a letter from ireland read in the house of commons on friday septemb. 28. 1649. from mr. hugh peters, minister of gods word, and chaplain to the lord lieutenant cromwell. of the taking of tredagh in ireland, 3552 of the enenies slain, amongst which sir arthur aston the governour, coll. castles, cap. simmons, and other slain. and the losse on both sides. also the taking of trim, and dundalk. and the lord leiutenants marching against kilkenny. a letter from ireland, imprimatur hen: scobell. cleric. parliamenti. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90539 of text r206304 in the english short title catalog (thomason e574_28). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 2 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 3 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90539 wing p1709 thomason e574_28 estc r206304 99865477 99865477 117720 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90539) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 117720) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 88:e574[28]) a letter from ireland read in the house of commons on friday septemb. 28. 1649. from mr. hugh peters, minister of gods word, and chaplain to the lord lieutenant cromwell. of the taking of tredagh in ireland, 3552 of the enenies slain, amongst which sir arthur aston the governour, coll. castles, cap. simmons, and other slain. and the losse on both sides. also the taking of trim, and dundalk. and the lord leiutenants marching against kilkenny. a letter from ireland, imprimatur hen: scobell. cleric. parliamenti. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. england and wales. parliament. 5 p. : ill. printed for robert ibbitson in smithfield near the queens head tavern, london : 1649. page 3 contains cromwell's symbol as the lord lieutenant of ireland repeated from the title page. only about thirty persons escaped the massacre at tredagh, and they were shipped as slaves to the island of barbadoes. annotation on thomason copy: "7ber [i.e. september] 1649". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng cromwell, oliver -1599-1658 -early works to 1800. aston, arthur, -sir, 1590-1649 -early works to 1800. england and wales. -army -early works to 1800. great britain -history -commonwealth and protectorate, 1649-1660 -early works to 1800. ireland -history -1649-1660 -early works to 1800. a90539 r206304 (thomason e574_28). civilwar no a letter from ireland: read in the house of commons on friday septemb. 28. 1649. from mr. hugh peters, minister of gods word, and chaplain peters, hugh 1649 276 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a letter from ireland read in the house of commons on friday septemb. 28. 1649. from mr. hugh peters , minister of gods word , and chaplain to the lord lieutenant cromwell . of the taking of tredagh in ireland , 3552 of the enemies slain , amongst which sir arthur aston the governour , coll. castles , cap simmons , and others slain . and the losse on both sides . also the taking of trim , and dundalk . and the lord lieutenants marching against kilkenny . a letter from ireland , imprimatur hen : scobell . cleric . parliamenti . blazon or coat of arms london printed for robert ibbitson in smithfield near the queens head tavern , 1649. blazon or coat of arms a letter from ireland , read in the house of commons on friday septemb. 28. 1649. from mr. hugh peters , minister of gods word , and chaplaine to the lord lieutenant cromwell . of the taking of tredagh in ireland . also the taking of trimme and dundalke . sir , the truth is tredagh is taken , three thousand five hundred fifty and two of the enemies slaine , and sixty foure of ours . collonell castles , and captaine simmons of note . ashton the governour killed , none spared . wee have also trimme and dundalk and are marching to kilkenny . i came now from giving thanks in the great church , we have all our army well landed . dublin septemb , 15. 1649. i am yours hugh peters . a letter from ireland , imprimatur septemb. 28. 1649. hen : scobell cleric parliamenti . finis . the speech and confession of hugh peters, close prisoner in the tower of london; and his horrible expressions and doctrine, when our glorious soveraign was led to martyrdome. with the manner how he was taken on sunday night last in southwark; who to save himself, crept into bed to one mrs. peach a quaker, which had lain in child-bed two days. and afterwards escaped to the house of mrs mun, where he was taken, with divers pieces of gold, and silver medals, sewed in his skirts; and a strange almanack taken out of his pocket. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90546 of text r207950 in the english short title catalog (thomason e1043_9). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 7 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 4 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90546 wing p1720 thomason e1043_9 estc r207950 99866965 99866965 119254 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90546) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 119254) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 154:e1043[9]) the speech and confession of hugh peters, close prisoner in the tower of london; and his horrible expressions and doctrine, when our glorious soveraign was led to martyrdome. with the manner how he was taken on sunday night last in southwark; who to save himself, crept into bed to one mrs. peach a quaker, which had lain in child-bed two days. and afterwards escaped to the house of mrs mun, where he was taken, with divers pieces of gold, and silver medals, sewed in his skirts; and a strange almanack taken out of his pocket. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 5, [1] p. printed for george horton, london : 1660. annotation on thomason copy: "sept: 7:". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng peters, hugh, 1598-1660 -early works to 1800. prisoners -legal status, laws, etc. -early works to 1800. a90546 r207950 (thomason e1043_9). civilwar no the speech and confession of hugh peters,: close prisoner in the tower of london; and his horrible expressions and doctrine, when our glori peters, hugh 1660 1151 14 0 0 0 0 0 122 f the rate of 122 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the speech and confession of hugh peters , close prisoner in the tower of london ; and his horrible expressions and doctrine ▪ when our glorious soveraign was led to martyrdome . with the manner how he was taken on sunday night last in southwark ; who to save himself , crept into bed to one mrs. peach a quaker , which had lain in child-bed two days . and afterwards escaped to the house of mrs mun , where he was taken , with divers pieces of gold , and silver medals , sewed in his skirts ; and a strange almanack taken out of his pocket . london , printed for george horton , 165● . the speech and confession of hugh peters , close prisoner in the tower of london . it hath seemed good to the divine providence , which we may truly call wonderful , so to over-rule of late , the counsels of our former oppressors , ( who by strange success , and almost incredible dexteritie in villanie , had almost involved both our church and state in unavoidable ruine ; grinding without compassion , these ( once free ) but at length wofully enthralled nations , fastning on their neck , an iron , uneasie yoak of servitude , making them ( with sampson ) basely to grind , and abide captivity and curbing them with rigor , who before repined at , grew weary of , and rejected the milder scepter , and so to ensnare them in their contrivances , that their plots ( like potters vessels ) were broken upon the wheel , nor produced any thing but confusion and distraction to themselves together with unsetlednesse in the nation ; whence arose discontent , losse of trade , and poverty ; and by means of the last of these , the wasted peoples whisperings ▪ murmurings , and repinings on all hands were so many and urgent , that the master-builders of our new babel by their own jealousies , misunderstandings , and animosities , were in short time dispiersed hither and thither , through the good hand of god , blessed be that happy gale . what he●ght of fury , and desperate resolution was on their side , god knew , and took notice of , nor was it unknown to most of those , who desired , and prayed for such a composure , and settlement of affairs , as we now see , through his great goodnesse , & undeserved kindn●sse to us , vvho considering the preparations and contrivances to hinder vvhat we now happily enjoy , could not expect this redemption , but as a purchase , and vvith the losse of the lives of thousands , the shedding much blood , and exposing our hopes to extream hazard . the oppressed city , and groaning countreyes were resolved , either to shake off the arbitrary yo●k of usurpation and tyrannie , or to perish in the attempt . on the other hand , the fatal causers of our long-past calamities , animated with guilt and despair , were resolved to make good their ground , or expire like cateline ; that is , sell their life as dear as possible , and cover the place , they maintained fighting in life , with their breathless carkases after death ; or like zimry , rather than lose ( by surrender ) their power and estates , fire the whole nation first , then se● some cities and castles on flame over their heads , and perish together . yet it pleased the lord of hoasts , to dissipate their armed powers , frustrate their designs , and leave the ring-leaders , stript of all succour , to the scourge of justice . it stood with the honour and wisdome of the most high , to restrain the rage and fury of man ; to glorifie himself , by delivering up these great midianitish oppressors , insulting moabites , philistim lords , ( with other their confederates , who grew like melons out of dunghils ) to the divine hand of justice . amongst the rest , their baalam-like prophet and southsayer hugh peters , is close prisoner in the tower of london . some difficulty there was in the discovery of him ; but upon intelligence , that he privily lurked about southwark , two messengers were sent on friday last to apprehend him ; and entring the house of mr. broad a quaker , in st. thomas parish , whose daughter then lay in , they search'd , but miss'd him , he being ( according to his custom ) crept ▪ into bed to the young woman , where the messengers modesty forbad their search , she having bin delivered b●t two days before ; and while they were searching at one day a cobler , hugh the firebrand escap'd from childbed , leaving behind him his cane with a rapier in it , a bible , and gray cloak . but on sunday night they found him at one mr. muns in the maze , who denyed himself to be peters , and said his name was thompson , threatning the messengers with an action at law for offering to affirm he was hugh peters , and therefore refused to go with them , till at last ( being assisted by the constable and others ) they forced him ; which he perceiving , desired he might speak privatly with mrs. mun , which they denyed , unlesse he would speak in their hearing ; after which he said , i will go , but i beg for the lords sake that you will not call me ●r . peters ; for , said he , if it be known that i am hugh peters , the people in the street will stone me . but forcing him away , there was s●me tugging ; and feeling his skir●s hard , they unript them , & found 5 pieces of gold , some silver medals , and out of his pocket they took his almanack , which he was very much troubled at ▪ after which , they brought him to the tower , & delivered him into the custody of the worthy lieutenant sir john robi●son , still avering his name was thomson ; till at last in private to sir john he confessed who he was . this is st. hugh , who when our glorious sovereign was led to martyrdom , fell so heavy upon his righteous soul , blaspheming him upon his then text , ( psal 149. to bind their kings in chains &c ) and many other sordid notions ; too wicked and prophane to be here recited . finis . nineteen cases of conscience. submissively tendred to mr. hugh peters, and the rest of his fellow commissioners, the triars by sundry weak brethren. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a89692 of text r203061 in the english short title catalog (thomason e986_16). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 10 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a89692 wing n1163 thomason e986_16 estc r203061 99863149 99863149 115333 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a89692) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 115333) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 147:e986[16]) nineteen cases of conscience. submissively tendred to mr. hugh peters, and the rest of his fellow commissioners, the triars by sundry weak brethren. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 8 p. [s.n.], london : printed in the year mdclix. [1659] variant: title page has "petrs". annotation on thomason copy: "june. 14.". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng religious tolerance -england -early works to 1800. great britain -church history -17th century -early works to 1800. a89692 r203061 (thomason e986_16). civilwar no nineteen cases of conscience.: submissively tendred to mr. hugh peters, and the rest of his fellow commissioners, the triars by sundry weak peters, hugh 1659 1398 6 0 0 0 0 0 43 d the rate of 43 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2007-06 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion nineteen cases of conscience . submissively tendred to mr. hvgh petrs , and the rest of his fellow commissioners , the triars by sundry weak brethren . london , printed in the year mdclix . nineteen cases of conscience . i whether the immortality of a man's soul be a doctrine at all fit , or suitable to be preached , or taught , either in pulpits or books , to the men of this generation ? and whether there be any such thing as a future condition of happiness or misery in another world ? now the ground of this scruple ariseth from long observations in state ever since 1641 , till this present 1659. ii whether it be not a matter of weighty consequence , that a petition be preferred to the parliament , to entreat them , that they would pass an act for repealing , nulling , and making void all oathes whatsoever , taken since 1 caroli to the 3 of septemb. 1658 ? and whether it be not expedient that this be done very suddenly , least some who may be concern'd should in the interim sneak out of the world , and so become incapable of receiving any benefit thereby ? iii whether it would not much advance our long desired reformation , if those places of scripture , out of which the common-prayer-book is collected , were diligently sought after , and blotted out of our bibles , that no mark of the superstitious liturgy may remain among us , to make our children idolaters ? iv whether lying , crying at pleasure , swearing by the living god , murthering men at an high court of justice ; perjury three or four times over ; eating the bread of orphans ; grinding the faces of the poor ; trampling on abilities ; starving a learned and orthodox ministry , and exercizing worse tyranny for five years last past over england than pharaoh did over aegypt , were sins or ●ot ? and if sins , whether any whit more venial in a saint than a sinner ? v whether we have not as good cause to celebrate a solemn anniversary of thanksgiving upon the 3 of sept. as the 5 of novemb. for the mercifull deliverance from the author of all our co●fusions . vi vvhether a common wealth modell'd ( as mr. harrington would have it ) like to that of israel , be not now the best kind of government for us , seeing we have so many jewes amongst us ? ( vii ) vvhether the fellowes of magdalen college in oxford , have not given dr. thomas goodwin ( upon the account of his wife better reason to make an horn-booke than dr. owen had given him by any body , to make a primmer ? ( viii ) vvhether his late highness's letter to the house was not a large manifesto of the humility of his spirit , of his forsaking the world , and the devil ; of his christian valour , and fortitude , a tryal of his patience , an exercising of all his virtues , a probate of his desire to save his windpipe , and lastly of his mighty will to inform the world and the worthies thereof how inconstant that same blind whore fortune is , how burthensome thrones and scepters ; nay how empty a thing , and how vain is supream-magistracy : and this remarqu ' may give us occasion to think upon those comparisons which are frequent concerning this matter : mr. quarl● hee sayes , or like a sun , or like a shade , or like the gourd that jonas had &c. another , he sings sweetly . fortune my foe , why art thou thus unkind , &c. comparing crowns to crabtrees , the pearls upon them to missletoe-berries which ( which we are confident ) are profitable for nothing save only to make birdlime to ensnare ambitious mortalls , who ( as hee goes on with the allegory ) are like little birds that hop up and down on little twigs on the highest trees they can find . o ( sayes the school-boy ) think upon icarus and phaaeton thou that aspirest to a diadem ! ( saies another classicall author ) remember belizarius , blind belizarius reaching out his cripled fingers , and crying , give poor belizarius one farthing ! o who would not part with an hundred protectordomes ( if hee had them ) to occasion so many good thoughts in a sinner . ix . vvhether this parliament would not quit curtesie handsomly to turn his bones out of the abbey , who turn'd them by force , and violence against all humanity , and good manners out of the parliament house ? or in short whether quid pro quo be not lawfull , and avowable ? x. vvhether machiavels maxime , for which our divines rail so at him ( viz. ) that [ christian religion makes man cowards , ] be not now sound doctrine , and most evidently demonstrated his by late highnesse ? xi . vvhether a man may not venture his soul for the procurement of an estate , and promotion of his worldly interests , altogether as laudably as for religion ? xii . vvhether it were not a deed of charity in the parliament to erect another high court of justice , that so the lord l●s ; le might know how to dispose of some of that time , and leasure which they have thought fit to allot him , by discharging him the trouble of being one of the keepers of the great seal of england ? and whether we ought not to think in charity that the house discarded him of his dignities in tender compassion to his soul , that so he might have convenience to repent him of his blood guiltinesse , and other crying sins , which can the pared off with his nails . xiii . vvhether sermons should not be put down as well as playes , the meetings being farr greater , the a●●ores more seditious , and fewer souldiers being there , by their good wills ? xiv . whether the whore of babylon that man of sin , be in good earnest ( after so many disputes ) a man , or a 〈◊〉 , or an hermaphrodit● ? xv . whether old oliver cromwel , and dr. iohn hewyt , are now within sight of one another ; and if not , how many leagues over the gulph is that parts 'em ? and truly the resolution of this one doubt ( if the gulph were stated to be but narrow ) would make many men in this world excellent swimmers , in hopes one day to make use of their art , when the time shall come that they must either sink , or swim . xvi . whether they best deserve of the state who have hazarded their persons , and estates , or they that have ventur'd their souls and consciences for the good old cause . xvii . whether we be not much happier now than we have been any time this seven years before , in regard we have again gotten over us the harp , and crosse , one being an inctrument of mirth , and the other a badg of our religion ; wheras before we had a great white ramping lyon over us : now a lyon is a beast of prey , and the property of beasts of prey is to devour ( as we all know . ) viii . vvhether the devil be not a malignant , because he is so hot for monarchy ? and whether ( if the act of oblivion will not quit him ) that one argument be not enough to perswade men to defie him and all his works ? ( xix ) vvhether , seeing that liberty of conscience is now generally granted to all men , it be not the best exercise for poor witty cavalliers to write pamphlets , and the best recreation for rich commonwealth's men to read them ? the end . several propositions presented to the members of the honourable house of commons, by mr. peters, minister of the gospell of jesus christ; concerning the presbyterian ministers of this kingdome. with a discovery of two great plots against the parliament of england: the first, by the queen, and the english runagadoes in france. the second, by the lord hopton, col. cartwright, and divers others in the island of jarsey. also, a declaration of his highnesse the prince of wales in france. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90545 of text r200293 in the english short title catalog (thomason e364_5). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 10 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90545 wing p1718 thomason e364_5 estc r200293 99861099 99861099 160059 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90545) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 160059) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 58:e364[5]) several propositions presented to the members of the honourable house of commons, by mr. peters, minister of the gospell of jesus christ; concerning the presbyterian ministers of this kingdome. with a discovery of two great plots against the parliament of england: the first, by the queen, and the english runagadoes in france. the second, by the lord hopton, col. cartwright, and divers others in the island of jarsey. also, a declaration of his highnesse the prince of wales in france. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 6 p. printed for j.g., london, : decemb. 1. 1646. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng presbyterianism -early works to 1800. conspiracies -england -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -early works to 1800. a90545 r200293 (thomason e364_5). civilwar no several propositions presented to the members of the honourable house of commons, by mr. peters, minister of the gospell of jesus christ; co peters, hugh 1646 1644 3 0 0 0 0 0 18 c the rate of 18 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion severall propositions presented to the members of the honourable house of commons , by mr. peters , minister of the gospell of jesus christ ; concerning the presbyterian ministers of this kingdome . with a discovery of two great plots against the parliament of england : the first , by the qveen , and the english runagadoes in france . the second , by the lord hopton , col. cartwright , and divers others in the island of jarsey . also , a declaration of his highnesse the prince of wales in france . london , printed for j. g. decemb. 1. 1646. mr. peters reports to the honourable committee of both kingdomes ; concerning the speedy reducing of the irish rebels . first , he desireth , that there may be a speedy course taken for the setling of the poore , distressed , and bleeding kingdom of ireland , in peace and unity , & that there may be some painfull and religious ministers ( both presbyterians and others ) forthwith expedited for that service . secondly , that all possible care may be taken for the sending over provisions and other necessaries for reliefe of the poor distressed protestants . thirdly , that all commanders whatsoever that are under the command of the parliament of england , may forthwith be sent over , for the performance of the great trust reposed in them , that so the cause of ireland may be no longer detarded , but with all faithfulnesse and expediency performed for the easing of our distressed brethren from the heavie oppressions which they have for many yeares groaned under . thus having given you ( in briefe ) the effect and substance of the propositions or report of ( the renowned worthy of our times ) mr. peters , upon friday last , concerning the managing of the affaires for the kingdom of ireland ; i will in the next place communicate unto you , the dangerous estate and condition of this our native kingdom of england ; by reason of the manifold plots and conspiracies which are dayly acting and contriving ( by the enemies of god ) against the worthies of england , the high and honourable court of parliament : yet all their machavillian plots , and horrid conspiracies have been frustrated , and taken no effect ; for when they were in the height of their pride , and ( almost ) upon the finishing of their wicked conspiracies , it pleased god to discover and bring to light all their barbarous and inhumane intentions : yet these great and malicious instruments , which have been for many yeares together , the chiefe disturbers of the peace and tranquility of england , whose hearts have bin inveterate against the proceedings of our renowned parliament , are now studying , complotting , and contriving how to bring their most wicked and bloudy designes once again to perfection , and to set footing within this our realme of england , but because i will not detract time , nor trouble the readers patience with too much superfluity of former experiencies , i will confine my selfe , and proceed to the ensuing subject , which may be tearmed , englands vigilant scout , giving her an alarum of the warlike preparations that are now beyond the seas , not onely by a forreign enemy , but by her native branches , which i will here insert , and faithfully communicate , as followeth : the nobility and gentry of this kingdom of england , which for a long time had so inveterately engaged themselves in a desperate warre against the parliament , are very active beyond the seas in the kingdome of france , and other parts , and are complotting and laying their heads together , how they may contrive & raise a new war in england , using their utmost endeavours , ( by way of entreat ) for the gathering of an army together : and to that end , the greatest part of the nobility and gentry , together with all the collonels , lieutenant colonels , majors , captains , and other inferiour officers , which were runagadoes from their native country , having formerly had the honour of great trust and eminent places reposed to their charge , began to recollect their memories , and to bethink themselves of the gallant dayes which they once enjoyed within the realm of england ; and therefore , having ever since their departure from this kingdom bin much perplexed in mind , joyntly concluded , that if it were possible for them to raise a party , and some certain sums of mony , they would venter once again to steere their coast towards the confines of england ; and for the better effecting of their design now in agitation , the queen doth endeavour to use her utmost power for the effecting of it , as formerly she hath done . but it is very probable that their designe will bee soon frustrated , and all their plots and conspiracies utter confounded ; for one storme hath already appeared against them , and no doubt , but many more will suddenly arise ) so that there is small hopes of their attempting any thing against this kingdome , by reason of a controversie and disputation that hath lately arose between the queen and her confessour at st. iermans , who at a late meeting , told her , that her proceedings were not well approved of , and that he thought she began to incline towards the church of england , and to desert the church of rome : at which words , her majesty being somwhat displeased , replyed and declared her self in this manner : that for her religion , which shee was alwayes brought up in from her infancie , she were resolved to live and dye in ; and for his objections against her , in being pleased to say , that it was not allowable for her , to permit or suffer any of her servants & followers liberty to associate themselves with the heretikes in any publike place or meeting whatsoever ; to which her majesty answered , that shee were resolved to grant them free liberty of conscience ; intimating , that when she were in england , all her followers in geral● had liberty and tolleration to use their owne wayes and consciences , without any disanulment or interruption at all , and in consideration thereof , she were resolved to grant the same liberty to her royall soveraignes ●●iends , and hers , in france , as they fo●merly have had in england . thus having expressed her self so resolutely unto her confessour , hee tooke his leave , and being much perplexed in mind retyred out of the roome , being in a great fury : what the issue of this discord and contention may arise to , i cannot as yet assure you . therefore , in the next place , be pleased to take notice , that his highnesso the prince of vvales is very much perplexed in mind , and cannot approve of the french fashions nor wayes , but declares himself in opposition against them . thus having given you the chiefest observations and remarkablest passages that have happened within the kingdome of france , somewhat reflecting upon the peace and tranquility of england , i cannot but put you in mind of another businesse of great concernment , worthy of your observation , and hath some reference to the former . but drawing to a period , i will only give you a hint of it and briefly intimate unto you , as followeth : from iarsey we are advertised , that the lord hopton , colonell cartwright , and divers other commanders are very active in the said island , both in furnishing of themselves with ammunition , and also in keeping their men together ( which is supposed for some designe against the parliament of england . hopton hath caused two or three powder milles to be made , and are continually in action with them . they keepe severall strong holds about the iland , and are supposed to be about two thousand strong , all compleatly armed , being gallantly experienced in the discipline . the holds that they keepe are of great strength , most of them being scituated upon great rockes , and incompassed with the sea ; so that it is to be feared , it will bee a long time before they are brought to the obedience of the parliament ; unlesse upon composition . but why these garisons should be maintained and kept in a defensive and warlike posture against the parliament , is not as yet known : but we may conceive ( and it is too apparent ) that they have some designes in agitation against the parliament of england ; for who can be so deluded , as to thinke that they will still keepe these holds in defiance , and to endanger both lives and fortunes , but only they have a secret conspiracie amongst themselves ; and no doubt , but their horrid plots , and desperate designes , will at the last be brought to light , and to their everlasting shame , be made manifest to the whole world . they are very vigilant , and will not suffer a fisherman to go to the sea , without severe examination and diligent search . hopton hath again renewed his inveterate malice against the parliaments friends , and hath disarmed all the well-affected throughout the whole island . finis . a copy of his highnesse prince charles his letter to the commanders of his majesties forces. with a copy of his highnesse commission to collonell poyer. also a letter concerning the state of the kingdome. written by mr: hugh peters, minister of gods word. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a79174 of text r205047 in the english short title catalog (thomason e456_24). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 10 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a79174 wing c2948 thomason e456_24 estc r205047 99864491 99864491 162055 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a79174) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 162055) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 72:e456[24]) a copy of his highnesse prince charles his letter to the commanders of his majesties forces. with a copy of his highnesse commission to collonell poyer. also a letter concerning the state of the kingdome. written by mr: hugh peters, minister of gods word. charles ii, king of england, 1630-1685. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 6 p. printed by robert ibbitson, in smithfield, neer the queenes-head tavern, london : 1648. annotation on thomason copy: "aug: 3d". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -early works to 1800. a79174 r205047 (thomason e456_24). civilwar no a copy of his highnesse prince charles his letter to the commanders of his majesties forces.: with a copy of his highnesse commission to co charles king of england 1648 1685 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a copy of his highnesse prince charles his letter to the commanders of his majesties forces . with a copy of his highnesse commission to collonell poyer . also a letter concerning the state of the kingdome . written by mr: hugh peters , minister of gods word . london printed by robert ibbitson , in smithfield , neer the queenes-head tavern , 1648. honi soit qvi mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms charles p. charles prince of great brittaine , duke of cornwall and albaine , highest captain generall under his majesty , of all the forces by sea and land within the kingdome of england and dominion of vvales , to our trusty and welbeloved col. john poyer , greeting : we doe by these presents , out of the speciall trust and confidence wee repose in you , nominate , constitute , and appoint you to bee governour for his majesty , of the towne and castle of pembroke , and of the garrison souldiers , forces , and inhabitants thereof ( whom we hereby command to obey you in all things , as their governour . giving you full power and authority to command as well the present garrison of the said town and castle , as any other or greater garrison that shall hereafter bee setled there , for his majesties service , and to appoint and authorize by commission , all such officers under you , as shall be from time to time necessary , for the government of the said towne and castle , and for the command of the garrison and inhabitants there , authorizing and requiring you likewise , to keepe and defend , with the assistance of the said garrison , or of any other forces you can get , the said town and castle for his majesties use , and service , against all invasions and attempts whatsoever . and for the better defence of the same , to adde such new works , as you in your judgement and discretion shall think meet , to the fortification already made , as also , to doe and execute all such other things and duties as belong to the office and authority of governour of the said town and castle , and as you in your judgement shall think fit , for the necessary defence therof , and in as large and ample manner as you now hold and exercise the same . in the execution whereof , and of this our commission , you are to obey and pursue such orders as you shall from time to time receive from his majesty , from us , or from such person as we shall appoint , to be generall of south wales , or commander in chiefe of the army there , for the time being . given under our hand and seale the 13 of aprill , in the 24 year of the reign of our royall father the king . to our trusty and wel-beloved , col : rice powel , governour of tinby town and castle , and col : john poyer , governour of pembroke town and castle . charles p. trusty and wel-beloved , we greet you well : we have seen your declaration , and received your letter , and are extreamly satisfied with the many expressions we finde in them , of your great zeale , and affection to the king , our royall father , and to us : we have much reason to be assured of the loyalty & integrity of your intentions , when we consider the present conjunctures , & seasonablenesse of your appearing in armes , and declaring your selves for his majesty , at this time , when the concurrence of others with you , in the same good designe , may give us more then an ordinary hope of good successe , and that you and they may be a mutuall support and assistance to each other : the answers we have herewith sent to your propositions , will we hope , let you see how ready we are to imbrace all things , that may give you encouragement to proceed chearfully & constantly in this cause , and the modesty you have used therein , shall invite us to lay hold of all occasions , to obliege persons that engage themselves in so great an undertaking , with such reasonable demands for themselves . and we assure you , that we shall be carefull , to supply and assist you in all things , to the uttermost of our power : and if it please god to blesse us with successe , wee shall endevour by all real effects of kindnesse , to let you see how truely sensible we are of your merit , and of the obligation we acknowledge to have to you . given at st. germain laye the 23 of april . 1648. a letter from mr. peters . sir , i have at length gotten an opportunity to write unto you , and to give you a true account of the issue of our work , being left at pembroke , and tinby , for the setling some things there . briefly , both these towns were very strong , tinby being like a promontany into the sea , the part without the walls stormed by overtons regiament , and the town commanded by col. powel yeelded to mercy , as you have heard . pembroke the strongest place that ever we sate down before , and the castle even impregnable , which after six weeks siege , constant rain , and much hardship indured by us and them , reduced as we desired , viz. 5 to mercy being leaders , 16 to 2 years banishment , the rest sent home , the enemy consisting of men of all parts , resolute enough , keeping it even to the last . many were the providences in that work ; for which , admire gods goodnesse . in taking chepstow castle and town , and these other two , in all our long march we have lost about 50 or 60 men , and only one major and one captain , the enemies losse hath been great , but none of more concernment then col. botlems death , who was kild at a window , by a shot ours , at randome . their interest was wholly changed , and from the parliament fell to the king , having the princes commission . i being commanded in at a hostage , and to wait upon major generall laughorn , and poyer , i lay in poyers house , and in a vault there , found his commission , and the princes letter to him and powel , with a letter under the princes owne hand and seale ; which shews they fought not for arrears , besides all the transactions betwixt the prince and them , together with many other letters of theirs , manifesting the whole designe of this years trouble , and the laying every peece of them in all parts of scotland , england , and wales . that i can truely say , the beating their army at st. fagons , and taking in this country , hath bin the greatest services we have been in . the people are a people meerly deluded by the name of king and service-book , for their religion . this i call the third testimony god hath given to the world of the integrity of this army , and his presence with it . first , in the year 1645. where all the kings power was subdued by it . secondly , when the tumults at london caused us to march through the city . and , thirdly , this yeares commotions : which hath been queld by the army thus exceedingly dispersed . oh that men would yet confesse with us , his goodnesse , & leave off jealousies , and wranglings , and minde their common interest ! we are marched back to england , leaving a sufficient force here , to maintain what we have gotten : and are yet resolved to beare our further witnes as the lord shall direct us : we have contested with so many difficulties in this journey , that we may not distrust god in hardships : we have wanted bread , lain in cold fields , constant rain , our guns sunke in the sea and recovered , we had a desperate enemy , and few friends , but a mighty god ; wee had most of us no pay since we came from london , many bare-footed souldiers , yet valiant and unchangeable : wee are amazed at gods bounty , and now are safe at hereford , glocester , &c. the honest true-hearted lieutenant generall living yet above all reproaches , of whom , i feare the poore nation is not worthy . alas sir , we now know where even all the secret enemies of the kingdome dwell , yea , such as we could not have thought to have been enemies . the use i have made of our long being in these parts , hath been the discovery of men behinde us in other parts . good is the lord . sir , it was no ridiculous work i was about , when i would have joyned parliament , london , and the army together ; but that city did not know its day , nor the associated counties theirs . i wish some government were designed , whether by king or otherwise , i desire a blessing upon it , that so good a god may bee no further grieved by us . farewell good friend , and remember him who is , swansey 23 july , 1648. excuse my hast . yours , and the kingdomes . hugh peters . finis . the speech of maj. gen. harison, upon his arraignment, tryal, and condemnation; with the sentence of death pronounced against him, to be hang'd, drawn, and quarter'd as also the speeches of alderman tich mr. burn, hugh peters, col. axtel, and col. lilburn; at the sessions house in the old bayley, before the most honourable lords, and others his majesties commissioners of oyer and terminer; upon the reading of the charge and indictment of high-treason, that they had wilfully, maliciously, and trayterously, advised, abetted, assisted, contrived, and compassed the death of our late dread soveraign charles the first by the grace of god of ever blessed memory king of england, scotland, france, and ireland, defender of the faith, &c. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a87169 of text r231005 in the english short title catalog (wing h913a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 10 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a87169 wing h913a estc r231005 99896634 99896634 170765 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a87169) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 170765) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2429:16) the speech of maj. gen. harison, upon his arraignment, tryal, and condemnation; with the sentence of death pronounced against him, to be hang'd, drawn, and quarter'd as also the speeches of alderman tich mr. burn, hugh peters, col. axtel, and col. lilburn; at the sessions house in the old bayley, before the most honourable lords, and others his majesties commissioners of oyer and terminer; upon the reading of the charge and indictment of high-treason, that they had wilfully, maliciously, and trayterously, advised, abetted, assisted, contrived, and compassed the death of our late dread soveraign charles the first by the grace of god of ever blessed memory king of england, scotland, france, and ireland, defender of the faith, &c. axtel, daniel, d. 1660. lilburne, robert, 1613-1665. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], [6] p. printed for charles gustavus, london : 1660. reproduction of original in the folger shakespeare library. eng harrison, thomas, 1606-1660 -trials, litigation, etc. -early works to 1800. axtel, daniel, d. 1660 -trials, litigation, etc. -early works to 1800. lilburne, robert, 1613-1665 -trials, litigation, etc. -early works to 1800. peters, hugh, 1598-1660 -trials, litigation, etc. -early works to 1800. charles -i, -king of england, 1600-1649 -early works to 1800. trials (treason) -early works to 1800. regicides -early works to 1800. last words -early works to 1800. great britain -history -puritan revolution, 1642-1660 -early works to 1800. great britain -history -commonwealth and protectorate, 1649-1660 -early works to 1800. a87169 r231005 (wing h913a). civilwar no the speech of maj. gen. harison, upon his arraignment, tryal, and condemnation; with the sentence of death pronounced against him, to be han [no entry] 1660 1699 15 0 0 0 0 0 88 d the rate of 88 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the speech of maj. gen. harison , upon his arraignment , tryal , and condemnation ; with the sentence of death pronounced against him , to be hang'd , drawn , and quarter'd . as also the speeches of alderman tich mr. burn , hugh peters , col. axtel , and col. lilburn ; at the sessions house in the old bayley , before the most honourable lords , and others his majesties commissioners of oyer and terminer ; upon the reading of the charge and indictment of high-treason , that they had wilfully , maliciously , and trayterously , advised , abetted , assisted , contrived , and compassed the death of our late dread soveraign charles the first by the grace of god of ever blessed memory king of england , scotland , france , and ireland , defender of the faith , &c. london , printed for charles gustavus , 1660. the speech of major gen. harrison , sir hardress waller , and hugh peters , at justice-hall in the old-bayley ; upon the reading of the bills of indictment , &c. the bill of indictment being ( on tuesday last ) read at hicks-hall , against those unjust judges , who contriv'd , arraign'd sentenc'd , and executed that most vertuous prince our late soveraign king charles the first of ever blessed memory ; and the said bill being found by the grand jury of knights and gentlem●n of quality of the county of middlesex , on wednesday ( octob. 10. ) twenty eight of those whom the grand jury had found , were brought from the tower to justice hall in the old bayley before the most honorable lords , and other his majesties c●mmissioners of oyer & terminer ; the names of the prisoners were , sir hardress waller , thomas harrison , robert tichburne , william heveningham , henry marten , robert lilburne , john carew , isaac pennington , owen roe , john jones , john cook , henry smith , john downs , george fleetwood , thomas wait , simon meye , hugh peters , thomas scot , gilbert millington , adrian scroop , gregory clement , edmund harvey , vincent potter , augustine garland , james temple , francis hacker , peter temple , daniel axtel . the court being sate , called three prisoners to the bar , viz. sir hardress waller , col. harrison , william h●venningham . the first was sir hardress waller , which with the two others were indicted to this purpose following : that they together with oliver cromwel , henry ireton , robert titchbourn , isaac pennington , robert lilburn , john hewson late of the city of westminster shoo-maker , &c. had wilfully , maliciously , and traterously , advised , abetted , assisted , contrived , and compassed the death of our late dread soveraign charles the first , by the grace of god of ever blessed memory , king of england , scotland , france , and ireland , defender of the faith , &c. sir hardress waller began to excuse his long being out of england , and unacquaintance with english affairs ; but eing bid to answer positively , whether he was guilty or not guilty of the high treason whereof he had been indicted , and then arraigned , answered , guilty . the next was col. thomas harison , who at the first refused to hold up his hand , till the lord chief baron , judge forster , and other judges told him his duty in that particular : after which , he said , i confess it is but a formality , and therefore i will do it ; and so held up his hand : bu● several times offered to sally out into discourses , refusing to answer guilty or not guilty , till the judges declared the necessity of answ●ring one of the two , which they were forced to do divers times before he would be brought to give an answer , but at last he did , and said , not guilty . william heveningham answered the like ; but col. george fleetwood pleaded guilty without any demur . these being dismist , isaac pennington , henry marten , gilbert millington , robert titchbourn , owen roe , robert lilbourn , were called to the bar. isaac penningtons age gave him not time to make long apologies , for he very suddenly answered not guilty ; so did gilbert millington , and owen roe . henry marten being the next began to quibble with the court , and to deny his name to be mentioned in the act ; whereupon the court were put to the trouble of calling for the act of oblivion , and there read his name ; but he answered , that his name was marten not martin , as in the act expressed . but being told they knew him to be the man , let his name be what it would , was bid to answer , who then said , not guilty . titchbourn being next , began to excuse his want of skill in law affairs ; pleading , that he was before very wise , learned , and judicious lawyers , and that being unable to plead for himself , desired the court to assign him councel to assist him therein : to which it was answered , that he was not yet come to his tryal , but onely arraigned ; and asked him guilty or not guilty ? to which he could not tell what to answer ; he said he did acknowledge part of the indictment . but being told he must say guilty or not ; answered , not guilty . so did lilburn and all the rest . col. daniel axtel desired he might have the liberty of an english-man , that the law was his birth right , and so he might lawfully claim it , that he did conceive there was law in his case , and so desired to have councel in it , that he did believe the parliament — but there he was bid to plead to the indictment , guilty or not guilty ; which after much roving , and being told the danger of standtng mute , he answered , why then , not guilty . and being asked by whom he would be tryed he did not answer ; at which one bid him answer , by god and his countrey . but he answered , he could not do so ; for he did not believe god to be there . in conclusion , he said , he would be tryed by the lord iesus christ , and by his countrey , hugh peters being asked whether he was guilty of the high treason whereof he was indicted , he lifted up his hands and eyes , and said ; guilty ? no not for ten thousand worlds . 't is probable , he may have regret of conscience , for ushering in his former doctrines ( or rather blasphemies ) of heresies and rebellions ; and with the penitent thus contemplate with a ferve●t spirit o miserable and wretched souls , to use such barbarisme against our gracious soveraign , and protes●●●● 〈…〉 ay the wisest of men and the b●st of princes . o s●d and mis●rable are all those who have committed such horrid impiety in the assassinating of their most gracious soveraign , that whosoever heard thereof ▪ it could not but make both his ears to tingle , his heart to faint , and his knees to tremble . o it was we that in a tumultuous and disloyal way made covenants to oppose the king , and countenance that empostress maiden who ( pretending to enthusiasmes ) perswaded the people to rebellion , and blasphemed christ by the name of covenanting iesus . it was we that was the cause of the late execrable miseries throughout the three kingdoms ; good god what advocate shall we have to plead for us at the barre of gods iudgement , now ●hou art calling for us to make an account of these things ? when inquisition is made for blood , and the cry of the soules under the altar shall obtain their desired vengeance upon us . how hath every loyal bre●st shrunk ▪ and every faithful soul thrill'd at the horror of that fatal blow , which at one stroak murdered not onely one prince , but three kings in one , the best of men , and three kingdoms , the most flourishing of all people , and in them the most royal blood of imperial majesty , the purest of all religions , the justest of all laws , the wisest constitution of all governments , and ( had we known our own happiness ) the happiest of all people ? what tongue of men or angels can sufficiently express the detestation of that bloody fact that separated the best of heads from so lovely a body ? the best of kings from his most loyal subjects ? the best of husbands from a most affectionate wife ? the best of fathers from most sweet and dutiful children ? and the best of masters from thousands of most happy servants . in a word , the horridness of that transcendent impiety was such , that ( next to the murdering of our most blessed saviour ) it was the most accursed act that ever yet was perpetrated upon the face of the earth . on thursday major general harrison was again brought to the bar , and pleading to his indictment , after some time spent thereupon , he was brought in guilty , and received sentence to be drawn , hanged , and quartered ; upon pronouncing whereof , he said , the lords will be done , although ye kill the body , yet ye cannot hurt the soul . finis . mr. peters report from bristol, made to the house of commons, from sir thomas fairfax. the articles treated on for the surrender of bristoll, with the castle and forts, on tuesday last; and with what ordnance, cullers, and armes. as also ruperts propositions, in the behalfe of the bishops, prebends, and queristers there. and the particulars of sir thomas fairfaxes proceedings since the siege; against the false rumours of malignants. together with some intercepted letters from rupert, and others. commanded to be printed, and published according to order. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90543 of text r200263 in the english short title catalog (thomason e301_4). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 11 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90543 wing p1715 thomason e301_4 estc r200263 99861069 99861069 113197 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90543) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 113197) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 49:e301[4]) mr. peters report from bristol, made to the house of commons, from sir thomas fairfax. the articles treated on for the surrender of bristoll, with the castle and forts, on tuesday last; and with what ordnance, cullers, and armes. as also ruperts propositions, in the behalfe of the bishops, prebends, and queristers there. and the particulars of sir thomas fairfaxes proceedings since the siege; against the false rumours of malignants. together with some intercepted letters from rupert, and others. commanded to be printed, and published according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 6 p. printed for jane coe., london, : 1645. annotation on thomason copy: "7bre. 12" [i.e. september 12]. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng peters, hugh, 1598-1660 -early works to 1800. fairfax, thomas fairfax, -baron, 1612-1671 -early works to 1800. rupert, -prince, count palatine, 1619-1682 -early works to 1800. bristol (england) -history -siege, 1643 -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -campaigns -early works to 1800. a90543 r200263 (thomason e301_4). civilwar no mr. peters report from bristol,: made to the house of commons, from sir thomas fairfax. the articles treated on for the surrender of bristo peters, hugh 1645 1808 13 0 0 0 0 0 72 d the rate of 72 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion mr. peters report from bristol , made to the house of commons , from sir thomas fairfax . the articles treated on for the surrender of bristoll , with the castle and forts , on tuesday last ; and with what ordnance , cullers , and armes . as also ruperts propositions , in the behalf of the bishops , prebends , and queristers there . and the particulars of sir thomas fairfaxes proceedings since the siege ; against the false rumours of malignants . together , with some intercepted letters from rupert , and others . commanded to be printed , and published according to order . london , printed for jane coe . 1645. mr. petrs report from bristoll ; made to the house of commons , from sir thomas fairfax . mr. peters came on munday last from the army , being sent up by the generall upon matters of great importance . upon tuesday morting he was called into the house of commons , and there he spake to two particulars ; viz. first the giving an accompt of the armies marching to bristoll : and secondly , what they had done there , in order ; to the taking of that citie . and for the former ; there were m●ny inducements ( after they had taken sherburn and romney ) thither to go , rather then to the west : as , the intreatie of the people of so●erset , which were strong ; the horrid crueltie of prince rupert , who began to burn all the countrie behinde the armie ; the increasing of his forces , whereby he might with the help of the malignant incensed club-men of dorsetshire , fall upon the rear of the armie : besides , he might have spoiled most of our summers work in these parts ; and the army feared to fall into some other former errors , by onely passing through the country , to leave them in worse case then they found them . but by taking bristoll ( if god would giue that blessing ) the countrie would be cleered from them even to exeter . moreover , rupert was farre more considerable then goring , and of more repute ; and in the west they were very slow in their rising , though all meanes used ; their own differences many , and if our army had followed goring , he had gone into cornwall , where the whole country had been helpfull to him , which they denied otherwise . to all which may be added , that bristoll could not be assaulted in a better time , they wanting all things for food . the armie had lain there 1● . dayes , and though the plague were in the town , and in every village round about , not a souldier was tainted with it , nor above twenty men lost by all the salleys the enemie have made . he also reported , that he conceived great hopes ( through gods blessing ) for taking it , they being even readie for the storme at his departure ; the line of 5. or sixe miles compasse , and the militarie 〈◊〉 no way able to defend so much ground ; our seamen by portshead fort out off , readie to help also . the said master peters being the last week commanded to preach to the clubmen of sommers●t●hire , he met there on merdiffe hill , and there about 4 or 5000. horse and foot appeared , when he preached twice on horse back , and the issue was a generall resolution to come into us , which the next day they did about 3000. he was perswaded though this was not an omnipotent army , yet the lord would owne it and blesse it , there being much diligence used for the taking away evils attending such multitudes , many people mourne and shed teares in their quarters where they part with our honest souldiers ; we very seldome heare the least complaint against any souldiers : doubtlesse god is with them . master peters humble petition from the generall to the house was , that they would please to recruit the army to the first intention of 21000 horse and foot , and he did hope the state would soon have a good account not onely of the west , but also of the kingdome , notwithstanding the kings last march , and our brethrens departure . he left also some intercepted letters , one blasphemous going to oxford which is here inserted . when the iniquityes of the ammorites are full , gods people fall to canaan , let us wait and see the salvation of god , and pray hard for that army , that is willing to do for you , to their utmost . there are also some other papers , which mr. peters presented to the house that were intercepted ; by some that came out of bristoll , and elsewhere ; here followeth the copies of two of those letters ; one from a a collonel in bristoll , to the dutchesse of buckingham , and the other from prince rupert , to the club-men . a copie of collonel crowches letter , to the dutchesse of buckingham ; intercepted as it was carrying out of bristoll , by a scout of prince ruperts . madam , the last letter i writ to your grace miscarried but the losse was but little , to you , seeing their was nothing at all in it worth your care , it was only to let you know that this unlucky siege , hath prevented godson , and your most humble servant , from the happy journey they intended , and in earnest i think it will be all the mischief the enemie will do us , though by their staying here , they may continue their malice , yet if we have your good wishes , i am sure we can never miscary ; and seriously , because without doubt there are above ten righteous persons in this citty . ( * that is such that are wholly dedicated to your service . pray wish us well , and i assure you madam , let the number be never so great , there will be none amongst them , that is not at your devotion , then your graces most humble and most obedie●t faithfull servant , w. crowch . bristoll , wednesday the 27. 1645. here followeth also a copy of a letter sent from prince rupert to the club-men , before the siege was laid before bristoll , or they quelled ; wherein we may see how he then carried himselfe towards them . gentlemen , being informed of your good inclinations for his majesties service , and in order to your late humble addresse u●to him , i thought fit for me to acquaint you with such certain intelligence which i received from good hands , and from persons of eminent credit , as like wise by letters lately intercepted , wherein you are all concerned ; least by the delusive lets and subtilties of the enemies , you may be diverted from those good resolu●ions which you have so freely exprest , and by their faire invitations involved in an irrecoverable ruine . the one is , that there is expresse comm●●d ●●me from the parliament to generall fairfax , by violence and force to suppresse you , if by faire meanes he cannot draw you from your alegiance to adhere to him , but howsoever to seize upon the ring-leaders , who shall and must be conceived to be utterly incapable of their pardon , and with these particuolar expressions , to destroy the seeds of sedition and rebellion sowen by those hollises of wil●s in dorset , for presenting a petition to have justice done , condemning injuries done by the garrisons to club-men , ( least it inforced them to joyne with the kings forces ) which will be a great work , and of at great concern as the victory it selfe . vpon these representaions i doubt not , but you will consider of your present condition , that you cannot disert his majesties cause , without violence to conscience and honour , nor yet partake in their rebellion , but with inevitable ruine to your persons ●●d liberties , and that to be inforced upon you by those that now court you most , and that by superiour command . at which , i referre to your serious considerations , giving you assurance that i shall not be wanting , to doe all those good offices , that shall make me really appeare . your loving friend , rupert . bristoll this 15th iuly , 1645. gentlemen , we have presumed to break up this letter , and are not discouraged by it , for our journey . we have speeded it unto you , and leave it to your considerations . george ha●les . william leigh . john estmond . sir thomas fairfax having sent the last summons into bristoll to prince rupert , on sunday night september the 7 1645. he having all things in a readinesse to storme ; and intending to fall on the next morning , received propositions from rupert , that if he would permit him to march away with 10 peece of ordnanc● , cullers flying , 20 cariages armes and ammunition , bag and bagagge , and all the souldiers and bishops , and prebends , and queristers , gentlemen and others , with a safe conduct , that then he would deliver us bristoll , with all the forts and castles , &c. to this sir thomas fairfax returned answer , that for the termes of honour , he would do what was fitting for his degree ; that is to march away with 3 peece of ordinance , cullers , armes , &c but for his other propositions viz. concerning the protection of the bishops , &c. he desired to be excused . sir thomas fairfax was resolved if rupert would not agree as munday september the 8. that he would then storm , being resolved to admit of no delay . tuesday was the day nominated for the surrender of bristoll , and commissioners of both side were chosen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a90543e-160 * hereby you may see what the cavaliers fight for ; even for their popish mistresses : the receiving of whose blessings , they think themselves righteous in ; to serve whom , they cast off both god and man . the case of mr. hugh peters, impartially communicated to the vievv and censure of the whole world: written by his own hand. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90533 of text r203159 in the english short title catalog (thomason e1034_10). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 11 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90533 wing p1695 thomason e1034_10 estc r203159 99863220 99863220 168921 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90533) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 168921) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 153:e1034[10]) the case of mr. hugh peters, impartially communicated to the vievv and censure of the whole world: written by his own hand. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 8, [2] p. printed for sam. speed, and are to be sold at his shop, at the signe of the printing-press in st. pauls church-yard, london : [1660] publication date from wing. cf. folger catalogue, which gives signatures: a⁴ b² . annotation on thomason copy: "july 19". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng peters, hugh, 1598-1660 -early works to 1800. great britain -history -restoration, 1660-1688 -early works to 1800. a90533 r203159 (thomason e1034_10). civilwar no the case of mr. hugh peters,: impartially communicated to the vievv and censure of the whole world: written by his own hand. peters, hugh 1660 1988 6 0 0 0 0 0 30 c the rate of 30 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the case of mr. hugh peters , impartially communicated to the vievv and censure of the whole world : written by his own hand . london : printed for sam. speed , and are to be sold at his shop , at the signe of the printing-press in st. pauls church-yard . the case of mr. hugh peters , &c. they which think to vindicate themselves to the world by writing apologies , rarely reach their ends , because their game is an after-game : prejudice is strong , and the plaister can hardly be made broad enough , nor apologies put into all hands who have pre-judged and received the first tincture . and therefore our blessed saviour is slow in that work ; onely clears the great question of that age , by proving himself the messiah , ( joh. 5. ) by four witnesses , but not forward to answer expectations of the world otherwise . and yet so much of his example there is ; yea , so much of st. pauls , and others , that there seems to be a necessity of saying something , though hard to wipe off so much dirt as is thrown on my self . yet at this distance and leasure , hearing by printed papers what my lot is in england , my native country ; therefore i do in the name and fear of god , and before his holy majesty , angels and men , profess that i never had head nor hand in contriving or managing the late kings death , as is basely and scandalously suggested by black mouths : was all that day ( he dyed ) sick and sad in my chamber ; which i prove by two substantial witnesses . and for what is in that pamphlet june 19. about my confessing in my sickness , landing at plymouth from ireland , it is most untrue and mistaken : for i never was sick at plymouth , nor landed there from ireland : nor any of that information colourable ; & this i avouch in the truth of my soul ; and would in presence justifie , if weakness , and lameness , and this distance did not hinder ; yea , many years being upon me , and an utter inability to do my self right in these things , if the lord do not make my way in the hearts of men . i shall briefly give an account of my coming into england , my behaviour since i came , and my present condition in this juncture . a colony going to settle in new england , by his late majesties patent , i went thither ; who by my birth in cornwel , was not a meer stranger to that place , and fishing-trade : and thither , invited often , i say , went , and was with another sent into england by the magistrates there , for ease in excise and custom , and some supplies for learning , &c. because i had been witness to the indians receiving the gospel there in faith and practise ; they having the bible translated by us into their language , and part thereof printed , and hundreds of them professing the gospel , and teaching each other the knowledge of the true god ; and the rather , from the example of the english there : when in seven years among thousands there dwelling , i never saw any drunk , nor heard an oath , nor any begging , nor sabbath broken : all which invited me over to england : but coming , found the nation imbroyled in troubles and war ; the preaching was , curse ye meroz , from scotland to england ; the best ministers going into the field : in which ( not without urging ) i was imbarqued in time ; and by force upon me here , failed of my promise of returning home : which was and is my sad affliction . my first work was , with the first to go for ireland ; which i did with many hazards ; then was at sea with my old patron the earl of warwick , to whom i ow'd my life ; then was imploy'd by the city ; then by the earl of essex , my lord say , and others ; and my return stopt by the power that was ; and so was in the last army in several places , but never in the north : in all which affairs i did labour to perswade the army to their duty . my principles in religion guided me to those orthodox truths exprest in the confessions of faith in england ; and am known to joyn with the protestants who are sound in the faith , in germany upper and ●ower , france , &c. i have and do hereby witness against all errours of all kinds . for the war , i thought the undertakers knew their work ; i was inconsiderable , yea , heartily sorry for mistakes about me . for my carriage , i challenge all the kings party to speak if i were uncivil ; nay , many of them had my purse , hand , help every way , and are ready to witness it ; yea , his present majesties servants preserved by me through hazards . i was never privy to the armies transactions about the late king at holmby or elsewhere , or of any juncto , council or cabal . but when his majesty sent for me , i went to him , with whom i dealt about my new england business , & was three or four times with him , and had his special acceptance , and served him to my utmost , and used all my little skill for his and the nations good more then twice : for which i have witness ; though it be hard to cut my way through so many rocks . but god is good . it is true , i was of a party , when i acted zealously , but not with malice or mischief : it hath been accounted honourable , et caesare in hoste probat , to keep to principles of honour and honesty . i never quarrelled others for their judgement in conscience . it is received , that religio docenda est , non coercenda . i saw reformation growing , laws made , and some against debauchery and evil ( which i was glad to read in his majesties late proclamation . ) i saw a very learned , godly , able ministry as any the world , well provided for : i saw the universities reformed , and flourishing ; and such things much encouraged me in my endeavours . i studyed the 13 of the rom. and was tender ; but found the best of scotland and england of the ministry engaged , and so satisfied me , that i understand the first undertaking is still maintained good . by the war , i never enriched my self : i have often offer'd my personal estate for 200 l. and for lands , i never had any but that part of a noble mans , which i never laid up peny of ; nor never urged the lord grey , or others , to buy , nor knew not of the sale , till done ; nor justifie any unworthy thing in it . i never plundred nor cheated , never made peny over the sea , nor hoarded or hid any in england . i never was guilty of secluding the members in 48. nor knew it , till done , and sent by my lord fairfax to fetch off two of them , and to know who they were that were secluded . i never had jewels , nor any thing of court or state , more then before , directly nor indirectly . never had any ecclesiastical promotion in my life in the nation to enrich me ; but lived on my own when i had any thing : nor have been a lover of money . the many scandals upon me for uncleanness , &c. i abhor as vile and false , being kept from that and those aspersions cast ; and such i make my protest against as before . i know how low my name runs , how titleless , how contemned . david knew ▪ why shemei curst him for the laws of england , i know no place hath better : onely having lived where things are more expedite and cheap , i have shewed my folly so to say : and having no evil intention , a very worthy lawyer took exception at something of mine or my friends , which was never intended in his sense by either , and crave his excuse ; i can charge my self with evil enough , as any excentrick motion of mine from my own calling , want of a solemn spirit in slight times , with unbelief , if i have gone about to reach religious ends by trampling upon civil duties , breaking of any covenants , or slighting them ; and do fear gospel , and the spirit also may be undervalued by mine , and others unworthy dealing with them . much to these i might add , who have seen many vanities under the sun ; and the world hung with nets and snares : alas , there is nothing to christ . and lastly , i understand what exception is upon me for life and estate in the house of commons . i have taken hold of the kings majesties gracious pardon , as others did ; and know not truly where this exception lies grounded . i wish i had been with their honours to have clear'd it . i hope a vagrant report or airy noise takes no place with them : for i challenge all the world for my innocence for these suggestions ; and appeal to their honours , and the noble lords , for a review of the charge or information ; and crave no favour if any sober man can charge me ; otherwise i most heartily beg just favour , unless my evil be only for acting with such a party , i must have it : for i know before whom my cause is , and may not despair . i must again profess , were i not a christian , i am a gentleman by birth , and from that extract do scorn to engage in the vile things suggested , and that by one creditless witness , that only supposeth , but asserts nothing . i wish from my heart that our present prince may be , and the nation by him more happy then any ; and that the true ends of government may be had and communicated fully ; that every honest heart may have cause to rejoyce in god , the king , and their laws . and for my self ( through grace ) i resolve to be quiet in a corner ( if i may ) to let god alone with ruling the world , to whose wisdom and power we ought to submit yea , to mind ●ine tow 〈…〉 ●hough never so small ; to 〈…〉 under authority , rather then impatient ; to procure the quiet and peace of the nation to my utmost ; to mind things invisible , and of a better consistence then these below ; and to pray , when i can do no more . hugh peters . finis . the full and last relation, of all things concerning basing-house: with divers other passages; represented to to [sic] mr. speaker, and divers members in the house. by mr. peters, who came from lieutenant generall cromwell. also, how there are strange and hideous cries, heard in the ground. commanded to be printed, and published according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90535 of text r200323 in the english short title catalog (thomason e305_8). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 11 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90535 wing p1702 thomason e305_8 estc r200323 99861126 99861126 113254 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90535) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 113254) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 50:e305[8]) the full and last relation, of all things concerning basing-house: with divers other passages; represented to to [sic] mr. speaker, and divers members in the house. by mr. peters, who came from lieutenant generall cromwell. also, how there are strange and hideous cries, heard in the ground. commanded to be printed, and published according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 6 p. by jane coe., london printed, : 1645. annotation on thomason copy: "octo: 18". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng basing house (england) -history -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -campaigns -early works to 1800. hampshire (england) -history -early works to 1800. a90535 r200323 (thomason e305_8). civilwar no the full and last relation, of all things concerning basing-house:: with divers other passages; represented to to [sic] mr. speaker, and di peters, hugh 1645 1985 9 0 0 0 0 0 45 d the rate of 45 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the full and last relation , of all things concerning basing-house : with , divers other passages ; represented to to mr. speaker , and divers members in the house . by mr. peters , who came from lieutenant generall cromwell . also , how there are strange and hideous cries , heard in the ground . commanded to be printed , and published according to order . london printed , by jane coe . 1645. the rifeling of basing : or , mr. peters report to mr. speaker , and other members of the house of commons . on wednesday the 15 of october 1645. mr. peters came from bazing upon some speciall concernments of the army , and upon thursday morning early was in the house with the speaker and divers members , and according to their desi●e , gave a full relation of some things concerning b●zing , not mentioned in the lieutenant generals letters , which was to this purpose . that mr. peters came into the house of bazing , some time after the storm : on tuesday the 14 of october 1465. and tooke a view , first of the workes which were many , though not finished , and of too great a compasse , for so few men to keepe . sir robert peake the governour swearing to him that they had but 300 fighting men in all , the circomwallation being aboue a mile and a halfe-about , there were in both houses 16 cornyards great and small ; the ould house had stood as it is reported 2. or 300 yeares , a nest of idolatrie , the new house surpassing that in beauty and statelinesse : and either of them sit to make an emperours court . the roomes before the storme ( it seemes ) in both houses were all compleatly furnished ; provisions for some yeares rather then moneths , 400 quarters of wheat : bacons divers roomes full , hundreds of flitches of bacon , cheese proportionall , with oatmeale , beefe , porke , beare divers sellers full , and that very good . a bead in one roome furnished that cost 1300l . popish bookes many , with copies and such utensils that in truth , the house stood in its full pride , and the enemy was p●rswaded that it would be the last peece of ground that would be taken by the parliament , because they had so often failed our forces , that had formerly appeared before it . in the severall roomes , and about the house , there were slaine , in view 74. and only one woman , the daghter of docter griffith , who came forth railing against our souldiers for their ruffe carriges towards her father , who indeed did remember to him his former malignancy , there lay upon the ground flaine by the hands of major harrison ( that godly , and gallant gentleman ) major guffle a man of great account amongst them , and a notorious papist , and robinson the player , who a little before the storme , was knowne to be mocking , and scorning the parliament , and our army , 8. or 9. gentlewomen of ranke running forth together were entertained by the common souldiers somwhat coursly , yet not uncivilly , they left them with some clothes upon them , their plunder continued till tuesday night in this manner , 1 for the goods , the souldiers seased upon the first goods of which there were severall sorts ; one souldier had sixscore peeces in gould for his share , others plate , others iewels , amongst the rest one got 3. baggs of silver ; who ( being not able to keepe his own councell ) it grew to be common pillage amongst the rest , the fellow himselfe had but one halfe crowne left for himselfe at last . there were some cabinets of iewels , and other rich treasure next to that , the souldiers sould the wheat to the countrey people , and the p●ey held a while to the country people , but afterwards the market fell , and there was some abatements for hast . after that they sould the houshold stuffe , whereof there was good store , and they loaded away many carts ; and continued a great while fetching out all manner of houshold stuffe till they had fetched out all the stooles , chaires , and other lumber , all which they sould to the country people , by peecemeal which was admirable : that in all these great houses there was not one iron bar left in all the windowes , save only what was in the fire before night . and the last work of all was the lead , and by thursday morning , they had hardly left one gutter about all the house . 2. for the fire , what the souldiers left the fire tooke hold on , joy was more then ordinary , leaving nothing but bare walles and chimnies in lesse then 20 houres , and occasioned by the neglect of the enemie in quenching a fire ball of ours . we know not how to give a just account of all that was within , for we have not 200 prisoners , and it may be 100. slaine , whose bodies some being covered with rubbish , came not to our view , only riding to the house on tuesday night , we heard divers crying in valts for quarter , but our men could neither come to them , nor they to us . but amongst those that we saw slaine one of their officers lying on the ground seeming so exceeding tall was measured : and from his great toe to his head cronw was 9. foot in length measured by a gentleman of an ordinary size , who was then present , there was in all ( in the house ) about 500. besides some that before got out of the house . and it is reported there are some vaults that are farr under ground for their popish priests , of which cattle there were divers , but none came to our hands , how many of them we killed we know not . 3. mr. peters spent some time in conference with the ma●ques of winchester , and sir robert peake the governour , one of mr. peters neighbours when he lived in the parish of sepulchers . the marques being pressed by him , by way of argument , broke out and said that , if the king had no more ground in england but bazing house ; he would adventure as he did ; and so maintaine it to his uttermost ; ( meaning with those papists ) and the marques said himselfe that bazing house was called loyalty . but he was soone silenced in the question betweene the king , and parliament , only hoping that the king might have a day againe . 4. we see who are his majesties deer friends , and trusty , and well beloved cosens , and councellers ; the marques being the popes devoted vassall . 5. and thus the lord was pleased in a few houres to shew us , what mortall seede all earthly glory growes upon , and how just and righteous the waies of god are , who takes sinners in their own snares ; and lifteth up the heads of his despised people . 1. this is now the 20 garison , that hath been taken in , by this army this summer ; and i believe most of them the answer of the prayers , and the trophies of the faith of some of gods servants . 2. the commander of this brigade , having spent much time with godly prayer , the night before the storm , and seldome fights without some texts of scripture to support him ; and this time he rested upon that blessed word of god written in the 115. psalm , and the 8. verse . they that make them are like unto them , so is every one that trusteth in them . which with some verses going before was now accomplished . 3. whereas the house had ordered , that the country people should carry away those buildings , god almighty had decreed that before hand , nothing remaining but a blast of winde , to blow down the tottering wals and chimnies . doubtlesse this providence of god hath a double voice , the one unto the enemy , the other unto us , the lord h●lp us with skill to improve it . i hope by this time the state hath a penny worth for a penny , and i hope they will have full measure , and running over . i wish that the payment and recruiting of this army , may not be slighted . it is an easie matter to grieve god in our neglests towards him , and not heard to weary one another . quer. what if the poor souldier had some remembrance ( though small ) to leave as the acceptance of this service , which is already begun , by * a worthy member of the house , who hath appointed some models to be made of gold , to be bestowed on those that ventured on the greatest difficulties . mr. peters presented the marquesses own cullers , which he brought from basing ; the motto of which was : donec pax reddit terris . the very same king charles gave upon his coronation money , when he came to the c●own . but our only god doth usually attemper such pleasant cups unto us ; for the close of this glorious victory , the death of major bethel was brought unto us , shot at bristoll where he lost 8. ounces of bloud , and tyred through want of sleep , he is gone into the bosome of the lord jesus , whom he loved so deerly whilst he lived , i wish he may not go unlamented to his grave , who was so full of god , and the fairest flower of the citie amongst us , lived without pride , and died full of faith . the armies teares over major bethel . thou ( gallant charger ) dost thou wheel about to shable shades ? or dost thou rather post . to bethel ( bethel ) there to make a shout , of the great triumphs of a scorned host . or blessed soule , was it unworthy we , that made thee weary with such dust to be ? or tyred with our new reforming pace , tasting some sips of heav'n , dost therefore hast , to fuller draughts , of that eternall grace , fearing thy spirit might be here imbrac'd . farwell deer soule , thy great deserv'd arrears ▪ we 'l pay in others blood , or our own tears . onely let after ages when they tell , the unexampled tale of forty five , yea when these records to their glory swell , and be compleated by the saints alive . when naseby , langport , bristoll nam'd they hear . let them all say sweet bethel he was there . beare a part in these lamants ▪ every soul that longs for peace , truly who with god indents , here to have thereof a lease , enters with himself a warre ; leane on things that truly are . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a90535e-110 * master maynard . a most pithy exhortation delivered in an eloquent oration to the watry generation aboard their admirall at graves-end, by the right reverend, mr. hugh peters, doctor of the chair for the famous university of whitehall, and chaplain in ordinary to the high and mighty k. oliver, the first of that name as it was took, verbatim, in short hand (when he delivered it) / by mercurius pragmaticus. nedham, marchamont, 1620-1678. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a52761 of text r12200 in the english short title catalog (wing n397a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 13 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a52761 wing n397a estc r12200 13127071 ocm 13127071 97843 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a52761) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 97843) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 746:42) a most pithy exhortation delivered in an eloquent oration to the watry generation aboard their admirall at graves-end, by the right reverend, mr. hugh peters, doctor of the chair for the famous university of whitehall, and chaplain in ordinary to the high and mighty k. oliver, the first of that name as it was took, verbatim, in short hand (when he delivered it) / by mercurius pragmaticus. nedham, marchamont, 1620-1678. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 6 p. s.n.], [london? : 1649. attributed to marchamont nedham. cf. nuc pre-1956. a satire. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -anecdotes a52761 r12200 (wing n397a). civilwar no a most pithy exhortation delivered in an eloquent oration to the watry generation aboard their admirall at graves-end. by the right reverend nedham, marchamont 1649 2651 2 0 0 0 0 0 8 b the rate of 8 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-10 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2004-10 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a most pithy exhortation delivered in an eloquent oration to the watry generation aboard their admirall at graves-end . by the right reverend , mr hugh peters , doctor of the chair for the famous universitie of whitehall , and chaplain in ordinary to the high and mighty k. oliver , the first of that name , as it was took , verbatim , in short hand ( when he delivered it ) by mercurius pragmaticus . printed in the year , m.dc.xlix . a most pithy exhortation delivered in an eloquent oration to the watry generation aboard their admirall at graves-end , &c. my true trouts , as ever water wet , i have hungred and thirsted to lift up my voice like a trumpet amongst you , and to pour forth my spirit upon you ; for ye are all flesh , and that 's frail ; but i must teach your hands to war , and your fingers to fight : and that you may the better remember my words , i mean to force them in with a malin-spike , e'ne just as ye splice a cable . i understand you are very willing already to undertake this great work ; and the better to incourage ye , i intend to clear your consciences of all scruples that may seem to hinder your cheerfulnesse in the businesse : ye know , honest harb , i have been at new-england , and am not now to learn the difference between a dry cabin , and a great storm ; for my own part , i had enough o' nt : i had cast the platform of this blessed deliverance , which we now enjoy , in that sanctified soyl , and could not rest till i came home to put it in practice : our work is now in the finishers hands by land , and now we must pin our faiths upon your shoulders for our sea successe ; it behoves you therefore to stand to your tackling , for ye are to fight against principalities and powers : that reprobate , rupert ( to give the devil his due ) is able to fright ye all into an auger-hole ; but bear up your heads stifly , do'nt ye run away like water-rats , stand to your pease-pottage lustily , there 's pork enough aboard to make brewis till ye eat and split again : 't would make a mans teeth water to think of your good bouls of lob-lolly and fat poor-jack upon fish-daies . but enough of this ● now to come to ye , as i told ye , having cleared this point , i mean to handle the second part of my division in the same tune : ye know we have been long oppressed with that arch-traitor , the king ( they may thank my councel , or his head had been on to plot mischief against the saints to this day ) but i think we are rid of him now , i was fain to stablish the heart , and strengthen the hand of the cowardly executioner , or else the fellow had melted into malignancy , for fear of that scarcrow sentence , touch not mine anointed ; but i hope t is better his head 's of , then that this generation of prophets should have had any harm . blades , i think ye are sufficiently instructed in these state principles , i shall now come to ye in a word of commendations ; i could have spoke a few latin sentences to ye , that has all your good qualities stowed in a little room , but those was learnt in the time of egyptian bondage , only to have fitted me for a cringing conformist ; and in this time of clear light and liberty , t is a language as detestable , as hard to be understood : i must therfore tell ye at length , in words issuing from a meek heart , that i love a tarpauling , for these four good qualities . first , because they pray so fervently when they are in danger , though they swear as devoutly when the storm 's over ; and truly however it appears , they have the gift of the spirit in them , that they will take so much pains to pray at all . secondarily , as for their religion , so for their honest dealings ; for i never knew any man complain of them without a just cause , only the custom-house-waiters have wink'd at many of their pretty passages between ship and shore . thirdly , for their ingenuity ; for they are commonly as cunning horsons as can be , and can over-reach the devil , or a broker , the length of a hawser . fourthly , for their courage ; for they 'l do more mischief with one demi-culverin , then cromwel can with a whole troop of dragoons ; and one bottle of strong-waters will make a ships gang do more execution , then 100 fire-locks ; they 'l fight with all the turks in christendom , if they get them once between wind and water : i know lads , you cannot chuse but laugh to think what fine sport there will be betwixt you and the princes ships , 't will be bisket and beverage to you to be together by the ears with them , and then some of ye may see the wonders of the deep : i could speak nothing but 〈◊〉 and crackers , fireworks and granadoes , murderers and brasse basses , cannons and confusion to ye , to make ye in love with the thoughts of a sea-fight ( such a one as i never saw , nor i hope never shall ) but that i know y'had rather hav 't ▪ then hear on 't : in the mean time , consider with your selves , and take comfort in 't , 't will be a godlier sea-fight then that between your ancestours and the spanish armado . you have all the pillars of truth to support you in the cause , and those are as strong as can be established by act of parliament ; and i hope you have more grace then to build your faith upon any other foundation ; for the scriptures , if they be not with us , they shall not seem to be against us ; for i believe your ministers are not to learn how to stretch them home enough at sea , as well as at land . again consider , but what store of brave purchase there wil be instead of pay for you ; for they say the rebels are richly laden , and if you can but scape knocks , and come off with credit . i 'le get the moderate intelligencer to canonize ye for brave fellows ; and harry walker shal every friday write your admirals names in hebrew , that their fames may be read backwards : for my own part , i am resolved to take half a score texts out of the volume of your victories , and preach whole pulpits ful of fire and smoke against your adversaries , the wooden horse cavaliery enough to make a church stink as bad as paul's dores of horse pisse . for your admirals , they are all men of valour , and love to defie danger as little as you doe ; only it wil not be fit that they should hazard their persons in the face of a fight ; but it wil be more necessaay , that they go to councel in the hould , whilst you bustle above decks : they are men of as good government as an ordinance of parliament can make them , and i hope you 'l say , that can set all things to rights ; or else how could we have hit the way hither ? i am confident you cannot but love them for their sakes that sent them ye , and for my sake that commend them to ye ; and you know i do not use to praise honest men to their faces ; they were begotten by the army , created by the parliament , and dub'd by the right reverend committee of derby-house , and i think all these are able to make four sea guls : i doubt not but they 'l use ye as wel as as they can find in their hearts ; if ye corrupt them to run away with you , you may chance venture a neck-cracking together , if ere you be caught again . i think i have perswaded you to obey every body that i think fit ; and when you feel the fruits of my good councel working , i make no question but you 'l remember me when you go down into your kingdom : yet know in the times when superstition and tyrannie raged like the raving of the waters , your consciences were chain'd from flying into your faces , with two inseparable links of allegiance and supremacy , and you groan'd under the heavy weight of those oppressive burthens : now ye are at ease , and have free liberty to swear to be true to no body ; for indeed oaths are profane , and not fit for tender consciences , that can brook any thing but obedience to their betters ; a solemn engagement after the newest fashion , wil best become men of your reformed tempers , and that to be done without book ; for i know good letters are too hard for your discretion , only when they are delivered to you by word of mouth , you can swallow that wil stick by the ribs ; for you are men of memory , or else how could so many masters and mates chaulk out their observations for a whole voyage , without pen , ink , or paper ? pray send 's news when y' are gone , whether ye sink or swim . for your wifes , i hope the army are resolved to take care that they shal not catch cold in your absence ; and for your goods that you make prize on , you must consign them to your dear friends of the admiralty , who intend to put them out at interest to increase a common stock against you come to fight with them . now judge my masters , if you have not a gracious parliament , and a charitable army that intend to make the best of you , and your wifes , that they can . i shall say no more in this particular , for i suppose you have faith enough in them to be saved harmlesse by them : i shall only speak a word or two to the wiser sort amongst ye ( which wil be enough a conscience to make ye all run horn-mad to do mischief ) and that 's this , be sure when you meet any of those rogues , that you tack about , and get to lee-ward of them , and then you may pepper them with smal shot ; i know the advantage of old , for a good device ; for though i am now a fresh-water chaplain , i can spit salt-water sentences in your mouths , that will comfort your stomacks in a morning fresh and fasting , as wel as a dish of burnt brandy-wine . for your ships , i think they are wel rigged , or the devil 's in them ; y' have as good beer aboard , as ever wet whistle ; colonel pride can give ye an account of more grains and hops spent in the brewing on 't , then his belly will hold . for pease to your pork , all the hogs in england cannot feed upon better ; and i think you love hogs should feed as wel as you : or else how would ye have pork fat enough to make your mouths ladder on both sides like a washing-boul ? your beef wil be so tender within this month you may suck it with a quil , or the murrin was in 't ; for i am sure some of the purvers for the fleet went over hedge and ditch to pick and choose good cattle , and sometimes they found the country-men had hid them in ditches and odd corners , and there they lay as stil as loaches , for fear of being knockt o' th' head . for your bread , if there be not store of maggots in 't by this time , harry scobel shall draw up an ordinance to set your baker on the pillory ; for you know the sweetest bisket wil fil your mouths ful of sirrop , and fatten your kidneys : i think the parliament has took as great care for your temporal food , as for your spiritual diet , or else they would ne're have sent me hither to preach such crums of comfort to ye ; i hope you wil love them ; if you cannot love them for gods sake , love them for my sake ; and if you cannot fight for them for their own sakes , fight for your selves and be hang'd , so ye do good any way : i am sure ye had never more need to look about ye , for there 's few enough that takes any care for ye ; your own wives are resolved and ye be such cowards never to come , they 'l ne're cry for ye , and your children wil have more grace then to own ye for fathers , without ye prove your selves cromwel's boyes , and come off gallantly . and now mad-caps steer steady , starboard , for if the ruffins chase ye out of compasse , they 'l make sherks meat on ye ; i would have ye pick ocum enough , as you go out , for you 'l have work enough to stop leaks if e're ye meet with your matches ; and pray when ye lye in harbour , have your fore-castle clear , that ye may cut cable upon any occasion , and then blow wind , run ship , one suit of sails wil do more service then twenty brasse-pieces ; i think you cannot say but i have ballanc't ye wel with good docrements , and caulk'd ye with good councels ; and now 't is time to turn you a drift ; i have nothing more to say to ye , but charge ye to remember to pray to the parliament to prosper your proceedings , and i 'le give ye one of their last declarations to use for a service-book ; i hope this is sermon enough for ye as long as ye live , if ye make a good use on 't : and so fare as well as ye can , for we had as good part here , as in a worse place ; i hope to see ye again , if not in a better place , yet in another world ; and so i leave you , i 'le have this speech printed and sent down to ye very shortly , that ye may con it as perfect as your compasse , and then i shall be with you in spirit , though i be absent in the flesh . copia vera , concordans originale . finis . hugh peters figaries: or, his merry tales, and witty jests both in city, town & countreys. in a pleasant and historical discourse; shewing, 1. his merry pranks and conjurations, betwixt the miller and his wife, and the parson of the town in a kneading trough; with their several speeches. 2. how mr. peters was [illegible] by the butchers wife; and how he lighted the blind harper. with the rare conceits upon the citizens wives. 3. how he pretended to cloath christ in a biff-coat; his opening of heaven gates to a committee-man; and how he looked for that monster oliver cromwel, but could not find him. with many other delightful stories. licensed according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a54508 of text r221455 in the english short title catalog (wing p1701). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 17 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a54508 wing p1701 estc r221455 99832761 99832761 37235 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a54508) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 37235) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2150:18) hugh peters figaries: or, his merry tales, and witty jests both in city, town & countreys. in a pleasant and historical discourse; shewing, 1. his merry pranks and conjurations, betwixt the miller and his wife, and the parson of the town in a kneading trough; with their several speeches. 2. how mr. peters was [illegible] by the butchers wife; and how he lighted the blind harper. with the rare conceits upon the citizens wives. 3. how he pretended to cloath christ in a biff-coat; his opening of heaven gates to a committee-man; and how he looked for that monster oliver cromwel, but could not find him. with many other delightful stories. licensed according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 8 p. printed for george horton, living in fig-tree court [illegible], [london?] : 1660. place of publication conjectured by cataloger. title page woodcut. stained; some print illegible. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. eng a54508 r221455 (wing p1701). civilwar no hugh peters figaries: or, his merry tales, and witty jests, both in city, town & countreys. in a pleasant and historical discourse; shewing, peters, hugh 1660 3160 17 0 0 0 0 0 54 d the rate of 54 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-08 john latta sampled and proofread 2004-08 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion hugh peters figaries or , his merry tales , and witty jests , both in city , town & countreys . in a pleasant and historical discourse ; shewing , 1. his merry pranks and conjunctions , betwixt the miller and his wife , and the parson of the town in a kneading trough ; with their several speeches . 2. how mr. peters was 〈◊〉 by the butchers wife ; and how he lighted the blind harper . with 〈◊〉 rare conceits upon the citizens wives . 3. how he pretended to cloath christ in a buff-coat ; his opening of heaven gates to a committee-man ; and how he looked for that monster oliver cromwel , but could not find him . with many other delightful stories . licensed according to order . printed for george horton , living in fig 〈…〉 1660 hugh peters figaries , &c. how mr. peters being belated on a journey , lodged at a millers house , and what passed between him and the miller . mr. peters being on a journey inquired of a miller whom he saw standing on his mill , where he might have a lodging for himself , and conveniencie for his horse ; the miller answered , he knew no place thereabout : whereupon peters travelled on his way , till he came to a little house , which appeared to be the millers ; there he knocks , the good woman coming to the door , mr. peters desired lodging ; she told him she had but one bed in the house , and therein lay her husband and her self , but if he would be content with clean straw in the barn , he might . mr. peters accepted the proffer , and betakes himself to the barn , where he had not lain long , but through a small cranny , he spies a man with a bottle of wine and a capon ; which was no sooner brought , but immediately a good fire was made , and down thereto it went ; anon knocks the miller , all the while the dame was sore affrighted , and presently conveys away the capon on the spit , puts out the fire , hides her friend in a kneading trough , and then opened the door for her husband . the good man being weary , betakes himself to rest ; which mr. peters seeing , bethought how he might be master of that capon ; and to effect it , leaving the barn , he comes to the house door , knocks , and straight there appears the miller : honest friend , quoth mr. peters , i enquired of you for a lodging , but you knew of none , therefore i am content with this barn ; but being exceeding hungry , i desire you to refresh me with what you have , i shall content you to your own desire . indeed , quoth the miller , i have nothing but a brown loaf , and a piece of suffolk cheese , you are welcome to that , and so opens the door . mr. peters being in , said , now my friend , what if i should try a conclusion for some victuals , thou ld'st not be angry , wouldst thou ? i angry , no in truth , sir , not i , quoth the miller . with that , quoth hugh , when i was a youth i could conjure , and i think i have not forgot : so uttering some barbarous words , and making strange figures with his fingers , saith he , look in such a place , and see what there is . oh sir , quoth the miller , i pray do not conjure , i dare not do as you command me : prethee , saith mr. peters , do so as i say , and fear not , we shall have good chear anon . by these perswasions the miller was wrought upon , he looks , and finds a goodly capon piping hot , which he brings forth : to this they both fall to ; but hugh complaining of the smallness of the millers drink , would needs conjure again : so doing as before , he bid the miller look in such a place , which he did , and there found a bottle of wine : this they drank , the miller admiring , and believing wicked hugh to be a conjurer ; who said , what if i should shew thee the devil that brought these good things ? oh ( quoth the miller ) for gods sake , sir , forbear , i never saw the devil yet , and i would not see him now . nay , saith mr. peters , do you do , as i i shall instruct you , and you need not fear ; stand in the next room , and when i stamp , then come forth . with much perswasions he went in ; being gone , peters steps to the trough , wherein the kind devil had hid himself ; and uncovering it , saith he , go your ways , and be glad you scape so . out goes the man , and mr. peters then stamps with his foot : whereupon presently appears the miller . look , saith mr. peters , see you where the devil goes ? good god , replyed the miller , if you had not said it was the devil , i durst have sworn it had been the parson of our parish . as indeed it was . how mr. peters lighted the blind harper . mr. peters being in company with a parliament-man one evening , it so happened , that a blind harper coming by , and hearing their discourse , began to play ; upon which they willed him to come into the house ; and having done , mr. peters called to his friends servant to light the blind harper out . to whom the servant said , sir , the harper is blind . why then ( quoth mr. peters ) he hath the more need of light . how mr. peters cheapned a close stool . mr. peters once cheapned a close stool ; but the shop-keeper asked ( as he thought ) too much for it , but still commended his commodity , willing him to note the goodness of the lock and key : at which he replyed , i have small use for either lock or key , for i purpose to put nothing in it , but what i care not who steals . how mr. peters cloathed christ in a buff-coat . mr. peters preaching in the countrey , told his auditory he had brought them christ in a buff-coat ; saying , here , take him while you may have him , for if you refuse him this time , i 'le carry him with me to new-england . how mr. peters went to heaven and hell . mr. peters in the midst of one of his sermons , dives down , and rising up again , faith , my beloved , where think you i have been now ? i 'le tell you , i have been in heaven , and there 's my lord bradshaw ; but to say the truth , i did not see cromwel ; the lord knows whither the great wind blew him . then diving again , now , saith he , i have been in hell , and there were a number of factious parliament men , old usurers , and young sequestrators , and that they might believe it to be true as that gospel , shewing a paper-book with notes , bound up like a testament . how mr. peters was served by the butchers wife . mr. peters ingratiating himself with a butchers wife , who was somwhat handsome , did with much intreaty gain her consent to be her visiter at midnight , and she ordered him to come at such a time , and put his hand under the door , where he should finde the key which should open a passage to her chamber : he comes at the appointed time , but this crafty woman , in stead of the key , had there laid a trap , and mr. peters looking for the key , did unluckily thrust his hand into the trap , and could not get it out , till by his calling for help , he was heard , and disgracefully used . how mr. peters discoursed against organs . mr. peters discoursing of church ceremonies , brake into this expression , ye must have musick too ; but indeed when as ye say , lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners , ye may well vary the words a little , and let your petition be , lord have mercy upon us miserable singers . how mr. peters asked grapes of alderman titchbourn . alderman titchbourn , so formerly called , wrote a book , and entituled it , a cluster of canaans grapes , and mr. peters meeting him , asked him if his worship would be pleased to bestow a cluster of his grapes on him ; at which the alderman answered , if he would come to his vine ( meaning his house ) he should have his choyce of all his store . how mr. peters opened heaven gates to a committee-man . preaching once in ireland , and discoursing on the times , it came into his head , with his knuckle to hit against the pulpit , imitating to his auditory , he had been in heaven , and answering the sound , quoth he , who is there , a cavalier , oh a calier ! you must not come here , you must to hell , for you fight against the parliament . then he knocks again , and cries , who is there , a round-head ; oh a round-head ! you must not come hither , you are factions and disorderly in opinions ; so he knocks the third time , and cries , who is there , a committee-man ; oh a committee-man , he must come , and shall , laying his hands on the pulpit door , as if he would let him in . how mr. peters wisked his auditory to beware of three ws. mr. peters preaching in a country village , exhorted his congregation in this manner ; beware , beloved , of three mischeivous ws , wine , women , and tobacco ; but you will object , tobacco is no w , to which i answer , tobacco must be understood under the notion of a weed , and then it holds right . how mr. peters said he knew where his majesty was . mr. peters was once heard to say , that he where knew his majesty was , and being desired to tell , said , in bedlam sure enough , for unless he be mad he will not be in england . how mr. peters enveighed against citizens wives . preaching in london , he exclaimed greatly against the citizens wives ; your city mistresses ( saith he ) must have their lap-dogs to play with all day long , for want of children ; and if by chance he lets flie an uncivil blast ; then , out ye foisting cur , o how he stinks . immediately after he leaps into their lap again , and to bed perhaps they both march together , and the happy cur is laid so snug , where many an honest man would be with all his heart . how mr. peters jeered a rich man and his fat wife . mr. peters being invited to dinner to a friends house , knowing him to be very wealthy , and his wife as fat as he was rich , brake this jest at table before them ; truly sir , said he , you have the world and the flesh , but pray god that you get not the devil in the end . how mr. peters said he had been in heaven . another time he told his auditory he had been in heaven , and there were store of round-heads , but going into hell , he found that so full of cavaliers , that if a round-head should chance to stumble thither , there would be no room for him . how mr. peters took an affront on the exchange . mr. peters walking at full change time on the royal exchange , a certain person comes to him , whispering him in the ear , sayes to him , mr. peters you are a knave , or else you had never gained so much wealth as you have . say you so ( said he ) marry if you were not a fool , you would be a knave too . how mr. peters answered oliver cromwel . being desired by oliver cromwel to repair to an appointed place , there to preach , it suddenly fell a raining , whereupon cromwel offered him his coat ; to whom he replied , i will not have it for my part , i would not be in your coat for a thousand pounds . how mr. peters defaced a shoulder of mutton . being in●ited to dinner , his stomack invited him into the kitchin to take a slice before dinner , where espying a shoulder of mutton , began to cut a piece of that , and to deface it ; at which , saith the maid , o sir , cut not of that , because it is old . say you so , quoth he , then i will have a piece of it to chuse , for age you know is honourable . how mr. peters brake a jest upon a lady . mr. peters by chance meeting a lady of his acquaintance , asked her how she did , and how her good husband fared ; at which words weeping , she answered , her husband had been in heaven long since . in heaven , quoth he , it is the first time that i have heard of it , and i am sorry for it with all my heart . how mr. peters reproved the monster oliver cromwel for sleeping in the church while he was preaching . it being his turn to preach before the said tyrant at the chappel in white-hall , much about the time that his present majesty was marching towards worcester , he espyed that the devil had shut the casements of his highness eyes , and lulled him asleep ; whereupon varying from his discourse in hand , quoth he , we have now an enemy in this our land , a potent one , and it is not unknown i suppose to any here that he daily approaches nearer us ; but 't is no matter , i preach but in vain while my auditory sleeps , i hope he will come and take you napping . how mr. peters mistook in reaching to the top of his pulpit . mr. peters preaching immediately after the death of oliver cromwel , in his sermon brought in this expression , that he knew olive-cromwel was in heaven as sure as he could then touch the head of his pulpit , and reaching up his hand to have done the same , came short thereof by half a yard . how mr. peters examined a countrey lad , and the jests that hapned at that 〈◊〉 . all 〈…〉 appy boy that kept his fathers sheep in the country , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ●…y a pair of cards in his pocket , and at the same meeting with companions , played at the game called one and thirty , at which sport he would some dayes loose a sheep or two , for which his father corrected him ; in revenge whereof , the boy would drive the sheep home at night over a narrow bridge , where some of them falling into the water , were drowned . the old man wearied with his sons 〈…〉 tricks , had him before mr. peters . ( he being a man busie , and having some authority in those parts where he lived ) mr. peters begins to reprove the boy in these words : sirrah , you are a notable villain , you play at cards and lose your fathers sheep at one and thirty . the boy using 〈…〉 rence , and less manners , replied it was a lie . a lie ( q 〈…〉 peters ) you sawcy knave , do you give me the lie ? no , quoth the boy , but you told a lie ; for i never lost sheep at one and thirty , for when my game was one and thirty i alwayes won : indeed said mr. peters thou sayest true . but i have another accusation against thee ; which is , that you drive your fathers sheep over a narrow bridge , where some of them are oftentimes drowned . that 's a lie too , quoth the boy , for those that goe over the bridge are well enough , it is onely such that fall beside which are drowned ; which mr. peters acknowledged for a truth , and being well pleased with his clownish answers , gave him a short advice , and then dismissed him . how mr. peters and several justices of the peace , sate two dayes about 〈…〉 ing small beer . 〈…〉 justices of the peace ( with whom mr. peters was then accompan 〈…〉 being informed with the frequent sin of drunkenness within their jurisdictions , met at a market town , and sate 2 dayes to refo●… it , whereupon they commanded , that from thenceforth ●…aller drink should be brewed , at which order a mad tos-pot 〈…〉 made himself half drunk , without fear or wit , 〈…〉 and asked them , if they had sat two dayes a 〈…〉 ll beer : one of them answered , yes , why then , 〈…〉 ay sit three more , to know who shall drink it , for i 〈…〉 none of it . hosanna, or, a song of thanks-giving sung by the children of zion, and set forth in three notable speeches at grocers hall, on the late solemn day of thanksgiving, thursday june 7, 1649 : the first was spoken by alderman atkins, the second by alderman isaac pennington, the third by hugh peters (no alderman, but) clericus in cuerpo. atkins, thomas, sir. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a26129 of text r1899 in the english short title catalog (wing a4124b). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 23 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 3 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a26129 wing a4124b estc r1899 12129409 ocm 12129409 54684 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a26129) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 54684) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 756:4) hosanna, or, a song of thanks-giving sung by the children of zion, and set forth in three notable speeches at grocers hall, on the late solemn day of thanksgiving, thursday june 7, 1649 : the first was spoken by alderman atkins, the second by alderman isaac pennington, the third by hugh peters (no alderman, but) clericus in cuerpo. atkins, thomas, sir. penington, isaac, sir, 1587?-1660. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 4 p. s.n., [london : 1649] caption title. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng a26129 r1899 (wing a4124b). civilwar no hosanna: or, a song of thanksgiving, sung by the children of zion; and set forth in three notable speeches at grocers-hall, on the late sole [no entry] 1649 4275 27 0 0 0 0 0 63 d the rate of 63 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-09 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-10 andrew kuster sampled and proofread 2004-10 andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion hosanna : or , a song of thanksgiving , sung by the children of zion ; and set forth in three notable speeches at grocers-hall , on the late solemn day of thanksgiving , thursday june 7. 1649. the first was spoken by alderman atkins . the second by alderman isaac pennington . the third by hugh peters ( no alderman , but ) clericus in cuerpo . risum teneatis amici ? alderman atkins his speech before dinner to the speaker , the general , lieutenant general , and lord president bradshaw , at grocers-hall , thursday june 7. mr. speaker , oh , this is a blessed day ( m. speaker and mervailous in our eyes , to see you become our supreme head and governour , now that we have cut off the kings head . and as ( i take it ) it is one main reason of this heavenly thanksgiving to my lord lieutenant-general , and mr. general's excellency for their great pains in the business . verily ( mr. speaker ) i cannot chuse but weep for joy to think on 't ; and yet i cannot tell you for what , though i shall tell you by and by — in the mean time — prethee m. steward , set aside a couple of custards , and a tart for my wife — in the mean time ( i say ) i see no reason but why i may cry as well as baul . i say sir , i can baul as well as my lord of pembroke here , or any man else my mouth was made for bauling ; and i think you all know it well enough in the house upon occasion ; for you may remember , mr. speaker , how i baul'd at the apprentices , two years since , when the house of commons had like to have gon to wrack like a bawdy-house i am sure i was mr. speaker then ; for you look'● as white as the driven custard , and had neither tongue nor eyes , nor eares , nor nose , nor brains , nor any thing else , but were in the same pickle as when the king came to demand the five members . i wonder he did not smell me out too for a traytor : for , i had my breeches full on 't then , as i had half a year before in finsbury , at the general muster of the new militia : at which time , i say , sir , i was one of the city-collonels , and came off cleanly ( though i say it : ) for , being wounded in the belly , i retreated home , and having asked counsel of a surgeon , the malignant knave would not undertake me ; and so the state might have lost a servant for want of a plaister , but that my kitchin-wench made a shift to cure me with a dish-clout . but having scap't this scouring ( m. speaker ) and lived to see this glorious day , now let us sing the song of old simeon , and depart in peace : but first let 's have our belly-fulls . o death , i defie thee , for here 's a good dinner coming in . twelve bucks out of eltham-parke , besides those of the city ; not a presbyterian bit ( i promise you , ) therefore sit down gentlemen , and eat lustily , i promise you it 's well season'd . i 'll pass my word for the cooks ; for i was one of the committee that examined them , and put them * every man to their oaths , to forswear : rats bane , mercury and monarchy . besides here 's my lord president ( for more security ) hath brought a dozen tasters along with him . i hope he will lend us some of them . and now mr. speaker , you are welcome ; in the name of my brethren representative of the city , i bid you heartily welcom ; you may eat , drink , and be merry ; for , you have laid up goods for many years , and now you are laying up the kings goods . more sacks to the mill still . sit down mr. speaker ; you are a good old speaker ; you are the representative of the supreme authority . it was the popes first , next it was the kings , and now it is yours , thank the army . h●w daintily things are come about , ( mr. speaker ) as well as you and i ! for , as i take it , you and i , and many more here have been at all thanksgivings these 7. years . we have waited upon his old excellency essex and the admiral warwick , and sung psalms with the assembly men here over and over : and now those black-birds are all flown , and out of tune : here 's not a man of them but thomas goodwin , and he is every jot as honest a man as his name-sake john ; for neither of them cares much for saying grace , therefore sit down ( mr. speaker ) we have his new excellency here now , and general cromwells honour , that cares as little as they . indeed , you must sit down first , and my lord mayor next ; for , the army ( i am sure ) made us vote it so , and that the city-sword should be yielded up to you to make a thanks-giving trencher-knife and so you were as good a man as the king , and a better than my lord mayor ; and so you might have been still , had you not giv●n him his sword again , for you lose your place in yielding up the sword : and leave the supream authority in my lord mayor and the army . howsoever sit still ( sir , ) i hope the general will not oppose the votes of the house , now that it is the armies own house , but let them pass an 't be but for fashions sake : and therefore ( m speaker ) for fashions sake you may sit uppermost , and next to you my lord mayor . i think too , for fashions sake ( my lord general ) your excellency may sit down next . i would be loth to d●splease mr. lieutenant generals honour , i hope he will not be angry at your excellency , nor me ▪ i could wish you had voted all your places before you came hither : but your excellency may sit , i suppose ; for mr. lieut gen. looks as if he gave you leave ▪ on my conscience that 's a meek humble soul , and will take some other time to set you beside the saddle . and for you ( my lord president i should have placed you uppermost ; for , i know none so fit to have represented the supreme authority , as you that commanded the cutting off that head of it ! oh , how this scarlet-gown becomes your honour ! it suits exceeding well with mine and my lord mayors ; for , you sentenced the old king as a traytor , and we have proclaimed the young king to be no king , and a traytor , when we can catch him . it was a dangerous piece of work indeed ; i was as affraid as you are of following docter dorista ; the people did so threaten , as if they would have torn us for the very raggs of authority , and cried up charles the second , louder than we could cry him down . i think the rest of my brethren carried it little better than my self ; for , my guts began to crow after their , old tune , and wrought like bottle-beer , insomuch that i wish't for coll. pride to stop the bung-hole , till the troopers reliev'd us . but now ( my good lord president ) let 's comfort one another : and though you deserve to be uppermost , yet sit down and be content with your place . for fashion's sake m. lieutenant-general's honour is content to let it be so , till he finds it convenient to turn you off as well as his excellency . pray take it not ill that i whisper this in your ear ; for , now that he hath made you serve his ends , he cares not so he were rid of you ; since you may serve them all as you did the king , in a new high court of justice , because you are pleased to let it be so . the next place ( mr. lieut. gen. ) must needs be yours . by his excellencie's leave , you are the saviour of the three kingdoms . you are he that hath filled our hearts this day with thanksgiving and gladness . you trained the king into a snare at carisbrook castle , and fooled and routed all his party . you set up a high court to cut him off , and you lie at catch for his son . you have made us a common-wealth , that is ( as malignants say ) have given us power to put a finger in every mans purse and ●ocket . you have made the people the supreme authority , and left them no laws . and well done ( sir ) for what should we do with any law but the sword ? or what law like liberty of conscience and power met together ? you it is that lead his excellency by the nose like a bear , and at last will bring him to the stake . you have new moulded the city . you are the joy of our hearts , the light of our eyes , and the breath of our nosthrils , though cavaliers call you the cut-throat of our lives and liberties . for all which we set this day apart to give thanks to god , and a dinner to you , and somwhat else into the bargain , as you shall see after dinner . in the mean time fall to a short life and a merry ; ( may it please your honour ) a short life and a merry ; and so give me leave to conclude heartily with part of the lords-prayer ( though i do not use it ) thy kingdom come ; or as the thief did upon the cross , remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom , and i promise you faithfully i will never beshite the palace . alderman isaac penningtons speech . at the presenting of the golden bason and ewer unto the general , with plate of 300 l. value , and 200 l. in gold in a purse to the lieutenant general . give ear o heavens , and regard o earth ; may it please your excellency to open your mouth wide and i shall fill it . i isaac pennington alderman of london , confesse my self altogether unable to speak the praises due unto your self , mr. leiutenant general , and all the faithfull officers and souldiers of your army . yet why should i hold my peace ? i wil● speak though i cannot speak , and though i cannot speak i will not keep silence . some have been so bold as to brand me for a crackt vessel , yet i have been meet for my masters use , and they shall find me as sound as sounding brass , or as a tinckling cymbal ▪ moses was a man slow of speech , yet he was a great leader , and so have i been , and so is your excellency . but as for mr. lieut. general , though he be such a one too , yet he hath the torgues of men and angels so much at his devotion , that the very noise of them drowns the fame of your excellency , and swallows up your senses . for my part , i ble●s god exceedingly for you both , for all your labour of love in gun-powder and gosp●l , and carrying on that glorious work of reformation , which though i began in desperation , yet you have brought it to perfection . henceforth therefore all generations shall call you blessed , and me no mad man , though i have been as mad as any of you all ; and yet i think i am fit enough to deliver the sense of the city ; who by me returnes you thanks for the great pains you have taken in purging the malignant presbyterians out of the common council , as well as the house ; by which means you made shift to new-model the city , as you did the army , turning out all that were not of your own temper ; so that we are all now of one soul and one mind , and lay all things in common for the use of the state , but what is our own . add to these things your borrowing money of the city , but never paying them again , your brea●ing all their priviledges , and putting daily affronts upon them , your imprisoning , fining , assessing , taxing , exci●ng , free-quartering , and fleecing all their fellows ; your conquering them by treachery , and riding through their streets in triumph , your over-awing them with the military power , and destroying their trade by land , and traffick by sea . for all which unexpressible favours , with the extirpation of presbyterie , and the suppressing of the levellers , they conceive themselves bound to return an acknowledgment , and rejoyce in the opportunity of dedicating this day of thanksgiving unto you and your bellies . but since man lives not by bread only , but by killing of kings and loyall subjects , and seizing on their goods and estates , and turning them into money . since gold is the only goddess of this reformation , and the saints cannot establish their kingdom without it ; since your excellency , and your lieutenant-general guardian , have vouchsafed us this favour of a visit which you denyed to the presbyters , we here present your excellency , with the same golden bason and ewer , which you refused from their hands . it cost them one thousand pounds , and because it was of their providing we can the more freely bestow it upon you . i have been an old thanksgiving-sinner , as well as m. speaker , or any of them all , in the days of old essex , who ( i am sure ) never received such a present for all his pains , but was content to be fobb'd off with a close stool and a pipe of tobacco ; which was the reason ( i conceive ) why my brother atkins here in those days , kept so close to him after dinner . and as for you ( m. lieutenant general ) though your merits out-weigh whatever we can present unto you , and though in all the before-named exploits we must allow you the greatest share , yet be pleased to accept of the less requital , a poor pittance of 300 l. in plate , and a vision of golden angels in a purse , to the value of 200 l. all the cost of our own fraternity . as for the rest of the lords and gentlemen here present , i hope they will excuse us , and think themselves well satisfied with their dinner : and in particular , you my lord president , who deserve much in the settling of this republick . but having done but one single act towards it , if you expect more than a dinner , we must leave you to the consideration of m. lieutenant-general , who set you on work and in the end ( no doubt ) will pay your wages . i have but one word more to say , and that is this : we have great cause to rejoyce in the happy settlement of this common-weath ; but i fear we shall not be quiet yet . god bless us from untoward dreams and restless nights , and send us well to digest this thanksgiving-dinner , and to have no more of them , nor occasion for them in hast : for the frights they put us into before-hand are terrible , and the dinners themselves are chargeable and will prove very chargeable indeed , if malignants speak truth , who say this very days thanksgiving will costs us no less than our heads , if not our souls too into the bargain . therefore ( gentlemen ) in a word , i think we have but one play , and that is to hold up the state as long as we can , and to make sure of our heads and estates , and pillage other mens , when we can hold it no longer . in answer to this , hugh peters being well whittled with mine , made the following reply . reader , peters his being drunk is no fable ( i assure you ) and he fell out with the butler . hugh peters his thanksgiving speech for a farewel to the city , in the behalf of the general and lieutenant general . mr. alderman penningtons , and the rest of the representatives of the city , i must tell you , i have been half the world over , and yet i am come back again ; and by my faith ( sirs ) i must tell you , i never saw such a godly jolly crew as are here , all heigh fellows together . 't is merry when malt-men meet ; and ( they say ) some of us here have been brewers , and of worse trades too : but uh — uh — let that pass . i defie brewing , for , i have been all over your wine cellar , and that 's another world , but it 's as slippery a world as this , and runs round too . what a nicodemus is the butler ! he was loth to own me but by night ; he bad me stay till night , and then i should have my belly-full : now ( sirs ) i conceive a belly-full is a belly-full ; and if a man have not his belly-full , it is no thanksgiving : and if you ( gentlemen of the city ) have not a belly-full of this thanksgiving , i say you may have a belly-full . had d. dorista been so wise as to have staid at home , he might have had another kind of belly-full then he had at the hague : but a belly full still is a belly-full , and grocers-hall is a better ordinary than a dutch ordinary for a belly-full . pox o' your dutch ordinaries , i think they will become english , and give us all a belly-full ; but in another kind ( i fear ) then i gave my dutch land-lady and her daughter . but no matter for that , a belly-full is a belly full : their bellys were empty , and so was mine ; for i had not so much as a stiver to bless my self , and they would never let me be quiet , and i scor'd up still , and so i got my belly-full , and they got their belly-full ; which was one belly-full for another , and so at length i was quit with them . then i went to new-england , and there i saw a blessed sight , a world of wild women and men lying round a fire , in a ring stark naked . if this custom should 〈◊〉 up in london ( as i see no reason but it may , if the state will vote it ) then every woman may ●●ue her belly-full , and it would be a certain cure for cuckolds and jealousie , and so the city would lose nothing by this thanksgiving . but now i come home to the point in hand , my lord mayor , and you gentlemen of th●city , i am commanded to give you thanks : but i would know for what ? for your dinner ? yes , i will when i have my belly-full , but your butler is no true trojan ; he knows not how to tap a●d ●oss the stingo . sure , he is some presbyterian spie that is slinkt into office ; some cowardly fellow that pines away at scandalous sins , and the stool of repentance , and he will never do well till he be ●rencht for the humor : so that now i see i am like to go away without my belly-full ; and have never a jig to the tune of arthur of bradley — sing o brave arthur of bradley ! — sing o ! — but if things go thus , what should i thank you for ? the states sore saw wh●t slender good fellows you would be , o● else some of you had been knighted as well as my lord of pembroke . nay , it was gods mercy you had not all been knighted : for , it was put to the vote ( i tell ●ou ) whether my lord mayor should be knighted , and whether you , alderman pennington , and alderman atkins , should be dubb'd sir isaac and sir thomas of the states own creation . but since it s resolved otherwise , i pray you bid the butler bring up his cannikins , and i 'le make you all lords like my self , for now ● am no less in title than lord hugo de santa pietro puntado , and every jot as merry as forty beggers . now i warrant , you expect i should thank you for his excellencies golden bason and ewer . 't is true , i was commanded to do so ; but what care i for a bason and ewer ? give me a pipe and a chamber-pot : i mean a pipe of canary into the bargain , or else it shall be no thanksgiving-day for me . oh , for a condu●t from malago , and that we knew how to convey middleton's pipes to the canary islands , then there would be no end of thanksgiving . i am commanded likewise to thank you for the lieutenant generals plate , and his purse of gold : and i am so much the more willing to do it , because i hope to have a feeling out of it anon when we come home : but ( as i take it ) you have more reason to thank him , than he you : for , you gave him a little purse of money , and 't is his goodness he does not take all . i observe too you have given him but the value of 500 l. and his excellency ( forsooth ) as much more . do ye know what you do ? cou●d you not have askt my councel before ? you may chance to be switch't ( i'faith ) for not setting the saddle upon the right horse ; and well you deserve it , if i be not furnish't with a pipe of canary . let me not be put off with nothing , like my lord president , and m. speaker , you know whether to send ( sirs . ) my lodging is sometimes at st. james's , but most an end in thames street . ther●'● my maid , a handsom lass . i tell you , will take it in , as well as my self , or else i would never keep her , farewel● ( sirs ) here 's nothing to do ( i see . ) a pox on your butler and his lean joules , there 's liberty lies in the bottom of the boules . thus it is in one of our modern authors ; but i profess i can have none of this liberty , though it be the first year of freedom , and then judge you whether the state , or the state's servants have any cause of thanks . farewel ( si●s ) i am gone . oh for a mill-boule , or his excellencies bason and ewer now to spue in , and make an end of thanksgiving . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a26129e-30 * every cook was sworn . a discourse betwixt lieutenant colonel iohn lilburn close prisoner in the tower of london, and mr hugh peter: upon may 25. 1649. published by a friend, for the publick benefit lilburne, john, 1614?-1657. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a88176 of text r9855 in the english short title catalog (wing l2100). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 21 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a88176 wing l2100 estc r9855 99896303 99896303 154041 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a88176) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 154041) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2394:15) a discourse betwixt lieutenant colonel iohn lilburn close prisoner in the tower of london, and mr hugh peter: upon may 25. 1649. published by a friend, for the publick benefit lilburne, john, 1614?-1657. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 8 p. [s.n.], london : printed in the year 1649. reproduction of original in the folger shakespeare library. eng great britain -politics and government -1642-1649 -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -early works to 1800. a88176 r9855 (wing l2100). civilwar no a discourse betwixt lieutenant colonel iohn lilburn close prisoner in the tower of london, and mr hugh peter: upon may 25. 1649. published b lilburne, john 1649 4218 7 0 0 0 0 0 17 c the rate of 17 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discovrse betwixt lieutenant colonel iohn lilburn close prisoner in the tower of london , and mr hugh peter : upon may 25. 1649. published by a friend , for the publick benefit . mat. 7. 15 , 16. beware of false prophets , which come to you in sheeps clothing , but inwardly they are ravening wolves . ye shall know them by their fruits : do men gather grapes of thorns , or figs of thistles ? london , printed in the yeer 1649. a discourse betwixt lieut. col. john lilburn , close prisoner in the tower of london , and mr hugh peter ; upon friday may 25 , 1649. this present friday mr. peters , with one doctor maysey of kingston , and a captain of m. burton's congregation that i have known formerly in major general craford's regiment of foot , with the lieutenant of the tower , and my keeper , came into my lodging , where they found my wife and my self at dinner ; and after salutes of each other , mr. peter told me to this effect , that he had at or neer the custome house , received an affront , for which he came to the lieutenant of the tower for reparation , and so was resolved to see me , being here , and kill two birds with one stone ; and being newly come from sea , and hearing i was here , he meerly came to give me a visit , out of no other designe in the world , but meerly a bare visit . i replyed to this purpose ; mr. peter , i know you well enough , and you know that i know you to be one of the setting-dogs , or stalking-horses of the great men of the army , with fair and plausible pretences to insinuate into men when they have done them wrong , and to work out their designes when they are in a strait , and cover over their blots that they have made , when they grow so visible , that they cannot well be hid , but will appear to their shame . he wondering that i entertain'd him with such a guage for his friendly visiting me ( as he call'd it ) i told him in effect , it was no halting before a creeple , for i knew him well enough , and those to whom he belonged . but he sate him down and ate and drunk with me , and fell a wondering at all the stirs here , and what should be the cause of the late bloud that was shed . i told him in effect , his great masters could better inform him of that then i . said he , they say , your bustling hath occasioned it . truly sir , i say , their injustice , oppression and tyranny hath done it : and i am sure , i fetch'd not them out of white-hall , or any other of their lodgings ; but they fetch'd me out of winchester-house , out of my bed and habitation , from my wife and children , and carried me to their thing called a councel of state , who ( like a company of righteous judges , the clean contrary way ) committed me to prison in the nature of a traytor , before ever they let me see accuser , accusation , prosecutor , or witnesse , or any due processe of law : and yet time was , when the king impeached kimbolton and the five members , and preferred a charge of seven articles against them of high-treason in the highest nature , recorded 1. part book decl. pag. 35. and onely failed in a single punctilio of due process of law , that they cryed out , it was such an invasion of the peoples liberty , that four or five peccavies and recantations from him , recorded in their own declarations , would never serve their turn : but yet forty times more illegalitie exercised by themselves upon me , must be legall , just , and right in your great , just and righteous masters , that now have a prerogative and priviledge , they can neither say , do , nor act evill , although they commit me to prison without any crime pretended , or without ever letting me see accuser , or accusation , prosecutor or charge ; and yet into the bargain , deal worse with me then ever the heathen and pagan romans dealt with paul , who had nothing but the depraved light of nature to guide them , and yet in all his imprisonment never forbad or hindered any of his friends to visit or relieve him , although he were accused for a pestilent fellow , and a turner of the world up side down : but they lock me up in a close room , with centinels at my door , and will not so much as at a distance let me speak with my friends ; nay , and for severall days would not so much as let me see my wife : and yet , mr. peter , these are your religious , godly , consciencious masters . and if this be the fruits of their saint-ship and religion , i do assure you , the divel is as good , if not a better saint : for he beleeves and trembles , which is more then i think they do : and if the sun shining upon the dunghill , make it stink , whether is the fault in the sun or the dunghill ? so , being at dinner with a summers diet , the lieut. of the tower told me , i fared sutable to my allowance . what ? saith mr. peter , do they give him allowance ? i , saith the lieutenant , they would allow him twenty shillings a week , and he refuseth it . sa●d i to this purpose , sir , forty shillings a week ( as diet is now ) will not provide me such meat : and besides , mr. peter , do your great masters think , that my captivitie shall make me value my self at the rate of such a scoundrell fellow ( having been a lieutenant colonel in their service ) as to accept of twenty shillings a week , when the king ( whom they beheaded for a tyrant ) allowed to the meanest ordinary man that ever he sent hither , three pound a week . i am sure , they have five times the kings revenue , and things are twice as dear as they used to be : and if they will imitate him in all his basenesse , nay , and far out strip him , i will hold them to it a little , to imitate him in some of his vertues ; and therefore , unlesse they will allow me the allowance that is the custome of the place , i will have none of it : and you may tell them from me , i scorn to be fed by them with a bit and a knock . a little after , mr peter casting his eye upon my law-books , takes up one of cook's institutes , and professed , i was meerly gull'd in reading or trusting to these books , for there was no laws in england . i answered to this effect , that i did beleeve what he said ; for they ( meaning his great masters , cromwel , fairfax , &c. ) had destroyed them all . nay , saith he , i tell you , there never was any in england . no ( said i ) ? and taking up my statute-book , i turned him to the petition of right , and asked him whether that be a law or no ? no , saith he , it is none : and i would fain have you to define what law is . mr. peter , said i , i will not take upon me to define what law is in your sense , or in my own ; but i will turn you to a definition in the parliaments sense in their own book of declarations ; which i read to him , as followeth : the law is that which puts a difference between good and evill , betwixt just and unjust : if you take away the law , all things will fall into confusion , every man will become a law unto himself ; which in the depraved condition of humane nature , must needs produce many great enormities : lust wil become a law , and envie will become a law , covetousnesse and ambition will become laws ; and what dictates , what decisions such laws will produce , may easily be discerned . so , mr peter , here is a definition of law by the parliament in the days of their primitive puritie , before they had corrupted themselves with the common-wealths money . and elsewhere it is their language , that the law is the safeguard , the custodie of all private interests ; your honours , your lives , your liberties and estates are all in the keeping of the law : without this every man hath a like right to any thing . and elsewhere the law is called that right line that discovereth that which is tort crooked , or wrong ; the law is that right line that measures it self and a croked line : the law is the best birth-right the subject hath ; for thereby his goods , lands , wife , children , his bodie , life , honour , and estimation are protected from injury and wrong , being the surest sanctuarie that a man can take , and the strongest fortresse to protect the weakest of all . to every one of us there comes a greater inheritance by right and the law , then by our parents . yea , and it is further said by their oracle , it is a miserable servitude or bondage where the law is uncertain , or unknown . he answers to this effect , i tell you saith he , for all this , there is no law in this nation , but the sword , and what it gives ; neither was there any law or government in the world , but what the sword gave and set up . unto which i replyed to this purpose , mr peter , i look upon you as one of the principall guids of the army , and a man that doth from time to time speak very much the sence of the leaders of the army , being you lie in their bosomes , and know their secrets , and is much used by them , to trumpet abroad their principles and tenents ; but sir , let me tell you withall , if your reasoning be sound and good , then if six theeves meet three , or four honest men , and because they are stronger then they , rob them , that act is righteous , sound and good , because their swords are stronger then the others ; and if any power be a just power that is uppermost because it is up , i wonder how you of the army , and they of the parliament can acquit your selves of being rebels and traytors before god and man , in resisting and fighting against a just power in the king , who was a power up , & fenced about with abundance of laws so reputed in the common acceptation of english men , by the expresse letter of which i am sure of it , all those who ever they be that shall rise in armes against him , are ipso facto traytors ; and i would faine know , if it were not for the preservation of the laws , that holds out the peoples liberties & freedomes , that the parliament and army engaged in theirs , against the king a just power , because he was up upon your own grounds ; what can you or any other make rationally to be the ground of the the wars ? but sir , in short and in plain english , let me tell you , that if there be now no law in england , nor never was , that then you and your great masters , cromwell , fairfax , and the parliament , are a pack of arrant bloody rogues and villaines , in setting the people together by the ears , to fight for the preservation of their laws , in which their libertie is contained ( which is the principall declared cause of the warre from the beginning to the end of the war never ) if there were no such thing in being as law in england : at which mr peter was much startled , and much condemned my harsh language , though it be farre short of what christ himselfe used to his ( viz. mr peters ) brothers , the scribes and pharisees , upon the like occasion , mat. 23. 14. where he saith , wo unto you scribes and pharisees , hypocrites ; for yee devoure widowes houses , and for a pretence make long prayer ; therefore yee shall receive the greater damnation : and in verse , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 31 , 32 , he saith , wo unto you , scribes and pharisees , hypocrites ; for ye pay tithe of mint , and anise , and cummin , and have omitted the weighty matters of the law , judgment , mercy , and faith : these ought ye to have done , and not to leave the other undone . ye blind guids , which strain at a gnat , and swallow a camel . wo unto you , scribes and pharisees , hypocrites ; for ye make clean the outside of the cup , and of the platter , but within they are full of extortion and excesse . thou blind pharisee , cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter , that the out-side of them may be clean also . wo unto you , scribes and pharisees , hypocrites ; for ye are like unto whited sepulchers , which indeed appear beautifull outward , but are within full of dead mens bones , and of all uncleannesse . even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men , but within ye are full of hypocr●sie and iniquitie . wo unto you , scribes and pharisees , hypocrites ; because ye build the tombs of the prophets , and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous , and say . if we had been in the dayes of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets . wherefore ye be witnesses unto your selves , that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets . fill ye up then the measure of your fathers . and in the 8th of john , when the jews in their works and actions denyed abraham and god to be their father , and yet in words owned them both for their father , verse 39. 41. christ in the 44 verse , tels them plainly , ye are of your father the devill , and the lusts of your father ye will do : he was a murtherer from the beginning , and aboade not in the truth , because there is no truth in him . wh●n h● speaketh a lie , he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar , and the father of it . and the apostle paul's exhortation to his followers , is to reprove such notorious hypocriticall workers of iniquitie sharply . but after he had sufficiently condemned my language in speaking plain english , which i say , is the whole current of the scripture to incorrigible dissembling men as they are : he again and again protested and desired the company to beare witnesse , that he in saying , there was no law in england , did not speak the sence of the army , but his own proper opinion , and also protested , he had no design in comming to me , but a bare visit ; and wondered i would be so hot at him for his love ; and he was farre enough from any of their designs : i replyed to this purpose , mr peter , you know i know you well enough , and i tell you , in a play , every player hath his part , yea even the seeming fool , and many times they act with a seeming violence , and against one another ; but they all center in this end to get the spectators money from them ; i leave you to make application : and i tell you moreover , the last year , when the stirs began , when sir john maynard , and the four aldermen were prisoners here at the tower , you came and took up your lodging at col. whits , under pretence of reposing your selfe , and being nigh your businesses , being bound in all haste to new-england as you said , although you never intended it , i am confident of it , in the least , but meerly came hither upon a design finely coloured over , to work a complyance in sir john maynard , and the four aldermen to your great masters , that so seeing the city baffled of their liberty , they might come off with as little losse of reputation in their deliverance as might be ; and i believe some such thing if not worse in the bottom of your visiting of me at this time : but he replyed very bitterly and earnestly , againe and againe , calling god to witnesse , he had no design the last year upon sir john maynard , and the aldermen , in his comming to the tower , nor upon me in his comming to visit me ; and told me , i need not be so passionate , there was no feare of the losse of my life : to which i replyed , to this effect ; sir , i know you , and your masters so well , and that you have so couzoned and cheated all parties and interests that ever you dealt with , so visibly and evidently , never keeping either faith , promise , or engagements with any of them , longer then it served your present turns ; it being beyond a maxime long since amongst some of you so to do , that i doe protest unto you , both for you and them , i will not believe one word yee say , swear , or protest , but the more earnest you or they are in any of them , the more jealous i will be of you ; and therefore know this for hereafter , that where ever i meet your masters , or any of their under depending tribe , i will be upon my guard , as though i were amongst a company of the arrentest cheaters and deceivers in the world ; by whom i hope i shall never be cozoned any more with credulity and honesty ; for i will never hereafter believe you , though i should bee glad you would deceive me once againe in doing good to the poore nation , for it is easily in you power ; but i believe you will never doe it ; and for my life , if i were to lay it down to morrow , i would scorn to beg or intreat for it , from any of your masters ; and if it be in no danger , it is no thanks to them , for i am confidently perswaded in my very heart , it is not mine an hour longer , then they dare take it away , either by hook or crook , but it may prove a choak pear to them , when ever they goe about it . but sir , said i , i thought i had been safe enough , when i squared my actions by the rules of those laws that they have often sworn , declared , and promised year after year , and month after month to maintain and defend ; and make as the standard or touchstone betwixt them and the people , as they have done with the petition of right , &c. i but saith he , i will shew you your great mistake in that particular , and that your safety ●●es not therein : so i longed to hear that . well , saith he , their mindes may change , and then where are you ? i but sir , said i , i cannot take notice of what is in their mindes to obey that ; but the constant declaration of their mindes , ( without ever so much as in any one declaration contradicting it ) as that they will maintain the petition of right , and the liberties therein contained , must bee the rule of my obedience : and the petition of right , by reason of their constant declarations to preserve it , i make the rule of my obedience and actings amongst men , and think i shall be safe thereby : but when they shall publiquely declare , they scorn the petition of right , and will neither maintain that nor any other laws or compacts amongst the men of this nation , but what flows daily from their wils and pleasures ; i shall alter my minde , and expect no benefit by the petition of right ; but when that is , let me tell you , i shall rather desire to live in turkie under the great turk , then in england under your religious masters at white-hall and westminster , for there is no such tyrant or persecuter in the world , as an apostate , that one turns his back of justice , righteousness and truth : but mr. peter , as for things at present , tell your masters from me , that if it were possible for me now to chuse , i had rather chuse to live seven years under old king charls his government , ( nothwithstanding their beheading him as a tyrant for it ) when it was at the worst before this parliament , then live one year under their present government that now rule : nay , let me tell you , if they go on with that tyranny they are in , they will make prince charl● have friends enow , not only to cry him up , but also really to fight for him to bring him into his fathers throne , that so they may have their just desires of perfidious cruel bloody tyrants , and the people of the land some ease and rest from their insupportable burthens and oppressions : yea , and for my particular , i must aver unto you , i had rather by many degrees chuse to live under a regulated and wel-bounded king without tyrannie , then under any government with tyranny . here is the substance of my discourse with mr. peter , saving i pinched him a little particularly upon his great masters large fingering of the common-wealths money , which was no better then theft in them , and state-robbery in the highest , ( as i told him . ) i but , saith he , ●reton hath got none : then , said i , former reports are false ; and besides , if he have not , what need he , when his father-in-law gets so much for them both , as 3 or 4000 l. per annum at one clap ; with well-nigh twenty thousand pounds worth of wood upon it , if parliament mens relations may be beleeved : besides , the people that know them , know the father and son piss both in one gullie ; though they seem somtime to go one against another , yet it is but that they may the more easily and throughly drive on the main design of them both : viz. to make the people slaves . and so farewell mr. peter . finis . master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax, delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled: with the whole state of the west, and all the particulars about the disbanding of the princes and sir ralph hoptons army. also the totall routing of sir jacob ashley himselfe, and 1500. taken prisoners, their carriages and ammunition also taken by colonell morgan and sir william brereton. commanded to be printed at the desire of divers members of parliament, and published according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90542 of text r11290 in the english short title catalog (thomason e329_2). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 24 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90542 wing p1710a thomason e329_2 estc r11290 99858981 99858981 111042 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90542) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 111042) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 54:e329[2]) master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax, delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled: with the whole state of the west, and all the particulars about the disbanding of the princes and sir ralph hoptons army. also the totall routing of sir jacob ashley himselfe, and 1500. taken prisoners, their carriages and ammunition also taken by colonell morgan and sir william brereton. commanded to be printed at the desire of divers members of parliament, and published according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [2], 6, 9-15, [1] p. printed for matthew walbancke, london, : 22 march, 1645. [i.e. 1646] text is apparently continuous despite pagination. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng fairfax, thomas fairfax, -baron, 1612-1671 -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -campaigns -early works to 1800. cornwall (england : county) -history -early works to 1800. a90542 r11290 (thomason e329_2). civilwar no master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax,: delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled: with the whole peters, hugh 1645 4198 25 0 0 0 1 0 83 d the rate of 83 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2007-06 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax , delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled : with the whole state of the west , and all the particulars about the disbanding of the princes and sir ralph hoptons army . also the totall routing of sir jacob ashley himselfe , and 1500. taken prisoners , their carriages and ammunition also taken by colonell morgan and sir william brereton . commanded to be printed at the desire of divers members of parliament , and published according to order . london , printed for matthew walbancke , 22 march , 1645. master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax . master speaker ; after the lord had appeared for our army at torrington , and had written his name in such visible characters before the faces of many , counsell was taken to pursue the enemy into cornwall , and the rather because the scattering of that body of horse would after an especiall manner promote our future designes , not onely in order to exceter , but also to our easterne imployment , i shall therefore give you an accompt , first of the steps we made into cornwall ; secondly , of the state of the country ; thirdly , the condition of the enemy ; fourthly of our owne army . upon our advance , the generall gave me a commission to apply my self to all means and expedients i could think of , for the stopping of the east parts of cornwall from rising and joyning with the enemies horse , foot being that which the enemy ( onely ) wanted , and those they brought to torrington blown into severall parts , and scattered , with a purpose not to appeare againe . accordingly i rid to plymouth , ( though not without much difficulty ) riding forty miles very neer the enemies guards ; i dealt at plymouth with the governour and the committee there , who offered me all their furtherances , had passes of them for any i should imploy into cornwall , and was much engaged to mr. raw , of that place , ( a discreete able man , and industrious ) who undertooke to agitate my desi●nes with the enemy , and deserves exceeding well for his faithfulnesse and wisdome therein . when i was thus thoughtfull how to ingage the cornish foot from rising in the east , ( whose example would have had a present influence on all the county ) it pleased the lord to send in one out of cornwall , of very good quality , ( and much interessed ) who came disguized into plymouth , having the same designe with my self , for strong affections to the parliament and their cause , assuring me , that 3000. men stood ready to joine with the enemies horse , yet that there were good hopes , that the leaders being rightly informed , might not onely prevent it , but conditionally close with us . their chiefes were old master colliton , colonell edgcomb of mount edgcomb , master thomas lowre , and lieutenant colonell scawen . to these i applyed my self ( by writing ) and declared what i had in commission from the generall , and sent it by the party by me imployed , who returned again , and gave me hopes , and yet professed much jealousie on their part for the true performance on what i promised ; and therefore to shorten my worke i offered my selfe an hostage to them , till the generall should make good what i promised . by the next return they invited me into cornwall , where foure of them should be ready , in the behalfe of themselves and others , to treate with me , and as they saw cause , to accompany me to the generall . i adventured over to them , and there found master corriton , m. thomas lowre , m. glanvill , the eldest son of serjeant glanvill , and major trevise ; who being perswaded of the truth of what i had engaged my self for , were perswaded to go to the generall with me , and truly i found them very ingenuous , who had long before distasted the court way , and abhorred the practises of many of the kings party . by this time the generall had entred cornwall , and ( at stratton ) our men beate up a guard of the enemies , and took 300. horse : these cornish gentlemen , finding my words made good unto them , were much convinced and affected , receiving from the generall protections for themselves and that side of the country against the violence of our souldiers , as also letters of recommendation to the parliament , for this their service , which tooke such effect , that not onely these 3000. men , ready for their march , retired to their houses , but also the whole county where we came , either came in to us , or sate still ; and truly these easterne gentlemen are very considerable , and i am perswaded the old master coriton , ( who suffered for magna charta , with sir john elliot , ) will returne to his interest againe , with many more of them . upon our advance the enemy retreated , the generall lay at bodman to refresh our men , and to undeceive the county , if by any means we might , which the lord himself was pleased to help us in , even to wonder , by an irish frigot , coming into padstow , and bringing letters to hopton and others , from the earl of glamorgan , that ●esuited papist , assuring them of ten thousand irish ready for england . these letters the generall commanded me to read , at a great meeting of the country men , in a field neere bodman , which had such successe , that the arguments i used unto them , and what i read was received with divers acclamations . upon this day fortnight a strong party of ours was sent out to fall upon their maine guard , under the command of that honest and worthy gentleman col. rich , who accordingly met with one thousand of the enemies horse , routed them , and put them to flight , and tooke two hundred horses , and one hundred prisoners , amongst whom master generall perts , who is since dead of his wounds , in whose pocket a copy of a letter to the princes counsell about him , was found to this purpose . that the kings condition is so low is not our fault ▪ we are not able to breake through the enemy , nor strong enough to fight them ; therefore are resolved to compound for our selves , and leave you to doe what you please . sir , it came from the military part . divers small skirmishes we had with them , lieutenant generall cromwell himselfe , with some of his horses are setting out parties and guards , and attending their motions , adventured himselfe according to his wonted manner ; and now the enemies head quarter being at truro , and their chiefe strength not above five or sixe miles from us , the generall resolving to fight them , or drive them to the sea , sent them such propositions with a summons , as he did conceive would take off much of their forces , and bring them all to a sudden agreement ; and upon the sending of these , advanced still forward , and in our advance they met us with a desire of a treaty , which accordingly was yeelded unto , and held sixe daies , there being matters not a few to be considered of , as appears by the articles . upon the last lords day , upon a downe a mile from truro , after i had preached to our men , and divers of the enemies , they began to deliver up their armes and horses . the first regiment was a french regiment , under the command of mounsier laplane on sunday last , yet i must much commend the civility of our souldiers herein , that they let them passe without mocking , or jeering , or offering any affronts to them . on munday there were three brigades more disbanded , and on tuesday the rest according to the articles ; if it shall be objected , that the generall dealt too gently with the county , or the souldiery part there , i answer . 1 that the constitution of both the one and the other required it , the souldiers being a strong party , and in the enemies country . 2 the people needed it , and the same weapon proved their cure that made their wound , hoptons moderation , civility that first deceived them , and the generals now joyned with faithfulnesse tooke the scales from their eyes . 3 that we have all this year found it our advantage ; 4 meeknesse , sweetnesse and courage have been alwaies stirring in our generall for digniority ; we know that caesar dando , sublenando , ignoscendo gloriam adeptus est , but of the generall we may say by the like meanes , patriam bene adeptus est . 5 we beleeve , that the conduct of this army delight not to drinke blood . 6 the parliaments aimes are not destructive , but reductive . 7 we look upon it as the spirit of christ in these latter times , and of the new testament , to save , and not to ruine ; and the heathen could say : magnanimo satis est praedam prostrasse leoni , pugna suum finem , cum jacet hostis habet . and this i am bold to adde , that such is the providence of god , that if we had fought and beaten them , we should not have scattered them as now they are ; god hath restrained from the enemies themselves this acknowledgement , that their gods is not like ours ; their men not like ours , their actions not like ours : the very words of one of their chiefe commanders were these : that their men counselled with drinke in their heads , ours with wit in their heads ; our men silently prosecuted and effected their worke , their men vapoured and did nothing : we had a conduct and counsell , they acted without both ; yea , that this army was not to be fought against . and all the enemy are engaged never to take up armes against the parliament , except some very few onely . for the country , the gentry came almost all in unto us , the cornish souldiers brought us and laid downe their armes at the generalls foot , many of them professing they would but goe home and attend him . some of the arguments i used in speaking and preaching to them in their publike assemblies were ; first , for the parliament , they did as a iustice of peace , sent out a counstable to apprehended such as had broake the civill peace : the cunstable beaten back from his office , hath more helpe sent him , towne and cuntry who are re-resolved to pursue his disturbers , our taking up of armes was not against cornish men , nor any perticular men , nor any perticular county , but against such as disturbed both them and us , which if they deliver them to us ; we had the end of our travells . secondly ▪ i used an argument of utily , wishing them to consider how they could subject without trade which are from the city of london , and other parts of the kingdome . thirdly , what havock the irish and french might make upon them if they landed ; of which gorings desperadoes have given them a taste . fourthly , how comfortably , and safe they might live under the parliament , who are loath to loose such a tribe as they were . fifthly , i answered a common murmuring amongst them , that their country was never conquered . they were tould , that our army was never conquered neither , and yet we were willing to wrestle with them in their one way , by embracing , and huging of them , they should conquer us , and we would conquer them , we would win the day , and they should gaine the field , or their fields : if they lost a service b●●ke they sh●uld have a better worship : sixthly , was from experience , the were wished to tract all the parliaments proceedings , and the armies in other counties ; whether they had had better ministers , and better magistrates placed then before . seventhly , was taken from the practise of the enemie , and this quaerie was put to them , what good the enemy had done for them ; whether their examples , and practises , councels and indeavours , had led ●hem to more holinesse , justnesse , and exactnesse . many of them confessed , they were received by ill reports brought of the parliament , and the crueltyes of this army , by hoptons flateries , and the courtiers , and by the kings , and princes personall apperance amongst them : and by their promises to them honouring of them , as more perticular appears , by this d●claration of the kings , hanged up in every church in the country . charles r. wee are so highly sensible of the extraordinary merit of our county of cornwall , of the zeale for the defence of our person and the just rights of our crown , ( in a time when we could contribute so little to our owne defence , or to their assistance in a time when not onely no reward appeared , but great and probable dangers were threatned to obedience and loyalty ; ) of their great and eminent courage and patience in their indefatigable prosecution of their great work against so potent an enemy , block't with so strong , rich , and populous cities , and so plentifully furnished and supplyed with men , arms , money , ammunition and provision of all kinds ; and of the wonderfull successe with which it hath pleased almighty god ( though with the losse of some most eminent persons , who shall never be forgotten by vs ) to reward their loyalty and patience by many strange victories over their and our enemies , in despight of all humane probability , and all imaginable disadvantages ; that as wee cannot be forgetfull of so great deserts , so we cannot but desire to publish to all the world , and perpetuate to all time the memory of these their merits , and of our acceptance of the same . and to that end wee doe hereby render our royall thankes to that our county , in the most publike and most lasting manner we can devise , commanding copies hereof to be printed and published , and one of them to be read in every church and chappell therein , and to be kept for ever as a record in the same , that as long as the history of these times , and of this nation shall continue , the memory of how much that county hath merited from vs and our crowne , may be derived with it to posterity . given at our campe at sudeley castle the tenth of september , 1643. and lastly , their lude and ungodly ministers had councelled them , and exampled them to the greatest part of their misery , i make no doubt , they may prove a people of gods praise , may they but enjoy a faithfull magistracie and ministry ; for which , my most earnest and humble request is to this honourable house : me thinkes they cry at every gate , bread bread , for the lords sake . i wish there were some evangelicall ministers in each county of the kingdom , that poor people might know there is a god ; that they might fear him , and love him , and be acquainted with his son , who is theirs and our life . the county is all cleerly reduced , except pendennis , helford , and the mount ; which the very countrey ( i hope ) will bee willing to reduce themselves , feymouth harbour is free to us ; we have taken st. mawes castle , with twelve peices of ordnance in it , and one called the roaring-meg , a choice peice of brasse : the generall is sending eastward some of his forces , towards barnstable and exeter , and intends ( having blockt up pendennis ) to return himself . there came two out of exeter to us , who caried in propositions with them ; and of barnstable we hope to give a good account shortly . at foy upon munday last , we took a ship called the greene knight , having 16 peices of ordnance , and richly laden , they being ignorant that the harbour was ours . your affaires have a good complexion upon them at present ; and doubtlesse , whilest you imploy good men ▪ they will be good for you . i have observed in the whole tract of this western work , divers promises fulfilled ; as that the lord would send an hornet amongst them : that is , a spirit of fear , and that they shall fly when none pursues them : wee could seldome make them stand anywhere ; they never offered to beat up a guard of ours at any time , though they had four thousand ●ighting horse . i had been tould in their quarters where i lay , as 3. times my lot was to lie in hoptons own quarters in bed , where they tould me upon everie alarme , the sh●●kings of belshazer was up on them , one passage aboue the rest was this , 40. of them lieing in an house at saint auste● , two coults that were feeding upon a common ▪ in a could night , came for shelter to the side of the house . ●hey took● an alarme within , charged the coults to stand ; but they not understand the language , kept on their way , put them to such a fight , that they tumbled one upon the back of another to get away . sometimes i thought of that promise in the first psalme , that they shall be scattered as chaffe before the winde , they are gone into severall countries . sometimes , the lord saith he will bring his wheele upon them , and break them , we saw their power broken , their councells broken , their intrests broken , their expectations broken , who would have broke the verie axeltree of the state . sometimes i thought of the prophesy ; when the lord saith he would powre contempt upon princes ▪ especiallie when i read writings from t●e prince , thus , dated at our court at sillie : and though he be unwilling to play with words , ye● i could wish that that place , and name might ever be the portion of those that councell princes to their own ruin . jncedit inscilam cupiens vitare quietem . manie of such like punishes have been fulfilled in our fight . and now i must be thankfull to those gentlemen of this house , that have beene carefull for moneyes ▪ cloathes , and ammunition for the army , being the sinewes of our worke , and yet must complaine ; that after many letters written from place to place , we have not had one ship from the parliament upon the coast , to joine with us in any designe , or to meet the enemie vvhen they vvent avvay vvith their welsh : onely captain plunkets ship lying at plimmouth was willing to do their utmost , and sir george a●scugh , that commands the expedition , brought us the last money to foy , and is earnestlie seeking out vvhich way to serve us to the uttermost . i would say something for my selfe , and yet so prove an at●mbe , as not worth a minute of your time ; though you have been pleased to bear with my rudenesse . since my last being in the city , i have beene by some represented as one scandalizing of others ; which as it hath no truth in it : so i blesse god , that there is a parliament to appeale unto , and i know not the cause hereof , but from my forwardnesse and faithfulnesse to the work in hand . this i am bold to say , though it should be accompted a crime to serve the parliament , and i might be sory for the despiers , w●ich it shall never make me weary of my duty , nor my masters . if in my death the state might be a gainer , i have sometimes thought i might be willing to come to that trial , if my life may serve you , you may command it , for i must make the same profession that he did to caesar , that your former favours have done me that injurie , that i must live , and die ungratefull . these are my last requests , and the very sithings of my soule , that first , since the spirit of god hath done all your workes for you , that spirit may never be sadded by you , that glads yours : it hath been an old jesuiticall practise , to beat religion with religions : i say no more . secondly , that you may live to see that top stone laid ; to which you may all cry grace , grace . thirdly ; and lastly , that when your soules shall sit upon your trembling lips , and take care of your bodies , your accompts may be as comfortable , as your pains have beene in defatigable , and more . so prayes hugh peters . we hear for certain , that greenvill , culpepper , sir nicholas crisp , and divers others are in france , hopton and wentworth , and divers others were going from penthancts thither on tuesday last : the french and others have leave to take shipping at plymouth ▪ 20 or 30 are allowed to go t● the king : divers irish and welsh are gone into pendennis , where there are many distractions , and sir henry killegrew most vilde and violent , who upon sunday last burnt the ancient house of that name , called arwennock , now belonging to sir peter killegrew . the prince remains still in scillie , expecting what end his father will make with the parliament . the same day a letter was sent to mr. peters as followeth ▪ mr. peters , the house of commons have commanded me to give you notice , that they have appointed a day of thansgiving ( for these blessings upon our armies ) upon thursday come sennight , and that they have desired your selfe , and mr. carel to preach upon that day at christ-church . your affectionate friend , ol. st. john , satterday the 21. of march 1645. mr. peters being to preach at brides , sunday the 22. of march , a paper was delivered to him of news , which major temple ( who was in the fight ) brought , of the routing of sir jacob ashley : of which here followeth a copie . this morning , march 21. col. morgan his forces , with the forces of sir william brereton ( who were joined the night before ) fell upon sir jacob ashley and all his forces intended for oxford , to joine with the king , and at stow in the oulds ( in gloucester-shire , after a sore conflict on both sides ) sir jacob was totally routed ; himfelf and 1500. taken prisoners , and their cariages : out word was , god be our guide , the word of the enemies was , patrick and george . stow , march 21. 