THat this Island of Great Britain hath been the publike Stage upon which many admirable and notorious passa­ges both of Church and State, hath within these sixteen yeers been acted, is an Assertion; the truth of which is so well known, and trumpeted abroad in the world, that there is no man which hath eyes and ears to see and hear what is done below, can easily be unacquainted with it: The rise and swelling of either of those Monarchies, so famous, both in sacred and in common History, had few more eyes attending on them, to ob­serve their motion and their end, then have been upon our English Re­volutions; the argument of our bloody Tragedy is dark, and for matter divers; the Actors have been found to be of divers tempers, and the E­pilogue (if yet it be) hath been as strange and unexpected. They that have been spectators onely of these things, may stand aloof, and laugh, as sure they do, to see how strangely we have been abused and cheated, by those who have put on a face, promising better things, whereby wee are become the scorn, and the by-word of our enemies: Yet I am not so much indulging the opinion of the Atheists, as to think our English affairs to be bolted thus, without the hand of a divine Providence, No, I believe the doctrine of the Psalmist to bee true, (and some shall finde it so) That there is a God that judgeth in the earth; nor do I so look upon this latter, as thereby to excuse men from the guilt of their Treasons, Mur­thers, Oppressions, Self-seekings, Oath, and Promise-breaches, &c. under pretence of serving the ends of Providence.

A cleer and full Narrative of the bloody travells of this Nation, would without doubt, be profitable much in the exact perusal, and the comparing of them with the present issues, that appear as a monstrous and unnatural off-spring, may teach the people how to make the place [Page 2]a B [...]chim, a Land of Tears, as it hath been made an Akeldama, a Field of Blood; such a relation is not now my task, nor is it at any time with­in my power, to undertake; yet 'tis a work not unworthy of some abler man to represent unto the Nations view, by an Ink and Paper-Prospect; which way, and by what fair allurements they have been led into their thraldome, that they may be the better able for the future to discover, and make provision against all such false pretenders; I shall onely go back so far, as thereby to take a little tripping for the present discourse, which ought to sink so deep into the soul of every Christian, and true English-man; for, who can hear of, and not be affected with the liber­ty of conscience, the argument of the present discourse of person, of estate, according to the fundamental right of all?

That the people of this Land have been a free people, many and happy, have been the attempts of late time to prove; and so farr have they gone therein, that they have made the truth thereof to shine forth through demonstration beyond a doubtful ghess; so that in this, we are not put so much to the invention what should be in reason, not yet injoyed, as of what hath been the peoples birth-right, and their fun­damental Law. It hath been concluded by the State-Caluists, that the end of civil Government is the peoples wel-ware, and their welfare consists in the preservation of their Liberties and Estates from wrong and robbery, and the Governours are to watch that these be not inva­ded by force or fraud of any; for it can never be imagin'd that a peo­ple should elect a Prince to rule them, upon any other terms, or to any other purpose then that of their well-being; And for this cause, (and only this) they pay their Tribute, and bow down them­selves in honour and obedience; Cook's Redinte­gratio Amoris. no Law of Nature or Reason binding men to choose or serve such a power, that doth directly seek or indea­vour to procure their ruin, and destruction. 'Tis no need for me to dis­pute here (if I could) the rights of a pure and downright conquest; for the present State of this Nation looks not with that face, nor is it manifestly profest, as I know. And yet there are very bold interpre­ters of State-proceedings that have confidence enough to speak much this way, to insinuate themselves by such an attribution, into the affecti­ons of the present Power, that they may sleep and dream securely in its bosome. Sadler's Rights of the Kingdom, &c. p. 81. of 30. after 93. whe­ther by the error of the Printer or [...], ex Beda. But I must not stand so far off the present intendment; 'tis manifest that the peoples Liberties have been (in former, as well as la­ter times) surprized, and rent, and torn from them, and in special, the Liberty of Conscience, (the subject principally aimed at, and the loss or curtailing thereof, most deplored in this Address) that men must not be free to think or speak their thoughts about the things of heaven, (if they differ from the Statute-Religion) without endangering of their lives, or freedome: There was a time wherein the interest of Christianity [Page 3]was cleerly distinct, and carried distinctly from the Ci­vil.

In the primitive times, when the Government of the Church was invested in the person of the Son of God, and in him it yet resides, and the New Testament was established before men, the Kings and Rulers of the Nations were altogether Infidel and Paganish, and so they continued generally, till the Brit­tish Constantine sate down in the seat imperial; during most of which time the Gospel flourisht much, and its worshippers did conquer still, although they suffered without the least depen­dance on the arm of the Nations powers: The sword of the spirit was then found sharp enough to cut off Heresie arising, and Hereticall men; and if it be nature and right reason in a Magistrate to censure and subdue such as speak against the God of his Nation, as tis believed, the Roman Emperors are justifi­ed by reason and the Law of nature, because they persecuted the Christians, who, if they preacht the Gospel, must be thought to speak against the God of their Country; but how the Law of nature and right reason, which are the work, or rather are of God, as well as ought beside can be set at so great a variance with the Gospel, even to the point of sword, the one piercing the very bowels of the other, by this state maxime I cannot readily understand: But I suppose the rule must be qualified with a provision, to make it hold the better; during the inter­vall then between the first dawnings of the New Covenant, and the times of Constantine the great, there was little compliance between the spirituall and secular Interest, and the Church re­ceived little from the Emperors, or their Deputies, besides the Torments and effusion of blood.

After the time of this Constantine, the first Christian Empe­ror, the minds of the Church-leaders began to flagg much in the spirituall Profession of Christ, and they that were profest Teachers of men in Divine Truth, do contrary to the nature and ends of Christianity, make their nests in the profits and pomp of the world; whiles by their example, as well as by their doctrine, they should have provokt men to heavenly-minded­ness. Now poyson was sent into the Church, twas an Oracle [Page 4]they say, heard in the Aire, the Bishops consult for earthly honour, and a pompous Religion or worship, much in outside and popular ostentation: They are in conjunction with the Grandees and Rulers of the Nations, the better to effect their worldly ends; they lie down together, and between them there is, amongst others, this bastard, hellish Brat of violence and persecution begoten, to be laid at the doors of whomsoever they pleased, that now if any shall take the boldness to correct their errors in doctrine or worship, they can quickly make him hold his peace, or send him packing: Nay, now all the Nations un­der these godly Kings and Bishops, must, will they, nill they, submit to that worship and those Rules they shall Impose up­on them, by the arguments of force and violence, if not by the force of their arguments. Now the beast with the seven heads and ten horns, and that with two, are fitly brought up, and joyned together, to support each other mutually, and to call in their worshippers, and to destroy those that refuse to come, prophesied on long before, Rev. 13. throughout; and the Apo­stacy of the Churches is much manifested, to the sons of light, whereby they see the truth of Pauls doctrine about the man of sin.

The Christian Hierarchy thus degenerated and falling down to worldly Interests, as to an Idol they most adored, hasten to the setting of Church matters by the power of the Magistrate, which they have by this time in some good measure made theirs, and to bring the professing Nations thereby to an uniformity in doctrine and discipline, under pretence of avoiding confusi­on; when indeed nothing hath proved more banefull and poy­sonous to the sons of men, and more prejudiciall to the work of Christs Kingdome, then this very thing, of forcibly imposing upon men in cases of opinion and conscience: But the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication with the whore, and the wine thereof is sent far abroad unto all the Nations, to the intoxicating of their minds; and here we are, more or less at this present.

This Island of Great Brittain was too near to that part of Christendome where the pranks of this drunken Interest be­came first to be played, to escape the temptation, and to keep [Page 5]her self unspotted of that damned concupiscence, that now like a devouring fire begins by little and little to consume the marrow and the sinews of true Christian love, and Gospel light.

It may be thought, on better grounds, then some are acted now, that those, who ere they were, that first arrived at the Brit­tish harbors, for the sowing of the seed of Christ, the Word of the Kindome in this peoples hearts, came not with sword and fagot with them, to consume and torture such as would not give it entertainment: Surely the instruments they used in this work, for the plowing of the minds of the Nation that lay fal­low, upon which there grew the wilde and stinking weeds of Heathenish Idolatry, were of another, and more heavenly or spirituall nature, if we may say what they did, and how they laboured here, by what Paul did in another place, 1 Cor. 2.1. And I Brethren came not to you with excellency of speech or wisdome, much less with the out-stretched arm of humane pow­er, to force them, declaring to you the Testimony of God; nay, he shakes off the sword of man as nothing indeed to ef­fect that conquest, which he and all the primitive leaders were labouring to obtain, 2 Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our war­fare are not carnall, observe, but mighty through God: Car­nall weapons are here excluded as heterogeneous for kind, and as ineffectuall to accomplish and to bring about the great de­sign of God, in converting men to the faith of the Gospel, or in keeping them there; and when he arms the Christians against their adversaries, and such are errors and heresies too, he girds them not about with the civill sword, not a little of that here, but covers them with the Helmet of salvation, and teaches them to buckle with the sword of the spirit, Eph. 6.12, 16, 17. By this we may conclude that the instruments of violence were not, nor were to be promoters of the blessed Kingdom of the Lord Iesus in those dayes.

Who they were that first began the heavenly plantation here, is much uncertain, nor doth it lie much in our way to inquire. Sir HENRY SPELMAN, that great Antiqua­ry, who set himself to lay open the mouldy records of the Brit­ish Ecclesiastick affairs, exposeth much, but modestly concludes [Page 6]without a certain Demonstration who ere they were as I con­ceive. But through divine providence, hither they came, and it may pass for certain, that they found the Nation, as Paul found Athens, Acts 17.16. wholly given to Idolatry; now if it be the part of a King to cut off such as speak against the God of the Country, how came they, where they were, to set footing safely on this shore? or being a land, and declaring the end of their coming, as no doubt they—would be working present­ly; what was the reason that they were not thrust through with a dart, or fired at a stake? Did the present Governour neglect his duty? or suffer his sword to remain asleep, unsheath­ed in its scabberd, when he should strike? But some will say he was a Pagan; and 'twas the Gospel that was now proclaimed, against which he must not draw; 2 King. 18.4. Especially the Idolatrous Priests if they had ground in the Law of the Land. yea, but this Gospel serves the Countries gods as Hezekiah did the Images and Groves, it plucks them up root and branch, and burns them with fire; and what must the Magistrate do now? The gain-sayers among the people, might probably complain to their Magistrate, that the heart-strings of their Religion, and the Worship began to break, and the sinews thereof crackt in these new flames; here be men, and strangers, and foraigners too belike they were, that turn our Images upside down, and draw away the people, yea, and speak against thy God, O King. Now, if it be the proper office of the Magistrate also to determine, and interpose with his sword, then of the present Magistrate; for in this case we are taught by him that hath set up or rather uncovered, the bound-marks of liberty of Conscience, Antient bounds or Liberty of Conscience, pag. 15. and excellently conten­tended for them, with a parenaetick to the then Parliament, &c. for their due observation and continuance; I say we are taught, that that which belongs to a man, as a man, belongs to every man; for quatenus & ad omne, are terms adaequate and convertible: And if the case be thus, what had become of those poor hearts that travelled so far, and adventured themselves upon the surges of the Sea, to bring the truth and peace home to our doors, and scape that danger?

