banished they come to the knowledge of the truth and errour and so to shun the one and love the other And now I come to the sixth and last It is impossible for a man saith he to hold fast truth or be fully perswaded in his own heart of what he does or what Religion he makes choice of unlesse after he hath searched the Scriptures and tryed the Spirits whether they be of God or no it be lawfull for him to reject that which shall appear to him as evill and adhear to that which seemes good in his own judgement In a word by this mans Divinity without there be a tolleration of all Religions and that it be left arbitrary for every man to take and choose what Religion he pleaseth it is impossible to hold fast the truth for this is his meaning now if this be good doctrine then the devill is a good teacher for this came from hell but because this his Position hath the greatest appearance of reason of all the rest with the simple people who much conside in the strength of it it will not be amisse to say something to it although with any rationall men if it be well considered and weighed it can never infer a necessity of a tolleration of all Religions an opinion so hetrogeniall to the holy Scripture and so contrary to piety for the Word of God which must be the rule of our faith in diverse places declares Gods dislike of all strange opinions and doctrines commanding all ministers and people to cleave unto the Law and to the Testimony Esa 8. And that they should teach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 And that they should take heed of fables c. vers 4. That is of mens inventions And that they should hold fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse that they should withdraw themselves from such 1 Tim. 6.3.5 And that they should hold fast the faithfull Word as they have been taught Tit. 1.9 And that they should rebuke men sharply that they may be sound in the faith not giving heed to Jewish fables and the Commandements of men that turn from the truth ver 13.14 And that they should not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 And that whosoever teacheth a contrary doctrine tending to seduction should be put to death Deut. 13. All this the holy Scripture teacheth in numberlesse places Now then when Christians know the good will and pleasure of God and are likewise taught out of the Word of God as Deut. 6. and Deut. 11. And in divers other places that it is their duty that they should bring up their children and families in the nurture and fear of the Lord and instruct them in the knowledge of his Commandements that is that they should educate them according to the Will of God and in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures as Timothies grand-mother and mother did him from his child-hood I say when all Christian Parents bring up their children and indoctrinate their families after this rule and manner they may hold fast the truth very well and be fully perswaded of it in their own hearts although they never so much as hear of any Heresie or of any strange opinion For as our Saviour saith Matth. 22. Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures c. So that the knowledge of the Scripture it self is able to keep all men from error as teaching the way the truth and the life c. And as all wilfull ignorance of the Scripture is both sinfull and blame-worthy amongst all good men so there is a learned nescience which is as commendable as the other is vituperable and that is when men desire not to be wise above that which is written for so they are commanded so that the understanding of that which is written in the Book of God and to know God to be the only true God and him who he hath sent Jesus Christ which is life eternall Iohn 17. This is the only knowledge necessary to salvation and all this a man may learn and attaine to without a tolleration of all Religions which they call liberty of conscience which is a most irreligious opinion and no way beseeming a Christian for as Saint Paul saith Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from evill 2 Tim. 2.19 Now tolleration of all Religions is such an evill as there cannot be a greater and more displeasing to God for it is a very fighting against God And for that liberty of conscience the Scripture speaketh of it is no other then that all Christians are now freed from the yoak of all legall Ceremonies and traditions and inventions of men and from the curse and rigour of the Law but from that liberty to infer a tolleration of all Religions is most impious and absurd and it is as wicked to conclude that we are not tyed to the obedience of the Law both Morall and Evangelicall for this is against all the tenure of the holy Scriptures and against all sound reason as will by by appear And therefore all Christian parents ought to instruct their children and housholds in the Law and Gospell as they will answer it before God at his dreadfull Tribunall And if their children will not by kindness be induced and brought to that that is good they are to be forced to it by the Rod and correction for Solomon so instructeth all Parents in diverse places of the Proverbs And it was the sinne of old Ely in 1 Sam. 2. that he did not chastize his children and severely punish them for their wickednesse and force them to obey the commands of God and this was the cause of the Lords displeasure against him that he cast off his Family from being Priests and removed the place of his worship from Shilo to teach all Christians to take heed by his example saying I will honour them that honour me and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed of So that to see sinne and errors in children and to connive at them and not to punish them for it is to despise God And therefore they ought to force them to obedience unto that religion God hath appointed and if they will yet persevere and continue to be rebellious against God and their Parents they are to be cut off by the Law of God Conscience here must be forced the Will of God must be obeyed there is no dispensation given to transgression or to commit evill though good might come of it and that Will and good pleasure of God we have set downe clearly and evidently in the holy Scriptures Psal 19. The knowledge of which is enjoyned to all Christians as necessary to salvation But for all vaine opinions and new Doctrines and traditions and inventions of men under the name of New-lights if a
