{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_34974/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_34974","id":"gutenberg_34974","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/34974","summary":null,"tags":["Category: British Literature","Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Freedom of religion -- Great Britain","Great Britain -- Church history -- 17th century","Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1642-1649"],"text":"</pre>\n\n\n\nProduced by Simon Gardner, JackMcJiggins and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Notes\n\nThis Plain Text version uses symbols from the ASCII and Latin-1\ncharacter sets. Typeface differences in the original are indicated as\nfollows:\n\n  italic typeface is represented by _underscores_\n  small caps typeface is represented by UPPER CASE\n  blackletter font is represented by %percent symbols%\n  plain text appearing within italics is represented by =equals symbols=\n\nSpecial characters in the original are indicated as follows:\n\n  [oe] represents the oe ligature\n  ^o, ^{th} represent superscript characters\n  [=x] represents a macron (horizontal bar above a character)\n  [per] represents a conventional abbreviation for \"per\"\n  [ver] represents a scribal abbreviation in the quoted document\n  [Gr: ... ] is used to denote Greek transliteration.\n\nArchaic, unusual and inconsistent spellings have been retained from the\noriginal text. Where changes to the text have been made for\ntypographical errors, these are listed at the end of the book.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n                               THE\n                          SIMPLE COBLER\n                               OF\n                       AGGAWAM in AMERICA.\n\n                             willing\n\n   To help 'mend his Native Country, lamentably tattered, both\n           in the upper-Leather and sole, with all the\n                   honest stitches he can take.\n\n   And as willing never to be paid for his work, by Old English\n                           wonted pay.\n\n       IT IS HIS TRADE TO PATCH ALL THE YEAR LONG, gratis.\n\n           Therefore I pray Gentlemen keep your purses.\n\n                     By THEODORE DE LA GUARD.\n\n            _In rebus arduis ac tenui spe, fortissima\n             qu[oe]que consilia tutissima sunt._ Cic.\n\n                           In English,\n\n         When bootes and shoes are torne up to the lefts,\n         Coblers must thrust their awles up to the hefts.\n\n             This is no time to feare _Apelles gramm:\n                 Ne Sutor quidem ultra crepidam._\n\n                              LONDON,\n\n  Printed by J. D. & R. I. for STEPHEN BOWTELL, at the signe of\n                 the Bible in Popes Head-Alley, 1647.\n\n\n\n\nNOTICE OF THE AUTHOR.\n\n\nTHE REVEREND NATHANIEL WARD, the writer of the following work, was born\nat Haverhill, England, in 1570. Of this town his father was a clergyman.\nHe was educated at Cambridge, studied and practised law, travelled on\nthe Continent, afterwards commenced the study of divinity, became a\npreacher of the Gospel, and was settled at Standon, in Hertfordshire. He\nwas a strong friend of the early settlers of New England before the\nelder Winthrop's coming over. At a General Court of the Massachusetts\nCompany, held in London, on Wednesday the 25th of November, 1629, \"Mr.\nWhyte did reco[=m]end Mr. Nathaniel Ward of Standon\" to be admitted to\nthe freedom of the Company. He was ordered before the Bishop, Dec. 12,\n1631, to answer for his non-conformity. Being forbidden to preach, he\nembarked in April, 1634, for this country. He arrived here in June, and\nwas settled as Pastor of the church at Ipswich, or Aggawam, the same\nyear. By reason of indisposition, he was, at his own request, in 1636,\nreleased from his engagement with the church there. However thus\ndisengaged, he preached often during the time he remained in the colony.\nThe necessities of the infant Commonwealth called for his time, talents,\nand acquirements. Nor did he refuse. Willing to do the good, which he\nmight, he lent a ready and efficient hand to the formation of our Legal\nCode. He was appointed by the General Court, March 12, 1638, on a\ncommittee to draw up a system of laws, for the consideration of the\nfreemen. The same legislative authority, May 13, 1640, granted him six\nhundred acres of land for his service, at Pentucket, afterwards called\nHaverhill. He preached the election sermon, 1641, in which he advanced\nseveral things that savored more of liberty, than some of the\nmagistrates were prepared to approve. The same year, Oct. 7, \"The\nGovern'^r and m^r Hauthorne were Desired to speake to m^r Ward, for a\ncoppey of the liberties, and of the Capitall lawes to bee transcribed,\nand sent to the severall townes.\" He wrote the \"Simple Cobler\" in 1645.\nIn this year, May 25, he was on a committee to draw up a Body of\nLiberties, which were published in 1648, being the first printed volume\nof the kind in this Colony. Though greatly assisted by Joseph Hills and\nothers in the composition and arrangement of so important a work, yet he\nappears to have been a principal agent in its accomplishment. He sold\nhis interest at Haverhill, Nov. 25, 1646, to John Eaton, for L12,00.\nBetween this date and the 6th of January following, he returned to\nEngland. On June 30th, 1647, he preached before the House of Commons,\nand the same year published the \"Simple Cobler.\" He was afterwards\nsettled in the ministry at Shenfield, near Brentwood, where he died in\n1653, in his eighty-third year.\n\nFuller, in his \"Worthies of England,\" speaking of him, says, that he,\n\"following the counsel of the poet,\n\n    Ridentem dicere verum,\n    Quis vetat?\n\n    What doth forbid but one may smile,\n    And also tell the truth the while?\n\nhath in a jesting way, in some of his books, delivered much smart truth\nof the present times.\" Dr. Mather, in his \"Magnalia,\" remarks of him,\n\"he was the author of many composures full of wit and sense; among\nwhich, that entituled _The Simple Cobler_ (_which demonstrated him to be\na subtil statesman_) was most considered.\" The same author adds, that\n\"some famous persons of old thought it a greater _glory_ to have it\nenquired; _why such a one had not a statue erected for him?_ than to\nhave it enquired _why he had?_ If it be enquired, _why this our =St.\nHilary= hath among our Lives no statue erected for him?_ let that\nenquiry go for part of one.\" And in the \"Remarkables\" of Increase\nMather, he observes, \"An hundred witty Speeches of our Celebrated\n_Ward_, who called himself _The Simple Cobler_ of Agawam, [and over\nwhose Mantel-piece in his House, by the way, I have seen those three\nWords Engraved, SOBRIE, JUSTE, PIE, and a Fourth added, which was LAETE:]\nhave been reported; but he had one Godly Speech, that was worth 'em all;\nwhich was, _I have only Two Comforts to Live upon; The one is in the\nPerfections of CHRIST; The other is in The Imperfections of all\nCHRISTIANS._\"\n\nMr. Ward had several children. Among them, were John, settled in the\nministry at Haverhill, Mass., where he died, 1693; James, who practised\nmedicine; and a daughter, married to Gyles Fyrmin. These three last\naccompanied their father to England.\n\nTo illustrate how much Mr. Ward benevolently labored for the public good\nwith but small recompense, we quote another remark of Cotton Mather, as\nto his son John. It follows: \"He was a son most exemplarily _dutiful_\nunto his _parents_; and having paid some considerable _debts_ for his\n_father_, he would afterwards humbly observe and confess, that God had\nabundantly _recompenced_ this his dutifulness.\" Whether these debts were\npaid in Old or New England is uncertain.\n\nThus we have given a sketch of one, who deserves well of New England and\nof friends to freedom every where,--so that it might be more evident how\nhe and the subsequent work were estimated by his contemporaries and\nsuccessors.\n\n                                                       D. P.\n\nBOSTON, March 8, 1843.\n\n\nNOTE.\n\nThis work passed through several editions at London in 1647. It was\nreprinted in Boston in 1713. One of the earlier editions and that of\n1713 have been used in preparing the present edition for the press.\nAfter his first impression, the author made several additions to\nsucceeding ones, which will be found in this now issued.--The principal\nof these additions are as follow: \"A Word of Love to the Common People\nof England,\" \"A most humble Heel piece,\" &c., and \"A respective word to\nthe Ministers of England.\"\n\nED.\n\n\n\n\n                           THE\n                      SIMPLE COBLER\n                           OF\n                   AGGAWAM IN AMERICA.\n\n                         WILLING\n\n     To help 'mend his Native Country, lamentably\n        tattered, both in the upper-Leather and sole,\n        with all the honest stitches he can take.\n\n      And as willing never to be paid for his work,\n                by Old English wonted pay.\n\n    _It is his trade to patch all the year long_, gratis.\n       Therefore I pray Gentlemen keep your purses.\n\n                By _Theodore de la Guard_.\n\n        _In rebus arduis ac tenui spe, fortissima\n          quaeque consilia tutissima sunt._ Cic.\n\n                       In English,\n\n     When bootes and shoes are torne up to the lefts,\n     Coblers must thrust their awles up to the hefts.\n\n         This is no time to feare _Apelles gramm:\n             Ne Sutor quidem ultra crepidam_.\n\n                         LONDON,\n\n  Printed by _J. D. & R. I. for Stephen Bowtell_, at the\n      signe of the Bible in Popes Head-Alley, 1647.\n\n\n\n\n                           THE\n                      SIMPLE COBLER\n                           OF\n                   AGGAWAM IN AMERICA.\n\n\nEither I am in an Appoplexie, or that man is in a Lethargie, who doth\nnot now sensibly feele God shaking the Heavens over his head, and the\nEarth under his feet: The Heavens so, as the Sun begins to turne into\ndarknesse, the Moon into blood, the Starres to fall down to the ground;\nSo that little Light of Comfort or Counsell is left to the sonnes of\nmen: The Earth so, as the foundations are failing, the righteous scarce\nknow where to finde rest, the Inhabitants stagger like drunken men; it\nis in a manner dissolved both in Religions and Relations: And no\nmarvell; for, they have defiled it by transgressing the Laws, changing\nthe Ordinances, and breaking the Everlasting Covenant. The Truths of God\nare the Pillars of the world, whereon States and Churches may stand\nquiet if they will; if they will not, He can easily shake them off into\ndelusions, and distractions enough.\n\nSathan is now in his passions, hee feeles his passion approaching; hee\nloves to fish in royled waters. Though that Dragon cannot sting the\nvitals of the Elect mortally, yet that Beelzebub can fly-blow their\nIntellectuals miserably: The finer Religion grows, the finer hee spins\nhis Cobwebs, hee will hold pace with Christ so long as his wits will\nserve him. Hee sees himselfe beaten out of grosse Idolatries, Heresies,\nCeremonies, where the Light breakes forth with power; he will therefore\nbestirre him to prevaricate Evangelicall Truths, and Ordinances, that if\nthey will needs be walking, yet they shall _laborare varicibus_, and not\nkeep their path: he will put them out of time and place; Assascinating\nfor his Engineers, men of Paracelsian parts; well complexioned for\nhonesty; for, such are fittest to Mountebanke his Chimistry into sicke\nChurches and weake Judgements.\n\nNor shall hee neede to stretch his strength overmuch in this worke: Too\nmany men having not laid their foundation sure, nor ballasted their\nSpirits deepe with humility and feare, are prest enough of themselves to\nevaporate their owne apprehensions. Those that are acquainted with Story\nknow, it hath ever been so in new Editions of Churches: Such as are\nleast able, are most busie to pudder in the rubbish, and to raise dust\nin the eyes of more steady Repayrers. Civill Commotions make roome for\nuncivill practises: Religious mutations, for irreligious opinions:\nChange of Aire, discovers corrupt bodies; Reformation of Religion,\nunsound mindes. He that hath any well-faced phancy in his Crowne, and\ndoth not vent it now, fears the pride of his owne heart will dub him\ndunce for ever. Such a one will trouble the whole _Israel_ of God with\nhis most untimely births, though he makes the bones of his vanity\nsticke up, to the view and griefe of all that are godly wise. The devill\ndesires no better sport then to see light heads handle their heels, and\nfetch their carreers in a time, when the Roofe of Liberty stands open.\n\nThe next perplexed Question, with pious and ponderous men, will be: What\nshould bee done for the healing of these comfortlesse exulcerations. I\nam the unablest adviser of a thousand, the unworthiest of ten thousand;\nyet I hope I may presume to assert what follows without just offence.\n\nFirst, such as have given or taken any unfriendly reports of us\n_New-English_, should do well to recollect themselves. We have beene\nreputed a Colluvies of wild Opinionists, swarmed into a remote wildernes\nto find elbow-roome for our phanatick Doctrines and practises: I trust\nour diligence past, and constant sedulity against such persons and\ncourses, will plead better things for us. I dare take upon me, to bee\nthe Herauld of _New-England_ so farre, as to proclaime to the world, in\nthe name of our Colony, that all Familists, Antinomians, Anabaptists,\nand other Enthusiasts, shall have free Liberty to keep away from us, and\nsuch as will come to be gone as fast as they can, the sooner the better.\n\nSecondly, I dare averre, that God doth no where in his word tolerate\nChristian States, to give Tolerations to such adversaries of his Truth,\nif they have power in their hands to suppresse them.\n\nHere is lately brought us an extract of a _Magna Charta_, so called,\ncompiled between the Sub-planters of a _West-Indian_ Island; whereof\nthe first Article of constipulation, firmely provides free stable-room\nand litter for all kinde of consciences, be they never so dirty or\njadish; making it actionable, yea, treasonable, to disturbe any man in\nhis Religion, or to discommend it, whatever it be. Wee are very sorry to\nsee such professed profanenesse in _English_ Professors, as\nindustriously to lay their Religious Foundations on the ruine of true\nReligion; which strictly binds every conscience to contend earnestly for\nthe Truth: to preserve unity of spirit, faith and Ordinances, to be all\nlike-minded, of one accord; every man to take his brother into his\nChristian care: to stand fast with one spirit, with one mind, striving\ntogether for the faith of the Gospel: and by no meanes to permit\nHeresies or erroneous opinions: But God abhorring such loathsome\nbeverages, hath in his righteous judgement blasted that enterprize,\nwhich might otherwise have prospered well, for ought I know; I presume\ntheir case is generally knowne ere this.\n\nIf the devill might have his free option, I believe he would ask nothing\nelse, but liberty to enfranchize all false Religions, and to embondage\nthe true; nor should he need: It is much to bee feared, that laxe\nTolerations upon State pretences and planting necessities, will be the\nnext subtle Stratagem he will spread, to distate the Truth of God and\nsupplant the peace of the Churches. Tolerations in things tolerable,\nexquisitely drawn out by the lines of the Scripture, and pensill of the\nSpirit, are the sacred favours of Truth, the due latitudes of Love, the\nfaire Compartiments of Christian fraternity: but irregular\ndispensations, dealt forth by the facilities of men, are the frontiers\nof errour, the redoubts of Schisme, the perillous irritaments of carnall\nand spirituall enmity.\n\nMy heart hath naturally detested foure things: The standing of the\nApocrypha in the Bible; Forrainers dwelling in my Countrey, to crowd our\nnative Subjects into the corners of the Earth; Alchymized coines;\nTolerations of divers Religions, or of one Religion in segregant shapes:\nHe that willingly assents to the last, if he examines his heart by\nday-light, his conscience will tell him, he is either an Atheist, or an\nHeretique, or an Hypocrite, or at best a captive to some lust:\nPoly-piety is the greatest impiety in the world. True Religion is _Ignis\nprobationis_, which doth _congregare homogenea & segregare heterogenea_.\n\nNot to tolerate things meerly indifferent to weak consciences, argues a\nconscience too strong: pressed uniformity in these, causes much\ndisunity: To tolerate more than indifferents, is not to deale\nindifferently with God; He that doth it, takes his Scepter out of his\nhand, and bids him stand by. Who hath to doe to institute Religion but\nGod. The power of all Religion and Ordinances, lies in their purity:\ntheir purity in their simplicity: then are mixtures pernicious. I lived\nin a City, where a Papist preached in one Church, a Lutheran in another,\na Calvinist in a third; a Lutheran one part of the day, a Calvinist the\nother, in the same Pulpit: the Religion of that place was but motly and\nmeagre, their affections Leopardlike.\n\nIf the whole Creature should conspire to doe the Creator a mischiefe,\nor offer him an insolency, it would be in nothing more, than in erecting\nuntruths against his Truth, or by sophisticating his Truths with humane\nmedleyes; the removing of some one iota in Scripture, may draw out all\nthe life, and traverse all the Truth of the whole Bible: but to\nauthorise an untruth, by a Toleration of State, is to build a Sconce\nagainst the walls of heaven, to batter God out of his Chaire: To tell a\npracticall lye, is a great sin, but yet transient; but to set up a\nTheoricall untruth, is to warrant every lye that lies from its root to\nthe top of every branch it hath, which are not a few.\n\nI would willingly hope that no Member of the Parliament hath skilfully\ningratiated himselfe into the hearts of the House, that he might watch a\ntime to midwife out some ungracious Toleration for his own turne, and\nfor the sake of that, some others. I would also hope that a word of\ngenerall caution should not be particularly misapplied. I am the freer\nto suggest it, because I know not one man of that mind, my aime is\ngenerall, and I desire may be so accepted. Yet good Gentlemen, looke\nwell about you, and remember how _Tiberius_ plaid the Fox with the\nSenate of _Rome_, and how _Fabius Maximus_ cropt his ears for his\ncunning.\n\nThat State is wise, that will improve all paines and patience rather to\ncompose, then tolerate differences in Religion. There is no divine\nTruth, but hath much Celestial fire in it from the Spirit of Truth: nor\nno irreligious untruth, without its proportion of Antifire from the\nSpirit of Error to contradict it: the zeale of the one, the virulency\nof the other, must necessarily kindle Combustions. Fiery diseases seated\nin the spirit, embroile the whole frame of the body: others more\nexternall and coole, are lesse dangerous. They which divide in Religion\ndivide in God; they who divide in him, divide beyond _Genus\nGeneralissimum_, where there is no reconciliation, without atonement;\nthat is, without uniting in him, who is One, and in his Truth, which is\nalso one.