WHen I consider our late lost hap­pinesse of a blessed Peace, and the heavy pressures of this pre­sent Warre; I find it hard to judge, which of them may bee justly called our greatest affliction: but both being laid together (sure I am) harder mis­fortune nere befell a Nation. And yet I find a sort of Salamander spirits (in what torrid [Page 2] flames of cursed contention nourisht, I can­not tell) that will admit of nought that sounds of Peace; but cry downe all accom­modation, unlesse their owne prodigious fancies (conditions worse then Warre) may be the ingredients.

But let such Jncendiaries take heede least they fall into the Pit that they themselves have digged: E [...]cl. 10.8 For who may in common presump­sition be more justly charged to be the Au­thors, and Fomenters of Warre, then such as shall oppose a Peace? I have beene very inquisitve to know, what may bee the true ground of this unnaturall Warre; the most, and most discreet, to whom I have pro­pounded that Question, Ingeniously confesse, they are ignorant of it: Others; that will be ignorant of nothing, and scarse rightly un­derstand any thing; will tell you the cause as readily, as if they were the Founders of it. Yet I cannot meet with any two of them that concurre in the same particular, onely thus farre they agree in the generall, that it is for the maintenance of the Protestant Reli­gion, and the Lawes of the Land.

Why, this is pretended on both sides? But if that bee the quarrell, certainely the Question hath beene hitherto mistaken, or at least, mis stated; for neither Law nor Re­ligion are any ways opposite to Peace.

Warre and the Law are inconsistent, for [Page 3] the Law hath its very subsistence by Peace, whence the rule is, Inter arma silent leges, that is, The Lawes are dumbe in time of Warre; and the Prophet David tels us, Psal. 35.10 that Righte­ousnesse and Peace have kissed each other. Now Righteousnesse in the Latine Translation is ren­dred Justitia, which is Iustice, and every man, that understands any thing, knowes that Right or Iustice is the fruit and ende of the Lawe.

And in an other place you may heare the same Prophet speaking to God himselfe, say­ing, Great Peace have they that love thy Law. Psa. 119.165 So you see Law and Peace still coupled toge­ther. And through the whole Scripture I find no Warring Law, but that which the Apo­stle Paul speakes of, saying, Rom. 7.23 I see annother law in my members, warring against the Law of my minde, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne, which is in my members. And how good this warring law is, you may perceive by the Text. Now for Religion, which is onely the ser­vice of God, the holy Scriptures will plentiful­ly informe you, what relation and affinity that hath with Peace. For there you shall find God stiled, the God of Peace. And againe, Phil. 4.9 2 Cor. 13.. 1 Isa 9.6. The God of Love and Peace. Our blessed Saviour is cal­led, The Prince of Peace. In the Epistle to the Gallatians, it is said, Gal. 5.22.23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentlenesse, good­nesse, faith, meekenesse, temperance: against such [Page 4] there is no law. And the same Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians, farther saith, I there­fore the Prisoner of the Lord, Ephe. 4.1, 2, 3 beseech you, that ye walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called: with all lowlinesse and meekenesse, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace. And in the same Epistle, Christs Gospell is called The Gospell of Peace. God calls his Covenant, Ephes 6 15. The Covenant of Peace. Isa 54 10 Our blessed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount, pronounces no small bles­sing on the Peacemaker. Blessed (saith he) are the Peacemakers, Matth 5.9 for they shall be called the chil­dren of God. And the Psalmist tells us, that The Lord will blesse his people with Peace. Psal. 29.11 The wisest of men tell us, To the Counsellors of Peace is joy. Prov. 12.20 How often are we commanded in the Holy Scriptures, Mark. 9 50 2 Cor. 13 11. 1 Thes. 5 13 Psal 122.6 Zach 8.19 [...]. 34.14. & 1 Pe. 3.1 To have Peace one with another. To live in Peace. To be at Peace among our selves. To pray for Peace. To love Peace. To seeke Peace and ensue it.

