Wentworth was sent to the Tower Mr. Bromley and some others of the Commons committed to the Fleet. N. 25. In this Parliament it was enacted that If any Person should come to or be at any unlawful Assemblies Conventicles or Meetings under pretence of Religious exercise contrary to the Laws and Statutes made in that behalf c. that every Person so offending should be committed to Prison without Bail or Mainprise or depart the Realm at such time and place as was assigned with this Proviso N. 27. that if he departed not at the time appointed or come back without leave first granted he should suffer Death as in the case of Felony And when all other means failed these sharp Laws made against them and some severe Executions done upon them humbled the Ringleaders of them ruined the whole Machina of their devices and effectually promoted the Peace and Tranquillity of Church and State and the happy Preservation of Her Majesties Person to a prosperous and peaceable Reign And 't is believed that at King James's first coming to the Crown of England about the year 1603 the Presbyterians in both Kingdoms England and Scotland were brought so low Lib. 11. N. 1. that they might have been suppressed for ever without any great danger had that King held the Reins with a steady hand and not remitted so much as he did in the cares and severities of Government particularly in admitting the Presbyterian-petitioning and especially in that called the Millenary-petition because said to be Subscribed by a thousand hands when indeed it wanted some hundreds of it This Petition was for Reformation of sundry Ceremonies and Abuses viz. Cross in Baptism Church-Musick c. which occasioned the conference at Hampton Court where the King himself was present as Moderator N. 6. between the Episcopal and Presbyterian Divines the result of the conference was this sharp reprimand If this be all they have to say saies the King I 'le make them conform Conf. at Hamp Court p. 85. or I 'le hurry them out of the Kingdom or somewhat worse at the conclusion of the conference The Presbyterian Divines when they saw that they could not obtain their desires in such Concessions and Alterations as they disputed for they were notwithstanding not transported with heat and passion or any such bigottery as the modern Dissenters are on such occasion but ingenuously promised the Bishops their Antagonists That they would nevertheless reverence them as spiritual Fathers and joyn with them against the common Enemy Upon this Conference N. 8. the Kings Proclamation was issued forth commanding strict Conformity and admonishing all his Subjects of what sort soever Never after to expect any Alteration in the publick form of Gods Worship and things being accordingly put in Execution and the Government holding a hard hand upon them inconformity soon grew out of fashion again N. 10. Till the Gunpowder-Treason N 12. Presbytery out of Popery the second time from whence they took occasion to possess the People with fears and jealousies of new dangers from the Papists and by a shew of greatest Zeal for the Protestant Religion they got a Party in the House of Commons who by the specious pretences of standing for the Subjects Property and the Preservation of the Protestant Religion weakened the Prerogative Royal and advanced their own and by degrees got so strong in Parliament that at the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the first they were able to proceed from Council to Execution beginning their Embroilments first in Scotland by sending thither the English Liturgy and Book of Canons Sir R. Bak. Anno 1638. whereupon the Scots took up Arms declaring not to lay them down till the Presbyterian Religion was setled in both Nations they being incouraged so to do by some of the English Parliament Ibid. 1640. which the King understanding went to the House of Commons to demand five of their Members whom he accused of seditious Intercourse had with the Scots in that Insurrection And here began the first Eruption The King wanting Money to manage the War with Spain was forced to have almost continual Parliaments of which many Members being Scotized fell presently on Voting the Ship money unlawful the Convocation of the Clergy Illegal and their Canons void Bak. Chron. 1641. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passed a Bill for taking away the Bishops Votes in Parliament Which when the King consented to he saies he never enjoyed comfortable day after they passed a Bill for a Triennial Parliament c. All which they forced from the King by terror of the Scottish Army which they kept in pay nine Months on purpose And tho the Lords and others at York in their Declaration Bak. Chron. 