to that end in the Frontispieces of their books set downe Christs words Matth. 10 34.35 36. where our Saviour saith Think not that I came to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword For I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter in law against her Mother in law and a mans foes shall be those of his own household Out of the which words misunderstood they would perswade the people and make them believe that they have good warrant and ground to fight against their Christian Brethren for the maintenance of their own whimsies whereas although they had been Wolves in times past yet being now Christians indeed and really converted and in whom there is a through change wrought in their hearts they would have laid aside their wolvish nature so that the Wolfe and the Lambe would have peaceably dwelt together according to the prediction of the Prophet they then would be loving and kinde Brethren and would not come out to fight against them for that Scripture speaketh only of such as who living and continuing in their naturall state and in an irregenerate and unconverted condition and in whose souls the work of grace was not yet wrought shold hate their very Parents Brethren and Sisters and nearest allies that were truly converted to the faith and believed the Gospell as the seed of the Serpent will alwayes hate the seed of the Woman as Cain did Abel and that in regard of that enmity God hath put between them so that the righteous is an abomination to the wicked and the wicked to the righteous be their relations never so nigh together in respect either of consanguinity or affinity and this all Gods people by their daily experience finde according to Christs prediction That their foes and enemies are they of their own houshold But doe these words of Christ give liberty to those that are Believers and children of the most High the very sonnes and daughters of God to come out and make warre against their Brethren and to fight against them and that for their own inventions and traditions I think not And yet the Independents from this place of holy Scripture not the Novices Yonkers and fresh-water souldiers only but grave men in their great white basket-hilted beards with their swords in their hands come out to fight against their Brethren for their Independency and justifie this their grollery from Christs words which if it be not to abuse the holy Word of God then nothing ever was an abuse of divine authority But they have a singular faculty in making every portion of Scripture serve their purpose as where Christ saith in Luke chap. 13. vers 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate from thence they conclude That the Independent-way is that straight way and that all Presbyterians being out of it are in the broad way that tends to perdition But I will not abuse the patience of the Reader with relating their dotage as they abuse the Scripture to maintain their faction and to speak the truth it is no better for they boast of such a party in the kingdome if their own words may be credited as they now think by the sword to be able to make their own Laws and have been frequently heard say That they had many abettors in the Assembly and in both Houses of Parliament and in many parts through the Kingdome besides in all the Armies and they were all resolved to have the Liberty of their Consciences or else they would make use of their swords which they have already in their hands So that most certain it is that the Religion of too to many of them is a meer faction And now I will take a little liberty to speak something upon my own experience about this businesse for at my return from my last Imprisonment I having declared my different opinion from them in the point of Independency to many of that fraternity and professing that I looked upon many that went that way as upon people truely fearing God and such as were his deer servants who I pittied to see so misled and yet for the way in which they went I ingeniously told them that I saw no ground for it in Gods Word and that I purposed God willing to write something concerning that subject and that I doubted not to prove the Presbyterian way of Government to be Gods Ordinance and not Independency notwithstanding some of the Independents reported about the City that I was of their judgement and agreed with them in their opinion which was not fairely done of them but all this was acted to strengthen their own party But for such of them as really beleeved that I intended to write something slighted it and made a meer push at it exceedingly vilifying and under valuing what I could either say or doe against their Tenent depending it seemes on their Champions strength in the Assembly who they magnified for such great Schollers as if nothing could bee set forth or written by mee that they would not speedily confute and gloried as if the field were already wonne and all the Presbyterians vanquished and by such expressions as these the party grew dayly more powerfull and into that numerosity it now is But in fine some of their worthies who had a more honourable opinion of me profest unto such as were ordinarily accustomed to slight me for I had very good information of their underhand dealings that if I did write against them they were fully perswaded that it would be more prejudiciall to their cause than any thing writ before and they pleased to speak something in the praise of my schollership that howsoever two or three Doctors in the town made nothing of me yet they knew very well that if I undertook and businesse I would mannage it with more learning than they that traduced me were able to judge of and for their praises I was beholding to them but they sayd the onely course would be for them to take me off from that imployment and put me upon some other subject or at least to perswade me to stand Neuter All which was neither Christianly nor candidly done of them For if they had indeed had a desire that the truth should come to light and if they had any reall opinion as they pretended either of my integrity in my religion or of that learning God had given me they would have came to me rather and have importuned me to write something of that Subject that they might see what reasons I had to convince them or to perswade them to have better thoughts of the Presbytry for hitherto they had not received satisfaction from any that had formerly writ about it But none of all this but on the contrary some of them very churlishly and loftily demanded of me what calling I had to meddle in Divinity and to put my self upon that imployment Which I
was no place left for a Moderator amongst them and that All art of perswasion would be thought but a flattery or cowardize and hearing and seeing also how slight opinions they had of indifferent men and how they onely made use of a moderation for the strengthning of their party I then gave my self really to discover the frauds and juglings of many of their Ministers and all to see that if by this means when their falcaies were once discovered the truth might more oriently appear which would the better make way for a Moderator if any thing may undeceive a poor deluded multitude And so well acquainted I was with the language of many of them as I easily discerned that if they could but once make a party strong enough they would then give lawes to all men and for the strengthning of their faction in the meane time they pleade for a tolleration of all Religions an opinion though pleasing to the flesh yet so diabolicall as I wonder any Christian truly fearing God should so much as open his mouth in defence of it or that any Christian truly fearing God can with patience heare such Beasts plead for a tolleration it being a thing so abominated by God himself and so odious to all the holy Prophets and Apostles And yet notwithstanding this is the doctrine of all the Independents for the strengthning of their party and they abuse Scripture for this purpose and use many impious and vaine cavils for this very end to some of the which I have answered in my former Book and the chiefest of those that I ever yet saw are in a railing Pamphlet set forth against M. William Prynne Esq called The falsehood of M. William Prynnes truth triumphing in the antiquity of Popish Princes and Parliaments In the which Treatise amongst many things against all authority and power of Parliaments which I leave to the consideration of the great Councell of the kingdome whom it