‘VVE shall find the Parliament hath nothing to cement its selfe, to increase and fixe their party, and keepe it from staggering, but a little temporary reputation, and a resolution to hold to the publike good.’

I must not forbeare him here, though the Answerer does; he speakes [...] wickedly, or [...] foolishly; wickedly if he speake in earnest; foo­lishly if he speake in jest, speaking in such serious matters. He sayes, We find the Parliament hath nothing to cement it selfe and fixe their party, but a little tem­porary reputation. Alas! what will that doe to fix [...] a man (for I will speake [Page 3] in individio) and keepe him from staggering in such an agony and shaking time as this is, when the wicked Prelates and such like, must be shaken out of the earth, where they have taken root this long time, I say, shaken out, and that is the reason of the Earth-quake. And what will keep from staggering now, will a little temporary reputation doe it? No, no; Alas it is a fluid thing, no fixednesse in it at all; and therefore a great deale cannot fixe the man, but unfixe him rather; make him as weake as water; it cannot hold up the spirit, and keep from staggering. Shall a Parliament-man, (I would be plaine) one, that is chosen to stand for thousands, to appeare for God; to stand-up for his Countrey, (he is engaged so to doe, by all the obligations that are conceivable) Can this man fixe himselfe by popular applause, by the esteem and repute the people have of him? Can this keepe a man from staggering? But I am not such a foole to question it; [...] say, and there is no question to be made of it, A great deale of Temporary Reputation will not be sufficient to fixe a man, no not a little, and to keep from staggering. But there is another thing, which foolishly and wickedly he puts together, and would cement with temporary reputation (but they can c [...]ment no better then Gold can with Clay) A resolution to hold fast to the publike good. What is that? The publike Faith of the King and Kingdome, Religion, Truth, Go­spell; call it what you will, it is the publike Good, the great Trust of the Kingdome: Hold fast to this, and this will doe it, keep from staggering; This will [...]xe a man, keep-up his spirit, make him stand u [...]right though the Earth totter like a drunken Man: How violent soever the motions are, though words against him, are Swords, and deeds are ungodly and devou­ring, yet he can appeale to GOD, that he has done his worke, discharged his trust; he has laid out himselfe for the saving a distressed Ghurch and State; he has not been biased to his private wealth; thoughts of the publike have drunke up his spirits; This fixeth a Man, keeps him from staggering in an earthquake, when the earth is smitten, and the Nations are angry, and the Kingdomes are mooved; This I say, holds up the spirit of this Man, this fix­eth him, that he h [...]th, doth, and will stand up in the breach; if he perish, there he will perish, in the breach, in the resolution to hold fast to the publike good. And see I pray you, and consider how efficacious this resolution is to fixe the heart, and to keep from staggering: And then see how this Foole or Knave, (which you will, for he is both) hath matched it here▪ with a little temporary reputation, and then calls it nothing, nothing but a resolution to hold fast to the publike good: and that is all the Parliament hath to cement it selfe, to fixe their party, and to keep it from staggering, a Resolution only to hold fast to the publike good. They that are the Parliaments best friends, can wish them no more to fixe and stablish them, but such a Resolution; if they have [Page 4] that, they have all, that concernes them in this matter: for, Blessed is that Man, who is resolved to hold fast to the publike good, for in such a businesse as this, this is all and abundantly sufficient to fixe the person, and to keep from staggering; That he hath done his utmost; laid-out, and spent himselfe for the saving (as we may call it indeed) a distressed Church and State. Sure­ly, though it be not saved (which yet we doe not question) yet this person may comfort himselfe as his LORD before him, My judgement is with the Esa. 49. 4. LORD, and my work with my GOD. He has done his duty as afore-said, not with so strong an hand, but with as good an heart as Josiah did; and that is his comfort, and exceeding strong consolation; Now he can remit the mat­ters, leave it in Gods Hands, let Him doe what is good in His eyes; he can now stand still and waight the salvation of GOD, for he has done his duty; Though, and so the Moderatour goes on.

‘And this (viz.) [a Resolution to hold fast to the publike good] if things run so high as they doe now, will be called Rebellious stobborunnesse, and be branded with the foule imputation of Treason.’

The Man sayes true; Things doe run so high, as that a Resolution to hold fast to the publike good is called Rebellion and Treason; but it mooves not those, whose spirits are fixed. It was so in Ancient times, they that were fiexdly resolved to hold to God, His Christ, His peoples good, were accounted no better then Rebels and Traitours; Gods servants are not carefull about Neh. 4 & 6. this now. But yet let us observe how contemptably he speakes of this hol­ding fast to the publike good; It is nothing but; and what more? That which will be called Rebellion and Treason: Be it so, so called I meane, when it is in deed and truth, the truest obedience and highest point of loyalty to hold fast to the publike good, to preferre that before all your private engagements. And this I thought fit to insist upon, and make the plainer, That we, the lowest of the people, may put the more observation upon it; and be more resolved for, and fixed on the publike good also; That we may looke to our standing, keep our holdfast, close to the publike good: for that which is good for the King­dome, is good for us also: as, what is good for the Bee-hive, is good for the Bee. Let us hold fast there, while the Moderatour goes on in his Argument.

‘Whereas the King (as the chiefe Master and dispencer of the Com­mon-wealth) is able to fit the humour of every Man, that he hath a mind to take off.’

Take off! from what? from a Resolution to hold fast to the publike good. That is his meaning, and it can be no other. And who must take them off? The King, the chiefe Master and dispencer of the Common-wealth; he that should stand like the stalke of a Ballance; he that is the Father of his Coun­trey, and, as a Father, should tender his Subjests; and, next to his own Soule; [Page 5] mind only their good; he must take them off. Whom will he take off? The proud Man, the ambitious Man, the busie Man. And he shall doe it, I meane, The King is able to call these forth, to his foot; for these mind their private wealth, and so they may build-up that, they care not though the publike fall to ruine; he shall be able to tak [...] [...]hese off, for they were never on. But what meanes has the King to effect this? what wayes hath he to take these persons off from serving the publike good?

