LIBRARY OF -"KK AT FMIIXCETOIV, N. J. DONATIOy OF SAMUEL AQNEW, iVo. M i' P H 1 1. A 1) K L P H 1 A . PA. ;h^a^M^,£>. s^/ COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE I LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY /Of 55 T^ rj-i(Ui>no- rumftbi ^nomcn indidtrint^ m prop er cos cffcfce G^nics I fan^a 'Ecclefi.^e uti'itate af^bo-'r^ant, nu'uiat^.mq\ vc;itmm. ob immania illeTumffH.mor(i ^ mciedihilcm neq'mm/J, rcpudicnt^ut inquam frcquLHubmillorumfcelertbns anim.idvcyjis .. pes' quf>que ^ quia San^a7>.'i Ecdefia^funt stales cffc fM p rlu^J.eantMquifita a ve- nfiima Del JOo5irma aurcs avert ant ^ ut cerie.pancofum improbi- tae, C0rffpe6ia in umvcrfos eadem M'dtd'icici cehpci^nt. Printed in Villa Franca, AnmDom. 1660. ^yf^ P R E f Si'^' jE will take our firfi rife from that ^oyalT>e- claration or Ma- nifefio which his Majefiy of great Britain, Cha. the I. commanded to be expo fed to the World , for the fatisf action- , not only of his own people jbut of the ^e/ormed Churches abroaa ^ at that time ' when the differences Were at thehigheBo 'twixthim and his a } Tar- ^arUanient-SubjeSisy whopra- Bifed all the artifices that coM be^Qby making tife ofTrefs and Tmpk for that purpojey to make him not onely odkm at hmne^ hm fent clandeflme A~ gents ^and intelligence abroad ^to traduce him am,onz the Reform- ed 'Princes and States^ that He 'Pasbranling inhis beliefs and had a defign to re-introduce the Komm^I^eligion into his T^omi- nions^ f^hichwas the motiye of pnblifhing this Manifcflo here^ mto annext* Carolus C A R o L u s, fingulm Omnifotentis Dei povU dcntu Anglia:, Scotia, Fr anclse & Hibernian UtiCyFidd Defenjory&LC. Univerfis & fingulis qui frafcns hoc fcriftum ceu proteftationcm inffexetint, fotifsimam Refdrmata Religims, cultmbus CHJufcmque ftnt gentiSj gradus^ aut conditionis falutem, &c. iU M ad aurcs noftras non itz pridem fama pervenerit, fi- niftros quofdam rumores, literafqj politic avcl pernici' ofa pocius quorundam induftria Ipar- fas efle, & nonnullis proteftantium cc- clefiis in exccris partibus emiiTasjnobit efle animum & confilium ab ilia Or- thodoxa Religione quam ab incunabi- lis imbibimus , & ad hoc ufque mo- mentum per integrum vkx noftrae cur- riculum amplexi (umus recedcndi ; 8c Papifmum inha^cRegna iterum intro- duccndi, Qux conjecaura, ceunefan- a 4 da da potius ctlumnianullo prorfus nixa vclimaginabili fundaniento horrendos hpfce tumukusj & rabiem plufquam belluinam. in Anglia fufcitavic Tub pra:- textu Gujufdam (chimeric?e) Reforma- tionis legirnini legibufque hujus Do- minii non foliim incongrua^^ fed in- compatibilis : V o L u m u s ^ uc toti Ghriftiano Orbi innote(cac, ne mini- mam quidem animum noftium inci- diffc cogitariunculam hoc aggrediendi> auttranfvcrfum ungucm ab ilia Reli- gione difcedendi quam cum corona , Iccptroqiie hujus rcgniTolemni^ 8c fa- ciamentali juramento tenemur profit teri, protegcre & propugnare. Nee tantum conftantifTima noftra praxis, "idianain excrcitiis prsefatxRe- iigionis prasfentia cum crebris in facie noftrorum agminum aflevcrationibus, publicifque procerum hujus Regni te- llimoniis5& fedulain regiam noftrara fobolem educando circumlpedione ( omifsis plurimis aliis argumentis) luculen- luculentifsimehoc demonftrar, fedeii- am felicifsimum illud maLrimonium quod inter noftram primogenicam^ £c illuftrifsimu puncuptmAuriacum fpon- te contraximussidem fordfsime atccfta- tur: Quonuptiali federe infupercon- ftat>nobis non efle propofitu ilia profi- teri folummodoj fed expandere^&: cor- roborarc quantum in nobis ficum eft. Hanc facrofandam Anglicanas Chri- fli Ecclefi^ Religionem, tot Theolo- gorum convocationibus fancitam^toc comitiorum edi6lis confirmatam tot Regiis Diplomatibus ft^bilitam, una cum rcgimine EccleiiafticOj Sc Licur- gia ei annexa, quam liturgiam^ regi- menq; celebricres proteftantium Au- thores tarn Germans quam GaUi^ tarn Dani quam Hell>etichi2.m Batayi^c^uim B(?i?^m/multiselogiis nee fine quadam invidia in fuis publicis fcriptis coni- probant & applaudunt, \it in traniadi- omhns Dordrechtati'e Synodtii^ cui non- nuUi noftrorum p^fulum^ quorum Dig- Dignitati debitaprcftitafuit revercntia (interfueruntjapparctlftamjinquimus, Religionemquam Regius nofter pater (beatifsirna^ memoriae) in ilia celeber- yima fidei fuae Confefsione omnibus Chriftianis principibus(ut & haec pras- lens noQitz proteflatio exhibita, publice aflcric : Iftam, iftam Rcligiouem fo- lenniter proteftamurs Nps integram, farcam tedam^ & inviolabilem confer- vaturos3& pro virili nofl:ro(divinoad- juvanteNumine) ufque ad cxtrema vi- ta2 noftr^periodu proteduros, & om- nibus noftris Ecclefiafticis pro munc- ris noftri, Scfupradidi facro^fandi ju- ramenti racione doceri5& praedicari cu- rjituros. Quapropter injungimus &in mandatis damus Omnibus miniftris noftris in exteris partibustam Legatis, quam Refidentibusj Agentibufquc & nunciis, reliquifque noftris fubditis ubicunque Orbis Chriftiani terrarum autcuriofitatisaut comercii gratia de- gentibus banc folennem & finccram noftram noftram proteftationem quandocun- quc fcfe obtulerit loci 8c temporisop- portunitas^communicare^allcrere^afle- verare. Ddt. in Academic &Civitate no fir a Oxo% nunjli fridei idm Maii^ 1644. CHARLES by the Providence of Almigh- ty God, King oi England, ScotUndy FrmcCf and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, (^c. To alJ who profefs the true Reformed Pro- teftant Religiop, of what Nation , degree, and condition foever they be to whom this prefent Declaration ihall come, Greeting* \fiereas We are given to under ft and ^ that many falfe Rumors, and [can- daloHS Letters^ are fpnad up and down amongp the Reformed Chut'- ches inforreign Parts^ky thePolVi" tick^ or rather ^^^ pernitious induflry of fome iU afeSfed perfons , that we have an inclination to recede from that Orthodox Religion, which we were born^ bapi&ed^ and hrcdin^ and which We have firmly profe([edand praBiJed throughout the whole fourfe if our life to this moment^ and that We intend intend to give wdf t$ theTntroduBionand'pHhlick exercife ef Popery again in Our Dominions: Which cojojechre or rather mo ft deteJlMe calumny, being grcunded upon no imaginable foundation i hath rai- ded thefe horrid Tumults ^ and more then bar(?ar0us Wars throughout this fldttrtjhing ijland^ under pre- text of a kind of Reformation^ which muld not only prove irjcongruous^ hut incompatible with the fu^^damental Laws and government of this King- dom. We iefire that the whole chriftian World Jhouldtake notice^ and reft ajjuredt that We never entertained in Our imagination the le aft thought to Attempt fuch a thing, or to depart a jot from that holy religion, which when we received the Crown and Scepter of this Kingdom^ We took amoflfo- lemn Sacrarnental Oath to profefs and protect, l^or doth Our moft conftant pra5iice and quotidian vifible pre fence in the exercife of this fole Reli'^ gion, with fo many Afjeverations in the head of Our JrmieSj and the publick Atteftation of our Barons ^ with the cir€umfpe5iton ufed in the education of cur Royal offpring, beftdcs divers other undeni- able Arguments^ onely demonflrate this • but alfo that happy Alliane of Marriage ^ We contracted twixt Our eldejl Daughter^ and the lUujlrious Prince ef Orenge, mofi. clearly confirms the real- lity ef Our intentions herein 5 bj. which Nuptial ingagewent it appears further^ that Our endeavours are not only to make a bare prefefsion thereof in Our 6fvn Dominions, but to inlarge and corroborate it abroad as much as lieth in our Rower : This mo ft holy holj Relighff of the Anglican Cfmrchy ordained bj fo mm) Convocations of learned Bivines^con- firmed hjfomany aBs of Nationd Parliaments , and (Irengthenedhj fo manj Rejal TroclamationSf together ivith the Bcclefiasiick Dijcipline and Li- turgy thereunto appertaining, which Liturgy and Dtfcipline y the mo ft eminent of -Protcflant Au^ thors^ us well Gerniians ^French 5 as well Danes as Swedes wiW Switzens •, as well Belgians, as Bohcrnhns^ do with many Ehgies ( and not without a, kind of Envy) approve and ap- plaud in their publick Writings^ particularly in the tranfaBions of the Synod of Dort , wherein beftdes ether of Our Divines ( who afterwards were Prelates ) one of Our Bi- Jhops afifled^ to whofe \ dignity all due re- fpecfs and precedency was given : This Religio/$ ivefay^ which Our Royal Father of hleffed memory doth publickly a[Jert in that His famom Confef- fion addrefs'd^ as we alfo do this our Proteflation^ to all Chriftian Princes • This^ this mofl holy Re- ligionywith the Hierarchy and Liturgy t her of JVc folemnly protejl, thai by the help of Almighty Gody we will endeavour to our utmoft power, and I afl pe- riod of our life, to keep intire and inviolable^ and will be careful^ according to our duty to Heaven^ and the tenor of the forefaid mofl f acred Oath at Our Co^ ronation^ that all our EccUfiaJiicks in their feve^ ral degrees and Incumbences jball preach and pra- Bife the fame, wherefore we enjoyn and command all our Minijlers of State beyond the Seas, as wsH Amb.^' "Ambaff odors, as Refidents^ Agents and Meffengers \ And We de fire alliherefi your loving Sdjeifs, that fo]Qurn either for cm0(ity or commerce in any forraign PartSy to commmicate,^ uphold, and affert this Our [olemn and fiucere Protefiathn^ when of' fort unit] of time and fUce fhdl he offered^ This Royal Declaration or Manifeflo was com* mitted to the management and care of ^ames Homl Efq-, Cierk of His Majefties Privie Council (who though then Prifoner in the Fleet) performed the bufincfs very worthily and like himfelf. Charles Charles^ par la Tfoyidence de Dieu Roy de la grand' Bretagnc, de France, iff d' Irlande, Vefenfeur de la Foy^ Sec. A torn ceux qui cefte prefente Declaration lo err ant, parti- culierement a Ceux de la Religion Re- formee de quelque Nation^ de^reou condition qu*il$ [otent^Salut. Yant reccu advis de bonne maiti )j que plufieurs faux rapporcs & lettres font eipsrfes parmi les Eglifles, Refoirmees de lala naer, par la fdUttque^ ou pluftoft la fernicieufe induftrie de perfon- nesmal affedionnesanoftre governemenc, que nous aoons deflein a receder de celle Religion que Nous auons profefs^ & pratique tout le tempsdenoftrevieiufquesaprefent-,& de vou- loirintroduire lapapaute derechef en nos Do*- rainionSj Laquelle conjedure, ou cdumnie plu- ftoft, appuyeefurnul fundemenc imagin^We,a fufcitd ces horribles tumulces & allume le feu d' uxie d*une tres fnigbnte guerre en tous Ics quatre coins de cefie fleuriffantc Monarcbie, foabs pretexce d* une ( chymerique) Reformation, la quelle feroit incompatible avec le governement, & ks !oix fondementales de ce Royaume. Nous Defirons , quil foit notoire a tout le raonde, que la moindre penfee.de cefairea' a pas entree en noftre imagination, de departiran- cunement de cell' Orthodoxe Religion, qu' auec la Couronne & le fceptre de ce Royaume Nous fommcs tenus par un ferment folennel & facra- mentaire a proteger &c defendre. Ce qu* ap- pert nonfeulement par noftre quotidieqne pre- fence es Exercies de la dite Religion, avec, tant d' affeverations a la tefte de nos Armefes & la publicque Atteftation de nos Barons , avcc le {bin que nous tenons en la nourriturcdes Princes & Princeffes nos enhns , Mais le tref-hcureux mariage que nous avons conclu entre la noftre plus aifnee, &le tres illuftrie Prince 6! Orenge en eft encore un trcCcvident tefmoignage, par la quell* alliance il appert auffy que noftre defir eft de n'en faire pas vne nue prof effion feulement dicelle^mais delavouloireftcndre& corroberer. autant qu'il nous eft poffible ; Ceft' Orthodoxe Religion de leglife Anglieane Ordonnee par tant de Lonvcmione de Teologucs, confirmee par tant de arrefts d' Parlement, & fortific par tanc d'Edidis royaux auec la difciplinc &la Lytuc- gieaelieappartenanCjlaquelle difcipline & Ly- turgle ks plus celcbres Autheurs Proteftants, tant tant Francois^ qu' Allemands^ tant SaiJois dpe Suilfes^ tant Belgiens^ que Behcmierjs approuenc entiercment & non fans quelqu envie en leur efcrits partieulicrement en la Synode de Dort ^ ou un de nos Euefques afSftoic, & la Reveiv^nce & precedence deue a fa dignice Ecclefiailique luy fuc exaftement rendue : Gefte cres-faiate Religion que noftre feu pere de tres-heareufe memoire aduoue en fa celebre Cenjefsion de la Foy addreffee come nous faifoas cefte Declard^ tion acoas Princes Cbreftiens •, Nous Proteftons que moyennaac la grace de Dieu, nous tafche- ronede conferuer cefte Religion inviolable, & enfon entier felon la mefure de puiffance que Dieu antiis entre nos nnains 5 Et nous reqaerons & commandon^ a coils nos mtniftres d' eft )C unz AmbaflTadeurs, que RcfidcnSy Agens qu inefla- gers5& a tousautres nosfubjefts qui font leur (eiour es pays eftrangers de communiquerj miin- tcnir & aduouer cefte noftre folennelle Piocefti- tion touces fois & quantes que i' occafion fe pre* To ^^^^sft^ Sffifff TO THE MINI STE RS OF THE PARIS. Genr^^mcn , Avwg to contend with them who tfrviie yoH to uphold their dlfloydtjf by your example , nothing can he more to our pfirpofe^ then to prefix yonrexamp/e In the from of this work^ to teach them Loyaltj, During the udgitatlons of the ^. State 5 your Churchy as the Needle In the Marrlners Compaf^^ h^pt jleady upon the point of ref^, rvhlch is God and the King : And your obedience ferved as an Enfign on a hill to France , to guide the people to their duy. whereby yon have juftlfied the hollnefs of your pro- feffion, making the world know^ the Religion youteach binds you to be good fubje^Sy and that you honour the King , be- caufe ye fear Cod* _^, ■ ^ ^ There- Therefore the EftgUjh Covenanters did very ill to addrefs ihemfelves to yoH , fincethej held a method qajte comrarj^ for they difhononr and majfacre their King^ under a colour of dtvotlon to O^dy and undertake to fet tip the Kingdoms of Jeftts Chrijl^hy thertiii^eof the Kingdome of their So- veraign ', which udsif they vpould build theTemple of God with CamoH [hot^ and defend Religion in violating it. The truth of the Gofpel was never advanced by thefe wayesy but the patience ^ and even the fufferings of the Chrl- flians , was It which propagated the Chrifiian Religion ,' and rendered the Church mighty and glorioni, Thofe who fffffered under the Pagan and Arian EmperourS , conquered Moth the Empire and Emperours 5 and the Cha^'flons of truth pnrehafed a Kir^gdome t9 JefUs Chrift-y not in fined- ding the blood of theW Soveraigns , but in poy.ring forth - their own for righteoufnefs^ by a voluntary fuhmifswn to their judgement* , He H-hy cannot frame himfelf tif this Doctrine^ doth not fo much as God requires of him , if he makes profefsion of Chrlfilanity ; for Chrifi tells us in calling m^ that rolyofoe- ^'er tahethnotuf his Crofs^ and comet hnst afier me^ cannot Ifi my Difctfle 5 ^d commands him who would imhrace the Gofpely to fet down before and calculate the expence^ as if he were about to bmld* Certainly he that cannot refclve to fubjeU himfelf to his Soveraignfor the love of God , and never draw his fword againflhim to whom God hath com- mttted it •» made an ill calculation before he dedicated himfelf i0 Jeftis Chrifij for he ought not to take upon him Chrift^ia- nity^ if he were not idde to go through with ity and was not refolved rather to fuffer then rejtfiy and to fpend his goods md life tefreferve himfelf in that fubje^lion , corHmanded bythtiV&d^f God. . ^/ . For mamtainwg this holy t>oUriney we have beenbanifh- fd andpurfued with Armes ^ and after we had defended 9ur Soveraignwith more fidelity then fucCifs y we have been cSfifiramd /• forf/tk£ 9Hr dear Country v driven from our b i houfes. houfes^ a-^d [foiled of our revemies-, hm yet roe pralfe God for giving them , fince he hath done us the honour that ws (hauld lofe them for his fervice ; and vee ought this to onr Kwg^ of i^hom our lands held^, to abandon them for love&f him V IF or to enter into a Covenant againft hvm feaceahly to enjoy hts^ and the Kings his Predeceffors homty ^ and to hetraj the truths and our confciences^to fave oar nfoneys^ ws eonld never refo he, ' Now fince thofe who have d^ne the evil ^ began fir fi to cry out , and have fpread their unfufl clamours through all the Reformed Churches , vpeH make the fame journey with ear • mft comflalms , and after the example of the a- hafcd Levlte , by theSonnes of Jemini , we fend thts re^ dial of our grlevarices through all the quarters of Ifrael ; Jiic'g, ip, 5c. Conhderof ic, take advice, and>fpeak your minds. . . The Injury which doth touch m near eft ^ is not otut^Exile^ ^i'>- tl.e lofs of our goods ^ nor theirs of ourneareft Relations^ hit the extreme wrong done to the G&fpel^, and the Reformed Churches J to whom thefe nev? Reformers falfly impute their Adaximes of Rebellion^ and herebj render our mo ft holypro- fefsior^fufpeBed and hateful to Princes of a contrary Reli- gion. This (Gentlemen) toucheth yon very near ^ con fiderlng your corjdition^: and the Summons the Affembly ^r Welt- mirtfter, made to you to covenant with them-, or to make a covenant like theirs. The Epiftle was addreffed to the ChmrchofVm^-i In the name of all the Reformed Churches i^f Pr.mce , - and with the Epiftle they fent the Oath of their Covenant ^ which concludes with an Exhenation in ferm of a prayer to God^ Th^t it would pleife him to flir up by their example, other Churches who live under the Tyr:innyofAntichritt,tofwearchis Covenant, or one l!kei% This fame Epiftle^ together with the Oath^ being fent ta the Minifters of thi Church of Genev^h, fttrredupfm them them a holy jealou fie y (md dreiv from th/it excellent ferfof^^ Mmftem Diodati , vfho is m:v in glorj^ an anfwer worthy of him in the name of all the Chu'xh : Repell chls-horri- blefcandal , which lb exrremely wrongs Chriftianky in general ; walli and clcanfe this filthy ^acrempr of the bhckeftopprc'Tion, whichaboveall is impuced to the molt'pure profeirion of the Goipcl , as if the Gofpel oppofed, and affronted by a kind of ar.cipathy and fe- cret hatred , all Roy-jl Po.ver of Sover.ugn Authority. Pacifie thecxafperatedfpirir, and too much provoked of your King, and drive him not upon Pinacles and Precjpices. ""Bleffed he God vpho touched the heart of thisgre^t -perfon^ Tvhofe memory (hall he for ever prcclom for rendnng fo open , ateftlmony to the truth y And hecaufe he have not fujfered himfelf to he flattered and perff^aded by the complements of thefe enemies, to his aMj eftj^ to appUftd them in their evil a" EiionSy fuch are thefe Refiners of Reformation , as not con- ' % tent by theirfatliom z^altofet their own country on Ere^ bat they iabonr'alfd to cafl the flre into their nelghhoHrSj and to blow Rebellion thro^igh all Euroy.c, And 0f late the mofl enormous atlions &f the Engl i ill drew from Mafier SaIm.'^T:us, Prince of Letters ^ and the Honour of France , a defence of the Rgh of King- , God ^ was fo pleafed to raife up the Leamedji: pen of thefe t'mes to defend the befl catife of the world -, in which this g;^eat ferfon hath highly honoured his country ; But tofped^ '<^ig^^'> he more honoured himfelf y and the Church wherein he was educated. For if hereafter thefe malefaElors dare he fo h!d, AS to fay the Reformed Churches approved their aciio/?Sy they pJall produce this hook^ which condemns the?n , a^d defends the Royal caufe with fuch w'lfdome, and effcacy of Jpirit , fmtahle to the d'lgnity of the fubjeU , - and 'iJ^ail re- quire them to produce ^ ifthej can^ any one of the Reformed Chnrcl^s who have in the le^fi manner written in fw^ur or their proceedings : ItfhoM have-been aflray:ge andfamefd bs tly g. thlftgy if there were none found dmongfl the Reformed Chttr- ches who fhoM mt d'lfown their wicked DeBrlnes^ and cmfe fill Princes amd peo^U of the world to l^ow that the Reform- ed Churches are very far from follomng their cmnfels , and a^hor their f^dnBiom to dijloyalty , from Tvhat fart Jcever they come* Heretofore indeed it vfos accounted the dmy of charity and frtidence-i to cover the faults of this faction , and if corruption enper Into Ifracl^ not topublijh it //iGath; h^t when the PoUrine of Rebellion difputed in corners^ afcends the Pulpit^ hold afsisjes in opsn C&urt, fends forth Ambajfa- dors^ invites the Reformed Churches to their party ^ andim- ploy thieGofpeU Piety ^z^eal of Gods Glory ^ to raifefubjech againfl their Soveraigns ; new 'pes tivfte or never to plncl^ 0ff their mask^ of hypocrijte^ and fhew where the evil liesy and dif cover the wickednefs of a party , to preferve from jhame and dtfgracethe general \ and the rather Jtnce the jiphorifmes of Rebellion^ and feduciug peop/e to feditionp are reproached to the Protefiants^ and imployed by the ene- mies 'of our hqly Religion to fiir up Princes againfl the Churchy and the pure profefsion of the GofpeL Tts the dmy of the Reformed Churches tofpeaJ^ a(oud , that 'tis not we that teach the people are above their King , and that en- deavour by Letters and Intelligences a general riftng^but that U s the Covenanters of En§,\md^ who attempting to cm dff their King and Monarchy by the fwrrd ^ labouM in vain to [educe their neighbours ^to encreafe their party ^thereby to hide thenifelves in the. multitude of their complices^ they came fo!:rh of us Jong fincc, but were not of us, and for their Poci/i^es and aElims (which are the only things evii In their JReformatlon) they never received any countenance tr incou- linage menp from lis » We ajfure our [elves Gentlemen^ In that Divine ajfi fiance phich hath to this pre fern upheld you-i that ye will never be f educed to defend evil-, neither by camfracency nor contradi- cfloHy bfft w til folio jv the precept of the Apofils 5/«/a?f J^meSj Jill at lafl ob- ' tain that tepimony of God which hi gives to the Church of Ephefw j I know thy works *^ and thy labour ' and and thy patience , and how thou canft not bear them which are evil, and thou haft tried them which fay they are Apoftles , and are not , and haft found them Hars , and haft borne , and haft patience , and haft not fainted, Rev»2.z, and thus je fhall fptrelyshtain the promifed reward following ^ To him that overcom- cth , will I give to cate of the tree o(\ik , which is in themidft of theparadifeof God, v. 7, This hope is our fufpQrt in the depth of our affii' Bions , for under that terrible weight of publick. and particular miferies , capable to bear down the Hrongefi andfirmeft/pirits , we are raifed and kept up by this con* folation , that weferve a good (Jl^fafier, whe wiH never forfake them who forfake all which » mofi dearto them to follow him. what though our fufferings be the ejfefis of our finnes , yet are they alfo honourable ntarkes of cur loyalty , both to God and our King , and though we have left our eft ate s a little before death would have taken them away , yet God hath by his grace pre* ferved in us a good confcience , riches which is not fubjeEl to fequefiratien , but dying wefhall carry away with m. In thefe great try alls of our faith and patience ^ whilfi we feek^ eafe in pouring forth our griefs into the bofome ef onr brethren , behJd yet another encreafe of affiiBi" en , upon affli^ion ; for rve find to our great regret , that the fubtilty ef our enemies have begotten an evil underflanding between you andfome of ours, to ^hiehfome have much contributed,if the complaints we hear be true ^ that they have manifefted and declared themfelves con* trary to the Woftriueofthe Reformed Churches ^ and that they have defpifed your afemblies , as not being Churches , and maintained that there could be no Church ^ere there was no Bifbop. ^s for their DeHrine , if it be divers from our pub- lick, 0>if^(P^^i ^% ^^^ *^^ ^^^^ */*^^ Church then of yoHrs'y y^Hrs; dnd tofatisfieydHHpm this point , we have joy ned theC»nfejft6n of the Church of Enghnd^ rvhich ali thrfe yfho have been reeeived 'into holy Orders^ [ware to defend 4H their reeeftkn , and ^H rpho were to he admitted intei Churches it ere injoyned at their entrance \^ puhlickljh ready and to pr of ep thereupon , their tonfcnt tQ them^ nnder pain of lofing their Benefiees. If Any have de- parted from that profeffion , which thej did fo fdemnly make J the body of the Chffrch which maintains that holy DaElrine , it no way refpunfthle for their erring. If the fi.ekls had not prevented the King from a ffemb ling an^ titnall Synod , to which his LMajefiy purpofed to invite ether Reformed Churches , jour Judgments would have been heard for the purging our Churches of all new Do- Brines^ which without all comparifin are worfe , and inafarre greater f^ufnberamongft our enemies, thenar mongft the Roy all party. iksfor thps pofttion , that there cannot be a Church without a Bi[hof , we account it full ofrafinefe and void ofCkarityi It's indeed a cruel fentence to deprive of the benefit oj the Gof pel, and of their union withChrift^ all fhofe Churches which live under the Crofe, and cannot (npj the BpiCcopal Order. That Famous Dr. Andrews Bijhop of WinchQ{\er, was not of this opinion, for in fyour Church, you {hall read in this enfuing Treatife. Its eafte to fee that the Epifcopal Order n wholly in- compatible with the prefent conditiom of the Reformed Churches o/France, for tf there were twenty ,? thirty Bi^ fiops amongftyoH, that jhould gcvern all the other Chftr- ches^ it would be eafte for fhofe of the contrary Religion under whom you live,tofil up thofe places with fame perfons Pho Jhould be at their devotion"^ whence ^ould follow, ei- ther tber afeda^ion^ or An ofprejjion of the other Pafiors : But Vfhilft the (jentlemen of the Clergy in the Court behtdAAll Fajiors equal^ thejwiUlofe their cunning in ihlt mnlti- ^tfide, and although they be excellent in fUying on the Oy gansy yet they have not fingers enough to touch every Key. If your Order of equality miojot or ought to he confer^ ved, Ifit/hauldpieafeGodtheVrevxh Monarchy fhould emhraee the Reformation, its a thing "we vpIU not touch, hut if that only vpere the ohfiru^ion^ we account. you too mfeand good Chriftians, andfuch ^ "^ould not hinder thefetlinif(^ipUns, ^^ jye have placed in the Vront ofthl^ '^ork.y the Manlfe- fto of the Laie King Charles the Firfi, of Bieffed and Glorious Memory^, in which he takes a reUgims c Are to fatis^ejoH^ tonching his C^n^mcy in 'he Reformed Reli^ fiofi) and of his Refo/ution toenUrge and ftrengihenit in Ml forraign Countries to the mmofr of his power , he eould no more to manifeft how much he valued jour ^.jfeBi^ on and good opinion, and vee following the exm^ple of our holy and Glorious Martyr \ labour here to J^it with you a holy union , which our enemies havefo vigoroufly laboured to brea}^^ and in thefe our great affli^iions do take care to prevent your^ and to giveyou faving Connceli, Know then. Gentlemen^ that your wofl holy Religion U much defamed by the Aciions of thefe paracide Zealots ^ who have particularly courted and invited you to Cove- nant with them- and that your Churches are blemijhedin reputation, onely becaufe thefe men have dared to addrejfe their infamous complements to you, a thing nevertheleffs which ye could not prevent how great foeveryour aver f on were from their wicked anions ; wherefore we befeevhyou^ as you love your fab finance and the honour of theGofpel, which ought to be dearer toyou then your lives ^ that you exhort the general of your Churches to declare readily and vigorously by a pub lick. AEl againfi thefe falfe hre- thren and their pernicious Maxime^ , fur fear leafl the crime of men , be imputed to Religion, and that the in' nocentfuffer not fr the guilty. Let it appear to the State under which ye live , that the Reformed Religion for con- fcience fake upheld Kingly Authority, and that it is the true T)o^rine that maintains fubje5is in their duty , and a Kingdome in peace, Toumayalfo boldly advifethe Gentlemen at Court to beware of them , and that they give order to prevent that inundation, that is threatned from our Hands , and let them be mofi ^ajfured that the Independent Armies , have not Ic^e ambition to caufi all people to rife , andover^ thro"^ ikr0}!P dii theMon^rchs of C%rifiendom^^ thdi to this t§'eU Q: -^^havt often declared hk intentions :a& the popular tUf Mults in France are the prodHtiions totftout botm, partes, o; paOionJS 5 of tnftitttc potoet) tDifoom ano gooDnelTei t\)t S^afeer ano p^efortjer of all tbtng^ boti) ttfibU ano intiUble. anu in unttv of fttis d^ootjcaD tbere be t^r^ petfoni^ , of one fubltancc, potnet, ano eternitp? tl>^ i?atl)cr, t^e S>on> ana ijolt? (I^!)o8» It 1 1. ^'^c S)Dnnc, tDljtclb tsj tlie «o:D of tfe iFatj^m ^ begorti^n torn €t3erla.ttmg of t\ft jratfier , tfe terpantiec£tn?.I!0Dt5of oneftibltancc tuttft t^e J?a^ tfter. ton^ mam ntvuc in t\)t tuomb of tyt blcCTeD t3ltrg[nc, of i)tt ftibttanc^ : fa tljat ttoi tDbolj> and l?erfe£t nature^^ tm tstofa^, tbedDomiea^attoman^ i)CDU, tocte lopnc^ togeiber tit one pttfifn, n^tiertobc Dt^tDci5 , WiKxtnf 10 on^ Cbnftj tert? d^oD and t)t:rt> man b!|D ttub fuffetcti, to^crucifieis, tscati, anD bui ttet), to reconcile ^xb iTatber to us. nm to be a facrt^ fice, not oneb fo:£DngmaU guilt. biitalfofoiattuaiU fmneiJof mem III. A §) Cbnft Dteti fo: uj5, anD tcasJ biirieti : fo alfo x$ it •^ -^^ to be ^el^tscDy tijat je toent udIoit into Ijell IV. r'^l^nlttiit; trnlprife again from Deatlj. aiuj ftofe a^ ^^ gain bis botit?, tuttb t^efl)? bDacs. and all tbtngs appertauttng to ibe perfection of mans nature, toljcre^ toitl) be afcenneti info beatjen, anti tl)ere fitterl) untill Je return to jut^c all men at tbe laft Dap* V. TT^e bolt) ©bolt pznceeDing from tbe 4Fatber anb * tbe ^onne, is of one §)nbftance, mateffp ants glort^.toitl) tl)e JFatber anu tl^e a^on, tjerp anb etern^U VI. IJ^Ip g)crij^ture contatnetb all tilings rteceiraru to ^ -* faltation : fo tbat tub^tfoetjer is not reab tbere^? xn> mzmuv be piojijeD tberebp, is not to ber^quireD of mv mam tbat it fbDulb be belsrUeu as an Article of tbe fattb) oz be tbong^it rcquilite 02 necelTarp to falba^ tiom 3in tbe name of tlie bolt? ^criP' ure, toe bo utin uerttann tl?Dfe Canonicall Boofes of tbe iIDlb f jl^eto Ceflam^nt, oftol)ofeaat]^o:4tt?ts3asnei3er anpooubt tntljeeijurc^t Of of the Names and Number of the CkmUA Beohs. GEnefc Exodus- Leviticus, Nurneri. Deuteronomiumi ^- Jofue* Judges. Ruth. The I. Book of Samuel i The 2. Book of Samuel • The I . Book of Kings. The 2i Bookof KingSi The I. Book of Chronicle?, The 2. Book of Chronicles^ The I. Book of Efdras. The 2. Book of Efdras^ The Book of Hefter^ The Book of Job. The Pfalmcs. The Proverb^- Ecclefiaftes or Preacher. Cantica, or Songs of SoIomonJ^ 4. Prophets the greater. 1 2. Prophets the lelf^^ and tl)0 otljer %tsM (a^ Hierome fait Ij ) tlje CJorcl^ DotlireaDfo? example of life artD tnltniction ofmar^ mxB : \>x\i petuoti^ it not applp tljem toi?ffaW((& mi tocttino ^ncl^at^t^erefollo&ing. The3.Bookof Efdra?.' Thc4.Bookof Efdrasrf The Book of Tobias* .c Th^ The Book of Judcth* The reft of the Book of Hefter. The Book of Wifdom, Jetus the fon of Sirjlch. Baruch the Prophet. The fong of the three Children. The Story of Sufanna* Of Bell and the Dragon. The Pra)e: of Manalies. The I. Book of Maccabees. The 2. Book of Macjabees. M m ffiffi^e^ of t^e #etD 1l$VtammiM il}t^ ate tmmonlp vtztii^ztiy fee Do mtHat ano account tliem Cancatcall VII. y^e m^ EtlJt^mtnt 10 notcontratptotljcj^etn, -* fo: batli in t^e Mn ant! 0t^ SCeftament , tUx^ !aff tng lift iB a^mh to mm^im btr C^?tit.tD^o is tlje cmlv ^c^im^ bet^mx (l?oD anD man. bctns ^at^ (^ot^mnmuiu WJerefo2e tjcf ate not tobc^eatD iofjic!) fern tljat tfjt olD fetl)et0 DtD Icofe onlv fo? ttan^ (ito:i? p:!0mtfe0» gtltljong^ tt)e ^atD gitjen ftom no; tibe citjil; p;iecep^s tjeteor Diigbt of necellifp to b^ tecetljeo in nnv CommoniC toealtfj 5 vtt notteil^ftanBtngj no Cftztfttanman to^at^ foebet ig{ ft^ ftom tlje obeoienceof tl^i^ Commanr^ meitt0, tofjicl^ ate calleo £^o^alU viir. nr^t tf?t) tbe apomejp C:^D, oug^t tjjougljlti to betecetljetxanDbel^ljei^J toi t^cvmav bep?ot)eD'bp mott cettain njattantgj of l)olt> ^ctiptute* IX. r>Htgtnali iiit ffanisetft not in t^e foUototnj of aiuam ^^(a^tiie Pelagians do tjainlptalU) but it is t^t feuUanDcpatupltonoftlie natuteof etjetp mam tbat natutalle Hatwallp t6 titff^nD^cD of'tl^e off^fp?tng of ^Dam,ti|»*t0^ Ip man is terp far gone from o^tgirtall rigiKcourne(re> aiUJtJf of ^ts dton nature inclineo to etitb fo ttiat ilje flclj luflftljalirjaits contrary to tfjefptrit; anDttjcrf^* tott in etjcrp perfon ljo:n tnto tW toozlti, tt scferbetlj 0ODJ5 li?;ratl) anD Damnatiom Slno tl^i$ infection ofn^f tutcW^ remain, t?ta, in tbem ttjat are regenerated, totj^ebptlieluft of tlie fltiby Jalleu in (©:^fe Dicvnua o-^f X'?, feljict) fome Do erpoitni3 ttje ^ifnome, fo tie fen^ fuaUitp, fome tt)e affection, fome tlje nefire of tfte flef^, f not fabf cct to tl^e llat» of dPoD. anti ^Itjoiigl) t^ere t0 no condemnation fo:t!)emt!jat bel^be ants are ba^ pti^eD, vtt tU Slpolf le Dot!) tonfedie; tf^af cDncnpifcence anDl«it>tiatJiof it felftje nature of iinne. X. . T® e conoitton of man afcer tl^e fall of ^tsam, tsJ fuc??,' * tftat be cannot turn ami prepare btmfelf bp \ji^ otort natural If rengtb anDgtbDlno^bs to fattb anD callmg uponC^oD: ^berefo:e iDebat3en0 potuerto DagcoD lnojfes pleafant anD acceptable to €^oD, toitboiit tb^ grace of ®oDbP >£bt^ti!p:et3enting ujj, that toe mai? 5at)e a gmD toilU ant) tuo?feing toitb m? tof en toe ^atjie t^KtgoodtDilU XI. VV® ^^^ accounteD rigbteousi before dl^bD, onlp ^ ^ fo^tljem^rttof ofir^o.^DanD §>abiour 3ieru0 Cteitt bv faitih aiiD not to? our oltin tuo^tJgs, o^ Defer^;* ingjJ. Wberefbre, tbatttjeare)ufttfieDbi)fattboneU', 15 a mort tobolefome 2Doctrine> anD ijerpfullofcom/. fo^t, a0 ma?e largeli> is erp.^eifeD in tbe teomib of jR^igcation* Xir. A Albeit tbat gooD tDo;i^^, Inbicb are ti^e fruits of' ■^^faitbj anD folloto after Jwfttftcation, caiinoc pul: atoat? our finned , anD ensure tbe fetjeritt^ of €?oDS juDgement, pet are tbep pleaftng ano acceptable ta C'cD in Cbnffj anD Do fp^ing out neceOariU' of a true anD mdv faith in fo mucb ^bat W %}^mx a UtaelP faitft i«apbea^eWientli> Imotoen, a^ a Iree ^tfcerneD b^ t|)Ct fruit XIII. ' ^ mtpixatmx of U$ ^pivit ace not plcafant to C'ou, fo?afmuc^ as tijet' (pm^ not of fait^ in gefu €i)'2tf! , mit^tt Do t^tp mafec mm m^t to receive gract, o? ( ais tlic g^cl^cDl^^uttjojs; far>) Defecte grace of congruttp: wa. rattier fc: tfcat t^e> ace not Done a$5 toe noubt net hut i\)cv ^alje t^e nature of firtne* XIV. V^iIDluntacpMo;jfes, beliooj}, otjec anDabobe ©oDS ^ Commanmneni0/tD|)tct) ttjet? call toojfesf of S>u^ pererogatiomcaitnot betaugljt toitljoatacccgancp anu impittv. if o;j bi? ttiem men tso iseclace ttiat ttiep Do not mxzlv xcmx unto CoD as muclj as tb^t> are bounD to t'D.biitt!)attf?ei>D3 mo^efotbts fafee t^in of bounDen Dutr^ IS reqinre^i: OTIjeras Ct};^ta fattb platnb,OTlt)en pc ijvitJt Done an tbat are commanDeD to pou> fat>> Mt ate niipMtable ferban^s* XV. (^l^Mitttlic trull) of our nature, toas maDe Ufee ^-" unto us in all t\)inz^ ( fi'nne onelp eccept J fcom tl)bic^; betoasc'earl]^ botD> bottj in jiis flefb? anDtn bis g^ptrit We came to be a JLamb toit^out fpot, tobo hv facriSce ofbtmfelf once maDe, C&oulD tafee atoa^ tbe finne s of tlje too^l?^ : anD ftnnt (as ^aint 3obn fattb ) ibas not ip Um. But all toe tbe reft, (altliougft baptt^ f jd anD bn^n again tn Cbntt ) pet offenD in man? tb^ngs, a ID tf toe Tap toe babe no finnctoe Dccetbe our felbes , anD tlje trutj is not in us* XVI. ^T£Dt cberpDcaDlPltnnctDilltnglp commitfeD after -"-^ 5l5aptirme> istinneagaintt t^e bolp^ftoft' anD nnparDDnable* OTberefo^e, tbe grant of repentance is nittobeDenteDto fucb as fall into Unnt after )13ap^ tifmr* ^fi:er toe babe receibeD tbe bclp (I5boft,toe mag temtt from grace giben,anD fall into ftnne, anD hv tl)t cc**ace of Ci?oD (to.^map) arife again, anDamenD out Itbcj?* 0nD t!jercfc:e, tf^cp are to be- conDemhcD, tol)ic^ fap tliep can no mo^e ttnne as long asleep libe itxtr to t>mv t^t place of fcrtSitenelTe io tixtl^ asJ trul? repent XVIT, pKcDeitination to life, tstfjeetJerlafttngputpofetf ^ €>oD 5 tDl)erebp ( before t^t fQiumtinn^ of djt tDO^ltJtuere la^D) tie l)atl) conttanip iccr^D b^ bs counfeLfecrei to uss, to t^eUte from curfe mm Da nita^ ttom tl)ofe lul)om l)i^ ba'b cliofen tn ^^ii^ out of nar^s fctno. I to bring tbem bp Cfjrtt to eberlaSing ralDat':? oma0 ^2Mb maDe lO bononn OTberefoie t{)ep tul)ic!) be inDuetj toirb fo ercellent a benefit of C^ou. be t?Mm acco:tim5 to <^Qm purpofe bp bt£^ Spirit It^a^^^uig in Due feafon: tl^nnbror*^') State obe;> tbecall^ngatcj^ bemfttffetifrttlp : tl)cpbe maD?^on?5 of dDjobpa^* Dopnon: tbcp bemaoeftlie tbe 3lmage 5f "^i^nntlp begotten ^orine Jefits CteiH: thtv tuaife relgiDtiO.^ in gtoDtoo-zfess, ani3at!en5'!)bp d^oa^merc^ tt|:e::^af^ tainto etjerlaftingfeltctip* Hjs t^z got5U> confiBcraiion of iB:etsei!inattcn anB ourCI;lectiontn t5 full of fiuee , pleafan^ aiiB anfpeaUable comfo:t to gotilf perfons, an?) fiicii ass feel in tbemfelDe^tfjetBC'iMitgoff t^ptritof Ctoiif-, im^?- tifpin^ tljelDo^fej^ of ib^fle^. andtbeir eartblp mem^s bersf, aiiD oramtng up tbetr mim to Irrgb anD beatjaii!?? t!)tngsi, aiS tuell becaiife tttjabgreaipx'irabltfl) am ironSrm tbeir fattb of eiernall M'naUm, tobt enmti^ tljzougb €liti% a.6 becaufe it ml) fertienilp IrnMe tbar lobe totDarts.^ C^otJ : ^o, fo: mti-W) unn carnall perfon^j lacHtng tl)e Spirit Df Cb^iff> to '^abe mntu timWv before tbetr epe0 tbe fen ence of 0oi3.? pirBeiffj^ nattoitj tj5 a molt Mitgeroiiss oattsn fal, lobf rebt? ifje Dettl ootb tb2ult tbem ettbit in o Dcfi^ar^itiort 3: into retcblelTeneire of mottuncUan libing, nole^cpeal^ oujstbenJJefpatation. jf urtbermo2e> tae mult receitje C^oDj? ptom^feg tit fi!C() totfe a0 tbep be generally fet f^tfi to m in I^oIp «)cripture : nm in qik h^im^, timt &iU of alfo nc to be ijau accutfeu> tfiat p^ttumt fo ^ faf t^ateterpman (ball be fatobpttie lialD o^ feet tDbtcl) be p^ofclfetb. fo tbat be be r^ili^mt to frame Ijfsf life acco^ttJtng to tbat lato. anD tbe Ugbt of nature»\ jfo: bolp a)crtpt«re Dotb fet out unto m m\v t^ pame of iefusJ Cb?iff> tobereb^ men muft be fatjeu* XIX. q^ffiefeitlbleCbutcb of Cb;iff, is a tongtegatton of -* feittbfuU men, in tbe tobtcb tbe pure matt of #00 is p:eacbe!3, and tbe S>acraments5 be Duelp mtniltrer, acco:otng to Cb^tlls £DjtJtnance, in all tbofe tbing^ t^at of ncccllttp are reautfite to tbe fame* ^s tbe <£b«tcb of l^terufalem, aierano^ia, antj ^n^ ttocb b^^^ ^^^^^ * ^0 alfo tbe Cbnteb of Rt^me batb er^ retj/not onelp in tbetr ItiJtntt ano manner of ceremo^ nitBy bat alfo tn matters of faitb* XX. T^eCburtbbatb potoer to oecr^ H^ift^ oiCete^ monies, ano autbo^itp in controtoerfies of feitb : Stntj vtt it is not latufuU m tbe Cburcb to o.:oain anp tbing tl^^t is contrary to ©oos Wo?o ^littm, neitber map it fo en^pounoorie place of §)cripture> tbat it be tepitgnant to anotber* Wb^tefeje altbougb tbe Cbureb be a tnitmlTe anb a feeeper of bolp tMrit : pet as it ougbt not to Decree anp tbing agairilttbe fame, fo btlites fte fame cugbt it riot to infojce anp tbing to be bela^teo fo: neceffiip 43f falbatiom XXI. fZ€ntxa\\ (Councels map not be gatbereb togetbet *^ tDttbout tbe commanmncnt ano will of ^?tnces* %m tD^en tbep be gatbereo tcgetber ( fozafmucb as tbepbe anafemblp of men, lubereof allbe not go^ tjerneo iBitb tbe Spirit and Wo^o of (Il?o«5)tbep map crre^anofmnetim- bat^e erreD,e^en intbtngspeirtaitTis tngunto €>o^* Mtb-'^refore tbingso^Daineobp tbem as necefTarp to falbJitoii, bate neitber ftrengtb no? sutbojitp, unlefe it map fee beclareb tbat tbep beta?? ^en out of j^g ^eripture* XXII. 't ^c Itomi© uoctrtne concerning Purgatozp, Psr^ ■* Donjj, iDojti^tptng ano aooratton a0 istll of Images m of MclicbiJ^ anD alfo tnbocatton of^atntgj t^ a fcno tiding, tatrtlp tntjcntetj, anD grcanotu uponnotiarip tmtv of ii>crtpture , but ratf)cr repugnant to t^e Wo^oofdl^oa), XXIII. T IT i£j not latufuU fo,: mv man to tal^e upon Inm tlic ** office of publtchpzeac^tng, o,: mmt{!ring tlie &a^ cramcntjj tn tje Congregation, before lie belato^ullt^ caHeo,anD fent to erccute ttft inme.^m tbofe toe cug^t to niDgc latDfuUt^ callets i fcnt, to^tcl^ foe c^ofen i caUcD totJti5tDo?fe to men. tnfjo bate publichautlKintrgr^ ten unto tbem in tbe Congregattom to call anb feao spintlter^ into tbe llojb^ ttneparb^ xxivr T2t is a ti)ing plainlt^ repugnant to t^e Mot!3 of (II?o% •^ anb tbecuftome of tbe l^ztmittbe Cburcb» to bate publtcfep?at)et int^t€\^mtlf. 02 to mtnilter tbe ^u cramentjj in a tongue not unoerttanbeb of tbe people, XXV. cacramentjss ojbaineo of be certain furetDitnelTfg!, anb effectuall figne^ of grace anb (E^obis gcob totll toloarbs m, bv tbe tubicb be botb tDo;rfe inbifibli^ in u^j anb botb not onelp qutcliem hut alfo (trengtberi and confirm our faitb in bmu Cliere are ttno Sacraments o^DatneD of CbnU our 3lo:bintbe|(0ofpel, tbatistofap, JiBaptifme anbibe Supper of tbe 3io2b» Cbofe fibe commcnlt? caUeb Sacrament ^ fba- i^ ti^ (m>y Conftrmattonj Penancej£),2ber0,s©atriinonr.a!Tii ertream tlllnction.are no^ to be tonnttt^ tot ^acramenf s of tbe d^ofpeL btin^ fuel) m babe grotoii,parHtJ of tbe corrupt follotDtng of tbe ^polllesj partlv are tfarrs rjf life allotoeb in tl}e Scriptures : but ret bate not lifee nature of gjacraments tuiC& Baptifme anb tlfte ^mm ©upper^foj tbat tbet? babe noi mv btHble Scrn 0? cere^ mom>o?batneoof (li?ort c 4 E^z Cl^e ^uaamtnt^ teew not o^iKitncD of CD.jtft fo be gajeDiip3n> o: to be catrtcD about, but ijat i^e ftoulu puelp ai0 ttjem. ant) in fuc^ onelp.ass too^ittitlp receive t|e fame^t^cp tiabe a tDljolfome ea'ect o: operation: S5uttSei? tftat teceitetliemunlDoztbtlpj purc^afcto t^emfeltjes Damnation, as $♦ Paul fattg, KXVL A lltljougl) in t!ie ttliible Clinrc!j tlie ettl be ebct •*• '^ mtnglen tott^ tlje goo?)? anofomettme fte etjtl Ifa^e cljiet autbontt? in t^e mtntftratton of tbe W02U snD Sacraments : vet foiafmuc^ ais tijep Uo not tbe fame in tljetr oton name, but tn CfetlfjJj ahD ooe xnivtv if et b'i? bt0 commtUion antj autbontpjl^e mm> ufe iftetc mmiitr^.bot^ in Ijeating tbe m'm^ of dD^oD, ano m t\)t tccettjtng of t^c g)acramentg5. iliettber 10 t^e elfect of Ct)2\i^$ ojistnance talien atoat? hv tbeir tDtc^cDneJrr> tTrtI;egraerof(13oi5^ gifcs Ountntfteo from fuel?, aj5 bv Mt% ^K^ xiQU\i> Do recetbe tbe ^acranientis mini^ 0141^ unto tfiem>iD'^tcli be effectuallj beeaufe of Cbnff^ inftituaon anc p^aomifej altbougj tf)et? be mtntlfreD bj? ^xtier^elefe, it appertainetb to tbe tJtfcipltne of tlie Cl}uret?, tbat inquire be maoe of ebil ^tmfter^s, ani3 fliat t!iep be accufet; 6p tbofe tfiat fiabe fehotuleoge Dflbctroeencer: antignallt? being founoguiltp. bi> iafl ia^gement be iiepofeD^ XXVII. llSfptifme tss not anelt> a fign of p.:oftl!ton> and marfe *^ of tiiu^tntty tpbereb;) (^bzifttan men are Difcer^ tret) f om n^exB tbat be not CtoiSneD : lu ': it tjs alfo a Seen of i^egateration 02 ne^ btrlfe teberebr.a^ bpan tnariimenr, tbei^tbatrecetlse Baptifme rigbtlr, are grafatJtn'Otl/eCbtitrli : tlje p:omtre0cfrbefo:gtbe^ r.efleof finne. anficfouraDptton to be tbe^onneii pf Cs!3, bv tl)t bolp ^!)olt, are ^iUhlv tignt^ mh kah tn : fattb xb conftrStte^ : am grace incrcafeD hv btrtue 0f praper un-o (3nt^ Kin Bapttfmc of poungcbiluzen te in a^np luife to be retainer tn the Cburel> ais molt Agreeable loitij t!ie inftitution sf CfeiS. xxvvu. XXVIII. nriBt^uwtt of fte Hoztsisnot on£!lt? afign of fte -* ioDe tfjac €Uiftm$ ougftt to t)at3e among tjiem^ fcltjcu one to another: but ratljer it x^ a ^acram^nt of our rtDentptton bp Cbnft^ tjcatli* SHfomucl? tbat to fuc^ as rtgbtlr> ti36;tibilt>j aitu tottb fattl) rcceiije tftc famcj t|)0 b^eaD ipl)icl) tDcbzeafej tsJapartaUtngoftfee 'Bnw of Cteilt : anD liUetotfc tit Cup of blcOing i^ a partafetngof tbe blcoti of cannot be p^ootietibp^olp W:tt: but tt ts repugnant to tbe plain tt)o:D0 of Scripture, otjerftzolDetb tbe na^ Cure of a §>acrament3 anD ijatl) gitjcn occaCon to mmv fupetttittons. %^c boDp of €W^ is git)?nj taUrm anD eaten in tfje §)upper onelp afar an 5^a\3enb ant> fpirituallman^ ner* ano tbe mean toberebt) tbe l^otsD of €f):M is re^j ceit3cD antj eaten in tbe Supper? ts jrattb* STbc »)acrament of tbe i.D?DS ^upp.r tuas nnt hv C]^;rilfso?DinancerercrtetSj carteo about, lif^eD up. oi luojlbippcD* XXIX. 'TiBt loDicfeet), anti fucb asbetioitjofaltteb faitb^ * alftougb tbet? tso carnallt? anb ttfibb pjclTe luitft ibe.rt^tb fas^^ginguaine faitb) tbe Sacrament of tbe boDr and blcDt5 of CljiiVt: \Ktin notytfearc tbev> pariafecrsof CMfu butratbertotbctr contscmnation t)D cLt anD minU t!)e U^nz oz aJacrameut of fo g:eat a fttng* XXX. 'T ©e Cup of tbe llotD is not to be DenieD to tbe %np ^ people, ifc: botb tbe parts of tlje aLo^DS ^acra^^ ment, bp Ch^ifls o?ainance anD commanDcmcnt ongjt to be mtnillrcD to all Cbrifttan mm aliUe. XXXI. npme offering of Cb:ift oncemabe. istbat perfect *' reDcmption,p2opitiation,anD fatisfaction fo: all tbe fins of ti}e iJDbole ido:Id, botb o:igtnall anD actuv^ll anD tb^te is none otfjer fatisfaction fo^ftn, but tljat alone* ®bcn^ trntttfo^ fte tattiSm of ^paOfeiJ, in t^ iDjicft it tona commonlp fiaii), ftat fte p^tefts Dtu offer Cib?tft fo? flje qntcb and tbz Heath to inline remtOlon of pain o;t guilt , Wtzhlnmtmnm ^W^, anooangeroassoecett^^ XXXII. V3^^PP^ IB^teffjJ, antj SDeacon^, are not commanDe)) •^ bp©oDs3lats3, ettljer toDotu ttje rftate of Cngle life, 0? 10 abltatn from niarrtage : Sl^crcfo^e it is lafe^ full alfo fo: tljem, a^ fo? all otljer €^:titian men to marn? at t!)etr otnn Difcretion^ as tftep ftall juuge t Je Xamc to fcrte better to d^oDlineffe, XXXIII. *T*l^at perfon la^Uc^ bp open Denanciatton of ti)t ^ C^urcfi, i*s rtgljtlt? mt off from tfte nnitp of tje C^mTct)j anDercommuntcateD^ouglji to be tafeen of tbe tDljole multttuoe of t&e faitfjfuU as an Ijeat^en f pab^ iitan, unttll fje be openlt? reconcileo bp penance> and recettcD into t^e durcl) bpa Sludge tbatliatbantiio^ ritp ti&ereunto* XXXIV. TS: is not necelTan^ tbat traditions ^and (Eeremo^ ■■^ntes be in all places one, o^ utterly Ufee? fo^atall times tljep Jatie htzn dtt3ers> and mnv be changed, ac^ co;ding to tje ditJcrCtte of Countries, times, and mens manners, fo tbat notbing be ordained againft <^ods Wio^ti. Mbofoetjcr tbtougb W p;{it3ate indge^ ment , toillinglp and purpofeb dotb openlv b?eafe fte C?aditions and Ceremorites of tlje Cburcbi ^ixt^ be not repugnant to tbeWo^d of ©od, and be o:dained and approtied bp common antbo:itp, ougbt to be rebu^ ^ed openlr, ( t^at otfjer map fear to do tbe lifee ) as be iljat offendet]^ againft tje common £D?der of t^e Ctiurcb, and Ijurteft tt}c autbotttp of tlie ^agiitrate » 9nd tooundetb tbe Confctences of tbe toeaS teetj;jem C^tjcrp particular o^ nationall Cburcb, JatJ autjo^? rttteto o:daine, cljange, and abolifb Ceremonies o? Kites of tbe Cburcb, ordained onelp hv mans aut!)o^ ritie, fo t!)at all tljings be done to edifying* XXXV. T^t kcom SBoofe of ©omtltt«, tje fetjerall titlt^ contatrt a ^onl^ mr> tDljolfome ©octrtne nixo ncctdar^ fo^tjefe ttttie^, asDot^thef^jm^rbuCH cf©omiUcs$# iu^tcbtDerefetfo^l) in tl)c time Df^^D'miduiefiFtljt anotljnrefo^etDe juDgetjem to be riaDtn (Sljurc^&ie^ bt> ti)t mm^tt^ Diligcritli^ artD Difttnctl^. t^at fteg ma^ be unDerffantes) of fte people* 0/ rAe Names efthe Homilies. 