GODS-VENGANCE

My Lord, I have from the beginning dilligently observed the Na­ture and inclinations of this Prisoner, eve [...] to have been so averse to God and all goodnesse, that his Actions in all Nations Kingdomes and St [...]s, [Page 10] amongst Societyes and people, have been in direct Enmity to the end of Christs comming: for he came not to destroy mens Lives, but to save them Luk. 9. 56. Joh. 3. 17. But this fellow PERSECVTION, destroyeth both Life Temporall and Spirituall: he wasteth mens Estates, the more Godly and upright they are, the more cruell, raging and hatefull he is against them, he bringeth Misery, Poverty and Beggery on their Wives and Children: yea my Lord, this Savage Blood-thirsty Wretch Hangeth, Burneth, Stoneth, Tortu­reth, Saweth a sunder, Casteth into the siery Fornace, into the Lions Denne, Teareth in peeces with Wild Horses, Plucketh out the eyes, Roastet quicke, Bu­reth alive, Plucketh out the Tongues, Imprisoneth, Scourgeth, Revileth, Cur­seth, yea, with Bell Booke and Candle, Belyeth, Cutteth the Eares, Slitteth the Nose, Manacles the Hands, G [...]g [...]th the Mouthes, Whippeth Pil [...]oreth, Ban sheth into remote Islands, makes them fly by wh [...]le [...]h [...] falls into W [...]ld De­sarts, Stigmatizeth some, and sometimes maketh such (so Stigmatized) when the wind turnes, to Stigmatize their freinds with Reproaches, Calumnies, Op­pression of Conscience &c. Deprives them of the Communication of their Freinds, of all Releife, of Pen, Inke and Paper, Sep [...]ra [...]e [...] Man and Wife, De­prives Parents of their Children and Children of their Parents, Impriseneth men only for the discharge of a good Conscience, Stoppeth Presses, whereby men cannot make their just defence, Suffers nothing to be Licensed, Printed, Preached, or otherwise published, but what himselfe alloweth, and having thus bound the hands and stopt the mouthes of all good men, then he comes forth in Print against them like an Armed man, and furiously assalts them, Exults and Exalts himselfe over them, Feigneth Arguments for them and then like a Valiant Champion gives them a conquering Answere, and thus puts them to f [...]ight, and p [...]snes them with Revilings, Scanda [...]l [...], For­geries, and Opprob [...]ions Nick-names, as Antinomians, Anabaptists, Brow­nists, Independants, Scismatiques, Heretiques &c. Thus he dealeth with the Godly party: Yea, he forceth Millions to make Shipwracke of a good Con­science, who for feare of such inhumanity deny the Lord that bought them, to their finall condemnation. Oh! therefore (my Lord) if there be any Bow­ells of Mercy, any tender Compassion in you [...] pitty the destitute, the Affli­cted, the tormted, who wander about in Sheepskinnes and in Goateskinnes in desarts and in mountaines, in Dens and in Caves of the Earth, of whom the World is not worthy.

Secondly, my Lord, he maketh a Nation guilty of all the righteous blood spilt upon the Earth; from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, and of all that are slayon upon the Earth; for it is all innocent blood that is shed in that case, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, who came not to destroy, but to save mens lives; and therefore would have all taught in all Nations, that all might be perswaded to the obedience of the truth, that [Page 9] all might be saved: Therefore to kill the unbeleivor, as, Turke, Pagan, Jew, &c. is to slay such as Christ would have to live to repent, which must needs be Murder in the highest Nature: And cursed is he that shall stay an Innocent P [...]er­son and all the people shall say Amen, Deut. 29. 25. The Land that sheddeth In­nocent Blood, Innocent blood shall be upon it. Deut. 19: 10: and Innocent Blood the Lord will not pardon. 2 King: 24. 4.

Thirdly, my Lord, he occasioneth Treasons, Conspicasies, Reballions, Warres, Forreigne and Domesticke, in all Nations and Kingdomes in the Earth, He divideth Prince against Prince, Kingdome against Kingdome, & Kingdomes in themselves, Breedeth and b [...]get [...]eth a Nationall hatred be­twixt Prince and People, and amongst themselves: he setteth Neighbour a­gainst Neighbour, Yea Father against Sonne and Sonne against Father, he breaketh the bonds of Peace and Freindship Nationall and Domesticke, In­ [...]geth and Filleth the wholl Earth with blood and Violence: for what at this day is the Reason the Protestants [...] the Blood of the Papists? but because the Papists seeke theirs? they hate & persecute the Papists, because the Papists hate and persecute them: they would extirpate and roote out the Papists because the Papists would doe the like to them. And on the o­ther side, the Papists plot and conspire against the Protestants, because the Protestants will not suffer them to live amongst them, but Banish, Imprison, Hang, Draw, Quarter, and set up the L [...]mbs of some of them (in open defiance to the God of heaven & earth) upon the Gates of the City, who though unhap­pily they be found Traitors to the Publique Pease and Politiqus Government, yet Nature might teach them to bury their Limbe, An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth, Blood for Blood, saith God: but now Blood cannot satisfie Inhu­mane cruelty: If this be Canonicall, Let me have old Tobits Apochripha, who hazarded his life to bury the dead.

Where two stand at Enmity, there must needs be Mastery, or else no safe­ty: When one knoweth tho other is his mortall Enemy, he will use all the Means, Strenght and Pollicy that he can to subdue him. This enrageth to all manner of Tyranny and bloodshed, setteth one Kingdome against a­nother, because each knoweth and taketh each other for his deadly Enemy: Their faith being built upon this rotten & devouring principle of forcing the con­sciences one of another. But if the Papist knew the Protestant, the Protestant the papist to love another: & would no [...] molest or in the least injure o [...] an­other for their Conscience, but live peaceably & quietly one by another; bea­ring one with another, and so of all Religions: What man would lift up his hand against his Neighbour? This could not but cond [...] to a generall true setled Peace, to the wholl World. And in a short time, the Enmity of Heart betweene the Papist & Protestant &c. would be quite worne ou [...] Why should we hate and destroy one another? are we no [...] all the Creatures [Page 12] of one God? redeemed by one Lord Jesus Christ? this should provoke us to Love and peace one towards another. If God have revealed more Light of the Gospell to one then to another, shall the more knowing trample the ignorant under his feet? we should carry our selves loving and meeke one to­wards another, with Patience perswading and exhorting the contrary minded proving if at any time God will turne their hearts, by this meanes the great Incendiary of the World, an inforced enraged Conscience, would be at rest. What is more neere and deere then our Consciences? if that be enraged who can appease it? if that be satisfied, what Content Joy or Peace like unto it? or what more mild, more Gentle or Loving? Therefore how tender ought we to be in Cafes of Conscience? it is a Lion if enraged, a Lamb if appeased: it is all Honey or all Gall, enraged it is like the Wild Bore of the Forrest, plea­sed, it is like the Dove from the Arke: no greater Freind, no greater Foe.

It is better therefore for Kingdomes to set the Conscience free as in Hol­land, Polonta, Transylvania &c. and be at Peace in themselves, then to bind and enforce it and be Rent in themselves with Emulations, Heart-burnings, Conspiracies, Rabellions &c. If this Fiery Spirit were allaied, This ignorant Zeall of forcing all to beleive as we beleive, extinct: Nationall Feares, Jelousies, and Hatred would cease betwixt Nation and Nation, people and people: for as this violent Implacable Spirit suggesteth Feares and Jelousies betwixt one Con­science-forcing King and an other: Kingdome & Kingdome: Nation & Nation: [...]oit forceth them to draw their swords, and standin continuall Defiance & Defence for feare of mutuall Invasion. Yea under a false Opinion of ad­vancing Gods glory: by forcing others to their faith, they invade, assult and murther one an other, and yet both (deluded by this Seducer) thinke they doe God good service, when alas it is all innocent blood that is shed: What was the maine cause so many Nations have been rent and divided in them­selves, and one against an other, and in their divisions devoured one an o­ther of late dayes? What occasioned the revolt of the Germaine Princes, from the House of Austrea, of the Neitherlandess from the King of Spaine, the bloody Maskery in France? And amongst our selves, what occasioned the rising of the Scots, the Rebellion in Ireland, and those bloody divisions in England but this divelish Spirit of binding the conscience? One would compell the other to their faith, and force them from their owne, and that will not be borne, they had rather dye, then deny their faith; and therefore is it, that a con­siderable party rebelleth, and in that Rebellion wallow in one an others blood, bume and destroy all before them, and yet both (as they suppose) sight the Lords battell, while indeed the Divell beareth the greatest share, whose servants they are in that Quarrell owe as well as the other. Doth not the Holy Ghost make it it a speaciall Marke of Antichrist to force all both great and small, &c. and is it not the cause of the Womans flight inter the Wil­dernes [Page 13] from the presence of the Dragon; the scattering of the Church into De­sarts and secret places; the Death of the two Witnesses, and wearing out of the Saints of the most High? How cometh the Woman on the scarlet coloured Beast drunke with the blood of the Saints, and with the blood of the Martyes of Jesus, and all the blood of the Earth to be found in her, but by this divelish Spi­rit, even the Spirit of Divels. which goeth forth unto the Kings of the Earth, and of the whole world to provoake them to warre against the Saints; I meane, this binding of conscience, and forceing consormity, though never so much against knowledge and perswat [...] of heart, which at this day is so hotly endeavoured, preached, and pleaded for by the proud, Prelaticall Presbytrie of this Land, who by their subtile insinnations, and secret delusions endeavour the infusion thereof into the hearts of their Rulers, and to beget it as a principle of faith in the multitude: Should they possesse a Par­liament and Kingdome with this Spirit, that Parliament and Kingdom can­not expect peace and safety to continue; the fire may be smoohered for a time, but it wili breake out at last, as this Kingdome hath already fonnd by woefull experience, the blood of its Nobles and Commons, &c. whereof my Lord, this infernall Feind (here araigned before your Honor, a Trator to his Majesties Crown and Dignity, the Priviledges of Parliament, Rights, & Lib: of the Subject, is the cause: Yea my Lord, he is Jakes on both sides, in was he that occasioned the feares and jealousies betwixt his Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament, and unhappily drew them into the Feild of Blood, neither party would be oppressed in Conscience, or deprived of their Reli­gion; this was one halfe of the Quarrell, and publikely professed the main, though it may be Monarchie was the other halfe; and my Lord, he seduced the King into the North, and provoaked your Lordship unto Armes, and hath continued to this day firmely on both sides, so that fall which side it will, he concludes to be Conquerer, and be established absolute Monarke, for he so deports himselfe betwixt you both, that both may persecute, and hitherto he hath too much prevailed with your Lordship: Therefore my Lord, if this vile Incendiary (here happily detected and araigned) be not cut off from be­twikt you, there is no hopes of peace, till the sword (and it may be samine, and pestilence too) wrestle it out to a Conquest on one side; and when all is done, yet peace will not, nor can possibly long endure; for where Persecuti­on is, there wil be heart burnings, envyings, emnlations, and murmurings, which at length will breake out into Commotions, Conspiracies, Insurrections and Re­bellions. And thus my Lord, I give place to what shall be further evidenced by the Witnesses.

