HEre is a command from above by the Supreme power touching himself and his Lievtenant, which Lievtenant of the Lords being his Majestie, whose power comming from above, and be­ing Viceroy to the Supreme, he is to be obeyed in all just commands in obedience to the highest powers, For the powers that be, are ordained of God, and they that shall resist the powers, resisteth th [...] Ordinance of God.

And S. Peter teacheth us in his first Epistle se­cond Chapter, ver. 13. That we should Submit our selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to King as Supreme, or unto Governours as the two Honourable Houses of Parliament, which are called by the King and set up by him for the punishment of evill doers, and for the reward of them that doe well: For so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the igno­rance of foolish men.

Now for he whomsoever he be that shall set himselfe against the Parliament a pleader and great paines taker for the King and Common-wealth, who by them were chosen and with their approba­tion to stand to their judgement what they shall in their wisdomes doe in our behalfe, I say, he that shall set himselfe in the least manner to wrong a member of that Honourable House of Lords or Commons in their lawfull employments by either of the Houses for the honour of God, and his Religion, safetie of his Majesties person, and the good of his country is an absolute traytour.

For he that will first choose his advocate and then betray him, toucheth the apple of Gods owne eye, and it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the depth of the sea.

How mad then are those Cavaliers who are without grace or the feare of the Almightie, which no doubt but are borne in some shires or counties of this Kingdome, and have both Knights of their shires and Burgesses of their Corporations to stand for their good and welfare as well as for the good of [Page 3] the very wives of their owne bosome, and children of their owne bodies, we must not then kill these men, seeing we have chosen them for our substitutes in Parliament, we must not hurt them, God forbid we should; and they that shall go about or attempt, or advise upon such ungodly actions, tending to the wrong of his blessed Majestie or the Parliament, now shall they thinke or looke to escape the ven­geance of Eternall fire, for S. John in his first Epistle, Chap. 3. ver. 15. saith, Whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer, and ye know (saith he) that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him; and in the second Chapter of the same Epistle he saith, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, and if the love of the Father is not in that man that loveth the world, then surely the Father hateth and abhor­reth that man that will set upon his neighbour, bro­ther or countryman, and kill him out of a meere love to the things of this world, and for the things of this world, absolutely the men of these courses love not God nor his Religion, if they say they doe, they are lyars; S. John in his first Epistle, Chap. 4. ver. 20. so saith, For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? Now to run against the 6. Commandement of God Al­mightie wilfully is no small sin, and to kick against so strong a thorne issuing from so great a hand.

And whosoever he be, that shall not grant his Ma­jestie his right, and that which doth truly belong unto Caesar is an absolute enemie to the King and Common-wealth, and a sower of sedition, for our Saviour Christ himselfe saith, Give unto Casar that which is Caesars, and to God that which is Gods, that is [Page 4] that which belongeth to the Lord in his due Wor­ship, and that to him must be given; and that which is the due of the people, they ought to have by the very same rule of our Saviour Christ: for he that would have Caesar have his due, wils also that God in his members should have their right also, the one as well as the other, the Lord is so mercifull that he would have both have their due rights without go­ing together by the eares, and they that doe other­wise are Pharisaicall like, making a question what belongs unto Caesar, and what not, as if people be­ing masters in Israel and knew not these things, which if they did not, then they were not liable to the censure of our Saviour Christ, who telleth all and every one that knoweth the will of his master and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; and what simple Gentleman is there in combustion and in traitorisme, setting his Majestie against the Ordinance of Parliament, but is sensible of a Convi­ction by law and guiltie of high treason against the State, and that most palpably; for he that will chuse his friend in trust for him in Parliament, in hope of his fidelitie to him, as well as for his owne selfe, wife and children, and if any of these men or coun­ties shall rise up against any of his or their Parliament men advocates, or any of his neighbouring counties advocates and Parliament men, and not be content to stand to the judgement of their best endevours, and to helpe them against all their opposites and against unequall and unworthy persons, they are much to be blamed, and traitours to the State, who will not justifie and assist the Houses of Parliament in their Councels and judgements against all oppo­sition, [Page 5] contrary to the Law of the Kingdome.

