A Sudden Flash
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A96775.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A Suddain Flash Timely Discovering, Some Reasons wherefore, the style of PROTECTOR, should not be deserted by these NATIONS, with some other things, by them very considerable. It was first made visible, The fourth day, after the Author heard it reported, that the Lord Protector, had waved the Title of KING.
By BRITANS REMEMBRANCER.
—
Poetis
Quidlibet audendum, semper fuit, estque Potestas.
A Preoccupation, relating to this Title.
If some shall think, this
Book
mis-named hath been,
Because, so
long a Flash
was never seen;
Know; that, through
Cranies
it did thither fly,
Where
Touchwood,
and where smoking
Flax
did lie,
Which kindling, made it longer then intended;
And, was a
chance,
that cannot now be mended.
But,
Flashie Names,
and
things,
those times beseem
Which, do not
solid-serious things
esteem.
And, they who are not pleased to run a Course,
On
Pegasus,
may, like a
Hobby-horse.
LONDON, Printed for J.S. in little Britain, and are to be sold there, and at the Pile of Bibles, the corner shop of the East end of the Fish-market in the Stocks, looking into Lombard street; 1657.
To his Highness, the Lord PROTECTOR.
SIR, though this
Poem
's Title, fitted be
To what I hear, the
World
expects from me
Upon this
Subject;
yet, a
seriousness
It hath, and shall no
Flashie-things
express;
For, tis a
Flash
of
light,
as well as
Fire,
Which, may give sight of something you desire,
And such, as will no way disparage you,
To give them, either
hearing,
or, a
view.
Betwixt your
Highness
and the
Parliament,
I, purpose not to cherish that
Dissent,
Which lately was begun; nor do intend
That, which may justly
you,
or
them,
offend;
But rather, to unite you so together,
That, Disadvantage, may befall to neither
By what, your
Adversaries
hope to find
Effected; (if, you have a
changing mind
)
And, upon hope whereof, they did prepare
To act, according as resolved you were.
I am not for myself, yet, grown so wise
That, when at hazard,
Public safety
lies,
I can be silent; though I both disease
My
self;
and others, oftentimes, displease,
By my
expressions,
who, have
power
and
will,
To mischieve me, who, purpose them no ill:
For, though a well approved
Author
says,
To please great men, it merits not least praise;
I think, he merits more, who speaks in
season,
Truths,
warranted by
conscionable Reason,
(Although on him, a
Prince's
wrath it brings)
Then, if he flattered
Parliaments
and
Kings.
In that respect, I judged it not amiss,
Unto your
ear,
or
eye,
to offer this,
A few weeks past: But, things did intervene
That seem's of more concernment to have been;
And kept it off, until nigh out of date,
It was become; and came almost too late.
Yet, since good use may thereof still be made,
And some advantage also, thereby had;
It, now comes forth, that, witness it might bear
To that, which now,
resolved
on, doth appear.
For, though we know there is in everything,
But one
Essential Truth;
yet, thence may spring
Such various
Illustrations,
as perchance,
The certainty thereof, may much advance,
When it appears, they, did the same
Truths
own,
Whose
judgments,
to each other were unknown:
For, when there is thereof no
mediation
But, as their
spirits
have communication,
It doth assure, it flowed from
Providence,
And, not from any
carnal influence.
Your eye, sees much: and yet it cannot see
It self, or, what the colors of it be,
Save by
inferior things;
and, through inspections
Acquired, by the
medium,
of reflections
From
sight-less objects;
through which; you may lear
•
Those
truths,
which they themselves, do not discern:
And, such like
Objects,
peradventure, He
Who offers this and these his
offers
be.
SIR, therefore now▪ be pleased, one hour, to hear
What, by my
Muse,
is fitted for your ear,
And was prepared long since, to be presented
(Though accidentally, till now prevented)
And, if it be not such, as, then, will seem
To merit, some part, of your
good esteem,
And, useful to preserve, and to increase
Your
Honor, safety,
and the
Common-peace;
Return it, with an
Ignominious Dash,
And, let it then, (in scorn) be called, a
Flash.
Britons Remembrancer.
A Suddain Flash
Made visible, the fourth day after his Highness the Lord Protector had first waved the Title of KING.
A Prologue, to him, who shall behold, or hear, this Flash.
A
Flash,
I term this; and 'tis like enough
That, many men, will call it so, in
Scoff;
But, I have got before them; and have, too,
Some
Reason,
wherefore I have called it so:
For, to, mine ears, when first that
news
was brought,
A thousand thoughts,
Flusht
in, and this
Flasht
out;
Which, I have, now, thus
Paper'd
up, for thee,
To bring to mind what
is,
and what
may be.
Although it speaks in
Rimes,
it
Rimes
with
Reason;
And comes in
Hast,
that it may come in
Season.
If thou regard it,
so.
If not: my
Cost,
Is
Paper, Inck,
and part of
three days
lost.
Thine may be more; For, much afraid I am,
That, thou, who saw'st this
Flash,
wilt see a
Flame,
(Unless an intervening
Providence
Prevents, what likely seems, to give
Offence
)
Which, here will
burn,
as well as give a
light,
Till it hath
purged us,
or, consumed us, quite.
The Flash.
MY
Muse,
hath on a sudden, once again,
Invited me, to this
unusual strain;
Which, as the state of my
Affairs,
now stands,
Hath put upon me
Dangerous Commands:
But, I, who must obey
Her
when she calls,
(What ever hazard, on my
self
befalls)
Submitted to express, what I should find
Infused by her power, in to my
mind;
And, hearing that his
Highness,
had denied
The
Kingship,
thereupon, thus
versifi'd:
For,
Poets
(privileged, as
Prophets
were)
Their
Inspirations
freely may declare.
But, hath he wav'd that
Title?
and, I pray,
Are you aright informed of what you say?
Did not a
false-report,
your ears abuse?
A
Crown!
a
Triple-Crown
doth he refuse?
And will not he, as
Bishops
used to do,
Say,
No,
and
take it,
as compel'd thereto?
Oh
Miracle of men?
doth he deny
A
Kingship! freely offered!
which, to
Buy
So many thousand
Princes,
have made sale
Of
Fame, Faith, Conscience, Body, Soul,
and all?
If this (as you affirm it is) be true;
Friends;
bid henceforth, your
jealousies
adue:
And, let him who mistrusts him anymore;
Suspect his
Honest wife,
to be a Whore,
And in his breast, the torments thereof cherish
Till he repent that
injury,
or
perish.
But, since I know what many do surmise,
(And, what
objections
malice doth devise)
Let me a little more
expostulate;
Is it not (think you,) done to palliate
The
soldiers
humor? or, a
Trick of State
To draw on something more, yet aimed at?
Is it not by
Design,
to bring about
Advantages,
by oversight left out?
Or to delay, a while, what he intends,
To feel the
Peoples pulse?
or for such ends?
No doubtless: Then, make answer but to
Three
Short
Questions
more, and they the last shall be.
Expects he not, when
twenty days,
are past,
It should be,
Nolens volens,
on him cast?
Nor is it so; for, by that
Instrument,
Which doth yet regulate this
Government,
No
Law
thereto
repugnant,
can be made
Whereto, his free
assent,
shall not be had:
And,
Really,
refusal he doth make,
In
Christian prudence,
and for
Conscience sake;
That, he may give no cause of those
Offences,
Suspitions, Scandals,
and ill
consequences,
Which may ensue; And, whereof,
Honest men
Are much afraid: Why, did he suffer, then,
So long time in
Debatings,
to be spent,
(Since he at first discovered what was meant)
And, did not interdict them to proceed?
That, had been a
dishonorable deed:
For, in so doing, he should have prejudg'd,
The
Parliament;
them,
disimpriviledg'd;
And, thereby, some
Experiments,
have lost,
Which are more worth, than twice the time they cost.
Beside, the
matter
is of too much weight,
Each way,
to pass, till balanced aright;
And, you have heard it said, what those men are
Who Judge a Cause, before the same they hear.
Thus far tis well: But, will he not at last
When some few more, fit
Complements
are past,
Accept what's
offered?
what he did, is known:
But, what he will do, cannot be foreshown:
And, we shall wrong
Him
(as he should the
State
Have injured) if, we him prejudicate.
We may conjecture: And, if I may give
My
Judgment,
by the
Symptoms
I perceive,
He never will accept it, till, he shall
By
Faith
and
Reason,
be convinced in all
And every
Scruple,
which, this day, offends
His
Conscience;
or dissatisfies his
Friends:
Beyond which, he, that ought would move him to,
Doth, what no wise, or
honest man,
should do;
And, would not care, though he were quite destroyed
So, his own
Lust,
and
Will,
might be enjoyed.
If so, then, me he hath not, yet, deceived
In anything, which I of him believed
Since first I heeded, by what
Point
he steers;
(What
Rock
on this
hand,
what on
that,
appears;)
What most men are, with whom he hath to do;
And, why, few know,
which way,
he means to go.
His
Foes,
though with his
Bullocks
they have plow'd,
Have got naught thereby, whereof to be proud.
And, as I live, I, am
thereof,
as glad,
As,
therefore,
many others will be sad;
And, if I were (as I have been) a
Boy
I should make
Squibs,
and
Bonefires,
now for joy,
As many would have done, had he compli'd
With their desires, whose
Offer
is denied.
For, in his condiscending to be
King,
He could have been, at best, no
greater thing
Than other
Earthly Princes:
But, hereby
He may ascend unto a
Sovereignty,
Which raiseth him, nine
Orbes
above their
Sphere,
To be inthroned, where
Immortals
are:
And, me, it hopeful makes, to see that
Age,
Which,
Britain's genius,
did, long since, presage
In that
Prediction,
wherein, was among
Some other things, this following
distick
sung:
A King, shall willingly himself unking,
And thereby grow far greater than before.
For, now, fulfilled seemeth, in effect,
What, that
vaticination
did predict;
Although there should a
Power
elsewhere reside
To bring to pass, what is by him
denied.
Victorious
Cromwell!
thou, hast, herein, gone
Beyond thy
self;
and such an
Act
hast done,
As few or none, in this, or foreign
Climes,
Have equalled, in any
former times.
A
self-denial
like this, none, but
He
Could teach, who, that he might our
pattern
be,
The
Thrones
&
kingdoms
of this world did slight,
When he was born up thither, where, he might
(And did) behold them, spreading forth to view
All their
Inchanting pleasures,
false or true:
And from him only, could that
grace
proceed,
Whereby, thou dost perform so brave a
deed.
Thou often hast deserved
Mural-Crowns,
For taking
Castles,
with high
walled Towns,
And making in subjection, to thy powers,
Great
Cities,
fortifi'd with
Walls
and
Towers:
To thee, for brave Achivements on the
Maine
The chief of
Navall Trophies,
doth pertain:
Triumphant Laurell,
to adorn thy brows,
To thee is due, for giving ovethrows
To dreadful
Armies,
that, had else inslav'd
Thy
Country;
which, God, by thy
sword
hath said.
Thou hast subdued
Kingdoms,
and great
Kings;
Whereby, their
Crowns,
their
Scepters
& all things
Belonging to such
Conquerors,
are thine,
As truly, as the Clothes I wear, are mine.
Yet, these are slight, and petty
Foes
compared
To some, with whom, thou secretly hast
war'd:
And, for those
Conquests,
thou I hope, dost carry
A
Tablet,
with a secret
Honorary;
Whereby thy virtues fully be rewarded,
With
Trophies,
of most worth, though lest regarded.
These ways,
thou wert
Victorious
heretofore;
And, I will mention one great
Conquest
more.
By few observed: Thou hast stood the Shock
Of
malice
and
detraction,
like a
Rock,
On which the waves and billows of the
Main,
Have spent their strength, and foam'd out rage in vain.
I, very often, have observed the fell,
Feirce, raging, and
three headed dog of Hell,
With his
three double rows of teeth,
assay
To tear thine
honor,
and thy
power,
away;
With his foul
tongues,
bespattering thy
fame,
To turn thy
blooming honor
into
shame;
I have seen this
Cur
oft, dog thee in the
dark,
In hope to
bite
thee, when he durst not
bark;
And, I have heeded, by what sacred
Charms,
Thou hast been hitherto, preserved from harms.
This
Helhound,
thou hast tamed without so much
As giving him a
crust,
a
spurn,
or
touch;
Meerly by
meekness,
and, as
passing by
With disregard of
causeless injury;
And, now he sometimes
fawns
on
thee
and
those,
Who are thy
friends;
and, snarleth at thy
foes,
As if he were appeased: which, I believe
Is but a cunning
dog trick,
to deceive.
And, yet, among those
victories,
which lie
Most visible unto the
vulger eye,
This, thy last
conquest,
merits admiration
Beyond the rest; And, with
perseveration
If thou maintain the same, as thou mayest do,
By his help, who hath aided hitherto,
Thou hast thereby a
pledge,
that,
God
will never
Forsake thee; but, thy
guardian
be forever.
Thou hast already scaped, the
best tried snare;
That
Satan,
or his
agents,
can prepare:
For, 'twas the last, of those
temptations,
which
He practice'd by, our
Savior,
to bewitch:
And, as when that
grand-trial,
had an end
His
Angels,
did forthwith, on him attend
Rejoicing in his
conquest;
so, will, too,
For thine, all, thy most faithful
servants
do.
