Doctrines and Disciples Indeed to divide the Church-lands amongst their Tribe as the pretence was of taking away the Bishops Lands to maintain preaching Ministers and to invade other Mens Livings and to have the sole Government of the Church in their Hands this is that which they call setting up of Jesus Christ in his Throne the World now see what their aim was at first in calling this the Parliament of their Prayers 5. All sorts of Sectaries in England were earnest for this Parliament because they had conspired to pack it for their Designs against the King and the Church as hereafter will be shown 6. The Common Lawyers pleaded for a Parliament that themselves might snatch an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction into their Courts to advance their Law above the Gospel as they have done crying up their Idol-Law to be above the King a Creature above his Creator then what are the Lawyers who have the Law in their own Hands the Breast of the Judge or the Breast of the Court as they phrase it is the supreme Power And truly for these many years last past have the Lawyers enslaved both King and People by the Charm of Law Law 7. The Country People generally fancied that a Parliament would free them from paying of Tythes which produced several Petitions to that purpose from several Counties 8. All sorts of Trades and Companies in London hoped for Iome encrease of their Trading if a Parliament were called and yet who more crying out against Monopolies and Patents than these Citizens Who are the greatest Monopolilizers in this Kingdom and scarce any Incorporation in London but had some Petition ready for this Parliament with confidence that nothing must be denied for the advance of Trade And all sorts of People dreamed of an Vtopia and Infinite Liberty especially in Matters of Religion nay scarce any man but had some Design of Private Interest excep the Ancient Orthodox Clergy who foresaw what a Misery the heighth of a Faction would bring on the Church by a Parliament And yet after 5 years Sitting in this so Idolized Parliament no sorts of men but have missed their Ends their Ministers especially verifying that Prophesie of Dr. Bancroft For all the Outcries that Church-Livings might be employed to the Maintenance of Eldership well may they procure in some other Age the further impoverishing of the Church but they shall be sure to be little the better for it And generally instead of being eased of their Grievances they have been plagued by this Parliament as by the Flagellum Dei a Rod of their own making to scourge this Land for their murmuring against Moses and Aaron their Contempt of the King and the Priest into which Crying Sin an Hypocritical Faction hath been long drawing this People by wounding the King through the sides of the Church as knowing well that if they could destroy Monarchy in the Church Episcopal Government in England being indeed the King 's Spiritual Militia and that most povverful as commanding the Consciences of Subjects by planting in Rebellion for Religion they should soon vveaken the Povver of the King 's Temporal Militia as vvoful Experience hath taught us this made the Masters of the Faction alvvays set up the Church as the Butt and the Bishops Sleeves as the White chiefly aimed at by all sorts of People to shoot their Bolts against that to have the Bovv ready bent and the Quiver full of sharp Arrovvs even bitter vvords against the Church grevv to be the only Wisdom and Religion in fashion O ye scandalous Clergy and O ye bringers in of Popery was the belching of every open mouth when the greater sort had deeply swallowed other manner of Gall for which they took up the common cry against the Clergy only to colour their deadly Spleen bred upon Temporal Distempers which the world takes no publick notice of as yet but were the true causes of the Contempt and hatred of the Clergy among this Generation whereby the Fanatick Faction very inconsiderable for Number drew multitudes who hated their by-ways in Religion to their assistance The first and main Engine buzzed into the people long before this Parliament was That the Bishops and the Clergy were the Instruments for the Kings intended Tyranny the common saying in Terminis was that the Clergy are all for the King that is the Clergy seeing your Fanatick Spirit of Darkness working in the Children of Disobedience would by their Preaching to fear God and the King according to the Scriptures have prevented the ruines which they foresaw this Faction would and now have brought upon this Kingdom to this purpose what a fiery pair of multiplying Spectacles did the Faction put on the Noses of the people furiously looking on Dr. Manwarings Sermon till the Face of the Body Politick began to fire in a former Parliament not quenched even to the beginning of this but continually kindled against him and some others not above three more Divines who preached the Kings Prerogative like Divines if Scripture which they so cry up for their own ends in 1 Sam. 8. or the practice of the Kings of Judah may be Judge more than the Supremacy of the Lawyers would brook or the jealous Worshippers of Meum and Tuum in England could endure should be true This was the kindle-coal that the Faction bellowsed to that flame that must consume not only those particular men but even the whole Clergy Root and Branch as in Scotland the Feud of some discontented Lords against some particular Bishops vowed revenge on the whole Church this fire of malice was the fire from Heaven which confirmed their Covenant and made it the pattern in the Mount for Englishmen to follow This added to the name Baals Priests and such other reproaches of the Clergy among the Fanaticks the new Scoff of Cesans Friends This made the popular Earl of Essex say in this Parliament that he never knew but one Bishop in Parliament stand up for the good of the Commonwealth the old phrase of Rebellion and when Nat. Fiennes made Speeches in Parliament and printed them with the Title of unparallel'd Reasons to shew that Episcopacy was an Enemy to Monarchy the Lord Say his Father and Godfather to the Fanatick Faction printed a Speech That the Bishops were too much for the King and therefore were to be thrown out of the Parliament the most applauded Speech amongst the Commonvvealth party vvhose sense it spoke out to the full and vvas the Core of the Canker bred in them against the Church and unto this score do the Clergy ovve their eight years persecution and their continued Banishment from their Livings for fear they should preach the people novv undeceived into obedience to their King A second Cause vvas the sacrilegious thirsting after the Church-lands by some in this Land vvhose Grandfathers having svvallovved long Leases or perhaps some forged Deeds of Church-lands the Wax sticks still on the Childrens Stomachs that no vvonder
the Law while they pretended to Judge according to the Law this being the Old Character of A Fanatick a Strangers Angel a Neighbours Plague a Saint Abroad a Devil at Home but his Children ye are saith our Saviour whose works ye do The Devil was a Lyar from the beginning and the Accuser of the Brethren and who have done the works of such a Father you may here know by a taste of the First Fruits Sower Grapes of their long promised Canaan a glimpse of their Clergy-hating the Foundation of Fanatick-Babel-Reformation and what an Harvest of misery to this Nation hath followed such beginnings when Judgement begins at Gods House may be gathered into Volumes by better Pens It 's enough from a private Hand in such Times as these if any short Copy can be set forth for others to follow and to shew the Fanaticks that all men do not sleep but some stand watching still to give the World warning of such Hypocrites especially considering that is no Records of the particulars of the Tyranny of these Times hath been extant to the World though all honest Protestants have much desired it Time indeed not bearing Truth from a Protestant hand As also considering the multitude of Scandalous Pamphlets Parliament Speeches Centuries Declarations published all and faced with Authority of Parliament the Supreme Court of Justice in England Title enough to charm the World especially Posterity into a belief of such Authentick Records should no particular Counter-work of Truth be left to oppose such slanders For as yet there is none and probably if either an Act of Oblivion should happen or time waste away the present Clergy who by reason of the fury of this Age dare not write their own Sufferings nor by reason of their being so scatter'd can bring them to a general Collection never any may come forth whereby the Fanatick lyes and shameful slanders of the Clergy of this Generation would pass for currant Truths when as the Faction themselves know and cannot but acknowledge as I have heard some of them say that they could never have taken a worse time against the Bishops of England whose personal honest Lives Learning and Piety was so eminent that indeed it made clamours against them the more violent like that against our Saviour Away with him away with him when the Question was asked what evil hath he done that so they might remove them by Tumults against whom they could not work their Designs by Law And for the persecuted Clergy of the Church of England I am confident it is their hearty desire and I dare in their Names make this solemn Appeal to Posterity if ever God send times for Justice in England that after so cruel and barbarous sufferings by banishments and manifold imprisonments some in noysome and foreign Jayles among Thieves and Felons Some in Ships under Decks neer smothered Some starved and dead in Prison others murdered in Prison All of them sequestered spoiled of their Goods and Estates and Houses to the ruine of their Wives and Children also that they might obtain a legal Tryal to know what evil they have done that it may appear whether scandalous Accusers and scandalous Judges have not made a scandalous Clergy and not found them such This being left them their only comfort in their Miseries that they suffer as Christians not as Evil Doers but for Righteousness sake as God and their own Consciences bear them Witness and these ensuing Lines though rude yet true may not a little prove to any impartial Reader to the satisfying also of that newly started Objection by the House of Commons against a Personal Treaty with the King viz. the bringing in again of Scandalous Ministers CHAP. II. A Brief of the divers Ends in desiring to have this Parliament called Of the true Cause of the Contempt and Hatred of the Clergy among the People and what makes the Church differences irreconcileable PRivate Interests and Advantages are ever the grounds of usurped Power and why Lay-men in this Parliament