out of the Magistrates reach indeed viz. of imposing it upon our Consciences and of forcing us to that or any other Religion Now that the Magistrate may force us to MASSE or to any false or true Religion is the Thing that Mr. B. hath to prove or he doth nothing but puzzle himself and perplex his Reader with a company of fallacies and falshoods Now was not this a great and essential part of the Cause and quarrel at the first between the Bishops Popish Arminian Imposers and the Puritans Brownists and Sectaries so call'd to keep up this their Liberty of Conscience from all such destroyers and invaders of it as is to be seen in Husbands his Exact Coll. p. 20 21 22. c. in the several Declar. and Remonstrances of Parliament and Army And in the very Covenant it self to maintain Religion according to the word of God in the liberty and purity thereof And in the history of the Wars with Scotland occasioned by imposing upon them the Book of Liturgy Anno 1637. being forceably and by command of the King and Magistrates read in Edinborough without the peoples consent which the poor people could not bear but a Woman threw her stool at the Bishops pate and so began the hurly-burly the Wars and the Alterations to this day for freedom in both kinds viz. in Spirituals and in Civils from being imposed upon and herein both the nature and the goodness of the cause will appear do what he can Now let Mr. B. deal but honestly as the Healing Quest states the case which were he a fair and allowable Opponent he ought without diminishing or adding to what he saith and then prove if he can That this due liberty for godly believers and adherents to the Good old Cause for he speaks of such in matters of Gods worship under their different perswasions Be First against the word of God or express Scriptures as he pretends flying for proof to Moses and them that were Types of Christ under the Law who did in extraordinary cases and for extraordinary ends exercise both swords sometimes and so not only Moses and the Kings of Israel did meddle with the external matters of worship but even Priests and Prophets did sometimes execute in civil matters too as Phinehas on Zimri and Cozbi Numb 25. Eliah upon the 400. 1. King 18. and Samuel on Agag 1 Sam. 15. but alas the one is no more a Rule for Magistrates in these days then the other is for Ministers And besides it is most evident even in the Old Testament if he keeps us all to THAT for he must never come at New Testament that Powers over any in the worship and service of God or Eccles Powers so called were ordinarily distinguished all along from the Civil or Magistratical Power as Moses and Aaron Rulers and Priests c. kept in their distinct Orbs and Places Now for his instance of Asa his days 2 Chron. 15. 12. it was a voluntary Covenant which the people entred into spontaneously and not compulsorily neither did the Magistrates impose it upon them so that it is Nihil ad Rhombum again after his wonted manner of rambling But on the Contrary All those Scriptures that call for willing obedience faith and perswasions of a willing People to the Lord Exod. 35. 5 22. 2 Chron. 29. 5 6 7. Nehem. 4. 6. Cant. 4. 12. Psal 110. 3. Isa 2. 2 3. Jer. 50. 4 5 Micah 4. 12. Zach. 2. 11. 8. 22 23. Prov. 23. 26. Mat. 11. 27. Joh. 6. 35 37 44. Luke 9. 23. Act. 2. 37. 2 Cor. 8. 3 5. John 4. 23. Rom. 14. 5 10 14. Joh. 16. 8 c. and all those that limit the Magistrates Civil Power to Civil Objects as to give to Caesar the things that are Caesars c. and Rom. 13. 3 4. Psal 83. 11 12 13. 2 Sam. 23. 3 4. that ruleth over MEN in external and humane matters 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. And all those Scriptures that make Christ alone the Head of the Church and the onely Law-giver in positive matters of Worship and his Laws sufficient which he hath left for that purpose Isa 9. 7. 22. 21 22. 33. 22. Zach. 6. 12 23. 9. 9. Cant. 3. 11. Psal 2. 12. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Mat. 28. 18. 18. 17. Eph. 1. 22. 5. 23. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. Iam. 4. 12. Heb. 3. 6. Besides Martyrs Learned Authors as Ambrose Epist 13. ad Imp. Valentin Bernard Epist ad P. Eugen. Luther Epist ad Fred. Jo. D. Sax. Tom. 7. fol. 209. Epist ad Carol. Duc. Subaud fol. 483. Epist ad Erphard Tom. 7. Zuinglius in Respons libel Strothionis Tom. 2. fol. 302. Chamier de Oecumen Pontif. Marlorat in Luc. 9. 