kindle blow up the flames of persecution if they can but get a fair advantage hath been so much manifested of late that it needs no argument for proof Of what a lamentable consideration is it that those who once engaged in the promotion of that Petition for the further vacating and declaring that Ordinance c. null and voyd should turn their backs not only upon their former declared principles but upon their own hands Mr. Kiffin c. once imployed and set for the quenching of that fire and joyn themselves with such that stand to add fuel for the fomenting thereof The Lord Protector as he is a man subject to like infirmities with other so he is not without temptations to let fly and lay about him nay by how much the higher he stands by so much the more is he subjected to those violent and insinuating blasts which blasts may prove the more prosperous for their desired end by how much they are ventilated from a spirit of zeal in Religion yet carried on with a furious rage to make the mindes of others to bow down to their conceits How the Court abounds with these I shall leave it to be determined by such as have more acquaintance there then I yet I think my self bound to give a tast thereof to prove what I have said Col. Gâ—ffe a man famed enough for Religion and interest in religious men which is none of the weakest bonds that ties him to the Protector to discover his judgment about liberty at a private Fast kept by the General and his Officers at Whitehall blames the civil Magistrate grounding his Speech upon the 34 of Ezek because he did not intermeddle in matters of religion and judg between the fat cattle and the lean also he applies that which is spoken to the Church of Thyatyra about their toleration of the woman Jezebel in Rev. 2.20 to the Magistrate How easie this goes down with the present Power see by a late Expostulation made with some Teachers of Churches concerning Dissenters in doctrine c. ' Will not you excommunicate such Some said They would Then if you take care for your Bodies and Societies to keep them cleer shall not I accordingly take care of the Commonwealth Is not this I beseech you something of kin to the old Popish and prelatical principle for persecution Excommunicate and deliver over to the civil Magistrate Thus much from this Preacher M. Peters another man notorious enough adds to this his profound reading in the French History and saith he found That so long as Calvin and the Presbyters in Geneva dealt courteously with Servetus by perswasion and argument his Heresies spread and prevailed but the cutting off of Servetus was the overthrow of the Heresie Whence he observes That as the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church so the blood of Hereticks is the destruction of Heresie Gallantly concluded Mr. Peters and a very clear Text for your bloody Doctrine Dr. Taylor may be opposed to Mr. Peters Liberty of Prophesying Epist pag. 19 20 21 c. and in this Ibring as good an argument for Liberty as he hath done against it never did a more pernicious Principle crawle out of the mouth of any Roman Jesuit in this world if the Doctrine were not too gross to need refutation Mr. Peters might be told in his ear the saying of the wise man as 't is made to speak by * Antient Bounds p. 55. another long ago upon the like occasion There be just men and so just wayes to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked and there be wicked men and so wicked ways to whom it hapneth according to the work of the righteous And further should we set the experience of this present time in opposition to Mr. Peters observation we should finde it otherwise and he himself will say 't is including but I leave him for he is brought in not to be disputed with But to shew that the Protector is not free from temptations no not from these of his own house and when they are persecuted by men of such intimacy and appear so fitly accommodated to a desire of Ruledom let the wise fear they may sometimes be admitted The uncertainty of Christian-freedom thus briefly toucht upon so much appearing as it doth prompts me though the least of the many thousands of Israel to speak thus and to bespeak all Christians to gird up and prepare themselves to the day of suffering who knows how soon the Sword and Violence of man may be ready to drink up the blood of the Religious when our Liberty lyes grovelling at the feet of those that will not lift it up Let there be all pious and lawful courses thought on that may delay or else raze out that day from the Calender of time or if it may be in the wise disposing providence thought meet to suffer such a blast and storm of Hell to fall upon the heirs of Heaven let it not take us at unawares and surprise us unarm'd for encounter we may expect the Devil will rage much and belch forth his fury in fiery flames when hee is laid hold on by the Angels Hand and he may play Rex before he go into the bottomless Pit Who will not endeavor to hold the mystery of faith in a pure conscience whereby he may conquer the world and reple the assaults of the Devil and of men led by devillish Principles Pray beseech God for men that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in godliness and honesty and men for the Lords sake that they offer no injury nor violence to his Kingdom but let the Government alone upon his shoulders who is best able to manage it Do all things in love and if after all you see your selves expos'd still to sufferings for conscience say The will of the Lord be done Prepare then prepare Christians to meet oppression and persecution in the field and to conquer with faith and patience the best and most powerful Instruments of a Christians warfare Whiles I am in this humble posture for 't is time to contract my Work now give me leave oh let me earnestly desire and beg leave to tender upon a bended knee these few partticulars they are not new born I think they can be but reviv'd to the present ruling Power of this Nation 1. Consider whether all authoritative proceedings by civil force or power against men for conscience or things therein depending be not prejudicial to the Peace of the Nation and liberty of the Subject by the old Laws of England and who in reason are the disturbers of the peace the prosecutors in such cases or the prosecuted 2. Consider whether there was not a time wherein the Interest of Christs Kingdom was carried ou distinct and withouut dependance upon the Kingdoms of this world and whether the power and life of Religion did not shine forth in greater glory and looke more like
Liberty be and are here by repealed aâ—d made void If the Protector were in the framing this draught of Agreement how is it that that Ordinance on which Mr. Biddles Indictment was grounded could not be declared null and void when it was so honestly and submissively desired by so many godly men Is that which was lawful yea necessary to be done by the agreement become now unlawful by this Government Nay doth not the Government speake the same thing in the same words Art 36 37 38. with but little omission Methinks those whose hands have been in such works as this that do now make it conscience to persecute for Opinion as it is said should by ten thousand degrees make it their conscience not to persecute in such cases but to protect according to their former Agreement and Declarations and if such a Liberty be not hitherto eyed let all the world judge and make sense of what is past if it be not meant that matters of Religion only should not come at any hand into the sphere of the civil Magistrate but be reserv'd and kept intirely and distinct without any the least dependance as such upon the Powers of the world however they may be from time to time distinguish'd or dignified of what nature and concernment this branch in the Agreement about Religion was then judged to be besides what appears in the latter end of their Remonstrance is easie to be collected from their Petition presixt before and presented to the House of Commons with the Agreement it self where pag. 1. they say speaking of the draught That we meaning the Army are not Apt in any wise to insist upon circumstantial things or ought that is not evidently fundamental to the publike Interest for which you and we have declared and engaged And further Whether it shall be approved by you and received by the people as it now stands or not we desire it may yet remain upon record before you a perpetual witness of our real intentions and utmost endeavours for a sound and equal Settlement And in their Declaration concerning that Agreement pag. 30. of that Book they say speaking to the Nation in a tender thereof We shall not otherwise commend it then to say it contains the best and most hopeful foundations for the peace and future well-Government of this Nation that we can devise or think on within the line of humane Power c. with many other Arguments and Insinuations whereby to get a good Opinion in the Nation of their good intentions to publike Liberty and Settlement these passages are so plain they need no paraphrase and so pregnant to this end to guesse at the Armies and so the Protectors sense about the businesse of Religion that I shall mention no more of that kinde for evidence onely let it be remembred that some are still apt to think that tyranny is tyranny wheresoever itbe in Kings or whomsoever but I must complain and not much argue Yet secondly let us consider the Protector singly in his judgement Protectors Speech to the Parl. without the concurrence of others for the Verdict and I 'le only touch upon those passages for the purpose in his Speech to the Parliament at their dissolution although there might be much collected from the two former pag. 11. God hath spoken very loud on the behalf of his people by the judging their Enemies and restoring them a Liberty to worship with the freedom of their consciences and freedom in their Estates and persons when they do so And this he after calls the cause of God manifested by the works of God against which whosoever falls splits and suffers Ship-wrack and I hope this cause of God will never be lost or if at any time it should so happen the Lord will soon finde it again with a witnesse But further see pag. 17 18. Religion was not the thing at the first contested for but God brought it to that issue at last and gave it to uâ— by way of redundancie and at last it proved to be that which was most clear to us and wherein consisted this more then in obtaining that Liberty from the Tyrannie of the Bishops to all species of Protestants to worship God according to their own Light and Consciences then not according the forms or impositions of