have presumed to intermeddle with matters of Religion and to monopolize all executive and judiciary Power in Doctrine and Discipline of the Church which God knoweth they never understood under pretence of Reformation of Religion Mr. Hampden one of the prime Grandees of the Fanatick Faction hath satisfied the World in his Answer to a Private Friend asking him why they so much pretended Religion when indeed Liberty and Property and Temporal Matters were by them chiefly intended Should we not said he use the pretence of Religion the people would not be drawn to assist us And truly it were pity that Posterity should be left without some memento of the private Interests and Designs of all sorts of people in this Kingdom in themselves different yet all concentring in this one word Reformation to build the Babel of this Generation Not much unlike the hatching of the Belglek Troubles Nobilitas cum Plebe conspirant rem suam curant dum publicam curare videntur Such desires in calling the Council of Trent have been translated into an English madness and superstition in longing for this Parliament which all men fansied such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 medicamentum to each private Malady that not any Humour in the Body Politick or itch in the Breech of the Kingdom but was kept clawed by Mr. Speakers Thanks and large Promises of Redress of their Grievances Even the London Porters Petition received much Thanks from the Parliament and proffers of easing them of their Burdens A fair opportunity had the Great Ones to work their ends over other mens Shoulders 1. The Court emulation for even the Kings House and his Council were poysoned with Fanaticism thought by a Parliament to remove the Favourites that so upon their Ruines themselves next in place might be advanced What also was the sin of the Archbishop and the Earl of Strafford against whom this Parliament was set on fire with heat of Envy but they being greatly loved of their King for their faithful Service to his Majesty the Church and their Country 2. The Country Nobility long discontented with their Court-Banishment as it were hoped by a Parliament to new model the Court and exchange places To this end the Propositions continually clamour that all the Privie Council and all Officers of State may be in the disposal of Parliament that is of Lord Say and his Faction 3. The Gentry of England by a Parliament into which the Gentry used to be called till of late besides their private Preferment and Revenge thought as did the Free-holders and all sorts of people to be eased of Monopolies Taxes never remembring that they paid no Subsidies and especially of an intended Tyranny which the Fanatick Faction with continual Alarums so drummed into the Peoples Ears even to a Frensie of ridiculous Fears and Jealousies 4. The Lecturing House-creeping-Ministers prayed zealously for a Parliament thereby hoping to set up their new-fangled
and what miseries this Nation felt thereby may afford more truth than these times can bear and therefore is omitted Yet in all these Parliaments was the stamp of just that is Royal Authority though how justly executed I say not and therefore ought to be obeyed active or passive nor in any of these Parliaments or ever since till this Parliament were the Clergy one of the three Estates of the Realm the best conservators of Religion quite excluded with convocations of the Clergy though legally chosen by the Kings Writ not forced up out of a Renegado house-creeping Ministry by Lay-votes who had the judiciary cognizance of matters of Doctrines as one hath observed in a discourse to answer the Popish Slander cast upon our Religion that it is a meer Parliamentary Religion Though it cannot be denied but that fury against the present Clergy because they would not comply with the prevailing party to extol the present Change and in later Parliaments the Puritan-policy having influence even upon Court-counsels have too much bound up the power of the Keys and left the Clergy little liberty but to grant Subsidies But never did the Laity in Parliaments grasp at the power of the Keys till the Puritans getting strength in the House of the Commons nibled at the Church-power under the name of a Lay-Committee for Religion which King James connived at little thinking whereto that ill example would grow in his Son's days hanging St. Peters Keys at Lay-mens girdles thereby as we now see locking up the Priests lips and shutting up Church-doors to the sequestring of Almighty God from his holy Habitations and by an Army of Subjects in rebellion against their King taking away the daily Sacrifice out of the Temple for the Reformation of Religion the old pretence to colour politick designes thereby to take away the shame of whatever cruelty shall be acted to advance the same never remembring that of St. Paul We must not do evil that good may come of it What fit Judges of Religion Parliaments have been and are like to be let us hear again Mr. Rogers that famous Protestant Martyr when it was objected to him that he ought to be a Catholick because the Parliament had established the Popish Religion Of what force saith he are Parliaments which establish contrary Decrees condemning that for evil which before they had established as good and the Parliaments of later times have been ruled by the fancy of a few Henry the 8th established what he pleased by Parliaments In Edward the 6th the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland bore all the stroke and did not all things sincerely And for the Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth what by her politick moulding of the Parliament and her infinite popularity and her Armies who durst Vote against her pleasure Besides as one observeth her Parliaments consisting of grave men did do the Queens work and in that the Kingdomes business no thoughts of opposing Prerogative under pretence of Property or distinguishing between the service of the Crown and of the Commonwealth as two divers yea contrary things till the Fanaticks began to make Parliaments as Cock-pits and pitched fields for fighting against the King and the Church under the notion of standing up for the Subjects Liberty which made King James say that he could never find any joy in his Parliaments calling them in scorn and anger Five hundred Kings And the wise Earl of Arundel lately deceased then prophesied that Posterity would have cause to curse those Fanaticks in former Parliaments who upon such undutifulness caused their breach of which as also of the Parliaments of King Charles Sir Robert Naunton hath observed That half a dozen of popular discontented persons such as with the fellow that burned the Temple of Diana would be talked of have swayed all the Parliaments as Lord Say Mr. Pym Hambden Stroud and other Parliament-drivers as the Army Declarations stiled the XI Presbyterian Impeached Members who have lived to sit in this Parliament to see the flames of their own kindling almost consume the Church and these three Kingdoms by their reviving Nadab and Abihu's strange Fire by their presumption in medling with matters of the Church to the subversion of Religion under pretence of Reformation which how politickly wrought by the long combination of an hypocritical Faction we come now to speak of more particularly The former Examples of alteration of Religion and of compassing secular ends and designes by pretence of Reforming Religion having beaten out a ready way for any change no sooner began the Fanatical Faction to appear and by their furious pretence of Loyalty and hatred of Popery under Queen Elizabeths policy to ballance the Popish party then not weakned enough in the Kingdom for her security suffered to take head but presently they began to Libel the Bishops and the Church of England and to poison the people in most corners of the Land but chiefly in London with Geneva Doctrines and Pamphlets Supplications are made to the Queen and to the Privy-Council but especially to the Parliament Petions pretended to be subscribed by 100000 hands put up against Bishops Remonstrances and Admonitions are directed to the Parliament to advance the Presbytery as the holy Discipline but finding little countenance to such a phrensie they fell into such Libelling and Menacing the Queen the Council and the Parliament that in their heat the fire of Sedition began to appear so that to quench it in the spark the Queen made severe Laws against them and by hanging Penry condemned with Vdall and Barow who were pardoned brake the neck of their Plots and turned their brags into preaching of preces lachrymae as the onely arms for Christian Subjects and into Doctrines of humble obedience and patience till indeed they could pack an House of Commons for their purpose as some Pamphlets of those days advised the Brethren their party in Parliament being then inconsiderable or at least not able to carry on their work by their own strength and probably those Laws had for ever purged this Kingdom of this new plague had not an old sore unexpectedly broke out in the Gunpowder Treason so apparently plotted by Papists though the Actors intended to have laid the Saddle on the Fanatical Horse but little sooner than they deserved as we now see that to permit the other was counted the best way to cure this and as it sever hapneth the common hatred of any Faction gives great advantage to its contrary So now the Fanaticks full glad of such an occasion began busily to revive their suspended hopes of their Reformation strengthned also by their united brethren of Scotland as that in all Parliaments since through King James's too much love of peace and Archbishop Abbots affected popularity upon some Court-disfavour and by other Courtiers emulation by the subtelty and hypocrisie of the Faction they have gained ground till they have driven the Church and the King out of Three Kingdoms by the
