The English Balance, Part 2

The English Balance · Part 2

p. 27A More particular Reviewe of his Majesties Declarations for his War with the Dutch, and Indulgence to Tender Consciences.

OBserving in the Postscript to my former, that the King of England had taken up armes, I thought, that there I had also laid down my pen; but since it hath at length, pleased his Majesty to appeare in print, in a Declaration of war, against the Stats General, &c. and likewise in an other of indulgence to all his loving subjects; their relation to my former discourse, hath likewise inclined me, to a summar reviewe of both: And because the war is now certain and formed, I suppose it may conduce, to a more satisfying understanding of the whole, that by way of preface I briefly resume it's progresse, unto the present period.

There are not yet many moneths past, since the Dutch, of a long time threatned by the French King, his preparations, and approaches, did solicite the King of England to their aid conforme to their Alliance, which though by reason of former resentments, and late displeasures, was indeed hopelesse; yet, most men thought, that the singular benefit of peace, in the midst of our neighbours wars, the greater likelyhood of the Dutch their condescendence, and submission, in the hope of reliefe, then in desperat hostilitie, with the assured satisfaction, either of an easie revenge, upon the Dutch, continueing refractory, by the hand of the French, or of the advantageous glory of umpireing it betwixt both, would undoubtedly determin us, to subsist, in an attentive, and well prepared neutrality; but the French their addresse, and advance, prevailing upon our inconstant p. 28passions, and debauched penury we proceed, notwithstanding of the Genius, inclination, and interest of the nation, and the dissvvasion both of reason and religion, to Ballance to the French assistance; vvhichwhich vvas the occasion of my first discourse: And neither in this shevving more fixednesse, the precipitancy of error and fury still driveing, vve on a sudden, in the very time, that the Dutch had sent an extraordinary Ambassadour to propose their utmost condescensions, for appeasing us, vvithout any promulgation of vvar, fall upon the Merchant ships, returning, & striking to us, in the Channel, destroying and taking all we could, as I have remarked in my foregoing Postscript, and thereafter we emitt the declaration of war, which cometh now to be examined: Wherein (suppressing the Date, as being ashamed to confesse our anterior piratick violence) his Majesty, beginning with the attestation, of his own zeal, for the quiet of Christendome, hopeth, that the world will beleeve, that it is inevitable necessity, forceth him to Armes: I shall not question the truth of his Majesties confidence, in this insinuation; though I heartily wish, that he could have appealed to some more known, and credible proof: He tells us indeed, that after his restauration: (which was in the yeer 1660) his first work was to establish Peace with his neighbours, and to conclude a strict league with the Dutch: But as this was at best, nothing more then a convenient formality, in such ane exigent; so, we know too well the horrible subversions, and persecutions, wherein, contrair to his solemne Oaths, and promises, both old and late, he was at that time exercised in, at home, to conclude from this his short and necessary abstaining from forraigne disturbances, that reguard which he pretends for Christendomes quiet. As for his sudden rupture with the Dutch, in the yeer 1665, he foreseeth the objection, and would lay it upon the Parliament, moved thereto, by the Dutch their injuries, and oppressions, and justifieth it, by his preceeding endeavours, of a reasonable accommodation; But will the world receive this naked affirmation, when as it neither then had, nor is it ever like to have, a distinct, let p. 29be a satisfying account, of that matter? And even England is convinced, that nothing save a maligne envy, influenced, by the sinistruous designes, of a corrupt Minister, and a vaine royal Company, did pousse us on, to that extravagance, and with what tendernesse of Christendom's peace, we in the prosecution thereof, hired the Bishop of Munster, to a land invasion, needeth not my pen to make it be remembred: As for the shameful, and disastruous event of that war, I should not have mentioned it, the Dutch their braving it, upon our coasts, in the end of the yeer 1665 routing our whole fleet, in 66, sole Masters of the sea, infesting our ports (to the very beseiging of the nation) firing therein our best ships, and leading our Charles in triumph, in the 67, are things too sad, and recent, for a true English man, to think on, without confusion and blushing. But seing his Majesty is pleased, to say, that his victories, and the Dutch losses, were memorable enough, to put them in mind of being more faithful: I cannot but regrat, that the nations, from such a reference, should have such ample ground, both to condemne us, upon our owne allegations, aud flout us, for our vaine effrontry: But to let passe this pitiful transition, we are in the next place told, that the last Peace was no sooner made, but the Tutch returned to their use of breaking Articles and supplaenting our trade: As for instance foresooth, the Stats were Particularly engaged, by an Article of the Treaty at Breda, to send Commissioners to London for regulating of the East-Indie trade; But they were so far from it, that on the contrary, our Ambassadours were by them slighted, and no forebearance of farmer wrongs obtained. A man might have thought, that such ane open challenge of perfidy, and fraud, would certainly be followed, by a weighty and liquid condescendence, and that in place of the accidental misgive of a meeting, not peremptorily appointed, instance might at lest have been made, in some on or other, of those wrongs complained of, specially, seing, that his Majesty, in the bussinesse of Surenam, is very positive, and in another lesse material particular, even to the noticing of pictures and meddals: But the truth is, p. 30there are no wrongs, that we could alledge; all our old pretensions, though in this declaration, several times remembred, were buried in oblivion, by an expresse article of the last Treatie; and since that time, none have occurred: Besids, it is so notour, that all the Dutch their advantages, in point of trade, which we terme wrongs, do proceed directly, on their part, from their sobriety, and industry, and on England's part, from our idlenesse, and Luxury, that men should be ashamed, by such groundlesse accusations, to discover their invidious murmurings: What further remains here, in matter of fact, the Stats will, no doubt, fully cleare it: One thing I may adde, that, as the Printed Articles referred unto, do onelyonly beare, that both parties were content, that Commissioners on both sides, should meet, as soon, as might be, after the peace, for the regulating of commerce, and navigation, and do neither mention London, for the place, nor the East-Indie trade, for the subject; so it may easily be supposed, that for any other appointment, of this nature, that might have been made, the Stats have either been alwayes, willing to keep, or were at present, able to excuse the delay, & ready to observe any new appointment, upon demand. From this his Maj. goes on, to accuse them, of another breach, in the West-Indies, about the restitution of Surenam; and truely, he is in this so expresse, and plaine, that as his passing from it, to more uncertain alleagances, and on these rather stating the present controversie, gives me a shreud suspicion; so, the businesse consisting mostly in fact; I intirely referre it, to the Stats, their answer: Who, I am sure, will thereto returne a direct, and undeniable contradiction.

But it's no wonder (saith his Maj.) that they venture at these outrages upon our subjects, in remote parts; when they dare be so bold, with our royall person, and the honour of this nation, so neer us as in their own countrey (Boorish animals, in the conceit of their popular soveraignity, forgetting the respect due to soveraignes!) and there almost everywhere setting forth abusive pictures, and historical meddals, and pillars some of which, have been exposed, by command of the Stats themselves p. 31even when we were united with them, in counsel, for the support, of the Triple Alliance I have been already, so full upon this objection, that here I need add nothing; let the matter be thorrowly searched, and I am persvvaded it vvill be found far more disgracefull, in this unvvorthy, and impotent resentment, then, in all the malice of our adversaries; & as this complexed quarrel, doth unquestionably resolve it self, either in the contemptible luxuriancy, of petulant witts, which the Stats did never daigne to notice; or the warrantable commemoration, of laudible atchivements, which they may very justly own; so, certainly, the most noble redresse for the future were, manfully to remove the occasion, or at least despise the scorne, which our feminine weaknesse, hitherto, hath so plentifully furnished: And hence is it, that, although his Majesty doth judge, that this alone, were cause sufficient of his displeasure, and his subjects resentment; yet, not being ignorant of the advantages given, and knowing well, that Englands glory, was of late, so highly advanced, under a sober and solid government, (though both usurped, and odious) as that the alterations, which now expose us to contempt, cannot be made any just ground for engageing us, into this war, he doth not rest upon it; but (saith he) we are urged by neerer considerations, and the safety of our trade, the preservation of our subjects abroad, and the Hollanders dareing to affront us, almost within our ports, are the things which move our just indignation, against them: And as to the first two grounds, though, his Majesty doth adduce nothing, not before answered, to demurre my progresse; yet, when I consider, the mortal repugnancy of war to trade, and safety, the sensible grievance, and retardment that the former hath already suffered, by the late stop, on the Exchecquer, occasioned by our preparations, and the many other burdens, losses and distractions; wherewith, war is necessarily attended; I cannot enough admire, by what artifice, our present methods, can promote our designes: I reguard not justice, or injustice; if even by killing, we could hope to possesse, it would in some measure, satisfie; But in this event, p. 32the French, so manifestly present, as I am forced to say, that unlesse his Majesty intend, as the plague doth, to encrease our trade, and riches, by diminishing the number of the proprietors, and minde our preservation, by hideing us, in the grave, and deepths, lest we should live to see our selves miserable, I see no other possible issue, of these his specious incitements: But, their dareing to effront his Maj. is, the thing, we can least digest: The right of the flage, was one of the first prerogatives, of our Royal Antcestors, and ought to be the last, from which, this Kingdome, should ever depart; It was never questioned, & it was expressely acknowledged, in the Treatie at Breda, and yet, this last summer, it was not onelyonly violated, by their commands at sea, and that violation afterward justified at the Hague, but it was also represented, by them, in most Courts, as ridiculous for us, to demand: Although, I have said so much already, on this subject, as is sufficient, to free the Dutch from all breach of Treaty, and more then enough, to make it evident, to sober impartiality, that the offence is rather fansied, and imaginary, on the part of the complainer, then really given, by the party complained of; yet, since his Majesty will needs fill the World, with a noise, about this nothing, that the cry of the injustice of the war, may not be heard, and will by the force of imagination, magnify it, to the height, and quality, of such an insufferable injury, as if it alone (if not expiat with the blood of the offender) were more then sufficient, to drive him to the sad and inevitable necessity, of covering the Ocean with ships, to the emptying of the nations treasure, & dying the sea with the blood of his subjects, to wipe off the staine of this affront; I am necessitat to take up ballance again, and weigh the just import of this provocation: Nor doe I preoccupy the judgment of any, if I premitt this, to what upon the most accurat, and impartial search, I have found, that, whosoever weighs this deed, in the Ballance of sound reason, must be forced to say, that nothing save implacabile malice, could have seduced any, to have laid it, in whole, or in part, as a foundation, on which, the weight of such a war, was to be laid: If any judge otherwise, p. 33let him, for satisfying himself, consider these things: First, that, whatever past in this rancountre, betwixt his Majesties pleasure-boat, and the Dutch fleet, was so far from being done almost within his Majesties ports (as is affirmed) that, it was not within the Brittish seas, the place, to which alone, the Treaty tieth expressely, the Dutch, to this formality of striking to our men of war; for, at this time, the Dutch Fleet, were riding at Anchor, upon their own coast, which never yet was, nor can be called, the Brittish seas: where now is there ground for accusation, let be revenge? Hence secondly, though our Court, would represent the Dutch, to the world, as such morose clownes, who deserve to have their head cut off, for not capping to a pitieful picture of a man of war; yet I am almost surprised, at the generous excesse of civility, which appeared in the obliging carriage, of that Gallant Gentleman, Mijn Heer van Ghent, who not onelyonly saluted the English lady, whom he knew to be aboard that boat, with a volley of great guns, but went also aboard, to complement her; so that it might well be questioned, whether, he being a person of such trust and command, they had greater cause of quarrelling him, at the Hague, for having done too much, or complaining of him at Whitehal, for having done too little? What English man, may not blush, to think, that the Dutch, are not onelyonly like to carry away the trade from us, by their industry and sobriety, but to outstrip our courteours also, in courtship and civility? Will we in our fretfulnesse, needs pick quarrels, where humanity would prompt and instigat us, to the revenge of gratitude? And this leads me to a third viz. That the world may rather wonder, that the King of England, did not expresse his gratitude to the Dutch, for being at so vast a charge, as to equippe, and put to sea, a Fleet, sufficient to guard, against any attempts from the French, (he being by the Triple Alliance, equally engaged with them, to have prepared, and put forth, in order to that defence, a considerable number of men of war) then, thus without cause, to quarrel, and meditat revenge: must the Dutch have no other thanks, p. 34for bearing the burden alone, without putting us to bear our proportion; shall they have no other interest but blowes, for having laid out such vast summes, without urging us, to doe, what in honour we could not deny to be duety? Is it not matter of blushing, that his Majesty, should so expose himself, together with the Nation, to the upbraidings, of a sober people, and the world's just censure of high ingratitude. But why do insist? though his Majesty with a great pomp, and parad of words, would precipitat the World, into the beliefe of his being, in this particular, injured by the Dutch, adhibiting the utmost of artifice, to give it, the appearance of an injury, I hope, upon the Consideration of what formerly was said, and is now adduced, I may assert, without all hesitaton, that his Majesties right of the flage, as acknowledged, in the Treaty, hath neither been questioned, nor violated by the Dutch, far lesse represented, in the manner mentioned: all the bussinesse is, that one of his Majesties pleasure-boats, passing through the Dutch fleet, lying at Anchor, upon their own coast, had not that honour payd to her, which the Dutch, are onelyonly obliged, to render, to his Majesties men of war, in the Brittish seas: Which account if it be indeed so true, and unanswerable, as to have moved neighbouring courts, to laugh at the peevishnesse, of our offence, and doth novv amaze the vvorld at the rage and violence, whereunto it hath transported us, are the Dutch therefore to be accused? No, no, his Majesty himself judgeth otherwise, and therefore, he subjoins, An ungrateful insolence, that they should contend with us, about the dominion of the seas, who even in the reigne of our royal father, thought it, an obligation, to be permitted to fish in them, by taking of licenses, and for a tribut: And here lyes the great discovery, the right of the Flage is all, that is drectly pretended; but, dominion of the narrow seas, under the colour of a sophistical equipollency, is the thing mainely intended: I shall not repeat what I have above adduced, for distinguishing, this prerogative, from the dominion aimed at, and explicating this whole matter; but as his Majesties covert insinuation, doth aboundantly p. 35verify, even his own diffidence, of his absurd and insupportable claime; so, if we go about, thus to renverse nature, and subvert humane liberty, the Dutch are the first; but neither the greatest, nor the last enemy, which we are to apprehend: As to the license to fish, here instanced; since I cannot set down what is truth, in matter of fact, considering the confidence, wherewith it is asserted, without a reflexion, which I by choice forbeare, I leave that to the Stats their vindication: But, suppose it had been sought, and graunted, within that space of distance, from our coast, which the positive law of nations, and consent of mankinde, hath in a manner every where appropriat, to the countreyes respectively adjacent, it signifieth nothing to his Majestie's purpose: What is then the Dutch their ingratitude, and insolence, that provoks his Majesty, to an exclamation? let all men judge: It's said, they owe their being and wealth to our protection and valour: But, as all the world knowes, that, as interest is the loadstone of policy, and policy the onelyonly director of State transactions; so, I think, I need not amuse my self, to shew, either, how that the English in former times, did not supererogat, in any higher degree of charity, toward the Dutch, above the perswasion of their own advantage, or that in all probability, the Dutch would be yet more ready to repay us, if we should be reduced to the same distresse, and circumstances, which is gratitud's just retribution.

To these things, his Majesty addes, that, notwithstanding all these provocations, he patiently expected satisfaction, not being willing to expose the peace of Christendome, for his own particular resentments, whilst, the Tutch ceased not, to provoke the most Christian King (though a small elogy, yet an unbecoming title, from the faith's defender) against us, of which, they thought, themselves so secure, that for above a twelvemonth, their Ministers, have here threatned us with it: Now, for the commendation which his Majesty affects, I remit it unto the impartial judgement of the same provocations, and patience, whence he would derive it; but as to what ensues, are we so vaine of, and intoxicat with, our French, or most Christian Alliance, that we have lost our senses? or hath the world seen with their eyes, for above these two yeers, the French and Dutch in hostile preparations, and mutual defiance? And on the other hand, the French and English, in continual complements, and embraces, and yet, are they all deluded? And the Stats the most dull sots, or empty politicians imaginable? If ingenuity would permit, I sometime incline to think, that it must be the Dutch representations at our Court, of the danger of discord, and the advantage which the French may thereby gain, that is here so strangely misconstrued, and abused; but why should I straine? I beleeve verily, the words are like their Author, wholly unaccountable

The next passage telleth us, of his Majesties Last Ambassadour, and how to his pressing memorials, he could receive no answer, untill he had declared his revocation, and then, they offered a paper to this effect, that in this conjuncture, they would condescend to strike, if we would assist them against the French; but upon condition, it should be no precedent, in their prejudice: And as to this Embassie, though I might easily bring to minde, the difference, about the method of proposals, the Ambassadour tabling onelyonly his demand about the Flage, and the Stats upon the rational consideration, of the then appearances, desireous to hear all, that he had to require, before they would give answer, and thence excuse, the Stats their delay; and though I could also exhibit, such an account of the Paper of return, as might aboundantly cleare, that, as the Dutch, did onelyonly qualify their offer, of a new engagement to strike (which they had all reason to do, having, as it's like they will, in it's season, make manifest, stretched their condescension, the more to fixe if possible, the King of England to a stedfastnesse beyond what could have been wrung from the termes of that Treaty at Breda) with the condition of our reciprocal performance, of the Alliance, so it was this novel sea dominion, and not the formality of striking, against which, they did precaution, for the future; yet, it being a matter of pure fact, I chuse rather p. 37to leave it, to the Stats their proper vindication, then further to dive in it.

