〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sagrir OR Doomes-day drawing nigh With Thunder and Lightening to LAWYERS In an Alarum For New Laws and the Peoples Liberties from the Norman and Babylonian Yokes Making Discoverie Of the present ungodly Laws and Lawyers of the Fourth Monarchy and of the approach of the FIFTH with those godly Laws Officers and Ordinances that belong to the Legislative Power of the Lord Iesus SHEWING The Glorious Work Incumbent to Civil-Discipline once more set before the Parliament Lord Generall Army and People of England in their distinct capâ—â—ities upon the Account of Christ and his Monarchy Humbly presented to them by JOHN ROGERS an unfained Servant of Christ and this Common-wealth in their best Rights Laws and Liberties lost many years Bread of Deceit is sweet to a man but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with Gravell Prov. 20. 17. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor he shal cry himself but shal not be heard Prov. 21. 13. They are Brasse and Iron they are all Corrupters the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the Wicked are not plucked away Ier. 6. 28. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When their Judges or the greatest Lawyers are thrown down into stony places they shall hear my Words because then they are sweet Psal. 141. 6. Causidicis Erebo Fisco fas vivere rapto Militibus Medico Tortori occidere ludo Meâ—iri Astrologis Pictoribus atque Poetis LONDON Printed for Tho Hucklescot to be sold at the George in Little Brittain 1654 To the Right Honourable The Lord Gen. CROMVVEL The Peoples Victorious Champion in England Ireland and Scotland My Lord HIs EXCELLENCY the Lord Jesus hath sent out his Summons to other Nations also and the Blade of that Sword whose handle is held in England will reach to the very Gates of Rome ore long but by what Instruments we know not yet for what end we know Psal. 72. 2. 4. 13. viz. to breake in peeces the oppressor and to deliver the poore and needy yea to spoile the weak-hearted and be more excellent then the mightiest mountains of prey Psal. 76. 4. 5. this shall goe on till all the earth be filled with his glory Now my Lord hitherto he hath honoured you in his War let him also doe so in his Work which the War hath made way for viz. in throwing down of Tyranny the Oppression which as you have begun to doe so this Treatise hath unavoydable reference to your Selfe to carry on as our Conquerour upon Christs and the Common-wealths account and not upon your owne Therefore are the eyes of thousands upon you to see what you will doe for their safety and freedome according to the just Rights and Liberties of the People of this Nation which they had before the Norman Tyranny and Conquest for it is far better for us my Lord now to hang us then not to help us against these unsufferable Lawes and Lawyers which rob us of Justice and righteousnesse as it is obvious in the Treatise whiles not one honest man in England dares justifie them the mouthes of all are open against them which like doores without Lock or Key can scarce be shut close againe till there be an alteration Jethro's counsell to Moses my Lord concernes you in Exod. 18 19. Hearken and I will give thee counsell and God shall bee with thee be thou for the People to God-ward that thou mayst bring their causes to God c. we beseech you hearken to the inexorable yea inexuperable cryes and calls of the Communalty for godly Lawes and for justice upon the usurping proud Lawyers for their lying perjury and treachery which is according to the Statute and good Lawes punishable It is without malice to a man of them and meerly out of Conscience to ingage against sin and enemies to Christ and this Common-wealth that I must make such a Character of them as I doe it may be I speake spiritfully yet not spightfully though oppression makes a wise man mad sayes Salomon Eccles. 7. 7. and indeed if it be madnesse to ingage against Sinne I will be so for Si natura negat facit indignatio versum but here 's no need of Passion seeing Piety preaches yea the light of Nature presses these lines against that sinfull Society yea the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls for it The Aegyptian Hieroglyphick for Legislative Power was oculus in sceptro but ours had need to be oculus in ense the eye in the conquering Sword of the people I meane first a full eye to looke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backward and forward with an open Prospect into the Peoples Liberties and advantages for their safety and freedome and then an able quick eye to deliver the People from oppressors and to defend them in their owne â—ights And indeed my Lord we would have no Law Nisi lex oculata but that Law which sees how and what and to whom to administer in aequilibrio in justice whilst many of our Lawes are the â—lawes of this Common-wealth for as Plutarch sayes Turpe praeceptum non est lex sed in quitas The Chineses would perswade us that they only see with two eyes and other Nations but with one O that we could convince our Neighbour Nations now by our Lawes and Government that we see with both eyes for our selves and friends too if need be wherefore let us fall to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us worke and watch for Christs Monarchy which is now upon the borders and be sure to keep in the Kings Christs Road for that is safest Israels Omen of going on against his enemies was 1 Chron. 14. 15. the voyce in the top of the trees and this is ours also viz. the voyce of God as in Primitive times and in the top-ages of the Church for his Spirit is mighty and growes great every day and when the enemy shall be like a Floud the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against them Isa. 59. 19. and why see Isa. 31. 3. the Lord Gods greatest worke in these dayes is Spirit-worke and none will be found fit to be imployed in it but such as are spirited for it by the Holy Spirit for then our Warres wil be holy Warres our Lawes holy Lawes our Parliaments holy Parliaments c. and not before Wherefore my Lord for Christs sake minde and finde out what your worke is you have not done all yet for now you have won us you must wall us with the good and wholsome Lawes and Liberties of the People as we were before the Norman invasion or rather as Israel of old Deut. 6. 1. or else Gog will arise who sayes in his presumption I will goe to the Land of unwalled Villages I will goe to them that are at rest It is dangerous indeed now to sit still seeing the Wheele full of eyes is in his swiftest motions and may without heed run
Clients and sought counsell else he would be dumb Is it not so with us Doe not the Norman Lawyers the like Let the Lawyer be greatly retained or the Law shall be greatly detained And what will retain them as much as they can take out of their Clients hand at once no! For one that is eminent and belongs to the Councell of State told me he had it from a Gentleman of four thousand pound per annum that upon a motion to be made to the Lords Commissioners he retained his Counsell for one word to them and put five peeces into his hands but the Lords sat not that day The next morning the Gentleman made a fresh sally and gave a fresh salute to his great Counsell with gracious Angels and filled his pawes againe with two golden peeces for he was as hungry as ever since yesterday but the Lords sat not that day neither But the next day the Lords sat for certain so he comes to his Counsellor or Concealer Mr. M. Sir saies he be mindfull of my businesse I pray it is but one word to make but one motion to them this morning Sir saies the Lawyer I have nothing to doe with it no! says the Gentleman I hope you will Sir speake but one word Sir says the Laweer what doe you tell me of your motion I le not meddle with it for I am not retained to it Now it seems the seven peeces had not power enough to hold him three mornings but to make one motion Mr. M. was as hungry againe as ever he must have more or else be dumb So that the Gentleman was glad to run and borrow two peeces more having not so much about him to retaine or keep his Counsell close to it to speake one word to the Lords Commissioners for him Is not this a most unsufferable cheating of the free-born English-man and are not these crys of oppression and Norman Tyranny very loud and lamentable And is not the Law and Justice to be sold at so high a rate so as causes many an honest heart and poor man to sit sigh and complain and loose his Right for want of mony seeing eight or nine pounds can pay and pray but for one word Tully tels us that the mouth of the Lawyer is an Oracle for the whole City but if in this mouth there be a gilded tongue it will prove like the Oracle â—f Delphos which Demosthenes complained of in his time that it would speak nothing but what Phillip would have it say by giving it a double Fee So full Fees finde full mouths and can create in the Lawyers any likenesse or mouthfuls of Plea's upon any account right or wrong As Demosthenes who pleaded vehemently against the Milesian Ambassadors the first day but in the second day appeared in another likenesse and pretending he was not well would not plead against them at all but his neck being wrapped up and his face muffled about he pretended hee got the Quinzee and could not plead against them but the people perceiving the occasion of it was a secret bribe given him by the aforesaid Ambassadors they termed his Malady I was going to say melody for such tricks are the Lawyers mirth they termed it Argentangina not the QUINSIE but the COINZIE or silver-mumps such cheating tricks they have to get Gold their God I was informed within few