1 /^F the right ufc of the Church, 2 V^ Againft peril of Idolatry. 3 Of repairing and keeping clean of Churche?. 4 Of good works, firft of JFafting. 5 Againft Gluttony and Drunkenneffe. 6 Againtt Excefle of Apparel, 7 Of Prayer. 8 Of the PI ace and Ti me of Prayer. ^ That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be rftiiliftred in a known Tongue. I o Of the reverent eftimation of Gods Word. II Of Alms doing. t% OfiheNativirycf Chrift. 13 Ofth^palTionofChrifi:. T 4 Of the Refurre6"lion of Chrift. 15 Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the, BodyandBloudofChnft. 1 6 Of tbcGifts of the holy Ghoft. 17 For ihe Rogation daies. ^ 18 Of the State of Matrimony, ip Of Repentance. 20 Againfl: IdlcnelTe. -*i Againft Rebellion* XXXVI. ^ Ti^e 515oofe of Confecratton of 3rcl^btibop5, nm ^ 315tl6op^. aitD o?Dertngof ^titft^ and S>encom, lately fet fo2t^ in tlje time of eutoarDt^efirft, ano confirmed at ttje fame time bp autljo^it^ of jaarlta^ mentj^otl^ contain all things; necelTar^ lo fucli €oiu fecration ani5 o:Dertng : nettliet Jatl) it an^ Hing, tl)at ofttfelfeis fupetititiousanoungoDl^. ano tljerefa^ie, tDl)ofoetiec are confecrateD o; ozDereo accojoing to tlje Kite!5 of tbat 5!5oofe, fincc tlje feconti ^^r of tje afoae^ named ^ihg (EDtoarD, unto tW ^i^^ » o.^ I^ereafter ftall be confecrateD o: czoereo acco;iDing to tlje feme ^itt^, iDe Decree all fuel) toberigtjtl^, o,:oerl^, and lalDful!^ confecrateD ano o^oereD. XXXVII. nr^^ €^«een!5 ^afeftie ftatlj tbe cjief potoer in t^i^ ^ aSealmofCnglanD, anD otljer ber SDominton^ , unto tPbom tbe cbief government of all ejfatejj of tbii5 Kealm, tobetber tbtp be d^ccleCalticall o;j Citiil in all caufes Dotb appertain, anD is not, no;j ougbt to be fubs? ject to anp fo,:reign 3ariCbid:tom Wbere toee attribute to tbe ^^uceneis ^aleffie tbecbtefe golDernment, b^tDbicb titlejs toe unoer^ ffanD tbeminDes of fame flanDerous; fctfeesto be o% fenDeD: toe gite not to our princes tbe miniltring, eitber of d^oDu tnojD, o^ of tbe S>acraments, tbe fDbicb tbtng tbe BInj'uncfions alfo lately fet fo^tb b\> CDlijabetb cur -Ilntm Do mofr plainly telttfie: bu^t tbat rnl^pierogatibetobicb toe fee to batje been gi^^ tjenatoaiejJtoallgoDl^pjtnce^ in bo!^ Scriptures fat> d^oD bimfelf, tbat is.tbat tbep fboulD riile all eltates snD Degrees committeD to tbeir charge bt> (IdoDj febe^ tber tbet? be €ccIeC!africall oa 2remp3:all , anD re# ftraine ^xt\^ tbe CiDil ftoojD tbe ftubbo^ne anD ebil DCi» crs. CbelBilbop of Home batb no Jurifbictiontntbts afCeatm ofenglanD* i:iie ILatnej^of tbe Kealm map pmxib CbJtfdan wen toitbbeatb, fo^beinousanDsrietjous offences. - at gt t^latDfiilfoiCfeifctarttweiT, attJeCommamfcp mtnt of tlje ^aSifttate, to tccarc toeapons> ano fertje tn tfje toarre^. XXXVIII. TKel^ict)£S anD gooos of CJ^ifttansarenotcom^ ritotTj astoucljins tlje rigftt title anD polMion of ttie fame> ass certain Jlnabapttfts tjo fMv boaft i^ot? tDitl)f:anDtng. etjer^ man ong^ of facb ttjtngs ass 1)0 pofTelTett), ItberaUp to site almesi to tfte poo?c , ac# CDjDins to t)iss ability* XXXIX. A§> toe confetft tfjat taatne anD raft ftoearing 10 fo:^ btDDcn C^^ifttan men hv our llo:t) Sefps Cfeift, an^ 31ame0t)i$J2Cpoftle: ^otoeiuuge t^atCtetfttan Religion Dot J not p^otjibite, but ttjat a miait mat> ftuearetuljentlie £0agtftratc regmretb, tnacaufeof faitbanD cbaritte, fo it be ooncaccorDing to tbej^^o^^ p^etsJ teact!ing> in juff ice, fuDgment, anotrutl^* The The Contents, Chap* I. /^^Fthe Sedimus Liberty ^f the new \^ DdStrines which hath been tbefrin* cipal m£ans $f the Covenant y p. i . Cb^p,?. That the Covenanters aredefiitute ofdlt froofi for their war made again jl the i^/^^^pwi i. Cbap.3. Expre^ Texts of Scripture nfhich coM^ mands obedience^ and forbids Refifian^e to Sove^ rignSf P»^l» Chap.4. The Evafions of the Covenanters upon th Texts of Saint ?au\^ Rom* 13. andhowintims they refufe the judgment of Scripture* p^2 8. Ghap.5. what Confiitutionof State the Covenan- ters forge ^ and how they refufe the judgment of the Laws of the Kingdom, p.40*- Chap,6. What Examples in theHipriesofEng^ land, the Covenanters make ufe of to authorize their anions y p.46. Ch^p.y. Declaring wherein the Legiflative power of Parliament conftfls^ P« 5 o. Cbap.8. How the Covenanters wiM be fudges in their own caufe, P»^3* Chap.p. That the mofi noble and beft part of the Parliament retired to the Kingy being driven a- way by the worfer^ p.6y* Chap. Chap* 10.4 PardlUt of the Covenant with the ho^, Ij League of France , under Henry the thirds Chap, II. The Ve5Irine0fthe Englifli C(?i^e»4»- tersfaralleNivHh tbeDB^rine efthe fefmtSy P.7*. Ch^p^il. Hqw tie CovenAnters meng the Re- formed churches , in inviting themtojoynmith $hm ' tvith an Anfrver for the Churches of Prance, p8i^ Chap. 1 3. The preceding Anfwer confirmed hj Di* vine$ pf the Reformed Religion, mihan An^ fmerti^fiime ohjeili^ns of the Covenanters upon thisSuhjeSf, p. 10 1. Chap* 14; ^('if the Covenanters have mreafenU invite the Reformed Chftrihes to their Alliance ^ fince the J difer ft$m them in many things of great importance^ p. 1 1 5» Chap.i5. of abolifhing the Lpurgjy in doing of which the Covenanters oppoje the Reformed Churches, p.122. Chap.itf. of the great prudence andwifdom of the firji Englifh Reformers, and of the Fool hardi" nejfe ofthefe at prefent, p I32* Chap.17, How the Covenanters labour in vain t0 fow Sedition betmen the Churches ^/England and France, upon the point of Difcipline : of the Chrifiian prudence of the French Reformers^ andofthe nature of Difcipline in general, P*i45» Chap. 1 8. How the Difcipline of the Covenanters is far from the praitife. of other Churches, ^.1^)6. Chap, Chap..ip. Thut the Ccvenanters mne theMhh fiers 0f the Gejf el under colour ef ReformAtio»i p.163. Chap.ao. of the Corruption of Religion objected t9 the Hngliih Clergy j and the waies that the Cove- nanters took to remedy them, Paga^7» Chap. 2 1. An t^nfmrtothe ohjeHion^Thatthi King made War againft the Parliament^ ^AjS* Chap-22. of the Defraved and Bvil Faith of the Covenanters. p. 1 84. Chap.23. of the Injlruments both Parties madeufe of^ and of the Irifli /iff airs. p. 207 'Chap. 24. How the different FaiSions of the Cove- nam agreed, to ruine the King, and contributed to put him to deaths p. 2 26. Chap. 2 5. of the cruelty of the Covenanters towards thegood Subjects of the Kingy P.^3^. CHAP. ill CHAP. 1. of the feditiotis Liberty ef New Doctrine s^ which hath hetn the frincifal means of the Cdi/e- mnt. Complete Hiflory of ciur Affairs fince the beginning of thefe Co'.iimotions, would be the belt Apology for the Juftice of ouc Caufe ; but this let fo-T.e brave Spirits labour that are furniilied with Records and Intelligences, and who are indued with a judicious Candor, which may leave to after Age^ an r.ccomplilli- ed porcraidture of the wickedneffe of this laft Age j buc that we iliill not undertake here: YeD heverthdelfe, fince the Queftion of Right depends upon that of Fa6^, and that to judge of a Different, we nfiuft know who began the Qu^rreU it h neceffary that fdmething be' fald of the occafions and beginning of thi^ here ; for in regard of the progreffe, it isfo nororiouflyandpro- digioufly wicked on our Enemies {^de, that their neigh- bours that formerly had too good an opinion of theiir Caufc, acknowledge now that they have rendred it very evil. It iTiall be out' Task then to let the world fee th.it ic hath been Evil from the very beginning, and that the"r Jirft proceedings vvere contrary to the Word of God, to the co^iftituuon of the Kingdom , and to natural Equity ; Yea, thit all thofe fearfull prodigies of Ini- A quity CO i}ulty which the world beholds with a juft execration, arc the ncceffary cenfequenccs of their firlt avowed and publiflied principles. Ye muft therefore know, that the Parliament affcm- blcd in]Sfovemki6^0y was compofcd for themort part of Perfons of Honour , aife6lious to their Religion, King and Country, and of fo-ne others alfo, whofcde- fignes aixed at a general overthrow of all things : Thefe finding che.Tireives to be few in number, labour to joyn to ttieir Fa6lion the numerous and meaner fort of peo- ple of LW^?;/, who being kept under a jult and gra- cious Soveraign in their duty, and in happy fubjcdlion, could not be induced to mutiny by no other motive then that of Religion, which is the handle by which the Po- liticians in ail times have wound and turned about the Spirits of the people. We will not ncverthelefie deprive them of this Glo* ry, th.^t it was they that firft brought the Reformation of Religion upon the Stage, but the Honour is due to them who fincc have fufferedfor their Loyalty towards God and the King; that in thi^- holy entcrprife they only carried the.nfelves vigoroufly and fincerely, but ^heir good Zeal by the Cunning of the Party was driven fofar, that labouring to reform theClergie, theyfer- ved, without thinking, the deHgn of them that would deftroy thcm,and to caufe afte-ward Monarchy to tum- ble upon the Ruines ^f the Church. This profcflion of the Parliament to Reform the Church, fils the hearts of all good men with joy and hope ; for although that the excellent Order in the Englifh Church dcferves highly to be refpedled and ad- mired ; the purity of the Gofpel there being clothed with Honour, and defended by an Epifcopal Gravity, yet is It of our Government, and of all other in the world, be they Eccleiiaftical or Civil, as with Watches, that how good and cxccUtnt foevcr they be, length of nme 1^33 time diror(fers them, that ever and anon they have neel 6F mending and making dean. It is aimod an Age iirice the Dodlrine and Difcipline of our Church hath been renewed, and it is a wonder both the one and the othe: have been fo weli conferved In fo long a fpace : Neverthelefs, the faiilts of fo.ne Particulars ought not to be imputed to the General. The Church hath fiouriilned under OHr Difciptine, and the Truth hath been preferved, and the Good being put in the Ballince againlt the Evil, the people had fvir more c uife to glorifie God , than to complain ; but we have to do With Spirits vvhofc nature is like Lapwing?y which in a Garden full of fruits , feed only on the Ca- terpillars. . There is nothing fo well done, that doth not dif- pieafefome, c\^en the work ^Oi* God difpleife the De- vil, becaufc they are well done ; and in all thofe works \Vhcrein the fpirit of man hatli a part^ there is nothing fo perfect which may not be amended. Our Lyturnie,- fo holy , and fo highly etteemed in all the Reformei Churches , hath neverchelef^ given olFence to many perfons amongrt us. And although it was for a very fmall matter, yet thofe who were atfeftion ire to' peice, were content to change fom thing, and fo to purchafe Concord with theit DilTenting Brethren at th.\t price. Whence this overture of Reformation opened a gate' to the Liberty of them that defireda change,, and the parliament being compofedof perfons of different in- clinations, in matters of Religion, every pne h^d li- berty to fay and vvri'te what he pleafed, and had a Party in the Affe r.bly of Eftare;, that protected and encoura- ged them r The Germans never wrote fo m.uch upon Logick in a hundred yeir., as the £z?^^//:'fe wrote of the Defighs of their EcclefiifticalDifcipline in three m.o- neths ; e\*ery vVeekbrou|lit forth athoufandfeditiou? "•As- pamphle:s5' C4l pimph!ecs, vvbich fupplied the fcareicy of Coals ; every vvrker made a Piacforni of Reforniadon according to his humour, and in this new builclng none would con- rcnc himfelf to be a Mafon, but every one would be Architect ; and there was none of chem who called noc his reformation the only Kingdom of Jefus Chritt, ouc of which there was no i'alvation : But thefe Kingdoms of Jefus Chriil agreed one with another, and with the nature of the thing, as the Title> and Ch:ipters (^Mon- tagues EJf^ys : Th-e people are called a Bcafiwith m.any Heads 5 and when ail thefe heads fhallcry out at one time, and every one with a ditferent cry, I leave you togreife what an odious difcord they make in the ears bodi of God and man. In the ml:i\ of this unlverfal diftra6lion, it was ap- poin.edthTt acert.nn num.berof Divines, differing in the point of Difcipline, lliould meet together to con- fer about Religion, as well for the interiour as theex- tedour parr, where m.any Billiops and other of the chief of the Clergy met; the BilliOp of Ll'/rcolne (who af- terward was Arch-Biiliop of rori^) m.ade this Propofi- tion to them. That the Divines Ihould in no wife touch upon the point of Difcipiine, until fuch tim.e as they were agreed about the points of Do6trine , hoping thereby that their fpirits being united by the bond of one common, but holy Faith, they would er{i'yaa:ord about the exreriourGovernment or Difcipline. This Ccunfel was embraced by all, and fo wifely managed Sy that great Perfon, that in three Meedngs, the Divines accorded upon all the fubliance of Religion, and for.Tcd hereupon divers Arcicles, and with one confenc condemned divers opinions : This general conlent in Do61:rine filled them with hope, that the ppin-s of Difcipline would pafs with the like fvveetnefs 5 and indeed there wanted not much to have made uar happy. But C53 But before the report of this good Agreement could be publifhed abroad, the Fa6lious party of the Scute, fearing above all things this accord in Religion, fiidden- Jyraifed a ftrong Qiurrel ngainll the Degree of BilL ops, as an appurtenance of AniichriR ; and another, about their fitting in Parliament; and did fo exafperatethe people againft the Prelates, that in ftead of purfuing their deiign of Reformation, they were conftrained to provide for the fafety of their own lives. After this, there was no more fpecch of the Agreement in Re'.igi- on, for that would utterly have fpoiled their work, for it had never beenpofTible to have raifed the people a- gainll the King, if the conclufion of this conference had been made known to the world, that the King, the Court, and the Bilhops, m.ace profeffion oftheiinccrc reform.ed Religion. Now, becaiife all the Lies and Subtilties of the Devil were nor capable to impute unto them another GonfelTnn of Faith, but that which they maintain, which was Holy and Orthodox, known eve- ry where, and confirm.ed by the ConfelTions of all the reformed Churches o^ Europe ; the Faclious perfwadcd the people, both by their Sermons and feditious Libels, that the degree of Biiliopswas an effencial Branch and Mark of Antichrift, and that to pull them down, was to do the work of the Lord, and to ruine Antichrift ; and that if the King would maintain them, he would be dedroyed wi'-h them, as being oneofthofeKing? who gave his power to the Beaft. And befides the deRruilion of Billiops, they openly demanded the Abolition of the Divine Service received in the Church of E^gUnd^ condemning the ufe of all other prayers, yea even of the Lords Prajer ; quarrelling with the Apoftles Creeds denied the- necefTity of the Sacraments, boalled of a new Light that had apr eared to them from Heaven to draw them out of Popilli Darknefsj and all that was not compatible with tleir A3 extn- CO ^^travaganc Iliuminations , they called popery; and the Minirters that difobeyed thena, paal's Prielbj and |he fupporrers qf Antichrift. By (iich kind o£ people were the great multitudes .flirred , who came crynig at the Gates of the King and parliament for Reformation, threatning with fire and fwora ail thoie that ihould oppofe it : Of thcfe Affem- blieSy we may fpeak what is Ipoken of the uproar at j?- fhefm^ A61:s 1 9.3 2. The Aflem.bly was confufed, and the more pare knevy non wherefore they were come to- get her, for thofe that called for Reformation, under- Itood not one another, and their opinions were diffe- rent in Religion-, as appears at this day ; ngreeingon- Jy in this, to pull dovvn the EccJeiiaiHcal Government ; and what New Governm.ent the; will build upon the |lui,nes of the OJd, vye Jliall know, when the fword hath decided the coniroveriie ; butwhilft thcM.iriners ftrive,^the Ship links. The Lord behold his poor Church in compairion. We have great hope fiow, beholding the diverfiry of Opinions and Inclinations, that thefe evil ingredients will together m^ake a good Tempera tute, and that the xJilorder, yea, even the Llcentioiifiiefs it felf will inforcc .ir.^er, as comm^only evil Manners beget geodLaws; byt to attain this , it^ required in this general conf u fi- ©|i, that thofe of cleK and found judgments, who fee the bottom of the evil, and know the Remedy of it : But having confidcred them that? walk before in the de- fian of Reform.ation, we find that they are fuehchac neither know the Remiedy nor the Evil. ' As for the Evil, in Head of having their eye v upon t^(? errors of parciculars, againft the principal points q£ Faith , and Confeffion of the E'agli(h Church ; they grevy obftinate againttcertain fmail a^id indiffejenc Cc- nemonies vyhich the King had many times offered to change by a Synod lavyfully aflembled 5 and caftall tho^ C73 Fire of their pailion upon the Epifcopal prehcmineKce, aSurplifs, aFeftival^ Forms of Pn^yer, Painted win- dows ; and condemning many goo^ things amongtt the evil. And as for the Relied y, wc have here whereat to admire, that ftriking aciofmail and light evils, they Would employ fuchexc ream Remedies, nothing being abletofervc but general deliruilian, as iftoheilthe pain of the Teeth, they would cue oft i he Head, in (ieadof proceeding by an amiable conference, appoint- ing a deputation of the Clergy of the Kingdom to af- fcmble in a Synod to calm the hery fpirics, and to keep the people in obedience to their Soveraign, andtofa- ften the building that fiiaked5by theCimentof Charity^ they made open profcflion that the Reformuion could not be effected but by blood, that they would have no peace with the Billiops and their C!erp,y, that they muft dedroy before they build, raze P* and employments; for they fenred that they who ;^re lets governed by EnthuH.ifms, might at lart fo fir forget themfelves, as to be faithful ro their Sovereign, and yield to a peaceable accomodation. Behold here then, wherefore we would not joyn our felves with thefe Reformers, becaufe we fee that even they themfelves have the greateft need of Reformation, heing far gone from the Do6\rinc of the reformed Churches, erring in the Faith, but yet m.orcin Chari- ty; It's they Would fwecp the Church, as God fwept Bahjlofi^ with the Beefom of deftru6lion .• They freak not of reforming neither Do6lrines nor Manners, but to ruine the Pcrfons : They account the moftpartof theClergy of the Kingdam umv^thy to be corrected, but altogether ro be rooted out ; that one part of the Reformation was to ruine the King, a^^d to take the ' fword from his fide to cut otf his head ; the favourers of tumults were the only perfons that were c^refled^ they lent their ears to the populi^r tum.uks, whilfl they fhut the mouths and bound the hands of the Magi- ftrates : It was they taught that the people were above the King, and that the Commriid of Saint PW, that every one iTiould be fubjedl co the higher Powers , obligeth the King far to obey the People ; it was they that upheld , ye^, favoured and courted a 11 forts of per- nicious Se6ls , provided. that they would bandy with th^m againll their King ; It was they that fiiffered to go Cio3 gounpttniflicdtheBIafphemicsin the Pulpier, the In- Iblencies, Sacriledges and horrible profanations of the Service of God, and permitted all things to thofe who were of the zealous party. We beheld on the other fide, thit the King took knowledge of the grievances of his people, as well for the fpiritual as temporal, and Liboured' fincerely to re- medy them ; th.it he confented to the alteration of of- fenfive things in Religion, and to rhe punifhment of thofe who were accufed as trotiblers of the Church, pro- vided that the thing > and per fons were examined by re- gular and lawful waie^ of a general Synod, which he of- fered to a (Temble; he alfo was ple.ifed to yield of his own right to augment the rights of his Siibje6ts, and daily multiplied a6ls of favour, capab'e to convert the molt alienated fpirits, paffed by the many and great af- fronts that were done to his authority, and endeavoured by all waies pofTible to overcome evil with good. But the more the King yielded, the more infolent were the fa6lious againrt him ; he offered to reform both the State and Church, but they would not permit him, they theaif elves would do that work without him. The King fent divers meifages to know of them what things they would reform, but to this they anfwered only with compbints. Neither could he obtain any declaration of that which they defired, until that bis Forts , Magazines , Ships and Revenues were taken from him ; the reafon of which hath fince been given _ .. - by one of their principal Champions. had need to make a fence about it before theybegin,thac the work-men might labour without interruption ; and that to lance the Apofiumc of a fick Statc,they niuft firft biad the Patient. r. Our Confcience could not accomodate it fclf to thi? prudence, neither ever expert any good from fuch a way ..of of Reformation , which would bind the Royal hands and feec of M^/efty, before they would dedarc what chey deftred of his Favour ; and cut afunder the Nerves of his Authority and fubfittance, under colour to cfta^ bliih the Kingdom of JeTus Chriih A ftrangc proceeding to us that have leirned of S* PanU that a Prince beareth net thefveord f» valn^ R6m. 13. 4. But in that is the MinifterofGod to execute wrath ; and th;it to refift him , yea, when he (hould make ufq of the fword to commit injuftice, is to refift the Ordinance of God : But if he ufe it well or ill, that ought to be left to him who gave it him, and to whom only be ought to render account ; his Sub jei^s ought to counfel him, ifhedidill, and refufe to affift him in evil doing, and not reprefs him by Arms : That if this Command of S' Paul obliged the Romans to obey a cruel vicious Prince, and enemy to God, we fhould account our felves much more bound to obey a juft, mer- ciful , religious Prince, whofc life was a rare example of piety and fan6tity, and his Government fo juft and • peaceable, that he might well be called the Father of hisSubje6ls; whowanted nothing to make themhap- py, but to know their happinefs. CHAP. CHAP. II: that the Covendnters are ie^itute of aU Proofs from Hoi) Scripture for their War made again(l the Kipg. THefevioJentbeginmn^s of the Covenanters, and their Progrefs .ilfo, which overthrows all humane Authority, had great need to ftrengthen it felf by Di- vine Authority, to fatisfic the Conlciencc ; whence i^ it that they made a great noife of it in their Pulpits , but not in their Difpates ; for thofe that exhorted the people in Scrip :ure-term to War ?g-nnft the King, hang down the head, when in conference their Proofs are demanded, Dying ; that. It is not for Divines but Lawyers to decide the prelent quarrel ; Whence it ap- pears that there is a greit ditference betwixt the terms and proofs of Scripture , and thit many that have the voice of the Lamb, fpeak as die Dragon. But fearing left they fhould accufc us, that we fup- prefs their proofs, behold here all that they make ufe of, both in their Books arid Sermons, part borrowed from the writings of the Jefuites, and part from ^ ,. . ' two Books which are Printed with n^:::^T Machbvds prince, and not without ]un Maginratus. g^^^^ reafon,for there are three wick- ed Books together, and its a won- der bow that in threefcorc years their Books .have noc been burnt for company by the hands of the co:n^ mon Executioner. They alledge the example of Davidy who had fix hundred m.en for his guard when he was purfued by Saniy I Sam. 22,2. The example cf the -Army of Jfracly which faved Jo- Ci33 9jathAKy when S^^ would have put him to death, I Sam, I4.45' Of Ehffd^Viho HtwEglofj King of Mody an Op- preffor of the Jfraelltesy )udo, 5.21. Theex-miple of the Town of LlMo^ vvhich revolt- ed from the obedience of Jehoram^ becaufe he had for- faken the Lord God of his Fathers, 2 Chr.zi, 10. Of Jfhtty that cut off the Houfe of Ahaify 2 idfjas ^. The example of Jehojadah the High Prieft , who commanded j4thaliah ihQ Queen to be put to death, Of the Priefts of Jerafalem , who refiftcd Uz^iak the Kin^ , when he would have exercifed the Priefts Office, 2 ar^«.26.i8. The example of Eiijha who caufed the door to be iliur, whcnforam the King of Ifrael fent a mcfleiv- ger to cut off his he.id, 2 Kwgs (5. 1 3. And alfo the malediflion that Ddorah gave to the Inhabitants of Meroz,^ became they came not to the help of the Lord, when Baraks fought againft Sifera , Judges $.2^. Likevvife the maledi6lion pronounced by Jeremy sgainfthimthat fhoulddo the work of the Lord de- ceitfully, and that {hould keep his fword from Shed- ding the blood of the Moahites^ Jer,48 .10. The Idols of Lahan , and the Genealogies of the Patriarchs might alfo have been brought tothispur- pofe ; it mult needs be,'that the Spirit of Error and of Lies, have a great power upon the underftmding of thefc people, for to perfwade them byfuch reafons to hazard their Goods, and Lives, and Confcicnccs in an open War againft their Soveraign. All thefe pal&ges of Scripture are Examples and particular Cafes, and all except one far from the point in controverfic ; but in a matter of fuch importance as the refiftingof the King, which is fo expreQy for- bidden. Cm3 bidden, and under pain of damnation, there is need of a formal/ command, or of a permiifion exprclfed , that exempts Chriftians ; at Icaft in fonie certain cafes, for the crime of refifting the higher powers, which is ro relift God , and from the puniilimenc of eternal damnation ; without this all the Examples of Subjeds rifing up againft their Princes from the very Creation of the World cannot, nor is able to put Confcience in- to a quiet condition: He hath but fmall knovV ledge that knows nor that Examples prove nothing, but thac fuch a thing hath been done , and is polTible ; not thac it ought to be done, or that it is lawful to be done ; if there be not a Law built upon the Example, and a So- veraign Authority given to it, that it may be a pattern for the future; and'then its no: the Exam.ple, but the Law that we are bound to follow, which cannot be faid of the Examples before aliedged, which bcdde the general infuflficiency of Examples in matter of proof touch not the point of Kefiihnce in queftion, except the firft, which is wholly contrary to it. Which is the Example of Davldy who being perfe- cuted by Saui^ cook fix hundred men for his Guard ; this might fufficefor Anfwer, That this adHon is not recommended by the Word of God, nor propofed zs an example for us to follow ; Chriftian piety and pru- dence, may imitate many a6tions of holy perfans, which are not formally recommended in the word of God ; but the queftion being to exempt us from a prohibiti- on, and a formal threatning,^'/w.i 5.2.one of the moft confiderableandpenaHnaU the Scripture, Wcmayre^ ccive no example to the contrary, if it be not exprefly rer^m mended and turned into a command; and befides thcUft command ought to have the advancagc, arid to be obeyed before the firft. ^ Moreover, extraordinary Cafes in Scripture, where- in there is a Miraculous and Prc^hetick Conduct, can- not D53 nac fcn^e for a pattern in ordinary cafes : David was Anointed King over Ifrael^ by a fpccial command of God, and in all the Lilt of the Kings of T«^/i^, there were none but Saul and David called to the Kingdosn in this manner. And this holy Undlion gave thern priviledges in Jjrael which were oncly proper to them, and which the Gentlemen of the Govcnanc have not in £;?^/W, for ordinary cafes there arc perpetual and inviolable precepts, and thefe precepts are wholly con- trary to the refitting of Soveraignsby Arms. Oar Enem.ics neverthelcfs challenge a particular Incercft in this example of David , bccauffe they ac- count themfelves the anointed of the Lord, but deny this Title to their *King, if he be not one of the Ek6l of God ; but let them learn, that that which renders Kings the anointed ofrheLord, is not true Faith, nor the Gifts of the Spirit, but that Soveraign power which they have from on high. And therefore C^ru^ a Pagan King is called by God himfelf , his anointed, and his Shepherd, Ifal.^ 5.1. If then Kings are the anointed of the Lord , without coniideracion of their Religion or vertue, it follows then that they lofe not their un6lion, neither by their Errors not their Vices ; and that falling froiA the grace of God, yet they fail not from that power whlch^they held of him. This is fpokcn of by the way againft the Herefie of mcft part of the Covenanters, whode- ay the divine Unelion of Kings, and fallen it to their fantafies in Religion. And we have caufe to give thanks to thefe men who allcdgc to us the example of Dai/Id^ there being no- thing in all the Scripture more contrary" to them ; ^ in iteadof that they purfued the King with weapons frt their hands, and gave him Battel ; David fled conti- nually from place to place, and never ftruck one rtroke i»r drew his Sword againft^ King, Twice he let him ii62 him efape when be had him in his power, and having taken away his fpcar, reiiored it to him again ; and having but cue off the Lip of his garment, his heart fmote him for it ; and when one counfelled him to difpacch him, then when he was in his hands, he faid, The Lord forbid that Ifmnld do this thing unto my Ma- fier^ the Lord', anolnt^d^ to ftretch forth my hand agamfl: him-, feeing he is the Anointed of the Lordt I Sam.24.5. And when his fervancs would have flain him, he faith, Defiroj him not : for who can ft retch forth his hand againfi the Lords Anointed^ and be gmltlefs^ I Sam.25. 9, This Divine Title bound his hands, and poffeffed his fpiric with fear and afionillimenr. And fince our Enemies make hi/h to fay that he would nor lirecch forth his hand againit the King, if he defcended not in Battel againfthim; let them well read the Text, but efpecially in the Original, and the/ /hall find no fuch thing ; David doth rather put S^hI wholly into the hands of God, Verf, io,The Lord (hall fmite him, or his,daj (hall come to die ^ or he jhall defcend into the battel and perlfh * The Lord forbid that I fkonld firetch forth my hand againfi the Lords Anointed : He dcth not fay thic he will not llretch forth his hand againfl him, unlefs that the Lord fmire him ; for if God finite him, wh.it need had X)^;Wtofmi5e him? He doth not fay he would dcfcend into Battel againft him, for then his Adions would have contradi6led his Words , for he always fled from him ; the Event proved that his words were Prophetical, and that he waited whilcfi: Saul fliould be (lain in a Grange War, and that the hand of the Lord ihould be upon him. And if David never gave him Battel, we cannorim^ pute it to his weaknefs ; for he might as well have de- feated the Army of Saul, as that of the PhiltfilMs be- fore JTWW, with his fmaU number; if God who gui- ded him in all his ways had found it good* fince it had been E»73 been eafie for hl[n to have raifed mighty Armlet, bd- ing defign^d the Succeflbr of SohI in tne Kingdom s' for people naturally adore the Riling Sun. , ^^ David retired in :o Keilah^ and having heard that ^W had an rntencion to come thither to take him^' enquired of the Lord, if thofe in the Cicyvvoulddeliyec him up to ^^«/, and God having anfwercd hiin, thaC they Would deliver him^fled from thence^ the Mini- fters therefore of the Covenant infer, that David had a defire to forcifie Kellaby and to endure a fiege. %c ali which they can gather from that Paffage h^ that David vva? not fafe in that retreat, and that God advifed hifii to feck another, for the Inhabitants of Kellah mighc have delivered him to Sad without attending afiege l but when they fhall have proved that David would have fortified Keilah , it makes nothing for them i fince God declares by his Anfwer , that it was not pleafing to him, / . . .■• We would befeech the Gentlemen of the Covenant to hold themfelves to this extople which they, have chofen, that they would cafhier their great Armies / for David had but a fewpeoplcjwith them, i Sam*^ 5V 16, that they would not rob the Subjci"i:s of their King, of their Goods ; but imitate the Souldiers of Pavid^ who were a wall.both by night and day to the Flocks and Herds of Nal^al ; That having feizcd up- on the Arms of. the King, let them peaceably reftore them again as Davidy and not with the points for-^ ward. Let their Confciencc ftrike them ^ and make them cry out , The Lord forbid that 1 (hopild do this thing againfl my M after the Lords Anointed^ for rohd^ can fir etch forth his hand againfi him and he gniltUfs ? Words which befide thccxample carry vyith the ma. perpetual and exprefs command, and {hall one day be produced in judgment againft thofe that defend the . hre Commocions by tbc example of DAvld'y\ndi if. "S tftdr their continuance in the Kingdoms of his M^jeuy , is dther diCpleahng or dangerous to them, in i ead of oppofing bi.Ti, lee thcTi rea re into fome flrange Coun- try, as David did to King Achis ; Ice the:Ti alio imitate his iincerity in m.iking ufe (pt (dangers one!y for his pro"c6Vion, and not to invade h^s Country, and raiic his Subjefts agiinll their King, which k that ufe the Covenanters ixiployed the Scots ; In one point onely they imitate and lurpafs DAvid^m that he fained himfelf a Fool, tor they indeed iCt tb.Q Fools in good earnelL In brief, the Exam.p'e of David which they alledge, is fo contrary to the AclioAsofthe Covenanters, tLic they have great re.ifon to feir !ei{l God alledge this at thedrceidful day of JudgeT.ent agnnR them, faying, Om of thy own mouth will 1 judge thee^ thou wicked [er-^ t/^/^r, Luke 19.22. The other palfiges of Scripture are moft ridiculoufly alledged, and ferve only to ("hew their 'great we.iknefs. They bring the aclion of the Army of Sanly that h\'(t^JoHathan?.^\m^ the Oath of hi^ Fither, iSam.i^ 45. but to wha!: purpofe is this ? Doth this Army draw their fwordagaint^ the King? Ufe they any vio- lence either againii his Perfon or Eftatc ? If a Ki^g would put to death his Innocent Son, thofe faithful Subjects whom the King employs in this Execution do well not to do it, and to refufe giving obedience to fo unjuft a command. ■ They m,akc ufe alfo of the example of Ehnd^\yho flew lEglon King of Moab^ who kept the Ifraciites in flavery, ^^^.^5.2 1, we haveofren heirdthis exam.ple prelfed with m.uch veheTiency in Puljit^. The Preachers com.- pared Eglon to the King, affirming that Eglon was tb^ lawful King of Ifrael^ and that it is lawful to kill a le- gitimate King, if he opprefs the people of God ; all this is falfe, and proper to be refuted only by the Hang- uaan, to vvho.m we leave theiHo Tht Li9l 'The Example follows of the City of Ljhah^ Which appertained toe he Xfz//w, which revolted from thee- bediencc of Jehoram^ hecatife^iAxh the Texc) he hadfor- fikentke Lord God of his Fathers ; the Covenanters ap- ply the word Becanfe to the intention of the Inhabi- cancs of Lihmhy and noc to the judgement of God ; whence thefe gentlemen conclude, That it is lawful for' the people to fhakeoff the yoke of their Prince, wheit the Prince forfakes God, of which they will be Judges; Although L/i^;/^/? tliould revolt for this rearon,'yctic fol- lows not that the reaion is of ftrength, or thic it oughc to be turned into example, a thing which requires a; hew proof of Scripture ; bur the drift of the Text is, ta aflign the caufe of this revolt to the Juftke of God,-and hot to that of m.en : Take the whole Text, 2 Chro?t.2i^ i o, S(fthe Edomkes rsvelted from mider the hand of Jh-^ dahmto this day, Th^ fame time alfo ^/<^ Libnah revolt from finder his hand^ becaufehe hadforfaken the LffrdGiJi ^f his Fathers. Having conful ted with the Original, we find that the revolt of Edom and of Libnah were b6tli togeihcr, withoitt the leaft di(iin6lion ; but betyvceiithe difcourf€ of thefc, two Revolts , and the reafoh ad- joyned ,- there is * there the ufual . ^ , . , irirk for the dfflmdion of half *J"'"t>" ^'^.f periods : vvhich fhevvs that this rea- ton ferves equally for both the Re\^o^ts,and chefenTe of the Text carries it evidently, that the Idnmeansy and thofe of L/^;?^/? revolted for the fame caufe, and that thefe /^»w^^;?j vvhich vvere Idolaters, had no ground to' revolt from the King o£jfidahj becaufe at that cim.e he wa;s alfo fallen into Idolatry ; its therefore the' t>ivine julUcc that the Text regards , and not the Motives o£ fecond Caufcs. Alfo the fame Author faith, thnt Pekah the Son of Remaltah flew in Jndah 1 20000 in one day, which were •-a:!! valiant men, ^ff^/^ thy hadforfaken thf L^rd Cod B 2 4f t»°3 of their Fathers. In thcfe two paffages the fenfe is a- like,andth€reifon of the punil"hmeni: couched in the fame terms ; now its moft evident th.it the Sj^rlaftshzd no Quarrel againit the Jejvs for forfaking God, becaufe they did not believe m him., wherefore we arc to look to JuiHce of the King of Kings, who for the (ins of Princes fufiTers them to lofe the Crbedience of their Sub- je6ls; for God ferves himfelf of the wickednefs of men, whereof he is not thecaufe, for to execute his juft judg- ments j but thit excufe h not ihe ReSellion of Subje6ts, for it is their pare toconhdcr \^ hat they owe to their King, and not what their King deferv^es of the Jufticc of God. They add the cx.miple of Jehuy who extermina- ted the King of Ifrael^ ?.nd all the pofteriry of u4hab , 2 iT/;?^/ p. in which wi.hout doubt he did very well, becauie God commanded him, but the Covenanters did very ill in perfecuting their King, becaufe God had for- bidden them : After this they bring the Execution of the Queen Athalkh^ by the Com.mand of Jehojadah the High Prieft, 2 Chron. 26, 18. which no more then the former toucherh the Queftion ; for not oniy Jeha- fad^h^ but all other people maght have done as much , becaufe there was a lawful King, whom they ought to defend and maintain rgainft a ftranger ururping,and that had murthered the Royal Family; and here the Maxime is valid, That agawfl a -ppthlih^ enemy ^ every one hath rlgh to take up Arms : But what conclude they from thefe two laft examples, they would hjve beenalliamed to have nam.ed them before the deuh of their King, but fince they have explained themfelves, God defend the holi- ncfs of his Word, and confound this Diveli/h Divinity. Thofe that follow arc not much better ; they alledge the example of the Priells, who refifted King Uz^iahy when he would have exercifed the Priefts Officdf, fo ought the Miniftcrs of the Gofpel to refift the King, if he would adminifter the Sacraments ; but this rehft- * aHc« ancc ought to be done by hurr.ble admoninons, and as refufing to ferve him in his defign, noc by way of Arms : In the matter of ^i-?L/W;, thePridb ufednot any vio- lence, it is faid indeed they.caufed him to go out of the Templejbecaufe God had fmitten him vvich the Lepro-- (k; but that was done without f©rce, for the Text faith, vcrf. 20. he himfelf alfo hafted to go out, b«cauie the Lord had [mitten him' This ferves no:h ng for their Subje«5l, they have no other region to ailedge this , but becaufe having quarrelled againft all Kings, they take delist to blail their Dignity. The like is the example of f////?^, who commanded the door to be fliuc againihhe melTenger that was fenc ko^n hram to cut oiF his head, 2 Kings 2. 32. If EUjha had fent aMefl fcnger to cur off the Kings Head, the example had been to the purpofe, for this is our cafe at this day ; but to fliut the dooragainii an Officer of the Kings to h\t his life, being condemned to die v^rongfully, and without force of Juflice, is very far from attempting either a- gainft the Perfon or Authority of the King : The Eng- li(h Law in many Cafes gives to every one his houfe for aplaccof fafety, neither is there any Liw either Di- vine or Humane, thit forbids us to defend a blow from what part foever it comes; if the Covenanters had done no other thing, there never had been a War, but they proceeded further then defence; Was there ever a m.orc important A6lion upon fo fm.all a foundation, to perfe- cutc their King by Sea arnl Land,dertroy his Eftare, plant their Cannon againft his Perfon ,imprifon him,and at laft cut off his head, becaufe Eli(ha ciufed the door to be fliut againft the Meffenger of Joram. But in recompcnce, behold here two proofs, wherein there is as much piety as reafon, ^adg. 5*25. Dehor ^ turfed the Inhabitants of Meroz.^ becaufe they cime not forth to help the Lord againft Jabln and Sifcra. ; and Jcr.^^.iD, Jeremy curfed'them that kept their fword B 3 from ||om flieddingth^ blood of ihQ Moahltes^ Ergo^ Cur fed arc all they that came nocto help the Covenan:ers a- gainft the King : For thefe rare confequence? they de- iervca bundle of Thiltles, fuch as AiVe> feed on, and to be driven from the fociety of men, as being dcprir ved both of Reifon and Humanity .- who hafh given jchempovyer to iiretch to the King either by words or actions, the judgements pronounced againii the ene^ miesof God, andvyhich ar^ reiirained to certain Nati- ons and Perfons : Jhe King,was he a Mod^tte ? Was he a Pagan ? or an Ufurpcr of a Kingdom, as J^(;ln f Are you Prophets a> Deborah and J^rmp to curie with Au- thoricy ? lif ye be noc Prophets, ye are Sacrilegious, for. jcurfingis a Fire that appertains only to God to caft forth, they who are fo bold to take it into their hands without Authority burn them, and hurt none but them- felves, but oftentimes doth good to them whom they would hurt ; for this Ra^nefs moves Godtajeaianjle^ ayid provokes him to do the contrary^ according to the Pfal- mift, PfaLiog. Let them cnrfe^kit do tlon hlefs ; we have great hopes that our enemies lliall be the Occaiion of the blefiing of God upon us, fince they take ftich pains tocurfeus; it is the conftant Argument of their Ser- mons and publike Prayers ; to it they employ tfoe ychemency of their Eloquence and fervour of their De- votion ; Let us then fay with David^ 2 Sam, 16,12, It may he the herd will look^ f phem tb-3t perfecute us, and defpitefully ufe us : O our God / -turn their Hearts, and blefs their perfons, and as our Lord Jqfus by his Prayer on the Crofs fayed them which crucified him, fwe wq befecch thee all thofe that cruciHe him in his Members, and thqfe f^hq killing us phink they dp Gpd fervicc, CHAP, CHAP. HI. Mxpref Texts of Scripture which Communis oheii* encCy and forbids Re fifidnce to Soveraigns. FOr to draw the:n froTi Eximple^ and particular Cafe?, which is their retrear, to general Precepts, webefeech them as they love God and their own falva- tion, to review their proofs, and confider that in all the Scripture there is neither Precepts nor Permiflion that authorizeth the taking up of Arms ngiinR their So^ veraign, but there are very many form.ai Commands to the contrary. The firtt Commandment, Homur thj Father and thy Mother^ binds \x%^ to honour the King ; for in thebi?- ginning Soveraignty appertained to Fathers, and is de- rived of the paternal power, Dem» 13.6, &c. Now it is impolTible to honour the King, and draw yourfvvord a^ gainft him ; upon which weobferv'e that in c^^Q of Ido- latry, the Father was commanded by the King to ac- cufe his Son and Daughter, and the Husband his Wife, and to ftretch forth firft \hi> hand againft them to flay them; but neither the Son nor th^ Daughter ought to- accufe the Father , nor the Wife the Husband, much lefs to put forth their hand againrt them : Whence 'we learn, that neither Children nor Sub je6ls ought to rife up agiinft their Fathers or their Kings, which have in them the Paternal Chara6ler, no, not^ for the fervice of God ; and that their Perfons ought to be inviolable ; thofe who confefs this Truth, and yet in the mem while feparate the Authority of the King from his Perfon, de- ny that which they have co'ifeffcd, and expofe the Per- fon of the King to violence , for it is the Authority that renders the Perfons of Kings unvijlable. Therefore amorjg fo many Reprch^nfioiis and Judg- B 4 mcnt^ C243 ^xaaentsagainft Idolatrous Kings, whereof the holy Hi- ffory is full, ye (hall in no pbce nor part find that the people are reproved for not depreffing or depofing their King] ordinarily the punilliment that God fcncupon chern, canje immcdiatly from himfelf, or out of the Kingdonne, riot by their otvn Subjects: Before God would ernploy Jehn-i ^vho was a Subjedl:, to deitroy the Kings of Ifrad and Juddo , he anointed him King, and befides , gave him a fpecial and extraordinary Pommand. ^ We fay the like oi Jeroboam^ v\hofe Example is ve- %y ill aljedged to defend Rebellion, for Jeroboam wa? fentofGod^to take the Kingdoha froTi Rehoboam^ and was authorized by a forir.ai donation. The fenrence of D^W^ before mentioned, i Sam. 2^.9. is of very great Weight •• wko can ftr etch forth htj ha»d agamfi the fjords Ammed^ and be g^Mtlef f And this other of him, Touch not mwe Anointed^ and. do my Prophets no harm^ Pfal .1 09. 1 9. But the Cove- nanters have violently and cruelly proceeded againft both. God fpeaking under the name of Soveraign Wifdom, faith. By me Kings re'ign^ and PrifCes decree Jttfl]ce : By me Princes rule , dnd Nobles , even all the Judges of the earth, Prov.8. 1 5 ,1 6, If it be by him that Kings reign, they iliould be refpe6^ed for love of him, and he that refiffs them, makes ngninfi God. '"' To this purpofe alfo tends tiiat excellent fcrlpture, Pyov.'2.