God in the Mount

GOD IN THE MOVNT, OR, ENGLANDS REMEMBRANCER.

T HE omnipotent and omniprudent great God of heaven and earth, having by his unsearchable wisdom, unresistible power, and most pure and inculpable righteousness, from all eternity both foreseen and preordained the ways and means of manifesting and declaring to the world his two especial and most glorious attributes of Mercy and Justice; Mercy on his elect and choice vessels of honor, and justice on the forsaken vessels of wrath, those devoted vassals of the devil, and both these in that admirable Master-piece of his workmanship of the world, Man. Who, as the Prophet David says of himself, was fearfully and wonderfully made: And, for this and and purpose having put this excellent creature, Man, into a most pure and perfectly holy condition, placing him in Eden or Paradise, a place of most wonderful delight, and admirable variety of sense-affecting contentments; and having also given him an absolute power to have persisted and continued in that holy and blessed estate. Satan, that subtle and accursed Serpent, and that arch-enemy of man's holiness and happiness, being by self-pride and arrogancy thrust out of heaven, and thrown headlong into hell, and so to abide to all eternity, in an unrecoverable cursed estate of damnation; Hereupon being become God's enemy, extremely envied that holy and happy condition of God's (then) darling, Mankind, and therefore, to bring his malignant spite to the issue he aimed at, falls a belying of God to man▪ tempts and at last deludes man, makes him fall into his sin, pride and disobedience, thus, prevails in his project, and thereby made man, unhappy man as miserable as himself, by being, for sin, deprived and divested of his former fair rooes of beauty and holiness, and depraved and poisoned in his whole soul and body with sin and uncleanness, and thus in himself a forlorn creature, perpetually liable to God's wrath, and so consequently to eternal damnation. But, now, God out of his infinite wisdom and mercy found out a ransom and mighty Redeemer for man (even so many as he had predestinated to salvation) the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person in Trinity. In whom, and by whom, even this promised seed of the deceived woman, the Lord resolved to repay and revenge Satan's malice and mischief to man; promising, that though Satan by man's fall had bruised the woman's heel; yet her seed the Lord Jesus Christ should (by a strange way) break his head, even by his death be Satan's death and destruction. And hereupon the Lord God denounced an everlasting combat and irreconcilible enmity between these two and their offspring to the end of the world, namely, Christ, and the rest of the holyseed of the woman even all the succeeding Saints & chosen-children of God in Christ: And, the Devil and his angels, even all the desperate profane-ones and crafty hypocrites of the world, who should from time to time, in all ages, most maliciously harbor in their hearts a natural antipathy against the godly to hate and despise them, and therewith also take pleasure and delight in plotting and practicing all mischief and villainy toward them, though (God in his wisdom and mercy having so graciously ordered it) always, for the most part, with illsuccesse to themselves in the issue: God, who is most faithful and able to perform, having promised to be with his Church, in a way of protection and preservation, even to the end of the world. Now thus you have briefly seen the combat decreed, and the combatants also to maintain the warfare: whereby the Church of God is put into a truly militant condition, and daily constrained to exercise its spiritual Militia (as the wicked do their Malitia against them) and to be always armed, not only with the whole armor of God, spoken of by the Apostle Ephes. 6. but also with worldly weapons and human power and prudence to defend themselves and offend their enemies as God shall enable them. But if you ask me, now, the cause of their quarrel, the reason and ground of the grudge and clandestine hatred which the wicked of the world bear to the holy and humble Saints and servants of the Lord? Truly, the answer is easy and at hand, yea the Apostle hath made it for me, who by way of argumentation asks himself the very same question, touching Cain and Abel, Wherefore did Cain, who was of that wicked-one (the devil) kill his godly brother Abel? Because (says he) his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous. Religion, innocent-religion and true Holiness is the great eye-sore to the ungodly, and therefore (as the said Apostle in the same place, ver. 13.) marvel not that the world hates them.

This, then, I say, is the main-ground of the quarrel betwixt these two combitants; which hot combustion and contention, as it hath been fiercely followed in all ages past, from the beginning of the world, and will be so till the end thereof: So, it was never more mischievously manifested to be so, than in these our days, I mean, for, at least, these two or three hundred years last past, to this present time; and that, in all the parts of Europe, especially by the Papists or Romish Catholics, as they call themselves against the Hugonets, in France, Lutherans and Calvenists in Germany, and Protestants in England, Scotland, and Ireland; and in brief, by the Romish Antichrist, against the Reformed-Christian in all parts. And the implacable rage of this arch-adversary of the Lord Jesus Christ hath far transcended all the malice and mischief of all former ages cruelties, both of the old Assyrians and Philistines to the ancient Isra • lit • s, or the last ten persecuting heathen-Emperors to the Primitive-Christians. But, as in all those former ages, the more Satan, by his impious agents and wicked instruments, hath with inveterate vexations and extremest persecutions mangled and maligned the people of God: So, the more propitiously God hath preserved and increased them, like innumerable Phenixes rising and reviving out of their dead ashes, fully confirming that old adagie, The blood of the Saints is the seed of the Church. This truth, in both its branches hath been also most copiously confirmed in these our more modern times, and chiefly (I may well say) in this our Kingdom of England, among all the Nations of Europe (Germany only and Ireland excepted at this time fo • cruelties but not for preservations) which hath tasted the bitterdrafts of Rome's wrath in a deep measure; and yet the more this Antichristian enemy hath raged against Christ and his faithful servants against the Gospel and its true professors, the less he hath prevailed; and the more they have increased to the glory of God, and the terror and amazement of the wicked of the world; Their devilish and desperate aims having been deceived in the issue (as was touched before) and God having faithfully performed his good word and promise to his Church and children to be with them, and for them, to the end of the world; And though he suffers them (ofttimes) to be closely and strictly hem'd in on all sides with great straits and distresses, yet their greatest necessities have ever proved God's fairest and fittest opportunities to be seen in the Mount for their deliverance; even then (I say) when the enemy thought to have swallowed them up quick, without all human hope of redemption and redress, then, yea even then, hath our good God always (for the most part) plucked the prey out of their devouring jaws, broke the cheeks and teeth of the ungodly▪ and rescued and recovered his darling (the Church) from the Lions-den, their destinied destruction. Which is the main scope and drift of our intentions, at this time, and in this Treatise▪ even to make clear to the eyes and understanding of all the world that will not willfully blind them, and obstinately shut them up from beholding the evident sun-shine of the truth, in the subsequent and most luculent demonstrations thereof, in this Kingdom of England after a special manner, which, God hath graciously made the very Land-mark of all his rich mercies, to the everlasting glory of his great Name, and free grace unto us, a most sinful and undeserving Nation, as we have been, and that in the midst of such means and miracles of mercies which he hath conferred on us, and wrought for us, above all our neighbor Nations round about us.

Now, herein, my purpose is (omitting many former mercies to our Land of high concernment, and most worthy of everlasting and indelible thankful remembrance, as the shaking off of the Antichristian shackles and yoke of Popery, begun in the days of King Henry the eighth and his most blessed Son, King Edward the sixth, but especially in the happy halcyon-days of Queen Elizabeth's reign, of ever most blessed memory; Since whose most blessed days and times we have enjoyed the Gospel of peace, and peace of the Gospel, almost these hundred years (and now are not only Protestants but most blessedly begin to be reformed Protestants) notwithstanding the many most nefarious and treacherous plots, against her sacred person, happily defeated; the falsely so termed, Invincible Spanish Armado, in 1588▪ and the most exorbitant and hell-hatchit Powder-plot, by those Romish traitors, Garnet a grand-Jesuit and his twelve impious apostles, in the year, 1605, by heavens vigilant eye of providence timely prevented, together with many private and pernicious conjurations or conspiracies, not so much by force as by fraud clandestinely machinated, and by God's mercy fruitlessly attempted; enough to fill up voluminous Treatises, and inf •• it • lie to magnify God's endless praises) all which, I say, here, to omit, my purpose and main intention is, as I fore promised (by the blessed assistance of God's gracious Spirit) to manifest and declare to all (who vouchsafe the patient and impartial perusal hereof) all the memorable and wonder-striking Parliamentary mercies effected for and afforded unto this our English Nation, (mauger the malice of Hell and Rome, Papists and profane Atheists, Satan's active and able agents) with inthe space of less than two years last past, 1641, and 1642.

And for the better and more exact setting forth of the most illustrious luster and glorious beauty of these incomparable parliamentarie-pledges of God's undoubted love and free favor toward us, my intention is, first, to show my Reader, the cloudy-Mountain of Straits, into which, the Lord had in his wisdom and justice brought us, or rather suffered us to be drawn and driven into for our sins and transgressions; and then the sweet and serene-Mountain of Mercies, wherein God was most gloriously seen (of his mere mercy) for our most timely and happy deliverance. I mean, I say, to let the godly Reader see the deep distress and danger whereinto we were plunged by the nefarious and multifarious plots and projects of Jesuitical-Priests and perfidious Prelates (for I may most justly couple and link them together, like Simeon and Levi, brothers in iniquity) of these our late and worst times, and other most disloyal atheisticallagents in these desperate designs, all of them faithless factors for the See of Rome, all of them complotting and contriving to reduce us to the accursed Romish religion, yea all of them combining and confederating to work and weave our three famous and flourishing Kingdoms, England, Scotland and Ireland's fatal and final rui • e and downfall. This being done▪ I shall endeavor, by God's assistance, most punctually to promulgate and most exactly to record, to posterity, those even myriades of remarkable mercies conferred on us to strange amazement and deep admiration of all truly pious and faithful Christians. That thus, contraries being set together in an exact Antithesis or opposition, they may both appear the more apparently to the eyes and understanding of ingenuous and judicious beholders; that thus, I say, the dangers being seriously considered and worthily weighed, the mercies may the more gloriously break forth, like the Suns glorious rays and heartcheering bright beams, after a thick and black cloudy storm and heart-damping tempest, and that thus, I say, the god y Reader ruminating and recollecting Both in his sad and serious re-cogitations, may justly and ingenuously acknowledge, that, God was in the Mount, for our Deliverance.

Now, herein, for my better and more methodical proceeding in this renowned Story, I have resolved to make our most famous and renowned Parliamentary-Worthies first Remonstrance, (wherein all our Kingdoms heavy pressures and oppressions are summarily and succinctly even to the life delineated) my most worthily imitable copy and pattern to write by: but in these I intend to be as concise and brief, as conveniently may be, because my chief aim and resolution is • o hasten to the copious and comfortable narration and description of our Parliamentary-Mercies and Deliverances, to the everlasting glory and precious praise of our great and good God, and that, at the rare and fair sight and cordial contemplation of them, the godly Reader may break out, in an ecstacy of holy and heavenly joy and say, with holy David, Truly, God is good to his English Israel, and to all therein, of an upright heart.

Wherefore, now, to pretermit all further ambages and circumlocutions, and to address myself seriously to the matter intended, I shall first (with my most worthy-Masters) briefly [ 1] declare the root and growth of their mischievous designs, and the rice of our dangerous estate thereby. Secondly, the maturity and ripeness to which the malignant party had hatched and cherished it, before the beginning of this Parliament. Thirdly, [ 2] the efficacious means used for the eradicating and rooting up of this evil weed so rank-grown in the garden of the Kingdom; [ 3] both by the Kings royal assistance and Heavens blessing on the Parliaments great wisdom, industry and providence. Fourthly, the bold affronts and audacious obstructions and oppositions [ 4] to interrupt and check the Parliaments fair and faithful progress and proceedings therein all along. Fifthly and lastly, the counter-checking means used to annihilate and make void those obstacles and impediments which so retarded [ 5] the fair fabric and comely structure of a happy reformation of those superfluous and rank-grown evils, and of redintegrating and re-establishing the ancient honor and security of this Crown and Nation, even by a Parliamentary-power, the only remedy left (under God▪ to prop-up the tottering State, to force away our over-flowing fears, and to heal the mortal wounds and sores of our distressed Land.

Now the root and rice of all the plot was found to be a pernicious woven knot of malignant active spirits combining and confederating together for the supplanting and utter subverting of the fundamental Laws and principles of government▪ on which the religion and government of the Kingdom were firmly established: And those actors and promoters were fi • st and principally, Jesuited-Papists [ 1] whose teeth had long watered for▪ and whose eager appetites had long hungered after the subversion of our Religion. Secondly, perfidious and rotten-hearted Prelates and Arminian-pontificians, who mightily (and maliciously) cherishing [ 2] formality, or conformity and superstition, greedily also gaped after a change in Religion, or at the least, the outrageous supporting [ 3] of their Ecclesiastical-tyranny and usurpation. Thirdly, profane, irreligious, and even atheistical Courtiers, and Counselors of State, who for their own private and beggarly ends had engaged themselves (as being, doubtless, mercenary pensioners) to foreign Princes, to the prejudice of their own natural King and the State at home. And, as you have seen the agents were potent and politick: So, the common principles by which they molded and managed their crafty counsels and [ 1] impious actions were as pragmatical as prejudicial. As, fi • st, to work and win the King to stand stiffly to his Royal-prerogative, and the people for the maintenance of their Privileges and Liberties, that thus they might have the advantage by siding with the King against the Subject, and so to be counted his fastest friends and trusty servants, and thereby engross to themselves and their factious confederates all places of greatest trus • and power in the Kingdom; that so they might the more safely fish [ 2] in troubled waters. Secondly, to suppress and stifle the sacred purity and power of religion, and to curb and keep-under all of all degrees that were best affected to it, in profession and practice, these being sore pearls in their eyes, and the greatest impediments to that change which their voracicus and eager appetites extremely [ 3] longed and labored to introduce among us. Thirdly, to countenance and encourage their own fast faction, and on all colorable occasions, to disgrace, vilify, and dishearten all the opposite party. Fourthly and lastly, by slanders and false imputations to work the King to an utter-dislike of Parliaments, and [ 4] putting him on unjust and forcible ways of supply, yet masking them with fair pretences of great and just advantage to his Majesty, though indeed they brought more loss than gain to him, and great distress and distractions to the whole Kingdom.

And thus have you summarily seen the Basis or foundation of their building; now be pleased with as much brevity as may be, to behold what a fair fabric and stately structure they raised and erected on it. And here by the way, take notice of this diffusive sememting-material, or bracing-piece conglutinating or holding fast the body of the whole ensuing frame; namely, that in all the compacted and conjoined ligaments of this omi • ousarchitecture, the Jesuits crafty counsel, and as wicked as witty wiliness was instead of a prime architector or Master Builder of the whole edifice; and had they not all been (by God's overpow'ring providence) timely prevented, these Jesuitical-Artificers would undoubtedly have over-built the Prelatical-Laborers, and instead of a new, have pulled down an old-house on the heads of all the rest of those as credulous, as accursed cooperating Carpinters or work-men with them, in this their Babel of confusion.

And, now, in the first year of the Kings reign, their work began to be revived, and hotly to be set upon again. For, it is here to be considered that in the last year of King James his reign it had been somewhat damped and qu • sht▪ both by the breach with Spain, that year, as also by his Majesty's marriage with France, whose people were not so contrary unto, nor so hotly active against the good of Religion, and prosperity of this Kingdom as those of Spain; and besides the Papists in England being more zealously addicted and affected (for matter of Religion) to Spain, than France; yet still they retained a resolution to weaken the Protestant-party in all parts and places of Europe, yea, even in France▪ thereby to make way for an intended change at home.

The first effect and evidence of which their recovery of strength was the dissolution of the first Parliament at Oxford, after two Subsidies granted, but no grievances removed. After which, many other bitter effects of this bad begi •• ing followed, or rather flowed and gushed-out apace; as namely, the loss of Rochelle Fleet, yea of Rochelle itself (a lamentable evil to the French-Protestants) by the unhappy help of our ships. The diversion of a most facile and hopeful war from the W • st-Indies to a most expensive and successelesse attempt on Cal • s; ra • her to make us weary of war than prospe • ous in it. The precipitate breach of peace with France. A peace concluded with Spain, without consent of a Parliament, contrary to promise made by King James to both Houses, whereby the Palatine c • u • e was shamefully deserted by us. The Kingdom soon charged with billetted Soldiers, together with the concomitant project of Germane-horses to enforce men by • ear to all arbitrary taxations. The dissolution of a second Parliament▪ in the second year of his Majesty's reign, after a declarative intention of granting five Subsidies. Violent exacting the said sum, or a sum equivalent to it, by a Commission of Loan▪ Divers worthy gentlemen imprisoned for refusing to pay it. Great sums of money extorted from subjects by Privy-Seals and Excise. The most hopeful Petition of Right blasted in the blossom of it. A third Parliament called, and as quickly broken, and therein Parliamentari • privileges violated, by after ill-usage of some of the best and worthy • st Members thereof, who were clapt▪up in close-imprisonment, denied all ordinary and extraordinary comforts of this life, and preservation of health, no not so much as their wives permitted to come unto them, yea deprived of spiritual consolation for their souls, not suffering them to go to God's House for enjoyment of public Ordinances, or godly Ministers to come to them, but kept them still in this oppressive condition, not admitting them to be bailed according to Law. And this cruelty might have been perpetual to them and others, had not another Parliament been necessitated to relieve and release them. Upon the dissolution of those Parliaments, O what scandalous and opprobrious Declarations were published to asperse and besmear their proceedings, and some of their woe • thiest Members, unjustly to make them odious; and the better to color their exorbitant violence exercised on them, Proclamations set out to those effects, thereby also extremely disheartening the Subjects, yea and forbidding them once so much as to speak of any mo Parliaments, this being in the fourth year of the Kings reign. Then, injustice, violence and heavy oppressions, without all limits o • moderation, brakeout upon the people, like unresistible floods gushing out of a broken-down Dam or stoppage with huge inundations, checking, yea even choking all our freedoms, and fast fettering our free-born hearts with manacles and chains of most intolerable taxations. Witness, the mighty sums of money gotten by that plot of Knighthood, under a fair color of Law, but, i • deed, a mere violation of justice. Tonnage also and poundage received without any pretext or color of Law The book of Rat • s inhansed to an high proportion. A new and unheard of (yet most heavy) taxation over the whole Kingdom, by Ship-money; Both these under a color of guarding the Seas, by which there was charged on the Subject near upon 700000▪ li. some years, and yet, Merchants constantly left naked to the violent robberies of Turkish-pirates, to the great loss • e of many fair Ships and much goods, and imprisonment of their bodies in most miserable bonds of Turkish-slavery. The enlargement of Forrests, contrary to Magna Charta. The exaction of Coat and Conduct-money. The forcible taking away of the Train'd-band Arms. The desperate design of Gunpowder engrossed into their hands, and kept from the Subject in the Tower of London, and not to be had thence, but at excessive rates and prices. The destruction of the Forest of Dean, that famous timber-Magazine or Store-house of the whole Kingdom, sold to Papists. The canker-eating Monopolies of Sope, Salt, Wine, Leather, Sea-cole, and almost all things in the Kingdom of most necessary and common use. Restraint of Subjects liberties in their habitations and trades, and other just interests; together with many other intolerable burdens which poor Isachars shoulders were not able to bear, but grievously to groan under (and which for brevities sake I desire to pass over, as not being my main intention to insist on, but to hasten to our most happy deliverance from them) for refusal of which fore-said heavy pressures, O what great numbers of his Majesty's loyal Subjects have been vext with long and languishing suits, some fined and confined to prisons, to the loss of health in many, of life in some; some having their houses broke-open, and their goods seized on, some interrupted in their Sea voyages, and their ships taken in an hostile manner by Projectors, as by a common enemy. The Court of Star-Chamber having chiefly fomented and increased these & such like most extravagant censures & most unjust suits, both for the improvement of devouring Monopolies, and of divers other causes wherein hath been none or very small offenses, yea sometimes for mere pretences and surmises without any proofs, yet punished as severely as foulest malefactors, yea and that, in matters of Religion and spiritual cases of conscience, for which the good Subject hath been grievously oppressed by Fines, Imprisonments, stigmatizings▪ mutilations, whippings, pillories, gaggs, confinements, banishments, yea and that into perpetual close-imprisonments in the most desolate remote (and as they hoped and intended • emorslesse) parts of the Kingdom, and that also, in such rough and rigid manner, as hath not only deprived them of the society of near and dear friends, exercise of their professions, comfort of books, use of poper or ink, but even violating that nearest-union which God hath established twixt men and their wives by forced and constrained separation. Judges also put out of their places for refusing to do ought against their oaths and consciences, others so over-awed, that they durst not do their duties. Lawyers checked for faithfulness to their Clients, and threatened, yea punished for honestly following lawful suits. The Privy Council also a mighty maintainer and prosecuter of illegal-suits against the Subject The Court of Honor, Chancery, Exchequer-Chamber, Court of Wards, and almost all other English-Courts have been exceeding grievous in their excessive jurisdictions. Titles of Honor, places of Judicature, Serieant-ships at Law, and other offices of trust have been sold for great sums of money; and they that buy must needs sell. And thereby also occasion hath been given too frequently, of brib • rie, extortion, and partiality, it being, indeed, seldom seen that places ill-gotten should be wellused. These and such like Land-devouring enormities, have been countenanced and practiced in our long-languishing Common-wealth.

And if we look into the course and carriage of things in the Church also, O how many impieties and irregularities have we, there, long beheld abounding and surrounding us, to the high dishonor of God, and disgrace of true Religion! The Bishops and the rest of the Pontifician or rotten-hearted Clergy and Arminian-faction, under a pretence (forsooth) of peace, uniformity and conformity have like so many si • lie Caesars triumphed in the chariots of their Spiritual Courts, by their suspensions, Excommunications, Deprivations, and Degradations of divers painful, learned and pious Pastors of our Church, and in the vexatious and grievous grinding oppressions of great numbers of his Majesty's good Subjects. In which cases, the high Commission-Courts pragmatical pranks have been unsufferable; the sharpness and severity whereof grew to such an unlimited monstrous growth, heighth, and strength, as was not much unlike, and very little inferior to the Romish or Spanish-Inquisition, yea and in many cases, by the Archbishops super-superlative power it was made much heavier, it being (as often as they pleased) assisted and strengthened both by the furious power and authority of the Star-Chamber and Council-Table, when the wrath and rage of their own-Courts could not reach as high as their hatred extended to the utter wracking and worrying of the innocent and holy lambes of Christ, whom indeed the world was not worthy of. This they did both in Cities and countries, extremely vexing and perplexing those of the meaner sort, Tradesmen and Artificers even to the deep impoverishing of many thousands of them, and so afflicting and troubling others with threats and expensive suits, that great numbers, to avoid these miseries and mischievous molestations departed out of the Kingdom, some into Holland, some into New-England and other desert and uninhabited parts of America, thereby exposing themselves, their wives, children and estates to the great danger of winds and waves by Sea, and many other inevitable hazards by Land. Those only were held fittest for preferments, at home, and obtained them soonest who were most officious and sedulous to promote and propagate idolatry, superstition, innovations and profaneness, and were most violent and virulent sons of Belial in railing against and reviling godliness and honesty.

Now, all this while, also, the most public and solemn sermons at Court before the King, were nothing else, for the most part, but either to advance the Kings prerogative above Laws, and to beat-down the Subjects just propriety in their estate and goods, or full of such like frothy kind of invectives, the only way (in those days) to get fat morsels, rich benefices, and Ecclesiastical preferments (the only-prey they sought after) And thus also laboring (as the second main part of their play) to make those men odious to the King and State, who conscientiously sought to maintain Religion, Laws and liberties of the Kingdom; and such men were sure (still) to be wrung and wrested out of their livings, if Ministers; And out of the Commission of peace, if of the gentrie, and all other places of employment and power in the government of the Common-wealth. Yea and those few godly and religious Noble personages, which were of the privy-Council, though Counselors in name, yet not in power or authority, only used at the Council▪board to execute and countenance, not to debate and deliberate-on their State resolutions; nay, so far from being employed in any place of trust and power that they were utterly neglected, discountenanced, and on all occasions injured and oppressed by the rest of the contrary faction; which now was grown to that heighth and entireness of power, that now they began to think-on the complete catastrophe and consummating of the whole work, to their hearts desire, which stood on these three parts or pillars of confusion.