dayes by an Honorable Religious Lady of Rowles cut out for coine and five hundred pound per annum lost thereby and of one that offered for twenty peeces to put other Deeds into the Rowles which may one day be knowne So that of all men alive it is the worst medling with these men who mind nothing but to feather their own nests fill their own purses and feed their own paunches Like a Capon that is cold and naked who in the absence of the Hen will run to her nest not out of any love to the Chickens but to warme his own sides they regard neither Cause nor Client Justice nor Law but how to get like Pettifoggers Orphans Widows or poor oppressed mens Estates and to eate men out in Fees and Extortions Therefore as a Lacedemonian answered a Physitian once who asked how he did the better said he for that I meddle not with you and take none of your physick So may we say to the Lawyers for none are well that are tampering with them And I confesse that I am one of them that had rather loose my right than run into their hands and yet I am beholding to one of our new Committees that would turn out as honest a just Cause as ever came before them and they confesse it and all men know it that have but heard of it yet to the amazement of 〈◊〉 honest men who had better hopes of them they would turn it over â—o these Tyrants notwithstanding they acknowledged that the remedy would then be worse then the disease O when shall Justice and 〈…〉 run downe like a mighty streame in our streets this promise wee wait for and then Justice will be easier and cheaper to come by and men be more honest then they are now We read of one Verconius in the time of Alexander Seveâ—â—s how he abused many in taking mony and Fees for preferring their Suits and doing them little or no good which cheating in those daies was so detestable that he was adjudged to be hanged up in a Chimney and so to be choaked with smoake for that he sold smoake to the people And it is not strange that in these daies this decei and design of the Lawyers to sell smoake and cozen the Commonweale should be countenanced How can the peoples expectation be answered not only in the continuing and keeping up this accursed Crew but in Committees throwing out honest Causes into their dishonest hands Wee are afraid too many of the Norman race are now in Government and their love to Tith-mongers and to the Lawyers and turning ore honest Causes to those Locusts of the Commonwealth makes our hearts ake for them as well as for ourselves I cannot but speake for a very Dog runs on with a courage when he is maintained by a more noble nature then his owne as when a man puts him on â— Beleeve it I say for I must speake it to deale so mildly with the corrupt Laws and Lawyers as only to regulate or better moddel them is a pretext which will bring us but into new bondage and they had better tell the honest people they 'le hang them all up at their own doores then not deliver them now their expectations are so high from this Norman tyranny wherein the people are robbed of their Laws and Liberties or then not throw downe Termes to set up Justice at our own doores and not to throw down this selfish arbitrary contentious Interest of the Lawyers which arose out of the corruptions and contentions of the worst of men and is
his several solemn Engagements and Declarations to the people and contrary to the Norman Tyrant introduce the Laws and Liberties and Just Rights to the poor weeping praying people as was before the cursed Norman Conquest Hence it is that as men reckon their riches not by what money they have but by what Bonds and Leases they can produse so we reckon upon all the promises and protests of his Excellency and the Army which Bonds being due to the people if they pay them not they are resolved to put them to suite before a just Judge ere long 5. They are the more earnest and intent in this their expectation for that the first actions in any Sacred or Civil Constitution in respect of those which are to succeed are like the original to all the other after draughts or like the Copy to all that write by it Now as every man hath a Christen-name as we call it before his Sir-name so is it fit that the Lord Generals and the Armies first Virgin-Act be for Christ and for his Churches which bear his Christen name and then next that to his honor and sirname the peoples liberties be delivered them from the Norman Free-booters But it is true there be some Members of the Army whom I have met at Drury House they know that are so troubled with the itch of getting Lordships that they are altogether forgetful of the people unless it be how to oppress them by fines and fixe-ness i. e. pride and are never well but when they be rubbing upon the poor and scraping off their scabs upon honest people of this Commonwealth But I think it is true of some though God forbid it should of all that rather then Souldiers will lose their game they will shoot the poor Pigeons out of their Dove-Coats But 6. And lastly upon a Scripture account the peoples expectations are drawn high for deliverance by the General and the Army for that the promise is And your Governors shall be of your selves Jere. 30. 21. Now hitherto they have been strangers of other Nations of the Norman race and therefore Tyrants and Oppressors I know some open that Scripture as to Christ but they may know that it speaks to Gentiles as well as to Jews and to the Governors of Nations as well as the Governor of Judah and Jerusalem and it agrees with Dan. 7. 18 22. Where the Saints of the most high must take the Kingdom which is to be after the Antient of days hath sat and the judgement be set as was in 1648. But sayes one to me who is now a great Purchaser too but to my knowledge before that he was of another minde and made not his Kingdom of this world what do ye tell us of setting up Christ why his Kingdom is spiritual and we have not fought for his Kingdom but for this Kingdom viz. a Civil Government and such matters which Christ meddles not with Answ. But my Gentleman may know the stone cut without hands will meddle with all the Kingdoms of the World Dan. 2. 34 35. and then with this and so it hath and then wo be to his purchase For behold sayes the Lord I am breaking down and plucking up all Jere. 45. 4 5. And seekest thou great things for thy self But in that day his servants shall rule and that in the midst of us Wherefore the Lord make ouâ— Army mindful of this fifth Monarchy and remember the Saints of the most high that groan yet under most grievous oppressions by the Government of Strangers Not but that I am clear of Pythagoras his opinion who says That a worthy stranger is to be preferred before an unworthy Citizen and Kinsman yet withal that our worthy Fellow Countrymen and Freeborn Britains are abundantly to be preferred above unworthy strangers and wicked Normans For though it is better a theif feed us then a Shepherd devour us and it is better to have a Robber do us justice then a Justice rob us and it is more profitable to have our Estates saved by an intruding Guardian then wasted by one legally appointed yet these Theives Robbers Intruders do devour us rob us and destroy us of our Rights and Priviledges and will not our Army help us How can they then answer it to God and men should they frustrate the incessant expectations of all the honest people in England and not deliver them from these Tyrannies and Usurpations but force them with full mouths to cry to Heaven for Justice But we trust there is no fear for it was the Duke of Medina that said His Sword knew not how to make a difference betwixt a Protestant and a Papist but as his Excellencies sword so his word we hope will make a large difference between Britains and Normans such as love and such as hate the true Laws and Liberties of the Commonwealth of England and then he may be stiled not Defender of the Faith but Defender of the Faithfulness of Gods People and the Commonwealth in all her due Rights Thus far for this third Chapter CHAP. IV. The END the OBJECT and FOUNDATION of the LAW with WORDS to the PARLIAMENT and to the PEOPLE about Norman LAWS and LAWYERS A Thing is said to be distinguished two waies 1. secundum speciem according to its specificall nature 2. Secundum perfectum imperfectum in eadem specie according to the degree of it now the perfection or imperfection of the Law appeares in the End of it Object of it and Foundation of it For 1 It appertains to the Law that it be ordained for publicke good and profit ad commune bonum as the end and intent of it and not to particular Interests or advantages of particular persons or Prerogatives Common good is taken as it is to the safety and freedome of the people So that all Laws that are good doe dirigere humanos actus secundum finem direct men to this end which is the end of all honest and just Lawes viz. the safety and freedome of the Commonalty First As to the End in generall viz. publick good the Lawyer himselfe saies Finis humanae legis est utilitas hominum which I think is a little too strait but like the Lawyers end of his Law because men may have their particular good and advantages by a Law which is dangerous hurtfull and destructive to the common good of the people Therefore a just Law in generall ordinatur ad commune bonum hath the good of all men to its end And Isidorus sayes three things must be considered in the conditions of humane Laws As 1. Their congruity to Religion and the Laws of God which I shall speake to in the Foundation by and by And 2. Their proportion and measure to the Law of Nature which we spake of in Chap. 2. And then 3. Their end as they relate to the publick utility and advantage ' which we are now upon whence observe 1.