\n\nWise are those men who will be perswaded rather to live within the pale\nof Truth where they may bee quiet, than in the purliev's, where they are\nsure to be hunted ever and anon, doe Authority what it can. Every\nsingular Opinion, hath a singular opinion of it self; and he that holds\nit a singular opinion of himself, and a simple opinion of all\ncontra-sentients: he that confutes them, must confute all three at once,\nor else he does nothing; which will not be done without more stir than\nthe peace of the State or Church can indure.\n\nAnd prudent are those Christians, that will rather give what may be\ngiven, then hazzard all by yeelding nothing. To sell all peace of\nCountry, to buy some peace of Conscience unseasonably, is more avarice\nthan thrift, imprudence than patience: they deale not equally, that set\nany truth of God at such a rate; but they deale wisely that will stay\ntill the Market is fallen.\n\nMy prognosticks deceive me not a little, if once within three seven\nyears, peace prove not such a penny-worth at most Marts in Christendome,\nthat hee that would not lay down his money, his lust, his opinion, his\nwill, I had almost said the best flower of his Crown for it, while he\nmight have had it; will tell his own heart, he plaid the very ill\nhusband.\n\nConcerning Tolerations I may further assert.\n\nThat Persecution of True Religion, and Toleration of false, are the\n_Jannes_ and _Jambres_ to the Kingdome of Christ, whereof the last is\nfarre the worst. _Augustines_ tongue had not owed his mouth one\npenny-rent though it had never spake one word more in it, but this,\n_Nullum malum pejus libertate errandi_.\n\n_Frederick_ Duke of _Saxon_, spake not one foote beyond the mark when he\nsaid, he had rather the Earth should swallow him up quick, then he\nshould give a toleration to any opinion against any truth of God.\n\nHe that is willing to tolerate any Religion, or discrepant way of\nReligion, besides his own, unlesse it be in matters meerly indifferent,\neither doubts of his own, or is not sincere in it.\n\nHe that is willing to tolerate any unsound Opinion, that his own may\nalso be tolerated, though never so sound, will for a need hang Gods\nBible at the Devils girdle.\n\nEvery Toleration of false Religions, or Opinions hath as many Errours\nand sins in it, as all the false Religions and Opinions it tolerates,\nand one sound one more.\n\nThat State that will give Liberty of Conscience in matters of Religion,\nmust give Liberty of Conscience and Conversation in their Morall Laws,\nor else the Fiddle will be out of tune, and some of the strings cracke.\n\nHe that will rather make an irreligious quarrell with other Religions,\nthen try the truth of his own by valuable Arguments, and peaceable\nSufferings; either his Religion, or himselfe is irreligious.\n\nExperience will teach Churches and Christians, that it is farre better\nto live in a State united, though a little Corrupt, then in a State,\nwhereof some Part is incorrupt, and all the rest divided.\n\nI am not altogether ignorant of the eight Rules given by Orthodox\nDivines about giving Tolerations, yet with their favour I dare affirme,\n\nThat there is no Rule given by God for any State to give an Affirmative\nToleration to any false Religion, or Opinion whatsoever; they must\nconnive in some cases, but may not concede in any.\n\nThat the State of _England_ (so farre as my Intelligence serves) might\nin time have prevented with ease, and may yet without any great\ndifficulty deny both Toleration, and irregular Connivences, _salva\nRepublica_.\n\nThat if the State of _England_ shall either willingly Tolerate, or\nweakly connive at such Courses, the Church of that Kingdom will sooner\nbecome the Devills Dancing-Schoole, then Gods-Temple; The Civill State a\nBeare-garden, then an Exchange: The whole Realme a Pais base, then an\n_England_. And what pity it is, that that Country which hath been the\nStaple of Truth to all Christendome, should now become the Aviary of\nErrors to the whole World, let every fearing heart judge.\n\nI take Liberty of Conscience to bee nothing but a freedome from sinne,\nand error. _Conscientia in tantum libera, in quantum ab errore\nliberata._ And liberty of Error nothing but a Prison for Conscience.\nThen small will bee the kindnesse of a State to build such Prisons for\ntheir Subjects.\n\nThe Scripture saith, there is nothing makes free but Truth, and Truth\nsaith, there is no Truth but One: If the States of the World would make\nit their sumoperous Care to preserve this One Truth in its purity and\nAuthority it would ease them of all other Political cares. I am sure\nSatan makes it his grand, if not onely taske, to adulterate Truth;\nFalshood is his sole Scepter, whereby he first ruffled, and ever since\nruined the World.\n\nIf Truth be but One, me thinks all the Opinionists in _England_ should\nnot be all in that One Truth, some of them I doubt are out. He that can\nextract an unity out of such a disparity, or contract such a disparity\ninto an unity; had need be a better Artist, then ever was _Drebell_.\n\nIf two Centers (as we may suppose) be in one Circle, and lines drawn\nfrom both to all the points of the Compasse, they will certainly crosse\none another, and probably cut through the Centers themselves.\n\nThere is talke of an universall Toleration, I would talke as loud as I\ncould against it, did I know what more apt and reasonable Sacrifice\n_England_ could offer to God for his late performing all his heavenly\nTruths, then an universall Toleration of all hellish Errors, or how they\nshall make an universall Reformation, but by making Christs Academy the\nDevils University, where any man may commence Heretique _per saltum_;\nwhere he that is _filius Diabolicus_, or _simpliciter pessimus_, may\nhave his grace to goe to hell _cum Publico Privilegio_; and carry as\nmany after him, as he can.\n\n_Religio docenda est, non coercenda_ is a pretty piece of _album\nLatinum_ for some kinde of throats that are willingly sore, but _Haeresis\ndedocenda est non permittenda_, will be found a farre better _Diamoron_\nfor the Gargarismes this Age wants, if timely and throughly applyed.\n\n  If there be roome in _England_ for\n\n              _Familists_          }              {   _Manes_\n              _Libertines_         }              {   _Lemures_\n              _Erastians_          }              {   _Dryades_\n              _Antitrinitarians_   }              {   _Homadryades_\n              _Anabaptists_        }              {   _Potamides_\n              _Antiscripturists_   }              {   _Naiades_\n              _Arminians_          }              {   _Hinnides_\n              _Manifestarians_     }              {   _Pierides_\n              _Millinaries_        }  then room   {   _Nereides_\n              _Antinomians_        }     for      {   _Pales_\n              _Socinians_          }              {   _Anonides_\n              _Arrians_            }              {   _Parcades_\n              _Perfectists_        }              {   _Castalides_\n              _Brownists[1]_       }              {   _Monides_\n  Religious   _Mortalians_         }              {   _Charites_\n  Men but     _Seekers_            } Good Spirits,{   _Heliconides_\n  pernicious  _Enthusiasts_        } but very     {   _Pegasides_\n  Heretiques  _&c._                } Devils.      {   _&c._\n\n  In a word room for Hell above ground.\n\n  [1] By Brownists I mean not Independents, but dew-clawd Seperatists:\n  farre be it from me to wrong godly Independents. I truely acknowledge\n  that I judge my self neither able nor worthy to honour some of them as\n  they deserve.\n\nIt is said, Though a man have light enough himselfe to see the Truth,\nyet if he hath not enough to enlighten others, he is bound to tolerate\nthem, I will engage my self, that all the Devills in _Britanie_ shall\nsell themselves to their shirts, to purchase a Lease of this Position\nfor three of their Lives, under the Seale of the Parliament.\n\nIt is said, That Men ought to have Liberty of their Conscience, and that\nit is Persecution to debarre them of it: I can rather stand amazed then\nreply to this: it is an astonishment to think that the braines of men\nshould be parboyl'd in such impious ignorance; Let all the wits under\nthe Heavens lay their heads together and finde an Assertion worse than\nthis (one excepted) I will Petition to be chosen the universal Ideot of\nthe world.\n\nIt is said, That Civill Magistrates ought not to meddle with\nEcclesiasticall matters.\n\nI would answer to this so well as I could, did I not know that some\nPapers lately brought out of _New-England_, are going to the Presse,\nwherein the Opinions of the Elders there in a late Synod, concerning\nthis point are manifested, which I suppose will give clearer\nsatisfaction then I can.\n\nThe true English of all this their false Latine, is nothing but a\ngenerall Toleration of all Opinions; which motion if it be like to take,\nit were very requisite, that the City would repaire _Pauls_ with all the\nspeed they can, for an English _Pantheon_, and bestow it upon the\nSectaries, freely to assemble in, then there may be some hope that\n_London_ will be quiet in time.\n\nBut why dwell I so intolerable long about Tolerations, I hope my feares\nare but panick, against which I have a double cordiall. First, that the\nParliament will not though they could: Secondly, that they cannot though\nthey would grant such Tolerations. God who hath so honoured them with\neminent wisdome in all other things, will not suffer them to cast both\nhis, and their Honour in the dust of perpetuall Infamy, doe what they\ncan; nor shall those who have spent so great a part of their substance\nin redeeming their Civill Liberties from Usurpation, lose all that\nremaines in enthralling their spirituall Liberty by Toleration.\n\nIt is said Opinionists are many, and strong, that _de sunt Vires_, that\nit is _turbata respublica_, I am very sorry for it, but more sorry, if\ndespondency of minde shall cause the least tergiversation in Gods\nWorthies, who have receiv'd such pledges of his presence in their late\nCounsels, and Conflicts. It is not thousands of Opinionists that can\npinion his Everlasting armes, I can hardly beleeve there is a greater\nunbeleever then my Selfe, yet I can verily beleeve that the God of Truth\nwill in a short time scatter them all like smoake before the wind. I\nconfesse I am troubled to see Men so over-troubled about them; I am\nrather glad to heare the Devill is breaking up house in _England_, and\nremoving somewhither else, give him leave to sell all his rags, and\nodde-ends by the out-cry; and let his petty Chapmen make their Market\nwhile they may, upon my poore credit it will not last long. Hee that\nhath done so much for _England_ will go on to perfect his owne praise,\nand his Peoples Peace: let good men stand still, and behold his further\nSalvation. He that sitteth in the Heavens laughs at them, the most High\nhath them in Derision, and their folly shall certainly be manifested to\nall men.\n\nYet I dare not but adde, and in the Name of God will adde, that if any\nPublique members of Church or State, have been either open fautors, or\nprivate abetters of any blasphemous, contagious Opinions; It will be\ntheir wisdome to proportion their repentance to their Sin, before God\nmakes them Publique monuments of Ignominie, and Apostasie.\n\nThirdly, That all Christian States, ought to disavow and decry all such\nErrours, by some peremptory Statutary Act, and that in time, that\nSubjects knowing fully the minde of the State, might not delude\nthemselves with vaine hopes of unsufferable Liberties. It is lesse to\nsay _Statuatur veritas, ruat Regnum_, than _Fiat justitia, ruat\nC[oe]lum_; but there is no such danger in either of them. Feare nothing\nGentlemen, _Rubiconem transiistis, jacta est alea_, ye have turned the\nDevill out of doores; fling all his old parrell after him out at the\nwindows, lest he makes an errand for it againe. _Quae relinquuntur in\nmorbis post indicationem, recidivas facere consuevere._ Christ would\nhave his Church without spot or wrinckle; They that help make it so,\nshall lose neither honour nor labour: If yee be wise, suffer no more\nthorns in his sides or your owne. When God kindles such fires as these,\nhee doth not usually quench them, till the very scum on the pot sides be\nboyled cleane away, _Ezek. 24. 10, 11_. Yee were better to doe it your\nselves, then leave it to him: the Arme of the Lord is mighty, his hand\nvery heavy; who can dwell with his devouring fire, and long lasting\nburnings?\n\nFourthly, to make speedy provision against Obstinates and disseminaries:\nwhere under favour, two things will be found requisite. First, variety\nof penaltyes, I meane certaine, not indefinite: I am a Crabbat against\nArbitrary Government. Experience hath taught us here, that politicall,\ndomesticall, and personall respects, will not admit one and the same\nremedy for all, without sad inconveniences. Secondly, just severity:\npersecution hath ever spread Truth, prosecution scattered Errour: Ten of\nthe most Christian Emperors, found that way best; Schollars know whom I\nmeane: Five of the ancient Fathers perswaded to it, of whom _Augustine_\nwas one, who for a time argued hard for indulgency: but upon conference\nwith other prudent Bishops, altered his judgement, as appears in three\nof his Epistles, to _Marcellinus_, _Donatus_, and _Boniface_. I would be\nunderstood, not onely an Allower, but an humble Petitioner, that\nignorant and tender conscienced Anabaptists may have due time and means\nof conviction.\n\nFifthly, That every Prophet, to whom God hath given the tongue of the\nlearned, should teach, and every Angel who hath a pen and inkehorne by\nhis side write against these grieving extravagancies: writing of many\nbooks, I grant is irkesome, reading endlesse. A reasonable man would\nthinke Divines had declaimed sufficiently upon these Themes. I have ever\nthought the Rule given, _Titus 3. 10._ which cuts the work short and\nsharpe to be more properly prevalent, then wearisome waiting upon\nunweariable Spirits. It is a most toylsome taske to run the wild-goose\nchase after a well-breath'd Opinionist: they delight in vitilitigation:\nit is an itch that loves a life to be scrub'd: they desire not\nsatisfaction, but satisdiction, whereof themselves must be judges: yet\nin new eruptions of Error with new objections, silence is sinfull.\n\nAs for my selfe, I am none of the disputers of this world: all I can\ndoe, is to guesse when men speake true or false divinity: if I can but\nfinde the parentall roote, or formall reason of a Truth, I am quiet; if\nI cannot, I shore up my slender judgement as long as I can, with two or\nthree the handsomest props I can get: I shall therefore leave Arguments\nto acuter heads, and onely speak a word of Love, with all Christian\nrespect to our deare Brethren in _England_, which are against baptizing\nof Infants: I intreate them to consider these few things seriously and\nmeekly. First, what a high pitch of boldnesse it is for man to cut a\nprincipall Ordinance out of the Kingdome of God; if it be but to make a\ndislocation, which so far disgoods the Ordinance, I feare it altogether\nunhallows it, to transplace or transtime a stated Institution of Christ,\nwithout his direction, I thinke, is to destroy it. Secondly, what a\nCruelty it is to devest children of that onely externall priviledge\nwhich their heavenly Father hath bequeathed them, to interest them\nvisibly in Himselfe, His Son, His Spirit, His Covenant of Grace, and the\ntender bosome of their carefull Mother the Church. Thirdly, what an\nInhumanity it is, to deprive Parents of that comfort they may take from\nthe baptisme of their Infants dying in their Childehood. Fourthly, How\nunseasonable and unkindely it is, to interturbe the State and Church\nwith these Amalekitish onsets, when they are in their extreame pangs of\ntravell with their lives. Fifthly, to take a through view of those who\nhave preambled this by path. Being sometimes in the Crowds of foraigne\nWederdopers, that is, Anabaptists; and prying into their inward frames\nwith the best eyes I had; I could not but observe these disguised guises\nin the generality of them.\n\nFirst, a flat formality of Spirit without salt or savour in the\nspiritualties of Christ, as if their Religion began and ended in their\nOpinion. Secondly, a shallow slighting of such as dissent from them,\nappearing too often in their faces, speeches and carriages. Thirdly, a\nfeeble, yet peremptory obstinacy; seldome are any of them reclaimed.\nFourthly, a shamefull sliding into other such tarpauling tenets, to keep\nthemselves dry from the showers of Justice, as a rationall minde would\nnever entertain, if it were not Errour-blasted from Heaven and Hell: I\nshould as shrewdly suspect that Opinion, that will cordially corrive\nwith two or three sottish errours, as that faith that can professedly\nlive with two or three sordid sins. I dare not feare our godly Brethren\nin _England_ to be yet comming to this passe; how soon they may,\nthemselves know not, the times are slippery: They will undoubtedly finde\nGod as jealous of his Ordinances, as themselves are zealous of their\nOpinions.\n\nSixthly, That Authority ought to see their Subjects children baptized,\nthough their Parents judgements be against it, if there be no other\nEvangelicall barre in the way.\n\nSeventhly, That prudent men, especially young, should doe well not to\ningage themselves in conference with Errorists, without a good calling\nand great caution; their breath is contagious, their leprey spreading:\nreceive not him that is weak, saith the Apostle, to doubtfull\ndisputations; much lesse may they run themselves into dangerous\nSophistications. He usually hears best in their meetings, that stops his\neares closest; he opens his mouth to best purpose, that keeps it shut,\nand he doeth best of all, that declines their company as wisely as he\nmay.\n\nBrethren, have an extraordinary care also of the late Theosophers, that\nteach men to climbe to Heaven upon a ladder of lying figments. Rather\nthan the Devill will lose his game, he will out-shoot Christ in his owne\nbow; he will out-law the Law, quite out of the word and world:\nover-Gospell the Gospell, and quidanye Christ, with Sugar and Rats-bane.\nHee was Professour not long since at _Schelstat_ in _Alsatia_, where he\nlearned that no poyson is so deadly as the poyson of Grace.\n\nThe wisest way, when all is said, is with all humility and feare, to\ntake Christ as himselfe hath revealed himselfe in his Gospel, and not as\nthe Devill presents him to prestigiated phansies. I have ever hated the\nway of the Rosie-Crucians, who reject things as Gods wisedome hath\ntempered them, and will have nothing but their Spirits. If I were to\ngive physick to Spryts, I would doe so too: but when I want physick for\nmy body, I would not have my soule tartared: nor my Animall Spirits\npurged any way, but by my Naturall, and those by my bodily humours, and\nthose by such Ordinaries, as have the nearest vicinage to them, and not\nby Metaphysicall Limbeckings. I cannot thinke that _materia prima_ or\n_secunda_, should be good for me, that am at least, _Materia millessima\nsexcentesima quadragesima quinta_.