which they desired onely in some things should be reformed employing some Bishops and others of the Clergy to consider of what things might be altered for satisfying tender Consciences that many of the Clergy also as well as other Subjects well-willers to the King were so possessed that though they saw Arms raised against the King and all his Forts Ships and Revenues seized on in defiance of his Majesty yet would they not believe that the Parliament intended the King any hurt or evil at all yea divers were not dispossessed of this fond credulity till the Votes of imprisoning and of no further addressing to the King were published And now when they can neither help themselves nor their King cry out upon Hypocrites and say they will never believe Parliaments any more though it 's not safe for them to say so or whatere more they think such is now the liberty of the Subject and indeed so willing were the major part of the House of Commons to be lulled asleep into a pleasing dream of Reformation by clipping the wings of Prerogative and paring the Bishops nails and taking down the pride of the Clergy as the Fanatick buzzed pretences were to which all parties were marvelously ready like the Horse in the Fable yielding his back to the Saddle to be rid of the Deer that he might have all the pasture and by extolling the honour and authority of that House whereof themselves were also Members till the Faction by planting in their Instruments for Chair-men of Committees and into all places of action so rid the more moderate party of the House beyond their own stay who now grown weary and feeling the Spur in their own sides began too late to take heed and to think to shake off their hot-Spur-riders but indeed threw themselves out of their so-longed-for Parliament for upon any Speech or Motion contrary to the sence of the Faction the parties moving were called presently to the Bar or committed to the Tower or expelled the House and others were terrified hereby or by the Tumults out of the City led up by Dr. Burges and Capt. Ven to the Parliament-doors to see that the Godly Party for so their Faction was called in the House might not be out-voted Dr. Burges said at the Parliament-doors of the Multitudes and Tumults of the City-Rabble These are my Band-dogs I can set them on and I can take them off again Oh brave Cornelius That by these means above two hundred shortly after were forced out of the House to leave the Faction absolute Masters of the Vote in the House of Commons and House of Peers also little thinking that the Clergies persecution which themselves sate so long winking at would prove their own just punishment by suffring a Faction to grow so powerful without so much as protesting against their injustice and oppression But rather assisting the Faction to imprison in the Tower twelve Bishops upon a false charge of High-Treason onely because they did their duty to their eternal honour like Christian Bishops and lovers of their Countries welfare in solemnly protesting as pares Regni against such violence and wickedness though with apparent hazard of their persons and Estates Nay when these driven Members of Lords and Commons again assembled at Oxford by the Kings Proclamation upon the second Invasion of the Scots for number in both Houses exceeding those who were left at Westminster almost 200 Commons before they had sitten five weeks besides the Royal presence of the King very probably might have recovered this Kingdom by calling themselves a Parliament as the eyes of the Kingdom upon them did expect which drew over some Members from Westminster and more would have followed to have joyned with them in Parliament and as in all reason they might have as well as they did demand and take upon them all priviledges of Parliament But the Fanatick spirit brought thither in Mr. Bagshawes Lawyers pouch or maintained there before at the Brethrens charge was busie there also in fomenting fears and jealousies that they must not set the King a precedent to break Laws vid. the forced Act of continuance of this Parliament in it self void for fear they should make the King too great and such courses they took in imitation of the Faction at Westminster that they complained to the King of a Divine who in a Sermon historicè related the Story of Charles Martel his inventing Rebellion Sacriledge and Parliaments and Secretary Windebank lately come from France to the King was forced suddenly to return into France to prevent the odium which might have fallen on the King by protecting him whom they also intended to have questioned that well might his Majesty call them his mungrel- Mungrel-Parliament whose negligence and wilful blindness hath twice undone the Kingdom But to return to the Members at Westminster whom we left Conquerors of the Vote in the House of Commons whose Agents were set on work throughout the Kingdom especially in London to muster up their Forces without which they could neither long keep the Vote so gotten nor could make their Votes of any power or authority the House of Commons being of it self no Court of Judicature having no power to give an Oath nor to imprison any of the Kings Subjects except their own Members but to consult and transmit their Proposals to the House of Peers to whose joynt Results the Kings Royal Signature puts life and makes it Law or an Act of Parliament The next work therefore to which success heightned them was to try their strength in the House of Peers for concurrence to their designes to which Lord Say had long tutored his Pulpit-Lords and other discontented popular Lords were hoped easily to be drawn seeing the people so extol the proceedings of this Faction in the House of Commons though they intended to go on with their work without the Lords concurrence if they could not have brought them to their Bow as indeed they have made no other use of the House of Peers than to cover and countenance the Fanatical practices with the Name and Title of both Houses of Parliament and of Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament setting the Lords in the first place like Cyphers in Arithmetick to advance the following numbers for what meant the new phrase in Pulpits and Pamphlets of the House of Gods and of the Worthies of the Land but onely the House of Commons and what more frequently buzzed into peoples heads than that the Lords sate but for themselves the Commons sate for the good of all the people and were therefore more to be regarded and maintained But for a formality and shew of Legal proceedings in a Parliamentary way Mr. Pym is sent into the City to make Speeches against Obstructions in the Body politick that Reformation could not go on till they were removed which soon raised the City-Tumults to petition the Parliament that the Bishops and Popish Lords might be thrown out of the House of Peers
as the onely hinderers of Reformation of Religion thereby indeed to lessen the numbers of Votes likeliest to oppose the Fanatick Faction These Tumults daily increasing upon the countenance they found from the Parliament where they were bid to come like men that is with Swords by the Rabble of Porters and Apprentises daily sent by their Masters but chiefly by their Mistresses with Clubs and Swords to cry for Reformation at the Parliament-doors The Faction in London having also combined to shut up their Shops for many days together and perswaded others to do the like upon some pretended fears but the truth was to make the poor people in and about the City a pretence to mutiny for want of work so heightned the Faction in the House of Commons that they sent up Mr. Hollis to the House of Peers to demand the Names of the dissenting Lords that so they might expose them to the peoples fury as they posted the dissenting Members of the House of Commons in the case of the Earl of Strafford The Ring-leaders still to the Rout were Dr. Burges the onely scandal to his profession in all London as his Parishioners of Watford can tell and the Spiritual Courts of London-Diocess also Capt. Ven who sent Tickets by Porters and Emissaries to raise these Myrmidons and Sir Richard Wiseman who with this confused Army assaulting the Bishop of Lincoln's house in Westminster had his brains dashed out with a stone from the wall and was buried at the collected charges among the Apprentises The House of Peers thus daily assaulted without and wanting no false Brethren within was not like to hold out any long Siege the very doors and Lobby and entries being so crowded with the Tumults that none can pass in or out without a kind of leave from the Assailants who upon the word given of the approach of any popish or disaffected Lord as the phrase was would in derision cry out Rome Rome but when any whom they accounted well-affected was to pass by they would cry Make way Make way a free Parliament all this while insomuch that some Lords had their Cloaks torn from their backs at the Parliament-doors Nor could the Bishops one of the three Estates in Parliament or Popish Lords as they called them come to the House without apparent hazard of their persons which made the Bishops as Pares Regni solemnly to protest against all Acts done in their absence till the Parliament should be restored to liberty as Mr. Speaker hath lately done and the Members who lately fled to the Army upon their return have nullified all Votes Orders Ordinances made since their forced absence by like City-Tumults in the year 1647. Hereupon the faction in the House of Commons furiously impeach the protesting Bishops of High-Treason and twelve Bishops were at once committed to the Tower to gag their Mouths that they might be easilier robbed of their Votes and Purses as afterwards they were the Treason not yet proved The Bishops and Popish Lords thus thrown out of the Parliament and the rest of the Royal Nobility terrified were forced to withdraw themselves from the Parliament leaving the Vote of the House of Peers to the Faction galloping in its fury yet for all those affronts done by the City-Tumults at the Parliament-doors to shew how truely it hath been ever said of the Fanatick That he will not Swear but he will Lie as also the assaulting of that Loyal Lord-Mayor's house by the same Tumults in the midst of the City and notwithstanding their furious marching through the City in return from the Parliament-house whose Guard they called themselves and bragged how they were thanked by the Members for their love to the Parliament with Links and loud Clamours timely alarming the Goldsmiths of Cheapside to shut up their Shops and notwithstanding the nightly Tumults about pulling down Cheapside-Cross and the Trained-Bands marching day and night about the City to keep the peace A Coopers Apprentice on Breadstreet-hill pulling off the Legs of our Saviour's Picture on the East-end of the Cross in the act fell on the Iron-bars but told his Master that some of the Watchmen hurt him with an Halbert concealing the truth till after ten days torture seeing no hope of life with horrour he confessed his fact lamenting Gods judgment upon him and died of the wound whose death so terrified the Tumults from that action that they never attempted the Cross any more upon my own knowledge And in the first of King Charles when the same Cross was beautified a Fanatick who broke the Neck of the Babe in the lap of the blessed Virgin within three nights after had his Neck broke and left dead in the streets near the Cross no man knowing how it came to pass At Tukesbury in Gloucestershire I have seen the Grave of a reforming Zealot who demolished the Cross and made the Cross-stone wherein was our Saviour's Picture an Hog-trough All the Piggs and