Now the vengeance of the Magistrate must not suffer them to live; A sad requitall for so great a good brought hither, on the wings of so much zeal and love: The Magistrate believed it [Page 7]then reasonable enough for men to have their freedom about divine things, if they levelled not their opinion at the distur­bance of the civil peace, which he was bound to keep; but I must wave the handling of the point in Law and Argument, that hath been done before, beyond what I can do by far; 'tis matter of fact that I would touch at, and condole the errors there. If Sir HENRY SPELMANS glass be clear enough, with that he fetches in, Speeds Chron. pag. 73. to look upon these remote times and actions therein, and fluent Mr. SPEED inclines unto his Authors much, we may conclude we see the Gospel here in ENG­LAND preacht and received in the Government of Arvira­gus; he was a stout and hardy Souldier, and could not well en­dure the Romans Tax and Tyranny, which cost him many a blow. The people then were grieved much to feel the sword of Conquest cut so sharp into their Kingdoms liberties, and the King did storm much; yet a moderate and peaceable ventilati­on of this new-sprang Doctrine of Jesus past without controule, except the Romans, when they could, grew angry; for Arvira­gus protects, and in part provides for these new Dogmatists; Sir H [...]nry Spel­man, pag. 4. who conculcatis Druidarum Superstitionibus Evangelii radiis illuminarent populum, the superstitions of the Druides, so they called the Idolatrous Priests, being trodden under foot, a great provocation both to Priests and people, they illightened the people with the beams of the Gospel: The King is not moved to stretch out his sword, though by some no doubt sollicited; but they, these new sowers, had rem apud Arviragum Regem adeo promovisse, ut licet cauteriatum avita superstitione eum totum expedire nequeunt, quaseum tamen reddunt & benignum, so promoted the matter with the King, that although they cannot wholly deliver him, being seared with the superstition of his forefathers, a thing that sticks much, yet they make him quash & mild. The King continued Pagan stil, yet these Christian labourers receive their freedom without his deadly censures, and his sons become their benefactors upon the account of their sanctimo­ny; The Law of nature and right reason permitting them to patronize such men that deport themselves in a peaceable and humble manner, though of another worship. And there is as vast a difference between Idolatry and Christianity, as between [Page 8]Calvinism, Arminianism, Socinianism, &c. The Heathens may be our Correctors, and stain our faces with shame, who are less bearing and more cruel then were they; yet we finde not the Canons or Constitutions of the Church uttering their voice through the guilded Image of the Civil power, nor the Magi­strates Authority or arm flashing such as acted barely upon the terms of Conscience. LUCIUS, a Christian King of Brit­tain, some say the first Monarch that owned that way, submits to the faith here, Anno [...] whereby, saith SPEED, leaning on his Authoritie, This Province was the first that received the faith by publique Ordinance; it might be by publique Ordi­nance, and yet without penalty; for the Countenance of the Magistrate shining upon the way and his provisions for the pub­lique preaching of it, Speeds Chron. pag. 78. Spelmans An­tiq. pag. 12. might very well, in after writers, swell into the notion of a publique Ordinance; less things have come to more in latter times then these. And we read that Rex ipse Lucius una cum uxore fidei imbuitur Lavacro, & exemplo ejus undique concurrentes populi; i. e. King LUCIUS himself to­gether with his wife and the people, coming together on all sides by his example; note that not by any force, or at least by any authoritative of Parliamentary Edict, they are Imbued, or washed in faith's laver. I would assert that there was no He­resie or error yet determined so by Law; nor no legal persecu­cution tending to death or other punishment lay open against dissenters in such cases; nor no act of King or Parliament for uniformity in doctrine and discipline: And by the way, we must distinguish between an action lying at the Common Law a­gainst Hereticks, &c. and a violent irruption of a Tyrant or pre­vailing party against or without law upon such men as are made odious to them, because they think or worship otherwise then they would have them: the former was not yet in Esse. The latter many times sprung up and shed much Christian blood, in England as well as other places, when the Tyrants pleased to gratifie themselves or others by such cruelty: But persecution of men professing Religion, though divers from the state there­in in many points, was not yet established by a Law, nor had yet crept into our Brittish Parliaments; for Parliaments we may conclude there were, imployed, and honoured much by the [Page 9]Prince, if Mr. SADLER, or whosoever he were that wrought the book Intituled The Rights of the Kingdome, or, &c. doth see well through his Authorities, nor made incroachments thereby upon the people liberties: If there were no better ground, one might so argue from the carriages of those that dealt here with PELAGIUS of Bangor, Ant. Eccl. Britt. pag. 47. of which Sir HEN­RY SPELMAN out of Matthew of Westminster: He saith, Britanni cum neque suscipere Dogma perversum gratiam, &c. The Brittains when they would not any longer, endure His perverse opinion in blaspheming the name of Christ, neither could they in disputation refute the subtilty of his wicked per­swasion, they lighted on this wholesome advice, to seek the aid of a spiritual war from the French Bishops; which war is not called spiritual, because they were to fight for spiritual things, but because they must contend with spiritual weapons, the o­ther not being able to reach the understanding or the Consci­ence; and for this they re-inforce a disputation, at a Councell or a Synod, where were vulgar men and women, Laicks, to hear the business; No talk of humane Authority, or the Magistrates sword: that served well to keep the peace, that these Dissenters might not run one upon another, but we finde it here imployed upon no other service.

And a little after, upon the breaking forth of Pelagianism a­gain, they call for help; it comes, and praedicationis Antido­to vulnera sanat Incredulitatis, &c. He, meaning Germarius, Ibidem pag. 49. heals the wounds by the Antidote of preaching; A proper and reasonable application. Who had the better or the worse in these contests I care now to know: my desire is to see the sword of the Magistrate in its sheath in spirituall things, for it is no fit Antidote to be given against dissenting Iudgements in mat­ters of Religion: and it is hitherto left out, at least in Law.

But things continued not long at this rate: The Clergy be­gin to aspire to the Civil power, to beg its help, or else to use it themselves: they forgot the wisdom that descends from above: The sweetness and moderation, together with the evidence of the spirit is in the warre: they are willing to be great in the world, and therefore exercise carnall arguments and weapons [Page 10]to accomplish what they would: and that they may the better rule, and satisfie themselves in what they longed for, men must be obedient to them, and embrace their Impositions in Religi­on, or they shall hear on't loud enough: and to try their obe­dience, there must still be new Sanctions and Canons made to the corrupting of the word of God, and Gospel-simplicity. Nothing now will please but the confirmation of the Popes au­thority, and Constitutions by a Law, and then this Beast will cause the earth, and them that dwell therein, to worship the first Beast, Rev. 13, 12. Here is the strength and hour of Temptati­on, falling on the Christian Kings and World: and oh! how happy might it have been, had they resisted this, and refused to give their power, observe the phrase, unto this Beast, Rev. 17.13. How much innocent and Christian blood that hath been spilt as carelesly as water on the ground, and as barbarously as ever any tyrant acted in this world, had been preserved? the Kings of the earth should not have been branded with this deep and reproachfull signall, That they make war with the Lamb, Rev. 17.14. if they had kept within their sphere, and profest their own faith in love and tenderness, instruments of the best Conquest unto all subjects under them. I will touch a little upon one act, the first of our English bloody Tragedy under this Head, for I wave the persecutions that were acted by the Ro­man Emperors, since which there have been many, and of long continuance. Those that write in favour of the Papacy, report the great father Gregory a holy man, Spelmans Antiq. pag. 56. and a great labourer to convert men to the knowledge of the truth: for which say they, our Brittain is much owing to him: He sent Augustine hither, sometimes called the Monke, with Sanctions and Canons, and many orders for the worship of the people, and the setting of Church Government with its face towards Rome. The Roman favourites much commend the wisdome, the piety and sancti­mony of this man: such graces and such principles, if they were his, brought forth very bad fruit, as will appear. Austine ar­rives with his Companions, and is entertained by Ethelbert, Anno 596. He labours to bring the Nation under the papall o­bedience: The King, though not concluding with his doctrines, gives him his liberty, and provides maintenance for him and his [Page 11]followers in Canterbury, where he was after Bishop, and had his See, He calls a Synod, and the Bishops meet him; He com­mands obedience to Rome and other things. They refuse with suspicion of Austines pride: and the Synod ended in dislike. And tis added, Spelman's An­tiq. p. 92. That the Brittish Church differed from the Roman in many other things also; then what were propounded. The famous Monks of Bangor, reported much for Industry and ho­liness, were principally eyed it is like, in this Assembly. The head of their fraternity refusing still to subject themselves, by such Courses, receive the interminating prophesie of this great Prelate, or rather the promulging of his pollicy; Pag. 106. Cum aliis locis. Si pacem cum fratribus accipere nolent, bellum ad Hostibus forent accepturi, if they would not entertain peace with their Brethren; they should have war from their enemies. And not long after, it fell out accordingly; for Austine now was great with Ethelbert; this King in Austines Cause, provokes the King of Northumberland, to fall upon the Brittains, he enters Leicester; willing to please the King of Kent, and there findes a number of these poor praying Bangorites, and slaugh­ters 1200. of them with cruel butchery; Austine is doubted in this business, by Mr. Speed and others, to have wrought more by pride and bloody pollicy, then by the spirit of prophesie; The action is so much unlike that spirit which once lived in men. The Answer of these harmless Monkes was good, and very fair, without a merit of such wages as was after payed them. Pag. 108.

And for the piety thereof, I shall transcribe it here, from Sir Henry Spelman, to such as have him not by them; Be it known, and without doubt to you, that we all are obedient sub­jects to the Church of God, and to the Pope of Rome, and to every godly Christian, a practise now grown absolute with most, to love every one in his degree in perfect Charity, and to help every one of them by word and deed, to be the children of God; and other obedience, saith the Abbot in the person of the rest, I do not know due to him whom you name to be POPE; Nor to be the father of fathers, to be claimed, or to be demanded: And this obedience we are ready to pay to him, and to every Christian continually: Besides, we are un­der the Government of the Bishop of Caerleon, upon Uske, who is to oversee under God, over us, to cause us to keep the [Page 12]the way spiritual; This was their answer, that we are yet, it seems, unaccustomed to any bruitish impositions; and one would think it not deserving so heavy a censure from the Ro­mish Monk, nor so bloody an execution by his Abbettors, but thus they perisht; And thus commonly it goes with them that make the sword the Ruler, and the Judge over men in Cases spi­rituall that do relate to conscience. And here it is to be no­ted by the way, as it may be guest at by the answer, that these fa­ing Brittains make no mention of any humane statute, or Par­liament decree, that did contain the parts and points of their Religion, by which they were to be guided, under pain of life or liberty; for had there been any such thing in being, and had these Monks and Brittains known it, as they must needs if there had been such a thing, it would without question, have been ur­ged upon this great division, and remembered to us as well as o­ther things: But I will hasten on.

You may by this perceive, Romans, Praelates, and their pow­er to have set their Iron feet of cruelty upon the neck of Brit­tish Christians, and their Christian liberty: Twelve hundred slain in cold blood, in the midst of their devotions, found un­armed, saith the story too, because they would not bow their knees to Romes great power and decrees: and all occasioned by the whorish compliance of the Civil power, and with its li­stening to those religious Incendiaries; and also that the Kings of this fair, famous Island began to sip betimes at the whores cup of fornication: she was willing to ride; and the powers of the earth must help her up, or else she cannot; and that they may the better do it, they must be drunken: since which time they have swilled themselves with full draughts of her poysonous liquor; and all Nations have been thereby astonished & befooled and made to live upon the senseless laws and notions of the beast and false Prophet, proceeding from them in this plunged estate: for they have lain down together in the wanton bed of worldly lust and glory, and thence have been conceived and born those hellish-hideous monsters, that have devoured and swallowed up the bodies and the souls of men in Christendome, Brittain. with a witness. The spirit saith, that the Ten Kings shall give up their power to the Beast; this of England is concluded to [Page 13]be one. To give their power to the Beast, is to serve its lust, and execute its laws, according to pleasure and command; since the aforesaid Austine displayed the colours of the Romish pow­er in the field of this Nation, it is wonderfull to consider how the secular and the Ecclesiastick interest hath combined toge­ther, and grown up in mutuall claspings and imbraces: They have been so mysterially twined and interwoven, that it is feared their separation will not be effected, the work is so ten­der and difficult, until he come in power and spirit, whose the Kingdome is.