GAFFAR CHRISTIAN stand up, what can you say for the King against the Prisoner at the Barre.

CHRISTIAN.

My Lord, I have knowne this man by woefull Experience, well high 1644 yeares: and my brethren of old, the Prophets, bare witnesse against him unto the day of my Nativity, that he was in their times the most Pesti­lent Enemy to Mankind to God and all Goodnesse, that ever was borne in to the World: and my Lord, I am able to prove his continuance in that cur­sed Condicion oven unto this day: so that he hath lived and scaped the hands of Justice above 5660 yeares, and all his dayes hath been a Murderer and Butcher of good men, yea scarce any consider it.

Secondly, my Lord, this Prisoner, PERSECUTION for Conscience, ma­keth the Gospell of none effect, in stead of Sincerity he setteth up Hyprocricy, in­stead of the Feare of God, he setteth up the Torrour of men: instead of the Sim­plicity of the Word, he setteth up the Vsurpation of the Sword for my Lord, the compelling of men against their Consciences, enforceth such Inconveni­ences and Impieties inevitably: Yea my Lord, of such a Divelish Spirit is this Enemy of, as he exalteth himselfe against the Mercy of God in Christ toward the Sonnes of men, to the very prevention thereof to Multitudes, and the tum­bling of them head long without remorse to the Divell: for they that are blind, they that are Tares, who knowes but they may see, may become Wheate heereafter: but if they be cut off, (as this mercilesse Inhumane Miscreant useth) for their blindnesse, how shall they see? for (Isa. 38. 19.) The Grave cannot praise thee, they that goe down into the Pit cannot hope for thy Truth. Blasphe­mers may hereafter become faithfull Witnesses of Christ, Act. 3. 3. & 9. 5. 6. Idolaters, true Worshippers, no people of God, the people of God, as the Co­rinthians, 1 Cor. 6. 9. & some come at the first, third, sixt, & some not till the e­leventh [...] Mat. 20. 6. but should those that are in their sins till the II. houre be cut off because they came no sooner: they should have been prevented from conversion, or coming at all, as godly King Edward moved by his bloo­dy Bishops, to the burning of a godly Woman called John Butcher (Fox Act. Mon. p. 1784) answered, Will you have me send her quicke to the Divell in her errours. This is the service this PERSECUTION doth, instead of building he destroyed, instead of saving he danneth, under the colours of Christ he figliteth for the Divell his Master.

Thirdly my Lord, his nature is at direct emnity against the very command Christ gave unto the Apostles in the Generall Commission: Goe teach all Nati­ons, &c. Mat. 28. 19. where teaching, not violent compulsion is constituted, and once for ever ordained she meanes and only way for conversion to the faith of Jesus in all Nations: Now compulsion and perswation all know are directly opposite, as much as to will and to nill; So that the command of the one by the Authority of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, is a flat denyall of the [Page 13] other by the same Authority: For here (vec. 1920.) by full power of that Authority, Teaching is commanded; as, teach all Nations, &c. teaching them to observe all things, what ever I have commanded, &c. Therefore, all violence, as by monaces, threates, imprisonments, bodily punishments, spayling of goods, and such like cruelties of this tyrant, is condemned in all Nations as a meanes for no Nation in the Administration of the Gospell.

Fourthly, my Lord, this Adversaries practice and the Discipline of this old, envi [...]us, malignant wretch here justly arigned before your Honour, is quite contrary to the Apostles in their Administration of the Gospell; for they did r [...] e [...] suggest, or stirre up any Prince, or Majestrate (in whose hand is the compulsive civill power,) to force such by violence of pepall I awes, Edicts, Ordinances, Imprisonments, or she like, as would not suject unto their Gos­pell: but on the contrary, gave up themselves to seorgings, imprisonments, sth­ning, &c. which this Enemie occasioned against them, for the promulgat on thereof. And the worst that they did, or were commanded to doe, to such as would not receive the Gospell, was but to shake off the dust from their feete, [...] Luke 10. 11. Acts 13. 51 which was nothing so ill, as this Beind's fire and faggot; burning, hanging, froning, storging, imprisoning, &c. whose nature hath ever been & is alwayes versant in such crueltios; and yet my Lord, this spawne of Satin, this malitious Hyprocise, doth all under the vizour. of Religion, his wool feish nature is never seen abroad but in sheeps clothing, in nomine Domini, he perpatrates, all his villany: So that my Lord, he is a most dangerous invererate Antichrist's and Archetraytour to his Majesty (the King of Kings) his royall Crowne and Dignity, and in invadour and de­stroyer of the just Liberies, the lives and, fortunes of his Majesties leige people.

Fiftly, my Lord, it is against the Law of Charity, not to do [...]as we would be done unto: He that hangs a Jew, because he will not be a Christian, would be [...]ath [...]a Jew should reward him in the same kind, because he will not be a Jew, though in equity he deserve it. for innocent blood requireth blood. Yea my Lord, to forcemen and women against their consciences is world then to ra­vish the bodies of womena and Maides against their wills: Yea, it is beyond the Turkish cruelty, for though the Turkes force the bodies of Christians and Strangers to slavery, yet they let their conscience goe free: But our late Idol blood-sucking Bishops, and after them our ravenous Presbiters, as towardly younge Cubbes for beare not to force the consciences of their freinds and neigh­bours; and imprison them for walking after the light God hath given them: And my Lord, it is this Malefactaur which rendereth them so guilty: Yea my Lord, this Foule Spirit breathed into them at their Consacration is not yet cast out of them, which like a roaring Lion seeketh whome it may devoure: So that if your Lordships justice doe not spoedely interpose the bloody resolves and [Page 16] villanous intents of our new upstart frisking Presbyters, we shall be all devou­red by those greedy Synodian Cor [...]rants, which if you suffer, Wee then to your Lordship in the latter Day, for be assured, that all the miseries, tortures, and torments they inflict upon us, will not only rise up in judgment against them, but even against your Lordship.

Sixtly my Lord, he us [...]peth that to himselfe, which Christ hath referred to the Last Day, to wit, to judge them that reject him, for John 12. 47. 48. If any man hear my words and beleive not, I judge him not, for I came not to judge the World, but to save the World: he that rejecteth me and receivetb not my words, hath one that judgeth him, the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him at the last day. & 1. Cor. 4. 5. Judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come and Mat. 7. 1. 2. Judge not least yee be judged, for with what judgement yee judge, yee shall be judged &c. and to these adde Isa. 11. 4. Therefore no man upon paine of judgement, must presume to judge any in respect of Christ or his words, but must referre it to the last day, whose word shall judge him, and not Fire and Faggot, Hanging and Quartering, Imprisoning &c. such are incompetent Judges, for to this end Christ both died and revi­ved, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. Let us not therfore judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling Blocke as an occas [...]on of fall in his brothers way: for, Who art thou that judgest another mans servant? to his owne master he standeth or falleth. Rom. 14.

