The first, concerning Religion.

IT was well observed by my Lord Keeper, that a multiplying Glasse may deceive; but the right English Glasse of the Com­mon-wealth, never. In which I discerne, so comely and active a Motion, that out of all que­stion, some great work is here to be done, some thing extraordinary is here to bee decreed; or else God and the King beyond all our expectations, at the last breath, would never so soone have cemented us againe, to meet in this great Councell.

Mr. Speaker, What an happy sight will it be to see the King and his people accord? A threefold cord is not easily broken; and I hope King Charles his [Page 2] threefold Kingdomes shall never bee so divided, as to break in peeces.

Mr. Speaker, God knowes, the divisions of Great Britaine, have halfe untwisted our long union; and I feare that God is angry with our Nationall luke­warme temper: The zeale of his house hath not kind­led that flame in our hearts; which our seeming good actions, have blown abroad; much like the walking of a Ghost, or livelesse body which affrights many, but pleaseth no beholder. Omnia honesta opera, volun­tas inchoat; It is the heart or will which gives the be­ginning to every good action; and I hope our constant resolutions will be to settell religion in his splendor and purity, by pulling Dagon from the Altar; and whipping the Buyers and sellers out of the Temple; Pars prima bonitatis est velle fieri bonum. The first part of goodnesse is to have the will of being good.

God knowes all our hearts, and takes notice of our inward resolutions, and for what ends wee come hither, if to propagate and advance his glory and Gospel, blessed shall this Parliament and Nation be, and then most happy we, whose God is the Lord, all things shall work together for our good. For Mr. Speaker, he that turns the hearts of Kings like the rivers of waters, will make the King and his King­domes all of one minde: Long live King Charles the Great, and his numerous Royall Issue, to defend the true Faith, which will protect and keep him and his, safe in his fathers Throne. Never King gave more full content to his people, than his Ma [...]esty now hath done, and I hope never subjects came with better hearts and affections to their King and Countrey [Page 3] then we do: let it then appear Mr. Speaker, by our out­ward actions and practise, that our inward obedience both of heart and hand, is true, loyall, and currant coyne, not false nor counterfeit; for, Nemo veraciter dicit, velo, qui non facit illud quod potest; no man truly sayes, I am in will and heart resolved, unlessen ac­cording to his ability, he endeavour to performe his resolution, which, to speak the hearts of us all in this renowned Senate, I am confident, is fully fixed upon the true reformation of all disorders and innovations in Church or Religion, and upon the well uniting, and close rejoynting of the now dis-located great Bri­taine: For let me tell you Mr. Speaker, that, God be thanked, it is but out of joynt, and may be yet well set, by the skilfull Chyrurgions of this Honourable House, to whose loving and Christian care, and to whose tender and upright hands I leave it, only with this Aviso, let brotherly love continue, and be con­stant and of good courage; for the keeper of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps, who delivered us from Romes November powder-blast, will no doubt still preserve his Annoynted our gracious King, and us his loyall Subjects from all dangers of fire, or sword; For, Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos?

The second, upon the same subject.

BY the report made from the Committee of Religion, you may see to what an exorbitant height Popery is grown; and yet how slowly wee goe on to suppresse it; I feare God is displea­sed with us, or else no disaster should have preven­ted the sealing of our Covenant, when intended: And I hope it shall be performed the next Sab­both. Had our Fast been accepted, and our outward humiliation cordiall, no blow should have distracted our preparations. Mr. Speaker, If we had taken the good Counsell of our Teachers at the Fast, and be­leeved their report wee had done well, and by this time no doubt wee might have found out Achan, with his Wedge of Gold, and Babylonish Gar­ments: but we have spent our time only in pilling off the Barke, and snatching the boughes and the bran­ches of Popery, and that will doe no good, for they will grow thicker and harder; what must wee doe then, Mr. Speaker, to preserve our Religion safe and sound, to us and our posterity, that our golden Candel-stick be not removed? Why, the only way is to fall to our work in earnest, and lay the Axe to the root, to unloose the long and deep Fangs of Superstition and Popery: which being once done; the Barke will soone fall downe. Let us then Mr. Speaker, endeavour a thorough Reformation, for [Page 5] if it be imperfect, it will prove the seed of dissoluti­on, if not desolation; (which God forbid) And to prevent that, I shall humbly move that the groves and high places of Idolaty, may bee removed, and pulled down, and then Gods wrath against England will be appeased; untill then, never.

The third, upon dismounting the Cannons, Decemb. 15. 1640.