1645. fjnjs . master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax, delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled: with the whole state of the west, and all the particulars about the disbanding of the princes and sir ralph hoptons army. together with his majesties proclamation. also the totall routing of sir jacob ashley himselfe, and 1500 taken prisoners, their carriages and ammunition also taken by colonell morgan and sir william brereton. commanded to be printed at the desire of divers members of parliament, and published according to order. fairfax, thomas fairfax, baron, 1612-1671. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a40362 of text r11290 in the english short title catalog (wing f203). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 23 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a40362 wing f203 estc r11290 12425659 ocm 12425659 61836 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a40362) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 61836) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 938:19 or 1934:3) master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax, delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled: with the whole state of the west, and all the particulars about the disbanding of the princes and sir ralph hoptons army. together with his majesties proclamation. also the totall routing of sir jacob ashley himselfe, and 1500 taken prisoners, their carriages and ammunition also taken by colonell morgan and sir william brereton. commanded to be printed at the desire of divers members of parliament, and published according to order. fairfax, thomas fairfax, baron, 1612-1671. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. charles ii, king of england, 1630-1685. hopton, ralph hopton, baron, 1598-1652. brereton, william, sir, 1604-1661. cromwell, oliver, 1599-1658. [2], 15 p. printed for matthew walbancke, london, : 22 march, 1645. item at reel 938:19 identified as wing f203 (number cancelled). reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. eng great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649. a40362 r11290 (wing f203). civilwar no master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax, delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled: with the whole st peters, hugh 1646 4195 6 0 0 0 1 0 38 c the rate of 38 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2000-00 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2001-07 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2001-08 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2001-08 tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited 2001-11 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax delivered in both houses of the lords and commons in parliament assembled : with the whole state of the west , and all the particulars about the disbanding of the princes and sir ralph hoptons army . together with his majesties proclamation . also the totall routing of sir iacob ashley himselfe , and 1500. taken prisoners , their carriages and ammunition also taken by colonell morgan and sir william brereton . commanded to be printed at the desire of divers members of parliament , and published according to order . london , printed for matthew walbancke , 22 march , 1645. master peters messuage from sir thomas fairfax . master speaker ; after the lord had appeared for our army at torrington , and had written his name in such visible characters before the faces of many , counsell was taken to pursue the enemy into cornwall , and the rather because the scattering of that body of horse would after an especiall manner promote our future designes , not onely in order to exceter , but also to our easterne imployment , i shall therefore give you an accompt , first of the steps we made into cornwall ; secondly , of the state of the country ; thirdly , the condition of the enemy ; fourthly of our owne army . upon our advance , the generall gave me a commission to apply my self to all means and expedients i could think of , for the stopping of the east parts of cornwall from rising and joyning with the enemies horse , foot being that which the enemy ( onely ) wanted , and those they brought to torrington blown into severall parts , and scattered , with a purpose not to appeare againe . accordingly i rid to plymouth , ( though not without much difficulty ) riding forty miles very neer the enemies guards ; i dealt at plymouth with the governour and the committee there , who offered me all their furtherances , had passes of them for any i should imploy into cornwall , and was much engaged to mr. raw , of that place , ( a discreete able man , and industrious ) who undertooke to agitate my designes with the enemy , and deserves exceeding well for his faithfulnesse and wisdome therein . when i was thus thoughtfull how to ingage the cornish foot from rising in the east , ( whose example would have had a present influence on all the county ) it pleased the lord to send in one out of cornwall , of very good quality , ( and much interessed ) who came disguized into plymouth , having the same designe with my self , for strong affections to the parliament and their cause , assuring me , that 3000. men stood ready to joine with the enemies horse , yet that there were good hopes , that the leaders being rightly informed , might not onely prevent it , but conditionally close with us . their chiefes were old master colliton , colonell edgcomb of mount edgcomb , master thomas lowre , and lieutenant colonell scawen . to these i applyed my self ( by writing ) and declared what i had in commission from the generall , and sent it by the party by me imployed , who returned again , and gave me hopes , and yet professed much jealousie on their part for the true performance on what i promised ; and therefore to shorten my worke i offered my selfe an hostage to them , till the generall should make good what i promised . by the next return they invited me into cornwall , where foure of them should be ready , in the behalfe of themselves and others , to treate with me , and as they saw cause , to accompany me to the generall . i adventured over to them , and there found master corriton , m. thomas lowre , m. glanvill , the eldest son of serjeant glanvill , and major trevise ; who being perswaded of the truth of what i had engaged my self for , were perswaded to go to the generall with me , and truly i found them very ingenuous , who had long before distasted the court way , and abhorred the practises of many of the kings party . by this time the generall had entred cornwall , and ( at stratton ) our men beate up a guard of the enemies , and took 300. horse : these cornish gentlemen , finding my words made good unto them , were much convinced and affected , receiving from the generall protections for themselves and that side of the country against the violence of our souldiers , as also letters of recommendation to the parliament , for this their service , which tooke such effect , that not onely these 3000. men , ready for their march , retired to their houses , but also the whole county where we came , either came in to us , or sate still ; and truly these easterne gentlemen are very considerable , and i am perswaded the old master coriton , ( who suffered for magna charta , with sir iohn elliot , ) will returne to his interest againe , with many more of them . upon our advance the enemy retreated , the generall lay at bodman to refresh our men , and to undeceive the county , if by any means we might , which the lord himself was pleased to help us in , even to wonder , by an irish frigot , coming into padstow , and bringing letters to hopton and others , from the earl of glamorgan , that jesuited papist , assuring them of ten thousand irish ready for england . these letters the generall commanded me to read , at a great meeting of the country men , in a field neere bodman , which had such successe , that the arguments i used unto them , and what i read was received with divers acclamations . upon this day fortnight a strong party of ours was sent out to fall upon their maine guard , under the command of that honest and worthy gentleman col. rich , who accordingly met with one thousand of the enemies horse , routed them , and put them to flight , and tooke two hundred horses , and one hundred prisoners , amongst whom master generall perts , who is since dead of his wounds , in whose pocket a copy of a letter to the princes counsell about him , was found to this purpose . that the kings condition is so low is not our fault , we are not able to breake through the enemy , nor strong enough to fight them ; therefore are resolved to compound for our selves , and leave you to doe what you please . sir , it came from the military part . divers small skirmishes we had with them , lieutenant generall cromwell himselfe , with some of his horses are setting out parties and guards , and attending their motions , adventured himselfe according to his wonted manner ; and now the enemies head quarter being at truro , and their chiefe strength not above five of sixe miles from us , the generall resolving to fight them , or drive them to the sea , sent them such propositions with a summons , as he did conceive would take off much of their forces , and bring them all to a sudden agreement ; and upon the sending of these , advanced still forward , and in our advance they met us with a desire of a treaty , which accordingly was yeelded unto , and held sixe daies , there being matters not a few to be considered of , as appears by the articles . upon the last lords day , upon a downe a mile from truro , after i had preached to our men , and divers of the enemies , they began to deliver up their armes and horses . the first regiment was a french regiment , under the command of mounsier laplane on sunday last , yet i must much commend the civility of our souldiers herein , that they let them passe without mocking , or jeering , or offering any affronts to them . on munday there were three brigades more disbanded , and on tuesday the rest according to the articles ; if it shall be objected , that the generall dealt too gently with the county , or the souldiery part there , i answer . 1 that the constitution of both the one and the other required it , the souldiers being a strong party , and in the enemies country . 2 the people needed it , and the same weapon proved their cure that made their wound , hoptons moderation , civility that first deceived them , and the generals now joyned with faithfulnesse tooke the scales from their eyes . 3 that we have all this year found it our advantage ; 4 meeknesse , sweetnesse and courage have been alwaies stirring in our generall for digniority ; we know that caesar dando , sublenando , ignoscendo gloriam adepiusest , but of the generall we may say by the like meanes , patriam bene adeptus est . 5 we beleeve , that the conduct of this army delight not to drinke blood . 6 the parliaments aimes are not destructive , but reductive . 7 we look upon it as the spirit of christ in these latter times , and of the new testament , to save , and not to ruine ; and the heathen could say : magnanimo satis est praedam prostrasse leoni , pugna suum sinem , cum jacet hostis habet . and this i am bold to adde , that such is the providence of god , that if we had fought and beaten them , we should not have scattered them as now they are ; god hath restrained from the enemies themselves this acknowledgement , that their gods is not like ours ; their men not like ours , their actions not like ours : the very words of one of their chiefe commanders were these : " that their men counselled with drinke in their heads , ours with wit in their heads ; our men silently prosecuted and effected their worke , their men vapoured and did nothing : we had a conduct and counsell , they acted without both ; yea , that this army was not to be fought against . and all the enemy are engaged never to take up armes against the parliament , except some very few onely . for the country , the gentry came almost all in unto us , the cornish souldiers brought us and laid downe their armes at the generalls foot , many of them professing they would but goe home and attend him . some of the arguments i used in speaking and preaching to them in their publike assemblies were ; first for the parliament , they did as a iustice of peace , sent out a counstable to apprehended such as had broake the civill peace : the cunstable beaten back from his office , hath more helpe sent him , towne and cuntry who are re-resolved to pursue his disturbers , our taking up of armes was not against cornish men , nor any perticular men , nor any perticular county , but against such as disturbed both them and us , which if they deliver them to us ; we had the end of our travells . secondly i used an argument of utily , wishing them to consider how they could subject without trade which are from the city of london , and other parts of the kingdome . thirdly , what havock the irish and french might make upon them if they landed ; of which gorings desperadoes have given them a taste . fourthly , how comfortably , and safe they might live under the parliament , who are loath to loose such a tribe as they were . fifthly , i answered a common murmuring amongst them , that their country was never conquered . they were tould , that our army was never conquered neither , and yet we were willing to wrestle with them in their one way , by embracing , and huging of them , they should conquer us , and we would conquer them , we would win the day , and they should gaine the field , or their fields : if they lost a service b●oke they should have a better worship : sixthly , was from experience , the were wished to tract all the parliaments proceedings , and the armies in other counties ; whether they had had better ministers , and better magistrates placed then before . seventhly , was taken from the practise of the enemie , and this quaerie was put to them , what good the enemy had done for them ; whether their examples , and practises , councels and indeavours , had led them to more holinesse , justnesse , and exactnesse . many of them confessed , they were received by ill reports brought of the parliament and the crueltyes of this army , by hopions flateries , and the courtiers , and by the kings , and princes personall apperance amongst them : and by their promises to them honouring of them , as more perticular appears , by this declaration of the kings , hanged up in every church in the country . charles r. wee are so highly sensible of the extraordinary merit of our county of cornwall , of the zeale for the defence of our person and the just rights of our crown , ( in a time when we could contribute so little to our owne defence , or to their assistance in a time when not onely no reward appeared , but great and probable dangers were threatned to obedience and loyalty ; ) of their great and eminent courage and patience in their indefatigable prosecution of their great work against so potent an enemy , block't with so strong , rich , and populous cities , and so plentifully furnished and supplyed with men , arms , money , ammunition and provision of all kinds ; and of the wonderfull successe with which it hath pleased almighty god ( though with the losse of some most eminent persons , who shall never be forgotten by vs ) to reward their loyalty and patience by many strange victories over their and our enemies , in despight of all humane probability , and all imaginable disadvantages ; that as wee cannot be forgetfull of so great deserts , so we cannot but desire to publish to all the world , and perpetuate to all time the memory of these their merits , and of our acceptance of the same . and to that end wee doe hereby render our royall thankes to that our county , in the most publike and most lasting manner we can devise , commanding copies hereof to be printed and published , and one of them to be read in every church and chappell therein , and to be kept for ever as a record in the same , that as long as the history of those times , and of this nation shall continue , the memory of how much that county hath merited from vs and our crowne , may be derived with it to posterity . given at our campe at sudeley castle the tenth of september , 1643. and lastly , their lude and ungodly ministers had councelled them , and exampled them to the greatest part of their misery , i make no doubt , they may prove a people of gods praise , may they but enjoy a faithfull magistracie and ministry ; for which , my most earnest and humble request is to this honourable house : me thinkes they cry at every gate , bread , bread , for the lords sake . i wish there were some evangelicall ministers in each county of the kingdom , that poor people might know there is god ; that they might fear him , and love him , and be acquainted with his son , who is theirs and our life . the county is all cleerly reduced , except pendennis , helford , and the mount ; which the very countrey ( i hope ) will bee willing to teduce themselves , feymouth harbour is free to us ; we have taken st. mawes castle , with twelve peices of ordnance in it , and one called the roaring-meg , a choice peice of brasse : the generall is sending eastward some of his forces , towards barnstable and exeter , and intends ( having blockt up pe dennis ) to return himself . there came two out of exeter to us , who caried in propositions with them ; and of barnstable we hope to give a good accoun shortly . at foy upon munday last , we took a ship called the greene knight , having 16 peices of ordnance , and richly laden , they being ignorant that the harbour was ours . your affaires have a good complexion upon them at present ; and doubtlesse , whilest you imploy good men , they will be good for you . i have observed in the whole tract of this western work , divers promises fulfilled ; as that the lord would send an hornest amongst them : that is , a spirit of fear , and that they shall fly when none pursues them : wee could seldome make them stand anywhere ; they never offered to beat up a guard of ours at any time , though they had four thousand fighting horse . i have been tould in their quarters where i lay , as 3. times my lot was to lie in hoptons own quarters in bed , where they tould me upon everie alarme , the sh●kings of belshazer was up on them , one passage aboue the rest was this ; 40. of them lieing in an house at saint a●stel , two coults that w●e feeding upon a common , in a could night , came for shelter to the side of the house . they tooke an alarme within , charged the coults to stand ; but they not understand the language , kept on their way , put them to such a sight , that they tumbled one upon the back of another to get away . sometimes i thought of that promise in the first psalme , that they shall be scattered as chaffe before the winde , they are gone into severall countries . sometimes , the lord saith he will bring his wheele upon them , and break them , we saw their power broken , their councells broken , their intrests broken , their expectations broken , who would have broke the verie axeltree of the state . sometimes i thought of the prophesy ; when the lord saith he would powre contempt upon princes especiallie when i read writings from the prince , thus , dated at our court at sillie : and though he be unwilling to play with words , yet i could wish that that place , and name might ever be the portion of those that councell princes to their own ruin . incedit inscilam cuplens vltare quietem . manie of such like punishes have been fulfilled in our fight . and now i must be thankfull to those gentlemen of this house , that have beene carefull for moneyes cloathes , and ammunition for the army , being the sinewes of our worke , and yet must complaine ; that after many letters written from place to place , we have not had one ship from the parliament upon the coast , to joine with us in any designe , or to meet the enemie vvhen they vvent away vvith their welsh : onely captain plankers ship lying at plimmouth was willing to do their utmost , and sir george aysough , that commands the expedition , brought at the last money to foy , and is earnestlie seeking out vvhich way to serve us to the uttermost . i would say something for my selfe , and yet so prove an acombe , as not worth a minute of your time ; though you have been pleased to bear with my rudenesse . since my last being in the city , i have beene by some represented as one scandalizing of others ; which as it hath no truth in it : so i blesse god , that there is a parliament to appeale unto , and i know not the cause hereof but from my forwardnesse and faithfulnesse to the work in hand . this i am bold to say , though it should be accompted a crime to serve the parliament , and i might be sory for the despiers , which it shall never make me weary of my duty , nor my masters . if in my death the state might be a gainer , i have sometimes thought i might be willing to come to that trial , if my life may serve you , you may command it , for i must make the same profession that he did to caesar , that your former favours have done me that injurie , that i must live , and die ungratefull . these are my last requests , and the very fithings of my soule , that first , since the spirit of god hath done all your workes for you , that spirit may never be sadded by you , that glads yours : it hath been an old jesuiticall practise , to beat religion with religions : i say no more . secondly , that you may live to see that top stone laid ; to which you may all cry grace , grace . thirdly ; and lastly , that when your soules shall si● upon your trembling lips , and take care of your bodies , your accompts may be as comfortable , as your pains have beene indefatigable , and more . so prayes hugh peters . we hear for certain , that greenvill , culpepper , sir nicholas crisp , and divers others are in france● hopton and wentworth , and divers others were going from penthancts thither on tuesday last : the french and others have leave to take shipping at plymouth 20 or 30 are allowed to go to the king : divers irish and welsh are gone into pendennis , where there are many distractions , and sir henry killegrew most vilde and violent , who upon sunday last burnt the ancient house of that name , called arwennock , now belonging to sir peter killegrew . the prince remains still in scillie , expecting what end his father will make with the parliament . the same day a letter was sent to mr. peters as followeth , mr. peters , the house of commons have commanded me to give you notice , that they have appointed a day of thansgiving ( for these blessings upon our armies ) upon thursday come sennight , and that they have desired your selfe , and mr. carel to preach upon that day at christ-church . satterday the 21. of march 1645. your affectionate friend , oz. st. john , mr. peters being to preach at brides , sunday the 22. of march , a paper was delivered to him of news , which major temple ( who was in the fight ) brought , of the routing of sir jacob ashley : of which here followeth a copie . this morning , march 21. col. morgan his forces , with the forces of sir william brereton ( who were joined the night before ) fell upon sir jacob ashley and all his forces intended for oxford , to joine with the king , and at stow in the oulds ( in gloucester-shire , after a sore conflict on both sides ) sir jacob was totally routed ; himself and 1500. taken prisoners , and their cariages : our word was , god be our guide , the word of the enemies was , patrick and george . stow , march 21. 1645. finis . mr. peters last report of the english vvars occasioned by the importunity of a friend pressing an answer to seven quæres, viz. i. why he was silent at the surrender of oxford, ii. what he observed at worcester it being the last towne in the kings hand, iii. what were best to doe with the army, iv. if he had any expedient for the present difference, v. what his thoughts were in relation to forreigne states, vi. how these late mercies and conquests might be preserved and improved, vii. why his name appeares in so many bookes not without blots, and he never wipe them off. last report of the english wars peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a54511 of text r219 in the english short title catalog (wing p1707). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 20 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a54511 wing p1707 estc r219 13061458 ocm 13061458 97028 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a54511) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 97028) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 395:20) mr. peters last report of the english vvars occasioned by the importunity of a friend pressing an answer to seven quæres, viz. i. why he was silent at the surrender of oxford, ii. what he observed at worcester it being the last towne in the kings hand, iii. what were best to doe with the army, iv. if he had any expedient for the present difference, v. what his thoughts were in relation to forreigne states, vi. how these late mercies and conquests might be preserved and improved, vii. why his name appeares in so many bookes not without blots, and he never wipe them off. last report of the english wars peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 15 p. printed by m.s. for henry overton, and are to be sold at his shop ..., london : 1646. "published by authority" reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. eng great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649. a54511 r219 (wing p1707). civilwar no mr. peters last report of the english vvars, occasioned by the importunity of a friend pressing an answer to seven quæres. viz. i. why he wa peters, hugh 1646 3792 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 b the rate of 5 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-11 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2004-11 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion mr. peters last report of the english vvars , occasioned by the importunity of a friend pressing an answer to seven quaeres . viz. i. why he was silent at the surrender of oxford . ii. what he observed at worcester it being the last towne in the kings hand . iii. what were best to doe with the army . iv. if he had any expedient for the present difference . v. what his thoughts were in relation to forreigne states . vi . how these late mercies and conquests might be preserved and improved . vii . why his name appeares in so many bookes not without blots , and he never wipe them off . published by authority . london , printed by m. s. for henry overton , and are to be sold at his shop in popes-head alley . 1646. mr. peters last report of the english warres . sir , your importunity hath prevailed , and i could wish my answers to your quaeres might gaine this with you that they are rather sent to please you then my selfe , whose knowledge lies rather in the hyssop on the wall then the cedars of lebanon : i assure you i would now goe home and know my self , and study it throughly , nam miser ille qui notus nimis omnibus ignotus moritur sibi . first , in that you heard not from me upon the surrender of oxford , i heare so much of it on both eares , and the distance was so little from london , that i forbore to report that to you , which you might have beene an eye-witnesse of at so little charge and trouble : onely let me be your true informer , that you had nothing committed then by ours , that had not its rise from integrity and faithfulnesse to the state , accompanied with such skill , as the lord was pleased to dispence ; and let me tell you , men upon the place ( in such case ) can better judge , then lookers on afarre off , i hope you will not lose by that bargaine in the end , though it seeme for present an ill penniworth . secondly , for worcester , i am sorry so little is spoken of it , where so much worth and gallantry appeared , and indeed i cannot remember where i have seene so much done in so short a time ; where , when that valiant commander of horse colonell whaley had done his duty , and with the helpe of countrey forces had blockt up part of the towne ; foure regiments of foote under the command of colonell rainborow came , and raised works within pistoll shot of their royall sconce and the city , the enemy playing upon them with case-shot out of sakers all the time , wherein lieutenant colonell pride , and lieut. colonell ewers had a chiefe share ; whereupon the enemy accepts of those propositions you have seene : master richard salwey a member of the house who was of our councell in this worke deserves well of his countrey and the kingdome for his wisedome and faithfulnesse many wayes : and truely i wish colonell rainborow a sutable imployment by sea or land , for both which god hath especially fitted him , foraine states would be proud of such a servant : i preached at worcester at our comming in , and afterwards , and did observe a doore open to the gospell . i am now fully satisfied with the answer of my many many petitions that i might live to see this day , this blessed day , and the last towne of the enemies taken : i am thinking whether to goe a few dayes more in this vale to admire what i have seene upon earth , and then dye , that i may praise him as he would be praised , who hath founded mercies for his servants , and brought forth deliverance to miracle through jesus christ . i finde our souldiers generally in the old forme , rather wondring then boasting , admired by the enemy for their gallantry and conduct . thirdly , your demand about the disposing the army , is not so proper for a private pen to ingage in ; yet this i may say , that other nations in our condition would thinke , if they lookt round about them and within them , the disbanding an army ( if trusty ) ought not to be a worke of hast : when the seas are down in england , i thinke the passage unto ireland will be easier , and if we can maintaine a defensive warre this winter , i trust the spring will invite many over thither : onely i wish the english a good magazine of all things , and that they would attend two things in the irish warre besides , viz. not to spend time about castles and forts , but to become master of the field : and secondly , to burne up the enemies provisions every where . the wild irish and the indian doe not much differ , and therefore would be handled alike : yet i could tell you a more excellent way ; in the meane , if these faithfull commanders were in garrisons ( without any designe be it spoken ) you have alwayes an army ready , the private souldier will still run to his honest and well-known commander ; yea , so firme they are , that if their officer should be changed , i beleeve those souldiers must be prest to stay with others . briefely , this i say to your question , that this army was hardly gotten , and i wish it may be as hardly disbanded ; if you have no present imployment , were i perswaded that forein threatnings were in earnest ; i wish this army might be sent to encounter them , and teach peasants to understand liberty , and i would not doubt but to see good fruit of it soone , i would rather our men should live upon their wine , then they upon our beere : it is one of the great interests of this state to keepe warre at distance : feare not that army whose commanders ( like samuel ) can aske any county or towne where they have been whose , oxe or asse they have taken ? never fewer complaints , not many men of such quality , whose designe is onely to obey their masters : viz. the parliament , the slighting the army is their money , triumphant chariots would have broke our necks . fourthly , whereas you desire some expedient to the difference : i assure you the question in hand : and the lord walking in the clouds towards us , it is no wonder we walke in the darke among our selves . and truly it woundes my soule , when i thinke ireland would perish , and england continue her misery through the disagreement of ten or 20. learned men : but if you will pardon and pitty my folly , i will state the disease , and then we have half , won the cure . to omit the three common enemies that befoole learned and unlearned , noble and ignoble , gentleman and peasant , i meane the flesh , the world , and the devill . you shall find our ; first and maine mischiefe lies in our spirits , which are now made so keene and thorny , that they cannot be touch'd but by a paire of iron gloves , could wee but conquer each others spirit , wee should soone befoole the divell , and his instruments : to which end i could wish we that are ministers might pray together , if that cannot be , let us speake together , eate and drinke together , because if i mistake not , estrangement hath boyled us up to jealousie and hatred . 2. let us much studie , hold forth , and rejoyce in what we agree , as please our selves , and grieve others in what we differ , our animosities may content our selves , but wrong the gospell . 3. let us remember england , as it was never conquered but by faction , so it can never be ruled but by love ; the same last will not fit an english and a scotish foote , they come not suddenly to what they enjoy , and therefore should give england a little breathing over what is propounded , it will be their mercy to keepe what they have , and our to be growing up to what we desire . 4. an evill lies in this , that we unwillingly drive on our enemies designes : barnevelsh laid his project upon an arminian bottome , and so made religion a stalking horse to his politick ends . 5. let the present church-government goe on , and walke softly and tenderly , let those that longed for it improve it , & valeat quantum valere potest : let others that are godly know it may helpe , at least to hew stone , and square timber for a more glorious building , to bring from one extreamitie to another , god useth his owne media onely , violence becometh not saints : in popish times the clergie had not the coercive power , but subjected the civill magistrate to doe their worke ; i wish the state keepe a good bolt upon that doore : i am confident the chiefe meanes to greater an error will be by violence and opposition , when slighted it dyes . coales blowne get heat and strength , neglected grow cold . i wish every one might be severely punished that spoke against either presbytery or independencie till they could define that aright , and distinguisht about them and their wayes , them i beleeve we stole hvee altum silentium . lastly , men are not in their proper worke , which excentrick motions produce many things uncoucht : i need not particularize , but when i see the languishing perishing conditions of many counties , thorough want of preaching i must be bold to say to wrangling is none of our proper worke ; i think we might doe god more service in studie and pulpits , then in waiting at great mens doores , and working them up to their selvish interests . i could adde that we take causam pro non causa , we put our troubles upon schismaticks , and opinionists , and never attend the true cause : there may shortly be a great change in the nether-lands , but you shall finde the cause not in the harmelesse anabaptists , whereof there are swarmes , but in some hispaniolized statesmen . fifthly , your demand of my thoughts of england in order to forraigne states , i answer with a wish , viz. that forthwith we might have some choise agents sent out as two to sweden , two to the cantons our good friends , two to the netherlands , and so to other parts as we see cause , and these accompanied with a manifest of gods gracious dealings with this state , letting them to know we omitted this worke in our misery lest our friends might feare us for beggers , but now being upon an even foot with them , we let them know our condition , and how ready we are to owne them against a common enemy : every man in this nation pretending to souldiery upon good experience . this being done , and our navey in its true english beauty , i would not doubt but others may be as glad to know an english man , as we desire acquaintance with them . and if our back-doore were well shut at home , how might euphrates be dried up ; i meane the west indies and the east too offer themselves to our devotion . let us still remember the support of trade is the strength of this island , discountenance the merchant , and take beggery by the hand . this is the misery of england whilest others are beate into slavery , they are apt to be complemented into it . other kingdomes and countries are therefore terrible to us , because we are so little terrible to them : were we not more effeminate then our predecessors in queene elizabeths time , i know not why three kingdomes should doe lesse then one ; you see we can fight if we must , i dare undertake if you can finde worke abroad , it will not be hard to finde men : nay it were easie to finde both , if we were agreed at home : what you heare of a conjunction between the prince of wales and his lieutenant generall the duke of lorrayne with some promises from his uncle bavaria need not trouble you , the danes and saxons never mastered this island by power , but by our home-bred distempers . to prevent those feares let english men keepe to their proper interests , and scots to theirs , and i know not why we might not march into bavaria and lorrayne before they come unto us , and make them pay all old arreares . i must confesse i am divided between ireland and the palatinate , onely i quiet my selfe in this that we may doe both . sixthly , touching the preserving and improving the conquests and mercies : i onely commend unto you these few rules . 1. by the same meanes the mercy is gained it may be preserved , if men , yea good men were instrumentall in the one , they must be in the other ; confide when you see reason to confide : thy friend and thy fathers friend put price upon , he that loves you and your countrey may be trusted to conserve what is wonne : to which adde praying , and beleeving , for in all these god hath appeared : i would as soon credit a garrison to a knowne honest godly english man , differing from me in his opinion , as all france being most catholicke trust it selfe to their protestant leaders . 2. walke plainely in your counsells , god needs no mans lyes to carry on his worke . commonly these arcana imperii and ruina populi , let your yea be yea , and your nay nay . god preserveth the simple : doe but observe the historie of europe , and you shall finde those admired deepe set counsells of men mingled with so much flesh , have proved but grasse . 3. if england be now a conquered kingdome , we cannot have much to begge of a conquered enemy , and therefore i could wish all markes of slavery might be taken off , and since god hath invested us with our almost lost liberty , let it be our care that after ages may not say we conquered our selves into a new slavery . 4. because not onely our selves , but also the wisest of our late enemies confesse the influence of the city is such , that we could not have wanted it , and therefore their highest designe now is to make it royall , you may remember how willing i was once to have made a match , my weakenesse was such that i did not study whether both parties were well agreed , and my simplicity kept me from thinking of a corrivall , yet now i pray improve your interests , and let london know that if they thinke a parliament sits the quieter by being so neare them , so 〈◊〉 thinke when the parliament doores are shut up 〈◊〉 westminster , their shops will hardly stand open at london : if the clashing of swords cannot be heard , yet death clinching up their windowes by the increase of the plague calls for something . 5. justice will exalt and maintaine a nation , i wish they might be first sharers in it , that first adventured their estates and lives ; had the citizens remonstrated more about their debts due , and lesse about their wills , they might had more thankes , and ( it may be ) by this time some might have kept orphanes from their doores , that crie for the money lent to supply the states use , he that will ride a free horse to death , may in time be spurring a dull jade to no purpose . and for distributive justice , let it be impartiall . two things may breake the axle-tree of any state , viz. first , opposition to knowne truthes , or slighting that religion in the purity of it , which we owne in mixtures , and innocent bloud not wiped off by the hand of justice . a state may stand upon any frame of government , if fastened together with justice , charity , and industry , the onely upholders of that flourishing neighbour-nation the netherlands . lastly , because england is devout , and religion of one kind or another carries most prevalency , and that this nation acts generally upon religious apprehensions , above any i know , therefore that which hath been our wound must be our cure ( preaching and preachers i meane ) the gentry must be base , and so the parliament unsupplyed of good members ; the common-people will worship any dunghill-god , the city is full of blacke iniquity , if preaching be neglected : how long therefore shall i intreat some three or foure itinerary ministers in a county ? evangelists went out before churches were setled , how easily might the land be ( in some measure ) reduced to god , and their owne civill interests , if provision was laid in of this kinde ? but you will object we have above nine thousand parishes , and not a thousand able men : i answer , you see the need of itinerants , and secondly , why may we not follow the practise of other reformed churches ? and gather up godly youths out of shops , and send them for improvement somewhere , why not a colledge of oxford set apart to that use ? and if men cannot answer the narrow examen of an assembly , why might there not be a committee to judge of some competency in some men for the present to send out , though they should fall short of arts and tongues ? john alasco was a baron , yet in edward the sixts time , you may see what church worke he did : why not learned godly gentry , lawyers , that might be spared some of them , physicians , &c. imployed this way ? teaching their tenants were a better trade , then racking of rents by some of our gentry . how ripe have i found herefordshire and worcestershire for the gospell , and many other counties ? helpe lord ! to the question concerning my self ; i answer , i am at present upon a good study , ever how to want what the lord is not willing to give : i am turning my cheeke to the smiter : i have been thinking to answer sixe or seven pamphlets that name me either enviously or disgracefully , but yet remaine doubting . the lord rebuke satan . i see ( with ieremy ) though i neither borrow nor lend , &c. yet this may be my portion . this i must say , if either in doctrine or practise i have failed , the time is not yet wherein any brother in a way of god hath dealt with me : and if my different judgement offend any , my answer is , that with much expence of money and time , with diligent inquiry into reformed churches , i have taken paines to satisfie my selfe , and remaine now where i was for substance fifteene yeares since , resolving by that experience to keepe a window open to more light and truth , though scoft and slighted ; my care hath beene to acquaint my selfe with the most learned and godly in the countrey where i travell , first i lived about sixe yeares neere that famous scotchman mr. john forbes , with whom i travelled into germany , & injoyed him in much love and sweetnes constantly , from whom i never had but incouragement though we differed in the way of our churches . learned amesius breathed his last breath into my bosome , who left his professorship in friezland to live with me because of my churches independency at rotterdam , and charged me often , even to his death , so to look to it , and if there were a way of publik worship in the world , that god would owne it was that : he was my colleague and chosen brother to the church where i was an unworthy pastor : and i thanke the lord such a church it continues to this day ; that truely i sli●●tly tooke up nothing in that kind , nor did i los●●●● my seven years being in new england , amongst those faithfull , learned , godly brethren , whose way of worship if wee professe , it will not be groundlesse when their writings are examined . but to those printed scribles against me i may provide shortly a more satisfactory answer , where i may plainly charge home untrue and unworthy passages upon the authors ; though i know , et facere & pati fortia christianorum est . now the good lord who hath led captivity captive for us , subdue us to himselfe , and grant that in these tossing , tumbling , foaming seas we depart not from our principles of reason , honour , liberty , much lesse religion ; which is the prayer of sir , your friend sine fuco , hvgh peters . finis . a word for the armie. and two words to the kingdome. to cleare the one, and cure the other. / forced in much plainesse and brevity from their faithfull servant, hugh peters· peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90548 of text r204230 in the english short title catalog (thomason e410_16). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 29 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90548 wing p1726 thomason e410_16 estc r204230 99863886 99863886 116102 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90548) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 116102) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 65:e410[16]) a word for the armie. and two words to the kingdome. to cleare the one, and cure the other. / forced in much plainesse and brevity from their faithfull servant, hugh peters· peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 14 p. printed by m. simmons for giles calvert at the black spread-eagle at the west end of pauls, london : 1647. annotation on thomason copy: "8ber [i.e. october] 11th". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng england and wales. -army -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -early works to 1800. a90548 r204230 (thomason e410_16). civilwar no a word for the armie. and two words to the kingdome.: to cleare the one, and cure the other. / forced in much plainesse and brevity from th peters, hugh 1647 5140 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 b the rate of 4 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a word for the armie . and two words to the kingdome . to cleare the one , and cure the other . forced in much plainesse and brevity from their faithfull servant , hugh peters . — nunc nunc properandus & acri fingendus sine fine rotâs — london , printed by m. simmons for giles calvert at the black spread-eagle at the westend of pauls , 1647. a word for the armie , and two words for the kingdome . though i have looked upon the scriblings of this age as the fruits of some mens idlenesse , and most mens folly , and therefore should not willingly have owned my selfe , if found among that rabble . yet when it grows so unlimitedly high , and impudently brazen , that some men i know , men even above flattery , and so sleek & smooth , in their uprightnesse ( among whom i place the present generall and his second ) that i had thought nothing of that kind could stick ; and yet these besmeared by uncircumcised pens . 1. two things i resolved which now i offer to the world . the first is an humble petition to the parliament , that they would please to try their now well-backt authority , that some one faithfull discreet man may be chosen to divulge gazets , corants , or newes : who shall be accountable to the state for what he prints or communicates to the kingdome , and that two of each party ( for parties there are ) shall undertake for what is printed on the behalfe of either , that so all scandalous and slanderous personall affronts may be avoyded , and matters worth time and reading may be published ; or if none of these may be gotten , at least men may put their names to their papers ; that honest men may know where to find an accuser , for si sat sit accusare , quis erit innocens ? i list not to answer objections may be made hereunto , since this boundless kind of boldnesse were better curb'd to some inconvenience , then continued to a mischiefe , even the poysoning the whole nation : it should not be a wise mans qu●●e , what strength , wit , acutenesse , &c , runs through such a paper : but cui bono ? 2. my second resolve is , though not to answer every late pamphlet punctually , which rather then doe , i might undertake to cleanse the stable in the story : yea though my share lies so much in them , that it would be costly to purchase cleane handkerchiefs to wipe off every spattering on my face , and could as shortly and more truely answer all as he did bellarmine with thou lyest ; knowing no publike instrument in no age , in no place can travel without others dashing and dogs barking : yet to prevent stones from speaking , and graves from opening , or some horrid unheard of thing from appearing , to satisfie the wide-mouth'd world , and the black-mouth'd pamphleteers . i shall in plainenesse and faithfulness shew you the armies wounds since they put up their sword , and with them the states diseases ; and in humility offer the cure , and leave all to a wonder-working god . first , let me tell you negatively the evills commonly charged upon the army , are not the armies evills . wee have generally causam pro non causa , in which mr. prin was wont to exceed , who spake much more then he meant to stand too : the summe of all his is the armies rebellion : another pedanticke sounds a retreat , who being namelesse will not endure a charge ; the marow of his divinity , non-obedience ; another brings the army to the barre , where he pleads with a company of bal'd threatnings , and would fright fairfax with a sight of a king at white-hall ; one cryes they sin against caesar ; another , they have deflowred the parliment ; another , they have ravisht the city ; another , they are sectaries , enemies to government , false to god , to man , friends , enemies to themselves . they have lost ireland , ruin'd england ; oh ! taxes and free quarter ; oh ! this trinkling with the court cryes one ; oh ! their doubtfull carriage with the court cryes another ; cavalliers shall up cryes one ; we shall never see good day sayes another , i doe not think paul heard such a confused noyse , when himselfe could hardly get leave to speake ; that the word army must answer all the doubtfull mischievous deadly questions in the world . for example . who brings famine ? the army . who the plague ? the army . who the sword ? the army . who hinders trade ? the army . who incenseth scotland ? the army . who hardens the king ? the army . who confounds all ? the army . and if it should be askt the cavalliers and malignants who conquer'd you : they would answer , the army . if the presbyters , who disappointed you ? the army ; if the independents : who leaves you in the darke ? the army ; and if haman were askt what he would doe with these jewes ? we know the answer : alas poore army : qualis de te narratur fabula ? but to my purpose ; the grand complaint , which , as most insisted upon , so is most likely to have vulgar acceptance : is the armies disobedience to the parliament , by which the state was endangered to loose all consistency ; in respect of which , the apprentices routing the house is but duty or innocency ; or at worst a parallell practice . to which this is my plaine and full answer . it is confest , they were not willing to disband at walden , being urged thereunto , and denyed in essex , when expected and prest : but consider . 1. it was required but conditionally , with regard to their security , indempnity , and arreare , and none of these performed ; it was not such a monstrum horerndum : 2dly . they were free english-men as souldiers , and must maintaine their obligation to the state , as wel as answer the major and more corrupt votes of the house . 3dly . nature commanded their selfe-preservation , when such instruments were sent to disband them , and command them for ireland , of whose non-integrity they had good experience . 4ly . when not long before they could not have leave to petition their faithfull generall , how shoul● they expect any thing being disbanded . 5ly . this piece of disobedience 〈◊〉 not new unto them , when the same practice was familiar from men more mercenary in the north , and their denyall never counted rebellion : but glibly swallowed . 6ly . i answer , and i desire it may be observed : the first force ever put upon the parliament was long before this , and that neerer hand : did not the city remonstrance hang like a petard upon the parliament doore weeke after weeke , and every ward in course to attend and fire it ; speake ( gentlemen of the house ) how you were accosted and saluted , and in what language , till you were forced to speak pure london . 7ly . i doe here offer to make good upon oath , that the commanding party in the house , had more force put upon them to disband us , then we put upon the house in refusing . for proofe whereof , master anthony nicholls lately with us at kingston before his flight , being urged by my selfe before an other sufficient witnesse , to speak to this point , calling for a testimony from heaven ) profest , that when the army offered at first to goe for ireland , he with the other impeached members fully condiscended to it , and they gave him the agitation thereof : but ( as he protested ) the ministers in london came to them with violence , pressing the contrary upon this ground : that this army would soone conquer ireland , fill it with schismes : and not only command it : but in a short time give law to england : and therefore would heare of nothing but the disbanding it , wch ( quoth he ) put us upon that violent course ; now who forced these ministers ? i doe not say , but you see who forced those parliament-men , & we know they would force the army : and upon denyall the army are the forcers . and if the city-remonstraters durst speake , they can tell you who forced them to force the parliament : and if the apprentices would breake silence , they could tel you who spet in their mouths , and clapt them on the back . in all this i speake not my delight , but my griefe , that so many pulpits should as plainly witnesse this force , as history tels us who poysoned king john . and though we have not been ignorant of this kind of violence ( which i had rather attribute to my brethrens zeale , then their malice ) yet you see how tenderly wee have dealt with those : we knowing many godly amongst them , who have not yet declared against them , complained of one of them ; nay though this army from first to last never had any of these brethren to offer one sermon to us to encourage in dangers , to rejoyce with us in our successe . nay , though they know wee want helps , and have been forced to use such help , as they have reviled us for ; and so would have us make bricke without straw ; nay though wee know most hard measure met us . i doe professe i conceive even gangraena himselfe might have marcht through the army unmolested , though we are not ignorant : hinc nostri sundicalamitas . the lord pitty and pardon , the army doth . 8ly . lastly , the army durst not disband , not seeing a suitable power to stand betwixt honest men and their dangers ; the garrisons not possest by men of trust , and the 5000. horse intended not in such hands as to be wished : and the best of them might bee soone disbanded when the foot scattered . no , no , this is not the armies wound or sore ; and to answer the retreaters grand question , whence are wars . i answer with the apostle james ; and adde peace begets plenty , plenty , pride , and pride , warre , and warre begets peace , and so round againe . the schoole-boy that helped him to so many latine ends out of tully , can answer a harder quaere : but since hee pretends to religion , i wonder this offended brother doth not attend the rule , matth. 18. why cannot he as well speak to a brother offending , and so tell him , as to tell all the world of him ; i have beene satisfied in mine own spirit , that the godly could not be much offended with us , since none have taken the liberty of speaking to us , which i dare say from the generall to the meanest officer , professing godlinesse , had not been unwelcome . but i looke upon that author as great a stranger to the armie , as he is often to his owne principles , and his whole course to be a trade of retreating , and leave him to another pen ; nor is a generall toleration the armies gangraena , when as they never hindred the state from a state religion , having onely wished to enjoy now what the puritans beg'd under the prelates : when we desire more , blame us , and shame us . neither was it the evill of the army , that being modell'd , they suddenly clos'd , and marcht at that time when the boldest complainer now , would have given them two parts of what they had to have secured the third ; ( friends ) it was not their evill to divide part of their force to taunton , & with another part to fight at naseby , and after that ( by gods blessing ) to deliver up a free kingdome to an ungratefull inhabitant , and to an envious cruell piece of a parliament ; nor did those honest-hearted so much asperst fairfax and crumwells sin in owning the army at new-market ; nor in their march from thence towards london ; nor in their respects to those noble commissioners of parliament sent to them ; nor in their courtesie to those discreet citizens from london ( who deserve much ) nor their condiscending to their desires to march off upon promise of two things ; first , that they would put out the imperious reformadoes . 2dly . in securing the house , though neither performed , nor in scattering their forces at 200. miles distance , and providing for ireland ; nor in their returne upon those confest insolencies ; nor in marching unto , and through the city , to shew their harmlesse intentions ; nor in securing the king in that juncture ; nor in hearkning to their agitators in their just proposalls ; nor in asking money to avoid free quarter and other burthens ; nor in bringing those of the house that fled to them , home againe ; nor in desiring a sound parliament , and cleering it from such persons as had shaken their publique interest ; nor in propounding wholsome means to the house , and leaving them to their feete to be enlarged , altered , or explained to the kingdoms advantage ; nor lastly are complaints against private souldiers the proper evil of the army : since when i speak of the army , i mainly intend their councell & conduct ; for you know in such a body that sickenesse in pay causeth death in discipline . but positively we will turn up our lap , and shew you our nakednesse , et habebitis confitentes , reos . we acknowledg we are reaping the ill fruits of our want of action . saevior armis luxuria incubuit victosque ulei vitur . it may be some of us have had our lordly dish in jaels tent , and our head may be nayled to the ground ; wee may thinke ( the war being ended ) we may begin to look to our own comforts , and subsistance , and we are apt to plead , who shall enjoy honour and other advantages : but those that have wonne them through hazards , and think they may be confided in ; it may be some of us looke upon our shops and trades as things below us . wee want that communion with god , and one with another which we had in sad hours : we are forgetfull of our mercies : we may be apt to quarrell one with the other for want of an enemy . we may have such a neighbor of the court , as some of us may be planet-struck , yet i hope not principle shaken ; we may wander too much from our own first undertakings in the opinion of others . we are not without varieties of thoughts about the matters of god , which never appear'd when we had no time for talking , having so much to doe and act . we cannot ( we confesse ) live beyond our frailties in many kinds . to be short , we have prayed more , loved more , believed more then we doe . we are grown effeminate with ease , and are more cowed with a dead dog , then wee have been with a living lyon . we are lesse in heaven and more in earth , and these truely are our wounds deare friends . some other diseases there are as much considerable among others , which may be of greater and stranger influence , as first , all mens unbeliefe in god for the carying on his worke , he is not minded in the whole businesse . 2. our not designing a government from first to last . 3. our general , proud , and carelesse carriages towards the present differences which make so much noise among us . 4. a selvishnesse & negligence in committees and men intrusted , behaving themselves as if they could keepe their painted and well-stuft cabbins when the ship is sinking . 5. a generall want of the fear of god , and that spirit of trembling before him , which whilst it was upon ephraim , he was a glorious tribe . 6. an oscitant and untrust kinde of deportment in all men towards publique affaires , the truth is , the want of a publique spirit threatens ruine very much . 7. unwarranted jealousies of all men and all actions : yea though convinced of each others faithfulnesse . 8. common unthankfulnesse & ingratitude to god and man , i feare shortly the greatest errour in the kingdome , will be the famine of love . 9. delay to the distressed , making them more miserable then the matter of their complaints doth . 10. a spirit of lying and false witnesse-bearing , reaching to the undervaluing of our enjoyments , to say england is growne so poor by the warre , is false , excepting what is blasted by some northern winds , our treasure is yet in the kingdome : london as rich as before ; witnesse cloaths and dyet : witnesse marriages and disposing of children , where piety , proportion , parentage take little place , unlesse mingled with much red clay ; witnesse the ready money for purchases if cheape : though shaken titles in tottering times . the cure may lye in these ? the army ( you say ) must yet be maintained , and wee have thought of establishments , &c. to take off all offences occasioned by the army ; either you must find action for it , which will answer much , or repartite it upon several counties according to proportion , that every county may know their owne men and their charge , by which the hollanders have kept their army these 70. or 80. yeares ; i have formerly answered all objections may bee made against it . the immediate pay of the souldier in every county , as it will cut off many unnecessary charges , so it wil be easie and contentfull to both parties , i meane the souldier and the land-lord . secondly , good men , not good lawes must save kingdomes : not that i would separate them ; therefore i thinke that the first work to be attended : for as the venetians live upon their curious elections : so the netherlands by keeping their governement in such hands as they doe , though perpetuating offices to them , have proved dangerous . good justices , good majors , &c. had it been our first work , it would have been our best , & english-men can as soon conform to just & honest government as any other people . see it in the army , how serviceable the worst imprest men have been under example , and characters to be given out for the elector , and elected , and for the manageing of chiefer burgesses . what if every fifty in every county chose one to choose for them , &c. most men being ignorant of the worthiest men . 3dly . that all men from the highest to the lowest may know what they may trust too without delay , and to trust god with the management of it if according to his will . 4ly . tithes or something of analogy to them brought into a common stock in every county will doe two things , viz. keepe a good proportion of money ready in every county , & content the preacher and his widow better , when in towns 200.l . or 150.l . per annum , and in the parish 100.l . shall certainely be paid , and 40.l . to the widow , &c. as in other countreys they doe , and hence raise a stock to set the poor on work in every county , the want of which hath been so much complained of . 5ly . that salaries may be appointed to all places of trust , that temptations to deceit take not hold of officers . 6ly . a committee for union betwixt all men truely godly ; that we may swim in one channell ( which is in hand ) with free and loving debates allowed in every county , that wee may convince , not confound each other , two or three itinerary preachers sent by the state into every county : and a committee of godly men , ministers , gentlemen and others , to send out men of honesty , holinesse , and parts , into all countreyes recommended from their test . 7ly . three men yearely chosen in every parish to take up differences , which may be called friend-makers , as they do in other places with good successe . 8ly . that the customes ( by which great sums come to hand ) may be in very choise hands , and their under-officers in all parts may be presented from those ports to them : and out of 2. or 3. so presented , they choose one , if not just exception against him . 9ly . that my former modell for the navy may be review'd and accepted , which was presented about two years since , whereby the navies debts may be paid , and two parts of three in the charge saved for future , and the work better done . 10ly . that merchants may have all manner of encouragement , the law of merchants set up , and strangers , even jewes admitted to trade , and live with us , that it may not be said we pray for their conversion , with whom we will not converse , wee being all but strangers on the earth . 11ly . that forraign nations may have due respect by all faire correspondences with them , and intelligencers kept among them , especially that scotland may be used in al things as neighbours and friends , though not as masters and commanders . 12. that academies may be set up for nobility and gentry , where they may know piety and righteousnesse , as well as gallantry and court-ship ; wee commonly fetch over the dirt of france , rather then their excellencies , and that shorter wayes to learning may be advance'd ; and that godlinesse in youth give them place in colledges before letters and importunity of men . 13. that the worke of ireland may not thus still be made a mock-work : but that the businesse may be carried on strenuously & vigorously by men to be confided ; who may take it upon them by the great , or day-work , either of these ; there are good men will undertake it upon them , if fully countenanced with a good magazine and some money ; for what we send now is but like a worm in a hollow tooth , it takes up no jaw ? 14. that no magistrate in matters of religion meddle further then as a nursing father , and then all children shall be fed , though they have severall faces and shapes . 15. that all men intrusted , may have set time , place and persons appoynted to give up their accounts unto , of their employments . 16. since the vast and even incomprehensible affaires of this kingdome by the present councell , must have so many agitations and so many varieties passe upon them ; two wayes it may be cured . 1. if nothing be taken into the houses consideration but res verè arduae , wherin the heart-blood of the kingdome runs , and no petty matters . 2. if a councell of state of 10. or 12. honest and godly wellbyast men might sit neer the house , and these , not invested with power , might commend matters of high concernment to the house , and receive their scruples , and those to state also government of churches . 17. that burgesses of parliament may be better proportioned , 6. 4. or two for shires , and some for great cities , that they give monthly some account to the places intrusting them , and that some lawes may be probationers for a month or two . 18. that some of the parliament may be appointed to receive such suggestions from friends for the good of the whole , which they cannot constantly bring in by way of petition . 19. that prisoners , especially for debt , may have dispatches , & not loose heads , hearts and hands as well as heeles in gaoles , and that the creditour may maintain them in prison : that poore thieves may not be hang'd for 13.d . ob . but that a gally or two may be provided to row in the river or channell , to which they may be committed , or employed in drayning lands , or banished . it were also to be wished that our gentry find our callings , and that younger brothers may be better provided for by their parents , that some of them fall not on learning & the ministry as a shift , & some ( which is worse ) take up their employments in high wayes , or ( at best ) pester ireland or forreigne plantations ; and all to maintaine the paintry and glister of the family , and too often to keep up the name and honour of it in a sottish and luxurious heire . 20. quicke justice makes quiet common-wealths ; i look upon that as contenting the hollanders under their vast taxes , & excises ; what they have they can keepe ; where ( in every towne ) you may get justice as often and as naturally as their cowes give milke ; the few advocates in amsterdam will tell you what little use they make of lawyers , where i have knowne a merchant dealing for 30000. pound per annum , & in seven yeares not spend 20. shillings in law . and if i might not offend the court and gentry , i would say the wrapping up of so many of them in gownes , and scufling at westminster , is rather a mark of their meanenesse and jejunenesse , and our slavery and folly , then of any nationall glory ; that to this day wee can neither buy nor sell , convey nor make testaments , without great and questionable parchments ? and for law must jurare in verba , either of littleton , cooke , or casuist , ejusdem farinae , which would finde a cure in keeping records in all counties of all mens estates and alienations , &c. and those transmitted to a grand or leiger record at westminst : the strength and time spent in term quarrells , were better bestowed upon the west indies to which we have beene so often called , and would soone make an end of europes troubles by drying up that euphrates . i know not what engagements the king hath upon any , nor how the entercourse lyes : but before the close of new addresses , i wish the people might have two things granted them , viz. 1. to understand by some wise statist what the true english of prerogative , priviledge and liberty is . if these three bawling children were well brought to bed , the whole house would bee quiet . 2. that a certaine time might be appointed to chuse their burgesses undenyably if they please to make use of it , with writs or without : what year this shall begin i say not : but if not granted , you shall hardly keepe tyranny out of doores . to close all and cure all ; would this nation but follow the plaine foote-steps of providence in one thing , the worke were done . let us but consider whither the lord hath not pointed out his worke unto us , viz. putting righteous men into places of trust , making way thereunto , as if the fulfilling of the many prophesies and the expectation of the just , were now to be answered . witnesse the first and now second gaubling the parliament , the like in the city , the same in the armie , not lesse in the ministry , as in the choise of jesse's sons : neither this nor that must serve but the least , that the whole kingdome hath been in the refiners fire . the lord would doe us good against our wills : but wee content our selves to give him a female when wee have a male in the flocke : this broke the axle-tree of the jewish state and church , and that bought akeldama . however i am confident god will carry on this work which is his owne , and to that end i looke above all present agitations , knowing if we enter into our chambers , and shut our doores for a little moment the indignation shall be over-past . finis . milk for babes, and meat for men, or, principles necessary, to bee known and learned, of such as would know christ here, or be known of him hereafter peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 1630 approx. 41 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 23 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a09518 stc 19798.5 estc s4415 24367114 ocm 24367114 27584 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a09518) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 27584) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1823:10) milk for babes, and meat for men, or, principles necessary, to bee known and learned, of such as would know christ here, or be known of him hereafter peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [6], 39 p. successor of g. thorp], [amsterdam : 1630. epistles signed: h.p. place of publication and name of publisher suggested by stc (2nd ed.). signatures: a-c⁸(last leaf blank). page 27 misnumbered as 26. marginal notes. imperfect: tightly bound with slight loss of print. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode 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text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catechisms. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-08 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2004-08 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion milk for babes , and meat for men. or principles necessary , to bee known and learned , of such as would know christ here , or be known of him hereafter . 2. thess . 1. 8. in flaming fire , taking vengeance on them that know not god : & that obey not the gospel of our lord iesvs christ . rom. 10. 15. how beautifull are the feet of them that preach the gospell of peace , &c. imprinted anno 1630. to those , whom i have reason to hold deere in sepulchers london , & elswhere in england , where i have spent the poore talent , the lord hath lent mee . beloved freinds . it often falls out whilst some have thought it nothing to quit the out-works , and have blamed the watch that guarded them , the enemy hath goten within the ports , & the chiefe cittadell hath beene endangered . give mee leave to tell you , that the cause of all uneven walking , carnall fea●●ing , & painted profession amongst you , ariseth from a hart either unbroken or ●nbottomd . for the former of these , you have had ●mongst you my poore endevours , i wish ●hey had been more spirituall , more prevalent . you had my liberty , and i wish my ●ife had gone with it , could that have ac●omplished the end of my labours , the ●alvation of your soules in the day of the lord . i complaine not of unanswerable love from you . for the second , i send you this tokē not that you want catechismes , but tha● you may still know much water canno● quench my love . commend mee to your children and servants and give them this . and know , that good things , if they bee no● esteemd in the abundance of them , wil● bee better valued by their want . oh walke worthy of the gospell lest with some desolate churches you once say : wee had the gospell . i commend you all to his grace , who is able to keepe you in the fellowship of the gospel and rest . yours in him h. p. to those , whom my ministry may concerne in the netherlands , especially these of rotterdam , who have had most of my labours . loving freinds . i know what meanes , what mercies you injoy in these parts , & yet i am not ignorant , what disadvantages godlines in the power of it hath , by errour in judgment , and loosenes in life ; look well , and you will finde , it is not all gold that glistereth : beleeve it , a compleate christian , is allmost as dainty as the man the lord lookt for , ezech. 22. wherfore as you meet with my labours in publicke , so accept of this for you , & yours in private . you have many other helps ; but having resolved to pitch upon something of this kind , and finding all said before that could bee sayd , i pitcht upon this ground-worke , which i put into this order , for your fartherance . n●ver dreame of building without foundations , when you have well disgested this milke , you must then bee fit for stronger meat . the lord make us wise with ioseph , it is a getting time , there will come a spending . and remember that if ever your poore infants bee driven to wildernesses , to hollow caves , to fagot and fire , or to sorrowes of any kinde , they will thanke god & you , they were well catechized . the comfort of these principles hee wisheth you who is yours in the rock christ. h. p. what is the end and scope of catechizing ? to procure & increase knowledge . what is the originall and fountain of knowledge ? the scripture , that is : the bookes of the old and new testament . what is necessary to bee knowne concerning them ? two things . the first is : that they are the very word of god , or they flow from god , by divine inspiration , 2. tim. 3. 16. what is the second thing ? that they are perfect without defect or errour , every way sufficient of themselves alone , to guide us in all things needfull to salvation , without adding ought to them , or diminishing ought from them . psal. 19. 7. what is the subject of knowledge ? god : who must be considered first in his nature , secondly in his workes . what is necessary to be knowne in the nature of god ? foure things . first : that there is a god. secondly : that hee is glorious in nature . thirdly : that he is three in persons . fourthly : that hee is one in essence . how doe you prove there is a god ? every line in scripture proves it , and every creature speakes it , and every conscience in horrour knowes it &c. how prove you hee is glorious ? as many scriptures prove it : so it may bee seene in these particulars . 1. he is a incorporeall . 2. b eternall . 3. c incomprehensible . 4. d immutable . 5. e omnipotent . 6. f omniscient . 7. most g holy . 8. h all sufficient . 9. most i mercifull . 10. k immortall . how doe you prove hee is three in persons , and one in essence ? many scriptures give testimony to the trinity , as matth. 28. 19. 1. ioh. 5. 7. and that there is but one , is cleere , isa. 44. 6. 8. mark. 12. 29. 1. cor. 8. 4. what are the workes of god ? they bee either of creation or providence . what is necessary for you to beleeve concerning the creation ? these five things . first : that the world had a beginning , and was not eternall . genes . 1. 1. secondly . that the world and all things were made by god. act. 17. 24. what are the rest ? thirdly . that all was made of nothing . rom. 4. 17. fourthly . that god made all things by his word only . genes . 1. fiftly . that all things in their creation were made good . genes . 2. 1. what must you know concerning his providence ? seven things . first . that god still knowes and takes continuall notice of all things . prov. 15. 3. secondly . that god upholds & governs and disposeth of the world , so as all things continue through him . psal. 119. 91. what are the other ? thirdly . that this providence of god reacheth to all things , even the smallest things are governed and upheld by god. rom. 11. 36. fourthly . that of all creatures god hath most care and respect of men. prov. 8. 31. what are the rest ? fiftly . that the good or evill , which befalleth man , is not without gods providence . amos 3. 6. sixtly . that hee doth whatsoever pleaseth him in heaven or in earth . psal. 115. 3 lastly . that gods dominion is everlasting . psal. 146. 10. what must you know , concerning his particular providence , touching man ? the things , concerning man , have respect unto his fourefold estate . the first . of innocency , the second of corruption or misery , the third of grace , the fourth of glory . concerning mans first estate , what must you know ? two things . first : god made man after his owne image . gen. 1. 26. secondly : this image of god chiefly cōsisted in knowledge , holines , and righteousnes . eccl. 7. 29. what must you know concerning mans second estate of misery ? it must bee considered two wayes . first : in the cause of it . secondly : in the parts of it . the cause of it was the fall of our first parents . in their fall what must you know ? three things . what is the first ? that our parents adam & eve fell and lost speedily the happines in which they were created : as appears gen. 3. 7. and there they did loose god , paradice , and gods image . what are the other two ? secondly : this losse befell them only for their owne sinne . rom. 5. 12. thirdly : by their sin wee are defiled , and deprived of the glory of god. rom. 3. 23. what be the parts of mans misery ? they are two , namely sin , and punishment . what must you know concerning sin ? these foure things . first : that all men have sinned . psal. 14. 1. 2. 3. secondly : that the nature of man is stained from his byrth . iob 14. 4. what are the other two ? thirdly : that this infection hath over-spread the whole nature of man , and tainted it many waies . l fourthly : besides this , every man is guilty of horrible and vile actuall sins , and that very many . what must you know concerning the punishment of sin ? that all men in their naturall estate are extreamly miserable in respect of the punishmēt to which they are lyable for their sins . nahum . 1. 2. 3. 6. and the sorts of m punishments are many and grievous , the last , whereof is eternall paine and damnation . is this all you are to beleeve concerning sin ? to this must bee added , that the least transgression of the law , is sin . now , for the third estate of man , which is of grace . how must that bee considered ? three wayes . first . in respect of the meanes of the foundation of it . secondly . in respect of the subject of the possession of it , which is the church . thirdly . in respect of application . what is the meanes of foundation ? two fold . first . election in god. secondly . redemption in christ. what are you to know concerning election ? these five things . first . that there was a choise and election , made by god. ephes. 1. 4. secondly . that this choise was before the foundation of the world. rom. 9. 11. thirdly . that some men are chosen , not all men , for if all were taken , how could there bee election ? màtth . 20. 16. what is the fourth ? the cause of our election is the only free grace of god , and not our works . ephes. 1. 5. and fiftly . gods election is unchangeable : all the elect shall be saved . rom. 8. 30. what is the second foundamentall meanes of grace ? redemptiō in christ ; in whom wee must consider his person , & his office , and in his person , his divine , and humane nature . what ought you to know concerning his divine nature ? that iesus christ was very god , isai. 9. 6. ioh. 1. 1. and divers other wayes it may bee proved . and it was needfull hee should bee god. first . for the greatnes of our evill . secondly . for the greatnes of our good . what must you know , concerning his humane nature ? foure things . the first , about the matter , namely , that the son of of god was incarnate , did assume the true nature of man , and was a very man among us . ioh. 1. 1. the other three concerne the manner . what are they ? first , that he was not conceived as other men , but by the holy ghost . luke 1. 35. secondly . that he was borne of a virgin . esai . 7. 14. thirdly . that his humane nature did subsist in the divine , and so both made but one person . col. 2. 9. having done with his person , how consider you his office ? either in the whole , or in the parts of it . the whole office of christ being this , namely : to bee a mediator ; wherin i must observe five things . what are they ? first : there is but one mediator betweene god and man even iesus christ. 1. tim. 2. 5. secondly : that the cause of our salvation in his mediation is not merit in man but grace in god & christ * what are the rest ? third●y : that this mediation was from the beginning of the world , and shall bee to the end . heb. 13. 8. fourthly . that without the mediation of christ no flesh can be saved . act. 4. 12. fiftly . by the mediator a new contract or covenant was made with god. ierem. 31. 33. how many sorts or parts of christs offices are there ? three . his propheticall , priestly , & kingly office . concerning his propheticall office , these things must bee knowne . first . that in christ are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge . colos. 2. 3. what else ? secondly . that it is christ only that revealed the truth out of the bosom of his father . matth. 11. 27. thirdly . that christ himselfe taught doctrine amongst men . heb. 1. 2. fourthly . that hee hath revealed the whole counsell of god. ioh. 15. 15. what are the rest ? fiftly . the ministery in the church is by authority frō christ , matth. 23. 34. sixtly . the whole efficacy of doctrine , either recorded in scripture , or taught by men from thence , depends upon christ. 2. pet. 1. 20. 21. lastly . the prophecy of christ , belongs generally to all nations . isai. 49. 6. what is his priestly office ? it is that part of his function , wherby hee maketh satisfaction unto god for men. what is required of christ as the priest of his church ? first . hee must obey the law of god perfectly . secondly . hee must make expiation for our sins by sacrificing to god. thirdly . hee must make intercession for us . for the first of these , namely his obedience : what must you beleeve ? first . i must beleeve that hee was without sin in his nature . ioh. 8. 46. secondly . hee fulfilled the law of god perfectly in all his actions : hence is hee called the holy one , & the holy child iesus . act. 2. 27. what more ? thirdly . that hee fulfild the law not only for himselfe , but for us , and for our sakes . rom. 8. 3. 4. fourthly . this righteousnes of his is an everlasting righteousnes , and such , as serves for the elect of all ages , and a righteousnes , that cannot bee lost . dan. 9. 24. for his expiation of sin , what must you beleeve ? that it was made by the passiō of christ , wherin divers things must bee knowne : as first , that the passion of christ was by the decree and everlasting fore-appointment of god. act. 2. 23. what more ? secondly . the suffrings of christ were for our sins & for our sakes , so as hee bare all our iniquities , 1. pet. 2 , 24. thirdly . that by his passion hee did pacifye god , and make expiation for all our sins . matth. 17. 5. proceede to the rest . fourthly . in his owne person hee fullfilled and finished all suffrings , needfull for our salvation hee did it once for all . 1. pet. 3. 18. what more ? fiftly . that the passion of christ is a sufficient price for the sins of the whole world , ioh. 1. 29. sixtly . that christ suffred extreme things for us , even the most grievous things could bee imagined , isai. 63. 1. 2. 7. 8. what must you know about his intercession ? first . that christ at the right hand of god maketh intercession for us , rom. 8. 34. secondly . that wee have no intercessor in heaven but christ , 1. tim. 2. 5. 6. what more ? thirdly . the intercession of christ is perpetuall , hee doth it once , that hee will never faile to doe it in all ages , heb. 7. 25. 28. fourthly . that hee maketh intercession only for the elect , ioh. 17. 9. what are you bound to beleeve . concerning his regall office ? many things . and first : that hee overcame sin , death , the grave , and hell , and rose again from the dead , and ascended into heaven , & sitteth at the right hand of god in majesty , rom. 1. 4. mar. 16. 19. proceede to the rest ? secondly . that christ , who purchased the church by his blood , is appointed of god , to bee the king , and p of his church , & prince over the people of god , having all power in his owne hands , psal. 2. 6. thirdly . hee is appointed law-giver to the church , & the judge of the whole world , iam. 4. 12. what are the rest ? fourthly . that his governemēt extēds to all nations * . fiftly . his kingdome is not of this world , but spiritual & celestial † . sixtly . he wil be with his to the end of the world ‡ . lastly . his kingdome is everlasting . luke 1. 33. so much of the meanes of grace . what is the subject of grace ? the church , which is the whole multitude of men and women , elected to eternall life by god in christ. what must you know concerning the church ? many things . and first , that it is a company separate from the world , gathered by the voice of christ : the scripture still maketh difference betwixt the world and the church : and the word signifyes such , as are gathered by the voice of gods cryers , ioh. 17. 9. secondly , shee is one , ephes. 4. 4. what more ? thirdly , shee is knit unto christ , her p by an indissoluble union col. 1. 18. shee is one with christ , not in nature , but in spirit . ioh. 4. 13 fourthly , shee is holy , ephes. 5. 27. what are the rest ? fiftly , shee is catholike , first , in respect of time . secondly , in regard of place . and thirdly , persons . sixtly , shee is militant , that is , exposed to many evills in this life 2. tim. 4. 7 , 8. seventhly , shee is invincible , matth. 16. 18. so much for the subject of grace . what is the application ? for the calling of us to god in christ for our justification , adoption , and sanctification . concerning iustification , what must you beleeve ? many things . first , that by mans owne works no flesh can bee justifyed , rom. 3. 20. secondly . the righteousnes , that maketh us just , is in iesus christ being made ours by imputation , 2. cor. 5. 21. what more ? thirdly , that this righteousnes is made ours only by faith , so wee are justified only by faith , as it layes hold upon the righteousnes of christ , rom. 3. 28. fourthly . this faith is the gift of god , ioh. 6. 29. are these all ? no. fiftly . all men have not faith , isai. 53. 1. sixtly . there is but one kind of faith , by which all the elect of god are justified , ephes. 4. 5. lastly . being justified by faith , wee have peace with god , and forgivenes of all our sins rom. 3. 25. what are you to beleeve about adoption ? that so many as beleeve have this honor to be called the sons and heires of god , for the sealing , wherof , hee giveth the spirit of adoption , wherby they cry : abba father , 1. iohn 3. 1. what must you know and beleeve concerning sanctification ? first . that whom god justifieth , hee sanctifieth , rom. 8. 30. secondly . to bee truly sanctified , is in unfained repentance to dye to sin and to rise againe to newnes of life and obedience . rom. 6. 1. 2. 3. thirdly . except wee be borne againe , wee cannot enter into the kingdome of god , iohn 3. 5. what else must you know herein ? fourthly . that sanctification is gods gift , and worke in iesus christ , wee can no more convert ourselves , then wee can beget ourselves at first , wee can no more create our-selves new men , then wee can create our-selves men . acts 5. 31. lastly . our sanctification is imperfect in this life . 1. iohn 1. 8. what are the ordinances of god for procuring and furthering this grace ? chiefly five . the word preached . secondly , the administratiō of sacraments . thirdly . prayer . fourthly , discipline . lastly , christian communion . now , for the fourth and last estate of man , what must you beleeve . wee must consider the three degrees of it , which are the resurrection of the body , the last judgment , and the glory of heaven . what concerning the resurrection ? first , that the bodyes of the dead shall rise out of the earth , and their owne soules shall enter into them againe , iob. 19. 23 , 26. the sea , fier , beasts , ayre , foules , &c. shall give up their dead , revel . 20. 12 , 13. what else ? secondly , that the same bodies , which men carry about with them in this world , shall rise againe , iob 19. 26 , 27. thirdly , this resurrection shall bee at the end of the world , even the last day of the world , ioh. 6. 44. for the last iudgment , what must you know ? many things . first , there shall be a generall judgment . iude 14. 15. secōdly , that christ shall bee judge , and that in the humane nature , act. 10. 42. thirdly , all men shall be then judged , just and unjust , quick and dead , small and great , rom. 14. 9. goe on with the rest . fourthly , all the secret things of mens natures and workes shall bee brought to light , luk. 8. 17. fiftly , it shall bee at the last day , but the precise day & houre is not knowne to any men or angells , matth. 24. 36. is this all ? no. sixtly . the judgment shall bee most righteous & just , all shall confesse it , rom. 14. 10. lastly . the iudgment shall bee according to mens works . 2. cor. 5. 10. concerning the glory of heaven , what ought you to beleeve ? first ▪ for the greatnes of it , it is unspeakeable , and in respect of us here on earth incomprehensible , 1. cor. 2. 9. the second concerns the continuance of it , & so it is eternal , & therefore is this life called eternall life , and immortality . mat. 25. 46. what more ? the third concernes the causes of it . heaven is the gift of god , & proceeds only frō his free grace , & not frō any merit in us . luke . 12. 32. the fourth and last , concerns the persons , that shall injoy it : the elect of god only obtaine this glory . 1. cor. 15. 50. the hart being possest with the former positive truths , may thus bee established against gainsayers . now , let me know how you are furnished against the adversaries : and which are they , that most trouble you ? they are either the romish catholikes , or their neere neighbors , the revived pelagians . what weapon have you to encounter them ? that which christ used against satan , their leader and maister , namely : the scripture . can you confute the papist by the word in all things wee lay to his charge ? clearly , as shall appeare , if you will take tryall . how is it manifest that the pope is antichrist ? by these scriptures . revel . 13. 18. revel . 17. 3. 5. 1. tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. matth. 24. 24. 1. ioh. 2. 18. 2. thes. 2. 3. 4. are the scriptures sufficient to debate all countroversies and doubts ? yea. read and consider these scriptures . psal. 119. 105. isai. 8. 19. 20. 21. luk. 16. 29. 30. act. 10. 43. 2. tim. 3. 16. heb. 4. 12. how prove you that all sorts ought to know and reade the scriptures ? by these places . deut. 6. 6. 7. 8. psal. 1. 2. iohn 5. 39. acts 17. 11. col. 3. 16. revel . 1. 3. can you prove , the scriptures easy to bee understood of the simple ? yea. read deut. 30. 11. 12. psal. 119. 130. prov. 14. 6. ierem. 31. 34. matth. 11. 25. matth 13. 11. may wee not bee ignorant of the scriptures without any danger ? no. as you may perceive by these texts . psal. 95. 10. 11. prov. 1. 28. 29. &c. isai. 1. 3. 4. ier. 4. 22. matth. 15. 14. 1. cor. 15. 34 , doth the word of god then containe in it , all things necessary for our salvation ? yea. as you may see isai. 8. 20. ioh. 20. 31. acts 20. 32. rom. 1. 16. heb. 4. 12. iames 1. 21. may nothing bee added to , nor taken from the word of god ? no. see deut. 5. 22. ios. 1. 7. prov. 30. 5. 6. mat. 15. 3. gal. 1. 8. revel . 22. 18. 19. so much for the scriptures . how prove you , that faith only doth justifie ? from these places . gen. 15. 6. mark. 5. 36. act. 10. 43. rom. 3. 25. &c. gal. 2. 16. &c. ephes. 2. 8. have wee then no merits nor righteousnes of our owne ? none . as you may see deut. 9. 4 , 5. iob 9. 30. 31. isai. 64. 6. rom. 30. 10. 11. &c. 1. cor. 4. 4. 7. ephes. 2. 8. 9. what is the heynousnes of originall sin ? great . as these texts shew . genes . 5. 6. 7. iob. 14. 4. psal. 51. 5. prov. 20. 9. ioh. 3. 6. rom. 5. 12. is it not possible for us to fullfill the law ? no. as you may perceive by deut. 27. 16. mat. 5. 21. 22. acts 15. 10. rom. 8. 3. 1. cor , 2. 14. iames 2. 10. cannot the pope or a priest forgive sins ? no. only god. see psal. 3. 8. isai. 43. 25. mat. 1. 21. acts 14. 14. iames 5. 21. 1. tim. 1. 15. what say you then to auricular confession ? it is utterly without warrant . see psal. 32. 5. 1. kings 8. 47. ier. 14. 20. dan. 9. 15. mat. 15. 18. 1. ioh. 1. 9. may wee not pray for the dead ? no. as you may read . 2. sam. 12. 22. 23. psal. 49. 7. 8. exod. 20. 7. mar. 8. 36. 37. luk. 16. 27. 28 1. thes. 4. 13. 14 what say you of purgatory , and the popes pardons ? that they are unwarranted by the word . see isai. 57. 1. 2. 3. psal. 51. 7. eccles. 9. 5. 6 , matth. 7. 13. 14. ioh. 3. 18. revel . 14. 13. have wee no mediator or intercessor in heaven but only christ ? none else . as appeares mat. 11. 28. mark. 1. 11. acts 20. 28. rom. 5. 10. 1. tim. 2. 5. heb. 7. 25. may wee not pray to the saints departed ? no. as is easy to gather from isai. 63. 16. ierem. 15. 1. ezech. 14. 14. matt. 11. 28. ioh. 14. 6. rom. 10. 14. may wee not pray in a strange tongue , that wee understand not ? no. see act. 2. 1. 2. 3. &c. 1. cor. 14. 14. 15. &c. may not saincts and angells have divine worship ? no. as it is cleere in iudg. 13. 15. 16. psal. 29. 2. isai. 42. 8. mat. 4 10. act. 10. 25. 26. 1. cor. 1. 13. what say you to transubstantiation ? is not the very flesh and blood of christ in the sacrament , even the same body that was crucifyed ? there is no ground to thinke so . see mat. 26. 26. 27. &c. luk. 22. 15. 16. &c. ioh. 6. 33. 1. cor. 10. 16. 17. 1. cor. 11. 26. ioh. 16. 7. how doe wee eate the body and blood of christ then ? only by faith , as is cleere . ioh. 6. 47. 58. ioh. 11. 26. ioh. 15. 5. 1. cor. 10. 1 , 4. 5. ephes. 3. 17. 2. cor. 5. 7. cannot christs body bee here by his allmighty power ? it can bee but in one place at one time , as you may see by these scriptures . mat. 24. 23. mark. 16. 19. act. 1. 9. 10. 11. phil. 3. 20. heb. 8. 1. heb. 10. 12. what can you say against their choise of meats ? the spirit of god saith thus . mat. 15. 11. act. 10. 13. 14. 15. 1. cor. 8. 8. col. 2. 16. 17. 21. tit. 1. 15. heb. 13. 9. what have you against their sett fastings ? these scriptures . isai. 58. 4. 5. 6. mat. 15. 11. 20. luk. 18. 11. 12. &c. mat. 6. 17 , 18. may wee not warrantably receive and practise the ceremonies and traditions of men ? you may bee pleased to consider these scriptures . deut. 5. 32. 33. levit. 10. 2. isai. 1. 12 13. 14. hos. 9. 15. mat. 23. 4 gal. 4. 10. may ministers or bishops marry as lawfully as other men ? the contrary is the doctrine of devills . see 1. cor. 7. 2. 9. 1. cor. 9. 5. 1. thes. 4. 3. 4. 1. tim. 2 , 4 , 5. heb. 13. 4. 1. tim. 4. 2. 3. is not masse the sacrifice of the new testament ? prayer is , but we have no ground for masse . psal. 4. 5. psal. 51. 17. 18. 19. mat. 12. 7. phil. 4. 18. heb. 13. 15. 16. 1. pet. 2. 5. what strength have you now against your other adversaries , the pelagians or armi ? such as the holy ghost affords out of the former treasury . then tell mee . are there some elected , and some reprobated of gods free decree ? yea certainly : which these scriptures make manifest . exod. 33. 19. psal. 33. 12. prov. 16. 4. ioh. 12. 39. 40. acts 13. 48. rom. 9. 11. 23. rom. 8. 28. ephes. 1. 4. 5. 11. 1. pet. 1. 1. 2. revel . 13. 8. can any man bee certaine of his faith and salvation , and ought wee earnestly to looke therunto ? you may consider these scriptures . ioh. 19. 25. ioh. 10. 9. rom. 8. 1. 17. 1. pet. 1. 10. gal. 4. 5. heb. 10. 22. 23. iames 5. 8. hath not man free will after his fall in spirituall things , and can hee not of him selfe move god-ward ? no. which may bee proved by these truths . genes . 6. 5. psal. 14. 3. prov. 20. 9. ierem. 10. 23. ezech. 36. 26. 27. mat. 10. 20. ioh. 1. 13. rom. 7. 14. 1. cor. 3. 7. phil. 2. 13. iames 1. 17. ephes. 2. 1. what thinke you of universall grace , or whether did not christ dye for all ? hee did not . these scriptures well weighed , may satisfye . mat. 25. 32. ioh. 7. 11. 15. 27. 28. ioh. 17. 24. ioh. 17. 9. 19. 20. 21. rom. 3. 22. rom. 8. 3. 4. ioh. 1. 12. 2. cor. 5. 15. ephes. 5. 25. tit. 2. 14. heb. 1. 14. heb. 5. 9. heb. 10. 14. when wee have gotten grace , cannot wee loose it all againe , and fall away finally and totally ? no. these scriptures are plaine . ierem. 31. 33. 34. isai. 54. 10. isai , 57. 15. &c. hos. 2. 18. psal. 125. rom. 14. 4. rom. 11 , 7. rom. 8. 35. 37. 38 ephes. 5. 23. 2. tim. 1. 12. ioh. 6. 37. ioh. 14. 16. luk. 8. 15. ioh. 6. 35. 1. pet. 1. 5. mat. 16 , 18. ioh. 5. 25. other points and other proofs might be added , but this swells too big allready . passe by literall faults : and give god praise for this lime , & haire , amongst the other rich stuffe for gods house . vive ut discas , disce ut vivas . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a09518-e570 wee must beleeve two things concerning the word . concerning the nature of god. foure things . a ioh. 4. 24 b psal. 90. 2 c 1. kings 8. 27 d iam. 1. 17 e ps. 115. 3. f ps. 147. 5 g psal. 5. 4. h gen. 17. 1 i exod. 34. 6. 7 k 1. tim. 1. 17. concerning gods providence . seven things . concerning mans first estate . two things . in the fall. three things . l 1. extream darknes 2. insensiblenes . 3. impotency . 4. enmity to good . 5. impunity . 6. abundance of false principles . 7. pronenes to all evill . 8. want of all righteousnes . 9. the members servants of sin . 10. a servile will. 11. a naturall aptnes to be scandalized . 12. a relishing of the things of satan . 13. corruptiō of memory . 14. a naturall disunion one from another . m 1. the losse of paradice . 2. the curse of the creatures . 3. an impure and painfull birth . 4. the displeasure of god. 5. a privation of the knowledge of god. 6. bondage to satan . 7. spirituall death . 8. miserable bodyes . 9. judgments in our outward estates . 10. the retayning good things from us . 11. the cursing of blessings . 12. scourging of sin with sin . 13. hellish horrour . 14. scare of death . 15. a miserable departure , 16. a terrible generall judgement . 17. & lastly hell. concerning election . five things . concerning christs humane nature , foure things concerning the mediator , five things . * 2. tim , 1. 9. sevē things about christs propheticall office. in christs obedience foure things for the expiation of sins , six things . about his intercession , foure things . concerning his regall office , sevē things . * psal. 2. 8 † john 18. 36. ‡ matth. 28. 22. concerning the church seven things . in iustification . sixe things sanctification , five things . resurrection , three things . about the last judgment , sevē things . the glory of heavē . foure things . notes for div a09518-e6320 1. point . of popery confuted . 1. point of arm. confuted . digitus dei. or, good newes from holland sent to the wor. iohn treffry and iohn trefusis. esquires: as allso to all that haue shot arrows agayst babels brats, and wish well to sion wheresouer. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 1631 approx. 32 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 7 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a09517 stc 19798.3 estc s101483 99837297 99837297 1613 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a09517) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 1613) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 998:06) digitus dei. or, good newes from holland sent to the wor. iohn treffry and iohn trefusis. esquires: as allso to all that haue shot arrows agayst babels brats, and wish well to sion wheresouer. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [14] p. printed by abraham neringh, printer in rotterdam, by the ould head, [rotterdam] : anno. 1631. signed: h.p. (i.e. hugh peters.--halkett and laing). "relates to a victory gained by the british forces under sir horace vere and the earl of oxford in holland."--folger shakespeare library catalogue. formerly stc 19066. identified as stc 19066 on umi microfilm. signatures: a-b⁴ (-b4, blank?). reproduction of original in the yale university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of 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encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng netherlands -history -wars of independence, 1556-1648. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-09 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2004-09 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion digitvs dei. or good newes from holland . sent to the wor. ll iohn treffry . and iohn trefvsis . esqvires : as allso to all that haue shot arrows agaynst babels brats , and wish well to sion wheresouer . printer's or publisher's device non nobis domine printed by abraham neringh , printer in rotterdam , by the ould head. anno. 1631. s rs since my condition & lot fell in these parts of the world which for a long time haue beene sedes belli : i haue not bin altogether negligent in taking up such observations as might either draw mee to a more serious consideration of gods prouidence , dispensing it selfe into many particulars , some more secret , & some open to euery eye : or such as might by their presentment unto mee of the worlds vanity & turnings , make mee see the glassie brittlenesse & shiftlesnesse of the creature , & so perswade to a stronger dependance uppon the creator , a being that hath happinesse in it selfe . not hath it bin the least of my care to cast an especiall eye uppon the seuerall victories , & vnparaleld deliuerances ( if wee take up all circumstances ) which this state hath bin honored with . in the compasse of three yeares or there about , i haue seene strange turnings & returnings of prouidence , ebbs of state that left vs ( at least the wise-hearted ) hopelesse of a flood : and then agayne high waters , that haue left many thoughtesse yea carelesse , of an ebb : heere haue i seene an enemy slighted at a great distance , & too much feared neerer hand , many mountainous designes which haue prooued mole hills in execution , heere haue wee seene men looking one way & the lord bringing the thing about another , sometimes god destraining for his glory where men would not giue it him other wayes : in a word heere hath bin imploiments for all kinds of spirits , all kinds of men , heere the sad heart hath had matter to feed those black vapors that cherish melancholy , & heere the freer spirit might h●ue a time to lauish it selfe out in warrantble ioyes & refreshments , heere the magistrate hath had worke enough to aduise , & the people to bring in their assistances , the souldier hath had enough how to deuise & how to execute to his greater advantage , and those that waite vppon the tabernacle haue had no reason to bee idle , where dayes of attonement , as well as the dayly sacrifice were to bee attended on : sometime wee haue bin slipping with dauid beside our selves and our comforts , while wee fretted at the foolish , and saw the prosperity of the wicked , sometimes with the same good-man wee were as those that dreamed , to see the downe-fall of the vngodly , & what chaff they were before the wind . truly ( s rs ) wee haue seene much of gods faythfulnesse & sufficiency , & wee ar to bee blamed if wee have not also seene our owne inability & nothingnesse . but whiles i haue let my meditations travel from one place to another they haue lodged longer in these two , viz : first in the consideration of our selues 2 o of the enemy : in the former whereof wee may take up matter of wonder , that the lord continues vs instruments of his glory , & the subiect of his goodnesse & bounty , who may iustly take shame to our selues that wee ar no more sanctified in our drawing neare unto him , or doe sanctifie him soe little : alas ( s rs ) strangers that looke uppon us may thinke that wee are his onely iewell , since wee are kept so safely : but the truth is our beauty is but blacknesse , our deformities are the speech of neighbor nations , & by the openesse of our folly wee make the daughters of the philistims reioyce . nor haue wee lesse worke in the contemplation of the enimy , being the center to which subtilty , cruelty , dilligence in euell , with many other the like , as so many lines haue their confluxe . what great cost haue they byn at in the not yet subduing a handfull of people nay ( which is admirable ) that which hath bin the cō mon breake-back to other states & countryes , hath bin the supplying of their treasures heere , & filling of their magazins , i meane their army . they haue had heere many plowers plowing uppon their back , & yet there remaines noe signe of a furrow , i wish wee saw noe steps of their sin . i will not heere discusse in what coyne the lord hath bin paid for his kindnesse , nor what proc●ede they haue returned of their talents concredited to them . i haue inioyed this common ayre with them , and haue had my share in their particular merties , i cannot bee silent . what a hand wee saw out of heauen by the surprize of wesel , and the bosch following that , as if the former mertie had not bin enough for thē ? heere i will not treate , i haue formerly advertisd about them : what mertie the lord hath sent them from the sea , & what siluer trophees from the enimy hath bin brought , is not now my purpose to speake : but since the lord by an especiall hand led me to looke vppon the beginning & end of this late deliuerance , i shall aduertise therein according to truth , in which i may not seeme ( it may bee ) soe particular as some may expect , because i dare not call opinion , fayth : nor so exact in tearmes , because a stranger to the language though a freind to souldiery : but this i shall doe , i will labor to shew truth in her nakednesse , or at least in her owne apparell ; and the order i shall propose will bee this ; first i shall present the bare history 2 , ly some obseruations from it , 3 ly i shall add some vses wee may make of it : and first for the history . whilst the illustrious prince of orange after a triple victory , viz : groll , wesell , and the bosch , had sate downe the last summer to refresh him-selfe euen la den with honnor ; sanballat and tobiah , i meane they of spayne and flaunders rose early , & went to bed late , eating the bread of carefulnesse , in cōplottiug the raising their honnor out of the dust , where hee had buried it , as an instrument in gods hand the yeares before : and surely if strength had answered their reuengefull spirits , the mischeife had had wings , before wee should haue knowne it was hatchd ; for heerein they far outstrip their enimies , that their waters run deepely and silently . now that you may vnderstand what they had in their eye , that should exhaust so much of their treasure this yeare , and perswade with their cleargie like the neighboring channels soe f●eely to emptie themselues into the common sea ; i shall acquaint you with marques spinolaes last will and testament left in the hands of the infanta at his departur out of these wars . two things hee aduised out of his lōg experience & best observations , that might infest the states , whereof the first was , that the current of their commerce with forreine parts might be stoppd , or at least lessened , & therfore would that from dunkerk , osten , & other parts ships should bee set forth for the intercepting them in the narrow seas , which counsaile the world obserues hath bin taken , & that with noe ordinary successe : that to this day dunkerk a meane dunghill hauen , dare write her selfe a m rs . the 2 o was this , that they should not spend themselues thus yeare after yeare , in the beseiging , beleaguring , & taking in of any one towne , which did spend them much treasure , & could not much disaduantage the enimy ▪ but that they should ( though with double cost ) attempt the diuiding of the provinces , especially holland & zeeland , which hee demonstrated to bee feasable . and for the better understanding the way , may it please you to take notice that about two or three houres sailing from dort , there lies a village calld the plate , with a conuenient hauen able to receiue many smal vessels : this village with the whole iland uppon which it stands is all together vnfortified , & soe are all places about it : this hauen lookes right against princeland a place of the same strenght with the plate , betwixt these two passe all our shipps to zeland , bergen , ter goose , tertoll , zeerikze● : ect . this yeare about the time of this attempt their army entred princeland ▪ ●othing remained but that they might make themselves m r of the plate , & soe 〈◊〉 once cut of the passage to zeland , & the parts aboue said , & soone put dort & roterdam the hart of the land in feare , from whence likewise they might haue an easie way to dunkerk , & they recourse to them agayne . this with the consequences being vnderstood i shall labor to show yow what faythfull ouerseers the marquese had to his wil , and how tender they are on the other side to follow the mind of the dead . after the prince of orange had retreated out of fflaunders , & ( whether through the foreslowing of time , or too many loope holes made in their counsails or unfaithfulnesse in men betrusted , or correspondence by any false heart with the enimy ) he had lost his designe , & inquartered himselfe at drunen , neare huisden , little other tidings came to vs , but the constant and extraordinary prouisions of the enimy by land & water , especially concerning certaine sloopes , & flat bottomed boates , & an engeneering preist , who should haue spent much oyle & candle in the advancing of a strange designe . the tidings whereof comming thicker , & the child being neere the birth the towne of bergen petition the ayde , who with that part of his army that lay at drunen , being about 12 or 14000. foot beside horse , set forward for bergen the 25. of august , and within 3. or 4 , dayes was inquartered on the north-side of the towne , sargeant maior cary being sent before with diuers companies for a safegard to those parts by which these shalloopes might passe , as also 15. or 17. men of war , that vsually waite uppon the in-land waters . vppon the 11. of septem : being thursday at 4. or 5 ' of the clock at night wee heard shooting from falconesse , and the doel , and there-abous , and saw shipping , but did generally conceiue that the enemy had made an attempt to come forth and was beaten back by our men , when as it appeared otherwise t●e next day for the next morning being friday wee discerned vppon the wals of bergen a fleete of 80. sayle or more comming towards the towne , and farther off some greater shipps in an other fleete : it is strange to see & heare how hardly men were drawne to beleeve that the enemy was so neare , nor was there much credit giuen to it till they were before the very towne of bergen : where my-selfe being a spectator amongst the rest , could tell above 80. sayle , who as it seemes came the day before from antwerpe , & soe past by our shipping ( as wee saw over night ) & onely changd a few shot without farther danger , sargeant maior cary carefully attending vppon the chardge committed to him , they bent their course toward tertoll land , & about 8. or 9. in morning 22. saile of their reregard comming on ground , the rest stayed for them betwixt rommers-wali & tertoll , till the returning of the next tide , which was at 3. in the afternoone : and thus they lay this whole day in the sight not onely , of berghen , but of the princes whole army : mee thought this time was alotted us from heaven , as if a voice had cried and bid vs yet try what prayer will doe : and if i should bee playner with you , & open you a window into my owne heart , mee thought this stopp was the time wherein iustice & mercy compeered before the great god of heaven & earth ( as indeed it was a time for our saddest thoughts ) take vengeance cries iustice oh spare sayes mercy : kill cries the one , saue the other : there are no sins like theirs , cries iustice : no god like theirs sayes mercy : give successe to this designe cries the one , lord they are thy enemies sayes the other : holland is p●oud & secure sayes iustice , but they may amend by this diliuerance : they haue not improoued former kindnesses , but they may bee tried by one more : reuenge thy sabbaths & let them haue noe rest that neglect this day of rest , heere mercye paused , at lentgh charging their teachers with this & excusing the poore people that knew noe better . you shall see what followed , and whic● preuayled the prince perceiuing that it was now no time to aske , what shall we doe , ●ut to bee doing , vnder command of generall morgan sent 3. regements 〈…〉 oll , to guard those parts from the incursion , & landing of the enemy , who went to their worke with no ordinary resolution , & came close by those partes where the enemy lay , & onely gave them notice by some shot that they there attended them , with which troopes the prince went in person : in the meane time count ernest advised for the cutting off the reregard , that lay on ground , & to that purpose commanded such warlike shipping as lay at bergen to be made ready , & 12 ▪ musketteres out of every companie of the army , to bee imployed in the designe , which came to 1200 or there abouts , the commander in cheife of our nation , was the noble & valiant earle of oxford lieutenant collonel to my lord generall vere , to whōe were added sergeant maior hollis . captaine . dudly , captaine skippon , s r thomas colpeper , captaine iackson , with some other officers : and this i must say , my hart wittnesseth i flatter not i never saw men hugg an enterprise so , the common souldier even beseeching their captaines with teares that they might bee preferred to it ▪ nor were they without the company of diuers noble volunteers amongst whom that noble gentle-man my lord crauen , ( who hath much honored his nation abroad ) must not be forgotten , who with the first presented him-felfe with his musket , ready to share in the common condition , whether good or bad . but as great bodyes mooue slowely , so these , tfor they set not forth till the enemie floated , who with the comming of the tide were soone at worke , & as before hauing a small boate with them , sounding the way ouer the many sands they were to passe , made toward zerickzea hauing gotten their whole fleete together ; about 4. of the clock ours followd them , & had the princes owneship to leade them the way , about 4 , came some of our fleet that lay by falconesse , & followed them & made in all about 25. saile , they passed betweene tertol & tergoose , on the one side whereof a godly minister before general morgan came had wi●h much & earnest persuasions drawne this neighbors into a reasonable order for their owne defence , on the other side not only 20 , companies of the princes awaited them , but also the boores or country people were in great readinesse being generally men of very good abilities in point of souldierie ; but it seemes that was not the white they shot at , wherefore they past on beyoud zereikzea , before our ships could come neere shot of them : about 9 ' of the clock at might the friday aforesaid , the princes ship shot by a village calld ould kerke , & in short time brought her peeces to beare vppō them , in so much as wee haue it by credible testtimony , that with one broade side shee killd 23. men , other ships of ours came vp with them like wise , & gaue & received such rough intertainement as passeth among men at such times : a ship of zeland had by one shot from the enimy 4 ▪ men slayne , & 4. hurt : our musketeres came not up to doe much seruice , for these reasons , 1 in such a hurry of businesse , & uppon the water command could not so easily passe , & besides that command they had , was to seconde the ships that were prouided to fight at length , & moreouer the worke continued not so loug as to make vse of all our men : the princes ship receiued shot : 2. in the sayles & 1 , in the midship , & quitted herselfe well , some 5. or 6. more did the like : but it playnely appeared the enimy seemed not much to regarde fighting , rather longing & striuing to bee m r of his designe , & therfore continually steered of their course , till towards morning the whole night being exceeding fayre for one houres space & noe more the lord east a mist uppon them , by which ( they themselues confessing it ) they were much distracted , lost their way , diuers of them came on ground , and the most of them at muschle-creeke not far from steenbergen , the vangard being at this time , within one houres time , or two at the most , of the place they aimed at : diuers of them blame fortune and their pilots , but in truth ( as some of them accknowledgd to myselfe ) the blow was from heauen . and to proceede , this confusion taught vs who was their generall , viz : count iohn of nassau , who would rather venture the infantaes displeasure , then pay soe deare for his entertainment heere againe , as hee had lately done at wesell : insomuch that hee with prince brabenson and some other cheifes left the fleete , and heere i must remember a complement was put vppon count iohn at his departure from antwerp , and embarquing , after many benedictions from the infanta , and ( questionlesse ) much water sprinckled uppon him and his company , to praeserue him from the displesure of s r neptune etc. the liuetenant generall of the horse had a cringe with him to this purpose , s t ( quoth hee ) the designe you are ingaged in , is weightie , the cost hath bin great for the aduancing of it , and it will require a whole man , but i must tell you i conceiue not count iohn to bee that man , and so they parted . and since wee haue spoken of muschle-creeke , i must tell you of a passage that concernes the said generall of theirs , where by i may put you in mind how fooles oracles may prooue wise-mens truths : not long before this attempt count iohn sending a trumpet to our army , wished him if the prince should aske what became of their shallopes , to answer that they meant shortly to come eate some muscles : hee came to y ● place indead , but i suppose hee had not time to fill his belly , or if hee tasted them i thinke hee hath not yet disgested them , that he cannot much reioyse at his banquet . some other sloopes followed their generall to prince-land , and fired them at landing , so that betwene willemstadt and musclecreeke i saw diuers of the hulls of them lying by the shore ; the rest quirred their boates with what speede they could , feare giuing them wings , and confusion and distraction taking away their wits : the reason they giue for making this great haste to the land is , because on these in-land waters they could expect noe quarter , and euery worme will reade us a lecture of the sweetenesse of life , 1400. seing a horse-man vppon a dike gaue themselues to him : a great conquest for one man ! divers in landing were drowned , many stript them selves to swim and so came naked to our army , most of their ships by the morning light were found in new fosse-mere where they lay that day with our ships by them . wee shall not neede to write what they returned the preists for their benedictions , but certainely many tuns of diuels , and especially to the preist who had the cheife hand in the plot , and did boaste great of carriing shipps under water and promising to bring their souldiers into berghen , which hee did truly performe : you must conceiue what a suddayne change heere was , when our men came to take possession of their vessels , & they scrambled away in the mud , which mynds me of a merry answere of the prince to one that told him the preist would bring their men vnder the water , hee sayd he then must send to zeland for some fishermen to prick them vp vpon their eel-speares . by 8. in the morning newes came to the prince of their forfaking their boates , whereupon he commanded diuers companies to march towards steen-berghen to enconter them supposing they might make head , but before our men were vpon their march , tidings came that most of them had giuen them selues prisoners ; & by 11. of the clock the first sight of them wee saw was 4 , or 5. captaynes with 2 ▪ capuchins presented to the prince , with whome hee enterayned neere an houres talke , who all blamed count iohn for his starting at a pinch : the capucians were presently begd by the duke of vensdome , into whose tuition and fauor they were soone returned : the next sight that was presented to vs was a fat trumpetter of count iohns in a carr there followed him the captaine of the princes ship on horsebacke behinde a gentleman , with the colours of the admirall of their fleete , being a burgoignian crosse which hee presented to the prince ; after him followed in two diuifions the prisoners , garded by a troope of the duke of bullen , which were betweene 2. and 3000. before the last diuision was a wagon laden with their officers ; and this was obseruable , that among all these , and 900. more wich lay at steen-bergen there was no english at all , but they were all dutch , and wallons ; these were sent to such places , as the towne of berghen had to entertaine them in , especially an old peice of a church receiued most . thus the saterday was cheerefully spent in veiwing these liuely tokens of gods fauor , on the day following command was giuen that publike thanksgiuing should bee rendred both in the towne and army in which ( i blesse god ) i had a share : and on munday-night ( with 3. volleyes af●er the manner heere ) it was made knowne very cleerely to antwerpe , and the enemies army ( some of our cannon hauing very wide mouthes ) vppon the sabbath was brought in dulken the once gouernour of grol , & a iesuite with him & so dayly diuers prisoners who had come on shore on diuers parts . nor did wee at this time thinke our labor ill bestowed to ride from place to place to looke on either their punts & sloopes , or our men bringing in the spoyle , som telling their freinds how hardly they had escaped , and shewing their chayne & gnawne bullets , som with rapiers , som scarfes , one with count iohns leading stasse , another with a buffcoate , & most laden with antwerpes beere : amongst diuers other things there came to my hande a knife of the keur lings who are som of their company about bridges , that ne●her giue nor take quarter , vpon which was engraven in dutch rithme . make hast from bridges prince of aurania : honnor your m r the king of hispania : let our flaunders alone , come not heere to pillage : for wee haue for you , nor citty , nor village . vnder which was pictured the towne of bridges , & the prince running from it on horse-back , surely as the deliuerance was great , so the purchase especially of amunition was not a little , as wee shall shew by the particulars following : and now mee thinkes by this time i saw the mother of sisera looking out of a window , & crying through the lattesse , why stay his chariot-wheeles so long ? iudg : 5. 28. etc. surely shee is much deceiued if she thinke they are deuiding the spoyle : thus the lord ouerthrew pharow & his host in the red sea , for his mercy indureth for ever . the weeke following the prince commanded most of the prisoners to bee set vppon ships without fayle or rudder , by the head at berghen , till order should bee taken for ransome : the poore women at antwerpe who had their husbands in the service , with their heauy complaynts at bergen gates made vs know how welcome those tidings were at antwerpe : the last weeke the drossart of breda treated for their deliuery , and so they are departing home , you may iudge with what ioy they shall bee intertained ; and presently vppon the miscarriage of the enterprise their army marcheth both from prince-land , and rosendale , whereof 32. companies of foote are gone for breda , and 10. of horse . vpon thurs-day wee had generall thanksgiuing in our churches & expressing our ioy by fires , guns etc. the sum of the officers taken by vs. colonels , lieuten : col : sargeant maiors , & men of great note . — 19. captaines . — 26. lieutenants . — 10. ensignes . — 28. sargeants . — 23. officers about the canon . — 6. som other officers , & church men . — 11. land souldiers . — 3151. sea men . captaines . — 12. lieutenants . — 15. quarter masters . — 7. shippers . — 1. sailors . — 820. coming out of antwerpe in all they were mustered aboue . — 6000. the number of the shipping come to our hands . shalloopes whose provision generally was 6. brasse peeces , 8. murtherers , 4. dunder busses , besides lether peeces . — 36. punts with one halfe canon and two three quarter canon . — 10. pleyts whose lading was lope-staues , nayls , ice-spurs . 10 horses , hardles , beesbridges etc. — ❧ — ❧ — 9. other amunition ships whose lading was powder , beere , deales — 7. that which i offer by way of observation cannot bee much : time wyll not afford it : yet these things briefly take notice of . 1 that reuenge is no sluggard , malice is vnwearyed : for wee vnderstand this worke & practise haue bin vnder hand these 6 yeares . 2. reuolters from religion prooue her sharpest enemyes : witnes ( besides iulian ) count iohn , who will bee the ring-leader in any designe that may make nothing of what hee formerly profest . 3 to expect better then stratagems tending to ruine from a popish enemy , doth argue either ignorance of their courses , or groundles confidence , 4 security ( hauing lost the vse of reason ) will deny the conclusion , rather then beleeue the danger . as wee saw when our people could hardly beleeue the enemy to be the enemy , though he lay before the ports . 5. high men are vanity , & low men are a lye : which was playne when wee saw neither the great commander , nor the comon souldier could helpe vs , the enemy out-brauing vs the whole day . 6. the creature cannot bee sufficient for our succor , for he is not allwayes a present helpe in trouble : wee could neither command wind nor tide , where as either of them might haue done vs much good . 7. the lord often layes the reine on the neck of his enemyes , they goe long vncontrold : these went all day in the face of our army vntouched . 8. sudden prosperity is no signe of lasting happynesse : these spiders had no sooner framed their web , but it was swept downe . 9. the lord brings his greatest workes about by accident , the tide not servng , which wee longd for , our ships could not come vp with them by day , & so escapt a scowring . their admirall putting out a light when he was on ground , brought the rest into the same net : they seeking a neerer way by the fosse-mere , lost their way . with many such like . 10. a poore creature is many times made the lords great host , as pharaohs lice agaynst him , and a hand full of mist throwne amongst these . 11. feare vnfits a man to know what hee should doe , & disinables him to doe what hee knowes ▪ otherwise they might haue made head vpon the water or the shore , & gotten good quarter , for ought wee perceiue . 12. cruell men haue often their punishments giuen them out in proportion they devising new boates , they shall perish in their boates , they will bring haltars for others which may serue them selues , the gallowes set up for mordecay serues haman . 13. the lord answers his servants some times in the very thing they aske , in our fast before the prince went into the field wee made vse of that text & that petition of dauids psal : 83. 15. so persecute them with they tempest & make them afrayd with thy storme : & behold wee haue our answere . 14. outward strength & humane policyes are no sufficient bul warks agaynst battryes from heauen : it was easily seene here was no want of skill in this designe the preparations were not ordinary , but what are tifney-walls to a canon-shot ? or their plots to gods mist ? 15. feare is an ill guide though a quick post , many hundreds of them leauing their owne strength & betaking them selves to the mercy of an enemy . 16. god like an indulgent father striues to reforme by shewing a rod : dauid had the same measure when hee confesseth , lord thou hast shewn me affliction . we saw what might haue bin our portion ; wee felt not what the enemy intended , & wee deserued . 17. diuine providence ( which fooles call foutune ) will serve it selfe vpon let vs sleepe & the enemy wake , let them attempt , & let vs study to prevent , let them bee strong & many , wee weake & few , let them goe on , & wee looke on , let them deuide the spoyle to euery one a damosell , an office before they come where they are ; yet prouidence will serue it selfe vpon all this . 18. it is remarkable that the lord doth sadly make the servants of idolls to know that ther maisters or gods are nothing . in this attempt they will set forth vpon saint crosses day ( it being by their almanack the eleuation of the holy crosse ) their generall of all their army being called by that name , and count iohn the leader of the nauall troopes being free of that company , such crosses let the enemyes of god euer carry with them . hee had one he wore on his brest before , he hath now another for his back : i wish i may doe him good at his hart , 19 , the lord doth not bind himsele to any particular meanes that wee many times vse & to often trust vnto , either for our deliuerance , or the confusion of our enemies : wee iudged of one meane , he vsed another in this great work , as was playne to be seene . 20. it is admirable to see what a man or people may receiue in poynt of honor & doe like wise in matter of action , if the lord goe out with them ; as this is notable , this prince of orange neuer yet ( since hee had the command ) went out , but hee returued triumphing . the lord euer make him triumphing & victorious in his cause . the vses wee may make in a word are these 1. let vs euer heereafter learne to know the creature by their owne names , & not to call a horse or a man a god , or a water or fort a sauiour : wee may take vp ●he words of the repenting church hos 14. the more fatherles the more merry , or the lesse wee idolize vpon our selves the greater succor we may looke for from heauen . 2. since the lord can rule & guide , dispatch & ouercome workes of this nature so well ; since hee hath thus graciously appeared in 31. as formerly in 88. let both england & holland bee willing to giue him the helme into his owne hands for euer . i wish his quarrell agaynst vs all bee not that wee haue vsed him too much like a comon-man . wee see ( though wee had never receiued his word ) that his place is at the sterne , let not religion lackquey to policy : kisse the sonne least hee bee angry . psal 2. 3. giue him ( who hath done all , & deserueth all ) all the glory : ioseph may haue any thing in potiphars house but his wife , & in pharaohs but his throne : as tender is the lord of his honor & glory as they of either . shall wee euen greiue his good spirit more . shall wee euer slight his sabbaths ? can it bee ? 4. see that prosperity s●ay not our foolish harts : the skill will bee how to improoue the mercy . sisera is then vndone when hee his careles in iaels tent , who was a neutrall : & such is outward prosperity , good & bad may share in it , the wisdome is how to vse it ; hee need walke warily that goes on a glassy sea with iron shooes . but the wind is fayre , the sea-men call , the dutch printer is weary hee craues pardon for his faults , i must end before i am halfe way the mayne . this at least may saue the writing many letters : you may trust the intelligence for the truth : & to the god of truth i commend you. in whome i am your lo. kinsman . h. p. a sermon by hugh peters: preached before his death: as it was taken by a faithful hand. and now published for publick information. entred according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90544 of text r208056 in the english short title catalog (thomason e1046_9). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 48 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90544 wing p1717 thomason e1046_9 estc r208056 99867060 99867060 119350 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90544) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 119350) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 155:e1046[9]) a sermon by hugh peters: preached before his death: as it was taken by a faithful hand. and now published for publick information. entred according to order. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [4], 28 p. printed by john best in guiltspur-street, without newgate, london : 1660. annotation on thomason copy: "oct: 22". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sermons, english -17th century. a90544 r208056 (thomason e1046_9). civilwar no a sermon by hugh peters:: preached before his death: as it was taken by a faithful hand. and now published for publick information. entred peters, hugh 1660 9822 13 0 0 0 0 0 13 c the rate of 13 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-07 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-07 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a sermon by hugh peters : preached before his death : as it was taken by a faithful hand . and now published for publick information . entred according to order . london , printed by john best in guiltspur-street , without newgate . 1660. to the christian reader . christian reader , thou hast here presented unto thy perusal a sermon taken by a faithful hand , from the mouth of mr. hugh peters , who dyed at charing-cross on tuesaday last , being the sixteenth of this present octob. 1660. were the orphant nameless , and did but any person ( that had heard the parent ) take it in his hand and view it with his eye , he would ( as its godfather ) baptize it with the name it bears ; let not its decent cause your censure , but your pitty , good parents may have bad children , but as god will not except the bad children for the good parents sake , so bad parents may have good children , and we must not cast off the good children for the bad parents sake , but time is shortly coming when god will sit as judge , upon children and parents : this sermon is not as a trumpet sounding rebellion , but as a school-master teaching religion , its call is to beleiving , not to rebelling . pass not your sentence upon it before your reading of it , which were to let your passion give the sentence of condemnation , before your judgment hath sate upon the bench for examination . page 3. line 6 , 7. for too seldom proclamation , read two solemn proclamations . a sermon preached by hugh peters . isa●ah 55. 1. ho every one that thirsteth , come ye to the waters , and he that hath no money : come ye , buy and eat , yea , come , buy wine and milk without money , and without price . in this whole chapter there are many things driven at ; the first a loving and kinde invitation of a company of poor thirsty souls to come and buy wine and milk without money or moneys worth ; they must not bring money in their purses , but must bring hungry thirsty souls to come hither . the second is a differing the ways of god from the ways of man ; were gods ways like the ways of men , then a poor soul hearing of such rich booties to be had in christ , and at so low a rate , will be ready to object and say , oh sir , the news is good , but i fear too good to be true ; what , to come to the market and bring no money , and yet have the commodities , this is strange , men will ●●t do thus ? therefore mark what god answers , my ways are not as your ways , nor my thoughts as your thoughts , saith the lord . in your affairs it is not so , but in my dealing it is so ; the comfortable joy and rejoycing these poor hungry souls shall go away with , ver. 12. this , as i conceive , is the meaning of the whole chapter . the words in the text are nothing else but a precept and a reason . these words note three things , 1. the inquisition , seek 2. the prayer , to call upon him ▪ 3. in reformation , to forsake their evil and wicked ways , vers. 7. the reason is vers. 8. for gods thoughts are not as your thoughts , nor his ways as your ways . in the inquisition or inquiring there are these parts considerable . 1. barely an act , seek . 2. the circumstance of time , implying there is a time when he will be found , and a time when he will not be found . 3. the object , the lord . 4. the seekers , ye . in the first verse there is some comfort for a poor broken soul , and i cannot pass it over ; therefore let us a little consider the invitation which the words of the text are a part . there is too seldom proclaimation made with a o yes , come all poor and rich , great and small , come without money or moneys worth , bring only necessity and desire to buy ; where you may see the qualification of the buyers ; they are but mean men , poor , hungry , thirsty souls that have nothing : from whence take this conclusion . doct. that there is no unworthiness in an humble soul , or a poor broken hearted sinner , can hinder the work of his redemption . a poor soul he comes , and hath nothing to shew what he hath done , no work to manifest , he can scarce pray , he would fain have a sermon , fain have a sacrament , fain have a christ , and that makes him long for him ; such a soul as this , is most fit to receive christ . reason 1. because the miseries of such a poor soul is the object of gods mercy ▪ sin is the object of his justice , but misery is the object of his mercy ; what would become of a poor soul if this were not a truth ? what need a theif or a murderer cry out for pardon unless he were guilty of the crimes . 2. reas. because all ease and refreshments flows from the free mercy of god in christ ▪ first , there is a time when a sinner is turned off from god , but in mercy god turns to them again , and turns them to himself ; ah poor wretch , in this case you may say , i know god will abundantly pardon , yea i have a promise , rev. 12. 17. who ever is athirst , come and drink of the water of life freely . 3. reas. no unworthiness in a poor soul can hinder a poor soul from getting christ , because the greater the sin , the greater honor god will have in pardoning of your sins , therefore hold up your heads ye great sinners , if your hearts be broken god will have much glory by you , by pardoning your sins . thus moses pleaded for israel , exod. 22. 11. if thou destroy them now , what will become of the promises made to their fathers , nay saith he , what will the egyptians say . so saith a great sinner , as david , if thou wilt pardon this may hainous sin , then shall many sinners be converted to thee ; i will tell an old drunkard and adulterer what thou hast done for me . object . it is a comfortable saying , saith a poor soul , but i cannot finde it so in my self , my sins are so great . answ. though all the sins of the whole world were upon thee , except the sin of the holy ghost , thou lying under them with a broken heart , then i tell thee there is a pardon for thee ; a merciful god and a saviour for thee . object . true , i know god is merciful , but not to such a wretched soul as mine , you know not me ; sir , i have been a prophane person , and am so still , and an adulterer , and a sabbath-breaker , indeed i confess my heart hath been a little humbled , but i am not worthy of mercy . answ. i tell thee , if thou wert worthy in thy esteem then there were no hope of mercy for thee , for then thou wert in a poor case ; if in thy own esteem thou wantest worthiness , and if thou wilt stay till thou be worthy , certainly thou wilt never finde christ . object . but if i could finde some lets and impediments taken away , there might be some hope of comfort ; but alas sir , when i come to pray , i am like a dead stock ; and in preaching , and in hearing , i have no life nor power . answ. i pray you consider , is it because you can pray well , or preach well that thou mayest have christ ? or is it of gods free mercy , and that because he delights in mercy ? mic. 7. 17. never tell me of deadness in duties to keep thee from christ , but bring with thee an empty soul , and my soul for thine , christ will be found of thee to thy comfort . object . sir , i am afraid it will not stand with gods justice , to pardon such sins as i have committed ; for if i were in his place , i should not do it . answ. this god answers himself : were you in gods place , you would not pass by such offences ; but saith god , my ways are not as your ways ; i know a way how to be merciful to such a soul in christ , therefore let no unworthiness hinder thee from coming to christ . come we then to the words of the text , seek ye the lord , and put all the parts together , the act , agent and object , time , and cast them up , and see what the count will be : i think it will be thus much ; doctr. 2. that all those that do seek for true happiness , excellent , solid ▪ and sound comfort , must seek the lord jesus to accomplish their ends . see this made more plain by a place or two of scripture , john 3. 16. it is called the g●eat promise , god so loved the world , that he gave his onely begotten , that whosoever believeth in him , should not perish , but have everlasting life ; seeking and believing in him come very near together ; so mat. 11. 28. come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden , and i will refresh you : and see what our saviour saith , i am the way , the truth , and the life , john 14. 6. no man can come to the father but by me : so rev. 22. 17. let every one that is a thirst come : the same is proclaimed , john 7. 37. it is he that comes with healing under his wings . the point is plain , and i think understood of all ; come we then to reasons , for we aim at application . reas. 1. taken from the ground of contraries ; because all other things besides christ , whatsoever they be , cannot give satisfaction to the soul , they are all sublunary , all things are short but onely christ : take what you will , pitch upon any thing , honour , it passeth and comes to nothing ; riches takes the wings of the morning and flies away ; beauty , there comes a disease , and that is blasted , whatsoever it be that man can take pleasure in ; there is not a goa●d under heaven , but it hath a worm in the root that will eat it up , therefore look to your hearts : many people trust in vain things ; the old doting dreamer he comes , and he hopes well of his estate and condition ; why ? because he comes to church , he was baptized , and he pays every man his own , and he receives the sacrament : ah , the lord pity thee , thou yet falls short of christ . this is as if a man come to some water side , and had much business to go over , and all in post calls for a boat , and he gets in , and he takes a nap in the boat , and goes no farther , though his busine●s be of great importance : this is the state of many , for want of going over the water , they fall short of christ , and so neglect their greatest business ; much to do they had , but they never sought christ , there they rest onely in the boat of the ordinance ; we come to the temple , but we finde not christ there . again , thou hast many outward blessings , and thou sayest , i have a good stock , and thou resteth there , well , but there is a worm in that goard that will eat it out ; thou hast a pretty childe , and thou much delights in it , and thou seest not that it hath a desperate and cursed heart which it will bring to thee , and as a worm will devour it . again , some dote upon a wife , and beauty in a wife , and then comes a disease and seiseth upon her , then her beauty is gone , and she exposed so much misery , and death takes her away , and deprives thee of all thy comfort thou tookest in her . another man , he shrewds himself under the king or state , for there be but few but have some goard or other ; for will some say , and have said , o the parliament will help us all : some rest in the wisdom and policy of our statesmen , but you see there is a worm in that goard . oh , but we come to the sacrament , and fast and pray , and that will help all , but a worm eats up that goard ; and you see our helps are almost blasted , for say some , we need not come so often tegether , and keep conventicles , as it is called , other matters will serve the turn , we need not be so strict , but that worm will eat the goard . we trusted on another sort of people , that have another goard ; o , say they , we have the gospel , and that in a flourishing manner , as none in the world have the like ; but alas , is there not a worm in that goard ? is not the doctrine of devils set up amongst us , arminianism and heresie will soon eat up your gospel that is now ready to be devoured with open mouth ; if thou hast all these things , and no christ , thou hast yet an empty soul , and unsatisfied for want of christ , thou art yet disappointed of thy ends and hopes . reas. 2. the second reason is , because that in christ there is all that a soul can long for , or heart can desire ; therefore if you would have your hearts filled with joy , it must be drawn out of the excellency and fulness in christ ; for there is in him a balm to heal all our dumb and deaf , lame and blinde diseases ; he is onely able to satisfie a thirsty soul . there be three things that will not be satisfied without this all-sufficient remedy : first , the justice of god , it comes and claims its right , this soul was forfeited to me , and so it cryes out for condemnation against such a soul , because it despised mercy when it was offered , therefore justice claims his right . here the poor soul is lost , no stay in the world , but if the sentence of justice be propounded , then the lord have mercy on thee , as we say of a condemned man : then in comes christ and brings a pardon , and he answers gods justice , and says , this is an humbled soul , it is mine , i have satisfied justice for it , and thou hast nothing to do with it ; here a poor soul were lost for ever , if christ had not come in . secondly , the devil comes , oh , thou art mine , for thou art forfeited to me in adam , and hast been lead by me , and art a wretched sinner , and a damned creature , and therefore must share with me in torments for ever : well , what will help thee ? now call all thy friends together , thy wife and children , and see if they can help thee ; call all thy state together , and offer it for a ransome to the devil , alas , it will all be nothing , all thy silver , and gold , and friends , cannot redeem thy soul from hell ; ah poor wretch , miserable is thy case : well , but in steps christ , and saith , avoid satan , this soul is mine , i have dyed for it ; time was when it was thine , but i have redeemed it out of thy hands ; this is a poor broken soul , and i have dyed for such souls : here is a saviour indeed in time of need . thirdly , here is another thing to be satisfied , and that is , the raging power of sin . this soul is mine , saith sin , and i will dwell here , i will make it a hypocritical heart , and a murderous heart , and a proud and unclean heart , i will keep it from mending ; it hath been a proud heart , and it shall be so still , a drunkard still , a blasphemer and unclean still , and no means shall do him good . then comes christ ; nay , saith he , i have redeemed this soul from the power of sin , and sin shall have no more power over it : tell me if any thing can help thee ; for without christ no help , no salvation . vse . if this be so , that no thing can help us , or do us good but christ , and is all other things esteemed above him , and he onely neglected ? i cannot tell whether i should weep or exclaim against you . i answer , we have all cause to weep , we speak to a people that are dead , and almost past feeling : oh , it is a comfortable doctrine , christ came into the world to save sinners : it is true , but this belongs not to all . a man loose his purse , and many jevvels in it ( its found ) every one would have some , vvhen as they are all but one mans ; so in this case , vvhen vve offer christ , every one is ready to claim right in christ , but he belongs but to fevv . novv therefore that vve may not be deceived , let us mark this point is of singular use , let us knovv to vvhom christ belongs . there be four sorts of people in a miserable condition , and though christ have cast abroad so many excellent jevvels , yet they are never a vvhit the better : i could vvish you stood out by your selves , you that are not for christ ; i vvould i did knovv vvho vvere for christ , and vvho for the devil , but such of you as hear me , take your portion vvhere it falls , for you best knovv your ovvn case : christ comes , and he offers healings , and vvould fain do you good . the first of people , are such as are sick , and are like a company of mad frantick men , they have no sense at all , their case is very desperate : as if a grave physician comes in and offers them good physick , intreats them to take it , or else they are all dead men ; yet these mad patients refuse to take it , and kick out the physician , and throvvs the glasses against the vvalls , and vvill not accept of his physick ; so say i to a poor soul , now for the lords sake take christ , or else thou art a damned wretch for ever . oh , but saith one of these mad ruffins , we take christ ? get you out of our towns , what have we to do with christ ? we cannot endure this earnestness for christ , keep your christ to your self if you will , and see if others will take him : o the lord have mercy on thee poor wretch : let ministers say what they will , and preach themselves whorce , yet we will drink , and swagger , and svvear ; are not all these the conditions of no smal fools ? what , they take on them the yoke of christ , no , no , not they , they vvill not : but alas for you that make so light of christ ; yet many such there be in the world . a second sort are such as can be content to hear of christ , and to receive him a little ; they are like to a people of fine stomacks that can take physick but it must be sweetned , course fare will not down with them ; so these men can be content to hear of christ by this or that man , and receive him so far as he suits with them , but in all things they cannot indure him ; if he come to course fare , they cannot endure this chear ; of going to heaven and deliverance from hell , this they can relish . i profess men would have such a christ as i never heard of , he must be a giving christ , a christ that stands with their pride , hypocrisie and prophaness , or he is no christ for them ; if they cannot have christ and their ease and gain , but must part with these , then take christ to your selves ; rather then they will part with these base lusts they will have no christ ; if they may have him upon sweet terms well and good , if not , then farewel christ . you shall have one come to a chaplain in a great mans house , and he will say , oh sir beware that you speak sweetly and fairly , take heed you touch not the governours by any means ; you may have leave to preach in forenoons , but in the afternoons let them hunt and hauk and take their pleasure ; but if you abridge them of their liberty , you will scarce be heard any more ; alas poor soul , never think to receive christ , if thou canst not receive him but when he is a pleasure and gain unto thee . such deal with christ as inn-keepers do with passengers so long as they have money , and spend it willingly , they have what they will call for , and you are welcome gentlemen , but if their money be spent , and no more gain gotten by them , then let them be gone , there is no more entertainment for them : so if you may have ease , and pleasure , and profit , and christ too , he is welcome ; but if he will not , if he will carry away any thing , though never so base a lust , yet we had rather part with christ then that which we may a great deal better spare . oh if they cannot have christ but hazard their estates , expose their bodies to imprisonment , they le have no christ . like the soldiers they will follow christ to the hall , but it was for his garments , when they had got that then they let christ go ; so many will follow christ so long as there is any thing to be gotten , but when they must part with any thing they will go no further : it s with these as with a childe , the childe having cut its finger and seeing it bleed , it will cry and bemoan the mother ; but if the mother require but an apple out of the childs hand , it turns the back to the mother , and the mother may bleed to death before the childe will give her so small a matter : and so likewise if christ bring you gain , it may be you will receive him , but if he would have you part with prophaness , pride or a base lust , then christ may bleed his heart out before they will look after him . a third sort of hearers that are to be reproved are such that will not meddle with christ at all ; they take up a principle from the country people it is a dangerous thing to take physick , but let nature work , and so far as nature will work they are willing to go , and no further : they say they are well-meaning men , that keep good houses , come to the church , and pay every man his own , and the like : alas poor wretch that crys out so for nature , and thinks it needless to look any further for christ , your condition is lamentable and desperate . a fourth sort of people here reproved are such as seem to have received christ , but they disgorge their stomacks of what they have received ; now physick being received , and presently coming up again it doth no good at all ; even so let christ come but to be a little costly unto us , and cross us , in any thing then up comes profession , and christ and all must lie in the floar . further to illustrate the same ; say we do seek christ ; well , what time didst thou ever set apart to seek him in ? how many solemn days and hours hast thou set apart for that work ? but art not thou such a one that doth not greatly care whether thou hast christ yea or no , thou seest no great benefit by having of him , nor no less if thou have him not , but if christ will have thee so it is , if not , well and good : o poor wretch , that thou makest no more reckoning of christ : you see a man posting to the physitian , riding as fasting as he can : why , what 's the matter ? o my wife or my childe lieth at the point of death ; but where is the man that maketh so much haste to the minister for the souls of his wife and children that are dead ; nay where is the minister that took such pains with their people , and say , oh neighbors look about you , you are going to hell , you had need take heed ; now get a saviour , take pains for him , and that speedily , or else you perish ; but ministers are so lazy and dead hearted that they have no courage for christ , but if the minister did see one stand at the church door ready to chop off his neck if he did not convert one at his sermon , o what zeal and earnestness would be put forth ! you can tell every man of his bodily dangers , and bid him look about , and tell him such and such will deceive him , but his poor soul is going post to hell , and that moves you not ; you press no necessity on him then to take heed . a beggars very necessity makes him to beg ; but we are idle , and will not pray , nor preach , nor hear a sermon as we ought to do ; why , what is the matter ? we see not the necessity of christ , and this is the reason why we are so dull because our hearts are not possest with the need of the lord christ ; some say they can seek christ , they can weep , pray , and mourn , and yet walk loosly : well , as hard a matter as it is to find out an hypocrite from a true seeker of christ , yet you may know him , for though they agree in many generals , but in particulars there is a broad difference between them ; the one comes out of love to christ , the other out of love to himself : look as a condemned man comes to the king for a pardon , he loves not to stay long in the kings presence , but so soon as he gets his pardon he is gone . so an hypocrite comes to god in a spirit of bondage , and anguish of conscience , and oh he would fain have a pardon out of his own easie end , not any love to god , having ease you shall not oft see him desire to come in gods presence . as i once saw a drunken wretch when the torments of hell lay upon his conscience , i coming in , they told him such a one is coming to see you , methinks i hear him still cry , it is too late , it is too late ; oh sir , what shall i do ? and when he had gotten a little ease he turned to his filthiness again , such as those never knew what the love of god in christ was : oh what a stir is there if an house be on fire , though before all asleep , then , oh save my wife or my childe ; so when the conscience breaks out into terrors , then oh help , help , but ease that and you shall hear no more of him . again , it may be an hypocrite prays , but either he rushes into gods presence without any preparation , or else passeth over the duty very slubberingly of any fashion so it be done , or else after the duty more proudly , saith , i have prayed and preached , &c. but if he have not what he would have , he leaves all . like as suiters coming to a widow , some come for wealth , some for grace : now vvhen she expresseth her estate , and saith , my estate is not that it is taken for , it is but small , but if you like me as i am , so it is ; then he that comes for vvealth makes no further labour , but ceases his 〈◊〉 ; so we hear of christ that he bring ▪ heaven , and delivers from hell , we would fain have him , yet if there be no present gain to be had , we are loth to take him as he is , if he comes once to be naked , and poor , and bare christ ; then , what is this all the gain , then farewel christ ? ah poor wretch , the lord pitty thy soul . but now faith a poor soul , the poor humble soul , a broken hearted ch●istion saith , oh let me have christ though i have nothing else in the world . vse . if the ground of all contentedness and happiness stands in seeking christ , then i must make sure work with those that have christ and th●se that have him not ; and we may consider who have found christ a saviour by these parts of seeking here set down . 1. seeking considered barely as an action . 2. as a christian action . 3. as a particular action . 4. the object , the lord . 5. how , by rule of scripture . 1. as an action barely considered : there were three things observed of the heathen in every action , first , a serious deliberation . secondly , a serious consultation . and thirdly , a present execution . try your selves by these particulars . first , tell me i pray thee , when didst thou deliberate about christ whether he was worth the having ? tell me , what time have you taken to deliberate to think with your selves how to come by him ? tell me in what closet , in what field , under what hedge hast thou been casting about this point ? you can cast about how to pay your rents , but tell me when didst thou consider thy soul was going to hell without christ being a saviour to thee ? secondly , who is he that makes serious consultation how he may get christ and salvation to his soul ? and who is he that goes to the ministers or neighbors , and consults how and by what means he may obtain christ : physicians may have their patients , lawyers their cliants come by twenties knocking at their door before they be up , and good sir follow my suit , i must beg else ; but your minister may cool his heels in his study all the week long before you come with such a question , alas fir , what shall i do ? and cry out good sir help me to christ or else i perish : but alas poor wretch thou hast meat and drink , and a deal of worldly trash , and that contents thee , is this a seeking of christ ? thirdly , and who puts this in execution , we stand dreaming about it ; it is good he saith , but we hope all shall be well , and many other good thoughts ; but alas thou hast a miserable poor soul ; so that take it as an act we may in some measure see whether we seek christ or not . 2. consider this as it is a christian and good action , three things herein very necessary to be considered . 1. a clear sight or knowledge of the thing we go about . 2. a sincere affection to it . 3. quickness in dispatch of it . 1. consider the thing we go about is weighty , and of great importance ; to find christ pardoning sin , and working our redemption ; now there must be a true knowledge of this , else there can be no true seeking : herein are reproved all ignorant masters and ministers . i met lately with a man of eighty years of age save one , i asked him how many gods there were , he could not tell . it is a pittiful case ; one day their children will cry out , oh murdering parents , you might have made me better had you catechised me , i had never come to these flames ; oh cursed father and mother it is you that sent me to hell ; i might have had a saviour had it not been for you for ought i know . shall the lord give you children and will you give them to the devil ? your servants they moil and toil for you , and you send them to hell for their labour ; well they will one day curse you and say , i had not been here but for my bloody master ; oh the lord help you to think of this better . how good a course is it for a minister to quarter out his parish , and set himself and make it his daily work to go to four or six houses in the afternoon , and see how it stands with their families , and deal plainly with the poor souls of his people , you will finde much good follow this , you will deliver many souls from hell , and meet with them you never met withal : ah the lord help us , we want a spirit of love to their poor souls . what is the reason so many make haste to hell ? it is through ignorance and want of better instruction ; many old doting fools are ready to say of these times , never was good world since there was so much preaching . but alas it is because they know no better of christ ; but alas for thee , poor ignorant old man or young man who ever thou art , look to it , thou art going to hell , if no knowledge of christ , there is no love to him . now let me intreat you to buy orthodox books , make store of them , get bibles into your houses , get your minister to catechise you , and to instruct you , to have a care of your poor souls . and thus much let me say to ministers , if ever you would spend your selves or be spent for the souls of your people : now is the time , the palatinate and other countries are shaken already , and england begins to shake fast , and it is likely it cannot hold out , therefore labour as much as you can to bring them to christ ; for popery gets head and grows fast , therefore never more need . 2. to seek christ argues some sincere affection after christ . judas had knowledge , but for want of practice he died in a halter . would you think your servant dealt well with you , if you send him to look your lost cattel , and he goeth step by step , and spend half the day before he get to the place where he should look them . should not ministers now come and lift up their voyces , and cry oh get christ you perish else ? yet see how undisposed we go about it , and we will take our own time ; now here wants affection for christ . but finally , for quickness in dispatch of this action , it is too much seen what long delays , and excuses , and pretences we have , it is soon enough we hope , so that any thing will hinder that work . come we to the third rule of this seeking , and so to the metaphor , which stands in three things : first , it requires a good light : we have cause of great thankfulness for the light we enjoy , god hath been merciful to this nation , light instead of darkness ; many a poor soul hath had light , when most of the kingdom have been in darkness : now if god intend to save thee , he will send thee a light where thou dwellest , or else remove thee to a light in a family ; if god intend to save thee , he will send a light , some good husband , or wife , or childe , or servant : if you would have christ , you must have light , and walk in the light while you have it ; for it darkens apace , and our sun is decliming : now for the lords sake look about you ; if ever you had need to get christ , and we to preach christ , now is the time , for it is almost past time already , and yet we believe it not , see it not . if thou sayest thou hast christ , i ask thee how thou camest by him ; either thou hast christ by the word , or else thou hast him not at all : this may be proclaimed to all the world , if any man come to christ , it must be by the light of the word . secondly , in a particular action there is required a good eye : a blinde man cannot tell how to do any thing . now this eye is the eye of faith ; for no faith , no saviour , no christ : now it is this faith that lays hold on a particular promise , and gets christ : it fares with faith pitched on a particular promise , as it is with a childe ; a father dyes , and leaves six children , and in his will he bequeaths to every one of his children a portion : when the will comes to be read , item , i give to my eldest son john so much land , that is mine , saith he : i give to my daughter elizabeth so much money , that is mine , saith she : so in this case , when gods will is read , that is his word , wherein his legacy is bequeathed to his children , and there is read , whosoever is a thirst , let him believe , and here is water of life for him : oh , saith the thirsty soul , that is mine : and so when he hears , that whoever believes in christ , shall not perish , but have everlasting life : such a soul as believes in christ , he takes and receives christ to the use and benefit of his soul , as act and deed ; and therefore he claims his right in everlasting life : such a soul will adventure any thing for christ . oh , saith some to such a soul , what need you be so earnest in runing to sermons ? it was a better world when there was less . ah poor hearts , you will not come together to seek ; well , when gods judgements fall heavy upon you , then it will drive you together pell mell ; then , o good sir help , but help will not be found . and thus much let me say to christians , learn to prize the good eye , there is many curious tunicles in this eye : what faith to procure me a saviour ? o preserve it . three things hurt the bodily eye , 1. looking upon water . 2. wind. 3. dust . the like to these hurt the spiritual eye ; if you take water for the fleeting lusts , profits , and pleasures of this life , looking much on these hurt the eye of faith ; as david looked on bathsheba , she was a pearl wind . secondly , that is pride that puffs a man up , now faith and a proud heart cannot stand together , these cannot agree ; gifts received puffs a man up , and much hurt a mans faith : a ship is cast away sometimes by the same wind that brings him into the harbour ; there is an evil fountain in mens studies , and that is covetousness , when men preach for hire and gain ; when they are afraid to trust god with their wives and children , this hurts faith : take heed you stand not over long , lest you lose the benevolence of such a one ; and in prosperity a man had need have a good eye , to see through so much thick clay . there be three objects whom we must seek ; and that is the lord , he must be sought in three particulars : 1. nothing before him . 2. nothing besides him . 3. nothing with him . thus doth a good soul seek christ ; every one can say they seek christ , but when i pray you ? one day , saith the worldling , but i would have some thing else first . saith the young man , it is time enough yet , i will take some pleasure , and when i can do little else , i will seek christ . oh , saith the old doting fool , when i married all my daughters , then will i seek christ ; alas , for thee it seems christ must be last sought , as if he were least worth : a lamentable condition . 5. some rules from scripture , whereby a man may know whether he have christ or not , or whether he seek him : you must seek him after his own manner prescribed in his word ; you must not pick and chuse with god , take and leave as you list : you would seek christ , but it must be on your own terms , you are loath to be at cost : but to prevent this , take four or or five rules in seeking christ . 1. the church must be sought , as the spouse in the canticles sought him , cant. 5. 8. i charge you if you see my beloved , tell him i am sick of love : if a man should meet one in such a condition for christ , you would think him almost mad ; but a poor soul must be thus ravished with the love of christ . a lawyer posting up to the term , o if i lose my fees , i beg : or if a poor woman have many children , and all of them live upon her husbands hand labour , alas , if he be slain in the way , then i am undone : thus must we seek christ , without him we have nothing , such a soul is never at rest , till he finde christ . first , we must seek christ , as a thirsty man would seek for drink ; will you agree to this , will you promise to seek christ thus . a man that is ready to perish for want of drink , will part with any thing for drink : he comes into a room , and spies a cup of drink , he saith , o good sir , take my clothes off my back , or any thing , so i may have but a cup of drink : so a poor soul comes to seek christ , o that i might have but a christ , give me but a christ , and take what you will from me ; then away with this fashion , or that garment , so i may have but a christ , away with all this dung and dross ; so i may have christ , take simeon and benjamin too , or any thing , so i may have but a christ , for it is christ i want , onely christ , onely christ , saith the poor soul . 2. a thirsty man will be satisfied with nothing but drink ; let a man come and offer him gold , and silver , and precious stones , alas , this satisfies him not , though you stop his mouth full ; but good sir , give me a little drink , or else i perish ; for saith a poor soul , wherefore do you offer me gold , the world , and all these outward things , its christ i want to save me : o what hard shift will a man make for drink in extremity ; as once i heard of three men that went a fishing from the summer islands in a boat , and being from the land by a storm , and continued at sea eight or nine days , at length one dyed , and the other threw him over board ; a second dyed , and then the third takes up the dead and unbowels him , and sets open his body to catch rain water ; in so doing , he lived with water and blood , and so came to land : thus a poor thirsty soul vvill make hard shift for christ . 3. we must seek christ , as a man vvould dig for treasure , wife and children , all must dig : oh it vvill enrich me , vve must take all pains to get christ , vvhy vvhat is the matter ? what ? vvhy he vvill save me . 4. christ must be sought , as a condemned man vvould seek for pardon . i have seen stout gallants , being condemned , desire to fight vvith three or four , and be slain ; rather dye any death , then a dogs death : o sir , is there no hope of pardon for me ? o that i had but a day more . i have been vvith some in that case , and they have greatly complained of three things , 1. they vvould take no counsel . 2. they lived in profaning the sabbath . 3. they have lost their time . i have lived 20 , 30 , 40 years , but my time is novv gone over ; bring vvhat you vvill to a man in this case , bring a silken , sattin shute , and tell him he may have wife worth so much by the year , alas , what do you mock me ? this will do me no good : i am going to dye , if you bring me a pardon , i will say something to it . so i may tell you , the great day is coming , when fire and faggot is about thine ears , a christ will then be worth something : thou that hast not christ , tell me what thou wouldst do , if thou wast to dye this night ; without christ thou art a condemned man ; without christ what will become of thy poor soul ? if thou hast not a saviour , hell is fit to receive thee , the devil fit to carry thee thither ; and then a christ to step in and challenge thee , were worth thousands : now seek the lord while he may be found . now let me proclaim to you , in the name of the lord , that if there be any man in this congregation that doth mean and intend to seek christ from this day forward , well and good ; but if you purpose to be drunkards and swearers still , and sabbath-breakers still , and resolve to live so , let me entreat you to depart out of the congregatien , let me see it , i have nothing to do with you : i pray you once again , let me see it , who are for christ , and who are not : well , why do you not stir ? you do not all mean as you make a shew of : what , will you all take christ on this condition , to be drunk no more , to swear no more , to break the sabbath no more ? well , i see none of you stir , if this be in truth , you are able to save a whole nation ; but if it be not in truth , you are horrible hypocrites before god : therefore look to your hearts ; now therefore take notice of the day of this moneth , this present thursday , that you have made a covenant with god to forsake all your poophane courses ▪ which at your perils break not . i desire again to know your minde , whether you are resolved on this or no . i tell you , it s no jesting with god ; and remember what you do , we are making or receiving a covenant , do not gratifie vice with your presence , unless on this condition , well , i see none stir , therefore fore this covenant is ratified ; therefore look to it , for i tell you , i my self at the last will witness against you , that on such a day , and in such a house , you made a covenant with god to be drunkards no more , nor swearers no more , &c. therefore take notice what you have done . ob. but some may say , it is strange ministers should speak thus , after such a manner : what , is it possible to have christ , and keep my please , my pride and hypocrisie still , this is marvellous strange . answ. i tell thee thou must forgo all , and vvhat hath been past , and novv to redeem out of the devils hands , and take this day to begin ; delay no longer , it s almost past time already . were it not a folly for a mariner to have his ship girt , rigged , and victualled , and he lie sleeping all the summer , till provision be spent , and winter storms and rumours , and worms eat holes in the ship , and then go out : so dost thou think its a meet time to seek the lord , vvhen thy body is rotten and decayed ; no , no , the lord vvill not alvvays be found ; nay , it is very likely the lord vvill not give thee a heart to seek him , then vvill you sleep in summer , vvhen the harvest is past . will any man vvhen there is catching weather , bid his servants rest ? nay , vvill he not rather say , get you all into the field , and vvork hard , for you see vvhat catching weather vve have ; get all the workmen you can , and vvork hard , though you rest for it aftervvards , that you may have the harvest in the barns before the storms come . why truly brethren , these are catching times as ever men lived in ; how soon the storms may fall , i cannot tell , but i believe very suddenly : i would i might be a false prophet , but i am sure there are dark clouds abroad ; therefore now set to work , and live no longer in ignorance . i once lived in a place , where they had not a sermon once in ten or twelve years space ; what a company of non-residents are there , that live a hundred miles off their flock , that scarce see them once in a year ? and when they do come , it is with such tuff-taffity phraises of hebrew , greek and latine , that scarce any one understands them , but need bring greek and latine ears with them : and these i cannot tell what better to compare to , then a great pair of brass andirons ; a comparison though homely , yet sometimes used by me : you know these brass andirons stand for shew , and not for use , and the little creepers that stand by them must hold up the fire : so these men make a shew , as if all were done by them , when one sermon in the year , and quarter , will serve turn ; as in wales , which is most woful , you may have one ride and serve four or five parishes , and read a little starvis , or service , as they call it . o the lord help you , time will come when the lord will not be found ; how is he found of the palatinate ? one day you will say , i had sweet times , i had a good minister , but the time is gone . well , i tell you , it is now high time , it is good making hay while the sun shine ; the times are marvellous catching , therefore be not afraid of coming together , but do any thing for christ , he will stand you instead . a poor man thresheth , and takes great pains ; what is the matter ? it is to maintain my poor family : but who are ye that seek christ , to get him into your houses ? stand not hawking with god , as a woman is loth to part with her old gold to buy commodities ; why ? it was a token of an old friend ; for we would have christ , but we are loth to part with the devils tokens , the world , and our lusts : take heed thou hast not the devil , and hell and all , one day for it . finis . the tales and jests of mr. hugh peters collected into one volume / published by one that hath formerly been conversant with the author in his life time ... ; together with his sentence and the manner of his execution. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a54514 of text r19180 in the english short title catalog (wing p1721). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 54 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a54514 wing p1721 estc r19180 12672240 ocm 12672240 65493 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a54514) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 65493) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 364:8) the tales and jests of mr. hugh peters collected into one volume / published by one that hath formerly been conversant with the author in his life time ... ; together with his sentence and the manner of his execution. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. s. d., one that hath formerly been conversant with the author in his life time. [10], 32 [i.e. 28] p. : port. printed for s.d. ..., london : 1660. dedication signed: s.d. reproduction of original in harvard university libraries. eng humorous stories, english -england. a54514 r19180 (wing p1721). civilwar no the tales and jests of mr. hugh peters, collected into one volume. published by one that hath formerly been conversant with the author in hi peters, hugh 1660 10121 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 b the rate of 8 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-09 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-10 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2004-10 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion hugh peters : the tales and jests of mr. hugh peters , collected into one volume . published by one that hath formerly been conversant with the author in his life time . and dedicated to mr. john goodwin , and mr. phillip nye . together with his sentence , and the manner of his execution . london . printed for s. d. and are to be sold by most of the book-sellers in london . 1660. to the reverend , his dearly beloved brethren , mr. john good●in . mr. phillip nye . brethren , i should doe you and the author an unexampled injury , should i detain this dedication from you , since necessity on the one side , and equity on the other compels me to it : necessity , in regard no other persons will patronize him ; and equity , because you have been co-partners with him in all his misdemeanors ; so that you are by most well-principled men term'd , a trinity of traytors ; but our author minding the publike good , hath thus inrolled his name in the catalogue of wits , and desires to wipe off all the obloquy people have cast upon him , by leaving these remains to after-ages , that those which make him the subject of their discourses , may by remembring his jeasts forget his crimes ; he hath long enough been covered with the knaves-coat , and therefore now puts on the fools ; for that as mr. nedham saith , is the only way to preferment , and a ladies chamber : and without controversie , the levite may laugh , or cause laughter , as well as the layman . semel in anno ridet apollo . the god of wisdome may frollick it sometimes , why then may not he unbend himself with moderate mirth ? non seria semper : he that with heraclitus whines away his time , i judge more culpable , then he that with democritus shakes it away with laughter . i have long time known this second scoggin , and have been an often hearer of him , and i finding his discourses so much of wit and mirth , could not but rake these embers together . there are amongst them several pulpit-flashes , for indeed they are collected out of many of his sermons , by the pen of a ready writer ; they are the cream of his applicatory part : and since his homilies would be too voluminous , and probably impertinent . i have made this publication , that his memory may survive his ashes , and you likewise to whom it is dedicated have a share in his immortality . and beleeve me , let the world say what it will , archee was a fool to him , as appears by his fulfilling the proverb , fortune favours fools : for he got a good estate ; & so did our author too , you 'l say : but fortune playes the strumpet , he got it like a fool , and must loose it like a fool : icannot forget that lesson he said the heathen taught him , and indeed it concerns you all : — non lex est justior ulla , quam veris artifices arte perire sua . but you must know , a fools bolt is soon shot , and it is no matter what they say , that matter not what they say , i am sure no heathen could exceed him , for a heathen in teaching him taught a man , but he would preach to horses , even till they broke their halters ; and tell me which is the hardest task , for a heathen to make him cry , or he to make a dog laugh . i remember he was once in company with some ladies , and was extreme bashful ; whereupon a gentleman reproved him in this wise , fool , at 'em ; and ever since sprung up that proverbial word , fool a-tum . this being all , dear brethren , i remain , yours in the lord ( would i could say ) protector . s.d. the contents of the tales and jests of mr. hugh peters . 1 how mr. peters being belated on a journey , lodged at a millers house , and what passed between him and the miller . 2 how a notable parson put a jest upon mr. peters and mr. t. when he was examined by them . 3 how mr. peters broke a jest upon a lady . 4 how mr. peters reproved oliver cromwel for sleeping in the church whilst he was preaching . 5 how mr. peters divided his text at st. albans . 6 how mr. peters and his neighbour discoursed on the wind . 7 how m. peters inveigh'd against the pride of the english nation . 8 how mr. peters jested on his horse . 9 how m. peters examined a country lad , and the jests that hapned at that time . 10 how mr. peters and several justices of the peace sat two days about the brewing of small beer . 11 how mr. peters adviseth a traveller to be accomplisht . 12 how mr. peters served the parson of a hot constitution . 13 how m. peters gave his opinion concerning christendom . 14 how mr. peters rode through the strand . 15 how mr. peters wrote a letter from tredagh in ireland . 16 how mr. peters described a whore . 17 how mr. peters lighted the blind harper . 18 how mr. peters told a tale of a man , a fish , and a bird . 19 how mr. peters cheapned a close-stole . 20 how mr. peters jeer'd a justice . 21 how mr. peters cloath'd christ in a buff-coat . 22 how mr. peters opened heavens gate to a committee-man . 23 how mr. peters told a tale of his friend . 24 how mr. peters described a citizen . 25 how m. peters shewed one the way to tame . 26 how m. pet. discoursed with a tradesman . 27 how m. pet. reproved a young schollar . 28 how m. pet made an ass of a gentleman . 29 how mr. peters saved his license . 30 hovv mr. peters gave his judgment of a chollerick gentleman . 31 how m. p. extoll'd the army under oliv. 32 how m. p. visited the earl of pembrook . 33 how m. pet. wished his auditory to beware of 3 w's . 34 how m. peters called his hearers fools . 35 how m. p. took an affront on the exchange . 36 how m. pet. said where his majesty was . 37 how m. peters inveigh'd against citizens wives . 38 how mr. pet. jeared a rich man and his fat wife . 39 how m. pet. said he had been in heaven . 40 how m. pet. answered oliver cromwel . 41 how mr. peters jested at his friends hurt . 42 how m. pet. defaced a shoulder of mutton . 43 how mr. peters mistook in reaching to the top of the pulpit . 44 how mr. p. advanced the cause of oliver . 45 how m. peters went to heaven and hell . 46 how m. peters shared with the state . 47 how m. peters was serv'd by the butchers wife . 48 how m.p. prayed against the kings arms . 49 how mr. pet. discoursed against organs . 50 how mr. p. preached 3 hours on a fast day . 51 how mr. p. said , the word of god had a free passage . 52 how mr. peters bought cloath by the measure of his sword . 53 how m. p. asked grapes of ald. tichburn . 54 how mr. peters jeered the poet withers . 55 how mr. p. gave his opinion of the 3 lll . 56 how m. p. made himself hewsons father . 57 how mr. pet. compared his late majesty to barrabas . 58 how mr. pet. quoted 3 fools in the gospel . 59 hovv tvvo gentlemen put up a bill to mr. peters . the tales and jests of mr. hugh peters , collected into one volume . jest i how mr. peters being belated on a journey , lodged at a millers house , and what passed between him and the miller . mr. peters being on a journey inquired of a miller whom he saw standing on his mill , where he might have a lodging for himself , and conveniencie for his horse ; the miller answered , he knew no place thereabout : whereupon peters travelled on his way , till he came to a little house , which as you shall hear anon , appear'd to be the millers ; there he knocks , the good woman coming to the door , mr. peters desires her if she can to lodge him there ; she tells him , she had but one bed in the house , and therein lay her husband and her self , but if he would be content with clean straw in the barn , he might have that , and his horse might stay there too ; for she knew no other way to help him . mr. peters accepted the proffer , and betakes himself to the barn , where he had not long layn , but through a small cranny , he spies a man with a bottle of wine and a capon , which was no sooner brought , but immediately a good fire was made , and down thereto it went ; anon knocks the miller , all the while the dame was sore affrighted , and presently conveys away the capon on the spit , puts out the fire , hides her friend in a kneading trough hard by , and having thus with abundance of celerity made a clear coast , she opens the door for her husband . the good man being weary , is presently desirous to be at rest , and she as willing he should ; but mr. peters seeing him betake himself to his bed , bethought how he might be master of that capon ; which he effected in manner following . leaving his barn , he comes to the door of the house , knocks , and straight there appears the miller : honest friend , quoth mr. peters , i enquired of you for a lodging , but you knew of none , therefore i am content with this barne ; but being exceeding hungry i desire you by any means to refresh me with what you have , i shall content you to your own desire : indeed , quoth the miller , i have nothing but what i know you can scarce eat , being a peece of brown bread , and suffolk-cheese ; so opens the door , and lets him in : mr. peters being in , said , now my friend , what if i should try a conclusion for some victuals , thou 'ldst not be angry , woulst thou ? i angry ? no in truth , sir , not i , quoth the miller . with that , quoth hugh , when i was a youth i could conjure , and i thinke i have not forgot : so uttering some barbarous words , and making strange figures wich his fingers , saith he , look in such a place , and see what there is . oh sir , quoth the miller , i pray sir , do'nt conjure , i would not by any means you should , nor dare i doe as you command me ; prethee , saith mr. peters , doe so as i say , and fear not , we shall have good chear anon ; by these perswasions the miller was wrought upon , he looks , and finds a goodly capon piping hot , which he brings forth : to this they both fall to , and were very well satisfied ; but mr. peters complaining of the smallness of the millers drink , would needs conjure again : so doing as before , he bid the miller look in such a place , the miller looked and there finds a bottle of wine , this they drank , the miller all this while admiring , and verily beleeved his guest had been a conjurer : having now eat and drank sufficiently ; now , saith mr. peters , but what if i should shew you the devil that brought these good things ? oh , quoth the miller , for gods sake , sir , forbear , i never saw the devil yet , and i would not see him now : nay , saith mr. peters , doe you doe as i shall instruct you , and you need not fear ; stand in the next room , and when i stamp , then come forth : with much perswasions , he went in ; being gone , mr. peters steps to the trough , wherein the kind devil had hid himself , and uncovering it , saith he , goe your ways and be glad you scape so : out goes the man , and mr. peters then stamps with his foot , whereupon presently appears the miller , look , saith mr. peters , see you where the devil goes ? good god , replyed the miller , if you had not said it was the devil , i durst have sworn it had been the parson of our parish . as indeed it was . jest 2. how a notable parson put a merry jest upon mr. peters and mr. t. when he was examined by them . a country parson being examined in order to his settlement in a benefice , in which committee sat mr. t. and mr. peters , the latter being chair-man , he began to check the parson for his former mormities , telling him how he had mispent his time in ryoting , and drunkenness , not regarding the good of souls ; to which the parson humbly reply'd , it was true he had been too negligent of his duty , but had repented , & was become a new man , and no man but had his failings , as we may read in the example of the wisest men , solomon , david , &c. they were polluted with the flesh , and as the apostle saith , such were some of you . mr. peters thinking this to be an affront cast upon himself , quoth he , here 's a fellow abuses us to our teeth , and would by no means be perswaded to abide there any longer , but in anger went to an adjoyning room . mr. t. being there , went to him , and advised him not 'to take exceptions at what was said , for saith he , the man said nothing but what was truth and scripture , and you need not apply it to your self , more then another man ; at last mr. peters came again into the room , but willed mr. t. to examine the parson , for he would not : whereupon mr. t. askt him , how he came to be converted . the parson answered , he supposed , it was by reading ; for of late he had given himself much to reading , hearing , and praying . why , saith mr. t. what authors have you read ? the parson replyed , he had read divers , as nazianzen , isidore , and many others . which , saith mr. t. wrought upon you , in reference to your conversion ? in truth , sir , said the parson , that is very difficult to determine . but which doe you think ? saith mr. t. why indeed , saith the parson , i have read many , but i suppose the chiefest peece that wrought upon my heart , was mr. b. against t. mr. t. hearing him say so , was in as great a rage as his predecessor : and taking mr. peters aside , told him , he was now of his opinion . nay , saith mr. peters , the man speaks truth , i beleeve , nor have you any reason to be angry with him ; for in reading b. against t. he reads t. himself , and you know not , but it might be your part of the book that converted him . but the parson having set them together by the ears , went out , and never came before them any more . how mr. peters broke a jest upon a lady . m. peters by chance meeting a lady of his acquaintance , asked her how she did , and how her good husband fared ; at which words weeping , she answered , her husband had been in heaven long since , in heaven quoth he , it is the first time that i have heard of it , and i am sorry for it with all my heart . how mr. peters reproved oliver cromwell for sleeping in the church while he was preaching . it being his turn to preach before the some time protector at the chappel in white hall , much about the time that his present majesty was marching towards worcester , he espied that the devil had shut the casements of his highnesse his eyes , and lulled him a sleep , whereupon varying from his discourse in hand , quoth he , we have now an enemy in this our land , a potent one , and it is not unknown i suppose to any here that he dayly approches nearer us , but 't is no matter , i preach but in vain while my auditory sleeps , i hope he will come and take you napping . how mr. peters divided his text at st. albons . mr. peters being another time to preach at saint albons , to that end ascends the pulpit , where after he had prayed , he takes his text out of saint markes gospel , chapter 5. verse 23. wherein are these words , the unclean spirits entred into the swine , and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea , and were choked . from which words he gathered these 3. observavations , taken from so many english proverbs . 1. that the devil will rather play at small game , then fit out . 2. that they must needs goe , whom the devill drives . 3. that at last he brought his hogges to a faire market . how mr. peters and his neighbour discoursed of the wind . being at his own house in the country , when a great tempest of wind rose , he takes an occasion to visit a neighbour by him , and being somewhat merily disposed , quoth he , oh neighbour , did you not see what a wind there was the other day ? no , said his neighbour , how should i see it ? why quoth m. peters with thy eyes as i did . pray tell me then said his neighbour , if you saw it , what was it like ? like , quoth he , it was like to have blown my house down . how mr. peters enveighed against the pride of the english nation . the same man enveighing violently against the pride of this nation , brake passionately into this expression , pride is the worm that consumes the best fruit in this our terrestial paradice ; for behold the merchants wife in her sattins , the citizens in her silkes , and the chamber maid , many come up , she must glister in her silver lace , on the upper coat half a dozen at least , on the next coat few lesse ; noy their very smocks must be laced forsooth ; take up that , and there sits puss in her majestie . how mr. peters jested on his horse . mr. peters being in a chamber with a friend , and looking out at the window , saw one riding on a horse in the street , do you said he , see yonder horse ? yea , quoth the other ; then replies he , you may swear you have seen the best horse in england : how know you that said his friend ? i know it well , said he , for it is my horse , and i am sure he is the best , and yet i dare swear i have one in my stable worth ten of him . how mr. peters examined a country lad , and the jests that happened at that time . an unhappy boy that kept his fathers sheep in the country , did use to carry a pair of cards in his pocket , and with the same ( meeting with companions ) played at one and thirtie , ( a game so called ) at which sport he would some dayes loose a sheep or two , for which his father corrected him ; in revenge whereof , the boy would drive the sheep home at night over a narrow bridge , where some of them falling into the water , were drowned . the old man wearied with his sons ungracious trick , had him before mr. peters ( he being a man busie , and having some authoritie in those parts where he lived ) mr. peters begins to reprove the boy in these words ; sirrah , you are a notable villain , you play at cards , and lose your fathers sheep at one and thirtie . the boy ( using small reverence and lesse manners , ) replyed it was a lie ; a lie quoth mr. peters you sawcie knave , do you give me the lie ? no quoth the boy , but you told a lie ; for i never lost sheep at one and thirtie , for when my game was one and thirtie i alwayes won ; indeed said mr. peters thou saiest true ; but i have another accusation against thee , which is , that you drive your fathers sheep over a narrow bridge , where some of them are often times drowned . that 's a lie too quoth the boy , for those that goe over the bridge are well enuogh , it is onely such as fall besides that are drowned , which mr. peters acknowledged for a truth , and bēing well pleased with these clownish answers , gave him a short advice , and then dismissed him . how mr. peters and several justices of the peace , sate two dayes about brewing small beer . certain justices of the peace ( with whom m. peters ) was then accompanied ) being informed of the frequent sin of drunkennesse within their jurisdictions , met at a market town , and sate two dayes to reform it , wher eupon they commanded that from thenceforth smaller drink should be brewed , at which order a mad tos-pot grieved , and having made himself half drunk , without fear or wit came to the justices , and asked them if they had sat two dayes about brewing of small beer ; one of them answered yes , why then quoth he , i pray sit three more , to know who shall drink it , for i will none of it . how mr. peters adviseth a traveller to be accomplished . a friend of mr. peters being in discourse with him , took an occasion to ask him this question , when was the fittest time to journey ? quoth he when you have a good horse , mony in the purse , and good company . how mr. peters served the parson of a hot constitution . mr. peters having desired a country parson and friend of his to give him a sermon , the parson consented , but mr. peters being in a merry vain resolved to make a jest , though he spoyled a text . for hearing that the parson was of so hot a constitution , that he would oftentimes preach in the pulpit with his breeches down , he caused a turf of an ants hill to be laid on the pulpit bench , the parson seeing the turf , was well pleased , supposing it was laid there onely as strowings to adorn his seat . so his breeches being down , he sits a while , and when the psalme was concluded he rises to his prayer , all which time the ants were very civil , till he had proceeded a good way , but then a war began , insomuch that by their biting and his scratching , some drops of blood was spilt upon the place , which caused him to break forth into these words , the word of god — and making a full stop , quoth he , good people , the word of god is in my mouth , but i think the devil is in my tail . how mr. peters gave his opinion concerning hristendome . it was an usual saying of mr. peters , that in christendome there were neither scholars enough , gentlemen enough , nor jews enough , and when answer was made that of all these 3. there was rather too great a plenty , then a scarcity , he repli'd that if ther were schollars enough , so many would not be double or treble beneficed , if gentlemen enough , so many peasants would not be reckoned among the gentry ; and if jews enough , so many christians would not profess usury . how mr. peters rode through the strand . mr. peters riding very fast through the strand , a gentleman coming by , was minded to make him stop , and to that end called after him , and coming to his speech , saith he , sir , pray what proclamation was that that was just now out ? mr. peters ( being angry to be stayed upon so frivolous a question ) answered , he might see that on every post . i cry you mercy , said the gentleman , i took you for a post , you rode so fast . how mr. p. wrote a letter from tredagh in ireland . mr. peters being in ireland at the taking of tredagh sends up a letter to the parliament , whose substance was no more but — the truth is , tredagh is taken . yours hugh peters . how mr. peters described a whore . mr. peters discoursing with a friend of his , about what effigies were the best to adorn a room , his friend told him , that among the rest he intended to buy , he would have a curtesan exactly painted . you may very well save that labour , said mr. peters , for if she be a right whore she will paint her self . how mr. peters lighted the blind harper . mr. peters being in company with a parliament-man one evening , it so happened , that a blind harper coming by , and hearing their discourse , began to play ; upon which they willed him to come into the house ▪ and having done , mr. peters called to his friends ▪ servant to light the blind harper out . to whom the servant said , sir , the harper is blind . why then ( quoth mr. peters ) he hath the more need of light . how mr. peters told a tale of a man , a fish , and a bird . mr. peters being in the pulpit at christ-church , came to the end of his sermon , as the people did suppose : but he perceiving them to make towards the dore , wished them to lend their attentions for a word or two more , and he would conclude . the people being then big with expectations , for the most tarryed , he began as followeth : beloved , in former time there were three creatures agreed to go on pilgrimage together , by name , a man , an eele , and a swallow : they accompanyed one another a great way , till the two later were almost tyred ; wherefore , coming to a wood , the bird watches an opportunity , and flyes away ▪ now there remained onely the man and fish , and they kept together still , untill they came to passe over a small brook ; but the fish seeing the waters , gives a slip from the man , and was never seen after ▪ now the man was left alone ; but on he goes , and having passed the brook , espies on the other side several long rods , these he laies unto bundles : now beloved , what think you these rods were for ; i 'le tell you , they were to whip such men as will make hast from a sermon , and return to hear a tale . so much for this time . mr. peters cheapned a close stool . mr. peters once cheapned a close stool , but the shop keeper asked ( as he thought ) too much for it , but still commended his commodity , willing him to note the goodness of the lock and key , at which he replyed , i have small use for either lock or key , for i purpose to put nothing in it , but what i care not who steals . how mr. peters jeared a justice . mr. peters riding on the way with a justice of the peace , to drive tediousness out of time , the justice said to him , suppose sir that all the world were dead , but you and i , and that one of us should be turned into a horse , and the other into an asse , which of the two would you chuse to be ; mr. peters answered , i shall give your worship the choice , why then quoth the justice i would be a horse , nay sad mr peters let me intreat your worship to been asse , for i would chuse that above any thing , why said the justice , marry quoth hugh , because i have known many asses to become justices , but i never knew a horse come to the like preferment . how mr. peters clothed christ in a buffe coat . another time he told his auditory , he had brought them christ in a buffe coate ; saying here , take him while you may have him , for if you refuse him this time , i 'le carry him with me to new-england . how mr. peters opened heavens gate to a committee man . preaching once in ireland , and discoursing on the times , it came into his head , with his knuckle to hit against the pulpit , intimating to his auditory , he had been in heaven , and answering the sound , quoth he , who is there , a cavalier , oh a cavalier ! you must not come here , you must to hell , for you fight against the parliament . then he knocks again , and cries who is there , a roundhead , oh a roundhead ! you must come hither neither , you are factious and disorderly in opinions : so he knocks the third time , and cries who is there , a committee man , oh a committee man ! he must come , and shall , laying his hands on the pulpit dore , as if he would let him in . how mr. peters told a tale of his friend . mr. peters being merry with some friends of his , entertains them a while with this following story , quoth he , i knew a lusty miller much given to the flesh , that never suffered any female to bring any grist , but he would endevour to blow up their chastities , and with whom soever he was familiar , he would bargain that at the day of his mariage , each of them should send him a cake ; in processe of time the miller was married , and according to promise , they sent in their cakes , to the number of ninety and nine ; his wife the bride wondred what was the meaning of so many cakes , the miller told her the truth of all without any dissembling ; to whom his wife answered , if i had been so wise in bargaining , as you have been , the young man of my acquaintance , would have sent me a hundred cheeses to have eaten with your cakes . how mr. peters described a citizen . he was wont to say , a citizen was a man all in earnest , and in no point like a jest , because the citizen was never bad , nor the jest never good , till they were both broke . how mr. peters shewed one the way to tame . mr. peters jorneying from oxford towards london , met on the way with a gallant that rode excessive hard , who enquired of him if that were the way to tame , meaning a place so called : but mr. peters willing to mistake him , replyed , yes , your horse i 'le warrant you , if he were as wilde as the divel . how mr. peters discoursed with a tradesman . mr. peters coming into a tradesman shop in london , observed the master to be very bountiful of his complements and congees ; whereupon , quoth he , well said honest friend , it is a good sign that thou will never break , thou dost bend so much . how mr. peters reproved a young schollar . mr. peters hearing of some boystrous exercises used on the sabbath day , and that a young scholar whom he knew was frequently at cudgel-playing with the rest , he sends for this schollar , and told him how it suited not with his profession to use such an exercise , especially on such a day , and if he did not leave it , he would cause him to be ordered . good sir , replyed the scholar do not mistake me , for i do it on purpose to edifie the ruder sort of the people : how so ▪ said mr. peters . marry sir , said the scholar , what in the morning and evening they have learned , i soundly beat into their heads at cudgels for their better remembrance . how mr. peters made an asse of a gentleman . talking with a gentleman that was rich and merry , the gentleman said he had read a book called lucius apuleius , or the golden asse , and that he found there , that apuleius after he had been many years an asse , by eating of roses did recover his humane shape again . mr. peters thereupon replies , sir , if i were worthy to advise you , i would give you counsel to eat a sallad of roses once a week at least your self . how mr. peters saved his licence . mr. peters talking with some honest country men , about the affairs of his parish , and happening to have his licence in his hand , one of his company seeing it , desires to look well on it ; but perceiving it was in latine , saith he , o i understand not latine , but perhaps i may pick out a word or two . no by no means cryed mr. peters , i would not have my licence picked , lest it should be spoyled . how mr. peters gave judgment of a cholerick gentleman . there was a gentleman of a very hasty disposition , so that he would fret and quarrel perpetually , and withal was a great tobacco-taker . this gentleman in his anger beat and kickt his man extremely , insomuch that the fellow ran away , and mr. peters being an acquaintance of his masters , he repairs to him , willing him to advise his master to be more patient . mr. peters said he would , but , saith he , so must you , for you know his conditions , for my part i think he is transformed into brawne , for he is all choller , and he supposed the reason of his kicking was only because he took colts-foot in tobacco . how mr. peters extolled the army under oliver . it being ordered that friday december the 22.1648 . should be set a part for fasting , it was likewise ordered that mr. peters should preach on that day , as accordingly he did , without any more audience , then 4. lords and 20. commons . the subject of his sermon was , that of moses his leading the israelites out of egypt , which he applyed to the then leaders of the army ; but how quoth hugh shall the people in our dayes be led from their captivitie , that said he you shall know anon ; then clapping his hands before his eyes he leaned on his cushion for a while , and suddenly starting up , saith he ; i le tell you no more then hath been revealed to me ( there is no way out of aegypt but by rooting up of monarchy . and this army must do it ; this army is the stone spoken of , cut out of the mountain , which must dash the powers of the earth in pieces . but some object , that the way we walk is without president , alas we must act without and beyond presidents , are not many things in scripture without president . what think you of the virgin mary , was there ever any president that a virgin should conceive ? i tell you no . and this our army hath done , and shall do such glorious things , as former ages never expected , the present doth admire , and the future will not believe . how mr. peters visited the earle of pembroke . m. peters taking an occasion to visit the e. of pembroke , he salutes his honour in this manner ; my lord , i am come to see you , and intend to dine with you , and because you should not want company ; i have brought one of the 7 deadly sins along with me , viz. col. ●ride , and have brought the devil too , col. dragon ; at which jest they all laughed and were well pleased . how mr. peters wished his auditory to beware of 3 w s. mr. peters preaching in a country village , exhorted his congregation in this manner , beware beloved of three mischievous w s. wine , women , and tobacco , but you will object tobacco is no w. to which i answer , tobacco must be understood under the notion of a weed , and then it holds right . how mr. peters called his hearers fools . mr. peters preaching in a strange place , and having some information that the people suited not with his judgement . took this portion of scripture for his text , o ye fools , when will ye be wise ? which text saith he admits of no divisions , for divide o from ye , i cannot ; or yee from fools , o ye fools ! that i am sure of , for you are such ; when will ye be wise ? that the lord above knows , for i am sure i do not , nor ever shall . how mr. peters took an affront on the exchange . mr. peters walking at full change time , on the royal exchange , a certain person comes to him , and whispering him in the ear , sayes to him , mr. peters , you are a knave , or else you had never gaind so much wealth as you have . say you so , said he , marry if you were not a fool , you would be a knave too . how mr. peters said , he knew where his majestie was . mr. peters was once heard to say , that he knew where his majesty was , and being desired to tell , said , in bedlam sure enough , for unlesse he be mad he will not be in england . how mr. peters enveighed against citizens wives . preaching in london , he exclaimed greatly against the citizens wives , your city mistresses , saith he , must have their lap-dogs to play with all day long , for want of children ; and if by chance he lets fly an uncivil blast , then out ye foisting cur , o how he stinks ! immediately after he leaps into their lap again , and to bed perhaps they both march together , and the happy cur is laid to snug , where many an honest man would be with all his heart . how m. peters jeer'd a rich man and his fat wife . mr. peters being invited to dinner to a friends house , knowing him to be very wealthy , and his wife as fat as he was rich , brake this jest at table before them , truly sir , said he , you have the world and the flesh , but pray god you get not the devil in the end . how mr. peters said he had been in heaven . another time he told his auditory he had been in heaven , and there were store of roundheads , but going into hell he found that so full of cavaliers , that if a round-head should chance to stumble thither , there would be no room for him . how mr. peters answered oliver cromwell . being desired by oliver cromwell to repair to an appointed place , there to preach , it suddenly fell a raining , whereupon cromwell offered him his coat : to which he replied , i 'le not have it for my part , i would not be in your coat for a thousand pounds . how mr. peters jested at his friends hurt . mr. peters coming by one time , where he espied a friend of his , deeply cut in the head , who engaged too far in a foolish fray , he began to check him for his indiscretion ; but , saith he , 't is too late now to give you counsel , come along with me to a chirurgion , a friend of mine , where i 'le have you , see you drest , and then bid you farewel . where being come , the chirurgion begins to wash away the blood , and search for his braines , to see if they were hurt . at which m. peters cries out , what a mad man are you to seek for any such thing , if he had had any braines , he would never have ventured so rashly into so unlucky a skirmish . how mr. peters defaced a shoulder of mutton . being invited to dinner , his stomach invited him into the kitchin to take a slice before dinner , where espying a shoulder of mutton , began to cut a peice of that , and to deface it : at which saith the maid . o sir , cut not of that , because it is old . say you so , quoth he , then i will have a piece of it to chuse , for age you know is honourable . how mr. peters mistook in reaching to the top of his pulpit . mr. peters preaching immediatly after the death of oliver cromwell , in his sermon brought in this expression , that he knew ol. cromwell was in heaven as sure as he could then touch the head of his pulpit , and reaching up his hand came short thereof by half a yard . how mr. peters advanced the cause of oliver . master peters for the maintenance of the army under his master oliver , used often times to exhort the people to be liberal in their contributions , and having used his utmost endeavours in london , he endeavoured to stir up the wellaffected in several counties , alwayes intermixing somewhat of mony in his discourse , but one time above the rest having provided himself with a pair of breeches without pockets , onely holes cut in the places where the pockets should be , and his auditory being most women , he affrighted them exceedingly with the terrible characters he gave the cavaliers , and at length out comes a whole bunch of rings , which he had hung on his codpeice button ; and my beloved , quoth hugh , these rings the women of such a town gave me , and shaking them a while in one hand , pretended to put them up , but standing upright in the pulpit , he took them through his breeches in the other , and see here saith he , beloved sisters , these the pious minded women of another town gave me , to subdue the wicked cavaliers ; by this peice of sophistry he would preach his ignorant hearers out of large sums of money , which it may be supposed he treasured in his own coffers . xlv . how mr peters went to heaven and hell . mr peters in the midst of one of his sermons , dives down , and rising up again , faith , my beloved , where think you i have been now ? i le tell you , i have been in heaven , and there 's my lord bradshaw , and many other worthy persons of note ; then diving again , now saith he , i have been in hell , and there were a number of factious parliament men ; and that they might believe it to be true as that gospel , shewing a paper-book with notes , bound up like a testament . xlvi . how mr peters shared with the state . he was wont after his collections to carry all his treasure into one roome , where there was two chests , then would he take one bag and flinging it into one of the chests , this saith he , for the state , and flinging another bag into the other chest , quoth he , this for my selfe ; this would he so frequently do , that an ingenious fellow his servant noted it , & to imitate his master would commonly before he gave his master his accompts , do the same , having provided himselfe with two chests or trunks , would cry , this for my master , and this for my selfe , insomuch that in short time he had heaped up a great treasure , and taking himselfe to be somebody more then formerly , attempted to make love to a gentlewoman , related neerely to mr peters ; whereupon mr peters checks him for the presumption , saying , she had a great fortune , and was a pitch above him ; sir , quoth the servant , i am not so despicable as you may thinke , nor shall her fortune exceed mine , say you so , saith mr peters , make that appeare , and you shall have her ; why sir , quoth the servant , i have done as you taught me ; you used to say , this for the state , and this for my selfe ; so i would cast into your treasury one bag , and two into mine own ; sayest thou so , replyed his master , believe me i commend thee , and clapping him on the back , saith he , say no more , thou dost deserve her ; but whether they were married or not , my intelligencer cannot informe me . xlvii . how mr peters was served by the butchers wife . mr peters ingratiating himselfe with a butchers wife , who was somewhat handsome , did with much intreaty gaine her consent to be her visiter at midnight , and she ordered him to come at such a time , and put his hand under the doore , where he should finde the key which should open a passage to her chamber ; he comes at the appointed time , but this crafty woman , instead of the key , had there layd a trap , and mr peters looking for the key , did unluckily thrust his hand into the trap , and could not get it out , till by his calling for helpe , he was heard , and disgracefully released . xlviii . how mr peters prayed against the kings armes . praying in a country village , he espyed in the church the kings armes , whereupon he brings in these words , good lord keepe us from the yoke of tyranny ; and spreading his hands towards the kings armes , saith he , preserve thy servants from the paw of the lyon , and the horne of the vnicorne . xlix . how mr peters discoursed against organs . mr peters discoursing of church ceremonies , brake into this expression , yee must have musick too ; but indeed when as ye say , lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners , ye may well vary the words a little , and let your petition be , lord have mercy upon us miserable singers . l. how mr peters preached three houres on a fast-day . mr peters having on a fast day preached two long houres , and espying his glasse to be out after the second turning up ; takes it in his hand , and having againe turned it , saith , come my beloved , we will have the other glasse , and so wee 'le part . li. how mr peters said the word of god had a free passage . discoursing of the advantage christians have above heathens , and shewing that they were guided only by a naturall instinct , but we have the word preached to us , and indeed , saith he , the gospel hath a very free passage amongst us , for i am considenr , it no sooner enters in at one eare , but it is out at the other . lii . how mr peters bought cloath by the measure of his sword . mr peters being at a linnen drapers buying cloath , would not be contented with their yards or elves , but drawing out his sword , told the draper he would measure his cloath thereby , or he would not buy , which the draper after he had viewed the sword consented to , and so they presently agreed . liii . how mr peters asked grapes of alderman titchbourne . alderman titchbourn so formerly called wrote a booke , and entituled it , a cluster of canaans grapes , and mr peters meeting of him asked him if his worship would be pleased to bestow a cluster of his grapes on him ; at which the alderman answered , if he would come to his vine ( meaning his house ) he should have his choyce of all his store . liv. how mr peters jeared the poet withers . george withers having wrote a poem , in which he predicted the continuance of a free state , called it the perpetuall parliament ; a little after the parliament was dissolved , and mr peters meeting the said mr withers , told him he was a pittifull prophet , and a pittifull poet , otherwise he had not wrote such predictions for a pittifull parliament . lv . how mr. peters gave his opinion of the three l l ls. being once conversing with severall of his familiar friends , he was heard to say , that england would never be right till one hundred and fifty were cut off , every one wondring where he would pick so many , at last one asked him , who those were , he answered they were three l l ls and each l standing for fifty the number might easily be compleated out of lords , levites , and lawyers . lvi . how mr. peters made himself hewson's father . mr. peters meeting colonell hewson , merrily said to the colonell , how now son , where 's your blessing ? but hewson not well conceiving what he said , asked what he meant , why quoth hugh , i mean to teach you your duty , know you not who i am ; i am hugh , and as i take it you are hughs-son . lvii . how mr. peters compared his late majesty to barabbas . he once preached a sermon at st. margarets westminster immediately after the members were secluded , there being a fast appointed in that place , where he chose for the words of his text , not this man , but barabbas ; to whom he compared his late majesty , inciting his auditory to kill the king , withall adding that those souldiers who assisted in that great work of reformation had emanvel , that is , god with us , written on their bridles . lviii . how mr. peters quoted the three fools in the gospell . mr. peters preaching on the neglect christians too often had in duties , brake forth into this expression , my beloved , observe , there are three fools in the gospel ; for being bid to the wedding supper , every one had his excuse . for the first , he had hired a farme and must go see it ; had not he been a fool he would have seen it first , but he would be excused . the second , he had bought a yoake of oxen , and he must go try them , therefore he likewise desired to be excused ; he also was a foole beeause he did not try them before he bought them . the third he had marryed a wife , and without any complement said plainly he could not come ; he was a fool too , for by this he shewed that one woman drew him away , more then a whole yoake of oxen did the former . lix . how two gentlemen put up a bill to mr. peters . on sunday jan. 21. 1648. being the time of that grand tryall and bloody murther of our soveraigne lord king charls the first of blessed memory , mr. peters preach ▪ that whitehall upon psal. 149. vers. 8. of binding the kings in chaines , and the nobles with fetters of iron ; applying his text and sermon to the late king , and saying he had seen one joyfull day , and he hoped to see another to morrow as good as the former ; there being at that time in the church two gentlemen , who as many more usually did went rather to hear his jests then his doctrine ; they hearing how bitterly he inveighed against his late majesty , and how he applauded the proceedings of the army , being provided with pen ink and paper on purpose to beare away some of his pulpit jests , immediately betake themselves to send him a line or two , which accidentally falling into my hands , i have here inserted . sir , we return you thanks for this your pains , and hope you 'l live your self to wear the chains ; for if our genius don't at this time falter , your merits well may claim both chain & halter . this being wrapped close up , and he drawing to the conclusion of his sermon , they deliver it to be handed to him , as though it were the petition of some dying soul ; but he having read it , put it up , and as occasion served , made it now and then passe for a malignant jest , notwithstanding at last it proved an earnest truth . for now at last i shall conclude with the authors death ; he was indicted october 9. 1660. at hicks-hall , and the bill found by the grand jury of knights and gentlemen of quality of the county of middlesex ; such a bench and such a jury hath rarely been seene in that court , where that most learned lord chiefe baron , sir orlando bridgeman gave him his charge , and being asked guilty or not guilty , lift up his hands and his eyes ( according to his custome , ) and sayd , guilty ! no , not for ten thousand worlds . however after his indictment was read and the jury sworne , he saw a whole congregation of witnesses against him ; many things were by them asserted , relating to his guilt of being accessary to the spilling of his late majesties royall blood , and his moving and stirring up seditious rebellions in his majesties dominions . to whch mr peters making no answer , the jury gave their verdict that mr hugh peters was guilty ; whereupon the sentence of the court was , that he should be drawne upon a sledge to the place of execution , and there be hanged by the neck till he be halfe dead , his bowels burnt , and his quarters to be disposed of according to order ; which on tuesday the 16th of october was accordingly done at the place where formerly charing crosse stood . thus did he that called his sacred majesty a barrabas , a murderer , and seditious , die for murther and sedition himselfe , so that the snare which he layd for another , hath catched hold of himselfe ; in this may we see , that according to that of st augustine , justice hath leaden feete , but iron hands ; and though vengeance treads slowly , it comes surely , as hath appeared by this man , ( sometime my acquaintance ) who was every thing , and indeed nothing ; sometime foole , and sometime knave ; but what most commonly might induce to his benefit and advantage . finis . the advice of that vvorthy commander sir ed. harvvood, collonell written by king charles his command, upon occasion of the french kings preparation : and presented in his life time by his owne hand to his maiestie : hitherto being a private manuscript : also a relation of his life and death : whereunto is also annexed divers remarkable instructions written by the late and ever-famous, earle of essex : all tending to the securing and fortifying of this kingdome both by sea and land and now seasonably published for the benefit of these times. harwood, edward, sir, 1586?-1632. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a43042 of text r22426 in the english short title catalog (wing h1096). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 53 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a43042 wing h1096 estc r22426 12570568 ocm 12570568 63456 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a43042) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 63456) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 249:e131, no 37) the advice of that vvorthy commander sir ed. harvvood, collonell written by king charles his command, upon occasion of the french kings preparation : and presented in his life time by his owne hand to his maiestie : hitherto being a private manuscript : also a relation of his life and death : whereunto is also annexed divers remarkable instructions written by the late and ever-famous, earle of essex : all tending to the securing and fortifying of this kingdome both by sea and land and now seasonably published for the benefit of these times. harwood, edward, sir, 1586?-1632. essex, robert devereux, earl of, 1566-1601. harwood, george, 17th cent. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [40] p. printed for r. harford, london : 1642. the life and death of collnell harwood, signed hugh peters p. [13] reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng great britain -defenses. great britain -history -charles i, 1625-1649 -sources. a43042 r22426 (wing h1096). civilwar no the advice of that vvorthy commander, sir ed: harvvood, collonell. written by king charles his command, upon occasion of the french kings pr harwood, edward, sir 1642 10492 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 c the rate of 10 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-09 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-10 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2003-10 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion in memoria coll : harvv . equitis aurati . carmina quid canerem ? tristes imitantia musas , carmina sunt meritis inferiora suis . vixit , quem dederat cursum deus , ille peregit , gentis honos obiit , gloria , fama , decus . multa fides , pietasque viri , sic multa recursat nobilitas animi ; plurima nota loquor . though holland honour'd be to keepe the dust of such a souldier , valiant , wise , and just : the basis of the universe not great , nor vaste enough , his merits on to seat : mars , hermes , phoebus , and chaste theseus sonne , in coll'nell harwood did meet all in one . but should i wirte his praise ? it would be thought a nephew wil commend the work , tho nought , i rather leave it to each readers minde , to judge thereof , as he the worke shall finde : and if they say , that he hath not done well , bid him that blames him ; show his parallell . m. draper . the advice of that vvorthy commander , sir ed : harvvood , collonell . written by king charles his command , upon occasion of the french kings preparation : and presented in his life time , by his owne hand , to his maiestie : hitherto being a private manuscript . also a relation of his life and death . whereunto is also annexed divers remarkable instructions , written by the late , and ever-famous , earle of essex . all tending to the securing and fortifying of this kingdome , both by sea and land , and now seasonably published for the benefit of these times . prov. 25. 11. a word spoken in season is like apples of gold in pictures of silver . london , printed for r. harford . 1642. to the right honovrable , the lords and commons assembled in the high court of parliament . right honourable lords , and worthy gentlemen , we are all imbarqued in the ship , the common-wealth ; and as in a ship there are divers agents , whereof some of the chiefest , at the sterne to governe ; others of an inferiour rank clime the mast , hoysesailes , and doe inferiour workes in it , all of them according to their severall ranke , as they doe the duties of their severall places ; so have interest in the common good , and either doe , or ought to mind the publike welfare of it : and as in building of the tabernacle , some of the chiefe sort brought gold , silver and precious stones , others of inferiour sort , goats haire and badgers skins , every man according to his ability , did contribute unto the same . i , though but of the inferiour rank in this ship , even the meanest of all others , yet imbarqued therein , see not but i ought to endeavour , though but in inferiour workes the good of it , who though i have not gold , silver , or precio●s stones , nor any thing besides my poore prayers to advance the glorious tabernacle , yet would with ahimaaz , run also , as one willing and desirous to doe good , if i had any ability in my selfe , or opportunity : but having nothing of my owne , finding this little manuscript among the papers of my deare deceased brother , and considering the troublesomenesse of the times the feares of the better sort , and hopes of the worse : i have adventured to make it publike , which though written some time since , and upon another occasion , yet there may something be gathered out of it ( if i mistake not my selfe ) which may bee of good use for these present times of our feares , and sad apprehensions , wherin if there be any thing which in your grave wisdoms , you may thinke fit to put in execution , it shall much 〈◊〉 me , that i brought it to the light , or at least , if it may but occasion your wisedomes to take into your serious consideration , the subject matter of it , which is the securing of the kingdome against all dangers , that may come to it , and in your wisedomes to thinke upon better directions , that may remove the fears and apprehensions of most men in these ●●●multuous times , by reason of the insurrection of our neighbouring kingdome , and the just feares we have of these pestilent enemies of our church and common-wealth , the papists in this kingdome , and their adherents , the prelates : now as concerning my brothers manuscript , as it was penned in time of a great sea preparation made by the french king some ten yeares past , so ( as i had it from his owne mouth ) it gained the approbation and good liking of his majesty , who commanded him to write his judgement and opinion of these preparations , and by what meanes ( if they were intended against us ) wee might secure our selves , both for the pesent , and in future ; which though for some reasons was not thought sit to be put in execution , yet i have beene encouraged by some of good judgement , now to publish it in these times , wherein wee have some more apprehension of danger then formerly ( partly by the actuall rising of these many ill affected to religion in ireland , and also those proud-threatning speeches lately given forth by the papists here at home , which if not by some such course , as is here propounded , bee prevented , may breed more danger then most are sensible of . eliahs cloud rose but like a hand , which after orespread the whole heaven , what this may doe , if suffered to enlarge itselfe ; how farrereach , we cannot directly say ; but even to our owne horison wee may well presume , if not repelled , or dispersed by a strong and swift gale the mischiefe they carry with them cannot bee contayned in the neighbour kingdome , if they thus grow in their progresse . what combination there may be with forrainstates i leave to deeper judgements , but for my owne part , i shall ever subscribe unto the opinion of that noble lord , concerning an old enemy the spaniard ▪ that if he ever find an opportunity , and advantage against us , hee will not baulke it : i cannot easily be drawne to a beleefe , that that great fleet they sent two yeares since upon our coast , when wee and our true hearted brethren , the scots , were ready to enter into a bloody battle , was to guard only his souldiers , or treasure ; but that there was a designe in it upon this kingdome , though by gods mercy prevented . never came such a fleet upon our coast , save in 88. when they intended a reall invasion . but if it be objected ; was he not in league with us ? but alas , what security can we have thereby , in being in league with him , or any of that religion : when first they hold that it is no fault to breake faith with hereticks . secondly , if it be ? the popes dispensation will take it away . thirdly , if the pope find it for his advantage hee will so charge them to breake with us , that so conscience and obedience shall cure their malice and perfideousnesse : i am bold to adde to what my brother wrote , what once , long since i read in a little treatise , which may something conduce to this , of that brave lord , the late earle of essex ; exprest in an apology in the late queens time of happy memory , which may something strengthen my brothers opinion for making sea preparations ; which with my brothers , i humbly offer to your considerations , there being none under heaven to whom we can addresse our selves ▪ for power and fitnesse to correct the malignant aspect of these influences , besides your honours : and now most noble , and grave senators , the true and ever renouned patriots of your country , if my zeale for my countries freedome and prosperity , have borne me beyond my bounds , impute it to my errour of judgement , and let your candor close with the good intentions of him , who is more in wishes , and hearty desires , then in parts and abilities , for the felicity of his countrey . and he shall ever remaine , your honours most humble and obsequious servant . geo. harvvood . the life and death of collonell harwood . gentle reader , this little manuscript penn'd by my honoured friend , sir edward , harwood colonell of an english regiment in the low-countries , was intended for the presse , and ready thereunto , when by gods gratious providence i coming over ( having had much experience of his worth ; ) and in some respect , obliged unto him , was not a little glad to meet with an oportunity to shew my love and respects to him . i therefore desired leave of his brother , of whom i have now obtained it , though with some difficulty , to offer to the world some testimony of it , wherein i will forbeare to say what i may , neither is there need for mee in that kind to say any thing at all , in respect of those that knew him , and have beene conversant with him ; they have beene eye witnesses to more then i write , but for their sakes , who did not know him : i desire a little to acquaint them with his worth . to the end , that they , who have alove to that honourable profession , may have a worthy example to incite them to imitation . it being my portion to travell with him one whole night not loing before his decease ; hee was ( beyond his custome ) kept awake all that time by his owne spirit , which constrained him to open his bosome to mee , and to give mee an epitome of his time , and gods dealing with him , of which , and my owne observations concerning him , you may please to take this briefe extract . his birth was gentile , and from a roote fit to engraft his future education and excellency ; furnished hee was with such learning as his age was capable of , and grew up in an especiall respect unto the faithfull dispensors of the gospell , and accordingly reapt the fruits of it in gods season . his spirit ( though sad enough ) yet accompanied with much naturall mettall and courage , and look't above other callings , to that which narrow minded and effeminate men close not with . hee soone attended the schoole of warre of those times , where quick and curious designes issued into dayly action and execution . there my lord veere , who could well distinguish of men , cast his eye upon him , by whose favour , exhal'd by his owne worth , hee was not long ascending the usuall step whereon the warres placeth reward for its followers ; as hee grew skilfull in his trade , so was hee amiable to others : they live who know how deare hee was to that justly lamented , prince henry , who tooke such delight in him , that his closset thoughts were open to my noble friend , from whom that noble prince got no smale advantage in his military way ; hee was also ever precious to king iames , of blessed memory ; so also no lesse in the esteeme of our now gracious soveraigne , witnessing their royall affection toward him in severall expressions of their favours . the illustrious princesse , the queene of bohemia , who hearing of his death , cried out in a great passion ! oh that uggly towne of mastricht that hath bereeved mee of so faithfull a servant . also to that mirrour of his time , the last lord harrington , to whom hee was so endeared , that hee offered to hazard estate , liberty , and life , for his good , as by divers of his letters still extant , appeares . to the late duke of buckingham , who after the defeat at the i le of ree , remembring what service hee did at cadiz voyage , in bringing of the retreat , cried out ! oh ned harwood , ned harwood , that i had had thee heere . to the last lord steward , to the old earle of southampton , to the late earle of bedford , to this now earle of essex , and to the now earle of leycester , who was sometime his colonell ; to the earle of warwick , to the lord carleton , and to most of the chiefe nobilitie of this kingdome . whose letters found among his papers mention such reall affection , as is scarcely credible , from men of their quality . neither was hee a little deare to that highly honoured lord , the lord craven ( who beside the late reall expression of love to his brother , and for his many , great , noble , and pious workes , deserves to have his name written upon pillers of brasse ) who when hee heard of his death ( as was related to his brother , ) cast himselfe on his bed , cried out , hee had lost his father , such was his love and opinion of him . moreover , when his death was noised in the army , there was such a generall lamentation for his losse , that his excellency was faine to send speciall command to still it , least the enemy should take courage , as thinking it were for some of greater quality ; and his excellency himselfe in my owne hearing , i being appointed to goe before his excellency after the hearse , heard him say , to count earnest , he had lost his right hand , in the losse of monsieur harwood . to bee briefe his name amongst souldiours was , in omniore , tanquam mel suavis est , & tanquam instrumenta musica in convivio lauto . hee lived , desired ; and died , lamented . hee soone ascended ( in the states service ) to the highest step that englishmen usually tread , & that was a collonell ; in which condition , i had my knowledge of him : and these things my eye observed , that religion , fidelity , and prowesse so met in him , that there seem'd a constant strife among them , which should most appeare , and often shewed themselves together , by which hee brooke the back of that proverb : nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur . the first of these , shewed it selfe in attendance upon the word , intimate acquaintance with , and respect unto the faithfullest dispensours of it ; the exercise of his family therein ; his purse standing open to the advancement of every worke of that nature in england and holland ; hee gave a large summe annually to the redeeming impropriations , the ruine whereof was none of his least griefes , together with the many soules that suffer by it ; his conceipt was , that nothing lesse then atheisme and hellish malice could blast it ; hee kept a diary of his inward man , wherein hee wrot his owne slips , infirmities , and gods severall wayes of providence toward him , which stood him in no small stead ; he was very often in humiliations , and loved those dayes in his life time , and to his death , being slaine in a publique day of fasting ; in all his actions , hee gave testimony , that hee thought as much of dying , as of living . for the second , hee was famous and precious to both the princes of orange , in that respect . in the quelling the arminian faction , hee alone was trusted with a message to king iames , and upon his returne barnevell , went to his last home . in the leaguer of the busse , hee had the charge of the vello● , when picolominy was in the bowels of the countrey with 10000. men . his excellency intrusting him with the sole trust , mannaging and ordering of that service , without limiting his commission , left it , though a matter of maine concernment to his wisedome and fidelity . in which service , hee watched 30. whole nights on hor●eback , and never in that time came in bed , and in conclusion by his providence and vigilancy discharged that great trust , and fully secured the countrey . at cadiz voyage wch was a matter of trust & great difficultie , hee had imposed on him the charge of bringing up the reare , where the enemie setting upon many scattered troupes , hee brought them off with safety , by an honourable retreat . for want of which at the isle of ree , how many brave engglish lost their lives , and our nation , much of their honour . lastly , his valour was unstained , as all the services he was in , can beare large testimony thereof . to be short , he was first hurt by a granado in the foot , at mastrick ( a sufficient warrant to have exempted him from the service for that day ) yet would he not leave the prosecution of the designe , though often disswaded and advised , of the great danger he adventured , by the worthy gentleman , captaine skippon , now serjeant major generall , for the citie of london , but going often into the trenches , to view the enemies workes , in a scarlet coate , gave the enemy so faire a marke , that he received from the wall , a sudden shot , out of a small brasse piece , which strucke him through the heart , and was from thence , by command of the prince of orenge , carryed to the hague , where he was interred , with as much honour , as ever was any that dyed in those parts , of his quallitie . in fine , thus much i must say of him , he was true to his principles , ( a rare vertue in this age ) hee was neither above , nor beneath his calling , but very aeduquate and true unto it ; so sad , serious , and skilfull in his way , that you may doe well to beleeve what he writes . hee was a good man , a good souldier , a good christian , and is now wearing his crown . much more i might have said , but i must not make the porch greater then the building , and therefore i conclude , sic o praecabor , usque vivere , me posse , dein sic mori , mori me posse , dein sic vivere . so i desire of god , to live and dye , and so to dye , to live eternally . epitaph . if rimes might raise him columnes , i beleeve , nor hearts , nor heads , nor pens would wanting be but sure such varnish can small lustre give to blaze his worth , his freinds may spare that fee . for lesse desert , we may such paines yet keepe , let 's now remember harwood , and then weepe . hvgh peeters . collonell harvvoods advice to king charles . or , a discourse on the rumour of the french kings preparation at sea . the particulars of his preparations not being certainely knowne , there is no certain judgement to be made of them ; i will therefore only take the case , as i suppose it will be granted . that the french king endeavours to make himselfe strong at sea , and that by two meanes , one encouraging his subjects to trade at sea , giving his merchants great priviledges , and immunities , another of his owne proper cost , buying , and building many great and good ships , and ordaining a yearely brave proportion out of his revenue , for the increasing , and maintaining his navie , as some say 300. thousand l. sterling , others but 300. thousand crownes , one or other , are considerable , and may prove of danger to this state : for this disposition of his argues , that hee intends either to enter into a new war , with his majestie , or at least , to put himselfe into such a condition , as when he shal thinke fit , hee may doe so , without his disadvantage . that this his arming at sea , must be intended , in emulation of his majesties lordship of the narrow seas , to equall , ore-top him at sea is probable . for against whom else ? not against the hollanders , they are his obsequious friends , desirous of his friendship , fearefull of his displeasure ; not against the king of spain , for he can more easily invade him by land , when hee will , as spaine can him : besides , the french king shewes no disposition to enter into open warre with him , for having taken on him the protection of mantua , and not well dealt with by him in the last treaty for italy , making a peace in shew , and yet after taking his advantage , renuing the warre in the emperours name , yet doth he not enter into open war with him , but will only be an assistant , else had it not beene more facile for him to have invaded flaunders , or artois , and so by diversion aided the duke of mantua , then by sending an army into italy in the winter ; therefore this preparation of the french king , for the sea , hath his chiefe ayme , in present , or future at his majestie . i suppose , not to invade england , or it may be none of his majesties ilands , though that is more then we can be assured of : some of his ships of warre were this winter on his majesties coast , went from harbour to harbour , doubtlesse to discover them , and not for any good to his majestie : besides , who cantell , since the ilands of garnesey , and iersey , are the only remainders of the large dominions , his majesties predecessors formerly have possessed in france , if hee have not an itching to joyne them to france againe , or if not them , nor wight ; yet to share the dominion of the narrow seas with his majestie , and that is to take it from him , if he can ; to which hitherto hee hath not pretended , as not being able to match his majestie at sea , but if he continue these his preparations , and that his majestie out of hand prepare not also against it , hee will in short time undoubtedly effect it . it will be said ( it may be ) hee hath no good ports or havens ? that is an errour ; it is true , he hath not so many good harbours , as his majesty hath , yet some he hath , not inferiour to any of his majesties , it may be also said that his subjects are not so proper for the sea , nor so affected to trade , as his majesties are : it is true , but if he continue to encourage his merchants , turne merchant himselfe , will not his princes , great lords , and gentlemen , follow his example ? for saylors , if he give great pay , and pay well , he will not want them of other nations ; nay , if his majesties owne subjects have not the like great and good payment , it is to be feared , he may draw many of his , to his service , at first , untill there be open warres twixt the kingdomes : for doe not , at this present , many hundreds , i might say , thousands of his majesties subjects , serve other states at sea ; as the hollanders , nay , the turkes , without either leave , or knowledge of his majestie . now , if the french king should come to bee as powerfull , or more , then his majestie at sea , he will be a more dangerous and fearfull neighbour to england then spaine , whom hitherto this kingdom have of latter yeares onely had cause to feare , for that against spaine , the low-countries will ever bee a good bulwarck ; who if the king of spaine at any time , make any great preparations at sea , will be ever jealous , it is intended 'gainst them , and so ever arme against him , and be alwaies ready to joyne with , and to assist his majestie 'gainst spaine , which may bee doubted , they will not so readily doe against france , with whom they are in league , and not jealous off . besides the king of spaine hath not so populous a countrey , as hee can easily prepare , either a great fleet , or land army , and much lesse both , without long time , and so his majestie may have the more warning thereof ; then spaine is further from england , and so the journey is the longer , and from thence cannot come many horse , which are the forces most to be feared in england . whereas france being so neere us , and so full of souldiers , both horse and foot , if it once come to be able to equall england at sea , by sudden and quicke preparations , stealing opportunities , he may oretop england at sea , and then transport such an army of horse and foot , as we might justly be afraid of : for old souldiers both horse and foot , france abounds in , and the french have a vertue proper to them , that not a gentleman thinkes himselfe any thing , untill he have seene the warres , learned at least , good and perfect use of his armes , and naturally they are all good horsemen ; their land affords horses fit for service , and every man almost knows to use pistoll and carabin : wheras in england , unlesse those , which have beene souldiers , few or none can use their armes , and of those which have bin souldiers , it may be not all , can well use their armes ; especially the musquet , which is of most offence , which our nation are not naturally so prompt to learn the use of , as the french are ; and for horse , this kingdom is so deficient , as it is a question , whether or not , the whole kingdome could make 2000. good horse , that might equall 2000. french . to redresse these deficiences , in all humility , i here present my poore and slender advice , under correction , and with submission to better judgments . first , and principally i would advise that his majesty would arme at sea , for that is the surest defence , for we can never be hurt by a forraigne enemy , by land , till we be first beaten at sea ; and therein i cannot give better advise , then to doe what the french king doth , as to repaire and increase his own royall navie , which is the greatest and best assured strength of england , and to that end , to set apart some certaine large proportion of his revenue , that his sea-men may have good pay , and well paid ; and if there be good and strict courses taken , that there be no abuses in the musters , victualling , consumption of ammunition ( which without good payment cannot well be executed ) his majesty will be a gainer thereby , in matter of profit , besides , the reputation and advantage of his service ; and it is my opinion , that no prince nor state , but had better give 40 in the hundred , for monies to pay his militia well , then not to pay well : then to encourage his merchants , and other subjects to trade , and in making new plantations . for his land-forces , that his majestie would take order , that the numbers of trayned men were increased , or rather that the whole kingdome from 18. or 20. to 35. or 40. as many men as were able of bodies were armed , one third with pikes , and armours , another with muskets , and the third with calivers ; that there were powder , bullets , and match through the whole kingdome , magazines thereof in suncry places of the kingdome in such a quantity , as if it were invaded in one , or divers parts , there be no want of ammunition in any place : for it would be then too late to fetch it else-where , and much worse , then to make it , or send over seas for it . that there were care taken , that these men then armed might be well exercised ; and to that end , that there be in every hundreth , or wapentake , some old souldier , sergeant , or other inferiour officer , had out of the low-countries well chosen , t●at might teach men the use of their armes , and that there were certaine dayes set and appointed , for the shewing their armes , and exercising them : and if the statutes which were formerly for sporting in the long bow , were revived , or converted , ( with deliberation ) for the musket and caliver , to practise by shooting at markes on ordinary holy-dayes , and such like times , and at some time some small prize for them , that shoot nearest ; under correction , i thinke it were much for the strength of the kingdome : then that there were good choyse made of the mustermasters , none to be but such as had borne office in some actuall warre of reputation ; for better there were none , and their allowances divi●ed unto sundry inferiour men , then for one to draw a great pay , that either knowes not to doe , or doth not any thing for it : and because there is , or may be such as have borne office in the warres , and yet discontinue so long , as they have forgotten their trade , or that the fashion of the warres and exercising bee changed , since hee was last a souldiour , that every mustermaster , shall not onely at his first enterance , bee approved by such as are able to judge him , to bee fit for that charge , but to the end hee may continue so , hee bee injoyned once , in 4 or 5. yeares , to goe personally for the sommer time into some actuall warre abroad , if any bee , to retaine and renew his knowledge , that the captaines of the trained bands , bee injoyned themselves to passe the seas , to learne the duties of their places , or at least , to keepe of his owne charge , one that can discharge his place , and if neither to quite their commands to such , as will doe the one or other . by this meanes , his majesty may have an army of foot on a sodaine in any part of england to answer all occasions , without drawing his forces much farre out of their proper countries ; for an enemy may make shew of landing in one place , and having drawen the greatest strength of the kingdome thither ( windes serving for it ) sodainly transport himselfe to another , before that army can by land come there . now for horse , wherein this kingdome is more defective , then i thinke is any other , it were a worke worthy of his majesty , seriously to take it into consideration , how to amed it , and though on a sodaine , it is not to bee hoped to bring the worke to any great perfection , yet a good foundation once well layed , in processe of time , it may bee effected , and for the present bee much helped : it is so great a worke , and my experience being not so much that way as in foote , i will not take upon mee to deliver any certaine grounds for it , but will onely point at some wayes , whereby i conceive it may bee reformed : the defects consists chiefely in want of fit horses , and fit men to bee horse-men , which i take to bee the greater want of the two , and can but wonder , that so great a kingdome should bee so defective in so brave and noble a strength , wherein our nearest neighbours so abound ; in ancient times wee were not so , it may bee one reason is , that now our nation is more addicted to running and hunting horses , then in those elder times . for remedy , under correction , first , that there where care taken , that there were a stronger breed of horses through the kingdome ; then that his majesty would beginne at his court , and there convert his bands of pensioners into a brave troupe of curassers , there horses at least so ready , as to give and change a pistoll on , sometimes to exercise them , by shooting at a marke on horseback with their pistols , and alwayes to keepe this band so . to admit none to those places , but such as before , were knowen to bee horsemen , and could use pistoll on horseback : then that the lords , & others of his majesties great officers , and councell , did follow this example , and every one to keep some great horses , to have armes , and pistols , and some such servants as were fit to bee horsemen , and to induce other lords , and gentlemen of great estates , to doe to like , and incourage them thereto ; to reserve all personall honours ( except experienced souldiers that had born good command ) for such noblemen , and gentlemen as did in this conforme themselves to doe his majesty and countrey service , whereby those , which never intended to make the warres their trade , might bee brought so farre as to be enabled to doe something for the defence of their king and countrey : if the noblemen and gentlemen would take this to heart , as they have done , running of races for bels ( which i could wish , were converted to shooting at a marke with pistols on horseback for the same bell ; ) they would bee sufficient for curassiers . now for other kinds of horse , i would that the trained bands were increased , and all reformed to harquebusiers , but whether their peeces to bee with fire-locks or snaphaunces , is questionable , the fire-lock is more certaine for giving fire , the other more facile for use . for the present my opinion is , at first , it were best to take up the snaphaunce , untill pistols be more frequent , which being more difficult to use , are fittest as before for gentlemen to begin first to bring into use : when they have once brought them to be ordinary , it will be more facile to bring them into use amongst the inferiour sort ; and for the present , this kingdome hath not ( except in london , and it may bee some few townes besides ) artificers , that can make or amend fire-locks : then i would have a muster-master a part , for the horse , as well as for the foote , well choosen , some old horseman out of the low-countries ; for that it is scarce possible to find men that are fit and able for both horse and foote : the kingdome thus armed and exercised an enemy cannot land in any part of it , but , ( without unturnishing the other parts , ) there will bee a competent army presently found to make resistance . it may bee said , these advises will be found not practiquable , or very difficultly ; so are all great workes at first ; but i conceive , if his majesty would take it to heart , and give incouragements of honour and preferrements , to such as conforme themselves to his pleasure herein , and make this the way of advancement , it would not bee difficult , but if without this way honour and advancement may bee had ; well may many thinke , why should they take such pains , or be at such charge , for that which may more easily bee had : and here i cannot but blame our nation in the generall , ( for i beleeve , the most gloriousest of our neighbours , will grant , it as valiant a nation , as is on the earth , ) that they should not bee more addicted to armes , but give themselves for the most , to expensefull pleasures , altogether unserviceable for king and countrey : whereas there is not a french gentleman , that so soone as hee begins to write man , but learnes to ride , to use his armes on foote and horseback , and whether younger or elder brother , puts himselfe into some actuall warre for some time , to learne the trade of a souldier , though hee never intend to make it his profession . i would further advise , that all the principall harbours & good landing places were so fortified , as farre as is possible , that no enemies fleet should anchour in them , or much lesse land in them , without remarkeable disadvantage . the command of which places i would have given to none , but experienced souldiers , and such , as are sound in religion , and had borne commands in the warres for many yeares ; and they to reside in them : not unto noblemen , or gentlemen of great estates , which seldome , or never , come at them ; and much lesse to meaner men that are no souldiers : for maintenance whereof the charge once arrested , to repartite them on some revenue neere adjoyning , and being well paid , to have strict oversight had , that there bee alwayes such , and so many able gunners and souldiers present in them , as his majesty payes , on all occasions to bee used ; if lesse will serve , then why should his majesty bee charged to pay more . to conclude , if his majesty would reserve the places properly belonging to the warres , ( whereof hee hath the fewest of any great prince of christendome ; ) as , the governments of his ilands , the keeping of the forts , and castles , and places of command in zeeland , onely for souldiers , and worthy souldiers , and men sound in religion . it would bee a great incouragement to his subjects to follow the warres , to inable themselves to doe him service , though to their cost and charge , when they have to hope , that though they serve a strange prince , or state to their no advantage , yet thereby inabling themselves to doe their owne king service , they may in time bee provided for in their owne countrey ; whereas if charges of commands , advancements of honour may bee had better cheape , by staying at home and following their pleasures , there will but few ever take the paines and labour , or bee at the charges to inable themselves by following the warres abroad , all men being led , either by honour , or profit , or both . the late earle of essex his instructions for englands safetie . after i had resolved to publish this manuscript of my brothers , i remembred i had read something , long since , in a little treatise , written by that brave and worthy commander , the late earle of essex , concerning sea preparations ( though then written in a time when we had an open enemie , and now no such occasion , yet we know not how soone we may , ) which though but short , yet my brothers judgement concurring with it , which was , that the safest and surest defence for this kingdome , was our navy , and that we could never be hurt by land , by a forreigne enemy , unlesse we were first beaten at sea . i thought it not amisse , to annex it to this of my brothers , and by that occasion , reading the whole discourse from which i had it . i found in it besides , what concernes this point , which was directions for the securing of this kingdome , some such worthy expressions , which as they did much affect me in the reading , so i conceive , they might be of some use also for these times ; as some for imitation , others , for other purposes . i thought it not amisse to revive , and bring them againe to light ; some things were spoken by that brave lord of himselfe , some others are related by him of those ancient and renowned romans , where we may see a bravenesse of spirit , even in those that were but heathen . now if there were such brave spirits in them that had nothing but the light of nature to direct them : what should be then in christians that have a sunne to their candle , shal they come short of them , in love and affection to their countrey ? will it not one day rise up in judgement against us , as our saviour saith of tirus and sidon , that haue such principles , and such encouragements of rewards above them . they had but honour and reputation , i may say , a vaine and windy motive : we have the command of god , and a heavenly reward promised , even a kingdome , and that everlasting ; and shall we come so short of them , as not to venture anything for god , his gospel , and our religion ▪ did a roman say , he cared not to leave to bury him , so the common-wealth might flourish ? what shall a christian doe for his countrey ? shall he not lay aside all private respects of his owne , and only seeke gods honour , in his care of the common good . now most noble lords , and gentlemen , god having called you unto it . let your countrey see , and all the world know , that there is more power in religion , then in heathenish principles ; ioyne all your forces together to promote his gospell , and your countreyes good . o that the reviving of these few sparks that i have by this occasion brought to light , might adde fervour to your brave english spirits ; what though there be some so degenerate , as to raise their fortunes and keepe their honours , cares not what becomes of the common-wealth , and gospell of christ ; yet we have found there are many , yea many , that still retain that ancient vertue in them , and doe even at this time practise it ; to such i will say , goe one noble lords and gentlemen , doe worthily in bethelem , and you shall be famous in ephrata , set aside all private respects , and as you have begun with unwearied paines and patience ( which in all due thankefulnesse we doe humbly acknowledge ) goe on still to continue your care of us , and our countries good , and for all others contrarily minded , the lord either convert them , or suddenly confound them . in this ensuing relation , i shall onely use that honourable lords owne words . i leave their application to all true-hearted english-men . the heads are these , first , his advice for sea preparations , which are not ( as i conceive ) un-usefull for this present time . secondly , his protestation of his affection to his country , worthy the imitation of men of his quality . thirdly , his extraordinary affection to souldiers and men of warre , the favouring and cherishing of whom , will be no small security to this kingdom . fourthly , his iudgement concerning pluralities of religion , tollerated in a state , a thing worthy of due consideration . fiftly , the sweet harmony betwixt a loving prince , and loyall subjects , a desireable and imitable thing . lastly , a sweet reprehension of the superfluous expence of these times , which if some course were taken therein to limit them : i see not , but it would make much to the generall good of this common-wealth . first , for his advise for sea-preparations , it was this , that if her majestie would be pleased , but to raise up a summe of a hundred , and fifty thousand pounds a yeare ; and put it into the hands of an honest and sufficient treasurer , for the warres , and to bee issued by a councell well chosen , would fully and sufficiently maintaine the warre with spaine ; yea , such a force should be maintained thereby , as her maiesty having a convenient number of her owne ships , and repairing and furnishing them , as yearely she doth , the enemy should bring no fleet into the seas for england , or ireland , or low-countries , but should be beaten , nor seeke to gather one into spain , but the parts of it should be defeated , before the whole could be assembled , yea , those services should bee done upon the enemy , that the poorest prince or state in christendome , should have little cause to feare his malice . 2. for his protestation of his affection to his country , it was , that the reputation of a most faithful subject , and zealous patriot , with the hazard of his life , and decay of his estate he had sought to purchase , and when he was offered by the king of spaine , what tittle , summe of money , or pension he would desire , so as hee might be won to take their part , hee did professe , that if god had not put him back , and arrested him by contrary winds and tempests that summer , he would have taught that proud king , what effects his proffer had wrought in him , and the longer the will of god , and his soveraigne did restraine him , with the greater interest to hope to pay him in the end , that had sought him out as a fit man to betray his queene and countrey . thirdly , for his respect to souldiers , and men of warre , hee profest he did intirely love them . first , for his owne sake ; for hee found sweetnesse in their conversations , strong assistance in their imploiments with him , and happinesse in their friend-ship : that he loved them for their vertues sake , and for their greatnesse of mind ( for little minds , though never so full of vertue , can be but little vertuous ) and for their great understanding , for to understand little things , or things not of use , is little better then to understand nothing at all ; that he loved them for their affections ; for selfe-loving men , love ease , pleasure , and profit , but they that love paines , danger , and paine , shew that they love publick profit , more then themselves : that he loved them for his countries sake , for they are englands best armour of defence , and weapons of offence , if we have peace , they have purchased it ; if we should have warre , they must mannage it ; yea , while we are doubtfull , and in treaties , wee must value our selves by what may be done , and the enemy will value us by that which hath beene done by our chiefe men of action . before action , providence made him cherrish them for the service they can doe , and after action , expeperience , and thankfulnesse made him love them for the service they had done . fourthly , concerning plurality of religion , profest in one estate , that it was against the policy of all states ; because where there is no unity , or order in the state , it is the manifest ruine of that state ; for as the mingling of poyson with wholesome liquor in one vessell , doth not correct that which is lethal , but corrupts that which is wholesome : so the poysoned doctrine of those hispanioliz'd iesuites once brought in that state , will not indure any profession ( save their owne . ) fiftly , for the sweet harmony , betwixt a loving prince , and loyall subjects : thus doth he say , wee , thankes be to god , have a queene , who hath never beene wastfull in her private expence ; yet will shee sell her plate , and jewels in the tower , ere her people shall be undefended : we are a people that will turne our silken coats into iron iacks , and our silver plate into coats of plate , rather then our soveraign shall be unserved . sixtly , and lastly , his pleasing reprehension of the superfluous expences of those times , it is by way of objection that was made in those times ; that they could neither have a good peace , or jnst warre ; and of two evils , it were better to have a patched peace , then an unsupportable warre . to which he answers , that those that did so thinke were injurious ; first to our men of warre ( that fight for them , and defend them ) in thinking their armes ( which have ever done honour to our nation , and stricken terrour into the hearts of our enemies ) lesse able to defend our countrey , then their treaties , which have never beene free from scorne and disadvantage . injurious they are to the countrey that bred them , which being one of the bravest , strongest , and happiest states in christendome , is judged by these men , to be as weak as their owne weake hearts . injurious they are to her majestie , who being so great , so glorious , and so victorious a queene , shall be judged unable to maintaine warre , when she cannot have peace , but at the pleasure of her enemie . yea , injurious , and most unthankfull they are to god himselfe ( who hath hitherto fought for them ) in that ( for an unsafe peace , with an idolatrous , and irrelegious nation ) they would leave an honourable , and just warre . but when some objections might bee made , that her majesties treasure was drawne deepe into , and if there were any weaknesse in our meanes , to make warre , it was in our treasure : to this he answers , that though her majesties treasure be drawne deep into , and the poore hus-bandman by the late hard yeares past , hath now left scarce any meanes to live ; yet if our sumptuous buildings , our surfetting diet , our prodigality in garments , our infinite place , and costly furniture of our houses , be well considered , england cannot be thought poore : can we exceed all nations in christendome in wastfull vanities , and can we not arme our selves against one nation ( whom wee have ever beaten ) for our necessary defence ? was rome so brave a state , that the very ladies to supply the common treasure , and to maintaine the warres , spoyled themselves of their iewels , and rich ornaments , and is england so base a state , as that the people therein , will not bestow some part of their superfluous expences , to keepe themselves from conquest , and slavery ? did the godly kings and religious people , which wee read of in the old testament , to maintaine warre , against the enemies of god , sell the ornaments of the temple , and the things consecrated to holy uses ? and shall not wee that have as holy a warre spare those things we have dedicated to our owne idle , and sensuall pleasures ? could our owne nation in those gallant former ages , when our countrey was farre poorer , then now it is , levy armies , maintaine warres , atchieve great conquests in france , and make our powerfull armies knowne , as farre as the holy-land ? and is this such a degenerate age , as wee shall not be able to defend england ; no , no , there is yet left some seed of that ancient vertue . i remember with what spirit and alacrity , the gentlemen of england have put themselves voluntarily into our late actions ; there wil ever be found some valorous , which ( so the state may stand ) and flourish care not though they leave not , wherewith to bury themselves : though others bury their money , not caring in what case they leave the state . the conclusion . thus farre are his owne words , and here i intended to have finished this discourse , but my thoughts prest me to a new taske , and what shall i say most noble lords , and worthy gentlemen , i will say to you even as abraham did to god ; seeing , saith hee : i have begunne to speake unto my lord , that am but dust and ashes , let not my lord bee angry , i will speake but this once . seeing , i have taken upon mee to publish something , that i hope , may tend to the good of our bodies ; give mee leave now to adde something , ( which i hope ) may bee no lesse for the good of soules , and that is this , most humbly to crave , that you will bee pleased to take to your most wise and grave considerations , that noble and pious worke happily begunne and successefully proceeded in , of the feoffees for redeeming in impropriations , of which body before it was supprest , i was ( though unworthy ) a member , and therefore can say the more , of which i dare bee bould to say , it was one of the most glorious workes that ever was undertaken in this kingdome of late yeares , and did more conduce to the spreading abroad of the glorious gospell of iesvs christ , then any i ever understood of , or heard of . of which i may truly say , as solomon of the vertuous huswife , to those that did contribute to it many daughters have done vertuously , but thou surmounts them all . i deny not , but it is good to give to hospitals , to repairing of churches , setting up of free-schooles , building of almes-houses and the like ; but i have ever thought such as concerne soules , to bee as farre above them , as the soule is above the body . this pious worke it was well approved by his majesty , as we were informed , at our first taking of ●t ; and i am sure of all the best subjects , onely the diotrephes , that saint iohn speakes of , ( that love preheminence , and thrust their brethren out of the church ) the prelates of our time , that never did further , but ever hinder any good worke that tended to the advancement of the gospell of christ , if it did not comply with their ambitions . but of them i will say no more , ( you have said so much , and so wel . ) but for this pious worke i dare be bound to say , if it had continued , and not beene supprest , by their meanes , that by this time most of the impropriations of this kingdome had beene brought in , and laid unto the church againe . a worke fit for such an age as this , that hath enjoyed the gospell so long , to have propagated it to the darke corners of this kingdome , and this to be effected and done , not by a forced and strained exaction , but by a free and willing contribution of such as understand the nature of it , and saw the present good fruits and effect of it , which adde much to the glory of it . the contributions at first were very incouraging , and some underwrit yearely good summes , others to every impropriation we brought certaine summes ; but towards the time of our unhappy dissolution the contribution grew much greater ; for , not a weeke before we were supprest , a lady , yet living , sent us word , shee would give a thousand pounds presently to the furtherance of the worke , and many wills have since beene altered that we heard off , that gave brave proportions to it . i never heard of , nor can yet see any such way to spread the gospell to the remote and blind corners of this kingdome , neither can we , for ought i know , ever hope to see popery quelled , till a godly painfull ministry be established , and that will never be , till competent meanes bee provided : both these had been effected , and the effects in time , would have manifested what i have said , and the benefit thereof would not onely have extended to the church , but also to the common-wealth ; for where a good ministery is placed in a towne , there idlenesse will be abolished , the poore and impotent children , and vagrant set on worke , and his majesty have gained true and loyall subjects , such as he may repose himselfe in their loves and fidelities . it s the glory of our religion , it was never stained with those hellish plots , massacres , and treacheries against their soveraigne ; and if ever popery bee put downe to purpose , it must be by the meanes of establishment of a powerfull ministry ; then shall we see satan fall downe like lightning , it must be the breath of the lord that must abolish the man of sinne . i deny not but good lawes doe well , but what through favour , conniving , and want of execution , we dayly see they have not such good effect , as were to be wished : that i am confident , it must be the powerfull conscionable preaching ministery of the gospell , that must especially effect it , and to procure that , nothing wil more conduce , then a full , free , and plentifull provision for the dispencers of it , and not for such as doe least to have most . the lord in mercy direct you , blesse and prosper your proceedings , and in his good time , give us to enjoy the happy fruits and effects of your great , long , and unwearied paines . finis . certaine choise and remarkable observations selected out of a discourse written long since by the late and ever famous earle of essex, very usefull for these times ; whereunto is annexed the advice of that worthy commander, sir edvvard harvvood, collonell, written by king charles his command upon occasion of the french kings preparations and presented in his life-time by his owne hand unto his sacred majesty ; all tending to the securing and fortifying of the kingdome both by sea and land ...; also a relation of his life and death ... this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a43043 of text r42071 in the english short title catalog (wing h1096a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 53 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 19 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a43043 wing h1096a estc r42071 23594541 ocm 23594541 109554 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a43043) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 109554) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ;1702:7) certaine choise and remarkable observations selected out of a discourse written long since by the late and ever famous earle of essex, very usefull for these times ; whereunto is annexed the advice of that worthy commander, sir edvvard harvvood, collonell, written by king charles his command upon occasion of the french kings preparations and presented in his life-time by his owne hand unto his sacred majesty ; all tending to the securing and fortifying of the kingdome both by sea and land ...; also a relation of his life and death ... essex, robert devereux, earl of, 1566-1601. harwood, edward, sir, 1586?-1632. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. harwood, george, 17th cent. [36] p. printed for j.b. and are to be sold at his shop ..., london : 1642. epistle dedicatory signed: george harwood. the life and death of collonell harwood, signed hugh peters, p. [8]-[14]. reproduction of original in harvard university library. eng great britain -defenses. great britain -history -charles i, 1625-1649 -sources. a43043 r42071 (wing h1096a). civilwar no certaine choise and remarkable observations selected out of a discourse written long since by the late and ever famous earle of essex, very harwood, edward, sir 1642 10506 25 0 0 0 0 0 24 c the rate of 24 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-11 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2004-11 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion in memoria coll : harvv . equitis aurati . carmina quid canerem ? tristes imitantia musas , carmina sunt meritis inferiora suis . vixit , quem dederat cursum deus , ille peregit , gentis honos obiit , gloria , fama , decus . multa fides , pietasque viri , sic multa recursat nobilitas animi ; plurima nota loquor . though holland honour'd be to keepe the dust of such a souldier , valiant , wise , and just : the basis of the universe not great , nor vaste enough , his merits on to seat : mars , hermes , phoebus , and chaste theseus sonne , in coll'nell harwood did meet all in one . but should i wirte his praise ? it would be thought a nephew wil commend the work , tho nought , i rather leave it to each readers minde , to judge thereof , as he the worke shall finde : and if they say , that he hath not done well , bid him that blames him ; show his parallell . m. draper . certaine choise and remarkable observations selected out of a discourse written long since by the late and ever famous earle of essex , very usefull for these times . whereunto is annexed the advice of that worthy commander sir edvvard harvvood , collonell . written by king charles his command upon occasion of the french kings preparation , and presented in his life-time by his owne hand unto his sacred maiesty . all tending to the securing and fortifying of the kingdome both by sea and land , and now published for the benefit of these present times . also a relation of his life and death , worthy the imitation of all such as love that honourable profession . london , printed for j. b. and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the grey-found . 1642. to the right honovrable , the lords and commons assembled in the high court of parliament . right honourable lords , and worthy gentlemen , we are all imbarqu●d in the ship , the common-wealth ; and as in a ship there are divers agents , whereof some of the chiefest , at the sterne to gove●ne ; others of ●n inferiour rank clime the mast hoyse sailes , and doe inferiour workes in it , all of them according to their severall ranke , as they doe the duties of their severall places ; so have interest in the common good , and either doe , or ought to mind the publike welfare of it : and as in building of the tabernacle , some of the chiefe sort brought gold , silver and precious stones , others of inferiour sort , goats haire and badgers skins , every man according to his ability , did contribute unto the same . i , though but of the inferiour rank in this ship , even the meanest of all others , yet imbarqued therein , see not but i ought to endeavour , though but in inferiour workes the good of it , who though i have not gold , silver , or precious stones , nor any thing besides my poore prayers to advance the glorious tabernacle , yet would with ahimaaz , run also , as one willing and desirous to doe good , if i had any ability in my selfe , or opportunity : but having nothing of my owne , finding this little manuscript among the papers of my deare deceased brother , and considering the troublesomenesse of the times the feares of the better sort , and hopes of the worse : i have adventured to make it publike , which though written some time since , and upon another occasion , yet there may something be gathered out of it ( if i mistake not my selfe ) which may bee of good use for these present times of our feares , and sad apprehensions , wherin if there be any thing which in your grave wisdoms , you may thinke fit to put in execution , it shall much rejoyce me , that i brought it to the light , or at least , if it may but occasion your wisedomes to take into your serious consideration , the subject matter of it , which is the securing of the kingdome against all dangers , that may come to it , and in your wisedomes to thinke upon better directions , that may remove the fears and apprehensions of most men in these tumultuous times , by reason of the insurrection of our neighbouring kingdome , and the just feares we have of these pestilent enemies of our church and common wealth , the papists in this kingdome , and their aoherents , the prelates : now as concerning my brothers manuscript , as it was penned in time of a grea● s. a preparation made by the french king some ten yeares past , so as i had it from his owne mouth ) it gained the approbation and good liking of his majesty , who commanded him to write his judgement and opinion of those preparations , and by what meanes ( if they were intended against us wee might secure our selves , both for the present , and in fu●ure ; which though for some reasons was not thought fit to be put in execution , yet i have beene encouraged by some of good jugement , now to publish it in these times , wherein wee have some more apprehension of danger then formerly partly by the actuall rising of these many ill affected to religion in ireland , and also those proud threatning speeches lately given forth by the papists here at home , which if not by some such course , as is here pr●pounded , bee prevented , may breed more danger then most are sensible of . eliahs cloud rose but like a hand , which after orespread the whole heaven , what this may doe , if suffered to enlarge it selfe ; how farre reach , we cannot directly say ; but even to our owne horison wee may w●ll presume , if not repelled , or dispersed by a strong and swift gale ▪ the mischiefe they carry with them cannot bee contayned in the neighbour kingdome , if they thus grow in their progresse . what combination there may be with forrain states i leave to deeper judgements , but for my owne part , i shall ever subscribe unto the opinion of that noble lord , concerning an old enemy the spaniard ▪ that if he ever find an opportunity , and advantage against us , hee will not baulke it : i cannot easily be drawne to a beleefe , that that great fleet they sent two yeares since upon our coast , when wee and our true hearted brethren , the scots , were ready to enter into a bloody battle , was to guard only his souldiers , or treasure ; but that there was a designe in it upon this kingdome , though by gods mercy prevented . never came such a fleet upon our coast , save in 88. when they intended a reall invasion . but if it be objected ; was he not in league with us ? but alas , what security can we have thereby , in being in league with him , or any of that religion : when first they hold that it is no fault to breake faith with hereticks . secondly , if it be ? the popes dispensation will take it away . thirdly , if the pope find it for his advantage hee will so charge them to breake with us , that so conscience and obedience shall cure their malice and perfideousnesse : i am bold to adde to what my brother wrote , what once , long since i read in a little treatise , which may something conduce to this , of that brave lord , the late earle of essex ; exprest in an apology in the late queens time of happy memory ▪ which may something strengthen my brothers opinion for making sea preparations ; which with my brothers , i humbly offer to your considerations , there being none under heaven to whom we can addresse our selves , for power and fitnesse to correct the malignant aspect of these influences , besides your honours : and now most noble , and grave senators , the true and ever renouned patriots of your country , if my zeale for my countries freedome and prosperity , have borne me beyond my bounds , impute it to my errour of judgement , and let your candor close with the good intentions of him , who is more in wishes , and hearty desires , then in parts and abil●ties , for the felicity of his countrey . and he shall ever remaine , your honours most humble , and obsequious servant . geo. harvvood . the life and death of collonell harwood . gentle reader , this little manuscript penn'd by my honoured friend , sir edward , harwood colonell of an english regiment in the low-countries , was intended for the presse , and ready thereunto , when by gods gratious providence i coming over ( having had much experience of his worth ; ) and in some respect , obliged unto him , was not a little glad to meet with an oportunity to shew my love and respects to him . i therefore desired leave of his brother , of whom i have now obtained it , though with some difficulty , to offer to the world some testimony of it , wherein i will forbeare to say what i may , neither is there need for mee in that kind to say any thing at all , in respect of those that knew him , and have beene conversant with him ; they have beene eye witnesses to more then i write , but for their sakes , who did not know him : i desire a little to acquaint them with his worth . to the end , that they , who have alove to that honourable profession , may have a worthy example to incite them to imitation . it being my portion to travell with him one whole night not loing before his decease ; hee was ( beyond his custome ) kept awake all that time by his owne spirit , which constrained him to open his bosome to mee , and to give mee an epitome of his time , and gods dealing with him , of which , and my owne observations concerning him , you may please to take this briefe extract . his birth was gentile , and from a roote fit to engraft his future education and excellency ; furnished hee was with such learning as his age was capable of , and grew up in an especiall respect unto the faithfull dispensors of the gospell , and accordingly reapt the fruits of it in gods season . his spirit ( though sad enough ) yet accompanied with much naturall mettall and courage , and look's above other callings , to that which narrow minded and effeminate men close not with . hee soone attended the schoole of warre of those times , where quick and curious designes issued into dayly action and execution . there my lord veere , who could well distinguish of men , cast his eye upon him , by whose favour , exhal'd by his owne worth , hee was not long ascending the usuall step whereon the warres placeth reward for its followers ; as hee grew skilfull in his trade , so was hee amiable to others : they live who know how deare hee was to that justly lamented , prince henry , who tooke such delight in him , that his closset thoughts were open to my noble friend , from whom that noble prince got no smale advantage in his military way ; hee was also ever precious to king james , of blessed memory ; so also no lesse in the esteeme of our now gracious soveraigne , witnessing their royall affection toward him in severall expressions of their favours . the illustrious princesse , the queene of bohemia , who hearing of his death , cried out in a great passion ! oh that uggly towne of mastricht that hath bereeved mee of so faithfull a servant . also to that mirrour of his time , the last lord harrington , to whom hee was so endeared , that hee offered to hazard estate , liberty , and life , for his good , as by divers of his letters still extant , appeares . to the late duke of buckingham , who after the defeat at the i le of ree , remembring what service hee did at cadiz voyage , in bringing of the retreat , cried out ! oh ned harwood , ned harwood , that i had had thee heere . to the last lord steward , to the old earle of southampton , to the late earle of bedford , to this now earle of essex , and to the now earle of leycester , who was sometime his colonell ; to the earle of warwick , to the lord carleton , and to most of the chiefe nobilitie of this kingdome . whose letters found among his papers mention such reall affection , as is scarcely credible , from men of their quality . neither was hee a little deare to that highly honoured lord , the lord craven ( who beside the late reall expression of love to his brother , and for his many , great , noble , and pious workes , deserves to have his name written upon pillers of brasse ) who when hee heard of his death ( as was related to his brother , ) cast himselfe on his bed , cried out , hee had lost his father , such was his love and opinion of him . moreover , when his death was noised in the army , there was such a generall lamentation for his losse , that his excellency was faine to send speciall command to still it , least the enemy should take courage , as thinking it were for some of greater quality ; and his excellency himselfe in my owne hearing , i being appointed to goe before his excellency after the hearse , heard him say , to count earnest , he had lost his right hand , in the losse of monsieur harwood . to bee briefe his name amongst souldiours was , in omni ore , tanquam mel suavis est , & tanquam instrumenta musica in convivio lauto . hee lived , desired ; and died , lamented . hee soone ascended ( in the states service ) to the highest step that englishmen usually tread , & that was a collonell ; in which condition , i had my knowledge of him : and these things my eye observed , that religion , fidelity , and prowesse so met in him , that there seem'd a constant strife among them , which should most appeare , and often shewed themselves together , by which hee brooke the back of that proverb : nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur . the first of these , shewed it selfe in attendance upon the word , intimate acquaintance with , and respect unto the faithfullest dispensours of it ; the exercise of his family therein ; his purse standing open to the advancement of every worke of that nature in england and holland ; hee gave a large summe annually to the redeeming impropriations , the ruine whereof was none of his least griefes , together with the many soules that suffer by it ; his conceipt was , that nothing lesse then atheisme and hellish malice could blast it ; hee kept a diary of his inward man , wherein hee wrot his owne slips , infirmities , and gods severall wayes of providence toward him , which stood him in no small stead ; he was very often in humiliations , and loved those dayes in his life time , and to his death , being slaine in a publique day of fasting ; in all his actions , hee gave testimony , that hee thought as much of dying , as of living . for the second , hee was famous and precious to both the princes of orange , in that respect . in the quelling the arminian faction , hee alone was trusted with a message of king james , and upon his returne barnevell , went to his last home . in the leaguer of the busse , hee had the charge of the velloe , when picolominy was in the bowels of the countrey with 10000. men . his excellency intrusting him with the sole trust , mannaging and ordering of that service , without limiting his commission , left it , though a matter of maine concernment to his wisedome and fidelity . in which service , hee watched 30. whole nights on hor●eback , and never in that time came in bed , and in conclusion by his providence and vigilancy discharged that great trust , and fully secured the countrey . at cadiz voyage wch was a matter of trust & great difficultie , hee had imposed on him the charge of bringing up the reare , where the enemie setting upon many scattered troupes , hee brought them off with safety , by an honourable retreat . for want of which at the isle of ree , how many brave engglish lost their lives , and our nation , much of their honour . lastly , his valour was unstained , as all the services he was in , can beare large testimony thereof . to be short , he was first hurt by a granado in the foot , at mastrick ( a sufficient warrant to have exempted him from the service for that day ) yet would he not leave the prosecution of the designe , though often disswaded and advised , of the great danger he adventured , by the worthy gentleman , captaine skippon , now serjeant major generall , for the citie of london , but going often into the trenches , to view the enemies workes , in a scarlet coate , gave the enemy so faire a marke , that he received from the wall , a sudden shot , out of a small brasse piece , which strucke him through the heart , and was from thence , by command of the prince of orenge , carryed to the hague , where he was interred , with as much honour , as ever was any that dyed in those parts , of his quallitie . in fine , thus much i must say of him , he was true to his principles , ( a rare vertue in this age ) hee was neither above , nor beneath his calling , but very aeduquate and true unto it ; so sad , serious , and skilfull in his way , that you may doe well to beleeve what he writes . hee was a good man , a good souldier , a good christian , and is now wearing his crown . much more i might have said , but i must not make the porch greater then the building , and therefore i conclude , sic o praecabor , usque vivere , me posse , dein sic mori , mori me posse , dein sic vivere . so i desire of god , to live and dye , and so to dye , to live eternally . epitaph . if rimes might raise him columnes , i beleeve , nor hearts , nor heads , nor pens would wanting be but sure such varnish can small lustre give to blaze his worth , his friends may spare that fee . for lesse desert , we may such paines yet keepe , let 's now remember harwood , and then weepe . hvgh peeters . collonell harvvoods advice to king charles . or , a discourse on the rumour of the french kings preparation at sea . the particulars of his preparations not being certainely knowne , there is no certain judgement to be made of them ; i will therefore only take the case , as i suppose it will be granted . that the french king endeavours to make himselfe strong at sea , and that by two meanes , one encouraging his subjects to trade at sea , giving his merchants great priviledges , and immunities , another of his owne proper cost , buying , and building many great and good ships , and ordaining a yearely brave proportion out of his revenue , for the increasing , and maintaining his navie , as some say 300. thousand l. sterling , others but 300. thousand crownes , one or other , are considerable , and may prove of danger to this state : for this disposition of his argues , that hee intends either to enter into a new war , with his maj●stie , or a least , to put himselfe into such a condition , as when he shal thinke fit , hee may doe so , without his disadvantage . that this his arming at sea , must be intended , in emulation of his majesties lordship of the narrow seas , to equall , ore-top him at sea is probable . for against whom else ? not against the hollanders , they are his obsequious friends , desirous of his friendship , fearefull of h●s displeasure ; not against the king of spain , for he can more easily invade him by land , when hee will , as spaine can him : besides , the french king shewes no disposition to enter into open warre with him , for having taken on him the protection of mantua , and not well dealt with by him in the last treaty for italy , making a peace in shew , and yet after taking his advantage , renuing the warre in the emperours name , yet doth he not enter into open war with him , but will only be an assistant , else had it not beene more facile for him to have invaded flaunders , or artois , and so by diversion aided the duke of mantua , then by sending an army into italy in the winter ; therefore this preparation of the french king , for the sea , hath his chiefe ayme , in present , or future at his majestie . i suppose , not to invade england , or it may be none of his majesties ilands , though that is more then we can be assured of : some of his ships of warre were this winter on his majesties coast , went from harbour to harbour , doubtlesse to discover them , and not for any good to his majestie : besides ; who cantell , since the ilands of garnesey , and iersey , are the only remainders of the large dominions , his majesties predecessors formerly have possessed in france , if hee have not an itching to joyne them to france againe , or if not them , nor wight ; yet to share the dominion of the narrow seas with his majestie , and that is to take it from him , if h● can ; to which hitherto hee hath not pretended , as not being able to match his majestie at sea , but if he continue these his preparations , and that his majestie out of hand prepare not also against it , hee will in short time undoubtedly effect it . it will be said ( it may be ) hee hath no good ports or heavens ? that is an errour ; it is true , he hath not so many good harbours , as his majesty hath , yet some he hath , not inferiour to any of his majesties , it may be also said , that his subjects are not so proper for the sea , nor so affected to trade , as his majesties are : it is true , but if he continue to encourage his merchants , turne merchant himselfe , will not his princes , great lords , and gentlemen , follow his example ? for saylors , if he give great pay , and pay well , he will not want them of other nations ; nay , if his majesties owne subjects have not the like great and good payment , it is to be feared , he may draw many of his , to his service , at first , untill there be open warres twixt the kingdomes : for doe not , at this present , many hundreds , i might say , thousands of his majesties subjects , serve other states at sea ; as the hollanders , nay , the turkes , without either leave , or knowledge of his majestie . now , if the french king should come to bee as powerfull , or more , then his majestie at sea , he will be a more dangerous and fearfull neighbour to england then spaine , whom hitherto this kingdom have of latter yeares onely had cause to feare , for that against spaine , the low-countries will ever bee a good bulwarck ; who if the king of spaine at any time , make any great preparations at sea , will be ever jealous , it is intended 'gainst them , and so ever arme against him , and be alwaies ready to joyne with , and to assist his majestie 'gainst spaine , which may bee doubted , they will not so readily doe against france , with whom they are in league , and not jealous off . besides the king of spaine hath not so populous a countrey , as hee can easily prepare , either a great fleet , or land army , and much lesse both , without long time , and so his majestie may have the more warning thereof ; then spaine is further from england , and so the journey is the longer , and from thence cannot come many horse , which are the forces most to be feared in england . whereas france being so neere us , and so full of souldiers , both horse and foot , if it once come to be able to equall england at sea , by sudden and quicke preparations , stealing opportunities , he may oretop england at sea , and then transport such an army of horse and foot , as we might justly be afraid of : for old souldiers both horse and foot , france abounds in , and the french have a vertue proper to them , that not a gentleman thinkes himselfe any thing , untill he have seene the warres , learned at least , good and perfect use of his armes , and naturally they are all good horsemen ; their land affords horses fit for service , and every man almost knows to use pistoll and carabin : wheras in england , unlesse those , which have beene souldiers , few or none can use their armes , and of those which have bin souldiers , it may be not all , can well use their armes ; especially the musquet , which is of most offence , which our nation are not naturally so prompt to learn the use of , as the french are ; and for horse , this kingdom is so deficient , as it is a question , whether or not , the whole kingdome could make 2000. good horse , that might equall 2000. french . to redresse these deficiences , in all humility , i here present my poore and slender advice , under correction , and with submission to better judgments . first , and principally i would advise that his majesty would arme at sea for that is the surest defence , for we can never be hurt by a forraigne enemy , by land , till we be first beaten at sea ; and therein i cannot give better advise , then to doe what the french king doth , as to repaire and increase his own royall navie , which is the greatest and best assured strength of england , and to that end , to set apart some certaine large proportion of his revenue , that his sea-men may have good pay , and well paid ; and if there be good and strict courses taken , that there be no abuses in the musters , victualling , consumption of ammunition ( which without good payment cannot well be executed ) his majesty will be a gainer thereby , in matter of profit , besides , the reputation and advantage of his service ; and it is my opinion , that no prince nor state , but had better give 40 in the hundred , for monies to pay his militia well , then not to pay well : then to encourage his merchants , and other subjects to trade , and in making new plantations . for his land-forces , that his majestie would take order , that the numbers of trayned men were increased , or rather that the whole kingdome from 18. or 20. to 35. or 40. as many men as were able of bodies were armed , one third with pikes , and armours , another with muskets , and the third with calivers ; that there were powder , bullets , and ma●ch through the whole kingdome , magazines thereof in sundry places of the kingdome in such a quantity , as if it were ●nvaded in one , or divers parts , there be no want of ammunition in any place : for it would be then too late to fetch it else-where , and much worse , then to make it , or send over seas for it . that there were care taken , that these men then armed might be well exercised ; and to that end , that there be in every hundreth , or wapentake , some old souldier , sergeant , or other inferiour officer , had out of the low-countries well chosen , t●at might teach men the use of their armes , and that there were certaine dayes set and appointed , for the shewing their armes , and exercising them : and if the statutes which were formerly for sporting in the long bow , were revived , or converted , ( with deliberation ) for the musket and caliver , to practise by shooting at markes on ordinary holy-dayes , and such like times , and at some time some small prize for them , that shoot nearest ; under correction , i thinke it were much for the strength of the kingdome : then that there were good choyse made of the mustermasters , none to be but such as had borne office in some actuall warre of reputation ; for better there were none , and their allowances divided unto sundry inferiour men , then for one to draw a great pay , that either knowes not to doe , or doth not any thing for it : and because there is , or may be such as have borne office in the warres , and yet discontinue so long , as they have forgotten their trade , or that the fashion of the warres and exercising bee changed , since hee was last a souldiour , that every mustermaster , shall not onely at his first enterance , bee approved by such as are able to judge him , to bee fit for that charge , but to the end hee may continue so , hee bee injoyned once , in 4 or 5. yeares , to goe personally for the sommer time into some actuall warre abroad , if any bee , to retaine and renew his knowledge , that the captaines of the trained bands , bee injoyned themselves to passe the seas , to learne the duties of their places , or at least , to keepe of his owne charge , one that can discharge his place , and if neither to quite their commands to such , as will doe the one or other . by this meanes , his majesty may have an army of foot on a sodaine in any part of england to answer all occasions , without drawing his forces much farre out of their proper countries ; for an enemy may make shew of landing in one place , and having drawen the greatest strength of the kingdome thither ( windes erving for it ) sodainly transport himselfe to another , before that army can by land come there . now for horse , wherein this kingdome is more defective , then i thinke is any other , it were a worke worthy of his majesty , seriously to take it into consideration , how to amend it , and though on a sodaine , it is not to bee hoped to bring the worke to any great perfection , yet a good foundation once well layed , in processe of time , it may bee effected , and for the present bee much helped : it is so great a worke , and my experience being not so much that way as in foote , i will not take upon mee to deliver any certaine grounds for it , but will onely point at some wayes , whereby i conceive it may bee reformed : the defects consists chiefely in want of fit horses , and fit men to bee horse-men , which i take to bee the greater want of the two , and can but wonder , that so great a kingdome should bee so defective in so brave and noble a strength , wherein our nearest neighbours so abound ; in ancient times wee were not so , it may bee one reason is , that now our nation is more addicted to running and hunting horses , then in those elder times . for remedy , under correction , first , that there where care taken , that there were a stronger breed of horses through the kingdome ; then that his majesty would beginne at his court , and there convert his bands of pensioners into a brave troupe of curassers , there horses at least so ready , as to give and change a pistoll on , sometimes to exercise them , by shooting at a marke on horseback with their pistols , and alwayes to keepe this band so . to admit none to those places , but such as before , were knowen to bee horsemen , and could use pistoll on horseback : then that the lords , & others of his majesties great officers , and councell , did follow this example , and every one to keep some great horses , to have armes , and pistols , and some such servants as were fit to bee horsemen , and to induce other lords , and gentlemen of great estates , to doe to like , and incourage them thereto ; to reserve all personall honours ( except experienced souldiers that had born good command ) for such noblemen , and gentlemen as did in this conforme themselves to doe his majesty and countrey service , whereby those , which never intended to make the warres their trade , might bee brought so farre as to be enabled to doe something for the defence of their king and countrey : if the noblemen and gentlemen would take this to heart , as they have done , running of races for bels ( which i could wish , were converted to shooting at a marke with pistols on horseback for the same bell ; ) they would bee sufficient for curassiers . now for other kinds of horse , i would that the trained bands were increased , and all reformed to harquebusiers , but whether their peeces ▪ to bee with fire-locks or snaphaunces , is questionable ; the fire-lock is more certaine for giving fire , the other more facile for use . for the present my opinion is , at first , it were best to take up the snaphaunce , untill pistols be more frequent , which being more difficult to use , are fittest as before for gentlemen to begin first to bring into use : when they have once brought them to be ordinary , it will be more facile to bring them into use amongst the inferiour sort ; and for the present , this kingdome hath not ( except in london , and it may bee some few townes besides ) artificers , that can make or amend fire-locks : then i would have a muster-master a part , for the horse , as well as for the foote , well choosen , some old horseman out of the low-countries ; for that it is scarce possible to find men that are fit and able for both horse and foote : the kingdome thus armed and exercised an enemy cannot land in any part of it , but , ( without unfurnishing the other par●s , ) there will bee a competent army presently found to make resistance . it may bee said , these advises will bee found not practiquable , or very difficultly ; so are all great workes at first ; but conceive , if his majesty would take it to heart , and give incouragements of honour and preferrements , to such as conforme themselves to his pleasure herein , and make this the way of advancement , it would not bee difficult , but if without this way honour and advancement may bee had ; well may many thinke , why should they take such pains , or be at such charge , for that which may more easily bee had : and here i cannot but blame our nation in the generall , ( for i beleeve , the most gloriousest of our neighbours , will grant , it as valiant a nation , as is on the earth , that they should not bee more addicted to armes , but give themselves for the most , to expensefull pleasures , altogethe● unserviceable for king and countrey : whereas there is not a french gentleman , that so soone as hee begins to write man , but learnes to ride , to use his armes on foote and horseback , and whether younger or elder brother , puts himselfe into some actuall warre for some time , to learne the trade of a souldier , though hee never intend to make it his profession . i would further advise , that all the principall harbours & good landing places were so fortified , as farre as is possible , that no enemies fleet should anchour in them , or much lesse land in them , without remark●able disadvantage . the command of which places i would have given to none , but experienced souldiers , and such , as are sound in religion , and had borne commands in the warres for many yeares ; and they to reside in them : not unto noblemen , or gentlemen of great estates , which seldome , or never , come at them ; and much lesse to meaner men that are no souldiers : for maintenance whereof the charge once arrested , to repartite them on some revenue neere adjoyning , and being well paid , to have strict oversight had , that there bee alwayes such , and so many able gunners and souldiers present in them , as his majesty payes , on all occasions to bee used ; if lesse will serve , then why should his majesty bee charged to pay more . to conclude , if his majesty would reserve the places properly belonging to the warres , ( whereof hee hath the fewest of any great prince of christendome ; ) as , the governments of his ilands , the keeping of the forts , and castles , and places of command in zeeland , onely for souldiers , and worthy souldiers , and men sound in religion . it would bee a great incouragement to his subjects to follow the warres , to inable themselves to doe him service , though to their cost and charge , when they have to hope , that though they serve a strange prince , or state to their no advantage , yet thereby inabling themselves to doe their owne king service , they may in time bee provided for in their owne countrey ; whereas if charges of commands , advancements of honour may bee had better cheape , by staying at home and following their pleasures , there will but few ever take the paines and labour , or bee at the charges to inable themselves by following the warres abroad , all men being led , either by honour , or profit , or both . the late earle of essex his instructions for englands safetie . after i had resolved to publish this manuscript of my brothers , i remembred i had read something , long since , in a little treatise , written by that brave and worthy commander , the late earle of essex , concerning sea preparations ( though then written in a time when we had an open enemie , and now no such occasion , yet we know not how soone we may , ) which though but short , yet my brothers judgement concurring with it , which was , that the safest and surest defence for this kingdome , was our navy , and that we could never be hurt by land , by a forreigne enemy , unlesse we were first beaten at sea . i thought it not amisse , to annex it to this of my brothers , and by that occasion , reading the whole discourse from which i had it . i found in it besides , what concernes this point , which was directions for the securing of this kingdome , some such worthy expressions , which as they did much affect me in the reading , so i conceive , they might be of some use also for these times ; as some for imitation , others , for other purposes . i thought it not amisse to revive , and bring them againe to light ; some things were spoken by that brave lord of himselfe , some others are related by him of those ancient and renowned romans , where we may see a bravenesse of spirit , even in those that were but heathen . now if there were such brave spirits in them that had nothing but the light of nature to direct them : what should be then in christians that have a sunne to their candle , shal they come short of them , in love and affection to their countrey ? will it not one day rise up in judgement against us , as our saviour saith of tirus and sidon , that haue such principles , and such encouragements of rewards above them . they had but honour and reputation , i may say , a vaine and windy motive : we have the command of god , and a heavenly reward promised , even a kingdome , and that everlasting ; and shall we come so short of them , as not to venture any thing for god , his gospel , and our religion : did a roman say , he cared not to leave to bury him , so the common-wealth might flourish ? what shall a christian doe for his countrey ? shall he not lay aside all private respects of his owne , and only seeke gods honour , in his care of the common good . now most noble lords , and gentlemen , god having called you unto it . let your countrey see , and all the world know , that there is more power in religion , then in heathenish principles ; ioyne all your forces together to promote his gospell , and your countreyes good . o that the reviving of these few sparks that i have by this occasion brought to light , might adde fervour to your brave english spirits ; what though there be some so degenerate , as to raise their fortunes and keepe their honours , cares not what becomes of the common-wealth , and gospell of christ ; yet we have found there are many , yea many , that still retain that ancient vertue in them , and doe even at this time practise it ; to such i will say , goe one noble lords and gentlemen , doe worthily in bethel●m , and you shall be famous in ephrata , set aside all private respects , and as you have begun with unwearied paines and patience ( which in all due thankefulnesse we doe humbly acknowledge ) goe on still to continue your care of us , and our countries good , and for all others contrarily minded , the lord either convert them , or suddenly confound them . in this ensuing relation , i shall onely use that honourable lords owne words . i leave their application to all true-hearted english-men . the heads are these , first , his advice for sea preparations , which are not ( as i conceive ) un-usefull for this present time . secondly , his protestation of his affection to his country , worthy the imitation of men of his quality . thirdly , his extraordinary affection to souldiers and men of warre , the favouring and cherishing of whom , will be no small security to this kingdom . fourthly , his iudgement concerning pluralities of religion , tollerated in a state , a thing worthy of due consideration . fiftly , the sweet harmony betwixt a loving prince , and loyall subjects , a desireable and imitable thing . lastly , a sweet reprehension of the superfluous expence of these times , which if some course were taken therein to limit them : i see not , but it would make much to the generall good of this common-wealth . first , for his advise for sea-preparations , it was this , that if her majestie would be pleased , but to raise up a summe of a hundred , and fifty thousand pounds a yeare ; and put it into the hands of an honest and sufficient treasurer , for the warres , and to bee issued by a councell well chosen , would fully and sufficiently maintaine the warre with spaine ; yea , such a force should be maintained thereby , as her maiesty having a convenient number of her owne ships , and repairing and furnishing them , as yearely she doth , the enemy should bring no fleet into the seas for england , or ireland , or low-countries , but should be beaten , nor seeke to gather one into spain , but the parts of it should be defeated , before the whole could be assembled , yea , those services should bee done upon the enemy , that the poorest prince or state in christendome , should have little cause to feare his malice . 2. for his protestation of his affection to his country , it was , that the reputation of a most faithful subject , and zealous patriot , with the hazard of his life , and decay of his estate he had sought to purchase , and when he was offered by the king of spaine , what tittle , summe of money , or pension he would desire , so as hee might be won to take their part , hee did professe , that if god had not put him back , and arrested him by contrary winds and tempests that summer , he would have taught that proud king , what effects his proffer had wrought in him , and the longer the will of god , and his soveraigne did restraine him , with the greater interest to hope to pay him in the end , that had sought him out as a fit man to betray his queene and countrey . thirdly , for his respect to souldiers , and men of warre , hee profest he did intirely love them . first , for his owne sake ; for hee found sweetnesse in their conversations , strong assistance in their imploiments with him , and happinesse in their friend-ship : that he loved them for their vertues sake , and for their greatnesse of mind ( for little minds , though never so full of vertue , can be but little vertuous ) and for their great understanding , for to understand little things , or things not of use , is little better then to understand nothing at all ; that he loved them for their effections ; for selfe-loving men , love ease , pleasure , and profit , but they that love paines , danger , and paine , shew that they love publick profit , more then themselves : that he loved them for his countries sake , for they are englands best armour of defence , and weapons of offence , if we have peace , they have purchased it ; if we should have warre , they must mannage it ; yea , while weare doubtfull , and in treaties , wee must value our selves by what may be done , and the enemy will value us by that which hath beene done by our chiefe men of action . before action , providence made him cherrish them for the service they can doe , and after action , expeperience , and thankfulnesse made him love them for the service they had done . fourthly , concerning plurality of religion , profest in one estate , that it was against the policy of all states ; because where there is no unity , or order in the state , it is the manifest ruine of that state ; for as the mingling of poyson with wholesome liquor in one vessell , doth not correct that which is lethal , but corrupts that which is wholesome : so the poysoned doctrine of those hispanioliz'd iesuites once brought in that state , will not indure any profession ( save their owne . ) fiftly , for the sweet harmony , betwixt a loving prince , and loyall subjects : thus doth he say , wee , thankes be to god , have a queene , who hath never beene wastfull in her private expence ; yet will shee sell her plate , and jewels in the tower , ere her people shall be undefended : we are a people that will turne our silken coasts into iron iacks , and our silver plate into coats of plate , rather then our soveraign shall be unserved . sixtly , and lastly , his pleasing reprehension of the superfluous expences of those times , it is by way of objection that was made in those times ; that they could neither have a good peace , or jnst warre ; and of two evils , it were better to have a patched peace , then an unsupportable warre . to which he answers , that those that did so thinke were injurious ; first to our men of warre ( that fight for them , and defend them ) in thinking their armes ( which have ever done honour to our nation , and stricken terrour into the hearts of our enemies ) lesse able to defend our countrey , then their treaties , which have never beene free from scorne and disadvantage . injurious they are to the countrey that bred them , which being one of the bravest , strongest , and happiest states in christendome , is judged by these men , to be as weak as their owne weake hearts . injurious they are to her majestie , who being so great , so glorious , and so victorious a queene , shall be judged unable to maintaine warre , when she cannot have peace , but at the pleasure of her enemie . yea , injurious , and most unthankfull they are to god himselfe ( who hath hitherto fought for them ) in that ( for an unsafe peace , with an idolatrous , and irrelegious nation ) they would leave an honourable , and just warre . but when some objections might bee made , that her majesties treasure was drawne deepe into , and if there were any weaknesse in our meanes , to make warre , it was in our treasure : to this he answers , that though her majesties treasure be drawne deep into , and the poore hus-bandman by the late hard yeares past , hath now left scarce any meanes to live ; yet if our sumptuous buildings , our surfetting diet , our prodigality in garments , our infinite plate , and costly furniture of our houses , be well considered , england cannot be thought poore : can we exceed all nations in christendome in wastfull vanities , and can we not arme our selves against one nation ( whom wee have ever beaten ) for our necessary defence ? was rome so brave a state , that the very ladies to supply the common treasure , and to maintaine the warres , spoyled themselves of their iewels , and rich ornaments , and is england so base a state , as that the people therein , will not bestow some part of their superfluous expences , to keepe themselves from conquest , and slavery ? did the godly kings and religious people , which wee read of in the old testament , to maintaine warre , against the enemies of god , sell the ornaments of the temple , and the things consecrated to holy uses ? and shall not wee that have as holy a warre spare those things we have dedicated to our owne idle , and sensuall pleasures ? could our owne nation in those gallant former ages , when our countrey was farre poorer , then now it is , levy armies , maintaine warres , atchieve great conquests in france , and make our powerfull armies knowne , as farre as the holy-land ? and is this such a degenerate age , as wee shall not be able to defend england ; no , no , there is yet left some seed of that ancient vertue . i remember with what spirit and alacrity , the gentlemen of england have put themselves voluntarily into our late actions , there wil ever be found some valorous , which ( so the state may stand ) and flourish care not though they leave not , w●erewith to bury themselves : though others bury their money , not caring in what case they leave the state . the conclusion . thus farre are his owne words , and here i intended to have finished this discourse , but my thoughts prest me to a new taske , and what shall i say most noble lords , and worthy gentlemen , i will say to you even as abraham did to god ; seeing , saith hee : i have begunne to speake unto my lord , that am but dust and ashes , let not my lord bee angry , i will speake but this once . seeing , i have taken upon mee to publish something , that i hope , may tend to the good of our bodies ; give mee leave now to adde something , ( which i hope ) may bee no lesse for the good of soules , and that is this , most humbly to crave , that you will bee pleased to take to your most wise and grave considerations , that noble and pious worke happily begunne and successefully proceeded in , of the feoffees for redeeming in impropriations , of which body before it was supprest , i was ( though unworthy ) a member , and therefore can say the more , of which i dare bee bould to say , it was one of the most glorious workes that ever was undertaken in this kingdome of late yeares , and did more conduce to the spreading abroad of the glorious gospell of iesvs christ , then any i ever understood of , or heard of . of which i may truly say , as solomon of the vertuous huswife , to those that did contribute to it , many daughters have done vertuously , but thou surmounts them all i deny not , but it is good to give to hospitals , to repairing of churches , setting up of free-schooles , building of almes-houses and the like ; but i have ever thought such as concerne soules , to bee as farre above them , as the soule is above the body . this pious worke it was well approved by his majesty , as we were informed , at our first taking of it ; and i am sure of all the best subjects , onely the diotrephes , that saint iohn speakes of , ( that love preheminence , and thrust their brethren out of the church ) the prelates of our time , that never did further , but ever hinder any good worke that tended to the advancement of the gospell of christ , if it did not comply with their ambitions . but of them i will say no more , ( you have said so much , and so wel . ) but for this pious worke i dare be bound to say , if it had continued , and not beene supprest , by their meanes , that by this time most of the impropriations of this kingdome had beene brought in , and laid unto the church againe . a worke fit for such an age as this , that hath enjoyed the gospell so long , to have propagated it to the darke corners of this kingdome , and this to be effected and done , not by a forced and strained exaction , but by a free and willing contribution of such as understand the nature of it , and saw the present good fruits and effect of it , which adde much to the glory of it . the contributions at first were very incouraging , and some underwrit yearely good summes , others to every impropriation we brought certaine summes ; but towards the time of our unhappy dissolution the contribution grew much greater ; for , not a weeke before we were supprest , a lady , yet living , sent us word , shee would give a thousand pounds presently to the furtherance of the worke , and many wills have since beene altered that we heard off , that gave brave proportions to it . i never heard of , nor can yet see any such way to spread the gospell to the remote and blind corners of this kingdome , neither can we , for ought i know , ever hope to see popery quelled , till a godly painfull ministry be established , and that will never be , till competent meanes bee provided : both these had been effected , and the effects in time , would have manifested what i have said , and the benefit thereof would not onely have extended to the church , but also to the common-wealth ; for where a good ministery is placed in a towne , there idlenesse will be abolished , the poore and impotent children , and vagrant set on worke , and his majesty have gained true and loyall subjects , such as he may repose himselfe in their loves and fidelities . it s the glory of our religion , it was never stained with those hellish plots , massacres , and treacheries against their soveraigne ; and if ever poperty bee put downe to purpose , it must be by the meanes of establishment of a powerfull ministry ; then shall we see satan fall downe like lightning , it must be the breath of the lord that must abolish the man of sinne . i deny not but good lawes doe well , but what through favour , conniving , and want of ●xecution , we dayly see they have not such good effect , as were to be wished : that i am confident , it must be the powerfull conscionable preaching ministery of the gospell , that must especially effect it , and to procure that , nothing wil more conduce , then a full , free , and plentifull provision for the dispencers of it , and not for such as doe least to have most . the lord in mercy direct you , blesse and prosper your proceedings , and in his good time , give us to enjoy the happy fruits and effects of your great , long , and unwearied paines . finis . a true relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland. with the additionall forces sent for reducing of that kingdome by his maiesie [sic], and paliament [sic]. wherein every daye worke is set downe faithfully by h. p. an eye-witnesse thereof, under the command of alexander l. forbes, lieutenant general under the l. brooke for that service; from the 29. of june to the 29. of september. 1642. likewise, severall observations concerning that kingdome, and the warres there; as also, the interception of the enemies letters. it is ordered by the committe of the commons house of parliament concerning printing this 20. day of octob. 1642. that this booke intituled, a true relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland, be forthwith printed and published. iohn white. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90547 of text r2920 in the english short title catalog (thomason e242_15). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 74 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 15 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90547 wing p1722 thomason e242_15 estc r2920 99872224 99872224 124650 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90547) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 124650) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 41:e242[15]) a true relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland. with the additionall forces sent for reducing of that kingdome by his maiesie [sic], and paliament [sic]. wherein every daye worke is set downe faithfully by h. p. an eye-witnesse thereof, under the command of alexander l. forbes, lieutenant general under the l. brooke for that service; from the 29. of june to the 29. of september. 1642. likewise, severall observations concerning that kingdome, and the warres there; as also, the interception of the enemies letters. it is ordered by the committe of the commons house of parliament concerning printing this 20. day of octob. 1642. that this booke intituled, a true relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland, be forthwith printed and published. iohn white. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. england and wales. parliament. house of commons. 5, 4-21, [5] p. printed by luke norton, for henry overton., london, : in the yeare. mdcxlii. [1642] h.p. = hugh peters. annotation on thomason copy: "noeumb: 18th". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng ireland -history -1625-1649 -sources a90547 r2920 (thomason e242_15). civilwar no a true relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland.: with the additionall forces sent for reducing of that kingdome peters, hugh 1642 12934 15 0 0 0 0 0 12 c the rate of 12 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-08 angela berkley sampled and proofread 2007-08 angela berkley text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a trve relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland . with the additionall forces sent for reducing of that kingdome by his maiesie , and paliament . wherein every daye worke is set downe faithfully by h. p. an eye-witnesse 〈◊〉 , under the command of alexander l. forbes , lieutenant generall under the l. brooke for that service ; from the 29. of june to the 29. of september . 1642. likewise , severall observations concerning that kingdome , and the warres there : as also , the interception of the enemies letters . it is ordered by the committee of the commmons house of parliament concerning printing this 20. day of octob. 1642. that this booke intituled , a true relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland , be forthwith printed and published . iohn white . london , printed by lvke norton , for henry overton . in the yeare . mdcxlii . a trve relation of the passages of gods providence in a voyage for ireland , with the additionall forces sent for the reducing of that kingdome by his majesty , and parliament . his majesty and the state making it appeare by an act of parliament , that in the highest strength of their desires , they laboured the quenching that fllame broke out upon the 23. of october 1641. in that miserable kingdome , and manifesting the great concernments of england wrapt up therein . the good subjects made ready to concurre in the advancement of so pious a purpose , and ( proportions of rebels lands propounded ) divers adventurers appeared some for land service onely , some for the sea , that the rebels ( for so they are proclaimed by his majesty , and are so in trueth ) might not have fuell brought from forreigne parts to maintaine the fire , and as there was an undertaking for five thousand foot and five hundred horse , forthwith to be added to the other thousand sent over by the state , so there were appointed for addition to the ships , ( sent to guard the coast ) fifteen sayle of ships smal and great , with a thousand land men under the command of alexander lord forbes , lieutenant generall under the lord brooke , and by the care of a faithfull committee of the city , they were made ready in the beginning of iune , in preparation whereof , great was the care and paines of the said committee , who in fourteene dayes time compast this work for the maine and hardest parts of it , such expedition not usuall in such expeditions : sed vincit amor patriae . the names of the committee . sir nicholas crisp . knight . maurice thompson . thomas chamberlaine . gregory clement . richard waring . iohn wood . thomas rainsborough . richard hill . richard shute . george thompson . william pennoyer . thomas vincent . william thompson . william willoughby . samuel moyer . the names of the chiefe commanders by land : alexander lord forbes , lieutenant generall . iohn humphrey , sergeant major . major beton quarter master . land captaines . captain crispe . weldon . price . hull . long . anderson . kempson . sea-commanders . captaine benjamin peters of the speedwell , admirall . captaine thomas rainsborough zant-man , vice-admirall . captaine thompson of the good-hope , rere-admirall . zachery . richardson . simondson . clarke . thompson . andrewes . dorrington . chickener . richardson . daniel . seaman . eucrist . the 29. of iune the winde came faire , and after the publike meeting ( it being a day of fasting and prayer , we set sayle , and had the winde at east , the weather very faire , and our whole fleet together off of dover . the next day the wind at east blew very hard , and foule weather , vve having ten barges , for landing men , & rowing into rivers , lost 2. of the in that storme . the winde as before , captaine rainsborough and two small vessels went for the isle of wight , to take in captaine longs men , and captaine andrewes for falmouth , for captaine hull and his , captaine symondson for weymouth , for major humfrey and his , so then we were left ten in number , and that evening having chased some english-men bound for france , we came up with the lizard , the winde skanting , we had a counsell aboard the admirall what to doe , and left all for that night to gods providence , in disposing the winde the next day whither to goe into falmouth , or keepe our course . the next day ( captaine richardsons barge being almost stav'd ) we turned into mounts-bay to repayre her , having no winde to lay it along , the day was very faire , at ten of the clocke in the night we set sayle againe . being hardly able some of us to weather the rock at the bay the next day , but forced to turn out as we could thorough an earnest desire of all hands , to gain the irish coast , we then met one of the kings ships coming with many poore people , come from limrike-castle newly taken , which had been commanded by captaine courtney , and not to say what the severall apprehensions of men were , concerning the causes and consequences of that losse , it most certaine , if that supply of ammunition sent them by the parliament had bin delivered , they might have preserved it to his majesties use long , which now will make limricke the strongest hold of these monsters , this we found too evident that the parliament had not their noble intentions answered by them , in persons , or things as might be made appeare in too many parti●ulars . the next day faire weather , sylley bearing south ten leagues off , some of our fleet , fel among the seven stones , & were in much danger but came off wel . the fift day we had the winde at west , and got about fourteene or fifteene leagues from the lands-end , the weather faire , we chas'd two bristoll-men , laden with salt , and chang'd a man or two with them , who told us of some french bound for ireland . the next day the winde w. s. w. captaine weldon was sent to corke , with a letter to my lord president , which was as followeth , much honoured sir , since his majesty and both houses of parliament have thought fit for reducing the kingdome of ireland to their due obedience , to grant commission to my lord brooke , and certaine well affected merchants , and citizens of london , for sending some additionall forces by sea , and land to relieve our distracted brethren that are besieged , and to hinder any forreigne supplies from the rebels , over which additionall forces ( which may consist of a thousand land souldiers at present ) and five or six hundred sea-men . the lord brooke , and those that have the aforesaid commission , have nominated and appointed me to be lieutenant generall , and now seeing ( through gods mercy ) we are in readinesse to come to assist you , waiting onely the opportunity of a faire winde , i have thought good to send this bearer to crave your advice , what places you would have us , either to relieve , or assault : first , where we can doe good , and those who are to be instrusted it with the charge of the best service . if i had not been afraid to be i●bayed , i would have gladly come , and salute you my selfe , but i hope we shall have the occasion to meet ere long , in the meane time i intreat you send me your free advice with this bearer , whom you know and may trust , to whose sufficiency remitting all further , i rest , as i desire to remaine , from mount-hay road , july 2. 