‘That which will fit every mans humour, [the better, the veryer Knave he is] The King has honour for the proud; places of Trust [such a place as Hull, a place of Trust, and being so, not] for the Ambitious man; inferiour Offices, for the busie Man; favour and promises, and a possibility of severall preferments to invite all sorts of men to him.’ What to doe when they are come? To betray the publike good, the places of Trust. Is this the advan­tage on the Kings side! I speake it with indignation; is this it? Are these his guifts, and bestowed upon such persons, and for these ends? he could not have spoken more to the dishonour of his Prince, not more to the honour of the Parliament.

‘The King has Power, &c.’

I will cut him short here, for he speakes proudly. The King has Power, so much as is derived from God, or permitted to him: So much Power he has and no more: Nor Prince nor people, have any power of their own, but to sinne against God, to doe wickedly, to shed blood to their power Ezek. 22. 6.: But no pow­er they have to doe good, nor knowledge there; It is too high for them Prov. 14. 7.; This power is lost and never recovered againe, but by a full and free acknow­ledgement that so it is, That a power of doing good is gone, and a power of do­ing evill as we can Ier. 3. 5., remaines, and will remaine fixed in the heart, till an humble confession remooves, and throwes it forth. This is not to the Mo­deratours purpose; but of infinite concernement, and a prime point of know­ledge this; To know That Man has no power of his own, to doe good; But to doe contrary, his power is sufficient. It followes;

‘He hath the power of a Pardon.’

A Pardon! for whom? for Rebels and Traitours; Who are they? Those that are resolved to hold fast to the publike good; To the cause of God; to His Worship; these are Traitours and Rebels in this mans account, for so his words relate if you will observe and conster them.

‘He hath the power of a Pardon, to hold out like a Lure, to fetch in such as have turned taile, and would turne againe, but dare not stoope till a Pardon call them in.’

No, Let them stoope to a Lure, who have stood-up stoutly against GOD; have turned head and taile against Him; These are resolved to looke [Page 6] strait forward, and not looke after a Lure, nor respect a Pardon for their good service done to the publike: Though he that has done best, and has been most resolved for the publike good, does say, as Nehemiah did, for our best works need a Priest, and an Altar, and a Sacrifice; I meane a pardon; Remember me (O my GOD) concerning this also, and SPARE me according to the great­nesse Neh. 13. 22. of Thy Mercy.

I will adde; I never yet s [...]w such a pack of knavery open before me in so narrow a compasse, tending so directly to the dishonour of his Prince, and to the honour of his loving subjects; To the Disadvantage of the King, and to the Advantage of his faithfull people; such as hold fast to the publike good, and are resolved so to doe. And yet we have not heard halfe; he goes on to shew the Advantage on the Kings side. What is that?

‘A King can keep off the aid of forraigne States from his Parliament: [who desire none but for the Defence of the King and Kingdome] how will he doe it?’ ‘The King will use all Arts, having the most expert instru­ments for it, to disable or take off that party; and he may doe it very easily, by corrupting some Eminent Engineere there, some great Officers, or most popular Men, or by kindling some divisions, &c.’

Certainely there was never such a Knave read in Print; how dares he lay open the nakednesse of his King? how dares he instruct his Prince to deale corruptly; To kindle divisions in other States, though thereby he could soder and cement his owne? how dares he put that downe for an Advantage to his Kings Crowne and Dignity, which la [...]es his Honour in the dust? Corrupt dealing! how farre below a Prince! [The chiefe Master and dis­pencer of the Common-wealth] that is uncomely for a Peasant? Let right be done though the world and the things thereof shatter to peeces.

‘He tells us next; We have an encouraging President of the Scots, as we looke upon it, but we are mistaken both in the circumstances and na­ture of the Case.’

Truly mistaken we are (I think) and yet not in the nature of the Case, but unhappily, perhaps, in the managing of it. The Cause the Scots maintai­ned, was the Cause of GOD, and His Anointed, The Publike Faith of the Kingdome, Religion, Truth, Gospell: That is our case too. But I feare we doe not make it the principall, chiefe and master-piece of our worke, as cer­tainely they did; for they did manage it as the Cause of GOD. We doe not follow it so, with so single an eye; we doe not, if I observe aright, keepe close to the Cause, nor to our covenant: we are not constant, we doe not hold-fast to it; we doe not shape and mould all our actions thereunto; we are more for our outward liberties, then for the priviledges of the Saints, our eye is not single that way if I discerne aright: And if so, then there is a great [Page 7] difference in point of circumstance and manner of prosecuting this great worke; but in the nature of the Cause, the Scots and ours, I conceive there is no considerable d [...]ff [...]rence at all. He prosecutes the Argument of Advantage on the Kings [...]ide, h [...] sayes;

‘The King is more likely to draw to him the affections of the people, in that the pressures and miscarriages of this late governement are passed, and almost expiated by his acknowledgment.’

Here he speaks reason, and more; It is the honour of a King to passe by an [...]ff [...]nce, then the duty of a subject to passe by the errour of their King; and, though he should not acknowledge it, yet our duty to goe backward with a cloth to cover what might be uncomely in a King. Doubtlesse, and so his good people did, and so I passe it over. The Moderatour adds.

‘And a Promise of a Redresse.’