the Sow which drank therein died the first night and the man drowned himself in a Well over an Hog-trough which stood by the Well as the Spiritual Court of Gloucester can witness and many yet living in Tukesbury can justifie this story Yet did the Faction in Parliament tell the King and the world in print in answer to the Kings complaining of those Tumults That they saw no Tumults but that the concourse in Westminster-hall used to be as great in Term-time By these means the Fanatical Faction in the Parliament having conquered the Vote of both Houses and forced the King to fly began soon to declare their Legislative power in publishing their imperative Vote That the Subjects of England were bound to obey the Ordinances of both Houses of Parliament as a Law in case the King should deny his Royal Assent But knowing such Votes were not like to find universal obedience as their designes required the next and last thing they entred upon was power to execute those Votes which their success by the late Tumults ready for a War heightned them to demand under pretence of putting the Militia of the Kingdom into such hands as the Parliament that is the Fanatical Faction should think fit which to obtain one would think it might spend the faith of a Christian to believe what ridiculous fears and jealousies of Invasions from abroad and secret dangers at home were suddainly bruited by the Faction up and down the Kingdom Fears of Invasions by the Danes by the French by the Irish fears of Papists in London when the Faction knew they had scarce left one in the City but in Prisons Mr. Pym's Plague-plaister the discovering of a Plot by a Taylor in a Ditch fears of blowing up the Thames with Gun-powder to drown the City and Parliament the House of Commons fired by Papists an Army of Papists at Black-heath in Kent an Army of Papists in Lancashire Horses trained under ground at Ragland the Midnight Alarm in London and parts adjacent that the King was
coming against the City with an Army of Horse when his Majesty was lately forced to fly for the safety of his person The Votes of Lord Digby raising an Army at Kingston upon Thames when he had onely his Coach and six Horses The Votes that the King had raised an Army at York when some chief Actors said in my hearing at that time the Houses of Parliament knew that the King was not able to raise one hundred men The Earl of Warwick and Sir Thomas Barrington sent into Essex to raise the Country told the people in publick meetings that the Queen was landed with an Army of 13000 Papists It were endless to reckon up the multitudes of such Lyes and ridiculous Fears As also to think how ready people were to frame themselves to a belief thereof as given up to believe lies even with greediness when indeed the designe onely was for this Faction hereby to raise an Army to execute whatsoever themselves should conceive would advance their Plots of subverting Religion and Government of this Church and State under the specious colour of Reformation of all grievances whatsoever whereby they drew in to their assistance the Patriotical party also who were the far greater number throughout the Kingdom whose pulse beating wholly after Property desiring destruction neither of King nor Bishop but onely reformation of conceived excess of power was kept continually affrighted by alarms from the Faction that the King would make his Subjects all Slaves which to prevent they thought themselves necessitated to uphold this Parliament in any thing which they should act though never so abominable and unjust for fear if this Parliament should be dissolved they should never have any more Parliaments and these men once unhappily engaged especially the Londoners by vast sums of money which the Parliament had politickly drawn them to lend were bound to follow the Fanaticks madness onely to secure themselves and their publick-Faith debts insomuch that upon the burning down the Excise-house in Smithfield in the year 1647 by the rude Multitudes in the City about the time of the King 's coming to Holdenby it 's strange to think how these moderate men formerly desirous to have the King come to London were suddainly so affrighted with fears that if the King came nearer London surely the people would pay no Excise nor Taxes then how should their Publick Faith-debts be paid and gave advantage to the Faction in the name of the City to petition the Parliament that his Majesty might not come nearer London upon some pretences laid in that Petition but Money was the bottom of the business hoping by delay to make some surer bargain with their King but now too late they see their folly Thus by Hypocrisie Fraud and Violence misguiding the Patriotical party the Fanaticks of England grew so powerful raising an Army which of themselves they could never have done now commanded by most confiding Sectaries which the Citizens at first thought so inconsiderable supposing though they let them run on to do the work which they also desired in reforming State-distempers they could quell them at pleasure perswaded also that the War should last but one Moneth as Mr. Hamden told some Citizens but now they have lived to see the Banners six years displayed to plant in what Religion soever the strongest party of Sectaries with their Sword shall make good upon hopes of gain or fear of loss not likely by Citizens to be opposed and all other men in prosecution of their own different ends are forced to serve for Stales and Blindes for the Fanatical Masters to destroy the King and the Church by the loss of the liberty and property of the Subject on which all parties so doted and no sooner had the Faction their desires of an Army raised for their service but presently they began to execute their long dormient Votes of scquestring the Clergy from their Livings and by an insolent thing called an Ordinance of Parliament repealing five Acts of Parliament made in several Kings Raigns utterly abolished the sacred Liturgy the whole service of God out of the Church planting in room of it a new nothing a senseless Rubrical Directory that will serve all sorts of Religion but the true Religion which to destroy this new Engine was purposely invented meerly upon this wicked policy though other frivolous pretences are alleadged in the Preface to that new-fangled Directory First because in the Liturgy were more Prayers for the King than would consist with their Traiterous ends Secondly the abolishing of the Liturgy took away the daily service of God in Cathedrals and made them of no use a fair way to take away the Land of Deans and Chapters Thirdly the Scots called in for their assistance in time of need as also to engage all sorts of Sectaries to their aid against the King Fourthly their new-erected Ministery and Assembly of Divines and non-Divines at Westminster by abolishing the Liturgy thought to extol their own fame and estimation to the leading captive the people into ignorance the mother of blind obedience to whatsoever burden they should lay upon them from Jesus Christs Throne of their Divine Presbytery Thus as the State-Affairs in the Church came this change or rather destruction of Christian Religion in England like the great Beast in Daniel to whom an Army was given by reason of transgression whereby it took away the daily Sacrifice and threw the truth to the ground and it practised and prospered but what miseries have followed such policy not onely the persecution of the Clergy but the ruine of the Laity of our times can sufficiently witness groaning under all sorts of calamities that War and Rapine and Tyranny can bring upon a Nation when like the Israelites there was no King in England but a mysterious gunpowder-clouded King and Parliament viz. the Fanatical Faction and Conspirators fighting against God and the King under colour of King and Parliament the Riddle of this Generation three times altering they call it purging the House of Commons of Monopolists Malignants and Presbyterians to obtain the Vote and by a post-vote justifying three notorious Symptomes of a wicked Faction viz. the publishing an Order of inviting accusations against the Clergy in the name of the House of Commons which the House had not cognizance of the keeping the King out of Hull by Sir John Hotham which the House knew not of and the imprisoning the King in the Isle of Wight by Hammond for which he had no public korder but the sense of this Faction or some private directions from the Army CHAP. VIII A concluding Parallel between the Popish Persecution in Queen Maries time and this Fanatical persecution THus hath this Faction filled up the measure of their iniquity fulfilling the Prophesies and Predictions of wise wen who gave England warning of the mischiefs which they foresaw the Fanaticks would in time bring upon this Nation to name but two particulars Dr. Bancroft wrote in the
the Minister's Wife proud if clad better than her self and as for habit so for place and precedency every Gossip could prattle that a Ministers Wife had no place though the Law is that all Wives shall take place according to their Husbands These Petticoat Quarrels bred much envy to the Clergy but majorcum superbia with far greater pride And besides that Laici Clericis oppido sunt infesti 4. So generally peevish and fanaticiz'd were the people that not any particular discontent or personal Quarrel with any private Clergy-man but these Bishops these Parsons the whole Coat began their furious threats of Revenge and for these many years hath the opposing the Bishops or regular Clergy been made the sign of a Babe of Grace and a professor of pure Religion and since this Parliament been the ready way to preferment as the sure Character of a fast Friend to the Parliament that divers have not only been afraid to show their wonted Neighbourhood to their Parsons but have grown active against them only to secure themselves from suspicion of Malignancy by being known to converse with a Malignant or sequestred Minister These and such like matters have thickened the mists of scandalous Clergy◠and bringing in Popery cast before the Peoples eyes to widen the Breach into an impossibility of Reconciliation These seven years sad experience persuading me that the great Controversies of Christendome as of latter days so in elder Ages about the Arrian Heresie under Constantius Synod against Synod to revoke the Nicene Decrees and that other Division about the Celebration of Easter under Commodus were but some State Stalking-horses or at least maintained with such Vehemency for politick ends whereof Church History hath taken no Cognizance like the two Golden Calves of Presbytery and Independency set up in our days to cover Jeroboams policy for a new Government Presbytery being thought at first a Cloak large enough to