First, that the Government must be arbitrary, set free from all limits of Law, both concerning persons and estates. Secondly, [ 1] that there must be an union and conformity between Papists [ 2] and Protestants, both in doctrine, discipline and ceremonies, only it must not (yet) be called or counted Popery. Thirdly, Puritans [ 3] (under which name all that were zealous for the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom, and for the maintenance of Religion, in the power of it, were included) must be either rooted out of the Realm, by force, or driven away by fear: And thus now at last we have the full dimensions, every way, of this pestilent and most pernicious plot.

And could they possibly have digged deeper? or in human apprehension and contrivement have founded it firmlier? Whatsoever worldly wit and wealth could do, whatsoever carnal craft, power and policy could effect was wholly for them with full and copious concurrence, they now seemed to carry all irresistibly before them. And now nothing was wanting fully to finish the work, no stone unturned, no Remora to be removed, save only one; In which, God gave them the lie to their teeth, according to that of the Psalmist: Surely, men of low degree are vanity, and m • n of high degree are a lie, and both to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity itself. Such vanity, yea such lying-vanity these great-ones in their supercilious highbuilt hopes and bigg-swoln timpanie of ambition, pride and perfidy, began to be now rendered by the wisdom and mercy of our good God. This one rub, I say, now to be removed, proved the main break-neck of their whole design, and makes way for mine also, which is, to let you and all the world see moss clearly how heaven made these impious plotters fall by their own folly and madness, by their own creft crest all their secret counsels and confederacies, and made their own invented mischief work-out their own miseries. According to that of the sween Singer of Israel, most pertinent to this purpose. Behold he travelled with iniquity, hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and delved it, and is fallen into the ditch, which he made for others, his mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall fall upon his own pate; Whiles God's dear Saints of England and Scotland escaped as birds out of the snare of those Fowlers, and by God's free grace and rich mercy found full and fair deliverance. Which, I say, is the main scope and principal aim of this our present history. For now, as they verily believed, they had made England their absolute-asse to bear all their back, yea, soul-breaking burdens: So that they thought it most fit, now, in the last place, to reduce Scotland to such Romish-harmony and conformity to embrace those Popish superstitions and innovations as might make them apt to join with England in that great change which they intended; for, as for Ireland, they were sure enough to prevail there at their pleasure, as tis too well known to us all, and to themselves also by their late bloody experience, which had been much more, had not God crossed their plot (there) also, and enabled us to help them.

Whereupon our Church-Canons and a new-minted Liturgy (not the very same which is used with us in England, which, with our vestures, gestures, and superstitious service-ceremonies, had been abundantly enough to have vext them; but with most pestilent Popish-additionals and unsufferable new inventions of the Arch-prelate of Canterbury, or some of his Romish-factors framing, put in, over and above ours▪ to make them stark mad, (as it were) must be sent unto them, and most violently obtruded on them; Both which, they instantly and stiffly opposed, especially when they considered and called to mind those three rare gentlemen (as some imminent Scots have acknowledged) who▪ had been so lately and barbarously abused on pillories in England (but the 30 ^th . of June before; and this attempt on them, was in August immediately following) for opposing and writing against those and such like Romish fopperies; their women in Scotland being the first and forwardest stoutly to resist such an uncouth and strange imposition on them. Where, by the way, let me desire the godly Reader not to pass over this remarkable passage slightly, as a trivial thing. For, though this child of hope was, now, but in the embrio and unpolisht conception, and as yet had no strength at all to bring forth a perfect birth of deliverance to them or us in the eye of the world▪ yet let us remember what a notable caution the Prophet gives us. Despise not the day of small things. For, they shall rejoice, and shall see the plumet in the hand of Zerubbabel, with those seven eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth. Now the women having thus begun to oppose this new English-Romish Pope an Archbishop of Scotland appointed (as they called it) to read and publish it in his fine linen Ephod, and other Popish-Pontificalibus, were seconded by the men, between whom was a huge hubbub made in the Church at the bringing in of the new Liturgy or Service-book, which they, I say, thus utterly rejected and cast out from amongst them; and upon this first and small rising, like the cloud (at first) no broader than a hand, it quickly grew so big that the whole Land was over-spread with it, the Kingdom in general being highly incensed also against it did utterly refuse to admit it among them. Whereupon, foul calumnies and scoffs were cast upon them in England, yea a Proclamation read in all Churches, calling and counting them Rebels and Traitors for thus resisting our Prelates most injurious impositions on them; and an Army was speedily raised at the Prelates instigation to enforce them by fierce compulsi •• to obedience, and to take that yoke on their necks; for the advancing of which said army, our Prelates with the rotten-hearted Clergy and Papists were most free and forward with libe • all contributions.

The noble and valiant Scots were thereupon contstrain • to do the like, in their own just defense. But, when both Armies were met▪ and ready for a bloody encounter, God who hath the hearts of Kings in his hands, by the honest and wholesome counsel of his Nobility, so wrought on the heart of our King, that (maugre all the pr • gging malice of the malignant-party, then, about him) a fair and friendly Pacification was speedily agreed on, and the King returned to London with much honor to himself and sweet content to all, but those that wisht to have ruinated all. And now, tell me, did not God (here) begin to be seen in the Mount for our deliverance, in thus at the very f • rst on-set of their devilish design stopping the intended current of Christian-bloodshed. And as the holy Prophet David sweetly, The Lord bringeth the counsel of the wicked to noug •• , and ma • es their devises of none effect. But the counsels of the Lord stand fast forever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed therefore is the Nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.

This unexpected reconciliation was, I say, most welcome and acceptable to all the Kingdom except the malignant party, who like envious elves gnashed their teeth, and with malice gnawed rancorously on their own hearts, and therefore began again to spit yet more envy and spite out of their mischievous mouths against the Scots and this happy peace; especially William Laud the Arch-Prelate of Canterbury, and the Earl of Straford, the two monstrous heads of their faithless faction, who I say, began again mightily to malign and bitterly to inveigh against the peace, and to aggravate matters and exasperate the Kings wrath against the proceedings of those Peers that promoved it, making his Majesty believe that it was a very dishonorable peace, and disgraceful to the Kingdom, insomuch that the King forthwith prepared again for war with them. And such was their confidence or rather immarbled impudence, that having (by all means fore-mentioned) corrupted and distempered (at least as they thought) the whole frame and government of the Kingdom, they now also hoped to corrupt that f •••• tain which was the only means (under God) to restore all to a right fram • and temper again, a Parliament; to which end, they persuaded his Majesty to call one, but not to seek counsel • of them, but to draw countenance and supply from them, and to engage the whole Kingdom in their wicked quarrel, and so to make the mischief and mis • rie too, National. In which mean time they continued all their unjust levies of money▪ resolving either to make the Parliament pliant to their will, and (as the Prophet said of the wicked in his days) to establish mischief by a law; or else to break it up again at their pleasure, and to shift otherwise▪ as well as they could by colorable violence (as formerly) to go-on to take what might not be had with consent. Now the ground alleged for the justification of this war was this, namely, the undutiful demands of the Scots in their Parliament, which they conceived was cause enough for his Majesty to war against them without once hearing their justification of those their demands: and so thereupon a new Army was mustered and prepared against them, their ships were seized on in all Ports and parts of our Kingdom, and of Ireland also, their Petitions rejected, and their Commissioners refused audience: In sum, the whole Kingdom was thus miserably distracted and distempered with leavies of money, and imprisonment of those who denied to submit and crouch to those Leavies. In which interim, the Earl of Strafford posted into Ireland, called a Parliament there, out of hand quickly caused them to declare against the Scots, and to grant four Subsidies toward the war, yea and to engage themselves, their lives and fortunes for the prosecution of it to the utmost of their power, and to give direction for an Army of 8000. foot, and 1000 horse, to be immediately mustered up, which were all for the most part, Papists. O Ireland, Ireland, even this very deed of thine (above all thy other high provocations of general profaneness, and especially of complacency with base idolatrous Papists all over thy Kingdom) in thus obliging thy Self in such a most unjust war against thine honest and harmless Brethren of Scotland, hath, I am confidently persuaded, most unhappily plunged thee into that most lamentable plight of blood and misery which now of late thou hast grievously found and felt to thy unspeakable and unparalleled sorrow and smart, and hath made thee such a deplorable prey to their most barbarous mawes and bloody teeth of those Popish-rebels, or rather, inhumane Caniballs and unnatural Vipers, whom thou so lately so lovingly (yet most irrelegiously) didst nourish and cherish, as so many venomous Snakes in thy bosom (And I pray God this be not too frequent a fault among us in England, namely, to embrace in the arms of our foolish love, a Papist as equally as a Protestant) to this thy utter and inevitable destruction, had not the Lord in wonderful free mercy and favor prevented it in preserving Dublin.

The Earl of Straford having thus acted Sinons part in Ireland, to his most wicked hearts content, triumphing in his treachery; with more haste than good speed, returned to England, where this most subtle Sinon, or rather scelerous Simeon, and Laud, his lewd brother, Levi, right brothers in iniquity, together with the rest of that pernicious party (at our Parliament in England, which began, April, 13 ^th , 1640.) had so prevailed with his Majesty, that the said Parliament was most urgently incited and stimulated to yield supply toward the maintenance of this war with Scotland, and that, before there was any provision for the relief of those great pressures and groaning grievances of the people, as have been fore-mentioned. But, by God's overswaying power and good providence (before any such thing could be to the purpose debated or resolved on) base fears and jealousies preocupating the hearts of the malignant party, they suddenly and scelerously advised the King by all means to break-off thus Parliament also, and to return to their former ways of waste and confusion, in which they hoped their own evil intentions were most like to proceed and prosper. But here, by the way, take along with thee, good Reader, this note or observation on these premises, namely, that, had our Parliament afforded the least supply to that wicked war, yea though but one 6. d▪ with their consent, they had made the quarrel National, and thereby the plague and punishment of such a great sin, most justly Epid • micall. Take this, then, O England, as no small mercy from thy gracious God, who thus mercifully freed thee from such a Land-devouring sin and heinous provocation as Ireland does woefully witness it.

Now that Parliament thus fruitlessly ended, they again fell to their former tyrannical practices and squeezing course of enforcing supplies out of the people's estates, by the Kings own power and prerogative, at his own will, and without their consent; yea the very next day after the dissolution of that Parliament, some eminent Members of both Houses had their Chambers and Studies, yea their Cabinets and very pockets of their wearing clothes searched for Letters and writings, another of them, not long after close-imprisoned for not delivering to them some Petitions, which he received by authority of that House in time of Parliament. A false and scandalous Declaration was then published against the House of Commons in the Kings name, which yet (by God's mercy) took no effect in the hearts of the people, but contrariwise made the impudency of the suspected authors of it more odious to them. A forced loan of money was then attempted in the City of London, to be made a president (if it prevailed) for the whole Kingdom; but some Aldermen refusing it, were sorely thr • atned and committed to prison. About which time there fell out a mighty and tumultuous rising of Apprentis • s and young-men in Southwark and Lambeth side, with clubs and other such weapons, especially at the Arch-prelates house in Lambeth, which put him into such a fright and perplexity, as made him hide his head and fly from place to place, from Lambeth to Croydon, and from Croydon to convey himself to some more private and remote hiding place for fear of their fu • y; So that we might have said of him as the Prophet Jeremiah did of Pashur that false prophet, (Jer. 20. 3.) The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor-missabib; even fear, and terror and trembling round about thee. Which (as 'twas probably believed) was the cause that the farther and more furious execution of their violent courses to get money from the Subject was not prosecuted. Now, though Pharaoh's Magicians were so wise and honest, that at the sight of the dust of the earth turned into 〈◊〉 they cried out it was the finger of God: yet this lofty Levite of Canterburies heart was as hard as Pharaoh's himself, and would not, with any remorse or penitency of spirit, acknowledge the hand of God against him, but, (just like Pharaoh, (I say) grew more and more out-rageous hereby. For, in all this interim, he and the rest of the Bishops and Clergy cont • nued their Convocation (though the Parliament was dissolved) and by a new-Commission, turned it into a Provincial-Synod, in which they audaciously contrived new Canons containing many matters contrary to the Kings prerogative (which they so deceitfully pretend to uphold) the fundamental Laws of the Realm, Parliament privileges, and Subjects liberties, and mainly tending to dangerous sedition, upholding their unjust usurpations, and as impudently as impiously justifying their Popish innovations, idolatries, and superstitious worship of God. Among which their accursed Canons they had forged a new and strange Oath for the establishing of their Antichristian tyranny, with a most prodigious and monstrous Et caetera, in it, thereby to have deeply ensnared and grossly abused both Ecclesiastics and Laymen, as they distinguish them. Which Oath for its craft and labyrinthick intricacie, and no less hellish cruelty so to captivate men's consciences, I have thought fit here to insert.

Which Oath, whosoever refused to take must be most severely punished with suspensions, deprivations, and excommunications, or forced by other vexations to fly out of the Land, that so the Kingdom being cleared of these squemish and nice-conscienced fellows, (as they call and count tender conscienc'd men) a fairer and wider way might be made for the advancing of that grand • sign, namely, the Reconciliation of our English Church to the Church of Rome.

Now, here (me thinks) I cannot pretermit to let the Reader see and take notice, how properly this plot of theirs may be paralleled with that of Pharaoh against the Israelites in Egypt, who though kept-under with great and grievous thralldom and most heavy burdens; yet grew to such a numerous multitude, that Pharaoh, being afraid of their number and still-increasing strength, spake thus to his Lord's and Counselors. Come-on, my Lord's, let us deal wisely, and endeavor timely to cure this growing Gangrene, let's keep the children of Israel under with vehement vexations, and destroy all their male children in their birth, lest they grow too strong for us, and either forcibly get from us, or join in battle with our enemies against us: But God crossed this his craft and cruelty, and made this very plot of theirs the ground-work of the greatest harm even to their whole land, by Moses preservation, whom God used as the main instrument of the Egyptians destruction. Thus, even thus, I say, it fared with our Prelates and Pontificians, who, by reason of our Scottish br • threns expulsion of their pernicious Prelates out of Scotland, not unjustly fearing that the English Puritans would endeavor the like supplantation of their English hierarchy, by the Scots example; Come, therefore (says the Archbishop of Canterbury to his Pontifician crew) let us now deal wisely, lest too late we repent it, let us cur • the courage of that increasing Puritanical-sect which so hates our apostolical-Prelacie, let us vex and perplex them with the heavy and hard loads of cer • monies, superstitious innovations and new-east Canons with an &c. Oath (right muddy▪bricks, straw and stable of Romish Egypt) which, I hope shall prove the very Quintessence of all our former plots and projects, and the only way to fix ourselves fast, and rivet ourselves so firmly into the apos • olicall chair of this Kingdom (by swearing the Puritans, both Clergy and Laics to our Ecclesiastical jurisdiction) as that no power either of Prince or Parliament shall ever be able to set us, hereafter, beside the sadle. But, see, I pray, how the Lord's overpowering wisdom and goodness defeated their so high-built hopes, crossed this their deep craft, and made this Oath and book of Canons the ground of their greatest overthrow. So that all that see with the right-eye of a true understanding, may justly say with Jethro, Moses father in law. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all (Rome's idol-) gods, for, in the (very) thing wherein they deal • proudly, the Lord was above them. For, after this, their courage began to quail (for this present Parliament was resolved on, shortly after those Canons and Oath were made) their projects prospered not, all their devis • s were on the declining hand, God's vindicative indignation continually prosecuting them to their shame and (I hope) to the utter ruin of their most insolent and unsufferable Antichristian tyranny, as the sequill shall manifestly make clear, in the description of our deliverances, whereunto I mainly address my thoughts and intention. Now for the yet more absolute furthering of their most p • stiferous projects, they (in that Synod) laid great taxations on the whole Cl • rgie, as namely, 6. Subsidies, besides a bountiful contribution to forward the intended war against Scotland, to which, they all (of the pontifician and scandalous rout especially) shown themselves, generally, very free and affectionate, and which war, some of them, in their mad and hair-braind zeal, were not ashamed to style and entitle, the Bishops War; yea, a solemn prayer was composed and enjoined by the Bishops, to be used in all Churches, calling the Scots Rebels in it, thus, as much as in them lay, to embrew both Nations in blood, and to make the wrath and fury between them irreconcilible. And here, now, the Reader must be pleased to take notice, that the Army was now going forward for York; and therefore we may (here) not unfitly observe (as a first demonstration of God's beginning to cross & countercheck their malevolent machinations) how the soldiers, which were pressed and now passing forward to York, did most strangely and uncontroulably turn rude-reformers, as they marched through the Countries, forcibly intruding and getting into Churches, and there, irresistibly, pulling-down altar-rails, turning altars into Communion-Table postures, making inquiry, in the Towns where they came, how the Ministers carried themselves in their pastoral charges: if godly and diligent Preachers, they reverendly and respectively used them; but, if Rome's Minions (I mean Arminians) superstitious lazy drones, rotten-hearted Baals priests, or covetous pluralists, where-ere they came and found such, they vexed, derided, and most contemptuously used them, utterly disdaining also and refusing to be ordered or commanded by popish-Leaders. Now although I do not, I may not justify these their mis-carriages, yet, who can deny a special hand of divine providence taking most high displeasure and just offense against our Prelates and Pontificians former violent and furious practices, and beginning thus at the very first on-set in this their great design, to blast their bloody intentions. And, certainly, if prudent Deborah did curse Meros, justly, and the inhabitants thereof, with bitter curses, because they went not out to help the Lord against the mighty: What bitter curses, think we, then shall fall upon those who most affectionately afforded strong aid to mighty and most malicious Popish enemies, against the Lord and his dear saints and servants? Even so, O Lord, (as she goes on) let all thine enemies perish, but let those that love thee, be as the bright and glorious sun when he goeth forth in his resplendent might. But, to go forward. At this time also the Popish faction enjoyed such exemptions and exceptions against the penal Laws of the Land, as amounted very near to a full toleration of their religion; Besides many other favors and Court-encouragements. They had a Secretary of State, Sir Francis Windibank a powerful ag • nt for the expediting of all the Papists desires; a Popes Nuncio. residing here to act and govern them according to Rome's influences, and to mediate for them, with the concurrence of foreign Popish Princes. By this Nuncio's authority, the Papists of all sorts, Nobility, Gentry and Clergy were convocated after the manner of a private Parliament, new Popish jurisdiction erected of Romish Archbishops, taxes leavied, a new government of State contrived independent to ours; yea contrary to ours both in interest and affection, secretly corrupting the ignorant or negligent professors of our religion, and closely combining and uniting themselves against such as were sound professors, and in this posture only watching and waiting for an opportunity by force to destroy those whom by fear or fraud they were hopeless to seduce. For the full effecting whereof, they were strongly strengthened with all kind of war-like ammunition, encouraged by Popish prayers weekly enjoined by their Nuncio; and such power had they then procured at Court, that secretly a Commission was issued out, intended for some great Ones of the Popish profession both for leavying and martial command of Soldiers according to those private instructions. His Majesty's treasure also was extremely exhausted and consumed, his revenues anticipated, his Servants and Officers compelled to lend him great sums of money, multitudes tired with attendance on the Council-Table for refusal of illegal payments, prisons were filled with their commitments, and many Sheriffs summoned into the Star-chamber, and some imprisoned for not being quick enough in leavying the Ship-money, and generally all the people, over the whole Kingdom, languished twixt grief and fear of the issue of these strong and strange snares and entanglements, no visible sign, nor hope of human help being left us, but in dolour and desperation.

And was not England, now, brought into a Mount of straits indeed? Could hell itself or the fiercest fiends and furies the rein have hatched a more horrid and hideous contrivement, and that under a colorable pretence of law and right, forsooth, and royallprerogative? Were not these like to prove rare Common-wealthsmen and States-men, who, as the Prophet David complains, (and as touched before) would establish and set up wickedness by a Law? Yea, these were truly, Those many fishers, which the Lord threatens to send against his sinning people to fish them, and many hunters to hunt them. Yea, I say, those most nefarious Nimrods, those mighty hunters, even most audaciously before the Lord, who, to raise-up and erect this their Babel of confusion, hunted not beasts, but the best of men, not for recreation, but for rapine and the utter ruin of true Religion. Wherefore, now at last, the Lord our great Jehovah, whose eyes run to and fro, through-out the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him; hearing the groans and crying prayers of his poor afflicted people, to whose throne of grace and mercy they now made their only earnest addresses and pressing approaches; who, I say, being a God hearing prayers, pardoning sins and a present help in greatest straits and distresses, gives them a gracious return, bids them be of good comfort, and fearless, yea bids them stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show them. For, to me (saith the Lord) belongeth vengeance and recompense; your enemies foot shall slip, in due time▪ for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the the things that shall come upon them do make haste. For the Lord will judge his own people, and repent himself for his servants injuries, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none else to help. I am therefore graciously resolved (says our God) to make England a School of mercies, and to set it in the highest form thereof, yea and to make it the captain of the School, and thereby intend to set him one-lesson to get by heart, even a lesson of true gratitude and holy obedience, for the mercies which now I intend to show and bestow upon it. Such mercies indeed (good Reader) as thou shalt now see, and (to thy souls admiration and comfortable contemplation) behold, that had I as many tongues, hands and p • ns, as I have hairs on my head, and exquisite dexterity fitly to manage and make use of them all, they would not suffice to set out the praises of our good God for them, being indeed such mercies, as none but God himself could (miraculously) conser upon us, by such a mighty and admirably strange overture and turn of things, which God now began to work by this Parliament, and all for the better, yea more and more admirable mercies to us within these two years than hath been bestowed on others in many ages. Which now by God's gracious assistance, I shall abundantly make most clear and conspicuous, to the high honor and glory of God, and the unspeakable consolation and joy of his saints and holy ones.

For, now, behold, the Lord began to open the eyes and to touch the hearts of our Nobles, now at York, with the King, and to make them weary of their too-long silence and patience (if I may so call it and to lay to heart the Kingdoms great distractions and deep distempers, to be thereupon impatient of any longer delays, and very sensible of the duty and trust which belongs to them; some, therefore, of the most eminent of them adventured to petition the King (who being, now, at York, had there advanced his royal Standard, and gathered thither the cream of the whole Kingdom) yea and at such a time too, when as ill Counselors were so powerful and prevalent with his Majesty, that they had reason to expect more hazard to themselves, than fair and facile redresses of those palpable and public evils for which they then interceded. At which time, also, of this Kingdoms deadly burning-fever or violently shaking-ague of intestine miseries and oppr ssions, the Scots having been long time restrained in their trades, impoverished by loss of many of their ships and goods, bereaved of all possibility of satisfying his Majesty by any naked Supplication, wherein they had been long time tired, and even quite wearied-out, being as frequently as fruitlessly denied their desires, and now at last (to shut-up quite all doors of hope from them an army marching to the gates of their Kingdom to force them to slavish subjection and obedience. They, hereupon, resolving to stand on their most just defense, and with their swords (since words would not prevail) to make their own passage, for audience, to the King; with a strong army (as their last remedy) of Saints rather than Soldiers entered the Kingdom, and without any hostile act or spoil in the country, as they passed save only (being affronted by some of the Kings army) to force their passage over the Tyne at Newburn, near Newcastle, and had a fair opportunity to press on further upon the Kings army, out that duty and reverence to his Majesty, and brotherly love and true Christian affection to our English Nation (according to the tenor of a most excellent Declaration, printed and dispersed over the Kingdom, immediately upon their entering the Realm, entitled, The Scots mind and intention with their Army; which gave great satisfaction therein) made them stay there, piously and patiently, as loving friends, not foes, voluntarily to wait and supplicate again to his Majesty at York, for justice in their innocent cause against their wicked enemies: Whereby the King had the better leisure to entertain better Counsel, according to those Noble Peers Petition also, fore-mentioned, wherein the Lord our God so blessed him, that he summoned a great Council of Peers▪ then at York, to meet together with him, on Sept. 24, 1640. The Scots hereupon, the first day of the great Council presented another most humble petition to his Majesty, whereupon a treaty was appointed at Rippon, in which, things were so wisely and worthily agitated by the Commissioners on both sides, and in all that interim, a sweet cessation of Arms agreed upon, that at last, it was resolved that the full conclusion of all differences between is and the Scots should be referred to the wisdom and care of a Parliament declared to begin, Novemb. 3 ^d , then next ensuing, as the sole means (under heaven) to cure all these foresaid maladies, and to recover the Kingdom of its heart▪sick diseases and (otherwise incurable) mortal wounds, and to settle the State of things (which (otherwise) seemed insuperable) into a right frame and posture. For, as hath been abundantly manifested, all things were so out of joint, the King and whole Kingdom brought to such exigence and precipitating sad and bad issues, that had not God thus timeously struck in, and thus necessitated this Parliament, England (undoubtedly) had been made, long ere this, a confused Chaos of confusion, a gastly Golgotha, and a most foul field of Blood, and posterity might have sighi • gly sobd▪out (not sung) of it. Ah, England, England, once called Albion, for thy white rocks, now too justly mayest be called Olbion, for thy black deformity of destruction and desolation! O London, famous London, England's (once) glorious Troynovant, now become a desolate wilderness, the plowma • s fallow-plains or vast fields of corn; or, as the Prophet Jeremiah, by his Jerusalem▪ might most properly have painted thee out also, as in the 1▪ of his Lamentations. But, now, behold, thy God is come unto thee, is now seen, yea, now, I say, if ever in the Mount of Mercies for thy admirable deliverance from this most profound abyss of deepest danger, in this mighty mercy of th • Lord to thee but new-now poor gasping-England, in that the English and Scottish-armies should lie so near each other in a martial manner, and yet seem Both to shake hands together, should only look one another in the face, and not embrue their hands in the blood of each other, but sit still, rest together in peace, and at length part (as they did) like good friends. O who can forbear, but in a transcendent rapture of joy and gratitude, break-out, with holy David, and say, or rather cheerfully sing; Ascribe unto the Lord worship and honor, ascribe unto the Lord the glory of his name. Sing unto God ye Kingdoms of the earth, O sing praises unto our God. Who maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth, who breaks the bow, and cuts the spear in sunder, and burns the chariots in the fire. Who daily loadeth us with his benefits, and is the only God of our salvation. Who infatuates the wisdom of the wise and prudent, and makes the counsels of Princes to come to naught. But, now, to proceed where I left; A Parliament was (I say) appointed to begin, Novem. the third, a Parliament said I? (strange word) what? a Parliament? why, who durst (once) be so bold, as only to whisper his desires of a Parliament? who (once) durst mutter, much less utter-out such a word, A Parliament in England, again? Yet, thus it was, yea and thus timely too yea and such a Parliament too, as this Kingdom never saw • he like, for length and strength of goodness, for Church and State; to God's due glory and everlasting praise be it spoken. Certainly (then) if ever, now was our God gloriously seen in the Mount of Merci s for England's greatest good and hoped happiness.

