon the Parliament the care and cure of three Kingdoms. Go for Me, do for Me, lay out yourselves for Me, Who gave myself for you; contend against the mighty ones, for the Faith once given to My Saints; Stand-up in the breach for Me, Who stood alone in the Wine-press● of My Fathers wrath for you( a reasonall request); They answered every man apart, and said, ( I will sir) I promise and vow and enter into Covenant, nay into a curse, I will sir, and I will do as I say, maintain the true Religion, contend for the faith, &c. I appeal now to all the Christian world, nay to Heaven too, God, Angels, and men, have they not done it, to the uttermost of their power, and beyond it? Blessed be God that so they have done. And this is their rejoicing in this day of rebuk, and blasphemy, that, so they have done; their hand hath not given their tongue the lye. And now should there follow a great Earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the Earth, 
Revel. 16.18.  so mighty an Earthquake and so great,( which may well be, now that the cursed Hierarchy( which hath taken such deep Root, and cumbered the ground so long, must be rooted-up) if so, yet can they hold fast to their God, they can rejoice in Him, the God of their salvation. What? tell them who are in Covenant with their God,( and by His strength will stand to it) tell them, things go ill in the North, and in the West. They will tell you, things go well; for God will have it so, He will bring His servants to the mount, but He will appear in His glory there. Tell them, that men are unfaithful, and treacherous: they can tell you so, and more; that David said, All men are liars; and for their part, they never put confidence in men, no not in themselves, they trust God, they did their work( that is their duty) and commended the rest to God, Who is faithful. They hold fast their confidence, that, if all their party were wounded men, yet this Cause must overcome; It is not theirs, but Gods; and the Cause never offended God, though His servants have offended Him, perhaps, in the managing of a good Cause, yet, they say, the Cause is Gods, the managers of it, are Gods people. What then? Then God will maintain His cause, and pardon His servants, that He will; and His servants are as confident of it, as they are, that their Lord Christ was upon the Earth once, is now in Heaven, standing, I say, standing now at Gods Right-hand, an Advocate with the Father there. 
Psal. 50.  Gather My Saints together unto Me, those that have made a Covenant with Me. But now this Oxford Scholar tells us, he has more circumspectly looked into this Covenant then, haply, others have done; and, to help his simplo Reader, he hath set down five Observations upon the Covenant, as he calls them: what they are you shall red presently, and not a word there, but according to expectation, neither Law nor Reason from Oxford now: nor will you account it strange, that good is called evil there, and evil good. You will be the more confirmed touching this Covenant, and more abominate that other, because we grant hearty as much as he says, that there is a full contrariety betwixt them, this stands in a Diemetricall opposition with that as he says, and we grant, and yet the Observator gains nothing by all his Observations, which we will also observe by and by, when I shall have explained his term first. He inveigheth very much against a Malignant party. The honest Reader will be mistaken here quiter; for he will understand them to be the party at Oxford: and the Observator says, It is the party here at London, he means the Parliament of England, they are malignants all. Indeed it is a bold word, to call the Parliament of England Malignants; But he may be bold at Oxford, having a warrant there under the Great seal( such a Keeper it has) not onely to despite the Parliament, but to fight against them too. This is Oxfords dialect right; and but after the old manner, which was to call others by their own name, 
Exutem me de suo nomine vocat. Cic. par. 1 King 18 17. 2 Chron. 23.13. Obj. 1.  Malignants. So Ahab the King did anciently, and so did his queen too, and their daughter also; These said that Elijah, that good Prophet, was a malignant, a troubler of Israels Peace, and his head should off, said queen jezabel, as if it had been as easily don as a calves-head is fetched from the Market: So was the good Priest too, a Troubler; and if the queen might have had her will, Jehojadah had been put to death as a Traitor, but he had the law of her, and slay her. I come now to his observations, he observes,  
That in the Covenant composed by this malignant party( he means the Parliament) There is mention of their defence onely; no mention of the Kings preservation at all, or maintenance of his just Rights.  
Having observed so, he frets and fumes, and boils up to a great scum, you may see it coming out at his lips. Indeed there was no cause of all this chafe, for the man is quiter mistaken, Heavenly wide, 
Toto Caeli errat.  as a proud Prelate said once; he is deceived, whether willingly or ignorantly I cannot tell, but I guess, he is neither Lawyer, nor Divine, nor good Logician neither: for these will all tell him, That you cannot divide the Head politic, from the Body politic. God has joined them together, and cursed i● he that separates them, the Parliament does not. The King is with the Parliament; they do not mean his personal presence, be that where it will be, the King is with his Parliament, his royal Authority there, in his laws, in his Courts of Justice, in that high Court, in a more eminent manner; The head is with the Body, the King with his Parliament, that he is, says the Law, Divinity, logic, all these three, Reason I mean; Therefore, what ever has been don since first there was a Parliament in England up-wards to this day, for the defence of the Parliament, Religion, laws, Liberties, was don primarily, and chiefly, for the defence of the King, his just Rights, &c. For I could say much more to it, but I am confined, not to a circled, but to a sheet of Paper. Notwithstanding, I must g●ve my Observation too upon Oxfords Covenant, which is this, That the preservation of the King and kingdom, His and the Parliaments just Rights and Liberties, from that hellish design against King and kingdom, is not at all mentioned amongst them at Oxford. Assuredly, the Living God, the Lord God of gods, has a controversy with the Keeper for this, that he would call the Kings loyal Subjects to enter into Covenant, and never remember them of that deliverance from the mouth of the Lion, and claw of the She bear, That devouring Destruction in design against the city of London, and the whole kingdom, so lately discovered. I know well his Lordship has an Answer for this, That h● h●mselfe had an hand in it, he sealed a Commission to those Murtherers, thereby giving them a Warrant to  shed blood to their power. But he shall know shortly, what goes for Law in the Court at Oxford, will be Treason in the Court of heaven. He observes:  
That they vow never to lay down arms, so long as the Papists now in arms against the Parliament( as they say) shall be kept from the Justice of it; that is, till the Kings Army be overcome.  
Well, said Oxford scholar! The veriest Malignant in London( as they say at Oxford) could not have said more to my purpose; The Observator grants, That the Kings Army are Papists all. It will be my observation anon too, that the chief part are so, for I shall not carry it so far, as he does, and conclude as he does, That all the Kings Army are Papists. I shall conclude, That the greatest part are Papists, and that the Parliament has warrant from the example of all the Israel of God, not to lay down arms till the Kings Army be overcome; That is, till the Papists now in arms against the Parliament, be delivered up to the Justice of it. But the Lord Keeper will be very angry at this Infeference, I know, though it be pretty logical; for, indeed, it is a very shrewd Inference; The Parliament vow never to lay down arms, so long as the Papists, now in arms against the Parliament, shall be kept from the Justice of it ( Ergo) Therefore they must not lay down arms till the Kings Army be overcome. Truly I should not have been so bold as to have concluded so, That all the Kings Army are Papists; though to give every one his due, this young man( I suppose he is a 
{αβγδ}. Newly matriculated. 1 Tim. 3.6  novice) hath profited for his time in the University very well, his Parents need not repent of their cost; their child speaks logic, explains his terms reasonably, his Inference is very rational too: yet I know it is not good logic in Oxford at this time; and the Lord Keeper will be angry at it; We shall red more of this anon, for I shall return to it again, and then I shall take into consideration, what he observes in the third place, That the Covenant taken now, is not a Covenant but a Combination: and they that enter into it are Conspirators all. You shall hear more touching the second and third observation both together: he observes;  
That the Parliaments Covenant is to be constrained, and that the Kings Covenant is voluntary.  
They appeal to God in this, that the contrary is truth. The Parliament will force it upon no man: And yet they may disarm those that will not take the Covenant, and leave such so naked, that they shall not be able to make any force or head against the Parliament, which such persons are too ready to do: And if the Parliament shall wholly disable these Malignants from making resistance, and forcing them, they have all the Laws in heaven and earth to warrant them in so doing. The Observator must say contrary to this, That the Kings Covenant is voluntary.  
I know not how they deal in this, I know that the Vow or Protestation,( I know not what it was, but an unrighteous Decree it was, 
Isa. 10 1.  there they did prescribe grievousness, and woe unto them saith the Lord) hath been so pressed, upon both free and bond-men there, since the Kings council sate at Oxford, that they who had their eyes and consciences open, and could not take it, were( besides most barbarous and never before this day heard-of cruelties by men executed upon men) suffered to die for thirst. So their tongues were dried like an hearth; and their tired breath was forced out of their bodies; Why? Because they would not suffer their Consciences to be forced that way: God hath looked upon this, and will require it. My observation here is clean contrary to the Observators, That the Parliaments Covenant is voluntary: the Kings( the former and this now) constrained. If that former hath forced the soul out of the body, this now will do more, force the Conscience too, and destroy the soul: He observes fifthly,  
That the Parliament entered into Covenant first.  
It was well they did, and what if they did? Then he will make this use thereof,( so he saith) To prove, That theirs is the offensive Warr●, I will spare him, for I think again of my example and Rule both, 
judas 9.  though I have known a fool and a knave both, a mad man also( sometimes) speak a great deal more wisely. All the world will grant, that a Parliament may Protest to take God for their God, to renew Covenant with their God, as we read before, and yet not be an offensive party. What? Because they ought to use all means to make Peace with their God; will he make this use of it to conclude ( Ergo) therefore they first made war with their King? They Protested two yeares ago, to serve God, their King, and kingdom: They enter into a new Covenant now, binding themselves with faster bands, to contend for the faith, maintain their Religion, the just Rights of King and kingdom, against Atheists and Papists, bloody Adversaries to both, who would make void these just Rights, lay all waste, making an Eden before them, a wilderness behind them. What use will you make of this? To prove, that the Parliament is the offended, the Kings the offnding party; wee are agreed; And to make farther use of it also, to prove, that the Gates of Hell, power and policy shall not prevail against this Parliament; They are in Covenant with their God, they clea●e to him. But their enemies shall be destroyed all( in Gods time) In the mean time, they are a broken fence, and as a tottering wall. Thus far wee are agreed in the use, and farther wee shall agree ano●. But now if the Observator will make this use of it, to prove, that theirs is the offensive, the Kings the Defensive party; he must prove first, that one Command of God, clean crosseth another ( i.e.) That when the Parliament fi●st and again made choice to fear the Lord, then, at that time, they made choice to dishonour the King; they could not fear God, and honour their King, both at once; These are {αβγδ}, says the Observator( in effect) for that is his use, which when he makes, and can make good, I promise him, he shall make me come to Oxford, pulling me thither by as small a thread, as is imaginable, whereas, till he hath made it good, he shall not pull me thither with Cart-ropes. I promise him more, that, having proved as aforesaid, he shall draw me into Covenant with him also, and the rest of his Companions,( though the Tabernacle of Robbers, whom my soul hateth) which now he shall not do with sixteen yoke of Oxen. And now I will take leave, to make two more short uses for his one, and then I have made three. The first is.  
