the Republican Faction in England pay them their wages and call them their Dear Brethren for their pains And then the Presbyterian war was denounc'd in the Pulpiâ— and in the Parliament-house too long before the Republican broke out openly in the Field What if the first Publick Sticklers were not at that time Declar'd Presbyterians They were yet in the Conspiracy against Bishops though under another Notion and quickly after they Listed themselves under That very Profession as the best cover in nature for their purpose for That Schisme was never without a State-faction in the Belly on 't But nothing is more Notorious then the Intelligence that was held from the Beginning betwixt the Republican Caball and the Presbyterian Divines The one drew the Bellowes and the Other Play'd the Tune And take notice likewise That Presbyterian was a mark of the Faction rather then a note of the Religion and used in Contradistinction to Royallist But Pray'e finish your Repentance Ba. For All the rest of my Sins in this business which I know not of Particularly I do Implicitly and generally Repeâ—â— of and ask of God to give me a particular Conversion c. Ibid 53. Mo. If you have told all the Particulars you know of yoâ—â— Account Mr. Baxter is soon cast up You begin with a Genâ—rall Supposition All that ever I Thouâ—â—â— Said c. without any One Instance or Acknowledgement If you had sayd I have committed many Sins of This kinde and 〈◊〉 That it had been something Your Second Branch of Repentance is for no more discouragiâ—â— Peevishnesse toward Superiours and Then sometimes too 〈◊〉 Encouraging it by being too Sharp your self against what yoâ— took to be Church Corruptions Why Sorry for no MORE discouraging when you were so far from discouraging at all thâ—â— on the Contrary you Repent in the same Period for too 〈◊〉 Encouraging This is at the best but a Lame and a Geneâ—â—â— Particular Repentance That which you make no more of thâ—â— the Spirit of Peevish Quarrelling as if the people had only 〈◊〉 upon a Nettle you should have spoken out and call'd it the Spirit of Contumacy and Rebellion And what is it that yoâ— charge upon your self here more then that you were a little too Mealy-mouth'd But wher 's your Vindication of the Châ—râ—â—-Orders you mention where 's your Determination which 〈◊〉 the Right Superiours Why do ye not tell the People that yoâ— were mistaken in the Opinion of our Church-Corruptions and Instruct them in their Duties of Obedience to God and the King Without so doing That which you call Repentance is oâ—lâ— a Snare to the Multitude and a Scandal to the Government Your next Pang of Repentance is for not Consulting tâ—e best Lawyers that were against the Parliament more Impartially and dilligently then you did Is This the Repentance Mr. Baxter of a Confessor A Râ—pentance without a Confession an arrant peice of Artifice aâ—d Design to put on the Disguise of a Recantation and withoâ—â— any charge or discharge of Conscience to keep in with Boâ—h Parties The Sin does not Ly in your not Advising with Lawyers concerning the State of the Controversy but in Plungiâ—g your self and Others into Bloud hand over head contrary to the Laws of God and man without so much as consulting the grounds of the Quarrell To the Royallists it looks like an excuse of your Disloyalty to the King as who should say 'T is true I was to blame It was a Poynt of Law and I should have taken better Advise upon 't And if the Other Side accuse you as a desertor of the Cause you can acquit your self There too that you have not Repented of any one Poynt to their Prejudice If it be not as I say and that you mean Good Faith do but publish your Loyalty to the World in the manner or to the effect Following and I 'le ask your Pardon I Do Declare that the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament are still the Kings Subjects and that it is not Lawfull for them to exercise any Act of Sovereign Power without or Against the Kings Command or Consent I do lâ—kewise declare that the War Raised by the pretended Authority of the Lords and Commons in 1642. with all their Orders Ordinances and Impositions in pursuance thereof were also unlawfull And that All Acts of Hostility done by Them or their Order against the King or the Party Commssioned by hâ—m during the Command of the Earl of Essex were Acts of disloyalty and Rebellion If you be really the man that you would be thought to be you 'le never Boggle at This Test But if This will not down with ye let me tell you Sir that to my knowledge worse then this has you will make me think of the Lady in the Proverbs that Eateth and wipeth her Mouth and saith I have done no Wicâ—ednesse Ba. You Reflect in These Reproaches either upon my Particular Principles or upon the Principles of the Party or upon Both. As to my self If any man can prove that I was Guilty of hurt to the Person or destruction of the Power of the King or of Changing the Fundamental Constitution of the Common-Wealth c. Holy Com. Pa. 489.490 I will never gain-sâ—y him if he call me a most persidious Rebell and tell me that I am Guilty of far greater Sin then Murther Whoredome Drunkenesse or such like Ibid. Or if they can solidly Confute my Grounds I will thaâ—â— them and Confesse my Sin to all the World Ibid. Ri. Nay Brother Baxter you must give Me leave to put in â— Word now and first to your Practice then to your Grounds Diâ— not you animate the Party that was in Arms against the King 〈◊〉 much as any man and was That no hurt to his Person Rememâ—â— say you to the Army how far I have gone with you in the Wâ—â— And shall I be affraid of my Old most Intimate Friends c. Holy Com. Pref. Will you have it now that This Army your Oâ—â— and intimate Friends did no Hurt to his Majesties Person Aâ—â— now bethink your self of your Challenge in the Preface to your Hoâ—â— Common wealth Prove that the King was the Highest Powâ—â— in the time of Divisions and that he had Power to make 〈◊〉 War which he made and I will offer my Head to Iustice as a â—â—bell Is not This Destructive of the Kings Power And is not 〈◊〉 a Change of the Fundamental Constitution of the Common-weaâ—â—◠〈◊〉 say that the Members of Parliament considered disjunctly 〈…〉 Subjects but that Conjunctly as a House or Body they 〈◊〉 the Sovereignty Holy Com. Pa. 433. And again pa. 462. Teâ—â— the Parliament hath a part of the Legislative Power eve◠〈◊〉 ENACTING and not only of Proposing is undoubted Ba. Nay if you go to That Richard I shall call You to Aâ—compt for your Practises and Propositions too Do not you
by wicked Counsells intends to make War against the Parliament c. 2. That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a Breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People Contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of This Government 3. That whosoever shall serve or Assist him in such Wars are Traytors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdome and have been so Adjudg'd by Two Acts of Parliaments and ought to suffer as Traytors c. Ri. Your Majesties most humble and Faithful Subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament c. Ib. Jun. 2. 1642. Pa. 307. Mo. This was the Petition that Accompanied the Nineteen Propositions demanding from the King the discharge of all his Ministers and Embassadors and none to be taken into their Places but what the Parliament shall approve That all matters of State may be transacted only in Parliament the Privy Counsell to be by Them approved from time to time and supply'd All Great Officers to bâ— Chosen by their Approbation They to have the Education of the Kings Children and the Choyce of their Servants No Maâ—ch to be treated of without them A Reformation of Church-Government and Liturgy to be contrived by their Advice The Militia to be settled in them till settled by a Bill and all Proclamations against it to be recalled New Oaths for Privy Councellors and Iudges All Iudges and Officers to hold their Places Quamdiâ— se bene Gesserint Parliament-Iustice upon all Delinquents An Amnestry with such exceptions as the Parliament shall advise All Forts and Castles under Gouernours approved by Parliament All Forces to be Disbanded and a Prohibition of any Peers hereaftâ—â— to be made from Sitting or Voting in Parliament without the Consent of Both Houses Are not these the Propositions think ye of Most Humble and Faithful Subjects Ri. Yo ur Majesties Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament Ibid. Sept. 24. 1642. Pa. 617. Mo. His Majesties Loyal Subjects had now sent the Earl of Essex to fall upon the Kings Army and desired his Majesty to leave them and come to his Parliament And they Petition'd his Majesty to the same Purpose again Pa. 630. And so as the Humour took them to the very Treaty at the Isle of Wight But whether These were the Actions of Rebells or Loyall Subjects be you your self the Judge Ri. Well But what say ye to the Stile of We your Humble and Loyal Subjects of both Kingdomes Appendix to Husbands Ex. Coll. 2 d. Part. Fol. 22. Jan. 13. 1645. Mo. These were the Humble and Loyal Subjects that in the same Paper Refused his Majestys Proffer of a Personal Treaâ—â— with Them at Westminster Your Majesty say they desires 〈◊〉 Engagement not only of the Parliament but of the Lord Mayor Aldermâ—n Common-Councill and Militia of the City of London 〈◊〉 Chief Commanders of Sir Tho. Fairfaxes Army and Those of the Scots Army which is against the Privileges and Honour of the Pâ—â—liamenâ— those being Ioyn'd with them who are Subject and Subordinate to their Authority At the same rate they Proceeded in Their Professions They desire only to Lay a Foundation of Honour Safety and Happiness to the Kings Person and Throne Ex. Coll. dec 14. 1641. The Greatnesse and Prosperity of his Majesty and his Royal Posterity Ib. Dec. 15. Pa. 2. His Majestys greatnesse and Honour â—b Mar. 1.41 Pa. 94. Honour and greatnâ—sse Mar. 2. P. 102. Honour Safety and Prosperity of your Majesty Mar. 16. P. 118. We seek nothing but your Majesties Honour Mar. 15. P. 123. The Safety of his Majesties Person and his Royal Posterity May 5. 42. Pa. 173. Our most Dutyfull care for the Safety of your Royal Person May 9. P. 180. For the Preserving and Mayntaining the Royal Honour Greatness and Safety of your Majesty and Posterity Jan. 2. 42. P. 310. And then see their Remarkable Protestation of Octob. 22. 1642. We the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled do in the Presence of Almighty God for the Satisfaction of our Consâ—iâ—nces and the Discharge of That Great Trust which lyes upon us make this Protestation and Declaration to The Kingdome and Nation and to the whole World That no Private Passion or Respect no Evill Intention to his Majestys Person no design to the Prejudice of his Iust Honour and Authority Engaged us to rayse Forces and take up Arms against the Authours of This War wherewith the Kingdome is now Enflamed Ibid. Pa. 663. Without any Intention or desire as we do here professe before the Ever-living God to hurt or Injure his Majesty Either in his Person or Iust Power b. P. 666. I could give you Instances of this kind without End and as many of the gross and Unquestionable violations of These Professions For every Order they past and every â—istol that they Fired was a poynt-blank Contradiction to their Pretensions Beside that in the same Breath they Usurped all the Regalities of the Crown and yet Wrote Themselves His Majesties most Obedient SUBJECTS So that This Stile of Loyalty was at the same time a Blind to the Well-meaning Multitude and a Note of Confederacy among Themselves a Loyal Subject according to the Covenant Importing in plain Terms a Traytor in the eye of the Law And yet the Cause and the Obligation of this Covenant and the Proceedings upon it are openly Asserted at This very day Ba. Yes yes There 's The Counterminer the Popish Dialogue and many others that continue lowdly to Accuse us and make men believe that we are Plotting a new War and that our Principles are Rebellious c. Non Conf. Plea 2d Part. Pref. Mo. What do ye think of maintaining that Whatsoever the Twâ— Houses declare for Law must pass for Law without Controul both upon King and People Ex. Coll. 297. That they may do whatever they please Ibid. That the Major Part of Both Houses are the absolute Masters of the Lives and Liberties of the Subject Ibid. That no member of the House of Commâ—ns be medled with for Treason Felony c. Without Leave of the House Ibid. That thâ— Sâ—vâ—reignty resides in the two Houses and that the King has no Negâ—tivâ— Voice Ibid. That there lyes no Treason against the Person of the King Ibid. That the Two Houses may Depose the King and not be blameâ— for so doing Ibid. Now in calling Those people that did all This The Bell Governors in the World as in the Preface to your Holy Common-Wealth And in Vindicating That Book from any Principles of Disloyalty toward the Person of the King as you do toward the close of your Preface as to the 2 d. Part of the Non-conformists Pleâ— Apri 16. 1680. What is This but the Asserting of Rebellioâ—â— Principles And the Preaching of the old Doctrine to the people over again What Is it but the Preface to another War Ba. What have we done
