all others for it has been seen when ever the sword of power has fallen into their hands that they have been as severe and cruell oppressors of all who did not absolutely without exception submit to their Laws as any Tyrants who yet have appeared upon the earth SSS But presupponing that their old principles bâ— now altered and their present Tenets about liberty of conscience be most conscientious and sincere which they upon no occasion will any more change the Magistrate had need to know whether the granting of all this liberty whereof we have been speaking willfully content them When the State hath denuded it self of the care and cognisance of the matters of the soul The granting of all this liberty will not assure the Magistrate of the Sectaries civill obedience and put these absolutely in the power of every mans own free will may it then expect obedience to its other Laws in things civill and temporall The Confessionists in this seem to be clear and freely to grant to the Magistrate in things civill all due obedience but that this is the generall sense of all the rest of that sect M. Marshall permits us not to believe for he tels us that the most of the Anabaptists are in their conscience against all Magistracy as well in matters civill as Ecclesiastick TTT In the time of their weaknesse for fear of trouble they can be silent and gâ—ve obedience to their commands without any question but when the days of their power shall come when the righteous shall inherit the Land which they long have been looking for and believes to be now at the doors the Magistrate must then lay down his rule give up his Government and be content to be ruled by the two-edged sword of their Saints which Germany did feel to be very sharp and ready to shed much innocent bloud The Tenets practise of the Sectaries destroy Magistracy The troublers of New England did not only plead for a freedom and immunity from all civill Laws the reasons whereof did not convince their consciences both of their lawfulnesse and expediency TTT 2 but were also ready if they had not been prevented by force of Arms in a very unjust and seditious manner to have risen against the State and to have cut the throats of their opposites VVV when after their banishment they were set down by themselves they could not indure Magistracy but put it down as a condition unlawfull for a Christian to undergo XXX But that which concerns this State now most to take heed of They professe their design to overturn from the ground the government of our State as now it stands is that growing Tenet of all the Sects among us wherein divers Anabaptists are with the first a declared aversenesse from all obedience to the present Magistrates and Laws and frequent motions to have the very fundamentals of the State government new moulded to their own fancies they do no more dissemble their detestation of Monarchy the King and all of his blood must be destroyed King Charles for his mis-government must lose his life this execution does not satisfie Justice YYY But for no time to come either the name or the King of royalty must be more heard of in England ZZZ Kings Lords are no more tolerable When thus far we have gratified the new moulders of our State will they then be content to be under the government of a Parliament without a King they assure us this is far from their purpose The Parliament as it stands is as rotten a body as the King an head at the first bout they pull down one of the two Houses and smother all the Lords the Peers are a pestiferous excrement of Kings and with them they must go packing AAAA The ground of all their dignity is wickednesse BBBB Their personall carriage has been corrupt CCCC The best of them are false Traytors DDDD Neither is the House of Commons any longer to be endured When that Paganish invention EEEE of King and Lords is abolished can we have assurance to get the House of Commons for our Governors if so our case were somewhat safe and comfortable but the new framers of our State tell us that the House of Commons when they are deprived of the society of their very ancient companions their old fellow Governours the King and Lords and themselves alone are become the whole and full Parliament of England they must not then expect to be rulers for they also have exceedingly abused their trust they have many ways abused the people Upon divers of their most eminent Members they cry out as Traytors FFFF upon the most as covetous self-seeking men GGGG upon all the Lawyers as pestiferous Members no lesse then the Bishops were in the House of Lords GGGG 2 upon many other of the Members as a faction adhering to the Lords in all their wicked designs GGGG 3 upon the whole House as the authors of greater evil to the people then either King or Lords or Bishops or any former oppressors did ever bring upon England HHHH They insist especially upon one of their ordinary Acts of insupportable Tyranny they have for many ages bound taxes by Law upon the back of the free-born people of England this is no longer to be endured IIII what the people thinks meet voluntarily to offer it may be received but to lay a necessity upon any to give for any use private or publick any more of his goods then himself the just owner is willing is an oppression too long connived at KKKK Of this great grievance the House of Commons has been the great instrument wherefore they also must be taught to know their place and to remember their condition that they hereafter may be content to be humble servants to their Soveraign Lords and Masters the free-born people of England LLLL to them they must be accountable and by them punishable toties quoties these their new Masters find them delinquents MMMM Our Masters are not here speaking what in some extraordinary cases The poorest begger in the Land has a share of the Soveraignty above the King and Parliament an intolerably oppressed people by the Laws of an unavoidable necessity are forced to do before they perish but of that which they affirm ought to be the ordinary perpetuall just and necessary case of England Kings and Lords must for ever be abolished a Parliament of Commons must for ever sit at the feet of their supream and absolute Lords the multitude of the people this present House of Commons must be dissolved NNNN and another presently put in its place which may sit no longer then one year OOOO A Trienniall Parliament is worth nothing PPPP A perpetuall Parliament a Parliament of longer continuance then one year is unsupportable QQQQ As in the Church all and every one of the Officers are to be under the jurisdiction and censure of the whole and every one of the members