And Saint Paul for his part he wishes them to be marked that are the cause of the division both in the Church and Common-wealth, and they that trouble the true Protestant Religion, the way to everlasting life; the very same Apostle wisheth, they were even cut off.

And to trample upon the Crown, which God for­bid any one should, it is to touch the Lords anointed, and there is an expresse command against this from the Lord, who saith, Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme: and no honest man will doe this, that is, to wrong his Majesty, for if his Majestie hath not his immunities, how shall we be settled in our proprieties.

It is against reason and civill honesty for Judges to take all the right that is due to them to be sure, and not to allow their Neighbours their just rights and priviledges. Or is it equitie for a Taylour to looke on one side of him, where his hell is under his shopboard to throw his piece of silver-cloth, he hath over and above his Masters worke, and not looke on the other side of him to thinke it is his Customers, he must not take it, which to doe is blind­nesse without seeing honesty.

Now for as much as his Majesty and the Parlia­ment hath tyed themselves each to other in an A­braham-like Covenant, not to passe the limits of their own bounds, in which they have set and tyed voluntarily their own selves, and hath erected to all the world in print a Protestation to that purpose and both parties interchangeably by solemn vowes and promises in the presence of Almighty God hath [Page 6] vowed to stand fast and to stick in honour each to other, till life shall depart; and that they will hold the one to the other for better for worse, for richer for poorer, goods and all laid down in the Covenant of their promise one for the other, for the mainte­nance of the true Protestant Religion, and both their Honours, safetie, and Priviledges each of other: And if these two new betrothed turtle Doves by so solemn a vow made between themselves, shall peck one at another, as they begin too much to doe, (God of his mercy help them) and be impatient one with another, and not keep their bills out of anothers eyes, they will too much wrong themselves, like man and wife who quickly and too often forget themselves in their matrimoniall Contract, and by their long jangling at last part, and lay the key under doores and run away. So if the King and Parliament shall forget their so serious Protestation, vow and profession one truly taken for and in the behalf of the other, in declaration of the tendernesse of honour and true affection each to other, and now not bearing one with another in love, nor submit in this pleasant knot of agreement in mind each with the other like Abraham and Lot, this were deplorable, (saith the Divine) and wonderfull. Here the Vncle for quiet­nesse sake submits his honour in his hoary hairy head to his greene headed Nephew with a motion that there may be no falling out because (said he) we are Brethren.

So his Majestie and his Honourable Houses of Par­liament what an easie matter were it for these two Turtle Doves, sympathizing in affection, say but so much as Abraham and Lot did one to the other, and [Page 7] why, because by faith surely Brethren in Christ; all then would be ended if but this spirit of humilitie were in them both. There was a very low submit­ting spirit betweene the Scots and us, and shall not there be the like between his Majesty and his neerest people; will his Majesty be worse to his owne and best loving people than the Scots. And if we shall fall out upon earth will not the Father in Heaven be angry, who hath sent his Gospel of peace amongst us teaching of us that if possible, we should have peace with all men, will it not then displease the Lord that we have learned no more Religion, nor be no more endued with faith and patience, but goe toge­ther to shed the bloud one of another, to the shame of our Nation, and hissing to other Kingdomes, let it not be told in Gath, nor published in Ashkelon. These beginnings of warre on neither side are fruits of the Spirit, it may be thought, for the fruits of the Spi­rit are love, patience, meeknesse, forgiving one another, forbearing one with another. And let it be remem­bred what Abner said to Joab, shall the sword devoure for ever, how long will it be ere thou call back the people from following of their Brethren, knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the end? so it is wished by the people of the Lord, that bloud touch not bloud. And Sir Benjamen Ruddyards speech is excellent to this purpose and worthy of note, the Parliament un­doubtedly will not doe amisse to hearken to those grave lines and worthy speech of his.

