ANNOTATIONS UPON THE LATE PROTESTATION: OR, A TRUE CHARACTER of an affectionate mind to King and Parliament.  
Fear God and honour the King.  
HEre is a command from above by the Supreme power touching himself and his Lieutenant, which Lieutenant of the Lords being his Majesty, whose power coming from above, and being Viceroy to the Supreme, he is to be obeyed in all just commands in obedience to the highest powers, For the powers that be, are ordained of God, and they that shall resist the powers, resisteth th● Ordinance of God.  
And S. Peter teacheth us in his first Epistle second Chapter, ver. 13. That we should Submit ourselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to King as Supreme, or unto Governors as the two Honourable Houses of Parliament, which are called by the King and set up by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the reward of them that do well: For so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.  
Now for he whomsoever he be that shall set himself against the Parliament a pleader and great pains taker for the King and Commonwealth, who by them were chosen and with their approbation to stand to their judgement what they shall in their wisdoms do in our behalf, I say, he that shall set himself in the least manner to wrong a member of that Honourable House of Lords or Commons in their lawful employments by either of the Houses for the honour of God, and his Religion, safety of his Majesty's person, and the good of his country is an absolute traitor.  
For he that will first choose his advocate and then betray him, toucheth the apple of Gods own eye, and it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the depth of the sea.  
How mad then are those Cavaliers who are without grace or the fear of the Almighty, which no doubt but are borne in some shires or counties of this Kingdom, and have both Knights of their shires and Burgesses of their Corporations to stand for their good and welfare as well as for the good of the very wives of their own bosom, and children of their own bodies, we must not then kill these men, seeing we have chosen them for our substitutes in Parliament, we must not hurt them, God forbidden we should; and they that shall go about or attempt, or advise upon such ungodly actions, tending to the wrong of his blessed Majesty or the Parliament, now shall they think or look to escape the vengeance of Eternal fire, for S. John in his first Epistle, Chap. 3. ver. 15. saith, Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know (saith he) that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him; and in the second Chapter of the same Epistle he saith, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, and if the love of the Father is not in that man that loveth the world, then surely the Father hateth and abhorreth that man that will set upon his neighbour, brother or countryman, and kill him out of a mere love to the things of this world, and for the things of this world, absolutely the men of these courses love not God nor his Religion, if they say they do, they are liars; S. John in his first Epistle, Chap. 4. ver. 20. so saith, For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? Now to run against the 6. Commandment of God Almighty wilfully is no small sin, and to kick against so strong a thorn issuing from so great a hand.  
And whosoever he be, that shall not grant his Majesty his right, and that which doth truly belong unto Caesar is an absolute enemy to the King and Commonwealth, and a sour of sedition, for our Saviour Christ himself saith, Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is Gods, that is that which belongeth to the Lord in his due Worship, and that to him must be given; and that which is the due of the people, they ought to have by the very same rule of our Saviour Christ: for he that would have Caesar have his due, wils also that God in his members should have their right also, the one as well as the other, the Lord is so merciful that he would have both have their due rights without going together by the ears, and they that do otherwise are Pharisaical like, making a question what belongs unto Caesar, and what not, as if people being masters in Israel and knew not these things, which if they did not, than they were not liable to the censure of our Saviour Christ, who telleth all and every one that knoweth the will of his master and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; and what simple Gentleman is there in combustion and in traitorism, setting his Majesty against the Ordinance of Parliament, but is sensible of a Conviction by law and guilty of high treason against the State, and that most palpably; for he that will choose his friend in trust for him in Parliament, in hope of his fidelity to him, as well as for his own self, wife and children, and if any of these men or counties shall rise up against any of his or their Parliament men advocates, or any of his neighbouring counties advocates and Parliament men, and not be content to stand to the judgement of their best endeavours, and to help them against all their opposites and against unequal and unworthy persons, they are much to be blamed, and traitors to the State, who will not justify and assist the Houses of Parliament in their Counsels and judgements against all opposition, contrary to the Law of the Kingdom.  
And Saint Paul for his part he wishes them to be marked that are the cause of the division both in the Church and Commonwealth, and they that trouble the true Protestant Religion, the way to everlasting life; the very same Apostle wisheth, they were even cut off.  
And to trample upon the Crown, which God forbidden any one should, it is to touch the Lords anointed, and there is an express command against this from the Lord, who saith, Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm: and no honest man will do this, that is, to wrong his Majesty, for if his Majesty hath not his immunities, how shall we be settled in our proprieties.  