certain that most of you gained no part of it your selves and the common ways your ancestors gained it for you was generally by adhering to Kings in subduing and oppressing the Commons or by pleasing their lusts malice revenge or covetousnesse for so Histories manifest and those that have been made Lords in our times have been advanced by the same occasions CCCC Pearle in a Dunghill p. 3 Why presume ye thus oh yee Lords set forth your merit before the people and say for this good it is that we will reign over ye remember your selves or shall we remember ye which of ye before this Parliament minded any thing so much as your pleasures plays masks feastings huntings gaming 's dancings with the appurtenances for what other have they been but a meer clogge to the House of Commons in all their proceedings how many necessary things have they obstructed how many evill things promoted DDDD Englands Birthright p. 17. Lievtenant Generall Cromwell according to his duty long since revealed the Earle of Manchesters treachery and basenesse at Dennington Castle and other places and proved it punctually by unquestionable witnesses before a Committee of the House of Commons Mistresse Lilburns petition to the House of Commons without any regard to the Earl of Manchesters Impeachment in your House of Treachery to the Country by Lievtenant Generall Cromwell which is commonly reported to be punctually and fully proved and a charge of a higher nature then the Earle of Straffords for which he lost his head and which also renders him so long as he stands so impeached uncapable in any sense of being a Judge and a great wrong and injustice it is unto the Kingdome to permit him and to himself if innocent not to have had a legall triall ere this to his justification or condemnation These are most base and calumnious slanders against a Noble Lord whose equall in piety meeknesse and innocence England for many years has not enjoyed EEEE Alarum p. 1. We may be bold to style them marks of Gentiles we have our Saviours own warrant for it who saith The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them c. but it shall not be so among you whosoever will be chief among you Christians let him be your servant gracious Lords or favourable Lords titles that coald not be proper amongst Christians with whom there was no ruler nor government but by common election and consent agreeable to our House of Commons FFFF Birth-right p. 19. Some Gentlemen of the Bishoprick of Durham long since complained to divers Parliament men of old Sir Harry Vanes wilfull losing and betraying their Country being their Lord Lievtenant but by reason of his greatnesse could never be heard Ibid. p. 26. The Speaker turning himself to his brother said Sir John if this be true here is enough to hang you Well Sir saith Sir John whereas he chargeth me of letting Violet goe twice to Oxford during the time that he and Sir Bazil Brook were contriving their plot against the City you know I never let him goe but once and then I had your warrant for it Ibid. p. 46. It is enacted to be death unto any whosoever holdeth intelligence and correspondency with the Enemy all which Sir John Lenthall and the Speaker his Brother have done and yet it must neither be proved against them nor they tried nor arraigned but altogether excused cleared and freed even by Vote of Parliament GGGG Lilburns Letter to a friend p. 16. Many of them take to themselves 3 l. 10. s. a week and some of them more and others of them great places worth 500. l. 1000. l. 1500. l. 2000. l. and more per annum and live in as great pomp superfluity and bravery as ever they did in their days by the ruines of the people Ibid. p. 30. The Common-wealth has just cause to fear that they will make this present Parliament an everlasting Parliament and the Warre a never ending Warre seeing it tends so much to the enriching of Parliament men and their Officers who have already wisely as they think fenced themselves with an Ordinance made the 26 of June 1645. that they shall not be called to account for their Mâ— the Common-wealths money nor plate that once commeth into their fingers GGGG 2. There is as little use of Lawyers to be in the House of Commons as there is of a plague or pestilence or of the Bishops and Popish Lords in the honourable House of Peers Just mans justification p. 15. And then farewell jangling Lawyers the wildfire destroyers and bane of all just rationall c. right governed Common-wealths Innocency and truth p. 35. Which way would rid the Kingdom of one of the unprofitable kinde of Cattle remaining in it namely William Prinne and his jangling associates who at the best are but an uselesse rabble an appropriating lying and milk-sucking Generation GGGG 3 Pearle in a Dunghill p. 4. It is easie to discern who are the Lords creatures in the House of Commons and how they were made theirs constantly manifesting themselves by their evil and pernicious partakings against the freedome of the people by those united endeavors monopolies in trades of merchandize oppressions of Committees corruptions in Courts of Justice grosse abuses in our Laws and Lawyers are maintained and the reformation intended in all things performed by halves nay quite perverted and a meer shadow given for a substance Remonstrance p. 18. Others there are and those a great number that are newly chosen into your House and we trust are such as will exceedingly strengthen the good part that hitherto hath been too weak to steer an eaven course amidst so many oppositions and crosse ways HHHH Birthright p. 43. As the Watermen at Queen-hive do usually cry Westward hough hough so according to the present current of the times most honest men have more then cause to cry in the Watermens language Egypt hough hough the House of bondage slavery oppression taxation heavy and cruell we cannot longer bear it we cannot longer bear it we are as much provoked and forced to cast off all your yokes and crosses from our shoulders except onely that of persecution as ever any people or Nation Ibid. p. 44. Few of our great and mighty men do either work the clay or make the bricks but they lay either all or most part of the burden upon the poor by heavy labour and sweat of their brows in the heat of the day not only in working of the clay and making of the bricks but if they do complain to higher powers upon their cruell and tyrannous task-masters they are so farre from getting any kinde of Justice that because they moaned or complained and groaned under such heavy and grievous burdens that they were not able any longer to bear or endure they are further ordained even for their complaining to gather stubble too because they are so idle Lilburns Letter p. 2. Then truly I have been a long time mistaken and so
New Testament p. 34 They deny angels and devils and souls They deny heaven and hell and eternall life They cast away all the Ordinances of God p. 35 David George to them was spirituall Christ much more excellent then Christ crucified Many people were ready to seal with their bloud all these abominations The monster David George did live and die in plenty and peace The best of the Anabaptists have very grosse errors The Mennonists deny originall sinne p. 36 In the points of election redemption grace free-will perseverance justification perfection they are grosser then the Arminians or Iesuites They are yet more absurd They deny the omnipresence of God They deny the Trinity And the truth of Christs humanity p. 37 They refuse all consequences from Scripture They refuse reasoning from the Old Testament The covenant with Abraham they make carnall They exclude all infants from the covenant of grace CAP. III. The modern tenets of the Anabaptists in England THe spirit of Anabaptisme clearly devillish p. 47 The fair profession of many English Anabaptists not to bee trusted What errours may be charged upon all what onely upon some of them p. 48 The confession of the seven Churches is a very imperfect and ambiguous declaration of their judgement Let no errour be charged upon any man which he truly disclaims A brief sum of all the Anabaptists errors Every Anabaptist is at least a rigid Separatist p. 49 Though the Independents offer to collude with the Anabaptists yet they separate from the Independents no lesse then from the Brownists as antichristian p. 50 They avow all their members to be holy