View of Public Wants and Disorders in Wales, Title page – To the reader
A viewe of ſome part of ſuch publike wants & diſorders as are in the ſeruice of God, within her Maieſties countrie of Ʋ Ʋales, togither vvith an humble PETITION, vntounto this high Court of Parliament for their ſpeedy redreſſe.
¶ WHEREIN IS SHEVVED, not only the neceſsitie of reforming the ſtate of religion among that people, but alſo the onelyonly way, in regarde of ſubſtaunce, to bring that reformation to paſſe.
¶ To all thoſe that faythfully louelove the lord Ieſus, and vnfainedly deſire the flowriſhing eſtate of Sion, together vvith the vtter razing of vvhatſoeuer obſcureth the perfect beutie therof: & namely, to ſuch of my brethren and countrimen, as the Lord hath enlightened with a true knowledge, the ioy of an vpright and comfortable profeſſion, with the encreaſe of all other the Lords good graces, be multiplyed in Ieſus Chriſte our LORD.
I Am not ignoraunt (beloued in the Lord) hovv many and great cauſes there are, vvherof the very leaſt might ſeeme to hauehave bene ſufficiently able to diſcourage me from this enterpriſe, vvhichwhich vnderunder the holy hand of my God I hauehave novv vndertaken. J am guiltie vntounto my ſelfe of great corruption and vveakenes. The glory of God is not ſo regarded amongeſt men as it ought to be. The Parliament hath hytherto reiected this cauſe: The enemies thereof are many and ſtrong. But as the diſcouragements are not a fevve, ſo J confeſſe my ſelf to be dravvn back vvith none more, then vvith the conſideration of my ſelfe. For looking into mine ovvn hart, I do from the bottom therof protest, ſo ſinful, baſe, contemptible, and eueryevery vvay ſo vveak a vvretch as J am, to be the vnfittest instrument vnderunder heauen, to deale in ſo vvaighty a cauſe. Jt commeth into my minde, that the Lord in iust iudgments tovvards my ſinnes, should deny any bleſſing vntounto my endeuors. J knovv that my vveaknes in handling the cauſe, might diſgrace the ſame. And inaſmuch as ſtates for the most part, looke vvith fleshly eyes; It commeth into my minde, that the ſuit, by reaſon of my baſe eſtate should be reiected and cast off. But all thoſe likelihoods notvvithstanding: yet I ſee that the Lord vvill hauehave the cauſe once againe brought vntounto the Parliament in my hands, to try vvhether men vvill not acknovvledge the Gopell, and the gouernment of his ſon; to vvit, the ſcepter, vvhereby alone Christ Ieſus ruleth among men, to be vvorth the entertaynment in their aſſemblies, thogh it be not accompanied vvith that vvorldly maiesty, vvhervvith vvhen it pleaſeth him, he is able to countenance it. And hereby it is in deed, that men do truly sh…vv themſelues to tremble before the ſon of God, and to ſtoop vntounto his royall Scepter, vvhen they are not ashamed of his vvord, hovv baſe ſoeuer they be that become ſuiters in the behalfe therof.
