them and so came away letting them do as they would At another time there being Poultrie provided by the good woman of the house for their diet which she killed with wringing their neeks about as the custome of the Country is these souldiers would not have them dressed but threw them away and fecht others cuting of their heads for they would not eate things strangled and such was the carriage of these Sectaries that though John Mathewes be a man well affected to the Parliament and well disposed yet he professed he had rather have Prince Rupert and his Company to quarter there then that Troop of Captaine P. A Copie of a Letter written lately from a Reverend godly Minister in Northamptonshire to a person of quality and worth in London Worthy SIR THough I am perswaded that you know that many Errors abound in the Army yet I cannot think but such destructive tenets as some of them have broacht amongst us when they lately quartered here are not particularly come unto your eares Therefore out of zeal to Gods glory the safty of our Church and Commonwealth Parliament and Ministry I could not but impart what I have heard from their own mouthes and by honest neighbours of them The sacred Covenant bindes me with all faithfulnesse to indeavour to discover Incendiaries hinderers of Reformation of Religion dividers of the Kingdomes c. And truly I cannot think these any other though as yeâ— God hath hindred their sparks which they cast into all the straw which they passe by from flaming into open and violent liscord I can produce both the names and I think sufficient witnesse people are affraid almost to speak against the souldiers that they have seriously spoken as being their judgements and purposes that if the souldiers knew the Countries minds as the Country might know the souldiers they would have another kind of Reformation then this Parliament is about That they have not so long sought for liberty and now to be inslaved That they could goe all England through by force of Arms if they listed That the Country might call the Parliament to account for what they had done for they were set up by them They commonly in derision call our Brethren Jack Sect and say they plot with the King against the Parliament but if there were any occasion of drawing the sword against them they would be more fierce against them then ever against the Cavaleirs They upon long dispure with me cominued in this that there is no such office as the Ministry and it 's blasphemy for any one to say that he is a Minister of Jesus Christ more then any other man such an office was but it ceased A Captaine Reformadoe said their swords shall never out of their hands as long as one Priest continued in England They scorned all our religious dayes and duties call them fools that pay Tythes and them theeves that receive them will beleeve no more Scripture then what they prove by experience to be true I might have heard more but that my heart abhors such seditious and blaspemous speeches They speake most contemptibly of Christs person and as I heare deny either the Trinity or at least the holy Ghost If it be for any publick benefit I will search after more particulars and sufficient proof Sir I am bold to impart my troubled thoughts unto you whom I have cause to judge faithfull to God your Country and your Friend Truly we fear some hurt by these in Arms if a speedy course be not taken with some of them for I find that they stick not to their principle of Liberty but only in receiving it they will not give it if they had the power of giving it unto others For ought I can observe with all their Errours they labour to poyson others where they come My mind will be much satisfied when I shall know you have read these lines concluding my duty of discovering Incendiaries c. discharged till further occasions be offered The good Lord look upon us and save us from these instruments of safety I desire your spirituall health and comfort with all temporall happinesse and successe Sept. 24. 1646. Yours to be commanded A godly young man of Summersetshire or Dorsâ—tshire at whose house a Lieutenant of a Company of Sir Thomas Fairfax Army quartered told me that this Lieutenant maintained these Opinions 1 That women might preach and would have had a gentlewomâ—n in the house this young mans sister to have exercised her gifts telling her he knew she had gifts and had been alone a meditating 2. That if a womans husband was aâ—leep or absent from her she might lye with another man and it was lawfull for sleep was a death and pressed it upon a young Gentlewoman in the house whose husband was then at London 3. That it was unlawâ—ull to kneell in prayer which was maintained by him or some others of his company and when they prayed they prayed leaning There is a godly Minister of some place more then ordinary that was in the Army about Oxford who heard a Colonell of that Army speak it in his hearing and the hearing of many that as for fighting against the Irish he was against it for they did nothing but what they might do lawfully and gave his reasons and grounds for it 1. Because they did but fight for their Religion and Liberty of conscience and for their Lands and Estates 2. That if the whole Commons and body of the people would agree and put down King and Parliament overthrow the Constitution of this Kingdom in King Lords and Commons they might do it as this was told two godly Ministers from whom I had this relation so was it communicated to some members of both Houses June 24. A godly Citizen told me he heard a great Sectary that belonged to the Army say speaking of Ireland he doubted and so did many more in the Army whether it were lawfull to go fight against the Irish and that that Country was theirs as well as England was ours Though the boldnesse and presumption of many of the Souldiers Officers and common Souldiers hath been very great both against the command of God and the Parliament to preach in the open Churches in all Countries and places where they have come putting by many godly and able Ministers from their Office and invading their Pulpits yet their open and frequent preaching in the University of Oxford doth most of all declare their impudencie that they should dare to do it in the midst of so many learned men and in a place so famous for learning and that in the publike schools in Oxford to preach daily and that against humane learning as they did for some time and after complaint of it to the Generall as a thing so scandalous and odious to all ingenuous men and his forbidding their preaching in the Schools yet the Souldiers continue still to preach in Oxford daily in a great house
the Judges that there was in Monarchie and Aristocracy an enmity against Christ which he would destroy and as he was speaking some turbulent fellowes and Sectaries clambred up by the Bench and cryed out my Lord my Lord Mr Pr. doth it in malice we will maintaine our Minister with our bloud whereupon the Judge threw away the paper and said he would heare no more of it though he had before commanded Master Eldred to read openly all those Heterodoxies The Lords day following Master Feake in the Pulpit endeavored to answer all the Articles put up against him to the Judges in a great Auditory Many other things I have heard of him since his coming to Hartford but what I here set down of him besides the relation I have had by word of mouth of persons of worth 't is given me under hand in writing and that with this seale set to it what I have here written I will justifie and much more when I am called to it There is one Richard Overton a desperate Sectary one of Lilburnes Breed and followers who hath printed many scandalous things against the House of Peers and notice being given of him there was an Order granted for the taking of him and seasing of his Presse a Presse that had printed many wicked Pamphlets that have come out of late against the King the Lords the Presbyteriall Government the City and for a Toleration and Liberty destructive to all Religion Lawes and Government yea overthrowing by the principles laid down in them the power of the House of Commons whilst they seeme to cry up and invest that House with the Monopoly of all the power of the Kingdome who being apprehended by the Messengers sent out for him was brought before a Committee of the House of Lords where he refused to answer any questions and carried himself with a great deale of contempt and scorne both in words and gesture and after this being brought before the House of Lords he refused to answer any questions propounded by the Speaker as in the name of the House and to that question whether he were a Printer or no hee would not answer but told them he was resolved not to make answer to any interrogatories that should infringe his propertie right or freedome in particular or the rights freedomes and properties of the Nation in generall Besides he gave saucie and peremtory words to the House of Lords and appealed from the House of Lords to the House of Commons whereupon the Lords committed him to Newgate as he most justly deserved Now since his commitment to Newgate there are some wicked railing Pamphlets come out in his name and sold openly Pamphlets venting a company of cursed principles both against Religion and civill Government tending to nothing else but the overthrow of the fundamentall constitution of this Kingdome in King Lords and Commons and setting up the body of the common people as the Soveraigne Lord and King denying King and Lords any power and the House of Commons any further then the peoples Deputies and at the pleasure of and will of the people and to the ruine of Religion by pleading against the Ordinance for punishing Blasphemies and Heresies The first Book of this Overtons is call'd A defence against all Arbitrary Vsurpations of the House of Lords and a Relation of their unjust and barbarous proceedings against that worthy Commoner stiling himself so The second is An Arrow against all Tyrants and Tyranny shot from the prison of Newgate into the Prerogative Boweâ—s of the Arbytrary House of Lords by Richard Overton Prerogative Archer to the Arbitrary House of Lords The third is A Petition and Appeale to the House of Commons calling them the High and mighty States the most Soveraigne House and himself their leigo Petitioner In all which he most audaciously and unsuâ—â—erably abuses the House of Lords charging them with Tyranny â—surpation invading the Liberties of the people denying them all legislative power desiring due reparations against them scoffing and scorning them and their power descanting upon by way of conâ—utation the Order of the House of Lords for his commitment and stirring up the House of Commons and all the people against the House of Lords to free the people from their oppressions tyrannies c. I will give the Reader a taste of this Anabaptisticall spirit by transcribing a few passages out oâ— these wicked and cursed Pamphlets In page 5. of his deâ—iance against the Lords he speaks to English-men thus Ye in speciall be encouraged against all opposition and incroachment of Kings Lords or others upon the House of Commons their rights and properties derived from the people And acknowledg none other to be the supreame Court of Judicature of this Land but the House of Commons and in this gallâ—â—t resolution live and dye and acquit your selves like men For my part I 'le treaâ— upon the hottest coales of fire and vengâ—ance that that parcell of men intituled the House of Lords can blow upon me for it Page 15. 