and elect and some of them are for their perfection p. 51 After they have separate from all other Churches they run next away from their own selves They charge one another with Antichristianisme They are Independents They put all Church power in the hand of the people They give the power of preaching and celebrating the Sacraments to any of their gifted members out of all office p. 52 Even unto women They must not preach in a Steeple-house p. 53 All Tithes and all set Stipends are unlawfull their Preachers must work with theit own hands and may not goe in blacke cloathes They celebrate the Lords Supper in any common Innes after another feast All the new light of the Independents and Brownists is borrowed from the Anabaptists The anointing of the sick with oyle the rejecting of the Lords Prayer of all set Psalms of Vniversities and humane learning are the Anabaptists inventions The Independent Apologists are for liberty to most of the Sects 54 And some of their prime friends are for a generall liberty to all 55 The Anabaptists deny all power to Magistrates in any thing which concerns Religion Turkisme Popery Atheisme the greatest blasphemies they would not have punished with so much as a discountenance They presse a liberty for preaching and propagating openly all errours imaginable Yet they grant that errour is a soul-murder and a greater crime then the destruction of a King of a Parliament of a whole Nation p. 56 They hate the Covenant They are injurious to the Scots p. 57 All punishing of errour with them is persecution They presse liberty of conscience much out of policy p. 58 The granting of all this liberty will not assure the Magistrates of the Sectaries civill obedience p. 59 The tenets and practise of the Sectaries destroy Magistracy They professe their design to overturn from the ground the government of our State as now it stands Kings and Lords are no more tolerable Neither is the House of Lords any longer to be endured p. 60 The poorest begger in the land has a share of the Soveraignty above the King and Parliament All former Laws and Acts of Parliament must be abolished p. 61 The will of the multitude must stand for the Soveraign Law hereafter p. 62 The three fundamentall Laws of our new Vtopian Republick p. 63 According to reason and experience the present distemper of the Sectaries is posting on fast to a Dictatorship and absolute Tyranny in the hand of one The State in danger by the Sectaries principles p. 64 The greatest purchase which the overturners of States usually make is a late repentance p. 65 CAP. IV. Their Antipaedobaptisme Arminianisme Arrianisme Familisme and other wicked errours ALL Anabaptists are for Antipaedobaptisme They avow the nullity of our Baptisme p. 89 They presse on us a re-baptization They exclude all infants from the covenant of grace and make Circumcision a seal onely of carnall promises Many of them deny originall sin and assert all the articles of Arminius p. 90 They separate from all who renounce not Paedobaptisme Yet they admit into their Churches many much worse then these from whom they separate p. 91 Sprinkling to them nullifies Baptisme M. Tombes new way He is a rigid Antipaedobaptist yet not against sprinkling He spoils all infants of all interest in the covenant of grace p. 92 He is a friend to the worst Anabaptists and injurious to all who oppose them He makes Baptisme a rite needlesse either to young or old He admits of a frequent re-baptization He admits unbaptized persons to the Lords Table He is a grosse Erastian The most of the Anabaptists are Arminians p. 93 The second Edition of their confession is not so free of Arminianism as the first The chief Churches of the Anabaptists are grosse Arminians p. 94 Many of them are Antinomians laying aside all care of morall duties Making all grief for sin unlawfull p. 95 Denying Christs satisfaction and reconciliation of God to men The best of them are inclineable to Libertinisme The Antinomian controversies are not as the prime Independents doe make them onely about words and methods of preaching p. 96 Many of the Anabaptists are become Seekers denying all Churches all Officers all Ordinances Many of the Anabaptists are become Antitrinitarians p. 97 Richardson one of their prime leaders a blasphemer of the Trinity p. 98 Divers of them are abominable bl sphemers of Christs Person Others of them are become perfect Atheists They evert and reject the whole Scripture p. 99 Many of them are turned Familists denying the immortality of the soul Denying Heaven and Hell Angels and Devils Some of them make the world eternall others all creatures to perish p. 100 Some deny all resurrection others make the beasts rise to glory They teach abominable obscenities They follow David George in his greatest absurdities The divine light of their new Prophet The fall of Adam and the clearest Scriptures are but allegories The whole Divinity suffered in the Person of Christs humanity p. 101 The great light which this Prophet brings from heaven is that all the Devils and all the Reprobates shall be saved by his Gospel Randall his grosse Familisme p. 102 No resurrection no heaven no hell after this life The Saints in this life become as perfect as God The clearest Scriptures are false in a literall sense That God is
been to this houre so silent as to give no glory to God nor any assistance at all to the setling of the State and Church though it be clear as the noon-day that the ways of their party did really tend to the corrupting and enslaving both of State and Church that the Parliaments of both Kingdomes were put to an absolute necessity of defence against their force to preserve their own and the posterities necks from an iron yoak both of Ecclesiastick and Civill bondage that the continuance of this war has brought the Kingdomes oft to the border and the King this day to the very doors of ruine that the Church is overflowed with a floud of evils all which by their timous and cordiall conjunction with their brethren might â—â—ppily in some good measure have been prevented Shall Episcopacy and a read Service be so necessary in a Church that rather then England should joyn with all the rest of the reformed to lay them aside the King the Parliament the State of the Kingdomes and Churches of the whole Isle must perish for any help that any of them will make with the least of their fingers Posterity cannot take well at their hands so pervicacious an obstinacy Suppose so many provocations and scandals cast in their way by the hand of others as may be yet for men of parts and fame to be touched with no compassion towards the Churches of God and their deare Countrey but to adhere so stifly to these things w th the best of their friends in all other Protestant Churches did esteem ever to be but needlesse and changeable and which now the better part of the whole Isle doth beleeve to be dangerous corruptions and necessary to be removed for them to be so wedded to those toys that rather then they will advise to lay them aside they can be content to behold the whole royall Family both the Houses of Parliament the City the Countrey and all to be destroyed such prodigious pertinacy cannot want great guiltinesse It s great folly to misprize the danger from France However that our dangers from the Malignant party doth yet continue will not be doubted when thâ—ir number and quality and great obstinacy yet over all England is considered In Scotland their case is not much unlike Ireland is well-near wholly their