maketh Legislation the natural right of the Body politick and governing power to be thence derived to depend upon the Body and to returne to it by escheats when heirs fail and that the King is singulis Major and universis Minor c. His eighth Book was in print long before Bishop Gauden published it who yet vindicateth it to be Hookers own 7. In 1637 1638 1639. A. Bishop Land useing more severity against dissenters than had been used of late before and the visitations more enquiring after private fasts and meetings and going out of mens own Parishes to hear and such like and also the Book for sports on the Lords daies being necessarily to be read by all the Conformable Ministers in the Churches and Altars Railes and Bowing towards them being brought in and in many places afternoon Sermons and Lectures put down the minds of men before filled with the aforementioned jealousies were made much more jealous than before And after the imprisonment of some the stigmatizing of some and the removall of many beyond the Seas and the death of more the Nonconformable Ministers were reduced to the paucity before mentioned but the minds of many people were more alienated from the later set of Bishops and the old sort of Conformists more jealous of them and more afraid of Popery c. than before 8. The new Liturgy then imposed on the Scots with the other changes there attempted the designes charged on the Marq. of Hamilton the fear of the Lords losing the Tyths c. which Dr. Heylin mentioneth as the causes or occasions of their arming there with the progress thereof and their entring into England and the advantage thence taken by some English Lords to advise the King to call a Parliament once and again and the discontents and proceedings of that Parliament against the two Ministers of the King for former things with such other matters we had rather the reader took from others than from us We are unwilling to be the mentioners of any more than concerneth our present cause and the things are very commonly known 9. On the 23. of October 1641. The Irish suddenly rose and murdered no less than two hundred thousand persons and Dublin narrowly escaped them of which we refer the Reader to the examinations published by Dr. Henry Jones since a Bishop in Ireland and to the history of Sir John Temple and to the Earl of Orery's Answer to Mr. Welsh 10. The dreadfulness of this Massacre so far exceeding the French the news sent over that the Irish said that they had the Kings Commission and the foregoing jealousies of the people and the Parliaments Declarations raised in multitudes of the people a fear that the Irish when they had ended their work there would come over hither and do the like and that they had partakers in England of whom we were in danger and that there was no way of safety but to adhere to the Parliament for their own defence or else it would quickly be too late to complain 11. In 1642. the lamentable Civil Warr brake out At which time as far as ever we could learn by acquaintance with some of them and report of others excepting an inconsiderable number the Houses of Lords and Commons consisted of those that had still lived in conformity to the Church of England and the Episcopal Government and were such Conformists as Dr. Heylin describeth Archbishop Abbot and the Clergy and Parliaments of his times to have been Crying out of the danger of a new partie that said they would shake our Religion Liberties and Property And such were they when the War began Presbytery being then little known among them 12. Their fear of being overpowred by the party of whom they seemed to think themselves in sudden danger caused some of them to countenance such Petitionings and clamours of the Londoners Apprentices and others as we think disorders and provocation of the King 13. The first open beginning was about the Militia And whether the Lord Lieutenants whom the Parliament chose were not almost all Episcopal Conformists we intreat the Reader but to peruse the Catalogue in the ordinance for that Militia and to ask any that well knew them as some of us did many of them and he may certainly be satisfied 14. The same we say 1. Of the far greatest part of the General Officers Collonels Lieutenant-Collonels and Majors of the Earl of Essex's Army 2. And of the Sea-Captains 3. And of the Major Generals of Brigades and Counties through the Land 15. When the Parliament's Armies were worsted and weakened by the King and they found themselves in danger of being overcome they intreated help from the Scots who taking the advantage of their straits brought in the Covenant as the Condition of their help which the Parliament rather accepted than they would lose them which at first was imposed on none by force But to pass by all other Considerations was judged by many wise men to be an occasion of division as making the opposition to Prelacy to be the terms of the Kingdoms Unity and Concord when they might know that the King and a great if not the greatest part of the Kingdom were of the contrary mind and so it was thought to be as the Papal terms of