17. He makes the Lords to be sâ—bordinate and subject to the Commons the great Representors of the Land and calls the Knights and Burgesses Assembled the upper House and the Judges of the House of Peers as well as his Page 19. 20. speaking of the power of the Commons hath these words Therefore these Lords being none of the peoples Vicegerents Deputies or Representors cannot legally passe upon any of the Represented to 〈…〉 y sentence fine or imprison but such their actions exceeding the soveraigne compasse must needs be illegall and Antimagistraticall and therefore as by that soveraigne power confer'd from the people upon the House of Commons I made my appeales to the said House refusing altogether to submit unto that usurpation of the Lords over the peoples properties c. In the same page speaking of the House of Lords in a scoffing manner faith Their Lordships might do well to send me to Doctor Bastwicks School of complements that I might have a little more venerable Courtship against the next time I appeale in their presence In page 17. 18. relating how the whole House of Lords derided him upon his refusing to answer the questions of the speaker of the Right Honourable House of Peeâ—s he sets down that he replyed to them Gentlemen it doth not become you thus to deride me that am a prisoner at youâ— Barre And thereupon speakes of the House of Lords such caâ—riage such Court for indeed Comedies Tragedies Masks and Playes are farre more fit for such idle kind of men In page 6. Overton speaking of the House of Lords writes thus And these are further to let them know that I bid defiance to their injustice usurpation and tyranny and sâ—â—rne even the lest connivance glimpse jot or tittle of their favour Let them do as much against 〈…〉 e by the rule of Equity Reason and Justice for my testimony and protestation against them in this thing as possibly they can and I
grants one step may be gone further that in such things as men by their weaknesse make themselves lesse serviceable to the common-wealth or Church they may be denyed some priviledges and benefits that are granted to others And of this Master Burroughs gives instances and enlarges it Now certainly if this doctrine were good and true in the yeare 1645. before the successe of the new Modell and the recruit of the House of Commons the doctrine in the City Remonstrance 1646. cannot be bad nor false that would have Anabaptists Heriticks and Schismaticks kept and removed from places of Publike trust If they may be denyed priviledges and benefits that are granted to others and some trouble laid in their way c. for their opinions then certainly they should not be preferred above others to all places of publike trust whilst men who conforme to the true Religion established by the State be kept out yea turned out of places And as Master Burroughs was of this mind so I and divers others have heard Mr Tho. Goodwin ingenuously professe since this Parliament though the Magistrate should forbeare tender consciences that could not come up to the Rule yet it was most equall that the countenance and preferments in the Magistrates hands should be bestowed only on those who conformed to what was established and therefore said hee we desire only to be suffered to live and enjoy the Ordinances but expect no places nor any of that maintenance which is in the States disposing and therefore the Remonstrants in that branch of their Petition were â—arre from Persecution Injustice if Master Burroughs and Master Goodwin may be beleeved and that which they desired most necessary to take off the wantonnesse of mens spirits and the neglect of meanes and in all this theâ—'s no more graines of trouble then might help aginst this wantonnesse c. and the truth of it is these preferments places of publike trust c. have made more Sectaries and Anti-Presbyterians then all the Sermons and Books ever preached and printed by the Sectaries and 't is one of the great springs of all our evills the prime cause of all Injustice Oppression Error Faction and things will never go well with the publike nor the union of both Kingdomes be soundly setled till Hereticks Blasphemers Schismaticks Seekers Anabaptists Antinomians Libertines Brownists and Independents be removed from all places of publike trust both Martiall and Civill and 't is a most righteous thing to Petition for it As the zealous Protestants of this Kingdome could not expect Justice protection from Popish Counsellours Judges Justices c. then in place and we cryed out of it before this Parliament as an intolerable griveance and mischeif to the good subjects of this Kingdome because men but suspected of Popery or whose Wives were Papists were in places of publike trust for by that meanes Papists were brought off and such as were cald Puritants felt their power upon all occasions no more can the Orthodox Presbyterians expect right justice from Sectarian Counsellors Justices of Peace c. especially in differences between them and Independents for all Sectaries looke upon cordiall Presbyterians with a greater eye of malignity jealousie particular interest then any other sort of men and therefore to strengthen their owne party will weaken and discourage them all they can possibly There were some Independents that dining in June last at the house of a Presbyterian who married an Independent were speaking of the Presbyterians that generally all of them desired that help might goe for Ireland and that on the Fast day in June they preached and prayed much for help to relieve Ireland and among other Ministers they named one that should pray thus or to this effect That now Oxford was taken all might goe Lord let them all goe These Independents said the Presbyterians had some design sure they were so earnest for the Army to goe to Ireland but some of the Independents said they had something else or other use for the Army then to goe to Ireland The Sectaries in the Moneth of May last raged extremely and spake desperately so that a Common-Councell man who had heard many of them speak told me he had said to some of them that they must provide Bedlam for them The newes of the Kings going to the Scots the Remonstrance of the City of London with some other things that fell out that Moneth vexed them terribly one Sectary a kind of Gentleman belonging to a Parliament man said in the hearing of some that the King the House of Lords the City the Scots and the Assembly were joyned together but they had the House of Commons and the Army and gave out some such words as if some three or foure thousand horse should billet in the City This man was had before my Lord Major for these words and I being told of it by one who went to my Lord Majors with him I also having an opportunity asked my Lord Major of the truth of it who remembred there was such a thing God grant the King House of Lords City Scots Assembly be well joyned together and agreeing and not only King Lords c. but the House of Commons also The Lord send a perfect Peace and Union between the King and both Houses and give a good understanding and agreement alwayes between Parliament Citie Assembly our Brethren of Scotland These kind of speeches of the Commons and the Army put by themselves as divided from the House of Lords City c. are words of sedition but to vindicate the honour of the House of Commons and the Army from such speeches as these too frequent in the mouths of many Sectaries I can assure the Kingdome from the mouths of many worthy Members of the House of Commons and of Commanders in the Army how much soever these Sectaries presume upon the House of Commons calling them in many Pamphlets of late Their owne House of Commons our House of Commons and upon the Army that they are Independents and for that party that the greatest number of Members of that House by farre are no Sectaries and though some are crept in among them Yet the body of the House are neither Independents Anabaptists Antinomians nor such like and so in the Army there are more Presbyterians then Independents yea if the Army were divided into four parts three parts of the four are no Independents Anabaptists Antinomians c. and therefore I hope to see the day of King Lords Commons Scots City of London Armies the body of the Kingdome all concurring for the setlement of the Reformed Protestant Religion and for the extirpating of Heresie Schisme Prophanesse and all Doctrine which is not according to godlinesse A Citizen an able understanding man related to me and two Citizens within these few dayes that he and a great Independent speaking together about the King this Citizen urged that branch of the Covenant That we have sworn to defend the Kings