It is against reason and civil honesty for Judges to take all the right that is due to them to be sure, and not to allow their Neighbours their just rights and privileges. Or is it equity for a Tailor to look on one side of him, where his hell is under his shopboard to throw his piece of silver-cloth, he hath over and above his Master's work, and not look on the other side of him to think it is his Customers, he must not take it, which to do is blindness without seeing honesty.  
Now for as much as his Majesty and the Parliament hath tied themselves each to other in an Abraham-like Covenant, not to pass the limits of their own bounds, in which they have set and tied voluntarily their own selves, and hath erected to all the world in print a Protestation to that purpose and both parties interchangeably by solemn vows and promises in the presence of Almighty God hath vowed to stand fast and to stick in honour each to other, till life shall departed; and that they will hold the one to the other for better for worse, for richer for poorer, goods and all laid down in the Covenant of their promise one for the other, for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion, and both their Honours, safety, and Privileges each of other: And if these two new betrothed turtle Doves by so solemn a vow made between themselves, shall peck one at another, as they begin too much to do, (God of his mercy help them) and be impatient one with another, and not keep their bills out of another's eyes, they will too much wrong themselves, like man and wife who quickly and too often forget themselves in their matrimonial Contract, and by their long jangling at last part, and lay the key under doors and run away. So if the King and Parliament shall forget their so serious Protestation, vow and profession one truly taken for and in the behalf of the other, in declaration of the tenderness of honour and true affection each to other, and now not bearing one with another in love, nor submit in this pleasant knot of agreement in mind each with the other like Abraham and Lot, this were deplorable, (saith the Divine) and wonderful. Here the Uncle for quietness sake submits his honour in his hoary hairy head to his green headed Nephew with a motion that there may be no falling out because (said he) we are Brethren.  
So his Majesty and his Honourable Houses of Parliament what an easy matter were it for these two Turtle Doves, sympathising in affection, say but so much as Abraham and Lot did one to the other, and why, because by faith surely Brethren in Christ; all than would be ended if but this spirit of humility were in them both. There was a very low submitting spirit between the Scots and us, and shall not there be the like between his Majesty and his nearest people; will his Majesty be worse to his own and best loving people than the Scots. And if we shall fall out upon earth will not the Father in Heaven be angry, who hath sent his Gospel of peace amongst us teaching of us that if possible, we should have peace with all men, will it not then displease the Lord that we have learned no more Religion, nor be no more endued with faith and patience, but go together to shed the blood one of another, to the shame of our Nation, and hissing to other Kingdoms, let it not be told in Gath, nor published in Ashkelon. These beginnings of war on neither side are fruits of the Spirit, it may be thought, for the fruits of the Spirit are love, patience, meekness, forgiving one another, forbearing one with another. And let it be remembered what Abner said to Joab, shall the sword devour for ever, how long will it be ere thou call back the people from following of their Brethren, knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the end? so it is wished by the people of the Lord, that blood touch not blood. And Sir Benjamen Ruddyards' speech is excellent to this purpose and worthy of note, the Parliament undoubtedly will not do amiss to hearken to those grave lines and worthy speech of his.  
H●s first Speech was for Religion, and the settling of the Church of God, in the very first place of all but it is not I think a man may be bold to say, followed.  
Now his second Speech is against shedding of blood, the defiling of the Land. To have a whole Land defiled with blood, a most wonderful and deplorable thing; and Christian's blood is of a deep dye, were it amiss then if green heads would take gravity along with them in all their actions, who most resemble the Image of their maker, and hoary hairs is a crown of glory being found in the way of righteousness; and to hear a grave old religious and wise Gentleman speak and giving advice and instruction, it is as it were, if seriously considered, God Almighty himself in a Crown of glory giving good counsel to the younger. Was it not the Lord himself spoke with the people of Israel in the mouth of Moses; and was it not the Lord in Joseph spoke unto his Brethren concerning his bones, and was it not the Lord in Solomon which spoke unto the people concerning the building of a house to his name; and certainly it is the Lord that speaks from the mouth of wise and grave righteous men to the younger sort to learn wisdom.  
And if a Crown of glory shall not be heard speak who can one better hear; Green heads desire to be heard, some for their own ends, and some for their own applause in the world, but an ancient grave man speaking, questionless looks not either for favour, or affection in the right hand or on the left but straight forward because he is going forward to God Almighty to receive his pay for the pains of his labour whose works shall follow him.  
