THE RIGHT CHARACTER OF A True subject, PROFITABLY DECLARING, How every man in this time of danger ought to square all his actions, that he may neither be taxed of disobedience to the majesty of the King, nor want of duty to the wisome of the Parliament.  
A thing in these times very necessary, and of great consequence.  
August· 10th 1642  
HOw difficult a thing it is to observe a mean concerning matters of weighty importance, and to poised the actions of State by an impartial judgement free from all respects. We may by the writings of too many men, too immoderate in main●aining their conceived opinions, plainly enough perceive. That most unhappy division so unluckily bread, and so hotly nourished betwixt His sacred Majesty and His most honourable Parliament, hath also separated the minds of Subjects; one part inclining to this, another to that part: and it were well if they did no more then incline, for then were it possible, that by the evident demonstration of some undeniable arguments their minds perverted, and too deeply grounded in their conceived opinions, might be forced from a resolved immutability: but wee now see it evident, that in some men respects, in others affection, in these self-opinion, in those a peremptory resolution neither to hear, or be moved by reason,& in too many the known strength of this or that side perverts judgement, and resists even verity itself, every one thinking it impossible for that part to err, whose actions themselves allow of; nay to such an immoderate licentiousness are men grown, that they cannot speak in the behalf of the Parliament, but they must vent forth ill language against Him that is its, and should be their head too, His sacred Majesty, and as many that do well construe the actions of the King as opposite to his Parliament, will not stick to use more then the liberty of the subject against both Houses of Parliament.  
Although I confess that between contradictories there can be no medium, and the affirmators and negators of the same thing cannot both err, yet are not we competent iudges of the errour● of these men, or if we could discern truly whose intentions are right, and whose amiss, yet are we not to think, much less speak dishonourably of either, since it is human to err, and an error ought not to condemn every one that is deceived. He indeed that could find out such a way of reconciling these differences which should be embraced by both the differing parties, would do the best act for his country that could possibly be effected. But it is preposterous in men to diffuse into the world their several fancies, this being sometime quiter opposite to that, and one way being no longer approved then till another is heard, so are mens iudgments that shall peruse them, tossed up and down with the light wind of every the least probability, and some opinions, though in themselves weak enough, being published, come into the hands of the more ignorant vulgar, who because they are not able to pierce into their falsities, or confute them, do presently credit them, and in the behalf of them, break forth into such acts, as may prove to His majesty and the Parliament dangerous, and to themselves prejudicial. Nor do some men( so free in delivering their opinions, and so confident in their frail reasons) any other then( implicitly at least) tax the King of being seduced, and the Parliament of error. Surely I think, these men, if any, best know the way of remedy, that can see into the causes of the disease, and difference: and that surely none better are acquainted with then those between whom it fell: let us therefore not take upon us to judge of the erring party, but pray to the Father of truth, that( let it be which it will) it may know its error, and be converted to the truth: this wil● sh●w a subiects duty better then that, of which I think it will not be impertinent to say something at this time.  
although in the late Protestation made and published by the worthy members of that honourable House of Commons is sufficiently intimated what is the true stamp of a loyal subject, by the demonstration of what he is bound to defend and maintain, yet it will not be, I think, unseasonable( the honour of those persons not impaired) in this time of fear and distraction, to separate the sheep from the goats, and declare what a good subiects character is, that we may learn to know him, and to distinguish him from both the hypocritical pretenders of loyalty and the hot-spurs of rebellion, and affecters of civill mutinies and home-bred dissensions.  
The name of subject is of all well enough( I suppose) under stood, and imports a duty to be performed to a superior, nor doth eminency of place or condition free any from this duty of subiection( unless that eminency be supreme) but rather the more obligeth him. For those that in degree are nearest to their sovereign, ought to be so much the more loyal, faithful, and constant to Him, by how much they have received greater favours, and more eminent dignities from Him, and His royal Person is entrusted with them. Besides, their acts willbe more conspicuous, and are examples whereby the vulgar willbe either more confirmed in their allegiance, or pricked forward to a rebellion. Treason therefore in a noble Person is a crime more dangerous to his Prince and the State, more horrid in him, and giving a greater example to the people.  