In the last place, his Majesty, telleth us, that, the Dutch did lately send an Extraordinary Ambassadour, to him, who in a most extraordinary manner, hath given him to understand, that he can offer no satisfaction, until he have sent back to his Masters: But seing the surprize of his Majesties late hostile attacque of the Dutch merchants, before any intimation of war, and just when this their Ambassadour, was making ready, to expose his offers, was in effect such, as might have made him, not onelyonly to stop a commencing, but to break off, a very far advanced Treaty, is it not strange, to see, a great Prince, shut up his declaration, emitted for publick satisfaction, with so little reguard to all mens Knowledge, and apprehensions, and as it would seem for the pedantick affectation of a running repetition, scorn the world, with a dissimulation that hath no pretext? But I know the Stats are in case, to give such a reply, and to cleare up all those matters of fact, alledged by him, to justify his present engagement, (and represented to all men, as such insolencies, and injurious effronts, which have constrained him, over the belly of his own inclination, to engage in this war) that will be so plain, and perfect a contradiction, to all his pretended reasons, as will not onelyonly prove, that there was never a more just defensive war on their part, nor unrighteous invasion upon his, but by a naked representation of truth will amaze the world, at the confidence, where with these things are asserted, and put it with all sober persons, beyond debate, that their is a mistery of iniquity, lurking at the bottome, and masked under these pretenses.

These being his Majesties reasons for our war, that they do nothing relieve his resolution, of that verdict I have given upon them, specialy, in respect of their contrariety to righteousnesse, & religion, is undeniably manifest; but because his intentions as to the latter may now be more clearly observed, in that second declaration p. 38of indulgence, above mentioned, I shall in like manner shortly peruse it.

And that his Majesty, in the remembrance, of the rigours and persecutions, wherewith the sober and godly. in his dominions, have hitherto been sore vexed, may not onelyonly in time be admonished, to feare the inconveniencies, which may thence necessarily arise, and provide a remedy, by a fair indulgence, but also, in the serious conviction of the evil of his wayes, and just apprehensions of divine wrath, thorowly converted, to breake of his sins by righteousnesse, and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the oppressed, is certainly, not more the desire of all his faithful subjects, then it would infallibly prove, the lengthening of his tranquillity: But, seing in place of any thing of this nature, the declaration under our hand, hath quit another tendency, and both from the intimation of all circumstances, sufficiently laid out in my first discourse, and from it's whole composure appeares, to be nothing else, then a cunning device, to secure his Majesty, from the dislike of good men in this sinful combination, against the protestant interest abroad, and in the mean time, to foment and promote the Popish party and cause at home, until, that, in the righteous judgment of God, if we foresee it not, truth should again be benighted, by the darknesse of Popish superstition, and all it's lovers, exposed to that Tyranny, the most pernicious poison of ease, which we have here presented, under the no lesse plausible tentation of the Gospel's liberty, doth without question, so much the rather oblige all concerned, to a more intent, and accurat disquisition: Which, that I may the better performe, it is in the first place to be noted, that, albeit the conception of this paper, doth generally include all sorts, of Non-Conformists, and recusants, and that the liberty therein graunted to Popish recusants, seems to be much more restricted; yet, if we may subject his Majesties inclinations (or rather plain intimations) to the judgement of reason, all appearances do evince, that, whereas to protestants, they are the meer constraints of policy, unto Papists they are indeed p. 39the spontaneous motions, of a propense favour; for, seing our present engagement against the Dutch, the nature of an indulgence, an involuntary dispense against standing lawes, and his Majesties plain profession, do obviously hold forth, that the license, is in effect, extorted, by extrinsick pressures, it's extension unto the Popish party, who thereunto do adde no moment, doth aboundantly argue it, in this reguard, to be an act of free choise: I need not here remember, how much, this hath alwayes been his Majesties byasse, what cherishing connivance, Papists have quietly enjoyed, to the great increase of their numbers, and insolence, since the yeer 1660 whilst other Non-Conformists, have been tossed, with continual vexations; it hath not been the least ingredient in the bitternesse of these grieveances; neither are there many yeers, since he emitted, in their favour a proclamation, of such ample grace, that even his present most obsequious Parliament, did, by an unanimous addresse, interpose for it's revocation; so, that, things being evenly weighed, viz. his Majesties unsatisfiable displeasure at, and causelesse jealousy of, the Protestant Non-conformists, with his constant good opinion, and affection, witnessed to those of the Roman communion, his present groundlesse wars against the protestant Stars, and sinful, and foolish conjunction with the French, not more regrated by the better sort, then rejoyced in, by the other, the comprehending of all in the same indulgence, may, not onelyonly perswade the inequality of favour by me remarked, but further very rationally induce, to beleeve, that the more apparent latitude, conceded to protestan: dissenters, is, onelyonly the better to cover, the real advancement of the Popish interest, the Principal designe of this contriveance, and therefore in conformity to these grounds, if my reflexions shall be also different, seeming to straiten on the one hand, and to enlarge on the other, discovering the protestant to be onelyonly tempted, and snared, and the Papist favoured, and honoured, I hope, the palpable agreement of this procedoure, p. 40to his Majesties own intentions, will easily defend me, from the censure of malice or calumny,

For preface then, his Majesty with the fame truth and confidence, wherewith we have heard him assert, his zeal for quiet in his declaration of war, commenceth this his indulgence against the truth, by telling us, that his care and endeavours, for the preservation of the rights, and interests of the Church, hath been sufficiently manifested to the world, by the whole course of his government: O unhappy care, that hath wrought such dismal alterations! The true rights, and interests of the Church of God, are, the purity of his worship, and ordinances, the protection of his Ministers, & the advancement of true Godlinesse: Now, that in exchange, for any measure of these blessings; which, we formerly enjoyed, since his Majesties return, we have onelyonly seen, God's worship corrupted, into vaine imposed formalities, and the vilest of the people, made priests, in their place, and wickednesse exalted, by the most avouched perjury, & profanity, that ever was known amongst men, is a truth, under the sense whereof, every serious soul doth groan; but in effect, his Majesty hath been, and is still, so entirely bended, to advance against the Lord, proud supremacy, and set up in the Church, a wicked prelacy, a debauched elergy, and superstitious liturgy, thereby to moddel, and subject, all the concerns of Religion, to his own lusts, and humours, as I am confident, that all the lovers of truth, in lieu of being abused, by this pretended care, will onelyonly reguard it, as a seasonable warning, to take the more diligent heed, to the snare that may be, and is couched, in all it's proposals: Thus, for a demonstration, he subjoins, the frequent coercions he hath used, upon dissenters, and for composing differences, in matters of Religion: and whether this be more concludent on his Majesty's, or on my behalfe, I leave it to the impartial discerner: However, we may well observe, that since his Majesty, even in his gracious humour, thinks his care of the Church, principally commendable, by his former severities, which after the manner of the primitive persecutions, are at present onelyonly intermitted, p. 41from feare, and policy, when these restraints are over, we cannot but expect, that he will resume his wonted methods, and that, with all the irritation, wherewith his inward fretting at a forced liberty, may probably impresse him: But (saith he) it being evident, that there is very little fruit of these forcible courses (a fair conviction, if well followed) we think our selves obliged to make use of our supremacy: And truely if he were seriously minding reformation, and thereto applying his royal power, which can never be more properly, nor gloriously imployed, we should the lesse scruple, the error, though he should mistakingly ascribe, the extraordinary call of the present pressing exigence, to the warrant, of a pretended perpetual prerogative: But, seing we may here manifestly perceive, that, that power, which at first, did onelyonly acclaime the Clergies civil dependence, and then after, becoming vaine of the Reformation, wherein it was honoured, did excresce, & exceede to the ordering of Church-Rites, & Goverment, under the notion of externals, doth at present presume to license, and authorise, all Rome's superstition; do we not discover, the wickednesse of that usurpation, which pretends, to as absolute a dispose, in matters of Religion, as was ever arrogat, over worldly propriety? Thus wee see the Scepter wristed out of the hand of his Christ, and swayed in a perfect opposition to him, & designed subserviency to his grand enemy the Anti-Christ, which as it ought to make our eye affect our heart, while we see that Scripture fulfilled in our eyes, that the Kings of the earth, shall give their power unto the beast, and make war with the Lamb; so it concerns his Majesty, while he invadeth the Mediators scepter, to remember, that he hath also a rod of iron in his hand, to secure his scepter and avenge himself of such, as do not strike to him, in recognisance of his absolute supremacy.

In the next place, his Majesty addeth his motives, viz. that he issues out this declaration, aswel for the quieting of the minds, of His good subjects, in these points, inviteing of strangers, in this conjunsture, and the encouragement of all, to follow their callings, as also, for preventing the danger of seditious conventicles. Blessed is the man, whose p. 42minde is staid, trusting in the Lord, for there is nothing here sincere, what quietnesse, from such a self-destroying assurance? I do not mention it's mutability, though all men know, that the first meeting of the Parliament, would remonstrat all this grace to nothing, but, vvhen to the establishing of ever jealous, and persecuting prelacy, the licensing of pernicious plotting popery is adjoyned, certainly, if we be lulled asleep, with such a charme, we deserve, the sleep of death, which, it's poison menaces: As for the inviting of strangers, French caterpillars we may indeed expect, and swarmes of Romish locusts; but to others, who might have found some allurement in this liberty, hovv much is it to be feared, that our violence shall prove more disgustful then the motive attractive: And as for Trades encouragement, can any man be so infatuat, as to beleeve, that, that vvhichwhich in it's onelyonly season of peace, could never have vveight, should novv be truely minded, by such, vvho have so little cared to involve us, in the confusions, and burdens of vvar? What a golden indulgence must it be, that vvill yet erect our trade, under all these pressures? But, his Majesty doth indeed fear seditious Conventicles, and may be something worse, nam mala mens, malus animus: And although I neither knovv, nor designe to increase his grounds; yet, in my affectionat desire for his vvelfare, I earnestly vvish, he vvould remember, that in all ages, a prince, his ovvn inconstancy, and oppression, have proved his greatest adversaries, & are most to be feared, and that they are indeed so fatal and funest, that neither force, nor policy could ever yet vvard of their mischiefe, for he is above them vvho gives the blovv.

But I have too long retarded his Majesties benevolence, vvhichwhich in the first place declares his expresse resolution, meaning and intent, to be (so that we may blame our selves if vve be mistaken) that, the Church of England be preserved entire in its Doctrine, discipline and goverment, as now it stands established by law, and that this be taken, to be, as it is, the basis, rule, and standart (vvhat place he assignes to the Scriptures of truth I knovv not) of the general, p. 43and publick worship of God, and further, that the conformable clergy, enjoy their revenues, and that no person, be capable of any benefice, who is not exactly conformable: I need not enlarge, upon the import of this passage; what the Church of England here meant, is, and hath done, wee all know, if any man think, that these roots of bitternesse, prelacy, and superstition remaining, they will not again spring up, into all that persecution, vvhereof some may novv fancy themselves to be discharged, he is but ill acquainted, either with their nature, or practises: He who desireth to be informed, may consult experience, which will aboundantly satisfy, hovv much better, and more free accommodations, have, thereby been disturbed, and frustrat: Hovvever, there is one part of this Royal resolution, vvhichwhich I cordially close vvith if candidly meant, and that is, that, the doctrine of this Church, may be effectually preserved, I may not here stay, to explain my reasons; but, he vvho shall be pleased, to peruse our old homilies, and compare them, vvith that doctrine, vvhichwhich doth novv very much boast itself, both in pulpit, and print, he vvill quickly understand, our former profession, to be so sadly depraved, vvith Socinian, Popish, and Arminian Errors, that, this alone, vvere enough, to bring upon us, all our feares: As for the exclusion of all persons, not exactly comformable, from benefices, although it be without doubt a mighty diminution of the favour of a just indulgence, since it depriveth both of the encouragement and conveniency due, to the ministers of the Gospel; yet the master of these labourers, having pledged his alsufficiency for their supply, and the Church of God having alvvayes, been truely richest when poorest, I confesse, it is a matter whereon I shall not spend my complaints, however it be just matter of his repentance.

In the next place (saith his Majesty) wee do declare our will that the execution of all manner of penal lawes, in matters ecclesiastical, against whatsoever sort of Non-conformists, or recusants, be immediatly suspended, and they are hereby suspended, &c. And this is the great jubile, a proclaimed liberty, to Atheists, Socinians, Papists, Jesuits, seminary p. 44priests, Arminians, Sects of all sorts, and the grossest hereticks, to contemne Religion, commit idolatry, impugne truth, Blaspheme, seduce, and destroy souls, uncontroulled: It's true the conscientious Non-conformist, hath also his part, in this exemption; but, as God did send forth his Gospel, into the world in weakenesse, and foolishnesse, destitut of all humane advantages, and onelyonly, by his owne grace and presence, did sustaine, and advance it, against all the opposition, that the malice, or violence, Potentats, Authorities, or powers of the earth, could devise, or execute against it, to the effect, that neither our faith, nor his truth, should stand, in the help of man, but in the power of him, who hath promised, to be with us, unto the end of the World; so, I am perswaded, that no man fearing and beleeving, the same Lord God, will judge, all the favour that men can shew, valuable at this rate: I graunt, the excesse of this indulgence, doth not so corrupt the just relief, that tender consciences may finde in it, as, to hinder them, to partake lawfully of it's benefit; but sure I am, if my censure be right and true, as certainly it is, men should be so far, from being deceived, by the flattery of carnal ease, either to embrace, or acknowledge it, as a favour, or pursue it, by any active compliance requisit for it's accomplishment, that on the contrairy, they should look upon the act in it self as a high provocation, against God, a feareful exposing, and opposing of his truth, and under the colour of a pitiful enlargement, and reliefe to tender consciences, a real and designed betraying, of the Protestant interest.

But his Majesty proceeds to declare, that to the effect, there may be no pretense, for the continuing of Conventicles, he shall from time to time, allow, a sufficient number of places, as they shall be desired, in all parts, for the use of Non-conformists; But for a correction, it is his expresse will, and pleasure, that none presume to meet, in any place, untill, such place, be allowed, and the teacher of that congregation approved, by him: And lest, any should apprehend difficulty, in obtaining, this allowance, and approbation, he further declareth, p. 45that the same shall extend, to all sorts of Non-conformists, except Popish-recusants, to whom, he will in no wayes, allow publick places, but onelyonly indulge them, as to the common exemption, from penal lawes, and the exercise of their worship, in their privat houses onelyonly. This being the summe of his Majesties concession, over and above, the release of penal staruts, it were as ill nature, and worse manners, to offer to criticize upon my Princes bounty, as it were folly, to be fain of nothing: And therefore, I shall onelyonly, candidly represent, such things, as do obviously occurre, and cannot be hid: And, 1. It is evident, that there is nothing as yet graunted, but onelyonly a purpose declared, which being in it self alterable, and in the present case, in order to the innocent Non-conformist assuredly elicit, by our forraigne wars, and domestick feares, of what endurance it is like to prove, may easily be resolved: Secondly, it is obvious, that the effect of this indulgence, is presently to cut of from, and deprive all the faithful Ministers, and people, of the benefit of meeting, either in the places where they have hitherto met, or in their privat houses, for the pure worship of God, (for these are the expresse words of the declaration; To the effect, there may be no continuing of conventicles, &c. and afterwards, it is our expresse will and pleasure that none presume to meet in any place, &c.) until these meetings, be cast in this new mould, and, if the truely tender and conscientious Non-Conformist's, dare not for the feare of God foresake, the assembling of themselves together, nor discontinue their meeting, for worship, till the Court be at leisure, or think it convenient, to make that assignement, or if they should scruple this conveyance, as no doubt, a faithful minister, will be far, from an active compliance, with such an enacted abomination, then, such have nothing to expect, but the utmost of severity; and thus wee see, these bowels, and the tender mercies of this declaration, are unmasked cruelty: Thirdly, the places are to be desired of and first p. 46allowed by his Majesty, and, that this allowance, may be lawfully sought, upon the grounds of that duety of protection, and assistance, which his Majesty oweth to the Gospel, without pleading this dissolute indulgence, I make it no queston: but, on the other hand, that this, first, maketh all still depend upon his absolute pleasure, both as to number and continuance, is no lesse evident: yea secondly, this very thing, is enough, to make the whole insignificant: for, many, especialy those Non-conformists, who are persons of estate, or quality, will be unwilling to be thus exposed to the view of the Court, as a dissentient party, reachable by law, and moreover, the people, perceiving the increase of popery, and what countenance and encouragemenr, they have from authority, whereby they are become insolent, and terrible to the people, may begin, to be jealous, that this course is onelyonly taken, to the end they may when met together, the more easily be swallovved up at once, by those popish Cannibals; the things vvhichwhich are past, and the things vvhichwhich are dayly practised, may creat a shrewd suspicion amongst the people, of such a designe, upon which considerations, the assignement of a place by the Court, is very like, to affright men, from following ordinances, or frequenting worship in those places: But, fourthly, the Teacher must also first be approved by his Majesty; and that all the liberty here promised, if it vvere ten times more, vvere too dearly purchased, by this surrender, every one that knovveth the sufficiency, and necessity of our Lord's Mission, will easily acknowledge; I graunt, that, every Minister should presume, and be very sensible of his Majesties approbation, & as it were rudenesse professedly to undervalue it, so the power that he hath, over our bodies, may in many cases render it absolutely necessary; but, what is all this, to the previous expresse approbation, here required? Certainly, if our Lord's Authority, be a Minister's compleat warrant, and the duety it layes on, such, as may in many cases oblige him, to beare his Master's name, before Kings and Princes, for a Testimony against them; the subjection p. 47of the Ministry, that the compliance with this condition, doth import, is, a manifest impingement, against both: I might in the fifth place observe, the extension of this concession, every whit as large, as the foregoing exemption, except in order to Papists, and whereby all the blasphemies, and extravagancies of all other errors, are, not onelyonly tollerat, but offered to be encouraged, but the thing being so obvious, it were superfluous, to offer, to make it more plain. Sixtly, this indulgence is thus further restricted, and cautioned. If any shall (saith his Majesty) presume to abuse this liberty and shall preach seditiously or to the derogation of the doctrine, discipline or Government of the established Church, &c. Wee do hereby givs them warning and declare we will proceed against them with all imaginable severity. I shall not stand to observe, how there is more here, then an insinuation, that the preacher, in order to his being approved by his Majesty, must previously engage to this forebearance: its but all reason, that he who giveth the Commission, should also give the instructions, set bounds, and limits, to it's excercise, and define the sphere of it's activity, according as his Majesty, (that the world may the better understand, the just extent, and native import, of that headship, vvhichwhich he arrogats over the Church of England) in his letter to the Arch Bishop of York, prescribeth, what doctrines are to be taught, what not: If we will be preachers created by the Court, and Emissaries of this supremacy, we must be Court-parasits and court-pleasers too; but, then let us remember, that wee cease to be the servants of Jesus Christ: But the thing I mainly marke here, is, that by this artifice, they are sure, either to make the indulged betray the cause of Christ, by an unfaithful silence, or expose themselves to what the all of that imaginable severity, wherewith they are menaced, will amount unto: It's true, the same politick considerations, which have moved them, for quieting of the minds of the people, to mock them, with this shadow, maytye them up also, for a season, from executing, this all imaginable severity against such, who will be found guilty, of abusing this favour; yet, considering, how p. 48the places must be all of publick appointment, the preachers and people also known, and that those places must be patent, and free to all persons, viz. amongst the rest, to a knot of informers, who will no doubt be designed, for each place, faithful men, who will acquit themselves, as the Ambassadours of Jesus Christ, and so carry, in the exercise of their Ministry, as they may have, their Master's approbation, of wel done good and faithful servants, may exspect, as the Court is at leisure, and have freed their hands of other work, that they will make such then, after they have sleeped under the deceitful shadow of this indulgence, while the Court being liberat from feare of any trouble from them, was concurring with those who were destroying the Protestant interest abroad, buy this indulgence, at an after. reckoning, with the lose, if not of life, and liberty; yet of estate; for his May. will be judge, of what is seditious preaching, and praying, &c. Hence, if a faithful Minister, pray for the United provinces, now unjustly invaded, by a Popish Prince, that they may not be destroyed, and that he may not give up, the beloved of his soul, the reformed Church there, into the hand of such an enemy, who would again turn these provinces, into a land of graven images, if also, he should disswade all who heare him from such a sinful conjunction, and regrat before the Lord, as every faithful protestant hath cause, that English-men, professors of the same faith, should be employed, as instruments, to destroy the faith they ought to defend, and that our hands, should be made use of, to shed our brethrens blood, with whom, yea for whom, we should rather die, in the defence of the reformed Religion, and if he should weep himself, and excit the people to weep, because his Majesty is seduced, into this conspiracy, and abandoned to such pernicious counsels, and courses. as at this time, and in this juncture, to concurre with a popish party, against a Protestant State, the now visible bulwark, of the Reformed interest, not onelyonly without any just provocation, on their part; but contrary to all engagements and obligations on his: And moreover, if in stead of an unfaithful silence, p. 49a Minister should seek, to deliver his own soul, by regrating, that his Majesty, is not onelyonly left, to break his Covenant with the most high God, in reestablishing abjured prelacy, and superstition; but also, in countenancing, and promoving of popery and idolatry; which as no Godly man, who considers the times, and what the Israel of God ought to do, dare forebeare for himself; so he dare not, though he should die, for doing so, forebeare, to perswade, beseech, and obtest, the People of the Lord, to pray with all manner of prayer and supplication, that the great God, would appear, to confound the counsels and crush the undertakings, of all the men, and Monarchs of this conspiracy, against his great interest, and precious People: If, I say, a Minister of Jesus Christ, should preach, exhort, and pray to this purpose, would his Majesty hold him innocent? or forebeare to lay hold, on the first opportunity, of dealing with him, as a seditious person, yea a Traitour? and adjudge also all who had been his hearers, as guilty at least of misprison of treason? The case is so cleare, as it discovers plainly, the whole of this indulgence, to be rather a Court-Trape, to catch, extinguish, and crush the faithful remnant, then the least ease, or reliefe, to such as dare not, for feare of the Almighty, foresake the truth, and prostitut the precious ordinances, of Christ, to the lust of an Exotick Lord, or dare not shut their eyes, and be silent, when they see courses taken, declarative, to conviction, of a formed designe, to establish the abomination of popery, and destroy the reformed Religion, at home and abroad.