Baxtâ—rs Unfeigneâ— Repenâ—ance Mr. Baxter consulted the Word of God about Opposing the King Mr Baxter would be the same man if another King were to be Depos'd and Murthered Mr. Baxter very cautious of Treason against the two Houses Baxter fails foul upon Richard The Moderator interposes Baxter vindicates Oliver A prudent pious Faithful Prince Baxter prays that Richard Cromwell may Inherit the Piety of his Father The Presbyterians Disarm'd the King and the Independents Kill'd him Baxter repenâ—s and then â—epents of his Repentance Baxter thanks God for his Blessings upon this Nation in consequence of the Rebellion The Blessed Difference betwixt the Government of the Late King of Cromwell Baxters Comfortable Effects of a Civill War The Blessed Times we had till the Army got the better of the Two Houses London-Ministeâ—s Letter to the Lord-General Ian 18. 1648. The Armies Crime waâ— the opposing of the Parliament and Imprisoning tâ—e King without Leave Only a Sâ—izure of the Kings Person But an Vnparallâ—l'd Violenâ—e upon tâ—e Members of the House Being men of Eminent Worth and Inâ—egâ—ity A Factious Reâ—nant thâ— Magistraâ—es which God hâ—tâ— set oveâ— us The London· Ministers Mediation little lesse then Treason Gods Ordinance violated when Magistrâ—cy is oppos'd The Divines fear ull of opposing God in an Ordinance of the Two Houses None of these scruples in the case of the King Thâ— Presbyterians â—rue to the Faction from the beginnâ—ng The Standard of the Presbyteâ—ian Loyalty why not as tender of a breach of Trust according to Law as against it There was no Intent to divest the King of hiâ— Legal Right But he had a Righâ— to nothing then for tâ—eâ—â—ook all away The Presbyterians â—ell us they are no Jesâ—itâ— Not one word for the King in the whole Letter The Army in Gods way wâ—ile they joyn'd with the Presbyâ—erians Sworn to preserve his Majesties· Persoâ— and Priviledges of Parliament Wâ—o absolv'd the Presbyteriâ—ns of their former Oaths If Baxtâ—r had serv'd the king he had been a Traytor Baxters Holy Com. wealth to â—e taken as Non-Scriptus A shâ—ft not a Recantation For the Aphoâ—isms â—ere â—eâ—el'd directly against the King Baâ—teâ—â— Recantation A Repentance that will passe neither upon God nor Man Baxter Reâ—sons why his Repenâ—ance is not Particular Mr. Baxters Piâ— Fraus A Jesuitism For fear of too Much or too Little Mr. Baâ—ter confesses just nothing at all Mr. Baxter proceeds in â—is repentance He ever opposeth what he sometimes encouraged A Baxterism â—'s very Repentances are Calumnies He Repents and Relapses in the same breath Prophanness in Habit and in Conspiracy A Covenanting Prophannesse worse then a Personal He repents that he did not advise with Lawyers An Invidious Refleâ—ion upon Hooker Jesuitical Dodging Why could not Hooker set him Right to the Church as well as wrong to the State Hookers popular poâ—er nothing to Co-ordination Baxters Writings aâ—e a direct Satyr upon Government B's quarrel to the Visible Church The Reasons of B's Unkindness to the Visible Church He makes Dissenters the Invisible Church and Conformists the Visibâ—â— Presbyterians began the War A State Faction as well as a Schisme B's Implicite Repentance B's account soon cast up A General Particular Repentance Rebellion and Peevishnesse B. Repents of being too mealy-mouth'd A Repentance wiâ—hout a Confession And an abuse upon Both Parties Mr. Baxter's Test. Mr Baxter's Challenge Richard takes him up and proves him guilty as â—o the Kings Person An Opposer of the Kings Power And the Fundamental Constitution He acknowlâ—dgeth the Protectors Soveraignty And blesseth the Providences that brought Richard to the Government Richard had his Principles from Baxter Baxter makeâ— the Protectâ—rs Title as good as the Kings Baxters Addresses to Richard Protector Baâ—ters Resolution in â—â—ree Cases expresly to keep out the King Baxters Incapaciâ—ies for Government Dominion is founded in Grace Want of Power deposes a Prince A Case against his Majesties â—estauration Cases of Forfeiture Baxter asserts Obedience at all hazzards Baxter against the King though the Parliament had been in the wrong â— does nâ—â— love to rub old sores Neutrality a sin and Treachery â—o servâ— the King Tâ—e praying Rebels against the Loyall Damme's A just way of Deposing a King imply'd A Parliament may betray their Trust 100. Tho a Prince be injur'd the people may joyn with his Enemies No Obedience due to an Usurper Usurpr rsmust be oppos'd They have no true power Who are Usurpers The people to be Judges The people may mis-judge Baxt. laments the losse of the late Ruleâ—s Sworn and sworn to King Lords â—nd Commons The Lords Commons rule alone and â—he Government not changed Baxter charg'd wiâ—h conâ—radiction The Higher Poâ—ers 〈◊〉 the Goveâ—norâ— in possession 'T is not thâ— Nâ—me thâ—t makes the King The peopâ—e Judges of the King and oâ— the Law Seize the Kings Revenue and â—e is no longer a King Inferiour Magistrâ—tes still Subjeâ—â—s Richard eâ—er True to tâ—e Crown The Law of Natuâ—e iâ— above the Law of the Land Modest Subjects study their own Duty not tâ—e Kings Sovereign Power not to be reâ—trâ—ined by tâ—e people The Multitude no Judges of Government The Secluâ—ed Members and the â—wo Crâ—mwells tâ—e beâ—t Governors Rebellion to oppose the sâ—preme Rulers The Parâ—iameâ—â— toâ—d us our danger And we weâ—e bâ—und to 〈◊〉 with Their Eyes TheKing himselâ— opposed and Baxteâ— â—eâ—oâ—ved to jusâ—ify it A Fundamental deâ—troy'd Baxter defends it Parliaments may be corrupt Instances of Parliamentary Coâ—ruptions Votes may be câ—rried by Faction Aâ— appeâ—rs to our cost The major part of Electors are ill meâ— And will chuse others like themsâ—lves Baxter's model for Regâ—lation of Elections The Peoples Right of Election taken away by partial qualifications A Faction packt under he name of a Parliament The People are disoblig'd and not trusted with chusing their own Representative The peoâ—le sick of their Representative The Pastors to approve of the Electors The Empire of Presbytery The Petition and Advice concerning Elections Baxters admirable Expedient ☞ His qualifications accepted The Pharisee and the Publican What if the King should take upon him so Baxtâ—r fâ—â—des Presbyterian and Episcopal Loyalty the same Baxter confounds hisMâ—taphsiycks with his Poliâ—icks Presbyterian Positions Episcopal Positions Presbyt Posit Episc. Posit The Assembly crys out for bloud And stir up the people Mr. â—axter never wrong'd any man Richard refreshes his memory Mr. Baxters Governours A Plot upon the Presbyteâ—ians A bloudy slander Alas the Ho. Com. a most Innocent Book Mr. Baxter lies under horrid Accusations Mr. Baxter transported Any Government but the Right A King is a name of Respect not Power The Kings Authority made precarious And under several Incapacities Baxters Horrid Accusation His Character of ouâ— Church-men Baxters damnable Cases of Conscience Baxt. dreams of a Plot upon him The Cart before the Horse Votes for Uniformity Reasons against Toâ—eration ☜ Mr Baxters Ingratitude How to understand the Presbyterians Words Practises Words Practises Words Practises Words Practises Words Practises Words Practises Words Practisâ—s The War charg'd upon the King Treason to serve the King Words The 19. Deposing Propositions Words Practises Words Practâ—ses Their Professions In the presence of the Almighty A Rebellion in tâ—eName of the everlasting God Covenant Loyalty Slanders upon â—he haâ—m esâ— Presbyterians Presbyteâ—iâ—ns Positions Mr. Baxters best Goâ—ernors in the world The Innocent Non-Conformists The principles of the Late Rebellion revived Mr. â—axters Odd persons He Himselâ— One. Mr. Baxter his oâ—n King and Popâ— Baxters Agument against Ceâ—â—monies The Câ—se wâ—ll Resolved
Folly by Following Accideâ—ts that were then unknown for me to Judge of the Former Cause That which Is Calamitous in the Event is not allways sinfull in the Enterprize Should the Change of Times make me forget the State that we were formerly in and Change my Judgment by losing the sense of what then conduced to it's Enformation This Folly and forgetfullnesse would be the way to a sinfull and not an Obedient Repentance Nor can I be so Unthankful as to say for all the sins and Miscarriages of Men since that we have not received much mercy from the Lord Holy Common-wealth Pa. 487. When Godlynesse was the Common Scorn the Prejudice and shame most lamenâ—ably prevail'd to kâ—ep men from it and so encouraged them in Wickednesse But through the great mercy of God many Thousands have been converted to a Holy upright Life proportionably more then were before since the Reproach did cease and the Prejudice was removed and Faithfull Preachers took the Place of Scandalous ones or Ignorant Readers When I look upon the Place where I live and see that the Families of the Ungodly are here one and there one in a street as the Families of the Godly were heretofore though my own Endeavours have been too weak and cold it â—orceth me to set up the stone of Remembrance and to say HITHERTO HATH THE LORD HELPED US Ibid. Oh the sad and Heart-piercing Spectacles that mine Eyes have seen in four years space This was Jan. 15. 1649. In this Fight a dear Friend falls down by me From another a Pretious Christian bâ—ought home wounded or dead Scarce a month scarce a week without the sight or Noise of Bloud Saints Rest P. 139. Mo. Here 's first a most Evangelicall accompt of the blessed Effects of a Civill War The Propagation of Holynesse And Then a most Remarkable Calculation of the date of your Calamities which commences precisely from the Armies getting the Ascendent of the Two Houses without any respect to the Outrages both upon the Church and State while the Presbyterians Govern'd Ri. Pray'e will ye patiently read over the Representation â—r Letter of the London Ministers to the Lord Generall Jan. 18. 1648. Mo. Very well and since you are pleas'd to cast the Cause and the Integrity of your Party upon That Issue wee 'l see what they say It is allready sufficiently known besides all former Miscarriages what Attempts of late have been put in Practice against Lawfull Authority Letter P. 3. This Lawfull Authority was a Faction of the Two Houses Especially by the Late Remonstrance and Declaration published in Opposition to the Proceedings in Parliament Hâ—re's the Crimen lesae Majestatis As also by seizing and Imprisoning the Kings Person without the Knowledge and Consent of Parliament Ibid. Here 's only a plain Seizure of the Kings Person without the Parliaments Privity or Leave No Condâ—mnation of the Thing it self furthâ—r then as it was done without his Masters Consent Nor was the King more a Prisoner in the hands of the Army then he had been at Newcastle in the hands of the Presbyterians But now they come to That late Vnparall'd violence offer'd to the Members of it forcibly hindâ—ing above one hundred of them if we mistake not the Number from sitting in Parliament Imprisoning many of their Persons though many of them are known to us to be men of Eminent worth and Integrity and who have given most Ample Testimony of their Real Affection to the good of the Kingdome Ibid. Pray'e take notice that it was upon the Members an Unparallel'd violence upon the King no more then a Simple Seizure and methinks they might have bestowed some kind Epithete upon his Majesty as well as upon the Eminent and Worthy Members But 't is only the bare King and That 's All. And besides All This There is an Intent of Framing and contriving a New Model as well of the Laws and Government of the Kingdom as of the Constitution of a new kind of Representative All which Practices we cannot but Judge to be manifestly opposite to the Lawfull Authority of those Majestrates which God hath set over us and to the Duty and Obedience which by the Laws of God and man and by our manifold Oaths and Covenants we stand obliged to render to them Ibid. You are not aware Mr. Richard that to Justify the Doctrine of these Letters falls very