serve all turns till new designs started up Independency both equally destructive to the old way which though woful experience hath proved the best way and most men at the bottom desire yet because it consisteth not with their rash temporal Ingagements they furiously oppose could we else think that Christians and Countrymen should engage in a Bloody Civil War to demolish a Cross or put down an innocent Ceremony to deshoy a Bishop of a Diocess and set a Pope in every Parish A meer Book-man of this Generation can find little difference above-board all sides professing they fight for the same things which surely made Dury and Dr. Mosely and Dr. Gibbons take so much pains and travel to seek Reconcilement in Religion but alas G. Cassander H. Grotius may write Votum pro pace Ecclesiastica Romish Priests may hazard their lives to reconcile Protestants and Protestants hope to convert Papists Church men may fast and pray and write and preach for Peace but all to no purpose Can they reconcile the King and the Pope's Supremacy in Causes Ecclesiastical Can they secure a Rebell against a King in Power Can they make Agreement between Publick-Faith Debts and Bishops Lands and Delinquents Estates Take away Temporal Differences and Church Controversies among Christians might soon be ended for what have the engaged men of this Generation long whispered and now speak out to the Citizens desirous of a Treaty for Peace while the pretence is Religion should the King be restored to his Throne what security can they Traytors have for their Necks and Estates What shall become of their Ordinance-Law Should Bishops come in again what shall become of our Moneys for the purchase of their Land The City Publick-Faith-Mongers tremble to think that their Debts will be desperate Souldiers say if peace come their Triumphs will be spoiled should the Kingdom be setled and every man enjoy his own the Fanatick Ministers cry out what shall they do who have intruded into other mens Livings These thoughts fright the Presbyterian Lecturers and the Assembly of Divines who these Twelve Months have been preaching against this Army into a zealous Union with this Independent Army yea with Turks or Jews or any Religion in the World consisting with their usurped possessions would they joyn rather than suffer the old Religion to be restored These these are the true Reasons that continue the differences of our Church to such a difficulty if not impossibility of reconcilement and when for such ends men have employed Conscience no wonder in presecution thereof what cruelty injustice and Tyranny is used as mediums for obtaining such wicked purposes whereof you have a small view in this following Discourse CHAP. III. What use the Fanaticks have made of Parliaments and the ways whereby that Faction in this Parliament and Kingdom have endeavoured to make the Clergy contemptible and odious to the people HOW old the Fanatick grudge is against the Church of England the Discourse of the Troubles of Frankford can tell the World and truly since Sacriledge hath been cryed up for Reformation hath that same Spirit of Darkness been tampering in Parliaments to make them their Engine for the work of destroying the Church under colour of Reformation that Archbishop Whitgift that holy meek man in Queen Elizabeth's days lying very sick and being told of a Parliament called out of his pious care for the Church prayed God that he might not live to see that Parliament as near as it was and God heard his Prayer and although as Lord Verulam confesseth the Parliament of England oweth some satisfaction for the many injuries and unjust oppressions formerly done by them to the Church yet since the first breach so thirsty were the Members after the remnant of the Church Lands few Parliaments but have rather sought to increase that debt till the Church be quite undone to this purpose how have the Fanaticks who for these many years have had the vogue of the people opening their mouths wide after any Game to which one of their Beagles should lead the trace superstitiously longed for Parliaments because their Plots and hopes were to pack them for their design against the King and Church as now they have done which made the Presbyterian Sectaries and all other sorts of Fanaticks so idolize this Parliament calling it the Perliament of their Prayers and a frequent Pulpit Title for the House of Commons was the House of Gods and the House of mortal Gods and truly they were an House of Gods like the Heathenish Roman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an House of Gods of all Countries the Images of English Sectaries for they do but represent and it 's but fitting that new Gods should have new Priests heaping up to themselves Teachers after their own hearts lusts no marvel then if the Ministers of Christ grow out of request and all the malice and slanders and cruelty of these new Gods be racked on those who would teach the people to serve the true God rather than men But God forbid but that the vvorld
their manner of proving their Charges THe Reports of these new Spanish-English Inquisitions being spread abroad in City and Country so fleshed these Hounds in their Parson-hunting as their own phrase was and so terrified the rest of the Clergy that by this success the Masters of the Game began to heighten on their Designs of planting in a new Ministry not only as foisted Lecturers but as endowed Church-men the more strongly to make them Servants for their work especially in London whose Clergy bore the heat of the day in this persecution for not six Parsons or Vicars in all that City but abhorred these ungodly courses that two or three Reformers in a Parish usually demanded no smaller matter of their Parson than that he should resign up his whole Livelyhood at once viz. his Living otherwise they would threaten to fetch him up to the Parliament which Threats so far prevailed with many of blameless Lives and Conversation that to avoid the trouble and charges and the infinite Scorn and Vexation at Committees and the Shame as then it was accounted of being ranked among scandalous Ministers gave up their Churches viz. Mr. Mason Dr. Howel Mr. Ward Dr. Pierce Dr. Hill Mr. Paggit Mr. Hanslow c. And all others sought to change their Livings for some more quiet place And I have heard some of these malicious Londoners not ashamed openly in the face of a Committee to profess and without controul That they would never give over vexing their Parson till they had worried him out of his Living And so much have these Factions prevailed that scarce any Parsons or Vicars in that City are left unsequestred what Justice can any expect from such Committees who have taken upon them to be Judges of the Clergy against whom they have so openly declared themselves Parties and Adversaries For scarce any of the persecuted Clergy but can name some particular Members of this Faction in the House of Commons and so by consequence of these Committees also who have been active not only as Representatives but as chief Promoters and Authors of their Troubles some by giving Instructions what to lay in Petitions against them others have drawn up Articles and Petitions and have sent them to Parishes to be subscribed and to seek out Witnesses if they could to prove them nor scarce durst any Parishoner deny his hand though he knew nothing of the Charge for fear of being accounted a Malignant and to some Parishoners refusing to subscribe because they could prove nothing of the Accusations it hath been replied Set you your Hands leave us to prove the Charge till two or three Presidents in this kind from these new Legislative hands had made a Case for some Lawyers Table-book that the known way of petitioning against a Clergy-man was to go to such a Lawyer or such a Solicitor who for his Fee could furnish any Clyent with Accusations against any Clergy-man whatsoever but perhaps some will say those Articles were not true against their Minister they could not prove them That is no matter the Lawyers can warrant those Clyents harmless for say they the Parliament that is the House of Commons put not men to their Oaths not allow any Costs or Dammages upon default of Proof though their Accusation or Charge against their Minister be never so foul never so false and the Ministers Charges never so great to name but one instance in this kind Dr. Cousins the Reverend Dean of Peterborough and Master of Peter House in Cambridge upon a motion made in the House of Commons by the Lord Fairfax that the Doctor had enticed a young Scholar to Popery vvas committed to the Sergeant at Arms to attend daily till the House should call him to a hearing after Fifty Days Imprisonment and Charges of Twenty shillings per diem besides being exposed to the scorn and houtings of the City Sectaries vvho daily flocked to the Doors of the Parliament to shew their readiness to serve them upon hearing the said Doctor made it appear some Members also bearing him vvitness that the Doctor being then Vice-Chancellor of the Vniversity had most severely punished the Party whom upon Examination he had found guilty by Recantation and by expelling him the University yet no Cost or Dammage by way of Reparation was allowed to the Doctor by the House of Commons This is the Justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature in England and a great shew of Justice had these Accusations if like a Chancery Bill any one particular laid were proved though it vvere but malignancy against the Parliament a Crime never heard of till the Fanatick Faction in Parliament voted That to obey the King was High Treason this new Priviledge of Parliament so agreeable to Gods Lavv Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour advised some Parishioners to put in some odious Crimes against their Parson amongst the smaller matters they had laid othervvise said he the House will not regard your Petition no matter whether ye can prove them or not and vvhen some of the honester party not then crowded from the House of Commons upon often experience of such slanders uncontrolled moved that according to Reason and Common Justice vvhosoever brought a false Accusation against any man should Lege talionis be punished as the Accused should have been if guilty the Faction in the House rejected that just Motion pretending that such an Order would discourage Petitioners and a Chair-man being told by Dr. Sterne Master of Jesus Colledge in Cambridge upon the like occasion that the Committee vvere bound by Gods Lavv not to countenance a false Witness according to the Ninth Commandment replyed to the Doctor that he should not teach them whot to do yet every week as soon as some wicked Design ripeneth for a colour do these men Vote and Ordain mightily for keeping the Sabbath-day when lying and false witnessing will no longer advance their Cause they will Vote it may be as much for this Commandment also nay in stead of reproving false witness the Faction in Committees have found out shifts to help out a Reforming Lyar or else to salve up the business with further proof to be produced hereafter or making consequences and inferences upon a false or doubtful Testimony lest their good people as they called their Agents should be discouraged but for sureness sake Orders were often pasted on the Doors of the Committee forbidding entrance to any but those of their own Faction witness the Committee in the Exchequer Chamber about the Smectymnuan Libel or the Grand Petition against Episcopacy where all other Divines were turned out for Spies as their phrase was but some stayed long enough to hear heavy Charges weakly proved viz. That Episcopacy was an Enemy to Parliaments and to the Laws of the Land How proved think you Why a single Witness is produced saying that he heard a Doctor in Divinity of Sussex speak some words against the Parliament Ergo