4. We are not equall Judges one over another in matters of Faith, Who is it that shall condemne? it is Christ that dyed: What is he that shall dare to execute Vengence for unbeleefe? He that is innocent let him throw the first stone. The Assembly (surely) will not plead Innocence, and if not, why are they so ha [...]y to throw? Surely, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Yet Mr. Calamy a man but newly Metamorphosed by a figure which we Rhetoricians call METONOMIA BENEFICII from Episcopallity to Pres [...]ytery: upon de­mand what they would doe with Anabaptists, Antinomians &c. tells us, That they will not m [...]ddle with their Consciences, but with their Bodyes and Estates. Truly if this be the drift, they are even leapt out of the Frying [...] into the Fire. If they be fallen, this is not to restore them with the Spi­rit of meeknes. But my Lord, Justice upon this Malefactour would cure the Synodians of that Disease, for Patience per force is a Medicine for a madde Dogge. And thus my Lord, your Honour hath my Testimony of this Ma­lefactour.

GAFFAR MARTYRS, What can you say for the King against the Prisoner at the Barre?

MARTYRS.

My Lord, Had not my life been hid in Jesus Christ, who is God of the living, [Page 17] and not of the dead, for though dead in the grave, yet I live unto him, to be raised and revived at the last day; or could the arme of flesh suppresse the cry of blood, my witnesse would have been dis [...]abled: for this Malefacteur PERSECUTION persecuted me even to the death; so that my voyce is no other then the cry of blood, even of the Prophets and Martyrs of Jesus, that you heare; for my Lord, such hath been his cruelty to me to suppresse my Testimony against him while I was living, that all the tortures and tormen [...] wit and malice could invent, he with his blood-thirsty Clergy devised against, and executed upon me, whereby I was most baberously murthered; so that my Lord, I have no other voyce left me, then that of blood, split for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus, crying with a loud voyce, how long O Lord ho­ly and true dost thou not avenge our blood? I could enlarge my selfe into a Sea of blood against him, discover him drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyres of Jesus: yea my Lord, Articles of all manner of impiety a­gainst God, and all goodnesse, Treasons, Rebellions, &c. I could exhibite a­gainst him, but my faithfull brother, that pore despised CHRISTIAN, hath most justly witnessed abundantly against him: And there is yet an other faith­full Witnesse to give in his Evidence, Gaffar LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE, who I know, is thoroughly furnished with matters of highest concernement against him, to whose just Evidence I shall give place.

Gaffar LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE, what can you say for the King against the Prisoner at the Barre?

My Lord, before he proceed, be pleased to heare the just excep­tions, Sir Symon Synod and Sir John Presbyter after their so long and serious consultation have devised and contrived, why his Testimony should not be heard, as an unsit Witnesse in such a case as this.

My Lord, if Baal be God, let him plead for himselfe.

And reason good: For the judgment of this Court is not to be swayed by favour, affection, humour of multitudes, or the like, but by Rea­son and equity it selfe: Wherefore for the more free and just proceding here­in this Court Ordaineth and Proclameth freedome for both sides, one as well as the other, whether Presbyterian Tormentoi [...]s or Independant Sufferers to give in their grounds and reasons to the Sentence of this Court, whether LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE be tollerable, and his Evidence to be re­ceived. Wherefore Sir Symon, if you have any thing why this mans witnesse may be di [...]nabled, you have liberty to speake.

Sir SYMON SYNOD.

My Lord, this fellow LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE, [...] a Free-willer, a loose Libectine, one that opens a gate to all manner of prophanes, in what Coun­trey [Page 18] or State soever he gets intertainement, a man of all Religions and of no Re­ligion, a compound of all heres [...]es, scisme, and faction; a prestelent enemie to Na­tionall Conformity, our late Solemne League and Covenant, a Tratour to your late sacred and blessed Ordinance for Tythes, a worke of Superarrogation▪ a Confuter of our mighty Champions Mr. Priune, Edwards, &c. He is for no Reformation, but strives to frustrate all my endeavours, and the pious ends of the rest of my holy brethren of the Tribe of Lev [...], for the advancement of the Church God, the Clergie of the Land, with ecclesiasticall Revennue, and power coercive to curbe opposition, and force Reformation to Presbyterian Governement: yea my Lord, this is he that would reduce the Nationall Reformation of this Kingdome, so much endeavoured by your Lordship, even to open loosensse, every man to be of what Religion he li [...], every mecannioke illiterate fellow to turne Preacher, and be as good as their Minister, no distinction made betwixt the Clergie and the Laity, our Canonicall Coates, Girdles, long Cloakes and Blacke Gowno [...] made a dirision, a taunt, and a curse, as ominous as Lawne sleeves and as hatefull as a Miter, our holy Tythes, as of Lambe, Pigge, Goose, &c. be turned into voluntary Contribution, oh insufferable sacraledge! from the good will of the people good Lord preserve us: yea my Lord, the upper hand in publike places, (the Clergies delight) as, in streets, [...] feasts, &c. be deny'd us, the reverent estimation of our Coate be past either Cap, Congue, or Curtsey, no difference betwixt the Black Cassocke and the L [...]thr [...]n Jacket, and all our good­lyfat Benefices turnd to the labour of our hands, (alas my Lord, we were never brought up to labour, we cannot digge, and to begge we are asham'd) our delusions, false Glosses, Sophistications, and godly pretonces be detected, and divulged, and so all things that are dainty and goodly to depart from us: alas, alas my Lord! this will undoe the Clergie quite, we may leave our Callings, [...]nd learne new Trades, if we turne Coblers, Tinkers, and Weavers we may [...]hance get constant worke, if not, now and then a job of preaching amongst the people; Consider my Lord, it will put out the two eyes of the Kingdome: Much more I could say, but I shall give way to my Son Sir John, who by your Lordships favour shall further informe this Court in the defence of this Prisoner.

Well Sir Symon, this being a busines of high concernment, either what you or your Sir John, or what any man else can say in the behalfe of his Majesty concerning the Prisoner, this Court freely permitteth, yea com­mandeth Information thereof.

Call Sir John Prosbyter, sonne to Sir Symon.

Magus.

Sir John Presbyter sonne to Sir Symon come into the Court.

Sir John your Father hath informed us, that you have matter of exception against LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE, if you have the mercy of the Court permiteeth the Prisoner the benefit thereof.

Sir JOHN PRESBYTER

My Lord, My Reasons against LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE, why both himselfe and his Evidence is to be rejected, are these.

1. Because I suppose [...] must needs be granted, that the Majestrate is Edwards Antipol. p [...]g. 280. [...]ustos a [...] vindex vtrius (que) Tabulae, (as is confessed by all Orthodox Divines) that the care of Religion belongs to him: And because Austin and other Divines on Psal 2. 10. 11. and on D [...]t. 17. 19. give unto Magestrates that power. Ergo,

States-men must weare Bells about their neckes, because antient Divines say Kings are but Packe-horses to the Clergie.]

2. Because in this Kingdome the Reformation in Worship, Government, &c. which shalbe setled and established by your Lordship is judged and taken pag. 281. for granted by you to be according to the mind of Christ; else why hath your Lordship called so many able, godly, and learned Divines (of us) to consult with for that purpose? and why else will you establish it, if there be any other more agreable to the Word? Ergo.

The Synod is guided by the Holy Ghost sent in a Cloake-bag from Scotland, as of old from Rome to the Councell of Trent, Goncil. Trent l. 6 p. 497.]

3. Because it is against the solemne League and Covenant for Reforma­tion, taken by the Parliament and Kingdome of England and Scotland, and pag. 282. & 283. so cannot be condescended to in England without the breach of that Oath and Covenant: So that all Apollogie and motion for Toleration comes too late, the dore is shut against it, the Kingdomes hands are bound, so that if a Toleration were not in it selfe unlawfull, and against the duty of the Ma­jestrate, yet now because of the Oath and Covenant 'tis unlawfull; so that whatsoever might have been granted before, cannot be now, least the King­dome should be guilty [...]efore God of Covenant breaking. Ergo,

Because the Assembly bath sadled the Parliament, it is unlawfull for the Presbyters to goe a foote. Ergo, Persecution was unlawfull when the Preists were persecuted, but now it is lawfull they persecute. Ergo, Toleration was lawfull, and the duty of the Majestrate when the power was in the hands of the Bishops, but now the Presbyters are crowding into S. Peters Chaire, the Parliament is bound to compell all men to the Decrees of the Assembly, as that im­pudent, and desperate Incendiary Mr. Edwards boldly and openly affirmeth, an Assertion able to divide the Kingdome in twenty peeces.]

4. Because it is against the greatest lights in the Church both antient and pag. 281. moderne, as Agustine, Ambrose, Calvine, Phillip Melancton, Zanchius, Mus­culus, Bullinger, likewise the judgement of the Divines of New England are [Page 20] against the Toleration of any Church Governement and way but one, they will not suffer Brownists, Anabaptists, &c. Mr. Cotton the greatest Divine in New England, and a precious man, is against Toleration, and holds that men may be punished for their Consciences, as will appeare by his Letter to Mr. Williams. Ergo,

Presbyterian Governement is unlawfull, because Mr. Cotton con­demnes it in his Booke intituled, The Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven.]