The last thing, that remaineth, is, the exception of Roman Catholicks, from this allowance, of publick places; But lest this should grieve them, the former discharge of penal lawes, is not onelyonly repeated, in their favours; but, they are further expressely, indulged, the excercise of their worship viz their idolatrous mass, and all their other impious superstitions, in their privat houses, and that without any limitation of number or other restriction: I cannot here stand, to expresse, all my just regrat; the mass again restored in England, should no doubt p. 50be as much our deep affliction, as it is the Papists exultation: As for their astriction to privat houses, I say first, why is not the like favour graunted, to the truly Godly and Conscientious-Non-Conformist, who may very justly scruple to sue for the favour of this indulgence, because of it's conveyance, and upon other momentuous enough considerations? Shall he who dare not for feare of making himself guilty, of Lese Majesty against Jesus Christ, by accepting a favour, which in its conveyance, establisheth, in the person of the indulger, a supremacy onelyonly competent to the Son of God, be lesse capable of this favour, then he who denys this Supremacy, to be competent to his Majesty, and holds it to be proper, to that child of perdition, the Anti-Christ? Yea, he is not so capable of our favour, as our Catholick subjects are: I am sorry for it, but why? What's the matter? His Majesty gives you the reason, of the inequality of this distribution; because forsooth, they are seditious conventicles, and therefore, liberty to worship God in privat houses, must not be permitted to them; but their is no feare of Sedit…on from Papists, (good men!) we understand one another better, then to feare any harme from such bosome friends: well, it may be so; but, it's time, when the Popish party, are thus professedly, the darling of the Court, and all it's conclusions, are so exactly calculat, to the meridian of that interest, for the poor protestants, to remember, the yet recent massacre of Ireland, lest, Brittain drink of the same cup, and become the stage, whereon, this same funest Tragedy, or a more bloody one, be acted over again: Secondly the Papists are confined to privat houses; that is to say, Whitehal, St fames, Somerset-house, and the greatest, and most capacious palaces in England, while, the poor Non-Conformists, may not make use of their own houses, and are not like in hast, to build upon the lubrick base of this indulgence, other houses: Thirdly, that this restriction is no incumberance to the Papists, is aboundantly cleare; nay, if we advert, to man's strange curiosity, especially after error, the attraction of this privacy, may in all likelyhood, prove more advantagious to p. 51their interest, then, if their Godlesse, and ridiculous mummery, were set up to open view, and derision, in Publick Churches: Seing therefore, that the Papists recommended by no necessary, or convenient reason have, (notwithstanding of their grosse errors and superstitions, with the many important and ancient lawes that stand against them being considered) obtained, the greatest benefit by this indulgence, whether the favour designed for them, be not it's, principal motive, and aime, I leave it to every man's discerning? Now what our present conjunction with the French, in an unrighteous war, against the Protestant Stats abroad, with this licensing of idolatry, and encouraging the Popish faction at home, may produce; The Lord in his mercy prevent: And as I have plainly laid out, the insincerity, insufficiency, and uncertainty of this indulgence, in behalfe of conscientious Non Conformists; so, I am very hopeful, that neither the present allurement, of carnal ease, nor the deceitiul confidence, of simulat favours, shall ever make them abandon, that solicitous care, and zealous concerne, they ought alwayes to beare, in their hearts, and be ready to witnesse, when thereto called, for the glory of God, and interests of truth and righteousnesse, both at home and abroad.

Having thus particularly considered, and weighed the import, of both these his Majestie's declarations, and having found nothing in the one, which upon a sober search, may justify this war, (whereinto we are precipitat; nor in the other, that can quiet, or satisfy the truely conscientious Non-conformist; but on the contrair, much in both, which may fill the mind, of all the fearers of God, with terrour at the apprehensions, of what shall be, the dismal and dreadful consequences, of such an undertaking, against our confederats, and such uncandid dealing with God, I designed in this review to have subsisted.

But yet I hope, every true-hearted English-man, will beare with me, if, while I see the interest of the English nation, dragged at the French heels, and sold to a base subserviency to their aspiring greatness, I take liberty once more, to evince and insist upon what in my first Paper I touched more brieflly viz. the p. 52perfect opposition, which this conjunction with the French, hath, unto the welbeing and true interest of the nation: Let it therefore be supposed, that the English Fleet should beat the Dutch, quit off the sea, and at the same time, the King of France with his numerous and potent army, assisted with his Majestie's thousands under the command of his son, should invade, destroy, lay wast, and make desolat, all the places of the United provinces, whereever he cometh, and the Dutch by this defeat at sea, and invasion by Land be brought, to such confusion and perplexity, that they shall neither be in case to set presently to sea again, nor able to encountre this Potent enemy by land, (which is the thing designed and desired, and that, to which all the vigorous endeavours of these confederat Kings are directed) well, let us make this supposition, that their designes are thus far accomplished (though, graunt not O Lord the desire of the wicked, further not their wicked device, least they exalt themselves, ought to be, and no question is, the desire of all, who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity through the earth) and that the Dutch in stead of being able to deal any longer or debate with these Kings, by open force of Armes, be reduced to the necessity in this exigent, of making the best, and most advantageous peace they can: Is it to be imagined, they will betake themselves to the King of England, and come under his shadow and protection for shelter, from the French fury? It's true, amongst the rest of our fooleries, whereby we embolden our selves, in this engagement, this is laid down for one, which we judge will not fail us, viz. that we can alwayes make Peace with the Dutch, when we have driven them to desperat distresse, at pleasure; but they are wiser men, then to court us any longer for kindenesse: For, first, the experience they have had of the impossibility of fixing us, or making us stand firme to our engagements, and Treaties, will utterly alienat, discourage, and disswade from this, where there is a choice: Secondly, his Majestie's having laid down this for a Principle, and the endeavours which have been, to instil it in the minds of such, who could be impressed by Court-suggestions, p. 53that, if England would floorish, Holland must, if not utterly destroyed, yet be reduced to a state of slavery, and bondage, nothing inferiour unto the Spanish yoke, (for the dominion which we affect over the seas, would be stretched to a length, that would knovv no bounds, or limits, but our ovvn lust and our Courteours avarice; and what encouragement, they may have to come under the shadow of men of these principles, wise men may judge?) Thirdly the cry of his Majesties oppressed subjects at home, and the consideration, how the Court hath sucked out and swallowed up the substance of the nation, and drained, all it's treasures, and yet are still lean (for all they have devoured, hath onelyonly made them more insatiable) will make the Dutch, judge very rationaly, unlesse they vvere able, to turn rocks, seas, and sand into Gold, they could never by giving, satiat the appetit of the English Court: And vvhile they see, contrair to all honour and true interest, how, a stop is at least put upon the exchecquer, which was the onelyonly thing remaining, to preserve the credit of the nation, and leave merchants in some case to trade, they cannot but easily foresee that such will make no bones to suck out all the marrow, and then gnaw the bones, of these provinces: And to all these add, in the fourth place, how they must needs look upon the King of England, as the principal author, and unhappy instrument, of all these imminent and incumbent calamities, and may very rationaly conclude, if he had not in this juncture, conspired against them, with the French King, that either, the King of France, would not have undertaken the war, or if he had, that they in an ordinary providence, could have defended themselves, and their just liberties, against all his force: When I say, they must needs look upon the King of England, as the spring & source, of all that calamity they feel, or feare, and perceive his propensnesse, to ruinethem, and how that, contrary to all Covenants, Treaties, rational offers of satisfaction, even to pretended p. 54injuries, condescensions, & stretches beyond the just exigent, and tenor of any Treaty, or transaction, yea & obligations heaped upon him, in advancing the Prince of Orange, (which, as it was made the great argument, to determine those, who were a little reluctant, to consent to his advancement; so, it made the most rational infallibly conclude, his assistance, upon that advancement, against the French attempts) how, I say, that notwithstanding of all these bonds, of honour, interest, faith, Religion, righteousnesse; and obligations, he could not so much, as be gained, to an easy neutrality; but, as if, the utter ruine of the Dutch, and their extirpation, or reduction, from a stare of liberty, to a state of bondage, had the closest of connexions, with his satisfaction, he, to the prostituting of his honour, leads the way, to the French King, and as if malice and blinde fury, were the sole conducter in this affair, draweth the first sword, and forgetting to consult his own fame, with a pyratick violence, anterior to all intimation of war, falleth upon the Dutch merchant-ships: As these things put together, with many more of the like nature, must make the Dutch conclude him, the most enraged adversary, and implacable enemy; so, it must of necessity, alienat their mind from him above all mortals: And now upon the forementioned supposition, (which I hope shall never exist) that they must put themselves under the Potection of one of these two, they will certainly be ballanced, towards the French Alliance, as the more placable enemy, the more sure, and advantagious friend: And as it is more then probable to wise men, that the King of France hath conduced the King of England, to such an unworthy breach of Alliance, upon this very designe, to drive the Dutch, if possible, to this sad necessity; so it is equally obvious, how the French King endeavoureth by all means, so to influence the conclusions of the English Cabal, & manage the advantage he hath thereby over the King of England, as may p. 55render him most hateful to the Dutch: For having prevailed with him, first, to draw him to this shameful breach of Treaty with them, he driveth him thereafter to make such a detastable attempt upon their merchant-ships; and observing likewise how in his declaration for war against the Dutch (wherein also he will have the King of England to preceed, that he may know the better how to forme his so, as may best subserve his designe) he alledgeth many injuries, and pretendeth to such a dominion over the seas, as is subversive of the liberty of the Dutch, and utterly inconsistent with the prosperity of the Provinces, because destructive of their trade; he then emitteth his declaration of war, wherein there is nothing mentioned or adduced for a cause, save a French floorish, for his Honour: Yea he giveth the Dutch to understand, that he doth not envy their greatness, nor designe the prejudice of their provinces; nay on the contrair, that he hath a favour for them, and how all his quarrel is confined to some particular persons in the Goverment, against whom he hath a displeasure: And perceiving withal, how the King of England hath not onelyonly made himself the common detestation of the Dutch, by this late act of manifest pyracy but as if no bonds, no Treaties, neither reguard to his own reput or renown in the World, could be of sufficient weight and value to tye him up from doing them all the injuries, which his power maketh possible; he addeth to the former violence, the injustice of seising upon and detaining all the merchant-ships, which were in his ports at the eruption of this war, expressely contrair to the termes of the 32 Art. of that Treaty at Breda: The French King (I say) perceiving this, that he may commend his fidelity, clemency, and friendship to the Dutch (as he doth his honour to the World) above the King of England's, as he hath done no act of hostility against them anterior to his declaration; so he graunteth them six moneths time, to remove all their Merchant-ships and goods out of his dominions, without lose or molestation: By all which he seemeth to intimat to the Dutch that p. 56he is neither so ingrained not implacable an enemy against them as the King of England, yea there is a tacit invitation couched, even in his denunciation of war, to accost him for kindenesse, with hope of acceptation, (and well may he, for hereby he maks himself master of both, and doth more certainly triumph over the King of England, and ecclipse the glory of that nation, then over the Dutch, and so hitteth the marke he aimed at indeed, viz. the French honour) Now as the preferablenesse of the French Alliance, things standing thus, will be demonstrable to the Dutch from their own interest, and advantage, for by this means, though, they may lose somewhat of their former lustre; yet they will easily see, that it is the interest of the King of France, to have them a floorishing People, when they are so much his; so, on the other hand, will any doubt, but all reason of state and Policy, will make the French ready to listen to a proposal of accommodation from the Stats, and abandon the English, as having now served himself sufficiently of them, when they have sweat out floods of English blood and treasure, to rowe his French Majesty to his port: For, first, he knoweth very well, though he have at present debauched the penurious and profligat Court of England, into this conjunction vvith him, against the Dutch; that, yet, the spirit of the English nation can never be debased into the same compliance, with his designes; the prudent part, yea the generality of the nation, retaining still, their noble ascendent over the French, and that antipathy unto them, that, though the Court party are sunk below men, and cease to be Patriots, (not careing for the reput, and honour of their nation, whose renown, together with their own fame, they have shipwrack't) yet, at this very instant, they would, if at all necessitat to have a war, notwithstanding of all the artifice and endeavours of the Court, to enflame them into a rage against the Dutch, with much more cheerfulnesse, alacrity, and readinesse of minde, draw their sword against the French in defence of the Dutch, then be dragged by the Court, to so unrighteous, p. 57and dishonourable a war, against their friends and brethren: The certain knowledge I say, that the King of France hath, that this is the genius, and pulse of the English nation, to abhorre as death, the holding of the French stirrop; yea, the rational grounds he may have, to perswade beyond debate, that if these very men, whom he hath charmed, by his aurum potabile, into an oblivion of their own honour and nation's interest, be once awaked out of this golden dreame, (which doth not imply a contradiction but they may) they will abandon, with a blush at their own basenesse, his interest, and by an after strenuous opposition, seek to wipe off the staine, of so base a compliance, and be avenged upon him for their two eyes, will make him ready, to close with the Dutch, being, together with the world, convinced, that, he hath in this, obtained the utmost of advantage, he could have proposed or promised to himself, by engaging, or rather seducing the Court of England, unto his assistance, and judging, as he hath reason, that he is hereby sufficiently repayed, for all the French Millions, which that Court, hath swallowed up: Secondly, as this will make him readily listen, to a proposal from the Dutch, so, it will make him willingly condescend, to give them easy, and honourable conditions, (though I hope God shall prevent such a dishonour to them) yea, he will argue himself, into a necessity, (contrair to the particular insolent domineering humour of the French) to maintain them, if not in the same degree of honour, liberty, and lustre, yet, in their full strength; it being obvious, that by having engaged them to him, he hath fairely paved his way, to an easy conquest, of this part of the world: The Spanish Netherlands, will fall into his hands, nor will the Emperour be able, to make head against him: Spain also must follow their fate; and poor England, having spent their strength and treasure, to advance him to this greatnesse, must bow their neck, to the French yoke: What is then become of our foolish supposition, that there was no cause for England to feare the French greatnesse? Why? p. 58France (saith the Court) having no nursery of sea-men, we will maintain our dominion of the seas, non will cope, or compet with us, if once we had the Hollander, under hatches; and while we retain our dominion by sea, it were ridiculous to feare, the French by land: But alas, have the French, so blinded the Court, with the dust of their Gold, that they cannot see, one inch, before their nose? Do they not easily foresee, the misery and bondage, they are bringing upon the nation, and how, they are selling the honour, and liberty of their countrey, to it's inveterat enemies? Well, the French have not a nursery of sea-men, comparable to the English: Be it so, but, when the English by their unrighteousnesse, folly, and inconsideration, have driven the Dutch to the necessity of becoming one with the French, have they then no nursery? England knoweth, to it's cost, that Holland hath: And if ever France be in case, to reckon them his (which, as death, is to be deprecat) then, the King of England must resolve henceforth, to quit all his pretensions to the Flage, and be at a point in this, that his men of war must strike, to the French pleasure boats: the Nation at home, must tremble, at the French greatnesse, their walls the shiping of England, will not then hold him out, he being now in case, to force his passage, thorow them: our forraigne plantations must signify as much to us, as the French and Dutch in a conjunction, will permit, either something, or nothing: Our honour, and renown, which we have had amongst other Nations, must be buried in the gulfe of contempt, and lye expiring without hope of a recovery, under the French insolence: who will then compassionat the poor English Nation? Nay, who will not say, that it is a righteous thing with God, since, we who would needs in a blind rage, run upon our friends to ruine them, without cause, should be insnared, in the worke of our own hands, and tumbled head-long in the ditch, which we had digged for others? Who amongst the nations will pity us? Or if our distresse should move compassion, who dare offer to help us? p. 59Oh poor England, how do thy Rulers, post thee to thy ruine? We have fallen once under the hand of the Dutch, and our disgrace, hath accresced to their glory; but now, we must fall, into the hand of the French, & instead of wearing the flowre de Luce, in our scutcheon, the King of France must have our Lyon, and Vnicorne in his: And thus have we debased our selves and entailed bondage upon the Posterity: And, if the Dutch were a People given to revenge, what ever griefe and regrat, their dependance upon France might be to them, yet, they would not onelyonly have this satisfaction, to see those enslaved, who had designed their bondage, and whose hands had been made use of in wreathing the yoke about their neck; but, see themselves chiefly made use of, and maintained by the French, to force the English to serve him: And withal the Dutch should see themselves, freed from the slavish feare of the King of England's vaine pretensions to the dominion of the sea, and set at liberty, to follow their trade without trouble; and as the trade, would then be cerainly taken from England, in these parts; so it would be at the French & Dutch their option, whether to rase, and root out, name and thing of all English Plantations abroad.