Letters writ to my selfe I suppose I may in such a case without the censure of vain-glory print such testimonies to counterballance the despisings and scornings of the Sectaries yea if I had gone further and printed not only passages justifying my work but what they had expressed of me in other kinds considering how the Sectaries vilifie me I might have beene excused Saint Paul a humble and modest man yet when by false Teachers he was in his person presence and speech among the people presented weak and contemptible to the end his ministery might be made ineffectuall he would not beare it but takes off all those things enters into a commendation of himselfe showing he was equall with the very cheifest Apostles and speaks of his owne knowledge and gifts and speaks that in this case he was compelled to glory 2 Cor. 10. 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 11. 5. 6. 16. 2 Cor. 12. 11 12. And in such a case as this if Casuists be consulted with as Amesius c. they conclude that credit and a good report may not only be maintained but sought for viz. for the glory of God and that we may by our work and example profit others the more by that means 5. Whereas in my Book there are many Relations of Sectaries in the Army some passages in Letters speaking of the Army and some things spoken by my selfe that some may take to reflect upon the whole Army I desire the Reader to understand aright that nothing related by me though written by others or spoken by my selfe is meant of the whole Army or the greater part of it but only of that part of the Army viz. the Sectaries in the Army I acknowlege the New Modell under Sir Thomas Fairfax hath done gallant service against the enemy and did the greatest and best services when it had not so many Sectaries as it hath now and my intent is not in the least to cast dirt upon the Army but only to relate Errors and insolencies of a part of the Army The Sectaries who though but a part and much the lesser may be somtimes in discourse or writing call'd the Army viz. in that sense as the Independents crying up the Army in Pamphlets and Sermons use the word Army saying here 's an Army the army hath done thus when they mean by the Army and expresse so much in other words the Independents and Saints in the army so do I when I speak in any place of the hurt the Army doth or the Errors there I understand not the Army but the Sectares in it 6. Whereas in this Book there are many passages that Sectaries may be likely enough to interpret a striking at the Parliament a casting reproach upon them and more particularly upon the Honorable House of Commons I do here declare and professe against any such misconstructions or consequences it being not my intent to reflect either upon both Houses as conjunct or upon each as considered distinct or upon the Committees of either House the most that can be drawne is that some passages in Letters or Relations show there are some particular Members that are or favor Sectaries which in writing so much of the Sectaries as I do for the good of the Parliament and the Kingdome cannot possibly be avoided though I forbear the naming of or deciphering any of them and that there are some such crept into the Parliament all the Kingdome knowes and speaks of it and therefore I meddle not to speake against the Houses in all my Discourse neither do I insinuate any thing in the least to bring the people out of love with Parliaments or this Parliament I formally declare least any should mistake t is the peoples great interest and blessing to have the power and Priviledges of Parliament maintained and they must take heed they be not so discontented with miscarriages of any particular Members or Committees that may fall out as to set loose in their hearts from Parliaments and desert them Parliaments are the strong Boundaries of the exorbitancies of Princes and their Ministers they have by the constitution of the Kingdome and the Lowes power more then sufficient to restraine the Tyranny of Princes and to correct their greatest Favourits and Officers of State let the people once lose Parliaments and be out of love with them and then farewell all Liberty Property and slavery will come in like an armed man and that nothing in my Book can be against the Honorable Houses however someparticular Members may be guilty of some things I speak of and that party wresting my words to such a sense to make the Parliament offended with me yet that there can be no such thing I desire these things may be considered 1. I do de Industria and at large discover and write against the Sectaries for speaking and writing against the Parliament against the House of Lords and Commons and do plead and contend for the power of both Houses both in matters of Religion and civill things against the Sectaries and therefore I cannot be thought to do any thing against them but for them 2. That in speaking sometimes of the House of Commons I speake not positively that they do so or use such words of them as mine or bring such Arguments as if I owned them but speak the Sectaries words and show what followes upon their grounds against the power of the House of Commons 3. For any passages in Letters or Relations that may seem to have any reference to one or both Houses of Parliament aâ— speaking against any under them imployed in Military or Civill affaires or any other matter I meddle not with those passages at all as to justifie or assert them but do only barely relate and print them and for no other end but that the body of both Houses may know that which may be they have not heard of viz. such a dangerâ—us man imployed in their service such insolencies committed by men vnder their pay and may know the Countries sense of such and such things how ill t is taken such wicked men should bee implied and may prevent in time the mischeifs and evils which may grow out of such things and the discontents that may be occasioned thereby Fourthly I doe with salmission conceive that for a Minister a known friend and servant of the Parliaments in a respective way not in a reproaching reviling way to make known to the Parliament what the best affected say and write to â—riends of such and such particulars as the suffering yea preferring of all sort of Sectaries as the not settling Religion in so long a time as the letting freinds waite long before they can have their Petitions received as about the Elections of some new Members as about the carriage of many Sectaries in the Army c. is so farre from speaking against the Parliament or becomming their enemy that t is one of the greatest and faithfullest services can be done them and whatever passages I
composed by Protestant Synods who have an eye to the Scripture in what they doe but the assuming of such a power so as to enact a Law to bind all to conformity 't is a falling under that in Esay Their fear towards God was taught by the precept of men 't is with Nebuchadnezzar to erect his golden Image with Jeroboam and his Councell to set up the golden Calves 't is a rejecting of Christ from being King an utter overthrowing of the Kingly Prerogative and Office of Christ and a destroying a foundation of faith 47. That all Power Places and Offices that are just in this Kingdom ought only to arise from the choise and election of the people and that all the power right any man hath in governing and ruling over those he rules stands wholy in the choice and election of those that are ruled and that men need not ought not to yeeld obedience and subjection to the Commands Summons Lawes c. of any but of those they have chosen and who are their Representers and to submit yeeld obedience to any others whom they have not chosen is inconsistent with the nature of just freedoms and to exercise any power not derived from choice is no lesse then usurpation and oppression 48. That all the Legall Supreame Soveraigne Regall Legislative power of this Kingdom is in the House of Commons the chosen Commons of England and in no other whatsoever there 's no other the Svpreame Court of Judicature of this Land but the House of Commons That all Majesty and Kingship inherently residing in the people or state universall the representation or derivation of it is formally and legally in the state Representative or elect and in none else The Supreame power only of right belonging to the House of Commons they only being chosen by the people 49. That the state universall the body of the common people is the Earthly Soveraign Lord King and Creator of the King Parliaments all Officers and Ministers of Justice Underived Majesty and Kingship inherently resides in the state universal and the King Parliaments c. are their own meer creatures to be accountable to them and disposed of by them at their pleasure the people may recall and re-assume their power question them and set others in their place 50. That whatever the Fundamentall Constitutions of Kingdomes and Common wealths have been by forefathers whatever agreements compacts have been of subjection and obedience of such a people for themselves and posterities to one as under Kingly government or to more yet the men of the present age following many hundred years after ought to be absolutely free from what their forefathers yeelded unto and freed from all kinds of exorbitancies molestations without exception or limitation either in respect of persons officers degrees or things and estated in their naturall and just Liberties agreeable to right reason 51. That the House of Commons cannot have any power nor exercise any power justly but what the people who chose them conferred upon them and the common people having given them no power to establish Religion as having no such power in themselves and therefore could not conferre that which they had not therefore the House of Commons cannot assume a power to controule Religion or a way of Church Government upon the people and although the Kings Writ for chusing Knights and Burgesses implies the establishment of Religion yet all implications in the Writs of the Establishment of Religion showeth that in that particular as many other we remain under the Norman yoak of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free ourselves and the House of Commons ought not to maintain upon us but to abrogate 52. That seeing all men are by nature the Sons of Adam and from him have legitimatly derived a naturall propriety right and freedom Therefore England and all other Nations and all particular persons in every Nation notwithstanding the difference of Lawes and Governments rancks and degrees ought to be alike free and estated in their naturall Liberties and to enjoy the just Rights and Prerogative of mankind whereunto they are Heirs apparent and thus the Commoners by right are equall with the Lords For by naturall birth all men are equally and alike born to like propriety liberty and freedom and as we are delivered of God by the hand of nature into this world every one with a naturall innate freedom and propriety even so are we to live every one equally and alike to enjoy his birth-right and priviledge 53. That the body of the people may do all that lawfully of themselves which their Deputies Trustees Representors chosen ones do for them only for greater conveniency they Depute them and they may go no further in any thing nor sit no longer nor dispose of any thing but according to their Commission and power received from the Represented I might here also annex to these Errours many strange and false Expositions of Scripture given by Sectaries in their Sermons and Discourses but I will only give two or three 1 That of Matthew 28. v. 18. Allpower is given to me in heaven and in earth By heaven there is meant the uncreated heaven there are the created heavens and the uncreated heaven here is meant the uncreated heaven the God-head so that the meaning of these words is all the uncreated power of the God-head is given to Jesus Christ 2 That of Genesis the ninth And surely your bloud of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast will I require it That by Beast there was meant a wicked man 3 That of Luke 24. To day shalt thou be with me in paradise that to day was to be referred to Christs saying so not to the time when he should be in Paradise of which the Reader may find more in some following pages 100. 101. In my First and Second Parts of Gangraena page 28. 29. of the First Part Third Edition and in page 1. and 117. of the Second Part Second Edition I have laid down some Tenets of the Sectaries destructive to Civill Government and humane Society but now in this Third Part among these Errors mentioned I have discovered much more of their Anarchicall and Antimagistraticall spirit many of these last Errors plainly showing they are enemies to all Government Order and Distinction and would bring all into a popular confusion and reduce all Common-wealths and Kingdoms into such a condtion as they were before they had Laws Customes of Nations Rulers over them and that as often as the weak judgements and humours of the giddy in constant multitude pleased and this spirit of Anarchy fully showes it self in many whole Books written on purpose some Sermons many Speeches and in many late practises of the Sectaries I have forborne quoting in the margine one or more particular Bookes with the Pages just against the Errours for proof as I have done in other Errors because not only one Book