For mine ovvne part, hovvſoeuer I hauehave iust occaſion to lament mine ovvne great corruptions, yet J may boldly ſay in the preſence of God, & al thoſe, vntounto vvhoſe conſideration theſe labors of mine are offred, publish thus much, that this cauſe, as near as I could, is altogither ſeparated from thoſe foul ſtaines, vvhervvith J acknovvledge my ſelfe to be defiled. And J hope, that it ſo offereth it ſelfe vntounto the publike vievv and conſideration of the Parliament, as they hauehave no iust cauſe by reaſon of my great vveaknes and baſe estate, to reiect the ſame. Neyther is any man to maruell, that J being charged of late, by M. Doct. Some in publike vvriting, to be not onelyonly a defender of many blasphemous errors, but alſo an vnderminer of the ciuill State, durst preſume to become a ſutor vntounto the high Court of Parliament, before J had firſt cleared my ſelfe of thoſe crimes. For my purpoſe being to hauehave published an anſvvere to M.D. Some, before this cauſe should be made knovvn; I vvas dravvne vvhether I vvould or no, to take the opportunity of ſetting out this, vvhichwhich I thought to be most vvaighty; leaſt that if I had deferred it vntill th'other had come forth, I might hauehave bin preuented of the means to publish it in any due time. Beſides the 185. page, line 2. & 30. of M.D. Somes booke, vvherein he hath freely graunted me the controſie betvveene vsus; vvhichwhich is, that vnpreaching miniſters, are no ministers, and conſequently, not to be communicated vvith: do euidently shevv, that he did not vvell knovv himſelfe vvhat he did in charging me, ſo far beyond christian modesty, for defending nothing els in theſe points, but that vvhichwhich his ovvne vvritings do publikely vvitnes against him to be Gods truth. So that of al oother cauſes, his bare (and by his ovvne vvitnes, for the most part falſe) accuſations, ought least of all to diſvvade me from this labour, though I neuer ment to aunſvvere him. But by the grace of God he shalbe anſvvered, and that very shortly.
And the Petition being in the behalfe of Gods honor, and the good of his Church, the ſmall regard that the Parliament hath had heretofore vntounto ſuch ſuites, ought not greatly to diſcourage me, the nomber, might, povver, and authoritie of the enemies of the cauſe, much leſſe. He that ruleth the harts of men, can encline them to the ſetting forth of his ovvne glory vvhen he thinketh good. That vvhichwhich the Lord, for ſome cauſe ſeeming good vntounto his vviſdome, doth not grant at one time, he (being for the promoting of his honor) lightly bringeth to paſſe at ſome other ſeaſon. And the attempts of his children for the buylding of his Church, hauehave not alvvayes that ſucceſſe vvhichwhich they vvish vnderunder their hands. For he vſeth the endeuors of ſome, not to finish the building, but to be a preparation vntounto that vvorke which he meaneth to effect by the hand of others. Zerubabel and Ezra labored very hardly in the building of Ieruſalem; the Lord did not finish the vvorke by their means: and yet that vvhichwhich they did, vvas a great furtherance vntounto Nehemiah, vvhoſe hands the Lord vſed in ioyning the vvall. So the endeuors of Gods children in our dayes, may hauehave their effect to the glory of God, and the comfort of his Church amongst our posterities.
It vvas a common demaund the laſt Parliament, vvhere the cauſe of reformation (being then labored for) vvas 26. or 28. years agone, and vvherfore after ſo many years of the Gospell, enioyed in this land, the motion of altering the outvvard ſtate of the Church, in the offices and officers therof? Came it ſo out of time to be conſidered off? Leaſt the like obiection should be vſed in the ages to come; behold, the mountayns of Ʋ Ʋales, do novv in the 31. yeare of the raign of Queen ELIZABETH, call heauen and earth to vvitnes, that they are vveary of their dumb miniſters, nonreſidents, Lord Bishops, &c. and that they deſire to be vvatered by the devve of Chriſts holy Gospell, and to be compaſſed about, vvith that beautifull vvall of his holy gouernment. Be it then granted, that the Lord in anger tovvards our ſins, doth not account vsus novv liuing, vvorthy to be inuited by hir right excellent Maiesty and the ſtate, as Jſrael vvas ſomtimes, by the godly king Hezekiah; to giuegive the hand to the Lord,2. Chro. 31.8 and to come vntounto the Sanctuary vvhichwhich he hath choſen, & ſerue the Lord our God, that the fiercenes of his vvrath should turne avvay from vsus: yet notvvithſtanding, leaſt it should be preiudiciall vntounto our children, that vve neuer claymed any intereſt vntounto the trueth of the Gospell, and neuer deſired to be vnburdened of our blinde and tyrannicall guydes: This Petition of mine shalbe a vvitnes that both hath bin labored for. VVhoſoeuer they be then, that vvould vvish men, not to trouble themſelues in that cauſe, vvherein in their iudgements, they can ſee no hope of preuayling; doe not conſider, that thereby they bereaue our poſterities of a great means, to come by that vvhichwhich the children of God novv liuing, vvould ſo vvillingly obtaine. And they do not conſider, that as the Lord hath appointed ſome to lay the foundation, & make vp the buylding of his Church; ſo he hath ordayned others, to prepare, and as it vvere, to clenſe the place vvhere he meaneth to buyld his Temple.
