A TRUE CHRISTIAN SVBIECT Vnder an Heathen PRJNCE:
OR TERTVLLIANS Plea for Allegiance, argued in time of t [...]e sixth Persecution, under the Emperour SEVERVS. Ann. Dom. 204.
With a Briefe Application, to the Citizens of LONDON,
Written by a MEMBER of the HOUSE of COMMONS.
⟨Feb: 21 1642⟩OXFORD, Printed by Henry Hall An. Dom. 1643.
A TRVE CHRISTIAN Subiect under a Heathen Prince; or TERTVLLIANS plea for Allegiance, argued in time of the sixth Persecution under the Emperour SEVERVS. Ann. Dom. 204.
PRecantes sumus semper pro omnibus Imperatoribus,Apol. ca. 30. vitam illis prolixam, Imperium securum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes, Senatum fidelem, populum probum, orbem quietum, quaecunque hominis & Caesaris vota sunt. Cap. 33. Imperatorem Dominus noster elegit: ut merito dixerim, noster est magis Caesar, ut á Deo nostro constitutus, itaque ut meo plus illi operor in salutem. Cap. 36. Iidem sumus Imperatoribus, qui & vicinis nostris; malè enim velle, malé facere, malé dicere, malè cogitare de quoquam ex aequo vetamur. [Page 2]Quodcunque non licet in Imperatorem, id nec in quenquam: quod in neminem, eo forsitan magis nec in ipsum qui per Deum tantus est. Hesterni sumus, & vestra omnia implevimus, Vebes, Insulas, Castella, Municipia, Conciliabula, Castra ipsa, Tribus, Decurias, paelatium, Senatum, Forum, sola vobis relinquimus Templa. Cui bello non idonei, non promptifuissemus, etiam impares copijs, quitam libenter trucidamur? Si non apud istam disciplinam magis occidi liceret, quàm occidere. Potui mus & inermes, nec Rebelles, sed tantummodo discordes solius divertii invidia adversus vos dimicasse. Si enim tanta vis hominum in aliquem orhis remoti sinum abrupissemus a vobis, suffudisset utique Dominationem vestram tot qualiumcun. que amissio civium, imò [Page 3]etiam & destitutione punisset. Procul dubio expav [...]ssetis ad solitudinem vestram, ad silen [...]ium rerum, & stuporem quemdā quasi mortuae urbis quaesissetis quibus in ea imperassetis. Plures hostes quám cives remansissent. Nunc enim pauciores hospes habet is prae multitudine Christianorum penè omnium civium, penè omnes cives Christianos habendo.
VVE alwayes pray for all Emperors that they may enjoy a long Life, secure Empire, safe mansion, strong Armies, faithfull Counsell, good Subjects, quiet times, and whatsoever may be his wish as a man, and as a Caesar: it is our Lord who hath chosen the Emperour: and I may justly say, Caesar is more ours then yours, as being constituted by our God: and therefore I doe more labour for his safety, he being my King. We are the same to the Emperours, as we are to our own neighbours, for wee are equally forbidden to wish ill, do ill, speak ill, think ill of any mā. [Page 2]Whatsoever is not lawfull against the Emperour, is unlawfull toward any other: what may be done unto no man, so much the rather may not be done unto him, who through God is so great a man, We are but of yesterday, yet have wee filled all places among you, Cities, Islands, Cittadels, Boroughs, Assemblies, your very Campe, your Tribes of the common people, Decuries of the Iudges, the Palace, the Senate, the Iudicatories, we onely leave to you your Temples. For what Warr are not wee fit and ready, though wee were fewer in number, who so willingly are put to death? But that wee are taught that it is more lawfull to be slaine, then to kill. Wee (even without Armes, and without Rebelling) if wee differed from you in the ill will of a Division only, could fight enough against you. For if we (so great aforce) should breake from you into any remote corner of the world, so great a losse of Citizens (such as wee are, whatsoever [Page 3]you thinke of us) would undermine your Empire: I, and punish you enough even with a meere desertion. Without all doubt, you would have started at your owne solitude, at the dumbnesse of things, and in a certaine amazement as of a dead City, you would have enquired for people over whom to reigne. You would have found more enemies, than Citizens. For, even now you have the fewer enemies, by reason of the multitude of Christian Citizens, having almost all Citizens Christian among you.