That Oxford is exceedingly to blame, because they should have been the first in Covenant with their God; and they were last. There is one use, a use of Reprehension, which truly I could enlarge very usefully( though I know what I shall be accounted for what I have said already) yet it is the very truth; for Oxford is[ as they know the best Greek-Orator said of one of their Cities] one of the Eyes of this island; And what is the use of an eye, but for direction and guidance of the head and body both? What a horrible thing it is, these are last in Covenant, who should have been first; certainly the light that is in Oxford now is darkness, and how great is that darkness? And they are an offence to God, and all goodness, and how great is that offence? I cannot express it, let them look to it; It is our first use, viz. To prove, that Oxford should have been the first in Covenant, or if not so, yet they should have been with the foremost; The King and all his loyal Subjects should have entered Covenant together.  
2. I make this use of it, To prove, that Oxford Covenant is an abomination, a curse, nay, Hormah, utter destruction to them that take it, bodies, souls, and all, and tends to the utter destruction of King and Kingdom. I know I should not be short in this use, but this shall serve to prove it quickly, because the Parliament entered into Covenant first, To fear God, To serve Him, to contend for the Faith, and public Trust of the kingdom. This is in short the Contents of their Protestation, and Covenant both. Oxford came last, but enters into Covenant at last With whom? With the devil, to serve him. Yes, Reader, I startle at it too, as well as you, yet be assured I weighed my words with both my hands, and heart also, before I spake them, knowing well enough, that they must be weighed in the balance at Oxford, they shall not prove light. I will say it again, They have entered into Covenant, not in terminis, to serve the devil so and so. But, which is as bad, indeed and in truth, by necessary consequence, and deduction, nay intentionally so and so, to serve him, the devil they mean.  
" Why but they have entered into a Covenant to maintain Religion; that is a good term.  
Yes, a very good word, for they say as wee read before, I go Sir, I will Sir, but they will not indeed; Intentionally, they enter into Covenant to destroy Religion, the faith and trust of the kingdom utterly: To maintain the Rights, of King and kingdom, against all the rights of Heaven and laws on Earth. And this is the very intention of their hearts[ O horrible] witness what they do with their hands. Examine well and see whether their doings do not argue, and make the clearest proof, that they have entered Covenant with the devil, To serve him, To work for him, To stand up for him, to go for him, to will for him, to do as he does, open his mouth in Blasphemy against God, His Name His Tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven: And to war, as he does, against the Lamb, 
Rev. 12.6. Rev. 9.11.  and those that are with him, Called, Chosen, and faithful; and so are, as he is called, Abaddon, Apollyon, the one is Hebrew, the other greek, in plain English one and the same both, Destroyers all: They are in Covenant with him, sworn servants to him. I have now omitted the top, and Bottom of their Covenant, but of that before: onely this I will note, that the Lord Keeper must mend the Cop●e of his Covenant, it is as fowle almost as his Proclamations are; the beginning and the end are against Divinity, Law, Reason, and not very good sense neither; And certainly the living God hath protested against him, that he is as bad a Keeper of the seal, as other Lords of the world are of Souls, such Keepers all, as Cain was of his Brother. I have don with the fifth Observation, the use, and proof the Observator makes thereof; The uses also and proofs I have made therefrom, which no true Divinity, nor Law neither in Oxford shall be able to contradict; for I have a great advantage of the Adversary, ( though as vile in my own eyes as I am in his) Managing Truth against him and his falshoods, in sincerity of heart, how weakly soever: whereas falsehood will confounded the best scholars in the world, the managers and maintainers thereof. I have not don yet; I shall puzzell this Observator yet more, and more confounded their cursed Covenant, now that I can return to my Adversaries second and third Observations, which he hath noted, to set a note of disgrace upon ou●s, so to darken our Covenant; But it shall clear it altogether, from the most cleared example( except one) that ever was seen upon earth. And now while the adversaries are freting, and chafing with themselves, perhaps with their Observator, who observed their Covenant so little, and ours so much, while they are musing about their Covenant, and, perhaps, checking themselves inwardly for what they have don, I will, with Gods help, muse upon Davids 140. psalm, That encouraging, that establishing psalm; I will muse upon it from the very first words to the last, and then I shall muse upon all the wonderful works of the Lord, which He hath don and will do for his friends, and against his Adversaries, those cursed Covenanters. And the good Lord help me, and help us all, not to leave musing, till, by the help of his Spirit, we have worked up our Spirits so high, as that we can say with the upright, Wee shall dwell in Thy presence. And then, though the wick●d imagine mischief in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war; 
Ver. 2.  though they have sharpened their tongues like a Serpent; yet they shall not come near us, to do us any hurt( if wee be upright) they shall not reach Heaven, Gods dwelling Place, nor any place which is the place of his presence, where he delights to be; there the upright are safe enough, from the violence of hands, and strife of tongues; The upright shall dwell in his presence, Amen.  
I proceed now to the other two Observations, I will set them down, then give my Castigations upon them, and Observations from them: I shall propose two cases also, then you shall see how high an account the word of God makes of them, and all good men: He observes,  
That the Parliament vow never to lay down arms so long as the Papists now in arms against the Parliament( as they say) shall be kept from the Justice of it, that is, till the Kings Army bee overcome.  
Well, they have said so indeed, and vowed it too, not to lay down arms, till all the Kings army be overcome; If he can prove his conclusion, which a Logician seldom troubles himself about, his mind is upon the truth of the premises, then the conclusion will follow. But, I say, this being granted, that all the Kings Army are Papists( he has observed it) ( i.e.) Incendiaries, Achans, Troublers, Pests, Plagues in a Kingdom, winch the Parliament does not say; they do not lay this reproach upon all the Kings Army. But grant it so to be( it is granted at Oxford, and why should we stick at it?) Then they must make good what they said, for their vows are upon them, not lay down Arms, till the Kings Army he overcome. So the Observator sai●s, and so the Parliament have vowed, if his Observation be true. Truly I am glad this was printed at Oxford; very glad, that the Scholars there take notice of this Vow; though yet the Adversary has made farther Observation upon it, he observes, That it is the most irreligious and inhuman Vow that can be imagined( Why?) For it excludes all hopes of commodation and Peace by Treaty[ My Observation follows, that, they cannot have such a fine design upon London again, as they might have had by treaty, ( i.e.) by shows and semblances of Peace, when war is in the heart] He proceeds in his Observation, and it evidently sheweth, that the settling of Religion, Laws, and Liberties is not the thing the Parliament aims at[ What is his Reason for that? a strange one if it had not come from Oxford] for the Kings party are sworn by their Covenant( mark it) that that shall be their first endeavour, what? If they make way to London and enter in there,( which God forbid, but His will be done, the security of his people is not in walls and bars) Their prime and chief work shall be to defend the Parliament( the Malignants there) the true Religion, Laws and Liberties. In spite of the devil I will laugh now sure, for the devil cries, and is very wrath, Because his sons would make him appear as an Angel of Light, when as it pleases him best now, to appear as he is, and as his servants are, who are as their names are, Abaddon Apollyor, Destroyers all. These semblances of his children makes their Father cry, and roar too: therefore I will laugh; for I am sure God laughs at this, and all His faithful servants in the world, when they hear it said. That the Kings party are sworn by their Covenant, That when power is in their hand, the m●in●enance of Religion, Laws, and Liberties of the Subject, shall be their first endeavour. The Observator urgeth it again, That the Parliament did not take up arms, for the establishing of the Protestant religion, no, for then, they would have laid them down again upon the Kings Oath, and promise to be as forward to that as they. But they say( says he, and we say so indeed) We cannot confided in the Kings Oath. For my part( says he) I think, that without repentance they will be damned, For saying so,( Yes, in the Court at Oxford, and in their mouths, who damn themselves every day] because they have so little charity. Truly me thinks, this fellow has no charity at all, to judge them all damned persons, who cannot confided in the Kings Oath. I confess we cannot do it, if we should die for it. We cannot, against so many Declarations from his hand, both in Ireland and England, &c. True it is, some Declarations have been written touching his Majesties gracious intentions that way, containing promises and vows too; But we must see him speak, that is, do what he speaks, not undo with his hand what he binds with his tongue. The Lord knows, we can appeal to Him, and clear ourselves before His majesty in point of charity towards our King; that we will not yield to the best in Oxford touching that matter. But charity is not blind; the Lord Christ will be tried by what he does; Go tell John what you have seen. If we see the hand( the practise the life) agreeable to the profession of the tongue, we have so much charity as to believe the man without an Oath: But if so be his hand be a contra-Remonstrance still to the profession of his mouth, then, though he promise and swear too,& take the Sacrament upon it, if a Minister of Christ will give it, yet we have not so much charity as to believe him; and yet we have so much Faith as to believe our salvation notwithstanding, and the more firmly, the more plainly we see, That no trust is to be put in man: for we can cleave the faster to God, Who, we know, is faithful; He hath promised and sworn too, and what He hath spoken with his mouth, He hath fulfilled with His hand a, which is four times repeated to the praise of God himself, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 