most nighly concernes he greatly pleads for a toleration of all Religions and to that end sets downe six Impossibilities as he tearms them which do necessarily accompany persecution for cause of conscience for all opposition of error is persecution with these men though they oppose truth it selfe for the maintenance of their novelties the which his impossibilities I shall set down forthwith in order and answer them severally after I have made my just defence against such of their calumnies as are worthy the taking notice of as for some of their scurrilous reproaches all men that are honest and know my conversation can testifie the contrary and therefore I slight such things as savouring of nothing but rancour and venome which they accused me of before they had seen my book But whereas they calumniate me as the greatest Incendiary of the Kingdome they most shamefully abuse me and I have been freed from that reproach by both Houses of Parliament who adjudged all my sufferings unjust as against the law and liberty of the Subject And if it were a thing that could be any way usefull unto me I could prove by the testimony of many of the brave Gentlemen in the Kings Army who in great assemblies did acknowledge when I was a prisoner amongst them that I had great injury done me Yea the Papists themselves have often averred it that never any Subject suffered more unjustly then I did in that I was cast in prison and fined for maintaining the Prerogative Royall of the King against the Pope and for defending of that Religion which was established by the Lawes of the Land and further added that had any Catholick writ as well in defence of their Religion as I did for the maintenance of the Protestant Profession he should have been so farre from suffering for it as they would not only greatly have honoured him but also highly have rewarded him for his endeavour and this that I now write I am able to prove by a cloud of witnesses and my unjust suffering in their opinion made me finde more favour amongst all the Governours that were Papists which I doe ever acknowledge for a singular curtesie from them then ever I found from Protestant Gaolers And therefore whereas the Independents do accuse me for the greatest Incendiary of the kingdome all men may see they speak as untruly so most malitiously For it is well known till I declared my dissenting opinion from them I was much magnified by most of them though now they have other thoughts of me and accuse me not only to be an Incendiary and that my Book deserveth to be burnt by the hand of the common Hangman but that I am a man crased in my braine But whereas they reproach me that I am an Apostate this all that know me will free me from yea the very Brownists and Anabaptists will be my witnesses besides my former writings which have been set forth to the view of the World for all men know that an Apostate is one that either diserteth his Generall or Captaine and fals to the Enemy or renounceth his Religion and opposeth that way he hath formerly made profession of both which rather agreeth to many of the Independents then to my self as the ensuing discourse I am confident will sufficiently declare And now that I may say something of my education which many at this instant in the City and them men of emunency can witnesse for me that have known me from my childe-hood At sixteen years of age after I had following the customes of youth spent my tender dayes in the pleasures of Hawking and Hunting I was sent by my Christian Kindred to a Village in Essex called Wethersfield under the Ministery of that learned and reverend Preacher Mr. Richard Rogers who writ that divine Book called The seven Treatises by whose means under God I came to the knowledge of the truth and to that learning that God hath given me for he out of his tender love unto me took me into his Family and in a short time by the rare dexterity he had in educating of youth being a brave Scholar and one of the best Latinists of the Kingdome through the blessing of God upon his endeavour made me fit for the University in which space he had an especiall care to season me well in all the principles of the true Protestant Religion And as his whole life was a preaching he so instructed me as before my departure from him I was able to give an account and reason of my hope to any that asked me of my Beliefe And in all his Ministery doctrine and preaching he swarved nothing from the doctrine received in all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas as those in France Germany and the Low-countries saving in the point of the Sabbath and sanctifying of the Lords day of which to his honour be it spoken he was a diligent observer ever teaching and urging upon the people the holy and religious keeping of that day which to say the truth is one of the
man never hears so much as the mention of them he may very well go to Heaven and hold fast the truth and be fully perswaded in is heart of the truth of his religion and this truth the Word of God holdeth out to all those the god of this World hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the glorious Light of it so that there needs not a tolleration of all Religions for their illumination to finde out what Religion they will make choice of as this presumptuous gain-sayer infers who peremptorily concludes That it is impossible for a man to hold fast the truth or be fully perswaded in his own heart of what he does or of what religion he makes choice of unlesse it be left arbitrary to him to reject or chuse what seems good to him in his own judgement which if it be not a piece of blasphemy I never read any or any thing more tending to the overthrow of the authority of holy Scripture and to subject the Will and pleasure of God to the will pleasure and judgement of man then the which there 〈◊〉 be nothing more intolerable for God teacheth us one thing and this Doctor teacheth the clean contrary and by his doctrine leaves not only a gap a possibility of sighting against God but it is a doctrine in it self that fights against God and gives the Spirit of God the lye which confirmes the contrary And if such doctrines as these may be tolerated and such Teachers as these go unpunished they will in time reject the whole Scripture both Law and Gospell as many of the Sectaries have already attempted to do to the unsufferable dishonour of God and to the provoking of his displeasure against the whole Nation And such doctrine as this is is hereticall and so is a great deale more of the Independent doctrine which is one of the reasons which makes me so much oppose it For as the false Teacher Acts 15. vers 1. and Gal. 5. taught the Brethren besides the Gospell that except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved which was a Heresie and that that Saint Paul speaking by the Spirit of God told them would exclude them out of Heaven as is evident Gal. 5. vers 2 3 4. So now the Independent Ministers impose their own inventions and traditions upon the people as things necessary to salvation which makes it a Heresie And therefore when they preach up their own novelties as necessary to life eternall proclaiming unto the people that their way is the straight way to Heaven and that they that are out of it are in the broad path to destruction as can be proved by a cloud of witnesses and indeed their daily practise teacheth it and when they urge this doctrine upon the people as necessary to happinesse I