1642. protested before God and testified to all the World as they had often done before that they were fully perswaded that the King had no intention to make War upon the Parliament but that all his endeavours tended to a firm Settlement of the Protestant Religion the just Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject c. yet they proceeded chiefly on pretence of the fear of Popery to wrest the Militia out of his hand as also the Tower of London the Navy Royal and all his Revenues using all Terror imaginable to affright his Subjects from Supplying or Assisting him In short a rebellious and most unnatural War being commenced which shed the Blood of so many thousands they reduced the King to consent to these and the like Proposals Baker Chron. Anno 1648. That the Presbyterian Discipline should be set up for three years in the interim of which they would endeavour the Settlement of Peace in Church and State That the Militia should be lodged into their hands for twenty years That the whole Government of Ireland both Military and Civil should be put into their hands That they should confer all Officers and all chief Magistrates of the Kingdom of England for twenty years And having thus got the whole Soveraignty to themselves they were willing on these most unnatural Concessions to comply with the King and voted a full agreement with him But alas too late they having by this time cut off his hands and feet empowered the Independent Army to cut off his Head And now when the Presbyterian Discipline was to be compleatly setled the Army which themselves had raised declare for the Independent Way and serve them as they had served the King turn them out of Doors and resolve upon nothing less then the Death of the King which was at first attempted by private Conspiracy with Poyson and Pistol by Captain Rolph Baker's Chron. Anno 1648. with the privity of Collonel Hammond and some other chief Officers of the Army But afterwards effected with such Hell-bred Solemnity and in such barbarous manner as to the everlasting reproach of the Protestant Religion Turks and Tartars have startled at Thus did they wade through the
Blood of men the best of men to destroy the Peace of the Church and to set up that Presbyterian Discipline which was no sooner up but down as that which will no more comport with the Constitution of the English Government than Popery or the Mussleman Faith And as this barbarous Regicidy so that which introduced it with so much Murder Perjury and Rapine I mean the Civil War which cost so many millions of Treasury and so many thousands of Mens lives was undeniably the effect of the Presbyterian Schism as is sufficiently acknowledged by the mouth of a modern Dissenter which is Mr. Baxter a dying man and therefore to be believed speaking to a Nonconformist whom he doth so orthodoxly and honestly write against Cathol Communion doubly Defended p. 31. If you know not saies he I do that the principles of Separation were the great cause of the Subversions and Confusions which brought us to what we have felt in England Scotland and Ireland for these forty years and if I may not have leave to say with Bradford Repent O England you should give me leave to repent my self that ever I preached one Sermon with any Biass of overmuch desire to please Persons of the accusing separating humour Thus Mr. Baxter in that late and last of all his Books But to proceed In conclusion of this War and Regicidy the men in Buff fell to Reformation-work in Churches which I cannot but take notice of in this place it being so exactly agreeable to the pattern of Julian the Apostate's reforming Christianity In Winchester Church Collonel Waller with some of his Regiment Hist of Presb. lib. 13. n. 23. threw down the Communion Table broke down the Rails and burnt them in an Ale-house strewed the pavement of the Quire with the Leaves which they tore out of the Common-prayer Book and whereas the remains of several Saxon Kings and Bishops had been by the care of Bishop Fox gathered into leaden Chests they scattered the Dust of their Bodies before the Wind and threw their Bones about the Church The very same that Julian the Apostate did to the remains of John the Baptist buried at Samaria He caused his Bones to be digged up and being mixed with the Bones of Beasts he burnt them to Ashes and scattered the Ashes before the Wind. N. 24 25. In the Cathedral Church of Chichester after they had picked out the Eyes of the portraitur'd King Edward the sixth saying in scorn That all the mischief came from him in establishing the Common-Prayer at first they fell to pillaging and plundering like the Goths at the Sack of Rome and when it was beg'd that they would leave but one Chalice for the use of the Sacrament it was answered A wooden Dish may serve turn The same words almost as of Faelix Colleague to Julian that renounced Christianity in complement to Julian who taking up the Communion-plate which the Religious Constantine had in piety bestowed upon the Church See here saies he in scorn what brave Cups and Vessels the Son of Mary is served in The Church of Exeter they turned into a Jakes leaving their filth on and about the Communion Table whereas the Apostate Julian did but piss against the Communion Table in a Church at Antioch and the Presbyter Euzoius reproved him tho an Emperor sharply to his face And in all this they wrote as after the Copy of the Apostate Julian so with the practice of