25. Marlinus and the Martyrs Jo. Huss A. Askew Hooper Bradford and a cloud of Witnesses Books and Arguments of the ablest holy Writers that ever used a Pen or a Pulpit for above these thousand years are unâ Voce for the Healing Question against the Imposting power of the Magistrate in matters of Conscience and of Gods Worship and were it not that I must be concise and consulere brevitati for the benefit of the Readers I would have written at large their very Words and References Also secondly Let any that have the exercise of Reason free consider upon his second charge whether this Non-imposing-Power of the Magistrate in the Matters of Religion and Worship of God or indulging of a Tender Conscience tendeth to the Ruine of the Commonwealth or whether an Imposing in such Cases doth not clearly put the People upon all the means of Freedom they can come at as it did in Scotland because of the Liturgy and in England because of the Bishops Canons Courts and Impositions of their Hierarchy on Conscience nay let Mr. B. himself umpire it if he please when it comes to be his own case in his Preface to the Army thus I wish you to be tender of your BRETHRENS Consciences So Let not men be too hastily forced to engage to a Power Vngodly men of seared consciences will engage to any thing for wordly ends So Be not too forward with your Impositions c. Thus was the Philosopher convinc'd of his Errour which he held against Motion when his Arm came to be put out of joynt and it became his own Case he went to Hirophilus to set it in again sure saies this Chirurgeon it cannot be if your opinion hold your Arm would hold for if there be no Motion there is no Dislocation Therefore as Portius Cato was said to be so exactly just to all men that he would chuse the veriest enemies he had such as Tiberius Gracchus to judge his Cause and condemn him if he could so will we in this let him but remember us as well as himself and equal with himself for in the Conformation of parts the beauty lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in
Arguments wherein is proved that in Sensu Composito every tittle and Punctilio of all those Declarations and Protest is kept in this Cause of the Commonwealth so far as it comprehends all in the sence end and equity thereof wherein the Letter or forme was incapable or incompatible besides the very words of the Covenant are for the person of the King in and no otherwise but in the defence of the true Religion and liberties of the people Now so far as any of these or all these can or could possibly consist together viz. in the liberties of the people they are conserved to this very day Therefore this Pill being the same with the other though it be a little bigger will work but little better and so I leave it His sixth Prop. which is the main That it was none of the old Cause that the people should have Liberty and the Magistrate have no power in all matters of Gods worship faith and Conscience And here I cannot but observe how unworthily or like the false witness M. B. deals with this honourable Author again after a superficial complement which he would never give before nor nothing like it in 's Key for Cath. saith he Without any exception restriction or limitation that I can find he expresly extendeth the Case to matters of Religion or that concern the worship of God p. 5. and to matters of faith and Conscience p. 6. yea all matters and that the Magistrates must fear and forbear intermedling with whereas he knows and saith it but a little before that the persons spoken of are the whole body of honest men adherents to this Cause and is that no restriction I believe Mr. B. thinks it one and a close one too to him for the truth is the Author of the Healing Quest is pleading for them especially that have adhered to the cause and for their Rights and Freedom of Conscience under different apprehensions and opinions yet in the general for that natural right freedom and liberty which Christ hath purchased by his bloud and may not that be admitted who dares hinder it does he say any more then so But to see how like a SOPHIST his Antagonist quotes him as if he had a mind to imitate the Grand accuser of the Brethren Mat. 4. 6. who left out IN ALL HIS WAYS Mr. B. leaves out the most significant and considerable Clause even of the SAME sentence to spoil the sence or play the Tempter with For the Healing Quest saith That all Magistrates are to fear and forbear intermedling with here M. B. skews out of the way now as if he were scared or feared that his FOLLY would appear to all men to proceed with the same sentence which he most rudely abruptly and ungrammatically Lacerates at the very preposition without the Case that follows it with giving rule or imposing in those matters Therefore nail up this counterfeit Reader upon the next Post lest it pass for CURRANT and then consider does this discharge the Magistrate of his duty or don 't he rather charge him with what is not his duty that would have the Magistrate to impose upon us in the worship of God and matters of Conscience that are out of a Civil consideration and meerly spiritual so that all the Healing Quest. offers p. 7. is The Magistrates forbearing to put forth the power of Rule and Coertion in things that God hath exempted out of his Commission This is all and these are the very words And is this so wicked a Cause as Mr. B. calls it or which deserves such