any other And speaking of such who once beggd Liberty 't is queried Is it ingenuous to ask liberty and not to give it what greater hypocriâ—e then for those who were opprest by the Bishops to become the greatest oppressors themselves so soon as their yoke was removec I could wish that those who call for Liberty now also had not too much of that Liberâ—y-Spirit if the Power were in their hands How can this be interpreted otherwise then coming from a minde resolved to maintain the freedom of conscience entire and uncurtaild especially seeing there is so fair a rule given to measure such a sense in it by that which follows As for prophane persons Blasphemers such as preach Sedition the contentious Raylers punishment from the Civil Magistrate ought to meet with them for their lives bâ—ing open make them the subâ—ects of the Magistrates sword So much hath the Protector singly spoken and if that old saying be true Index est animi sermâ— Who can forbear to say That it hath been the Judgement of the present Power that all things singly relating to conscience are out of the way of the Magistrates Cognisance yet who compares these things thus though but a little opened with the Interpretations put upon the Instrument about Liberty mentioned before together with the tart and fiery sayings of many about Toleration and can refrain himself from wonder and astonishment to see such forgetfulness to say no more on 't falling upon mens memories of such things which they themselves have most solemnly profest and publisht to the worlds view to be of an absolute necessity to the general settlement of the common Interest and Peace of the Nation What meaning to put upon these Transactions as they thus stand I think the wisest or most subtile head will never be able to invent except it be That men are resolved with him in the Poet to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To have Tunes for all times and like Fidlers to sing that Song that fits the humors of the greatest in the company however it go with the rest Thus have we taken a little view of what the thoughts and workings of great men have been concerning Liberty and what they now appear to us to be Next for the Instrument of Government our new Charter it self whether that doth not give Liberty to all Dissenters in matters of Conscience excepting its own exceptions Shall or can I turne Common-Lawyer or the Law I shall not assume to my self that Task yet it being given for men to square themselves by I may endeavour to know it and for that end make a search into it To the
these Mrs. of Divinity to take an Oath and did swear to worship Images which was against the Moral and Eternal Law of Almighty God Thus far he A sad President for any men and Powers upon earth to follow in taking cognizance of and punishing of men for Opinion whereby the weight of other mens sins is commonly laid upon their shoulders and I think they have commonly enough of their own and too much for some to bear let not the present Boutefeaus for their own defence object t was ill done of these for they themselves were Hereticks and the Sufferers held the Truth but we are in the right and therefore now there is no such danger for they may be answered first The former Prelates were as confident as any now yea t was their confidence and fierce zeal that put so many honest hearts from time to time into a deadly sweat wherein they left their blood and marrow life and all But secondly Admit that they or these are in the truth as both would have it thought so in their times yet was it not the duty of any King or Magistrate commanded to them by Christ by whom Kings now do reign to force men into his Worship or his Service I say so now for if it were it has been desired long since to be shewn which yet no man can see Nay according to the Laws and Customs of this English Nation Ancient Bounds pag. 23. the clear contrary may be thought to be the duty of the Magistrate and that he was and is to defend the people from such wrongs and infringements of their Liberties for he is sworn thereto and he is to keep the Peace so that the good old Laws of England and the Magistrates the Executioners of those Laws are the Forts and Towers in whom all honest mindes though differing in the businesse of Religion a thing not imaginable to be under censure of the power of man and in reason and Scripture left to the decision of the Spirit and to Christ the Judge are to be safeguarded from the furious persecution of all state incendiaries Before I turn over from this Chapter of the Lord Cook concerning Heresie I shall observe these two things First The boundless license that the Prelates used to take under colour of Law to suppress and quash the non-Conformists informer times that they Phaeton Fablelike by their reignless Fury ranged through the Region of Christs Kingdom plucking the Flowers from his heavenly Crown and Dignity usurping his great Throne as also running through the Thrones of Earthly Princes setting them on fire as they pleased whereby with other places the world of our Brittish Iland was often scorch't with their too fiery Rayes Secondly That the Satute concerning Heresie c. made in q. Eliz. dayes was principally intended to restrain those Irregular Notions and to contract their lawless Rage in a narrower compass so the work look't