affirme it is an hereticall doctrine and ought of all Gods people as much to be detested as any Popery for it is Popery it self in new clothes which all the faithfull in the Land have taken a covenant to expell and so much the more they ought to have a singular care that this doctrine spread not too far nor that this Faction get not a Head For I heard it not long since from the mouth of a very godly Gentlewoman of a good Family who affirmed it in the presence of an Independent Ministers Wife That to her knowledge there was an hundred pound at one time sent up to London or at least procured to be paid by some from Oxford for the gratifying of some here that were very great Sticklers and Promooters of the Independent party for their farther incouragement and animated them by any wise to uphold that faction for they conceived it would be one of the best means for the attaining of their own ends and the common design for the ruin of us all and the enslaving of the whole City and Kingdome Now I say if this Independent Doctrine be so prejudiciall to us all for soul and body and so dangerous in every respect it concernes not onely the Parliament and great Councell but the whole City and Kingdome to looke about them and take heed how they have their hands in supporting of it or any way how they soment it as they tender either the glory of God or the present or future good of soul or body of this Nation and the good of the Church and State And truely if there were nothing to bring a man into a detestation of their wayes but their uncharitablenesse unto their brethren it were enough to make any good christian dislike them for they never speak of them but with contumelious names and with vilifying and blasting language such as is too low for any people of virtue reputation and honour using to call them all at every word the enemies of Jesus Christ Presbyterian Persecutors dehorting people from hearing our Godly Ministers or for reading any thing written by them or any other against their opinions after the manner of the Jesuits slighting the most learned Preachers and their Orthodox writings as things of nothing saying that every boy and silly woman in their Congregations can answer any thing any Presbyterian can write and then set one or other of their confounded widdows or some such creature upon that imployment who scrible non-sense as familiarly as a Jackanapes cracks nuts and this is admired amongst all the Independents as an incomporable peece and their authorities are often cited in the Pamphlets of their learned Ministers Neither is it among themselves onely that they count all the Presbyterians the children of the Devill but publikely also and that in presence of Noblemen and Peers of the Kingdome and in the hearing of many Gentlemen of the Parliament and others and in their very Companies they can slight all the faithfull of the Land besides themselves for I being not many dayes since at Westminster where there was a Sagomore of the Independents amongst some honourable company I formerly mentioned and I taking an occasion to speak to him about Independency and the Noble man also speaking to him about it and others in the presence of them all he uttered these words That all the godly in the Kingdome and all such as were well affected to Religion were of that way and this I say he speaks in the hearing of them all to which the Nobleman and one of the Parliament men replyed Then it seems say they that all that are not Independents in your opinion are neither godly nor well affected to Religion and so the Noble man departed the roome and left the great Independent there Now if this their opinion of themselves be not a most Pharisaicall proud and uncharitable one I leave it to the judgement of any advised Christian so that they cannot look upon their brethren with any love who they think ungodly and men not well-affected to Religion and in their writings call the profest enemies of Jesus Christ and enemies of
the whole Gospell and in the thirteenth of the Romans and in both the Epistles of Saint Peter and that of Saint Jude in all which such as speak evill of dignities and despise their authority are reckoned amongst the worst of men and out of that Word of God we are also taught that Christian Magistrates are Custodes utriusque tabulae for God that gave the Law to Fathers Mothers Masters of Families and Magistrates commands them all that they should take a care and see that all those under their severall charges should keep the commandements of the Lord as is manifest Exod. 20. and Deut. 6. and Deut. 11. and many other places of holy Scripture might he produce to that purpose and that they should all see to bring up their Children in the nurture and fear of the Lord which they cannot do if they or any of them give a tolleration of all Religions And Christ himself the Lawgiver saith Mat. 5.17 18 19. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill for verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called the greatest in the Kingdome of heaven Now it is most evident by all that Sermon that Christ speaks of the Morrall Law and ratifies it with all its sanctions and punishments annexed to it against the violators of that his Royall Will and by the Law and Prophets and by the Gospell he hath confirmed all Christian Magistrates in their Authority and by all them hath taught all his people that the power of the Magistrates in all respects under the Gospell is as great and as ample if not more extensive then it was under the Law So that whatsoever by the Law of God or Nature deserved death or was worthy of punishment under the Law the same deserveth death and punishment under the Gospell And therefore as Atheisme Idolatry Blasphemy profanation of the Sabboth and all manner of impiety and tolleration of all Religions and all manner of wickednesse was by the Law of God to be punished by the Magistrates under the Law the same ought by the Christian Magistrate to be punished under the Gospell and therefore all good and godly Christian Magistrates Parents Ministers Masters of Families and indeed all such as fear God ought to joyne together for the exterminating and rooting out all false worship out of Gods service and all manner of heresies and will-worship with all manner of humane inventions and whatsoever consent not to the wholsome words of the Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 And this is the duty of all Christians in any authority And truly if ever there were a time that call'd for an establishment of one religion and a setled government with uniformity in a Church and State and a suppression of all Heresies Sects and Factions now it is when by the sad effects already of divisions and variety of opinions we may well perceive what ruine will come upon the three Kingdomes if there be a toleration of all religions granted For divisions and factions especially in religion have been fatall to Kingdomes and Common-wealths in all Ages as most Histories relate And if men will not learn their duties from Gods command nor from the example of all the holy Patriarks Prophets and Apostles that would have but one religion then let them learn it from the Independents who whiles they pleade for a toleration of all religions in every Nation and Countrey will not give a toleration of them in their own Families Churches nor in New-England nor of any other but their own so that any man that is not stupidity it self may