1 Kin 8. 2 Cron. 6. 1 Joh. 10. {αβγδ}.  The man ceas●th not his Observation yet prating against his betters with malicious words, but as one beating the air, or contending with his shadow, like the fool in the Commody, he talks gracefully with himself, asketh himself questions,& answers them as wisely, and wins all upon his Adversary, as the child does, that plays with himself. Truly I thought at first fight of his Observations, I could have blown them away with a breath, they were so light: But I see they have caused more pains, not for the gravity in them, for there is none at all, but for the honest Readers sake, that he may be fully satisfied touching them, and his Covenant that sacred Vow. I must therefore observe one thing more herein, before I pass from this his Observation, that he exceeds the child in folly, for he asketh himself one and the same question twice over, Wherefore took they up arms? Then, after his manner, answers it with two Negatives, Nor for the establishing of the Protestant Religion, No. A little after, he asketh again the very same question: and answers with petty Ingeny, mary that, I think, none but God knows, besides themselves, &c. And yet the next line following, he takes upon himself to judge, Wherefore they took up arms; and to make the Reason clearer to all the world( though yet he says none but God knows it) by his Observations, which, how he hath done, let the Reader judge, by so much as he hath red already touching them: But since he is so wise( for I confess it is a point of wisdom, and he hath shewed it in this, and in no one word else) to appeal to Gods knowledge in a case betwixt party and party, who vow and protest one and the same thing, To maintain the true Religion, and yet go away as cross on to the other as heaven is to hell. Since, I say, both parties vow and protest here one and the same thing, to maintain this sacred thing, not to be once mentioned by feigned and polluted lips Since it is so, the Parliament appeals too, to God; God knows, Who in His good time will bring all to light; God knows, who knows the secrets of all hearts, and in His time will reveal them all. And in their appeal they say, God deal with them according to the integrity of their hearts, and innocency of their hands touching this matter. And now they know, that since there is an appeal to Him, the Judge of all the world, He will do right, for He is Judge himself; He will maintain His servants, and His Cause; When? Now He does it in all His peoples sight, though the Adversary will not see it; nor is there so full a manifestation of Gods righteous judgement, for, and in behalf of His servants, and against His enemies as shall be, In Gods good time. When His Adversaries have filled-up their measures; when His friends are taken off from all their vain confidences; when all their strong-holds are down, their fenced Cities impoverished, wherein thou trustedst a( Mark that). When will this be? It was answered before, but we must answer still, 
Jer. 5.17.  In Gods good time. Not ours; our time is now, Gods time, not yet: I do not intend these words to the ea●es of a fool. What will you say, if bristol be taken first, and so an in-let open to all the Beasts of prey out of Ireland? Nay, what will you say if London be impoverished first. Then you will give-up the Cause as lost, and conclude the Parliament and their party were in the wrong all this while, and the Kings party in the right. God forbid, nay God forgive such a thought, that, because such a City is taken, and such servants of the Lord, are fallen in battle, therefore the Cause is fallen too; God forgive such a thought; this fenced City, and that may be impoverished, because the inhabitants trusted in them: This and this servant of the Lord may fall in this war, for the same reason, and so hath the best servant that ever God had in the world: But to conclude hence, that the cause is fallen, there we are too hast●, for the Cause is holy, just and good, and God will come-in for the defence of it, and the maintain●rs of it in His own time. When is that? Because thou wilt have an Answer to this; thou shalt have it, I will point thee to the time directly, when Gods manner is to come in to His servants, contending for his Cause: But look to thy duty now, and prepare thyself for that time. Remember still, I do not speak this in the ears of a fool, though I am content it be carried to Oxford. Do not content thy self with a little hope, a little patience; Say still, Lord increase my Faith, for it will be a rare thing then; he that thinks now he stands, may fall then, for want of all the fore-mentioned, specially for want of Faith,( that Mother grace) to believe, that God will appear in the Mount, at the Sea, even at the read Sea, When his Adversaries expectation is at the highest, and his People at the lowest: I have answered, Then is Gods Time. Reader, my heart is towards thee, and I would shrift thine heart and mine own at this point. Have wee not need of Patience, All Patience? of Faith, all Faith? Gods time( usually that has been his manner) to awaken as a Mighty Man, when he is awakened by Prayer; and that is never commonly, till his servants are in a Perishing condition,( then it is Powred forth) when the floods of great waters are come-up to the neck; when the Ship of the Church, 
Mat. 8.24.  is covered with waves( covered, mark that) till the waves are so proud, God seems to sleep, to awaken his People, but then up he ariseth, for his Disciples are in a perishing condition, sinking down to the place of Dragons. Then they Pray, ( Save us Lord,) and give God no rest; then He comes-in and saves them, when all help from the creature is gon forth, at the fourth watch. He suffers his People to be tossed to and fro; 
Mat. 14.15  The proud waters to beat-in upon them, all night long, then he comes-in and rebukes those Proud waters, and there is a calm. Reader, what ever Rushing thou hearest now, 
Isa. 17. 1●, 13. Revel. 11.18. Revel. 11.16, 17.  like the noise, or rushing of Mighty Waters,( for the Nations are angry) yet be not dismayed, but rather encouraged: It must be so, the Ship of the Church must be tossed. But the Prouder the waters, and the higher they rose, the nearer the ark was to Heaven: and so it will be now. The Nations are angry, But the Lord Christ hath taken to himself Power, and reigneth, therefore. do not give-up the Cause for lost,( for it is against the Law of Heaven) till the fourth Watch be come and passed. What then? Then thou wilt never give over the Cause as l●st; for He will hear the Prayers of the destitute: In the time of extremity, at the fourth Watch, He that came will come, for then his People see, vain is the help of man; and then they pray, Lord save us. I must prevent a mistake here, and then I have don with the appeal, and set time of Deliverance, our Gods own Time. Wee must not think, that God hears not the Prayers of his servants, but that Prayer onely, which they power forth when they are in extremity, sinking down into great waters, Lord save us, wee perish; wee must not think so, that God gives a return to this Prayer onely, and hath given no Answer to all the rest. If there be such a mis-conceipt, the understanding must be unfolded, for it causeth a great mistake, and it is very dis-heartening Wee must know, there is a treasure of Prayers in heaven, for the Church on Earth, and not one of those are in vain; God answers Prayers every day, wee see a return of them every hour. I speak what the sober Reader knows perhaps better then myself; That the Church never saw such a return of Prayers, since shee c●me out of Egypt, or from Babylon, then shee sees at this day. God forbid, that wee should think, God he●res not Prayers, and gives no Answer to them, because this city is taken, another is begird round, and a third is in danger. Put down these conclusions, and conclude thy soul under them.  

Jer. 12.7. Dan. 11.34.  1. God may deliver the dearly beloved of his soul into the Enemies hands, not to dest●oy them,( for God is good to Israel still) but to purge and whiten them; for which end he useth the Princes and Nobles of the world, as his Scullions to cleare-up and purge his vessels appointed unto honour.  
2.( For I must huddle) we cannot judge of love or h●tred by outward administration of things; That which is, 
Eccl 9.1. Mat 3.18.  before a man does not distinguish betwixt him that sweareth, and him that feareth an Oath: stay till God makes up his jewels, then you shall discern betw●xt the righteous and the wicked. Now Israel are in straits, the Sea before them, but ye may be sure, these are Gods Israel. The right hand of the Adversary is lifted-up now, they are very prosperous; you are assured they are as the Egyptians, the Atheists, and Papists of the world, the chief Lords there. Israel now, as in old time, is marching towards a Promised Land, the Sea is before, the mountaines on each side, a proud Adversary behind them, pressing on to hinder their passage. Will you think now, that the Adversary are the beloved of God, and Israel hated? No; It is clean contrary, as you heard before. The Sea opens now, the waters cleave in sunder, to give Israel passage: the Adversary thinks they open for him, that he may pursue, over-take, divide the spoil. thinks he so? are those his proud thoughts? Then is his hope at the height, and rage too; Now stand still to behold the salvation of God, for now is the morning( the fourth watch,) now God is looking-out upon the Host of his Enemies; and He will make them as still as a ston. The hopes of the Adversary must rise high, as their rage does, even to Heaven: And his people must be laid low, they must be in a perishing condition, that God may be exalted in their Salvation; For He will ●ide upon the Heavens for their help, and in his excellency on the sky. God will be glorious in their Deliverance; But  
3. In his own time, the fullness of Time: As a stubborn Israelite once,( who counted Reforming a Killing; So may Israel now, put back Deliverance with their own hands. His Moseses, 
Exod. 2.14  the faithful servants of the Lord, may have but a sight onely of that good Land, whereto God is bringing his People, and that is a great favour too. But our little ones,( of whom wee are so careful, shall see yet more glorious things) for they have not been like their Fathers, unfaithful in the Covenant: And if we can believe, we may see them too.  
4. Can you conclude, this is the darkest time, with the Church; not the day, but the darkest night of Jacobs troubles: I believe you cannot conclude so, but if you can, then conclude, the morning is near.  