Christ saving only he should not dye for the sinnes of men This Mistris Attaway had a great parchment role wherein many things were written and this was to be given to Jenney and this Jenney beleeved all Mistris Attaway told him as fully as might be that he should never dye c. This Mistris Attaway also gave out that there should come ships from Tarshish to fetch away all the Saints to Jerusalem and all that would not turne Jewes should be destroyed and this whole Land should be destroyed and therefore she would goe away before hand to escape This Jenney Mistris Attaway and some of their Tribe held no hell but what was in the conscience the soules mortall they held the Book of Esdrâ—s had great things in it to them who had the spirit to understand it and that there was Esaus world and Jacobs world this was Esaus world but Jacobs world was comming shortly wherein all creatures shall be saved And this Prophet who was shut up was to come forth to preach this new Doctrine of generall Restauration and Salvation of all and though all should be saved yet there should be degrees of glory between those that have been Saints they should be more glorious and those who were the wicked though now restored This Jenney held from that Scripture in Genes where God saith I will make him an help meet for him that when a mans wife was not a meet help he might put her away and take another and when the woman was an unbeleever that is not a Sectarie of their Church she was not a meet help and therefore Jenney left his wife and went away with Mistris Attaway A Commander belonging to the Army told me last July he had seen some of the Sectarian Preachers preach lately with their hats on and sitting he told me he had heard Master Cradock Master Peters and other such Preachers insinuate into the souldiers flatter them all kind of wayes telling them what they had done what fame they had atchieved how they had conquered â—he Kingdome and particularly a little before he heard Master Peters preaching thus you who have conquered the Kingdome done all this service and now when you have done all this might expect your Arrears look to enjoy your Liberties yea and expect preferments good places as you have well deserved it may be you shall be cast into a stincking prison but if it should be so t is the will of God and yee must provide to beare it There is one Thomas Collier a great Sectary in the West of England whom I have spoken of in the second part of Gangraena and have printed some Letters of his in this third part I have seen a Book of his printed in the year 1645. called certain Queres or Points now in controversie examined wherein among other Errours laid down by him he makes Baptizing the Children of the faithfull not only to be vaine bâ—t evill and sinfull yeâ— the commission of Baptizing Children to come from the Divell or Anti-Christ or both And secondly that Magistrats have no power at all to establish Church-Government or to compell any to the Government of Christ by any humane power and upon occasion of discoursing of the power of the Civill Magistrate what hee should do now religion is corrupted and the Magistrates endeavour is to Reforme it and to this end have called an Assembly of Learned men to assist them in this work This Learned Master Collier if he might be thought meet makes bold to present these three words in this case to the Parliament First To dismisse that Assembly of Learned men who are now call'd together for to consult about matters of Religion and the reason this Learned Clark gives is because he cannot conclude that God hath any thing to do there for them he knowes no rule in the Book of God for such an Assembly and therefore cannot expect a blessing The second Word To go on in subduing of Antichristian enemies so farre as by Civill Law they have power for there must by this or some other meanes be a desolation upon the tenth part of the City The third Word is That the Parliament would give the Kingdome to the Saints and for who gives the Kingdom to the Saints so it be done Master Collier will not much dispute whether it be the Lord Jesus immediatly or Jesus by a Parliament only thus much he would have men take notice that by the Kingdome is meant an externall Kingdome for the Saints shall possesse that as well as the spirituall Kingdome and Government of the Church of Christ Hence we may see by Master Colliers words that his Saints viz. those whom he hath described before in the former part of his Book Separatists Anabaptists do look for from the Parliament that they should give the Kingdome to them and all temporall power and rule and take it out of the hands of all others So that the King the Parliament unlesse there be some of Master Colliers Saints among them the Judges and all men who by the Lawes under the King and Parliament have any Civill power of rule in the Kingdome must have it taken from them and given to the Sectaries Saints Yea I conceive by Colliers words not only England but Scotland and Ireland are to be taken from the King and to be given by the Lord Jesus immediatly or by Jesus by a Parliament to the Saints which whether it be not so or no I leave the Reader to judge upon transcribing Colliers own words where giving his second word of advice to the Parliament of going on to subdue Antichristian enemies so far as they have power because there must by this or some other meanes be a desolation upon the tenth part of the City he interprets his meaning in these following words Which I think to be England and those Dominions belonging to it Scotland and Ireland I conceive this to be the time that the Kingdome is to to taken from him who shall arise and subdue three Kings that is Kingdoms speaking great words thinking to change times and Laws but the Judgement shall fit and take away this Dominion to consume it and destroy it to the end Dan. 7. 26. Therefore let not your hearts faint neither your hands draw back God will finish his work The third Word is that they would give the Kingdome to the Saints Dan. 7. 27. Who gives the Kingdome to the Saints The judgement that pulls down the power and Kingdome of the one gives to the other Whether iâ— be the Lord Jesus immediatly or Jesus by a Parliament I shall not much dispute but leave it to your considerations Only thus much take notice that by the Kingdome is not only meant an externall Kingdome for the Saints shall possesse that but the spirituall Kingdome and Government of the Church of Christ c. This Collier as it appears by his Letter before mentioned
trouble you the Danes and Saxons never mastered this â—and by power but by our home-bred distempers To prevent those fears let English-men keep to their proper Interests and Scots to theire and I know not why we might not marâ—ch into Bavaria and Lorain before they come to us and make them pay all old Arreares I must confesse I am divided between Ireland and the Palatinate only I quiet my self in this that we may doe both And againe pag. 9. And if our back-doore were well shut at home how might Euphrates be 〈…〉 yed up I meane the West Indies and the East too offer themselves to our devotion And not only Master Peters but divers other Sectaries do in a sort deifie this Army I beleeve never was there an Army or rather one sort of men in the Army viz. Independents and Sectaries so cryed up in Pulpits Pamphlets Speeches and that to their faces as this is I might relate passages out of Sermons printed Pamphlets of the Saints in the Army the Independents calling them the strength preservers deliverers of the Presbyterians the instruments under God by which we enjoy all c. But I must abreviate and conclude this with a speech lately related to me of a great man of Master Peters his Religion that a discourse arising about the great Turk seasing on some of our Merchants goods in Turkis upon occasion of the difference between King and Parliament the Ambassador there being on the Kings side and what course there might be to help it he answered to this effect we had an Army that the terror of it was such that we needed not to feare the great Turke but it might go to the gates of Constantinople and demaud right 8. Master Peters designe is to plead for the keeping this Army on foot still and that in England for this Winter at least and to possesse men of the need of it and to perswade against the disbanding of it by any meanes and to work this the more he runnes into praises of the Army and Commanders of which the Reader may find such passages as these page 6. Your demand about the disposing the Army is not so proper for a private pen to engage in yet this I may say that other Nations in our condition would think if they look round about them and within them the disbâ—nding an Army if trusty ought not to be a work of haste When the seas are down in England I think the passage into Ireland will be easier and if we can maintain a defensive Warre this Winter I trust the spring will invite many over thither in the meane if these faithfull Commanders were in Garrisons without any designe be it spoken you have alwayes an Army ready the private souldier will still runne to his honest and well known Commander c. Briefly I say this to your question that this Army was hardly gotten and I wish it may be as hardly disbanded and so page 10. speaking of preserving the conquests hee writes thus By the same meanes the mercy is gained it may be preserved if men yea good men were instrumentall in the one they must be in the other And of their praises that they may not bee disbanded see page 5. I find our Souldiers generally in the old forme rather wondering then boasting admired by the enemy for their gallantry and Conduct And page 6. Feare not that Army whose Commanders like Samuel can ask any County or Town where they have been whose Oxe or Asse have they taken 9. Master Peters closely but shrewdly strickes at that neer conjunction and union joynt interest of both Nations as one by vertue of the Covenant in a uniformity of Religion in Doctrine Government