well perceive they say one thing and mean another and what toleration of religion they would afford us if they were in authority But this we learn that it is the Magistrates place to execute the will of God against offenders and against such as would bring in a toleration of all religions And it is the duty of all Ministers and people fearing God and such as desire the peace of Church and State to assist the Magistrates and to oppose all Heresies and Innovations in Religion and to study every way to maintaine love and amity amongst Brethren which a confusion of all religions can never do and this I thought fit in way of Preface to premise in my own just defence and for conviction of the blaspemous Tenents of that Scribler that writ against learned Mr. Prynne The Postscript SAint Paul in 1 Cor. 10. setting before the Christians of his time the sins of the Jewes and their often rebellion against God and how frequently they had provoked him specifies also the judgements that came upon them for their disobedience and ingratitude and tels the Corinthians and in them all Christians that whatsoever hapned unto the Jewes it was for our learning upon whom the ends of the world are come so that if we take not heed by their example and shun not those sinnes that they provoked God by we shall likewise make our selves liable to the same punishments And as no Nation had God so nigh unto them as the Jewes nor no people upon the face of the Earth that God had so freely loved and miraculously delivered out of the hands of their enemies when at any time under their great oppressions they cried unto him and continued still to be their Saviour and Redeemer out of all their captivities and slaveries with the ruine and overthrow many times of their enemies and sent his Prophets and Wise men early and late to instruct and teach them his Statutes and Ordinances commanding them to seek the old way and the good way that they might finde rest unto their soules Ier. 6. and had in all respects been so abundantly gracious that he himself saith Isaiah 5. What could I have done more to my Vineyard then that I have done Yet notwithstanding they left him the fountaine of living waters and digged unto themselves broken sisternes that could hold no water Ier. 2. So that in Chap. 5. vers 30 31. the Lord saith A wonderfull and a horrible thing is committed in the land The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof In the which words the great sinne of rebellion and ungratitude in that people is sufficiently set down they listned unto the false Prophets and yeilded obedience unto what they preached unto them the same complaint Saint Paul makes in 2 Cor. and in his other Epistles concerning the false Apostles of his time and
to contaminate the reputation of those that have deserved so well from us and therefore all such as have neither a bridle for their tongues nor their unruly passions ought to have a bit put in their mouthes to teach them better manners more humanity and gratitude But this has ever bin the practice of all the enemies of God his government in all ages to make all his Servants the holy Prophets yea Christ himself and his blessed Apostles hatefull to the people under that notion of disturbers of all Kingdomes enemies of Caesars and of all government And this made the Popish faction in Qu. Maries dayes when they heard that those Ministers that fled out of England to Frankford in Germany and into other places intended to set up the Presbyterian government in England if the Lady Elizabeth ever came to the Crown so to bestir themselves and set their wits on work to hinder and frustrate that their intention for they said among themselves if that government were once established in the Kingdome their Catholick Religion could never get place or take rooting here any more and therefore seeing they could not take away the life of that most excellent Lady nor any way keep her from the Crown after her Sisters decease now all the policy would be to hinder that work Whereupon they suborn'd many of the most famous wits out of both Universities that under pretence of religion and zeale to the Protestant profession should flye over to Frankfort and to the other places where those Ministers were as if they had done it out of conscience and pure love to the Protestant religion and seemed in all points of doctrine to be as zealous as any of those that were there and the only desirers and advancers of the true Protestant Religion but they professed unto them that for the manner of government the Hierarchicall way of ruling the Church in their opinion the purity of religion being once established would most tend to the preservation of it as being most powerfull for the suppressing of Sects and Schismes and for the upholding also of the Kingdome and that the Presbytery would tend to nothing but the bringing in of Anarchy and what with their craft subtilty and wranglings as the Independents now do in the Assembly they so interrupted their proceedings as they could not then bring their good designe to perfection and so hindered that glorious work of Reformation for that time and all under the pretext of piety and good to the peace of the Church and Kingdome And as soon as Queen Mary was dead and that the Lady Elizabeth was preclaimed Queen of England then they all repaired home and having a strong party in the Court all seeming zealous Protestants though Papists in their hearts they commended these men as wise and moderate men and such as were lovers of Monarchies and regall government to the Queen and disgraced all those that stood for a Presbytery as such as were factious and affectors of innovation and such as were no way to be preferred to eminent places in the Church but because as they said they had suffered for their conscience they were willing they should have good Parsonages and Benefices through the Towns and Villages where they might preach to the people but they were all set in the Black Bill as men not fit to preach in Courts and as men uncapable of great places and high promotion in the Church were ever kept under as those that were seditious and not fit for Ecclesiasticall honours And all the other that were either Papists in their hearts or ill affected to the Protestant Religion though seeming Protestants were advanced to all Church-dignities and made Archbishops Bishops and Suffragates Deans Archdeacons and the Queens and Noblemens Chaplains And in a very short time they established their High Commission Court under pretence of suppressing Popery whereas they intended nothing but the rooting out in time of all true Religion and the re-establishing again of their old worm-eaten and rotten profession And they had in a good measure accomplished this their diabolicall plot and had really effected it had it not pleased our God to call this Parliament and Assembly who by their vigilancy and care frustrated this their designe And all this they then brought about by bringing the Presbytery into hatred and disgrace as the Papists themselves have often gloried and bragged among their Companions when they would shew how they had ever out-witted the Puritans And at this instant of time they have their complices that foment all these factions by whose means they labour to hinder the Presbyterian government knowing very well that if it ever be establied the Kingdome of Antichrist will never get head againe amongst us nor none of their abominable Sects