But now see again▪ (as I premised at the beginning) the serpentine-seed, Satan's agents, must be still working and plotting against all the springing hopes and budding comforts of God's people, if it were possible to blast them in the blossoms. For, now, since they saw to their secret sorrow, a Parliament must needs be, & this omen also unavoidable, all their crafty pates were contriving and casting about how to stifle this conception of comfort in the very womb. For, the malignant party spying well that they could not (as I said) put off the Parliament, they therefore cunningly and closely endeavor by their Courtly agents to have such Members of it chosen in every Corporation, City, and Shire as might only advance their mischievous Machinations and base designs in Parliament. They, therefore, procure the Kings and Queens Letters to Counties and Shires, get both Earls, Lord's, Knights and Gentlemen to ride in person and rove up and down to all parts and places of the Kingdom to make parties for them in choice of such as they should nominate. Yet, see again, on the other side how the Lord counter-plotted and infatuated all their craft, care, and industry therein; for, notwithstanding all their cost and coyl, all their running and riding, God, I say, frustrated their impious expectation, in most places. The Lord, who holds the hearts of all men in his hands, caused the willing people from all parts, spontaneously to flock and assemble together like such unheard of numerous swarms of bees of all requisite sorts and qualities, with most unbended courage and irrefragable resolutions to choose-out and select, such pious, prudent and every way accomplisht Worthies for this high and honorable work, as are most hopeful, by God's gracious support and assistance to strike the stroke of a most blessed and long looked for, yea longed-for happy Reformation; yea, I say, making up such a blessed College of Physicians, as are likely (by God's benediction on them and protection over them) to cure the (else) almost cureless maladies and infirmities of Church and State, which were ready to sink into the inevitable gulf of woe and wretchedness, and to drink the last draft of deadly destruction.

O, who can pass-by such a remarkable passage of God's admirable providence, surpassing admiration in this special piece of comfort to us! yea, I may justly say, this master-piece of the whole ensuing frame of all our succeeding parliamentarie-rejoicings? and not cry-out with most emphatical cheerfulness, with holy Moses, Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like unto thee? glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. And with the sweet Psalmograph, holy David, The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord, thy faithfulness, also, in the assembly of Saints. For, who in heaven can be compared to the Lord? Who, among the sons of the mighty can be likened to our God? Now, at the first sitting and meeting of this blessed Parliament, though all oppositions seemed to vanish, the fore-mentioned mischiefs of the malignant party being so evident (which their accursed counsels and co-operations produced) that no man durst stand-up to defend them: yet, the whole work itself afforded difficulty enough, if you cast your eyes on these particulars. First, the multiplied evils and long-rooted corruptions of 16. years growth, [ 1] at least, by custom and authority of the concurrent interest of many powerful delinquents who were, now, to be brought to [ 2] judgment and reformation. Secondly, the Kings household was to be provided for; for, they had brought him to that want that he could not supply his mere ordinary and necessary expenses [ 3] without the assistance of his people. Thirdly, two armies were then to be paid, which amounted very near to 80 thousand pounds a month, and yet the people over the Kingdom must be tenderly charged, having been formerly miserably exhausted [ 4] with many burthensome projects. Fourthly, the contra • ieties they met with, in all these, were very incompatible, which yet in a great measure they calmly reconciled; these difficulties therefore, seemed to be invincible, yet by God's good providence, and these most renowned Worthies indefatigable care and diligence, they comfortably over▪came them At the beginning of the Parliament, six Subsidies were freely granted, together with the passing of a Bill of Pole-money, for speedy supply of present occasions, which could not amount to less than 600000. l. besides the said six Subsidies. Yea, these prudent patriots contracted that great arrere-of charges due to our faithful brethren of Scotland, to 220 thousand pounds. And notwithstanding all these most urgent and inevitable charges and pressing occasions▪ the Lord so blessed the proceedings of this precious Parliament, that the kingdom is for the present, and will be much more for the future, by God's mercy, a great gainer by all those charges, as will evidently appear by the subsequent cloud of witnesses, the many remarkable parliamentarie mercies, which our great Jehovah hath graciously strewed into our happy laps and bosoms by them. And this is here the rathe touched and mentioned to stop the mouths of those repining envious elves of ingratitude, who notwithstanding these so conspicuous, and egregious restimonies of these ever to be honored Worthies most impregnable pains and industry, yet would fain fasten their fangs of calumny and detraction on their most honorable actions and proceedings, which even their inf • rnall black-mouthed mother Envy herself, cannot but (though contrary to her nature) most justly commend. As, first, that uncouth and (till of late) unheard of heavy taxation of Ship-money, by this Parliament abolished, which drained from the Kingdom above 200 thousand pounds a year. Coat and Conduct-money taken away from unjustly troubling the Subject, which in many countries amounted to little less than Ship-money. That scouring project of New-sope also overthrown which brought an hundredth thousand pounds a year into private proiectors purses. That soaking plot also on Wine, which amounted to above three hundred thousand pound. And that of Leather, which rightly computed could not choose but exceed both those former, put together, this is also annihilated. Yea, that unseasonable (and indeed unreasonable) patent for Salt pulled out of their enhansing hands, which could not but countervail in value, that of Leather Besides many other Statestarving Monopolies, whereof some (as hath been seen in those fore-mentioned) prejudiced the Kingdom above a Million of money yearly; all quite suppressed by this renowned Parliament, which formerly, like so many greedily gaping graves or insatiable horsleaches were continually crying-out, Give, Give, and restlessly sucking-out the vital spirits of the State, and pitifully debilitating, thereby, the nerves and ligaments of the whole Commonwealth.

But, that which was far more worth than all those fore-said great benefits, which, indeed was the very root and rice of all those and such like taxations and vexations, is also, by power of this Parliament, quite taken away, viz. the Arbitrarie power pretended to be in his Majesty to tax his subjects, and charge their estates at his pleasure, without consent of his Parliament, which great and grievous yoke which extremely wrung our wronged necks, for the present, and would have done much more for the future, to our posterity) is now by this happy Parliament declared by Both-House s to be against Law, and is also ratified by an Act of Parliament. And was not Elohim our God all-sufficient, most gloriously seen here in the Mount for our large deliverance, from such and so many pinching straits and deep distresses as we were all brought▪ yea plunged into, as have been formerly most evidently and undeniably shewn? And, therefore, have we great cause, with that sweet singer of Israel to elevate his praises, herein, and to say, I will magnify thee, O my God and my King, and will bless thy Name forever and ever. Yea every day will I bless thee, and praise thy Name forever and ever. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is altogether unsearchable.

Yea, and that which is very remarkable, and no less extraordinary comfortable to God's children; How did the Lord (before this Parliament began, and hitherto ever since) stir-up and enflame the fire of supplicating faith or faithful supplication and fervent zeal in private humiliation to seek the Lord in the face of Christ for mercy and reconcilement to our poor Land and Nation, so as the like was never seen in this Kingdom before. And, O, what faith-confirming and heart-cheering rich returns of prayers hath the Lord our good God cast into our blessed bosoms, in both granting us the very things (yea and much more than) our hearts desired; and crossing ours and the Churches enemies both Papists and Prelates in their plots which we feared, yea and still making their own desperate devises to lite heaviest on their own heads, and their own impious inventions occasions to make them still sit-down by weeping-cross, and bear the greatest damage and condign detriment in themselves. Whence we may very well conclude with Manoah's wife, Samson's mother, against all false and faithless fears and jealousies (whereunto I perceive, even God's own dear people are too-much addicted) That if the Lord were pleased or had a purpose to kill (or destroy) us, he would not have received an oblation or sacrifice from us, neither would have shown us all these things, nor would (as at this time) have done all these great things and much more yet following for us; But if God had had no delight in us, but purposed to destroy us, and to deliver-up our Land and lives into Papists hands, and to make a prey of us and ours to them, he would not (surely) have suffered us or given us hearts to seek him in prayer and importunate petitions, and yet at last, have frustrated all our hopes and expectations: But contrariwise when God intended to destroy the children of Israel for their high provocations of the Lord's irreconcilable wrath, he flatly forbad the Prophet to pray for them: whereas on the other side, I say, our gracious God hath freely poured on us the spirit of grace and supplication; hath not only received sacrifices from our (though sinful) hands, but in Christ Jesus (his ever prevailing Blastus, nay rather ever most meritorious blessed Son) hath smelt a sweet savor in our sacrifices, as hath been already in part imparted to us, and made clearly obvious to our eyes and understanding, and comes now most copiously to be farther most fully demonstrated to us.

And, here, me thinks, tis not improper or impertinent to put the Reader in mind of one remarkable mercy of the Lord unto us, which though it be not (I confess) on all parts absolutely concluded on; yet for my part, I confidently believe (these plotting times and weighty circumstances considered and put together) I may justly enroll it in one of the chief places and number of our most famous parliamentarie deliverances, though I say it was and hath been covered and couched under fair machi • ilian vizards of other intentions▪ when they saw God had miraculously crossed and defeated their former strong expectation. For (unquestionably) the Popish and malignant party had deeply persuaded (if not assured) themselves that long ere this (especially about the time of this plot now to be mentioned) their desperate projects should have been brought to a high pitch, and that ere this time we and Scotland should have been deeply engaged in bloody broils, and been pell-mell together by the ears in the Northern parts of the Kingdom. The sly Fox of Spain therefore, must needs watch advantages on our home-bred and imbred distractions and uncivil-civil wars, thus to purchase to himself the long looked-for spoils and most precious prey of three fair Crowns, at once; To which purpose, upon traitorous instigation and intelligence too, no doubt, from some of his pensioners in the Court of England▪ he had made ready and set forth to Sea, a mighty Fleet of ships, a second great armado, well fraught and furnished with men and ammunition, and other instruments of wrath and fury for our certain perdition and designed destruction. Thus unsuspected and unexpected, they had smoothly and silently made their way into our narrow Seas, and lay hovering within sight of Dover, fearless (it seemed) of least resistance from us, if not hopeful of ample assistance to land their forces, and make our Land feel the fury of Spain's conquering arm. But, behold, as thus they lay about our coasts, and we (as it were) lay fast a sleep in this great danger, the God of our English-Israel, who never slumbers nor sleeps in the protection of his people, had his ever most vigilant and wakeful eye over us, even then, I say, when we were most supine and careless or fearless of any imminent disaster so near us, the Lord our God fought for us, yet without us, stopped this (otherwise) over-flowing inundation of misery and destruction, crossed and crushed their rotten-egg of windy hopes, by sending our honest old neighbors of Holland to confront them, though with but a very small Fleet (at the first) which afterward quickly increased, under the conduct and command of their heroical and most magnanimous Admiral Martin Tromp, whose honor and high renown, the trump of Fame shall most worthily sound out to posterity, and crown his temples with never withering-wreathes of laurell-branches, who had no sooner espied them, but most fiercely and furiously he set upon their whole formidable Spanish Fleet, gave them such battering broad sides, and such Canon-thundering and powder-roaring salutations as quickly pulled down their so late so lofty Spanish pride, and maugre all their espani • lized bravadoes, the utmost strength of their strongest vessels was so battered and bruis'd, their falsely supposed impenitrable ribs and big-swoln bellies so peir • 't and pestered, that they quickly queld their courage, fired, sunk and took many of their greatest ships, and dissipated and scattered the rest from our coasts, few of them escaping the heroic Hollanders martial violence, to our great (though unsensible yet unspeakable) comfort and security, we ourselves not having struck one streak in our own defense, nay tis well if we did not yield the Spaniards supply of powder and other necessaries (that time) to our own destruction, had not God thus strangely and strongly withstood it. Say, then (O England) did not Jehovah, our great Lord and God most apparently appear, now, in the Mount for thy mighty deliverance? did he not make good his word and promise by his holy Prophet. That no weapon forged against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that riseth against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. Certainly, if ever, at this time was this prophesy most exactly made good to England, and to our faithful brethren of Scotland. For, what sharp and death-wounding weapons have been forged against us, both abroad and at home? what slanderous tongues, have risen up in judgment, yea in most false judgment against both us and them, calling and counting God's beloved ones among us factious and seditious, and among our honest brethren of Scotland, traitors and rebels, as hath been formerly touched; but now we have seen, to the high honor of God and joy of our hearts, that none of their weapons have prospered against us; yea their slanderous tongues, which so falsely judged us and our beloved brethren, we have condemned to the clear eyes of all men, that willfully look not a squint on all just things.

For, hath not this our most noble and renowned Parliament, together with the Kings full content and consent therein, proclaimed our brethren of Scotland, the Kings most faithful and loyal Subjects? Confirmed a fair and full Pacification and union of firm love and mutual defense, twixt us and them and the Kingdom of Ireland with an Act of oblivion of all mistakes and misconceits on either side: all these, I say, ratified by a blessed Act of Parliament? Yea, and that which adds no small luster to it, that it hath hereby freed us from civil-wars, which of all wars are most uncivil, from intestine wars, wars that would have eaten-out our own bowels; from wars, I say, of Christians with Christians, yea of Protestants with Protestants, which of all wars could not but have been most fell and fatal. O who, then, can see these things, these miracles of mercies, without deep admiration and holy adoration of our great God? Who can forbear to break-out into cordial praises, to raise-up trophies of everlasting fame and honor to our great and glorious Lord and King? Who can choose but ingenuously acknowledge with holy David, That we got not these good things into our possession by our own sword, neither did our own arm save us: But thy right hand, O Lord, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a love unto us. Thou art our King, O command deliverance, still, to thy poor worm Jacob. For, through thee alone shall we pull-down our enemies, through thy Name only shall we tread them under that rise up against us. T •• thou O God that risest up in judgment to save all thy weak-ones on earth, turning the rage and fury of man into thy praise, and making the remainder of their wrath to obey thee.

A most remarkable mercy was it also, that the Lord put into the hearts of the renowned Scaligers of our corrupted times, for the better purifying not only of the conduit-pipes of Justice, to begin (as about this time) to put pious and noble Peers into places of honor, trust and power, that thus the stern of government may be the more happily steered with uprightness and impartialitie. To which purpose (as a main help thereto) they have most happily taken away that State-staggering Star-Chamber-Court; dissolved and dissipated into smoke▪ the crushing-Courts of the President and Council of the North▪ and limited and co fined the unlimited bounds of businesses at the Council-Table; but also to scour the muddy and even stinking channels of wrong and oppression, by easing the Common-wealth of those living-grievances thereof (a great advantage to the peace and tranquility of the State) I mean those evil Counsellers and Officers of State, who had been principal actors of all our foresaid miscries and mischiefs; making thereby (as it were) a plaster to heal the deadly wounds of Church and State, and most hopefully to recover the almost incurable diseases of the Kingdom, by a plaster, I say, of the blood of that insulting arch-traitor, the Earl of Straford, who as he had well-nigh stabd the State to the heart by his deep and most dangerous plots both abroad and at home: So the stroke of Justice retaliated with blood his most bold and bloody designs maugre all his slyest shufflings and crafty jeerings of the Law to have eluded it, and thereby hoping to have prevented the said just vengeance on him.

And here by the way, I desire the Reader to take notice of God's most equal and upright ways and dealings, with wicked, ungodly, and blood-thirsty men, how exactly he repayes the bloody plots and purposes of all proud and ambitious Haman's in their own coin; as, here, is most perspicuously seen in this our English-Haman, who in his heart had vowed the wrack▪ and ruin of all God's faithful ones in England, Scotland and Ireland, at the least. But we have happily seen this proud Haman, the first that felt the due stroke of justice, to the honor of God, and the terror of all such daring traitors. And as for the rest of that rabble, I may here take-up that of the holy Prophet David, How long will ye imagine mischief against men, ye shall be slain all the pack of you; for, as a bowing or tottering-wall shall ye be, and as a rotten fence. Tremble, therefore, at this, all ye perfidious conspiring Sh • ba's, and fear in time such just retaliation. Certainly, There is none like unto thee, O Lord, thou art great, and thy Name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of Nations, for, to thee it doth, indeed, appertain (to do justice, and take revenge) for as much as among all the wise men of the world, and in all their Kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

Now, this Remora thus happily (though very hardly) removed, this clinging-clyver (I mean the foresaid Earl of Straford) which was ready to over-top and choke the good corn of the Kingdom, thus blessedly eradicated; together with the impeachment and imprisonment of Judge Bartlet and divers other Judges and Bishops, twas most strange to say and see what a sudden and general serenity and calmness from late former fears and affrights shon upon the hearts and minds of most men a long time after, even all over the Kingdom. Especially, also, when that Lamb-skin'd Woolf the Arch-prelate of Canterbury, who had so long and so craftily and cruelly woorry • d Christ's innocent lambs, was also impeached of high treason, and thereupon forthwith, put into safe custody under the Black-rod, and afterward locked-up fast in the Tower of London, for his suture safe forthcoming, and thus all his former huge and hyperbolical puff of airy honor and false windy reputation among his clawing Pontificians, now at last tumbled into the dust, yea besmeard with the dirt of due disgrace, contempt, and ignominy. O then twas m • rry with harmless lambs when ravening wolves were shut up f • st, and lambs at liberty. As it is recorded to be the speech of that blessed Queen Elizabeth of ever-rarest memory, upon the Lord's delivering her from all her unjust, great troubles, by the happy decease of her fiery-Sister, Queen Marie, when the Romish bloody Bishops of her time were clapt-up into prison, in her stead, and she delivered from their devil • sh thralldom.

Yea, then, I say, the former thick-clouds and foggi • -mists of manifold fears began to be cleared, and the fair sunshine of cheerful hopes to arise in the hearts of God's people: and contrariwise, a stonishment and fear began to surprise the spirits of traitorous proiectors, especially at Court. For, much about these times, or not long before and after also, Sir John Finch, Secretary Windibank, Mr. Jermin, and since of late also, the bold and waspish young Lord Digbie, in the depth of the guilt of their consciences, being impeached also of high treason, trusting more to their heels celerity, than their hearts sincerity, which, it seems, was none at all, posted away in private like most unworthy fugitives, being thus spewed-out (as I may say) of their own native country like nauseous clods on the stomach of the State, which could not be at any ease or content till it had by some means disgorged them. Or rather, as it is reported of that hateful vermin Rats and Mice, who by instinct of nature, observing an old barn or rotten-house ready to fall or be pulled-down, they skip and scud and creep away, apace, to some more remote and secure place, thus to save themselves from that (otherwise) inevitable destruction: So, I say, did this traitorous vermin of our Kingdom, those devouring rats of rapine and mice of mischief, who would have gnawn and eaten into the bowels of Religion to the ruin of Church and State, finding the rotten-house of their long-plotted mischiefs ready to fall on their own heads, to their unavoidable destruction, thought it now h • gh time to skip and scud and run away for their lives, and to get themselves far enough beyond Sea, out of the reach of Justice strong and longreaching arm at home. By which means, namely, justice, thus cone on some of them, and the said stroke of justice, thus terrifying and affrighting others away out of the Kingdom; the Church and State are like, by God's mercy, to reap this double benefit, to wit, ease and freedom from fears for the present time, and also most hopeful long preservation for the time to come.

And was not here a rare parliamentarie mercy indeed, to the Kingdom? to be rid (any way) of such Catelines of their Country? And ought we not to be as thankful to our God for his privative, as positive favors toward us, as well for the absence of evil things, as the present possession of good things, as well to see God's enemies fly before us, as to see his faithful servants and dear saints returning-home unto us? Yes doubtless; and to triumph in their terror, and to laugh and rejoice when their fear comes upon them, yea, when it comes upon them like a fierce armedman. For, so says Solomon and the kingly Prophet David▪ When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. Yea, says he also, Certainly thou, O Lord, didst set them in slippery places, and thou castedst them down into destruction. O, how suddenly do they fall into desolation, and are utterly consumed with fear and terror! And then, he sweetly concludes fully to our purpose. The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance, he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily it is God that judgeth the earth.

Now, whereas for these many years, heretofore, the discontinuance and unhappy dissolution of Parliaments hath (most like the want of sovereign healing-salv • s to dangerous sores) occasioned extreme prejudice by long f • stering and p • stering enormities in Church and State, and mightily encouraged the audacious and most ungracious workers of iniquity through strong hopes (thereby) of impunity: Our good God hath by this blessed Parliament provided a cordial preservative and sovereign antidote against such future pestilential diseases and mortiferous growing gangrenes, namely, in that our renowned Worthies have by a firm Act of Parliament, settled a Trienniall-Parliament, to be for the time to come duly called among us. And yet farther; since the frequent and abrupt dissolution of Parliaments hath also been no small supportation to the wicked intentions of traitorous active spirits among us: It hath pleased the Lord to put into the hearts of the King and Parliament with an unanimous consent to pass a Bill for the most happy and blessed continuation of this present Parliament, so as that it shall neither be dissolved nor adiourned without the consent of both Houses. Which two Laws well and seriously considered, (especially the last of the two, the incomparable happiness whereof I am not able to relate for the present, but time to come may) may justly be thought more advantageous to the Kingdom than all the former, because they secure a full operation of present remedy, like a constant course of wholesome physic to a very crazy body full of increasing and growing infirmities, affording, I say, a perpetual spring of remedies to Church and Common-wealths future growing griefs and maladies. And, because (according to that old adagie) a threefold knot is not easily untied, or a three-fold cord, not easily broken; the more strongly to corroborate all our hopes and ensuing comfort • , and to make them as constant as cordial; see, how, yet farther it pleased the Lord our good God to enlarge his hand of bounty and benignity toward us, to leave no means unassayed that might conduce to a perfect cure; and therefore, I say, how he put into the hearts of our ever to be honored Worthies in Parliament, both Peers and Commons, seriously to consider how sick at the very heart the Commonwealth was, both Church and State; Religion panting by many fearful fainting-fits of a strong and violent Quotidian-Ague of Popery, Arminianism, and many Popish, apish innovations, mightily tending to idolatry, and superstition; and the State brought into a deep consumption, almost hopeless of remedy, by reason of those many and mischievous taxations and impositions most unjustly pressing and oppressing its strength and abilities, as hath been most abundantly set forth and shewn in our preceding descriptions of them. Therefore, I say, on judicious advise and premeditation of the condition of Both, our most noble College of expert Physicians, (by God's good providence) timely thought on an Aurum-potabile, a precious potion, a select electuari to recover its almost irrecoverable health and strength, a most pious and prudent Protestation, to be taken (next to the heart) all over the Kingdom to revi • their formerly fainting spirits, like pure Aqua-vitae, or most sovereign stomach-water to help us all against the future chilling and killing qualms of Popery and Oppression.