The aduerſaries of this cauſe may be many, and of great countenance; but vve knovve that the Lord hath committed all povver in heauen, and in earth, not vntounto man, but vntounto his ovvne ſonne Chriſte Jeſus, the alone head and king ouer his Church.Math. 28.18 The cauſe therefore in hand being his, in vvhoſe hands is all povver and dominion; vvhy should vve feare any thing that earth can inuent againſt the ſame? And if the question vvere, vvho ought to be terrified in this matter, they by vvhom the Petition is promoted, or they vvho oppugne the ſame: it shall be found that the aduerſaries hereof, hauehave no other cauſe, but to be ſtroken vvith a desperate and vncomfortable feare: Ʋ Ʋhereas on the other ſide, the patrons of the ſuite may be eueryevery vvay exceedingly comforted. For vvhat els do the enemies hereof, but (after the manner of the vvicked mencioned in the booke of IOB) ſay vntounto the Almighty, depart thou from vsus? Chap. 2….13 15.Becauſe we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, any further then it may ſtand vvith the vpholding of the corruptions receaued and mayntained in our Church, by the conſent of the State. Yea, and in their practize they ſay, vvho is the Almighty that vve should ſerue him; if he be ſo ſtrickt in his vvorshipp, that he cannot abide a Church gouernment to be mayntained, vvhichwhich may be changeable, at the pleaſure of the ciuill State? Ʋ Ʋho is the Almighty that vve should ſerue him; if none muſt he in our miniſtery, but ſuch as both for their gifts and faythfulnes, do in deed shevv themſelues to be his true meſſengers? Ʋ Ʋho is the Almighty that vve should ſerue him; if men for the bettering of their outvvard ſtate, may not be Lords ouer their brethren, and ioyn liuing vvith liuing, that they may be able to maynayne a part vnbeſeeming their calling. And I vvould they did not ſay, vvhat profit is there, if vve did ſtoup ſo lovv vntounto him, as vvithout delay, there should nothing be in our Church, vvhichwhich might ſvvarue from that ſeuere rule of his vvord? Should Gods children then feare leaſt theſe men should hauehave the vpper hand ouer them, and the Lords cauſe vvhichwhich they mayntayn. Nay, I tell you, that although ſuch aduerſaries, vvere of that povver and authority, that it might be demaunded, Ʋ Ʋho they vvere that durſt preſume to declare their euill vvayes vntounto their faces: yet should they vndoutedly be made as ſtubble before the vvind, and as the chaff, vvhichwhich the ſtorm caryeth avvay. For this cauſe and eueryevery one, that in the ſincerity of his hart, ſeeketh the prosperous ſucceſſe therof, may boldly ſay vvith IOB: Mine enemie ſhalbe as the wicked; Iob. 27.7. & 20.27. & 21.10.and he that riſeth againſt me, as the vnrighteous, the heauens ſhall declare his wickedneſſe, and the earth ſhall riſe vp againſt him. The encreaſe of his houſe ſhall go away, it ſhall flowe away in the day of his wrath, his eyes ſhall ſee his deſtruction, and he ſhall drinke of the wrath of the Almightie. This shalbe the portion of as many as to the end, oppoſe themſelues againſt the cauſe of reformation novv labored for. Jt is not a matter of dalliance, to vvithſtand the povverfull ordinance of God, in the gouerment of his Church, especially vvhen in the ſteede thereof, the marchandize of shameleſſe Babylon is maintayned. Jt is but folly to fight againſt the lambe, in the defence of her pleaſant things; For the lamb shall ouercome, becauſe he is the king of kings, and the Lord of Lords, and they that are of his ſide, choſen, and called, and faythfull. Great Babylon the mother, that mighty harlot, being in her ful ſtrength in this land, vvas not able to ſtand against him; vvhat then shall it boote the vveake daughter to ſtriue? And let them feare and take heede, vvho defend the daughters fornication, leaſt they be made partakers of the punishment denounced against them, vvho