And is God the God of Peace? and doe they not feare his heavy judgements to bee de­nounced against them, and his dreadfull wr [...]th and indignation to bee shoured downe upon them, who shall presume to Preach or Petition against a Peace? Is Christ the Prince of Peace? and can they thinke themselves his Subjects, and desire a Warre? Are the fruits of the Spirit Love and Peace? and can [Page 5] any man thinke himselfe moved, or inspired with the Spirit, who shall live in hatred, or oppose a Peace? Sure it must be with that lying spirit that perswaded Ahabs Prophets. 1 Kin. 22.22 Is the Gospell a Gospell of Peace? Then cer­tainely his Religion cannot bee founded up­on that Gospell, who shall not love and seeke Peace. Is Peace a blessing? Is the Peace­maker blessed? and shall hee bee called the childe of God? Accursed must he then be, and (it is to be feared) little better then the childe of the Devill, who breathes out no­thing but Warre.

But some of these Botefeus, seeking to var­nish over their blood-thirsty desires with a pretended inclination to peace, say, they refuse it not, so as it may be accompanied with truth. Tis well said, I wish it were as truely meant. He must be a man of a very easie credulitie that can assent to credit it; for I dare with con­fidence affirme, and I beleeve the whole King­dome (besides their owne faction) will unani­mously agree, that more lyes and falcities have fallen from the pennes of these kinde of men, within lesse then these two yeares, then ever were committed to the Presse, since Prin­ting was invented.

Indeede, I thinke their desires of Peace and Truth, are equall; but let such take heede by Ananias and Saphiras judgements. Act. 5.1. &c. And I hope this Kingdome will beware how they [Page 6] credit such Iesuiticall gulleries, least in stead of a pretended truth, we finde a certaine ruine; Were such men enforced to be the actors, which are the greatest sticklers for this bloody warre, we had then some hopes of a happie peace, and consequently of truth, ever a better friend to peace, then warre.

We were indeede too happie in our late Peace, which made us forget our God, the giver of that blessing, and thereby justly cal­led downe, his heavie vengeanee of a Civill Warre, for our ingratitude. We had then, a Land flowing with milke and honey; Exod 3.8. Psal. 144.14. there was no complaining in our streetes: but each man sit­ting under the shade of his owne Vine, might without feare eat of his owne figtree, Isa. 36.16. and drinke the waters of his owne cesterne. How richly habi­ted were almost all rankes and degrees of peo­ple? In our Saviours time, those that wore soft cloathing were in Kings houses: Mat. 11.8. but in the time of our late peace, it was to be found al­most in every pessants Cottage, silkes were the ware of every ordinary person; wee ac­counted him a very meane trades-man, that could not put his wife into a silke gowne and a beaver; nay, were not the wives of many Citizens of ordinary trades, habited in as rich Sattin, and bone-lace, adorned with as many orient peales, faire diamonds, and other je­wels of value, as might well become a queen? and yet now paradventure would gladly part [Page 7] with them, to be secured sustinance for them­selves and families.

How munificent were we in our buildings with stately Turrets, seeming to threaten the very clouds? many of them already left des­solate without an inhabitant, and how great pitty is it to see such stately Fabrickes level­led with the ground? How did we abound in rich furniture, costly hangings, couches, bed­ding, and the like; massie plate, and other gal­lant house-hold-stuffe, already become a prey to the mercilesse souldiers, even those that pre­tend to fight for us. What curious gardens, brave orchards, faire meddowes, rich pastures, and fruitfull corne fields, are now ruined, de­faced, and unmanured? Indeede wee did a­bound in all things that plenty could afford, or curiosity invent; we had health, wealth, pleasure, profit, now turned to sicknesse, pe­nury, paine and mourning. Parents then in­joyed the deare pledges of their love, their children; children their loving parents, friends and neighbours mutually happie in each others society, so that nothing was wanting to our felicity.

But this bloody tyrant Warre, hath put a period to all our joyes, all our happinesse. Monstrum horrendum informe ingens: that huge horrible, ugly Monster. Horresco referens, I tremble to speake of it. When David had [Page 8] committed that great sinne against the Lord in numbring the people, and as a punishment for it, was to submit to his choice of three heavie judgements, chose either Pestilence, or Famine, then that of the Sword, which he knew had no mercy. Let us (saith he) now fall in­to the hand of the Lord (for his mercies are great) and let me not fall into the hands of man. [...] Sam 24.14 Warre is one of Gods greatest Plagues, his feareful­lest judgements, his heaviest scourges upon a Nation: for how ugly is the visage of it? how manifold are the miseries of it? Especi­ally that of a civill warre, as ours is in this Kingdome.