1642. your affectionate friend to serve you . for sir william saintleger lord president of munster . forbes . the next day we had the winde west , and west and by north , much winde we lost part of our fleet , viz. captain richardson , and captaine thompson the younger . we had the winde west very fresh , and after tempestuous , we lost sight of captaine clark , who had brought us newes of the land he had made , which was dongarvan . the winde south west , and west south west , thicke weather , we saw the high land , and at night we were only five left of our fleet , captaine zachary left us the day before , and so did mr. daniel . being sabboth we kept as we might , thicke weather and stormy , the winde west south west , one of our small vessels made land againe . this day in the morning we discovered the head of kinsale , though our rendevous were long in land on baltamore-hay , yet not able to fetch either , we went in that morning to kinsale , where we found the swallow and the bonaventure , of the kings captain kettleby commanding in the admiral , & sir henry stradling in the vice-admiral , the day grew foggy , and rainy , and such weather is very frequent in that cuntry and coast , we went on free to the castle , and spoke with the commanders there , three companies we also found appointed in that towne by the parliament for a garrison , there every where we had spectacle sad enough , the greater part of the towne irish , and under much just suspicion , others fled thither living in miserable holes and huts , there we found captaine zachary , richardson , and young thompson of our fleet , there we spake with some of bandon being 8. miles from kinsale , and with some of corke also , by which we intimated our arrivall : thither came sir edward denny by whom we heard of his defeat at trelee , where in landing he lost forty or fifty men , and was forced to retreat , and craved our aid . my lord kynalmachy one of my lord of corks sons governour of bandon , came to see my lord forbes , and promised to come againe next morning to speake further for the attempting something about bandon , since god by his providence had called us to these parts , who by his letters desired helpe of us . ( 13. ) this day my lord kinalmachy came early and then was a sermon preached by the preacher of our fleete , after which consultation was taken to march with our men to raph-barry where one mr: freake with many english were beseiged and in greate danger , wanting foode and ammunition &c. and wee being possest with our duty though six of our vessells were not yet arrived , not to be wanting in any thing wherein such forces as we had might be usefull , and not knowing raph-barry to be further than five myles beyond bandon we were willing to strech our mens leggs , though we suppose wee marched neere 25. miles out right of english miles . ( 14. ) we marched to bandon with 8. colours and about 600. men whereof 100. seamen commanded by the captaine of the admirall , this whole number went to the worke most cheerefully , two small brasse pieces , and our ammunition with some victualls were brought up by our barges neere bandon , and so by cart brought to the towne , where that night we were received with much joy , and great acclamations , houses and hearts open unto us , and the rather because with our fleete the parliament had sent that towne a good portion of ammunition and provision for the towne ; there were 7000 soules and many ministers , and very many poore , they had foure companies of foot and one troope of horse whereby they had not onely held their owne but had taken 4. or 5. castles from the enemy ; the towne is walled about and a fresh river runs thorough it , but commanded by the hils about it , three gates it hath beyond , what greater cities have for statelines and strength , the water abounding with salmon and other fish is no small refreshing to the inhabitants , by which and mr. pennoyers care we found the town in a chearfull way . this morning we intended early to march , but were hindred partly with our owne provision not comming early enough , partly through want of horse and accommodations to draw our cannon and baggage , so that we march'd that day but two miles from the towne , and when it was late in the day , we were in some measure fitted for our march but we drew to councell ( the next day being sabboth ) what we should doe , and it being considered what a burden we might be to the towne , so full of poore , and some of our officers urging the dishonour of retreating , being ingaged , that it was thought meet to proceed , especially since we were intreated by my lord kinalmaky and bandon , thither to come and doe somthing for the enlargement of them , and their comfortable saving their harvest , and macchanty reugh threatning the beleaguering of them that weeke , our marching into the countrey might be very usefull ; that night we had some horse from bandon and two foot-companies , and in the safest order we could we continued that night upoin a boggy hill . the next morning we set forward in a great fogg , and resolved to leave an old english towne called clonotikelty on the left hand , and so on to the reliefe of rafe-barry ; but upon the way some of bandon advised us of a great prey of cattell at that town which we should misse ( if we stopt it not in our back-returne ) because the countrey would soone be upon knowledge of our passing that towne , and heard of 5 or 6 hundred of the enemy lying in the way , the chiefe leaders of them were maccharty-reugh , tiege douning , adonovaut , one arundel and some others ; but we saw none , though it seems we marcht close by their cabins : before we came to the towne we found divers irish , whom before their death wee examined , by whom we were informed that the aforesaid army were bound for the assistance of my lord muskerry , against my lord encheqine , sir charles vavasor , and our army at mallo , and glad we were that we might so divert them , when we came to clono●●kelty we made an halt , and many were taken and slaine ; there we found store of cattell , which were put into a pen , and after lesse than an houre we marched on , the towne having onely poore people in it , but a common rendevous for the enemy , and those that were not suddenly surprized , went out of their houses and hid themselves in corne and bushes , and tops of houses ; we had not marcht out a mile out of the towne , but the commanders of the bandon companies ( whose counsell we depended upon , being strangers ) assured us that all our cattell would be driven away before our returne , by a company of people that attend every army , and force that march out , they call pillagers , who though not soldiers , yet with some light armes they follow the campe on horse and foot , and whilst the soldier must keepe his order , they run into the houses , lade their horses with what they can get , drive away the cattell , and vvholly discourage the soldiers . these have beene the occasions generally of all the losse amongst the english , these spare neither woman nor child , as we saw before our eyes which sudden'd some hearts ; of these wee had above an hundred attending us , our lieutenant generall made an order for these , that they should not ride under the command of a captaine who came to attend his lordship , one captaine brookes , who had lost his ship of 400. tun at kinsale , and had done especiall service upon the land , and deserved very well , and now entertained amongst us for the leading of our little trope : but these pillagers would know no command , but of their owne advantages , and though prest with many arguments , scattered at pleasure , stript the slaine , made havock of all , and most of them staid behind us at clonokelty attending their prey : which knowne and observed by our bandon friends , they perswaded wee should leave one company behind to attend the cattle , for of them our selves had need , not having our ships of provision come to us : it was objected one company was too little , because the enemy might fall on , wee having still heard something of them as wee went , my lord commanded three companies back , bandon men assuring us it were too much , and that no enemy would looke upon such a number . captaine weldon was sent back with his company , which was about 60. men , the rest of them not come ; captaine price with his being about 80. divers of his being not well abbard the ship , and a company of 80. more of bandon commanded by one of their lieutenants , with advice given them to keepe in a body , or take some church or strong house if assaulted : they returned , we marched on , and tooke about 100. cattle , foure or five hundred sheepe , and divers horses , and brought them to ralfe barry to mr. freake , who met us with much joy , where wee came to see many english pent up in a considerable castle ; and after praising god and prayer , we refreshed our selves with such food as he had ; and our soldiers began to make ready sheep , hoping they might have quartered there all night . but as soone as we had dined , we had three posts came to us from our three companies , that the enemy was in view ; and a fourth , that they had skirmisht : thus we were soone taken from any thoughts of ease , and horse and foet made ready to returne ; and though many might well be wearied with such a tiresome march , yet they would goe to the helpe of their friends , and truly this i must affirme , more couraged know not where to finde then i saw that day , leaving with the gentlemen of the castle neere 20. men with ammunition for his present reliefe and the castle aforesaid , we marcht back , and in the way met many that told us all our three companies were destroyed ; more came to us still , and some even naked of those pillagers we had left behind , even to appall us , that it was impossible for us to fight it through ; some of us told them of their barbarisme in the morning when they were slaying the children , blood would have blood againe : some of us were thoughtfull about the day being sabbaoth , to which , and other objections necessity and present danger afforded some answers , and on we went , seeing the hills on both sides full of horse and foot , and ( which was mercy even to wonder ) that afternoone proved cleere and faire , whereby wee were abundantly comforted , comming within a mile of the towne we saw two colours , one of ours ; another of bandon in a piece of ground cast up round like a bull-warke , though not so high , it proved to be captaine price , who most valiantly with his worthy leivetenant 〈◊〉 and some of his company , were defending themselves against● 1000. varlets who had beleaguerd them , on the right hand wee saw the enemy in a square battle uppon a plaine peece of ground neere the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 . coniours flying standing in very exact order , but that their commaunders sate uppon very good horses in the reere ( which it seemes is their cowardly custome ) vppon velwe of all this my lord approved himselfe a good christian and a very stout and skilfull souldier , and won all our hearts by his wisdome and courage , of whome much might bee said , could i avoid the suspicion of flattery by reason of neere ingagements , but certainely let whom it concernes be advised , that religion in these choises especially at these times gaine the first place , little doe you know the advantages thereby . my lord forthwith ordered a body to encounter the enemy , and gain'd his ground close by the water , that he could not be intercepted , and this he led himselfe , then left a good reserve in the reare , either to answer assaults , or second him , if put to the vvorst , the two small copper pieces stayed in the reare with the baggage , because they could not be drawne over the plowed land , where he was forced to march in the front , the horse vve had , he commanded to attend the right fllanke of the enemy , who then had the sea on the one hand of them , and the horse on the other , the small cannon he gave order upon his march should be shot , to try if thereby captaine price and the bandon-company might be relieved , all which vvas done , my lord , and major beaton follovving him , led , and drew , giving the challenge as it were to the enemy , and being ask't by the minister how his heart stood , profest couragiously that he was perswaded god would give us the day , the peeces were fire● , and price was freed , and the rest , and joyned to us , and after our men had throwne up their caps for joy that they should fight , the enemy at the turning of an hand , fled and scattered , their colours were given to horsemen , our horse pursued and made slaughter of them , the multitude of horse and foot spread upon the hills were vanished , many kild in the water , amongst them arundel and his sons with divers of note , two ventured and swam over , three or fourscore carried out with the tide , and thus the lord was pleased to glorifie himselfe , that the least number to speake in faithfulnesse that fell of them that day , was betwixt five and six hundred , that night wee march't beyond clonokelty , a mile or two , getting the advantage of a dry hill , not onely to rest on , but also to secure our selves , in regard of ambushments , and other disadvantages , which they wholly attend , and there with a prey of two thousand sheep , above an hundred cattel , and fifty horses of that country , we continued that night . but if you shall aske me what became of captaine weldon and his company , and what they did whilst we were absent at ralph barryy ; to satisfie , i got this answer following , under the hand of captaine price , who in the word of a christian assured me of the truth of it to his utmost knowledge . three companies of us being left at clinokeltey , my lord gave order that weldon being the eldest captaine , i should assist him , with charge to give account of the pillage , till he returne , we set our guards upon every point of the towne , and tooke full view of the towne , how we might be upon defence and offence , whereupon weldon answered that we were to guard three streets , i told him that was the next way to overthrow us , but he would not heare , so i view'd the towne my selfe , and found three places fit for offence and defence , viz. sir will. hulls-house , or the church-yard , or the hill betwixt rafe-barry and the towne , which after all i retreated unto , but hee had not an eare open to counsaile . then i marched to an island my lord had sent me unto , for 1500. sheep and other cattle to keepe a guard on it , which i did with twenty musketteers , i met thirty horse of the enemy , and sixty foot marching towards the towne , i marched and charged them , they ranne away , so then from the island , i brought off fifteene hundred sheepe , twenty cattell , and thirty horse , twenty two hogges , and brought them to the towne ; by that time the enemy approached upon the hill , rounding the towne , being five or six thousand in three companies to come downe upon the severall streets . i advised weldon and the other officers as before , to which all agreed but himselfe , his owne lieutenant said that else we were undone , where upon he said we were all cowards , and of the three streets , i wished him to take his choice , and he should not finde us cowards , i march't out towards the enemy , my souldiers flung up their caps and gave a shout , and gave fire bravely with a brace of bullets , and made their foot and two troops of horse retreat without any losse of ours , but some hundred of theirs , as themselves after confest . then they assaulted bandon men , which when i saw , i went to their reliefe , and comming on their reare , they of bandon ran away without shooting one shot , and came through the towne with confusion with divers pillages , and so disordered us ; i , in the reare with ten muskettiers charged the enemy then pursuing at hand , who dividing to compasse me , forced me to retreat out of the towne , to a little old brest-worke , and there we gathered in our forces and held them play , till my lord brought up his regiment . we march't to bandon in much raine , and carried our two thousand sheep , horse , and cattell , to that towne , which was a great refreshing to them , there , we rested at bandon the weather being very foule , and there my lord received letters from my lord inchiquine , and divers officers from don-o-reale , and the letters you may finde hereafter marked by letters , a. my lords answer b. we marched to kilbritton castle , three or foure miles from bandon , with two of bandon companies , with a purpose to goe to timilege , which we heard was an harbour to our enemies , the castle belonging to my lady ●shafnesse , this night we lodged at kilobutton , and sent out for the best intelligence we could get . we march't to timelege with assurance from our friends of bandon , that my lady would willingly take in a garrison , when we came , my lord summon'd the castle , and she answered we were strangers , but she vvould yeeld it to my lord kinalmachy ▪ or sir william hull , whereupon we burnt the tovvn , brought avvay neere an hundred cattell , and five hundred sheep , and returned that nigt to kilbritton . we march't to kinsale to our ships . one of our vessels wvich was sent to baltamore , of vvhich captaine clark was commander , came in having taken fourteen rebels under colour of a dunkirk , and they comming to buy powder , whereof some vvere hanged , some drovvned , and three of the chiefe taken prisoners , one of them dermon mac-carti , who took in crook-haven and these parts . that same day , the katharin came from falmouth , divers passages there were betvveene my lord forbes , and my lord consey , lord of kinsale , vvho came himselfe at last , and offered to take into his castle a garrison to his majesties use and service . this day being sabboth and faire weather , vve kept on shore . we sayled from kinsale in the evening , and left some ships to bring avvay our horses and other things . we came into castle-haven in the afternoone , and saw aboundance of rebels about the hills ▪ the chiefe of them there is adonovant . in the morning our barges went a shore to adonovants castle , which they were nevvly fled from , and fired , where our souldiers burnt many houses , and a mill of much concernement to them , spoyled corne , fired many boates , and with one barrell of powder blew up his castle , dividing it selfe into tvvo parts , and vvas 60. foot high , and very thick , as thick as their castle it use to be ; thereappeared a thousand of the enemy , but would not give us fight , called us parliament dogs , puritan-dogs , sayd wee fought against the king and the church , &c. here my lord committed a priest of my lord castlehaven to the custody of mr. salmon , the chiefe man there . we sayled to baltamore , and there found captaine bennet in the castle with many english , vvho before had been vvith us , and mr. salmon of castle-haven & succored in divers things they wanted , the wind north-east , we expected our fleet out of england , and those left behinde us , we sent a shore to vievv a castle , and saw many of the enemies horse and foot . some of our vessels came from kinsale . our men vvent a shore , and fired adriscoles castle , spoyled much come , and burnt divers houses . we man'd out our boats to search the islands , and got some horses , hogs &c. this day captaine rainsborough came to us from england , and captaine brooke in one of the kings ships , with letters from waterford-side , viz. the fort of duncannon my lord of corke . c. and my lord corks , to my lord forbes , d. then we heard of the story of captaine astons losse of sixty men by don-cannoun , being cut off in a fogge , we had letters from captaine ashly , e. and captaine willoughby from galloway , requiring helpe , this day we savv captaine cunstable , captaine cole and others comming from limrike leaving the river wholly unguarded . this day being sabboth , we kept it on shore most of us together . we heard of the achilles at long island , our sergeant major comming aboard us , so that now all our first fleet that came out of the downes , were on this side and neere , but a smal vessell sent to dublin with a scotch-man under much suspicion , that his ship was furnished for the rebels , of which ship we had a long time no tydings , this day our men were all mustred , by captaine rausborough one of the committee . we had taken a counsel of warre , whither to go to doncannou or galloway , and finding by all advise , that if we took not this season , we could not go to galloway at all , and limrike being altogether left , and galloway fort in some distresse , that my lord forbes would write to my lord of esmond , that he would speed to him as soon as he might , this other work being done , and captaine brooke assuring us a moneths time might be allow'd for us to returne to duncannon , my lord wrote to my lord of esmond as appears , g. and to my lord corke , h. the raph was sent backe to fetch zachory's ship , and to call at ralph-barry , good service done in a castle by the way . faire weather , little or no winde . like weather and winde as the day before . our vice-admirall chased a vessell into the bay of kilmar , and we were all forced to follow him , which proved captaine clement a vessell set out by the state . we were becalmed . we had a fayre winde , a little raine . we lay of the isles of aran , being sabboth , wind east , and north east . we turned up towards golloway , and could not gaine it that night , wind east , our vice-admirals boat went a shore , and tooke some cattell , burnt some houses , and kil'd some rebels . we came in and anchored before the towne , my lord sent a letter to the towne , and another to my lord clanricard , who is governour of towne and county , following his owne commission therein , viz. not to attempt any thing till he had first advised with the present governour of the places he came unto , captaine willoughby came aboord us that night , and captaine ashly whom we found lying there to attend the fort , who seemed to clear any breach of the pacification , so far as concerned them . the towne answered the letter sent them with many protestations , that they were loyall subjects , hung out upon one of their towers the kings colours , and laboured to perswade us that captain willoughby onely had broken the trerm'd of pacification . the rest of our fleet came , my lord writ againe to the towne , to let them know that he meant to land his men , and refresh them , and if they of the town would send a testimony of their loyalty by some fresh meats , they should therby approve themselvs , our men were on shore divers hours , a counsel was held aboord us , because we saw the towne at worke by the bridge , in which time two came aboord us from the towne , with a letter from the towne , they still professing their resolution not only to stick to their loyalty , but also the terms of the pacification made , my l. forbes being earnest to have the matters cleared , they promised that next morning at eight two of the town should come to him againe . none comming from them , my lord sent his owne ensigne to them againe , letting them know they dallyed , that day our souldiers went out for fresh meat , and brought home some , and burnt a whole towne , that night a letters came from my lord clanricard very well pen'd , and shewing him a man of wisedome and parts , wherein he cleared galloway men , and cast the imputation upon captaine willoughby for breaking the pacification , and in the same the townesmen were confident . another letter was sent a shore from my lord with articles as will appear , wherein they were charged not to trifle , but to shew themselves in their former allegiance , and to correspond with the fort . a counsell was held for the landing our men at an abby on the west side of the towne , within musket shot , a place of singular consequence , and advantage for the designe , and so to proceed if matters were not well compos'd betweene the fort and town . the penington was sent to sliego to take off a vessell of the rebels of fourscore tun , and to attend these parts , as also three vessels sent to the river of limrike to guard that , it being left voyd by cunstable and coles departure , especially against the french , who ( we heard ) were comming thither with much ammunition for the river and towne . this night accordingly our men lodged in the abby , at the landing of eleven colours of ours , some sculking varlets in bushes , and some shot at our men , it being on eeroonnaght-side , which standeth in open rebellion , as galloway men did acknowledg . this day my lord sent another letter to them , to urge their answer to the articles , for wee durst not take upon us to be judges , my lord of clanricard being governour of the towne and county , and one that had faithfully approved himselfe to captaine willoughby in raysing the siege when hee was beleaguered , and for refreshing him in his necessities , which bred much tendernesse in us to give him offence ; and being excommunicated by their church , with his followeth for his loyalty and fidelity , since his arrivall into ireland , which hath 〈◊〉 but very late . my lord received a letter from the towne in answer to his about the articles , but nothing satisfactory , to which my lord sent a reply , viz. that if neither they nor my lord of cla●ricard would come to treate , hee would write no more : this day the weather foule and misty , as it is usuall in these parts , which prejudiced our work much , especially time before our winter being so short , for doubtlesse had this fleet beene forth in aprill , it had beene of extraordinary consequence . being sab ▪ we kept it aboard , my lo : having given notice to the maior the day before he should have that day for rest , and if he heard not from my lord clynriceard , he would begin to worke . in the evening came letters by the captaine of the fort , from my lord rennelagh president of connagh and my lord clinriccard , the former desired forbearance of all hostility , till wednesday he came to us . this night order was given that the next day 500. should into the country of eer-conaugh to burne and spoyle , because wee had no day-light to burne out . my lord and some others dinde a shore at the fort , where we found the bishop of tuam and his family , 36. ministers , of which 26. served as souldiers , and did duty ; and this day according to former order the 500. foot and some horse marched out , and 80. possest the abby , and by this time wee had two halfe culverins mounted or set upon field-carriages and all manner of preparations were made for the assaulting the towne , and great willingnesse there was in our men , though the towne be as strong and compact as most in europe for house and walls . our men returned with about 100. cattell and as many sheepe having burnt some ireish townes and corne as they went by the way . as they came out of a castle three of our horse-men were shot at whereof one dyed which was requited after by our killing six of them and one a marchant of quality . another letter from my lord clanricard ; that he and my lord president were comming , but it would be friday ere they should be with us . our men still did maintaine the abby ▪ though the last night some of them ran to it , but beaten back by a shot from the fort , wee received 40. beeves , and 50. muttons from donnell brian , who dwelt on thomond side , and profest himselfe a protestant and loyall ; for the price hee refer'd himselfe to my lord : this day a councell was held , and 36. pieces of ordinance landed , being resolved to fall on two dayes after . the weather very ill , misty and rainy , 200. of our men had order to pull downe the timber of the abby , to make platformes , which accordingly they did , but could not make bring away that night , the weather was so foule , at midnight 7. or 8. musquet shot from the towne , in the morning they saw 3. pieces mounted in the towne which the enemy cleared . a very rainy day , wherein nothing remarkable but that some shot past betweene the towne and the abby we stood all day in expectation of the lords who appointed this for the last day of traveling towards us , and our people growing impatient of all delayes . the lords came , clinriccard to terilan a faire house of his on the one side of the towne , and the president to the fort with 60. horse , our men made a guard for him ; the president consulted with my lord forbes and captaine willoughby and offerd to be a mediator and pressing that the faith of the lords of dublin were past upon that pacification , and if that should not hould , how should matters be carried in any part of the kingdome or difference made betweene man and man place and place , and he departed that night to terilan to conferre with my lord clinriccard and the townes-men ; this day captain zacharies ship came from kinsale , for himselfe being shot in the back we left at banden to be cured , by whom wee heard of captaine kettlebies removeall from kinsale , but no man was certaine whither hee went : that time there came a letter from sir charles coote , who gave us hope we might have his presence with his men ; zacharies ship freed the english out of a castle with one shot , and put the reb , to flight . being sabboth , the president came to us to the fort , and came to the sermon which was in the fields , din'd in the fort with my lord forbes , two things are mainly driven at ; first that the fort should be victualled for eight moneth , and secondly that sufficient hostages should be given out of the town for securing it to the king . in the afternoone he rid to terelan with captain willougbies propositions . the evening our packet-boat came in called the rafe , by whom we had newes from limrick and other parts from my lords castell steward , who writ for supply , which accodingly was sent him : this night order was given for a counsell of war next morning . foure of our barges were sent to get plank from a rack a mile or two from us , to make platformes for our ordnance . wee tooke 3. rebels over night , our officers were early at a counsell of warre , when all both seamen and others under-writ to stand to my lord to the utmost , and it was resolv'd to try our strength upon the towne , if the kings fort might not enjoy fit conditions . the president came to the fort from terelan , and my lord clynriccard writ that he would also come to my lord forbes thither : but after much expectation he did not , which we suspect fell out through doubt how matters would stand if we proceeded in hostility , and his lordship wanting a sufficient guard for himselfe being excommunicate by the rebels , and told by the titular b. of the place , that not a man there would draw his sword for him . then we received captaine willoughhies propositions answered by the gentlemen of the country for the supply of the fort according to his desire . my lord clynriccard being upon his return gave my lord forb● a meeting a half mile from the fort , where many things past betwixt them tending to the publike ; and my l. forb● urging him much to joyn with and take such a share as god should allot us , assuring him he should be as safe as himselfe , and that his kinred did but watch opportunities to mischiefe him , he still complained of power wanting , and thought we were not strong enough , and was earnest that pacification might not be broken , assuring us if it were , the countrey would be longer in reducing and with much more charge to the state ; my l. forbes earnestly prest my l. president , who had 2500. men from the state , that he would joyne with us , or lend us but 500. men , he told us that his men were almost in a mutiny through want of pay and necessaries ; and those he had were appointed for the safety of my lord clynriccard ; but but yet if we would come to sliego his men should joyne with us , and then especiall service might be done ; thus these lords departed , and we returned to a counsell of warre , where captaine willoughby perswaded us ( hee having knowledge of the towne that we were too weake , most of their houses being like castles , and the wall strong and hard to mine ; we considered many of our men were then fallen sick of the countrey-disease , and that wee long wanted of three ships of provisions of all sorts , that we thought to send presently two ships to bristoll for supply especially of them , we fought for other diet , and tooke 6. or 700. cattell at least . this night all men were desired to consider by the morning what were best to doe by way of counsell : this night secretly dispatcht away a messenger for sir charles coot and his company which would have beeene 500. or 600. men , with which help we made no question of gaining the towne , though we had a strong enemy round about us except to sea-ward , and as strong within ; but that we lookt at our cause , our mens valour , and their cowardise . this night the enemy out of the countrey fell upon our men in the abby , were well beaten , fled leaving their broges and trouses behind them . counsell was taken with the seamen to goe for sliego and them to joyne with the presidents men , and bring with us 500. or 1000. scots to dispatch the businesse of galloway ; but we found such difficultie in that northeren though but 30. or 40. leauges that it was desisted from . 25. most of this day was spent about 3. of our men that were condemned for severall offences and pardoned at the gallowes ; this night a prize was brought us by one of our ships a barhado-man laden with tobacco and trading with the rebells in limrick river a ship 140. tunn , these two ruines of galloway and limrick we resolved because we had strong intelligence that the french were resolved forcibly to bring in ammunition thether , more letters came from my lord president and my l. clinriccard to assure us of the agreement to be stood unto for supplying the fort , nor have we omitted to present all those letters as wil appeare ; this night the earle connaghs rebels fell againe upon us with like losse to themselves and hurt us not a man . 27. the foulnes of the weather hindred us from my worke but advising what next to doe . 28. was the sabboth which wee kept on shore and appointed a fast for the next wednesday . 29. more letters from my lord clinriccard to assure us of the pacification to which it was advised if hee would and secure it wee would depart but till the fort was provided for , we would there stay and lay our bones by the walls of the towne . 30. our men were imployde to fetch more timber for our batteries for want where of wee were much streightned having neere 40. gunns on shore to fit with platformes . this day letters came from the major to capt. willoughby concerning the pacification answering his objections , and resolving to stick to what they had promised by my lord clinnriccard , in the meane time great were our cares what to doe , lying wind-bound all this time , and that country being so barren in comparison of other places ; that wee were forced to travell further to burne their corne and houses than in other places : captaine richardson had his arme broken unhappily by a gunner and boatson of the artillery though after well cured and they both gaining their credit by choice service , wee sent to donnel-o-brian a friend for cattle . 31. wee kept a fast . 1. we had letters sent from my lord clinriccard by ensigne scot , that he himselfe was sicke ; but that mr. burk his kinsman and his owne steward should come to us and end all controversies betweene fort and towne : we then tooke our guns aboard ; but very unwillingly , our seamen readier to fall on nakedly , than forsake the worke , and the souldier no way backward ; for this testimony i must give them both , that they have exceedingly honoured their countrey and the cause , even to the equalling any of their progenitors in valour , and all manner of forwardnes . 2. we grew weary of expecting sir charles coot having promised to stay 8. or 10. dayes for him ; and therefore thought of a sudden departure , principally because there came a messenger to us out of limrick river of the sad estate of the castles there , since capt. constables departure , which emboldened them to bring downe the great gun , the sight of which affrighted our english out of their castles , as witnes asketon that stately castle unworthily given up without receiving a shot , and being inforced by sir edward denny who was with us , that trelee had but 10. dayes granted for the delivery of that castle which they had defended to admiration , till they were forced to eat hides , &c. we had this day the gentlemen from the lord clinriccard with papers and propositions to satisfie the captaine of the fort , they brought with them 24. oxen , and 60. sheepe , which were the first two weekes provision . 3. this day we had 3. or 400. souldiers went downe in some ships to the iles of arram , where they did singular service , took 300. head of cattell destroyed many with very good houses , burnt their corne and townes , and slew and hung many of the rebels : all this day we waited the signing of the propositions . being late , wee spent on shore , letters past betwixt the fort and towne ; we had an armorer came into the towne and went to masse ; we tooke five prisoners , some of note . 5. we went aboard making all hast for trelee ; the captaine of the fort and the gentlemen came aboard with all things issued for their particulars , as also two men that were sent to view the towne for mining which they had threatned to the fort . we left a ship , and two vessels , and a barge to attend the fort and river , and so most ready to depart . a small vessell came on from corke , one lambert captaine , who brought some more powder to the fort from corke assigned by the state of england , into which went 50. or 60. poore people come out of the castle in thomand the which he carried for corke . 6. we set saile , but could not get into limrick river , two or three of our ships followed us . 7. we were in like condition beating at sea . 8. letters came aboard us at sea from my lord clynriccard with letters to my lord of essex . 9. wee got within loops-head and came to an anchor neere captain crosbies castle who preserved himselfe and some hundreds with him stoutly , a very deserving man , hee hung out a flag to us , we sent on shore and brought him a-board whom wee furnished with necessaries who tould us wee were come too late and that trelee , asketon , clare , and other castles were given up , and assured us of the victory of my lo : enchaquin in munster over musgray and his forces with the slaughter of many men and taking 3. peices of ordnance , which made the english flye to him expecting dayly to be massacred , and profest hee had already 150. which would perish if wee provided not for them , all which wee found true to our great griefe and trouble and that the earle of thomond was in great danger at bonnatty . 10. early in the morning my lord forbes writ to daniel-o-brian uncle to the earle of thomond who had his sonne captaine of the rebels , and himselfe professing a newtralitie or withall the rest that hee was the kings good subject , my lord advised him to meet him at the earle of thomonds , by this time our fleete came togeather . 11. being sabboth wee continued a-board resolving that night to goe up with 2. or 300. men to bonnatty there wee found our rere-admirall and the french prize of 150. tunne laden with ammunition for the rebells and taken there by our aforesaid ship whose owner is sir nicholas crispe , heere wee hung five of our prisoners formerly taken , at this time there came abord us one capt. vsher who had a castle neer us , and kept it well , by all such men we were given to understand that without a strong standing garrison in every province and country ( if it were possible ) little would bee done as they conceived , because the poore english inhabitants would bee expos'd to constant danger upon removall of flying armies , this river of limricke promis'd most unto us of any place wee had seene both for land and water . this night wee went up to bonnatty my lord of thomonds castle with 200. men 4. barges 2. barkes and 2 , shallops where my lord kindly welcomed us and there his uncle sir daniel-o-brian met us . 12. wee spent in consultations with the earle , who certified us with much greife that since the river was left without shipping divers castles were taken , whereby the enemy had bin furnished with 800. armes and six barrells of powder , and the way they used was by bringing the great gunne called the roaring meg towards the english castles , through dread of which the english yeelded ; this gunne one of our ships through want of winde mist in limrick river , it being in a boat but tooke the carriages in another and wee have log'd this gunne in a cricke with one of our ships attending it , there being no meanes for them to carry it backe but by water . this night sir daniel-o-brians man was sent to clare to the gentrie to come to bonnattre the next day at nine in the morning , some war me speches past betwixt some of our commanders and sir daniel which put him into a shaking fit . 13. an answer of the letter sent wherein the gentry desired 3. in the afternoone for their apearance which was granted , but sir daniel went away very early , without taking leave , out of feare and horror doubtles , having been told that wee were desirous hee should make good his loyaltie before the parliament , over night 100. rebels lay at my lords parke-pale , who ( wee suppose ) waited to fetch sir daniel off ; these retardings made us advise and conclude to fall upon sir daniels houses , and clare castle , in which we found my lord of thomond doubtfull , and intruth his case is nice , the chiefe of the county being his kinred , and himselfe without power , saving 50. horse in his stable : part of this day was spent in preaching . 14. we heard the gentry would come in ; but they failed ( as their manner : ) we heard this night of 300. rebels againe at my lords parke which we would have beene upon , and earnestly prest it ; but my lord of thomond would have us yet wait longer on the gentry , ere wee exercis'd hostility against thomond . at last wee made our propositions to the castle , being about to goe downe to our ships , which came to this , that his lordship continuing a protestant and loyall , his danger must needs be great , and that this rebellion did not distinguish relation nor greatnesse , and therefore if hee pleased , wee would either continue there with all our force , and joyne with him at bonatty , and so try what wee might doe in ioyning with himselfe to reduce clare and thomond : or if he suspected us too weake , that he might take all he had and was portable into our best ships , together with his owne person , and we would adventure our selves in his castle to maintaine that place , and infest the enemy what wee could ; this wee left with his lordship . 15. we departed , and a few miles from thence we came to an anchor in the river , and landed 300. men on limrick side , where our men fought both with horse and foot , burnt abundance of corne , and foure of their castles ; and amongst others , kild the foster brother of mr. steevenson : wee lost two sick men , that could not follow their companies , but had no armes . at night our men retreated safely to their boats from two thousand of them . we sail'd downe lower in the river , and called at fitz-gerralds the knight of the valley , or glyn whom my lord summoned by writing , our messenger at landing met a letter with a horse-man at the waters side , who had a letter from my lord clinriccard in favour of his kinsman the knight of the valley : an answer was sent him , and we departed : my lord sent to sir tege macmahun , who is a good friend , but could not come to us in regard of his weaknesse of body . this night the earle of thomond came to us , and lay aboard the vice-admrall , with whom three of the chiefe rebels of thomond had been and promised to come with the gentry aboard our ships . 17. div●rs letters came from the shore from sir daniel-o-brian , concerning the comming of the gentry of the countrey , who were under much feare by the 〈◊〉 of ships scatter'd thorough the river . 18. we 〈…〉 from the shore , the gentry excusing themselves from the distance of their dwelling . the knight of the valley sent my lord present of beeves which he would not accept , unlesse hee would appeare himselfe , and shew his loyalty , and to that purpose my lord went unto him . 19. we stayd in expectation of the gentry from the shore , who had their time enlarged two dayes . 20. vve had letters from the snore from sir daniel-o-brian and th rebels to my lord of thomond answering the propositions proudly enough , as will appeare in their letters hereto annexed . vve had a counsell wherein it was concluded the next day to attempt the knight of the valley with 6. vessels , and all things answerable . it was also agreed that captaine peters and mr. daniel should carry away the poore naked people that we found in much distresse being about 500. many of our souldiers and seamen grew very sick of the countrey disease . 21. vve set saile for the valley , being 3. leagues up , and comming by the place in the evening , went beyond a mile or two and anchored . 22. early we began to land 15. horse first , and then our foot , who were entertained with 30. musquettiers of the enemy playing upon them , but hurt none but a boy in the shoulder . the enemy fled into castle two or three of our ships playd upon the place till we landed two halfe cannon . the enemy in great numbers appeared on the side of the hill , with whom our horse fought with the losse of one of ours , and many of theirs , multitudes of them comming on , wee strengthened our guards , and kept them waking all the night with demi-culverin in one of our ships , the night was very rainy . 23. our cannon plaid up upon it , but none from the ships , tore downe part of the maine house , and tooke very good effect , the enemy shot faintly . after dinner my lord resolved to storme it : but first march'd round and fought the enemy on the side of the hill , who appeared in three bodies of horse and foot ; ours put them soone to their wonted posture of flight . some commanded , men were appointed to enter , where the sea-men had much honour , they presently came to push of pike at a narrow hole , a gunner of ours with a cantridge of powder blew off two or three of them , the rest would not take quarter , one leapt out of the castle window , twenty five of them were slaine upon the place : this is remarkeable that most matters fell out as at the last siege forty yeares since , but that we lost fewer men , and won it in lesse time , with lesse meanes : we took the knights sisters son prisoner , who acquainted us with the knights flying away two daies before , and calling in the force of the country upon us , not thinking the castle should bee taken so soone . the place is rich pleasant and profitable for all the merchandize of the river of lymrike , it having sixteene hundred pounds per annum about it in faire lands , we found the place furnished with all utensils and provisions for a family . the plate and silver was gone for lymrike , which receives most of which is in ireland : it seemes they wanted bullets in the castle , by their shooting window-lead and small stones , in the siege we lost but foure men . 25. being sabboth we spent on shore , and some of us aboard , the weather was rainy , and windy . 26. we stript our cannon , and landed two sakers for defence of the place . 27. councell was taken what garrison to leave there , and how to dispose of our sicke men . 28. our men went aboard , and burnt much corne , fought with many hundreds of the enemy , without any losse of ours , burnt a towne of theirs . 29. a prize brought to us from sleigo , taken from the midst of the enemy , laden with tallow and hides , which they were sending into france , or bilbo for ammunition , wherein foureteene taken , and three friars by the same ship , divers of the scots relieved , and a minister with some people brought to us . at this time another ship from bilbo taken laden with iron , steele , ammunition , and provision in galloway river , his invoyce came to five thousand pound . we also had certaine tidings of another of ten guns gone into dingle , which three or foure of our ships were sent to fetch out , and have ( i hope ) taken long since . and thus we left our men dayly working , and bringing other parts of limrike-river , this day my lord glenmorris was buried the arch-rebell . so that to summe up our voyage , it comes to thus much , in two or three moneths time hath god helped us to take five ships , worth ( if sold to value , above twenty thousand ponnds , we burnt as much corne , as that summe came to , slew of the enemy many hundreds , fired many irish towns , relieved many english in forts and castles , tooke and spoyled thousands of cattle ) burnt and spoyled many castles , houses of note , and mills of the enemy , guarded the coast from kinsale , almost to london-derry , blockt up limricke , and galloway , and diverted them still as we went from other designes ; fighting with them when ever we came , and lastly taking in that lovely and usefull castle of the knights of the valley , where we left our men ready for further service , which expired for which our ships and men were hired . the intercepted letters mentioned in the title of this book , are intended to bee printed by themselves , they being so large could not be here inserted . briefe observations concerning the vvarre , and the state of ireland , both for the raising and laying the rebellion . 1. it is easily noted that the seeds of the ruine of a state are sowne in the dayes of greatest prosperity ; and that peace breeds plenty , plenty breeds pride , and that brings forth warre , and that runs againe the former round . 2. popery suffered among the irish , and prophanenesse amongst the english , have been the parents of this monster ; though it might have other midwives and nurses . 3. though we are assured 1000000. english have beene murdered , and we hope many more irish slaine ; yet mischiefe may be so fomented that it may know no limits nor bounds . 4. popish delusions carry such strength with them , especially when they meet with an ignorant spirit , that knowne truths and common principles have the dores bard against them . 5. by all wee could gleane in all the providence met with by sea or land for intelligence , we see that the worke now in hand and the question is religion , and religion papist and protestant , cover'd under puritane or round-head and good subject . 6. an irish rebel and an english cavallier in words and actions we found as unlike as an egge is to an egge . 7. it is most true , that from the highest to the lowest , from the regular to the secular , from the capitives we had to the freemen that came to parley with us , from the man to the woman , from the living to the dying , they profest unto us they fought by the kings order for the kings honour , that wee were his enemies not they ; which made us professe a new quarrell against them for prophaning his majesties name , and entitling him to all their murders and miscreant practises . 8. three things are found , are by the irish as i wish : viz. to have their religion free , and their religion in their owne hands , which the wisest we met with assured us is promised them , and that you shall read in their ecclessasticall parliament held at kelkenny which is now printing for you , where you may see their end and their meanes conducing thereunto . 9. the unfaithfulnesse of most of our ministers , the scurrility and monstrous ignorance of our english , have administred oyle to their flame in abundance , and brought downe wrath from heaven , nor in our civill government there without many sad aspersions from them , wherein dublin suffers much , not onely the toleration but complyances with romish idolaters , hath made them impudent and ours carelesse ; especially many pieces of our worship arising from the same fountaine , and running in the same sea with theirs as diocesan bishops , their courts , officers , revenews and attendants , church-censures , burialls , christenings , liturgie , holy-dayes , fasts , hallowed places , images , vestures , gestures , &c. truth it is , the continuance of ireland in its former condition would have trenched upon gods honour ; where one minister had 24. livings , and the place many times supplyed by ale : drapers at 40. l. per annum . 11. without all question , as the long continuance of ignorance there , ( the people being unchatichized ) hath led in more of this barbarisme , so i feare the former rebellion had never a thorough cure , i will not say that many of the english planters that went over were de faece ; foundation-stones should bee saphyres , so that is no marvell if many that have fled thence , have left the country worse than they found it . 12. as our priests doe now more strengthen the rebellion , not , so on our side , men that call themselves overseers of churches , opened a doore unto it , rhat you may conclude there was never any grand mischeife brooched in the world , but such as have beene marked by clergy-mens fingers , and the warre now in europe all over is episcopall . in the cure note these things . 1. a bucket of water shall quench that at first , which many tuns cannot , after lost opportunity . it is not cunctation but expedition , not fabius , but hanniball must still be rebellious . 2. if credit may be given to rebels , they generally profest that two words from his majesties owne hand by a knowne messenger to them , should command downe all their armes . 3. had the country risen in any considerable bodyes of english at first , and every man either not given rebels too much credit , or trusted to his owne private guard , it had beene ctushed in the egge which is now growne a flying serpent . 4. the lieutenant or generals personall appearing there upon the death of the former , must needs have given a checke to many of their barbarous proceedings , and encouraged the english there in resistance , want of governement makes english odious , that their very cattell are loathsome to these monsters , one of their armie spoyling in five dayes forty seven thousand english sheepe , and in time they would devoure one the other , were our necessity capable of so much patience . 5. if the vast expence of this kingdome had beene rightly imployed both for shipping and land forces , this bogge must needes have been dryed up by gods blessing . 6. our english comming over fresh and hearty , were better to be hazarded upon some of the enemies townes , then there detained to eate our men garrisons , and most of them perish with the country-disease . 7. if galloway , lymrike : wexford and waterford were recovered , the whole rebellion is shaken , which is irisible with halfe our forces there maintained , the state here being nine hundred thousand pounds charge already . 8. it may then be reduced when souldiers and commanders there shall rather attend the present work , than the continuance of their trade . 9. the irish lords and gentry that are found faithfull must be encouraged , who will force about them , accompanied with good markes of authoritie and trust from hence , will draw in the common people , who already curse their priests and gentry . 10. ships and sea-men are of singular use , both in sea and land service , provided that good intelligence bee kept from spaine , france , and dunkirke , in which worke , and much of the land matters , ten honest faithfull merchants but united , shall doe more than many committees of state , who are ( through much other work ) taken off from attending ad idem , to which i add the necessary use of horse , without which little can be done . 11. the presidents of provinces and countries , must be desired not to suffer great armies to bee kept guarding of their townes and demesnes , but imployed about the generall worke , upon our comming thither , we met with no considerable man , but had most need of us . 12 , one faithfull , honest , able minister is worth five hundred men if planted there , the people being as ignorant of their duty , as sencelesse of their misery , i am bold to thinke if the present advantage were taken of the adventurers ships lying by lymrike and galloway , the places might soone be ours , their domesticke combustions betwixt the old and young merchants , in either being well knowne unto us . this onely i will adde , let england here be quiet , and ireland will not long bee rebellious , which the good god grant for his sons sake . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a90547e-310 iune 29. 30. iuly 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 aug. 1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. a way propounded to make the poor in these and other nations happy, by bringing together a fit, suitable, and well qualified people unto one houshold-government, or little-common-wealth ... whereunto is also annexed an invitation to this society, or little common-wealth / by peter cornelius, van-zurik-zee. plockhoy, pieter corneliszoon, fl. 1659. 1659 approx. 72 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 19 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a54515 wing p1724 estc r10376 12091815 ocm 12091815 53903 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a54515) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 53903) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 76:9) a way propounded to make the poor in these and other nations happy, by bringing together a fit, suitable, and well qualified people unto one houshold-government, or little-common-wealth ... whereunto is also annexed an invitation to this society, or little common-wealth / by peter cornelius, van-zurik-zee. plockhoy, pieter corneliszoon, fl. 1659. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 34, [2] p. printed for g.c. ..., london : [1659] erroneously attributed to hugh peters. for an account of the author and a discussion of this work see: quack, h.p.g. beelden en groepen. 1892, p. 201-213; and bernstein, e. sozialusmus und demokratie. 1922, p. 274-290. "an invitation to the aforementioned society or little common-wealth" has special t.p. date of publication from wing. reproduction of original in newberry library. "a letter written in order to the now mentioned society": ([2] p.) at end. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng cooperative societies -great britain. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-08 rachel losh sampled and proofread 2004-08 rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a way propounded to make the poor in these and other nations happy . by bringing together a fit suitable and well qualified people unto one houshold-government , or little-common-wealth , wherein every one may keep his propriety , and be imployed in some work or other , as he shall be fit , without being oppressed . being the way not only to rid those and other nations from idle , evil and disorderly persons , but also from all such that have sought and found out many inventions to live upon the labour of others . whereunto is also annexed an invitation to this society , or little common-wealth . psalm , 42. 1. blessed is he that considereth the poor , the lord will deliver him in time of trouble ; the lord shall preserve him , and keep him alive , and he shall be blessed upon the earth , by peter cornelius , van-zurik-zee . london , printed for g. c. at the sign of the black spread-eagle at the west-end of paul's church-yard . a way propounded to make the poor in these and other nations happy , &c. having seen the great inequality and disorder among men in the world , that not only evil governours or rulers , covetous merchants and tradesmen , lazie , idle and negligent teachers , and others , have brought all under slaverie and thraldom : but also a great number of the common handy-craft men , or labourers ( by endeavouring to decline , escape or cast off the heavy burthen ) do fill all things with lyes and deceipt , to the oppressing of the honest and good people , whose consciences cannot bear such practises , therefore have i ( together with others born for the common welfare ) designed to endeavour to bring four sorts of people , whereof the world chiefly consists out of several sects into one familie or houshold-government , viz. husband-men , handy-crafts people , marriners , and masters of arts and sciences , to the end that we may the better eschue the yoke of the temporall and spi●●tuall pharaohs , who have long enough domineered over our bodies and souls , and set up again ( as in former times ) righteousnesse , love and b otherly sociab ' enesse , which are scarce any where to be found , for the convincing of those that place all greatnesse only in domineering , and not in well-doing , contrary to the pattern and doctrine of the lord jesus , who came not to be served but to serve , and gave his life a ransome for many ; appointing his kingdom unto his apostles , as it was appointed to him from his father , answering them when they murmured , who after his departure should be the greatest amongst them , said ; if any among you would be greatest , let him be the servant of all . in direct opposition and contradiction to the world where they are accompted the greatest who have most servants , and not they that do most service to others , and therefore the worlds greatness , and the greatness of christians differ as light and darkness , whereas true christians being mercifull doe endeavour to ease mens burthens , instead thereof , others ( as if there were not trouble enough in the world ) are still making the burthen heavier with new devises setting themselves forth daily , in their sight as if their design were to vex and grieve poor people ( and stir them up to impatience ) with their excesse and riot . just as if a physitian that were able to cure the sick should come bragging and make a boast of his skill , to make them the sicker . to this may be added those that are called spirituall persons or clergy-men who perswade people ( that they may the more willingly drudge for them ) to beleeve that they take care of their soules ( as if they could love the soul which they cannot see , and have no compassion on the body which they see , this therefore being deceipt and lies , let us return again to mercifulness which is as well touched with the miseries of the body as with the miseries of the soul se●ling such order or society of mutual love whereby the opressed ( scarce able to breath ) may be brought to rest and enlargment . taking upon them every day ( except the sabboth ) soe many as are fit to work the labour of 6. houres beginning ordinarily , from 9. of the clock in the morning to 12. at noon , and from 3 till 6. at night , if any desires to have an afternoones liberty he may work from 4. o● 6. of the clock in the morning till 10. or 12. at noon or labour another day soe much the more , they that have hard work to doe may begin in sommer morninges while it is co●l , and take their rest , in the heat of the day , bestowing the rest of their time , for the refreshing of their bodies , and profitable excercises of the mind . they that are set on work by us ( being not fit to be of our society ) receiving wages shall work 12. houres in a day , from 6. in the morning to 12. at noon , and from 2 till 8. at night till any of them be fit and willing to come into us . the children of rich people ( who are not of our society ) comming to school ( after we have found out the ablest masters ) to be instructed in arts sciences and languages are every day ( except the sabboth , learning some usefull trade ) to work 3. houres to the end they may allwaies in case of losse and want afterwards get their living without being necessitated to fall upon such courses ( as we see happen often in the world ) as may prove hurtfull to their soules and bodies . the rich people ( being not of our society ) having a desire to dwell amongst us shall not be bound to work , if they will sometimes of themselves do any thing , they will hold forth a good example to all rich time-loosers in the world , and paying for their diet , cloathing , lodging and other necessaries they shall be free . for the beginning & undertaking of this great work it will be good that some able men ( as fathers ) to lay the foundation , for the common welfare doe put in a summe of money to raise a stock , employing the same to buy a piece of land whereupon the husbandman , handy craftsmen , tradesmen , marriners , and others [ comming in with their moveables as cattell , money , or any other commodityes ] may be secured . those that come into our society shall not be bound to make their goodes common for ( according to the tenth commandement ) none ought to covet another mans goodes . if any will out of a free reall and bountifull heart bring in any thing to increase the stock it shall be used for the common benefit , without being appropriated for any mans own in particular . they that will bring in their own landes for the common service may have security upon the same , and for their moveables upon the landes freely given , only it shall be employed for the common welfare without giving interest , if they die , their children or freinds ( that none may suffer wronge ) shall possess the same except they gave it to the society or otherwise . if any be minded to leave the society , they shall not onely receive that which they brought , but also a share of the profit which hath been made since they came to the society if no profit hath been made in their time , they shall receive none , that so they that come into us may not seek their own private gain . a young man or mayd leaving the society , by marrying , or otherwise , shall have a share of the profit , that hath been made since he or shee were of the society ( from their birth or otherwise ) no profit being made , it shall be at the pleasure of the society to give them what they please , for the profit made before belongeth not to them . if any one having brought into the society money or other commodities , afterwardes desires to go out again , they shall acquaint the society thereof , that so there may be care taken to restore it , the summe being not above 100. l. shall be paid as the owner desires , if more , then 100. l. they shall have freedome to pay it within a yeeres time , paying them a quarter of the summe presently ( if they desire it ) that so none may be hindred to leave the society when they please . in case the society hereafter be disturbed or separated by tyranny or otherwise , then shall the landes and monies which was freely given to raise and increase the stock ( all creditors being paid ) come to the benefit of those poor onely who have brought nothing to the society , except there be poor kindred of those that ( out of love ) have given to the stock , such shall have an equall proportion with the others . for the well ordering of our businesse we shall have need of two great houses one in [ or about the ] citty viz. a warehouse for merchants or tradesmen , another in the countrey near a river for the husbandman , handy crafts people , schoolmasters and marriners . the house in the citty so big that 20 , or 30. families may dwell in it , having shopps of severall wares , as cloth , sayes , linnen , men and womens apparrell , stockings , shoes , hatts , and other usefull and necessary thinges , being the foundation of the whole work , not onely by reason of the proffit that comes by trading , but also because all handy-grafts , belonging thereunto depend thereon . our trade will for three sufficient reasons undoubtedly increase , the first is that there will not be overasking in price , but all will be sold at the lowest rate in a word , contrary to the common custome of the world . the second is , that we dwelling at a cheaper rent and living less costly , can make all things better at the price . the third is , that the profit is made use of for the common-good , as well for the honest people of one , as of another sect . at the first we may bring into our scociety , ( besides a beginning of several merchandizes ) for the most part unmarried persons , that with laying out little money may presently be on the getting hand , as cloth , linnen and saye-weavers , taylors , shoo-makers and the like . secondly , barber-chyrurgeans , physitians , and masters of severall arts and sciences ; one that can write extraordinary well , another that understands arithmetick , geometry , astronomy , navigation , italian book-keeping , or merchants accompts . thirdly , some for latin , greek , hebrew and other languages , as also physick , musick , and other usefull things , referring all to a good and spirituall end . our chyrurgeans or physitians shall serve the rich ( without the scociety ) for money , and the poor gratis ; some going abroad to visit patients , and others staying at home ( at certain times , ) to speak with people , that come to them , to shew that they do highly esteem of the life and health of others , as of their own ; this will give an increase to our trading for the common good , the fame thereof being noised round about , and the more when people are sensible that we sell all things at a reasonable rate without deceiving any . they that are rich ( without the society ) seeing that their children are not only well brought up in handy-crafts , but also in languages and other sciences , and in good manners , will encline very much to buy wares of us for their particular families , and merchandizes , and trade increasing , we shall have need of much cloth , sayes , linnen stockings , shooes , hats and other things , these will require cloth , linnen and saye-weavers , whi●sters for blanching , dyers and other handy-crafts , here now will be use for shoep and k 〈…〉 e , not only for their milk and flesh , but also for their wooll and skins , &c. here then is work for our husband man , for the breeding up of cattle , poultry , &c. and especially for tilling the ground for corne , flax , hemp , &c. also gardiners having skill in gardening , for roots , plants and orchards , for fruit , flours and hearbs , as well medicinal ( for our physitians ) as others . for the building of the countrey house ( for the husband-men , handy-crafts people , marriners and masters of arts and sciences ) we have need of brick-makers , brick-layers , carpenters , smiths , as also ship-carpenters , not only to make boats , wherein to fetch and carry goods to and from the city , but also to catch fish for the society , and afterwards to build ships to send to flanders , holland , france and other places sailing with our own people that shall have all things common among them abroad , as well as in the scociety at home , being as welcome , ( having done their duties , ) when they come home from a bad voyage , as from a good ; their ships or goods being lost by storm or otherwise , the loss is to come upon the society in common , which venters no more than what the society can well spare , and may be set forth again as they are able , their wifes and children being alwaies provided with necessaries , as well as others . this house is to be built so far from the water , that there be left a convenient key to deliver goods out of the ships , and if it be possible to bring the water out of the river round about the house , with a draw-bridge , to be secured by night from thieves and robbers , devising two instruments whereby the fish may come out of the river into our water , and not go out again , having our garden for pleasure and necessity behind our house . which house is to be built after a convenient manner , with publick and private places , for freedom and conveniency a chamber & a closset for every man & his wife with a great hall , to lay all things ready made in order , a place to dress victuals , another to eate together a third for the children , also cellars to keep meat and drink ●n , a place for the sick , one for the physitians and chyrurgeans furniture and medicines , one other for all kind of usefull , ( as well natural as spirituall books , maps , and other instruments belonging to liberal arts and sciences , several places for scholars , a place for strangers , &c. who intending to stay any long time , shall do some work , or pay for their lodging and diet . our workfolks and school masters , with their scholars , being brought out abroad into the countrey the city house will be instead of a warehouse , leaving therein besides the physitians , barber chyrurgeans and apothecaries ( who with some trades-men must be in the city , so many merchants ( who shall change by turns , ) as shall suffice to attend the merchandize with ease . our youth being capable of being taught , shall be instructed in ciphering , and keeping books of accompts , that the merchants also may sometimes work , putting every one to that which is fittest for him , as they that have wrought in wooll , to the selling of wool and cloth , they that have been used to flax-threed and weaving , to the selling of flax and linnen , tanners and shoe makers , to sell leather , and so in all things else . also it will be necessary , that in the warehouse in the citty , there be some men women and children ; not only to make apparrell , and to have other thinges ready made ; but especially to serve every one , as there shall be occasion , making all thinges for sale without unnecessary trimminges , unless that any buying of us would have any trimming upon them , those we shall endeavour to g●ve content , if they bring to us those unnecessary timmings , which we our selves have not , doing our endeavour to keep their custom , that so in time they may be convinced of their folly , being better with us , who give them reasons for alterations , than with others who bolster them up in pride and excesse . if the making and selling of thinges unnecessary were sin , then it should be quite forborn , then must all unnecessary thinges ( though a shop were worth 1000. l. ) be burnt or destroyed , and all the children be presently taken from those trades , that depend upon pride and vanity . it is to be considered that the eating of the tree of knowledg was evill , but not the making many thinges are for triall , what is in the hearts of men , if we will not serve those worldly people that come to us , then our youth that sometimes desire to travel into other countryes will be necessitated allwayes to be at home , because they cannot serve any masters that work for vain-glorious men . every 6. or 12. monthes an account shall be given , & what is overpluss above necessity , a part shall be distributed to men and women , also young men and maides , that so every one may have wherewithall to give to the poor , or to pleasure his freind , in some speciall manner . one man alone ( though he were chief of the whole society ) shall not be master of the cash , or treasury , but three of the uppermost in the government , shall allwayes have the keyes ; so that one , or two , unless the third were with them should not be able to open the chest , a threefold cord doth not easily break , saith solomon . none is to rule longer than one year , least he domineer in his office , and others seeking his favour , play the hippocrites . a man about 40. yeares of age , shall be chosen chief governour of the whole society , every one giving his voyce for him , that he judgeth to be fit . this man having governed one year , a new choice shall be made , with liberty to choose him again that last governed , as well as any body else , by this m●anes he that hath a mind to continue in the government will have an inducement to rule well , that he having the favour of the people , may be chosen again , not that any governour is to rule according to his own pleasure , but according to such orders , as the whole people shall make except in small matters , wherein they cannot convenien ly make any certain order , but who would not rather ( if no benefit come of ruling ) work quietly 6. houres in a day , then to be in a perpetuall disturbance of his thoughts , being imployed in multiplicity of businesses . here none is to be chosen for his riches or wealth , as we see come to pass in the world , ( to the ruine almost of all commonwealths , ) but for his w●sdome . men and women having the oversight of meat , drink and other things , shall govern by turns , and in case some would rather keep to their ordinary work , they shall be passed by , and others put in their stead , 10. or 12. men and women . having governed half a year , 5. or 6. of them shall go off , and 5. or 6 others come in their stead , the other continuing half a year longer to instruct them that do newly come in , with what they are not acquainted , having so many young people to do the hardest work , as shall be requ●site who being come to years , and having gotten experience , shall also rule ●ver others , for it doth suit the aged to give orders , and the young to obey . the maides shall not only be fitted to do the housewifery , and order children , but also in case hereafter they be minded to leave the society , they shall learn a good handy-craft trade , that so whether they leave the society , or come to be married , they may be able to get a livelyhood , sometimes taking their turns one with another , that so they may continue fit for working and housewifery . in this house every one shall be able quietly to do his work , because none shall have more than one single work to mind : 5. women in our society , when all things are done orderly , shall have no more business to trouble their heads with , than one woman in her own private family . besides the quiet and ease that we shall have by the helping one another ; it will also be very profitable to dwell together , for whereas in 100. families dwelling apart , we should stand in need of at least 100. women to do the housewifery ; now b●inging 100. families together , the same may be done with 25. women , the rest ( when they shall be fit , ) being imployed about some work ; together with men for the common good , which many women will rather do , than to be a whole day troubled with diversities of cares . whereas in 100. families there will be need of 100. fires every day to be made , bringing so many families together , we shall be able to make shift with 4. or 5. great sires and furnaces , out to boyl and reast meat , another where the children are , a third where men , women , young men and maides meet together at meals , sitting at the table in order , ( as joseph's brethren ) the women over against the men , young men next their fathers , and maides next their mothers , the young people waiting by turns at the table , that so one may not be respected above the other , neither will it be needfull ( being assured of one anothers love ) to use the ceremonies of putting off the hat , or common drinking to one another , yet not to hinder any man from shewing his hearty love to a stranger , or otherwise . meat , drink , and all other things will cost us the less , because we buy a great quantity at once , also we shall our own selves breed up kine , sheep , hens , ducks , and other things , having garden and orchard , fruits from our gardeners and husband-men , fish from our fisher-men , making drink for necessity , and refreshment for our selves . our rules and laws being few , are to be only for necessity , not to take away any ones liberty , leaving them alwaies open to the tryall of all rationall men , that so self seeking ( to be more or above others , in natural or spirituall matters , ) may be discovered and excluded . if any desires to marry , he shall not be tyed to marry one of our society , if he will have a vertuous person abroad , out of the society , and dwell with her , or have her come into the society , every one is left to his liberty . all things wherein the kingdom of god doth not consist , ( not contradicting scripture or reason ) are to be left free , as the outward form of baptisme , the lords supper and the like , because in the omitting of such things there seems to be more danger than in performing of them . the apparrel should be fitted for the body , and convenient for the work without being tyed to fashion , colour , or stuff , only the unnecessary trimmings to be forborn , that gods creatures , which he hath made , be not misused . if any that have an estate , desire to have stuff , cloth , or other things finer than others , they may adde to it so much of their own money , as it will cost more , for it will be a demonstration to the poor ( without the society , ) that he hath an ability above others to relieve them . in all handy crafts we shall appoint the best work-men for masters , who as well as others are to work 6. hours . whereas now men in the world do conceal their skill from one another , for their own private advantage , here in our society they are to bring it in , and impart it to the common well-fare , being the only way to find out the height , depth length and bredth of all things . the children of the poor are to be brought up ( to the comfort of their parents ) as well as the children of the rich , they learning instead of one , sometimes 2. or 3. handy-crafts , being alwaies chearfull by not being oppressed with bondage and slavery , as commonly is seen amongst children of the world , especially in england , who must endure ( many times ) to pass through 7 years , as slaves under the turk , on the contrary the children of our society shall be alwaies in our eyes , working no longer every day than 6. houres ; the remainder of the time , being to be spent in other usefull imployments , that they may be fitted for somewhat ells besides working . they are to be taught onely necessary and allwayes usefull trades , that they may continually , howsoever the world changes , get their li 〈…〉 ing , for some having learned onely useless handy-crafts , oftentimes through the change of the world , ( which falls into some other way and custome ) come to poverty and want . whereas the traders in the world do oppress their workmen , with heavy labour , and small wages , instead thereof with us the gain of the tradesmen will redound to the benefit and refreshment of the workmen . and whereas the traders of the world , seeking after their own particular profit and advantage , are continually betwixt hope and fear , now here in our society , every one is quietly to mind his business , at the set time , for the loss that is suffied lieth upon none in particular . in the selling of our commodities , seing there is no overasking , it will give occasion to others ( that are not willing to lose their customers , ) to imitate us , it being the true way to rid the world of that deceitfull practise , and we being in no sumptuous expensive way , can afford our commodities at a better rate or better wa●e for money , whereby we reach the world ( because they can get little ) to keep within compass , instead whereof , they now dayly provoke and grieve poor people with their excess and riot . in observance of the words of christ to give to cesar the thinges that are cesars , we are to pay taxes and tribute to the magistrates , being in subjection under all humane ordinances , which are not contrary to the will of god . such tradesmen or merchants that are honest , and cannot well provide for themselves , may timely ( before they be necessitated to wronge any one ) turn in to us . any honest persons , through sickness , want of trading , work or otherwise , being in poverty and debt , may be brought to rest , by making an agreement with their creditors , if mercifull , or if unmercifull , to give them all they have , in full satisfaction . a family being united and conjoyned with us , and being come to be se●●ed ●n quiet , will make known their welfare to others , and men perceiving that the profit and benefit is extended to the refreshing of the oppressed , among all sects , will readily come to us , to buy commodities , and provision being made aforehand , all thinges will follow in order . any handycrafts men , or tradesmen , may be in fear , ( the business being not setled ) to make a beginning , doubting that he removing from his particuler employment to this common soc●ety ( by loosing some customers ) shall want a subsistance , but considering the opportunity to have the custome of all those that dwell with him , is freed from that fear ; neither doth any one stand singly by himself alone . any by sickness or otherwise bec●me indisposed , the rest ( being united as members of one body ) shall work for him ; and we being assured of one anothers faithfullness , shall exceed in love , all other societies . it is far otherwise with us than in hospitalls of old men , and women , where they come in out of necessity ( not being able otherwise to provide for themselves ) for their own benefit onely , with their contentions , opposition and deeply rooted infirmi●ies , having oftentimes their bodies by hard labour spoiled and made decrepite , and their mindes corrupted by evill manners , being many times besides a deep stupid ignorance , so ill natured , that no reason can sink into them . some handy craftsmen as smithes , carpenters , and others , do undergo often upon hope to attain ease from labour , 20. or 30. yeares allmost intollerable labour , letting out their money to interest , that it may increase ; and sometimes loose principall and all , that they have so surely laboured for , or else come to dy , before they have given themselves to rest often leaving their estates to the destruction of their children in the world , who in pleasure and voluptuousness do consume what the parents have gotten and gained with soe great labour , and sometimes it comes to such handes , which in their life time they grutched should have it , who after their death laugh at them for their labour , sometimes the●r children and relations long for their death ; and when they do live long enough to use their estates themselves , then oftentimes their bodies which they have spoiled with working , will suffer them to take no rest . on the contrary , there will be no need in our society , to take any care or to make provision for the aged time , or day of sickness , nor for children ; for the aged will be better looked after then the young , the sick than the healthfull , and the children after the death of their parents , than before . any leaving their children in such a society , doth better than if they left them much money , because they are under the eyes and inspection of many good people , and are sure of necessaries ; whereas otherwise being brought up by others , are many times spoyled by their parents estates , being the fruits of their labours . if any fall sick in our society , he hath not only that which he stands in need of , but besides , he is freed from all worldly incumbra 〈…〉 , for all things being in order , all things are taken care of without him , on the contrary men commonly in the world are busied with their affairs , as long as they have understanding . some being healthfull , and able with their trade or merchandize to get more than others , are commonly not inclined to come into us , because they love their private gain more than the common good ; but considering how soon their health may be lost , it will be reasonable for them , ( without delay , ) to desire such a wished estate and condition for themselves and families . covetousness , excesse , lying and deceit , together with all the evils that spring up out of riches , or poverty , will be excluded from us , who maintain equality , if any be minded to live disorderly in drunkeness , adultery , whoredom , &c. he can have no entertainment in our society , neither will he be willing to come in to the company of the vertuous , for he that doth evil , hateth the light , and cometh not to the light , that his works may not be reproved , but who so doth the truth , cometh to the light , that it may be manifest , that his works are done in god. many finding no rest in their present estate and condition , and being wearied with all the differences in spirituall , as in worldly matters , will be ready to come in to us . some teachers being convinced of their perverting and erroneous teaching , would sincerely gain-say all falshood and errours , if they did but discern that there were an opportunity to get their living otherwise , whereas now , being not strong enough to bear poverty and reproch , they remain in their old condition to the destruction of their souls . many young men and maides being wearied under the slavery and service of others , would for the ease of their bodies , and advantage or profit of their souls come in to us , whereas otherwise they are often times stired up , and provoked ( by reason of hard , strict , severe masters and mistrisses ) to wicked and desperate resolutions , either by marrying an unfit person , and so casting away themselves , or giving themselves up to some evil course , as we often see come to passe in the world. the women in our society having lost their husbands , they and their children are cared for , whereas else dwelling by themselves , they are oftentimes forced ( together with their little ones ) to pass their lives in poverty and grief , sometimes receiving relief of the rich with reprochfull languages , to the increase of their grief , some being in the prime of their years are disregarded , but in our society children ( whether few or many ) are no hinderance . those among us that desire to marry , will not so easily ( having seen one anothers conversation ) be deceived , as they are now in the world. young men and maides are forced oftentimes for want of opportunity to pass their years in solitariness , contrary to their natures : this trouble will be taken away in our society when they need not look after house or houshold stuff ; but without care they may marry , if they can affect one another , doing their usuall work as before . parents when their children come to marry , are not disquieted to provide what is required for an houshold or trade , the fear , they should have no custom or work , cannot seize upon the children , so that they may the better live together in love , whereas else for want of custom or work they wish they had never been married yea sometimes that they had never been born , they cannot mind themselves and children as is fit , partly for want of time and partly for d●st action of thoughts , so that the parents with their children instead of joy and comfort , oftentimes do live in nothing but sadness and calamity . some husbands and wifes , instead of growing in love , and being loving , gentle and meek to their servants and children , do through too much care and vexation , fall into disorderly manner , they become murmuring one against another , whence commonly evil and wicked resolutions are begotten , the women living by themselves , are so tyed to their families , that they can go no whither with quietness , on the contrary in our society we shall have opportunity for every thing . the children are not to be taught any humane forms of religion , but the writings of the saints , and natural arts , sciences and languages , that their understandings ( before they have the use of reason ) be not spoyled , as for the most part is done amongst all people and nations in the world ; on the contrary it is to be imprinted in them , that they ought not in spirituall matters to believe any but those that have the spirit of god , doing miracles as the prophets , and apostles , for our faith ought not to depend upon mens wordes , but upon the power ( or wonderfull workes ) of god : so doing there will be no foundation for sects , factions , and schismes layd in their heartes . there shall be built a great meeting place , not onely for our family or society , but also for all rationall men , round about with seates , rising one higher than another , that every one may be seen ; having before them convenient leaning places , to read , and write upon ; alsoe one desk on one side , or end , to read the holy scripture , at a set time , giving liberty ( after that reading ) to every one to propound somewhat for mutuall edification , none being tyed ( unless himself think fit ) to anothers matter to follow , or gain-say it . for in spirituall things , we acknowledg none but christ for head and master ; who of old hath appoynted in his church apostles , prophets , evangelists , pastors and teachers , these having through the spirit of god , ( which led them into all truth ) brought forth ( and left behind them ) the writings of the new testament , we own for embassadors , and their wordes ( without any interpretations of men ) for our rule and plummet , keeping in remembrance when we meet together , that we must allow that liberty of speaking , to others , which we desire our selves , without tying any one to our opinion , maintaining a firm friendship with such , who have renounced all unreasonable thinges contrary to scripture : without stumbling at any differences , which do not hinder love and piety : for our children without doubt , will be of differing opinions , and yet no reason , when they do not hinder the common welfare ; to exclude them from our society . it ought also to be considered that the most differences ( dwelling together ) by time , and liberty of speaking , will cease to bee . the more , because with us , noe loss will be suffered , by the changing of our opinion ; for the most part of the differences ( in spirituall and worldly matters ) arise from a consideration of a wordly advantage , which if in the world abroad as in our society were taken away , evill and false opinions would soon fall to the ground , but the teachers being spirituall captaines , would rather ( as to the generallity ) for there own profit have wairs than peace in christendome , and therefore they having made an incurable rent , do set people one against another ; which makes it appear that by nature the people are not at so great a distance , as they now appear to be , contrary to this we intend , that we may bring the good people out of all 〈…〉 cts to 〈…〉 ty , setting our meeting-place open to all rational men , strictly watching that antichrist ( who exalts himself above others ) may be continually shut out by exactly observing that no preheminency ●or sole priviledge be granted to any , of offering any thing , or of speaking first , that so every one being at liberty , and unhindered may bring forth that which is most conducing to the common welfare , according to the words of paul , 1. cor. 14. 26. all of them sitting still so long after the reading of the scripture ( as being swift to hear and slow to speak ) till any think it fit ( in his juditious and humble mind ) to propose any thing for edification , endeavouring withall to make his discourse short , that another may have his turn likewise , contrary to the custom of the common teachers , who only ( or solely ) speaking , do lengthen their discourse , to the wearying of their auditory , for which end the moderators ( who ought to be meek and understanding men ) are to observe , that there be due order kept . the reader may be pleased to remember , that such onely shall be received into our society , or little commonwealth , as are honest , rationall , impartiall persons , and for others who are not so , they shall receive wages , for their work , and go to their own houses , or lodging places , till they are fitted and prepared to be members of our society , which consist only of four sortes of people . viz. 1. husbandmen . 2. marriners . 3. masters of arts and sciences . 4. usefull handy craft-people smiths of all sortes . carpenters . ship-carpenters . brick-makers . brick-layere . masons . stone-cutters . brasiers . pewterers . plummers . tin-men . founders . wheelwrightes . millwrightes . millars . bakers . brewers . butchers . stillars of strong waters . tallow-chandlers . basket-makers . brush-makers . turners of all sortes . instrument-makers . ioyners . weavers of all sortes . fullers . diers . tanners . curriers . shoo-makers . skinners . glovers . hat-makers . woll-combers . knitters . rope-makers . sayl-makers . net-makers . compass-makers . paper-makers . printers . book-binders . painters . potters . plate-workers . ingravers . wier-drawers . pin-makers . nodle-makers . hooks and eyes makers . looking-glass makers . twisters . taylors . button-makers . combe-makers . coopers . cutlers . glass-makers . glasiers . glue-boylers . sope-boylers . sak-boylers . sadlers . sieve-makers . spectacles-makers . sheeremen . vvhitstars . vvatch-makers . barbers . ch●rurgeons . phisitians . &c. one society being setled in order ( as a nursery ) about london , to imploy the poor , we may have a second about bristoll , and another in ireland , where we can have a great deal of land for little money ; and plenty of wood for building of houses , ships , and many other thinges . an invitation to the aforementioned society or little common-wealth : shewing the excellency of the true christian love , and the folly of all those who consider not to what end the lord of heaven and earth hath created them . matt. 12. 50. whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in heaven , the same is my brother , and sister , and mother . london , printed for g. c. at the sign of the black-spread-eagle at the west-end of paul's church-yard . an invitation to the aforementioned society or little common-wealth , &c. though men are bound one to another , upon several accompts , and knit together with very streight bonds , and that the likeness either of manners , or of life and conversation ; or of parentage and education , begets a mutuall friendship between them , yet this is the most perfect , and of all others the most blessed ; when god by the dispensation of his secret counsell , joyned some such together , as do agree with his divine will , and with the rules of nature , and they will not exchange their union or fellowship for all the riches in the world. but the more divine this state of friendship is , the seldomer it is seen amongst us , and the more is sathan that enemie of mankind against it ; who knows full well , that he hath not so much right or power to meddle with this holy fire , and the matter which maintaineth it , as he hath , where either recreation or advantage is only looked after , which kind of friendship he useth with very little trouble to dissolve ; but in this way of amity god only is the bond , wherewith they are tyed together without being lyable to be unloosed , and upon which foundation being fixed , they resolve to withstand all aslault● whatsoever . if then there be any felicity in the life of man , or any efficacious remedy to prevent his future miserie : i conceive nothing was ever more solacing or reviving and coming nearer to the divine nature than love , viz. true love , which doth so communicate it self in and to that wherewith it reciprocates , that it seems to have exchanged therewith , and made over thereto , whatsoever it did possess before , so that amongst true friends there is such an agreement , that no secret , no joy , no profit , nor any cross or affliction is undivided , but whatsoever betides either of them , is no otherwise than if it were the change of one alone , so that death it self can scarce seperate soules , so totally united , certainly the heathens , who in all thinges pursued that which they esteemed best , found nothing more excellent , and delightfull then perfect freindship . but how far doth christ excell all others in love , who by his doctrine and example , hath instituted a partnership or society of mutuall love ; by the denomination of brethren ; abollishing amongst his disciples , all preheminency , or domineering , of one , over another , requiring that the gifts , and meanes of subsistance in the world , ( for necessity and delight ) should be common ; having called his people to a moderation , and to a life suitable to pure nature , so that all christendome ought to be meerly , a certain great fraternity consisting of such as ( having denyed the world and their own lustes ) conspire together in christ , the sole head and spring of love ; doing well to one another , and for his sake distribute their goodes to those that stand in need . oh that we had this perfection ? and were answerable to the end of our creation ; certainly there would not be such going to law ; such intrenching and incroaching of the boundes of landes , such hiding , and close locking up of money , nor would there be such scraping together of superfluous estates . oh totall summ and highest pitch of all good ? if any may be admitted and that in due time to this divine favour for even many decrepit aged persons do seldome attain to this ; to be desirous to live after such a manner : emperours , kinges , princes , &c. having spent all their yeares , all their strenght of body and soul , have little or no time left them , to serve a better master , than the world , and therefore if god do joyn some such together as endeavour after a life more regular then their former , each of them being at a losse for a companion to better and promote his resolution , one to whom he may communicate his secrets , a freindly reprover of his errors , a reclaimer of him from the worldes alurements , a comforter in adversity , a moderator of ioy in prosperity , and in all respects a sharer in that which god hath liberally given ; and last of all one ready for all cases and conditions that may happen i say and judge , that these are the happiest of all persons that ever were upon the earth . for as no painfuller or miserabler thing can be thought on , than that life which a man lives according to the course of this world , so nothing is more acceptable and lovely in the universe , then that harmony and concord , which hath its originall from god , and influence upon the man , that is joyned with his fellow man , so agreeable to his mind ; which certainly can be found , no where but there onely where a firm love , agreement and concerning will in well doing , as also a liberall distribution and imparting , of all created thinges is entertained . it is evident , that the most wise god , would honour the sacred society of matrimony , with the utmost perfection of this so great love ; since they that are so joyned together and built upon the right foundation , have not onely their goodes , but also their joyes and griefes , common ; and cannot be severed , by any kind of reproaches , or malitious endeavours of the envious . the world hath her delights in different degrees of dignities , states , titles , and offices ; exalting themselves one above another ; but christ on the contrary will that every one shall perform his office as a member of one and the same body , in which no one exalteth it self , nor accounteth it self worthier than other , the eye is not puffed up because it sees ; the foot is not grieved that it sees not : if any member in the body be blemished it is carefully covered by the other , if any be weak it is dilligently provided for by the rest , whereas on the contrary every one in the world , which by his office or title is differenced , from others conceives he is quite another thing and in himself better than others and must be reputed , for one that is set together and composed , of some finer substance , and designed to a sweeter life , yea to an higher place in heaven then others . now if you do but divest and strip the world of her riches , honours , and state ; how naked , and refully forlorn will she remain , and how far different will she be found from that she seems to bee ; and then it will be easy to beleave , that she is shored up by nothing ells but wormeten propps , which if they were once pulled away they would be fitted and made free for the imitation of christ. do but see oh man ! what kind of thinges they are , which do shut the door against true love ; and hinder communion or fellowship with christ viz. nugatory , frivelous thinges and trifles which onely consisteth in avain esteem and opinion , which some of the very heathens who saw a little further than others , did oftentimes laugh at . 1. first riches and estates , which assoon as our natures are satisfied , are alltogether superfluous , and very troublesome ; the vanity whereof who doth not see it they are a burthen to the rich , causing them to fill their houses with variety of costly furniture , which in many years ( or never ) happens not to be usefull to them ; they are a trouble to get them , a perplexity to keep them , and a grief to part with them ; their houses are spacious and great , so that there is either much void and empty room within , or else they put themselves to a great deal of trouble and molestation in furnishing and filling them ; their cloths are so dainty and curious , that they cannot sit down any where with freedom , nor stand with ease , nor scarce walk any where without fear of spoyling their apparrel , and unless they have some to behold their splendor , all is little to them , but if they have spectators , they fear some will lurch , and others fi●ch away from them , their sleep is almost none , oh how great a misery and burden is it to be laden with riches ! secondly , honour and dignities , which if we measure according to the design of nature , and the rule of christ , may not otherwise be distinguished than by several names or denominations of divers members of one and the same body , the name of the tongue is that any more worthy name than the name of the finger , the name of the eye , is that more excellent than the name of the brest , no certainly , that whereby the members are differenced , doth not lift them up , as with us the name of lord and gentlemen puffeth up , and what else is it but a meer name , the vanity whereof who sees it not ? the very foundation of it is nothing else but the noyse of the tongue , and the report of others , or the knee , or the hat , all fleeting and variable things that are to be bought for a very small matter , and yet we are often times so foolish , that though such things commonly come not from the heart , neither are fruits of an upright and sincere mind ; nay when on the contrary our own mind do suggest to us , that there is i know not what kind of tacit derision in it , and doth often times signifie nothing else but hatred and ill will , yet we do delight in such trifles , and give way to them so far , that we will rather hear a lye from a notorious parasite or slatterer , if it be but on our side , then to hear the truth from an honest man if it cross our interest . do but now cast up thy account ; oh man ! how dearly thou hast ventured to buy the friendship of the world , which yet thou never foundest to be thy friend , but feignedly and that for a spirt , on the contrary consider how little or almost nothing thou hast bestowed to answer the love of god , who nevertheless would have been the most assured , and most faithfull , and unchangeable friend . thou hast trimmed and decked thy body , and in apparrel thou hast been passing sumptuous , that some silly creature might gaze on thee with admiration : in feasts thou hast been prodigall that thy companions and associates might commend thee ; thou hast distributed thy gifts and presents , that thou mayst seem liberal ; thou hast put forth thy art and skill , that thou mayst be called and accounted learned ; thou hast dawbed thy house with many colours , to cause them to stand still that pass by . in the mean time thy reward hath been nothing else but a great toyl , and the suddain uncomposed disagreeing and unreasonable . judgement and censure of other men ; consider in the mean while , whether thou hast provoked god thereby , or honoured him , it is most certain that thou mightest have served god , and have performed the office of love to thy neighbour , at a far cheaper rate , for by how much profuse & lavish thou hast been in the service of the world , by so much the more hast thou been partimonious and sparing in the service of god , for it is evident the world requires costly attendance , as to all her matters , being never solicitous of the heart , how it stands with that , if you be but carefull that nothing be wanting in outward appearance , in dissembling and complemental deportments ; or if there be but ceremony and externall semblance , and fine shew enough , so that by the very aspect , it is plain that the slaves of the world may be discerned from the true servants of god ; in as much as the first are movable , flexible , fickle and variable ; but the latter have their eyes alwaies fixed upon the mark , which is set before them . if we but once bring our selves to the touch , and travel through the world with a free and pure mind ; we shall be able to obtain so much from our selves , as in christian simplicity , silence and unincumbredness to exclude the wisdom , eloquence and prudence of the world , concluding , ( as in truth it is ) that nothing is to be compared with our master christ , and that none other knows any thing or can give any counsell that is savingly profitable but he , nor shall we repute them happy who have no other character or superscription than the worlds endowments , knowing that worldly knowledge is not so great a thing as it is commonly esteemed ; forasmuch as under the title and disguise of learned , the very shame of being found ignorant doth with many inventions and cheating subterfuges , endeavour the hiding of it self from being discovered to the eyes of the common people . shall we never be able to attain to that equal judgement in putting a true value upon reall vertue where so ever it be found , as well in a prince ; and to leave of more to admire the ornaments of a magistrate , than the office he sustaines , and esteeming less of poverty , than of superfluity , of the honour , then of the state , of a good conscience less then of a popular or vain applause , of a peice of bread , then of dilicious dainties , of water then wine ; of a green bink of turf , then of a costly couch , shall we not be able to arive to this , to esteem one only sentence of the holy scriptures more , than the highest accuteness , of all the worlds philosophy , we shall be able to do it , if we did well weigh , that the worldes turn , is but a short comedy , and that we are but actors , who appear no more than once upon the stage : and if we did seriously consider , that all thinges are described , and represented to us in the world , far otherwise , than they are in themselves , but especially when we have well pondered , that honest and godly people , after a very little while are to expect , a participation and enjoyment , of another kind of honour and dignity , than any the world promiseth . shall we never be able to attain to this , to choose rather to lay up our estates in the hungry bellies of the poor , than in a few bags , to lay the foundation of our prayse upon the prayers of the poor to make the cross of christ our glory , and not to eschew the disfavour of man , as the reward of our weldoing ; in a word , to put of all desire of fame and renown , as also to refer all desire of revenge to the iudgment of christ , we shall be able to do all this if we forgetnot , that our god is the most faithfull of all debtors , and the most sure of all securities if also we never forget , that his praise which shall be given to us , in the presence of men and angells is the most glorious praise , and that his renumerations and recompences are the most noble , and everlasting . to how happy an hour are we born , if we do enter upon this communion or fellowship , and from how many vexations will it releaseus whereof the heathens , having attained but a shaddow , how magnanimously did they in their mindes , sore alost above all kinges and worldly glory ; how did they despise all terrene affayres ( as they that from above look down upon that which is below ) and had pitty on them , and so did indeed a voyd the greatest miseries of mans life . but since christian religion is come into the world it is a wonderfull thing to consider , what a light brake in together with it , viz. such a light that all they whose hartes were touched therewith ; throwing all from them , betook themselves to it for refuge , as to a true and sledfast liberty after a long and horrible captivity , easily forgetting their riches , state , rule and possession , forsaking parents , wife , children , relations and whatsoever before was most near and dear unto them , not being by any temptations of tyrants , to be drawn from the sweetness of the christian life . the same have appeared in the memory of our forefathers , when the bondes of antichrist ( it is strange to think how firm they were ) were broken when they who a little before were forced to creep upon the ground , began to rise up , with what readiness , that tyrannicall worship of invocating so many deceased saints , was rejected , and the unconfined worship of god reentertained , and with what readiness that vain ( though gainfull ) fancy of invocating christ by so many intercessions came to nought ; so that it appeares in all respectes , how much god hath chalked out in nature it self , the pure and true worship , as also the amicable and freindly conversation of man , and likewise how easily those thinges which are contrary thereto perish , and come to nothing , and how far our religion with draweth us from all theatricall or stageplay , gestures , and countenances , and all those troublesome ceremonies , wherewith we torture our selves , in speaking , eating , saluting , walking , cloathing , yea and in all the actions of our life : but on the contrary how conformable it maketh us , to the celestiall hierarchy and naturall pollicy , and yet in these petty and altogether childish thinges , men are so hard to be convinced , and drawn of from them , as if all their well being depended thereon ; and the beatitude or happiness of all mankind , had all its foundation therein and never give so much scope to reason and well guided understanding , as either to acknowledg their vani●y , or if it be known to them rather to throw it of , then to retayn and daily augment it , with new and exottick bawbles . intruth as often as we do strictly ponder , to what end god the creator and ruler of all thinges , hath brought every one of us into this great fabrick of the world , and yet for us to observe . that the life of allmost all men is either unprofitable , idle , wicked , or hurtfull to mankind we have reason to be affrayd , and jelous of our selves , least peradven ure either by the corruption of the times , or our education , we have applied our selves to some manner of life , which is not suiteable to the will of god , and the end of our creation being not able to give a just accompt , wherein we have lived to the glory of god , and the advantage of mankind . certainly to have eaten , to have drank , to have slept , yea , to have read much , writ much , seen , heard and travelled much , and let this also be added , to have managed an estate , to have kept hounds , horses and servants , to have had arts and learning in great esteem , to have trimmed up houses , to have often made banquets , to have born titles of honour , to have collected many books together ; in a word , to have been imployed , and very busie , to the uttermost , in things that do not relate or belong to christ , let them be what they will : certainly all that will ne 〈…〉 , satisfie god , nor endure the touth or tryall of the fire but being consumed as stubble , will leave man bare and naked , a male , factor , and guilty in the presence of god , for his lost time , and hisneglect of friendship and union with god , together with the neglect of the endowments , as well of body , as of spirit , so that there will be an horrible distance between them , and those whose faith in god , and love to man , have been sted fast and firm . let us take heed bretheren , least those among us who either in understanding , learning , riches , beauty or arts , excell others , do conceit that god is therefore more gracious and favourable to them than others , and that they have attained to the best life , for such men do grossely deceive themselves , because the manner of gods judgeing is quite different from that of the world , his eyes are quite other kind of eyes , and his pollicy differs from the worlds pollicy , as much as heaven from earth , as one who choseth the unworthy ; and dispised , rejecteth and abhorreth that which the world do highly esteem . if any think this our society or fellowship to be a new thing , so that he cannot ( as it was in old time , ) so much as poynt out five pair of such friends , he hath reason with me to lament , that while men do curiously , and with anxitie of mind , search into the other course of the stars and planets ; the vertues of plants and vegetables , yea , into the very bowels of the earth ; yet they are so neglective of their salvation , that they do not in the least so much as seek and look after that life , for which they would not need so much silver and gold , so many titles of honour , so many buildings , such clothes , so much furniture for their houses , so many messes and dishes at their meals , so many arms and ammunition , or warlike provisions , so many judgements or decrees of law , so many medicines , nor so many bookes , all which are causes of vast trouble ; so that the men of the world themselves ( if they were but wise ) would auoid these occasions , or ( as they themselves do confess ) necessitys of sinning . this society or fellowship hath not alwaies been so rare , and so thin sowen , but was very rise in the primitive times , till the enemies of the first innocencie did insinuate themselves thereunto , whereby the life which men were bound to live , as in obedience to the laws of christ , began to be accounted such as a man may chose whether he would imbrace or no , and take up a meritorious and superoragatory life , comprising such a sanctimony or holyness as was more than necessary to salvation , and was only to be used by such as desired a greater reward in heaven than others ; which opinion gave a beginning to many orders of lazie and wanton beasts , ( i mean monks and the l●ke ) and of many thousand fables and cheats , which th●ngs when men came to themselves , they did justly reject , and when they are grown wiser , they will again totally cast off . even those poor ones , who now scrape and take together the riches of the world ; as also those ( seeming ) humble and lowly persons that now take up the high seats of the world , and such pretended simple ones , who now fill and disturb the whole world with their cunning and deceit . but for us let us hold fast that which is in this life , the best thing , viz. the universal love to gods creation , and if we be insufferable to the world , and they be incorrigible , or unbette able , as to us , then let us reduce our friendship and society to a few in number , and maintain it in such places as are separate from other men , where we may with less impediment or hinderance , love one another , and mind the wonders of god , eating the bread we shall earn with our own hands , leaving nothing to the body , but what its nakedness , hunger , thirst , and wearyness calls for to help our necessity and health , then it will appear how many things we may well be without , what things we may refrain , and what kind of matters we ought not to know how many things we may avoid , in what things we may best quiet our selves , and how far easier we may satisfie christ in his little ones with a penny , than the world with a pound . for princes are not born on purpose to reare up stately palaces , the learned are not born for the writing of many unprofitable , and for the most part frivolous books ; the rich are not born to boast of their gold , silver , and christal vessels ; the rest of the people are not born for so many various unprofitable handy-crafts ; in a word , mankind is not born , for so many kinds of education , of being rich , and running into excess , but all these racks of the mind , it hath invented of it self , and now made a custom and habittual , so that it hath made the life more grievous , to it self every day , under so many painfull and laboursome inventions . now i would that they that stand and admire , at the fine wits of our age , and the sublime learning of our times ; did but consider with me , whether those thinges which daily please our eyes , with their novelty ; be indeed such , for which we may justly rejoyce or whether on the contrary , it were not much better , since they are the cause of so many griefes , and troubles in mans life , that we were wished and advised , by our learned men , to put them away far from us . for what greater fruit of wisdome , or what greater glory of the new revived learning , could their possibly be , then by that to bring humane matters to such aposture , that we may attribute our well being , and felicity , in this life , to them under god , that by the whole some instruction thereof , that which is superfluous , useless and unnecessary , might be thrown away , and that which is nugatory , trifling and unprofitable might be cut of , and that we might truely be distinguished , from the life of the barbarous and savage people , not by bookes , nor by titles of honour , nor by universitys but by such mor●ality as christian philosophy doth prescribe . let there come forth from the studdies , and libraries , of our wisemen , into the light , not a continuation , or prosecution of old errours ; or an heaping up of new to the old but on the contrary , a rule or direction , for a new and reformed life in christ , which may demonstrate , that as we are professors of the best religion , we are also imitators of the best life ; then shall we return to their society or fellowship , and be subject to their good lawes , and orders ; and observe their rationall customes . in the mean time , let them not take it ill , that we do not make any great accompt , of these sciences that are voyd of christ ; that we do not desire to know them , and if we have drunk in any such , yet we desire to unlearn them , and with singleness of hart , to become as children , who are altogether unacquainted , with voluptuousness , ceremonies , riches , and foolish labour , hence forward we desire to live towards god in unincumbredness , voyd of carking for the multiplicity of supernecessary thinges , exercising a delight , in reall equallity , & for the rest acknowledg christ onely , for our lord and master , and in this school of his , we hope that neither divine misteries , nor secrets of nature , nor the contemplation of rare matters , shall be wanting to us , since he so merly hath made it evident by the example of his apostles and 〈…〉 ly men , how powerfull he is in teaching , and then especially he displayeth his riches , and openeth his unexhaustible treasures , when humane wisdom ceased , and the skill of the world melteth a way . but that we now are so weak , and that the strength of our religion is grown so faint with us , that the majesty of the divine presence , with the miraculous working is removed from us , whom shall we accuse for this , but our selves , who in the midst of the divine light , have scarce retained any more than the bare name , being content if we may but be called christians , as to the rest being altogether like to the world ; so that it is no mervail that we who do not excell others in the pursuit of honest actions , as justice , mercy , and the propagation of the name of christ , nor in the education of children ; do not also in the least go beyond them in those gifts which were peculiar , to upright and zealous christians , and yet we ought in so clear a light of the gospel , as we have to be so far distinguished , as to excell other men , so that if others do not commit adulrery , we should not so much as desire another mans wife , if they do not commit murther , we should not at all be angry with our brother ; if they love them that are like to them , we should love our enemies , if they do lend to those that have to give again , we should lend to those from whom we cannot hope to receive any thing again : for it becometh us who hope for the inheritance of an eternall fe , in all things to go beyond those that know only this present life . but if nevertheless we be found beneath these , or if we are found but like to them , and no more , how much will their accusation presse us down , and condemne us to the like , yea , to a more grievous punishment . let us look back to the former ages , and it will appear that the divine power was then most of all vigorous and eminent , when there was not such ostentation of fine wits , but the supream knowledge and happiness then was placed in the crosse of christ ; but now while matters go quite otherwise , and the creatures of our brain do obumbrate , or over shaddow and obscure the works of god , we do things according to the will and pleasure of sathan , who being the most subtile of all phylosophers , logitians and artists , is not affraid of us , if we go his way , and by that occasion he insinuateth himself more and more into us , and gl●deth in by means of such things which we most admire . do not you see brethren , that by the goodness and long suffring of god , it is in our hand and power , now we have tasted , of the bitterness 〈◊〉 worlds pleasure to rid our selves , of very 〈…〉 ●y trouble 's 〈…〉 going on by a way that is not ●●ooked , and rugged , but straight and smooth , tending to the true ●est , and highest pith of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ctions by applying our selves to this communion or society , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have made mention , which suffereth no pride , riot , excos 〈…〉 〈…〉 ness , in 〈…〉 e , or any evills , which have been pourtrayed in their 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ve colloures , from which society no man that professeth the name 〈◊〉 christ , and practiseth his doctrine , is exclut●ed of what fect party of by what name so●ver he is called or known . we desire therefo●e , that all who love their own peace and welfare , will consider of our order or instition , which is propounded for a generall rule 〈◊〉 for we judge it to be , not onely a true opposition to all evill , but also a meanes to rid the world , of all unprofitable , and hurtfull handy crafts , being the cause of sin and slavery . to which we hope that god who is the husband of w●ddows , and a father of the fatherless , will vouchsafe his blessing , through jesus christ , that so the pure and uncorrupted , worship ( which consistes more in well doing , then in much speaking ) may break forth to the glory of his holy name and the good of all mankind . if any have a desire to speak with him who is instrumentall in the promoting of so good a work ; may have knowledg of his residence by in quiring of the book seller noted in the title page . finis . a letter written in order to the now mentioned society or little common-wealth ; by some well affected persons , whose hearts and hands have already joyned therein : to stir up all such who are truely sensible of the poor and needy , to carry on this so necessary and charitable a work . having not only considered the poverty , afflictions and streights of many well minded people ; together with the evil consequences that arise from the corrupt customs and waies of most employments , and the general disorder proceeding from riches and poverty : but also the way propounded by the endeavours of our friend peter cornelius ; to rectifie all such and many other inconveniences , by bringing together a fit , suitable and well qualified people into one houshold government or little common-wealth , wherein every one may keep his propriety , and be employed in some work or other as he shall be fit , without being oppressed , as is more at large expressed in a platform to that purpose . whereupon we are resolved , judgeing it to be necessary , and our duty to promote so good and pious a work , with the assistance of other mercifull and rational men , to lay such a foundation , as may tend to the relief of the oppressed , the preserving of such as are in danger of falling into snares , and the increase of understanding and mutuall love , as also the exemplary ordering of such acts as may be accomplished by prudential charity . and hereunto we do earnestly invite all persons that have a willing mind to do good according to their abilities ; some by their wisdom and councell , others by money and credit , or by both , as they shall be able and free , that so a stock may be raised for the carrying on of this good and beneficial work . to which end we have subscribed our names , and the summs of money which we are willing to give . hoping that all such as are for so general a work , will upon due consideration likewise subscribe for such a summe of money as they are willing to give towards the accomplishment of the premisses , and meet together to confer and order the said summes of moneys into the hands of some trusty persons for the use and benefit of the society only , and what else shall be found conducing to the perfecting of this work , till the society can subsist of it self in order , which we believe may soon be from the credible information of divers persons , relating that many hundreds in transilvania , hungaria , and the paltsgraves countrey , from a small beginning have attained , not only to a very comfortable life among themselves , but also ability of doing much good to others , not of their society . subscribed towards the raysing of a stock . i. s ............... 100 l. w. r ............... 100 l. a brief account of the behaviour, &c. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a77386 of text r42468 in the english short title catalog (wing b4503a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 78 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a77386 wing b4503a estc r42468 36282018 ocm 36282018 150026 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a77386) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 150026) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2225:9) a brief account of the behaviour, &c. axtel, daniel, d. 1660. carew, john, d. 1660. cook, john, d. 1660. hacker, francis, d. 1660. harrison, thomas, 1609-1660. jones, john, d. 1660. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. scott, thomas, d. 1660. scrope, adrian, d. 1660. 38 p. s.n., [london : 1660] caption title. title page lacking? alternative title information from wing (2nd ed.). contains the last speeches of those executed for being concerned in the death of charles i. reproduction of original in the newberry library. eng axtel, daniel, d. 1660. carew, john, d. 1660. clement, gregory, d. 1660. cook, john, d. 1660. hacker, francis, d. 1660. harrison, thomas, 1609-1660. hewlett, william, -captain. jones, john, d. 1660. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. scott, thomas, d. 1660. scrope, adrian, d. 1660. executions and executioners -great britain. great britain -history -charles ii, 1660-1685. a77386 r42468 (wing b4503a). civilwar no a brief account of the behaviour, &c. [no entry] 1660 15206 18 0 0 0 0 0 12 c the rate of 12 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-09 elspeth healey sampled and proofread 2007-09 elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a brief account of the behaviour , &c. by a commission of oyer and terminer for the trial of the king's pretended judges , began at the old bailey , octob. 10th , 1660 , the aforesaid persons with many others were sentenc'd to death , of which tho. harrison , or major-general harrison , was the first that was executed , which was on saturday the 13th of october following . according to his sentence , he was drawn on a hurdle from newgate to charing-cross , where within certain rales made on purpose a gibbet was erected . when he came to the sight of the gallows he was transported with joy , and his servant asked him how he did ? he answered , never better in my life : his servant told him , sir , there is a crown of glory ready for you ; o yes ! said he , i see it . when he was taken off the sledge the hangman desired him to forgive him ; i do forgive thee ( said he ) with all my heart , as it is a sin against me ; and told him , he wisht him all happiness ; and further said , alas poor man ! thou dost it ignorantly ; the lord grant that this sin may not be laid to thy charge ; and putting his hand into his pocket gave him all the money he had ; and so parting with his servant , hugging of him in his arms , went up the ladder with an undaunted countenance . major-gen . harrison's speech upon the ladder . gentlemen ! i did not expect to have spoken a word to you at this time , but seeing there is silence commanded i will speak something of the work god hath in hand in our days . ; many of you have been witnesses of the finger of god that hath been seen among us of late years , in the deliverance of his people from their oppressors , and in bringing to judgment those that were guilty of the precious blood of the dear servants of the lord : and how god did witness thereto by many wonderful and evident testimonies , as it were immediately from heaven ; insomuch that many of our enemies , who were persons of no mean quality , were forced to confess , that god was with us ; and if god did but stand neuter they should not value us ; and therefore seeing the finger of god hath been pleading this cause i shall not need to speak much to it : in which work i with others were engaged , for the which i do from my soul bless the name of god , who out of the exceeding riches of his grace accounted me worthy to be instrumental in so glorious a work ; and though i am wrongfully charged with murder and bloodshed , yet i must tell you i have kept a good conscience both towards god , and towards man ; i never had malice against any man , neither did i act maliciously towards any person , but as i judged them to be enemies to god and his people : and the lord is my witness , that i have done what i did out of the sincerity of my heart to the lord . i bless god i have no guilt upon my conscience , but the spirit of god beareth witness that my actions are acceptable to the lord through jesus christ ; though i have been compassed about with manifold infirmities , failings and inperfections in my holiest duties , but in this i have comfort and consolation , that i have peace with god , and do see all my sins washt away in the blood of my dear saviour . and i do declare as before the lord , that i would not be guilty wittingly nor willingly of the blood of the meanest son , no , not for ten thousand worlds , much less of the blood of such as i am charged with . i have again and again besought the lord with tears to make known his will and mind unto me concerning it , and to this day he hath rather confirmed me in the justice of it ; and therefore i leave it to him , and to him i commit my ways ; but some that were eminent in the work did wickedly turn aside themselves , and to set up their nests on high , which caused great dishonour to the name of god , and the profession they had made : and the lord knows i could have suffered more than this , rather than have fallen in with them in that iniquity , though i was offered what i would if i would have joined with them ; my aim in all my proceedings was the glory of god , and the good of his people , and the welfare of the whole common-wealth . the people observing him to tremble in his hands and legs , he taking notice of it said . gentlemen , by reason of some scoffing that i do hear , i judge that some do think i am afraid to die , by the shaking i have in my hands and knees ; i tell you no , but it is by reason of much blood i have lost in the wars , and many wounds i have received in my body , which caused this shaking and weakness in my nerves ; i have had it this twelve years ; i speak this to the praise and glory of god , he hath carried me above the fear of death ; and i value not my life because i go to my father , and am assured i shall take it up again . gentlemen , take notice , that for being instrumental in that cause and interest of the son of god which hath been pleaded amongst us , and which god hath witnessed too by appeals and wonderful victories , i am brought to this place to suffer death this day , and if i had ten thousand lives i could freely and cheerfully lay them down all to witness to this matter . oh what am i poor worm , that i should be accounted worthy to suffer any thing for the sake of my lord and saviour jesus christ ! i have gone joyfully and willingly many a time to lay down my life upon the account of christ , but never with so much joy and freedom as at this time : i do not lay down my life by constraint , but willingly ; for if i had been minded to have run away i might have had many opportunities ; but being so clear in the thing i durst not turn my back , nor step a foot out of the way , by reason i had been engaged in the service of so glorious and great a god ; however men presume to call it by hard names , yet i believe e'er it be long the lord will make it known from heaven that there was more of god in it than men are now aware of . all the gods of the nations are but idols ; they have eyes , but see not ; and mouths , but speak not ; and cannot save those that trust in them . but my god is the king of kings , and lord of lords , before whom all you here , and all nations , are but as the drop of a bucket . and he will never leave those that truly trust in him , unto whose glory i shall surely go , and shall sit on the right hand of christ in heaven , it may be to judge those that have vnjustly judged me , matth. 25. 33 , 34. 1 cor. 6. 2. the sheriff minding him of the shortness of time , if he had any thing to say to the people he might . he said , i do desire as from my own soul that they and every one may fear the lord ; that they may consider their latter end , and so it may be well with them : and even for the worst of those that have been most malicious against me , from my soul i would forgive them all , so far as any thing concerns me ; and so far as it concerns the cause and glory of god , i leave it for him to plead ; and as for the cause of god , i am willing to justifie it by my sufferings , according to the good pleasure of his will . i have been this morning before i came hither so hurried up and down stairs , ( the meaning whereof i knew not , ) that my spirits are almost spent , therefore you may not expect much from me . oh the greatness of the love of god to such a poor , vile , and nothing-creature as i am ! what am i that jesus christ should shed his heart's-blood for me , that i might be happy to all eternity , that i might be made a son of god , and an heir of heaven ! o that christ should undergo so great sufferings and reproaches for me , and should not i be willing to lay down my life and suffer reproaches for him that hath so loved me ! blessed be the name of god that i have a life to lose upon so glorious and so honourable an account . then praying to himself with tears , and having ended , the hangman pull'd down his cap ; but he thrust it up again , saying . i have one word more to the lord's people , that desire to serve him with an upright heart : let them not think hardly of any of the good ways of god for all this ; for i have been near this seven years a suffering person , and have found the way of god to be a perfect way , his word a tried word , a buckler to them that trust in him , and will make known his glorious arm in the sight of all nations . and though we may suffer hard things , yet he hath a gracious end , and will make for his own glory , and the good end of his people . therefore be cheerful in the lord your god , hold fast that which you have , and be not afraid of suffering , for god will make hard and bitter things sweet and easie to all those that trust in him : keep close to the good confession you have made of jesus christ , and look to the recompence of reward ; be not discouraged by reason of the cloud that now is upon you , for the sun will shine , and god will give a testimony unto what he hath been doing in a short time . and now i desire to commit my concernment into the hands of my lord and saviour jesus christ , he that hath delivered himself for the chief of sinners , he that came into the world , was made flesh , and was crucified , that hath loved me , and washed me from my sins in his own blood , and is risen again , sitting at the right hand of god , making intercession for me . and as for me , oh , who am i ! poor , base , vile worm , that god should deal thus by me ; for this will make me come the sooner into his glory , and to inherit the kingdom , and that crown prepared for me ! oh , i have served a good lord and master , which hath helped me from my beginning to this day , and hath carried me through many difficulties , trials , straits , and temptations , and hath always been a very present help in time of trouble ; he hath covered my head many times in the day of battle . by god i have leaped over a wall , by god i have run through a troop , and by my god i will go through this death , and he will make it easie to me ; now into thy hands , o lord jesus , i commit my spirit . after which sentence was fully executed on him , and his head set on the south-east end of westminster-hall , and his quarters upon the city gates . observations . to commit villany unparallell'd , and bravely to outface death , is the badge of a desperate traytor , and an unhappy christian . in this man's life i find nothing of repentance ; as if the murther of a king , and the ruin of church and state , were of so slight a consequence , that among birds of his own feather treason becomes meritorious , and his detestable death a glorious martyrdom . he calls it god's cause , nay , the very interest of the son of god , his usurpation he terms the fear of the lord ; unheard-of impudence ! can god be the author of treason ? or can man expect mercy from god's hands that voluntarily transgresseth ? prosperum & felix scelus virtus , vocatur , was heathenish philosophy , though without question a maxim in the commonwealth of his conscience , whilst religion was made the stalking-horse to his rebellion . monday following , being the 15th of october , about the same hour mr. john carew was carried to the same place of execution . when he was brought to the gibbet , before he went up the ladder , ( his hands being bound , ) he exhorted several friends standing by to be faithful unto death , and not to be ashamed of the cause for which they suffered , and they should receive a crown of life . and further said to a friend that stood by , that he hoped the truths of the kingdom which he had preached up and down would not be the less esteemed for that he now came to seal it with his blood . mr. carew's speech upon the ladder . truly it is not words , nor that which i have to speak in mine own spirit , will glorifie god , or give any advantage to your souls , or unto me ; but it is , if i may speak a few words in the spirit of the lord , and in the power of his might , and from an unfeigned love unto jesus christ , that would indeed give me an open entrance , and make my passage very sweet , and a blessing may be left behind , even upon you . the first thing ( indeed ) that hath been very weighty , ( and i desire to leave it upon all , upon saints as well upon those that are not acquainted with jesus christ , ) that eternity , immortality and eternal life , it is a wonderful thing ; the thoughts and apprehensions of it are able to swallow up a poor soul : we little think what it is ; he that knows most of god , and most of christ , and hath the greatest measure of the anointing , he little , little knows what it is to appear before the holy , the most glorious , the most righteous god of heaven and earth ; to stand before his judgment-seat , before jesus christ that is at his right-hand ; and where all the holy angels are so ashamed ( because of the glory of god ) that they fall down and cover their faces , and cry , holy , holy , lord god almighty , which art , and wast , and art to come . and therefore if such glorious creatures , if such excellent spirits , as these seraphims and cherubims be , if they do fall down before the glory and majesty of this most excellent and wonderful god , how should dust and ashes do ? and how should they fear and tremble to appear before him ? and there i say , think of this , and of the righteousness of god , as well as of his glory and majesty , and of his justice ; that when for one sin he threw down the angels ( those glorious spirits ) into hell , and he would take no ransom or redemption for them ; and though he hath mercy on the sons of men , ( according to his own election or purpose , and according to that that he hath purchased for himself in christ jesus before the foundation of the world was laid , ) yet in time he made his son a sacrifice before men and angels , to bring his chosen ones to glory . that he should take pleasure to send his own son out of his bosom , who was the delight of his soul , and bruise him for our sins ; yet it pleased the father to bruise him . the most holy and righteous god that had but one son , one only begotten son , ( that was the delight of his soul , ) and should take pleasure to bruise him that we might be healed , and laid stripes upon him that we might be healed , oh the heighth and depth , oh the length and breadth of the love of god in christ jesus unto poor souls ! oh this is that the angels do desire to stoop down and look into , and to know more of this great mystery of the love of god in christ , and that god should take upon him the nature of man ! and put him into that glorious union with his own son ; and that he should leave the angels , though christ was made a a little lower than they , for suffering death for us : yet now , because the nature of man is united to the godhead by vertue of that marriage and union , we become the sons of god , and heirs of glory . those that are adopted by jesus christ , are brought near to the throne of glory , are in a high and glorious communion and fellowship with the father and spirit , owned of all the holy angels ; and therefore they do stand without the throne , ( as in several places of the revelations , ) and round about the elders , and round those that were given to the lamb , ( as in the fifth of the revelations , and many other scriptures , ) they stand without ; but there is another company within , which is the twenty-four elders , and four living creatures , they fall down and worship god , they are nearer than the angels . oh! who hath credited , who hath believed , this report ? and to whom is the arm of the lord revealed ? oh! how many professors are there in this day , in this nation , that call upon the name of christ , and that say they shall be saved by christ , and do live and trust most in their own works and righteousness , and never come to the knowledge and understanding of this great mystery of the love of god in christ ? who never received those teachings from the anointing , and according to the new covenant , where it is promised that they shall be all taught of god ; all the children of god shall be taught of him ; and there is no one can teach these but the father ; none can draw them to the son but the father ; and no man can come to the father but through the son : and this great mystery is both by the light and operation of the holy spirit , who makes the new creature in the soul : o that god would pour out of his holy spirit , that god would pour out the spirit of the new covenant , and the spirit of the gospel , and the spirit that can declare the mystery of god's word in the spirit ; and that he hath made manifest through jesus christ : o there is much talking and speaking in the name of christ ! and how many men spend little time in getting evidences in the power and demonstration of the spirit , and come to apprehend god in christ , that speak of him ? oh! there are few of these the lord knows . o that the anointing may be poured out more now , according to this faith , in the way of this grace , and in this love of god , even in the electing love of the father , and in the redeeming blood of jesus christ , according to the purchased possession that he hath obtained through his own righteousness , wherein god hath been just also , in justifying the ungodly ; and among them such a poor simple piece of dust and ashes as i have been , and have to this day little glorified my father ; and yet i can call him father , through some measure of his spirit , and father , according to the spirit of adoption too ; and can say , the lord jesus hath given himself for me ; and i take the lord jesus christ as the great gift of the father , desiring to bear witness of that love , and of that wonderful grace and glory , that he hath made me partaker of in and through him . oh! blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ , who hath called me to this hope , and who hath made me partaker of this glory , that the saints are enlightened in . and now i long to see the face of this father , and of his son , though i have such a number of sins in me , and though i have an interest in him , and can call him father at any time without doubt , and in full assurance of faith in the holy spirit ; yet if jesus christ were not there to present me faultless before the presence of god i should be afraid to appear before him ; but he is able to do it ; and therefore saith the apostle , now unto him that is able to save you , and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy , &c. i am a poor sinful piece , full of iniquity , laden with many burdens , that have a body of death that i carry about me , and i am now about to lay it down , and my soul shall enter into eternal life , and be made perfect in a moment , through the mighty power of god that hath wrought that glorious work of raising christ from the dead . oh! all my strength , and all my joy , and all my life , is in christ , and in him alone : and i have a righteousness already of his working , according to his own grace , and according to his own mighty power , and according to his own mercy , that he hath been pleased to work in me , and so hath been pleased to keep me in a very wicked , and in a very evil day , by the power of his grace . and i desire to glorifie my father , and many years have i been in that work that hath been of late in this nation ; few and evil hath been the days of my pilgrimage , but i have desired to serve the lord with faithfulness , and in the integrity of my soul , without prejudice against any creature ; and it hath been the desire of my soul to approve my self faithful towards god , and towards man : and what i have done i have done it in obedience to the lord , that i had in my eye , and in my heart . there are many things laid upon many of those that profess the kingdom and glorious appearance of our lord jesus christ , as if they were enemies to magistracy and ministry ; and as if so be we were for the destruction of the laws and properties of mankind , therefore i shall speak a few words unto that : and if indeed we were such , we were fit to be turned out of the world , as some men think they should do god good service in sending such poor creatures quickly from hence . there is no such thing , i desire to bear witnesses to the true magistracy , that magistracy that is in the word of the lord . and that true ministry , which ministry is a ministry from the anointing , that doth bear witness to the lord jesus , and hath his holy spirit . that testimony i desire to bear , and that testimony i desire to stand faithful in , with integrity to the lord jesus , as king of saints , and king of nations . and therefore it is , i say , to have a magistracy as at the first , and counsellors as at the beginning ; men fearing god , and hating covetousness ; and that ministry as doth preach the everlasting gospel . here mr. sheriff interrupted him , saying , 't is desired that you spend the rest of your time in preparing your self . another said , you spend your self , sir , in this discourse another said , it rains . then mr. carew said , i will pray . mr. carew his prayer . o most holy , and most glorious and blessed god , the god and father of our lord jesus christ , the father of all glory , the god of the spirits of all flesh ; unto thee , unto thee doth my soul desire to come through the new and living way , even through christ my righteousness ; and in him and through him to he offered up by the eternal spirit a living and acceptable sacrifice , in which thy soul delighteth . o lord , thou knowest my frame , and thou knowest my life , and what a passage this is , and what a wonderful thing it is to enter into glory , and what a wonderful thing it is to stand before thee , and to stand in thy presence . o father , father , let my soul be filled with thy joy , and with peace in believing : o let my heart be in heaven , while my body is here ; and , o let me be joined unto the lord through thine own spirit before this separation be — o lord , thou only art able to take hold of my heart and spirit ; poor creatures may speak words to thee , but oh! it is thine own power , and it is thine own spirit , that must take hold of the heart ; it is thine own spirit that must carry through all ; and it hath been thy spirit ( blessed be thy name ) that hath carried me through many trials , and many temptations , and many difficulties , that thy poor worm hath met with in this pilgrimage for many years . o blessed be thy name for all the goodness , and for all thy grace , and for all thy presence that hath been with thy poor creature far and near . oh! blessed be thy name that thou hast kept me in any measure faithful unto thee , and made me willing to lay down my life for thy righteous work and cause . o lord bless , bless thy poor people ; o comfort them in this day . pour out sevenfold of thy spirit for what thou dost take away in any of thy servants for thy holy name 's sake . o let the cause and kingdom of christ be dear and precious in thy sight , and live always ! lord , little do these ( poor creatures ) know , or these nations know what a controversie thou hast with them . o that thou wouldest be pleased graciously to spare this people ; spare thy people however ! and let them that love zion , and favour thy righteous cause , be glad for ever and ever . o now father be dear to me ; do thou receive my spirits ; take me into thine own glory ; take me into thine own glory ; let me know it is my portion , let me know there is a crown in the hand of christ prepared for my soul . o blessed lord , thou hast honoured thy poor creature , and brought him hitherto , o reward all the labours of love in any to him , in bonds or death ; and give them a double reward into their own bosoms . reward it so to them and theirs ; blessed be thy name that thou hast brought thy poor one hither to suffer in thy cause . and , o lord , let thy spirit be poured forth upon the nations until the whole earth be filled with the knowledge of thy glory . and that christ jesus may have all the honour , and praise , and glory , and dominion , for ever and ever . amen . i am so exceeding dry that my tongue is ready to stick to my mouth ; but i would fain speak a little more . oh blessed be god! oh! how many are the refreshments i have had from the presence of my god and father , sweet and secret communion betwixt him and my soul to day . and for that my soul hath seen of his riches and kindness ; o that i might be more like christ ! for i have been very unlike to jesus christ , very unlike to my father . but i shall leave all that is unlike christ behind ; and all his own workmanship he will purifie and perfect through this passage into glory . o my dear father , receive my soul ; o make this passage sweet , for now i am coming to thee ; lord , help , lord , spirit me ; fill me with thy spirit ; let me be ever with thee , let me know what it is to have thee at my right hand , that i may not be moved ; that in my soul going out of the flesh , i may be let into the presence of god , and into the arm of jesus christ . oh! that my soul may be breathed forth into the arms of god , into the bosom of jesus christ , through the anointing of the spirit ! a friend that stood by said , it is expected you should speak something to the matter of your suffering ; the under-sheriff said , 't is not to be suffered . what are you , that you put on men to speak ? what are you sir ? mr. carew said , farewel my dear friends , farewel ; the lord keep you faithful . the friend said , we part with you with much joy in our souls . mr. carew said to the executioner , stay a while , i will speak one word ; and then said very solemnly , and with a loud voice , lord jesus receive my soul , lord jesus , into thy arms i commend my spirit ; and so fell asleep . his majesty was pleas'd upon intercession of his friends to give his body to be buried . observations . the scene is no sooner prepared , and harison's part acted , but carew enters , a man that suck'd in treason with his first milk , one of the main props on which fanatick fury built herself a fantastick fabrick ; one whose name , like that of felton and ravillack , shall stand stigmatiz'd to eternity for treason , inhumane treason , against a gracious prince . magistracy and ministry , the two eyes of this land , which like two diamonds in the crown give a lustre to majesty , by a pretended zeal were almost dazled , and hourly threatned to be quite put out , whilst gain was his greatest godliness . 1. he impudently affirms that it was in the fear of the lord he condemned the lord's vicegerent ; pretends at the first to be excused from being a member of that detestable synod , to palliate his premeditated treason ; but being once seated in the chariot of authority , he , jehu-like , drove on furiously till he had wash'd his hands in that innocent and sacred blood . and so far was he from repenting for his villany , that he was sorry it was beyond his reach to strike one blow more at majesty . the nex day , viz. tuesday , the 16th of october , mr. john cooke , and mr. hugh peters , were carried to their execution ; but first of mr. cooke , the appointed time being at hand . he asked several times if the sheriff was not come ; saying , why stayeth the wheels of his chariot ? why do they drive so heavily ? i am ready , blessed be god ; i have nothing to do but to die . word being brought that the sheriff was come , he made haste to be gone , and his wife stepping after him , took him by the arm , whereupon he said , o do not hinder me from going to jesus christ ! and then with a cheerful countenance taking leave of his friends , he went to the sledge that carried him , whereon also was carried the head of major-general thomas harrison , with the face bare towards him ; and notwithstanding that dismal sight , he passed rejoicingly through the streets as one borne up by that spirit which man could not cast down . being come to the place of execution , when he was taken out of the sledge he said this is the easiest chariot that ever i rid in in all my life . being come upon the ladder , and the rope put about , his neck , he rejoic'd , saying , blessed be the name of god that i am bound for the sake of christ . then his work was to address himself to god , and to that end said , if you please i shall speak a few words to god in prayer . mr. cook's prayer before his speech . most glorious majesty , this day is a representation of that great day when all thy poor people shall meet together , multitudes , multitudes in the valley of derision . thy poor , poor servant is now come to pay the debt which he oweth to nature ; blessed be thy name that thou hast prepared him for it ; blessed be thy name , sweet jesus , blessed be thy name . o that all thy poor people that are here , if possible , may feel something of that divine power and assistance of god that thy poor servant now feels at this time ; blessed be thy name . i am a poor creature , a poor sinner , and the lord might justly withdraw from me , and leave me to horror and searedness if he should deal with me in justice ; but this hath not been his method ( blessed be his name ) to leave and forsake his poor servant . lord , let thy blessing be upon us at this time , and let thy blessing be upon england , and let thy blessing be upon all these nations , and let thy blessing be upon all that are here . assist , o lord , by thy divine power ; give us to see much of thy power ; and let not this meeting be in vain , but let every one here receive benefit thereby , to the praise and glory of thy great name , and the everlasting salvation of all our souls , ( if it be thy blessed will , ) through jesus christ our lord . having ended his first prayer , he applies himself to the sheriff and spectators in this following speech . mr. sheriff and gentlemen , the most glorious sight that ever was seen in the world was our lord jesus christ upon the cross ; and the most glorious sight next to that is to see any poor creature for him in his cause . i desire to speak a few words , briefly to let you understand what a glorious work the lord hath been pleased to accomplish upon my spirit . i bless the lord i have ransacked into every corner of my heart , and i have searched into all my sins , actual and original , secret and open , known and vnknown , so far as the lord hath discovered them to me and i have confessed them all with a penitential bleeding heart , and contrite spirit ; blessed be his name , he hath been pleased to come in abundant manner , and hath been pleased to shew me that the only remedy is the blood of christ ; and i have , blessed be the lord , applied that precious blood to my poor soul , and have laid hold upon a christ by a true and lively faith ; and there is a sweet calm and serenity in my soul and conscience , blessed , blessed be thy name . i desire to glorifie god , and to give him the glory of all , and to take shame unto my self for any sins that i have ever committed , that i know to be sin , and therefore i desire to rejoice in the god of my salvation , as isa. 61. 10. i will greatly rejoice in the lord , my soul shall be joyful in my god , for he hath cloathed me with the garment of salvation , he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness ; as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments , and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels , even so the lord delighteth in me . and as the earth bringeth forth her buds , and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth , so the lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations . and isa. 43. 9 , 10. ye are my witnesses , saith the lord ; i do desire to bear a testimony unto god , and to jesus christ , for justice , and truth , and righteousness , and holiness . the lord knows i have no malice upon my heart against any man or woman living upon the face of the earth ; neither against jury that found me guilty , nor court that passed sentence ; i desire freely to forgive every one from the bottom of my heart . and as concerning this great dispensation you may ( it may be ) desire to hear something of it ; truly i say , as to the king's majesty i have not any hard thoughts concerning him , my prayer shall be for him that his throne may be upheld by truth , and by mercy , for by mercy , prov. 23. the throne is upheld ; but i must needs say , that poor we have been bought and sold by our brethren as joseph was . brother hath betray'd brother to death , and that scripture is in a great measure fulfill'd , mat. 10. 21. the father against the son , and the son against the father , and brother shall deliver up brother to death . i desire for my own part to kiss the rod ; and i do desire ( if it may please the king's majesty ) that no more blood may be shed after mine ; it may be the lord will put it into his own breast . here is a poor brother coming , i am afraid that he is not fit to die at this time ; i could wish that his majesty might shew some mercy . the sheriff interrupted in words to this effect , let that alone , for the king's majesty hath clemency enough for all but his father's murtherers . mr. cook reply'd , then i shall proceed to speak something concerning my profession and faith , which , i bless the lord , is founded upon the rock christ jesus . i do not expect salvation for any thing i have ever done , but only lay hold upon christ as a naked christ , and there to bottom my soul . i can say , to the praise and glory of god , that i have endeavoured in my place , and to my power , to do that which might be to god's glory , according to the best of my vnderstanding . i have stood for a gospel magistracy and ministry , and that many delays in the law might be removed , ( and that thing i have much suffer'd for ; ) i say it 's good for king and people that many delays in matter of justice should be removed , and that publick justice might be speedily and cheaply administred . and as for my profession , i am of the congregational way , i desire to own it , and am for liberty of conscience , and all that walk humbly and holily before the lord , and desire to walk in the fear of the lord ; and believe it is a truth , and there can be nothing said against it . i do confess i am not convinced of any thing i have done amiss ; as to that i have been charged with i am not indeed , neither did i understand the plea of the court , that if the lords and commons had brought the king to the bar , and set him over them again , their bringing him to the bar had been treason . i desire never to repent of any thing therein i have done , but i desire to own the cause of god , and of christ , and am here to bear witness to it ; and so far as i know any thing of my self i can freely confess it . here the sheriff interrupted him again , desiring him to forbear any such expressions . mr. cook reply'd , it hath not been the manner of english men to insult over a dying man , nor in other countries among turks and galliasses . the lord bless every one of us , and help us that we may look more to the honour and glory of god than the concernments of our own lives : for alas ! what is a poor miserable life to us , but that therein we might give honour and glory to the god of all our mercies ? and if there be any here of that congregation to which i was related in the time that i lived here , i would commend to them that scripture , phil. 2. 7 , 18. yea , and if i be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of the faith , i joy and rejoice with them all , for the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me . and , deut. 18. verse 11. the lord god of your fathers make you a thousand times more than you are , and bless as he hath promised . the lord be pleased to speak comfort to them , and to all them that fear the lord . the lord keep england from popery , and from superstition , and keep it from prophaneness , and that there may not be an inundation of antichrist in the land . and that is all the harm i wish unto it . the lord hath forgiven me many thousand talents , and therefore i may well forgive those few pence that are owing unto me . i bless the lord i have nothing lying upon my conscience , but i can unbosom my self to every one , and to the throne of free grace , in the simplicity of my spirit ; i have endeavoured to do nothing but with a good conscience , and through the integrity of my heart , though accompanied with many frailties . i desire to bless the lord ; my lot was rather in ireland than here ; here i have been more known where i have given the offence . the sheriff again interrupted him . mr. cook replies , sir , i pray take notice of it , i think i am the first man that ever was hanged for demanding of justice , therefore i hope you will not interrupt me . i suppose you were there , and do bear me witness in your conscience , that there was not any thing then that i did not communicate to the court that i now speak upon the ladder . if you will believe the words of a dying man , i say as i must give an account , i have nothing lyeth upon my conscience . we must all meet together at the great day of the lord , to give an account of all our actions , ( and then it will appear , ) the lord grant we may meet with joy and comfort . i have a poor wife and child , and some friends left , i desire you that came along with me to commend to them isaiah 54. 4 , 5 , and 10 , verses . i hope the king and parliament will consider our poor friends as to their estates ; you know that those lords that formerly suffered under the parliament did not lose all their estates ; i hope there will be some consideration as to justice , ( lest that our small estates prove a poyson amongst their great deal , ) and my poor wife and relations suffer . the lord grant that mercy may be shewed , that mercy and righteousness may magnifie and exalt itself above justice : i shall not hold you long , i shall desire in the fear of the lord to give my self , ( as in rom. 12. 1. ) a living sacrifice , holy and acceptable unto god , which is but a reasonable service . and so do intreat that i may have a little time to call upon the lord , unless there be any thing more desired , or any one that would ask me a question . truly i forgive all from my heart ; i have nothing upon my heart to accuse any of them withal . i bless the lord i have a clear conscience ; i say it is in the integrity and simplicity of my heart , ( i do now appeal to the great god , to whom i must give an account of what i have done , ) knowing that all my guilt is washed away in the blood of jesus christ , ( and before him i hope to appear , ) and have nothing else to plead any thing at all for me . and so i hope that i have declared my self with simplicity and integrity in a few words , that you may understand my mind . i shall speak a few words to the lord in prayer , and shall not trouble you further . when having pray'd a short space he was executed , and his head afterwards fix'd on the north-east end ofwestminister-hall . observations on mr. cook . if treason ever wore a cloak you may see it here now palliated to the life ; a quaint orator struggling for life under the sad pressures of a heavy charge . a man bred up where law was more in force , at least more studied , than the gospel . i am sorry pearls of eloquence , and the very marrow of the law , should prove destructive to the owners . sum up all his virtues in a schedule , and at the end write traitor : can then his virtues make me blush to write , solus in conclavi & teste lucerna ? what he himself at a publick meeting , & coelo spectante , was not ashamed to act , the king must die , and monarchy with him ; could the dull genius of this nation suffer it so tamely ? marius , that excellent roman , daunted his butcher with a word , et tu homo audes necare , c. marium . and could not majesty with all its charms daunt a soliciting cook ? he alledges , he was put on it , nay , fee'd to do what he did ; so was judas when he sold his master : money is the root of all evil , and brought that famous orator demosthenes , a brother of the same fraternity , to a sore throat , when 't was avaritia non excusat militiam . some memorable passages of mr. hugh peters in his imprisonment at newgate , and at the time of his execution at charing cross , october 16 , 1660. mr. peters , as is well known , was exercised under great conflict in his own spirit during the time of his imprisonment , fearing ( as he would often say ) that he should not go through his sufferings with courage and comfort ; and said to his friends that he was somewhat unprepared for d●ath , and therefore unwilling to die ; something he said he had committed , and other things omitted , which troubled him ; but though it was a cloudy and dark day with him for a season , yet the light of god's grace and favour would break forth at last . a night or two before he suffered two of the episcopal clergy , who as some report were the king's chaplains , came to give him a visit ; they endeavoured to make advantage of the present temptations wherewith he was then assaulted , and to perswade him to a repentance and recantation of his former activity in the parliament cause , which they endeavoured to enforce upon him by a promise of pardon from the king in case he would therein hearken to them . but told them , he had no cause in the least to repent of his adhering to that interest ; but rather that he had in the prosecution thereof done no more for god and his people in these nations ; and with civility dismissing those visitants , he applied himself to some other ministers then present , whom he judged more able to speak a word in season to him under these great trials , wherewith the lord was then pleased to exercise him . being carried upon the sledge to execution , and made to sit therein within the rails at charing-cross , to behold the execution of mr. cook , one comes to him , and upbraided him with the death of the king , bidding him ( with opprobrious language ) to repent : he replied , friend , you do not well to trample upon a dying man , you are greatly mistaken , i had nothing to do in the death of the king . when mr. cook was cut down , and brought to be quartered , one they called colonel turner called to the sheriffs men to bring mr. peters near , that he might see it ; and by and by the hangman came to him , all besmear'd in blood , and rubbing his bloody hands together he ( tauntingly ) asked , come , how do you like this , m. peters ? how do you like this work ? to whom he replied , i am not ( i thank god ) terrified at it , you may do your worst . when he was going to his execution he look'd about , and espied a man , to whom he gave a piece of gold , ( having bowed it first , ) and desired him to go to the place where his daughter lodged , and to carry that to her as a token from him , and to let her know , that his heart was as full of comfort as it could be , and that before that piece should come to her hands he should be with god in glory . being upon the ladder he spake to the sheriff , saying , sir , you have here slain one of the servants of god before mine eyes , and have made me to behold it , on purpose to terrifie and discourage me ; but god made it an ordinance to me for my strengthening and encouragement . when he was going to die he said , what , flesh , art thou unwilling to go to god through the fire and jaws of death ? oh! ( said he , ) this is a good day , he is come that i long look'd for , and i shall be with him in glory ; and so smil'd when he went away . what mr. peters said further at his execution , either in his speech or prayer , it could not be taken , in regard his voice was low at that time , and the people uncivil . his head was afterwards set upon london-bridge . observations on mr. peters . a state juggler drest in divinity ; a meer protous , and yet a regicide ; a firebrand kindled by the devil ; by whose insinuating practices , blowing the bellows of rebellion , and belching from an impure throat the loathsome vapours of sedition , he not only poisoned the kingdom , but ruined the stately fabrick of an incomparable monarchy ; pretending in his pulpit that to be the finger of the lord which visibly appears to all ages to be the hand of the devil . wednesday , october 17th , mr. thomas scot , and mr. gregory clement , were brought on several hurdles to the same place , where being come , mr. scot first began . mr. scot's speech upon the ladder . gentlemen , i stand here a spectacle to god , to angels , and men : to god and angels , to whom i hope i am shortly a going . and now to you i owe it ; to god , and the nation , and my self , to say something concerning each . for my self , i think it may become me to tell you how and why i came hither ; and something in the general , concerning my capacity . in the beginning of these troubles i was ( as many others were ) unsatisfied ; i saw liberties and religion in the nation in great danger , to my best apprehension ; i saw the approaches of popery in great measure coming in upon us : i saw — upon which the sheriff interrupted him in these words ; if you will betake your self to prayer you may . mr. scot replied , i shall not speak to reproach any — the sheriff interrupted him again , saying , you have but a little time , mr. scot , therefore betake that little time to prayer . mr. scot replied , 't is according to my mind to speak what may be said — here the under-sheriff interrupted , saying , it hath been denied unto your predecessors , and will be denied unto you . then he prayed as followeth . holy lord god , the great and glorious god of heaven and earth , king of nations , and king of saints ; in both which capacities thy poor and vnworthy creature comes now to bear his witness in this great spectacle , before thee , angels and men : o lord , were it not for sin none of these things had befallen this nation , nor my unworthy self ; we have all transgressed , and gone astray from thee by a perpetual back-sliding , even all of all sorts , conditions , ranks , and orders of men : and among them none , none more than thy poor vnworthy creature , who acknowledgeth the same here before thee , in the face of heaven , and in thy presence , to which he is very shortly a going ; that glorious grace which thou hast been pleased to afford unto his soul in it . o blessed lord , thou hast called him forth as a publick spectacle to some in a condition of shame and reproach , to others of comfort , and to thy blessed self , as one that is a witness for thee , that hath served thee with all faithfulness in his trust and publick capacity and employment . o lord , they dispensation to thy poor creature hath been wonderful , gracious , and merciful ; and he must say to the praise of thy free grace — here the hangman stooping down to take drink , which was reached up to him upon the ladder , interrupted him ; upon which mr. scot said , prithee let me alone , i have not done ; and then proceeded in prayer , as followeth . — that this very condition to which he is now brought he acknowledgeth is the very answer of his prayer before his going out of england . thou knowest , lord , he did many times in prayers and tears seek thy bessed majesty for counsel , and for advice , whether it was his duty to stay and suffer , or to shelter himself abroad ; and if it were thy will to take more honour to thy self by his suffering than living , thou wouldst be pleased to remand him back again , and bring him hither . and he hath observed thy providence checking of his way , and in preserving him all along until he came to this . o blessed lord , thy poor creature doth acknowledge that thy ways to his poor soul have been of wonderful grace and mercy . but blessed be thy glorious name , the great god of heaven and earth , he hath been pleased to bear him witness to himself , to angels , and to all that hear me this very day , thy poor servant that now stands to suffer had joy and much consolation from god , and from his cause , more than ever he had before ; i say again , to the praise of the free grace of god , i bless his name he hath engaged me in a cause not to be repented of ; i say in a cause not to be repented of — here the sheriff interrupted him , saying , is this your prayer , mr. scot ? desiring him to forbear those kind of expressions . others also told him that he contradicted himself , and spoke blasphemy . then mr. scot said , i shall say no more but this , the lord i do acknowledge , that this very morning in the dark chamber i had very much of the presence of god , and from thence i take consolation to my self that his spirit is with me , and that he hath sealed unto my soul the decrees of heaven , at least perswaded my soul that it will be well with me , and that i am out of all danger , as to my eternal condition ; and that i shall live and reign with him there , where all my sin shall be done away , which is the growing glory of my soul ; and all tears wip'd away also . o lord , remember the price of blood that hath been shed for the purchasing of the civil and christian liberties . and remember thy enemies , that are not incorrigible enemies to thy truth and holiness ; and give them vnderstanding to see their error , and to turn to thee ; a heart broken , and with humiliation , that they may seek god with their whole heart , that they may be a holy or immanual nation , a chosen generation , a peculiar people , zealous of good works , careful to shew forth the virtue of him that hath called them from death to life . the lord call in all that belong to the election of grace speedily into that number : let no weapon formed against thy church prosper ; but , lord , remember zion , if it be thy good pleasure , and repair the walls of thy jerusalem : o lord , thy cause lyes near the hearts of thy people ; and i bear thee witness that i have this income from thee as the return of their prayers : and that we are supported to bear witness for thee very cheerfully , and with satisfaction . i desire to be found of thee in jesus christ : i do now abhor all my sins , and renounce my services , and do account them all as dung . lord , thou knowest i have desired to live , that i might serve thee better , and love thee more : but that i may be with thy self , oh it is infinitely better , and to confirm that testimony which is concerning thy glorious will : and thy will be done in earth , as it is in heaven , by me and all thine , from henceforth and for evermore . amen . observations on mr. scot . men , whose damnable actions whilst living , never merited from good men the smallest credit , being now to be made sacrifices to publick vengeance , see how saint-like they present themselves on the stage this man enter'd for a black saint in the calender of cruelty . something as to mr. gregory clements take as followeth . perhaps some may think it strange that there is so little said as to mr. gregory clement , who suffered with the rest ; therefore this only is to be said more , ( which is known to many , ) that mr. clement was very silent both in the time of his imprisonment at newgate , and at the time and place of his execution at charing-cross ; only thus it is said , that he exprest his trouble ( to some friends in the prison ) for yielding so far to the importunity of his relations as to plead guilty to the indictment : and though he spoke little at the place of execution , yet ( so far as could be judged by some discerning persons that was near him ) he departed this life in peace . the same day mr. ad. scroop and mr. john jones suffered together at the same place . collonel scroop's speech at execution , october 17 , 1660. you see an object here that hath been in a better place ; but howsoever the lord jesus christ hath sent me to this place i should die , i have no animosity nor malice against any man , nor ever had i ; neither have i any evil will to those that brought me hither , nor to the jury that found me guilty , nor judges that passed sentence , nor to him through whose means i was brought here to suffer . i say once more the lord forgive him ; i shall not name him , for i come not hither to reflect upon any man's person . i will not tell you what my breeding hath been , because it is not good for any man ( especially at such a time as this ) to boast of his lineage or breeding ; but this i shall say , that i was born and bred a gentleman . as for my carriage it may be some that look upon me here knows what it hath been : howsoever the lord knows all , and the lord god is judge of all , and he will judge ; i shall submit my self to his judgment , which is a righteous judgment . the judgment of men may go wrong , but god's judgment is right ; i shall submit to his way . the lord he is the rock of ages , and my support under this great weight that is now upon me : i look up to him alone ; the lord jesus christ is my saviour and my redeemer ; i am going into his arms , blessed be his name : i follow him ; he is gone before me the same way ; therefore it is no reproach or shame to follow the lord jesus christ , to die in his cause ; for that is it which i judge i am now going to do . that which i do desire of you ( here are a great many spectators both on the right hand and on the left ) is , that this day may represent to you the general day of the judgment of christ , where you must appear , and there every man must receive according to their works : and at that time it will be known , i say , at that time it will be known and seen , whose works are righteous , and whose are not ; therefore i would wish you , and desire you to judge charitably of me . observations on colonel scroop . if birth or education can render a man accomplisht without doubt col. scroop deserves a favourable censure ; but as the smallest spot is soonest discerned in a white garment , so treason dishonours the highest extraction , and leaves a blot in the scutcheon of nobility . a candid nature obligeth me to love the man , yet my own conscience , and that solemn commandment , fear god and honour the king , makes me pity what i cannot ●ustifie , and condemn the treason as a person that once ●ov'd the traitor . coll. john jones his speech upon the ladder , october 17 , 1660. there is two things that are necessary now i am going through this narrow gate or passage to the eternal ma●esty ; i say two things are necessary as to the occasion of my coming hither , to receive my father's good pleasure . first , peace with god . secondly , peace with man . i shall speak something to each of these ; and in the first place speak something of the court wherein i received the sen●ence . it hath been reported , as i was told , that i confessed ●his fact , and confessed that i were guilty of murther , as under those several-expressions that are in the indictment , viz. — i desire to clear my self before the lord , and before the world , in that particular ; for should i grant that i was guil●y in reality and truth of murther and malice , viz. — 〈◊〉 should belye my own conscience , and draw upon me a greater weight than i could bear ; but thus far i do confess , 〈◊〉 was willing to make the work as short as i could ; and be●ause i would not stand so long i told them i would take the first jury that came ; and when a jury was called , then i did confess so much as i was convinced of as to the matter ●f fact ; i desire you will judge charitably of this that i speak at this time , as in the presence of the lord , that it is not really , ( viz. that i acknowledged my self guilty of murder , i had no such thing in my heart . i must confess i very freely quit his majesty , considerin● what he doth in this case is the part of a loving son to a father , especially the judges telling him that it is the law and i conceive that the court did nothing but what they 〈◊〉 their best vnderstandings judged right as to law ; therefo●● i freely acquit the court , though there was not enough said 〈◊〉 satisfie such a poor creature as i am in so great and deep point as that was . as for all others , i do not know an● man on the earth to whom i do bear any malice , but i a●… in perfect charity with all men , and i hope the lord is 〈◊〉 charity with me ; and therefore as i desire to have forgivenes● my self from all those that i have offended , even so i do freely forgive all those that have in any measure offended me . the next thing is towards god , and it is that which shoul● be last upon my heart : it is not expected that i should give an account here of my state and condition , for that is betwixt god and my own soul ; and i do , through the grac● and goodness of god , firmly believe , that my redemption i● wrought , and my pardon is sealed , and that i shall be immediately in my father's arms , and that i shall be translated and brought to behold the lord jesus christ in glory with comfort , and fulness of joy . col. jones his prayer . blessed lord god , thou art the great opener , open unto my soul the lord jesus christ , who will lead me into the ways of truth and life ; o god save me , make good all the pledges of thy love unto my soul ! oh make all the promises which i have believed all the days of my life , make them now good unto my soul , giving me the full enjoyment of thy self : i desire to bless and praise thy name for this hour that thou hast brought me to . oh , what am i poor worm that thou shouldst give me this opportunity to suffer for thy name , and to acknowledge thy mercies before so great a congregation at this place . holy father , holy father , oh that thou wouldst now rain down blessings from heaven upon thy poor creatures that do hear and behold this action this day ! oh that thou wouldst sanctifie this thing to them , and let poor england be a land of truth and happiness ! o lord , let england flourish ! and oh that thou wouldst make thy angel of l●ght to go before thy people : good god , we pray thee keep off those great judgments that hang over the heads of these nations , because they have sinned against thee : through thy name sanctifie us ; let not thy name be reproached ; dear father , receive my soul , i am ready to come unto thee : blessed father , into thy hand i commend my spirit , thou hast redeemed me , blessed be thy name , in that thou hast opened the treasures of thy love unto my poor soul . thou hast given me this hope , whereof i need not be ashamed ! blessed be thy name my spirit is full of joy . oh holy father , holy father , i pray thee let thy blessing come down upon thy poor people . look upon me , holy father , stretch out thine arms to carry me over this brook ; i pray thee stand by me , dear father ; i cast my self into thy hand , i commit my soul unto thee . then speaking to the sheriff , said , mr. sheriff , i must needs return you many thanks for your civility . sheriff replied , i am glad to hear such an ingenious confession , and that you make such an end , and that you have not gone into any reviling language , as some others have done before . after this he committed his soul to god , and so departed . observations on colonel jones . if old age could free a man from punishment , then had col. jones a good plea in the court of antiquity ; his grey hairs pleaded much gravity , but reverence is not due to traitors ; to be zealous in a bad cause argues a conscience fit for villany . the last of these ten persons order'd for execution were col. dan. axtel , and col. fran. hacker , who on the 19th of october , two days after the death of scroop and jones , were drawn upon one sledge to tyburn . they were brought forth of prison ; the sledge being ready for them , they took their leave of some friends that stood at the door , and col. axtel desired them to be at the place of execution ; and both entring the sledge , they cast up their eyes toward that god to whom they were coming ; then with a cheerful countenance setting themselves down , they were drawn to tyburn , the place of execution , where a cart was set ready , into which they both ascended , their countenance not at all changed , though now the king of terror stared them in the face ; the ropes being then put about their necks , and a burning fire kindled before their faces ; first , col. axtel applies himself to the sheriff in these following words . col. axtel's speech at tyburn , october 12 , 1660. mr. sheriff , i am now , as you see , come to the place of execution , according to my sentence : i desire your leave that i may speak freely , and without interruption , first to this people , and then to god , for it is the last i shall speak in this world , and i hope it will redound to your account . mr. sheriff's reply . sir , you know what the court prohibited you to speak , and what was spoken at the bar of the court was there desired , therefore 't is needless to repeat it here . i hope you will keep to the present business that concerns you , and not go out into impertinencies ; and because you have but a little time , spend it to your best advantage , and the good of the people , and then you shall not be interrupted . or to the same effect . col. axtel begins , i say the very cause for which i have engaged , is contained in this book of god , ( having the bible in his hand , ) both in the civil and religious rights of it , which i leave to you , giving the book to mr. knowles . you see a dead man living , and yet i hope i shall live to all eternity , through the mediation of jesus christ , the mediator of the covenant of free-grace . i must truly tell you , that before these late wars it pleased the lord to call me by his grace , through the work of the ministry ; and afterwards keeping a day of humiliation in fasting and prayer with mr. symon ash , mr. love , mr. woodcock , and other ministers in laurence-lane , they did so clearly state the cause of the parliament , that i was fully convinced in my own conscience of the justness of the war , and thereupon engaged in the parliament service , ( which as i did and do believe ) was the cause of the lord , i ventred my life freely for it , and now die for it . then mr. sheriff said to this purpose , sir , remember your self . col. axtel proceeds ; and after the work of the lord was done in england , my lot cast me in the service of ireland , and i thank the lord i was serviceable to the english nation in that countrey , and have discharged my duty fully according to the trust committed to me there . as for the fact for which i now suffer , it is for words , only for words , and but for words ; and the sentence is already reversed in my own conscience , and it will be reversed by jesus christ by and by . i pray god from the very bottom of my soul to forgive all that have had any hand in my death , both witnesses and jury , and the court that passed sentence ; for considering the doctrine of our lord jesus christ , as he hath laid it down , matth. 5. 