own their correspondence with the neighbour States is great their hopes from France seem to be but too well grounded If the peace of Munster come quickly to an end as the appearances are great enough France Sueden and Bavaria being sure of all their desires at the charge of the Austrians and our best friends the reformed Electors Palatine and Brandeburg what else has the French adoe with their great Armies and Navies Their peace with Spain is not so impossible as some would mâ—â—e it they will be glad to give over their interest in Catalonia and Portugall for the fair and nearly adjoining Territories of West-Flanders In such a bargain they would make the dishonesty to be but small for the Catalans shall not be deserted when reconciled to their own King in such tearms as themselves shall like for the performance whereof France will oblige their alliance with Portugall is not so strict but a lesse bud then the half of West-Flanders will easily break it in pieces and that without much hazard to Portugall for it is easie to France to send them under-hand as many men and money and to see to their subsistence as well as when the confederacy was open and avowed It is the ridiculous blindnesse of some to contemn the posture of all the world abroad as if England were situated so far above the moon and stars that the most malign aspects of all neighbour Nations could have no influence upon it Be it so that vigoroâ—s and healthfull bodies are little sensible of planetary operations yet very small changes of the heavens and air are able to vex much a crazy and valetudinary person For many ages Britain has not been in so great a distemper as this day it is Antichrist may be near to swallow down the whole reformed Churches the people so broken and exhausted by a heavy war the land full of open divisions and heart-burnings the best and greatest part groaning under heavy grievances both of Church and State whereof there is little appearance of any possibility of redresse in haste the Sectaries growing in numbers and insolencies of all kinds and openly inclining to join with the Malignants rather then to misse of their hopes and very unreasonable desires Fools are blind and unable to comprehend the grounds of just fear and so they go on in their rashnesse till they be plunged in the ditch of remedilesse calamity and then onely doe they begin to complain of their former inconsideration What long has been the opinion and fear of some not unconsiderable Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole Protestant Churches I pray God to avert If froÌ„ the Malignant hand there appear not mischief enough to hang this day over the head of the Churches of Britain The flood of Errours and Heresies like to overflow the Church let us divert a little our eye to the other side the nâ—w generation of Sectaries from this quarter so much smoak doth arise as alone is abundantly able to darken our skie It is long since all at least the principall Articles of Christian Religion without exception of any that I remember have been oppugned The holy Scriptures both the Godhead and Manhood of Jesus Christ the holy Ghost the Divinity it self is now exploded with high and basphemous scorn all Churches all Sacraments all publick Worship and Ordinances are made unnecessary A liberty for all Errours the great aim yea unlawfull And if any point of Religion hath had the fortune to escape the blasphemous tongues and pens of these erroneous men lest it should still go free from opposition the most of that party have nâ—w set up their rest upon a principle which makes them sure to gather up their gleanings when ever their leisure may serve them to make a review of their omissions A liberty to beleeve to professe to propagate in matter of Religion whatever any the most desperately erroneous soul may conceive to be truth All these are but things of the mind and matters of opinion a toleration in them is miserable and despicable but a free and absolute liberty in every such thing is the due and naturall right of every humane creature in all places of the whole earth This monstrous imagination of liberty is not only generally put in practise without any considerable control now for some years in the midst and all the corners of England but men of prime place have courage to write the justice of it under their hand to the High Court of Parliament yet without any repentance we hear of The Parliament
reconciliation of the King with his Parliament impossible I confesse I am cast into so thick a mist that all appearance of peace for a very long time to any of the Kingdomes The zealous diligence of Ministers might doe much to remove the other hâ—lf doth quite evanish and flee out of the reach of my weak apprehension For curing of the miseries and preventing of the dangers on the other hand I could wish as I was speaking at the beginning that all whom God has called to any employment in his house would shake off sluggish negligence and keep stricter watch in their stations giving loud warning to the people of God of the dangers about them being very carefull that neither fear nor despair nor any other sinistrous affection keep them from the duties which the extreamly bad times doe cry for from the hand of every child of God I have oft been witnesse with much joy to the abundant zeal of divers the Lords faithfull Ministers both in the Assembly and City who in their Writings and Sermons and private sedulity have endeavoured to their power the awakening of all about them for the defence of that truth which Christ had committed to their trust So that I am sure that when ever they shall come to their accounts their Master will accept and blesse their fidelity I wish no more of them but to runne on as they have begun without fainting that no man take their crown Nor of others but to follow with the like zeal in their footsteps And for the encouraging of all towards this active diligence we may call to remembrance but two vulgar motives The sedulous activity of the Sectaries doth shame our slothfulnesse example and successe the one of our adversaries the other in our own and our brethrens experience How many of the Sectaries make bold without any fear any fainting any ceasing in season and out of season by preaching printing disputing in all places all companies towards all relations to propagate their erroneous ways How shall their heat and activity in evill stand up against us for our frigidity for our unequall care and labour in good Also Zealous diligence is ordinarily successefull our own experience of very great successe from small endeavours when cordially put on may animate us to a greater diligence How oft have the prayers and consultations of a few gracious and wise brethren set on foot advanced and brought to an issue many happy purposes the fruits whereof this age doe begin to enjoy for which the posterity shall blesse the authors though they never heard of their names How many most dangerous designs which were in a readinesse to have much encreased the miseries both of Church and State by the labours of a few unseen men have been timeously prevented countermined and totally defeated How oft have the City yea both the Houses of Parliament upon the zealous and prudent motion of one only man been stirred up to very notable performances I doe not remember when I have been witnesse to any gracious Ministers powerfull exhortation to the honourable House of Commons that has not presently been blessed with some good fruit Our grief