and Discipline and labours to divide between them by hinting passages to look upon them not as one but as two Kingdomes having different interests for proof of which the Reader may take notice of these following passages page 7. Let us remember England as it was never conquered but by faction so it can never be ruled but by love the same Last will not fit an English and a Scottish foot they came not suddenly to what they enjoy and therefore should give England a little breathing over what is propounded it will be their mercy to keep what they have and ours to be growing up to what we desire So page 10. To prevent those feares let English men keep to their proper interests and Scots to theirâ— I would as soon credit a Garrison to a known honest godly English man differing from me in his opinion c. And pray Master Peters why not a known honest godly Scotch-man differing from you in his opinion implying a Scotch-man though a known honest godly man differing in opinion you would not trust 10. Master Peters strickes at the City of London and their Remonstrance page 11. in these passages speaking of our late enemies saith Their highest designe now is to make it Royall you may remember how willing I was once to have made a match my weaknesse was such that I did not study whether both parties were well agreed and my simplicity kept me from thinking of a Corrivall and let London know that if they think a Parliament sits the quieter by being so near them so 〈◊〉 think when the Parliament doores are shut up at Westminster their shops will hardly stand open at London Iâ— the clashing of swords cannot be heard yet death climbing up their windowes by the increase of the plague calls for something And in the same page again Had the Citizens Remonstrated more about their debts due and lesse about their wille they might have had more thanks and it may be by this time some might have kept Orphanes from their doores that â—ry for the money lent to supply the States use 11. Mr Peters designe in his Answer to seven Queres is to represent and render himself all along as some great Statesman and knowing man a great Traveller and of great experience a man beloved of godly men and respected at home and abroad a man of great interest in the most Learned and godly men of other Nations as Master Forbs the Scotchman Doctor Ames a man so active as if he did all and so wise as to give Answer to Queres and Counsell and Resolution to Parliament men as by some passages in these Answers it should seem this friend was in the hardest matters both of Church and Sâ—ate a man that could not be missed by the Parliment or the Army not spared out of England and such hints have bâ—â—n given out both in Sermons and in Speeches Now the whole frame of the Queres and Answers shewes this to be his â—â—me but more particularly these passages page 4. Master Richard Sâ—â—wâ—y a Member of the House who was of our Counsell in this work I preached at Worcester at our coming in and did observe a doore open to the Gospel Master Peters was of the Counsell belike for taking of Worcester
142. pages of this Book I might fill a Book in relating the passages in Discourses Sermons and printed Books spoken in way of boasting of this Army and of particular persons belonging to it of the Independent way calling one Infallible the Saviour of three Kingcomes a second the Terrible a third whom God hath especially fitted for Sea or Land one whom foraigne States would be proud of having such a servant and so of others but I will only point at some expressions in a late Book of Master Burtons called Conformities Deformity wherein the Army is in a sort deified page 17 18. speaking of pressing the Parliament for an Ordinance against Heresies and Schismes he speaks what this Ordinance would do against those men who have prodigally poured their dearest bloud viz. trample upon them and not suffer them to breath in their native aire and thereupon runs out in the extolling of that sort of men in the Army that by them we yet breath that they have beene the preservers of the Land that many glorious victories have made them admirable to the neighbour Nations yea to the whole world and terrible to their professed enemies and ours yea and to pretended freinds too who would master us at home were not these masters of the feild God hath made them the great instruments of the preservation and deliverance of our Country and City from the most desperate bloudy and beastiall enemies that ever the earth bred or hell hatched God hath vouchsafed to cast great favour and honour upon them and as he hath crowned them with so much glory and they have â—ast their crownes at the feet of the Lamb that sits upon the Throne So should we come and first giving all the glory to God gather up those crownes and set them upon the heads of those our Preservers and Deliverers and put chains about their necks so far off should we be from trampling such Pearles under foot or casting them out of our Gates and Ports 8. The Sectaries are guilty of unsufferable Insolencies horrible affronts to Authority and of strange outrages having done those things that all things considered no story of former ages can paralell and here I have so large a feild that I might write a Book in Folio upon this head but I will only give a touch upon the particulars and referre the Reader for further satisfaction to their owne Books 1. Some of the Sectaries have spoken and written that against the Lawes of the Land both Common and Statute as I beleeve neither Papists nor any English men ever did before them I have read divers passages of this kind in divers Pamphlets within these two last yeers as in some books written against Master Pryn but above all Leiutenant Colonell Lilburne in his Just mans Justification page 11 12 13 14 15. and A Remonstrance to their owne House of Commons page 13. 15. 19. damns the Common Law as coming from the Devill and being the great bondage of England the Norman Yoake as the Reader may easily see by these words That which is the greatest mischeife of all and the oppressing bondage of England ever since the Norman Yoak is this I must be tried before you by a Law call'd the Common Law that I know not nor I thinke no man else neither do I know where to finde it or read it and how I can in such a â—asâ— be punished by it I know not such an unfathomable gulâ—e have I by a little search found the Law practises in Westminster Hall to be that seriously I thinke there is neither end nor bottome of them so many uncertainties formalilities puncâ—ilios and that which is worse all the enâ—ries and proceedings in Latine a Language I understand not nor one of a thousand of my native Country-men so that when I read the Scripture it makes me thinke that the practises in the Courts at Westminster flow not from God nor from his Law nor the Law of Nature and Reason no nor yet from the understanding of any righteous just or honest men but from the Devill and the will of Tyrants The Kings Writs that summons a Parliament implying the establishment of Religion showes that we remaine under the Norman yoake of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free our selves Ye know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason which ought to be the forme and life of every Government Magna Charta it selfe being but a beggerly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable The Conquerer erected a trade of Judges and Lawyers to sell justice and injustice at his owne unconscionable rate and in what time he pleased the corruption whereof is yet upon us from which we thought you should have delivered us we cannot but expect to be delivered from the Norman bondage and from all unreasonable Lawes made ever since that unhappy conquest By which passages t is evident the Sectaries aime at a totall change of the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom 2. They have spoken and written much against the King speaking of him as a Delinquent terming him the great Delinquent and that he should not come in but as a Delinquent when news hath beene of messages and gracious offers from the King and when his late Letter to the City was spoken of they have slighted all saying we can have them without him and what can he do for us he is a Delinquent They have taken one of his titles from him and given it to that unworthy mean man Lilburne stiling him Defendor of the Faith they have taken other of his Titles as Soveraign Leige Lord Majesty Kingship Regality and given them to the H. of Commons and to the common people making the Universall people to be the King Creator and the King their meer creature servant and vassal and as they have taken from him his Titles so his power denying him all Legislative power and to be one of the Estates of Parliament yea they have pleaded for the King to be deposed and justice to be done upon him as the grand murtherer of England and not only that he should bee beheaded but the Kingdome also viz. this Kingdome deprived of a King for ever and Monarchie turned into Democracie And as they have endeavoured to strip him of all his Titles and power as a King so to take from him all priviledges as a man and a Christian speaking against Ministers praying for him and that he should be excommunicated from all Christian society For proofe of which particulars let the Reader read over the late Remonstrance of many thousand Citiznes to their owne House of Commons and among other passages that in page 6. It is high time we be