\n\nHere I hold my selfe bound to set up a Beacon, to give warning of a\nnew-sprung Sect of Phrantasticks, which would perswade themselves and\nothers, that they have discovered the Nor-west passage to Heaven. These\nwits of the game, cry up and downe in corners such bold ignotions of a\nnew Gospell, new Christ, new Faith, and new gay-nothings, as trouble\nunsetled heads, querulous hearts, and not a little grieve the Spirit of\nGod. I desire all good men may be saved from their Lunatick Creed, by\nInfidelity; and rather beleeve these torrid overtures will prove in\ntime, nothing but horrid raptures downe to the lowest hell, from which\nhe that would be delivered, let him avoid these blasphemers, a late fry\nof croaking Frogs, not to be indured in a Religious State, no, if it\nwere possible, not an houre.\n\nAs some are playing young Spaniels, questing at every bird that rises;\nso others, held very good men, are at a dead stand, not knowing what to\ndoe or say; and are therefore called Seekers, looking for new Nuntio's\nfrom Christ, to assoile these benighted questions, and to give new\nOrders for new Churches. I crave leave with all respect to tell them,\nthat if they looke into _Act. 20. 20. 25._ _Gal. 1. 8. 9._ _1. Tim. 6.\n13. 16._ and find them not there; they may happily seeke as the young\nProphets did for Eliah's corps, where it never was, nor ever will be\nfound.\n\nI cannot imagine why the Holy Ghost should give _Timothy_ the solemnest\ncharge, was ever given mortall man, to observe the Rules he had given,\ntill the comming of Christ, if new things must be expected.\n\nWoe be to them, who ever they be, that so trouble the wayes of God that\nthey who have found the way to Heaven, cannot find the way to Church:\nAnd woe be to them, that so gaze at the glorious light, they say, will\nbreake forth in the thousand yeares to come, that they make little of\nthe gracious Truth that hath been revealed these sixteen hundred years\npast. And woe be to them that so under-value the first Master-Builders,\nI mean the Apostles of Christ, that unlesse he sends wiser than they, He\nmust be accounted lesse faithfull in his house than _Moses_ was.\n\nI have cause enough to be as charitable to others as any man living; yet\nI cannot but feare, that those men never Moored their Anchors well in\nthe firme soile of Heaven, that are weather-waft up and down with every\neddy-wind of every new doctrine. The good Spirit of God doth not usually\ntie up the Helme, and suffer passengers to Heaven to ride a drift,\nhither and thither, as every wave and current carries them: that is a\nfitter course for such as the Apostle calls wandring Starres and\nMeteors, without any certaine motion, hurryed about with tempests, bred\nof the Exhalations of their own pride and self-wittednesse: whose\ndamnation sleepeth not, and to whom the mist of darknesse is reserved\nfor ever, that they may suffer irreparable shipwrack upon the Sands and\nRocks of their owne Errours, being of old ordained to condemnation.\n\nEightly, let all considerate men beware of ungrounded opinions in\nReligion: Since I knew what to feare, my timerous heart hath dreaded\nthree things: a blazing starre appearing in the aire: a State Comet, I\nmean a favourite rising in a Kingdome, a new Opinion spreading in\nReligion: these are Exorbitancies: which is a formidable word: a\n_vacuum_ and an exorbitancy, are mundicidious evils. Concerning\nNovelties of opinions; I shall expresse my thoughts in these briefe\npassages. First, that Truth is the best boone God ever gave the world:\nthere is nothing in the world, any further then Truth makes it so; it is\nbetter then any creat' _Ens_ or _Bonum_, which are but Truths twins.\nSecondly, the least Truth of Gods Kingdome, doth in its place, uphold\nthe whole kingdome of his Truths; Take away the least _vericulum_ out of\nthe world, and it unworlds all, potentially, and may unravell the whole\ntexture actually, if it be not conserved by an Arme of superiordinary\npower. Thirdly, the least Evangelicall Truth is more worth than all the\nCivil Truths in the world, that are meerly so. Fourthly, that Truth is\nthe Parent of all Liberty whether politicall or personall; so much\nuntruth, so much thraldome, _John 8. 32_.\n\nHence it is, that God is so jealous of his Truths, that he hath taken\norder in his due justice: First, that no practicall sin is so sinfull as\nsome errour in judgement; no men so accursed with indelible infamie and\ndedolent impenitency, as Authours of Heresie. Secondly, that the least\nError, if grown sturdy and pressed, shall set open the Spittle-doore of\nall the squint ey'd, wry-necked, and brazen-faced Errors that are or\never were of that litter; if they be not enough to serve its turne, it\nwill beget more, though it hath not one crust of reason to maintain\nthem. Thirdly, that that State which will permit Errors in Religion,\nshall admit Errors in policy unavoyably. Fourthly, that that Policy\nwhich will suffer irreligious Errors, shall suffer the losse of so much\nLiberty in one kind or other, I will not exempt _Venice_, _Rhaguse_, the\n_Cantons_, the _Nether-lands_, or any.\n\nAn easie head may soon demonstrate, that the pre-mentioned Planters, by\nTolerating all Religions, had immazed themselves in the most intolerable\nconfusions and inextricable thraldomes the world ever heard of. I am\nperswaded the Devill himselfe was never willing with their proceedings,\nfor feare it would breake his wind and wits to attend such a Province. I\nspeak it seriously according to my meaning. How all Religions should\nenjoy their Liberty, Justice its due regularity, Civill cohabitation\nmorall honesty, in one and the same Jurisdiction, is beyond the Artique\nof my comprehension. If the whole conclave of Hell can so compromise,\nexadverse, and diametricall contradictions, as to compolitize such a\nmultimonstrous maufrey of heteroclytes and quicquidlibets quietly; I\ntrust I may say with all humble reverence, they can doe more then the\nSenate of Heaven. My _modus loquendi_ pardoned: I intirely wish much\nwelfare and more wisdom to that Plantation.\n\nIt is greatly to be lamented, to observe the wanton fearlessnesse of\nthis Age, especially of younger professors, to greet new opinions and\nOpinionists: as if former truths were grown superannuate, and saplesse,\nif not altogether antiquate. _Non senescet veritas._ No man ever saw a\ngray haire on the head or beard of any Truth, wrinckle, or morphew on\nits face: The bed of Truth is green all the yeare long. Hee that cannot\nsolace himselfe with any saving truth, as affectionately as at the first\nacquaintance with it, hath not only a fastidious, but an adulterous\nheart.\n\nIf all be true we heare, Never was any People under the Sun, so sick of\nnew Opinions as _English-men_ nor of new fashions as _English-women_: If\nGod helpe not the one, and the devill leave not helping the other, a\nblind man may easily foresee what will become of both. I have spoken\nwhat I intend for the present to men; I shall speak a word to the women\nanon: in the mean time I intreat them to prepare patience.\n\nNinthly, that godly humble Christians ought not to wonder impatiently at\nthe wonderfull workes of God in these times: it is full Season for him\nto work Soveraign worke, to vindicate his Soveraignty, that men may\nfeare before him. States are unstated, Rulers growne Over-rulers,\nSubjects worse then men, Churches decayed. Tofts, Professors, empty\ncasks filled with unholy humours; I speake not of all, but too many; I\ncondemne not the generation of the just: God hath his remnant, whom he\nwill carefully preserve. If it bee time for men to take up Defensive\nArmes against such as are called Gods, upon the point of _Salus populi_,\nit is high time for him that is God indeed, to draw his Sword against\nwormes and no men, upon the point of _Majestas imperii_: The piercing of\nhis Sword shall discover the thoughts of many hearts.\n\nLastly, I dare averre, that it ill becomes Christians any thing\nwell-shod with the preparation of the Gospel, to meditate flight from\ntheir deare Countrey upon these disturbances. Stand your ground ye\n_Eleazars_ and _Shammahs_, stir not a foot so long as you have halfe a\nfoot of ground to stand upon: after one or two such Worthies, a great\nVictory may be regained, and flying _Israel_ may returne to a rich\nspoile. _Englishmen_, be advised to love _England_, with your hearts and\nto preserve it by your Prayers. I am bold to say that since the pure\nPrimitive time, the Gospel never thrived so well in any soile on earth,\nas in the _British_; nor is the like goodnesse of nature, or Cornucopian\nplenty else-where to be found: if ye lose that Country, and finde a\nbetter before ye come to Heaven, my Cosmography fades me. I am farre\nfrom discouraging any, whom necessity of Conscience or condition thrusts\nout by head and shoulders: if God calls any into a Wildernesse, Hee will\nbe no wildernesse to them, _Jer. 2. 31._ witnesse his large beneficence\nto us here beyond expectation.\n\nYe say, why come not we over to help the Lord against the Mighty, in\nthese Sacred battailes?\n\nI answer, many here are diligently observing the counsell of the same\nProphet, 22. 10. _Weepe not for him that is dead, neither bemoan him;\nbut weep for him that is gone away and shall returne no more to see his\nNative Country._ Divers make it an Article of our _American_ Creed,\nwhich a celebrate Divine of _England_ hath observed upon _Heb. 11. 9._\nThat no man ought to forsake his owne countrey, but upon extraordinary\ncause, and when that cause ceaseth, he is bound in conscience to returne\nif he can: We are looking to him who hath our hopes and seasons in his\nonely wise hand.\n\nIn the mean time we desire to bow our knees before the Throne of Grace\nday and night, that the Lord would be pleased in his tender mercy to\nstill the sad unquietnesse and per-peracute contentions, of that most\ncomfortable and renowned island, that at length He may have praise in\nhis Churches, and his Churches peace in him, through Jesus Christ.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nShould I not keepe promise in speaking a little to Womens fashions, they\nwould take it unkindly: I was loath to pester better matter with such\nstuffe; I rather thought it meet to let them stand by themselves, like\nthe _Quae Genus_ in the Grammar, being Deficients, or Redundants, not to\nbe brought under any Rule: I shall therefore make bold for this once, to\nborrow a little of their loose tongued Liberty, and mispend a word or\ntwo upon their long-wasted, but short-skirted patience: a little use of\nmy stirrup will doe no harme.\n\n    _Ridentem dicere verum, quid prohibet?_\n\n    _Gray Gravity it selfe can well beteam,\n    That Language be adapted to the Theme.\n    He that to Parrots speaks, must parrotize:\n    He that instructs a foole, may act th' unwise._\n\nIt is known more then enough, that I am neither Nigard, nor Cinick, to\nthe due bravery of the true Gentry: if any man mislikes a bully mong\ndrossock more then I, let him take her for his labour: I honour the\nwoman that can honour her selfe with her attire: a good Text alwayes\ndeserves a fair Margent: I am not much offended if I see a trimme, far\ntrimmer than she that wears it: in a word, whatever Christianity or\nCivility will allow, I can afford with _London_ measure: but when I\nheare a nugiperous Gentledame inquire what dresse the Queen is in this\nweek: what the nudiustertian fashion of the Court; I meane the very\nnewest: with egge to be in it in all haste, what ever it be; I look at\nher as the very gizzard of a trifle, the product of a quarter of a\ncypher, the epitome of nothing, fitter to be kickt, if shee were of a\nkickable substance, than either honour'd or humour'd.\n\nTo speak moderately, I truly confesse, it is beyond the ken of my\nunderstanding to conceive, how those women should have any true grace,\nor valuable vertue, that have so little wit, as to disfigure themselves\nwith such exotick garbes, as not only dismantles their native lovely\nlustre, but transclouts them into gant bar-geese,\nill-shapen-shotten-shell-fish, Egyptian Hyeroglyphicks, or at the best\ninto French flurts of the pastery, which a proper English woman should\nscorne with her heels: it is no marvell they weare drailes on the hinder\npart of their heads, having nothing as it seems in the fore-part, but a\nfew Squirrils brains to help them frisk from ill-favor'd fashion to\nanother.\n\n    _These whimm' Crown'd shees, these fashion-fansying wits,\n    Are empty thin brain'd shells, and fiddling Kits._\n\nThe very troublers and impoverishers of mankind, I can hardly forbear to\ncommend to the world a saying of a Lady living sometime with the Queen\nof _Bohemia_, I know not where shee found it, but it is pitty it should\nbe lost.\n\n    _The World is full of care, much like unto a bubble;\n    Women and care, and care and women, and women and care and trouble._\n\nThe Verses are even enough for such odde pegma's. I can make my selfe\nsicke at any time, with comparing the dazling splender wherewith our\nGentlewomen were embellished in some former habits, with the\ngut-foundred goosdom, wherewith they are now surcingled and debauched.\nWee have about five or six of them in our Colony: if I see any of them\naccidentally, I cannot cleanse my phansie of them for a moneth after. I\nhave been a solitary widdower almost twelve yeares, purposed lately to\nmake a step over to my Native Country for a yoke-fellow: but when I\nconsider how women there have tripe-wifed themselves with their\ncladments, I have no heart to the voyage, least their nauseous shapes\nand the Sea, should work too sorely upon my stomach. I speak sadly; me\nthinkes it should breake the hearts of English-men to see so many goodly\nEnglish-women imprisoned in French Cages, peering out of their\nhood-holes for some men of mercy to help them with a little wit, and no\nbody relieves them.\n\nIt is a more common then convenient saying, that nine Taylors make a\nman: it were well if nineteene could make a woman to her minde: if\nTaylors were men indeed, well furnished but with meer morall principles,\nthey would disdain to be led about like Apes, by such mymick Marmosets.\nIt is a most unworthy thing, for men that have bones in them, to spend\ntheir lives in making fidle-cases for futilous womens phansies; which\nare the very pettitoes of infirmity, the gyblets of perquisquilian\ntoyes. I am so charitable to think, that most of that mystery would\nworke the cheerfuller while they live, if they might bee well discharged\nof the tyring slavery of mis-tyring women: it is no little labour to be\ncontinually putting up English-women into Out-landish caskes: who if\nthey be not shifted anew, once in a few moneths, grow too sowre for\ntheir Husbands. What this Trade will answer for themselves when God\nshall take measure of Taylors consciences is beyond my skill to imagine.\nThere was a time when\n\n    _The joyning of the Red-Rose with the White,\n    Did set our State into a Damask plight._\n\nBut now our Roses are turned to _Flore de lices_, our Carnations to\nTulips, our Gilliflowers to Dayzes, our City-Dames, to an indenominable\nQuaemalry of overturcas'd things. Hee that makes Coates for the Moone,\nhad need take measure every noone; and he that makes for women, as\noften, to keepe them from Lunacy.\n\nI have often heard divers Ladies vent loud feminine complaints of the\nwearisome varieties and chargable changes of fashions: I marvell\nthemselves preferre not a Bill of redresse. I would[2] _Essex_ Ladies\nwould lead the _Chore_, for the honour of their County and persons; or\nrather the thrice honourable Ladies of the Court, whom it best beseemes:\nwho may wel presume of a _Le Roy le veult_ from our sober King, a _Les\nSeigneurs ont Assentus_ from our prudent Peers, and the like _Assentus_\nfrom our considerate, I dare not say wife-worne Commons: who I beleeve\nhad much rather passe one such Bill, than pay so many Taylors Bills as\nthey are forced to doe.\n\n  [2] All the Counties and shires of England have had wars in them since\n  the Conquest, but Essex, which is onely free, and should be thankfull.\n\nMost deare and unparallel'd Ladies, be pleased to attempt it: as you\nhave the precellency of the women of the world for beauty and feature;\nso assume the honour to give, and not take Law from any, in matter of\nattire: if ye can transact so faire a motion among yourselves\nunanimously, I dare say, they that most renite, will least repent. What\ngreater honour can your Honors desire, then to build a Promontory\npresident to all foraigne Ladies, to deserve so eminently at the hands\nof all the English Gentry present and to come: and to confute the\nopinion of all the wise men in the world; who never thought it possible\nfor women to doe so good a work?\n\nIf any man think I have spoken rather merrily than seriously he is much\nmistaken, I have written what I write with all the indignation I can,\nand no more then I ought. I confesse I veer'd my tongue to this kinde of\nLanguage _de industria_ though unwillingly, supposing those I speak to\nare uncapable of grave and rationall arguments.\n\nI desire all Ladies and Gentlewomen to understand that all this while I\nintend not such as through necessary modesty to avoyd morose\nsingularity, follow fashions slowly, a flight shot or two off, shewing\nby their moderation, that they rather draw countermont with their\nhearts, then put on by their examples.\n\nI point my pen only against the light-heel'd beagles that lead the chase\nso fast, that they run all civility out of breath, against these\nApe-headed pullets, which invent Antique foole-fangles, meerly for\nfashion and novelty sake.\n\nIn a word, if I begin once to declaime against fashions, let men and\nwomen look well about them, there is somewhat in the businesse; I\nconfesse to the world, I never had grace enough to be strict in that\nkinde; and of late years, I have found syrrope of pride very wholesome\nin a due _Dos_, which makes mee keep such store of that drugge by me,\nthat if any body comes to me for a question-full or two about fashions,\nthey never complain of me for giving them hard measure, or under-weight.\n\nBut I addresse my self to those who can both hear and mend all if they\nplease: I seriously feare, if the pious Parliament doe not finde a time\nto state fashions, as ancient Parliaments have done in some part, God\nwill hardly finde a time to state Religion or Peace: They are the\nsurquedryes of pride, the wantonnesse of idlenesse, provoking sins, the\ncertain prodromies of assured judgement, _Zeph. 1. 7, 8_.\n\nIt is beyond all account, how many Gentlemens and Citizens estates are\ndeplumed by their feather-headed wives, what usefull supplies the\npannage of _England_ would afford other Countries, what rich returnes to\nit selfe, if it were not slic'd out into male and female fripperies: and\nwhat a multitude of misimploy'd hands, might be better improv'd in some\nmore manly Manufactures for the publique weale: it is not easily\ncredible, what may be said of the preterpluralities of Taylors in\n_London_: I have heard an honest man say, that not long since there were\nnumbered between _Temple-barre_ and _Charing-Crosse_, eight thousand of\nthat Trade: let it be conjectured by that proportion how many there are\nin and about _London_, and in all _England_, they will appeare to be\nvery numerous. If the Parliament would please to mend women, which their\nHusbands dare not doe, there need not so many men to make and mend as\nthere are. I hope the present dolefull estate of the Realme, will\nperswade more strongly to some considerate course herein, than I now\ncan.