Though, these be things to be entertained in their possibility, by all the lovers, of Religion, righteousnesse, and the nation, with horrour, and detestation, and I pray and hope shall never have any being, beyond what a supposition may give them; yet, he must blind his eyes, and abandon his reason, who will deny the nativenesse of the connexion, betwixt the worst of all these supposed miseries, and mischiefs, and the King of England's engaging, in this war, with the French, against the Dutch: The ruine of the Protestant interest, this day, through the World: The ruine of the liberty, honour, trade, precious and deare concerns, of the English nation; the ruine, of the Prince of Orange his interest, yea the ruine, disgrace, and perpetual infamy, of the actors themselves, is wraped up in, and connected with, this shamefull war: have we not now by our deep Politicks, bravely bowled away the honour of the nation, p. 60vvhile the French, both give ground, and byasse? These are our nevv unhappy politicks, they tend to this, and may end here, if the Lord in mercy do not interpose, to prevent it: so, that, though men vvere turned meer Gallio's, as to the interest of Christ, and Religion in the World, yea turned enemies thereto; yet, no man representing things to himself as they are, and vveighing these tumultuous transactions, in the ballance of reason, or considering their obvious tendency and import; if he retain the spirit of a true English-man, if he consult the honour of his nation, if he truely love his Majesty, and wish the stability of his throne, but must, not onelyonly look upon himself, as obliged to withdraw, from all concurrence in this war; but interpose in his station, to deliver King and Court, lapsed into this moral madnesse, from the occecation of this fury, whereby, in their indeliberation and rage, they are pulling ruine upon themselves and the nation, by drawing the sword.

I know very well, in all I have said upon this head of Interest, I shall, be looked upon as grossely mistaken in my hypothesis; because, what I account interest and the thing to be chiefly reguarded, and earnestly contended for, hath not a being at all in the Albe of our new politicks: nay, something is substitut in it's place, as inconsistent with, so natively destructive of it: And therefore all these disswasives deduced from the head of Interest as I have stated it, must with the hypothesis evanish as of no consideration or weight, to disswade from our present enterprise. It will be readily graunted by all, that if the old Interest of England, viz. the preservation of Religion, in it's reformation, whereto by the good hand of our God upon us we had attained, the safety and good of the people, the ancient splendor and glory of the Nation, the just freedome and liberty of Parliaments, the desireable harmony betwixt his Majesty and them, to the doing of all things (especially things of such moment, as a war, wherein there is an association with an old p. 61enemy to the English Nation and Interest, and an engagement against our ancient friends, deprecating, with all the submissenesse which became a State, our displeasure, and entreating in a most obliging manner our covenanted assistance, against an enemy, by vvhom, if he conquer them, we are crushed, our posterity also & all our precious interests are exposed unto the danger of utter ruine) with joint consent and mutual satisfaction, whereby the cheerful concurrence of all his Majesty's subjects is assured, by which means also, he himself is beloved and honoured at home, feared and reguarded by the nations abroad, the security, satisfaction, trade & treasure of the nation, is ensured & promoted, &c. If Interest be considered as comprehensive of, & constitut by these & the like; then no doubt, it must be yeelded, that the considerations evincing the manifest opposition of the present engagement to all these, have a sufficiency of weight, to disswade from a further progresse in this unhappily begun war, yea perswade a retreat; which were certainly a more glorious victory, because demonstrative to the World, that our lusts and passions had not the ascendent of our reason, then if our sword were bathed and our hands embrewed in the blood of these against whom it is now drawn and stretched out; yea this were a more certain way, to a safe victory over them (I mean an overcoming them with kindenesse to a cheerful condescendence unto, and a ready compliance with all our just demands) then ever we can expect, as the issue of so unrighteous and irreligious a war. But if somewhat else be substitut in the place of that, which the vvisest have hitherto judged the Interest of the nation, I must graunt, I have missed the marke at vvhichwhich I aimed, and confesse, that my considerations are not apposite dissvvasives, from vvhat is novv driven. But vvhat can this be? Some may think the thing aimed at, vvhichwhich with it's seeming desireablenesse hath dazeled us into this distraction, hath by our procedour so obviously discovered it self, that it can no longer escape observation: It's plain his Maj. aimeth at being absolute and designeth to rule the nation, independently from the advice of Parliaments, which are now p. 62looked upon, rather as an encumberance to him, in the exercise of his royal goverment, and an ecclipse of that glory, which he judgeth competent for a Prince, then any real support to his royal authority and greatnesse: In plain English, the French Goverment is affected by our English Court, which we suppose can never be sufficiently illustrious, while there must be such an unbecoming dependence upon Parliaments, for pitiful subsidies and summes to be raised by their order, to maintain our royal grandure: This which hath been so insupportable a yoke, upon the neck of our royal Ancestors, whereby they have been bound to the good behaviour, tyed up, restrained, yea often, to gratify their subjects humor, in order to the gaining their consent for a subsidy, have been necessitat, and compelled to crosse their own royal inclination, and commit a rape upon their pleasure; this yoke, we say, must once for all be burst and broken, and this badge of limited soveraignity, be buried in the final discharge of such Parliaments: The dispose of the Treasure aswel as the Militia of the nation, must be in our own hand, then, and not before, will we be in case, as becometh, to live in royal splendor, to give suteable rewards for signal services, without being obnoxious to have account asked of us, or the question put, how we spend our treasure; to keep under and crush petulant insolents at home, and chastise proud enemies abroad: In a word, Stat pro ratione voluntas in state affairs, as we have arrogat it, in Church, matters (which is the more wicked and most dareing attempt of the two) is the great interest, and that which we will and must have: This is the darling and Diana of the Court, to which all the other true interests of the English Nation must be sacrificed. If so, the scheme I graunt is changed: But is it credible, that infatuation itself, can fixe us in this resolution? Truely the Universe of reason doth reclaime: The desperatnesse of such an enterprise hath made wise men shut their eyes, upon all probabilities of it's intendment, and stop their eares, at all reports and suggestions which were assertive of the Court's hatching such a cockatrice, p. 63as calumnies; since reason did repugne and abhorre it, as the greatest deviation from it's conduct, and most desperat course, in the undertaker, imaginable; but yet men cannot alwayes shut their eyes, he vvho stoppeth his eare at the reports of another, cannot with the same facility, abandon or give the defiance to his own reason.

It is not necessar for my present purpose, to make a perfect enumeration of all things, which may perswade and put beyond debate, that this is the Court aim; but if it must needs be graunted, by what hath been said, that there is a cleare and undeniable opposition, betwixt engaging in this war with the French, against the Dutch, and all the true interests of England, sacred and civil; then our precipitation into this engagement, giveth a shrewd suspicion, that vve are onelyonly prevailed vvith, and overcome by this consideration, to assist the French against the Dutch; that we as a requital, onelyonly commensurable to that service, may have the French assistance, sor rasing the foundations of England's liberty, and substituting our ovvn lust, in the place of it's Magna charta: This designe hath made all essayes for peace on the Dutch their part insignificant, and hath persvvaded above all other considerations, unto this association vvith the French: And truely the things vvhichwhich at first vvere onelyonly groaned under, as acts of male-administration, vvithout the suspicion of a further designe, then vvhat the impetuousnesse of our lusts, cileing the eyes of our reason, drove us to, will novv vvhen reflected upon, and collated vvith present practices and future appearances, amase men at the maligne aspect they have upon England's liberty.

I need not involve my self into the labyrinth, of recollecting all things in the Court's procedour and practice, since his Majesties return, unto this present day; or compare them vvith this project, and consider the nativenesse of their tendency to the production of this monster. Let his Maj. carriage, in reference to his Parliament be a little inquired into, and see, if it vvill not put the thing beyond debate. At his first entry; the p. 64Parliament which called him home, must be dissolved, and in lieu of another reward for that great service, they are dismissed with this complement, viz. his May; will have them known and honoured to posterity, by the name, of, Beati Pacifici: well then, Englands blessed Parliaments have their period and exeunt, at his May: entry to his royal Goverment: What then cometh next? (it's fit to be silent, where experience speaketh that, which if it were told in it's most sober dresse, might argue the speaker to be prompted by malice) But what could be the cause of this dissolution? It's obvious enough; for whatever excesse of loyalty appeared in hastening home his Majesty, and installing him in the Goverment, without sufficient security for Religion and liberty, (an error in the first concoction) yet there were many amongst them, who being good Patriots, and worthy Statsemen, could never have been overcome, to a compliance with such a designe, nor to the countenancing of our other extravagancies; and therefore as an unfit tool for our work they must be laid aside, and a new one called. The Court in the mean time perceiving, how vaine expectations of Halcion-dayes, had besorted the nation, into a deep inconsideration of what did belong to it's Peace and Prosperity, and observing, how there were none now to peep or move the wing, against the Court current; But whatsoever the King did, either pleased all the people, or the more prudent were under a necessity in this universal distraction, to dissemble their displeasure, and suffer, without saying or doing any thing to the contrair, dangerous encroachments and breaches to be made upon their liberty, though the purport of these was manifest; forgetting the old maxime obsta principiis, &c. The Court I say perceiving this to be the temper, or rather giddinesse of the nation, do not stick at breach of priviledge, in the election of members for the following Parliament, which was so palpable and grosse, as of the bulk, when gathered together, it might well have been said, that in stead of our old renowned Parliaments without a parallel in the world, for free-spirited noble Patriots, we had got a Court-juncto, and the privileges of the PeoPeople, p. 65and interest of the nation, put in the hand of those, who would be prodigal & profuse, to a boundlessenesse, as of the Estate and Treasure of the Kingdome, so of it's more valuable liberty & precious concernes: Now I shall be loath, to trace them in their wilde deviations and odd extravagancies; but the nation must behold with the teare in their eye, (& it may be, some of the instruments of their miserie, being cured of their former Frenzy, & awaked out of their lethargy, by the cryes of the oppressed, & the noise of the ruine of the nation, in vvhose rubbish they themselves are like to be buried, as a recompence of vvhat they are guilty of, against the honour and interest of their countrey, sigh out their had we wist) their liberties and estats in the hand of such, as resolve to run to all the excesses, to which the Court-riot will drive them: There, is without more debat, a surrender of the Militia to his May: And though they seem to retain the key of the Nation's treasure; yet it is not so much to lock it up, and keep it in the possession of the just proprietors, as in effect so to squise the Kingdome, as if the sole purpose of their convocation had been, to fall upon inventions and finde out middes, how to extract all the Spirits of the nation, and leave it a caput mortuum, wherein they shewed themselves such Masters of Art, that no man can remember, how they drained the Kingdome, to the drieing up of it's substance, and what vast summes were collected and extorted, vvithout judging the determination difficult, vvhither their monstruous folly in giving, or the Court's prodigious and incredible profusenesse, in lavishing out, vvasting and throvving avvay that treasure, be matter of most amasement? Hovvever, as this is sure, if England had been invaded by a forreigne enemy, they might at a lovver rate, have bought themselves into a State of liberty, from the conquerours bondage, then vvhat hath been exacted of them, for no other purpose, but to make their bonds strong; so this is also certain, that if the summes collected for the Court, vvere computed, and the total compared, vvith their present pinching penury, it vvould together vvith the nation, astonish the vvorld, hovv such a treasure, p. 66in so short time could have been dilapidat; unlesse on purpose shoveled in the sea, or svvept avvay by an invisible curse: But the thing vvhichwhich I mainly marke here, is, the connexion this carreer of Parliament hath, vvith the advance of our projected absolutnesse: The nation finding themselves thus exacted upon, and betrayed to the Court's avarice by the guardians of their liberty, do universally hate the Parliament, as betrayers of their trust, & sacrificers of their Interest, to an insatiable lust: Thus, that vvhichwhich used to be the darling of the People, is become the common detestation of the nation; vvhichwhich the Court perceiving, and knovving hovv this did hasten their designe to it's maturity, having set them a going, keep them in motion: The generality being by these means grieved and vexed, some fevv, vvho shared the spoil, onelyonly excepted; and the more prudent and Religious part of the nation, vvho could have digested vvith more patience, the losse of their estats, must, to complet their misery, finde themselves by these mischiefs, vvhichwhich vvere framed into lavvs, deprived of purely dispensed ordinances, and robbed of their faithful Ministers, reformation overturned, vaine abjured Prelacy, vvith all it's concomitant plagues reintroduced, thousands of faithful Ministers, driven in one day, from feeding the Flocks of Christ, they and their people exposed, to the implacable malice of the Court, & debauched Clergy, vvhereby the Parliament drew upon themselves, as the enacters & decre'ers of such abominations and cruelties, the hatred of all the lovers of Religion and righteousnesse: This being brought to passe, some Court-Trappans, are prompted, to deal vvith the fanaticks (as they called them) of several perswasions, some must passe for great friends to the Presbiterians, others to the Independents, &c. And the work of these is, to represent his Majesty, as very propitious and favourable to men of tender consciences, and that what he did, was not so much from an innate propensenesse to persecut good men, as from a forced and necessitat compliance, with his more rigid and implacable Parliament, from whom, unlesse he went alongs with them, in passing such acts as they were pleased to make, and give way at least to the execution of them, he could not expect that they would appeare zealous and foreward in the supply of his wants: yea, his Majesty was represented as so reluctant to execut these severe laws with rigour, that he was in hasard, by an excesse of lenity, and indulgence, not onelyonly to fall under a mistake with his Parliament, prejudicial to his affairs; but by the same means, to expose his own, and their Authority to contempt; and that these things might not appeare, what they were, indeed pure fictions; some of the leading men of these parties, are admitted to kisse his Majesties hand, and have something with a smile suggested to them, whereby they went avvay, giddy and intoxicat with vaine expectations. Now it is, our good and gracious King, but our evil and cruel Parliament: Thus the sujects, in stead of being render, as of old, of Parliaments, begin not onelyonly to be little solicitous, what contempt the Court cast upon them; but can behold with satisfaction, these trampled upon, who had trode under foot the honour of the nation: Now men begin to think and say, it were better for us, to be under, and beare with the infirmities of one King, who is placable and exorable, then under the maligne influence of such a conglobat constellation of Tyrants, from the scorchings of whose rigours and rage, the shadow of our Prince, even when he interposeth, is not a sufficient shelter. The Court with much satisfaction observe these male-contents and murmurings, as exactly quadrating with their designe, and laugh amongst themselves, to see the poor people terrified and tremble, at the meeting together of our Parliament, as of a company, who had conspired their ruine and bondage: Well, after they have served the Court, in pillaging the Kingdome, and brought it to poverty (which carrieth alongst withit, a basenesse and lownesse of spirit) and have in a few yeers, squandred away and sucked out, for satiating the court, more of it's substance and treasure, then had been bestowed upon all the Kings, which have reigned in England these hundred yeers (beside the manifold miseries, which during this time, befel the nation, by Pestilence, sword, fire, inundations, the decay of trade, &c.) are not onelyonly hated by the nation, as the Vulture which hath torne out it's bowels, gnawed it's noble parts, and having (by dishing up their countrey into a consume, for curing the Court of it's desperatly incurable leannesse) turned the whole into a complete skeleton; but also despised by the Court, when they can set nothing before them, to satiat their appetit, but the drie bones of adistressed nation, drained of all it's marrow & moisture, are, without the peoples regret, prorogued with a frovvne. Yet such vvas the knovvn penury of the Court, as every one began to think, since the extremity of their vvant called for a present supply, that necessity vvould (because they could not call them together before the time appointed) force his May: to dissolve them, and emit vvrits for calling a nevv Parliament, when, behold on a sudden, to the amasement of all men (excepting such vvho vvere privy to the mystery) there is a nevv prorogation, in all it's circumstances (vvhichwhich for brevity I passe) so declarative of our designe, that the Parliament it self, by vvhose means the nation vvas novv reduced to this miserable condition; must at length avvake, and see themselves laid aside, as a broken vessel, vvherein, he vvho formed them, had no more pleasure; and together vvith them, vve have a fairvvell to Parliaments: In a vvord, our designe must at last set up it's head, and discover it self, things are come to their just maturity: Novv vvise men see, that a vvar vvith the Dutch, and a conjunction with the French, as the sole and proper expedient, to finish what is brought to such ripenesse, is inevitable: If the millions, for vvhichwhich vve are become stipendiary to the King of France, vvill not serve the turn, we will both give the nation, a foretast of vvhat vve intend for them, by shutting the exchequer; and vvhen Parliaments can do no more, make a trial, vvhat the unaccustomed vveight of absolute soveraignity can squise from them; and also furnish our selves, with a sufficiency, for carrying on our designe: If a project of absolute foveraignity be not fairly deduceable from these courses, and if his Majesty be not engaged beyond a retreat p. 69to hold on, vvhen he hath run so great a length, as he knoweth even this Parliament (how much more a new one) would declare against, condemne, seek how to redresse what is past, and effectually prevent such exorbitancies for the future, let wise men judge.

