Dagon Demolished, Discourse – Epigraph
DAGON Demoliſhed: OR, Twenty Admirable Examples of Gods Severe Juſtice and Diſpleaſure againſt the SUBSCRIBERS of the late ENGAGEMENT, againſt our Lawfull Soveraign KING CHARLS the ſecond; and the whole Houſe of PEERES, in theſe words. I do Declare and promiſe, that I will be True and Faithfull to the Common-wealth of England, as it is now Eſtabliſhed without a KING or Houſe of LORDS.
Alſo againſt ſome of the Judges of the late King in the High Court of Injuſtice.
PUBLISHED, To Reclaim ſuch Fanatique perſons, who have been too forward to promote this wicked, Deſtructive ENGAGEMENT; and ſtill deſigne it, which hath wounded the Conſciences of ſo many Godly Chriſtians in this Kingdome.
By that late Worthy Patriot of his Country, Mr. John Vicars.
Eccleſ. 10. 20.
Curſe not the King, no not in thy thought. God hath Woollen feet, but Iron hands. Aug.
London, Printed by T. Mabb, for Edward Thomas, and are to be ſold at the Adam and Eve in Little-Brittain, 1660
The Stationer to the Reader.
Kinde Reader,
THis Enſuing Narration came to my hands caſually, from a Chriſtian friend of Mr. Iohn Vicars, lately Deceaſed; from whom he had it, being written with his own hand; The end of Publication is, that God may have the Glory, and that all true Chriſtian Proteſtants may Receive ſome benefit by it, which is the unfeigned prayer of,
thy Friend, E. T.
The Weſtminſterian Engagement.
January 2. 1649.
I Doe Declare and promiſe, that I will be true and faithfull to the Common-wealth of England, as it is now eſtabliſhed without a King or Houſe of Lords.
The ſumme or ſubſtance of the penalty of not ſubſcribing it.
BE it enacted by Authority of Parliament, that whatſoever perſon or perſons ſhall refuſe the taking or ſubſcribing of this Engagement, ſhall be diſabled to hold or enjoy any Place or Office of publique truſt, profit, or employment whatſoever; And that if he do continue therein without any ſuch ſubſcription as aforeſaid, contrary to this Act of Parliament; he ſhall forfeit all ſuch offices, places or employment and profits whatſoever; and ſhall forfeit alſo double the value of ſuch profits and benefits as they ſhall have received and taken as aforeſaid: And for default of diſtreſſe and ſale of ſuch offenders goods, the offender to be impriſoned, till the ſaid forfeitures be fully ſatisfied and paid. And it is further enacted and declared, that all and every perſon or perſons ſo offending as aforeſaid, is, are and ſhall be uncapable of Voting or giving his ſuffrage or conſent in the choice or election of any Officer or Magiſtrate in the City of London or elſe where, within the Common-wealth of England. And ſhall alſo be uncapable of the benefit of Law from any Courts of Juſtice of this Commonwealth, in any manner of Plea whatſoever, between Plaintiff and Defendant, in or for any Suit, Plaint, Bill, Action, Information, Writ, Demand, Execution, or any other proceſſe whatſoever, except onelyonly in caſe of Treaſon, Felony, or breach of the peace and good behaviour.
The Obſervation on this Penalty, for non-ſubſcribing the Engagement.
THe ſum of the aforeſaid penalty, amounting to thus much, that every perſon whatſoever, that ſubſcribes not their Engagement, is made an abſolute Out-lawed perſon, unable to help himſelf, or to be holpen by any, againſt any wrongs or injuries whatſoever, done to his perſon or eſtate, except as before, by them excepted. Such a cruelty and tyranny as never was heard of in this Kingdome, nor in any Nation, or well governed State, or Common-wealth in Chriſtendome; eſpecially to be enacted or executed upon any of their Natives, or free Denizens, though never ſo foul or hainous offenders (much leſſe upon their pious, peaceable and most honeſt people) ſave onelyonly among the Antichriſtian Romaniſts, against thoſe whom they call and counted Hereticks.
Wherefore ſince the Saints godly party at Weſtminſter (as they most audaciouſly and falſly call themſelves) and all the rest of their most hypocriticall adherents have been ſo bold thus to ſet up this Dagon by Gods Ark, and their poſts by Gods poſts, and ſo deceitfully to glory and triumph in their pretended Providences and ſucceſſes, ever ſince their, thus, ſetting up this Dagon, the Weſtminſterian Engagement, in oppoſition to the Nationall Covenant. I ſhall here, now (therefore) give the godly and impartiall Reader, divers moſt remarkable examples, and apparent Demonstrations of Gods evident and eminent wrath and indignation, expreſſed againſt them ever ſince their ſetting up their ſaid Dagon, in theſe moſt memorable and remarkable examples, following:
Twenty admirable examples of Gods diſpleaſure againſt Subſcribers of the Engagement, and complices with the late Power.