\n\nKnew I how to bring it in, I would speak a word to long haire, whereof I\nwill say no more but this: if God proves not such a Barbor to it as he\nthreatens, unlesse it be amended, _Esa. 7. 20._ before the Peace of the\nState and Church be well setled, then let my prophesie be scorned, as a\nsound minde scornes the ryot of that sin, and more it needs not. If\nthose who are tearmed Rattle-heads and Impuritans, would take up a\nResolution to begin in moderation of haire, to the just reproach of\nthose that are called Puritans and Round-heads, I would honour their\nmanlinesse, as much as the others godlinesse, so long as I knew what man\nor honour meant: if neither can find a Barbours shop, let them turne in,\nto _Psal. 68. 21._ _Jer. 7. 29._ _1 Cor. 11. 14._ if it be thought no\nwisdome in men to distinguish themselves in the field by the Scissers,\nlet it bee thought no injustice in God, not to distinguish them by the\nSword. I had rather God should know me by my sobriety, than mine enemy\nnot know me by my vanity. He is ill kept, that is kept by his owne sin.\nA short promise is a farre safer guard than a long lock: it is an ill\ndistinction which God is loth to looke at, and his Angels cannot know\nhis Saints by. Though it be not the mark of the Beast, yet it may be the\nmark of a beast prepared to slaughter. I am sure men use not to weare\nsuch manes; I am also sure Souldiers use to weare other marklets or\nnotadoes in time of battell.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nHaving done with the upper part of my work, I would now with all humble\nwillingnesse set on the best peece of Soule-leather I have, did I not\nfeare I should break my All, which though it may be a right old English\nblade, yet it is but little and weake. I should esteeme it the best\npiece of workmanship my Cobling hand every wrought, if it would please\nHim whose worke it is, to direct me to speake such a word over the sea,\nas the good old woman of _Abel_ did over the wall, in the like exigent:\nbut alas, I am but simple. What if I be?\n\n    _When States dishelv'd are, and Lawes untwist,\n    Wise men keep their tongues, fools speak what they list._\n\nI would not be so unwise as to grieve the wise, if I were wise enough to\nforesee it: I would speake nothing to the Cause or Continuance of these\nwearisome Warres hitherto; the one is enough debated, the other more\nthan enough peracted. Nor would I declaime of the uncomlinesse,\nunbrotherlinesse, unseasonablenesse and unreasonablenesse of these\ndirefull digladiations: every stroak strucke sounds too loud upon this\nharsh string. I would much rather speake perswasives to a comely\nbrotherly seasonable and reasonable cessation of Armes on both sides, by\na drawn battaile: Wherein if I shall adventure a few over-bold words, I\nintreat my ignorance, impartiality, and Loyalty may plead pardon for me.\n\nFoure meanes there are, and no more, within the compasse of my\nconsideration, conducing to what is desired. Either to get the Standard\nfixed in heaven by the Lord of Hosts taken downe, I meane by\nReformation: Or to set up white colours instead of red, on one side or\nother, I meane by Composition: Or by furling up all the Ensignes on both\nsides, I meane by mutuall and generall Cessation: Or by still displaying\nall the Colours and Cornets of every batallion, I mean by prosecution:\nwithout Reformation there will hardly be any Composition; without\nComposition little hope of Cessation; without Cessation there must and\nwill be Prosecution; which God forbid.\n\n\n_Reformation._\n\nWhen the Roman Standard was defixed with such difficulty at the battell\nbetween _Hanniball_ and _Flaminius_ at _Thrasimene_, it proved an ill\nOmen. _When God gives quietnesse, who can make trouble; when he hideth\nhis face, who can behold him?_ _Whether it be against a nation or a man\nonely._ _That the Hypocrite reigne not, lest the people be insnared_,\n_Job 34. 29, 30_. How can the sword of the Lord put it selfe up into its\nscabbard and be quiet, when himself hath given it a charge to the\ncontrary? _Jer. 47. 6, 7_. It was a Cardinall Truth which Cardinall\n_Poole_ spake to H. 8. _Penes Reges est inferre bellum, penes autem Deum\nterminare._ If Kings will make their beginnings, God will make his ends:\nmuch more when himselfe begins: _When I begin I will also make an end_,\n_1 Sam. 3. 12_. Farre better were it, for men to make an end with him in\ntime, than put him to make such an end with them as he there intends.\n\nPoliticall Reformation he seemes to call for now _indigitanter_. When he\nbeholds Christian Kingdomes and States unsound in their foundations,\nillineall in their superstructures, unjust in their administrations; he\nkicks them in peeces with the foot of his Indignation: But when\nReligious Statesmen frame and build by the levell and plummet of his\nwisdome, then people may say as his servants of old, _Looke upon Zion\nthe City of our Solemnities; Your eyes shall see it a quiet habitation,\na Tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof\nshall be removed, neither shall any of the coards thereof bee broken_;\n_Isa. 33. 20._ neither by civill Commotions nor foraign Invasions. When\nthe coards of a State are exquisitely tight, and the stakes firmely\npitched; such a Tent though but a Tent shall not easily flutter or fall:\nBut _if the Tacklings be so loose, that the maine Mast cannot stand\nsteady, nor the Saile be well spread; then may the lame take and divide\na great prey_, ver. 23. If Religion, Laws, Liberties, Affections,\nConversations, and foraigne Federacies be slight; the strength of strong\nmen shall be weaknesse, and the weaknesse of the weak victorious.\n\n_Pura politeja ne unum admittit solaecismulum, neque valet, praescriptio\nin politicis aut moralibus._ It may maintain a bright conjecture,\nagainst a rusty Truth: a legible possession, against an obliterate\nClaime: an inconvenience, against a convenience; where no cleare remedy\nmay be had: but never any thing that is formally sinfull, or materially\nmischievous. When rotten States are soundly mended from head to foot,\nproportions duly admeasured, Justice justly dispenced; then shall Rulers\nand Subjects have peace with God and themselves: but till then, the\ngayest Kingdomes shall be but ruffling scuffling, removing and commoving\nhovells. For _England_, however the upper Stories are shroadly\nshattered; yet the foundations and frame being good or mendable by the\nArchitectors now at worke, there is good hope, when peace is setled,\npeople shall dwell more wind-tight and water-tight than formerly. I\nearnestly wish our Mr. Builders to remember, that punctuality in\nDivinity and Politie, is but regularity; that what is amisse in the\nmould, will misfashion the prosult: and that if this market be slipt,\nthings may grow as deare as ever they were. Most expert Gentlemen, bee\nintreated at length to set our Head right on our shoulders, that we may\nonce look upwards and goe forwards like proper Englishmen.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nGod will also have Ecclesiasticall Reformation now, or nothing: And here\nhe stands not upon Kings, Parliaments or Assemblies, but upon his own\nTermes. I feare hee will have all drosse and base metalls throughly\nmelted away by these combustions, before Hee quenches them; all his\nOrdinances and vessells cast into his owne fashion, in his own mould, to\nhis own _amussim_, before he restores peace. There was not a stone left\nupon a stone of the old Temple, before the new was erected. If this\nfirst worke bee throughly and throughoutly dispatched as I hope it is,\nthe great _Remora_ is removed. If the Parliament and Assembly be pleased\nto be as curious and industrious as I have seen a great Popish Bishop in\nexeccrating a Protestant Parish Church one day, and consecrating it the\nnext; they may adjourn awhile with leave enough.\n\nSome ten or twelve years before these Wars there came to my view these\ntwo Predictions.\n\n    1. _When God shall purge this Land with soap and nitre,\n       Woe be to the Crowne, woe be to the Mitre._\n\n    The accent of the blow shall fall there.\n\nHe that pities not the Crowne, pities not his owne soule. Hee that\npities not those that wore the Mitre, more than they pitied themselves,\nor the Churches over which they insulted, or the State then corrupted\nand now Corruined by their pride and negligence, is to blame.\n\n    2. _There is a set of Bishops comming next behind,\n       Will ride the devill off his legs, and break his wind._\n\nPoore men! they might have kept his backe till this time for ought I\nknow, had they not put him beyond his pace: but Schollers must gallop,\nthough they tumble for it. Yet I commend them for this, they gave him\nsuch straynes as made him blow short ever since. I doubt the Assembly\ntroubles him; and I doubt he troubles them. Well, the Bishops are gone:\nIf they have carried away with them all that was in the pockets of their\nHolliday hose, fare them well; let them come againe when I give them a\nnew _Conge d' slier_, or send a Pursuivant for them; which if I doe, I\nshall never trust myselfe more, though they have often done it for me,\nwho never deserved that honour. Some of them I confesse were very honest\nmen, and would have been honester if they dared for their fellows.\n\nThe sad worke now, is to institute better things in their Roome, and to\ninduct better men in their roome; rather where, and how to finde those\nthings, they having cunningy laid them so farre out of the way; I doubt\nsome good men cannot see them, when they look full upon them: it is\nlike, the Bishops carryed away their eyes with them, but I feare they\nleft their Spectacles behind them. I use no spectacles, yet my eyes are\nnot fine enough, nor my hand steady enough to cut by such fine threads\nas are now spun. I am I know not what; I cannot tell what to make of my\nselfe, nor I think no body else: My Trade is to finde more faults than\nothers will mend; and I am very diligent at it; yet it scarce findes me\na living, though the Country findes me more worke than I can turne my\nhand to.\n\nFor Church work, I am neither Presbyterian, nor plebsbyterian, but an\nInterpendent: My task is to sit and study how shapeable the Independent\nway will be to the body of _England_, then my head akes on one side; and\nhow suitable the Presbyterian way, as we heare it propounded, will bee\nto the minde of Christ, then my head akes on the other side: but when I\nconsider how the Parliament will commoderate a way out of both, then my\nhead leaves aking: I am not, without some contrivalls in my patching\nbraines; but I had rather suppose them to powder, than expose them to\npreregular, much lesse to preter-regular Judgements: I shall therefore\nrejoyce that the work is faln into so good hands, heads, and hearts, who\nwill weigh Rules by Troyweight, and not by the old Haber-du-pois: and\nrather then meddle where I have so little skill, I will sit by and tell\nmy feares to them that have the patience to heare them, and leave the\nred-hot question to them that dare handle it.\n\nI fear many holy men have not so deeply humbled themselves for their\nformer mis-worshippings of God as he will have them before he reveales\nhis secrets to them: as they accounted things indifferent, so they\naccount indifferent repentance will serve turne. _Son of man, if my\npeople be ashamed of all that they have done, then shew them the forme\nof the house, and the fashion thereof_, else not, _Ezek. 43. 11_. A sin\nin Gods worship, that seemes small in the common beame of the world, may\nbe very great in the scales of his Sanctuary. Where God is very jealous,\nhis servants should be very cautelous.\n\nI feare, the furnace wherein our new formes are casting, is over-heat,\nand casts smoake in the eyes of our founders, that they cannot well see\nwhat they doe, or ought to doe; _Omne perit judicium cum res transit in\naffectum._ Truth and peace are the _Castor_ and _Pollux_ of the Gospell:\nthey that seek the one without the other, are like to finde neither:\nAnger will hinder domestick Prayers, much more Ecclesiastique Councels.\nWhat is produced by tumult, is either deficient or redundant. When the\njudgements of good men concurre with a harmonious Diapason, the result\nis melodious and commodious. Warring and jarring men are no builders of\nhouses for God, though otherwise very good. Instruments may be well made\nand well strung, but if they be not well fretted, the Musique is marred.\nThe great Turke hearing Musitians so long a tuning, he thought it stood\nnot with his state to wait for what would follow. When Christ whips\nMarket-makers out of his Temple, he raises dust: but when he enters in\nwith Truth and Holinesse, he calls for deep silence, _Hab. 2. 20_. There\nmust not a toole be heard when the Tabernacle is reared: Nor is that\namiable or serviceable to men that passeth through so many ill\nanimadversions of Auditors and Spectators. If the Assembly can hardly\nagree what to determine, people will not easily agree what to accept.\n\nI fear, these differences and delayes have occasioned men to make more\nnew discoveries then otherwise they would. If publique Assemblies of\nDivines cannot agree upon a right way, private Conventicles of\nilliterate men, will soon find a wrong. Bivious demurres breed devious\nresolutions. Passengers to heaven are in haste, and will walk one way or\nother. He that doubts of his way, thinkes hee loses his day: and when\nmen are gone awhile, they will be loth to turn back. If God hide his\npath, Satan is at hand to turn Convoy: If any have a minde to ride\nposte, he will helpe them with a fresh spavin'd Opinion at every Stage.\n\n    _Where clocks will stand, and Dials have no light,\n    There men must goe by guesse, be't wrong or right._\n\nI feare, if the Assembly of all Divines, doe not consent, and concenter\nthe sooner, God will breath a spirit of wisedome and meeknesse, into the\nParliament of no Divines, to whom the Imperative and Coactive power\nsupremely belongs, to consult such a contemperate way, as shall best\nplease him, and profit his Churches, so that it shall be written upon\nthe doore of the Assembly; _The Lord was not there._\n\nI feare, the importunity of some impatient, and subtlety of some\nmalevolent mindes, will put both Parliament and Assembly upon some\npreproperations, that will not be safe in Ecclesiasticall Constitutions.\nTo procrastinate in matters clear, as I said even now, may be dangerous;\nso, not to deliberate in dubious cases, will be as perilous. We here,\nthough I think under favour, wee have some as able Steersmen as\n_England_ affords, have been driven to tack about again to some other\npoints of Christs Compasse, and to make better observations before we\nhoyse up sayles. It will be found great wisdome in disputable cases, not\nto walk on by twylight, but very cautelously; rather by probationers for\na time, then peremptory positives: Reelings and wheelings in Church\nacts, are both difficult and disadvantageous. It is rather Christian\nmodesty than shame, in the dawning of Reformation, to be very\nperpensive. Christs mind is, that Evangelicall policies, should be\nframed by Angelicall measures; not by a line of flaxe, but by a golden\nReed, _Rev. 21. 15_.\n\nI feare, he that sayes, the Presbyterian and Independent way, if rightly\ncarryed, doe not meet in one, he doth not handle his Compasses so\nconsiderately as he should.\n\nI feare, if Authority doth not establish a sutable and peaceable\nGovernment of Churches the sooner, the bells in all the steeples will\nring awke so long, that they will hardly be brought into tune any more.\n\nMy last, but not least feare, is, That God will hardly replant his\nGospel in any part of Christendome, in so faire an Edition as is\nexpected, till the whole field hath been so ploughed and harrowed, that\nthe soile be throughly cleansed and fitted for new seed: Or whether he\nwill not transplant it into some other Regions, I know not: This feare I\nhave feared these 20 years, but upon what grounds I had rather bury than\nbroach.\n\nI dare not but adde to what preceded about Church-Reformation, a most\nhumble petition, that the Authority of the Ministry be kept in its due\naltitude: if it be dropp'd in the dust, it will soon bee stifled:\nEncroachments on both sides, have bred detriments enough to the whole.\nThe Separatists are content their teaching Elders should sit highest on\nthe Bench, so they may sit in the Chaire over-against them; and that\ntheir ruling Elders shall ride on the saddle, so they may hold the\nbridle. That they may likewise have seasonable and honorable\nmaintenance, and that certainly stated: which generally we find and\npractise here as the best way. When Elders live upon peoples good wills,\npeople care little for their ill wills, be they never so just: Voluntary\ncontributions or non-tributions of Members, put Ministers upon many\ntemptations in administrations of their Offices: two houres care does\nmore dis-spirit an ingenuous man than two dayes study: nor can an Elder\nbe given to hospitality, when he knowes not what will be given him to\ndefray it: it is pity men of gifts should live upon men's gifts. I have\nseen most of the Reformed Churches in Europ, and seene more misery in\nthese two respects, then it is meet others should hear: the complaints\nof painfull _Pareus_, _David Pareus_, to my selfe, with tears, concerning\nthe Germane Churches, are not to be related.\n\nThere is yet a personall Reformation, as requisite as the Politicall.\nWhen States are so reformed, that they conforme such as are profligate,\ninto good civility: civill men, into religious morality: When Churches\nare so constituted, that Faith is ordained Pastor, Truth Teacher,\nHolinesse and Righteousnesse ruling Elders: Wisedome and Charity\nDeacons: Knowledge, love, hope, zeale, heavenly-mindednesse, meeknesse,\npatience, watchfulnesse, humility, diligence, sobriety, modesty,\nchastity, constancy, prudence, contentation, innocency, sincerity, &c.\nadmitted members and all their opposites excluded: then there will bee\npeace of Country and Conscience.\n\nDid the servants of Christ know what it is to live in Reformed Churches\nwith unreformed spirits, under strict order with loose hearts, how\nformes of Religion breed but formes of Godlinesse, how men by\nChurch-discipline, learne their Church-postures, and there rest; they\nwould pray as hard for purity of heart, as purity of Ordinances. If we\nmocke God in these, He will mocke us; either with defeat of our hopes;\nor which is worse: when we have what we so much desire, we shall be so\nmuch the worse for it. It was a well salted speech, uttered by an\nEnglish Christian of a Reformed Church in the Netherlands, Wee have the\ngood Orders here, but you have the good Christians in _England_. Hee\nthat prizes not Old _England_ Graces, as much as New _England_\nOrdinances, had need goe to some other market before hee comes hither.