5. Because at this time for want of setled Governement, people being left to so great liberty, multitudes are fallen, and doe daily to Antinomianis [...]e, pag. 289. Anabaptisme, Independancy, yea to deny the Immortality of the soule: Ergo,

One Anabaptist, Independant, or the like, that can render a Rea­son for what he holds, is better then se [...]ven Presbyters that conclude from such bald Premises, Pro. 26. 16.] [Here the Authour of that Booke, intituled, M [...]ns Mortality, desires Mr. Edwards with those that are so invective against it in their Pulpits that they would cease their railing at it there, and come forth in Print against it; for the thing being so rare, so litle questioned, and the contrary so generally concluded as a principle of faith, any bumbast-stuffe will passe there for authentike with the people without tryall, but if it be put forth to publike vew, it must expect an encounter by one or other, and therein the Authour of that Booke observeth the policie of his Presbyterian Adver­saries to maintaine their repute with the people, in being so hasty in the Pul­pit and so slow to the Presse.]

6. Independants, and all kind of Sectaries as long as they have their liber­ty, pag. ibid. snuffe up the wind, and will not hearken to any way whereby they may receive satisfaction; but if once the Majestrate declares, and by Lawes con­cludes one way of Church Worship, it may be they will heare reason. Ergo,

It seemes the Presbyters till then can render them none, for the rea­son and [...]orce of that Argument li [...]s in take him Goaler. Ergo, If once the Ma­jestrate declares, and by Lawes concludes all the fat Benefices of the Kingdome upon Independancie, then it may be the Presbyters will beare reason, and turne Independants.]

7. Independancie hath ever been from the first to the last, a Fountaine of evill, roote of bitternes, divisions, &c. as the Histories of the Anabaptists (the pag. 394. highest forme of Independancy, and Church way) declare, in respect of the evils they fell into, and the mischeifes they brought upon Germany, and how God cursed and scattered them. Ergo,

If the King conquer, the Parliament wilbe Traytours to posterity by Cr [...]nicle; for who writ the Histories of the Anabaptists but their Enemies?]

8. My Lord, becausethe Presbyterian way hath been countenanced from pag. 29 [...]. Heaven, and blessed from sorts of sects, &c. and that for almost an hundered yeares: Ergo,

Both Papall and Episcopall is better then Presbyterian, for they are, and have been more vniforme, and have continued many hundred yeares lon­ger then Presbyterian, and were long before Presbytrie was thought on: for alas, it was but a shift at a pinch the Divell made, when neither of the other would serve his turne; and so came up Presbytrie, but what good the Divell will have on't I know not; for who knowes the lucke of a Iousi [...] Curre, he may prove a good Dog?]

9. My Lord, If Toleration of Government though not of Doctrine pag. 301. should be granted, then the simple Anabaptists, and that simple sort called Dippers will come in too, saying, that Baptisme at such an age, and Bapti­zing in Rivers by Dipping are but matters of order and time: Ergo,

He that desembleth hatred with lying lips, and he that inventeth slander is a foole, Pro. 10. 18.]

Wherefore I humbly beseech your Lordship, seriously to consider the depth pag. 303. of Satan in this Designe, of Toleration, how this is now his last Plot and Designe, and by it would undermine and frustrate the whole worke of Re­formation, tis his Master peece for England. I am confident if the Divell pag. 304. had his choyce. whether the Hierarchie, Ceremonies, and Liturgie should be established in this Kingdome, or a Toleration granted, he would chuse and preferre a Toleration before them.

That is of Presbyterian Compulsion, because Episcopall in Eng­land is worne out of Date: Mr. Edwards knowes the Divell is not so simple, to chuse Hierarchie, Ceremonies, &c. where their deceit is detected, hated, and re­jected, it seemes be's better acquainted with him then so, the next time he writes, we shall have more of the Divels mind, but it is likely he'll have finished his De­signe first, and then it may be, Mr. Edwrads will tell us, that the Divell is better perswaded of Presbytrie (his last shift) then ever he was of Episcopacie, he will be so serviceable to him therein, for if Mr. Edwards and the Divell be not decei­ved, he intends with it to devoure, breake in peeces, and stampe the residue the Hierarchie hath left under his feete, so to weare out the Saints of the most High.]

And thus my Lord, you have, my Reasons, why this fellow LIBERTY-OF CONSCIENCE, is not to have admittance within the verge of this Kingdom, much lesse to enter thus into the bowels of this Court to give in Evidence to be proceeded on upon the life and death of this holy man, Mr. PERSECU­TION.

My Lord, Sir John [...]s a pritty forward child, that can pratle thus before he have his teeth; thy say he hath been breeding of teeth ever since the the Assembly were in consultation; surely they'll be huge, long, boarish tuskes when they come [...]ut; should your Lordship but cause his mouth to be opened, you might see great iron teeth lie in his [...], ready to cut, he wants nothing but a Parliament Corrall to whet them with all: [Page 22] but my Lord, were he mine, I would knock out his braines with an Indepen­dent Hammer, to prevent the groweth of such teeth, for Daniell tels us the nature of great iron teeth. Now whereas my Lord, he excepteth against my witnesse, I humbly conceive, the equity of this Cou [...] cannot receive his ex­ception against me in the justification of this Butcher and murtherer of good men, seeing himselfe is a mercilesse inhumane Butcher, the son of a Butcher, yea my Lord, his Grand-father and Great-Grand-father were Butchers; for whereas my Lord, he hath acquired the name of Sir John Presbyter, in truth he is a Preist, the son of a Bishop, Grand-child to the Pope, and the Divell is his Great-Grand-father, all murtherers and Butchers of Gods people. Therefore good my Lord le [...] not mine Evidence be thus unjustly disinabled.

LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE, you are sworne for the King, to give in your Evidence in his Majesties behalfe against the Prisoner at the Bar; and the challenge against you being such as may be dispenc'd with, you are to proceed in your Evidence.

LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE.

My Lord, To what the former Evidence have testified I shall with brevity adde, that this Malefactour PERSECUTION destroyeth the Inno­cent with the wicked, contrary to the comma [...]d of Christ, Mat. 13. 30. let the tares and the wheat grow together untill the harvest, from which Parable appeareth, that the Kingdome of heaven or Christs Government over the whole world doth strictly charge his servants, the Kings and Rulers of the Earth (for by him Kings raigne) to suffer tares; Turkes, Jewes, Pagans, and Infidels, as well as Christians to grow or live [...]ogether in the Feild of the World, their Dominions untill the Day of harvest, or desolution of all things, and not plucke them up, because they are Tares, Turkes, Jewes, Pagans, &c. least they plucke up such as may become as the Pillars of Solomon in the House of God, even glorious witnesses of Jesus Christ: What greater Rebellion therefore can there be by those Servants to the Housholder, then to plucke up the tares from the wheat? As their Office brings all under their Dominions, so it is to preserve all in their Dominions, that tares and wheate, Infidell and Beleiver may grow and live peaceably together in civill cohabitation, com­merce, &c. in their Dominions untill the Harvest, or end of all things, when the Lord of the Harvest shall seperate the tares from the wheat, with come ye [...] blessed, goe yee cursed, &c.

Secondly my Lord, he depriveth the Jewes (as much as in him lieth) of their geliverance according to the Covenant God made with their Fathers from this their Captivity, notwithstanding the wrath of the Lord threatned against them, that shall evill entreat them th [...]rein, Zach. 2. 8. Esa. 54. 15. 17. [Page 23] cap. 51. 22. 23. for my Lord, he hath made the name of a Jew as hatefull as Ju­das; yea, his nature is not to leave a man of them to pisse against the wall. Now my Lord, though the Jewes are led captive by the Gentiles under the time of the Gospell, and though the naturall branches are broaken off, and the Heathen grafted in, yet still they are beloved for their Fathers sakes, Rom. 11. 28. and are not to be persecuted for their infidelity, for he that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of Gods eye: What though they are stumbled? shall we boast our selves a­gainst them? God forbid; for if wee that are wild by nature, be grafed contra­ry to nature into the good Olive Tree, how much more shall they which are naturall branches be grafted into their owne Olive Tree againe? Therefore the Apostle would not have us ignorant of this Mystery, that blindnesse in part is hapned to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in, and all Israel shalbe saved, Rom. 11. 25. 26. compared to Isa. 49. 22. 23. Deut. 30. 1. 2. 4. 5. Amos 9. 14. 15. Now what hindereth their salvation and deliverance so much as persecution, for they are even led captive by PERSECUTION, and made slaves to him even to this day? And how shall they beleive, if they shall have no time given them to beleive? this divelish Spirit gives them not a minute, he will not suffer a Jew to live amongst the Christians, or come neare him: what hopes then is there the Jewes should be converted, where this Tyrant is in force? Shall we that have received vantage by their rejection, thus recompence them with ty­ranny? our Lord whome they slew, would not have them slaven, but they are beloved of him, and himselfe will be their Deliveror, Rom. 11. 26. 27. 28. yes this Incendiary hath caused our Kings, and our Rulers, our Bishops and our preists not to suffer a Jew by authority to live amongst them; how then can we complaine of the vengance that is at this time upon us & our children, that have been so cruell, so hatefull, so bloody minded to them and their children? we have given them the cup of trembling, surely we must tast of the dregges: Hearken therefore no longer to those which teach this bloody doctrine of persecution, for neither they, their preachings, fastings, weepings long prayres, &c. can deliver in the day of distresse, as long as ye persecute: Behold, yee fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the Presbyterian fist of wickednesse; but this is the Fast which the Lord hath chosen, to undoe the heavy burthen, and to let the oppressed goe free, and that yee breake every yoake.