^,^l\^^, 'My Son^ fear then the Lord and tJoi iKlng^ and meddle not with them that are given to change : tor their calamity (hall rife ftiddenijy and who k^orveth the rulne of them both ? A Scripture which {hews, that the fearcf Lhe King , is a part of the fear of God, and than fhofe that rife up againft him, are referved of God for a fudden calamity. And tiiis is alfo of him , EccleL^.2 . I ccunfd yon tq keep C»53 k^^pthf Kings Commandment y and that In regard of the Oath of God. Apaffagechac binds us to keep the Com- mandment of the King, for the Love of God, and the Oath of Allegiance, under which all Subje»£ls are born, and many have actually taken ; for every Oarh is a con- tract made with G od . And a little after, Ecclef,%,i^, where thejv&rdof the King is^ there uporver; a»d who may fay unto hlm^ what dofi thoH f But we h^ve to do with thofe , who m.ake this Queftion to their King, and care neither for his word nor power. The Law fpeaks exprcfly, £W.2 2.i8. Thou (halt not revile the Judges ^ mr cnrfethe Ruler of thy people* Yea, it reftrairis the thoughts as well as a£lions, E cclef lo, 2 0. Curfenot the King-i no^notin thy thot^ghts. If we are not to fpeak nor think ill of the King, muchlcfs fkould do ill to him; the violation of thefc Com- m.ands by the Covenanters, are too enormous, and cry aloud to Heaven for vengeance. Our Lord Jefus Chift'himfelf commands us, to reu- derto Cefar the things which are Cefars^ and tff^odthc things that are Gods^ Mar^2 2.2 I. He himfelf would pay Tribute to Cfpr, although of right he fhouldhavc made Cefar Tributary to him ? and not having money, hecaufedictobebrcught tOiSim by a Miracle, rather than he would be wanting in this duty ; this is far from caking the Kings Revenues from him, and er.ploying the Tribute due to him , to raife a war againft him. When the Officers of Jufticer^w^f^ tahe him^ he. re- buked his Dtfciple who had drawn hisfword agatnjl them^ ■ and healed the wound that he had madey Mat.2^. He fuffered himfelf peaceably to be led before Herod and Pilate , whom he might have as eafily deftroyed , as make them fall down bacbVard who came to apprehend him ; but he fiibmitced to the Divine Authority thac riiinej fhincd" in the Perfon of the Governour , yea cvxn to death ; openly profeiling that the power which he had, was fro-T. above, John ip.i i. If the power of Kings depended upon the gift of their Subjects, as the Cove- nanters held, Jefus chrilt fhould have faid that the power that he had was from below i but this Divinity proceeds from another Doctor th.m the Son of God/ Saint PW is marv^ellons exprefs nnd full upon this point, Ror/f. 1 3 . i , &c. Let every fonl he fubjell unto the higher Powers^ for there is no Fovper but of God : The hewers that he^ are ordained of God* whofoever therefore rejtjleth the Power ^ rejijleth the Ordinance of Gody and they that rejijl\, [hall receive to thcntf elves damnation. For Rulers are not at err our to good wori^^ but to the eviL wilt thou then not be afraid of the Poiver ? Do that rvhich is goody and thou'fhalt have praife of the fame. For he is the Afinifierof Godtatheeforgood ; bm if thou do that which is evil^ be afraid : for he beareth not thefvpord in vain ; for heisthe Minifterof Gody a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil'. Where f$re ye muft needs be juhjeUy Kot only for wrath , but alfo for Confciencefake. For^ for this caufe pay yoH tribute alfoy for they are G^ds -MinifterSy aitendiig continually upon this very thing. Render there^ fore to all their dues^ Tribute to whom Tribute is due , Cu- (lome to whom Cujlome^ Fear to whom Fear^ Honour to whom Honour, Oh / behold with what vigour of fpirit and power the Apoftle preiTeth Obedience , and condemns refiftance of Soveraign Powers ; Is there any thing in the world fo ttrongandpreiling as this Divine Leffon ? the autho- rity alone had been fufficient , but over and above he adds threatning^, promifes reafon upon reafon ; they who fb all well confider the Text, will learn ; That it is impoifible to be a good Cbriftian, without being a good -Subjedl:, and that they cannot refift the King withouc refiiHng God j alfo that t-erribk threatning of damnati- on [273 ' on fliould retain men in their duty : Lerev'cryono ( m the fear of God )t:hat have born Arms againft their King, think well of this, and repent: Oh/ it is a dangerous thing to refirt God, he mull be very impru- dent that vvili hazard the damnation of his foul, fo for- mally denounced againlt Rebels, upon didinclions and good intentions, at the great day of accounc they will rind thcfevery light things. The Divines of the Co- venant labour with might and main to elude the force of this Scripture, which plucks them by the throat, they change themlelves into many contrary forms toefcapc it, as we iTiallfee hereafter. Saint Paul rccom.mends this Doctrine to Tittis , TVV.^.i,!. Pfit them wmwdtohefabjeE to Prrr^cipali' ties and Powers^ to obey MoiglfirateSj to be ready to every goodworkj^ to ffeak^ev'dofmm^m^ tobeH'ibrarvkrs^ (herv^ ing all week^ej? to all men. A dangerous Scripture ; to tejich fubjeftion and m.eeknefs , is tofttike the Cove- nanter at thehe?rt. Sftint Peter fpeaks in tliefame ftilc, i Pet, 2, i %^ &c. Submk yowr [elves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords jake^ whether It be to the King Oifi^yfeam ; or mto Go- vernturs^ oa unto them that are fentby himforthepumfh- ment of evil doers ^ and the praife of them that do welly for fo is the mil ofGod^ that w'thrfcll doing ye may fnt to Jt- lence the ignorance offcoli(h men : As free^ and not ufing yom- liberty f^r a cloakjif madicioufneffey but as the Servants^ of God. Honctir all men. Love the Brot' erhood ^ Pear- God^ Hon'^fir the King, The reft of the Chapter is em- ployed in reaching ChrilUans to fubxit to tbcirSuperi- ours , and to futTer for righteoufnefs : Behold ttuly theDo6trineof Chrift, it*s thus thit the Apoftles plant-"' ed the Church , it's thus that they fought the good fight, not in killing Kings, but in bearing the Crofs for thcGofpel. One of our$, having requeued a Learned Dlvi^^e thic followed Cs83 follovved the party of the Covenanters, that he would give him a precept of Scripture, where it's commanded for Subjc6ls CO take up Arm.s for Religion againrt their Soveraign : He returned this Scripture , Stand faft- therefore Im the Liberty wherewith Chrlft hath made usjree^ Gal, 5.1. But we maintain againft him, that both Saint P^/^ and Saint P/r»/ preferved themfelve^ mor^ fted- falt in their Chriftian Liberty in fuifering death? than all the Armies of the Covenaniers in fighting ; and that they take the waies not to eftablilli, but to lliake and overthrow their liberty in Chrill : We need not prove that Saint Faulin this Scripture , never meant to fpeak of fighting, but to prcfcrve the fpirit free from fuperfti- tion. Chrillian Liberty confifts not in lliaking off the yoke of Superiour Powers, but of that of Error and vice ; and that liberty which our enemies have aflumed, to pre- fent their Petitions to their King, upon their Pikes point, and in the end to kill him, was not the liberty ftom which Chrift had made them free : Let them karn the LelTon of Saint Peter, to carry themfelvcs as free, and not u(ing chdr Liberty for a Cloak of Malici- oufnefs. CHAP. IV. The Bvafiom of the Covenanters uf$n the Texts ef S^/Vi/PauljRom.i^. AndhQwinFinethejre' fujc the judgment of Serif ture. THE Apoftle commands, Rpm.iS.i. That every SohI he fubjecl to the higher Powers y for there Is m fower bm of God. The Powers that be , are ordained of God. To this Scripture, fomeof theinanfwcr, that evil kings C2P3 Kings are not orddined of God, hiving learned this Doctrine of Goodman ; bnt therein they diredlly cancradia S.dnt Paul, Goodman of Obtdi^ who fpake of the Powers then in be- «^7-^, \Po^m«* 5 the bcfl of them were nothing worth ; a child is capable to diliinguifh betwixt the wickednefs of a Prince, and his authority ; the fjrft whereof is of himfelf, the fccond is of God, and it's ofchepowerthacSaimP^iz/fpeaksof, without difiin* 6lion of perfons. As for the following verfc, where Saint PW infers thus, n4:pfoever therefore re^eth the Power ^ re/tfieth the Ordj}7knce of God, and they that re0^ jhail receive t9 themfelves damnation. Buchanan and , , ^ his followers anfwer , that thi.^ Com- ^f'^'lt!""'' mand was but for a time, whilftthe "^'^'^ ' Church was in it's Infancy weak, and under theCrof?, incapable to refift their Prince; bur if Saint PW had lived now, and were to write a body of Common- wealth, he would fpeak far otherwife, and would leave Kings to be punifl^ed of their Subjedls, and this is that Buchanan alTures us upon his word. Likewife one of the bd^ writers of the Covenanter? affirms, that Saint P^»/ fpake to fome particulars dif- perfed in the condition of the Primi- tive Church, who had not means to obfervator defmd, provide for their fafety ; if this Li- ^ '^' * cenfc were lawful, men might reje^ all the Do6lrincs of Saint Paulas Epiftles, as written to particulars, and the Maflers of the Covenant would make a way to ex- empt themfelves from many duties commanded by Saint PW, which would very ill accord with their in- tentions :Sowhenthe Apoftle faith, ^w.i 2.9,10. Le^ Love he withom dlffimuUtlon^ athir that whlfh Is evil cleave* L30J cleave to that which Is goody he ki^/Mj ^ecllo^ate vne to ano- ther^ with brotherly love freferrwg one another^ there is ibiiie appearance chac they rake this Command addref- fed to ioT,^ particulars, and not to them , fince they give themlelves the liberty to do the quite contrary : Thcreisin rhefeEpiillesfome Commands provifional, moveable iccording to the times and pcrfons, as thofe which concern the outward Order ; others which arc purely peribnal, as the Command made to Timothy , to come to him before Winter ; but the Moral Do- d^rines are i!?imoveable, and vary not according to the Times, (ince that re^fon of Saint Fml given, that the Pomrsthathe^ are ordained of God v is a Truth perp^cu- al and unlverfal, and the Commaild tiot to refill the Powers, ought: aifo to be general for all Ages and all people; fo llkewife this reafott is perpeaial, T^4^r/itf Maglflrate hearethnotthe fwordin vam hut to do jufiice ; and this other, ye mutt needs be fubjcdl^ not .only for wrath, hm alfo for Confcieme fake : Wherefore the Com- mand grounded hereon to be fubject to the higher Pow- ers, 6c not refift them, is of perpetual neceffity and obl'- gation. And fince to refift the powers,is to refifi the Ordl- nmce ofGod^m^y we not as^ of our new Divines,why the ftrong and not the we-ik are permitted to refift the Or- diJumceofGod f It's enough to have agoodfvferdto ex- empt a man from the Commands of the GofpeL The Covenanters might defend M4r.//e pont.l.s. cHsinterpretationof the Text of Saint ^^'^* Paul^ by the authority ©f Cardinal 'Bellarmlne, whoO.ich, that if the Chriftians loug firtce did not depofe Dlocleflan, Julian^ the Apoikte T^alens the Arrlan , and others, it was becaufe they wanted temporal forces, othervvife of right they might, vyhich is the language of our Covenanters ; but this opinion draws along with it three inconveniencies. Hrft, That k blafts the primitive Church, and dc- privcj prives the Martyrs of their honour ; for it's little worth praifc to fuffer for the Gofpel, when a man hath a will without means to rebel ; their obedience to their Sove- raigns was then nothing worth, fince it wa^ forced, snd all their proteftations of fubjeclion in the writings of the Fathers, of which they are full, ought to be imputed to weaknefs and hypocrifie. This likewife is to accufe Saint P^j// of want of fincc- rity, as if he taught patience and obedience to King^, only to acconodatc himfclf to the Times, and not to obey God; but he clears himfclf fufficiencly of this ac- cufation, faying, thar we muft not only be ''nhjeci for wraths that is to fay, for fear of ^tinlfhrnem^ hutalfoftrr Cof7fcief7ce, Moreover this Dochinc is pernicious to the Church, for if it were embraced, it would render Chriltians fuf^ pe6led, and hateful to their Sovcraigns ; as perfons who would fubjeit the Confcienccof their Prince to theirs, andfubmits to them only out of weaknefs, and wait only an occafion to caft off rheir yoke ; which would ob- lige Kings ever to keep theiil weak, and to impofe hea- vy burdens upon them, and fo prevent their ri- fing. Alfo this Do6lrine is pernicious to the profeflion of the Gofpel, for it would much hinder the converfion of Pagan Kings, fince tkt turning Cfariftians, acccord- iiig to the Mode, they fhould lofe their authority, there being no Pagan Religion, which teacheth Subjects to refiff their Prince by Arms ; which would alfo induce Cbrirtian Kings of a divcrfe Religion, to hinder with all their might the Converfion of their Subjedls : Bleflcd be God that there are none hntth^Jefms and Cove^ nanters that maintain fodeftrucHve an Opinion : The Reformed Churches, and the moftpart of the Romofi Church give no je^lotifie to their Princes hereup- on, Tb€ The holy prudence of the Apoftles fdW well, thatc- veiibelides Confcience,rhe Counfe! j the moft profitable for checonfervation of the Church, and the propagati- of the Gof^ eU was to fub jed^ themfelvcs wholly ro their Soveraigns, and vxkhout any refervation, but tofujfer for rlghteotifnejfe fake , rather than difobey God ; for hereby the principal hinderancc was removed, nan^ely, ihxt rfiidowjwhich the enemies of the Gofpel made the Emperors to apprehend that this Dodlriric which fpread fo fjilt, would bring along with it an alteration in their Eltaces, and that the Chriftians waited but the coming of a King, that would break in pieces all other Kings, and have for his poflcifion the ends of the earth ; it*s that which Saint Peter h^d regard unto, where he ex- horteth Belijsvcrs, i Pet.z.i 3,1 5. Td fuhmit themfehes t9 every Ordmance of man for the Lords fal^^ thatitm^ll vpell'do'wgje may f tit to pence the Ignorance offooiijh men. By this manner of Tub jc6lion whofe States were con- verted, and in the end patience overcame: For the Chnftiansof the firft Ages have made appear by their piety and moderation, tnat the Kingdom whither they afpircd was riot of this world, neither did in anything diminilli the rights of Monarchs^ but rather ftrcngtheri- cd their authority , binding their Subjects anew by Confcience, yea fo far as to make whole Armies of va- liant men that had povver in their hands, to lay down their necks rather than to draw their fwords againlt their Emperor ; fo did the Chrfftian Souldiers under Maxlmmany who would have conftrained themcofa- crifice to his Idols. The Armies of the EngH(h^r\d Scottljh Covcmritcts arc not capable of this Do(^riiic ; thefe Northern peo- ple are impatient i-ibertines and haughty, they will form 1 Gofpel according to the Ayr of their Cli- mate. Their oihcr crafty Evafion is not much better, that - Sainc L333 Sdint Paul Molds to difob^^y the power of the KiiiSj' but not CO his perfon ; but the Text is formally agiinR this, for the Apoiile by PovYer ddrh nor miderilard a Quality w.-thouc a Subject, but fiOens it to the Per- fon, flying in verf.6. That the Prince is the Minilkr- of God, a»dthaths bears not the [word in vm-fi^ And that they are ordained of God to dojuftlee, Andhefpeak?> verf, 6. of Princes in the plural number^ they are *Gods Miniflers , attending continually ufon this very thir:^, *Ti> the iiyle of Saint PW to call the Angels^ who excel in power, Principalities and Powers : Vv hen he fpeiks^ Eph, ^,10, That the manifold wifdom of God might be kno^vn to Principalities and Powers in heavenly places : It appears chat he fpeaks not of Accidents, but of Perfons, for they are the Perfons, and not the Ti-tles,- that are capable of knowledge. : ' - Now I would fain know of thefe men, what thi^ Perfon is that it is lawful to refift ? If it be the perfoa of theKingorfupream Mngitote, whilft itisjoyne.i CO bis power, the/ redit the powe: in the perfon ; and ificbetheperfonfeparacedfrDm the power, theymuft Heed> before rcfift either the one or the oiher for to m k- chis violent feparation. Andfedng that the Coven. inters maintain thatthe authority of the King refide^in their ChieF, rhofethac draw the fword agunftthem, m.iy return the fame an- fwer, and fay, that they refift not their authority, but their Perfons ; but the Oath of Allegiance, andthic of fupremacy, which areimpofedby Kdi of Parliamentj caufeall thefe fubtildes tovaniili, for men take thefe Oaths to the perfon of the King, and not to his power j- or to his fupremacy feparated from him. Moreover this dilHn6lion is contf adifled by another,' which hath been frequent a' long time in their mouths, that they refifted not the King, but his Armies which (ignifics in cffe^ff that they refided hot the perfon or G . King^ C343 King, but his power ; for his power laid in his Armies, and as it is the nature of a lie to enter far, thcfe people x>hoDy they are liceiifed by Saint PW to oppofe the perfon of the King, and not his power, were marvcl- ioufly impatient when they were told they fought againft the King, and affirmed that they fought for him and de- fended his perfon, which doubclefs feems to be fpoken to mo ve^ laughter and indignation ; but God cannot bg mocked, nor Confcience wholly blinded, by their im.- padcnce ; hereupon they teftific that their Confcience makcN their procefs, and dictates to them within, that ^ to be^r Arms againft the King, is to fm againft God and Nature. It's a notable Symprome of a defperate (ick State, where the reafon of a people is fmitten with aftonifh- racnt, whereof wc have a moft lamentable example,' for r. . j,,f «.j r. vvas there ever fuch a capricious m^ad- Jt was dcchrcd by ^ r \ -n ^ t ^n • n r- tbe twoHoitfes «^^' ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^y^^ Majefty of that the i^jngscom- Treafon, to makeEdi6ls by the King ingtdthe Houfeof againft the King, to fvvcar a Covenant ^mmonsTvas fo^ defence of the King, which nc- Tnjtjoit verthelefs obligeth them to make war againft him, and the King being alive, to forgeaPla-, tonick Idei of the fame King, reliding fifty miles from himfelf, that fo they might fight againft the Perfon of the King. There is no C^mcra^ nor fantaftical humou,r like this / Behold the work of the Spirit that n^iv works efficacioufly in the children of difobedicn^e / Behold another Evafion.' The Apoftle (fay they) doth not teach us who is the Superiour Power, bun that it is the Superiour Power that we muft obey, and there- fore they ftrive to form in the Kingdom a Superiour Power above the King, ^ thing contrary to the Confti- tution of this Monarcfiy, as I hope to make ap- pear. It's eaGe to gather which is the Superiour Power, \ which Z35l which Saint Paul underftands, for he cxpreflcsichirri- felf, Its the Power rvhkh bears the Svpord^\tuz. And he to whom TrtlpHte is faid^ Pfal.7. Rights that apper- tain to the King alone, and which were a6luaIIypof- feffed by the Emperor, where Saint Paul wrote this Epiftlei That which they alledgc againftthis,^ that the Emperor then was more abfolute than the Kings ac prcfcnt, isfalfc, but he was much more limited : Sfte- miHS that lived undc: Trajan, puts Caligula p^rum .h^ amonglt the enormities of CdignU^ to fukquin specUm havi been very near changing the principatM in Keir- form of Government ( which vyas a ftum convertmt ir PrindpaUty) into a Kingdom, and c^pi^i diadems clr- to place the Diadem upon his head. '^^^'^^'^^ Aad the Learned called not the power of thefe Empe- rors Regmm hut Prlwipatus ; and were this allegation true, yet it would be far from the purpofe ; for be ic that the Emperor (hould be more or lefs abfolute than our Kings, the command of Saint Pattl is alvvaics the fame. That we mnfl not reffi him that bears the Sword^ and to whom Cnftome is due^ becanfe his Authority Is of God. This other darting hole is of the fame ftufte, they fay that the defence not to refift Supream Powers, obli- geth only Particulars, and not the States of a Kingdom ; this is to make another Gofpel for the General than for the Particulars; as if they lliould fay, the Command- ments of God are direded to every one, but not to all, which is to overthrow common Senfe, fince the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy areimpofeduponall the States o^ England , whereby they are bound alfo in Ge- neral ; none fit in Parliament that takes not their Oath? at his entrance, neither is it in their power to over- throw without ind againft the King that \vhich is cfta- bliilied by the Kinghttingin Parliamenc. jfVMfotbisisathirig that ne^^rcntred into the fpirits^. W G 2 of C3<5 3 of the EKolijh before the times of this epidemial phrenfie , that the Kings Writs which makes the E- .Itace> to affemble, and tiic deputation of the people that fends thena> ft^Qiild exempt their Deputies or Parliament men from the duty of Subjects, and abfolve them of their Oath of Allegiance and St. Pauls Com- mand. T he Text of St. PomI according to the Greekjt- quircs that every Soul lliould be fubjed; If fo be then that their Deputies or Parliament men have no fouls, they a re nor bound to give obedience to the King. When we reafon, thus,our advcrfaries arc extraordina- rily m.ovedjand would take this matter out of the hands of the CIergy,raying,that the Lavvyers,& not theDivines are to decide where the Supream Power of the Stare reds, wtjCthcr it be in the perfon of the King or the people, and with what limitations the King ought to be obeyed, and that the ApolMe requiring an obedience to fupreim Powers, intends an obedience according to^ the Lavv.>, aiid the Laws are every where different, and"" thar one and the fame Rule of Scripture cannot ferve for r?ll Kingdoms ; that the Kingdon of England not being formed as the KingdoTi of //nW, or the ^<7w^» Em- pire, the Commands^of the Old and New Tettamenc alledged, toucheth not rheprefent Quarrel. . Now are rhey mot ailiamed to forbid our Clergy to difcourfe of Political aff.urs ( whiift the Gentlemen of the Bar take upon them '6 teich Divinity to the Cler- ' gy, and by infinite Boo s, asprocefies, ftirup the peo- ple to Rebellion by Reafons of Religion) and to uphold fta^ering Confciences in the duty of Obedience and ChniHan Concord, and to defend the Truth of God by our fufterances, as we have endeavoured to do ; It's not rome:]dle in the atfairs of State, but to difcharge our Confcience?, and to keep that good thing which God hath committed unto us. We cannot be accufed to incrjL^^? our felves into the Civil Government, as thejA tj V -Minilr C37] Mkiifter.s who ferve as Agent'? and FjA'orj in pub lick affairs. Its henceforrh c he duty or Divines to handle ihU poiac of Stacc, for the Livvyers and Srate^^-rr.en of rhc Covenant, who having laceiy built their New Policy upon a New Divinity of their falliion, have forced the Divines to becoT.e Politicians, at ie\i\ fo far as- to de- fend true Divinity from the crirne of D'foSedience; fince they prefs us for Confcietice to joyn with rhem to rcfift the King , they mul^ fatisfie our Confcicnccs that the fundamental Laws of the Kingdo'.xi reo^uire u? lb to do. But if they would that Divine >reathem- fclve. upon the faith of the Lawyers in the point of re- liftance, upon which therein no lefs penalty thin dam- nation, it is to prefe an implicit Faith, and blind obe- dience upon thofe that preich the contrarv\ Without exceeding then the limits of our vocation, vvedo ncknowledg that the ApoRle requires an obedi- ence, according to the Laws of the State, not onlyo: theStnc o£ Rome^ but of every other form of Govern- ment; and we deny, that there may not be found in Scripture a Rule of Obedience, which ierves for all fores of Eftates, for fuch is that of the prefent Text, That every Soul (honld he [nb-ccl to th Higher Povt^ers^ and that he that refifieththe Poivers^ refifieth the Ordma-ftceof God^ and thereby (hall receive to hlmfelf damnation ; the rcafbn inferted between thefe twofencencesdo m.ani- fcftly regard all forms of St.ues that there are noporcers but they be of God^ and the porvers that are^ are ordained of God; therefore the ComT.and th-u goe-; before and af- ter, appertains to all forts of Government : Let eve- ry one be fubjed to the power, and le: none refift the power and threatnings ; alfo which is the terribleft of ail threatnings, that thofe that rchfi: the Powers, lliall receive to themfelves damtjatlon. Saint Peter wills us to befnbe^ to every Qrd'y^ame of mm for the Lords fakie, that i.^, w^ are to fubje(9: orr C 3 felves Cj83 (elves to every form of Government lawfully eftablifti- ed, andcoperfwadc our felves that that Ordinance is of God : Generally the Scriptures before alledged, ob^ lige all perfons of all Eftares to yield Obedience to him, and thofe in whom the Suprcam Power refides ; and jthere cannot be brought aiiy valuable reafon why it-is more lawful to refilt the Supream Power in EugUnd^ thjin in Ifrael or in Rome. Indeed if they could produce a fundamental Law of the Kingdom, that did permit the people oiEngUnd in jcertain cafes to takjs up Arms agalnft the King, they had fomereafon then to fay that Siinc P/«/ did not forbid the £»^//}'^ to refift their Prince, beyond the nature of ,^ , , . ■ , , ^ their Laws, as the Princes of Germor f^izZi^t ^h >yhen they took upArmsagainft the Emperpff , produced the Golden Bull of C/W^/ the fourth, ahd thp EmpcriaJ Capitula- tion, for by it they were exprefly permitted to make war agnnft him, if he attempted any thing againft their ancient compofition ; although I account that this Ca-_ pitulation could not be m.ade without contradidling the Command of the Apollle, for Hiftories mention that the Emperdur was reduced to it by the threatnings and Menaces of the Pope; but now by long prefcription, the Empire is not that it wa-^;, and it*s a point difpura- ble what is the Supream Power in divers States of Ger- 'Tis that whi<;h but of late hath been put to the Qi:eftion in England^ md was never difputed before phe year 1542. where the Supream Power of the King- dom refides, unlf fs when the Crown was in difpute be- , I ween two Princes : The Kings enemies employed all their forces to prove that the Soveraigii Authority ap- pertained to the peoplq', to tv^dQ the Text of SairiH PaulycA other Texts o^ Scriprure, which did mxarvel- louflyincpminqde their affairs, imitating thpfq that al- ter C393 ccr the Lock oFrheir doors, when thQ Key is in pofleffi- on of their Adverlary ; for beholding to their grca^ re- gret, that the Scripture is wholly ours, commanding obedience, and ftri61:ly forbidding refiftancc toSove- raigns , jed mdrr fsim and i:/VW^ the fecond, yea truly, and tothw great fliame, asthewifeftof theirpar- r:S<'^: ^y ^\fT^i^ affirming tkac Mayfy, thofe A6ls of Parliament agamft Ri^ chard the fecond, were not properly theAdls of the two Houfcs, but of Hip?«ry the fourth, and his vi, the Saci'Qd Tripos ^ from whence thS Oracles of the Law are pronounced. When any one of chefe tbre^ are feparate fro:n or her, the other two Hagger and are lame, nor c.innoc ferve for a firm foundition for the fafe^y of the State, and facisfadion of the Subjeds Confcience. But let us nflume the bulinefs higher, you cmnot more vex our Enemies than to tell them this Truth, tha: the Monarchy which is at this day , began by Conquefl:, this is that whi(jh by no means they will endure to hear of, but would perfwade m.en that it Ve-. gan by an Election and Covemnt," which indeed hii never any being but in* their own Fancie>. If they would be believed for this, they l^.ould then produce fome Eecords. For the bold con;ednrers are. efs cre- dible thiR ^U ihe HilIorie% which affures us of three Conquel^sin this Kingdom, fmcc the Romans snd Pl^s^ Namely, that of che Saxons^ Banes and Normans. Moreover, thofe that would abolilli tlnis Office and Dignity, de(troy that of their own Laws, for all the Lands of the Kingdom arc held of the King by right of the Sword, as appears by the nature of Homage> and Services that the Lords of Fiefes owe to the King, when PVlHtamx.\it Conqueror took poftellron of the King- dome, (Irengrhening the Right of his Conqucf^ by the h[\ Will and Teflament of EdrvarA the ConfeiTor ; he declared t'ecLired himfeli Miiierof all the Land, and difpof^d . Oi ic according to his pk;iiure. His Son Henry rhe firfi e-^fed the People fomwhat oF the fevcrc and uniimiced Government: o;" his Farher,rnd ■confirmed to the Englijh their ancient priviledce.' , which fince after long and bloudy war % were inew con- firmed, and the Quarrel determined by th.it wile King Edivard the ^li^y who hwrng a? m.uch vaioiir as wifdom., in condeicsnding to rhe' Righis of his Subje(5:^s, knew ■jveil how thereby to prefefve his own, foLafrerall, the Soverafgnty of Kings rem.iined imio!ab!e, and thofe pre- rogaives were prefefved wiiich were only proper to him^ •who' is nor fubject b'litroGod alone. Such alio iu he Court of Wards, by which a great many Orphans ofthe Kingdom are inWardihip to the King, andalmo/lal' the Lands appertain-ng to him until they be of Age. In this thing the Kings of f ;?^/Weiiceed all other Chriiii- an Princes. This beitig fuch an cflential mark of abfo'ute Sovereignty that there cannot be a greater. Certainly , if this Monarchy had begun either by E'e6lion or Cove- nant, the Subje6ls would never have given the Kihgfo vx(\ a power ^ver their Eftites and Families Amongfl the priviledgcs of the Ent^UiPj^ thcfe thrS3 arc the principal. Thu rhe King cannot make a Law wirhout the confenrvif his Eftote*?. That no Law made in Parliament, can be revoked buc in Parliament ; an 1 that rhe King can levy no mioneys of his Subjects be de ; his ordina'ry^Revenues, without the concurrence of the Two Hoiifes, in the inter\'als of Par:iaT.en:s ; the Ki ng according to his Supream Power may m.ake Edi6ls fee n burdenfom to the Sub je6i:<^, or to impair their Laws and Privilcdge>, they humbly prefent them in the next Par- liament, & theK. when the complaint appears juftin-o him, eafcth them ; for to make their requeRspafsfor A6ls without the pleafure of the K. they cannot, neither can the K.makenewA6ls in ParL without their confenr. D 3 i^ In the mean while, the King makes no: them parta- kers of his Authority, but aflembling them in Parlia- ment, he renders them capable to limit his Authority, in Cafes that appertain to their cognifance ; foe there are many cafes wherein they are not to meddle at all, in the point of the Mi lit lay and for fear ihey ihould forget that, even this power they have to limit the King, comes from the Authority of the King, and he can take it avyay f^om them when he plealeth ; for when he breaks up the Parliament, he recires to hitn- felf the Authority that he gave them to limit his ; and moreover if they firetch their priviledge> beyond the plcafure of the King , he hath power to diflblvc the Parliament, and after the word of the King is paiTed which difchargeth them, and fend^them away, they have not power to fit or confuk a minute. Whence Bodintis (well verfed in the nature of the States of Chrirtendome) conciude-i the King of Eng- //r^dl to have Soveraign Authoriry ; TkeEftates (?/Eng- ... land, faith he, cannot be ajfembled nor lib T.' cnp 8 '^ ' dijfolvedj bnthj the EdiU ofthePrincf^ no more then in France and Spain y Vphlclj troves [undent ly that the u^Jfembiies have no> fojver of themf elves to command or forbid a thing ; an d he Uughs at the ignorance of Bellaga^ who affirm the States of Arragsnio be above their King, andyer neverche- lefs confefleth the States cannot aflembhnor feparate >"vithout him ; lll{id Novum & plan} abftirdum , That ( faith he) is New ,- and altogether a molt abfurd Do- d\rine: And therefore it was that which occ?fioned them, who had a defign to overthrow Church and Stare to labour to draw a promife from his Majeft7,th2t the Jate long Parliament fliould not be diffolved without the confent of both Houfes, well knowing, that with- out that granted, the King when hepleafed might have fiverturned their deligns ; which they having obtained, " "* \ friewed ili^vved by their A61:ionstha CI hsy thought themfelves thvin priviledged to do what they would wichoui; his Authority, and thus it is with us at this day. Yet fo it is, that they themlelves do confdfs that this grant did not alter the Nature of the two Houfes, and the Gentlemen of the Parliament have often procefted that they would not make ufe of this Acl: of Grace to the difadvantage of his Mi jelly : fo then if there were no Soveraigncy reiidenc in the two Houfes before this grant, there is no more after , and the pretended Fundamental Laws not written, that parts Soveraignty l^ctween the King and hisSubjedls, yea that traniporc it wholly to the people, are much to be fufpedled of falfity, fmce they never appear ; but fmce the promife they obtained of the King (both to his and their great damage) to perpetuate this Parliament as long as they pleafed, and (ince they have begun to exercife the So- veraignty by force of Arm.s. Thus the new Nobility after they had obtained the Firfs by right or wrong , produce Coats of Arm.s and Titles which were hcreco- I'ore unknown. They maintain this their New Soveraignty by -a Maxime of Stefhanm-, Junhis^ Brmm^ Rex efi ftngulis Major & miverfis Mmr^ That is to fay ( as they ex- pound ilfThat the Kr^ is the Sever algn of PanicHlars^hHt the Reprefeatathe My of the State is greater then he , a»d have Soveralgmy over him ; and all their Wri- ters ( and amongft others the Obfervator on the Kings Anfwers ) attribute Majeftie to the Commonalty , and HOC to the King or Supreme ; if this be true, iE*s very ftrange how this Reprefentative Body ©f the State, thxs Parliament, have left it folong time to the Kings, the Court of Wards, and many other Rights of Sove- raignty, which they have enjoyed without Contradifti- on, until that prefcnt Parliament. This vile Maxime then being deftitute of all proo& » . D 4 from from the Laws and Cufbmesof the Scire, ought to be defufed ;buc moreover it is alio void o: all reafon, for if the EsegHjh be fubje6t to their K^ng in Retail, are they not in Grofs; if in pieces, not in the whole ? be- „ ingborn Subjects, have they power to give the Sovc- raignty to their Depuues or Parlirnent men, and ma..e them Chief ? that is to fi?y,can they give them that which they have not? And feeuig alfo that they cannot afTemble in Parliament without the King or Supreme Maglftrates "Writ ; this Writ of the Kmgs dorh it render them forthwith Sovera'gns above the King ? The (iile of the Writ calls them, ad ConfdtandHm de ^m hf dam ar dais 9 to conMt with him., about fome ciflicu't affairs, and nor to mjfter him, and to dilpofe of hi 5 Authority. And fmce they c.ill this grc it Court, the Body Repn- femativeof SuhjeEis^ they m.uft needs then be Subje&s y otherwife they fhould not reprelent them who fent them, and that v^'hich the King accords to, fhould be granted to Soveraigns, but his Subje6ls lliouid receive no benefit thereby: He who will well examine this p;opofition ; That the SoVeraignty over the Soveraign re(is in the Reprcfentai ive body of Si b e5ls,fhal[ find it full of contradi6tions, and to deftroy it felf. Sind'in,de Rcpub, They c^mt hr'i'/ig any prohahU r^afon lb. I » cap, g. ( faith Bodm.) that th Sub:ecls ought t9 cGmmand their Prwce^ and that the Affembly of Eflates ought to have any power^ tinlejs, when the Prince is under 4ge^or d'flracled^ or captive^ ther.the Eflates m^y depute him a Regent or Lisutenant, Othervoife^ if Princes were ftihjcl to the Laws of the States ^ and Commands of thepeo^ fle^ their Power were nothings and the Title of a King ypoMhe a N-ime without the thirg ; wnoreover^ under fuch 4 Prince the Common^wealth fhould mt he governed by the -people^ but by fome few .per fens ecptal in their Suffrages ^who Tfgho would wakl L^VQS and Ediils^ m by the Authority of 5 hjd been made in preceding Parliaments for the full and fure conferving of the prerogative andpre- heminenceof this Crown. Thefe good Sub jeds, could not find words enough, nor confultof means fufRcient according to their mind, to defend the Auchodty of their King , efteeming ( and well they might ) that the happinefs and liberty of the Subjeds lay in the in- violable power of their So\'eraign , thst the greatqefs of the State confifted in that of the Prince, and that there is no other way to crown the Body, but to place the Crown upon the Head. This ftil els very far from that of the nineteen Pro- pofitions prefented to the King by the Two Houfes in the beginning of the War ; which required that all matrcrs of State iliould be treated of only in Parlia- ment , or if the King would treat of any Affairs in his Councel, this Councel fhould be limited to a certain number , and the old Councellors cafh-jsred , unlefs fuchwhomit pleafedthe Two Houfes to retain, and that none hereafter fliould be admitted without their approbation ; that the King fliould have no power in the Education and Marriage of his children without their advice ; that all great Officers of the Crown, and the principal Judges, fhould alwayes hechofen by, the approbation of the Two Houfes, dr by a Coun- cel authorized by them ; the fame alfo in Governours of place?, and in the Creation of Peers, which huh fince been denied to the KiJig in etfecl. And as for thQ MUttlay they would have the King wholly put it into their hands , that is to fay , he fliouid take his Sword from his fide and give it.tficni , which he could hoc do without giving them the Crown ; for the Crown and the Royal Sword are both of one piece ; fo alfo for the point of Religion, thefe proportions take from Hma.l Authority and liberty of judgement, yea, even the liberty of Confcience ; for they reqmre that his Ma- jef^y coyifem to fuch a Reformation as the Two Houfes fhould conclude Hpo/7^ Without telling htm what this Refor- watm is. Let all the world here judge if chefe men fpeaklikeSuSjecls ; they had reafon to prefent thefe Articles with their swords in their hands^ but the King had more reafon to draw his to return them an an- fwer. All thefe propolitions are founded upon one only pro- position, which palTcth nmongrt them for a Fundamental h^WyThat the King Is bound to grant to the People all their Demands, but this is a Fundamental in rheA)r,andma^de void by the pradifeof all Ages CmccEng. was a Monar- chy, and by thit Authentical Judgement off he States affembled under Henry the Fife; That It * ^- V belongs to the Supremacy of the King to grant or refufe^ according to his pleafure^ the Demands that are made to him In Parliament : And in fi:ead of thc^ Houfeof Commons , being as it is now theSoveraign Court, a thing never heard of until this prefent Age; ^, , The Houfe fuppllcated Henry the 'Dlar, Hen, 4. fourth , not to employ hmjelf m any Judgement In Parliament^ but m fuch cafes as In effcEl appertained to hlm^ b?caufe It belonged to the King alone to judge ^ except In cafes f peel fied by the Sta- tutes, The C<5i ] The fame Houfe under £^jyW the third, acknowledged chat it did not ^ ^^- ^* belong to them to take Cognifance of fuch matters as the keeping of the Seas , or the Marllies of the Kin done againfi him, and this is conformable to the ge- neral Right of all Nations; As for the Royal Efvate^ (faith Bodin,) I believe there is no ferfon that doubts that all the Power ^ both of making Peace and IVar^ belongs to the Kingy Ji'/ice none dare In the leafl manner do any thl^g m this matter without the Command of the Kingy unleji he will forfeit and endanger his Head, If the Two Houfes were privile^ged to the contrary by any Statute , vyc fhould have heard them fpcak it , but for what they have done, we fee no o:her Authority then their pra^ (5lice. Therefore none otighc co wonder if this their new pra6licc pfadice hath lefs Authority with perfons o£ a found judgeir.enc , rhen rhefe pmctifes of all ages paft : and a vve cannot perfwade our felves that without the Au- thority of the King they cannot abolifh thofe of Par- liaments Authorized by the King , let them not then male fucha loud noifewith the Authority of Parlia- ment ; 'lis in obedience to that Supreme Court of Par- ij.arr.cnt that we fo earneftly (kive to preferve the Princes Rights: thofe A6ls of Parliament are in full force which have provided with great care to defend the Royal Prerogatives , judging aright,that the Soveraigtt- tyis the Pillar of thepublickfafety^ and that it cannot be divided wiihout being weakned , and without /ba- king the Stiue that re(is upon it -, Bur we leave the rea- fons of the form of this "Elhre to them who formed it, contenting our felves to obey the Laws, until the fame Authority that m.ade "-hem alters and changes them. This Authority being that of the Prince fitting in Parliament , vtc hold no: our felves bound by that which paffeth in any Houfe or Councel without him, and agjiinrt him, accounting that where the Princes Au- thority fhines nor,their power is eclips'd;aboveall fince the Houfes at Weflmwfler were reduced to the fourth part of iheir number , and the leffer part ( the m.ajof ... part being frishted away ) and filled ff '";n;"' ^heir vaca^nt places with perfons of vmc^iorcfidunm their GWn judgem.ent, without the non ctyrpui fed Kings Authority ; if the Houfes had Truncum appeiU' ever any Power wiihout him, it was mus ficinpoBkis Ukethcli^ht of the Moon without the fine Cmte Cdmmji' ^ ^^- f ;. -^ . nku^ nulla tenus -"" > Exigutm & mdignum Ltim^n, corperatur. Vovid' zs uiQ j4fl:rologers cA\ it^ it was alit- cuectf^. 15. tie light which did nought but hurt. Our great Lawyer Fortefctte (ipexVs well, that as at Natunl Body when the Head is cut off, is boc called 1 Body, Body, but a Trunck ; fo in the Body Politick, the Com- monalty without a HeadjCannot any way incorporate or roake a Body. CHAP, viii: tiow the Covenanters mil be fudges in their own Caufe. • But was there ever any thing more unreafonable then this proceeding ? They would that the judge- ment of the Lefler part of the Two Houfes without the King, andagainttall former Parliaments, fhouldbc received, yea, in their own Quarrel ; and that in the Controverlie, whether the King hath Authority above this AlTeaibly, or it above him, this Affembly will be judges 'tis for them ftheytellus) to declare what is Law, and to make the Law : Now that Affembly de- clares , that their Authority is above the King , that their Arms are jurt, and the Kings un juft ; and that the Reprefentative Body of the State cannot erre in Law, and that ft's your duty to ftand to their judgement. Thefe people would be afhamed to confefs where they have learned thus to reafon : Is it not of him who faid, D/V Ecclejta^ hoc eft tthlifp; Tell it to the Church, that is to fay, to thy felf; and truly to confute thein, wevvill do them the iliame, to employ the fame words we make ufc of againft him , changing only the perfons. Inchcprefent Quarrel, one of the j^^^.^^ ,,,,,,. Conrroverfies IS, Whether the Two ier^^fL. jj,.,oj. Houfes at ?rri?w)»Ar > without the ' '■'■ King, King, arc the Soveraign Judges in point of Lkw. In this ConLroverfie ftiould the Two Houfcs be Judges, they /houldthen be Judges in their own Caufe , and fhould be arfured to gain their procef^. Iten/j if it be difputed whecher they can crre in this Controverfie alfo, jhcywould judge they could nor erre? Should they be Infallible Judges of their InfaUibiiity ? Who beholds jiotin this an evident contradi^ion ? That it muft be, that be that difputes whether the Two Houfes can erre , muft addrefs himfclfto the Two Houfes, as to Judges that cannot erre , to jsdge this Oucluon ; fo likevvifcin the Quellion, whether the Authority of the Two Houfes be above the King , it's certain that the Two Houfes cannot be Judges, iinceby this fame Qiie- ftion their Authority to Judge is called into doubt, the one pretends, that the difference hath been decided and judged by the Authority of a Soveraign and infalli- ble Judge ; it's certain that hereby he renders tiie wound i^ncurablc, the quarrel eternal, and beyond all terms of reconciliation. It matters not to (ay, that between two parties that pretend to the Sovcraignty , there can be no Judge , but that theftronged: muft carry it; for if the two parties defire pcice, they may choofe Arbiters. The King or S'Jprcme being the Natural Soveraign of his Enemies, and be wh® gives vigor to the Laws , hath defircd not- withftanding, that the difference fhouldbc determi- ned by the Laws, he pretends not to infallibility : He hath alfo often chofen his Neighbours for Arbiters , and hath fully fatisfied them by reafonable offers, and fuch as are worthy of him ; witnefs the Report that the extraordinary Ambaffadors of the States Genetak made to their Lords , for which the Parliament of London declared their great difcontent in writings : "The King being to render account of his A6i:ions to none but God alone , fubmittcd himfelf notwith- ftanding L65 2 ftandii^ to Re.ifon and Piety, remitting bimfelf' wholly to the Ancient Laws arid Confii.utipns of his Kingdoiiic. He harh of'enprorefted,arid ore-times publifhed, and in this ditference taken all C^rlflendome for Ar- biters; bucvvhat? in the Queftion vvherher his Sub- jeds can make a Law againft him > and vVhecher they haVe right to make vV.ir on him, arid would aifo that he ihould remit himfelf to their Ordinances ; ye:',^ even thofe which they have made without hiai, againfl: his will, and againfl: himfelf ; and char hcihould ac- knovvledgc them for Supreme Judges in their ovMt caufe, without other Arbiters then their will : Now they have had their wills wholly, and have been Judges and, parties both together, apriviledge that belongs to God done, to whofc Supreme Court we appeaL CHAP. IX, i'hat the moft Noble and be ft pdrtof the Partial ment retired to the King^ bein^ drivers aw aj bj the worfcr. THat which doth ftrongly perfwadcus to belie^/e, that^the Privilcr^gev of Parlhm.ent, which they would ex:end even m mfiKtmm ,' have an ill found ationj?" is becaufe we hive feen the n oppofcd by the better pare of the ParHamcnr,' both in Quality arid Dignity : For beddes the King, an hundred feventy five of the Houfc 6f Commons^ arid the beft qualified, withdrew them- fclvcsfrom amongft chcm, and of the Lords eighty thr^,' Co that f<:arce'y the iiird part remained at mjifr^ & ' ALnoft C«3 Almoft all cbe Gentry wholly followed the King ; and when weconfiderLheperfons, the Condition and Re- venues of thofe that withdrew thcmfclves , we cannoe fee that they had any need to riili in troubled waters, or to warm thcmfelve> at the Great Fire that began to flame, as thofe had that remained. Without doubt that great Body of Lords and Gentlemen of the Kingdomc -loved their Liberty, and would never have atfi'kd the King to have oStained an unlimited power, break their Priviledges,and impofe a perpetual yoak of flavery up- on i hem and t heir pofterit y. When need was, tbefe Members of parliament af- fembied themfelves , and the King deferred to their Comicelsas much a> their Priviiedges required : Wherc- ppon thofe of the Parliament ot* London wq^q extraordi- narily vexed, maintaining th.it the Name and Power of Parliam.ent, was from that cim.e faftened to the place where they fate, wbch is a point that we will not di- fpure, how Grange fo€\ er it be; but v\e would have them remember, th.it they have had their fitting in other pla- ces, and have not for all that thought ihey had left their Authority at Weftmlnfter ; and we dare anfwer for them, thatif theLo:'d. and Cor.mons which held with the King, had driven them, away, and taken their place, they would foon have changed their Opinion. Befides this ftrong confideration cf numbers and per- fons, all rhofe who know that the King is the Fountain of Authoriryvand that without him there is no more law- ful Power, then day without the fun, would never make queftion which were the true Parliamentjthat which a6^- cd with him, or that which rofe up and fought againil him. But alas (ince, force and necelTity hatn con(irained many poor Lords to return & bow to rheir unjuft power. It would he too long to relate all the reafons that moved in the beginning, fo manyperfons of Honour to withdraw the mfeives from I«rfl((?