Man, created after Gods owne image, de­stroying the image of his Creator; Christian most unchristianly slaughtring his brother in Christ: nay, Protestants linckt by a nearer tye of religion, massacring those of their owne Religion: the father most unnaturally ripping up the bowels of his sonne, and the sonne of the father, a brother beating out his brothers braines; kinsman against kinsman, friend a­gainst friend, most barbarously and inhu­manely butchering one another: here a bullet, there a speare, or Poleax separating the soule and body in the very act of wrath and malice: the devouring Cannon heaping the mangled carcasses of horse and man together. What ghastly lookes, what hideous screekes, and [Page 9] dismall groanes, what grisly gaping wounds of dying men, besmeared with blood and dirt, doe even affright and terrifie the hearers and spectators, though their enemies. What out-cries, teares and sighes by new-made wid­dowes for their husbands deaths? What mournings by aged parents for their slaugh­tred sonnes? What lamentation by poore di­stressed children made fatherlesse by warre? What pillaging, plundrings, rapines, murders, massacres, by the cruell, barbarous, and bloo­dy souldier? No liberty left us of ploughing, sowing, trafficking, or trading one with the other.

That with the industrious and painefull tradesman, or husbandman, hath with much labour and paines gathered together, to be the staffe and comfort of their age, and to be a portion and provision for their children, in an instant becomes the prey and spoyle of a few mercilesse men. And all these miseries usually seconded by pestilence and famine. Let us looke upon the miserable condition of Samaria, beseiged by the Syrians, when by rea­son of the warre, the famine was so great, 2 Kings 6.25. that an asses head was sold for fourescore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kabb of doves dung, for five peeces of silver. Nay women did eate their owne children, as appeares by a womans com­plaint to the King of Israel. And she answered, verse 28.29. [Page 10] this woman sayd unto me, give thy sonne that wee may eate him to day, and we will eate my sonne to morrow, so we boyled my sonne and did eate him, and said into her on the next day, give thy sonne that we may eate him, and she hath hid her sonne.

Let us behold the miseries of Germany, a Kingdome once as famous and flourishing as ours lately was, but hath now suffered the mi­series of almost 20 yeares warre: where many stately Townes and Cities have beene burnt to the ground, women ravished even in the very Churches, and after hewen in peeces: mens eares and noses cut off, and strings put through them, to make hat-bands: holes made in the legges and armes of men, and cords drawne through them, their guts pulled out at their mouthes children tost on the points of speares; and so great hath the famine beene in some part thereof, that the people have beene glad to eate dogges, cats, dead men, and all manner of carrion for foode.

Nay let us goe no further then bleeding Ireland, (which now suffers for our distraction here) and we shall finde their miseries not be­hinde those of Germany, where after they had beaten out the husbands braines, they ravished the wise, and then ripping her up being with childe, cast the childe into the fire: ravishing maides and women before their parents and husbands faces: driving men and women na­ked [Page 11] out of their houses into the frost and snow, where hundreds of them have perished with cold and famine, hanging some, and with most exquisite tortures, mangling, gashing, and miserably tormenting others, without all sence of humanitie. And God Almighty knowes how soone it may bee our turnes to suffer the like, or worse calamities, unlesse we endeavour to prevent it, by applying all our diligence, industry, and affections towards the procuring of a Peace, while it may bee had. The long continued warre in Germany shewes us, Peace is not easie to be obtained, when a smaller Army then ours, on either side, hath beene for many yeares together attempted to be removed, but without successe. Neither doth God alwayes blesse either the greater or the better side with victory. For we have ma­ny examples in Scripture where great Armies have beene overcome with smaller numbers: and our Saviour himselfe tells you, that the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, were not sinners above all the Galileans, Luke 13.1, 2, 3, 4. because they suffered such things; nor those 18. upon whom the tower of Sh [...]loh fell and slue, sinners above all men that dwelt in Ierusalem: which shewes they are not always the greatest sinners, whom God suffers to perish here. Let us therefore use all possible endeavours for a peace, and for prevention of farther shedding of blood; least [Page 12] by lamentable experience we finde our selves included within that heavie judgement pro­nounced by our Saviour, which is, that All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Mat. 26.52.