The former persecutions we may call violent Irruptions, or breakings in of power upon liberty without the form of Law; now the scale is turning, and the practise assumes another garb to appear under, the Prelates mount the chair of state, and are taken in; to consult the affairs of the Commonwealth: now they have liberty indeed to plot their own designe, and to get their wills and sanctions stamped with the Images of law and authority; they sit in Parliament, and have a considerable stroke with the Laick Nobles and Gentlemen, so that they can easily serve their own interest, and obtain their desire upon all: If there arise any principle of light and truth, like to do their King­dome wrong, and to discover the darkness thereof, they are at hand to quash them presently by bowing or breaking the fo­menters thereof; they'le make them stoop or stagger to the grave; and they can do it easily, either by laying open the Jus Divinum, of their holy Church, whose Canons are so sacred, they must not be touched, or by insinuating into the Magistrates breast, Clavis Apocalyp. pag. 98. which hath been commonly open enough to entertain that inthralling Maxime of the reason of state, and then pre­sent a subject to imploy it upon; as the keeping up of our inte­rest abroad with forraign Princes, or the like, from this unhap­py marriage of these two fair Interests, that we have mentioned, have proceeded all those statute Laws, by which they have ta­ken cognizance of, and undertaken to determine what is heresie and error, with the severall Punishments for such as shall there­by be made or found guilty. Herein they have but served the designe of the great mysterie Babylon, The Mother of Har­lots, and abominations of the earth; for the rules were framed [Page 14]within her whorish heart, they did but creep out at the mouths of our English Kings and Parliaments as an unnatural vomit, occasioned by her poyson: the ill effect thereof is to be found upon the minds of most professing men, though Protestants at this day, notwithstanding Pope, and King, and Lords, Bishops are said to be departed hence, being kickt out and spurned at with a furious heel; the minds and understandings of most will yet shews us that they have been here, for it is hardly distingu­ishable in most, whether that which they profess for truth, be setled upon them by the spiritual arm of Christ in light and evi­dence, or by the arm of fleshly power, and forcing example of men. I say as before, that the Magistrates pretended legall cognizance and determination of the errors of the mind in Re­ligion, is only by the Statute Law, since the great confederacy betwixt Rome and England, or of the Civil and Church Inte­rest, for the ancient Laws and Customs of this Nation look a little better then to manifest such a rage in Conscience-Tyran­ny; And when I mention Romes confederacy with us, let no man puff at this, and say that is broken long ago, I must confess like wrangling lovers they have quarrelled much and often, yet have they loved the same bed of lust and lordliness still, though sometimes they lie not there together; and it is no hard matter to shew the Beast and false Prophet alive, Rev. 19. after the flames have taken hold upon Romes glory, and have burnt her down to a­shes; and if this be so, let England look about her, for she is not yet delivered, as will be made appear ere long, This may be applyed to later times then of King Hen the Eight, could we but trace the footsteps of this mystery, as it hath travelled through the Saxon, Dane, and Norman times, and observe the many ma­zing turnings it hath made to secure it self, as in a laborinth, and to put its pursuers to a loss, we should finde the pavement of the way to be stained with blood, and their proceedings to be full of oppressive cruelty: yea, the deep Impressions that their feet have made upon our English Nations fundamental liberties by trampling on them, and by treading them down, do yet stand full of blood uncovered, and not dryed up unto this day, to the shame of the present Generation? which notwithstanding all the claimes they have made, and pretences had to righteousness [Page 15]and judgement; have not found in their hearts, though the pre­sent day doth loudly call for it, to expiate and cleanse the Land from. Ezekiel 29. The Children of Israel were directed by the Spirit of Pro­phesie, to burn all the Instruments of Gog, and to bury all the bones of his slain, and to appoint men of a continual imploy­ment, that they may cleanse the Land; yea, every passenger that past through the Land, if he saw a mans bone, Ver. 15. he was to set up a sign at it, that the men of continual imployment might observe and bury it: So careful was the spirit that the Land might be cleansed of strange flesh and bones. Brethren, the Rights and Liberties of this Common-wealth have been invaded and over­spread by cruel oppressive and insinuating Principles of Tyran­nie and State-Engines, which like Gog, for I shall but allude, not interpret, have broken down our ancient bounds, and so pollu­ted and extreamly disfigured the comely feature and surpassing beauty of our Nations Rights and Laws, that an English man can hardly discern their native excellencie and lustre, they are hid in so many clouds, and made to walk under so many masks of will and selfish humour, that the poor Nation cannot see one glimps of what they should in an age, when tis our right to enjoy them all with open face continually; we do pretend, and God hath been willing I am confident, to bring it to more then an empty pretence in this age, that the heart of this invading Gog is broken, and the Arm of his power so shiveld, that every man may believe the whole body is dead, yet tis not buried, the dead Carkass lies in the streets and fields of England, and whe­ther there be men appointed for continual imployment to bury the body or no, I shall not now dispute, I fear there are not: yet pardon me if in my creeple-travels, I set up a stick by a bone that lies unburied, this stincking carrion persecution, that if any shall at length undertake the publike Sextons charge, they may know they shall not want imployment: And there be more remain­ders of that Tyrant-Host then this, that may teach men that have their sense to put the branch to the nose, for the sents con­tagious not fit to be sufferd among Christian people: But I proceed: 'Thas been enough confest and concluded, That this Nation is a free people: The meaning is, [Page 16]that their fundamentall Laws are such as do declare and keep them free from all arbitrary power, and that they cannot be inslaved but by their own consent in their great Parliament or Council, so that a subject of England, that by Law is not ex­empted from the Law, is free-born. How then came we to be under the yoke of bondage and slavery? Here is the question indeed, the answer and unravelling of which hath cost so much ink, treasure and blood to little purpose; It was said before, that the King and Prelates were long since in their great conjuncti­on, from which have proceeded those malignant influences that have so wrought upon the Nations freedome, whereby it hath been made to labour for life, it being so desperately affli­cted in its vitals. The Kings power and prerogative have been as a fretting moth, and eating Rust that hath been gnawing at the heart of liberty, untill they have consumed it; And the Prelates rage, their Dragon-rage, and subtilty hath inspired this boundless Image of the King with so much of their own lust and will, that these have ruled the Rost as they say, all along, and by these means have the pure freedoms of the land been ra­visht from it, and the minds of men so vitiated and defild, that it requires the labour of an Hercules, or one beyond him much in strength and glory, to cleanse us from those foul Abomina­tions that are committed now by pretext of Law: so that this way departed liberty and righteousness; for the power of the King and Lords so over-ruled the poor Commons, or courted them into a compliance by their subtilty, that the Commons durst not, or else will not, speak or act too much in vindication of the peoples Antient Rights, for fear of raising such a storm that might sweep them away like a devouring hail, our bulwarks thus shattered and subverted, gave a free and easie passage and entrance for those wilde beasts to make a prey of us when they listed, to satiate their greedy mindes with our treasure or our blood.

From hence have issued forth Patents, Commissions, &c. for the erecting of Spiritual Courts, and investing of Prelates, with power to inthral men in things of Religion against the li­berty of the Subject.

But I would not cast a blot upon any of our English w [...] ­thies in Parliament, that have from time to time asserted what they could against Incroachments, and put forth themselves as much as the times respectively would bear against these great and potent Innovators.

They have done much, upon occasions, yet never did they do so much as to stile the Nation free thereby; such are to be re­membred by us with their Honors, and their deserved commen­dation: Neither would, or durst, I say that all our English Kings and Bishops must be wholly judged the Nations bane, since the aforesaid great conjunction: No, we have had Kings that have been wise and valiant to a wonder, and have loved the people well, and acted for them; but still they have dont with the remembrance and retaining of their great Prerogative, that it must be thought an Act of Grace, free Grace in them to give the People their due Rights, which could not be in Law or Equity detained from them; yet let such have this honor, That they did no worse. And I believe England can boast as much of Bishops, some Bishops, for their Learning and their Piety, as any Nation under Heaven, since the Apostacy, yea, and such as withstood the Roman Court in its foul dress unto the death, in the vindication and defence of what they saw; yet their light led them not to renounce their call from Rome, or to stick at the root of those Proceedings nearer home; by which they, with many others, were violently carried to the stake, to breath forth their souls in the fiery flames: And there was a worldly arm, which others pious, tis like, and learn­ed too, did lean to for supporting of their Hierarchy, and in their Excommunications for the doing of that which was the proper office of the Spirit with and in the Church, Sir Edw. Cook, 3. part of the Inst. cap. of He­resie. they would by their Spiritual power Excommunicate, and the Civil Power must play the part of Satan for them, a strange Innovation, and most dangerous in the New Testament Mini­stery: But yet I say, tis meet that all deserving Predecessors should be remembred by us with their due respects. This by the way.

The cruel Proceedings of these Joynt-powers, and how hea­vy [Page 18]their loins were upon the Subject, and with what Scorpions they did exercise the people, are, as to fact, recorded by the peinful labors of an English man. M. Foxes Acts and Monu­ments. What? hath it been the ho­nor, or rather the dishonor of the English Nation to make Martyrs? A dishonor and a shame indeed that will never be wash't off till the world be no more: although I could, and do with my soul desire, and say with our learned Lawyer in another case, Sir Ed. Cook 4 part of Inst. pag. 37. Auferat oblivio, si potest ut cun (que) silentium tegat; let it die and be buried in forgetfulnesse; or however let it not be remem­bred to our disadvantage or disgrace. 'Tis our honor that Brit­tains Womb hath been so fertile, to bring forth so many ripe for Martyrdom, if need should be; but it may be of very lamen­table and sad regreet upon our memory and thoughts, that ever her heart should be so butcherous & cruel as to act that bloody & inhumane part upon her Sons with her own hands, that yet seem red with blood; and more then seem if some mistake not; yea, and to do it with so much deliberation and advisement, as a legal process doth bespeak; which way she hath appeared in to be most cruel. If France, or Spain, or Rome, or Infidel barbarous Nati­on in the world had by their mighty and prevailing Forreigne Force bereft us thus of life and liberty, it had been the more to­lerable, we could expect but little better from such hands; But it was thou O England, the Land of our Nativity; and you O En­glish powers, our pretended Friends and Familiars, born to a right in the same Laws with us, and sworn to defend and keep those Laws inviolable; this, this cutteth to the quick, and pier­ceth to the very heart and soul of every true English man.

Yet this hath been our case, whereof we have just reason to complain; no poor Christian durst lift up his head above the pal­pable darkness of the times; nor professe he saw a little more, or a little otherwise in Spirituals, then the formal setled Prelates did, but it must be upon his utmost peril; Bonds and death attend him presently: Stand to our Rules say they, and pin your Faith up­on our sleeves, and think as we would have you, or you die for it. What abominations have the Children of England committed in the dark, every one in the Chamber of his Imagery? What Names have they invented and imposed on such that would not [Page]bow down and worship the Image that they [...] Names of contempt and odium, like the Skins put on the pri­mitive Saints, that the mindes of Beast-like people might be the more enraged, and the easier inclined to kindle the fire for their sufferings if they would not own the Beast, even in that gross ap­pearance that he was then in; besides the distinguishing Names derived upon them in scorn from some principal leader in that profession, they must be bruited a brood to be seditious, disturbers of the Peace, Subverters of the Laws and Governments, Diso­bedient to Powers, &c. although they were the most simple and plain hearted and quiet souls in the world; men that were wil­ling to serve and worship their God according to the dictates of their Conscience in the Light they had of Scripture: I refer the Reader for this to S. ED. COOK, in the third Part of his Jn­stitutes, pag. 41. in Chap. of Heresie; where there is the form of an Indictment for Heresie and Lollardy, so the opposite Judge­ment to Popery was long time called, containing general Accu­sations of Disturbing of the Peace, &c. And though it were ad­judged insufficient in Law, as well it might, yet this way the Pre­lates went, as might be shewed by a Cloud of Testimonies, yet shall this go for all.

And because I am so near it; let me here remember one Evil, well observed by that great man, occasioned by coercive and re­straining courses in matters of Conscience, ibid. pag. 40. 'twill be sufficient to repeat his words: There was a Statute supposed to be made in 5 R. 2. That Commissions should be by the Lord Chancellor made and directed to Sheriffs and others to Arrest such as should be certified into the Chancery by the Bishops and Prelates Mrs. of Divinity, to be Preachers of Heresies and noto­rious Errors, their Fautors, Maintainers and Abettors, and to hold them in strong Prison until they will justifie themselves to the Law of Holy-Church, by colour of this supposed Act: Cer­tain persons that held that Images were not to be worshipped, &c. were holden in strong Prison until they, to redeem their vexation, miserably yeilded before these Mrs. of Divinity to take an Oath, and did swear to worship Images, which was a­gainst the Moral and Eternal Law of Almighty God. Thus far he.

A sad President for any men and Powers upon earth to fol­low, in taking cognizance of, and punishing of men for Opini­on, whereby the weight of other mens sins is commonly laid upon their shoulders; and I think they have commonly enough of their own, and too much for some to bear; let not the present Boutefeaus for their own defence object twas ill done of these, for they themselves were Hereticks, and the Sufferers held the Truth; but we are in the right, and therefore now there is no such danger; for they may be answered, first, The former Pre­lates were as confident as any now; yea, twas their confidence and fierce zeal that put so many honest hearts from time to time into a deadly sweat, wherein they left their blood and marrow, life and all: But, secondly, Admit that they or these are in the truth, as both would have it thought so in their times; yet was it not the duty of any King or Magistrate commanded to them by Christ, by whom Kings now do reign, to force men into his Worship or his Service; I say so now; for if it were, it has been desired long since to be shewn, which yet no man can see; Nay, according to the Laws and Customs of this English Nation, Ancient Bounds pag. 23. the clear contrary may be thought to be the duty of the Magistrate, and that he was and is to defend the people from such wrongs and infringements of their Liberties; for he is sworn thereto; and he is to keep the Peace; so that the good old Laws of Eng­land, and the Magistrates, the Executioners of those Laws, are the Forts and Towers in whom all honest mindes, though differ­ing in the businesse of Religion, a thing not imaginable to be under censure of the power of man, and in reason and Scripture left to the decision of the Spirit, and to Christ the Judge, are to be safeguarded from the furious persecution of all state incendiaries Before I turn over from this Chapter of the Lord Cook concer­ning Heresie, I shall observe these two things. First, The bound­less license that the Prelates used to take under colour of Law to suppress and quash the non-Conformists informer times, that they, Phaeton Fablelike, by their reignless Fury, ranged through the Region of Christs Kingdom, plucking the Flowers from his heavenly Crown and Dignity, usurping his great Throne, as al­so running through the Thrones of Earthly Princes, setting them on fire as they pleased, whereby, with other places, the [Page 21]world of our Brittish Iland was often scorch't with their too fiery Rayes. Secondly, That the Satute concerning Heresie, &c. made in q. Eliz. dayes, was principally intended to restrain those Irregular Notions, and to contract their lawless Rage in a nar­rower compass; so the work look't backward rather then ought besides, although the contrivers had not the heart and happiness to cut it clean off and to cast it out for ever, as may appear in this place to the Judicious Reader, and by the Statute it self; as also by the second Part, Institutes, In Articulis cleri; especially in pag. 615. But I am too tedious.