But suppose the designe be, from these and many such things, demonstrable beyond denyal, do not the difficulties, yea moral impossibilities, which seem to lie in the way of it's accomplishment, perswade to a surcease, phohibit the attempt, and secure the nation from the feare of so fatal-like an enterprise? Sure, the funest consequences of windeing up soveraignity a pegge too highe, are too fresh and recent, to be quite foregotten; and can these be remembred, without foreseing what is like to follovv upon our graspeing at, an every vvay absolute soveraignity (little different from a Turkish Tyranny) over a free-spirited people, generously emulous above all other Kingdomes, of the glory of a free nation, vvhichwhich hath been worthily contended for, and nobly maintained by our Antcestors? It can neither be hid from his Majesty, nor the men of this contriveance, hovv this cannot be fixed upon and followed, without resolving, not onelyonly to involve the nation once more in a bloody war; but to delete and extinguish all true English-men, without leaving a man, who retaineth, as more valueable then his life the noble disposition of the nation, unpatient of Tyrranny, because above slavery: Yea, suppose the French King should, in lieu of our gallant souldiers now sent, or rather basely sold to support this Tyranny, and subserve his further designes, after we had destroyed our ovvn subjects, send us over thousands of his French paisants, born under this yoke, to be a seed of bastard-English slaves, he is not sure but the nature of the soile and Clime might change their quality: But laying aside the desperatnesse of this designe, and the considerations of the cruelties it would drive us to, before vve vvere so setled, that we vvere beyond feare of being shaken, doth nothing of danger to the contriver, appeare in the undertaking? The men of this counsel, p. 70cannot be ignorant, that if a war be raised upon this head, it must end in the perfect and final overthrow of one of the parties (and are they invulnerable?) especialy, considering, that the subjects are now made sensible, how vain it is any more to trust Court-Oaths, covenants, or any assurance of the like nature, which will, or can be given, and that not onelyonly because of a practical breach of faith; but because, it is become a Court maxime, and a principle in our new politicks, that no Oath, covenant, or promise, given by, or elicit from his Maj. by his subjects, in a time of war betwixt them, bindeth him longer, then he is in case, with his own safety, to tell them, it was rebellion to require it, and to make them know, and finde he is able to break it; yea it may be, to make all strong, and free him from the guilt of perjury for doing so, nulla fides cum haereticis, may be made use of in it's season.

But these things seem to be digested with us, and as they have been of no weight or merit, to disswade from the contriveance; so, if they should demurre us in the execution of our purpose, it would argue an irresolution, pusillanimity and lownesse of spirit, whereof we resolve not to be guilty: Rubiconem trajecimus, jacta est alea, the stravving of our vvay vvith the dead bodies of such insolents, as dare mutter their dissatisfaction, or more manifesty seek to marre, or set themselves to oppose this glorious designe, of pure absolutenesse, is resolved upon, and if vve be necessitat to open our vvay vvith the sword, to this domination, vve are sufficiently provided, and in case for it; so that on all accounts vve may promise our selves, either no opposition, or so vveak, as vvill rather encourage (having thereby some colour of justice to cut off at once & for ever, such, vvho dare attempt to crosse our royal inclinations) then, be able to advance their opposition, to a making of our enterprise difficult, let be desperat: What should dissvvade or divert, where there is nothing of resistance to be feared? for first, the Clergy of the nation having prostitut their Conscience, to serve ourlust, that, without more bebate, our p. 71royal pleasure is to them the law, even in things sacred, and knowing their dependence upon us, in esse and operari, they will be so far from crossing our pleasure in Civils, that we have ensured their assistance, in enslaving the nation; and as they have benummed their conscience, into an acquiescence to our will, in the matters of God; so we can easily command them, in despite of reason and Religion, to palliat, whatever of rage may be in the prosecution of our designe, with some colour of either necessity or justice. As for the fanaticks, the division which Julian the Apostat endeavoured to creat and keep up amongst Christians, ne unanimem timeret plebem, is, an easy work for us: Their own mutual animosities, jealousies, diffidence and strivings, give us rather matter of encouragment, then feare: But besids, we have under colour of grace and favour, drawn off, some leading fanaticks, to accept of our pardon, whereby, as the multitude of their old followers, have not the same confidence, to communicat counsels with them, about creating us any disturbance; so, the persons thus decoyed, have more reguard to their own safety (knowing how easily we can novv reach them) then either to speake, or suffer themselves to be spoke to, in these matters: And for the generality of the fanaticks, our late indulgence will so far attain it's end, as to charme them into a sopor, whereof we are put out of doubt, by these solemne acknowledgements, which have been made, and thanks vvhichwhich have been given us, for such an expression of our royal bounty, and clemency; (poor dreamers!) & vvithal, for a perfect security, from the counter-vvorkings of the fevv more restlesse and implacable sort of fanaticks, vve have, by the Ministrie of some of the same Spirit and temper, (for this very purpose, on our part, admitted to our favour) made sure, that nothing shall be hatched amongst them, vvhichwhich shall not be heard by us, so, as vve may crush it ere it can crawl out of it's shell; seing the persons admitted to this grace, must maintain the credit they have got, by giving us notice, at least when enquired at, of all they knovv; and as each of these (being persons of different persvvasions, and p. 72because of their old and late grudgings and jarrings, easily emoulous of one another's court) will endeavour, to recommend himself unto us, as most worthy of our favour, by striving, who shall bring over most of his party, professedly to accept of our pardon, when we are at leisure to give it; so, they will be careful to commend, and make themselves considerable by their intelligence; for which end, we not onelyonly allow them to entertain their old familiarity, and known intimacy with their party; but we maintain and keep them in case, to have each his instruments, by whom, he may be fully informed, of whatever passeth amongst his old associats: And the jealousy, that each of these two principal agents, hath, that either his court and credit with us, will fall lower, then the other's, if he mantain it not with an equality of service; or that the other might, in order to the making of himself most considerable, reveal some things, not onelyonly of his own party, that dependeth more directly upon him; but of what were a doing or designing also, in the party, and amongst the intimats of the other, will make both very open hearted, in discovering the utmost of what they know: As this, I say, will be the procedour of these persons; so the certain knowledge hereof, will create such distrust and diffidence amongst the more prudent of the fanaticks, as will cut of all communication of counsels upon this head; since they will be jealous, that there may be, in the most select number, some, whose service in discovering what ever passeth, is ensured to either, or both of the tvvo, vvhom vvee vvould never daigne to see, if it vvere not, that with their eyes we might see into the bosomes of their fraternity.

As for the Ancient nobility and Gentry of the nation, most of them being old or worne out, who would have counted it more honourable to have died in the quarrel, then to have survived the liberty of their countrey, which must be now swallowed up in our absolut soveraignity, and the few who remain, seing the disease desperat, are more like, in their despondency, to chuse, to sigh out the rest of their miserable dayes, in such a lot, as our absolutenesse will carve out for them; then expose p. 73selves to certain ruin by appearing to oppose, when there is neither hope nor humane probability of putting a stop to this new setlement: And for the young Nobility and Gentry, can grapes be gathered off thistles? We have not onelyonly secured our selves from their opposition, but ensured their assistance: For care hath been taken, to traine them up, and habituat them, beyond a retreat, to all manner of lewdnesse and licentiousnesse of life; so that morality, is the matter of their scorne, hatred and detestation, as high and unheard of flagitious practices, are the matter of their boasting: Now can it be expected, that such who count it a glory to be delivered from the bonds (or as they judge it the bondage) of morality, will strugle for the liberty of their nation, and contend for the preservation of Religion, especialy knowing, that if the nation were again, what it once was, they would either be constrained, to relinquish these wicked courses, to which they have devoted themselves; or be looked upon, and carried towards, as the filth and offscouring; of the generation, onelyonly fit for the dunghill? No, we are sure of these beyond hesitation: As our play-houses have been Accademies for Satan, wherein this young generation of Gallants, have commenced his Disciples, and mancipat their souls to his yoke, blessing themselves in this subjection, as true liberty; so, they have laid aside and lost by the same means, all sense of true honour, vertue, and love for the prosperity & real privileges of their countrey.

Now giving and graunting, there are a considerable number of persons, neither tainted with vice, nor wholly laid aside by the former considerations, whom we can never gaine to a compliance with our designe: yet, we are sure they will not move nor dare to appeare, to prevent or oppose us, in the prosecution of our purpose: seing they know, that upon the least surmise or whispering of this nature, we would pretend a present necessity to go to Armes, and they are not ignorant, how by our providence and foresight, for securing the successe of this undertaking, we have put our selves in a capacity, to sacrifice to the designe of our absolutenesse, p. 74the lives of all who will run the risck of opposing it. And this leadeth me to speake a little to the care that hath been had, and the courses which have been taken, to secure the end, before an open entry was made in the way leading to it: First, all places of trust and power, are put in the hands of such persons, as will by choice and obligation be true to our interest; knowing, that we cannot succumb in the enterprise, but they must sink and be crushed with us: Secondly, we are not onelyonly sure of the assistance of all our loyal and faithful subjects, our bosome confidents, the Roman Catholicks, but as they are beyond beleef numerous, by the courses we have taken to encourage them; so they are provided, and in such readinesse to rise, that vvith difficulty they are kept back; and the assurance they have of our being true to our designation, viz defender of their faith, and to our Ghostly father's interest, who signalised his son's fidelity, with this title, maketh them as intirely ours, as they know us to be theirs: Thirdly, our new magazine at Windsore Castle, our faithful and loyal subject that Irish Papist, vvhom we have made real governour of the Tower (for Sr. John Robinson, is an insignificant nominal; but the lesse significant, the better, when joined with a second, designed for sole significancy) our new fort at Gravesend (built upon another pretense) will all serve to keep the city, (if it be thought fit to save it from being burnt the second time) the head of all the insurrection, or trouble we feare, either quiet, or vve vvill be in case to liberat our selves of our feares, by cutting it off; and to guard effectually, against a may be of a miscarriage in this enterprise, we have made sure the power of France, whereby we will be easily able, to over-power, what might prove too difficult for us, to overcome by our selves: The great predominant consideration, which hath contrair the perswasion of all the old interest of England, determined us to a conjunction with them, in this war against the Dutch; whose landing we have secured in our cheife Cinque ports; and now the mystery of Plimouth fortification is unridled: Their setting foot on English ground is made p. 75easy? not onelyonly, because they have our English Fleet to convey them, and one of the chief strengths of England to receive them; but under colour of guarding the coasts against our Dutch enemies; we have raised so many forces, as will serve to welcome our French friends, and they together, will give an opportunity for the rest, who are impatient of a delay, to draw to a head; so that, what with the number of Atheists and Papists vve have already vvithin our selves, and vvhat by their daily encrease (for vve expect a flovving in upon England, as a Torrent, the scum of the Popish vermine, out of all nations abroad, in ansvver to our invitation of strangers, especialy, seing, vvhat vve have hinted of liberty and protection to the Popish Religion, in that our declaration, vvill be very vvell understood by our sagacious friends abroad, as it is at home knovvn to be a plain declaration of our purpose, to setle Popery, as the publick profession of the nation; from vvhichwhich, nothing hath hitherto vvithheld us, but vvant of power) we are sure (I say) with these not onelyonly to make our selves formidable, to all who would oppose us; but also to be able, to cover almost in one day, the very face of the nation, and cut in peeces at once, all whom we suspect, to be guilty of an inclination contrair to our royal pleasure; and vve are sure, the execution of our commands, shall be in the hand of such, who with a tygerish keenesse, vvill execute our vvill: What then can appeare able to stand in the vvay, or put us to a difficulty, in effectuating our purpose?

I knovv the more prudent in the nation, vvill readily apprehend, vvhen they consider, vvhat a vast treasure the Court hath devoured, and hovv they have so habituat themselves to this prodigious profusenesse, as they may assoon cease to be, as cease to change their way; And when withall they perceive, how, vvhile they are such, that all vvayes of satiating this boundlesse appetit are impossible (for Parliaments can do noe more; yea this very Parliament, if called together for that purpose, hovv probable is it that in stead of a nevv stretch to give more, not onelyonly the disgraceful receiving of the French millions p. 76but the Court's medling with the treasure of the nation, and destroying it's trade and credit, by that stop, without a precedent, put upon the Exchecquer, vvould be resented by them) that the Court is engaged and resolved to lay them aside, and usurp for the future, a pure absolutenesse: They have created to themselves this necessity: For it is not imaginable that a vvay novv can be found out, besids this desperat expedient, hovv both his Majesties debts shall be payed, and the Court maintained, as it hath been these yeers past; (though vvith much lesse lustre, then the illustrious Courts of England, famous formerly through the World, for their magnificent plenty, sumptuous entertainment, and numerous retinue; vvhen the revenue of the crovvn vvas scarce the halfe of vvhat it novv is: Neither were these Kings treasures empty; so that the vastnesse of our present yeerly revenue, beyond what former Kings had, with the incredible summes, which have, partly been given, partly exacted and squised from the People, the penury of the Court, while it's bill of fare is abridged almost to a basenesse, make men stand agast and inquire at the wayes, how this treasure is spent? Whether it be hoorded up, as some suspect, or by the vvhirle-vvinde of an invisible curse svveeped avvay vvhichwhich many beleeve) if any remaine still obstinatly incredulous, notvvithstanding of vvhat is said to discover this to be the designe, and hovv, vvhat vve are novv doing, is, in order to the bringing of our purpose to passe, all the evil I wish him, is, that the Court to vvhom he hath so much charity, do not cure him of this distemper, by destroying his ovvn, together vvith the nations interest.

There is one thing vvhichwhich maketh all that's said, for convincing incredulity it self of this Court designe, not onelyonly passe for a groundlesse conjecture, but for the malicious product of some fantastick, & a bold forgery of a petulant male content viz. That suppose his Maj. if he knew how handsomely to accomplish it, were passionatly desirous to lay aside Parliaments; yet considering what assistance he behoved to have, in dissolving that happy frame of government, under which the nation hath floorished so p. 77long, to the envy & terror of all it's enemies; yet his Maj. cannot but foresee, how that by making use of such a mean, in stead of attaining the proposed absolutenesse, the crown doth really fall from his head, and he precipitats himself into the ditch of a most base and abominable servitude: For since the instruments chiefly to be made use of, for carrying on this desperat designe, must be the Roman Catholicks at home and abroad; their fidelity and assistance cannot be assured at a lower rate, or upon any other termes, then by setling the Romish Idolatry as the publick profession of the nation; and if so, then his Maj. in stead of an absolut Soveraigne, becometh Rom's Tributary, holding his crown precariously of the Pope: Nor can his Maj. be ignorant how he is not to expect, to be in the same condition of servitude with other Popish Princes; England being more purely the Popes Patrimony then other Kingdomes, Peters pence must be payed in recognisance of his superiority, whereby King & Kingdome is debased to hell: This one obvious consideration I say, hath made wise men (though never the wiser for that) judge it impossible, that ever the designe of absolutenesse, could transport his Maj. into such a mistake, as to accomplish his end by this midds, there being so close and cleare a connexion betwixt turning the nation into a province, the Prince into the Pop's deputy or substitut, & setling of Popery as the profession of the nation: It's true all persons of understanding in the nation, did with surprise & amasement behold how Papists were encouraged and countenanced, how their profession seemed to qualify them for places of trust, and commend them to our favour; nay good men behold with grief and horrour, how the favours heaped upon the Irish Rebells did amount to the height, of more then an interpretative owning, of that horrid massacre in Ireland, whereby the guilt of so much innocent blood is brought upon the throne, and his May. exposed also by this, to share, in all the wrath and vengance, which shall fall upon the head of of the shedders of that blood, as a return to the cry of the souls under the Alter, from him who not onelyonly maketh inquisition for blood, but in whose eyes the death of his Saints, is so precious, that he engageth p. 78to give them blood to drink, who have shed their's; yea it hath added astonishment to their horrour, to see popery so publickly professed in Ireland, that the Popes Primat is as publick there, as his Majesties; nor are their scooles lesse patent, or their meetings for their idolatrous worship lesse publick; but whither, what hath been lately done in England, doth lessen or highten the amasement, is a question: Every one thought he had so much reason to disbeleeve a designe of setling Popery, that the nation was abused into a supine negligence & deep security, even while they looked on & saw it excresce, to the contemning of law, & overtoping of all other intersts; insomuch that men for feare (forsooth) of losing the repute of wise and prudent, fooled themselves for company, either into a sameness of apprehension, with such masters of reason, as judged this enterprise, on the Court's part, the height of folly, and the jealousy of it in others, a shallownesse of apprehension at best; or dissimulation of their feares, vvhichwhich hath been plagued vvith a vvretched reguardlessenesse, hovv it vvent vvith the interest of Christ; and if novv and then they vvere pulled by the eare, and bid look about them, ere it vvas too late, by such as compared the courses taken, to propagat that abomination, and promove the Popish interest at home, vvith his Majesty's carriage vvhen abroad, hovv he remained inexorable notvvithstanding of all entreaties, nor could he, by the most ardent and earnest beseechings of the protestants, be overcome to a compliance with their desires, of being present at their worship, frequenting in the mean time the mass, in Paris, Brussels, Cullen, &c. Which with other things, was the ground of that assurance we had from abroad, that his Maj. had renounced the protestant Religion, the Papist's boasting everywhere very openly that his Maj. was turned Catholick, and making use of it as an argument to prevail with others, whom they endeavoured to seduce into the same abomination: The Protestants vvere grieved and sad at the certain persvvasion and foresight of vvhat would follow, (though we were fooled into a fearelessenesse) to the prejudice of the reformed p. 79Religion, upon his Majesties restitution; yet they would reason themselves into an obstinatnesse in their first opinion, and though they neither did, nor could deny his Majesties carriage abroad, to have been such, nor yet shut their eyes upon what they saw acted at home; they would still, graunting all their monitors premisses, which, being matters of fact, were manifest by their own evidence and light beyond a denyal, reject their inference, and upbraid for the brutishnesse of such a feare, seing such a setlement of popery, was inconsistent vvith policy, and utterly destructive of his Majesties interest; supposing that whatever favours he heaped upon these unhappy men, would not excresce to the prejudice of that, but be confined within the limits, vvhichwhich his own honour, (to say nothing of what the Oath of God required of him) and the liberty of the nation, should have set to his liberality, yea for confirming themselves in this their tenaciousnesse, they would both give and graunt (but without ground; for he who will be false to the true and living God, vvill readily be true to a false; because this is inflicted as a part of their punishment, yea a dreadful part and plague it is upon such as make Apostasy, that they should be mad upon Idols) that his Maj. in his exile and distresse; might not onelyonly, in order to the engaging of the Popish party, to endeavour his restitution, and secure a maintenance to him while abroad, frequent their mass, and openly decline the protestant assemblies and worship, but had besids, given the Pope all possible assurances, of enslaving the nation to Idolatry, upon his restitution, and in the highest and most ample formality, had renounced the Protestant Religion (being indulged for the interim, upon a politick designe, and in order to the more safe and certain performance of his promise, to retain in his family the English service book; whereof one said well, that it was an ill said mass) giving, I say, and graunting all this, yet the evidence his Maj hath given, that with him it is a light matter to break covenants, Oaths and most solemne engagements, whereby his own soul, together with the souls of the whole nation, p. 80vvere most explicitly and formaly bound to the most High, as alteri parti contrahenti, under the pain of his dreadful displeasure, when the adherence unto, or the performance of these vovves, seemed to interfere with his other designes, or were apprehended (o sad mistak, vvhere the error exposeth to the ire of him, who cuteth of the Spirit of Princes, and is terrible to the Kings of the earth) to be inconsistent, with his other interests; this I say, gave them ground to over-perswade themselves; and because they would have had it so, flatter themselves into the beleefe; that such promises would not be looked upon as obligatory, when they were discovered to be so manifestly destructive, not onelyonly of all the deare and precious concerns of his subjects, but, to conviction, a total ecclipse of Royal Majesty; being really the debasing of his person, and prostitution of his imperial crown, to be trampled upon, and trode under foot by that Romish Beast.