Unity a means of unavoidable division But others thought that because it tied them to no endeavours but in their Places and Callings they might take it 16. The Assembly of Divines at Westminster were men that had lived in Conformity except about eight or nine of them and the Scots But being such as thought Conformity lawful in case of deprivation but the things imposed to be a snare which should be removed if it could be lawfully done they also received the Covenant but were divided about the sense of the word Prelacy many professing their Judgment to be for Moderate Episcopacy whereupon the describing additions Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons were added And upon such a Profession that it disclaimed not all Episcopacy Mr. Coleman is said to have given the Covenant to the House of Lords And they complained of the Parliament which tied them to meddle with nothing but what they offered to them 17. This Covenant and Vow was taken by the Parliament and by their Garrisons and Souldiers that would volunrarily take it as a test whom they would trust the rest being had in suspension And after the wars by such as were ordained Ministers and by the Kings adherents when they made their compositions so far was it afterward imposed But many Ministers and Gentlemen refused it and so did Cromwel's Souldiers and in many Counties few did take it 18. How far the Parliament was from being Presbyterians may partly be seen in the Propositions sent from them by the Earl of Essex to the King at Nottingham and partly by their defeating all the desires and endeavours of those that would have Presbytery setled through the Land We know of no places but London and
Lancashire where it was commonly taken up and some little of it at Coventry and some few such places And that was only as a tolerated or commended thing without any imposition that ever we knew of And accordingly it came to nothing in a short time 17. Till their new modelling their Army the Parliament had given out all Commissions to their Souldiers to fight for King and Parliament But then the King's name was lest out which seeming to many thousands an utter change of the Cause from that time many did desert them And thereupon the Party called Sectaries flowing in to Cromwel and his Army conquering the power fell into their hands who imprisoned the King accused and drove away eleven Members of the Parliament and afterward imprisoned and excluded the major part of the remaining House and with the rest cut off the King cast down the House of Lords pretended a while to set up a Commonwealth as they called it imposed an Engagement to that Commonwealth as established without King and House of Lords ordered the sequestration of the Ministers that refused it and of those that kept not their daies of fasting and thanksgiving for the Scotish wars which then they made After which they cast out with scorn that remnant of the Commons that had joyned with them and chose themselves some men called a Parliament who attempting to put down all Parish-Ministers Tythes and Universities the first put to the Vote and carried but by a few against them they were broke up by delivering up their Commission to Oliver who was made Protector and had the honour designed of saving the Ministry Tythes and Universities from the Sectaries even from that danger into which he had brought them 20. From the time of these New Causes and Changes especially the destroying the King violating and casting out the Parliament men imposing the engagement c. the Ministers called Presbyterian in England some few compliers excepted many of whom since Conform declared themselves against all this and were lookt upon as enemies though kindness was offered to reconcile them Some were imprisoned many cast out of their places in the Universities some sequestred and Mr. Love and Mr. Gibbons a Gentleman beheaded Mr. Gee with the Lancashire Ministers with some of us wrote against these proceedings of the then Power Many Preacht against them so that the sober Religious people of the land grew commonly disaffected to them And what the Scots did and how they were conquered we need not here relate 21. The Ministers who were then in possession of the Parish Churches were of many minds about Church Government 1. Many were for the old Episcopacy and Liturgie 2. Many were for a reformed Episcopacy 3. Many were for Presbytery that is Church Government by Presbyteries Classes and National assemblies of Teaching and of Governing unordained Elders Conjunct as jure divino 4. Some were for that which is called Independency 5. Some thought that no form of Church Government was jure divino 6 But the most of our acquaintance were peaceable moderate men that thought several parties had somewhat of the right and that the points of difference were so few and small that they might well live in peace and love and that none of the parties was so right as that in all things they should be followed and others trod down to set them up And many of these were young men that being at the Schools had not been engaged in the