// , in the general they loved 1^73 JoVed their Religioo , their King and Gountfy, zhd could noc confenc to the general diiorder of Church and State, nor ninder it in gainfaying. For a Sample of their pro:eedings, which theyufed to drive the 11 a. vay, wevV'll only coaimend to the Ju- dicious Rcide; the Petition ofchebafer fcrt of people of LoKdan^ prefented to the Houfe of Colnmori?, and by that Houfe, to the Houfe or Lord<>^' To exhon the Lnds to Jit no longer apart ^^' ^ from the Honfe ^f Commons^ hut to mdke one whole and en- tire body together , and to joy n vpith them^ and that thcj WQHld agree to an eqndhy In the State^ to procure £{n equal- ty in the Churchy and for a vohlle to for fake their power of Lords to fubdtie the pride of the King; adding- vvitbil. That If thef gave not a fpeedy remedy to the obflruclloni which retarded the happy progreji of the great pains theytoakj, they fhoyJd be forced to have recourfe to the Remedy they hai in their honds^ and to defiroy the Dlfturbsrs of their peaces requiring the Houfe that they would fMckJy declare td them who they were. Judge yc in what Conmor-wealthtHefe people! i- Ved, who durlt prefent fuch a Petition, cind if there ap- peared not a fvvorn hitre j againft all Greitn^f-? and Su- periority, and a d'cfign formed to change thi"? Noble and' Ancient Monarchy into a Q)ii!non-wealth ; like thit diMmfler. Oh whit iL:iipwfence / to dare to folici e the Houf^ of Lords at one blow to lofe both their Rights and Honours, to confent to in equality in theSra^ev whicli Wis to debafe them, and even to put them irf their iliirts, and oblige them todepofe the King, and to render him like totbemeineft of the people: For obferve, they vvould have an equality in the State, like Ujito that of the Church, where all Minifters are Com- pa'nions. The Royal Dignity they call pride , ard would feduce the Nobility , whicn is the Kings r'ghc h^vdy torruine the head from whence the' r honour ca ^ s - 1^ ir life C^83 life and mo.ion ; and this urged with Menaces to de- ftroy them, and Br.wado's that the lives of tne great ones were in their hinds. Behold here that of the Pro- phet Jfaiah fulfilled, Jfa*^.^. The ba[e\hall behave him- felffrondly ^gdlnfi the Honourable. Thefe Petitioners in the Tide of their Petition qua- lificJ chenifcWes, Thefoorefi of the people^ and fuck in- deed they were ; To litclc in their condition , that a great perfon offended would hsve fcorned to have taken nodceof theoi, and yet foftrorg in their number, that there was neither greaunefs norpO'Ver that could refirt them ; in this double regird they were chofcn , to fpcik aloud the intentions that their Leaders would, but durft not ot/ierwife make known, and that they might bear the blame without danger, as proceeding from the infolenceand ignorance of a brutiHi and ill bred peo- ple. Notwirhftanding the charity of the Houfe of Com- iTions difcharged this poor people of the blame, and took it upon thcmfeivc^. For theie Gentlemen, did the/ not in a body tl' emfelves prefent Tj' ^!uV' ''^j' ^^^ ^o unworrhy a Petition to the ted mthc l^tnzide- iTrrxj- rr • -l clayaiiQ,orAu''H(l Houfe of Lords, w tncffirg tnereby l^tAnaol6^^, that the Petition, and the fcdi:ious fouls of .jn^e people which clamoured at their doorj?, \yxs a worraP their own. Oh how will they palliate over this vile action f All the water in the Sea cannot waHi away their fhame , lo favour fo villa- Hous a Petition, in ftead of making the bearers feel the effects of their jvd\ indignation. This bafe multitude might have been frigh:tdl?.nd difperfed by an angry look or word of this great and Noble Houfe of Lords, but this rafcality had friends in the Parliament, wro em- boldened them to rife, thereby to mike ufe of their af- ' fiftance; For the fam.e day (the feditious Rabble re- mainiRg there to ferve them who fent for them ) the Ordinance ^ -iMtw pwn p i i -P Ordinance co tnke the Miliin from the King, which had twice been call our of the Lords Houle, wa^ ?gain prefcnted to them the third time by the Houfc of Com- mons, with threatningSjglving them openly tounder- ftand, thic if the Houfe of Lords did not joyn with rhc Commons in point of rhc Militia , thofe amongft them that were of the Comm.ons opinion, fhouiddo wifely to make them ptiblickly known, that fothcy might dillinguilli their Friends from their Foc^. Thi^ being fcconded by the great cries of tiie mutinous peo- ple about the Houfc of Parliam.cnt, the moft part of the Lords arofe .tnd left their places a^-d amongft*: he Lords who remained, thofe who were for the Militia, for fear or otherwife, carried it by fome voice?. * Soon after many of both Houfe^ withdrew themfclves without ever returning ; it was tim.e to part company, when thy could not Vore without h^zzarding their live? or Confciences : For the Names of the Lords and Commons which pleafed not the Zealous party , were ported up CO make them flee, cr to be torn a piece* by the enraged multitude. And thus the fmali party ofthctwoHoufesdrave a- way the greater, as a few Hornets which difpeoples doc whole Hive; being aififtcd herein by the infolcnr, hy- pocricical and meaner fort of people, which were at their beck, through the Induftry of foxe feditious Preachers of the populous Pari flacs of Lgndan^ where the Brownifts and Anabaptifts abounded. By the fame Inftruments the Lords had been before conftraincd to pafs the Ordinance for taking away the Bifhops Votes in Parliament. By the fame Tnftrumencs alfo the King was driven from his Houfe and chief City, when the'Fadious^if- frighted a peace ible and difarmed King, arming the people , and manning out Vcffels of War on rhc Thamesjbeficging the RoyalPalace, under colour of bc- E B ^"5 C7o3 ing a Gmrd j:o Ac fix Menbers, who.Ti rhc King had a^cufed of high Treafonj to coudu6^ the;n loWeftmlnflery infpighc of him ; but the King feme hotics befo.c re- tired himfelf to fave his life, iind rerurned non cifter. In requical of the many good fervice> of the people, their Mailers at mjimiftfier^QmziuQd' them ail kind of liberty, and indeed they taughc the people that lewd licentioufners,who before were kept in obedience by an pxcedenr GovcLnnnenr, and could hardly be brought to become fo vile and infolem; but there is nothing but in time one may learn, by exhortation; and examples ; and it appeared by their adiions , hew well they had profited in this Arr^ for when the Houfe of Lords would have reproved them, the Houfe of Commons were of- ifended with the Lords, and made this open profefTion to them, Th^t they (honUmt dlfcourage tl.elr frieyjds^ and that they bad med of thir [ervlce. And thus thefc Ma- kers and the Factious people, gran.ed one nnother m.u- tual liberty, and they forgave the people their pnffed In- folencies, qncondition they would commit new one?. But when the honeft and m.oft underllanding of the City came in a good number to petition the two Houfes to hearken to peace, andfatisfie the King, they were feverely rebuked, as feditious ; and thefeCjcntlemenlet ihemknow that they loved no noifc bucofth^irown making. Behold bee the waies whecby the Parlia- ment of Loyjdon obtained thei r abfolutc power / Behold the Foundations they laid for a moft holy Reformation / PoReriry will be afhamed of the Actions of their Fa- thers ^ail Forreign Nations will abhor thefc proceed- ings ; rcTiorfe and forrow may in the end enter into the heatcsof the LWi>/;^rf, when the/ i"h^ll behold them- ^ felvesthefolcobjeil of publick Execrations and curfes. Thofeof G^^/ytand Paris have only reaff^n to pardon them, when they fhall rqrieT.ber their Baracado*s, and the plate of the Nobles during ci^e holy League. Chap. C70 CHAP. X. 4 Parallel of the Covenant mth the holy League of France, uft^er Henry the^d. WHo (o fhall compare the holy League of France with the Ef^lUfb Covenant ,*" lliaM find that they are hrters, daughters oF the ifame Father, and that the younger is to the life after thfe Image of the Elder; in both you fhaU find an Oath of mutual ^Ifift- ance to extirpate Herelc, without the Awtteiry of the King, and which at 1 aft is turned againft th^ Kin|him- felf: A Jealoufie without ground of the Religion of their Soveraign, and a War of Religion againft a King of the fame Religion , which they would make the world believe was a HereticL A Lcigue vvkhiirarir gers, and Armies raifed in the Kingdom againft their natural Prince, who gave them no oiher occafion of the War but his too much Gentlenefs, A King fnbmit- tinghimfelf 3o reafon, offering himfelf to remedy aU the grievances of his Subje^^\s, and a people refufing co admit him to bring a remedy , and rcfolved to give or- der without him, the King driven from his chief City, which he had honoured by his ordinary prefence. The fire of civil war blown about by feditious preachers. The fupcrftitioMs people tributary to the ambition of fome particulars, weak Confciencc inflru(5led to cut the throat of their King, for the love of God, and to gain Paradife ; fallings frequent, Devotions doubled. Pro- phetical Infpirations , Examples of Angelical Holinefs, and all this to perfwade the fuperftitious people, that God favoured their Seditions as his caufe, and that their L^ad^rs cook Counfcl of none but the Holy Gholl, and E 4 had C70 Jiad no other aim but the fecting up of the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift : Wrkers under pay to write fcandalous li- bels againft their King/ the people fed vvich lies to drain money out of their purfcs, one \\:hi!e amazing them with fprs where there was none, another while tiatter- ing them with f.ilfe hopes and vyith. forocd news ; . A Pariiamem in the principal City, but in it a fmal num- ber, who wanting the Royal cfTiHancc, fupporc them- feiyes by granting liberty to an inveigled people, and by povyer of rich and foolifh Citizens. Nobility fcorn- .^d; Artificers and Banquerouts bearing the fway, all Prder EHvine and Humane overturned, the ancient La!ws and CuHomes broken , and new fundamental J^aws never heard of before, in their place^. In brief, it appears >c this day, thatthe Devil mnrche? abroad^ and walks in the fame paths he did abpuj: fifty years fince. - . ■ CHAP. XI. ^hep^Urineefthe MngUjhCevenar4ers paraSel'J mktkpc5irineof.the^c[uits. Since the Le-igt:eof Fr^wr and the Eyjgliflo Covenant wereborh made upon pretence of Religion , it's not unworthy our paines to confider this conformity of the DoSrines they employed to rr.aint^sin both the onq and tJ3e other, and how the Jefuits Maxim.es were the chief'fupportbf the Covenant. Both in the League and Coven ^nr, the people were encouraged to tal^eup Arms againft their King, by this HW jrr/,» / , r T^' opinion of Car. EelUr, who reacheth, ttpattKtbe Ki'^gdomsoj me}^ tU^fower oj the C73D ., the K'Comesfrom the people Jpecaufe its the pe&fle that nni\es the Klngr ^^ that the ^eofle do never fo transfer their fower over to the Ktng^ hut they retain It in hapicu, anJ, Jo that in certain cafes they may In eff'elh re-ajfume It agaln^ which was alio the judgment of Navarrns ^\^^hzm the Cardinal highly extols. And thus alfo the Author of the Obfervations upon the Kings Dcclantions,vvhois the Mafierof the Sen- tences with the Covenanters^ teichcch us. That origin nally the -poiver Is in the people , who are the fountain and fclent caufe^ and that the Atithority is mt in the Prince^ ■ fecondarlly^ and derivatively : All thefc Scare Pni- lofophers arc full of School teems, bur litrie re-ifon ; and he adds^ That this Aitthorlty founded by the peo- ple^ cannot be diffolved hat by that power ivhich gave it c9nfiitHtion. Which is ^.•? much as to fay, That the peo- ple may take away the Kings power and authority when they pleafe. Another of the Se6^, but more antient tells us ; That Princes and Governmrs have \«.;» .. , . ^• their authority from the people , who Jniv.zs'^Lt when they find it convenient , may re- fume and take it from them again^ as every man may re- voke when he pleafe his own procuration^ or warranty but this rcafon fliall by and by be examined and refu- ted. ■ The Cardinal explains himfelf more clearly in that which before he had written in covert Terms, faying, That aKing^fuch as hetheredefcrtbesy p^Uarm 1." Vt may^yea ought^by the confent of dl^to ^Q^af. 'cap\^i. be deprived of his Authority : and Good- Goodman p. 144. m4n is of hi^ opinion, That evil Prin- and 149. CCS ought to be depofed, and that this alone belongs to the inferiour Magiftrates to put in execution. We learn from Dodlor Charron that the French Leaguers C741 charren in his Lciguers eluded the ftren^th of S. Chriftian Dif- pauIs Texts, which forbids the oppo- ::rof hfeook of ^^"S -' S-veraigns m faying. That the Wifdom. commands had regard and refpedl only to the State of the Chriftians of thofe times, becatife they were not then (Irong enough * to make refiftance. I have before fliewcdhow BetUr- rnine^ ^Hchanm , and the Champions of Covenant , make uie of the fame reafon and expofidon. Bhc to clear the way, and m.ake \x. fmooth to* come to depofing of Sovcraign Princes; Thefe two parties are wont to abfolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Vjm-.uds.invo. ^\\^i^.mct,EmmHei S^ the Jcfuitc ce.Tr annus. inih^That the people maj depofethetr fimx to En(r^l. Prince^ even after they have frvorn per^ ana Scott. 7 8. petHal obedience to him. And Mr. Knox faith, That if Princes prove Tyrants againft God and his Trui;h, their Subjedts are free from their Oaths of Allegiance, &c. To the excommunication and depofing of the Prince ordinarily, there follows execution according to the vab^i^u.., r.uf^ Authcntick Bull: That Its m Homi- tray a Ui ban. cm} a .j. ,.,i • i /- 1 J. ^. 5. catt. ^'"^ ^'^ ki^^ ^ exconwmmcated fer]m\ ExcdmmunkatO' The French League produced two >«*»• examples in the perfons of their Buchman de ]iire ^[^^^^ . ^^d this accords with the Do- f^^^ni p. 70. ^^.^^ ^^ Buchanan , That Mlmfiers may excommunicate Princes^ arid that a King after he ti cafti wto Hell by Excommtimcatlony ts urn»orthy to llvey 6r to enjoj life upon earth : But obferve in paifing, the Reformed Churches do not teach that the Excom' mmlcatio Major do caft any perfon into Hell , but onely excludes them from the outward communion of the vilible Church, and in this, as in other things; , Buchanan hath fhewed himfcif to belcfs skilled in Di^ vinity, then in Poetry, ^ The C753 Thebeftexcufe which can be alledged m his De- fence u that which Mr. Dn Monl'm lends him, which may alfo fervc for Mr. Kmx^ That „ r n a 'rill • /• L' I r ^yp^'''^WihesA,Z, if h hath rvritten any thing which faj' cap. lo. feth moderation , w>^ w^^ not attribute it to his Religion but nature ; for its nioft certain both thefe were hot headed men, and had a great Antipathy againft Monarchy. As for the dod^rine of King-killing,which is a familiar do6lrine amongft the Jefuits, and is oft their Hiame and reproach; they to render us as odious as thenr»felves,and by way of exckmge, alledge and quote in their writings the pafDges of BuclMnan^Knox and Goodman^ who toge- ther with them teach the fame Do6lrine. Th.it cunning Jefuite petra SanBa U very curious in fearching into their writings, whom that excellent perfon Mr Rhet anfwers, and tels him, that none amonglt us approve or allow thofe wicked Maximes, and im- fefuita vapnUns^ putesthe caufe to their fnpf of edferfe- cap. 13. cmion^which had exafperated their fpirits^ and to the hot heads of the Nations of this Hand, After this fo wife and charitable a repreheniion,coTi- ingfromapcrfonof fucheminency; menof learning a- mongrt the/n, ought at leaft to h we learned snodefty , fince they refufed to learn obedience of their Parlia- ments, which condemned thefe Dov^rincs of Knox^md Buchanan by their publike Acls, or by the deccrminati- ons of their principal Divines who have learnedly refu- ted them ; and alfo by confideringwhat great pains Mr. 'Blondil^^At.Faladey and other judicious and learned men of Forraign Churches, have taken to wafh off the filth of their do6Vrines and behaviours, which have exceed- ingly fcandalized the Evangelical profeflTion ; after fo many Iterated faving advertifements, one would have thought they flioulS have preferred thcmfelvcs from fal- ling into th^ fame offences, and from giving new oc- cafionj r7«3 cafions of rejoycing to their enemie?, and of fliame to their brethren ; bm behold of late worfe then ever , their hot heads have produced fuch new effects of vio- lence, as gives a challenge of defiance to the very Je- fuits themielves. . The Author of 5/W/ Flea^ anl- page z4o!* mAtesihz people to war and to pull down the Biniops,fpeAking thus^^W^ neither fmull^ nor great yhnt the troublers of Jfraely wound thitHazaei in the fifth Rib: Tea If your father and nib- therfiand in jour way to prevent you^ difpatch themfudden" ly^ pull down the enjign of the Dragon , fet up the ftandard of Jefus Chrifi. What ? If the father of the State ihnd in your vvay, now when ye are bufie in this holy caufe, ir.uft he be difpatched ? no doubt but they would tread upon him to make way, and would fervc the Son, as they hid done the Father ; 'tis a point refolved on by the fame Author fT/? If S. Paul were alive, doubtlcfs thef(^nncn would even maintain to his face, that he underflood not the nature of C773 of chcfpiricuaiKingdome, when he faid, Rom* 14,7. 716^^ the Kwgdome of God is righteoHfmfs , feace and joy '%n the Holy Ghofi : And when t\c read rhis lelfon to the Chriitians, Let the pe/ice of God rtiU Inj/onr hearts^ to ' yphkhfe^ce ye are called in one bodj. They would have taught him that the Kingdome of Jcfus Chrili ought to be let up by the murthering of Kings, the deii ruction of the people, and the over- throw of State=?, and would have icnc him to their Ca- techife to be iniiru6^ed , That the Parliament SoMiers at the frefent oHght not to confider us as their Fellow-Citizens, or their Parents^ or their comf anions tn Rellglen^ but 06 Ene- mies of God'i upholders of uinti-Chrl ft 9 and therefore their eye fkoHldnoc pity tfSy nor their fwordfpare us. Thefe are the words of chat abomi- nable Catcchifm publiOied by Autbo- tecllfmcompofcd' rity, for theufc of the Covenanters fir theFdrlkments Army : Oh behold the principles of ^rmy by Robert Faith, wherewith thefe dull fouls arc ^^,^\ Mfijiery inrtruaed: Behold the Bred of Life ff,f^^^^/^^^ wherewith their Divines feed the cfthefeveHth E- confcicnces of the poor people, Jer. dn'm, 23.4. / havefeenlnthe Prophets of Hie- rufalem an horrible thing , they commit adultery y and wal^ in lies , they flrengthen alfo the hands of evil doers ; Ifra- cl, the dales of thy vijltatisn are come 5 thy Prophets are fools ^ and thy men of Revelations are mad. To thefe prodigious Doftrincs we will joyn that A- phorifm in the book enrituled, jiltareDamafcemtmj That all Ki»gs have a natural hatred again]} Chrlfi: If ye would believe this man, every one that lovfes Chrift, mutt bear an irreconcilcable hatred to all Kings ; was thene ever a more feditious and execrable MaxiSic: af- ter fuch a Do^rine pronounced by an Authot oXfuch account, fhould we ask who hath put weapons into the hands of this^fupcrlHtious people againft their So"^- C783 raigi>, for thefefcormiierable people, hate the King for cbe love of God, yea,miny accoimc liim an Enemy of jefus Chriit, even becaufc he is a King. Thac we may the becter difcover by what iplric this man is ied , obferve how he deals with his natural Prince, he cali^ King James o£ moil happy and glorious meir.ory, Infefilfsimm Ec cleft a Hoftes^ the i^noit mortal enenyor crjeCnurch , witho.ic dow^i thofe who read this , wui queftionwhat Religion this man is of, who foqualihes the incomparable Defenc'er of the Faith, who hath fo vigoroufly and fmcerely maintained the truth , that if there were a ChriUian in the world, who knew not that gre.it Prince , neither by his ad- mirable writing'?, nor by the Renown of his Piety and Wifdome, and lliould hear him cail'd the moft fpitcful and mortal Enemy of the Church, he might well ima- gine that Kmo James had turned 7V/^, and changed the Churches of his Kingdome into Mofqaes^ and Ibid his Chridian Subje6ls for flaves to the Mo^rs, It were to do wrong to the telHmony that himfelf huh given by the Immortal Monuments of his Reli- gious Wifdome, and by his truly Chriliian and Father- ly Government, to undertake here to defend him a- giinl^ fo uiiequal an Adverfary, wherein the injuries fpokcn of this excellent King, turns tothe ruine and perdition of him that fpake them , like unto the bi- tings of the wcafcl, who confumes his teeth by gnawing ofttcel. Certainly when the Divines oi France^ defend in their writings,theConfeirion of Faith of his Majcfty,- againft the Dockers of the contrary Religion, they ac- count not that King, a mofl mortal enemy of the Church* That moft holy Confeflfion confirmed by the pradlice of that great Prince, will ferve as a bright (hining light in the Church, in after Ages, and cover the memory of them who injured and reproachd bioi with perpetual fham& Bttc C79l But for the preTcnc, thefe rare Adages which curfc the bcft of Kings, and Royalty in general, are gachcr'd as choice and golden fentcnces. Wicneffe this o her, which comes from the Authority of his Companion, as great a liar as himfclf, who hath this paflage: He errcs not mttch whofdith^ that there u in ,^. ... «, ., , . Mil Ktfigs 4 mortal hatred afAinjt the Gofpely they will not fuffer wtilingly the King of Kings t0 govern m their Kingdomes^ jet God hath fome among fi the Kings who pertain to him-i but very fewy it may be one in oh hundred* But (ince he is upon the nuxber , inftead of counting a hundred Kings one afcer another. Ice him account only a hundred years without going out of England , and we intreat this good man to confider what Kings have raigncd over this Kingdome within this hundred years , and let him in good earneft tcil us, which ofthem he would iCvivcco God, and which he would give to the Devil; let them confider the fiery of him, whom God hath made a Saint , and they a Martyr , let them find if they can in all his King- dome , a man more juft and meek, more temperate and religious , and let envy and rebellion, who finding nothing to bite at, in the life of this Monarchy burft a- funder at his feet, and hide thcmfelvcs in their own con- fuhon. Ltt us fay the fam.e to the Obfervator upon his Ma- jcftics Declarations , who fpeaking of all Kings now raigning, but with a partioM .6lrincs,which renders ChriRianity hateful both to Turks and Pagans, were fobold as to addrefs rhcir pub like De- clarations to the Reformed Churches of FrArJce■x)^Q Loiv Comtryes^ and ^wV^fr/W, asifthe/madeprofeirionof the fame Do6lrinesf ; they had the impudence to invite thcfefo pure Churches, to have fociety with them, and ^ to pray thetn to efteem the Caufeof the Covenant, thac of all the Cberches. In this the Affembly of Divines at London were imploycd by their Mafters. Thatwhich makes this TemptatioA TheEpiftleof the ^^^^ dangerous, is, That the Letter venerable Atlem- . & i-rL-rv \ - blybf EngliChDi- they Wrote upon this iubje6t to their vines ^and the De- Neighbours , could very hardly be un- putics of Scotland, derftood : This Venerable Company "; ^^c^^^^T"^^ of Divines of Confummate Know- p'rJ'L L... l^dge, andtheFlower of Eloquence Countries, and of that Party , wric a Latme Letter SwkxfrUndy &c. to the French^ Flemens^ and Smtz>ers; wherein there wanes nothing in the Outward but Language and Common fenfe , a moft worthy Cover for the Inward ; for fo evil a drogue there needed not a Better Box. This Epiftle, amongft a ridiculous affedl:.ition of Criticifmes, Greek and Po- etical phrafes , and many Rhetorical Figures, is here and there fill'd with Solccifmes, Barbarifmes, and the like Grammar Elegancies , like a foundred horfe that goes up and down ; and it's pity to behold how their Eloquence ftumbles in Capriolinge. This piece of Latine was much admired, and many praife^ heaped upon the Authors, atid publick thanks, by fpecial command, given, to them by the Houfe of Commons, fo much is knowledge valued in this Refor- med party. It*s likely many hands contributed to the compofingof it , for it's a patched difcourfe, made up of divers pieces altogether unlike one another , and *^oes by leaps awd skips, as an empty Cart in a craggy and ftony way, I will not burthen my difcourfe, with the faults of Children. I will only give you a tafte in th« Margin, For the Margin. Inth^Tkle Litters a Co^vemus Theolo^orum !» -^^- f &, a barbarous phrafe. Tb^ C833 The fame, Prout Ordimverat Homratijfima homm Cemmumum ; Ordinare^ doch not fignifi^ to Commmdi buc to fttt in Order. HoisQratiJfima is wliolly barba- rous. ' In the firft Page, Dlu eft ex qm credldmtu callcem mnc quern e^otrndnm ijmdex Del mmus exhlbmt veftris mrihlu infonmjfe. Rare Tavern Eloquence, to make the Cups and Goblets to found. In the fecorid Pdge, Ref or matldnis impedimenta y They would have faid, HMerances of Reformation ; Thefe Matters knew noE that the Plural Imfedlmema fignifies Ba£ga^e. In the fame , Eo ufque profeclt [celeratljfma fMlo^ Surely they fliould have faid, progreffa eft^ f)6: proficere fignifies to advance in that which is good. In the fame period there is a Sotecifme, Eoufqueprg- feclr^ m opmety they fliould have faid oporteat. There is i Solccifme of the fame nature in the third Page, Hofce cum gens IIU rejecerati they flnould have fad rejecljfet ; I Willi thefe grave Divines would learn that the Prepolitions ^ & mm govern the Conjun6"livQ in the fignification they give it. In the fccond Page, Coembla An^lU tolerata^ this is another Solecifme, for according to their fenfe, they fliould have faid,/;^ Anglla ; in thefe words there are yec more incongruities in the Truth, than in the Grammar, for both Ged and men know that it is falfe, that there hath been any Convent or Monaftery tolerated in Eng- land for above thefe eighty years. In the third Page, Mijfi hlnc trans Atpes , mandstta- fl& abllpfaRoma receptl nmtli^ there can be nothing fpoken more barbarous nor m.ore falfe. In the fame Page, JDlcam dlcere, they have heard ^ fpeak of Dtcamfcriberci which (ignifies to appeal in Ju- ftice. In the fame Page, Injuria^ In aprlcm froferre^ Fxcel- F a ien'E [843 lent Elegance, to put the injuries in theSunnc. In the fourth Page, Natio aitemtriumfhajfet In aI- terim [dngmne ; they lliould have faid, defangmne. In the fame Page, Deia qm rodentem fenjimtweam pr'iPi'S sgeratraglemem Leoiiem indmtj that is to fay, that God had plaied the perfono^a gnawing moth, which is a very ftrange conception. Let theic Divines correal either their lenfe or their Latinc. In the Calfee Page, where they would fay, the Prin- cipals of /r^/W, they caii'd them Pr/W/p«/^rf/, vvh:ch is a wprd of Campagne, and doth not fignifie that they would fay, and yet the true word is Prwcipuios. lii the fifth P^ge, VeUtendum^ they would have faid, ^ehtefcerjdum : They Inoulddo well to read over their Cop J ligations 3gain. In the fame Page, mdique in ftead oiubique. In the fame P^ge, Cluet: in flead ofClmty and yet the word is nothing worth in profe. In Page the fixth, SacratlJJlmam^ the word is barba- rous. In the fame Page, GUdlw AngUcam faglnatpu carne^ thn is to fay, the iword fatted with the Bcfh of the En- glijh^ the word /rf^/Wr^ is not proper, but for a creature or benft that a man feeds ; its a very extravagant fancy to fat a fword as a hog. In the fame Page, That which the Irlfh had invaded by Arms, they call quodrjaEilfuntj as iftheyhadmet with it by chance or h ^zard. In the fev'enth Page, Modo evemre p[fity ut Ecclejta redtmeretur: Its a Solecifm , they l"hould have fliid, redmatPtr : This people are wholly out of Tenfe and Mood. In the fame, Ferltatis pedipqm fumus & ama/tipun- tatk; ^w^/z//f isadiflioneft word, znd pedijfeqm ddicu- lous, and both the one and the other very improper • Behold thefenfe in Englilli, Wc are Lacqueys of the Truth, C85] Truth, and Paramours oftiie Court of purity; thcfc arclofcy imaginations, fit to entertain the brave wits with. A little after they enrich the Latine tongue with a new word, Remonftrantl/u^ pcradventure in their next Edition they will eonfider whether they lliould write Remonftrantloi or Remonflrationes. There is alfo a Solecifm; rhey make ufe of the Ad- verb »^r^^«f, whicb is an Adverb of Motion, as ific were an Adverb of Reft. In the eighth Page, Poteftatl [ummus^ its a barba- rous word, and is found in no good Author : But I think not my felf bound to write out all their faults . the moft part whereof hath this commodity, that the' intricatenefs and obfcurity of their iHle hinders our fight. The next time they write to ftrangers in thi^^ ftile, I counfel them to fend an Interpreter with their Letter ; for this Latine Monfieur Salmajtus the Prince of Learn- ing of this age , could not underftand : And in the mean while, thefe Gray Beards lliould do well to em- ploy fome time, when their State-affairs will give them leave, to learn their Grammar, than ftrangers may nor laugh at their childii"h Eloquence. And for the prefect they are obliged in Chari ry ( for this their Epif^le being printed and fent to feventeen States and Churches beyond fca ) to fome ftrangcr, who out of companion lent it good Larine, but it was a year and half after: 'Tispityhe fpollM their work, for he fliould have left the form and the matter, the one be- ing futable to the other. Now fliould we impute their Latine to their want of knowledge,did they not in this their Epittlc tell us^That they were a mofl venerahte Comfany ofexcellentferfoyj^m Wlfdom^ Learning and Piety. 1 he (ame alfo iufflctenc- • ly proved by the Teftimony of fome of their comp^nv, F 3 v/ ' *# / o^ I which were Members of the fame mm ^Hhm Afle^yy^ in which the other are not behind rhem in requital, and in mag- nifying their perfons and actions to the Skie?. it's the old cuftomof this Fa6lioH to commend one another, and when they print any Book, they borrow pfoncortwoof their Friends ppilile^ and Prefaces in jcommendation of the Work, wherein ordinarily they give the Author excefflvepraifes ,• Never did the Bi-' iLop? affume half the Titles that they give one another. As the Dim^hil Cocks have the greateli Combs, fo the meanell fpirits are m.oft arrogant and proud, taking on them many high Titlps. A great man in Fr^«,t?^ com- pared fuch kind of perfons to the old Writings, full of abbreviations , faying, that where there arc many Ti- tles, there is little Learning. But we will labour todecypher their Latinefofar as m,ay ferve our prefent purpofe, for which the 1 aft Inter- preter will much help us. They pray Lkeat interim apud the Forraign Churches, but almoftin JFratres quos falii' a com.mandinc; Way, that they would Zll^X^. recommend TheirUe to bod in tUmdr^ttmmoni- their publick prayers, and require it ^m e^ in facris eo- jpne conditioner vvithout any condition, rum txtibm quan- and will not be refufed , and they docu?iq-,opmfum vvould have them make Apologies for Apoiogtamobtmre. .^einnocency of the Covenanters in their Affemblies. Muft the Churches then diV ranee for to content them, without coniidering the falvation of their foul^, the fafety of their perrons,makc publick pray- ers in their Affemblies for the Covenanters I Preach to the people that their War is lawful and holy ? and that after being queftioned by the Magiftr^tes of a con- trary Religion, conftantly maintain that it isthecaufe of God, whatfoever may happen to their Goods, Live$ and the prof eflTion of the Gof^el ? Bat C87D Buc behold here chat which is vvorfc, in the condufion of the Oath of the Covendnc, which they fent with their Epirtle to all the Neighbour Churches, they in- vite them carneftly lotAQthisOathorthe like: And above all, they invite thofe Churches who live under the power of a contrary Religion: The Invitation is in form of a Prayer, That it would fkafe God toencUnehy their examfles^the other Churches that groan under the yoke of Antichrists Tyranny^ to ajfoclate themf elves mththis Covenant or the Uke^ For to take then their Summons in their own fenfe, that is to fay, That the Churches of France to pleafc them, would make a Covenant againd their Soveraign;expe6ling,as a thing which they^eed noc doubt, that the Englifli Covenanters v\ould overcome their enemies inaninftant, and would be ready at the day appointed,co fuccour their Confederates beyond the Seas, with their victorious Armies, before their King juftly provoked, fhould ruine them. The Covenanters Declarations, efpecially in the year 1^42. flatter thefe poor Churches with this hope , and through all their difcourfe clearly refolv'd to go forth and pull down An- tichrift in all Countries, and make a general conqueft for Jcfus Chrift, Thefe are very like the Meffagcs that John of Ley den fent to Munfter^ to make all the Com- mons in Germany to rife, and all the. world if it were poflible. Not that the Leaders of the Covenant conddering their ftrength and interert , thought themfelves capable of fo vaft a defigny but according to my opinion, they had two ends in making this fo open a profeffion : The one, to draw to their party the weak and palTionate, who inenterprifes, have regard to the luftrc and promife of the defign, and not to the poflfibility of the execution. Of fuch fpirits the great Herd of the v^orld is compofed, who in the great andpublick Motion^fuffet their fan- cies to bcbewitched with Poetical h >pe3, incompatible with the nature of the atfairs. F 4 Such Such was the promife of another Declaration, which lul'd the imaginations of the adherents. That this War would bring them deliverance from all f^.^Z^'"'- theirS4f''gsa»dfe>^,a>,d be the k- 16 \A, gmmngoj a new worldoj joy anafeacey which God would create fir their confola- tlon. For this new world of peace and joy which _, was but three skips and a ftride off, g./'^'^ ^'^ as they thought , they found fuch ■ '* befotted fpirics who caft themfelves headlong into a Gulph of evils, without bottom or bounds. The other apparent end was to gain credit to their party by the applaufe of Forreign Churches, to fortifie themfeives by the powerful aflbciation of the Low-Coun- trles^ and to try vvhechcr the f r^;7r/» of the Reformed Religion were fo ill affectionate as to take up Arms a- gaintt their King, without ever caring what fhould come after, when they were once engaged in a war wherein formerly they had ill fuccefs. And thefe people were fo void of charity and humanity, that they were content to buy an unprofitable reputation to their party, by the certain ruine of thofe they invite to alliance with them.; As he that C3r(5d not to cut down his Neighbours Oak, vvere ic but to make himfelf a pick-tooth. For fuppofe that the French Churches fliould ha^^e fuffered themfelvcs to be g.uned by their per^ fwafions : In what condition were they in to Juccour them ? Could they have furniihed Money y, Armes , Men and Shipping ? Had they the means' to put our the Fire , when they had once kindled it ? All the Succours that theie Gentlemen could give them, would be to declare the Votes of the two Houfes, That the Armes of the Churches oiVrame were Defenfive and Juil , and thefe of their king ^ Offe^ifive and Unlawful : Or have -De- - dared clarcd his Majcfty fallen from his Dignity and Crown o^ France J as chey declared chofe two Blullrious Prin- ces, Prince i^;^/?(?r'f and Prince Maurice^ Son; of the Ui^Y^n^oi Bohemia-, excluded fromSuccelfion in the Palatinate ; which Vote ihall take place, when the Ma- tters of the Covenant fhall have Conquered the Fa/an- »^rtfby their Armes, infpighcof theForce^- of France-^ the Emperour, and Spam-, and they become fole Arbi- ters of the Empire. Before the Covenanters come to the end of this defign, a little too farorf , thcfe brave Princes will have leafurc to make their peace, and many things may intervene, which will induce their Judges to abate of their fo great fevcrity. For to perfvvade thefe poor Churches to q^{\ them- fclves heacllong intoruine, the Aflemblyat Lon^,on^ in their Epiftle labour to exafperate them, by the remem- brance of all that they had fuffered, and perfwaded them that all Churches on this fide, as well as on the o- therfideof the Seas, were concluded to be ruined by the fam.e Agents ; that after the Churches of England, and -Sref/^ii^S fhould be devoured, they would then fall upon their Neighbours ; and that it was not againfl them.cn, but againft theprofefifion of the true Religion, andagainftGodlinefs, that their Enemies made War: Whereby they would make. the Neighbour Churches' believe, that King C/?^r/tf/ confederated with the Pope to ruinc the Reformed Religion, and that after he had difpatched his ownfubjc6ls, he would do the like to his Neighbours of the fame Religion. Thereneeds no great meafurc of the Gift of difccrn- ing Spirits, to judge by what fpirit thefe Grave Divines were led, who take fuch pains to fend their Brethren to the (laughter, within and out of their Kingdome, and r© rnaketheDompamons in their crimes, we hope they iliall never obtain. Butthefe Divines , and their Mafters who employ them , ihall find themfelves deceived in their defign, to induce the Reformed Churches of Fr4w^ to lliakeoff theyokeof their King, under colour of fhaking otf the yoke of An- tichrift. The fidelity and peaceable converfation of rhefe Churches, doth take away even the ihadow of fuch things from their Superiours, whofe juftice is fuch, that they will not condemn the Subjects of their King for the orfences of ftrangers , but will be more careful to prote6l the innocent, then their ill neighbours are a- 6l:ive to render them blame-worthy and unhappy. The King and his Councef need not fear the Fre?ich of the Reformed Religion will take the Oath of the Cove- nant, tovvhieh they are invited with fo much earneft- nefs and craft : For to fpeak of them in the terms of one of their beloved Paftors, They take no Oaths t9 others^ but to their Soveraign Princes^ they cajl . not their eyes on a firanger , they hold p^pej^^'^" that It is not for a Suhjeci to jindoccafi- on of dif obedience In the Religion of his Prince^ makj^g Re- ligion a Match to give fire to Rebellion ^ they are ready to exfofe their lives for the prefervatlon of their King agalnfi rvhomfoever It be^ were It one of their own Religion ; who' foever fhould do otherv^jfi), ^fhould not defend Religion^ btit fervs his ambition^ and (h^M draw a great fcandal upon the truth of the Gofpel. This is the Doctrine wherein they are inrtrudled'; this is the ProfefTion in which all good Frenchmen oi the Reformed Religion will live and die. JBut if ftrangers, vyhofc heads run round with the. wine of aftonillimenc , will force the Churches of France to drink of tx^eir Cup, they will ufe the French freedomc, refufe to pledge them, and behold their zeal to prcfs them to do as they do, withxdefpite and compaffi- compaflion : Let them not think itftrange that they run ,not with them into the fame excefs of riot, they do not offend them, for vvhilft they have this ftrong wine in their heads, they keep their fobriety, and are filled; be- fecching God to llicvv mercy upon thofe who would feducethem. Now as it is theciilbme of drunken perfons, who would draw others into the fame excefs with thcmfe'ves, and to drink according to their plea- fure , to make them believe thac they h^ve feen them themfelvcs in that condition ; fo the E^glifh Covenan- ters to defend their a6lions, and augm.ent their Party, alledgcvery often toihtFrewh Churches .their wars for Religion, the remembrance whereof is very fad; and to ufe this Argument to feduce them, is no other thing then to counfel them to be miferable becaufe they have been fo , and to go with their eyes fhut, and run the reaiains of their broken veffel againlt the rock where they were fhipwrackt. Moreover, its veryunjuftin them to impute to the whole body the actions of a party ; for in the late war? all the Churches on this fide the River Lojre^ continued in their obedience , and very neer the half of the other Churche>. The people were carefully prefervcd in their dudes by their faithful Paflors. This holy Do-_ <^"'trine which condemns the refifting of higher powers, and commands to wait patiently deliverance from God, and to fuffer for righteoufnefs &e , was moft preffcd and urged in their Churches yind whilft fom.e of the Religion were in Arms during the minority of the King , they preached at PatIs^ Their ftrength was to jit fillL lfai.50.7. There fell lately Into my bands an Epiftle well penn*d, which was fent to the State-Affembly of Ro- cheh in the beginning of their fitting, tocnclinethem to peace, and the obedicace of his Majefty, Behold kcreaparfageof it. L9jJ / thw^^ it very frofitdleforyou to he Informed the trmh^ what the opinions and difpojjtions of 6ur Churches are^ by ferfons that have a particHlar knowledge of them : Ton are novf debating (Gentlemen) of thefeparation of yonr Af- [emhly for to obey his Majefiy^ er of Its fubjifience^ and to give order to your affairs-, I am bound to tell you^ that the general dcjire of our Churches Is^ that It would pleafe Gedto continue -peace unto us under the obedience of hlsMajefiy^ and that feeing the King is refolved to employ his Armies to make you obey^ they promlfe themf elves fo much ofyou^ that you will do what pofsibly ^ou can to avoid this tempeft^ and yield rather to necejsity^ then enter into a war ^ wherein the. ruine of ti great part of our Churches are certain^ and into A trouble wherein we may behold the entrance ^J?ut cannot fee theijfue^ and that ye will take away the pretext from them who drive on the King to fall upon us, Thofe that fear God dejire that if we mufi be perfecuted^ it jhr.uld be m bearing the Crofs of Chrijir^ and for the prof efsion of the Gofpel. In brief y 1 affureyoHthm the greatejl andbefl part of our people dejire you to decline this unjufi enterprlfe* Here is not che Authoriy of a Single Perfon, 'cis the tcftimony of the greatefi and befi part of the Chur- ches of France^ 'cis a general Declaration of the Chur- ches, and of thofe amongft them who feared God^ that the duty of Chriftians perfecutedis, to bear the Crojfe^ not Arms. It's then very falfly and injurioufly done, that the example of the French Churches iliouid be fo often and importunately alledged by the Covemniers toju- flifie the SubjciSls reftfiing their Sovereign, lince that ever in the time of war, the greateft and bcft part were againft it. A French Divine, who loved bo:h his Religion and King, found himfclf fo prick'd by this reproach made to the generality of his Party, that he prayed us to in- fcrt here this exprelTionof his judgement , and of the foundcft part of the Churches of France^ The war for Rell- C?43 Religion in this Kingdorr.e is a wound yet frefli, and ye can hardly touch it, but ye will hurt it, and rriake it fmart ; and its very fore againtl my will that I muft touch it: But I am conrtrained to it, by the frequent 3t)eclararions of the Covenanters , who have nothing fo ftrong nor fo frequent for te move the people to take up Arms againft their King, as to propofe to them the example of the French Churches , as a pattern which they ought and are bound to follow. Would to God that in leaving us there, they would have given us liberty to hold our peace ; but fince they will not give over pub- li/liing abroad, and making all places ring with our ca- lamities, the remembrance whereof we rather defire fhould be for ever buried, lince they impute the a6lions of fome few to the generality of our Churches, and e- ven to Religion it felf ; and fince that they alledgc our errors, for to exhort us to return to them again, and fince they change the fubjc<5t of our repentance and forrow, into rules for their imitati^on, and into precepts of theGofpel. Is it not now high time to fpeak, and prefer the Intereft of Gods Glory, and of the Truth of K\s Word, above the credit of men whatfoever they be, yes, and of our own too. Let God be trne and, every wan a Liary Rom . ^ . 4. Confefs thy faulty and give glory to^e Lord God of Ifraely Jo. 7. 