A Man may easily see to what tend all these In­novations and alterations in Doctrin, and Dis­cipline; and (without a perspective) discover a farre off the active toylesomnesse of these Spiritu­all Engineeres, to undermine the old and true foun­dations of Religion, and to establish their tottering Hierarchy in roome thereof; which least it should not hold, being built with untempered morter, you see how carefull they are by a vast Oath to force mens con­sciences, not to alter their government Archiepisco­pall &c.

Mr. Speaker, the thoughts of the righteous are right, but the Councells of the wicked are deceit, and nothing else is in their hearts but destruction and devastation; but to the Councellors of peace is joy; So long as they kept themselves within the circle of spirituall commerce; and studied to keep mens hearts upright to God and his truth; there was no [Page 6] such complaining in our streets of them, nor had we ever seen so many thousand hands against them, as now there are come in; and no marvell though God withdraw so many hearts and hands from them, who have turned so many out of the way of truth: via Tuta, they have stopt up; but via Devia, they have en­larged and laid open, as appeares by their crooked Cannons:

Mr. Speaker, I shall not goe about to over-throw their government in the plurall, but to limit and qualifie it in some particulars; for as Sir Francis Bacon long since well observed, there were two things in the government of Bishops; of which he could never be satisfied: no more am I. The first was the sale exercises of their Authority: And secondly, the deputation of that authority. But Mr. Speaker, I shall not now dispute of either; for my owne part I love some of them so well, and am so charitable to the rest, that I wish rather their reformation, than their ruine; but let me tell you withall, that if wee shall find among them any proud Becket, or Wolsey Prelates, who stick not to write, Ego & Rex meus: or if there shall be found any cruell Bonners &c. such, I pro­fesse, I would not spare; for they will spare none: But if in the counter-ballance there may be found but one good Cranmer, or one good Latimer, or Ridley, I would esteeme and prise them (as rich jewels) fit to be set in the Kings owne Cabinet; for such I am sure will pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for the peace of King Charles, and his three Kingdomes; which God long preserve in concord and unity. But Mr. Speaker, wee must also bee actors in the pre­servation [Page 7] of religious concordance, which will ne­ver bee safe, nor well at quiet, untill these heavie drossy Cannons with all their base mettle, be melted, and dissolved: let us then dismount them, and de­stroy them, which is my humble motion.

The fourth, upon the Scotch Treaty.

THere is no malady more destructive to the naturall, or politick body, than the mal Ca­duque, or falling sicknesse, nor is there any Physitian or compound more to be esteemed than that which can cure it in either. Mr. Speaker, this un­known remedy, if wee be wise to apply it, and take the receipt withall the ingredients, without any scruple of distast; I am confident the recovery will be perfect, and the whole body of Great Britaine safe and sound. Mr. Speaker, the happy union of Scotland and England, hath thus long ever since flourished in interchangeable blessings of plenty, and mutuall love and friendship. But of late by what fatall disasters, and dark underminings wee are divided, and seve­red into Scotish and English Armies; let their well composed preambles speak for me, which I wish were printed as an excellent embleme of bro­therly love, that discovers who hath wounded us both, and how each should strive to help the other in distresse, seeing their and our Religion and Lawes [Page 8] lie both at stake together. Think of it what you will, (Noble Senate) their subsistance is ours, we live or die, rise or fall together. Let us then finde out the Boutefaux of this Prelaticall warre, and make them to pay the shot for their labour, who no doubt, long for nothing more than that wee should break with them, who worship but one God, and serve but one Master with us: Nor need we feare that they intend to dispossesse the English of their inheritance or freehold, being ready to withdraw their forces upon reasonable termes, referring their demands of re­paration for losses, to the justice and courtesie of this house, which I assure my selfe will give both a bountifull, cheerefull, and speedy supply in this case of necessity; for, Bis dat, qui Cito dat, is the best motto, or motion at this time.

The fifth, upon the impeachment of the Lord Strafford, and Canterbury, &c.

I Take it we have now sate in this great Councell fifteen or sixteen weeks, a longer time than any Parliament hath done these many yeeres; God hath given us a faire and blessed opportunity, if wee lay hold of it; and call to minde the best Motto for a Parliament, which is, Non quàm diu, sed quàm benè.

[Page 9] Mr. Speaker, Wee have had thus long under our Feathers many Estriges Egges, which as some ob­serve are longest in hatching, but once hatched, can digest Iron; and wee have many Irons in the fire, and have hammered some upon the anvill of justice into nayles; but wee have not struck one stroak with the right hammer, nor riveted one nayle to the head.