A Promise! he might have added, and Protestations too, as solemne as are conceivable. And we will beleeve, That the King speakes as he meanes; his thoughts are sad and serious for the publike good; we will hope and think so. It is the glory of GOD to conceale a thing; but the honour of Kings is to Prov. 25. 1, 3. search out a matter: The Heaven for height, and the Earth for depth, and the heart of Kings is unsearcheable. The wise Man do's not tell us here what guile and deceit lies in the heart; nor what an Abysse, a bottomlesse thing the heart is; though that be true also: But how sad, and serious, and deep the thoughts of Kings are for the good of their subjects, and establishment of Peace in their borders, how fixed upon that. And this we will force our selves, notwithstanding what went before, and what will follow anon, to beleeve, is the Kings pur­pose. But this we must beleeve also; That the heart is, in this sence, an Abysse, a deepe, which the wisest Man, (a Man and no more) that ever was upon the earth, could never bottome. It is deceitfull above all things, and, we Ier. 17 9. may adde, desperately wicked: No wise Man did ever give trust unto it, no not to his own promises: A man may promise that, which he thinks verily to performe, as the Israelites once did; speake thou unto us, all that the LORD Deut. 5. 27. our GOD shall speake unto thee, and we will heare it, and doe it: And yet all this was as the LORD said, but the voice of words, not the voice of the heart; That flinkes away, would not be engaged. And, yet I say, a Man may promise, that, which he thinks verily to performe; and, when it comes to the point, he flies off: why? The reason is: It was the voice of words, not of the heart. A deceived heart has beguiled him, it has turned him aside from his purpose; The heart would beare no part there, would endure no band or engagement;

We cannot forget what we read related of Lady Mary, Daughter to Hen. 8. The Crowne was now unsetled; and, to settle it upon her own head, she craved the aide of Suffolk men, amongst whom she was in Fremingham Castle [Page 8] there. They were very ready to give her their best helpe, and assistance, on this condition, That she would make no alteration of Religion, which her Brother King Edward had before established: The Lady was as ready to Promise, as they were to aske: And such a Promise she made unto them, [That no alteration should be made of Religion] as that (I will set down the very words) no man would or could then have misdoubted her. That which followes is re­markable, but this only to our purpose; By the help of the Gospellers (that is the Authours word, he means the Suffolk men, forward in promoting the proceedings of the Gospell) she did vanqui [...]h the good Duke of Northum­berland, attained her haven, and had the Crowne. These Suffolke men now, to whom she stood engaged next unto God, supplicate their Queene now to performe her Promise, from whom they received this heavy Answer (so M ^r. Fox calls it, and I will keep to his words) forsomuch (saith she) as you, being but members, desire to rule your head, you shall one day well perceive, that members must obey their head, and not looke to beare rule over the same. I will take leave to reply; The Gospellers did not seeke to beare rule over her; No, They sought her peace, and the peace of her Kingdome, the maintenance of that, which would effect all this, establish her peace, and theirs. They be­sought her to remember her Promise touching the Gospell, which, being main­tained in truth, would stablish her Throne, and Kingdome for ever: so they besought her. But they saw now, that she spake to them before, as a Lady, that would be Queene; and now, as one that knew her selfe Queene: and so answers them cleane crosse to expectation and Promise. For, indeed, what she promised them before, was the voice of words only; and what she said afterwards, was the voice of her heart. The result of all this is, That the Promise of the tongue is but the voice of words, which may deceive a mans selfe, as well as those, that trust to it: The voice of the heart is not heard till afterwards; and what that will be, the Man himselfe, perhaps, knowes not, till time has told him how false the heart is; so false, that no man will trust it; for a thousand experiences have told him, That, when he thought verily the heart spake, it was but the tongue, the voice of words, the heart spake nothing, that was silent. The Moderatour goes on, will tell us the Advan­tage of sillables, and yet we will not think him a Conjurer.

‘But to goe on in our Argument of Advantage and Disadvantage; The King is a syllable of as much Advantage as another Army.’

And more; we acknowledge it with as loyall hearts as once the people shewed to David, Thou art worth Ten thousand of us 2 Sam. [...]2. 3.. So David was when he ruled with God; and for God, by His Law-booke, and sitting in Gods Throne, Gods Deputy, and Vicegerent: so considerable David was, a syl­lable of such advantage to his Kingdome: And the desire of our soules is, [Page 9] That our King may be such an one, so considerable, and of that advantage to himselfe and to his whole Kingdome. But, so he is not as he is King, but as he rules for God; commands from His Mouth; orders and directs all by Statute-law, in his Law-booke; If he goes crosse to this, he is a syllable still, Deut. 17. and of the greatest disadvantage to himselfe and Kingdome, That is concei­vable. I remember a sad Story; Jehoram Son of Ahab, being with two more Kings in a great strait, went downe to Elisha, thinking himselfe a very con­siderable Person, being King; and that Elisha would respect him. It was otherwise, What have I to doe with thee, said Elisha to the King; get thee to the Prophets of thy Father, and to the Prophets of thy Mother. O say not so sayes 2 King. 3. 13. the King; send me not to them, they cannot help me in this extremity: And Elisha said; As the LORD of Hosts liveth before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, I would not ver. 14. looke towards thee nor see thee. I relate it here for this very reason, That we may know, a King is not a syllable of Advantage, if he rule not as a King, by the Rule of Heaven and Law of his GOD. Againe, we doe not well to put vertue and efficacy into syllables, they have no more vertue in them, then is in spells, and that is to doe hurt and mischiefe, for they worke in the Devils Name. If I would put any virtue there, I could say as much for Disadvantage; The King is but one syllable, no more is a Queene neither, yet, coming to Je­rusalem, she turned away the heart of the wisest King from God, she darkened all his glory: And afterwards she was of more disadvantage to all Judah, then an Host of a Thousand thousand: for such an Host could not hurt Judah, nor the King thereof; but a Queene destroyed the King, and his house, and his Kingdome. We might goe on and shew the vir [...]ue and effecacy of mono­syllables, for disadvantage to King and Kingdome. Blood, but one syllable, and yet, the staine of it could never be remooved till Judah was remooved from out of Gods sight; And when God makes inquisition for blood, layes it, reallizeth it upon the conscience, it shall be shaken as Belshasars knees were when they smote one against the other. So, these Gods, which Idolaters make so, are but one syllable neither, yet more skilfull to destroy Kingdomes, then Armies are.