1. THen conſider, admire and wonder, that upon the very firſt day of the publication of the Act for taking the Engagement, which was January 4, 1650. in the evening of that ſame day, did that moſt terrible and fearfull fire by Gun-powder break forth at Barkin-Church, neer the Tower of London, the like to which was never ſeen or heard of before, in or about the ſaid City, in which were moſt ſuddenly blown up and deſtroyed above a hundred houſes, and above 120. perſons moſt lamentably kill'd and deſtroyed, and their Carkaſes miſerably torn in pieces; among whom was Lievtenant Col. Smith, one of Sir Hardreſs Wallers chief ſticklers, to pull the ſecluded members out of the Houſe of Commons in Parliament. And was not this a moſt fearfull forerunner and heavy Harbinger of the wofull effects of this their immediately following Engagements.
2. One Mr. Mosty Miniſter of in Eſſex having taken the engagement (and that in his own ſenſe and limitations, to his beſt content, as he thought) yet was immediately after ſo perplexed and diſtracted in his Conſcience, that he could neither Preach nor Pray, nor be at any quiet or peace within himſelf, till he had procured liberty to race out his name from under the Engagement: whereunto he had ſubſcribed it.
3. One Col. Ruſſell, a great favourite and Commiſſioner in the Army, after his taking of the Engagement, was ſo vexed and diſtracted in his ſoule, that he confeſſed to ſome of his religious friends (himſelf alſo being lookt upon as a very religious Gentleman) that immediately upon his taking the Engagement, he found by evident ſymptomes, that the Devil took actuall poſſeſſion of him, and made him deſperately prone to commit any notorious villany whatſoever, even to the raviſhing of his own maid-ſervant; but afterward gave moſt eminent teſtimonies of his true repentance, and abhorrence of his taking of it.
4. One Mr. Edward Fiſher, a very tender conſciencious Chriſtian, and godly Citizen of London, in the Old-baily, having taken the Engagement, and though in his own ſenſe and limitations (as he thought to his full content) yet preſently after, being extreamly grieved and perplexed in ſpirit, for that he had done, therein laboured to Alderman Allen to have his name raced out, but could not be permitted, to the increaſe of his great grief; and thereupon fell into great diſtreſſes and trouble of Conſcience, and into pyning and languiſhing ſickneſſe, caught a great fall in his houſe, which put his ſhoulder out, of what, and lying in continuall diſtreſſe and perplexity of ſpirit, complaining ſtill of his taking the Engagement: thus pining and languiſhing away, he ſhortly after died.
5. One Mr. Hall of St. Needs in Huntington-ſhire, having been a moſt eminent profeſſor of Religion, and extraordinarily gifted in Prayer, and godly conference; afterwards complying with the times, taking the Engagement, and turning a great ſtickler with the Army; at laſt, turned a very So… in matters of Religion; and one night going forth of his houſe in an out-room hang'd himſelf, and there was found the next morning.
6. One Mr. Midgeley a School-maſter in Ouldham neer Mancheſter in Lancaſter-ſhire, having been an Engager, and great proſecutor of his eminently godly Miniſter, Mr. Constantine, and having been writing (one night) divers accuſations, and ſuch like papers againſt his ſaid Miniſter, whereunto he was hired by one Mr. Aſhton a Juſtice of Peace of the ſame Pariſh, and by diverſe other eminent enemies of the ſaid Mr. Conſtantine, becauſe he would not take the Engagement; and they having paid the ſaid Mr. Midgeley for his pains; and he going home that night, there having been a great ſnow on the ground, and the weather very bitter cold, he was the next morning found dead in the ſnow, and onelyonly his finger and thumb of his right-hand, eaten or bitten off from his hand.