Thirdly my Lord, He is a murtherer of Kings and Princes, &c. for the mur­thering of heriticke Princes is the naturall brat of this divelish Spirit; for from this ground, that the contrary minded are to be forced, the Papists justifie the murthering of Herticks, making all Heretickes which seperate from them; for that Religion that is bottomed on this principle, that all must be forced, will they, nill they, where it cannot force, must murther: so cometh it to passe, so many Kings have been murthered, by the Papists, because casting of the Ro­mish yoake, they free themselves from their power of forcing, therefore the [Page] Papists to make good their coercive principle, betake themselves privately to murther such Princes, to prevent a countermanding power, and keep all in their catholicke subjection; so that such as would have all forced, where they connot force, is to be feared, will privately murther: Therefore it is dangerous for a King to trust his person with such men, for if the King should change his Religion, to one opposite to theirs, who knowes, those men will not doe as their principle leads them, even murther their Prince; but on the contrary, that Religion that is grounded on the principle of meekenesse patience, and long sufferance, instructing the contrary minded, and utterly contesting against all compulsion, cannot in the least measure administer any feare or danger unto Princes of their persons, be of what Religion they will, for be they of any Reli­gion or of no Religion, for matter of violence it is all one to the Spirit of meeke­nesse, for its nature is only to perswade, not to compell; if by faire meanes it cannot prevai'e, it hath done, committing the issue to God.

Fourthly my Lord, He is an utter enemy to all spirituall knowledge, a hin­derer of its encrease and groweth; for no man knoweth but in part, and what wee know, we receive it by degrees, now a litle, and them a litle; he that knowes the most, was once as ignorant as he that knowes the least; nay, is it not frequent amongst us, that the thing that we judged heresie we now beleive is orthodox; now can such thinke themselves were worthy to beene persecuted in, and for that their ignorance? they cannot sure be of that mind; such therefore cannot condemne, imprison, or hang the ignorant, or such as discover or oppose their ignorance, but in that they condemne themselves, sinne against nature and their own knowledge: The twelve at Ephesus that had not so much as heard whether there were a Holy Ghost or no, if they had been so evilly used by Paul when he heard it, how should they spake with tongues, and prophosied? yet we see how common a thing it is, if we know not, nor beleive so much as the multitude knoweth or beleiveth, or the Do­ctrine of the Presbycrean Church requireth, we must be persecuted; and if our knowledge goe beyond them, that we protest against their errours, and la­bour to informe them better, wee must tast of the same sauee too, so that wee must know nor beleive neither more nor lesse then they, but must beleive just as they beleive, or else be persecuted; as if a Statute should be enacted, that an Image should be made, and all that were higher or lower then the Image should be hanged: By this we may see, what an unreasonable thing it is evil­ly to entroat such as we judge ignorant and erroneous, or all to be erronious and hereticall that we understand not our selves: What shall we say then of such Ministers, that of rationall creatures would teach us to be thus nnrea­sonable? their end is destinction, their belly, them God, they serve the Parlia­ment but for their owne bellyes, and by good words and faire speeches deceive the simple: These uphold the accursed Doctrine of Persecution, least liberty of [Page 25] printing, writing, teaching, should discover their deceipts, and they be disin­herited of their Fathers Inheritance; their intents are plaine to him that hath but halfe an eye to see, they'l not doe much, only change the title, be­fore it was Episcopal Prelacy, it shall be now but Preistly or Presbyterian Prelay, so that, he that lives but a small time shall surely see a Presbyter as fat as ever was a Bishop; those are enemies to all knowledge, that is either too short or be­yond their bellyes, therefore is it, that all heads must be made even with the Presbyters, none higher nor none lower, just as tall, and no taller, he that is too short must be stretched out, and he that is too long must be pared even, least they should misse of their Prayers, give us this day our dayly tythes, that the Gor­maine proverbe might be fulfilled, phophen geizegkeite, Gattes barmchartzegkite, were his in ebekeite, the coveteousnesse of the Preints and the mercy of God en­dure for ever; I would exhort them to be otherwise minded, but that I know, venter non habet aures, the belly hath no eares.

My Lord, I beseech you heare me after this tedious Accusation, it is false and malitious, as by sound reason, and Personages of Honour I shall clearly evidence: First my Lord, as for GODS VENGANCE my Prosecutour, both the Juries, with divers others, together with the witnesses, enforced him to prosecute me, and I know not by what pretence they procured GODS VENGANCE against me; for my Lord, I am innocent, and ever have been from my Cradle from such and so hai­nous accusation, as is laid to my charge: And for that fellow, that pretends he hath knowne me since the comeing of Christ, he is a man of no reputation, without habitation, a beggerly fellow, arunagate, a loose fellow, he stayes in no place, keeps no hospitallity, blaspheameth that most divine, Leviticall, ever to adored Ordinance for Tythes, and counteth it as an unholy thing, paies none where he lives, but sharkes here and there, where he can skufle in his head, runnes from house to house, to delude simple women, who are ever learning, and never learned, and whereas he saith, his name is CHRISTIAN, his name is not CHRISTIAN, neither is he of the generation of Christianity, but a most factious dissembling Anabaptist, a Tub­preacher, and no christian, as Sir Symon, Sir John, and divers other reverend, and honourable persons here present can witnesse: As for Gaffar Martyrs, he is as a sounding brasse and tinckling Cymball, who though he giveth up his body to be burnt, himselfe is but a castaway, and this I am able to make good unto your Honour, by the most grave, and solid judgment of all the reverend Divines, the Clergie of Christendome: Therefore my Lord, it much mattereth not, what his Evidence is, it being but the malice of an Hereticke: And as for LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE, Sir Symon, and that blessed babe, his Sonne Sir John, (Sancti­fied from his mothers wombe, the Synodian Whore of Bibylon,) hath informed your Honour of the unworthynesse of his witnesse. My Lord, I desire Sir Sy­mon may speake in my defence.

My Lord, this Gentleman here arraigned, is altogether inno­cent [Page 26] from this accusation, I have had antient familiarity with him, a dayly society hath past betwixt us, and I never could find any such thing in him, and my Lord, here is Mr. Pontificall Revennue, Mr. Ecclesiasticall Supremacy, Mr. Na­ tionall Conformity, Mr. Rude Multitude, Mr. Scotch Government, and mine on­ly Sonne, Sir John Presbyter, all to witnes his innocency from this Accusation: And if your Lordship make any scruple hereof, that learned Gentleman, Just­as Conformity, of Lincolns Inne Esq. can thorughly resolve you, both by Scrip­ture Texts, Presidents of all sorts, and the consiant interrupted practises, examples, of the most eminent Emperours, Princes, Councels, Parliaments, &c.

My Lord, the Defendant smels of a fat Benefice; see, see, his pockets are full of Presbyterian Steeples, the Spires sticke under his Girdle: ha, ha, hah; instead of Weather-cocks, every Spire hath got a Blacke Boxe upon it. and in it the pure and immaculate Ordinance for Tythes, Oblations, &c. Sure shortly, instead of Moses and A [...]ron, and the Two Tables, we shall have Sir Sy­mon, and Sir John holding the late solemne League and Covenant, and that demure, spotlesse, pritty, lovely, sacred, divine, devout, and holy Ordinance for Tythes (the Two Tables of our new Presbyterian Gospell) painted upon all the Churches in England. Oh brave Sir Symon, the Bels in your pocket chime all-in while ours chime all-out: I pray you give us a Funerall Homile for your friend here before he depart, here's twenty shillings for your paines, you know 'tis sa­craledg to bring downe the price, As it was in the beginning, is now, and e­ver shall be, world without end. Amen.

Make way there for the Jurie.

The Jurie withdraw, and thus fall into debate about their verdict.

Gentlemen, from the Evidence of the Witnesses against PER­SECUTION, I clearely perceive, that he is of so divelish and unnaturall disposition, as is not computible with the workes of the Creation, all creaturs of a kind associate, feed, and converse together, there is a publicke freedome of all kinds amongst themselves, the Oxe, the Asse, the Sheep, and all sorts of Cattell; the Dove, the Sparrow, and all kinds of Birds have a State harmony, a publike Toleration, generall Concord and unity among themselves in their severall kinds: but this Malefactour as from the Witnesses is evident, unnatu­rallizes man-kind above all kinds of Creatures, that where he rules, no peace publike, or private; no freedome, rights, or liberty either civil or spirituall; no society, cohabitation, or concord Nationall nor Domesticke can possibly be amongst men, but envying, hatred, emulation, banishment, &c. Wherefore, from the consideration hereof, and of what the Witnesses have given in, to me he appeareth guilty, what say you Mr. Gospell?