upon us and ruine us The Devils designe is to make the most able and eminent Instruments uselesse by idlenesse when the greatest worke is to doe as one sayes of the Crab that seeing the Oyster gape he throwes in a little stone which hinders it from shutting againe so am I and hundreds beside suspicious least Sathan should deale with them that now sit still and gape about as if they had nothing to do by throwing them some temptations or other to stay them here behinde in purchases preserments or pleasures and make them loose their work and opportunity O it is sad if it be so for the best Birds dum morantur in nidis doe moult and loose feathers But my Lord hark the Trumpet sounds and Christ is coming in great glory arise and to your worke It is not notions of Philosophy nor Principles of Policy which will give us to see this for in Philosophy what is so dark as light and the Sun which one would thinke most evident to be seen is hardest to be looked on and so is this glorious approach of Christ and his Fifth Monarchy But Eagles see better then Owles The Lord Jehovah then make you Eagle-eyed and Eagle-winged in this worke which you have to doe for Christ and this Common-weale Cicero expected extraordinary knowledge and practise from his Son because of his conversing and living with Cratippus no lesse doe wise men looke for from you my Lord for that you are so conversant with the Occurrences of these times and seasons and that so eminently too and live as we hope so much with Christ and for Christ yet we know a man may have good cards but loose the game by playing ill But my Lord I leave you to that Spirit which gave Daniel skill Dan. 9. 22. and Ioshua courage the same wisdome that tels us He that understands is of an excellent spirit tels us also That the Prince who wants understanding i. e. in the things of God according to the season of his government is also a great oppressor Wherefore my Lord I beseech you contemne not the Clock that tels you how the time passes a meane Herauld may goe on great errands and on this errand he is contented to be mean contemptible who is sent to you and prays unfainedly for you that you may never be set aside but be of singular use yet in this Generation and then and not till then rest from all your labours as David did Acts 13. 36. The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon together gets the loud suffrage of your suffering From my Study the 8th Month 20th day Tho. Apostles Yet your heartily humble Servant in the service of our Lord Iesus JOHN ROGERS To the Reader of any Faculty whatsoever in the Commonwealth of ENGLAND SIR WHat is your Profession Be what thou wilt I professe that this Treatise concernes thee and bids thee beware of a fall Hold fast especially if thou art any of the Supreame For he that ventures to fall from above with hopes to bee catched below may hap to be dead ere he come to ground this is sat sapienti a Word to the wise Therefore with humility and love to you 1. Are you a Parliament man mind your worke then and the Fifth Monarchy or else the stone Dan. 2. and the wheel Eze. 1. may hap to minde you and grind you too Righteous men know their work of the Generation they live in Gen. 4. 20 21. 22. Gen. 6. 9. Act. 13. 36. So did Abraham Noah Moses Aaron David Daniel Nehemiah and Ezra and all men whom the Lord annointed and appointed to govern And so will you if you be of God for good to this Generation Your worke so absolutely incumbent is obvious to every discerning eye the neglect of which if you be guilty I fear lest it should be more fat all to you then to the last Parliament if that be true in 1 Sam. 15. 26 28. and 16. 14. and may hap to throw you aside as well as your Predecessors and others in all ages that have through carnall Reason and Policy laid aside their worke and duty Now I doe declare to all that hear or read this Treatise and will if my life were on it that your worke is about the Lawes and Tithes to strip the Whore both of her outward Scarlet-array and to rend the flesh off of her bones by thorwing down the standing of Lawyers and Priests It is not enough to change some of these Lawes and so to reforme them as is intended by most of you according to the rule of the Fourth Monarchy which must all to peices O no! that wil be to poore purpose and is not your worke now which is to provide for the Fifth as chap. 5. by bringing in the Lawes of God given by Moses for Re-publique Lawes as well as the Lawes of God given by Christ which must in for Church Lawes Isa. 26. 13. Mark 10. 42. so that seeing the Law-booke of God which hath been lost so long is now found againe therefore like Josiah in 2 King 22. 12 13. Command that the Lord be sought to about it lest the wrath of God be kindled for not hearkening to the words in that Booke and cause these Lawes of God as chap. 23. 2 3. to be restored and read as he did in the eares of all the people that the people may be subject to those Lawes and then the Lord wil blesse you as he did Israel But if you doe it not I feare you wil be found to neglect your worke and opportunity for God and Christ. Why are there so many perplexable cares about the Lawes Hath not God given you a Booke of Lawes ready to your hand and can men make Lawes better then God then if Moses dare not set up any other Lawes but those given of God for the State or Politicke Government how dare you Now God hath brought you out of the house of Aegypt shal the Aegyptian or Norman Heathenish Lawes yet rule you O God forbid Wherefore seeing you have Gods Law-booke before you if you lay it aside and take up mens before it it wil not be well taken I promise you therefore the Lord open your eyes both as to the Lawes and Tithes and that you may looke before you leap It wil appeare this is your Generation-work 1 By the variety of Providences and Dispensations of God which declare it and have called you to doe it Micha 6. 9. The Lords voyce cryeth the voyce of the Lord from the City for all that common or corrupt Counsel-Petition put in for Tithes August last which was not the voyce of the Lord but the voyce of the Lady the Queen that sits on the Scarlet-coloured Beast full of Blaâ—phemies Rev. 17. 3. abusing the most precious Saints and Servants of Christ with a subtil insinuation of Jesuiâ—s and the like but it is wel knowne they were put on to it by the High Priests of this
you his Character aright and not so Sir I did humbly conceive it requisite to acquaint you that no false aspersions might come upon you unawares I desire you to pardon my boldnesse for I am one who from my heart intirely loves those that professe Christ c. This Letter was sent me by one once his Hearer til he and many others who have their eyes opened durst not abide his dangerous Ant christian Doctrine or unhallowed unchristian spirit Many Ministers of the Gospel have come to me about him and given me such a Character as it is a shame he should be suffered besides severall Country-men Gentlemen and other Citizens that have notoriously known him up and down doing mischief to the reproach of religion But such as these like the Snakes of Syria wil not bite their owne Country-men Yet let him goe on for though he may think like the Fish Sâ—pia to escape in the muddy thick waters of contention he may hap to mistake Thus such as these of Antichrists corrupt Clergy and â—â—ayiâ—y I meane Lawyers I must expect like Mastives that fly ful-mouth on a stranger And indeed I am of opinion that the faithfull Witnesses those whose bodies must lye three dayes and an halfe in the streets spiritually called Aegypt and Sodome I say I am perswaded their slaying or rather falling as is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 11. 7. by the power of Antichrist is not past but hard by however I beleeve it as if I saw it with my eyes now a most terrible tempest of darknesse and confusion is coming and the smoke of Babylon wil put the Air into dark mourning ereâ—â—â—g yea breaking all to peeces breaks in apace upon us i. e. And it is upon the hearts of many in the same manner that it is upon mine divers have been with me about it to tel me that of a truth the time of triall is nigh and they expect yea and desire it to suffer as Witnesses This motion upon many hearts together makes me think the Refiners fire wil quickly be kindled and then wo be to the oppressor whether on Ecclesiastical or Civil account for Judgement wil come upon the People of his curse Isa. 34. 5. in this Day of the Lords vengeance on them and those that know not the Lords Law shall be accursed Jo. 7. 49. Deut. 27. 19. 25 26. but in this day deliverance shall arise to the People of his blessing and as Ier. 23. 7 8 9. They shall no more say the Lord that brought them out of Aegypt but the Lord that brought them out of the North-countries and Norman captivities then shall the Law of the Lord be magnified Isa. 42. 19 21. and as the Sun obscures all the Starres with his bright light so shall Gods Law all mens in the next Monarchy and like Moses Rod swallow all these Magicians Lord hasten this day School-boyes look after Holy-dayes Worldly men after Rent-dayes Chapmen after Market-dayes Travellours after Faire Dayes Professors after Lords Dayes and the People of God long for these dayes of Christ viz. the end of the Foure Monarchies Dan. 7. that the Fifth may come wherein Christ and his Saints shall rule the World Mark it by Aâ—no 1656. the Floud begins and as in Noah's Arke after the doores were shut up there was no mercy though they came wading middle deep so let this be an Alarum to all men to make hast whiles the Doore of the Arke is open in few yeares they wil finde it shut and then though they wade thorow and thorow much danger whether Parliament-men Army-men Merchant men Clergy-men Lawyers or others they may hap to finde it too late and that their delayes have bred dangers for the doore wil be shut shortly My aime herein is to awaken them all up to their worke in the Restoration of Gods Lawes and Government the Peoples Liberties and Priviledges the Common-wealths comfort and advantages in Christs Kingdome and appearances which is and shall be the mark of my Arrow yea the Rain-bow of my Cloud that lookes on the Sun and that which my soule shal pump out apace in all my prayers to God in Christ for this Common-weale whose honest faithfull Servant I am in my heart without the cunning Politick or artificiall composition of complements though I must and doe suffer for my sincerity and simplicity London Tho. Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19th day of the 8th Month. JOHN ROGERS Doomes-day to LAWYERS OR An Alarme for new LAWS CHAP. I. How the Author comes to ingage in this Work and why And how the Lawyers are Antichrists State-Army of Locusts THE Administrations we are under are either Ecclesiasticall so called or Civil or Spirituall As to the first I have upon the importunity of Church-Members made up my accounts in an Idea of Church-Discipline called a Tabernacle for the Sun c. Sold at the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard Wherein appears how Ecclesiasticall formes and Administrations must be every day more and more refined and reformed and be more glorious till all selfish sensuall and carnall Prelatick Interests be pared away and till Ecclesiasticall be turned into the spirituall as the higher and Head of that Administration So shal all spiritual which I hope ere long to publish in an Idea of Spirit-Discipline be swallowed up in Christ the Ocean which all spiritual Administrations but lead us into But as to the Civill upon the request of some faithful Commonwealths Members and of those the grave sort of 40 50 60 70 80 years of age and more wherby I much incline could I procure so much time to give an accouâ—â— to all the World in an Idea of Civil Discipline how Civil Forms must be every day too more and more refined and reformed till we have Gold for Brasse and Silver for Iron Isa. 60. 16 17 and violence be no more heard in our Land which will be in the fifth Monarchy now entring But all Civil Formes are as yet accompanied with a world of corrupt close-cleaving Interests which doe deprave the Government and deprive us of that good which is the end of Civill Policy Now as it is Gods Designe in these latter days to pare away and purge Ecclesiasticall Formes and so to make them serve the Spirit I say it is also a glorious Designe of his to purge the civil Administration of those detestable corruptions and dregs which doe attend it and to pare away aâ—â— wicked personal humane selfish Interests and to make the Civil serve the Ecclesiasticall and officious to the Saints and Churches Isa. 60. 3. 10 11. as the lower principle is to observe the higher and be obedient Rev. 21. 24. Wherefore as sure as Israels God will throw down the Tyranny of the Ecclesiasticall Administration so surely will he also crush and throw down the tyranny of the Civill Administrations that our veriest Exactors shall be righteousnesse
quenched and if thou waitest for the word these Consumers in their flame may hap to have the mastery and do more mischiefe of a sudden then we are aware of Thus our Warrant is signed in the second place by the Law of Nations Thirdly The Law of God saies Luk. 10. 27. Love the Lord thy God c. and thy Neighbor as thy selfe Besides the Law of Nature and Nations the Law of God is unavoidably necessary ad ultimum finem Now this Law of God gives me Warrant as a Minister and as a Man to proclaime the injustice oppression lying cheating deceit and villanies of this wicked Tribe as Amos 4. 1. Hear the Law of the Lord O yee Kine of Bashan yee which oppresse the poor and crush the needy that is O yee Judges and Lawyers that are fed with the best and fattest things abounding in wealth and stores and they are such Kine whose bellies are filled for a day of slaughter which is signified by Bashan and they say to their Masters bring wine By the poor is meant the borrower but by the master is meant the creditor now these wretched Lawyers do not as they ought to doe justice for the reliefe of the poor Debters against hard hearted Usurers but rather they oppresse the poor and fulfill the desires of the rich misers to the wrong of others and then they say come your cause will carry it bring us wine a quart or pottle of wine to make merry with But God will confound this their carnality and covetousnesse Amos 5. 7. Hear O yee that turne judgement into wormwood and have made the Laws bitter to the poor and honest people and have made their remedies worse then their diseases and have managed the causes of the righteous with so much sin as have filled them with frequent sorrows and tears abhorring true reason and equity Vers. 11. For as much therefore as your treading is on the poor c. That is your greatest violence disdaine abuses and base injuries are done to them to screwze and grinde them under your filthy feet Ver. 12. I know your manifold transgressions and mighty sins in afflicting the just taking Bribes or Fees and turning aside the poor in the gate from their right i. e. when the poor have nothing to give them they get them into prisons to lie and rot there The Germans have a Proverb that the rich are hanged up by their purses and the poor by their necks Thus by injustice as the Prophet saies the Tyrannicall Tribe of Judges and Lawyers grow great get estates build stately houses have pleasant Gardens and ruffle it out in Angles of luxury and pride and whilst Angels protect them they behave themselves like Demi-gods But God will reward them in their kind Micah 2. 1. 2. Woe to them that devise iniquity that is in Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lye vanity c. who do this like the Lawyers and when the morning is light they practise it So away they run to Westminster and there plead their lies V. 2. They covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppresse a man and his house even a man and his heritage But thus saith the Lord Vers. 3. Behold against this Family i. e. of Lawyers or these Inns of Courts do I devise an evill c. and Vers. 4. In that day shall one take up a parable and lament with a dâ—lefull lamentation and say wee be utterly spoiled Thus the Lord complaines and threatens them very speedily and to purpose as will appear ere I have done with them Now Gods Word gives me warrant all along to cry aloud and spare not Should Whoredome be suffered in the open streets without open reproofes or Drunkennesse or the like Why theâ— should oppression injustice lying perjury violence cheating and such like Knavery is not one sin as much sin in the sight oâ— God as another I apprehend my Commission to lead me as largely against the Lawyers who make a daily trade of sin aâ— lying swearing cozening oppressing and wronging the Fatherlesse and Widows and all this in open sun too hereby getting mony as it does against Drunkards Swearers Whoremongers whâ— every day live by their sins making a trade of them and getting mony by them O how bitterly God complaines Heaven Earth and Creatures groan at such a company of as vile wretcheâ— as the earth bears that live by sins and have no other trading and that they should be yet tolerated to have open practise Jeâ— 6. 29. The Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are nâ— plucked away I wish one day it appeare not all one with opeâ— toleration of Drunkennesse Whoredomes or the like But I am bound in conscience to bear testimony against it and say with thâ— Prophet behold the end is come the end is come â— watcheth for thee behold it is come Ezek. 7. 6 7. their timâ— is come their day of trouble is near these judgements are inculcated because the Lawyers will not beleeve it may be Ver. 8 Now will I shortly poure out my fury upon them Ver. 10 11 12. Behold the day behold t is come the morning is gone forth the rod hath blossomed violence is risen up into a rod of wickednesseâ— None of them shall remain Nor of their multitudes Neither shall there be wailing for them The time is come The day draweth nigh Gods Word to me is to declare against their Injustice and Tyranny Cheating and Lying and to warn them Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Ezek. 2. 7. And if they will hear Ezek. 33. 12 15. Say Son of Man if the wicked will restore the pledge and give again what they have robbed and walk in my statutes without committing iniquity they shall live and not die Thus far the Law of God gives me power So Psal. 82. 2 3. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked But to come to the directive power of Gods Law see Judg. 5. 23. Curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof And that it is incumbent upon us by Gods Law to defend our Liberties against all Tyrants and Oppressors as I said before is without doubt Hos. 5. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 23. See what Mattathias said to his Brethren Come let us restore the decayed state of our people and let us fight for our people and for the Sanctuary So that it plainly appears we may do all we can for the decayed estate of this Commonwealth against the corrupt cruel and cursed innovations of the devouring Lawyers as well as other Tyrants that were Lords over us and for the restoration of our Primitive liberties and freedom of Justice as we shall show by and by at every mans door That righteousness may run down like a River in every street Isa. 48. 18. And be as common as the waters in