King HENRY the eighth was a blustering Prince, and quar­relled with the Roman Court; See the Statute, 31 Hen. 8.4. yet Lutherans and others were very odious to the Kingdoms Powers; the principle of per­secution was kept alive with very great offence to Christianity, as all can now believe, by those that loved to Lord over their Brethrens Conscience; yea, the Inquisition reaches to the Kings own Chamber, and takes the queen from his side. There were six bloody Articles, saith Mr. SPEED, enacted, that made it death to such as held or taught the contrary: Who can remember and forbear to melt at English sufferings? EDWARD the sixt was a young, yet wise and tender Prince; our Israels Josiah, Speed's Histor. pag. 1046. he would not send an Heretick to Hell before his time, as may be gathered from Mr. FOX and others; yet persecution lived, it could not die, they kept it alive that knew how to over-awe the Court by cunning Policy, for that sate ruling sometimes, and enveagling stil the civil Power to unsheath the Sword against dis­senters in Religion: Who can repeat the Marian bloody dayes without laments? Now Rome is called in again to help the doing of what was done too much before. England can persecute with­out the Pope, as may be seen above: his Spirit is here, although unto his Person or his Name we bid defiance. But now they flash and lay about indeed: The Prelates rage the more because they had little check before, and like fire pent in a little, break out in desperate flames, and the poor Protestants die. ELIZABETHS beginning was like water in abundance falling on the Fires all over England, it coold and brake them all, yet did it not kill or quench the Coals: they lay glowing still, and were stirred up a­gainst Professors still upon occasion, because men would not [Page 22]know their liberty: The Spirit of Violence lodging still in mens breasts, and labouring to bring the Judgements of others to their Girdle. And so it went from hence into K. JAMES's Reign: tis a continued Line not broken, though a little lessen'd; for the Puritanes were as Thorns in the Prelates eyes, and they were rubbing still to get them out; they could not see so well whiles these were neer them. King CHARLS follows and drinks in the poisonous Wines: the Prelates are as formerly, his Cup-Bearer & the common people were too much delighted with the sport these made: They raged and staggered in this Spiritual Drun­kenness, Separatists. and stucrk at many Non-Conformists, till at last they lighted on those three Gentlemen, Mr. BURTON, Mr. PRIN, and Dr. BASTWICK: The seat of the Bishops is very high, their Authority great, and their mindes as cruel: They cared not for a Parliament, though they had as much room there as any, and as much honor: The Prerogative and Arbitrary Rule of this King did please them better, as being more serviceable to their purpose: you have them in their High Commission, in the Star-Chamber, every where: They please the King, and he gratifies them with what they like well enough. The relation of their proceedings, with the three above named, is worth the reading; New Disco­very of the Pre­lates Tyranny, printed, Anno 1641. where you may see their Will instead of Law, their Ty­ranny instead of Piety. Before we go any further, let us look upon what is past, with these queries.

1. Whether the Magistracie of England hath done its Duty in taking Cognizance of things relating to Religion?

2. Whether all present and future proceedings to oppresse the Conscience, will not justifie theirs, and fill up the measure of their iniquity?

3. Whether such cruel dealings with dissenting men, do not manifestly shew they had no better argument to convince them, or at least weaken their own cause?

4. Whether the Common-wealth hath not been bereft of many honest, able and faithful Subjects by this means?

5. Whether this kinde of Persecution which came in with Papacie, ought not in all reason to have taken its leave and gone with it? Or whether persecution with colour of Law, be not a [Page 23]toleration of Popery and Prelacy in some part at least?

Lastly, whether such a coercive power in such cases be con­sistent with a right administration of law and the Nations li­berty? I am not willing to obtrude my private fancies or opi­nions on any, onely it is my desire that all might see and make use of what is reason. And I could wish the case were indiffe­rently debated and decided by some able Lawyers, that are un­interessed and uncorrupted, without any awing hand of force over them: by such I say, I wish it determined, whose honest and judicious hearts have not suffered shipwrack by the strange blasts and storms of these various and dangerous times. And yet howsoever, I suppose that liberty of Conscience hath more to plead for it self then that in a Nation, under a Magistracy that makes profession of the Christian faith. But let us turn our faces again.

Whiles the condition of our English State stood thus, and the darkness of the times was witnessed against through suffer­ings, by the providence of the All-seeing Jehovah, things at last are brought about so that a Parliament is called & settled, Anno 1640.

Now the glory and the Tyranny of Prelacy begins to be ecclipsed: The pains of the Nation begin to come upon her, and she is travelling sorely to be delivered of the man-child of law and liberty, that should make the mother to rejoyce: many were the Attempts to encrease her throes, and to ren­der her abortive, or at least, that she should bring forth nothing but winde.

All the policy of the Court and Prelates is called in and im­ployed to this purpose: but it must not prosper; for the day of their Judgement is dawned upon them, and it cometh up with cloudes and darkness, their bloody and outragious cruelty ex­ercised upon those three with others, mentioned even now, is but like the roaring of a man subject to the epilepsy, the fal­ing-sickness, before his fall. The Parliament thus called, recalls the prisoners home, and entertains them with respect and ho­nour. They search into their own priviledges & the subjects liber­ty, and assert them with courage and resolution, for they are in their virgin purity and masculine strength, and nothing can [Page 24]brow-beat them. The Courtiers and Bishops hear of them, and are affraid of their righteous eye, and oppression-revenging arm. The Bishops with their High-Commission fall. The Star-Chamber is struck up by the roots, and all encroachments upon the peoples rights declared against in general. Who sees not but there was an Item given by this to all true English groaning hearts to lift up themselves, because the day of their redempti­on drew neer? such a motion surely was made, and it was with joy accepted by the most rational and ingenuous people of the Nation: witness the fair and honest Petitions presented to the Parliament from time to time, & witnesse also those gallant De­clarations, too many to be mentioned here, wherein the good old Laws of England were asserted and contended for, with the subjects liberty in all just things, which are of little better publique use at present then to be a Testimony of the Nations great Apostacy, or declination from the grounds of the war; unto which all honest meaning people were upon deep conju­ring terms engaged, either in affection in opening of the purse, or personall action.

It is evident and easie to be remembred, as it falls out in all civil wars, that the Nation ran up into two general heads or factions, The one relating to the regal interest and preroga­tive, The other to the Interest of Parliament and the Common­wealth. The actings of the former, notorious enough, I shall wave now, as being exploded and excentrical to the present Intendment; It is the latter that I shall observe a little in its mo­tion, although my observation be but general, and their work be too lately done to be yet forgotten.

The sum and substance of the Parliaments Declarations, as to the careful Reader doth appear, amounts to this, That it was their sole designe and endeavor, as they hop'd to be assisted and justified by the God of Heaven, to maintain the Laws of the Land, which they say were trampled upon by the King and his Party through their high and arbitrary courses, and to preserve the Subjects Liberty as to Person and Estate; with this Stan­dart they proceeded, extirpated Episcopacie, root and branch; took up Arms against the King and his party; and tis to be thought, that at that time they, or at least the major part of [Page 25]them, really and unfeignedly intended what they then profest and so solemnly declared. Thus things went on though through much strugling and difficulty, till they had obtained their desi­red ends upon that Malignant Party.

I cannot say that there were no sufferers for conscience in these times of the Kingdoms Travels; it may be judged there were no legal sufferers, but only what was without Law carried on by a strong hand; for the Bishops, who might and had the power to convict of Heresie, are gone; Third part of his Institut. pag. 40. see what Sir EDWARD COOK saith, That at this day no person can be indicted or im­peached of Heresie before any temporal Judge, or other that hath temporal Jurisdiction, as upon the perusual of the Statutes quoted by him he concludeth. But there was a Synod or Assem­bly of Divines calld or held by Authority of Parliament, that laboured as a travelling woman to get their Doctrine and their Discipline establisht by a Law: Many of these had been under the Prelates yoak, and had been somewhat galled thereby; yet when their wounds were healed, they forgot Smectymnuus and his cryes, they bestir themselves most busily, to get their dear Presbyterie into the chair, that it may Lord, and sway the Scepter over their Brethren; for to be pinched of other mens consciences is almost an Epidemick Itch.

The dissenting Brethren then, especially those of the Inde­pendent-way, looking on themselves as such as were like to lie under the Altar at the mercy of the new raised Presbyter, Rev 6. begin to send forth their preventing groans, and to endeavour the vin­dication of Just Freedom by uncovering the land-marks of Li­berty of Conscience, which some have done to purpose, none daring to remove them but by a fleshly arm, too weak and too disproportionate for such a work. But so loud were the thunders of the rigid Presbyterians in their Pulpits, and their writings flashing forth so much lightning of Vengeance upon Heresie & Sectarism and all its fautors, that the Parliament it self was al­most conjured to be of their Opinion, and to write and act the voices of the present Thunders.

This amongst other things began to breed a difference between that great Councel and the Army under the Command of Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX, which was reported to be made up in [Page 26]much of sectaries, and men of Heterodox Opinions, which the Scotch and English National Ministry could by no means brook. The English Sectarian Army is declaimed against by the Scottish Orators; and it was so irksom to many Preachers here, that it led them frequently beside their Texts; wherein they dealt not so much by solid Argument to cry Errors down, but by calling on the civil Magistrate to cut the erroneous off; nothing was more pleasing to them then to think and talk of Imprisonment, Exile, Death for Sectaries: The Land of their Nativity was not fit to hold them any longer; one might have thought that the Heresie of PYTHAGORAS his [...] or transmigra­tion of souls was revived now; for the Prelacie was, and would it were not still, visibly rising in the Presbyterie.

These clamors thus ventilating themselves in fire and Pillars of smoke, began to suggest thoughts in the Army that the Parlia­ment & the Presbyterian Interest declined their first Principles for the securing of their own and the Nations freedom, of which Liberty of Conscience was no small part, as will appear ere long. The Trumpets of the Army also begin to sound, and they made better musick then they have done of late; Mr. SALTMARSH puts life into SMECTYMNUUS, and groans again; he dedicates the work to the Parliament, Groans for Li­berty. ANNO 1645. Let it be read again, tis a good Lesson for the present times; and because it looks so much towards my present purpose with so fair an aspect, as also because it may probably be thought to be the then mind of more and greater then himself, I will here insert one passage from him.

Consider, Epistle to the Parl. ibid. speaking to the Parliament, whether in the King­dom of Jesus Christ any other Scepter should be lifted up then that golden one of his own; and whether if there be a Kingdom of God, if Jesus Christ be the Law-giver, and the spirit of Christ the interpreter of these Laws, and this Kingdom of God, with­in the throne of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lord Jesus, any other power should rule, any other Scepter, any other Laws, or any other sit down in that throne which is only the throne of the son of David, whose throne is for ever, the Scepter of whose Kingdome is an everlasting Scepter? Thus much he. And would this have been spoken by him, that was [Page 27]the Generals Chaplain, in such a publike manner at least, except it had been the sense of the Grandees of the Army, or the most prevalent part of them? Agen, These Coer­cive courses sought strongly to be used in Reformation of Religion, fill'd Mr. Dell with breath enough to sound out his Right Reformation, Dell's Right Re­formation, An­no 1646. so called in opposition to the other way; which was presented both to the Parliaments ears and eyes (to the house of Commons at least) wherein the pow­er of the Magistrate is excluded from the work, as much as we would have it, and he is styled an Attendant to both the Generals in the Army.

These (with many other of the same Sect) did in their places in this juncture of time, Title page to his Sermons. endeavor much to counter­plead Presbyterie, and to prevent any rigorous course in matters of conscience to be put in ure by the Parliament by a new Law (for the old Statutes smelling so much of Pope­ry and Prelacie were withered long since) I mention these men not so much for what, as when they spake, and whose they were.