have rooting in these Kingdomes but that the truth by that means will flourish maugre all the maligners of it and be propagated through the world which is the only cause that not only the Devill but all ungodly men and straglers are so inraged against the Presbyterian-government which they know is so prevalent for the suppressing of all Heresies and eronious opinions and for the curbing of all vice wickednesse and all prophanenesse as that they will never be permitted to roost in these dominations And whereas they look upon all the Presbyterians as they tell us in their writings as the enemies of JESUS CHRIST and his Kingdome I look upon all the Sticklers against the Parliament and Presbytery by what names and titles soever distinguished what seeming piety soever they make shew of as on a company of Juglers And truly as the Juglers in Saint Pauls time bewitched the foolish Galathians so these by their cunning craftinesse have infatuated too many well meaning and godly people who howsoever they have learned to forget the very lawes of civility and common charity and to condemne all those of a different opinion from themselves as enemies of Christ yet I shall ever learne to distinguish between the people that are mislead and they that seduce them for I conceive of many of them as such as desire to serve God with all sincerity and in the purest way of worshipping him and because their Teachers perswade them that these their new wayes are the wayes of God and they not being able to discern truth from error and to discover their hypocrisie are all deceived by them as the poor Widows were by the Scribes and Pharisees in Christs time who our Saviour said devoured their houses under pretence of long prayers and as they brought in the leven of their own doctrine and inventions into Gods worship and service so do the false teachers of these our times bring in their own grolleries and Baggatellies prefer their own traditions before the Commandements of God and violate all the lawes of love and charity for the establishing of the same And as ignorance in all people is the cause of error for so our blessed Saviour
Apostles from visiting one another for if there had been but one congregation then of necessity Paul and the other Apostles should have met there in so long a space and therefore it stands with all reason that there were many congregations of Believers in Jerusalem if we had no testimonies of holy Scripture for to prove it For if any credit may be given to the Historians that write of these times there were above three of four hundred Synagogues in Jerusalem I speak within compasse and common understanding dictates that there were some hundreds of assembling places where there was so many hundred thousand people and such multitudes of Teachers And in those Synagogues the people met together to hear the Law and Prophets both read and interpreted unto them and the Synagogues both in Jerusalem and through all Judea and Palestine were the places of the morall worship as the Temple was the principall place of the cerimoniall service And as here in London Pauls was the place where after the Jewish or rather Heathenish fashion and manner they had their ceremoniall imployments which consisted in outward performances as crouchings and cringings capings and kneeings pipeing and tooting in Popes Surplices and their four square Cow-turds and crotchets windings and turnings Altars Crosses and Crucifixes and a thousand other such trumperies the acting of all which made the judicious Christian-beholders think themselves rather in the school of Numa Pompilius or in the Colledge of the old Roman Priests then conversant in the Church of God so the other Churches through the City were the places where the Morrall worship was chiefely exercised as the reading preaching and hearing of the Word chatechising exhortation admonition prayers thanksgiving c. So after the same manner it was in Jerusalem The Temple was the principle place of the Ceremoniall Worship and the Synagogues were the places of the Morrall Service where Moses and the Prophets were read and interpreted unto them every Sabbath day And it followeth of necessity that there must needs be a very great number of Synagogues in Jerusalem where there were many hundred thousand people and such multitudes of Rabbies and Doctors and such a number of Priests Levites Scribes Pharisees and Lawyers all Interpreters of the Law and such as sat in Moses his chair who our Saviour commanded the people to hear Now as in the dayes of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth after their Latine Service and their Idolatrous Masses were cast out of all the Churches and the reformed Religion was set up in the severall Congregation in place of that fals Worship and all the people repaired still and more willingly and more abundantly unto their severall Parish Churches and Chappels to hear the Word Preached and as the meetings and meeting-places were still continued whereas they onely heard Masses before which they understood not now they heard the Gospell purely preached unto them in lieu of that and the people came more abundantly unto those assemblies Even so whereas before the comming of John the Baptist and of our blessed Saviour they had the Law Psalms and Prophets read and Interpreted unto them in all their Synagogues after the Gospell began to be published to the Law and the Prophets the glad tidings of Peace was Preached by Christ and his Apostles and the other Primative Christian Mininisters and by many of the Priests that imbraced the faith and that in all their Synagogues every Sabboth day especially where the people upon all occasions in great multitudes met together for it is said That the Kingdome of heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force Now to any man that will not resolve to shut his eyes and refuse to see the Sun-shine of the truth it may appear that all the Synagogues in Jerusalem as in all other Cities after the Christian Religion was so generally imbraced and the Jews were turned Christians were the places where they still continued to meet in to hear the Gospell as formerly they had done to hear the Law and there is many testimonies out of holy Scripture to prove this Assertion neither can we in charity think that they being made Christians were lesse zealous to hear the Gospell then they were to hear the Law yea their diligence in that good work is often mentioned in the holy Scripture to their praise and honour as that they met dayly in the Temple and in every house to hear the Word and to partake in all the Ordinances And it is well known that Paul into what City soever he came was as diligent in preaching as the people in hearing Now when he remained in Jerusalem fifteen dayes he would not be idle and it is to be beleeved that the other Apostles were as diligent in their severall Ministries as Paul was as I said before so that their much imployment without doubt was the onely cause that hindred the Apostles from comming unto him and retarded Paul from saluting of them for we may not conceive that so famous an Apostle as Paul was could lye hid in Jerusalem or be unknown so long from the other Apostles neither in charity may we think that there was any love wanting either in Paul towards them or in the Apostles towards Paul but we most impute their not visiting of each other to the multiplicity of their imployments that so hindered them that they