a scarifying or Cauterizing brand and denomination of wickedness and falshood as he puts upon it But if I may give him the Brand for falsifying so for the Question is saith he whether the Magistrate may restrain them from propagating a false faith or Infidelity and drawing others into it But stay Sir Whose Question is it do you think to catch old Birds AUCUPIIS or with your chaff 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with empty words abusive nothings for who I pray makes this the Question but your self not the Healing Quest I can affirm for that which he saith is only about the Magistrates not compelling or imposing in the matters of God not about this restraining of Papists or Infidels though some there be that question the extent of his power meerly for their faith or worship yet it is not so much as mentioned by the Healing Quest. Upon this the poor man to finde himself work enough with his own pretty Paralogisms and Sophisms and so to make sport for our money lest we take him for a Pick-pocket he spends at one clap 6. or 7. pages very generously to prove what none denies that it was neither the Cause nor the good Cause to Countenance POPERY Mahumetism c. Notwithstanding it never entered into the Question and so his Answers are shot in the Air or at himself all the way being in nothing adequated or adapted to the Case But saith Mr. B. He hath not excepted Popery c. and if worship be out of the Magistrates reach then so is Mass Under due correction and with due respect to his gravity and the Ministry he Reasons neither like a Christian nor like a Logician 1. It is not like a Christian to traduce Sir H. V. so as if Popery c. were not excepted in the Healing Quest when the Case it's self is and the whole discussion both for matter and forme to the Body of ADHERENTS to the Cause most proximately exclusive of Popery infidelity and unchristianity in worship as fully as ever it was in the times of the Wars with the King and highest attempts or contests with the Biships before But Psal 50. 16. with 19 20. What hast thou to do to count up my statutes Thou givest thy mouth to evil thy tongue joyneth with deceit thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou titten dophi givest a double mouth of thy mothers son 2. Nor like a Logician in his rambling from the verity of the matter and very principles of demonstration for that Propositions ought to be true de omni and the Predicate to agree with the Subject in every thing but to help the Reader a little out of the snare of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fallacie which lies in the Ambiguity of the PROP. viz. If worship be out of the Magistrates reach then so is Mass to speak ad Rhombum and not to ramble from what the Healing Quest affirms it is out of the Magistrates reach of imposing or compelling us to Mass For all that honourable person saith is that the Magistrate might forbear Coertion in the worship of God Neither doth he say as Mr. B. by his fallacie would insinuate that Magistrates have nothing to do but that this they ought not to do viz. impel or impose in the worship of God upon our Consciences and so Mass Mahumetism and all false Religion is
the Protestants with Mr. P. Sectaries 9. Q. Whether it had not been wisdom to have kept out the company of gabling Geese or Scriblers that noise it so in Mr. P's Chamber during the time of his Travel hard labour and unprofitable pains to be deliver'd of Campanella's Bastard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or head-long And whether they had not better have perswaded Mr. P. to have kept his Terms still then to have fallen in with such filthy interests to commit sin with or conceive séed from for the trouble of the Nation or so to sell himself to the next KING that comes for so little profit and for less credit 10. Q. Whether in all this Mr. P. and Mr. B. have not made a more exquisite and Artificial Section or discovery of themselves their party parts and principles then of the true Cause or of the Commonwealth through all the Meanders intricate and abstruse notions and designs to obtrude or exalt the interest of the Stuarts and debase our Cause Let the Reader judge for in Publicos Hostes Omnis Homo Miles saith Tertul. Apol. c. 2. It is every mans case and all the Country will up when wild beasts are broken loose to that I leave them and their followers I have been the longer upon these things they being the very hinges or the Axle-trées of all their Polemick Disceptations against the present Government in four books which for substance are answered and their fallacies discovered to the Readers only Mr. B's wounding Answer which is truly his own to the Healing Question comes under our present consideration his Politick Aphorisms if occasion serve for future which he adds in the Preface of ' s Holy Commonwealth to the Army that they may not be kept up in impenitency i. e. from returning to King Lords and Commons I would say this for the Healing Question and its honourable Authour that is of such a Healing Spirit and Frame whiles Mr. B. is professedly of a Wounding That the Almighty God hath made it and him so great a Means of Blessing towards the Recovering and Healing of this poor ISLAND as our Children after us may live to reap remember and bless GOD for indeed I do think there is in that little Treatise such Apples of Gold if well considered as were taken from the Lord Jesus that Tree of Life Prov. 3. 