\nIn a word, hee that is not Pastor, Teacher, Ruler, Deacon and Brother to\nhimselfe, and lookes not at Christ above all, it matters not a farthing\nwhether he be Presbyterian or Independent: he may be a zealot in bearing\nwitnesse to which he likes best, and yet an Iscariot to both, in the\nwitnesse of his owne Conscience.\n\nI have upon strict observation, seen so much power of godlinesse, and\nspirituall mindednesse in English Christians, living meerly upon Sermons\nand private duties, hardly come by, when the Gospell was little more\nthan symptomaticall to the State; such Epidemicall and lethall formality\nin other disciplinated Churches, that I professe in the hearing of God,\nmy heart hath mourned, and mine eyes wept in secret, to consider what\nwill become of multitudes of my deare Country-men, when they shall enjoy\nwhat they now covet: Not that good Ordinances breed ill Consciences, but\nill Consciences grow stark nought under good Ordinances; insomuch that\nmight I wish an hypocrite the most perilous place but Hell, I should\nwish him a Membership in a strict Reformed Church: and might I wish a\nsincere Servant of God, the greatest griefe earth can afford, I should\nwish him to live with a pure heart, in a Church impurely Reformed; yet\nthrough the improvement of Gods Spirit, that griefe may sanctifie him\nfor Gods service and presence, as much as the meanes he would have, but\ncannot.\n\nI speak this the rather to prevent, what in me lyes, the imprudent\nromaging that is like to be in _England_, from Villages to Townes, from\nTownes to Cities, for Churches sake, to the undoing of Societies,\nFriendships, Kindreds, Families, Heritages, Callings, yea, the wise\nProvidence of God in disposing mens habitations, now in the very Infancy\nof Reformation: by forgetting that a little leaven may season a large\nlump: and it is much better to doe good than receive. It were a most\nuncharitable and unserviceable part, for good men to desert their own\nCongregations, where many may glorifie God in the day of his Visitation,\nfor their presence and assistance. If a Christian would picke out a way\nto thrive in grace, let him study to administer grace to them that want:\nor to make sure a blessing upon his Family; let him labour to multiply\nthe family of Christ, and beleeve, that he which soweth liberally, shall\nreap abundantly; and hee that spareth more than is need, from them that\nhave more need, shall surely come to poverty: yea, let me say, that he\nwho forsakes the meanes of grace for Christ and his Churches sake, shall\nmeet with a better bargaine, namely, grace it selfe. It is a time now,\nwhen full flocks should rather scatter to leane Churches, than gather\nfrom other places, to make themselves fat; when able Christians should\nrather turne Jesuites and Seminaries, than run into Covents and\nFrieries: had this beene the course in the Primitive time, the Gospel\nhad been pinfolded up in a few Cities, and not spread as it is.\n\nWhat more ungodly sacriledge or manstealing can there be, then to\npurloin from godly Ministers the first born of their fervent prayers and\nfaithfull preachings, the leven of their flocks, the incouragement of\ntheir soules, the Crowne of their labours, their Epistle to Heaven? I am\nglad to heare our _New-England_ Elders generally detest it _despuenter_,\nand looke at it as a killing _Cordolium_: If men will needs gather\nChurches out of the world (as they say) let them first plough the world,\nsow it, and reap it with their own hands, and the Lord give them a\nliberall Harvest. He is a very hard man that will reap where he hath not\nsowed, and gather where he hath not strowed, _Mat. 25. 24_.\n\nHe that saith, it is or was our case, doth not rightly understand\nhimself or us, and he that takes his warrant out of _Joh. 4. 37. 38._ is\nlittle acquainted with Expositors. Wise men are amazed to hear that\nconscientious Ministers dare spoile many Congregations to make one for\nthemselves.\n\nIn matter of Reformation, this would be remembred, that in premonitory\njudgements, God will take good words, and sincere intents; but in\nperemptory, nothing but reall performances.\n\n\n_Composition._\n\nIf Reformation were come thus neer, I should hope Composition were not\nfarre off: When hearts meet in God, they will soon meet in Gods wayes,\nand upon Gods termes. But to avoid prolixity, which steales upon me; For\nComposition, I shall compose halfe a dozen distichs concerning these\nkind of Wars; wishing I could sing asleep these odious stirres at least\non some part, with a dull Ode. He is no Cobler that cannot sing, nor no\ngood Cobler that can sing well:\n\n    _Si natura negat, facit indignatio versum_   } They are\n    _Qualemcunque potest_ ---- Juvenal           } these.\n\n\n1.\n\n    _They seldome lose the field, but often win,\n    That end their wars, before their wars begin._\n\n\n2.\n\n    _Their Cause is oft the worst, that first begin,\n    And they may lose the field, the field that win:_[3]\n\n\n3.\n\n    _In Civill warrs, 'twixt Subjects and their King,\n    There is no conquest got, by conquering._\n\n\n4.\n\n    _Warre ill begun, the onely way to mend,\n    Is t' end the warre before the warre doe end._\n\n\n5.\n\n    _They that will end ill warrs, must have the skill,\n    To make an end by Rule, and not by Will._\n\n\n6.\n\n    _In ending warrs 'tween Subjects and their Kings,\n    Great things are sav'd, by losing little things._\n\n    [3] _Victrix causa Diis placuit, sed victa_ Catoni. Lucan.\n\nWee heare that _Majestas Imperii_ hath challenged _Salus Populi_ into\nthe field; the one fighting for Prerogatives, the other defending\nLiberties: Were I a Constable bigge enough, I would set one of them by\nthe heeles to keep both their hands quiet; I meane onely in a paire of\nstocks, made of sound reason, handsomely fitted for the legges of their\nUnderstanding.\n\nIf _Salus Populi_ began, surely it was not that _Salus Populi_ which I\nleft in _England_: That _Salus Populi_ was as mannerly a _Salus Populi_\nas need bee: if I bee not much deceived, that _Salus Populi_ suffer'd\nits nose to be held to the Grindstone, till it was almost ground to the\ngrisles; and yet grew never the sharper for ought I could discerne; What\nwas, before the world was made, I leave to better Antiquaries then\nmyselfe; but I thinke, since the world began, it was never storied that\n_Salus Populi_ began with _Majestas Imperii_, unlesse _Majestas Imperii_\nfirst unharbour'd it, and hunted it to a stand, and then it must either\nturne head and live, or turn taile and die: but more have been storyed\non the other hand than _Majestas Imperii_ is willing to heare: I doubt\nnot but _Majestas Imperii_ knows, that Common-wealths cost as much the\nmaking as Crownes; and if they bee well made, would yet outsell an\nill-fashioned Crown, in any Market overt, even in _Smithfield_, if they\ncould be well vouched.\n\nBut _Preces & Lachrymae_, are the people's weapons: so are Swords and\nPistols, when God and Parliaments bid them Arme. Prayers and Teares are\ngood weapons for them that have nothing but knees and eyes; but most men\nare made with teeth and nailes; onely they must neither scratch for\nLiberties, nor bite Prerogatives, till they have wept and prayed as God\nwould have them. If Subjects must fight for their Kings against other\nKingdomes, when their Kings will; I know no reason, but they may fight\nagainst their Kings for their own Kingdomes, when Parliaments say they\nmay and must: but Parliaments must not say they must, till God sayes\nthey may.\n\nI can never beleeve that _Majestas Imperii_, was ever so simple as to\nthink, that if it extends it self beyond its due Artique at one end, but\n_Salus Populi_ must Antartique it as farre at the other end, or else the\nworld will be Excentrick, and then it will whirle; and if it once fall a\nwhirling, ten to one, it will whirle them off first, that sit in highest\nchaires on cushions fill'd with Peacocks feathers; and they are like to\nstand their ground fastest, that owne not one foot of ground to stand\nupon. When Kings rise higher than they should, they exhale Subjects\nhigher than they would: if the _Primum Mobile_ should ascend one foot\nhigher than it is, it would hurry all the nether wheeles, and the whole\nworld on fire in 24 houres. No Prince exceeds in Soveraignty, but his\nSubjects will exceed as farre in some vitious Liberty, to abate their\ngriefe; or some pernicious mutiny, to abate their Prince.\n\n    _The crazy world will crack, in all the middle joynts.\n    If all the ends it hath, have not their parapoynts._\n\nNor can I beleeve that Crownes trouble Kings Heads, so much as Kings\nheads trouble Crownes: nor that they are flowers of Crowns that trouble\nCrowns, but rather some Nettles or Thistles mistaken for flowers.\n\nTo speake plainer English, I have wondred these thirty yeares what Kings\naile: I have seen in my time, the best part of twenty Christian Kings\nand Princes; Yet as Christian as they were, some or other were still\nscuffling for Prerogatives. It must be granted at all hands, that\n_Praerogativae Regis_ are necessary Supporters of State: and stately\nthings to stately Kings: but if withall, they be _Derogativae Regno_,\nthey are but little things to wise Kings. Equity is as due to People, as\nEminency to Princes: Liberty to Subjects, as Royalty to Kings: If they\ncannot walk together lovingly hand in hand, _pari passu_, they must cut\ngirdles and part as good friends as they may: Nor must it be taken\noffensively, that when Kings are haling up their top-gallants, Subjects\nlay hold on their slablines; the head and body must move alike: it is\nnothing meet for me to say with _Horace_,\n\n    _Ut tu fortunam, sic nos te Car'le feremus._\n\nBut I hope I may safely say,\n\n    _The body beares the head, the head the Crown;\n    If both beare not alike, then one will down._\n\nDistracting Nature, calls for distracting Remedies; perturbing policies\nfor disturbing cures: If one Extreame should not constitute its\nAnti-Extreame, all things would soon be in _extremo_: if ambitious\nwindes get into Rulers Crownes, rebellious vapours will into Subjects\nCaps, bee they stopt never so close: Yet the tongues of Times tell us of\nten Preter-royall Usurpations, to one contra-civill Rebellion.\n\nCivill Liberties and Proprieties admeasured, to every man to his true\n_suum_, are the _prima pura principia, propria quarto modo_, the _sine\nquibus_ of humane States, without which, men are but women. Peoples\nprostrations of these things when they may lawfully helpe it, are\nprophane prostitutions; ignorant Ideottismes, under naturall noddaries;\nand just it is that such as undersell them, should not re-inherit them\nin haste, though they seeke it carefully with teares. And such\nusurpations by Rulers, are the unnaturalizings of nature,\ndisfranchisements of Freedome, the Neronian nullifyings of Kingdomes:\nyea, I beleeve the Devill himselfe would turne Round-head, rather then\nsuffer these Columnes of Common-wealths to be slighted: as he is a\ncreature, he feares decreation; as an Angell, dehominations; as a\nPrince, dis-common-wealthings; as finite, these pen-infinite\ninsolencies, which are the most finite Infinites of misery to men on\nthis side the worlds dissolution: therefore it is, that with Gods leave,\nhe hath sounded an alarm to all the _susque deques_, pell-mels, one and\nalls, now harrassing sundry parts of Christendome. It is enough for God\nto be Infinite, too much for man to bee Indefinite. He that will flye\ntoo high a quarry for Absolutenesse, shall stoope as much too low before\nhe remounts his proper pitch: If _Jacob_ will over top his brother out\nof Gods time and way, he will so hamstring him, that hee shall make legs\nwhether he will or no, at his brothers approach: and such as over-run\nall humane measure, shall seldome returne to humane mercy: There are\nsins besides the sin against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be expiated\nby sacrifice for temporall revenge: I mean when they are boyled up to a\nfull consistence of contumacy and impenitency. Let absolute Demands or\nCommands be put into one scale, and indefinite refusalls into the other:\nall the Goldsmiths in _Cheapeside_, cannot tell which weighs heaviest.\nIntolerable griefes to Subjects, breed the _Iliaca passio_ in a body\npolitick, which inforces that upwards which should not. I speak these\nthings to excuse, what I may, my Countrymen in the hearts of all that\nlook upon their proceedings.\n\nThere is a quadrobulary saying which passes current in the Westerne\nWorld, That the Emperour is King of Kings, the _Spaniard_, King of Men,\nthe _French_, King of Asses, the _King_ of _England_, _King_ of Devills.\nBy his leave that first brayed the speech, they are pretty wise Devills\nand pretty honest; the worse they doe, is to keep their Kings from\ndevillizing, and themselves from Assing: Were I a King (a simple\nsupposall) I would not part with one good English Devill, for some two\nof the Emperours Kings, nor three of the _Spaniards_ Men, nor foure\n_French_ Asses; If I did I should thinke my selfe an Asse for my labour.\nI know nothing that _Englishmen_ want, but true Grace, and honest pride;\nlet them be well furnisht with those two, I feare they would make more\nAsses, then _Spaine_ can make men, or the Emperour Kings. You will say I\nam now beyond my latchet; but you would not say so, if you knew how high\nmy latchet will stretch; when I heare a lye with a latchet, that reaches\nup to his throat that first forged it.\n\nHe is a good King that undoes not his Subjects by any one of his\nunlimited Prerogatives: and they are a good People, that undoe not their\nPrince, by any one of their unbounded Liberties, be they the very least.\nI am sure either may, and I am sure neither would be trusted, how good\nsoever. Stories tell us in effect, though not in termes, that over-risen\nKings, have been the next evills to the world, unto fallen Angels; and\nthat over-franchised people, are devills with smooth snaffles in their\nmouthes. A King that lives by Law, lives by love; and he that lives\nabove Law, shall live under hatred doe what he can. Slavery and knavery\ngoe as seldome asunder, as Tyranny and Cruelty.\n\nI have a long while thought it very possible, in a time of Peace, and in\nsome Kings Reigne, for disert Statesmen, to cut an exquisite thred\nbetween Kings Prerogatives, and Subjects Liberties of all sorts, so as\n_Caesar_ might have his due, and People their share, without such sharpe\ndisputes. Good Casuists would case it, and case it, part it, and part\nit; now it, and then it, punctually. _Aquinas_, _Suarez_, or _Valentia_,\nwould have done it long ere this, had they not beene Popish, I might\nhave said knavish; for, if they be so any where, it is in their\nTractates of Priviledges. Our Common Law doth well, but it must doe\nbetter before things doe as they should. There are some _Maximes_ in\nLaw, that would be taught to speake a little more mannerly, or else well\n_Anti-Maxim'd_: we say, the King can doe a Subject no wrong; why may wee\nnot say, the Parliament can doe the King no wrong? We say, _Nullum\ntempus occurrit Regi_ in taking wrong; why may wee not say, _Nullum\ntempus succurrit Regi_ in doing wrong? which I doubt will prove as good\na Canon if well examined.\n\nAuthority must have power to make and keep people honest; People,\nhonesty to obey Authority; both, a joynt-Councell to keep both safe.\nMorall Lawes, Royall Prerogatives, Popular Liberties, are not of Mans\nmaking or giving, but Gods: Man is but to measure them out by Gods Rule:\nwhich if mans wisdome cannot reach, Mans experience must mend: And these\nEssentialls, must not be Ephorized or Tribuned by one or a few Mens\ndiscretion, but lineally sanctioned by Supreame Councels. In\n_pro-re-nascent_ occurrences, which cannot be foreseen; Diets,\nParliaments, Senates, or accountable Commissions, must have power to\nconsult and execute against intersilient dangers and flagitious crimes\nprohibited by the light of Nature: Yet it were good if States would let\nPeople know so much beforehand, by some safe woven _manifesto_, that\ngrosse Delinquents may tell no tales of Anchors and Buoyes, nor palliate\ntheir presumptions with pretence of ignorance. I know no difference in\nthese Essentialls, between Monarchies, Aristocracies, or Democracies;\nthe rule will be found par-rationall, say Schoolmen and Pretorians what\nthey will. And in all, the best Standard to measure Prerogatives, is the\nPloughstaffe; to measure Liberties, the Scepter: if the tearms were a\nlittle altered into Loyall Prerogatives and Royall Liberties, then we\nshould be sure to have Royall Kings and Loyall Subjects.\n\n    _Subjects their King, the King his Subjects greets,\n    Whilome the Scepter and the Plough-staffe meets._\n\nBut Progenitors have had them for four and twenty predecessions: that\nwould be spoken in the Norman tongue or Cimbrian, not in the English or\nScottish: When a Conquerour turnes Christian, Christianity turns\nConquerour: if they had had them time out of minde of man, before _Adam_\nwas made, it is not a pin to the point in _foro rectae rationis_: Justice\nand Equity were before time, and will be after it: Time hath neither\nPoliticks nor Ethicks, good nor evill in it; it is an empty thing, as\nempty as a _New-English_ purse, and emptier it cannot bee: a man may\nbreak his neck in time, and in a lesse time then he can heale it.\n\nBut here is the deadly pang, it must now be taken by force and dint of\nsword: I confesse it is a deadly pang to a Spirit made all of flesh, but\nnot to a mortified heart: it is good to let God have his will as hee\nplease, when we have not reason to let him have it as we should;\nremembring, that hitherto he hath taken order, that ill Prerogatives\ngotten by the Sword, should in time be fetcht home by the Dagger, if\nnothing else will doe it: Yet I trust there is both day and means to\nintervent this bargaine. But if they should; if God will make both King\nand Kingdome the better by it, what should either lose? I am sure there\nis no great cause for either to make great brags.\n\n    _Pax quo carior, eo charior._\n\n    _A peace well made, is likeliest then to hold,\n    When 'tis both dearly bought and dearly sold._\n\nI confesse, he that parts with such pearles to be paid in old iron, had\nneed to be pityed more by his faithfull friends, than he is like to be\nby his false flatterers. My heart is surcharged, I can no longer\nforbear.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n_My Dearest Lord_, and my more than _dearest King_, I most humbly\nbeseech you upon mine aged knees, that you would please to arme your\nminde with patience of proofe, and to intrench your selfe as deep as you\ncan, in your wonted Royall meeknesse; for I am resolved to display my\nunfurled soule in your very face, and to storme you with volyes of Love\nand Loyalty. You owe the meanest true Subject you have, a close account\nof these open Warres: they are no _Arcana imperii_. Then give mee leave\nto inquire of your Majesty, what you make in fields of blood, when you\nshould be amidst your Parliament of peace: What you doe sculking in the\nsuburbs of Hell, when your Royall Pallaces stand desolate, through your\nabsence? What moves you to take up Armes against your faithfull\nSubjects, when your Armes should bee embracing your mournfull Queen?