Thou hast thereby, so strengthened all their
hands,
So cheered all their
hearts,
throughout these lands,
Who
prayed,
or
feared
for thee, in this trial;
That, thou, of nothing now, canst have denial,
Wherein their love may serve thee; and they shall
More
fortify
thee, than a
Brazen wall;
More
comfort
thee, than ought that can be had
From any
Title,
that the
world
shall add:
And, thou at last, shalt find, thou dost not lose
One
grain,
of what thou lately didst refuse,
By that
refusal:
for, thou shalt have more
(If not in
kind
) in value, than before.
Yea, peradventure, that, in
specie,
too,
When, qualified, no offense to do;
And, when it hath been proved, whereto thy
mind
Without
dissimulation
is inclined.
For, tis not mere
negation
of that
title,
Which is thy
Test;
since, that availeth little
One way or other, save as unto that
Which brought it hath unto dislike of late;
Or, as it may concern some
past transactions,
Which, have occasioned dissatisfactions
In many of this
Nation;
or, as thou
Mayst scandalize them, by thine
actings
now.
But, that, wherein thy
real proof
will be,
Lockt, from
men's eyes,
lies hid, with
God,
and
thee:
And, whatsoever thou resolv'st upon,
Will either
Well,
or else
not well,
be done,
As, unto those things, they relating are,
Which unto
God,
and
Thee alone,
appear.
The washing of th'
Assyrian
in the water
Of
Jordan,
was but an indifferent matter,
Till made the
sole condition
of his
Cure:
And, doubtless, had not
that,
been in his power,
He had been
Cleans'd
without it.
David's sin
In
Numb'ring of the People,
lay not in
That
simple Act;
but, in the secret
Pride
And
Disobedience,
which did then reside
Within his
Heart;
And, when it shall appear
That
Thou,
from
Guiltiness,
art that way clear;
And, hast repented all those
Human failings,
Which have, in ought, obstructed thy
Prevailings:
Then, shall the
gift-refused,
neither be
A
Scandal
unto
Others,
or to
Thee,
Although accepted; when thou hast resisted
So far, as
Grace
and
Reason,
have assisted.
For, should the
Power-Coordinate
with thine,
O're-power thee so, that, thou thereto incline
(Consenting to their
Motives
at the last)
Thy
Conscience
bearing witness, that thou hast
Complied there withal, rather by
force
Than
Choise;
to keep
bad
things, from being
worse:
Or, if by strength of
Reason,
swayd thou art
To that
Acceptance;
thou, hast done thy part:
And, shalt by
yielding,
pass another Trial
As honorable, as, is this
Denial.
Thou shalt be safe, from all that was
portended,
Shouldst thou by
Levity,
have condescended,
Or, tempted been by
Self-ness,
to forgo
That
Title,
thou hast owned hitherto;
And wilt be free from blame, what ever shall
Hereafter, by the
Change thereof
befall.
For, nothing shall amiss to thee succeed,
By what, is not
Thine,
but,
another's deed.
No
Reason,
bindeth any to withstand,
What,
Power,
and
stronger Reason,
doth command;
And, when perhaps too,
God,
his aid withdraws,
From thy assistance, in this
dubious cause,
To bring on them, whats due for their
offense,
Who trust their own
Wits,
more than
Providence.
This, I express here, not to leave a
Gap
Whereby, thou mayest from
Just Resolves
escape:
(For, God will find it out, if there be
ought
To such a
purpose,
lurking in thy thought:)
But, that, thou mayest not fall into a
Snare
By things, which in themselves,
Indifferent are;
(Nor
good
nor
evil,
but, as unto that
Which may be
good,
or
Evil,
they relate;)
And, to preserve thine
Honor,
among those
Who shall, perchance, their
Expectations
lose
By what may come to pass; (yea, to prevent
That, which may thereof, be a
Consequent
To thee disserviceable) I, am bold
To tell thee, what my
Muse
to me hath told;
Which, dictates, otherwhile in
Slighted rimes,
That, which doth much concern these
present times;
And, would, it may be, had it not been
Mine,
Suppos'd have been, an
Off-spring, more divine.
But, I, my,
Musings
now, to those will bend
Who may, perhaps, mistrust what I intend.
Although I have, by this
Anticipation,
Presented that unto consideration,
Which may be profitable (if
reversed
His
purpose
be, on Tearms before rehears'd)
Yet, least, I may with
one hand,
be suspected
To
pull down,
what the
other
had
Erected;
I will not smother ought, which I shall find,
May justly fortify him in the
mind,
By him professed; until, to drive him out
Of his
Resolve,
Those
Reasons
may be brought,
Which will be
stronger;
lest, some, should surmise
He;
without
Cause,
denied what he denies;
Or, lest my late
Rejoycings,
may appear
As
Reasonlesse,
as many think they were.
My
gladness
of it, flowed from no respect
Unto my
self,
or, fears of an effect
By
Kingship,
which my
profits
might impair:
For, I have, that way,
likelihoods
more fair
Than I have now (if nothing it occasions,
To break our
Peace,
at
Home,
or, by
Invasions
From
Foes abroad
) nor can I scandal'd be,
Thereby, through ought, which will reflect on
me:
But, I
rejoiced
in it, for the sake
Of
Him,
who did this
Title
undertake;
And, for
their sakes,
who
Acted
and
Enacted,
Things, whereby possibly may be contracted
Great
Scandals;
or, which may a new expose
My
Country,
to be spoiled by her
Foes.
For
these,
and
such respects as these
(together
With what may be again transferred hither,
My
Heart,
that was through
fear
of them, grown sad,
Became through hope of their
prevention,
glad.
For, what a
black Scene,
should we here have seen?
How many
grieved hearts,
would here have been,
Had our
Protector,
either been estranged
From what he
was,
or, (
seemed to be
) so changed,
As, lightly to forgo his interest
In that, wherewith he had been so much
blest?
Or, should by others, have been so deluded,
As, to let
that
upon him be obtruded,
Which
He himself
disclaimed? and, may bring back
A
King
upon us, with his
Pedlars Pack
Of
Vanities,
which have been by this
Nation
Rejected by a
solemn protestation:
And, which are
Trinckets,
as inseparable
From most
Kings,
as is from a Fool, his
babble?
For, there is naught more likely, in, to bring
Him
that's expelled, then, to make a
King,
At this time; and, to make on that accompt
(Which is
designed
) that
Title
paramount:
Nor can there be, for what our
Foe
intends,
A better
ground-work
laid, by all his
friends.
These things I feared;
and, my
soul
foresees
That, all those things may creep in by degrees,
Which, to the
Kingdoms
of this World pertain;
Which, may enslave the
Saints
of
God
again;
And, which, may in a short time, reinvest
With that
power,
which empowered
Antichrist:
Unless, it by his
Mercy,
be withstood
Whose
wisdom,
can from
Evil,
bring forth
Good.
These things I feared,
and if a
Parliament
Can make a
King,
which may these
fears
prevent;
Him,
and his
Nobles,
if it can so bind,
That, we may be secured in this kind;
And keep our
Sovereign,
and these
Nations
free
From
scandals,
which occasioned may be;
I, should not only yield, on that condition
To make a
King,
but beg one by
Petition.
Redouble, that
rejoicing,
which appeared,
When, of what was
resolved,
I first heard:
And, make my
heart,
the
first step
whereupon
He might set foot, to mount up to his
Throne:
Yea, sing a
Panegyric
in their praise
Who moved it, that should long out-last my days.
We look for such a
Government,
as shall
Make way for
Christ:
not that fantastical
Fifth Monarchy,
whereof some people dream,
And Conquer would an
Earthly Throne
for him
With
Carnal weapons:
But, that,
present
here
He, may so be, and so to
reign,
appear
As he hath
promised;
and, that
Righteousness
And
Truth,
may every
Throne
on Earth possess,
According to that measure of his
grace,
Which is apportion'd, to this
earthly place.
His
Highness,
hath made progress in a
path
As far forth toward it, as any hath
Since
Christ
ascended; if, the
Depths
and
Heights,
The
Rugged passages,
and
Narrow Streights
Consider'd be, through which his
March
he makes,
To bring to end the
Work
he undertakes.
He must now pass a
Rock,
which will require
An
Ingeneer
with
Vinegar
and
fire;
And, cut a
Passage,
which (as by a
thread
)
Must on each
hand,
even to a
hairs-breadth,
lead
'Twixt
Conscience
and sound
Reason:
whence, to vary
Were irrecoverably to miscarry.
Oh
God!
assist him; and, to what I pray
Amen,
let all, who wish our welfare, say.
He, hitherto, in that which he hath done,
His
Work,
with prudency, hath carried on:
And, firm to his own
Principles
abides,
Though many strive to bring him to their
sides:
Yea, though there be some too, of whom he may
(As
David
of
Zeruiah
's Sons did say)
Complain, that, they, were oft for him, too hard;
Yet,
Him
from his
Resolves
they have not stir'd.
And (be it well considered of all you,
Who
read this,
and, perchance miscensure now
Of his
Heroic Act
) he doth not wave
Ought necessary for a
Prince
to have;
Which had been a
Denial,
in effect,
Of that
Power,
which his
People
should protect;
And, were no
Self-denial,
(as I gather)
But, a denial of his
Duty
rather.
The
Kingship
is not wav'd, but, as it tends
To what may much disconsolate his
friends,
Or glad his
foes;
And, which, as things yet stand,
Relating to
Pre-actings
in this Land,
Might draw on very evil
Consequences;
Or give just cause of many great
Offences:
Could these removed, or prevented be,
So that his
Conscience,
might from them be free,
Perchance,
That,
to take place it would permit
As
rational,
which so appears not yet.
For to the
Clean,
he knows all things are
Clean,
And (if I guess aright what he doth mean)
That,
whereof, he doth chiefly
scruple
make,
Is,
Giving an offense unto the weak;
And,
that,
therewith, all things now startled at
Might pass, when he upon them shall debate,
If
God,
informs his
Conscience,
that they may;
And
Reason
shall his
Reasons
oversway.
He nothing hath refused with disrespect
To
them who offered it:
Or, with neglect
Of ought proposed for
Public benefit:
But, only, what may possibly beget
More
Jealousy
than
Love:
more
Envy,
then
Glory to
God,
or good to
Honest men.
And, he by his
Refusal,
unto none
Denyeth ought, but, to himself alone;
Or, that, which he doth probably believe
Will mar our
peace,
and
Civil wars
revive:
For which, if
worse,
he rather speed than
better,
His
merit
is the more; his
praise
the greater;
And, they, who shall the less
affection
show him,
For
that,
deny the
duty
which they owe him.
What, if he thinks the changing of his
Title,
Implies a
levity,
which doth but little
Beseeme a
Prince?
and may occasion too
A
quarrel,
which might all his work undo?
Or propagate a mischievous effect,
To their destruction whom he should protect?
Is he not bound in
Conscience
to beware
Of such a
Title,
whosoe're they are
That shall propose it? should he not betray
His
Trust,
by giving easily away
That
earnest
of
Protection,
which doth seem
To be, by
God,
conferred upon him
For safeguard of his
Saints?
or, might there not
Some blemish be in
Reputation
got,
Relating to that
Style?
if, he, the same
Should change for
that,
by which their
bondage
came?
And can he think it nothing
signifies,
That,
they,
who are his greatest
Enemies
Do more rejoice, in that which was intended,
Then
they,
by whom, he hath been best befriended?
If, likewise, with a serious heed, he shall
Be pleased to consider therewithal,
What kind of
men,
the
greatest number
are
Who, for this
change
most zealous do appear;
What
Interest
it is, which they would save:
What
Principles,
the most among them have;
Can he suppose, more safe for him, it were
To
these,
then to his
best friends,
to adhere?
Whose
Conversations,
are to him well known?
Whose
cause
is his? Whose
principles
his own?
Since,
Reason
doth incline him, to the
last,
And
Conscience,
too, the balance that way cast?
That
Title,
which hath hitherto been owned,
With
victories
and
blessings,
hath been crowned;
It, now, hath rendered it
self
exempt
For ever, from that undeserv'd
contempt
Which
novelty
occasioned; and, throughout
The
World,
is with much
honor
spread about.
He, thereby had a
power,
which lately shook
The walls of
Babel;
and with terror struck
His
proudest foes;
and, is it vanished, now,
We neither know
when
or by
what,
or
how?
Except it be, for thanklesly despising
So
prosperous a Style,
and idolizing
Of
that,
which forced us, in our
affliction
To take up that we have, for our
protection.
When,
Israel
would be
King-rid,
God, to show
His anger, and, what thereon would ensue,
Destroy'd in
Harvest time,
their corn with showers;
And at the
Seed-time,
he did hazard ours
By extreme
Drought;
until that was denied
Which is proposed; and, then, forthwith suppli'de
Our present
want:
perhaps, to make us seek
His
will,
and, know our
sin,
and theirs alike:
Lest, in his
wrath,
he give us what we crave,
And take away, what he in
mercy
gave.
What will ensue, by settling
Kingship
here,
For
common good,
it doth not yet appear:
Some, do pretend, it render will, to us,
Our
laws
more fixed, and much more vigorous,
Because, by
Kings,
they were to us derived,
And confirmation in their name received.