and Spartans have ever sent succor and assistance to their Neighbors when oppressions and tyrannies compelled them to implore it as now the Bâ—rdelois do of us and must we not aid the afflicted and distressed There is a notable sentence of the Spartan Senate left upon Record For the Spartans being Lords of the great City Byzantium they made Olearchus Governor there who kept up the corn in the time of wars for the Souldiers and let the Citizens die for hunger but Anaxilaus a great Citizen disdaining such tyranny enters into treaty with Alcibiades to deliver up the Town who indeed was received soon after But Anaxilaus being impeached by Articles pleads his cause himself for Lawyers were not then as now and his Judges acquitted him with these words Wars are to be made with Enemies not with Nature for it is against the very Law of Nature that those who should bee their Defenders and Preservers prove more cruel the enemies So as it is against the Law of Nature for the King of France to be worse then an Enemy to his own Citizens and Subjects So it is an much against the Law of God should they supplicate to us for assistance to be worse theâ— Neighbours and then such Professors and Pretenders for the Kingdome of Christ as we make a noise of in the world to be if we strike not now in for the interest of Christ and take not the opportunity to visit those coasts and to view the condition of the Protestants and oppressed ones in that Kingdome So let us come into our own Country for examples did not King Hen. 2. war against the Emperor Charls 5. under the colour and command of defending and delivering the Protestant Princes yea K. H. 8. made ready to helpe the Germans if the Emperor should oppresse them And shall we sit still now the eyes of all oppressed and distressed Protestants and Subjects in all Nations round us are upon us and the rather for that we pretend to do all for the Interest of Christ and Liberties of people Nay in this we have all the advantage that can be that whereas others waged wars with their own Interests ours will be with Christs who is to rule all Nations their 's about meum and tuum ours onely for Christ and his Kingdome Oh then that our Powers and Armies and Navies and Churches and all together would joyne in one to ingage together as one armed man And in the name of Jesus now to proclaime liberty to the captives and oppressed ones of other Nations abroad as well as at home were there but once a Proclamation made in the name of Jesus Christ O how many would come running under his banner from all parts beyond expectation of such too as are not yet known to the world and then woe be to Gog and Magog The Gaddites desired to be at rest and to go no further but to stay on the other side Jordan and to live there which though Moses assented to yet it was with this proviso that they should goe on and assist their other Brethren with their whole worke and go through-stich with it now they had begun â—t until the Israelites had conquered the Land of Canaan yea and to goe first out as the Van because they would first sit down and if they refused to doe thus then they were anathematized and destined to destruction like them that were adjudged Rebells at Cadesh barnea and none of them by the decree of God were ever to enter into the Land of Canaan So such of the Army Representative and Commonwealth that have 〈◊〉 heart to go further beyond the Seas Jordan but would be â— rest on this side should hear a Moses say what what yâ—â— brethren go on and fight further for Canaan and you sit still aâ— live lazing and idling at home No! no! away you that woâ—â— first sit down and lay down Armes and live in Peace get you first out beyond Jordan for you shall not returne to your Cattle and Corne and fine finical fig-leaves to be Coached and complimented into effeminacy and fooleries no nor yet to dwell â— home in England with your wives untill the Lord hath driven 〈◊〉 enemies before you and granted a place to your Brethren beyond Jordan as well as to you on this side it and then you shall 〈◊〉 turn in peace and with welcome and be innocent before the Loâ—â— and his people Israel and abide in quiet but not till then Therefore Uriah said 2 Sam. 11. 11. The Ark of the Lord and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the Servants of my Lord are encamped c. And shall I goe into 〈◊〉 house to eate to drinke and to lye with my wife as thou liveâ— and as thy soule liveth I will not do it O brave Souldier come on then let 's be gone abroad and get on the other side the riâ—â— in the name of the Lord Jesus and those that will not doe it liâ—â— the Rebels at Cadesh barnea they must be cursed and never enâ—â—â— into the land of Canaan which is on the other side the Rivâ—â—â— Wherefore to our Neighbors both at home and abroad let every one discharge his duty aright and let not Holland or France bâ— forgotten and it shall be a door of hope to us in the valley of â— chor For beleeve it upon perpending the concomitants wiseâ—â—â— know what I mean Hos. 14. 9. there is a necessity of taking all 〈◊〉 opportunities to show our love to Christ and his Kingdome and our charity to our oppressed and afflicted imbondaged neighbours and let not men dispute so much whether it be lawfull 〈◊〉 defend or strike in for anothers liberty and deliverance if it wâ—â—â— lawfull to doe so for our own seeing we must love our neighbâ—â—â— as our selves Diligit in proxime quod in seipso diligit â— diligit proximum eandem ob causam propter quam diligit sâ— ipâ—um if we love Christ then in our Nation why not in another and if Justice and Peace and Piety and Righteousnesse among our selves why not among others O for shame sirs let 's rubâ—â— eyes and look about us And after the wicked Lawyers have had a bâ—ng let us beat a march and alarm the whole world Jer. 50. 2. Declare ye among the Nations and publish and set up a standard publish and conceal not till ye say Babylon is taken Who is on my side saith the Lord. Who Come against her from the utmost border even Ireland and Scotland open her store-houses cast her up as heaps destroy her utterly let nothing of her be left Wo to them for their day is come the time of their visitation The vengeance of the Lord our God yea the vengeance of his Temple or Churches Jer. 50. 26 27 28 29. I intended not this length but the Lord will have it so and so I come in again to the
five months they did miserably torment But beside them the Religious western Locusts came in by swarmes in their hot Summer-months and theâ—â— a world of Priests Jesuites Monks Friars and after them Prelates rose up apace In the daies of Innocentius so called the third they began with abundance of power to torment men as they listed and this continued to 1360. a hundred and fifty yeares Whereas Wickliffe full of the wind of the Spirit began to blow vehemently after whom others followed and ceased not till this Egyptian plague were as to the greatest torment and terror of it over But besides all these the third sort are the State Locusts viz the Lawyers who arose out of the bottomlesse pit smoak too as hath and will yet further appear But we must not reckon from the first time of power given these sort of Locusts to hurt for that is of long standing for we shall find in Edw. Confessors time Anâ— 1043. how the Common Law so called arose out of four Nations and gave a being to some but after that William the Conquerer altered and disused Edwards and kept for his own corrupt ends and interest more to the Danish and Saxon appointing Termes and thereby bringing forth an abundance of Lawyers but as yet they were little and their interest was a poor puny thing till Edward the thirds time about one thousand three hundred and odde and all this while it was but as one friend pleaded for another but now the weather began to grow warme upon them in one thousand three hundred sixty nine and so continued to K. Heâ— 7 one thousand five hundred and four or thereabouts But theâ— as Rastall in his abridgement notes Acts were made in favor to them and their Summer-months to do mischeife and to torment the people came in a pace and continued hot to them that they had and did almost what they listed and had their Lawes and Liberties and Priviledges inlarged all along So that they were to this day in their vigor thus in Q. Eliz. 8. An. 1566. they were fostered up by her Acts of grace to them and they have to this day had their flourishing Summer and time to prospâ—â— in and to sing devour estates eate up the poor and torment the people but now their five months i. e. the one hundred and fifty years are upon expiring and their power to torment will boâ—â— more by a yeare or two not but that they may have a being yet but not as they had before to doe mischeife They shall prevaile no longer for their madnesse shall be evident to all 2 Tim. 3. 