The fifth of November, or, The popish and schismaticall rebells. With their horrid plots, fair pretences, & bloudy practices, weighed one against another: and in opposition unto both two things asserted. 1 That the supreame authority of establishing, reforming, and vindicating religion is placed in the King. 2 That religion is not to be established or reform'd in bloud.

To the Popish Rebell.

To the Schismaticall Rebell.

I Take the boldnesse for the present to put you both together; for I need not be at the charge of a several glasse to re∣present you. If you will take the paines to look upon one anothers eyes, you may therein discover your own pictures. I know the compari∣son will be odious to you both, & you think that none but a blind man would father this resem∣blance. Herein you are like two women, equally famed for their deformity, yet cannot endure to be told, they are of the same complexion. Why should you be angry, that I take notice of your re∣conciliation, when all the world (that runs not a madding with you) see you shake hands together? I have read of waters that run unmixt in the same channel. What communion is grown betwixt you I know not: but your course speaks you both, to have drawn and drunk at the same fountain. Nei∣ther of you commits a wickednesse so lewd, or broaches an Errour so grosse and palpable, but can & doth pretend an infallibility to warrant it. The

Oracles of holy men inspired were never uttered w••th more confidence and zeale, then your blas∣phemies against both God and King; and both of you by murdering such as are faithfull to their Church and Soveraigne, climb the ladder to your pretended martyrdome. You have divor∣ced that couple, which the Son of God came from Heaven to knit together; and instead of Mercy & Truth, which were sweetly met together, instead of righteousnes & peace which were wont most lovingly to kisse each other, your execrable practi∣ces have from time to time bin ready to betray us to those fatall meetings, wherein bloud toucheth bloud. Though you be together by the eares in o∣ther matters, you are together by the hearts in trea∣son and rebellion; and your design is as good as that, which procured the atonement of Herod and Pontius Pilate. Since Lisymachus Nicanor did congratulate your offer of the right hand of fel∣lowship in the treachery, how strangely have you (younger brethren) been encouraged? What a pro∣gresse have you made since you walkt by the staffe of his instructions? Me thinks the holy leagues are entred upon the Stage of England, to play those parts over here which they did in France in the time of the third Henry. The same designs are here

cloathed with the same pretences. Their intent was (saith the Historian) to incroach upon the King, & to leave him nothing but a vain shadow of Royal authority, under the conduction and di∣rection of their tyrannie; & to make their way to this devilish design, the fairer, they cast scandalous aspersions upon all the Kings actions, to render them odious and intolerable. And lest the smooth glasse of peace should represent things in their true proportions, & undeceive the people, the waters must be kept troubled to make them appeare (on the Kings part) crooked and distorted. The people are stirred up to oppose the Kings edicts of peace, and desires of accommodation. In the interim the Leaguers goe on pretending they were for God, for the honour and increase of Religion, the utter extirpation of Heresie, to preserve the estate and Crown of the King, and to maintain the rights & priviledges of the Subject; yet they swore obedi∣ence to the General appointed without, yea against the Kings commandement, and engaged their lives, honours, & estates to adhere unto him; and all that would not associate in this holy league, were persecuted as enemies to God, rebels to the state, & perturbators of the publike good. I beseech you what difference does the late Covenant bear, to distinguish it from that holy League? Are they

not as much alike, as a bond is like an obligation? Do not therefore allow that in your selves, which you abominate in one another: but take notice from one anothers practices how pernitious and detestable those principles are, that your severall sides do build upon. His Holines can give no bet∣ter dispensatiō for murder or rebellion then John of Leyden: and what is treason in subjects that dissent in other matters from you, is a crime of the same complexion in your selves, though your Assembly of Divines joyne with the remnant of your Members to Vote it otherwise.

Therefore let me expostulate with you in the language of the Historian. What think you to do, O you [Covenanters and] Leaguers, for God, for the faith, for the King? You undertake Arms for God, who desires nothing but peace. You publish Rebellion, he commands obedience: you trouble the rest and quietnesse of a Christian King; God willeth us to endure at the hand of a Prince al∣though he be a Pagan: you doe it for God whose name you call upon, and deny the power; you do it for God who detects your actions, and knows your thoughts; you do it for God, that will con∣found al those that breed confusiō among the peo∣ple: you undertake wars for religion, and nothing hinders that, more then wars: you fight for holi∣nes,

and yet you authorize blasphemies, plant A∣theisme, impiety, and despising of devotion in all places: you march under pretence of the Churches cause, and yet spoile the Clergie, and destroy the Churches, &c.

You say t••s for the King; it it be, where are his Commissions? if for his service, where are his cō∣mandements? If for him, why do you it without him? If for his obedience, wherfore do you adhere to the head of that league & covenant, which is made against him? can you serve two Masters & be bound by one oath to two contraries? &c. Know. you not that all bearing of Arms is treason with∣out the Kings authority? That the Subject cannot make any league without the Prince? &c. Pardon me I beseech you (saith he) Nobles, Princes, Pre∣lats, Lords & Gentlemen, if I tel you that this for∣tresse which you build will be your overthrow, this fire you kindle will burne your selves, these knives you forge will be tempered in your owne intrails, and that thereby you wil leave neither of your selves, nor your league, but a most pitifull & shameful memory. In the mean while Protestants will grow so famous for their loyalty unto every truth reveled in holy Scripture, that the very name wil be amiable & had in veneration: and that Re∣ligion (no more shaken by the breath of factious

spirits, then the raies of the Sun are diverted by the wind) shall stand immoveable, as a rock against every storme from what point soere it bloweth. And your selves, when you shall consider the pa∣tience, and constancie, and successe of this Church in bearing the sharp brunt of your malicious fu∣ry, when you shall with a more sad eye look up∣on her whom you have so often pierced, you will relent, I doubt not. But when you shall see her in bayes, triumphing over all her enemies, when you shall behold her drest again in her ancient attire of decencie and order, wanting nothing but the neglects and nakednesse that are on the one side, and the rags & superfluities that are on the other side amongst you, when you shall find her neither scandalous in the choice & quality, nor defective in the number and proportion of her externall rites and ornaments, I am perswaded you will lay aside those prejudices that kept you thus long from her communion, and with all alacrity cast your selves into her secure bosome and most dear embracements. But if you be either Jesuits or A∣nabaptists, I feare (though there be nothing else) your obstinacy will be a sufficient rub in the way to your conversion, which is the onely thing makes me doubt of it.