committed adultery vvith the mother. Themſelues they may hurt, but their practizes against Gods trueth and his Sayntes, ought not to diſcourage the Lords choſen, from ſtanding to the cauſe of their master. Be they then neuer ſo many, neuer ſo povverfull, neuer ſo flovvrishing, neuer of ſo great authority in the eyes of the vvorld, vvho cannot abide that the Gospell should hauehave ſuch a free paſſage in this kingdome, as the heat thereof shoulde melt vvhatſoeuer is amiſſe in our ſtate; yet the Lorde not being of their ſide in this poynt, they shall not be able to preuaile. For this is that cauſe againſt vvhichwhich, neuer man as yet ſtriued and prospered. J knovve there vvill be many in this Parliament, vvho questionleſſe fauor the cauſe of God from their heart, & vvould be forvvard in pleading for the ſoueraigntie of Christ Ieſus, if they ſavv not their endeuors croſſed and vvithstood, by many of high place and authoritye. All thoſe vvhoſoeuer they be, J do from the bottome of mine heart earnestly beſeech, that they vvould conſider, that in dealing for the putting dovvne of the dumbe ministery, for the abolishing of Nonreſidency, and the rooting out of Lord Archb. and Lord Bishops, and vvhatſoeuer els the right hand of the Lord hath not planted: and in ſeeing that the vvorde preached, may freely ſound thorowout this kingdome, they do therby nothing els, but deſire that the God of heauen and earth may be acknoledged, and accounted vvorthy alone to rule in his Church vvithin this land. The conſideration vvhereof, ought ſo to mooue and ſtir them vp, as no creature vnderunder heauen should be able to diſmay them, in this their Petition and request. They ſeeke that he may rule his Church by his vvord and lavves alone, at vvhoſe reproffe thea2 Iob. 21.12 pillers of heauen do tremble and quake. They ſeeke that he may be acknovvledged for the onelyonly Sauiour and redeemer of men, and for the onelyonly lavvgiuer in his Church, vvho hath protested that he vvil not abide to impart the glory thereof vntounto any other. And vvhom should they then feare in this ſuite? The Lorde hath promiſed, that none vvho trust in him shall perish, Pſal. 34.22. And he hath promiſed, that although the vvicked vvatch to ſlay the righteous, yet he vvill not leaue him in his hand, pſal. 37.32. Yea, he hath promiſed to be vvith thoſe that fear him, vvhen theyEſay. 48.1.2. paſſe through the vvaters, that they should not be ouerflovven; and vvhen they vvalke thorough the fire, that they should not be burnt. VVherefore then, shold they fear man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrels, as long as they ſincerely ſtand to the cauſe of their God. Though they be but a fevv in nomber, yet the Lord vvith legions of Angels ſtandeth on their ſide, to d ſcomfite all thoſe that contende vvith him. Oh J vvould that the vvords of the Lord ſpoken by Iſaiah the Prophet, vvere thoroughly vvritten in the hearts of as many in this honorable aſſembly, as for the feare of man vvill be the hardliar dravvn, throughly to ſtand to the cauſe of their God. For thus comfortably the Prophet, Chap. 51 of his propheſie, ſpeaketh vntounto all thoſe that vvith an vpright heart ſeeke the honor of the Lord. Heare me, ye that follow after righteouſnes, and ye that ſeeke the Lord, looke to the rocke whence you are hewen, and to the hole of the pitt whence you are digged. Conſider Abraham your father, and Sarah that bare you; for I called him alone and bleſſed him, and encreaſed him. Hearken vntounto me, yee that know righteouſnes, and the people in whoſe hearts is my law, fear ye not the reproch of men, neither be you afraide of their rebukes: I, euen I am he that comfort you. Who art thou that thou ſhouldeſt feare a mortall man, and the ſonne of man, which ſhalbe made as graſſe, and forgetteſt the Lorde thy maker, which hath ſpredd out the heuens, & layd the foundations of the earth, &c.