19. Afr. Rivet tvasnot - ^ . , afhamed to call thefe ourfiirrmfSy cul- ?itVAni""' p^m>.oftromm,thc£Mto£ his^Coun- try-men ; and this was fpoken as a Champion of the truth, to confefs it fo freely, that it was both to our fin and dammige, wherein (ashehim- felf declares J he Agrees with Monfieur dn Monlifj^ who in his fecond Epiftle to Monfienr Balzak^^ malces the fame confeflion in equivalent terms. Such was the Pie- ty and ingenuity of thefe godly an4 learned pctfons,that all their care and pains was to defend the Truth only, and not their pcrfons. It C953 Ic would be a great honor for the Churches of Trance with one confent publikely to declare that they judge ail wars of Subjects againft their Soveraign , unlawful, and to exhort their Brethren oi England to Obedience and fidelity to their Prince, then for to preferve the cre- dit of fome of their party , and fuffer their a6lions to ferve as fnares to the weak confcicnces of their Neigh- bours, and of pretext to thofe who labour to corrupt the Doctrine of the Gofpei. My felf being a member of the Reformed Church of France^ ddubt not but I fhall be owned and appro- ved to give an Anfwer for them to the Summons of a ftrangc Covenatit Its a very great afHiction to us to ^ .p , , ^'behold the famous Churches of cL^,h^rof°' " Great Britain to deftroy themfelves, France, " for coittroverfies without neceflficy ; " and which might btve been eafily compofed. And that ^* which toHcheth us molt, is, the danger of the. Truth, " which is much weakned by thefe divilions ; for its to " be feared, that in your contending and ftriving one ** with another, you over-turn not the Candleftick of "the Gofpei, and that God being provoked, takes not ** away his faving Light, which was not given to lighten *' you one to fight agai nft another. " We will not. enter into the caufes of your quarrel?, " and could widi that you had left out the remembrance " of ours, and had not imployed the unfortunate a6lions " of your poor Neighbours, which anguifli and terrour *' produced, to ferve as example to your people to take " up Arms againft their King. They were but the leffer " part of our Cburches,that were involved in that party. "Thefignal teftimonies of our fidelity to the Crown, **ever fince the reducing of Rochet ^ and other places " which were in our hands, do efface the memory of the *' troubles moved in their behalf; and the cawfe of thefe '' moti- C962 " motions being equitably confidercd by fober and mo- '' derate fpirics , vvould beget pity rather then ha- ^' tred : For if juft fear could juttifie Arms againft their ^' lawful Soveraign , thofe of our Religion who bare '' Armsin chisoccaiion, could reprefenc to you, that '' when the King de:nanded back again the places chat *^ he hid granted then for their fecurity^ they had great " occafion to fear, that \yirh thefe places, theylliould '' lofethe fecurity of their confcieaces and livcs,in which ^^they were happily deceived : For the late King who ~ " was as gentle in making ufe of a vi- fjSr '" ': aory,;a. valianc in gafning one e- '^ ver laboured more to comfort, than '' to puniili , and compaffion fUfling his anger, made •'them know that the ftrongelt place for the fecurity *'of Subje6ts , is the Clemency and Juftice of their *' Soveraign. Oh thefe Royal Vertueswere eminent- '*^ ly manifefl: in him, vvhom God had given you for *^ your King / Who being the Defender of the Reform- *^ ed Chriilian Faith, and publilHng his moft holy Pro- " felHon, wich fuch proteftations which gave us fullfa- *' tisfa6lion, we ealinoi: fee, how you can alledgc the ex- " ample of our taking up of Arms, fhould they be the " mol^ juft of the world, having not the fame fubje£ts *' of fear. The fecurity of your confciences and lives "were without qucftion. But you are not the firft whom '^ Qi^Q and long profperity hath carried to the fame im- *^ patience, c6 which others have been driven by af- "fiiaion. . . \ *' And finee then ye addrefs your felvcs to us to give ^' you advice : We befeech you confidcr, that to take *' counfel of your Friends , it muft not be when their "fwords arc in their hands, and their enemies before "then; but when they arc quiet and at peace: *Tis "not from our Souldiers , but our Divines, that you " iliould enquire whether you ftiould draw your " Cwords oil ** fyvords againft your Prince, if you refer your fclves *' ro them, they will all conclude for the Negative. *' For whilft our Wars continued, whereof you have " coo good a memory, hoc one of all our Divines *'inairitained chofe dangerous Maximes vvhich is now *' defended by your Sermons and Writings : The^ than ^ fay mofifar their Party^ excufe !tj a/!ct lay it upon necef-- '' *Tis not from any of our Books thai: ye have drawn " thefe vile Maxim.e?, That the Authority of the Sove- ^' reign Magiftrateis of Humane Right. That the peo- -*' pie is above their King, That the people gave the *' power to the Prince,ind may take it away when tbey *' pieafe. That Kings are not the anointed" of the Lord, *' That if the King fail in performing the Oath at his Co- " ron.uion, theSubjei^s areabfolved from their Oath:? *' of Allegiance, That if the Prince falls from the Grace "of God, the people are loofed from their fiibje6lionj '^ That for to ef^ablilTi a Difdpline, which they ac- ^' cdunt ta be the only Kingdom of Jefus Chrift, Sub- "je6ls may take up Arms againft their Prince, Th.ic " Kings are robe judged before their SubjeSls , That: ^' the Civil Government ought to be formed according '' to the pattern of the Eccleiiaftical^vvhich is not Mo- ^' narchlca!. This Maximxe teitds to the abolition of "^ Royalty in all State.. ''In all the Writings of our Divines, ye find no fucb "rnatters,buf fuchas teach Subje6ls Loyalty, Humi- *' lity. Obedience and Patience. All agree together, *"' with the ancient Chriftians, and -fay that prayers and *' tears arc the weapons of the Church. « , , c' r. ..i >c „r r I r J r Tr' Buckler or Faith , ' We never J pake of depfing our Kings ^ ^^^ ^ g ^ ** and do not believe that any man living . *' can depofe the King', or difpenfe with their Si4hjeBs Oath ^' of AUeglance, If any of ours fpeak otherwife , we ^'afe re idy io difavo w it . G' ^'Very C98] *^ Very cf te» thofc that teach well arc feduccd to do *' ill, being overcome by temptation, and yet very few «c ever go fo far, as to teach ill to juftifie their Aftions ; " God hatjj kept us hitherto from that : And although *'it may happen unto us, as unto others, to breaks the *' Commandments of Godj Mat. 5. 19. but we hope never *' fo CO be forfaken of him, to teach others to dofo ; Than '*is the evil defperate when vices become manners; "and yet more evil, when the e\il manners become *' Doftrines, that poor fouls are inftru£led to (in for *' Conlciencefakc. Oh obferve/ that there is hoc a mor« " certain fign of a people forfaken of God, than this. ''Therefore with the fame liberty you invite us to *' maintain your Opinions by a publike Aflbciation, ws *' earneftly bcfeech you tocorredl: your own, and con- '' demn all your Moximes, contrary to found Doftrine, *' Enemies to the pc^cc of States ,Majefty, and the fafe- *' tyof Kings, taking heed of drawing' reproach ^nd " perfecutioti upon the profeffion of the Gofpel, and " to render your neighbours fufpec^ed for the faults of " others. Alfo that you re-eftablifti the ufe of the ** Lords Suppcr,intermitted In divers places thefema- *' ny years, that ye give order for children to be bapti- *' zed, and that there be no more aged perfons rcbapti- _-. ,. . f , *' 2!ed. That they print not any more KS2^mon '' ^^^^ ^" Churches which baptize In- of Jefus Cbrift. " fanrs,are a fa6lipn of AnticnrifHans, *' that none teach any more chat the " Sacraments are not nece{fary,and that for a quarrel of " StatCjthey difpoffefs not faithful Orthodox Paftors o£ *' their Benefices, to put Hcreucksin their places. "As for the quarrel ye have agaiaft Antichrift,vve *' {hould be very glad to joyn with you, provided that ye *^ obferve thefe two conditions ; the one not to call An- *^ tichrift that which is not , for we gather by your E- " piffles and Declarations, that you ^ve the Title of ," upholder* " upholders of Antichrift to many of our Brcthreii ] *Svhofe confeflion agrees with ours^a^nd with vvhom you *' ought to bear, and with Charity amend their faults on *' condition that they may deal the like with you. " The other condidon is, That ye fight againft Ant*- "chrift by hwful ways prefcribed in the Word cf *' God 5 mtnely^ hj the Sflrlt of his mouthy that is, by ^' fhe poweir of the Gofpel; for as they Were non the war- *' like Engines of Jd^un^ but the Trumpecs of the Sa'n- *' dluairy that made the walls of Jericho to fall down, fo *^ it is not the Cannon, but the Trumpet of the Gofpel ^^^ which is required to pull down the walls dS. Babylon* *' Thefe are the weapons of our \^zzhiQitvhtck are mighty ^' through Gad to thefulllfig dovt>n of firongholds^z Cor, lo, *' 4. they are not carnal: And befides Divine Authority, '* experience flioutd have have taught you5thai: God blef- ^^ fech riot thefe deligns of pulling doWnAntichrift by the *' Sword : It was the Epidemical Phrenfie of Germa- *S;^ now fixfcore years fince, which turned into fmoak ** and confufion. " indeed if our King fhould Covenant in a juft quar- ** rel againftAntichrift,and£(?W/ the 14^^ aflume for the ^* devifoe of his Mony, that which JLw^ the 12* ftamp- ** ed upon his CroWns at Plfa^Perdam Nomen Bahilonis , '^ we would with a great deal of eheerfulnefs follow him ^ in this War, but we cannot approve of a Covenant or '' League againft Antlchrift , made and agreed upon ** in fpight of the Supreme Powers, who chufe Chiefs *"* other then their Soveraigns. For fuch Leagues or ** Covenants are the open ReHelllon of Subjecls ngain'l: *' their Prince. Upon which, the Obfervation attri- *' buted to Bnlllngir is very remarkable , and which ** fhould extre'imly move you, That the Ariabaptifts *' began with the dcftru6Hon of Billiops, accounting as *',you,the Office and dignity of Biihops was an appur- *'. renance of Annichrift,bur they ended with the deltru- •*(Stiofi©fMagiftrates. G :^ ''Ouc [ico] ' " Our Churches look upon the prediftlons of the fall *^ of Atitichrift, and ihe eitabliflimenc of the Kingdom '^ of jefus Cbrift, as objects of their Hops, and not as " Rules of their Duty. They govern nocthetnfelves ^*'by Pfophe(ies,but by Commands, and make Confci- " enceof tLmfgreiring the Laws of God, out of zeal to *' advance his Kingdom ; fo leaving to God the execuci- ^ on of his counfels, we keep our lelves in a peaceable *' obeditjnce to our Sovereign ; and in doing that we " yield obedience to 'God, who commands, to ftib- ^' mhto every Ordinance of mm for the Lords fake ^i Pet. 2, '^ I ^ . and to pray for Kings ^ and for all that are In Autho- '* rky^ that roe may lead a qnlet and peaceable life in all god- ^"^ linef sand honefiy^ for this \s good and acceptable in the ' ' fih^ ■■'f ^^^5 ^^^ ^^^ Saviour^ i Tim. 2.2. '^ If we embrace your Covenant, or mike one like it, " we cannot obey thefe commands of theGolpel; for to ^* Covenant without permiiTion of our Sovereign,would ^' be to Covenant againit him ; to take up Arms in the ^' Kingdom., without him, or againft him, comes all to " the fame thing. Whar? Cannot our fufferings which , ^you rem.ember fo often co us, perfwade you from fol- ** lowing fo dangerous a Councel? for we retain and per- Buc^ler of faith , 'Vfcvere in the Inftrudion given us , Scd. 182. " that wc muft not remedy an evil by . ''{in, nor defend Piety by Difloyahy; God hath no, ^^"need of our (ins to defend his caufe ; theprefervad- " on of the true Religion is the Caufe of God, and his *' work, which he v\ill never fo:fake,and even then when, " all humane me^ns fecmsto fail, he watcheth for the " P'efervarion of his Church,which if he is pleafed to af- , " fiicl:, its our duty ro humble our felvcs ; and when he " is pleafed alfo'to raife her up, we need not carry to '^ his help Sedition and Rebellion. " In fine, We love the King that God hath given us by ^* duty and inclination,trembiing at the mention of your ^ ** Covcnanc ; * J «^ Covenantjand the younger hisMctjefty isjthe more \vc *' account our felves bound to endeavour to prefervc "peace in his Stare, hoping that when he' comes of " years he will acknowledge the fervice^ we have done *' him in his Minority, and that he will consider with " what Fidelity and Integrity his Sub je6ls o£ the Re- " formed Religion havecaft ohf the indant foUciiations *^ of Strangers , conceiving thjgy can never be good *' Chriftians * witbouc beii^g good Subjecls ; and than *' to obey their King, and^o offer up their Goods and " Lives to his fervice, is a greatparc of the fervice they '' owe to God. " The Englifh Covenanters may receive this Anfwer " as the Anfwer of the Churche> of Tranccy uiuil they " have difavowed it by a publick Declaration. CHAP- XIII. « The preceding Anfwer confirmed b'j JDwhes of the Re firmed Religion^ rvith an Anfwer to form ob^ jeilionsofthe Covenanters upon this Subjc^. TO the end it may better appear, that the preceding Anfwer for the Reformed Churches g^ Fra-'ice^ is drawn from the Model of their DodVine, behold here fome few paffages. C~S f^feahumanehv^?: conformable to ffiodcBjm'bum- f"?^P^^^^.C"gnneof reverend Father 5/. ^ 'mf». C4ah0}t in ^^^ the Jefuit, who told Mi.Caf^uhony ■fplsL adfromnem- tbatic Were better all Kines were kil- dHamJcfuicafn. i^d, than a confe^n f^uld ber^- vealed, 1 vealed, becaukthc power of Kings is but an huniine right, but coafeflion is of Divine righr. The Reafons they bring for this opinion,- are, " I • That the firil: King that was raifed in the world, " namely Nlwrod^ was raifed by violence, and noc by " the ordinance of God, "2, That the mort part ^f the Empires and King- " doms that ever h,webecn,cameby conqued, one Na- '' tion overcoming the other ; or by fome Prince, whofc "ambition moved him to pick an unjuft quarrel with " his Neighbour. " 3. That Emperors and Kings are cftabliilied by hi- " mane ways, whether they comie to the Crown by he- '^ re,dit:ary fuecelTion, or by ele6lion, fince there is no "extraordinary revelation, nor no rule in the Word of '' God,that aNation are bound %o follow ratherSucceffi- *^ on which is hereditary, than that which is by EIe6lion. " 4. That there is no exprefs comm.and of God, to " obey Henry rather than Lewi^^ or ^0 acknowledge this *' man rather than thatfor King. ^ " 5. That for thefe confideratlons, the Apoftle S^ '^•Pffffr calls our obedience to Kings, an Ordinance of " man ; faying. Submit yonrfehes to every Ordinance of ^^ man for thi Lords fake^ whether It be to the King asftt- " fream^ or unto Govermurs^ &c. i Per.2.1 5. Thefeare the ordinary reafons of the Covenanters, if they fhould difavow them,their Books would wirnefs againft them,f0r they are full of them. But I would they could get them out of the Schools of the Jefuits , an3 come and learn the Do6lrinc of the Reformed Chur- ches, which fpeak thus : - *'Wee on the contrary maintain, that Obedience ''to Kings and Magiftrates is of Divine right, an4 f' founded upon an Ordinance of God, for which pur- *' pofc thofe paifages ferve, which commands obedience ^' to Kings, and the higher Powers , as to Perfons whom *« whom God hath fetupi and whom W6 cannot refift, ** vvkhouc refifting God. There is no fovper hut of Gody *' the fovper s that be, are ordawed of Godj whofoever there^ ^^fore refifieth the power y rejifteth the OrdimKce ofGoJy *^Rorn.i 3.1,2. " Item, m mufl be fubjeft^ n9t enly for wraths bm ^^alfofor Co^fcience fak^ y V.5,7. Andf Saint i*f^^, in "that place they obje6l againttus, m\h that we )ield *' ottrfelves SubjeBs to Kings for the Lords fakj. So that "although Nebuchadnezx^.r\yis a wicked Kin^, and a "Rod in the hand of God, to deftroy the Na- *^ tions , r.otwithftanding God fpeaks thus to him by *' his Prophet Daniel^ Thm O Kingy art a Ki^g of Kings ^ ^'' for the Godof Waven hath given thee a Kingdomyfove- " ery firength imd glory y Dan.2 .37. Mofes the firft Prince *^ & Lawgiver of //r<«f/,Was eftablifhed by an Ordinance *'ofGod, and fofhua after him, TNT^w.^y.iS, Sotdy *^ the firft King of Ifraely and David his Succeffor, were *' anointed by SamUely and confccrated tob^ Kings, ac- '' cording to the Ordiaaiice of God, 2 Kings 9. God ** fent to JehUy^ Prophet, for to anoint him King of If- '^ raeL Its God that girdeth the loins of Kings with agir- "^/, are then only {ti- ^fonablc, when the Royal Blood is extinguillied , or H wherl C"43 when Ufurpadon hath gained prefcription through length of years, but not when they are ncer to over- throw the Eftate, and ruine the King ; thefe coflfidera- tions are good whea the evil is done, and out of reme- dy 5 but not when they are acSling ill, and when the obedience and loyalty of the fub je<:jts may remedy all. The providence of God will never ferve for excufe of the wickednefs of men; let us do that which we ought to do, and leaveGodtodo whathe pleafeth; and above all, thefe moralities of revolution of States are vvorll in their mouths, who labour to make this revolution m tte State , for it's their duty to prevent this revolutioa with all their power ; pofterity may excufe themfelves by the providence of God in following a new form of State, whilll thofe that introduced it,(hall be condemn- ed by his JulUce. Befides all thi?, there is a great want of prudence in this reafoning , for in quarrelling the Rights of the King as ufurpadons of violence and cuttooie, they teach the King to quarrel at their liberties and priviledges for the fame reafon; yei, and by one much greater, for tl^e Priviledges of Parliament aref much newer then the Royal Authority, and the King may {ay they were ob- tained by force after many long and bloody wars : be might caft off all prefcription gained upon the unlimit- ed power of the firll Nor mm Kings , and put himfelf into all the rights of their Conquelis by another. Wife „ fubje6ls who would keep their privi- &S«/:; 'edges ought by all mean. roV qitamfHhReg.plo. ferve peace, for there is nothmg ren- ders Kings more abfolute then war. Under a Royal Eftate the principal means to preferve the peoples liberty, is to maintain the only authority of the King; dividing it amongft many, they do but multi- ply their Matters : For its better to have one evil Ma- tter, then many good ones. Chap. CHAP. XIV, Horv the Covenmnrs have noredjon to invite the Reformed Churchis , to their Alljame , pnce they differ from theniin manjthingi of great importances . ^ vv E wonder exceedingly how our Enemies dare foiicite the Reformed Churches to Co- venant with them : From whence comes this great familiarity ? Is it becaufe ®f their greit refemblancc one with another ? Its that we cannot find. As for obedience due to the King , which is the principal point of the Covenanters, we have made it already ap- pear, that the Divines of the Reformed Religion are as contrary to the Covenanters, as they are to the Tcfu- ites, their Brethren and Companions in bloo'J and w^r.' This point being denied themt, thdy care nor mucb for the fociety of any Church in other points of Do- 6lrinc. This is the firft and great Commandment of the Covenant, to obey the people againft their King, maintain but this their fund am. encal maxime, and the/ will give you leave to chufe your Religion , but in many other things this favSlioh differ from the Reformed Churches. Concerning the DoiSrine of the Lords E)ay , they have a great quarrel againft C^/t//V, who isfo.far from contkaining the Church to a Jemlh obfervation of th-i Sabbath, that he accounts that the Church is not fub- jefted to the keeping of the fcN'enth day,3 paffage which H 2 Learned Learned Rlvec alledgeth and ap- Calv'n.T4\tiit.lz. pjove^ ; and to both thefe, dorh Do- "^ll^Sd^i aorPn^....-, finceBilhopof^^r.- BrcccpA* fl^^ joyn; whom adiicourfe of the Sabbath , complains that the English Sabbatarians lein towards Juddfrne , and go agamft the co:iiT>on received Doftrine of Divines ; never confi- derhig in:o what captivity they caft thenfelves, in etta- blilliingtheobfervarion of thefeventh day under Chri- ftianity, by the authority|#a Mofaical Precept. Mafter Frimrofe^ Minilier of Rohan^ hath writ a very Learned Book full of profound knowledge, upon this Subje6l ; vvhqe amongft other things, he proves at largehow all the Refo'rmed Churches are contrary to this opinion. Although God hath no need of the errour of men to clhblidi his fervice, we fo much love the reverence due to that holy day, that we would not lightly quarrel at any thing thereupon. Let every one enjoy his Opi- nion , fo that God may be ferved , and the day which is dedicated to him, be not violated, neither by pro- 'phancnefs nor fuperlHtion. But fince the Covenanter's in this point are fo contrary to the Reformed Chur- ches, and have fo often condemned it by their writings, the AfTembly at London did very ill to plead conformi- ty with ihefe Churches in this Article, and complain to them of the Liberty the King gave to poor f«rvants to foorr on Sunday afcer Divine Service. So alfo for the Feftivals, although Mr. ^/z/^f declares his.defire, that thofe daies which carrytheNam.es of Saints, fliould be abolifliedin Eng- i?br/ about the /^^^ becaufe of the abufcs of thefc tLtScot Feftivals in the Church of ie^; ne- i^and- ' verthelcfs he acknowlcdgeth and com- mends theProrcftationof the Engiifh Church hereupon, that they obferve them not for the Service of SaintS;> but for to glorifie God, in imiration of the CII73 tte Primitive Church, by th^ memory of thofe whom God was pleafed to ferve himfelf by, to build up his Church, and exceedingly blames thofe who accufethem of Idolatry for this obfeivation. Km^ James oi hippy and glorious memory, fpeak^ thus in his ConfelTion of Faith ; As for the Salms de- farted^ J reverence their memory^ In honour ef wkom^ optr Chwch hath efiahlifhed fo numy daies of Solemnity as there are Saints enrolled by the- Authority of the Scripcnre, TheFeftivals of Saints (carce exceed the number of xhe Aportles and Evangelifls : Monfieur dn Moulin his Cham.pion defends this ConfeiTion of his Majelh'. In- deed (faith he) yve condemn not this celebration of the me- mory of Martyrs and Sams \ we ftnd the cnjlome good of the £ngUlli Churchy who have dales fet afart for the com- memoration of the Apoftles : And a liitle af:er he gives thcreafon why the French Churches do not follow their example, Becaufe living in a Country where SuperflltloH a- boHnds^ thepeofle would he eajily drawn to ahufe them-i an^ ie tainted with the common contagion. The Prudent ana Religious acknowledge with him. That In this the Chur- ches have liberty to govern themfelvesy according to the exi- gencies of time and f lace ; and that if in the Engllfh Calen- der there be fomefeftivals which might well be pafled by, and whereof there might be fome fear of the confe- , qucnce; thefe things ought to have been fairly repre- fented, with the humility of fubje6ls, and the charity of Chriftians, and not defame the reputation of the Engllfh Church, as idolatrous, and a member of Antichrift, nor reform the Church and the King by the Sword, (ince the Reformed Churches in this point acquits them, and the example of the Primitive juftifies them. But although they make a great fhew of their agree- ment with other Churches, they make but ufe of them n fome points where they like and approve of, and fparenoc to accufe them of idolatry as well as orhe:-s , H 3 whea i \s hen tbcy pleaCe, 'Tis that vybkh they do vvithQuc naffiing them , then when they rejed , as grofs idola- try, the obiervation of the memory of the dales dedi- cated to the Nativity, Paffion, Rerurreilionj^atidTAfcen- jQon of Chdil, and the fending of the Holy Ghoft into the Church. Behold here the Opini9n and Praclife of the Reform.ed Churches , declared by that Godly and .r ^, r Learned Feflus Homin'ms^ Its a tWmq of • -^^ ' • very great profit to the edification of the churchy to commemorate and -j^refs [olerkinly to the people at cma'm or dinar J timp the principal mamfefiattons of God^ and his moftftgnd "Benefits to his Churchy fince that the Prl- m'ltive Church -^iven in the times of the Apofiles ^ dedica- ted certain dales to the Annlverfary Celebration of the Na- tWnj^ Vieath^ Refurrecllon^ and Afcenfion of Chrljf , and fendr/igof theHolji Spirit, Its very well done to retain the praBtfe of the ancient Church In a thing which k not (imply 'tndljferenty but fingularly profitable to edification^ provided ^at^nune attribute ft4perftltloufiy any SanEllty to be in the Males ; and Im^ofe not upon the confidences of Chrlfllans a yoke of abfolme necefifiity^ contrary to tf e Liberty of the Go- fpel. Our new Reformxrs cannot affirm in fincerity that tb.eClergy of jE;;^/^W attributed any Inherent Sanctity robe in the daies , or made ufe of them to im.pcfe a yoke of abfolute neceffity ucon their confciences, there waynon^ed thentoabv^liili them^with fuch rigour, nor to fcandaiizcfo many pious fouls, nor refill a vain fear oi fuperfiicion by mfoien^^e ^md prophanenefs, which is s remedy worfe then the ev'il. The day of the Nativity in the year 1644. was changed by an exprefs publick Order into a Fad , which was the firft time fincethe j^poftles that there vvas any Faft kept that day in the Chriftian Church, and becaufe many would not Fad, they fent Souldiers into their houfes a little before din- «er5 to yiiiC their Kinchins and Ovens^ who carried a- ' "' ' ' ' "'"" . . ' way way themearjandeacir, though ic was a fading day, who were exempted from faiHnc;,pro- «dcd chey made other. M;fuc,?«,fo- J--^^^^^^^^ lencies were ordinary , if we miy call them infolenta^lions which were done by Aut ho- my. And as for Ealler day, on which and the daies fol- lowing the people are en joyred by A61: of Parliament c© receive the Bleffed Sacrament ; the devotion of the people in m. any place? have been oppofed by violence. We have heard of a Parifh, where by main force th^ Bread and Wine was taken away from the people, who were affembled at Church for this holy adtion. Behold their waycs to change the times, and to reform abufes, which is to refift a fuppofed fuperlHtion, wich a true and manifeft one , and to make Sacriledge fight for Re- ligion. Lets pafs to other differences: The Reformed Churches do not believe as they, that all fignificant ce- remonies excepting in the Sacram.ents, are unlawful; for then, it would follow that to keep off the Har, md kneel at Prayer, fhould be unlawful , for thefe are ce- remonies which fignifie reverence ; whence many of the Covenanters for this reafon refufe to put off their Hats, or kneel at prayer, without being taken notice of, and reproved by authority. Alfoiihe Reformed Churches do not believe as they, that to be tyed to written prayers , or forms of prayers in the Adminiftration of the Sacraments, is to binde the Spirit of God, m.anyof the Covenanters are come fo far as to call the ufage of forms of prayer idolatry ; yea, even the ufeof tbe Lords Prayer, which the molt part of this fadlion refufe to fay ; although by a fpecial priviledge its permitted the Minifter by their Diredlory to make ufe of ie if he pleafc ; for its noc commanded him. H 4 Ac- According to this Directory (as they call it) that Is to fay, an into6lion how the Miniikr fhould govern, himfelf in the Church. The Miniikr muft not fay tbc Apoltles Creed, nor repeat the ten Commandments of God, vyhereby the people fliall b^ without any form of what they are to beiieve, or what they are to do; there^ fore in the families of moll part of this fa6lion, they teach no: their children neither the Creed, the Lords Prayer, nor the ten Commandments ; and as for the jchildren which have learned thefc holy form.s , they teach them, to forget them : Above all things, they take a fpecial care that the Minifter tyes not himfelf to any form, of words , as a th'ng of dangerous confe- qiience, and which hath a taint of Antichrift. Hence- forward then there will be no uniformity in the Divine Service, nor no more help for the infirmity of aged Minifters , nor for the undenhnding and mer.ory of fimple and dull Auditors, who cannot comprehend at the firft aboard what the Minifter faith, but had need to be well accuftomed to him. Ahb there will be no m.ore bounds to devout phan- taftical fpirits, which is the prmcipal vice of this Na- tion : Every Church will have a particular Order , or rather will have none at all ; for the Paftor hath liberty to alter it every time he pleafes, nothing being forbid- den but to m.ake ufe of the long cftablillied forms, by the Auchentical Acts of many Parliam.ents, (andlifi- ed by the publick devotion of fo many years ; and compofedby theM Reformers, perfons excellent in piety and wifdome, whofe books thcf? are not vvorthy to carry after them. If thefe Dire6lor3 had had any fear of fcandalizing the Churches , whom they invited to affociate with them, they would never have abolilT:ied the cuftome received in all the Reformed Churches , and generally in all the Chriftian Churches of the World, who have certain Ci"3 . certain forms for the publick Service of God. If they had born any rcfpedl: to Antiquity, and to the univerfal confent of the Chriftian Church in all ages , and in all places, they vy ould not have begun in this age a cuftom6 fo prodigioufiy iingular, as to banifli out of the Church all forms and/rders of prayers , the Apoftles Creed, and the ten Commandments. There icns yecfome Liturgies of the ancient Chur- ches, and Hymns ufed in the Publick Service , as the eighteenth Canon of theCouncel of Laodicea^ That the form or Liturgy of prayers Morning and Evening ought alwayes to be the fame. There hath not, nor ever was there a Church , who had not fome forms of prayers, but above all for the higher Powers, but that being a- bolifhcd in England by the Diredors, we need not won- der if many Minifters of the new Editi©n have long lince forgot to make m.ention of the King in their prayers, and thofc that pray for him, do it in odious terms, thrufton by apcr\'erfe and malignant zeal, tell- ing God a long flory of the fins they impute unto their King, as if they would poure all their choler into the Bofome of God. If any amongft them fhould thus- pray for his Father in the Pulpit , Lord grant Repen- tance to my Father of all his extortions,pcr juries, thefts, murthers and adulteries , they would account him a fooi,or exceedingly wicked, but againft their King all things were permitted. Behold the fruits of abolilli- ing the Divine Service, and the liberty of the Prophe- tique Spirits of the times, fomented by publick order. CHAP. CI20 Chap. XV. of Abelijh'mg the Liturgy , i» doingwhereof^ the Covciwiters effofe the Reffrmed Churches, A Mongfl their reafons for the Abolirhing fuch good prayers in this time of Kebeiiion, this none of the leaft, becaufe in the Liturgy there arc divers claufes which teach the people the Soveraignry of their Priiice, and the obedience they owe unto him. There the King is called onr moft Gracious Sovereign : This would give che Minifter the Lie, if after that he fhould call him a mod cruel Tirant, as it was their cuftom : There they pray, that h vponldfUafe Godtoftrengthenthe K'mg^ that he might overcome all his enemies^ which were to pray to God for the ruineof their holy Covenant : there God is called the only Govermur of Princes^ which would contradi6l the Do6trine and Pra6life of the times , which gives other Governours to Princes bcfidcs God, and fubjedt the King to his Subjecls. There they pray to God that tbeSubjefts of the King may duly conjlder -^hofe Authority hehath^ namely Gods. Ifhis Subjedsduly cometo confider this, they would lay down their Arms which they had taken up againft him, for fear of fighting againtt God, and would rcje6l the inftrudion taught them, that the King holds his Authority of men. There they pray that the Subje6lsof thcKing may f atthfully ferve^ honour^ and humbly obey hlm^ a prayer of a moft dangerous confequence, and would utterly fpoil the affairs of the Covenanters, if the Lord fhouldhear them. There they alfo pray, the Lord would fo blefs the King, that under him tve may be godly and quietly go- verxed, but it is not under him but mthom hlm^ that they C"33 they would govern us, there being fiot according to their faying, any means to live godly and quietly under his obedience. In the fame m.anner they pray for allthofe vpho are eflMljhed in amhoritj under him \ but according co the form of the State turned the bortom upward, as the Presbyterians would have it, they muft now pray for all thofe eftablillied i n anthornj ovsr him. *Tis alfo a moft dangerous claufe in that fame Prayer, which prays re? God to ptimjh all wickednejfe and vice, and to preferve true Rell- gion and Flety^ For if this Prayer were once heard, the Zealots ofthe State who draw their fwords agAinftthe King, and the Preachers of Rebellion, would be con- ftrained to make their Speeches to the people on the Gallowes, and their hypocrifie would be unmafqued, and they rendered the publick objed of contempt and fcorn, and theBrownili: and Anabaptift fent into the Iflands q£ America. Alfo the Prayer f/?^f God woMghe peace m eurdalet^ would be very unfuitableto the Intentions ofthe Cove- nanters, who preach no other thing in fubliance, then that Text ill applied , Curfed Is he that withholds his frvord from jheddlng blood. , They have therefore voted ir a point ©f prudence to lay alide the Liturgy out of their vva)^ which is fo con- trary to their politick intentions ; as for Confcience and the Government ofthe Church, • which is diflocated and difmembred by this Abolition of the Divine Service, they will then confider of, after thefe Gentlemen have ferved themfelves of the general dtfordcr , to build them.felves an Empire in the confufion. Its moft certain that in this change God is far worfe ferved, there are indeed fome certain Mmifters ciOc-^ble without the Divine Service, to make prayers full of Edi-, fication, and truly every Mi nifter of the Gofpel ought thus to. be prepared, but how many are there amongft them them who for lack of being tied to certain prayers in publick, abufe the patience o f God and holinefs of pray- Charcnmthenam ^': ^^ the Judicious, Auditory ac cfthe VfQteUam ^narenton^ Ihould but hear what tales chhuhatvam. and news thcfe people tell God, the infolen t familiarity whereby they dif- courfe and reafon with him, their Maledid^ions againft their King , their humorous , mad and phantalHcal tricks, which pafs for fallies of zeal, they would mark out lodgings for them \x\t\iz fetltes Maifons (with us here called Bedlam ) vvhich m.ighc exempt them from the Chatelet ( but v\irh us from New-gate. ) Certainly as Liberty ought not to be a Cloak of ma- licioufnefs, fo it ought not to be a door open for folly. The Libertine and capricious humour of the Climate in matter of the Service of God, fhould have taught thefe Directors to have reft rained this licentioufnefs rather than to have let loofe the rains, and ihe importunity of thofe that demanded this liberty , iliould have the more induced them to refufe it. But what ? thofc who accorded this moft pernicious liberty, were the fame perfons who only demanded it. The prophane contempt wherewith they ufed this fo holy Liturgy, ou^c not to be imputed to the Infolen- cy of the Soulciers,but unto the Inftru6lions which were given them.. The Parliaments Souldiers Catechifm.e publifhed and recommended by fpecial Authority, teacheth them to tear it apeeces wherefoevcr they find it^ Pagf 22. Calling it a moft Abominable Idol , and a Nurfe of Ignorance and blindnefs, which foments an Idle, lazy and diffolute Miniftry, and that there- fore they fhould reduce it to Afhes, ^5 Hez>ekjah did the Brafen Serpent, as the occafion of m.uch evil and an objed of Idolatry. But feeing info great a change they c^pofe the ge- neral confeac of their Church, and that for one whom they C"53 they pleafe hereby, they offend more than a hundred. They labour to turn the eyc5 of the ignorant people towards the Churches beyond the Seas , hoping as well they might, that looking fo far off, they could not know what they did. The Authors of the Dire6tory aflfirm. That bj a long nndfad exferl- _ , p r e.cetheyfi.A that the Englljh Liturgy 'S,ImT* is ojjenjhe to the Torreign Reformed Churches. And they add a little after. That it is to an- fvper the exfeUatiort of thofe Churches^ that they rejeB the ordinary Liturgy ^ Oh our good God / thefe perfons do they meddle to preach the Truth ? Becaufe that France and England are feparatedby Sea and Language, do they think their people {kail never be informed the truth of the opinion of their neighbours touching the Englifh Liturgy, nor the manner of their pradlife in matter of their publick Service ? I hope they will leave to others the pra6^ife of this Maxime, Lie boldly^ although y OH be refuted after ^ there will remain fome im- frejfion upon thefpirits of the hearers ; And therefore we will believe charitably, that the moft part of thefe Di- vines knew not what they faid, but referred themfelve? to the Faith^of others, and hoping that after they are better informed, they will change their opinion, we will fay to them,;is St, Paul to the Galatians^ have confidence in you through the Lord-, that ye will be none otherwife mind" ed , but he thattroubleth you jhall bear his judgment^whofoe- ver he be^ Gal. 5.10. Since then they fpeak of their long experience, let us take it from the beginning,foon after the Liturgy was compiled, it was fcnt to good Calvin who thus writ to the Prote6lor of England^ for the form of prayers, and Ecclefiallical ceremonies^ ^ .« , . r» .- Jmuchapprovethat they jhould beefta^ a^rem Anglic, bhp^ed as a certain farm from which it may not be lawful for the Pajlof^s t$ go in the execution of their charge. Behold cvvo points, very contrary to the Cove- Cu(J3 Covenanters, the one that he very r-t'ell approves of the Book of Comfnon prayer , and the Ecclcfiaftical Ceremonies ; theorher, that there ought to be a cer- tain form of Divine Service, from which it (hould not be lawful for the Paftors to digrefs : Will they not fay in reading chefc words o^ Calvin^ Dnrfisfermoythis is ahardfafwg^ who can hear it t What cruelty is this, to undertake to bind the Spirit of Zeal ? dnd to dare tofpesk of a Rule to them, who rptll ftand fafi In the U- herty Chrlfi hath made themfiee^ and wlllmt again he en- tangled inthejo^ of bondage^ for they make ufe of this Text for that fubjc6l ; we will leave them this Text of Calvin to ruminate , and pray them not to begin the date of their long experience ^ till after his De- ceafe* ^ ; . Martin Bmer will yet fhorten it fom.e g^Uana ^'p^4y t ^' y^*^rs,he fpeaks thus to theChurchcsof England of the form, of their Divine " Service J give thanks toGod who hath given you grace **to reform thcfe Ceremonies in fuch a purity, for I " have found nothing in it, which is not taken out of " the Word of God, or at leaft is not contrary to it, be- *' ing rightly in terpreted. That which the Diredors and their party find moft to be reprehended in this Book, is of fofmall confide - ration with Bexia^ that he wrote thus to thofe who werefo enraged againft it, "The Surplice f faith he) . f.j "is not a thing ©ffuch importance, Swri^rr " thatMinifters ftiould befo fcrupu- (imm frmcf, " lous, as to leave their Funftion ra- *' tber than wear it, or that the peo- " pie fhould forbear to feed of the bread of Rfe, rather " than hear their Pallors preach who wear them. And as for receiving the blcffed Sacrament of the Lords Supper kneeling, Mufick in Churches, aftd things of she like aature i he faith to them, ''That * ^ thcfe *•' thcfc arc fuch rmall and indifferent things which *'fhould not much trouble them. Behold here their long experience much fliortned , for its litile above fourcy years fmce Beza died. Gmlter and ^^///W^f-r likevviie commending the EyigUjh Liturgy , condemned the atfe6ted tendernefs of fome who made ufe of it for a cloak of their Sedition and Re- bellion, fpeaking thus in an Epiftie which they both joyntly wrote to their difcontented Brethren in Eng- la»d upon this Sub je6t, '^That if any of the people *"' perfwade themfelves thac thcfe things fmell of Pope- *' ry, let them learn to know the contrary , and letT " them be perfectly inftru6ied5 and that if the clamour? " of any of them raife up troubles amongft the multi- " tude, let them beware left in doing fo , they draw *' upon your necks a m.ore heavy yoke, and provoke not *' his M;ijefty, and bring not many Minifters into fuch *' dangers out ©f which they iGball find no means to '' efcapc. This advertifement might well be turned -into a Prophefie , and thefc perfons who falfly atledge the Reformed Churches arc offended with the Li- turgy of England, , repent too foon that they had not followed their exhortations^ and fubmicted themfelves. Now the King hath offered to exempt tender Con- fciencesfrom theobfervationof certain things which offend them ;yeato fubmit the whole Reformation to a lawful Synod : But in fte.id of receiving this Gracious offer of his Majefty, they pcrfecute him and his Clergy with all violence ; manifefting thereby thac it is not our Reformation, but our deftru(^ion which is capable to content them, and thefe tender Confciences which tremble at the fight of a Surplice, or the found of an Organ, areftrongand lufty enough to commit murder and Sacriledge ;like the Pharifees, whoftrained ati Gnat, and fwallovvcd a Camel. His Majctty madea Declaration to all the reformed Churches £128] Churches j of the iineericy of his ProfeflTion and Intenti- on to live and die in the holy Religion which he had maintained, and becaufe the Fadious of his Kingdom had ufed all their endeavours to alienate Forreign Churche? from the Church of j&»^to<5/ upon the out- ward of Religion, his Majerty remembers them there how at the Synod oiDort both the Difcipline and Li- turgy of £;^g^/W was approved by word and writing by the moft eminent Divines of Germany , France^ Den- marl^ Sweden and Switz,erland^ as appears in the Adts of that Synod, and yet neverthelcfs the Covenantees at this day, arefo impudently bold as topubliih that by long and fad experience they have found that the Englim Lyturgy vpas offenftve to the Forreign Reformed Churches. Where is their honefty ? Where is their fincericy ? Do they hope by there wicked waies to draw down a blelTmgofGod upon their caufe? The Truth which they pretend to advance, muft it be eftablifhed and fee up by lying ? By ail this then it appears that their long experience comes to nothing, but if they are wanting in the old ex-^ perience, let them produce the new. Where are the Forreign Churches that require of them the abolition of the publike Serviced Would they could caufe them to fpeak for themfelves : By Forreign Churches they cannot underhand the Scotch Church ; for (ince the be- ginning of this war, the Covenanters would not ac- knowledge them for ftrangcrs , for fear of being re- proached for inviting and bringing in Forreign Forces, and keeping them under pay in the Kingdom. And as for other Churches, we account the experience of the Authors of the Dirc^ftory do not much exceed oursjNow we have not known ary Proteftant ftranger ever made it an^ difficulty to joyn in the publick prayers* of the Church of England^ except fome walking Anabaptifts, as in Lond9n they have lately made to appear ; and neither in C"p3 in froftcemr the L'fw Comtrles^ vve never knew of und^rftood the leaft trace of dilfention hereupon, and if thcfafhion of fome Particulars amongft us difpleafe other Churches, they do not lefs difpleafe ours. The Reformed Churches are better inftruded than lightly to quarrel at the extcriour circumftanee of Divine Service, where the fubftance is whole and found ; the/ have learned to fpeak zhQiCdvin^m the ConfefTion pre- fented in the Name of the Churches of Fraficexo the Empcrour and Prin- c^^Mf'o Ecdefta. CCS of Ger„^^, macknoM that all Zl ^f^Zl ana every Church have this right to ^^^^ make Lam and Statutes^ and for to eftabllfh a common Policy amongfl them^ provided that all things he done in the Houfe of God decently and in order , and they orve obedience to thefe Statutes^ fo that they do not inthrallthe Confclenccy nor iwpofe Suferftition^ andthofc that refftfe this are accounted by m f editions and wilfuL Bez^ goes yen a little further, and ^ .. maintains that in the outward of Re- fore'alkdeed ^"' ligion. Many things may-, jea ought to be horn^ Kotwlthflanding they are not jf^ftly commanded, St. Atiguflin hath an Epiftle upon this Subje6l,which is a Golden Epiftle, wherein he in- ^ .^ . ftru6"ts Jannarlpis of the indifferency j^ni^armm} * ^ of Ecclefiaftical Gbfervations, as of the times of FalHng, and the divers cuftoms of recei- ving the BleiTed Sacrament of the Lords Supper. All ihings of this klnd{{iv^ he) have their Ohfervatlonsfree , and for this there Is no better of D'fcifltne for a grave and prudent Chrljllan^ then to do 06 he feeth them da in all the Churches whither he goes^ for that which Is neither a" gainfi faith and good manners ought to be held indifferent , and ought to be obferved according to the company with whom we live and convtrfe\ and hereupon he reports how bis Mother bein^eome to A£illan found her felf- in great perplexity, becaufe they did not f aft oa the Saturday, as they did in the Church from whence fliQ came, and he to refolve her, went to ask counfel of St. Amhrofe Archbiiliop of MHUn^ who anfwered him ; pyhen /(faith he) ^-j to Rome, 1 faft on the Saturday , rf>hc» I am here J fafinot en that day^ do ye the fame : in- to whmfoever Church ye go^obferve their cufiomes\ ifyott your felf will not give offence to ferfons^ and mil that no ferfon jhould give joH offence, AU Proceftants of Europe except theFadlionof the Covenant, govern thcmfclvcs thus,inwhatfoever place they are, they joynwith the Reformed Church, whatfoever their form of Difciplinc be, which as fome fay is divers in all Nations. To this grave counfel of %,Ambr, S. Anflin adds a Charader to the life, of the imperious and fcrupulous humour of our melancholy zealots, whom one would think had an intention to paint them out : / have oft fercelved^hith \\€) with much grief and forrowy that ma- ny weak^ and infirm ferfons have been much troubled through their Co/itention-Sy rvilfulnefs and fuferftltloHS fearft/lnefs at fome of their Brethreny for doing fome things which could not be certainly defined by the Authority of the Holy Scriptures y nor by the tradition of the nnlverfal Church , nor by the utility that might thereby come for the better- ing and amendment of our lives ; only becaufe there ii fome matter for their conceptions toreafon anddlfcourfe upon ^ or becaufe they thlnkjhe farther they gOy or are able tofepa- rate themf elves from the Cuftoms recetvedy Is the mefi ex- e^ulfite andneareflto perfecilouy moving faeh lltlglopu and Idle Oueftlgnsy that they make appear to allythatthey will never allow of any thing well done unlefs theyeU itthem- felves. The Reformed Churches take and give this Liberty, that every one form an outward Order of Divine Ser- vice according to their prudence, and nts more to be vvifhed than expc(^ed, that there ftiould be one and the . fame fame order throughout all Churches. But I knovv not any Church thatrcje6t and cartoflfall certain Forms as the Covcnanters.Thc Declaration following made fome fcwryearsfince5byperfonsof account in the Churches of Fraha^ is notable. As for the Ceremonies afid Cuftoms Scntentia^ofun-^ •f Ecclejiafilcd Service And Dlfci^lme^ dam Ecctefia m we jfidfe corrjenient to leave to every ^'^'^?