Mr. Foreman, Whereas it is by Sir John and such like urged, that the Kings of the Gentiles have equall power with the Kings of Israel of old: un­derstand, that their supremacy was but for a time, untill Shiloh came, and no [Page 27] longer, to whome then the gathering of the people should be; he came to take away the First, that he might establish the Second, being made Mediatour of a better Co­venant, established on better promises, the forgivenesse of sinnes, and the guift of eternall life: But he that despised Moses Laws, dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses. The old Covenant was over the Old man, and its Condem­nation or punishment was over the Old man, to wit, this corruptable fallen State of Mortallity, and therefore they executed death upon the transgressors thereof. The New Covenant is over the New man, to wit, the Spirit that shall be raised out of this corruptable at the Resurrection; therefore hath it the pro­mise of forgivenesse of sins, and eternall life; the penalty of that, temporall death, the death of the Old or earthly man in this life; the penalty of this, ever­lasting death, the death of the New or spirituall man in the life to come; wee are New Creatures or New men now but by faith, not actuall till the Refur­rection, we are to live as if we were raised againe, for the condition of the Gospell is not to us, as the Condition of Innocency was to Adam, a Condi­tion in this present State of this present State, as his was to him, to wit, the Condition of immortallty in immortallity; but ours a condition in present mortallity of future immortallity: so is it, that mortallity being swallowed up of life, we are presently under the end of its Condition, Salvation, or Condem­nation. Therefore as the Resurrection cannot possibly be but by Christ, so the penalty cannot possibly be by other; it is out of the Sphear of this world, therefore one of the power of the Princes of this world, as they cannot be Me­diatours of the New Testament, so they cannot be punishers therein; Therefore to punish the Offenders therein, is to attempt the Throne of Christ, and asurpe (as much as in them lieth) his Mediatourship: Therefore hath he referred the contemners of his Gospell untill the Judgment of the Last Day. And for that in Isaiah 49. 23. And Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers, and Queens the nursing Mothers: it is a Prophesie of the deliverance of the Jewes from their Captivity, to whom Kings and Queens shall be assistance in their returne to the Land of their Forefathers, as ver. 19. 22. 23. 26. &c. witnesse.

Mr. Foreman, Salus populi, the safety of the people, is the Soveraigne Law, or fundamentall constitution of Civill Government; there­fore though Majestracy hath been corrupted and abused, (as appeareth by our Evidence) to the terrour of the most virteous, conscientious, well minded men, and the maintenance and protection of the wicked; so that it hath been perverted from the geneall good if all sorts, sects, and societies of people, unto this or that sort or sect; yet this evill in Majestracy is to be cut off, ne pars sincera trabatur. And Mr. Foreman, it appears by our Evidence, that PERSECUTION is the originall of the disease, therefore to be cut off, least the whole politiqus body perish: For where Persecution is, what dissenuions, mutintes, tumults, insurrections, aproares, and divisions; what what con­spiracies, [Page 28] Treasons and Rebellions; what bloodshed, cruelty, and inhumanity hath been by our Evidence declared, the which by our owne experience we find ve­refied in divers Kingdomes, States, and Provinces: for doe we not see, betwixt the Catholicke Cause and the True Protestant Religion (so cal'd) the Christian world is embrewed with blood, destroying and devouring one an other: the dashing of those two imperious, ambitious, insolent Religions, the Papall and Protestant together besides what it hath done to the House of Austrea, &c. hath split the Dominons of this politique body asunder, that they wallow in one an others vitall blood, burning, destroying, and ruinating all before them; how many Townes, Villages, and sumptenus buildings have been burne? what Til­lage and Meddowes laid wast, and how many thousands of innocent soules have been slayen in Ireland contrary to the end and foundation of poltique Govern­ment? and doth not England tast even the dregges of this Cup, yea swallow it downe with greedynes, that we are even drunke with one an others blood, enraged with madnesse, crueltics, &c. without all hopes of peace till one of these perse­cuting Religions have devoured the other.

Mr. Foreman, though from Rome, the spirit of Persocuti­on is conveyed into most sects of Religion, and is dayly found to the shame of Religion among such as are or would be counted religious, and most States, and Kingdomes being rent with such persecuting Religions, therefore the Kingdoms of Christendome have judged the Toleration of divers Sects inconsistent with State policy; yet Politians would they consider, need not in curing one mis­cheife run upon a greater; for such good and wholesome meanes might be pro­vided, as in a small time this violent spirit might be worne out, the next gene­ration be of a better temper, and at length Persecution to be as rare as now common, and a more placable peaceable spirit consiliated among the generali­ty of men: And seeing this impatient, violent, ambitious spirit is so dange­rous to Civill Societies their friendship & unity, so destructive to publike peace and safety: It is therefore necessary, that Kings and all Governours, whose Office is; that all may lead a peaceable and quite life under them, should in policy to the generall good, see to the securing of their Dominions from this factious spirit, by such wholesome strict Lawes as may best conduce to the suppression thereof, as of Treason, Rebellion, or the like; for allare Traytours and Rebels in their hearts to the publike peace, and generall good of humaine societies, salus populi, the peoples safety, (which our State counteth the suprame Law) which are of a perseuting spirit; for it is in direct opposition to that Law; And who more guilty then the Papist and the Protestant, when one is too mighty for the other, the Papist stronger then the Protestant, the Protestant stronger then the Papist, the stronger is so ambitious and fiery zealous for his owne cause, especially the Papist, that one place is too hot for them both, and the Protestant as he is a persecutour of the Papist, so as well as the Papist, is he a [Page 6] Persecutour of Anbaptists, Brownists, Antinomians, Independants, &c. but they persecute none, but seeke the generall good, peace, and safety of all Sorts, Sects, and Societies of people, yea even of their Enemies; so that as Papists are Enemies and Traytours to the safety of all Sorts, Sects, and Societies, so are the Protestants, considered in this persecuting ca­pacity, both persecuting; therefore in this sense their Religions are both trayterous, desperate, and dangerous to the Publicke Good: Therefore it ought to be the care of those Kingdomes and States where those persecuting Religions are, to purge those Religions of this Malignant persecuting spi­rit, this trayterous disposition, for Relegions may be absolute, yea the Pro­testant more truley Protestant, if cured of this Pestilentiall disease of persecu­tion, for indeed persecution is no part of Religion, but a meer spirit of Treason insensibly insinuated, and distill'd into Religions by Popes, Bishops and Preists; so that ignorantly the members of those Religions are made Traytours to their owne Rights and Liberties, and so enslaved to the trayterous designes of the Clergie, the very roote of Treason; for indeed the Teachers of Persecu­tion are the Archest Jesuiticall Traytours of all, whether Papist, Protestant &c. such as Mr. Edwards, who most impudently and trayterously saith in his Antipologie, that the Parliament is bound in duty, to compell all men to the Decrees of the Assembly.

Mr. State-Policy, I commend your policy herein, for in­deed Mr. Edwards in so saying, is a Traytour to politique power: But I pray you proceed.

Well then, as all are borne subjects to their Kings, so are Kings to see, that all may have their Birthright, Liberty, and Priviledge of Subjects, that all may be kept in the generall Bond of peace, of what sort or sect soever, for as Lucius Lavinius said to King James, all the different members being wrapt up in the skine of one constitution, need no stronger obligement, to uphold the whole then their owne interest: Therefore, were the devouring principle of persecution weeded out from betwixt all Religions, they might all enjoy their publike safety to the generall enlargement and strength­ning of politike power, for the strength of the King lies in the multitude of people, so that it is most consonant to State policy to include all, rather then deprive any of publike protection.

Mr. Foreman, this is a matter of great weight, that we have in hand, therefore not sleightly, but seriously to be weighed, and delibe­rately examined both from our owne knowledge and experience, as from the just Evidence given in by the Witnesses, (for I conceive, this pri­soner is antiently knowne to us all) that wee may be better enabled [Page 29] to give in our verdict, wherefore having something to say of antient experi­ence, I shall first desire Mr. State-Policie, since he hath given us an hint of wholesome meanes that might be used, to prevent and suppresse this turbu­lent rebellious Spirit of Persecution, that he would declare what further he hath in his thoughts thereon.