first quarrels and desired not to side with any dividing parties and modestly professed that they had not maturity enough to study themselves to any great confidence in the Controversies 22. This last sort of men beginning in Worcest shire set on foot a work of reconciling Association in which the Episcopal Presbyterians and Independants agreed to practise so much of Church Government and Ministration as they were all agreed in with mutual Love and assisting concord and to forbear one another in the rest till God should bring us neerer And after they added another Agreement to Catechise every person in their Parishes old and young that would come to them or receive them thereto and personally to instruct and exhort them about the practicals of Religion and preparation for death and the life to come This example was presently followed by the Ministers in Cumberland and Westmorland Wiltshire Dorsetshire Essex and going on in other Counties till the confusions 1659 interrupted it and the return of the Prelacie ended it and many such endeavours 23. When Oliver was dead many sorts of Government were set up in one year First his son Richard who having never been in Arms and being famed to be for the King many thought he would have been ready when he could to resign the Kingdom to him and spoke him fair on that account and others because they thought he would quiet the violent and keep out utter confusion After his ejection the Remnant of the Commons called the Commonwealth was restored After this they were cast out again and a Council of State Chosen by the Army till the Kingdom grew to scorn them all and was weary and ashamed of the confusions and revived their designs to restore the King 24. The first open attempt of united endeavours against the Army to restore the King was by the Cheshire Lancashire and Northwales men under Sr. Georg Booth now Lord De lamere and Sir Tâ—o Middleâ—on who had been commanders for the Parliament and was broken by the Armies Conquering them Mr. Cook Mr. Harrison Mr. Kirby Mr. Seddan sent up Prisoners and in danger of death and other Ministers who since are silenced and ruined by those they helpt 25. But the attempts being renewed at the same time the division of the Opposers the Army and the Commonwealth Members shook them all to pieces and ruined them and the new closure of the Old Parliamentarians and the Royalists and the Presbyterians and other Ministers with the Episcopal strengthened them and restored the King The Presbyterian Officers and Souldiers of General Monk's Army concurring with the rest and Sir Thomas Allen then Lord Mayor many London Ministers on their part counselling him thereto with the Aldermen and others inviting General Monk to joyn with the City herein against the Opposers from which very day the scales were turned and all went on without any considerable stop and the old ejected Members of Parliament first and the Council setled protempore after prepared for His Majesties return and Dr. Gauden Mr. Calamy and Mr. Bâ—xter Preaching at the Fast of the next Parliament as their Printed Sermons shew the King the next morning was voted to return and to be invited to his Fathers Throne 26. In preparation for this some Ministers now silenced had trcated with some Gentlemen firm to the King and with Bishop Usher Bishop Browrig Dr. Hammond and others who all encouraged them though some much more than others by prosessing moderate healing principles and intentionsâ— And in London and several
as an Innovator and those that followed him And some think that every side had too much hand in it and were to be blamed The truth is 1. That more by far of the Nonconformists than of the late sort of the Prelatists were for the Parliament in those times 2. That some that were Sectaries and some that were hot for the Parliament did conform 3. That some few that had been in the King's Army or Cause and that were sufferers for him and were against the Covenant and the Parliaments War were Nonconformists 4. That many more of the old Episcopal Comformists than of the later sort of them were for the Parliament 5. That the Archbishop of York Williams who had some time been Lord Keeper was one of the Parliaments Commanders in North-Wales as it is reported without denial 6. That most Ministers are dead that were in that War 7. That the Westminster Assembly as is said came thither almost all Conformists 8. That so small is the number of the present silenced Ministers who had any hand in those Wars that if no other were ejected and silenced but they the case would be judged comparatively very easie and it would be thankfully accepted as hath oft been told For most were then youths at School and in the Universities and many lived in the King's quarters and garrisons and many other never medled with Wars at all it being now about thirty four or five years since the War began 9. That all the Wars that have been since their opposition to the Parliament and violence done to the person of the King were far from being owned by the common sort of the now Nonconformists as was said 10. The