Mr. Speaker, God forbid we should be cruell or vindicative to any; but let us take heed wee be not so to our selves, and them that sent us; if wee doe not mend our pace, and so runne as wee may ob­taine.

Mr. Speaker, I hope wee shall make good the work wee have undertaken, and winne that prize and goale wee ayme at; else if we faile in this our pur­suit of justice, it is time to look about us: for then I feare that wee our selves shall hardly scape scot-free. It will not be our six Subsidies, that will help us, unlesse we be good husbands, and cut of all su­perfluous charges, disband all needlesse Armyes, and dis-arme all Papists, and banish all Priests, and Ju­suits; and then we shall thrive and prosper.

Provided alwayes that we deny our selves, and trust not too much in the arme of flesh, but bee carefull to preserve brotherly love and concord, least discord and faction break, devide, and ruine us: but I hope God will make us all of one minde and one publick spirit, that as wee are descended from that ancient and noble English quiver, we may prove our selves a right sheafe of English Arrowes well united, well feathered, and sharply piled for publick use, stoutly [Page 10] to defend and preserve the publick good and safety of this famous Iland of Great Britaine, and that is my humble prayer and motion.

The sixth, upon the Straffordian Knot.

IN this great and waighty cause, we ought seri­ously to consider, First,

What we our selves have done already in the accusation and impeachment of this great Earle, of high Treason.

Secondly, let us remember what we now are, not only Parliament men, but publick men, and English men.

As Parliament men, let us follow the steps of our Ancestours, and bee constant to that rule of Law which was their guide, and should be ours.

As publick men, forget not whom we here repre­sent, and by how many chosen and trusted.

As English men let us call to minde the undanted spirits, and stout hearts of those antient Heroës, from whom we are descended, how free they were from Pusillanimity, and how they scorned all Flattery, and Slavery; let us then now or never, Mr. Speaker, shew the same blood runs in our veines.

Thirdly, let us be well advised what to doe, if in case we shall be denied justice in this particular, upon which depends not only the happinesse, but the [Page 11] safety of this Parliament, of this Kingdome, of our selves, and of our Posterities: and this is my Aviso.

The seventh, upon the same subject.

TRuth is the daughter of time, and experience the best Schoolemaster, who hath long since taught many men and estates the sad and woefull effects of an halfe-done work; those con­vulsions and renting paines, which the body of great Britaine now feels, shews us that the ill humours and obstructions are not yet fully purged, nor dis­solved.

Mr. Speaker, God will have a through work done; if in stead of redressing evils, we think to transact all, by removing of persons, and not things, well may we hust our troubles for a season, but they will re­turne with a greater violence.

For beleeve it, Mr. Speaker (let us flatter our selves as we please) a dim-sighted eye may see, that although we think we have now passed the equinocti­all of the Straffordian line, and seeme to have gone beyond Canterbury; yet their faction and undermin­ing Agents (of all Religions) grow daily more and more powerfull; and no doubt doe labour an extir­pation of all Parliaments, and men that will not think, say, and sweare to their opinions and practice.

[Page 12] Have we not then, Mr. Speaker, a wolfe by the eares? is there any way to goe scot-free, or wolfe-free, but one? then let us take, and nor forsake, that old English Parliamentary Road, which is Via tuta, and will bring us safely to our journeys end: that is my humble motion.

The eighth, a seasonable motion for a loyall Covenant.

IF ever wee intend to perfect and finish the great works we have begun, and come to our journeys end, let us take and follow the right way, which is Via tuta; and that is in a word to become holy Pilgrims, not Popish, and to endeavour to be loyall Covenanters with God and the King; first binding our selves by a Parliamentary and Nationall Oath, (not a Straffordian, nor a Prelaticall one) to pre­serve our Religion entire and pure, without the least compound of Superstition, or Idolatry: next, to defend the defender of the Faith, his Royall person, Crowne, and dignity, and maintaine our Soveraigne in his glory and splendor, which can never be ecclip­sed, if the ballance of justice goe right, and his lawes be duly executed.

Thus doing, Mr. Speaker, and making Jerusalem our chiefest joy, we shall be a blessed Nation, and a [Page 13] happy People. But if we shall let goe our Christi­an hold, and loose our Parliament proofe, and old English well-tempered mettle▪ Let us take heed that our Buckler break not, our Parliaments melt not, and our golden Candlestick be not removed; which let me never live to see, nor Eng­land to feele the want of: that is my prayer to conclude my for­mer motion.