PETITIONS AGAINST BISHOPS And their Votes in Parliament, subscribed unto after a Clandestine, delivered after a tumultuous manner, and falsely going under the name of a whole County or Town, proved to be both contrary to our late taken PROTESTATION, as also utterly unlawful by many other clear and evident Reasons: First written for satisfaction of some private men, and now published for the good of others.  
By J. W.  
LONDON, Printed by A. N. for Richard Lownds, at his shop adjoining to Ludgate, 1642.   

Mr. Cachism,  
FOr your satisfaction, why I have several times refused to subscribe your Petition, You may please to understand, that for the good of the Common-weal, County, or Parish wherein I live, I shall be always ready and willing to give not only my hand, but my heart and purse likewise: For the public welfare whereof I have been both active and passive for several years together.  
But for me who am but a private Subject, A Protestant, and no Lawmaker, to give my hand in a Factious way, and without command from Authority, to will, that there shall be no Bishops, and that they shall have no voice in the House of Peers, is against my Conscience, and that light of Reason and Understanding which I have received: And I dare not comply with the Distempers of the people, and follow the stream of a Multitude to do evil, on these grounds following.  
First, Because I have by the Example and Recommendation of the Parliament, solemnly taken the Protestation: Whereby I have seriously Protested, to Maintain and Defend as far as lawfully I may the true Reformed Protestant Religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery, and Popish innovations, contrary to the said Doctrine. Now in the thirty sixth Article of the said expressed Doctrine, the Office of Bishops is inclusively confirmed.  
Secondly, I am engaged thereby also, to maintain and defend the Powers, and Privileges of Parliaments, which is chief to be understood of the established Laws concerning the same. Now several Acts of Parliament do not only confirm, as aforesaid, the Office of a Bishop, but by the powers and privileges of those Acts of Parliament, they are also to sit as Members of the Lords House.  
Thirdly, I am bound by the said Protestation, to maintain and defend the lawful rights & liberties of the Subject (And if this extends to every subject in particular, much more to Parliament Men) Now they being subjects, and their Rights and Liberties being lawful, I am bound to maintain them as fare as lawfully I may, in those lawful Rights and Liberties. Again, the making and repealing of Laws, for the good of the Commonwealth, is a special and peculiar power, privilege, and right, proper only to Parliaments, therefore not to be forced or coacted by me being no Parliament man. For that may be lawful and warrantable in my Governors to do by reason, which is altogether unlawful & unwarrantable in me to require by Will. This is rather to be a tyrannical Iudge, than a legal Witness, to break Laws rather than preserve them, and instead of Reformation to bring in Confusion.  
Fourthly, I am likewise obliged to maintain and defend the King's Royal Person, Honour, and Estate, and to preserve the Union and Peace between his three Kingdoms (much more amongst ourselves.) Now there is no better way thereunto, then to keep his laws: For both the honour and safety of the King, the liberty and peace of the Kingdom, and welfare of them both, are involved in them.  
Fiftly, I am engaged also to oppose, as far as lawfully I may, and by all good ways and means to bring to condign punishment, all such as shall either by force, practice, Counsels, plots, or Conspiracies, do any thing to the contrary of any thing in that present Protestation contained. How then dare I be so fare from bringing to condign punishment the offenders, that I shall wilfully consent to the breach of it, and procure others thereunto, by practice, plots, conspiracies or the like?  
Sixthly, I am neither for hope, fear, favour, or other respect whatsoever, to relinquish this promise, vow, and Protestation, much less to break it for the same ends, and to make others to do the like; This betraying others thereunto, and making them guilty of the breach of so solemn a Vow, is an offence of an high nature both to God and our Governonrs.  
Finally, I am not bound in any Article thereof, farther than I may lawfully perform it, The Law being the harmonious scope, bounds, and limits of my Protestation, And therefore I may not unlawfully do any thing that may tend to the breach or contradiction of any Article thereof.  
Moreover, the manner of the proceeding doth not satisfy me.  
First, Because it is not done in that right way it ought to be. For that which is to go under the name of a County or Town, aught to be first assented unto by the Sheriff, justice of peace, or other Magistrates respectively, and then the matter may be publicly propounded, and condescended unto or contradicted, that men may be encouraged or dissuaded, by good reasons pro and con.  