‘The King in his very Name is sacred and Powerfull, and shakes the consciences of many.’

Yes; it is a sacred Name and powerfull, and may shake the conscien­ces of them, that have so much as a disloyall thought against his sacred Ma­jesty. But it cannot shake them, not their consciences, who have resolutly held fast to the publike, laid out themselves in maintaining the Cause of their God, the Crowne of their King, the glory of his Kingdome; his Name can­not shake their consciences, bearing them witnesse, their God also, that so [Page 10] they have done in sincerity and uprightnesse of heart; And in this thing they appeale to God, and stand better bottomed then the everlasting hills, they cannot be mooved. Nay, the sacred Name of a King shakes no Man, that does not see more in his King then in his God. And many such there are, that walk by sense, they know their King, but they know not their God; with His help I shall unvaile their eyes anon, only this here. Doth this Name of a King, and no more, shake the consciences of men? What can GOD doe then, but one syllable neither, He will shake them to peices, (their consciences are rotten already,) He will breake them as a Potters vessell, who, for feare of a Man, have deser­ted His Cause, the Truth, the Gospell; and, what in them lies, have given it up to the enemies hand: God, the KING of Kings, and LORD of Lords, will shatter these men to peeces, who have turned head and taile both against their God, their King and Countrey. I will adde a word or two more, for this is the killing Argument; Your King! goe against your King! he is more considerable then an Army! will you fight against him? That has been Answered Ten times, It shall have no Answer here. If I could teach the Countrey man to speake, who sees more in a King, then he does in his God, he should reply from Gods Mouth, by way of Question too; A GOD! but one syllable, yet of more Advantage then all the Armies in the world; In His very Name, He is sacred, and terrible; I heard Thy voice, and I was afraid, said Adam: I heard Thy NAME sayes another, and I trembled. Shall I fight against GOD, His Christ, His Truth? His terrour makes me afraid. ‘If I doe, so, as now the most doe, He will hold me up to the wind, and shake me to peeces; for He is God, heare Him what He saith; Gird up thy loynes now like a man, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Mee: Iob 40. 7. Wilt thou also disanull my judgement; wilt thou condemne Me that thou ver. 8. mayest be righteous? Hast thou an arme like GOD? or canst thou thunder with a voice like Him? Deck thy selfe now with Majesty and excellency, ver. 9. ver. 10. and aray thy selfe with glory and beauty: Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath, and behold every one that is proud and abase him: looke on every ver. 11. ver. 12. one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place: Hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in the secret.’ ver. 13. (If thus thou canst doe, as God can doe, and does doe,) Then will I also con­fesse unto thee, that thine owne right hand can save thee. I adde; then let the ver. 14. terrour of the LORD make me afraid; and not the terrour of a Man; let His Name be sacred and Powerfull, to shake my conscience, that I may not entertaine a proud thought; much lesse lift up a hand against Him. The Mode­ratous sets up Man too high, he sets him as Lord in the consciences of men; God is to be set there, for He has His Throne there, and He only; A King not so, but as he commands from Gods Mouth; so he must be obeyed: And [Page 11] he may be followed, but not a step farther then as he followes the LORD CHRIST; Who is given a Commander and a Leader to His people. Esa. 55. 4.

‘The King hath the Advantage of the written Law.’

If he has the Law on his side, the L [...]w of GOD, or the Law of Man, (I would speake as briefely as I could) If he has any Law on his side, the least tittle of Law, then acc [...]rsed be they, that are on the other side; for they pretend to stand-up for the Law, and they goe point-blanck against the Law, if this be true, for sayes the Moderatour, The King has the advantage of the written Law. We need not the honest Lawyers help here; he has done his part, and has declared it twice, nay thrice; That the King has no more Ad­vantage of the written Law, for that he does, Then Jezabel had (for she ru­led in chiefe) and Ahab, for taking away Naboths life, and then his vineyard: And yet the Moderatour goes on;

‘Which wtitten Law, the King can use now in his Defence.’

Now! and heretofore as well as now, and hereafter as well as now; If he has the advantage of the written Law, let him take it, cursed is he that denies him that Advantage, which the meanest subject will challenge as his birthright, and would fight for it too, if his Armour were not taken away, for he fights for the Law of his God too. The Moderatour goes on;

‘And by the Authority of the written Law joyned with the Power of the Sword, &c.’

The King hath as loyall subjects as ever any King in the world ever had, they never put up any other Petition unto their King, then that he would governe them by the written Law, for therein is contained, the Kings power, and his peoples rights; The Law dispenceth, orders, and limits all this. Why then do's the King joyne thereunto [to the written Law] the power of his Sword, that oppressing thing, which works so contrary to the Law, making it speechlesse, and putting it out of office? The Moderatour will doe us some little favour and resolve us here.

‘By the Authority of the written Law, joyned with the Sword, the King can thunder out accusations, and, perhaps, the penalties of Treason against those, whom he shall call his opposers.’

Call his opposers! That's brave but not good Law sure. Pardon me, No mat­ [...]r whom Man calls but whom Go [...] calls opposers. Sir, but I will not pardon you; you doe inable the King by the authority of the Law, to doe the greatest injury that is imaginable. What is that? To thunder out accusations against the innocent, and penalties of Treason against the lawalists in the Kingdome; for so he do's, when he do's it against those, whom he calls opposers, and so exposeth himselfe to the wrath of the Almigh­ty; The LORD will smite that Ruler (a most notorious hypocrite, like a Mat. 23. 27. whited wall or Sepulcher) who sitteth to judge His people after the Law, [Page 12] and will smite those with his tongue, and hand, whom he shall call opposers, Acts 23. [...]. contrary to the Law. He calls opposers! then [...]e do's them wrong; if the Law calls them not so, they stand recti in Curiâ, cleare and upright both in the Court above, and here below, and within their own breast; It is not whom the King calls opposers, but whom the Law calls opposers, and by au­thority thereof are found so to be; and if the King shall ligh [...]en and thun­der too against those, he shall call opposers against the authority of the Law, they so called, and so thundered against, will regard this thunder, no more, then they doe the crackings of that the boyes call Grackers and Squibs I think, but I know no more doe they care what they be called, whom the King calls opposers, the Law calls good subjects. And though he takes to him the power of the Sword, against the authority of the Law, yet it is Gods Sword, and the judge of all the world will doe right: And these men, whom the King calls opposers, doe expect helpe from God according to the uprightnesse in their hearts, and the innocency found in their hands touching this matter.