44. it hath been said of old time , love your neighbours and hate your enemies ; but i say unto you , love your enemies , and pray for them that hate and despitefully use you , that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven . i desire according to this doctrine from the bottom of my heart that god would give them true repentance , and not lay their sin to their charge , nor my blood , which by god's law and man's ( i think ) could not justly have been brought here to suffer . but i bless god i have some comfortable assurance that i shall be imbraced in the arms of christ , and have cause to hope that his spirit shall carry my soul into the father's hands . and if the glory of this sunshine be so great , the sun then shining bright , ) how much more is the glory of the son of god , who is the sun of righteousness . i think it convenient to give you some account of my faith . i believe all things written in the old and new testament , in the principles and doctrine of a believers faith ; i believe the blessed ordinances of christ , that it is our duty to hear the word preached , to seek unto god in prayer , and to perform family duties , and to walk in the communion of saints ; and for my own part i am a member of a congregation which i judge to be the way of christ , ( and were it for that only i were to die i could witness to it , ) which is a company of men born again by his grace , that walk in the ways of christ blameless and harmeless . i believe jesus christ died for poor sinners , of whom i am chief , as the apostle paul saith , this is a faithful saying , and worthy of all acceptation , that christ jesus came into the world to save sinners , of whom i am chief . and if the apostle might say so , much more may i . my friends and countreymen , i have reason to bewail my own unprofitable life , having been very unfruitful unto the people of the lord ; the lord knows i have much fault upon my heart , were it not for the blood of christ that cleanseth and washeth me , according to his promise , saying , i loved you , and washed away your sins in my own blood ; for there is no remission of sins without the blood of christ . i desire you all to loath and cast off sin ; it were better to suffer than to sin ; it is better to die than to sin ; nothing could grieve our saviour our but sin , and therefore have a care of that : you and i must meet one day at the bar of christ , and the son of god shall be our judge , for god hath committed all judgment to the son , that all men should honour the son as they honour the father . this day is a resemblance of that day , therefore be serious : beg as much good to your immortal souls as i expect to enjoy by and by . i beseech you beg of god that he would save your souls , and omit no opportunity through the strength of the lord to believe , and put your trust in the lord jesus christ ; be sure to labour after assurance of your interest in him , or else you will be of all men most miserable ; for i of men were most miserable if i had not believed , to see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living . blessed be the lord that brings me into this state , let the way or means be what it will ; it is god's sovereignty who made these creatures , to dispose of them how he pleaseth , and god hath ordained this death for me from all eternity . the lord christ often prayed , thy will be done ; this is the lord's will . he hath numbred my days , and my times are in his hand . many seek the ruler's favour , but every ones judgment is from the lord . when pilate said unto christ , knowest thou not that i have power to crucifie thee ? christ answered him , thou couldst have no power against me , except it were given thee from above . therefore i acknowedge the righteous hand of god he is righteous , but i am sinful , therefore will i bear god's indignation ; because i have sinned against him . it is said of jesus christ , that for the joy set before him , he endured the cross , and despised the shame , and is set down at the right hand of god , where i hope to see him by and by in glory and majesty , and to see his angels and believers worshipping of him , and therefore i despise the shame . our saviour died upon the cross without sin ; i am a sinful creature , a wretched sinner , and shall i expect better than he that was my master ? he who was holy , and never had a sinful thought in all his life ; and died not for himself , but for us , that we might live through his death ; that through his poverty we might be made rich. and christ having done this for his people , it should not be in their eyes thought a despicable thing that we should suffer for him , having been engaged in the work of god . but christ must prevail in righteousness , and he will prevail . now mr. sheriff i thank you for your civility , and for this leave . after this col. hacker spoke something privately to him , whereupon col. axtel said , mr. sheriff , must we both die together ? mr. sheriff answered , yes . then col. hacker read a paper which he had in his hand , a copy whereof followeth . friends and countreymen , all that have known me in my best estate , have not known me to be a man of oratory ; and that god hath not given me the gift of vtterance , as to others , therefore i have only this briefly to say unto you that are spectators : as the parliament stated the war , i did out of judgment and conscience , join with them in the common cause , and have through grace have been faithful to it according to my measure . and as for that which now i am condemned for , i do freely forgive both judges , jury and witnesses , and all others ; and i thank the lord , to whom i am now going , at whose tribunal i must render an account , i have nothing lyes upon my conscience as guilt whereof i am now condemned , and do not doubt but to have the sentence reverst . i do now apply my self unto god by prayer , and do desire the hearty prayers of all that fear god , that i may have a sweet passage from this mortal life , to that immortal life which god hath prepared for all that are in christ jesus . francis hacker . after the reading of this he desired that col. axtel would be both their mouth to god in prayer . and then col. axtel said , i desire all that fear the lord to hear me with patience , and to lift up their hearts to seek the lord with me , that we may have his strength , and the presence of his spirit , from this world to everlasting life . after he had ended his prayer he gave the sheriff thanks again for his civility , and turning to colonel hacker , they saluted and embraced each other in their arms , and said , the lord sweeten our passage , and give us a happy meeting with himself in glory . then pulling his cap over his eyes , expected , as is supposed , that the cart should be drawn away , with his hands lifted up he utter'd these words with a loud and audible voice , lord jesus receive my spirit ; but the cart staying a little longer , he lift up his hands the second time , and with the like audible and loud voice said , into thy hands , o father , i commend my spirit : and yet in regard there was no man found to put forward the horse to draw away the cart until the common hangman came down out of the cart himself to do it , the carman , as many witnesses affirm , saying , he would lose his cart and horse before he would have a hand in hanging such a man , by this he had opportunity to lift up his hands , and utter the like the third time also . observations on mr. axtel and mr. hacker . the last actors in this bloody tragedy are now entred upon the stage , and seeing they were join'd in their lives , i thought it fit to leave them as i found them . these were guilty of that horrid murther , in daring to protect what is a sin to think . axtel guarded those bloody shambles where virtue and majesty stood like lambs before the butcher ; and now having brought the ship of our king's life , tost upon the tumultuous surges of so many uncertain fortunes , almost into the harbour of their malice , he bids rebellion cast an anchor on the dangerous sands of the good old cause . thus when all good christians hearts were melted in the furnace of affliction , to see majesty lye a bleeding , and pleading for life in every honest heart , before so sad a tribunal . this gentleman spent his time in raising his soldiers spirits to a pitch of mirth , laughing at their squibs , extreamly pleased that majesty rise offended with such sad perfumes from the seat where he sate , which was suddenly to stumble at a block , and pass unregarded to a cold grave . finis . good work for a good magistrate or, a short cut to great quiet. by honest, homely plain english hints given from scripture, reason, and experience, for the regulating of most cases in this common-wealth. concerning religion; mercie; justice. by h.p. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. 1651 approx. 110 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 64 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a90537 wing p1706 thomason e1364_2 estc r203158 99863219 99863219 115408 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90537) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 115408) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 179:e1364[2]) good work for a good magistrate or, a short cut to great quiet. by honest, homely plain english hints given from scripture, reason, and experience, for the regulating of most cases in this common-wealth. concerning religion; mercie; justice. by h.p. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [10], 109, [7] p. printed by william du-gard printer to the council of state, london : 1651. h.p. = hugh peters. the words "religion; mercie; justice." are bracketed together on title page. annotation on thomason copy: "june 17". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng justice, administration of -england -early works to 1800. constables -england -early works to 1800. great britain -commerce -17th century -early works to 1800. great britain -economic conditions -17th century -early works to 1800. great britain -history -commonwealth and protectorate, 1649-1660 -early works to 1800. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-07 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-07 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion good work for a good magistrate . or , a short cut to great quiet . by honest , homely plain english hints given from scripture ▪ reason , and experience , for the regulating of most cases in this common-wealth . concerning religion ; mercie ; justice . by h. p. prov . 14. 34. righteousness exalteth a nation ; but sin is a reproach to anie people . london , printed by william du-gard printer to the council of state. 1651. to the supreme power , and all true patriots under them . right honorable ! fearing this little-nothing — pocket — pamphlet might com to your view by som other hand , it was thought needful to prevent prejudice , by assuring your honors , they are the scriblings of two friends divided by places , to satisfie each other about som practicable pieces of several kindes , especially looking at religion ; the poor ; justice ; law ; navie ; merchandise ; which now are the breeders of manie thoughts amongst english men . and truly as hee is foolish , that would dare to prescribe to your wisdoms ; so is hee unfaithful , that would keep a mite from your treasure . these are the chatterings of your ignorant and ruder servants , who onely beg pardon of all sorts for their wishing thus , even that all the work of the nation may bee carried on faithfully , and with the least charge : facile est inventis addere . everie head here may procure a volume . and it is desired , that no man of anie profession would despise these small things , or the daie of them ; but seriously attend them to enlargment and practice : for doubtless , an honest heart and a quick head will soon enliven all these . your honors know you are the remainders of much winnowing : you know as your travels have been great and dangerous , so verie successful : you know to whom you are indebted : this good wee have alreadie under you , that men may bee as good as they can , but not so bad as they would . you may bee assured the highest libertie england gape's for is an open daie once in a year or two to choos a wellcharactered representative , who may tread in your steps of faithfulness and truth ; which work ( they saie ) you are engaged in , and is neer perfecting . it is humbly conceived , republicks sow the seed of their ruine in faction : which wise men saie cannot bee cured but by frequent elections , and cleer and plain dealings betwixt men in place , according to mat. 18. and then who can saie a government of so manie praiers and tears should perish ? when after-ages shall read written on your doors , and practis'd by you and your successors : haec domus odit , amat , punit , conservat , honorat , nequitiam , pacem , crimina , jura , probos . this hous hate's sin , love's peace , and vice corrects , maintein's just laws , and honest men protect's . then which nothing is more heartily wished by your honors h. p. junii 7. 1651. for my dear friend j. t. my good friend ! you must excuse mee , if i join my thoughts with yours , and further give waie to opportunitie pressing the publishing our heartie short breathings after the good of the common-wealth , rais'd and preserv'd even to miracle . bee not discouraged to continue your contributions . i know wee now desire onely to laie this rough work before better heads and hands : and bee assured this nation is not barren altogether of self-denying spirits , and ingeuous patriots : and though holland seem to get the start of us , yet wee may so follow , as to stand at length upon their shoulders , and so see further . our present transactions make us look like martha , wee hope our great end will appear to bee marie's , one thing necessa●ie . bear with us till the north and south have blown peaceably and sweetly upon our garden , and then call for the ripe fruits . for all present differences tie up your judgment a while , and know that god reigneth , let the earth rejoice : doubtless mercie and truth will follow the saints now deeply engaged . live and love yours h. p. junii 7. 1651. good work for a good magistrate . the waies , and means ordained of god , to bring anie nation to , and preserv them in as happie a condition as this world can afford , are by i. true religion maintained and advanced by the magistrate , and walked in by the people . ii. true mercie towards the poor practised , and advanced both by magistrates and people . iii. true justice , and righteousness amongst both magistrates , and people , and towards other nations . not that here is intended a large discours upon these heads , with which manie books might bee filled ; but onely to give som hints of som things , the magistrates may see practised to advance these ends ; to satisfie a friends desire . i. to advance true religion . for the advancement of religion , it will bee expedient to shew how the universities may bee made useful that waie , as beeing the foundation , upon which the other is built . though it may bee disputed why illustrious schools , or colleges should not bee separated in other parts of this land , and not all confin'd to cambridg and oxford , and these so neer , as in yorkshire , cornwal , and wales , &c. yet becaus the regulating of these wee have , may reach those thoughts hereafter , it is conceived , for present , fit to pitch upon that work onely . and becaus the frame of these two seem's verie rotten , and much shaken , doubtless the cure must bee in the foundation ; though it bee offensive to som , reverencing too much the ashes of their founders , who ( under the notion of christ ) served anti-christ by works of that kinde . the true regulating of these colleges therefore will bee the returning them to the service of christ indeed . though in the gospel wee have no footsteps at all for such conjunction of men in anie place ; yet doubtless they may have their use ; and learning will prove oil to the wheel in manie works . i suppose it will not bee hard to perswade men to take leav of those ornaments ( or rags rather ) the monuments of idolatrie , viz. gown , caps , matriculations , with the manie ceremonies about commencements ; but let sholars live as other men for apparel , &c. colleges properlie are the meeting of men for the hearing lectures , and improving their parts , not wals to contein monastick d●ones ; and so lose the ends of other mens bounties , as of their own precious time . there need no volumes , nor tedious rules of ordering the waie of colleges , or studies , if wee agree once upon the end. two things therfore wee propound : i. that the end bee christian and noble . ii. that the means bee adequate . i. for the end , it is generally agreed , that it should bee the preparing and sitting younger people for som service , in reference to their countries ; not for studying to determine in studying ; especially in tendencie to spiritual or civil good ; commonly called ministrie , and magistracie : with which terms i know not why anie should quarrel . ii. then the means need to lead that way , and to bee suitable and certain , if possible . for present this is offred ; viz. that supposing there bee sixteen such houses in cambridg , eight may bee laid apart wholly , and onely for those intended for the ministrie : to carrie this on 1. that , as the jesuits for wits , so wee , for godliness , chuse all such youth in anie place , or condition where wee finde them at plough or trade , which are godlie and tractable , and send them thither to studie logick , and tongues , and such to have their maintenance there out of scholarships , &c. 2. for whom six tutors are to bee appointed in each college , and have 200 l per annum wholly to attend that work ; and the senior of these six to bee president first , and the rest in order for the carrying on that work . 3. and all the rest of the fellowships and scholarships revenue laid up in a stock , to maintein these young preachers , when sent out , till they bee setled in the countrey : and the tutors of these colleges shall give testimonie for them so sent out ; or els not to bee received : and so if you need ten or twentie preachers at anie time , you may have them and recruit again , as the regiment in london doth now . 4. and having such materials , everie college may have in it a church of christ ; and so eight churches ; and more may bee in the town , which may spread over all the nation . 5. that they bee taught and exampled by their tutors in the shortest waie , for doubtless these godlie students will get more in moneths , then others in years ; their own conscience beeing an alarum to them : and hence with submission it is offred , that tutors would let them know what parts of man they must deal withal in preaching , viz. 1. the memorie : therefore method must bee had . 2. the judgment : ergò cleering of difficulties of all kindes . 3. the will : which the doctrinal part applied may convince home . and therefore they do well , that in their preaching , and publick reading the scripture , first analize the chapter ; secondly , cleer all difficulties in it where ever it lie's ; and thirdly , draw som conclusions from the analysis , which must needs bee the marrow of the scripture . wee are bold to conclude , these three things will make a good preacher in reference to means ( the help of the spirit supposed ) ▪ 1. sound judgment in the scriptures ; which must bee got by prayer and dailie reading . manie commentators will not do much good ; the the last are best ; for polemicks your jesuites will serv for water-bearers : am●sius , and som such short writers are best , &c. 2. a gift of application , and bringing that to your heart which wee know ; here all those rational helps of speech will do well ; here christ's reaching by similitudes would bee minded , which are properly the foolishness of preaching , and som have found do most good . 3. dexteritie in case of conscience : in which particular the miserie of this nation ought to bee bewailed , who were wont to bee fruitful in cases . perkins and ames have don a little that way , but not much . what want of converting preachers there is , who see 's not ? and that high opinion of illiterate men's doing so much good is a mistake , if generally observed . and when they are thus fitted , they may bee sent out when there is need , and mainteined by the collegestock , till provided for in the countrey , where they may gather churches in the countie . all well qualified for the work may join at first ; and after , as the blessing of god appear's , lesser churches in several places may arise , and communion held amongst them all , according to that waie of new-england , set forth by hooker and cotton . their maintenance may bee of tithes , or rather from somthing answerable at two shillings , one shilling , or eighteen pence upon a pound-rent : which stock may bee put into three gentlemen's hands , chosen yearly for that purpose , and thence allow to these preachers , according to their places , conditions , and families : and out of this stock thirtie pound per annum to the widow , during widowhood , when anie die's ; out of this stock the poor may have help ; yea good summes may bee borrowed by the state in anie exigent upon good securitie . and thus the state paie's them , and thus they have dependance upon the state. two of the ablest of these , may one day in a week , at the countie-town , answer all controversies , according to a rule after prescribed . and for the other eight colleges , they may have in each six tutors , to whom , all gentlemen that would learn anie other arts or science whatsoever may resort , and there may you have whatever anie out-landish academie can teach : from thence , if anie will applie themselves to the ministrie , they may com to the other colleges . and the stock also of these colleges so preserved , that by that means they may send som to travel abroad , and bee more furnished for the states service , as the hungarians and other people do . to all this i would add , that manie of your gentrie , lawyers , and physitians might do well to applie themselves , beeing godlie , and qualified , as manie are . or why might not som of the numerous gentrie in their countrey , studie , and either preach for nothing ; or give physick gratis , or advise in matters of law freely ? the sins of sodom creep upon us : and whilest our souldiers are whetting their swords for the next battel , how manie are whetting their knives for the next feast ? oh ! why should anie make recreation a trade ? the great turk teacheth better doctrine , who must bee skill'd in som handicraft : and most forrein princes are merchants . after the foundation is well laid in the universitie , the building thereupon may bee thus framed . 1. let certain able , fit , godlie , and learned men bee maintained that , not beeing tied by office to anie particular charge , or flock , may , both in publick and private , take all lawful advantages , and opportunities to preach , and dispute for true religion , travelling continually to that end , and perswading all men , to forsake the waies of sin and error , and to retein and profess the truth , and walk therein . 2. and som one or more setled in everie great town ; that at certain set times , and places , weekly , may offer to dispute anie point with anie man , in publick hearing of all that pleas to com ; and som to bee appointed moderators , and one or two appointed by the magistrates to fine , or mulct either partie , that shall reproch , censure , or use anie unseemlie language , contrarie to humanitie , love , religion , &c. the advancement of religion hereby would bee almost incredible . 3. to countenance , and take into special protection all the churches of christ , who hold but so much fundamental truth , as denominate's them such , in spirituals to leav them wholly free ; but not to suffer anie brother uncivilly ( though it bee about spirituall controversies ) to abuse another , either in word or deed , in private or publick , against which certain penalties may bee made ; so shall the churches have peace , and bee daily multiplied . 4. to caus to bee brought into a method and printed , those plain rules in god's word , which hee hath ordained , to preserv , and increas love and peace amongst churches , and christians , which rules are so plain and express , that hardly can anie contention break into a church , if the elders do but practise them themselvs , and see the members do the like ; if but the rules to order men's words onely were but well observed , 't is strange , what peace and love there might bee . 5. let everie church at their entring into that estate ( or after ) petition the magistrate for protection , &c. and at the same time also deliver up to the same magistrate a book of the articles of their faith : and wherein they differ from others , and promise the magistrate also publickly , to walk peaceably together therein ▪ that so , if , after that , anie brother fall from the profession of all , or anie of those articles , and yet will neither leav that church , nor suffer them to meet in peace , but still go on to disturb them ( for such there are , ) and is uncivil , through a pervers zeal , let him bee punished in som sort by the magistrate , according to his offence , and the church to excommunicate him if they finde caus , &c. 6. to provide maintenance for ministers , and learned men in all languages , and learning what can bee , especially , for churches that are poor , &c. about which much might bee said , &c. 7. if the magistrate see caus , to exhort , and stir up the churches to keep close to their own principles , and to bee more zealous , both in word and deed , &c. 8. to advance such to all places of power , honor , and wealth , who are purest in their profession , and practise of true religion , both towards god and man. after the love and honor of god , hee chargeth us to love and help our neighbor , the magistrate especially , is charged with the weak , as the widows , fathertheless , the poor , and the helpless , &c. of which part of god's will the magistrate is to have a special care ; to accomplish which , a general rule must bee , that the poor may have their commodities taken off at a markettable price ; els they will rather beg , or steal then work . to which purpose the council of trade should bee the merchant for the state , and in all counties to have a stock readie , to buy at usuall rate the commoditie of the laborer ; so as hee may live comfortably , and then the rule following may bee attended . 1. let all vagabonds and idle persons , and such as make a trade of begging , that are able to do anie kinde of work , bee restrained , set to work , or punished . 2. let such provision bee made , that all may bee set to work that are able , and willing ; that all excuse for beging or stealing bee prevented , which is not so hard to bee don . 3. all lame and blinde that are healthful , may bee set to som work , and the sick , and unable kept in hospitals ; and it is the magistrates dutie to see it performed , out of love to humanitie , and maintenance cannot bee wanting if full indeavor bee used therein . amsterdam is far advanced herein . 4. let truly poor families and persons bee made partakers of the publick alms , either of the churches of which they are , or houses in which they dwel ; amsterdam doth much this waie , but this work might bee much more advanced : and the lord would delight in such , and do them good . 5. let in everie town a lombard ( or bank of lending ) bee appointed , where the poor , that have no friends , or will not make their need known , and such as on a sudden are fallen into som strait , may have monie upon their paune upon a reasonable interest ; a lombard well regulated , would bee a worke of much mercie ; and the monies of orphans might bee imploied in this waie to maintein the fatherless , and increas their stock , so would good bee don both waies . and herein lie's the wisdom of the magistrates , to do a publick good , and yet not hinder , yea oft increas the publick stock of the common-wealth ; manie such things are don in the low-countries . 6. to give freedom of dwelling , trading , and protection [ mercie also ] to all strangers ; to make little or no difference , as the lord of old commanded his people , and promised to bless them for it , and this will inrich a nation mightily , as wee see in holland , aud not hurt anie natives , as envious persons think , and can by good reasons bee proved . 7. a special relief to poor people , and great good unto all sorts is the coining of farthings , and half farthings , and other small monie , 't is incredible the good and convenience of it ; and all former inconveniences as easily prevented : for which end , all money less then sixpences mixed with so much copper or brass ; that from one pennie to four pence , all may bee as big as sixpences , and the farthings or half farthings must bee made so big , that they may have their value in copper , so will they not bee made by others , when the profit is small , nor people lose them when they are made so big ; but special care must bee had , that so much copper and small monie bee not made , as would bee a burthen to anie . 8. a chamber , or court to keep secure , and advance the estates of fatherless children , &c. is of great use and relief for orphans ; the laws and orders about it are manie , and all must tend to the securitie and increas of the estates of such children ; as their parents for the better securitie have by testament , betrusted the publick with ; or as it is in holland , where the estates of all that die without wills , are seized by the deputies of that court , and the nearest or best friends of the children ordered to manage the estate of the children : yet so as they may do nothing without consent of the lords ; and what is don at last , is all upon good securitie , for safetie and increas of the estate , which beeing managed by true justice and mercie , is of great use to the fatherless , and of great use to the common-wealth , as might bee manie waies proved . 9. and som cours must needs bee taken , that poor men especially , may not bee for small debts clapt up in prison , and thereby they and their families undon in a short time , becaus hee is not able to put in bail ; yea , how manie a merchant undon presently , that was in a thriving waie , and strangers also oft undon upon meer pretences ; and great is this oppression . 10. wherefore , let no houskeeper that hath dwelt in that place a year , or a year and a quarter , bee liable to bee arrested till after sentence , and execution bee out against his goods ; and if no goods can bee found , then the creditor may have power to laie the debtor in prison , if hee think hee hath concealed his goods , and have anie friends that will releas him , provided the creditor must allow him six pence a daie , or less , so long as hee keep 's him there : and though this may bee abused , yet cannot bee so hurtful as the other . 11. another relief to poor and strangers is , that no stranger ( that is not a town-dweller ) after arrest may bee carried to prison ; nor anie sute begun till parties appear before the peace-makers , appointed in everie town for that purpose , to see if they can end the controversie , and perswade them to peace and love ; if not , let the debtor put in securitie to answer the debt , if possible hee can : if not , let him bee forced to put into the hands of the peace-makers ( or others ) twentie shillings , fiftie shillings , five pounds , ten pound , or one hundred pounds , as the man is of abilitie , and the debt in greatness , on condition to have his libertie presently in that town , but not to go out of town , till sentence bee given one waie or other , upon forfeiture to the poor of that summ deposited in the peace-makers hands , if hee go out of town before the debts bee paid , and the creditor to take som other opportunitie , to sue the debtor in the town where the debtor dwel's , or to arrest him another time , in the same town , and then not so to bee trusted again . 12. great cruelties are committed in prisons , by great charges for fees , chambers , and dear victuals , and by stinking and unwholsom rooms ; all which in mercie and love to humanitie ought to bee prevented . 13. som cours also must bee taken , that widows and under aged , and persons of small parts and education , may not bee over-reached , as oft they are by agreements , and under-writing of bills , for which are divers remedies . 14. that none bee prest to serv the state as souldiers , by sea or land , against their wills , ( the evils of which are great and manie ) unless in som verie great exigent ; and no state shall need to do it , if they manage state-affairs well ; keep a rich , publick stock , and pay well , you shall never want men ; and should not they bee just and pay well that are to administer justice to all others ? 15. needs must there bee set up in everie town a hous , to receiv and bring up to all manner of trades , the orphans of such , as die without anie estate ( or if they have so little , that none of their kinred or acquaintance will take upon them , to bring up the children ) who beeing left to beg , or perish , &c. the civil fathers of the * fatherless are to take charge of them ; young babes to bee nurst up , and after learned to read , write , &c. and when big enough , to bee set to work , to learn somthing to live by ; and if the stock will bear it , to have ten or twentie pounds to set up a trade for themselvs , beeing big enough ; or when they marrie out of the weeshous , as manie do in holland . the orders for to regulate this hous are manie . and for means to maintein it , everie able citizen , at first , will give ten , twentie , one hundred pounds , or more , beeing put on it by the magistrates and ministers , and more will daily bee given by divers waies , and especially by testament when men die , if all bee right carried . iii. justice . vvhere there is true religion and mercie , no doubt but there will bee good justice ; yea , justice is more necessarie to the immediate subsistence of a common-wealth then the two former ; for manie common-wealths subsist without true religion ▪ and much mercie ; but without justice , no common-wealth can long subsist ; and it is , of the three , the most immediate and proper work of the magistrate's office , * to see true justice executed . here wee take leav to propose a short model for the law , upon which justice hang's , and which hath cost so much trouble and expens . 1. registers to bee setled in everie parish , kept everie year by two men chosen to that work ; and all lands and houses entred into that book distinctly ; and the copie thereof transferred to the countie-town ▪ in case of fire , &c. and in these books all alienations &c. entred ; and none authentick but such , that so none might bee mistaken in premorgages , or anie other waie ; whereby everie one may cleerly bee satisfied , in what hee hath , or can claim as his own . 2. that all papers for all contracts , for monie or lands , buying or selling by anie writing , have a small seal of the states on the top of it ( for which three pence or six pence paid to the state , for which a model is readie : such papers will bee of great use for men's securitie that deal ; and an insensible incom to the state. 3. that in everie countie , everie hundred yearly choos three men to bee peace-makers , or friend-makers for that year , to hear and determine all common-controversies between man and man ; from whom they may not appeal ; and the danger cannot bee much by these often elections ; for certainly , the happiness in government will never lie upon laws , but men ; all good men carrying good laws in their bosom : and therefore venice , and other states have founded their welfare in elections ; to which characters and qualifications must necessarilie bee given out by the supreme power : and the ballating ▪ box never used but upon exigents , it being a lot , and was wont to bee a part of worship ; it beeing used in scripture , onely in two cases ; civilly , in the dividing lands and inheritances ; divinely , in the chois of matthias for an apostle . and the rule is , where providence doth no waie appear in the use of other means , then the lot take's place . but never do wee read of a lusorie lot , made common by cards and dice , and urged by a grave preacher in a dispute , betwixt him and learned ames . to add a word more . in the chois of a parlament ▪ man , if a thousand meet to choos , let these choos an hundred out of that number to choos for them , and the rest depart ; the one hundred then out of themselves choos twentie , to choos one for that service : and these upon oath to bee faithful ; if among these , two bee in competition , then to ballating . no man to have a voice that hath been an enemie ten years . 4. all entails may bee cut off for ever , and men have libertie to bestow what they have to whom they pleas , the eldest having a double portion . what mischiefs have com'n upon families by greatning the eldest , and abasing the rest , let englishmen judg ; yea , the high waies and gallows can witness , and forrein plantations can testifie . and if daughters were ingenuous , and would work , they ought to have equal portions with sons . it is an unpleasing spectacle to see in the cities so manie men , fit for nobler things , to sell those wares , which were properly the imploiment of women , and their daughters . i wish a serious remedie hereunto : and that men should not blush to bee sitting in shops , yea , the choice gentrie of the nation , i much wonder . 5. for a bodie of laws , i know none but such as should bee the result of sound reason , nor do i know anie such reason , but what the god of wisdom hath appointed . therefore the moral law ( that short law called ten words ) is doubtles best ; to which moses's judicials added , with solomon's rules and experiments , will bee compleat . i wish our lawyers would urge these for law ; and not those obsolete presidents , which will hardly prov , or make a sea man's suit to fit our occasions . necessitie isthe mother , and ill manners together , of the best laws . i am fully satisfied with what the supreme power shall give out daily ; yea , though they daily alter somthing , if for the good of the whole . if anie lawyer bee continued , let them bee allowed , and paid by the state , and plead for justice , even for justice sake . why should expenses in law bee thus bottomless ? yea , such , as would maintein an armie , and the fountain and issues thereof generally malice , and rancor . why are not the fees of physitians stinted ? and then help commanded upon a known price ? i know they cannot suffer by it . 6. wills and testaments may bee acknowledged by the next two justices , before whom they may bee proved without anie charge ; and then entred into the former register of the parish , or a book kept in everie parish to that purpose . 7. this beeing don , it is verie advisable to burn all the old records ; yea , even those in the tower , the monuments of tyrannie . 8. no lawyer to plead at anie committee . 9. and for arrests , that summons may bee left at men's houses ; and not such a nest of bailiefs mainteined , even an armie of caterpillers ; the worst of men imploied that waie . 10. none to distrein for taxes , or other debts ; but the debtor's outward door taken away , and carried to the town hous , and as manie other new doors as are set in the place . the shame and danger hereof will urge sudden payment . rules for justice . 1. none can bee free of great injustice , who by persecution for religion take awaie libertie of conscience from anie : whose principles or practises are not dangerous to the government , peace , proprietie , and good of the common-wealth ; if they otherwise live but civilly . for as god himself : so his vicegerent the magistrate must caus his sun to shine , and his rain to fall both upon good and bad . 2. and can it bee just to punish anie by lothsom prisons , before a hearing whether they bee guiltie or no : how manie innocent persons have suffered this waie , and how manie have lost their lives by sicknesses got there ; put in for small faults which are crying sins , and must needs bee amended . 3. long laying in prison before sentence ; or delaies in justice is great crueltie to manie , and it mightily provoke's the lord , as isaiah saith : and certainly it may bee remedied , if there were compassion enough to prisoners . 4. delaies in sutes in civil things , prove's great injustice , yea , an unjust judgment would not bee so ill to manie , as are long delaie's before sentence ; and som bodie must one daie answer for peoples great loss of time , and ruine to som , onely by delaies . 5. to attain to pure justice is a verie great blessing of god , both to governors and governed : wherefore let a committee bee ordained , one , or more to receiv requests , and advise from everie particular town and countie ; how true justice may best bee obtained , how all damages and hurts may best bee prevented , and all sutes bee best hindered , but when begun , and committed : how soonest and best ended , and remedied . 6. and above all laws whatever can bee thought of , no waie so good to attain good and speedie justice , as to put into all places of judicature , men that fear god , and are lovers of justice , precise in their promises and performances ; for there are godlie men not verie just nor wise , and on the other side , there are turks and infidels verie just men , and abhor bribes , or to break their words , &c. 7. things must bee so ordered , that no man ( nor court of men alwaies ) alwaies bee above justice , or so powerful , but that hee may bee called to account , before a court of justice , and there censured if hee deserv it ; for if anie bee , the evils of it will bee verie great in time , as might bee well proved . 8. let no person , citie , court , or anie kinde of men have anie privilege , that may bring dammage or hurt to the common-wealth , or to anie particular men ; for this is to establish injustice by a law , and great wrong is don to the common-wealth by privileges given to particular men , and companies ( and oft under pretence of doing good to the common-wealth ) as might easily bee proved : and therefore men take such pains , make such suits , and give such gifts , for to have such privileges , out of self-love . 9. for civil controversies , let there bee in everie town , and place , ( or ward ) appointed two or more peace-makers ; who may hear the differences between man and man , before anie may go to law , and if it bee possible , let them end it : and fit men for such business , will end most controversies , and spare the magistrate a great labor , and the commonaltie , great trouble , and charge , and onely by perswading ; yet these must bee well regulated , they must hear no man in private alone ; and manie the like . 10. that justice may be neer to all men , let there bee in everie citie , town , and hundred , appointed five , or seven able fit men , to determine all controversies for debts , and strifes ; and anie three of them present , to have power to give sentence ; and well regulated with other laws ; in weightie cases they may advise with learned men , both advocates , and divines , but the power to determine to bee in them ; as in holland . 11. let no appeals bee from these men ( five or seven ) that are yearly new chosen ) but in verie weightie matters ; first , let there bee once in a moneth , or at som set times , a court for appeals ; of all these seven men ( not one to bee wanting upon a certain pecuniarie mulct ) for revision of the sentence of such as finde themselvs aggrieved at a former sentence , by three or four of these men , and if his case bee found bad by them all , let him paie three , five , or ten percent , to the charges of the court , for his presumption : and if hee will yet appeal to a higher court , let him first laie down the summe hee is condemned in , into the towns hands : which the demander may take out upon good securitie ; and lastly , let there bee no appeal , out of that countie or shire , in which the partie dwell's ; for manie weightie reasons ; and that , if the summe bee but above such or such a value , as the towns are in which the sentence is given : for if men bee willing to give a just sentence , few cases are so difficult , but they may finde the right ; and if they doubt , they can take two or three daies time for consideration , praier to god , and advise with other men , &c. much might bee said for proof , and orders here-abouts , if it would not bee too tedious . 12. besides the constant , set good men at first spoken of ; there are manie good men must bee made use of , as occasion serve 's ; as manie controversies about the goodness of commodities cannot bee ended presently by the judges , till good men that have skill in such commodities , do view the same , and value things , &c. and if then they cannot make the parties agree , to make their report to the judges , how they finde things , and they to give sentence accordingly ; so for accounts , not possible to end mens differences justly , till accounts bee well looked over , and both parties are heard in private by good men , and divers the like : so that the judges must know manie honest , able men's skill in such and such things , unto whom they may presently refer each controversie , according to the nature of it , whereby they shall decide things more justly , and eas themselvs of a verie great burden : with better content to both parties , that have the difference . 13. let everie man plead his own caus , and if hee think 's his adversarie too strong , or himself too weak , hee shall have libertie to take a friend , or neighbor to plead for him , whom hee judge's able ; but not to let anie advocates , attornies , scriveners , nor anie for salaries to plead for anie man , for manie weightie reasons , unless the difference bee about a great summe , as sixtie , eightie , one hundred pounds or more ; then to admit lawyers to plead , if one , or both parties desire it ; yet so , that after they have don , the parties themselvs may have libertie to speak , if one or both desire the same . 14. let all mens testimonies bee taken by notarial writings under oath : or in the writing to offer an oath : if desired to verifie what is therein attested , ( yet so , that parties may bee sent for , and examined by word of mouth , each apart , if anie fraud bee doubted in the testimonie ) which will prevent incredible loss , trouble , and vexation to manie . 15. let all judges , advocates , attornies , scriveners , sergeants , jailors , and all whatever belong ro courts of justice , have their pay , or salaries out of som publick stock of the common ▪ wealth ; and to defraie all charges herein ; let everie one that is condemned in his sute , or that sue's , and implead's another unjustly , or doth another wrong , and thereby forceth another to sue for his right , paie one , two , three , &c. per cent. for a mulct or fine , to this publick stock , and let them that sue , or wrong another most basely , and apparently unjustly , and out of plain deceit , and wrong paie half , or the whole sum that hee would have deteined another of : the half whereof give to him that was wronged , or sued unjustly , and the other half to this publick stock , so shall men fear to wrong , and sue another unjustly , and prevent abundance of suites , and quarrels , and prevent charges to him that is , or might bee wronged ; and the unwillingness of these offices to do their office , when they have nothing of them that set them awork , may bee prevented by other means . 16. in greater cities ( especially in london ) where fall's manie differences , there must bee so manie courts of justice , that all suites may bee ended in a week , or if there bee too manie writings to peruse , and difficulties to hear ; then to bee put to good men to peruse , and hear them , and they for to bring in their report , how they finde things , if they cannot comprimise it ; and all ordinarie suites to bee ended at the first hearing , or next daie at a second hearing ; if som paper , or circumstance of proof bee wanting , in the same citie may bee two or three courts of the same kinde : onely one for a greater , another for alesser summe . besides , there may bee one two , or three courts for sea matters , at london ; if one bee not enough to end all things quickly ; one for quarrels ; one for monies , and one for agreements in writing , in which fall anie differences ; another there may bee for quarrels , between masters and men , mistresses and maids , &c. and other courts there may bee , if there bee need : and better the judges sit , though they somtimes have little or nothing to do , then hundreds daily wait on them , and know not when they shall bee heard , &c. 17. let not one man have power of anie iudgment alone , by anie means ; for besides , one is more capable to bee bribed then manie , that are changed yearly ( onely one in a court , staie's on for the year after , and hee to bee the first president for that year : ) one man cannot think of all things needful at that time , so well as manie men can do ; and oft divers men , or one amongst them finde's a deceit better , and sooner then one man alone can do . 18. let order bee taken , that no man may bee put in prison , and have his libertie taken away for debt , before sentence bee past , and that hee bee condemned : and when anie bee put in prison , let their caus bee heard , and presently determined ; and if they bee in debt , and cannot pay their debts , nor anie friends for them ; then let them bee set to work , that in time hee may paie his debts , or if possible som part of it ; for that is just , and will make others take heed how they com into debt ; and do much other good . 19. all living men are so partial , that i doubt , there is not one alive hath so much grace , or truth , that at all times would impartially give sentence ; and though som would not take monie , or presents , directly and by compact ; yet manie will take som kindness , at lest indirectly , especially , from friends or kinred ; and though som would abhor all this , especially for the most part , yet are there anie living men , that dwell in houses of clay , and see through flesh , that would not at som times bee partial to their neer friends and acquaintance , and give such a sentence for them , as they would not do , if it were for an enemie , &c. wherefore , it is of verie great concernment , that som cours bee taken , to prevent , as much as can possible bee , all partialitie ; for which manie things might bee don , and manie brave orders made , if men were willing to do all that might bee . great punishments on them that take gifts , * or pervert judgments upon anie pretence , is one good means , and manie other helps there are . 20. sore punishment against fals witnesses ; is of great conducement to iustice , and few men there are that fear an oath , indeed much less a lie , or fals testimonie , when it may advantage themselvs , or friends ; and most men in words , do abhor a fals oath ; yet verie few in a temptation , that make true conscience of it : but finde a thousand waies to absolv themselvs , and blinde their own consciences , that they may not think themselvs forsworn , or to have born fals witness : wherefore against the subtletie and deceitfulness of man's heart , in this and the former article especially , all diligence of the depth of wisdom must bee set on work , by means whereof , good laws , and order , and right antidotes may bee found to prevent all the mischief of these evils . and where anie doubt is , each of the witnesses must bee examined alone , in a room apart ; by which means great discoveries of untruth will bee found out , to wonderment . 21. let som able men bee appointed ( but so as they bee not known to bee such ) continually to ride up and down , and bee present at courts of iudicature , somtimes in one town and countie , somtimes in another ; and when they finde anie court to do apparent injustice , let them discover it to the state , for them to take a cours , that such judges may bee punished , as they finde each in that court to have been guiltie thereof ; so shall all courts of justice fear to do wrong , lest som of these men bee there present to disclose their injustice . yea doubtless , it would bee of admirable use , to have either sheriffs , or som other , to give an account of the obedience given to all acts of parlament , yea , to see them obeied in the counties . for justice in criminal causes . 1. let the same men in everie town , and countie , that have the judgment in civil , have the judgment in criminal causes ; but in countrie towns and places , where are no men of much judgment , let them not have the power of life and death in their hands , but onely som other corporal punishments ; yet 't is strange to see in the low countries , how their bores , or men in countrie towns , that in manie places have power of life and death , will do better justice then learned men in other countries . 2. next daie ( or two ) after anie are com or brought into prison , let them bee examined , that if anie bee unjustlie imprisoned , hee may bee forthwith set at libertie ; and for such as are guiltie , let them bee tried , and sentence pronounced , and executed as as often as possible may bee , that iustice may bee speedily exercised to the terror of evil doers ; and it will save much charge to the common-wealth , not to keep long in prison . 3. let no malefactors against the light of nature , and civil societie , escape unpunished , but bee justly and speedily punished , not in prisons before hand , by cold , heat , stink , famine , or anie other wale ; but out of humanitie , let them bee comfortably provided for , till sentence bee given ▪ and then let justice take place ; tha● all murtherers , theeves , whore ▪ mongers , adulterers , fals-witness ▪ bearers , evil-speakers , deceivers ▪ bankrupts , drunkards , roiotors traitors , blasphemers , and all manner of evil doers may bee duly punished , rather inclining to mercie then crueltie , and alwaies with a merciful heart . 4. let no man or court have power to pardon anie offenders ; for mercie to one offender is crueltie unto manie innocent persons ; for if one get's pardon , one hundred will hope for the like ; and it increaseth offenders , and wrong 's the common-wealth , and tend's onely to the unjust greatness of him , or them that have that power , and by god never commanded . 5. let no difference bee made between iews , or gentiles , bond or free , stranger or natives , in either criminal , or civil things : for so hath god commanded , and by this means shall the governors bee true fathers of humanitie ; and it will mightily populate , and inrich the common-wealth , when the oppressed in anie other countrie know where to go dwell , under so just government , with freedom from oppression . 6. that the children nor heirs of malefactors bee punished , or disinherited for the misdeeds of their parents , becaus the lord hath so commanded , and the punishment of children for their parents faults in former times , hath been used chiefly by tyrants , who , to secure * themselvs the better against treasons , and hurt to themselvs , set such sore punishments to deterr all from hurting them , which should not have needed , had they lived justly . * if the father forfeit his estate , do it , but let his small children have their portions out of it , if they have no waie approved their father's evil . 7. and i believ it can never bee shewed out of anie historie , either divine , or humane , that ever god changed or put down that government , or brought so general a plague as war , &c. upon a nation , to destroie half , or a quarter of the inhabitants , so long as , but anie reasonable measure of justice * was found amongst them ; how much then will hee bless that nation , and government , with all manner of blessings , both spiritual and temporal , where with good justice , both true religion and mercie are advanced ? and most certainly , * that government † that followeth these principal rules of god's word , shall never bee changed whilst they continue so doing , * and that nation shall alwayes continue most happie † who are so governed ; for the lord will not fail of his good word , nor is his arm shortned . it is verie adviseable , that since england breed's so manie thieves , and hanging thereupon is so common and cheap , and yet little reformation , that two gallies may bee built to row from gravesend to queenborow , and where els they may , ( according to weather ) and put theeves on these two years , seven , ten , or during their life ; certainly this will help more then the gallows , and more conformable it is to god's will ; and since the root of manie mischiefs is base swinish drunkenness , and the cure hereof never reached by all the laws alreadie made ; there is but one main cure propounded , viz. that it bee inacted through the nation , that none drink to another , directly , or indirectly , upon the forfeiture of twelve pence , whereof six pence to the informer , and six pence to the poor ; which , though it seem ridiculous , will prove the likeliest waie of prevention ; the practice beeing of men ingrammatical , and practised in no countries , but among our neighbors in germanie , &c. and becaus justice cannot bee executed without power , therefore god hath given the sword into the magistrate's hand to maintein the good , and punish evil doers ; wherefore the militia must bee alwayes well looked to , and provided for . 1. by putting into all offices , both in garrison and field , godlie and trustie men , the state may relie on . 2. to have all store-houses bee neer at hand , and well provided of all sorts of ammunition , and constantly well drest and looked to , both in peace , and in time of war especially . 4. * to put the sword into no private souldier's hand , that is uncivil ; much less into the hands of lewd persons , who love no justice . * they will destroie victuals in plentie , cannot fast in want , sooner fall sick , and weaken the armie : mutinie sooner , and fail and faint in the time of battail . 5. let all militarie persons , both souldiers , and officers , bee truly and justly paid , whatever is promised them ; for they that are to maintein justice , must bee first just themselvs , and keep souldiers from injustice , which cannot bee without due paiement ; for by good paiment you may have chois of souldiers ; and may keep them in good discipline , and may bee so justly ordered , that they will bee no burthen , but profit to the places where they are . 6. do justly in advancing such to offices in the armie and garrisons , as are deserving men , and have longest , and faithfully served the state , and not to put in friends that never were souldiers , or other men for money , or other self-ends , whereby manie are discontented , and the armie made less serviceable , and the state thereby weakned : when the souldiers see them in power so unjust . 7. let all roiotous , and deboist souldiers bee turned out of service ; for such are plagues to provoke god to wrath , they will brag much , and when it come's to fighting , do little ; when an armie is in plentie , they will devour abundance , and the sooner bring the whole to want ; and when want com's they are the less able to bear it ; but will sooner grow sick , infect others , die themselvs , and weaken the whole . neither can rioters fast when need is , so long as temperate men . 8. lastly that all commissions and orders pass in the militarie channel , and all souldiers to give an account to the general , and the general to the state , no interfearing with them and the civil government , the english souldierie being the most unparalel'd men in the world . and becaus the militia cannot bee maintained without money ; therefore hath god commanded , that tribute shall bee paid to them that bear the sword of justice ; and things must bee so ordered , that the common-wealth may have a verie rich stock , or revenue at least , to defray all charges plentifully , without which they cannot be just . 2. the charges of the whole common-wealth , must bee duly known , and all unnecessarie charges cut off , and then a proportionable tax laid accordingly , plentifully to defray all those charges ; so as no man must paie more currantly , nor buy all things cheaper then the common-wealth ; for they must bee an example of truth in what they promise ; and justice in performance to the whole common-wealth , how will the lord then bless them ? 3. special care must bee had , that men fearing god and hating covetousness , may bee chosen and trusted with the stock of the common-wealth ; and yet so regulated , that if any prove fals , they may do little hurt . 4. the charge of the common-wealth may bee made much less by lessening the state of officers , both civil and militarie , by land and sea , which is nourished in a kinglie government , to maintain their port and grandure : but in a common wealth , who desire wealth indeed , this statelie port is wholly needless , as hath most eminently been seen in the low countries , where 't is strange to see ( though now 't is ten times greater then in the heat of their wars against the king of spain ) how small state , the states themselvs hold : lords of the admiraltie , burgomasters of the greatest cities , not one of an hundred have so much as a man or serjeant to wait on them in the streets , yet do the highest acts of power , with asmuch vigor as the king of spain himself . 5. let as many offices of the common-wealth ( as can bee ) bee served by men of qualitie , who will do it freely without any charge or salaries ; of which you need not doubt of chois ; for how manie thousands are in england , men that have enough to live on , and nothing to imploie their able parts in ; who gladly , som out of love of humanitie and the common good , others , but that they might bee well imploied , som out of love of autoritie , and honor , &c. would gladly serv the common-wealth ; yea , and would petition ten for one office , ( if it were but brought into custom , as it was under the romane common-wealth-government* ) and what a mass of monie might bee saved by this means , and the common-wealth more honored by beeing sued to to bee served ? and yet all offices better served then now by needie men , that desire still more to inrich themselvs , and whose hearts saie not yet , i have enough , as manie men do , that live on what they have . * and should not christians serv the common-wealth freely , as well as the romanes ? 6. as manie officers about custom , excise , clerks , treasurers , committees , towns , freeedoms , officers of companies , and manie the like might bee discharged , as would alone maintein a great armie , if all customs , excise , and a hundred other waies of gathering monie were put down , and instead thereof , all men throughout the whole common-wealth , that are able to paie anie thing * taxed once in a year , what each shall give , each according to his rents , estate , trade , and handicraft , and a place appointed in each town , and citie , where everie one shall themselvs bring the money they are taxed at , with how few officers and little charge might this bee don , and how easie would it bee for men to paie , when they should have all things so cheap without custom , excise , or charge of thousands of officers ; how would men bee inabled hereby to paie their taxes by the multitude of trade that would flow in , if all customs , &c. were free . 7. this tax to paie the whole charge of the common-wealth ( both the charge of the state , and all the charges of each town and citie ) may bee ordered to bee paid at once , or at three , or four several times everie year ; or rebate set for them that bring it in before the time limited , proportionable to the time ; and manie other means may bee used , to caus people to paie willingly ; or the tax may bee laid much less , and the rest taxed upon burials , weddings , and feastings , or the like , and people forbidden by a law , not to make such great weddings , burials , christnings , &c. and instead thereof , to give but the half so much to the state. 't is strange , what abundance of monie might bee gathered by this means , and yet people have never the less , seeing now they spend twice so much , in such things as bee wholly useless , and do but hurt and trouble themselvs , so to spend their monie . 8. great would the advantages bee , both to the state , and particular towns , to have a rich publick stock ; as a well monied man that is prudent , by god's blessing get's up above all his neighbors ; so would it bee with a rich state , through god's blessing beeing well managed ; i could bee large herein : first , the state might bee just , and paie all justly , and presently , upon which a blessing is promised . secondly , all things might bee bought for readie monie , the advantage whereof is verie great . thirdly , you are readie to lend to anie neighbor ▪ nation , and take strong holds for securitie , which is oft of great concernment . fourthly , you are readie not onely to defend , but to offend anie nation that wrong's you , or assist anie nation oppressed , by which oft whole provinces are gained , and in general all happiness attend's this state ; for as christ saith to him that hath ( using it well ) shall bee given , and this riches is your strong tower . 9. t is as easie for anie state to get a rich stock , and revenue , as for anie private man that hath a good trade , to gather monie , if hee will bee thriftie and diligent ; but as no man can grow rich that will bee gallant , and costly at first ; so kings , princes , and states that will bee thriftie , and diligent , may gather monie like dust , and make silver like the stones of the street , and that in twentie , thirtie , or fiftie years time ; for think not but it must have a time , and may as easily spend all again , as wee see in solomon , or bee alwayes poor , and in straits , as all states almost are , and know not how to get out of debt , when 't is meerly their own faults , as may most evidently bee proved . and no people , ( when a state is setled ) will bee * unwilling to paie anie taxations , when they but see , or conceiv that 't is well used , and improved ; but if states will go upon profuse charges , when they are poor , and keep thievs that steal the publick stock continually , no marvel if people bee unwilling , &c. 10. if this waie of gathering monie with most eas , and least charge cannot bee brought about , without disturbance of the common-wealth ; there are manie waies to gather more monie by excise and custom , then now on foot , and with less grievance to the common wealth . it is wished that all that use coaches should paie fifteen pound , or twentie pound yearly to the state. and so for hackney ▪ men , according to discretion . and to give all incouragement to weavers and others , to make all the manufactures of silk in england , and to treat with som weavers , and merchants , for the setting up of looms , and other inventions in england , for getting of the manufacture here , and that countenance by the magistrates may bee given to the undertakers of what nation soever , provided they bee bound to set onely our english poor awork , and bring over into england but a certain number , not exceeeding a hundred , to teach our nation the manufactures aforesaid : this beeing don , would imploie manie thousands of our poor , and get this nation a rich manufacture , and serv the exportation of our treasure , which ought now carefully to bee looked after , the like ought to bee don for the advancement of making all sort of linnen cloth . that whereas great quantitie of gold , and silver is wasted in this nation , in the making gold and silver-lace and thred , and the vanitie and excess thereof is grown so great , that an act may bee made for the putting of it totally down , that none bee permitted to wear it ( or expose it to sale under a certain penaltie ) or if it bee allowed to bee worn , then onely for persons of qualitie , and that an excise of at least six pence the ounce bee laid on all the silver wyer ( and strict order taken , that none of the currant coins of the nation bee melted down for the making of that manufacture , of gold and silver-thred , or wyer ) and that all the workers , both men and women may bee tyed to such just rules , as all the former abuses practised in this trade , may bee prevented in the making of that manufacture ( and restrained onely to persons of qualitie , to bee allowed to wear gold or silver-lace ; ) by this means manie people will have their monie in their purses , to supplie their necessarie occasions , which they vainly laie out on their backs , to the great waste of their private fortunes , and dammage of the common wealth : for in all well regulated common-wealths , the extravagancies of coin , and profuse people ought to bee restrained by the magistrates . that all forrein laces , such as are made beyond seas , either in silk or thred , bee debarred to bee imported into this nation , upon the forfeiture of ten times the value the laces shall bee apprised at : and if you will allow laces to bee worn here , then let our own poor have the benefit of making lace here , and not forreiners . to advise all waies and means for the bringing in of gold and silver into this common-wealth , and to inquire , and finde out what waies and designs have been practised to obstruct the mint and transport your treasure , and to prevent it carefully for the future , and to give all incouragement to merchants to bring monies into the nation ; to do this effectually , would bee a great advantage to the common-wealth , and require's a diligent prosecution and inquirie after ; to prevent the great abuses in clipped english money , to pass a law it may all bee cut in pieces , and none to expose it in paiement ; but as bullion to bee new coined upon strict penalties , against anie person that shall offend in the premises ; for the common-wealth is verie much cozened by clipped monie . now as a man cannot bee accounted verie religious , who is slothful : nor can shew much mercie without plentie of means to do it withal ; nor will bee just to others , who is not just to himself , and familie , by diligence to do his utmost indeavor ; in som honest calling ; so the magistrate in his place is bound to use , and see that all diligence bee used , to make happie the common-wealth . which hee shall do . i. by the advancement of learning . ii. by the improvement of nature . iii. by the incouragement of arts. iv. by the increas of merchandise . i. for the advancement of learning , lord verulam hath * propounded manie excellent things , and more may bee added by other learned men ; for doubtless , learning will mightily improve all other things , if so regulated , as self might bee less , and the publick more intended . two books wee want in england ; viz. first another martyrologie , continued from queen marie's time to the death of the late king. secondly , the experiments ministers and others have in several cases of conversion , and other cases of desertion , with the quieting of souls , and means thereunto , with a probatum est , the names of the parties concealed : which if everie able christian would write , and keep by him , and print , how might satan's methods bee discovered , and manie souls comforted ? ii. first for the improvement of nature , lord verulam hath also manie excellent , and learned problemes , experiments , and speculations , and more in that kinde may bee added , and brought to act by other learned men , by the incouragement , and help of the publick stock , in times of peace , when war is ended . 2. but of all things , i thinke there is nothing conduceth so much to the profit of all , as cutting of rivers , where none are , and making them deeper that are too shallow , both within , and without towns , and from one town to another ; as wee see in the low-countries , who have as the lord verulam saith , the richest mines above ground in the world : meaning their rivers . for in a countrie like england , the third or fourth part of all the grain sown in the whole land , is spent upon beasts for carriage , &c. which by rivers might bee spared : and might by a joint hand , and good order bee made more easily then is thought of . 3. som privileges may bee promised , and made sure to such , to be injoied for life , or so manie years , whosoever shall finde anie new invention , for improvement of nature in anie kinde ; bee it in manuring of ground , making it better , and finding anie instruments , to till the ground mith more eas , or less charge or the like . 4. much may bee don about improvement of commons ; making of som waters land , and gaining of ground out of the sea , as is to bee seen in the low-countries , to their great inrichment , and admiration of other nations . 5. a rich publick stock in everie town , and citie may hereby bee laid out in improvement of nature , to the great profit of the revenue of the town , and yet greatly to the common good , of which manie examples might bee produced . 6. daies of publick praier to god , to bless the fruits of the earth , and of publick thanks-giving for his blessing thereupon , is a special means for improvement of nature ordained by himself , and will bee blessed by him , if rightly kept , and then are special fruits of faith . iii. for incouragement of arts and manufactures , great care must bee taken , becaus it imploie's hundred thousands , who live upon it , and also is a chief ground for merchandise , and manie chief setters of people on work , do also much inrich themselvs , to the great good of the common-wealth . 1. for finding of new arts , or for bettering of the old , by instruments , easiness , or the like , great riches , honors , or privileges would bee propounded , and assured , or the state to choos two men , and the inventer two ; and if they agree not themselvs to choos an umpire , to determine the reward of the inventer , and the same liberally to bee rewarded accordingly : the same whereof would set all the wits of the world on work , to advance your common-wealth , to the greatest happiness that ever the world yet saw . 2. all means to buy materials at the cheapest prises , must in a special manner bee indeavored ; and amongst other means a chief will bee , to suffer all commodities , from all parts of the world to bee brought in free without custom ; and if they cannot make price to their mindes , that they may transport them freely out again , at all times . 3. that all possible care must bee taken , for cheapest transportation of goods , within the land , from place to place , both by water and by land ; ' also such order about laborers , boats , carts , and all things thereupon depending ; ' also such order about workmen , and victual , &c. as may best conduce thereunto , about which much may bee said , too large for this place . 4. that no artist , or handie-laborer , that gain 's not thereby ten or twentie pound a year ( or so much as shall bee thought fit , according to the cheapness of the place hee live ▪ s in ) if a batchelor , or thirtie , or fortie pounds a year if hee bee married : and five or ten pounds a year for each childe hee hath besides , shall give anie kinde of taxation to the common-wealth , &c. 5. that all companies of artists , or trades ▪ men , give freedom for all that will ( and are capable thereof ) to set up , or bee free of that trade , without paying anie thing for freedom , either of the citie or companie : for why should anie thing for common good bee so lock't up , inclosed , or paid for ? this freedom would bee found true freedom , if it were but in use , however it may seem at present . 6. what if once in a year all of each trade ( at several times ) meet together ; and hee that could do best , or most of anie trade , to have som kinde of prise , or honor that year , &c. 7. publick daies of praier , that god would pour out his spirit ( as of grace especially , so ) of sciences and arts upon his people , &c. iv. for increas of merchandise , and merchants , and helps for dispatch of their affairs ; manie things may bee don by the magistrate , and ought in a special manner to bee looked upon , as a special means to inrich anie nation . 1. to preserv the common-wealth at peace , at home especially , and abroad also , as much as possible can bee , with all nations ; is a chief means to increas merchants , and merchandise ▪ and therefore to meddle verie little with other states , but trust in god , who seldom order's his people to that work ; nor to keep anie leger-ambassadors from other nations . 2. to have special care to keep the soveraintie of the sea , by numerous and able men of war , well furnished with all things ; and mariners , volontiers , and well paid ; and good order for constant convoies , for all places , that merchants may bee kept from losses ; to accomplish which , manie things are to bee don . this short regulating of the present navie may incourage others to add their thoughts . the brief regulating of the present navie , which now cost's five or 600000 l. yearly . the work consist's either in the governing , or the executive part . i. for the governing thereof . 1. a committee of admiraltie consisting of five or seven verie able men , should alwaies sit neer the council of state , with sufficient secretaries : and these men ( if need ) may have competent salaries . 2. these to bee able to give satisfaction for all marine affairs whatsoëver at all times : these to have in them the court of admiraltie also ; which may easily bee don ; if the law of merchants were in force , who , by six men yearly chosen , may end the usual controversies among seamen and merchants . the admiraltie court ( as now it stand's ) beeing verie offensive . 3. in this committee , the admirals of the sea , to sit , when they return home , as assistants . ii ▪ the executive part consist's either in building the ship , or employing it , when built : to which end 1. laie by all the docks at chattam , detford , &c. whence neer one thousand mouths are daily fed upon the state , besides officers , &c. 2. that the ship bee built in a merchant waie , at anie dock the carpenter will , and so built per tun as can bee agreed by the said committee , and paiement upon deliverie ; for wee finde the verie carriage of the state 's own timber is dearer then timber can bee bought elswhere . 3. that for the performance of covenants the committee have a check , or overseer upon the ship , whilst building . 4. that som act bee made for the preservation of timber through the common-wealth , there beeing much spoil made continually . 5. that the offer of new-england may bee entertained , who tender the building of what ships , or frigats are desired , and to bring them into the thames , and there their value impartially judg'd : who likewise may furnish iron guns , masts , &c. for the sailing of the ship . 1. that an able fit captain bee chosen , and the ship commended to his care , whilst hee is worthie . 2. that the said captain bee in constant paie . 3. that hee rig , man , victual , and take the whole care of the ship himself , with a muster-master upon everie ship , or squadron . 4. that the captain 's accounts bee given up to the committee aforesaid , as often as they pleas . 5. that upon anie miscarriage of his , hee bee made verie exemplarie . 6. seamen to bee paid everie six moneths , in the several places , where they com in to winter . 7. that ships bee as well kept at other places as at chattam . by which you save the charge of commissioners , victuallers , pursers , stewards , docks , &c. by which means you need not press men ; everie captain knowing how to get his own gang : and certainly hee that is trusted with a ship worth 10000 l. may well bee trusted with all the rest : hee know's his officers and men , whereby hee may give a better account then now , when the ship is man'd by strangers ; and then a captain chosen for six moneths , not knowing the men hee is to join with in his work , nor to see them more when hee leav's them . 3 special care must bee had to secure merchants , and their goods on land as well as by sea , from danger by fire , by water , by souldiers , injustice of courts , or anie other waie : the means for these ends are plain . 4 to take of all incumbrance from merchandise , as custom , excise , pasports , &c. by all which merchants are extremely troubled , vexed , and hindered ; and if men might ship , and unship their goods at all times , and in all places ; and that without anie toll or custom , how would it increas trade ? how would all the world make england their packhous , as now they do the low-countries , where small customs are paid : much more would it bee here , if no custom were paid ▪ besides the great riches to your inhabitants , by factorage , packhouses , porters and all trades would feel the benefit thereof , to the marvellous increas of the common wealth , &c. 5 to increas shipping and marriners for the cheap transporting of merchandise : for which divers things would bee don ; 't is strange that in the low countries , though they have neither wood , iron , hemp , &c. of their own , but must fetch all things to make ships ( by ships ) from other countries , yet that they will transport merchandise at a cheaper rate then anie other nation , and have got to this height in the midst of a most costlie , dangerous war. 6 to take such a cours which may bee easily don , if there bee a will thereto ; as all differences , debts , and quarrels amongst merchants and marriners about shipping , fraits , &c. may bee both speedily and justly ended , and without anie charge to him that hath the just caus ; and a mulct upon him that doth or seek's to do wrong to his neighbour . let forreiners and all strangers , jew , and heathen , have full as just , speedie and cheap justice as anie , so shall all nations tell what the lord hath don for you ; how will riches flow in ? 7 but one of the greatest things in the world , to increas merchandise , is to have monie cheap at interest , as in the low-countries , where at three 3 ▪ and four per cent . a year , anie merchant , or anie other that hath credit , may take up as much monie as is incredible , upon his bare , private obligation , without anie notarie or witness , which is of such concernment for the state it self , and all sorts of people therein as is incredible : and can bee effected as well in england , as anie where , for 't is the meer fruits of justice and righteousness , and a secure state ; by reason wherof all nations in wars , or troubles , or in securitie , make over their treasures to that countrie , where there is lest fear to lose it ; which bring 's treasures from all parts , and they at length beeing wearie to have it still , give it out at interest at the best price they can get , which at last so manie will do , that monie com's to bee so cheap as you have heard , and make 's merchants of other parts also send their goods to that countrie , to lie still for a better market ; when their loss is so little as three or four per cent . for a whole year , which also bring in great riches . 8 upon which secure , and good state of things , a bank may bee set up , as at amsterdam , where lie's a great deal of the merchants , ( and other ) treasure ; for 't is in vain to set up a bank , if merchants think not their monie would bee as secure there as in their own hands or surer . 1. the advantage of this bank is verie great to the citie , who stand's for securitie , and whose deputies ( three of them , yearly two chosen ) are trusted with the whole stock of the bank , which they keep in sellers , made with plaster of paris , and iron doors with three locks ; the advantage to the town , laws and orders thereof would bee too large here to rehears . 2. the advantage to the state is also great at som strait , where they may orderly borrow a great summe at low interest , giving good securitie for it : but if the state use anie force , though but once , and necessitate , or force the bank to lend , then is the bank spoiled for twentie years , or an age , as the case may stand . 3. the advantage to merchants is great , especially to great ones , to have all their monie receiv'd , and paid for nothing , and most paid by bills , without stirring anie monie , onely set from one man's account to another's . 9 for saving of time , and that merchants may keep a man the less , and that the bank may also receiv , and paie their monie the easier ; there must also bee minted or coined so manie hundred thousand pounds in five shilling peeces , as that all great summes may bee received , and paid in great monie , the commoditie whereof is great to merchants , though there were no bank . 10 t is also a thing of great concernment to make currant , at a true value the monie of other countries , by a wise government whereof , suitable to the exchange , and other considerations , the riches of other countries may by an unsensible subtletie bee drawn into yours , as in the low-countries . 11 and great care is to bee taken about the mint , and fals coiners , and not to mint too much or too little monie of one kinde ; for merchants , and all inhabitants are accommodated , or disaccommodated greatly hereby . 12 a common weigh-hous ( two or three in great cities ) with four or eight several great and small ballances , in everie weigh-hous regulated with brave and just orders , is of very great use to merchants ; the seller to deliver his goods into the ballance , and the buyer to receiv it as soon as 't is weighed , the laborers about it to bee sworn , and well ordered , and other things here about would bee too large . 13 let there bee as manie sworn brokers ( who may not buy or sell anie thing for themselvs ) as will desire the office for accommodations of merchants regulated with good laws , and to bee put out of office upon anie fals dealing between man and man , and a rate set what they may take for brokerage of each commoditie , &c. let them have the office gratis , and let them have officers to decide all controversies between two brokers , that concern's their office , and to maintein their own poor , if you will amongst themselvs , 〈◊〉 14 if a court were 〈…〉 ed to assure all merchants goods , from pirates , and enemies , and fully to paie for what ever is lost that waie ( yet everie man to bee left free , whether hee will insure or no ) yea if the same court did also insure against dangers by storms , or what is otherwise lost at sea also ; i conceiv the state , or citie that stood the venture for so much in the hundred might make great profit thereby , and also further , and incourage merchants to venture , of which much might bee said . 15 a verie great plague and hinderance of merchants are bankrupts ; and certainly merchandise would bee much increased ; if the fear of bankrupts were but in part remedied , which might bee by good laws well executed ; as that , whosoever trust anie one man , with all , or more then hee is worth ; or venture so much in one or divers ships upon the sea , or laie so much in one hous , and loos it by fire , and by anie of these means turn bankrupt , shall bee so and so punished . 16 that they that know , ( or may know if they pleas ) they are behinde hand , and yet buy wares , or borrow monies of other men , ( under pretence of hope to get before hand again ) and yet plaie bankrupts , bee also more punished then the former , especially , if upon examination it doth appear , they knew they must plaie bankrupts , when they bought those wares , or borrowed that monie ; for then they differ not from thievs , onely in circumstance , and to bee the more punished , if when they had nothing , yet they wer● costly in apparel , and other expenses , and knew they spent of other men's , &c. 17 that they , who under pretence of able men , under color of merchandise , get other men's goods into their hands , and yet , when they need not , bankrupt themselvs on purpose to deceiv others , and inrich themselvs , bee sorely punished , as verie great thievs . 18 that no bankrupt may ever after com into anie office , or bear anie rule in church or state , &c. 19 that if the bankrupt bee taken , and no friends will paie his debts , let him and his bee set to work as a thief , and what they can earn , over besides their own poor living , to bee given to the creditors . these , or the like penalties well limited , and ordered , and executed , would prevent thousands of bankrupts , which are like cankers to the common-wealth . and what with great and little bankrupts , it is abundance that plaie bankrupt everie year . no week passeth without som bankrupt in great cities , and som week divers ; and one bankrupt doth more hurt then twentie thievs that are put to death , or sorely punished for it . but for london in particular , these things following would bee reformed , for the increas , eas , pleasure , and benefit of merchants , and all other inhabitants besides , and above manie of the former things , that london want's . 1. for landing of goods , &c. that a brave large key bee made into the thames , from london bridg to wappin , or lower , and above the bridg also , that ships may lie there safe all the waie , to lade and unlade their goods with roomth and pleasure , and with much less charge then now ; and there may bee pack-houses and sellers made all along by the keie , to the great eas and accommodation of merchants , and of great pleasure to merchants , marriners , and all sorts of people , to have such a large brave keye , of fortie or fiftie foot broad to walk upon , and dispatch their affairs at pleasure ; and all this may bee don without charge to anie . 2. that thames-street , for a mile or two long , bee made as broad , or broader then anie street in london ; large , fair , and the houses light and pleasant ; the street to bee paved with ●●ch flat four-square stones , as in holland , and high in the middest with the gutters on both sides , and bricks on both sides next the houses , as in holland ; the profit , pleasure , and eas to the whole inhabitants would bee verie great . the difficultie seem's to bee in pulling down , and new building of houses , or removing them on screws , as at amsterdam : but things may bee so ordered , as the profit to bee made , by convenient building ; and the value , houses , and ground will bee at , by bettering the street and the key , will fully countervail the charge of all this whole work ; though it should bee six , eight or ten years in doing , it might bee made one of the bravest places in the world , where one thousand or two thousand ships may lie with safetie all weathers &c. 3. the next thing som remedie must bee found for , is the passage up hill from thames-street to london ; for which thames-street , it may bee , will permit to bee heightned a foot or two all along , which will much eas the passage upward ; and besides , right against anie street that goe's into the citie , thames-street may bee heightned six or eight foot , like a bridg ; and thames-street on each side for a hundred foot or more , to go sloping downward by an easie descent ; and beeing against that place of ascent into the citie rais'd eight foot , the ascent into the citie will also fall easie by a small ascent ; and if anie inconvenience should bee found in this , there are other inventions to remedie this great inconvenience for transportation of goods , &c. which is of good concernment , besides the delight and cleanliness of this manner of accommodation . 4. but i would have no carts used in the wole citie ; for they are verie uneasie to lade , and unlade goods , and besides , do so pester the streets , as merchants , and others cannot pass the streets for quick dispatch of their affairs , to their great hurt and loss , of half a quarter of an hour , and thereby an opportunitie is oft great loss to manie . now for remedie ▪ let sleads bee onely used as at amsterdam , that can draw an half , and a whole tun weight , as the hors is in strength : and besides the slead men alone ordinarily , can lade and unlade his slead , without other help , unless for verie heavie things hee desire 's to lend a hand of one or other that stand's by ; t is a neat waie , and of quick dispatch , &c. som cours must also bee taken to lessen the number of coaches , which too much pester the streets , and hinder men in passing too and fro : which may easily bee don . 5. next wee com up into the citie , where wee see most beastly durtie streets , the hurt of which is so great , as is strange ; and what a world of work is daily made by the durt and wet , in rotting of shoes and stockins , womens coats , fouling of houses , making clean of shoes , clothes , &c. as is strange and not possible for merchants to live cleanly , and neatly , as in holland without cleaner streets ; which may in a verie great measure bee helped by paving the streets , with brave slate four-square stones , the streets highest in the middest , gutters on each side next the houses , as in holland , and bricks on each side next the houses , easie and clean for people to walk on , which , besides the great pleasure to all , would ten times paie the charge in saving shoes , stockins , &c. from wet and rotting , besides , all houses might bee kept more cleanly , and merchants live more neatly , &c. 6. all wooden houses in london must down ; and not anie part bee of wood , onely windows and doors , as fast as they rot away : no reparations , or verie little to bee permitted , and no new houses to bee built , but with brick or stone , to prevent fire , for securitie of merchants and others ; and it would make merchants of other countries the more willing to trust their goods in your citie , when there is less danger of fire . 7. also divers means must bee used for prevention of fire , more water must bee provided at hand by pumps , bored into the ground fiftie , or one hundred foot , if water may bee so had by orders of clappermen , going about all night , as in holland : then a captain , and officers of fire in everie ward , to set good orders about quenching fire , also leather buckets in everie hous , and in all publick places , and leathers at hand in everie ward alwaies readie , and divers the like things are needful . 8. as fast as the citie is paved with new brave stones , to take the old stones and pave the high waies , everie waie out of the citie , and to make the high waies so round and high in the midst , that they may bee clean winter and sommer , and to use all means , that all high waies may bee well mended and kept , which will bee great delight to merchants and other inbabitants , &c. 9. also a large keie may bee made on southwark side , all along the lanes , and rivers cut out of the thames with keies on both sides ; and pack-houses built , where all cours commodities , as pitch , tar , iron , milstones , wood of all sorts , as masts , timber , planks , deals , spars , clapboards , and manie others commodities may bee brought , and there bee kept at small charge ; and landed out of the ships , at the doors of the the pack houses , as at rotterdam , and other places , to the great accommodation of merchants , and furtherance of merchandise ; and if these plain , and just rules of god's word were observed ; there would bee no need of anie deceitful , base , and machevilian courses , to keep a common-wealth , in peace and obedience , as may bee seen in the low-countries , where no people have more libertie then they , nor paie such great taxations , nor so little state anie where used to preserv autoritie ; and yet the people of so manie nations , and religions live in the greatest peace , and plentie of the world , meerly by good justice , mercie and religion , and yet manie things com short , of what they ought ; and might bee . postscript . refer these to their proper places . concerning printing , which well used is a great honor , and benefit to the common-wealth these things would bee considered . 1. that printing bee look't upon as a mysterie , not as a common trade for everie ignorant man to take up ; but to bee ordered by the state , as the mint is for coin. 2. that printing-houses bee reduced to a certain number : as heretofore they have been : for the multiplying of them is a wrong to the publick , and oftentimes the ruine of private men . 3. that all popish and offensive books , libels , and loos pamphlets may bee suppressed . 4. that no books printed originally in england , may bee imported from beyond seas into this common-wealth : other states will not suffer it : and wee finde by experience that neither autor , nor printer , nor bookseller can bee incouraged , when the book , assoon as it is out here , shall bee printed beyond sea , where they have paper and printing at a cheaper rate , and hither imported , oftentimes to the ruine of the undertakers of a good work here . 5. that the right of everie man's copie may bee preserved . much wrong hath been don this waie by invading one another's right , in these licentious times . 6. that all books fit for publick view may bee licensed , and nothing printed which shall not first bee allowed by som judicious men , in everie facultie , appointed by the state for that purpose . this would bee a means to suppress manie idle , and noxious d●scourses ; and a good warrant to the undertakers of solid and profitable books . that all females from ten to sixtie might bee enjoined to spin , and have made into linnen cloath one pound of flax everie moneth , and registred in the parish , where made ; and returned again to the owners , with incouragement to poor maids that do best . this would by computation , emploie two or three hundred thousand poor : for which a model is readie . the business of the fens need 's great incouragement to this end for flax. that since the foundation of families , villages , towns ; cities , and common-wealths spring from marriage , and the business meerly civil , that the respective magistrates in everie place might not onely do that work , which preachers , quâ preachers , have not to do with ; but also look to the qualifications of those that join in that estate : and that two or three such magistrates together may hear , and determine matters tending to divorce : for all which much is wanting in this nation , and whole families perishing upon that account ; and several sins increased . a post set up in everie parish , or at the church door a paper stuck up of the pa●●ie's names to bee married , and there to stick three weeks or a moneth . that where fees of physitians are stated , a cours may bee taken for reducing that work to sont certain rule . that bedlam may bee minded , the armie diseased , and hospitals . that superfluities may be supprest ; as coaches , and guilding coaches : to which purpose those that will ride in them may paie five or ten pounds per annum to the state : the like for gold and silver-lace , and bone-lace from beyond seas . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a90537-e660 isa . 54. 17. deut. 4. 5 , 6. 6-17 , 18 , 19. 7-12 , 13 , 14. 8. 18 , josh . 1. 8. psal . 119. 1 , 2. deut. 15. 7. mat. 5. 7. prov. 14. 31. prov. 20. 28. deut. 16. 18 , 19 , 20. v. prov. 16. 12. acts 8. 4. acts 17. 2. and ch . 19. v. 6. to 10. acts 13. 3. and 14 , 15 , 16. v. 1 cor. 14. 1. acts ▪ 28. 16. to 31. v. isa . 49. 23. psal . 119. 5. to 16. v. &c. and 27. 32. 46. 52. isa . 49. 23. prov. 4. 8. 21. and v. 21. 1 sam. 2. 30. numb . 27. 20. isa . 1. 17. job 29. 12 , 13. psal . 109. 10. ezek. 16. 49. 2 thes . 3. 10. 1 thess 4. 11. 2 ▪ 3 10. 1 tim. 5. 8. 1 tim. 5. 8. judg. 16. 21. exod. 22. 22 , 23. v. prov. 14. 21. and 31. v. prov. 19. 17. and 29. 7. ch . 28. 27. and 22. 9. luk. 19. 23. levit. 19. 33 , 34. deut. 10. 19. exod. 23. 9. and 22-21 . mat. 10. 29. mar. 12. 42. ezek. 22. 7. deut. 10. 18. isa . 1. 17. jer. 5. 28. prov. 21. 13. mat. 18. 30. to 33. v. prov. 14. 31. 1 cor. 6. 5. mat. 5. 9. psal . 107. 10. mat. 18. 30. prov. 14. 31. isa . 10. 2. exod. 22. 22. ezek. 22. 7. isa . 5. 7. prov. 14. 31. * deut. 10. 18. jeremie 5. 28. * rom. 12. 1. isa . 59. ch . 11. to 15. v. acts 5. 34. to 39. v. acts 9. 4 , 5. jer. 39. 6. 9. joh. 7. 51. gen. 40. 15. prov. 21. 3. gen. 40. 15. prov. 21. 7. isa . 59. 14. 15. jerem. 5. 28. prov. 29. 4. chap. 21. 7. ch. 21. 3. isa . 61. 8. prov. 21. 3. prov. 2. 2. 3. eccle. 1. 13. exod. 18. 21. prov. 29. 2. isa . 32. 6. prov. 20. 8. prov. 21. 15. deut. 16. 19. 2 chro. 25. 17. isa . 10. 1 , 2. isa . 59. 8. prov. 21. 7. psal . 34. 14. matt. 5. 9. prov. 12. 20. exod. 18. 21 , 22 , 23. deut. 1. 15. and 17. v. deut. 16. 18. exod. 8. 22 , 23. deut. 1. 17. 1 cor. 6. 5. mat. 5. 9. acts 23. 1. 35. ver . acts 24. 10. ier. 36. 4. exod. 21. 24 , 25. ex. 18. 18. 22. deut. 1. 16. prov. 21. 14. iosh . 20. 4. deut. 21. 2. ezra 7. 26. rom. 3. 10 , 11 , 12. exod. 23. 8. deut. 16. 19. prov. 15. 27. prov. 17. 8. 23. deut. 17. 4. 29. 4. exod. 20. 16. prov. 19. 5. 9. prov. 6. 19. prov. 21. 8. acts 12. 19. ezra 10. 16. acts 25. 26. luke 23. 14. ier. 8. 6. and 23. 18. ioshua 20. 4. numb . 35. 24. deut. 21. 2. deut. 1. 16. deut. 1. 16. prov. 21. 7. deut. 35. 31 , 32. prov. 12. 18. deut. 35. 31 , 32 , 33. deut. 1. 16 , 17. prov. 24. 23. prov. 20. 8. ezek. 18. 20. deut. 24. 16. 2 kings 14. 6. * prov. 16. 12. * prov. 16. 12. † 1 sam. 15. 11. 23. 1 king. 2. 4. 1 king. 3 9. * prov. 16. 12. † 1 sam. 15. 11. 23. 1 king. 2. 4. 1 king. 3 9. * deut. 11. 22. to 25. and the whole ch . † deut. 28. 2. to 13. and the whole chap. rom. 13. 1. 4 2 chro. 8. 3. 6. 2 chro. 25. 5. & 9. ch . 25. v. and 32. 5 , 6. exod. 18. 21. 2 king. 22. 7. 2 chro. 8. 6. 2 chro. 11 , 12. ezek. 27. 11. levit. 19. 13. mai. 3. 5. exod. 2. 9. luke 3. 14. 2 sam. 23. 8 , 9 , &c. psal ▪ 125. 4. prov. 23. 20. prov. 28. 7. 1 pet. 4. 4. 2 pet. 2 , 13. isa . 28. 1. luke 2. 1. 2. rom. 13. 6. 2 chro. 10. 4. 18. levit. 19. mal. 3. 5. exod. 18. 21. 2 king. 22. 7. 2 king. 12. 15. prov. 16. 32. nehemiah 5. 15. to 18. prov. 21. 15. luke 2. 1 , 2. 2 kings 23. 25. 2 chro. 24. 9. deut. 16. 17. * 2 chro. 10. 4. prov. 10. 4. 15. prov. 12. 24. prov. 21 ▪ 5. pr. 18. 9. prov. 21. 25. prov. 10. 4. isa . 29. 11. deut. 11. 10. 2 chro. 24. 11 , 12. ezek ▪ 27. 33. * bacon's advancement of learning . eccles . 7. 12. prov. 24. 6. 1 kings 4. 30 , 31. and 10. ch. 8. acts 7. 22. dan. 1. 17. prov. 1. 5. 7. john 7. 15. job . 22. 2. prov. 12. 18. prov. 15. 7. prov. 21 , 22. prov. 22. 17. prov. 13. 23. deut. 9. 10. bacon's natural historie . gen. 13. 10. isa . 30. 25. and 32. 2. and 23. 3. psal . 107. 35. ioshua 15. 16. 2 sam. 5. 8. prov. 10. 4. gen. 26. 12. psal . 107. 37. deut. 11. 10. eccles . 10. 19. prov. 22. 7. eccles . 7. 12. deut. 16. 10. 11. prov. 10. 22. deut. 26. 10. 11. zech. 8. 10. 12. gen. 4. 20 , 21 , 22. 1 chro. 29. 5. 2 chro. 24 , 11. 12. eccles . 9. 10. 2 sam. 5. 8. 15 ioshua 16 , 17. 1 kings 5. 6. 9 , 10. eccles . 9 , 10. 1 king. 5. 9. prov. 14. 31. nehem. 5. 18. prov. 22. 16. eccles . 9. 10. eccles . 9. 11. isa . 23. 8. ezek. 27. 33. 34. levit. 26. 6. 1 kings 4. 24 , 25. ezek. 26. 11 , 12. zech. 8. 10. dan. 11. 30. 40. ezek. 26. 15. 18. ezek , 26. 10. 12. 1 king. 12. 4. ezek. 27. 3. 9. ezek. 27. 25. 27. 1 cor. 6 ▪ 1. 5. ezek. 27. 12. to 27. v. luk. 19. 23. eccles . 9. 10. the advantage by letting out monie is great , also selling and minting of monie . the advantage by lying one hundred years , and alwayes keeping the best kinde of monie , is unspeakeable in a manner . ephes . 5. 17. eccles . 9. 10. gen. 23. 16. luke 20. 24. prov. 30. 8. levit. 19. 36. prov. 11. 1. levit. 19. 13. gen. 29. 15. acts 27. 10. and 38. 40. 2 chro. 20. 37. 2 kings 4. 1. and 7. v. mat. 18. 25. and 30. v. luke 16. 1. mat. 25. 21. 23. and 28. 29. v. 2 kings 4. 1. mat. 18. 25. 34. ezek. 27. 25. and 2● . 27. nehem. 7. 4. a dying fathers last legacy to an onely child, or, mr. hugh peter's advice to his daughter written by his own hand, during his late imprisonment in the tower of london, and given her a little before his death. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a54501 of text r32303 in the english short title catalog (wing p1697). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 101 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 65 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a54501 wing p1697 estc r32303 12624030 ocm 12624030 64614 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a54501) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 64614) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1533:15) a dying fathers last legacy to an onely child, or, mr. hugh peter's advice to his daughter written by his own hand, during his late imprisonment in the tower of london, and given her a little before his death. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. [6], 122 p. printed for g. calvert and t. brewster ..., london : 1660. engraved frontispiece portrait of peters. "to the reader" signed: g.f.n.b. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng peters, elizabeth, 17th cent. christian life. a54501 r32303 (wing p1697). civilwar no a dying fathers last legacy to an onely child: or, mr. hugh peter's advice to his daughter: written by his own hand, during his late impriso peters, hugh 1660 20270 33 0 0 0 0 0 16 c the rate of 16 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-09 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-10 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2004-10 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion lo heere ! the dictates of a dying : man ! marke well his note ! who like th'expiring swan wisely praesaging hir approaching doomb sings in soft charmes hir epicaedium . such such are his ; who was a shining lamp which though extinguisht by a fatall damp yet his last-breathings shall like incense hurld on sacred altars , soe perfume the world , that the next , will admire , and out of doubt reuere that torchlight , which this age , put out a dying fathers last legacy to an onely child : or , mr. hugh peter's advice to his daughter : written by his own hand , during hi● late imprisonment in the tower of london ; and given her a little before his death . london , printed for g. calvert , an●t . brewster , and are to be sold at the black● spread-eagle , and at the three bibles , at the west-end of pauls , 1660. to the impartial reader be not discouraged from reading this small treatise , because of the unhappy end of a wearisom pilgrimage , which the author met with in this world ; if we get a fall in a journey , or meet with a great showre of rain so it be in the close of the day , when we are near our inn , where we meet with accommodation and refreshment , we are the less troubled ; yet such was his care ( who for many years was very instrumental in the church of god , and a means of bringing many souls to christ ; and for the good of others , came into this kingdom when it was in a flame of civil war , which hath signed him also , that he might escape everlasting flames ) in this discourse he bewails the vanity of his own spirit ; and we will not exause him : he finds himself too busie in aliena republica , and we will not justifie him ; but if that precious gold should be cast away because there is some dross , or the children of god cast out of the family for every fault though heinous , we should condemne the generation of the iust : you will find in this legacy , to his only child , that he had a root of grace , and that the fountain was clear from which ran so savoury a stream ; and that at the last when he had no hope to save a frail body , yet he minded his own and others souls ; and that he was a master workman in that mysterie , wherein he had laboured succesfully so many years ; and we hope , that notwithstanding the prejudicasie of some against him , and the words of others , and his sad shameface catastrophy , we may charitably judge , that god hath wiped away all tears from his eyes , that he is entered into rest , his works following him ; and that he is made perfect by his great sufferings ; and wish the same to you , except these bonds . g.f. n.b. mr. hugh peters last legacy to his daughter . for elizabeth peters . my dear child , i have thought to leave you the extract of all my experiences , so far as may concern your ●elf ; and because thre are so ●any books printed , looking to ●●l cases , which i have often commended to you ; my labour will be the less , though your pains the greater , in searching and studying them , which next to the scriptures , i conjure you to acquaint your self withal ; for never age was so pregnant that way since our saviour came in the flesh , which light i wish may grow to greater glory . but to thy self , 1. above all things know , that nothing can do you any good without union with christ the head ; which can never be , till your understanding be enlightned with the want of christ and his worth , and then that your will be so subdued to that light , that it draw forth choice , and consent of , and to that only good , with an emvire or resolution to close with him against sin , world , hell , death , &c. and know this , tha● the necessity of a christ ( which the understanding discovers ) will set the will on work to all duty , and ( the worth in christ it makes manifest ) will make the will delight ; unless these two faculties be thus wrought upon by the word and spirit , you will be at a constant loss , and all the miscarriages in religion have the ignorance of this for the fountain . read shephards convert , daniel rogers practical catechism , and hooker , to this end , with such other helps as you may get ; and herein i am the more earnest with you , because in this my condition , i find that union with christ , and the satisfaction christ hath made to his fathers justice , by his active and passive obedience , are the only two pillars that must support a soul leaving a mortal body : for , as i profess my self orthodox in all points of religion , according to the assemblies confession , explained by others at the savoy also ; so i have desired in nothing to be more clear , than in the two doctrines aforesaid : i have wished you to be perfect in rom. 8. and mind vers. 1. and vers. 28. well , with what follows to the end of that chapter ; this hath been my experience , that the preaching of these truths have been my greatest advantage , and of most benefit to others ; though in this i have enough to bewail also . 2. to this purpose , hear the best men , keep the best company , read the best books , especially make the grounds of religion your own ; balls and the assemblies catechism , with the like you have from me commended to you : and though there are near an hundred several catechisms in the nation ; yet ( if sound ) they must speak one thing , viz. man lost in himself , redeemed only by christ , and holy walking , or thankfulness ; you have my experience so often repeated to you , that an unbroken heart , and an uncatechised head , will keep distance enough betwixt god and a poor sinful creature : oh! that parents and ministers would think of it , what a heap of mischiefs this neglect hath produced . the waldenses and germans had never been so famous for suffering , had they been uncatechized : this is a large field , in which i could walk long , preach long , yea , lose my self in this sweet wilderness ; for this is life eternal to know thee and jesus christ , joh. 17.23 . but take this for a caution , that many may be well taught also , who never took forth christs first three lessons , never denying themselves , nor taking up the cross , nor following him , matth. 16.24 . we know no more than we practise , yet we shall never practise without knowledge ; how many scriptures give evidence to this ? which i forbear to quote ; only remember how solomon extols wisdom and knowledge . i take my share in mourning , that i see in the afternoon of this age , the shadow longer than the substance , profession than practise ; though the trade may not be condemned , when it falls into ill hands that manage it . he that sets up religion , to get any thing by it more than the glory of god , and the saving his own soul , will make a bad bargain of it in the close . ( my dear only child ) be rooted in the truth , and thou shalt be fruitfull , & thriving . 3. be constant in reading the scriptures , and that with a fervent meditation , i mean , as to pray in praying , fast in fasting , so to read in reading : many doutbless take up a cursory trade , to read out the cries of a defiled or rackt conscience : i say read with delight , not as under a load , or as a labourer , who waits for the shadow of the evening , which you shall never do , unless your heart be connatural with the word ; and therefore remember as justification takes away guilt , and punishment ; sanctification takes away the power and filth ; glorification takes away the presence of sin : so effectual calling takes away that jarre that is betwixt the soul and the law of god , by reason of sin ; the called of god read but their fathers blessed will in reading his word , his testament , his legacies , his precepts , his threatnings against sin , &c. all which his childe dilights to hear , and read . this one book , well read , will answer any question , or case ; and you 'l finde solomons proverbs the best politicks , and christ crucified the best divinity . but in reading the scriptures let me reach out this experience , when you have prayed over your purpose that way , then in every chapter , first minde the method then note the hard things you understand not , and get helps to clear them to you . and lastly ▪ gather out the chief doctrines , o● lessons , then in reading on● chapter , you may understan● many : and if you read the bible with the annotations o● some divines , or the dutc● translated , it will not be amiss . i have formerly commended to you a little english library , in this kinde , which i now fear , your so much altered condition will not give you time to be vers'd in : however , remember david , psal. 119. how every vers. almost shews love to the word . and truly you may be assured , you shall upon mine and your own experience finde , that you shall have no more christ , nay god , spirit , faith , peace , comfort , than you have scripture : nor will you have any christ , a saviour , that is not a scripture christ . oh that the word may dwell plentifully in you , my poor child . 4. pray continually , is the apostles counsel to the thessalonians : and for this you may have far better helps , then from my unworthy unable self . there are many helps to devotien , mr. baxter , burrows , gurnal , bridg , &c. yet you shall have what i promised , even my experience : i hope you know , that prayer is the breathing forth of holy desires , or , lifting up the soul upon god , or asking the things we need from god , in and by christ , according to his holy will , not without confessions , and thanksgiving . this work must have time , seriousnesse , composure : and this take undoubtedly , that prayers can never fly high , where the person is not accepted ; can have no strength without faith : about this duty , i must let you know , there are three miscarriages usually ; first , before the duty , unpreparednesse , unsuteablenesse , reaking hot out of the world , self , sin , into that service ; as if men could leap into gods bosome , out of the devils lap : before prayer you need to study god , your self , and the way to him , john 6. you need to take a time when he is most like to hear , even when he is inditing for you , and puts words into your mouth , hos. 14. the second failer in prayer is , when you do not watch to prayer . o the hurreys of our hearts ; the thorowfare that carries crooked thoughts through us , the vanity , folly , obliquities of our spirit : as the heart must be whipt to the duty , so it must be bound fast to it . how few pray ! how many say words ? oh , how many say their prayers backwards , call him father , who is not their father , would not have his name hollowed , nor his kingdome come ? &c. 3. and lastly , after this duty there is either an aptness to be proud , and adde another note ; as if the lord was in our debt ; or upon miscarriage in point of inlargement , we grow weary and peevish , and call for our prayers again , if we succeed not , as lovers for the portion , not the person , call for their love-tokens back : look on th. goodwin , on isa. 55.6 , 7 , 8. be plain and honest with god , shew your sores , and his love to you : you cannot be so bad as he is good . with the old martyr i cry , pray , pray , pray ( my dearest child ) regard no injury in thy heart . 5. keep a constant watch , upon your whole man , for which much hath been written , as mr. reyners rule for the new creature , mr. brinsleys watch ; and many others , from the thonghts , and affections to all cases almost . but since i promised the addition of my experience to your self , i have held that very true , noted by david ; yea , by some heathens , that our life is seventy years ; half of which time spends its self in eating , drinking , and sleeping ; the remainder is thirty five ; and of that you may allow the first fifteen , even for child-hood , till when ordinarily little is minded that is solid : then twenty only are left of the number , and of them even half spent in by-business ; and then tell me how little do we live ? how needful is it then that you be upon your watch continually , when so many silver brooks run by many doors unregarded . it is hard to watch , most are very drowsie ; the disciples themselves could not watch one hour . my advice is , that mainly you watch your self in what you are , and where you are : these two go far in your watch ; to see your self in a good estate ; and to be where you should be in your duty and employment , argues a curious eye , and a careful head : but to be very accurate in your watch , and to keep off from troublesome anneares , keep a book by you ( i mean it litterally ) in which , every night before you sleep , you set down on the one side , the lords gracious providence and dealings with you ; and your dealings with him on the other side : this watch well kept , fits for prayer , fastings , sabbaths , sacraments , and death ; upon which , judgment follows . i pray watch so , that thoughts , affections , head , heart , hand , foot , and all have a share in , and benefit by the work . the flesh , and the world , in all the pleasures and profits of them , send up fumes to the head , occasioning sleep : therefore the lord is forced to keep us waking by affliction , as the thorn to the singing bird . david sought god early : the three women early looking after christ . remember thy creator betimes . and this watching , is the circumspect walking , ephes. 5.16 . look round about you continually , as if you walked with god , as enoch ; before god , as abraham ; or , after god , as david : he walked in god's wayes . if you do not watch , you will be tempted , i say , tempted . the lord watch over thee , that thou mayest watch ( my dearest child . ) 6. for thy growth in grace ; i am the more zealous , because ( 2 pet. 3.18 . ) the apostle propounds it as a cure against all the errors of the wicked . for this also there are divers helps , as m. symmons his cure to distressed consciences , ( a choice piece ) and many others . but this you must know , that all labour tends not to growth ; no more than ants grow in bulk , though very much in labour ; every great hearer is not a great grower : nay , a tree may grow in parts , though not in all . grow soundly in the root , jesus christ , and the freeness of his grace , and then you wil not grow as weeds do , but as good grain . to which purpose i advise you , observe what you gain against corruption , and so much you may hope , you may thrive in grace ; as the house of david , and the house of saul . do not therefore keep the devils counsel ; but let some able friend watch you , to whom communicate your decays or growth . when a ship is observed by a land-mark , her way is easily observed . therfore mind much this one thing , in all make much of a rule , and keep to it ; as few under the warm gospel but know whether they be hypocrites or otherwise : even so you shall feel your growth . an old stock will not serve turn ( which hath been the delusion of many ) when every day needs new incomes of the spirit , and so advancement to heaven . long to grow , strive to grow ; bewail decayes : grow in both the tables duties . the apostle tells us of growth from vertue ; yea , at last , to patience by affliction , if we hear the rod , &c. christ's method is , he hath all grace , he giveth out what he pleaseth ; he maintains what he gives ; he perfects what he maintains ; he crowns what he perfects ; and thus christ loves you , more than ever you could hate him , without whose watering by his blood you can never grow . the best evidence of growth , is to grow more humble , more holy , attend that well ; and see how it is from meal to meal , from one sabbath to another , one sermon to another ; are you fed or surfeited ? a very very little grace ( if true ) is saving ; a little growth ( if right ) is comforting ; believe and live , believe and grow ; all decays comes through want of faith ; to fetch blood from the life vein , the lord christ . the south & north blow upon thee for growth ( my child . ) 7. in all things as you will have use ; so you need to study conscience well , for it eats , drinks , walks , sleeps , buyes , sells , accompanies you to every duty , service , work , doing , or suffering ; for which you have ames his cases , and some others . it is a judging your self according to the judgment of god . i write none of these heads to you , as intending any common place , which this and others would make ; but only to leave with you a few practical thoughts upon each . our saviour made the jews to buy a knife to cut their own throats , when he told them the parable of the servants , and son , sent and killed ; and so the spirit by the jews , isa. 5. when he made them impannel a jury among themselves , and by conscience their judge ; so nathan by david , it is a witness with a witness , and judge paramount ; therefore i wish you to observe it narrowly , if you suffer it to be defiled with the least sin , whilst it hath life you may hear of it ; and therefore samuel and paul in all , kept all clear there , the least filth must be washt out by the blood of christ : david paid dear for it ; cains building , and sauls harping , will do but little to cure it ; it may be quiet and good , unquiet and good , and so on the other hand ; but this i have noted , that false lights or dim ones , have helpt much to the violation of it ; present things and the out-sides of things , have also broke in upon it ; and in sinning , whether the wound be in the head or conscience first , is a question , but not hardly resolved . your wisdom will be to live upon a directing word ; and then conscience will make a soft bed for you in your greatest sorrow ; . a wounded conscience who can bear ? go to our first parent , and he will tell you so , who might have gathered fruit to eat , rather than leaves to cover himself . do not grieve conscience twice , it must be your best friend , yea , when friends , and world , and all leave you to sollitariness . if it whimper a little , do not make it roar out ; and yet do not stifle it , but attend it , and carry it up to mount calvary for peace . remember good conscience and sin cannot live together ; let but this bird sing sweetly within , and let heaven and earth come together , thou shalt be safe ( my poor child . ) 8. next i am to remember you , that you have much work to do in a little time ; which calls you up to labour , as the day the lark , and the lark the husbandman , eccles. 12. the whole chapter ; i hope you have it . about redemption of time , you have many treatises . the greatest of your work in your short time , is to get christ , and live upon him , and to him ; and this is the life of faith , which you can never live , unless faith have to live upon it self , which will digest nothing but word , and promises : therefore now you are young , lay in a good stock for faith to live on ; but you must do it seasonably ; you are young i say , and may have a little time before you , which certainly hath eternity hanging upon it , called a race , a day , or hour ; the old world had their day , jerusalem a day , the gospel is called the day of grace : therefore lay in seasonably ; and not only so , but abundantly , for your market may be at the highest ; foolish virgins had oyl in their lamps ; none in their vessels , store is no sore ; for you know not what promises you may need , for want , for reproach , for sickness and death . the kingdom of heaven must suffer violence ; violent faith , love , prayer , must storm it . the time will come when wishes will not help ; your own works and righteousness will fail . lastly , lay up your stock for faith conveniently , that you may reach a word when you need it most . ah that you would be wise ! ask your heart at night , what you have done that day in this point , because every night may be your last . therefore secure your principles , walk up to the compass of every duty , clear your evidences , keep close communion with god , look out to growing evils , and fit for them ; and these is the work of your generation . i say , it is your work , you may easier make barrs to the sea , and order the influences of heaven , than call back yesterday . therefore work and pray , repent , believe , get assurances of heaven to day , i say , to day , and be happy for ever ( dear child . ) 9. i must also invite you to content in a low condition , for which you have great furtherance as mr. burroughs for contentment ( whose writings are all savory ) but for my own thoughts they are these , that though many write and speak of the contempt of the world , some cloyster up themselves from it ; yet very few are masters of this art , which the apostle himself had been long learning . constitution , age , experience , parts , afflictions , fulness , honor , glory , will all say , we have it not ; crowns have it not ; and beggars want it : i was about to say , it is only in heaven . this herb grows in very few gardens . but oh that you might be truly content ! you will find a but upon all your comforts ; and therefore you cannot be contented : you may find a fulness in christ , col. 1.19 . and therefore you should be contented . mind the disease , and the cure in this case . first , all your under-moon refreshings , or comforts , are too short , and too narrow beds for content to lye in . and , secondly , they are but partial in their help , and cannot answer all cases . thirdly , they are short-live'd . riches have eagles wings , and beauty but skin-deep ; honour in anothers keeping ; friends and all , are but waking dreams . content must have something to answer all the defects of the creature ; and it onely dwells where all questions are fully answered , springing from thence . a naked soul meeting with a naked christ , can only be quieted in spirituals , and the same christ improved also for temporals ; sin is pardoned , iniquities and corruption done away ; the favour of god gained , the spirit bearing witness to adoption , answers all ; for to this you must roul at length . though i know ( as others ) so we our selves , adde to our discontents , and often quarrel for a feather in our cap. paul sayes nothing befalls us ; but what is common to man , and upon that would stay us , but when eternity will pay for all ; and christ hath satisfied for all sin , and cut the score , and will make all work to the great end . the saints make their challenge against all , rom. 8. & last . the good lord grant you may groundedly say , thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven ; and that is content , my child . 10. i commend unto you meekness of spirit , zep . 2.3 . be loving to all ; envy none , though they thrive by evil , & are evil , psal. 37.1 . you know what a promise the meek have , matth. 5.5 . as inordinate passion bears the name of all sin in scripture ; so meekness carries many good things with it , as love , pity , patience , &c. nor do i oppose meekness to zeal , but would have you allow both their perfect work . meekness wil make smooth all your wayes , disappoint enemies of the advantage they may take against you ; and your love will not only cover many sins , but help many out of them : indeed these will be a strong guard unto you , and grief will hardly get footing long , where meeknesse and her concommitants dwel . when you lose a poor father , or a rich friend , you will be able to say you knew them mortal , and will be quiet , though not sensless . it will fit you for meditation , a duty even out of doors , and very hardly practised : i know the sad experience of passion , how it barrs the door against prayer and other duties : oh! how can we lift up wrathful hands to heaven ? they say anger is the boyling of the blood about the heart ; i am sure it cools the heart in spiritutuals : god took this to himself , when he discovered his name to moses , a pitiful , pardoning , long-suffering god . oh that you might be god-like , christ-like , moses-like ; michael contestng with the dragon , maintained his meekness ; and paul sayes it is the womans ornament . to get to his meekness , gentleness , long-suffering , patience , and love ; lonely advise , to get all when they may be had , as james for wisdom , ja. 1.5 . study examples , for with the froward you shall learn frowardness ; prize it as a jewel . and because all the good or evil we have , we act through our complexions and skins , ( and great are the advantages sometimes that way . know there are tears of constitution , as well as of contrition , and joyes also ; so meekness and other graces will be hardly discern'd by some , from naturals and morrals . the lord make you meek from the true root , ( my dear child . ) 11. beware of a trifling loose heart , which hath been the guise , & the bane of many in these last daies of liberty , and the decay of that old solemn , serious spirit , and sober , that was among , and upon the ancient professors of religion , was very visible , and broke out to the common vanity of the world in dyet , clothes , recreations , condemn'd and threatned , isa. 3. but so loose in holy things , that who almost did not make religion an indifferent thing , and all duties concerning it accordingly , ( though the like reformation was never known in any age ) but new temptations drew forth old corruptions , made good by the changes the israelites were under , and their trifling with god under all his bounty to them , till they scorn manna and ease , and would have garlick and oppression . it much appear'd in this , that it grew common to dispute principles , even the highest , and most consented to ; as also in slighting promises , vows , ingagements , oaths , incoustancy in duty , undervaluing authority ; shaken men were with every wind , like to every company ; ministers many words , and frothy , shells , and out-sides , most men playing fast and loose with god . do but minde in your reading , what a sober , plain , unaffected , holy strain , is in dod , sibs , preston , hooker , burrows , and many other good men , to what you find in some others ; though it may be good men too . ah ( my childe , ) a frothy wit , and a vitious life carry directly to athisme , which is the mastermischief of this age , yea in professing england . this trifling , springs either from a heart and head never kindly wrought upon , or never wel way'd ; where sin hath been , or is an easie burden , there men trifle with their spirits ; and where men are not guided by a rule , they will prove the children of changes ; it grows as other evils , gradually , and soon conspicuous in some constitutions , like davids waters , from the ancle , soon over the head . i must tell you , thoughts are not free , nor words wind , they will judge us one day , and from thence this trifling comes . the best cure i know by experience , i say by woful experience of this evil , will be to look within the vail , to the mercy-seat , made of pure gold , for free grace to help against so great a mischief ; and then to be much in prayer , communion of saints , fasting , and holy duties , to lay some more weight upon this spirit , and often to mingle the sense of sin , to take away this froth and lightness . every morning down to golgotha , and from thence go up to mount calvary . believe me , if sin made our saviour cry my god , my god , &c. what is the weight of sin ? look to a day of reckoning . christs spirit was ever serious , never known to laugh . be sober and watch ; ( dear child . ) 12. in like manner against that spreading evil of being a busie-body , and pragmatical , which is the plague of man-kind , 1 thess. 4.11 . the words are very full and plain , study to be quiet , do your own business , work with your own hands . the last two will cure the former danger . read and know , that whilest you look too much into others gardens , you will neglect your own . be not like the squiril , leaping from tree to tree , and bough to bough . be much at home , and you will find work enough ; as long as you keep christ and sin before you , you will have work enough for your thoughts ; and if your fancy be not well fed , your thoughts ( like milstones ) will grinde themselves , spirits rais'd , and not imploy'd , will torment the witch that rais'd them . and if you set not your self on work , the devil will mark but the several trees of fruit or others , they grow in their own roots and change not . be content to be a shrub , cedars will shake ; and never desire to be near greatness . honour often dies grinning and ghastly . our business must be our own , as well as our crosses . to meddle with other mens work will be thankless , as to take other mens physick will be useless , if not dangerous . an hours idleness is a sin , as well as an hours drunkenness . few mens feet stand before princes , because few mens hands are diligent . the maid was possest , because the devil found her in his own house , viz. a play-house . the busie-body is but a pedler to carry up and down , and vend the devils wares . how few lose any thing by quietness , and doing their own work ? their sweet sleep commends it . david got his great wound upon this neglect , and peter his , by warming his hands , when he should have been breaking his heart in secret . oh keep home , keep home ; i speak experience to you , who never found good hour but in mine own work : nor doth this cut off works of love , or charity , which must be attended in their seasons , and by their rules . the cure of this evil lies much in studying duty , the end of your creation & being , the practice of saints ; that though you work here , ease is in heaven ; all your labour is little enough for your own business ; be alwayes ready to say , i am where the lord would have me to be . how bitter is the remembrance of good hours ill spent ? how cuting of time lost ? death knows no distance ; whether king , or bishop , or pawn , all at the end of the game is put into one bag , the grave . be doing your own work , what ever your condition be ; tell me what our blessed lord did , but the work he was sent about ? be like him in this , as in all things else , and that spirit of the lord jesus be with thee , ( my dear heart . ) 13. through your whole course let truth have its way , and do not make lyes your refuge , they will mock you in the end . mr reynor , and others have written largely about the words and the tongue , but none to james the apostle . you see i do not load you in any thing with heathens , fathers , poets , and their apothegms , which are many in these cases ; which i purposely avoid as tickling the ear , when often they reach not the heart : a schollar , yea a school-boy may gather them , but the truth of god , set on by his spirit , must make you consistent . all the world is hung with lyes , and all of man proclaims so much ; cloaths , meats , trades , salutations , yea our profession of religion : all men are lyers , and all things on this side christ a lie ▪ the prince of the ayre makes it his work , who was the father of lies . christ calls for yea , and nay onely . i wish in christianity we could find this christianity ; heathen● and turks shame us ; it is the blot of the nation , as if we were lyars in the womb ; the sin even lives and dyes with us ; you may not tell a lye for god . the prophet zechary put peace and truth together , as if they could not be asunder , zech ▪ 8.15 , 16 , 19. the root is the heart , from whose abundance the tongue speaketh . oh the falsness and deceit of this little thing ! not a breakfast for a kite ! away with that distinction of jocous , or friendly lyes . psal. 101. david will have no lyer with him . truth takes in all good religion ; god ownes none where it is not . hypocrisie is a lye ; friend , name , credit , estate , beauty , honour , &c. are full of lyes . john 6. christ the truth , as well as life and way . though every untruth be not a lye , where it is not spoken with a purpose to deceive , ( so men distinguish ; ) your care must be to trade with your heart : nathaniels heart was honest , and so without guile ; good feed fell into an honest heart . truth is naked ; beware of base coverings . let your conversation be without guile , without a lie , the lord is the heart-searcher . sow up your mouth , but let it be with honestie ; not policie . as you never hurt your self by speaking little , so will you never gain any thing by telling a lie . let others call this sin a virtue , but do you call it by its own name , and hate it as poison . let truth be thy portion , it will preserve you ; and ever say , i can do nothing against the truth ; ( dear child . ) 14. and what i said last , urgeth me to commend wisdom to you , which is a very comprehensive word , and is justified of her children ▪ but i mean not the wisdom of this world , whether natural or artificial : i intend scripture wisdom , which is from above . and this is a light that god sets up in the soul , to direct us , and affect us , in our whole course , joh 28. last . the fear of the lord , that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil , that is understanding : if you be wise , be wise for your self : to have all books in ones head , and want this catechism in the heart , will never amount to it . many great clerks , not wise ; many a statist falls short . but this will make you hear , prov. 1.5 . it will make you lay a sure foundation , matth. 7. the wise builder . this will make you provide for changes , luke 16.8 . this will make you lay in abundantly , matth. 25. the virgins were wise . this will make you bear sorrow , eccles. 7.4 . and truly this is wisdom , and the helps hereunto are , to become a fool , 1 cor. 3.18 . to number your dayes , that so you may apply your heart to wisdom , to beg it of god , jam. 1.5 . but above all , to make christ your wisdom , 1 cor. 1. last . oh that you were thus wise ! much of wit must be pared off before it will be usefull . i have seen the wayes of it , though never could pretend much to it : but this i know , that being unsanctified , it is a sword in a mad-mans hand , spends it self in vanity , foolish jesting , abuse of those who are weaker than our selves ; yea , often to play with the blessed word of god . but this wisdom will guide , preserve , honour you : how doth solomon admire it in the proverbs ! bids you seek it , love it , follow after it , and this is christ himself . you shall never have comfort in suffering for folly , therefore see the plague , and hide , which hath invited some so to do often . experience ( which is the observation of many events ) will help you much in this study : be much in the word , which will make you wise to salvation : let your companions be the children of wisdom ; judge of all things by this wisdom , which will make you look upon them by eternity . to the only wise god i commend you ; dear child . 15. there are two very great turns in mans life ; the one is a lawful calling ; the other is marriage : and miscarriages in either are almost irrecoverable . for the former , i must say the lesse , because of your sex , though your present condition may lead you to the service of others ; and then know , fidelity and diligence are your duties ; your time and parts will then be anothers , not your own ; eye-service will not be acceptable to god or man , much lesse comfortable to your self . many have written upon this subject , as dr. gouge , and others . for marriage , though your present estate ( according to the world ) renders you many wayes hopeless ; yet your times are in gods hands , and daily experience ( with my own ) will let you know , that as it is the joyning together of one man and one woman lawfully , in an indissolvable bond , either for an help , procreation of children ( which were before the fall ) or a remedy against sin since that ; so it hath many concernments in it , where goodness and sutableness are the primary ingredients ; and as the husbands duty is , love , teaching , providing , honouring , &c. so the wifes must be subjection , suitable to that love in all the parts of it : and these dnties need mutual supports . and this conjugateness ( like a yoke ) must still be lin'd with more love , to make the draught easie . against this love , the devil and temptations will be striving . people so engaged , need a standard ( even the word ) to be set up , to guide all by : they need to observe each others spirits ; they need to pray out , not quarrel out their first brablings ; they need at first to dwell much in their own duties , before they step into each others : when repentance comes too late , the best is to be made of the present condition . read pro. 31. oh the bitterness of unequal matches ! oh their ruine and misery ! i ever left you free , and do ; only marry in , and for the lord ; the sensual part of that condition , can never answer the incumbrances may attend it . let christ be your husband , and he will provide you one to his own liking : do nothing herein without prayer , scripture , and counsel . the lord love you , my dear child . 16. for the world ( i mean the people in it ) and that part of it the lord hath set you in ; i have very much to say , because my days in it are not a few ( as we account ) believe our saviour and the word ( joh. 16. last . ) and you will find that in the world you shall have tribulation ; and your passage out of it must be through many tribulations , and persecutions too , if you will live godly . the world loves her own : you must look upon it as your enemy , and use it so ; take what you may lawfully from it , and imbrace not this present world ; it will kisse you , and kill you ; like a sea of glasse , it soon cracks , though it glisters ; and when you have iron shooes that tread upon it , how soon may you drop in ? the world will give you no more credit than you have of the world to maintain it : and therfore whilst you are in the world , though you may know many , yet be acquainted with few , and even trust none . be sure you get nothing unlawfully , it hath fire in it to destroy : sweat is our portion here below , and whatsoever is gained by your own labour will be sweetest , dearest , and of longest continuance with you ; and do not borrow . you may wonder why the world is generally imbittered to god's children , and why the way to canaan was paved with so many difficulties . oh know it is to keep us humble , to draw forth the exercise of his attributes , viz. power , wisdom & mercy ; and the exercise of our gifts & graces , prayer , faith , patience , &c. he will have the use of what he hath given ; yea , hereby heaven is made dear and sweet to us ; the storm commends the haven ; prison , liberty ; sickness , health ; and sin and sorrow , heaven ; where the double vail of corruption and affliction shall be taken off , and we shall be with the lord for ever . many dying men speak much about the vanity of the world : but truly , as i would not die in a pet , so i would not quarrel with , or leave the world , because i could be no greater in it , but because i not do , nor be better in it ; and that god is pleased i should leave it for a better : i wish i had never been vain in a vain world , but i appeal to , and plead with , christ for my peace . so use the world , as if you used it not : for the world hath a principle of decay in all the glory of it : dote not on it , my poor child . 17. and whilest i am in the world , and advising about it , there is a great raritie in the world , if you could reach it , and that is a friend ; which is a commoditie so very scarce , that it will be your wisdom so to look upon a friend this day , as likely to be an enemy to morrow . how manie sad experiences can i witness to of this kind , yea in these times and changes ? fair dove-coats have most pigeons ; lost estates know no friends : joh and all the saints complain , david sadly , paul had none to stand by him ; you see most men now are either upon their own securitie or preferments ; one cries , my friend betrayed me ; another , my friend failed me : and some cry , all flesh is false ; and much i could say , but that other causes are to be attended above instrumental . they say , two may keep counsel , if one be away ; so hard it is to get a friend ; and if you have many , you have hardly any . the friend i commend , is a soul-friend , which you will never find among children , fools or prophane . an experienced christian friend i intend , who must have three qualifications ; he or she must have the art and skill of a friend , few know it ; must have the bowels and mercie of a friend , which most want ; and lastly , must have faithfulness , the great ingredient : if such an one you can find , you shall enjoy their experiences freely , you shall constantly be carried to god in their prayers , you shall have sympathie and help in your troubles : the spirit of christ is a healing saving spirit , and such is theirs : to such open your heart clearly , who will never upbraid you for confessions ; and know when foundations shake , you will need a master-builder or workman , such is a good friend and wise . to get such an one , must be your care ; and to keep , must be your diligence : walk not unworthy of the mercy if you gain it . kinsman will not make it , no nor a brother , though born for adversitie . your hopes may be these , if the lord promise ; when your wayes please him , your enemies shall be at peace with you : he can raise a friend , and himself be your best friend : to whom i commend you , dear child . 18. and because sin will be creeping into all your conditions , waies and works , something i must advise you about it from experience , though many books are written about it ; as mr. goodwyns sinfulnesse of sin , &c. yet two things take from me : be marvellous careful it break not in : secondly , as diligent to drive it out speedily . and for the former , gouge and gurnal i commend , about the putting on the whole armour , ephes. 6. sin is a breach of the law , and the strength of sin is the law from that breach ; the soul being as well left to sin the keeper , as to satan the jaylor , by the fall , and nothing but the satisfaction of christ put in to divine justice , can remit the authority of it ; yea , though the power and filth in part be taken away by sanctification , yet it will break in again , as an inmate , and will at least get some out-room , as pride in cloathes , cozenage in dealings , lust in the eye , passion , &c. and bad work it makes , where-ever it is ; oh keep it at staves length : peter , david , heman and others ever crack under it : as you cannot build your reformation upon unrepented sin ; so you should not make daily work for repentance , by admitting sin , which must be reformed . therefore to prevent this mischief , you must exercise hatred against it , as against an enemy that cut the throat , or would , of your best friends , and yours also , and pursue it with a deadly feud ; hate it in all the stock and linage of it , my child . a little sin is sin , down with it , keep your guard , and hate it in all the forrage that may maintain such an enemy ; i mean , in the occasions leading to it ; in which i might be large . on with all your armour speedily : and when you find it hath bespotted you , do as a good houswife with her linnen , get a washing-day , i mean a fasting-day , out with it by hand , laver , bucking ; if it be a stain that gets through and through , it will ●ut the next spring for bleaking , i mean , a sin premeditated as davids ; a few common tears will not help there , but extraordinary , and the blood of christ above all . ask the damned what they aile ? sin , sin , they cry . ask the distressed conscience ? sin too . ask the afflicted ? sin . for the bulrush will not grow without mire . that which crosseth the law of god , make thy greatest crosse ; that which divides you from the best good , call your worst evil . it made christ to bleed , to groan , to die . the lord sprinkle thy conscience with the bloud of the everlasting covenant , that you may not sin to death , my dear child . 19. and next ( because bordering upon what went before ) i would add a case , which so often even choice christians are incumbred with , and that is , their questioning all their works after manie years experience and profession ; and their objections , many against themselves ; as from sin before conversion , in conversion , after it ; repeated sins , against judgment , mercie , light , means ; yea , even cutting purses under the gallows ; against all examples , and what not ? nay , it cannot stand with gods honour to save , &c. though isa. 55.8 . answers all . this therefore i would have you know , that though it be not safe to dig at foundations often , lest we shake the building ; so our great care is to have sound foundations to build upon , which in the general is christ , and other none can lay : make quick work , and see you be in christ , and offer your evidences to a discerning friend , or more ; and know , that god hath limited his tenders of grace to a day of this life , of the gospel , and of conscience awakened ; therefore look out whilst it is to day . put by spiritual sloth , cares of this world , bosom corruptions , or what ever may hinder ; god is not bound to your limitings : were it not from his mercy , and and to leave every soul inexcusable , why should the lord give any time of grace ? remember , this day ends suddenly ; how unworthy to put the lord off till tomorrow , and how retaliated ? see prov. 1. 29 , &c. your delayes rob your soul long of comfort , and you keep your self the longer out of christ's service . the nature of sin is poison , do not stay till to morrow for an antidote ; what got lots wife by lingring in sodom ? the lord must pull us out . nor can you plead any thing for hereafter which you may not now . oh to work , to work ; and if you find it will not amount to grace , then cry mightily ; ply the lord with all the promises of his free-grace , isa. 55.1 . matth. 11. last . revel. 22.17 . isa. 53. the whole chapter : jer. 3.1 . and many more . tell the lord none so vile as you , none so good as himself : tell him , his nature is mercy , he may be a gainer by his grace : however , hang upon him living and dying in the use of all means , hos. 14.3 , 4 , 5. but if you have your share in christ , though hardly discerned , make much of it , you need walk very humbly , very holily ; do not question continually , as some do , psal. 18.1 . love the lord who hath been your strength , and will answer all thy hard questions , dear child . 20. i add hereunto your case , under crosse providences ; yea , such as where promises seem to speak one thing , and providence another ; under which the best saints have had great and strange sinkings of spirit ; for which you have sibbs , burroughs , and others to help . my poor thoughts also are these for case and cure ; when joh faints , joh 4.5 . when david chides his soul , psal. 42. when heman is even distracted , psal. 88.15 . jacob will not be comforted , gen. 37.35 . and so divers . this great dissertion springs from either the overweening some comforts we enjoy , our overvaluing them breeds much trouble in the losse of them : so david with his absolom ; or from the surprizall being sudden and unexpected ; a prison at first uncouth , in time easie and sweet ; where a mortified heart grows suited to it : ( to this i could speak much ) or else it may spring from some secret weight god may put into this change of providence , which we are not aware of ; and so the scale grows heavie with some lead hanging at the bottom unseen : a small thing troubles more than a greater : the former we apply to our own strength in it , but for the other to gods . or , lastly , it may spring from the dispensation it self ; as when the crosse is heavie , or multiplied , or of long continuance , or toucheth some noble part ; as wounds that touch the liver , heart , brain , &c. nay , i must tell you , when we make our case worse than god doth , as by our refusing the lords comforts , which jacob did gen. 37. or where we let loose the reins of passion , as david , oh my son , my son ! &c. or when we drown all our present enjoyments in that one crosse providence , which is too near the spirit of haman , who crost by mordecai , slights all his favours at court , and dies upon the other . your cure in all this will be , to be willing to want , what god is not willing to give , and to know he is wise , to give what he will , how he will , and when he will ; for the godly heart for temporals cries , lord , what thou wilt ; and in spirituals , when thou wilt ; and in both , how thou wilt : beggars must be no chusers , and any thing is good from the hand of such a father . your interest in christ , supplies all , and sweetens all ; but with the doves innocency , use the serpents wisdom ; live in daily waiting and expectation of changes , even in your best and holiest condition here : deaths-heads , and hour-glasses will be but ordinary significant ceremonies : it is within you that cruciats , or comforts : he that made the world , can change it when he will : your comfort will be , that in the greatest storm , your heavenly father is at the helm ; though sin and satan bussle : that hand keep you , my dear child . 21. and if you ask me ( after all ) what you shall do with your fears to which your sex and condition prompt you ? you shall have what i know , though the lord jesus answers all to his little flock when he sayes , fear not ; yea , more particularly , fear not them that can only kill the body , and destroy that . you must know that your question wil mainly lie about base & unwarrantable fears , which have these roots ; either ( when out of this fear ) you are loth to part with that the lord would have you let go , or would part with that the lord would have you keep ; as when you wrangle about some corruption , especially which is dear unto you , and hath some great disadvantage attending your throwing it away . these kinds of fear are accompanied with these mischiefs . as you will be unwilling to know your duty , so you will be unwilling to practise it when you know it ; yea , not only so , but ( through fear ) be as unable , as unwilling ; like that trembling king at the hand-writing he saw . the inconveniences are very many , and the sins not few that follow it . the cure in general , even for peter , who ( by it ) denied his master , is this , that whoever fears to sin , never sins by fear ; and more particularly , the absence of some good you desire , or the coming on of some evil , draws out this fear : therefore make much of this rule ; be ever possest of some good , that may answer the taking away of what you may lose , which is the presence and favour of god in christ : in the night the waking child in the cradle is quiet at the nurses coming to it , because there is more of comfort in the nurse , than fear in the dark . and then be perswaded to set a right value upon all earthly , perishing , dying things ; do not call a pebble a pearl . but above all , keep your fear in his proper channel : oh fear god , fear god . it is not only the beginning of wisdom , but the perfection of your joys , which kept joseph , and others of the saints from sin . my earnest desire for you is , that the lord would give you an even and equal spirit , and the root of it , integrity ; that ( as the righteous ) you may be bold as a lion , and yet rejoyce with trembling . in this good fear i leave you , my dear child . 22. and if the evil you fear , and a day of affliction come upon you , then my counsel is , ( bear vvith the feebleness of it in all ) take that rule , eccles. 7.14 . in that evil day , or day of your distresses , you must consider ; which is ( as the word bears ) by solemn and diligent thoughtfulnesse to take things assunder , especially sorrows and sins ; for the little needle vvill draw a long tail of thread after it ; little sins may be follovved vvith great sorrovvs , to set you at your vvork . first , you must see the evil of adversity in the nature of it , such a plague , and such a visitation ; and in the causes of it : as in the principal , none of that evil in the city , but from the lord . in the meritorious cause , there look at sin , and search closely , and then the final cause ; god will either be glorified by your humiliation or ruine ; he will either bend you , or break you ; and thus he doth with nations , churches , and every individual . but for the instrumental cause , travel not much there . though pharaoh were the occasion of the plagues , yet the aegyptians sins , the cause . secondly , in such an evil time you must live by faith ( so habbakkuk ) and walk with god ; for this must be your rule , that no condition supercedes duty that may be , must be performed : and in these you may not dally , it is your life . thirdly , to get out of such a day and case , you may not act unlawfully ; nor did paul in going out in a basket . take these rules . first , see what the word saies , if you can find a paralel case and help . secondly , if that be dark , see what providence suggests ; but that you must neither slight nor cross , nor out-run . lastly , if here you want light , then live and die upon the counsel of impartial friends , that you may trust gods way in doubtful and hard cases . and be assured that in distress ( i know not ) if enemies bring your release , it will be too late ; and if some friends bring it , it may be too soon ; but if god do bring it , it will be seasonable . i will hear what the lord will say , cries the prophet : so do you ( my dear heart . ) 23. though in part i have hinted something about errors , yet in this age and juncture , i need let you know what i know , since the importunity of errour hath brougt forth so many obliquities , and occasioned so much scandal to religion the world thorow . and because many have touch'd hereupon ( as you see in their writings , ) and many more polimicks and disputes are printed than profitable , every partie striving their own advancement ; this i have said , this i must say , that whoso departs from those fundamentals profest , and died upon by the saints and martyrs since the reformation and departure from popery , need to have his opinion written in stars : for if an angel bring another gospel , he or it may not be received , that shall contradict what we have received already from the lord jesus . it is a continuing word , oh that it might abide in us , and with us ! two things in such a danger i commend unto you : first , observe , or ask your self or others what frame of spirit or heart you are in , when you receive this noveltie ; and if i mistake not , when the heart is proud , lazie , or frothie , neglects communion with god , dutie , and exactness , then a cover-cup for such corruption is sought after ; then preachers understand nothing ; then men can live without god , ordinances , &c. you must know that this work is gradual : the ship sails through the channel , where she may have land on both sides , before she come to the main , and loseth sight of all land . but this you will certainly find , that if these people would speak out , they have changed their opinions about god , before they change about his waies . i could be very large in this , accounting it my very great mercie , that temptation never led me from that honest , old , godly , puritane profession of the everlasting truths of the gospel . secondly , inquire whether they have been carried more to god and holiness since their change . for that which comes from god , will carry us to god ; but if onely to pride , censuring , libertinisme , &c. you know what to make of it . beware of leaven of the pharises , ( christ saies ) for leaven will sowre the dough ; will swell it , will harden it , and these you meet with in mens spirits leavened with error . where men once leave the rule , there will be no end of their running , till they come to atheism . therfore stand in awe of god , and fear him alwaies ; hold to the word as to life ; question not truths ; look to your company ; value the meanest ordinance ; you will need all . be very low and humble before the lord , and grow in grace , 2 pet. 3 , 18. ( my dear child . ) 24. and because the first child that appears in view of this jesabel , the mother of mischief ( errour ) so called by john , rev. 2.20 . is about the sabbath ; either wholly slighting it , or counting it jewish ; or our day not the right day , not the seventh ; yea that every day is a sabbath , with the like : i mean besides all such as profanely look upon it as a day of sport , pleasure , and vanity : i think it my duty to charge you , ( as ever you mean or hope to enjoy that everlasting rest hereafter ) that you would value the sabbath . read dod and others about it . i do not remember that i have ever met with a truly godly gracious soul , that lived above or beyond this . the first commandment sets up the true god , the second his worship according to his own will , the third his reverence and honour , and the fourth time , the seventh part of time for him , is holy time , works of necessity and charity not crossing that holiness . i say the seventh part of time , because it is night in one place , when day in another ; which time begins at the evening , as time is distinguished into daies , gen. 1. and though the questions about the sabbath and baptism breed much dispute in the world , yet we must study to know gods will in both . i must say more to you : where the sabbath is at an undervallue in any country , say it be france , holland , germany , &c. there you shall find religion low , and at best wasting it self into disputes . but know that england ( which is most famous for religion ) got it from the sabbaths , upon which day the lord is pleased ( as princes by their almoners ) to give out his gifts and craces to the sons of men . i was a witness that middleburgh in zealand grew famous for religion , by teeling their preacher fetching the keeping of the sabbath from england . certainly the fourth commandment is the key to all the rest ; for how shall the rest be practised if not taught ? and how taught , if not time allowed ? and what time more likely to carry a blessing , than gods appointment ? it were as good to take down ministry , and all ordinances , as to take down the sabbath . the wonders of god have born witness ( as burton and others write ) against the breakers of it . wherefore look well about you , isa. 58.13 . love the lord in his sabbaths , as you would have rest hereafter . look to this rest here , and remember the sabbath ; that is , prepare for it all the week long , especially the evening before . the jewes had two preparations to the sabbath , at three , and six . do you keep on , and gather home all affections to wait upon the work , and let the day be dear to you . the god of sabbath be yours , ( dear child . ) 25. the premises considered , i should a little open what i mean by free grace , to which i send you so often for succour in cases ; and truly it hath been much spoken of , and as much abused , as if men from thence might take leave for any evil ; and on the other hand also , filth cast upon men that have labour'd to hold it forth ; for which dr. crisp suffered also , and some of that mind , who meant faithfully to the church of christ , and have written much for the abasement of the creature , and lifting up grace . i wish we may judge right judgement of all men , and things . but a little practically to cast in something to profit you : the grace so spoken of , should mainly be minded as the root and fruits of the new covenant , jer. 31. and that in hos. 2. 19 , 20 , &c. which you will find lie upon two-parties , christ , and the poor believer ; and christ to be considered in a double act of his : first , in his loving , or rather manifesting his love in time to the soul . and , secondly , in passing over that right he hath in himself to the believing soul . answerable whereunto , the soul first from christs love is warm'd to love again ; and from his bounty in his second act , turns over all the soul hath to the lord jesus christ ; whether name , estate , wit , parts , yea all its interests . now christ thus loving the soul , and giving himself upon no meritorious or procuring cause on the souls side , is called free grace indeed ; when the father shall freely give his son , and the son freely his heart-blood , and the spirit freely all its operations , and make a free covenant of grace and mercy to pardon all sin , to receive a sinner into his bosom , without money or price ; nay not to offer any thing of his own , either duty , or righteousness , isa. 55.1 . this call free grace ; though when christ comes to manifest this , he ( by the law ) gets parly with the sinner he means to save , by some uncouth waies , and often very cross to flesh and blood , which makes the work hard to judge of at first ; yet be assured that the whole work will be free , in the whole frame of it . but because this point is of such singular concernment , and that i have formerly delighted to speak to others touching the same , and would have the comfort of it my self , i shall let you know what i know about the order of the working hereof , that you mistake not . 26. and in the letting you in this light , to give you the summe of true practical divinity : and therefore observe with diligence , that when a discovery is made of this love to the sinner , the lord jesus makes a double approach to the soul ; the first is by the law , where he takes three steps : and first , by the law he stops the sinner in his course , and makes him to see sin in the very nature of it , not in the hell onely , and consequence ; but in that it separates the soul from the greatest good , romans 7.7 . and , secondly , makes the soul bear the burden , and weight of it , which makes david himself cry out often , and so others : it pincheth hard where sin hath got time and strength , &c. thirdly , it lets the soul to know , that he is not able to satisfie divine justice , and so the law may be called a school-master to christ , though the text leads to the ceremonial ; the ceremonies being the gospel of the jewes . these three steps of love christ takes in the law by his first approach . secondly , in his gospel approach he takes these steps : first , he holds forth himself to the sinner , a mediator of the new covenant , and a free pardoner of sin ; this keeps the soul from despair . secondly , he lets you know , that he is as able , and as willing as ever to do it , colos. 1.19 . &c. this keeps the soul in heart and hope . thirdly , by that which they call the reflex act , he brings home a particular promise of grace to the soul , as revel. 3.17 . and the spirit of christ thus argues : he that is athirst must freely come . but ( saies the spirit ) thou art thirstie , therefore come freely . thus i use to say : a pitiful , nasty , ragged , fatherless , friendless child , is lying dying in a ditch : a noble bountiful hand means to save him , and adopt him ; first sends a servant to awaken him , and bring him to his court-gate ; then bids another let him in , a third to wash him , and put him on clean clothes ; another to read him the order of his house ; another to set him at table with his children ; another to shew him his present , and future estate . thus the spirit of humiliation first wakens a miserable lost sinner , and that by the law , and can onely bring him to the gate : then vocation opens the door : then justification puts on christs righteousness : sanctification teacheth him how to walk , taking away the power of sin : adoption makes him a brother , and gives him his priviledges : and glory begun here in part , by sanctifying , shewes him his estate . and all this hath its rise from free grace , ezekiel 16. for god found us in our blood . the lord open your eyes , and make this a time of love to you , dear child . 27. but whilst i speak to you of free-grace , i must let you know that in the next place i must commend unto you , accurate walking , as the fruits thereof ; and for your better understanding , i commend unto you divers of the aforesaid books ; so my own thoughts are , that it consists in all manner of christian circumspection , ephes. 5.15 . to look within you , without you , about you , beneath you , to all and every duty ; and the rather , because god's eye is ever , and every where upon you ; oh that you could so walk , so think : and not only so , but you have bad men observing , who , by your negligence , may either infest your liberties , or infect you with their evils , or at best be harder drawn-on to the wayes of god by your carelesse example : adde hereunto , that you have the eyes of good men upon you ; and if they be young christians , you may make the wayes of god like giants and brazen walls unto them , carry much difficulty and discouragement with them ; or , if ancient christians , you may send them with grief to their graves by your miscarriages ; and not only so , but the very way of religion is like a narrow bridge , you need step advisedly , that you may keep upon it , or , if fall , you may recover with much trouble : there is great cause you should be wise , for free-grace will never teach sin , nor folly ; which that you may have help in , consider what is said from the above-said arguments , and weigh them well ; and not only so , but study the lives of all the saints in scripture , and do but see what trophees of their failings sin hath hung up , and satan : david's sins of adultery and murder , peter's denial of his master , hezekiah's pride and vanity in shewing his treasury , jonah's impatience and folly , with the like : and see paul's and samuel's integrity , phineas his zeal , nathaniel's truth , &c. on the other hand , oh walk in this gallery among these pictures ; and for your security , rest not without assurance of god's love , which will make you wary ; who would endanger it ? much lesse forfeit it . the empty purse fears not the thief , but the full , looks to every danger , every temptation : and really nothing is a greater safeguard , than the freeness of this love communicated to the soul ; stay you no-where on this side of it , it will keep you steady in a trembling world . thus may you walk , and from this blessed principle , dear child . 28. and that all this may be carried-on , and is property the life of faith ; remember , that the hardest thing in the world is , to believe in jesus christ to these and all other good ends : faith is a short word and easily spoken ; but oh how hard is it in the nature of it ! when if ever the lord works it in us , he findes nothing , not a spark of it , till he comes ; nay , he finds us opposit to the work of it ; nay , he finds us unwilling to be made willing to close with the offer of christ , though made so freely ; hypocrisie and all evil hath its fountain here : we believe not : all the other graces sink when this fails ; all must have its cure : we bind the lame arm , we anoint it , we warmit , and yet nothing helps , because it is out of joynt . oh we believe not ! anger rageth , lust provokes , covetousness cozens , &c. and all is , we believe not : nature cannot reach this , art cannot compasse it : to look near 1700 years back upon the son of mary ( who was the son of god ) lived not forty years , preached but three years and half , reproached home to his grave ; and to believe in him for a savior : i say , this must be the work of another world , and the outstretched arm of god . see ephes. 1.18 , 19 , 20 , &c. to believe that another will pay all my debts , and become poor to make me rich , to dye to make me live ; oh miracle of mercy ! my child , to believe things incredible , to hope things delayed , and to love god when he seems angry , are luthers wonders , and mine , and thine . it is unbelief is that death in the pot , that lifts up sense , that brings an ill report of god , that overhastens our mercies , and sets god a time for our deliverances . faith is the gift of god , and the greatest , which overcomes difficulties , sets mercy to work against justice , fetcheth the work done either by , without , or against means , throws mountains into the sea . a little little grain like mustard-seed will do wonders ; enliven a dead heart , save even a damned soul ; for such we are : this will not be had without the word and spirit , rom. 10.17 . and the glory of it , see heb. 11. for this , hear , beg , pray , weep , fast , seek , labour , strive , use violence , read , ask , wish , sigh ; and if you do believe , the lord help your unbelief , dear child . 29. in the next , ( which looks like the last ) indeed , i must give you my thoughts about death ; which certainly must be your portion ( though young ) and i must tell you , it is a great word to say , i dare dye : many books and funeral sermons you may reade about it . i say , life is sweet , and death terrible : many in several distempers may call for it , neither minding what it is , nor whither it leads : job describes it in his agony ; and heathens could say , the first good was , not to be born , and the next , to dye quickly : paul ( above any ) desires it upon right grounds : yea , the last words in the canticles , and the last in the bible are , for the lord jesus to come quickly ; yea , to come to judgment : as if it were the breathings of the spirits of the just in the last times ; of which spirit if you be , these will be your reasons , as theirs . first , that you may see him of whom you have heard so much , who hath done and suffered so much for you . secondly , that you may have full draughts of what you now tast only . thirdly , that your beloved may come to you , or you to him ; for whose sake , and love , you may undergo here many frowns , brow-beatings , if not worse : thus the absent spouse waits for her beloved . fourthly , when the sanctuary is troden upon , isa. 64.1 . fifthly , that the double vail of corruption and affliction may be taken off from you : thus to wish for death is to wish for life . these things i pray study ; and to help you further , remember , balaam would fain die the death of the righteous , which you can never do , unless you live the life of the godly ; to which i have written so much before : only let me adde , that you must live in daily expectation of this great change ; for though there be but one way into the world , there are many out . i know nothing to sweeten it but the death of christ , who suckt out the poison of it , and saves to the uttermost . romans and fools can dye bravely , write their own elegies . i am sure a well-led life is the best monument . if one at your door should cry every morning , you must dye , it would not reach far ; but christ dyed for you , my child . 30. they say , and truly , where death leaves you , there judgment finds you ; nothing flies so swiftly than as the soul out of the body : and you know eternity hangs upon a moment ; and such is our life ; and especially such is the last groan and pang , and thither it leads . it is a vast ocean , hath neither bound nor bottom ; where you are to come before an impartial judge , with a naked and open breast ; it is unavoidable , and the miscarriage there intolerable . many books are written by many about these last things , and apothegmes not a few : the world and the flesh will not appear for you ; the former can lend you but a few ceremonies and complements ; the other dare go no further than the judges door ; but a good conscience , sprinkled by the blood of christ , will enter with boldness , and plead , and hear the voice of , come ye blessed . your wisdome will be , to carry your pardon in your bosome , there wit , and learning , parts , and wealth will get no hearing ; there the eloquent orator is dumb ; no coin is currant but the blood of a loving saviour ; no man can appear there by any other proxy : there greatness must give way to goodness ; there hypocrisie is unmask'd , truth naked ; there your fellow saints shall sit judges , though dispised amongst men ; there the son of man shall appear , because despised as the son of man ; there preaching , miracles , casting out devils will not profit , but a name written in the book of the lamb . oh that you would consider betimes what a nothing a thousand years are to eternity , yea , where you shall be an hundred years hence : if the grave make no distance betwixt the scepter and the mattock ; what will eternity do when that shall make the difference ? wherfore i pray measure all your works by eternity , eat , drink , sleep , work by eternity ; the cry of a damned soule is , i never minded eternity ; how many are every day carrying faggots to burn them to eternity ? call that good that holds for ever : let but the judge be your husband , and fear nothing . the ever-living god love you , and keep you to all eternity , my child . 31. and because i have brought you so far as the great day , give me leave to awaken you with the condition of the place , heaven , and to let you know it in the particulars , which are the presence of all good , and the absence of all evil ; the former commends it self unto you in these : first , in the universality of it : whereas all things here below are but partial ; so in the suitableness of , it they are there spiritual , and suitable to the spirit . secondly , for their continance : the good things are not like cherries drawn by the lips , or comforts tasted , and gone ; but they stay and are good for ever . thirdly , evil knows no place , there sin cannot dwell with that holiness , sorrow cannot mingle it self with that joy : no more fading riches , dying friends , changing honors , perishing beauty ; no more aking heads , nor languishing diseases ; no more hearing the chain of the prisoner , nor anger of the oppressor ; no cry of what do you lack ? every bottle is full , and every bed easie , being of never-blasting roses and sweets ; where every room is paved with love ; where wisdom , power , mercy , and grace have combined , to make all glorious and pleasant . then never be troubled about a dunghil-world ; when the apostle to the thessalonians , sayes all in a few words , we shall be with the lord for ever ; and that includes all , answers all hard questions , all hard labours under the sun . remember the swaggerer that met the poor man ever mourning over his sins , ( quoth he ) what , still mourning ? &c. but what if there be no heaven ? ah sir , quoth the other , what if there be a hell ? the doctrine of hell was never enough preach'd ( some thinks ) and there on the contrary is the presence of all evil , and the absence of all good ; you may study it by the former , where the tormented never die , and the tormentor is never weary ; where thought and fear , despair , punishment , extremity meet altogether in eternity . the father of our lord jesus christ preserve you to his heavenly kingdom , my poor child . union with christ , and knowledge sound , the scriptures reade , in pray'r be found ; a constant watch , and growth in grace , good conscience , time short , work apace : contentment in condition low , no trifling spirit in you grow , nor busie , nor pragmatical , truth still appearing in your all , wisdom directing soon and late , in calling , and in marriage-state ; the world describ'd in its bad wayes , a friend indeed beyond all praise ; and sin the mother of all grief , grace often question'd for relief , with providences running crosse , fears sinfull , causing doubts and losse ; dayes of adversity and evil , errors that spring from self and devil ; sabbath for rest and worshipping , and free-grace pitying , pardoning ; with accurate , and holy walking , hard to believe , though easie talking ; death ghastly looking , and sins daughter , with judgment that will follow after : heav'n in its great magnificence , hell's punishment in losse and sense , are the great things charg'd on thee here , to reade , and minde , and minde ( my dear . ) from him , who grieves he hath no more , but words to leave . christ be thy store . 