^ pusimm Church his orP»,WfthoHtalterwi or chm-' D.y.to. Vur^a gsng any thing. One day jvhen it jhaU LondmhAn.i^SfS. fleafe God to perfecl and Confirm amity amongfl tHefe Churches^ we may he able hy an mlverfal eoHHce/andconfenH^ to form a certain Liturgy which may heasaSymboleandBond of Concord. The Churches of the Cov<^n;inters ought to be exempted out of this Number, for the Liturgy is become to them an Apple of Dif(jord, which hath made them quarrel with^tt Churches of the world ; being in this point like unto £/^«,whofe hands wereagairift everyone, and every ones hands aigaidft him. Therefore the Dire6lors refute themfetvesby a manifd^ contradi^ion, then when by their publike Declaration they tell the people, that it is to conform themfelves to the Reformed Churches, that theyprefcribe not an ordinary form of publike Prayers and Adminiftration of the Sacraments. Seeing that it is a thing moftnotorioufly known, that all the Reformed Churches have certain Forms of Prayers: But they do a> if they ft\ould apparrcl themfelves with Green and Yel- low, bccatiCe the Minifters of France apparel themfclye? with black r *Tis the Do6lrine of the Brownifts, v\ hich flow predominate in Fngland^ that for to have a Lituf- gieor Form of Prayers,is to have ario- ^^^^^^ K«f«r.2x4 therOofpel : Now after all this, Do they not well, think you, to court the Churches of France^ and to make a great noifc of their conformity with them, having fo openly condemned them ? and I 2 their CJ30 their phamtical Phrenfie in this point is proceeded fo far, that neither the Lords Prayer, nor the Ten Com- mandement^, nor the Apoftles Creed, are repeated in thdr Churches, nor are taught their Children in their Houfes ; much lei's any Form of C^itcchifni : Behold here a-I?a6lion who rejedl the BooW of Chriftian Reli- gion : An horrible and unheard of thing in all ages, and in all Churches fmce Chrittianity cntred the world. And dare thefe people Ipeak of Reformation and Conformi- ty with the Reformed Churches ? CHAP. XVI. of the great frudence andvoijddwe of thefrft Bngm lijh Reformers, and ofthefooUhardinefs of theft atfrefent» IF thefe direftors who boaft themfelves of a newLight, had had at leaft the light of Prudence, they would have confidered that they had to deal with popular Spi- rits, who were accuftomed to a good and holy Liturgie, butiinceon a fudden interdicted the ufe, they could not but think they were fuddenly tranfported into another Gofpel, for the people are dulUand faftned upon the ex- terior, and that if they be once fattened to a form of de- votion which is good, although below pcrfe6Hon, there is occalion to praife God that the people have any taft of devotion, even in any Form, and it fliould be cherifhed and encouraged. And if there be any thing in this Form to be amended, it fhould be done fo mildly and dexteroufly, that the people be not 6xafpcrafed,and the change made in the outward skin of Religion, make not the fubftanccdiftafted ; for the CQoft part mens fpi- rics penetrates not much furh^r than the fuperncies, as indeed no further did theirs who came to reform us with the fword. Its a very dangerous thing to over- throw an Order wherein the Devotion of the people hath taken root. For beiides the diforder that fellows commonly in the Church and State, they fhallfind that in tranfplanting Devotion into a new foil, they caufeic to die-, fome being prophane, others defpe- race and atheiftical. For an exemplary conduit of Chriftian prudence in this great point of pubiick Reformation, all after ages will admire the Engll^ Reformers under the Reign of Edward the Sixth, who intrapt the people , as Sainc Paul beguiled the Corlmhians^ who confe&d that being fubtile, he coHght them hy guile -i for to ertablifh the Do- ctrine, fo as it is contained in theConfefficnrof Faith in E»gllih Church, and agrees with that of other re- formed Churches, ttey kept themfelves from going o- penly and fuddenly againft the inclination of the people, above all in the exteriour, which although itisoflefs importance, hath notwithftanding a very ftrong influ- ence upon the common people. After the Reformati- on was concluded upon by the Prelates and Nobles, Matcins were faid in the Cathedral Churches at their accuftom.cd hours, with the fame Garments they were wont to wear, and the Jame ordinary linging, but the Hymns and Pfalms they read in E»gHjh^ and their Scri- ptures were not read in pieces, but by whole Chapters, and Prayers were put to God only in the Name of Je- fus Chrift, and in a known tongue ; a thing which did much content the people, and much edifie them, and being accuftomed to thefe things, they paffed by the Mafs. Sermons became more frequent, fimply in- firu6ting the people in the Truth and«Holinefs without anybitternefs or conteft ; whereby they gained theff i- ritsof the people by charity, which is the only method I 3 for [1343 for to decide controvcrfies, and in a fiiorttiijie, that vvi^ich Superttition had drawn over the Service of God, was infenfibly abolilhed, and there was a general con- vcrfion of the Kingdo.n wrought without any noife. This prudent way wrought better effects than all the combats of Rehgion, whether fought by Armies or Xetters, which have been fince above thcle hundred years : Their enenies of the Church of Rome v^onid much rather the Reformers hd difputed concerning the Do6trine and Difciplinc, and that they hadfct upon them with their utmort ftrength. Our melancholy and pccvifli Zclots would have cone no great good upon them by the waies they now take, if this task had fallen into their hands ; for fuch agreatvV6rk there was need of better notions of piety and prudence than the fundamental Maximes of the re- rh B y U d ^^^^'^'^ionat prefent. That thefHrcfi chUftZpon^'hil Religion 16 that which hath ieafi coj^ar- Tb/one^p.il. mitymth the Chnrch of Rome, That for to do well , they mult do quite contrary to that which the Church of ^^W(r doth, and hereby they make all that remains of the Inftitution of the Apoftlcs to become Antichrffian, bccaufe the Pa- pift hath pra61:ired them. Maximes which are only proper for poor feditious Spirits, whofc nature is like I'aQ Crab-firties, who knovy not how to go but back- ward. Religion confirts not in negation, the faving Truths are affirmative, and it would be a dangerous rule to believe altogether contrary to that which the Devil believe 5 , which would oblige us to deny the Divi- nity. For fo high an cnterprife, which is equally as necefia- ry as dangerousi, there is required clear , feeing judg- rr:€nts,firm U ihb!c,rcady & charitable;who are able to penetrace^apd dive into the infide of Religion, and dif- cern C€rn cbc meat from the fhell ; who without bending the Truth to the times, know how to accomodate their work CO the nature of men and affairs ,• and who have the difcretion recommended by Saint Paulj Prove all things^ hold fafl that which is good', wifely diftinguiiliing betwixt the Apolblical Inftitution, and the rult that is grown on it through length of time. Thefe excellent perfons manifeft to the world that they well underftood this fecretjthat the matter of Reli- gion is a thing rather adored than known by the people ; but the Form and Ceremony is that their, eye? are fed wpon, and which fills their fpirits, and he thit pleafeth them in the extcriourjfliall eafily prevail with them for the inward of Do6lrine. Now it appears that Supcrftition is alwayes of the fame Nature, although {he changeth herobjedj fcfr the Ftriaticall zeal of the people of the Covenant being fleihed and egged on to deftroy the exteriour Order ^per- ceived not in the mean while that they undermined the foundations of Faith; For we find amongft our enemies, many ditfercnt Se6ls; Some denying the Tfrinity^the In- carnation oftheSonofGod, and his Divinity, who ne- vcrchcleffc agree altogether to hate & abolifh our Lytur- gic with the fword, without contending am.ongft them- &lves for thefeeflential difFerenccs;neithcr are they mo- vedfor tbefe mbnftrous errors,which dirc6lly eppofe the glory of God and (alvation of men; fo much are men for the mofi: part children, yea brutifli in m.atters of Piety, faftening themfelves upon appearances, and not upon things, confidering more the garment then the body of Religion. The vulgar being every where of this difpofitlon, God fliewcd great favour to the ignorant people in pimes of our Fathers, to put them into fo good hands, ' who knew how to lead them mildly to the Truth, without cxaffcrating them, for the Difcipline. For w provoke and irritate them, was not the means to in^ ftru6l them. Let all the world judge if the Reformers atprefent follow this example, and whether they fearch to inftru6t or to provoke the people; for after we have made the i>d\ and foundefl: party amongtt them to confefs that the Do6trine ofthe Church of £??g/Wwasooodan4 holy, and they be demanded hereupon, why they per-' fecuiC the King and hii people with fuch rage ? They pay us with this milerable reafon, that the people are affc6lionate to certain things as neceffary, which arc not receffary,and they would wean tkem from this opinion: And miit they for this drown three famous Kingdoms in bloud, and fnatch the Crown from oft the Head, and the Sword out of the hand of a good King? We may well tell them that they undertake an im^ poCTible thing ; for there is no Religion, no Nation, nor almoft perfon, who is not lodged there; W they themfelves , are they not more fuperftitious in this poin*-, than thofe whom they would corredl ? For what greater fuperlHtion, for to make anecelTity tocontra-» diet and oppofe things , where there is no neceffiry, yea to account the abolilliing of things not neceffary, lb neceffarA,^ that for it they will mailacre the King, and bathe themfelves in the blood of the Church and State. Can there be in the world a more pernicious fuperfH- tion? No verily, if they conlider that this fuperftition kils the foul as well as the body. For thofe from whom they take the uie of their holy prayers, have great caufc to fear they will alfo take from them their Religion, whereupon fome have fallen into a defperate Mel an-, choly; if they deal thus with us, becaitfc they have a greater meafure of light then we, it is much to be defi- red that they had a little more ; that they fall not into f he offence condemned by S.Pml^ and through thy k^arv- Ifdge jhiall thy vpeak^hrother ferl^hfer whom Chrift aledyhut vphn C1373 Tvhenyejtn againft the Brethren^ andrvomd their vpiak^ coh^ fclence^ye fin agalnft Chrifi', i Cor.8.11512, Heretofore this t'a6lion would be fpar*d in their dif- obedience to the EcclefiaiHcal Lavvs,pretending tcnder- refs and weaknefs of Confciencc ; but now that they arc become Mafters of the Laws, they regard not our weaknefs, but force us to follow their fantahes, without confidering our doubts and fcruples. The King by the Articles of to^ny^^^^offered them liberty of Conicience, but they will not give neither the King nor his fubje6ls the like liberty ; Either take the Covenant or leave your Benefice, was the choice they gave many Minillers. Alledgc to them the great and d^o,^ affii6lion of the people, becaufe tbey had taken from them their Com- mon Prayers, their Forms for the celebration of the Sa- craments,andT)f Marriage, their cuftoms of receiving the Sacrament at Chriftmas, Eafier, and Pentecoft,and the decent manner of burying their dead, with fome Prayers and Texts of Scripture, which put the living in mind of their mortality, and raifcd up in them an alfurance of their refurre6licn. They will anfwer you, that thefe ob- fervations are not neceflary, and mock at theattlii^ion of the ignorant people i But we hold that it is necellary to obey God, who hath commanded m to do nothing whereby thy roeakhrother ftumhleth^ Is offended.or made weal^^ hnt be fuch as give none offence^ neither to the Jew^ mr to the Gen- tllesy nor to the Church of G'^i, Rom. 14.-21. Alfo the imaginary danger which they fe.ir of things that may come to pa{re,is a thoufand times lefs then the prcfent fcandal and offence done to pious fouls, to behold all Ecclcfiaftical order overthrown, and Liberty given to prophane and fanatique fpirits, to whom any thing is permitted, unlefs to obey the King, and the orders efta- bliflied by Lawfull Authority. But lee us pafs to other offences : There are many morebefides the violation of Orders, the very fubftancc of of Religion is endamaged. Whac care do many people take to Baptize their children ? How do they reprove them that Baptize no more in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghort?Is it notpermitted to every one to Baptize or not Baptize their children ? andBa- ptifm is it not refufed to many Infants, which are pre- fented to be Baptized ? Thcfe new Reformers find fo many difficulties in the capacity of their Parents, that they arc conitrained irany times to carry their children far from their dwel- lings to be received into the Chrittian Church ; for 'tis one of the Errors of the Times, that if the Father hath «ot Faith (that is to fay a Faith after their mode) the In- fant muff not be Baptized * In ftead whereof the Re- formed Churches in Baptizing Infants, confider not the Faith of the Parents, but of the Church in which they are born; and the Do6i:rine, not according as it is be- lieved, but according as it is taught, Fldem nonfubjeBl^ vamfedgbjeUivam. For if they muft be certain whether the Father hath Faith, they fliould alfo be certain that he is the Father of the Infant, which the Charity of the Church queftioneth not. Alfo ic is an ordinary cuftom amongft them to rc- baptize agedperfons, and to plunge women naked into the Water untill they fay they feel faith. The abufe of the bJeffed Sacrament of the Lords Sup- per is yet worfe, becaufe it is more univerfal, and main- tained by the body of their Divines. We bcfeech all lo- vers of the Chriffian Religion to enquire thcmfelves of thefe Minifters, how long time they haveforborn to re- ceive or adminifter this holy Sacrament ? when was it that the heads of the Covenanters received it? when is it that their Souldiers were partakers of it, thofc zealous murtbcrers, whofe affaffinations and plunderings arc fieepcd in piety f Is it becaufe they dare not receive the body and blood of our Lord^with hands defiled with rapine rtpine and innocent blood ? Buc this rcafon cannot ferve for the Churches where the Minifters arc laid hold on , and forbidden to adminifter the Sacrament where they arc Minil^ers. How many Churches arc there where there hath been no fpcakingof a Sacra- ment thcfe fifteen or fixtecn years ? And is ic not for them to mock God to make a Dire6lory ©f the manner of receiving the Lords Supper, and not tomakcufeof it, yea by force to hinder execution and performance of it? Our Lord Jefus hath commanded us. To do this in re- memhawe of him^ I Cor. ii,2(5. But behold hercper- fons , who impofe a neceCity not to do , becaufe they know not thofe who are worthy, amd therefore they hinder others to obey Jefus Chrift , taking by force the Bread and Wine from the people , who were affembled to communicate, and carried away the Minilter out of the Church, for fear he iliould admiuilter the Sacra- ment. Thefe actions cry to heaven, and will one day draw down a juft vengeance. Thefe proceedings make us fear, Icaft they rank the Lords Supper amongft the fuperannuated ceremonies which muft be aboliflied; for in many Churches where the Covenanters are it 5 not ufcd, which is a horrible thing to bear; the Church of God, fmceChrifts time, never before brought forth ftich example?. CertainlyiinceJcfusChrift would, that wefhould do this in remembrance of him , until his coming again ; if be fhould come now , he would find it very fhangc , that they had left before his coming this celebration of the memory of his death, which he had fo exprefly com- manded, and ic is to beprefumed that he will receive no rcafon againft his Command : for the coming of Jefus Chrift is the only rcafon wbich ought to make thi« holy Ordinance ceafc.^ By this fcruple, that tficy dare not adminifter the holy Ci4o3 holy Supper, but to thofe alone whom they know co be worthy (which is the general pretext of their party for their total abftinence) they condemn not only the Re- formed Churches, who exclude none from the holy Communion, unlefs they be ignorant and fcandalous perfonsjbutalfojefus Chrift, who adminiftrcd to the Difciple that betrayed him; even then when he was plotting his treafon in his heart. By this alfo they even bind themfelves not to cele- brate the Supper of the Lord until they be infpedors and lookers into Confciencc, that is t6 fay, Gods : For otherwife they cannot be fully fatisficd of the worthi- nefs of perfons, and all thofe who have a holy defire to partake of the Lords Table, (hall not be admitted, un- til thefe principal Clerks of the Counctel-Chamber of God have formed a Church , which confifts purely of Elea. Its great pity when men will be too wife, and intro- duce Laws of Severity into the Church which God hath not required at our hands : Thefe men jfhould meditate on the Text of Solomon^ Ecclef. 7. 16. Be not rlghteopis over-much^ neither make thy [elf over-wlfe^ Tvhj/ (honldefi thou deflroy thy felf? Or Otherwife, Why fhonldefl thoH drojv defoUtlon on thy [elf ? Thus the Pharifees by an im- pertinent wifdome and afFe6led Authority, andafub- lime Divinity of Chymeras , were confounded in the vanity of their underftandings, and drew defohtion up- on themfelves, and their Church. But yet there is a myflery of Iniqidty under this fcruple, which doth deeply ftain the Divines of the Co- venant ; for their Mafters foment them for to advance their affairs, and it is eafie to fee, that if they once be- come the ftrongeft, they will exclude from the Sacra- ment of the Lords Supper all thofe who cannot banifli from their heart the love of their King, and the Church wherein they were born and brought up: In a Sermon preached Ci40 preached before the Houfe of Commons, and printed by command, we learn that their Par- ^ ^ - ty will no more communicate with ciey/all,^^^^ tne AntichrilHan Fadion ; the Prea- cher explains himfelf, and tells us he means all thofe that adhere to the King in this quarrel : They have ma- ny times preached that none (hould receire the Lords Supper, but thofe who had taken the Covenant ; yea, they have fpoke aloud, that the Oath of the Covenant, and the Lords Supper fhould be adminiftred together, fo that the Communicants muft fwear upon the Body 5c Blood of our Lord, and upon the hope of their Salva- tion , that they would be Rebels to their King as long as they live ; and the Blood of Jefus Chrift muft be im- ployed for the fame ufe, the cup of mans blood which the confederates with C^?<«//»;2owledge and co'nfefs him worthy of all forts of Anathemas This palfage ferve^ for the Epifcopal degree In gene- ral : This other of Jacobm LeUlns Pro- j^acohm Lemus felTor at Geneva hath a Angular regard pr^frnpnomm ^^ ^[^q Billnops of England, He faith, r>^eohguarum, ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ lawful BiihopSyand fuch as S*]?m\wmcs of in' his EpifHes to Timothy and Tit m) and we deny not ( faith he) bm there hath been formerly fuch BtfhopSy and that there are fome now .^ and that they ele^fttch now in the Kingdom of England. ^o'c,^ writes thus to Archbifhop ;F/?;>^/f^, Archbidiop March 1501. o£ Canterbury^ In my writings touching th^ Ecclejiaftical Geverfimenty I have ever t^9l 4ver oppofed the Roman Hierarchy^ hut It was never in my intention to oppofe the Ecclejiafticd policy ofymx Englijh Churchy nor to require of jou to form ymr Church accord,- ing to the pattern of our Presbyterian Difcipline, for whilfi the fubfiAnce of your DoBrine is uniform mth the Church of Chrifiy It is lawful for m to dijfer in other matter s-, ac- cording 04 the circumftances of times ^ places and perfons re- quire^ndis avowed hy the prefer ipt ion of antiquity ; and for this effeEl^ 1 dejireand hope that the f acred and holy foctety pf yonr Bifhops will continue^ and maintain for ever their right and title in the gdvernmem of the Churchy with all Chriftian equity and moderation. Moreover the Churches, yea the Engliih Biihops render to their Brethren be- yond the Seas the like charity : Thus fpeaks famous and Reverend Billiop Hally I mojl cordi- .^ ^ ally rejpe^y and with me our Church ^^^^^m^cs their dear 0er^ thofe excellent forreign ' ; * Churchesy who have chofen and followed an outwird form of governmenr, which in every refpe^jis mort expedient, and futable for their condition. With the like charity, an excellent Biiliop whofe Title of his Book being without name, binds us not to name him : Having proved that according to the anti- ent InRitucion of the Chrillicm Church, the Billiops always gave the impolition, or laying on of hands. / -writs not here{^3ii\\ he) t^ prejudice r^^ \ our neighbour Churches^ I dare not 11- ^^Uq 1 1 1 . mit the extraordinary working and ope- ration of the Holy Ghofi^ there where the ordinary means is wanting^without thefaidt of the perfons ; God gave his people Manna fo long as they were in the Wilder nefs^ neceffl- ty is aflrong pleaaery many Reformed Churches live un- der Kings and Blfhops of an other Communion ; Others have particular ReafonSy why they could not continue nor introduce BifhcpSyhut it is not fo amongfi tUyfpeahlng of the Chnrth of his own Country* K 3 A EI503 . A few lines after he adds, ^sfor my felf^ I am vn^ ptfich mclined to believe^ that the Lord lookj wfon his feofle with pity in all their frejudices , af^d that there Is a great Latitude left to particular Churches In the conftltHtion of their Ecclefiaflical government^ according to the exlgencf^ of flace and ferfons^ -provided that the Divine Order and JnfiitHtimbe obferved* Now afcer thefe charitable judgements, the Refor-. med Churches do not believe, that which the Epiftle of the AiTembly of Divines would perfwade them ; that the Biilfiops h:ite forraign Churches, and teach that without Bifhops they could have no Church nor lawful (Call of Minifters, fo that if any of ours have offended of late the Reformed Church in the point of Difci- pline,they are difavowed in it by their Bifnops, Here is, chanks be to God, a Chriliian Harmony, the Churches which have no Bi(l:iops fay, Let rhem that would and can injoy the 0:der of Epifcopacy, let them injoy it, far be it from us that we fl^ouid either proudly or rafhly reprove them, for it. The Bifhops refpe6i: cor- dially tne Forraign Churches, which have not the fam.e Ordet, and account the Cjovernm.enc eftablifhed a- mqngft them in all refpe6ls, the nioH: expedient for phbm,. Let both the one and the other hold themfelve? there, and let them grant one another the Liberty to govern in the outward, according to prudence and exi- gencies ; and let them joyn brotherly together to main- fain the fubftance of Religion conRantand uncorrupted. It is the councel of xx e Reverend Billiop before al- ^ J., \Qd.%tdi^ There are fome Plants {^zixh p\iq^ . <*-? ho) which thrive beft in the fhadovp^ if thefi this form of government without Btjhops^agree befi to the conftituthn offomeCommon-wealthsy we pray to Godtogive them joy in It-^and praj them to fay as much for us, Fetlmus damufque viclffim* This is fpo- . ken Chriftianly and wifely; if our enemies had the cha- rity rity to have hid To much, there would have been m CovcnanCj neither would they have pulled down Mo^ narchy, for to pull down Billiops, under colour of pul- ling down the Kingdom of Anrichrift : But if they would that in this quarrel the Reformed Churchc,- fhould joyn with them, they iliould firft have drawn from them a Declaration, that they held the Epifcopal degree unlawful, and a m.ark of Antichrid, and incom- patible with the Goffel ^ and that rather then fuffer it, they fhould overthrow the State, and difpoffefs your Kings ; for leffe then this perfwafion could not induce the Reformed Churchei to efpoufe the quarrel of the Covenmt. We will proceed no further in this controverfe, on- ly becaufe the Covenanters build their rule? of Refor- mation upon the example of the French Churches, which the French Reformers never thought of, we be- feech all equal perfons to confider the Chriftian pru- dence of thofe that put their hind to this gre.it work in- france-i having the Court and Clergy contrary to them. ^ The bcft chat they were able to do in the matter of Difcipline, was to provide Paftors who iliould teach purely , and le.ive them in a fimple equality, there being no queftion of governing i n times of periecvition, but to inftrudi and fuffer; and it being a thing fubje^^ to danger and envy,to erecl new degrees, which could not bacfone without quarrelling at them which were cfta- blirtied. NeceiTity contributes to prudence,, for the Reformation in Fr.^;?fe having begun by the common people, and fome few of the inferiour Clergy,who were oppofedby the Civil and Ecclefiaftical Power, we can- not wonder, if the Government which they e[-lablii'hed aaording to the time, was popular ; if the Reformation had begun by BilTiops, the Government had been Epif- copal ; thePrieib that were converted hadnotpowe* to convert their Bilhppsj as the Engiiili who beg^m th; K 4 *^Refor« Ci50 Bjeformation, helped by their Authority, thecenverfi^ on o£ their Clergy nnd people. For theinferiour Orbs, having a contrary motion to the iuperiour, have not tjhe power to make them follow their courfe : But the fuj-eriour Orbs carry along with them the inferiour. It was a great^ matter that -the Reformed people could gain any recrogation againft the rapidity and fwiftnefs of the greater Sphears. The dilcipline of the Frefich Churches is moft com- modious to their prcfent cdate, and hardly could therp be found a m.ore proper for a Church that lives under Magiftrates of a contrary Religion , in expetoion of the reformation of thein who polfefs the Ecclefiaftical degrees. The French Minifters in this humble and e- quai order keep themfelves in a ftate of obedience pro- per to fubmit them.felves to their Diocefans when ic lliall ple.ife God to convert them, and we believe thnc their Fathers did chofe this equality, not as an oppoliti- on to the degrees of the Clergy, but as a way to difpofe them., and as a plank ready to invite the Biihops to pafs over to their Reform.arion . But if che Churches of France iliould come to m.ain- tain this Do6lrine" of the Covenanters, that the Order of Epifcopacy, is an appurtenance of Antichrill, and that there is no Kingdome of Jefu? Chrift, but there where the Miniiicrs are equal and poor; This would put the conversion of the French Churches out of all hope. But for as m.uch as we deiirc the advancement of tbeCofpcl, we Veep our felves from re-inforcing the confiderations of fietli and blood, or from augment- ing the reproach of the Gofpcl ; we are not offended , at the degrees, nor revenues of the Clergy, we render not the entrance in^o the Church more thorny then it is : For to preach Reformation to a Clergv of a divers Rcligion,and bind them to degrade and ftrip themfelves for to reform them i what other thing is this, but ac -once D533 once to call them, and to lliut the door agaiiiQ tliem ? It's true, that notwithftanding all earthly conhderari- ons 5 God may do miracles for to convert them, but that hinders not but that we fnould carry ourlelvcs prudently to invite them,and we ought not of deliberate purpofe to make new Barracadoes bee ween them and us, becaufe God can, if he pleafe, break them. But to the end that the difference of dilciplines m.ove no quarrel amongft the Reform.ed Churches , thi$ truth ought wifely to be conhdered , that there is no entire rule of difcipline laid down in Scripture; and that not to have an outward order in the Qhurch , all the parts whereof not being exprefly fet down in the Word of God , u to involve themfelves in gre.it diffi- culties , and fhuc them.felves up into (iraight bounds, it's to fearch that in the Word of God, which is not there to be found. Let all things he done decemfy^-and In ordery i Cor. 15. Its a Scripture that may be itrerched very far, and which remits to the Chriftian prudence of the Miniflers of the Word of God , to advife of fuch an order which is moft expedient for the tim.es and places wherein they live , provided that nothing be done againft Divine Inftitution. It's then neceffary that to theDiv'ne Inftitution the humane lliould be joyned, and it was never or herwife in Church : Now that which is hum.ane in the difci- pline , can never be fo well united and fitted with the Divine, thattheremay be madeof thefe two, a form entirely regular, and a perfe6^ compofltion: It's like the iron and clay in the feet of the Statue of Nehtir- chadmzz,ar^ which could never well joyn thcmfelves one with another , for the Ecclefiaftical Ordinances arc the feet of Religion, bearing on them a head of gold, and abreftof filver, that is ftriving to uphold aDo- drine of great price? but they themfelves touch the ^arth , and are mingled, and there is not fuch a pru- dence CI543 . d^nceandfanfticyof Reformation, whkh can form a difciplinepurelyreleftial, nor joy n that which it hath of humane and Divine in it with fuch a juftnefs, as to compofe a perfedl: order, with materials of fo different; a nature. Thi^ here is the caufe of fo many faults which may be found in all Ecclcfiaftical Order. For noewithftanding the confufion of Schifmes and Herefies, the fharpnefs of perfecutions, the infinite revolutions of State?, du- ring fixteen ages, a pure and divine Do6lrine remains in the World, as gold which is found al?vayes at the bottom of the Furnace : The fame cannot be faid of the difcipline, for that is defective in all Churches,and varieth; yea,oughc to vary according to the times and places, and it hath fo aiuch of man in it , that whaD it hath of Divine, is alwayes m.ore or lefs Sophifti- cated by humane inventions ; and will be alwayes fo , until Jefus Chrift hath withdrawn his Church from the earth, and raifedit to that great Eccleiiaftical Go- vernment, which is the Rule of Heaven. Surely though there be certain rules of difcipline Di- vine and certain, there yec remains ever fomething for Prudence to form, which ought to accommodate it fe1f CO necelTity ; So bending according ai occafions ferve, the rules that God hath left, to the wifdome of men, as the Divine be not damnified, and that the Govern- ment of the Church thwarts not that of the State, which is our mifery at this day. Whofoever fliall confider the Kingdome? and Com- monwealths of Chriftendome , (hall find that every where theReligion of the State hath a difcipline fuitable to the civil Government, the Church taking hold of t(ie State, as the Ivy that groweth about a tree : But the Covenanters pretend the quite contrary, labouring reform the State to their new pattern of Bccle^ftical Difcipline. Hither tended the Petition of the rabble of London^ [155] London^ totheHoufe of Cornmons ; which was afne: by the fame Houfe in a Body , prefenced to the Houfe of Lords ; wherein they required an equality in the ^tate, that thereby there niight be one in the Church. An a6lion whicij will leave for ever topofterity , an in- famous and true chara61er of the intention? of the Co- venanters : But in this they have but followed the Do- (Srine of their Se6l. Carmrmn had ^ , .... taught them before, as the Tapeftries ^'^^Z "^'^'^ or Hangings are fitted to the Houfe, fo the Commonwealth ought to be fitted and accomm.o- dated to the Church, and the Government of the State to the Ecelefiaftical Gm^ernment. This defign is v\hol- ly void of all prudence and poiTibiiity, and being rui- nous to the State, mult of neceiTity be the ruine of it feif. It's certain that the Dod'brine of Religion muft not be accommodated to the State, but that which is hu- mane in the difcipline, ought to be fubje^l to humans Laws, and the authority of the Magiftrate, iince God demands it of us, Stibmlt your [elves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords fake : But thefe men make no dirfe- rence between the Do6lrine and the Difcipline, and Would perfwade us, that they have a whole Body of Dif- cipline altogether Divine, and which is even the fub- ftancc of the Gofpel, without which there is no true Re- lijgion, but it is that wc cannot find in the Gofpel , but in ftead of that, they prove it by the cmwright^i^j^ Sword* CHhV. Ci5«3 CHAP. XVIII. How the Di[cifUneof the Covenanters is far from the pra^ice of other Churches. THere is another point which the Covenanters ought to prove, before chey aflbciate thcnfelves with the Churches of France in matter of Difcipline. They muft prove that they have an Eccicfiaftical dif- cipline like unto theirs ; For all Churches, which had no Bifhops, have not for all that the fame difcipline. As for the difcipline of the Covenanters, they need make none by theirs, nor receive any from them, for they have none at all, and they take the way never to have any. If the menaces of the Scotch Army, caufe them to make an Ordinance in favour of the Presbytery, they make prefently an honourable reparation to the Independents ; And much of their prudence lies in this, to accord all to the different Parties, but give them nothing ; in making ufe of the fervice of the di- vers Sedts of Religion, they take no care of their Or- der, but of their Liberty to convert all ; which will one day turn to their ruine, and confufion, when they fhall have no enemy to unite them.. But in the mean while Religion is deftroyed, and all the world behold with aftonifliment that the Efjglijh Reformers have left the Church without any difcipline, now thefc many years; they have done much worfe then he who began to bui4d, but was not able to finidi, for thefe have over- thrown the antient order , without ever confidering what they would build in the place; and yet they are not agreed thereupon, they made a great noife of the building they would eredl ; but this noife proceeded from their conteftation, and their building advanced like that I Ci57] that of BaMy that which the one builded, the other pull'd down, and i n the end the divifion of tongues will make thcT. forfake their work. It's aneafiethingto ruine, *dsa work of ignorance and infolencc ; *ds the paftimc of the devil , and the occupation of his children : Defl'ruUlon and unhaffmefi is in their wajes^ and the way of ^eace they have not known^ Rom, 3. 16. And ordinarily thofethat burn down the houfe, know not what it is to build it up , and thofe who build up a Church or State, proceed by wayes and rules quite contrary to thofe that ruine them, the iharp and rigorous proceeding of our eneLnies wholly to raze the eHablidied order , \^itne[s they want knowledge to build an order in the Church ; for to this purpofe there is hoc only required to conceive an Idea of Re- formation, but to conlider the matter they have in hand, and how to frame it; For as he is not the beft Engenier who knows beft how to make a Regular platform upon paper, but he that can beft accommodate his rules to the nature of the place which he fortifies; and it would be a ftrange m-echod to pull down and lay level the place for to build it again regularly. But its that wherein our new Refbrm.crs have labour- ed ; Certainly they neither underftand the Theo- ry , nor the Pra6lick of the work they undertake y and their knowleidge goes no further then deftru6lion : It's true, many of the Affembly defired the Scotch Difcipline , and to eftablifh it , courted the Scotch Ar- mies. We alfo n2fpe6l thefe Arm.ies, hoping that God will one day touch their hearts to defend the rights and pcrfoH of their Soveraign, and we pray God for their profperity : But let them give us leave to tell them mildly our advice of their Difcipline, the wifeft a- mongfl: us commend the fubordination, and concatena- tion of their Synods , and do confefs that that was C1583 vvaiidng in the EngU^ Order,^ judging that the Synodal Power is not incompatible with the Epifcopal ; buc in an order well made, borh the one, and the other is re- quilite, andicis impoiible chat the £;?^//}^ Bijfhop.^, excellent in knowledge and piety, who have lived with- in thefe ninety yeares , ("hould not know this very well , above all tnoie who were imploid in the Refor- mation, But behold that which hath hindred the ordinary ufe of Synods amongft US) incontinent after the Reforma- tion , ic had b^en to ill purpofe to have given all the Clergy liberty to affemble in a Synod, Papiftry being not then well rooted out of the Priefts and Curates, and before the £;?^///^ Church was well healed of this old malady Hie fell into anew one, and wasinf(^6led with a fanatick and malignant Se6l, who made piety confitt in overthrov\in§ all order and fuperiority in the Church , and to controle that of the Magillrate,where- upon our Soveraigns and their Prelates beholding the body of the Church fwoilen with evil humours , and mutinous fuperftition, continually ready to break forth, feared leall the frequent ufe of Synods , fhouid not be madeufeofbythcdifcontented, to gather and affoci- ate a fadlion \ and therefore accounted the fureft way to maintain peace and truth , was to keep thefe violent fpirits in their duty by the Epifcopal rod, affifted With the Royal Scepter, and certainly this way would have had better, fuccefs , if they had not lee the bridle too loofe for fuch hard mouths. The Synod is proper ro make Ordinances, and the Biihop is proper to caufe them to be obferved ; The Sy- nod to hinder tyranny, the Bifhop to prevent confuli- on ; the Synod to determine in point of Do6trinc, the Bifhop to maintain order and difcipline ; the Synod to remedy inveterate evils, the Biflaop to fupprefs immer- goat evilis^ and m the mean while, both the one and and the other fcrveto all thcfe ufeSj and ought not to be feparatcd in a Church where there is freedom, and where the eftatc upholds the Religion. ButinaChurchvVhich live^ under a ftate of a con- trary Religion, order mul-1: bend to necefiTicy ; and as it isnotpoHible to have ail the pares of Ecclehaftical Go- vernment, alfo there is. lefs need, for m h a common adverfity unite affections, Hiftor* ae'llepib. and take away many occafions of fcan- Gemva. dal and diforder. Such are the Reformed Churches of Fr^^cf, where the order is futable to their condition; and rhe native piety and fim.plicity of their Difcipline is commended 6ven by thofe,of a diverge ProfelTion. . Kow having had leifure to examine their Difcipline, we find not that it doth much refemblc the Scotch difci- pline ; for the Confiftorics and Synods of Franc^h^VQ not Ruling Elders, whofe voices alwaies carry it, as they do in Scotland. Their Elders pafs not any fencencc in m.atterof Do6lrine, neither have they the power of the K«ys to determine Cenfures : All that Cdvtn granted them, was but frdieffe morihm^ to have an eye to the manners and behaviour of the flock in which they ferved as AflTiftants to the PaftorSj-and this was a com.- niendable ufe. But in Scotland the Elders command, for the Lord of theParifh is ordinarily the ruling Elder of the Confiftory, and in fome manner is a Lay Bifhop, and although the Minifter is alwaies Moderator, its but for form, for the Elders have the principal power, and being Deputies to the Afferablies, they keep there the fame credit, above all in the General Aflembly, where Dukes, MarquefTes, Earles and Barons have tjieir voices, and decide the points of controverfies and the ,pcKfe{fed by the Ruling Elders, above all by theLords^ fome of them having theTenth<^of whole Provinces. Therefore ye need not wonder they f>ghc vvirh fiK-h Z;eal for a Reformation which is fo profi- tabki* L 1 l« In England ordinarily the great Towns and rich Pa- riflics are improprLued, and in the hands of Lay per- fons, the reft of the Benefices have but to provide in a Mediocrity for Students in Divinity: Thofc who Re- form the Clergy, are thofe who poffefs the Goods of the Church ; and befidcs the Tithes that are alienated, many of them even make ufe of the Tithes of the Cler- gy, with which they are lawfully invefted, terrifying their poor Minifters with Sequeftration , too weak to contend againft them, and force them to injurious and damageable contra6i:s. How m.any Patrons are there who fell their Benefices to them who will give moft? And by the infam.ous Simony of thefcGentlem_cn, who make a noife of Reformation, the door of the Church is fhut to the Clergy, unlefs they have a golden key to open it ; and thus they prefer profit before confcience : *Tis well done of them to miCndthat which they have marred^and they of all other have reafon to take in hand the Reformation of Minifters, bccaufe thcmfelves have done what poffibly they can to corrupt them. Of all Liberal Profeflions, Divinity is the poorcft, and have moft Thorns in her way ; and therefore P^ents find it more profitable to put their children to a Trade, than bring them up in the Study of Divinity ; and yet after all tnis, their very poverty fcems fupcrfluity in the eyes of envy; and untill thefe hungry Harpies hav« caught that little which hath efcaped the claws of Sa- criledge, they will never leave calling for the Refor- mation of the Clergy, that is to fay, wholly to ruine them. The devil who hates the Gofpcl, labours to 'ruine it by the poverty of liiofe who preach it, knowing well that the indigence of Minifters brings contempt upon the Minifiry ; And that the Rewards being taken away, the Study of Divinity will be negle6^ed , and then there will be none but themeancft of the people, like to to the Prlefts of Jerohdam, Poverty abate? the courage, and clips the wings of conception , and ofc-times oc- ca/ions evil defigns and Councels in thofe whofe n::eans «re too fmall for their Degree. To do well in Pulpir, and by Writing to build up indeed the Kingdom of Jcfus Chrift, and to del^roy the works of the devil, they ought to have their fpirits free , and not oppreflfed through neccflity, MagnA memu o^m-y nee de Lodicefo^ randd AttonltA ; They that reqiure, a»d would a man .{hould do well, and yet will not do well to him, tis an unjuft demand ; and many now in England ^zk theun- juftice of Fharaohy requiring double the number of Bricks, and yet give to them Icfs ftraw. If they alledgc to us that Jefas Chrift and his Apoftles were poor, we anfwer , that fo were their auditors ; and the condition of our Lord and his Difciples is a pattern as well for Layicks as the Clergy. Aad if the Primitive Church of Hiemfdem fpoken of in the uicls^ ought to be propofed for an example of the Ecclefiaftical and Civil Government of all Chriftendom, the Clergy of £»^/^W humbly befeech the Gentlemen, our Refor- mers, to imitate thefe pious fouls, who fold their poffef- lions, and brought the price, and laid them down at the /Vpoftles feet. Let them fell their Lands, and bring the mony to their Paftors to difpofe of according to their difcrction, and the Minifters will part with theic Tithes. If we were now to fpeak to the Clergy of Englmd^ we would exhort them to love their O^c^ and their Bene- fice, and now thatGod hath called them to the Crofs and poverty, to re Joyce in their conformity to Jefus Chrift, who made himfelf poor to enrich us, expecting their reward in Heaven, bearing patiently the fpoyling of their goods , accounting themfelves rich enough if God be glorified, and his Gofpel purely Preached, but thefe Eidioreations have an evil grace in the mouth of " L 3 thena them who come to plunder or Sequefter them, which is as if a chief in robbing a traveller,ihouldpreich a Sermon to him of Chriftian patience and contempt of the world; -tis the method of our enemies, who driving their Mini^ fters from their houfes and Revenue?, read fuch Lectures pfDivmity to them. For the prefcnt, fome Minifiers who have been the principall mftruments of their party, have means and honour, and yet little enough, coniiderhig the great fervice they havedone them.. Fetersi their great and relive agent, h.id for a recom pence given him, but with great glory and oftentatLon , two hundred pound pr Annum in Land : But who fo confiders well the gemus of the Fa6lion will judge that, that Jttdegoodtbey do now to their Minillers,v^'i[l not long continue. It were, apleafantthing roconlider, if there were not greater jcaufe of forrow in it, how of two Ambitions, the fimple ferve? the Ambitioriof the crafty; for the Minifters who animated the people againll their Kfng, are people im.patient of fubjeclion, vTho would be every one of them Kings and Biiliops in their Pari Hies, and during rhefe agitations, they reign in the Pulpit a time, but .they arc fet a work by thole who manage the publique affairs, who raife them up and flatter them ro the peo- ple, untill they havedone their work with them, for when thefe Gentlemen ilial have done to deftroy Church and Stare, and built their Imaginary Throne of Jefus Chril-l:, upon the mines of the Kingdom., they will have fo ftriit a hand of the Difcipline, that the power and |:he profit fhall remain with them, allowing their fpiri- aial Fathers a portion purely fpiritual,and will difcharge them Qf thofe cares which accompany the riches and honours of the world . Before thefe Civil Wane?, theBifliQps were profita- ble to ail Miniilers, friends and enemies , for thofc who fubmitt^d thcmfelves freely to them enjoyed their their prote6lion , andthofe who oppofed tham werC refpc^ted andfecretly maintained by chc adverfaries of theEpifcopalOrder^bucnow the Bi (hops are cut ofF, chere is neither protedion nor oppo{ition,thac can gain refpc6l orfupportto the Clergy. The ftubborn and refradlory Miniftcrs have ftruck fo violently at the root of that great tree which they have now made to fall, after they had been a long time cover 'd under the fhadowof it, but they may affure themfelves that it will not be long before they themfelves be cru{hed under the fall of it, and draw upon them.felv€s a juft pumfhm.cnt: They will then confider too late,that they have been but Inftrumencs to the covetoufnefs and am.