But if I can do no more, for awaking such to weep over, what their security, and the dreamings of the nation, make now almost humanitus impossible to prevent; (onelyonly with God all things are possible) I would desire them, in the first place, to consider, that for Kings to be blindfolded and hurried headlong into this slavery, is nothing else, but what we have expressely foretold by the H. Ghost; and is it any thing else in him, to follow the drove of those, who, in like manner, have over the belly of the same perswasions to the contrair, shut up themselves in this house of bondage, and subjected their consent to the dominion of this beast, this Mistresse of witchcrafts, who entiseth the Kings of the earth, to commit fornication with her, and having made them drunk vvith the cup of her abominations, vvhichwhich she propineth them, they submit their neck, to take on her yoke, & give their power, to maintain her Grandure, in opposition to Jesus Christ, whose servants are slaine by their svvord, to gratify & satiat the cruelty of this scarlet coloured vvhore drunk vvith the blood of the Saints and Martyrs? Yea the Kings of the earth, are so bevvitched into a complacency with her fetters, & p. 81intoxicat vvith her cup, to that height of madnesse, that they vvill vveep & cry, Alas, Alas, at the sight of her smoak & burning (soon may he and the rest of the Kings of the earth see it, & vomit out at their eyes, the satisfaction they have taken, in sheding the blood of the Saints; if nothing else will be a curbe to their rage, against the Lord and his servants, & cure them of this madnesse, he is the Lord who will hasten it in it's time, and make her & them finde, that the Lord who judgeth both, and avengeth the blood of his servants, is strong, when he taketh vengance, and meeteth them not like a man) But secondly, I judge, as to us, it would be more prudence and Religion too, to be lesse confident in our politicks, not onelyonly because of the expresse prediction of this infatuation; but when we consider, what ground there is of feare, that his Majesty, in the righteous judgement of God, be abandoned to the advance and setlement of this abomination, contrair to his own and the nation's interest; these revoults from, these insurrections and rebellions against, the most High, these deliberat and shamefull breaches of solemne Covenants, and sacred vovves, whereof he hath made himself and his dominion guilty, may rather make us wonder, if the Lord do not leave him to follovv these courses, then to see him given up unto them: Is it not a righteous thing vvith God, since he hath broken his Covenant with the most High, wherein as he was bound to nothing, but to walk with God in his Kingly capacity, and rule for him; so in the same Covenant, his subjects in a just subordination to the Lord & his Christ, were solemnely engaged to obey him, to be religiously tender of his honour and interests, and himself, together with the world, knoweth, that it is to this Oath of God, whereby his subjects found themselves obliged in Conscience, to endeavour his restauration, that he oweth his crown and peaceable restitution: I say, is it not a righteous thing with God, since he hath broken such a Covenant, whereof he hath reaped so much advantage, to leave him to such courses, and the making of such confederacies, as shall make the world see, feare and tremble, at the revelation p. 82of his judgments, because of a broken Covenant. It were as superfluous for me, to offer the nation an account, of the manner and methods followed, in breaking this Covenant, as it might seem to savour of a malicious designe, if matter of fact were represented, with some of those most obvious aggravations, which made the sinfulnesse of it reach heaven, and is like to cause God remember this iniquity: But sure each soul, who hath not sinned away all conscience, of the sacred obligatorinesse of Oaths and covenants, especially these, made, not onelyonly before the most High as a judge, but vvith him, as with the party contracting, cannot remember, with what solemnity, this covenant was entered into, and vvith vvhat insolence, rage and spight, it hath been throvvn in the fire, and trampled upon, and made treasonable for any to assert it's obligation; and hovv, to this day, vvhosoever dare not for feare of the Almighty, do the same abominable thing, which his soul hateth, maketh himself an offender, and exposeth his person to the lash of the mischiefs, framed into a law, against the asserters of this obligation; (o daring insolence against God, and base ingratitude against men, thus to destroy the men, who were the sole instruments of restoring his Majesty!) But, as he must perceive, the contrivers and framers of these lawes, abandoned of God, to vvalk in the vvayes and imaginations of their own evil heart, so he needeth not wonder, if persons so judicialy left, to courses, destructive of their eternal welbeing, and the onelyonly valuable interest of their soul, be also in the righteous judgement of the Lord, left to such courses, as are truely destructive of their temporal interests; the not receiving of the love of the truth, especialy the opposing and persecuting it, may not onelyonly be punished, with a being given up of God to strong delusions, to beleeve a lye, that they may be damned; but also to a being given up to strong delusions, to beleeve a lye about all their worldly interests and concerns: O that it might be given unto his Maj. as his mercy, which were a favour, every way preferable to the Empire of the Universe, p. 83and as the mercy of this poor nation, to remember his ovvn evil vvayes, and to turn to the living God, that so he might turn avvay from the fiercenesse of his anger, and then establish his throne, upon the solid base of Religion and righteousnesse.

Thirdly, let such over-wise politicians, awake out of this dreame, to consider, not onelyonly, the facility of this establishment, but hovv it is so really and upon the matter already setled, while vve sleep; that the prevention, of a formal establishment, seemeth onelyonly in his Power, who laughs the wicked out of their project's, and bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought; to say nothing of the unmasked confidence, and plain peremptorinesse, wherewith the Popish party amongst our selves, have, of a long time, boasted in terminis, hovv their plot was so laid, that it could not misgive; nor of their insultings abroad, upon the same grounds of assurance: Let it be considered, first, to what number, strength and Power, the Popish party amongst us, is arrived, partly by the secret encouragement, partly by the open countenance they have had, since his Majesties return: As for their Power and prevalency at Court, the current of affairs is demonstrative, that they are the only cabal, who spirit and animat all our motions; for it had been impossible else, ever to have engaged and involved us, in this war against the Dutch, in whose designed overthrow, the destruction of the Protestant interest is intended: And as to there number, besids the swarmes of those locusts which cover the face of our Court and city, and overspread the whole land, and that inundation, which, like a torrent, floweth in upon us from forraigne parts, as if Rome had opened it's Sluce, to drown us with that deludge, or rather the dragon had cast these waters out of his mouth, to cause the woman thereby to be carryed avvay, and svvallovved up, vvhichwhich lately had brought forth, the man child of such a reformation: Is it not found by experience (for regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis) that, not a fevv persons, of quality, are gone over and seduced p. 84into the Romish perswasion, of whom, no such thing was feared or apprehended; insomuch that he who is not tainted himself with this wicked contagion, beginneth to doubt, what person of quality, may be concluded, to be realy fixed in an opposition to this wickednesse; there seemeth to be nothing, but a fit opportunity, vvanting, to make an incredible discovery of persons, vvho yet think it convenient, to goe under the name and disguise of Protestants: And as men vvho knovv the Romish principles, and hovv ordinary it is for them, to tranforme themselves into every shape, that, while appearing like Angels of light, they may with lesse observation, and more certainty, carry on their work, and establish their Kingdom of darknesse, may very rationaly judge that they are numerously lurking, under the garbe even of the manifold and various perswasions, which seem, in their principles & practices, most remote from, and opposit to Popery; (I need not mention, how they svvarme amongst, and are served by our Episcopal Clergy) so it is very vvell knovvn, in vvhat numbers, they have hid themselves, and hatched their vvickednesse, under the dottage and disguise of Quakerisme; insomuch, that sober and discerning men, from the consideration of these mens priciples, their desperat enmity, especialy at the Stanch Protestants, and more eminently godly Non-conformists, together with the good understanding, which is between the leading persons of that party, and the Court, do rationaly inferre, if ever there be an opportunity for these men, to discover what they are at bottome, the bulck of them, will be found, vvith the utmost of irrational and brutish fury, to adjoine themselves to the Popish party, or rather discover, hovv being already their's in heart, they onelyonly judged it most convenient to dissemble, and lurk under this shape, till vvith most advantage to Popish Idolatry, and danger to the Protestant interest, they might appeare, in the true shape of the locusts, vvho are like horses prepared unto the battel, Rev. 9, 7, 8, 9, 10. having for their King and Captain Abaddon or Apollyon 8. 11.

p. 85But then as their number, may give the facility to this setlement, an obvious probability; so it is more assured from their posture, and present readinesse for action, and warlick capacity for puting all the mischief that is in their heart, in execution, and with a rage peculiar to the dragon's followers, runing dovvn whatever would offer to stand in their way, or oppose this setlement. I need not here repeat that which is already hinted, what of our visible military strength, is in their hand, and how our forts, forces, armouries, Magazines, with all manner of warlick-provisions, seem to be destined and devouted to that service: But have not wise men, with feare and amazement, observed, how, that since his Majesties return, the Popish nobility, gentry, yea to the most ordinary of the common people of that persvvasion, from the one end of the nation, to the other, have, being prompted and put on by these restlesse ring-leaders, the Priests and Jesuits, been preparing their slaughter weapons; so that he vvho considereth their present capacity and posture, cannot escape this conviction; that there was never in England, so numerous, and so well appointed an army, lying ready at a call, as there is, at this day, of Papists, whose blind rage against God and his truth, will prompt them to the height of cruelty, against all ranks, sexes and ages; hence are these dayly boastings at home, of apprehended impossibility of the misgiving of this setlement, and these insultings abroad, at it's certainty, the Papists not standing to say, that novv, they see no rub in their way, if the United provinces were once ruined.

Secondly, the difficulty of accomplishing this their wicked designe, will evanish, if these two be further considered; first, how the persons of quality in the nation, are utterly debauched, (for, Alas, they who are chief, are chief in all abominations and unexampled impieties) especialy the young Nobility, and Gentry; secondly, what a constant and known transition there is, from Atheisme & all Profanity, to Popery, the mother and nurse of all abominations in practice: He, I say, vvho considereth p. 86these things, vvill be so far from expecting an effectual opposition, to the setlement of Popery, from a generation, vvho seem rather, to have been brought forth and educat in the Stewes of Rome, then borne vvithin the Pale of the visible reformed Church, that he vvill conclude, a liberty to live as in the suburbs of hell, vvill make them vvithout difficulty, professe themselves the Childreen of that mother, vvhom they do so perfectly resemble: Will these, vvho can glory in being beasts, and boast themselves of their prodigious wickednesse, these, who in the whole of their way, carry, as if they had nothing in them, above the swine, having buried in that dunghil and pudle of sensitive delights, wherein they wallow, the consideration of their immortal souls, contend for the faith once delivered unto the Saints, or resist unto blood, striving against this wickednesse, even when under the countenance and encouragement of Authority?

If any will persist, in his obstinat incredulity, when his Majesty's indulgence is (after all the other favours he hath heaped upon them) extended, to the seting up of their idolatrous worship, throughout his dominions, that the introducing of Popery is not designed, and that there is nothing, in this our conjunction vvith the French King, against the Protestant Stats, declarative of this purpose, or continue impersvvadible of a possibility to compasse it, he is like to be knokt in the head, for a cure of this distemper, and may be certainly concluded, by puting far away the thoughts of such a day, to be given up, that he may be swept away, in this dreame, to a spirit of deep sleep and delusion: If we be men, and have not so mancipat our reason, that no reasoning will be prevalent to bring us to our right minde, we cannot deny a conclusion, inferred upon such premisses: But withal; if we be Christians, and add to all the above adduced evidences, that both this is upon the heart of adversaries, and a competency also, yea overplus of power in their hand, to effectuat it, the consideration of our sin, and wrath presaging security; we may with trembling, p. 87entertain ourselves, with these thoughts and fears, that God, in his righteous judgement, because of our abuse of his glorious Gospel, and impenitence, under most cleare and crying calls to repent, and receive instruction, lest his soul be seperat from us, be about the taking away of his Kingdome from us, and giving it to a nation, which will bring forth the fruits thereof, and render them to him in their season; and because we have not loved to walk in the truth, he deprive us of that truth, and in taking away his candlestick, write our sin, and his displeasure upon our Punishment: And here, I cannot forbeare to tell, how with feare and anxiety, I have heard some of our good Ministers, tush at the expressions of their brethrens feare of a designe to setle Popery, as if the thing were a pure impossibility; but I judge, they did so, rather because they would have it so, and partly from a peece of inadvertency; then from the due & serious weighing, both of what we have done to deserve it, and what the adversaries, are designeing and doing; for, if these were represented to us, as nothing should be found, in the dispenfations of God, so nothing in the disposition of his own People, or of his and their adversaries, which would not presage sad things, yea minister matter of terrour, at the thoughts of this very thing.

But without insisting, by a superfluous deduction or enumeration of particulars, further to demonstrat these things which are past all peradventure, with them, vvho vvill be at the pains to reflect on vvhat is past, and set, or suffer themselves to understand, the genuin sense and true import, of vvhat they novv heare & see acted, I shall (as the thing aimed at in the whole of this discouse) shut up all in a word or two, with a more direct reference to what I humbly judge, to be the duety of all the persons in the nation, who desire to be approved of God in such a day of triall, temptation, rebuke and blasphemy: And first, do not these things, my brethren, say, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: Let therefore the consideration of what we see acted and aimed at, at home, and the joint tendency of the tumults and combinations p. 88abroad, drive us out of our dreaming security, to consider in great seriousnesse, what danger the work of God amongst our selves, and throughout the world, is in; shall we sleep as do others, while his precious interests and People are in such hasard? shall the Lords voice be crying to the city, to the countrey, to the nation, to all the Churches of Christ in the earth, and shall not we be so wise, to see his name, and understand the language of this his terrible rod, held over our head, and the designe of him who appointeth it? It's high time to awake, when we are liketo sleep the sleep of death, if we sleep long.

Secondly, it is not every inquiry into the emergents of the present day, or observation of the sad posture of affairs, that will prove us to be men of understanding who know the time; If we could dive into the depth of all our enemies secreets, and make a perfect discovery of all their desperat designes; yet unlesse we consider the things, which are like to overwhelme us in their procuring cause, unlesse we set our selves to search out the accursed thing that is with us, and what are the national, yea personal provocations of his sons and his daughters, for which he is like to give up the dearlie beloved of his soul, into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of such as hate them with cruel hatred, all is lost labour.