But, wherefore, may not all that, which relates
To
King,
or
People, Freedoms,
or
Estates
In our
preceding Laws,
be so Compacted
Into one
Statute,
now to be
Enacted,
That, they may by his
Highnesses
assent,
Be made as firm, as this new
Instrument,
By our
Protector,
who, must be the
Stone
First laid, to build their
new framed work upon?
Why may not
He,
who now is our
Supreme,
Make both unto
Himself,
and unto
them
Who ask it of him, all our
Laws
forepast
As
Useful,
and as
Binding,
as this
Last?
Why may not
He,
who is a
Conquerer
For Us, and did for us, receive his
Power
Confirm our
Laws,
or any other thing,
(As strongly, as if he were called a
King
)
To
Us,
and to
Himself,
with their consent,
Who by his
Power,
are made a
Parliament?
Why, should it unto him, ought less afford,
Than to all
Princes,
raised by the
Sword?
No man, can justly, that to him denay.
For,
Conquest
is the ordinary way,
Whereby, God changeth
Governments,
and flings
From off their
Thrones,
great
Emperors
and
Kings.
And 'tis
God's mercy,
not our own desert,
Which, hitherto, hath so inclined his heart,
That, though he hath been straightened more than any,
His
Arbitrary actings
were not many;
Nor, till they were constrained by some distress,
For preservation of the
Public Peace.
Some, think it will
Secure
his
Person
more,
And,
Charge
the
People
less, than heretofore,
To style him
King.
But, these men much mistake,
And, will perceive they
Dream,
when they awake:
For, can we think, when he away hath thrown
A
Title,
which
God
gave to be his own,
Without a
Rival,
that, assume he may
A
Name,
whereto another claim doth lay,
With greater
Safety?
Is there some new
charm,
Infus'd into that
word,
to guard from harm?
Or, will it make the
Royalists
more true
To him, because, he takes what they think due,
Unto another? Quite desert the
Lord,
They owned, and, do their homage to a
word?
And, (where they hated)
Loyaltie
profess
Rather, for doing
More wrong,
than for less?
So foolish can we think them, as, to prize
A
Complement,
which nothing signifies,
Save, either some poor
Hope,
or vain
Desire
To be in
Us,
which may advance them higher,
In those
Resolves,
which they had heretofore?
And, make our
Dangers
no whit
Less,
but
more?
For, when they do perceive our
Giddiness,
Our
falling from,
those things we did profess,
Our doting on those
Bawbles,
which we seemed
Not much (a while ago) to have esteemed,
Our
Taking up,
what we had
Thrown away,
Our slighting that, to
Morrow,
which this day
We made a Law; and that our
Protestations,
Were for the most part, but
Dissimulations;
Thence, they will take occasion to conclude
That, we have,
all along,
such
Ends
pursude
As they have had: And, that, what ere to seem
We have made
Shew,
we are just like to
Them.
That, we did
wade
and
swim,
through
streams
of blood,
Not to accomplish what is
Just
and
Good;
But, to obtain our
Lusts:
That, we have sought
By
Policy,
and by our
Battails
fought,
Against
Opposers;
not so much to save
Our
Liberties,
as, others to
enslave:
That, our
contests,
were not for
God,
or, for
Our
Country;
but, (which
Goodmen
will abhor
To think upon) our
own selves,
to invest
With, that, which was by other men possessed:
That, being
Hypocrites,
in all we did,
With
Cloaks of sanctity,
the same we hid,
Thereby, to draw in those who were sincere,
To be deceived, in what we made appear.
(Even to the ruin, of their
Children, Wives,
Their
Peace,
their
Freedoms,
their
Estates,
their
Lives
)
That, we might get
high Titles,
large
Possessions,
Power
and
Prerogatives,
by their
oppressions,
And, that instead of setting
Christ
upon
His
Throne,
we, might install our
selves
thereon.
This will be thought:
And,
they
who are our
Foes,
Will peradventure, thereupon suppose
That
God
is not
among us,
as they feared;
Nor
for us,
as it formerly appeared;
And, thence take courage, to begin again
That,
which they hitherto pursued in vain.
And, such will be the
safety,
which your
King
Unto
Himself,
and
us,
is like to bring.
Good God! how are they changed? how stupifi'd?
By whom these dangers are not yet espi'd?
How blind, doth
selfness,
make us quickly grow,
In that, which might prevent
self-overthrow?
Will
Kingship,
make him safer than he was?
How may that be? how can it come to pass?
That
Title,
not much more then eight years past,
Could not preserve his
Head,
who reigned last.
No, not preserve him, from the
dreadful fate,
Of dying on a
Scaffold,
at his gate:
And, if all things be weighed well together
That
Style,
as possibly may
bring
him thither,
Who ruleth now; yea, and a
tragical
Effect therewith, perhaps, upon us all,
Before the malice of our
foes
is ended,
How safe soe're, to be, it is pretended.
We may perceive, (unless we will despise,
The
Light within us,
and feel up our eyes,)
There is no
likelyheod,
it will abate
Their
fury,
who pursue us with their
hate;
But, so increase it, that it will
increase
Those
dangers,
which we dream, it will make
less:
Yea, make
Him,
whose
safe being
it pretends,
Vnsafe among those, who have been his
Friends,
And,
them
among
themselves:
It will go near,
To make men of
themselves,
to stand in fear.
It will increase
suspicions,
till th'effect
Grows worse, than many of us can suspect:
Divide,
and
subdivide,
till there be naught
Left possible to be
said, done,
or
thought;
To cure the
mischieves,
which will be effected;
(And are by some, both
hoped for,
and
projected;
)
Except in
mercy, He,
that heretofore
Hath oft so done; shall (pleased be) once more,
To draw forth an
Expedient,
from our
failing,
Which, will for our advantage, be
prevailing.
More might be said; but, ought more to express
Would be in vain to those, who cannot guess
The rest by this. And, yet, because the
reason,
Of
saving charges,
comes in such a
season,
As gives it
weight;
Let us examine, whether
The
Season,
and the
thrift,
agree together,
Lest, in that
frugal humor
we may die,
And, gain an
Epitaph,
like this, thereby:
Here, lies interred the Miser, Father
Sparges,
Who might have lived: but died to save charges.
I find your
Thrift,
you, think we might
disband
Those
Armies,
which are quartered through this Land,
If our
Protector
were proclaimed a
King.
It may be so; and I, the self same thing
Should also think; if I considered not,
We might thereby, as good as
Cut our throat.
Is any man so void of
Common sense,
As, not to see what might result from thence?
May we not save the charge of paying
One,
And, let
Two Armies
in, when that is gone,
To pay
themselves,
until at last, they shall
In
Contributions,
and in
Pay
have all?
You fear, perhaps, that by the
Souldierie
Our
Laws,
our
Freedoms,
and
Proprietie
May be destroyed, if long imbodied here;
And, cause enough there may be of that fear:
But, will a
King,
prevent it? may not we
Another way as much oppressed be,
By some, who for our
Liberties
pretend
Yet, Cry up
Kingship,
for their
private end?
May we not suffer at the
Lawyers Bar,
As much as we endured by the
War,
Through those
Formalities,
which make the
Laws,
Of our most
sad oppression,
one chief cause?
The
Sword
unsufferably, (I confess)
If not well
disciplined,
will us oppress:
But, hitherto, it hath been in those
hands,
Which kept it serviceable in these
Lands,
With so much
Moderation,
that no time,
Bears witness of the like in any
Clime:
And, though an Insolent
proud Fool
or twain,
Cause, to some few, hath given to complain,
Their
Arbitrary actings,
were not many;
•…
or to the ruin, or great loss of any.
•…
onder, any man can stand inawe
〈◊〉
Swords
and
Guns,
who feels the plague of
Law;
•…
d, would not rather be devoured
twice
〈◊〉
Lions,
than once eaten up with
Lice.
•…
old I illustrate (which, my private wrong
•…
y, peradventure, force me to e're long)
•…
e
sad discoveries
which I have made
•…
ce first that
Gangreeve,
I, upon me had;
〈◊〉
what impertinent
vexatious ways,
•…
stly devices, or undue
delays,
•…
e Suits of wronged
Clients
forth are spun,
•…
re than twice
twenty years,
and yet not done;
〈◊〉
what excessive
Fees
(twice or thrice took)
•…
ithout one
Line writ down,
or one
word spoke,
•…
d, at how dear a rate they sometimes buy
•…
ain hope,
which augments their misery;
•…
w,
Motions, Orders,
and
Reports
beget
•…
h other, till their
brood
grows
Infinit;
•…
d, how some
Registers,
put
out,
or
in,
•…
ose
words,
which may another
Round
begin,
•…
hough they who heard the
Judges
Order, thought
•…
e
Cause,
would thereby to an end be brought)
•…
u would suppose (and might suppose it well)
•…
e
Courts
we toil in, were some
Rooms in Hell,
•…
d, that, we had imposed there on us
•…
e never ending Plague of
Sysiphus,
•…
o, up a
Steep hill,
rolled with great pain
〈◊〉
Weighty Stone,
which still
roll'd down again.
Should I declare, how frequently our
Laws,
•…
e pleaded to maintain a
wicked cause;
•…
w rarely,
good success
on him attends,
•…
o makes not way, by
Kindred, Bribes,
or
Friends:
What
hazards
he is in, to be betrai'd,
By them, for whose assistance, he hath paid?
And, then, how
far about,
they make him run
E're they will suffer him to be
undone,
You, would not greatly fear (no not at all)
Courts-martial,
or a
Major General,
But, rather, fear to fall into their
claws,
Who, to men's ruin, turn our
wholesome Laws,
Whose
practice,
being
regulated,
might
Preserve our
private
and our
public Right:
For, that, our
Laws
are good, confess I do,
And, that, we have some
honest Lawyers,
too.
No men have more oppressed been of late
This way,
then, they who best have served this
State,
And to support it, did themselves expose
To
hazards,
by accepting what our
Foes
Had
forfeited,
to be therewith repay'd,
When, others, of such
bargains
were afraid:
For, if it were observed, how they have slighted
Those
Acts of Parliament,
which, us invited
Upon the
Public credit,
to lay forth
Our selves, for
Titles
of such little worth
In most men's value, that, but few or none
Will take thereof,
ten pounds,
in
pledge
for
one;
It would appear, that, we, among the rest
Of those by them grieved, have been most oppressed.
For my own part, I, now
five years
together,
Have sought for
Justice,
and can yet get neither
My
Land
nor
Money:
though by further cost,
A
thousand pounds
are added to what's lost;
Nor whither, for
redress
I may retire,
Do I yet know; nor where, I can
inquire:
And, should I in each
circumstance,
declare
My wrongs thereby, and what
effects
they are
Which thence have followed you would say, the
sword
•…
erewith compared,
Mercies
did afford;
•…
d, that, it more to our vexation tends,
〈◊〉
be destroyed by our
seeming-friends,
•…
ith lingering torments; then, with one great
blow,
•…
be made
senseless,
by an
open Foe.
•…
d, therefore, when I have considered well
•…
hat I (and many moe) in this kind feel,
•…
re conclude, that if no course be found,
•…
hereby, that
Justice,
may be here inthron'd,
•…
hich will redress these
wrongs
(and those that lie
•…
housands of
Petitions
hurled by,
•…
ithout regard) the
sword,
will act
once more;
•…
d, prove (I fear) more
sharp
than heretofore,
•…
annag'd by a
King;
which, both to
us,
•…
d to
himself,
will now be
ominous.
When we have made a
King,
which, will enlarge
•…
e
common burden,
by a further charge,
•…
d added to the
multitudes
of those
•…
ich now are
known, new bands,
of
bosom foes,
•…
o, mad with
vengeance,
and with discontent,
•…
ll any way, their brutish
passions
vent;
•…
ll it be
thriftiness,
the charge to spare
•…
t, should for such a time, a
guard
prepare?
•…
eed, they few
good pennyworths
afford,
•…
o measure all things, by the
Pike
and
Sword;
•…
d none of us, I think, could well abide
〈◊〉
Suits
should in a
Martial Court
be tried;
•…
r, where they mannag'd are, till we could get
•…
re
expedition,
than we can have yet,
•…
h less
expense
) but, better sure it were,
〈◊〉
spend a little quantity of
tarre
•…
en lose a
Hog;
and, to be some while willing
〈◊〉
saving of a
Pound,
to pay a
Shilling.
Hard things,
in great
straights,
must be undergone
Offensive guards,
are better much than
none.
Are you asleep?
and, see you not already
That, being in our
Purposes
unsteady,
Makes
Bees,
as well as
Wasps,
to
Buz
and
Humme,
And show their
Stings,
portending what will come
Do not you hear what's
murmur'd,
as among
The
People,
to and fro, you pass along?
And,
know you not,
that, what is voiced abroad
By
them,
is otherwhile, the
Voice of God?
Then,
know it now;
lest, shortly, that be spoke
Which, when once said,
he never will revoke:
And, though you sleight the
Scriblings of my Pen,
Learn wisdom, from your prudent
Husband-men.
Doth any sober
Country Fellow,
judge
He saveth ought, by pulling up his
hedge
Before his
Corn
be house'd, to leave (the while
He therewith warms himself) his
Crop
to spoil?
Or, put away his
Dogs,
that were employ'd
To guard the
Sheep,
till
Wolves
are quite destroyed?