- bition of others, and in the didipatlon of the Goodj of the Church, they fhall be deal: with as the Cap- tain of Samaria, to whom the King of Ifrael com- mitted the keeping of the Gate, where the Provifion was to enter, then when the people after a long Fa-' mine prcOfed to enter, they fhall behold the plenty , but not tafte of ic ; but be trodden under foot. CHAP. XX. Of the Corruptions of Religion ohjeffed to the Bngl'tjh Clergf, and the tpays that the CovC" panters took to Remedy them. WEE will anfwer to the Ob;ectiom againft the King and his Party, and will begin with the moll ordinary. Now they repro.Kh us with corruption in Religion; in fuch an accufation we mud have re^ird to th.ni L 4 that thatf^eaHt; its thofe who turn the rifing up of the, peo- ple againd their King, into a Dodlrine and Article of Faith ; its thofe that haveabfented themfclves from the Lords Supper for thefe many years, thofe who furamon- ,cd their King before them to give account of his a6lir OQs, thofe who have committed againil his S.icred Per- fon an execrable Paracide, thofe who will employ the Body and Blood of our Lord to knit up a confpiracy againft their King. Thofe who neither teich the peo- ple in the Church, nor their children at home, the ten Commandments, the Creed, nor the Lords Prayer , thofe who fuffer and make ufe of all damnable Sc<5ls, and punifh none ; but thoie who teach to fuffer for righteoufnefs,and not to reliit the Suprea-m Powers, to all thefe we might add many more hiteFul Truths ; but we will not without necelTity publilli the evil that may be hid, for we love not to teach evil by reprefenting it : Whofoever lliall consider their belief and pra^^Uce, will never wonder that fucb kind of People find fome- rhing to fay againft our Religion. God be praifed fhat thus oppofing us, they male all the world to know that we are not guilty of their evil opinions ; amongli men, blame anJ praife take their force from him that gives them . Thofe who accufe us of corruption in Re- ligion, fhoiild do well to tell us firft, amongrt chefcores of Religions that are, what their Re igion is ; for therp arp m.any Religions which are together with the Cove- nanters, and live together, as fo m.nny wilde beafis in the Ark, who when they are gone our thence, will dc- voui* one another, or fice one from another, but at pre- fpntthey ail agree to tear us a pieces. Now to thefe accufers of Corruption, we prefent the thirty nine Articles of our Confedion, which they and ^ve have fvvotn and fubfcribed , and let their Confci- cnces judge between them and us, which of the two Parties have .violated and failified their Oath* How have have they obfetvcd the thirty fivt Article, in which they acknGwiedged that the confecration of Arch-Birhops and Birhops ufed in England^ and confirmed by Ad of Parliament, contains rothing in it, that is either Superftitious'or Impious; and yet now thunder out a- gdinft this Order as a mark and branch of Ancichrift ; is this to want memory, or confcience?,Can they upbraid us with any thing like unto this, to have of- pofed in a Body, and condemned an Article of our Confedion. The corruptions which they alledge a- gainft US) are falfely fo named, or at the woril they are bur faults of particulars. But the Body of the Church hath kert and doth keep the Confeffion of their Faith inviolable. If they produce any we would have brought in any new Do6lrines , or GuRomes, who can produce others that have oppofed them., and that the Religion fubhftcd entire, whilll they fubfifted. Let them not rob thofe Divines of their duQ praife who in the beginning of the Parliament laboured fin- cerely to confirm the Doctrine, and to fHfle the diffe- rence about Difcipline. We have before reprefented with what Wifdom, Piety, and Vigor, many Billiops and Divines chofen by his Majefty , had lead the tvvo Parties to accord upon a certain number of Propofiti- ons,which contained the Body of Religion, and what great hope there was, that the point of Difcipline would be am.iably compofecl ; and how a Faction, enemies to the peace of the G'hurch , and jealous leaff any good ihould com.c by the mems of the Bifhops, broke off that excellent accord, which could never (incebe re- newed ; pcrfecuting the Prelates with all rigor, never giving them re(l, until they had imprifoncd them as? Grimanals, although they were not guilty of any other crime, then becaufe they would have terminated the differences of Religion. But this was to f^ifle the Co- venant in the cradle, and take away all pretext from this holy CI70D holy RebcHion, It's not then a wonder if this fin be' not pardoned them; it appears by the reiHmony of the Reverend Pallors of the Church of Geneva-, in what erteeq;! our Religion was amongft our Neighbours, for in their Epiftie to the Affcmbly at London^, They kfeech God that he would refiore ottr Church and Kwgdome to fuch A high degree of hollne^ and glory ^ as it hadfhi^ ned In mtil that frefent I By this they acquit us of the corruption , which they impute to us, and do ob- liquely accufe this AfTernbly, and thofe that imploy them, that by their means the Kingdom hath loft his glory, and the Church her holinefs. Now put the cafe that the Corruption were as great amongft us, as they make it, yea put the cafe alfo, that even in our Liturgie, compofecj with fo much piety and wifdome, that there were fomcthing to mend, as a Freckle m a fair Face, and that the Difciplme ought to be over-looked ; what could there be more expected of the King and the Clergy, then to fubmit the Perfons and things to be Reformed ? How often had the King offered to joyn his Au- thority to the Advice of Parliament , and a Natio- nal Synod , to examine and punilli the faulty, and correct diforders, yea and even the Laws themfelves , i£ there were need ? To thefe lb reafonable commands , behold here what obedience rhey yielded : A part of the Houfe of Commons, having driven away the other by vio- lence and popular tumults, and put to flight nine parts of ten of the Houfe of Lords , befides the Biiiiops who reprefented the Body of the Clergy ; this fmall reft, in lieu of a National Synod, by lavyful deputati- on of the Church, chofe fom.e Minifters of their Fa- 6^ion, for to make ufc of their Advice fo far as in iliould pieafe them. Thefe Minifters who bad no Deputation, nor Reprefentation, nor Authority from the tlifi Body of the Engli{h Church, and havfng divers Lay perfons ;oyned vvitiT them, who whoUy govern them , mould a Religion ail new, defame the reputation of ihe Chiirch and UonfdTion, to which they had fworn Obe- dicnce ; invite to their aid Forreign Churches, as their brerhren,and ordain chat which ferves the incenrion of their Matters. We know that amongftttefc Divines, there were fome men of Merit, Perfons which we know, had ic been in their power, would have overcome evill with good ; but amongft pieces of gold, there is many times a great deal of fmall money, like unto our clipped half Tellors ; they are the little heads wichout learning. If the two Houfes had alfemblcd the body of the- Clergy ,as was propofed to them by his Majefty,thcy had found themfelves filled with Orthodox Perfons, and they cannot complain if thofc perfons whom they had moft defire to, received not the publike cenfure of the Clergy, (ince they would not permit the Clergy to affemblc themfelves; neither can ihcy complain, that any guilty hath gone unpunifhed, for they have taken a furc courfe/or by the univerfal ruine of the Deans and Chapiters, they have involved the innocent with the guilty. Hearken what the King faid hereupon ; I was content to accord W rerider to the Prefhyter (that is to fay,to the Body of VA\o^.s)allthe right which with reafon and di fere- tion thjcy coM pretend m their conjunBionwith the Epifcopal degree y htst tofufferthem wholly to invade the Ecclejjaflical Pomr^ and to cm off altogether with thefword^ the Amho- rity of this ancient Order ^ for to invefi themfelves in it^ li WAS that which I accounted neither jnfl^ in regard of the 'Bifkofs^ nor fure nor profitable in regard of the Presbyter hiwfelfneitheranyway convenient for the Church or State* A right and good Reformation might have been eafity froduced by moderate CoHncilsjOndl amferfwaded fptch C^wjcih CX70 Councils would hii^e given more comefttmenty eventothofc very Divines^ who have been perfivaded^ with mtichgravt- ty and formality^ toferve thedejigm of others^ wf.ich wlth^ out doubts many of them novfi acknowledge, althoHgh they dare not make their dlf content appear for finding themfelves frufiratedof their Intentions. I am very well ajfaredy that the trne method to reform the Chtirchy cannotfubfifl with the perturbation of the Ci- vil State 5 and that Religion cannot jnfily be advanced in deprejjing Loyalty ; which Is one of the principal Ingre- dlents and ornaments of true Religion; for after the Pre- cept to fear Qod y the next following Is y to honour the King. • J rhake no doubt butthe Klngdome of Chrlfi may he e^ flablijhedy without pttlllng down mine ; and In a time free from partialities y Its Impoffible any fhould pa f? for a good Chrlfilany who fhews not hlmfelf a good SubjeB. The Government of Chrlfi ferves to confirm mine y and not to overthrow Ity for as 1 acknowledge y I hold my power of hlmy fo I Ae fire to exerclfe It for his glory y and the goodoj his Church. If any one had fincerely propofed the Government of C^rlfiy or mderfiood In their heart what It reqnlredy they •would never have beenfo III governed In their words and a- fllonSy as well towards me^ as one towards another. As the good endi cannot jufilpe the evil wayesyfo alfo tJjc evil beginnings cannot produce good conclufions y unlefs God by a miracle of mercy make Light to Jprlng out of Darknefsy Order out of our Confufton , and Peace from our unruly Pafslons. This is fpoken as a King, as a Phylolbphcr and as a good Chriftian. Our enemies to blind the eyes of their Neighbours, made them believe a longtime that they defircd fuch a reformation as theirs, but the hypocrifieof this profeili- ©n appeared then , when the King offered to aflemble a National Synod , and to invite the Neighbour Chur- ches «he3 to it, whom thefe people would fccm to imitate. And this the good Kin^ would never h.we named, had he not an intencv^n to defer much to their Judgement. But of this his Mijeity could never obtain an anfwer ; for it was that which the Independents feucd above all, and we fee not that the Pxesbyterians did any way fa- vour this proportion ^ the a(^ion3 both of the one and the other were fuch/ that it was the furell courfe for them to palliate them with Declarations fent a far off, rather then to have tliem brought to light here at home in a Synod; and they were very well content to re-^ ceivc their Neighbours to their Society, but not to ad-^ mit them to their Counfel. They have hereby made it appear, that it was not reform.ation , bat the reve- nues of the Church they purfued; othcrwifc they would haveimbracedthepropontionof his Majefty, and the rcquert of the Clergy, who defired nothing more then to be heard in a lawful Synod, and to reform willingly, that which was difpleaiiRg to fome. But this had un- twifted the deligns of their enemies, who then (hould have had no precext to ruine the Clergy , and enrich themfelves with their fpoiis, and take from Monarchy the fupport of the Church , if the Ecclefiaflicks had been reformed. Then let the rage and invc61ive malice of our enc- mie5 greater! our f.iuks in quality and number, as m.uch as they can, let them makefmall fpots, impodhumes; Let them paint us out in falfe colours, and disfigure us like devils to the eyes of all the world -j AH that the fevcrcft Juftice can require of us, is to amend and free- ly to fubmitourfelves to thecenfureof a lawful Affem.- bly i and then when a great King, who is fubjedt to none but God, fhall come to them, and offer to change that which hath been pra^tifed or tolerated, and to lend his car to receive bet t-cr information. O this was a grace capable to molifie hearts of ftone, and to turn the com- Ci74l complain cs of his flibjei^s into acclarnadons of joy aud praifes. But they vvill neither the grace of the King, nor our amendmcn:. To rhefe offers of the King fo (incere and frequent, they anfvverednot but by complaints and blowes, aiid tfaey confulted not of means to correal us, but to deftroy us; they vvill not take the pains to clcanfe the Church, they will cut it up by the root , root and branch. "Tis the Watch-word of the feditious^ where- by they pfetend to know thofe that are of the godly party ; and they have alfo put an unnatural maxime in the moutl^ of the furious and blind people^ that the re- formatiorl muft be made in blood. This they call to renew, ^r revive the Church ; but it's as the Daughters of PefifU undertook to make their Father young again, whojH^ that end cut his throat to let his old blood pafs out of his body, but after, it was not in their power to ^t in new. God keep us from them who come to re- torm the Church their Mother with a Sword , and that would cut our throats to mikts us young again. Certain^ ly beholding ChyrurgeonS coming to let us blood with a Sword in both hands, we have reafon to vYithdraw in- to fomcfafe quarter, and to fear a healing which will not take away the evil, but in taking away our life* We dare fay for our Clergy , that if it (Inould coft them their lives to redeem the peace of their King and State, they would account them well imployed , and willingly confent robe caft over-board with jonas^ that their lofs mjght appeafe the tempeft. This is of greateft anguifli and affli61:ion , to fee Murther pafs for Piety , then to fuffer in their per- fcMis , and they cheerfully wifh , that a potion of their blood could quench the beat of their bloody aeal. Thiszcal appeared in the title of SimsPleA^ and b the book calied, Chrifi^n his Thrm. The feft pleads For GI753 for the Presbyterian , the other for the Independent. Both of thefe books have this Text in the Frontifpice : Brifig thofe mwe enemies , that mutd nta that Ifhmid raign over them t and flay them hf ore me. By enernies they underftand thofe who will not imbrace their Difdplinc, And their adlions now have, and do make a bloudy commentary upon the Text. That if our Lord Jefus Chrift, who poured forth his moft precious bloud to fpare ours, put not aftop to this flux of bloud, thefe Zealots will reform England^ as the Anabaptilts refor- med Mmfter^ and as the Spaniards converted the mfi^ Indies. Let all Chriftij^n Churches of the World then know, that the Engliih Church confeffeth humbly before God, her infirmities , and acknowledgcth her felf the de- faults which peace and the length of time is Wont to bring to the berteftablifned order, and bath done her duty to reform, fubmitting her felf to a general Synod, and the States of the Kingdome under the Authority and condu6^ of her good King, and that a facrilegious and murtbering fa6lion, drunken with the bloud of their Sovcraign, and the goods of the Church : Having op- prcffed the liberty of the Aifembly of States, fnatched this holy work out of her hands, and would hear of no other reformation, but her total deftrudion ; introdu- cing in the place of ancient and lawful order, a Chaos of prophane and licentious Hereiies, deftrudive to Re- ligion and State. CHAP. Ci^53 CHAP. XXL An Anl^ertotheobieSiion^ That the King mxit Wdr Again fl the Parlia?»snt. IT'S the ordinary cooiplaint of rhe Covenanters, chatche King made War againft his Parliament , a phrafe which feenas tacitly to imply, that the King re- belled agninft his Superiours ; and indeed there are ma-* ny that underftood it fo in good earneft, conceiving the Parliament to be above the King. And hereupon it was declared by the Houfe of Commons at mflntln' jier , That the Kings coming to their Houfe was Trei- fon, as if the Mijeity rcfided in the Commons, but how ridiculous and falfe this is, hith heretofore been fhew- ed : and yet they could in no other fenfe call the Hou- fes at ^^y?w//7/?^r, his Parliament, fmce they had taken up Arms againft his Ml jefty; doubtlefs thofe of both Houfe;, who adhered to the King at Oxford^ without comparifon the more confiderable in quality, were ra- ther his Parliament , for thefe were for him, and the o- thcr againft him. Moreover by this frequent exprelTion, they would fre- quently %nifie, that the King was the Aggreifeur, and be that firft alfaulrcd them ; a thing which they have much laboured to pcrfwade the world, although it be notorioufly known that his enemies had feizedupon his Fores, Jowns, Magaziens, Ships, Revenues, and Levi- ed Souldiers, beforecvcrthe king had fo much as one Tingle company of Horfc, or Foot. When he firft came loTorl^^ he had riot fo much as his ordinary guards, whcrqashisenemie? had all the ftrengrh of the King- dom,thcy wanted oaly God on their fidcund this greic power power encouraged thcfedicious inall countri felf , wherein the world beheld the fincerity of his a-' 6tions, vVith the piety and dandbrof his fpiric , worthy fo great a Prince. . - , , , , The Covenanters tonfiderrng tbat they could not perfwadc them who'had any remembrance or common fenfe ,' that tht King began the War ; laboured to prove that although tney began, yet their Armies werd but dcfenfivd ; aftirming , that a War undertaken , up- on a juft fear. Was deferifive , yea although they ftruck" the firft blow ; arid that they feized upon the Fort-V Magaziens, and Revenues of the King," becaufe they feared he would make War upoii them; That is ct5 fay, that they made War upoii him, leaft he fl\ould. make War upon them/ A rcafon much like th^t of Coupjt Gpftdmore^ Ambaffador of Sfaln in Englatsd^ who by his cunning and fubtilcy hid wrought fo far, as to have a gallant £»^/ifyfe Knight fo be condcn^ncd and put to death ; being demanded whtit evil he had' don« M that- Ci7^ that he fo perfecuted him: Anfwercd, that it was not for any evil he had done, but for that evil which he :inighc-doA::iti/^!^ •' But theCourt'that did ir,had jiift reafons , far from ■thQ.Spffjijhintt:eih ; bucinchcfe mens dealings with > the Kitlgj were he even a Subject , the in julHce is both without reafon , and without example c For , was there :cvcr any Court 6f JuftiGe, which condemned a man to lofe boA his goods,andl>is life, not becaufe he had done any avil,-but foirfsir he {hould. That which would be moft unjuft againft the m.caneft Subj^d, can it poffibiy be thouoht, andteputed a Work of Piecy and Juftice againft their lawful Soveraign ? But leaving thefe perfohs , who from the beginning had thi5 diabolical defigri, which fince they have inhu- manly eii^cu ted ; we will believe of many of the Co- venantors, that the intent of their Army was not to •punifh the King for the pretended exorbitancies of his paH: Government , although they laboured by all means to perpetuate the memory , and toftiflcthofc eminent and rignal.a6ls of grace, by which the King hid merited the love of his people beyond all his Pre- deceffor^.'Weare willing alfo to believe that foHic a- mongR them condem.n the Doctrine of Goodman^ turn- ed firice into fad practice. That Judges onght tofummoft Princes^ before them for their offences^ and proceed again fl them^ 04 agamft other Criminals and MalefaUors, If it vvfere not then for the punifliing of what Was paffed, it was for fear of the future, they took up Arms, which indeed is the only reafon left them. For after the King had promifed to give content to his people, in all their reafonable requefts reprefentcd to him, and they had taken the power out of his hands, then when he would have accomplifbed his promifes; all the rc^fon they give for foxiolent a proceeding is. That they dttrfi nottruft the King; Which.verily is a moft fri- volous diroteus and injurious cxcufe. Which i^ as if one had a l^cighbour that dwelt by him, more mighty thenfaim- felf , and whofe difpleafure he feared , it fliould be f)crmieted him to watch his opportunity to furprize hishoufc, fcize upon his revenues, and drive from his pofleflionsj to free and deliver him from fe.ir ? Butfuch an action as this from Subjedls towards their Prince, is beyond all comparifori mo-e utijuft. The Quedion be- tween the King and his Subje6ts ^ being not. Whether they may with confidence leave the Sword in the Kings hand ? twt whether God hath committed the Sword to the King to be born by him ? Now in this their dealings with the King, they give him an evil example , for by the fame reafon he may t^cfrom his fubje(5^s die propriety, they have in their cftatcs, becaufc he dares not truft them ,' arid finds by fad experience, they ufe it for his dellrui^ion; And hci fhould have much more reafon to do it , fince the Sub- jects hold their Lands of the King ; but the King holds not his pQVVer of the people ; Prudence ought not to feizc upon JulHce. The care of a nians felf cannot give him a right to the goods of another : The duty of aChriftianisnot to fortifie himfelf againft his fear^, but to obey the .Commandments of God : But if his fear and forccaft carries him beyond his duty, he flioulcJ QihoVQ all fear him that cm cafi hath body and foul mo hell. Tea, J fay untoyosi^ fear him ^Luke 12.5. Taking then that which themfelves accord, that the Sub je6ls cook up Arms to fecure tbemrelves againlt their fears ; Had not the King as much reafon to take up Arms aftercheir example to provide againft his? If he had been their equal , this reafon had been fufticierir e- nough, how much more then being their Soveraign, for thefword th.it they had drawn againft him, was his own ; thofe Forts, Towns , Ships, Arms and Reve- ntjC5 , which they imployed againft him ,- were his ; M 2 there- therefore he had a double reafon to take up Arms , onc^ to defend himfelf , and another to recover his own rights. By all Laws Divine and Humane, the King alone hath the power of cheSvvord, whofoevcr ftrikes with- out him is a murtherer. Saint J?#r/7^r^ preaching to the > Kui^htsTerHplersof///^»r^/fffl^: to SI^S"- Perfwadc them from pudU, faich pl^fs, that two things are required to make a combat juS and lawful ; The de- fence of -a juft caufe, and obedience to a lawful pow- er. The hi\ of thefe is the principal , and that alone which gives to Souldiers a juft call, for in wars ordinari- ly the intereftsof Princes are only known to them- felves , and often the right and wrong being of twa fides, wecrteemit not neceffary that every Souldier be perfe6lly fatisfied of the Juftice of the Armies of his Soveraign ; but as for obedience to a lawful pow- er , its a condition abfolutely requifite to juftifie the taking up of Arms of a Souldier, and them is no exer- tion , nor modification , that can be brought agaihll it. . ,^ Saint ^»^/i/i*»^ faith, That a jufl coma VausUm ^^^ ^^f '^ took up Arms and Fought for the King , for befides the goodnefs of his defence which is juft and neccffary , if ever any were, they learn that it is poflTibly to Hghc jultly for him, even when his canfe may be unjuft ; but vvithout him it is impolfible to draw the fword jult- ly, much lefs agiinft him, how juft foever the com- plaints and fears of the contrary party that draws the fword be. All lawful demands, religious intention?, fpecious pretexts , pretended neceflities , the publick good ( the Mafque of all Rebellions ) prayers , faft- ings, Covenanting with God, all this and much more can never make a war juft, which receives the fvvord from him to whom God hath not given it, and draws ic againft him to whom God hath committed it. Therefore the principal of the G)venanters well perceiving this, endeavoured from the beginning to make the King either give them , or lend themr the power of the Militia. In doing whereof, they did much wrong to their caufe , for if they had the lawful power of the fword, why did they then fo often dcmanditofiheKing? And if they had it not, why did they draw the fword without the lawful power, and againft him to whom the power appertained by their own confeffion ? Why elfe fhould they ask it of him ? They either didinjuftice to the King to take from him the Militia, or elfc they did injuftice to themfeives to demand it: Certainly by their importunity for the Mi- litia, they manifeftly condemned themfeives, and ac- knowledged that the Militia belonged to the King, and that they made the war without his authority, and therefore they had great need of many Sermons , M 3 faft- fallings 5 prayers 5 protcftations, Oaths upon Oatjis, to/ bind in many knots t^is Covenant, which otherwife held by nothing ; and to perfwade the peopky thatin ftead of the Lavyful and Ordinary Power, they had an Extraordinary one , which was cpndu6ted by Reve- lation. Rebellion is againtt nature, Sdmueli^uth^ Its a* the fin offvltcheraft or Divination, l Sam, 1 5.2 ^ . It is com- pofed of fuch charms which for a time corrupts the ufe pf reafon, but cannot deftroy the faculty, but at laft the jcloud will vanifh and they lliall retain nought, but the impreflfioii of fbam.eand alfoniihment for their patt er- rors, and an earnelt defire of an acknowledgment. This natural notion is imprincisdin the hearts of Sub- jedlsj Th(it th^mght tQ ohey the King , and that t9 him fenams the Pow^r of Pease aftd War, The ve- ry Name of King will make even Souldiers fpringfrom the ground to fervehim , the Plow-fhares fhall furniih bim with Swords, and the Fiayls and long Staffes fball fight for bis Crown. The Arms which they have ra- yilht from him, fliall acknowledge their Matter , and return of themfelves to him, as thofe which were un- juftly taken from -^;^jf. It's a very hard thing to fight agdnft nature .* This appeared in the Counties of the Covenanters, wherein whilft the King was Mafter, he raifed Ten Thoufand men in Eight Dales , but after the CoveRantcrs commanded in them , although tbcy levied Souldiers continually , their Forces ever decreafed, and thofe they lifted in the day, disbanded and run away in the night. That if thefccrcc judg- ment of God which would chaftifeus, had notrendred the people fearful and difmayed for a tim^, fuch was their number and hatred againft the Partyof the Cove- nanters, that they had eafily difpatched the Countries againft the King, though themfelves were difarmed : Anditmuftbeiii the end that Nature furmounts the conftraipc confiraint , for the King is the cen oe^* ofxhQ Sut^, wJiir therall parts tend by the^r.owji pj^pjerjVveiglic, an^ wherein all the lines, of the .cq nn^on ince;jeft$ tcr* ininate. V " ' >h >: Their complaints of violence b% the Kings F^ces:, are of no conlideration ; the Armies of rhe King as vvcU asthofcof the Covenanters were not composed all of Saints, biitthefecoaiphinrs foundill in their moath^, who lifted up their hmds agiinft their Spveraign, thofe who had i'o often planted their Artilery againft the Squa- dron where the perfonof the King was, andhadlhoc fifty Cannon fhot againll: the Queen in her bed, and after all this, cutoff the Head of their lawful Soveraign, can they affume the impudence to complain of our Soul- diers taking away their poultry and killing their ilicep ? If thofe who were in a6lual Rebellion againft their King, had been, punifhed by .our Souldiers as they deferyed, they would never have had the power to complain that their houfcs were plundered, or that they fpoyled and deftroycd their Goods : We dare maintain, that thofe amongft the Covenanters that fuffered lefs than deaxb, have fuffered lefs than they deferved ; ' we do not deiire that every one fliould be punifhed according to his de- ferts, for we would not that God fhould fo deal wirh us, but that our enemies may know, both by tiie divine Law, and the Law of Nations, every perfon that re* bels againft his Prince, is guilty bf death, J<7j'^.i.i 8. and lofeth his propriety in his Goods and PoffclTions. Let them know alfo, that being dcftitute of lawful Au- thority for the war, and drawing their fwords againft him that bears the fword by Divine Authoritj^j every l^roak they ftruck againft the faithful Subje6lJ of the King, they committed an execrable Murcher, i Sa»t» H.I2. And every Penny they levied upon them j they committed Rapine, employing ther Robberies to maintain Marcher and Rebellion: If the Names of M 4 thefe ^hefe crimes offend their cars, the crimes themfdvcs jffiould much more Midi their Confciences ; theTe terms proceed not from paffion , but flow from the lieceflkry confeqpcncc of this Truth, That the yforof the CovenmeYS is defthute of all Author uyy lawful and 'divine. ' Oh that eVery Chriftian who hath drawn his fvvordin thisfinful caufe, would ferioufly^oafiderhovy heiliouldanfwerit before God and man, and that he 'may have horrour and dreid in him for the evil he hath defetvcd » and yet much more for that which he hath com.rriitted. CHAP. wai. pjf t^e Defrdved and Evil Judith of the Cov£^ nanters. BUT we cannot fo fliohtly let them pafs with their fore-allcdgcd cxcufi^ for the War, that they durft jipt truft the King. The caufe is evi- dent. Which is becaufc they bad taken from hira all the ground of reafon that might be, that he fbould tfuft them; nothing being more to be di- ftrufied than a Depraved and III Faith : The King permuted them to perpetuate the Parliament as long z% "they pleafed , he committed himfelf wholly oyer to their Faith, AfFe<5lion and Confci- ence; jf any phing obligeth a man to be faithful , it is to repdfe an entire and free confidence in bim, and there is nothing more odious and unvyor- thy the naxTie of mail, than to employ that affu^ ranc-e and confidence they have freely committed jousj toideceiveandruinethem. They themfdves after :" :f ^ •' ' \' •'.: ". ^ ^ • this DS53 this fignil favour, without example, often declared t# ihe vv©rlj, chac if they lliould abufe fo great a truft to the damtnage and detrimcat of his Majefty, they fhould be unworthy to-hveupon the earth, but this was before the Loyal Subjedtshad feparated themfelves from their company. They are then condemned by their own confcffion, for that moft fignal Acl ofTruff, fuch as never King gave to his Subjects, they returned him the moft infamous and pcrMious A6ls, and bafe ingrati- tude that ever Subjedts rendred to their King. He that Tiid, Fldelcm fi futaveri^^ facies^ the means to make men faithful, wastorfiink themfo, was never known tothefemen. In Confcicnce can ye believe that when the King committed to them this great power, that he under- fiqpd it thus , That when he fliould refufe to do any thing they requeued him, he gave them liberty to force him to do ic , or to do it without him, to take from him. his Children, to feize upon his Revenues, to turn his Armies, Navic?, and Forts againil him, to make a broad Seal, and to break his, to difpofe of all the Of- fices of the Crown, to levy Forreign Souldiers , and bring them into his ^Kingdom, to deprive his Subjefts of their Goods and poffefTions, to drive theMiniliers of the Gofpel from their flocks, to rob the Church of her Revenues , to overthrow the ancient Laws of the Land , and to make a Religion all new ? After all this, can any man wonder if they durfl not truft the King? For where is the Criminal or Malefa6lor that dares commit himfelf to, or truft the Judge? and where is the Cozener and Deceiver, vvho being difco- vcred, dares truft him whom he hath cozened and de- ceived ? If by thefe vile a6Vionsthcy have violated the truft the King repofed in them, and if by the A 6^ for the continuance of the Parliament, the King gave them a power [ISO power to deal thus with him, we refer ourfetvestothe better part of the Parliament , who vviriidrew them-^ felves to the King, abhorring fuch a prodigious violati- on of the publick faith, and of the duty of Subje6ls and Chriftians unfaitbfulncfs ; they committed the like to the people, who deputed and committed to them the publick fafety : For doubdefs in their choice it never entered into the Spirits of them who fent them, toin- vett them with an abfolute power over their goods and perfons, muchlefs over their King, for they could not give that which they had not, ncverthelcfs they have ex- ecuted this povvjsr, cafting their fellow-Citizens out of their houfes and^poffefTions, and gathered together great treafureoutof the rents of the King and his Sub je6ls, manifefting thcmfelves very liberal of the goods of o- thcrs. But they defend thefe a6tions by a new Maxime of Stare, invented upon this occafion ; Some of the prin- cipal Citizens of Lundon being oppreffed by their great and often Taxes, came to the Houfe, and rcprefcnted to them that it was their duties to maintain the Sub- jects in the propriety of their goods, and bcfeeched chcm, not to fall themfelves into that inconvenience which they were bound to remedy. The Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons anfwered them, that in truth the Subjedls might plead the propriety of their goods a- gainft the King , but not againll: the Parliament , to whom it appertained to difpofe of all the goods of the Kingdom ; but to perfwade the people to believe this, is a very hard task, who rather judged, that the Parlia- ment whom they hadchofen, had violated the publick £aith and the truft committed to them, and had taken riiat into their difpofing which was never committed them* let thefe Gentlemen never hereafter fpeak foloud of their publick faith, (incc they have loft it, nor ever attempt to borrow more money upon fo forry a c;mtion. There There were none in either Houfes who fiad not ofcca taken the Oaths o^ Allegiance and Supremacy , by which they acknowledge the King their Soveraign, de- pending of none, and had fworn to him loyalty and obedience. They moreover took the proteftation made in the beginning of the Parliament, and impofed upon the whole Kingdomc, wherein alfo they fwear the fame thing. The Oath of the Covenant which was taken after, renewed the fame promife, and there they fworc to defend the Per [on and Amhprity of the Kmg^ and caufe the vforld to behold their fidelity^ and that they would net in the leafl thing dim'mijh his jufi forver , and greatnejfe, Confidcr here f good Reader) Oaths enough to binde them to perforni and keep their promife. But this mul- titude of oaths is a kind of proof of their ill faith, for they that f\V€arofcen, manifett thereby, that they think themfelves unworthy to be believed, and diftruft, that every one miftrufts them ; It had been better for them to have been faithful to their King without {wearing : for as in the Grammar Latine, two N(^atives make an Affirmative , thefe on the contrary in ftead thereof, weuld feem to make two Affirmatives to make one Ne- gative, and that many oaths to be fait hfil to their So- veraign bound them to do the contrary; for in effect thefe laft oaths were folely im.ployed to ruine the anti- cnt Oath of Allegiance, for if their intentions had been (imply to be faithful to their Sovereign, they needed have taken no other oath then the firft. Therefore af- ter thefe two new oaths, came the third, which they called the Negative Oath^ in which they caufcd m.en to fwear. That theyfhauld neither dlreEily^ nor IndireBlj ajftfl the King in this vfar. And thus behold in fine the mask tak«n ol, and the intention of their former oaths unco- Vcr*d, There can be no greater fympcom.c of a defperate ick State, then the multiplication of oaths to form par- tics tics and faftions ; and we may fay after the Prophet Jeremy 23.10. The i^d monrm h<:aufe of Oaths, As forthe principals who impofcd the Oaths, they niadc ufe of them to baiter, and inangle the confcicn- ecs of the people, for to ferve their ambition, pradli- (ingthc Dodlrine of Ljffa^der , who taught that men ought tobeamufed with oachs, a?; children with ba- bies ; and as for the people upon whom the oaths were impofcd, for the moft part they took them rather for i- mitation, then knowledge, or for fear, or from a blind zeal, oran implicit faith. Moreover the multitude of Oa:hs do imbafe the dignity, and a people accul-lomed •to them, refpedt no more an oath, then their old flioes. Thofc alfo that (wear often, are often forfworn, over- throwing one oath with another. But the Oarh of the Covenant hath this fingular, wherein it furpaflcch all Chjimeras^ Centaurs^ fJyf^S^'^ff^^ in extravagance and contradi6lion; for in taking it in the fenfe of the Covenanters, they overthrow this Oath t^ythcOachitfclf? and they forfwearthat which they Jhad fworr ; for in fwea: ingthat they would defend the Perfon and Authority of the King, and make the world behold their fidelity, according to their opinion they are bound to make war againft him, and by virtue of this Oath, they perfecuted, rob'd, and after all depofed hin^ Oh fupreme degree of perfidy, andfrantick blindncfs? Have we not whereat to mourn and lament, to behold thefe illuminated Reformers fo plunged in the gall of bitternefs,and bonds of iniquity, for to pcrfecutc their good King with all rage and violence, becaufe they had (Worn to defend him, and to be faithful to him. This Oath was called Covenant, that is to fay. Alli- ance, or confederation, becaufe thofc that took it (for at prcfent its forbidden to be taken) pretended to make an Alliance and Covenant with God: This Oath is yet in vogue in Scotland. It's their New Covenant, befides bcfides that of the New Telhment , and the modern Canonical Scripture, which is Judge in ail cafes of con- fcience, and from which chere is no appeal. Their ill faith is moreover evident inthecompofiti- onof thisOarh, and certainly ii's the only thing e- vidcnt in the third Article, which is a difcour'*^ fotwift- cd and interwoven , compofed expredy not to be im- derftood : There they /wear to defend the Perfon and Au- thority of the King in defence of Religion and the ffthUqtee Liberty. It's very hard to fay what that iignifics, eve- ry good foul who fufFer*d himfelf to be perfwaded to take this Oath, underlbod thereby, that to defend the ' Perfon of the King, was a neceflary point, both to prefervc their Religion and Liberty , and that they could not fear God as they ought, without honouring the King ; and thofe that took the Oath in this fenfc, were bound to fight againft the Covenanters for the defence of their Religion and Sovcraign. But the unworthy companions of the Covenant in- terpreted it thus, that they bind themfelves to defend thcPerfonand Authority of the King, fo far forth a? it is compatible with the defence of Religion and Li- berty. Now (fay they) we find that the defence of the Perfon, and Authority of the King is incompatible vyith the defence of Religion , and the Publique Liber- ty ; and therefore we are bound to oppofe and ruine the King for the defence of Liberty and Religion. And thus it appears that this malicious obfcurity is a fold of the Serpent, and a lurking hole of the evil fpirit , even the rather when we narrowly confider this conrtru(^ion, to defend one thing in defence of another ^ which fignifies nothing , and wants both true Logick and cpmmori fcHfe* The Oath being a profeffion before God, and the, ftronged affirmation of all, had need to have be6i clear, and couched in fuch terms, that every one might have have underftood it in the fame fenfe they took it; but to inferc fuch equivocations, was to abufc the Name of God, whom they took to witnefs, and the fimplicity of the people. He that tali es a forked Oath, and under- ftands it nor in the fenfe that he that gives it, or under- ftandsitnotatall, fwearsnotin Truth , in Righteouf- nefs, and Judgement, which are the qualities required in an Oath , for he calls God to witnefs his hypocrific, blindnefs and temerity* The fam.c Article makes profeflion df fideilty to tht K'wgy and to diminish nothing of his jnfl AHthorny ^nd greAtnefs, lis no new thing for Rebels to take the Oath of Allegiance to their Soveraign, to combine a fa- ction againft him. The Mutineers in the time of Ri^ chard the Second , took an Oath to be faithful to the King and people, and yet neverthelcfs made ufc of this Oath to fliif up the people to ruine the King : And thefe did the like ; and when hereupon we tax them withunfaithfulnefs, and breach of their Oath, they anfwcr, and pay us with a diftindlion betwixt the poli- tick and pcrfonal capacity of the Kingj and they teU us that it was againft Charles they made the Warre, and laot againft the King, making the King a pure Idea^ an Accident without a Subftance. Xt*s very hard for them to fay what became of the politick capacity of the King, then when they beheaded him in his perfonal capacity, for they fo long honoured him in Idea^ that at laft they maffacred him in fubftance. But they forget that in the fam.e Article they^had fworn to be faithful to the Perfon of the King, arid pro- tcfted to defend his Perfon and Authority ; as things conjoyned and infeparablc : So ftrong is truth, and re- fpc6t due to Soveraign ty 5 fo natural to Subjects, that even in the Oath which they formed, to confederate a- gainft him, their duty is couched in exprefs terms,vvhicb will one day be produced m judgement againft them, Bui [IPO But in good carneft have we not much to wonder at , and to acknowledge the wrath of God, in theblindnefs of ^hefe men , that fo many millions of men {hould think they were bound to perfecute the King to all ex- tremity, and to take away his goods, honour, liberty, fafety, and at laft his life ; becaufe they hadfworn to defend the P erf on and Amhrity of the King , and maks the world behold their fidelity^ and that they would dmmjk nothing of hisjuft Power and Amhority : Is it poflible that their by-goc zeal could fo' diflocate their brains , and a- brutifh their fpirirs, as to make them commit fo many crimes and enormities, upon fo unrcafonable a confe- quence. Oh Lord create tn m a clean hearty and renew a right ffirit within tis, Inthe fourth Article of this Oath, theypromife to endeavour with all their power, tobringtocondigna punifhmcHt all thofe who were the caufe of fepar^ing the King from his people ; and according to this , in was, they made the people btelievc a long time, that theoccafion of their taking up Arms was to bring the King to his Parliam.ent; butthehypocrifieof protcRa- tion, is now clearly manifcfted, for when the King of- fered to return to his Parliament , they utterly refufed to receive him ; telling him plainly if he came , he fhould come at his peril. Forbidding all pcrfons whatfo- ever, under pain of death , to receive or entertain laim in their houfes. Let all good fubjc61s who have taken this Oath, open now at laft their eyes, and acknowledge that the intentions of their Guides, was quite contrary to their profeflTions. The Sixth Article required every perfon tofwcar; That this caufe touched the Glory of God, thehajfinefs of the three Kingdomes^ and the Dignity of the King. Indeed this caufe touched the Glory of God with fuch fowl hands, as have defiled it as much as pofTiblc men could, and it touched the happinefs of the three Kingilomcs with with fuch malignant claws, as have torn them to pic' cc?i But if they vVill that wc take them in their fenfe, namely, that their caufc defends and advanceth the Glory of God, the happinefs of the ' Kingdomes j and the Dignity of the King-, we behold and feel the con- trary : But grant that this fliould be true, 'tis not a thing for which we miiftfwear. Oaths arc of two forts; the ons fort are to affirm the truth of a thing prcfent or paft, the other for to promife and oblige our wili for the future; thefe two forts of Oaths cannot be taken to- gether. The Oarh of the Covenant is of the latter ; and thei;efore it is very ill done of them to confound it with the firrt , which is altogether of another nature and ufage, and in a promife for the future ; to thruft in an affirmation of a thing prcfent, yea, of a thing falfe, or at leift doubtful, and whereof they of their party arc not accorded* Btit fuppofe chat this Oath were of the firft fort, the things which we fhould affirm upon Oath, are fuch as require the teftimony of the perfon who fvvcars : Such are all quelHons of fa6l. But as for aueftion^ of rights they ought not, neither can they be decided by Oath • and it is to want common fenfe^ to make his nergh1)our judge, to know which is the true Religion, and to judge whether the Ciufe of the Parliament is better then the Kings. There the Oath lofeth his ufe, for its made to perfwadcandgive Authority to the thing, by the wit- nefsof the perfon. If the Caufc of the Covenant be the Caufc of G6d, there is no need to fwear ky but to juftife it "by reafon and pra6lice. And, although we fliould even believe that it fcarcheth and advanceth the Glory of God, the happinefs of the Kingcbme , and dignity of the King, it were unjuft and ridiculous, to prefs us to fwear it ; for moral truths , and even alfo Theological, ought to be believed, not fworn. Civil things Lml things only, and thofe amongft them which are mar-' ccrs of fact, oughc only to be affirmed by oath; we have a very firm belief of the truth of m.any poinc5o£- Rch'gion, and of the honeliy of divers perfons , and yet neverthelefs, for all the world, we would not fwear to them ; all who have any ingenuity , or good fenfe acknowledge, that to force us to affirm the goodnefs of the Covenant by Oath, is an extreme tyranny , and fuH of ignorance and abfurdities. And alfo" feeing vV« are very U I fatisfied of the goodnefs thereof, its ano-^ ther tyranny to make us fwear to defend it ; and a maHt barbarous cruelty, to confifcate our pofleffions, and fe- qucfterourMinirters of their benefices, becaufe they refufetotakefounreafonablean.Oath, andyec all this was pr.i6lifed during the Presbyterian Reignv The Articles of the Covenant Were alTiftedYVith i Religious Prologue and Epibgue, full, of proteftations of zeal and repentance, and therefore itwasalmoft impoflible i but the moft part of them that took ic ihould be perjured , confidering the generality of th^ people are evil. And this fhould have prevented the Gentlemen to impofe the Covenant indiiTerently upon all, under fueh. great penalties. For as they will noc fuffier the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be admini- Ited to the people, for fear to encreafe their condem- nation: They (hould have by thefam.ereafon, .accord- ing to their principles, have withheld to adminifterthefe proteftations of zeal and repentance, to their confcien- ces, whbfe difpofition they were ignotant of. Now a great evidence of their depraved and evil Faith,- confifts in their protdftations of fan6lity and fu- perlativc expreffions of zeil; in whir. h- the Indepen- dent party who rejedled the Covenant, without. co"n- parifon, fly higher theh their ' Predee frofefs openly that we fee Hot how there can be an J firm or durable peace In the King* dome^-wlthofit a due confideratton and provlfionfor the rights^ repofe and Immunities of his Majejiy and his Rojd Family - And in another place they promt fe^ that until fuch time as there be made a fettkment ^ his Majefly (hall find amongfi themall civil and perfonal re fpe[i^ with all reafonable F ree- dom^» But let us next fee how they performed this promife, after they found this great Prince inflexible to all their junjuft and diflionourable propoficions, and efpccially tq thofe which concerned the ruine of the Church , they rcftrained his liberty, aad fee over hina more infoienc guardsin his houfe at /f/?w^p« Court; at which never* thclefs Oliver Cromwell^ who was then in effedl: chief of the league, feemed to be much troubled, and very care- ful of the life of hisMajdtv, and therefore perfwaded him to efcapc by ni^ht, and to fave himfelf out of fuch .wickedi funds into the Ifle of mght ; for being rcfclvcd jto charge the King with a criminal procefs, which was the way as he thought moi\ proper for the defigns of his ambition , then privately to make him away ; but he durft not proceed thus far, whilft the King was fo neer the^atcs of London^ and in the heart of his Kingdome, the hearts whereof he po(Te(fed. I will not undertake to found the myfterics of iniqury of this Agent of Satan, kit fhew you a piece of his perfidioufncfs, and profound hypoca£e. The night before the King ftolc from Hampton Court fromwellczmj^ toyifithim, cauiing all perfons to-wi ' 'aw draw out of the Chamber , except Major Hamifigtofgt in whom he only confided , and taking the Kingaiide, hadalongdifcourfewichhim, which Hmtwgton could not hear, but could well behold his paflionate gefture, which wicneffed a lingular freedome and affe<5lion. CrflwW/ at his departure call himfelf upon his knee?, and took the King by the hand, kiffing it many times, wetting it with his tears, and at length lifting up his voice, faid to him : ^/r, fo God blefs me and my ehlldreKj M I am refolved tQ endeAvour t9 f lace yon and your children if$ your rights and dignities; after this, approaching to Huntingtony Major (faith he^ tarry with the Klng^ and if there happen any thing new this nighty take a good horfe^ and come with all [feed and ac^mint me. This night then the King paffed fecretly the Thames, and taking poft , caft Mmfelf into the trap they had laid for him in that re- tired place : So foon as HuntlngtonknoN of the depar- ture of the King, and whether he was gone, he went in 4ill haft to give advice to Cromwell-, that the King had «- fcaped into the Iflc of Wight ^ who beholding him afto- niftied and amazed at this fudden change, laughed at him, telling him, That the King was there where he dejt- redy and that there wanted nothing now to the fatisfyif^of his dejiresy but that all his children were there with him* This hiftory is attefted by Huntington limfelf , a perfon of credit and repute, whofc eyes this a6lion and the like hath opened, and turned his heart toward? the King his Soveraign. Now the King being confined into this little lOand, where all the avenues might eafily be kept by the Crea- tures of Cromwelly and the other Gentlemen of the Co- venant; the Mask was prefently taken off ^liVeflmiH- flery and in the Army, and all their oaths and proccftati- onsto maintapthe perfon and authority of the King, were changed into loud cries, in calling for JuiHce a- odnft Hm, CO which the Gentlemen at mfimir^er eafily N4 con^ condefcended, and for chisefFe6l declared him Inca- pable to govern; charged him with all the crimes ma- lice could devife, forbidding all perfons to make any more addreffes to him: But in this fair way, they had fomc difturbance , by thofe Parties that in the year 16^^, rofeforthe King, but God juftly provoAcd a- gainft this finful Nation, fuffered injuftice'to triumph through the difloyaly of perfons, who having until that tim.eborn Arms againil the King, took pare with him exprefly to betray and ruine him. . And thus from the beginning to the end of this Tra- gedy, falfhood hath plaid his part, and at length this juft Prince lol-l his life by thehiandof thofe his Sub- jQ£is^ who had called Heaven and Eartli to witnefs their Loyalty and Affe6liDn ; and this is very admirable and memorable to all ages, how the Gonfcience and conftancy of the King took a way altogether con- trary to that of the Covenanters, forwhijft the ■ Covenanters fworc themfelves to deftroy him , he would do neither the one, nor the other to fa ve his life, or Crovvn ; for its m.anifeft that there was a tim.e , wherein if the King would h.we promifed that .which he was refolved nor to have kept, he had in a fhorc lim.e been jput into fuch a condition ( according to all hum.ane appearances) as Would have put him out of the power of all the difcontented to conftrain him to have kept his promife. I cannot pafs the laft AS. of this hideous Treafon , without letting the world behold another piece of the (damnable Hipocrifie of Ollzer CremwcL The day ^ afTignedfor the Execution of the King being com^^ theGouncel of War fate, which was then the Great Councel of the Kingdom : A Letter without Name was addreffedto this Councel to rcprefert to thefe by Reafons of Cdnfcience and Prudence, the' .fofmi- dable confequences of fo ftrange and hateful an Excr cution. Caoil -cution. Cr Mariner, to an EngUfh Hofl^er , of Armies kept under groun there pafled a Vote Worthy the gravity of thatgreac Court, That the King coul4 do no wrong, and that his Officers, and not he were guiltyofthe evil which was done in the publick Government ; But fince thofe who loved the King departed, and withdrew themfelvcjj, to' to him, thofc vvb;cb remained at mftmif^fier ^ fdlovv^ ^ way quite concrary, for they caftupon the King all the izuks of Ills Servants, and madcufe of them againft hxcn,whona thcyoughc Sclliould bavepum/hed for liavil^ ill fcrved bim^ Then when they took in hand to txttalm the Miniftersof Sc.ite, in (lead of puniiliing thecn vvhicli vtereguiky, they received than into favour, yei, after their faults proved againft them, and turned all the dif-^ content of tlie people upon the Kings What agre^^ noife was there in the Houfe of Comnlans againft th^ forgers of Monopolies ? One would have choughc chae hardly ^ny fhoutd have efeaped with their live?