\nWhat incenses your heart to make so many widdowes and Orphans, and among\nthe rest your owne? Doth it become you, the King of the stateliest\nIsland the world hath, to forsake your Throne, and take up the\nManufacture of cutting your Subjects throats, for no other sin, but for\nDeifying you so over-much, that you cannot be quiet in your Spirit, till\nthey have pluckt you downe as over-low? Doe your three Kingdomes so\ntrouble you, that they must all three be set on fire at once, that when\nyou have done, you may probably runne away by their light into utter\ndarknesse? Doe your three Crownes sit so heavy on your head, that you\nwill break the backs of the three bodies that set them on, and helpt you\nbeare them so honourably? Have your three Lamb-like flocks so molested\nyou, that you must deliver them up to the ravening teeth of evening\nWolves? Are you so angry with those that never gave you just cause to be\nangry, but by their too much feare to anger you at all, when you gave\nthem cause enough? Are you so weary of Peace, that you will never be\nweary of Warre? Are you so willing to warre at home, who were so\nunwilling to warre abroad, where and when you should? Are you so weary\nof being a good King, that you will leave your selfe never a good\nSubject? Have you peace of Conscience, in inforcing many of your\nSubjects to fight for you against their Conscience? Are you provided\nwith Answers at the great Tribunall, for the destruction of so many\nthousands, whereof every man was as good a man as your Self, _qua_ man?\n\nIs it not a most unworthy part for you to bee running away from your\nSubjects in a day of battel, upon whose Pikes you may come safe with\nyour naked breast and welcome? Is it honourable for you to be flying on\nhorses, from those that would esteeme it their greatest honour, to beare\nyou on their humble shoulders to your Chaire of Estate, and set you down\nupon a Cushion stuffed with their hearts? Is it your prudence to be\ninraged with your best friends, for adventuring their lives to rescue\nyou from your worst enemies? Were I a King, pardon the supposall, I\nwould hang that Subject by the head, that would not take me by the\nheels, and dragge me to my Court, when he sees me shifting for life in\nthe ruined Countrey, if nothing else would doe it; And I would honour\ntheir very heels, that would take me by the very head, and teach me, by\nall just meanes, to King it better, when they saw me un-Kinging my selfe\nand Kingdome: Doe you not know Sir, that, as when your people are sicke\nof the Kings-evill, God hath given you a gift to heale them? so when\nyour selfe are sicke of it, God hath given the Parliament a gift to\nheale you: Hath your Subjects love been so great to you, that you will\nspend it all, and leave your children little or none? Are you so\nexasperated against wise _Scotland_, that you will make _England_ your\nfoole or foot-stoole? Is your fathers Sonne growne more Orthodox, then\nhis most Orthodox father, when he told his Sonne, that a King was for a\nkingdome, and not a kingdome for a King? parallell to that of the\nApostle; the husband is but by the wife, but the wife of the husband.\n\nIs _Majestas Imperii_ growne so kickish, that it cannot stand quiet with\n_Salus Populi_, unlesse it be fettered? Are you well advised, in\ntrampling your Subjects so under your feet, that they can finde no place\nto be safe in, but over your head: Are you so inexorably offended with\nyour Parliament, for suffering you to returne as you did, when you came\ninto their house as you did, that you will be avenged on all whom they\nrepresent? Will you follow your very worst Councell so far, as to\nprovoke your very best, to take better counsell than ever they did? If\nyour Majesty be not Popish, as you professe, and I am very willing to\nbeleeve, why doe you put the Parliament to resume the Sacrament of the\nAltar, or Consubstantions in saying, the King and Parliament, the King\nand Parliament? breaking your simple Subjects braines to understand such\nmysticall Parleenment? I question much, whether they were not better\nspeake plainer English, then such Latine as the Angels can hardly\nconstrue, and God happily loves not to perse; I can as well admit an\nubiquitary King as another, if a King be abroad in any good affaire; but\nif a King be at home and will circumscribe himselfe at _Oxford_, and\nproscribe or discribe his Parliament at _Westminster_, if that\n_Parliament_ will prescribe what they ought, without such paradoxing, I\nshould think God would subscribe a _Le Dieu le veult_ readily enough.\n\nIs your _Advisera_ such a _Suavamen_ to you, that hath been such a\n_Gravamen_ to Religion and Peace? Shall the chiefe bearing wombe of your\nKingdome, be ever so constituted, that it cannot be delivered of its\nowne deliverance, in what pangs soever it be, without the will of one\nman-midwife, and such a man as will come and not come, but as he list:\nnor bring a Parliament to bed of a well-begotten Liberty without an\nentire Subsidy? Doe not your Majesty being a Schollar, know, that it was\na truth long before it was spoken, that _Mundus est unus aut nullus_,\nthat there is _Principum purum unum_, which unites the world and all\nthat is in it; where that is broken, things fall asunder, that\nwhatsoever is duable or triable, is fryable.\n\nIs the _Militia_ of your Kingdome, such an orient flower of your Crowne,\nwhich all good Herbalists judge but a meere nettle, while it is in any\none mans hand living? May not you as well challenge the absolute\ndisposall of all the wealth of the Kingdome as of all the strength of\nyour Kingdome? Can you put any difference? unlesse it bee this, that\nmens hearts and bones are within their skins, more proper and\nintrinsecall, their lands and cattell more externall: dare you not\n_concredit_ the _Militia_, with those to whom you may betrust your\nheart, better then your owne breast? Will they ever harme you with the\n_Militia_, that have no manner of _malitia_ against you, but for\nmis-imploying the _Militia_ against them by the _malitia_ of your ill\nCounsellours? What good will the _Militia_ doe you when you have wasted\nthe Realme of all the best _Milites_ it hath? May not your Majesty see\nthrough a paire of Spectacles, glazed with inch-board; that while you\nhave your _Advisera_ in one hand, and the _Militia_ in the other, you\nhave the neckes of your Subjects under your feet, but not your heart in\nyour owne hand? doe you not know that _malum est, posse malum_?\n\nHath Episcopacy beene such a religious Jewell in your State, that you\nwill sell all or most of your Coronets, Caps of honour, and blue\nGarters, for six and twenty cloth Caps? and your Barons Cloakes, for so\nmany Rockets, whereof usually twenty have had scarce good manners enough\nto keepe the other six sweet? Is no Bishop no King, such an oraculous\nTruth, that you will pawne your Crowne and life upon it? if you will,\nGod may make it true indeed on your part: Had you rather part with all,\nthen lose a few superfluous tumours, to pare off your monstrousnesse?\nWill you be so covetous, as to get more then you ought, by losing more\nthen you need? Have you not driven good Subjects enough abroad, but you\nwill also slaughter them that stay at home? Will you take such an ill\ncourse, that no prayers can fasten that good upon you we desier? Is\nthere not some worse root than all these growing in your Spirit,\nbringing forth all this bitter fruit? against which you should take up\nArms, rather then against your harmlesse Subjects? Doe you not foresee,\ninto what importable head-tearings and heart-searchings you will be\ningulfed, when the Parliament shall give you a mate, though but a Stale?\nMethinkes it should breake your heart, to see such a one as I, presume\nso much upon your clemency and too much upon your Majesty, which your\nSelfe have so eclipsed by the interposall of your Selfe between your\nSelfe and your Selfe, that it hath not ray's enough left to dazle downe\nthe height of my affections to the awe of my Judgement.\n\nTres-Royall Sir, I once againe beseech you, with teares dropping from my\nhoary head, to cover your Selfe as close as you may, with the best\nshield of goodnesse you have: I have somewhat more to say, which may\nhappily trouble not your Selfe, but your followers, more than what is\nalready said. There lived in your Realme and Reigne two whom I may well\ntearme Prophets, both now in a better Kingdome; whereof one foretold two\nthings concerning your Majesty, of these very proceedings, long before\nthey began; which being done and past shall bee buried in silence: the\nother made this prediction about the same time.\n\n    _King =Charles= will joyne Himselfe to bitter Griefe,\n    Then joyne to God, and prove a Godly Chiefe._\n\nHis words were in prose these, King _Charles_ will come into fetters,\nmeaning strong afflictions, and then prove as good a King, as such a\ngood King of _Israel_, whom he then named, but I need not: he was as\ninwardly acquainted with the minde of God, as fervent and frequent a\nBeadsman for your welfare, and had as religious Opticks of State, as any\nman I know: foure other Predictions he made, full as improbable as this,\nwhereof three are punctually performed. A good Christian being sometime\nin conflicts of Conscience, hurried with long tentations, used this\nspeech to my selfe, I am now resolved to be quiet, for I plainly see,\nGod will save me whether I will or no: If your Majesty would be pleased\nto thinke so in your heart, and say so with your mouth, all the good\nSubjects you have, would say, _Amen_, till the heavens rang, and I hope\nyou have few so bad, but would say, _So be it_.\n\nMuch lamented Sir, If you will please to retire your Selfe to your\nCloset, whither you may most safely come, and make your peace with God,\nfor the vast heritage of sinne your Intombed father left upon your\nscore, the dreadful Imprecation he poured upon the heads of his tender\nposterity in _Summersets_ and _Overburyes_ Case, published in\nStarchamber by his Royall command; your owne sinful marriage, the\nsophistocation of Religion and Policie in your time, the luxury your\nCourt and Country, your connivance with the Irish butcheries, your\nforgetfull breaches upon the Parliament, your compliance with Popish\nDoegs, with what else your Conscience shall suggest: and give us, your\nguilty Subjects example to doe the like, who have held pace and\nproportion with you in our evill wayes: we will helpe you by Gods\nassistance, to poure out rivers of tears, to wash away the streams of\nblood, which have beene shed for these heavy accounts; we will also\nhelpe you, God helping us, to beleeve, that there is hope in _Israel_\nfor these things; and Balme enough in his _Gilead_ to heale all the\nbroken bones of your three kingdomes, and to redouble your honour and\nour peace: His Arme is infinite; to an infinite power all things are\nequally faisable, to an infinite mercy, all sinnes equally pardonable.\nThe Lord worke these things in us and for us, for his compassions sake\nin Jesus Christ.\n\nSir, you may now please to discover your Selfe where you think meet; I\ntrust I have not indangered you: I presume your Ear-guard will keep\nfarre enough from you, what ever I have said: be it so, I have\ndischarged my duty, let them look to theirs. If my tongue should reach\nyour eares, which I little hope for; Let it be once said; the great King\nof great _Britaine_, tooke advise of a simple Cobler, yet such a Cobler,\nas will not exchange either his blood or his pride, with any Shoo-maker\nor Tanner in your Realme, nor with any of your late Bishops which have\nflattered you thus in peeces: I would not speake thus in the eares of\nthe world, through the month of the Presse for all the plunder your\nplunderers have pillaged; were it not somewhat to abate your Royall\nindignation toward a loyall Subject; a Subject whose heart hath been\nlong carbonadoed, _des veniam verbo_, in flames of affection towards\nyou. Your Majesty knowes or may know, time was, when I did, or would\nhave done you a better peece of service, than all your Troopes and\nRegiments are now doing. Should I heare any Gentleman that follows you,\nof my yeares, say hee loves you better than I, if it were lawfull, I\nwould sweare by my Sword, he said more than his sword would make good.\n\nGracious Sir, Vouchsafe to pardon me my no other sins, but my long\nIdolatry towards you, and my loving you too hard in this speech, and I\nwill pardon you your Treason against me, even me, by committing Treason\nagainst your Selfe my Lord and King;[4] and your murther, in murthering\nme, even me, by murthering my deare fellow Subjects, bone of my bone,\nand flesh of my flesh, and of yours also. If you will not pardon me, I\nwill pardon my selfe, dwell in my own clothes as long as I can, and\nhappily make as good a shift for my proportion, as he that hath a\nlighter paire of heeles: And when you have done what you please and what\nyou can, I am resolved to be\n\n                            _As loyall a Subject to your Majesty when I\n                            have never a head on my shoulders, as\n                            you a Royall King to me, when you have\n                            your three Crownes on your head,_\n\n                                                  Theod: de la Guard.\n\n  [4] I speake in termes of Divinity not of Law and am deepely grieved\n  that I am forced to such necessary over boldnesse.\n\n    _Sir_,\n\nI Cannot give you over thus; I most earnestly implore you, that you\nwould not deferre to consider yourselfe throughly, you are now returned\nto the brinke of your Honour and our Peace, stand not too long there,\nyour State is full of distractions, your people of expectations, the\nimportune Affaires of your Kingdome perplexedly suspended, your good\nSubjects are now rising into a resolution to pray you on to your throne,\nor into your Tombe, into Grace with your Parliament and People, or into\nGlory with the Saints in Heaven; but how you will get into the one,\nwithout passing first through th' other, is the riddle they cannot\nuntye. If they shall ply the Throne of Grace hard, God will certainely\nheare, and in a short time mould you to his minde, and convince you,\nthat it had and will bee farre easier to sit downe meekely upon the\n_Rectum_, than to wander resolutely in obliquities, which with Kings,\nseldome faile to dissembogue into bottomlesse Seas of sorrows.\n\nDearest Sir, be intreated to doe what you doe sincerely; the King of\nHeaven and Earth can search and discover the hiddenest corner of your\nheart, your Parliament understands you farre better then you may\nconceive, they have many eares and eyes, and good ones, I beleeve they\nare Religiously determined to re-cement you to your Body so exquisitely,\nthat the Errors of State and Church, routed by these late stirs, may not\nre-allee hereafter, nor Themselves be made a curse to the issue of their\nown bodies, nor a Scoffe, to all Politique Bodies in Europe. The Lord\ngive your Majesty and all your Royall Branches _the spirit of wisedome\nand understanding_, _the Spirit of knowledge and his feare_, for His\nmercy and Christ his sake.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nI Would my skill would serve me also, as well as my heart, to translate\nPrince _Rupert_, for his Queen-mothers sake, _Eliz._ a second. Mismeane\nme not. I have had him in my armes when he was younger, I wish I had him\nthere now: if I mistake not, he promised then to be a good Prince, but I\ndoubt he hath forgot it: if I thought he would not be angry with me, I\nwould pray hard to his Maker, to make him a right Roundhead, a wise\nhearted Palatine, a thankfull man to the English; to forgive all his\nsinnes, and at length to save his soule, notwithstanding all his\nGod-damne mee's: yet I may doe him wrong; I am not certaine hee useth\nthat oath; I wish no man else would. I dare say the Devills dare not. I\nthank God I have lived in a Colony of many thousand English almost these\ntwelve yeares, am held a very sociable man; yet I may considerately say,\nI never heard but one Oath sworne, nor never saw one man drunk, nor ever\nheard of three women Adulteresses, in all this time, that I can call to\nminde: If these sinnes bee amongst us privily, the Lord heale us. I\nwould not bee understood to boast of our innocency; there is no cause I\nshould, our hearts may be bad enough, and our lives much better. But to\nfollow my businesse.\n\nProsecutions of Warres betweene a King and his Parliament, are the\ndirefull dilacerations of the world, the cruell Catastrophes of States,\ndreadfull to speake of; they are _nefanda & n' agenda_: I know no\ngrounds can be given of them but two: Either upon Reason founded upon\nsome surmisall of Treason, which my reason cannot reach: I could never\nconceive why a rationall King should commit Treason against a reasonable\nParliament; or how a faithfull Parliament against their lawfull King:\nthe most I can imagine, is a misprision of Treason, upon a misprision of\nReason. Hee that knows not the Spirit of his King, is an Atheist. Our\nKing is not _Charles le simple_ sometime of _France_: he understands not\nour King that understands him not to bee understanding. The Parliament\nis supposed Omniscient, because under God they are Omnipotent: if a\nParliament have not as much knowledge and all other vertues, as all the\nKingdome beside, they are no good Abridgement of the Common-wealth. I\nbeleeve Remonstrances have demonstrated enough concerning this point of\nReason, to give satisfaction to such as satisfaction will satisfie.\n\n\nOr upon Will.\n\nThe Will of a King is very numinous; it hath a kinde of vast\nuniversality in it, it is many times greater than the will of his whole\nkingdome, stiffened with ill Counsell and ill Presidents: if it be not a\nfoot and half lesser than the Will of his Councell, and three foot\nlesser than the Will of his Parliament, it is too big. I think it were\nwell for a King if hee had no will at all, but were all Reason. What if\nhe committed his morall will to Divines, that were no Bishops? his\nPoliticall, to his Parliament, and a Councell chosen by Parliament? that\nif ever it miscarry, they may blame themselves most, and him least. I\nscarce know any King that hath such advantage as ours; his three\nkingdomes lye so distinct and entire, that if he please, he might keep\nthem like three gardens without a weed, if he would let God keep his\nwill, without wilfulnesse and rashnesse.\n\nI have observed men to have two kindes of Wills, a Free-hold will, such\nas men hold in _Capite_ of themselves; or a Copy-hold will, held at the\nwill of other Lords or Ladies. I have read almost all the Common Law of\n_England_, and some Statutes; yet I never read, that the Parliament held\ntheir will in such a _Capite_: their Tenure is _Knight-service_, and\ngood _Knight-service_ too, or else they are to blame. And I am sure, a\nKing cannot hold by Copy, at the will of other Lords; the Law calls that\n_base tenure_, inconsistent with Royalty; much more base is it, to hold\nat the will of Ladies: Apron-string _tenure_ is very weak, tyed but of a\nslipping knot, which a childe may undoe, much more a King. It stands not\nwith our Queens honour to weare an Apron, much lesse her Husband, in the\nstrings; that were to insnare both him and her self in many unsafeties.