Consider these things;
And, by these conceive
What
Prudence
doth oblige us to believe
Of all those other
Arguments,
you bring
To make us change
Protector
into
King;
Or, to disarm these
Nations,
till we see
This
Common-wealth
shall better settled be.
But, 'tis the
Reason
of a
Parliament,
Which to our
Prince,
a
Kingship
doth present.
True; And, it is the
Reason of the Prince,
(Yea, and his
Conscience,
too) which takes
offense
At what is
offered;
and 'tis not a
case
As yet decided, whether should give place.
My
Private Reasons,
they might oversway,
And, though 'twere not
convinced,
I must obey,
Or
Suffer:
And thus for my
Conscience
too
It must be, in things, which I cannot
do.
But sure, his
Highness
(if it may be judged
By
private men
) is much more
Privileg'd:
For, he whom
God
hath
Raised up,
or
Sent
To lay the
Ground-work
of a
Government,
Is with a
Spirit,
in all likelihood
By him who raised him, for that
work
indow'd;
Yea peradventure, he is qualifide
To that
End,
more than
all men else beside,
As will appear (though this to some seem strange)
If we look back on every former
change;
And when to new
Works, GOD
doth
Princes
call,
What
Spirits,
them he furnishes withal.
Both
Parliaments,
and
Councils general,
Do many times into great errors fall;
And for their
Owne,
or for the
Peoples Sin
(Or for some
other causes
) oft have been
Deserted by their
Guide;
that, men may know
Their
Weal,
from their
Joint wisdom,
doth not flow.
When
God
will prove a
People,
or a
Prince,
It must, by somewhat, likely to
convince,
Attempted be: The
Spirit,
to be tried,
In somewhat, must
imbodied
abide
That's
venerable:
else, no
Approbation
Can thereon follow, worth Consideration.
A
Prophet,
by a
Prophet
was deceived;
And yet, was therefore of his
life
bereaved.
It was even by those men who seated were
In
Moses chair,
(and whom
Christ
bad them hear)
Who did so misadvise them, that, they cried
To have the
King of glory
crucified.
Yet, they have been
accursed
till this day,
Because, they did not as well
try,
and
weigh,
As hear
their
counsel;
having, so to do,
A
rule of Faith,
and
Light within
them, too.
The
Reason,
therefore, of a
Parliament,
May be demur'd upon, though it present
A Kingdom:
and, if any man may be
Thus
privileg'd,
then, no man more than he
Whom, it now most concerneth; and, who, must
Give an accompt, for what he hath in
trust.
But, there is something, that persuades my heart,
This
Parliament,
in acting of their part
Hath not alone, done that which
providence
Will make to be, at last, without offense;
But, serviceable also to that end.
Which,
God,
and our
Protector,
did intend:
Or, that they will, at least wise, have a care
That nothing shall be urged to ensnare
His
Conscience;
or, be further on him pressed
Then so far, as the
public interest,
And
his,
it may advance: For, these are
gifts
That often have put many to
hard shifts
To get them; but, till now I never did know
A Prince,
that might not such a
gift
forego
Without
offense;
or, that a
Conqueror,
To choose his
Title
had not always power.
Nor can I think, that, he did so dispose
Of his
whole power,
when he empowered those
For his
assistance,
that,
himself
he left
But as a
Cypher,
of all
power
bereft:
Even of
enablement,
by his
negation,
For that, which tendeth to the preservation
Of his own
conscience:
and, of means to do
That,
which the
Law of Nature,
binds him to:
For, their
Petition,
seemeth to imply
That, somewhat, which they ask he may deny.
And
Reason
says, that none should be confined
From
Powr,
to do the work to him enjoin'd;
Which, he would want, if of a
Negative
In such like things as this, they him deprive.
I must confess, I staggered am, well near,
And almost overawed with a fear
Of meddling any further in this
Point,
Lest, I, may bring things farther out of
joint
That stand
awry:
for, I am not a stranger
To those
Concernments
which it may endanger,
If, I, to common view, should bring out that
Which is conceived a
Mystery of State;
Or, should intrench upon the
Privileges
Which, due to
Parliaments,
this
Nation
judges:
Nor am I ignorant, what might to me
Thereby befall, should I suspected be,
(As it is somewhat probable I may)
For
Arbitrary actings,
to make way
Beyond due
Limits
(which, I do abhor
With all my
soul,
to be a pleader for.)
Yet, I were false to
truth,
should I not show
What
Tools
are to his undertakings due,
Who must secure our
Peace
(because he may
Make use of them perhaps another way.)
The
Drunkard
sinneth by excess of
Wine,
Yet, we allow the planting of the
Vine;
And, I conceive it lawful to express
That, which may
public injuries
redress,
Although it may occasion some
offense,
Which is of an
inferior consequence.
I know, what to a
Parliament
hath been
Ascrib'd; and, I have
felt,
as well as
seen
What
pour
it hath, and what that
pour
may do,
If, that exorbitance belongs thereto,
Which many claim; and, which, it had obtained
Untill it was by
Providence
restrained.
It hath, to give it an
enablement,
The
Peoples
never failing
Argument,
Thereby, to make good, and oblige us to
What they are pleased we should
believe,
or
do:
Even this, (which oft doth puzzle and becumber
The
wisest men
) an
Over-voting Number.
It acts by
Presidents,
which, may sometimes
Make
virtues
to be punished as
crimes:
It takes a power to make and unmake
Treason;
To bind and loose, as well our
Faith
as
Reason;
To raise, or pull down
Kings;
from their
possessions,
To throw men out; to punish for
Transgressions,
Before there have been
Law,
to make them such;
And, hath unto itself assumed so much,
That, doubtless, if there be no power in
Him
Who should be
Umpire,
betwixt
us
and
them,
To moderate (nor any other way
To qualify) that which impose they may;
No
single Tyrant,
now or heretofore,
Did,
or can for the
future,
grieve us more,
Or more
enslave,
then we ourselves may do,
By means of those whom we shall trust unto:
Nor to so
many
can those
wrongs
extend,
Nor be so hardly brought unto an
end;
Consid'ring, that,
things present
to enjoy,
Some, would their own
posterity
destroy.
We have had
dear experience,
both, long since,
And lately, what
effects
may flow from thence,
If, neither in our
selves,
nor in
another,
Nor in
them
and a
third power,
join'd together,
There may be means to save from what we fear;
Yea, we of our best
hopes
deprived are,
And have but leap'd (by ought that see I can)
Into the
Fire,
out of the
Frying-pan:
For, as
things stand,
when
Deputies
are chose,
Whether, they be our
faithful friends,
or
foes;
Whether, they have been
well,
or
mis-begotten;
Whether, their
Principles
be sound, or rotten;
Whether, they shall be
Prudent,
or
unwise;
Whether, their
votes
be gained by
surprise,
Or not; and, whether, that which they conclude
Be
right
or
wrong;
or, for our
harm,
or
good,
We have no remedy, but, must submit
To whatsoever is adjudged fit:
And, not presume to let a word be spoke
Against it, lest their
privilege
be broke.
But, sure, there should some
bounds
be set to
them;
And, I believe there is, by that
Supreme
And
Common law of Nature,
which, in part
Is writ (though much defaced) in every
heart.
Therefore, that
Law
I very often read,
And, many times, for
common freedoms
plead,
As I find
cause;
and, will not be afraid
To plead it, when aside I see it laid,
Though I have
blame;
And, though, some will suppose
And say,
Beyond his Last, this Cobbler goes.
On that
account,
my
Muse
compels me, here
To treat of things that seem beyond my
Sphere;
But, having for
Affaires
wherewith I deal
A
Warrant
in my bosom, under
Seal,
I will proceed unto the
point
in hand,
So far forth as the same I understand:
For, that which is in question, differs not
In what may follow, from the
Gordian-knot;
And, I should grieve to see it
knit
so fast,
That, by the
Sword,
it must be
cut
at last,
Or, all, thereby into a danger slide,
If still, or overlong, it be
untie'd.
I know not what this
Parliament
can do,
Nor whether it be
limited
or no,
By him who called it: but, I believe,
It power with
limitations
did receive.
And, this I know; that, if there doth reside
A
power
therein, to force what is
denied,
Maugre his
Conscience,
who the same to save
From violence, doth one
Proposall
wave;
I, thereupon conclude, it may as well
Against his
single-Reason,
him compel;
And with more show of
Justice,
if the state
Of that, which is in question, doth relate
To
Civil things;
because, the
reason
shown
Is
jointly
then, the
people's
and his
own,
They, being both his
chosen Counselors
For such
affairs,
and
Deputies
of theirs;
Who may as justly take his
pour
away
To
morrow,
as his
Title,
on
this day,
Against his will; and,
Him
and
His,
expose
To all the rage and malice, of his
foes.
If, from constraint, his
Conscience
be not free,
Sad will the
consequences
thereof be.
If
He,
that
freedom
shall be barred from,
What of our
Christian freedoms
will become?
Who as'tis thought, have given them a power
Without
control,
to spare or to devour,
As they shall please. But, sure empowered thus
They never were by
God,
our
Prince,
or
us,
By ought which
tacitly
did them invest
With such pour; nor by anything expressed;
At least
de jure,
though we are in
Fact
Concluded by those
Laws
they shall enact.
For whatsoever the law of
God
or
nature,
Confers upon the
Reasonable creature,
No
Trust,
as
Deputies
of ours, have they
To meddle with (much less to take away)
Untill by those
Laws
forfeited; unless
For
Public weal,
or succors in
distress,
For
common safety.
Nor then, have they
power
O're
person, freedom, goods,
or ought that's our
In
equity:
unless, they also lay
As equally as possibly they may,
Those
burdens
upon all; lest, some bear
naught,
As
lately;
and, some be to
ruin brought;
Whose prayres, cries, and vnredressed wrongs,
Is that which our
Vnsetlement
prolongs.
It will be, therefore, our securest way,
The
Groundworke
of our
Government
to lay
Upon some
Just Act,
which may expiate
Those
Sins
that have committed been of late,
Through our defect of
Justice
and
Compassion,
To them who have been faithful to this Nation,
Even to their own undoing: were this done,
The works which now go
Backward,
would
go on;
And,
God,
would make us lovingly
comply;
Instruct us what to
Grant,
or to deny.
Till this be done, we only shall contrive
Snares
for each other; or, at best, but strive
Like
Bees
in honey-
potts;
and, be at last,
Destroy'd by that, in which our
hopes
are plast.
Yea, till these
Nations,
do so constitute
Their
Parliaments,
and them whom they
Depute
Obliges to
fundamentals,
they, shall never
Theire
Liberties
enjoy; but be forever
Exposd to Hazzards (which might be prevented,
And none be therewith justly discontented).
As now things are, at every
Parliament,
May our
Religion,
or the
Government,
Be innovated, to our greise or shame,
According to those
Model,
they will frame,
Who may by frau'd, or other manes unjust,
For such end's, screw into our
Public trust.
Sometimes, we shall be governed by a
king;
A few years after, by
another thing;
Then, by
a king
again; and, to all these
Be forced to engage, as others please;
With every
wind,
turned like a Weathercock,
Now fast, now
Loose; out Nettle and in Dock;
Yea, and to
swear,
till we may safely say
And
swear,
that, most have
sworn
their
faith
away:
Which, to prevent, either from
God,
or
him,
Who, hath in all Affaires, the
Power Supreame
Our help must come; and, from a
Parliament
Which, thereunto shall give a full assent:
But, this can never be, (as I have said
Elsewhere) until the
Ground-work
be new laid;
And, till by good and perfect
Chymestry,
Natures
three
principles, Salt, Mercury,
And
Sulphur,
be to that just
temprature,
And such
proportion
brought, as will procure
To govern us, a
Civil-Trinity,
Made up into a
blessed Unity,
It self (so far forth as it may be done)
Conforming to th'
Eternal three-in-one
In
Righteousness
and
Mercy.
This product,
Our
selfishness,
doth hitherto obstruct;
And will, till
God,
in some things, hath a
choice
By
Lot,
when they are past by
human voice:
For, much corruption that will cure; and, then,
Christ's
kingdom, will begin to be with men
More manifest; and, no
false Christ's
appear
As now, and heretofore, they have done here.
But, know, that when a
Government
consists
Of three
Estates,
't will wrong those
Interests
Which to a
Free Republic
do pertain,
Unless it be provided, that, those
twain,
Which are
Superior,
shall descend to none
By
Birthright:
But, that, thereto everyone
Shall be elected; and, no person bear
Such
Place,
who was not born a
Commoner;
Or, whose
Posterity,
shall not return
To that
Condition,
whereto he was
born.
For,
he,
or
his,
will
Tyrants
be at last
By whom, this
Proposition
is transgressed.
These things, perhaps, will come to pass in time,
Whereof, I seem at present, but to dream;
And, peradventure, we till then, to gain
A
Setlement,
shall plodd, and strive in vain.
Mean while, his
Highness,
or he, whosoere
God,
to the
supreme Office
doth prefer,
A
Suffrage-negative,
should have in that,
Which,
Public safety,
doth necessitate
To be by him, or them, sometime
Denide:
By no means, can he otherwise provide
To keep his
Honor,
or, those
Dues,
which must
Preserve him able, to perform his
trust,
Or bound them in their
Orbe,
who else, (as we
By proof have found)
exorbitant
may be,
And, like a
Heard
(if not well kept together)
When some
break out,
run all, they know not whether.