33. and because i know not how the door of oportunity may stand open or shut , ( the day drawing near of tryal ) i shall give you an account of my self and dealings , that ( if possible ) you may wipe off some dirt , or be the more content to carry it ; in which i shall mainly apply my self to these late troubles i was the son of considerable parents , from foy in cornwall ; my father a merchant , his ancestors driven thither from antwerp for religion , i mean the reformed ; my mother of the same town , of a very ancient family , the name treffey of place , or the place in that town , of which i would not boast . these lived in very great abundance , their losses at sea grew very great ; in the midst of which losses , my elder brother being at oxford , i was sent to cambridge , and that estate i had by an uncle , i left with my mother , and lived at the university ; and a little from thence , about eight years , took my degree of master of arts , where i spent some years vainly enough , being but 14 years old when thither i came , my tutor died , & i was expos'd to my shifts . coming from thence , at london god struck me with the sense of my sinful estate , by a sermon i heard under pauls , which was about 40 years since ; which text was the burden of dumah , or idumea , and stuck fast . this made me to go into essex : and after being quieted by another sermon in that country , and the love and labours of mr. thomas hooker : i there preacht , there married with a good gentlewoman , till i went to london to ripen my studies , not intending to preach at all ; where i attended dr gouge sibs , and davenports ministry , with others ; and i hope , with some profit . but in short time was forced to preach by importunity of friends , having had a licence from dr. mountain b. of london before , and to sepulchers i was brought by a very strange providence ; for preaching before at another place ; and a young man receiving some good , would not be satisfied , but i must preach at sepulchers once monthly for the good of his friends ; in which he got his end ( if i might not shew vanity ) and he allowed thirty pounds per annum to that lecture , but his person unknown to me : he was a chandler , and dyed a good man , and member of parliament . at this lecture the resort grew so great that it contracted envie and anger : though i believe above an hundred every week were perswaded from sin to christ . i wish i may not be judged for saying so : there was six or seven thousand hearers , and the circumstances fit for such good work : but i am tender ; there i had some trouble , who could not conform to all : and went to holland , where i was five or six years , not without the presence of god in my work ; but many of my acquaintance going for new-england , had engaged me to come to them when they sent , which accordingly i did : and truly , my reason for my self and others to go , was meerly , not to offend authority in that difference of judgment ; and had not the book for encouragement of sports on the sabbath come forth , many had staid . that good man , my dear firm friend , mr. white of dorchester , and bishop lake , occasioned , yea , founded , that work , and much in reference to the indians , of which we did not fail to attempt , with good success to many of their souls ( through god's blessing ) see bishop lake's sermon , 1 king. 8.37 . who profest to mr. white of dorchester , he would go himself with us , but for his age , for which we had the late kings gracious patent , licence and encouragement . there i continued seven years , till sent hither by the plantation to mediate for ease in customes and excise ; the country being poor , and a tender plant , of their own setting and manuring . but coming hither , found the nation imbroiled in those civil discontents , jars and wars , and here was forced to stay , though i had nothing to support me but the parliaments promises ; and not being able in a short time to compass my errand , studied with a constant purpose of returning , and went with the first to ireland , most of your london godly ministers being engaged in person , purse , and preaching in this trouble : i thought ireland the clearest work , and had the pay of a preacher then and afterward , as i could get it ; i was not here at edge-hill , nor the bishop of canterburies troubles or death . upon my return , was staid again from going home , by the earl of warwick my patron ; then by the earl of essex , afterwards by the parliament , who at last gave me an estate , now taken away . i had access to the king about my new-england business : he used me civilly ; i , in requital , offered my poor thoughts three times for his safety ; i never had hand in contriving or acting his death , as i am scandalized , but the contrary ( to my mean power : ) i was never in any councils or cabal at any time , i hated it , and had no stow●ge for counsel , thinking all government should lie open to all ; nor had penny from any general , but lived in debt , as now i am ; nor had means for my expences , what i had , others shared in . i confesse i did what i did strenuously , though with a weak head being over-laid with my own and others troubles ; never was angry with any of the king's party , no● any of them for being so ; though the parliament-authority lawfull and never studied it much ; have not had my hand in any man● bloud , but saved many in lif● and estate . the parliament i● 1644 , gave me the bishops book valued at 140 l. which i intende● for new england , being a part 〈◊〉 his private library , which ( wi●● all mine own ) i have often offere● for 150 l. the mistake about the●● was , and is great , for they nev●● were so considerable : and the●● were my gettings , who never ai●ed to be rich , nor ever had mea● to reach it . the changes gr●● ( as you see ) a commonwealth found , but thus altered ; i staid so long at white-hall , contented with any good government that would keep things together ; till the breach of that they call richards parliament , and then i removed , and never returned more , but fell sick long , and in trouble ever since ; never was summoned but once by the council , which was in april , about books ; of which ( lying sick ) i craved of the president of the council to excuse me , who sent unto me he had , and i gave him an account of the books : but hearing that my estate was gone , and i indebted , was private , and did purpose so to live , and so to die , having a resolution ( which i kept ) never to meddle with state-matters , but either here , or in new-england , to spend my old age , in looking into my grave and eternity : and never had to do with any transactions , with souldiers or others ; nor never would , had i a longer life , my head and heart be tired , as well as my body craz'd : i thought the act of indempnity would have included me , but the hard character upon me , excluded me , which i was so sensible of , that nature ( in its own preservation ) carried me to privacy ; but free from that report of the manner which is suggested , of which you may be assured : by my zeal ( it seems ) i have exposed my self to all manner of reproach : but wish you to know , that ( besides your mother ) i have had no fellowship ( that way ) with any woman since first i knew her , having a godly wife before also , i blesse● god . but because what is before written , may seem my white side only , i shall deal in all plainness with you , that though for religion i am and have been really sound and orthodox to my best apprehension , according to the blessed word of god , and the generality of the protestant confessions ; yea , though i travell'd through protestant churches for order , to espy the best , and have joyned with the churches of christ , and took in with that i call a tender presbytery , for such was ours in new-england , and yet so , as i never unchurcht any parish where a godly minister was , and godly people joyned together , though not all so ; and do know god may have a people under all forms , and would withdraw to the furthest judges , rather than give offence to what i cannot close with : yet so unworthy have my thoughts been of my self to be a meet preacher of the gospel , that more than twice i had given it over , had not friends prevailed ; yea , my profession of the gospel hath been with much folly , weakness , and vanity : i crave pardon of any that have taken offence , though in a christian way i have not had the reproofs of three either for preaching or conversation . i am heartily sorry i was popular , and known better to others than my self ; it hath much lain to my heart above any thing almost , that i left that people i was engaged to in new-england , it cuts deeply , i look upon it as a root-evil : and though i was never parson nor vicar , never took ecclesiastical promotion , never preach'd upon any agreement for money in my life , though not without offers , and great ones ; yet i had a flock , i say i had a flock , to whom i was ordained , who were worthy of my life and labours ; but i could never think my self fit to be their pastor , so unaccomplisht for such a work , for which , who is sufficient ( cryes the apostle ? ) this is my sore trouble ; and a private life would have become me best , and my poor gift have had its vent also : but here i was overpowered to stay . for errors in judgment i have pittied , never closed with any that i know ; when i was a tryer of others , i went to hear and gain experience rather than to judge ; when i was called about mending laws , i rather was there to pray , than mend laws ; when to judge in wills , i only went sometimes to learn , and help the poor , than to judge : but in all these i confesse i might well have been spared . nor do i take pleasure in remembring any my least activity in state-matters , though this i can say , i no where minded who ruled fewer or more , so the good ends of government be given out , in which men may live in godliness and honesty . i have often said , that is a good government , where men may be as good as they can , not so bad as they would ; where good men and things are uppermost ; and have thought if good magistrates cannot bring all to their judgments , the dissenters may have liberty , being kept out of office , and want some other publick characters . that which a friend of mine , and my self writ by letters about magistrates , was very little , and the records of the tower were only named , as giving way to all other records , to cut off dissentions , or marks of tyranny , which no good prince will exercise ; i am sorry if any offended , it was zeal for quietnesse . i honour laws , and good lawyers heartily , and know their use ; only ease , expedition , and cheapness , what good man doth not call for ? sedition is the heating mens minds against the present authority , in that i never was , yet sorry , authority should have any hard thoughts of me , or know so inconsiderable a creature as my self : i never could be fit for a court , many wayes not fit , and am therefore grieved , that i was either constrained , or content to live , where i could do so little good ; for i would dye without a secret in my bosom , unless cases of conscience in the way of preaching , which are secret indeed ; and for reading them to the world i had appointed a portion , if it had been continued to me . upon all this you may ask what design i drove , being look'd upon that way ? truly these three . first , that goodness , that which is really so , and such religion , might be highly advanced . secondly , that good learning might have all countenance . thirdly , that there may not be a beggar in israel , in england . and for all these i have projected or laboured , and i have no other . and these i pray his present majesty may look to , and that god would blesse him every way . if in the prosecution of these i have used any of my wonted rudenesse , or unguided zeal , i am heartily as sorry . so begging pardon from god and man , constitution or custom , i conclude in these particulars , though the aim be good . i conclude the former thus ; i think , that as bad men care not who rule , or what is uppermost , so they may have their lusts ; so good men , if they may enjoy god and his truth , with good conscience . for my whole course you know and feel where my wound hath been these twenty years , which hath occasioned not only my head and heart breaking , but travelling from mine own nest into businesse . blesse god , if ever you meet with suitablenesse in marriage . for my spirit it wanted weight , through many tossings , my head that composure others have , credulous , and too careless , but never mischievous nor malicious : i thought my work was to serve others , and so mine own garden not so well culticated ; only this i say , i aimed at a good mark , and trust the lord in jesus christ hath accepted it . my faith in the everlasting covenant was and is , though feeble , yet faith . i could thus continue , ripping my whole heart to you , who have very often had great success , even to the last hour of my last preaching , and am preaching the life of faith to my self , to which call in all prayers to the father in jesus christ his dearest son , to whom let us look , as the author and finisher of our faith , who for the joy that was set before him , endured the crosse , despised the shame , and now sits at the right hand of majestie , making intercession for transgressors , heb. 12.12 . to whom be glory and praise , and thanks for ever . for he is worthy , who hath washed us from our sins by his own bloud , and made us kings and priests unto god the father ; to him be glory and dominion for ever . for that part of my lord craven's estate which i have , took no small place in my trouble . you may know that i was not in the city when that act was made , nor urged my lord grey to buy ; nor ever advised the said lord ( as i had time ) but to good and just things and company , against that spirit of levelling then stirring : and do heartily wish , that taken offence might dye ; for it was not intended by me , who could and can be as well contented without land , as with it ; never being ambitious to be great or rich since i knew better things . 34. and now i must return to your self again , and to give you my thoughts about your own condition , . i do first commend you to the lord , and then to the care of a faithfull friend , whom i shall name unto you , if a friend may be found in this juncture , that dare own your name ( though there be more of your name ) and if such a friend advise it , that you serve in some godly family , to which you seem to incline , and must ( it seems ; ) but truly if not a good family , what will your condition be ? dwell where god dwells , and be in such company , as you must be with in heaven , and then you do but change your place , not your company ; though it be unexpected and uncouth , yet remember the best of men have been servants ; moses kept his fathers sheep ; so jacob , and the patriarchs ; david to saul , and many more ; i have before given thee rules for it : and be sure to be steady to family and private-duties , your life will be dead without them ; call your condition , gods ordinance , and he can blesse it to you . but if you would go home to new-england ( which you have much reason to do ) go with good company , and trust god there : the church are a tender company ; a little will carry us through the world , yea very little : oh godliness with content ! your faithfulness to me and your mother will find acceptance in heaven , i trust . my dear child , tell me , how couldst thou be without god's rod ? remember he hath a staffe also . for your mother ( considering her distemper ) i have and shall say more unto you . to his grace who is able to do above all we can ask or think , i commend you both . and if i go shortly where time shall be no more , where cock nor clock distinguish hours , sink not ; but lay thy head in his bosom who can keep thee : for he sits upon the waves . farewel . 35. and since we must part , must part ; take my wishes , sighs and groans to follow thee , and pitty the feebleness of what i have sent , being writ under much , yea very much discomposure of spirit . my wishes . i wish your lamp and vessel full of oyl , like the wise virgins , ( which all fools neglect ) and the rich pearl , for which the merchants toyl , yea , how to purchase are so circumspect : i wish you that white stone , with the new name , which none can reade but who possess the same . i wish you neither poverty , nor riches , but godlinesse , so gainful , with content ; no painted pomp , nor glory that bewitches ; a blamelesse life is the best monument : and such a soul that soars above the skie , well pleas'd to live , but better pleas'd to die . i wish you such a heart as mary had , minding the main , open'd as lydea's was : a hand like dorcas , who the naked clad ; feet like joanna's , posting to christ apace . and above all , to live your self to see marryed to him , who must your saviour be . for england , &c. i wish that prince and rulers , all that guide , may be good , and do good ; which is god-like : and that their care appear , so to provide , that those of strength do not the weaker strike ; the end of rule's from christian policy , to live in godlinesse , and honesty . i wish religion truly pure may grow , above prophanenesse , and idolatry , which strive to nip it , and to keep it low throughout the world , from the seeds enmity : i wish this present government surmount all went before , and that in gods account . i wish religion , learning , and the poor may find sound patrons , and that holy life make the distinction still , and that no door be stopt , where christ would enter to his wife ; and that the saints would learn to suffer , where nothing can help , more than a groan , or tear . amen , amen . whosoever would live long and blessedly , let him observe these following rules , by which he shall attain to that which he desireth . let thy thoughts be divine , awful , godly . let thy talk be little , honest , true . let thy works be profitable , holy , charitable . let thy manners be grave , courteous , cheerful . let thy dyet be temporate , convenient , frugal . let thy apparil be sober , neat , comely . let thy will be confiant , obedient , ready . let thy sleep be moderate , quiet , seasonable . let thy prayers be short , devout , often , fervent . let thy recreation be lawful , brief , seldom . let thy memory be of death , punnishment , glory . finis . an apologie of the churches in new-england for church-covenant, or, a discourse touching the covenant between god and men, and especially concerning church-covenant ... sent over in answer to master bernard, in the yeare 1639 ... mather, richard, 1596-1669. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a50245 of text r180449 in the english short title catalog (wing m1267). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 120 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 25 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a50245 wing m1267 estc r180449 12254654 ocm 12254654 57319 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a50245) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 57319) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 154:18 or 245:e106, no 8) an apologie of the churches in new-england for church-covenant, or, a discourse touching the covenant between god and men, and especially concerning church-covenant ... sent over in answer to master bernard, in the yeare 1639 ... mather, richard, 1596-1669. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. davenport, john, 1597-1670. [3], 46 p. printed by t.p. and m.s. for benjamin allen, london : 1643. written by richard mather and edited by hugh peters. cf. nuc pre-1956. the apologie and the answer were both published in mather's church-government and church-covenant discussed. 1643. film lacks: an answer of the elders of the severall churches in new-england unto nine positions, sent over to them (by divers reverend and godly ministers in england) to declare their judgements therein, written in the yeer 1639, and now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points / by john davenport. london : printed by t.p. and m.s. for b. allen, 1643 (p. 49-78). this item is located at reel 154:18 and also at reel 245:e.106, no. 8 where it is filmed after mather's church-government and church-covenant discussed. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng congregational churches -new england. covenant theology. a50245 r180449 (wing m1267). civilwar no an apologie of the chvrches in new-england for chvrch-covenant. or, a discourse touching the covenant betvveen god and men, and especially c mather, richard 1643 22737 137 25 0 0 0 0 71 d the rate of 71 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-04 rina kor sampled and proofread 2003-04 rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-06 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an apologie of the chvrches in new-england for chvrch-covenant . or , a discourse touching the covenant between god and men , and especially concerning church-covenant , that is to say , the covenant which a company doe enter into when they become a church ; and which a particular person enters into when he becomes a member of a church . sent over in answer to master bernard , in the yeare 1639. and now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in this point . london , printed by t. p. and m. s. for benjamin allen . 1643. a discovrse tovching the covenant between god and men , and especially concerning church-covenant , that is to say , the covenant which a company do enter into when they become a church , and which a particular person enters into when he becomes a member of a church . 1639. jer. 50. 5. come let us joyne our selves to the lord , in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten . although that which is foretold in these two chapters , and namely in the fourth and fifth verses of this chapter , was in part fulfilled when the people of god returned from captivitie in babylon at the end of seventie yeares : yet we must not limit the place to that time onely , but may extend it further to the dayes of the gospel , and the spirituall return , not of the jews onely , but of the gentiles also , when men shall be converted from pagan , antichristian , babylonish , or jewish bondage and captivitie , or from slavery to sinne , and self-righteousnesse , and shall be joyned to god in the fellowship of his church , in the dayes of the new testament . for as some passages in this scripture were never fully accomplished at the returne from the captivitie of the seventie yeares , and namely this , that the children of israel and iudah should returne both together : ( for the ten tribes returned not at all : ) so many things that literally concerned the jewes were types and figures , signifying the like things concerning the people of god in these latter dayes : in which respect sincere converts are called jewes , rom. 2. 29. and israelites , gal. 6. 16. ioh. 1. 47. and our sacraments are made 〈◊〉 of theirs , a con 10. 1 , 2 , 3. and rome is called babylon , rev. 17. 5 , and papists are called gentiles ▪ rev. 11. 2. and therefore the captivitie of babylon might well be a type of the spirituall captivitie of gods people to antichristian bondage , and t●eir returne from babylon to sion , a type of the returne of christians from romish slavery to the true sion , the christian church . and this may be added further , that this place seemes not onely to be meant of the private or personall conversion of this or that particular christian , but also further , of the open and joynt calling of a company , because it is said , they shall come , the children of israel and the children of iudah together , and that their saying shall not be , let me joyne , &c. but in the plurall number , 〈◊〉 us joyne our selves unto the lord , so noting the joyning of a company togeth●r in holy covenant with god . concerning which covenant with god , it will not be amisse for the better understanding of that which followes ; first , briefly to shew how diversly covenant is taken in the scripture , which sometimes i●ports generally any firme appointment or promise of god , when man doth not promise unto god any thing backe againe : thus the preserving of noah in the arke , and of the wo●ld from being drowned any more by a floud ; the interchangeable succession of day and night ; the giving of the priesthood unto phin●as ; the setting forth of the shew-bread every sabbath before the lord , and the giving of the heave-offering unto the priests , are said to be done by a covenant , or an everlasting covenant of god , gen. 6. 18. & 9. 9. 10. 11. ier. 33. 20. num. 25. 12 , 13 〈◊〉 . 24. 8. num. 18. 19. but sometimes covenant is taken more strictly and properly , for an agreement which god doth make with men , when he promiseth some blessing unto men , and bin●es them to performe some dutie backe againe to him . taken thus it hath two parts : first , a promise or stipulation of some blessing on gods part : secondly , restipulation or promise , or bind●●g o● man unto dutie back againe on his part : both these are in those words of the covenant , i will be to thee a god , thou shalt be to me a people : and so gen. 17. 1. & v. 7 , 8 ▪ 9 , 10. the covenant taken thus is either the covenant of workes , or the covenant of grace : and againe the covenant may be considered , first as it is personall , private and particular , between god and one particular soule , making covenant with god , and god with him , either at his first conversion , or at other times ; of which we reade 2 sam. 23. 5. & psal. 119. 106. & 66. 13 , 14. & 27. 8. & psal. 119. 7 , 8 secondly , it is generall and publick of a company joyntly together , of which this text ier. 50. 5. seemes most properly to speake : as also that deut. 29. 9 , 10 , &c. and that exod. 19. 5 , 6 , and many others : a covenant taken thus generally when it respects spirituall blessings , and spirituall duties , in the communion of saints , is that which is called church-covenant , which church-covenant differs not in substance of the things promised from that which is between the lord and every particular soule , but onely in some other respects ; as first , the one is of one christian in particular , the other of a company joyntly together . secondly , if right order be observed , a man ought not to enter into church-covenant , till he be in covenant with god before , in respect of his personall estate . thirdly , the one is usually done in private , as in a mans closet between the lord and his soule , and the other in some publick assembly . fourthly , the one in these dayes is of such duties as the gospel requires of every christian as a christian , the other of such duties as the gospel requires of every church and the members thereof . now concerning church-covenant , two things are to be noted for the better understanding thereof : first , the description of it : secondly , the use of it , and the benefit and fruit thereof . for the former it may be thus described , viz. a solemne and publick promise before the lord , whereby a company of christians , called by the power and mercy of god to fellowship with christ , and by his providence to live together , and by his grace to cleave together in the unitie of faith , and brotherly love , and defirous to partake together in all the holy ordinances of god , doe in confidence of his gracious acceptance in christ , binde themselves to the lord , and one to another , to walke together by the assistance of his spirit , in all such wayes of holy worship in him and of edification one towards another , as the gospel of christ requireth of every christian church , and the members thereof . in this description , there are compr●●ed six things : first the generall name of the thing : [ a solemne and publick promise ] a promise it is , and therefore it is called , a joyning in covenant here : an entring into covenant , deut. 29. 10. solemne and publick , and therefore it is by the children of israel and the children of iudah together : and they say , let us joyne . secondly , the object [ the lord , and one another ] joyne our selves to the lord . it is not a promise onely to man , but to the lord himselfe , and likewise to one another ; for , come let us joyne , implyes mutuall consent together . thirdly , the agents or the qualification of the persons : [ christians ] not turkes , indians , &c. saints , psal. 50. 5. 16 , 17. [ called to fellowship with christ ] so 1 cor. 1. 9. else if they be not united to christ by faith , they are not fit materialls for such a building as a church of god , which is the house of the living god , ephes. 1. 1. 1 cor. 1. 2. phil. 1. 1. rev. 21. 27. [ by his providence to live together ] else they cannot partake in the lords ordinances together as churches ought to doe , 1 cor. 14. 23. act. 14. 27. the whole church comes together in one place [ cleaving together in faith and love ] so act. 4. 32. if they differ , namely , in opinion , or in their affection , and should joyne in this covenant , breaches , factions , rents , and schismes , would be like to be the issue of such joyning : things so unlike would not close nor long hold together , dan. 2. 43 [ desirous to partake in all ordinances ] this should be the ground of their joyning in covenant together , psal. 110. 3. willing : and not pride , nor gaine , nor the like : fourthly , the act [ binde themselves ] that now they are bound by their owne word and promise , that they may say now , as psal. 56. 12. thy vowes are upon me , or as num. 30. 2. if he binde his soule with a vow . fiftly , the matter promised ; [ to walke together in all such wayes of worship and mutuall edification , as the gospel requireth of churches and church-members ] they binde not themselves to observe any devises of their owne , nor inventions of men , but such things as the word of god requireth ; neither is it perfect obedience to the law , for that were impossible to performe , and presumption to promise ; nor is it onely in generall the duties of the gospel , but specially such duties of worship to god , & edification of one another as concerne church-state , which now they enter into . sixtly , the manner of performing [ confidence of gods gracious acceptance and assistance through christ ] for in all our wayes god must be acknowledged , pro. 3. 6. and much more in such speciall matters of weight : if men in entring into this covenant looke for acceptance , through any worth of their owne , or promise dutie in their own strength , they shew themselves like to the pharisees , luk. 18. 10 , 11. and turne the church-covenant into a covenant of workes : and as many as are of the workes of the law , are under the curse , gal. 3. 10. the use and benefit of this church-covenant , and the fruit thereof , may be seene in two particulars ; first , that this is that whereby a company of christians doe become a church : it is the constituting forme of a church . secondly , this is that by taking hold whereof a particular person becomes a member of a church , which was constituted afore . for the former of these ; every christian church must have in it both matter and forme , and as the matter by gods appointment are visible saints , or visible beleevers , ephes. 1. 1. 1 cor. 1. 2. and in the new testament , onely so many as may meete together in one congregation : so the forme is a uniting , or combining , or knitting of those saints together into one visible body , by the band of this holy covenant . some union or band there must be amongst them , whereby they come to stand in a new relation to god , and one towards another , other then they were in before : or els they are not yet a church , though they be fit materialls for a church ; even as soule and body are not a man , unlesse they be united ; nor stones and timber an house , till they be compacted and conjoyned . now that a company becomes a church , by joyning in covenant , may be made good sundry wayes ; first , by plaine texts of scripture ; as from deut. 29. 1 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13. yee stand this day all you before the lord your god , your captaines of your tribes , your elders , your officers , with all the men of israel ▪ ver. 10. that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the lord thy god , ver. 12. and he may establish thee for a people unto himselfe , ver. 13. so that here is plain●y shewed , that here was a company , ver. 10. and this company were to be established to be a people unto the lord , that is to say , a church , ver. 13. and this is done by the peoples entring into solemne covenant with god , ver. 12. and therefore a company of people doe become a church by entring into covenant with god . this covenant was not like our church-covenants , for it was of all the nation together ; whereas the church-covenant with us , is of some select persons , leaving out others . 1. this objection concerns the matter of a church , but the covenant is not the materiall cause of a church , but the formall cause thereof : and for this the text is plaine and expresse , that by entring into covenant with god , a people come to be the lords people , that is to say , his church . 2. if it was of all the people together , the reason was because that church was a nationall church : now if a nationall church becomes a church by entring into solemne covenant with god , then a congregationall church becomes a church by the same means ; for there is no difference between them in this point . 3. though it was of all the people , we may not say it proves that when we looke at the materiall cause of a church , there may be a promiscuous taking in of all commers without distinction or separation of the precious from the vile ; for , first , when god took in this nation to be his people , he separated them from all the nations of the earth besides : so that there was a distinction and separation of some from others . secondly , this generation was generally a generation of beleevers ; for it was they that were to enter into the land within a while after ; for they were fortie yeares in the wildernesse , & this covenant , was made in the last moneth save one of the last of those fortie yeares , deut. 1. 3. and their carkasses fell not in the wildernesse through unbeliefe , as their fathers did , num. 14. heb. 3. but entred by faith , and when they were entred , subdued kingdomes by their faith , heb. 11. 33. and served the lord all the dayes of ioshua , and of the elders that outlived ioshua , josh. 24. 31. as for that which is said of them , ver. 4 , 5. of this chap. that the lord had not given them eyes to see , &c. that proves not that they were wholly hardned in a carnall estate , but onely that they were dull and slow of heart to consider of sundry dispensations of god towards them ; for as much is said of the disciples of christ , mar. 8. 17 , 18. when doubtlesse they were not meere carnall or naturall persons . this people deut. 29. could not become the lords people by entring into sol●mne covenant with god , for they were the lords church and people already before this . 1. if they were , yet that was by entring into solemne covenant with god on mount sinai , when the lord had brought them up out of the land of aegypt ; for then they entred into solemne covenant with god , and god with them , and so they became the lords peculiar people , exod. 19 4 , 5 , 6 , 8. &c. if they were his people before that , yet that also was by covenant made with them in the loynes of abraham , when god tooke him and his seede to be his church and people , yet separating ishmael from isaac and esau from iacob , that the inheritance of the covenant of god , and of being the church of god , might rest in the house of iacob . 2. yet it was not without great reason that the lord should now establish them by solemne covenant to be a people to himselfe , because the nation had been much degenerated from the spirit and wayes of abraham in aegypt , and had broken that covenant by their idolatries there , ez●k. 20. 7 , 8. and the covenant made in sinai or horeb when they were come out of aegypt , they had also broken by their idolatries in the wildernesse , ez●k 20. 13 , 16. for which causes , and the like , the lord consumed that generation , that they never entred into the land , iosh. 5. 4 , 6. and therefore now when their posteritie and children were ready to enter in , the lord entred into covenant with them , and thereby established them to be his people , their fathers being cut off for breaking the covenant . but still it was by covenant that both fathers first , and children afterward became a church and people unto god ; and when this generation were entred into the land , their covenant made before between god and them , was confirmed by circumcision , iosh. 5. 3 7. they being not circumcised before . but this covenant was of the whole church with god , and therefore not like our chu●ch-covenants , whi●h are between the church and the members concerning watchfulnesse over one another , and the like . our church covenants are with the lord himselfe , as was shewed before in the description thereof . for watchfu●nesse and duties of edification one towards another , are but branches of the lords covenant , being duties commanded by the law : and so it was with that people of israel , who when they promised and covenanted to walke in all the wayes of god ; in all his statutes and commandements and judgements , they promised these du●ies of love and watch●ulnesse and e●ification one towards another , because these were duties commanded and required o● god , lev. 19. 17 deut. 29 ●8 the neglect whereof in the matter of achan was the sinne of al● the co●gregation , and brought judgement upon them all , iosh 7. 11 , 12. yea by this covenant they were bound to duties towards them that were not then present , but children afterward to beborne , and prosely●es , that afterward should be added to them , ver. 14 , 15. like as our church-covenants are with them that now are , and that hereafter shall become members of the same church . when iehojada made a covenant between the king and the people , 2 king. 11. 17. that covenant was but a branch of the lords covenant with them all , both king and people : for the king promised but to rule the people righteously , according to the will of god : and the people to be subject to the king so ruling . now these duties of the king to them , and of them to the king , were such as god required in his covenant , both of him and them : and so it is in church-covenant , the duties of the church to the members , and the members to the church , and one another , are no other but such as the gospel and the covenant of grace requireth both of the church and the members of it in their severall places . but this place of deut. 29. is not sufficient to prove a church-covenant in these dayes : because it is in the scriptures of the old testament , for whatsoever must be used in the dayes of the new t●stament , must be proved from the scriptures of the new testament , or else it is to be layd aside . 1. the church-covenant may be proved from the new testament also , as will afterwards appeare . 2. but suppose there were not pregnant places for it in the new testament , yet it is not enough to prove the same unlawfull : for whatsoever ordinance of the old testament is not repealed in the new testament , as peculiar to the jewish paedagogie , but was of morall and perpetuall equitie , the same bindes us in these dayes , and is to be accounted the revealed will of god in all ages , though it be not particularly and expressely mentioned in the writings of the new testament , else how shall we prove it unlawfull for a man to marry his sister , or his aunt ? how shall we prove it warrantable and necessary for magistrates to punish sabbath-breaking , blasphemy , and idolatry ? how shall we prove it lawfull to apply the seale of gods covenant unto infants ? or to admit women to eate of the holy things ; for the scriptures of the new testament doe speake little in these cases ; onely the scriptures of the old testament doe give direction , and light about them , lev. 18. & 19. neh. 13. 15. &c. 2 chron. 15. 16. & 2 king. 23. gen. 17. 2. & exod. 12. 4. 6. and the new testament hath nothing to the contrary , and they are all according to morall equitie and reason , and therefore they are to be observed from the scriptures of the old testament , as the revealed will of god , though there were nothing expressely for them in the new . and the same we say of the particular in hand . for , that a company should be combined together into one body , in way of government and subjection , by way of mutuall free covenant ; as men doe when they enter into church estate , nothing is more naturall or agr●eable to morall equitie ; nay , it implyeth a contradiction in the very name of libertie or freedome , that free-men should take upon them authoritie or power over free men without their free consent , and voluntary and mutuall covenant or engagement . and therefore seeing this covenant is not repealed in the scriptures of the new testament , the scriptures of the old are sufficient warrant for it . another scripture to prove the same , is deut. 26. 16 , 17 , 18. with deut. 27. 9. this day the lord hath commanded thee to doe these statutes and iudgements , thou shalt therefore keepe and doe them , &c. thou hast avouched the lord this day to be thy god , and to walke in his wayes , and to keepe his statutes , &c. and the lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people ; take heed and hearken , o israel , this day thou art become the p●ople of the lord thy god . this scripture plainly shewes these things : 1. that here was the making of a covenant between god and man ; for that avouching of god to them , and them to god , was the making of covenant , ver. 17. 18. 2. this was not of one person , but of a company together , the whole people of israel , 26. 18. & 27. 9. 3 here is the effect of this covenant , that thereby they become the lords people , ver. 9. so that when a company doe enter into holy covenant with god , they become thereby the lords people , that is to say , his church . so ezech. 16. 8. proves the same likewise : i ent●ed into covenant with thee , saith the lord , and thou becam●st mine . here also is the making of covenant between the lord and men ; and this covenant was not personall , but of a company ; for it was with hierusalem , ver. 2. which was a whole citie ; it was with them that were multiplied as the bud of the seild , ver. 7. and it was with them that did prosper into a kingdome , ver. 13. and therefore not meant onely of any one particular person : and by this covenant they became the lords ; that is , the lords church and people ; for it is expresly said , i entred into covenant with thee , and thou becamest mine . so that when a company enter into covenant with god , and god with them , they become thereby the lords church and people . likewise ezek. 20. 37. i will cause you to passe under the rod ; and i will bring you into the bond of the covenant . in which place , there is first mention of an holy covenant . secondly , this was not of one person , but of a company , the whole house of israel , ver. 30. 39. thirdly , and this covenant is called a bond , because it is by covenant that a people are bound , and tyed , and knit together , as one chu●ch , all of them unto the lord , and one unto another ; so that the covenant is the bond of union , by which a company are so combined and united , as that they become a church . it is also obs●rvable , how the lord before he would bring them into this bond of the covenant , he would cause them to passe under the rod ; by which phrase , as iunius upon the place well observes , is meant tryall and probation ; drawne from the manner of shepheards or owners of cattell , who went among their sheepe , or other cattell with a rod , and therewith pointed out such as were for the lords holy use , as lev. 27. 32. and so hereby is noted that god would not ●n the dayes of the gospel have men to be brought into his church hand over head , but he would first cause them to passe under the rod of due tryall and probation ; and then such as upon tryall were found to be holy for god , or meete matter for his church , should solemnly enter into covenant with god , and that covenant should be the bond that should combine them , and knit them together into one , that so they that were many particular persons , should all become one body , that is to say , a church . and so much of the first argument drawne from plaine texts of scripture . a second argument may be taken from the titles that are given to the church ; as first , that the church is said to be married or espoused unto christ , ier. 2. 2. & 3. 14. 2 cor. 11. 2. from whence the argument may be formed thus : if every church becomes a church by being married or espoused unto christ , then a company becomes a church by way of covenant : but the former is true , therefore the latter 〈◊〉 true also . the assumption , that a church becomes a church by being married unto christ , is plai●e from the former scriptures , where the ●hurc● of israel , and the church of corinth , in regard of their e●tring into church estate , are said to be espoused and married unto christ , as a loving and chast virgine to one husband . which spirituall marriage between christ and his church , is also taught in the type of the marriage between king salomon and pharoahs daughter , psal. 45. the consequence of the proposition is plaine in reason ; for there is no marriage but by way of covenant ; no woman becomes a mans wife , but by way of bestowing her selfe in covenant upon such a man : neither doth a man become an husband , but by the same means ; and therefore the scripture speaking of the violation of marriage , calls it a violation of covenant , prov. 2. 17. christ hath but one wife or spouse , cant. 6 9. the catholique church indeed is but one ; viz ▪ the whole company of gods elect in heaven , in earth , dead , now living , and not yet borne : but as there is the church-catholique , which is but one ; so there are particular and visible churches , which are in number many ; and therefore the scripture speakes of churches , 2 cor. 8. 1. 19. gal. 1. 2. of the churches of the gentiles , rom. 16. 4. of seven churches , rev. 1. 4. of all churches , 1 cor. 14 33. & 7. 17. rev. 2. 23. but if every particular church be the wife of christ , how many hundred wives should he have ? 1. if the church of israel , ier. 2. 2. the church of corinth , 2 cor. 11. 2. the jewish church , rev. 19. 7. be the spouse and wife of christ , there is no reason but others should be the same also , especially seeing there is no particular church , but in respect of their church estate , they may decline and goe a whoring from christ , and that shews that they were first espoused to him ; for no woman can be said to got a whoring from a man , if shee were never married , nor espoused to him at all . 2. this that seemes an absurditie , and were a sinfull practise among men , in respect of christ , is a certaine truth , and no dishonour unto him at all , to have more spouses then one upon earth , many spirituall spouses . men cannot give themselves wholly and intirely to many as christ can . every faithfull soule is espoused and married unto christ ; and in that respect he hath not onely many hundred but many thousand , yea many millions of spirituall spouses . but this spirituall marriage is between christ and the church , but the church covenant is between the church and the members , and therefore this marriage doth not prove the church-covenant . 1. in some sort there may be said to be a marriage between the church and the members , viz. in respect of that deare love and affection , that ought to be between them ; and therefore it is said , as a young man marrieth a virgine , so shall the children of the church be married to the church , isa. 62. 5. 2. but properly the marriage is between christ & the church , and so is the covenant also , so farre as therein they give up themselv●s to christ as unto an head and lord ; as a woman in the covenant of m●rriage doth give up her selfe unto her husband ; and the performance of such duties as the church and the member owe one unto another , is a branch of that marriage-covenant , wherein they are tyed to christ ; for christ himselfe in his covenant requires , not onely that they should give up themselves to him , but also that they should performe these duties one unto another . and accordingly it is said of the churches in mac●donia , that they gave up themselves first to the lord , and then to us by the will of god , 2 cor. 8. 5. true it is , they doe also binde th●mselves by covenant one unto another , but in that respect the covenant is p●operly a brotherly covenant ; like that 1 sam. 20. 8. am●s . 1. 9. because there the engagement is to one another as brethren , fellow members , and fellow-helpers , and not as to one head or lord , as it is in respect of christ , and therefore in that respect it is not so properly a marriage-covenant as it is in respect of christ : though duties to one another are promised in their covenant with one another , and also in their covenant with christ . in briefe thus : they promise unto christ duties to him , and duties to one another according to him : and so their covenant is a marriage-covenant with christ : they promise also to one another , duties to one another , and so it is a brotherly covenant . another title given to the church ( which also proves that a church is made by covenant ) is the title of a citie , or citie of god , psal. 87 3. & 48 1. 8. & 122. 3. ephes 2. 19. the argument lyeth thus . if a true church be a citie of god , then a church becomes a church by covenant : but every true church is a citie of god . ergo . the assumption is proved by the scriptures forealledged . the consequence of the proposition is plaine in reason , for every citie is un●ted by some covenant among themselves , the citizens are received unto 〈◊〉 civitatis , or right of citie priviledges , by some covenant or oath ; and therefore it is so likewise in this citie of god the church ; and men become citizens of the church by solemne covenant . the third argument may be drawne from the meanes of reforming and restoring a church when it is corrupted , which is by entring into covenant a new with god , 2 chron. 15. 10. & 29. 10. & neh. 9. 38. & 10. 28 , 29 ier. 50. 4 , 5. the reason may be taken thus : if a church decayed is to be restored and refo●med by renuing covenant with god , then it was instituted and erected at the first by way of covenant : the reason of which consequence is , because abuses and corruptions are to be reformed by bringing things back to the first institution : thus christ re●ormes the abuses of marriage , by bringing them to the first institution of that ordinance ; from the beginning it was not so , mat. 19. 8. and thus paul reformeth the abuses of the lords supper , by telling them what was the first institution thereof , 1 cor. 11. 23 &c. and thus the lord jesus calling on the declining church of ephesus for reformation , bids her remember from whence shee is fallen , and repent and doe her first workes . rev. 2. 5. now the assumption is plaine from the texts above alledged , that at the reforming of a church , there is to be a renuing of covenant ; and thence it follows , that at the first erecting of a church , there was the making of a covenant with god , for els this renuing of covenant would not have been the way to reforme it . the fourth argument is taken from that which doth dissolve a church , which is the dissolving or breaking of the covenant , zach. 11. 9 , 10 14. if dissolving the covenant be that which doth dissolve the church , then the making of covenant is that which constitutes a church . the reason of the consequence is plaine , because otherwise the covenant might be dissolved & the church stand still , if it were not the making of the covenant that did constitute the church : but if dissipating stones in a building doe dissolve the house , then the compacting and conjoyning of them is that which makes the house ; if separation of soule and body be that which destroyes the man , that then we say he is not : it must needs be the uniting of them , that did constitute & make the man : and so it is 〈…〉 case . and that dissolving the covenant is that which dis●ol●ves a church , is plaine from the text alledged , zach. 11. where the breaking of the two staves , of beautie and bands , that is , the unchurching of the jewes , is interpreted to be the breaking of the covenant that god had made with that people , and the brotherhood that was between iudah and israel . the fifth argument is taken from the distinction which god hath appointed amongst churches , and the confounding of all churches into one , if there be not this covenant to distinguish them . if churches be distinct societies , and may not be confounded , then churches are compacted and combined by covenant : but the former is true . ergo . that churches are distinct societies , is plaine in the scripture , where we have mention of many churches in one countrey or province , gal. 1. 1. 1 thes. 2. 14. of seven churches in asia , rev. 1. 4. and of all the churches , 1 cor. 14. 33. rev. 2. 23. ephesus is not smyrna , nor smyrna is not thyatira , nor either of them pergamus , but each one distinct of themselves , having officers of their owne , which did not belong to others : vertues of their owne for which others are not praised , corruptions of their owne , for which others are not blamed ; if it were not thus , then when laodi●ea is condemned for lukewarmenesse , or ephesus for declining , all the rest should be reproved also : and when philadelfia is praised , all the rest should be praised also , which we see is otherwise . now from hence the consequence is certaine , that therefore they are combined by some covenant each one amongst themselves ; for there is nothing els without this that wil sufficiently distinguish them . the spirit of god and faith in their hearts , is common to all christians under heaven , and in heaven also , and therefore this is not the thing that makes distinction . nor is it habitation in the same towne together , for that may be common to such christians as are not of this church , and usually is to many that are no christians . as it is with companies in london ; as the company of goldsmiths , &c. that many others dwell in the same towne with them , yea it may be in the same streete that are not of their company : and therefore it is not meerely habitation that doth distinguish them from others , but some combination and agreement amongst themselves ; so it is not habitation in the same towne that distinguisheth churches , and church-members from other men , but their mutuall agreement and combination and joyning themselves together in an holy covenant with god . if the spirit of god and faith in their hearts cannot distinguish one church from another , because these are common to them all , then how can covenant distinguish them , sith all churches are joyned by covenant one as well as another ? it is not a covenant simply or a covenant in generall that doth constitute a church , or distinguish one church from another , but a covenant with application and appropriation to these persons . even as it is in marriage , though all married couples be united by covenant , and a covenant , wherein one couple promiseth the same duties that another couple doth yet a covenant with application and appropriation of the duties covenanted to this man and this woman in particular , such a covenant is the very thing that make a couple , man and wife together , and gives them mutuall power over each other , as husband and wife , and puts a distinction between them and all other men and women in the world . and so it is in this case ; a covenant to performe church-duties with application and appropriation to such persons , is the very thing that constitutes a church , and distinguisheth one church from another . and thus much concerning the former of the two particulars , to shew the use of church-covenant , viz. that it is that whereby a company doe become a church . the second particular is this , taking hold of the covenant , or joyning in it , is that which makes a particular person a member of a church . and this followes upon the former , and that may be the first argument to prove it . if joyning in covenant be that which makes a company to become a church , then taking hold of that covenant is requisite to make a particular person become a member of the church : but the first is true , as hath been shewed before ; therefore the second is true also : if compacting and conjoyning of stones and pieces of timber , be that that makes an house , then a particular stone cannot become a part of that house , till it be compacted and conjoyned to the rest : but the former is true , even in the church of god , which is the spirituall spouse and citie of god , living stones , christians , beleevers must be compacted together , and builded up together , ephes. 2. 21. 22. psal. 122. 3. and therefore the latter is true also , that a particular christian becomes a member of the church , a part of that building by being combined with the rest . a second argument may be drawne from the scripture , isa. 56. 3 , 6 , 7. let not the sonne of the stranger , that hath joyned himselfe to the lord , speake , saying , the lord hath utterly separated me from his people , &c. the sonnes of the strangers that joyne themselves to the lord , to serve him , &c. and take hold of my covenant , even them will i bring to my holy mountaine , and make them joyfull in my house of prayer , &c. concerning which scripture , note three things to the present purpose . first , that these strangers were members of christ , true beleevers , joyned to god by faith ; for it is said , they have joyned themselves to the lord , v. 3 & v. 6. that they loved the name of the lord , served him , and kept his sabbaths , v. 6. and yet for all this they were not as yet joyned , as members of the visible church , for if they had been ioyned , there would have been no cause for such a complaint , the lord hath separated me from his people , v. 3. besides , bringing them into the church as members , and granting them the priviledge of members , is promised as a reward and blessing upon this their joyning to the lord by faith and obedience , v. 7. and therefore it is not the same , but a disti●ct thing from it ; the one being promised as a reward and blessing upon the other . secondly , the lord promiseth that he will make them members of his church : them will i bring to my holy mountaine , and make them joyfull in my house of prayer . thirdly , that among other things requisite to make them members , this was one , viz. the taking hold of that covenant which was between the church of israel and god , v. 6. so that hence we may gather , that men may be members of christ , joyned to the lord by faith and love , and yet for the present not be members of the visible church : and that when god is so gracious to true beleevers , as to make them members of his visible church , it is requisite that they joyne in covenant before . but might not faith in christ , beleeving in heart on the god of israel , be all the taking hold of the covenant that is here meant . not so , but over and above that , here is also meant their open profession of their faith in the god of israel , and open binding of themselves by covenant to all such duties of faith and obedience , as god required of the church of israel , and the members thereof . now distinctly take the answer to this objection in three or foure particular propositions . first , there was a covenant between the church of israel and god , exod. 19. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8. ezek 16. 8. deut. 29. 10. &c. secondly , this covenant was mutuall ; not onely a promise on gods part to be their god , and to take them for his people , but also reciprocally on their part to give up themselves unto god to be his people , and to doe the dutie of people to their god ; the covenant is not meerely to receive from god , and promise nothing back againe to him ; nor doth god binde himselfe therein , and leave men at libertie , but it is mutuall on both parts , as these scriptures declare ; gen. 17. 1. exod. 19. 7. 8. deut. 5. 27. & 6. 16 , 17. hos. 2. 23. & zach. 13. 9. thirdly , hereupon it followes , that if men had not promised , and also performed , in some measure of truth , the duties of faith and obedience unto god , they had not taken hold of the covenant , but had discovenanted themselves , notwithstanding all the promises of god unto their fathers or others . thus though god promised abraham to be a god to him , and to his seede in their generations , gen. 17. 7. yet the ishma●lites and edomites descending from abraham , were discovenanted by not promising nor performing those duties of faith and obedience , which god required on the peoples part : when a covenant containes promises on gods part , and duties also on mans , he doth not take hold of the covenant that takes one part , and leaves another . fourthly , to beleeve what god promised in the covenant for his part , and to promise in a private way the duties of obedience on mans part , was not sufficient to make these strangers members of the church , but they must doe it openly and in the view of the church , else the church could have had no warrant to have admitted such into their fellowship , if their faith and obedience had not been visibly professed , exod. 12. 43. 48 2 chron. 23. 19. and in as much as the covenant was mutuall , when these strangers did manifest their taking hold of the covenant , they manifested and professed both faith and obedience , both that they beleeved what god promised , and that they would be obedient to what he required ; if any shou●d have claimed church-fellowship , saying , i beleeve the promises , but would not binde himselfe to any duties of evangelicall obedience , this had been a taking hold of the covenant by the halves , a taking of one part of it in seeming and pretence , and a leaving of another ; but it would not have been sufficient to have brought a man into the fellowship of the church : such of the congregation of israel as would not come to hierusalem to enter into covenant , were to be separated from the church in the dayes of ezrya , ezra 10. 8. and therefore such as being strangers should refuse to enter into it , could not be admitted into the church ; so that the taking hold of gods covenant , which is there required to make these strangers members of the church , is a beleeving in heart on the god of israel , and an open profession that they did beleeve , and likewise a promise of obedience or subjection unto the god of israel , and an open professing of such obedience and subjection ; and that is the joyning in covenant which we stand for , before a man can be a member of a church , even an open profession of faith and of obedience . a third argument is taken from those scriptures which shew that men become members by being added to the church , or being joyned to them , act. 2. 47. & 5. 13. & 9. 26. if men become members of the church by being added or joyned , then joying in covenant ( or professing of subjection to the gospel or covenant of god ) is that whereby a man becomes a member of a church : but the former is true , as appeares by the scriptures forementioned , and therefore the latter is true also . but all the doubt in this argument will be concerning the consequence of the major proposition ; but that may be made good by this reason , and the confirmation of it , viz. that a man cannot be added or joyned to the church by any other meanes without this joyning in covenant . the truth of which assertion will appeare by shewing the insufficiency of all other means , without this joyning in covenant , and that may be done in answer to the objections ensuing . when men were added to the church , it may be , no more is meant but tha● god did convert them and worke faith in their hearts , and that converting of them was the adding of them to the church . this cannot be all ; for , first , saul was converted and had faith wrought in his heart , and yet he was not at the first received for a member of the church at hierusalem ( though he assayed to be joyned unto them , ) till they were better satisfied in his spirituall estate by the testimony of barnabas , act. 9. 26 , 27 , 28. and those strangers , isa. 56. ( as was said before ) were joyned to the lord by being converted , and having faith wrought in their hearts , and yet they doe lament it with griefe , that they were not joyned as members to the visible church : the lord hath separated me from his people , say they , ver. 3. the old saying is true concerning the visible church , there are many wolves within , and many sheepe without . secondly , those that were joyned were beleevers before they joyned ; for it is said , divers were added , ver. 14. thirdly , those that were added to the church , were added and joyned to them by such an act as others durst not put forth , act. 5. 13. of the rest durst no man joyne unto them , and therefore it was not by the irresistable act of god in converting of them , but by some volun●ary act of their owne choice and consent ; for gods converting grace depends not upon mans daring , or not daring to receive it . if to be joyned be no more but to be converted , then when it is said , some durst not be joyned , the meaning should be , they durst not be converted , nor suffer faith to be wrought in them ; which is grosse arminianisme , suspending the converting grace of god upon the free will of the creature . fourthly , and as this joyning which others durst not doe , cannot be meant of being converted ; so if it be well considered , what the thing was wherein they durst not joyne , it may appeare that it was nothing els but this , that they durst not agree , and engage themselves to be of their body and societie ; that is , they durst not joyne in covenant with them . for it cannot be meant of dwelling in the towne with them , for this they both durst doe and did : nor is it onely of joyning to heare the word in their assembly , for this also they durst doe , and many did it in great multitudes , so that many by hearing the word became beleevers , and were added to the lord both of men and women , ver. 14. at this very time when it is said of some they durst not joyne unto them : nor is it of joyning to them in affection , or approbation of their way , for this they also durst doe and did expresse so much in magnifying and commending them , when yet they durst not joyne unto them , ver. 13. which magnifying of them doth imply that they heard their doctrine , and saw their practise , and approved it , and highly commended them for the same : wherefore seeing this joyning , which some durst not doe , cannot be meant of being converted , nor of joyning in habitation , nor of joyning in affection , nor in hearing the word in their assembly , nor of approbation , and expressions that way , it remaineth that it must be meant of joyning in that neere relation of church-fellowship amongst them , so as to be engaged by voluntary consent and agreement to be members of their church . fiftly , if joyning to the church , were no more but to be converted , then he that were converted were joyned as a member of every visible church throughout the world , which were a great confusion of that order , and distinction of churches , which the lord hath appointed . men may be joyned to the church , in heartie affection and love , and yet without any covenant . true , but this will not make them members of that church , for then saul was member of the church at hierusalem , afore he was joyned a member , for he was joyned to them in heartie affection afore , and therefore assayed to joyne as a member ; and so were they that durst not joyne , act. 5. 13. yea then a man should be a member of many churches , yea of all christian churches in the world ; for he is to love them , and beare heartie affection to them all ; the true members of the churches in england are united in heartie affection , to the churches in scotland , in holland , in france , in new-england , &c. and yet they are not members of all these churches , nor subject to their censures as members are . but the reason of that is because they doe not dwell among them in the same towne . neither would habitation with them in the same towne , make a man a member of the church there , if there be no more then so . suppose saul to have dwelt in the same house afore his conversion in which he dwelt after , which is not unpossible nor unlikely ; yet we see he was no member of the church at hierusalem , afore his conversion , no nor of some time after , though he might have dwelt in an house in the midst of the christians , and church-members there . the members of the dutch and french churches in london , or other townes in england , are not members of the english●congregations or churches , no more then the english are of theirs , and yet they dwell promiscuously together in the same s●recte of the same towne . towne-dwelling would not make a man a free-man of a company in london , or some other corporation ; for many others dwell in the towne with them ; yea it may be in the same streete , that are not free of their company , and so it is in this case . but the reason why such as dwell in towne with the church , are not members thereof , may be , because they frequent not their assemblies . idiots and infidells might come into the publick meetings among the corinthians , 1. cor. 14. 23 , 24 , 25. yet idiots and infidells were not therefore members of the church . and saul after his conversion might have come in among the church in time of publick duties , and have seene and heard all that they had done : yet this would not have made him of one body with them . some indians , moores , and other naturall persons come into our meetings in new-england , some of their owne accord , and others by the command or counsell of their masters and governours , yet no man can say , that all these are hereby made church-members . wherefore seeing neither conversion , nor loving affection , nor cohabitation , nor coming into their meetings , doth joyne a man as a member of the visible church ( for some men have all these , and yet are not members , and others are sometimes members of the visible churches , and yet want some of these , are hypocrites and want sound conversion ) it remaineth therefore that as sound conversion makes a man fit matter for a church ; so profession of his faith , and of his subjection to the gospel , and the churches approbation , and acceptance of him ( which is the summe of church-covenant ) is the formall cause that gives him the being of a member . but joyning doth not alway signifie joyning in covenant ; philip joyned to the eunnuchs chariote , and dust to mens feete , act. 8. 29. & luke 10 , 11. and yet there was no covenant , and therefore men may joyne to the church without any covenant . the word indeed may expresse any close joyning , whether naturall , ( as the branch is joyned to the vine , or an arme or other member to the body ) or artificiall , as when two stickes were joyned to become one in ezekiels hand , ezek. 37. or when carpenters or masons doe joyne pieces of stone or timber together , to make one house , neh. 4. 6. ezr. 4. 12. but is not onely the force of the word that is stood upon . but when joyning is used to expresse such joyning , wherein a man voluntarily takes on him a new relation , there it alwayes implyes a covenant , whether the relation be morall and civill , or religious and ecclesiasticall : we speake of voluntary relation , for there are naturall relations , as betweene parents and children : and these need no covenant , there is no covenant to make a man a parent , or a childe ; there are also violent relations , as between conquerour and captives , and in these there is no covenant neither ; but others are voluntary , and these alwayes imply a covenant , and are founded therein , whether they be morall and civill ( as between husband and wife , pro. 2. 17. between master and servants , luk. 15. 15. between prince and subject , between partners in trade , 2 chro. 20. 35 , 36 , 37. where the covenant or agreement is , that men shall bare such a share of charges , and receive such a share of profits : ) or religious , as between minister and people , between the church and the members : all these are done by way of covenant . a man cannot joyne himselfe to a woman as her husband , but by way of covenant : a man cannot joyne himselfe to another as a servant , or apprentise , but by way of covenant ; and so may we say of all the rest ▪ nor into any body corporate , but by the same way and means . if men be united into a body politick or incorporate , a man cannot be said to be joyned to them by meere heartie affection , unlesse withall he joynes himselfe unto them by some contract or covenant . now of this nature is every particular church , a body incorporate , 1 cor. 12. 27. yee are the body of christ , &c. and hath power to cast out , 1 cor. 2. 7 ▪ 8 as a body incorporate ; and therefore he that will joyne unto them , must doe it by way of covenant or agreement ; and so this answer to this objection , may be a fourth argument to prove the point in hand , that joyning in covenant is that which makes a man , a member of a church . all voluntary relations , all relations which are neither naturall nor violent , are entred into by way of covenant . but he that joynes into a church as a member , or enters into a church , doth take upon him such a relation ; therefore joyning to a church as a member , is by way of covenant . a fifth argument may be drawne from the power which all churches , officers and members , have over all their members in the lord . if all churches , officers , and members , have power in the lord over all their members , then joyning in covenant is necessary to make a man a member of a church , but the former is true , therefore the latter is true also . the assumption in this argument , that all churches have power over their members , is proved from 1 cor. 5. 4 , 5. 13. where the apostle reproveth the corinthians for suffering the incestuous man amongst them , and commands them to deliver him to sa●an , and cast him out from amongst them . now this he would not have done , if they had had no power over him , or if there had been any roome for them to say , wee have nothing to doe with him , wee have no power over him . and the same is prooved in other scriptures also ; as , mat. 18. 17. psal. 149. 6. 7 , 8 , 9. and the consequence of the major proposition , viz. that then members doe engage themselves by covenant , is proved by this reason ; that churches have no power over such as have not engaged themselves by covenant , and committed power unto them , by professing to be subject to all the ordinances of christ amongst them . the truth whereof may appeare by two reasons : first , because all christians have power and right , jure divino , to choose their owne officers to whom they commit their soules , act. 6. & 1. & 14 23. where the word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , imports choosing by election : and so the word is used and translated , 2 cor. 8. 19. he was chosen by the churches , &c. it is not ministeriall gifts that makes a man a minister to every church , nor investeth him with spirituall power over them , nor though he dwell amongst them , unlesse they call him , and he accept of that call : and as they have power to choose their officers , so likewise to choose their brethren according to god , rom. 14. 1. now if they have power to choose their officers and brethren , then none can have power over them as officers and brethren , without their owne consent , and whom they never chose , nor promised by any covenant or engagement to be subject to the lord . secondly , if the church should exercise any act of church-power over such a man as never entred into covenant with them ( suppose to excommunicate him for whoredome or drunkennesse , or the like ) the man might protest against their act , and their sentence , as coram non judice , and they could not justifie their proceedings , if indeed there have passed no covenant or engagement between him and them . if he shall say , you have nothing to doe to passe sentence or censure upon me , i am none of your church , but of another church ; suppose in holland , in france , &c. and i am onely here now for merchandise sake , or upon some other occasion : what shall they say to stop his mouth , if there never passed any covenant between him and them . but ministers have power over the people by the word of god , heb. 13. 17. 1 thes. 5. 12. 1 tim. 5. 17. and not by mens engaging themselves by covenant . but what is it that makes men ministers to such a people , officers to such a church , or maketh them sheepe of my flocke ? is it not those scriptures that makes every man a pastour , or teacher , or ruler to a people , unlesse they call him to that office ; and then in so doing they covenant and engage themselves to be subject to him in the lord , and then those scriptures take hold on them . one might as well say , it is not the covenanting of a wife to her husband that gives him power over her , but the word of god ; for as the word of god commands people to obey their ministers , so it commands wives to be subject to their husbands , ephes. 5. 22. and yet all men know , a man cannot take this woman for his wife but by covenant . so that if shee once makes her selfe a wife by her owne voluntary covenant , then the word of god takes hold on her , and bindes her to doe the duties of a wife : but if shee , hath made no covenant , the man hath no power over her as her husband , neither is shee his wife ; so if men once make themselves members of such a church , sheepe of such a mans flocke , by their own voluntary covenant , then the wo●d of god takes hold of them , and bindes them to doe the duties of members to their fellow-brethren , and of people to their pastours or ministers . but if they never chose such a man to be their minister , nor covenanted to be subject to him in the lord , he then can have no power over them as a minister unto them , because they have right to chose their owne ministers . a sixth argument may be taken from the distinction that is between members , and not members . if there be by the word of god a distinction , between members of the church and such as are no members , then joyning in covenant is necessary to the being of a member ; but the former is true , as appeares 1 cor. 5. 12. some are within , and may be judged by the church , and others are without , and may not : and therefore the latter is true also . and the reason of the consequence is because there is nothing else without this joyning in covenant , that can sufficiently distinguish them ; it is not faith and grace in their hearts , for some men are members of the visible church , and yet have no grace , and others may have grace , and yet be no members , and therefore this is not the thing that doth distinguish them , nor is it affection , nor cohabitation , nor every approbation of the word of god , and the wayes of his church , not comming into their assemblies to heare the word ; but these things were touched before , and therefore may be here the more briefly passed over . and so much shall suffice to have spoken of the second particular , concerning the use of church-covenant , tha●●t is by joyning therein that a particular person becomes a member of a church . but here it will be needfull to remove sundry objections , which may seeme to some to be of great weight against church-covenant , that so by the removing of them , the truth may be the more cleared , to fu●ler satisfaction , if it be the will of god . church-covenant is a terme that is not found in s●ripture . first , so is sacrament , trinitie , &c. and yet those termes may be lawfully used , because the thing meant thereby is found . secondly , but seeing the covenant is between the lord and his church , as the two parties that are confederate , it is all one whether it be called the lords covenant , or the church-covenant : as when mamre , aver , & eschol were confederate with abraham , gen. 14. 13. might not one truely say , abraham was confederate with them ? relatives doe mutually put and establish one another . thirdly , the scripture allowes both the lords covenant with the church , eze. 16. 8. & the peoples covenant or saints covenant , or churches covenant with him , deut. 29. 12. psal. 50. 5. ier. 50. 5. fourthly , there is good reason for both the words ; both the lords covenant , and the church-covenant , because both are confederate ; and for that of church-covenant , there is this reason also , viz. to distinguish it from other covenants , as a marriage-covenant , pro. 2. 17. and a brotherly covenant , 1 sam. 20. 8. the church covenant being thus called not onely because they are a church , or members thereof that make it , but also because they enter into it in reference to church-estate and church-duties : the duties which they bind themselves unto in this covenant being such especially as concern a church and the members thereof . but this church-covenant puts some disparagement upon the covenant of grace , which every beleever is already entred into with god , and seeme to charge the same with insufficiency ; for every second covenant doth argue that the first was not faultlesse , heb. 8. 7. 1. a second covenant doth argue that the first was not faultlesse , where the covenants are contrary one to another , as the covenant of ●race , and the covenant of works are , and so it is most true , that the bringing in of the free covenant of grace did argue that righteousnes and life could not be attained by the law , or covenant of works ; for if there had been a law given which could have given life , verily righteousnesse should have been by the law . gal. 3. 21. rom. 8. 3. 2. but if it be the same covenant that is renewed or made againe , though upon a new occasion , no man can say that entring into the same the second time , or a third , or a fourth , doth disanull the first , or cast dispa●agement upon the same . the covenant of works given to adam was not blamed or saulted , because it was renewed in sinai the covenant of grace was first given to adam in paradise after his fall , afterward to abraham , then to the people of israel under types and shadows ; and againe after the coming of christ in the flesh ; yet none of these doth disanull the former , or argue the same to be ●aulty ; and the reason is , because it is still the same covenant though renewed upon new occasions ; and in some particulars in some other manner . and the like we say concerning church-covenant , or the covenant which a man makes when he enters into the church , viz. that it is not another covenant contrary to the covenant of grace , which every beleever is brought into at his first conversion , but an open profession of a mans subjection to that very covenant , specially in the things which concerne church estate , into which estate the man is now entring . it is not lawfull to make such a covenant as the church-covenant , because it is not in our power to keep it , and we do not know whether god will give us power . this ground is very true , that no man hath power of himselfe to any thing that good is , but all a mans power and abilitie must come of god through ch●ist , 2. cor. 3. 5. phil. 2. 13. ioh. 15. 5. but the in●erence is not good , that therefore it should be unlawfull to ento into church-covenant : for 1. by the same reason , all promises are unlawfull , and all covenants whatsoever ; as the covenant of marriage , the covenant of service , yea and the personall covenant o● grace , when a particular soule promiseth faith and new obedience ; for there is none of these , no not the covenant of marriage , which a man is able of himself to keep , as the adultery of david and bathsheba , among others , doth plainly prove . 2. god hath promised to give power to them that in self-deniall seek it of him , and trust to his promise for it . ezek. 36. 27. ier. 31. 33. rom. 6. 14. ier. 32. 40. the true inference therefore from this ground , from mans disabilitie to performe were this , that therefore a man should not enter into church covenant in his owne strength , for that was peters fault in promising not to deny christ , but to die with him rather : but church-covenant , as also all other promises , should be entred into , in an humble looking up to christ jesus for help and assistance to performe . thou therefore my sonne , be strong in the grace that is in christ iesus , 2. tim. 2. 1. god disalloweth covenants of mans making ( and so our church-covenant ) in those words , but not by thy covenant . ezek. 16. 61. god doth not reprove them there for making covenant , for then he were contrary to himselfe , who elsewhere called them to do it , exod. 29. deut. 29. and commended them for it , psal. 50. 5. yea and in that very place of ezek. 16. acknowledgeth a covenant betweene him and them , ver. 60. 62. but the meaning is , he would do them good , but not for their good keeping the covenant of works , for they had very sinfully broken it , ver. 59. but even as he saith elsewhere , not for their sakes , or for their righteousnesse , ezek. 36. 32. deut. 9. 4 , 5 , 6. but what force is there in this arguing , viz. if god will do us good , but not for our good keeping the covenant of works , then it is not lawfull to promise obedience to the covenant of grace , in such things as concerne church estate ; all men may easily see that here is a plaine non sequitur . this entring into covenant may keep out many good men from joyning to the churches , because they are not satisfied about it : and therefore it is better laid aside . it is not impossible , but good men may for a time be unsatisfied about it , till they understand the nature and use of it , and yet the thing be warrantable enough for all that in the sight of god ; the tribes were troubled at the altar set up upon the banks of jordan by the two tribes and an halfe , till they understood the intent and use of it , and for what purpose it was erected : and then they were satisfied . iosh. 22. and the same may be said of peters eating with the gentiles , which at the first was very offensive to them of the circumcision , till they understood what peter had to say for his defence therein , and then they rested well satisfied , act. 11. but if men understand what the church-covenant is , there is no reason that good men should be troubled at it ; it being nothing else but a promise of obedience unto the gospel of christ , or of such duties as the gospel requireth of all christians in church-estate : for , will good men refuse to obey the gospel , or submit to the ordinances of christ ? or will they refuse to professe and promise so much ? if a man understand what it is , and what we meane by it , and yet refuse to enter into it when he hath opportunitie thereto , such refusing is no part of his goodnesse , but is to be reckoned amongst his corruptions ; it is ignorance at the best , and if not so , then it may be perversenesse of will , or some want of will to performe obedience to the gospel . and surely there is smal hope that such would yeeld subjection and obedience to the gospel , who do refuse to professe or promise it . but the scripture , act. 2. 41. tels of joyning to the church without any covenant . for it was not possible that 3000. should enter into covenant in one day . two things may be said in answer to this objection . first , that 3000. were not so many , but that joyning in covenant might easily be done by them all , in one day . for , 1. it was at penticost , at which time of the yeer the dayes were at the longest : and , 2. the scripture tels us , that david made a covenant with all the tribes of israel in one day , 2. sam. 5 1 , 2 , 3. the articles of the covenant betweene david and the tribes , and so betweene this 3000. and the lord might be openly declared , and they both the one and the other might by some signe or other , expresse their consent thereunto in one day . secondly , as joyning in covenant is a thing that might be done , so it is more then probable that indeed it was done , by those 3000. soules . for it is said , ver. 41 that they gladly received the word , that is , they openly professed that they did with all their hearts receive it , for this receiving of the word is noted as a condition , upon which they were admitted to baptisme , and therefore it was not onely an inward receiving of it in their hearts , but also an open professing that they did receive it ; for an inward receiving of it in their hearts , without an open professing thereof outwardly , would not have been sufficient for the admitting of them unto bapti●me . now this word which they received was an exhortation to repentance for sinne , and to faith in the promise , ver. 38. 39. and to obedience in severing themselves from others , and saving themselves from that untoward generation , ver. 40. and therefore when they openly professed , that they gladly received this word , there was an open professing of their repentance for sinne , ver. 40. of their faith in the promise , and of obedience to the commandement , which is nothing else , but the very summe of church-covenant : yea , and further , their very preparation to this repentance , faith and obedience , in that true compunction and sorrow of soul , was also openly made manifest . ver. 37. but yet there would not be such long narrations , of every one severally as now are used , when men do enter into church-covenant , when each one makes a good long speech , in the profession of his faith and repentance . when the thing is certaine , as was shewed before , that they did openly professe repentance , faith and obedience , it is not difference in the length or largenesse of their spe●ches in expressing of themselves , that can make any difference in the thing : majus & minus non diversisicant speciem . and we denie not but they might be briefer , because there was not such need they should be long in regard of some difference betweene them and us , their time and ours : first there were the apostles present to heare their confessions , and to judge thereof , who were men of very good discerning , and therefore briefer expressing of mens selves might suffice ; whereas the best christians , yea the best ministers amongst us are not to be compared to the apostles ; and therefore as we need more time for study , and for preparation for our sermons then they did : so likewise we need more time to heare , and try the soundnesse of mens repentance towards god , and faith towards our lord jesus christ . yet this we may adde withall , that if the apostles and those primative christians , men of such excellent discerning were sometimes deceived , and could not alwayes so discern , but that some hypocrites would creep into the church : as the example of ananias and saphira doth witnesse ; how much more need is there , that the churches of god in these dayes ( being far inferiour to them ) should be very watchfull and circumspect in trying the spirituall estates of them that offer to come into the church ? secondly , their times also differed from ours : for their christianitie was a matter of reproach and danger of excommunication , ioh. 9. 22. of imprisonment , act. 4. 3. and 5. 18. and the like . and therefore to see men now to make open profession of their faith in christ jesus , whose servants and disciples were so hated , and who himselfe but a while before was crucified , this was not an ordinarie matter : and therefore in words , men might be the briefer when they came to be received into the church : but our times in new england do not persecute christ , and christians , and christian churches , but countenance them , and protect them ; and therefore there is more need now to be more studious in examination of mens estates when they offer themselves for church members : when the jews were in favour , many of the people of the land became jews , esth. 8. 17. but why is there so little proofe of this church-covenant in the new testament ? 1. suppose the new testament said nothing of it , yet it might have ground sufficient from the scriptures of the old testament ; for if it was gods revealed will in those dayes , that a companie should become a church , and particular persons become members of that church by way of covenant , we may be sure it is so now likewise , unlesse covenanting were peculiar to the jewish paedigogie ; indeed if it had never been used in those times , but were some new ordinance , peculiar to the dayes of the new testament , in such cases also a ground from the scriptures of the new testament were necessarie , as there is in all such things wherein there is any change or variation , from what was used in those times afore christ , as that there should not be nationall churches , but congregationall , and not one visible church , but many , that there should be baptisme , and the lords supper : these are matters that are not found in the old testament , nor were appointed to be used in those dayes , and therefore we must have warrant for them in the new , and so we have . but for the covenant it is otherwise , it is no new ordinance peculiar to the dayes of the gospel , nor any leviticall ordinance peculiar to the jewish pedigogie ; and therefore the scriptures of the old testament that give warrant for it , may be sufficient as hath been shewed afore . 2. and yet there is not wanting good warrant for it , that it ought to be used , in the dayes of the new testament . for , 1. the prophets do foretell it , isa 56 , 6 , 7 , and 44 5. and ier. 50. 5. ez●k , 20. 37. and in sundrie other places , to omit the rest at this time , because some of them have been spoken of before ; onely let those words of isa. 44. 5. be well considered , and see if they do not plainly hold forth that in the dayes of the new testament , men should openly professe their faith , and solemnly bind themselves by coven●nt to be the lords people , one shall say , i am the lords , and another shall call himself by the name of iacob , and another shall subscribe with his hand , and sirname himself by the name of israel . these words are so plaine for open professing of faith in the lord , and open binding of mens selves by covenant unto him , as we conceive nothing need be more . 2. the apost●es do sufficiently testifie , that such a thing was practised in heir dayes , 〈◊〉 how should we understand that fellowship in the gospel in its full latitude and breadth , phil. 1. 5. if this combining into church fellowship be no part thereof ; yea when it is said , they continued stedfastly , or as the word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , may well be translated , they strongly did cleave together , or hold together in such a fellowship , which was not preaching and hearing the doctrine of the apostles , nor sacraments , no● prayer , but a thing distinct from all these . if this combining themselves into a spirituall fellowship and societie of church-state be no part thereof , we know not how to understand it , nor what that fellowship should meane ; if doctrine , and sacraments , and prayer had not been particularly mentioned , in the same place , it might have been thought that the fellowship in which they so steadfastly clave together had been no more , but their coming together to observe these said ordinances , and their communion therein . but when all these are particularly mentioned , and fellowship mentioned among them , as a thing distinct from the rest , we may not confound it with the rest . we might as well say , that by doctrine is meant sacraments , and by sacraments is meant prayer ; as to say that by fellowship is meant not●ing else but the exercise of doctrine , and sacraments , and prayer . and if these as they are distinctly named be distinct ordinances , and may not be confounded , then fellowship being named in the same manner imports something distinct from them all , and may not be confounded with them , nor with any of them , no more then the other may be confounded one with another . and if so , then as this fellowship may import , the communion of their gift and goods one for the helpe of another , so it must first of all imply a combining of themselves into church-state by mutuall ag●eement , consent , or covenant . furthermore , when the apostle writ●th , that by experience of the corinthians liberall contribution to the poore saints , men glorified god for their professed subjection to the gospel of christ , 2. cor. 9. 13. he plainly imployes thereby , that the corinthians had made a profession or promise of such subjection to the gospel as did comprehend this particular of distributing to the necessitie of the saints , among other things . and their liberall distribution which he there speaks of , was looked at as one point of their reall performance of that subjection to the gospel , which they had before professed , and promised . now the church-covenant is nothing else , but the professing or promising of such subjection , and therefore this place is another proofe of church-covenant . besides , it hath been shewed afore in argument 3. that those places which speake of being added to the church , of joyning , or assaying to joyne unto the church , act. 2. 47. and 5 13. and 9 26. are not expounded according to the full meaning of them , when they are understood of any other joyning , if joyning in covenant be left out . and therefore the scriptures of the new testament do beare good witnesse unto church-covenant , though , as we said before , the scriptures of the old testament might have been sufficient if the new testament had spoken nothing of it . but baptisme makes men members of the visible church , and therefore the covenant is needl●sse . this is answered in the answer to the fourth of the 32. questions , where it is shewed at large that baptisme ●s a seale of the covenan● betweene god and the church , but neither makes the church , nor members of the church , nor alwayes so much as proves men to be members . this church-covenant is a late devise , and was not known in ancient time , and therefore is to be rejected . fi●st , true antiquitie is that of the scriptures . now sith church covenant is warranted by the scripture , as hath been shewed before in this discourse , it cannot be charged to want true antiquitie . when the papists are wont to charge the doctrine of protestants with novelty , and such as was never heard of before luther , the orthodoxe are wont to answer , that if the doctrine do not agree with the scripture , then let it be condemned for noveltie ; and if it do , it is warranted by the best antiquitie , even the testimonie of god himself who is the antient of dayes : our faith , saith doctor white , is in all points the same that is contained in the scripture , and so consequently of the same antiquitie : and therefore all they that say it came up but of late , must first prove it contrary to the word of god , or else hold their peace . white , way , 44. 1. and the same we say in this particular of the church-covenant . secondly , and yet they that search the stories and writers of the times and ages next after the apostles , may find some testimonie of church-covenant in those dayes : for instance , iustine martyr in his apol. 2. makes mention of three things which were required of all that were admitted into the church as members , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that is regeneration , and soundnesse in the faith , and a promise to walke in obedience to the gospel . and generally this was the practise of all those times , that never any man was admitted to baptisme , nor his children neither , but they put him to answer three questions , abrenuntios ? whereto he answered , abrenuntio . credis ? whereto his answer was , credo : and spondes ? to which he answered , spondeo . so that here was an open declaration of his repentance from dead works , and of the soundnesse of his faith , in the two first particulars , and an open binding himself by covenant or promise to walke according to the gospel , in the third . but much needs not to be said in this point , unto them that do acknowledge scripture antiquitie to be sufficient , though after times should be found to swerve from the rules and patterns that are therein contained . if church-covenant be so necessarie , then all the reformed churches are to be condemned as no churches ; for they have no such covenant . they that have knowne those churches , not onely by their writings , and confessions of their faith , in synods and otherwise ; but also by living amongst them , and being eye-witnesses of their order , do report otherwise of them , viz. that they are combined together by solemne covenant with god and one another . zepperus , speaking of the manner , used in the reformed churches , in admitting the children of church-members to the lords table , when they came to age , and have been sufficiently catechised , and instructed in the doctrine of religion , tells us , that such children are admitted to the lords table , by publick profession of faith , and en●ring into covenant . cons●etum est , saith he , ut qui per aetate●i●que doctrinâ catecheticâ profectum ad sacram coenam primum a 〈◊〉 , fidei confessionem coram totâ ecclesiâ publice edant p●r parentes aut qui parentum l●co sunt , jussû ministri , in ecclesiae 〈◊〉 producti : quò●que in illa confessione , per dei gratiam 〈◊〉 , ac , juxta illam , vitam instituere , insuper etiam disciplinae ecclesiasticae ultrò ac sponte suâ subjicere sese velint , spondeant atque stipulentur , polit. eccles. lib. 1. cap. 14. p. 158. that is , the manner is , that they who by reason of age and proficiencie in the doctrine of catechisme are first admitted to the lords supper , should publickly before the whole church make confession of their faith , being brought forth into the sight of the church by their parents , or them that are instead of parents , at the appointment of the minister ; and likewise should promise and covenant by the grace of god to continue in that faith which they have confessed , and to lead their lives according to it ; yea , and moreover to subject themselves freely and willingly to the discipline of the church . these words we see are full and plaine , that children are not in those churches received to the lords supper , without personall confession of faith , and entring into covenant before ; and if they tooke this course with children come to age , there is as much reason , or more , that the same course should be holden with men of yeers , when they are admitted members . and so the same zepperus , speaking of the consociation of churches amongst themselves by mutuall confsederation , hath these words , which as they may be applyed to the combining of many churches , so may they be combining of many members of the same church , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} illa {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , quam in symbolo profite nunc apostolico , nihil aliud hic requirit , & vult , quam obligationem omnium ecclesiae membrorum & confoederationem , &c. that is , that communion of saints which we professe in the creed , doth require and meane nothing else but an obligation of all the members of the church , and a binding of them together by covenant . polit. eccles. li. 3 c. 8. p. 721. to these testimonies of z●pperus , those words may be added of mr. parker our own countreyman , a man of singular note for learning and holinesse , who also himselfe lived sometimes beyond sea in the reformed churches , and there ended his dayes , so that we may safely give the more credit to his testimonie , he having so good meanes fully to know the state and order of those churches . now he speaketh of a solennis forma absque quâ in ecclesiae alicujus communionem nullus ritè recipitur : of a solemne forme , without which no man is rightly received into the communion of the church , hath these words . hic mos ille est reformatarum ecclesiarum non solum in lapsis restituendis , sed in extra●eis , imò quibuscunque recipiendis qui ad habitandum alicubi con●ident , etsi fortè in ecclesiâ illius loci quo ante commorabantur , juxta hanc formam admissi prius fuerant . examinat presbyterium , plebs consentit , quisque testes vitae suae secum adfert , vel testimonia saltem : publicatur nomen cujusque competentis pro concione , admonetur quisque siquid haebeat quod excipiat , ut denunciet presbyteris . si nihil contr● adferatur , admittitur quidem , sed non nisi solerni pactione cum deo & cum e●clesiâ . spondet verò ecclesiae , se ambulaturum prout sanctam illam communionem decet ; disciplinae illius ecclesiae subjacere velle , se fratribus illius communionis invigilaturum juxta christi prae ceptum , matth 18. 17. ut pra-veniantur sanenturque seandala , & illi ad studium bonorum operum provehantur . that is , this is the manner of the reformed churches , not onely in restoring such as have fallen , but in admitting of strangers , yea of all whoever they be , who do sit down in any place for habitation , though perhaps they have been formerly admitted after the same manner in the church where they have forme●ly dwelt ; the presbytery doth examine , the people do consent , every man brings with him witnesses of his life , or at least-wise testimonies : the name of each one that desires to be a member , is published in the assembly , every one is admonished if he have any exception against the party , to bring it to the presbytery . if nothing be brought against him , then indeed he is admitted ; but yet no otherwise then by a solemne covenant with god and the church ; and to the church he promiseth that he will walk as becometh that holy fellowship , that he will be subject to the discipline of that church , that he will watch over the brethren of that communion , according to the command of christ , mat. 18. 17. that offences may be prevented and healed , &c. polit. eccles. lib. 3. cap. 16. § 4. pag. 171 , 172. much more he hath to the same purpose in that place , alledging sundry canons and decrees of synods of reformed churches , wherein they have determined that none should be received into their churches , but by this way of solemne covenant . and others that have lived amongst them may have been eye-witnesses that this is their usuall practise . but what shall be said of the congregations in england , if churches must be combined by covenant ? doth not this doctrine blot out all those congregations out of the catalogue of churches ? for what ever covenant may be found in the reformed churches in other parts , yet it is plaine that she english have none . though we deny not but the covenant in many of those congregations is more imp●●cite and not so plaine as were to be desired ; ( and what is amis●e in them , in their materialls , or in want of explicite combining of pure matter , or in any of their wayes wee will not take upon us to defend ) yet we hope we may say of them with master park●r , polit. eccl●s . lib 3. cap. 16 § 1. pag. 167. non ab●st ea realis & substantialis ( quanquam mag is quàm par erat implicita ) coitio in foedus , ●aque voluntaria professio fidei substantialis : quâ ( deo gratia ) essentiam ecclesiae idque visibilis hacusque sar●am tectam in angli● conservavis ; that is , there wants not that reall and substantiall comming together , ( or agreeing in covenant , though more implicate then were meete ) and that substantiall profession of faith , which ( thanks be to god ) hath preserved the essence of visible churches in england unto this day . the reasons why wee are loath to say , that the congregations in england are utterly without a covenant , are these : first , because there we●e many christian churches in england in the apostles time , or within a while after , as m●ster fox sheweth at large , act. & mon. lib. 2. beginning pag 137 where he reporteth out of gildas , that england received the gospel in the time of tiberius the emperour , under whom christ suffered , and that ioseph of arima●hea was sent of philip the aposti● from france to england about the yeare of christ 63. and remained in england all his time , and so he with his fellowes layd the first foundation of christian faith among the britaine people , and other preachers and teachers comming afterward , confirmed the same and increased it . also the said master fox reporteth out of tertullian , that the gospel was dispearsed abroad by the sound of the apostles into many nations , and amongst the rest into britaine , yea into the wildest places of britaine , which the romans could never attaine unto : and alledgeth also out of nic●phorus , that simon zelotes did spread the gospel to the west ocean , and brought the same into the iles of britaine : and sund●y other proofes he there hath for the same point . now if the gospel and christian religion were brought into england in the apostles times , and by their means , it is like that the english churches were then constituted by way of covenant , because that was the manner of constituting churches in the apostles time , as also in the times afore christ , as hath been shewed from the scripture before in this discourse . and if christian congregations in england were in those times combined by covenant , then eternitie of gods covenant is such , that it is not the interposition of many corruptions that may arise in after times that can disanull the same , except when men wil●ully breake covenant and reject the offers of the gospel through obstinacy , which we perswade our selves they are not come unto : and consequently the covenant remaines which hath preserved the essence of churches to this day ; though the mixture of manifold corruptions , have made the covenant more implicite then were mee●e . secondly , because there want no good records ( as may be seene in seldens history of tithes ) to prove that in former times in england it was free for men to pay their tithes and oblations where themselves pleased : now this paying of tithes was accounted as a dutie of people to their minister , or sheepe to their pastour : and therefore seeing this was by their owne voluntary agreement and consent , their joyning to the church as members thereof , & to the ministery thereof as sheepe of such a mans flock , was also by their owne voluntary agreement and consent : and this doth imply a covenant . it was not the precincts of parishes that did limit men in those dayes , but their owne choice . thirdly , those questions and answers ministred at baptisme , spoken of before , ( viz. do st thou renounce ? i doe renounce : doest thou beleeve ? i doe beleseve : doest thou promise ? i doe promise ) as they were used in other places , so were they also in england , and are unto this day , though not without the mixture of sundry corruptions . now this doth imply a covenant . and when the children came to age , they were not to be admitted to the lords supper , before they had made personall confession of their owne faith , and ratified the covenant which was made at their baptisme by their parents , which course indeed afterward did grow into a sacrament of confirmation , but that was an abuse of a good order . if here it be said , that the members of the parishionall assemblies are not brought in by their owne voluntary profession , but by the authority and proclamation of the prince , and therefore they have no such covenant . the answer is , that the christian prince doth but his dutie when he doth not tollerate within his dominions any open idolatry , or the open worship of false gods by baptized persons , but suppresseth the same : and likewise when he gives free libertie to the exercise of all the ordinances of true religion , according to the minde of christ , with countenance also and encouragement unto all those whose hearts are willingly bent thereunto , ezra . 1. 13 & 7 13. and therefore this practise of his cannot overthrow the ●reenesse of mens joyning in church-communion , because one dut●e cannot oppose nor contradict another . and suppose that this course of the magistrate shou●d seeme to be a forcing of some to come in for members who were unfit , ( in which case it were not justifiable ) yet this doth not hinder the voluntary subjection of others , who with all their hearts desired it . when the israelites departed out of aegypt , there went a mixed multitude with them ▪ many going with them that were not israelites indeed , exod. 12. and in the dayes of morde●ay and hesth●r , many of the people of the lands became iewes , when the iewes were in favour and respect , est. 8. 17. and so joyned to them not of their owne voluntary minde , nor of any sincere heart towards god , but meerely for the favour or feare of men ; yet this forced or feined joyning of some could not hinder those that were israelites indeed from being israelites , nor make the iewes to be no iewes , no church-members . and the same may be said in this case , suppose the magistrates proclamation should be a cause , or an occasion rather , of bringing some into the church , who came not of their owne voluntary minde , but for feare , or for obteining favour , yet this cannot hinder , but others might voluntarily and freely covenant to be subject to the gospel of christ : such subjection and the promise of it being the thing which themselves did heartily desire , though the magistrate should have said nothing in it . if any shall hereupon inferre , that if the parishionall assemblies be churches , then the members of them may be admitted to church priviledges in new england , before they joyne to our churches : such one may finde his answer in the answer to the tenth of the thirty-two questions ; whereunto we doe referre the reader for this point . onely adding this , that this were contrary to the judgement and practise of the reformed churches , who doe not admit a man for member without personall profession of his faith , and joyning in covenant , though he had formerly been a member of a church in another place , as was shewed before out of master parker . lastly , if any say , that if these reasons prove the english congregations to have such a covenant as proves them to be churches , then why may not rome , and the assemblies of papists goe for true churches also ? for some man may thinke that the same things may be said for them that here in answer to this eleventh objection are said for the parishes in england : such one must remember two things : first , that we doe not say simply , a covenant makes a company a true church , but ( as was said before ) a covenant to walke in such wayes of worship to god and edification of one another , as the gospel of christ requireth . for who doubts , but there may be an agreement among theeves , pro. 1. a confederation among gods enemies , psal. 83. a conspiracy among the arabians , the ammonites and ashdodites , to hinder the building of hierusalem , neh. 4. 7 , 8. and yet none of these are made true churches by such kind of confederacies or agreements . and so wee may say of the assemblies of papists , especially since the counsell of trent . if there be any agreement or confederacy among them , it is not to walke in the wayes of the gospell , but in wayes contrary to the fundamentall truths of the gospel , as idolat●y in worship , heresie in doctrine , and other antichristian pollutions and corruptions : and therefore if they combined in these things , such combinations will never prove them true churches . the church is the pillar and ground of truth , 1 tim. 3. 15. but the religion of papists is so farre from truth , that whosoever liveth and beleeveth according to it , without repentance , cannot be saved . witnesse their doctrine in the point of vilifying the scriptures , and in point of free-will , and of justification by works , of the popes supremacy , of the sacrifice of the masse , of worshipping of images , &c. in regard of which , and such like , the holy ghost saith , that their religion is a sea , become as the bloud of a dead man , and every soule in that sea dyeth , rev. 16. 3. and therefore agreement in such a religion will never prove them to be true churches ; nor any assemblies of arrians , antitrinitaries , anabaptists , or famelists , supposing them also to be combined by covenant among themselves . but now for the assemblies in england , the case is farre otherwise ; for the doctrine of the articles of religion which they professe , and which they promise to hold and observe ( though some things are amisse in some of those articles , and though many persons live contrary in their lives ) yet the doctrine is such that whosoever beleeveth , and liveth according to it , shall undoubtedly be saved , and many thousands have been saved therein ▪ and therefore assemblies united by covenant to observe this doctrine may be true churches , when the assemblies of papists and others may be false , although they also were combined by covenant : the reason of the difference rising from the difference that is in the doctrine and religion which they severally professe , and by covenant binde themselves to observe , the one being fundamentally corrupt , and consequently pernicious : the other in the fundamentall points orthodoxall and sound . secondly , it must be remembred also ( which was intimated before ) that if fundamentall corruptions be professed in with impenitency and obstinacy , then god may disanull the covenant on his part , and give a bill of divorce to such a people , iere. 3. 8. now experience and the scripture also doth witnesse of the jesuited and tr●nt-papists , that they repented not of the workes of their hands , of worshipping devills , and idolls of gold , &c. neither repented they of their murthers , nor of their sorceries , nor of their fornications , nor of their thefts , rev. 9. 20 , 21. but now for the parish assemblies in england , we hope that we may safely say , they doe not sinne of obstinacy , but of ignorance , having not been convinced ( and many of them never having had means to be convinced ) of the corruptions that are amongst them , in respect of their constitution , and worship , and ministery , and so the covenant remaining among them , may prove them to be churches , when it cannot stand the papists in like stead , they being impenitent and obstinate : which we doe not speake to justifie the parishes altogether , as if there were not dangerous corruptions found in them , nay rather ( the lord be mercifull to the sinnes of his people ) wee may lament it with teares , that in respect of their members and ministery , in respect of their worship and walkings , in many of those assemblies there are found such apparent corruptions , as are justly grievous to a godly soule , that is enlightened to discerne them , and greatly displeasing to the lord , and indeed had need to be repented of betime , least otherwise the lord remove the candlesticke and unchurch them , rev. 2. 5. in a word , the corruptions remaining are just causes of repentance and humiliation : but yet in as much as the articles of religion , which they professe , containe such wholesome doctrine , that whosoever beleeveth and walketh according thereunto , in sinceritie , shall undoubtedly be saved , and in as much as the corruptions are not persisted in with obstinacy , therefore wee deny not but they have the truth of churches remaining . but this opinion of church-covenant , is holden by none but the brownists , or those of the separation , and therefore it is not to be received . this ground cannot be made good , that none but they of the separation are for church covenant , for all the reformed churches generally , as was shewed before in answer to objection the tenth , are for it in their judgement & practise ; and shall all they be condemned for * brownists , or maintaining unlawfull separation from the church ? also master parker and doctor ames , men of our owne nation , famous for holinesse and learning , and moderation , both of them plead for church-covenant , and yet neither of them were brownists , but bare witnesse against that riged separation . ●or doctor ames , his judgement of church-covenant may be seene in his medulla , theol lib. 1. cap. 32. § 14 , 15 , 17. fideles non constitunt ecclesiam particularem , quamvis simul forsan plures in eodem loco conveniant aut vivant , nisi speciali vinculo intersese conju●guntur , &c. that is , beleevers doe not make a particular church , though perhaps there be many of them that meete together , and live in the same place , unlesse they be joyned together by some speciall bond amongst themselves : for so one church would many times be dissolved into many , and many churches confounded into one . now this bond is a covenant , either expressed or implicite , whereby beleevers do binde themselves particularly to performe all such duties , both towards god and mutually to one another , as pertaine to the nature of a church , and their edification . and thereupon no man is rightly admitted into the church , but by confession of his faith , and stipulation , or promise of obedience . these words doe plainely and fully shew his judgement of church covenant , to be the very same that is held and practised in new-england at this day . and that he was not for that severitie and regiditie of separation , may be cleared from sundry of his workes , wherein he plainly and fully beares witnesse against the same , and namely , in his fresh suite against ceremonies , pag. 207. and in his second manuduction , wherein he purposely and at large deales in this argument of separation . sure it is master canne in his booke , wherein he goes about to prove the necessitie of separation from the non-conformists principles , doth professedly and expressely oppose himselfe against doctor ames in the point of separation , which shewes how farre the good doctor was from favouring that way , when they most zealously therein doe count him to be a speciall opposite of theirs , as indeed he was . and for master parker , his judgement of church-covenant was heard before in part ; where he so much approveth the practise of the reformed churches in this point . and much more may be seene of his judgement herein , in the sixteenth chap. of the third booke of his p●lit . ecclesiastica . and yet in the same place , and likewise lib 1. c●p . 13 ▪ 14. of the same treatise he plentifully and plainly shewes his dislike of the wayes of separation , as is also acknowledged in an admonition to the reader , prefixed before that booke , by ● . r. suo , suorumque nomine . so that this assertion appeares to be untrue , wherein it is said , that none but brownists and separatists doe approve of church-covenant . as for the in●erence from this ground , that therefore church-covenant should not be received , because it is pleaded for and pract●●ed by the separatists . we answer , that this will not follow , unlesse it could be proved , that the separatists hold no truth ; or if they hold a truth wee must not hold it , that so it may appeare wee differ from them ; either of which , it were unreasonable to affirme . if the papists hold sundry articles of faith , as that there is a unitie of the divine essence , and trinitie of persons , that jesus christ is god and man , and that true messiah that was promised , and the onely saviour of the world , and many such like , must wee deny these things because they are holden by the papists ? this were as unreasonable as to condemne the doctrine of the resurrection , because it was maintained by the pharisees , act. 23. 8. and so we say of church-covenant , holden and practised by them of the separation ; as also many other truths are maintained by them : no reason that truth should be refused , because the separatists maintaine it . when doctor bancroft in a sermon at pauls-crosse , had avouched that the superioritie of bishops above other ministers , is by gods owne ordinance , and to make the contrary opinion odious , affirmed that aerius per●i●ting in it , was condemned for an heretique by the generall consent of the whole church , and that martin and his companions , doe maintaine the same opinion of aerius ; what saith learned doctor reinolds hereunto , in a letter to sir francis knolls , who required him to shew his judgement herein : touching martin , saith he , if any man behave himselfe otherwise then in discretion and charitie he ought , let the blame be laid where the fault is , and defend him not ; but if by the way he utter a truth , mingled with whatsoever else , it is not reason that that which is of god should be condemned for that which is of man : no more then the doctrine of the resurrection should be reproved , because it was maintained and held by the pharisees : wherefore removing the odious name of martin from that which is sinceritie and love , is to be dealt with , &c. and the very same doe wee say to them that would make church-covenant to be odious , because it is held by those of the seperation , who are commonly called brownists : if men behave themselves otherwise then they ought , we defend them not therein , but if they hold any truth mingled with whatsoever else , wee would not have that which is of god to be condemned , for that which is of man : truth should not be refused , because of other corruptions that may be found in them that hold it . if you with them hold church-covenant , you iustifie them in all their wayes of seperation and erronious opinions . not so , for many of them hold that there are no visible christians that stand members of the parishes in england , and that it is not lawfull to hold any private religious communion with such perso●s ; and that the parishionall assemblies are none of them true churches , and that it is not lawfull to hear any of those ministers to preach the word , none of which are justified at all by holding church-covenant , though they do hold the same ; there is no such necessarie and inseparable connexion betweene these opinions , and that of church-covenant , that he that holds this , must needs hold the other also . but the time hath been , when your selves did not hold church-covenant , as now you do ; when you were in england you were not of this mind , and therefore no marvell if your change since your coming to new england be suspected , and offensive . if you change your judgement and practise in this manner , god knows whether you may come at last , and therefore men may well be afraid of holding with you in this point , which your selves did not hold when you lived in your native countrey . some of us when we were in england , through the mercie of god , did see the necessitie of church-covenant ; and did also preach it to the people amongst whom we ministred , though neither so soone nor so fully as were meete , for which we have cause to be humbled , and to judge our selves before the lord . but suppose we had never knowne nor practised the same before our coming into this countrey , yet if it be a truth of god , there is no reason why we should shut our eyes against the light , when god holds it forth unto us , nor that others should be offended at us for receiving the same . for by the same reason men might still continue in their sinnes , and not make any progresse in knowledge and holinesse , that so they may not seeme unconstant , which were contrary to the scripture , wherein we are commanded nor to fashion our selves according to the former lusts of our ignorance . 1. pet. 1. 14. but to be changed , rom. 12. 2. and renued , ephes. 4. 23. and put off the old man , and put on the new , ephes. 4. yea to grow in grace and holinesse , 2. pet. 3. 18. and be stronger and stronger , iob 17. 9. that our good workes may be mo●e at the last , then at the first , revel. 2. 19. sure it is , the apostle tells the corin●hians and ephesians , that the time had been when they were not the same men that now they are when he wrote unto them ; and yet he doth not blame them for leaving their former opinions or practise , but commends them for it , 1. cor. 6. 11. ephes. 2. 3. &c. and it is said of apollos an eloquent man , and mighty in the scripture , that when he came to ephesus the way of god was expounded unto him more perfectly by aquila and priscilla , whereas before he was instructed in the way of the lord , knowing onely the baptisme of iohn : yet this was no dispraise at all to him , that now upon better information he would change his judgement to the better , nor unto them that were the means thereof : act. 18. 25 , 26. nullus pudor est ad maliura transire . the time hath been , ( and we may be humbled for it ) when we lived without god in the world , and some of us in many sinfull courses : and shall any be offended , because we are not still the same ? and when god called us from the wayes of sin and death , to the fellowship of his grace in christ ; yet some of us lived a long time in conformity to the ceremonies imposed in our native countrey , and saw not the evill of them . but when god did open our eyes , and let us see the unlawfulnesse thereof , we cannot see but it would have been a with-holding the truth in unrighteousnesse , and a great unthankfulnesse to god for light revealed to us , if we should still have continued in that course through an inordinate desire of seeming constant : and therefore it is not any just cause of offence that we have changed our judgement and practise in those things , when we once perceived the word of god to disallow them . indeed it hath been sometime objected against mr. cartwright , and others , that desired the reformation of the churches in england , in regard of discipline and church-order , that they which stood so much for reformation in discipline , did in after times adde and alter some things , beyond what they saw at first , and what themselves had formerly desired ; and that therefore being so mutable , and inconstant in their apprehensions , they were not to be regarded , nor hearkened unto : to which objection mr. parker makes full answer in eccles. lib. 2. ca. 36. p. 307. where he sheweth from the scripture , and the testimonie of bishop iewel , doctor reinolds , and others , that in the reformation of religion god brings not his servants into perfection in knowledge and zeale at the first , but by degrees , so as they grow and make progresse in these things in such wise ; that their good works are more at the last then at the first , as was said of the church of thyatira , even as the man that had been blind , when christ restored him to his sight , could at the first but see men like trees walking , and afterward saw every man cleerly ; and therefore it is no good arguing to say these men have altered and corrected such things from what their apprehensions were at first , and therefore they are not to be regarded . now if this be no good arguing against mr. cartwright , and those that in england have been studious of reformation ( as indeed it is not ) then it is no good argument against us in this matter of church-covenant , to say we now hold and practise otherwise then we have done in former time . if any shall here reply , that change from conformity to the ceremonies to worship god more purely is warranted by the word , and therefore not blame-worthy , and that the same may be said of the case of apollos , of the corinthians , and ephesians forementioned , and of cartwright , and the rest in his times . we answer , that this is true , and thereby it appears , that it is not simply the changing a mans opinion or practise that can be counted blame-worthy , or offensive , but changing without warrant of the word ; and therefore in point of church-covenant , the issue must not be whether we or others have formerly known and practised it , but whether it have ground from gods word ; for if it have ( as we hope have been proved before in this discourse ) then the observing of it , can be no cause of just offence unto others , nor imputation of inconstancy to our selves , though in time past we had not had so much light as to discerne the necessitie and use thereof . the good lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek god , though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary : and grant unto all his churches and servants , that the●● love may abound yet more and more in knowledge , and in all judgement , that they may discerne the things that differ ; and approve the things that are excellent , and by his spirit of truth be led forward into all truth , till antichrist be utterly consumed with the breath of his mouth , and the brightnesse of his coming , and the holy city new jerusalem come down from god out of heaven , as a bride adorned for her husband the lambe , the lord jesus , to whom be all glory of affiance and service for ever . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a50245e-190 object . 1. answer . object . 2 answer . object . 3 answer . object . 4. answer . argu. 2. object . 1. answer . obj. 2. answ. obj. ● . answer . argu. 3. argu. 4. argu. 5. object . answer . argu. 1. argu. 2. object . answer . argu. 3. object . 1. answer . obj. 2. answ. obj. 3. object . 4. answ. object . 5. answ. argu. 4. argu. 5. object . answer . argu. 6. obj●ct . 1. answer . object . 2. answ. obj. 3. answ. obj. 4. answ. obj. 5. answ. obj. 6. answ. reply . answ. obj. 7. answ. obj. 8. answ. obj. 9. answ. obj. 10. answ. obj. 11 answ. obj. 12. answ. * by brownists and separatists you are to understād those of the rige● separation . reply . answ. obje . 13. answ. reply . answ. gods doings, and mans duty opened in a sermon preached before both houses of parliament, the lord major and aldermen of the city of london, and the assembly of divines at the last thanksgiving day, april 2, for the recovering of the west, and disbanding 5000 of the kings horse, &c., 1645 /1645 / by hugh peters ... peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a54509 of text r6885 in the english short title catalog (wing p1704). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 117 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 28 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a54509 wing p1704 estc r6885 12588001 ocm 12588001 63793 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a54509) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 63793) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 674:19) gods doings, and mans duty opened in a sermon preached before both houses of parliament, the lord major and aldermen of the city of london, and the assembly of divines at the last thanksgiving day, april 2, for the recovering of the west, and disbanding 5000 of the kings horse, &c., 1645 /1645 / by hugh peters ... peters, hugh, 1598-1660. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a54509 of text r6885 in the english short title catalog (wing p1704). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread [13], 42 p. printed by m.s. for g. calvert ..., london : 1646. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng sermons, english -17th century. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -sermons. a54509 r6885 (wing p1704). civilwar no gods doings, and mans duty, opened in a sermon preached before both houses of parliament, the lord major and aldermen of the city of london, peters, hugh 1646 22955 153 25 0 0 1 0 82 d the rate of 82 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-08 melanie sanders sampled and proofread 2004-08 melanie sanders text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion gods doings , and mans duty , opened in a sermon preached before both houses of parliament , the lord major and aldermen of the city of london , and the assembly of divines ; at the last thanksgiving day , april 2. for the recovering of the west , and disbanding 5000 of the kings horse , &c. 1645. quadragesimus hic quintus mirabilis annus ang. hyb . sco. requiem det deus ut pariat . by hugh peters preacher of the gospel . judg. 3. 31. so let all thine enemies perish , o lord ; but let them that love him , be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might . and the land had rest fourty yeers . the second edition , corrected by the author . london , printed by m. s. for g. calvert , at the sign of the black spred-eagle , at the west end of paul . 1646. to the right honorable the lords and commons assembled in parliament . i professe that i never thought my self master of my own trade , and therefore never forward either to cast such a mite as this into your publique treasury , or to be in print with the rest of my brethren : but since it was your pleasure to make choice of me to bring in a narrative of gods bountie , as being an eye-witnesse to many of his glorious works ; i have obeyed , in this , and that . i knew not what better to pitch upon then gods doing , and your dutie . he that will not confesse god hath done much , ( i fear ) means to wave the duty ; and who so shall slight this duty , must look for that sad curse of anathema maranatha : and therefore i again commend it to you . they that have much given , and much forgiven , will love much . the woman spent all that shee had upon physitians , for the cure of her bloudy issue , and nothing would heal , till shee toucht the hem of his garment , who was the way contrived in heaven , to bring over salvation to man : i doe believe it hath been thus far your cure to this bloudy disease ; and to enjoy a thorow cure , i beseech you stoop againe , and touch the hem again : you cannot honour the lord more then in loving his sonne and believing in him . bear with my rudenesse ; if i say you must be very hard put to it in your counsels , should you not live comfortably upon your experiences , and cheerfully looke all changes in the face for time to come ? you have a greater stock by you , then the greatest and richest nation in the world could get and lay up for themselves . the same god give you skill to improve it to his advantage , and the good of this poor kingdome , that begins to breathe againe ( through his blessing upon your unexampled care and travell . ) methinks i see the ages to come marking your doors and dwellings as the habitations of their deliverers . i wish that never a soule of you may die at nebo , but come to their injoyments of canaans milk and honey . you seem to have before you two or three great mountaines to go over : and though i can contribute little to your encouragement , yet i will beg your wonted patience for a few words . first , since you are still buzz'd in the ear with a desperate encrease of errour , give me leave to offer this expedient by way of quaere . the wound seems to be in the understanding , and the cure must lie there : ( vnder favour ) what if some convenient place or places in the city were set apart two or three times weekly , where godly learned men appointed by your selves , and the leaders or heads of those errours ( as they are termed ) might have leave to come , and there in a brotherly way take and give satisfction ? for as conclaves have alwayes been dangerous , so these poor erring men cannot have the benefit to appear with boldnesse ; and reasonable souls may sooner certainly be taught with reason and scripture , then with cudgels and blowes . tyrannus had a school ; and christ disputed with the doctors in their synagogue . religio docenda est , non coercenda . religion is to be taught , not forced . this i am sure , conviction should goe before punishment . the lord will not burne sodome , till be see whether the report be true . i pray consider it . secondly , for the present government , in order to any man or men , if you keep to the premises , the lord himselfe will make a blessed conclusion . thirdly , for further hostility ; the lord hath own'd you and your army , and made you formidable beyond what we conceive at home ; my onely fear hath been diseases in our bowels ; which gave me that boldnesse to urge a neer union betwixt your selves and the citie , which hath since a double knot upon it by your late full and satisfying declaration , and your ordering the dissenters about church-matters to bring in their severall thoughts backt by the word , that so you may keep to that clause in the covenant which concerns england . onely be couragious , and your work will be issued so , as your selves and wee shall cry , grace , grace , &c. for any other request unto you , i have but one : i most humbly beseech you , spread that gospell you own ; and to that end doe professe my grief not onely for the miserable , dark , and ignorant parts of the kingdom ; but that divers orthodox , learned , faithful ministers of the gospel , with their precious flocks , cannot enjoy publick places in the city , but their ●●ry gifts and almost their persons , are stifled by being thrust into corners , which keep them under the name of schismatiques , whose souls have panted under your service in these calamitous times ; and their purses constantly opened , themselves hazarded beyond many : a word from you , may enlarge them . and for my self , i acknowledge here before god , angels and men , the characters of your favour ; protesting that your work hath been so good and so sweet , that i have found my wages wrapt up in my work , and a great addition by your acceptance . i could even say as he did : si in vita prodesse possim , quid vis imperate ; si in morte , vel occidite ; quicquid de me statuetis ; hoc semper confitebor & profitebor semper , hanc vestra humanitas mihi fecit , injuriam , quod vivam & moriar ingratus . if my life may be profitable , command what you please : if my death , even kill me ; whatever you shall determine of mee , this will i alwayes confesse and professe , this injury your humanity hath done me , that i shall live and dye ungratefull . i blesse god heartily for a parliament , yea , for this parliament : and the blessing of him that was in the bush , and kept it in the fire , be upon you and yours for ever : and let all that love the god of heaven , who is the god of england , say amen . my lords and gentlemen , i am yours most humbly devoted , hugh peters . to the honourable , the lord major , the aldermen , and the common-counsell of this famous city of london . you were invited to what ensues by the honourable houses , and you invited them to a portion sutable to that day ; and i take leave to return you thanks for their and your patience towards my selfe , in hearing what i now present , for which i humbly crave favour of them and you for some inlargements , being then pent into much narrownesse in regard of the time , and the rather , because i strove to sute your expressions of respect and love to them , who deserve so much from your selves , and the christian world . how i have been represented unto you , and others , by printings or otherwise , shall not fill up this paper ; i must reserve to some other way , which shortly i shall doe ( god willing ; ) but in the mean time and ever doe professe my constant respect to and esteem of this citie , from your first compliance to the great counsel of this kingdome , that i have left remembrances of you in forren parts , and ( without flattery ) do think this city one of the best peeces of ground in the world . i am sorry i caus'd any unexpected smiles in my zeal for your further conjunction with the head and heart of this nation ; if i commended you as a good portion , he did not well that thought , it ridiculous ; nor do i think you too good a portion for those i wooed you unto . you know me , and your wisdoms know how to make allowance to my zeal : they have a strong appetite to quarrel , that are offended at expedients presented against future quarrelling , my sighs to god for you are these , that you may still move with faithfulnesse in your own orbe , that you remember you and yours live in a parliament , that you are made wealthy for others , not your selves alone , that you would not make opinions your interest which are changeable , but godlinesse and faithfulnesse , that you would rather punish known sins , shew mercy to the poor , a known duty , maintain civil peace , look to your city-priviledges rather then lose your selves in doubtful questions , i must remember you that i have heard many of you wish for such a parliament and such an army : own your own desires , and be assured your constant concurrence with our great counsel , will not onely be your present safety , but strength to posterity . beleeve it , a now suspected party in the kingdom , have no further designe then your and the liberty of the nation from bondage ; who deserve your love , not your displeasure . the god of all grace be with your spirits , and help you to love him , who hath kept you in the midst of your relations and comforts , whilest so many thousands have fallen on the one hand and the other of you : may your souls prosper under the abundance of rich means you enjoy : may your examples for wisdom , piety , faithfulnesse , love to the lord jesus and his saints , provoke the next generation to glorious things . these are the desires and heartie breathings of , my lord and gentlemen , yours in any service for christ , hu. peter . to my truly honorable and faithful general sir thomas fairfax . sir ; one of the greatest comforts i have bad in this world next to the grace of god in christ to my poor soul , hath been to be a member of your army , and a spectator of his presence with you and it . what others doe , i know not ; but it is my duty to return to my work , and to meet you again ; which i am bold to doe with this simple present . i know your minde , who must not , will not be flatter'd ; nor am i skilful in that mystery : i have seen you upon earth , and doubt not but to meet you triumphing in heaven . i onely must crave leave to speak your own words , that your great experiences of gods power and mercy , have made strong obligation upon you to love him and the saints , which i have seen you doe impartially : you have made it your interest , and now finde you are not deceived . the god of all your unparallel'd mercy dwell in that thriving soul of yours , strengthen you throughout to the compleating of this great work , yea serus in coelum redeas , diuque laetus intersis populo britanno . for my self ( if it be worth your acceptance ) i am resolved to live and die in your and the kingdoms service ; and as you have obliged three kingdomes to you and many thousands of saints , so none of them more to honour you then sir , your ever faithful servant in christ , hugh peters . a sermon preached before the honourable houses of parliament , the lord maior and aldermen of the city of london , and the assembly , for the glorious successe it pleased god to give our army , in dissolving 5000 of the kings horse , and reducing cornwal , and neer all the west . psal. 31. 23. love the lord all ye his saints : for the lord preserveth the faithful , and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer . the little time left for this work , must be improved to the best advantage ; and therefore though we must be beholden to the neighbourhood of the words before and after the text , yet we shall forbear to speak any thing at all of the whole book of psalms , and no more then neds of this . it is easily agreed that this psalm is 1. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , 2. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , 3. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . 1. his prayer you have to the twentieth verse ; and therein , 1. his desires for his own safety , to the 18. 2. his request tending to the ruine of his enemies , in the two following verses . 2. his praises , in the 21 and 22 verses , which are 1. either {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , for all . 2. or {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , for himself in special . 3. a hortatory conclusion , in the two last versea . o love the lord all yee his saints , &c. in the text briefly th●se two things fall under consideration . 1. the duty , love the lord ; and that set out divers wayes : by intensivenesse in the exclamation , by the object , and by the universality of those engaged , &c. but time checks me : these , with others , i can hardly name . 2. the arguments carrying on the duty . 1. because be preserveth the faithful . 2. because be plenteously rewardeth the proud doer . thus much onely of the logick of the text ; something of the grammar of it , and then shortly to the divinity , and those profitable and seasonable truths it will afford . some few words are to be attended in the clearing the sense . saints here in the text is or may be read , ye that feel mercies . faithful , the word is sometimes taken for persons , sometimes things ; and so the lord is said to preserve true men , and truths ; faithfull men , and faithfulnesses . he plenteously rewardeth the proud doer ; or the lord rewardeth plenteously : the lord , who doth wonderful things . plenteously is either in cumulum , abundè , or in nepotes , as some would have it ; but i would rather commend , then goe about to amend translations ; though i could wish some of my learned brethrens quarrelling hours were rather spent upon clearing the originals , and so conveying 〈◊〉 pure scripture to posterity , then in scratching others with their sharpned pens , and making cockpits of pulpits . i make all haste to the work of the day ; and the verse before the text will be like a going down into a deep well , where we may discover stars at noon . mercies are best observed from depths of misery : and set them off like foyles the diamonds . i said in my haste , i am cut off from before thine eyes : or i said in my hastening , 1 sam. 23. david was in a running posture . the greek translates it in a trance , or extasie ; and truly this is worth our thoughts this very day : we have had our hasty times and trances , when we thought we had been all cut off , who are now left living monuments of rich mercy . many of us here , were even upon the wing , imbanking our money , and hastning after it . and if you shal enquire after the rise of this temper or distemper of spirit , how david and other saints prove so succumbent and s●attered : i answer , it hath three springs . 1. from the lord afflicting , who puts more weight into the scale then we minde , and often makes a small affliction heavie : yea , they that could goe over a mountain , at other times stick at a mole-hill : as jacob will not be comforted about a son ; as if he had neither a childe left , nor a god . 2. from the party afflicted , and that in three cases . first , from a natural sense of pain , more then of comfort : haman is more pinched with one crosse in mordecay , then pleased with all the contents in court , though ( you know ) few favourites fared better for a time : and it is but a short time the best of that generation have ; poor sun-dyals that are never minded in foggie and cloudy dayes . secondly , from the over-weening some contents , which causeth faintings to us in the losing them . my son absalon , o my son , my son , cries david , as if heaven and earth hed been wrapt up in his weighty locks . thirdly , through inconsideratenesse , and not searching the end of things : for the church came down wonderfully . 3. from the pressures and afflictions themselves , and that , first , from the multitude of them : what one will not , cannot do , many may . this prophet at one time was the scorn of drunkards , suspected by the godly , abused by his own son , betrayed by his friend . secondly , from the greatnesse of them , and that especially when they either fall upon an unsound part , when job was remembred of the sin of his youth not quite healed ; or upon a noble part , the soul and conscience : we know the brain , heart , and liver being toucht , will soon complain . thirdly , from the continuance of them . the church complains , i was afflicted from my youth up . to lie so long at bethesda , and to be bowed down eighteen yeers , as the poor woman in the gospel was , will put the soul upon hastening , as davids : but all these gusts are over-blown , and the lord shines in upon him , as you see in the close of the verse before the text ; upon which smiles of gods face , he cries out as you here see , o love the lord all yee his saints , &c. in which words there are many divine conclusions : but in these narrow limits of time , i shall confine my self to one main truth , which i conceive will be the principal work of this day : and that will take up both arguments used here by the prophet to enforce the duty : and in the end i shall make bold to take up the duty to enforce my designe . and therefore to lay much in a little room , this is that the spirit of god commends unto you . the faithfull have god for their preserver , whilst the proud doer by the same hand receives wages proportionable to his work . a witnesse or two will cast the cause . salvation belongeth to the lord , and thy blessing is upon thy people , selab . o thou hope of israel , the saviour thereof in the time of trouble . o sing unto the lora a new song ; for he hath done marvellous things : his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory . to which isaiah addes , lord , thou wilt ordain peace for us ; for thou also hast wrought all our works in us . from genesis to the apocalypse , the scripture gives in a general testimony to this truth : to which we may let in some more light , by opening these three casements . 1. quere , when the lord doth thus appear preserving the faithful . 2. how he doth it . 3. why he doth it . to the first i answer , his preservation looks cut and discovers it self specially in five cases . 1. when he intends to advance his own wisedom , he then befools all the counsels of the sons of men ; and his saints shall onely be engaged to him for counsel : and thus the poor man shall save the city , and thus paphnutius shall save the councel at ephesus by the counsel of god , whose singer writ folly upon that learned age . 2. when he intends to exalt his own power , he comes in more immediately for the saints preserving , and proclaims to the world its own feeblenesse and weaknesse : and then j●el shall do more against sisera then an army of men . 3. when he glorifies his mercy ; he leaves the saints to extremities , to reach an opportunity , to lift up that attribute : and thus he leads them from bacha to sion , throw a country of gyants and harrennesse , where their souls even melt through thirst , and brought them to a mountain of sweete . 4. when the lord doth purpose to awaken those gifts and graces in their cryings , in their bel●evings , in their patient wakings upon jesus christ , he will com● delivering : he will be sought unto by the house of israel , and loves to heare the lispings of his little ones . you have known some fathers in the country that leave their children the other side the stile , and help them over when they cry ; and seeming to leave them sometimes in a throng , and then reach them the hand again upon their complaints . the lord loves to see faith in its adhering and assuring acts . 5. the lord appears when deliverance may be sweetest and dearest , and that in an exigent when one glance of his eye may be worth a whole world . who remembred us in our low estate , for his mercy endureth for ever : and thus sicknesse commends health , poverty wealth , the storme a haven , and a sinfull wretched world commends heaven : oh how sweet will it be when all tears shall be wilped away , all temptations out-wrestled , devils , and sin , and world , and selfe , all conquered , and we shall be with the lord for ever ! to the second , which is , how the lord preserves : i answer , many wayes ; but shall onely fix upon two . 1. in order to means , 2. to men . for the former , his greatest and most eminent preservations are by his own spirit , and therefore the two olive trees shall supply the pipes and the lamps growing on each side the golden bowle naturally , without any artifice of mans : and that appears thus ; 1. means can do nothing without him ; the streames are drie , unlesse the spring be full : even the youths shall faint and be weary , and the young men shall utterly fall : but they that waite upon the lord shall renew their strength , they shall mount up with wings at eagles : they shall run , and not beweary ; and they shall walke and not be faint . 1. though meanes gaine strength , yet they can act no further then he quickens them : it was he that withered jerobo 〈…〉 hand , and knockt off pharaoh's wheeles , and laid six hundred iron chariots under the cataracts of his displeasure : he overthrew pharaoh and his hoast in the red sea , son his mercy endureth for ever . 2. meanes though quickned , yet they succeed not , nor reach their purposed ends without him : the madianits shall sheath their swords in their own bowels ; their webbs shall not become garments ; neither shall they cover themselves with their works . 3. the spirit of the lord can doe what it will without meanes ; he creates a shadow ; for thou hast been a strength to the poore , a strength to the needy in his distresse , a r●fuge from the storme , a shadow from the heate when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storme against the wall ; and that appeares thus ; 1. sometimes against all meanes ; the waters shall be a wall to israel , and they shall passe through the great deep with dry feet , and jonab shall be kept from drowning in the sea by being thrown into the sea . 2. sometimes beyond all meanes : else how should one chase a thousand , and a fancy put many thousands to flight ? else how should the shaking of a few leaves and the blowing of rams-horns do such terrible executions ? 3. it is the lord that doth all that is done by meanes : walk about sion , and go round about her : tell the towers thereof : mark yee well her bulwarks : consider her palaces , that ye may tell it to the generation following : for this god is our god for ever and ever : he will be our guide even unto death . if you say that money answers all things , yet you must heare the lord say , the gold is mine , your silver is mine : it is not the drug , nor the bread that doth the work , but the spirit of them both . and for the second , which is his manner of preserving in order to men , yea , destroying men , his working shews it selfe usually in these four particulars : 1. god oftentimes over-awes and overbears them , that laban shall have little to say to jacob when he overtakes him : balaam had an opportunity and spleen enough against israel , but durst not vent it , intreats balacks messengers to stay all night , would faine be taking money ; but there was no incantation against jacob , nor divination against israel : for the lord was with them , and the shout of a king was amongst them . esau shall rather kisse then kill : for jacob was a prince , and had prevailed with god and with man ; sc. had wrestled through all his fears that his brother must be his servant , the lord putting a bit into his mouth . 2. the lord often takes away the occasion , that the sons of belial cannot attempt what they intend : if they in the acts , which swore pauls death , had kept their oaths , they had never kept their lives : but he never came within their reach . ahab sends to all places under heaven to take elias ; but the lord sends him away before they came . he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high , shall abide under the shadow of the almighty . 3. oftentimes the lord stops them in their practises . jeroboam will needs be striking the prophet , the lord strikes him , who is very sensible of the least touch of his anointed ones , or any harme that befalls his prophets . 4. lastly , the lord works by diversion . when saul thought he had made sure of david , the philistims brake in upon his countrey , and probably had spoyled him in the reare . and that i take to be the meaning of the cloud , isaiah 25. 5. thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers , as the heat in a drie place , even the heat with the shadow of a cloud ; the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low . the shadow of a cloud intervening betwixt the scorching sun and the weary traveller in a hot countrey , how doth it refresh ! god finds his enemies work abroad , that his saints may not be destroyed at home : and since the whole world and all the princes of it are but the servants of a few saints , he can put all into severall postures for his preserving ends . to the third quere , why god thus preserves the saints , i answer in these three particulars : 1. because of his righteousnesse and holinesse in the very dispensations of his judgements , which occasioned this large offer to the men of sodom , and caused him to descend so low as ten righteous persons , yea , though they were but as righteous as lot , who was not without strong corruptions : who can say his hands are clean ? yet such are called righteous and faithfull : they are called in my text , even such as have candor upon their spirits ; such as take up and own right principles ; such as are contented in the main and in the cause they have in hand , to have glasse-windows made to their hearts ; even such as heathens named homines simplices & apertos : to such he sends his angels to shew his tender affection , which is better then his protection . to be faithfull doth intitle us to preservation in the deluge of the greatest judgements , that our work will be onely to look to duty which is ours , and leave events to god which are his . 2. god doth it for the glory of his mercy , and therefore sends his angels to draw forth lingerers ; and such is his tendernesse , that the righteousnesse of one lot binds his hands that he can do nothing till the faithfull be preserved . come my people enter , thou into thy chambers , and shut thy door about thee : hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment , ●ntill the i●dignation be o●●rpast . when the birds of prey are abroad , the hen calls her chickens under her wings . when tumults are in the streets , the tender mother gets her children into the upper chambers . 3. through his wise faithfulnesse , or faithfull wisdom , the lord doth thus by his saints , and therefore hee saves every crum . nothing must be lost ; the lord knows what to doe with crums and fragments , and the saving of what was left , must make the miracle : if there be but a cluster , the branch must not be cut down . the prophet is elegant ; thus ●aith the lord , as the new wine is found in the chester , and one sayth , destroy it not , for a blessing is in it ; so will i do for my servants sake , that i may not destroy them all . i beleeve a few clusters in the world have preserved such new wine in them , that this day we taste the blessing . do not destroy the poore cluster therefore , much lesse destroy it because there 's new wine in it , ●ill you see whether a blessing be with it . not a child of abraham's but shall be blest : it is an old charter of a promise . and hence it came to passe , that he preserved the very off-scourings of the world , to carry forth his name to the world , and maintain that which men call foolishnesse , to bring wisdom to them that knew it not . and thus farre i have made progresse in the clearing up the former part of that truth i am to prosecute , and hope by this time we are all agreed , when , and how , and why the lord preserved the faithfull ; and that he plenteously rewardeth the proud doers , remains to be made good : therefore , not to make forfeiture of your patience , i shall onely apply my selfe to these two passages : 1. w 〈…〉 the lord rewardeth them . 2. how he doth it . the former of these two questions hath taken up the heads , hearts , and pens of the christian world for divers years : many crying with those in the revelation , how long , o lord holy and true , doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth ? some enquiring after the downfall of antichrist : some looking to the prophesies that concern gog and magog , some casting their eve upon the drying up of euphrates , and the way to be made for the kings of the east : some looking after the taking away him that lette●● , and most men disputing the ●●ying of the two witnesses ; as much condueing to gods designe in bringing about what is piomised in the second and seventh of daniel , where the kingdome is promised to the saints of the most high ; supposing that to be the fifth monarchy : in all which i shall bee silent for the present , and onely put you in mind of their usuall seasons , wherein we may expect to see proud doers receiving their wages . 1. when the lord goes his progresse through the world , and rides his circuit amongst the sons of men , and puts a crown upon his glory , great offenders are then brought forth ; and that was pharaohs case , who withstood all the miracles , that god might be more glorious in his downfall . and thus hee contracts many times the eyes of neighbouring nations to see his vengeance upon some : and he is said to come out of his place , to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity . 2. when ever you see his sanctuary troden upon , and holinesse slighted , then he rends the heavens and comes down to make his name known to his adversaries ; that the nations may tremble at his presence : and that it was that brought the lord forth to the ruine of the jewish church : your soule abhorred me , and my soule loathed you . hence he destroyed three shepheards in one day , the sadducees , scribes , and pharisees : upon this he breakes his two staves of beauty and bonds : oh this undervaluing godlinesse in the power of it ! they were wont to say of caius seius , he was an honest man , but he was a christian . poor jews , when christ ask● his price , they valued him at thirty peeces of silver , which in our account amounts to eighteen shillings and four pence : and this was that which bought a field of bloud : to slight that mercy that must save , and shut the door of that onely citie of refuge that must protect from the pursuers of bloud : to put indignities upon that christ , and injuries upon that jesus by whose name onely salvation is brought into the world . the lord hath set his son upon his holy hill , and will crush those that have scorned him . 3. when sinfull men shall have filled up their iniquities , the lord empties his full vials upon their heads , that even the saints must wait upon the sins of the amo●●tes for the fulnesse of them , till they can be delivered : let us observe the scripture , setting forth this fulnesse ; and it will give us a 〈…〉 ling of god● 〈…〉 ing with the proud doers in order to time ; and that in these particulars : 1. there is a fulnesse of magnitude when provocations grow very great . clamitat ad coelum vox sanguinis , & sodomorum . 2. there is a fulnesse of number and multitude : bloud toucheth bloud , and sins are fruitfull in their generations . 3. a fulnesse of measure : that children may fill up the measures of their fathers iniquity . 4. there is a fulnesse of strength : when the sinner grows strong , and hath cart-rop●● to draw on vanity : behold the princes of israel , every one was in you to their power to shed bloud ; when head , and heart , and hand are ingaged in mischiefe ; when all interests are improved to that end . 5. there is a fulnesse of growth : and now they sin more and more : therefore they shall be as the morning cloud , and as the early dew that passeth away : as the chaffe that is driven with the whirlewind out of the floore , and as the smoke out of the chimney . 6. a fulnesse of age , when men grow old in sin : behold every one that useth proverbs , shall use this proverb against thee , saying , as is the mother , so is her daughter : and thus sinners grow gray in their transgressions : yea , sin must leave them before they leave it . 7. there is a fulnesse of dexterity : there be some that be their crafts-masters in sinning , who can spin threads of all sorts : you have your court sinnes ; citie , countrey , university sins : men take their degrees in this sin-craft ; they have their severall dimensions , depths , and bredths . 8. a fulnesse also there is of impudence , when men cannot blush ; commit folly , and yet wipe their mouths with solomons harlot : thus , often sin meets you with a brazen fore-head : it takes the wall of christ , and religion , and thrusts holinesse into the kennell : this is that bold-fac't harlot , that doth kisse and kill at once : and these are the men that call great sinnes little , and little ones none at all . 9. when sin comes to a full period ; and then the proud doer hath done his work , and receives his wages : o let the wickednesse of the wicked come to an end , but stablish the just : for the righteous god trieth the hearts and reine . the second qu●re is , how god rewardeth the proud doer : in which though the lords proceedings be divers , and many times his paths in the clouds , and his judgements in the deep , and the uttermost farthing shall be paid the proud doer at the great day ; yet so much of his mind he hath left unto us , that even in this life he gives out something to the proud , which he calls , the day of recompence , which he commonly manifests in these particulars . 1. by way of retaliation ; for adoni-bezek that would be cutting off thumbs , had his thumbs cut off , satia te sanguine quem sitisti . so the poor jews that cried so loud , crucifie him , crucifie him , were so many of them crucified , that if you beleeve josephus , there was not wood enough to make crosses , nor in the usuall place room enough to set up the crosses when they were made . snares are made , and pits are digged by the proud for themselves commonly ; to which the scripture throughout gives abundant testimony . 2. by shamefull disappointments , seldome rea 〈…〉 〈…〉 hat they sow , 〈◊〉 eating what they catch in hunting : which is ●ost clear in the jewish state when christ was amongst them : jud●s betrayes him to get money , and hardly lived long enough to spend it . pilat to please caesar , withstands all counfels against it , and gives way to that murder ; by which he ruined both himselfe and caesar . the jewish priests , to maintain their domination and honour ( which they thought the son of joseph and mary stole from them ) cried loud for his death ; which proved a sepulchre to them and their glory : and the poor people that crucified him ( through fear of the roman● taking their city ) by his death had their gates opened to the roman● : yea , caesar himselfe fearing a great change in his gov●rnment , by christ living neer him ( which to this day set● all the king-craft in the world to work ) met such a change , that shortly he had neither crown nor scepter to boast of , if you read the story of titus and v●spasian . all which dealings of god with the proud , is most elegantly set forth unto us by the psalmist : behold , he travelleth with i●●quity , and hath 〈…〉 ived mischiefe , and brought ●orth fals●●●● . he hath made a pit and digged it , and it fallen into the ditch which ●e made . where the prophet by the dark and hidden work● of nature , sets forth the con●●●vements and machinations of the proud doers most exquisitly , and that in these three passages : first , in the co●ception . secondly , in the travell . thirdly , in the birth and issue . and the first will appeare in these foure particulars : 1. invention receives and entertains the plot , as the earth doth the seed . pharaoh says , let us deal wisely . they cannot sleep till they have devised mischiefe . the head is the seat and womb of their destructive conceptions . 2. it is approved of and affected : he is chronicled for a worthy , and canonized for a saint , that proves the engineer . rare designes , pick and chuse , not knowing which to attempt first . 3. consultations ripen their inventions , and lick the whelp into shape , and fashion it into its severall parts : and thus did haman and jezabel ; and all your under-ground-workers have thus managed their designes . 4. it 〈◊〉 〈…〉 me to strength which is wrought by resolution : so they in th 〈…〉 〈◊〉 took an oath to kil paul . so that by invention evil purposes are received ; by approbation , cherished ; by consultation , fashioned ; and by resolution go to their full time and are ripened for travell . this travell may be discovered in these foure particulars : 1. when their months are up , travell cannot be prevented by tears nor prayers , petitions nor requests ; nay , nor by the power of an army can be prevented : if all the lords of england and commons , should again ride down to york , or elsewere , and remaine upon their bended bare knees a whole day , they should not be able to put by some design●● . pilate's wife did her duty , but could not prevent the mischiefes gamaliel's counsel was good , and yet the apostles were brought to the whipping-post . needs must they goe , whom the devill drives . 2. extream throwes and pangs must bee undergone . amnon is sick of incest , ahab of covetousnesse ; hee must have a poore mans vineyard . little doth a poore shrub in a hedge know what shakings these proud cedars are subject to : the silent rivulet feeles not what the high-swoln ocean meets with from many churlish blasts . oh the sad nights and hours these nero's draw forth ! 3. the best succour and supply must be got : send to as●ur and egypt , amalek and ammon , with all that dwel at tyre , to midwife the matter : yea , if all fail , acheronta movebunt . yea , even to an irish rebell rather then miscarry . herod and pilate shall shake hands , and help on the foulest murder that ever the sun shone upon , or the earth bore . if no delivery , nothing but death must be expected ; which is a true character of the violence and virulence of cruel men , who break themselves , yea , the very axle-tree of a whole kingdom , yea , three kingdoms , that so others may perish in the fall . achitophel dies in child-bed , when he could not be delivered of that david and state-ruining designe . how many crownes and kingdomes have been thus hazarded , to foment the will of a distempered prince ? and truely there be no sharper stones in the world for men to fall upon , then the saints , from whom all the states under heaven have had their deaths wounds ( as you lately heard well in the interest of england . ) and thus far the conception and travel ; and now briefly to the third thing , which is the birth and issue : all is falshood and a lye . parturiunt montes , nascetur &c. the whole work is but a tympany or a swoln bladder , which being pincht , and the wind vented , is a very mean contemptible thing , and onely fit for a dung-hill . and such are these cobweb lawncounsels and tiffany-designes , that every child may see through ; yet called arcana imperii ; the utmost of which is but killing a few saints , and tyrannizing and perishing . nay , let us say , all they can do , it is but wittingly sending the faithful to their graves , and unwittingly to their glory . what pitifull mishapen brats have the proudest of mens brains brought forth in scripture ? what fearful horrid lies ? haman sayes , not a jew shall live : the issue is , not a jew must die . pharaoh sayes , not an israelite shall depart : the issue is , not an israelite must stay : daniel in the den , and the three nobles in the fire , gave the lye to cruelty it self : and she that sate in glory , and should never be a widdow , was made the scorne of nations : babylon is fallen , is fallen . and now ( men , brethren , and fathers ) it will be time to apply our ●●●ves to this dayes work . ( anglia ) de te narrantur haec . you saints , you faithfull ones , you that have and do feele mercies , that weare mercies clothes , lie in mercies bed , eate mercies bread , live in mercies ayr , enjoy mercies ordinances : of whom and to whom i may say as they did of dorcas when they thought her dead , these are the garments dorc●● made . th●se are the fruits of mercy ; these be the paths mercy hath strewed with flowers and sweets ; mercies , deliverances , protections , preservations : it is all mercy , mercy , free-mercy . more particularly let us now look back upon what hath been spoken as our own , god having made it so ; and call these dayes by their due and just names : these certainly are the best times we ever saw , we commonly miscall them : those former dayes we doa●ed on were none of the best ; they were a sad seed-time of our misery : for most true it is , that the seeds of the ruines of estates and common-wealths are sowen in the dayes of their greatest prosperity ; and of these halcy●n-times , we might say , — longae pacis patimur mala , saevior armie luxuria incubuit , victumque ulciscitur orbem . we could never have suffered so much by a forraign enemy , as by our home-bred luxury and wantonnesse : oh call these ill times , when a base messenger from a proud prelate could shut up these doors , stop the mouths of the most godly ministers , that the best noble-man here could not enjoy the worship of god freely ; and hardly his bible without reproach : i am bold to say you have heard more of christ within these last foure yeares , then you have for forty before ; call such dayes good : and more especially to improve what i have spoken in the doctrinall part ; truly the lord hath rightly timed his favours , even when he might most advance his own wisdom , power and mercy ; when he might stir up his gifts and graces in you : if the enemy ask after our prayers , fasts , tears , yea , our god ( as they were wont to do ) we have all these this day from edge-hill , and before , even to this very hoare ; yea , all these preservations have been so seasonable , that what time we our selves would have chosen , hath been gods time ; that we may say as david in this psalm , our times have been in thy hands , o lord . and i humbly beseech you , give the spirit of the lord its praise , who hath done the work . the lord is willing you should have the mercy , so he may have the prayse . potiphar lets joseph h●●e the use of all he hath , onely keep● his wife to himself : pharaoh lets him have the kingdom , but he will keep the throne . gods spirit hath so appeared , as we conclude means can do nothing without him , but he can do all without meanes ; and what meanes doth , is all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be it is that hath quickned and succeeded your counsels and executions ; he hath even gone against 〈◊〉 , and beyond means for you ; he it is who hath spirited all your endeavours , in counsels and armies , raised help for you out of the very dust , externall motive he hath none from us , who are not the loveliest people in the world ; he hath from himself over a w●d men , powred contempt upon princes , taking away the occasions of many evils ; met the proud in their full career , and wither'd their arm ; often kept them from us by strange diversions , fill'd the world with tumults , that you might not be a prey to strangers . on the riches of his grace . his own righteousnesse and holinesse have thus perswaded him to do ; the glory of his mercy hath been his argument ; his wisedom and faithfulnesse have been glorious in preserving crums and clusters . the very truths now profest , have been rak'd up in contemptible ashes , and now revealed to the world ; and they that are wise , shall see the loving kindnesse of the lord in all . for the proud doer ( so called , because a contemner of the faithful ) you see how the lord hath resisted him , and hath taken him ( in his moneth ) as the wilde asse in job ; you may remember how the egyptian king out-lived many miracles , but must perish in the red-sea ; whether red from the sand thereof , or the blood of many he spilt , i will not dispute . you know how the lord hath been provoked by the low price set upon his holinesse , and his image in his saints , the peculiar sin of this nation ; for travell where you will , even from hence to the garamants you shall never find but the z●lots in other parts of the world are honored , onely in england , ludibrium vulgo ; it hath long been a crime to be godly , and he hath been a lost man that trades that way , whilst a company of obsolete and beggerly rudiments and ceremonies have been billeted upon gods ordinances , and eat out the very heart of them ; double service , and no preaching . nay you have lived to see iniquitie in the fulnesse of it , oaths and blasphemies unparallel'd ; yea , when one of our troopers reproved one of theirs in cornwal for swearing , he was answered by that prophane mouth , he would sweare as long as he was on horse-back , he should have time enough to repent on foot ; nay , they would serve the devil now , that he might use them kindly when they came to hell : the very sunne might even blush , looking upon such mise●●ants . of this fulnesse you have seen the magnitude , multitude , measure , strength , age , growth , d 〈…〉 ity , imp●dence ; and the good god grant we may see the period . how the lord hath paid them in their own coyn , you have many witnesses : they would have war , they have it the sword must decide the controve●sie ; let god , angels and men give the verdict , and let it be carried down to after-ages , that god plenteously rewardeth the proud doer , or that a parliament and faithfull councel to a state may live in the midst of the fury of an implacable prince and his ●a●e wigs . adde this , that you have been eare and eye witnesses of the pr●ud mens disappointments after all their labour and travels ; their inventions have been many for mischief , which have been cherified by affection , formed by consultations and juncto● , and made ready for birth by many resolutions which have held as high as brainford ; what inland and forreign conceptions of this kind have we met with ? plot upon plot , designe upon designe . speak london , hath it not been so ? let us now remember , the time of travelling could not be prevented ; petition sent after petition , declaration after declaration ; nothing must prevaile , but the acceptance of such a remedy as would prove worse then the disease : and then before the birth , what throwes and pai 〈…〉 ? send to denmark , run to holland , fly to france , curse digby , imprison hamilton , &c. and then all help is called in for midwifery , intreat friends here and there , pawn jewels , break and close with irish even in a breath ; any thing for help ; hazard posterity , ingagein marriage , and as she did , roare out , give me a childe or i●dle and that miscarriage we are this day to prayse god for , and wonder at . the summe totall of all these endeavours of the proud comes to nothing but vanity and emptinesse , all these conclusions vanish into a li● : the parliament is not destroyed , the city stands , the gospel is preached ; we do not yet heare the scretches of defloured damosels , nor the cries of abused matrons , we hear not the ratling of their arms , nor the neighing of their horses in our streets . oh , my lords , you are not at oxford , led up and down as samps●n , to be looked at by children , nor are you crying as poore belifalius , date obolum belisario , date obolum ! nor you gentlemen of the other house , crying at a prison grate to some mercifull man for a penny ; nor you , my lord major and your brethren , under a great ransome for your freedome ; nor you , that your teachers are forced from you , but you can yet look upon them : and you ( my reverend brethren ) who have been part of the divided spoile , you feele that mercy that gives them a loud lie . but to raise the ground-work of our praises , ( right honorable and beloved , ) let us a little go back , and suppose that some messenger were come from bristol when we lost it , or suppose you had jobs messengers one after another , and every one crying — luxuriat britano sanguine pinguis humus . suppose you were againe hearing the story of that sad march out of that city , with the breach of all articles ( which they are not used unto from us ) and think your selves sitting ( as old eli ) in expectation of tidings from the army , and what befell us in cornwal in 1644 were now brought unto you : or if not so far back , say that now you were reading the letters from poor leicester , taken , plundered , abused beyond president : what do you now think of this dayes mercy ? do you beleeve what you enjoy to be reall , or are you in a dream ? remember , i beseech you , it is not above a yeare since , when we had thought to have hung our harps upon willow trees in some strange countries under some strange printes , and there might have been called unto for our-english song● ; alas , how would they have been mingled with teares , sighs , and grones . they say , he that in a dark night came over a high bridge onely upon a slight board lying crosse , comming the next day to look upon his deliverance , could not beare the weight of the mercy , but died away in the contemplation . the good god give us skill to manage what we do enjoy , left our preservation be but a reservation of us to greater calamity . but because generals may either deceive , or at least not reach individuals : i shall take leave to present unto you a list of some speciall prints of providence , which like floodgates opened , may turn every wheele about to the duty of the day : i shall but name some , your own collection may swell these to a mountain of praises . a list of speciall providences since the breaking out of these distempers : which may provoke others to make up the catalogue . 1 that this nation proved so faithfull to our brethren of scotland , in the time of their first trouble from the prelates ; 〈◊〉 , th●● the profanest 〈◊〉 souldi 〈…〉 had no heart to that service ; and to th 〈…〉 i might ●dd● their dis 〈…〉 t and honorable comming in and going out : the same good spirit of god direct them still . 2 that a parliament was procured : which makes me remember the faithfulness● of● and the haz●rds run by our noble lords , comment , citizens , and ministers . 3 that , even to wonder , justice was done upon that great man , and carried through so many difficulties . 4 that the bishops thrust themselves out by their own protestation or remonstrance . 5 that the six members of parliament were preserved . 6 that this city stood in that firmnesse , with so much freenesse , that the apprentices and their gallantry will be renowned to after ages . 7 that the sea 〈…〉 , who have long been tertible to forreign natio 〈…〉 should close a● they did ; and that the ships royall were 〈◊〉 in that nick of time , for which the state owes much to that noble man which did it : to which i adde , the sea-mens cordiall appearing above the bridge . 