18. whose Leaves are for the Healing of the Nations Rev. 22. 1 2. And to speak rationally It was as properly called a HEALING Question as his Antagonist would call it a WOUNDING Answer after Gallens understanding of Healing in a Physical Consideration in the beginning of Lib. de Ossibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. All things that concern the Action of HEALING have that for their scope and direction to it that agrees best with the Nature and Constitution of the body or part which must be HEALED i. e. the Commonwealth Now whether Mr. B. by 's WOUNDING or Sir H. V. by his HEALING comes neerest to the nature and constitution of the Commonwealth or Free-State let us diligently enquire and duely preponderate without respect to persons but to principles and to the matter The healing Question saith he placeth the cause in two things pag. 3 4 5 6. 1. In a Freedom by way of dutiful compliance and condescention from all parts and members of this Society to set up meet persons in the place of Supreme Judicature and Authority amongst you Enlarged pag. 10 11. 2. Freedom in matters of Religion that concern the service and worship of God enlarged pag. 5 6 7. The PERSONS that he supposes have this Soveraign power sayes he are sometimes said to be the Whole Body of Adherents to the CAUSE p. 3. to which they have a double Right 1. Natural 2. Conquer'd and Recover'd and sometimes the whole BODY OF THE PEOPLE pag. 4. But here Mr. B. begins already to deal unfaithfully and dis-ingenuously with the Healing Question and its Author for pag. 4. it tell us of the natural right and Freedom due to the whole Body of the People for whose safety and good Government its self is ordained which the Norman by Lust and force of Arms kept them from This is their natural Right indeed not but that they may forfeit it and lose it as a man may forfeit his Liberty and his Life which he hath a natural right unto by Theft Treason Rebellion Murther or the breach of good and equal Laws But when he treats of the Goodness and the Nature of the Cause p. 3 4. then it is that he tells us the unforfeited and undoubted Power of chusing c. lies in the body of Adherents to the CAUSE who have contributed their counsels purses pains affections prayers and united strength unto it And these have not onely their foresaid natural Right but through Gods blessing their conquered and restored Right unto it Which others have not that fought against the CAUSE the PARLIAMENT to destroy both it and us These that have forfeited it are not said to have the Soveraign Power of chusing persons fit for Supreme Trust by this two-fold Right that the Adherents to the Cause have And therefore the Healing Question pag. 3. speaks of Restoring This THIS whole Body to it's just Rights in Civils and in Spirituals But Mr. B. would jumble them both like a jusculum of Hodg-podg or Galleymaufrey into our mindes by a fallaciâ compositionis taking them together as he in his Wounding and not as the Author in 's Healing Question states and exhibits them Also it is observable that in lieu of any lucid or clear Replication he would have the Reader subjugate his Reason to his Dark Lanthorn or abstruse implication in some ten PROPOSITIONS which he offers as his Purging-Pills or Troches to the Armies Consciences but let them first examine the INGREDIENTS of them and the hand that gives them if he have skill and if there be no danger in receiving of them His 1. Prop. is That it was none of the Old Cause which we contended for in the Wars viz. the free choice of Parliaments Answ We shall then appeal to all Records living and dead yea to Mr. P. himself whether Priviledges of Parliament and peoples Rights were none of the Old Cause contended for 1. saies he the King granted it but at the first he denied it And what if he did by word acknowledge it if he by force hindred them the benefit of it which is the thing the Heal. Quest. sayes But for B's satisfaction he may see it recorded in History That in the very first four yeers of his Reign he dissolved three Parliaments one after another and by Proclamation forbid the people to speak of any more Parliaments after that so that in the Intervals they were miserably enslaved oppressed both in Consciences and Estates taxed fleeced with Monopolies and illegal sufferings had no visible Remedy left them All thoughts of ever