for what yet lies behinde must not cast out of our memory the great things that are done already I verily beleeve that much more long before this had been done both in City and Countrey both by Lords and Commons if some Divines whom the Lord has anointed with grace learning wisdome eloquence and credit above their fellows had been more instant and industrious about those things which nearly concern Divines wherewith Christ their Master has trusted them above all others and which Church-men every where else to very good purpose use to mind with all the care and industry they are able The caveats of zeal The least degree of true piety must be tenderly hâ—ndled The zealous diligence of the Lords servants about their masters work can neither hurt nor justly offend any if it be tempered with the mixture of three needfull ingredients Piety Charity and a love to order In all our combats against error or whatever evill else of the time we must be very attentive that we give not the least discouragement to true Piety for this is so sweet and tender a plant of Gods own hand that who ever is acquainted with it will be extreamly loth to doe it the least hurt were it by their very breath much lesse by their words and actions It must be a grosse mistake or a grievous calumny which the Sectaries so much inculcate that Orthodoxe Ministers in their zeal against errours fall a beating and wounding the Saints of God and troubling the godly party the Lord forbid it were so The ground of this mis-assertion I take to be a twofold mis-apprehension 1. That all pretenders to piety though they be found really impious hypocrites yet for their sâ—â—ws of Religion ought not to be dealt with according to their visible hypocrisie 2. That those who are truly pious and really the children of God may not be compassed about with many sinfull infirmities It ought to offend none when the mask is pulled off the face of those who scorn God and the world by the fair pretences of that which their very rough hands and the hellish vapours of their mouth doe demonstrate was never near their heart When such are hewen by the Prophets when by the sword of the Word they are slain when the fire and salt of God is cast upon such why should any gracious soul take it self to be touched Again when the most true Saints are rebuked most sharply for their errours or other sins whereby they offend God they become instruments of his dis-service and of the advancement of Satans Kingdome so much the more as their known grace makes the readier passage for the communication and propagation to others of their ungracious and sinfull corruptions if here a gracious Physitian endeavour to cut off from them their cancerous excrescences though it be with some pain yet here there is not the least intention of hurt to any of their sound members I dare say in the name of my brethren Presbyterians are far from suppressing the least measure of piety that when ever they are blowing away with the greatest earnestnesse the noisome smoak that fils the house to the offence of all within they shall be as loth to put out the smallest spark of grace in the smoaking flaxe as to choak the naturall heat of their own heart I confidently avow that no Presbyterian has any question at all with any dissenter about any thing which in the least degree toucheth upon piety and grace for every part of this they take to proceed from the heart of God and where ever they finde it they are willing to embrace it were it in the bosome of their greatest enemies as that which they professe is their own greatest aim to follow and study to attain If at any time
to keep the Church in confusion Since the State will take no notice of them but lets them encrease at their pleasure and grow up above the strength of any their Auncestors they are making bold to goe visit the State and try their strength upon her if possibly they may find as great a facility to set up the Trophee of their triumph upon her ruine as of that of her weake sister the Church It is the certain and now oft printed design of some to overthrow from the very foundation the whole edifice of our Civill government No King no Lord must be heard of hereafter This House of Commons must be cast down the Imperiall and absolute Soveraignty must be put in the hands of the multitude of the basest people They are once every year to choose for their servants a new House of Commons which all this time shall draw up a new frame of laws and a new modell of government Since this is the h mour that now beats highest in the veins of that people we had so much the more need with all our strength to fortifie the house of the State for beleeve it if that by any hand should be undermined its fall cannot fail to crush the most if not all who are under the roof thereof So long as the State doth stand there is always some hope of subsistence for every honest man and of obtaining in time a great part and possibly all their just desires were their Petition never so oft laid aside But if the State be overthrown then all is desperate and gone every particular person with all his designs how gracious soever is ready to be overwhelmed in the rubbish of the Common wealth It would be remembred that members of the best state are but men and not Angels It 's not to be expected but sinfull infirmities will cleave to the back of the best reformed government the perfect and spotlesse Republick of Plato may well have some place in Vtopia or in the Region of the Moon but upon the earth it never yet did dwell nor in haste is like to doe Let prayers to God let petitions Protestations Remonstrances representations to men be used and repeated from time to time without any fainting or giving over till all be obtained that is necessary for the good of Church and State But great caution must be used that nothing be either done or said that may labefactate the just honour or power of them whom God and the Laws have entrusted with the Soveraignty what ever toucheth that cannot but touch the apple of the eye of every good and wise man especily at this time when the project of the Devill is declared to lay Monarchy and both the Houses of Parliament levell with the ground and to set on the Throne the beast with many heads the multitude which with difficulty enough could ever yet be ruled but to this day was never found to have any skill or dexterity at all in the great art of ruling But to break off prefacing The scope of the Treatise my intention in the subsequent writ is to proceed in my Disswasive and that with so great observance of the three mentioned Caveats as I am able The men whom I deal with in this part are Anabaptists albeit they bring in with themselves both Antinomians Socinians Familists and the most of all the Heretiques of the time I desire no more from them as a reward of all my labour for their weall for the least hurt to any of their persons I never minded but in the fear of God to consider the beginning progresse and issue of their way as I set it before them in a short view out of their own Authors or at least from such writs as in that subject are of unquestionable faith If I make it appear that the spirit which from the beginning to this day did reign in their leaders cannot be that of grace and truth ought they not in conscience to make a serious review of their way lest securely going on the justice of God give them over to be miscarried to such opinions and practises which their soul for the present abhors but as I demonstrate has exceeding