Doctrine of Bilson Hooker and such like containing such Principles as Parliament men then usually professed is before mentioned though not fully recited and is commonly known and that the main body of the Parliament Assembly Army Commanders Lord Lieutenants Mâ—jor Generals of Bragades and Sea-Captains were professed Conformists of the Church of England 11. Lastly We had hoped that His Mâ—jesties prudence had by the Act of Oblivion long since ended this part of the Contention but we find still some conformable Ministers whom in other respects we much esteem and love who as if Truth Charity Justice and Humanity had been forgotten by them affirm in print that All the Nonconformists were guilty of the King's Death passing over what is aforesaid of the Conformists and others of them crying out to Magistrates to execute the Laws on us by the urged Motive of their late sequestrations and sufferings as if they knew not or would not have others to know how few Nonconformists in Parliament or Militia there were at the beginning of the War in comparison of the Conformists and how much the second third and following Causes Parties and Tragedies in that War were disliked by the now Episcopal and Presbyterian Nonconformists 36. The people who now adhere to the Nonconformists who were at age before the Wars whom we that write this were acquainted with had very hard thoughts of the Bishops persons and some of Episcopacy it self because of the foresaid silencing of Ministers and ruining of honest men about Sunday-sports Reading that Book and other such things besides Nonconformity But when the Ministers that guided them began to seem more reconciled to the Episcopal Party and upon the reports and promises which they had heard had put them in hope that the next Bishops would prove more moderate peaceable and pious than the former and would by experience avoid divisions and persecution the said people began to be enclined to more reverent and favourable thoughts of Episcopacy and the Bishops and were upon experience of the late confusions in a far fairer way to union submission to them than before But when they saw their Teachers taken from them and some such set over them against their wills who were better known to them than to the obtruders and when they heard of about 2000 silenced at once this so much alienated them from the Bishops that it was never since in our power to bring them to so much esteem of them and reverence to them as might have been but multitudes by this were driven further from Conformity than the silenced Ministers 37. The 2000 silenced were not a quarter of the Ministers of England who were in possession before the return of the Bishops so that it is evident that above three fourth parts of the Ministers that kept in under the Parliament and Protector notwithstanding Covenant Directory and all did prove Conformists 38. The New-altered Liturgy was not printed and published till August 24. or near it when the Ministers were to be silenced that subscribed not and consented not so that we must needs suppose that they were but few Ministers in England in comparison of the rest who ever saw and read much less long considered that Book before they declared their Assent and Consent to all things in it Sure we are that we that lived in London who had it at the first publishing found the time past or so short to examine all things in it with due deliberation that had it been blameless we must have been silenced unless we had consented upon an implicit faith 39. Since we were silenced His Majesties Declaration for more Liberty in Religion came out 1673. but soon died And since then we have been called to many attempts for Unity in which we have twice come to an agreement with those honest peaceable pious and learned Divines of the Church of England who were appointed to treat of it with us But that signified nothing as to our healing while Reasons unknown to us or ineffable prevailed 40. Yet still we have been called on to Tell what we sâ—â—ck at and what we desired and what would satisfie us who desire nothing but leave to excercise the Ministry to which we were ordained and the Cant still goeth on among the ignorant at least as if we had never told them to this day or as if since the new conformity we had ever been called or had leave to tell them or as if the same men would endure us to tell them our case of dissent and the reasons of it to this day But the Judg is at the door SECT VIII The Matters of Fact as to what is required of us by Laws and Canon to which we must conform And first of Lay-men I. OF Laymen that will have any Government or Trust in any City or Corporation is necessarily required the taking of the following Oath and Declaration by a Law I Swear that it is not Lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King And that I Abhor that Trayterous position that Arms may be taken by His Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissioned by him And the Declaration is That there is NO OBLIGATION upon me or ANY OTHER person from the Oath Commonly called the solemn League and