A true subject therefore( de he of what rank soever) is in his conscience and by his allegiance bound with his life& fortune● to maintain the person, honour and estate of his sovereign against all foes, both domestic& foreign. He is further bound, as not to commit himself, so also to manifest and reveal all treasons, plots and conspiracies tending to the destruction of his Prince, or the ruin of the State: as also to yield due obedience to his lawful Magistrates the executioners of equity& justice, especially Parliaments,& those more general councils, which are called together for the good of the Church and Commonwealth, whose privileges he ought not to infringe, or see infringed, he is bound also to observe all laws by them and their predecessors made while they are in full force,& lastly, to preserve as much as in him lies, unity and peace in Church and State. Neither doth this duty of a subject any way enslave him, or tend to the infringement of his liberty, but rather strengtheneth that, and rendereth him more safe, secu●e, and free. For it fareth not with a subject, as with a slave or servant, whose masters and lords have all power over them whatsoever, so that they cannot without his leave buy, sell, or exercise any civill action, and who can impose what commands themselves please on their vassals: for upon subiects living in a free kingdom there cannot be imposed mulcts, taxes, or any such burdens, against their own consent and good will, private or manifested. But as the times of peace or war require, tributes, ceasements and subsidies are gathered or released, not against the universal approbation of the people, but all that can be said to be a servants, belongeth to his master, so that without his consent he may( and that unquestioned) make use of any thing that is his. Indeed if such bee the extreme necessity of the State, that without taking the subiects estates, it cannot be repaired, the King& Parliament may make use of them, otherwise not. Those things which are enacted, ratified& perpetuated by the command of God and law of Nations, admitting of no repeal, unless such weighty causes be induced, which are able to overpoyse all contrary reasons, such, as I said, the extreme necessity of the State did require. For example, it was no more lawful for Ahab to take away Naboths vineyard by force, which was his own by hereditary succession, although the s●ituation of it were convenient and itself pleasant, then it was for no cause to take away his life, it ought therefore to be the ch●efe care of Kings, that they impose not on their Subjects grievous& unlawful taxes, which they neither can, nor are bound to bea●e, for this is not only against the liberty of a freeborn subject, but also against all humanity and clemency, for it is cruelty in a Mulitor to lay vpon his pack-horses more then they can ab●y bear, much more unjust is it to afflict with unlawful imp●sitions thos( which tho they are not of the same dignity) yet are ●hey of the same reason and liberty, by nature with ourselves: first therefore it is not inconsistent with the subiects liberty, to mai●t●in& defend the person honour& estate of his sovereign,  
For this are we bound to by the Law of God, Kings being first of divine institution& not the invention of men, nor is it their mere denomination but their unquestionable authority whereby they are made supreme, for Moses and samuel were( though not of the s●me title) yet of no less power then Saul and David, which was long a go experementally proved, in the unheard of pu●ishment of konrah and his company, who took upon them to question the legal power of Moses: it is strange to see that Christians are more apt to incline to the errors of the blinded Gen●i●es and seduced Heathens, then to embrace the truth of the mosaical history, and the Doctrine of the Prophets by which is evinc●d, that God alone is the author of Kingdoms, and the establisher of Kings. Nay, then His own words when he saith, Per me ●eges regnant, and huic trade& illi sccptrum aufero. And S. Paul brings this as the Reason to induce us, to an orderly obedience to to t●e higher powers, for saith he, The powers that be are ordained by God. Nor is it God alone by which we are commanded to per●orm our duty to our Prince, but the Laws of England require the same, and that upon good reason: for the King is he which taketh upon him to descend his Subjects lives and estates against all opposers whatsoever: and how shall he be encouraged to defend us, if by us his honour be invaded; it is he upon whom depends the due administration of the Laws, and they are the Laws which warrant our own unto us, shall we then oppose him that by all means possible and honourable doth defend us. We are born Subjects and therefore ought to obey, he a Prince, and therfo●e not to be subject, therefore to be ●beye●, we are Members, he the head, are the members true that conspire against the head? nay can the members subsist when the head is l●st? nor is the Kings honour and person better maintained and d●●ended, then by revealing and discovering those plots and conspir●cies, which tend to the subversion of it, and such are we b●und to a● well to detect in others, as not to invert in ●ur selves, other● being able as dangerously to invade him as ourselves and ourselves as guilty as others, that knowing their treachery, do not to our power defeat it. For is not he a traitor that will stand still, and see his Prince wronged, when it is in his power to defend him? It is in my opinion the dischargment of our duty, to prevent anothers treasonable intents, as well as to be innocent ourselves, and I think also to reveal treachery in another, is the best demonstration of our own innocency: it cannot be a disparagement to us to perform our true allegiance to him who is above all men, and to none but God subject, and so is our King, let Papists and their blind guide Bellarmine aver what they please to the contrary, nor is it an argument that all are not bound to obedience to a temporal Magistrate because he can or doth err. For is it not as apparent that spiritual ones, such as are cardinals, Bishops, have as oft and as grossly offended? it is therefore infallibly true, that all spiritual Rulers whatsoever as well as temporal, are subject and ought to be subject and ought to discharge their obedience to a temporal head, which they ought to account as supreme, and are by his power to be judged, in all matters which by human iu●gment can be controverted, another subiection we have of S. Austine and St. Ambrose, because say they the King Imago D●i est, is the Image of God; ad regendum populos et corrigendum, and to such a ●●uely Image as is a King, it will be no Idoalatry to give reverence.  