7. Alſo the aforeſaid Mr. James Aſhton of Chadarton in the ſaid Pariſh of Ouldham, once a deſperate Malignant in the firſt War againſt the Parliament, but afterwards having made his peace, taken the Engagement, and turned a great ſtickler for the preſent times; was made a Juſtice of Peace, and became one of the aforeſaid Mr. Constantine's greateſt enemies, ſequeſtred the ſaid Mr. Conſtantine out of his Living, and for the cauſe aforeſaid, the refuſing the Engagement, impriſoned, and after baniſhed him out of the County; and after this, hearing that Mr. Conſtantine had preached twice or thrice in the Country, he ſummoned him again to appear before him, intending to have puniſhed him ſorely for his preſumption: But in the mean ſeaſon, it pleaſed the Lord to ſtrike this Mr. Aſhton (who before had been a Gentleman naturally very healthfull, and of a ſtrong conſtitution of body) into ſuch a languiſhing ſickneſſe, as made him daily pine away; ſo as no means or phyſick could help him, and (which is moſt remarkable and fearfull) before his death, he became ſo full of Lice, continually, that all the ſhift and attendance that poſſible was uſed, could not cleanſe him from this filthy Vermine; and thus either upon the day before or the day after Mr. Conſtantine's coming to Ouldham, to make his perſonal appearance before him, the ſaid Mr. Aſhton thus miſerably departed this life.
8. One Mr. Bray Miniſter of Michaels in Lancaſhire, having once been a very zealous Presbyterian to ſee too; at laſt, for the gaining of an Augmentation to his Living, took the Engagement, turned a great zealot for the Independent Faction, and immediately after, an Order comming for the pulling down of the late Kings Arms in Churches; he was ſo hot therein, that he would needs (as he did) pull them down himſelf, and ſent the boards, on which the Kings Arms were painted, home to his houſe, intending to have made a doore of them, to one of his rooms of his houſe; but it pleaſed the Lord preſently to ſtrike him with a ſudden and violent ſickneſs, whereof he preſently dyed, and thoſe boards were made his Coffin to bury him in.
9. One Sir Thomas Martin, Knight of Cambridge ſhire, an Engager and a great Complyer with the times, having been a hunting in Holmby-Park, and the Deer being faln, ſtuck and opened, and he deſired (together with the other Gentlemen) to waſh his hands in the Deers blood; No (ſaid he) I had rather waſh my hands in the blood of the young King of Scots. And immediately after this, riding home the ſame Day at Evening, his Horſe very ſuddenly and violently threw him, in which fall, he pitch't on his head, mortally brake his Skull, and ſhoulder, of which wounds he very ſhortly after died.
10. The Conſtable of Shaw in Lancaſhire, four miles from Mancheſter, having taken the Engagement, was preſently after ſo perplexed in Conſcience, that notwithſtanding all the Godly Exhortations, and Comforts adminiſtred unto him by godly neighbour Miniſters, yet the apprehenſion of Gods wrath, for what he had done therein, ſo increaſed upon him, that he fell diſtracted, and ſo continued many weeks together.
11. Alſo one M. Rich. Smith Miniſter of Stoke, Prior in VVorceſterſhire, having taken the Engagement for the procuring of an Augmentation to his Living, returning home from London after he had taken it, fell preſently into ſuch a frighting horrour of Conſcience and Diſtraction of his Senſes, that he had oft endevoured to beat out his own brains; But at laſt recovered his Sences by Gods great mercy repented bitterly of what he had done, and thereupon in peace departed this life in a ſickneeſs which then took him.
12. Dr. Doriſ…aus, the Weſtminſterians Juncto's firſt Embaſſadour, ſent from them into Holland, and therefore no doubt a great Engager, and deſperate Complyer in all things with them, as in the Kings death; being arrived in Holland, was therein immediately and ſuddenly aſſaulted and murthered as he ſate at dinner in his houſe.
13. Alſo Mr. Anthony Aſcham, a Gentleman of excellent parts, being ſent (as the Juncto's the Embaſſador) into Spain, very ſhortly after his arrival there at Madrid, was in his own houſe there ſuddenly and moſt furiouſly ſet upon and aſſaulted, by divers deſperate Engliſh Caviliers, and he and his Interpreter was hen and there murthered.
14. Collonel Rainsborow, a mighty Engager and prime ſtickler for the power at Weſtminſter, a deſperate header of the Levellers, & Admiral of the Navy at Sea, was ſuddenly alſo aſſaultéd by a company of Caviliers at Pomfrait town in Yorkſhire in an Inne, and there murthered by them.
15. Mr. Tho. Hoyle, formerly lookt upon as a very pious and ſtrictly religious Gentleman, an Alderman of York, and Member of the Parliament; but afterward having taken the Engagement even againſt his conſcience, and turned a great complyer with them at Weſtminſter: Not long after, it pleaſed the Lord ſo to leave him to himſelf, that on the very ſame day 12 monethmonth, that King Charles was beheaded, yea as near as poſſible could be judged about the very ſame houre of that day this Gentleman hang'd himſelf in his own houſe at Weſtminſter, and was found ſtark dead by his woeful wife when ſhe came home, having been abroad that morning.