5. Lastly, for I will break off, conclude thy soul under this truth, That, though B●istow be taken, and London may be impoverished; Nay, though the Parliament should desert the Cause also, yet the Cause shall not miscarry; yet it shall be carried on, for the seed of jacob have sought God in this thing; And they never sought God in vain. Daniel heard terrible things, touching the troubles of the Church, and of her Adversaries prevailing against her; 
Dan. 8.27.  and it afflicted Daniel very much( as it should do us) for he fainted, and was sick certain dayes: So deeply he was afflicted. And all these dayes, his Prayers were heard, yes every Prayer he had put-up before and after: For from the first day, 
Dan. 10.12.  that thou didst set th●ne heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard. So, Prayers put-up, ten, twenty, thirty, forty yeares ago, and so downward, were heard, and wee have seen their return in all the Peoples sight: But yet the great return will be, when God hears the Prayer of the Destitute: The prayer of His people sinking; when his People are in extremity; when they know not what to do, when help, when refuge faileth: Such a time will be, and then God will appear in his Glory; Then His people shall see, All his attributes displayed before their Eyes; His power, goodness, mercy, &c. And they shall say, Deliverance could not have come sooner, and have come so well: He stayed till the fourth Watch, but then he came best of all, and most welcome. A calm is never so comfortable, as when ushered in with a storm. Th●nke on this, I pray you; The humble will think upon it and rejoice, the proud will scorn at it, though it be Higgaion Selah, A thing greatly to be meditated upon. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: 
Psal. 9 16  thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. And so much to our appeal: wee are resolved also to remit all to Gods own time, the best time, even the sulnes of Time. We proceed to his third Observation: He observes,  
3. That the Parliaments Vow and Covenant, to stick to one another, is not a Vow, a Combination rather: A thing never don in a lawful war, but in Conspiracies and Confederacies, which notes their inward guilt, and who were their Teachers, even their brethren the Scotts. See how bold this Novice is, he will condemn them, whom the King and kingdom have cleared I will let it pass, though I could show him how he exalts folly. He makes a use of this very useless and witless( yet I will make it serve me anon) and so he hath don his Observation. Now I will tell what Lactantius observes upon it; That, says he, which is accounted Treason and Rebellion here below, is accounted the best obedience in heaven: Those, whom men call Rebells and Traytors, 
Quae hic sunt malis in Coelo v●cantur bona.  God calls his best Subjects: That, which man calls a Conspiracy. God calls by its own name, a striving together for God, and the faith of the Gospel, the crown, and glory of a kingdom. That is the Observation. Now I will read two Cases, and, to use the Observators words, I shall make onely this use, To desire every honest man, to consider, which Covenant is a Combination: which side maketh the just war, and have the clearest conscience, and with them to join himself: Then he will not join himself with an Army of Papists, English Monsters, French, Ir sh, Beasts in the shape of men: he will not enter himself with these Fighters against God. But who shall judge the justice of this war? Not the Lord Keeper, nor Judge Heath: no such corrupt Judges. He will be the Judge, who judgeth righteous Judgement. Who has smitten his hand at thy dishonest gain, and at thy blood, 
Ezek. 22.13.  which hath been in the midst of thee He is Judge himself. Wee shall see plainly how he has resolved two Cases, both touching the Justice of a war. Wee must all stand now to his Arbitration, and submit. The first Case.  
The children of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseth, 
josh. 22.10.  are dismissed by Joshua to their Possessions beyond jordan; Returning thither, they built an Altar, a great Altar to see to. The children of Israel( the other Tribes) hear of this, That their Brethren have built an Altar; There is a jealousy presently in all the other Tribes, that their Brethren have don against Gods command and rule of worship, and then they will undo themselves and all Israel. They have transgress●d the Commandement already( thought Israel) there will be an Idolatrous worship anon, which Israel are resolved to prevent speedily; So the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel gathered themselves together at Sh loh to parley first, then to go up to war against their Brethren. A suspicion, a jealousy onely, that they had don against the Commandement, and would provoke a jealous God, was warrant sufficient to go up to war against their Brethren, if they cannot give a full and faire account, like Israelites, touching that matter, which they did. And it is very notable, even the matter and manner of their account; They do n●t stand-it out, contesting with their Brethren in a case so cleared from the Word; May wee not set up an Altar, and serve God after our own manner, but you must control us, and make war with us your Brethren? Wee can set up an Altar against the Command, and yet worship God according to his command. Why do our Brethren of Israel inquire what we do beyond the River? What does that concern judah? We will do what we please, but what ever we do, though wee build an Altar, and resolve to worship before it, yet wee profess to maintain the true Religion, according to Covenant, and to make that our first work. Had there been such an answer returned, it is clear from the Context, That all Israel had warred with their Brethren. But the softness and clearness of their Answer, returned to the heads of the thousands of Israel, is very notable; The Lord God of gods, and so forth, indeed we should observe both the matter and form of their words, how they clear themselves and their Altar too; so as there is a clear understanding on both sides, and no more to do. The reading of this is abundantly enough to clear the Parliaments case, and to justify the managing thereof, were it carried on with that height of zeal, and resolution, as Israels war was, though but in design and upon suspicion onely. Here are Altars built, here and there and every where, against the express word of God to the contrary: The Lord God of gods, The Lord God of gods, He knows, that his worship is profaned hereby; their hearts grieved, who should not be grieved; Altars have been built, 
ver. 22, 23  they are maintained to this day in Rebebellion and transgression against the Lord, to turn from following Him. And this abomination is don, and maintained by the Lords of the world, the heads of the Land, who do profess to maintain the true Religion; when indeed, they do all they can to destroy it. In Joshuahs dayes, as good a Leader as ever was after him; A suspicion, and jealousy onely of transgressing at this high point, Gathered all Is●ael together to war against their Brethren. Whether a rebellion now really and in truth maintained and enforced with the Engines of war, and Instruments of death upon Israel, a free People, by the haters of God, and all good men, servants of a strange God, and strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel, engaged upon this design, and pursuance of it to the utter destruction of all the true Israel of God, whether this may not engage all Israel now to war as it did then, I leave in the midst betwixt London and Oxford; and if there be the same zeal in Israel now, as was in Israel once, I know how it will be. But to clear the Justice of the war yet more, 
●udg. 19.  I passe-on to the other Case. A Levite and his wife turned-in to lodge in Gibeah of Benjamin: They are entertained there, and as they were making their hearts merry, certain sons of Belial b●set the old mans house( where they were) round about, 
Ver. 22.  resolved to have their will, and they had it, and did a vile thing, for they forced the Levites Concub●ne, so as next morning shee was found dead upon the th●eshold The husband gives notice to th' other Tribes, what lewdness and folly was committed in Israel The Tribes hearing thereof call a Parliament, 
Chap. 29.  are gathered together four hundred thousand: All these arose, knit themselves as one man, were resolved, after they had taken Advice and counsel, 
Ver. 7, 8. Ver. 10.  saying, Wee will not any of us go to his Tent, ne●ther will wee any of us turn into his house, till we have don to G●beah of Benjamin, according to all their folly they have wrought in Israel. So they require th●ir Brother Benjamin to deliver-up those children of Belial, which are in G beah, that wee may put them to death( as wee have resolved in our Parliament) and put away evil from Israel. 
Ver. 13.  Benjamin are stout, they will not harken, they will maintain the true Religion, according to Covenant, that shall be th●ir prime work still. And they will maintain those Children of Belial too; All this will agree together( as Christ and Belial) so they are resolved. A marvelous thing, that Benjamin knowing the judgement of God, 
R●v. 1.32.  that they who commit such things are worthy of death, yet take ●●asure in them th●t do them.  
The Tribes do not sit ●●rlying on the matter, they have considered on it already, taken advice and spoken their minds; And now they address themselves to God, have their warrant from Him, and then they went out to B●ttell against B njamin. They f●ll, indeed, before their Adversaries once and again, for they were not yet prepared for a victory; they had not yet purged themselves, who went forth to purge th●ir Brethren; nor narrowly looked into the evil of their hearts, as they should do, who professed to put away evil from Israel, nor had they come-up so close to God, as they did do after their falls( of this anon.) The third time they are commanded to go-up against Benjamin, and assured the victory: 
Ver. 43. Ver. 48.  Then Gibeah was smitten, and burnt with fire, the Benjamites were trod down with ease, twenty and five thousand men: also they set on fire all the Cities that they came to. The Case now is Paral●l with that, and the Justice of the war exceeds it: First, sons of Belial rise-up then, beset a house round about, and heat at the doors. Here they have don so much and more, they have beset two Kingdoms, beaten down the house of the Church and State to their Power. These are demanded by the Parliament; Deliver us the men the Children of Belial, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel( It is high time, if it be not past) There is no hearkening to this voice; But a rough hand is put forth against the Parliament, because of this demand; and in defence of those sons of Belial, King, Queen and Nobles put forth all their power, to destroy the House, and beat down two Kingdoms. No, I must say, if I will be so mad as others are, these put forth their strength for the defence of the House of Parliament, and for the building-up of two Kingdoms. The House of Parliament do pretend onely, their own private ends, but the King& Queen with their loyal Subjects with them, intend really and indeed to maintain the true Protestant Religion, his Majesties just Power, and the just power and privileges of Parliament; and their loyal subjects in Oxford can swear the truth of all this; he that hath so little faith as to doubt thereof, shall be damned sure enough without Repentance, says the open mouth from Oxford, put in Print by Leichfeild there. These men shall not have all the talk, I will put in a question here, which the Adversary shall resolve, but no sober man will believe him. The queens purchase beyond the Seas, her exchange there for Engines of war and instruments of Death; what to do with these in England? A strange question: It is a damnable sin to make such a question. They answer, to defend the House of Parliament, and to build-up( not to beat down) as these Engines use to do, they have a contrary working in a queens hands to build-up) three kingdoms: therefore the Queen exchanged the Jewels( the kingdoms Jewels) made that purchase, to establish the Kingdom; therefore she appointed her loyal subjects to beset the House round, and beat at the doors in defence of the House and household. That was the intent, and it is damnable to think otherwise. I will not speak a word here by way of Reply. We have seen the parallel, how things do now relate to these children of Belial, besetting the House round, and beating at the doors, Now we must see what these children did in the streets, and how that relates to the present. what is done now.  