It would draw me to a length beyond my designe, to reckon up in order our provocations, or represent them with their high and hainous aggravations, time would fail for such an undertaking; who is sufficient for this thing? we may, with great certainty, say, upon a very overly search, that our wickednesse is great, and our trasgressions infinit; it's well for us, they want this of simple infinitnesse, that they can be swallovved up of infinit mercy: But there seemeth to be some special provocation, comprehensive of all the rest, pointed at by these manifold and multiplied dreadful calamities, under vvhichwhich this poor nation hath been crushed, and by all these more formidable things, vvhereby, utter destruction of our persons, posterity, and of all our interests, both sacred and civil, is further threatned; this p. 89is the thing, for which he is mainly contending, and this is that dangerous enemy, that domestick enemy the destroyer of the Church and Nation, after which our inquiry should be: and having discovered this enemy, if we would have Peace with God, even that Peace which passeth understanding, peace in life and death, Peace in our borders, and on the Israel of God, we are not to let him, when found, go in Peace; a revenge here, vvith the height of hatred and indignation, is not onelyonly lavvful, but in order to the preservation of soul and body, Church and Kingdome, Religion and liberty, simply necessar, and indispensibly duety; If vve do not search this out, he vvill seek out our vvickednesse till he finde none, and then vvoe unto us; or having found it, if vve make light of the matter, then we engage him to let us know, that it is a bitter and an evil thing that we have forsaken the Lord our God, and that his feare hath not been before us; if we would have his eye spare, our's must not: But what may this Provocation be? I must professe my selfhelped in this inquiry, by calling to minde, what an eminently faithful Minister of Jesus Christ said, preaching at a fast upon our anniversary day, kept for the burning of London; after he had insisted upon many sins, which might be pointed at by such a remarkable stroak; but, said he, the strangenesse and stupendiousnesse of this judgement, seemeth to point at some one sin, which is by the head and shoulders taler then all the rest, ajudgement, the like whereof was never in the nation, seemeth, to point at a provocation, never before in all it's circumstances, nationally committed; what can this be? Truely, said he, we need go no further to finde it out, here it is; God burnt, or permitted in his anger this City to be burnt, because in it, by an order of King and Parliament, (horresco referens, be astonished O heavens at this) that solemne Covenant, entered into with the most high God, about things which had the most cleare connexion with his glory, and direct tendency to the advancement of the Kingdome of his Son, in the nation, and in the souls of men, wherein also the temporal, aswel as the eternal welfare, of each and all the persons p. 90contracting vvith the Lord God, (as his Maj. vvho ovveth his crovvn and establishment to it, may say) vvas provided for, and secured; even this Covenant vvas burnt in our city, by the hand of the common Hangman; this, said he, is a punishment in it's greatnesse and strangenesse, some way proportioned to the sin pointed at, whereby it vvas procured: He spake like a Seer, and one who had the minde of Christ, that said it: O that all ministers of the nation, spake the same things, at least on those dayes, appointed for weeping between the porch and the alter; and that all the professing people of the nation, who have come under the bond of this Covenant, might, in order to a right mourning before the Lord, be like minded! However, in this discovery I subsist: It was fit; it was an act of holy righteousnesse in the judge of all the World, that the nations abroad, who had heard of the burning of this Covenant, and had observed, how, in this, our rage against God, his vvork, way and People, had reached unto heaven; by which act also, he being the great and glorious party contracted with, we gave him, with all imaginable fury and formality, the defiance, should also heare, hovv, this glorious Lord God, thus dispightfully and dareingly provocked, had burnt that City, and sent as it vvere fire dovvn from heaven upon it, to consume the place, vvhere such a prodigious vvickednesse had been committed. Truely, my brethren, it concerneth all of us, in this day of his contendings with us, and in this yeer of controversies, to call to minde a broken Covenant, and a burnt Covenant, vvhereby, vve, our King, our Parliament, and the vvhole nation, stood unalterably engaged, to make our selves happy in holinesse, in vvorshiping the living God, according to his ovvn vvill, and in walking before him, in our particular stations and relations, like the vvorshipers of the true God: vvhose main designe in the World should be, the adorning of his Doctrin, and shewing forth his vertues in all things: This Covenant, I say, which bound us to our own blessednesse, in binding us to the good behaviour towards him, was broken, and these p. 91cords were cast away from us, this pale, whereby we were onelyonly hedged up, from falling into everlasting burnings, was plucked up: Now Brittain, novv England lay it to thy heart, for this, the hand of the great God hath smitten, for this thing, it is still stretched out: Will we not take warning? will we harden our selves against him, & prosper? May not the things, which have overtaken us already, make us know, that it is a feareful thing, to fall into the hands of the living God? Oh, inconsideration hath hardened us into impenitency, and ripened us for judgement! Will nothing awake us, till the terrors of God take hold on us as vvatter, and a sudden tempest of indignation, steal us avvay in the night? It vvill be too late then, to think of fleeing out of his hand, when he hath begun, to cast upon us, and not spare, when he hath vvhet his glittering svvord, and his hand hath taken hold of vengeance: Dreadful may the expectation of our hearts be, in the consideration of the things, vvhichwhich, for this wickednesse, are coming, if repentance prevent it not; our not having mourned for this abomination, our siting to this day, with vvhole hearts, beside the matter of so much sorrovv, may make us meditat terrour least he tear in pieces & there be none to deliver.

Let us consider, what judgements and plagues follovved upon the avouched and enacted breach of this Covenant, that vve may know, hovv he hath contended, and will contend for this, if vve return not: In the first place, there is no man, who is not under the plague of spiritual occecation; nay, no man vvho retaineth so much of morality, as will distinguish him from a beast, but if he vvill consider the practice and conversation of the men, vvho framed this mischiefe into a lavv, yea and of all vvho rejoyced in that day, and said, Aha, so would vvee have it, this is the day we looked for, we have found, vve have seen it; but it must extort this testimony from him, in despight of all palliatings, and covering vvith those coverings, vvhichwhich are not of his spirit; that since that day and time, never vvas there a race of men, never vvas there a generation, more remarkeably given p. 92up of God, to vvalk in the wayes of their ovvn heart, & that is hellward; as there were never men, who have more manifestly declared their sin as Sodom, or have been lesse solicitous to hide it; so there was never a Nation, never Princes, never People, who might have been more justly expostulat with, in the same terms, that his People of old were upbraded for their wickednesse, Is. 1. 10. Hear the word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom, give ear unto the law of our God ye People of Gomorrah: As never People did cast off, so blessed and honourable a yoke, with so much malice and dispight; so never was there Nation or generation, who did more advisedly and deliberatly take on Satans yoke, seting themselves to vvork wickednesse in the sight of the Lord; insomuch, that we are become a by-word, a hissing, & an abhorrence, as the very border of wickednesse, for our prodigious, & unheard of impieties, to the Nations about us: Oh, whither, since the day of our breach of faith with God, have we caused our shame to goe? We have spoken and done evil as we could, and as if we had raked hell, to find out new methods of sinning, we have surpast the deeds of the heathen; and as we had been onelyonly delivered, to doe all these abominations; so vvith a displayed banner, have vve fought against God, glorying in wallowing in the very kennel of hell, boasting of vvearing Satan's black colours, and thinking it onelyonly manhood and gallantry, to fight under his banner: Let the records of former times be searched into, and let the practice of this generation, be compared with the greatest, and most universal vvickednesse, vvhichwhich at other times had overspread the Nation, and I am confident impartiality must say, that since the day of our solemne revoult from our svvorn subjection to the most High, Satan hath been let loose more manifestly, to open as it vvere the very sluce of hell to the drovvning of the Land, vvith a deluge of profanity, even after that the knovvledge of the glory of the Lord, especialy upon our entering in that blessed Covenant vvith him, had covered the land, in a good measure, as the vvatters cover the sea: From that day forevvard, Alas, did the Lord poure out his plagues, upon the hearts of the men of that p. 93conspiracy; so that he who did run, might have read this engraven upon their practice, that as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge; so God had given them over to a reprobat minde, to doe those things, vvhichwhich are not convenient, being filled vvith all unrighteousnesse, fornication, &c. After they had broken Covenant vvith him, they added, this iniquity of burning it, to that sin, proceeding from evil to worse, which had more of displeasure in it, then if they had, upon passing this law, been stricken dead with a thunder bolt from heaven; for this was to be left, to act so, and doe that wickednesse, vvhichwhich being considered in it's complexe, and with all it's circumstances, had never been done under the whole heaven before, let be in the Nation; (I graunt the the like was acted in our neighbour Nation of Scotland, where the causes of wrath were burnt, containing an acknowledgment, of sin for the breach of this Covenant; but as this was an act of the same abused power; so it was of a piece, with this monstruous impiety) so that I may very rationaly doubt, if ever there was, a more solemne and acceptable Sacrifice offered unto Satan, upon the earth, then to have the Nations Engagement with God, so opprobriously cast into a fire: I know, all the ten Plagues of Egypt, to a gracious heart, who looketh upon sin as the worst of evils, if they had together fallen on the Nation would not be remembred in one day, with this cleare and undeniable evidence of the displeasure of the Lord; that the Nation should be left to commit such a wickednesse; Satan who had fled seven wayes before the fire of that zeal, which was found amongst the people of the Lord, in the day when they entered into this Covenant with him, & tooke on them these vowes, knew well, that now a throne would be erected to him, & that he should without controul, exerce a soveraignity in the Nation, & we have seen it so: Hovv, Alas, hath he since that day, exerced as a Prince a dominion? & how hath that spirit, wrought in the childreen of disobedience?

But secondly, because the generality did not observe, this dreadful evidence of his displeasure; and were not sensibly p. 94affected vvith the vvrath, that vvas vvitnessed against men, by leaving them to post in the vvayes of perdition, and run according to the drivings of Satan; he tooke other vvayes, to make the most stupid of the nation sensible of his anger from that day; to say nothing (vvhichwhich yet speaketh the thing so distinctly, that idiots may understand it) of disapointment of our hopes, and blasting of our big expectations; for vve dreamed of nothing, but, upon his Majesties return, that vve should be the head, and all other nations the tail, that vve should then floorish in trade, and increase in treasure and strength, to the suppressing and overawing of all, who would offer to compet with us; now in stead of this expectation, wherein we blessed ourselves, and whereof we boasted, as if already arrived at our hoped for harbour, our substance is consumed, there is a moth in our Estat, he bloweth upon what we had, and bloweth it away, we lose our flesh and fatnesse, our mirth is turned into mourning, and our organ into the voice of them that weep, the whole nation filled with murmuring and complaints of penury, and, which is a prodigy, the very Court that eat up all, cryeth out, my leannesse my leannesse: To passe these things, I say, without insisting upon them; let us, by a few crying evidences, remember, how God remembred this iniquity, and visited us for this sin, with judgement: And because, England had never nationaly so dared him to his face, as in his own sight, in the sight of Angels and men, to burn that obligation by a decree; wherein, the nation had obliged themselves to be his, to be no more their own, to be no more at the dispose of others, but in a due subordination to him as supreme; he giveth order, to a destroying Angel, to fall upon that City, where this wickednesse was decreed and perpetrat, and then the chief Actors must flee for it, and seek another seat and city; I need say no more of this, but as never Prince, never Parliament, neither the Nation or City, had been guilty of such outrage, and Rebellion against the Lord, so never did plague rage in the same manner, nor did the destroying Angel get a command to put up his p. 95sword, till such heaps, were laid upon heaps, and so many thousands upon thousands; that all who heard thereof, behoved to observe, and say, never was there such a plague in England; and, if resolved into it's true cause, we must say, righteous art thou O Lord God injudging thus, we are worthy, for never was there such a provocation in England.

One vvoe is past, and behold another vvoe cometh quickly? An evil Spirit from the Lord, entereth into our counsels, & precipitateth us into a vvar vvith the Dutch, soliciting a peace vvith us; (I forebeare to mention, the unrighteousnesse of it, vvhichwhich vvas a greater plague upon the contrivers and actors, then all that followed upon it, though the shame and losse, will make a great total) in the beginning of this war, we were plagued with so much successe, as made us encourage our selves in this evil matter, victrix causa diis placuit thought we; and yet in that little seeming succcesse we had, any discerning person might have observed, how the hand of the Lord God of hosts, was gone forth against us; for, though our enemies did flee, yet as being deprived by the Lord, of both counsel and courage, we did not follow, vvhen we had them, even for the taking up; so that if our effrontry make us boast, of this bout as a victory, we may, with blushing, remember the greater shame, that the Lord poured upon us, in depriving us of the Spirit of conduct, that we knew not, how to improve the advantage over a beaten enemy; so that the Lord by this successe, did seem onelyonly to lift us up, that he might, with the greater shame, noise and observation, throw us down; and truely, whoever remembereth that action and day, may confidently affirme, that the Lord fought for Holland and against England, seing he so observably interposed as a rere-vvard: But before this Angel have done his vvork, that vve might have a nevv proof of the displeasure of the Almighty, and that he might make the World see, hovv he himself, and not men, did cast us dovvn; he sendeth a fire into our chiefe City, before this war be ended, vvhere vve had burnt that Covenant; (I passe all consideration of the immediat instruments; let us give and graunt, p. 96it was done upon designe, even this, maketh the judgement demonstrative, with a witnesse, of his wrath and indignation) and as this fire, seemed to take wings, or be carried from house to house, and street to street, by a destroying Angel; so those, who were employed to quench it, (O it's ill quenching, where he kindleth, except with teares) were deprived of all wisdome, and discretion; or rather, as if in the righteous judgement of the Lord, they had designedly set themselves to obstruct the quenching of it, and so it burnt till the bulk of the City was turned into ashes; That as the Nations abroad, had heard of our rage in burning that Covenant, so they might hear of an act of holy revenge, and be witnesses to the righteousnesse of his judgement, in giving us fire for fire; and as the like fury, had never been witnessed against the Lord before, so he had never kindled the like fire in the Nation before; Nay, nor almost the like in the World, since the burning of Jerusalem; and truely the parallel, between the judgements, may put us in minde of a parity, betwixt the provocations; as the crucifying of the Son of God, and putting him to an open shame, burnt the City of that bold abomination; so the crucifying of him again, in shedding the blood of his servants, and puting him to such a shame, in burning a Covenant made with him, (which is an unheard-of indignity, amongst Princes and Stats, even when after the violation of Leagues, they fall in open hostility) kindled this fire, consumed the City of our solemnities, and buried it into it's ashes.

But for all this, as we do not turn away from the evil of our way; but in stead of stoping, and taking notice of the hand, that is gone forth against us, we continue in puting forth our hand to iniquity; we become more insatiable in sinning, rushing foreward in our course, as the horse doth to the battel; every bit and bridle, that's put in our mouth, is too weak to hold us; so his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. The Angel who had drawn the sword, in stead of puting it up, seemed onelyonly to have been furbishing it, while the flame p. 97was consuming our City: As we were become a frovvard generation, Childreen in vvhom was no faith; so he continueth, in his righteousnesse, to heap mischiefs upon us, & to spend his arrowes upon us: We goe on with the war; now, that God, who deprived us of wisdome hovv to improve our former victory, first, leaveth us in the pride and haughtinesse of our heart, to the folly and infatuation, of dividing our fleet, and then he mustereth the host of the battel that cometh against us; and so vve are foiled and put to flee, before that enemy, of vvhom vve had said, vve had no other regret, but because engaged against an enemy, unvvorthy of our spirit and courage; novv are the Dutch their prisons filled vvith English prisoners: But vvhy doe I insist? The close of the vvar, is the confusion of England, and a perfect Ecclipse of it's glory, our English vvalls are broken dovvn and burnt, vvherein the hand of him vvho judged us, vvas so visible, that the actors themselves doe not mention it othervvise, then as the doing of the Lord, vvhichwhich vvas mervellous in their eyes: Novv is our Court confounded and distracted, because the Lord, against vvhom they had sinned vvith so high a hand, made bare his holy Arm, in the sight of the nations, by fighting against them; novv is the nation, in an universal consternation novv is London seised vvith a panick feare, to that height as it had been easy for the enemy, to have burnt the remainders of our City, that had escaped the former fire: And vvhereas, vve vvould have a vvar, on any terms, vvith our peacable neighbours; novv vve must post avvay our order, to accept of a peace on any termes, and (vvhichwhich is remarkable) be forced to passe from those pretensions, on vvhichwhich vve had founded the equity of our vvar; thus are vve stript of our glory; and the crovvn, vvhichwhich vve had vvorn for many yeers, in the sight of the Nations, falleth from our head; (alas, that vve should have forgotten to have said, woe unto us that we have sinned) England vvho had upheld these Provinces, against the pride of the Spanish Tyrranny, England vvho had conquered France, and p. 98at the same time, vvere victorious over the Scotch their confederats, must novv finde the nation perfectly besieged, by them, vvhom, in our pride, vve thought not a people; our ships burnt, in the most secure harbours of England, and vve necessitat, when under the feet of these whom vve had despised, to accept of a peace; which they might have made us condescend unto upon lesse honourable termes: Which things befell us, that when the present generation shall consider, and the succeeding ages inquire, into the cause of this disaster, and aske the question, how vve vvere so vvonderfully brought down; It may be answered, because in stead of keeping the Covenant with their God, they burnt it, therefore, that they might read their sin and rage in their judgement, (or, if they would not, others might) as he had formerly burnt their City, now he burnt their ships, not in the sea, but vvithin their harbours; and thus he called the Nations to be vvitnesses, to the heat of his displeasure, in burying our glory: As their was never such a sin before committed in the land, we were never thus put to shame, and spit upon, in the sight of the nations; our being made base & contemptible, in the eyes of them, vvho honoured us, and had us in estimation, must be refounded upon our bold sining against the most high God; and our trampling upon his honour and interest, vvith such evidences of contempt, hath made us be greatly despised amongst the Nations, and caused him, against whom we had lifted up our selves, trample us under foot, as the mire of the streets: Well, wee must now beare our shame, and finde our selves sunk in the gulfe of ignominy, whereby the Lord was in a manner, trying us, if vve would turn from the evil of our way: But, Alas, that, which was the observe of the Holy Ghost upon Ahaz, was manifestly verified upon us; so that it might have been, with the same evidence and certainty, said; this is that Court, this is that Kingdome, who being rebuked so remarkably, did, in stead of accepting the punishment of their sin, trespasse yet more and more against the Lord.