A Protestation, I say, most worthy to be taken by all honesthearted English Protestants, over the whole Kingdom; a Protestation, which I dare be bold to say and justify, none but hardened impious Papists, profane atheistical Libertines, or grossly ignorant asses, and carnal earth-worms only▪ can dare to be so graceless or else shameless, either directly to refuse or so much as dissemblingly to defer or neglect on any color of pretence whatsoever. And that ye may see the substance of what I say, herein, ratified by the Worthies of our Parliament, I thought fit to give you here their own Vote thereon.

Now then (good Reader) put all these last recited admirable mercies together, and tell me whether thou dost not most evidently see, and mayest not most freely and faithfully say that our great Jehovah hath most blessedly brought us out of the Mount of many mighty straits and been seen for our most happy deliverance from them all in the Mount of mercies? And seeing these so great and gracious mercies to so sinful and so undeserving a Nation and provoking people as we are, so ungrateful, so unfruitful; O who can forbear to break-forth in holy exultation to the high exaltation, by praises▪ of our good God, and with the pious Prophet David, that sugared singer of Israel, say and sing with the 〈◊〉 llifluous melody of a most grateful heart, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength, the Lord is my stony-rock▪ my fortress and my deli • rer, my God, my strength in whom I will trust; my buckler, the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. O how great is thy goodness, O Lord, which thou bast laid-up for them that fear thee, and which thou hast laid-out and wrought for them that trust in thee, even before the sons of men. O, therefore, love the Lord all ye his Saints, for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer, Yea, I say▪ wait on the Lord (therefore) and be of a good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart, wait, I say, on the Lord.

Thus have we seen what wonders God hath wrought for us, in the Commonwealth; he pleased now therefore to lengthen-out and lend me thy Christian patience, and I shall now also show thee how the Lord hath been as gloriously seen (if not much more) in the Mount of parliamentarie-mercies to his poor afflicted and affrighted Church among us; which yet, the Reader must be pleased to take notice, were intermixedly performed together with the most and first of those fore-mentioned in the Commonwealth, only I have ranckt them together for mine own better and more methodical handling of them.

About the beginning of this blessed Parliament, the Lord put into the hearts of our grave and godly parliamentarie Senators to act their first pious parts about reformation of Religion by a most diligent inquisition and search after oppressions and oppressors of the Church of God, and by their parliamentarie power to break and knock off the pushing horns of those fat bulls of Bashan, wherewith they had fiercely and furiously, yea and as it were even frantickly pushed at and almost goard to death the people of God: and first, upon the petitions of Mrs. Bastwick and Mrs. Burton, the pious, but (then) most disconsolate and too untimely widowed-wives of their thrice noble and heroic husbands, as also a petition exhibited in the behalf of most precious Mr. Prinne, that incomparable and rare pair-royal of most worthy witnesses of God's truth; the pious Parliament, like noble Ebed-melech, redeemed those just Jeremiah's of the Lord out of their (otherwise) perpetually captivating most remote and desolate dungeons▪ to the great joy and comfort of God's dear Saints; together with religious Dr. Laighton, a long and lamentable Sufferer for the great cause of Religion; as also, reverend and religious Mr. Smart, Mr. Walker, Mr. Foxley, and that undaunted picus young gentleman Mr. John Lilborn, and many others, all of them, immediately set at liberty on the exhibiting of their petitions to the Parliament, who had most of them been most unjustly and most injuriously clapt up in close imprisonment, some of them fast fettered in irons, all of them most grievously abused (by our fathers (forsooth) of the Church, as they will be most falsely termed) especially those three former most renowned suffering-worthies, whom these persecuting Prelates had even most barbarously, as it were, buried alive in most remote and remorseless (as they intended it) imprisonment from sight, much less society of any friends, yea utterly debarring their wives from coming to them, clean contrary to the Laws of God and Man; This, I say (to their everlasting shame and infamy) being perpetrated by those right terrible-Ones (indeed) mentioned by the Prophet Yea, those proud scorners, who watched for iniquity, to make a man an offender for a word, and laid snares for any that durst reprove in the gate, and turned aside the just for a thing of naught. But, whom now the Lord our God hath consumed and brought to naught, and by their own pernicious and crafty counsels, hath justly cut-off, and left in their own snare, which they had prepared for others, just according to that of wise King Solomon, The righteous is delivered out of troubles, and the wicked cometh in his stead. The Lord having most resplendently cleared the honor and integrity of all those his honorable suffering heroes, restoring them to comfort, credit, and high reputation, ever since their (as it were, princely and triumphant) return to London, and most sumptuous entertainment to all God's people, being brought home like three conquering Caesars on horsback. Even so as that we may say, and most justly declare before them, as king Ahasueros caused to be proclaimed before good Mordecai, when he so highly honored him in the very sight and presence of wicked Haman; Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honor. As it is most worthily and punctually related, at large, in their own most famous history of all their magnanimous sufferings and even Princelike restauration and return from their captivity to former freedom, penned by pious Mr Prinne himself, my ever much honored and most precious friend. And did not the Lord, here most strongly and strangely show himself in the Mount for the redemption of all these his beloved Isaac's from their unparalleled thralldom, and threatened utter ruin, and cause his wrath to lay hold on those Romish-Rams who were entangled in the bushes of their Bishoplyabuses to God's children, and so (by his admirable wise providence) to make them a prey to his just indignation instead of his innocent and tenderly affected Isaac's his beloved lambs? As hereafter in its proper place we shall have more full and fit occasion yet farther to make manifest to the eyes and understanding of all wise and impartial Judges. We may therefore sing and say with holy David: Be glad in the Lord, therefore, O ye righteous, who thus taste and try his great love and truth unto you, and shout for joy all ye • hat are upright in heart. Rejoice, I say, in the Lord, O ye righteous, for, praises are comely, for the godly. Sing a new song to the Lord, yea sing cheerfully and skillfully with a loud noise; for the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth.

Then also did our wise parliamentarie Gardiners stub and grub up those noisome trees and shameful shrubs, whose spreading spite and unprofitable power did mightily overtop, and furiously infest the happy harvest and fair and full crop and increase of God's blessedly fruitful Orchard-trees, fruitful I say, in holiness of life, and painful and profitable administration of the Word and Ordinances in their power and purity. For, about this time, also, our expert State-Engineers, our Worthies in Parliament did most prudently countermine, and by their parliamentarie power blowup the out-works and Babel-batteries and mischievous-mounts of our Prelatical Canoneers, making their spureous Synod to be utterly illegal; turning the mouths of their accursed Canons, on themselves, making them (indeed) truly paper-Canons which could neither rend us, nor roar against us, but flash in their own faces, and spoil themselves; damming them up, or rather damning them, as most Antichristian and illegal, by an unanimous Vote in Parliament. And as for that monstrous Et-Caetera-Oath, that hideous and prodigious Hydra, that bottomless abyss, I say, and deep-devouring whirl-pool of Romish craft and subtlety which should have supt and swallowed-up into its wide-yawning iaws both Church and Common-wealth, this they also happily stifled in the Embryo of it, ere it could come to its birth, much less any of its intended Romish destroying growth and maturity. Then those most prudent Senators for the better purifying of the Churches channels and Conduit-pipes of the Gospel of grace, and, (by God's blessing) to cause them to issue forth more wholesome and pure streams for God's people to drink of; discovered and discountenanced too, a stinking heap of atheistical and Roman-rubbish, a rotten-rabble of scandalous priests and spurious bastard-sons of Belial, who by their affected ignorance and lazieness • , their false▪ doctrines and idolatrous and superstitious practices in God's worship, as also by their most abhominable evil lives and conversation had, like Hophni and Phincas made the Lord's Ordinances to be even abborred by the people, who to their hearts inexpressible grief having continually complained of their gross misdemeanors to those who would be counted the grave pi • lars (forsooth) of the Church, but were, indeed, but Rom • s rotten-posts in thus fostering such fostering henbane of the Church, their functions infamy and the foulest stains of that holy calling; yet could find no redress of those evils; but contrariwise, scoffs and jeers and more hard increased pressures heaped on them (just like the children of Israel in their slavish brick▪kills) yea and sometimes punished for complaining; Till, now, those our most pious and prudent Reformers voted against them as most unfit to abide in the Ministry. Yea, then those our parliamentarie Worthies, the better to help forward the most blessed work of Church-reformation, unanimously voted against and discountenanced all our too-rich and lazy Non-residents and soul-pining, if not soul-plaguing Pluralists, those spiritual Polygamists, who (were the law of man as firmly exact and strict for spiritual as it is for carnal Polygamie, or having two wives) we all know what their danger and just demerit should be. With these also have they most worthily voted down, a sweatlesse swarm of droanish Deans and unprofitable Prebends, and such like Clergy-trash, who lay lurking in the Bec-hives of the Church, and lurching-away the sweet honey from the laborious Bees, painful Preachers, yea infesting and molesting them with their waspish-stings of Antichristian tyranny (just like the mustie Munches and lazy-Abbeylubbers of Rome, in times past, and which base and blockish condition, they (certainly) longed and labored (secretly) to set up again, but I trust their eyes and heart too, shall fail them ere they effect it) until they had quite driven them out of their honeycombes, and killed or starved-up them and theirs by prisons or exile; all these, I say, were by those our blessed Master-builders in Parliament by their unanimous suffrages not only voted against as a superfluous and unprofitable burden on God's Church, but thereby also a way was made plain, and wide-doors were set open for a blessed restauration and replantation of most faithful and painful Pastors, and laborious Lecturers, chosen and set up with the people's consent and good liking, and not to have dumbdogs or soul-robbers and thieves which came not in at the door, but through the windows of the Church, violently obtruded on them, whereby the Gospel begins to thrive and flourish again, and Zion's young-converts to be graciously growing up among us, in the true judgment and knowledge of Christ Jesus; whereas, formerly the Prelates and Pontificians durst scoff, fleer, and jeer familiarly at those faithful and painful Lecturers, and most atheistically ask in derision, What kind of creatures those Lecturers were, and most impiously and audaciously (even in the presence of the great God of heaven) vow to worm them out • re they had done with them. But our good God gave these cursed cows (or rather wild bulls of Bashan) short horns, and though they had gone-on in a great measure, and done much mischief therein, yet they could not do the hurt which their hearts aimed at, ever blessed and praised be our good God for it. And now good Reader reflect thine eyes and review these rare mercies, and tell me then, was not England's God, herein, also seen in the Mount of Mercies, by this so strange an overture and alteration of things interposed between such eminent and imminent danger of utter loss of our bright and burning Candlesticks of the Gospel, and fear of stinking snuffs of ignorance, error and atheistical profaneness to be set up in their places, and little or no hope (at least it • human apprehension) of help by less than such miracles of mercies as God himself hath in these our happy days wrought and poured-down upon us, and such indeed as none but a God could procure for us. O how sweetly and suddenly hath God turned our Captivitie into admirable freedom and liberty. And who can consider these things without serious and deep admiration? and who can call them to remembrance without heart-ravishing joy and delight? yea who can choose but acknowledge in his most grateful heart the great praises of the Lord? and with holy David, that harmonious chanter and musical enchanter of Israel, confess God's infinite free favor and love to England in thus encompassing and begirting us about with sweet songs of such deliverances.

But yet here's not all, for our blessed parliamentarie Worthies have also given us great hope (by God's goodness) of timely purging also the two famous Fountains of our Kingdom, Oxford and Cambridge from the much mire and mud of Romish innovations, which, settling there also hath made their streams stink of Popery; yea, I say, great hopes of happily healing the (once most clear-sighted, but now and of long time) blear-eyes of our Nation, grown mighty sore with Romish-redness, by drinking in too much of the wine-lees of poisoning Popish fopperies; in so much that Truths clear sighted Servants eyes began to be mightily offended by but looking on them; and not without cause, for, as our Savior himself says; If the eyes be evil, the whole body will be full of darkness; and, if the light that is in a kingdom (and especially which is to give light to a whole kingdom) be darkness, O how great is that darkness! and such truly began to be our Kingdoms condition; but now we have, I say, great hopes, by God's gracious assistance, that our Parliament will seasonably provide a sovereign Collyrium or eye-salve, some well-distilled eyebright of Reformation to purify the sight of these two, once most glorious lights in the whole Christian world.

Yea, these our noble Nehemiah's, and grave and gracious Ezra's have taken most pious pains to see God's Sabbaths more sincerely sanctified than of late they have been, and the profane soil of traveling Carriers, Taverns, Ale-houses, and Tobacco-shops, and other loose and irreligious Shop-keepers (who heretofore mightily polluted that day) most sweetly swept away any cleansed. A work of great concernment and high esteem for the glory of the Lord, than which, I am certain, a greater, a better cannot be undertaken, as being the very prop and promoter of all true Religion, and without the entire and sincere sanctification whereof all true religion would quickly decay, and be utterly lost; yea, I say, a Nation-upholding Christian duty of richest valuation, as having more precious promises annexed to it than any other I know of in the whole book of God, and which hath more ennobled our Realm and made our Kingdom more illustrious (God alone who hath so graciously upheld it among us, have all the praise and glory of it, and we only the comfort) than all our reformed Neighbors about us; yea such a blessed and holy duty as hath caused more mercies to fall, yea flow, upon our English-Nation than ever did on any people of the Christian world. Yet our most injurious Prelates, together with their profane Pontificks have most shamelessly striven to viciate and defile this our Sabbaths precious honor (the main ready and road-way to have brought the curse of God upon us▪ and utterly to have ruinated our whole Kingdom) by whose means it began in King James his days to receive a deep died stain by that most wicked and accursed book of tolerating vain sports and profane recreations, forsooth, on the Lord's day, which, since hath been avowed and advanced more highly by them, than, at the first; but now, since, in our present Sovereigns time more pertinaciously pressed and perniciously enforced on God's dear Saints and servants in the ministry than formerly it had been, whose tender-consciences could not endure it, and who (being in their most just zeal for the Lord's high honor therein, and sincere love to true Religion transported above all fears and frowns) were most egregiously abused, vexed and punished for refusing to admit and read the said wicked-book in their Churches: until it most graciously pleased our good God by the blessed Parliament to prevent the most mischievous growth of this inexpressible abomination of our so holy Fathers of the Church together with the rotten rabble of Pontifick-Arminians, Rome's Minions indeed, by a particular Order from the House of Commons in Parliament for the more strict sanctification of that day, which I have hereunto annexed.

And also by setting our Printing-Presses open whereby a happy way was laid open again for God's learned and loyal Servants by their pious pens and elaborate labors to vindicate the Sabbaths most glorious luster to the honor of godliness and purity of Religi n. And was not the Lord, herein, also, seen in the Mount of Mercies for England's preservation from the guilt of such a wrath provoking sin, of such a Land-scourging r •• as this might have proved to out Kingdom▪ had it so continued, as by the hellish zeal of out Prelates it was intended▪ Sing praises, therefore, O England, sing praises unto God, O sing praises, sing praises to our glorious King. For, God is the King of all the earth, sing praises, therefore, O England, to thy God with understanding. Thy God, O England, reigns over the whole world, and sits gloriously triumphing on the throne of his holiness.

Yet, here's not all, for, our ever to be honored heroic Parliamentary▪ Worthies have added to that former pious pains o • theirs, this their godly care also, namely, to 〈◊〉 and purify the holy worship of our God from the filthy l •• s and dregs of Popish Ceremonies, whereby the tender • onsciences or godly Ministers are not so tied to Romish trumper •• of vestures▪ and gestures, crouchings and cringings, and Jesu-worshippings, and a multitude of such like mimicall actions in God's worship and service, as formerly they had been most tyrannically pressed and enforced to. Yea, all Images, Crucifixes, and any pictures or representations of any of the persons of the Trinity, or of the Virgin Mary, quite dimolished and extirpated out of God's house; All corporal Jesu-worship, I say, and altar-adoration (sure and infallible signs of Popish ignorance, and of the Romish-Strumpets outward-paintings, but inward rottenness, what ever fair (yet false) pretences foolish men and women would, like Jeroboam for his golden calves-worship, impiously put upon them) most piously prohibited, and Altar-rails pulled-down, and Communion-Tables set in their proper postures; yea all high-steps and ascents to their Altars (clean contrary to God's prescript word) by degrees commanded to be levelled; burdens and conscience-grievances, which neither we nor our forefathers that truly loved the Lord Jesus Christ, and were tenderly-affected to his pure worship, could possibly bear: But now they are most happily taken from our tired necks, and almost broken-backs, as by an Order of Parliament may and doth most comfortably appear, which for the precious excellency and rare memory thereof, I have thought good here to insert, exactly and verbatim as it came from the Parliament, to the everlasting glory of our great and good God, the honor of our Worthies in Parliament, and the inexpressibly joy and consolation of all God's people that peruse it.

Nay, here's not all yet, for, our God whose hands are still open to replenish and satisfy our souls with joy and gladness▪ yea (now) to nourish and cherish our formerly sad hearts with the failings of his over-flowing favors, hath taken from us our accustomed terrors and restraints of free liberty to hear the sweet sound of Aaron's b • ls especially on the Lord's▪days. As is more fully seen and assisted by a blessed Order from the Parliament to our inexpressible comfort, which Order I have thought fit to be here inserted.

Whereby no man (now) is enforced to stay at his own Church where there is no preaching to promote the honor of the day, and to feed hungry souls with that heavenly manna, whereof (the Lord knows) many thousand souls in city and country stood in need, and (had our Prelates stood in the heighth of their quondam pride and cruelty) they must not have stirred out of their own Parishes to seek it elsewhere, but their souls must have starved and died for lack of it, or else have been poisoned▪ with base Arminian stuff and dregs of Popery, thereby to suffocate and choke their poor souls and spiritual understanding, and to make them (like themselves) fit fuel for the increase of the flames of hell; Such▪ I say, was their soul-killing cruelty and tyranny. For why, in those days of the ruffe of their pride, they had familiarly and most easily (yet with Romish craft and subtlety) under a pretence (forsooth) of too-abstruse and profound and dangerous points not fit to be handled in pulpits by ordinary Preachers, but by their grave Bishops, Doctors▪ Deans▪ and such-like rare seraphicall rhetoritians, Schoolmen, and masters of (high-Commission) Sentences, nor in all Churches, but in Cathedrals (forsooth) and that not at all times, but at Easter, and Whitsuntide; and such like solemn Festivals, under these pretences. I say, they had by their exorbitant Ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction, easily, but impiously prohibited all pure and powerful preaching on deep points of o • l-saving-grace, as free justification by faith▪ predestination, certainty of salvation, final perseverance▪ and such like; discountenancing▪ yea punishing all those that thus preached or opposed their Popish-Arminian Doctrines, and advancing and preferring none but their own Arminian faction, rotten-hearted Prete • ses▪ apt to be turned with every wind of false-doctrine, mere temporizers, altar • ringers▪ fellows only fit to make Romish-jades to carry Popish-packs to Lambeth Fair, and soul-crushing burdens on their basebacks, and mercenary shoulders. But, now, see (I say) (O, to heavens eternal praise and glory be it spoken, and to our unspeakable comfort) how our good God, by his blessed Parliament hath freed our Pulpits, Churches, and our consciences too from the soul-devouring corruptions of these Clergy-caterpillars, no better than Romish-locusts who are most blessedly blown away with the Eastern-wind of God's vindicative indignation against them. And instead of these that did so besmear, deface and defile Truths most amiable countenance and sacred beauty, the Lord's gracious outcasts (who had formerly been checked and chid, and churlishly forced out of the Kingdom (by our Prelates pride and insolency (more worth than thousands of their Pontifick train) and constrained to expose their lives, their wives, children, and estates, to all the miseries which Sea and Land could threaten or bring upon them, are now most happily called home again. O injurious holy Fathers, thus unworthily to use, thus irreligiously to abuse God's so precious jewels, and to prize their beggarly Popish ceremonies before such holy Saints of God, who shined so illustriously both in their lives and learning. By which so blessed change and overture for the best, Truth durst now show her fair face in every pulpit, and speak plainly and home, and needed not (as formerly) to be shrouded under secret shelters, or creep into corners for fear of pernicious persecutors: yet thus it was, • ea thus it familiarly was practiced by our Prelates (to their indelible shame and infamy be it spoken) witness their hideous High-Commission-Court, a Court of everlasting illsavour, which, indeed I may fitlier call a Spightfull rather than a Spiritual Court: which at the first (as a reverend and eminent divine well notes) was ordained▪ like the dogs in Rome's capitoll, to fright and scare away Romish Jesuitical thieves and enemies of the Church; but hath all along, for the most pa • t sorely bitten and barked against honest men only (especially in these our later days) and driven them from the Church. A Court, I say, which made no scruple familiarly to slay both the souls and bodies of God's most dear and precious servants, not only in those hot Marian-flam • ng days, but even in these our more modern times, wherein our Prelates and their pragmatical Pontifician Sycophants did so crake & brag of their soft & smooth fatherly- government of the Church, O how many souls and bodies hath that accursed Court shut up in dark dungeons▪ or else made poor waveringmindes turn Apostates for fear of their Harpeian-paws to crush and squeez them out of their means and livelyhoods, to the utter undoing of them and theirs. The wickedness of which Court may more fully, yea more foully appear by our taking notice of the limbs and members of it, who from the very head to the foot of them, are a pack of irreligious, profane, and most loose-lived nominal Protestants at large, yea, generally, atheistical scoffers at sincerity in Religion and the power of godliness, which indeed was a paradox & mere mystery to them, & w ^ch they never were nor would be acquainted with. Certainly, all that rightly know them & know, how, piously to discern and to judge between light and darkness, can truly testify with me this truth, that it is exceeding difficult (if not impossible) to find one among them all that is truly and cordially pious, even the best of them ascending only to the happiness of a mere civil-honest man, (in my best observation of them for these forty or fifty years) and what their happiness therein is, (if it ascend no higher) our blessed Savior Christ himself will to their little comfort tell them namely, that if their righteousness exceed not the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, they shall never enter into the Kingdom of heaven. But, now, blessed, forever blessed and praised be our just and glorious God, this wicked Court, together with that other illegitimate and spurious offspring of our Lordly Prelates, I mean, their Oath Ex Officio▪ an elder bratt of the other Babylonish-brood, and no less replete with accursed Conscience-torturing Snares than the other, to break the backs of men's and women's estates, consciences, and earthly comforts, by racking the very Souls and wracking the bodies, by imprisonments, of both Sexes that were conscientious, and would not obey their wicked injunctions. And in no small measure also was this Court and Oath, together with their perjurious and vile Visitation-Articles, a most miserable vexation to poor Church-Wardens all over the Kingdom, who by these netts were entangled, and by their most unjust 〈◊〉 and unlawful injunctions were made a prey to their p rnicious practices, and thereby also made forges and a • vills for the Prelates to hammer all their torturing taxations on God's people's Consciences. But, now, I say, both this wicked Court and those their bastard-brats are (by God's good providence and great mercy) condemned to return to their Stygian-Patrons, from whom they had their first rice and Original. And, O, I could wish, with all my heart, that (in • ternam rei infamiam) That-Sentence were set on this Court, or that room of Lambeth-House where it was constantly kept, which is mentioned in the prophecy of Daniel, namely, that it might be made a jakes or dunghill, with this inscription engraven in Marble with fair capital letters. This jakes was, once, the High-Commission-Court. So hateful and hurtful, I say, was that Court and its accursed effects to God's people in this Kingdom, especially being back • and • oulsterd-up with the irresistible wrongs and unavoidable oppressive censures of the Star-Chamber, whether godly men and women of all ranks and conditions that disobeyed the High-Commissions unlawful Commands, were turned over when their own Ecclesiastical Power was not prevalent enough to punish and plague them so deeply as their malice and mischief aimed at: Yea and the all-overtopping power of the Council-Table was no small assailant of the subjects and assistant to the Prelates wicked Designes; but, that tyrannizing Starr-Chamber Court is by our prudent Parliamentary Worthies voted down (as hath been formerly touched) to the unspeakable comfort and freedom of the Kings best and most loyal Subjects; and the immoderate and excessive power of the Council-Table is by the wisdom of our most Worthy Senators so ordered and restrained, that we may well hope (by God's mercy) such things as were heert • fore frequently done to the intolerable prejudice of the Subjects liberty, will appear amongst us in future times but only in Stories, to give us and our posterity more just occasion to bless our God for his Majesty's goodn ss, and for the faithful and indefatigable endeavors of this present Parliament.