16. Mr. Shereman a Citizen and Silkman in Pater-Noſter-Row in London, who had formerly been lookt on as a godly and religious Gentleman, had been a Tryer and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church Government, a ſingular good friend to Mr. Love; then his Paſtour; but afterward he turning with the times took the Engagement, and that in form of an Oath, whereupon he was made a Common Council man, turn'd a deſperate enemy, and hater of the ſaid M. Love, who ſhortly after being in his ſhop with his wife, as perfectly well as ever ever in his life, yet in the Evening ſtanding at his counter in his ſhop, and his wife cloſe by him, he ſuddenly ſunk down by her ſtark dead, and never ſpake one word after it.
17. Alſo Collonel Ven a Citizen of London, formerly a great Profeſſor of Religion, and a long time Mr. Love's precious dear friend, and a Member of the Houſe of Commons in Parliament; but being turned with the times, was a great Engager and mighty ſtickler for, and with them at Weſtminſter; yea, he proved afterwards a moſt bitter enemy to the Presbyterian Miniſters of London, and upon occaſion uſed thoſe words againſt them, Viz. They at VVeſtminſter ſhould never be at quiet, till they had provided a pair of ſhooes and a ſtaffe for the turbulent Presbyterian Miniſters of London, and baniſht them out of the Kingdom: But it pleaſed the Lord, that on the very next day after that horrible abuſe and baniſhment done to Mr. Jenkin then Miniſter of Chriſt-Church London, in both ſequeſtring him out of his ſaid Living, and baniſhing him out of the City, wherein this Coll. Ven had a hand alſo, and had moſt churliſhly carried himſelf toward Maſter Jenkin in the Committee even that day, whereon this godly Miniſter was ſo cenſured, which was July the 6. 1650. being Thurſday. It pleaſed the Lord, I ſay, that Maſter Ven next Friday following, July 7. and at night, this Coll. going to bed, as perfectly well and in health, as ever in his life, and his wife lying by him, he fell aſleep by her immediately, and ſlept ſoundly without any complaint of the leaſt diſtemper, but the next morning about 6. of the clock his wife awaking, found him ſtarke dead by her in the bed, never having made the leaſt groan, or ſpoken one word to her ſince the day before. And thus God baniſhed him firſt out of the Land of the Living.
18. One Sir Henry Holcroft, why had formerly been a great Profeſſour of Religion, and to ſee too a practiſer of the power of Godlyneſſe, but afterwards drew back and Apoſtatized to the Independent Faction, took the Engagement, and fell into great complyance with them, being a Committee Gentleman, and acting ſtrenuouſly for them. But immediatly after this, it pleaſed the Lord, that he fell into a ſore diſeaſe, and much and often bleeding at his noſe and mouth, and ſo continued all the time of his ſaid ſinful complyance with them, and at laſt fell into ſuch fits of extreme bleedding, and ſtrongly vomiting up even of gobbets of blood at his mouth, and flowing out of blood at his noſe with ſuch unſtintable violence, that he moſt ſadly departed this Life, in one of the extreme fits thereof.
19. In Auguſt 1650. Barron Rigby, a moſt deſperate Enemy to the Presbyterians Church Diſcipline, as being a great Independent together with Baron Yates, the two Judges for the Aſſizes then held at Chalmsford in Eſſex, two grand Engagers (as every one may know) and deep complyers with the VVeſtminſterian power: They both being at Chalimford, and hearing the Aſſize Sermon preach't before them, the Godly Miniſters Text being out of Luke the 16. 2. Give an account of thy Stewardſhip, for thou maiſt be no longer Steward. Immediately after this Sermon, it pleaſed the Lord to ſtrike Judge Rigby with preſent ſickneſs, ſo as that they could not keep the Aſſizes there, but were forced to adjourn it, promiſing and hoping to come again and finiſh it there, and went thence to Croydon in Surry to hold the Aſſizes there; but having begun to ſit, both Judge Rigby his ſickneſs ſo increaſed upon him, and the like ſickneſſe ſuddenly ſo aſſaulted Judge Yates alſo, and with ſuch violent pain and great diſtemper upon them both, and alſo upon the High Sheriffe of Surry then preſent with them, who alſo was ſmitten with the ſame ſickneſſe, at that time that the Aſſizes was enforced to ceaſe there alſo, and they all three were ſpeedily conveyed away thence to London, where they all three died immediatly after, even within a ſeven nights ſpace, or thereabout, of a moſt violent peſtilential Fever; and very many more of their Clerks, Officers, and Attendants on the ſaid Aſſizes died alſo at the ſame time, (as was generally, and moſt credibly informed and reported, and I my ſelf know one Captain Hindely, one of Judge Rigby's chief Clerks or Officers (who died at the ſame time) immediately upon the very ſame time of theſe Judges death. A moſt remarkable and fearful Example of Gods wrath upon Engagers and ſinful Complyers with workers of iniquity. VVoe woe therefore to all Apoſtatizing Temporizers, and perfidious Backſliders, Heb. 10. 38. And as is further moſt evident in thoſe Scriptures, beneath following.