backward rather then ought besides although the contrivers had not the heart and happiness to cut it clean off and to cast it out for ever as may appear in this place to the Judicious Reader and by the Statute it self as also by the second Part Institutes In Articulis cleri especially in pag. 615. But I am too tedious King HENRY the eighth was a blustering Prince and quarrelled with the Roman Court See the Statute 31 Hen. 8.4 yet Lutherans and others were very odious to the Kingdoms Powers the principle of persecution was kept alive with very great offence to Christianity as all can now believe by those that loved to Lord over their Brethrens Conscience yea the Inquisition reaches to the Kings own Chamber and takes the queen from his side There were six bloody Articles saith Mr. SPEED enacted that made it death to such as held or taught the contrary Who can remember and forbear to melt at English sufferings EDWARD the sixt was a young yet wise and tender Prince our Israels Josiah Speed's Histor pag. 1046. he would not send an Heretick to Hell before his time as may be gathered from Mr. FOX and others yet persecution lived it could not die they kept it alive that knew how to over-awe the Court by cunning Policy for that sate ruling sometimes and enveagling stil the civil Power to unsheath the Sword against dissenters in Religion Who can repeat the Marian bloody dayes without laments Now Rome is called in again to help the doing of what was done too much before England can persecute without the Pope as may be seen above his Spirit is here although unto his Person or his Name we bid defiance But now they flash and lay about indeed The Prelates rage the more because they had little check before and like fire pent in a little break out in desperate flames and the poor Protestants die ELIZABETHS beginning was like water in abundance falling on the Fires all over England it coold and brake them all yet did it not kill or quench the Coals they lay glowing still and were stirred up against Professors still upon occasion because men would not know their liberty The Spirit of Violence lodging still in mens breasts and labouring to bring the Judgements of others to their Girdle And so it went from hence into K. JAMES's Reign t is a continued Line not broken though a little lessen'd for the Puritanes were as Thorns in the Prelates eyes and they were rubbing still to get them out they could not see so well whiles these were neer them King CHARLS follows and drinks in the poisonous Wines the Prelates are as formerly his Cup-Bearer the common people were too much delighted with the sport these made They raged and staggered in this Spiritual Drunkenness Separatists and stucrk at many Non-Conformists till at last they lighted on those three Gentlemen Mr. BURTON Mr. PRIN and Dr. BASTWICK The seat of the Bishops is very high their Authority great and their mindes as cruel They cared not for a Parliament though they had as much room there as any and as much honor The Prerogative and Arbitrary Rule of this King did please them better as being more serviceable to their purpose you have them in their High Commission in the Star-Chamber every where They please the King and he gratifies them with what they like well enough The relation of their proceedings with the three above named is worth the reading * New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny printed Anno 1641. where you may see their Will instead of Law their Tyranny instead of Piety Before we go any further let us look upon what is past with these queries 1. Whether the Magistracie of England hath done its Duty in taking Cognizance of things relating to Religion 2. Whether all present and future proceedings to oppresse the Conscience will not justifie theirs and fill up the measure of their iniquity 3. Whether such cruel dealings with dissenting men do not manifestly shew they had no better argument
order to the future Government and settlement of the Nation presented to the Commons by the Army Jan. 20. 1649. that had lain so long under the ashes of forgetfulnesse never so much as called for by the Authors of it But these things wav'd or not consider'd in that present Juncture of providence the Gentlemen make for Westminster to declare themselves the Parliament of England and what need that had they not been jealous of an innovation For the Kingdome hath had other means then these to know their great counsels by when they have been theirs they needed not declarations to inform them of that Thither I say they come and there they sit with better hearts to act by then foundations to act upon untill they most strangely and unexpectedly divide themselves in one part of which fraction formally carried on there lay the irons by which the stately work or engine of the following Government should be pretendedly effected which partly by this means grew so hot that it quickly melted and severed from the rest and fairly run into another mould prepared for it and from hence come forth our new Mngna Charta with a Protector of the Commonwealth of c. Whiles these things were thus transacted that Ordinance of the Lords and Commons concerning Religion did not so much as whimper that ever I heard and Conscience in Profession might have gone free enough for all I know as to any legal cognizance thereof The