Now, then, put all these last fore-mentioned Parliamentary-Mercies together into one account, and then tell me whether they do not arise to a mighty 〈◊〉 and deep debt of •• erlastingly obliging gratitude to our so bountiful and • p • n-handed & enlargedhearted a God to us so und serving, and rather wrath-provoking a people, in thus conferring such 〈…〉 such incomparable free kindnesses on England such a sinful naug • • ie Nation? Yea, tell me (good Reader) on serious reco •• ction and recogitation of these most bounteous bl ssings, whether the Lord Jehovah hath not been seen most conspicuously to England above all Nations round about it, On the Mount of matchless Mercies (to the ineffable joy and rejoicing of our Souls) in the deepest gulfs of our stinging-Staites. Whether our God hath not with admirable patience, goodness, and favor, waited on us that he might be gracious unto us, and exalted himself that he might have mercy upon us: for the Lord is a God of judgment, O blessed are all they that wisely wait for him. For, his people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem and shall weep no more. For, he will be very gracious unto them at the voice of their cry, and when he shall hear it, he will answer them. And though the Lord give them the bread of adversary (for a season) and the water of affliction, yet shall not their Teachers be removed into a corner anymore, but their eyes shall see their Teachers again. Thus, O even thus hath our gracious God directly dealt with us, thus hath our English-Israel's Sh • aph • rd of his late poor despised stock kept a careful watch over us, who had been else made the Prelates perpetual-Asses to bear all their Romish and slavish burdens. Wherefore with holy David, we may justly and ingenuously acknowledge; Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, who hast done great things for us, O God who is like unto thee? Thou who hast shown us great and sore troubles, yet hast quickened us again and brought us up from the depth of the grave. Our lips shall greatly rejoice when we sing unto thee, and our hearts and souls which • hou hast redeemed. Our tongues shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; for they are confounded and brought unto shame which most seditiously and scelerously ought our destruction. And thus have we all most perspicuously • een and observed how gracious and propitious the Lord hath been to his late most tottering Church▪ crossing her 〈…〉 • n all their deepest designs & most sublime imaginations, leaving them still in the lurch and loss when they seemed to swell with highest conc • ipts of cruel and accursed conquests over their harmless brethren, letting them see (if they willfully blind not their eyes) their big-swoln tympanie of unsufferable pride and arrogancy to be turned into a flashie ignis fatuus of self-deceiving subtlety; and changing all their vaporous▪puffs of gross impiety into folly and madness

But, now let us proceed to enlarge our most serious observations on what remains still in a most admirable measure herein, and let us yet farther see and consider, how the Lord who is neverweary of well-doing▪ nay who takes delight and great pleasure to pleasure his freely beloved Ones with his plenteous benefits; Of whom we cannot say as Esau to his Father Isaac; Hast thou but one blessing, my Father? but a God who the more he gives the more he hath to give, being indeed, an unexhaustible spring and never to be dried but ever-overflowing fountain of all goodness whatsoever. But, withal, take this note by the way with thee, good Reader, that as before, so now especially in these ensuing remarkable mercies thou shalt see the rage and malice of the malignant party, marvelously interposing their wicked plots to cross and utterly to frustrate, as much as in them lay, all the ways and means of God's intended, yea and miraculously performed mercies to us, but yet all their plots and desperate designs by God's good providence, were still strangely thwarted and timely discovered and disappointed, to our comfort and their shame and helpless vexation. Let us now then, I say, go-on to see how our glorious Lord and King persists to make us (of ourselves, I confess, and in respect of our Capernaum-like means of grace so unimproved, the most▪ infull and undeserving Nation under heaven) the most beloved and happiest Nation in the world. See therefore how our renowned Parliamentary-Worthies freed the Kingdom from that former illegal compelling of the Subject to receive the order of Knighthood against their will; from the encroachments and oppression of the Stannary-Courts and Extortions by Clerks of Markets, from vile vexations also by Parkes and Forrests, which were now by a Law reduced into their right bounds and limits. Yea how they moved and prevailed with the King to set forth his Proclamation for banishing all the Romish Priests and Jesuits out of the Kingdom on pain of death upon their after-apprehension in the Land: Together with an Act of Parliament for disarming of all Popish-Recusants over the whole Kingdom, to the great comfort and security of God's people, who before were in continual fear of their mischievous insurrections, as being well acquainted with their rebellious Spirits on all advantages▪ it also being a Principle of their Religion, for the advancement of the Catholic-Cause, not to keep any plighted faith with Heretics; for such they account all that are not of their Romish (not faith, but) faction. Yea that cage of most unclean birds, Sommerset-House, I mean, in the Strand, cleansed in good measure of those Egyptian croaking Frogs, the Filthy Capuchin-Friars and Priests, who lay lurking there too long, like so many muzzled Wolves and Tigers: all these or the most of them banished and transported over-Sea from us: And the Queen-Mother of France, (the more to free our hearts from fears and discontents) happily also transported beyond Sea from us. About which time also to settle our hearts with yet more solid comfort, and the more firmly to consolidate our future hoped happiness, it pleased the Lord to put into the hearts of our most noble Parliamentary Patriots, to unite and knit all the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, in-a most firm League and Conjunction of perpetual love and amity, and of mutual defense against all malignant Adversaries either domestic or foreign: and to confirm all this by a particular act of Parliament, ratified by a full consent of the King and both Houses, together with an act of absolute oblivion of all exceptions and differences whatsoever formerly intervening twixt Prince and people. Upon which both Armies of English and Scottish Soldiers were shortly after most happily & peaceably dismissed and disbanded, to the high honor of our wonder-working God, and the inexpressible joy and comfort of both Nations, thus most lovingly and sweetly shaking hands of true friendship at their peaceable departure.

And for the farther confirmation of this our happiness and due retribution of praise and glory to the Lord our God the author of it, there was an Ordinance of Parliament for a day of public and solemn thanksgiving for this peace so happily concluded between England and Scotland, which for the glory of God and honor of our King and Worthies in Parliament, I have thought fit here to insert verbatîm as it was published.

According to the act of this present Parliament, for confirmation of the Treatie of Pacification between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland, whereas it was desired by the Commissioners of Scotland, that the loyalty and faithfulness of his Majesty's Subjects might be made known at the time of the public thanksgiving in all places, and particularly in all Parish-Churches of his Majesty's Dominions: Which request was graciously condescended unto by his Majesty, and confirmed by the said Act. It is now ordered and commanded by both Houses of Parliament, that the same be effectually done in all Parish-Churches throughout this Kingdom upon tuesday the 7 ^th day of Sept. next coming, at the time of the public thanksgiving by the several and respective Ministers of each Parish-Church, or by their Curates, who are hereby required to read this present Order in the Church.

And was not the Lord most gloriously here seen in the Mount of admirable mercy and deliverance to England and Scotland after such a marvelous manner as never any Nation could produce the like parallel of gracious providence? And may we not therefore with holy David▪ Israel's sweet singer confess we have found the Lord (according to his word) a sure defense for the oppressed, even a refuge in time of trouble. And therefore they that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that have seriously sought thee. Yea, he that is our God is the God of salvation, and unto this God and mighty Lord belong the issues from death▪ Heer also ere I have done with this mercy, let me desire the Reader to take notice of the admirable wisdom and justice of God in thus clearing the innocence and integrity of his children▪ O, what bitter aspersions did the Prelates, Arminians, and malignant party cast on our brethren of Scotland at the first, nothing but traitors and rebels could be heard out of their slanderous mouths: But, now see, I say, how God's wisdom and justice ordered it, that even those tongues that had so taunted them▪ yea and in their pulpits too, should now be forced even in the face of their Congregations to give themselves the lie. That of Job being herein most clearly ratified▪ that The poor hath hope and iniquity stoppeth her mouth: and that also of the holy Prophet David, which is full to our purpose, That the King and all good men shall exceedingly rejoice and glory in God; but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped. And now also, let me tell thee, courteous Reader, (to make these mercies yet more glorious to the praise of our God) that in the interim that those two Armies lay so together in the North, the pestilent Spirits of the Malignant party lay not still, but were most maliciously working by their agents and instruments (the Popish Lord's and pernicious Prelates being also main sticklers in all these mischievous designs) to disaffect and discontent his Majesty's Army by scandalous and most false accusations and imputations on the Parliament, thus to engage it for the maintenance of their most wicked designs of keeping-up the Bishops in their votes & Lordly honors and functions, and by force to compel the Parliament to order limit and dispose their parliamentarie proceedings in such a manner as might best concur with the intentions of their dangerous and potent faction. Now this plot of bringing the English - Army from the North Southward to London against the Parliament for the causes aforesaid, having been particularly inquired into and examined both by that noble and virtuous Gentleman M ^r Fynes and Sir Philip Stapleton, with others, they made report thereof to the House of Commons about June 17. 1641. That they found, that for the advancing of the said plott, the Earl of Strafford had attempted his escape out of the Tower, and to effect it the better, had promised that worthy Gentleman Sir William Belfore, then Leifetenant of the Tower 20000 li. and to marry his Son to his Daughter, and to make it one of the greatest Matches in the Kingdom; but Sir Williams loyalty was such as not to be corrupted by such base bribes. That Captain Billingsl • y was invited by Sir John Suckling, (a suckling, indeed, in honesty, but not in treachery,) to have employment in this pernicious project; and that one Captain Chidley brought down many instructions to the Army. That Colonel Goring should have been Leivetenant-general of the said Army, and that the Prince and the Lord of Newcastle were to meet them in Nottinghamshire with a thousand Horse; all which Propositions came from M ^r Jermine and were dispersed and made known by Serjeant Major Wallis and Captain Chidley. The said Wallis having confessed also that the French would assist them in this their Design; and that our holy (or rather hollow-hearted) Clergy of England, whereof the reverend (forsooth) Bishops were the ringleaders, would at their own charge set forth and maintain a thousand horse; far more than ever they yet proffered (by a thousand) to assist against the barbarous and bloody Popish Rebells of Ireland: To the addition of their everlasting shame and ignominy be it spoken. Finally, that an intercepted Letter of M ^r Jermines to M ^r Montague imported, that they expected the Earl of Straford with them in the North (but blessed be the Lord, their wicked hope was frustrated as aforesaid) and that for the better completing of these their most accursed designs, Jermine much endeavored to get Portsmouth into their hands (as one M ^r Bland confessed) but could not compass it. These and such like plotted designs, for the ends afore-mentioned, being farther discovered and witnessed by several depositions of diverse examinates, as the Reader may more fully see in the late Remonstrance of Ireland, published by authority of the Parliament. But when this mischievous assign and attempt of theirs, thus to bring on that Army against the Parliament and City of London (which they well knew was all along a main and strong fast friend to the Parliament) had been by God's great mercy timely discovered, and thereby utterly frustrated and prevented, they presently undertook and attempted another design of the same damnable nature, with this addition to it, namely, to make the Scottish Army neutral, and so to sit still and let them alone whilst the English Army (which they had labored to corrupt and invenome against the Parliament and City of London by false and slanderous suggestions) should execute their malice to the subversion of our Religion, and the dissolution of our long happy government. Thus, I say, did they plott and continually practice to disturb our peace and to destroy all the Kings Dominions: And for that cause had employed most industriously their Emissares and agents in them all for the promoting of these their devilish designs. But by God's infinite mercy, and the vigilancy of such as were honest and well-affected to religion, to peace, and the prosperity of the Parliament, they were all, I say, still (timely) discovered and defeated, before they could be ripe enough for execution among us in England and Scotland. Only in Ireland which was farther-off, and full of Papists, Jesuits and Priests, they had time to mould and prepare their wicked work, and had brought it to much pernicious perfection. For, not long after, the most bold and bloody rebellion in Ireland brake-out there, which had it not been timely revealed and prevented by God's great mercy and good providence in the preservation of the Castle of Dublin, but the very Eave before it should have been taken by the rebels; the whole Kingdom had been fully possessed by them, the government of it totally subverted, the true Religion had been quite extirpated and rooted out, and all the Protestants whom the conscience of their duty to God, their King and country would not have permitted to join with them, had been utterly destroyed, as in a most lamentable manner very many thousands of them (poor souls) have already been, as is most fully and fearfully to be seen (to the terror and amazement of all Christian hearts that read the same) both in that Treatise, entitled, Ireland's-Tears, and the Irish-Remonstrance. And, indeed, they have, thereby, kindled such a fire, there, and blown it into such an over-spreading flame, as nothing but God's extraordinary blessing upon the wisdom and endeavors of this State will be able to quench it. And certainly had not God in his great mercy to our Land and Nation discovered and confounded their first design, for the grand-plot of all on England and Scotland, we all in England had certainly been the prologue to this woeful tragedy in Ireland, and had by this time (and before them) been the most deplorable spectacle of lamentation and woe, ruin and confusion to all Europe that ever the Sun beheld. And therefore here, me thinks, we may most fitly take up that of holy David, with a little inversion of the words to ourselves. If the Lord had not been on our side, now may England say (and that most justly) if the Lord had not been on our side, when men rose up against us; Then had they swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the proud waves and raging billows had gone over our souls. But blessed, O, forever blessed be God, that hath not given us over as a prey to their devouring teeth.

Now about this time, it pleased the Lord to permit the malignant party so far to prevail with the King, (and among them the Lord Cottington, a Popish Lord, and strongly suspected to be one of the prime projecting heads of that faction) that Sir William Belfore, a worthy and noble gentleman then Lieftenant of the Tower of London was displaced from that office of so great trust, and the said Lord Cottington made Constable of the Tower, who presently kept a great pudder in the Tower, placing and displacing things therein, planting Ord • nance on the walls thereof, with their mouths toward the City, entertaining Soldiers to guard and keep it of very ill-condition, and suspected for Popery; all these to the great terror and amazement of the vigilant Citizens of London, who had still extraordinary jealous eyes on him and all his actions and carriages, and thereupon complained and petitioned the Parliament against him, and his demeanour in the Tower, and the Parliament moved the King most instantly about it; who on their long and urgent importunity at last so far prevailed with his Majesty, that he put the Lord Cottington from being Constable of the Tower, and chose-in one Colonel Lunsford to be Leiftenant thereof; a man of an ill name and condition of life, and whom I myself knew a prisoner in Newgate, not very long before, for a great abuse offered by him to Sir Thomas Pelham, now a worthy Knight of Sussex, and at which time of his imprisonment, there, it was generally and credibly reported, that upon an abuse done by him also to one of the Officers of Newgate (who had been his very good friend in the time of his imprisonment) he brake prison, or stole away, and left the poor Clerk of Newgate in great distress and danger thereby; and a man, indeed, most justly excepted against by our grave parliamentarie Senators, as most unfit to have such a trust and power entrusted to him, especially in times of such great and constant fears and distractions of the State and City of London. Whereupon, this man also was much and long petitioned against, both by the Citizens of London, to the Parliament, and by the Parliament to the King, to have him removed, and a man of known and approved integrity, on whom they might safely confide, to be chosen into the place, and to have the safe custody thereof committed to him. Whose removal was also, at length with much ado condescended unto, by his Maisstio, and the said Colonel Lunsford put out, the King putting in one Sir John Byron, a gentleman though of no such ill-savor of life as the former, yet not answerable to the desires of our prudent Worthies in Parliament, whose wisdom and circumspection fore-saw that to be amiss in the choice, likewise, which much discontented them; and enforced them to petition his Majesty for his removal also, as it was the joint desire likewise of City and Country. Here therefore we may now see the great goodness of our God, in thus wisely disposing and ordering things; that though the malignant party seemed so far to prevail, and get advantages against God's people, yet even in these also the Lord still crossed them and their devilish▪designs, and regarded the desires, and cleared the fears of his servants for his own Names sake. Much about which time, a most impious and malicious-hearted fellow audaciously sent a letter to the Parliament, directed and endorsed to that ever most highly honored Member of the House of Commons, Mr. Pim, a most pious patriot of his country, and in it a filthy fresh plaster taken from a plague-sore, expressing in the letter what it was, and why twas sent, namely, in hope, that the very sudden sight and thought on it (he being, then▪ in the Parliament House) might and would damp and dead his heart with fear, and so have infected the worthy gentleman to death, with it. A copy of which letter I have thought fit here to insert, that the Reader may see the odiousness of it and this action more fully.

Which letter was delivered, I say, as Mr. Pim went into the Parliament. But contrary to the wicked intention of the master and message, God (whose will all his creatures obey, to save or slay, as he pleaseth, as was remarkably evident, in that fiery furnace seven times hotter than ordinarily, yet not able so much as to singe the hair or clothes of that pair royal of God-adoring Hebrews cast thereinto) preserved this Noble Gentleman from the intended evil thereof. For, this undaunted and conscience-unspotted courageous Worthie (like that magnanimous Roman Camillus of whom Plutarch in his Lives, makes mention, who whiles he was delivering his Embassage to the heathen Prince to whom he was sent by the Senators of Rome, and with whom the Romans, that time, waged war, this Princes Nobles had suddenly and unknown to Camillus, set a mighty Elephant close behind his back, and made it suddenly and extremely to roar, thereby thinking to have startled and frighted this famous Roman, but he was nothing moved therewith, but went-on smoothly and undauntedly with his Embassage, to the wonder and amazement of this Prince and his Nobles, who were mightily taken with the unbended resolution of this courageous Roman) so, I say, this piously valorous-hearted gentleman, Mr Pim, was nothing at all dis-heartened or distempered at the sight of the plaisture, nor with the wicked threats which that atheistical wretch sent besides in the letter to stab him with his Dagger if that plasture failed, God having hitherto preserved him (and I trust so will) a most loyal subject to his Sovereign, and a most prudent and painful promoter of the best good in Church and Common-wealth. And although it may, peradventure, be objected, that this was but a private or particular passage, and therefore not so pertinent to our purpose: yet considering the eminency of the person, and his employments and use in Parliament for the public good, and the transcendent malice and envy of that malignant person whoever he was, aiming at a public mischief therein, I could not conceive it impertinent to the present occasion, but very worthy our observation and gratification to God for it. Much about this time also it pleased the Lord to put into the hearts of the worthy Citizens of London, to take into their serious consideration the great retarding and delaying of the weighty affairs of the Kingdom, and the unhappy protraction of punishing Delinquents, together with the uncomfortable reluctancies and disunion between both the Houses, and all this by reason of an ill-affected potent and pernicious destructive party, especially in the House of Lord's, by Prelates and Popish-Lord's, striving and contriving to hinder or quite make void all good Votes among them, and to advance all evil. Therefore, I say, the most and best-affected and pious-hearted Citizens of London unanimously petitioned Both Houses of Parliament touching those and such like serious and important matters, being, I say, most of them, men of the best note and quality of the whole City both for piety and ability. Who went with their Petition to the Parliament, in a most grave and substantial equipage, in fifty or sixty Coaches at the least, and were there most graciously and gratefully entertained both by the Lord's and Commons, and received a most cordial and comfortable answer to their Petitions; which act of theirs (they being the samplar and pattern even of the whole Kingdom, and upon whom the eyes of the whole Land were cast, to be by them encouraged and directed) begat such an honest and happy emulation in all the Counties of the Kingdom, as by God's great mercy produced most blessed effects to us all, as shall be more particularly and punctually declared in its proper place.

Not long after also, the honest Apprentises of the said City of London being very sensible of their Masters sufferings by those distractions in the Common-wealth, and the general decay of trading, and thereby also of their own present and future great discouragements in their hope of comfortable subsistence and livelihood when they were to be free-men of the City, if these inconveniences continued: They also hereupon took the courage and resolution to exhibit their Petition to the Parliament for speedy and timely redress of these encroaching and growing evils. Which act of theirs was so modestly and orderly managed by them, that the Parliament received their petition most courteously, and returned them a very fair and favorable answer, in brief, for the present, with promise of a more full and satisfactory answer in convenient time. After whom also, the Porters of London, pinched with extreme poverty by reason of the decay of trading, were thereby necessitated, and by God's providence thousands of them stirred up and stimulated to petition the Parliament for speedy redress of their present pressures, whose Petition also was very lovingly received by the Parliament, and they received a well-pleasing reply for the present. Now what an admirable and rare effect these Petitions produced, to add most justly to this catalogue of our parliamentarie mercies, this subsequent passage shall clearly demonstrate to the godly Reader, viz. Not long after a certain convenient number of Apprentises being very modest in carriage, and well-spoken young men, went very civilly and peaceably to Westminster to the Parliament for a further satisfactory answer to their Petition, as was promised to them. But it pleased the Lord it so fell out, that that desperate and furious, Colonel Lunsford, and very many ruffian-like fellows with him, being at that time in Westminster-hall, and there walking up and down, at last took occasion by uncivil and provoking words to the said Apprentises and Citizens at that time also walking there, to make a great disturbance and hubbub among them, and from mocking and jeering of them, and quarreling about Bishops (whom the Apprentises and Citizens had, indeed, petitioned against in all their Petitions) threatening those that durst once speak against their reverend Bishops, at last they drew▪out their swords▪ and the said Colonel Lunsford and his quarrelling comrades flew in the faces of the Citizens, and furiously beat them out of Westminster-hall before them, being all unweaponed, and coming only in a fair and unoffensive manner (as aforesaid) to receive an answer to their petition; and as they departed home from Westminster by Whitehall, they were there again most grossly abused and beaten by the Courtiers, and such like, so that divers of them were sorely wounded, and some thereby killed by them. Whereupon, the next day (these things falling-out about Newyeers-tide, or in Christmas-holy-days) very many Citizens and apprentices went again to Westminster armed, and better prepared than the day before, for such affronts, if any were offered to them. But now see how it pleased the Lord it should come to pass, some of the Apprentises and Citizens were again affronted about Westminster-Abbey, and a great noise and hubbub fell out thereabouts, othersome of them watched (as it seems by the sequel) the Bishops coming to the Parliament, who considering the great noise and disquiet which was by land all about Westminster, durst not come to the Parliament that way for fear of the Apprentises, and therefore intended to have come to the Parliament by water in barges; but the apprentices watched them that way also, and as they thought to have come to land were so pelted with stones, and frighted at the sight of such a company of them, that they durst not land, but were rowed back and went away to their places. Now, see herein, good Reader, a most notable over-powering impression of divine providence on this business, and learn hence so much wisdom as not to despise seeming contemptible things and small beginnings, as I have formerly touched on a like occasion. These lordly and lofty Prelates, (among whom, and a prime one too, it seemed, was that supercilious Arch-prelate of York, Bishop Williams) took foul scorn and high indignation at this affront by Boys and prentises, thus to be debarred from the Parliament, especially fearing lest anything might pass in the House against them, touching their lordly dignities by their absence, on which they had great cause to keep continual jealouseyes and vigilant watch, they now standing on very ticklish terms with the State, and being so perpetually and universally petitioned against from all parts of the Kingdom, as a prime branch of the malignant party, and special perturbers of all good for Church or Common-wealth; therefore, I say, being ve xt to the heart, and deeply stung with discontent, they vowed revenge: and thereupon gathered together into their secret Conclave full fraught with Stygian-rancor and rage, and assisted, no doubt, with some Jesuitical influence of Romish spirits, they contrived and contracted a piece of mischief or mischievous petition to the King and House of Peers, which they wholly intended against the happy and successful proceedings of the Parliament, but our good God diverted it to their own further ruin and destruction. Now that you may see their own act and deed attested and avouched under their own hands, I have thought fit here to insert it, verbatim, as they themselves penned and exhibited it to the King.