And this is that lawful and usual way for Election of Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament, and of other Officers and Matters concerning the public; Wherefore Clandestine and surreptitious actions, going about from house to house by night, and without the consent and commission of authority, to engage people to the breach of their protestation, and to make it as an act of a County or a Town, and in a manner to force men thereunto, are but unlawful works of darkness, and will not endure the light.  
Secondly, It is justly to be feared that these ways are sinister in the Undertakers, being very probable that some of them do it out of ill will, hatred and malice, as well to the Government as the Governors, or for favour and affection to some whom they suppose it pleaseth, or for gain and profit, or fear of displeasure of Landlords and Customers, or for vain glory, that it may be said, This is the Babel which they have wrought with their own hands. And some few of these shall engage and prejudice others (and not without cause as it is to be feared) by false informations and reasons to make men subscribe.  
Thirdly, The like sinister proceed are to be supposed in the subscriber.  
These kinds of ways by Tumults and Multitudes without legal allegations and probations to compass that by will which you cannot obtain by reason, is of a very dangerous consequence, and threatens the subversion of all Law, Government, and Governors, for which of them, be they never so good, shall be secure, if the Multitude of distempered people please to will the contrary?  
These cause much distractions, Hinder the proceeding of the State, and the relief of the oppressed, break our blessed Unity, and bring the actors within the compass of a punishment from the law of God and Man, for not walking according to the expressed Statutes contained therein.  
Furthermore, this doth not agree with that light of Reason, and Understanding, which God hath given me to walk by, nor that Christian experience which I have gained under the Cross.  
First, That for the vice or abuse of any thing, the right and lawful use thereof, or execution of the office, should be abolished and taken away, or that for the present particular offences of some, the innocent posterity shall suffer; For I am not convinced in my conscience of the unlawfulness of the Office of a Bishop, and am persuaded that there have been many of them godly and zealous Martyrs for the Truth, and many of them remain still godly and religious protestants.  
Secondly, Though time of prosperity hath made some of them guilty of foul offences, and it may be with the children of Israel they have not worshipped the true God as they ought, and have inclined to Idolatry, and thereby justly provoked the Almighty to wrath and indignation against them: Yet I am persuaded, that for the very execution of their Office, and the Ecclesiastical laws, for the unity and peace of the Church, they suffer instrumentally by divers ill affected to Government, or by such as have been punished by them for doing contrary thereunto. And if the like proceed may be suffered against all judges and other Executioners of the laws of the Kingdom, there shall be no secure execution of the law against offenders, and so we shall live lawless, and let in all manner of Disorder, and Vice, Murder, Rapine, and the like. Those Bishops rather (under correction) that have done contrary to the law, are to be punished by the law, on due & true proofs, and not according to your wills.  
Thirdly, Because that which is or seems to be a prejudice now, may in God's good time prove a great benefit, We many times earnestly pray for those things which afterwards we hearty give God thanks for not granting our requests, And this hath many times been for the removal of our present afflictions. I am confident if there were good care taken (as there may be) that good men may be made Bishops, we shall never repent of their lawful office or place, for greatness with goodness will much advance the cause and welfare of the Church and Commonwealth, and farther, I know it is possible for some inferiors to execute the Law and the Gospel likewise, in a fare more imperious and Tyrannical way then some Superiors have done.  
Fourthly, That though there be Obstacles and Mountains in the way, and the supposed enemies of God's Church and Children, yet as I am a Christian I dare not judge them, or curse them as many do, or use any unlawful means to remove them, (or under the pretence of pulling down one Babel to set up another:) What David did by way of prediction, as he was a King and Prophet, against the inveterate and incurable enemies of the Church of God, I as an ordinary Christian ought not to do, I may live peradventure to see my enemy's desert upon them, which I may not desire to see.  
I am to judge charitably of the actions and intentions of my Governors, what I think peradventure is for my hurt, may be intended, or at leastwise turned to my good, I must walk by the Rule of God's Word, and follow the examples and precepts of my Saviour, To pray for them that hate me, and to do good to them that persecute me, And not forget to pray for all that are in authority, that I may live a godly life under them in all peace and quietness. Why may I not suspect that this long enjoyment of the Gospel in peace and plenty, hath produced evil effects in me aswell as in my Governors? But be my Governors what they will I have learned to obey all their lawful commands, and thank God that I may live under so happy a command; If they command me to do no otherwise the what is just and right, I must and will willingly do it. Neither dare I neglect my duty to them, though they forget theirs to me: For their offences and neglects to me shall not excuse me to God nor them, for my offences and not performances of mine to either of them.  