Revolutions of the civil Interest being so many and so strange fill'd up the thoughts of most with something or other that they could scarce get a vacancie for the other The breach of this Parliament and the breaking out of our new Government stroke many of the Churches especially such as past under the notion of fifth-Monarchy men into such a damp that they knew not how to breath with patience and their discontent flew very high which cost some the losse of their Liberty for they conceived their hopes frustrated or stopt at least and look't upon the Leaders of the Army to have broken their Faith and Promises which did occasion their high displeasure VVhere I leave them with many more to condole themselves in the midst of their Abuses and proceed to what remains The Protector sworn and setled in his Seat endeavors to beget thoughts in all men of his moderation and his tendernesse for he hath been heard to say that he thought no Man in Englaud suffer'd purely for conscience such a designe had he yet to keep or gain the hearts of the religious people in the Nation to himself who had been not a little serviceable to him all along the VVar wherein they supposed also that they served the Common Interest wherein their own was included But the Lord suffer'd not this flourish to stand long without a trial he comes down to see whether it would prove altogether according to the sound whether the practise of the State would verifie their Profession or whether it were spoken rather to serve themselves upon men then to serve the Interest of Christs Kingdom in men Nothing in my judgement comes so neer to the touch of what vvas before pretended then the case of Mr. John Biddle vvhich will appear in these two respects First The civil deportment and conversation of the man was not in the least to be excepted against even in the confession of his Enemies And Secondly The Judgement and Opinion of the man in matters of Religion is about things not of a light but important and weighty concernment contrary to the most By the former if any dissenting man be capable of Liberty he is By the latter his Liberty is now made questionable whom I mention but with this double instruction First Not as if I would be understood to plead singly for him alone or any individual person in the world although the unjust sufferings of any man cannot passe my observation without some sad regret of grief Nor Secondly I am as if I were under the same predicament Heterodox with him in point of Doctrine and so may be supposed to groan out this from a principle of self love and persecution No I professe were I as for ought I know I may be of the same judgement with the Court-Chaplains and Favorites in all things excepting this of persecution I should he willing and so I am to give all men their liberty in matters of conscience so that they may not be proceeded against by any compulsive forcing means whatsoever because I know Truth to be strong enough to defend it self and advance its cause by better and more proportionate Weapons The pursuit of this mans case then these things premised shall serve as a mean to finde out what Liberty the Dissenting Brethren in England have and upon what bottom it stands then will I stop this unpleasant Journey where the persecution of this Heterodox-Man first took life I shall not now discusse or by what heat it was fomented before it appeared publikely upon the Theatre for Action the cognizance of that too I shall here passe by together with the occasion of this persecution this later being abroad already T is my wil only to observe how this tender thing both in the eye of God good men freedom of Conscience hath been coveted somewhat but never sincerely and truly or legally betrothed or espoused to the present Government notwithstanding the Provision in the instrument of Government made for Liberty which in the judgment of all that I ever heard giving their thoughts thereupon even of some that were willing enough to tread upon their brethrens conscience if they might safely do it did tye up the hands of some furious men that they could not reach that blow to their neighbors as they might I say notwithstanding this Mr. Biddle is sent with a Mittimus to Newgate Prison in London in order to his Trial for Blasphemy and Heresie upon that rusty Ordinance before mentioned he is indicted thereupon for denying Jesus Christ to be the most High God c. and excepts against his Bill mean-time his Friends with many gathered Churches Petition the Protector upon the general account of Liberty c. to declare that Ordinance void as being prejudicial to common Freedom and against the Government The 〈◊〉 is extant in Print to be read of all The Protector rejects the Petition and denies the Prayer thereof The Petitioners plead that the Instrument gives Liberty whereupon the Protector falls to his Glosses and Interpretations thereof and saith That the Government gives Liberty to all that profess Faith in God through Jesus Christ that is That believe as the generality of Protestants believe which is as much as if the Government had said just nothing And moreover he most affectionately inveighs against men of such Opinions as this man the Prisoner is reported to be together with an assertion of the Magistrates duty That he must not tolerate such as speak against the God of the