The Armies Declarations and Remonstrances themselves (in pretence at least; Armies Re­mostrance, August 19. 164 [...] pag. 4. for what end the great God knows and will judge) gave very fair and promising hopes unto all men that their faces and their hearts were set towards the maintenance and vindication of the Kingdoms Liberties (and in special of conscience) by which the eyes of the best seeing in the Nation, were turned towards them; in which work of theirs Mr. Cook, a man well thought on by the Grandees of the Army, as by his after-imployment doth appear. He, I say, gives encouragement to them, and en­deavors much to fire their Resolutions for the effecting of this Work: I shall repeat some words of his and so leave this: And to the purpose before mentioned, he brings in the Lord Jesus, speaking to the Army, upon their jar with the Parliament: ‘Thus (with other things) did I preserve you from active Martyrdom that you should bring your selves to passive? Redinte gratio Amories, pag. 84. Would not I have taken your lives as kindly from you at Nas [...]by, Bristo, &c. as if, after disband­ing, [Page 28]you should be imprison'd and put to death for Here­ticks and Schismaticks? Is not my Kingly Government as precious to you, and as well worthy fighting for as my Priestly Office? &c. And pag 85. to the same purpose; Hath God preserved you hitherto in times of War, to be insensibly destroyed in times of Peace? Was not your Commission to fight for Laws and Liberties, whereof Con­science is the greatest? Hath not the Kingdom sufficient­ly dishonored Religion formerly in the Bishops time, but must they now under a pretence of uniformity seek the life of her children, and of Religion it self? Do they not aim at the life of Religion which is the heart of God, and the lives of his children, which are the Apple of his eye? The Mercunalists at Court did but strike at the Letter of the Law in some things; but these Phaëtons would set all on fire, and aim at the Power of Religion; the very life of our Laws, whose humors are so corrupt, that the least scratch turns into a gangreen?’

Thus much from Mr. Cook; and 'tis pity his Language is so adaequate unto these Times.

This is enough to shew what the (then) thoughts of the Aymy men were concerning Liberty of Conscience. Their means (that we may go on) with other, prov'd as a hand clapt upon the mouth of that persecuting Spirit whereby its bur­ning breath could not break forth to do much mischief; yet in this doubtful and disputing time, endeavours were not wanting to cast the seed of persecution into the Parliament; 'tis done, not so much by a forc't ravishment ('tis thought) as by a willing prostitution; for they had now forgotten their Virgin-dayes and glory. The Parliament grows preg­nant and at last brings forth that bloody and destroying Monster, whose heart is as flint, and whose teeth as iron; that is able to cast down and trample on any serious Chri­stian in the World; that sees any thing beyond the Traditi­on of their fore-fathers (I mean) that Ordinance of Lords & Commons against Blasphemy & Heresie, &c. the unnatu­ral off-spring of such a Parliament, that did once assert [Page 29]and vindicate the peoples Liberties with courage: But this proceeds from them; and it is laid principally by some to the Scottish-rigid-Presbyterian-Clamors (with whom the English then had much to do) as the Father of it, although some neerer home might be affraid twas theirs. This childe thus born into the world, Gen. 12.16. may be likened well to Ishmael the son of Hagar, of whom the Angel said, He will be a wilde man, his hand will be against every man, and every mans hand against him; but I must except, and hope hee will not long dwell in the presence of the Brethren to of­fend them.

The Bishops and that Prelatical Party living in those days, who were pretendedly cast out for their oppression might laught to see their former cause so gratified by those that cast them down; and they might now believe that their fair houses and their lands made them more guilty then their tyrannie: For what Prelacie in England for these fourscore years could have desired more for them to act upon against Dissenters in Religion, then this Ordinance? Nay, I am confident by this, through their great subtility, they might have made (had they been up to act) their lit­tle fingers now heavier then their loyns were but a little before, so easie is this Ordinance like to sit upon the neck of English Christians.

Tis very likely that this new-born-Law would have ma­nifested it self in its true colours presently, for those were not wanting that could open it, if the affairs of tste King­dome would have permitted: But things were not yet come up to that maturity and fulnesse that some desired, and were posting to; the Nation was but in a tottering state, not yet setled and secured from common enemies both abroad and at home; therefore for the better effect­ing of the work, the Heterodox (whose hand had been much in the businesse of the war and pretended reformati­on) are in a manner courted still, and still retained to plead against the publike Adversary. All this while that Ordi­nance lay Dormant in the Cradle, or if it wak't a little, it [Page 30]quickly fell asleep again; and if it had been strangled there, it had been a work not worthy of repentance.

Passe we from this unto the tryal and the great Cata­strophe of King Charls; the Bishops and their Jnrisdicti­on were extinct before: the King now follows them, be­ing condemn'd as a Prince not fit to rule any longer. Who would not imagine now but all usurpations tyrannies over mens persons and consciences, subversion of Laws, and whatsoever else may be called State-sinnes, I say who would not have thought all those to be excluded and dam­ned up for ever? except it must be said that the Agents herein slew the persons to inherit their souls, their sins and impieties, and so become sevenfold more the sons of op­pression, and arbitrary lust and power then all before them. As to the present case of Liberty of Conscience, I will here insert one passage more from Mr. John Cook Barrister, the Advocate of the Commonwealth against the King; Brook, King Charls his Case in page 42 speak­ing concerning the Court of Justice, ‘ This high Court (saith he) hath cut off the head of a Tyrant — and in so doing they have pronounced sentence not onely against one tyrant, but tyrannie it self; therefore if any of them shall turn tyrants, or consent to set up any kinde of tyrannie by a Law, (let this be heeded) or suffer any unmercifull domineering over the consciences, persons and estates of the free people of this Land, they have pronounced sentence against themselves.’ Loe! here's the sense of one concerning Liberty, who speaks not [now] in his own behalf, but as the Attorney-General of the honest and well-affected in the whole Na­tion; and the Armies servant, who were the great Zea­lots for taking off the Kings head he in this capacity, sends all kind of tyrannie (in word at seast) away with Charles Stuart; he could not be ignorant of the aforesaid Ordi­nance, but may be supoosed to believe that the Parliament to whom so great a purge (as they cald it) was administred by the Army, or part of it, had those peccant humors—corrected, wherewith they did abound in passing of that [Page 31]Ordinance, and were rendred more healthy, and better disposed unto the Nations service, in clearing of their Rights and Laws, if so good an end could be effected by so bad a means.

These things past over and gone, that long Parliament (after its many strange turns) fell into an absolute dislike by the Grandees of the Army, and having had a part too long (tis thought) upon the Stage, it is dismist and Exit. But such acclamations and such ecchoings of joy were made and heard throughout most of the gathered Churches in England, as if they meant to sound the Trumpet to some great Jubilee, and as if the day of the Nations deliverance from their long servitude and captivity were come; such sudden hopes were generally conceived upon the rooting up of that long Parliament, that had been pruned much by the Armies sword before, but was not likely to bring forth that fruit which some expected, whatsoe're it was; yet a­las poor souls, who did not see this to be the foundation to another thraldome?

Their resoundings upon this occasion were no sooner past, but they are seconded by another, greater in conceit, then the former, occasioned now by that strange summons given for a new Parliament, which for distinction-sake shall be called the Extraordinary Parliament, or to use their own phrase in their Declaration of July 12. 1653. Then called in an extraordinary manner, who do there de­clare themselves the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, and so may I, and twenty more do, if wee have a minde to't, and all to little purpose and we may chance to hear more on it too another day. But the Churches look't on't as an extraordinary blessing indeed, that they should hove the sole (or at least the chiefest) power to elect a Par­liament, a thing never so much as dreamt on in our Eng­lish Law-books or Antiquities.

These Gentlemen thus summoned, might have done the Commonwealth better service had they staid at home, and endeavor red to engage the honest and well-affected of the [Page 32]Nation, to remonstrate the case of the Common-wealth, and how far they did assent unto the proceedings of the Army in their actings towards the former Parliament, and boldly to have asserted what they did and might justly ex­pect to have done in the present overture of Providence, that seemed now at last to call for Righteousnesse once more and common Justice, yea, seeing now upon the fall of the remainder of that long Parliament, the Power and Supreme Trust returned into the hands of the people, as the Army men themselves say, or conclude it would and ought, upon the dissolution of the Parliament, in that no­table stratagem of theirs, their Remonstrance, printed in Novemb. 1648. and presented to the Commons; they might have done well to have called in question The Agre­ment of the People, in order to the future Government and settlement of the Nation, presented to the Commons by the Army, Jan. 20. 1649. that had lain so long under the ashes of forgetfulnesse, never so much as called for by the Authors of it. But these things wav'd, or not consi­der'd in that present Juncture of providence, the Gentle­men make for Westminster — to declare themselves the Parliament of England; and what need that, had they not been jealous of an innovation? For the Kingdome hath had other means then these to know their great counsels by, when they have been theirs; they needed not declara­tions to inform them of that: Thither, I say, they come, and there they sit (with better hearts to act by, then foun­dations to act upon) untill they most strangely and unex­pectedly divide themselves; in one part of which fraction formally carried on, there lay the irons by which the stately work or engine of the following Government should be pretendedly effected which partly by this means grew so hot, that it quickly melted and severed from the rest, and fairly run into another mould prepared for it, and from hence come forth our new Mngna Charta with a Protector of the Commonwealth of, &c.

Whiles these things were thus transacted, that Ordinance of the Lords and Commons concerning Religion did not so much as whimper, that ever I heard; and Conscience in Profession might have gone free enough, for all I know, as to any legal cognizance thereof.

The Revolutions of the civil Interest being so many and so strange, fill'd up the thoughts of most with something or other, that they could scarce get a vacancie for the o­ther.

The breach of this Parliament, and the breaking out of our new Government, stroke many of the Churches, espe­cially such as past under the notion of fifth-Monarchy men, into such a damp that they knew not how to breath with patience, and their discontent flew very high, which cost some the losse of their Liberty for they conceived their hopes frustrated, [or stopt at least] and look't upon the Leaders of the Army to have broken their Faith and Pro­mises which did occasion their high displeasure: VVhere I leave them with many more to condole themselves in the midst of their Abuses, and proceed to what remains.

The Protector sworn and setled in his Seat, endeavors to beget thoughts in all men of his moderation and his tender­nesse; for he hath been heard to say, that he thought no Man in Englaud suffer'd purely for conscience; such a de­signe had he yet to keep or gain the hearts of the religious people in the Nation to himself, who had been not a little serviceable to him all along the VVar, wherein they sup­posed also that they served the Common Interest, wherein their own was included. But the Lord suffer'd not this flou­rish to stand long without a trial; he comes down to see whether it would prove altogether according to the sound; whether the practise of the State would verifie their Profes­sion, or whether it were spoken rather to serve themselves upon men, then to serve the Interest of Christs Kingdom in men. Nothing, in my judgement, comes so neer to the touch of what vvas before pretended then the case of Mr. John Biddle, vvhich will appear in these two respects: First, [Page 34]The civil deportment and conversation of the man was not in the least to be excepted against, even in the confession of his Enemies. And Secondly, The Judgement and Opinion of the man in matters of Religion, is about things not of a light but important and weighty concernment, contrary to the most By the former, if any dissenting man be capable of Liberty, he is. By the latter, his Liberty is now made questionable, whom I mention but with this double instruction. First; Not as if I would be understood to plead singly for him alone, or any individual person in the world; although the unjust sufferings of any man cannot passe my observa­tion without some sad regret of grief. Nor, Second­ly, I am as if I were (under the same predicament) Hete­rodox with him in point of Doctrine, and so may be sup­posed to groan out this from a principle of self love and persecution. No, I professe were I (as for ought I know I may be) of the same judgement with the Court-Chaplains and Favorites in all things (excepting this of persecution) I should he willing, and so I am, to give all men their liber­ty in matters of conscience; so that they may not be pro­ceeded against by any compulsive forcing means whatsoe­ver; because I know Truth to be strong enough to defend it self, and advance its cause by better and more proportio­nate Weapons. The pursuit of this mans case then these things premised, shall serve as a mean, to finde out what Liberty the Dissenting Brethren in England have, and up­on what bottom it stands; then will I stop this unpleasant Journey where the persecution of this Heterodox-Man first took life, I shall not now discusse; or by what heat it was fomented before it appeared publikely upon the Thea­tre for Action; the cognizance of that too I shall here passe by; together with the occasion of this persecution, this later being abroad already: Tis my wil only to observe how this tender thing, both in the eye of God & good men free­dom of Conscience hath been coveted somewhat, but ne­ver sincerely and truly or legally betrothed or espoused to the present Government; notwithstanding the Provision [Page 35]in the instrument of Government made for Liberty, which in the judgment of all that I ever heard, giving their thoughts thereupon, even of some that were willing enough to tread upon their brethrens conscience, if they might safely do it, did tye up the hands of some furious men, that they could not reach that blow to their neighbors as they might: I say, notwithstanding this, Mr. Biddle is sent with a Mittimus to Newgate Prison in London, in order to his Trial for Blasphemy and Heresie; upon that rusty Ordi­nance before mentioned he is indicted thereupon for de­nying Jesus Christ to be the most High God, &c. and excepts against his Bill; mean-time his Friends, with many gather­ed Churches, Petition the Protector, upon the general ac­count of Liberty, &c. to declare that Ordinance void, as being prejudicial to common Freedom, and against the Go­vernment. The [...] is extant in Print to be read of all. The Protector rejects the Petition, and denies the Prayer thereof: The Petitioners plead that the Instrument gives Liberty; whereupon the Protector falls to his Glos­ses and Interpretations thereof, and saith, That the Govern­ment gives Liberty to all that profess Faith in God through Jesus Christ; that is, That believe as the generality of Prote­stants believe; which is as much as if the Government had said just nothing: And moreover, he most affectionately inveighs against men of such Opinions, as this man, the Prisoner, is reported to be, together with an assertion of the Magistrates duty, That he must not tolerate such as speak against the God of the Country; with more passages not here to be inserted.