They forced a Concubine then, the Levites wife, as we red. But there is no such lewdness committed now, no sure, it were damnable to think so. The King hath sworn, and he makes his loyal Subjects to swear so too, and to enter Covenant upon it, that, as power shall be given into their hands, they will so manage it, as their first endeavour shall be the defence of the Laws, just Rights and Liberties of the Subject: very well; but then they must not force women nor maidens neither, for it is against the Rights and Liberties of the Subject. They do not, they have swo●n, and have entred into Covenant, that they will do no wrong, but all the Right that can be. May we believe them? Yes, if you will believe what they say at Oxford, and swear too, for it is all one with them. Reader, thou must not laugh here, unless thou canst laugh as God laughs, with an indignation and zeal against these children of Belial, who have forced wives and maids too; have wrought villainies, and lewdness in Israel, and defiled two Kingdoms with it, from corner to corner. The Observator hath concluded, That all the Kings Army are Papists. And shall we regard what Papists swear and vow? They vow to do all the mischief they can; to commit villainy and lewdness in Israel to their power: and as they do. We have observed but little if we have not observed, what vows Papists make, and how they stand to them. And yet I am not assured by what the Observator says, that all the Kings Army are Papists. I know who would be Angry, that such an Hellish Rout should be called by his name, Papa. Indeed it is an abuse, for there are many English monsters there fighting against their own country; and Irish Rogues and Traitors( as they call the Parliament) who have oft and oft washed their hands in the blood of Mothers and their Infants and boasted of it, and yet are very active at the Court, and very gracious there. They are there, whom the Scripture calls roaring lions and ravening Wolves. 
Zeph. 3.3.  There are some French too, we know them. The most of them are beasts in the shape of men. And the whole Kingdom is assured, that it is the most bloody mischievous most accursed Army, that ever was upon the face of the earth. They have and they will, to their power destroy Religion, that which should be kept pure and undefiled, the Queen hath to her power,( and she hath al in her hands, but God hath put a hook in her Nose, and a bri●le in her lips) she hath with her loyal Subjects, children of Belial, she hath( I will speak it all in a word) she hath forced the Spouse of Christ, I say, forced her before their Lords face. I will sa● no more: But if so be the Lord of this Spouse, the Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods does not require this at the King and Queens hands; If He does not force them, for forcing His Queen before His face, and their own consciences in the light; if the Lord God of gods does not force them( for the time and manner how, the Church remits unto their Lords hand:) But if he does not force them, then the Lord God of gods is not a true and faithful God, keeping Promise and Covenant for ever, whereof His servants have not the least doubt; The Lord will force them, that have forced His Queen before His face. He will drive them, as the dust before the whirl-wind. The Church makes no doubt of that; sound Repentance, a sorrow after a godly sort, shall not be able to keep off a temporal judgement. We have heard what this lewdness was, and what it is, and how far the v●llanies now exceed those then▪ then the war now will exceed too in the justice and equity of it. I need not stand upon that, I will set down two Observations here, which shall answer these two, we received from Oxford, the first is, which answers his second.  
The Parliament have vowed never to lay down arms so long as the Papists now in Arms against the Parliament( as they say) shall be kept from the Justice of it.  
Very well, and they have an example for it, which exceeds The Parliament vow not to lay down arms; Israel vowed not to go back to their tents( as sometimes the Scots did) before the Delinquents were delivered-up to Justice, and hanged-up by the necks. Why, but this excludes all hope of Accommodation; 
Iud. 20.8.  Yes that it does, wee should be sorry else. And yet the devil is hammering at it again, he would fain have us at peace with him, and with his sworn servants: And we have a pretty good mind to it at this time, though we have sworn, and sworn again, That we will have no peace till his sworn servants all are ●ut a sunder, and then we shall have a peace of Gods giving. Pray tell me, what Accommodation can be here? The house was beset round then,( two Kingdoms now) a Concubine, a Levites wife, a poor obscure woman( yet her Lord, and Gods Law, and all Israel take care of her, mark that) was forced then; In a word, The Spouse of Christ is forced now, that glorious Woman, the dearly beloved of His soul, shee is forced before her Lords face; What accommodation? Israel cannot abate an ace, not with their Brother, they will be the stricter with him: Brother Benjamin give-up these Children of Belial to Justice, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel; Tell me, and show thyself a man, can there be a more reasonable demand? Can there be an ace abated here? Why then, no hope of accommodation. Yes, for these Children of Belial, intended the defence of the old mans house, and of the Levites Concubine, &c Let who will answer, for I will not, when such Children are said to maintain laws, and just Rights, who break all laws, and do all the injustice that is conceivable.  
Why but Benjamin, that Tribe, might do and maintain Judgement and Justice, and yet maintain these Children of Belial, &c.  
No, that was not possible; It more then seems that Benjamin took pleasure in them; and that he was as one of 
Obadiah.  them. Benjamin cannot defend the Children of Belial, those that break all yokes, and have cast off all bands, and not be, in so doing, a child of Belial himself, a destroyer of himself and people. It is a cleared Case: I give now my second Observation, which answers his third; which is That wee, taking a vow to assist one another in pursuance of this war[ against those Children of Belial] do make a Combination or a Conspiracy, which was never don in a lawful war.  
Yes, It was, but no Conspiracy, no Combination; for thus it was; four hundred thousand Israelites assemble themselves, for Consultation first, then they are resolved to stick close together, not to part so far, as any of them to go to his Tent: The people arose, says the Text, were gathered together, and knit together as one man. four hundred thousand as one man, acted by one soul, all of one mind, and of the same judgement. What was that? That these wicked, Children of Belial, must be put away, else evil cannot be put away; What a sweet agreement was here? Yes, and this they call at Oxford a Combination; The Children of Benjamin are knit together all as one man, with the Children of Belial, to defe●d them from the justice of the Law, yet this is no Combination. Well, let them say what they will, wee must say as the truth is, and so wee must practise; Wee must all arise as one man; we must be kn●t together for this thing, The putting away these Children of Belial, and evil from Israel. That it hath not been don sooner, hath caused all this mischief. Wee must be knit together as one man, in a sweet concord and agreement touching this matter, as acted by one soul, of one mind, and the same judgement. Why, but though the house of the Church is beset round by these Children of Belial, and they have fo●ced the Spouse of Christ before their Lords face, yet may there not be some way taken for an Accommodation? Yes that it may very well; It is not too late, yet after our Vow and Protestation: ●f wee will believe hearsay, the greatest liar in the world; The Nobles are upon it at this v●ry hour, how to A●commodate a Peace. I will never believe it, that the Nobles, who, as their manner is, sp●nd themselves for Christ, lay-out themselves for His Glory; mind his House, so as they forget their own, That these can think of an Accommodation now: and yet I say it is reported, they have drawn up Propositions, tending that way, and even concluded: In short, these: Let the King have his desire completed, touching his strong-holds upon the Land& Sea, &c. What he will desire also touching the Assembly of Min sters now, &c. And the Kings good people shall have their desire completed too; All the horrid Rebells and Traytors shall be delivered up into their hands( this will content his people, for then his majesty makes good all he hath vowed and promised.) And his good People sh●ll do with these horrid Rebels as pleaseth them, put them to what death they please( except one) cut them asunder with the sword, hang them, sow them in a bag and down them, or starve them to death, which pleaseth best: what other death they can invent, except the plague of Pestilence, for that is as the Kings war now, Immediately from his Warrant: So that stroke, Immediately from Gods hand. You now have the sum, and Result of the Consultation, as People foolishly report in the city, but no sober man can believe it, That the Nobles, who have knowledge, and a zeal according to their knowledge, will go about such a work so impossible; To Accommodate a Peace for Christ, whose House is beset round now, and His Spouse forced before His face, and his Servants all have vowed, That they will not lay down arms till these horrid Rebells be given up to the Justice of the Court. Justice of the Court! That is mainly intended, and that is the report too, and the Kings Promise and vow also;" So soon as he has his demands, his loyal Subjects shall have their demands, all the horrid Rebels given up into their hands, as aforesaid. Look you with all your eyes, what a mistake here is, I will not call it by any other name, a mistake: His Majesty will be pleased, that all the horrid Rebells shall be given-up to be cut in sunder, hanged, drowned, starved. But who are these horrid Rebells? read the Kings Proclamation touching his good will towards London. There you shall read of an horrid Rebellion, charged upon that city, most eminently known above all the Cities in the world( Blessed be God) at this day, standing for God, and His Christ. This is the horrid and rebellious city; These are the horrid Rebells and Traytors there; who? All the faithful in the Parliament, in the city, All that have entertained the destitute, the fatherless, the Cast-out; All the godly Ministers, and godly People( none else are destitute or cast-out now) whom the King by the hand of his murtherers, hath robbed and pillaged, for, if he hath not commanded it, he hath suffered it to be don. And these faithful in the Parliament, in the city, these shall be delivered-up to the sword, for these are his horrid Rebells, he means no other; It were a vain conceit to think, that the King will put away his Queen,[ as you know who put away their wives being Daughters of a strange god: and may they dwell together, and the Blessing of God upon them, which will be, when they turn from Idols to serve the living God] you do not think the King will give-up to Justice, the horrid Rebells in Ireland, or in England; for these are his Right-men and best Subjects now in whom he confides, and his soul delighteth. Reader, thou dost not think he means these, when he tells his Parliament, The Delinquents shall be given-up to Iustice. The King means as aforesaid, those that will not vow obedience to his will, not array themselves to war by authority from his Immediate Warrant. believe then, that it is as impossible to accommodate a Peace here, as it is to accord most contrary things, which stand in an eternal opposition, as the two Poles, or Christ and Belial. It is as possible to set those stars South and North together one by the other, to bring-up Hell to Heaven, as to bring this business to a faire Accommodation. Therefore wee will not believe hearsay; These men,( they are but men, and they know it, I purposely forbear titles now of Nobles and Worthies, now that the honour and glory of Christ is so trampled upon in the world) these men are better employed now, in making their Peace with God, in thinking on away, that will make themselves noble and honourable indeed: Whereas, to consult about a way to Accommodate the cause and quarrel of Christ, and not in his own way, is to consult shane to their own house, and rebuk to the Church of Christ Wee are where wee were, like a Ship in a tempest, tossed much, but has made no way. The Law must be satisfied, give her-up these Rebells and Traytors indeed to the justice of it, all the reason in the world it should be so; Petty thieves, who steal for their belly, are lead to the gallows by great thieves, says one, and the matter is dispatched quickly: Give us-up these great thieves, mighty hunters, horrid Rebells, who spoil and destroy kingdoms; give them up, it must be don; It is the demand of the Lord Christ, and of his People in Covenant with him for this thing; The Lord Christ His House is beset round with Children of Belial; they have to their power beat down the house, forced his Spouse before his face. Now He that set his Right-foot upon the Sea, and his left on the Earth, hath sworn that He will be avenged of these sons, He will ease himself of these Adversaries: His faithful servants have committed themselves and this Cause into his hands, and thither they look, and laugh at all other ways of Accommodation.  