the equality as Galen saies and then let him judge Thirdly Whether This tendeth to vilifie the Magistrate or Mr. B's more to vilifie Christ and his Members the Church Truth and Gospel and consequently to set the MAGISTRATE upon the most conscientious Or Fourthly Whether it be against any Tittle of the Decalogue to keep up each Table Duty and distinct Function of Magistrate and Minister in their proper places and functions which Mr. B. would confound Fifthly Whether this tends to the decay and not to the greatest incouragement of true Grace Faith and Holiness not to whip force or impose upon us in meer Spirituals and matters of Worship Yea Sixthly Whether the Healing Questions sweet Argumentum à Christo Pace or M. B.'s bitter Argumentum à fustibus Face would gratifie the Devil and his Malice most He that would have the Magistrate not to impose his light upon other mens consciences or he that would have it imposed as a Rule or Standard for All Men in the Nation to come or to be cudgel'd up unto as Mr. B. and Mr. Har. likewise would have it so in pag. 27 28 c. of his OCEANA That all men might be subject to the National Conscience Seventhly Whether this or that would let out Tempters and Persecutors too the farthest and with the most loosened Reines of Lust and Cruelty over the Soul to the Danger or Perdition of their own 8. Whether Parents or Masters of Families ought to impose their own Religion or Opinion upon their Children and Servants and not rather to permit them the Free exercise and Liberty of their Consciences in the Worship of GOD consistent with our CAUSE both in Spirituals and Civils Ninthly Whether it tendeth to the destruction of an Army to let every one March not to Mutiny that is his own word and the Healing Q. asserts the Magistrates power in such Cases as are suitable Objects to keep the peace and promote the civil good but to let every one march on in his own Order without justling or molesting of another Joel 2. 7 8. They shall march every one in his wayes and not break their Ranks nor one Thrust another Or to the hurt of Families not to impose or to let their children have liberty to hear GOD's word and worship not to Theft Drunkenness Whoredome as Mr. B. most unworthily states it though in a different manner place time and such like circumstances But for an aliquid amplius I refer to a Treatise I wrote some 2 years since called A reviving Word from the quick and dead c. for Vniting of All the Godly with this Liberty Tenthly Or against the exercise of a Church-power over offenders Mat. 18. 17. Tit. 3. 10 11. 2 Thes 3. 14 15. because a Magistrate ought not impose upon their Consciences Eleventhly Or is it against the Interest of CHRIST who shall be the Desire of all Nations Hag. 2. 7. to indulge any or all of his Members with Equal Liberty Benefit and Safety in the service of GOD without an undue magnifying of any one Form or Faction above or to be a Rule to others consolidating all under one Head JESUS CHRIST Ephes 1. 13. Hos 1. 11. in such sweet Symmetry Order Consistency together as the four Elements have in the humane Body though different asunder yet in Harmony together so as one may not Master but Balance another to the service of the Whole and of every one in their particular places faculties and functions and would not this be for the Interest of our dearest Lord But sayes he It 's an unholy Saint that would have Liberty to reproach his Lord or deny the faith and essential Article of it to speak against his holy worship c. Whereas all the Healing Question propounds for is That the holy Saints that do serve their God sincerely though under different apprehensions that do hold the Faith and Truth in the Essentials of it and that are for his holy worship not against it that these might have equal Liberty and Countenance But so absurdly for many pages together doth this poor man spit the Venom of his Pen upon that Noble and Pious Author without Ground or Matter but of 's own devising to render him such as are the liveliest Assertors of our Cause in the Latitude and Liberties of it contemptible if he could as well as the Cause it self which is the thing they ayme at that I might say to him as once Zeno said to Antigonus whose breath was strong and stomack foul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Get you gone to your Vomit for as Aristides also said we are not of that Number that can spit and vomit stuff so loathsome And as one said when he was hit in the Teeth with his stinking Breath that it was because of the Great trust of SECRETS which his Friends had committed to him which he kept within him until they were ROTTEN he may as Wittily excuse it but not as Worthily if they be Designes for the King or Cavalierish Secrets against the Worthies of Parliament Cause and People of GOD which lie and ROT and export so ill a savour And lastly Let Any judge Whether this