could not finde convenient time each to see other So that by this I have now said it is evident to any rationall man that there were more Christians and beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then either could or did meet together in one place for all Acts of worship for they met every Sabbath day together in their Synagogues to hear Moses and the Prophets read and Interpreted as the Scripture affirmeth yea from house to house dayly and therefore we may easily gather that as many Synagogues and meeting places as there were in Jerusalem to say nothing of the Temple so many Churches and Congregations of beleevers there were in Jerusalem for Synagogue and Church are all one in Gods dialect and they that were Jews before the preaching of the Gospell were now made Christians and beleevers Neither had the Christians and beleeving Iews any cause to separate themselves from the congregations for there was nothing in their Synagogues to scruple them without the law of Moses should offend them and that the Scripture testifies they were very zealous of and many of them that were converted perswaded the Gentiles after their conversion and illumination to joyn the Ceremoniall Law to the Gospell which although it was not permitted unto them yet for a time it was connived at and tollerated in the weak Jews yea in the tenth of the Hebrews the Christians are blamed for forsaking of the assembling of themselves together and it was counted a fault in them and therefore it may without any error be concluded that there were as many if not more Assemblies and Synagogues of beleevers
as a generation of men not worthy to give guts unto a Bear But I say when men are called to the warre by the State and prest to that service they can then appear with joy before all men and look death it self in the face with courage whether in the field or in cold blood in the hands of their enemies when they suffer as evill doers for they can then comfort themselves with their calling knowing that they were imployed by the State and it is their duty to obey and that as they were borne under obedience with cheerfulnesse and alacrity they can dye And therefore all such as the Independents that go about to disparage the Parliament and the great Councell of the Kingdome for pressing of men for the publick service do things derogatory to their authority and all such as are prest and able to fight and do either run away from their Colours or wilfully or rebelliously detract their obedience ought to be hanged And as it is lawfull in the Magistrate to presse men to fight for their countrey so it is law full likewise for them to fight for their religion and to presse men for that purpose and he that will not fight for his religion if he be a Magistrate certainly he has little religion in him and he that is a private man that will not suffer for his religion if he be called to it nor fight for it both voluntarily and when by authority he is put upon it but flye from either of the imployments of doing or suffering and will not come out to helpe the Lord against the mighty he deserveth not only the bitter curse against Merosh Judg. 5. but to be hanged What doe the Brethren the Independents now hold it a thing unlawfull to fight for religion for so they professe to their friends when not long since they so animated others to it It seems they are very changeable in all their oopinions I believe they have found out some new-light of direction how to runne away againe as they did before if the times change But yet such as have learned how to performe their duty and have read the holy Scriptures and amongst many other places the two and twentieth of Ioshua for one have been taught that when the Israelites on the other side of Jordan had set up an Altar though it was not with a minde and intent to alter religion yet if they had not given a satisfactory answer for their so doing to Ioshua and the Elders of Israel their Brethren they would speedily have made warre upon them for it as any State for ought I know or any christian Nation by their example may doe against what enemy soever they be whether forein or domesticall that shall attempt to alter the true religion and Christs government established in his Church which is his kingdome and bring in an Idolatricall one or an Independent one or any other that tendeth to the destruction of that that God himself hath appointed his people to serve him with and all such as shall refuse to fight for their religion if they have no bodily hindrances or some just impediment when the magistrate calleth or presseth them to it ought to be accounted as the enemies of religion and rebels against both God and their countrey And all such as shall endeavour either clandestinly or openly to speak words tending to deterre men from going out to helpe the Lord against the Mighty or refuse being Christians to fight for the Gospel except by their bodily infirmities they be hindred from the duty I know no reason but they ought to be hanged as a company of Rebels against both God and men and as such as are unworthy the name of Christians that will not fight for the honour of the King of Saints and King of Kings and for his royalty and dignity that has redeemed them from the slavery not only of Satan but of Antichrist For we have read that Michael the Captaine and Commander of his Church and kingdome and his Angels makes warre against the Dragon and his Angels which is not to be understood only in a spirituall sense but in an ordinary way and litterally also for Christ has his souldiers that besides their weapons of the right hand their prayers tears and humiliations have also their weapons and armes of the left hand as their swords and all warlike instruments to fight for the honour dignity and soveraignty of their King and anointed Christ who at his departure from his Disciples bad them sell their coats and buy each of them a sword by which he invested them with authority as well to fight if occasion required for the honour of their King and Master and for their own safety and although he condemned in Peter the temerarious and rash use of his sword and bad him put it up for that time yet the left the use of it to him and to the other Apostles upon their just occasions And who knowes not that there is a time for warre and a time for peace and God himself professeth that he is the Generall of the Armies of his people and the Lord of their Hosts and he taught his servants hands in times past to war and their fingers to fight as they with thanks acknowledged And he is the same God now to his people that ever he was and will be nigh unto them and a present help to all those that fight his battels And what I pray are so properly his batrels as those that are made against Antichrist and his complices by what names or titles so ever they be called whether they be the Kings or Emperours of the Earth or any other Malignants that have given their power to the Beast and make warre against the Lambe Neither shall I ever be of an other minde but that it is the greatest honour any Christian can be called unto to fight for his countrey and for the Gospel against what enemy of either soever he be And as I shall live and dye by Gods assistance in this opinion so I shall likewise ever believe that all such as will neither fight for their countrey nor religion but deter and disswade others from it are enemies of both and so ought to be esteemed whatsoever pretences of seeming love they make to their countrey and religion and that such as will not fight for the protestant religion deserve not the favour of protection from those States and countries they live in whose preservation or ruine is all to them so they may enjoy their owne ends and become masters of those they causelesly hate and unchristianly and uncharitably think evill of and whose distruction they not only daily wish and pray for but as much as in them lyes bid defiance to and proclaime open warre against them and use or rather abuse the holy Scriptures for the maintenance of their authority in their contending and fighting against their christian Brethren the Presbyterians for their independency and