8 a that 〈◊〉 nobles 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ook the leading of your armies , and to look the first danger● in the face ; the good lord requite it to them fully . 9 mony and plat● , the sin●wa of your work , offered to admiration , as if every one had been perswaded of the time when to part with 〈◊〉 . 10 the standing out of hull , which compared with some other passages , might make some think we are delivered against ou● wills . 11 the discovery of men , and their spirits , together with the departure of some from us . 12 that in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this 〈◊〉 all sorts amongst u● have and must confesse , they never saw more of god and lesse of man , as if he resolved to own your cause . 13 the maintaining and relieving . glocester , and when there was little shew of an army , yet marched in six dayes time , when the other party could hardly expect them in six moneths ; and then it was when our hearts even melted away . 14 c 〈…〉 cannot , may not be forgotten , it was a most seasonable mercy , if you remember all circumstances about it . 15 the enemy bewildred and divided in their counsels , falling short of their hopes , especially when they might have come to london , they went to glocester , when they might have gone into the associated counties , they will fight at marston , naseby , and others the like . 16 the businesse of that great northern battell , full of providences , and rich ones . 17 their disappointments by intelligence , or rather the want of it , many . 18 the new modelling of the army , and the filling up vacant places in the house of commons , two desperate designes , drawing eyes round about us upon this nation even to amazement ; by which work i would wish no chiefe commander should think himself slighted or asperst , but eye that change as the product of unhappy mixtures of some inferiour officers ; they that know the low-country warre , may know how tender they are in mixing nations , and how brigades are distinguished : civill warre is never soone ended by souldiers of fortune , and i must here professe without flattery , i know none of your commanders in chiefe , but have had their proper excellencies . 19 lime and plymouth deserve a story by themselves , who so looks upon their works , and remembers the power besieging them , must say , digitus dei & hic , & hic , it were pitie the instruments preserving them should be forgotten . 20 the many things that rendred your last army so contemptible : the evill spirits about this town scorned them , as poor , skillesse , helplesse , beardlesse youths , their friends trembled and feared to think what god would do by them , hardly three strangers in place in the whole army , home-bred , new-bred souldiers ; like the choise of david from his sheep , in comparison of eliah , a●inedab and shammah . 21 poor , burnt , aflicted taunion , twice or thrice relieved , and that the first work of the yeare . 22 the kings letters from goring taken by the great care of our honest and vigilant scout watson , the night before naseby battell , whereby the king was wholly disswaded from sighting with us then . 23 lieu. gen. cromwell , and col. roffiter comming in so seasonably to that battell : i say seasonably . 24 providence gave us the kings cabinet , and thereby opened many eyes that before were covered . 25 since which this army was never foyled , hardly a guard beate up all this yeare : no inchantment against jacob , &c. 26 the counsell of god leading the army to bristoll , when it was expected by most we should have gone to the west , and the western line so well kept in that juncture , it was glorious mercy . 27 that all the last summer , when bristol had neer 200 a week died when we entred , all the country about infected with the plague , our principall officers , even the lieu. gen. himself and other● lying within the hearing of their gronts , yet upon best inquisition , we can heare but of two of the whole army infected all the yeare . 28 and mercy it is , that in the army there hath been no breath , that ( through grace ) religion growes there , and growes apacet yea , this is your safety , that what is desired in the parliament by the most faithfull , is there consulted and acted , as god gives opportunity . 29 the lord hath made this army often more then conquerours : the roman conquerours rode boasting in their triumphant chariots ; here no boasters . 30 god hath often extorted confessions from the enemy , that some have been forced with juliun to cry out , vicisti galil●● . 31 providence carried out army the other side exeter even by the sicknesse in it , and barrennesse of our quarters , and the enemies advance toward us : where how the lord helpt at dartmouth , stormed without losse , and in other places , is fresh in memory . 32 their debau 〈…〉 ery in all places made way for our welcome , that if the cause should be judged by their instruments , a very stranger must passe a sad verdict upon it . 33 such horror possest them every where in pursuit of them at great distances , that the lord seemed to send a hornet before us , and , magor●issabi● , they were a terror to themselves ; and this is remarkable , that after they had fel● our horse or foot , they had no list to close with u● again , though they took much time to recruit their spirits . 34 the work of a summer hath been done this winter : where i learned this lesson , that faithfull honest english christians , assisted from heaven , can do , and suffer more then the most gallant heathen roman : what mountains of snow and ice have been marcht over this winter ; what rains and winds have been gone through , even to silence the posting hannibals , or cunctating fabii ? 35 all the enemies actions and counsels have turned to our advantage , and we have been gainers by our losses generally : as in the losse of bristol , we found the way to it by the losse , at first view we saw it was not tenable with so little force , which easily acquits that wise and valiant gentleman that surrendred it . yea , their idol princes god hath made usefull to us many wayes , by sleeping when they should fight , and fighting when it had been better they had slept . 36 that in all the harrased and plundered countries god hath fed your army , and at dartmouth fish brought in to us from the sea to miracle , the country acknowledging that generally we have been welcome where we came , many with teares have parted with us at their doors . 37 the influence the justice of the army hath had upon all forts , most observable : for instance , when the lieut. generall had taken langford house , and promised safe convoy to the enemy to oxford , six of our troopers brake the articles , and in the convoy took four or five pound from some of them , for which one was presently to be shot , and the lot fell upon the first attempter , who was put to death , and i hope is in heaven , being godly , as farre as could be discerned ; the other five were sent to the governour of oxford , to put to what death he pleased , who entertained them nobly , sent them back , and desired their lives , and profest in his letter ( which i read ) it was the highest peece of gallantry he had met with , &c. this very act with the many civilities of the army , hath been very conquering . justice exalteth a nation , et caesar in hoste probat . call to any county , and ask what wrong your army hath done them ? have you any scrols of complaints come up against them ? 38 and ( which is much to be remembred this day ) all cornwall , upon the matter , is yours without blood , and 5000 horse with their riders disbanded : and as if this were not enough , ashley rai 〈…〉 ng a new force is crushed in the egge . 39 and this is worth noting ; that the inhumanity our former army met with in cornwal , was requited by the turk fetching away many from foy , neer two hundred , and divers taken away by sicknesse at lestithiel , that had abused our poor souldiers . 40 nor is it a little , that all the nations round about us should be engaged in war ; and whilst they hoped this civil combustion might so weaken us , that it would not have been hard for them to fall upon the stronger party , the lord hath made us warlike , awaked us throughly out of our effeminacie , and we are become formidable to our neighbours : especially remember denmark . 41 hereunto i adde , what was not thought on in the appointment of this day , being the second of aprill : the second of april last yeare , this army advanced , and was the first day of entertainment . they say , it is april , ●b aperiendo , from opening the earth : the lord then opened a way to your deliverance : the same hand open your hearts now to praises and thankfulnesse . 42 hereunto i might adde the cities sweet compliance with the parliament ; yea , what oyle the footsteps of god have dropt within the wals of the parliament houses ; what providences and blessed hints in your militia , and common-councel , what in your assembly , is better known to your selves then me : and what in the north and other parts , i might even tyre you with the repetitions of what you have felt and tasted from the hands of mercy . you have done like your selves , to constitute chronologers ; and you need have good testimonies , for ages to come will look upon many passages a● incredible , and i beleeve the yeare 45 will stand parallel with 88. in a word , you have the army you wished for , and the successes you desired : oh the blessed change we see , that can travell now from edenburgh , to the lands end in cornwal , who not long since were blockt up at our doors ! to see the high-wayes occupied again ; to heare the carter whistling to his toiling team ; to see the weekly carrier attend his constant mart ; to see the hils rejoycing , the vallies laughing ! nay , me thinks i see germany lifting up her lumpish shoulder , and the thin-cheekt palatinate looking out a prisoner of hope ; ireland breathing again , that not only lay bedrid , but the pulse beating deathward : the over-awed french peasant studying his long lost liberty , the netherlanders looking back upon their neighbouring england , who cemented their wals with their blood , and bought their freedome with many , many thousands of good old elizabeth shillings : indeed , me thinks , all protestant europe seems to get new colour in her cheeks . dumb rhetorick is best ; i could even stand silent , and give you time to wonder . and this god is your god , and i trust will be your guide for ever . i could name men , but cannot read one word that way in my commission from the army , who like the covered stals in your chief street of this city , are willing to beare the rich plate , but themselves must be vailed : else i could tell you of men , yea such , as if you had a blank sent from heaven , and leave given to have written what names you would have had of men for your work , you could not have amended your choise , ( rebus sic stantibus ) heraldry did not miscarrie , that hath this word for your chief , in his coat of honour : fare , fac . say , doe . i might adde your cromwel , with many others , and know not how to forget our deare pickering , who had as much worth in him , as such a parcell of clay could well contain , and never left his work till he was called to his account : but i forbear men ; the lord hath preserved the faithfull , and plenteously rewarded the proud doer . and now it will be seasonable to improve what we have said : these things are your honour , let not your duty seem a burden : o love the lord , ye his saints , and ye that feel mercy . and so i passe in the last place to the first words of my text , which will be the reverse , or the other side of our present businesse : as if the lord should say , thus and thus i have done for you , you have seen the glance of my eye , you have seen the smiles of my face , what could you desire more that i have not done for you ? you did but knock and it was opened ; you sought , and found , askt , and had : go every stage of your latter pilgrimage , and tell me if you may not set up a pillar and write upon it , thus far god hath helped us ? are not the faithfull preserved , and the proud doer rewarded ? have any of you lost your labour , in trusting me and my providence ? have you not the fulfilling of many prophecies , and might you not draw forth more , had you more faith ? is there any nobleman here , but hath been honorable by me , or can he repent of his owning my truth 〈…〉 ath his faithfulnesse proved a burden to him ? speak parliament , city , ministery , have i not done well by you ? and me thinks i heare you ecchoing again ; lord , what would'st thou have from thy servants ? and i hope you stand as samuel , lord speak , thy servant beares ! or as saul , after paul , lord , what wouldest thou i should do ? yea , as he said , da quod jubes , & jube quid vis . david lets you know gods minde , — o love the lord ye his saints ! and truly it is one of the hardest skils in the world , to use mercy well : i remember the old spirit of the jewes , i wish we had never felt it ; in sad houres they would ever be making great promises , and in prosperity they would soon make new gods . beloved , i beseech you consider this short duty , love the lord . i will but use a few arguments , and then open your duty in the duty , and end all . 1. i pray consider ( good christians ) how the lord hath loved you ; you could never hate him so much , as he hath loved you ; he loved you enemies , traitours , he loved you unkind to him , and cruell to your own soules ; nay so , as he is willing to take the devils leaving● , when sin and satan had taken the use of your best strength and time , yet he loves , wooes and waits : yea when you have been proud and scornfull , when he had besieged and beleaguered you with love , and were loth to hang out the white flag , he offers propositions still : o love the lord . 2. see if any god be like unto him of all the gods , and can doe such wonders at he hath done : you remember what saul said to davids men in his case ; if the son of jesse can give you orchards and vineyards , as i can do , then follow him . if all the gods of the world can do for you what he hath done , can pardon sinne by giving his son , can heale your soules , and save them after all , follow them . joshua struck home in that last speech of his , i have delivered the ammonites , hit●ites , &c. into your hand ; i have sent a hornes before you , which drave them out before you , even the two kings of the ammoni 〈…〉 s , &c. i have given you a hand for which you did not lab 〈…〉 , 〈◊〉 . now therefore feare the lord and serve him in sincerity and truth , and put away the gods your fathers served on the other side the flood , and serve ye the lord . and if it seem evill to serve the lord , then chuse whether you will serve the gods on the other side the flood , or the gods of the ammonites : but as for me and my house i will serve the lord . apply it to your selves and give me leave again to say , therefore o love the lord , ye that feel mercy . 3. you may be assured , without love , neither what you are , nor what you do shall please him , nay this whole dayes work will prove but a mockage , love will carry all home to heaven and gain acceptance . heare what christ sayes : thou hast ravished me ( my sister , my spouse ) with one of thy eyes , and that was the eye of love . i have many times thought of that of the apostle , giving so much to love , even putting all upon love : yea , though i gave my body to be burnt , and had not love , &c. yea preferring it ( in some cases ) to faith ; truly it is worth your noting : the summe of all , is , nothing will passe without love , it is your ticket to passe into heaven by . they cry , wepreacht in thy name : but wher 's your passe , did you do it in love to me ? we cast out divels : but was it in love , &c. ah , ( my beloved and honoured in the lord ) we have prayed , wept , fasted , feasted , fought , counselled , &c. but were all these in love to the lord jesus ? i am bold to say to my learned brethren , that they shall find it the distinguishing character in their soule-trade . i have seen this yeare some of the enemy before a councel of war , and some of our own officers , upon some offence : i have known both pardoned , but here lies the difference ; the enemy pardoned is gone , his pardon was all he lookt for ; but the other mourning , what will this pardon do me good , if i should leave this army , from which i know not how to live cheerfully ? it matters not for my lands ( saies poor mephibosheth ) but i shall live in davids presence and see his face . love makes way to the bosome of christ incontinently , and layes the soule in a bed of roses . it is in all the world like benjamin to joseph , if you bring benjamin , come and welcome , i else look upon you but as spies . if this day all your graces were met to make a glorious flame that might reach heaven ; you shall find love must doe two things , it must put beauty upon all , and perfume all . therefore , o love the lord , ye his saints . 4. let this prevaile ; that mountains of gold and silver are not desired , nor fat bullocks and rams , but only an affection , love the lord . if he had desired some greater thing of you , ( as naamans servants said ) would you not have done it ? indeed you cannot bestow it better , nor is there any object you call good can so justly claim it , bestow this where you will else , you shall find the object mortall , short-breathed , and short-lived ; alas , what waking dreames are honour , beauty , friends , & c ? nay , you shall find it non-satisfactory , all the excellencies under the sun leave the soule to complaints of vanity and vexing ; and lastly , you shall find it but partially , not universally good . why will you lay out your money for that which is not bread ? all these things will but prove gravel under your teeth . when david had reckoned mercies not a few , he sayes upon the totall , i will love thee dearly , o lord my strength . i beseech you , bethink your selves this day , what lesse can you do , then kisse the hand that hath preserved you ? love climbes after more union with the object : would you not be neerer to him , who hath made such approaches and addresses to you , that who so beholds not with wonder and joy , is either stupid , or envious ? therefore , o love the lord , yee his saints . 5. love is an obliging affection , and drawes forth much of god continually to the creature : when the lord by his servant moses charged that people to love the lord their god with all their heart , and all their might , he will fill up all the rest with heaps of promises of what he would doe for them , enemies of all sorts should be subdued , mercies of all kinds should be brought in , deliverances , preservations , protections , illuminations , and what not ? hosea seemes to delight to particularize the joyncture gods people shall have in this case . and it shall come to passe that i will heare , saith the lord ; i will heare the heavens , and they shall beare the earth , and the earth shall heare the corn , and the wine , and the oyle , and they shall beare jezreel , and i will sow her unto me on the earth , and i will have mercy on them that had not obtained mercy , and i will say unto them which were not my people , thou art my people ; and they shall say , thou art my god . and if that bee too little , i will be as the dew unto israel , hee shall grow as the lilly , and cast forth his root as lebanon , his branches shall spread , and his beauty shall be as the olive tree , and his smell as lebanon , they that dwell under his shadow , shall return , &c. nothing can greaten a nation as this , nothing can maintaine what you have gotten but this , and you will find , non minor est virtus quam querere , parta tueri . therefore , o love the lord , ye that feel mercy . 6. you shall find that this is a strong and powerfull ( i was about to say omnipotent ) affection . much water cannot quench love , it is strong as the grave . if paul would give an account of some undertakings , he will tell you love carries constraint with it , it lessens difficulties , answers hard questions , removes impediments , over-powers feares , cares , doubts , dangers , makes wash-way of all . upon this the apostle throwes the gantlet of famine , want , persecution , principalities , powers above , beneath ; nay , it will wait and serve in heats and colds , as jacob for rachel . i must professe ( excellent senators ) i know not how you will continue your wearying , toyling , incessant travels , but by this cordiall ; it is this onely can oyle your wheeles , and cheere your hearts , pay you your wages after all expences of time , estates , spirits . if a stranger should look upon your travels , the bread of carefulnesse you eat , your early risings , long sittings , late goings to bed ; can you give account of any thing , but , that you love ? truly , i know nothing so heavie but love can lift , nothing so high but it can reach , nothing so deep but it can fathom . love to this cause , i would rather say to this god , hath quieted your army often , drawn out the deepest bloud of many , emptied the purses of the rich , drawn forth the teares of the poor , and their sighes to heaven , when they could doe no more . union with god , the end of this love , is the issue of all our labours . therefore , o love the lord , yee that feel mercy . but you may ask wherein it consists , or how would i desire this affection should be manifested ? i answer , 1. there is a love in imitation ; and indeed , those we love most , we make our copies to write after . then he pleased to mind the text again , he preserveth the faithful , and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer : there is your pattern , imitation calls upon you to preserve the faithful , & to reward the proud doer . and these two look like the main interests of this state : the former , a reverēd brother , under that name , hath commended unto you worthily , i am bold to adde the latter to it . for if you hear polititians abroad what they say , even roan to richlien , they tell us of this double interest , ( which some think expired with queen 〈◊〉 ) viz. that wee should have continued the patrons of the protestant cause , as the king of spain of the catholique , and so have preserved the faithfull , which germany and rochel would have thanked us for . and secondly , we should have rewarded the proud , i. e. kept our war at a distance even where shee left us ingaged , and by this time ( it may be ) we might have dried up e●●phra●es , i mean , possest the whole west-indies , which with little time and help from these parts , may b● accomplished : the words that follow in that treatise , are , that england is a great animal , and cannot be destroyed but by it selfe ; which injury we are still as likely to put upon our selves as any people in the world . one chapter in amos hath bred me some sad thoughts of heart , where he 〈◊〉 you of two visions , the one of g 〈…〉 ppers , that devoured every greene thing , which made the prophet cry out ; by whom shall jacob arise , for he is small ? and those caterpillers were swept away . the other vision was a contention by fire , for which he useth the same prayer , by whom shall jacob arise , for he is small ? it seems contentions , yea , fiery contentions may lay a state as low as caterpillers ; the lord sprinkle the bloud of his son upon this fire , and quench it 〈◊〉 . doubtlesse much love of imitation will be shewed to god , in recovering these two interests abroad , and ( if i might not be thought a designer ) i wish it at home : why should not the faithfull be preserved ? for the love of god doe it . i speake not for my selfe , for with simeon , i could even desire to depart in peace , now mine eyes have seen so much of the salvation of god . nor do i bring any petition from your army , they never have , nor ever will be burden some to you by petitions but since you have trusted them with your own lives and estates , they are contented willingly to trust you again with their liberti●● . it brings to minde that issue of a combate , whereof livie is the reporter , when the three h 〈…〉 i , and the three 〈◊〉 had by the sword decided the quarrell betwixt the 〈◊〉 and their enemies , and only one h●●arius survived , 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ning , met his sister , the wise of one of the ●●ra●ii , and she forgetting her selfe to her brother in language , fell also by his hand : the sena●e would con●●emn to death this hora 〈…〉 , whose father by the author speaks to this purpose . victoria 〈◊〉 vidistis ( quiri 〈…〉 s ) nunc sub furea inter verbera & cruciatus videre potestis , i lictor , obnu●e caput liberatoris hujus urbis , colliga manus quae paul● 〈◊〉 ●rinatae imperium populo romano peporerunt , &c. can any man binde those hands , which lately armed , procured the libertie and safety of the kingdom ? this i must take boldnesse to say , that if this or the next age shall bury those faithfull ones , it must be either here among the trophees , taken from their enemies , or abroad in the country among the sepulchres of cavaliers , and so they will live when ever they die . but i have held you here too long , and i refer this head to that interest of england : that which concerns the rewarding proud doers , as the lord hath gone before you , follow after in his name , for truly i fear not all the contentions among us , but pride i fear , the mother , mid-wife , nurse of all contention . i hear much of difference , opinions , sects , heresies , and truly i think they would be lesse , if we did not think them so many : one errour , and but one , our saviour gives caution about , and lately i have thought much upon : he says , beware of the leaven of the pharisees , and if we knew what that leaven were , it would helpe us in these fear● . this i suggest therefore , leaven hath three properties . 1. it sowres . 2. it tuffen● , or hardens . 3. it swels the lump . therefore that opinion which sowres 〈◊〉 sp●●its against their brethren , and it may be against authority , that swels them , and prides them , that hardens them , and makes tough , and not easily intreated , beware of that opinion , as of the leaven of the pharisees . errors in us , are like corn , in the sowing of it ; if it lie above ground , it may be gathered up again , but if plowed in and harrowed , lie under the clod , there is little hope . whilest errors lie in the understanding , scripture , reason , argument , time , sweetnesse and tendernesse may do much to the curet the danger is , when they lie under the will , when we shall say , we will have what we will , or all shall crack ; with sampson , pull down the two great posts , that others may perish , though we perish with them . beware of this leaven of the pharisees : you shall ever finde pride the fomenter of differences , i beseech you therefore reward the proud do●● , and spar● not . but those opinions that find a soule in a lowly frame , and after 〈…〉 ved , keep the soule so , and carry it to christ , they need not trouble state nor church . i long since learn●d , if we could 〈◊〉 imagination , we might soon cu●e tribulation . but i proceed . 2. it will be love to the lord , if we love him in his dispensations when they have their vicissitudes ; to love him smiling , and love him frowning too ; to love him , sitting upon his knee , and love him under his lash too : to maintain that , compositi jus , fasque animi sanctosque recessus men●is — to be mediis tranquillus in undis ; to say , the lord doth well what ever he doth : i will love thee , though thou kill me , and trust in the ( cries joh. ) this looke like love , otherwise your mistakes will be many , about the creature , and the creator . you are now come upon a new triall , the lord outwrastles the temptation for you : you may think now the danger little , i pray remember sisera , he took a nap after his lordly dish , and a womans hand nailed his head to the ground . david thought it no danger to take a nap in an afternoon , but there he split his soule , and hardly made up againe . you may think it looks now like the afternoon of the day to you , and as if your work were towards an end : mistake not , i believe you have seen most of the miracles , but are not yet over the red sea ; or if you were over , yet love the lord in this dispensation , lest you be brought to tack about two and forty times in the wildernesse . it argues much feeblenesse of spirit , to change our affections upon changes of providence , he never loved well , nay hardly at all , that can love no better : yea , this you shall finde most true , that all backslidings from god , spring from the change of our opinions concerning god , and these we do often from the varieties of his dealings with us , as if he were a better god one year than the other , and this is often our folly , who can easilier look upon the barks and outsides of things , than their insides : because he was a carpenters son , therefore a stumbling block to the jews , they could see no further . the glitter and glory of a painted world hath made blind the eyes of many : nor is it a small mistake among men , when they keep their thoughts upon present things , with neglect of future , hence the psalmist concludes the 107. psalme , who so is wise , and will observe these things , even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the lord : now the infide of all was loving kindnesse , and the issue of all will be loving kindnesse to the saints . it concerns you therefore to look to your love in storm , and calm , in war , in peace ; to love the lord then , is to love him in all changes . 3. it appears you love him , when you are promoting his ends , and ayms : thus wives love , thus faithfull servants love , who stand not in shops to sell apprentices , but their masters wares , not advance themselves , but him they serve . that humble loving john baptist , i must decrease , but he must increase , and willing he was christ should have all ; and that love discovers it self much when you are ready to live in his will , not your own , that he may have not onely meat drest , but as he pleaseth ; such worship as he likes , such governments as he takes pleasure in ; yea , when you will be reaching your duty through the fire , even to become fooles , that you may be wise in his account : if the lord be gainer , what if all the world be losers ? these are my daily sighs to heaven for you all , that he may be lifted up , who hath held up your heads above the water ; that you may hear that euge at your great accompt , come you blessed and faithfull servants , enter into your masters joy . and if you ask me what i conceive the lords great design is in these dayes , that you may attend it ? i answer . doubtlesse it is to pull down all the glory of the world , that his son may be advanced . he is now preaching . all flesh is grasse ; you are certainly upon the edge of the fulfilling very great and glorious prophecies : you see the heathen rage , and the people imagine a vaine thing : the kings of the earth are in councell , be wise therefore o yee judges , kisse the son lest be be angry , and you perish in the midway . the lords desi 〈…〉 is the downfall of antichrist , love him in promoting this end ; and especially let me call for help hereunto from my reverend and learned brethren here present , ah brethren , shew your love in this work : be not offended if i leave this caution with you , and let this charity begin at home amongst us , for ever beware of a spirit of domination , truly it is a spirit of antichrist , and it was the first great quarrell the first 300. years after christ . when constantine had been bountifull to the church at rome , and after was as noble to that of bizantium ( now constantinople ) a quarrel grew among the two pastors of these churches , who should be called papa , which introduced the proverb , religion begot wealth , and the mother devoured the daughter . remember our old complaints against prelates , and how we have filled parliament eares with our out-cries . let this be often with you ( my dear brethren ) that in all the cracks , flaws , and ruines of states , some priestly thing or other hath had the principall hand ; mind it in a passage or two , good jeremy past through all guards , till he came to pushur the priest : the nobility , gentry , and others were easily intreated : christ breaks upon the 〈…〉 bes and pharisees mainly : it is considerable that h●sed saith , hear oye priests , hearken oye people , give ear o house of the king , for ye have been a snare , &c. the poor people are betwixt the priest , and the house of the king , but it is to be noted that the priests are in the first place : it lies much upon you to shew your love to the lord in promoting his great ends . 4. this love would 〈◊〉 let out to his saints , of which you have lately heard so much , that i shall say but little , lesse then this i cannot say , no man can love the father , and destroy his children , truly i cannot say ●oo much for them , because they have done so much for you . i pray grieve them not , it may be you may grieve the spirit of god in them , do not make them sad , whom the lord would not have made sad , be not angry with your deliverance because of the good hand the lord hath made use of : why should ezra be angry with zer●●babel for beginning the work ? o●zer●●babel with nehemiah for ending it ? you know how well it will be taken in heaven , that you use the heirs of that country well upon earth , yea , you shall do well to love them impartially ; it is the triall many of the world are put to ( which they mind not ) how they will demean themselves towards poor saints ; and let it not be forgotten , that it will be the word of 〈◊〉 the great day , in that you did it not ( sayes christ ) to one of these little ones , you did it not to me . the saints may do you much good , they can do you no harm : i am confident , their interest in heaven which they have made use of for this nation , hath been a strong ingredient to your preservation● and this is your glory , and may be your establishment , that this land is sown with such feed , which i believe popery , prelacy , and what else is not of god , doth come too late to root up . you remember that great emperour , who profest he would rather be a member of a church of saints , then the head of the empire . it is taken notice of , that you have laid this to heart , and the saints blesse you , and carry you , and your counsels to heaven with them daily . in all the loud cries now about differences , this toucheth my heart , that some men can trample a poor saint to the dust , and into the grave ( if they might ) for a peccadillo , a little distance in an opinion ; and an open , prop 〈…〉 , beastly , 〈◊〉 drunkard , a black-mouthed swearer , an enemy to any thing that is good , can live quietly and unmolested . 5. and above all , this love is clothed with all its glory , when we shall love him in his son , and greater honour you cannot doe him , then to love him in christ , in whom he hath laid up all fulnesse , the character and image of all his grace and glory . but what he is , and how lovely , what want you have of him , what worth is in him , and which is the way to please him , is constantly suggested unto you almost from every pulpit , the mystery of christ now discovering it selfe . he is the chiefest of ten thousand , his mouth is most sweet , yea , he is all lovelinesse . he is your peace , the prince of peace , the great peace-maker , if you desire peace , war must continue , he hath an iron mace : and the nations will be delivered up unto him , a stone cut out of the mountains shall fall upon the greatest governours in the world , o love the lord in his son , 6. it concerns us this day that our love appear in our praises , and though we have had so many victories and mercies , that we have even wanted time for our solemn acknowledgements , & kindnesses have come tumbling in like war , one following the other , that finis unius boni gradus est futuri ; yet we have wanted ●kill to manifest our love to god in his praises , of which you hear much by david , who sometimes seems to forget himself in this point , he will like a bird , having got a note , record it over and over . psal. ●36 . for his mercy endureth for ever , his mercy endureth for ever . i shall take leave to commend to you that he hath in another place . pr●●ise waiteth for thee silently in sien , though your translation want the adverb that gives the emphasis : there is a threefold silence in this waiting upon gods praises : as , 1. there is a silence of expectation , when the soule waits when to expresse his praises , and therefore keeps a private catalogue of his faithfulnesse , and truth . 2. a silence of admiration , when the heart is even ravished to wonder , and sits down silently , wondering over every mercy , and all his lo●e● . 3. a silence of approbation , when others shall set forth his praises , we approve , and allow , and can say a 〈…〉 , and this is the work at sion , about his praises : in the last psalm there are but six verses , yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . o love him in his prai●●● , 〈◊〉 him for 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 him for all your lashes , for you could not want a ●●ig of the rod , praise him for his power , goodnesse , love , tendernesse , pitty , praise him that you are on this side the grave and hell , yea above all , for his own bosome , for his dearest son , who hath hung about our necks often , and wept many a compassionate tear upon our cheeks , not yet wiped off . let us all take up that of the prophet , my heart is inditing some good matter , the word there is the same with the bubling of the oyle in the frying pan at the sacrifice : every heart should now be bubling up something , every one should be thinking of setting up some monument , jacob promiseth the building of a bethel , a house of god , if he might speed well in his journey : what if you noble lords should write upon your door , the lord will honour them that honour him . if you worthies of the other house , upon your door , salus populi suprema lex . and you , the governours of this citie , jerusalem is a citie compact , &c. your union amongst your selves will turn much to gods praise . and i wish this were written upon the doores of the assembly , if any man list to be contentions , we have no such custome among us , nor the churches of christ . i leave these but as intimations , or suggestions to your wisdomes , lest the day and work we are about do evaporate , and come to nothing . i wish your children , and so ages to come may be taught his praises , since you so abound in matter , i pray convey it to after ages , that they may love the god of their fathers : tell your little ones this night the story of 45. the towns taken , the fields fought , tell them of neer 30000 prisoners taken this last year , 500 pieces of ordnance , tell them of the little losse on our side , be sure to let them know it was for the liberty of the english subjects you fought , charge them to preserve the liberties that cost you so dear , but especially the liberties purchased by the blood of christ , and above all , let them know that the god of heaven is the god of england , and hath done all , but his name , and his sons name , who can tell us ? i wish we knew god better , that we might love him more . oh love the lord in his praises , and praise him for his love . in amore divino hic solus inest modu● , ut si● si●e modo . i dare not adde more , time is so exceedingly exceeded . you are ( i understand ) by the city invited to a feast , which i confesse is one piece of this solemnity : but what feast shall we call it ? shall it be a feast of tabernacles ? truly we might have lived in tents and booths , or by some hedges sides all our dayes , had tyranny and popery gained the travell of their souls , and desire of their hearts , you might have been sitting by some rocks sides in the wildernesse , looking sadly back upon poor england , or by the river ahava , in the captivity with ezra . if you like not to call it a feast of tabernacles , will you let it goe under the name of a marriage-feast ? it seems to look like that : i remember the espousals of the parliament and this citie , when yee wore your protestations upon your pikes , resolving to live and die with the parliament : i hope you will be as good as your words ; you are upon the close of your work , and now you have many causes of further union , who have mourned together , and now are rejoycing together upon unparallel'd grounds : call it then a feast of love , my text calls for nothing but love , and i wish that may be the issue , and product of the work , and truly for that end , i would willingly come from the place where i stand to beg it upon the bare knee ; and when i speak of love betwixt parliament and city , i do not exclude my reverend brethren , onely i am afraid of a third state , because we have paid already very dear for clergicall interests . and now i think of this further union betwixt you , i remember when the lord closeth with his people in hosea , he will take away the names of loammi , and lorumah ; there are two names in this kingdom , i wish they were taken away also , or whatever might hinder your nearnesse . you worthies of the city , look well upon the parliament , and tell me if they be not lovely ; how could you have been preserved from anarchy without them , where would you have centered had this basis of the kingdome been destroyed ? if the foundations be pluckt up , what shall the righteous doe ? the best now in england could not have lived without a parliament , and the worst but a little time : i must professe an anti-parliamentary spirit ( especially in this conjuncture ) to be the designer of his own ruine and posterity , to be the introducer of certain misery to the present age . i look upon it as the fruits of much malice , or much ignorance , and the brat of those mens brains that never lived beyond the view of the smoke of their own chimnies , that measure states and kingdomes with their interests , by their private shop-wands ; and if they be prest , or priested into it by any of my coat ( which is satans old method ) it will argue the more feeblenesse , and prove more dangerous . remember ( friends ) to beat religion with religion , is a subtlety as old as jesuitisme , and older . remember the dead and the living ; you have had their hambdens , pims , stroudes , who if now living , would have called this day the suburbs of their happinesse , and you had the blood of some nobles too , that zealous brooke and others ; and these are here this day to joy with you , that have mourned with you , who have been your watch day and night : you know how vain it will be to war abroad ; nisi sit consilium domi , you are now reaping the most glorious fruits of their labours and paines ; if you have any thing justly to object against them , all you can say is , they are men , yet such men as may not be called to a slight account for their actions , but in many cases the wayes of state may run so deep , that we can help onely with this , levius fit patientia , quicquid corrigere est nefas . to be weary of a parliament now , were to conquer our selves into a new slavery , it were to proclaim to the world we are mercy-sick , victory-sick , and liberty-fick , the lord prevent that portentous mischiefe . yet goa is good to israel , let me hope he will not be worse then he hath been . nobles and gentlemen , look upon the citie , these are they that strengthened you with the finews of your war , you have not come unto them for any thing , and returned empty , you may remember the 100000. li . the 50000. li . the greater , the lesser fu 〈…〉 nes for england , scotland , and ireland ; and i may not forget that 80000. li . that oyled the wheeles of this last army in their first going out . the lord of hosts requite it to them that offered so willingly . i adde , you have not only had these helps , but their servants , yea their children out of their bosomes , who now are found the officers generally in this army but i might call in much of this again , and say the parliament have had their labour for th●mselves , and the citie for themselves , and one for the other , and all for the lord , and this , and other nations . only i call for love this day , i would desire strength in your union . the spirit says , two are better then one , and gives reasons from cold , or fals : but addes , a threefold cord is not easily broken , of which i conceive thus : if two be well agreed , jesus christ will make a third , and then tell me who shall breake that cord ? it will be stronger then all the covenants the sons of men can make , either nationall , or otherwise . i am herein the bolder , because the cursed world neerer hand , and further off are projecting a breach here , and some men within this city wals are ridden up and down by jesuites to perfect this work , and feel not their burden . would you go again to egypt ? shall we give away our bibles to papists , and our libertles to locusts and caterpillars ? shall we deliver up the towns we have taken to them that are subtle to destroy ? have we not heard of murthers and rapines enough ? mind what abner said to joab , hath not the sword devoured enough ? will not the end be bitternesse ? let us have but love at westminster and london , and we shall crown the day , and derive something from this day to the childe unborne , to give it matter of rejoycing . if you shall object , the work is not done , we are now upon a crisis . i answer , your temptation is new , this was the time of the year when princes were wont to goe forth to war , but now it proves a time wherein they sue for peace : blessed change ! and the truth is , the sun may sooner get off your cloke now , then the storm could before ; the fawning world may do that , the frowning never could . i shall commend unto you two or three scriptures : the first , the words after my text , be of good courage , and he shall strengthen your heart , all ye that hope in the lord . the second shall be , eccles. 10. 4. if the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee , keep thy place . learn for ever to make good your experiences , and let it blow high or low , keep your places . i humbly beseech you ( noble speakers of both houses ) keep your places , as hitherto you have done : be not ashamed of that seasonable and wise answer once made at that exigent , you have neither eyes to see , nor tongues to speak , but by order from the house in such cases . i desire my lord major and his brethren to keep their places , and not to be dub'd out of them , nor courted from your comforts and safety , remember what we all fought for , prayed for , adventured all for , let not all be lost in the kisse of a royall hand , nor suffer your eyes to be put out with court-glitter and glory : and i humbly beseech your lordships , not to lead us the way to that mischiefe , for us ministers , truly we may be apt to catch at the old bait , the lord help us to keep our places also : it would grieve your soules to be court-scoffed after all . let me leave with you what tacitus sayes of caesar . quotis scunque e curia egrederetur , in haec verba prorupisse fer●ur , o homines ad servitutem paratos ! etiam illum qui publicam libertatem nollet tam foede servientium patientiam taedebat . therefore every man keep his place , and in so doing another objection is answered : but our old laws and priviledges may again be struck at ; read the 8. v. of eccles. 10. who so breaketh a hedge , a serpent shall bite him , an old hedge , are old good laws , and those that will break them , shall finde a serpent , you can apply , he that removeth stones , shall be hurt therewith . and though it should be that shimei might escape for a time with his confinement , yet in the next generation he will break his covenant , his neck , and all , and thus i thinke of many that have railed against heaven and earth , who will be found out by divine justice , when your hand cannot reach them . to close up my thoughts in this , you have hitherto lived upon daily providēce , as you do upon your daily bread , & by providence i believe you are brought beyond your own first imaginations , and i know the wisest man here cannot tell what will be next , though in order of causes he may say this or that should be , for who can tell what is in the womb of a day , or what it will bring forth unto us ? this is certain , when there 's darknesse in counsels , in promises , the lord is pleased to dissipate clouds , and disperse mists by providence ; you shall not need to feare relying upon that provident hand which hath left you with so many glorious experiences . onely these cautions i must commend to your wisdomes . 1. that providence be not slighted and bestow that upon fortune and chance , which is handed to you by providence . — sed nos te facimus ( fortuna ) deam coeloque locamus . 2. that you withstand not providence , but accept and improve the offers of mercy . 3. that you out-run not providence , but be contented to want what the lord is not willing to give , not to over-hasten your deliverance , for it can never come seasonably , being wrought by friend or foe , unlesse the god of your mercies have a hand in it , and truly he that cannot freely trust god in his way upon what you have received already , is not fit to receive more : how good it is to live in his bosome , and upon his hand , who knows how to take measure of your wants , and supply your needs , and that out of an inexhaust fulnesse ? lastly , since feasts are seldome without beggars , give me leave to be the first : and if we had not been over-bold in detaining you already , i should have been large , even from my soule to beg help from this most honourable assembly in foure particulars . 1. i beg for soules . 2. for bodies . 3. estates . 4. names . 1. and for the first , i present you here the teares and cries of many thousands , in the countries we have conquered , who poor souls cry like prisoners at the grate , bread , bread , for the lords sake bread ; all you that passe by take pitty , pitty of us , we have lived upon husks time out of minde . men , brethren , and fathers , whilest we are disputing here , they are perishing there , and going to hell by droves . if i know any thing , what you have gotten by the sword , must be maintained by the word , i say the word by which english christians are made ; in other countries discipline makes them so , drive them into a church together , and then dub them christians ; you will find too much of this abroad , and hence it comes to passe , that most of their religion lies in polemicks , which is the trade we are likely to drive , if god prevent not . i need not tell this assembly , that every where the greater party is the orthodoxall , and the lesser the hereticks ; so once the a●rians afflicted the sound christians , and they increasing , requited it again to the arrians . it was once my lot to be a member of that famous , ancient , glorious work of buying in impropriations , by which work 40 or 50 preachers were maintained in the dark parts of this kingdom : divers knights and gentlemen in the country contributed to this work , and i hope they have not lost that spirit : i wish exceeding well to preaching above many things in this world , and wish my brethren were not under these tithing-temptations , but that the state had it●neran● preachers in all parts of the kingdom , by which you may reach most of the good ends for this state designed by you : let poore people first know there is a god , and then teach them the way of worship . the prophet sayes , when the husbandman hath plowed , harrowed , and broken the clods , then sow your timely seed , when the face of the earth is made plain . indeed i think our work lies much among clods , i wish the face of the earth were cavened . i fear , whilest we are striving for an eldership clothed with authority , we shall want five thousand ministers to preach ; that if you get an eldership in london , and think you have done much , you have neither minister nor elder to be had in half the kingdom , and so you do nothing , a true eldership is easier wished for than gotten . i know not why the parliament may not try and examine men , and send them out to preach , and take cognizance of the successe ; i wish that committee for plundered ministers to cast in their help . i once read a story of a chairman , setting forth a century of base priests . i wonder what is become of the second , third , and fourth century : i wish ( under the abuse of the covenant ) they be not crept into their old dens for mischief . if you shall preserve the gospel , the gospel will preserve you . it would not be amisse even in this city and other places , to turn two or three meetings to one , and so there might be room in publick for those that are forced into corners , and so suffer under the name of schismaticks . if this great work were attended abroad , we should not need to be quarrelling at home . i am not so fully acquainted with the use this great councell hath for my brethrens advice : but surely i know , the people are desperately ignorant and prophane abroad : and from prophane priests and ignorant people , you know the other party have fomented this war , and may begin it again , if the word prevent not the sword . secondly , i have something to beg for the bodies of men : you have had strong cries from widowes and fatherlesse children , whose husbands and fathers have spent their heart-bloud in this service ; you have many mai●ed men , which puts me in minde of an expedient for them , if improved : i mean that famous royall foundation of the charter-house , or suttons hospital , they say worth 5 or 6000 l. per annum . i humbly beseech your lordships not to be offended , if i put you in minde of the intentions of the donor . it is pitie that so gallant a work should prove a nest of unclean birds ; methinks it was built for this time , and god may be much honoured , by turning the givers intentions into the right chanell , many faithfull souls will blesse your care and tendernesse . the streets also are swarming with poor , which i refer to the senators of this citie , that is glorious many wayes , why should it be so beggarly in the matter of beggars ? i leave to your wisdome de m●do . yet let not my request dye . i have lived in a countrey , where in seven years i never saw beggar , nor heard an oath , nor lookt upon a drunkard : why should there be beggars in your israel where there is so much work to do ? and if this designe were well minded and managed in the city , there would be little place left for such excentrick motions . the third boon i beg is for mens estates , justice exalteth a nation , but sinne is a shame to any people . i would beseech all sorts whom it concernes to speed justice ; it were better for a man to dye once then often : you reverend fathers of the law put in some help here ; can there not yet be found a shorter way to further justice ? must that badge of conquest still lye upon us , the lawes i mean , in french ? can there not an expedient be found out in plain english , whereby every one may soon come to his own ? must such members of the most heroick spirits be spending their brave heats and heights in westminster-hall ? was it not a project to in-gown our gentile english , for feare they might be looking abroad to see how their interests lye ? may there not be two or three friend-makers set up in every parish , without whose labour and leave none should implead another ? i crave pardon . there is one evill i have seen under the sun , a poor man kept in prison for debt , whereby his spirit is debaucht , and he utterly disabled to pay : it is not so abroad . let those that lent you freely in this war , and suffer now , be first thought on . i know many have adventured more then all for you , your promise made good for the sale of delinquents lands will doe it . fourthly and lastly , i beg something for mens names ; and though i know no publique person but ought to carry a spare handkerchief to wipe off dirt , yet certainly blasting mens names in print , is not the way to cleare a cause in dispute . yet i have learnt this of my noble generall . let us look to our duty , and the lord will care for our reproaches ; but i leave it to your wisdomes . i need not to tell you , you have heralds of armes to keep up mens names that have done worthily , though that spirit breath not in this army . but i shall shut up all with these scriptures . phil. 2. 1 , 2 , 3. if there be therefore any consolation in christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any compassion and mercy , fulfill my joy that yee be like minded , having the same love , being of one accord , and one judgement . that nothing be done by contention or vain-glory , &c. phil. 4. 8. furthermore ( brethren ) whatsoever things are true , whatsoever things are honest , whatsoever things are just , whatsoever things are worthy love , whatsoever things are of good report , if there be any vertue , or if there be any praise , think of these things . these things do , and the god of peace shall be with you , amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a54509e-30 this fourty-fifth great yeer , of wondrous worth , lord grant it may great brittain's peace bring forth . notes for div a54509e-260 wollchius . gen. 18. ●1 . josh. 1. notes for div a54509e-660 an epist. to a sermon . notes for div a54509e-750 after t 〈…〉 england hath long , long enjoy'd you ; at length returne to him , who here imploy'd you . notes for div a54509e-950 gen. 37. 35. esth. 3. 2 sam. 19. 4. lam. 3. 9. psal. 38. doct. psal. 3. 8. jer. 14. 8. psal. 98. 1. isa 26. 12. psal. 107. 6. 19. psal. 136. 23. zach. 4. 6. isa. 40. 30 , 31. psal. 136. 15. isa. 95. 6. isa. 25. 4. jonah 1. 17. psal. 48. 12 , 13 , 14. numb. 25. 23. acts 25. 12. kings 1. 19. psal. 91. 1. 1 sam. 23. 27. gen. 18. 32. gen. 19. 6. isa. 26. 20. john 6 ▪ 1● . isai. 65. gen. 12. 2 , 3. rev , 6 , 10. isai 26. 21 isa. 63. 18. & 64. 2. zach. 1● . 8. acts 4. 12. psal. 2. gen. 15. 16. ioel 3. 13. ezek. 7. 23 mat. 23. 23 ier. 3. ezek. 22. 6. hosea 13. 2 , 3. 2 tim. 3. 13. ezek. 16. 43. ier. 42. ier. 3. 3. zeph. 3. 5. psal. 7. 9. iudg. 〈◊〉 , 7. psal. 57. 6 psal. 7. 14. 15. acts 25. acts 9. psal. 107. ult. rochester . bridge . earl of essex , &c. sir tho. fairfax his motto . ioh. 3. 16. psal. 48. ult. josh. 25. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15. cant. 4. 9. 1 cor. 13. isa. 55. 2. psal. 18. 1. hos. 2. 21 , 22 , 23. mr. tho. goodwin , in a sermon so called . amos 1. 2 , 3. psal. 107. ult. jer. 20. 1. hos. 5. 1. col. 1. 19. psal. 2. dan. 2. psal. 65. 1. job 30. hos. 2. isa. 2● . ☞ church-government and church-covenant discussed, in an answer of the elders of the severall churches in new-england to two and thirty questions, sent over to them by divers ministers in england, to declare their judgments therein. together with an apologie of the said elders in new-england for church-covenant, sent over in answer to master bernard in the yeare 1639. as also in an answer to nine positions about church-government. and now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points. mather, richard, 1596-1669. 1643 approx. 332 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 71 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a88943 wing m1270 thomason e106_8 thomason e106_9 estc r18913 99860496 99860496 130517 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a88943) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 130517) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 19:e106[8], 19:e106[9]) church-government and church-covenant discussed, in an answer of the elders of the severall churches in new-england to two and thirty questions, sent over to them by divers ministers in england, to declare their judgments therein. together with an apologie of the said elders in new-england for church-covenant, sent over in answer to master bernard in the yeare 1639. as also in an answer to nine positions about church-government. and now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points. mather, richard, 1596-1669. mather, richard, 1596-1669. apologie of the churches in new-england for church-covenant. peters, hugh, 1598-1660. davenport, john, 1597-1670. [4], 84; [2], 46, [1], 50-78, [2] p. printed by r.o. and g.d. [and t.p. and m.s.] for benjamin allen and are to be sold at his shop in popes head-ally, london : 1643. the first two parts were written by richard mather. editor's note "to the reader" signed: h. peter, i.e. hugh peters. in part a reply to: ashe, simeon. a letter of many ministers in old england, requesting the judgement of their reverend brethren in new england concerning nine positions. "an apologie of the churches in new-england for church-covenant" and "an answer of the elders of the severall churches in new-england unto nine positions", the latter written by john davenport, each have separate dated title page with "printed by t.p. and m.s. for benjamin allen" in imprint. "an apologie" begins new register and pagination and possibly was issued separately (cf. wing m1267). the last leaf is blank. annotation on thomason copy: on t.p. of part 1: "june 15"; on t.p. of part 3: "june 15". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bernard, richard, 1568-1641. ashe, simeon, d. 1662. -letter of many ministers in old england, requesting the judgement of their reverend brethren in new england concerning nine positions -controversial literature -early works to 1800. church polity -early works to 1800. congregational churches -england -early works to 1800. congregational churches -government -early works to 1800. 2007-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-04 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 john latta sampled and proofread 2007-06 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion church-government and church-covenant discvssed , in an answer of the elders of the severall churches in new-england to two and thirty questions , sent over to them by divers ministers in england , to declare their judgments therein . together with an apologie of the said elders in new-england for church-covenant , sent over in answer to master bernard in the yeare 1639. as also in an answer to nine positions about church-government . and now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points . london , printed by r. o. and g. d. for benjamin allen and are to be sold at his shop in popes head-ally , 1643. to the reader . it is not hard to believe that such discourses as this wil meet with divers censures , the prophane and ignorant loathing christ , and any thing concerning him ; the formalist accounting such truths troublesom that may ingage him in the change of his opinions and practises , and some of the wisest will be apt to question the tyming such light as this : yea doubtles this pamphlet-glut●ed age will so looke upon it , and lay it by . but because i doe conceive that this sword will not be sheath'd which is now drawn , till church-work be better known , and more countenanced , and since safety is laid up in the temple , psa . 27. 3 , 4 , 5. i could not but help on this , which attended and practised may prove our security next to christ . these were either sudden answers to our doubting and inquiring brethren , or some satisfaction rendred about our so much slighted church-covenant , which wee could not but thinke might come to view , for the present stay to some faithfull soules , that call for light , and intend to use it well : for others , of what kind soever , we must beare their harder thoughts , among th●se usuall loads of scandals , that men of our judgement must carry , especially if zeale for the truth draw them forth to publike observation ; nor doe we purpose ( god helping us . ) to succumbe under calumny , being the livery of quieter times then these , let us bee viler still , so god and his arke may be more glorious . yet this i doe professe for my selfe and brethren that as we have not bin dealt with , nor convinc'd of any offence , so we shall ever be ready to give an account of that hope which is in us , being call'd thereunto ; in the meane time we over looke these barkings of black mouthes , and wish a good comment be made upon the text of our plaine meaning . the onely way i know to reach gods mind in worship will bee to love the truth for it's owne sake : yea to love it when it shall condemne our practises and persons also : who hath not observed that the first step to error is the declining the truth in love to it ? ⁂ hence popery begat her first brat , and hath nurst it up with thesame milke ; we would earnestly desire that none would call that unsensonable or unreasonable , which god seemes even now to call for , at the calling of this synode , and will carry so much reason with it , as god and his truth will owne ; more tendernes and respect to our brethren we know not how to shew , who sent us these 32. questions , no other dealing would we have from our brethren not consenting with us . some rivers have bin noted to differ in the colours of the water , yet running in the same channell : let jesus christ be lifted up by us all ; let us love him whilst wee dispute about him . presbytery and independency ( as it is cal'd ) are the wayes of worship and church fellowship , now looked at , since ( we hope ) episcop 〈…〉 out , and will be buried without expectation of another resurrection . we are much charged with what we own not , viz : independency , when as we know not any churches reformed , more looking at sister churches for helpe then ours doe onely we cannot have rule yet discovered from any friend or enemy , that we should be under canon , or power of any other church ; under their councell we are . we need not tell the wise whence tyranny grew in churches , and how common wealths got their pressure in the like kind . these be our sighs and hearty wishes , that selfe may be conquered in this poore nation , which shuts the doore against these truths . know ( good reader ) we do not hereby go about to whistle thee out of any known good way of god. commonly questions and answers cleare up the way , when other treatises leave us to darknes . read them , and what we say for a church-covenant , it may save charge and time in reading other bookes , remember wee strive not here for masteryes , but give an account of our practise wherein if thou know'st we faile candidus imperti ; if we agree let us worke by our plat-forme ; and may thy soule flourish as a greene heath or watered garden . so prayeth thine heartily h. peter . the xxxii questions stated . _1 . whether the greatest part of the english there ( by estimation ) be not as yet unadmitted to any congregation among you , and the reasons thereof ? 2. what things doe you hold to be essentiall and absolutely necessary to the being of a true visible church of christ ? 3. whether doe you not hold all visible believers to bee within the visible church as members thereof , and not without in the apostles sence ; 1 cor. 5. and therefore ought so to be acknowledged , and accepted in all congregations wheresoever they shall come , and are so knowne : and ought ( if they desire and be not otherwise unfit ) of right to be permitted to partake in all gods ordinances and church priviledges there , so farre as they personally concerne themselves , although they be not as yet fixed members in particul●r covenant , either with that congregation where for the present they reside , nor with any other ? 4. whether you doe not hold that baptisme rightly ( for substance ) partaked doth make them that are so baptized , members of the visible church : and so to have right ( at least quoad nos ) to all the priviledges thereof ( so farre as they are otherwise fit ) untill they be cast out ( if they so deserve ) by excommunication . 5. whether doe you not admit children under age as members of the church , together with , and in the admission of their parent or parents : so as thenceforth they may partake of all church priviledges being otherwise fit ) without any other personall profession of faith , or entring into church covenant , when they shall come to yeares ? and how long doe you count them under age ? 6. whether do not you admit orphants under age , with and in their guardians ? 7. whether doe you admit or refuse children under age only acco●ding to the present estate of their nearest parents ? or doe you not admit them if any of their next ancestors before their parents were believers ? 8. whether doe you require of all persons of age , whom you admit members of any church ? 1. a publike vocall declaration of the manner and soundnesse of their conversion ? 2. a publike profession of their faith concerning the articles of religion . 3. an expresse verball covenanting to walke with the said church in particular , in church fellowship . 4. and not to depart from the said church afterward without the consent thereof : or how doe you hold and practise in these things ? 9. whether doe you hold all , or the most of our parish assemblies in old-england to be true visible churches of christ ; with which you may lawfully joyne in every part of gods true worship ( if occasion served thereto : ) or if not all or the most , then what ones are those of which you so account , and with which you durst so partake or joyne ; and in what respects ? and why be not the rest such as well as they ? 10. if you hold that any of our parishionall assemblies are true visible churches , and that the members thereof are all , or some of them ( at least ) members of true visible churches , then whether will you permit such members ( at least ) as are either famously knowne to your selves to be godly , or doe bring sufficient testimoniall thereof from others that are so knowne , or from the congregation it selfe whereof they were members here , to partake with you in all the same ordinances , and parts of gods true worship in any of your congregations ( as by occasion they may be there ) in the same manner , and with the like liberty , as you would permit any that might happily come unto you from any of the churches of geneva , france , the low-countreyes , or yet from any one church to another among your selves : suppose from some church about connecticut , or that of plimouth , &c. vnto the church at boston , new-towne , dorchester , &c. or if not , what may be the reason thereof ? 11. whether doe you hold our present standing in our parish assemblies here in old england , to bee lawfull and safe to be continued in , or how f●rre it may be so ? 12. whether doe you hold that every believer is alwayes bound to joyne himselfe as a fixed member to some one particular congregation , so as if he doe not , and so oft and so long as he doth it not , so oft and so long he is without the church in the apostles sence , 1 cor. 5. as an heathen or publican , out of the kingdome of christ , and possibility of salvation , according to that maxime in divinity , extra ecclesiam non est salus . 13. vvhether doe you thinke it lawfull and convenient that a company of private and illitterate persons ( into a church body combined ) should themselves ordinarily examine , elect , ordaine , and depose their owne ministers of the word , without the asistance of any other ministers of other churches , where the same may be had ? 14. whether doe you hold that every small company of seaven , or nine , or twenty , or fourty persons , combined into a church body , be such a church ( as by the ordinance of christ ) hath , and ought to have all power , and exercise of church government : so as they may transact all ecclesiasticall businesses independently amongst themselves ? 15. whether do you give the exercise of all church power of government to the whole church , or to the presbiters thereof alone ? and if to those , then we desire to know what act of government , and superior authority ( properly so called ) may the presbiters doe , more then any other member may doe , or without the particular consent of the rest , wee crave to have those particular acts mentioned : and how , and over whom in those acts the presbiters doe rule ( in propriety of speaking ) more then the rest of the congregation doe ? 16. whether doe you not permit women to vote in church matters ? 17. whether in voting doe the major part alwayes , or at any time , carry ecclisiasticall matters with you , or in what things doth it , in what not ? 18. what meanes have you to preserve your churches in vnity and verity , or to correct or reduce any church erring in doctrine or practice . as , 1. whether you have any plat-form of doctrine and discipline agreed upon ; or if you have not , whether meane you to have one , and when ; and thinke you it lawfull and expedient so to have ? 2. whether have you combined your selves together into classes , or purpose so to doe , so as to doe no weighty matter without their counsell and consent ? 3. or give you any power to synods and councells to determine and order things that cannot otherwise be ended , so as that their determination shall bind the particular churches so assembled to due obedience , in case they decree nothing but according to truth and right , and to peaceable suffering , in case they should doe otherwise ? or what other course you have , or intend to have for that end aforesaid ? 19. whether hold you , that each particular church may lawfully make such laws or orders ecclesiasticall , for the government of it selfe , and the members thereof ; for decency , order , and edification , as shall oblige all her members , and may not be omitted without sinne ? 20. wherein hold you that the whole essence of a ministers calling doth consist : as 1 , whether is election by the people it , yea or no ? or 2. is it so essentiall , as that without it , the ministers calling is a meere nullity ? or 3. is ordination as essentiall a part thereof , as the peoples election ? or 4. is it but a meer formality and solemnity of their calling ? 21. whether doe you hold it lawfull for meer lay or private men to ordaine ministers in any case ? 22. what essentiall difference put you between the office of pastor and teacher , and doe you obser●●e the same difference inviolably ; and do not your teachers by vertue of that office give themselves usually to application of doctrine as , well as your pastours ? and do they not also usually apply the seales ? 23. what authority or eminency have your preaching elders , above your sole ruling elders , or are they both equalls ? 24. vvhether may a minister of one congregation ( being thereto requested ) do as a minister any act of his ministery ( as preach , baptize , administer the lords supper , ordain , &c. in and unto other congregations besides his owne ? 25. whether hold you that a minister of a congregation , leaving or loosing his place ( suppose without his fault ) doe withall lose both nomen and esse of his ministery , and do become a meere lay , or private man , untill he be a new elected , and ordained ? 26. whether doe you allow , or thinke it lawfull to allow and settle any certain & stinted maintenance upon your ministers ? 27. whether doe you permit and call upon meer lay and private men ( neither being in the ministerie nor intended to it ) ordinarily to preach or prophecie publiquely , in , and before the congregation ? and whether thinke you that prophecying mentioned , 1 cor. 14. be to be understood of such , and be an ordinary and standing order of god in the church ? 28. whether doe you allow and call upon your people publiquely before all the congregation to propound questions , move doubts , & argue with their ministers of matters delivered either by them or others , either at the same , or some other time ? 29. whether hold you that the conversion of sinners to god is ordinarily the proper fruit and effect of the word preached , by a minister alone , and that by vertue of his office alone , or that it is alike common to ministers , and lay persons , so they be gifted to preach ? 30. whether all and every of your churches ( including plimouth , &c. ) do precisely observe the same course both in constitution and government of themselves ? 31. vvhether would you permit any companie of ministers and people ( being otherwise in some measure approvable ) to sit downe by you , and set up and practise another forme of discipline , enioying like libertie with your selves in the common-wealth , and accepted as a sister church by the rest of your churches ? 32. vvhether hold you it lawfull to use any set forms of prayer in publique or private , as the lords prayer and others , either made by himselfe that useth the same , or else by some other man ? the answers to the aforegoing questions . the first question answered . all the english and others also are freely admitted to be present in our congregations , at the reading of the scriptures , and exposition thereof ( which is wont alwayes to goe along therewith ) at the preaching of the word , singing of psalmes , prayers , admitting of members , and dispencing of censures ; and many also are admitted to church communion , and so to partake in church ordinances and priviledges , as sacraments , power of election , censures , &c. though many also there are who are not yet admitted to this church communion . but whether is the greater number , those that are admitted hereunto , or those that are not we cannot certainly tell ? but in the churches in the bay , where most of us are best acquainted , we may truely say , that for the heads of families , those that are admitted are farre more in number then the other : besides whom there are likewise sundry children and servants that are admitted also . and for the reason● why many are not yet received to church communion , they are sundry . 1. many are not admitted because they are not yet knowne . every yeare hitherto god hath replenished the country with many new commers , and these at the first are not suddainly taken in , as members of churches , till by time there have been some triall of them , and better occasion to know them what they are . sometimes once a yeare there are in the land many hundreds , and some thousands of this sort . 2. when by time they come to be knowne , many do appeare to be carnall , and give no testimony of being members of christ , and therefore if they should offer themselves to be members of churches the churches would not see warrant to receive them , because the church is the body of christ . 3. some that are godly do of their own accord for a time forbeare to offer themselves , till they be better acquainted with the church and ministry where they intend to joyne , and with the wayes in which the churches walke in this country , and and till they be better informed what are the duties of church members . 4. those that are knowne to be godly , are all admitted in some church or other presently , upon their own desire , when they offer themselves thereto : except any have given offence by walking ( in any particular , in their conversation ) otherwise then becomes the gospell ; and then such are to give satisfaction to them to whom they have given offence , by acknowledgeing their offence , and shewing repentance for it , and then they are admitted . it is one thing what churches ought to be by the appointment of jesus christ , another , what weaknesse and swerving● from his appointment , he may beare withall for a time , before he renounce and cast off a people from being his church . in respect of the former our answer is , that when a visible church is to be e●rected planted or constituted , by the appointment of christ , it is necessary that the matter of it in regard of quality , should be saints by calling , visible christians and believers , 1 cor. 1. 2. eph. 1. 1. and in respect of quantity no more in number in the dayes of the new testament , but so many as may meet in one congregation . 1 cor. 11. 20 & 14. 23. acts 14. 27. & 15. 22 30. and the forme , a gathering together of these visible christians , a combining and uniting of them into one body , by the bond of an holy covenant , for which we refer you to the apolgie of the churches in n. e. sent the last yeare in way of answer to mr. bernard . for the latter we deny not , but visible churches rightly constituted at the first , may degenerate , and great corruptions may grow therein , both in respect of matter and forme , and likewise in respect of their walking and administrations , and yet the lord in his patience may beare long with them , before he give them a bill of divorce , and make them lo-ammi , not a people ; as the example of the church of israel in the old testament . of the church of corinth , the churches of galatia , the 7 churches of asia , and others in the new testament , doe abundantly manifest . but what degrees of corruption may be , before the soule as it were , and life , and being of a church be destroyed , is hard for us precisely and punctually to determine ; or to say thus farre a church may erre , and yet remaine a church ; but if it proceed any further , then it ceaseth to be a church any more ; onely in the generall this we observe , the lord doth not presently cast off a church or give them a bill of divorce , no not for fundamentall errors in doctrine , or idolatry in worship , or tyranny in government , till after obstinate and rebellious rejection of reformation , and the meanes thereof : for all these were found in the church of israel , when they crucified christ , yet the apostles rejected them not , till after the light of grace offered , and blasphemously rejected , acts 13. 45 , 46. but if your selves have so studied this point , as to have ripened and formed thoughts therein , we should gladly receive light from you . we do not know any visible church of the n. t. properly so called , but onely a particular congregation ; and therefore when this question in the first and last clause of it speakes of believers within the visible church , as members thereof , although they be not members of that particular congregation , where for the present they reside , nor of any other : this speech seemes to us according to our apprehension to imply a contradiction . they that are within the visible church as members thereof , must needs be members of some particular congregation , because all visible churches are congregationall , as mr. baine sheweth at large from the church of antioch , act. 14. 27. the church at corinth , 1 cor. 11. & 14. and other examples and reasons with answers to the objections to the contrary in his dioces . triall quest . 1. whereto we referre you in this point ; neither is he alone in this tenent , for mr. parker , and many other teach the same . those silenced and deprived ministers that wrote the booke called , the christian and modest offer of disputation , laying downe 16. propositions which they offer to maintaine against the prelats , give this for the fourth of them viz. there is no true visible church of christ , but a particular ordinary congregation onely . doubtlesse every true visible church hath power from christ to exercise excommunication and other ordinances of christ , so that they proceed therein according to the rules of the word , 1 cor. 5. 4. 5. mat. 18. 17. now dr. whitakers sheweth against bellarmine , that excommunication belongs not to the universall church , but onely to a particular congregation . qui justè excommunicantur , saith he , co satanae traditos esse concedimu● , non t●men posse pr●priem , d●●i eject●s ex ecclesia catholica , quia excommunicatio non catholica , sed particularis ecclesiae censura est . de eccles . qu. 1. c. 6. wherefore if excommunication which belongs to the visible church , belongeth to a particular congregation , it followeth , that there is no visible church , but onely a particular congregation . secondly , as all visible believers are not without christ , but in christ , according as they are believers , so we easily grant ; that those without , of whom the apostle speakes , 1 cor. 5. were unbelievers , pagans , and heathens , both without christ , and also without the visible church . for those that were in christ , and believers in him , were not wont to abstaine from joyning to some particular congregation or other ; and so it come to passe , that as they were in christ by their faith , so by such joyning they became also to be within the visible church . 3. but this we conceive is cleare also , that unlesse believers , be members of this or that particular congregation , to whose inspection and government they have commended themselves in the lord , they also in some respect may be said to be without , that is without the jurisdiction and power of the visible church , and without right to the priviledges of it , as long as they continue in that state : for the church hath nothing to do , either to dispence censures and church priviledges to pagans , who are without all churches , and without christ also ; or to such christians , who though they are not without christ , yet are not within any particular church : for neither the church , nor the ministers thereof may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and though those without of whom the apostle speakes , 1 cor. 5. were pagans and heathens , both without christ , and without the visible church also , yet when hee speaketh of judgeing , and saith they might judge them that are within , and not judge them that are without , hee must not be understood as if he meant it simply of being in christ or without christ , and no more then so , but also of being in that particular congregation , and without it : for it is plaine , that those that were in christ , if they were not also within their particular congregation , they had nothing to do to judge them ; and those that were within their particular congregation , them they might judge , though they were not in christ . 4. and that church priviledges do not belong to believers , as such , but onely to such as withall are members of some particular church : the grounds and reasons in the answer to the third and fourth proposition sent the last yeare , do seeme to us to make manifest , whereto we do referre you , for further answer to this question . it is an opinion of the anabaptists , that the church is made by baptisme , and therefore when they constitute or erect a church , they do it by being all of them baptized , which was the manner of mr. smith , mr. helwis , and the rest of that company when they set up their church : the papists also do imagine , that men enter into the church by baptisme , and it is said , that their founts were set neere the doores of their temples , to signifie mens entring into the church by baptisme , and they thought themselves to be christened , or made christian soules by being baptized . but we do not believe that baptisme doth make men members of the church , nor that it is to be administred to them that are without the church , as the way and meanes to bring them in , but to them that are within the church , as a seale to confirme the covenant of god unto them . for 1. this is one point of the dignity and priviledge of the church , that baptisme and all church ordinances are given and committed to it , as circumcision , and church ordinances were given and concredited to the church of the jewes , ioh. 7. 22. now if baptisme in its first being and institution be given as a benefit and priviledge to the church , then baptisme is not that which makes the church ; but the church is presupposed , and must be before it , for the dones , or persons to whom a thing is given , must needs be before the gift that is given to them . 2. the nature and use of baptisme is to be a seale to confirme the covenant of grace between god and his church , and the members thereof , as circumcision also was , rom. 4. 11. now a seale is not to make a thing that was not , but to confirme something that was before ; and so baptisme is not that which gives being to the church , nor to the covenant , but is for confirmation thereof . to bring in baptisme before the covenant , and before the church , with whom god makes the covenant and then to bring in the church afterwards , is to make baptisme a seale unto a blanke , or to a falshood . when the jesuits of rhemes had said that christ sent 12 apostles to the jewes to move them to penance , and so by baptisme to make them of his church . and that paul was sent to the gentiles to move them also to faith and penance , and by baptisme to make them of his church . this saying of making men of the church by baptisme , though uttered by them , as it were by the way , and not being the chiefe scope of their discourse , yet seemed to mr. cartwright so erroneous and unsound , that hee would not let it passe without bearing speciall witnesse against the same . and therefore in opposition thereunto he hath these words , and in another character for more conspicuousnesse , viz. that baptisme makes not men of the church , but sealeth their incorporation into it , hath been declared afore . argument of acts 6. 1. and that catechisme which is commonly said to be penned by our reverend brother mr. ball , or mr. nicholas , now with god , giving this for the definition of baptisme , that it is a sacrament of our ingrafting into christ , communion with him , and entrance into the church , doth in the exposition plainely declare , that when they called baptisme a sacrament of our entrance into the church , they did not meane that baptisme made men members of the church , but signified and sealed that they were members afore : the seed of abraham say they , pag 144. gal. 3. 7. or children of christian parents are within the covenant , are christians and members of the church , 1 cor. 7. 14. rom. 11. 16. baptisme therefore doth not make them christian soules , but doth solemnly signifie and seale their ingrafting into christ , and that communion which the members of christ have with him their head , and doth confirme , that they are acknowledged members of the church , and entred into it , 1 pet. 3. 21. 3. the lord hath had his church when there was neither baptisme nor circumcision , and therefore baptisme or circumcision cannot be that which constitutes the church . the church is one and the same in essence from the begining of the world to the end thereof , viz. a company of people combined together by holy covenant with god , and one with another , and this hath been before baptisme , and likewise before circumcision in the dayes of the patriarks afore abraham . yea if baptisme now , or circumcision in former time did make men members of the church , then for forty yeares together there was no making members of the church , for so long circumcision was discontinued , when baptisme was not yet instituted , ioss . 5. 2 , 3. &c. and so by this meanes all that generation of the israelites that were not circumcised till their comming over jordan unto gilgall , should have bin no members of the church afore that time of their circumcision , which is contrary to the scripture , which as it gives the name and title of a church to the body of this people , when they were in the wildernesse , act. 7. ●8 . ( and they were in the wildernesse 40. yeares , in the latter parts of which time there were few left remaining that had beene circumcised ) so it witnesseth that afore this time of their circumcision they were in covenant with god and his church , deut. 29. 10 , 11 , 12. for that covenant was not made with their fathers that came out of egypt , and were circumcised there , because that generation was consumed in the wildernesse for their murmuring afore this time : but this covenant was made with the children , that as yet were uncircumcised , and therefore it was not circumcision that made men members of the church . 4. baptisme hath been administred , and no church nor members made thereby , and men have been made members of churches and not then baptised , but before . and therfore it is not baptisme that makes men members of the church , jerusalem and all judea , and all the region round about jordan were baptised of iohn confessing their sinnes , mat. 3. 6. and christ made and baptised more disciples then iohn , ioh. 4. 1. and yet neither christ nor john did make new churches , nor gather men into them themselves , both the one and the other living and dying members of the jewish church , which was not yet dissolved , untill upon their rejecting of christ ( not onely of his person upon the crosse , but of his gospel in blaspheming and persecuting grace offered them ) the two staves of beauty and bands were broken and cut assunder , whereby god did breake the covenant that he had made with that people , and the brotherhood between juda and israel , that is , he did un church them , zach. 11. 10 , 11. &c. to 15. so that here is baptisme administred by john and christ , and yet men not received thereby into the church as members , for they were members long afore . againe , when any of those of jerusalem , judea , and the region round about jordan , that were baptised of john , or any of those , many more that were baptised of christ , were afterward joyned as members to those christian churches in judea , samaria , and galile , act. 9. 31. ( as no doubt many of them were ) they were not made members of those christian churches by being baptised , for they were baptised long afore by john and christ , so that those men were members of the jewish church , which was not yet dissolved , and were baptised afterward . and therefore it was not baptisme that made them members , either of the one church or of the other . 5. there are sundry inconveniences , which for ought we see will unavoidably follow , if we shall say that baptisme makes men members of the church ; for first , if baptisme be that which constituts the church , then baptisme may be dispenced by them that are no ministers , for extraordinary ministers , as apostles , and such like are now ceased ; and ordinary ministers have no power to dispence baptisme to any , but onely to them that are already members of the church , seeing their commission and power is limited to the church , and the flock of god over which the holy ghost hath made them overseers , acts 20. 28. besides , the church is before the ministers , seeing the power of choosing ministers is given by christ unto the church ; and therfore if baptisme be that which makes the church , then men must be baptised afore there be ministers to baptise them , and consequently without ministers . secondly , if baptisme rightly for substance partaked , doth make men members of the visible church , then it will follow that papists are members of the church : for they have baptisme so farre right for substance , as that it needs not be repeated . but mr. perkins teacheth that this baptisme proves not the church of rome , of which all papists are members , to be any true church of god , and gives sundry reasons for the same , in answer to them , that from baptisme rightly for substance administred in popish assemblies , would prove those assemblies to be true churches : exposit . of creede , in the article , i believe the holy catholique church . and surely for our parts , we doe not see how it will be avoyded , but if baptisme made men members of the visible church , either papists are members of the visible church , and the church of rome , of which they are members , a true visible church , or else we must renounce their baptisme as corrupt and false , even for the substance of it ; and so all such as shall be converted from amongst them , must be baptised againe , as not having had the substance of baptisme before : such dangerous consequences do follow from saying , that baptisme , rightly for substance partaked , doth make them that are so baptised members of the visible church . if any shall say , though baptisme do not make men members of the church , yet it proves them to be members as a cause , is proved by the effect , or an antecedent by a consequent : and therefore all baptised persons should be admitted to all church priviledges as members , whereever they become . we answer , that this will not hold neither , but suppose a man have received baptisme as a member of some visible church , which ought not to have been administred to him , had he not been a member , yet this doth not prove him to be a member still and so give him right to all church priviledges , though hee do remaine alwaies as a baptised person ; and the reason is , because his baptisme may remain , when his church fellowship may be dissolved , as that he can have no right to sacraments thereby : the church member-ship of a baptised person may be thus dissolved by sundry meanes . 1. by some sentence of excommunication justly passed against him for his sinne ; for that censure puts him away from the communion of the church , 1 cor. 5. 2. 13. and makes him as an heathen or publican , mat. 18. 17. so that in that case he can have no right to sacraments by his member-ship , though he still continue a baptised person . 2. by his voluntary departing from the church and the communion of the same when it is unjustly done , 1 ioh. 2. 19. iude 19. heb. 10. 25. in which case dr. ames resolves such schismaticks to be no members of the visible church , cas . cons . lib. 5. c. 12 q. 4. resp. 3. 3. by the dissolution of the church of which he was a member ; for church member-ship is in relation to a church , and therefore if the church cease , the membership must cease also ; relatum & correlatum quâ ●alia sunt simul , adeoquese mutuoponunt et tollunt . now a church may be dissolved , 1. by apostacie and gods giving them a bill of divorce thereupon , ier. 3. 8. when yet there may be in such a church some particular person or persons deare to god , who in such a case are bid to come out from such an apostate church , rev. 18. 4. hose . 2. 1 , 2. & 4 , 15 , 17. 2. by death , as by some grievous pestilence or masacre , &c. in which case one particular person surviving , cannot be counted a member of a church , when that church is extinct of which he was , and yet he remaines a person baptised if he were baptised afore . 3. if that be true which is taught by dr. ames cas . cons . lib. 5. c. 12. q. 3. resp . 2. that in some cases it is lawfull and necessary to withdraw from the communion of a true church ( which seemes to be agreeable to grounds of scripture , ephes . 5. 11. 2 chr● . 11. 14. ) then that will be another case wherein church membership is disanulled ; for how a man can be counted in that state a member of a church , when hee hath lawfully and necessarily withdrawn himselfe from the communion of the church , we do not understand . and this shall suffice for answer unto this point , whether baptisme make men members of a visible church , which as we conceive , is the scope and drift of this question . yet before we proceed to make answer to the next , something also may be said concerning some passages in your amplification of this fourth question . as first concerning those words wherein you aske , whether they that are baptised have not right , quoad nos , to all the priviledges of the visible church ( so farre as they are otherwise fit : ) concerning which words we may say , 1. that those words of your parenthesis ( so farre as they are otherwise fit : ) doe plainely imply , that in your judgement , though one hath received baptisme , yet this doth not give him right to the priviledges of the visible church , unlesse other things do concurre to make him fit , wherein we consent with you . now if this be so , then this seemes to be an answer to that which ( as we conceive ) is the maine intent of the question . for how can it be , that baptisme alone should give men right to the priviledges of the church ( as members thereof , as the question seemes to import ) when in the amplification of it , it is granted , that persons baptised have no such right , except other things doe concurre to make them fit : we doe not see how these things doe stand together . secondly , those words as farre as they are otherwise fit : ) as they seeme to imply that which contradicts the maine scope of the question ; so they are so generall and of such a latitude , as that when the question is answered the reader is still left at uncertainty : for if such a parenthesis may be annexed ( so farre as men are otherwise fit : ) then the like question may be applied to many other things besides baptisme , and would receive the very same answer , as in case of baptisme it would receive . as for example , if one should aske whether morall honestie or litterall knowledge in the scriptures , or historicall faith , or the use of reason , whether any of these doe not give men right to church priviledges , so farre as they are otherwise fit ? you know the answer would be , yea. for though none of these be sufficient alone , to give men right to the priviledges of the church , yet they are such as they that have them , have right so farre as they are otherwise fit , and so if it were granted that they that have received baptisme have right , as you say , to all the priviledges of the church , so farre as they are otherwise fit : yet as this doth not prove that baptisme alone doth give men such a right , so still it remaines to be considered , and more particularly declared , what those other things are that besides baptisme must concurre to make one fit ; and unlesse those things be expressed in particular , the question with such a generall qualification as is here set down , may be answered affirmatively , and yet the reader will be still in the darke , and as much to seeke as before . lastly , those words in the latter end of this question had need to be further cleared , wherein you aske , whether baptised persons have not right to all the priviledges of the church , quoad nos , untill they be cast out by excommunication ? for suppose an open blasphemer , a sabath-breaker , an adulterer , a drunkard , &c. that deserves to be excommunicated , be not proceeded against according to rule , but be suffered to continue in the church through bribery or other corruption of the times , would you say that such a person had right either before god , or quoad nos to all the priviledges of the church , onely because hee is baptised ? surely your words doe import so much , unlesse that parenthesis ( so far as they are otherwise fit ) may be any helpe in this case . and yet we hope you doubt not but such doggs and swine have no right either quoad nos , or otherwise , to the priviledges of the church as long as they continue in that state , although they have received baptisme , and although through the sinfull neglect of men they be not cast out by excommunication , as they doe deserve ; for if grosse sinners have such right to church priviledges , onely because they are baptised , then by what right can the church cast them out by excommunication , as you seeme to confesse that she may : for can she castimen out from such priviledges whereunto they have right ? doubtlesse such proceedings were not right , unlesse the church have such a transcendent power as the apostles never had , for they could do nothing against the truth but for the truth , nor had they any power for destruction , but for edification , 2 cor. 13. 8. 10. wherefore we dare not say such men have right to church priviledges ( quoad nos ) untill they be actually cast out , because before they be cast out , it must be cleare to the church , that they have no such right , or else she can have no lawfull right to cast them out . 1. infants with us are admitted members in and with their parents , so as to be admitted to all church priviledges of which infants are capable , as namely to baptisme ; and therefore when parents are once admitted , their children are thereupon baptised , if they were not baptised afore , as sometimes it falls out . 2. but whether they should thereupon be admitted to all other priviledges when they come to age , without any personall profession of faith , or entring into church covenant , is another question , of which by reason of the infancy of these churches , we have had no occasion yet to determine what to judge or practise one way or other . 3. but for the present this we would say ; it seemes by those words of your parenthesis ( being otherwise fit ) you do acknowledge , that children of church members are not to be admitted to church priviledges , unlesse they be fit , wherein we consent with you as counting it altogether unsafe , that idiots , franticks , or persons openly ungracious and prophane , should be admitted to the lords table , though they were the children of church members , and thence we may inferre the necessity of their personall profession of their faith , when they come to yeares , and taking hold of church-covenant , whereby we meane onely a renewing of covenant , or a new professing of their interest in gods covenant , and walking according to it , when they shall be adulti : for otherwise we do confesse , children that are borne when their parents are church members , are in covenant with god even from their birth , gen. 17. 7. 12. and their baptisme did seale it to them . but notwithstanding their birthright , we conceive there is a necessity of their personall profession of faith , and taking hold of church-covenant when they come to yeares ( though you seeme to thinke it not needfull : ) for without this it cannot so well be discerned ; what fitnesse is in them for the lords table and other church priviledges , as by this meanes it might ? and inasmuch as entring into church-covenant is nothing else but a solemne promise to the lord , before him and the church , to walke in all such wayes as the gospel requireth of church members , if they shall refuse to make any such promise , and shall be unable , or unwilling to make any profession of their faith , when it is required of them , this would be an evidence against them , of their unfitnesse for church priviledges , inasmuch as they openly breake that rule , 1 pet. 3. 15. be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and feare . what hope is there that they will examine themselves when they eat of that bread and drinke of that cup , 1 cor. 11. 28. who when others do examine them they are unable or unwilling to give answer ? or how shall we thinke that they will receive the lords supper worthily , or walke as becomes the gospel if they do refuse to professe or promise any such matter ? wherefore in this point we cannot but fully approve the practise of the reformed churches , among whom it is the manner as zepporus writeth , to admit children that were baptised in their infancy unto the lords table , by publique profession of their faith , and entring into covenant , consuetum est , saith he ut qui per aetatem , neque doctrina catechetica perfectum ad sacram coenam primum admittuntur , fidei confessionem coram tota ecclesiâ publicè edant , &c. polit. ecles . l. 1. c. 14. p. 158. that is , the manner is , that they who by reason of age and perficiency in the doctrine of catechisme are first admitted to the lords supper , should publiquely before the whole church , make confession of their faith , being brought forth into the sight of the church by their parents , or them that are instead of parents , at the appointment of the minister : and likewise should promise and covenant by the grace of god to continue in that faith which they have confessed , and to leade their lives according to it : yea and moreover , to subject themselves freely and willingly to the discipline of the church ; these words we see are full and plaine , that children are not in those churches received to the lords table without personall confession of faith , and entring into covenant before . 4. but how long children should be counted under age , and whether orphans are not to be admitted with their guardians ( which is your sixt quaery ) we should be willing to heare your judgement therein , as having of our selves hitherto had no occasion to search into those questions ; onely this we thinke , that one certaine rule cannot be given for all , whereby to determine how long they are under age , but according as god gives experience and maturity of naturall understanding , and spirituall ; which he gives sooner to some then unto others . such children whose father and mother were neither of them believers , and sanctified , are counted by the apostle ( as it seemes to us ) not faederally holy , but uncleane , what ever their other ancestors have been , 1 cor. 7. 14. and therefore we baptise them not . if you can give us a sufficient answer , to take us off from that scripture , 1 cor. 7. which seemes to limit this faederall sanctity or holynesse to the children whose next parents one or both were believers , we should gladly hearken to you therein ; but for the present , as we believe we speake , and practise according to our light . and if we should goe one degree beyond the next parents , we see not but we may goe two , and if two , why not 3. 4 20 , 100 , or 1000 ? for where will you stop ? and if we shall admit all children to baptisme , whose ancestors within a thousand generations have been believers , as some would have us , we might by this reason baptise the children of turkes , and of all the indians , and barbarians in the country ; for there is none of them but they have had some believing ancestors within lesse then a 1000. generations , it being farre from so much since noah and his sonnes came forth out of the arke . we do believe that all members of churches ought to be saints , and faithfull in christ jesus , eph. 1. 1. 1 cor. 1. 2. col. 1. 2. phil. 1. 1. and thereupon we count it our duty to use all lawfull and convenient meanes , whereby god may helpe us to discerne , whether those that offer themselves for church members , be persons so qualified or no : and therefore first we heare them speake concerning the gift and grace of justifying faith in their soules , and the manner of gods dealing with them in working it in their hearts : which seemes to be your first particular in this quaery . secondly , we heare them speake what they do believe concerning the doctrine of faith , so taking a tryall what measure they have of the good knowledge of the lord , as knowing that without knowledge men cannot well examine themselves and discerne the lords body , as church members ought to doe when they come to the lords table . and hereby also we would prevent ( as the lord shall helpe us ) the creeping in of any into the church that may be infected with corrupt opinions of arminianisme familisme , &c. or any other dangerous error against that faith which was once delivered to the saints , as knowing how easily such men if they were admitted , might infect others , and perhaps destroy the faith of some . and this seemes to be intended in your second particular . for both these we have our warrant as in generall , from those places which shew how church members ought to be qualified , that they ought to be saints , faithfull in christ jesus , &c. so in speciall from that , math. 3. 6. acts 19 18 , & acts 8. 37. 38. where men before they were admitted , made profession of repentance towards god , and faith towards the lord jesus christ ; for it is expressely said , that they confessed their sinnes , they confessed and shewed their deeds , they professed their faith in jesus christ the sonne of god. thirdly , when this is done , those that by manifestation of repentance and faith are approved ; as fit members for a church do openly professe their subjection to the gospel of christ , and to all the ordinances of god in that church , where now they joyne as members , which seemes to be your third particular in this quaerie . the distinction of particular churches one from another , as severall and distinct societies , seemes to us a necessary ground for this practise ; for without this kinde of covenanting , we know not how it would be avoyded , but all churches would be confounded into one , inasmuch as it is neither faith , nor intire affection , nor towne-dwelling , nor frequenting the assemblies that can make a man a member , or distinguish church members from other men : see the apologie . 4. your fourth particular in this quaerie is answered in the answer to the sixt position sent the last yeare : besides all these , we heare the testimony of others , if there be any that can speake of the conversion and godly conversation of such persons : which we judge to be a warrantable course from acts 9. 26 , 27. it is the second of your quaeries , what things we hold necessary to the being of a true visible church in generall : which being answere● ; this of the parish assemblies in england in particular , whether we hold all or the most of them to be churches , we conceive might well have been spared . they that now the state of those assemblies may make application of the generall to the particulars , if they have a calling therunto . yet because you are pleased to put us to this also , we thus answer . 1. that we doubt not but of ancient time there have been many true churches in england consisting of right matter , and compacted and united together by the right forme of an holy covenant . for mr. fox sheweth at large , that the gospel was brought into england in the apostles times , or within a little while after , acts & mo● . lib. 2. begining p. 137. where hee reporteth out of gildas , that england received the gospel in the time of tiberius the emperor , under whom christ suffered ; and that joseph of arin . athea was sent of philip the apostle from france to england , about the yeare of christ 63. and remained in england all his time , and so hee with his fellowes laid the first foundation of christian faith among the brittaine people , and other preachers and teachers comming afterwards , confirmed the same and increased it . also the said mr. fox reporteth out of t●rtullian , that the gospel was disperced abroad by the sound of the apostles into many nations , and amongst the rest into brittaine , yea into the wildest places of brittaine , which the romans could never attaine unto , and alledgeth also out of necephorus , that simon zelotes did spread the gospell to the west ocean , and brought the same into the iles of brittanie , and sundry other proofs he there hath for the same point . now if the gospel and christian religion were brought into england in the apostles times , and by their meanes , it is like there were churches planted there of saints by calling ( which is the right matter of churches ) and by way of holy covenant , as the right form : for that was the manner of constituting churches in the apostles times , as also in the times afore christ , as hath been shewed from the scripture in the apologie . and the footsteps hereof ( though mixed with manifold corruptions that have growne in aftertimes ) are remaining in many places of the land to this day , as appeareth by those 3 questions and answers at baptisme . abrenuntias ? abrenuntio ; credis ? credo : spondes ? spondeo : dost thou renounce the devill and all his works ? i renounce them all . dost thou believe in god the father & c ? i do believe . dost thou promise to walk according to this faith & c ? i do promise . for though it may be they conceived , that men entred into the church by baptisme , yet hereby it appears that their judgment was that , when men entred into the church there ought to be a renouncing of sin , and believing on christ , and an open professing of these things , with a promise to walk accordingly . secondly , though popish apostacy did afterwards for many ages over-spread all the churches in england ( as in other countries ) yet we believe god still reserved a remnant according to the election of grace amongst them , for whose sake he reserved the holy scriptures amongst them , and baptisme in the name of the trinity onely . and when god of his rich grace was pleased to stirre up the spirit of king edward the sixth , and queene elizabeth to cast off the pope and all fundamentall errors in doctrine and worship , and a great part of the tyranny of popish church government though at first some shires and sundry parishes stood out against that reformation for a time , yet afterwards they generally received the articles of religion agreed upon anno 1562. which are published and consented to by all the ministers endowed in every congregation , with the silent consent also of the people , and subscription of the hands of the chiefe of them ; wherein they do acknowledge no rule of faith or manners , but the holy scriptures ; no divine worship but to god onely ; no mediation nor salvation but in christ onely : no conversion by mans free will , but by gods free grace : no justification but by faith : no perfection nor merit of works , with sundry other necessary and saving truths ; all which containing the marrow and summe of the oracles of god wich are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the eloquia des , concredited onely to the church . rom. 3. 1. 2. and which are that saving doctrine of truth , which is fruitfull in all the world where it comes , ●olo . 1. 5 , 6. and upon which the church is grounded and built , and which also it holdeth forth and maintaineth , 1 tim. 3. 15. ) we do therefore acknowledge , that where the people do with common and mutuall consent gather into setled congregations ordinarily every lords day , as in england they do , to heare and teach this doctrine , and do professe their subjection therunto , and do binde themselves and their children ( as in baptisme they do ) to continue therein , that such congregations are true churches , notwithstanding sundry defects and dangerous corruptions found in them , wherein we follow the judgement of calvin instit . 4. 1. 9. 10. &c. w●itaker , de notis ●cclesiae cap. 17. and many other divines of chiefe note : nor can we judge or speake harshly of the wombes that bare us , nor of the paps which gave us suck . thirdly , but inasmuch as grievous corruptions of latter yeares have greatly increased in some of those assemblies ( as we heare ) both in doctrine , in worship , and in the government thereof , besides those that were when some of us were there , and in former yeares : therefore we are not without feare ( and with griefe we speake it ) what things may come unto at length . if corruptions should still increase and grow ' they might come in time ( if the lord be not more mercifull ) unto such an height as unto obstinacy in evill , and to wilifull rejection of reformation , and the meanes thereof ; and then you know it might be just with god to cast off such utterly , out of the account and number of his churches ; so as never to walke among them any more : which we heartily pray the father of mercies to prevent that such a day may never be : but if ephesus repent not of her declinings , the lord hath threatned that he will come unto her quickly , and remove her candlesticke ; that is , he will un-church them , rev. 2. 4 , 5. and lukewarme laodicea shall be spewed out of his mouth , rev. 3. 16. and therefore it behoves such of them to repent , and reform themselves betime , lest the lord deale with them as he ha●h done with others . and it much concernes your selves ( in hearty love and faithfullnesse we speake i● , and so we desire you wou●d accept of it ) it very much concernes you ( deare brethren ) whil'st you live amongst them , to beare faithfull witnesse against the corruptions that are remaining in any of them , in respect of their constitution , worship , d●scipline and ministerie , l●st by any sinnefull silence or slacknesse of yours that should blow the trumpet and stand in the gap , the breach should be made wider , and the iniquity increase ; and lest men should flatter themselves in their sinnes , under the name and title of the true church , as the jewes thought themselves secure because of the temple of the lord , jer. 7. 4. 4. because you would know not onelie whether we count those assemblies to b● churches , but what wee would doe for joining in gods worship in them , if occasion served thereunto : we answer , that if we were in england , we should willingly joine in ▪ some parts of gods true worship , and namely in hearing the word , where it is truely preached in sundry assemblies there ; yea though we doe not know them to bee churches , or knew not what they were , whether true churches or no ? for some worship , as praier , and preaching , and hearing the word , is not peculiar to church assemblies , but may be performed in other meetings . mars-hill at athens was no church , nor the prison at philippi , and yet the word of god was preached and heard lawfully w●th good successe in th●se places , act. 17. and act. 16. how much more might it bee lawfull to heare the w●rd in many parish assemblies in england , in when gener●lly there is a professing of christ ; and in many of them : m●n , soul●s that are sincere and upright hearted christians , as any are this day upon the face of the earth ; and m●ny congregations indeed that are the true churches of jesus christ , see mr. robinsons treatise of the lawfullnesse of hearing the ministers in the church of england . 5. but why we durst not partake in their prescript lyturgie , and such ordinances though true , as are administred therein ; we gave you account the last yeare , in answer to the first and second position : as al●o in an answer to a discourse of that subject , penned by our reverend brother mr. ball. what we have done in our ignorance whil'st we lived amongst you , wee have seene cause rather to bewaile it in our selves here , then to it in others there . our answer to this question is this , 1. that we never yet knew any to come from england in such a manner as you do here describe ( ● the things you mention may be taken conjunctim , and not severally ) viz : to be men famously known to be godly , and to bring sufficient testimoniall thereof from others that are so knowne , and from the congregation it selfe , whereof they were members : we say we never yet knew any to come to us from thence in such a manner , but one or other of the things here mentioned are wanting : and generally this is wanting in all of them , that they bring no testimoniall from the congregation it selfe : and therefore no marvell if they have not beene admitted ( further then before hath been expressed in answer to quest . 1. ) to church ordinances with us , before they have joyned to one or other of our churches ; for though some that come over bee famously knowne to our selves to be godly , or bring sufficient testimoniall with them from private christians , yet neither is our knowledge of them , nor testimonal from p●ivate christians sufficient to give us church-power over them , which wee had need to have , if we must dispence the ordinances of church communion to them ? though it be sufficient to procure all due reverent respect , and hearty love to them in the lord. 2. if the things mentioned were all to be found , yet it w●u●d be also requisite ( if they would partake of church ordinances with us , and yet not joyne to any of our churches ) that w●● should know the congregation it selfe , from which they come , not onely to be a true church , but also what manner of one it is : for such persons cannot communicate with us in church ordinances in their owne right ; because they joine not as members in any of our churches ; but it must be in right of the congregation in england , to which they doe belong , and by virtue of the communion of churches , and so our admitting of them to communion with us in such a manner , and upon such terms , is not only an act of communion with the persons themselves , but also with the congregation of which they are : now as we cannot of faith admit men to church ordinances , which we believe belong only to church members ; unles we know the congregation of which they are members to be a true church . so somtimes a congregation may be so corrupt , that though it doe remain a true church , yet for the corruption and impurities of it , it may be lawfull and necessary to withdraw communion from the same ( for which dr. ames gives sundry grounds and reasons , cas . cons . lib. c. 12. q. 3. resp . 2. ) or at least to protest against some grosse corruptions therein . in regard whereof we had need to have some knowledge and information what that congregation is , with whom now we have church communion ; when in heir right wee admit m●n into communion , that wee may know how to admit such m●n , and what to require from them more or l●sse . and this together with that want of testimoniall from the congregation is one main● reason , why some few godly men that have come from england upon occasion , not with purpose of continuance here , but of returning again● ; have not beene received to church ordinances during thei● abode in the countrey ( though this we may say also , that we know not of any such that have requested to be received ) whereas ●uch as have come in l●ke manner from one c●u●ch to another m●ngst our selves , upon their requ●st have been r●ceived : the reason ne say is , because these churc●es are better knowne then the parish assemblies are . 3. but if men come from one church in this countrey to another with purpose there to stay , and not to returne to the church from whence they came , ( which is the manner of all , or the most that come from england ) they are not rec●ived into our churches ; but upon the very same tearmes , and in the same manner , as men are received that come from england ; viz : upon personall profession of their faith , and entring into church covenant , in that church to which they now come ( and the same we say of such as come from any of the churches in other countries ) and wherefore are they not received otherwise , because we renounce the church of which they were members as no true church ? not so , but because wee believe in matter of faith , ( such as is the admitting of members ) any true church may erre : and there may now bee seene some unworthinesse in the man which did not appeare when hee was admitted in the other church : and therefore no reason that the act of one church in the admitting of members or the like , should bee a binding rule unto another ; for all churches are left to their liberty to admit and receive such into their chu●ch ; as they shal find to be fit according to the rule of the word , and to refuse others , without respect of what they have bin before , whether members of this church , or that church , or of any church , or none : and therefore in this , our walking and practice , is alike towards one another , and towards others as it is towards yours . in which practise we are not alone , for the very same as mr. parker reporteth , is the manner of the reformed churches , amongst whom , no man is admitted for a member ; but upon personall profession of faith , and entring into church covenant , though it may be he have formally beene admitted in the very same manner in the church where he lived before , polit. eccles . l. 3. c. 16. 3. 4. p. 171. if the ground of this qu. were any doubt in your owne consciences concerning your owne way , there were no fault in propounding such a qu. for further light and satisfaction , if wee were able to give it . or if it did ari●e from any unnecessary intermedling of ours in your matters , so as to take on us to condemne or judge your present standing , when we have no calling thereunto , there were then reason why we should give account of our owne doings or sayings . but if it came from some men we should looke at it as a tempting question , tending onely to make matter , and pick quarrells ; and then we should leave it to them that framed it , to consider the ground of it ; and to fr●me their owne answer to it . as for us , we have alwayes been slow and loth to judge or condemne your present standing ; remembring the saying of the apostle , who art thou that judgest another mans servant , he standeth or falleth to his own master , rom. 14. 4. but now knowing you well ( reverend and deare brethren ) and your integrity , we thinke wee may lawfully and safely answer , and that wee would doe by promising a few distinctions , for explaining the termes of the question . 1. concerning the persons in the parish assemblies , which may be meant of such as the providence of god hath so dispos●d that they are free and at liberty : or of such as are bound , and it may be not sui juris , as wives , children under the government of parents , servants , apprentices , prisoners , sickefolkes , &c. 2. concerning the parish assemblies , which may bee meant either of such as want the preaching of the word or sacraments , or discipline , or any other holy ordinance of christ , or have many ordinances in them which are not of god , but of men : or else it may be meant of some others , which in both respects are reformed and pure , if there be any such . 3. concerning standing in them , which may be meant onely of habitation , and dwelling upon house or land within the precincts of the parish ; or else in conforming in judgement or practise to the corrupt ecc●esiasticall ordinances used in those assemblies ; and contenting themselves therewith . 4. concerning lawfull and safe ; where safety may be meant either of safety from sinne , or from danger by persecution , these distinctions wee judge necessary to bee premised , because your question is , whether wee count your standing in the parish assemblies lawfull and safe ; or how farre it may be so ? and so our answer is in 3. propositions . 1. some persons , and namely those that are not sui juris , may lawfully and without sinne ; though it may bee not safely without danger of persecution , continue such standing in the parish assemblies , as doe dwell within the pr●c●●cts of them , so long as they neither conforme themselves to the corruptions of men by such continuing of their standing , nor live in the neglect or want of any ordinance of christ through their owne default . 2. such standing in the parish assemblies , where a man shall , and must conforme to the corruptions of men , in doctrine or worship ; or the government of the chu●ch , is not lawfull for any to be continued in . 3. to continue such standing in the parish assemblies , as to live in the want of any ordinance of christ is not lawfull , nor can be done safely without sinne of them , to whom the providence of god doth open a doore of further enlargement . the first of these propositions wee suppose you doubt not of . the second is confirmed by many places of scripture ; and namely by such as these . though israel play the harlot , yet let not iudah offend , and come not yee to gilgall , nor go up to bethaven , nor sweare the lord liveth : ephraim is joyned to idolls , let him alone , hos , 4. 15. 17. come out from among them , and be ye separate saith the lord , and touch no uncleane thing , and i will receive you , 2 cor. 6. 17. be not partaker of other mens sinnes , keep thy selfe pure , 1 tim. 5. 22. come out of her my people , that yee bee not partakers of her sinnes , and that yee receive not of her plagues , rev. 18. 4. have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkenesse , but reprove them rather , eph. 5. 11. ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment ; because he willingly walked after the commandement , hos . 5. 11. wee ought to obey god rather then men , act. 4 19. and 5. 29. jeroboam made priests of the lowest of the people , which were not of the sonnes of levi , and ordained a feast in the fifteenth day of the eigth moneth , in the month which he had devised of his ●w●e heart , &c. and then the levites left their suburbs and their posessions , and came to iudah and ierusalem , for ieroboam and his sonnes had cast them off from executing the priests office unto the lord ; and after them out of all the tribes of israell , such as set their hearts to seek the lord god of israel , came to ierusalem to sacrifice to the lord god of their fathers , 1 king. 12. 31 32 33. with 2 chron. 11. 14. 16. vpon these and such like grounds of holy scripture we are perswaded that such standing in the parish assemblies , as this second proposition mentions , is not lawfull for any to be continued in . and we hope , you doubt not of the truth of this second proposition neither , though we are afraid that many christians , when it comes to practice , doe sinfully pollute themselves by partaking in the ceremonies , and other corruptions in the prayers , in the doctrine , and in the ministery remaining in sundry of those assemblies , whom it will bee your part whilst you live among them faithfully and by all good meanes to instruct and teach , and exhort , to save themselves from the corruptions and pollutions of the times and places wherin they live ; as well in this particular of church matters , and gods worship as in other things : wherein wee wish with all our hearts that our selves when time was , had been more watchfull and faithfull to god and the soules of his people , then the best of us were : the lord lay not our ignorance to our charge . the third proposition may bee made good sundry wayes , 1. by precepts , wherin we are commanded to observe all things whatsoeuer christ hath commanded , mat. 28. 20. to seeke the kingdom of god and his righteousnesse , mat. 6. 33. to yeild our selves unto the lord , and to enter into his sanctuary , 2 chr. 30. 8. and therefore we may not please our selves to live in the neglect of any ordinance which he hath instituted and appointed . 2. by examples , for the spouse of christ will not rest seeking her beloved untill shee finde him in the fullest manner , cant. 1. 7 , 8. and 3. 1 , 2. &c. and the same minde was in david ; as appeares by his heavy lamentation , when he wanted the full fruition of gods ordinances , and his longings , and prayer to be restored thereto , psal . 63. and psal . 42. and 84. although he enjoyed abiathar the high priest , and the ephod with him ; and likewise gad the prophet , 1 sam. 23. 6 , 9 , 10. &c. 1 sam. 22. 5. when good ezra in his journey from babilon to ierusalem , viewing the people at the river ahava found none of the sonnes of levi there , afore he would goe any further , he sent unto iddo a the place ca●iphia for ministers for the house of god , ezra 8. 15. 16. &c. and when being come to ierusalem they found by the law , that it was an ordinance of god to dwell in boothes , and keepe the feast of tabernacles in the seventh month , they presently set upon the practice thereof , in the appointed season ; when the like had not beene done in israel , from the dayes o● ioshua the son of nun unto that day , neh. 8. 14. &c. yea , and our lord jesus himselfe , though ●ee had no need of sacraments , to be to him any scale of remission or forgivenesse of sinnes , yet in conscience to the ordinance of god , ( that he might fullfill all righteousnesse , mat. 3. 15 ▪ ) and for our example , did both observe the passover , and likewise was baptized , and did eat with his disciples at his last supper . all which examples being written for our learning , doe shew us how farre wee should bee from contenting our selves to live in the voluntary want of any ordinance and appointment of god. 3. there is none of the ordinances of christ , but they are needfull and very profitable in the right use of them to the soules of his servants : and therefore they should not be neglected . to thinke of any of them , as things that may well bee spared ; and therefore to content our selves to be without them , is to call in question the wisdome of him that did appoint them , and to make our selves wiser then god. 4. our owne infirmities and spirituall w●nts are such , as that wee have continuall need of all the holy meanes which the lord hath appointed , for supplying what is wanting in us ; for correcting what is amisse ; and for our continuance and growth in grace . hee is a proud man , and knowes not his own heart in any measure , who thinkes he may well be without any spirituall institution and ordinance of jesus christ . upon these and such like ground , we hold i● not lawfull nor safe , for any christian that is free , to continue such standing in the parish assemblies where he cannot enjoy all the spiritual and holy ordinances of christ . and hereupon we do exhort you lovingly in the lord , to take heed that this be not the sinne of any of you , nor of any other , whom your example may embolden thereunto : for necessity is laid upon you , and upon all christians , by th●se and such like grounds of the holy word of the lord ; that neither you , nor others doe live in the voluntary want of any holy ordinance of christ jesus , but either ●et them up , and observe them in the places where you are ; or else ( if you bee free ) to remove for the enjoyment of them , to some place where they may be had ; and it may be of the two , rather this latter . for sometimes i● israel sacrifice to their god in the land , they shall sacrifice the abomination of the egyptians to the lord : and ●o say they , shall wee sacrifice the abomination of the egyptians before their eyes , and will they not stone us ? it is better therefore in such a case to goe into the wildernesse , and to do it there , exo. 8. 25. 26 , 27. hos . 2. 14. mat. 10. 23. as for that opinion that may be in the minds of some , that if any ordinance of goa be wanting , it is the sinne of them that are in authority , and they must answer for it ? but the people of god may without sinne , live in the want of such ordinances as superiors provide not for them . the answer hereuntois , that indeed the ordinances of god may more peaceably and quietly bee observed where the commandement and countenance of magistrates is afforded ; for then is fullfilled the saying that is written , kings shall bee thy nursing fathers , and queens thy nursing mothers , esa . 49. 23. and doubtlesse it is a great blessing , when god ( that hath the hearts of kings and princes in his hands , prov. 21. 1. ) doth incline them to favour , and further the service of the house of god , as somtimes he doth , even when themselves are alients and strangers . cyrus , darius , and artaxerxes , gave great countenance and incouragement to the jewes to build the house of god , that they might offer sacrifices of sweet savour to the god of heaven , and pray for the life of the king and of his sonnes , ezra 6. 8 9 , 10. i● which case good ezra blesseth the lord , that had put such a thing into the kings heart , to beautifie the house of the god of heaven , ezra 7. 27. and therefore kings and all in authority , should be prayed for , that we may lead a godly and peaceable life , in godlinesse and honesty , 1 tim. 2. 1 , 2. neverthelesse , the things that are ordained and commanded of god , the observing of them in a peaceable way ( yeilding out reverence to all that are in authority , and praying for them ) this observing of the ordinances of god cannot be unlawfull , for lack of the commandement of man , as appeares by the doctrine and pract●ce of the apostles , act. 4. 19. & 5. 29. and the approved practise of believers in their times , if they had neglected the ordinances of god and namely church ordinances , till they had had the commandement of magistrate therein , such neglect would have beene their grievous sinne , and for ought we know they might have lived and died without them , the magistrates at that time be●ng all either heathens or jewes , yet enemies ; and if church communion and the exercise of such ordinances , as christ hath appointed for his churches , was lawfull , and needfull , and profitable , when magistrates were enemies to the gospell ; and bee not so when magistrates doe professe the gospell , we doe not see but christians may sometimes be losers by having christian magistrates , and in worse condition , then if they had none but professed e●emies . besides this , if ▪ superiors should neglect to provide bodily sustenance for them that are under their charge ; we doe not thinke that any mans conscience would be so scrupulous , but hee would thinke it lawfull b●y all good meanes to provide for himself in such case , rather then to sit ▪ still and say , if i perish for hunger , it is the sinne of them that have authority over mee , and they must answer for it : neither can we tell how the conscience of any christian can excuse himself , if he thinks no● the ordinances of christ , as necessary for the good of his soule , as food is necessary for his temporall life ; or doe not willingly in this spirituall hunger break through stone walls as the proverbe i● , and runne from sea to sea to seeke god in his owne way , rather then to perish without spirituall food , because others provide not for him . and this is our answer to this eleventh quere , concerning your standing in the parish assemblies : which answer of ours , and the exhortation therein , as we pray the father of mercies to make effectuall by his blessing for those good ends , which wee intend therein , so wee cannot in the same , but reflect upon our selves and our owne wayes in times past ; as seeing not a little cause to judge our selves before the lord , as long as wee live , for our sinfull ignorance and negligence , when wee were in england , ●o observe and walke according to those rules of the word , which now upon occasion given by this qu. wee doe commend to your selves and other christians . the lord in mercy pardon our offences , and direct your selves and his servants in ●ur deare native countrey , both in remaining and removing to doe that which is pleasing in his sight . whereas this qu. in the first clause and last but one compared together speakes of believers out of the kingdome of god , and possibility of salvation , we conceive it is a contradiction , for those that are true believers , cannot be out of possibility of salva●on , but possibly may , yea most undoubtedly shall bee saved , joh. 3. 16. and 5. 24. the contrary whereof is to overthrow all the promises of the gospell , and with the papists and arminians to establish falling from grace . 2. for that saying , extra ecclesiam non est salus , wee conceive it cannot be universally true , if it be meant of the visible church , which in the new-testament is a particular congregation ; but onely being taken for the church invisible , or the vniversall church , which is the whole company of the elect in heaven , in earth , and not yet borne , ioh. 10. 16. and 17. 20. out of which elected company there is not one that shall be saved , nor any of the elect neither , but in the way of regeneration , ioh 3. 3. but as for the visible , we believe the old saying is true , there are many wolves within , and many sheepe without , joh. 10. 16. and therefore it cannot be universally true , that out of the visible church there is no salvation : inasmuch as all christs sheepe shall be saved , ioh. 10. 28. of whom yet notwithstanding there are some not joyned to the visible church : if the thiefe that repented on the crosse was a gentile , as it was possible he was ; then hee was uncircumcised , and then it will trouble a man to tell of what visible church he was : and yet there is no doubt but he was saved . the like may be said of iob and of his friends , of whose salvation we make no question , and yet it is a great question whether they were of any visible church or no , inasmuch as the visible church in those times seemed to be appropriated to the house and posterity of abraham , isaac , and iacob , of which line & race it cannot easily be proved that all these men did come , nor that they joined themselves in visible fellowship with that church . the centurion , mat. 8. 10. and the woman of canaan , mat. 15. were both of them believers and saved , and yet it doth not appeare that they were members of the visible church of the iews , which was the only visible church of god in those times . men of yeares ought to be believers , and so in the state of salvation afore they be joyned to the visible church , and therefore there may be salvation out of that church : for it is possible that such an one as being a believer is fit to bee joyned to the church m●y di● and depart this life afore hee can bee joyned , as that good emperour valenti●ian 2. died before hee could bee baptize● . and for your selves if you should thinke that baptisme makes men members of the visible church ; as is intimated in your fourth question : you may not then deny but there may be salvation out of the visible church : unlesse you will say that there is no salvation without baptisme , which we believe is farre from you to imagine . 3. we doe hold that so ; oft and so long as a believer doth not joyne himselfe as a member to some particular congregation or other , so oft and so long : he is without the church in the apostles sence , 1 cor. 5. for the church in the apostles sence , is a particular congregation ; for he writeth to , and of the church at corinth , which church was a particular congregation , 1 cor. 5 , 4 , & 14. 23. & 11. 17. 20. and having power of judgeing her own members ( as all visible churches have ) yet had no power of judgeing any , but such as were within that particular congregation , as all them they had power to judge , whether they were believers in christ or no. mr. b●i●● ( as we said before ) is very large and cleare in proving this position , that the churches instituted by christ and the apostles , were only such as might meet in one congregation ordinarily , and answers many objections to the contrary , di●ces . tryal . q. 1. 4. for the question it selfe , we hold that every believer ( if possibly he can ) is alwayes bound to joyne himselfe as a member to some particular congregation or other ; and yet not because , else he is a heathen and publican , or out of possibilitie of salvation , as this question suggests , but upon other grounds . 1. because of the commandment of god , cant. 1. 8. math. 6. 10. 33. 2. because willingly not to doe this is a secret disparagement to the wisdome of god that hath ordained ▪ churches with giving power and privilegdes therunto mat. 18. 17. 1 cor. 5. 4. and promises of his gracions presence to be with them and amongst them , mat. 18. 20. rev. 2. 1. exod. 20. 24. now to what end were all these , if believers should live and no● joyne themselves to some church ? these priviledges and promises would in such case be all in vain , and the mercy of god offered therin , unthankfully neglected . thirdly , voluntarily abstaining from joyning to the church is noted and condemned as a sinne , heb. 10. 25. and a signe of fearefull unbelievers , act. 5. 13. of the rest durst no man joyne unto them . fourthly , good men in scripture have been forward in practise this way , isay 2. 2 , 3. zach. 8. 23. act. 2. 41 , 42. and 9. 26. and have mourned with much bitternesse when they have been deprived of liberty so to doe , isay 56. 3. and ps . 42. and 63. and 84. fiftly , this joyning is a part of that order , and orderly walking which is required of believers , col. 2. 5. 1 cor. 14. 40. sixtly , if believers doe neglect this joyning , it is not onely a wrong to themselves , but also a great unkindnesse to god : for if one believer may doe this , why not another , and if two why not three , foure &c. and ▪ if all believers should doe thus , god should have no visible churches upon earth , unles he will acknowledge the assemblies to be of unbelievers churches : foras stones in the mountains are not an house untill they be joyned together , though they be digged up out of the quarry , and squared & hewn , and hereby are made fit to be joyned together , and so to become an house : so believers are not a church till they be joyned in holy covenant in some congregation , though the worke , of grace and faith in their soules have made them fit , and meete to be a church of god , which is the house of the living god : or as the humane soule and body are not a man unlesse they be united ; so christian or believers are not a visible church without visible union into some particular . congregation . mr. perkins having said that forth of the militant church : there are no meanes of salvation , no preaching of gods word , no invocation of gods name , no sacraments , and therefore no salvation ; concludes with these words ; for this cause every man must be admonished evermore to joyn himselfe to some particular church , being a sound member of the catholick church , expos . of creed in the article of the church ; and doctor ames gives 6. reasons , why every christian should ioyne himselfe to some particular church or other cas . cons● . l. 4. c. 24. q. 1. and in another place he hath these words . illi igitur qui ▪ occasion●● habent adjungendi sese ecclesiae , & ●am negligunt , gravissimè peccant , non tantum in deum ratione institutionis , sed etiam in suas proprias animas ratione benedictionis adjunctae , etsi obstinatè persistant in ipsa incu●ia , quicquid alias profitentur , vix possunt haberi pro fidelibus regnum dei verè quaerentibus . medul . theol. l. 1. c. 32. sect. 28. first , whereas this 13th . question speakes of private and illiterate persons into a church body combined , wee looke at this as an incongruous expression , if not a contradiction . for a company so combined as to make a church , are not fitly called private , ( though they be illiterate in respect of humane learning ) in as much as a church or a church-body , especially in times and places of peace and liberty , is a publike congregation and society : and the acts of communion which they have among themselves ( such as is the election and deposing of ministers , whereof the question makes mention ) are not private acts but publike or people-like . neither are literate or learned men therefore publike , because they are indued with humane learning , unlesse withall they be called to publike office or imployment in church or common-wealth : and therefore if illiterate be an exegesis of private , we conceive that exegesis is not good . secondly , whereas this question asketh whether it be lawfull and convenient that such a company should themselvs ordinarily examine elect , ordain and depose their owne ministers ? if ordinarily be as much as frequently , we answer three things . first , that if one church doe frequently come to such actions , that is , to take in and put out the same men , this is not without suspition of much levity and rashnesse in the people , or unfaithfulnesse or unworthy walking in the ministers , or both ; and therefore ordinar●ly , that is , frequent taking in and putting out againe in this manner , is as much as may be to be avoided . secondly , when such things doe often and frequently fall out , it is doubtlesse a judgement of god upon such a people to have so many changes in their ministers ; as was that of which it was said , three shepheards have i cut off in one moneth , zach. 11. 8. that people should be so oft as sheep having no shepheard ; for the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof , pro. 28. 2. so in like sort for the transgressions of a church many are the ministers thereof ; we meane , when they have many ministers , by the comming in and going out of the same men , or the removing of some and the taking in of others in their roome : for otherwise , it is a blessing of god , when a church is furnished with variety of ministers at the same time , acts 13. 1. & 21. 18. phil. 1. 1. thirdly , yet this word ( ordinarily ) doth seeme to imply , that in your judgement sometimes this may be lawfull and convenient to be done ; now upon the same ground on which it may be done sometimes , upon the same it may be done at other times , if there be just occasion . thirdly , for the assistance of the ministers of other churches , of which this question maketh mention , if this be onely by way of counsell or advice , we know nothing unlawfull or inconvenient in such assistance , because churches are as sisters one to another , cant. 8. 8. and therefore it is our practice in ordination of ministers , as also in removall of them , to have such assistance . but for authority and power , we know none that ministers have properly so called in any congregation or church , save that one , over which the holy ghost hath made them overseers : and therefore we thinke it not lawfull nor convenient , when a church is to ordaine officers , to call in such assistance ( viz. by way of authority or power ) of the ministers of other churches . fourthly , we judge it lawfull and convenient that every church of christ ( what ever their humane learning be , whether much or lesse ) should elect and choose their ministers : god doth not ( for ought we know ) give this power of calling their owne ministers unto such churches as have many learned men in them , and deny it unto others ; but gives it indifferently to every church , as they are a church , and so to one church as much as to another . if we thought you doubted whether the power of calling ministers were given by christ unto the church , we might here alledge many reasons for it ; but this being the constant judgement of the eminent lights of this age , and the former who have been studious of reformation , wee must hope ( till we hear to the contrary ) that your selves do not differ from them in this point . as for us , those grounds and reasons from the holy scripture which are alledged by 1 calvin , 2 zanchius , 3 mr cartwright , 4 dr ames , and ( 5 ) others doe satisfie us in this particular . ( 1 ) institut 4. 3. 14. 15. ( 2 ) de redemp . in 4. praecep . p. 1015. 1016. &c. who alledgeth bucer and musculus . ( 3 ) 1. reply p. 44. &c. ( 4 ) m●dul . theol. l. 1. c. 21. sect. 30 & cas . consc . lib. 4. c. 25. q. 5. ( 5 ) demonist . of disc . c. 4. fifthly as for that objection which seemes to be implyed in the word illiterate , that it should not be lawfull or convenient for a body to choose their owne ministers , because they are illiterate , or want men of humane learning among them , wee further answere thereto ; first , that among us when a company are to be combined into a church-body , ( as you speake ) there is usually one or other among them who doe not want all humane learning but have been trained up in universities and usually have been ministers and preachers of the word in our native countrey , and approved by the godly there ; and are here by the company that doe so combine intended to be chosen afterwards for pastors or teachers : and accordingly , after the church is gathered , are in due time elected and ordained into their places . secondly , but yet if there were none such among them at their first combining and uniting , we doe not see how this could hinder them of liberty to choose ministers to themselves afterward , when god shall send any to them that may be fit for the worke ; because this is a liberty that christ hath purchased for them by his precious bloud , and they that are fit matter to bee combined into a church-body , are not so illiterate but they have learned the doctrine of the holy scripture in the fundamentall points thereof ; they have learned to know the lord and their owne hearts , they have learned christ , the need they have of him , and of all the meanes of enjoying him , the worth that is in him , and the happinesse laid up for them in him : and therefore they may not be reproached as illiterate or unworthy to choose their owne ministers : nay , they have the best learning , without which all other learning is but madnesse and folly , and science falsly so called , 1 tim. 6. 20. and indeed of none account with god , nor available for direction and guidance in the affaires of the house of god , such as is this election of ministers , nor for the salvation of the soule in another world , 1 cor. 1. 19. 20. & 2. 14 ▪ job 32. 8. 9. though it may be , and is very usefull therewith . thirdly , you know and ( we doubt not ) doe abhorre as much as wee the spirit of those men that are proud of their owne learning , and vilified believers in christ for want thereof , saying , doe any of the rulers , or of the pharisees believe in him ? but this people which know not the law are cursed , john 7. 47. 48. 49. first , a company of fourty persons , or twenty , or lesse , is not such a small company , but they may be a church properly and truely so called , if there be nothing against them but this , that such a number may seeme not sufficient : we do not finde that god doth any where say , they must be above fourty , or else they cannot be a church ; and therefore no mortall man can justly say it : nay , rather that speech of christ , of two or three gathered together in his name , matth. 18. 20. doth plainly imply that if there be a greater number then two or three , whom they being not satisfied in the answere of an offendor may appeale unto , and in so doing tell the church , such a small number may be a church , and may have the blessing of his presence to be among them . besides , the time hath been , in the dayes of adam and noah , when there was not fourty persons in the world , and yet adams family in his time , and noah● in his , was in those dayes a church , if there was any church on earth . and if christ and his twelve disciples were the first christian church , it is too much for any man to say , that twenty or fourty is such a small company that they cannot be a church . secondly , for the matter of government , there is a difference between ability and right : in respect of the former , in as much as some cases are more difficult then others , and some churches of lesse spirituall abilities then others , and god doth not afford assistance and direction at some times so much as at others ; therefore in such cases it is requisite that churches should seeke for light , and counsell , and advice , from other churches : as the church at antioch did send unto the church at ierusalem in a question , which could not bee determined among themselves , act. 15. 2. but this is not because they have no right , but when they are not able . thirdly , as for right let it be considered how the church at antioch did long endevour to have ended that matter amongst themselves , before they determined to send to ierusalem , vers . 2. which shewes that they had power or right to have transacted that businesse among themselves , if ability had served ; or otherwise , that endevour had been sinfull , as being a presuming to doe that , whereunto they had no right . we conceive then that every church , properly so called , though they be not above fourty , or twenty persons , or ten , or the least number that you mention , have right and power from christ to transact all their owne ecclesiasticall businesses among themselves , if so be they be able , and carry matters justly , and according to the rules of the word . the power of the keyes , matth. 16. 19. among other things noteth ministeriall or delegated power of government ; and this power is committed by christ unto the church , as may appeare , if wee consider , first , to whom christ directed his speech in that place of scripture ; not to peter alone , but to all the disciples also , for to them all the question was propounded by christ , vers . 15. and ●eter answered in all their names . secondly , that he and they were not then looked upon as apostles , or generall officers of all churches ( for that commission was not yet given them ) but as disciples and beleevers , believing with the heart , and confessing with the mouth jesus christ , the rocke upon whom the church is built ; wherein as they did represent all believers , so in peter and the rest , the keyes are committed to all believers that shall joine together in the same confession , according to the order and ordinance of christ . and therefore afterward this power of government is expresly given to the church , matth. 18. 17. according hereunto in that description of the visible church , as it is instituted by christ in the new testament , rev. 4. the members of the church are seene by john in a vision sitting on thrones , cloathed with white rayment , having on their heads crownes of gold , vers . 14. now thrones and crownes are ensignes of authority and power , to note unto us that authority and governing power , which is committed by christ unto the church . doctor fulke hath this saying ; the keyes of the kingdome of heaven ( whatsoever they are ) be committed to the whole church , and not to one person onely , as cyprian , augustine , chrysostome , jerome , and all the ancient doctors ( agreeably to the scriptures ) doe confesse , against the popes pardons chap. 3. p. 381. and elsewhere he saith ; the authority of excommunication pertaineth to the whole church , although the judgement and execution thereof is to be referred to the governours of the church ; which exercise that authority , as in the name of christ , so in the name of the who●e church whereof they are appointed governours , to avoid confusion : against the rhemists on 1 cor. 5. sect. 3. and doctor whitaker hath these words : hoc est quod nos dicimus petrum gessisse personam omnium apostolorum ; quare hanc promissionem non uni petro , sed toti ecclesiae factam esse , & totam ecclesiam in illo claves accepisse . de pontif . roman . q. 2. c. 4. sect. 17. and in that booke hee is pregnant and plaine in this , that by the keyes is meant all ecclesiasticall power and jurisdiction , and that these keyes are given in peter to the whole church : the same is also taught by master parker polit. eccles . l. 3. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 , 6. where he proves by many arguments , that every visible church ( which hee acknowledgeth to be no other but a particular congregation ) hath the power of all ecclesiasticall government and jurisdiction commited to it by christ jesus ; and answereth many objections to the contrary : and page 2 of that third book , making mention of foure opinions concerning those words of the keyes , and power of binding and loosing matth. 16. 19. the first of them that understand the pope onely to be meant thereby as peters successour : the second of them that understand it of the diocesan bishop : the third of them that understand those words as meant of the ministers but the ministers alone : the fourth of them that understand peter to represent the church in that place , and therefore that that promise is made unto the church : of these he refuseth the three first as unsound , and maintaines the fourth as onely agreeing to the truth . and master baine saith , every church by christs institution hath power of government , dioces . tryall quest . 1. p. 8. and hee tells us page 11. what hee meant by church : the word church ( saith he ) wee understand here not figuratively tataken metonymically for the place , syn●cdochecally for ministers administring ordinances ; but properly , for a body politicke standing of people to be taught and governed , and of teachers and governours : so that in his judgement every church ( properly so called ) hath power of government within it selfe : and by these words of his it may also be concluded , that all power of government is not in the elders alone for the power of government by church institution is in every church properly so called ; but ministers are not a church in propriety of speech , but onely figuratively by a synecdoche ; and therefore all power of government is not in the ministers alone , but a church properly so called is the body politique , consisting of people and ministers : but of this more may bee said in the next question . fourthly , for the matters of independency , whereof this question also makes mention : we doe confesse the church is not so independent but that it ought to dep●nd on christ both for direction from the rules of his holy word , ioh. 10. 27. act. 3. 23. and for the assistance of his holy spirit , to discerne those rules , and to walke according to them when they shall be discerned , ioh. ●5 . 5. and 16. 13. but for dependency upon men , or other churches , or other subordination unto them in regard of church government or power , wee know not of any such appointed by christ in his word . our saviours words are plaine , if a man heare not the chu●ch , let him beto thee as an heathen or publican . and his promise unto his church is plaine also , that whatsoever they shall binde on earth , shall be bound in heaven , &c. mat. 18. 17. &c. and the apostle bids the church deliver the impenitent sinner unto satan , 1 cor. 5. 4. 5 , 6. now when the man upon the churches censure comes to be in case as an heathen or publican , yea becomes bound in heaven as well as bound in earth , and also delivered unto satan , this seems to us to be such a firme ratification of the churches censure , as leaves no roome for any other ecclesiasticall power on earth to reverse or disanull the same , and so takes away that kinde of dependency and subordination of churches . nos plane dicimus ●cclesias initiò regi solitas esse à suis pastoribus , sic quidem ut nullis essent externis , aut ecclesi●s , aut episcopis subditae , non colossensis , ephaesi●ae , non philippensis , thessaloniensi , non h● romanae , non romanae cuiquam , se● paris omnes inter se juris essent , id est , sui omnes juris et mancipij whitak de pontif. roman . question 1. chapter 1. section 3. that is in summe . the churches were not dependent and subordinate to others , but all of them absolutely free , and independent . wee affirme saith master baine , that all churches were singular congregations equall in dependent each of other in regard of subjection , diocesse tryall . q 1. pag. 13. the twentieth chapter of mr. parker his third booke of eccles . politie , hath this title de summitate ecclesiae particularis . and the title of the 21. is , de paritate ecclesiarum , where he openeth and explaineth , and by many arguments and testimonies confirmeth what we hold of the independency and paritie of churches , to which learned discourse of his , we referre you for further satisfaction in this point . wee doe believe that christ hath ordained that there should be a presbytery or eldership , 1 tim. 4. 14. and that in every church , ●it . 1 5. acts 14. 23. 1 cor. 12. 28. whose worke is to teach and rule the church by the word and lawes of christ , 1 tim. 5. ●7 and unto whom so teaching and ruling all the people ought to be obedient and submit themselves , heb. 13. 17. and therefore a government meerly popular or democraticall ( which divines and orthodox writers doe so much condemne in morillius , and such like ) is farre from the practice of these churches , and we believe farre from the minde of christ . secondly , neverthelesse a government meerely aristocratical , wherein the church government is so in the hands of some elders , as that the rest of the body are wholly excluded from entermedling by way of power therein , such a government we conceive also to be without warrant of the word , and likewise to be injurious to the people , as infringing that liberty which christ hath given to them in choosing their owne officers , in admitting of members , and censuring of offendors , even ministers themselves when they be such ; as the church of colosse must admonish archippus of his duety , col. 4. 17. master parker you know hath 22. arguments to prove the superiority of the churches over and above her officers , polit. eccles . lib. 3. cap. 12. and master baine saith , if the church have power by election to choose a minister , and so power of instituting him , then of destituting also : instituere & destituere ejusdem est potestatis , dioces . triall p. 88. and againe , no reason evinceth the pope , though a generall pastors subject to the censure of a church oecumenicall , but the same proveth a diocesan bishop ( and wee may adde , and a congregationall minister ) subject to the censure of the particular church , pag. 89. and whereas it might be objected , then may sheep censure the shepherd , children their fathers , which were absurd . to this he answereth , that similitudes hold not in all things , naturall parents are no waies children , nor in state of subjection to their children : but spirituall fathers are so fathers , that in some respects they are children to the whole church . so shepherds are no waies sheep , but ministers are in regard of the whole church . 2. parents and shepherds are absolutely parents and shepherds , bee they good or evill , but spirituall parents and pastors are no longer so , then they do accordingly behave themselves p. 89. ( to the same purpose and more a● large is this objection answered by master parker , polit. eccles . l. 3. c. 12. p. 78. 79. and againe , if their owne churches have no power over them , it will be hard to shew wherein others have such power of jurisdiction over persons who belong not to their owne churches , p. 89. so that all power is not in the officers alone , seeing the officers themselves , if they offend , are under the power of the church . even paul himselfe though an extraordinary officer , yet would not take upon him to excommunicate the incestuous person , without the church , but sends to them exhorting them to doe it ; and blames them because they had not done it sooner , 1 cor. 5. which shewes that the exercise of all church power of government , is not in the officers alone : and therefore the lord iesus reproving pergamus and thyatira for suffering balaamites , nicholaitans , and the woman iezebel among them , and calling on them for reformation herein , rev. 2. sends his epistle , not onely to the angels of those churches , but also to the churches , or whole congregations , as appeareth rev. 1. 11. and also in the conclusion of those epistle , where the words are , let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith , ( not onely to the angels ) but unto the churches ; whereby it appeares , that the suffering of these corrupt persons and practises , was the sinne of the whole church , and the reforming of them , a duty required of them all ▪ now the reforming of abuses in the church , argues some exercise of church government , as the suffering of them argues some remissenesse therein ; and therefore it followes , that some exercise of church government was required of the whole church and not all of the angels alone . sure it is the whole congregation of israel thought it their duty to see to the reforming of abuses , when they appeared to spring up amongst them , as appeareth by their behaviour & practise when the two tribes and an halfe had set up the altar upon the bankes of jordan , ios . 22. for it is said , that the whole congregation of the children of israel gathered themselves together at shilo , to go up to warre against them , v. 12. and when phineas and ten princes with him , were sent to expostulate with them about the matter , it was the whole congregation that sent them , v. 13 , 14. and when they delivered their message they spake in the name of the whole congregation , saying , thus saith the whole congregation of the lord , what trespasse is this ? &c. v. 16. which plainely declares , that the whole congregation ( and not the elders or rulers alone ) thought it their duty to see abuses reformed and redressed , which could not be without some exercise of government . and when achan the sonne of ca●mi had committed a trespasse in the accursed thing , ●is . 7. it is counted the sinne of the whole congregation and such a sinne as brought a plague upon them all : for it is said the children of israel committed a trespasse in the accursed thing , v. 1. and god saith to ioshua ( not the el●ers have sinned , but ) israel hath sinned , and they have transgressed my covenant , and they have stolne of the accursed thing , and put it among their owne stuffe . v. 11. and for this , wrath fell on all the congregation of israel , and that man perished not alone in his iniquity , iosh . 22. 20. now why should not he have perished alone , but wrath must fall upon them all ? and why should his sinne , be the sinne of all the congregation , if the care of preventing it , and timely suppressing the same , ( which could not be without some exercise of church government ) had not bin a duty lying upon all the whole congregation , but upon the elders and officers alone ? doubtlesse the just lord , who saith , every man shall beare his owne burden , gal. 6. 5. would not have brought wrath upon all the congregation for achans sinne , if such government as might have prevented , or timely reformed the same , had not belonged to the whole congregation , but to the elders alone . and before this time all the children of israel ( and not the elders alone ) are commanded to put lepers and uncleane persons out of the campe , numb . 5. 1 , 2. by all which it appeareth , that all exercise of church government is not in the elders alone , but some power is in the people . and else-where he counts it no sacriledge for members of the church , though not in office , to handle those keyes , mat. 16. but rather a frivolous thing to thinke otherwise ; quasi absque sacrilegio , saith he , tractare claves priva●i nequeant , qui e●●s privatim tractare jubeatur . quoties fratres suos admonere , consolari , et aedificare . imò ve●ò est & publica clavium tractatio quam plebs christiana in unum coacta sine ullo sacrilegio ministrat , 1 cor. 5. polit. eccles . l. 3. c. 2. p. 8. and yet this is not a singular conceit of his or ours , but the concurrent judgement of many worthy witnesses of the truth in these latter dayes , who do with great consent hold the ecclesiasticall government to be of a mixt form compounded of all three estates , and that the people are not to be wholly excluded from having any thing to do therein . si velimus christum ipsum respicere , fuit semper ecclesiae regimen monarchicum : si ecclesiae presbyter●s , qui in doctrina et disciplina suas partes agebant , aristocraticum : si totum corpus ecclesiae quatenus in electione episcoporum et presbyterorum suffragia ferebat , it a tamen ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semper à presbyteris servaretur , democraticum : sic partim aristocritum partim democraticum , partim etiam monarchicum est , semper que fuit ecclesiae regimen , whita . de pontif . rom. qu. 1. c. 1. sect . 2. the church ( saith mr. cartwright ) is governed with that kinde of government , which the philosophers that write of the best common-wealths affirme to be the best . for in respect of christ the head it is a monarchy , and in respect of the ancients and pastors that governe in common and with like authority among themselves , it is an aristocraty , or rule of the best men ; and in respect that the people are not secluded , but have their interest in church matters , it is a democraty , or popular state , 1 reply p. 51. and when dr. whitegift , from the doctrine of the authors of the admonition would infer this consequence , viz. that then the more that ruled the better estate it should be , and so the popular state should be the best : in answer hereunto he saith , i have spoken of this before , where i declared that the mixed estate is best , both by the example of the kingdome of christ , and also of this our realme , pag. 181. 182. and againe , whereas mr. dr. saith , that excommunication , and consequently absolution or restoring to the church again pertaineth only to the minister : it remaineth that i shew that the presbytery or eldership , and the whole church also , hath interest in the excommunication , and consequently in the absolution or restoring unto the church againe , p. 183. and againe , it is certaine saint paul did both understand and observe the rule of our saviour christ ( viz. that rule , mat. 18. tell the church ) but he communicateth this power of excommunication with the church : and therefore it must needs be the meaning of our saviour christ , that the excommunication should be by many , and not by one , and by the church , and not by the minister of the church alone , for hee biddeth the church of corinth twise in the first epistle , once by a metaphor , another time in plaine words , that they should excommunicate the incestuous person . and in the 2d. epistle , understanding of the repentance of the man , he intreateth them that they would receive him again : and therfore considering that the absolution of the excommunication doth pertain unto the churches , it followeth that the excommunication doth in like manner appertainunto it , p. 184. and again that the ancients had the ordering of these things , and that the peoples consent was required , & that the ministers did not take upon them of their own authority to excommunicate , &c. it may appeare almost in every page of cyprians epistles . in augustines time it appeareth also , that that consent of the church was required , p. 187. to these may be added , mr. fenner , who speaking of the ecclesiasticall presbytery , and of the businesse which the presbytery is to deale in , which hee distinguisheth into judiciarie , as deciding of doubts , and dispencing of censures . and extrajudiciary , as election , ordination &c. hath these words , atque haec sunt negotia quae praestari debent : in quibus per omnes ecclesias summa ecclesiastica potestas presbyterio demandata est , ita tamen ut in his quae maximi sunt momenti , et ad ecclesiae totius bonum velruinam maxime spectant , post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suam de his captum consilia ecclesiae denunciantur , ut si quid habeant quod consulant vel objiciant in ●●edium proferant : postea , autem auditis et assentien ibus ( nisi ad majorem senatum negotium deferri fuerit , necesse ad turbas vita●das sive componendas , quod tum cum major pars ecclesiae dissentit , faciendum est ) decervenda et pro decretis ecclesiis pro●onenda sunt , and then he declares what hee meanes by those matters maxim momenti , viz. excommunication , absolution , elections , and deposings of ministers and such like , sacrae the. lib. 7. c 7. wherin he plainly sheweth , that though the power of the presbytery be very great yet in things of greatest moment , as censures and elections , the people if they have any thing to counsell or object , have liberty to bring it in ; and afterwards matters are to be concluded when they have bin heard speake , and have given their consent , for which liberty and power of the people , he bringeth these scriptures , 2 chro. 30. 23. acts 1. 15. 23. 26. 1 cor. 5. 4. & 2 cor. 1. 6. 7. zanchius speaking of that question , per quos exerceri debet excommunicatio , answers thus , nempe per ecclesia● , seu per ministros ecclesiae nomine , eoque et cum consensu totius ecclesiae promissio illa , quaecunque ligaveritis , ad totam ecclesiam est facta , ergo &c. praeterea apostolus hoc expressius declaravit , 1 cor. 5. congregatis vobis , &c. alloquebatur autem totam ecclesiam . patres idem docent : cyprianus ad cornelium rom. episcopum seribit se multum laborasse apud plebem , ut par daretur lapsis p●enitentibus : si ergo non erat unius episcopi cum suo presbyterio solvere quempiam , sed requirebatur plebis eoque totius ecclesiae consensus : ergo neque ligari quispiam poterat , id est excommunicari , sine totius ecclesiae consensu . augustinus etiam contra donatistas ait , supersedendum esse excommunicatione quando tota plebs laborant eodem merbo , quid ita ? causam adfert , quia inquit , non assentientur excommunicationi . &c. satis aperte docet tunc temporis non solitum fuisse excommunicationem ferri in quempiam sine totius ecclesiae consensu ; et ratio est in promptu , quae enim adomnes pertinent eum consensu omnium fieri debent : ergo sine totius ecclesiae consensu excommunicari nemo debet . and then comparing the government of the church , to the roman common-wealth which had the dictators , the senate and the quirites , and shewing that the church government in respect of christ is a monarchy , in respect of the presbyters an aristocratie , and in respect of the people a democratie , he concludes thus , in rebus igitur gravissimis , quae ad totum corpus pertinent , uti est excommunicatio , sine consensu et authoritate totius ecclesiae nihil fieri debet , de redempt , in prae c. 4. pag. 983. &c. calvins words are these , cyprianus cum meminit per quos suo tempore exerceretur ( viz. potestas jurisdictionis ) adjungere solet totum clerum episcopo , sed . libi quoque demonstrat , sic praefuisse clerum ipsum , ut plebs inter●m à cognitione non excluderetur , sic enim scribit ; ab initio episcopatus mei statui sine cleri consilio & plebis consensu nihil agere , instit. 1. 4. c. 11. sect. 6. and againe , hoc addo , illam esse legitimam in excommunicando homine progressionem quam demonstrat paulus , si non soli seniores seorsim id faciant , sed conscia & approbante ecclesia , in eum scilicet modum , ut plebis multitudo non regat actionem , sed observet , ut testis & custos , ne quid per libidinem à paucis geratur , instit . l. 4. c. 12. sect. 7. those ministers that penned the christian and modest offer of disputation , doe say , that the pastor and elders that exercise ecclesiasticall jurisdiction , ought not to performe any maine and materiall ecclesiasticall act , without the free consent of the congregation , in propos . 8. the refuter of doctor downams sermon for the superiority of diocesan bishops , is plaine and full also in this point , in part 2. of his reply p. 104 105 , 106. where answering doctor downam , that counted it schismaticall novelty , that the forme of the church government should be holden in part to be democrattcall , and that his refuter for so holding was a brownist or anabaptist ; he not onely proves the power of the people from the scripture , and delivers his owne judgement , that the ecclesiasticall government is of a mixt forme , compounded of all three estates ; but for the same tenent , and that the church government is in part democraticall or popular , he alledgeth the testimonies of the centuries , of illyricus , of doctor fulke . doctor willet , cyprian , augustine , p. martyr , dr whitaker , and others : master baines his judgement we heard before in the former question . vrsinus speaking of that question . quibus commissa est potestas clavium ▪ hath these words : quibus denunciatio verbi divini delegata est , iisdem & potestas illa clavium ; quae verò denunciatio fit in ecclesiastica disciplina est totius ecclesie , ad totam enim ecclesiam pertinet disciplina & jurisdictio spiritualis , sed alio modo fit illa denunciatio in verbi divini ministerio , quam in ecclesiae judicio . and then telling how this denunciation is done in the ministery , and by the ministers of the word , he comes to declare how it is done in church censures : in ecclesiastico judicio ( saith he ) gratiae & irae dei non fit denunciati . ab uno aliquo privatim ▪ sed à tota ecclesia aut nomine totius ecclesiae ' ab its qui ad hoc delecti sunt communi omnium consensu . and a little after answering objections brought against the use of excommunication , he hath these words : potest concedi quod christus non intelligat presbyterium ( viz. in that place matth. 