Liberty of Conscience for the faithful Adherents to the Cause in matters of Worship onely or that Persecution and Imposition which Mr. B. would put the Magistrate upon be the most apparent Way of introducing Popery and of destroying the Power of Godliness with a Form or whether any one can study more to mischieve the Magistrate then by this means For as Mr. Hooper Martyr said to his Friends Anno 1555. Tyranny Extremity and Enforcing have been the onely Arguments to maintain the POPE And if Mr. B. had not been too forgetful he would have considered That these were the very Arguments of 's own-quoted Jesuite Adam Contzen in 's Directions for Restoring Popery Chap. 17. Lib. 2. To preserve Popery that no other Religion should be permitted and the speedy punishing of the Erroneous cutting them off in their first appearance prohibiting their Books and taking heed of Julian ' s Device destroying of Religion by Liberty for all Sects Thus they do sayes Mr. B. in Spain Italy Austria Bavaria c. i. e. destroy Liberty of Conscience Is this then the Jesuites way by Mr. B.'s own words to let in Popery or to destroy it The Jesuite calls it A destroying of the Religion vizt Popery to give Liberty as he calls it to all Sects Indeed Mr. B. doth put me in minde of one Cacus a great Thief that was wont to pull all the Cattel he stole into his DEN backward or by the Tail to avoid the pursuit of the people that followed the Track and this pretty Knack Mr. B. uses to pull us into Popery as we shall see presently and yet pretends to keep us from it by the Track that whoever follows as he hath made it shall no
more finde out the Introductor of Popish and Jesuitick Principles then the People did the Thief but be going from his Den not toward it And to see yet further how much he serves the JESUITE Contzen Chap. 18 to bring in Popery into a Land he shews 1. Do it slowly and sliely 2. It 's easie when the common people are a while taken with Novelties and diversities of Religion they 'l be weary and give themselves up to the RVLERS wills i. e. to their commands in matters of Religion And is not this the way by their own words to introduce Popery So the Jesuites 7th Rule which is To forbid them they account erronious in their Assemblies and is not this to Impose upon them in matters of Worship and his 8th Rule is To use Violence And lastly another Rule is That the Magistrate keep the Institutions Presentations and Examinations of Ministers in his own hand c. So that all those Ministers that will side with their power over the Consciences of poor people shall be gratified with good Livings for it Let any see now if Mr. B's be not the very Method of the Jesuite to restore Popery to put the Magistrate upon Imposing or infringing Liberty of Conscience And indeed to add hereto his familiar converse and parly with the Papists his eager invitation and offers of peace and communion with the Roman Catholiques from p. 364. to 376. where in 5 or 6 Chapters together he offers to the Papists love peace and fellowship but is far from offering it to his poor Brethren at home who are farther off from Popery then himself both in Principles Doctrine and Practice may leave the matter without Vacillation That it is Mr. B. not the Healing Question that would usher in Popery The Grounds he goes upon are these pag. 364. 1. That he is satisfied in many Doctrinal points That the Difference between Protestants and the Papist is not so great as 't is commonly taken for instancing in certainty of salvation of Pardon of Works of Justification of faith and almost all the Controversies about Predestination Redemption Free-will the work of Grace c. So neer a Harmony he confesses is between them 2. As being fully satisfied p. 366. There are many among the Papists that truly fear God and are sanctified gracious people with whom saies he I hope to dwell for ever And therefore I think it my Duty not onely to forbear unjust censures of them but also to love them with that intire Christian love by which Christ would have us known to love his Disciples and to perswade all others to do the like Such a special love he professes he has for the Papists and will do all he can to perswade others to it and forbear censuring of them so that who intends most to let in Popery Mr. B. or the Healing Quest But not a word of any such LOVE Kindness Charity for or forbearing to censure the servants of GOD that go under the notion of Sectaries poor souls or the Adherents to the Cause nay exciting the Magistrates power most against them and very uncharitably what he can Upon these and other Grounds which he gives p. 366. his Proposals to the Papists for peace or between the Roman and Reformed are 1. That we may so far agree as to hold personal Assemblies in the worship of God and live under the same particular Pastors And yet he will not offer this to others of Christs dear servants that differ from him in particular perswasions of Faith and Worship 2. If it can't be That we may hold a Catholick Christian Communion in several Assemblies under several Pastors acknowledging each other the true Churches of Christ c. And yet this he will not do to the Independents Anabaptists Seekers Vanists as he foolishly calls them from the forge of his censorious and pedantick Language Arte Pungendi potius quam Pingendi 3. If that be not attained to take one another for Christians and Churches of Christ though under such Curruptions And why might he not more easily take them he calls Vanists and Sectaries or different Judgements at home for such 4. If this be not effected 4. To consult together on certain terms on which most peaceably to manage our differences with the least hatred and violence c. Can he offer this to Papists also and not to Protestants at home let the Reader judge who are likest to introduce Popery or are neerest allied and most obliged to it The Honourable Author of the Healing Quest or Mr. B. and whether he Mr. P. and the rest that are inveighing most amarulently against others as if they would allow a Toleration to Popery do not like Athaliah cry out Treason first or like the Cut-purse that cries out first STOP THIEF stop THIEF stop the Thief for themselves to escape by Let any that have the command or use of Reason judge impartially for the case is plain enough 2. How far the power of the Magistrate reaches in the matters of Religion is another Question And a controversie long before I or Mr. B. were born but not medled with by the Author of the Healing Quest any farther then as to this Negative granted by most or all the Orthodox of these last ages as well as some in former That they ought not to interpose or impose in the worship of God or in the matters of faith and Conscience as such but as they come under their Cognizance Quatenus Magistrates or a civil consideration so they may and must And so the Healing Quest freely and fully propones it p. 6. They are to content themselves with what is plain in their Commission as ordained of God to be his Ministers to men for good whiles they approve themselves the doers of that which is good In like manner he is to be a Minister of Terrour and Revenge to those that do evil in matters of outward practice converse dealings c. What can be more desired this Controversie was so cleared in the Assembly of Divines and in the heat of the Wars that we made no Question of it then Mr. Hooker in 's 3. lib. of 's survey of Ch. Disc Cha. 1. asserts it That the Civil power may as a thing civil require men to be Civil and to come under the call or outward tender of the Gospel which is vox significativa Christi but cannot compel them or force their Consciences by any means Much less force them to this place or that this man or that this part of the worship of God or that but can compel them to be peaceable Civil c. no otherwise Thus Mr. Burton said to Mr. Prynne in 's Vindic. and Answ to 's 12. Inter. p. 70. We must put a difference betwixt Conscience and practice God alone is Judge and Christ is Lord of the Conscience but the Magistrate of mens Actions whether good to encourage them or evil to
and then brand them with the like Infamy for the veriest that ever breath'd on English Earth or in English Air. And now let the Parliament Army and all good people that are sound in their sences judge it seriously Whether it is the Honourable Author of the Healing Question as much as he is maligned and menaced by all Parties or Mr. B. in 's Wounding Answer that hath asserted the Ill Cause and deserted the Good And which of them come neerest to the constitution of a Free-State and which of the TWO it is that hath given away that worthy Argument by which he should prove himself an honest man to use Mr. B's own words vizt his Charity But in the winding up of our Discourse I am surprized or way-laid with Mr. Harringtons correspondence with him against an Oligarchy I wish it had been as much against Anarchy and Atheisme if he means by it the present Parliament or such a Parliament or the Body of Adherents to the CAUSE as one of them I believe he must and some say All wherein Mr. B. and he agree but when he tells us his meaning without mumping or scoffing which we must understand before we reply He may hear further And at the present in the words of Hen. 8. but on better grounds From their Old Mumpsimus and his New Sumpsimus Good Lord deliver us But I shall give you my grounds seeing Mr. B. hath brought him to hand as his confederate and shall modestly discuss it with him and them of the late Petition July 6. to the Parliament many of whom I dearly respect and yet I cannot but wonder how busie some are in this work of refunding retunding and confounding us in our Cause not onely with old Popish Mumpsimus's but with new Sumpsimus's and Idea's exhibited to the Parliament like the CHAOS indeed but to enucleate first the Preamble of that Petition 1. I judge it is a little too positive and reflective though couchant under smooth and candid expressions as if we had been hurried after an appearance or shadow in lieu of our undubitable Rights and as if that since the dissolution of that form of Government by K. Lords and Commons a new constitution viz. of Free-State had not been provided for which was evidently done and setled in several Acts of Parliament as Jan. 20. 