How lyable these expressions, given by way of glosse upon the Government, or that part of it, are to be wrest­ed according to the advantages of will, time, and persons, let any man that hath a minde to see what he saith, behold and judge: But these Interpretations will serve well to gratifie the interest of the Clergy, who many of them long to see their Brethrens flesh frying at a Stake; but how serviceable they will prove to the Reformation of Religi­on, [Page 36]and the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus, a little time I trust wil manifest. But let us see in brief whether this sense of his Highnesse upon that part of the Instrument concern­ing Religion, doth agree with himself, and whether the In­strument will rationally bear such an interpretation.

For the first I will remember such passages relating to this purpose, wherein he hath appear'd joyntly in concur­rence with others; and such wherein he hath stood singly by himself; and I fear we shall finde the Protector fight­ing against Oliver Cromwell in his former respective capa­cities and titles. And besides those things hinted at, and referred to pag. 36. &c. that do bespeak the Armies sense, wherein the present Protector had no little sway, I will with as much sparingnesse as is convenient, mention [but] a few more. First then, not to go [...] backwards, let us view that Remonstrance spoken of but now, pag. 20. where declaring the interest of the Parliament, and oppo­sing it to that of the Kings, they say it is ‘ To protect and countenance religious men, and godliness in the power of it, to give freedome and enlargement to the Gospell, for the increasing and spreading of light amongst men, to take a­way those corrupted Forms of an out side Religion and Church-Government, whether imposed without Law, or rooted in the Law in times of Popish Ignorance, or of the Gospels dim­mer light; by means whereof snares and chains were laid upon consciencious and zealous men, and the generality of people held in darkness, superstition, and a blinde reverence of persons and outward things, fit for Popery and slavery;’ [where by the way I would observe, first, that (in the judg­ment of those Remonstrants) there may be tyrannie over mens consciences without Law: Secondly, That such ty­rannie was rooted in the Law in times of Popery, or the Gospels dimmer light, and so by consequence ought to be expung'd out of the Law again, it being but an innovati­on:] They say further, That the interest of the Parliament is ' To take away or loosen that dependance of the Clergie [Page 37]and Ecclesiashical affairs [observe this well] upon the King (and so upon the Protector) and that interest of the Clergy in the Laws and civil affairs, which the craft of both in length of time had wrought for each other, which several (say they) were the proper subject of the Reformation endeavored by the Parliament, (and so of right ought to be endeavoured still.) D [...]th not this manifestly say, That Liberty of Conscience is a Legal Right which the great Councel of the Kingdom was to assume as their Interest, to maintain against the Kings, which they bring in afterwards in opposition to this: And can it be imagin'd, that the present Protector, who was then Lievt. General to the Army, did not consent to this? Or could it be done without him? I will cite one passage more in this page 66. where they speak of a cer­tainty for future annual, or Triennial Parliaments, with Pro­vision, among other things, for future clearing and ascertain­ing of the Power of the said Representatives, (to be done by an Agreement, and therein to be declar'd) that they have and shall have the supream Power and Trust—as to the highest and final Judgement in all civil things, without fur­ther appeal to any created standing Power: Why I beseech you is this limitation [in all civil things] put in, if we may not conceive that it was the minde of this Remonstrance and the contrivers of it, and consenters to it, that things spiritual, and relating purely to conscience, should not (at any hand) come under the cognizance of the Parliament, or any after created or establish't Power whatsoever under it? Are we gotten out of the hearing of this? must it not reach us now? nor be of no use to us? or was it intended to draw in religious men to serve the turn of some men at a pinch, and afterwards to cast them out, and persecute them as thieves and robbers? doubtlesse there is one that ruleth in the Heavens, there is a God that judgeth in the earth. I might say again, that, that Common Liberty and Publique Freedom, so much contended for in this and all the Armies, and that long Parliaments Declarations, &c. and made that the ordinary Dialect of every page (almost in [Page 38]them, doth indisputably involve this of Conscience; & I am countenanc't and justified in this assertion by these passa­ges that we made to speak here out of this Remonstrance, as may appear to any considerate and unbiast man in the world. Come we from this to the Armies Agreement of the people, mentioned erewhile; and we shall find it speaking very plain and home to the purpose in hand; whereby it may be noted by the way, that those passages of the Army con­cerning Freedom or Liberty of Conscience, were no sud­den raptures, or soon-vanisht flashes; but constant and set­led thoughts, and so the more wonder that they should be more deleted or blotted out in any. They say in general; pag. 24. (more plainly then before in the Remonstrance) That the Representatives have, and shaell be understood [...]o have the supreme Trust, in order to the preservation and government of the whole—concerning all natural or civil things▪ but not concerning things Spiritual or Evangelical; clearly intima­ting, that they conceived it no way tending to the preserva­tion & government of the whole, but rather the clean con­trary, for the Representatives Power to extend unto things Spiritual and Evangelical and to take cognizance of such. How comes it to be otherwise now? Again, they agree, pag. 16. After an absolute excluding of any compulsive means or courses for the confutation of Heresie, Error, &c. (if I understand what I read) That such as professe Faith in God by Jesus Christ, (however differing in judgement from the Doctrine, Worship or Discipline pub­likely held forth) shall not be restrained from, but shall be protected in the Profession of their Faith, and exercise of Religion according to their consciences in any place (ex­cept such as shall be set apart for the Publique Worship, where w [...] provide not for them except they have leave) so as they abuse not this Liberty, to the civil injury of others, or to actual disturbance of the publike Peace on their parts: Never­theless it is not intended to be hereby provided, That this Liberty shall necessarily extend to Popery or Prelacy; and that all Laws, Ordinances, Statutes and clauses of any Law, [Page 39]Statute or Ordinance to the contrary of this Liberty, be, and are here by repealed a [...]d made void. If the Protector were in the framing this draught of Agreement, how is it that that Ordinance on which Mr. Biddles Indictment was ground­ed, could not be declared null and void when it was so ho­nestly and submissively desired by so many godly men? Is that which was lawful, yea necessary to be done by the a­greement; become now unlawful by this Government? Nay, doth not the Government speake the same thing in the same words, Art. 36, 37, 38. with but little omission? Methinks those whose hands have been in such works as this, that do now make it conscience to persecute for Opi­nion, as it is said, should by ten thousand degrees make it their conscience not to persecute in such cases, but to pro­tect, according to their former Agreement; and Declara­tions; and if such a Liberty be not hitherto eyed, let all the world judge and make sense of what is past, if it be not meant, that matters of Religion only should not come at any hand into the sphere of the civil Magistrate, but be reserv'd, and kept intirely and distinct, without any the least dependance, as such, upon the Powers of the world; however they may be from time to time distinguish'd or dignified, of what nature and concernment this branch in the Agreement about Religion was then judged to be; besides what appears in the latter end of their Remon­strance, is easie to be collected from their Petition presixt before, and presented to the House of Commons with the Agreement it self, where, pag. 1. they say, (speaking of the draught) That we (meaning the Army) are not Apt in any wise to insist upon circumstantial things, or ought that is not evidently fundamental to the publike Interest for which you and we have declared and engaged. And further, Whether it shall be approved by you, and received by the peo­ple, (as it now stands) or not; we desire it may yet remain up­on record before you a perpetual witness of our real intentions and utmost endeavours for a sound and equal Settlement. And in their Declaration concerning that Agreement, pag. 30. [Page 40]of that Book, they say, speaking to the Nation, in a tender thereof, ‘ We shall not otherwise commend it, then to say, it contains the best and most hopeful foundations for the peace and future well-Government of this Nation, that we can de­vise or think on within the line of humane Power, &c.’ with many other Arguments and Insinuations, whereby to get a good Opinion in the Nation of their good intentions to publike Liberty and Settlement; these passages are so plain they need no paraphrase; and so pregnant to this end, to guesse at the Armies, and so the Protectors sense about the businesse of Religion, that I shall mention no more of that kinde for evidence; onely let it be remembred, that some are still apt to think, that tyranny is tyranny wheresoever itbe, in Kings, or whomsoever; but I must complain and not much argue. Yet secondly, let us consider the Protector singly in his judgement, Protectors Speech to the Parl. without the concurrence of others for the Verdict; and I'le only touch upon those passages for the purpose, in his Speech to the Parliament at their dis­solution, (although there might be much collected from the two former) pag. 11. ‘ God hath spoken very loud on the behalf of his people, by the judging their Enemies, and resto­ring them a Liberty to worship, with the freedom of their consciences, and freedom in their Estates and persons when they do so.’ And this he after calls, the cause of God mani­fested by the works of God, against which whosoever falls, splits and suffers Ship-wrack; and I hope this cause of God will never be lost; or if at any time it should so happen, the Lord will soon finde it again with a witnesse. But further, see pag. 17 18. Religion was not the thing at the first contest­ed for; but God brought it to that issue at last, and gave it to ‘ u [...] by way of redundancie, and at last it proved to be that which was most clear to us; and wherein consisted this more then in obtaining that Liberty from the Tyrannie of the Bi­shops, to all species of Protestants to worship God accor­ding to their own Light and Consciences? [then not ac­cording the forms or impositions of any other.] And speaking of such who once beggd Liberty, 'tis queried, Is it ingenu­ous [Page 41]to ask liberty, and not to give it? what greater hypocri [...]e then for those who were opprest by the Bishops, to become the greatest oppressors themselves so soon as their yoke was remo­vec? I could wish that those who call for Liberty now also, had not too much of that Liber [...]y-Spirit, if the Power were in their hands.’ How can this be interpreted otherwise, then com­ing from a minde resolved to maintain the freedom of con­science entire and uncurtaild, especially seeing there is so fair a rule given to measure such a sense in it by that which follows; ‘ As for prophane persons, Blasphemers, such as preach Sedition, the contentious Raylers; punishment from the Civil Magistrate ought to meet with them; for their lives b [...] ­ing open, make them the sub [...]ects of the Magistrates sword.’ So much hath the Protector singly spoken, and if that old saying be true, Index est animi serm [...], Who can forbear to say, That it hath been the Judgement of the present Pow­er, that all things singly relating to conscience, are out of the way of the Magistrates Cognisance; yet who compares these things thus (though but a little) opened, with the In­terpretations put upon the Instrument about Liberty, men­tioned before, together with the tart and fiery sayings of many about Toleration, and can refrain himself from won­der and astonishment, to see such forgetfulness (to say no more on't) falling upon mens memories, of such things which they themselves have most solemnly profest and pub­lisht to the worlds view, to be of an absolute necessity to the general settlement of the common Interest and Peace of the Nation? What meaning to put upon these Transac­tions as they thus stand, I think the wisest or most subtile head will never be able to invent, except it be That men are resolved with him in the Poet, to say,

To have Tunes for all times, and (like Fidlers) to sing that Song that fits the humors of the greatest in the company, however it go with the rest. Thus have we taken a little view of what the thoughts and workings of great men have been concerning Liberty, and what they now appear to us to be.

Next, for the Instrument of Government [our new Charter it self] whether that doth not give Liberty to all Dissenters in matters of Conscience (excepting its own ex­ceptions.)