the Donatist-Dissenters As Optatus relates that in Thipasa Opt. 55. ap Hist of Don. a City of Mauritania the barbarous Donatists assaulted an Assembly of the Orthodox Christians while they were at their Devotions and driving them out of the Church slew a great many of them the Bread of the consecrated Eucharist they threw to the Dogs who having eaten it by the just Judgment of God presently grew mad fell upon their Masters that gave it them and tore them to pieces But in the reforming the Church of Canterbury they exceeded Julian or the Donatists either N. 25. for finding there some Figures of Christ in the Arras-hangings in the Quire they did in the most literal Sence crucifie Christ in Effigie some swearing that they would stab him others that they would rip up his Bowels which accordingly they did so far as the Figures of Christ in the Hangings were capable of it The principal Instrument in framing this Reformation and Hammering out all that mischief of the War and Regicidy was a Tool called the Solemn League and Covenant as appears by the dying words of one of the chief contrivers of it Sir Henry Vane Speech p. 3. at his Execution on Tower-Hill That what the House of Commons did singly by themselves which was their Levying of War Murdering the King proscribing his Son Voting down Monarchy with much more which he saies lay yet in the breast of the House was but a more refined pursuit of the Covenant Thus Sir Henry Vane who being sent hence Commissioner into Scotland was one of the first Contrivers of it and therefore most likely to know the use and design of it and being then ready to die was most likely to speak truth But thus much is demonstrably true that the Covenant put them on altering the Government and that Alteration on the aforesaid Reformation as also upon Warring against the King and that War upon conquering and that Conquest upon Imprisoning and that Imprisoning upon Impowering a rude Conquering Army to Murder him So that their laying all on a rude conquering Army as Mr. Baxter doth is no other Plea for the Presbyterians not killing the King Plea for Peace c. than Pilates was for his Innocency in putting Christ to Death because he left the Execution of it to the Soldiers But to shew what an Engine this Covenant was against the Church what a Solemn piece of Perjury and what a snare of Souls what a mystery of Iniquity and what a bane of Monarchy 't is fit all Posterity should be instructed in these three Articles of it 1. That without respect of Persons they would endeavour to extirpate Popery and Prelacy i. e. Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans c. and all this not only contrary to the Kings Proclamation strictly forbidding it but contrary to an Oath previously taken by a great part of the Covenanters 2. That they would endeavour the discovery of all such as had been or should be Incendiaries Malignants evil Instruments c. whereby they bound themselves and others as the event shew'd to bear false against to Condemn and Murder the Kings best Friends as those that stood most in their way as the Earl of Strafford Arch-Bishop Laud c. 3. That they would preserve the Kings Person in the preservation of the true i. e. Presbyterian Religion and the Liberties of this Kingdom Which was in effect a covenanting to Rebel against the King if not to Murder him in regard that the Covenanters had already
demand a Scripture prohibition or precept for every thing that humane authority imposeth on the Church is of most dangerous consequence as Mr. Baxter has soundly proved and shewed wherein by an induction of about Twenty particulars Defence of the Principles of Love p. 97 98 99 100 101. c. I shall no more than name but some of them 1. It draws men into the dangerous guilt of adding to the word of God under pretence of defending its perfection He shews how 2. It sorely prepares men for infidelity He shews how 3. It alters the very definition of the Scripture and makes it quite another thing c. 4. It tends to cast all-rational worship out of the Church c 5. It will bring in all confusion instead of pure reasonable worship c. 6. It will fright poor People from Scripture and Religion and make us our Doctrine and Worship ridiculous in the sight of all the world as he shews at large 7. All possibility of Union among Christians and Churches must perish if this error prevail and be practised c. 8. It will have a confounding influence into all the affairs and business of our lives These and as many more Mr. Baxter doth not barely name as I have done but foundly proves to be the consequence of making Scripture a particular rule of circumstantials in worship or teaching that humane authority has not power of imposing on the Church things not forbid in Scripture To all which I add That Sedition and Rebellion is not so apt to arise from any one Presbyterian Tenet whatsoever as from this for when men deny humane authority the power of imposing Church-ceremonies for want of Scripture-precept or prohibition they do on the same account call those ceremonies Humane devices uncommanded