Nay, till there be a
Gouvernment
here fixed,
Things balancing, so evenly, betwixt
Prince, Peers,
and
People,
that, each may subsist,
And not infringe each others
Interest,
He, that is our
Supreme,
must trusted be
With
Arbitray Power
in some degree,
To carry on his
work,
and to secure
The
whole,
whilst our
unsettlements
endure:
And, to effect that
end,
God did, perchance,
Destroy the
Power,
that
was;
and this advance.
Without such
Power
a
Prince
chose out of
Logs,
Like that which was bestowed on the
Frogs,
Would be as good:
Him,
we might deal with all
As we should please; and anything might call,
And leap about him; till ashamed we be
Of such a
Block,
and choose a worse then he.
This
Parliament,
hath done what
them became
In
offrong;
he, hath also done the same
In his
refusal:
And, still to adhere
To that whereof resolved he doth appear,
Shall do
as well,
until
that
be removed
Which gives
Offence,
or,
Inoffensive
proved:
And should he be compelled to accept
Till that be done,
Decorum
were not kept.
They therefore, as I hope, will qualify
That, which he is enforced to
deny,
(And thereby save the
labor
and the
Cost,
Which, else, would in an
evil time
be lost)
Rather then force him to an
acceptation
Of that which would be an abomination
Both to
himself
and
others:
Which would prove
No Symptom of their
Piety
or
Love:
For, should he be compelled unto that
Which most of his
best Friends
abominate,
And, his own
Conscience
cheks at; It would give
A Kingdom,
which no wise man would receive;
And as it were inthrone him, (shall I tell
In plain terms where?) even, in the Depths of
Hell,
Within whose cursed bounds, is comprehended
A wounded conscience,
willfully offended.
It is confessed, the Title of a
King
Is
honorable,
and may profit bring
To
some who would conserat;
But, to
Him
No benefit (yea, and perhaps, to
Them
At last as little) For, if he grow less
In
Power,
that
Title,
will in his distress
Not so much
help
as
hinder:
And, then,
they
Who gave it, will, first, take the same away:
Yea, if on
that side
an advantage grow,
They will bestow it on his
greatest Foe.
But, if his
Power
continue, he may still
Support his
Title,
call him what you will;
And, that, to which none can lay claim but
he,
Will
safest
upon all Adventures be.
Indeed, all things considered well together,
There will be
Hazards,
both in
the one
and
the other;
But,
least
in that, which will in proof be best
To keep that
conscience,
which gives
Inward rest.
Though, in itself, we do confess the
Title
Is honorable, it can add but little
To his
Repute:
Nay, it will be a blot
As things are, to that
honor
he hath got;
Which, if it seriously considered be,
Is of a higher nature and degree,
Than that which
men confer;
and, they shall do
No more who add a
King-ship
thereunto,
Than he, who
Diamonds
in
Lead
doth set,
Or, makes an
Earl
or
Duke,
a
Baronet.
And,
Gideon,
peradventure, did therefore
Refuse a
Kingship,
being honor'd more
By what he was, then by what he thereby
Might have conveyed to his
Posterity.
Kingship
is
lawful;
yet, wise men do know
Things
lawful,
inexpedient sometimes grow.
The Style of
King,
was but an
Ordination
Of
men;
and afterward by Toleration,
At their request, by God himself allowed
Unto his
people
(so, that neither proud
They did become, nor puffed up with ambition
O're others; which, thereof was one
Condition.
)
Yea, 'tis an Attribute of
God,
whereon
Was raised, this
incommunicable one,
The King of Kings.
If therefore, at the
Name
We simply take offense, We are too blame:
Or, if we think, the Power they give is less
Who, by
Synonoma's,
the same express,
As many
Nations
do, who never had
A
King
among them, since the world was made,
Yet give their
Princes
power, whereby they may
Rule well,
and make their
Subjects well obey.
The
Supreme Person,
always is the same
In
Sover aignty,
whatever him you
name:
And, they who do pretend, our
Laws
to bring
Advantages, to him that's called a
King
Which other
Titles
give not, do well know,
If, he be their
Supreme,
it is not so:
For, everything within our
Laws
expressed,
Wherein our former
Kings
had Interest,
Is virtually, even by those
Laws,
derived
To him, who for our
Sovereign
is received.
And, whatsoever they make show of, may,
Who make the
Law,
speak what they please to say,
Were that, which is now conquerd by our
Swords,
Brought to their
Bars,
to be new tried by
Words,
The
Judgment
would be given on that side
Where
Power,
not where the
Kingship
did reside,
Although the
Law
spoke for it, and forbad
All other
Governments:
For,
Laws
are made
To speak, too often, not to that
good end
For which,
Law-makers,
did them first intend:
But, what best makes out their
Accommodation,
Who take upon them their Interpretation.
Else, they could tell you (without my direction)
That, he, whom
God
hath raised for our Protection,
Had for his
Church,
and for his
Common-weal,
The
Power
he owns, confirmed on that
Appeal
They made to
God,
when that, for which they fought,
To
Trial,
in an
Open Field,
was brought.
Conquest,
is by our
Law,
the utmost
Trial
That can be had: and
He,
(without denial)
And his
Adheres,
have right in that respect,
To any
Title
which they will elect:
Yea, and may
Change, Confirm,
or make the
Laws
Such, as their
Safety,
and the
Common Cause
Shall now require: Provided, it accord
With their
Trust,
for whose sake they drew the
Sword;
And with those ancient Rights, by
God
and
Nature,
Conferr'd upon the
Reasonable Creature:
Which, if they shall invade, their
Swords
now worn,
Upon
Themselves,
just vengeance will return:
For, that
Power,
was conferred to provide
A form of
Government
so rectifide,
That, neither
Prince,
nor
Peers,
nor
People
might
Intrench, hereafter, on each others
Right:
Yea, (that by what
shall be,
and what is
past,
God's
purpose might be manifest, at last)
It them impowers, to lay down those
Foundations,
That shall by
This,
and future
Generations
Be
built
upon: In which
work,
if they should
Leave any
Arch,
or
Pillars,
raised of old,
Mis-laid,
or
Crooked, Rotten,
or
Mis-wrought,
It would, at last, bring all the Pile to naught.
And therefore, to this
end,
obliged they are
Touse their
Power
with
Prudency
and care.
To this
end, Providence,
into their hands
Let that
Power
slip, which at this day commands;
And they, who merely for their own ends use it,
Are
Tyrants,
or else
Traitors,
and abuse it.
That, which may of
Protectorship
be said,
Was, long ago, made public to be weighed;
(Not without cause, although to many men,
It seemed an Impertinency, then)
And, as if that had been
foreseen,
which would
Be
offered
now, the
Sequel
was foretold,
Which would ensue on changing of that
Title,
With other things regarded but a little;
Which, to repeat here, were but (in effect)
To offer them again to your neglect.
New Titles,
future
Grandeur,
do foreshow;
The
greatest Titles,
at the first were
New:
And, though the
Government
which we yet have,
Was only modellized, but to save
From likely ruin, till we
strongth
should get
To raise up
that,
which might be more complete;
You, in this
Title
no defect can see,
If, but
Imperial
thereto added be,
Or, somewhat else, to put a
difference
'Twixt
This,
and
that
in
Nonage
of a
Prince:
And, those additions which do not estrange,
But help
explain a Title,
are no change.
What, if his
Highness,
doth suppose it given
(As I believe) by
Providence
from Heaven?
And thinks
Himself
engaged, not to neglect
That
Gift?
And what, if for the like respect,
His
Friends
conceived it might be
Ominous,
Either to
Him who owns
it, or to
Us,
Without an urgent cause to change the same
For
King,
or any other
Sovereign Name?
Should this great
Title
be rejected for
That, which his
best affected Friends
abhor?
And, they, thereby grow jealous, that his
heart
(Which seemed inclined to the better part)
Had left it for the
world,
and for those
toys
Wherein her
foolish Favorites
rejoice?
Might not thereon, some
Consequence
ensue,
Which, peradventure,
He,
or
We,
might rue?
What, if
God
gave that
Title
for a
Test
Of his adherence to that Interest,
Which doth concern Christ's
Kingdom?
and to show
That if what God confer'd he shall forgo
(For what the
World
will offer) he best prizes
The things of this
World,
and his
Grace
despises?
Or what, (if as that
Blood,
which heretofore
Sprinkled the
Posts,
and
Lintels
of the door)
God,
gave this
Title
for a difference
Betwixt the
Kings of Babel,
and his
Prince?
That he may be secured, when to destroy
Christ's
foes, he shall that
Army
here employ,
Which will cast out their
flesh,
to
Beasts
and
Fowls,
To
Devils,
give their miserable
souls?
Make, that abominable
Scarlet-Whore
Their
painted Mistress.
desolate and poor?
And, throw them irrecoverably thither,
Where, they shall burn perpetually together?
This
may be; for, the time is drawing on
Wherein, such
Executions
will be done.
And therefore, in his
Highness,
it implies
Much
Christian Prudency,
that he denies
What's offered now; and, he shall be innobl'd
Much more thereby, then by those
Offers
doubl'd,
If he persist;
Clear Symptoms,
he hath given
Of
good events,
by having so long striven
Against what, seemingly, doth offer him
Things, of most value in the
worlds
esteem:
For, they infer, that he is raised above
Their
Sphere,
who on such objects set their love;
That, his
Promotions,
he expects not from
The
East
or
West;
nor cares for those that come
By
Oblique Winds:
But, most account doth make
Of what the
World,
can neither
give
nor
take.
Those
Outward Trappings,
which make so much show
Of what these
Nations
do on him bestow,
Are not on him bestowed, but, on the
State.
The great
Allowances,
much murmur'd at,
Are upon him confer'd, for their
own sakes,
Even to secure
Themselves:
And, them he takes
For that intent; because, thereby, he must,
And cannot otherwise, perform his
Trust.
Whereas, if he perceived it would as little
Secure the
Public,
as their
Offer'd Title,
And, on his
Conscience
press, as that will do,
I, do believe, he would refuse
that,
too.
Presume I may not, to declare to those
Who are in
Power,
which way, they might compose
Their
Diffrences;
nor have I ought to say,
To that
End,
which, I warrantably may
Propound: For, if I had, neither the
fear
Of those
Wits,
who, take liberty to
jeer,
Nor
worse things,
could affright me; I, have told
As much, as I can
seasonably
unfold:
Except this
Hint
that follows, doth conduce
To somewhat, which, may safely be of use.
Perhaps, it is
Cast in,
but to
Insnare;
Perhaps, to make proof, how
inclined you are.
Be wary, therefore, how far you
proceed
Therein; and mind, I warned you, to
Take heed.
Should it offend, I dare not change a
Line;
For, though
I speak,
these
Arrands
are not mine.
God,
sets before us,
this,
and
that,
to choose,
And leave's us free, to
Take
or to
Refuse;
And, such
marks
gives, of what may prove amiss,
That, if we choose not well, the fault's not
His.
They, who sincerely think, the Style of
King
Will to this
Commonwealth
advantage bring;
And, they, who fear it would portend no good
The title of
Protector
to explode,
May, if they can agree, join them together,
And please perhaps, both
Parties;
perhaps,
neither,
Till somewhat reconcile them, which,
fit Season
More likely seems to bring to pass then
Reason.
These
Titles
are
consistent;
and, if that
Which is
refused,
be made
Subordinate,
And this
Supreme;
that it may thereunto
Be
Vassal,
and a kind of
Homage
do,
As
conquered;
it might be serviceable
With less offense, (for ought that I am able
To countersay:) for, that wise
Legislator
Who was preserved, by
Rushes,
from the water,
Was called a
King;
and, therewith had the
Power
Which, constitutes with us, an
Emperor,
And in that
Commonwealth
(which was the best)
Both
Kingly,
and
Imperial Power
possessed;
Which, if conferred on him, who governs us,
His
Title,
might be then contrived thus,
Or, some such way: On
feet,
in
Verse,
it goes
But lamely; Therefore, take it here, in
Prose.
Sovereign Protector,
or,
Protector Imperial
of the Commonwealth of
Great Britain,
King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with the Islands, Territories and Dominions, to them belonging.
This, is not
Magisterially
proposed,
As if thereby all
Ruptures
would be closed;
Nor is it my desire, it should
so be,
Or,
not be so;
for, it concerns not me.
It, almost, into
words
was thus far brought,
E're it was fully formed in my thought;
And,
slipped out,
(as do such things now and then)
Rather, to try the
minds of other men,
Then to declare my
Judgment;
which, I give,
(When I intend so) in
terms positive.
But, thus much, I will say;
This
is by none
Yet
claimed;
neither gives to any one
Just cause of
Quarrel: Honorable Power
Holds forth: Is, by the
Law of Conquest
our,
And, may within our own
Realms,
be assumed,
Yet, nothing be undecently presumed,
If we, know by what means, to limit so
The
Power,
which therewith all, we shall bestow,
That no offense it gives; nor may produce
Pride, Folly,
or
Oppression
by abuse.
But, what would follow, should this fanci'd be,
It is not in my dim sight, to foresee;
And therefore, to be weighed by those, I leave it,
Whom it concerns to
Offer,
&
Receive it:
To whom (if sought where such things may be known)
It shall be, to their satisfaction shown,
How far
this,
or the
Title
of a
King
May be assumed, and no disturbance bring.