^ hue there happened altogether the comrary .* For becaufe the Moncpohfts and oiher acdiffed perfcns, made a considerable nuffiber in Padiament , they made ufe of their fautts, to ntake a ftrong fadion a-* giMlft the King, terrifying and making them underftand, there was no vv.iyleFc to preferve them froai utter ru- inCj but to jici^yn with the new party vVhich vVas formings and hereupon they were promifcd iolptimty fo: whatcvils they had done, oftccxK^iiot they Ihculd do greater Someofthefevrerefertc to thel^tng to IStepi^m/rrkef^ in the behalf of their eompanioiis, w vrhom his Maje-* ftyfaid thefe words', capable to Gonverr them, or ta makif cheir Indirennent at the day of Judgment. G^mlMUfty Uf ymr hands ufonpwr Confdenc'es^ tvh& are they vfhicb imtemid thsfe Taxes bjf which ym havefr provoked TnfpGfle agaln/l rhe ? I^Or whofe ad^vtintage atii profit were thefe Impfls levied > Were my Kevenues en" creafedh them ? It i»a4ymthat Induced and moved me r9 themf£0y(fur 9v^ farticukr }fofit^ and tm^ you rstvirn me a worthi recomfe-fjce. Other Farliament men, ^tiltyof matiy,crime5, Were tept in the Partiament in hope of impahicy, the hoi )f Covenant "^xi a Gapmenr whieh eov^red ^ multi-* C"0 tude of fms, even ro the violating of a great Lady, and abufing hec by own of their Members, almoR in the iight of the Parliament : Behold thefe , the Reform- ers of Church arid State/ Others which were not of the ;Parli.mient, but under ccnfure , for having been Councel lours, or Inftrumentsin the Imports and Taxes ■ of the people, were rele;.fed by them, and employed for the fame bufinefs, as perfons who well underftood the Trade, vyho pillaged then with a good Confctencc, for the advancement of the Kingdom of Jelus Ch ift. Thofe whofe infamous life was tne iliame of the Royal Court, were the honour of the Court zimfimlrtp-ery and the Pillars of the Covenant. Likewife the Judges arcufed of corruption, and the Minilters of a fcuida- Icus life,, in taking the Covenant, obtained a plenary indulgence of all their fins, for after that, there was no more to fay to them, forchofe who vvalhe:l the.nfeWcs in this water, returned ^^ white as if they had beea wallied with Ink, or with the fecond Baptifin the Ana- baptifts ufe at this day. <. But now leL us look upon the Armies: Oure- nemies cry' aloud, that the King made ufe ofthojc of the Church oiRome^ to fervc him in his Wars. Upon which, an excellent Writer make^ this gentle Quertion to them , How many were in their Armie>, or how many they would have had? • For- ifvthe; common report do not much wrong them, they employed . divers perfons of that Religion , ther^ vyere perfons of Honour and Quality, who affured us, that they Prifoners of the fame 'Religion , fcrved the Covenanters. We refer our felves to their own Confciences, if they gave not., a Commifll^i#*co my Lord y^y?^« to levy Forces. - ^ > The Relation in notable, the King being at Ter^, this gallant man, accounted the moft experienced, and bcft Commander of War of his time , came to jprefenc ^i^fcnc his Service to his Majelly, the Kln^ gave him thanks, and \vith.il told him, he was reiblved ro e.T.- *pIoy none of his Religion iii hi^ Arnay. Well (faith he) I will go then to thofe who wiile.Tiployine, and indeed went prefcntly to mftminfler ^ where he was received with open Anns , and a CommilTion given him written and ligned, which he c.irried to the King ; Ye cannot wonder then, th.it the King made ufe of him, and others of his Religion, whom before hewa$ lefoiv'd not to employ, although heh^.d, to take away all (liadow of occa(ion from, liis enemies, who fought fomthing whereat to qu;irrel with him., made a Procla- mation that none profefling the Religion of the Church of ^tfwf fhoiHd come necr his Court. After this, the Coven.intcrs ufed .^11 their power to make them draw to the Kings Party, well confidcring, their party being fo fmall , would bring more hatred than help to the King ; and for this eiTeS, they treated them with great inhumanity, forcing them to forfake their Houfes , and Lands , and run and hide chem- fclves under the Kings Prote^I^ion , and this the King could not refufe them , for as they owed him their Stibjcdiion, the- King owed them his Prote- dion, fo long as they governed themfelves according to the Laws , and accomplillied the Conditions whereby they were permitted byAdl of Parliam.ent to live in the Kingdom. By this reafon of Reciprocal duty, the King proteclr ing them as his Subje6ls, they were bound to defend him as their King, and ye {hill not find in all the Sta- tutes which ^ concern them., that they are exempted to fcrve the King in his Armies , neither is it reafona- ble that they only fhould be free from the perils of war , whiUl thair fellow" Sub jeils venture thc'r live', and are (heddins their bloud for th^ defence of their Country, O I The t*»0 - The, Covcmarers made ir appear fuifkrendy toth« vvorldj that they judged that Religion ought not rocx^ (^ude any from tearing Arms in the pubiick danger, for in their Armies they made ufcof all Religions, yea that fifths Church of Rom^ as we {hali O^.ipvv hercafc^r. If it were lav^ful for them to m.ak(^ this, and joyn th^m- felves with the Reformed Church in this point, th^ King had reafon to icrvc himfelfof the Laft as w?U as fOftheFirfl", Moreover the King had but two Religion-s in his Ar* mie?, which were too many; And.airhoughthe^'i?^ i»^is not tolerated by the Laws, yet the Statutes give proteiftion to the perfons which make profeffion of if, put the Covenanters Motly Army confined of many Religions, there can be no certain number of them, Cor tkey multiplied and fubdivided daily; and thcfe Religions had no tolleration by the Laws, nor the perr Tons which m^ade prof^^ffion of them, . But put the ci^c that the Covenanters were a party Reformed, uniform and illuminated, (ince they have deftroycd their King, what Law Divine or Humane, doth hinder him for uling all m^eans that God gives him to defend himfelf? And if am.cngfl his Loyal Subje6ls, iherebefome who are blinded In matter of Religion, why fl- ould he not make ufe of thofe who arc blind to re* prefs thofe who ar? illucninated s apd maintain his Life iandCrovyn ? •Tis C"5D 'Tis then a ridiculous Queftion, which they dcm md oF the King, vvhccher he will defend the rctormed Re- ligion with Souldiers of the Romdn Religion ? for he makes nor ufe of them to defend his Religion, but his ^ Perfon and Scepter, which thole whom they call Re^ formed, would wickedly pluck out of his hands. 'Tis, foolifhly and unjufily done of them to complain thac ' the King made them to kill the Protelhncs, a nam«t which they makeagreac noifewich, when they hwc loft the thing ; they were not Proceftants but Rebels, whom the King killed in his juft defence^ The King was not to enquire of what Religion they were that made War upon him ; the true Religion gives not li^- ccnfe to Malefactors to do evil, and to bindc the han.^^ ©£ the Judge, that he fliould notpuniih them ; chiefly, when the Malefj6lor fights sgainft the Judge, atld he to whom God hath committed the fword to execute vengeance in wrath, is conltrained xoitiake ufe of ic to defend his life and authority; the Malefactor who is inftru61:cd in a holy Religion is doubly guilty, he i? the evil fcrvanc in the Gofpel, who knows his Maliers v\ill, but docs it not, and therefore he flull be beaten with many ftripes. This aoove written ferves as an Anfwer to the ex* clamations of our enemies. That the King caufed oh Armieof/r/ffe Papiftsto come over to kill the Prorc- ftants in Engltind-s for it matters not whit Religion the £>?^///^ be of, if they be Rebels, and who can biam^ him for employing Rebels converted, againft Rebels obftinate, Dutonely thofethat perilh by then: But tliat which givts dccafion of laughter in this Obj.e6H- 6n is, that thsre were none, and the Jrifhh^vQ not yet ienc overtheir Army into £;?^/^;^^, according to their promife to help the King. We grant that the E?iil!jh ar« far more confide table to the King then the Mjh ; Tuppofc the difference be as great as betwixt a Son and O 4 afer- a fervaiu^bucif the Son prove unnatural and draws his fvvordagainft his Father, who cm blame the Father if he arms his fervant, were he_a^4r^^7 Have, to defend his life ? 'Tis not to purpofe then for them fo oB.en to objc^ to us, that the Irljh were rh^ Executioners to cue the throats of a multitude of Protelhnts in- Ireland^ and that it's a horrible thing to bring them over into England to do as much here ; for at the worit they were biic Executioners of Rebels : Ceruainly civil War is a horrible thing, where onedelirudion draws on a^ nothcr, Abjjfus abyjfunt advocat ; but hnce the enra- ged and im-placable obftin.icy of the Covenanrers , brought the Kin^ to this extremity, that he could hoc quench the fire tha-r they had kindled in bis Kingdom , but by raine ; likethofe who would quench a Town ali in. flames with Gannon-fhot, what, could we do orher then call in the Iri^ to his fuccours ? having rebellions then on all {ides ? Was it not wifely done of him to make an agreement with the moft traclab!e and pliant, andro.ferve himfelf with their Forces to make head- agiinft the others f If the Erglllh would not have had the King m.ade peace with the /r//^, why did they then refufb the peace and pardon which rlie Kingfo often, and fo gracioufly rendred them? And did he enter in- to Treaty with his Jrifh Suhx^^% before he had a long time in vain follicited his Ev^t\h xo their duty }- Should he rather willingly hnve loft two Kingdoms to help kis enemies to render thcmfelves Mafters of the third? But fay they , the Jrlfh A^ed abundance of Protc-' flnnrs blood in /r^//?W, which Jliould have been re-' venged in fle.id of granting them peace. Its rriic,they icommitred many fearful and ftrange cruelties , but this Wood hath been fufificiehtly revenged ; For, fprore whicb they put to death; five of. theirs have; been killed i\ric^ the beginning pf the War ; And mote- C217D moreover this reafon founds ill in the mouthcs of Chriliians , who ought to leave vengeance to God. We could not cxpe6l that the Co\enanccrs would ever commend this peace, which mi^ht hwe beenfo difjidvincagious to them, and might have fu|. plied the King with many Souldiers, if the Irifh had kept ihcir word. The principal reafon of their complaint was, bccaufc the Londoners loft much hereby, for they had_ advanced gf-eit Turns of monies to the iwoHoufes, for which thty were to have had the Irljh Rebels Lands, after they were extirpated ; which was to buy the Btars skin be- fore he was killed; and this partly was thecaufe of break- ing up of the Treaty at UxhrUge^oK the Ciiizens diLonr- dofj would by no means hear of Peace, unlefs the King would bre.ik his faith with the Jrifh^ and root them out; for the quarrel that the English Covenanters had with them was not for their Religion, or Rebellion, buc becaufethey would not fuifer thcmfelves to be killed in a peaceable and quiet manner, that thereby the Mer- chant Adventurers of London might have their Bargain. ' And thus the Covenanters as m.uch as in them lay, ju- ftified the unjuft arms of the Irljh^fincc they would by no means have peice with them: And after all, the King hath the fole power of Peace :nd War, and if he will receive into grace, and pardon his Subje6"^s who have offended him,, he is to give account to none* Yet neverthclefs that it may appear to all the Refor- med Churches how m.uch otirgoodKingdcparted,loved his Religion, he would not grant peace to his Irijh Subjeils on the conditions they demanded, advanta- gious to their Religion ; which if he had accorded, he might have had Legions in (tead of Regiments, and not wanted neither the help of his 'Subje6ts , nor their neighbours ; but rather then he would buy their aiTiftancc at that price, hcchofe to (ink and fall under c*i8:3 uader tiie opprcffioii of the Covcmhttts ; after this piety or humanity ought to hive converted the enemies of th* King, if lie had had to do with perfons who had either the one or the other. But if the Gentlemen at Londepr loft their m6nies which they advanced upon the Irtfh affairs , they have caufe to complain of the Gentlemen at Weflmlnfter^ who made ufe of this mo* ney, not to reconquer Irela^dyhtit to make war upon the King, who had a great dciire to terminate that bu- iinefs^ and would have gone in Perfon, but not to ferve the avaritious and barbarous intentions of thefe Mer- chants of blood, but to recover his Rights, and to re- flore a number of his exiled Subje£^s to their polfefli- ORs ; Thofe ruined and remaining Families of the ge- neral Maffacrc, cried aloud in the ears of the King and Parliament. For to help them there was a generali Colledtion through the Kingdom , and the Minifters by Order of Parliament were to excite the charity of the people to a liberal contribution, which was done, and great fums of money were raifcd for the Jrljh War. But to what was the charity of many pious fouls imployed ? co make War againft the King; The Armies which the cries of the poor exiled Irijh iTad raifed, and were ready at their Port to be fhipped, were called back, and condudled againft his facred Majefty ; and al- though many in thofe Troops had their Interells in Irelandj they were conftrained to forfake them^ for un- known Interefts, and an open Hoftillity againft their Soveraign. 'Tis no wonder then,if part of thdc Troops at the battel of ^^/Wd^«,turncd to the King ; and took n bloody revenge of fo great in jufticc. For what a moft horrible tyranny was this, to make them fight againft their King in EffgUnd , whileft the throats of their vvives and children were cutting in Ireland} We earneftly befeech the Covenanters, that whenfo- ever they curfe the Irijh Rebellion, chey Woftld remem- ber feerihefe two things ; the one, that die Sms (hewed them the way, having before made a Cov^enantfor Re* ligion,and levied Arms to maintain it, and oBtained by chisway,aU that they defired. The Jrijh feeing this was the way to obtain the liberty of th^ir Religion , prcfendy followed the example of their Neighbours , and as a judicious Writer faith pleafani:ly,Thatif the ^cots had not piped, the Jrljh had never danced. Let them remember alfo, that the Jrljh as wicked as they vYcrc, had without comparifon more reafon for iheir rifing, then either the English or Scotch^ for it's moft certain that the /n}/? were held in with a bridle, which had a ruder bit then the orher Subjects of the King. Many of the Irljh for their form.er Rebellions were difpoffeifed of their Lands ; and although the fen- teece was juft, the lofs neverthelefs was fenlible ; more- over they had not the free cxercife nor liberty of their Religion, the EngllSh nor Scotch cannot alledge any thing like thcfe. Hardly fhall you find in any Hiflory a raign of fifteen years more fiouriiliing, peaceable, and mild, then the fifteen firft years of the Reign of the late King, norwithftanding all the grieVcUices the Cove- nanters reckon up to his difadvantsge : There never ihined more happy days upon Enghwdmd Scotland ; In effed, they were Nations fick of too much eafe. When Subjeifts undertake to criticife upon myfteries of State, and come to quarrel am.ongft themfelves for fubtilties of Religion, or points of Difcipline, its a fymptome of an iCafie yoke, and of excefs of eafe and profperity. Moreover the Irifh fought againft men of another Religion, and of another Nation,they fought not againft the Perfon of their King, cut not the throats of their Brethrenynor ruined thofeof their profcffion ; impofed notneceffitvofConfcienccupon others; but only de- manded putlick Liberty of Confcicnce for thcmfelvcs, althoi^h many aaiOHgft them conten^'^d thcmfelves with with Icflcjfor by the Articles of ^cice in Septemb.i6^6. the King gave them no Toleration for the publtkc exer- cife of their Religion; Certainly therefore as thofc of Nlniveh iViaUrileiip in judgment againft ihz Scrihes and Fharifeesj fo fhall the ir/]^ againlt the Englijh and Smch Covenanters. „ Further, our enemies arc very unjuft to compliin, that the King affailed to bring over Irijh Armies into Effgia^dfCmcc they in effed"^ a year and half before hid brought A rmies o( Scnchinto Englatjdx.o fervcthem. 'If they take the boldncfs to cntercain the Armies of ftrangers within the Kingdome of their Soveraign , {hall it nor be lawful for the King to defend his perfon and Kingdom with his own Subje6>>, which in this qua- lity are not Grangers in refpecl of him,but the Scotch arc Grangers in regird of thQ E^gllfh, Hiltories furnifh nought p.irallel to this crime, to hwe brought the Sc9ts into£«^/W,and to move them to come,gave them p^rrt of the Kingdom^ oi Ireland] bur its eafie for them to give that which vv.is none of theirs ; wirh the fame right the Devil offered to Jefus Chrirt all the Kingdoms of the world, for they can produce their Authority no other where. This Nation abounding in men, I'ving in a barren Coiintrey,will becafily induced to plant Colonics in a more ferti'e foil, and who will believe that having their weapons in their hands, and being in England ^^ backed with their force? from Scotland^ they will govern them.felves at the devotion of thofc that fcnt for them, and go no further then they are comandcd; there is dan- ger leaft ir happen as to the fountain oiLnclaft-, which a ftudent in Magick,with certain words he had leam'd of his Mcifter fcnt to fetch water,to which the fountain o- bcyed, but the poor apprentife knew not the words to make it ftay, which in the mean while went and ferched mter without ceafing, till it filled the houfe up to the vyinJovveb% window?. Certainly our Mutineers had the wit to make the Scotch come to their help , and there needed no great charm to perfwade a people which had nothing, and had nothing to do, to come and filli in troubled wa- tcrs,in their neighbours pond : But I have great fear, that thofe which caufed them to enter upon their March, were ignorant of the charm, to Iby them that they fliould go no further , and that the Scotch will not have done , when the Ena/ijh have done with them. Ic was not then an adHon of judgment to caufe the Scdts to tmtx England^ without having povyer to make them return, and to hinder their coming ag\i*i, much lefs an adionofpiety, for God needs not the wickcd- nefs of men to advance his Kingdom, it was an adiion purely of fpight and (tomack, aftroak ofdefpur, pro- ceeding f :om perfons refolved to dettroy their Country with them, rather than to fuffer the infukation of a Conqueror, or the reproach of their treachery : But in doing this, they have rather augmented their rc- pro.^h, and drawn upon themfelves pcrpe.ual infamy : For as long as there is a God in Heaven, and Confci- encein the world, the memory of thofe, who had but a finger in Co b.if"e an adlion, will beh ateful to all good men, their names will otfend their ears, and their po- ftcrity will be forced (if any remain) to change their Name; , for fear of being ftoned by the pub- lick. But lets return to Ireland^ and poure into the bo- fo Ti of our enemies the Objedtion they have fo often prelTed againft his Majefty, that he invited /r;/^ Pa- pifts over to his party ; and fhevv to the world, that it was the Covenanters , and not the King, who really employed them. For to unwind this intanglcd and intricate bufinefi?, we muft take the chrcd of the affair higher; yemuft thea [2223 then know, that there arc two forts of/n/^PapIfts • the one, ancknc Inhabitants of the Country, who fincc the Conqudt of IreU^dbc^r an hereditary and irrecon- cilable btred 10 the£/r|/i/)f^; the other, thepoflcrity of thofc£«^ZJ/fc Colonies which were planted in Ireland about four hundred years (ince, toprefervethe Con- queft for the Engli(ht and are accounted as EngUfh^ by the ancient Inhabitants, foe they yet preferve the Lan- guage, manners and inclination of the Country fro'n whence they iffued ; tVtEngUjh' and5mc^Protettants, in Irelmd are ncvy Colonies, which during thefe forty years of peace, have encrcafcd in number almoft equal to the others. Wh^ the Rebellion brake out in Ireland^ foon af- ter that in 5cot/W, being encouraoed by their exam- ple, theold/ri/feand the old English Colonies joyned together in one common de%n to dtablifh i\{t Roman Religion, whereupon the Gentlc[nen at mflmhf^er in ftead of fuppreffing them fpcedily by Arms, ( which his Majd^y defired, and offered to go in perfon ) made an Ordinance wtiolly to extirpate them, to which the King would never confenc, alledging that it would be a Baeans to caufe the Colony of Pxoteftants in/^/^i,. v^k> were without defence, to be extirpated i as it ca^.e topafs, fortheinj^being"provokedby that bloody Or- dinance,, did what they at ^^w/w/?^?' had taught thenj, and extirpated thexnoft part of theProteftant Colonies, killing man, woman and child, with moft horrible bar- baroufnefs. I leave to the juft Judgment of God to decide a^inft whom thisr. Sea of innocent bbud cdes. In this Btttchery, the old Iriih were the moft aftivc jAd. cruel, tKc others went along with them only for company; and befides, their inrerefts were different^ fortheinteation oftheold£»^/i^ Colonies Went Ht- Utfifcrthei: than the defigp of freeing thaafdvcs in mat- ter tcr of Religion,, but thd native in]fe would as well he freed of the Nation, as^haye the freedom of their Rdi- gioa, and would (hake off the yoke of the EngHfh Mo- il irchy, take polftlfion in the name of the Pope, of the Abbies which were all in the hands of Lay men, rcco* ver all that they had loftbyConfifcation, for their for* mcr Kebcllions, and for this cffcdi, null all Tides which held of the Crown. This Intention was contrary to the old EnglUh^ who held all their Eftates of the Crown, and pof&ifcd di- vers Abbies by Pattent Royal, and befides this, had an hereditary aiFe(9:ion towards their King and ancient Country; and therefore they had reafon to fear, due after the extirpation of the EngUjh Protelbnts, their throats {hould be cut, and upon thisconiideration they liftnedto the overtures of an accord the King made to them, in the year 1^43, And although they brake 'not off fuddenly with the 9ld Irljh ^ yet they'loofed themfelves by litde and iitde, and in the end, decla- red themfelves for the King ; but it was not until along while after they did him any Service, having been a- mufcd and abufed a long time by the fubtilties of Rome% who upheld and inftru^^ed the old 7n]^, for to pafj^ into £«^/W and fecvecbe King, if ever they hadpro- njifed it, the fame fubtilties and their diffentiona would never permit them CO do. No man of underlbnding or fcnfe can bUme the King to receive from chem the fervicechey owed him, neither did he ever make any profeffion to the contrary, j^s they at mpmnfter^ who palTed a Vote of extirpation againft them, and ftirred up the people againft die King- by this pretext , that he made ufe ciperfons of the R(f man Religion ; now after this , if they themfelves fliall make ufc of diem, they are inexc^fable before God and man. But now let us fee how their litions agree with their words C"43 • words and look"?. The Royal party being greatly cn- ereafed in Irelandy cfpccially by the converlion of the Proteftant Forces which befo'-c ferved the Parliament : The Gentlemen of the Covenant finding thctilfelves ve- ry low in that Kingdom, found no better expedient to repair their langui (hi ng affairs there, th.^n to joyn their intereft with tne Popes, and the old Irljhes , forit*s moft notorioufly known, that before the death of the King thefc Irl^ Papilis took pay of the Parliament, and ferved them in the warre, and have {ince rendredmany good Services to the holy Covenant, above all , before J)erryy which the Covenjinters held, but was bcfiegc^i by the Scotch Royalifts, and had been taken without the coming of the Irljhy conduc>ed by Owen Row O Neat^ who forced the Scotch to raiTe the fiegewith afignal lofs, when thebcfieged were in great dillrcfs, and rea- dy to yield up the Town. And this conjun6tion endu- red near a year, for it vv.?s r\ot tii\jiktrOclohert6/\^, that thefc Irijh returned to the obedience of theic King. And indeed we have not here .my thin^ to wonder at and be aftoniilied, if two forts of Rebels who agreed together to cart off their King, joyn thcmfelves together ill one party, and if their temporal intereft which binds them be preferred before the fpiritual, which both in the one and the other League ferved but as a pretext to their covctoufncfs and ambition, the Gentlem.en at mftminfter judged right, that the advancement of the Pope in IrelarJy was lefs difadvantagious to them, than the whole redu6>ionof that Kingdom under the obedi- ence of his Ma jefty. ' This fcandalous conjunction having much exafpera- tfed the fpirits of the by-got people, whom they had taught to bate the King, becaufe he had made peace with the Papift?, and murderers of Irela»dy the Gen- tlemcD u mftminfier^ after they had along time deni- ed C"53 ed hi and feeing they could noc any longer di ffemble this infamous action , publickly called before them in cxamin.ition Colonel MonJ^^ who was employed i a this agreemenc, and demanded of him, who caufed him to make it? he being inftrudled beforehand, anfvvered^ that he had done ic of himfelf, of his proper motion ; then being enquired why he durft make fuch an accord without a Commiffion , he anfwered, that he judged his agreeitient then profitable for the inrerefts of his party; and hereupon be was difmifTed and fenc away vvithouc any punifhmenr, and thefe Gentlemen con- demned this accord and allyance by a publick h6t. But where' is the man that is fo fimple as to be decei- ved by fo fottidi a force ? But to undecive the abufed,' andtofhew that thefe Genc'emcn gave no orders for t6 break this agreement 5 they had news a while after, that great fuccours were put into this Garrifon of Dyrj, (then the Covenanters) by the Troops of his Hoi i- nefs ; and then all the JugHng was difcovered ,• and there reftcd then no other anfwer for them to give, butthatdf the Italmfi^ who being exceedingly pained with the Gout, and having prayed to God and all the Saints, and yet found no eafe, began to call and pray tothe Devil for help, and gave this Re.ifon tor hem that rebuked him for ic, Ognl adjmo e bomy all help is good from wBomfoever it conie. Now every man who flinll compare their Proteftati- 0ns with their Actions, naay demand thefe QuefUons with aftonifliment arid horror. Are thefe the men who have fo cried out againft the murtherers, which m.af- facredfo many thoufand Proteftarits ? Are' rhefc they who before and after the Maffacre, did fo prefs the Kingtofign their utter extirpation? Are thefe tha^e who rendred the King odious, only for offering them peace and pardon ? Are thefe the men tHat'llirred Hf the pcopl6 againft their King, beciufe he bad P feme [226] ^ome few Souldiers of the ^. Againll the.n and all the Nobility is the great quar- rel, the Covenanters batethein, becaufe they arc per- fons of honour, and acknowledged, the King for the Foiqtai n of Honor, and as fuch For the moft part , they kivefollovyedandfqrved hiT. ; thus almoftall the rich and wealthy families q£ cheKingdomevyerc vyholiyrui- D3J3 pcd^notby theinColcnc fouldiers pillaging in hot blood, but by the extor(ion of a new Committee, and robbery, which was done upon the carpet, and in cool blood. Otthefe grand revenues, they accommodated them- fetves in the hrft place, and then thofe who have (ervcd them, affigning for a recompence to their inftruments, perfons of no worth, and newly raifed from the duft, the antient rights and revenues of Lords and Gentlemen, they wanting nothing to be fuch but blood and gencro^ fity. The Covenanters party often celebrate thefeatts o^S^mrn^ where the fervants fit at the upper end of the tableland are ferved by the Mafters, and this fanaiick in- fo! ence proceeded fo far, that thefe fpcilcrs efleemcd tbcmfe Ives as lawfully invefted in the inheritances of their fi^eriours, and country-men, as the Jfraelltes were of the lands of the ^w^mW: There is but this diffe- rence, the Ifraelites took poffelTion by the command of God, thefc againft his command. Now by thefpecialfevour of the Gentlemen ztwefl- minfier^ it was ordered that the fifth part of the revenues fhould be for provihon for the wives and children of De- linquents, (fuch they call them., who fo little lefpe&d the Majefty of the HouTe of Commons, that they were faithful to their Soveraign.) Thus their wives fometimes wercadmicted to be Farmers of their husbands eftates, and referving themfelves the fifth part, paid the reft to the State. Butaclaft, even the Delinquents were ad- mitted to compound for their eftates ; thofe who were beft dealt with, paid two years value of their rents,others this double; if fuch be their compalTions, what is their feverity ? Is not this for them to comm.entupon the faying of Solomon^ which faith, The mercies of tke wicked are cruel. But moreover thefe favours were not granted to all, there being many who were never admitted to farm their e[iatc5^no neither to redeism them by compoliti^ on. C2343 on, and vvhofc wives and children have fcarcc bread^ne- vcrthelefs, the confifcation of their eftatcs, their perpe- tual banifhmenc, xhe fentencc of death pronounced Zr gainft them, are honorable marks of their great and loy- al fenices to their Soveraign. Of all thofe vvhofuffered in this quarrel, the Minifters of thcGofpel were the moH: barbaroiifly dealt with, and for the feaft caufe, very few amonglt them, who ingaged themfelves in the war. The Bilhops whom the Laws giVe rhe precedency in the Houfe of Lords, have wholly loft their places, through che^ violence of the Houfe of Commons, aflifted with the Yeditious multitude; their Houfes andEccIefialiical revenues have been fold , and are torn from the Church for ever, their perfons a long time imprifoned, and the moft eminent of them had his head cut off upon a Scaffold. This cruelty executed upon the heads, defccnded up- on the members, all the revenues of the Dean and Cha- piters through the Kingdome areSecom.e the prey of fa- criledge, and of lazy bellies, which cram and fill them- felves with the patrimony of the Church ;the lawful pdf^ feffors, without any di(Hn6lion good or bad , weredif- polfeifediwhereby the gentlemen of the Covenant clear- ly fhcw, that it was not the amendment of the Clergy, but their own enriching with the fpbils of the Church, was the mark and fcope of this Reformation. In the ninety feven Pariflics within the walls of Lsk- /^;?,there were found upon accounr,that there were four- fcorc and five Miniflers driven by violence from their Churches and houfes , and to number the Suburbs and Parifhes adjoyning to London^ the number of the Mini- fters, were a hundred and fifteen , without compriftng ^, , ,. , , tho^eoiS.Paf*lsmdmfimmfiery\yhc:Q ^:^:!::^ ^}^ Deans andPrebends ran chefamc pmied in the year fortune; of this numbier, twenty were i^jo. imprifoned, and of thofe who arf dead by .C»553 by diftrcfs, and anguifh in divers prirons,in the holds of ihips and banifhrncnt, they neckoned five years hncc cvventy tvvojbut this number is almol-t doubled (mcQ^znd the others difperfed and fled into ftrange countries, or pth^rvvife oppreifed and ruined, are lefc to meditate up- on this of the Vii\mi(\yTheLord is the pnton of mine inhe- ritance^ he {hall maintain me-i for any other of the Church its denied them.In the other parts of theKingdomjmany faithful Miniders to the King had the like urage,efpeci- ally thofe who polTeffed the faircft and bell benefices,for this was an uiapardonable crime , and fome of them ^vere maffacred by the furious Anabaptifts, as a Sacrifice VYell pleafing to God,. Now whereas fome other Delinquents have liberty to dwell in their houfes, to farm their rents , and to com- pound for the principal ; to the Clergy nothing like this is accorded, but they are turned out in their fhirts, con- demned to a total ruine without refource. There is in- deed an Ordinance of Parliament , that the wives and children of eje6led Miniftcrs, iliould have the fifth pare of the revenues of. their benefices, but it is very ill obfer- ved, for the new incumbents into thefc benefices, carry themfelves with feich pride,and inhumanity to thefe poor women, refufing to obey the Ordinance, conftraining them to plead before Judges, their adverfaries; who in- fteadjof fpeedily relieving them, delay them with length oPtimc, and m.vike them confume in Suits that which they borrowed to plead their Caufe. • So that thefe poor defolate perfons,th rough the great- nefsoftheexpence, and tedioufnefs of delays are con- ftrainedtodehfttheirprofecurion; and many being e- jecled out of fmall benefices, dare not prefent their pe- titions for the fifths , becaufe theexpences will am.ounc higherthen the principal: Certainly if there were any charity or fmcerity^in the Authors of this Ordinance, f:hey would caufe it to be ftrii^Iy obferved , they would not noc permit that the poor wives and children whom they have ruined, lliould be lliutfiied off with litigious and crafty tricks, and opprcffed with cfiarges, when they come to demand that fmalialms which is granted them out of their husbands ertates^chey fhould not deny them that in retail which they have accorded them in grofs. . , Moreover you mull: know that this pretended gratui- ty is but for the wives and children, but as for the Mini- fterSj who have neither the one nor the other , they arc accounted unworthy to live, and not any part of their E- ftates is given to them ; and thus they have rendered the Miniiiersof theGofpel conformable to their Mafter, who had not where to lay his head, and Jefus Ghrili is yet perfecuted in his fervants. But the periecution ftaid not at thofe whom they E- je6led. Behold a new invention , to root out at one ftroak, all thofe who remained loyal, or Orthodox in the- Church and State. It was ordered that all who had any office either ia Church or State, fhould fubfcribe to be faithful to the prefent conftitution of Government , by the Houfe of Gomm.ons, without King or Lords , but the principal aim was to pick a quirrel With the Minifters of the Goipelupon their reFufing, and to abolifli the Mini- ftry, for which they had already prepared the people,h;j- ving appointed a Committee, to MfpUce dlfobedlem Mi- mflers^and t9 fHt thofe in their f laces ^ who condemned their vocation :. thefc are the terms of the inftru^ion given the Committee^ this horrible menace fhould give to all faith- ful Paftors, caufe rather of hope then fear , for he that faid to his Difciples, He that refufethyon , refufeth me, finds himfelf refufed, and rejefted in the perfons of his fervants, and yet more in their Miniftry ; without doubt he is provoked to jealoufie, and will take upon him the caufe of the Miniftry of his Word. Whofcevcr {hall ferioufly confid^r all that hideous fpe^tacle of devaftationof ie Church, tlic abolition of Go- C»373 Govemnjent, the mine of the Paftors, the corruption of Reli2ion,the prof^nadon of the fervice of Gocl,and lliaU coiilparethis perfecution wich that the Greek Chur- dies fufFer at this day, fhall find that all the ravages of the Tnrks fince chataktiig of Confiantmo^le^ have aotfo disfigured the Church in two ihundred years , as thef(fc Reformers did in fix orfeven years in their own coun- try, and amongft their brethren in the faith. Butpafswcfrom theEcclefiafiicalto the Givil, tha new Courts ere6led to hear complaints, and to receive the compofitions of Delinquents, were as fo many But- chers Sham.bles, and Flayin^-houfe$,\vhere they tore off' the skin, and pulled out the bo.vels, and where tbeydif- membred, and cut in pieces manyamienc and good houfes; our miferable party had to do with worfer Jud- gcs,then he fpoken of in the eighteenth of S.Z.^,w/>/^A feared not God ^ neither regarded rnan'y and yethefuf- fcrcd himfelf to be overcome by the importunity o^ the i^^ided Widdow, and faid, 1 will Avenge her^ or I will do her Juftice ; Wepropafe him for an example to thefe crn- el fouls ^ and fay after onr SavloHT ^ Hear what the unjufi Judge faith ; And (hall not Ged avenge his own EleEl^ vphlch cry daj and night nnto hlm^ though he hear long mtk them^ I telly ou that he will avenge them fpeedily , Th«re could be exped^cd no juRer fequel of iniquity from their beginnings, then when it was commanded for every perfon through the Kingdom to bring in their Plate and Jewels, which the feditious Zealors contribu- ted as freely as the idolatrous Ifraelltes to* make a Gol- den Calf, but tbofe who did not bring their Plate, they plundred their houfes, and took it away by force ; at the fam.e tim^e they commanded the people to take up arm^ under the penalty of being hanged, and this fentence was executed in the Counties of EJfex ^ Sf^olk^y and Camirrldge ; the principal ad^orof this tyranny, was the Earl o^Moffchefiery who cMifed fome to be hanged, who not [2383 aon being well learned in the Catechifmc of feditidft, refufed openly to take up arms againtt the King, others for the fame rejifon were tyed neck and heels, unreafon- ably mifufedjand caft into prirons until they had learned Rebellion, and the reft of the people affrighted hereby, went peaceably to coT.mic tre.ifon againft his Majcfty. Therefoie the greareft cruelty of the Covenanters, was not in rendring their country mif^rable, but in having rendred it wicked, and forced fo many (implc people to bsinftruments of their ambition, and partakers of therr crimes*How will they anfwer for the blood and the con- fciences of their Souldiers killed in the acl of paracidey then when they dif charged their Muskets againft the Squadron where the perfon of the King was ? How will they anfyver for them who were actually imployed in the maffacre of the King, and who have (ince felt a hell in their confciences ? we muft confefs that they have been more cruel towards their own party^ then towards ours, (ince they have only made us to fuffer evil, but they have forced their adherents, both to fuffer and do evil, which are the two principal things wherein all the work of the devil confifts. After this execrable murtherof their excellent Sove- raign, how many murthers did they heap upon this? Duke Hamilton^ the Earl of Holland , the truly Noble 3^nd loyal Lord Cafslr^ many others killed in their armies in divers places^ many in every County condemned to death by partial Judges, who received all accufations a- gainft thofe who had ferved their King, an-d many thou- sands good fubjeots m.urthered in Irela^dhy thcfe San- guinary Zealots* It would be infinite to reckon up all their crimes a- gainft God, their Religion, their Church, their King, and their Country,and all that can be fpoken, is nothin* in comparifon to that prodigious mafs of iniquity jwhiclr ftricks heaven with its height^ and makes even the earth w to fink with the weight which draws from the bottom of our wounded fouls^ chefc ardent fighs. Oh our good God , arc thou fo wvathfully difplcalcd againd ihefc Nations, as to give them over to a rcbrobace fenfe, and a- bandoncd to do the will of the devil , and eftablifh his King- donae ? Oh Religion, Confciencc, King, Church, State^Order, Peace, Juftice, Laws, all are violated, defaced, disfigured and melted into a horrible Chaos of obfcurity and confufion \ Alas how can it be that this people enlightened with the knowledge of God, abounding with the riches of heaven and earth, {hou Id fall^into fuch a diabolical frenzy, as to trample under their feec their Religion , cut oft* the head of their King, pluck out the throat of their Mother, the Church, and deal with their Fellow- countrymen, and Brethren in Jefus Chrift, more cruelly then the CMahumetans deal with the Chriftians, who drives' them not from their houfes and patrimonies in r«/i|yf, nor reduce them to the fift part of their Revenues, Botvis the faithful city become an H/f/- lot ! it TV as full ef Judgement^ righteoufnefs lodged in it , but nBvf mmtherers^ if a, i. z i. Certainly although the evil they do unto us , (hould not force us to go out of our Coumry and leave ir, yet the evil that we behold in it, is capable to mak§ us forfake it, and toimbrace the Prophet Jt femes choice , Jer. 9« 2, 3. Q';^ thatlhadift the wilder nefs a lodging fUce for way-faring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them, for they be adul' terers^ an ajfembfy of treachcrom men, and they bend their tongues lii^e their bow for lies, hut are not valiant for the truth, for they proceed from evil to evil, and they f^now not me, faith the Lord. Ha people frantick ? whofe eyes the God of this world hav© darkned, and exafperated your paflions with a feditious rage, cruelly and bloodily to pcrfecutc your Church and Sovcraign ? Miferable people who do the wor"k of their enemies , and exe- cute upon ihcmfclvcs the maledi6tion proRounccd to Hierufalem in Rebellion, Sion ^ all tear her f elf with her own bands, ridding and calling their crown and glory upon the ground, cutting their own nnews,and breaking their bones, and by their weaknefs and clifunion, inyite the enemy to come and make an end of them. Blind Zealots, who ftirred you up fo difordtrly to pull down An- tichrift ? you will find in doing thus, you have contributed to raifebimup, and having drawn an horrible fcandal upon our moflHoly Religion, by your impious aftions^ and infamous Do- drincs, have healed the mortal wound of the bead , and hard- ned the confciences of men againft the Sword of the GofpcU which rarely penetrates with eSieacy, when its welded with wick- ed hands. Thft« Ca4o3 That which comFonjf us in beholding you take fiich tburfes is to make faith ceafe from being in the earth, is, chat hereby you advance the defired coming of Jcfui Ghriil, who hath ntjttked that time for his return, when he will deliver his Church, from the bondage of Tedu^ion, vanity, blindnefs, and mifery, for t© itivcft her wirh liberty, hoi inefs, and glory, which he hath par- thatcd for her by his blood. In waiting for this happy deliverance, if we miift fiiii behold Rebellion proudly domineer, over the Supreme Powers ordain- ed by God , and facriledge make havock in the Churchy arid crimes turned into Laws and Dodrines of Religion. we fhall ptc^ ferve our felves by the grace of God, from murmurmg at his- Ja- fiice,and the condud of his Providence, remem'bririg chat God punifiicth lis juftly by inflruments which are unjuft, and that he will aflurcdlymanifeft his juft judgements upon them, when he {hall fee it moftexpedient for his glory, which he is ufcd to ad- vance by wayes contrary, in appearance, and makes, as in tb« Creation, light to (hine out of darknefs J we will cndcavoui: to ieam i« our calamity, this divine Wifdomc of Solomon^ Ecdefiy . 8. if thou fee jl the opprefsioa of thf poor ^ and vMnt pCrverthig ef judgement, and jffisTice in a Provme, marvel not at the matter^ for he that ^ higher then the hi^heft, regardeth^ and there be higher tbex ihey. Being pcrfccutedby a people who in deftroyingus , pretend they do God fervice, and who palliate their cruelty With z.eal of his glory, we comfort our felves in this holy proniife, as made e^tprefly for our condition. l/d, 66, f. Hearths imrdoftheL&fd ye that tremble at his wdfd^ymr brethrenthat bated joUy that cafi yeu out for my namefci^:^ Jaid^ let the Lord be glorifiuli it*^ he fjall appear tgyour)oy. and they fhall be afhamed, ' ' O our God we befeech thee forgive our enemies, confoanit their pernicious defjgns, and convert their erring confciences, repair the hedge i>rokefl down of thy vine, whereby the Wild- boar out of the woods break down the branches, arid coot up the tender plants, wherefore jhall they fay amdiigjl the beathiH, yvhe/i n new their God* Soli Deo GlorlaJ S^ podif m^km^adqmido^ m fneie f^ Jku4sr0, J5IN 1 Si J i^mmiaimmma^i