A Two-Fold Shaking of the Earth, Illustration – To the reader
Henry Drummond, …lbury Park. SURREY.
A two-fold Shaking Of the EARTH: OR, An Expoſition on Heb. 12.26, 27.
Wherein is ſhewed, The FIRST SHAKING OF THE EARTH, ſeems to be meant the putting down of the late King and Biſhops: the later Shaking, a change of the preſent Government. And Reaſons given for both.
ALSO How, and in what manner this later Earth-Shaking may be according to SCRIPTURE-PROPHESIE: Namely, by that Earth-quake, Rev. 11.13 which is likewiſe opened.
Laſtly, Here are many Reaſons given, why it may be HOPED that this PRESENT PARLIAMENT will prove to be that EARTH-QUAKE (or at leaſt begin the work) whereby the GOOD OLD CAUSE will be revived, the juſt Rights of the People reſtored, and the Nation ſetled upon a laſting and durable Foundation of Truth and Righteouſneſs.
BY JOHN CANNE.
Printed for L. Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Ally. 1659.
To the Reader.
Reader,
THou muſt be a ſtranger in our Iſrael, if thou haſt not heard of a people call'd Commonwealths-men and Fifth-Monarchy-men, and what grievous things are laid to their charge. Now I care not who thou art that ſhalt read this brief Apology for them, if thou be not like him, who ſaid, He would not be convinc'd, though he were convinced. The great accuſation raiſed up, and ſpread all the Nation over againſt theſe men, is, That they allow not Magi…ates, neither would they have the people be un-under Laws and Government. I think I may confidently ſay, The Devil (who is the father of lyars) never brought forth a greater untruth, nor had leſs whereby to palliate and hide his falſhood, then in this particular. For not only do theſe men approve of Laws, Magiſtrates, and Government, but there are none in the Nation, that do more deſire, pray for, and preſs after uncorrupt Magiſtrates, good Laws, and a righteous Government, then they. But this is true (and the Court-party knows it) they are not for Tyrants, neither to have an Arbitrary power exerciſed over the lives, Liberties, and Conſciences of the people; but would have the undoubted Rights and Priviledges of the Nation ſetled upon a laſting and durable foundation of truth and righteouſneſs: they would have no violence or oppreſſion done to any man, but all men, as men, enjoy their Birthright; yea, and if it were poſſible, to deliver the whole Creation from that bondage and groaning under which it lies, into the glorious liberty of the children of God, Rom. 8.20, 21, 22.
If a man diſlike the ſtanding of weeds in a garden, doth it follow he is againſt the ſowing and planting it with herbs and flowers? Reader, open thine eyes, and look up like a man; here thou haſt the Caſe truly ſtated: theſe Commonwealths-men and Fifth-Monarchy-men are not well pleaſed that the Engliſh Garden (or Commonwealth) ſhould be overſpread with the vines of Sodom, and the ſowr grapes of Gomorrha, Iſa. 1.10. That perſons of corrupt intereſt ſhould impoſe (at their pleaſure) heavy yokes upon the necks of the free-men of England. That the proud are called happy, and they that work wickedneſs are ſet up. That judgment is turned away backward, and juſtice ſtands afar off: That truth is fallen in the ſtreets, and he that departeth from evil, maketh himſelf a prey. That ſuch weeds and traſh ſhould be in the GARDEN they do diſlike it, this is true: they both ſpeak againſt it, and mourn for it. But will any man of reaſon or ſenſe therfore conclude they are againſt all Magiſtracie and Government, but rather thus, they would have theſe hurtful weeds pluckt up by the roots, that righteous things might be planted in the room of them?
The next thing that I ſhall ſpeak a little to, is to give the Reader ſome Reaſons of publiſhing this Treatiſe.
1. After ſome ſeeking of God, and ſearching the Scriptures; this I humbly conceive, that the Lord will begin to revive his Good Old Cauſe again by the Repreſentatives of the people. As he honoured and bleſt the long Parliament, with a good progreſs in the work of Reformation: ſo I think he will make yet further uſe of Parliaments for the publick good of the Nation. I ſhall not be abſolute what will be done at this time; but I have great hope ſomething will be done for the reſtoration of the Civil Liberties of the people. A wiſe General will hearken to the advice of a mean Souldier: I deſire no more but what is here ſet down for publick good may be conſidered.
2. It is a ſpecial work of Parliaments to conſider the grievances of the people, and to be moſt ſevere (ſo Parliaments were wont to be) againſt ſuch men, who through the greatneſs of their power and place, take occaſion to oppreſs and wrong people the more. In this regard, I have thought it my duty, publickly to declare what injuſtice and hard meaſure we have had; as to be baniſhed, impriſoned, caſt out of our callings and livelihood; but never knew any Reaſon or Cauſe why they dealt ſo cruelly with us. It is ſaid of Herod, And he ſent and beheaded John in priſon, Mat. 14. after ſuch a manner have our New maſters uſed us; ſent their Souldiers to our houſes, pluckt us out of doors, thrown us into priſon, but never told us for what, nor brought us to any Tryal. It is poſſible theſe things may meet with ſome Parliament-men; if it do, I ſhall humbly propound this, Whether in point of Law and Conſcience, thoſe publick oppreſſions whereof we complain, ſhould not be examined; and if found true, Whether ſuch men be fit to have the chief rule of the Nation any longer? Major General Overtons Caſe will ſpeak loud enough to this Parliament, what New Maſters are lately ſtarted up.