In this interval, wherein we seemed to have tranquillity from enemies without, the plague upon our heart, is more evident, by the evil that was in our hand: vve had some quiet it's true, (vvherein he gave us space to repent, and accept of the punishment of our sins) but it vvas not so much a true peace, as the dravving back of the hand of the great God, that he might fetch the sorer blovv; for in stead of humbling our selves under the mighty hand of God; as if vve did meditat revenge against heaven, vve not onelyonly continued in our former unchristian practices; but, vvhat our imperial crown had lost of it's lustre, vve think to make it up, by appending the Mediator's crown to it; and therefore, though we fall before others, yet we will, as we began, continue to fight against God; and in this interval of peace from forraigne enemies; as we had burnt the bond of our subjection to Jesus Christ, so in prosecution of the same quarrel, we advance our supremacy, to the degrading and exautorating of him, by whom Kings reigne; and carry with that height of insolence, as if we had, not onelyonly resolved, to out-do all, that ever led the way to us, in this opposition to Christ as King in Zion; but further, to give the defiance to all, that ever should come after us, to make a law, vvhichwhich being considered in it's most plain and obvious meaning, can, without straining, speak this more explicitly; that, this man, this one Jesus, who calleth himself a King, shall not reigne over us, we have no King but Caesar: we stated the question de finibus Imperii mediatoris, and decided in our ovvn favour, once for all; making a decree, to take the house of God in possession to our selves; yea, and as if, vve intended to eternize our enmity and opposition to the son of God; vve, together vvith the imperial crovvn of the Nation, transmit a legal right to our successors, to the crovvn and scepter of Jesus Christ; as if it vvere a satisfaction for us, to lie dovvn in the grave, vvith an assurance, that his crovvn should not floorish upon his ovvn head; by vvhichwhich one act, all our former insolencies were reacted, vvith this addition; that, vvhatever vve please to do in the house of the God of heaven hereafter, must be legal: And thus, the Church hath got an exotick head, and vve have filled up the measure of our iniquity: O that it might please the father of mercies, to give repentance to his Majesty & the Nation, and to preserve both from reaping that harvest of grief and desperat sorrow, vvhichwhich such a seed-time presageth: In the mean time, the consumption, of the nation, is visible in it's countenance, it's soul and substance is consumed; (as vvas excellently laid openin that first & second discourse of my Lord Lucas, before the house of Lords, in whom alone the ancient gallant spirit of the English Nation did shew it self and shine forth, & who, by that heroick act, hath erected to himself a monument, in the heart of all true English-men, & proposed himself as a worthy paterne of imitation, to all who affect the glory of being true Patriots) yet, while the Nation is in this low and languishing condition, vve are ploting and contriving a new war against the Dutch, and therefore vve pick quarrels vvith them, to give our own designes some colour of justice, having resolved upon the vvar, let them offer, what rational satisfaction they can; yet, as if the Lord, from heaven would openly rebuke these secret mischievous contriveances and works of darknesse; he in a manner giveth a commission, to that very element, the stage on which we designe to act this wickednesse, to fall upon us, sink our ships at sea, sweep away a considerable part of our remaining substance, and svvallovv up our Land; and as upon Pestilence, fire and svvord, this had been vvritten, by the finger of the righteous judge of all the earth, never the like before seen in England; so of this tempest, this turnado and inundation (vvhereby the sea vvas become difficult and dangerous for passage, in reguard of broken ships, filled also vvith the sad spectacle of drovvned men, driving to and fro in it, the land overflovved, houses, beasts and men, having one common burial place) it was also said, never, did the Lord witnesse at once, so much of his p. 101displeasure against the Nation, by any sea-storme; hereby particularly pointing at and plaguing the Kingdome, both for our breach of Covenant vvith the most High, and our former, and again resolved upon breach of Covenant vvith our neighbours, as also our foolish pretension, to an absolut dominion of the sea, to vvhichwhich vve could set no bounds; if that by taking notice of the displeasure of the living God against our iniquous contriveances vve might be stopped in this unhappy Carreer; but all in vain, forevvard we vvill goe. And the thing that maketh the anger of the Lord, more manifest against us, and our French confederat's, in this dispensation, was, that remarkable passage of providence; vvhile much havock vvas at the same time, made upon the French coast, aswel as upon ours, the Dutch fleet, against which we were making most fervid preparations, did ride all the time safe at anchor, as it were in the centre betwixt the two, without any lose; God thereby in a manner manifesting, that he had taken these, whom we, in designe and endeavour, had devouted to destruction, into his own immediat protection; a happy Omen; and who knoweth, but it is a speaking prognostick, of what he intendeth, further to doe for them and by them, to the frustration, and disappointment of our projects & preparations; & how, because we would not behold the Majesty of the Lord, nor see, when his hand was listed up, nor listen to the voice of such a dreadfully menacing disswasive, he mindeth to make us see, and put us to shame, for our envy at his people, and cause the World take notice of it, when he maketh the fire of his enemies to devour us.

Now, my friends and brethren, my designe in this deduction, and the assignement of it's cause, is not to lodge the provocation alone with the Court, and leave it at their door, as if we were innocent, and in case to plead guiltlesse; no, for besid's that we have made it our ovvn, for not mourning as we ought, for this horrid abomination, our shareing so deeply in the punishment, pointeth at, & proveth us to be, deeply guilty in the provocation: p. 102That vve may therefore, by repentence, prevent the vvoeful day, & by remembring vvhence vve have fallen, renew first love, and return to first vvorks, before he remove the Candlestick, vvhichwhich is the terrible judgement, vvherevvith vve are this day threatened; let us consider, hovv justly he may proceed, to the utmost of holy severity, and observe, vvhat of spotlesse equity, hath been manifested, in all the smoakings of his vvrath against us, in all these blovves of his hand, whereby our beauty is consumed; let us think, hovv guilty vve are, for not having been stedfast in his Covenant, and for not performing our vowes to the most High, before he make a full end, and smite us so, that affliction shall not spring up the second time: As it is neither possible for me, to enumerat all those wayes, how we have made our selves guilty, of a contempt and dreadful misreguard of that Oath of God, whereby vve were so expressely, so solemnly & indispensibly engaged in our several places and stations, to walk before him to all pleasing, minding and advancing, above all earthly concerns, reformation and Religion, witnessing and shewing forth it's power, in our conversation, that, the Nation might have been called by that name, Jehovah Shammah, that so the reproach of Egypt (the untendernesse, I mean, and profanity, which was amongst the multitude, kept under superstitious ignorance for a great part, before our late reformation) might have been rolled away from us; nor to accent and sharpen these challenges, with their just aggravations and edge, that they may cut us at the heart, and make us cry out; men and brethren, what shall we do, to be delivered from the approaching destruction and impendent ruine, whereto, we and our posterity, for the breach of our Covenant, and backslidings, are exposed? so, I do purposely passe and forbeare it; lest I should seem to exprobrat these to one party as more guiltie, while I passe by another as more innocent; but I am sure while all are charged with this guilt, every gracious heart will suspect himself, and say, Master is it I? And he is like to be found deepest in p. 103the transgression before God, who is most ready to make light of the matter, and with a supine misreguard of his own backslidings and Gods anger, dare in stead of puting his mouth in the dust as guilty before him, wipe it, and say, What have I done? Let us not onelyonly witnesse our repentance by a personal reformation; but by a serious minding in our place and station, the reviving of his work: Let us set ourselves to weep over the dust and stones of Zion: Let us give him no rest, till he return and build his house, and fill it with his own glorious presence, making thereby our gates salvation and our walls praise: God seemeth by all the dispensations of the day, to put us, without more debat or delay, to chuse whether we will bleed or weep? And if we be sparing of our teares, justice is like to be prodigal of our blood: If our eye do not trickle down without intermission, at the sight of the desolations of the sanctuary, and at the danger and distresse of all the Churches of Christ, till the Lord look down and behold from Heaven, he is threatening to bring distresse upon us, that we shall walk like blind-men, both because of our sining against the Lord, and our security; and to pour out our blood as the dust and our flesh as the dung: Do we not see the Church and Nation ready to be devoured, by the fire of his jealousy? Do we not perceive the men with the slaughter weapon in their hand? Why then do we delay to gather our selves together? Why do vve not retire within our selves, that we may return to the most High with rops about our neck, as sentenced persons, upon the sight of the plague of our own heart, & the iniquities that are in our hand, but particularly our woeful departings from, and breaches of Covenant with our God, before the decree bring forth, before the day passe as the chaff, before the fierce Anger of the Lord come upon us? As A none such hath been written over the head of these judgements, which are already come; so we may certainly conclude, that A none such, to make the ears of all that heare it tingle, and strike their hearts with amazement and terrour, p. 104at the report thereof, shall be written upon the wrath and woes, that he will bring upon us for these breaches if not mourned over: If the Lord employ the French, Irish and English Papists, which stand ready girt with their sword upon their thigh, breathing out cruelty, and thirsting after blood, to be the executioners of his displeasure, for a despised Gospel, and to avenge the quarrel of a broken Covenant, and punish us, as our congregations have heard, for our impenitencies and unperswadablenesse by all that hath yet come upon us, so to make our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquity and understand his truth; then may we conclude, that the nation shall be made a Golgotha, a place of dead mens skuls, and that not onelyonly the Massacre of Paris, Alva's murther and blood-shed in the Low-Countreys, the murthers and villanies committed in the valleys of Piedmont, with all the Marian bloodshed & persecution in our own nation, but even that more bloody and barbarous Massacre of Ireland, shall either be quit forgotten, or mentioned as light things, vvhen compared with the havocks, bloods, murthers, fire and faggot, whereby to the satiating the malice, fury, and revenge of her that must be drunk with the blood of the Saints, and to the blunting of the edge of her instrument's rage, keen to the utmost of cruelty, the land shall be laid wast and made utterly desolat: If we still sleep on, after he hath done so much to awake us, after so many voices of word and rod, after he hath been saying unto us, Shall I not visit for these things? Shall not my soul be avenged upon such a generation as this? Then there is no hope but that we shall be made a generation of his wrath; nor is there another expectation, but that he will accomplish his anger, and cause his fury to rest upon us, and be comforted: O for grace to awake & prevent this woeful day, before he cause darknesse, and before our feet stumble upon the dark mountains! Let us therefore while it is called to day, beware of hardning our hearts; let us consider one another, and every man himself, to provok unto the excercise of repentance, Let us think on our backslidings, p. 105and breaches of Covenant, that we may return unto the Lord our God, before he cause his anger to fall upon us: Let us hast while there is a may be of hope, while there is yet a, who knoweth, if the Lord will return, and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, and think upon the Church, the Nation, our selves and posterity, that we perish not.

The last thing wherewith I shall shut up this discourse, is, to remind you my brethren, of what I formerly hinted, viz: That from the consideration of the manifest unrighteousnesse of this war, not so much against the Dutch, as against the Lord God, in concurring with, and assisting the sworn enemies of the reformed Religion; yea and against our selves, our liberties, and our posterity, by strengthening the hands of the most Stated adversary in the world to the prosperity of the English nation, we may not onelyonly be humbled, that our Court should be left of the Lord to these wicked contrivances, Religion and libertydestroying courses, and that so many of our brethren, should be dragged as slaves, to assist in this Religion-overturning Covenant-breaking war; but, that as we would not by an association with the workers of these iniquities, and a participation in their sin, share in the remarkable punishments, and terrible plagues, whereby the righteous Lord will certainly be avenged, for this breach of faith and Alliance, for this conspiracy against the reformed Religion; so, we would withdraw and flee from, if we would not fall into the hands of a provoked God, all concurrence in carrying on this war, directly or indirectly: Neither let us think to please God, or be approved of him, if we acquiesce in a simple forbearance, to contribut our assistance thereto; nay somewhat else then such a neutrality is called for, in a day, when, all things being considered, there seemeth to be the most formally pitched Battel, between hrist and Anti-Christ, that hath been in many generations: We are called under the hafard of being reput and reckoned enemies to Christ and his cause (for when he is crying so formally at this time, who is on my side p. 106who? All that are not with him shall be esteemed enemies unto him) while some of our brethren in the simplicity of their heart, not knowing any thing, are insnared and seduced into this quarrel, and moe are deprived of their liberty, dragged as slaves, and pressed to go fight, and sacrifice their lives to the Court, and French interest, in prejudice of all these precious things and interests, which make life desirable, and in the preservation whereof, it is glory to die: I say while it is thus, we are called to pour out our hearts together and apart on the behalfe of our distressed, shamefully by us deserted, yea betrayed Protestant brethren, that the Lord God of hosts, would make bare his strong Arm and stand up for their help: We are not onelyonly debtors to them, when we can contribut nothing else to their assistance, while they must jeopard their lives, in contending against the mighty enemies of the Lord and his People, for all the supply and help we can make them, by our assiduous and most importune beggings and beseechings of God, for their safety and preservation, upon the account of the reformed Religion, vvhichwhich, if they be foiled and put to the worse, must also fall with them, as to it's visible profession; but also upon the account of the true liberty and reall interest of England; let the things already mentioned, to demonstrat this, upon our supposed successe against them, be considered, and it will make the matter so evident, that I am sure, as he cannot be a Christian or one who wisheth the preservation of the Church, and coming of the Kingdome of the Son of God in the World, since there hath not been for many ages, a People, whose civil interest was so twisted and enterwoven, with the great interest of Christ through the earth, in opposition to Antichrist; so I am upon rational grounds perswaded, that he cannnot have the heart of a true English-man, he cannot be a true lover of the real good, liberty and honour of our Nation, who doth not wish well unto, and is not earnestly solicitous for the safety of the United provinces in this juncture: Alas! Shall our brethren the p. 107Dutch, goe down into the valley to fight with the enemy, and be engaged, not onelyonly upon the account of their own liberty, their civil interests, and the reformed Religion; but also most evidently by an undenyable consequence, for the liberty of England, and the preservation of the same things amongst us? And will not we goe up to the mount, & weep upon God to stand by them? Shall they shed their blood by sea and land, for that truth and doctrine, which is according to godlinesse, that should be deare to us beyond and above our lives? And shall not we offer them the assistance, of our utmost intercessions? What could we say to God? Or how could we satisfy our own conscience, in so cleare and crying an exigent, if we should, as nothing concerned in the quarrel, or it's consequences, forbeare to do this? How will we make it appeare, that we prefer Jerusalem to our chief joy, and are lovers of righteousnesse, on whose side soever it is found, or are really desirous to do all that is in our power, to prevent the bondage of the nation, and preserve our selves and our posterity, from being sold slaves to forraigne enemies and the exorbitant lust of our own Court, if now, when there is no other work for us to do, we make it not our work, to lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens, praying and pleading by all manner of prayer and supplication, either to reclaime our rulers, from these unrighteous and violent courses; or to preserve our oppressed brethren, and appeare their protector, when deserted of all humane help? We would take heed how we lay our selves aside from this innocent and Christian concurrence. I doubt nothing but as the Lord will write in most legible Characters, and witnesse either sooner or later, high and hore displeasure, against all the contrivers of this war, and willing contributers of their assistance to it, and reckon them, vvho, if it vvere but by their vvords and vvishes, vvitnesse their concurrence, and shevv themselves enemies to our oppressed protestant friends, though they neither be guilty of that theiving basensse of caping, or a more formal conjunction p. 108this abominable war, adversaries to the reformed Religion, through the World, and enemies to all righteousnesse amongst men, so, I am equally perswaded, they shall make themselves guilty of a detestable neutrality, and incurre the curse of not helping the Lord against the mighty, vvho do not implore his Aid for our oppressed brethren, and stirre not up themselves to pray, that he would appeare to plead a cause that is so much his own: Let not the vain fancy of affection to the honour of the Nation, when to the height of basenesse engaged in a vvar, or lothnesse to see our countrey-men put to shame, even vvhen it is impossible to appeare in this engagement and cover our shame, de murre or foreslovv us in this duety: It's true, our Nation ought to be deare unto us, the lives and honour of our countrey-men precious in our sight; but we should be so much Protestants, so much Christians, as to acquiesce rather, that vve, our posterity, our name, and Nation should be delete & perish from under the heavens of the Lord, before the reformed Religion, that great interest of Christ in the World, by our successe be destroyed, or his declarative glory suffer an ecclipse. Nay let us consult either reason or Religion, and then, the thing which seemeth to demurre or dissvvade, will certainly drive us to the duety that is pressed: Let us love our Lord Jesus Christ so well, let us love the honour, prosperity and welfare of our Nation so well, let us love the reput and renown of our countrey-men so well, as to pray, that his Kingdome may come, and that the designes of these who in this engagement, are engaged against us, and our precious interests, may be defeat, and that their hands may not be able to performe their enterprise, and there is no more driven at or desired; for, if the sword that is now drawn against the Dutch, return victorious and drunk with their blood, it will not be put up, till the yoke be wreathed about our neck, and it have shed the blood of such, who are not so much beasts, as with a tamenesse to take it on; and if we be deprived of, and out-live the lose of our onelyonly treasure, Religion p. 109and liberty, where then is the blessednesse we spoke of? Where then is the glory of our nation whereof we boasted? Happy is the man, who knoweth the times, and what Israel hath to do, while it is the plague of many, that they are as asses couching under the burden: Once for all, let us feare, and stand aloof from, yea in our place and station withstand, all these sinful combinations with such, as have turned aside unto their crooked vvayes, and designe and endeavour vvith so much vigour, the overturning of his vvork, lest God lead us forth vvith the vvorkers of Iniquity: It's true, he must have a Church, and his interest must be preserved; for the gates of hell cannot prevail against it; yet if vve either join vvith these consederats against him, or forbeare to witnesse our desire of his abiding with us, by pleading with him, for the preservation of his low, his abandoned, born down, yea and betrayed interests; deliverance shall come another way, for he is the God of salvations, against whom in this conjunction, we have lifted up the head and stretched out the hand; but we, our interest, and whatsoever is deare and desirable to men, shall be destroyed and perish: But my brethren, as I hope for better things of you, yea for all things, vvhichwhich may prove you to be lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, of the Churches abroad and of our Nation's interest, honour and liberty, though I thus speak; so, I desire to beleeve, that not onelyonly that poor people against whom our Court, with the French are engaged (the second part of Herod and Pilat's History) shall be preserved, though they may be brought lovv; but that the destruction of the poor remnant amongst our selves, vvhichwhich (that the actors may at once take away Religion and liberty together with our lives) is intended, shall be prevented; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth the enemies of his people and pleadeth the causes of their soul: Let us therefore wait on him, and continue with him in these tentations, carrying in the duties of the present day, and amidst all the dangers which accompany, a faithful acquiting p. 110of our selves in our Masters service, as knowing, that the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces, out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, he shall give strength unto his King (the coming of whose Kingdome, is now so much opposed by these Kings, and destruction of whose subjects and people, is so manifestly designed and furiously driven by them) and exalt the horne of his anointed, when he hath provided carpenters, to fray the horns of these, who rejoyce in a thing of nought, and have taken unto them horns, by their own strength, to push the inheritance of the Lord: Faxit Deus et festinet, and then we have the desire of our hearts.

FINIS.