little short of Justifying downright Treason unlesse you can shew a Law that places the Supreme Power in the Two Houses The Fear of God therefore whose Ordinance is violated when Magistracy is opposed makes us affraid of medling with Those who without any Colour of Legal Authority meerly upon the Presumption of strength shall attempt such Changes as these are And we â—annot but be deeply Affected with Grief and Astonishment to see that an Army raised by Authority of Parliament for the Preservation of the Priviledges thereof and of our Religion Laws and Liberties should contrary to their Trust and many engagements do That which tends to the Manifest subversion of them All. P. 4. Pray'e where was the Fear of Cod when the King was opposed what Legal Authority had the Two Houses over his Majesty more thâ—n the Army had over the Two Houses Or by what Law did That Parliament raise That Army We have not forgotten those Declared Grounds and Principles upon which the Parliament first took up Arms and upon which we were induced to joyn with them from which we have not hitherto declared and we trust through Gods Grace we NEVER SHALL Pa. 5. We have here in few words the Judgment and the Resolution of the Presbyterian Divines and the standard of their Loyalty from the Lips of the very Oracle of the Party I would fain know now which waâ— the fouler breach of Trust That of the Two Houses toward his Majesty to whom both by Law and Conscience they were obliged besides so many Gratious Concessioâ—s or that of the Army to the Two Houses The one being like the Robbing of an Honest man and the other the Pillaging of That Thief Over and above that the Army was Trayn'd up in the Trade of turning out their Masters And moreover although the PARLIAMENT thus tooâ— up Arms for the defence of their Persons Priviledges and the Preservation of Religion Laws and Liberties yet was it not their Intention thereby to do violence to the Person of the King or divest him of â—is Regal Authority and what of Right belongeth to him Pa. 7. Do but shew me now any one Essential of Sovereignty which those people left hiâ— if they could take it away and I will be answerable to forfeiâ— my head for 't But still it is but what of Righâ— bâ—longeth to him and That 's a Salvo for all the Violences Imaginable We disclam detest and abhor the Wicked and bloudy Teâ—ents and Practices of Iesuits the whrst of Papists
involved in their Cause which may be more fully manifested but that I would not stir too much in the Evils of times past All these and many mâ—re concurring perswaded me that it was Sinfull to be Neutrals and Treachâ—rous to be against the Parliament in that Cause It were a wonder if so many humble honest Christians fearful of sinning and Praying for Direction should be all mistaken in so weighty a Case and so many Damme's all in the Right pa. 481. Ba. Very Learnedly apply'd But do not I say Pa. 437 That if a Parliament would wrong a King and depose him Unjustly and change the Government for which they have no Power the Body of the Nation may refuse to serve them in it yea may forcibly restrayn them If they Notâ—riously betray their Trust not in some Tolerable matters but in the Fundamentalls or Points that the Common Good dependeth on and engage in a Cause that would destroy the Happynesse of the Common-wealth It is then the Peoples duty to forsake them anâ— cleave to the King against them if they be Enemies to the Common-wealth Pag. 438. Ri. Now I beseech ye Mr. Baxter be pleased to Compare pa. 43â— with pa. 424. where you lay down This Thesâ—â— Though some injâ—ry to the King be the Occasion of the War it is the Duty of all the Pâ—â—ple to defend the Common-wealth against him Yâ—t so as thâ—t tâ—â—y protest against That Injury Ba. But what say ye all this while to the Case of making Coâ—nt to an Usurper When it is Notorious say I that where a maâ— has no Right to Govern People are not bound to Obey him unlesse by Accident Thesis 339. Ri. We detest their Oâ—inion who think that a strong and prâ—sperous Vsurper may be defended against the King or that the Kiâ—g is not to be defâ—ndâ—d against him to the hazzard of our Estates 〈◊〉 Lives Non-Conf 2d part Pa. 77. Meer Conquest withâ—â—â— Consent is no Just Title Ibid. P. 108. And again Vsâ—rpâ—â— have no True Power nor do their Commands bind anb one in Conscâ—ence to formal Obedience nor may they be set up and defended agaiâ—â—â— the Lawfull Governour Pa. 55. And Those are Vsurpers 〈◊〉 by Force or Fraud depose the Lawfull Governour and take his place Ibid. If Vsurpers claim the Crown the Suâ—ject must Iudge whâ—â— is their King and must defend his Right Non-Con Plea 70. Ba. But what if the People shall Miss-Judge All things are not destructive to the Common-wealth that are Judg'd so by Dissenting Subjects Holy Com. Pref. Nor are Subjeâ—ts allow'd to Resist whenever they are consident that Rulers would destroy the Common-wealth Ibid. Oh how happy would the best of Nations under Heaven be If they had the Rulers that our Ingratitude hath cast off Our old Constitution was King Lords and Commons which we were sworn and sworn and sworn again to be faithfull to and to Defend The King with-drawing the Lords and Commons Ruled alone though they Attempted not the Change of the Species of Government Next This we had the Major part of the House of Commons in the Exercise of Sovereign Power the Corrupt Majority as the Army call'd them being cast out Ibid. c. 'T is no matter for the Following Revolutions To resist or depose the Best Governours in all the world that have the Supremacy is forbidden to Subjects on point of Damnation Ibid. Ri. Pray'e hold your hand a little Mr. Baxter If the Government was iâ— King Lords and Commons how came the Two Houses â—o Rule Alone with an Vsurpation And without changing the Species of the Government or how came we that you say were sworn over and over to all Three to depose the Head and Submit to the other Two and to let the Government sink from a Monaâ—chy into aâ— Aristocracy and why might not the Commons cast out the Lords and the Army the Commons as well as the Two Houses cast off the King Especially by your own Comment upon Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers Ho. Com. 3E9 Where you expound the Higher Power to be Intended of the Governours in Actual Possession What hindred this Aâ—gument from holding when the King was in Actual Possession Ba. A people may give an Honourary Title to the Prince and not give the same to Others that have part in the Sovereignty So that Names are not the only Notes of Sovereignty Wherefore one must not Judge of the Power of Princes by their Titles or Names Ho. Com. Pa. 432. The Law saith the King shall have the Power of the Militia supposing it to be against Enemies and not against the Common-wealth nor them that have part of the Sovereignty with him To Resist him here is not to Resist Power but Usurpation and Private Will In such a Case the Parliament is no more to be Resisted then he because they are also the Higher Power Ho. Com. Pa. 431. And there 's more in 't yet If a Prince be statedly made a Begger or forsaken or Ejected by a Conqueror and so Uncapable of Governing if it be but pro Tempore the Subjects for That time that have no opportunity to Restore him are disobliged from his Actual Government Pa. 139. Ri. So that the Sâ—izing of a Prince's Revenue deposes him from 〈◊〉 Soverâ—ignty and descharges his Subjects of their Obedience But I took Inferior Magistrates to be Subjects of the King as well as the meanest men and to have no more Power to Depose or take up Armâ— against him then other Subjects Non-Con Plea 2d part p. 5â— And In all the times of Vsurpation and since I said and wrote that the Kings Person is Inviolable and to be Iudg'd by none either Peâ—r or Parliament and that it is none but Subjects that they mâ—y call to Account Iudge and Punish Pref. Ba. I shall leave Others to Judge in what Cases Subjeâ—â—s may Resist Kings by Arms We shall only Conclude that no Humane Power can Abrogate the Law of Nature Non-Câ—â— Plea 2 d. Part Pa. 57. Ri. And may not the Two Houses be Resisted by the Law of Nature as well as they oppoâ—â—â— the King Modâ—â—â— Subjâ—cts should rather study what Laws God hath made for Themselves then what 〈◊〉 he hath made for Kings and what 〈…〉 Own duty thâ—â— whâ—t iâ— the Kings Thâ—ugh 〈…〉 are not bound to be 〈◊〉 Non-Con Plea 2 d. Part. Pa. 48. Ba. Nay I am as little for Restraining of Sovereign Power as any â—lesh breathing It is not saâ—e or Lawfull for the People to Limit or Restrain the Sovereign Power from disposâ—â—g so far of the Estates of All as is necessary to the safety of Aâ—l which is the End of Government Thesis 115. Nay A Governour cannot Lawâ—ully be Restrayned by the People from preserving them Thes. 120. For the Multitude are Covetous Tenacious Injudicious and Incompetent Judges of the Necessities
or Commodity of the Common-wealth Pa. 115. Ri. But what was it you were saying e'en now of the Best Governours in the World Ba. I was saying that the Best Governours in all the World that have the Supremacy have been Resisted or deposed in England I mean 1. Them that the Army called the Câ—rrupt Majority or an Hundred Forty and Three Imprison'd and Secluded Members of the Long Parliament who as the Majority had you know what power 2. The Powers that were last layd by I should with great Rejoycing give a Thousand Thanks to That man that will acquaint me of One Nation upon all the Earth that hath better Governours in Sovereign Power as to Wisdome and Holyness Conjunâ—t then those that have been Resisted or deposed in Englâ—â—â— Ho. Com. Pref. Ri. You Speak of the Secluded Members and the Two Cromwells But they all came in by Violence And I know none of the Non-Conformists that take it not for Rebellion to pull down or sâ—t up â—orcibly by the Sword any thing against the Supreme Râ—ler or Without him R. Bs. Letter to Mr. Hinckly Pa. 8â— Ba. The Parliament did Remonstrate to the Kingdom the danger of the Subversion of Religion and Liberties and of the Common Good and Interest of the People whose Trustees they were Ho. Com. Pa. 471. And If a Nation Regularly chuse a Representative Body of the most Noble Prudent Interested Members to discern their dangers and the Remedies and preserve their Liberties and Safety the People tâ—emselves are to discern These Dangers and Remedies by THEIR eyes Thes. 356. And I think it was time for us to believe a Parliament concerning our Danger and Theirs when we heard so many Impious persons rage against them Pa. 472. the Irish professing to raise Arms for the King to defend his Prerogative and their own Religion against the Parliament I say in such a time as This we had Reason to believe our entrusted Watchmen that told us of the danger and no Reason to suffer our Lives and Libertyes to be taken out of their Trust and wholly put into the hands of the King We had rather of the two be put upon the Inconvenience of Justifying our Defence then to have been Butcher'd by Thousands and fall into such hands as Ireland did Pa. 473. But all the Wars that have been since the Opposition to the Parliament and Violence done to the Person of the King were far from being own'd by the Common Sort of the Now Non-Conformists c. Non-Conf Plea Pa. 138. Ri. You were saying a while agoe as I remember that a Parliament that destroys Fundamentals is an Enemy to the Common-Wealth and the People ought to oppose them Pray'e Say 〈◊〉 not the Freedome and Right of the Electors as much a Fundamental as the Priviledge and Trust of the Elected How comes it then that you propound the Reducing of Elections to the Faithfâ—â—l honest Upright men c. Pref. to the Ho. Com. Ba. Let me speak afterwards of the Necessity and of the Utility of This Cause 1. It is known that Parliaments quà Tales are not Divine Religious Protestant or Just. The Six Articles by which the Martyrs were burnt were made by a Parliament All the Laws for the Papal Interests in the days of Popery have been made by them They have often Followed the Wills of Princes to and fro and therefore they are not Indefectible nor Immutable as such Ho. Com. Pa. 243. Mo. Very right and all the late Orders and Ordinances 〈◊〉 Sequestring Crown and Church-Revenues Commitments Plunders Decimations and the like were made by that which you call a Parliament But see now in what a Condition Thâ—t people must be that sees with the Parliaments Eyes in caâ—â— of such Parliaments as you suppose and the Remedy you prescribe is worse then the disease for take away the Freedome of Choyce and the Persons Chosen are a Faction rather