of the Independent Ministers both in former times and in these our dayes and how faire we offer them and then I am most assured they will see just cause of changing their opinions and returning againe with love and amity into the fellowship and communion of that people who are as truly fearers of God and those that desire Christ may be set up as King upon his Throne and may for ever rule and raigne in all mens hearts as any of those that make the greatest noise of it as if they were the only men that advanced Christs kingdome whereas on the contrary in as much as in them lyes they have rent the seamlesse garment of the Church in pieces and rejoyce at nothing more then to hear and see divisions amongst Brethren For if we consider their former practises and the mutability of many of the Independent Ministers a very few of them excepted they either ranne away when they should have stood to the cause or else temporized and that deeply a crime they lay upon their Brethren the Presbyterians and so changeable they were in their opinions as they manifested unto the world that they were unstable in all their wayes and this many of their followers have themselves confest although they now palliate it over that whatsoever they have formerly done was in regard that the truth was obscured and darkned through the cunning of the Popish and Prelaticall faction and that all men were kept hood winckt and could not rightly discerne it in its full glory and lustre till this sunshine of liberty had now againe returned and sent its raies amongst us by means of which they say they are so illuminated as now they have got the spirit of discerning and by vertue of their New-lights they well perceive their former errors and mistakes and have found that the way of Independency is that way of Church-government that God has appointed in his holy Word This many of their Disciples plead in defence of their Ministers which to say the truth is nothing for the same may be alleaged and pretended by all Hereticks and Sectaries whatsoever who will never want the same or the like answer and so there will ever be a way for the broaching of all new doctrines be they never so pernicious to the truth and never so distructive to all governement But notwithstanding what either they or their Disciples now can speak in their behalfe it is very fit that their former practises in their severall places in respect of their religion should be considered by all judicious and godly men who know that constancy and perseverance in the faith is that that crowneth all for he that persevereth unto the end he shall be saved saith Christ not such as start back like a broken Bow and are never stable and as for some of them it is well known they have been in one sit great conforming Protestants and in another mood great favourers of the Socinian tenents and for their factious spirits and opposition to the Puritanicall way were highly favoured and countenanced by the Prelates and then at another time they were Puritans and that trade growing out of date and Independency beginning to be in vogue they are now of that occupation and are as great sticklers in defence of it as the silver-Smiths of the godesse Diana in Ephesus were for the upholding of their craft and what next they will be the God of heaven onely knoweth for they will ever be following their new lights Others of them were very Prelaticall and as much aspired to Church-preferment if the greatest men in the Kingdome be not deceived and some of their own party mistaken as any other but failing of their expectation and falling into discontent turned Puritans and that weather-beaten Religion being now with too too many grown stale they are at this instant great Independents and amongst the supream Champions for that Faction and there is scarce a man of them but has been on all sides whatsoever they make the world now beleeve according as their occasions served and have ever been attempting to bring in one Novelty or other or have laboured to revive some heresie or some miraculous ceremony and all to the disturbance of the Church and for the hinderance of Reformation And therefore all judicious and godly Christians ought duly to weigh and consider with themselves that such unstable men as these are and have been are no guides to be followed for as our Saviour saith If the blinde lead the blinde they will both fall into the ditch They should therefore remember what Christ said to the people concerning John the Baptist what saith he went ye out into the wildernesse to see a reed shaken with the wind Luke 7.24 intimating unto the people that sollid stable and Orthodox Ministers in their judgements should be such as the people ought to follow and listen unto and not those reeds and unstable men that are turned about with every new winde of Doctrine and moved with every stream of opinion and such as follow every new light and that many times for base and wordly ends So that when most of the Independent Ministers are and have been such they ought not any longer by the people to be followed They should also consider their instability not onely in Religion but in the publike affaires they may remember how zealous these men were for the Parliament not long since and how forward they were to promote the publike good and to advance the honour dignity and priviledges of the great Councell and what admirers and lovers not many years since they were of our brethren the Scots and of our noble and brave Generalls and yet now all that reade the scurrilous Pamphlets or are but a little familiar with them shall hear nothing but revilings against the whole Nation of the Scots and traducing of all our gallant Commanders to whom next under God we owe most of that good we now enjoy and hope hereafter to enjoy I lay nothing to their charge but that every man that is acquainted with them can witnesse I know not any one Ordinance the Parliament maketh that pleaseth them but for that pious Ordinance they lately set forth concerning the silencing of all such Preachers and teachers as were not for knowledge and soundnesse of doctrine thought fit to instruct the people wherein the prudent Councell shewed the religious care they had of the peoples good and for which they ought ever to be had in veneration this Ordinance I say so displeased the generality of the Independents as they brake out into contumelious speeches some of them affirming that the High Court of Parliament was worse then that of the High Commission and those of the Bishops others of them in discontent said that the recruting of the Army had stood the state in an hundred thousand pounds and by this new Ordinance the whole Army would speedily be dissolved for now all the brave Commanders of the