Novv then, vvhoſoeuer they be, that are timerous in the cauſe of God, (as alaſſe, vvhat flesh and blood is not too too feareful) here is a ſtedfaſt rocke for them to leane vntounto; here is a defender for them, vnderunder the shadovv of vvhoſe vvings, they might be bold to contemne vvhatſoeuer their aduerſaries can bring against them. Are they but a fevv in nomber, let them looke vntounto Abraham, he vvas called alone, and yet the Lord bleſſed him, and encreaſed him. Are they afrayd of the rebukes of man? vvhy they ſeeke the righteous vvayes of the Lord, and therefore he commandeth them not to feare. Are they povverfull and mighty, by vvhom the ſuit is d ſcountenaunced: yea, but notvvithſtanding they are but mortall, & they shalbe made as graſſe, and the time vvill come, vvherein it shalbe demanded; Ʋ Ʋhere are they novv that vvithſtood the cauſe of God in the Parliament of England? Js not their memory vvritten in vvater, and their hope perished together vvith them? To deſire the free paſſage of the Gospell in this land, together vvith the ſpeedie remoouing of all that hindereth the ſame, is to plead the cauſe of that God, vvho hath controlled kings and great Monarches, yea quite ouerthrovvne them & their kingdomes, for denying the free vſe of his ſeruice vvithin their dominions. Euen the cauſe of that God, vvho hath not onelyonly brideled the rage of tyrants, entending the ſuppreſſion of his trueth, but alſo turned that, vntounto the great good of his Church, vvhereby they ſought to vvorke the ruine thereof. Pharaoh, Achitophel, Senacherib, Haman, came to the graue vvith blood, vvhen in the eyes of men, the most of them vvere likeliest to preuayle, and the cauſe of God and his children vnlikeliest to ſtand. The Lord in this kingdom can do the like vvhen he thinketh good.Ezra. 4.7.8. & 5.3. Cap. 6.7. & 7.23. The accuſations and ſlanders of Mithridath, Tabeel, Rehum, Shimſai, Shetherboznai, vvith their companions, did ſeeme likely once and againe, to hinder the buylding of the holy citie: but at the length it broght frō Darius, a most ſure & ſtrong commandement for the furtherance of the work, clean contrary to the expectation of the enemie. And vvho knovveth vvhether the Lord at this Parliament, vvill not ſtir vp the ſpirits of the Sates, and especially, of her R. excellent Maiestie, that they may ſay vntounto the enemies of this cauſe, as Darius did vntounto the men aforenamed. Therefore Tatnai, captaine beyond the riuer, & Shetherboznai vvith their companions; be ye far from them. Suffer the vvorke of this houſe of God to go forvvard. AndaEzra. 7.23. vvhatſoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen, let it be done ſpeedely for the houſe of the God of heauen; for vvhy should he be vvroth against the realm, &c. vvherfore beloued, vvhoſoeuer you be, that at any time shalbe imployed, eyther as Parliament or othervviſe, in the ſ…tting forvvard of the cauſe of reformation, ſtand manfully in defence of the truth, & the liberty of his Church
The practiſes of the aduerſaries, I mean of our bishops, shevv manifeſtly, that theſe reliques of curſed Babylon, vvhichwhich they maintayne among vsus, must needs go avvay vvith a noyſe, as the rest vvas ouerthrovvne. They vvill not yeelde to the trueth, hovvſoeuer it hath gotten the vpper hande of them. The Lord must vſe violence to throvv them out, as he did against the caterpillers their forefathers. Reuel. 18.19. They hauehave manifeſted hitherto, hovv desperate and paſt recouery, the cauſe vvhichwhich they defend is become, in that they hauehave denyed, to yeelde a quiet and a brotherly conference or disputation, vvith thoſe vvho are contrary minded vntounto them. Jf J may but procure this vvith our BB. in Ʋ Ʋales, I vvill looſe my life, if they be not ouerthrovven: vvhichwhich I ſpeake not, vvithout the humble acknovvledgement of myne ovvne vveaknes. And let me not be thought by any, to deale too confidently, for J deale in a ſure and a confident cauſe, vvhichwhich is not timerouſly to be delt in, but in the feare of God, vvith all boldnes to be ſtood to, and auouched. And whenſoeuer they or any of theirs, shal but aduenture their places againſt my life; they shall perceiue by the grace of God, that there is ſtrength in the cauſe, which hitherto they hauehave withſtood to their ſmal gaine.