That which in it selfe is wicked, neither honourable to God, allowed by him, nor profitable to man, but dangerous and destructive to common safety and peace, falleth under the Sword of the Majestracy, and the Majestrate may [...] use such meanes as shall best secute the publike peace from the evill their of: Now since the generality of the people are possessed with this Evill Spirit, infused, nourished, and preserved in their hearts by Popes, Bishops, Preists, and (at present in the Land) by the trayterous Synod, called the Assembly of Divines, who labour with might and maine to establish and sede this trayterous spirit in the Land; and further, since all by compul­sion are to be forced to the Civill peace and publike vnity, and all are to be desended and preserved under the publike freedome, one as well as an other; therefore to this end the Majestrate ought to bind all Religions, that no Re­ligion have power over other, that all in the Generall have Toleration, and none in particular be offensive; for the Papist may be a Papist, the Protestant a Protestant without the power of Compulsion, the deprivation thereof is no wayes injurious to their Religion; as a man that hath a wen, or a bunch that growes upon any member, may be a perfect man, and that a perfect member without it: Therefore to this end a Nationall Covenant would not be inconsi­derable, to engage all in this publike freedome, that as all should be sharers in it, so all should be desenders of it. That no Protestant Minister or other should teach privately or publikely, either by preaching, writing, or conference any thing contradictory or distructive thereto. That no man upbraid, reproach, scoffe, deride, threaten, or doe any violence to any for his Religion, and such like: And that this be continued from Generation to Generation under such and such penalties as the State shall thinke fit; so that in a small time, if the Governours would hearken to the feare of the Lord, this oppression of con­science, which is now made State Policie (condemned by the God of mercy and all mercifull men) would waxe out of date, and be cast out as abomi­nable to God, and destructive to mankind: Then their feares and jealousies one of an other, which puts them in a continuall posture of war both offen­five and defensive would be at an end; their Controversies would be of an o­ther kind, false and equall Disputes, and it is better and farre cheaper to pro­vide words for Argumentation, then instruments of war for blowes and bloodshed and would conduce I am sure more to the common good and sate­ty the one doth encrease knowledge the other nothing but rage and revenge: by reasoning those that are ignorant would shortly see, how they and their [Page 30] Forefathers have been cheated of the Tenth of their encrease, fool'd, and nurs'd up in blinnesse by Bishops, Preists, &c. meerly to uphold their greatnosse, stuffe and cram their ungodly guts, that it is become a Proverbe, as fat as a Bishop, and how soone, if PERSECUTION be acquited, it may be verified on the the Presbyters, I leave that to the issue, only I wish the people to try things themselves, and not trust too much to their L'ppes, for their Lippes are Cozen Germaine to their Teeth, and this is most certain, they all speake through the Teeth.

Mr. Foreman, according to the Evidence we have recei­ved, and result of our consultation hitherto, he is guilty ipso facto of what is laid to his charge; and for mine owne part, I know that Toleration is not a­gainst Nationall Loyalty, but may well stand with Nationall peace, as by divers antient and moderne Examples I can make it appeare, Abraham lived among the Cannanites and Perizzites, Gen. 13. 7. & 16. 3. againe he sojourned in E­gypt, Gen. 12. 10. after in Gerar, where King Abimelech bid him dwell where it pleased him, cap. 20. & 21. 23. 24. afterwards among the Hittites, cap. 23. Lot lived in Sodom, Iseack also dwelt in Gerar, yet contrary to the King and his Subjects cap. 20 Jacob lived 20. yeares with his Vncle Laban in one house, yet different in Religion, Gen. 31. 30. 33. the Children of Israell lived 430. yeares in Egypt, Exod. 12. 40. afterwards were caried away to Babylon, where they remained 70. yeares, all which times they differed in Religion, yet no danger to the State: Sampson lived among the Philistimes, Lot in the Land of Vz, yet their Religion though different was not disturbant to the State: And in the time of Christ, when Israell was captive to the Romans, lived divers Sects of Reli­gions, Herodians, Scribes, and Pharises, Sadduces and Libertines such as denyed the Resurrection, and Samaritanes the common Religion of the Jewes, the Christian and Apostolick Religion, all which deffered from the common Re­ligion of the State; which in all probability was the worship of Dima, whome all the world almost then worshipped, Act. 19. 20. yet all these lived under the Go­vernment of Caesar, not any wayes injurious to his Crowne and Dignity, or disturbant to the peace of his Government: but when Persecution arose, then the State was troubled by tumults, uproares, &c. And how doth Toleration in­jure the State of Holland, Poland, Trasilvmia, &c. their Weales, States, and Cit­ties are well and peaceably governed, divers Religions are in their Provinces, yet all have one harmony in matters of State, all united and engaged in the generall safety, peace, and tranqillity of their severall Kingdoms, States, and Provinces, wherein they so freely enjoy their soverall safeties, protection and freedomes.

Mr. Foreman besides what I have received form the Witnesses, of my own experience I know, that if PERSECVTION be not executed, the Liberty of the Subject (now in controversie) cannot be setled in this Land; for the Anbaptists, Brownists, Independants, &c. true and faithfull [Page 31] Subjects to the State, that stood to the publike cause, when the Preists & such like scurrel [...]s vermine, durst scarce be seen in it, but Jesuitically caried themselves in an equall ballance betwixt both, that though the King had conquered, yet most of them would have kept their Benefices, a wise generation! I say, these more noble spirited men, that freely spend their lives, fortunes, and estates for the Li­berty of the Subject, and that from the most noble and rationall princ [...]ple, the Common Good and not for selfe respect, neither those of them which suruive, nor the succeders in their faith shall enjoy this Liberty, their just Birth-right, but be wholy deprived thereof, and the purchase of their Blood be ceas'd and devour [...]d by those Presbyterian Horse-leeches, and confined to such blood-thirsty Ca [...]tle, which is directly opposite to the just Liberty of the Subject.

Mr. Foreman, I have beheld the īnnocency of their intenti­ons, and [...]ty of their lives, (to wit of Anabaptists, Brownists, &c) their affecti­ons to the Common-wealth, their forwardnes of assistance in purse and person, kow­ing their Meetings to be so innocent, so far from confederacy or counterplots (pag. 3.) [...]d yet their pers [...]ns so hated, contemned, and belyed, such wounds made up­on their consciences, that my heart aboundeth with greife, that their miserie should be thus passed by, their wounds so wide and deepe, and no oyle of mercy powred in: so that me thinkes, everie man is bound in conscience, to speake and doe what [...]e can in the behalfe of such an harmeles people as these. (pap. 4.) Therefore, Mr. Fore­man, being privy to the truth of the Evidence against PERSECVTION, the sole causer of their wounds and miserie, I conclude him, an enemie against God and all goodnesse, &c. and that he is guilty of the Indictment.

Mr. Foreman, much I could say against the Prisoner, to witnesse the verity of the Indictment, but for brevity sake I shall referre you to the discovery I have made of his Impiety, Treason, Blood-shed, &c. in that Booke intituled, The Bloody Tenent, and I commend unto you, and to the ne­cessary perusall of the COMMONNS and nobles of England, that most famous peece, called, The Compassionate Samaritane, as a most exact modell of ratio­na [...]y.

Mr. Foreman, whereas Sir Symon in the defence of PERSECVTION saith, that LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE opens a gate to all manner of prophanesse, loosenes [...]e, &c. the Light of Nature might teach him, that Toleration is no Approbation, or rhe suffering of Religions a warrant to be of no Religion, much lesse to publike prophanesse; for this comes with­in the nompasse of that which Nature teaches the most ignorant, therefore within the reach of publike restrain [...], according to the Lawes of common mo­de [...]y and civility, which Nature hath written in the hearts of all men natural­ly: Such publike Transgressions that are uncivill, unnaturall, and unbecome­ing humaine society, is open prophanesse and lo [...]senesse fall under the restraint, and correction of the Magestrate, whose power is over the things of Nature, those [Page 32] being offences of that kind: As the Majestrate is to maintaine the publicke peace, and all civill societies therein, so is it preserve publike modesty, com­lines, and civillity, that there may be a generall comely demeanour as rationall creatures, so their carriage and publicke demeouours are to be rationall regu­lar, and comely, and not openly licentious, prophane, and blasphenious, con­trary to common sense, reason, and humanity.

Gentlemen, we have spent much time, and our Uerdict is ex­pected, and the case is so evident and plaine, that I thinke what is done may suffice, if you Mr. Orphan, and Mr. Day-of-Judgement be agreed with us in your Verdict, let us give it in: what say you?

We are agreed; guilty, guilty.

A Verdict: Make way there for the Juri [...].

PERSECUTION, hold up thy hand▪ Masters of the Jurie, looke upon the Prisoner, is he guilty of this Treason, Rebellion, Bloodshed, &c. in man­ner and forme as he stands indicted, or not guilty.

GUILTY my Lord.

PERSECUTION, thou hast heard the hainous Accusation; that hath been proved against thee, and the verdict the Jurie have given in up­on thee, what canst thou say for thy selfe, to award the sencence of death [...] passing against thee?

My Lord, the Jurie have not dealt honestly in their verdict, wherefore I appeale from them to the Assembly of Divines, for a tryall of their honesty in this verdict.

PERSECUTION, indeed thoustand'st need of a Long Clo [...]k to cover thy kn [...]verie; but there is no appeale from this Court, they are no Sanctuary of refuge in this case, neither can I conceive such worthy Gentlemen should perjure themselves, yet if thou hast any thing else to say, to award the Sentence of death, speake for thy selfe.

I thanke your Honour, the Lord blesse your Honour: My Lord, I am so terrified in my selfe at the apprehension of death that I am not in case to speake for my selfe: I beseech your Lordship, that Sir Symon may speake in my behalfe.