Powr,
though
bred Tame,
is an
unruly beast,
Which if it feed much on
self interest,
Growes quickly
wild;
and everything commands
Except it
self;
yea breaks the
strongest Bands,
Which once cast off,
Restraint
it will avoid,
And never more be bound, till 'tis destroyed.
Our best
course
therefore is not to be struggling
With
Powr
(Although it seems upheld by
Jugling
As well as by
good means
) or to contend
With things
without us,
which
War
hath no end:
But rather to compose and order so
All things
within us,
as we ought to do:
For, there we may have
Peace
(when we have done
Our
Duties
) In
externals,
there is none:
And what we get by
Politick Contrivings
By
Falsehood, Force, Dissembling,
or
Connivings,
Doth for the most part, but the more disorder
Our
minds;
and from our
hopes
divide us further.
Yea, whether our
chief Magistrate,
we shall
A
King
hereafter, or
Protector
call,
'Twill not be much material, what the
Name
Shall be, if all things else be still the same.
Nor
His,
nor
our condition
will be bettered
Whilst we are with those
Vanities
befetterd,
Which to
cast off,
we lately made a
show:
Or, whilst in
secret,
we do still pursue
Our
old ways,
and continue, in
effect,
What we in
Circumstances,
do reject.
Some are persuaded, that the style of
King
May be as well assumed, as that
Thing
Which gives like
Power:
And so it may, if he
A
Jehu,
or a
Jeroboam
be,
Who, neither conscience makes whom he offend;
Or scandalizeth, to obtain his
Ends;
Or if he use that
Power,
which is bestowne
For
public works,
to bring to pass his
own.
But, howsoever, let it be our care
Still to perform what our
Obligements
are:
Which are not to engage him unto
On
•
Offence,
through fear another may be done:
Or, to resist the
Power
we should obey
Because it seems by an
unlawful way
Acquir'd or kept: For, every
Wise man
knows
Powr, Thrones,
and
Glory,
are at GOD's dispose.
It is by other some not meanly feared,
Such
Powr
is by
Protectorship
conferred,
That he may now infring our
freedoms
more
Then any of our
Princes
heretofore:
Which may be likewise true; yet, what GOD gave
Wherewith to do him
service,
he must have
To whom he gives it; If he then abuse it,
To their
wrong,
for whose
well-fare
he should use it,
GOD will aveng it: And though he defers
That
Vengance,
(and the
Politician
Jeers
At such a
Vindication
) 'twill be paid
With
Interest,
for all the time delayed,
As soon as our
Repentance,
and those
wrongs,
Are for
that
ripened, which to them belongs.
These
Nations,
and their
Parliaments,
talk much
Of
Liberties,
and
Freedomes,
as if such
To them pertained, now, as they have had.
Indeed, there is an
Image
of them made,
Whereby, we, them a little honored see
Before the
People,
(as
Saul
sought to be.)
But, of those
Privileges,
we have none;
Their
Glory
is departed; they are gone:
We, by no
tenure,
any claim can lay
But
Courtesie of England,
at this day,
To what, by
Birth
was ours; or unto ought
Which we have
purchased,
or for which we
sought:
And till our
supreme Magistrate
repairs
Our
Losses;
Or, till GOD shall hear our Prayers
And
cries
(if he oppress us) we shall still
No other be, but,
Tenants at his Will.
Yet is not he in fault; nor is our
Case
So bad, or in such hazard as it was.
For, if it were not so, it might be worse;
And, that which we suppose to be a
Curse,
May prove a
Blessing.
Otherwhile, men lose
By having all things at their own dispose;
And sometimes
gain
by
loosing.
what was our,
Did lately slip into another's
power;
Who, thereof taketh (by that
forfeiture
)
But so much, as our
Freedomes
may secure
To us hereafter. When, he seems to
wound
He doth but lance a
soar,
to make that sound
Which would destroy us: when, unto some
cost
He puts us, 'tis that
all
may not be lost.
Yea, for our
well-fare,
he is
means
contriving,
When we most wrong him, by a
misbeleeving.
And doth discharge his
Trust
(as I believe)
By doing that, whereof we misconceive.
Though he permits us to capitulate
With
him,
as it we did participate
In his
Powr;
suff'ring us to
claim
and
take
Those
Privileges,
whereby he may make
An
advantageous use,
with least offense,
To bring to pass the
work
of
Providence;
And to such
purposes,
is well content
To all our
just requests,
to give assent:
Those things,
do not to us of
right
pertain;
They are mere
Acts of Favor;
no
remain
Of our old
freedoms:
And, 'twill hazzardize
Their
Restauration,
to think otherwise:
For, those
Thoughts
hindering that complete
submission
Which GOD requires, will hinder their fruition,
By making us, perhaps, that
means
endeavor
To
gain them,
which will
lose them,
quite, forever.
In
provocations,
IS'RAEL did proceed
So far, that thereupon GOD had decreed
No
Ransom from
destruction should redeem
Their glorious
Temple
and
Jerusalem,
But, their
submission
to a
foreign King.
On
Us,
for our transgressions, GOD doth bring
A
Judgment
somewhat like it: And, before
He, will to us our
Liberties
restore,
We must quite lose them, and submit to
Him
Whome, as (in that respect) we did contemn.
And, now, no
human Policy,
or
Force
Can put us into any likely
Course
Of repossessing them, save that
Compliance,
With which we have been long time at
defiance;
And, whereto he that should advise, might speed
As bad, perhaps, as
Jeremiah
did
When he in vain, his
Countrymen
persuaded
To fly to
him,
who had their Land invaded.
But, so it
must be;
and, if to
believe
What
must be,
may assurance thereof give.
Or, if things probable in
Reason,
may
Confirme that, which I now
believe
and
say,
Our much
averseness,
rather will bring on
Then hinder, that which must at last be done.
For, we are torn into so many
fractions,
Growne of so many
minds,
by our
distractions,
(Or
Coun
•
eractings)
every
Party
striving
To bring to pass things of their own
contriving,
Al men so apt, whom
place of trust,
enable
For their own
private ends,
to scrape and scrable;
And every man so jealous, and afraid,
Of being to his
Opposite
betrayed;
That, (as
the World
was, when it first begun)
Our
Common-wealth,
must be the
work
of
One;
O
•
e,
that hath
Powr,
and, in
whom,
to agree
They, who are most concernd, most likely be.
This One, GOD, hath provided to restore
All, that our
Kings
usurped heretofore
(Or, our Sins forfeited) And to resetle
On us, those
blessings,
by a
stronger Title;
(If neither
He,
nor these divided
Nations
Shall, willfully, make frustrate their
Probations
)
Though, many are, yet, fearful that he may
In some things, act the quite
centrary way.
Those
Counsels,
he hath oft together brought
Which we in
former times,
most proper thought
For such a
Work;
and, much hath taken in,
Which offered, by some
private hands,
hath been,
But, both their
Ends,
and
Contributions
are
So diffring, and from
Unity
so far;
That, what he hath desired should be done,
Less perfect
seems, then when it was begun.
And 'tis not possible their
work
should be
Long-lasting,
who, in so few things agree.
He, therefore (as in all times past, we find
It hath been done) who, is by GOD designd
To change a
Government;
and, unto
whom
He always, an
Assistant
will become,
For his
own works;
that
spirit,
must improve
Which GOD on him conferreth to promove
His
Undertakeings.
Then,
resolve
he must
On what his
Conscience
judgeth to be just,
And by his
Power
confirm it: else, the
Waies
Now followed, will destroy him, by
Delayes.
By this
Course,
and by weighing well those things
Which
faithful men,
and his
experience
brings
To be
considered,
he
himself,
alone,
Shall do that, which will never, else be done;
Even he alone, if, he, himself deny
(And on that
wisdom,
and that
power
rely,
Which hitherto, hath carried him along)
Shall, for his
undertakings,
be more strong
Then, if he were with all the
strength,
supplyd
And all the
wisdom,
of the
world
beside;
For, that shall teach him, what
advise
to choose:
What he must alter, what he must refuse,
And what to fix upon: which, will be
•…
ore
His
Honor,
then his
Conquests
heretofore;
Or, then to leave through
future Generations,
A
Kingship
to his seed, over many
Nations.
This done; a
Parliament
well constituted
Will crown the work: then, such as are reputed
Just
Privileges,
will be all restord;
Then, they, who now
agree not,
will
accord:
Then, will our
Laws,
which yet are made a
Snare,
Have those effects, for which ordained they were,
And, other things, be fairly carried on
Which, now, in crooked muddy
Chanels
run.
We, in this
work
of
Providence,
most heed
Those gross, and oblique
Actings,
which proceed
From man's corruption; and, the deeds of those
Whom for
false friends,
or else, for
Open foes
We do suspect; and, greatly vexed are
With those
misactings,
which, in them appear;
As if, their
failings only,
were occasions
Of all our
losses,
and our
Preturbations;
But, were it well observed, we should find
That, those
grand-works,
which are by GOD designed,
Are no less furthered, by our
oversights,
Our
weakness, follies,
and our foes
despights,
Then by our
Virtues, Prudency,
or
Powr,
Or, any
sufferings,
or
good deeds
of our;
And, thereupon, prepare
a way
for
Peace,
By prizing
others
more, and, our
selves
less.
Or, if our
Intellectuall eyes
could see
What GOD hath done, or, what those actings be
Whereby, his
finger,
doth make manifest
What
changes,
have infringd our
interest;
We, in true
meekness,
would incline unto
What he expects, we, should
believe
and
do;
Then, we should find, those
changes
were permitted
That, for GOD's,
work
we might be better fitted;
That, his great
Love
and
Justice,
might be known;
That, our great
failings,
we, might
know,
and
own;
That, it might give us many
Evidences
How little trust there is, in
earthly Princes,
In
Parliaments,
or, in the best of those
External things,
wherein we
trust
repose:
And, that, we thence may learn, when we have tried
Their
Trustlesnesse,
in whom, we should confide.
As sure
as, GOD, ten tribes from
David
rent,
And, made
Belshazers
doom, a president
For
future times
to heed; and, took from
Saul
And other
Kings
those
Kingdoms
wherewith all
They were indowd:
so surely,
was the
Throne
Of our preceding
King,
by GOD, broke down:
So surely,
he, who now inthroned sits,
Was raisd by
him;
and, that if he forgets
On what
Conditions,
he, that grace received,
So surely,
shall he be again deprived,
Of what he yet enjoys; and be devoured
By that, whereby, he was at first impowr'd.
As sure,
as
Jacob's
sons delivered were
Into the hands of
Nebuchadnezzar,
Of
Eglon, Jabin, Sisera,
and those
Who, did on them great
Slaveries
impose;
So certainly,
did GOD give up these
Lands
In former times, into
Oppressors
hands,
Both
Temporal,
and
Ghostly;
causing them
In various wise, to be from time to time,
Either
afflicted, eased, enthrall'd
or
freed
As to do
well,
or
ill,
they did proceed:
And, lately, hath pour'd forth his
vials
here
On
Priest
and
People,
upon
Prince
and
Peer;
Yet, if we grow not better than we be,
Far sadder
Changes,
we may live to see,
Because, such
Provocations,
ours have been,
As, in no
former ages,
have been seen.
Mark
what I
say;
and
heed
what will
ensue;
For, what I tell you,
is,
and shall be true.
GOD, for their many
sins,
did justly bring
These
Nations,
into
Bondege,
to their
King:
Not to destroy them, as a
foe,
but rather,
Them to correct, as it became a
Father.
That
Power,
He, exercised not to fulfill
GOD's mind, but, to accomplish his
own will;
And, did exceed the bounds of his
commission,
To make them footsteps, up to his
ambition.
Then, unto GOD they cried, and did repent;
Who, thereupon, unto their
Parliament
Gave all his
Power;
whereby, they did proceed
Against his
life,
and
reigned in his steed.
When they were thus
in-thron'd,
in leiw of
giving,
Forgiving, disinthralling,
and relieving.
Their
Brethren,
by whose hazards, blood, & treasure,
They, of the
sov'reign Power,
had gotten seisure;
Their
Helpers, Friends,
and
Servants,
they forgot,
Or (which is worse) them, they regarded not;
(Nor in their greatest need, were some of those,
So civilly respected as their
Foes
)
Nay more; them they
oppressed;
slighted their
prayers,
Exposed them to
shame, wants,
and
despairs;
Endeavor'd chiefly their own
exaltations,;
Th'enriching of
themselves,
and their
relations;
And, had not that succeeded, which befell,
What else they would have done, no man can tell.
In sight of GOD, of
Angels,
and of
Men,
These things were done; and, this, compels
my pen
To leave it on
Record,
here to be read
By
future Ages,
when that I am dead.
These,
and more such like things, which I have been
Inforced to have
felt,
and to have
seen,
I, from beholding them, long time desn'd
My
self,
into some
nook
to have retired;
But, my
Engagements
always kept me here:
Perhaps, that thereof, I might witness bear
To glorify GOD's
Justice;
and to show
From whence all our
destructive changes flow.
And (being that which I seem born to do)
With willingness, I, now submit thereto,
That, to their
Faces,
I may testify,
What,
thousands living,
know to be no lie.