then a Parliament Ba. 2. It is known that there are Mambers of Varioâ—â— minds in them all and sometime the miscarrying Party is so strong that by a few more voices they might brsng Misery oâ— the Common-wealth Ibid. Mo. This we have found in severall cases upon Experiment to the Ruine of three Kingdomes Ba. 3. It is well known that in most parts the Majoâ—-Vote of the Vulgar that are Chusers are Ignorant selfish of Private Spirits ruled by mony and therefore by their Landlords and other Great and Powerful men and withall they are bitterly distasted against the Serious diligent Practice of Religion according to the Rules of Christ. Ibid. 4. It is therefore apparent that if they had their Liberty They would chuse such as are of their minds and it was by Providence and Accident that heretofore they did not so Ibid. Mo. Here 's a Compendious Model Mr. Baxter of your Project for the due Regulation of the Electours and Elections of Parliament Thes. 211. First you propound to take away from the People of England their Ancient and Undoubted Right of Chusing their own Representatives 2. to Unqualify all the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty of the Land that are Well Affected to the Government of Church and State And 3ly To Pack a Faction under the name of a Parliament of your own Leaven Or if that will not doe 't is but employing the Rabble again to give the House a swinging Purge and you are at your Journeys End Proceed Ba. 5. It is certain that the Wars the Change of Church-Government and Forms of Worship the Differences of Religious men and the many Sects that have lately risen up among us and the strict Laws of Parliament about the Lords day c. and Specially their Taxes have deeply discontented them and exasperated them against such as they think have caused these so that many would now purposely design Their Ruine Ibid. In fine Without Regulating Elections what Probability is there but the next that is chosen by a Majority of Votes with absolute Freedom will undoe all that hath been done and be revenged to the full on all that were so odious to them and Settle our Calamity by a Law Mo. This is a more Candid Account Mr. Baxter then you Intended it For the People may well be allow'd to have Cursed the Authours of those bloudy Broyles The Prophaning of our Temples The suppressing of our Church-Government and Liturgy the Propagating of so many Sects and Schisms and bringing the Nation to Grone under Their Taxes like the Asse under the Burthen But how is That the Peoples Representative that Shuts the people out of the Election and acts both Without and Against their Consent The Tenth part of this encroachment upon the Common Liberty from the King would have been Cry'd out against as Arbitrary And Tyrannicall But what way would you direct for the Limiting of the Qualifications ba. Let all Pastors in England that are Approved have an
other Places And then the boldnesse and Importunity of the Dividers encrease the necessity of the Injunction If you have forgotten the Common Votes and Addresse of Feb 25. 1662. upon This Subject Pray let me remember you of them Resolved c. Nemine Contradicente That the humble Thanks of This House be returned to his Majesty for his Resolution to maintain the Act of Vniformity Resolved c. That it be presented to the Kings Majesty as the humble Advise of the House that no Indulgence be granted to the dissentâ—â— from the Act of Vniformity For these Reasons 1. It will establish Schisme by a Law amd make the 〈◊〉 Government of the Church Precaeious and the Censures of it of no moment or Consideration at all 2. It will no way become the Gravity or Wisdome of a Parliâ—ment to passe a Law at One Session for Vniformity and 〈◊〉 the next Session the Reasons of Vniformity continuing still the Same to passe Another Law to frustrate or Weaken the Execution of it 3. It will expose your Majesty to the Restlesse Importunity of every Sect or Opinion and of every single person also who shal presume to Dissent from the Church of England 4. It will be a cause of encreasing Sects and Sectaries 〈◊〉 Numbers will weaken the true Protestant Religion so far thâ—t it will at least be difficult for it to defend it self against theâ— And which is yet further Considerable those Numbers which by being Troublesome to the Government find they can arrive to 〈◊〉 Indulgence will as their Numbers encrease be yet more Troubâ—â—some that so at length they may arrive to a General Toleration which your Majesty hath declar'd against and in time some preâ—â—lent Sect will at last contend for an Establishment which for 〈◊〉 can be fore-seen may end in Popery 5. It is a thing altogether without Precedent and will take away all means of Convicting Recusants and be inconsistent with the Method and Proceedings of the Laws of England Lastly It is humbly conceived that the Indulgence Proposed will be so far from tending to the Peace of the Kingdome that it is rather likely to Occasion great Disturbance And on the Contrary that the Asserting of the Laws and the Religion Established according to the Act of Uniformity is the most probable means to produce a settled Peace and Obedience throughout your Kingdome Because the Variety of Professions in Religion when openly divulged doth directly distinguish men into Parties and withall gives them opportunity to count Their Numbers which considering the Animosities that out of a Religious Pride will be kept on foot by the severall Factions doth tend directly and Inevitably to open disturbance Nor can your Majesty have any security that the Doctrine or Worship of the severall Factions which are all govern'd by a severall Rule shall be Consistent with the Peace of your Kingdome And if any Persons shall presume to disturb the Peace of the Kingdome We do in all Humility dâ—clare that we will for ever and in all Occasions be ready with our utmost Endeavours and Assistance to adhere to and serve your Majesty according to our bounden Duty and Allegiance Only one Word more and That must be to tax you with Infinite Ingratitude in saying that Parliaments for ought you know never did any thing for your Relief or Ease what do ye think of the Act of Indemnity I beseech ye Was it Nothing to give you your Lives Liberties and Estates again when all was Forfeited Nay and it is come to that Point now too that those very Instruments that were forgiven by the King for the Ruin of the Church and Three Kingdoms will not at this day forgive his Majesty for Endeavouring according to the Advice of his Parliament to Re-establish and Preserve them Ri. If you would understand us aright you must repair to our Declarations Professions Commissions National Oaths and Covenants and the Like Ho Com. Pag. 477. And pray Observe the Tenor of our Stile Addresse Protestations and other Proceedings Your Majesties most Humble and Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons Dec. 14. 1641. Most Humble and Faithfâ—â—â— Subjects Dec. 15. Most Humble and Obedient Subjects Exact Collections â—a 2. Mo. And now put That Libellous Remonstrance of Dec. 15. in the Scale against Three or Four Words of Course of the same date Ri. The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons your Faithful and Loyall Subjects c. Ibid. Pa 44. Dec. 31. 1641. Mo. This was a Message to his Majesty for a Guard which the King most graciously offer'd them but One of his Chusing it seems would not do the Businesse Ri. Your most faithful and Obedient Subjects the Lords and Commons in this Present Parliament c. Ibid. Pa. 65. Jan. 29. Mo. They Petition'd to have the Tower of London and all oeher Forts and the whole Militia of the Kingdom to be FORTHWITH put into the hands of such Persons as both Houses should Recommend c Ex. Coll. Jan. 29. 1641. And what did his Majesty now get by the Complement Ri. Your Humble and Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons c. Ibid. Feb. 22. 1641. Pa. 80. Mo. His Majesties Humble and Loyal Subjects are pleas'd to declare in this Petition that if the King does not Instantly grant them their Petition about the Militia they are bound by the Laws of God and man to take the Militia into their own hands Ri. Your Majesties most Loyal and Obedient Subjects the Lords and Commons c. Ib. Mar. 1. 1641. Pa. 92. Mo. In this Petition they threaten to dispose of the Militia by the Authority of the Two Houses They Order his Majesty where to dispose of his Person and absolutely deny the Kings Powâ—â— of the Militia but by Authority and consent of Parliament Ri. Your most Dutyful and Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons c. Ib. 138. Apr. 1642. Your Majesties most Loyal and Faithful Subjects the Lords and Commons c. Ib. Apr. 8. 1642. Pa. 141. Mo. Very Good And the Former of These was for Leave to remove the Magazin at Hull to the Tower of London And the Other was to divert the King from going into Ireland to supptesse the Irish Rebellion which had certainly been done and to tell him that if he went contrary to the Advice of his Parliament They were resolved in his Absence not to submit to any Commissioners he should appoint but to preserve and Govern the Kingdome by the Counsell and Advice of Parliament c. Ri. Your Majesties Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons in his Parliament Ibid. 258. May 1642. Mo. Here His Majesties Loyal Subjects presse the King to disband his Troops at York or otherwise they 'le take the Quiet of the Kingdome into their own Care And passe These following Votes Resolved upon the Question 1. That it appears that the King seduced
Uniformiâ—y made Episcopacy and Common-pâ—ayer unlawfâ—ll 'T is the Law that Silences anâ— not the Bishops Non-Conformists silence themselves Berter particulars suffer then 〈◊〉 Order oâ—â—â—vernment be dissolved Richard agâ—ees with Dr Reynolds 〈◊〉 conform'd Richard pleads altogether for Love Baâ—ters way of eâ—pressing â—ichard against rash â—â—nsuring 〈…〉 Baxter agâ—inst Richâ—rd Mr Baâ—ters Chaâ—ity to the Clergy and discipâ—ine of â—he Chuâ—ch His brotherly Love Church ann State arraign d. Richard and Baxter of two quite different spirits The persecuted are the perssecutors Be sure first of what spirit â—he Non-Confoâ—mists are The spirit of the Non-Conformists His Late Majesties Judgement Experience upon it The spirit that Richard plâ—ads â—or Richards â—oleration Who are the Judges the Government or the People Modest Dissenters deserve pity The Dispute is not Scruple but Power Plain dealing Richard puts the Case of a Saint and a Schismatick Baxters Saints Baxter sully resolved to go to them that dy'd in Rebellion He joys to think what Company he shall have Baxter says that Professors will rail and lye c. But that neither Perjury drunkennesse Incest Concubines nor Idols can make them dotoriously ungodly The Saints that are cast out for hereticks Either Tolerate All or None but upon a Penalty No men must be Tolerated if no Errour Baxter shews the Inconveniences of Toleration Pride makes one mans Religion Faction anotheâ—s Which ends in bloud And yet passâ—â— for doing God good service And the motion of the spirit Enthusiastick zeaâ— Dotageâ—â—aâ—en foâ— Reâ—elations Scripture the Ruâ—e But who must expound it One mans Faith must not Impose upon anotâ—ers Mistake will not justifie the Errour nor exâ—use a Disobedience Men will be zealous even in Errour More zeal then understanding is not good None so fierce and bold as â—he Ignorant Even Teachers themselves are false Guides Mâ— Baxter himself has been mistaken Ill luck with his Aphorisms How Richard was wheedled in i. e. he was reconci ' d to the Church Richards best Christians found to â—e Schismaticks Great mâ—n misled and why not 〈…〉 Believe not every spirit Tâ—e Dissenters Cause is still Gods cause Their false Prophets Tâ—e Kings death directed by a Revelation Sedgwicks day of Judgment Vavasâ—r Poweâ—s Prophecy of no more Kings or Taxeâ— Rather the Law of the Land then the Humour of the people A Fear of sinning ought to be cherished even in a mistake Dangerous trusting to scruples Who would have thought it Thâ— Episcopal Clergy Simeon and Levi. O the force of a misguided Conâ—cience The very Case of the seduced muâ—â—iâ—ude The Name of Libeâ—ty does moâ—e â—â—en â—he consideâ—atio◠〈◊〉 Heaven it self Baxtâ—r against Liberty And Toleration Liberty the way to set up Popery Mr. Richard an Improper Advocate for Toleration Richard is a Conformist Mr. Baxters Sermon that brought the King in Presbytery for the Lords sake Oh the happy times when Presbyterians rul'd Have a care of scandalous Inventions The Ignorant Church-Tyrants Richard not absolutely against the Cross. â—axters a Loyallist Errour is no eâ—cuse for disobedience The Preâ—eoce of Natuâ—e and true Reason avoids â—ll Law A Popuâ—ar Fallacy The Presbyâ—eriâ—n way of bâ—inâ—ing in â—he King Richards challenge In justification oâ— the Non-Conformisâ—s The Non-Conformists charge A Presbyterian defin'd Presbyterians swallow ap all otheâ— Sectâ— at â—irst and tâ—en spâ—w theâ— up agâ—in Richard sayâ— that the Episcâ—pal mâ—n bâ—gan â—he war Tâ—e two Housâ—s Lord â—ieuâ—eâ—â—nâ—s Oâ—â—icâ—r Civil and Miâ—iâ—â—â—y Assembâ—y 〈◊〉 Divineâ— aâ—mâ—st all Episcopâ—l mâ—n The Kings â—â—gag'd Enemâ—â—â—â—ere all 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The Parliament bâ—ought in the Scots Few worthier Assemblies since the Apostles days Their good naâ—uâ—e toward the Independents The Guild-Hall haâ—â—ngue◠〈◊〉 brought in the Scots His Majesties Proclamation against the Assembly of Divines Jun 22. 