H [...]s first Speech was for Religion, and the setling of the Church of God, in the very first place of all but it is not I thinke a man may be bold to say, fol­lowed.

Now his second Speech is against shedding of bloud, the defiling of the Land. To have a whole Land desiled with blood, a most wonderfull and de­plorable thing; and Christians bloud is of a deepe dye, were it amisse then if green heads would take gravitie along with them in all their actions, who most resemble the Image of their maker, and hoary hairs is a crown of glory being found in the way of righteousnesse; and to heare a grave old religious and wise Gentleman speak and giving advice and in­struction, it is as it were, if seriously considered, God Almighty himself in a Crown of glory giving good counsell to the younger. Was it not the Lord him­selfe spake with the people of Israel in the mouth of Moses; and was it not the Lord in Joseph spake un­to his Brethren concerning his bones, and was it not the Lord in Solomon which spake unto the people concerning the building of a house to his name; and certainly it is the Lord that speaks from the mouth of wise and grave righteous men to the yonger sort to learne wisedome.

And if a Crowne of glory shall not be heard speak who can one better hear; Green heads desire to be heard, some for their owne ends, and some for their owne applause in the world, but an auncient grave man speaking, questionlesse looks not either for fa­vour, or affection in the right hand or on the left but strait forward because he is going forward to God Almighty to receive his pay for the pains of his labour whose works shall follow him.

And so much for the hearing of gravitie: Now for that we have taken a Protestation, every one ought seriously to consider the burden of a vow is [Page 9] upon us, and that vow too, in which is included that we should endeavour and study the peace of the three Kingdomes, and yet notwithstanding now so solemne Protestation in the sight of God and man, touching amitie and peace in this our Kingdome, yet there is a thousand times more rumours of wars now then before our Protestation. What were we like Peter, strong in the faith when we made this Protestation, and now when we should stick close to it, be weak like Peter not remembring we have made a Covenant with the Lord, not onely to hate Idola­try and to decline from it as much as in us lyeth, but also includes the undertakers thereof every one that he should study and labour for peace so much as in every one of us lyeth, and seriously consider of our Protestation, and be ever and alwayes, now and then looking upon it, and look up unto our Saviour Christ as he lookt back upon Peter, and pray to him that we may keep our resolution.

And it is very good for the Cavaliers about the King seriously to consider of it and so to doe, or o­therwise any that shall attempt his Majesty to take up armes against his Parliament, and aske them­selves if they have not taken the Protestation, if not, it were good they did, and not divide themselves a­gainst the body of the Kingdome by flattering of his Majesty to goe against his Parliament; and they that have taken it, let them consider a vow is upon them.