8 9. their September is hard by and a West wind will remove them out of those places wherein they have sat and sung and plagued us for five months Concerning the Locusts Hildegard hath a prophecy which is In those days shall arise a sort of blockish Fellows proud covetous perfideous and crafty eating upon the sins of the people preferring themselves before other men of arrogant disposition and voide of all shame or feare of God in inventing new mischeifes strong and stout but all prudent men and faithfull Christians shall curse this pestilent order They will flatter noble men and lay hold on whatsoever they can get and howsoever it be gotten by stealth robbery or legerdemaine And alas they will receive any thing from Rogues sacrilegious persons Usurers Adulterers Apostates Whores and Bawds of Noble men perjured persons corrupt Judges Tyrants or any that live contrary to Gods Law They shall live a delicate life and get a certaine fulnesse of an abundance of all worldly things though it be to their own eternall damnation And they shall every day wax more and more wicked with minds more and more obdurate But when once their crafty Conveyances shall be found then shall their large Gifts and Bribes and Fees cease and they shall goe from house to house hunger-bitten Then shall the people pursue them with this out-cry Woe be to you miserable wretches that are ordained to sorrow the devill has guided you your heart is without grace your mindes unstable and your eyes blinded with vanity and folly Remember the time when yee were in sight happy pleasant flatterers lovers of the World drunkards ambitious Patrons of wicked facts pollers pillars of all ruin unsatiable sowers of discord Then the people shall say out upon you get you packing hence ye Captains of mischeif For ye are fallen headlong into everlasting shame and reproach by God's just judgment Thus we have done with these Locusts onely say further Ver. 12. One woe is past It is past indeed at the downfall of this Antichristian State-Army as well as at the downfall of Antichrists Ecclesiasticall Army of Locusts And whilst we have offered these considerations of the Locusts wee doe not exclude a more spirituall and refined meaning of those words in the full sence of them But to conclude this Chapter We might well wonder how the Lawyers yet stood seeing the Priests and Prelats and such like Locusts were swept away but that their five months we finde began here in England after the Priests and Prelates yet now the day of their destiny draws nigh Wherefore gird up thy loins saith the Lord and speake unto them all that I command thee be not dismaied at their faces least I confound thee before them CHAP. II. That there is a CIVIL POLITY and LAWS and what is the right PRINCIPLE thereof and how to be obeyed above Laws or Lawyers THere is no man so irrational as to deny the due use of Civill Discipline and for the well ordering of civil affairs of sound Lawes but a religious man much more knows a necessary use of such a Polity and Government in subserviency and subordination to Christ and his Kingdome though specifically distinct therefrom even in terminis In Civill States must bee 1. Reges 2. Leges 3. Greges Magistrates to rule Laws to rule by and Subjects to be ruled thereby and all these ought to be in obedience to Christs Kingdom Now the Laws are the Nerves and Sinewes of the Commonwealth or if we will the Axle-tree of our State upon whose firmenesse and fitnesse we move Be sure they be sound then and such as do not oppresse the people of the Commonwealth for if they do they render our Rulers by them for Oppressors and Tyrants The reason of it is in Calvin Instit. lib. 4. c. 20. 14. who says that the Law mutum esse Magistratum magistratum vivam esse legem c. is a close Magistrate but the Magistate is an open Law so that if the Law be close tiranny the Governors thereby must needs bee open Tyrants But for civil Order and use good and plain Laws are unavoidably necessary this will appeare upon the very definition of the Law which is quoddam dictamen practicae rationis a certain dictate of practicall reason
good and benefit and rather tend to advance some private gooâ—â— and selfish interest of great persons or the like 2. Ex formâ— when they are dispensed dispersed and executed by an uneven and unequal hand for though they tend to the publick good yet they may be unjustly executed and so made yoakes and burthens to some above others so that then they are flaws not Laws magis violentiae sunt quam leges and as Aug. de lib. arbit l. 1. c. 5 Lex esse non videtur quae justa non fuerit unde tales leges non obligant in foro conscientiae c. Such Lawes are not binding the conscience to obedience but it is a greater sin to obey them and disobey Reason then it is to obey Reason and disobey them Secondly Lawes are unjust when they are contrary to divine good and such especially are to be disobeyed Act. 4. 19. for God is to be obeyed before men Lastly Remember your reasonable service to God and certainly honest just men may upon a civill or rationall as well as a religious score be said to suffer for God and with the witnesse of a good conscience 1 Pet. 2. 19. And this is thank-worthy if a man for his conscience towards God suffer griefe wrongfully This the Lord looks on and owns and crowns in our sufferings upon a civill account as well as otherwise So that many that have been by corrupt Antichristian State-Lawes put to death for their opposition and disobedience to such unreasonable Formes will be found faithfull ones yea and Martyrs too in that day of the Lord. For though the Forme promises protection to its own Followers yet the lives of others that prefer Reason must be sacrificed and their blood poured out to quench the flame and fury of enraged Formes and unreasonable Laws Object But we are bid to obey the Higher Powers Answ. True as wee said before in things honest and just But 2 Those that despise this Principle and so highly prize and prefer the forme they oppose the higher Powers and speak evill of dignities So that by this Law of God many condemned for Traytors and Rebels by their Judges may be justified and their Judges themselves be condemned for Traytors to true Reason which is the highest Power Wherefore in a word will we live like men make use of the light of Nature among men and sit not still till the Laws be regulated by Reason as the Principle of them Quest. Who should do it Answ. They that have power to make them have power to mend them Now condere legem to make a Law or to ordinare aliquid in bonum commune to ordaine any thing that tends to the publick good is either done by the commonalty as we cal it or by some that represent them as appeares in the next Chapter Hence saies Isidorus in l. 2. c. 1 Etym. Lex est constitutio populi secundum quam majores natu simul cum plebibus aliquid sanxerunt Therefore let all the free-borne English look out for reason and prefer the principle above all formes yea above all persons but to that at last Thus to conclude the Laws which we call for are such as first flow from the Law and Light of Nature Secondly for the publick and common good Thirdly made by such as represent the publick Commonalty 4 As directive and Rules to humane actions Hence saies Suarez Lex est mensura quaedam actuum moralium ita ut per conformitatem ad illam rectitudinem moralem habeant si ab illa discordent obliqui sunt And Plato in plaining of his politicall Idea's makes a graduall description of a Law by four steps 1 He cals the Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things fitting but for that this is too general He cals a Law 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but lest an evill Law should be established by the multitude he cals it 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken sometimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and at other times for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 4. Laws he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquinas cals the Law an Ordinance of Reason for the promulgation of publick good taking care of the publick and such we wish for And so saies Suarez too Lex est commune praeceptum justum ac stabile sufficienter promulgatum the Law is a publick Precept just and stable proclaimed openly to all These definitions we allow of and such Lawes we account necessary to this Commonweale 1. Wherein publick good with olive branches to all is cheifly and solely intended 2. Which flow from a cleare understanding and Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 3. Which carry life and vigor with them to work And lastly proclaimed and made known to all in a publick manner very emphatically and sufficiently in their Native Language and so as that none may plead ignorance and with this I conclude this Chapter CHAP. III. The right RISE and ORIGINAL of all good LAWS and how the People have been robbed of their RIGHT to this day with the INCOME of corrupt LAWS and LAWYERS the true Rise of their Interest Innes of Court and Trades by sinne And in order thereto what it is the People expect from their Conqueror the LORD GENERALL and the Army I Propose yea I purpose brevity in the following Chapters having passed through the most material of this discourse but before we can go further we must find out the Rise of good Lawes which appears plainly to be from the People who being most sensible of their own burthens are most capable of making Laws for their owne ease and welfare Cicero owns this in his Offices lib. 2. Cum premeretur olim multitudo ab iis qui majores opes habebant statim confugiebat ad aliquem virtute praestantem c. Jus enim semper quaesitum est aequabile neque enim alitur esset Jus id si ab uno bono justo viro consequebatur eo erant contenti cum id minus contingeret Leges sint inventae c. When the poor people were oppressed by the rich ones they presently made choise of some that excelled others in worth and wisdome to represent them and when they obtained from some honest just and good man redresse of wrongs they rested satisfied but that failing they were forced to Lawes and invented Laws for their liberty not for their bondage or slavery To this saies Isidorus l. 3. Etym. c. 21. Constituitur enim Communitas Cavitatis ex multis perâ—â—â—is c. The Commonalty makes Lawes consisting of many persons that represent the publick So saies Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 2. c. 21. and lib. 22. c. 6 Nullus potest condere leges nisi communitas vel personae publicae vices ejus gerentes So that it appears to any unprejudiced and honest man that
