Concerning the Goods Liberties and Lives of His Majestys Subjects
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A57699.0001.001
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 RELIGIOUS AND WORTHY SPEECH SPOKEN BY M r. ROVSE IN PARLIAMENT.
CONCERNING THE GOODS, LIBERTJES, And Lives, of his Majesty's Subjects.
Laying open, the Paintings that are used by the Whore of Rome, and Arminianism amongst Us, to draw the people thereby to Idolatry.
By which means, they seek both to take away our wealth and Religion, and the dangerous Consequence thereof.
With the near Correspondencie, and Allyance, that is apparently evident to be between our Bishops, and the Bishop of ROME.
And the Remedy propounded, to redress all such Greevances.
London, Printed for W. H. 1641.
A Religious and Worthie Speech Spoken in the High Court of Parliament by Mr. Rouse.
Mr Speaker.
WEE have of late entered into the consideration of the Petition of Right, and the violation of it, and upon good reason; for it concerns our Goods, Liberties, and Lives.
But there is a Grant of higher Nature, that preserves for us far greater things; eternal life, our soul, yea God himself. A writ of Religion derived to us from the King of Kings, confirmed to us by the King of this Kingdom, enacted by Law in this place, streaming down to us in the blood of the Martyrs, witnessed from heaven by miracles, and miraculous wonders, and deliverances. And this right, in the name of this Nation, I this day claim, and desire, that there be a serious consideration had of the violation of it: my desire is, that it may be considered, what new paintings are laid upon the face of the whore of Rabylon, to make her seem more lovely, and to draw so many the more Suters to her. J desire it may be consisidered, how the See of Rome, doth eat into our Religion, and fret into the banks and walls of it.
The Laws and Statutes of this Realm, especially since those Laws have been made in manner by themselves, even by their own treasons, and bloody Designes.
And since that Popery is a confused mist of Error, casting down Kings before Popes, the precepts of God, before the traditions of men, living and reasonable men before dead, & senseless stocks and stones: I desire, that we consider the increase of Arminianism, and Error, that maketh the grace of God, look after the will of men: that maketh the sheep to keep the shepherd, and make a mortal seed an immortal God. I desire, that we may look into the belly, and bowels of this Trojan Horse, to see if there be no man in it, ready to open the gate of Romish tyranny, and Spanish Monarchy; for Arminianism is the span of a papist, and if there come the warmth of favor, you shall see him turn into one of those frogs, that ariseth out of the bottomless pit.
And if you mark it well, you shall see an Arminian, reaching one hand to a papist, a papist to a Jesuit, a Jesuit one hand to the Pope, and the other to the King of Spain: and these men having kindled fire in our Neighbor-countries, now they have brought some of it over hither, to set on flame this Kingdom also.
Yea let us consider, and search, whether these be not the men, that break in upon the goods, and liberties of this Common-wealth; for by this means, they may make way, for the taking away of our Religion. It was an old trick of the Devil, when he went to take away Jobs religion, he began at his goods. Lay thy hand on all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Either they think hereby, to set distaste betwixt Prince & people, or to find some other way of supply to avoid, and break Parliaments, that so they may break in upon our religion, and bring in their own errors.
But let us do, as Job did, he held fast his religion, & then his goods were restored with advantage. And if we hold fast God and our religion, these things will be added unto us. Let us consider the times past, how we flourished in honor, when religion flourished amongst us: but as religion decayed, so the honor and state of this Nation decayed.
When the soul of a Common-wealth is dead, the body cannot long over-live it. If a man meet a dog alone, the dog is fearful, though never so fierce by nature: but if that dog have his Master by him, he will set upon that man, from whom he fled before.
This showeth, that low natures being backed by higher, increase in strength and courage: and certainly, a man backed with omnipotence, is a kind of omnipotent thing; all things are possible to him that believeth, and, all things being possible, there is a kind of omnipotence in them.
Wherefore, now let it be the unanimous consent, as our resolution formerly was, to make a vow, and Covenant, from henceforth to hold fast our God, and Religion, and then shall we from henceforth, certainly expect Prosperity, in this our Kingdom, and Nation, and to this, let everyone say,
A Correspondency of the Pope with our Bishops.
THe Pope writeth himself Father, so do they write themselves reverend Fathers. The Pope sells sin for money, so do they, as the whole Kingdom, and their Officers can well tell; and doth nothing without money so do they. The Pope forbiddeth marriage and meats, &, which Paul calleth the Doctrine of Devils, so do they in the same manner, whatsoever they pretend. The Pope commandeth superstitions Idol-days to be kept & observed, contrary to the Commandments of God, and punisheth the neglect of his Commandments more severely, then the breach of the weightiest Laws of God: so do the Prelates, as their Courts can witness; yea and command men, and compel them as the Pope himself, to break the Commandments of God to observe vain & impious traditions. The pope selleth Licences for meat & marriage, the Prelates do the same: the pope selleth Non-residences, pluralities, trialities, totquots, the Prelates do the same, to the starving & ruining of the souls of men. the pope ruleth and governeth the Church, by the cursed Canon-law, and popish Excommunications, the scalding of the Conscience, the prelates do the very same, and the breach of their stinkingest Canons is more deeply punished in their Courts, then the violation of the Laws of God and the King: the pope preferreth his Ceremonies and traditions before the Word of God, the prelates do the same, as daily experience teacheth us: the pope persecuteth all godly preachers and people, that preach the Gospel in the purity of it, and desire in sincerity to serve the Lord, and would bring their brethren to the knowledge of the same, and to the purity and truth of the Apostolical Churches, the Prelates do the like, as the whole Kingdom knoweth well, and the Gaoles and prisons daily witness, and the silencing of so many learned and painful Ministers: the Pope appoints his priests to stand at the Altar with the Deacon, apparel'd with his foppish and playerlike accutriments, those Babylonish garments, and to cry out Dominus vibiscum, the Deacon and Sub-deacon, with all the rest of Baals Priests, answering him as loud as they can▪ the Bishops do the same, saving only that it is in English: the Pope commandeth adoration at the Sacrament, crossing of children in Baptism, demanding of the new-born Babes, if they will forsake the Devil, and all his works, &c. & esteemeth the Font more holy then other places; enjoyeth likewise purifying of women, and a thousand such like costly and chargeable vanities, which were too tedious to relate: and all these and more then these do the Prelates in like manner: in all which, their Antichristian Authority with their Popish practices, are sufficiently manifest: so that there is little or no difference between pope and prelates. And all Authority of doing this, they arrogate unto themselves Iure divine. Limbes therefore they are of Antichrist, from whom Dr. Pocklington glories, that they are lineally descended, in his impious pamphlet, entitled Sunday no Sabbath.