Commission and Councel board might not doe Yee now frequently commit mens persons to prison without showing cause Ye examine men upon interrogatories and questions against themselves and imprison them for refusing to answer Yee have entertained to be your Committees servants those very prowling Vaâ—leâ—s that were employed by those un just Courts who took pleasure to torment honest conscionable people yea vexe and molest honest men for matters of Religion and differences with you and your Synod in judgement and take upon you to determine of Doctrine and Discipline approving this and rep 〈…〉 thing that just like unto former ignorant politick and superstitious Parliaments and 〈…〉 cations So page 17. Truly t is a sad thing but too true a plaine quiet minded man in any place in England is just like a harmlesse sheep in a thickeâ— can hardly move or stiâ— but he shall be stretched and lose his wooll such Committees have ye made in all Cities and Countries and none are so ill used as honest godly men Yeâ— have now â—are full 5. yeers which is 4. yeers longer then we intended for we could chuse you but for at most one yeer and now we wish ye would publish to all the world the good that you have done for us the liberty you have brought us unto c. And if yâ— beleeve there is a God ye must beleeve it and if ye do beleeve it consider the way 〈…〉 ye have 〈…〉 d and truly repent show it by w 〈…〉 ing contrary to what ye have done or purposed to do and let us quickly and speedily 〈◊〉 thereof for God is a God that taketh vâ—nge 〈…〉 and will not suffer you to go on to your rui 〈…〉 And 〈◊〉 in these and 〈◊〉 other printed passages the Sectories 〈◊〉 their in sol 〈…〉 against the House of Commons so they declare their insol 〈…〉 in severall other particulars as First in going with a high hand against Votes passed in that House for instance when a passage in a Letter sent 〈◊〉 the House of Commons after Nazâ—by fight about liberty of conscience was upon debate Voted and Ordered by the House to be left out and was not in the Copies printed by co 〈…〉 d of the House the Sectaries presently printed that passage and besides bare printing it did it with a blaming of them who lest it out in the Letters printed and being printed it was set up upon Church doores to make it more publick viz. the Churches of greatest resort of people as at Stepny at the time of Master Burroughs preaching and printed in a sheet with some motives to the Presbyterians for liberty of conscience at the end of it as a passage in such a Letter written by such a man whose name I forbeare printing Secondly in scoffing at and writing against the priviledges of Members of the House of Commons and declaring themselves against those provisoes of exemptions made of Members in the House of Commons upon any Ordinances as that of Accounts c. declaring they are as free as any Members of that House and that they ought not to be in bondage to any Law oâ— Ordinance that they will not stand to declaring against theirs and their servants freedome from arests suits c. divers scoffing passages to which purpose the Reader may â—inde in Lilburâ—s innocency and truth justified and other Pamphlets above named Thirdly in taking notice of publickly and publishing in priâ—t matters in the House under debate and deliberation there before agreed on and resolved yea and speaking their pleasure of such things and branding the Members who have brought in or spoken to such things of which there are many instances as in the Ordinance for the preventing of the growing and spreading of Heresies Blasphemies brought into the House of Commons they printed it they made Observations Animadversions Queres Invectives against it spoke against those worthy Members by name who presented it and all when it was but newly under debate for proofe of all which particulars let the Reader look upon these following Pamphlets S 〈…〉 e moâ—â—sâ— and â—umble Queres concerning a printed paper entituled An Ordinance presented to the Honorable House of Commons for the preventing of the growing of Heresies A D 〈…〉 to the Bill for preventing the growth and spreading of Heresies Some breif Observations upon the foregoing Ordinance Master Burtons Conformities Deformity Pag. 17. Overtons Arrow against all Tyrants pag. 12. 13 14. of which Ordinance yet but under debate in that House this Overton writes That by the powerfull agitation of Master Taet and Master Bacon two Members of the House a most Romish Inquisition Ordinance had obtained admission into the House there to be twice read and to be referr'd to a Committee which is of such a nature if it should be but confirmed enacted and established as would draw all the innocent bloud of the Saints from righteous Abel unto this present upon this Nation and fill the Land with more Martyrdoms Tyrannies Cruelties and Oppressio 〈…〉 then ever was in the bloudy dayes of Queen Mary yea or ever before or since For I may boldly say that the people of this Nation never heard of such a diabolicall murthering devouring Ordinance Order Edict oâ— Law in their Land as is that So when the Assemblies last Petition about Church-Government was in the House under debate Master Salt 〈…〉 arish takes notice of it prints is writes against it Fourthly In a contemptuous carriage to the commands of the House of Commons in refusing to answer any questions propounded and instead of answering charging the House of Commons with injustice c. as is to be seen in a Letter of Lilburnes to his friend and divers other Pamphlets Yea Lilburne in a Book lately printed even since his Appeale from the Lords House was accepted by the Commons as himselfe saith and he so favourably and patiently heard by the Committee of the House of Commons to consider of the priviledges of the Commoners of England as appeares by a wicked Pamphlet intituled An Anatomy of the Lordâ— Tyranâ—y and unjustice exercisâ—d upon Lieutenans Colonel Lilburne brands the House of Commons with injustice ingratitude saying page 20. of Londons liberty in chains discovered that he could never in his life enjoy justice from the House of Commons although saith he I have waâ—ted upon them therefore this sixe yeers and followed them as close as any man I think in England and I have beene as serviceable to the Common-wealth of England in my place and condition as any one man whatsoever that site in that House though I have beene ungratefully dealt with by them as ever man in England was Fifthly In opposing the power of the House of Commons in medling with matters of Religion making any Lawes Ordinances or Orders in reference to matters of Church-Government Master John Goodwin first preached against their power in this kind because they were chosen by the common people of the Land worldlings
prophane persons ignorant c. who having no knowledge in Religion and so likely to chuse such as themselves were unfit for such a work and afterwards in print being charged with it by Master Prynne as proved against him before the Committee of plundered Ministers he justifies his Preaching of which the Reader may see more in those Answers and Replyes that passed betwixt Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Pryn and particularly in Mr. Pryns Truth triumphing over falshood Epist Dedicat. and in the Book pag 106 107 108. The Author of the last warning to all the inhabitants of London pag. 5. saith That the betrusted Commons have not permitted this liberty in policie of every one worshipping God as they will but in Justice and upon mature knowledge that they neither are nor can be betrusted to make Lawes to rule men in the practice of Religion The Sectaries Remonstrance to their own House of Commons as they call the Honorable House pag. 12 13. speaking of matters that concern the worship of God denys the Commons any power at aâ— to conclude the people in such things It is not for you to assume a power to controule and force Religion or to force a way of Church-Government upon the people because former Parliaments have so done and affirms the Commons could not have such a power justly entrusted upon them by the people that trusted them And what need any further witnesse The House of Commons to their faces in the last 〈…〉 a st Sermon before them heard enough by Master Dell a famous Sectary and the Generalls Chaplaine against their power and authority to meddle in things of this kind Fifthly the Sectaries have written publikely and spoken openly against many particular Members of both Houses by name yea against the Honourable Speakers of both Houses by name and divers other prime eminent Members of note as well for their estates and ranks out of the Houses as power in the Houses calling by name some of them Traitors Achanâ— accusing them of treason and wilfull betraying of their Countries and Trusts as the Religious Earl of Manchester Sir Henry Vane Senior Master Barwis charging others by their severall names with other crimes as injustice oppression protecting of Delinquents sending many thousand pounds to the King at Oxford procuring by their publike places in the House contrary to the Self-denying Ordinances private and profitable places to themselves pride and loftinesse of carriage breach of promises giving out of the Scots that they have a wicked design tending to the prejudice of the State It would fill up many pages to relate all the passages in Lilburns Overtons Master Musgraâ—es Books Englands Birth-right and such like Pamphlets of Sectaries against some of the Peers by name as thâ—â— thrice Noble and Worthy Earl of Essexâ—â—tely â—â—tely deceased the Earl of Stamford Lord Hâ—â—sden and divers of the Commons as Sir Arthur Hazelrig Master Lilsle Master Glyn Master Blackstone Master Gorbet Master Whitaker Master Allen Master Tâ—et Master Bâ—â—on yea they fall foule upon Sir Henry Vanâ— the younger Master Sollicitor Lievâ—enant Generall Cromwell Sir Henry Mildmay Master Holland c. and would have them turned out of their places as being Nonrefidentiaries Pluralists strengthening others in those wayes by their examples telling them these other places distinct from their Memberships of Parliament prejudices greatly the Common-wealth sowes up their lips makes them they dare neither speak nor doe what they should and without which 't is hoped they would but I must not enlarge more on this head and therefore referre the Reader to the Books themselves to peruse the particulars at large Sixthly The Sectaries have spoken written publikely against contested with the Committees of Parliament the Committees of each House both of the House of Commons and Lords How Lilburne carried himself to the Committee of Examinations his pamphlet entituled The copy of a Letter from Liâ—â—t Col. Lilburne 〈◊〉 a Friend shewes at large what Master Musgraves carriage was to a Committee of the House of Commons of which Master Liâ—ts was the Chair-man himselfe relates in his pamphlet entituled Another word to the wiâ—e and in that Book he speaks against the proceedings of that Committee and in that of all the Committees of the House of Commons shewing his reasons why he declined that Committee and the answering of their Interrogatories Now his words are as followes I am blamed because I decline the Committee how should I expect any good from them when they dare not or will not suffer our cause to be publikely heard and debated but doe shut their doores against both our friends and also against strangers contrary to Law yet suffer they our adversaries whom we accuse to sit with their hats on as Judges in the cause both permitting them and they taking upon them to examine us And how can I assent unto the Committes demands to bring witnesses to be examined before such a Committee as cannot or is not authorised to administer an oath and so consequently cannot determine or give any judgement for or against the party accused for that all matters of fact and causes criminall are to be tried and determined by the verdict of twelue men upon solemne oaths and deposition of witnesses And how can I without incurring the hainous sinne of perjury submit unto the Arbitrary proceedings and determinations of any Committee being bound by solemne oath and protestation to maintaine the Lawes and just liberties of the people and that the Proceeding Orders and Results of the Committees be Arbitrary and not regulated by the Law I need no further proofe then that exorbitant and unlimiâ—ted power they take upon them and daily exercise in seazing on free mens goods and imprisoning their bodies contrary to Law for which if they should as they ought pay 500. li. a peice and trebble dommages to every party greived according to the Statute of 17. Carol. made for the abolishing of the Star-chamber I beleeve they would not adventure so boldly to transgresse Overton in his Pamphlet call'd A Deâ—â—ance against all Arbitrary usurpations either of the House of Lords or any other p 14. 13. declares his contemptâ—os insolent carriag towards a Committee of the Lords House how when he was asked by the Earle of Essex two severall times whether he were a printer or no he answered that he would not answer any questions or Interrogatories whatsoever but would stand to the rights and properties of the people of this Nation as also that he asked the Committee some questions talked sawcily to them as to know where or before whom he was What is a Committee of Lords the most supreme Court of Judicature in the Land Gentlemen if you be a Committee of Lords then I appeale from you Seventhly the Sectaries have carried themselves in word and deed insolently against the Parliament of England not only as I have fully proved abusing apart the House of Lords the House of the Commons Commit of each House and