This petition and protestation being thus exhibited to his Majesty, the King was pleased to send it immediately to the House of Peers, who having seen and perused it, were forthwith highly offended with it, and so sent it immediately to the House of Commons; whereupon both Houses met in the painted Chamber, at a Conference there, and after it, accused those 12. Bishops of high treason, for endeavoring to subvert the fundamental Laws of the Realm, and the very being of Parliaments; whereupon they were by the Lord's sequestered from the Parliament, and imprisoned, ten of them in the Tower, and (for their age sake) two of them committed to custody to the Black-Rod. Thus was the Parliament most happily freed of 12. of them at one clap: And thus, I say (ever blessed be the Lord our God for it) that which the Parliament long desired, and the well-affected people over the whole Kingdom so long and so unanimously petitioned for (even the extirpation of the Bishops out of the Parliament) but could not well tell how to accomplish it, God hath made themselves agents and actors of to their own just shame and sorrow, but to the high content and rejoicing of all God's faithful children and servants. And, certainly, if ever, here was a most visible print of God's over-pouring providence crossing these Prelates craft, paying them in their own coin, and most clearly manifesting himself to behold all the high things of the earth, and that he only is King over all the children of pride.

And yet (give me leave, good Reader, to give thee this one note by the way, of no small consequence and concernment, touching these our present Prelates of England) notwithstanding all the most evident and undeniable manifestations of God's arrows of wrath and high displeasure shot against them all, partly for [ 1] their craft and cruelty exercised against God's faithful-ones, and partly for the Laodicean-temporizing coldness and security even of the very best and most moderate of them all, without exception [ 2] of any one, who have rather chosen (like the accursed, yea bitterly accursed rulers of Meros) to lie still, to sleep in a whole skin, enjoy quietly their fat Bishoprics, and lordly dignities and ease therein, than with noble and renowned Queen Hester, who, in the cause of her afflicted people the Jews, resolved (in a far more certain danger, every way, than they could have been liable to) to hazard her life and honors, with an, If I perish, I perish, (ah shame, inexpressible shame to them all, that a weak-woman should out-strip them all in a masculine heroic spirit for her religion and people) than like her, I say, to expose their rich revenues, much less their very lives as she did hers (tell me, I say, of one among them all, that did thus) to danger or loss, to adventure the safeguard and welfare of the Church and children of God, which they saw daily so overtopit by rank over-growing popery and atheism. Which laziness and coldness of theirs, though they slightly pass it over as a small sin or no sin at all; yet Christ himself our blessed Savior tells them, they are no less than down▪right Antichrists, even flat and false enemies of the Lord Christ, as is clear, (Matth. 12. 30.) by our Savior's own words. He that is not with me, is against me. Which being so, let them all (even the best and most moderate among them) take heed of that fearful sentence of the Apostle. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha. Even, accursed with a most bitter curse. And how can these Prelates say, truly, that they love the Lord Christ, when they either so palpably persecute him in his beloved members, or at least, egregiously slight and disrespect him, in suffering his holy cause and faithful servants to be so discountenanced and trampled upon, as they have been these many years, especially of late. And yet, I say, in all this so dangerous and double-guilt and deep-die of gross impiety in them (which indeed is the note I aim at, and is the wonder and admiration, mixed with grief of my soul, to see and consider) that even the very best of them hath not to this very day given us the least print or expression of true repentance and godly remorse of soul and spirit, for these so great and grievous sins of theirs of cruelty and security, or carelessness of God's people and their religion; but even the best of them still, I say, suffering the Gospel of grace and truth to sink or swim, what cared they, so they may be quiet, and be thought great Clerks, rare disputants against Popery in words and writings only (yet oft juggling with us therein too) and the wise and moderate men (forsooth) of the world. Yea, I say, so far are some of them from cordial remorse and penitency for those accursed abominations aforesaid, that one of their most moderate, wise men of peace, since his being in prison in the Tower, hath not been ashamed with his accustomed rhetorically-glorious and smoothly painted phrases to daub over his great-guilt of conscience, especially in point of security and carelessness of God's truth forementioned by me. O these men of peace (forsooth) how have they forgotten even hypocritical Jehu's asseveration, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of that Romish Jezebel are so many and so mischievous amongst us? Yea I say again to him in particular, he should have had no peace with Rome, as well as he wrote of, the no peace of Rome. But thus, I say, these our holy Fathers of our Church▪ forsooth, these our lordly Prelates, who with Bishop White, must be counted Princes too, have carried themselves in those their great evils; The Lord in mercy timely take from them their such a heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh, and clear the eyes of their understanding so willfully blinded, that they may with those two honest self-denying and humble-hearted Bishops in Scotland, ( whom Bishop Hall scoffed and jeered at for it) with self-denying shame and sorrow repent their horrible impiety to God and his Church, and abhor such a princely p • mpous function (never of Christ's institution) as (even inevitably, for ought I can yet see to the contrary) occasions such faction and defection from sincerity and truth. Which, if they labor not timely and truly to express, they must pardon me if I believe it were most just with our God, if he should raise up against them in their impenitence, such a just judge as godly Ezra records, even that heathen yet (surely) honest-hearted King Darius to have been, in that noble and renowned sentence of his, whose words are these. I have made a Decree, that whosoever shall alter this word (namely of re-erecting and building-up again the old material-Temple at Jerusalem) let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up as a jibbet) let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill (or jakes) for this. See here▪ for This, only for This. What This? Why only for daring so much as to alter the Kings honest resolution, as aforesaid. But he goes on in the 12. verse. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there, destroy all Kings and people (note this emphatical expression of this honest King) that shall put to their hand to alter or destroy this House of God (ah shame to our guilty Prelates herein) which is at Jerusalem; of the House of Commons, wherein you shall find the true and genuine description of it to the full, which is this.

Recollect now then (good Christian Reader) thy sad and serious thoughts, and muster-up thy most exquisite meditations on this so ponderous and weighty a passage of God's admirable providence, and protection of his own parliamentarie-Worthies (for so, me thinks, I may fitly call and count them) and tell me whether God was not wonderfully seen here in the Mount of straits, to turn it (in a moment) to a Mount of deliverance to his faithful Servants; yea, and in them, to the whole Kingdom? whose weal or woe (as we all are or ought to be most sensible) was wrapped-up in them, being the representative Body thereof; And when thou hast fully and feelingly recogitated and ruminated on this exuberant parliamentarie-mercy, tell me, I pray thee, whether thou and I and all true English-hearts have not most redundan • reason and copious occasion with blessed Moses, a little before his death (and dying men's words ought to make deep impression of credence in our hearts) to confess and acknowledge, That there is none like unto the God of Jesurum, who rideth upon the heavens in the help of his beloved-ones, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is their refuge, and underneath them are his everlasting arms, and he shall thrust their enemies before them. And they shall know that it was thy hand (O Lord) and that thou only hast done it; and that though they have cursed, yet thou hast blessed, and that when they arose thou madest them ashamed, but hast caused thy servants to rejoice. Yea and hast carried them on Eagles wings (far and free from danger) and hast brought and placed them near to thyself. Yea, I say, again, now, if ever, those noble and renowned parliamentarie-Worthies found that of Solomon most true. That the Name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe. To conclude this, therefore, let the grateful and gracious consideration of this so great a deliverance cause me and thee, and them all whom it so nearly and peculiarly concerns, to break-out, with holy David, that sacred and sugared Singer of Israel, and to say, O give thanks unto the Lord, and call continually upon his Name. Sing unto him, O sing Psalms to his great Name, and talk of all the wondrous works which he hath done, and all the glorious judgments of his mouth.

Now after this so terrible affront and disturbant affright to the Parliament, it pleased those pious and prudent Worthies of both Houses for a space to adjourn their sitting at Westminster, and to turn Both-Houses into a grand Committee, and for their greater safety and assurance from Popish-plots and combinations, to sit in the City of London, in the Grocers-Hall. Where, by God's mercy and most safe protection they were most cheerfully guarded every day by the trained-Bands of the City, and extraordinary lovingly entertained, and most respectively used according to the high merit of their worth and work, and unto theirs and our high content and singular comfort.

In which interim of their sitting in London, very many of the well-affected and faithful Ministers of London unanimously petitioned the Parliament, both for choice of an Assembly for settling Church-discipline, and for the ordering of a Monethly fast throughout the whole Kingdom, until the distresses of Ireland and the distractions of England were by God's mercy graciously quieted and composed. Which petition of theirs in both those material branches thereof, was most favourably entertained by the Parliament, and received a desired answer; the Assembly of Divines being now by vote in Parliament fully resolved on, and all of them nominated for all the Counties throughout the Kingdom for their advise to the Parliament for settling and ordering the pure worship of our God, and true Apostolical discipline; Wherein, the Lord grant they may all be as meek-hearted▪ gracious, and faithful as holy Moses was, to do nothing therein (no not in the least particular thereof, especially in God's worship) but most punctually according to the pattern of the Apostles practice and precepts, no question fully and sufficiently to be found in God's Word. The Monethly fast also was speedily put in practice all over the Kingdom, which being as it were a spiritual Militia (as a reverend and learned Divine of our City calls it, most properly) puts the Kingdom into a spiritual posture of a God-pleasing holy warfare (if religiously kept both for sin and from sin) that we may, as it were, even fight and contend with God by prayers and tears, by sighs and groans, as good Jacob was said thus to wrestle with God, yea and may be prevailers with God for a blessing on our Land, our King and Parliament, Church and State, and thus also at length, may prevail with men, even against all the enemies of our peace and prosperity both domestic and foreign. Domestic, I mean our imbred sins, base lusts, and corruptions; Forrein, that is, treacherous projectors, and clandestine malignant emulatours of our happiness both at home and abroad. And are not here two parliamentarie-mercies more of most high concernment; and such as give us strong and irrefragable assurance that God is with us, and will be with us (if they be rightly and religiously managed) and then we need not fear who is against us. Yea, then (as the Prophet said) They are moe that are with us than those that be for our enemies. Yea, even the Lord's legions of chariots and horsemen of fire round about us, to defend us, and to consume them. Whereby we may even already triumph and exult with pious Paul, and truly say, Thanks be unto God who hath given us victory; yea and made us more than conquerors through Christ, in whom he hath freely loved us. But to proceed.

In this time also of the Parliaments sitting in London by a grand-Committee of both Houses, the stout-hearted and well-minded Ship-masters and Mariners to show their love and loyalty to the King and Parliament, exhibited their Petition to the grand Committee, and therewith also their votes and desires full of courage and candor to serve his Majesty and the Parliament to the utmost of their power; which their readiness and cheerfulness, therein, was most lovingly regarded, both by the Lord's and Commons, and shortly after a fair and fit occasion was offered to make use of their love and service therein, which they most really manifested to the full, as now you shall hear.

The time being now expired, and the last day of the Parliaments adjourning from Westminster being now come, Jan. the 11. 1641. being Teusday, and their just jealousies and fears being many and great, especially by that so late high breach of privileges of Parliament, mentioned, Jan. the 4 ^rh , and our Worthies, now, of necessity to return to Westminster, the noble and renowned City of London most cheerfully and voluntarily proffered their best service and abilities to attend and guard them by land to the Parliament at Westminster, and by God's assistance to secure them from danger all the way by land, to which purpose the City Captains had commanded their trained-bands and Officers at arms to prepare themselves thereunto, and their Musketteirs with powder and bullets, and pikemen with glistering arms, which was performed in a most gallant and martial manner; and thus our parliamentarie noble, grave Senators both Lord's and Commons were in their coaches safely (by God's mercy) conducted and attended to the Parliament by land. By water also the same day, the stout and courageous Ship-masters and Mariners had suddenly and most bravely made ready a great number of long-boats and such like vessels furnished with pieces of Ordnance, Muskets, and other Sea war-like instruments, their vessels also gallantly adorned with flags and streamers, together with Martial-music, Drums and Trumpets; so as it was a most admirable rare sight to see and hear their carriage all along, and when they came to Whitehall and the Parliament Houses, and understood that the parliament-Worthies were safely there arrived. O how bravely did the trained-bands by land, make their thick and quick volleys of shot echo in the air, and the valiant Sea-men let fly their thund'ring shot both great and small by water, their trumpets sounding, and their Drums beating in such a triumphant and congratulating manner, as could not possibly, but strike-dead with terror, amazement, and vexation the hearts of the Popish, prelatical and malignant party, that either saw or heard it, or heard of it, but contrariwise, as must needs extraordinarily exhilarate and rejoice all the loyal and honest hearts of God's people that beheld it, or heard of it. And as this was a singular testimony of the cordial affections of the City and Sea-men, and highly advancing the glory of God, who thus put into their hearts to express their faithfulness and thankfulness to God, our King, and the Parliament, under whom, and by whom, we enjoy the Gospel of peace and peace of the Gospel, in such rare and fair tranquility and serenity above all Nations in the world. And for the ratification of all this to be warrantable and legal to be done; I have thought fit here to insert the Vote of the Parliament published by their authority.

Nay, yet to make the beauty and brightness of that foresaid Tewsdayes sunshine of comfort, yet more glorious to our eyes and hearts; That very same 11 ^th of Jan. I say, being Tewsday, came a numerous multitude of Buckinghamshire men, both Gentleman, Ministers, and others of that County, on hors-back, in very fair and orderly manner with the Protestation in their hats and hands, partly in the behalf of the most worthy Knight of their Shire in Parliament, Mr Hampden, but especially to petition the Parliament for the reformation of evils in Church and State, the just punishment of Delinquents, the timely relief of Ireland, the sweet and harmonious concurrence of both Houses against all sinister obstructions, and the expulsion of Prelates and Popish▪Lord's out of the Parliament, and to assure their best services and assistance to the King and Parliament, on all just occasions. And since which time, even immediately after, mighty multitudes out of Essex, divers thousands out of Hartford-shire, Barkshire, Surrey, and other Counties of the Kingdom; in brief, from all Shires and Counties of the whole Realm, came still one after another to London, to exhibit their petitions to the Parliament in the causes aforesaid, from all parts swimming in one stream of affections and petitions, all having one desire, all, I say, as one man unanimously consenting in this one thing, namely, a serious and settled resolution to petition and pray a speedy refining and reforming of persons and things amiss among us.

And was not the Lord Jehovah seen in this rare Mount of Meries also? Thus to knit the hearts of the people together so far distant in habitations from one another, according to that faithful promise of his mentioned by the Prophet. I will give them one heart, and one way, saith the Lord, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them and of their children after them. And now, good Reader, take thankful notice and cognizance, to the everlasting praise and glory of the Lord, the only God that hears prayers, and grants gracious returns unto them in his due time, that upon these confluences of unanimous desires of the Kingdom from all parts thereof the Bishops were voted against from having any intermeddling with temporal affairs and dignities, and so uncapable of votes in Parliament, it having pleased the Lord our most wise God, first to catch them in their own nooz, to entangle them in their own snare whereby their persons were (even by themselves) first sequestered from the Parliament by Law, they being fast locked up in prison in the Tower▪ For, on Febr. 5. 1641. the noble House of Commons past a Bill (nemine contradicenti) against their having any vote in Parliament, which being sent to the renowned House of Lord's▪ those prudent Peers mended the said Bill and added, that they should have no seat or place neither, as well as no voice or suffrage among thm, which was most gratefully entertained by the Commons with particular thanks to the Lord's for their wisdom and love therein to the Common-wealth; and so it past again most currently with them, and being now returned to the Lord's, it past clearly among them also immediately. And thus on that happy fifth of February, was the Church of God most mercifully freed of that pestilential disease wherewith it had long been infected and infested, namely, the Antichristian tyranny of our English Prelates by reason of their princely pomp and lordly dignities, and familiar intermeddling and tampering in temporal affairs to the continual provocation of the wrath of God, and the derogatory dishonor of Christ's will and prescript pleasure in their ministerial function. It shall not be so with you. And now let the godly Reader, here see and consider the admirable equity and justice of our wise and most holy God, meeting them full in their own ways and works. They, who being Lord's and Barons (forsooth) in that high Court of Parliament, yet could seldom or never find a heart or voice for Christ and religion, but freqently against Christ in his holy members, and against the power and purity of religion; have, now (most justly) no voice or place in Parliament to help themselves, but are thrust out, as men not desired, like that wicked King Jehoram, who departed this life, without being desired. And take this note also, by the way, before we leave them; That, they, who in themselves and predecessors (ever since the time of glimmering reformation even in Queen Elizabeth's days of ever blessed memory, to this very time, all along, without intermission) had silenced, suspended, imprisoned, and impoverished many hundreds, if not thousands, of holy, painful and profitable Preachers for Non-subscription; have now, by an act of subscription, imprisoned themselves in the Tower of London, and almost quite devested themselves of their Prelatical arrogated superiority over their fellow-Ministers. Thus God hath taken them by their own iniquities, and hath held them with the cords of their own sin. Thus Goliath is slain with his own sword, and Haman is hanged upon his own gallows. And thus was their former furious and most injurious carriage and course a just presage and omen of their total ruin and downfall, which, in substance, is now blessedly come to pass, in this their denudation, stripping and whipping from their lordly dignities, haughty honors, and busy intermeddling in secular affairs, the rest I hope and pray will perfectly be effected in God's due time.

Now, then, see here and observe (good Reader) with a wise and most grateful heart (both in regard of the thing itself, and also of those two material circumstances, so observable, therein) whether the Lord was not admirably seen in the Mount of Mercy▪ to his poor Church, in this so rare and singular freedom of it from future fear of Prelatical tyranny. And give me leave to use the Prophets own words, by way of exulting gratitude to the Lord our God. Hearken unto me (dear Christians) ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is the law of the Lord. Fear ye not the reproach of men▪ neither be ye afraid of their revilings; for, the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall gnaw them like wool; But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in ancient days, and as in the generation of old. Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab (the Prelates of England) and wounded the Dragon (the whore of Rome)? Therefore do the redeemed of the Lord return and come with singing to Zion, and everlasting joy shall be on their head. They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall fly away.

About this time also it pleased the good hand of God to direct the hearts of our prudent and provident parliamentarie-Worthies to take notice of the most dangerous distractions of the kingdom, and as just as great fears of intestine turmoiles which might arise among us by the Papists and malignant-party, if not timely prevented; and therefore to resolve, according to the joint desires of the Subject in all their petitions exhibited in Parliament to settle a Militia by Act of Parliament, for a certain time, namely, until it might please the Lord happily to compose our differences, and to put a blessed end to our domestic and foreign fears, that thus by putting the Kingdom into a posture of defense, we might by God's mercy be the better secured both from homebred treacheries and transmarine invasions. For, which purpose, they resolved, in the first place, to displace Sir John Byron from his Lieutenantship of the Tower of London, and to put in Sir John Connyers, a man, in whom they had good assurance, they might confide, both for his fidelity and martial abilities; which, though with much struggling, at last they obtained of his Majesty, to theirs and the Cities full content in that particular.

And for the better putting of life into the sad and bad affairs of Ireland, and the more speedy and certain subduing (by God's assistance) of those most barbarous and inhumane Rebels and accursed idolaters of Rome; It pleased our most wise God to infuse a fair and famous project into the hearts of divers heroic and worthy Citizens of London, first to proffer, themselves, by way of subscription of certain sums of money, to be paid in at several payments, by them and other well-affected Subjects both in City and Country: Whereunto (the thing being moved by petition, and singularly approved in Parliament) the Lord's and Commons in both Houses gave admirable encouragement, by their free and forward subscription of great sums, and all their moneys so laid out to be repaid and satisfied out of the Rebels lands, when by God's aid and assistance they should be totally suppressed and destroyed, and not before, nor by any other ways or means. And, since that (by reason of the most a • rocious and unparralleld cruelties of those Romish-rebels in Ireland) very many of the distressed and bespoiled English-Protestant inhabitants, especially women and children, who were necessitated to fly thence, carrying their lives in their hands, and glad (poor souls) they so escaped to Dublin, and so over-Sea into divers parts of this Kingdom, being thereby plunged into deplorable poverty and misery) It was, I say, further ordered by our truly charitable and pious Parliament, that there should be a general collection or contribution over the whole Kingdom, for and toward the present relief and supply of such distressed men, women and children, as could hardly subsist without present help and relief. Which said collection was so fully and freely advanced in this our noble and renowned City of London, that at one Church therein, viz▪ Aldermanburie, under reverend and religious Mr Calamies fruitful Ministry, upon his pious and pathetical motion and instigation to his willing people, a Collection was made and gathered, at the Church-doors and parishioners houses, which amounted unto between 600 and 700 • . at the least.

Toward the latter end of February also, 1641. It pleased the Lord to blow-off all clouds of displeasure from the Kings royal heart, and to cause his countenance to shine so serenely on the Parliaments proceedings, that he sent the House of Lord's a most gracious and comfortable answer, intimating his royal concurrence and desire of correspondency with both Houses, both in passing those Bills then exhibited to his Majesty, and also referring all matters touching the Liturgy and Church-Government to the wisdom and piety of the Parliament to settle and resolve on.

And, here, again (good Reader) let us reflect our eyes and serious thoughts, and see whether the Lord does not still carryon his works of mercy to us, by his own strong-arm, and almighty power and providence; that thus we should now have such strong and heart-cheering hope of a happy and long desired rectifying and reformation of our Liturgy and Discipline, two ticklish pieces to be tampered with, on pain of highest indignation and displeasure in by-past times, but now you see and hear of talk yea resolution of reforming them. Hereby ratifying and confirming his most righteous word and promise, by the Prophet, in showing himself unto our Kingdom a most resplendent glory in the midst of us. Making good also that old promise of his to his ancient people of Israel, namely, I will turn my hand upon thee, and will purely purge away all thy dross, and take away all thy tin. O that we therefore in the way of thankfulness • would sincerely perform his holy and just desire of us, namely, in deed and in truth to obey his voice, and cheerfully to do all that he hath commanded us!

Yet, see, the (still) invincible and inveterate malice of the malignant party, who notwithstanding that they cannot but evidently see the hand of God against them crossing all their counsels, turning their perniciously boiling obstrisctions to their own destruction in the issue: yet still, I say, they manifest (right Pharaoh-like) more flintinesse and hardness of heart, presumptuously spurning at (as it were) and despising all God's most wise and over powering proceedings against them; thereby most clearly treasuring-up wrath and confusion unto themselves against the day of God's vengeance and heaping up coals of calamity on their own heads against the day of the Lord's burning jealousy. For, much about this time a most pernicious and seditious Petition was forged and framed by some of the grey-headed but not grave-hearted Citizens of London, which was boldly presented to the Parliament by them. A Petition, I say, much tending to sedition, and the overthrow of the Parliaments proceedings, especially concerning the Militia of the City, aiming therein at the overthrow of the said Militia, and the sure defense of the whole Realm (under God) which they had formerly most firmly settled over the whole Kingdom. In which seditious plot and devilish design of theirs, though many of no small or mean rank and quality in the City, yea and some of the highest degree thereof had deep hands and spotted hearts to further it, and therefore had subscribed to it: yet, one or two most pragmatical spirits among them, were chief agents and active instruments openly and audaciously appearing and persisting in it, namely, one Mr Binion, a Silkman in Cheapside, who carried himself most proudly and insolently therein from first to the last. But the truly godly, grave and loyally-affected Citizens of London understanding thereof, disavowed it, immediately, joined together against it, in another most honest, fit and fair Petition clean contrary to that other, exhibited the same in Parliament, desired the justice of the Parliament against • he other, which was received with singular approbation of both Houses. Whereupon, the other was not long after cast out of the House, condemned to be burnt by the hangman, as a most scandalous and seditious paper; and the foresaid Mr Binion himself (persisting in his obstinate and malevolent misbehaviour, was made an example of terror to the rest (who more wisely shrunk-in their heads, and recanted their former oversight) being for his foresaid insolencies and misdemeanors fined 3000. l. disfranchised from the immunities of the City, made uncapable of ever bearing any office in the Common-wealth, and imprisoned for two years in the Castle of Colchester. And yet, again, notwithstanding all this, I say, yea this so fresh and modern admonition (as a man might have thought) to those malignant spirits; They, not long after brake out again into a like misdemeanor in the County of Kent, by the main instigation (as it is conceived) of Sir Edward Deering▪ late a Member of the House of Commons, who at the beginning and for some continuance of this Parliament was well reputed and reported of, but at last brake-out into a most violent and virulent opposition of the honorable and pious proceedings of the Parliament, which he further most undiscreetly prosecuted by printing and publishing a book of all his former and later Speeches in Parliament, and one, especially not spoken, but only intended to have been spoken in Parliament. Whereupon the said Sir E. Deering was called to the Bar, sent prisoner to the Tower, cast out of the House from being any longer a Member among them, & his said book condemned to be burnt▪ Which book, though it cannot be denied, but must be ingenuously confessed, did render him a Scholar, and witty acute r • etori • ian, yet was full fraught with palpable expressions of an illaffected heart not only to the most wise, worthy and untainted negotiations of the Honorable Parliament, but even to religion and the power of godliness. A gentleman he was, whom I must acknowledge, I myself much honored for the good things I conceived to be in him at first; but when I had read this his book (which I did, all-over, as advisedly and impartially as God enabled me) I found therein, even almost in its very portall or introduction to the matter of it and so along, such an unjust and immeritorious eulogie or elogie and hyperbolical praise of the Archprelate of Canterbury in general, and of his book (if his) of his conference with Fisher the Jesuit, in special: A book most full of pregnant expressions (yet cloudily couched) of the said Prelates Popish rotten-heartedness, as a most sound and learned Reply to it, hath copiously and clearly discovered to all judicious and impartial Scholars that have read it) together with his affected witty je • ring and scoffing at true piety in some places, and irreligious sublime justification of gross Popish superstition in other some; I could not, hereupon, I say, (God knows my heart) but greatly grieve for his sake, thereby so dishonored, and blush at mine own so clear mistake, who had willingly harboured so good opinions of him before. But to leave him to his great Lord and Master to whom he must either stand or fall, with my hearty prayers for his true and timely retractation, I return to my purposed matter, from which I have a little digressed, but I hope not much transgressed therein.