For these
Exorbitances,
(as this day
•…
e do perceive) GOD, took their
pour
away,
•…
d gave it to their
Servant,
whom they slighted;
Whome, they, perhaps, as ill would have requited,
As other men have been; and, they, are now
His
servants;
and enforced themselves to bo
•…
Before his presence, whom they did contemn,
Till, GOD, had with their
power
invested him,
Who, is (GOD
speed him well
) on earths wide stage,
The greatest
expectation,
of, this age:
Yet, at his
Exit,
he, his doom shall bear
According, as his part, is acted here.
To everyone, of whatsoe'r
Degree,
Such as his
works
are, such, his
meed
shall be:
And, this, nor
strength,
nor
wisdom
shall prevent;
No, not an
Army,
nor a
Parliament,
Nor long time, shall
Prince, Priest,
or
People
thrive
In anything, they
hope for,
or
contrive,
But puzzle, plague, and still afflict each other
Till they in
Righteous-things
agree together;
And,
sanctify
this
Commonwealths
foundation
With much more
Justice,
and with more compassion.
I hope, this
down-right-dealing
(which proceeds
From
Conscience
) no Apologizing needs:
But, of their
wrath,
I no whit am afraid
To whom,
truth,
may offensively be said;
For, if that anything thereby befall
To me
destructive,
much more grieve I shall
For
others
then my
self;
because, their ends
I do foresee, who shall destroy their
friends;
And, that, if
Justice
be not more enjoyed
I, shall be
safest,
when I am destroyed.
Yet,
Reader,
pleased be before thou go
With Candor, to peruse a few
Lines
moe
For my
Indemnity
and, then I have done;
Make no
false Comments
(prithce) hereupon;
Inferre thou not from any word here said,
One thought, whereby,
aspersions
may be laid
On that
great Council,
by whose prudence, care,
Zeal, pains and love, those things proposed are
For his
assent,
without whose approbation,
They cannot have
Authentic Confirmation.
The cause is weighty; and, no
Humame eye
Can all the ways of
Providence
espy.
Although their
Offers
are demur'd upon,
They, their devoire, as I believe, have done
To give advance unto that
Interest,
Which, in their Judgment, hath appeared the best;
And done
God's work,
so far forth as they could
His purposes, with
human eyes
behold;
Or, execute his
Will,
by
Reasons light:
And, I do hope, they shall (ere that be quite
Resolv'd upon, which yet remains to do)
Receive
Divine Illumination, too.
By that which I have heeded, I conceive
(And hold myself obliged to believe)
That, both they, who did on that
Instrument
Agree,
and also they, who yet
dissent,
Their Consciences, have with an equal Zeal,
To
God,
their
Prince,
and to this
Commonwealth
Therein discharged; and, that those things which be
Well done, are
Best done,
when, some disagree:
And, that,
Truth
doth appear in her perfection
When she is polished by
Contradiction:
We, therefore, to
both Parties,
owe both
Love
And
Civil thanks,
what ere the
Sequels
prove.
Believe me herein; and observe, I pray,
Which
heedfulness,
that which I next shall say;
For, it will much concern us: (and I press
This
Caution,
therefore, with such
earnestness
)
When,
that
which was proposed, once
in vain,
(And, which is to be offered now again
Unto his
Highness
) all debates hath past;
If then, your
Expectations
fail at last
Which must fall out, on the one or
the other side;
With that, which comes to pass,
content abide:
And, though in
Judgment,
you divided be;
In your
Affections,
loveingly agree.
If they, who their
Proposals
lately brought,
To be allowed, obtain not what they sought,
Miscensure not of them, as if they had
With ill
intentions,
those
Proposals
made;
Nor judge amiss
of him,
who gave
Denial;
If, when
repugnant Reasons
have their
Trial,
He shall be swayed to consent, at length,
By
Reasons
of the most prevailing strength.
For, if his
Highness,
on such terms
admit
Of that to which he gives
denial,
yet,
As in his
Judgment,
and in
Conscience
too,
Well satisfied, in that which he shall do,
And hath beforehand,
God's
direction sought,
(As I believe, he hath done as he ought)
Know, it proceeds from
God;
and, that what ere
We thereupon think
Probable,
or
Fear,
We must leave
God,
and
Him,
to act their part;
Not meddling with what's hidden in his
heart,
Or in an unrevealed
Providence,
Lest, we to both of these, give just offense;
And by prejudicating things unknown,
Destroy the
Peace
of others, and our own.
When things are done, (for ought that we can know)
As,
God,
doth unto him his duty show;
If, then, we still
suspect him,
and foment
Those
Jealousies
which nourish discontent;
If we shall then imagine his
Delay
And
Scruples,
were but only to make way
To new
Designes;
or, to accomplish that
Which, we think he hath always aimed at,
(Pretending other things, thereby to gain
A
Larger Powr
then else he should obtain)
If we think thus, as I know many do,
Because they have been pleased to tell me so;
Then, there will be no remedy or
end
Of what we may
Injuriously pretend;
And, how oblique so e're, his aims may be,
We,
make our
selves
as culpable as he;
And, there is somewhat in us, which, no doubt
Doth from a
Root of bitterness
spring out,
That will produce our
Shame;
or, which is worse,
Engage us into some
Destructive Course.
And, if his
heart be right,
so much the greater
Will our
Shame
be, as his designs are better
Then we believe they are; and, questionless,
It will to us contract a
Guiltinesse,
That will bring on a
Plague:
and manifest
That, though against
Self-seeking
we protest;
We, have not so much prayed, that,
God's will
Should take effect, as, our own to fulfill.
What, of this great
Debate
will be th'
effect,
I know not; nor presume I to collect
From what I know: for,
Princes hearts are deep,
And, I, into their
secrets
will not peep.
When
Abraham,
to sacrifize his Son
Exprest a
Will,
although it were not
done,
It pleased as well; And, GOD, for that proceed,
His
willingness,
accepted for the deed.
It lies not in our
Actions,
to fulfill
What is required, so much, as in our will:
For,
two men
in
one cause
may
fight
(or
grind
At
one Mill,
) yet, but
one,
acceptance find;
And, what to
Act,
the
Law,
on us doth call,
Sometimes, by
grace,
may be dispensed withal.
I, therefore, know not how
enlarge
we may
Or
circumscribe
his
Highness
in his
way;
Nor how far, GOD, in this
Cause,
will allow
A dispensation after
Trial
now;
Nor which way he will bend his heart at last;
But, by those things which are already past,
(And, by some other
symptoms
which I find
Of many
good performances,
behind)
I hope the best: and, since no better way
I, can be serviceable; thus, I
pray.
On
Earth,
vouchsafe him better things, oh LORD!
Then,
Justice,
can for
Mans
best works afford.
Within the
World
to come, let him inherit,
Not that which
He,
but, that, which
Christ
doth merit.
And, give him power before he thither go,
To settle
righteousness
and
mercy
so,
Upon his
Throne;
that, they who now condole
May sing a blessed
Requiem
to his soul;
And, that their
hopes
deferred, may be injoyd,
Before,
they,
or their
patience,
are destroyed.
Our
God,
hath many ways to bring about
What he hath foreintended to work out.
That, which
Conditionally
to be done
He
Wills,
must take effect in everyone
As those
Conditions
are performd by
them,
To whom, his
Offers
are proposed by
him;
And, that which he hath
absolutely Willd,
Shall doubtless,
absolutely be fulfilled,
What ever
Contrarieties,
here, shall
Thereto obstructive, seemingly befall.
For
my part,
therefore, when the
Trial's
ended,
Which, I unfeighnedly have recommended
To
God,
my
Prince,
and
Country;
I will rejoice
More in
their choosing,
then, in mine
own choice.
Although I suffer by it; with belief,
It will, at last, produce more
joy,
then
grief.
In that
Ship,
which the
common Fraight
doth bear,
I, am but only a poor
Passenger,
Who, moved thereto by an honest zeal,
Have spoken, what I thought concernd her weal;
And, though I have hereby insisted much
On my
own sense;
and think it to be such
As may be owned; Though, such it be reputed
By
others,
and shall never be refuted;
Yea, though, I may discover some things done,
By which, my
just rights
are intrenchd upon;
Yet (having done my duty) I will bear
Those things with patience, which concluded are;
And, not alone submit, to what they do,
My
Goods
and
Person,
but, my
Reason
too:
At least so far forth, that, I will not press
One
Argument,
by which the
common-peace
May be indangerd; but, do what I may
To serve my
Country
in a
sober way:
In
silence,
things which are amiss deplore;
Think my own
sins
deserved that, and more;
Mark my
own failings;
and persuaded be
These things have happend, to make proof of
me,
And such, as I, as well, as proof to make
Of
those
who were engaged for our sake:
And, praise
God,
though all things be not so well
As I
desire,
that, nothing worse befell.
For, from those
difficulties
and
confusions,
Which we are in, to draw forth such
conclusions
As may not be gainsayd, in some repsect,
Is more then
Human wisdom
can effect.
The
Course
by which we purpose to persue
Beloved Peace,
loathd
Discords
may renew;
And, whilst we fighting are, from
Foes
to clear
Our
Van,
we may be routed in the
Rear.
By those
Contrivements,
whereby, we suppose
To save our
Lives,
our
Honors
we may lose.
By that, through which our
Persons
might be free,
Our
Consciences,
perhaps, inslav'd may be;
And, what, for
present safety,
we endeavor,
May for the
future,
ruin us forever.
So
finite
is our
Wisdom,
and our
Powr,
And, those things which may
weaken
or
devour,
So
infinite;
that, we as well may span
The
Firmament,
as, by the wit of
Man
Contrive, or settle such a
Government,
As will our dangers every way prevent.
For, that which is
best done,
and
best intended,
Will still have somewhat in it to be mended:
Yea, even the
best things,
which
best men
can do,
Insnarings
have injected thereinto,
To catch
themselves,
or
others;
which, none scapes
But, he, that always
looks
before he
leaps;
And seeks for
Council
and
Protection,
from
That
saving-pour,
whence all our
safeties
come.
He therefore is injurious, who suspects
All deeds
ill purposed,
which have ill
effects;
Or, who, those Men's
Faiths
into question calls,
Whose
Council
under some Aspersion falls:
No less unjust are they, who froward be
Because, he takes his
freedom
who is
free,
Yet, takes thereof no more then doth belong
Unto
himself,
without his
Neighbors wrong:
And, they, are not in every point so wise
As they might be, who,
good advice
despise
(And timely ay'd, when they are like to suffer)
Because, that man, whom
conscience
moves to offer
His
services;
within the
Camp,
hath hid
Himself, as
Eldad,
and as
Medad
did.
These things considerd, I, persuaded am
That neither I, nor any merits blame,
For ought
well proposed:
and, that now the day
Is near at hand, which will prepare
a way
To what
Good men
desire: and, that a deed,
Which did from
Conscientiousness
proceed.
Justice
and
Piety,
no bar shall prove,
To that which may our
Grievances
remove.
In this
hope,
I with
patience
do attend
What
God will
do; to whom, I recommend
The perfecting, of what men
strive
about,
For,
he
must do it. Now, this
Flash
is out.
A SPARK.
BUt see, here's of that
Flash,
a little
Spark
Yet unextinguish'd; which, I pray you mark.
My
life's
tenth
Clymax
is now spent well near,
And yet, my
warfare
is unfinish'd here.
I therefore, by this
Flash
a trial make,
How, if need be,
Old Powder,
fire will take;
That when occasion calls me so to do,
I, therewith might discharge a
shot
or
two,
Or light a
Beacon,
timely to
Alarm
Those, who may by
surprisal,
suffer harm;
And save that, by th'
Artillery
of
words,
Which, cannot be secured by
Guns
and
Swords.
For, though by
age,
my
Arms,
are useless found,
My
Heart
so strong remains, my
Brain
so sound,
That both by
Action,
and by
Contemplation,
I may, yet, some way serve this
Generations;
Whose
Welfare
to promote, I have bestowed,
More time and cost, then to advance mine
own.
But, when my
heart's
broke, & hath cracked my
brain,
When all those
helps,
which unto
life
pertain;
When all the
present hopes
of things
without me,
(Which to and fro, do
flutter
yet about me)
Are flown away; (as daily 'tis expected)
Then, will to mind be brought,
things now neglected:
And
that
be done, which, yet,
self-love
and
pride
Obstruct; and will, till they be
laid aside.
Yea, then, with
good respect,
that will be heard,
Which, at this present, hath but small
regard.
Mean-while, I rest contented with my
Lot;
For, I have that
esteem
which others got
In
former times,
who did
this way,
declare
Those
Notions,
wherewithal inspired they were;
And, to discharge my duties, am a debtor,
Though my requital, never should be better.
There lies a little
Grain,
racked up within,
From whence, my
better-being
will begin:
And, when most
Weaknesses
appear in me,
My
Powr,
shall then, in
full-perfection
be:
Yea, when I have nor
Life, Flesh, Blood,
nor
Bone,
Then, that, which could not by those
Tools
be done,
Shall be performd; and, many things which are
Yet
dark,
will
plain,
and useful, then, appear.
Mean-while, O
God
vouchsafe thou, to
forgive
What, hinders their
performance,
whilst I
live.
So prays,
Britons Remembrancer.