The King has a Counsell.

Yes, that he has; as Israel said once, so the worme Jacob now, My soule come not thou into their secret, unto their Assembly, mine honour be not Gen 49. 6. united: for they counsell the King to the destruction of the King and King­dome, To goe against Law; to call them Rebels and Traitors, whom he calls opposers, but the Law calls the best subjects. Let me be called a Rebell and a Traitour too (for truely it is an honour) so long as the Law cleareth me to be a good subject and an honest Man. But this is the result of the Counsell; I cannot forbeare, cursed be their advice for it is carried headlong, and their counsell for it is cruell, The Lord will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in ver. 7. Israel, Amen. He goes on to tell us more touching the Kings Counsell.

‘He has a Counsell so well mingled.’

What are the ingredients? They have knowledge, that is granted them: What is mingled with it? The Moderatour tells us in plaine termes, cunning, fraud, craft; his Counsellours, like the crooked Serpent, are subtill, and can turne and spye into all the windings of State. He might have called them Knaves as well, for it is as good English, and certainely good Law too; Knaves in graine, Magni Nebulones, as one saith, and Magni Latrones too, Great Robbers: and the Moderatour shall proove it to be even so; for he tells us, The Kings Counsellours, some of them, are versed and cunning in the Law, and know: what doe they know? how to turne the Law to the most necessary use; I pray what is that, for I would faine know the use of the Law? He tells us; to the destruction of King and Kingdome; it is just so; when cun­ning crafty Lawyers will turne the Law, which is a strait Rule, when they will turne it, and biasse it at their pleasure, it is to the destruction of King and [Page 13] Kingdome, that all may be wiped as a Man wipes a dish, turning it upside downe. So I say it is, when the Law is turned; for let the Law goe on its 2 King. 21. 13. course, it tends directly to the salvation of the King and Kingdome. These cunning Lawyers then, so crafty in all the windings of State, are great Knaves, I will speake it againe, and great Robbers, for they steale away the supporters of the Kings Throne; and, by turning the Law (that sweet bles­sing) into gall and wormewood, they lay waste his Kingdome. Is he a Thiefe that picks my pocket; or breakes open my doores? That he is, the Law tells me so, he is a thiefe? what is he then that steales away the Kingdomes chie­fest tre [...]sure, its birth-right, and layes open the frontiers of the Kingdome, to Beasts like themselves, Robbers and spoilers skilfull to destroy? The Law assureth us, that these are Thieves, Robbers rather. This puts me [...] mind of a pretty distinction between Fur a Thiefe, and Prado a Robber. The Fur is he, who picks your pocket, or your house; takes away your Oxe or your Ass [...], does you some private injury; This Praedo a Robber is he, who robbs a whole Nation, and what in hi [...] lyes, ruines a whole Kingdome. It minds me also what a poore little Thiefe told Alexander the great. ‘I steale some petty matters from some private men; Thou dost spoile and rob whole Kingdomes: I am poore and am quickly taken off, and short by the neck, thou art mighty and canst breake through; but so it comes to passe, That great Thieves send little Thieves to the gallowes: and these we have met with here, Men versed and cunning in the Law, that know how to turne it to the most necessary use, sayes the Moderatour; to the most pernicious abuse say we; and to the greatest disadvantage of King and Kingdome.’ Now we may discerne what peace we shall have of this Parties making, when these are the agents for an Accomo­dation, proud, ambitious, busie men, taken off from the publike good by favour and promises; and made to turne head and taile against GOD, His Truth and Peace. When Spirituall Lords are agents for Peace, whom the Land have sp [...]ed-out, because they have taken Peace from the earth: and now they would accomodate a Peace, that they might thrust themselves into their pla­ces againe, there to murther more soules, as if their iniquities that way were not yet full. When Achitophels are agents for Peace; Men cunning and crafty in all the windings of State, and so know how to turne the Law to the most pernicious abuse: And when corruption is used also, to fetch-in some eminent Engeneers, some great Officers and most popular Men. I aske againe; what kind of Peace will this be, which this Party will Accomodat? We need not guesse, we can answer punctually to the matter; A peace, that has no respect to the honour of GOD; to the glory of His Anointed, none at all. No regard to Truth, to Holynesse, none at all; A Peace, which will be as a Sword in the bones of the Righteous, because thereby the Name of the LORD will be blas­phemed. [Page 14] Doe we doubt of this? Looke againe upon the Kings Party, whom he reckons on his side, and are of his Counsell here, proud Men, ambitious busie Men, Spirituall Lords, cunning, subtill, crafty in all the windings of State, and know how to turne the Law (as they have turned Religion) to the most necessary use. We need no more. They that are so cunning to turne the LAW of GOD and Man as they please, know as well, and are as skilfull to turne the Peace as well (for it is as ductill through their hands as the Law is,) they can and will bias that also to their own ends, the dethroning the LORD CHRIST, and inthroning the Pope and his Prelats; the setting up their Da­gon, the furthering their Party; their desperate and bloody designes.

From a Peace made up by these men, and by their meanes, such a pack of knaves and their knavery, good Lord deliver us: Amen, say all that know what they say; and they know their GOD will doe it: Their GOD and Prince of Peace will not give His people such a Peace, so packt-up; for they will give their LORD no rest for this thing; that they may have a Peace of His gi­ving, and bequeathed unto them by their PRINCE of Peace, Amen.