And so much for the hearing of gravity: Now for that we have taken a Protestation, every one ought seriously to consider the burden of a vow is upon us, and that vow too, in which is included that we should endeavour and study the peace of the three Kingdoms, and yet notwithstanding now so solemn Protestation in the sight of God and man, touching amity and peace in this our Kingdom, yet there is a thousand times more rumours of wars now then before our Protestation. What were we like Peter, strong in the faith when we made this Protestation, and now when we should stick close to it, be weak like Peter not remembering we have made a Covenant with the Lord, not only to hate Idolatry and to decline from it as much as in us lieth, but also includes the undertakers thereof every one that he should study and labour for peace so much as in every one of us lieth, and seriously consider of our Protestation, and be ever and always, now and then looking upon it, and look up unto our Saviour Christ as he looked back upon Peter, and pray to him that we may keep our resolution.  
And it is very good for the Cavaliers about the King seriously to consider of it and so to do, or otherwise any that shall attempt his Majesty to take up arms against his Parliament, and ask themselves if they have not taken the Protestation, if not, it were good they did, and not divide themselves against the body of the Kingdom by flattering of his Majesty to go against his Parliament; and they that have taken it, let them consider a vow is upon them.  
Apparently the marquis of Harford and Lord Paulet hath broken down the ridges of their so serious Protestation, in breaking of his Majesty's peace in falling upon the yeomanry in . Now what more displeasing to God Almighty than breach of Covenants and of peace one to the other, when they shall take the Lord to be a witness against them of their untruths one to the other; then what a case are those Gentlemen in, (let them call themselves to remembrance, that are with the King and the marquis o● Harford and the Lord Paulet, who have broken the Covenant of peace before God and the people; and them that do intent the least thought of dishonour to the King's Parliament, have they not seriously taken the Protestation, in which is included the peace of the Kingdom, honour of Religion, King and Parliament, and the vow and protestation taken for the honour of the one, is the same vow and protestation for the honour of the other; and they that shall vow, and yet in show hold for the honour of the head, and not the body, dishonours the head by flattery, by endeavouring to set it off from the body by seditious and evil counsel, and they that go about any such thing, do greatly dishonour their Country and Kingdom, whose own houses by sin is laid waist, so they would have others also; For the Head hath called the body politic of the Kingdom together, desiring the same to be joyn●● to its head for its help, comfort and lifting of it up in his straits, who was ready to fall, and weary with holding up, looking upon the Scots, like Moses hands against the Amalekites, that Aaron and Hur was feign to take the pains for him to hold them up; and now the Aaron's and the Hurs' of our Kingdom being called upon the Mount, I mean to the Parliament, to consolate and lift up the head of our Sovereign, and so long as our Aaron's and Hurs' are upon the Mount, and our Head and Sovereign lieth his head upon their shoulders they by the blessing of God will bear him out of the bitter waters of Marah, and sweet shall be his rest. I will flatly forbid the bloodthirsty Cavaliers say so much, upon whom if his Majesty repose, is to be feared it will be but a pillow of briers and thorns bespattred with blood. Now if there be any that shall be so ungodly that hath taken this Protestation for the honour of King and Parliament, and yet shall perform but half his vow, and half his worship and honour, but to one instead of both, who have indeed inseparably united themselves by their solemn vow and Protestation which no way they can reverse, and seek to take away his Majesty's favour and affection from his Aaron's and Hurs', and from reposing upon his own Parliament, persuading of his Majesty to hearken to the dammee blades of the time, the way of undoing his Kingdom, they may go and take Ananias and Saphira by the hand, and it is thought some have tasted of the same sudden death they did; And my Lord marquis, it is conceived, hath very hardly leapt this pitfall, and if Paulet scape and many more, they have great cause to magnify the mercy and patience of God towards such wretches.  
And for Kings, Solomon he saith, It is an abomination for them not to hold and keep Covenant, vows and Protestations. And hath not Spain made herself more hateful to the Kingdom of England and other Nations, nay to the very Heathen by the breach of her truce and Covenants, than ever otherwise she would have done, this verifies the truth of the word of the Lord, which saith, It is odious for Kings to lie. And in the 5. of Eccles. it is said, It is better for a man not to vow, than to vow and not to pay, for God taketh not pleasure in such kind of weak Protestations, nor people who are rashly taken up with the mouth, and no more think upon them with hearts, but bids us pay that which we have vowed; And I pray God we may all so do, and that the Lord may delight in us to do us good.  