Another seditious Petition (I say) was hatched and contrived in Kent, wherein (I say) tis more than conceived that Sir Edward Deering had a deep hand, which contained matter much to the same effect with the former of London; Which also it seems was much countenanced and encouraged by the Earl of Bristow and judge Mallet, and for which they were both sent prisoners to the Tower of London; which Petition being on the 29 ^th of April, 1642. brought to the Parliament by some of the prime malignant-ones (the rest of that rout being some certain thousands remained at Blackheath for an answer, but were fain to depart with a flea in their cares) they received most foul (but most just) disgraces at their entrance into the City, the gate at the Bridge-foot was shut against them, they themselves were disarmed, their weapons being there taken from them, two of their prime leaders, having exhibited their Petition in Parliament, were committed to safe custody till fit opportunity of further examination of this their high contempt and arrogancy. But immediately after, the truly religious, honest, and well-affected party of the said County of Kent unanimously also united themselves in an honest and loyal Petition, therein utterly disavowing and protesting against that other seditious and scandalous one, who were all, together with their Petition most courteously and lovingly entertained, and dismissed with great thanks from the Parliament, for that their so honest and peaceable demeanour.

And was not the Lord Jehovah seen here in the Mount of Mercy, in thus both timely discovering and discountenancing these very dangerous designs of theirs (as much as in them • ay for the present) extremely to blend and disgrace the just, fair and faithful proceedings of the Parliament; and though they most secretly and subtly carried and contrived their designs therein, yet the Lord graciously caused them to be stifled in their birth. So that we may most fitly take up that of the Apostle Paul, who speaking of the perilous times that should come in the last days, after a recital of a ragged-regiment of malignant and illaffected persons, brings in Jannes and Jambres (two audacious and arrogant companions) who obstinately and proudly withstood Moses, reviling and speaking evil of the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall not proceed (says the Apostle) for, their folly shall be manifested to all men. As tis now with ours, blessed be the Lord our most wise God for it, and all their malice and mischief is fallen still upon their own hoads. Wherefore, we may, nay we must, with holy David, most gratefully acknowledge, Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be all the glory given, for thy mercy and for thy truths sake▪ Who hast not suffered the heathen (or wicked) to say, where is now their God? But our God is in heaven, and hath done whatsoever he pleased.

Now after these things, the King having pressed the Parliament, with divers Messages in his unhappy departure and distance from it (as by and by shall be more fully and particularly set forth) and thereby constrained our prudent Worthies in Parliament to clear their integrity to his Majesty, and the whole Kingdom, yea and to the whole world also, if occasion were offered; they sent to his Majesty, and afterward set forth in print divers Declarations, Remonstrances, and Messages from both Houses of Parliament, all of them written and pen'd with such prudence, pi • ti • , and humility toward his Majesty, as most apparently evidenced their great and godly care for the preservation of his Honor and the Kingdoms welfare, to the great and inexpressible comfort and content of all God's people, especially in the most sweet continued symphonie and harmonious concurrence of Both Houses which now began to be more and more strongly increased, notwithstanding the great and even mountan ••• obstructions and terrible distractions of the times mightily molesting and retarding their most important and weighty affairs, ou • most prudent and pious Peers still showing themselves (as was touched before) more forward, if possi • lie it might be, in all good motions than the House of Commons. A mercy, which (things and times considered) we are not able sufficiently to prize and praise the Lord for, it being that blessing of the Kingdom which was so long and so earnestly desired by the universal confluence of the Petitions of the whole Kingdom; yea that great blessing, I say, which the Apostle Paul so heartily and vehemently desires among his beloved Corinthians, That they might all speak the same thing, and that there might be no division among them, but that they may be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. Yea that rare blessing which the Prophet David cannot set out sufficiently without a note of admiration, in the excellencies of it, when he said▪ Behold how good and joyful a thing it is brethren to dwell together in unity. Yea (says he) tis like the precious ointment upon Aaron's head, distilling thence to his beard and running down to the skirts of his garment. Such a pr •• io •• ointment, may I truly say, is this unity and concord in these two honorable Houses of Parliament, poured on the head of our Sovereign, distilling thence on the comely beard of his Kingdom, this renowned Parliament, and sweetly streaming thence down to the skirts or garments of the Land the people and inhabitants thereof. And now see, I pray, the blessed effects of this happy union and precious complacency between the King and Both Houses of Parliament, at this time. For about the 9 ^th of April, the Lord's and Commons in Parliament resolved to set upon the reformation of the Liturgy and government of the Church, whereby God's worship and service should be more purely performed than formerly it had been, and discipline more piously administered. And for this purpose they passed Votes in Both Houses, and most prudently pitched upon certain eminent godly, grave and learned Divines out of every Shire and Corporation of the Kingdom, who should meet together at a time appointed to discuss and consult among themselves what should be most apost • licall, orthodox and nearest to the truth of God's word, and so to advise the Parliament for the settling of the same, as by their order printed and published by their authority may and doth more fully appear, which here I have thought fit to insert and mention to thee.

Now then tell me (good Reader) whether the Lord appeared not in a Mount of Mercy, in this so unexpectible an act of long desired reformation in this kind? In these two so extremely deified Diana's of our English Ephesus, so long settled upon their ol • lees, and so generally applauded by the Pontifician and other ignorant and malignant party of our land, so as it was thought a thing almost impossible to be effected. Yet see, I say, what ou • God can do, what mountains of difficulties and disturbances he is able to remove, when he, once, resolves it according to that of the Prophet: I have spoken it, (saith the Lord) I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed it, I will also do it. Hearken unto this ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousness. I will bring near my righteousness, it shall not be so far off, and my salvation shall not carry, and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel, my glory. Yet, see, still, the malignancy of the serpentine-brood, breeding and breathing more and more threats and vexations to the sacredseed of the woman. For, not long after, that aforesaid hopeful amiable symphonic of sweet accord between the King and his Parliament began to be besmeard with the black-coal of evil counsel, and his Majesty's affections to be so alienated and estranged from his grand and grave Council of Parliament, that in discontent he most unhappily sequestered his person from it, almost as far as his affection, even from the Southern toward the Northern parts of his Kingdom, to the universal and great grief of his loyal Subjects who made their earnest desires post as fast after him by their humble Petitions to return to his Parliament, but alas, all in vain, for in deep discontent his Majesty goes on in his journey, takes the Prince along with him, was accompanied or attended on by a company of furious Cavaliers, who shown themselves in an hostile manner about Hampton Court and Kingstone upon Thames, past on thence to New-market, and so into the North, where an attempt was made by the Earl of Newcastle to have taken in Hull, and the full fraught Magazine thereof, variety of martial ammunition, for the Kings use, but he was prevented, and Sir John Hotham a worthy Member of the House of Commons was put in possession thereof, for the use of his Majesty, and the good of the whole Kingdom. Not long after the King went himself in person to Hull, requiring the rendition of the Town and Magazine into his Majesty's hands, but Sir John Hotham having order to the contrary from the Parliament, refused so to do, and was therefore by his Majesty's command declared a traitor. Propositions were made to the Gentry of York to assist his Majesty's proceedings against Sir John Hotham for the taking in of Hull into his Majesty's possession by compulsion, since he could not obtain it of him by persuasion. About which time▪ Sir Francis Worthly and divers others siding together, and pretending themselves to be for the King, with their swords drawn in an unaccustomed and unexpected manner, demanded who was and would be on the Kings side? By this evil act act of theirs in an especial manner manifesting themselves • o be truly of the serpentine-seed, and therein imitating their father the devil, that grand seedsman of all sedition, whose main plot is and ever was to divide and separate what God hath united. Making a false and foolish discrepancie and difference, first between the King and the Parliament, which ought not to be; and secondly between the Parliament and the people, which cannot be. For what is the Parliament but a representative-Body of all the people in the whole Kingdom; and therefore to make men believe that the Parliament intends to wrong the people, by bringing in an arbitrary government (the thing which they mainly hate and labor against) is to make men mad with discretion, to make us think the Parliament labors to undo themselves with us, and to provoke us madly to rush on them to our own certain ruin. To ask a man therefore whether he be for the King or the Parliament▪ is to ask him whether he be for the King or for himself▪ See then (discreet Reader) the drift of this devilish design and false distinction, which is merely to make men fall together by the ears, and to sheath their swords in one another's bowels. But now the King receiving no content in this their fruitless meeting, the Ge • try (but not Free-holders, which was taken ill) were again summoned to assemble together before the King, May the 23 ^th being Friday, to resolve upon a guard of horse and foot to safeguard his person; this also was a long time fruitlessly agitated. About which time or not long before, his Majesty published his resolution to go in person to Ireland to subdue the Rebels, which was utterly disliked by the Parliament as a business of very dangerous consequence. The Gentry, Yeomen and Free-holders of York again are summoned together to York, but the honest yeomen were discourteously and uncivilly used by many of the Cavaliers or attendants about his Majesty; complaints were made thereof to the King, but not answered to their desire. His Majesty much about this time also forbade the exercise of the Militia, contrary to the Parliaments constitution over the Kingdom, and about the 15. or 16. of May, 1642. directed his Letter to Captain Philip Skippon, Sergeant Major general for the Militia of the City of London, a brave and expert old Soldier and Commander in Arms, and a most pious and virtuous Gentleman, requiring his personal attendance at York, all excuses set apart, and that there he should know his Majesty's pleasure: But this command was inhibited and contradicted to the said Captain Skippon by the authority of Both Houses of Parliament, as is afterward more fully declared. After this, about May the 26 ^th , the King sending a letter to the Lord Keeper to remove Midsommer Term from London to York: this also was opposed by the Parliament, as shall also be farther declared in its proper place. Much about this time also or not long after this, the said Lord Keeper and seven or eight other Lord's left the Parliament on a sudden, and without the consent thereof, and departed from London to York, to the King. In all which time, the Parliament sending many submiss Messages and humble Petitions to his Majesty at York, all of them full of wisdom, piety and patience, yet receive austere and unpleasing replies, even as his Majesty found unsatisfactorie returns to his expectation and desires in all or most of his negotiations in those Northern parts ever since his unhappy abode there. But what is all this (it may be objected) to the present intention of parliamentarie mercies to be manifested to us? I answer, this fore-past brief discourse serves greatly to show us, in the first place▪ a mighty fume and smoke now ready to break out into a most combustuous and furious flame, by the perverse and most pernicious counsel of the malignant party about the King (as the Parliament had often informed his Majesty in several Messages) if the Lord's over-powering providence had not cast on the water of op • rtune qualification and timely quenching of the same, by the admirable wisdom and singular moderation of this pious and prudent Parliament, hindering the boisterous breaking-out thereof, both by their modest, grave and gracious Declarations, their most humble Petitions, their prudent and provident Votes and Orders, and their patient and most submiss Messages to his Majesty at York; especially by those two Declarations or Remonstrances of Both Houses, March, 12. and March, 23. their most humble, wise and moderate Petition March, 26. About which time also it pleased the Lord to stir up the hearts of the Nobles and gentrie estated in Ireland, but then residing in London▪ to petition his Majesty's return to London, and gracious agreement with his great and highest▪ Court of Parliament. Together with the Gentry and Commons of the County of Lincoln, Staffordshire, and Munmouth in Wales; as also a most excellent and pathetical Petition from those of Cheshire, and another cut of Lancashire; all of them with an unanimous concurrence of Votes and suffrages, beseeching and imploring his Majesty's speedy and propitious affection and return to his Parliament. Yea our ever to be honored, and intimately to be loved Brethren of Scotland also were not wanting in their love and loyalty to send their faithful Commissioners, and among them the noble and renowned pious and prudent Lord Louthen to advise and beseech his Majesty to return and listen to his loyal and faithful Subjects in Parliament. The Gentry also and Commons of the County of York most humbly and earnestly besought and petitioned his Majesty, April the 30 ^th , to reflect his favorable and princely affections on his great Council at London, and to cohere and adhere to their wholesome and honorable advise for his Majesty's honor and welfare: Together with the Knights, Gentlemen and others of the County of Yorks wise and modest answer to his Majesty's demands of them, not long after, in these words.

Again, a full and fair Declaration or Remonstrance was sent to his Majesty from Both Houses of Parliament, and to the whole Kingdom, bearing date, May, the 19 ^th , wherein were expressed the several Depositions of divers, about the bringing in of the Army (formerly in the North, and then intended against ou • Brethren of Scotland) to London against this Parliament. And since that, another Declaration or Remonstrance, bearing date May 26 ^th , 1642, in answer to one under his Majesty's name, concerning the business of Hull, sent in a message to Both Houses of Parliament, May 21. In which Remonstrance was fully set forth the Kings of England's deep tie of regal stipulation to rule the Kingdom according to the fundamental Laws made by the Commons thereof or people of the Kingdom, and ratifying and maintaining the Subjects immunities and freedoms, to the reciprocal and harmonious happiness of King and Subject. Therein also fully and fairly clearing Sir John Hotham from the imputation of treason in his holding the town of Hull to his Majesty's and the Kingdoms just use and welfare. The safe transportation and removal of that great Magazine of warlike ammunition from Hull to London, notwithstanding the Kings interdiction of the same. The timely and happy discovery of that dangerous plot against Hull by one Thomas Beckwith, gentleman, a Popish-recusant, and an inhabitant of Beverly in Yorkshire and others his confederates, signified most fully and exactly by Sir John Hothams own letter to a worthy Member of the House of Commons, and published in print, June 3, 1642. Both Houses of Parliament ratifying and confirming by their Orders unto York, Lancas. and all the whole Kingdom, the exercise of the Militia, for the better security and safeguard thereof both against homebred conspiring Popish recusants, and foreign confederating Romish invaders of the land. The Parliaments clearing of that most worthy and pious gentleman Captain Phillip Skippon from any legal disobedience to his Majesty's command, in not tender ng his personal attendance on him at York; which was confirmed by 3. several Votes in Parliament, which for the Readers more full satisfaction I have here inserted.

The same day also, which was, May, 17, 1642. It having been rumoured that Midsommer-Term should be adjourned to York, and the Parliament understanding thereof, the Lord Keeper was required to declare whether he had 〈…〉 any command from his Majesty to that purpose, which being answered and satisfied by him to the Lord's, that he had such a command, and the Lord's conceiving how inconsistent the same was to a Parliament sitting at Westminster (not to be dissolved or adjourned without their consent) the Records being carried to York, whereof Both Houses were to have daily use; and that the Judges (whose advise and assistance the House of Peers daily required) should be so remote from them. They therefore voted.

That the Kings removal of the Term from Westminster to York▪ the Parliament sitting at Westminster, is illegal: And therefore further ordered, That the said Lord Keeper should not issue-out any Writs, or seal any Proclamation for adjourning the said Term from Westminster to York, as aforesaid.

About the 20. or 21. of May, 1642. a Committee of Both Houses was nominated to consider how they should bring to con dign punishment, those parties who are Delinquents and yet • protected against proceedings in Parliament. At which tim also the House took into consideration his Majesty's summons of the 14. of May, commanding the gentrie to appear before him in their equipage▪ And thereupon voted;

1. That it appeared that his Majesty seduced by wicked Counse •• intends to make war against the Parliament, who in all their consultations and actions have proposed no other end unto themselves, but the care of his Kingdom, and the performance of all duty and loyalty to his person.

3. That whensoever the King maketh war upon the Parliament▪ it is a breach of the trust reposed in him contrary to his Oath, and tending to the dissolution of this government.

3. That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such wars are traitors to the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom, and have been so adjudged in two Acts of Parliament, namely, 11 of Ric. 2. and 1 of Hen. 4. and ought to suffer as traitors. Which said two Acts, taken out o • the Records in the Tower of London, containing divers Articles 〈◊〉 treason then exhibited in the Parliament, against the Archbishop of York. Michael de la Pool and others, in the time of Ric. 2. most exquisitely and punctually depainting the present state of things with us now, were by Both Houses of Parliament voted to be printed and published in French, English and Latin on May, 26, 1642. Since this, about May, the 25▪ a dispatch was made from the Parliament, to their Committee at York, with an Ordinance of Parliament, to be published in all Market-towns over that whole County, declaring that the Train'd-bands ought not to be raised by his Majesty's personal command, as the affairs of the Kingdom now stand. And on May, 27. and 28. 1642. two Orders from both Houses were printed and published. The one to all high Sheriffs and all other Officers within the County of Lancaster, and in general to all the Counties of England and dominion of Wales; Both of them, to this effect, that, In regard of their just jealousies and grounded-fears, that his Majesty seduced by wicked Counsel intended to make war against the Parliament, therefore, no Arms and Ammunition should be conveyed toward York. And for keeping a strict watch within their several limits and jurisdictions, and to search for and seize on all such arms and ammunition, and to apprehend all such persons going to York with any such; and to suppress and hinder the raising and coming together of any Soldiers, horse or foot, by any Warrant or Commission from his Majesty alone, without the advise and consent of his Parliament. By this and all other fore-mentioned means to stop and hinder the breaking out of civil broils and dissensions in the Kingdom, and to maintain and propagate the blessed and happy peace thereof; yea the care and providence of this Parliament continually contriving and casting about for the welfare of the King and Kingdom, gave order that the several Societies of Sadlers, A • mourers and Gun-smiths should forthwith certify to the Houses of Parliament▪ what numbers of Arms and Sadles they were to provide weekly, and for whom. And have been most vigilant and circumspect to cause their Ordinance for the Militia of the Kingdom (for the better strengthening of it) to be put into execution in Lincolnshire, which his Majesty had opposed by a Proclamation, which Ordinance of Parliament was, notwithstanding, obediently observed and exercised, in Buckinghamshire▪ Middlesex, Essex, Leicestershire, and other Counties. And about the 29. or 30. of May, 1642. It having been informed to the Parliament that an Ancient of Sir John Hothams was apprehended and imprisoned at York; the Parliament presently sent to the Committee there to know the ground of his detenor, and if for being in the service of both Houses then they hold it an act of hostility against the Parliament, and are likewise to return the names of all such Members of the House as are at York, their presence there, tending to countenance the war intended against the Parliament. And about June the second, this most pious and prudent Parliament sent a most submissive Petition, with 19 Propositions from Both Houses of Parliament, all of them containing matters of high concernment for the singular good (as they providently conceived) both of Church and Common-wealth, which in their most religious and prudent aims might extraordinarily tend to a most blessed, happy and deeply desired accommodation and reconciliation of differences and misunderstandings betwixt his Majesty and them, protesting and seriously assuring his Majesty that if he would vouchsafe to grant those their most humble and behooveful requests, they would with all alacrity of mind and celerity of endeavor apply themselves so to regulate his Majesty's revenues, and to settle such an extraordinary and constant increase of it, as should be abundantly sufficient to support his royal dignity in majestical honor and princely plenty, beyond the proportion of any of his Subjects grants to any of his Majesty's predecessors. But this so humble submission, these fair propositions, and this so loyal a protestation of fidelity and integrity toward his Majesty conceived and brought forth shortly after, a very harsh and unpleasing reply unto them, to theirs and our no small sorrow and continued, yea and aggravated grief and discontent.

Now the sum of all these premised particulars so summarily mentioned together comes to thus much; that all these many weighty and various premises seriously considered, and impartially preponderated, cannot but most copiously discover and lay open to the eyes of all that are not willfully and obstinately blind and too extremely incredulous (even against clearest sight, sense, and most resplendent demonstrations) on the one side, the most sturdy and untyred (though, hitherto, blessed be the Lord, most fruitless) projects, plots and crafty contrivements of the malignant party, under a specious color and pernicious pretence of advancing regal authority, prerogative, and the Kings prosperity, and yet all of these (by them) most egregiously injured and abused to the sly subversion of both King and Kingdom. First (as a most eminent, worthy and pious Member of the House of Commons lately related it most pithily and pertinently) by weakening [ 1] and invalidating the proceedings and power of the Parliament, and making way for the utter subversion of it. Secondly, for this end, by gathering forces together at York▪ under a pretence of a guard for his Majesty's person, but purposely to make opposition against the Parliament▪ and thereby also to support Delinquents, to slight and scorn the power and orders of the Parliament, [ 2] and to make them of no esteem or reputation. Thirdly, to send out bitter invectives, and unjust aspersions, in his Majesty's [ 3] name as Declarations and messages from him, only to perplex the Parliament with • edious expense of their precious time to answer them, and thereby also by false colors and glosses to make the people disaffect the Parliament, yea (and if possibly) to stir them up to destroy it (and all Parliaments forever) and with it, themselves, their wives and children. Fourthly and lastly, to draw the [ 4] Members of both Houses away from their duty and attendance on them, and to go down to York▪ thereby to make the Parliament, as it were, bleed to death, and molder to nothing, and thus to blemish the actions of Both Houses of Parliament, as done by a few and inconsiderable number, and rather a party than a Parliament, and perhaps to set-up an Anti-parliament at York. A desperate and most dangerous practice, utterly to ruinate all. But all in vain, I trust in the Lord, as hitherto, we have happily seen, in all their designs, forever blessed be the Lord our God for it.

But, on the other side, we may most apparently perceive, and clearly behold by all those fore-mentioned particulars on the Parliaments part, the most admirable and even only-heaven-inspired wisdom, moderation, prudence, piety, patience and indefatigable vigilancy of our ever to be honored, and everlasting renowned Peers and Commons in Parliament, most humbly demeaning themselves always toward his Majesty, most wisely and courageously against the malignant party, most religiously and faithfully to Church and State in general, and most graciously, tenderly and affectionately, as so many fathers of their Country to all singular petitions and petitioners desiring their aid and assistance, in a fair and fitting way for the good of Church and State; which was most undeniably evident by the most sweet reciprocal resulta • ce and concurrent confluence of hearts and affections of all in City and Country, over all the whole three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, that had any spark or glimpse of true grace, yea of but mere common-grace and goodness, to the infinite praise and glory of the Lord our God, be it spoken, and to the inexpressible joy of our souls, even of the souls of all those that cordially love and desire to live to see the glorious and most happy espousals and never-again-to be-sequ • stred-union and marriage twixt Peace and Truth, the grand and gracious desire of that good King Hez • kiah, the main, if not only aim and • nd of this prudent Parliament; and which ought to be also of every true godly Christian with them.