\nI never heard our King was Effeminate: to be a little Uxorious\npersonally, is a vertuous vice in Oeconomicks; but Royally, a vitious\nvertue in Politicks. To speak English, Books and tongues tell us, I wish\nthey tell us true, that the Error of these Wars on our Kings part\nproceeds only from ill Counsellours.\n\nIll Counsellours are very ill Gamesters; if they see their own stake a\nlosing, they will play away King, Queen, Bishops, Knights, Rooks,\nPawnes, and all, before they will turne up the board: they that play for\nlusts, will play away themselves, and not leave themselves so much as a\nheart to repent; and then there is no Market left but Hell; if the case\nbe thus, it is to no end to look for any end, till one side make an end\nof the other.\n\n    _They that at stake their Crownes and Honours set,\n    Play lasting games, if Lust or Guilt doe bet._\n\n\n_Cessation._\n\nIf God would vouchsafe to give his Majesties Religion and Reason, power\nto fling his Wills head over the Wall, in matter of Composition, and his\nSubjects strength to throw their lusts after it, Arms would be soon laid\ndown, and Peace soon taken up. They that are not at peace with God, are\nnot at peace with themselves, whatever they think; and they that are not\nat peace with themselves, cannot be at peace with others, if occasion\nprovokes, be their natures never so good.\n\nSo farre as I can conjecture, the chiefe impediment to a generall and\nmutuall Cessation of Armes, is, a despaire of mutuall and generall\nforgivenesse. If ever _England_ had need of a generall Jubile in Heaven\nand Earth, it is now. Our King and Parliament have been at great strife,\nwho should obtaine most Justice: if they would now strive, who should\nshew most Mercy, it would heare well throughout the world. Here also my\nspeech must be twofold and blind-fold. It is now nine Moneths and more\nsince the last credible News was acted: it is possible by this, the\nParliament may be at the Kings mercy: Did I say a Kings mercy? what can\nI say more? no man on earth, can shew more mercy then a King, nor shall\nneed more, when he comes to give an Account of his Kingdome: Nor did\never any Parliament merit more mercy than this, for they never sinned,\nthat I know, I meane against the Common and Statute Law of _England_: it\nis pity they who have given so many general pardons, should want one\nnow. If our King hath lost his way, and thereby learned to looke to his\npath better hereafter, and taught many Successors to King it right for\nmany Ages; Me thinks it should impetrate a Royall Redintegration, upon a\nRoyall acknowledgement and ingagement. But how should an erring King\ntrust a provoked Parliament? Surely he may trust God safe enough; who\nwill never trust that State more with a good King, that will doe ill to\na King that is turned so good. Me thinks those passages of Scripture,\n_Esa. 43. 24, 25._ _chap. 57. 17, 18_. The strange illation, _Hos. 2. 13,\n14._ should melt a heart of steele into floods of mercy.\n\nFor others, were my head, one of the heads which first gave the King\nCounsell to take up these Armes, or to persist in them, when at any time\nhe would have disbanded, I would give that head to the Kingdome, whether\nthey would or no; if they would not cut it off, I would cut it off\nmyselfe, and tender it at the Parliament doore, upon condition that all\nother heads might stand, which stand upon penitent hearts, and will doe\nbetter on than off; then I would carry it to _London-Bridge_, and charge\nmy tongue to teach all tongues, to pronounce Parliament right hereafter.\n\nWhen a kingdom is broken just in the neck joynt, in my poore policy,\nropes and hatchets are not the kindliest instruments to set it: Next to\nthe spilling of the blood of Christ for sin, the sparing of the blood of\nsinners, where it may be as well spared as spilt, is the best way of\nexpiation. It is no rare thing for Subjects to follow a leading King; if\nhe will take his truncheon in his hand, it is to be expected many will\nput their swords in their Belts. Sins that rise out of mistake of\njudgement, are not so sinfull as those of malice ordinarily: and when\nmultitudes sin, multitudes of mercy are the best Anodines.\n\n                                   --_gratia gratis data, gratissima._\n\n    _Grace will dissolve, but rigour hardens guilt:\n    Break not with Steely blowes, what oyle should melt._\n\n    _In Breaches integrant, 'tween Principalls of States,\n    Due Justice may suppresse, but Love redintegrates._\n\nWhosoever be pardoned, I pray not let _Britanicus_ scape, I mean a\npardon. I take him to be a very serviceable Gentleman; Out of my entire\nrespect to him, I shall presume to give him half a dozen stitches of\nadvice:\n\nI intreat him to consider that our King is not onely a man, but a King\nin affliction; Kings afflictions are beyond Subjects apprehensions; a\nCrown may happily ake as much as a whole Common-wealth.\n\nI desire him also to conceale himself as deeply as he can, if he cannot\nget a speciall pardon, to weare a Latitat about his neck, or let him lie\nclose under the Philosophers stone, and I'le warrant him for ever being\nfound.\n\nIf he be discovered, I counsell him to get his head set on faster than\nour _New-England_ Taylors use to set on Buttons; Kings, and Kings\nChildrens memories are as keen as their Subjects wits.\n\nIf he fears any such thing, that he would come over to us, to helpe\nrecruite our bewildred brains: we will promise to maintain him so long\nas he lives, if he will promise to live no longer then we maintain him.\n\nIf he should bee discovered and his head chance to be cut off against\nhis will, I earnestly beseech him to bequeath his wits to me and mine in\nFee-simple, for we want them, and cannot live by our hands in this\nCountry.\n\nLastly, I intreat him to keep his purse, I give him my counsell\n_gratis_, confessing him to be more then my match, and that I am very\nloath to fall into his hands.\n\n\n_Prosecution._\n\nIf Reformation, Composition, Cessation, can finde no admittance, there\nmust and will be Prosecution: to which I would also speak briefly and\nindifferently still to both sides; and first to that, which I had rather\ncall Royalists then Cavaliers; who if I mistake not, fight against the\nTruth.\n\nFoolish Cowardly man (I pray patience, for I speak nothing but the pulse\nof my owne heart) dreads and hates, nothing in Heaven or Earth, so much\nas Truth: it is not God, nor Law, nor sinne, nor death, nor hell, that\nhe feares, but onely because he feares there is Truth in them: Could he\nde-truth them all, he would defie them all: Let Perdition it self come\nupon him with deadly threats, fiery swords, displayed vengeance, he\ncares not: Let Salvation come cap in hand, with naked Reason, harmelesse\nReligion, lawny embracements, he will rather flye or dye, than\nentertaine it: come Truth in what shape it will, hee will reject it:\nand when hee can beat it off with most steely prowesse, he thinkes\nhimselfe the bravest man; when in truth it is nothing but exsanguine\nfeeble exility of Spirit. Thy heart, saith the Prophet _Ezek. 16. 30._\nis weake, like the heart of an imperious whorish woman: a man would\nthinke, the heart of an imperious whore, were the very pummell of\n_Scanderbergs_ sword; alas, she is hen-hearted, shee dares not looke\nTruth in the face; if she dared, shee would neither be whorish, nor\nimperious, nor weake. He shews more true fortitude, that prayes quarter\nof the least Truth, at a miles distance, than hee that breakes through\nand hewes downe the most Theban Phalanx that ever field bore. _Paul_\nexprest more true valour, in saying, I can doe nothing against the\nTruth, than _Goliah_, in defying the whole hoste of _Israel_.\n\nCouragious Gentlemen, Yee that will stab him that gives you the lye;\ntake heed yee spend not your bloods, limbes and soules, in fighting for\nsome untruth: and yee that will fling out the gantlet to him that calls\nyou Coward, dishonour not your selves with such Cowardise, as to fight\nagainst Truth, meerly for feare of it. A thousand pities it is, such\ngallant Spirits should spend their lives, honours, heritages, and sweet\nrelations in any Warres, where, for ought many of them know, some false\nmistake commands in Chiefe.\n\nHonoured Country-men, bee intreated to love Truth: if it loves not you\nagaine, and repaires not all your losses, then install some Untruth in\nits roome for your Generall. If you will needs warre, be perswaded to\ncontend lawfully, wisely and stedfastly, against all errours in Divinity\nand Policy: they are the cursed Counter-mures, dropt Portcullises,\nscouring Angiports, sulphurious Granado's, laden murtherers, peevish\nGalthropes, and rascall desperadoes, which the Prince of lyes imployes\nwith all his skill and malice, to maintaine the walls and gates of his\nkingdome, when Truth would enter in with grace and peace to save\nforlorne sinners, and distressed Commonwealthes: witnesse the present\ndeplorable estate of sundry States in Europe.\n\nGive me leave to speake a word more: it is but this; Yee will finde it a\nfarre easier field, to wage warre against all the Armies that ever were\nor will be on Earth, and all the Angels of Heaven, than to take up Armes\nagainst any truth of God: It hath more Counsell and strength than all\nthe world besides; and will certainely either gaine or ruine, convert or\nsubvert every man that opposes it. I hope ingenuous men will rather take\nadvice, then offence at what I have said: I had rather please ten, than\ngrieve one intelligent man.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIf this side be resolute, I turne me to the other.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nGoe on brave Englishmen, in the name of God, go on prosperously, because\nof Truth and Righteousnes: Yee that have the Cause of Religion, the life\nof your Kingdome and of all the good that is in it in your hands: Goe on\nundauntedly: As you are Called and Chosen, so be faithfull: Yee fight\nthe battells of the Lord, bee neither desidious nor perfidious: You\nserve the King of Kings, who stiles you his heavenly Regiments:\nConsider well, what impregnable fighting it is in heaven, where the Lord\nof Hosts is your Generall, his Angells your Colonels, the Stars your\nfellow-souldiers, his Saints your Oratours, his Promises your\nvictuallers, his Truth your Trenches; where Drums are Harps, Trumpets\njoyfull sounds; your Ensignes Christs Banners; where your weapons and\narmour are spirituall, therefore irresistable, therefore impierceable;\nwhere Sun and wind cannot disadvantage you, you are above them; where\nhell it selfe cannot hurt you, where your swords are furbushed and\nsharpened by him that made their metall, where your wounds are bound up\nwith the oyle of a good Cause, where your blood runs into the veynes of\nChrist, where sudden death is present martyrdome and life; your\nfuneralls resurrections, your honour glory; where your widows and babes\nare received into perpetuall pensions; your names listed among _Davids_\nWorthies; where your greatest losses are greatest gaines; and where you\nleave the troubles of war, to lye down in downy beds of eternall rest.\n\nWhat good will it doe you, deare Countrymen, to live without lives, to\nenjoy _England_ without the God of _England_, your Kingdome without a\nParliament, your Parliament without power, your Liberties without\nstability, your Lawes without Justice, your honours without vertue, your\nbeings without wel-being, your wives without honesty, your children\nwithout morality, your servants without civility, your lands without\npropriety, your goods without immunity, the Gospel without salvation,\nyour churches without Ministery, your Ministers without piety, and all\nyou have or can have, with more teares and bitternesse of heart, than\nall you have and shall have will sweeten or wipe away?\n\nGoe on therefore Renowned Gentlemen, fall on resolvedly, till your hands\ncleave to your swords, your swords to your enemies hearts, your hearts\nto victory, your victories to triumph, your triumphs to the everlasting\npraise of him that hath given you Spirits to offer your selves\nwillingly, and to jeopard your lives in high perils, for his Name and\nservice sake.\n\nAnd Wee your Brethren, though we necessarily abide beyond _Jordan_, and\nremaine on the American Sea-coasts, will send up Armies of prayers to\nthe Throne of Grace, that the God of power and goodnesse, would\nincourage your hearts, cover your heads, strengthen your arms, pardon\nyour sinnes, save your soules, and blesse your families, in the day of\nBattell. Wee will also pray, that the same Lord of Hosts, would discover\nthe Counsels, defeat the Enterprizes, deride the hopes, disdaine the\ninsolencies, and wound the hairy scalpes of your obstinate Enemies, and\nyet pardon all that are unwillingly misled. Wee will likewise helpe you\nbeleeve that God will be seen on the Mount, that it is all one with him,\nto save by many or few, and that he doth but humble and try you for the\npresent, that he may doe you good at the latter end. All which hee bring\nto passe who is able to doe exceeding abundantly, above all we can aske\nor thinke, for his Truth and mercy sake in Jesus Christ.\n\n                            _Amen. Amen._\n\n\n\n\n                         A Word of _IRELAND_:\n\n          _Not of the Nation universally, nor of any man in\n          it, that hath so much as one haire of Christianity\n               or Humanity growing on his head or beard,\n                but onely of the truculent Cut-throats,\n                    and such as shall take up Armes\n                          in their Defence._\n\n\nThese _Irish_ anciently called _Antropophagi_, man-eaters: Have a\nTradition among them, That when the Devill shewed our Saviour all the\nkingdomes of the Earth and their glory, that he would not shew him\n_Ireland_, but reserved it for himselfe: it is probably true, for he\nhath kept it ever since for his own peculiar; the old Fox foresaw it\nwould eclipse the glory of all the rest: he thought it wisdome to keep\nthe land for a Boggards for his unclean spirits imployed in this\nHemisphere, and the people, to doe his Son and Heire, I mean the Pope,\nthat service for which _Lewis_ the eleventh kept his Barbor _Oliver_,\nwhich makes them so blood-thirsty. They are the very Offall of men,\nDregges of Mankind, Reproach of Christendome, the Bots that crawle on\nthe Beast taile, I wonder _Rome_ it self is not ashamed of them.\n\nI begge upon my hands and knees, that the Expedition against them may be\nundertaken while the hearts and hands of our Souldiery are hot, to\nwhom I will be bold to say briefly: Happy is he that shall reward them\nas they have served us, and Cursed be he that shall do that work of the\nLord negligently, Cursed be he that holdeth back his Sword from blood;\nyea, Cursed be he that maketh not his Sword starke drunk with _Irish_\nblood, that doth not recompense them double for their hellish treachery\nto the _English_, that maketh them not heaps upon heaps, and their\nCountry a dwelling place for Dragons, an Astonishment to Nations: Let\nnot that eye look for pity, nor that hand to be spared, that pities or\nspares them, and let him be accursed, that curseth not them bitterly.\n\n\n\n\nA Word of Love to the Common People of _England_.\n\n\nIt is, your, now or never, to muster up puissant Armies of Prayers to\nthe Mercy Seate; your Body Representative, is now to take in hand, as\nintricate a piece of worke, as ever fell into the hands of any\nParliament in the world, to tye an indissoluble knot upon that webb\nwhich hath been woven with so much cost and bloud, wherein if they\nhappen to make one false maske, it may re-imbarque themselves and you\nall into a deadly relapse of scorne and calamity. It is the worke of God\nnot of man, pray speedily therefore, and speedingly, give him no rest\ntill your rest be throughly re-established, Your God is a God whose Name\nis All-sufficient, abundant in Goodnesse and Truth, on whom the Sonnes\nof _Iacob_ never did, nor shall call in vaine, you have a Throne of\nGrace wherto you may goe boldly; a Christ to give you a leading by the\nhand and liberty of speech, an Intercessor in Heaven to offer up your\nPrayers wrapp'd in his own; a large Charter _aske and have_, a Spirit to\nhelpe all your infirmities in that duty, a sure Covenant that you shall\nbe heard, and such late incouragement as may strengthen your feeble\nhands for ever. If you who _may command God concerning the work of his\nhand_, shall faile to demand the workemanship of his hand in this\nworke, your children will proclaime you un-thrifts with bitter teares to\nthe worlds end.\n\nIf you see no cause to pray, read\n\n                          _Jer. 18. 1.-10._\n\nBe also intreated to have a continuall and conscientious care not to\nimpeach the Parliament in the hearts one of another by whispering\ncomplaints, easilier told then tryed or trued. Great bodyes move but\nslowely, especially when they move on three leggs and are over-loden\nwith weighty occasions. They have now sate full six years without\nintermission to continue your being, many of their heads are growne gray\nwith your cares, they are the High Councell of the Kingdome, the great\nGilead of your Balme, the Phisitians of all your sicknesse; if any of\nthem doe amisse, blame yourselves, you chose them, be wiser hereafter;\nyou cannot doe the State, your selves, your posterity a more ungratefull\noffice then to impaire them with disparagements and discoragements who\nare so studious to repaire your almost irreparable ruines.\n\nBe likewise beseeched, not to slight good ministers, whom you were wont\nto reverence much, they are Gods Embassadours, your Ephods, your\nStarres, your Horse-men & Chariots, your Watchmen, & under Christ your\nSalvation, I know no deadlier Symptome of a dying People than to\nundervalue godly Ministers, whosoever despiseth them shall certainly be\ndespised of God and men at one time or other.\n\n\n\n\n                      A most humble heel-piece.\n                                to the\n                      Most Honourable Head-piece\n                                 the\n                       Parliament of _England_.\n\n\nI Might excuse my selfe in Part, with a speech _Lycurgus_ used in the\nlike exigent of State, _senectute fio audacior, publica necessitate\nloquacior_, but it much better becomes mee with all lowlinesse and\nuprightnesse, wherein I have failed to pray pardon on both my knees,\nwhich I most humbly and willingly doe; only, before I rise, I crave\nleave to present this six-fold Petition.\n\nThat you would be pleased\n\n  To preserve the Sacred reputation of Parliaments, or, wee shall have\n    no Common-wealth.\n\n  To uphold the due estimation of good Ministers, else, we shall have no\n    Church.\n\n  To heale the sad dislocation of our Head, throughly, perfectly, or,\n    wee shall have no King.