20. I ſhall conclude all with the memorable Example of Gods Divine Juſtice upon Lockyer, an Active Agitator and Leveller in the Army, who had a principal hand in ſeiſing and bringing the King to his death, Cried out, Juſtice, Juſtice, Juſtice, openly againſt him, and ſpit in the Kings face in VVeſtminſter-Hall as he was going to his Tryal, before his condemnation, Conducted him to the Block; and was ſhortly after condemned in a Counſel of War by ſome of the Kings own Judges, and ſhot to death as a Mutinier in PaulsChurch-yard London. Alſo John Lilburn's double Tryal for his life; ſoon after, a grand ſtickler againſt the Houſe of Lords: The proceedings againſt Saxbey, Syndercombe, and other Levellers, who were chief Inſtruments to bring the King to Juſtice; and the Grand Oppoſers of the Houſe of Lords: Alſo the Impriſonments and ſufferings of M. G. Harriſon, Collonel Rich, Collonel Okey, Lord Grey of Grooby, and others of the Kings condemners, who were all Engagers againſt the King and Houſe of Lords.
May it not awaken the ſtupid ſeared Conſciences of all thoſe now living, who had any hand in theſe Tragedies and Engagements againſt King and Parliament, to bring them to ſpeedy and ſincere publick Repentance for them; Leſt they fall into the like Terrors or Judgements, as others that have ſo wilfully ingaged againſt King and Houſe of Lords?
POSTSCRIPT.
Unto this I ſhall onelyonly add two Quaeries.
WHether thoſe perſons that are living, that took upon themſelves the Name, Stile, and Title of the Parliament of England, Scotland and Ireland, (though by their Writs by which they Sate, they were but the fragments of the Parliament of England only) beheaded their Lawful Proteſtant King, baniſhed his Poſterity, overturning our antient Government it ſelf, Conſiſting of King, Lords and Commons, which Conſtitution continued many hundreds of years, and was the beſt and fitteſt for theſe Nations that could be, and brought the Nation into ſuch a Labyrinth and Confuſion, by endevouring to ſet up an Utopian Common-wealth, a mere New-Nothing; VVhether the perſons may not juſtly fear they may fall down Quick into Hell, or fall into the ſame Exemplary Terrors, Judgements, and ſelf Executions with others, if they repent not for their Abominations.
2. VVhether Theſe men that ſet aſide and repealed the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance as unlawful Oaths, which themſelves took, or ought to take before they ſate in the Commons Houſe; and alſo the Proteſtation, Solemne League and Covenant made in Purſuance of them, and Diametrically contrary to theſe Oaths, to ſet up a New Engagement, to which every one muſt Subſcribe to be true and faithful to their New Common-wealth, without King or Houſe of Lords, bringing all Engliſh Freemen into a New Premunire, which thouſands of our Godly Proteſtant Miniſters, Gentry and Freemen refuſed to take; whether theſe men that can ſwallow all kind of Oaths, though directly contrary one to the other; Neither reverence God or Man, are fit perſons to be Truſtees for the Nation in this Time of Eminent Danger, now the Nation groans under ſo many Oppreſsions and Dangers.
Hebrewes 6. 4, 5, 6. It is impoſſible for thoſe who were once enlightned, and have taſted of the Heavenly Gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, and have taſted the good Word of God, and the Powers of the World to come; If they fall away, to renew them again to repentance; ſeeing they crucifie to themſelves the Son of life afreſh, and put him to an open ſhame.
Jude 11. 12. Woe to them, for they have gone in the way of Kain, and periſhed in the gainſaying of Core. They are Trees whoſe fruit is withered, Twice dead and plucked up by the roots.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Vicars, Dagon Demolished (1660)