From these premises well thought upon, we can commune with our own hearts, and argue the Case as men, that have sense left them, and are directed by reason: As for any higher principle, we will not seeme to reach after it, or care for it; We will reason with our selves according to our common capacity as reasonable men. Thus we reason; They that hold fast to the publike good, [the common faith of the Kingdome,] these are called Rebels and Traitours: and are so dealt with, and injured according to the power in the hand. The Law which is every mans Master, and the common Treasury, which dispen­seth to every Man his right, is turned to the destruction of King and King­dome: They, who oppose with all their might, the Lawes of GOD and Man are accounted good Men and Subjects: They that oppose these, and withstand their desperate and bloody designes are called opposers.

Directed by reason what is to be done now? certainely it is not que­stionable, not a matter to be parlied on, whether a free people shall stand up for their own lives, their Wives and children, against mercilesse and bloody Adversaries, who delight in proud wrath? Directed by reason we cannot stand to parle about this, for know we not yet that our Canaan is destroyed? We Exod. 10. 7. have the same reason now as once Israel had, when their Right eyes 1 Sam. 11. 2. were demanded; and afterward the Jewes Esth. 9., when designed to destruction, the same reason I say to ASSOCIATE our selves (there is no other way) To Assemble our selves, to stand up every man in his place, for our lives; that we may doe unto those, whom the Lawes of GOD and Man call opposers, as they would doe and have done to their power, against them, whom the King and his party call opposers, for no other reason, then (as was said of a Poore man [Page 15] oppressed by the mighty) because they will not receive the Adversaries whole Qui totum telum in corpus non recipisset. Cic. de Fimb [...]â. Sword, blade, hilts and all into their bodies. We may stand looking one upon another, consulting the way how to Accomodate a Peace, when in the meane time, the contrary party gaines Advantage, and strengthens his hand and heart to accomplish his bloody resolution: Therefore we must think only of our duty, and conclude to ASSOCIATE our selves against these sonnes of Belial; for there is no pa [...]lying with them. The Spring is now come, a time of action, and heare how the Moderatour prosecutes the Advantage on the Kings side;

‘The King hath those that are experienced in all the designes of Warre; Intelligencers in the bosome of his Antagonists, or else his Agents conjure; he has them, that serve him to make him Great [let that passe, though they will make their Master the most inglorious Prince in the world] The Nobles and Gentlemen beare their own charges; his Army can de­fend its selfe till the spring, and what is likely to be done then let every man judge, that considers his party abroad, and almost in all Counties.’

Why do's the Moderatour leave it to every mans judgement, whenas every man cannot judge charitably? The Kings good people will thinke as charitably as possibly they can; That he, who is the Sheapheard of his peo­ple (the King is called so I know not how often in sacred and in other books) That he will not persist to hurry and spoile the Sheepe, over whom God has made him a Shepheard. It is enough and too much that he hath so done this winter. His good people can hardly thinke, That he, who is the Father of his Countrey, will seek all means to destroy his people, whom he should re­spect as his Sons and Daughters; Nor that he, whom God hath made King, hath set upon his own Throne, will endeavour, with his own hands to lay his own Kingdome waste, to make his Eden a wildernesse; Nor that he, whom God has made the Head over a great people, will spye out what Port is open thereby to take-in instruments of cruelty, wherewith to teare the whole body? because he is pleased to call some members there, opposers. His good people will hope as charitably as possibly can be, That their King will understand his place and Office there; That, ruling over men, he must be just, ruling in the 2 Sam. 23. 3. feare of GOD: Equity and justice must shine in him, even as the Sun when it is at the highest, whereof poor and rich may take refreshing: he must be as the morning when the Sun riseth, even as the morning without Clouds. Thus his poore people will hope concerning him, for a Prince, that wanteth under­standing is also a great oppressour Pro. [...]8. 16.; his people will think as charitably as pos­sibly they can, concerning their King and these matters, notwithstanding what the Moderatour speaks to the contrary; he sayes;

‘And it is a fond thing certainely to think his Army can want Am­munition, [Page 16] having any Port open, or that it will want money more then the other: If the Kingdom hath it, the Souldier will not be without it, if it have not, they must feed on free cost.’