the fruit of lying cheating oppressing perjury deceit and tyranny For surely surely such a weak purgation as some men speak of will but stir the rough and tough humors and anger them the more Shall such men as these scape scot-free and nothing but thunder and lightning upon many honest men and Ministers of this Nation Some of our new Parliament have already put heart into these vermine whilst they have caused to my knowledge some vertuous souls to sit weeping behind doors or in corners complaining that they cannot tel where to have Justice or to whom to petition for right yea a Gentlewoman big with child that did but beg for an order to have her linnen and things fit to lye in that are detained from her by a Malignant in the Country and shee poor heart must be turned by for all her tears most hard-heartedly and bid to go to the Law which was the ready way to ruine her and like the Flounder to leap out of the dish into the fire Well the Lord make them wise for if they begin thus I fear they will end worse and if they be so ready and prodigall to cause the godly people to shed their tears I pray God they prove not as ready to cause them to shed blood But in the mean time to shew mercy to the wicked is cruelty to the good as one said And as Thucydides says lib. 1. They are not only Tyrants which make other men Slaves but they are much more so who have power and means to suppresse Tyrants and to prevent their oppression and yet doe it not nor take care about it but rather continue the oppression upon the poor c. O sad Let the Magistrate look to it then Their worke is great as to the Law and Lawyers as well as to the Tithes and Priests and it is not soft wood or bending lead which is fit matter for a Carpenters Rule nor are such flexible dispositions as wee have met with hitherto fit for the work of this Generation Salomons Throne had carved Lyons not Apes nor Asses nor yet Foxes are fit for that throne of Judicature in our daies which is to be for the typified Salomon Wherefore the Lord the Counsellor be with the Parliament so as to execute true Justice upon these Norman Tyrants and if it fall upon them in a vehement showre or storm seeing they are ripe in the field it shall onely be to lay them down that are fittest for the sickle or the sithe Lastly Reason suggests to us that it is time to be freed from them seeing they are strangers and of the Norman Line that have usurped this power over us When the will of their great master William advanced them upon our Tombs and Ruines many an honest Noble Britain was brought to beg their bread and their possessions taken from them sayes Holinshed and given these his greedy followers And then as the Lord of Oxford said to Queen Elizabeth as she was playing on the Virginals and the ledge being taken away for the Jackâ— to be seen Your Majesty may see sayes he how Jacks went up and Heads went down together Well I shall mention no more to this then what the foresaid Thucydides sayes in his 1. Lib. That amongst others they were the Tyrants and Traytors which assumed the title of Protectors of Greece and Defenders of the Country and yet stirred not to deliver the Country from the oppression of strangers Is he not a Nero that can see the burning and ruine of his City without reluctancy or trouble And have we not some Caligula's that could wish all the honest men in England especially the Ministers had but one head that they might strike it off at a blow But to conclude the peoples expectation as they are rational in the downfal of the Lawyers up-start and ungodly Interest several other things might be said but this is all now that Justice calls for it as to the Commonwealth and Charity challenges it as to set the oppressed free Secondly The people cannot as religious as well as they are Rational longer endure this notoriously wicked interest of ungodly Lawyers for that of all the Nation they are the men that are tolerated to live by sin and to make a trade of sin openly and hourly as briefly to instance in some 1. Lying which is as the Nerves and Sinews of their Calling for they cannot plead a Cause without lying one or the other must be the lyer in every Cause Let them not think at the day of the Lord to escape scot-free for their art in lying though they call them witty evaâ—ionâ— or pretty homoâ—ynies or at the most but equivocations At the day of judgement no such Pleas nor Fees will be taken or serve turn to help them nor can their Father the Jesuite Bercana be able to save them in that day nor all the subâ—leties of the Jesuites their Brethren Wherefore the Lawyer needed not to have been so angry with the poor Scotchman for speaking broad when he reading his Morning Service out of Joh. 8. with these words Your Father the Devil was a lyer from the beginning pronounced it as well as he could Your Father the devil was a Lawyer from the beginning But the Lawyers I hear were angry with him and what need they can one be a Lawyer and not a lyer then there may be fire and not heat seeing as heat is an unseparable property of fire so is lying of a Lawyer and the ablest Lawyer is so accounted because he is the ablest lyer and can best plead the worst Causes and the wickedest untruths These as the Prophet sayes Isai. 32. 7. Devise wicked devises to destroy the poor with lying words even when the needy speaketh right the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as the vulgar reads it Fraudulentia instrumenta sunt pessima And these consult and study tricks and lies to wrong us of our right as the Man of God tells us Job calls such Forgers of lies Job 13. 4 5. or Inventors that have gotten the art and trade of making lies insomuch that an honest man may blush but to read over one of their Declarations against another O the grossest palpable known lies that they own in every Declaration But sayes Job O that ye would hold your tongues which were more wisdom for you So Isai. 59. 3. 4. Your lips have spoken lies your tongues have muttered perversness none calleth for justice nor any of you pleads for the truth but trust in vanity and plead lies conceiving mischief and bringing forth iniquity and making it indeed a cause of the Devils seven times more the Devils then it was before And if they get an honest mans cause though a good cause into their hands yet by their lying and sinful management of it they make it dangerous and deviâ—ish Hatching Cockâ—trices eggs Vers. 5. and bringing out iniquity insomuch that it is very dangerous
high Treason to be but faithfull and honest to the peoples Interest I pray God this be not the thing that keeps up the Lawyers amongst us now viz. to keep up the Interest of the Great ones and keep down the peoples Right and Liberties That like Popiclus of Polonia they might by murthers and oppressions over awe the people so as that they should not dare to demand their Rights and then make themselves absolute and hereditary Thus I might go on all day to show how many ways they are guilty of the most grievous murthers and of as able men as ever the Earth bare and to fast from blood hath been Lent-time to some But I conclude the Catalogue with this trick to make up their measure to get yea honest men into prisons and many times upon meer cheats as we heard before in Pag. 55. and then to keep them there purposely till they be starved to death and â—â—t up with lice and die worse then dogs Let a man but take a view of one place amongst many others i. e. the Upper Bench how many hundreds have they most miserably worse then Turks tormented and starved to death O England England does blood precious blood bid thee call for Justice upon these Intruders or Lawyers and shall we sit still Hark! Jere. 4. 31. I have heard a voice of the daughter of Zoin that bewaileth her self in anguish that spreadeth her hands and saith Wo is me now for my soul is wearied because of murtherers They murther the innocent Psal. 10. 8. and the fatherless Psal. 94 6. and poor yea they are polluted with blood Hos. 6. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as troops of robbers they wait for men sayes the Prophet to murther them by consent it is in our Translation I know not how it was thrust in but the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shechem the shoulder which signifies either that they do it with one shoulder or else which I like best they murther the shoulder i. e. such as are most eminent high able and the worthies So that thus saith the Lord Hosea 4. 1 2. the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land for that by swearing lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood This is one ground more of the great complaint the free Commoners have against these Norman Tyrants or Lawyers which is as hideous to the honest Englishman that fears God as Julius Caesars Robe was to the Senate-house that saw it stabbed through with so many holes and bloodied in so many places Thus are the Laws and Liberties of this poor Nation lost which makes us groan to God and men 4. As men are religious they rally up against these ungodly Lawyers for their open Robberies and Cheats which speaking too before I shall adde little to having told you of their tricks and arts which their Inns of Court bring them up in to get mony and abuse the oppressed people by Feâ—s and Bribes but Trop donne soyt repele There will come a day of reckoning for them and all that they have knit up by their rapine will be unravelled again with a witness ere long and these Powder-masters will be blown up with their own provision then Shall I count them pure with their bag of deceitful weights saith the Lord Miâ— 6. 