Now, therefore, friendly Reader, I say all those fore-mentioned particulars conglomerated into one body of serious animadversion, those clouds of witnesses attesting this truth, say, was not thy wonder-working God, the Lord Jehovah most admirably, most gloriously, even far beyond all human apprehension or expression, seen in the Mount of mercies for England's mighty Deliverance? Tell me, good Reader, speak thy conscience freely, hath not England found, yea hath not this blessed Parliament found our God raising up one Elisha or other to reveal, and timely to discover all the wicked plots and devises of the malignant party, (even now and of late, and indeed all-along) against the happy hope-breathing condition of our greatly envied Church and State? So that we may say of England, (nowadays, especially within this year and a half) as Balaam, once, said of the children of Israel. Surely, there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: for, according to this time, it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought? So, certainly, we have all seen it, and the very adverse and malignant party must needs confess it. Surely, there is no enchantment against England and Scotland, nor is there any divination of the wicked that can prosper against the Houses of Parliament for, according to these times of our wonderful deliverances, It shall be said to succeeding posterity of England and of Scotland; O what hath our most gracious God freely wrought for us? Nay, let me speak in particular to those of the malignant faction, or let me rather sing it out with most emphatical joy, as Moses did in his sweet song of God's high praises, and let them deny it if they can. Their Rock is not as our Rock, even they our enemies themselves being judges. For, had their rock, or rather Egyptian-reed been able to have over-poured our celestial-Rock, we had (undoubtedly) long ere this, been made most woeful spectacles, to them and theirs, of ineffable ruin and implacable wrath; whereas we are, now, most hopefully happy spectators of their most black shame, sorrow and precipitating confusion. Even so, Amen, Lord Jesus hasten it for thine elects sake.

Now then these things being thus, how can we but with holy David, break out into over-flowing cordial-gratitude, and say with his heart and tongue. What shall we render to the Lord for all his blessed benefits toward us? We will take the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord. We will pay our vows (of universal true obedience) unto the Lord, in the presence of all the people. Yea, I say, how can we forbear to break-forth into pious King David's excitation and stimulation of our hearts to infinitely obliged thankfulness, but with sincere roused-up souls to sing. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all (or any of) his precious benefits. Who hath forgiven all thine iniquities, and healed all thy great and grievous diseases: Who hath redeemed thy life from destruction, and hath crowned thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.

In sum, therefore, to wind-up all briefly, let me beseech thee, good Christian Reader, to make this four-fold holy use and observation of all these premises, these remarkable and unparalleled parliamentarie-mercies to England, to unworthy, sinful England. First, to admire and adore the infinite and free mercy of our good God, who hath done all these great things for thee, [ 1] even for his own Name sake, because this so glorious a wonderworking attribute of free grace and merci? pleaseth him best of all. Know O England, that it was not for thine own sake, that God hath done all these things for thee, but for his holy Names sake, which (alas) thou hadst most extremely profaned. But thy God was willing to sanctify his own great Name, which thou, I say, hadst profaned, and because he would make the wi • ked and ungodly among thee to know that God is the Lord, and that he will be sanctified in you, before their eyes, and that they may see that the Lord's hand is listed u • against them though they will not see, yet they shall see and be ashamed of their envy at God's people, when the fire of God's wrath devours his enemies, and when they shall perceive that the Lord only hath ordained peace for his people, and hath wrought all his works in us and for us. Let us not therefore (my dear Christian English brethren and friends) so much look on our sins as to dead our hearts, or to damp our faith, by saying one to another; O, but our sins are greater than other Nations, and therefore, surely, the Lord will not (yet) save and deliver us, till we are fitted for mercy. Alas, alas, if God should not be merciful to us till we are fit for mercy, certainly, he must never be merciful to us. But, here we see, and Moses confirms it farther to us, that oftentimes) God shows not mercy to a people because they are greater in number, or better in condition▪ or fitter for his mercy than another people, but because the Lord freely loved us above or before all others ou • neighbor Nations round about us, and that he might keep his word and promise made of old, to save his people when they called on him in the day of their trouble, that so they might glorify him. And most undoubtedly for this very end the Lord hath poured on his people of England (within these two or three years) an extraordinary spirit of grace and prayer or supplication, in these days of their distress and great calamity; yea and notably manifested by all these fore-mentioned returns of prayer, even far beyond their hopes and desires, that he is a God hearing prayers▪ and so hath encouraged his people (notwithstanding their sins) to come unto him, and hath clearly let them see that tis not in vain to call on our God, and to wait till he have mercy. Hence, therefore, I say, let us learn to admire and adore the bounteous and open-hand and enlarged bowels of love and compassion of our good God and indulgent Father, who hath done all these so great and so good things for us, even of his own mere mercy and free favor, and because mercy pleaseth him. Since, then, [ 2] it is most true and unquestionable, that God hath not so dealt with every Nation, nay I may justly say, not with any Nation, as he hath with us of England: O let us all seriously endeavor to out-strip every Nation round about 〈◊〉 Thankfulness and Obedience, which is the second Observation I desire to make of these remarkable parliamentarie mercies to us. Thankfulness, I say, first to our good and gracious God, who hath been the only author and fountain of all these full and fairly over-flowing mercies [ 1] to us. Who hath thus blessed where the enemy hath cursed. Who hath, thus, made the plots and devises of our adversaries, the main means of their own shame and smart, of their own certain ruin and destruction. Yea who hath thus firmly and faithfully performed all his good word and will unto us hitherto, and therefore with holy David to cry out and say, Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give all the glory, for thy mercy and for thy truths sake. Yea to raise and rouse-up our souls to the highest peg and pitch of holy ecstasies of praise and thanksgiving to our God, and to break-out as the same holy David did. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake psalterie and harp (yea, awake soul and heart) I myself will awake right early, yea and right earnestly. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people, and I will sing praises unto thee among the Nations. For, thy mercies are great above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth. Set up thyself (therefore) O our God, more and more, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth. And let not this our thankfulness be merely a work of lip-labor; but let it also (yea especially) produce an effectual work of life-labor▪ of true obedience, which, indeed, is better than sacrifice. Obedience, I say, to all God's commandments, universal-submission to the whole will of God. Which is mainly seen in breaking-off from our sins (those great blocks) that stand in the way, and hinder God's good things from us; accursed sin, I say, which locks up all the gates of God's goodness and sweetness from us) by true and cordial repentance, by hating and forsaking our closest and s • yliest insinuating darling sins our bosom-Dal • lahs, which is the only-golden-key to open the doors, to▪lift-up the flood-gates of all God's rich treasury of grace and over-flowing favors and mercies to us.

Objection. But, here, I may demand (and not impertinently I hope) May we not also give thanks and due commendations to our noble and renowned Worthies in Parliament, who have so cheerfully and so indefatigably spent themselves and their precious time for us and the Kingdoms good?

Answer. Yes undoubtedly, and that most duly; but in the first and most, and best place, to the Lord our God, who is the author and fountain [ 2] of all our mercies, and unto them in the next place, as the channels or conduit-pipes by and through whom God is pleased to convey these comforts to us. And, as a grave, godly and learned Divine of our City fitly observed; It is not only decent and comely to give them thanks, even as we would, if a Lord or great friend should send us some extraordinary gift by his servant; we would first give condign thanks to the Lord or friend that sends it, and also gratify the servant or messenger by whom twas sent, with some real expression both of our high esteem of the donor, and also of our grateful hearts to the messenger for his pains in bringing it to us: So, without all question it is not only decent (as I said before) but due and equal that we should (at least) return most hearty thanks to these honorable and happy Messengers of our great Lord and gracious God, who hath, by them, conferred upon us such and so many indelible monuments of mercies and admirable Deliverances; especially when we consider, I say, with what invincible patience and pains, what admired wisdom and untyred sweetness of spirit, both Lord's and Commons, have for us and our good neglected their own lives and livelihood, their own private and personal affairs and just delights, (otherwise) befitting such persons and personages even beyond the slender and lanck expression of my poor pen, yea of the most eminent parallel of any by-past times▪ And therefore worthy, yea most worthy that we should praise and prize them, and pray for them too, that our God would repay into the bosoms of them and their posterity all the sweetness of their love and loyalty to God their King and Country, which we all have found and felt to our unspeakable joy and comfort.

Which being so, as most certain so it is. Ah foul shame for such as most injuriously endeavor to traduce and blemish (as much as in their foul mouths and false hearts is) the most honorable name and unspotted reputation of so renowned prudent Peers and pious Patriots, whose equals (for piety, prudence, patience and indefatigable pains for Church and State) this Kingdom and Nation, never, since it had a being beheld. Yet some, I say, have not blushed nor been ashamed to manifest such foul effects of black and ignominious ingratitude (and therein most palpable impiety) as cannot choose but be most exceeding irksome and odious both to God and man. Some, saying they see little or nothing done (as yet) others convinced in their consciences of what is already done, yet extremely extenuate and under-value the same, saying, what have they done in so long time, what is yet reformed by them that was amiss before? Nay are not things (say some spurious imps of Envy) worse than they were before (for so they count the works of reformation already wrought, and farther endeavors of pure ordinances in Religion, right rules of justice which indeed is the main thing that vexeth them, and which, they extremely fear lest it cut them short of the former liberty of their base lusts) This, I say, and much more dares black-mouthed malignity belch out against these our neversufficiently to be praised and prized Heroes, notwithstanding all those most admirable and amiable white-clouds of witnesses of their mighty and blessed pains and piety, as have been by me abundantly made known in all those fore-mentioned parliamentarie-mercies, wherein, as, I have fully and fairly (I think) told my Readers what they have done: So, I could yet farther tell them what more they would have done, had not the most notorious envy and malice of impious and irreligious opposers the malignant Elymasses of our times, and enemies of all righteousness and true goodness mightily molested and perniciously opposed their pious purposes and religious resolutions therein. As namely, a full removal of the inordinate power, vexation and usurpation of Bishops, the reformation of the pride and idleness of many others of the Clergy, the casing of the people's consciences from unnecessary ceremonies in God's worship, the censuring and removing of unworthy and unprofitable Ministers, and contrariwise, the maintaining and setting-up of godly and diligent Preachers through the whole Kingdom; together with many other things of great importance for the singular good of the Kingdom, which long have been in proposition and agitation in Parliament (which the Reader may see most particularly set forth by our Parliamentary-Worthies themselves) but, which have been extremely and necessitously retarded and hindered by plots and projects of the malignant party; but, which God (I trust) will in his own good time ripen and bring to maturity of a through reformation, to the praise of his grace and wonder-working glory.

The third serious consideration and observation of all these rich and rare Parliamentary-mercies, incomparable mercies and [ 3] gracious deliverances of ou • land and Nation, so deeply designed to destruction, but so admirably plucked (as a brand) out of the fire of confusion, should, most justly, make us more faithful and less fearful. The Prophet David made it a ground of comfort and encouragement to him, to consider what God had done for his Church and children in former times. We have heard (says he) with our ears, O God, and our fathers have told us what works thou didst in their days, and in the times of old. But what a ground of comfort and heart-stablishing encouragement may it be to us, who have not only heard our fathers tell us of God's former wonders, but have visibly seen with our own eyes, and found by our own present experience, how our God hath with his mighty hand and stretched-out arm supplanted our enemies, and blessedly begun to plant us. How the Lord's right hand and mighty arm, and the light of his countenance (because he had a favor to us) hath put us into much present possession of our hearts desires, and gloriously commanded great deliverances for us. It was also (and that most justly) a strong strengthening supp rtation to loyal-hearted and royally-affectionated King David, to assure himself of an undoubted conquest over that seeming unconquerable uncircumcised Philistine, great Goliath, namely, the sweet heart-fortifying experience he had had of God's assisting power and preservation against the paw of the Lion, and the paw of the Bear. And shall not these our so many and so marvelous great deliverances and so sweetly and so freshly▪tasting-merci s cause us to be confident, that our God will deliver us also from the great Goliath-like and Philistine fears of future most dangerous designs by our most private and pernicious plotting enemies? O foul shame if they should not! Certainly (Christian Reader) experimental faith must needs be an immovable, an impregnable rock, not to be dashed out of countenance, or driven from its so fast hold by base and slavish fears, but to be the more settled and confirmed in faith. O (says courageous and noble Nehemiah) shall such a man as I am fly for fear of any enemies? So may I say to thee (good Reader) and to all my Christian brethren of England, shall men of so many mercies, so many rare pledges of farther purposed deliverances, all ready put into our hands, faint and be afraid? Shall we damp and dead our hearts with base servile fear, and slavish doubts of infidelity, and, thereby, extremely discountenance our glorious cause, and mightily encourage our insulting enemies, who would gladly triumph in our pusillanimous terrors and effeminate faintings? Ou • God forbid. Let us call to remembrance, and lay it sadly and seriously to our hearts (for tis a most certain and undeniable truth) that nothing did so cut short the children of Israel from entering into Canaan, fruitful Canaan, the desire of their souls (because the promised land of peace and plenty) as godless infidelity still questioning and as it were catechizing God's power and faithfulness. O, so, let us take great heed that infidelity and false-fears cut us not short of our hopes of a pure reformation (the desire of our souls) and of a perfect deliverance from ensuing dangers, the promised heart-cheering happiness of us and our posterity. But here I desire I may not be mistaken; I have not so pressed this duty of faithful repose in God, out of former happy experiments as to cast any of God's children into a lethargi of supine security, or improvident carelessness. No, God forbid this also. For, I hereby forbid not all fear, but do desire we may still and over retain that godly fear which may graciously keep our hearts in such an humble posture and disposition as may preserve us from carnal security, as may make us fear the Lord, tremble at his judgments, and not dare to sin against him; fear thus (still) on God's name, and spare not, for, doubtless, blessed is the man that (thus) fears always. But, I, hereby, desire only to beat down and keep-under that slavish f ar and cowardly fainting of spirit, which I observe to be too frequent in God's dearest children, to the dishonor of our gracious and bountiful God, and the wonderful weakening and wounding of so glorious a cause as we are interested in, (and blessed be our God that ever we had a part in it) especially having God on our side, and his sure word of promise to support us to back and bear us up in our strictest straits. Wherefore, my Brethren, let us seriously and sincerely often check and control such unsound and unwarrantable fears, with that fair and favorable reproof from the Lord himself of such false and faithless fears in his children▪ Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my Law. Fear ye not the reproaches of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings▪ For, the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool▪ but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation. And that especially in the 12 and 13 verses of the same chapter. I, even I am he that comforteth you, who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass▪ and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth▪ and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy, and where is the fury of the oppressor? Certainly, good Reader, here's a most exact description of the condition of very many of God's children, even at this very day; O what fear of the force or fraud is there of men, yea of wicked men, who shall undoubtedly perish together with their most desperate designs and profoundest policy? What startling is there at a base weak project of theirs, though our eyes have seen them vanish like a vapor and come to naught? What frights and fears are in the hearts of God's people, even every day (as the Lord says) because of their seeming fury, but certain frenzy and madness; which yet, our God hath crushed and confounded in its highest ruff and deepest danger-threatening bluster▪ For shame, therefore, for shame, let us labor against such groundless, such causeless fears▪ and put on godly resolution and invincible courage, since the Lord is our God, and is good, and does good, and who hath done all this great good for us; Which brings us to my fourth and last Observation on these fore-mentioned [ 4] pa liamentarie mercies, namely, That the Lord only is our salvation, and hath engaged himself and his own great Name to deliver us, by his faithful word and promise, and that therefore we should patiently, wisely, and zealously depend on him for deliverance. Since, I say, the Lord only is our strength, and not the failing arm of flesh which we know is an accursed prop, and will deceive like the broken reeds of Egypt; let us therefore often remember that of good King Jehoshaphat, which indeed, I desire may be a constant and cordial memento to us all to stablish and strengthen our hearts piously and patiently to wait on the Lord, namely, Hear me (says that good King) O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe the Lord your God, so shall ye be established, believe his Prophets (and promises) so shall ye prosper. Even so I say to thee, O England, and ye noble and renowned inhabitants of London, famous over the whole Christian world for the glory of God among you, believe the many and most sweet and precious-promises which God in Christ hath made unto you, so shall ye certainly prevail and prosper; lay hold on the promises, yea, rest and roll yourselves, and even live upon the promises, so shall it undoubtedly go well with thee. Now, we have a sure word of promise, that Babylon shall fall, yea says the Lord, by the Prophet (in respect of the certainty of it) Babylon is fallen, is fallen, (with an ingemination, which implies, matter of moment) and all the graven images of her gods, the Lord hath broken to the ground. Yea says the Prophet Jeremiah, Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed. Now then, I say, good Reader, having such a sure word of promise (even from the fountain of Truth, yea Truth itself) let us with Christian courage, by faith lay fast hold on it and infallibly believe it, for Truth hath spoken it; and certainly heaven and earth shall sooner perish than one jot or tittle of his precious word and promise shall not be performed. Hast thou, I say, (as a reverend and learned Divine, once sweetly delivered) a sure word of promise, abide close by it, for, certainly, whatsoever the work of God's providence may be (which ofttimes, I confess, seems, even point-blank to cross and contradict our hopes, mainly for trial of our faith and patience) yet, stick-fast to the word of promise, rest and rely on it, wait with the patience of the Saints for the performing of it: For, as the Lord said to the Prophet, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it. For, the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, and it will not tarry. See here, good Reader, what sound and solid grounds of Christian courage, comfort and confidence is here? Who then would be afraid? Who would not strongly and immoveably rely on the Lord his so mighty, so sure foundation? See, I say, what an abundant Cornucopia of sweet refection is here for the most drooping heart that may be, who then would Tantalize in the midst of such & so fair heartupholding store? Alas, alas, good Reader, if, under such props and supportations our hearts should flag, and faint, and sink, by fear and infidelity (which indeed is the bitter root of slavish fear) might not the Lord too justly upbraid us, as, once, he did the murmuring children of Israel, the sinful and rebellious Israelites? Since the Lord only is our fast and firmly-rooted Rock, and his works are perfect, and all his ways judgment, a God of truth, and without iniquity, most just and right. If we thus corrupt ourselves (with sinful infidelity) our spot is not then the spot of his children, but we being thus a perverse and crooked generation, may not the Lord, then, I say, most justly upbraid us, and say, Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? Is not God your Father that hath bought you and established you? O remember the days of old (of thy old slavery and bondage of Romish-Egypt, the black and palpable fogs of Popish idolatry and superstition) consider the years of many past generations, ask your fathers and they can show you, your elders and they can tell you. And certainly, as good Ezra said in such a like case: If after these great mercies and deliverances which God hath wrought for us, and wherewith he hath so graciously crowned us, we should yet again break our covenant with God, we should violate his righteous commandments, turn his so sweet and precious grace into wantonness, and make this his patience and goodness to us a ground of our licentiousness, and loosse living, would not the Lord (and that most justly) be angry with us, until he had utterly consumed us? Yes certainly he would. For, though tis most true that the Lord hath proclaimed himself to the whole world, and all generations have found him to be, The Lord, the Lord, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquiti • , transgression and sin: yet it is as true, that he will by no means clear the guilty, but will visit the iniquity of fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children unto the third and fourth generation. Wherefore, I say, let our only fear be to off • nd this God, as loving and obedient children; to disobey so loving▪ so gracious and indulgent a Father of mercies, and God of so many comforts and consolations; yea to provoke so patient a God, so loath to strike when stirred, yea constrained thereunto by our unsufferable sins; so ready to help and heal what sin hath wounded. Let us, then, be seriously advised, since such free favor is shown unto us, to behold the majesty of the Lord, and to learn righteousness, and not to do unjustly in the land of uprightness; lest whiles we will not learn righteousness by the historical miseries of others (I mean Germany and Ireland) God make us a history of woe and wretchedness • o others round about us. Yea, I say, let us contrariwise be co • str • ined cordially to love such a God of love who so d • lights to load • s with his love in such unparralleld & unpattern'd measure as never any Nation could produce the like presidents. But let this our love be free and filial▪ not mercenary, and so (as reverend M▪ Calamie before mentioned in his said Fast-Sermon) meretricious love, only, or else mainly for love of reward or fear of punishment, but let it be pure and sincere, and out of an honest heart and good conscience, as unto the Lord, the only searcher of the heart and reins, and who is only pleased with sincerity and integrity of heart, truth in the inner-parts. And, now, to wind-up all and to conclude▪ le • holy love▪ I say, and perf • ct obedience be the precious r •• ribution of all these rare and singular mercies of our bountiful God unto us; unto us, I say, a Nation so i ••• deserving such an 〈◊〉 of ove • flowing favors, a Nation so well-deserving an • npattern'd-deluge of direst destruction; a Nation so freely, so extraordinarily beloved, a Nation so meretoriously deserving to be extremely hated; a Nation, I say, so filled and fraught and beautifide with blessings, and yet a Nation and people so defiled and stained with si • s and transgressions of deepest dies. In sad and most serious consideration whereof, I desire that what that good Prophet Samuel pressed on the people of Israel might take deep impression on mine own and all my conscionable and Christian Readers hearts, Though (O England) thou be a sinful Nation, yet fear not, turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve him (now) with all your heart. And turn not aside (with disloyal apostasy to base and bloody and blasphemous Rome, or any of her Romish innovations and Nation-confounding high provocations) for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit or deliver you in the day of your distress, for they are vain. But cleave and adhere fast to the Lord (and to his pure and holy worship) for the Lord will not forsake his people, for his own great Names sake, because it hath pleased the Lord to make us his people above all Nations round about. And as for me your poor and unworthy brother (that I may use the said holy Prophets own words) God forbid, that I should sin against the Lord, in ceasing to pray continually for my land and nation. But I desire (by this Prophets blessed direction) to admonish and show you the good and right way, to conserve and increase all these many and most rich mercies and deliverances to you and your springing posterity. Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth, with all your heart; for, consider how great things he hath done for you. And now for a full and final close and conclusion of all, give me leave (good Reader) to use my most dear and even blessed Savior's holy and wholesome exhortation to that disp • ssessed man in the Gospel, on whom he had wrought that great miracle. Go home to thy friends (saith our Savior) and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. So, I to myself and all my godly Readers, Let us go home to our own hearts, to our own houses, yea and to God's house too, and tell our own souls, our wives, children and friends, yea and teach our children to tell their posterity after us, how great and how good things the Lord our God hath done for us, for England, Scotland and Ireland, three most sinful Nations; and how he hath had compassion on us, merely for his own free mercies sake, and because mercy best pleased him. And, then, and therewithal, let us again and again ruminate and recogitate, yea practice and perform that pregnant precept of our great Lord and Master Christ Jesus to that poor and infirm man, who had for many years together been a poor lame cripple (just our case in the spiritual sense) and whom our Savior had wonderfully cured. Behold thou art made whole, sin no more (says our Savior) lest a worse thing come unto thee: So let us all say to our own souls in particular, and to our land and Nation in general, behold we are all (hitherto) strangely saved and delivered out of the hands of our malicious and malignant enemies; O let us take heed and labor (by the help of God's Spirit) that we sin no more (especially that realm ruinating sin of backsliding to Romish idolatry and Popish superstition) lest a worse thing come unto us. For, certainly, as a wise husband will discreetly bear with many failings, yea and main faults and infirmities too in his wife whom he loves; but i • she once defile his marriage-bed by adultery, O he can by no means endure that indignity and disgrace: So undoubtedly it is with the Lord our God, who hath married his Church and children to himself, who will (as we all have deep & daily experience, and as was most remarkably evident in King David) bear with many gross and foul faults, and failings in them, but if once they defile his marriage-bed (as I may so call it) violate their faith (not that I think or believe tis * possible for his truly elected-ones and effectually-called-ones to fall away totally or finally from true faith, or soul-saving grace) and pure profession or religion, by commi • ting idolatry (spiritual adultery) and foolish and faithless superstition, he will by no means put-up or endure this heinous, yea this hideous and most hateful sin, this infallibly punishment-provoking sin, especially, I say, if it be stubbornly and stiffly persisted in, but (as was notably manifested in King Solomon) will undoubtedly be avenged on us for this insufferable disloyalty, and the fire of his conjugal jealousy will most infallibly break-out upon us to our utter destruction without remedy. From which so high and dangerous an indignity to our good God, the Lord for Christ's sake, by the irresistible power of his good Spirit, preserve and uphold England, Scotland and Ireland, and all tha • have by God's gracious power and good providence, shaken-off and broken in pieces that heavy, yea that hellish yoke of Rome's Anti-Christian tyranny.