Application to the Citizens of famous LONDON.
Thus Tertullian, from the very Principles of our Christian Religion, doth plead the harmelesse jnnocency, the willing obedience, and due subjection of primitive Christians, even to irreligious heathen, & to persecuting Kinges. Is Religion Changed? or have our Princes lesse duty owing unto them then the Heathen had? Is Buchanan wise, & Tertullian a foole; Is Machiavell true, and Tertullian false? Are Iunius Brutus, Burrowes, Parker, Pryn,—good subjects. and was Tertullian a Traytor? will you [Page 4]value seditious Pamphlets, and despise the ancient when they speake Orthodoxe? Are we lesse bound to the sacred Text then our Fathers were? Is our Charter of Liberties more then God gave to his first Saintes? Have we leave to be lesse Christian, then they were? Is Charles a Persecuter, or was Severus a Pious Prince? It is a shame to plead so plaine a cause, Noe salve can cure a willfull distrust, Three thinges there are, which once (deepely) infected, are never fully cured: Heresy, Lunacy, and Iealousy, But God confound their Purposes, who not being doubtfull in themselves, do yet create and nurse up the Iealousies of others, wherewith to work their owne darke ends. Miserable are the people who Resolue to see onely with their eares. Demonstration will not convince them. Their eare is tickled that here is an Army of Papists, when yet we goe to the Protestant Church, and there performe all the opposites to papall superstition. Awake, and see how your soules are sotted, by giveing them up to these delusions. Ease your selves and us by owning the goodnesse of our King, who gladly would owne your love in adue subjection. Spare your selves, your wives, your for unes, and your children. All are now ready to be exposed for that which may be given you without a stroake; Nay which is offered to you, and is onely hindered by the wicked mis interpretation of a few false men about you. Do not say you desire peace, but give it to us and to your selves by leaving impeached Traytors to stand or fall alone. What is Pym what are Hollis, Hampden, Haselrig, and Strode, what Kimbol [...]on, and a few men more that they may not undergoe the tryall of our Lawes? Aske any one of them alone, and if hee have not innocency enough to offer himselfe [Page 5]to the tryall, yet he will have shame enough to say, hee is not affraid to be tryed: Hee hath not brasse enough to say, I will not be tryed by the Law of the Land. whether these men (and others) be guilty or innocent, will you for ever undoe this Kingdome, rather then let us know whether they be innocent or no? what have they deserved that you and thousands more must feele the sword, for t [...]m that were the cause to un-sheath it? who ever did [...]e [...]d downe all that is deare unto us so, as they have [...] w [...]o ever laboured to raise us up into our just li [...], as the King hath done? The King doth plead [...] [...]ves for us, and they pay him againe with Votes. [...] King doth owne our true Religion, whilst a faction [...]ng you, doth cherish and multiply Schismes with good allowance. His Majesty doth argue the Subiects Liberty, whilst wee are by fellow Subjects rifled and imprisoned. Hee thought to have enjoyed his owne Property in Hull, and was denyed; but Prophecied then that these men next would invade your property also, as now is done. Looke to the twentieth part, which is but a setting dogge to shew where the covey of nineteen are, what hopes have you of prevailing in this warre so full of doubts, changes, necessities, feares, distrusts; and so many among you (even of your Leaders) truer to the King, then you wish or are aware of? I speake the freedome of a friend, Do not put us to winne the King his right againe with our swords: perhaps the concequences may reach farther then we wish, or you yet do feare. And what would you do, if you should once prevaile? how often must you fight again and and again: how many victories upon victories must you get, and yet fall short [Page]againe? for our Gratious King, and our deare black Princ [...] shall still revive with new strength to subdue you. God cannot leave the King in this the pr [...]se [...]t warre (on his side) that ever Christian drew a sword in. Give up those few traytor citizens among you. Lay down your armes, and give the land no farther cause to wish our best City a heape of stones.