But although the King hath the supreme power over all and ought by all to be obeied, yet can he not in his own person excecute his whole authority he maketh use therefore of the eyes and hands of other men that through them he may easilier see and correct enormities; he taketh unto him the councells of his w●es● s●bi●cts, and such whose consciences are as sincere as there judgements searching, that they may as well perform as know iustice, bu● because the authors and intruducers of 'vice and disturbances are coming with their crafty policy by secret ways and means undiscerned they sometimes so convey their plots thus they cannot be discuered by foresight but only by experience, and by their sense and when they are felt& discovered they cannot but with unweared difficulty, and indefatigable pains be rooted out, the offenders being sometimes so grete, and so grete in favour that they cannot be strucken at, but by the peril of their impeachers, the safety and necessity of the state required that greater councils should be called, and these are Parliaments, the happy reducers of wrongs, and composers of strifes, of which all members may freely and without danger utter their opinions and votes concerning all matters in controversy, and to which it is lawful for the meanest persons to manifest their greuances. they enjoying such priuledges which cannot be without iniustise infringed, and these such libarty as may be a means to free them from all kind of wrong, and here greatness may be ●… eached, neither can it in its golden plumes hid the enormity of base actions: to these councils, and to all that shal be by them enacted, if we yield due observance, we perform our duty to the King, they being his counsellors and advisers in matters of State, and the setlers of peace and order in the common-wealth, and their acts are to be obeied, not questioned by subiects. For if every malignant spirit might in interpreting or observing the commands of councils use their own liberty, what can be expected, but ruin? for where there is no order, there is confusion; and where no government is, there i● no order, and all government requireth its co●relative obedience: if these be wanting, who would not rather wish to be the meanest subject, then the highest ruler? if to the place of a Magistrate were annexed neither safety, nor authority? although the Papists themselves cannot prove but that it is possible for the greatest councils that are to err, yet must we think it very improbable that so many men chosen out of a●l parts of the kingdom, should want si●cerity in conscience, and perspicacy in iudgment. And in case that in some one thing or other they did err, better were it to submit to that one mistake, then that every man should exercise the liberty of his own fancy, if sueh& so many men be voluntarily slacken in th total performance of their d●ty, the more is their own perverse will to be blamed. Better it i● for us to p●ay unto our wonderful counsellor to rectify their actions, then ourselves to judg● of them or condemn them.  
One part of the subjects du●y may seem to be still behind, and that a necessary one too, the maintaining of peace& union, things in this time of distraction of all men desirea●le, and indeed it is that which maketh a nation truly happy, it is that without which heaven and earth coul● not consist. Peace is a word which men and Angels love to hear, a model of happiness, the epitome of felicity, the knot of true love. The body politic is comp said of contraries as well as the natural body, one member being p●one to rebel against another, and all against the head: and without the moderation of peace, which is the soul of this body, it is not pos●●ble that it should subsist: how to express the incomparable sweetness of it, ex●eeds my po●er. But th●y say the best way to express a thing is by its cont●ary, we may best learn by misery what is happiness, by sorrow what joy by war what is peace. But I pray God we have no occasion this way to know it. The way to attain it hath been already shewed, he that performs as he ought hi● allegiance to his King in the prese●vation of his person honour and estate: his duty to the Parliament, in maintaining their privileges, and obeying the laws ena●ted by them, and nourisheth no treason in himself, but detects it in others, doth truly, rightly and sincere●y to his p●wer maintain peace and unity, and doth fully discharge the duty of a l●yall and well-affected subject.   
FINIS.