18. tell the church ) sed propriè sumat vocabulum ecclesiae ante christum jdaicae● , post christum christianae : sed in ecclesiae jurisdictione oportet aliquem esse ordinem , aliquos oportet esse constitutos ab ecclesia , alioquin esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and speaking of that question , quis ordo servari debeat in exercenda clavium potestate ( he saith ) principalis pars in excommunicatione est denunciatio , qua &c. atque haec denunciatio qua quis excommunicatur non est penes ministrum ecclesiae , sed penes ipsam ecclesiam , & ejus nomine fit , quia mandatum hoc à christo datum est ecclesiae ; nam ipse ait expressè , dic ecclesiae . and finally , speaking of abuses to be avoided , and cautions to be observed in excommunication , he hath such words in the fourth proposition , or rule there annext , as doe declare it to be his judgement ▪ that if excommunication should be passed by a few , without the consent of the whole church , such proceedings would be both oligarchy and tyranny : attentem expendatum ( saith he ) à toto presbyterio , probetur ab ecclesia , non suscipiatur privat â authoritate , ne ministerium ecclesiae convertatur in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & tyrannidem , in his comment upon the catechisme , in the place de clavibus regni coelorum . pareus delivering certaine porismata or , conclusions concerning excommunication , hath this for the fifth of them , quòd excommunicandi potestas non fit penes unum episcopum , vel paucos pastores , sed penes ecclesiam ; proindelicet pastores & presbyteri ordinis cau ▪ â primas habeant partes circa censuras ecclesiasticas , & per eos h● administrentur ; quod tamen citra consensum ecclesiae pastores ad exclusionem proced●re non debeant , alibi demonstravimus in 1 cor. 5. and a little after , answering stapletons objections that would have the power of excommunication to be in the bishop alone ▪ he brings in the case of cyprian , who could not absolve the lapsi without the people : cyprianus ( saith hee ) ad cornelium romanum episcopum scribit s● multum apua plebem laborasse ut pax daretur lapsis , quam si per se dare potuisset , non erat cur adeo in persuadenda plebe se fatigasset . so that in the judgement of pareus and cyprian all power of church government was not in the presbyters , but some power was in the people . musculus , although he thinke there be little use of excommunication and church discipline , where there is a christian magistrate , yet when it is to be used , he would not have the people excluded from having any hand therein , as may appeare by those words of his , where he speakes de disciplina ecclesiastica : hisce de rebus non constituet minister suo proprio arbitratu , sed erit ad institutionem earum director , & adhibebit suffragia & consensum sue plebis , ne quicquam invitae ecclesie imponatur . denique curabit ut plebs ipsa viros graves , timentes dei , ac boni testimonii deligat , quorum curâ & vigilantiâ disciplina ecclesiastica administratur , & si quid gravioris momenti accidat , ad ipsam ecclesiam referatur : loc. com . de ministris verbi dei , in tit . de potestate ministrorum p. 377. and afterward , in the latter end of that place , comming to speake of the deposing of unworthy ministers , he hath these words : quaeritur hic per quos disciplina ista administrari debeat ? respondeo , primum ecclesiae populus potestatem habens elegendi dignum ministrum , habet etiam ( teste cypriano ) potestatem indignum recusandi : deinde qui judices sunt censoresque morum in ecclesia ex officio tenentur redargnere peccantem ministrum , si duobus aut tribus testibus fide dignis coram ecclesia dei convictus fuerit . tertiò , iidem cum consensu & suffragiis plebis deponent ministrum , vel ad ltempus , vel in universum , vel excommunicabunt tandem juxta quaitatem peccati vel defectus illius , p. 429. doctor ames saith , potestas hujus disciplinae ( viz. of excommunication ) quoad jus ipsum pertinet ad ecclesiam illam in communi , cujus membrum est peccator : ad illos enim pertinet ejicere , ad quos pertinet primò admittere , & corporis totius interest ex aequo membrorum conservatio vel amputatio , cum ecclesi● idcirco consensu ( eoque magistratu non permittente tantum , sed & approbante & constituente ) est executioni mandanda . medul . theol. l. 1. c. 37. sect. 26. lastly , master parker observing a distinction betweene power , and the dispencing of power ; that the one is in the church and the other in the presbyters , hath these words : neque tamen dispensatio omnis , omneque exercitum est penes rectores solos , sed juxta temperamentum formae partim aristocratice , partim democraticae de manda●ae rectoribus suis ecclesi● , que ipsa per se obire satis commodè nequit , retinente vero dispensationem illam illudque exercitium quod & ipsi convenit , & pertinet ad ejus lignitatem , authoritatem , & libertatem à christo donatam . posit . eccles . l. 3. c. 7. and elsewhere he saith , imo vero est & publica clavium tractatio , quam plebes christiana in unum coacta , sine ullo acrilegio administrat . polit. eccles . l. 3 c. 2 p. 8. these testimonies we thought good to produce in this question , lest any should thinke that to give any church power of government to the people , were some singular opinion of ours , swerving from the truth , and disallowed by orthodox writers of the reformed churches ; and no doubt but besides these here cited , the same is taught by ●thers also , whom now we spare to alledge , intending onely ●hese few for a taste instead of many . 2. and therefore when this question demandeth whe●her we give the exercise of all church power of government to the whole congregation , or to the presbyters thereof alone ? our answer is , neither thus nor so , neither all to ●he people excluding the presbytery , nor all to the presbytery excluding the people . for this were to make the government of the church either meerly democraticall , or meerly aristocraticall , neither of which we believe it ought to be . 3. whereas this question demandeth to know what acts of government the presbyters may doe more then any other may doe , and to have those particular acts mentioned : this seemeth to us to be a very large demand , for who is able to mention all the particular acts of government , which any one governour may performe in his time , especially if he continue long in his place ? but if your meaning in this point be not of the individualls , but of the species or kinds , yet even there also it is much to require the particular mentioning of all ; yet to give you a taste take these . the calling of assemblies and dismissing of the same againe ; the ordinary preaching of the word , which is done by way of office ; and being the peoples mouth unto god in prayer ; the dispensing of baptisme , and the lords supper : the permitting of any to speak in an orderly way ; and againe enjoining silence : the putting of matters to vote , and pronouncing of sentence in the censure of offendors , or receiving in of penitents after their fall , and blessing of the people in the name of the lord ; these are acts of church government , which the presbyters may doe according to the word and another member may not do without breach of order and presuming above his place . 4. it is also here demanded , what the presbyters may do without the particular consent of the rest ? to which wee answer , that when they doe what the lord christ ( whose stewards they are ) by his word requires of them in their places , this should not be without the consent of the rest , ●or the rest of the church ought to consent thereto : christs sheep ought to heare his voice , iohn 10. 27. and to obey them that speak unto them in his name , heb. 13. 17. and if any man should in such case willfully dissent , the church ought to deale with such an one , for not consenting to the will and waies of christ , or else they shall all be guilty of the sinfull dissent of such an one . so that this passage ( if it be meant of presbyters doing their duty ) without the consent of the people , goes upon a supposall ( in respect of the people ) of that which never ought to be , neither are wee to suppose but that there may be rule when the elders and brethren doe not dissent nor are divided one from another : the multitude of them that believed in the first christian church at ierusalem , were of one heart and of one soule , a l. 4. 32. yet none needs to doubt , but there was rule and government amongst them , when yet their agreement was such , that the apostles and flders did nothing without the full consent of the rest . it is a miserable mistake either to thinke that in the church of christ the elders and brethren must needs dissent one from another , or if they all consent , that then there can be no ruling but against the peoples minde . they were none of the best shepheards to their flocks unto whom the lord saith , with force and rigour have you ruled them . ezech. 34. 4. as for doing any thing in their places ▪ which the word of christ , the lord and master of the church , commandeth not , nor alloweth such things ▪ they neither ought to do nor ought the church to consent unto them if they should ; for that were to make themselves partakers of their rulers sinnes , and so to bring judgement upon them all , as when the priests did wickedly beare rule , and the people loved to have it so , ieremiah 5. 31. 5. lastly , this question demandeth how , and over whom in those acts of government , which are done by the elders more then by other members , or without the consent of the rest , the presbyters doe rule in propriety of speaking more then the rest of the congregation ? wherein are sundry particulars . 1. how they rule ? whereunto wee answer , that neither the elders nor the people doe rule with lordly and princely rule , and soveraigne authority and power ; for that is proper to christ over his church : who is the onely lord , 1 cor. 12. 5. and king and lawgiver that is able to save and to destroy , isa . 33. 23. psal . 2. luk. 19. 27. jam. 4. 12. the elders are forbidden to be lords over gods heritage , 1 pet. 5. 3. or to exercise authority as the kings and princes of the earth doe , matth. 20. 25 , 26. luk. 22. 25 , 26. they are not so to rule , as to doe what themselves please , but they must do whatsoever christ hath commanded , mat. 28. 20. mr. baine sheweth from these words there are diversities of ministeries , but one lord , 1 cor. 12. 5. that it is contrary to the scripture that there should be in the church more lords then one : ( and saith he ) look as great lords have in their houses ministers of more and lesse honour , from the steward to the scullery , but no lord-like or master-like power in any besides themselves : so is it with christ and his church , which is the house of god , wherein hee is the lord , apostles and others having more or lesse honourable services , but no masterlike power over the meanest of their fellow servants : on ephes . 1. 22. p. 395. and elsewhere he saith , no minister of the word hath any power but ministeriall in the church , the power of the apostles themselves and evangelists is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , acts 20. 2 tim. 4. yea such a service as doth make the ministers having it so servants , that they are no way lords ; many ministers , one lord ; we preach christ iesus the lord ; our selves your servants for iesus sake , dioces . tryall . q. 2. p. 74. the elders are to rule as stewards , mat. 24. 45. luke 12. 42. as shepheards , act. 20. 28. as captaines , guides , leaders or overseers , by going before the people , and shewing them the word and way of the lord , 1 tim. 3. 1. 5. & 5. 17. 1 thes . 5. 12. h●b . 13. 17. 2. how they rule more then the rest of the congregation do ? whereto the answer is , that this is more then the rest of the congregation doe in these acts , even as acting is more then consenting , and as it is more to be a steward over of the house then one of the household , or to be a guide or leader , then to be guided or led . 3. over whom they doe rule ? even over the whole church in generall , and every member in particular , even all the flocke over which the holy ghost hath made them overseers , act. 20. 28. 1 pet. 3. 2. the rule is expresse and plaine that women ought not to speake in the church , but to be in silence , 1 cor. 14. 34. 1 tim. 2 11 , 12. and therefore they ought not to vote in church matters ; besides voting imports some kind of government , and authority and power : now it is not government and authority , but subjection and obedience which belongs unto women , by the rule , and so is the practice of women amongst us . church matters ought not to be determined meerly by multitude or plurality of votes , but by rules from the word of christ , whose will ▪ ( and not the will either of the major , or minor part of men , ) is the onely rule and law for churches , iam. 4. 12. isa . 33. 22. mat. 23. 8 , 9. exod. 23. 2. 21. 22. for our practice among us , the major part of the church , yea usually the whole church doth consent and agree in one minde , and one judgement , and so gives a joint unanimus vote ; and the rule requires it should be so rom. 15. 6. and the example of the primitive apostolike churches , where things were carried ( nor meerly by the major or minor part , the rest dissenting , but ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or with one accord . act. 1. 14. & ● . 46 & 4. 24. & ● . 12. & 15. 25. so that in this sence , matters with us are carried according to the vote of the major part , that is , with the joint consent of the whole church , but yet because it is the minde of christ . but it may be your meaning is in this question to take it for granted that the churches will be divided in their votes , and to know what course we take at such times : but if churches lay aside their owne affections , and give attendance to the rule , and be ( as all churches ought to be ) men of humble spirits , and sincere , and withall depend on christ their head and king for guidance , in their worke , we know no necessity of such a supposall , that they must needs be divided in their votes , especially considering what promises he hath made unto his church , of godly concord and agreement among themselves , and of his owne gracious presence in the midst of them , ier. 32. 39. zeph. 3. 9. mat. 18. 20. which promifes we believe are not in vaine . neverthelesse , we deny not but through the corruptions & distempers of men , some dissention may arise for a time in a true church , as it was in the church at corinth : and if any such thing fall out among us ( which we blesse god is not often ) then before matters be put to the vote , our course of proceeding is after this manner . if the elders and major part of the church consent in one conclusion , yet if any brother dissent , he is patiently heard , and his alledgements of scripture or good reasons are duely weighed : if it appeare that his judgement is according to the rule , the whole church will readily yeeld , though before they were otherwise minded . but if it appeare they who dissent from the major part , are factiously or partially carried , the rest labour to convince them of their error by the rule , if they yeeld , the consent of all comfortably concurreth in the matter ; if they still continue obstinate , they are admonished , and so standing under censure , their vote is nullified . if they without obstinate opposition of the rest , doe dissent still , yet referre the matter to the judgement of the major part of the body they are not wont to proceed to sentence ( if the matter be weighty as in excommunication ) till the reasons on both sides have bin duly pondered , and all brotherly means have been used for mutuall information and conviction . if the difference still continue the sentence ( if the matter be weighty ) is still demurred , even till other churches have been consulted with , who in such a case will send their elders to communicate their apprehensions and light , which they do not pro imperio , binding the church to rest in their dictates but by propounding their grounds from the scripture . these courses with gods presence and blessing ( which usually accompanieth his ordinance ) faithfully taken and followed , will prevaile either to settle one unanimous consent in the thing ▪ or at least to preserve peace in the church by the dissentors submission to the judgement of the major part , though they see not light sufficient to warrant them to act in the businesse : such subjection is according to the rule , ephes . 5. 21. 1 pet. 5. 5. if the church or the elders should refuse the testimony of other churches according to god , they will ( after brotherly admonition and due patient waiting ) deny them the right hand of fellowship , till they shall give better evidence of their subjection to the gospel of christ . but thanks be to god we never had occasion of such withdrawing communion of one church from another , though now and then ( as need requireth ) churches send to other churches for their counsell and advice . meanes to preserve the churches in unitie and verity , and to reforme any that may erre , thankes bee to god we have sundry . first , the holy scriptures , which are a perfect rule for doctrine and practise , 2 tim. 3. 15 16. 2 pet. 1. 19. psal . 19. 7 , 8. secondly , the ministery appointed by christ , viz. of pastors , teachers , elders , and deacons , ephes . 4. 11 , 12. 1 cor 12. 28. 1 tim. 5. 17. 1. tim. 3. 1 , 2. &c and vers . 8. and in both these we have frequently holden forth unto us the commandement of god , wherein he requires churches to bee of one mind and one judgement in the truth , 1 cor. 1. 10. & 2. 13. 11. ephes . 4. 3. & phil. 1. 27. & 2. 1. 2. and his promise to lead his people into all truth , and holy agreement therein , jer. 32. 29. isa 11 6 , 7 &c. zeph. 3. 9. ioh. 16. 13. with many motives and rules from scripture for continuing in the said truth and love . now faith makes use of these promises and submits to these precepts and exhortations , and so both these being mixt with faith are profitable meanes by the blessing of god for that end aforesaid , heb. 4. 2. as these churches have found by experience , for these yeares since our comming into this countrey : and any other meanes sanctified of god for the aforesaid end , we hope we should be glad with thankfull hearts to improve and make use of as the lord shall help . as for a platforme of doctrine and discipline which you mention , as one meanes hereunto , if thereby you meane no more but a confession of faith of the holy doctrine which is according to godlinesse , we know nothing but it may be lawfull and expedient in some cases for any particular person that hath received the gift to doe it ; or any church , or a●l the churches in any christian common-wealth , to compile and set forth such a platforme . the practise of those churches , whose confessions are contained in that booke called the harmony of confessions , as also of master robinson at leiden , and others of our nation in other parts in the low-countries , who have published such platformes , we see no reason to condemne or disallow : neither count we it unlawfull or inexpedient for any church or churches , or person or persons in the countrey , upon just occasion to doe the like . but if your meaning be of a platforme to be imposed by authority upon others , or our selves , as a binding rule of faith and practice , so that all men must believe and walke according to that platforme , without adding , altering , or omitting ▪ then we are doubtfull whether such platformes be lawfull or expedient . for if the doctrine contained therein doe in any particular swerve from the doctrine contained in scripture then the imposing of them is so far forth unlawfull ; and if they be according to it , then they may seeme needlesse , in as much as the forme of wholesome words contained in scripture is sufficient . which reason against such platformes , makes nothing against sermons or preaching , though sermons must be according to the doctrine contained in scripture , because preaching is an ordinance of god and therefore not needlesse ; which we cannot say of such platformes . besides , as they are not necessary , so they may be a snare unto men , and a dangerous temptation of attending more to the forme of doctrine delivered from the authority of the church , and the imposers , then to the examining thereof according to the rule of scripture ; and so their faith may by this meanes stand in the wisedome or will of man , rather then in the power of god , as if men had dominion over their faith ; which things ought not so to be , 1 cor. 2. 5. & 2. 1. ver . christians have liberty from god to search the scriptures , and try all things , and hold fast that which is good , act. 17. 11. ioh. 5. 39. 1 thess . 5. 21. but the foresaid imposing of platformes and confessions compiled by men , doth seeme to abridge them of that liberty ; and if it be any meanes of unity , yet it may be a dangerous hinderance of some verity and degree of truth as binding men to rest in their former apprehensions and knowledge , without liberty , to better their judgement in those points , and shutting the doore against any further light which god may give to his best servants , and most discerning , beyond what they saw at first : and therefore we doubt such imposed platformes are not lawfull , or at least wise not expedient . the consociation of churches into classes and synods we hold to be lawfull and in some cases necessary ; as namely in things that are not peculiar to one church , but common to them all : and likewise when a church is not able to end any matter that concernes onely themselves , then they are to seeke for counsell and advice from neighbour churches ; as the church at antioch did send unto the church at ierusalem , acts 15. 2. the ground and use of classes and synods , with the limitations therein to be observed , is summarily laid downe by doctor ames , medul . theol. l 1. c. 39. sect. 27. unto whom we do wholly consent in this matter . but when you speake of doing no weighty matter without the consent and counsell of a classes , we dare not so far restraine the particular churches as fearing this would be to give the c●asses an undue power and more then belongs unto them by the word ; as being also an abridgment of that power which christ hath given to every particular church , to transact their owne matters ( whether more or lesse weighty ) among themselves ( if so be they be able ) without such necessary dependence upon classes , as we have shewed before in answer to q. 14. sect. 3. & 4. of that answere . and master parker testifieth , that in genevah , and in the low-countries , where they have some use of classes , yet it cannot bee said that their particular congregations are absque potestate omni in rebus grandtoribus , ut in excommunicatione ; the particular churches are not without power in the more weighty matters , as in excommunication , polit. eccles . li. 2. c. 36. sect. 11. p. 310. and master baine sheweth the same , saying , they have power of governing themselves , but for greater edification voluntarily confederate , not to use or exercise their power but with mutuall communion , one asking the counsell and consent of the other , dioces . triall q. 1. p. 21. and a little after geneva made his consociation , not as if the prime churches were imperfect , and to make one church by this union ; but because though they were intire churches , and had the power of churches , yet they needed support in exercising of it , &c. which is the very same that wee said before in q. 14 viz. that all churches have right of government within themselves , but some had need of counsell and advice of others , because they are of lesse ability to transact their owne matters of themselves . and master parker in the same place afore alledged in the page immediately precedent , clearly sheweth against doctor downham , doctor sutcliffe , and others , that those particular congregations which have presbyters of their owne , with power within themselves , are the most perfect , and are precisely formed juxta formam illam quae in verbo patefacta est , according to that forme which is revealed in the word ; whereas others which have not the like are more defective and imperfect . and if this be so , then to binde churches to do no weighty matters without the counsell and consent of classes , were to blinde them to bee imperfect . and for synods , if they have such power that their determination shall binde the churches to obedience ( as you speake ) it is more then we yet understand . indeed bellarmine makes bishops in a councell or synod to be judges ; and that standum sit corum sententiae , quia ipsi sic statuerunt , quomodo statur sententia praetoris in causis politicis ; that is , either to obey or suffer : de concil . & eccles . l. 1. c. 18. but the orthodoxe writers do not consent to him therein ; for in their judgement the sentence of a councell or synod is onely inquisitio quaedam & dictio sententiae ministrato●ia & limitata , ita ut tantum valeat decretum concilii quantum valeat ejus ratio , as doctor ames hath it in his bellarminus enervatus , upon that place of bellarmine : that is , the sentence of a synod is onely a certaine enquiring and giving of sentence by way of ministery , and with limitation ; so that the decree of the councell hath so much force as there is force in the reason of it . and junius expresseth it thus ; sententia concilii per se ipsam suasionis non coactionis est judicium ministeriale , non authoritatem , per se necessitatemque adferens , animadvers . upon bellarmine in that place : that is , the sentence of a councell is of it selfe onely of advice , not of compulsion or constraint , and brings with it a judgement ministeriall , not authority of it selfe nor necessity ; whereunto we doe wholly consent . as for that clause in this question , that the determination of a synod should binde if not to obedience , yet to peaceable suffering , we know not what sufferings those should be : for punishments in purse or person , in respect of the body or outward man , are not to be inflicted by synods , but by civill magistrates ; and church-censures of excommunication , or the like , belong to the particular church of which an offendor is a member , out of the communion whereof a man cannot be cast , but onely by his owne church . onely christ hath authority to make lawes for the government of each particular church , and the members thereof , and h●s lawes doe oblige all the members , and may not be omitted without sinne , jam. 4. 12. jsa . 33. 22. ● mat. 23. 8 , 9 10. ●ct . 3. 23. but for particular churches , they have no power to make lawes for themselves or their members , but to observe and see all their members observe those laws which christ hath given and commanded mat. 28. 20. deu● . 33. 3. iohn 10. 27. if any church shall presume further , they goe beyond their commission , and in such case their ecclesiasticall lawes may be omitted without sinne , nay it would be sinne to be subject to them col. 2. 20. to walke after them , hos . 5. 11. to be such servants of men as not to stand fast in the liberty wherewith christ hath made us free , 1. or . 7. 23. gal. 5. 1. the outward calling of a minister consisteth properly and essentially in election by the people , as doctor ●mes sheweth , cas . cons . l. 4. c. 25. q. 6. and this election is so essentiall , that without it the ministers calling ( if you speak of an ordinary church officer ) is a nullity ; and therefore mornay , that learned noble man of france , approveth that saying of chrysostome , election by the people is so necessary , as that without it there is neither altar , nor church , nor priest-hood , where ( omitting other things ) it appeares to be their judgement , that without election by the people , the ministery is void ; and mornay addeth of his owne , concerning the bishops amongst the papists , that they were nullá plane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , nulla proinde , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the one presupposed the other , no imposition seeing without election , in his booke of the church , c. 11. p. 375. yet sometimes the peoples acceptance and approbation afterward may supply the want of election at the first , as iacobs after consent and acceptance of lea , made her to be his wife , though hee chose her not at the first . and by this we hold the calling of many ministers in england may be excused , who at first came into their places without the consent of the people . if ordination by imposition of hands , were of the essence of a ministers calling then in those churches , where such ordination is not used , their ministers should want a lawfull calling , which were an hard sentence against many ministers in scotland , where ( as is reported ) this ordination is not thought necessary , and therefore used or omitted indifferently . wee looke at ordination by imposition of hands , as a solemne investing of men into their places , whereto they have right and calling by election , like to the inauguration of a magistrate in the common-wealth , yet necessary by divine institution . 1 tim. 4. 14. but not so necessary as if the ministers calling were a nullity without it . essentia ipsa vocationis , in electione legitima consistit ; ordinatio pendet ab electione , sicut coronatio principi● , aut magistratus inauguratio , ab electione , successione , aut aequivalente aliqua constitutione . ames bellarm. enervat . lib. 3. de clericis , c. 2. sect. 3. that is , the essence of a ministers calling consists in lawfull election , ordination depends upon election , as the coronation of a prince , or the inauguration of a magistrate , depends upon election , succession , or some other constitution aequivalent . and againe , ritus impositionis manuum non est absolute necessarius ad esse pastoris , non magis quam coronatio ad esse regis , aut celebratio nuptiarum ad earum esse . sect . 10. that is , the right of imposition of hands is not absolutely necessary to the essence of a pastor , no more then the coronation to the essence of a king , or the celebration of marriage to the essence thereof . ordination of ministers is not a private action but publique , and ought to be done publiquely in the assembly of the church , and therefore the persons that performe it , ( whether they be ordinary church officers or no ) cannot in any congruity of speech be called meere private persons in that action . 2. the church that hath no officers , may elect officers or ministers unto themselves , therefore it may also ordaine them ; which argument dr. whitaker useth as wee shall see anon . if it have commission and power from christ for the one , and that the greater , it hath it also for the other which is the lesser : now ordination is lesse then election , and depends upon it as a necessary antecedent by divine institution , by vertue of which it is justly administred , being indeed nothing else but the admission of a person lawfully elected into his office , or a putting of him into possession thereof , whereunto he had right before by election , as was said before in answer to the precedent question . 3. if a church have ministers or elders before , then this ordination is to be performed by the elders of the church , and in their assemblie . 1 tim. 4. 14. as also many other acts are to be performed by them . 4. this ordination thus performed by the elders for the church , may fitly be called the act of the whole church , as it is the whole man that seeth , that heareth , that speaketh , when these acts are instrumentally performed by the eye , the eare , and the tongue , in which sense master parker saith , ecclesia per alios docet , baptisa●que , polit. eccles . l. 3. c. 7. p. 26. 5. but when a church hath no officers , but the first officers themselves are to be ordained , then this ordination by the rite of imposing of hands may be performed for the church by the most prime grave and able men from among themselves , as the church shall depute hereunto , as the children of israel did lay their hands upon the levites , numb . 8. 10. now all the congregation could not impose all their hands upon them together , all their hands could not possibly reach them together , and therefore it must needs be that some of the congregation in the name of the whole body performed this rite : and as this scripture sheweth , that the people may in some cases lay their hands upon church officers , ( for the levites were such , upon whom the children of israel did lay their hands ) so let it be considered , whether these reasons doe not further make it manifest . 1. men that are in no office may elect , therefore they may ordaine , because ordination is nothing else but the execution of election . 2. if it were not so then one of these would follow , either that the officers must minister without any ordination at all , or else by vertue of some former ordination received in some other church or else they must be ordained by some other minister or ministers of some other church , that were ordained afore them , and so the ministery to be by succession . but the first of these is against the scripture , 1 tim. 4. 14. heb. 6. 2. and the second were to establish the popish opinion of the indeleble character , imprinted as they imagine in their sacrament of holy orders . whereas for ought we can discerne . if when they are called to office in any church , they have need of a new election , notwithstanding their former election into another church then they have by the same ground need of a new ordination , for ordination depends upon election : if their former election be ceased , their former ordination is ceased also ; and they can no more minister by vertue of a former ordination unto another church , then by vertue of a former election . and for the third , we doe not understand what authority ordinary officers can have to ordaine ministers to such a church , of which themselves are not so much as members besides at some times , namely at the first reformation after the times of popery , there were no others to be had but from the pope , and his bishops and priests . now it were a pittifull case , if the sheep must have no shepherd but such as are appointed to them by the wolves , that is , if gods people might not have ministers , but onely from the popish bishops . this were to say , either that the ministers of antichrist , must , or may ordaine ministers to the church of christ , or else that the popish bishops are true ministers of christ . and if protestants thinke it necessary , that their first ministers should be ordained by the popish bishops , it is no marvell if the papists do thereupon believe that their church is the true church , and their bishops true ministers . such a scandall is it unto them to maintaine this personall succession of the ministery . but god doth so much abhorre antichrist , that hee would not have his people to seek to him , nor his priests to ordaine christs ministers , as he would not take of babilon a stone for a corner , nor a stone for a foundation , ier. 51. 26. 3. it is thus in civill corporations and cities , the major , bayliffe , or other chiefe officer elect , is at his entrance and inauguration to receive at the hands of his predecessors the sword or keyes of the city , or to have some other solemne ceremonie by him performed unto him yet if either there be no former as at the first or that the former be dead or upon necessity absent , when his successor entreth , then is this ceremony and worke performed by some other , the fittest instrument ; neither need that city borrow any officer of another city , neither could he entermeddle there without usurpation , though both the corporations have the same charter under the same king. and so it is in this spirituall corporation or city , the church of god. 4. that this point may seeme the lesse strange to you , we pray you consider with us a little further the nature of this ordination , and then wee will adde the testimonies of some eminent protestant writers in this case , that you may see this is not any singular opinion of ours . for the former , some indeed have so highly advanced this ordination , that they have preferred it farre above preaching the word , ministring the sacraments , and prayer , making it and the power of excommunication , the two incommunicable prerogatives of a bishop above an ordinary minister ; yet the scripture teacheth no such thing , but rather the contrary , for when the apostles were sent out by christ , there was no mention of ordination in that commission of theirs , but only of teaching & preaching & baptising mat. 28. 19 , 20. mark. 16. 15 , 16. if ordination of ministers had bin such a speciall worke , there would belike have bin some mention of it in their commission . and certaine it is , the apostles counted preaching the word their principall worke , and after it prayer , and the ministring of the sacraments , act. 6. 4. 1 cor. 1. 17. if ordaining of ministers had bin in their account so prime a worke , it may seem paul would rather have tarried in creete to have ordained elders there then have gone himselfe about preaching , seaving titus for the other , tit. 1 5. by all which it appeares , that ordaining of ministers is not such an eminent work as that it is to be preferred above preaching the word , and ministring the sacraments , and therefore to be performed by them that are superiours unto ordinary ministers ; preaching and ministring the sacraments , being left as inferiour workes unto ministers , of an inferiour ranke , as they would have it , that stand for the superiority of docesan bishops ; neither is it equall unto those other workes afore mentioned , that onely he that doth those , may performe this other also , as some others thinke ; but being nothing else in the true nature and use of it but the execution and accomplishment and confirmation of election , it may bee performed by the people of god , that yet have no officers , even as election may upon which it doth depend . 5. lastly , let these sayings of some protestant writers of singular note , either for holinesse , or learning , or both , be well considered of . master perkins saith , succession of doctrine alone is sufficient ; for this rule must bee remembred , that the power of the keyes ( that is , of order and jurisdiction ) is tyed by god and annexed in the new testament to doctrine . if in turkey , or america , or elsewhere , the gospel should be received by the counsell and perswasion of private persons , they need not send into europe for consecrated ministers , but they have power to choose their owne ministers from within themselves ; because where god gives the word he gives the power also ; upon gal. 1. 11. doctor willet saith , whereas bellarmine objecteth that as in the old law the priesthood went by carnall generation and lineall descent from aaron , so in the new it must bee derived by succession from the apostles ; we answere , first , that our saviour christ and his apostles could shew no lineall descent from aaron , neither had their ordination from his successors , and yet were the true pastors of the church . and a little after , this we say further , that both before christ there were true pastors and prophets , which were not ordained by the priests of aaron ; and since christ , that received not their ordination successively from the apostles . first , in the old law , when the ordinary priesthood was corrupted , god raised up prophets from other tribes that received not from the priests their ordination and allowance : such an one was amos , who was among heardsmen , and was made a prophet as he was gathering wilde black-berries . after the same manner in the corrupt times of the gospel , the lord hath raised up faithfull ministers to his church , that could shew no succession from the degenerate clergy . and a little after , if paul were made an apostle without the ordination of the lawfull apostles much more may the lord raise up new pastors to his church without ordination from the usurpers of the apostles : synops . papism . contr . 2. q. 3. of succession error 20. p. 81. mor●●y his words are full and plaine to the same purpose . viz although some of our men in such a corrupt state of the church , as we have seene in our time , without waiting for calling or allowance of them who under the title of pastors oppressed the lords flock , did at first preach without this formall calling , and afterward were chosen and called to the holy ministey by the churches which they had taught ; yet this ought to seeme no more strange , then if in a free common-wealth the people without waiting either for the consent , or for the voices of those that tyrannize over them , should ( according to the lawes ) make choice of good and wise magistrates , such ( happily ) as god would serve his turne of for their deliverance , and for the publike restitution . and hereof wee have examples , first , in the acts , where wee read that philip , who was but a deacon , preacheth in samaria without the calling of the apostles , yea without their privity , who for all that gave their allowance to his worke . in frumentius , carried upon another occasion into the indies , a meere lay-man , who yet there preacheth the gospel , and a good while after is there made bishop . in those of whom origen speaketh , that shall come by chance into a city where never any christian was borne , shall there begin to teach , and labour to instruct the people in the faith , whom the people shall afterward make their pastors and bishops : and besides , in all the scriptures there is not one place that bindeth the ministery of the gospel to a certaine succession ; but contrariwise the scripture sheweth , that god would send two speciall witnesses to prophesie against antichrist : of the church chap. 11. p. 371. doctor whitaker answering bellarmine , that would prove protestants to have no church , because their ministers had no ordination by bishops , saith , that as sometimes bishops were chosen by the clergy and sometimes by the people , so the same may be said of ordination , viz. that it was sometimes by the clergy and sometimes by the people ; and then addeth , quod si vocationem corum episcoporum legitimam fuisse concedat bellarminus , de ordinatione minus laboramus . qui enim habent authoritatem vocandi , iidem etiam authoritatem ordinandi habent , si legitima ordinatio non possit impetrari : nam ordinatio sequitur vocationem ; qui vocatur , i● quasi in sui muneris possessionem mittitur : de eccles . q. 5. cap. 6 p. 510. finally , doctor ames doth also witnesse the same in many places of his workes : for a taste take these few sayings of his in this case , viz. ad totam ecclesiam semper pertinet ordinatio , quoad jus , vim , virtutem illam quam habet in ministro ecclesiae constituendo ; sicut celebratio matrimonii vim aut virtutem omnem acceptam refert legitimo consensui conjugum : ecclesie statu ( ministerio & ordine deficiente ) collapso vel corrupto , à plebe etiam actus iste ordinationis , quatenus necessarius est ad ministri constitutionem in tali casu , potest legitimè exerceri , bellarm . enervat . lib. 3. de clericis , cap. 2 de ordinatione . and againe , a little after ; episcopos veros à veris episcopis ordinariè dicimus ordinand●s esse , sed nomine ecclesiae cui ordinantur . and againe , a little after , potestas ordinandi est aliqu● modo originaliter in tota ecclesia , sicut potestas videndi originaliter est in toto animali , quamvis formaliter & subjectivè sit in oculo tantùm ; tum etiam ordinationis exercitium pendet à tota ecclesia , sicut actus videndi hoc vel illud determinatè pendet non ab oculo sed à toto . and againe , quamvis in ecclesia benè constituta non debeat aliis quam presbyteris ordinandi manus mandari ; in defectu tamen idoneorum presbyterorum potest non presbyteris mandari . and yet againe in the next place , si concedatur hoc , quòd ex ordine nemo possit esse legitimus pastor , nisi sit à legitimo pastore & episcopo ordinatus : in ordinis tamen defectu , cùm jam primò instaurari debet ordo , non potest●tam accuratè observari , atque adeo extraordinarium aliquid tum potest intervenire sine ullo vitio . these words you see are punctuall and plaine , that the power of ordaining ministers is originally in the church ; and that though when a church hath presbyters , the act of ordaining is to be done by those presbyters ; yet in defect of such it may be performed by them that are no presbyters , lawfully , and without fault ; which is the case of our churches that are in their beginnings , and may be the case of any church when they come to be without officers , as by warre , pestilence , &c. it may come to passe . there are some things common to pastors with teachers ; as , that they are both officers of the church appointed by christ ; both elders or bishops to rule and feed the church , by labouring in the word and doctrine , act. 20 28 1 tim. 3. 1. tit. 1. 5 , 7. and therefore the name of pastour , in a generall sense may be given to them both , ier. 3. 15. as also the name of teacher , isa . 30. 20. as those names may also be given to apostles , in as much as they also are elders , pastors , teachers , to rule , to feed , to teach the church of god , 1 pet. 5. 1. ioh. 21. 15. 16. 1 tim. 2. 7. & 2. 1. 11. and if pastors and teachers be both of them church officers , to feed and rule the church ▪ by labouring in the word and doctrine , they must not do this without application of it to the consciences and states of the hearers , as god shall helpe them : for this application is one part of his worke , that is by his office to preach the word , without which the word is not handled in such a manner as it ought to be , 2 tim. 2. 15. 1 cor. 14. 25. luk. 12. 42. and many hearers need this , the word delivered in generall without application of it being to them as bread set before children in the whole loafe . and if both of them must labour in the word and doctrine , and not onely in a generall way , but with application , we see not but they may both of them administer the seales or sacraments , wherein there is a speciall application of the promises of the gospel , and the grace of christ therein , unto the faithfull and believing receivers . 2. and yet for all this community between them , they are not in propriety of speech the same officers , but distinct , and so the scripture speaketh of them ephes . 4. 11. for if a man would say their offices are confounded , because the same generall worke of preaching the word , and applying the same , belongs unto them both : by the same reason a man might say the offices of apostles and evangelists were confounded ; for both of them were to preach the word , with application of the same by doctrine , and seales ; and also that the ordinary pastors were the same office with them both , because hee also is to doe the same worke of preaching and applying : but an apostle is to feed , and rule , and teach , by way of doctrine and application , as an apostle ; an evangelist as an evangelist , and an ordinary pastor as an ordinary pastor , and therein lyes the difference : and wee may adde , a teacher as a teacher ; and therein is he distinguished both from the pastor , and from all other church officers , even as by the same they all are distinguished one from another , the same generall worke of doctrine and application being common to them all . 3. and for the teacher and pastor , the difference between them lyes in this , that the one is principally to attend upon points of knowledge and doctrine , though not without application ; and the other to points of practice , though not without doctrine : and therefore the one of them is called ▪ he that teacheth , and his worke is thus expressed , let him attend on teaching ; and the other , he that exhorteth , and his worke , to attend on exhortation , rom. 12. 7 , 8. and the gift of the one is called a word of knowledge , and the gift of the other , a word of wisedome , 1 cor. 12. 8. as experience also sheweth , that one mans gift is more doctrinall , and for points of knowledge ; and anothers more exhortatory , and for points of practise . it is not the manner of elders among us , whether ruling onely , or ruling and teaching also , to strive for authority or preheminence one above another ; as remembring what lesson our saviour taught his disciples , when they were at strife among them , which of them should be the greatest , luk. 22. 24 , 25. &c. if diotrephes strive for preheminence 3 ioh. 9 , 10. verily we abhorre such striving , and by the grace of god respect one another as brethren . as for the peoples duty toward their elders , it is taught them plainly in that place , 1 thes . 5. 12 , 13. as also in that of 1 tim. 5. 17 let the elders that rule well bee counted worthy of double honour , specially they that labour in the word and doctrine ; and this word ( specially ) shewes them , that as they are to account all their elders worthy of double honour , so in speciall manner their teaching or preaching elders . these are answered in that which was sent the last yeare . we doe believe that every minister of the gospel ought to be maintained with sufficient and honourable maintenance , according to his need and occasions , in regard of his person , calling , charge of children and hospitality , so as he that preacheth the gospel may in all these respects live of the gospel , 1 cor. 9. 14. gal 6. 6. 1 tim. 5. 17. and this maintenance is not to be allowed as almes and courtesie , but as debt and duty , to bee paid according to the rule of justice ; the labourer is worthy of his wages , luk. 10. 17. which the apostle sheweth to be according to all lawes of nature , nations , moses and christ , 1 cor. 9. but for setled and stinted maintenance , there is nothing done that way amongst us , except from yeare to yeare , because the conditions of ministers may vary , and of the church to which they doe belong : neither doe we know any such thing to be appointed by christ our lord , for the maintenance of the ministery in these dayes ; but this we know that the great mountaine burning with fire , cast into the sea upon the sounding of the second trumpet rev. 8. 8 , 9. is applyed by some good writers to those times , when constantine brought setled endowments into the church , with ampla praedia ( as they are called ) are counted by some to bee no better then poyson to the church ; as the stories say that upon the fact of the good emperour a voice was heard , which said , hodie seminatum est virus in ecclesiam . and if those writers be not deceived which so expound that scripture ( as for our parts wee know not but they expound it truely ) then in as much as upon the casting of that mountaine into the sea , a third part of it became blood and a third part of living creatures dyed , and a third part of ships were destroyed , it may be truely gathered thence that the bringing in of setled endowments and eminent preferments into the church , hath been the corruption , and to some the destruction of such as lived by them , both church-officers and church-members . we doe not permit , and call upon ( such whom you call ) meere lay men , and private persons , neither being in the ministery nor intended to it , ordinarily to preach or prophecy publiquely , in or before the congregation , if by ordinarily , you meane frequently and usually . for where ordinary officers are not wanting to a church , and neither detained from their worke by sicknesse , nor just absence , we thinke it most meet to offer our sacrifice to god and to the church of our best gifts . but yet if you oppose ordinary to extraordinary , we doe confesse that some private members ( to wit such as are eminently fitted with knowledge and utterance , being also men of humble spirits , and holy lives , all which qualifications we finde but in a few ) may without an extraordinary calling from god be called forth by by the church upon some occasion ( and namely in the absence or bodily weaknesse of ministers , or for tryall of gifts when a man intends the ministery ) to speake to edification , exhortation and comfort . iehosaphat sent princes ( who neither were ministers , nor intended so to be ) to teach with the priests and levites , to wit , at least to incourage the people , to hearken to the priests and levites come amongst them , 2 chron. 17. 7 , 8 , 9. as jehosaphat himselfe also did the like , 2 chron. 20. 20. yea , and was their mouth also to god in prayer , v. 2. 5. to 13. as for that prophecying 1 cor. 14. we conceive as some things in it be extraordinary , so some things ordinary . extraordinary , that private men , and new converts should be so soon & so suddainly , & so much enlightened & enlarged , as to be able to prophecy publikely to the edification of a whole church : but yet this we conceive to be ordinary , that some private men may be found ( at least in some churches ) grown christians , of able gifts , who may have received a gift of prophecy , and for such we doe not thinke it requireth any more an extraordinary calling for them to prophecy in our churches , then for iehosaphat and his princes to prophecy in the church of israel . our answer to this question is that we never knew any ministers that did call upon the people thus to doe : and as for us , such calling upon them is farre from us . all that we know to be holden in this case is this , that some thinke the people have a liberty to aske a question publiquely for their better satisfaction upon very urgent and weighty cause , though even this is doubted of by others , and all judge the ordinary practice of it , not necessary : but ( if it be not meekly and wisely carried ) to be inconvenient if not utterly unlawfull , and therefore such asking of questions is seldome used in any church among us , and in most churches never . true it is , in the times a little afore the synod divers that were infected with corrupt opinions were very bold , & forward in this kind of asking questions , after sermons , especially when they had heard somthing delivered publiquely that did make against their tenents ; by which kind of asking questions , they plainely discovered of what spirit they were , but for being called upon by us thus to doe , ( as it seems to your question that you have been informed ) the truth is , there was no such matter . but now these men are long since , ( the greatest part of them ) to an island ( called aquedneck ) departed from amongst us , some of them being excommunicated or banished , or both , & others departing voluntarily , or for feare of the like censure , by meanes of which departure of these troublesome spirits from amongst us , and the blessing of god upon the synod & sermons that have laid open & reproved this disorderly asking of questions , a man may now live from one end of the year unto another in these congregations , & not hear any man open his mouth in such kind of asking questions . 1. the conversion of sinners unto god doth not alwaies follow the preaching of every one , that is in a lawfull office of ministery , as experience and scripture doe aboundantly witnesse , isay . 49. 4 , 5. & 53. 1. ezech. 3. 7. 2 king. 17. 13 14. mat. 11. 20 , 21. &c. iohn 12. 37. 2. and when it doth follow , it is not by vertue of him , or of his office , but by vertue of gods blessing , and the mighty operation of his spirit as he pleaseth , without which the minister and his office could have had no vertue at all to convert sinners unto god , 1 cor. 3. 6. no more then peter and iohn could heale the lame man , by virtue of any power or holinesse that was in them , act. 3. 12. for otherwise faithfull ministers should not have their labours blessed for conversion some more and some lesse ▪ but all in the same measure , inasmuch as one of them is no more a minister then another , nor no more in office then another , their office being the same , the effect in conversion would bee the same if conversion were by the vertue of their office . the truth it is , the law of the lord , ( the whole word of god ) that converts the soule , psal . 19. 7. and the gospell that is the power of god unto salvation . rom. 1. 16. and therefore the conversion of a man to god is to be ascribed to god , and to the word of his grace ; and not to the minister , nor any vertue of his office . 3. but this we doe acknowledge , that the sound conversion of sinners , whensoever such a thing comes to passe , doth argue that the instruments of such conversion are sent of god : god would not so have blessed them , as to convert any by them , if himselfe had not sent them at all , rom. 10. 14 , 15. ier. 23. 32. 4. and yet we dare not say , that gods word is not made effectuall to conversion , unlesse the man that speakes it be a minister , that is to say , a church officer , for the contrary is evident from the scripture , john 4. 39. act. 8. 4. with 11. 19 , 20 , 21. 1 cor. 7. 16. they that were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about steven , were not church officers , at least all of them ( for the apostles who were their chiefe , if not their only preaching officers , were not scattered abroad upon that persecution , but remained still at jerusalem , acts 8. 1. ) and yet these men did so preach the word of the lord jesus to the iewes and the grecians , that through the good hand of the lord that was with them , a great number believed and turned to the lord ; and the same we say of the woman of samaria , by whose testimonie of christ many of the samaritans believed on him . to restraine the efficacy of gods word in such sort as to say that none can be converted by it , unlesse he that speakes it be a minister , is to limit the spirit of the lord , where he hath not limited himself , who is free in working by whom he pleaseth , and as he will , 1 cor. 12. 11. even as the wind bloweth where it listeth , iohn 3. 8. and sometimes doth bring to passe great things by weake meanes , that his owne glory may be the more , 1 cor. 1. 27 , 28 , 29. if any say , how can these things stand together , that a man that is no minister may be an instrument of conversion , and yet conversion of sinners argues that the man is sent of god ? wee answer , that we must distinguish of sending according to the divers degrees thereof . for sometimes it imports no more but such an act of gods disposing providence , whereby men are gifted and enabled for such or such a worke , and permitted thereunto , though they have no command from him for the doing thereof , nor doe it not with a sincere minde in any obedience to god , but for corrupt and sinister ends of their owne . thus god sent the king of assyria against the iewes , isa . 10. 6. and bands of the caldees , and bands of other nations against jehojakim , and against iudah , to destroy it , 2 king. 24. 2. and yet they had no command from him to doe this , but sinned grievously in so doing . thus they that preached christ not sincerely , but of envie and strife , to adde affliction to pauls bands , yet inasmuch as they preached christ , might be said to be sent of god , and therefore the apostle joyed at their preaching , phil. 1. 15 , 16. thus baalam in his prophecies against the enemies of israel and for the happy state of gods people , might be said to be sent of god , though his heart and ends were corrupt and sinfull . but if men be not onely enabled with gifts for such or such a worke , but besides this , have a sincere minde and desire in the using thereof , to seeke the glory of god , and the good of soules , such men may much more be said to be sent of god , iohn 7. 18. for these men have not onely abilities and gifts from god , and permission to imploy them as the former had but also his spirit within them , which doth set their hearts on right and holy ends , which the other wanted . and yet if men doe want a lawfull office of ministery , wherein to exercise those gifts or a lawfull calling to that office or exercise , they may in that respect be said not to be sent of god , or not to be called of him though sent of him , in the first or second respect . thus in the scriptures it is said of some they ran and i sent them not , ier. 23. 21. i perceived that god had not sent him , but he pronounced his prophecies , because sanballat and tobiah had hired him , neh. 6. 12. and yet doubtlesse in respect of gods disposing providence , he had sent them , as the scripture witnesseth , that god sends strong delusions and lying prophets , and unfaithfull shepherds , 2 thes . 2. 11. 1 king. 22. 22 , 23. zech. 11. 16. to be a plague unto the sons of men , and for tryall to his servants , deut. 13. 3. 1 cor. 11. 19. now let these distinctions be applyed to the case in hand , and we may perceive how , if a man convert sinners , certainly god sends him ; and yet some that are not called to any office in the ministery , may through his blessing convert sinners : a man converts none unlesse god send him in the first or second sence and yet he may convert , and not bee sent , if sending be taken in the third sence , that is for a lawfull calling into some office in the church . and wee may adde , further a man may be sent in this third sence and yet convert none if he be not also sent in the first and second respect ; that is a man may have a lawfull calling outwardly unto a lawfull office in the church , and yet not convert sinners , if he want gifts or sincerity of heart , which might be the case of iudas , and of many wicked priests in the old testament : yea , happily convert none though he be truly sent in all three respects , as was said before in the beginning of the answer to this quaere . but if comparison be made , we doubt not , but whilest the ministery remaines uncorrupt , god is wont to follow with a greater blessing the labours of those who have gifts and an office of ministery also , then of those who have gifts alone without office . he is willing , and wonted to honour himselfe most , where most of his wayes are observed . master parker polit. eccles . l. 2. c. 39. &c. 41. observes a difference between the substantialls in church politie , and the accessaries or accidentalls ▪ and circumstantialls : and againe , that of circumstances some are generall , and some particular and individuall ; and so sheweth that the church politie in regard of the substantialls thereof is prescribed in the word , and therefore immutable . according to which distinction wee answer , that if those words ( precisely the same course ) mentioned in this question , be not meant of particular and individuall circumstances , but only of the substantialls or generall circumstances , then for ought we know there is no materiall point , either in constitution , or government , wherein the churches in n. e. ( viz. in the bay , in the jurisdiction of plymouth , at connectacute , and quilipiake ) do not observe the same course . ( and sure it is if they doe not they ought , because christ hath left but one way for all churches , and the same to be observed to the worlds end , 1 tim. 6. 13 , 14. ) onely , that conformity to the lyturgie and ceremonies in some places , to the northward , that anabaptisme at providence , and familisme at aquidneck ▪ hinders that we cannot say the same of them , nor of any other in n. e. that concurre with them in their unwarrantable wayes ▪ if there be any such , though thankes be to god there is none within this jurisdiction . who must have liberty to sit downe in this common-wealth and enjoy the liberties thereof is not our place to determine , but the magistrates who are the rulers and governours of the common-wealth , and of all persons within the same . and as for acknowledging a company to be a sister church , that shall set up , and practise another forme of church discipline , being otherwise in some measure , as you say , approveable , we conceive the companie that shall so doe , shall not be approveable therein . for the discipline appointed by jesus christ for his churches is not arbitrary , that one church may set up and practice one forme , and another another forme , as each one shall please , but is one and the same for all churches , and in all the essentialls and substantialls of it unchangable , and to be kept , till the appearing of jesus christ , 1 tim. 6. 13 , 14. from which place master cartwright observes the perpetuity of church government taught by the apostles , unto the end of the world , and is plain and large in this point , 1 rep. p. 177. as is likewise mr. parker polit. eccles . l. 2. c. 42. and so forward to the end of that book , unto whom we refer you herein . and if that discipline which we here practise , be ( as we are perswaded of it ) the same which christ hath appointed , and therefore unalterable , we see not how another can be lawfull ; and therefore if a company of people shall come hither , and here set up and practise another , we pray you thinke not much , if we cannot promise to approve of them in so doing , especially untill wee see how approvable the men may be , and what discipline it is that they would set up . for should wee in such generall words as is there expressed , promise to accept of a companie as a sister church ▪ that shall set up and practise another discipline , and then should be taken at the utmost extent of our words , we might by this meanes be bound to accept of a company of papists , or arminians , or familists , or anabaptists , as a sister church , for there is none of these but something may be found in them , and in their discipline , that is in some measure approveable . and yet we pray you heartily in the lord , so conceive of us in this passage , that we are farre from making any such comparison , as if your selves were not approved in our consciences far above the best of such men , yea and above our selves in many respects . we have said before in that which we sent you the last yeare , and upon this occasion we say it now againe , that you are in our hearts ( if the lord would suffer ) to live and dye together : and therefore if this question were meant of your selves , or any of you , and a company of godly people joyning with you ( as it may be it is , though we cannot certainly say it , because you doe not expresse so much ) we thinke if you were here , wee should gladly accept of you and your people as a sister-church , and that you would doe the like to ours ; and yet not when you should set up and practise one forme of church-discipline , and we another , but because we are perswaded if you were here , you would set up and practise the very same that wee doe , and not any other : or else if we be swerving from the rule in any particular ( as god knowes we are but weake men , and far from dreaming of perfection in this life ) god would by you send in more light unto us then yet we see , and make you instruments in his hand for perfecting what is here begun according to his will , for strengthening what is weake , and reforming what may be found to be amisse : for we trust in the lord , that as wee are desirous that you might joyne with us in the wayes wherein we now walke , ( which we doe not see but they are according to the rule ) so we should be as willing to receive light from you , and to redresse ( as god shall helpe us ) whatsoever by you or any other he may discover to us to stand in need of reformation . for which cause among others we doe the more earnestly desire , if it were the lords will that he might send you hither , nothing doubting but if you were here , there would be such agreement between you and us , that either you would approve of the things which we beleeve and practise , or that we should approve of what you may shevv us to be more agreeable to the minde of christ : and then there would be no occasion of such a question , whether we may set up and practise another discipline , and yet be accepted as a sister-church : but rather of blessing the lord , when that shall be accomplished in you and us which is written in the prophets , i will give them one heart and one way : i will turne unto the people a pure language , that they may all call upon the name of the lord , to serve him with one consent , jer. 32. 39. zeph. 3. 9. wee have confidence in you through the lord , that you will be none otherwise minded ; but if in any thing ye be otherwise minded god shall reveale even this unto you , gal. 5. 10. phil. 3. 15. this was answered in the answer to posit . 1. & 2. sent unto you the last yeare . finis . an apologie of the chvrches in new-england for chvrch-covenant . or , a discourse touching the covenant between god and men , and especially concerning church-covenant , that is to say , the covenant which a company doe enter into when they become a church ; and which a particular person enters into when he becomes a member of a church . sent over in answer to master bernard , in the yeare 1639. and now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in this point . london , printed by t. p. and m. s. for benjamin allen. 1643. a discovrse tovching the covenant between god and men , and especially concerning church-covenant , that is to say , the covenant which a company do enter into when they become a church , and which a particular person enters into when he becomes a member of a church . 1639. jer . 50. 5. come let us joyne our selves to the lord , in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten . although that which is foretold in these two chapters ; and namely in the fourth and fifth verses of this chapter , was in part fulfilled when the people of god returned from captivitie in babylon at the end of seventie yeares : yet we must not limit the place to that time onely , but may extend it further to the dayes of the gospel , and the spirituall return , not of the jews onely , but of the gentiles also , when men shall be converted from pagan , antichristian , babylonish , or jewish bondage and captivitie , or from slavery to sinne , and self-righteousnesse , and shall be joyned to god in the fellowship of his church , in the dayes of the new testament . for as some passages in this scripture were never fully accomplished at the returne from the captivitie of the seventie yeares , and namely this , that the children of israel and judah should returne both together : ( for the ten tribes returned not at all : ) so many things that literally concerned the jewes were types and figures , signifying the like things concerning the people of god in these latter dayes : in which respect sincere converts are called jewes , rom 2. 29. and israelites , gal. 6. 16. joh. 1. 47. and our sacraments are made antitypes of theirs , 1 cor. 10. 1 , 2 , 3. and rome is called babylon , rev. 17. 5. and papists are called gentiles , rev. 11. 2. and therefore the captivitie of babylon might well be a type of the spirituall captivitie of gods people to antichristian bondage , and their returne from babylon to sion , a type of the returne of christians from romish slavery to the true sion , the christian church . and this may be added further , that this place seemes not onely to be meant of the private or personall conversion of this or that particular christian , but also further , of the open and joynt calling of a company , because it is said , they shall come , the children of israel and the children of judah together , and that their saying shall not be , let me joyne , &c. but in the plurall number , let us joyne our selves unto the lord , so noting the joyning of a company together in holy covenant with god. concerning which covenant with god , it will not be amisse for the better understanding of that which followes ; first , briefly to shew how diversly covenant is taken in the scripture , which sometimes imports generally any firme appointment or promise of god , when man doth not promise unto god any thing backe againe : thus the preserving of noah in the arke , and of the world from being drowned any more by a floud ; the interchangeable succession of day and night ; the giving of the priesthood unto phineas ; the setting forth of the shew-bread every sabbath before the lord , and the giving of the heave-offering unto the priests , are said to be done by a covenant , or an everlasting covenant of god , gen. 6. 18. & 9. 9 , 10 , 11. jer. 33. 20. num. 25. 12 , 13. levit. 24. 8. num. 18. 19. but sometimes covenant is taken more strictly and properly , for an agreement which god doth make with men , when he promiseth some blessing unto men , and bindes them to performe some dutie backe againe to him . taken thus it hath two parts : first , a promise or stipulation of some blessing on gods part : secondly , restipulation or promise , or binding of man unto dutie back againe on his part : both these are in those words of the covenant , i will be to thee a god , thou shalt be to me a people : and so gen. 17. 1. & v. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. the covenant taken thus is either the covenant of workes , or the covenant of grace : and againe the covenant may be considered ; first as it is personall , private and particular , between god and one particular soule , making covenant with god , and god with him , either at his first conversion ; or at other times ; of which we reade 2 sam. 23. 5. & psal . 119 , 106. & 66. 13 , 14. & 27 8. & psal . 119. 7 , 8 secondly , it is generall and publick of a company joyntly together , of which this text jer. 50. 5. seemes most properly to speake : as also that deut. 29. 9 , 10 , &c. and that exod. 19. 5 , 6 , and many others : a covenant taken thus generally when it respects spirituall blessings , and spirituall duties , in the communion of saints , is that which is called church-covenant , which church-covenant differs not in substance of the things promised from that which is between the lord and every particular soule , but onely in some other respects ; as first , the one is of one christian in particular , the other of a company joyntly together . secondly , if right order be observed , a man ought not to enter into church-covenant , till he be in covenant with god before , in respect of his personall estate . thirdly , the one is usually done in private , as in a mans closet between the lord and his soule , and the other in some publick assembly . fourthly , the one in these dayes is of such duties as the gospel requires of every christian as a christian , the other of such duties as the gospel requires of every church and the members thereof . now concerning church-covenant , two things are to be noted for the better understanding thereof : first , the description of it : secondly , the use of it , and the benefit and fruit thereof . for the former it may be thus described , viz. a solemne and publick promise before the lord , whereby a company of christians , called by the power and mercy of god to fellowship with christ , and by his providence to live together , and by his grace to cleave together in the unitie of faith , and brotherly love , and desirous to partake together in all the holy ordinances of god , doe in confidence of his gracious acceptance in christ , binde themselves to the lord , and one to another , to walke together by the assistance of his spirit , in all such wayes of holy worship in him , and of edification one towards another , as the gospel of christ requireth of every christian church , and the members thereof . in this description , there are comprised six things : first , the generall name of the thing : [ a solemne and publick promise ] a promise it is , and therefore it is called , a joyning in covenant here : an entring into covenant , deut. 29. 10. solemne and publick , and therefore it is by the children of israel and the children of judah together : and they say , let us joyne . secondly , the object [ the lord , and one another ] joyne our selves to the lord it is not a promise onely to man , but to the lord himselfe , and likewise to one another ; for , come let us joyne , implyes mutuall consent together . thirdly , the agents or the qualification of the persons : [ christians ] not turkes , indians , &c. saints , psal . 50. 5. 16 , 17. [ called to fellowship with christ ] so 1 cor. 1. 9 else if they be not united to christ by faith , they are not fit materialls for such a building as a church of god , which is the house of the living god , ephes . 1. 1. 1 cor. 1. 2. phil. 1. 1. rev. 21. 27. [ by his providence to live together ] else they cannot partake in the lords ordinances together as churches ought to doe , 1 cor. 14. 23. act. 14 27. the whole church comes together in one place [ cleaving together in faith and love ] so act. 4 32. if they differ , namely , in opinion , or in their affection , and should joyne in this covenant , breaches , factions , rents , and schismes , would be like to be the issue of such joyning : things so unlike would not close nor long hold together , dan. 2. 43 [ desirous to partake in all ordinances ] this should be the ground of their joyning in covenant together , psal . 110. 3. willing : and not pride , nor gaine , nor the like : fourthly , the act [ binde themselves ] that now they are bound by their owne word and promise , that they may say now , as psal . 56. 12. thy vowes are upon me , or as num. 30. 2. if he binde his soule with a vow . fiftly , the matter promised ; [ to walke together in all such wayes of worship and mutuall edification , as the gospel requireth of churches and church-members ] they binde not themselves to observe any devises of their owne , nor inventions of men , but such things as the word of god requireth ; neither is it perfect obedience to the law , for that were impossible to performe , and presumption to promise ; nor is it onely in generall the duties of the gospel , but specially such duties of worship to god , & edification of one another as concerne church-state , which now they enter into . sixtly , the manner of performing [ confidence of gods gracious acceptance and assistance through christ ] for in all our wayes god must be acknowledged , pro. 3. 6. and much more in such speciall matters of weight : if men in entring into this covenant looke for acceptance , through any worth of their owne , or promise dutie in their own strength , they shew themselves like to the pharisees , luk. 18. 10 , 11. and turne the church-covenant into a covenant of workes : and as many as are of the workes of the law , are under the curse , gal. 3. 10. the use and benefit of this church-covenant , and the fruit thereof , may be seene in two particulars ; first , that this is that whereby a company of christians doe become a church : it is the constituting forme of a church . secondly , this is that by taking hold whereof a particular person becomes a member of a church , which was constituted afore . for the former of these ; every christian church must have in it both matter and forme , and as the matter by gods appointment are visible saints , or visible beleevers , ephes . 1. 1. 1 cor. 1. 2. and in the new testament , onely so many as may meete together in one congregation : so the forme is a uniting , or combining , or knitting of those saints together into one visible body , by the band of this holy covenant . some union or band there must be amongst them , whereby they come to stand in a new relation to god , and one towards another , other then they were in before : or els they are not yet a church , though they be fit materialls for a church ; even as soule and body are not a man , unlesse they be united ; nor stones and timber an house , till they be compacted and conjoyned . now that a company becomes a church , by joyning in covenant , may be made good sundry wayes ; first , by plaine texts of scripture ; as from deut. 29. 1 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13. yee stand this day all you before the lord your god , your captaines of your tribes , your elders , your officers , with all the men of israel , ver . 10. that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the lord thy god , ver . 12. and he may establish thee for a people unto himselfe , ver . 13. so that here is plain●y shewed , that here was a company , ver . 10. and this company were to be established to be a people unto the lord , that is to say , a church , ver . 13. and this is done by the peoples entring into solemne covenant with god , ver . 12. and therefore a company of people doe become a church by entring into covenant with god. this covenant was not like our church-covenants , for it was of all the nation together ; whereas the church-covenant with us , is of some select persons , leaving out others . 1. this objection concerns the matter of a church , but the covenant is not the materiall cause of a church , but the formall cause thereof : and for this the text is ▪ plaine and expresse , that by entring into covenant with god , a people come to be the lords people , that is to say , his church . 2. if it was of all the people together , the reason was because that church was a nationall church : now if a nationall church becomes a church by entring into solemne covenant with god , then a congregationall church becomes a church by the same means ; for there is no difference between them in this point . 3. though it was of all the people , we may not say it proves that when we looke at the materiall cause of a church , there may be a promiscuous taking in of all commers without distinction or separation of the precious from the vile ; for , first , when god took in this nation to be his people , he separated them from all the nations of the earth besides : so that there was a distinction and separation of some from others . secondly , this generation was generally a generation of beleevers ; for it was they that were to enter into the land within a while after ; for they were fortie yeares in the wildernesse ▪ & this covenant was made in the last moneth save one of the last of those fortie yeares , deut. 1. 3. and their carkasses fell not in the wildernesse through unbeliefe , as their fathers did , num 14. heb. 3. but entred by faith , and when they were entred , subdued kingdomes by their faith , heb. 11. 33. and served the lord all the dayes of joshua , and of the elders that out lived joshua , josh . 24 31. as for that which is said of them , ver . 4 , 5. of this chap. that the lord had not given them eyes to see , &c. that proves not that they were wholly hardned in a carnall estate , but onely that they were dull and slow of heart to consider of sundry dispensations of god towards them ; for as much is said of the disciples of christ , mar. 8. 17 , 18. when doubtlesse they were not meere carnall or naturall persons . this people deut. 29. could not become the lords people by entring into solemne covenant with god , for they were the lords church and people already before this . 1. if they were , yet that was by entring into solemne covenant with god on mount sinai , when the lord had brought them up out of the land of aegypt ; for then they entred into solemne covenant with god , and god with them , and so they bec●me the lords peculiar people , exod. 19 ▪ 4 , 5 , 6 , 8. &c. if they were his people before that , yet that also was by covenant made with them in the loynes of abraham , when god tooke him and his seede to be his church and people , yet separating ishmael from isaac and es●● from jacob , that the inheritance of the covenant of god , and of being the church of god , might rest in the house of jacob. 2. yet it was not without great reason that the lord should now establish them by solemne covenant to be a people to himselfe , because the nation had been much degenerated from the spirit and wayes of abraham in aegypt , and had broken that covenant by their idolatries there , ezek. 20. 7 , 8. and the covenant made in sinai or hore● when they were come out of aegypt , they had also broken by their idolatries in the wildernesse , ezek 20. 13 , 16. for which causes , and the like , the lord consumed that generation , that they never entred into the land , josh . 5. 4 , 6. and therefore now when their posteritie and children were ready to enter in , the lord entred into covenant with them , and thereby established them to be his people , their fathers being cut off for breaking the covenant . but still it was by covenant that both fathers first , and children afterward became a church and people unto god ; and when this generation were entred into the land , their covenant made before between god and them , was confirmed by circumcision , josh . 5. 3. 7. they being not circumcised before . but this covenant was of the whole church with god , and therefore not like our church-covenants , which are between the church and the members , concerning watchfulnesse over one another , and the like . our church-covenants are with the lord himselfe , as was shewed before in the description thereof . for watchfulnesse and duties of edification one towards another , are but branches of the lords covenant , being duties commanded by the law : and so it was with that people of israel , who when they promised and covenanted to walke in all the wayes of god ; in all his statutes and commandements and judgements , they promised these duties of love and watchfulnesse and edification one towards another , because these were duties commanded and required of god , lev. 19 : 17. deut. 29 8. the neglect whereof in the matter of achan was the sinne of all the congregation ▪ and brought judgement upon them all , josh . 7. 11 , 12. yea by this covenant they were bound to duties towards them that were not then present , but children afterward to be borne , and proselytes , that afterward should be added to them , ver . 14 , 15. like as our church-covenants are with them that now are , and that hereafter shall become members of the same church . when jehojada made a covenant between the king and the people , 2 king. 11. 17. that covenant was but a branch of the lords covenant with them all , both king and people : for the king promised but to rule the people righteously , according to the will of god : and the people to be subject to the king so ruling . now these duties of the king to them , and of them to the king , were such as god required in his covenant , both of him and them : and so it is in church-covenant , the duties of the church to the members , and the members to the church , and one another , are no other but such as the gospel and the covenant of grace requireth both of the church and the members of it in their severall places . but this place of deut. 29. is not sufficient to prove a church-covenant in these dayes : because it is in the scriptures of the old testament , for what soever must be used in the dayes of the new testament , must be proved from the scriptures of the new testament , or else it is to be layd aside . 1. the church-covenant may be proved from the new testament also ▪ as will afterwards appeare . 2. but suppose there were not pregnant places for it in the new testament , yet it is not enough to prove the same unlawfull : for whatsoever ordinance of the old testament is not repealed in the new testament , as peculiar to the jewish paedagogie , but was of morall and perpetuall equitie , the same bindes us in these dayes ▪ and is to be accounted the revealed will of god in all ages , though it be not particularly and expressely mentioned in the writings of the new testament , else how shall we prove it unlawfull for a man to marry his sister , or his aunt ? how shall we prove it warrantable and necessary for magistrates to punish sabbath-breaking , blasphemy , and idolatry ? how shall we prove it lawfull to apply the seale of gods covenant unto infants ? or to admit women to eate of the holy things ; for the scriptures of the new testament doe speake little in these cases ; onely the scriptures of the old testament doe give direction , and light about them , lev ▪ 18. & 19. neh. 13. 15. &c. 2 chron. 15. 16. & 2 king. 23. gen. 17. 2. & exod. 12. 4. 6. and the new testament hath nothing to the contrary , and they are all according to morall equitie and reason , and therefore they are to be observed from the scriptures of the old testament , as the revealed will of god , though there were nothing expressely for them in the new. and the same we say of the particular in hand . for , that a company should be combined together into one body , in way of government and subjection , by way of mutuall free covenant ; as men doe when they enter into church estate , nothing is more naturall or agreeable to morall equitie ; nay , it implyeth a contradiction in the very name of libertie or freedome , that free-men should take upon them authoritie or power over free men without their free consent , and voluntary and mutuall covenant or engagement . and therefore seeing this covenant is not repealed in the scriptures of the new testament , the scriptures of the old are sufficient warrant for it . another scripture to prove the same , is deut. 26. 16 , 17 , 18. with deut. 27. 9. this day the lord hath commanded thee to doe these statutes and judgements ▪ thou shalt therefore keepe and doe them , &c. thou hast avouched the lord this day to be thy god , and to walke in his wayes , and to keepe his statutes , &c. and the lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people ; take heed and hearken , o israel , this day thou art become the people of the lord thy god. this scripture plainly shewes these things : 1. that here was the making of a covenant between god and man ; for that avouching of god to them , and them to god , was the making of covenant , ver . 17 , 18. 2. this was not of one person , but of a company together , the whole people of israel , 26. 18. & 27. 9. 3 here is the effect of this covenant , that thereby they become the lords people , ver . 9. so that when a company doe enter into holy covenant with god , they become thereby the lords people , that is to say , his church . so ezech. 16. 8. proves the same likewise : i entred into covenant with thee , saith the lord , and thou becam●st mine . here also is the making of covenant between the lord and men ; and this covenant was not personall , but of a company ; for it was with hierusalem , ver . 2. which was a whole citie ; it was with them that were multiplied as the bud of the feild , ver . 7. and it was with them that did prosper into a kingdome , ver . 13. and therefore not meant onely of any one particular person : and by this covenant they became the lords ; that is , the lords church and people ; for it is expresly said , i entred into covenant with thee , and thou becamest mine . so that when a company enter into covenant with god , and god with them , they become thereby the lords church and people . likewise ezek. 20. 37. i will cause you to passe under the rod ; and i will bring you into the bond of the covenant . in which place , there is first mention of an holy covenant . secondly , this was not of one person , but of a company , the whole house of israel , ver . 30. 39. thirdly , and this covenant is called a bond , because it is by covenant that a people are bound , and tyed , and knit together , as one church , all of them unto the lord , and one unto another ; so that the covenant is the bond of union , by which a company are so combined and united , as that they become a church . it is also observable , how the lord before he would bring them into this bond of the covenant , he would cause them to passe under the rod ; by which phrase , as junius upon the place well observes , is meant tryall and probation ; drawne from the manner of shepheards or owners of cattell , who went among their sheepe , or other cattell with a rod , and therewith pointed out such as were for the lords holy use , as lev. 27. 32. and so hereby is noted that god would not in the dayes of the gospel have men to be brought into his church hand over head , but he would first cause them to passe under the rod of due tryall and probation ; and then such as upon tryall were found to be holy for god , or meete matter for his church , should solemnly enter into covenant with god , and that covenant should be the bond that should combine them , and knit them together into one , that so they that were many particular persons , should all become one body , that is to say , a church . and so much of the first argument drawne from plaine texts of scripture . a second argument may be taken from the titles that are given to the church ; as first , that the church is said to be married or espoused unto christ , jer. 2. 2. & 3. 14. 2 cor. 11. 2. from whence the argument may be formed thus : if every church becomes a church by being married or espoused unto christ , then a company becomes a church by way of covenant : but the former is true , therefore the latter is true also . the assumption , that a church becomes a church by being married unto christ , is plaine from the former scriptures , where the church of israel , and the church of corinth , in regard of their entring into church-estate , are said to be espoused and married unto christ , as a loving and chast virgine to one husband . which spirituall marriage between christ and his church , is also taught in the type of the marriage between king salomon and pharoahs daughter , psal . 45. the consequence of the proposition is plaine in reason ; for there is no marriage but by way of covenant ; no woman becomes a mans wife , but by way of bestowing her selfe in covenant upon such a man : neither doth a man become an husband , but by the same means ; and therefore the scripture speaking of the violation of marriage , calls it a violation of covenant , prov. 2. 17. christ hath but one wife or spouse , cant. 6 9. the catholique church indeed is but one ; viz ▪ the whole company of gods elect in heaven , in earth , dead , now living , and not yet borne : but as there is the church-catholique , which is but one ; so there are particular and visible churches , which are in number many ; and therefore the scripture speakes of churches , 2 cor. 8. 1. 19. gal. 1. 2. of the churches of the gentiles , rom. 16. 4. of seven churches , rev. 1. 4. of all churches , 1 cor. 14. 33. & 7. 17. rev. 2. 23. but if every particular church be the wife of christ , how many hundred wives should he have ? 1. if the church of israel , jer. 2. 2. the church of corinth , 2 cor. 11. 2. the jewish church , rev. 19. 7. be the spouse and wife of christ , there is no reason but others should be the same also , especially seeing there is no particular church , but in respect of their church estate , they may decline and goe a whoring from christ , and that shews that they were first espoused to him ; for no woman can be said to goe a whoring from a man , if shee were never married , nor espoused to him at all . 2. this that seemes an absurditie , and were a sinfull practise among men , in respect of christ , is a certaine truth , and no dishonour unto him at all , to have more spouses then one upon earth , many spirituall spouses . men cannot give themselves wholly and intirely to many as christ can . every faithfull soule is espoused and married unto christ ; and in that respect he hath not onely many hundred but many thousand , yea many millions of spirituall spouses . but this spirituall marriage is between christ and the church , but the church-covenant is between the church and the members , and therefore this marriage doth not prove the church-covenant . 1. in some sort there may be said to be a marriage between the church and the members , viz. in respect of that deare love and affection , that ought to be between them ; and therefore it is said , as a young man marrieth a virgine , so shall the children of the church be married to the church , isa . 62. 5. 2. but properly the marriage is between christ & the church , and so is the covenant also , so farre as therein they give up themselves to christ as unto an head and lord ; as a woman in the covenant of marriage doth give up her selfe unto her husband ; and the performance of such duties as the church and the member owe one unto another , is a branch of that marriage-covenant , wherein they are tyed to christ ; for christ himselfe in his covenant requires , not onely that they should give up themselves to him , but also that they should performe these duties one unto another . and accordingly it is said of the churches in macedonia , that they gave up themselves first to the lord , and then to us by the will of god , 2 cor. 8. 5. true it is , they doe also binde themselves by covenant one unto another , but in that respect the covenant is properly a brotherly covenant ; like that 1 sam. 20 8. amos 1. 9. because there the engagement is to one another as brethren , fellow-members , and fellow-helpers , and not as to one head or lord , as it is in respect of christ , and therefore in that respect it is not so properly a marriage-covenant as it is in respect of christ : though duties to one another are promised in their covenant with one another , and also in their covenant with christ . in briefe thus : they promise unto christ duties to him , and duties to one another according to him : and so their covenant is a marriage-covenant with christ : they promise also to one another , duties to one another , and so it is a brotherly covenant . another title given to the church ( which also proves that a church is made by covenant ) is the title of a citie , or citie of god , psal . 87. 3. & 48 1. 8. & 122. 3. ephes 2. 19. the argument lyeth thus ▪ if a true church be a citie of god , then a church becomes a church by covenant : but every true church is a citie of god. ergo. the assumption is proved by the scriptures forealledged . the consequence of the proposition is plaine in reason , for every citie is united by some covenant among themselves , the citizens are received into jus civitatis , or right of citie priviledges , by some covenant or oath ; and therefore it is so likewise in this citie of god the church ; and men become citizens of the church by solemne covenant . the third argument may be drawne from the meanes of reforming and restoring a church when it is corrupted , which is by entring into covenant a new with god , 2 chron. 15 10. & 29. 10. & neh. 9. 38. & 10. 28 , 29. jer. 50. 4 , 5. the reason may be taken thus : if a church decayed is to be restored and reformed by renuing covenant with god , then it was instituted and erected at the first by way of covenant : the reason of which consequence is , because abuses and corruptions are to be reformed by bringing things back to the first institution : thus christ reformes the abuses of marriage , by bringing them to the first institution of that ordinance ; from the beginning it was not so , mat. 19 8. and thus paul reformeth the abuses of the lords supper , by telling them what was the first institution thereof , 1 cor. 11. 23 , &c. and thus the lord jesus calling on the declining church of ephesus for reformation , bids her remember from whence shee is fallen , and repent and doe her first workes , rev. 2. 5. now the assumption is plaine from the texts above alledged , that at the reforming of a church , there is to be a renuing of covenant ; and thence it follows , that at the first erecting of a church , there was the making of a covenant with god , for els this renuing of covenant would not have been the way to reforme it . the fourth argument is taken from that which doth dissolve a church , which is the dissolving or breaking of the covenant , zach. 11. 9 , 10 , 14. if dissolving the covenant be that which doth dissolve the church , then the making of covenant is that which constitutes a church . the reason of the consequence is plaine , because otherwise the covenant might be dissolved & the church stand still , if it were not the making of the covenant that did constitute the church : but if dissipating stones in a building doe dissolve the house , then the compacting and conjoyning of them is that which makes the house ; if separation of soule and body be that which destroyes the man , that then we say he is not : it must needs be the uniting of them , that did constitute & make the man : and so it is in this case . and that dissolving the covenant is that which dissolves a church , is plaine from the text alledged , zach. 11. where the breaking of the two staves , of beautie and bands , that is , the unchurching of the jewes , is interpreted to be the breaking of the covenant that god had made with that people , and the brotherhood that was between judah and israel . the fifth argument is taken from the distinction which god hath appointed amongst churches , and the confounding of all churches into one , if there be not this covenant to distinguish them . if churches be distinct societies , and may not be confounded , then churches are compacted and combined by covenant : but the former is true . ergo. that churches are distinct societies , is plaine in the scripture , where we have mention of many churches in one countrey or province , gal. 1. 1. 1 thes . 2. 14. of seven churches in asia , rev. 1. 4. and of all the churches , 1 cor. 14. 33. rev. 2. 23. ephesus is not smyrna , nor smyrna is not thyatira , nor either of them pergamus , but each one distinct of themselves , having officers of their owne , which did not belong to others : vertues of their owne for which others are not praised , corruptions of their owne , for which others are not blamed ; if it were not thus , then when lacdicea is condemned for lukewarmenesse , or ephesus for declining , all the rest should be reproved also : and when philadelfia is praised , all the rest should be praised also , which we see is otherwise . now from hence the consequence is certaine , that therefore they are combined by some covenant each one amongst themselves ; for there is nothing els without this that wil sufficiently distinguish them . the spirit of god and faith in their hearts , is common to all christians under heaven , and in heaven also , and therefore this is not the thing that makes distinction . nor is it habitation in the same towne together , for that may be common to such christians as are not of this church , and usually is to many that are no christians . as it is with companies in london ; as the company of goldsmiths , &c. that many others dwell in the same towne with them , yea it may be in the same streete that are not of their company : and therefore it is not meerely habitation that doth distinguish them from others , but some combination and agreement amongst themselves ; so it is not habitation in the same towne that distinguisheth churches , and church-members from other men , but their mutuall agreement and combination and joyning themselves together in an holy covenant with god. if the spirit of god and faith in their hearts cannot distinguish one church from another , because these are common to them all , then how can covenant distinguish them , sith all churches are joyned by covenant one as well as another ? it is not a covenant simply or a covenant in generall that doth constitute a church , or distinguish one church from another , but a covenant with application and appropriation to these persons . even as it is in marriage , though all married couples be united by covenant , and a covenant wherein one couple promiseth the same duties that another couple doth , yet a covenant with application and appropriation of the duties covenanted to this man and this woman in particular , such a covenant is the very thing that make a couple , man and wife together , and gives them mutuall power over each other , as husband and wife , and puts a distinction between them and all other men and women in the world . and so it is in this case ; a covenant to performe church-duties with application and appropriation to such persons , is the very thing that constitutes a church , and distinguisheth one church from another . and thus much concerning the former of the two particulars , to shew the use of church-covenant , viz. that it is that whereby a company doe become a church . the second particular is this , that taking hold of the covenant , or joyning in it , is that which makes a particular person a member of a church . and this followes upon the former , and that may be the first argument to prove it . if joyning in covenant be that which makes a company to become a church , then taking hold of that covenant is requisite to make a particular person become a member of the church : but the first is true , as hath been shewed before ; therefore the second is true also : if compacting and conjoyning of stones and pieces of timber be , that that makes an house , then a particular stone cannot become a part of that house , till it be compacted and con●oyned to the rest : but the former is true , even in the church of god , which is the spirituall spouse and citie of god , living stones , christians , beleevers must be compacted together , and builded up together , ephes . 2. 21. 22. psal . 12● 3. and therefore the latter is true also , that a particular christian becomes a member of the church , a part of that building by being combined with the rest . a second argument may be drawne from the scripture , isa . 56. 3 , 6 , 7. let not the sonne of the stranger , that hath joyned himselfe to the lord , speake , saying , the lord hath utterly separated me from his people , &c. the sonnes of the strangers that joyne themselves to the lord , to serve him , &c. and take hold of my covenant , even them will i bring to my holy mountaine , and make them joyfull in my house of prayer , &c. concerning which scripture , note three things to the present purpose . first , that these strangers were members of christ , true beleevers , joyned to god by faith ; for it is said , they have joyned themselves to the lord , v. 3 & v. 6. that they loved the name of the lord , served him , and kept his sabbaths , v. 6. and yet for all this they were not as yet joyned as members of the visible church , for if they had been joyned , there would have been no cause for such a complaint , the lord hath separated me from his people , v. 3. besides , bringing them into the church as members , and granting them the priviledge of members , is promised as a reward and blessing upon this their joyning to the lord by faith and obedience , v. 7. and therefore it is not the same , but a distinct thing from it ; the one being promised as a reward and blessing upon the other . secondly , the lord promiseth that he will make them members of his church : them will i bring to my holy mountaine , and make them joyfull in my house of prayer . thirdly , that among other things requisite to make them members , this was one , viz. the taking hold of that covenant which was between the church of israel and god , v. 6. so that hence we may gather , that men may be members of christ , joyned to the lord by faith and love , and yet for the present not be members of the visible church : and that when god is so gracious to true beleevers , as to make them members of his visible church , it is requisite that they joyne in covenant before . but might not faith in christ , beleeving in heart on the god of israel , be all the taking hold of the covenant that is here meant . not so , but over and above that , here is also meant their open profession of their faith in the god of israel , and open binding of themselves by covenant to all such duties of faith and obedience , as god required of the church of israel , and the members thereof . now distinctly take the answer to this objection in three or foure particular propositions . first , there was a covenant between the church of israel and god , exod. 19. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8. ezek 16. 8. deut. 29. 10. &c. secondly , this covenant was mutuall ; not onely a promise on gods part to be their god , and to take them for his people , but also reciprocally on their part to give up themselves unto god to be his people , and to doe the dutie of people to their god ; the covenant is not meerely to receive from god , and promise nothing back againe to him ; nor doth god binde himselfe therein , and leave men at libertie , but it is mutuall on both parts , as these scriptures declare ; gen. 17. 1. exod. 197. 8. deut. 5. 27. & 26. 16 , 17. hos . 2. 23. & zach. 13. 9. thirdly , hereupon it followes , that if men had not promised , and also performed , in some measure of truth , the duties of faith and obedience unto god , they had not taken hold of the covenant , but had discovenanted themselves , notwithstanding all the promises of god unto their fathers or others . thus though god promised abraham to be a god to him , and to his seede in their generations , gen. 17. 7. yet the ishmaelites and edomites descending from abraham , were discovenanted by not promising nor performing those duties of faith and obedience , which god required on the peoples part : when a covenant containes promises on gods part , and duties also on mans , he doth not take hold of the covenant that takes one part , and leaves another . fourthly , to beleeve what god promised in the covenant for his part , and to promise in a private way the duties of obedience on mans part , was not sufficient to make these strangers members of the church , but they must doe it openly and in the view of the church , else the church could have had no warrant to have admitted such into their fellowship , if their faith and obedience had not been visibly professed , exod. 12. 43. 48 2 chron. 23. 19. and in as much as the covenant was mutuall , when these strangers did manifest their taking hold of the covenant , they manifested and professed both faith and obedience , both that they beleeved what god promised , and that they would be obedient to what he required ; if any should have claimed church-fellowship , saying , i beleeve the promises , but would not binde himselfe to any duties of evangelicall obedience , this had been a taking hold of the covenant by the halves , a taking of one part of it in seeming and pretence , and a leaving of another ; but it would not have been sufficient to have brought a man into the fellowship of the church : such of the congregation of israel as would not come to hierusalem to enter into covenant , were to be separated from the church in the dayes of ezra , ezra 10. 8. and therefore such as being strangers should refuse to enter into it , could not be admitted into the church ; so that the taking hold of gods covenant , which is there required to make these strangers members of the church , is a beleeving in heart on the god of israel , and an open profession that they did beleeve , and likewise a promise of obedience or subjection unto the god of israel , and an open professing of such obedience and subjection ; and that is the joyning in covenant which we stand for , before a man can be a member of a church , even an open profession of faith and of obedience . a third argument is taken from those scriptures which shew that men become members by being added to the church , or being joyned to them , act. 2. 47. & 5. 13. & 9. 26. if men become members of the church by being added or joyned , then joyning in covenant ( or professing of subjection to the gospel or covenant of god ) is that whereby a man becomes a member of a church : but the former is true , as appeares by the scriptures forementioned , and therefore the latter is true also . but all the doubt in this argument will be concerning the consequence of the major proposition ; but that may be made good by this reason , and the confirmation of it , viz. that a man cannot be added or joyned to the church by any other meanes without this joyning in covenant . the truth of which assertion will appeare by shewing the insufficiency of all other means , without this joyning in covenant , and that may be done in answer to the objections ensuing . when men were added to the church , it may be , no more is meant but that god did convert them and worke faith in their hearts , and that converting of them was the adding of them to the church . this cannot be all ; for , first , saul was converted and had faith wrought in his heart , and yet he was not at the first received for a member of the church at hierusalem ( though he assayed to be joyned unto them , ) till they were better satisfied in his spirituall estate by the testimony of barnabas , act. 9. 26 , 27 , 28. and those strangers , isa . 56. ( as was said before ) were joyned to the lord by being converted , and having faith wrought in their hearts , and yet they doe lament it with griefe , that they were not joyned as members to the visible church : the lord hath separated me from his people , say they , ver . 3. the old saying is true concerning the visible church , there are many wolves within , and many sheepe without . secondly , those that were joyned were beleevers before they joyned ; for it is said , divers were added , ver . 14. thirdly , those that were added to the church , were added and joyned to them by such an act as others durst not put forth , act. 5. 13. of the rest durst no man joyne unto them , and therefore it was not by the irresistable act of god in converting of them , but by some voluntary act of their owne choice and consent ; for gods converting grace depends not upon mans daring , or not daring to receive it . if to be joyned be no more but to be converted , then when it is said , some durst not be joyned , the meaning should be , they durst not be converted , nor suffer faith to be wrought in them ; which is grosse arminianisme , suspending the converting grace of god upon the free will of the creature . fourthly , and as this joyning which others durst not doe , cannot be meant of being converted ; so if it be well considered , what the thing was wherein they durst not joyne , it may appeare that it was nothing els but this , that they durst not agree , and engage themselves to be of their body and societie ; that is , they durst not joyne in covenant with them . for it cannot be meant of dwelling in the towne with them , for this they both durst doe and did : nor is it onely of joyning to heare the word in their assembly , for this also they durst doe , and many did it in great multitudes , so that many by hearing the word became beleevers , and were added to the lord both of men and women , ver . 14. at this very time when it is said of some they durst not joyne unto them : nor is it of joyning to them in affection , or approbation of their way , for this they also durst doe and did expresse so much in magnifying and commending them , when yet they durst not joyne unto them , ver . 13. which magnifying of them doth imply that they heard their doctrine , and saw their practise , and approved it , and highly commended them for the same : wherefore seeing this joyning , which some durst not doe , cannot be meant of being converted , nor of joyning in habitation , nor of joyning in affection , nor in hearing the word in their assembly , nor of approbation , and expressions that way , it remaineth that it must be meant of joyning in that neere relation of church-fellowship amongst them , so as to be engaged by voluntary consent and agreement to be members of their church . fiftly , if joyning to the church , were no more but to be converted , then he that were converted were joyned as a member of every visible church throughout the world , which were a great confusion of that order , and distinction of churches , which the lord hath appointed . men may be joyned to the church , in heartie affection and love , and yet without any covenant . true , but this will not make them members of that church , for then saul was a member of the church at hierusalem , afore he was joyned a member , for he was joyned to them in heartie affection afore , and therefore assayed to joyne as a member ; and so were they that durst not joyne , act. 5. 13. yea then a man should be a member of many churches , yea of all christian churches in the world ; for he is to love them , and beare heartie affection to them all ; the true members of the churches in england are united in heartie affection , to the churches in scotland , in holland , in france , in new-england , &c. and yet they are not members of all these churches , nor subject to their censures as members are . but the reason of that is because they doe not dwell among them in the same towne . neither would habitation with them in the same towne , make a man a member of the church there , if there be no more then so . suppose saul to have dwelt in the same house afore his conversion in which he dwelt after , which is not unpossible nor unlikely ; yet we see he was no member of the church at hierusalem , afore his conversion , no nor of some time after , though he might have dwelt in an house in the midst of the christians , and church-members there . the members of the dutch and french churches in london , or other townes in england , are not members of the english-congregations or churches , no more then the english are of theirs , and yet they dwell promiscuously together in the same streete of the same towne . towne-dwelling would not make a man a free-man of a company in london , or some other corporation ; for many others dwell in the towne with them ; yea it may be in the same streete , that are not free of their company , and so it is in this case . but the reason why such as dwell in towne with the church , are not members thereof , may be , because they frequent not their . assemblies . idiots and infidells might come into the publick meetings among the corinthians , 1 cor. 14. 23 , 24 , 25. yet idiots and infidells were not therefore members of the church . and saul after his conversion might have come in among the church in time of publick duties , and have seene and heard all that they had done : yet this would not have made him of one body with them . some indians , moores , and other naturall persons come into our meetings in new-england , some of their owne accord , and others by the command or counsell of their masters and governours yet no man can say , that all these are hereby made church-members . wherefore seeing neither conversion , nor loving affection , nor cohabitation , nor coming into their meetings , doth joyne a man as a member of the visible church ( for some men have all these , and yet are not members , and others are sometimes members of the visible churches , and yet want some of these , are hypocrites and want sound conversion ) it remaineth therefore that as sound conversion makes a man fit matter for a church ; so profession of his faith , and of his subjection to the gospel , and the churches approbation , and acceptance of him ( which is the summe of church-covenant ) is the formall cause that gives him the being of a member . but joyning doth not alway signifie joyning in covenant ; philip joyned to the eunnuchs chariote , and dust to mens feete , act. 8. 29. & luke 10 , 11. and yet there was no covenant , and therefore men may joyne to the church without any covenant . the word indeed may expresse any close joyning , whether naturall , ( as the branch is joyned to the vine , or an arme or other member to the body ) or artificiall , as when two stickes were joyned to become one in ezekiels hand , ezek. 37. or when carpenters or masons doe joyne pieces of stone or timber together , to make one house , neh. 4. 6. ezr. 4. 12. but is not onely the force of the word that is stood upon . but when joyning is used to expresse such joyning , wherein a man voluntarily takes on him a new relation , there it alwayes implyes a covenant , whether the relation be morall and civill , or religious and ecclesiasticall : we speake of voluntary relation , for there are naturall relations , as betweene parents and children : and these need no covenant , there is no covenant to make a man a parent , or a childe ; there are also violent relations , as between conquerour and captives , and in these there is no covenant neither ; but others are voluntary , and these alwayes imply a covenant , and are founded therein , whether they be morall and civill ( as between husband and wife , pro. 2. 17. between master and servants , luk. 15. 15. between prince and subject , between partners in trade , 2 chro. 20. 35 , 36 , 37. where the covenant or agreement is , that men shall bare such a share of charges , and receive such a share of profits : ) or religious , as between minister and people , between the church and the members : all these are done by way of covenant . a man cannot joyne himselfe to a woman as her husband , but by way of covenant : a man cannot joyne himselfe to another as a servant , or apprentise , but by way of covenant ; and so may we say of all the rest ; nor into any body corporate , but by the same way and means . if men be united into a body politick or incorporate , a man cannot be said to be joyned to them by meere heartie affection , unlesse withall he joynes himselfe unto them by some contract or covenant . now of this nature is every particular church , a body incorporate , 1 cor. 12. 27. yee are the body of christ , &c. and hath power to cast out , 1 cor. 5. 13. and to forgive and receive in penitents , 2 cor. 2. 7. 8 as a body incorporate ; and therefore he that will joyne unto them , must doe it by way of covenant or agreement ; and so this answer to this objection , may be a fourth argument to prove the point in hand , that joyning in covenant is that which makes a man , a member of a church . all voluntary relations , all relations which are neither naturall nor violent , are entred into by way of covenant . but he that joynes into a church as a member , or enters into a church , doth take upon him such a relation ; therefore joyning ▪ to a church as a member , is by way of covenant . a fifth argument may be drawne from the power which all churches , officers and members , have over all their members in the lord. if all churches , officers , and members , have power in the lord over all their members , then joyning in covenant is necessary to make a man a member of a church , but the former is true , therefore the latter is true also . the assumption in this argument , that all churches have power over their members , is proved from 1 cor. 5. 4 , 5. 13. where the apostle reproveth the corinthians for suffering the incestuous man amongst them , and commands them to deliver him to satan , and cast him out from amongst them . now this he would not have done , if they had had no power over him , or if there had been any roome for them to say , wee have nothing to doe with him , wee have no power over him . and the same is prooved in other scriptures also ; as , mat. 18. 17. psal . 149. 6. 7 , 8 , 9. and the consequence of the major proposition , viz. that then members doe engage themselves by covenant , is proved by this reason ; that churches have no power over such as have not engaged themselves by covenant , and committed power unto them , by professing to be subject to all the ordinances of christ amongst them . the truth whereof may appeare by two reasons : first , because all christians have power and right , jure divino , to choose their owne officers to whom they commit their soules , act. 6. & 1. & 14. 23. where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , imports choosing by election : and so the word is used and translated , 2 cor. 8. 19. he was chosen by the churches , &c. it is not ministeriall gifts that makes a man a minister to every church , nor investeth him with spirituall power over them , nor though he dwell amongst them , unlesse they call him , and he accept of that call : and as they have power to choose their officers , so likewise to choose their brethren according to god , rom. 14. 1. now if they have power to choose their officers and brethren , then none can have power over them as officers and brethren , without their owne consent , and whom they never chose , nor promised by any covenant or engagement to be subject to the lord. secondly , if the church should exercise any act of church-power over such a man as never entred into covenant with them ( suppose to excommunicate him for whoredome or drunkennesse , or the like ) the man might protest against their act , and their sentence , as coram non judice , and they could not justifie their proceedings , if indeed there have passed no covenant or engagement between him and them . if he shall say , you have nothing to doe to passe sentence or censure upon me , i am none of your church , but of another church ; suppose in holland , in france , &c. and i am onely here now for merchandise sake , or upon some other occasion : what shall they say to stop his mouth , if there never passed any covenant between him and them . but ministers have power over the people by the word of god , heb. 13. 17. 1 thes . 5. 12. 1 tim. 5. 17. and not by mens engaging themselves by covenant . but what is it that makes men ministers to such a people , officers to such a church , or maketh them sheepe of my flocke ? is it not those scriptures that makes every man a pastour , or teacher , or ruler to a people , unlesse they call him to that office ; and then in so doing they covenant and engage themselves to be subject to him in the lord , and then those scriptures take hold on them . one might as well say , it is not the covenanting of a wife to her husband that gives him power over her , but the word of god ; for as the word of god commands people to obey their ministers , so it commands wives to be subject to their husbands , ephes . 5. 22. and yet all men know , a man cannot take this woman for his ▪ wife but by covenant . so that if shee once makes her selfe a wife by her owne voluntary covenant , then the word of god takes hold on her , and bindes her to doe the duties of a wife : but if shee ▪ hath made no covenant , the man hath no power over her as her husband , neither is shee his wife ; so if men once make themselves members of such a church , sheepe of such a mans flocke , by their own voluntary covenant , then the word of god takes hold of them , and bindes them to doe the duties of members to their fellow-brethren , and of people to their pastours or ministers . but if they never chose such a man to be their minister , nor covenanted to be subject to him in the lord , he then can have no power over them as a minister unto them , because they have right to chose their owne ministers . a sixth argument may be taken from the distinction that is between members , and not members . if there be by the word of god a distinction , between members of the church and such as are no members , then joyning in covenant is necessary to the being of a member ; but the former is true , as appeares 1 cor. 5. 12. some are within , and may be judged by the church , and others are without , and may not ▪ and therefore the latter is true also . and the reason of the consequence is because there is nothing else without this joyning in covenant , that can sufficiently distinguish them ; it is not faith and grace in their hearts , for some men are members of the visible church , and yet have no grace , and others may have grace , and yet be no members , and therefore this is not the thing that doth distinguish them , nor is it affection , nor cohabitation , nor every approbation of the word of god , and the wayes of his church , nor comming into their assemblies to heare the word ; but these things were touched before , and therefore may be here the more briefly passed over . and so much shall suffice to have spoken of the second particular , concerning the use of church-covenant , that it is by joyning therein that a particular person becomes a member of a church . but here it will be needfull to remove sundry objections , which may seeme to some to be of great weight against church-covenant , that so by the removing of them , the truth may be the more cleared , to fuller satisfaction , if it be the will of god. church-covenant is a terme that is not found in scripture . first , so is sacrament , trinitie , &c. and yet those termes may be lawfully used , because the thing meant thereby is found . secondly , but seeing the covenant is between the lord and his church , as the two parties that are confederate , it is all one whether it be called the lords covenant , or the church-covenant : as when mamre , aver , & eschol were confederate with abraham , gen. 14. 13. might not one truely say , abraham was confederate with them ? relatives doe mutually put and establish one another . thirdly , the scripture allowes both the lords covenant with the church , eze. 16. 8. & the peoples covenant or saints covenant , or churches covenant with him , deut. 29. 12. psal . 50. 5. jer. 50. 5. fourthly , there is good reason for both the words ; both the lords covenant , and the church-covenant , because both are confederate ; and for that of church-covenant , there is this reason also , viz. to distinguish it from other covenants , as a marriage-covenant , pro. 2. 17. and a brotherly covenant , 1 sam. 20. 8. the church-covenant being thus called not onely because they are a church , or members thereof that make it , but also because they enter into it in reference to church-estate and church-duties : the duties which they bind themselves unto in this covenant being such especially as concern a church and the members thereof . but this church-covenant puts some disparagement upon the covenant of grace , which every beleever is already entred into with god , and seeme to charge the same with insufficiency ; for every second covenant doth argue that the first was not faultlesse , heb. 8. 7. 1. a second covenant doth argue that the first was not faultlesse , where the covenants are contrary one to another , as the covenant of grace , and the covenant of works are , and so it is most true , that the bringing in of the free covenant of grace did argue that righteousnes and life could not be attained by the law , or covenant of works ; for if there had been a law given which could have given life , verily righteousnesse should have been by the law. gal. 3. 21. rom. 8. 3. 2. but if it be the same covenant that is renewed or made againe , though upon a new occasion , no man can say that entring into the same the second time , or a third , or a fourth , doth disanull the first , or cast disparagement upon the same . the covenant of works given to adam was not blamed or faulted , because it was renewed in sinai . the covenant of grace was first given to adam in paradise after his fall , afterward to abraham , then to the people of israel under types and shadows ; and againe after the coming of christ in the flesh ; yet none of these doth disanull the former , or argue the same to be faulty ; and the reason is , because it is still the same covenant though renewed upon new occasions ; and in some particulars in some other manner . and the like we say concerning church-covenant , or the covenant which a man makes when he enters into the church , viz. that it is not another covenant contrary to the covenant of grace , which every beleever is brought into at his first conversion , but an open profession of a mans subjection to that very covenant , specially in the things which concerne church estate , into which estate the man is now entring . it is not lawfull to make such a covenant as the church-covenant , because it is not in our power to keep it , and we do not know whether god will give us power . this ground is very true , that no man hath power of himselfe to any thing that good is , but all a mans power and abilitie must come of god through christ , 2. cor. 3. 5. phil. 2. 13. joh. 15. 5. but the inference is not good , that therefore it should be unlawfull to ento into church-covenant : for 1. by the same reason , all promises are unlawfull , and all covenants whatsoever ; as the covenant of marriage , the covenant of service , yea and the personall covenant of grace , when a particular soule promiseth faith and new obedience ; for there is none of these , no not the covenant of marriage , which a man is able of himself to keep , as the adultery of david and bathsheba , among others , doth plainly prove . 2. god hath promised to give power to them that in self-deniall seek it of him , and trust to his promise for it . ezek. 36. 27. jer. 31. 33. rom. 6. 14. jer. 32. 40. the true inference therefore from this ground , from mans disabilitie to performe were this , that therefore a man should not enter into church covenant in his owne strength , for that was peters fault in promising not to deny christ , but to die with him rather : but church-covenant , as also all other promises , should be entred into , in an humble looking up to christ jesus for help and assistance to performe . thou therefore my sonne , be strong in the grace that is in christ jesus , 2. tim. 2. 1. god disalloweth covenants of mans making ( and so our church-covenant ) in those words , but not by thy covenant . ezek. 16. 61. god doth not reprove them there for making covenant , for then he were contrary to himselfe , who elsewhere called them to do it , exod. 29. deut. 29. and commended them for it , psal . 50. 5. yea and in that very place of ezek. 16. acknowledgeth a covenant betweene him and them , ver . 60. 62. but the meaning is , he would do them good , but not for their good keeping the covenant of works , for they had very sinfully broken it , ver . 59 but even as he saith elsewhere , not for their sakes , or for their righteousnesse , ezek. 36. 32. deut. 9. 4 , 5 , 6. but what force is there in this arguing , viz. if god will do us good , but not for our good keeping the covenant of works , then it is not lawfull to promise obedience to the covenant of grace , in such things as concerne church estate ; all men may easily see that here is a plaine non sequitur . this entring into covenant may keep out many good men from joyning to the churches , because they are not satisfied about it : and therefore it is better laid aside . it is not impossible , but good men may for a time be unsatisfied about it , till they understand the nature and use of it , and yet the thing be warrantable enough for all that in the sight of god ; the tribes were troubled at the altar set up upon the banks of jordan by the two tribes and an halfe , till they understood the intent and use of it , and for what purpose it was erected : and then they were satisfied . josh . 22. and the same may be said of peters eating with the gentiles , which at the first was very offensive to them of the circumcision , till they understood what peter had to say for his defence therein , and then they rested well satisfied , act. 11. but if men understand what the church-covenant is , there is no reason that good men should be troubled at it ; it being nothing else but a promise of obedience unto the gospel of christ , or of such duties as the gospel requireth of all christians in church-estate : for , will good men refuse to obey the gospel , or submit to the ordinances of christ ? or will they refuse to professe and promise so much ? if a man understand what it is , and what we meane by it , and yet refuse to enter into it when he hath opportunitie thereto , such refusing is no part of his goodnesse , but is to be reckoned amongst his corruptions ; it is ignorance at the best , and if not so , then it may be perversenesse of will , or some want of will to performe obedience to the gospel . and surely there is smal hope that such would yeeld subjection and obedience to the gospel , who do refuse to professe or promise it . but the scripture , act. 2. 41. tels of joyning to the church without any covenant . for it was not possible that 3000. should enter into covenant in one day . two things may be said in answer to this objection . first , that 3000. were not so many , but that joyning in covenant might easily be done by them all , in one day . for , 1. it was at penticost , at which time of the yeer the dayes were at the longest : and , 2. the scripture tels us , that david made a covenant with all the tribes of israel in one day , 2. sam. 5 1 , 2 , 3. the articles of the covenant betweene david and the tribes , and so betweene this 3000. and the lord might be openly declared , and they both the one and the other might by some signe or other , expresse their consent thereunto in one day . secondly , as joyning in covenant is a thing that might be done , so it is more then probable that indeed it was done , by those 3000. soules for it is said , ver . 41. that they gladly received the word , that is , they openly professed that they did with all their hearts receive it , for this receiving of the word is noted as a condition , upon which they were admitted to baptisme , and therefore it was not onely an inward receiving of it in their hearts , but also an open professing that they did receive it ; for an inward receiving of it in their hearts , without an open professing thereof outwardly , would not have been sufficient for the admitting of them unto baptisme . now this word which they received was an exhortation to repentance for sinne , and to faith in the promise , ver . 38 39. and to obedience in severing themselves from others , and saving themselves from that untoward generation , ver . 40. and therefore when they openly professed , that they gladly received this word , there was an open professing of their repentance for sinne , ver . 40. of their faith in the promise , and of obedience to the commandement , which is nothing else , but the very summe of church-covenant : yea , and further , their very preparation to this repentance , faith and obedience , in that true compunction and sorrow of soul , was also openly made manifest . ver . 37. but yet there would not be such long narrations , of every one severally as now are used , when men do enter into church-covenant , when each one makes a good long speech , in the profession of his faith and repentance . when the thing is certaine , as was shewed before , that they did openly professe repentance , faith and obedience , it is not difference in the length or largenesse of their speeches in expressing of themselves , that can make any difference in the thing : majus & minus non diversificant speciem . and we denie not but they might be briefer , because there was not such need they should be long in regard of some difference betweene them and us , their time and ours : first there were the apostles present to heare their confessions , and to judge thereof , who were men of very good discerning , and therefore briefer expressing of mens selves might suffice ; whereas the best christians , yea the best ministers amongst us are not to be compared to the apostles ; and therefore as we need more time for study , and for preparation for our sermons then they did : so likewise we need more time to heare , and try the soundnesse of mens repentance towards god , and faith towards our lord jesus christ . yet this we may adde withall , that if the apostles and those primative christians , men of such excellent discerning were sometimes deceived , and could not alwayes so discern , but that some hypocrites would creep into the church : as the example of ananias and saphira doth witnesse ; how much more need is there , that the churches of god in these dayes ( being far inferiour to them ) should be very watchfull and circumspect in trying the spirituall estates of them that offer to come into the church ? secondly , their times also differed from ours : for their christianitie was a matter of reproach and danger of excommunication , joh. 9. 22. of imprisonment , act. 4. 3. and 5. 18. and the like . and therefore to see men now to make open profession of their faith in christ jesus , whose servants and disciples were so hated , and who himselfe but a while before was crucified , this was not an ordinarie matter : and therefore in words , men might be the briefer when they came to be received into the church : but our times in new england do not persecute christ , and christians , and christian churches , but countenance them , and protect them ; and therefore there is more need now to be more studious in examination of mens estates when they offer themselves for church members : when the jews were in favour , many of the people of the land became jews , esth . 8. 17. but why is there so little proofe of this church-covenant in the new testament ? 1. suppose the new testament said nothing of it , yet it might have ground sufficient from the scriptures of the old testament ; for if it was gods revealed will in those dayes , that a companie should become a church , and particular persons become members of that church by way of covenant , we may be sure it is so now likewise , unlesse covenanting were peculiar to the jewish paedigogie ; indeed if it had never been used in those times , but were some new ordinance , peculiar to the dayes of the new testament , in such cases also a ground from the scriptures of the new testament were necessarie , as there is in all such things wherein there is any change or variation , from what was used in those times afore christ , as that there should not be nationall churches , but congregationall , and not one visible church , but many , that there should be baptisme , and the lords supper : these are matters that are not found in the old testament , nor were appointed to be used in those dayes , and therefore we must have warrant for them in the new , and so we have . but for the covenant it is otherwise , it is no new ordinance peculiar to the dayes of the gospel , nor any leviticall ordinance peculiar to the jewish pedigogie ; and therefore the scriptures of the old testament that give warrant for it , may be sufficient as hath been shewed afore . 2. and yet there is not wanting good warrant for it , that it ought to be used , in the dayes of the new testament . for , 1. the prophets do foretell it , isa . 56. 6 , 7. and 44. 5. and jer. 50. 5. ezek. 20. 37. and in sundrie other places , to omit the rest at this time , because some of them have been spoken of before ; onely let those words of isa . 44. 5. be well considered , and see if they do not plainly hold forth that in the dayes of the new testament , men should openly professe their faith , and solemnly bind themselves by covenant , to be the lords people , one shall say , i am the lords , and another shall call himself by the name of jacob , and another shall subscribe with his hand , and sirname himself by the name of israel . these words are so plaine for open professing of faith in the lord , and open binding of mens selves by covenant unto him , as we conceive nothing need be more . 2. the apostles do sufficiently testifie , that such a thing was practised in their dayes , else how should we understand that fellowship in the gospel in its full latitude and breadth , phil. 1. 5. if this combining into church-fellowship be no part thereof ; yea when it is said , they continued stedfastly , or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may well be translated , they strongly did cleave together , or hold together in such a fellowship , which was not preaching and hearing the doctrine of the apostles , nor sacraments , nor prayer , but a thing distinct from all these . if this combining themselves into a spirituall fellowship and societie of church-state be no part thereof , we know not how to understand it , nor what that fellowship should meane ; if doctrine , and sacraments , and prayer had not been particularly mentioned , in the same place , it might have been thought that the fellowship in which they so steadfastly clave together had been no more , but their coming together to observe these said ordinances , and their communion therein . but when all these are particularly mentioned , and fellowship mentioned among them , as a thing distinct from the rest , we may not confound it with the rest . we might as well say , that by doctrine is meant sacraments , and by sacraments is meant prayer ; as to say that by fellowship is meant nothing else but the exercise of doctrine , and sacraments , and prayer . and if these as they are distinctly named , be distinct ordinances , and may not be confounded , then fellowship being named in the same manner imports something distinct from them all , and may not be confounded with them , nor with any of them , no more then the other may be confounded one with another . and if so , then as this fellowship may import , the communion of their gift and goods one for the helpe of another , so it must first of all imply a combining of themselves into church-state by mutuall agreement , consent , or covenant . furthermore , when the apostle writeth , that by experience of the corinthians liberall contribution to the poore saints , men glorified god for their professed subjection to the gospel of christ , 2. cor. 9. 13. he plainly imployes thereby , that the corinthians had made a profession or promise of such subjection to the gospel as did comprehend this particular of distributing to the necessitie of the saints , among other things . and their liberall distribution which he there speaks of , was looked at as one point of their reall performance of that subjection to the gospel , which they had before professed , and promised . now the church-covenant is nothing else , but the professing or promising of such subjection , and therefore this place is another proofe of church-covenant . besides , it hath been shewed afore in argument 3. that those places which speake of being added to the church , of joyning , or assaying to joyne unto the church , act. 2. 47. and 5 13. and 9 26. are not expounded according to the full meaning of them , when they are understood of any other joyning , if joyning in covenant be left out . and therefore the scriptures of the new testament do beare good witnesse unto church-covenant , though , as we said before , the scriptures of the old testament might have been sufficient if the new testament had spoken nothing of it . but baptisme makes men members of the visible church , and therefore the covenant is needlesse . this is answered in the answer to the fourth of the 32. questions , where it is shewed at large that baptisme ●● a seale of the covenant betweene god and the church , but neither makes the church , nor members of the church , nor alwayes so much as proves men to be members . this church-covenant is a late devise , and was not known in ancient time , and therefore is to be rejected . first , true antiquitie is that of the scriptures . now sith church covenant is warranted by the scripture , as hath been shewed before in this discourse , it cannot be charged to want true antiquitie . when the papists are wont to charge the doctrine of protestants with novelty , and such as was never heard of before luther , the orthodoxe are wont to answer , that if the doctrine do not agree with the scripture , then let it be condemned for noveltie ; and if it do , it is warranted by the best antiquitie , even the testimonie of god himself who is the antient of dayes : our faith , faith doctor white , is in all points the same that is contained in the scripture , and so consequently of the same antiquitie : and therefore all they that say it came up but of late , must first prove it contrary to the word of god , or else hold their peace . white , way , 44. 1. and the same we say in this particular of the church-covenant . secondly , and yet they that search the stories and writers of the times and ages next after the apostles , may find some testimonie of church-covenant in those dayes : for instance , justine martyr in his apol. 2. makes mention of three things which were required of all that were admitted into the church as members , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is regeneration , and soundnesse in the faith , and a promise to walke in obedience to the gospel . and generally this was the practise of all those times , that never any man was admitted to baptisme , nor his children neither , but they put him to answer three questions , abrenuntios ? whereto he answered , abrenuntio . credis ? whereto his answer was , credo : and spondes ? to which he answered , spondes . so that here was an open declaration of his repentance from dead works , and of the soundnesse of his faith , in the two first particulars , and an open binding himself by covenant or promise to walke according to the gospel , in the third . but much needs not to be said in this point , unto them that do acknowledge scripture antiquitie to be sufficient , though after times should be found to swerve from the rules and patterns that are therein contained . if church-covenant be so necessarie , then all the reformed churches are to be condemned as no churches ; for they have no such covenant . they that have knowne those churches , not onely by their writings , and confessions of their faith , in synods and otherwise ; but also by living amongst them , and being eye-witnesses of their order , do report otherwise of them , viz. that they are combined together by solemne covenant with god and one another . zepperus , speaking of the manner , used in the reformed churches , in admitting the children of church-members to the lords table , when they came to age , and have been sufficiently catechised , and instructed in the doctrine of religion ▪ tells us , that such children are admitted to the lords table , by publick profession of faith , and entring into covenant . consuetum est , saith l●e , ut qui per atatem inque doctrinâ catecheticâ profectum ad sacram coenam primum admittuntur , fidei confessionem coram totâ ecclesiâ publice edant per parentes aut qui parentum loco sunt , jussû ministri , in ecclesia conspectum producti : quòdque in illa confessione , per dei gratiam perstare , ac , juxta illam , vitam instituere , insuper etiam disciplina ecclesiasticae ultrò ac spoute suâ subjicere sese velint , spondeant atque stipulentur , polit. eccles . lib. 1. cap. 14. p. 158. that is , the manner is , that they who by reason of age and proficiencie in the doctrine of catechisme are first admitted to the lords supper , should publickly before the whole church make confession of their faith , being brought forth into the sight of the church by their parents , or them that are instead of parents , at the appointment of the minister ; and likewise should promise and covenant by the grace of god to continue in that faith which they have confessed , and to lead their lives according to it ; yea , and moreover to subject themselves freely and willingly to the discipline of the church . these words we see are full and plaine , that children are not in those churches received to the lords supper , without personall confession of faith , and entring into covenant before ; and if they tooke this course with children come to age , there is as much reason , or more , that the same course should be holden with men of yeers , when they are admitted members . and so the same zepperus , speaking of the consociation of churches amongst themselves by mutuall confederation , hath these words , which as they may be applyed to the combining of many churches , so may they be combining of many members of the same church , 〈◊〉 illa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quam in symbolo profite nunc apostolico , nihil aliud hic requirit , & vult , quam obligationem omnium ecclesiae membrorum & confoederationem , &c. that is , that communion of saints which we professe in the creed , doth require and meane nothing else but an obligation of all the members of the church , and a binding of them together by covenant . polit. eccles . li. 3 c. 8. p 721. to these testimonies of z●pp●r●● , those words may be added of mr. parker our own countreyman , a man of singular note for learning and holinesse , who also himselfe lived sometimes beyond sea in the reformed churches , and there ended his dayes , so that we may safely give the more credit to his testimonie , he having so good meanes fully to know the state and order of those churches . now he speaketh of a solennis forma absque quâ in ecclesiae alicujus communionem nullus ritè recipitur : of a solemne forme , without which no man is rightly received into the communion of the church , hath these words . hic mos ille est reformatarum ecclesiarum non solum in lapsis restituendis , sed in extra●eis , i●ò quibuscunque recipiendis qui ad habitandum alicubi consident , etsi fortè in ecclesiâ illius loci quo ante commo● abantur , juxta hanc formam admissi prius fuerant . examinat presbyterium , plebs consentit , quisque testes vita sua secum adfert , vel testimonia sal●em : publicatur nomen cuiusque competentis pro con●io●e , admonetur quisque siquid habeat quod excipiat , ut denunciet presbyteris . si nihil contrà adferatur , admittitur quidem , sed non nisi solerni pactione cum deo & cum ecclesiâ ▪ spondet verò ecclesiae ▪ se ambulaturum prout sanctam illam communionem decet ; disciplinae illius ecclesiae subjacere velle , se fratribus illius communionis invigilaturum juxta christi praeceptum , matth. 18. 17. ut praeveniantur sanentur que scandala , & illi ad studium bonorum operum provehantur . that is , this is the manner of the reformed churches , not onely in restoring such as have fallen , but in admitting of strangers , yea of all whoever they be , who do sit down in any place for habitation , though perhaps they have been formerly admitted after the same manner in the church where they have formerly dwelt ; the presbytery doth examine , the people do consent , every man brings with him witnesses of his life , or at least-wise testimonies : the name of each one that desires to be a member , is published in the assembly , every one is admonished if he have any exception against the party , to bring it to the presbytery . if nothing be brought against him , then indeed he is admitted ; but yet no otherwise then by a solemne covenant with god and the church ; and to the church he promiseth that he will walk as becometh that holy fellowship , that he will be subject to the discipline of that church , that he will watch over the brethren of that communion , according to the command of christ , mat. 18. 17. that offences may be prevented and healed , &c. polit. eccles lib. 3 cap. 16. § 4. pag. 171 , 172. much more he hath to the same purpose in that place , alledging sundry canons and decrees of synods of reformed churches , wherein they have determined that none should be received into their churches , but by this way of solemne covenant . and others that have lived amongst them may have been eye-witnesses that this is their usuall practise . but what shall be said of the congregations in england , if churches must be combined by covenant ? doth not this doctrine blot out all those congregations out of the catalogue of churches ? for what ever covenant may be found in the reformed churches in other parts , yet it is plaine that the english have none . though we deny not but the covenant in many of those congregations is more implicite and not so plaine as were to be desired ; ( and what is amisse in them , in their materialls , or in want of explicite combining of pure matter , or many of their wayes , wee will not take upon us to defend ) yet we hope we may say of them with master parker , polit. eccles . lib 3. cap. 16. § 1. pag. 167. non abost ea realis & substantialis ( quanquam magis quàm par●rat implicita ) coitio in foedus , eaque voluntaria professio fidei substantialis : quâ ( deo gratia ) essentiam ecclesiae idque visibilis hacusque sartam tectam in angliâ conservavit ; that is , there wants not that reall and substantiall comming together , ( or agreeing in covenant , though more implica●e then were meete ) and that substantiall profession of faith , which ( thanks be to god ) hath preserved the essence of visible churches in england unto this day . the reasons why wee are loath to say , that the congregations in england are utterly without a covenant , are these : first , because there were many christian churches in england in the apostles time , or within a while after , as master fox sheweth at large , act. & mon. lib. 2. beginning pag 137. where he reporteth out of gildas , that england received the gospel in the time of tiberius the emperour , under whom christ suffered , and that joseph of arimathea was sent of philip the apostie from france to england about the yeare of christ 63. and remained in england all his time , and so he with his fellowes layd the first foundation of christian faith among the britaine people , and other preachers and teachers comming afterward , confirmed the same and increased it . also the said master fox reporteth out of tertullian , that the gospel was dispearsed abroad by the sound of the apostles into many nations , and amongst the rest into britaine , yea into the wildest places of britaine , which the romans could never attaine unto : and alledgeth also out of ni●●phorus , that simon zelotes did spread the gospel to the west ocean , and brought the same into the iles of britaine : and sundry other proofes he there hath for the same point . now if the gospel and christian religion were brought into england in the apostles times , and by their means , it is like that the english churches were then constituted by way of covenant , because that was the manner of constituting churches in the apostles time , as also in the times asore christ , as hath been shewed from the scripture before in this discourse . and if christian congregations in england were in those times combined by covenant , then eternitie of gods covenant is such , that it is not the interposition of many corruptions that may arise in after times that can disanull the same , except when men wilfully breake covenant and reject the offers of the gospel through obstinacy , which we perswade our selves they are not come unto : and consequently the covenant remaines which hath preserved the essence of churches to this day ; though the mixture of manifold corruptions , have made the covenant more implicite then were meete . secondly , because there want no good records ( as may be seene in seldens history of tithes ) to prove that in former times in england it was free for men to pay their tithes and oblations where themselves pleased : now this paying of tithes was accounted as a dutie of people to their minister , or sheepe to their pastour : and therefore seeing this was by their owne voluntary agreement and consent , their joyning to the church as members thereof , & to the ministery thereof as sheepe of such a mans flock , was also by their owne voluntary agreement and consent : and this doth imply a covenant ●● was not the precincts of parishes that did limit men in those dayes , but their owne choice . thirdly , those questions and answers ministred at baptisme , spoken of before , ( viz. do●st thou renounce ? i doe renounce : doest thou beleeve ? i doe beleeve : doest thou promise ? i doe promise ) as they were used in other places , so were they also in england , and are unto this day , though not without the mixture of sundry corruptions . now this doth imply a covenant . and when the children came to age , they were not to be admitted to the lords supper , before they had made personall confession of their owne faith , and ratified the covenant which was made at their baptisme by their parents , which course indeed afterward did grow into a sacrament of confirmation , but that was an abuse of a good order . if here it be said , that the members of the parishionall assemblies are not brought in by their owne voluntary profession , but by the authority and proclamation of the prince , and therefore they have no such covenant . the answer is , that the christian prince doth but his dutie when he doth not tollerate within his dominions any open idolatry , or the open worship of false gods by baptized persons , but suppresseth the same : and likewise when he gives free libertie to the exercise of all the ordinances of true religion , according to the minde of christ , with countenance also and encouragement unto all those whose hearts are willingly bent thereunto , ezra . 1. 1. 3. & 7. 13. and therefore this practise of his cannot overthrow the freenesse of mens ioyning in church ▪ communion , because one dutie cannot oppose nor contradict another . and suppose that this course of the magistrate should seeme to be a forcing of some to come in for members who were unfit , ( in which case it were not justifiable ) yet this doth not hinder the voluntary subjection of others , who with all their hearts desired it . when the israelites departed out of aegypt , there went a mixed multitude with them , many going with them that were not israelites indeed , exod. 12. and in the dayes of mordecay and hesther , many of the people of the lands became jewes , when the jewes were in favour and respect , est . 8. 17. and so joyned to them not of their owne voluntary minde , nor of any sincere heart towards god , but meerely for the favour or ●eare of men ; yet this forced or seined joyning of some could not hinder those that were israelites indeed from being israelites , nor make the jewes to be no jewes , no church-members . and the same may be said in this case , suppose the magistrates proclamation should be a cause , or an occasion rather , of bringing some into the church , who came not of their owne voluntary minde , but for feare , or for obteining favour , yet this cannot hinder , but others might voluntarily and freely covenant to be subject to the gospel of christ : such subjection and the promise of it being the thing which themselves did heartily desire , though the magistrate should have said nothing in it . if any shall hereupon inferre , that if the parishionall assemblies be churches , then the members of them may be admitted to church priviledges in new england , before they joyne to our churches : such one may finde his answer in the answer to the tenth of the thirty-two questions ; whereunto we doe referre the reader for this point . onely adding this , that this were contrary to the judgement and practise of the reformed churches , who doe not admit a man for member without personall profession of his faith , and joyning in covenant , though he had formerly been a member of a church in another place , as was shewed before out of master parker . lastly , if any say , that if these reasons prove the english congregations to have such a covenant as proves them to be churches , then why may not rome , and the assemblies of papists goe for true churches also ? for some man may thinke that the same things may be said for them that here in answer to this eleventh objection are said for the parishes in england : such one must remember two things : first , that we doe not say simply , a covenant makes a company a true church , but ( as was said before ) a covenant to walke in such wayes of worship to god and edification of one another , as the gospel of christ requireth . for who doubts ▪ but there may be an agreement among theeves , pro. 1. a confederation among gods enemies , psal . 83. a conspiracy among the arabians , the ammonites and ashdodites , to hinder the building of hierusalem , neh. 4. 7 , 8. and yet none of these are made true churches by such kind of confederacies or agreements . and so wee may say of the assemblies of papists , especially since the counsell of trent . if there be any agreement or confederacy among them , it is not to walke in the wayes of the gospell , but in wayes contrary to the fundamentall truths of the gospel , as idolatry in worship , heresie in doctrine , and other antichristian pollutions and corruptions : and therefore if they combined in these things , such combinations will never prove them true churches . the church is the pillar and ground of truth , 1 tim. 3. 15. but the religion of papists is so farre from truth , that whosoever liveth and beleeveth according to it , without repentance , cannot be saved . witnesse their doctrine in the point of vilifying the scriptures , and in point of free-will , and of justification by works , of the popes supremacy , of the sacrifice of the masse , of worshipping of images , &c. in regard of which , and such like , the holy ghost saith , that their religion is a sea , become as the bloud of a dead man , and every soule in that sea dyeth , rev. 16. 3. and therefore agreement in such a religion will never prove them to be true churches ; nor any assemblies of arrians , antitrinitaries , anabaptists , or famelists , supposing them also to be combined by covenant among themselves . but now for the assemblies in england , the case is farre otherwise ; for the doctrine of the articles of religion which they professe , and which they promise to hold and observe ( though some things are amisse in some of those articles , and though many persons live contrary in their lives ) yet the doctrine is such that whosoever beleeveth , and liveth according to it , shall undoubtedly be saved , and many thousands have been saved therein ▪ and therefore assemblies united by covenant to observe this doctrine may be true churches , when the assemblies of papists and others may be false , although they also were combined by covenant : the reason of the difference rising from the difference that is in the doctrine and religion which they severally professe , and by covenant binde themselves to observe , the one being fundamentally corrupt , and consequently pernicious : the other in the fundamentall points orthodoxall and sound . secondly , it must be remembred also ( which was intimated before ) that if fundamentall corruptions be professed in with impenitency and obstinacy , then god may disanull the covenant on his part , and give a bill of divorce to such a people , jere. 3. 8. now experience and the scripture also doth witnesse of the jesuited and trent-papists , that they repented not of the workes of their hands , of worshipping devills , and idolls of gold , &c. neither repented they of their murthers , nor of their sorceries , nor of their fornications , nor of their thefts , rev. 9. 20 , 21. but now for the parish assemblies in england , we hope that we may safely say , they doe not sinne of obstinacy , but of ignorance , having not been convinced ( and many of them never having had means to be convinced ) of the corruptions that are amongst them , in respect of their constitution , and worship , and ministery , and so the covenant remaining among them , may prove them to be churches , when it cannot stand the papists in like stead , they being impenitent and obstinate : which we doe not speake to justifie the parishes altogether , as if there were not dangerous corruptions found in them , nay rather ( the lord be mercifull to the sinnes of his people ) wee may lament it with teares , that in respect of their members and ministery , in respect of their worship and walkings , in many of those assemblies there are found such apparent corruptions , as are justly grievous to a godly soule , that is enlightened to discerne them , and greatly displeasing to the lord , and indeed had need to be repented of betime , least otherwise the lord remove the candlesticke and unchurch them , rev. 2. 5. in a word , the corruptions remaining are just causes of repentance and humiliation : but yet in as much as the articles of religion , which they professe , containe such wholesome doctrine , that whosoever beleeveth and walketh according thereunto , in sinceritie , shall undoubtedly be saved , and in as much as the corruptions are not persisted in with obstinacy , therefore wee deny not but they have the truth of churches remaining . but this opinion of church-covenant , is holden by none but the brownists , or those of the separation , and therefore it is not to be received . this ground cannot be made good , that none but they of the separation are for church-covenant , for all the reformed churches generally , as was shewed before in answer to objection the tenth , are for it in their judgement & practise ; and shall all they be condemned for * brownists , or maintaining unlawfull separation from the church ? also master parker and doctor ames , men of our owne nation , famous for holinesse and learning , and moderation , both of them plead for church-covenant , and yet neither of them were brownists , but bare witnesse against that riged separation . for doctor ames , his judgement of church-covenant may be seene in his medulla , theol. lib. 1. cap. 32. § 14 , 15 , 17. fideles non constitunt ecclesiam particularem , quamvis simul forsan plures in eodem loco conveniant aut vivant , nisi speciali vinculo intersese conjunguntur , &c. that is , beleevers doe not make a particular church , though perhaps there be many of them that meete ▪ together , and live in the same place , unlesse they be joyned together by some speciall bond amongst themselves : for so one church would many times be dissolved into many , and many churches confounded into one . now this bond is a covenant , either expressed or implicite , whereby beleevers do binde themselves particularly to performe all such duties , both towards god and mutually to one another , as pertaine to the nature of a church , and their edification . and thereupon no man is rightly admitted into the church , but by confession of his faith , and stipulation , or promise of obedience . these words doe plainely and fully shew his judgement of church-covenant , to be the very same that is held and practised in new-england at this day . and that he was not for that severitie and regiditie of separation , may be cleared from sundry of his workes , wherein he plainly and fully beares witnesse against the same , and namely , in his fresh suite against ceremonies , pag. 207. and in his second manuduction , wherein he purposely and at large deales in this argument of separation . sure it is master canne in his booke , wherein he goes about to prove the necessitie of separation from the non-conformists principles , doth professedly and expressely oppose himselfe against doctor ames in the point of separation , which shewes how farre the good doctor was from favouring that way , when they most zealously therein doe count him to be a speciall opposite of theirs , as indeed he was . and for master parker , his judgement of church-covenant was heard before in part ; where he so much approveth the practise of the reformed churches in this point . and much more may be seene of his judgement herein , in the sixteenth chap. of the third booke of his polit. ecclesiastica . and yet in the same place , and likewise lib 1. cap. 13. 14. of the same treatise he plentifully and plainly shewes his dislike of the wayes of separation , as is also acknowledged in an admonition to the reader , prefixed before that booke , by i. r. suo , suorumque nomine . so that this assertion appeares to be untrue , wherein it is said , that none but brownists and separatists doe approve of church-covenant . as for the inference from this ground , that therefore church-covenant should not be received , because it is pleaded for and practised by the separatists . we answer , that this will not follow , unlesse it could be proved , that the separatists hold no truth ; or if they hold a truth wee must not hold it , that so it may appeare wee differ from them ; either of which , it were unreasonable to affirme . if the papists hold sundry articles of faith , as that there is a unitie of the divine essence , and trinitie of persons , that jesus christ is god and man , and that true messiah that was promised , and the onely saviour of the world , and many such like , must wee deny these things because they are holden by the papists ? this were as unreasonable as to condemne the doctrine of the resurrection , because it was maintained by the pharisees , act. 23. 8. and so we say of church-covenant , holden and practised by them of the separation ; as also many other truths are maintained by them : no reason that truth should be refused , because the separatists maintaine it . when doctor bancroft in a sermon at pauls-crosse , had avouched that the superioritie of bishops above other ministers , is by gods owne ordinance , and to make the contrary opinion odious , affirmed that aerius persisting in it , was condemned for an heretique by the generall consent of the whole church , and that martin and his companions , doe maintaine the same opinion of aerius ; what saith learned doctor reinolds hereunto , in a letter to sir francis knolls , who required him to shew his judgement herein : touching martin , saith he , if any man behave himselfe otherwise then in discretion and charitie he ought , let the blame be laid where the fault is , and defend him not ; but if by the way he utter a truth , mingled with whatsoever else , it is not reason that that which is of god should be condemned for that which is of man : no more then the doctrine of the resurrection should be reproved , because it was maintained and held by the pharisees : wherefore removing the odious name of martin from that which is sinceritie and love , is to be dealt with , &c. and the very same doe wee say to them that would make church-covenant to be odious , because it is held by those of the seperation , who are commonly called brownists : if men behave themselves otherwise then they ought , we defend them not therein , but if they hold any truth mingled with whatsoever else , wee would not have that which is of god to be condemned , for that which is of man : truth should not be refused , because of other corruptions that may be found in them that hold it . if you with them hold church-covenant , you iustifie them in all their wayes of seperation and erronious opinions . not so , for many of them hold that there are no visible christians that stand members of the parishes in england , and that it is not lawfull to hold any private religious communion with such persons ; and that the parishionall assemblies are none of them true churches , and that it is not lawfull to hear any of those ministers to preach the word , none of which are justified at all by holding church-covenant , though they do hold the same ; there is no such necessarie and inseparable connexion betweene these opinions , and that of church-covenant , that he that holds this , must needs hold the other also . but the time hath been , when your selves did not hold church-covenant , as now you do ; when you were in england you were not of this mind , and therefore no marvell if your change since your coming to new england be suspected , and offensive . if you change your judgement and practise in this manner , god knows whether you may come at last , and therefore men may well be afraid of holding with you in this point , which your selves did not hold when you lived in your native countrey . some of us when we were in england , through the mercie of god , did see the necessitie of church-covenant ; and did also preach it to the people amongst whom we ministred , though neither so soone nor so fully as were meete , for which we have cause to be humbled , and to judge our selves before the lord. but suppose we had never knowne nor practised the same before our coming into this countrey , yet if it be a truth of god , there is no reason why we should shut our eyes against the light , when god holds it forth unto us , nor that others should be offended at us for receiving the same . for by the same reason men might still continue in their sinnes , and not make any progresse in knowledge and holinesse , that so they may not seeme unconstant , which were contrary to the scripture , wherein we are commanded nor to fashion our selves according to the former lusts of our ignorance . 1. pet. 1. 14. but to be changed , rom. 12. 2. and renued , ephes . 4. 23. and put off the old man , and put on the new , ephes . 4. yea to grow in grace and holinesse , 2. pet. 3. 18. and be stronger and stronger , job 17. 9. that our good workes may be more at the last , then at the first , revel . 2. 19. sure it is , the apostle tells the corinthians and ephesians , that the time had been when they were not the same men that now they are when he wrote unto them ; and yet he doth not blame them for leaving their former opinions or practise , but commends them for it , 1. cor. 6. 11. ephes . 2. 3. &c. and it is said of apollos an eloquent man , and mighty in the scripture , that when he came to ephesus the way of god was expounded unto him more perfectly by aquila and priscilla , whereas before he was instructed in the way of the lord , knowing onely the baptisme of john : yet this was no dispraise at all to him , that now upon better information he would change his judgement to the better , nor unto them that were the means thereof : act. 18. 25 , 26. nullus pudor est ad maliura transire . the time hath been , ( and we may be humbled for it ) when we lived without god in the world , and some of us in many sinfull courses : and shall any be offended , because we are not still the same ? and when god called us from the wayes of sin and death , to the fellowship of his grace in christ ; yet some of us lived a long time in conformity to the ceremonies imposed in our native countrey , and saw not the evill of them . but when god did open our eyes , and let us see the unlawfulnesse thereof , we cannot see but it would have been a with-holding the truth in unrighteousnesse , and a great unthankfulnesse to god for light revealed to us , if we should still have continued in that course through an inordinate desire of seeming constant : and therefore it is not any just cause of offence that we have changed our judgement and practise in those things , when we once perceived the word of god to disallow them . indeed it hath been sometime objected against mr. cartwright , and others , that desired the reformation of the churches in england , in regard of discipline and church-order , that they which stood so much for reformation in discipline , did in after times adde and alter some things , beyond what they saw at first , and what themselves had formerly desited ; and that therefore being so murable , and inconstant in their apprehensions , they were not to be regarded , nor hearkened unto : to which objection mr. pa●k●r makes full answer in eccles . lib. 2. ca. 36. p. 307 ▪ where he sheweth from the scripture , and the testimonie of bishop jewel , doctor reinolds , and others , that in the reformation of religion god brings not his servants into perfection in knowledge and zeale at the first , but by degrees , so as they grow and make progresse in these things in such wise , that their good works are more at the last then at the first , as was said of the church of thyatira , even as the man that had been blind , when christ ●● stored him to his sight , could at the first but see men like tr●… walking , and afterward saw every man cleerly ; and therefore●… is no good arguing to say these men have altered and correc●… such things from what their apprehensions were at first , and therefore they are not to be regarded . now if this be no good arguing against mr. cartwright , and those that in england have been studious of reformation ( as indeed it is not ) then it is no good argument against us in this m●●ter of church-covenant , to say we now hold and practise otherwise then we have done in former time . if any shall here reply , that change from conformity to the cerem●nies to worship god more purely is warranted by the word , and therefore not blame-worthy , and that the same may be said of the case of apollos , of the corinthians , and ephesians forementioned , and of cartwright , and the rest in his times . we answer , that this is true , and thereby it appears , that it is not simply the changing a mans opinion or practise that can be counted blame-worthy , or offensive , but changing without warrant of the word ; and therefore in point of church-covenant , the iss●● must not be whether we or others have formerly known and practised it , but whether it have ground from gods word ; for if it have ( as we hope have been proved before in this discourse ) then the observing of it , can be no cause of just offence unto others , not imputation of inconstancy to our selves , though in time past we had not had so much light as to discerne the necessitie and use thereof . the good lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek god , though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary : and grant unto all his churches and servants ▪ that their love may abound yet more and more in knowledge , and in all judgement , that they may discerne the things that differ ▪ and approve the things that are excellent , and by his spirit of truth be led forward into all truth , till antichrist be utterly consumed with the breath of his mouth , and the brightnesse of his coming , and the holy city new jerusalem come down from god out of heaven , as a bride adorned for her husband the lambe , the lord jesus , to whom be all glory of affiance and service for ever . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a88943-e340 to. 2. to : 3. to : 4. object . answ . to 5. & 6. to 7. to 8. to 9. to 10. to 11. obj : answ : to 12. to 13. to 14. to 15. to 16. to 17. to 18. to 19 to 20. to 21. t● 22. to 23. to 24. & 25. to 26. to 27. to 28. to 29. to 30. to 31. to 32. notes for div a88943-e10270 object . 1 answer . object . 2 answer . object . 3 answer . object . 4 answer . argu. 2. object . 1. answer . obj. 2. answ . obj. 3. answer . argu. 3. argu. 4. argu. 5. object . answer . argu. 1. argu. 2. object . answer . argu. 3. object . 1. answer . obj. 2. answ . obj. 3. answer . object . 4. answ . object . 5. answ . argu. 4. argu. 5. object . answer . argu. 6. object . 1. answer . object . 2. answ . obj. 3. answ . obj. 4. answ . obj. 5. answ . obj. 6. answ . reply . answ . obj. 7. answ . obj. 8. answ . obj. 9. answ . obj. 10. answ . obj 11. ans● . obj. 12. answ . * by brownists and separatists you are to understād those of the riged separation . reply . answ . obje . 13. answ . reply . answ . 