suffered to be Christian have so much Faith as to believe that in the face of a Christian Nation nay nay a pure Reforming Religious Christian Parliament the Ministers of Jesus Christ should be doomed to ruine for saying in effect Christianus suum See here a Catalogue of Crimes charged upon the Clergy collected out of the first Century authorized to be Published in Print by the Parliament Bowing at the name of Jesus Examples 33. 43. Setting up the name Jesus in the Church Ex. 72. 83. Preaching against Sacriledge Ex. 22. Bowing the Body in Gods House Ex. 7. Assisting the King and exhorting Subjects so to do Ex. 33. 43. Reading the Kings Proclamation in Churches according to the Kings Command Ex. 28. 34. 52. Appointing the 43. Psalm to be sung Ex. 29. Preaching against not coming to their own Parish Church Ex. 21. 35. 38. Reading and having Popish Books Ex. 88. 55. Seen in Company with Papists Ex. 88. It were endless to reckon particulars in this kind of Accusations as wearing the Surplice using Ceremonies praying for Bishops all now cryed down for Superstition and Popery But in every Petiton Malignancy against the Parliament was the Burden of the Song this indeed made any Doctrines to be censured Superstition and Popery a Crime would puzzle all the Divines and Lawyers in Christendom to expound were they Strangers to the Proceedings of this Faction this Malignancy being nothing else but for Subjects to be suspected of being constant in Religion towards God and Loyalty towards their King this is the unquestionable definition of Malignancy against the Parliament and what Christian much more a Clergy-man would plead not guilty to these objected Crimes or be ashamed of these condemned Popish Doctrines And when by these tricks they had cruelly committed many of the Clergy into noysome Prisons forcing others to fly the like cruelty by forsaking their Habitations and Estates their Wives and Children they sequestred them for non Residence first force them to fly and then to punish them for flying It 's pity to omit their pretty fashion of sequesting Mr. Freeman of London It is this day ordered by the Committee for plundered Ministers that all the Profit of James Garlick-hithe be sequstred into the Hands of c. from Mr. Freeman the present Incumbent till cause be shewn to the contrary O the excellent Justiceof the new Saints of the Reforming People of God! executed by Club-law and by the Sword of War which these weak Christians by the help of a mis-guided Commonwealth-Party have raised to empower themselves to force the Consciences of all men now themselves are grown so strong to a new Covenant the Fanaticks last Engine to ruine the Church and to destroy the Clergy Root and Branch A Solemn League and Covenant the Fanatick Antichristian Idol set up in the Temple of God hung up in all the Churches of London a Covenant like that in Isaiah with Death and an Agreement with Hell A Covenant made by the Fanaticks of two Nations in defiance to God and the King to the Destruction of the Religion of their own Mother Church and of all Loyalty to their King the Father of their Country A scandalous Covenant maliciously studied and laid for a meer Snare and Rock of Offence to the Estates and Consciences of the Clergy and People of God that Scandal in the Abstract Scandalum datum praebens proximo occasionem ruinae the proper work of the Devil insomuch that at a general Summons of the Gentry and remnant of the Clergy of the County of Surrey for the taking this Covenant some chief Actors of the Faction when they saw that with several Salvo's and Liberty to take it in any sence with mental Reservations and considerations that it was but a forced Oath and such like mincings many men and some of the Clergy loving this present World took the same said they were sorry to see some take it whose Estates they hoped to have caught by this Hook And although the Authors of the Covenant knew the Clergies greater Obligations than other men by Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to the King and by Oaths of Canonical Obedience and by several Subscriptions upon Record to the present Church and by their stricter Tie of Conscience and greater knowledge of the Function of Episcopacy from whence themselves received their own Holy Order which from our Saviours and the Apostles days was without Interruption for 1500 years and still is continued in all Christian Churches where Rebellion started not the Scruple and the Sword ever since maintains the Heresie yet none were so much pressed and urged to take this Covenant in Terminis to destroy Bishops as were the Clergy and the refusal thereof was ipso facto loss of any Clergy-man's Livings and Livelyhood nay so barbarous were this Faction that their Committee for Composition at Goldsmiths Hall would not admit the Lord Bishop of Winchester lately deceased to compound for his sequestred Temporal Estate for no compounding for Spirituals is allowed but Sequestration is indeed Deprivation with these men unless he would take the Covenant and swear to destroy himself and his own sacred Function yet these were the men who have so cried out against Oaths ex officio and against forcing the Consciences of men and give this reason why the Liturgy must be taken away because it gave Offence to some mens Consciences and these are the men who cried down the Clergy for Innovations and now punish them because they will not move but as these Fanaticks have rigidly practised all those things which themselves so much abhorred teaching the World a new Art how to commit any villany securely by first railing against that Sin which they intend to commit so may they be a warning to all Christian Princes how they suffer the Church or State-Goverment to be spoken against be the pretence never so pious or seemingly Religious CHAP. V. A view of the New Judges of the thus accused Clergy their condition and their judging of Doctrines in their Committees for Religion de facto de jure HAving given the world a short view by which the rest may be guessed of the Fanaticks arts and tricks of making the Clergy their adversaries and inventing accusations against them whom as hainous Malefactors they have taken upon them to judge as they pretend by Law and by the Justice and Wisdom of the High Court of Parliament for Reformation of Religion it 's not unseasonable to shew the world a true Character of these great Judges in their personal Relations as well as their political capacity of judging de facto de jure And surely men who were strangers to the designs of this Faction would think by the high strains of publick Acts pretending Reformation of Religion there were some Oecumenical Counsel now sitting or at least some great Convocation of Grave and Learned Bishops and Clergy of England who were wont to have the judiciary power in Church-matters long before
having made the distinction between the Kings Prerogative and the Subjects propriety between Church and Common-wealth as well as between meum tuum among fellow-Subjects and were the Kingdom Elective as England was never yet well might that Roman Emperours Speech be applyed Vestrûm quidem erat eligere pòst autem meum est imperare vestrum est obedire But that all power of the Church in Doctrine and Discipline should be originally in the people that is the rude multitude is a new opinion framed by affection and made Religion by politick engagements only to serve the present designs for now the Fanatical Lecturers having obtained their ends against the Bishops by vox populi their own Doctrine dispute the power with their Lay-masters in Parliament who by their help getting the Sword and by that the strongest power are not like to forego the same upon Vox populi But did not violence so crowd up this Lay-Parliament and Committee for Religion that in their Chairs no room is left for Gods word to take place they might know that the Priests lips shall preserve knowledge and not the peoples lips and that by tying up the lips of the Priests Gods Law saith Deut. 17. v. 8. That man which shall do presumptiously and not hearken to the Priest shall dye Nor did the people teach the Apostles but surely the Apostles taught the people and Ruled over the people in Word and Doctrine since to them Christ gave the Keys Christus dedit non populus Otherways St. Pauls Rod was a meer brag and so was his jurisdiction the rest will I set in order when I come which also he commended to Timothy and Titus and the other Bishops and Deacons for governing the Church whereof the first Synod at Jerusalem consisted and to prevent the mistake of Lay-Elders in that Synod it 's said afterwards of Judas and Silas that they also were Prophets and of the Clergy were all general Counsels of Christendome made up to whom Constantine said judiciary power especially in Doctrines did belong and this was the established Law of the Christian world the benefit whereof St. Ambrose pleaded against Auxentius and it 's known upon such grounds Luther refused the judgment of the Emperours Court appealing to a Counsel concerning his Doctrine The word Presbyter almost Englishing itself Priest as was the Ecclesiastical sense of the word both in the New Testament and Ancient Writers both Christian and Heathen which Amianus Marcellinus a meer Historian describeth Christiani ritus Presbyter never Englished in the Grammatical sense till design translated it so in our English Testament and by those Translators never intended to be wrested to Lay-Elders as the non-Doctors of this Generation will have it to signifie But I forget my self that I dispute against a Sword and such Adversaries who told their King they sate not to be ruled by Presidents but to make Presidents to the world