\n\n  To oppugne the bold violation of divine Truths, else wee shall have no\n    God.\n\n  To proceed with what zeale you began, or what you began can come to\n    little end.\n\n  To expedite worke with what speede you safely may, else ignorant\n    people will feare they shall have no end at all.\n\n  Hee that is great in Counsell, and Wonderfull in Working, guide and\n    helpe you in All things, that doing All things in Him, by Him, and\n    for Him, you may doe All things like Him.\n\n                                                            _So be it._\n\n\n\n\nA respective word to the Ministers of ENGLAND.\n\n\nFarre bee it from mee, while I dehort others to slight you my selfe, or\nto despise any man but myselfe, whom I can never despise enough: I\nrather humbly intreate you to forgive my boldnesse, who have most just\ncause to judge my selfe lesse and lesse faithfull than the least of you\nall, yet I dare not but bee so faithfull to you and my selfe, as to say\n\nThey are the Ministers of _England_, that have lost the Land; for\nChrists sake, put on His bowels, His wisdome, His zeale, and recover\nit.\n\n  I pray let me drive in half a dozen plaine honest Country Hobnailes,\n    such as the Martyrs were wont to weare; to make my work hold the\n    surer; and I have done.\n\n    1. _There, lives cannot be good,\n         There, Faith cannot be sure,\n       Where Truth cannot be quiet,\n         Nor Ordinances pure._\n\n    2. _No King can King it right,\n         Nor rightly sway his Rod;\n       Who truely loves not Christ,\n         And truely fears not God._\n\n    3. _He cannot rule a Land,\n         As Lands should ruled been,\n       That lets himself be rul'd\n         By a ruling Romane Queen._\n\n    4. _No earthly man can be\n         True Subject to this State;\n       Who makes the Pope his Christ,\n         An Heretique his Mate._\n\n    5. _There Peace will goe to War,\n         And Silence make a noise:\n       Where upper things will not\n         With nether equipoyse._\n\n    6. _The upper world shall Rule,\n         While Stars will run their race:\n       The nether world obey,\n         While People keep their place._\n\n\nThe Clench.\n\n    _If any of these come out\n      So long 's the world doe last:\n    Then credit not a word\n      Of what is said and past._\n\n\n\n\nERRATA AT NON CORRIGENDA.\n\n\nNow I come to rubbe over my work, I finde five or six things like\nfaults, which would be mended or commended, I know not well which, nor\ngreatly care.\n\n\n1. For _Levity_, read, _Lepidity_, ---- and that a very little, and that\nvery necessary, if not unavoydable.\n\n    _Misce stultitiam Consiliis brevem\n    --Dulce est desipere in loco._      Horat.\n\nTo speak to light heads with heavy words, were to break their necks: to\ncloathe Summer matter, with Winter Rugge, would make the Reader sweat.\nIt is musick to me, to heare every Dity speak its spirit in its apt\ntune: every breast, to sing its proper part, and every creature, to\nexpresse it self in its naturall note: should I heare a Mouse roare like\na Beare, a Cat lowgh like an Oxe, or a Horse whistle like a Red-breast,\nit would scare ---- mee.\n\n    _The world's a well strung fidle, mans tongue the quill,\n      That fills the world with fumble for want of skill,\n    When things and words in tune and tone doe meet,\n      The universall song goes smooth and sweet._\n\n2. For _audacity_, read, _veracity_, or _Verum Gallice non libenter\naudis_. Mart. Flattery never doth well, but when it is whispered through\na paire of lisping teeth; Truth best, when it is spoken out, through a\npaire of open lips. Ye make such a noyse there, with Drums and Trumpets,\nthat if I should not speak loud, ye could not hear me: Ye talke one to\nanother, with whole Culvering and Canon; give us leave to talk Squibs\nand Pistoletto's charged with nothing but powder of Love and shot of\nReason: if you will cut such deep gashes in one anothers flesh, we must\nsow them up with deep stitches, else ye may bleed to death: ye were\nbetter let us, your tender Countrymen doe it, than forraine Surgeons,\nwho will handle you more cruelly, and take no other pay, but your Lives\nand Lands.\n\n    ---- ---- _Aspice vultus,\n    Ecce meos, utinamque oculos in pectore posses\n    Inserere: & patrias intus deprendere Curas._\n                                                (Ovid. Ph[oe]b.\n\n    _He that to tall men speakes, must lift up 's head,\n      And when h' hath done, must set it where he did:\n    He that to proud men talkes, must put on pride;\n      And when h' hath done, 'tis good to lay 't aside._\n\n3. For, _Yes, but you speak at three thousand miles distance, which\nevery Coward dare doe_, read, _if my heart deceives me not, I would\nspeak thus, in the Presence Chamber or House of Commons_; hoping _Homer_\nwill speak a good word for me.\n\n    [Gr: Tharsaleos gar aner en pasin ameinon\n    Ergoisi.] ----\n\n    Omnibus in rebus potior vir fortis & audax\n    Sit licet hospes, & e longinquis venerit oris.\n\n    When Kings are lost, and Subjects cast away,\n      A faithfull heart should speak what tongue can say:\n    It skils not where this faithfull heart doth dwell,\n      His faithfull dealing should be taken well.\n\n4. For, _affected termes_, read, _I hope not_ ---- If I affect termes,\nit is my feeblenesse; friends that know me, thinke I doe not: I\nconfesse, I see I have here and there taken a few finish stitches, which\nmay haply please a few Velvet eares; but I cannot now well pull them\nout, unlesse I should seame-rend all. It seemes it is in fashion with\nyou to sugar your papers with Carnation phrases, and spangle your\nspeeches with new quodled words. Ermins in Minifer is every mans Coat:\nYet we heare some are raking in old musty Charnel books, for old mouldy\nmonosyllables; I wish they were all banisht to _Monmouthshire_, to\nreturne when they had more wit.\n\n    _Multa renascentur quae jam cecidere, cadentque\n    Quae nunc sunt in honore vocabula, si volet usus._\n\n                                                    (Hor.\n\nI honour them with my heart, that can expresse more than ordinary matter\nin ordinary words: it is a pleasing eloquence; them more, that study\nwisely and soberly to inhance their native language; them most of all,\nthat esteeme the late significant speech, the third great blessing of\nthe Land; it being so enriched, that a man may speak in many tongues in\nhis Mothers mouth; and an uplandish Rusticke, more in one word than\nhimselfe and all the Parish understands. Affected termes are unaffecting\nthings to solid hearers; yet I hold him prudent, that in these\nfastidious times, will helpe disedged appetites with convenient\ncondiments, and bangled ears, with pretty quicke pluckes. I speake the\nrather because, not long since, I met with a book, the best to mee I\never saw, but the Bible; yet under favour, it was somewhat underclad,\nespecially by him who can both excogitate and expresse what hee\nundertakes, as well as any man I know.\n\n    _The world is growne so fine in words and wit,\n      That pens must now Sir =Edward Nich'las= it.\n    He that much matter speaks, speaks ne'r a whit,\n      If 's tongue doth not career 't above his wit._\n\n5. For, _You verse it simply, what need have we of your thin Poetry_;\nread, _I confesse I wonder at it my self, that I should turne Poet_: I\ncan impute it to nothing, but to the flatuousnesse of our diet: they are\nbut sadden raptures soone up, soone downe.\n\n  --_Deductum dicere Carmen_, is highly commended by _Macrobius_.\n\n  _Virgil_ himselfe said, _Agrestem tenui meditabor arundine musam_.\n\n    _Poetry's a gift wherein but few excell;\n      He doth very ill, that doth not passing well.\n    But he doth passing well, that doth his best,\n      And he doth best, that passeth all the rest._\n\n6. For _tediousnesse_, read, _I am sorry for it_ ---- Wee have a strong\nweaknesse in N. E. that when wee are speaking, we know not how to\nconclude: wee make many ends, before we make an end: the fault is in the\nClimate; we cannot helpe it though we can, which is the Arch infirmity\nin all morality: We are so near the West pole, that our Longitudes are\nas long, as any wise man would wish, and somewhat longer. I scarce know\nany Adage more gratefull, than _Grata brevitas_.\n\n    _Verba confer maxime ad compendium._    Plaut.\n\n    _Coblers will mend, but some will never mend,\n      But end, and end, and end, and never end.\n    A well-girt houre gives every man content,\n      Sixe ribs of beefe, are worth sixe weeks of Lent._\n\nFor, _all my other faults, which may bee more and greater than I see_,\nread, _I am heartily sorry for them, before I know them, lest I should\nforget it after_; and humbly crave pardon at adventure, having nothing\nthat I can think of, to plead but this,\n\n    _Quisquis inops peccat, minor est reus._    Petron.\n\n    _Poore Coblers well may fault it now and then,\n      They'r ever mending faults for other men.\n    And if I worke for nought, why is it said,\n      This bungling Cobler would be soundly paid?_\n\n    _So farewell England old\n      If evill times ensue,\n    Let good men come to us,\n      Wee'l welcome them to New.\n\n    And farewell Honor'd Friends,\n      If happy dayes ensue,\n    You'l have some Guests from hence,\n      Pray welcome us to you.\n\n    And farewell simple world,\n      If thou'lt thy Cranium mend,\n    There is my Last and All,\n      And a Shoem-Akers_\n                         END.\n\n\n\n\nPostscript.\n\n\n    _This honest Cobler has done what he might:\n    That Statesmen in their Shoes might walk upright.\n    But rotten Shoes of Spannish running-leather:\n    No Coblers skill, can stitch them strong together.\n    It were best to cast such rotten stuff away:\n    And look for that, that never will decay.\n\n    If all were shod with Gospel's lasting Peace;\n    Hatred abroad, and Wars at home would cease._\n\n                Jerome Bellamie.\n\n_FINIS._\n\n\n\n\nAPPENDIX.\n\n\n  The following Letters, (from Hutchinson's History and Collections,)\n    &c., and Deed from Essex Registry of Deeds, Salem, (Lib. I.,\n    Ipswich,) are supposed to possess sufficient interest to justify\n    their insertion here.\n\n  BOSTON, 1843.\n\n\nLETTER TO REV. JOHN COTTON.\n\nSalutem in Xto nostro.\n\n    Reverend and dear friend,\n\nI was yesterday convented before the bishop, I mean to his court, and am\nadjourned to the next term. I see such giants turn their backs, that I\ndare not trust my own weak heart. I expect measure hard enough and must\nfurnish apace with proportionable armour. I lacke a friend to help\nbuckle it on. I know none but Christ himself in all our coast fitt to\nhelp me, and my acquaintance with him is hardly enough to hope for that\nassistance my weak spirit will want, and the assaults of tentation call\nfor. I pray therefore forget me not and believe for me also if there be\nsuch a piece of neighbourhood among Christians. And so blessing God with\nmy whole heart for my knowledge of you and immerited interest in you,\nand thanking you entirely for that faithful love I have found from you\nin many expressions of the best nature, I commit you to the unchangeable\nlove of God our Father in his son Jesus Christ, in whom I hope to rest\nfor ever.\n\n                    Your's in all truth of heart\n                                  NATH'^L. WARDE.\n\n  Stondon Mercy,\n  Dec. 13. 1631.\n\n\n[Extracts from Johnson's Wonder-Working Providence, printed in London,\n1658.]\n\n\"_Of the Ninth Church of Christ gathered at =Ipswitch=._\n\n\"This year [1634] came over a farther supply of Eminent instruments for\nfurthering this admirable Worke of his, amongst whom the Reverend and\njudicious servant of Christ Mr. _Nathaniel Ward_, who tooke up his\nstation at the Towne of _Ipswich_,\" \"scituated on a faire and\ndelightfull River,\" \"in the _Saggamooreship_, or Earldom of _Aggawam_.\"\n\"The peopling of this Towne is by men of good ranke and quality, many of\nthem having the yearly Revenue of large Lands in _England_ before they\ncame to this Wildernesse, but their Estates being imployed for Christ,\nand left in banke as you have formerly heard, they are well content till\nChrist shall be pleased to restore it againe to them or theirs.\n\n\"Their meeting-house is a very good prospect to a great part of the\nTowne, and beautifully built, the Church of Christ here consists of\nabout one hundred and sixty soules, being exact in their conversation,\nand free from the Epidemicall Disease of all Reforming Churches, which\nunder Christ is procured by their pious Learned and Orthodox Ministery,\nas in due place (God willing) shall be declared, in the meane time, look\non the following Meeters concerning that Souldier of Christ Master\n_Nathaniel Ward_.\n\n    _Thou ancient Sage, come =Ward= among\n      Christs folfe,[5] take part in this great worke of his,\n    Why do'st thou stand and gaze about so long;\n      Do'st war in jest, why, Christ in earnest is,\n    And hath thee arm'd with weapons for that end,\n      To wound and heale his enemies submitting,\n    Not carnally, then to this worke attend;\n      Thou hast prevail'd the hearts of many hitting.\n    Although the Presbytery unpleasant jar,\n      And errors daily in their braines new coyne:\n    Despayer not, Christs truth they shall not mar;\n      But with his helpe such drosse from Gold refine.\n    What Man do'st meane to lay thy Trumpet downe?\n      Because thy son like Warrier is become,\n    Hold out or sure lesse bright will be thy crowne,\n      Till death Christs servants labour is not done._\"\n\n    [5] _folke._\n\n\nLETTER FROM GYLES FYRMIN TO GOV. WINTHROP.\n\n    Much honoured and deare Sir,\n\nBut that I thinke it needlesse (God havinge more than ordinarye fitted\nyou for such trials) my letter might tell you with what griefe of spirit\nI received the news of that sad affliction which is lately happened to\nyour worship, by means of that unfaithful wretch; I hope God will find a\nshoulder to helpe you beare so great a burthen. But the little time\nthere is allotted me to write I must spend in requesting your worships\ncounsel and favour. My father in law Ward, since his sonne came over, is\nvarey desirous that wee might sett down together, and so that he might\nleave us together if God should remove him from hence. Because that it\ncannot be accomplished in this town, is verey desirous to get mee to\nremove with him to a new plantation. After much perswasion used,\nconsideringe my want of accommodation here (the ground the town having\ngiven mee lying 5 miles from mee or more) and that the gaines of physick\nwill not finde mee with bread, but, besides, apprehendinge that it might\nbee a way to free him from some temptations, and make him more cheereful\nand serviceable to the country or church, have yeelded to him. Herein,\nas I desire your counsel, so I humbly request your favour, that you\nwould be pleased to give us the libertye of choosinge a plantation; wee\nthinke it will be at Pentuckett, or Quichichchek, by Shawshin: So soon\nas the season will give us leave to goe, wee shall informe your worship\nwhich we desire: And if that, by the court of election, we cannot gather\na company to beegine it, wee will let it fall. Wee desire you would not\ngraunt any of them to any before wee have seene them. If your worship\nhave heard any relation of the places, wee should remaine thankful to\nyou, if you would bee pleased to counsel us to any of them. Further, I\nwould entreate for advise in this: The towne gave mee the ground (100\nacres) upon this condition, that I should stay in the towne 3 yeeres,\nor else I could not sell it: Now my father supposes it being my first\nheritage (my father having none in the land) that it is more than they\ncanne doe to hinder mee thus, when as others have no business, but range\nfrom place to place, on purpose to live upon the countrey. I would\nentreate your counsel whither or noe I canne sell it. Further: I am\nstrongly sett upon to studye divinitie, my studyes else must be lost:\nfor physick is but a meene helpe. In these cases I humbly referre to\nyour worship, as my father, for your counsel, and so in much haste, with\nmy best services presented to your worship, wishinge you a strong\nsupport in your affliction, and a good and comfortable issue, I rest\n\nYour worships in what he canne to his power,\n\n  Ipswich, 26. 10^{th} 1639.                GYLES FYRMIN.\n\nWee humbly entreate your secrecye in our desires.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNovember 25^o 1646./\n\nThis p^{r}sent writing wittnesseth that I, Nathaniel Ward of Ipswich in\nNew England have bargained & sould to John Eaton of Salsbury Coo[per]\nall the land ground meadow & Co[=m]onage w^{th} their app^{r}tincs which\nI have or ought to have at this p^{r}sent Day in Haverhill or Pentuckett\nin New England to $have and to hold$ the said p^{r}misses to the said\nJohn Eaton his heires & assignes paying for the same vnto the said\nNathaniel Ward his executo^{rs} administr^s or assignes the full su[=m]e\nof twelve pounds of wheate & pipe-staves six pounds worth of one & six\npounds worth of the other to be deli[ver]ed to m^r Richard Russell or\nMaior Sedgwick at Charles Towne before the end of September Next\nensuying the Dat hereof; such as shalbe good & merchantable at the\ncurrant price at that tyme & place\n\n  $In witness whereof$ I have set to my hand & seale.\n                                                     NATH WARD\n  Wittnes\n  THOMAS HOWLETT\n  EDMAN BRIDGES\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTranscriber's Notes\n\nArchaic, unusual and inconsistent spellings have been retained as they\nappear in the original.\n\nHandwritten or penned changes and additions to the text are noted here,\nwhere they appear to be errata, in several cases backed up by an earlier\nprint of the same text:\n\nPage 5: changed comma to semi-colon (... James, who practised medicine;)\n\nPage 5: changed \"cotemporaries\" to \"contemporaries\" (... estimated by\nhis contemporaries and successors.)\n\nPage 15: changed period and upper case \"H\" to comma and lower case \"h\"\n(... when he said, he had rather the Earth should swallow him up ...)\n\nPage 34: handwritten insertion \"one\" ( ... to help them frisk from [one]\nill-favor'd fashion to another.)\n\nPage 70: handwritten insertion \"of\" ( ... the luxury [of] your Court and\nCountry, ...)\n\nPage 79: handwritten change of word order from \"not let\" to \"let not\" (I\npray not let _Britanicus_ scape, ...)\n\nPage 85: handwritten insertion \"s\" ( ... the Bots that crawle on the\nBeast[s] taile, ...)\n\nPage 97: strikethrough deletion \"in\" ( ... that a man may speak [in]\nmany tongues in his Mothers mouth; ...)\n\n\nOther changes to the text are listed here, where the printer evidently\nused alternative type:\n\nPages 1, 7 & 8: changed \"VV\" to \"W\" (THE SIMPLE COBLER OF AGGAWAM IN\nAMERICA.)\n\nPage 10 onwards: changed \"J\" to \"I\".\n\nPage 47: changed \"VVhen\" to \"When\" (When Christ whips Market-makers out\nof his Temple, ...)\n\nPage 103 (heading): changed \"i646\" to \"1646\" (November 25^o 1646.)\n\n\n\n\n\n<pre id=\"pg-footer\">","title":"The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":26186}