Shall (or can) I turne Common-Lawyer, or the Law? I shall not assume to my self that Task; yet it being given for men to square themselves by, I may endeavour to know it, and for that end make a search into it. To the answer of the question then: First, That those Articles concerning Religion, mean a Liberty to all Dissenters, as before is clear, and very plain if it be compared with the minde of that Draught of Agreement out of which it seems to be taken; I say, it seems to be takenby the indentity of voice they both speak, onely the Instrument omits some few passages which are mentioned in the Agreement: Now the Agree­ment endeavours manifestly to take all Power compulsive out of the Magistrates hand, yea out of the hand of the Parliament it self, as being inconsistent with publike Set­tlement and the Nations peace; and 'tis to be noted, that therein they do but declare the Indibutable Rights of the people, grounded on the Law of Nature and right Reason; for this kinde of Freedom of which we now speak, is a little elder then our new Government. But secondly, The very repetition of the Articles about Liberty, is enough to an­swer the Question to any unprejudic'd man in the world; the plainness whereof will be a witnesse against all false Glossaries; read Art. the 36, & 37. That to the publike pro­fession (what is that? the Christian Religion, saith the 35. Article) held forth, None shall be compell'd by any exter­nal force whatsoever to be of the Christian Religion, be­cause the Christian Religion is able to gain, through the Power of Jesus, Disciples to its self, without any such poor and beggarly Argument as the Sword of man is, compared with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God; but that endeavors be used to win them (those that are not of the Christian Religion publikely held forth) by sound Doc­trine and the example of a good Conversation; from [Page 43]from which later clause it appeareth, That in order to the finding out of Error and Heresie, and its rational confuta­tion, there must be a free way open for the Dissenters from the approved Religion, to professe & publish their Opinions; which being published, shal contract no other evil to the Publishers, then an advantage thereby to be taken for their better instruction, not for their Destruction, Imprison­ment, Banishment, or what censures else the Civil Power pleaseth to impose: For this Article provides, that such Er­roneous (yea Infidels, so far it goes) shall be dealt withal only by Doctrine and good example. (I do verily believe that this sense is not forc [...]t, but that every ingenuous man will see as much in the Text.) Yet, because the civil peace and common safety and Liberty of the good people of Eng­land have been disturbed and taken from them by a Sect and Interest of men (for such a transition I conceive there is between this 36. and the following Article) then there­fore the 37. Article doth limit, and therein expound the former thus: ‘ That such as profess faith in God by Jesus [...]hrist (though differing in judgement from the Doctrine, [note that still] Worship or Discipline publikely held forth) shall not be restrained from, but shall be protected in the Pro­fession of their faith, and exercise of their Religion, so as they abuse not this Liberty to the civil injury of others,’ [observe the word civil, only the civil injury of others is therby pro­vided against) ‘ and to the actual disturbance of the publike Peace upon their parts, provided that this Liberty bee not extended to Popery, or Prelacy;’ nor to such as under the profession of Christ, hold forth and practise licentiousnesse. The 38. Article appeales all Laws, Statutes and Ordinances, &c. to the contrary of this Liberty. Suppose now (for instance) that I maintained, and profest that there is no resurrection of the dead, (which Doctrine my soul abhors) a position which I hope, will be contrary to the Doctrine held forth publikely yet) I say, suppose I did professe that thing, I conceive, and that from apparent ground in these Articles, that I am not to be [Page 44]compelled to be of another minde, or else to dye, or be abridged of my Liberty by the hand of man; but to be preserv'd and protected unto the Reformation of my mind and the confutation of my Error by sound Doctrine, which by this Law ought to be, notwithstanding that that Ordi­nance, May 2.1648. expresly saith, That if any one shall maintain and publish, that the bodies of men shall not rise again after they are dead, it shall be adjudged Felony; and why judge I that my protection lies in this Government? but because all Ordinances made contrary to the Liberty given, are hereby repealed and made void; and this amongst the rest, as being one of those all. Again, here is an excep­tion of, or provision made against Popery and Prelacy, and Professors of licentiousnesse; which provision I humbly conceive) was made, because if it had not, Popery and Pre­lacy might be adjudged to drink their portion of this de­clar'd Liberty; which that it might not do, this exception seems in reason to be put in; Nay, and I believe thus far we may go too, as to say, That all the Doctrines and Opinions that Papists and Prelates hold, are not (by this) excepted and provided against; for in many things, the present pub­like Profession, and the aforesaid Interests do kisse each o­ther in a friendly compliance; but such Opinions of theirs are hereby excluded, that do give them the denomination of Papists and Prelates respectively: Now then its clear (see­ing that only is excepted, which otherwise is comprehend­ed under the general term) That no man professing faith in God by Jesus Christ, shall be restrained in the Profession of his Faith, however differing, except they professe Popery, or Prelacy, or licentiousnesse; so that as to the case in hand, by which (as I have said the Government is tryed, Mr. Bid­dle ought not to be restrained from his Profession, That Je­sus Christ is not the Most High God; but to be protected therein, in order to the confutation of his Heresie by sound Doctrine and Argument, which is able to pierce deeper by a thousand degrees into the heart of Error and the Devil, then the point of the Magistrates sword can, though driven [Page 45]by all the strength in the world united into one Arm; nei­ther am I singular in this Interpretation; I believe, and hope. I speak the sense of all moderate and serious Christi­ans in England, upon this point of Liberty of Conscience; I am sure I have the Attestation, or rather the Opinion of many hundred honest and professing Christians in the Na­tion, concurring with me in the same Judgement, as it doth most evidently appear by that Petition-signed by them, oc­casioned by this Tryal some of whom (and I mention it to their honor) have had the happinesse to keep constant and close to their Principles therein, whiles others have played fast and loose, and ('tis to be feared) have made shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience, endeavouring to satisfie their own lusts in serving other mens wills, and the humors of the Times. Thus much for the finding out of the minde of the Government, and the sense of the supream Admi­nistrators thereof, as to freedom in Religion, both before and since the lifting up of the hand to heaven for a solemn and religious Execution thereof.

Notwithstanding the clearnesse of the case of Liberty, which is as manifest as the Sun at Noon-day, the bloody work of Persecution is countenanc't and fomented by Court-Interpretations, put upon the aforesaid branch of the Government; and to make it passe the better, 'tis said, That such a latitude was never in the minde of the contri­vers of that Charter; and that they had rather be set quick in a Pit, and to have stones and dirt cast upon them to damn them up, then to tolerate men of such Opinions. By means of which glosses and asseverations, the presenters of that Petition for a further declaring of that Ordinance null and void, &c. were put out of all hopes of obtaining their de­sires, (though never so honest) and the Prisoner left to prepare himself for the next Sessions in London, unto which he had been referr'd. But in the mean time comes a party of Horse to New-Gate, surprizes the Prisoner, and carries him away, who at length is sent into the Island of Silly, to be there kept a close Prisoner, whereby the due pro­ceedings [Page 46]and course of the Law was stopt which is (or ought to be) the safeguard and the fortresse of every honest, Decl of the long Pail. Ech. 17. 1647. pag. 17.21. [...]um multis alis. 'Tis to be argued from their de­nial of the neg. voice to the K. K. Char. case by Cook. See Sir. Edward Cook 2. part of Institutes, pag. 45. cap. 29. in­nocent, free-born English man.

These strange and unexpected proceedings have been most bitterly inveigh'd against, and most earnestly opposed in the late King, which were made a great part of those hai­nous evils for which he lost his life, and were declared to be contrary to the Laws of England, and the Liberty of the Subject. And although there may not be pretences wanting to make it passe the better in the observations of men, yet hath it been conceived illegal under what pretence soever. All men know (that know any thing this way) that it is one branch of the great Charter of Englands Liberties con­cerning the King, that he promises Nulli vendimus, nulli negabimus, aut differemus Justitiam, vel rectum. We will not sell, nor deny, nor delay Justice or right to no man. No man shall be taken, imprison'd, or disseised,—or out­lawed, or exiled, or by any means destroyed—but by the legal Judgement of his Peers (or equals) or by the Law of the Land. And Sir Ed Cook in his Exposition of this Chap­ter, saith, it is the worst oppression that is done by colour of Justice (or right, or under pretext of doing good) It is e­nough barely to read these words of that Charter; the Com­mentary is worthy to be in the heart of every English man. Mr. Saaler commends and closeth with Polydor Virgil, in his relation of the businesse of the Lord Chancellor in King Richard's time, Rights of the Kingdom, pag. 153. who on pretence of the Kings Warrant, ex­ceedingly polld the people; whose proud injustice was brought down by Parliament, and to excuse himself the bet­ter, he pleads the Kings Command, whereat the Historian (as Sadler brings him in) puft, and said, quas [...] fas esse: jus omne prencipis Jussu rescindere, as if the Kings Command might disannul the Law. 1. Part Cook, Deel. pag. 183. The Lords and Commons in that long Parliament (in the day wherein Law and Justice was strongly asserted by them against the King, in defence of whom, therein the Army engaged against the Royal Party) declare and publish to the world, ‘That it is against the [Page 47]Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom, that any of the Sub­jects thereof should be committed or compell'd by the King to attend him at his pleasure, but such as are bound thereto by special service. And if any Messengers or Of­ficers shall by colour of any command from his Majesty, or Warrant under his Majesties hand, arrest, take or carry away any of his Majesties Subjects to any place whatsoe­ver, contrary to their wills, That it is both against the Law of the Land, and Liberty of the Subject, and it is to the disturbance of the publike Peace of the Kingdom; and any of his Majesties Subjects so arrested may lawfully resuse to obey such Arrests and Commands.’ Can any thing be spo­ken more to the purpose? Or is not this the Language of all rational men that have heard of Law or Liberty? I con­fesse I am fallen into a road both arduous and difficult; I shall deliver my self out of it by a bare quotation from Mr. Frynne, who once felt the sharp edge of the Prelates cruel and salvage Tyrannie: His case is plain enough and pleaded by himself in Law against his Star-Chamber-Judges, to a Committee of that long Parliament, New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny, pag. 210, 211, 212, 213. appointed [almost] for that purpose; yet because I will not put the Reader to a double charge in purchase, I refer him to those Authorities which he there brings in and applies to his purpose, not un­sutable to ours. But 'tis observable from all, first, That the Judges, (much lesse a Party of Soldiers) were not to stay any Processes or Judgement; no, not by the Kings Com­mandment. Secondly, That it was an. Article of a very Ca­pital concernment, and hainous nature against the Cardi­nal, to grant forth injunctious to stop the Common-Laws, it being against the Liberty of the Subject, whereof see more in the place aforesaid. Magna Char [...]. pag. 29. I shal not undertake to accommodate these passages to any present; it is a work of a tender, a tou­chy nature; onely I shall conclude them in the saying of Sir Benjamin Ridyard, in a Speech of his in Parliament, Let the matters bolt out the men: Their Actions [will] dis­cover them. Thus much of the sense of the Government, and the Executors thereof concerning Liberty of Consci­ence, [Page 48]and their proceedings therein.

'Tis easie now to finde out upon what foot of account the Administration of Freedom in Religion stands. The Instru­ment of Government promises and provides for a general Liberty (except what it excepts) yet there is this Ordi­nance against Blasphemies and Heresies endeavour'd to be kept alive, and supported, to be a check to the Government. This Ordinace hath such a vast and comprehensive reach, that it is able to draw in the greatest and most considerable part of Christians in England into its clutches, and to pierce into the heart of their lives and Liberties; for there are none of the Independent or Baptized way, but more or lesse do fall into its verge. These, because they have been (and that they may still be) serviceable for the carrying on of State-designs, shall have a Sanctuary, or City of Refuge in the Government, whensoever that pursuing Ordinance shall break out after them; for the Protector saith, They are and shall be tolerated, although the Anabaptists were once shrewdly glanc't at in his first Speech to the last Parlia­ment, because they [mostly] differ but in forms and other circumstantials; and here the Ordinance shall be checkt: As in Mr. Kiff­ins Case, &c. As for others differing in Opinions or Doctrines of con­sequence, if they chance to quarrel with the Ordinance; Currat Lex, Let the Law go on; they shall have no little Zoar in this Government to save them in their flight; and if in the defence of themselves their Pleadings be likely to prove profitable to them for their safety, all shall be quasht and stopt presently before issue or Judgement, and the De­fendants damn'd to perpetual Imprisonment, to do them Justice, and to save them from the Law: In conclusion, 'tis no more but this, That if the Protector pleaseth, That Or­dinance of Lords and Commons is in force to some; and if he pleaseth too, 'tis not in force to others. It was declared to be the Royal Anti-parliamentary Interest to uphold and maintain the dependance of the Clergy and Church-mat­ters upon the K. and greatnesse of the Clergy under him; and in all these things to oppose the Reformation endea­voured [Page 49]by the Parliament, Armies Remonstrance, Nov. 16. 1648. pag. 20. Sir Edward [...]ook many times layes down this Rule in several Cases handled by him in his Institutes, Mise­ra serv [...]tus, ubijus est vagum, vel incertum. And surely no­thing can be more uncertain then the pleasure and the will of men; what is done to one, may (when the circumstances of time and persons will afford) be done to a thousand, yea to ten thousand times ten thousand, by the same rule; and then what will become of Liberty of Conscience in gene­ral, if it must lye in the breast or pleasure of man? 'Twas used to be said. That an unlimited Power not bounded by Law and Reason, made any King or Magistrate whatsoever a Tyrant, in potentia, at least, though he were the best and most righteous man in the world; and what strong and conclusive arguments there have bin given since to discover the error and the danger of that State or Common wealth-Doctrine, I never understood. I desire to know this one thing, How or where it can be shewn in the Derivation and stating of the Magistrates Power, as they say in matters of Religion, That he hath a right, or 'tis his duty to give Li­berty to this or that dissenting party in Religion, for the Profession of their Faith, and not to all? As for instance, Suppose a Magistracie maintains and publikely professeth the baptism of children to be the undoubted baptism in the new Testament [...]ub [...]ct [...]vè; and notwithstanding shall think or make it his duty to give Liberty to those that are adver­saries in Doctrine and Practice to that way, maintaining the baptism of believers onely, where there is an appearing ground to determine a Liberty to this (or such alike) in­terest, and not to all? I speak of such a determination as is made by the judgement of Scripture and Reason, and wave prudential wayes here.