and truly they have been as good as their word But I hope they will regard the judgment of a Protestant Martyr in this case for the shedding of whose Blood the Parliament made an Ordinance for repentance when the Papists in Queen Maries Raign urged Mr. John Rogers that the Parliament had established the Romish Religion of what force said this godly Martyr may we think these Parliaments are which establish contrary Laws to condemn that for evil which before they had decreed for good it's better to obey God rather than man making Religion which like Tullies Lex Naturae nec tolli nec abrogari potest become Leges Seiae Apuleiae quae unico Senatus versiculo puncto temporis sublatae sint And should the House of Commons assume this power in Religion Religion like Englishmens clothes would ever be cutting into some new fashion as any Faction ariseth in the Kingdom but that this Faction in Parliament may blind the eyes of the world indeed to strengthen and support themselves till they should become absolute Masters of England when they had been long tampering with Religion at last they found policy necessitating them some need of using Clergy-men yet in such a monstrous way as the Christian world never heard the like by a new thing called an Assembly of Divines not summoned by the Kings Writ and Authority expresly against the Statute of Hen. 1. nor chosen by the Clergy but plucked out of each Members pocket and by vertue of Hocus pocus jugled into a Conventicle-Synod on purpose for all forced Synods have ever more of private interest than the publick good of the Church to help out with some new Religion as their Masters which hired them with 4 s. per diem shall appoint Yet lest these Divines such as they be New-Englanders Amsterdamians Pedants and Trencher Chaplains to whom were some ten learned Clergy-mens names joyned as Seals who never came there in person should take any authority to themselves the Faction in Parliament have jusled in Thirty of their Lay-Members another Vote can make them thirty more as Members of this Linsy-woolsie Synod to help up a side but to make all sure their Parliament Masters have ordered that this Assembly yoaked like an Oxe and an Ass to till the Holy-Land must meddle only with what shall be propounded to them from the Houses of Parliament and when all is done their conclusions shall not bind till the Parliament give leave and consent and saith the Ordinance not Law whereby this Learned Synod is created and bridled these Divines must tell them what is most agreeable to Gods word and when the Parliament is thus certified what Gods Law is the House of Commons will vote whether it shall be obeyed or no Such an Omnipotency over Gods Law over the Church and the King hath this Faction usurped since this Parliament to plant in Christs Kingdom and the power of Religion and Reformation as their specious pretences at first were turning the Spanish cloak of Religion into the English Proverb of playing the Devil for Gods sake CHAP. VI. The Censures of these Judges against the Clergy and the true reason thereof THese are the Grapes of this long-promised Fanatical Canaan gathered from such pretended holy-Thistles at whose growth while some labourers in Gods harvest too late repenting connived doubting that they were some weak and tender Vine-branches and others of more discerning spirits seeking to weed them out pricked their own fingers they grew like Jothams bramble such Kings over the Trees that they have banished the Vine and the Olive peace and plenty and to plant in the stinking Elder have burned up the goodly Cedars of the Church root and branch and the field of Christs wheat choaked with the tares which the envious man hath been long sowing in this Land now grown to their harvest to whose sheaf like Josephs dream must every sheaf make obeisance else the upstart bramble-bramble-King sends fire to devour them as it hath already torn the whole coat of the Clergy as
Engine and name of Parliament to cover their Fanatical Combination and Conspiracy which they have been so long contriving to raise to its height by these means following By incorporating themselves into a Church as distinct from the Church of England as the Papists have been they have set up an upstart Ministery of Lecturers they made publick collections of Monies for their silenced Ministers under pretence of poor Ministers they have had their Feoffees intrusted with great sums of Monies raised among themselves for furtherance of their designs witness the plot of buying out of Impropriations to plant in men of their own Tribe to whom St. Antholins in London was the Nursery they had their mutual intelligence throughout the whole Kingdom and ingrossed almost all the inland Trade to men of their Faction they took up a canting language to themselves which they called the Language of Canaan abusing phrase of Scripture thereby to understand one another to colour their seditious practises they had their Emissaries whereof simple Robin the Bible-Carrier was one or Scouts to give notice where men of their Tribe preached so that not any one of their Ministers could come to London from the farthest parts of England but found entertainment in the City for whose Randevouz a Widow whom Alderman Pennington Marryed kept an Ordinary in White-Friars where many of them lodged in Doctor Prestons days and when any of these preached in any place in London or thereabouts they wanted not a crowd of followers And as these were busie in the Church so their close Committe-Masters in those days were not idle in the State much correspondency held with the Brethren of Scotland and before any Wars began in either Nation Mr. Hamden went yearly into Scotland as I have heard some of his Neighbours in Buckinghamshire say they had their Counsel Tables sitting in several parts of the Kingdom Knightly's House in Northamptonshire Lord Sayes House wherein was a room and passage which his servants were prohibited to come near where great noises and talkings have been heard to the admiration of some who lived in the House yet could never discern their Lords Companions that in King James's days a great Mistriss of the Faction who afterwards changed her House to come to Black-Fryars to live under the Gospel as they called their Lecturing Parishes whose House was much frequented by Lord Say and the Earl of Warwick Mr. Pym c. could say That their party was then strong enough to pull the Kings Crown from his head but the Gospel would not suffer them but not long after the Gospel was put into a posture of War when so many Military yards in London Westminster and Southwarke and other places about sixteen years since grew into much request whither Lord Brooke much resorted whom I have seen entertained there with whole Vollies of Muskets that Fanatical Goliah armed cap à pe yet shot in the eye which himself bragg'd should see the Millenary fools Paradise begin in his life-time and all Sectaries in London on a suddain entred themselves and drew on others to be listed in those Artillery-Gardens to exercise feates of Arms for pastime as some were drawn in against a time of need was the Reason given by some Brethren of those days which it should seem onely themselves foresaw better than other men and as their designes ripened Captain Forster a Vintner behind the Exchange was employed by the City-Faction to send over sea for Skippon a confiding Brother to the Cause to be Captain of the London Artillery Garden who was since this Parliament made Major General of the City Rebels flamming the rest of the Londoners that a Stranger was sent for to prevent emulation among the City-Captains upon an election a fair preparatory for the invasion of the Scots to force the King to call a Parliament which all men were made so much to long for because the Faction had plotted to pack it for their designs This made the Earl of Warwick write from York to his Friends in Essex about the Election of Knights and Burgesses for this Parliament alledging That the Game was well begun Mr. Pym rode a Circuit into divers Counties to promote Elections of men of the Faction and Sectaries went from place to place to cry down the nomination of any who belonged to the Kings Service and to give Votes for men of the new Religion and notorious opposers of the King or the Clergy whose names the Faction had privately before listed whereby divers Citizers and Lawyers were chosen for Burgesses in Parliament by those Incorporations which they never had any relation to nor knowledge of but by some rebellious opposing Moses and Aaaron the King or the Priest witness Mr. Bagshaw and Mr. White two Lawyers chosen for Southwarke the one a Feoffeeman censured in the Star-Chamber the other a Seditious Law-Reader against Bishops not long before like the four Burgesses of London chosen upon four such grounds Alderman Soame for his imprisonment in denying of Ship-money Vassall for his obstinacy against Customs Craddock for the Cause of New-England Alderman Pennington for his known zeal by his keeping a fasting Sabboth throughout his Shrivalty Lecturers also came thrusting into Elections of the Clergy wherein they had nothing to do as having not whence to pay Subsidies for men into the Convocation with whom came some Citizens to Christ-Church in London to hear how the Plot took in the Election but having no hopes to pack up a Convocation they made a Rendevouz of many Scandalous and Schismatical Lecturers and such as Doctor Burgesse whom guilt made Parliament-Converts and Vassals at Mr. Calamies House in Aldermanbury till strengthned into a new Assembly at Westminster as a Counter Convocation or Conventicle from whence the Faction in Parliament received informations concerning Religion and hereby did they communicate their intelligence and designs with directions how these their Ministers might by degrees prepare the people for their work that I have heard their Auditors say that by the Sundays Sermon or a Lecture they could learn not onely what was done the week before but also what was to be done in Parliament the week following besides the information which their Pulpits gave the people for coming in tumults to the House for Justice from a Juncto of these Ministers came that insolent order of directions thrown into Church-wardens houses by unknown hands how to take the first Protestation from one of these Clubs came the Sâ—nectymnuan Libels which got the Authors round sums of Money to make their Religion shine in the world ut ipse MarcionT Evangelico aliquando credidit cum pecuniam in primo calore fidei contulit Reformers in Luthers time did not so if Scoperus the Emperors Secretary said true at a Diet at Ausburgh Nor may we forget how the Faction in London packed up a new Common-Councel removing ancient grave men to foist in young and mean fellows but zealous for the Cause not an Office in