But if there be not a Peace, the House will be beat down, and quiter destroyed, therefore give us Peace, say wee, upon any terms.  
Then take it and perish with it; but we speak like ourselves, Men of small understanding; let us do our duty, make good our Vow, Not to lay down arms, till the wicked be destroyed, and evil put away: Leave God to his work, and rest assured in this, He will look to his House and household; He will be good to them, how ever they fare in the world; good to them in all Conditions, in all Administrations, in all Dispensations of mercies, and distributions of sorrows, still, still good to Israel, the pure in heart, Amen. It is not possible to say any thing against the lawfulness of this war: But this may be said to discourage the undertaking of the like again: Israel falls before Benjamin, heaps upon heaps, once and again. At the first on-set twenty and two thousand men were destroyed down to the ground. The second time, 18000. men that drew the Sword. What then? Yet Israel must judge themselves as they did, not judge the lawfulness of the war. They question how they managed the war, and what Conquest they had made over themselves; They did not question this, whether the Children of Belial ought to be put to death, that evil may be put away from Israel.  
The Case is ours. Gods Israel fall here and there. What then? Therefore the war is not lawful. God himself denies this, the contrary is upon everlasting Record: The war is lawful, if you use it lawfully; the war is good, but it is ill managed; There Israel lays all the blame, as they ought to do, and they gain exceedingly every day by their losses, setting their faces more steadfastly to God after they have turned their backs upon their Adversaries; rising higher in their Faith, the lower they fell. If Israel are lying upon their faces in deep humiliation, and, according to their Charge, are resolved to search their tents, and their hearts, and to Cast-out the accursed thing( which makes Israel turn their backs) if Israel do now, as then, rise-up after their fall, still to come-up closer to their God; 
Num. 23.24.  if so, they shall, rise-up as a great lion, and not lye down till he eat of the prey, and drink of the blood of the slain. Then wee shall chase our Adversaries, and as Israel did, tread them down with ease. In the mean time, the Adversary must be lifted up with success, that he may fall the lower anon, and with more amazement. But whether wee stand, or fall, yet this is a cleared Case, Israel have a just warrant to war with those, who resist and will not give-up Delinquents to the Justice of the Law; And if the success be not answerable to expectation, wee must judge ourselves, and the manner of managing the war; Whether wee have come up to God touching that matter; whether the accursed thing be removed from out of the heart, and tent; Whether, when the Children of Belial have been in our hands, wee have put them to death. Certainly, that is the duty which God requires at those hands, whereinto he has put the Sword. If there be an arch-traitor in the kingdom, as sure enough there is, who has dealt corruptly in the Covenant, and falsified the great trust of the Lord the Charge of souls, sitting at the stern of the Church, in the highest place there; this man must be put to death, else he will, as he has don, cause Israel to fall before their Adversaries. And so of others, who have been chief in transgression, and carrying-on that design, and the war against city and Kingdom also. But for those, who were drawne-in, and betrayed, as it were, to betray others, mercy may be shown, for it lessons the Case. I know my place, and my station. But this is an eternal truth, Ch ldren of Belial must be delivered-up, not to be put in prison, but to be put to death. What then? And put away evil from Israel.  
It was necessary to touch upon Israels fals here in his lawful war; Because, it is said ordinarily upon any disaster, or fall in battle; Do not ye see how God fights against you? that He is an enemy to you; and would tell you plainly, if you would hear, that your Cause is nought? And see you not what success the other party hath?  
No indeed, we do not see th'one or the other. And yet, we thank God, our eye sight is cleared touching this matter. We do see, that these and these on the Churches side are fallen; this City and that taken. We see all this, that the Sword devoureth one as well as another: And it displeaseth us not, for it is the Lords Sword, it pleaseth us, that He doth what pleaseth Him: His servants do profess hearty, they know love rather then hatred, by all that is before them: their God will do them good by all. Blessed be God, the wise God, He will suffer His people to fall before the Adversary, that they may fall upon their face, deep in humiliation, and inquire into the Cause; why it is so, that Israel turn their backs? And then they are put to make enquiry into their hearts, and teats, there to find out the accursed thing. The onely wise God indeed! He will not give-up this Army of Papists into His peoples hands, till they have done their Lords pleasure, served Him as scullions to purge and to whiten His people, as was said. Gods people shall not be masters of the field, till they be masters of themselves. They shall not be conquerors over their Enemies, these shall not be subdued under them, till His people shall set their faces steadfastly to God, to subdue in them all iniquity. He will not have His people Lords over others, and servants to their own lusts God forbid. And while this great victory is gaining over themselves, I mean, while God is making His people more then conquerors, He helps His people with a little help, so much as shall keep His people in heart, and keep-up His cause in all the peoples sight. And when they are at a loss, as now they are, it is to make them gainers: And when they fall, as now they do, it is to make them stand the more firmly in the strength of God, and power of His might. And this is a great matter which the Adversary mistakes, while he thinks, God is against His people. No: He is against His Adversaries. What He seems to be towards His people, is to make His people set their faces the more earnestly to heaven. The Adversary thinks God will undo His people. No, God never said so; But He hath said, I will undo all that afflict thee 
Z●ph. 3.19. : and so He will. And now He is doing of it, even now when He gives the Adversary success; lets him prosper in an evil way; when God( after the Adversary hath shut our light) shuts the eye, and heardens the heart, and suffers him to blunder-on against a drawn sword; when he sees a way opened for Israels passage, and he thinks the way is opened for him, to pursue Israel; these be sad stroke, this is to be against a man, or a people, or an Army. To fall before an Enemy may be a mercy: but for an Adversary to stand out stoutly against God and His people is a sore judgement, and a fore-runner of a fall, which shall ruin the adversary utterly, for ever and ever, Amen.  
Reader, if thou art come so far, thou hast heard the Observator and me both; I will not be foolishly confident now, that this which I have done will make some Proselytes,( I will use the Observators words, though improper) some Proselytes I say, and thyself one amongst the rest. I will not declare my hope that way, though it hath a better bottom then the Observators hope hath. This I would command of thee: consider the Covenants well, for as the Observator saith well, It is a fearful thing to mock God solemnly. Consider with all thy heart what is observed by us both, what hath a clear agreement with the Rule of Heaven, the Laws of men, and practise of all Gods people in all ages. And what is contrary to all this, reject it. Then consider what is said with the mouth, and then see what is done with the hand: While thou art considering all this( now is a considering time) I would give thee sound counsel. Go cross to all the Observator hath said, for he hath gone cross to a common light; but specially refuse his counsel, which is this in his 4. page.: Let a man always have recourse to his own breast, and ask counsel there. No but do not: I will not forbear him; he is a fool, and would make thee a fool too: if thou wilt ask counsel of thyself, be thy own Teacher, thou hast a notable fool to thy Master, who, as the times are, will make thee a fool and mad both. harken to what I shall say; Have recourse to God, ask counsel at His mouth: do it always, and do it hearty: then, though many Nobles perish with their Honors, many wise men perish with their wisdom, many learned men perish with their learning, yet thou shalt understand the way and fear of the Lord. His secrets are with them that fear Him. He will beautify the meek with salvation. 
Isa. 35.8.  The humble shall understand their way, the way-faring men though fools, shall not err therein.  
And now that I have cleared the war, the lawfulness of it, by the most cleared example; and our way in managing of it: I had done now, but that I must say something to my poor countrymen, who have something to say against taking Covenant, which is this. First:  
We need not be commanded to vow, we can vow and swear too, and forswear also, it is our practise every day.  
See! poor souls! they glory in their shane, and make boast of their wickedness; it is their ignorance and folly too: I will strike at the root anon. In the mean time they must speak like men, if they look to be answered. They say, or it is said for them.  
If you enjoin this vow upon the poor people, they will forswear themselves. It is required, they should be humble, and they cannot be humble.  
You should say they will not. You fault the power, when the will is too blame. Again, this Objection is false, they are not commanded, by man, to be humble, as good command an old oak to fall before us; the oak cannot be commanded, but they are entreated to think seriously of that, which, well pondered on, may make them humble. Again, so I huddle-up great matters, there is no more required of them, but what is in their power to do, and compass of their vocation. Onely note this, a pearl is a pearl a precious and excellent thing, though a swine be a swine still, and will do like a swine; you know what.  
But we cannot think it a lawful Vow, for we vow to fight against our lawful Prince.  
It is not against him, but for him, to deliver his sacred Person from out of the hands of murtherers; our Land from out of the hand of spoilers; our Parliament( who stand-up for us, and our just rights) from the hands of oppressors, and sorest task masters; the laws of God and man from sons of Belial, who would make all voided, null, and of none effect.  
We have taken the Oath of Supremacy and allegiance both.  
It is well you have: I pray you inquire now into both; you have vowed to stand-up against foreign power. Your vows are upon you, do thereafter; stand up now, for now a foreign power is pressing in upon you with all its might Ask at the Tower, hear and see what instruments were prepared to bring in a strange god, and a power strange to England. You have vowed allegiance to the King, to obey him, ruling by Law, according to the law of Heaven: you have not vowed to obey his private will, for that is to obey the lusts of men, breaking and making voided the laws of God, the Rights and privileges of a free people.  
But the King will maintain all these, the true Religion, also( which is the main) we will and must believe him, for he hath protested it, taking the Sacrament upon it from the hand of an Archbishop.  