1643. Painful Able Laborious Ministers The Loyall Presbyterians The 〈…〉 Kings Proclamation A Dutiful Proposition The Worthy 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 An Abuse put upon the Nation An Extract of Parâ—iament Proceedings 1643. The Assembly stir up the people to rise Prov'd to he a Presbyterian War Richard says the War began about Religion Baxter says it began about matter of Law Richard says 't was about the Militia Baxter says the War was made for Reformation A lewd scandal upon the late Kings Government Râ—câ—ard will not allow of war â—ot Religion Baxter iâ— for a Reâ—igious Wer. They are fools that think â—ther 〈◊〉 In caâ—â— oâ— pâ—râ—secutiâ—â— we fighâ—â—or our own and our posâ—eriâ—â—â—â—â—alâ—ation The late Kings sâ—ffeâ—ings forgot en among gâ—eater 〈…〉 Pryn Burton and Bastwick lamented but not a word â—f the Royal Marâ—yr Presbytery not setled sayâ— Richâ—rd Baxter contradicts hiâ— And coâ—foâ—â—s himselâ— with comparing 〈◊〉 day of Richard Pâ—otector wiâ—h Charle â— Ten 〈◊〉 Hypocrites Now 〈◊〉 One 〈◊〉 Baxters Compâ—eâ—enâ— to the Sons of the 〈◊〉 1659 Richard Cromwells faitâ—full Subiects Mr. Baxters Political Aphorismes composed expresly to keep out the King Poor Râ—chard like 〈…〉 and prâ—ying againâ—t the Scots The spirit of Malignity has taken 〈◊〉 the Army The Presbyterians Perâ—ecuted The Presbyterians Journey-men the Army seâ— up for themselves Somewhat of an accomoda-Generosiâ—y in the Independents The poor Presbyterians persecuted by the Army for not joyning against the Scots Oh the persecution oâ— forcing men against their Conscienâ—es But so long as â—hey do not suffer as evil-doers No persecution to oppresse the Church and all that love it Mr. Baxtâ—r places the Crown upon the wrong Head The King destroy'd by Presbyterians as Presbyterians The Loyalty of â—axters Orthodox sober Ministers Richard subject to the Higher power but not resolv'd which it is An Even score of Orthodox sober Divines The last Kings bloud not valu'd at a Ceremony ☞ The Kings Murther justify'd the day after it was committed All Christian Kings Anti-Christianiz'd ☜ A Reflection upon â—is Majesâ—y aâ—â—er his Deâ—eâ—t at Woâ—cester Prelacy Anti-Christian A Pedant triumphing over Charles the II. and Monarchy it self And calling the King Tyrant Are These Fit Agents for Unity and Peace Richard True to the King but he mistook the King Baxters Reâ—stauration Sermon Asserts the Presbyterian Loyalty Makes the King a Subject and worse Pleads for Presbytery without a word of restoring the King The War raisâ—d for King and Parâ—iaâ—ent Their Oaths Covenants were fast and loose at pleasure The pretext of the War Religion the Cause Ambition The Loyal Presbyteâ—ians usurp Sovereign Power The Two Houses were the King in the Covenant No Reconciling of the Covenant King the Legal Richard holds Oaths to Princes to be Dispensable Baxter holds Oaths of Allegiance to be Indispensable Richard will hate the Covenant binding as it is a Vow The League and Covenant and Vow and Covenant The League and Covenant Impos d. Baxter is his own onâ—essor â—nd bsolves himseâ—f The Covenanâ— for the King qualify'd for Reâ—igion If the King be against Religion the Covenant is against him Richard lays the Death of the King to Oliver The Baxterians attack'd the King And they foughâ— to kill
Constitution of Churches the Powers of Princes and Pastors in Eccclesiastical Matters and Cases of Lawful Separation he makes a Sally without any manner of Connexion or Provocation into the State and Right of the War Pa. 123. He charges it upon a Faction among the Bishops and the falling in of the Majority of the Parliaments to the Popular part of them in That division which is a Calumny as remote from the Subject of his Discourse as it is from Truth If it had been as he woud have it how comes the whole Order of Bishops to be Assaulted Their Persons Affronted and their Votes in Parliament taken away without distinction Was the Feud so deadly as to make them destroy Themselves and Ruine the whole Hierarchy in Revenge How came it to pass that Bishop Hall a Person Celebrated even by Mr Baxter himself for his Piety and Moderation How came This Reverend Prelate I say te be so Coursly handled by the Corporation of the Smectymnuans Marshall Calamy Young Newcomen and Spurstow and Treated by Five of the most Eminent men of the Parâ—y with Scurrilitys fitter for the Priests of Priapus then the Ministers of the Gospell Pa. 124. He goes on with his Remarks upon Bishop Laud over and over The Book of Sports on the Lords day the business of Altars Rayls and Bowing towards them Afternoon-Sermons and Lectures put down Imprisonments Stigmatisings Removals c. And then Pa. 125. He pâ—oceeds to the new Liturgy Imposed on the Scots c. But says he a little below we are Vnwilling to be the Mentioners of any More then Concerneth our Present Cause and the Things are Commonly known Which is such a way of Mentioning no more as gives to understand without speaking all the Ill Imaginable that was Left unsaid Methinks Mr. Baxter might have let This most Reverend Pious Loyal and ANTIPAPAL Arch-Bishop have slept quietly in â—is Grave and out of pure Gratitude to our Present Sovereign to whose Mercy this very Gentleman owes his Life setting aside the Veneration that belongs to Majesty and Truth Mâ—thinks Mr. Baxter might have spared this Lâ—bell ander the Government of the Son against the Administrations of the Father But it is no new thing â—or Criminals to Arraign Innocents or for Those that aâ—e Pardon'd for Subverting the Government to shoot thâ—ir Arrows â—vâ—n â—itter Words against Those that hâ—ve been Persecuted and Murther'd for Endeavouring to defend it And now after all Thesâ— Imputations upon the King the Church and the Loyall Party â—vâ—n to the Degree of making them Aâ—sweraâ—le for all the Blood that has been spilt We must not so much as presume to say that we are Innocent But every Vindication of the King the Church and the Law from the Insults of the Common Enemy is exclaimed against as an Inrode upon the Act of Indemnity If Mr. Baxter will needs be laying the Râ—bâ—llion at the wrong dâ—or and Discharging the Presbyterians Why mâ—y not any Honest man Reply upon him and say in agreement with Mr. Baxter himself Non-Conformists Plea I. Part. Pa. 127. that it was the Solemn League and Covenant that did the work Which Solemn League was not only an Exprâ—sse Oath of Allegiancâ— to Presbytery but to the most Tyrannical of all Presbyteriâ—s Thâ—t of tâ—e Scottish Kirk it self But why do I call it an Oath of Allegiance to Presbytery When it was in Truth a direct Conjuration against the Government both Ecclesiastical and Civil for the Introducing of it It would be Tedious and Superfluous to Crowd all the Particulars of This Pamphlet into a Preface so that I shall rather refer the Reader to the Book for the rest where he may compare Mr. Baxter with himself for it is Effectually but an Abstract out of Mr. Baxter's Writings By the Paradoxes Disagreements and Contradictions he will be able to Iudge of the Authour and by the Authour in a great Measure of the Party He that would see them drawn more to the Life may repair to the Original of our Saviours for the Pharisees in the Gospell Examin them Narrowly and you shall not find so much as the semblance of a Colourable Argument but they are still changing their Battery and Pretense according to the various Accidents and dispositions of State and it is but tracing the History of the Late times to find every Round of the Ladder that advanc'd them from Petitioners to Rulers They Plead the Cause of Thousands in the Land they tell us and yet there 's not a Single man in all Those Thousands that understands one bit of the Controversy They cry aloud against Idolatry Superstition Abominations Symbolical Ceremonies Will-Worship Humane Inventions and Order their Disciples just as they do their Children They dresse up a Terrible thing of Clouts and call it a Bull-begger which is no other then a Mormo of their own Creating They have a certain Routin of Words and Sayings that have the tone of Magique in the very Sound of them and serve only without any other Meaning like the Drum and the Trumpet to rouse up the Multitude to Battle But the Lords Ordinance and the Primitive Pattern stand them in Mighty stead For though they have been Foyld as often as Encountred upon This Question yet the very Terms of the Controversy being is good as Syriack to the Common people there is a Mist cast before their Eyes and they are never in so good time to see Visions as when they are stark blind To Conclude I have exposed these Sheâ—â—s to the â—â—â—â—ck rather as Mr. Baxters work then my own If 〈…〉 it was none of my Fault that my Authour would not me 〈…〉 Nor have I any more to say upon the whole matter but that I have been as fair to Mr. Baxter as He hath been to Himself A DIALOGUE c. Moderator Richard and Baxter Moderator YEs yes I remember the Conference at the Savoy perfectly well by This Token that Dr. Gunning and Dr. Pearson the Bishops of Ely and Chester deliver'd you this very Proposition That Command which Commandeth an Act in it self Lawfull and no other Act whereby any unjust Penalty is enjoyned nor any Circumstance whence directly or per accidens any Sin is Consequent which the Commander ought to provide against hath in it all things requisâ—â—â— to the Lawfulnesse of a Command and particularly cannot be guilty of commanding an Act per accidens Unlawfull nor of Commanding an Act under an Unjust Penalty B of Worcesters Letter in his Vindication against M. Baxter P. 36. Ri. Very Good and I gave them under my hand my Opinion to the Contrary Because said I the fiâ—st Act commanded may be per accidens Unlawful and be Commanded by an Vnjust Penalty tho' no other Act or Circumstance Commanded be such Ibid. Pa. 36. Ba. Nay hold you Brother I 'm of another Opinion If the thing Commanded be such as is simply ill and forbidden us by God in all Cases whatsoever then no ones Commands can