grant Order after Order yet all is to no purpose for say the Committee we must not displease our Friends they mean their Masters who under pretence of long prayers can devour whole houses and starve other mens Wives and Children by invading their possessions kept from the right Owners by Club-law And truely their Ordinance for the fifth part doth generally prove but a meer mockery to the Wives and Children of the Clergy in the midst of their heavy Persecution and a Snare to draw them into expence of their last groat in hopes to get their so-fairly-promised morsel that as I have known very few obtain it effectually so have many of them after some years of chargeable and vexatious attendance been wearied out buying at too dear a rate their Repentance of believing of hoping for any Justice or mercy from the Fanatical Faction From whom may all Gods people pray Good Lord deliver us FINIS De Legib. lib. 2 Hosea 4. 4. 2 Chron. 36. 16. * Mr. Stone of Saint Clements Eastcheap sent Prisoner to Plymouth by Shipping Mr. Chislen of St. Mathews Friday-street sent Prisoner to Colchester Castle Doctor Griffith committed to Newgate and divers others * Dr. Martin and Dr. Stern Masters of Colledges in Cambridge Doctor Fairfax of St. Peters Cornhil ‖ Divers starved to Death in Winchester-House †Dr. Raughleigh Dean of Wells murdered by his Jaylor Dr. Antil wounded and died of his wounds in Taunton Castle The sury of these Times have forced the concealing of some Persons and Circumstances for theirs and the Authors security Strada de Bello Belg. Hist of the Council of Trent Survey ch 20. Arch-bishop Laud's Speech In the Star Chamber Bishop Ross's Scottish Declaration 1648. Unparallel'd Reasons by Nat. Fiens Lord Say's second Speech Survey of Discipline cap. 11. * Bishop Jewel in his Sermon to the Queen †Bancrofts Survey of Discipline Socr. schol lib. 2. Euseb lib. 5. cap. 21. Mr. Calamy Dr. Temple ◠Tim 4. 3. In Lyme-street in London Sir H. S. St. Michael Cornhil St. Giles Cripplegate Vide vitam Jacobi Andre◠Dr. Halsy Dr. Fell. Miles Corbet Chairman against Mr. Brooks Sir Henry Mildway and Mr. Ash against Dr. Walton Dr. John Cousins †Mr. Nicols Mr. Edwards against Dr. W. before the Fanaticks had driven out the more moderate Party from the House of Commons Dr. D. In the Margin of that Epistle Quorum esse videre est esse bibere Jer. 5. Rom. 26. Isaiah 28. 7. Daniel 6. 5. Preface to the Directory * Mr. Brookes of Yarmouth Dr. Sterne * Mr. Rous. * Mr. Cheslen of St. Matthew Friday-street Cicero delegibus lib. 1. * Mr. Vaughan Dr. Cosin * Mr. Adams In Durham The Observator Seneca de vitâ beat 2. Malachi 7. Deut. 17. 8. 1 Cor. 11. Acts 15. Fox 3. pag. 127. old Edition Lord Sayes Laws Judges 9. R. Barns T. Gerrard S. Jeronimus Martin Mar-prelate †Admonition to Parliament answered by Dr. Whitgift Vorax written by Stub a Lawyer Brother-in-law to T. Cartwright * Dr. Chap. to Field 1587. Everights horse whom they had borrowed for Faux er tull adversus Marcion lib. 4. History of the Counsel of Trent * Old Jury Kings Declaration 12 Aug. Oxford mungrel-Mungrel-Parliament Jan. 1641. Sir Rich. Gurny The policy in abolishing Liturgy Survey of Discipl cap. 21. N. D. or 3 conversions of England 3 part pag. 149. Fox Acts and Non. To Dr. Martin they sent a Ticket in Prison at Ely-house who desired them to take the twentieth part so that they would promise to send him the remaining nineteen parts of that Estate which they supposed him to have The Wife of Dr. P. hath been 3 years to the expence of almost 100 l. to obtain her fifth part but could not prevail
many thousands of them can witness the sad conclusion of the woful premises of this Book yet this Tyranny and persecution of the Clergy is stiled the justice of Parliament and the power of Reformation of Religion whereof the Reader may here see a pattern in the cruel sufferings of the Clergy of London presented in a general Bill of Mortality to which these papers may serve for a short Commentary till God send better days of enlarging the story by a more full Collection the very naming of the persons in that Bill being generally men of known honest Lives and constant painful preaching that the Earl of Northumberland discoursing with Mr. Calamy for so have the engaged Nobility prostituted their honour to the Courting of each Fanatical Lecturer and Pedant of whom indeed they stand in awe about the supplying of above fifty Churches in London void of Ministers told Mr. Calamy that they must restore some of the Sequestred Clergy of London to which Mr. Calamy replying God forbid the Earl said unless they did so the Parliament could not find men of abilities to preach in London The naming I say of those men were enough to shame the Father of Lyes and his Fanatical Sons were not both past shame and to vindicate the rest of the abused Clergy of England as well sure as the Personal faults of some few and those very few be made the scandal of the whole Function and yet who so cruelly persecuted as these London-Divines will ye know the reason thereof The Fanatical design growing high pitched upon three main engines to compleat their work vid. the setting up the Militia the seising of the Navy and the planting in of Lecturers and it 's hard to say which of these three have done their new Masters best service this last being the ready way to obtain the two former whereunto much conduced the feigned fears and jealousies raised by the Faction in the City as also by several Votes and Declarations of Parliament of Forreign invasions from abroad and secret dangers at home no sooner bruited abroad than believed by a people deceiving and willing to be deceived whereby the Faction in Parliament desiring a Guard refused the Trained Bands of Middlesex profer'd by the King to satisfie their fears confiding rather in the Citizens of London purposely to engage that City to maintain them in whatsoever wickedness they should act their chiefest care being to make sure of London the head and fountain of this proud and cruel blood-thirsty Faction therefore to keep and encrease this power in the City they knew Jeroboams Calf-policy in altering Religion and the Priesthood would be necessary for their plot of a new Government to which purpose they at first invented these tricks and formalities of Justice against the Clergy till having got the power their Sword should make good the Sequestring and Removal of those especially in London who were not like to Apostatize from Religion and Loyalty in ceasing to preach to the people to fear God and the King according to the Scriptures hereby making way to plant in their own Creatures and Ministers to deifie the Calves of their own setting up this made the Faction in the House of Commons never to transmit any Bills against any particular accused Clergy-man to the House of Peers where indeed lay judiciary power to a Legal hearing but knowing well such foggy charges would soon vanish at the face of Justice these evil spirits kept on their course of casting mists before the peoples eyes to make them think that the lights of the Church burned so dimme that it was necessary to snuff them or quite put them out This is the true reason of their cruelty towards the London-Clergy and indeed to the whole Clergy of England and this wicked policy drew on this sad story following A General Bill of the Mortality of the Clergy of London or a Brief Martyrology and Catalogue of the Learned Grave Religious and Painful Ministers of the City of London who have been Imprisoned Plundered barbarously used and deprived of all Livelihood for themselves and their Families in these last years for their constancy in the Protestant Religion establisht in this Kingdom and their Loyalty to their Soveraign THe Cathedral Church of Saint Pauls the Dean Residentiaries and other Members of that Church sequestered plundered and turned out Alhallows Woodstreet Dr. Wats sequestred plundred his Wife and Children turned out of doors himself forced to fly Alhallows Barkin Dr. Lafield pursuivanted imprisoned in Ely-house and the ships sequestred and plundred afterwards forced to fly Alhallows Breadstreet Alhallows Great Alhallows Hony-lane Alhallows Less Alhallows Lumbardstreet Mr. Weston sequestered Alhallows Staining Alhallows the Wall Alphage Dr. Halsie shamefully abused his Cap pulled off to see if he were not a shaven Priest voted out and dead with grief Andrew Hubbard Dr. Chambers sequestered Andrew Undershaft 1. Mr. Mason through vexation forced to resigne 2. Mr. Prichard after that sequestered Andrew Wardrobe Dr. Isaacson sequestered Anne Aldersgate Dr. Clewet sequestered Anne Black-friars Antholins Parish Austins Parish Mr. Udal sequestred his Bed-rid Wife turned out of doors and left in the streets Bartholmew Exchange Dr. Grant sequestered Bennet Fynck Mr. Warfield sequestered Bennet Grace-Church Mr. Quelch sequestered Bennet Pauls-wharfe Mr. Adams sequestered Bennet Sheerhog Mr. Morgan dead with grief Botolph Billingsgate Mr. King sequestered and forced to fly Christ-Church Mr. 〈◊〉 turned out and dead Christophers Mr. Hanslowe forced to resigne Clement East-cheap Mr. Stone shamefully abused sequestred sent Prisoner to Plymouth and plundered Dionys Back-Church Mr. Humes sequestered and abused Dunstans East Dr. Childerley reviled abused and dead Edmonds Lumberstreet Mr. Paget molested silenced and dead Ethelborough Mr. Clark sequestered imprisoned Faiths Dr. Browne sequestered and dead Fosters Mr. Batty sequestered plundered forced to fly and dead Gabriel Fench-Church Mr. Cooke sequestered Geo. Botolf-l Dr. Stiles forct to resign Greg. by St. P. Dr. Stiles forct to resign Hellens Mr. Miller turned out and dead James Dukes place Mr. 〈◊〉 sequestered James Garlick-hythe 1. Mr. Freeman plundered and sequestered 2. Mr. Anthony his Curate turned out John Baptist Mr. Weemsly sequestered John Evangelist John Zachary Mr. Edlyn sequestered forced to fly and plundered Katherine Coleman 1. Dr. Hill forced to resigne 2. Mr. Kibbuts sequestered Katherine Cree-church Mr. Rush turned out Laurence Jury Mr. Crane sequestered Laurence Pountney Leonard Eastcheap Mr. Calfe forced to give up to Mr. Roborow Scribe to the Assembly Leonard Foster-lane Mr. Ward forced to fly plundered sequestered and dead for want of necessaries Margaret Lothbury Mr. Tabor plundered imprisoned in the Kings-Bench his Wife and Children turned out of doors at midnight and he sequestered Margaret Moses Margaret New Fishstreet Mr. Pory forced to fly plundered and sequestered Margaret Pattons Mr. Meggs plundered imprisoned in Ely-house and sequestered Mary Abchurch Mr. Stone plundered sent Prisoner by sea to Plymouth and sequestered Mary Aldermanbury Mary Aldermary Mr. Browne forced to