Good people, be not deceived, many things are battled upon the Kings name( as we sometimes said in Oxford ( i.e.) charged upon him, which never came into his thoughts; that sacramental vow, we red of, might be Printed in London, for the devil is abroad now, and all his Instruments are very active there; A great d●al of forgery, false dealing, there is, whereby to deceive the very Elect if it could be. There is a notable invention too concerning the most famous Scholar, for piety and learning both that is in the world And yet I do not know, what he may do, and what he may suffer to be done, 
Rev. 17.3  who will take to himself that name, Arch-Bishop, Great-Bishop, proper and peculiar onely to Christ our Lord. If a man assumes that name, it is a name of Blasphemies. So let it pass.  
But suppose, the King did vow after such a manner, as we red, truly it is a thing much to be lamented, his pernicious council hath drawn him very far; his foot is entred deep into blood, and then we know, what men have said, and what they have done, and thought themselves in the right way, and that in all they have said or done, they have done God good service; So blinded their eyes may be, and so brawned their hearts. It was Sauls case, before he was Paul, and Luthers too. But this was their plea, they did it out of ignorance: And that makes men very conceited of what they say, and do, very proud and st●ffe, resolved in their way. Let us call to mind here, that the Lady Mary Daughter to Henry the eighth, vowed as much as this to the men of suffolk, to engage their help to make her queen. When she had her desire, it is very legible that she did most contrary to her Protestation, nay she trampled upon their heads, who gave forth their hands to raise her to the Throne. The story is long but very notable, I have done with it. Onely this, the heart is an abyss, a deep, which the wisest man( a man and no more) that ever was upon earth, could never bottom. But truly, I am half persuaded the King may vow and protest all this, and go according to his Principles. For what hath he protested?  
That he intends the establishment of the true Protestant Religion. It may well be so: and that the Lady Mary protested as much once; so will the queen now, and the most notorious Rebels and most known Papists. Why? Can we imagine, that the queen hath taken all this pains, been at all this cost, partend with the Jewels of a Kingdom, prepared such instruments of death, to bring-in and force upon us a false Religion, under that notion, in her conceit? Do we think the Pope a fool, all his Cardinals mad, and their jesuits b●utish; that they have contested so many hundred yeers with fi●e and sword,( and will contest till they be sent to their own place) to maintain a Religion neither Protestant nor true? No, no: I tell you truly, the light and truth, which is in a man, and he cannot put it out, hates falsehood under that notion.  
A● but his majesty says more; his eye is upon an excellent pattern, whereto he will form himself, and his Religion as in the happy dayes of queen Elizabeth.  
His Bishops abuse him fearfully. They persuade his majesty to force in their Power again, and jurisdiction; to set them-up again. What then? let the Bishops alone with the rest, then they will do as they have done, establish the true Protestant Religion, after a form and pattern, as it was in queen Maries dayes; Just so, after that pattern, witness all their words, votes, actions and contrivances ever since those dayes upward to the 29. of December, 1641. unto this very day. And this is enough for that: onely Reader know this for thy good, that we must not look back to those who were in the dark to us, yet saw very much, newly peeping out of the mist; nor to those times, dark times in reference to ours, and the lights set up amongst us now at this day; we must not look back to what this queen did, or what that King; no, we must look forward to our pattern, as we have our Lord Ch●ist our Leader and Commander● as we have Him for our pattern, His Word for our rule, so the Assembly guide their Counsels, not by what other Churches do: but by what is wr●tten, so they must do. I would not be mistaken here, I do not diminish one mite from the excellent worth of that glorious Instrument; many Daughters did worthily, but she exceeded th●m all, and her name is as a precious Ointment powred forth. Reformation then was carried-on very far and hopefully, considering the time, and the opposition of the Bishops. But the Lord knows it were a great dishonour to his Majesty to conform thereafter, now in th●se dayes. He hath vouchsafed more light, and therefore we must conform thereafter; If the Bishops( for their hand is here) will look back, they must look back as far as the Apostles dayes. But if they will look back to Queen Elizabeths dayes( though a glorious Princes) we know their mind very well, and what is their end, they will quickly turn all back, so as it shall be as it was in Queen Maries dayes: that is cert●in It follows.  
Without any connivance at Popery. Connivance, what is that? half latin and more; in plain English it is winking. His M●j●stie ma● take the Sacrament upon it, that he doth not wink at popery, Poper● stareth him in the face, He looks Popery in the face, he looks upon it with open face, and he sets his e●e upon the maintainers of it, for good, how bloody soev●r these are; And shows unto these such favour, as he sheweth to those he delighteth in: Well, but what ever is spoken, his good people will look what is done: and discern very well, what way the heart is carried, by that delight the heart taketh: if in those, who are the excellent of the earth, then so; If in those, who are haters of God and goodness, then so; which if there were no more, yet is this very sufficient to give satisfaction touching this matter.  
But we poor people are in this( onely) like our sheep, which will follow as they see others go before, so can we: And a miserable case it is; We know not in the world what way to take, nor to which side to join in this war. One party vows, so doth the other, that they are in the Right: so say the other; and both enter into Covenant touching this matter. Alas, what shall we poor simplo ones do! we would fain fit still and be of neither side, that pleaseth best; but the destruction comes home to our gates.  
A sad case indeed; it was my case, I am as you are, a Lay man, as some call us, ignorant enough, neither person nor Vicar, nor Lawyer neither, yet I thank God I have found a way to resolve the case very well, both touching the holy way, and war. I will tell you how( yet I will not recall what was said before, which is the main [ ask counsel at Gods mouth] how I have guided my steps in these perplexed and troublous times, to find out a right way and a just war. I observed narrowly, which way the devil goes( his foot-steps are manifest) which way the Pope, Cardinals, jesuits, all the bloody Rogues in Ireland, all the noble monsters in England( as the Heathen calls them, who are Noble in their birth, and ignoble in their life) which way all the Bishops, all the Priests, those droves and beards of men, whom some call Ministers, the Scripture calls dumb dogs, brutish Pastors, which way these went, and all the brutish people. I observed too, which way your Lawyers went, who could grind the faces of the poor, turning judgement into gull, and Justice into wormwood. I observed narrowly which way all these went, and I discovered it as plainly as you might discern that mans Nose, which was so overgrown, that it covered half his face, so plainly. Then I discoursed, I reasoned out my way; a very little logic( Reason) did serve the turn, even so much as a dog hath; he will smell here, and there, and then he concludes very logically( says one) which is his way, and away he runs. So much or a very little more reason, will serve any man to reason-out his way here; thus, will the devil and his servants go a way to destroy their own kingdom? I know they will in the close and issue of their day and work; But their intendment and grand design is, to build-up their kingdom, to establish their true Protestant Religion( Popery) as it was in queen Maries dayes. Reasoning thus, I concluded, my way; not to go the way of the destroyer, where wasting and destruction is; not to go the way the devil goes, the Pope and all his Bishops: not to fight myself into slavery. Me thought I did abhor the very thought of such away, to show myself a fool, a knave, an Irish or English Rogue, to destroy my own country; to kill them, who would save me; to pluck down that house, which would build-up mine; to eat out the bowels of my own mother. Truly( I speak in Gods ear) I did abhor the thought of that way. And so I concluded the Right way. Now touching the war, I helped myself herein thus▪ The King calls in to his side; the Parliament calls in to their side. A miserable case, two parties in one Kingdom! Yes, and no strange thing, so it hath been ever since there were two Brothers in the world: I discoursed upon it, and reasoned the Case, to which party shall I join? To that side, which makes a lawful war. To find out this, I inquired diligently, what Warrant the King had, to call me forth to war? It is boldness, you will say, to inquire into that matter. No, I have all the Law and Reason in the world for so doing. Will the King call me forth to go up to the kne●s in blood, to hazard the shedding of my own blood too( but that is the smallest matter) to hazard my ●ight precious soul, which is more to me then all his th●e● Kingdoms: And shall not I inquire into the Warrant? I have the Kings warrant, you will say. I know that as well as you, and did know it since the day he first set up his Stan●ard But his warrant can stand me in no stead: nor can it serve his own turn neither. I must have such a Warrant, so should he too, which will bear me out not at Oxford, but before the Throne in heaven, such a warrant I must have; but such a Warrant the Kings is not. It will not be a Warrant for himself before the highest Throne, that he hath arrayed three Kingdoms by Authority from his immediate Warrant: God be thanked we may red it in Print, His majesty( in the power of most pernicious Councellors) doth not onely call his loyal Subjects forth to war, but to vow and protest, That his war is lawful; no, but they will not, they will be hanged first, or be starved to death, and that is worse( as they have been many a one.) For where or what is the Warrant? I pray you red it si●h it is annexed to these Papers: His majesty( seduced by most wicked council) will array( i.e.) set three Kingdoms in a posture of war. By what Warrant? It is  told you, By express Warrant of his Majesty: or by Authority derived from his Majesties immediate Warrant. If it be sense take it. The Lord Keeper is drunk sure enough, not with wine, wherein is excess; but with a worse drunkenness. Immediate Warrant! What a word is that? It belongs to God, to do so, God of gods, and Lord of Lords. And yet he doth not do so. When he made war with all the world, all the world should know how Just it was; He would manage it justly; He would, to teach man( a creature very subject to passion, and very full of self-will, to teach man what to do) consult about it; He did consult about the framing of Man, that admiral fabric, He was pleased to consult about the taking-down the destroying of that building. God came down to see whether things were indeed according to the cry. Chrysostome hath excellent observations thereupon, but I pass them over, the point is this; there is a we about it, God doth not do it alone, he consults about it. In particular cases, the Lord, the high God hath done nothing, but what He hath communicated to His friends first. God hath a Prerogative royal, which man must not dispute; But yet, when God inflicts judgements upon a people, He will give that people Reasons thereof, so as His people shall say, The Lord is righteous. It doth not belong to a man, though a King, to say, I will bring a devouring plague upon a Land, I will bathe the Sword in Heaven, my will shall be Reason sufficient. But so a King says, and so he does, when he Araies a Kingdom, commands them to take up arms by his own express Warrant, or by Authority derived from his own Immediate Warrant.( i.e.) from his own immediate will. This were worth the standing upon, but I have done with it; it is a proud word, little short of Blasphemy. Nay, examine it well, you will find it upright Blasphemy, it goes very high, if this doth so; I will ascend above the height of the clouds, 
Isa. 14.  I will be like the most High. The King ascends higher, he sets himself above God, if you note the word well. Then I concluded, The Kings war is most unjust; it hath no Warrant from Law, but onely from his will, biased by his Judgement, corrupted and steeped in Affection. By the Rule of contraries, the Parliaments war is the Just war, they have advised about it, taken counsel at Gods mouth, and His Law-book, and so have arrayed the kingdom by Authority of Parliament ( i.e.) by the Authority of the King ruling not immediately by his mere Will, but by the Law in his Court of Parliament. This is sufficient to show the infallibility of the way and Justice of the war, that observing as aforesaid, it is not possible we should be deceived in it. Now I call God to Record upon my soul, that I have shewed my country men the Way they must go; and what side, they must join themselves unto, if they will show themselves reasonable men. And if so be any man will object more against this, as I will not chide with him, so I will not answer him, but pass him-by, a brutish man, content to go in the way of Cain, who slay his Brother; And to give forth his hand, and array himself for the war, by Warrant of a Kings mere will, with the Irish Rogues and English Monsters, to destroy their King, and lay waste the Kingdom. Here is one Objection more against the whole Parliament, which commands Answer.  