Rites Popish and Superstitious c. and therefore mark the consequence to be reformed and if the Magistrate will not reform it the people must and on this very principle have commenced the most barbarous and unnatural wars in England Scotland and other places And therefore 't is very disingenuous in Mr. Bolde not only to assert and vindicate this fundamental and most distinguishing principle of Dissenters but to accuse its contrary a most undoubted truth of Dangerous consequences when 't is so apparent that the dangerous consequences are all on the other side He proceeds on this head thus P. â—2 It is not demonstrably certain that humane authority has power any further than to punish and restrain indecencies and disorders in the Church Not to say whether this be not that speaking against the Kings Sovereign Authority in causes Ecclesiastical which the 27th Can. censures 1. It is demonstrably certain that humane authority had power to appoint Church-ceremonies and to determine the circumstantials in Religion David alter'd some things and instituted others even in the Temple-Service upon no other authority than humane Hezekiah on the same authority and no other broke the Brazen Serpent to pieces though it was a symbolical ceremony of Gods own institution He appointed the Levites to kill the Passover which by Gods appointment was to have been performed by the people themselves He preferr'd the Levites to assist the Priests in killing the other Sacrifices which they were never before admitted to So that it is demonstrably certain That humane authority had once a power to determine the circumstantials of Religion Nor can Mr. Bolde tell when or how they came to be divested of it But on the contrary when Christ said His Kingdom was not of this world he plainly intimated that he never intended to divest Governours of the authority they were possessed of 2. It 's demonstrably certain that the Scriptures do no where restrain the power of humane authority to punishing of disorders or indecencies in the Church when the Scripture commands obey every ordinance of man it supposeth in man or humane authority a power of making ordinances Church-ordinances not excepted and ubi lex non distinguit non est distinguendum It has been all along the practise of humane authority in all the reformed Churches to institute Church-discipline and to impose it upon the people and lex currit cum praxi Thus Calvin himself writes to Farellus Ep. 87. To prevent the desultory levity of those who affect novelty it always prevailed in the Church which was decreed in ancient Councils That those who would not be subject to the laws of common discipline should be dismissed from their function And Beza on the life of Calvin that subscription to their Church-discipline was enjoined not only Ministers but people 4. That every Church National has power to institute or appoint its Church-ceremonies was one principal argument that our Protestant Reformers made use of against the Papists in altering our Religion from Popish to Protestant 3. Mr. Bolde's 3d Argument runs thus The things we contend about are of such a nature they cannot bear so much weight as some lay upon them c. 1. How much the less the matters are we contend about so much the more is the sin and shame of contentious disobedience and inconformity to them 2. The more fit they are to be made a sacrifice to peace especially when in obedience to that great Gospel-precept of obedience to every humane ordinance 1 Pet. 2.13 And since Mahomet must to the Mountain or the Mountain to Mahomet as he speaks for shame let not Governours stoop to Subjects antiquity to Novelty and publick Authority the highest on earth to private fancy the most humoursome and peevish Since these things are not says the Pleader matter of such moment P. 24. as moderate men should lay out much of their zeal about He proceeds to shew how much mischief men laying out too much zeal and too much stress upon these things has occasioned he gives not so much as one instance of the mischief but instead of all instances he cites Mr. Burgess in his Sermon before King James for this Story The Roman Emperour Augustus in going to dine with a Senator of Rome saw some company dragging a man after them that made a horrid out-cry The Emperour demanding the Reason it was answered their Master had condemned him to the Fish-ponds for breaking a Glass of great value The Emperour stopp'd the Execution and when he came to the Senators house in expostulating the case with him he asked him whether he had Glasses worth a mans life That I have says the Senator Glasses that I value at the price of a Province Let 's see them says the Emperor the Senator brought them The Emperour broke them with these words Better all these perish than one man My Author says he left it to his Majesty to apply and so do I to the Reader And the Reader applies it thus The Glasses are Church-ceremonies the Senator is the Imposer of them the Emperour is the Opposer of them the breaking of the Glasses is the abolishing of the Ceremonies rather than one man