I shall not undertake to answer the Objections of the Adversaries laid in against this Liberty contended for; it hath been done already; yet if either of these ensuing be urged upon this complaint, I will touch upon the Answer.

Suppose it should be the States conscience to proceed by their Power against what shall be reckon'd and adjudged Error, wil you not give them leave to act accordingly?

I answer; Grant the Hypothesis, and there is a distincti­on to be made between a State and a private conscience. The State-conscience ought to be regulated by the Light of Law that shines within its proper sphear; for 'tis one thing to have the conscience directed in its publike, and another in its prviate capacity. Suppose a Judge scruple the reason of that Law of sentencing men to dye being convict of Theft (as Mr. March's Amicus Rei Pub. p. 105. &c. some I think not without cause have done) 'tis said, Thereon the Judge as a Judge (if he proceed) is to follow the Law according to his Oath; yet if his private conscience prove predominant, he may quit his place of Trust, and re­signe: And 'tis observeable, That the Kings of England were sworn to execute their Trust in Rule, not according to their conscience; for then the Administration thereof had been uncertain; but according to the Laws, which Laws (as it hath been told us before) have been binding so far only, as they have been grounded upon Reason, and made to look towards publike good. There is reason enough in the very mention, to satisfie any man in this, that the private consci­ence must veyle before the publike, and bow downe its self.

Ob [...]. But those that differ in their Opinions may con­ceale their Differences, and then they may be tolera­ted?

Ans. First, By such a course as the Objection insinuates, there is no considerable evidence given of the indulgence, the meekness and gentlenesse of the Government, and the ministration thereof; for to presume they tolerate, is the most that can be said; all discovery of the Hetrodox or Er­roneous being prevented. Now it may be thought, that those Articles in the Instrument concerning Religion, were intended to represent the Power, looking with a milder face upon men of conscience, though differing in Doctrine, then the former setled Authority had done. Again, Should all [Page 51]men be reftrained from the publication of their opinions, the profession publikely held forth would be (in very much) out of a capacity for the confutation of the errors in them, and no pity and compassion shewed towards the erring conscience at all, because if he may continue in silence, he may go on in his error to the death; the means of his refor­mation being so far prevented as the restraining of him from the free discovery of his judgment comes to. Lastly, the Liberty by the objection granted upon concealment of a differing doctrine is no more but what the greatest Trea­son in the world may challenge from man, while it is kept within the compass of a private thought or imagination; the powers on earth having no cognizance in that case of the thoughts, until they are declared by some overt act; then such as erre in the business of conscience, may give the ob­jector thanks for nothing in the liberty granted by him in the objection: No more of this kind of Replication for the reason given before.

You see upon what ticklish and uncertain terms the liberty of conscience (onceso much asserted, See the Re­monstrance spoken of be­fore, pag. 21. worthy to be read and revi­ved. & made to draw in the most professing part of the Subjects of this nation to a com­pliance with the long Parliament and the Army) stands; his Highness (dear friends & brethren) is but a man, and a man subject to like passions with others; & how soon he may be drawn to give the reins to the Incendiaries of the times, who knows? How ready many mens spirits are to kindle & blow up the flames of persecution, if they can but get a fair advantage, hath been so much manifested of late, that it needs no argument for proof: Of what a lamentable consideration is it, that those who once engaged in the pro­motion of that Petition, for the further vacating and de­claring that Ordinance, &c. null and voyd, should turn their backs not only upon their former declared principles, but upon their own hands, Mr. Kiffin, &c. once imployed and set for the quenching of that fire, and joyn themselves with such that stand to add fuel for the fomenting thereof. The Lord Protector, as he is a man subject to like infirmities with o­ther, [Page 52]so he is not without temptations to let fly and lay a­bout him; nay, by how much the higher he stands, by so much the more is he subjected to those violent and insinua­ting blasts; which blasts may prove the more prosperous for their desired end, by how much they are ventilated from a spirit of zeal in Religion, yet carried on with a furious rage, to make the mindes of others to bow down to their conceits. How the Court abounds with these I shall leave it to be determined by such as have more acquaintance there then I; yet I think my self bound to give a tast there­of, to prove what I have said; Col. G [...]ffe, a man famed e­nough for Religion, and interest in religious men (which is none of the weakest bonds that ties him to the Protector) to discover his judgment about liberty, at a private Fast kept by the General and his Officers at Whitehall, blames the civil Magistrate (grounding his Speech upon the 34 of Ezek) because he did not intermeddle in matters of reli­gion, and judg between the fat cattle and the lean; also he applies that which is spoken to the Church of Thyatyra a­bout their toleration of the woman Jezebel in Rev. 2.20. to the Magistrate. How easie this goes down with the pre­sent Power, see by a late Expostulation made with some Teachers of Churches, concerning Dissenters in doctrine, &c. 'Will not you excommunicate such? Some said, They would. Then if you take care for your Bodies and Societies to keep them cleer, shall not I accordingly take care of the Commonwealth? Is not this (I beseech you) something of kin to the old Popish and prelatical principle for persecu­tion? Excommunicate and deliver over to the civil Magi­strate? Thus much from this Preacher. M. Peters another man notorious enough, adds to this his profound reading in the French History, and saith, he found, That so long as Calvin and the Presbyters in Geneva dealt courteously with Servetus by perswasion, and argument, his Heresies spread and prevailed; but the cutting off of Servetus was the overthrow of the Heresie: Whence he observes, That as the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church, so the blood of Here­ticks is the destruction of Heresie.

Gallantly concluded (Mr. Peters) and a very clear Text for your bloody Doctrine; Dr. Taylor may be opposed to Mr. Peters Li­berty of Pro­phesying, Epist. pag. 19, 20, 21, &c. and in this Ibring as good an argument for Liberty as he hath done against it. never did a more pernicious Principle crawle out of the mouth of any Roman Jesuit in this world; if the Doctrine were not too gross to need refutation, Mr. Peters might be told in his ear, the saying of the wise man, as 'tis made to speak by Antient Bounds, p. 55. another long ago, upon the like occasion, There be just men (and so just wayes) to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; and there be wicked men (and so wicked ways) to whom it hapneth, according to the work of the righteous: And fur­ther, should we set the experience of this present time in opposition to Mr. Peters observation, we should finde it o­therwise, and he himself will say 'tis including; but I leave him, for he is brought in not to be disputed with. But to shew that the Protector is not free from temptations; no not from these of his own house; and when they are perse­cuted by men of such intimacy, and appear so fitly accom­modated to a desire of Ruledom, let the wise fear, they may sometimes be admitted.

The uncertainty of Christian-freedom thus briefly toucht upon, & so much appearing as it doth, prompts me (though the least of the many thousands of Israel) to speak thus, and to bespeak all Christians to gird up, and prepare them­selves to the day of suffering; who knows how soon the Sword and Violence of man may be ready to drink up the blood of the Religious, when our Liberty lyes grovelling at the feet of those that will not lift it up? Let there be all pious and lawful courses thought on, that may delay, or else raze out that day from the Calender of time; or if it may be in the wise disposing providence thought meet to suffer such a blast and storm of Hell to fall upon the heirs of Heaven, let it not take us at unawares, and surprise us un­arm'd for encounter; we may expect the Devil will rage much, and belch forth his fury in fiery flames when hee is laid hold on by the Angels Hand and he may play Rex be­fore he go into the bottomless Pit: Who will not endea­vor to hold the mystery of faith in a pure conscience, where­by [Page 54]he may conquer the world, and reple the assaults of the Devil, and of men led by devillish Principles? Pray, be­seech God for men, that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in godliness and honesty; and men, for the Lords sake, that they offer no injury nor violence to his Kingdom; but let the Government alone upon his shoulders who is best a­ble to manage it. Do all things in love; and if after all you see your selves expos'd still to sufferings for conscience, say, The will of the Lord be done. Prepare then, prepare (Chri­stians) to meet oppression and persecution in the field, and to conquer with faith and patience, the best and most pow­erful Instruments of a Christians warfare.

Whiles I am in this humble posture (for 'tis time to con­tract my Work now) give me leave, (oh! let me earnestly desire and beg leave) to tender upon a bended knee these few partticulars (they are not new born, I think they can be but reviv'd) to the present ruling Power of this Na­tion.

1. Consider, whether all authoritative proceedings by civil force or power against men for conscience, or things therein depending, be not prejudicial to the Peace of the Nation, and liberty of the Subject by the old Laws of England; and who in reason are the disturbers of the peace, the prosecutors in such cases, or the prosecuted.

2. Consider, whether there was not a time wherein the Interest of Christs Kingdom was carried ou distinct, and withouut dependance upon the Kingdoms of this world; and whether the power and life of Religion did not shine forth in greater glory, and looke more like Heaven then, then it hath done since; and whether it ought not to be so still, notwithstanding any Arguments yet urged to the con­trary.

3. Consider, whether the proceedings in cases of Religi­on, do not reflect disparagement and dishonor, and an e­steem of weaknesse upon the Arm of Christ and power of the Spirit, whereby he is brought in as standing in need of Instruments of an Heterogenous nature (to what [Page 55]he uses) even the trembling and the fallible arm of man.

4. Consider further, whether the Magistrates Cognizance and coercive Power in spirituals, be not an usurpation of the Royal Diadem of Jesus Christ the King of the Church; and if so, whether it be not wisdom for all Powers in the world to make a speedy and relenting resignation thereof before the time wherein hee I come to vindicate the wrongs he hath received from all such bold Usurpers.

5. Consider [lastly] whether such Magisterial courses as before, do not in their kind justifie the oppressions of con­science made by all former powers, and so draw all the inno­cent blood shed in this Land in such wayes, upon the head of the present Generation; and whether the Sword of Di­vine vengeance was not drawn against the King and Pre­lates heretofore, principally for those cruelties they took delight to exercise upon conscientious men, and the en­croachments they made upon the Kingdome of Jesus Christ.

These (with more) may be offered as matter meet enough for the consideration of all, even from him that sits upon the Throne, to him that grindeth at the Mill, in order to the drawing in of that arm of civil power, that is sometime stretcht out over the consciences of the Religious, which proves so much offensive both to God and man. But I re­mit this too, and resume a Prayer.

And here let me beseech and beg again, and humbly pray the Powers on Earth, that as they tender the honour of Christs Kingdom, and the keeping of the Crown upon his head intire and non-impeacht by them, as they would be free from the guilt of blood, and a participation in other mens sins, as they would be unwilling to hear Judgement pass against them when time shall be, for exercising of their power there where they have nothing to do; and as they rejoice in the power and prosperity of those Nati­tions that lye under them, who ought to receive Justice and Righteousness as their due; I say, as they tender all, or any [Page 56]of these things, that they would provide that Liberty of Conscience may be fully declar'd and injoyed, & the Rights and Freedoms of the people may be perfectly vindicated and secured, lest the Lord come (too soon for some) to de­stroy them that destroy the earth; whose name is Prince of Peace; and whose delight is much in mercy and forgiveness, and in patience unto all; or if this must be denyed which is so just and reasonable, and that religious Freedom must not yet appear, upon such terms as before; then let me beg a­gain, (it is but this, and I have done) That Hereticks and Dissenters in Doctrine may live and be abroad; and this, (if not out of respect to your own duty, and to all their Right, yet) that they may serve (instead of Canaanites) to keep the spirits of the present Orthodox active, that they may not grow idle; for one main reason why the retinue of the former Prelates was generally so flat and stupid, was because they had the power of the fleshly-arm so much at their command to controvert and crush those (supposed errone­ous) Principles, which they could not (or else they would not take the pains to) bring down by force of Argument or Scripture-reason, because they had an easier way to do it by; and let me retire from the presence with this caution, That if I seem to plead for Errors Liberty, it is by accident, and in order to have it all cut down by a better and a sharp­er Sword, (that of the spirit in the mouth of Christ) at the drawing of which I can rejoice exceedingly, none being more delighted to behold the heart-blood of Error by such means, shed and spilt upon the ground, nor more ready to pray that it may never rise again.