3. Howſoever hitherto the ſons of Zeruiah have been too hard for us, and not only ſo, but of ſuch imperious and high ſpirits, as Pope-like, no man might ſay to them, Sir, Why do you ſo? There is ſome hope now (a poſſibility at leaſt) that a Parliament may give them a check: true it is, there hath not been for ſome late yeers a door open for the oppreſſed to bring in their complaints againſt ſuch perſons as did them the moſt wrong. So that the publick ſore hath run'd ſtill, becauſe there was not a coming upto the Cure. But it's hoped this will be a free Parliament, out of which di…ributive Juſtice will flow, to the great refreſhing of the oppreſſed every where: it is to no purpoſe to cleanſe the pipes, and leave the fountain dirty; to ſweep down the cobwebs, and leave the ſpider to make more. Never had the long Parliament wrought that Reformation in England, and reſtored the Peoples Liberties in that meaſure they did, had they not fallen upon the SPRINGHEAD, and caught the SPIDERS.
4. To wipe off that common ſcandal which by Apoſtates is caſt upon us; i. e. that it is only our frowardneſs and diſcontents that make us complain, otherwiſe we have nothing againſt them, nor any harm done us. Micah thought it a very ſtrange thing in the Danites, when they had taken from him his Prieſt and Idols, then to ask him, What he ail'd? We cannot take it little better then a ſcoff, when they r…b'd the people of their goods and freedom, and oppreſt them ſeveral ways by an Arbitrary power, then to twit them in the teeth with complaining. Juſt like a child, who having ſcratcht his mother, then cries, as if the wrong had been done to him. Thus having ſcratcht and torn the Mother Commonwealth; yea, upon the matter murdered her, They cry out againſt the people, as being pettiſh and froward, know not what they would have, &c. whereas it is only themſelves that have done the evil. But if this Parliament ſhall ſit to judge between the Mother and the Child; we are ſure the Mother will be quitted, and the Child ſhall have his due payment, not only for ſcratching, but for crying too.
But 5. And indeed this is a main Cauſe; that is, to ſhew, that in taking off heavy yokes, and executing juſtice upon oppreſſours, whereby righteouſneſs may be exalted in the Nation: here a Scripture-Propheſie will be fulfilled.
I have not mentioned the Laws and Statutes of the Land, becauſe this by others is alreadie done. Mr. Pryn in a Book printed this yeer 1658. (and to which he ſets his name) affirms, (quoting many Acts of Parliament for it) That the perſons now in power are theeves and robbers; yea, uſurpers, and have ſet up a new uſurped power, and have committed the higheſt Treaſon, and act againſt all Law both of God and the land. And for that Parliament, which, they ſay, gave them power and Authority: He ſaith, It was but a pretended Parliament, and a mock-Parliament; and by the Acts of lawful Parliaments they were all Traytors. This is publick, and known to the Judges and Lawyers of the Nation; and what may we think, but by their ſilence they give conſent? See his Book Demophilos, Appendix.
Now howſoever the Parliament having Law and equity on their ſide, have ground ſufficient to be up and doing; yet it cannot be but ſome encouragement unto them likewiſe, if they underſtand it is ſuch a work as the word of God in a ſpecial manner calls them to it. Doubtleſs it is an honour to be call'd unto ſuch a ſervice; but if it be done faithfully, not like Jehn for ſelf-ends; but as of ſincerity, but as of God, in the ſight of God, not only ſhall their memory be bleſt, but the Lord will remember them for good, and reward their work and labour of love.
I ſhall ſay little more: Righteouſneſs (ſaith Solomon) exalteth a Nation, Prov. 14.34. Again, The Throne is eſtabliſhed by Righteouſneſs, Prov. 16.12. Note, it is not Ahitophels counſel, nor Machiavels Head-piece will do it. I ſay further, It is not raiſing mony, and increaſing heavier burdens, or ſetling things this way or that way, will do it without Righteouſneſs. Of a truth, God looks for righteouſneſs and judgment from us, Iſa. 5.7. To do juſtice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord then ſacrifice, Prov. 21.3. This is better then faſting or praying; better then a morning Sermon at the Abby, or praying before the Houſe ſits. It is ſo good, that if juſtice and judgment be not ex…cuted, the Lord abhors all ſacrifices, ſee Iſa. 1.15, 16.
When Joſhua and the reſt of the Congregation knew who was the TROUBLER, had they only acknowledged that great wickedneſs, and mourned for it, and done no more, the Lord would have withdrawn himſelf ſtill from them, Joſh. 7.12. So when it was told David, The three years famine was for Saul and his bloody houſe, becauſe he ſlew the Gibeonites, 2 Sam. 21.1, 2, &c. Had there been no more then confeſſing the ſin, and asking pardon, the Lord would not have been entreated for the Land. So it may be ſaid of our preſent condition; ſhould there be a publick confeſſion made of our late Apoſtacie, Covenant breaking, Treaſon, Oppreſſion. &c. before God, Angels, and men, and ſolemn days appointed by the Parliament to mourn for it nevertheleſs except the accurſed thing be deſtroyed from amongſt us, it may be queſtioned, whether God will be with us any more. Faithful are the wounds of a friend: but the kiſſes of an Enemy are deceitful, Prov. 27.6.