Here we may take a full view of the Kings Army, not so terrible for multitudes as they are for injustice and violence in their hands; they carry their right on their Swords point; they spoile and lay waste according to the power in their hands, and so have a great advantage indeed of those, who must walke by rule. This is enough to fray us into a Peace, as I have seen some fray Sheep into the water. For now that the Spring is come, and such expe­ctation of Forragne help to take part and joyn with his Forces here; Surely now, if there be not a Port and refuge open (and GOD be praised, that is al­wayes open) we will lay down our weapons now, and make Peace with the Devill: for so we may, as the Answerer has told us, upon as good termes as with this party, which the Moderatour hath so fully described unto us, and discovered before us, viz. That rob and pillage and lay all waste wherever they come; And now that the Spring is come, they expect supplies from the Popes side, who wait this Advantage, That those angry people and as skilfull to destroy, may joyn Forces with the Kings Armies here, to maintaine the established Religion (that is the pretence, and the Protestation too,) the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdome, after they have laid all waste, and destroyed the Kings good people there. And this is the Party with whom we would accomodate a Peace: God say it not unto our charge. But to the thing in hand; Here we have all the Advantages on the Kings side; And surely a man di­rected by reason cannot tell what to say unto all this, But there is one Port alwayes open, a Refuge, whereunto the LORDS people can continually resort, in assured confidence; That GOD, who remembred Noah, and every living Gen. 8. thing, and all the Cattell that was with him, will remember His people also; He that remembred the Beasts will remember the Sheep of His pasture; He will have a speciall and peculiar eye to them, who have held fast to the publike good, and to their GOD, and are resolved so to demeane themselves, That man shall not be able more then to call them opposers; Certainely the Lord will re­member these; The proud waters threatned to goe over their soules; The floods have lifted up (O LORD) they have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. (i. e.) The wicked are exceeding proud, and so they speake and doe, as if they could doe what they have a will to doe, against those, whom they shall call opposers. The LORD on high is mightier then the noise of many waters, yea then the mighty waves of the Sea (i. e.) The LORD is above them: And though the LORD be so high, yet hath He a respect unto the lowly: Though I walke in the midst of trouble Thou wilt revive me; Thou shalt stretch forth Thine Hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me, saith the Ps. 1 [...]8. 7. [Page 17] Church; And it is the Anchor of their hope, sure and stedfast. Therfore now that the Spring is come, this people are not afraid with any amazement; now that the Adversary, by his fraud and cunning, is turning the Peace as they have tur­ned Religion and Law, all to the most pernicious and cursed abuse; Now are Gods people turning themselves to GOD; They put no trust in a syllabl [...], but in GOD, Who is of more Advantage to His people then are the Armies of Men and Devils against them. He is GOD of Hosts, Power and wisedome ar [...] His, A Neh. 4. 14. Great GOD and terrible, a discovering GOD; Let Israel say so, He that told Elisha the words, that were spoken in the Kings Bed-chamber. 2 King. 6 12. He revealeth the deep and secret things; He knoweth what is in the darknesse, and the light dwelleth in Him Dan. [...]. 22., His servants need not conjure, their God is a discovering God, Israel must say so. Jacob, though a worme, is not afraid now, no not at all this; They will set this one GOD against all that we reade before; They will take courage and be confident, for their God is on their side, and that is Advantage enough. And the LORD CHRIST, (of no Advantage, as He is but a syllable,) but of mighty Advantage, as He is a mighty Saviour, a Redeemer that i [...] strong, th [...] LORD of Hosts is His Name, He shall throughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the Land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babilon. Truth is [...] syllable also, (our English Tongue abounds there, no Tongue more, therefore no trust [...] that, but) of mighty advantage as Gods eye is upon the Truth; He will main­tain His own Cause, and His Hand is upon all them for [...]ood that seek [...] but His Power and His wrath is against all them that forsake. Him Ezra. [...]. 22., them that the Law calls opposers, and resisters of His holy will; th [...]se shall one day feele to their smart and everlasting confusion, what it is to be a Rebell, and a Traitour in Gods account, To be called so by Him, Who calls things as they are. But by Him Jacob shall run through a Troope, and by this God he shall leape over a Ps. 18. 29. [...]all; with the help of God we also, that were [...]oward [...] before will be valiant for the Truth, His Cause, (though we be called oppos [...]rs for that) and for the Ci­ties of our God, and then remit the whole matter to Him our Righteousnes; Let Him doe what is good in His eyes 2 Sam. 18 1 [...].. The Lord does all things well; and Israel shall say, All that was done, was done for the best, to magnifie the Name of their God and His Hand in the salvation of His people. Wait we a little for th [...] Lord waiteth to be gracious and all these seeming Advantage [...] on the Adversa­ries side, shall greatly Advantage His people in the prom [...]ting the Glory of GOD and the Peace of Israel, Amen.

The Moderatour ha [...] done now with the Advantage [...] on the Kings side; and he tells us, it were a vaine worke for him, ‘ To s [...]mme-up all the strength and Advantages which the Parliament has go [...] together for its des [...]; and to goe, through with its designes: And there [...] puts a scorne upon them, [...]s [...]er his manner, and passeth on: I will passe on too, only we must remember w [...]t we reade,’ The scorner is an abomination Pro. 24. [...].: and the greatest reason he should b [...] [Page 16] [...] [Page 17] [...] [Page 18] so, for be bringeth a City into a [...]nare Pro. 29 8., nay more then so, he sets a City o [...] [...]. And yet he hath not done so much to the scorne of the City; as he hath to the scorne and reproach of his King. Certainly a Man cannot imagine what h [...] i Inflam­mant suf­flant. Trem. could have spoken more to his Kings dishonour, and to the scorne and eternall reproach of his party. But for all this, he may find an Advocate. He hath spoken also to the dishonour of God, and to the weakening the hands of His people lifted up for the Cause of their God, and His Anointed, and there I will not spare him; he hath laboured what he can, that the poore people may see more in their King, then in a God; more in the anger of a King then in the wrath of the LORD; more in a Peace accomodated by Man, then in a Peace given from God. My work is now to remove the vaile which he hath spread before the eye. By Gods good hand with me, I shall be able to doe it; To make it cleare to every mans eye, who will not wilfully shut it up, That GOD answers every particl [...], jote and tittle, in the Advantages on the Adversaries side; And shall wil­lingly endeavour this for my Countries sake, whose peace I wish as I doe the peace of my own soule; first;

‘The King can call an hold fast to the publike good, a Rebellion and Treason.’

Look to God now. He will call things as they are, and this hold fast He will call Loyalty to thy Prince, and faithfullnesse towards his people: And He will cleare thy innocency at this point as the morning; and thy Righteousnesse as the noone Day. He will account and call thee His Friend, and then no matter what others call thee.

2. ‘The King is able to fit the humour of every Man.’

Looke to God, and be upright, Then enlarge thy desire towards Him; He will satisfie thy desire; whereas thou mayest search all the world over, and all the creatures there, and distill the marrow and juyce of them, and yet find but wearines, and emp [...]ines in them all; for so capacious the soule is, and so uns [...] ­ti [...]fiable in all she finds and fixeth upon here below, till it cometh and fixeth on Him, in Whom i [...] fullnesse and satisfaction.

3. ‘The King has favour and promises, and possibility of preferments, &c.’

Look to God, In His favour is life Psal. 30. 5.; And He has given thee rich and precious promises, both concerning this life and a better; and more then a possibility [...] certainty of such an honour, as have the Saints Psa. 146. 9., and that is an honour unspe [...] ­kable, to have the friends and favourites of GOD, whom He will honour.