divers particular Members of both Houses by name but as conjunct in their Authority Power and that in both the senses in which the Parliament is taken whether as we meane the three Estates in Parliament in their Legislative power the King the Lords the Commons or whether the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament making the highest Court to punish other Courts and offendors according to Lawes already made and having a power to make Ordinances and to set out rules and directions in emergent occasions of the Kingdome till a Law can be made Now in the first acception of Parliament the Sectaries have by word writing and all their proceedings especially of late overthrowne Parliaments and the fundamentall constitution of the three estates King Lords and Commons and that in denying all Legislative power to the King and Lords and of three Estates leaving and making but one cutting off both King and Lords from their unquestionable legall power according to the Lawes and fundamentall constitution of the Government of this Kingdome yea indeed destroying all the three estates taking away all the power and authority from the King Lords and Commons and placing it in the universall people giving them power to doe what they will and as often as they will as being the Creator of all and making the King Lords and Commons their meere creatures to be disposed of as they please and as the Sectaries are against the power of the three Estates in Parlia to make new Lawes giving this Legislative power only to the Commons and that to at the discretion of the people so are they against the Lawes and Acts already made by King Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament having inveighed against all Lawes from first to last both Common and Statute yea against Magna Charta it selfe calling it a poore and beggarly thing below a Freeman c. of the proofes of which particulars though the Sectaries Books are full I shall only name one place in the Remonstrance of the Sectaries to their owne House of Commons page 15. where they speak thus to the Commons Yee know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy of a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason Magna Charta it selfe is but a beggarly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable and in all their Books they speak against the knowne positive Lawes of the Land and cry out for Lawes according to right reason and for naturall primitive rights the just rights and prerogative of mankind which as they are the sonnes of Adam from him they have legitimatly derived of which they make themselves the sole Judges for otherwise our Ancestors who first founded this government and Lawes and the Parliaments ever since in all ages being rationall men have judged the present forme of Government and the Lawes to be most agreeable to Right Reason and Equity for this Nation and accordingly have confirmed and ratiâ—ied them so many times Now if this insolent outragious carriage of many Sectaries be well considered it will be found Treason in the highest forme not only against the King but the Kingdome too as my Lord Cook spake in the case of the Gunpouder Traytors they having plotted endeavoured written many Books done many actions to overthrow the fundamentall constitution and lawes of this Kingdome and that not by blowing up one Parliament but by their gun-powder spirits labouring to destroy all Parliaments in their constitution of three Estates for ever and if Strafford and Canterbury for endeavouring to subvert the fundamentall lawes of this Kingdome though they professed ignorance in many things and for what they did pleaded the command of the King and carried themselves with all duâ—ifull submission to the Parliament not to their faces and in the time of a Parliament endeavouring to overthrow Parliaments and Lawes and confronting them were yet charged and suffered death how many deaths hath Lilburne Overton and the rest of their fellowes deserved who have with so much violence sought the overthrow of the three Estates and the Lawes of the Kingdome and in the stead of the Fundamentall Government Lawes and Constitution of this Kingdome to set up an Utopian Anarchie of the promiscuous multitude and the â—usts and uncertaine fancies of weake people for Lawes and Rules and if these audacious men and their daring books shall escape without exemplary punishment and instead thereof be countenanced and set free I do as a Minister pronounce that the plague of God will fall upon the heads of those who are the cause of it Aâ—d in the second acception of the Parlia for what hath been done by the joynt power of both Houses in their Ordinances and commands yea the power which they claime and is expressed in the Writs by which they make such Ordinances and command obedience to them both the Authority and the Ordinances following from that Authority are denied and reproached all kind of wayes by the Sectaries and here I have so large a feild to walke in that I might make a fourth part of Gangraena in laying open the particulars of this kind but I will only speak a few things In the generall the Authority of both Houses of Parliament in matters of Religion and all Ordinances whatsoever tending that way have beene all violâ—â—ed with a high hand and trampled undeâ— foot with scorne and detestation openly declared against in the strangest manner that ever was in any age Now for the Sectaries opposing the Parliaments Authority to establish Church-government and to set up the true Religion I will among many quote only three First Collyer a Master Sectary in his Queres p. 24. answering that question what power c. saith they have none at all and that t is one of the first and greatest degrees of Antichristian tyranny for man to assume to himself power in spirituall things vide p. 24 25 26 27 28 29. Secondly Mr. Burton in his Pamphlet entituled Conformities Deformity it being the maine scope of his Book speaks against the power and practise of this State and present Parliament to enact a Law to binde all to conformity in Religion and makes it to be the feare of God raught by the precept of men to be hypocrisie idolatry to be that which turnes men away from the truth and so from Christ page 7. 15. and in page 12 1â— he writes thus Aâ—d therefore in this time of pretended Reformation belike the Parliament doth but pretend Reformation because it sets not up by a Law Independencie and Sectarisme Presbyteriall Government the Diâ—â—ctory Confession of Faith Catechisme being all but pretended Reformation with Master Burton to erect this great Idoll to wiâ— a power in man to prescribe Lawes and to lâ—gi 〈…〉 commandements for worship
and Church government and to presse them upon every mans conscience w 〈…〉 is it but with Nebuchadnezzar to erect this golden Image and with an immortall Law of the Medes and Persians to bind all men to fall downe and worship it Or what is it but with Jeroboam and his Councell to set up the golden Calves with a strict comandement of universaâ—l conformity none daring among all those ten Tribes openly to proâ—esse the pure worship of God saving the Prophet Elijah to whom these seven thousand were not knowne The Parliament may do well to take notice that he resembles their settling Church-government and Religion among us to Nebuchadnezzars erecting his golden Image and Jeroboams setting up the golden Calves Thirdly the Pamphlet entituled The tender Conscience religiously affected descanting upon a part of the Preamble of an Ordinance made by the Lords and Commons concerning suspension of ignorant and scand alous persons from the Lords Supper where the Parliament saith never any of Gods servants since theâ— foundation of the world had 〈◊〉 high and strong engagements beartily and sincerely to endeavour the compleat establishment of purity and unity in the Church of God then we have charges the Parliament with speaking of blasphemy and aske where had the Lords and Commons this large Commission to middle in the affairs of King Jesus so farre c. 2. For the Sectaries opposing all the Ordinances of Parliament in matters of Religion and tending to Religion to say nothing now of Ordinances in civill mâ—tters as the additionall Ordinance of Accounts Lillurnes Innocency and Truth justified page 69. the Ordinance of Excise the Ordinances for Takes spoken against in Englands birth-right page 44 4â— t is so apparent that I can give not only passages out of Books written against all the Ordinances in that kind but relate insolent tumultuous practises contrary unto and in scorne and contempt of the Ordinances of Parliament There are many books and passages in books written against the Ordinance of Tyths as that Pamphlet call'd Ordinance for Tyths Dis 〈…〉 ted Englands Birthright A Copie of a Letter written to Master William Pr 〈…〉 with divers others wherein they speak both against the thing and the Parliament calling Tyths Antichristian Jewish Diaboli 〈…〉 the root and support of Popery c. charging the Parliament with breach of â—ovenant for making that Ordinance There are Sermons preached all the Kingdome over against this Ordinance of Tyths that being one of their subjects commonly in all their preachings and the Sectaries in places have abused and beaten those who have beene gathering of Tyths and themselves deny payment and provoke others not to pay by all the meanes they can A great Sectary in Bermonsey parish being call'd in question for non-payment of his Tyths by vertue of the Ordinance of