But now I warrant you, the Parliament repent of what they have done; because they now see such Tumults, about the Covenant.  
I assure thee, Reader, I have heard a wise man say as much; but I thought him,( and without breach of charity) a fool for saying thus;  
If the Parliament had known what would have followed, they would not have don as they did. What a piece of folly is this?  
It is as if he had said; If Moses had known the deliverance out of Egypt, would have caused such stirs, then the people should have continued there for Moses: And if Joshua had known before, how high the Cities walls in Canaan were, and what sons of Anak were there, he would never have taken that office upon him, to go before the people thitherward. And if Elijah had known how mad Queen Jezabel would be at the hearing, what he had don to Baal, and his Servitors all, he would never have slain them with the Sword. A bugbear to fright children! Tell the servant of the Lord, him who is jealous for a jealous God, tell him, that a Lion is in the way, some great difficulty, he is not daunted, he will go-on in his way, rather Gods way, the more resolutely, and stoutly, for when Reason has no bottom to stand upon, Faith has. But to the Objection. If the Parliament had known, that the devil would have so raged, and his servants, imagining a vain thing, would have made Tumults. What then? Then they would not have entered Covenant with their God, nor have given forth their hand to set up the Lord Christ on his Throne; nor have pressed on the People to be helpful therein. I say again, what a piece of folly is here! True it is; When wee see the issue of things, wee ought to reflect upon our actions, and though those may be unquestionable, yet wee may ponder well, the manner of our performance of them; So we may do, and find fault enough, and ground of repentance. And so touching the Covenant. But never see cause of repentance, that wee entered into it, and enjoined the People of the Land so to do. For what is fallen out now, which was not exp●cted? The devil rageth now, and his servants make tumults: Yes. And there is not a sober man in the world, but expected so much, and they look upon all this rage and these tumults, as a demonstrative Argument, to show that the Covenant is holy, just, and good; They are glad to hear and see this with all their hearts; What? To hear Devils roar, and his servants rage; they are glad of that, and expected so much; The Dev●ll is pinched now( said Luther once) now I pray you, give him leave to roar now, and his Subjects to rage; They have but a very short time; their kingdom is smitten-at, it must down. down, you will say! Men fall, and Cities fall, and you say the Devills kingdom goes down. Yes, I say so indeed, and will stand to what I say. There is an Earth-quake now, and now wee must look to see a falling, but our falling shall be to rise again. The Devills kingdom falls now, and shall fall like a Mill-stone, never to rise again. You must give him leave to roar, and his servants to rage, and not think it any strange matter. Every man that has heard, or red the Scripture, can tell himself as strange a thing as this; He reads of a People full of wrath, and crying out, and their whole city filled with confusion; 
Acts 19.  and the men there Rushing upon the servants of the Lord, like mad men. Who or what were they? A Heathen People, very Children, as Atheists and Papists are now; But more excusable, for these are children now, though they are grown to ripe yeares; Children,( saith one) think Images to be men, Papists are verier fools, 
Illi similachra homines putant esse, hi Deos: Illos aetas facit. Lact. li. 1. ●.  for they think them to be gods. Such a conceit was here, and more then a conceit. And because onely this was said against these gods( for there was nothing don) That they be no gods which are made with hands, therefore were the People filled with rage, and all with confusion. A strange thing, you will say, that such a speech as this should cause such stirs: And yet it was not strange, that men are mad, when their gods are spoken against; which indeed Paul did do, though the wise Towne-Clerke said, That those things( meaning their gods) could not be spoken against. This was a piece of foolish policy, well becoming such a Towne-Clerke But this is to our purpose; Did Paul repent when he saw such an uproar, that he spake against their gods? No; his Spirit was the more stirred, and he would have entered in amongst these mad-men, but the Disciples withstood him, says the Text. 
Acts 19.  They cannot do God service, who are not valiant for the truth, and the more resolved for His Cause, the more the Adversary is resolved to contend against it. The servants of the Lord must not recoil back, because the Adversary presseth on, for that is to give place to the devil.  
One thing more remaines, I must put up a Petition in behalf of my countrymen, to the house of Parliament. And because the matter and form of it is to the heart of the People, it shall have not a word of reason in it, but the very sense of the People.    

The humble Petition of the People inhabiting the Wild a Kent, and other Countreys, to the honourable House of Commons.  
Humbly sheweth;  
THat it was well with your Petitioners, when, like People like Priests, they would go to the Ale-house with us, sit there till Church time, then wee hastened thither, he to read and wee to hear Divine Service. After that was don, to riot again. Wee could then[ offer Cakes to the Queen of Heaven ( i.e.] serve the gods, pleasures and profits, that were most pleasing and serviceable to us, and hear no reproof for doing so,[ though we walked in ways best pleasing in our own Eyes;[ loose with God, and in fast Covenant with sin, death, and hell.] It was well with us then, for wee had plenty of victuals, and saw no evil; Now wee are consumed with the Sword. Our hearty Petition is, that, in due Consideration of the Premises, you would be pleased to give us our Bishops again[ who thought no more of Preaching, then the cobbler does of ploughing; had no more care of souls then of their old shoes] and our Service-Booke, so full of good Prayers, there wee have them by heart, as well as our Bishop, and can say them, as will serve the turn, and as our person does, though half asleep, or quiter drunk. And for our Charter, wee hearty pray you take not that from us, wee received an Advouson of liberty, to drink and dance on the Sunday, a time designed by our good Bishop, and by us, for that very purpose: And by no means urge us with a Covenant, wee cannot stand to it. Besides, wee are not resolved how lawful it is; for our Bishop, a very good Church-man, and a good fellow also, would never lay such bands upon us, nor endure them himself. Wee pray you hearty, give us such Bishops, and our Service book, and deny us not that liberty, and Living wee have the Advouson of; We will a grace a God, observe our Church in our C●●rch-time, those are two houres in the Day, as we are  told. The remaining time is our; ●nd wee pray you yet more hearty, give us Peace, that good thing, that we may plough, sow, and reap, a Peace of your own making, and giving; Wee know not of whom else to ask it: And for Truth, so much talked of, what is it? Gtve us peace, that wee may walk loose and as free-men, so wee shall pray for you, and bless you too; Blessed be ye of the Lord, you had compassion on us.  
Truly, if my head were a fountain, I would weep over these; and if my heart were as it should be, I would sigh out my words, poor souls, poor souls; They can now as Saul once, Count that a Compassion, which tends to the destruction of Body and soul for ever. poor souls, poor souls! for want of knowledge these must perish. I have concluded two yeares ago, nay, ever since I could observe the Bishop and his People, That Bishops and the Service book, are the cause of all this brutish ignorance, which has so over-spread the Countries, and made them wild. By the help of God His hand with me, I shall make this Charge good, and settle upon it presently, now that I have don with this, and cleared to all the world, who are not wilfully blind, That our Covenant is holy, just, and good.   

OXFORDS Oath or Covenant to be taken by all His Majesties loyal Subjects, for the maintenance of the true Reformed Protestant Religion, his Majesties just Rights, and the privilege of Parliament.  
I Resting fully assured of his Majesties Princely truth and goodness, do freely and from my heart promise, vow, and protest in the presence of Almighty God, that I will to the uttermost of my power, and with the hazard of my life maintain the true Protestant Religion established in the Church of England, his Majesties sacred person, his Heires and lawful Successors, his Majesties just power and privilege, and the just power and privilege of Parliament, against the Forces under the conduct of the earl of Essex, and against all other Forces whatsoever, contrary to his Majesties command, and I do believe that the raising and employing of Forces by his Majesty for the purpose and cause before mentioned, to be most just and necessary; and I will do my utmost endeavour to procure and re-establish the peace and quiet of the kingdom: and that herein his Majesties Subjects may fully enjoy their liberty and property, according to the Law of the Land, and will neither divulge nor communicate any thing to the said earl, his officers, or to any other, to hinder or prejudice the designs of his Majesty, in the conduct or employment of his Army, and I do believe the Subjects of England are not obliged by any Act of State, Vote, Ordiaance, or Declaration made or to be made, either by the Kings Majesty solely, or by the Lords and Commons singly or jointly, without his Majesties express consent, saving such as are, or shall be in execution of, or according to some known Law, custom of the realm, or Statute enacted by the King, Lords and Commons in Parliament, and I do further protest& vow in the presence of Almighty God, that I will not take nor bear Arms, but by the express warrant of his Majesty, or by authority justly derived from his Majesties immediate Warrant.   
FINIS.