oft been the issue of Anabaptisme in many of its followers both of old and late If this my service be a means to reclaim some of them and to deterre others from the evill of their doings I have the desired fruit of my labour If I misse this yet my testimony to the truth in so needfull a time will I hope be acceptable to God and the conscience of it will ease and refresh my spirit remembring that the houres of my leisure were not altogether mis-spent but many of them so diligently as I was able employed for the service of Him to whom I owe all and the good of his people CHAP. I. The Originall and Progresse of the ANABAPTISTS THE late patrons of Anabaptism among us would make the world beleeve that this Sect had for its Author the famous Berengarius Berengarius no Anabaptist and for its fomenters four hundred years ago the old predecessors of Protestants commonly called Albigenses but who will be pleased to consult the fountain of this alledgance shall finde Berengarius absolved from this crime by that very mouth whence alone the sclander did proceed M. Tombes examin p. 20 21. Bishop Guitmund lays on the back of Deacon Berengarius the load of so many contumelies as he is able to invent only for his boldnesse to oppose the common Doctrine of that time the corporall presence of Christs body in the bread of the Sacrament among other things he challenges him for the denying baptisme ro infants but if any should require a proof of this heavy charge Guitmund professes that none can be given avowing that Berengarius did never bring any such Doctrine in publick knowing that no Scripture could be alledged for it and that no creature would take such an absurdity from his hand A Justice therefore does require that Berengarius be freed of that crime since his very adversary confesseth that it was never made appear by any known profession for crimes that appear not are reputed by just men as not existing Concerning the Albigenses The Albigenses knew not Anabaptisme the man that lays the sclander of Anabaptism upon them is Petrus Cluniacensis but how unjustly I offer to be considered not only from this generall very true and confessed ground that the Popish Writers of that time do charge these honest and pious men of Albi with many both errours and crimes whereof all equitable men beleeve them to have been most innocent but also from three particular observations First they are not challenged by Cluniacensis as direct and expresse denyers of paedobaptisme but for their affirming the impossibility of infants beleeving and of their impossible salvation without faith he alledges upon them by way of consequence that they did also maintain the Baptism of infants
indeed I have for had I thought that the Parliament had had no rule but their own will to have walked by I should never have drawn my sword for them and for my part I know no difference betwixt Tyranny and such proceedings Ib. p. 3. Since the first of May last I have by authority from the House of Commons been three times imprisoned before ever I knew mine accuser or my accusation or ever was suffered to speak one word in mine own defence Ib. p. 14. Hear O heavens and give ear O earth and thou righteous God that lovest Justice and judgement and hatest and abhorrest oppression and cruelty which makest wise men mad put forth thy hand and do justice thy self upon the unjust and unrighteous Judges of this age whom the people have set up for their good namely to preserve their lives liberties and estates as their faithfull Stewards and servants and yet destroy what they would seem to maintain p. 17. Amongst those that would be thought their friends they are rob'd plundered spoiled opprest undone and destroyed by all sides and no remedy left for redresse but the little ones to be eaten up of the great ones in every place which makes poor mens lives a burden to them that they are ready to wish themselves back again in Egypt in their bondage and rather to have one Tyrant then many Alarum p. 11. These deceivable snares leading to worse then Egyptian slavery wherein we our poor infants on their mothers breasts others who know not the right hand from the left yea and our whole posterity are most pitifully catched and involved even as Gods own particular people the Jews were in the days of Haman except there come such a happy and speedy remedy as it pleased him in mercy then to send beyond the expectation of man IIII Gangren second Part p. 117. They teach that the people of God are a free people and what they do they should do freely and voluntarily and not to be assessed and rated by the Parliament compelled to pay rate upon rate assessement upon assessement KKKK Gangren second Part p. 122. It was laid to M. Oats charge then that he had preached against the assessements of Parliament and the taxes laid upon the people teaching them that the Saints were a free people and should do what they did voluntarily and not be compelled but now contrary to this they had assessement upon assessement and rate upon rate LLLL Remonstrance p. 1. Calling those their Commissioners in Parliament to an account how they have discharged their duties to the universality of the people their Soveraign Lord from whom their power and strength is derived and by whom ad bene placitum it is continued MMMM Ib. p. 3. We are your principals and you our agents to preserve the splendor and glory of that underived Majesty and Kingship that inherently resides in the people or the State universall the representation or derivation of which is formally and legally in the State elect or representative and none else whose actions ought all to tend to that end against encroachments usurpations and violences of all its creatures officers and Ministers in the number of which are Kings themselves from whom for whom they have all their power and authority as the execution of their will and minde for their good and benefit to whom they are acountable for the faithfull discharge of that trust reposed in them NNNN Birthright p. 32 33. Whether is it not agreeable to Law justice equity and conscience that there should be a Parliament once every year and more often if need require that seeing this present Parliament by reason of the extraordinary necessities of the Kingdom have sate four years many of the Members betrayed their trust and those that remain ingrosse Law-making and also Law-executing into their own hands contrary both to reason and to the meaning of the Law by which manifest abusing negligent and not true using the Laws oppressions mischiefs and grievances are no lesse if not far more increased then they were before the Parliament began many times by the powerfull interest of a faction in the Parliament to save some one two or three of their Members undeserving credits they so violate the known unrepealed and declared Law of the Land yea and their own Votes Ordinances Declarations Protestations as if they had never made them I say all these things considered ought not the free men of England not only to choose new Members where they are wanting once every year but also to renew and enquire once a year after the carriage and behaviour of those they have chosen OOOO Vide supra NNN PPPP Remonst p. 20. Nor do we value a Trienniall Parl. before 3 years come to an end grievances mischiefs may be past remedy QQQQ Birthright p. 30. We have just cause to fear they will set up an interest of their own destructive to the common freedom so make this present Parl. an everlasting Parl. the War a