their Fathers I say they are as zealous for These as if Eternal Life consisted in them Where God forbids them there they are as forward as if they could never do enough and where God Commands them There they are as backward to it yea as much against it as if they were the Commands of the Devil himself And for the Discipline of Christ tho all parts of the world have much opposed it yet where hath it been so fiercely and powerfully resisted The Lord grant that this harden'd willful malicious Nation fall not under that Heavy Doom Luke 19.27 But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me R. B's Saints Rest Part. 3. P. 91. Mo. To see the difference now Gentlemen betwixt your two Spirits The One so meek and like a Christian the Other so clamorous and so Uncharitable What hopes of Unity and Peace or what Pretence to 't so long as these dividing and defaming Liberties are kept a foot Your Friend Richard tells you very well Mr. Baxter that Such Holynesse is a deceiptfull Name that Sâ—tan puts upon Unholynesse and a loathsom Sacrifice to the God of Love You revile the Government and those that Conform to it and yet at the same time you tell the People that you are persecuted You would be thought kinder to his Majesty however in devolving the severity from the King upon the Clergy and yet his Majesty is pleased to minde you that Since the Printin this Declaration severall Seditious Pamphlets and Quaeres have been Published and Scatter'd abroad to infuse dislike and Iealousies into the hearts of the People and of the Army and some who ought rather to have repented the former mischief they have wrought then to have endeavour'd to emprove it have had the hardynesse to publish that the Doctrine of the 〈◊〉 against which no man with whom we have conferred 〈◊〉 excepted ought to be reformed as well as the Discipline â— So that all this yielding was too little it seems to stop the Mouths of an Insatiable Faction But what is it at last that you would be at Ri. I beg of the Clergy that before they any more render Odiâ—â—s These whom they never heard and Vrge Rulers to Execute the Laws against them that is to confine Imprison Excommunicate Silâ—nce and Vndo thâ—m they would be sure what manner of spirit they are of Non-con Plea Part I. Epistle Mo. Sure of what spirit you are do ye say Why Certainly your own Conscience tells you that we are sure of that as Hearing Seeing Feeling and Understanding can make us You are by your own Professions of the Presbyterian Spirit The Spirit that made Perjury the Condition of Life Liberty and Estate to every man in the Case of your Covenant The Spirit that Entred upon Sequestred Livings and left not the Loyal Clergy the Freedome so much as of Teaching a School to supply themselves and their Miserable Families with Bread The Spirit that deny'd the King in his Distresses the Comfort of so much as a Common-Prayer Book or the Assistance of his own Chaplains A greater Rigour and Barbarity then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and Greatest Malefactors whom though the Iustice of the Law deprive of Worldly Comforts yet the mercy of Religion allows them the Benefit of their Clergy as not ayming at once to destroy their Bodies and to damn their souls EIK. BAS 207. They that envy my being a King are loth I should be a Christian while they seek to deprive me of all things else they are affraid I should save my Soul Ibid. Behold here in a few words the Spirit that you plead for 〈◊〉 〈…〉 poor Creatures We would only have a Toleration of all â—haâ—'s Tolerable he that will Tolâ—rate All is Bad and he that will Tolerate none that differ is Madd R. B's answer to Dr. Stillingfleet P. 84. Mo. If the Church may be Iudge all that are Tolerable are Tolerated allready If the People must be the Iudges the Intolerable must be Tolerated for Company For so long as every Party Makes or Pretends it self to be in the Right all the Dissenters have one Common Plea But in case of any Indulgence to be allow'd it is certainly due to these in preference that are quietest without it I cannot but have great Compassion for any Party that labours under a Religious and Invincible Disagreement and Modesty applies to Authority for Relief For so long as they only tell their own Tale I cannot but in â—harity believe that they have no other design then to do their own businesse But when a Conscientious Pretense comes to be carry'd on by Scandall Invective Reproach and such Methods as are directly Irreligious the dispute is no longer matter of Scruple or Worship but Superiority and Power There may be Religion in telling the Government what you desire but the exposing of your Superiours to the People is Down right Sedition And as you have handled the matter you might e'en with as good a Grace tell the Rabble in plain English Look ye my Masâ—ers here 's a company of Anti-Christian Swearing Drinking Fellows that will not let us have Liberty of Conscience But I would fain hear you two debate the business of Toleraâ—on a little betwixt your selves Ri. What if you shall smite or cast out a supposed Schismatique and Christ shall find an able holy peaceable Minister or other Christian Wounded or Mourning out of doors Pet. for Peace P. 12. Or see a Schismatique wounded and a Saint found Bleeding c. Saints Rest. P. 1â—â— Ba And now you talk of Saints Richard to think of such a Friend dyed at such a time and such a one at another time such a pretious Christian slain in such a Fight and such a one at â—uch a Fight O what a number of them could I name and that all these are enter'd into Rest and we shall surely go to Them but They shall not return to Us. Saints Rest. P. 100. In That State of Rest Angells as well as Saints will be Our blessâ—d Associates Ibid. P. 101. I think Christians This will be a more Honourable Assembly then you ever here beheld and a more happy Society then you were ever of before Surely Pyâ— and White c. are now members of a more Knowing Vnerriâ—g Well-order'd Right-aiming Self-denying Vnanimous Honourable Tryumphant Senate then This from whence they were taken is or ever Parliament will be It is better to be door-keeper to That Assembly whither Twisse c. are Translated then to have continu'd here the Moderator of This. Saints Rest. P. 101. Nay how many Professors will rashly rail and lye in their Passions How few will take well a Reproof but rather defend their sin how many in these times that we doubt not to be Godly have been guilty of
Grounds The extirpation of Piety was the then great Designe which had so far succeeded that very many of the most able Ministers were silenced Lecturers and Evening-Sermons on the Lords Day suppressed Christians imprisoned dismembred and Banished the Lords Day reproached and devoted to Pastimes that it was as much as a mans Estate at least was worth to hear a Sermon abroad when he had none or worse at home To meet for Prayer or any Godly Exercise and that it was a matter of Credit and a way to Perferment to revile at and be enemies against those that were most Conscientious And every where safer to be a drunkard or an Adulterer then a painfull Christian And that multitudes of Humane Ceremonies took place when the worship of Christs Institution was cast out besides the slavery that Invaded us in Civil Respects So am I MOST CERTAIN that this was the work which We took up Arms to resist And these were the Offenders whom we endeavoured to Offend And many of those that scruple the Lawfulness of our War did never Scruple the Lawfullness of destroying us nor of that dolefull havock and Subversion that was made in the Church of Christ amongst us The fault was that we would not more willingly change the Gospel for Ignorance and our Religion for a Fardel of Ceremonies R. B's Saints Rest. p. 257.258 Ri. But the Kings Subjects may not enter into Leagues Câ—â—â—nants and Arms against him without his consent and Laws mâ—â—ly to propagate Religion and Reformation in the Kingdom Non-conf Plea 2d part pa. 77. If Governors command us to sin against Gâ—â— Subjects must not obey but yet not Resist Much less take up Arm◠〈◊〉 Reform Others or even to bring in a True Religion by Vnauthorisâ—â— Violence Ibid. p. 56. Ba. It is but a delusory course of some in These Times tâ—â—t write many Volâ—mns to pâ—ove that Subjects may not beâ—t Arms against thâ—iâ— Priâ—ces foâ— Religion Ho. Common-wealth p. 4â—1 It is either Confusion and Ignorance of the State of thâ—â—uestion or palâ—aâ—le errour in them that maintain that it is 〈◊〉 lawfull to fight for Religion It is one thing to fight to maâ—e oâ—â—ers Religious and another thinâ— to sight to preserve 〈◊〉 â—wn Religion and to preserve tâ—e means of Religion to Us â—nd the Nation and our Posterity Ibid. Persecutors 〈◊〉 taâ—e away our Lives or Liberties if we worship God accordiâ—â—â—o his Will and use the necessary means of Salvation It â—â—ghting aâ—â—inst this Persecutiâ—n we sight principally and ultimately for our Own and Posterities Salvation and nexâ— for the Necessary means theâ—eto and Proximately for 〈◊〉 Lives and Liberties Ibid. Mo. The Rancour and Inhumanity of This Scandal makes me take the Lesse notice of your shifts and contradictions so that I shall wave the Course of your Reasoning and speak a Word to your Conscience Pray'e cast a back Thought upon the Piety the Moderaâ—ion the Unexampled sufferings and Constancy of That Incomparable Prince whose Government and Administration is here so Diabolicall Traduc'd It is a wonderfull thiâ—g to me that thâ— Legal Justice that was execâ—â—ed upon two or thrâ—â— Contumacious Schismatiques should be so fresh in your Memory and yet the Tragedy of that Royal and Protestant Martyr that fell a Sacrifice to the Idol of your Enthusiastical Reformation should be so utterly forgotten How can you so call to mind the silencing of a Stubborn Cabal of Lawless Mutineers And the Bloud of Canterbury your Sacrilegious Robbing and Taking Possession not fly in the â—aces of your Complices Especially considering how much you your selves have contributed to the common Fate Ri. How far the â—arliament was fâ—om being Presbyterians may bâ— sâ—â—n in tâ—e Propositions sent from them by the Earl of Essex to the King at â—otinâ—ham and paâ—tly their defeating all the desires and endeavâ—urs of â—hose that would have Presbytery settlâ—d thorow the Land We know of no places but London and Lancaâ—hire where it was commonly taken up and some little of 〈◊〉 at Coventry and some few such places Non-Cons Plea â—st part 128. Ba. It is not known that the Presbyterian Government hath been exercised in London in Lancashire and in many Counties these many years 5. Disp. Prâ—f 28.29 Look into this County where I live and you shall finde a faithful humble laborious Ministry Associated and walking in as great Unity as ever I read of since the Apostles Days No Difference no Quarrels but sweet and amicable Correspondency and Communion that I hear of Was there such a Ministry or such Love and Concord or such a Godly People under them in the Prelates Reign There was not Where we had Ten drunken Readers Then we have not One now and where we had One Able Godly Preacher Then we have many Now and This is our Loss and misery in these times which yoâ— so much lament Ibid. Mo. This last passage I finde in a Preface Entitled To those of the Nobility Gentry and Commons of This Land that adhere to Prelacy Publâ—shed in the year 1659. and usher'd in by an Epistle Dedicatory To his â—ighness Richard Lord Protector of the Common Wealth of England Scotland and Ireland with this expression in the last Page Your zeal for God will kindle in your SUBJECTS a zeal for You and for a Farewell A Faithfull Subject to your Highness as you are an Officer of the Universal King Richard Baxter It is worthy of a Note Mr. Baxter that your Pen cuts more still in 1659. then it did in seven years before and that your Humour runs much about That season upon Casuistical Points and the Collation of Affairs and Times Now all the Reason I can discern for your change of Topique still upon That Crisis is This. The Wheel was almost come round again and Rebellion upon the very point of finishing its Course â—or they had run the Monorchy down into an Aristocracy That into a Democracy Cromwell took up the Government next in a Single Person But all these Successive Usurpations were so Grievous and Insupportable to the people that necessarily the next Remove must be the Restoring of the King to perfect the Revolution Now so soon as ever you discover'd the dawning but of the least hope for his Majesties Restauration what Mists did you presently cast before the Peoples Eyes in your Political Aphorismes upon the Question of Authority and Obedience What pains did you take to possesse the Nation with an Opinion of the blessed differences betwixt the State of Matters uoder Richard the Usurper and Charls the Martyr and to hammer into the heads of the Multitude the danger of Re-admitting their Lawfull Sovereiâ—n Pray'e tell me Sir was Mr. Dance's Sequestred Living and your Little Worcestershire Association so Inestimable a Prize that you could part with the Bloud of a most Religious Prince the Lives of at least Fourscore Thousand Christians the Order of the Government both in