1648. March 17. 1648. May 14. 1649. July 17. 1649. The words of one are these Whereas the Parliament hath abolished the Kingly Office in England and Ireland c. And having Resolved and Declared that the People for the future shall be governed by its own Representatives and National Meetings in Council chosen and intrusted for that purpose hath setled the Government in a Commonwealth and Free-State without King or House of Lords Be it Enacted c. And yet say these Friends in their Petition p. 4. Your mindes are not Setled on any known Constitution of Government or Fundamental Orders according to which all Laws should be made wherein they are too positive and upon such mistakes and pre-occupations might gratifie our Enemies too too much had they upon this false conception come up to any maturity by the late Apostacy or in this NEW-CONSPIRACIE against the Commonwealth For Mr. Harrington and that Petition strike at the very Root Fundamental and Constituting Acts of Parliament as well as at the very BEING integral Parts of our Cause so long contended for and crowned at last through the Lords blessing I cannot proceed without precaution seeing as Cic. says Omne malum nascens facile opprimitur inveteratum fit plerunque Robustius it is easie to crush Evil in the Egg and as Solomon says Eccles 8. 5. A wise man discerneth both the time and the Judgment 1. At the Foundation of our Settlement in Anno 1648. for that they propound Two Houses of Parliament under new names indeed viz. of a Senate and of a Popular Assembly so Oceana p. 13 14. and Petition p. 8. which appears to me repugnant and Diametrick to our dear Cause to the Acts of Parliament and to our Engagements viz. To be faithful to the Government as it now stands without King or House of Peers Now Aristotle in 's Politic. 5. lib. c. 4. tells us of two waies to destroy a COMMONWEALTH Quandoque per vim Quandoque per dolum Per Vim aut statim aut posteà compellendo Per Dolum non nunquam enim decepti ab initio Suâ demum sponte Recipiunt alium Gubernandi Modum c. Sometimes it is done by Force and sometimes by Fraud in the last sence when mistaken at the first laying it they by perswasion or voluntarily fall into another manner of Government This is a dangerous CRISIS and the Athenians had the sad experience of such Commutations through proclivity to Noveltie and New Changes as Act. 17. 21. They spent their time in it So AELIAN Lib. 5. c. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Athenians were given to change in the State of the Commonwealth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I can't commend it it is an OMEN which shall never have my AMEN so long as I see it conduceable to the dissolution of the Whole if they have not special care to preserve the Constitution which with two such Bodies I do not so well understand And I wonder which is more monstrous in Nature a Vast Body with two Heads or a Head with two Huge Bodies and how prodigious and dreadful will their motions be if one go one way and the other another like the Amphisbaena let right Reason judge But besides this that which hath the most impression is the easie Access of a Single Person called with us the Third State by it And this is evident not onely in Reason but in Practice as in the Lacedemonian and Athenian Commonwealths For in the First after Lycurgus's death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lacedemonians instituted the Court of the Ephors who had the chief Power in the Commonwealth for none stood or were raised up but a King and the Ephor So that a single Person had an Executive Power there But if a nimble Wit will without ground object that this Commonwealth was imperfect or degenerate we might instance in Athens the Pattern of all that they set before us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In like manner the Athenians instituted eleven men to take the care of Prisoners and nine Archons of which were the Thesmothets who were throughly tryed and sworn to do righteously in the Magistracie not to take Bribes nor to set up again the Golden Image But the King who is said to be one of the Archons did administer the Laws which belong'd to Sacrificing and to Warring So that after this Platform are we exposed to the open Danger of a Single Person or a King and of giving the Power of Religion and Worship into the hands of the Magistrate not answerable to the Rules of Christ our Cause nor