Apparantly the Marquesse of Harford and Lord Paulet hath broken down the ridges of their so seri­ous Protestation, in breaking of his Majesties peace in falling upon the Yeomanrie in Somerset-shire. Now what more displeasing to God Almighty than [Page 10] breach of Covenants and of peace one to the other, when they shall take the Lord to be a witnesse a­gainst them of their untruths one to the other; then what a case are those Gentlemen in, (let them call themselves to remembrance, that are with the King and the Marquesse o [...] Harford and the Lord Paulet, who have broken the Covenant of peace before God and the people; and them that doe intend the least thought of dishonour to the Kings Parliament, have they not seriously taken the Protestation, in which is included the peace of the Kingdome, ho­nour of Religion, King and Parliament, and the vow and protestation taken for the honour of the one, is the same vow and protestation for the honour of the other; and they that shall vow, and yet in shew hold for the honour of the head, and not the body, disho­nours the head by flatterie, by endeavouring to set it off from the body by seditious and evil counsell, and they that goe about any such thing, doe greatly dis­honour their Countrey and Kingdome, whose own houses by sinne is laid wast, so they would have o­thers also; For the Head hath called the body poli­tique of the Kingdome together, desiring the same to be joyn [...] to its head for its help, comfort and lif­ting of it up in his straits, who was ready to fall, and weary with holding up, looking upon the Scots, like Moses hands against the Amalekites, that Aaron and Hur was faine to take the pains for him to hold them up; and now the Aarons and the Hurs of our King­dome being called upon the Mount, I mean to the Parliament, to consolate and lift up the head of our Soveraigne, and so long as our Aarons and Hurs are upon the Mount, and our Head and Soveraign lyeth [Page 11] his head upon their shoulders they by the blessing of God will bear him out of the bitter waters of Ma­rah, and sweet shall be his rest. I will flatly forbid the bloud-thirsty Cavaliers say so much, upon whom if his Majesty repose, is to be feared it will be but a pillow of briars and thorns bespattred with bloud. Now if there be any that shall be so ungodly that hath taken this Protestation for the honour of King and Parliament, and yet shall performe but halfe his vow, and half his worship and honour, but to one in­stead of both, who have indeed inseparably united themselves by their solemn vow and Protestation which no way they can reverse, and seek to take a­way his Majesties favour and affection from his Aa­rons and Hurs, and from reposing upon his own Par­liament, perswading of his Majesty to hearken to the dammee blades of the time, the way of undoing his Kingdome, they may goe and take Ananias and Sa­phira by the hand, and it is thought some have tasted of the same suddain death they did; And my Lord Marquesse, it is conceived, hath very hardly leapt this pit-fall, and if Paulet scape and many more, they have great cause to magnifie the mercy and patience of God towards such wretches.

And for Kings, Solomon he saith, It is an abomi­nation for them not to hold and keepe Covenant, vowes and Protestations. And hath not Spaine made her selfe more hatefull to the Kingdome of England and other Nations, nay to the very Heathen by the breach of her truce and Covenants, then ever other­wise she would have done, this verifies the truth of the word of the Lord, which saith, It is odious for Kings to lye. And in the 5. of Eccles. it is said, It is [Page 12] better for a man not to vow, than to vow and not to pay, for God taketh not pleasure in such kinde of weake Protestations, nor people who are rashly taken up with the mouth, and no more think upon them with hearts, but bids us pay that which we have vowed; And I pray God we may all so doe, and that the Lord may delight in us to doe us good.

And this by the way, he is the true hearted man that is for the King and Parliament, and all other are meerly insinuating and wicked flatterers, aiming at a little deceitfull favour to accomplish their owne ends, which at the best is bad enough, as my Lord of Straffords was, who with all his deep councell holding so much against the Common-wealth, and endevoring to bring in an Arbitrary government, contrary to the liberty of the Subject, went to the grave without his head, a wise man would think it a very faire example to keep out of Princes books, and be not so vile as to advise Kings against their Subjects, from whom they have under God their daily bread both King and ill flatterers too, there­fore the Common-wealth ought to be loved not hunted nor laid in ambush for: And if the Kings blessed Majestie and his honourable Houses of Par­liament did but seriously consider of their new Ma­trimoniall knot and Covenant in which they have so solemnly tyed themselves by their owne free vowes and joynt consents each to other, and what faithfull Protests and Promises they have made one to the other and for the other, which I beseech God of heaven they may doe, and lay the Protestation both of them to their hearts, and but weigh their actions one as well as the other, and their words to­gether, [Page 13] it will surely cause no more falling out, but a neerer uniting of Prince and people together in love, when they shall looke and fresh call to re­membrance what new Covenants the Head and the members have made for the honour and safetie one of another, all which may be easily done in laying of the Protestation in print before them, then fall out they cannot, nay with leave they dare not.

