The copy of a most pithy and pious letter, vvritten by a faithfull subject of this kingdom, to James Usher Archbishop of Armagh, to perswade our king to return with speed in peace to his Parliament. Published by authority. Faithfull subject of this kingdom. 1645 Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2012-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A80509 Wing C6178 Thomason E292_20 ESTC R200149 99860954 99860954 113081

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A80509) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 113081) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 48:E292[20]) The copy of a most pithy and pious letter, vvritten by a faithfull subject of this kingdom, to James Usher Archbishop of Armagh, to perswade our king to return with speed in peace to his Parliament. Published by authority. Faithfull subject of this kingdom. Ussher, James, 1581-1656. [2], 6 p. Printed by Robert White., London, : [1645] Publication date from Wing. Annotation on Thomason copy: "July 10th". Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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 eng Great Britain -- Politics and government, -- 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2011-12 Assigned for keying and markup 2011-12 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2012-01 Sampled and proofread 2012-01 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2012-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

The Copy OF A MOST PITHY AND PIOUS LETTER, VVritten by a faithfull Subject of this Kingdom, to JAMES USHER Arch-Biſhop of ARMAGH, to perſwade our KING to return with ſpeed in Peace to His PARLIAMENT.

Publiſhed by Authority.

July 10th LONDON, Printed by Robert White.

My Lord:

SO oft as I call to mind and conſider what evident demonſtrations you have formerly given to the truly Godly and Religious party in theſe Kingdoms (both by your life and doctrine) that you are one of them: I cannot but admire that you have of late gone out from them,1 Jo. 2.19. and have not continued with them; eſpecially if you ſhould be a meanes (as ſome do feare you are) of keeping our King from them. But truly (my Lord) for mine own part, though I do conclude that you have groſſely failed in this particular act, yet do I ſtill look upon you as a ſecond Mnaſon, Act. 21.16 an old Diſciple: Nevertheleſſe I ſay, Rev. 2.45. I have ſomewhat againſt you, becauſe you have loſt your firſt love. Remember therefore from whence you are fallen, and repent, and do your firſt works.

My Lord, I hope you know, and if you do not, I pray you give me leave to tell you (yea, and I beſeech you alſo to tell our King) that the Members of His two Houſes of Parliament aſſembled at Weſtminſter, together with ſuch as do truly adhere unto them, are for the major part of them regenerate men, ſuch as truly know Chriſt, and believe on his name, men fearing God, and eſchewing evill, Job. 1.1. Mal. 3.17. who ſtand for Gods cauſe, and ſeek to advance his glory, and therefore they are his Jewels, who do for Conſcience ſake love and honour their King in their hearts: witneſſe their humble and hearty Petitions to His Majeſtie for his returne to them in Peace; And their many and fervent Prayers which they have and do put up unto God both in Pulpits, Houſes, and private Cloſets, for his welfare both in ſoule and body, and for his happy returne to them in peace and ſafety: Yea, and witneſſe their expending of their eſtates, and adventuring of their lives, not againſt his Majeſtie, but for him, viz. for the ſubduing of his evill Counſellers, who have ſeduced him, and withdrawn and kept him ſo long from them, that ſo they might reſcue him out of their hands, and bring him home to themſelves in peace and ſafety.

And again (my Lord) I hope you are not ignorant (being as it were amongſt them, though I hope none of them) that thoſe who are about His Majeſty, together with ſuch as ſet themſelves againſt His Parliament, are to the griefe of your heart (for the major part of them) unregenerate men, ſuch as neither truly know Chriſt, nor believe on his name, and the feare of God is not before their eyes. Rom. 3.18. Are you ſuch a ſtranger to His Majeſties Army (as they by ſome are ſtiled) that you do not know that it is almoſt, if not altogether made up of profeſſed Papiſts, ſuperſtitious, ignorant, and profane perſons, as Swearers, Blaſphemers, Liers, Whoremongers, and as it were, all the wicked of the land, who fight for nothing but Popery, Superſtition, Profaneneſſe, Carnall liberty, Worldly commodity, and whatſoever tends to the diſhonour of God. And though I have the fame hopes of ſome of them, that I have of you, viz. that you love and honour His Majeſty for conſcience ſake: Yet I feare me the number of ſuch are very few. And as for the reſt, if the worldly wiſer ſort of them do ſhew any love and honour to their King, it is but to the end He might love and honour them, and ſo indeed it is themſelves they love and honour, and not their King. And if the ſimpler ſort of them do love and honour him, alas it is but meerly out of an inſtinct in nature; and indeed ſuch as theſe do love and honour their King, more than they do their God, and ſo indeed they make a God, or rather an Idol of their King.

My Lord,2 Pet. 2.17 you know the Apoſtle Peter bids; Firſt feare God, and then honour the King. Implying, that the man that doth not truly feare God, cannot ſincerely honor the King. And though they ſay many a time, God ſave your Majeſty, and God bleſſe our King, or reade a prayer for him upon a book, yet theſe are but a forme of words, and no true prayer, For how can they call on him in whom they have not beleeved. Rom. 10.14.