11 12. For the rich are full of violence the inhabitants have pleaded lies and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths Vers. 16. For according to their Norman customs the statutes of Omri are yet kept that I should make thee a desolation Trust not in your robberies nor lies saith the Lord Jere. 7. So saith David Psal. 94. They frame mischeif for a Law and gather themselves against the soul of the righteous and condemn the Innocent God will recompence them in their own malice the Lord our God will destroy them They judge for rewards and hire and build up with blood Micah 3. 10 11. They are brass and iron they are revolters Jere. 6. 28. Every one loveth gifts and fees and judge for rewards they judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come to them O! I will ease me of these my adversaries Isai. 1. 23 24. What are their Inns of Court but as Job saith Chap. 12. 6. Tabernacles of robbers which prosper And as Solomon sayes Prov. 21. 7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them because they refuse to do judgement The Searchers of God shall be sent out to seek out all their ill-gotten goods for which they will be arrested with a vengeance as the veriest Fellons that are though it is true as yet we have robbery for right and oppression for judgment Small theeves are condemned to die for it whiles great National ones ride rattling in Coaches I warrant you the poor sneaking Solicitors and Clerks yea the Bum-bailiffs and Serjeants that abuse men and beat women great with childe as one J. Turvy did a Gentlewoman the other day and yet not punished I say such as these say it is good gleaning after them that run away with whole sheaves and whose robberies are accounted rights because countenanced connived at and priviledged forsooth O sad are we such slaves yet As the same River that runs through divers regions hath divers names and yet it is the same River so theft hath divers names in Souldiers it is called spoil and plunder in Governors called Cessments tribute c. In Lawyers called Fees in others Gifts and Bribes in Church they call it Sacriledge and Simony in State Oppression and Tyranny in Law Corruption and Bribery and when this one River rises up into a Spring-tide or swells up to the bank then it is called Usury But in a poor naked man it is called Theft and Fellony without any other fine minced words which were coyned to cover great mens knavery and such a one must be murthered for it without mercy or clergy as they call it Dalton fol. 226. Although in truth it is the same River that runs and the same thing though new in name in all these but the same Cob-web which some Spiders can dwell in shall hang others As among the old Lacedemonians theft amongst them was never punished where it was carried cunningly and secretly but he that was discovered for stealing and did it not neatly he was punished not so much for stealing as for behaving himself no more covertly and cunningly in it So whiles poor men suffer mulct for a little matter because it is open plain theft these rich ravenous Robbers do it with art and cunning and have coyned a new name for it too to guild it over and so scape scot-free though they rob us daily of a thousand times more then all the Theeves in England besides But their Dooms day Book will be brought out ere-long where it is set down to a tittle what they ow to this
Then shall new Preachers be sent to thee that shall not only rebuke the People but also thunder against the Priests and put to silence the lofty and swelling Masters and they shall so bruise the forehead of that lewd Whore that it shall be reputed Righteousnesse to them that rebuke thee Finally saies he chap. 30. the LORD shall not make an end till New things doe arise and that there come a Generation bringing forth good fruit and a full Reformation be Then Qui in tenebris ambularunt ad lucem redibunt quae erant divisa dispersa consolidabuntur c. Besides him we have anothers Judgment in a Prediction of long standing and that is one Cataldus Finius once Minister of Trent When Rome saies he begins to hear the loâ—d bellowing of the fat Cow I know not who that is unlesse the English Nation as seems by what followes Woe woe then be to thee O Flanders full of blood and Zealand and Holland full of treacheries as if this were the way of the war to Rome Alas alas weep thou unhappy Babylon thou damned pit of Priests for the dayes of affliction are come upon thee and like unripe corne thou shalt suffer a threshing for thine iniquities Many shall come against thee yea from the foure corners of the Earth the Holy ones of God shall bee gathered together against thee Over and above all these one Baptista Nazarus hath translated a prophecy out of Hebrew how in the sixth thousand years which is now shall begin great wars to vex Nations and they shall come into Spaine France and Germany and put the Romans to the edge of the sword and that the English shall combine with others and the Venetians shall enter into a holy league with the English I conceive that to be meant a league upon theaccount of Christ against Antichrist c. and they shal go on conquering and have the chief hand in vanquishing the Turks So that it seems long since it was foresâ—en what God would do in and by this Nation and how fast from them the Fifth Monarchy should goe on and grow up to the ruine of the fourth Monarchy in all Nations which appears to strike terrible strokes at the Ecclesiasticall and Civill Interest of Babylon I could heap up many more Prophesies and Predictions of this nature But I shall end them in one more of the Sibyls lib. 3. p. 268. 269. which saies that in the last daies after grievous and intestine wars shall be set up instead of the cruell Lawes and wils of men the most venerable Decrees Laws and Ordinances of the Lord and then shall the beloved People of God flourish again So that it seems the Sibyls fore-saw how sadly the poor people would be oppressed and enslaved by cursed and cruel Laws and Lusts of men all along the fourth Monarchy and what redemption herein the fifth Monarchy would bring them for as in Psal. 72. 3. 7. Christ the King shall reigne in those dayes and then the Mountains Kings Princes Parliaments Generals and the Hils viz. Judges Justices c. shall bring peace to the people by justice and thorough righteousnesse and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those daies the righteous shall flourish and abundance of peace shall be so long as the Moon endures and Christ shall reign from Sea to Sea i. e. by degrees at first till it come to the ends of the Earth but thus for the first Reason Secondly This fifth Monarchy must enter a pace for that Christ hath of right the Supream Authority of the Nations therefore Dan. 7. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Kingdome i. e. the fifth Monarchy and the summa potestas Regni the Supreame authority of the Nation is his or the absolute Soveraignty is given him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven and in Earth Wherefore woe be to those Usurpers that trade and triumph with the title due to Christ alone who is now coming for his own No wonder Holland hath so hard a tug now to keep the title of I was going to say Almighty but High and Mighty which Christ has a Commission to take from them with a powder Doe but observe de Wits Letter to them dated 11 alias 1. Aug. 1653. lying before the Texel who ends it thus Which is the account sent to your High and Mighty and Noble Great and Mightinesses So ending I remaine Your High and Mighty and Noble and Great and Mightinesses faithfull Servant Cornelius de Withe Witte And he deserves the Withe for flattering men so This must not be endured ere long and it were well for us if we took not that Title which Christ alone must and will have ere long to himselfe as his by right Besides Christ alone must be the Law-giver and have the Legislative Power in this Monarchy Isa. 33. 22. Jekovah is our Law-giver So Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh should be their Lawgiver so Psa. 60. 7. Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Christ of the Tribe of Judah is my Lawgiver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is as much as to say there is no stability in Government or Laws till Christs Fifth Monarchy till he come 〈◊〉 give it them He hath the Judicial Power too John 5. 22. 27. But although he doth delegate a Judiciall Power to his Servants Isa. 1. 27. 1 King 6. 12. and subordinate Officers Isa. 60. 17. Dan. 7. 27. Rev. 19. 14. which must all be Saints too yet he keeps the Legislative Power to himselfe and will not part with it nor can he to Princes or Parliaments He alone is to have the absolute Soveraignty as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 7. 14. So that his will his word or command is the Law and the Law ought to be none but his Word all grounded and fetched from the Word of God which is to be the Statute-Booke Psal. 147. 19. He sheweth HIS Statutes and HIS Judgements to Israel Then the ablest Lawyers wil be such as are most conversant with Christ his Scriptures and Ordinances O happy dayes then the Lawes will bee healing as Soveraigne Medicines and the Magistrates like Pâ—ysitians must apply them for these and divers other reasons we looke for the fifth Monarchy and doe continually cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly Let every one that longs for these new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. Pray Our Father thy Kingdome come that thy will may be done in earth as it is in heaven Matth. 6. 10. that we may have none but Christs Lawes Statutes and Government but forget all old Formes of Civil or Ecclesiasticke for which end Lord hasten this fifth Monarchy Vse My first word is full to our Governours in the Honourable Court of Parliament if so be the fifth Monarchy is so nigh us it concernes them to set upon their Generation-worke then in these dayes