Fifthly, I dare not but look at the hand of God, & not at the instrument only of my afflictions, I know nothing can come to pass but by his permission. I am assured that sin is the prime cause of all my sufferings, and I fear that ingratitude in not being thankful, and walking worthy of those great mercies received, hath been a principal cause why God hath shut up the hearts of some of our Governors at this present, as is much feared.  
Sixthly, I know God will correct his children for their sins, and in the execution of his judgements on the World he will begin at his own house, either to work out sin, or to work in grace, or to make that Grace more manifest which is already wrought. I know that the end of God's correction is Reformation, till then, if smaller afflictions will not prevail greater shall, if not one kind than an other, if the sword of our enemies do not, the swords peradventure of our own amongst ourselves shall, if not they, peradventure the Pestilence, or the Famine, or some other shall. Sundry of which sometimes come together, to let the World know, that our afflictions come not immediate from any one secondary & instrumental cause, but that it is from the will and pleasure of the Almighty so to order and to dispose it, who will not take off his judgements as the effects, till our sins as the causes be removed.  
Seventhly, I dare not use any unlawful means to ease my affliction, I know no better way than by Humiliation and Prayer to God for a sight of those sins whereby I have provoked him to wrath, and for grace, and true repentance for the same, and Remission by the merits of my Saviour jesus Christ; And then to apply myself with all diligence to all lawful means to remove them, yet I am not to put too much confidence in them. I could never yet find any benefit by impatience under the hand of the Almighty, I have found more afflictions procured thereby, and I am assured that the Church and Children of God never lost by patiented suffering.  
Eighthly, As I know that God's Decree in his determination of judgements shall be fulfilled, so I am confidently assured, that when the time of his deliverance is come, all the power and subtlety of the Devil and his instruments, as they shall go no further than he hath limited them, so they shall not hinder him from taking off his Rod when he pleaseth. For he is able to bring his will to pass by means, without means, and contrary to means. Rather than his children shall not have their due relief, The Sea shall part, the Earth shall open and swallow up their adversaries, or fire shall come down from Heaven and destroy them. And this may comfort Christians, that God reigns and rules as King in Heaven, the cause of his Church and Children is his, and he beholds and governs the inhabitants of the earth, he hath the hearts of all in his hand, he can turn them or overturn them when he pleaseth for the good of his, When our ways please him He can make our enemies be at peace with us, and the same hand to heal us that hath wounded us, It is he only that can make men to be of one heart, and one mind, and to make all things to work together for the best of them that love him.  
To conclude, I hope by this time you have received full satisfaction, why I have refused to subscribe, yet let me assure you that if the Parliament shall think fit to alter that Government, I dare not, in conscience, and duty to the Protestation, refuse to be governed by it.  
Be confident, that not only my Prayers, but my true endeavours have been, and by God's Grace shall continue, for Reformation. I know God hath suffered many of his dear Saints and Children to fall into great and heinous sins and offences, yet when he hath duly chastised them, after true repentance he hath made them greater instruments of his Glory, and the good of his Church, then in former times they were.  
I must expect for this, aswell as the rest of my endeavours for Truth and Peace, your usual jeers, scoffs, and censures of reprobation and the like, but my comfort is, that God knoweth who are his, and who are the true Friends and Enemies of the Church and State, and that I have sincerely discharged my conscience, according to that weak talon I have received, in obedience to the Protestation, for the good of both.  
I therefore you shall remain still my adversaries for so doing, peradventure I may for a while longer suffer, yet it shall comfort me, that it is for welldoing, Whereas when you shall suffer as evil doers, you may (without timely repentance) everlastingly perish in the gainsayings of Core. For though hand join hand in hand, God will not suffer the wicked to go unpunished. If you find any Material error herein inform and convince me thereof, and I do assure you on the Faith of a true Protestant, I will endeavour Reformation, the like I commend unto you hereby, and expect the same from you as a trial of your profession, which I shall plainly discover if wilfully you continue and persist in a known error, and so I bid you Farewell,  
Remaining a constant Friend to Truth and Peace, the only support under God of the welfare of the Church and State,  
And Yours I. W. januarii primo 1641.  
FINIS.