4. ‘He hath the Power of a Pardon.’

I would the Moderatour had not said so, That the King has a Power on will either, to pardon the wicked, to account them innocent, whom the LORD [...]a [...]eth. But so the will of man may be, and his power also. Look to God now; He will by no means cleare the guilty Exo. 24. [...].: But the LORD the LORD GOD, merci­full, &c. will multiply pardons to the hu [...]be soule, as his sins are, though as the [...]nds for multitude: fixe upon this GOD; surely it belongs to Him to say, I [Page 19] have Power to Pardon. Let others say what they will, and boast of their excom­munication (which we care no more for, then we doe the bellowing of a Bull:) or their pa [...]dons (which we respect no more then the dirt under our feet) The said full soule will hearken what the LORD sayes for He speaks Peace. Ps. 85. 8.

That which followes is corrupt dealing, and fase-hood, which th [...] Lords soule hates; His eyes are upon the Truth.

5. ‘The King has penalties of Treason against those, whō he shall call opposers.’

The Lord has abundance of mercy and loving kindoes, to shew to those, whom He accounts faithfull.

6. ‘The King hath a Counsell well mixed, cunning in the Law, and that know how to turne it to the most necessary use [here is plaine dealing.]’

Look up to God now, for now is the time; Thou art in a wildernes, seest no path there; knowest not in the world what way to take; Cunning crafty men devise mischiefe, they are turning the very Law against thee, whence thou dost expect help: It is time now to look about thee and consider: on whose shoulders is the governement Esa. 9. 6.? Enquire into that, and what His Name is? It will be told thee, His Name is called WONDERFƲLL COƲNCELLOƲR, The migh­ty GOD: One letter of this Name is enough to sustaine all the faithfull in the world, though all the wisedom and strength in the world, and the gates of H [...]ll, be against them. There is no wisdome, nor understanding nor counsell against the [...] Pro. 21. 30. LORD. Will the cunning, crafty man, will he counsell against the LORD? The stepps of his strength shall be straitned; and his own counsell shall cast him downe Iob 18. 7.. There is no Power against the LORD neither; will the Assemblies of the wicked Associate themselves; will they gird on their harnesses, and goe out against the LORDS hidden ones?

Is this the very purpose of their Association? It tells the Righteous what they are to doe as it bids them, Looke up to GOD, hearken what He saith; ye shall be broken in pieces; ye shall be broken in pieces; ye shall be broken in pieces; Most certainely so, and therefore it is thrice repeated in one place. Ob. But in the Esa. [...]. 9. meane time the wicked breake the Righteous to pieces; A. I pray you now marke what followes; The LORD, the LORD, the discovering GOD, the COƲNSELLOƲR, as well versed in the Law, as the mixed Counsell ar [...]; and as they can turne the Law, so the LORD GOD can turne their might and counsells upside downe: All their Malignancie to the most necessary use. What is that? To the magnifying His own Name, and His peoples comfort, in the confounding of them and their counsels. We must not stand and [...] into the manner how, The LORD will turne about all this, To the most necessary use; But the Lord will doe it, we are resolved upon that, and in the best time. And now we care not, how bigge the Kings Army is; we have knowne an Army a thousand times bigger, and yet could doe Judah no hurt, none at all, but good a great deale. Nor are we afraid of the Spring now it is come. We [Page 20] know the Nations are angry; and we know the reason of their wrath, though their wrath knowes no reason: And yet what a fond thing is it to think, that the Nations can doe what is in the purpose of their hearts to doe. While His servants are about His work, apply themselves to that, Let the LORD alone with [...]e rest, He can order it so, that the Enemies shall not desire this Land Exo. 34 25.: He can take-off their spirit; But if they doe come-in, with GODS leave, like a flood, He can lift-up a Standard against them, for that is His promise Esa. 59. 19.; He can looke-out upon them, Exo. 14. [...]4. Esa 17. 12, 13. and truble their Host, make them drive heavily; He can chase them, as the chaffe of the Mountaines before the winde, and as a rowling thing befor the whirlewind.

Lastly, and so to give the marrow of all the Moderatour hath said in point of Advantage, and to Argue the accomodating a Peace with the Kings party; They have Power and Policy with them; That is all;

By the same Argument and no other, I can argue for a peace with the Devill; but I must conclude a Peace with God, for Counsell and Might are with Him. I have said: and this I have said for excellent reason;

1. That we may feare more the frowne of God, then the wrath of Princi­palities, and Powers, Angells and Men; That we may see more in the favour of God, then in the favour of all the Emperours, Kings and Princes of the World; More excellent Glory in Him, then in all their Courts and Crownes. In a word, That we may see All in Him, and then we shall find all in Him; All Advantages in His being on our side: we shall expect all from Him; and then returne all to Him.

2. That we may make this Conclusion; we will summe up all we have in one GOD; All our counsells, All our strength, All our comforts, we will summe­up all in one God: for as Jacob said, He is ALL Gen. 33. [...]1., And if we have Him, we hav [...] ENOUGH indeed. Oh that we could see what is in GOD! what Wisedome what Power, what Good [...]sse! we should then say, He is ALL indeed. Oh tha [...] we did know this GOD! we should then know the weight of duty, how t [...] feare GOD, and honour the King. We should then be able, as to resolve our [...]ill into His Will; so also our feare into His Feare; our love into His Love, We shoul [...] resolve all our comforts into Him; We would not be troubled how broke [...] our Cisternes are, all our pursute, the very strength of our desires would be afte [...] the fountaine.

And thus much in a deare affection to the King and Kingdome; That we ma [...] see where ou [...] [...]dvantage lieth, and where Peace is to be had, from the Princ [...] of Peace, and Father not of some, but of all Consolution; And all this, That we ma [...] [...]asten to make our Peace with Him, that we may be found of Him in Peace and su [...]e-up all in Him, Amen.