never dying War seeing it tends so much to the enriching of Parliament men their Officers RRRR Vide supra also Conscience cautioned p. 12. If neither Law nor Lords will allow the people to be saved then may they not be saved any way and both Laws and Lords fall before their Soveraign the people as Dagon did before the Ark rather then the people perish Birthright p. 32. I have heard it reported that self-denying Cromwel was about a design of getting a Committee set apart an order made published to the whole Kingdom that if any man were unjustly oppressed by any Member of Parl. Committee-man or any other Officers or Ministers let him bring his complaint he shall have a just and fair hearing and justice done not in words but in actiâ—ns upon the transgressor Interest p. 10. We know it is not Gods way to have respect of persons in judgment and that the doing thereof has frequently lost Gods favour and made States miserable Englands lameâ—table slavery p. 6. What became of that common and thredbare doctrine that Kings were accountable only to God what good effects did it produce No they are but corrupt and dangerous flatterers that maintain any such fond opinions concerning either Kings or Parliaments SSSS The Conqueror rob'd England of Edward the Confessors Laws and in stead of them set up the Dictates of his own will whose Norman rules practises to this day yet remain in the administrations of the Common-Law at Westminster Hall By reason of their tediousnesse ambiguities uncertainties the entries in Latin as bad as the French because it is not our own tongue their forcing men to plead by Lawyers and not permitting themselves to plead their own cause their compelling of persons to come from all places of the Kingdome to seek for justice at Westminster which is such an iron Norman yoke with fangs teeth in it that if we were free in every particular else
that our heart can think of yet were we slaves by this alone the burden of which singly will pierce gall our shoulders make us bow stoop to the ground ready to be made a prey not only by great men but even by every cunning sharking knave Remonst p. 4. The History of our fore-fathers since they were conquered by the Normans doth manifest that this Nation hath been held in bondage all along ever since by the policies and force of the Officers of trust in the Common-wealth p. 15. Ye know the Laws of this Nation are unworthy a free people deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason which ought to be the form life of every government Magna Carta it self being but a beggerly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage the Laws that have been made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our government much more oppressive intolerable Ib. He erected a trade of Judges and Lawyers to sell justice and injustice at his own unconscionable rate in what time he pleased the corruption wherof is yet remaining upon us to our continuall empoverishing and molestation from which we thought you should have delivered us ye know also imprisonment for debt is not from the beginning TTTT Modest Queries p. 10. at least in sensu composito to believe the deepest or highest mystery in Religion any further or any otherwise then as and as far as he hath reason to judge it to be a truth VVVV Vide Disswasive first Part p. 127. 152. also p. 31. 49. IIIII KKKKK XXXX I am credibly informed that this is the great and troublesome controversie for the time among the Governors of New England whether it be their duty to rule according to their gifts of Government according to some written Laws or without all humane Statutes Vid. Gang. 3 Part. YYYY Remonst p. 3. The free born people to their own House of Commons the cause of our choosing you to be Parliament men was to deliver us from all kinde of bondage we possessed you with the same power that was in our selves to have done the same for we might justly have done it our selves without you if we had thought it convenient choosing you as persons whom we thought fitly qualified and faithfull for avoiding some inconveniencies but ye are to remember this was only of us but a power of trust which is ever revocable and cannot be otherwise and to be imployed to no other end then our own well-being AAAAA Vide supra also Warning p 2. You hate and abhor those that would purge this corrupt humor out of you shew you a more just rationall way of Government then that of Kings Also Remonst p. 16. If ye would follow the good exâ—mple of the Hollanders make this Nation a State free from the oppression of Kings Also p. 12. As if ye had discovered and digested that without a powerfull compulsive Presbytery in the Church a compulsive Mastership or Aristocraticall government over the people in the State could never long be maintained BBBBB Conscience cautioned p. 9. Know ye not the State of the State is it not the whole Kingdom each individuall I can prove it is O heavens will you Lord it over your Lords I professe if you make head against your heads any longer I know what it is and your self shall know for I say you deserve beheading CCCCC Conscience cautioned p. 6. Keep we humbly beseech you our right of Kinghood and Priesthood Just mans justification p. 14. The splendor and glory of that undivided Majesty and Kingship that inherently resides in the people or in the State universall DDDDD Remonst p. 7. Let the Lords stand to be chosen for Knights Burgesses by the people as other the freemen Gentry of this nation do EEEEE Vide supra YYYY FFFFF Remonst p. 20. That a Parl. chosen in Novemb. succeeding year by year may come in stead of the preceding Parliament GGGGG Just mans justifie p. 15. Reduce us back to that part of the ancient frame of government in this Kingdom before the Conquerors days that we may have all causes differences decided in the County or Hundred where they are committed or do arise without any appeal but to a Parl. that they may mâ—nthly be judged by 12. men of free and honest condition câ— sen by themselves with their Grave or chief Officer amongst them and that they may swear to judge every mans cause aright without fear favor or affection then farewell jangling Lawyers the wildfire destroyers baâ—e of all just rationall and right governed Common-wealths HHHHH Remonst p. 12. Ye vex and molest honest men for matters of Religion and difference with you and your Synod take upon you to determine of doctrine discipline approving this reproaching that just like unto former ignorant politick and superstitious Parliaments and Convocations therby have divided honest people among themselves by countenancing only those of the Presbytery discountenancing all the separation Anabaptists Independents Ib. We are well assured that neither you nor none else can have any power at all to conclude the people in matters that concern the worship of God for therein every one of us ought to be fully assured in our minds to be sure to worship him according to our consciences IIIII The Birthright p. 48 49. in the Postscript It would be excellent and needfull if the Parl. would ordain that every free man of Eng. who is able would bestow his service one year at least freely for the good of the civill State in any place or office of trust whereof his skill breeding aâ— fit him tâ— be most capable according as they shall be chosen those that are not able to serve freely for a year to have competent maintenance allowed to them to the value of 50 or 60 l. a year according to their charge If such be chosen for their skill and diligence though they want outward means for which allowance those that are conscientious wil do as good service at least as some others who have 1000 or 2000 a year The like rule is no lesse but far more excellent needful to be observed and established iâ— matters concerning the Church state wherin her servants are to perform their duties freely they being able to maintain themselves those with them whether by means obtained formerly or industry used daily otherwise to have the like allowance of 50 or 60 l. a year acording to their charge KKKKK Vide supra CHAP. IV. Their Antipaedobaptisme Arminianisme Arianisme Familisme and other wicked Errours THIS much for the first head of the Anabaptists All Anabaptists are for Antipaedobaptisme Brownistick Tenets so to call them being such as the Brownists of old did learn from the Anabaptists and which this day the Anabaptists take back again from