Wherefore (my Lord) I pray you open your eyes and diſcerne between the Righteous and the wicked, Mal. 3.8. between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not, and go out to meete the King,2 Chro. 19.2. and ſay unto him as Iehu the ſon of Hanani the Seer ſaid unto King Iehoſhaphat, Shouldeſt thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? and beſeech His Majeſty rather to ſay with godly King David, Pſal. 139.21.22. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee, and am not I grieved with thoſe that riſe up againſt thee? I hate them with perfect hatred, and count them mine enemies: Pſal. 119.115. wherefore depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the Commandements of my God: A froward heart ſhall depart from me; I will not know a wicked perſon, mine eyes ſhall be upon the faithfull of the land, Pſal. 101.4.6. that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a perfect way ſhall ſerve me, Pſal. 16.2.3. for my goodneſſe extendeth unto the Saints that are in the earth, in whom is all my delight. And put His Majeſty in mind how godly King Ioſiah, in going out to war againſt the minde of God, was ſlaine in the Valley of Megiddo; 2 Chro. 35.21.22. Dan. 4.27. and then ſay unto him, Wherefore O King let my Councell be acceptable unto you, breake off thy ſinnes by Righteouſneſſe, and returne in Peace with ſpeed to your Parliament: And that he may be the more willing ſo to do, I beſeech you aſſure His Majeſty, that it would be very well pleaſing to God, and very comfortable to his two Houſes of Parliament, and very joyfull newes to all his Subjects, except ſuch as have deſerved to feele the hand of Juſtice: And who can deviſe a ſurer and ſpeedier way for the putting an end to theſe miſerable warres, & ſetling a firme and happy peace, & preventing the ſhedding of more innocent blood, then His Majeſties returne would be; nay can any man find out a more ſpeedy and ſurer way to His Majeſties own Honour and ſafety, then this would be, judge in your ſelfe my Lord) whether this will not redound much to the Honour of our King, when it ſhall be ſaid for the preſent, and written for the future, that Charles the firſt King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland &c. being ſeduced by evil Counſell, did for a time make warre againſt his Parliament, but then afterwards pittying the lamentable condition that his good Subjects were thereby brought into, did of his own accord, againſt the minde of the ſame evil Counſell, returne unto His Parliament in Peace, and ſo put an end unto it. And how can the head be more in ſafety, then when the armes and hands of the body are neareſt to defend it: And O what abundance of love would His Majeſty gaine from all his faithfull and true hearted ſubjects by ſuch a returne to his Parliament! And truly (my Lord) if you ſhould be a means of it, we ſhould love you dearly, wherefore alludeing to the words of Mordecai to Heſter, I ſay unto you my Lord, Eſt. 4.8.14. Go in unto the King to make ſupplication unto him, and to make requeſt before him for his people: And who knoweth whether you went to the Kings quartes for ſuch a time as this. And if His Majeſty, through the ſeducement of evil Counſell, object, that the Members of the two Houſes of Parliament, with ſuch as do adhere unto them, are a company, of Sciſmaticall, Factious, Rebellious, Traiterous perſons, ſuch as ſeek to take away his life, ſubvert his Lawes, and alter his Religion. Then my Lord, I hope you know how to make anſwer, if you do not, then I pray you ſuffer an Aquilla to give unto an Apollo, a word of advice; put His Majeſty in minde, that it is neither a new, nor a ſtrange courſe for wicked and ungodly men, to render the deare ſervants of God unto their Kings and Princes, under theſe or the like opprobrious titles: witneſſe the teſtimony of Holy Writ; for did not wicked Rehum the Chancellor, Eſra 4.15. and Shimſhai the Scribe write unto the King in Nehemiahs time, That the people of God were arebellious people, hurtfull to Kings and Provinces, and movers of ſedition. And did not wicked Haman tell the King, that Religious Mordecai, and the reſt of Gods people had Lawes diverſe from all people, and kept not the Kings Laws, Eſt. 3.8. and that therefore it was not for the Kings profit to ſuffer them? Dan. 3.12. & 6.13. And did not the wicked and ungodly men in Daniels time accuſe him, and the other three deare ſervants of God, That they neither regarded the King, nor his Decree? Act. 24.5. Act. 16.20.21. Act. 17.6. And was not Paul, and the reſt of the holy Apoſtles accuſed before the Governours, to be peſtilent fellowes, movers of ſedition, troublers of Cities, teachers of Cuſtomes which are not lawfull, and ſuch as turned the World up-ſide down?

Wherefore (my Lord) I beſeech you give His Majeſty to underſtand, that they are no ſuch men as he is informed they are, Dan. 4.22. foraſmuch as before God innocencie is found in them, and alſo before their King they have done no hurt, they deſire no other King to Rule and Governe theſe Kingdomes, then His Majeſty, nor no other Lawes then are, and what he ſhall confirme: And as for Religion, they neither have nor yet intend to alter the ſubſtance of it at all, for though They have, and ſhall deſire His Majeſty, to put down Epiſcopacy and Service-book, yet (my Lord. I hope you know (if not, I beſeech you give me leave to tell you) that neither Biſhop nor Service-book, are any part of the ſubſtance of the true Proteſtant Religion. Nay let me tell your Lordſhip more, though there be too much diſcord amongſt the truly godly, yet is it but about ſome circumſtantiall points, and I doubt not but God will reconcile them in due time.

Wherefore, beſeech His Majeſty, Act. 5.35.38. to take heed what he intends to do as touching theſe men; nay, let him refrain from theſe men, and let them alone, for their Counſell and their work is of God, and therefore it cannot be overthrown, ſo that although for the tryall of their faith and patience, and the hardning of their enemies, the Lord ſuffer them now and then to be put to the worſt in battell, yet ſhall they at laſt be more then Conquerers through Chriſt that loveth them, Rom 8.37. maugre the malice of all gainſayers and oppoſers.

Thus my Lord you ſee I have preſumed to put you in minde of your duty,Phile. v. 21. having confidence in your obedience, knowing that you will alſo do more then I ſay, the which the Lord work in you, both to will and to do, even of his good pleaſure, Amen.

The Lord of Heaven, in whoſe hands is the heart of all Kings, Pro. 21.1. perſwade our Kings heart to beleeve theſe things, and bring him home in Peace to his Parliament, Amen.

FINIS.