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there was at the contriving, although with fingular hypocrifie it pretended to bind books to their good behaviour. And how it got the hand of your precedent Order fo well constituted before, if we may beleeve those men whofe profeffion gives them caufe to enquire moft, it may be doubted there was in it the fraud of fome old patentees and monopolizers in the trade of book-felling; who under pretence of the poor in their Company not to be defrauded, and the just retaining of each man his severall copy, which God forbid fhould be gainfaid, brought divers glofing colours to the House, which were indeed but colours, and ferving to no end except it be to exercise a fuperiority over their neighbours, men who doe not therefore labour in an honeft profeffion to which learning is indetted, that they should be made other mens vasfalls. Another end is thought was aym'd at by some of them in procuring by petition this Order, that having power in their hands, malignant books might the easier scape abroad, as the event fhews. But of thefe Sophifms and Elenchs of marchandize I skill not: This I know, that errors in a good government and in a bad are equally almoft incident; for what Magistrate may not be mis-inform'd, and much the fooner, if liberty of Printing be reduc't into the power of a few; but to redreffe willingly and speedily what hath bin err'd, and in highest autority to esteem a plain advertisement more then others have done a fumptuous bribe, is a vertue (honour'd Lords and Commons) answerable to Your highest actions, and whereof none can participat but greatest and wifest

men.

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Proving that it is Lawfull, and hath been held fo through all Ages, for any, who have the Power, to call to account a Tyrant, or wicked KING, and after due conviction, to depofe, and put him to death; if the ordinary MAGISTRATE have neglected, or deny'd to doe it.

And that they, who of late fo much blame Depofing, are the Men that did it themselves.

Published now the fecond time with fome additions, and many Teftimonies alfo added out of the best and learnedeft among Proteftant Divines afferting the pofition of this book.

F men within themselves would be govern'd by reason, and not generally give up thir understanding to a double tyrannie, of Cuftom from without, and blind affections within, they would difcerne better, what it is to favour and uphold the Tyrant of a NaBut being flaves within doors, no wonder that they strive fo much to have the public State conformably govern'd to the inward vitious rule, by which they govern themselves. For indeed none can love freedom heartilie, but good men; the reft love not

tion.

freedom, but licence; which never hath more scope or more indulgence then under Tyrants. Hence is it that Tyrants are not oft offended, nor stand much in doubt of bad men, as being all naturally servile; but in whom vertue and true worth moft is eminent, them they feare in earnest, as by right thir Maisters, against them lies all thir hatred and fufpicion. Confequentlie neither doe bad men hate Tyrants, but have been alwayes readiest with the falfifi'd names of Loyalty, and Obedience, to colour over thir base compliances. And although fomtimes for shame, and when it comes to thir owne grievances, of purse especially, they would feeme good Patriots, and fide with the better cause, yet when others for the deliverance of thir Countrie, endu'd with fortitude and Heroick vertue to feare nothing but the curse writt'n against those That doe the worke of the Lord negligently, would goe on to remove, not only the calamities and thraldoms of a People, but the roots and causes whence they spring, ftreight these men, and fure helpers at need, as if they hated only the miseries but not the mischiefs, after they have juggl'd and palter'd with the world, bandied and born armes against thir King, devested him, difannointed him, nay curs'd him all over in thir Pulpits and thir Pamphlets, to the ingaging of fincere and real men, beyond what is poffible or honeft to retreat from, not only turne revolters from those principles, which only could at first move them, but lay the ftaine of difloyaltie, and worse, on those proceedings, which are the neceffary confequences of thir own former actions; nor diflik'd by themselves, were they manag'd to the intire advantages of thir own Faction; not confidering the while that he toward whom they boasted thir new fidelitie, counted them acceffory; and by those Sta

* Jer. 48. 19.

tutes and Lawes which they fo impotently brandish against others, would have doom'd them to a Traytors death, for what they have don alreadie. 'Tis true, that most men are apt anough to civil Wars and commotions as a noveltie, and for a flash hot and active; but through floth or inconftancie, and weakness of spirit either fainting, ere thir own pretences, though never fo juft, be half attain'd, or through an inbred falfhood and wickednes, betray oft times to deftruction with themselves, men of nobleft temper joyn'd with them for causes, whereof they in their rafh undertakings were not capable.

If God and a good caufe give them Victory, the profecution wherof for the most part, inevitably draws after it the alteration of Lawes, change of Goverment, downfal of Princes with thir families; then comes the task to those Worthies which are the foule of that enterprize, to be swett and labour'd out amidst the throng and noises of Vulgar and irrational men. Some contefting for privileges, cuftoms, forms, and that old entanglement of Iniquity, thir gibrish Lawes, though the badge of thir ancient flavery. Others who have beene fiercest against thir Prince, under the notion of a Tyrant, and no mean incendiaries of the Warr against him, when God out of his providence and high difpofal hath deliver'd him into the hand of thir brethren, on a suddain and in a new garbe of Allegiance, which thir doings have long fince cancell'd; they plead for him, pity him, extoll him, protest against thofe that talk of bringing him to the tryall of Juftice, which is the Sword of God, fuperior to all mortal things, in whofe hand foever by apparent fignes his teftified will is to put it. But certainly if we confider who and what they are, on a fuddain grown fo pitifull, wee may conclude, thir pitty can be no true, and Chriftian commiferation, but either levitie and shallowness of minde, or else

a carnal admiring of that worldly pomp and greatnefs, from whence they fee him fall'n; or rather lastly a dissembl❜d and feditious pity, fain'd of industry to begett new difcord. As for mercy, if it be to a Tyrant, under which Name they themselves have cited him fo oft in the hearing of God, of Angels, and the holy Church affembl'd, and there charg'd him with the spilling of more innocent blood by farr, then ever Nero did, undoubtedly the mercy which they pretend, is the mercy of wicked men; and their mercies, wee read* are cruelties; hazarding the welfare of a whole Nation, to have fav'd one, whom fo oft they have tearm'd Agag; and vilifying the blood of many Jonathans, that have fav'd Ifrael; infifting with much nicenefs on the unneceffarieft clause of thir Covnant wrested, wherein the feare of change, and the abfurd contradiction of a flattering hoftilitie had hamperd them, but not fcrupling to give away for complements, to an implacable revenge, the heads of many thousand Christians more.

Another fort there is, who comming in the cours of these affaires, to have thir fhare in great actions, above the form of Law or Custom, at least to give thir voice and approbation, begin to fwerve, and almost shiver at the Majefty and grandeur of fom noble deed, as if they were newly enter'd into a great fin; difputing prefidents, forms, and circumftances, when the Common-wealth nigh perishes for want of deeds in substance, don with just and faithfull expedition. To these I wish better inftruction, and vertue equal to thir calling; the former of which, that is to fay Inftruction, I fshall indeavour, as my dutie is, to beftow on them; and exhort them not to startle from the just and pious refolution of adhering with all thir strength and affistance to the present Parlament and

Prov. 12. 10.

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