Parliament said of that Ordinance the Parliament had made an Ordinance to rob men and they who executed it were theeves and robbers The Ordinance against mens preaching not being Ordained how hath it beene scoffed at in severall Pamphlets of the Sectaries and how doe souldlers and every mechanick not only disobey it but put by many godly Ministers from their Pulpits preaching whether they will or no causing many tumults and riots in Churches yea threatning and laying Ministers by the heeles for publishing it The Ordinance for the better observation of the monthly Fast how hath it beene and is slighted by the Sectaries spoken against as legall popish not observed but things done in contempt of the Fast and when civill Officers have questioned people for travelling and worldly works on those dayes some Sectaries have opposed them in the execution of their offices the proofe of which particular and that of committing a Minister to prison for reading the Ordinance against Lay mens preaching the Reader may finde it in the Letters sent from the Committee of Exeter to some in London The Nationall Covenant taken by both Houses and appointed by Ordinance with solemne instructions for all to take it how fearfully is it scoffed at and jeared in many Books of the Sectaries Arraignment of Persecution c. and forced Jesuiticall equivocations and interpretations put upon it by many as by Walwyn in A word more to Master Edwards as by Cretensis in his large Preface to the Reader before his Anapologesiates Antapologias The Nationall Covenant is called a double faced Covenant the greatest make-bate and snare that ever the Devill and the Clergy his Agents cast in among honest men in England in our age which I dare pawne my head and life so to prove it to be in a fair and publick discourse against the greatest maintainer thereof in England Lilburns Londons liberty in chains discovered page 42. The Directory established by Ordinance is in severall Books of the Sectaries spoken much against resembled to Jeroboams calves said to have contradictions to the Canonicall Scriptures Turners Heavenly confidence for Syons Saints page 64 65. scoffed at in a Ballad call'd A Prophecie of the Swinâ—herds destruction The Ordinances for the Presbyteriall Government and the Government it selfe in the going to set it up have beene preached written against and all manner of wayes opposed by the Sectaries What hath beene more familiar and common with the Sectaries in their Pulpits and Books then to call the Presbyterian Government Antichristian a â—lim of Anti-christ Tyrannicall Lordly cruell a worse bondage then under the Prelates a bondage under Taskmasters as the Israelites in Egypt besides many bitter jeares and scoffs have beene made both of the Government and Ordinances as 〈◊〉 The Arraignment of Persecution Martins Eccho Ordinance for â—yâ—â—s dismounted The last warning to all the Inhabitants of London as also they have made disgracefull pictures of the Presbytery one printed and joyned to a paper call'd Severall Votes of tender consciences another to a Pamphlet call'd The tender Conscience religiously affected But among all the Sectaries Books abusing the Parliaments Ordinances about Presbyteriall Government let the Reader take notice of the Pamphlet call'd Tender conscience religiously affected propounding questions of weighty consequence in which the Author descants upon the Ordinances of Parliament and charges them with speaking blasphemy and many other crimes and the Ordinance for Tyths dismounted where that Sectary speaking occasionally of the Ordinance of Parliament for the Lords Supper saith For indeed at the first onset it was not policie to rush such a diabolicall and villâ—nous invention point blanck upon us with an It is decreed and ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament But after a more mysterious manner of Ordination slily intrude it upon us unawares in the godly and specious vizor of Rules and Directions as if our Parliament men â—ad such a spirituall and holy care â—ver â—s to give us such wholsome and 〈…〉 directions 〈…〉 indeed under this innocent apparition in the shape of Lam 〈…〉 they are no other then ravening Woolves rending and tearing us in p 〈…〉 ces
whom you thus see shall come to preach againe in this City and have free Liberty of his Ministrie when all damnable Heresies and Errours shall be vented by preaching and writing and yet shall never speake against them this man who hath preached and written with so much earnestnesse against bowing at the Name of Jesus against people coming up to the Raile about the Table to receive the Lords Supper against Christs dying for all men sufficiently when the Divinity of Christ shall be denied the Scriptures denied to be the Word of God when all Churches Ministry and Sacraments shall be denied he shall never write nor preach against them yea this man who will not yeeld now to Bishops in a Ceremony or some outward matter of order to keepe his Ministry shall afterwards yeeld to the people and submit to base conditions contrary to his judgement as to forbear baptizing some of his peoples children and to let singing of Psalmes be suspended with other such like and all to enjoy his Ministry and Church Certainly the people would have beene ready to have stoned such a man and said it could not bee or if they had believed it fewer certainly would have pitied him or visited and rewarded him in prison nay when Mr. Burton was in prison if any man had sent to him such a Message that he should do what he does now viz. write against and be a more bitter enemy against the Reformed Churches our Brethren of Scotland yea the godly Ministers Mr. Calamie c. then ever Canterbury was or Dr. Wren certainly the man would have defied such a Message and said as Hazael am I a dog that I should do so and yet now we see what he hath done and doth daily Mr. Burton surely is in a sad condition and I have often thought of him to be in the case of that Idolater the Prophet Esay speaks of 44. Esa 20. hee feedeth of ashes a deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soule nor say is there not a lye in my right hand The Lord in mercy open his eyes and give him repentance for this last five years work and particularly for writing his last Book cal'd Conformities Deformity Thrdly I shall propound a few Quaeries to Mr. Burton to show him how he is mistaken all along in his grounds 1. Let me ask you M. Burton why you are so angry with the Magistrate the Assembly Sion Colledge the City for establishing and setling of Church-Government if it bee of God and they are perswaded so why should they not be for it and if Independency Brownisme Anabaptisme c. be not of God as they are well assured they are not why should they not be against them hinder and suppresse them M. Burton you will upon your rash and weake perswasion hinder Presbytery all you can the Administration of the Sacraments in a Presbyteriall way may not then the Magistrate upon strong perswasions after serious debates by a learned Assembly and Scripture-grounds satisfying their consciences enact by a Law Presbytery and forbid Independency c. 2. Mr. Burton whether is this a good Argument because Jeroboam did evill by a Law and commandement to set up the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel therefore Asa Hezekiah Josiah c. might not lawfully command the true worship of God in their Kingdomes and put down the false and whether may not Magistrates lawfully make use of their power from God for good because some Magistrates abuse that power for evill and if it be no good Argument as certainly 't is not then hath M. Burton said little against the Magistrates power in matters of Religion for this is the way of his reasoning in Conformities Deformitie and the strength of the man 3. Pray M. Burton let me ask you this question suppose the Parliament would by a Law or Ordinance set up Independent Government and the Church way would you account this so great a sinne as Hypocrisie Idolatry c. and if not how can you then the setting up of Presbyteriall Government especially seeing the question is not so much about this or that particular but the enacting by a Law that which all should conforme to 4. Mr. Burton I am serious with you pray answer me here are such and such men hold all kind of errours and vent them up and down and they say 't is their conscience would you have them suffered to preach write and infect all that come neare them if there be no such evill and danger in errours but they may be preached printed why were you so fierce and violent against the Bishops and their Chaplaines for preaching writing Arminian Popish points though they vented them in an orderly way in comparison of your Saints who goe from Country to Country venting errors in their own Pulpits and when called to preach by Authority not intruding into other mens Pulpits and printing with license not in contempt of Authority There are divers other Sectaries to be discovered and their waies and preachings laid open as Greene the Felt-maker who was one of the first Mechanicks that presently upon the first sitting of this Parliament preached in our Churches publikely as at Algate and elsewhere and was one of that company that went over with Colonell Homstead about Summer was two yeares to Trinidado but is returned lately and now preaches in an Alley in Coleman-street once on the Lords day and once on the weeke day where there is great resort and flocking to him that yards roomes and house are all full so that he causes his neighbours Conventicles as Cretensis and others to be oft times very thin and Independents to preach to bare walls and empty seats in comparison of this great Rabbi as Spencer sometimes the Lord Brooks Coachman an early Preacher too as Gorton who hath lately set forth a Book cal'd Simplicities Defence against Seven-Headed Policy wherein are many dangerous and erroneous passages but I cannot speake of them now the fourth part of Gangraena will supply what 's now wanting I have lately seen divers Letters and some Petitions that have been written and sent up from godly Ministers and others to Worthy Members of the House of Commons to some Members of the Assembly to other Ministers in the City and Citizens concerning the insolencies tumults and strange carriages of many Sectaries Commanders and Souldiers as also other persons both men and women of their Sect but it would be too long to give a Copy of them as I have done of others in the former part of this Book and therefore I will onely relate the Contents of some of them In one Letter a godly Minister about Bristow writing to a Member of the Assembly tells him he had formerly written to him of a preaching Troope that had infected the Countries with errours but now he wâ—ites to him that many of them breake into houses steale Horses and have been indighted here These are our Saints saith he who need