one and always so remain is above the reach of any man I may say to him as Mat. 7.3 Luke 6.41 42. OOOO Vide supra KKKK PPPP Gangren second Part p. 123. A person of quality told me that in Westminster Hall near the House of Commons doore a great Sectary had been discoursing with him that he would be loth the Parliament should bring Paul Bests bloud upon them for denying the Trinity QQQQ Vide supra Also in Gangren first Part second division p. 105. See Cousins of Rochesters horrible blasphemies against the Manhood of Christ Den and Lamb doe preach in this mans House RRRR Gangren first Part division second p. 5. M. Webbe a man that pretends a new light said to me That he blessed God he never trusted in a crucified Christ nor did he beleeve him to be the Sonne of God nor the Scriptures divine but humane inventions SSSS Gangren second Part p. 142. A Sectary in Lambs Church affirmed that he was Jesus Cbrist and maintained it stiffely the man was in his wits for he spoke sensibly and to the things that were spoken of though in this blasphemous abominable way TTTT Little Non-such p. 3 4. Some seeing the shape and form that man bears in his personall appearance do conceive that God the Creator beareth the same form Man was made according to the likenesse of God in personall shape it is said God shewed unto Moses his back parts but his face should not be seen therefore if he hath back parts and a face he hath a shape which when he pleaseth he can make visible as then he did What were the three men that appeared to Abraham as he sate in the Tent if not the Trinity VVVV Gangren second Part p. 134. John Boggis comming down to Yarmouth with Captain Hobson as his Chirurgion and in M. Oats company he went from Anabaptism to the desperate height of Atheisme being spoken to at Table to give thanks he said To whom should he give thanks whether to the Butcher or to the Bull or to the Cow when it was told him to God he replied Where is your God in heaven or in earth aloft or below c. going on in unspeakable blasphemies XXXX Gangren first Part division second p. 22. M. Webbe confessed that he was in the ready way to Atheisme and many of his companions in these opinions were turned Atheists YYYY Ibid. p. 111. The Anabaptists of Somersetshire teach that the whole Scripture doth hold forth nothing else but a Covenant of works thus vilifying the whole word of God by the name Letter and making their interpretation to be the Spirit Little Non-such p. 4. Some would have the whole matter of eating the forbidden tree to be an allegory and understand by the Serpent in this place no other then concupiscence and by the fruit of the tree in the midst of the Garden some other thing then the eating of a materiall Apple ZZZZ Webbe affirmed that the Scriptures were onely a humane invention and not fit for a rule of life and conversation for any to walk by and in confirmation of this he said The Scriptures were that golden Calf and Brazen Serpent that set at variance King and Parliament and Kingdome against Kingdome and things would never be well untill the golden Calf and Brazen Serpent were beaten to pieces AAAAA Gangren third Part p. 34. It was witnessed before the Magistrates of Norwich that Priscilla Miles had said None would speak against Anabaptists but drunkards and liers she avowed there was in the Scriptures a number of lies BBBBB The Anabaptists of Somersetshire say that the Scriptures are not the word of God but the conceits of men and that we are not to adhere unto them but to revelations Gangren second Part p. 136. Clarkson in Colchester in his Sermon did vilifie the Scriptures all Ordinances Duties Ministers and Church-state CCCCC Mans mortality or a Treatise wherein is proved both Theologically and Philosophically that whole man as a rationall creature is a compound wholly mortall contrary to that common distinction of soul and body and that the present going of the soule into heaven or hell is a meer fiction Ibid. The hell-hatched doctrine of the immortall soule discovered the heavens triumph in the wain of the world to see such light break out on its posterity Pag. 3. Death returns man to what he was before he was that is not to be whence appeareth p. 8. that none ever entred into heaven since the Creation during death man is void of actuall beeing and has no present actuall beeing in glory p. 24. I prove it from the non-entity of hell that there can be no casting into hell before hell be p. 28. Christs humanity was three days and three nights in the grave after his death Ibid. p. 29. I may possibly affirm that the place of glory for the dead Saints is not yet p. 34. Christs ascension was into the Sunne according to famous Copernicus it is in the highest station of the whole Creation it may bee fitly called the right hand of God DDDDD Gangren first Part p. 112. The Anabaptists of Somersetshire affirm that the Divine essence which subsists in the persons of men shall be reduced unto God again but the persons shall be annihilated for the soul is mortall and the body shall never rise from the dead that even the body of Christ did never rise from the dead but was annihilated the world shall ever endure by generation from time to time without an end Ibid. p. 5. I asked Webbe of his opinion concerning the resurrection and he affirmed that there was no more resurrection of a man then of a beast nor had he any more soule then the body EEEEE Ibid. Webbe a great Ring-leader of the seduced Sect of Anabaptists acknowledged no differenâ—e between the godly and the wicked for locall torment more then is upon earth he denies any locall hell Ibid. p. 26. Marshall a great follower of Randall maintained that there was no hell that all the hell that is is in this life which is nothing else but the legall terrors and fear men had in their consciences FFFFF Ibid. p. 5. Webbe denies that there are any devils more then men are devils in themselves Gangren second Part p. 6. A woman came to the Minister of S. Martins to question him about his Sermon and affirmed to him that there was not any such thing as sin or hell or the devill or tentation or the holy Ghost or Scriptures she said all the hell that was was the darknesse of the night GGGGG Gangren first Part p. 112. The Anabaptists of Somersetshire do teach that God in the beginning did give forth of his divine essence a variety of forms and severall substances which we call creatures so that God doth subsist in the creatures HHHHH Ibid. They teach that the world shall ever endure by way of generation from time to time without an end IIIII Ibid. Others of them teach that