A Protestation is taken, and vowes are made on both sides, but are they not cast behinde the backe, and out of sight out of minde. I remember the Mi­nister said when the people were a taking the Pro­testation, that they should each of them buy one of them, and sticke them up in some places of their houses, which I conceive from him was after the manner as God commanded the Israelites to doe with his Lawes, to the end that they might be ever now and then a looking upon them; that so they might better remember and think upon them in the field, and in the house, what a solemne vow, promise and Protestation they have taken in the presence of Almightie God that thereby they might be the bet­ter put in minde to keepe them: and when this shall be seriously pondered and considered of, with Cain, though he longs to have his fingers knockle deep in his brothers blood, as some have had too too much alreadie, could be able to separate Ruth from Boaz, Shem from Japhet, the King from his faithfull Ones the Parliament; the Royall Head from so amiable a bodie, ecce signum, their paines and money with the hazard of their dearest blood, and sequestring of themselves from their deare wives and sweet Chil­dren, to attaine and win, and bring home their belo­ved [Page 14] King who is led away by the wild boares of the Forrest, to the mountaines of Lebanon, Shinar and Hermon, where they keep him in the Lions den and among the mountaines of the Leopards.

Notwithstanding the bodie Politick hath wooed along time the Head to come in and to be joyned to the same, that it may not be miscarryed, nor lose out of it that rich glistering Diamond which yet praised be God stickes fast to it, even Ireland.

I remember very well what a Scottish Minister said in Delph long since, and I cannot hold it in, That when a King or people refuse to heare Councell and advice, and refuse the harkning one to the other to be advised one by the other, it was he said a signe God had appointed some destruction there, I be­seech God it be not so now here among us, for the King will neither heare nor be advised by his Coun­cell, nor his Councell will not heare nor hearken to the severall Declarations of the King, but be at so great distance one from off the other, as if they were afraid one of another, and no body praised be God is about to hurt them, if they would be but quiet be­tween themselves, and it is deplorable to think how that the King and Parliament hath vowed and sworn each to other in love, and yet should so quickly in one twelve moneths forget, as they seem to do, their solemne tye one to another, and in stead of being true and faithfull friends each to other, begin to wrangle between themselves neere daggers drawing and about that too which should be for both their safeties against our enemies, even the Militia, God of heaven helpe us, is the cause of our combustion, and God forbid that that which the Lord hath ap­pointed [Page 15] us for our preservation should be for our destruction.

Now the way to prevent the mischiefe is that all the Counties of England joyne as one man, not crossing nor wrangling one with another, but as you did all Petition for the Militia to the Parliament for the setting of your Counties in a posture of safety for the defence of his Majestie in these troublesome times, and the Kingdome, so you would beseech his Majesties favour not to be against nor goe about to crosse his Parliaments proceeding, who studies night and day for his good; and call in his Commission of Array which makes the disturbance, and his mad Cavaliers which breake his Majesties peace, and will begger his Majestie, if he be not carefull of him­selfe; as his Majestie, I hope, will begger the Papists who lend him money to undoe himselfe, and if they could would have him fight against the Protestants, his loving Subjects, which into my heart it cannot enter, that so pious and so gracious a King will do un­gracious actions too, nay he cannot doe it belonging to God, for the Child of God cannot sin, and Paul in the Romanes saith, he shall not, for he there saith, Sin shall not have dominion over him, where now is then the simple Papists vaine hopes.

These things most humbly are studied not that the chiefe Cedar of this our Lebanon our gracious King, and the other attendant lower Cedar knowes not what is made in Promises, Vowes and Protesta­tions each to the other, and is past betweene them­selves, but this is humbly, as Saint Peter in another case speakes, to put high and low, rich and poore in [Page 16] remembrance knowing we must shortly all leave this tabernacle as the Lord Jesus Christ hath shew­ed himselfe.

Let us therefore in the feare of the Lord cast away strife, anger, envie, debate, hatred, bickering, with jeering one at another, and beare one ano­thers burden in love, and so fulfill the Law of Christ, and be joyfull Head and members all one in another, and rejoyce together, and I say rejoyce.

The truly well affected to the honour and happi­nesse both of his sacred Majestie the King, and both Honourable Houses of Parliament, humbly so prayeth