Yea, but I might hauehave dealt more ſparingly againſt them. It vvere pity in deed, but J should intreat the high court of Parliament to heale the diſeaſe of my countrie, but ſo notvvithſtanding, as they vvould ſuffer the cauſe of the griefe and miſery thereof ſtill to remaine. The Parliament should be ſued vntounto for helpe, againſt the diſeaſe and bane of the country of Ʋ Ʋales, but ſo as they vvould fauor the cauſes thereof. And vvhat malladie is there J pray you in our Church, vvhereof the dumbe miniſters, nonreſidents, our Lord BB. vvith the reſt of that vngodly generation are not the cauſe. J should ſpare them vvho ſpare not the Church, and in vvhoſe eyes the glory of God is not eſteemed, and yet the Lord knovveth, I hate them no farther then they are Gods enemies. Their fauor I deſire not, as long as they continue to be the aduerſaries of the Church. If they vvould yeeld peace vntounto it, I vvould be ſoon brought to lay dovvn my complaints againſt thē.
Concerning you my deare countrimen, vvhom God of his infinit goodnes and mercy, hath tranſlated out of the kingdome of darknes, vntounto the bleſſed poſſeſsion of the heauenly Ieruſalem; I beſeech you very earnestly, that you vvould be carefull to walk vvorthy the Gospel of chriſt. Be carefull hereof, vvhether your abode be in England or in VVales, and at any hand, endeuor to liue vvhere you may enioy the meanes of the vvord. And be carefull to hauehave the Lord purely vvorshipped in your families. Take heed of the profanenes, vvhereby the moſt novve liuing, are dravvn to contemne Gods iudgements againſt their ſinnes. The time vvil come, wherin it shalbe made known that your hope vvas not in vaine. Labor diligently, as far as your callings vvill ſuffer you, to be a means to conuay that treaſure vntounto your country, vvhereof you your ſelues hauehave bin made partakers. Particularly, let me here put you in minde, R. honourable and vvorshipfull, vvho of my countrye are in this Parliament, to acquaint this honorable court, vvith the miſeries of our country, and to be earneſt for a redreſſe. And you my brethren, vvho hauing fit gifts, and are employed in the miniſtery, either in your ovvn countrie or in England, forget not I pray you, to be remembrancers of Sion, giuegive the Lord no reſt, vntill the righteouſnes thereof breake foorth as the light, and the ſaluation thereof as a burning lampe. J vvould to God that I might ioyne vvith you, and you vvith me, in ſome endeuor, vvhereby the means of ſaluation might be had in our natiue countrie; it is my harty deſire. The God of peace, who hath called vsus to his eternall glory by Chriſt Ieſus, make vsus perfect, confirme, ſtrengthen and ſtablish vsus to the ende, Amen.