very Order of Aug. 10. 1643. For the Assembly-Divines to 〈◊〉 the People to rise for their Defence There is another person also who is engaged iâ— This present Controversy to whom I would gladly Recommend a due Consideration of this following Extract When Kings Command Unrighteous things and people suit them with willing Commplyance none doubts but the destruction of them both is Just and Righteous A Fast Sermon to the House of Commons Ian. 31. 1648. Pa. 5. He that is Entrusted with the Sword and dares not do Justice on every one that dares do Jnjustice is affraid of the Creature but makes very bold with the Creator Pa. 15. The Kings of the Eaâ—th have given their Power to Anti Christ. How have they earn'd their Titles Eldest Son of the Chuach The Catholick and most Christian King Defender of the Faith and the Like Hath it not been by the Bloud of Saints is there not in every corner of These Kingdomes the Slain and the Banish'd ones of Christ to Answer for A Fast Sermon of Apr. 19. 1649. Pa. 22. Do not the Kings of all these Nations stand up in the Room of their Progenitors with the same Implacable Enmity to the Power of the Gospel Pa. 22. There are Great and Mighty Works in hand in this Nation Tyrants are punish'd the Jaws of Oppressors are broken bloudy Revengefull people in Wars disappointed A Thanksgiving Sermon for the Scots defeat at Worcester Octo 24. 1651. P. 2. What is This Prelacy A meer Antichristian Encroachment upon the Inheritance of Christ Pa. 5. A Monarchy of some hundred years continuance allways affecting and at length wholly degenerated into Tyranny destroy'd pull'd down Swallow'd up a great mighty Potentate that had caused terrour in the Land of the Living and laid his Sword under his head brought to Punishment for Blood P. 6. If any persons in the World had cause to sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb We have this day The Bondage prepared for us was both in Spirituals and Temporalls about a Tyrant full of Revenge and a Discipline full of Persecution hath been our Contest whether the Yoke of the One and the Other should by the Sword and Violence be put upon our Necks and Consciences is our Controversy Pa. 7. Is it not a Prodigious boldness for such Spirits as These to obtrude themselves either upon the Government or the People as men of Scruple and the most competent Agents for the Promoting of Vnity and Peace And you your self Mr. Baxter have not been out neither at this great work of Reforming Confusion as your own Confessions in some measure but your Conversation and Writings do Abundantly bear Witness Mr. Richard here I must confess furnishes you with a Salvo that Ignatious Loyola himself would have blush'd at You were ever True to the King you say but you did not know Who was King Some would have him to be where he was NOT and Others would not allow him to be where he WAS. Sir This doctrine might have done well enough in a Pulpit at Coventry when you were helping the Lord against the Mighty but from such a Restauration Sermon the Lord deliver us There is first not one word of Restoring the King in 't though it was a Fast that had a Particular Regard to That Debate 2. It Asserts the Loyalty of the Presbyterians and yet at the same time supposes the Supreme Power in the Two Houses which in few words makes the Late King both a Subject and with Reverence a Rebell 3. The Setling of the Presbytery for that 's allways the English of their SOUND DOCTRINE and CHURCH GOVERNMENT Pa. 46. is violently prest as the first thing to be done Give FIRST to God the Things that are Gods 43. with a Pharisaical Ostentation of the Conscionable Prudent Godly People of the Land Pa. 46. in opposition to the Prophane You could not do any thing in the world more to obstruct his Majestys Return and yet you are pleased to make this Sermon an Instance of your Zeal to advance it Ri· The Parliament did not raise War against the Person or Authority of the King nor did I ever serve them on any such Account but to defend themselves against the Kings Mis-guided will Holy Common-Wealth Pa. 476. Their Commissions all that ever I saw were for King and Parliament We had Two Protestations and a Solemn League and Covenant Impos'd upon the Nation to be for King and Parliament And if Dâ—claâ—ations Professions Commissions and National Oaths and Covenants will not tell us what the cause of the War was thâ—n there is no Discovery Ibid. Pa. 477. Mo. These Commissions Oathes and Covenants tell you the Pretext of the War but you must go to their Proceedings and Practices to find the Cause of it The Two Houses Seize the Kings Towns Magazins Forts and Shipping They violently take the Militia into their own hands Vote an Ordinance of Both Houses as binding as an Act of Parliament Declare his Majestys Commissions Voyd Issue out Orders for Securing the Kingdome Vote the Maintaining of a War and the Seizing of his Majestys Magazins Sequester the Church and Crown Revenues and justify all these Injuries as done in pursuance of their Protestations and Covenants and This is your way now of being FOR the King Suppose that any man had beaten you and Plundred ye and Imprison'd ye and abus'd your Friends for your sake and a body should tell you all this while that this man was FOR Mr. Baxter If you were really for the King why would not For the King according to the Oath of Allegiance do the businesse as well as For the King according to the Covenant Or how came you to Alienate your self from his Majesties Iurisdictino and to turh Subject to the Two Houses Who Absolv'd you from the One Oath or who Authoris'd you in the Other or when you found that the King in the Covenant clash'd with the King in the Oath of Allegeance why did you not rather comply with the Law then with the Usurpation For it is Impossible to be True to both Interests under so manifest an Opposition You see the Colour of the War and I shall not need to tell you that the Cause of it was Ambition of Dominion which was exercised to the highest degree of Tyranny Ri. If a People that by Oath and Duty are obliged to a Sovereign shall sinfully dispossess him and contrary to their Covenants chuse and Covenant with Another they may be obliged by their Latter Covenants notwithstanding the Former Holy-Common-Wealth Pag. 188. Ba. That cannot be my Friend for we hold it Impious and Papal to pretend to absolve Subjects from their Oaths to their Sovereign Holy Com. Pa. 359. It is not in Subjects Power by Vows to with-draw themselves from Obedience to Authority Non-Confor Plea P. 213. Mo. But why can ye not now
dispense with your Covenants as well as you did formerly with the Oath of Allegeance Ri. Part of This Covenant is against Popery Superstition and Profaneness and all that is against Sound Doctrine and Godlinesse c. which the Non-Conformists take to be Lawful and Necessary things Non-Conf Plea 1st Part. P. 142. But the Controversy is not This and That but whether as a Vow made to God it binde to things Necessary P. 143. Ba. Soft a little This that you speak of is the League and Covenant not the Vow and Covenant The Latter was only a Bond of Confederacy to assist the Parliaments Forces against the King and taken by the Lords ane Commons Iun. 6. 1673. and then Ordred Iun. 27. to be taken all over the Kingdome But the Other was Composed afterwards and upon closing with the Scots accomodated to the Scottish Model and Order'd Feb. 2. 1643. to be taken throughout England and Wales and Entitled For Râ—formation and Dâ—fence of Reliâ—ion the Honour and Happiness of the KING c. By this Covenant you are bound not only to an Extirpation of Bishops but to endeavouâ— the Introducing of a Scottish Presbytery How can you then dispence with an Admittance of the Primates Episcopacy as you propounded in Contradiction to the Terms of that Engagement Mo. Favour me with a word I pray'e Did ye not Covenant to preserve and defend the Kings Majestys Person and Authority Ri. Yes in the Preservation and Defence of the True Religion Ba. But in case of the Kings Opposing it we are still Obliged to continue therein against all Opposition and â—o promote the samâ— according to our Power against all Lets and Impediments whatsoever See the Covenant Mo. Let it suffice Gentlemen that your Party destroy'd the King it is no great matter How Ri. As to the Death of the King I have in the times of Vsurpation proved that the Presbyterians detestâ—d it That it was a Proud Conquering Army by the Contrivance of Ol. Cromwell and the applause of a Few Phanatiques that did it by the consent of a small care of the Old Parliament called the Rump that durst not trust the King in Power Non-Conf Plea part 2. Preface Ba. Prethee Dick Speak truth and shame the Devil What did we raise Armyes for And Attaque the King himself in the Head of his Troops Wee 'l maintain That by our Principles and Aphorisms War is not an Act of Government but Hostility Men are not in Reason to be supposed to Intend their Enemies Good if they fight we are to bâ—lieve they would Kill and Nature believeth not Killing to be an Act of Friendship Holy Common-Wealth Pa. 422. â— do Unfeignedly Repent that I did no more for â—eace in my Place then I did and that I did not pray more heartily againâ—t Conâ—â—ntion and Wâ—r bâ—forâ— it camâ— and spake no more against it thâ—n I 〈…〉 that I spaâ—e so much to blow the Coals For â—his 〈…〉 forâ—ivenâ—sse of the Lord through the Pretious bâ—oâ—d of tâ—â— Grâ—â—t Reconciler The hatred of strife and War aâ—d Love of Pâ—aâ—e and Obsâ—rvation of the Lamentable Miscariages siâ—ce have call'd me often to search my heart and try my ways by the word of God whether I did Lawfully engage in That War or not which I was confident then was the Greatest outward service that ever I performed to God And whether I Lawfully encouraged so many Thousands to it Holy Common-Wealth Pa. 485.486 But yet I cannot see that I was mistaken in the main Cause nor dare I repent of it nor forbear the same if it were to do again in the same State of Things I should do all I could to prevent such a War but if it could not be prevented I must take the same side as then I did And my Judgment tells me that if I should do otherwise I should be Guilty of Treason or disloyalty against the SOVEREIGN POWER of the Land and of Perâ—idiousnesse to the Common-Wealth and of preferring Offending Subjects before the Laws and Justice and the Will of the King above the safety of the Common-wealth and consequently above his own Wellfare Ibid And then for you so Impudently and Impertinently Mo. Nay let 's have none of this Gentlemen I beseech ye why You Two are Old Acquaintances Fellow-Labourers Fellow-Sufferers and One Womans Children as we say Ba. I shall not eat my words I assure ye I may forget my self perhaps but I am not a man for Recantations I say again that it was Impudently and Impertinâ—â—tly done to reflect upon Oliver Cromwell as if he had done an Ill thing My Holy Common-wealth was written while the Lord Protâ—ctor â—rudently Piously Faithfully to his Immortal Horrour how ill soever you have used him did Exercise the Government Holy Common wealth Preface to the Army And I have forborn to change any One Word of it all that you may see the worst of my Intendments And that True Principles will stand in all Times and Changes though to the shame of those Changes that make bad Times Ibid. These are my own words and do you think that I would ever have bestowed upon a detestable wretch the Epithetes of PRUDENT PIOUS and FAITHFUL And again If Oliver had not been a Religious and Gratious Prince can you Imagine that I should ever have treated his Son Richard with this Complement We pray that you may INHERIT a Tender care of the Cause of Christ. Key for Catholiques Ep. Ded. which shews both that Oliver had a Tendernesse for Christs Cause and necessarily Implys that the Cause he Managed was the Cause of Christ. And then you shuffle it again upon the Phanatiques and the Rump that durst not trust the King with Power Why prethee what Power did we allow him We took away his Arms and his Men and his Money and his Credit and his Towns and his Ships and his Laws and his Liberty and all the Ensignes of Royalty and the Maxims whereupon we supported our Proceedings did his besinesse The Two Houses and the Army were no more then the Gun and the Ball The one gave fire and the other kill'd him Mo. Mr. Baxter I as you say you do Vnfeignedly Repent that you spake so much Formerly to blow the Coals Why are ye blowing of them again You carry'd Thousands you say into the War and Engâ—ged in it your self and would do the same thing over again upon the like Occâ—sion And your Judgment tells you that it were Treason against the Sovereign Power of the Land to do otherwise According to This Doctrine a Remnant of the Lords and Commons may do as much to This Kâ—â—g as they did to his Father and the Presbyterians Pulpiâ—s shall justify the Proocâ—eding You do Generously however to own your Positions But yet methinks you should have some regard to the dismal Consequences that have â—nsu'd upon this Controversy Ba. It were too great