A Cause Allegorically Stated,
With an Appeal therein, to all that are wise and honest, from an injurious censure, lately passed.
A
Goodly Ship,
with precious lading fraught,
Late, in a
dark night,
near to
land
was brought.
Through many
dangers,
and much
Blustering weather,
The
Providence of God,
had brought her thither;
And, by the
Waters motions,
and some
Humming
Among the
Shrowds,
another
storm
seemed coming.
The
place ariv'd at,
was a dangerous
Bay,
From which, into the
Port,
two
Channells
lay,
Divided by a
Quicksand,
with great store
Of
Shelvs,
and
Sharp-rocks,
upon either
Shore:
She had a brave
Commander, Merchants
many;
Stout
Seamen, Pilots
too, as good as any,
With
Passengers
of all sorts; among whom
Some could (had need been) have suppli'd the room
Of
well experiens'd Sea-men,
and advised
Such things, as
Prudence
would not have dispis'd.
But, these among themselves, divided were,
Through which of these two
Channels,
they should steer,
One party,
thinking that the
safest way,
In which the
other,
thought most
danger
lay:
And in the
dark,
it could not well be seen,
In which, the greatest
Hazzard
would have been.
There was a poor
Old man,
that time, a board,
To whom,
God,
had been pleased to afford
A
faculty,
to see things in the
dark,
Which others could not
view,
or, did not
mark;
He, seeing what great
straights
the
Ship
was in,
And what their loss was likely to have been,
Call'd out to those, who there had
Chief Commmand;
And said;
there
stands a
Rock;
here lies a
sand,
Another
yonder,
and, a
Whirlpool
there;
Be careful therefore,
thither not to steer;
Bear
up a little while into the
Wind,
(Although a show of danger there you find)
And take heed, that a causeless fear or doubt,
Prevails not now, to make you
Tack-about:
Lest all be lost, and, you, upon a
steep
Ridge strike;
and,
over-set
into the
deep.
Now, by the
Starbordside
a compass fe
•
ch,
Halfe way to
you point,
to avoid
that Beach;
And then, upon the
Larbordside
again
Wheel off,
and you the
Harbor
shall attain.
Thus spake the
Old man:
for although 'twere night,
He saw as well, as when the
Sun
gives light;
And then, all they who had a will to see,
Saw how to find the
way,
as well as he.
The
greater part,
not heeding what they heard,
(Nor knowing their own danger)
grinn'd
and
jeered;
Suppos'd him mad, to talk, and make a show
Of
Demonstrations,
which they could not view;
Crept from the
hatches,
down into the
hold,
And let them look unto the
Ship
that would.
But, they, who more sought their own
will
to have,
Then to be
counseled,
or, the
Ship
to save;
Disdaining that an aged
doting fool,
Should put their
Wisdom,
as it were, to school;
(And, seeing his
Relations
tend unto,
That, which their
Captain
had resolved to do)
Grew
angry,
Therefore, though he neither fears
Their
wrath,
nor much for their
disfavour
cares;
Hereby, he hath appealed unto you,
Who, are known
honest, wise, goodmen,
and true;
And, prays you, to be Judges, how he hath,
Or wherein, any way deserved their
Wrath:
For, here in brief, his
Cause
is plainly show'n,
And, 'tis to some among you, so well known,
That, if you shall condemn him, he'l submit
To make what
Satisfaction,
you think fit.
If this comes forth too late to take effect,
My
Conscience
knows, it was not my neglect:
For I, my utmost
labor,
had bestowed,
To make it, in
a timely-season
known.
If, therefore, ought amiss thereby ensue,
There lay the
Fault,
to whom the
Blame
is due.
Here being vacant
Pages,
the
Author
hath filled them with a Copy of certain
Verses,
wherewith he lately enclosed two
Petitions
to the PARLAMENT, and laid them within their
Threshold;
hoping by that
Expedient,
they might have been presented to the
House;
The Paper was thus Superscribed;
To that
Member
of
PARLAMENT,
who takes up this
Paper,
with the
Petition
enclosed.
The Verses are these:
SIR, if you are not of this PARLAMENT,
Herewith to greet you, 'tis not my intent;
But, if a
Member
of this
House
you are,
Your taking up this
Paper
(as it were)
By
Lot,
engageth you to manage those
Petitions,
which, therewith I did inclose,
As, you would have
another,
use his power,
Therein, for
your avail,
were my
case
your:
Whereof take this
Account;
and, why I play
My Cards refused, in this
unusual way.
Three Parliaments
(the eldest of which
three,
Might, had it pleased our LORD, have out-lived me)
Are dead and gone, since first I did complain
Of
Grievances,
which hitherto remain
Without
Redress.
I, also have surviv'd
To see a
Fourth,
which hath itself out-lived,
And may continue, till it hath suppli'd
What,
Providence,
is thereby to provide
For needful
supplements,
to carry on
Those
Works,
which in these
Nations
are begun.
God grant it
Power,
and
Will,
and
Time,
to do
What, they by
Duty,
are obliged unto,
That, they from
wrongs,
the
wronged
may release;
Proceed with
Honor,
and conclude in
Peace.
To such
Atchievments,
there's a
middle-way,
'Twixt
This,
and
That;
'twixt
hast,
and
long-delay:
Which, if
mistaken,
or not
timely found,
May (as it hath done) lead into a
Round,
(Or
Labyrinth
) whereby, we may be brought
To
pits
and
snares,
which have no
passage out;
And multiply
distractions,
till our
pray'rs
Are turned to
indignation,
or
dispairs:
Which, is their
drift
(and not their least
design
)
Who, seek this
Common-wealth,
to undermine.
When
public wants,
require to be suppl'd,
A
private plaint
may then be laid aside,
But, not too long defer'd, lest it become
A
festering-soar,
not meanly perilsome:
For, since an
Universal-weal
consists
Of many
Individual Interests,
A
perfect Body
cannot be injoi'd,
Where,
One
by
One,
the
Members
are destroi'd;
And, when the
Eie
or
Ear,
unheedful grows
Of what, afflicts the
fingers,
and the
Toes;
Much less, when it neglects what appertains
To keep it, from an
Ulcer
in the
Brains.
The
cures
therefore, of
private wants,
betwixt
Public transactions,
should be intermixt;
(At least sometimes) in those
immergent things,
Wherein, delay of
Justice,
losses brings
Beyond repair; or where the
State
at last
Must bear the
damage,
when the
cure
is past;
Or else, in
point of honor,
suffer more
Then all the
public treasure
will restore.
I grudge not, when GOD's
glory
is at stake,
That they, who conscience of their
Votes
do make,
Should take the
freedom
to debate at large,
What, may their
duties
in their place discharge;
Or, when the
Common-safety
doth appear
In hazard, though my life in danger were:
But, when those
brunts
are over, if men please,
For their mere
pleasure, profit,
or their
ease,
To leave us in a perishing condition,
It, of their
faithfulness,
may give suspicion;
And, I more grieve, for what I thereby see
May on the
public fall,
then
falls
on
me.
There's
time
enough in all
straits
whatsoever,
For all things, if it well divided were:
And, for our not apportioning aright
The
time
we have (as
wisemen
see we might)
GOD, cuts off half the days we should have had,
And our
designments
are abortive made.
As we from
week
to
week,
from
day
to
day
Do put off those, who for our succors pray;
So likewise, are our
suits
and
hopes
put by,
By
him,
on whose assistance we rely.
An
hour
therefore, should otherwhile be spent,
To give
Reward,
as well as
Punishment;
To think on them who help us in our
sorrow;
As well to make
repaiments,
as to
borrow;
And, like the
Tree
that's planted by a
spring,
Expected
fruits,
in
season,
we should bring;
Not nine or ten years after they are dead,
(Who, by our
timely fruit
should have been sed)
Lest we be felled by the
Wood-man's
hand,
Or, like the
Fig-tree,
wither where we stand.
One day,
is as well spared sometime, to save
An
honest-man,
as
nine
to doom a
knave;
And, of an
useful Plant
to take due care,
As, from the
good-corn,
to weed out a
Tare.
Some private
acts of Justice,
with our
zeal
To
Piety,
and to the
Public-weal,
(Or
works of mercy
) sprinkled here and there
Among them, like
embroid'ries
would appear,
Or flowers of gold and silver
interwove,
And helpful be,
devotion
to improve:
For, where few
private grievances
are heard,
God, gives their
public prayers
small regard:
And, few are in that
Common-wealth
much joi'd,
By which, their own
well-being
is destroi'd;
Or, which is senseless, of their sad estate,
Who did help save it, from a
sadder fate.
Among such
suff'rers,
I myself am
One,
Who, gladly would be better thought upon,
For your own sakes; who, peradventure, may
Have by my
loss,
twice mine, another way.
As many
years
as are equivalent
To
two men's lives,
I have already spent
To seek for
Justice,
with such
cost,
such
trouble,
And
loss of time,
as make my losses double:
So that if many
suits,
here, at this rate,
I had depending,
three times my estate,
And
three men's lives,
would scarce afford me
time,
And
means
enough, whereby to finish them:
For, my
Petitions,
either were defer'd
From
mouth
to
mouth,
from
year
to
year,
unheard,
Or answered so, that when my
suit
seemed, done,
My
Case
proved worse, then when it first begun;
And, to obstruct the
Justice
I emplore,
They, voice me to be
rich,
who make me
poor.
With
mock-shows
of relief, I have been fed;
With
stones,
In my
distress,
instead of
bread;
Which, had ere this day starved me, but that GOD,
Turns many of them, into
wholesome food;
And raised me a
subsistence,
out of that
Which was designed to ruin my
estate.
His
Highness,
also stored me with a
Dish,
Which hath converted
Scorpions,
into
Fish:
Else, that
small portion,
which I yet possess,
(And some Envy) had long ago been less,
(It may be
nothing
); for, that
Act of Grace,
Is made less valuable, then it was
By him intended, of whose free donation
It was confer'd, beyond my expectation.
Oh! if that I, who have some
friends,
thus far'd,
How speed poor men, whom no man doth regard?
And, who, from none, can claim an obligation,
Either by
Friendship, Faction,
or
Relation?
But, now,
new-misadventures
me beset,
Which, by delay of
Justice,
do beget
Increasing mischiefs,
that admit no
cure,
Save, what must from a
Legislative power,
Derived be: And, this befalls me so,
Perhaps, that I, in every
Change,
may know,
The
gen'ral temper,
by the
pulse
that beats
Both in Superior, and Inferior seats;
That, I, thereby may calculate the length
Of our
oppressions,
and improve my strenth
To bear them: mark, how well our
public Acts,
Engagements, Orders, Bargains,
and
Contracts
Will be performed; and, that, as by
presage,
Of things that since befell, I told this
Age
Before they came; so, I, might likewise tell
The
next Age,
what I saw
done ill,
or
well.
〈◊〉
many have besought to entertain,
And offer my petitions, but, in vain.
Now therefore, having with some patience stayed
Six months
at door, to get my
suites
convayd
•
nto this
House,
where, seeing every day,
New suitors
more and more stop up the way,
And small sign, that, with any I should meet,
To
hand them in,
I laid them at their
feet
Who pass in thither; hopeful, that it may,
For my
inclos
'd
Petitions
make
free way,
Through those
Obstructions,
which have shut the
gate
Against them, till they come almost too late.
He,
who shall
take them up,
and get them read,
Where, with effect, they may be answered;
A
Favor
shall confer, by doing so,
On
me,
and likewise upon
many moe.
For, if my
suits,
obtain respective heed,
Some other men, will hope, as well to speed;
And of my
wrongs,
if no redress I have,
Both I, and they much future cost may save.
GOD speed it well: for, I, with what event
He gives it, am resolved, to be content;
And, am assured, that though I be neglected,
By
men,
I shall of him, be
still respected.
Britons Remembrancer.
A Postscript to the Preceding Verses.
THey, who to neither
Side,
nor
Back,
nor
Further
Can
turn,
or
pass,
need no
Restraints
by
Order.
Nor greatly be afraid what next will come,
Their, just
resolvings,
to divert them from;
And, that, whereto
necessities
compel,
Is
done excusably,
though not
done well.
If much
oppression,
cracks a
wiseman's
brain,
Who knows, whereto, it may a
fool
constrain?
They, whom
delay of Justice
doth make
poor,
Do lose but their
estates,
and, may get more:
If, therewithal, they are of life deprived,
They
feel
not, what to
feel,
they might have
lived:
But, he who doth in
life-time,
thereby lose
Both
wealth
and
credit,
shall to
friends
and
foes
Become a
scorn;
whereat, if
mad
he be,
And, makes
ten thousands
grow as mad as he,
The
fault
is theirs, who, without mercy, stretch
A weak man's
patience,
farther then 'twil reach;
As if, he, of his
suff'ring
sense had none,
Because, they no more feel it, then a
stone.
My
principle
(which makes me oft abused)
Injoins me, when I scurvily am used
Where I expect
relief,
to show my
wrongs;
And,
vengeance
leave, to whom the same belongs;
But,
some men,
cannot be content to stay
GOD's leisure, or, for
Justice,
in his
way;
And, what, their
wants, neglects,
and
indignation
May tempt them to, is worth consideration.
There is to all things, an appointed
date;
And, they are
unwise,
who are
wise too late.
Necessitas, & indignatio quid non possunt
FINIS.