purity and holiness. But let him in God's name clear the king in what he may, as we are all bound to do as far as we can; but can he not clear his majesty without such foul aspersions cast on the parliament? of whom he saith thus, page 30: Men are highly concerned to consider, whether they also that are the main directors of this resistance, do discharge this trust they are called to? Whether to divest the king of the power of arms, and to use them, be to defend his person, right and dignity? Whether the forcing of the subjects' property to the advancing of this resistance, and the imprisoning of their persons for denial, be the maintaining of the right and privilege of the subjects? Whether the suffering of so many sects to vent their doctrines, and to commit such insufferable outrages upon the worship of God, with such licentiousness, be a defending of religion, and the established worship of this church?

These are foul charges upon the parliament. How can the Doctor say: I enter not this discourse to cast the least blemish upon the parliament. the parliament. Well, "Blessed is the man that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." The Doctor confesseth, that man to be subject to higher powers, and that we are to submit to them. He confesseth also, that the parliament is the highest court in the kingdom, and it ought to judge what is the law. They having therefore judged this resistance to be lawful, if the Doctor shall resist this their declarative power, saying, it is not law, and cast such dirt and reproaches upon them, doth he not condemn himself in the thing which he alloweth ?

But in this last clause of his book, he summons conscience to answer upon pain of damnation; and I make no question, but when men shall have seriously considered his book, the verdict that conscience will bring in, will be this :

As in the sight of God, I have perused this treatise of his, and I find it injurious to the king, to the parliament, to the divines of this kingdom, to the other subjects, and to the treatiser himself.

To the king, for hereby he is put on and exasperated against his parliament and subjects, further engaged in this war, and encouraged to take the assistance of papists, who if he conquer by their means, what protestant good subject doth not bleed to think what will become of him?

To the parliament, being charged with the blood that is spilt in these wars, with the miseries of Ireland, with the schisms and sects of this kingdom, with open hypocrisy, pretending one thing and intending another.

To divines, all whom he makes to be of his judgment.

To the subjects, denying to them the liberty given them by God and nature, and the fundamental laws of the kingdom, and calling in foreigners upon them.

To the treatiser himself, who hath needlessly embarked himself in a bad cause.

And lastly, to the Scripture and God, and his great officer on earth, conscience: the Scripture being wrested, God dishonoured, and the conscience deceived.

Now the Lord grant that whilst we speak of conscience, we may in all things make conscience of our ways, for multi conscientiam habuit ad judicium, non ad remedium. As concerning the king, "Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.” And as concerning the two houses of parliament, "Let the mountains bring grace unto the people, and the little hills thy righteousness." Let the king and queen and people praise thee, O God, yea, let all our England praise thee.

THE

TRUTH OF THE TIMES VINDICATED,

WHEREBY

THE LAWFULNESS OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS IN TA-
KING UP ARMS IS JUSTIFIED, Dr. FEARNE'S REPLY
ANSWERED, AND THE CASE IN QUESTION
MORE FULLY RESOLVED.

"Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."-Psalm cxxvii. 1.

Quæso lector, ut memor tribunalis Domini et de judicio tuo te intelligens judicandum, nec mihi nec adversario meo faveas, neve personas loquentium, sed causam consideres. Hierom.

AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.

THOU mayest perhaps wonder that this answer was no sooner returned to the Doctor's reply, which came forth so long ago, so that now it may seem to come forth too late. Know therefore, first, that the Doctor's book itself, some while went up and down in the dark, seen only of a few.

Secondly, That

the Author of the answer living far from London, it was much longer before he could have the sight of it. After he had it, he soon dispatched his answer, which he left in the hands of some friends here a month since to be published, but new licensers being appointed, much time was spent in carrying of it from one to another for leave to travel safely; as, also, printers being full either of business or negligence, it comes to pass that it hath been much longer in the birth than in the breeding. I hope it comes not too late to satisfy the conscience of the wellaffected, or to encourage those that are engaged in this so necessary a defensive war; and it may be much more seasonable than if before, whiles people's minds are generally inclined to go up with one unanimous consent personally to maintain the true religion, life and liberty of the subject, which seems to be the likeliest way to put an end to our unnatural uncivil wars; and happy shall that man be called, that shall help forward that great work, and be a means to still the storm, the end of a just war being peace, as the lancing of the wound is for the cure of it. Farewell.

I. A.