Concerning the opposing of Magistrates by Private persons and the Murthering of Kings by any though under the most specious and Colourable Pretenses Pa. 11. This is All which upon that desperate Crisis of State was said for that Pious and unfortunate Prince the saving of the King being if any Incomparably the least part of the Ministers business Beside that the dethroning of him was more Criminal then the beheading of him And in such a case it would have been no longer a Murther when they should once have voted the Fact to be an Execution of Justice We desire Say they that you would not be too Confident on former successes If God have made you prosper while you were in his way this can be no Warrant for you to walk in ways of your Own P. 12. So that the Old Cause is Gods still to this very day And besides you have eâ—gaged your selves by an Oath to preserve his Majestys Person and the Priviledges of Parliament and This is most clear that no Necessity can justify Perjury or dispense with Lawfull Oaths Pa. 15. I should be glad to know now how you came to be absolv'd of the Oath of Allegiance or how you can honestly pretend to Stand up for any Interest that renders the King Accountable to his Subjects Ba. Yet if I had taken up Arms against the Parliament in That War my Conscience tells me I had been a Traytor and Guilty of Resisting the Highest Powers Holy Com. Pa. 433. Mo. At This Rate the King was a Traytor on the other side Ba. Why do you cite the Holy Common Wealth so often for I have desired that the Book be taken as non Scriptus Non-Con â—lea 2 d part Pref. Mo. And would not any Malefactor that were deprehended in the manner say as much as this amounts to and wish that the thing might be taken as Non Factum This is rather a Shift then a Retractation And then again it is a wonderfull thing that you should overshoot your self so much upon a Subject that was expresly Suited to the demands and doubts of Thâ—se Timâ—s Holy Com. Pa. 102. That is to say The Restoring of the King was the point then in Agitation and out comes your Book of Aphorisâ—s expresly to possesse the People against it Ba. If you would have a Recantation more in Form I do here freely Profess that I repent of all that â—â—er I thougâ—t Sayd Wrote or did since I was Born against the â—â—ace of Church or State Against the King his Person or â—â—thority as Sâ—preme in himself or as Dâ—â—â—vative in any of his Officers Mâ—gistrats or any Commissioned by him 2 d Admonition to Bagshaw Pa. 52. Mo. This Mock Repentance is a Trick that will not pass either upon God or Man The Kings Headsman might have Sayd as much and yet account that execrable Office a meritorious work You are at your Fast Sermon again Always Obedient to the Highest Powers but divided somewhere about the Receptacle of the Sovereignty You ask God forgivenesse for all that ever you Thought Sayd Wrote or Did against the King and the Publick-Peace And what signifies This Repentance so long as you persist in maintaining that all the violences acted upon the Person Crown and Dignity of his Sacred Majesty in the Name of the King and Parliament were not AGAINST the King but FOR him This is All but the Hypothesis of a Transgression Lord forgive me all that ever I did amiss That is to say if ever I did any thing amiss But I charge my self with no Particulars Why do ye not Touch the Thesis that you condemn and say This That and tother Aphorisme I Renounce Nay why do ye not Reform and Correct your mistakes and state the matter aright toward the bringing of These people into their Wits again that have been Intoxicated by your false Doctrine and Poyson'd from your very Pulpit Ba. If you Quarrell with my Repentance as not In Particulars enow I answer you that as in the Revocation of the Book I thought it best to Revoke the whole though not as Retracting all the Doctrine of it because if I had named the Particular Passages some would have said I had mentioned too Few and some too many and few would have been satisfi'd Admon to Bagshaw Pag. 53. Mo. You have Mark'd Revoke and Retract with an Emphatical Character to give to Understand that you do not Retract though you do Revoke and you have put them in Italique to shew that there lies a stresse upon Those two Words You Revoke the whole Book you say not as Retracting all the Doctrine of it If by Revoke you mean Call in or Supprâ—ss you might as well call back your Breath again as the venome that was diffused by those Aphorisms And then to say that you do not Retract All the Doctrine of it does not necessarily Imply that you Retract any part of it Or if you do your Repentance is yet Frivolous for want of distinguishing the Right from the Wrong that your Disciples may not take the One from the Other Your Apprehension indeed of saying too much or too little if you should come to Particulars is very Reasonable For to please the Lovers to their Prince Church and Countrey you must not leave one Seditious or Schismatical Principle behind ye But then on the other side if you come to pronounce the Levying of Arms the making of a Great Seal and Exercising other Acts of Sovereignty without and against the Kings Commission to be High Treason by the Established Law you are lost to all Intents and Purposes with your own Party So that for fear of disobliging the One side or the Other by Confessing too much or too little you have resolved upon the middle way of confessing just nothing at all Ba. I do Repent again that I no more discouraged the spirit of pâ—evish Quarrelling with Superiours and Church-Orders and though I ever disliked and opposed it yet that I somâ—times did too much Encourage such as were of this Temper by speaking too sharply against Those things which I thought to be Church-Corruptions and was too loth to displease the Contentious for fear of being Uncapable of doing them good knowing the Prophane to be much worse then They and meeting with too few Religious persons that were not too much pleased with such Invectives Ibid. Mo. This Clause of Repentance is every jot as much a Riddle to me as the former You did not sufficiently discourage the spirit of Quarrelling with Superiours Which spirit you your self Raised You were a little too sharp upon what you thought to be Church-Corruptions So that here 's a Bit and a Knock You were a little too sharp but it was against Corrupâ—ions in the Church Your very Repentances are Calumnies But you were willing to oblige a Contentious Religious Party that was pleased with Invectives you could have done
these Twenty years against the King or State Unless it be our Crime to live under Reproach and Scorn and Poverty and sometime Imprisonments and never once so much as Petition a Parliament either to Pitty us or to Hear us once Speak for our Selves c. Ibid. If any Odd persons or whosoever have said or done any thing against the King or Kingdome or their Neighbours Right or Peace or have been Guilty of any Fraud Drunkennesse Perjury or Immorality besides their Vnavoidable Non-conformity let them be punisht as the Law requires but let not the Innocent yea Thousands be Slandered and Designed to Destruction for Them Ibid. Mo. If you Speak of the Nonconformists they have justifi'd from Sixty to Eighty all the Indignities that were put upon the Government from Forty to Sixty and there is not any one Seditious or Schismatical Principle of the Old Stamp which they have not afresh Reviv'd and Recommended to the People And for the Moderation you boast of I dare be answerable to produce almost as many Hundreds of Clamorous Libels against Aâ—thority from the Dissenting Party as you reckon Years of Silence and Forbearance But these are ODD Persons you say and so is every Dissenter in the Kingdom for Ten Millions of men are but as so many Individuals when disencorporate and Lâ—pp'd off from the Body If I durst be so bold Sir I should venture to say that Mr. Baxter himself is one of the ODDEST persons that I know in the whole Party You have First a Perswasion to your self for you are neither a Presbyterian nor an Independent nor an Anabaptist nor of any Tribe of the Division that ever yet had a Namâ— to be known by but a pure Original and a â—â—ristian of your own making You have Secondly as Peculiar a Conscience too that had rather leap a Precipice then keep the Kings high-way It rises and falls like a Weather-Glasse upon Change of Ayre and makes St. Paul blow Hot or Cold at pleasâ—re Let every soul be Subject to the Higher Powers requires Obedience to Dick Cromwell upon pain of Damnation and Disobedience to Charles the First upon the same penalty as we have had it already And then you have this further Advantage Sir that you are your own King and your own Pope you Prescribe your own Laws and Grant your own Pardons Ba. You may prate as long as you will I am against the Imposing of Mystical Ceremonies as Crossing or Surplice c. Five Disp. Pa. 467. For to Impose new Symbolicall Rites upon the Church which Christ hath not Imposed doth seem to me an Vsurpation of his Sovereign Power Ibid. And to accuse Christ of Ignorance or Negligence in that he himself hath not Imposed them And so doth it Imply an Accusation of his Laws and of the Holy Scriptures as if they were Insufficient Ibid. 468. And These Impositions seem to be plain Violations â—f These Prohibitions of God in which we are forbidden to Add to his Worship or diminish FROM IT 469. And moreover God hath allready given us so perfect a Directory for his Worship that there is nothing more that we can reasonably desire Ib. 481. Ri. Now for my part I am for the Amiable way Christians should not be Over-busy in Prying into the work of their Governours nor too forward to suspect their dâ—terminations The Duty of Obeying them being Certain and the Sinfulnesse of the thing Commanded being Uncertain and Unknown and only Suspected we must go on the surer side Ibid. 484. In disobeying the Lawfull Commands of our Superiours we disobey Christ. Ibid. 485. Beside that Disobedience in matters of Circumstance will exclude and Overthrow the Substance of the Worship it self Pa. 486. POSTSCRIPT To the Reader MR. Baxter has certainly given in this Extract the 〈◊〉 blow to the Non-conformists that ever they 〈◊〉 For there are no Arguments against That Party like their 〈…〉 against Themselves To the clearest Evidences of 〈◊〉 and Reason they 'le oppose Clamour and Passion 〈◊〉 make a shift to wriggle themselves Off and On with 〈◊〉 drawn Texts and Riddling distinctions But when the very 〈◊〉 of That Interest comes to play Fast and Loose and shift 〈◊〉 Conscience with the Season the Masque is then taken off 〈◊〉 there can be no Denyal of the Fact so there can be no 〈◊〉 the Hypocrisy How comes Toleration to be a Sin under 〈◊〉 Presbyterians and a Duty under the Bishops How comes it 〈◊〉 be Damnation in the case of the Late King and Richard 〈◊〉 well to Obey the Former and destroy the Latter Even 〈◊〉 to Mr. Baxters own Exposition which is that by St. 〈◊〉 Higher Powers is Intended Those in Actual Possâ—ssion How 〈◊〉 Bishops to be Antichristian at one time and Warrantable at 〈◊〉 Or the Civil Magistrate to have more power in 〈◊〉 matters under an Vsurper then under a Lawful 〈◊〉 How comes an Episcopal Vniformity to be more a Persecution 〈◊〉 a Presbyterian Or a Common Prayer-Book more Intolerable 〈◊〉 a Directory What can more expose the Credit of the 〈◊〉 then this double-dealing in the Foreman of the Party to 〈◊〉 Mr. Baxter Lye down in One Opinion and Rise in Another 〈◊〉 Accomodating his Scruples to every Crisis of State And Consummate the Iniquity of the Pretense He has no sooneâ— veigled the People into a Schisme but he presently 〈◊〉 with a Plat-form of Sedition and having wrought a 〈◊〉 from the Ecclesiastical he falls to work in his Cases and 〈◊〉 upon the Foundations of the Civill Government The End The Proposition at the Savoy about the command of lawful Superiours Richards Resolution â—â—â—â—er his hand Baxter of another opinion Many Commands anlawful which the subject ought yet to obey No Ruleâ— is bound â—o provide against Events not to be foreseen Magistracy cut off at a blow The Civil Power must not make Laws about Gods Worship But Baxter says that Circa Sacra he may Richard and Baxter still at variance Richards Account of the Savoy-Conference Vshers Primitive Episcopacy offer'd but rejected The English Episcopacy submitted to by Richard c But held Antichristian and Diabolicaâ— by Baxter Richard and Baxter never 〈◊〉 â—e reconcil'd The Ground of A.B. Vsher Project of Episcopacy Many would have yielded to Prelacy c The Diocesan Episcopacy gratifies the Devil says Baxter and not to be re-admitted R. and B. still Clashing The New Uniformity spoil d all Prelacy Unlawful in it sâ—lf says Baxter Why not Prelacy as â—awful after the Act as before It is the same case still to the People Hard thoughts of Epiâ—copacy and Bishops and upon what grounâ—â— A Grâ—â—ter Scandall to trâ—vell upon the Lords day then to give theKing baâ—â—le Richard Confesses that the Miniâ—ters guâ—ded the peoâ—le and says that the Non-conformists undertook for the next Bishops good behaviour The Quarrel not to the Office of Bishops but to the persons Richardâ— Reasons why the People sell from the Chuâ—ch again The