And this by the way, he is the true hearted man that is for the King and Parliament, and all other are merely insinuating and wicked flatterers, aiming at a little deceitful favour to accomplish their own ends, which at the best is bad enough, as my Lord of strafford's was, who with all his deep council holding so much against the Commonwealth, and endevoring to bring in an Arbitrary government, contrary to the liberty of the Subject, went to the grave without his head, a wise man would think it a very fair example to keep out of Prince's books, and be not so vile as to advise Kings against their Subjects, from whom they have under God their daily bread both King and ill flatterers too, therefore the Commonwealth ought to be loved not hunted nor laid in ambush for: And if the King's blessed Majesty and his honourable Houses of Parliament did but seriously consider of their new Matrimonial knot and Covenant in which they have so solemnly tied themselves by their own free vows and joint consents each to other, and what faithful Protests and Promises they have made one to the other and for the other, which I beseech God of heaven they may do, and lay the Protestation both of them to their hearts, and but weigh their actions one as well as the other, and their words together, it will surely cause no more falling out, but a nearer uniting of Prince and people together in love, when they shall look and fresh call to remembrance what new Covenants the Head and the members have made for the honour and safety one of another, all which may be easily done in laying of the Protestation in print before them, then fall out they cannot, nay with leave they dare not.  
A Protestation is taken, and vows are made on both sides, but are they not cast behind the back, and out of sight out of mind. I remember the Minister said when the people were a taking the Protestation, that they should each of them buy one of them, and stick them up in some places of their houses, which I conceive from him was after the manner as God commanded the Israelites to do with his Laws, to the end that they might be ever now and then a looking upon them; that so they might better remember and think upon them in the field, and in the house, what a solemn vow, promise and Protestation they have taken in the presence of Almighty God that thereby they might be the better put in mind to keep them: and when this shall be seriously pondered and considered of, with Cain, though he longs to have his finger's knockle deep in his brother's blood, as some have had too too much already, could be able to separate Ruth from Boaz, Shem from Japhet, the King from his faithful Ones the Parliament; the Royal Head from so amiable a body, ecce signum, their pains and money with the hazard of their dearest blood, and sequestering of themselves from their dear wives and sweet Children, to attain and win, and bring home their beloved King who is led away by the wild boars of the Forest, to the mountains of Lebanon, Shinar and Hermon, where they keep him in the Lion's den and among the mountains of the Leopards.  
Notwithstanding the body Politic hath wooed along time the Head to come in and to be joined to the same, that it may not be miscarried, nor lose out of it that rich glistering Diamond which yet praised be God sticks fast to it, even Ireland.  
I remember very well what a Scottish Minister said in Delft long since, and I cannot hold it in, That when a King or people refuse to hear Council and advice, and refuse the harkening one to the other to be advised one by the other, it was he said a sign God had appointed some destruction there, I beseech God it be not so now here among us, for the King will neither hear nor be advised by his Council, nor his Council will not hear nor hearken to the several Declarations of the King, but be at so great distance one from off the other, as if they were afraid one of another, and no body praised be God is about to hurt them, if they would be but quiet between themselves, and it is deplorable to think how that the King and Parliament hath vowed and sworn each to other in love, and yet should so quickly in one twelve months forget, as they seem to do, their solemn tye one to another, and in stead of being true and faithful friends each to other, begin to wrangle between themselves near daggers drawing and about that too which should be for both their safeties against our enemies, even the Militia, God of heaven help us, is the cause of our combustion, and God forbidden that that which the Lord hath appointed us for our preservation should be for our destruction.  
Now the way to prevent the mischief is that all the Counties of England join as one man, not crossing nor wrangling one with another, but as you did all Petition for the Militia to the Parliament for the setting of your Counties in a posture of safety for the defence of his Majesty in these troublesome times, and the Kingdom, so you would beseech his Majesty's favour not to be against nor go about to cross his Parliaments proceeding, who studies night and day for his good; and call in his Commission of Array which makes the disturbance, and his mad Cavaliers which break his Majesty's peace, and will beggar his Majesty, if he be not careful of himself; as his Majesty, I hope, will beggar the Papists who lend him money to undo himself, and if they could would have him fight against the Protestants, his loving Subjects, which into my heart it cannot enter, that so pious and so gracious a King will do ungracious actions too, nay he cannot do it belonging to God, for the Child of God cannot sin, and Paul in the Romans saith, he shall not, for he there saith, Sin shall not have dominion over him, where now is then the simple Papists vain hopes.  
These things most humbly are studied not that the chief Cedar of this our Lebanon our gracious King, and the other attendant lower Cedar knows not what is made in Promises, Vows and Protestations each to the other, and is passed between themselves, but this is humbly, as Saint Peter in another case speaks, to put high and low, rich and poor in remembrance knowing we must shortly all leave this tabernacle as the Lord Jesus Christ hath showed himself.  
Let us therefore in the fear of the Lord cast away strife, anger, envy, debate, hatred, bickering, with jeering one at another, and bear one another's burden in love, and so fulfil the Law of Christ, and be joyful Head and members all one in another, and rejoice together, and I say rejoice.  
The truly well affected to the honour and happiness both of his sacred Majesty the King, and both Honourable Houses of Parliament, humbly so prayeth  
T. L.   
FINIS.