My Lord, The enemies of our peace in this matter have dealt very subtilly, and most traytorously against the reverend Assembly of the faithfull, the Clergie, to divide them from your Lordships protection, to destroy and hinder the worke of Reformation, &c. for my Lord, this man here indicted by the name of PERSECUTION, is none of the man; for here is Mr. Nationall Conformity, Mr. Pontificall Revenue, Mr. Ecclesiasticall Supremacy, Personages of Honour, and eminencie through out whole Christendome, to testifie with me, that this Pri­soner hath ever endeavoured to purge the Church of God, from Heresie, Soism [...], and all manner of irregular exorbitant courses, and laboured for the peace of the Church, [Page 33] that we may lead, a lazie and an easie life without God, and the people in the feare of the Clergie. Indeed my Lord, he was once of the Church of Rome, and thereupon generally branded by the name of PERSECUTION; but my Lord, for this hundred yeares and upward he hath been of the true Protestant Religion, even from the time of Luthar, and at this present en- devoureth with us the the good of the Church in its restitution to Prelaticall Presbytrie: And upon his seperati­on from Rome with Luthar, he utterly reno [...]nced the nicke-name of PERSE­CUTION, and though unhappily through Jesuiticall suggestions and de­lusio [...]s he was too frequent in the Spanish Inq [...]uisition, and of la [...]e by Episcopall sophistications intised to offi [...]iate in the High Commission; yet my Lord, he was ever in himselfe an honest Reformer, and indeed his true name is Present Refor­mation, he was borne not long after the Primative times, but his nature and in­clinations by evil Instruments have been so much abusd, that he had even lost his name, and being nicke-named when he was yongue, and through long continuance of time, forgot his name, that indeed he answered a long time to the name of PERSECUTION, but his true and proper name is Present Refor­mation, which by Interpretation, is, Presbyterian Government: Wherefore my Lord, I beseech you, consider the subtilty of this malignant hereticall facti­on, who have procured the apprehension and indictment of this Present Refor­formation under the odious name of PERSECUTION, thereby at once to make your Honor both ruine your selfe, and the Presbytrie of the Kingdom: there­fore my Lord, whether the Jurie have dealt honestly in their Verdict, your Honour by this may esily discerne.

PERSECUTION, what sayest thou to this? Is thy name Presen [...] Reformation?

Yes my Lord, and my name is according to my naturall disposition.

Who gave you that name?

My Lord, his God-fathers and God-mothers in his Baptisme, wherein he was made a member of the Assembly, and an Inheritor of the Kingdome of Antichrist.

His God-fathers, and God-mothers? who are your God-fathers, and your God-mothers?

My Lord, Mr. Ecclesiasticall-Supremacy, and Mr. Scot [...]-Government are any God-fathers, Mrs. State-Ambition, and Mrs. Church-Revennue are my God-mothers, and I was sprinkled into the Assembly of Divines at the take­ing of the late solemne League and Covenant.

My Lord, he is at this time Primate and Metr [...]pol [...]tan [...] over all the Ecclesiast. Courts of Tyranny in the world, the Spanish Inquisition, the High Commission, and now our Divince have sprinkled his federall Holynesse into their Assembly, and hereupon chang'd his name from PERSECUTION, and A­ [...] him Present Reformation.

'Tis strange, that at the makeing of the late solemne League and Co­venant boodthirsty PERSECUTION should be Anabaptized Present Refor­mation; then here's a Designe of blood in the Covenant, if under the name of Reformation the Clergie have infused the trayterous bloodthirsty spirit of Persecution into it.

My Lord, there was never any Nationall or Provinciall Synod, but strengthned the hands of PERSECUTION, and that under the vizor of Religion:

And my Lor [...], Sir Symon, and Sir Iohn's agitation for PERSECU­TION, is on purpose, to save this villaine, to cut their throats, that hazard, and spend their lives and fortunes for Vs, and for the State of the Kingdome, such as have been faithfull in the publike Service, never tainted with Treason, or double dealing, though the Kings negotiation with large promises have attemp­ted it, even such cheifly, as they brand with the names of Anaaptists, Brownists, &c. those notwithstanding, they would have depriv'd of the liberty of the subject, yea of the liberty of their lives; and the sole cause hereof is, because they labour to informe your L. with rationall principles, and are zealous inquirers into the Gospel, from thence discovering the iniquity of the pontificall Clergie, and (labouring for the common good) communicate their understandings to the benefit of others, which proveing prejuditiall to the wicked ends of the Clergy, they labour with oppro­brions names, lyes & slanders to make such odious, the better accomplish their ends, and in this Designe they have plaid their parts, for should PERSECU­TION be put to death, the whole Clergy feare to be undone, as their exceptions against LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE did manifest; they are afraid of the mercy of the people, they cannot endure to serve only for Conscience, their tongues are even with their bellyes, pin [...] g [...]ts, and [...]oyle the Preists, shut your hand; and there's a generall silence, you may be Anabaptist, Brownist, or what you [...], if the matter be [...]rought to that passe: This is that they feare my Lord, Therefore, would they have their hands strengthned with PERSECUTION, to prevent it, let who will perish, if they stand. Moreover, my Lord, those very men which plead for PERSECUTION, are the same, even this man, Sir Iohn, is the very man, that in the dayes of the Bishops complained; and contested against PERSECUTION, used all possible meanes to be delivered out of his Episeopall Pawes, endevoured to cast him out of the High Commission; but as soone as those underling Divines are from under their Episcopall Task-masters, and beginning to encroach upon your Lordships power, presently take this notorious bloody Traitour, PERSECUTION, stript by your Lordship of his High Commission habit, and out of their zeale dresse him in a divine Synedicall garbe, and chang his name from PERSECUTION, and cristen him Reformation; so to engage your Lordship, and the Kingdomes of England and Scotland in blood, to settle and establish bloody Persecution by Covenant over the Cons [...]iences of [Page 35] honest and faithfull men unto the State, under the specious and godly pre­tence of Reformation, as Mr. Edwards one of their Champions manifests, who is so impudent, as to assert, that your Lordship is bound to compell all men to the Decrees of the Synod, (ascribing to them, as the Papists to the Pope,) an infal­lible unerring spirit, and openly proclaimes, that Toleration of such honest faithfull Subjects, as Anabaptists, Brownists, Independants, Antinomians, &c. to be in direct opposition to the Covenant, and though before they might have beene law­fully tole are yet now they cannot under breach of the Covenant: Consider My Lord, is not this Jesuiticall subtilty, most desperate and secret delusion, that by this Covenant they would engage your Lordship, either to be a Covenant break­er, or else intringe the Liberty of the Subject entrusted by the Common people in your hands, one of these is inavoydable, and yet all under the coulour of Reformation, the true Protestant Religion, the cause of God, and I know not what; in nomine Domini perpetrant onine malum; so that it is most certaine, that this fellow, whose name Sir Symon feigneth to be Reformation, is absolute PER­SECUTION, so that had these Reformers but as much power as Queen Maryes Clergie, their Reformation would conclude in fire and faggot.

oh insufferable Assembly! I see 'tis dangerous for a State to pin their faith upon the sleive of the Clergie.

Further my Lord, whereas others are impoverished, spend their estates, engage and loose their lives in this Quarrell, they are enriched, and advanced by it, save their purses and persons, cram and fill their greedy guts too filthy to be caried to a Beare, heape up wealth to themselues, and give not a penny, while others (against whom they exclaime) venture and expend all, yea my Lord, this great go belly'd Idoll, called the Assembly of Divines, is not ashamed in this time of State necessity, to guzle up and devoure dayly more at an ordinary meale, then would make a Feast for Bell and the Dragon, for be­sides all their fat Benefices, forsooth they must have their foure shillings a [...]ceco by the day, for litting in constollidation; and poore men when they had fil'd all Benefices with good Trencher men of their owne Presbyterean Tribe, they move your Lordship, that all Ministers may be wholy freed from all manner of Taxations, that now the Trade of a Presbyter is the best Trade in England, all are taxed, and it goes free; poore men that have not bread to still the cry of their children, must either pay or goe in person to the wars, while those devouring Church-lubbers live at case, feed on dainties neither pay nor goe themselves but preach out our very hearts, they make it a case of conscience to give all, but wise men the'l give hope: let the sicke, the lame and maimed Souldiers, and those that that have lost their limbs, and begin the streets, let women that have lost their husbands, let parents that have lost their children, let children that have lost their parents, and let all that have or suffer oppressi­on and misery, in and for the publike cause consider this, and be no longer [Page 36] riden and jayded by Clergy Masters; but to give the Divell his due, one thing to their commendations I have observed, that they are so zealoussy affected with the honour of their cloth, that 'twere pitty to diiroable them of their Casloke garbe to be led in a string from Westminister to Allgate in Leatherne Jackets, and Mattokes on their shoulders; and my Lord, though some thinke they would do the State more good in Leatheren Jackets & Mattokes then in long Cloakes and Cassockes, yet me thinks, they would doe the State better service with their Canonical Girdles, were the knot ty'd in the right place.

Sir Simon, we convocated the Assembly to consult with about mat­ters of Religion, not arrogating to our selves, or ascribing to them a Spirit of infallability, considering that we are but Parliament men, not Gods, there­fore we made tryall of their advice, but for them hereupon to arogate Supre­macy over the State and people, lay claime to an unerring spirit and perswade us, (as Edwards in his Autipol. saith) that we take it for granted, that the con­clusions of their Debates, Controversies, and Consulations are according to the mind of Christ, because We cal'd them together, and hereupon to com­pell all men to their Decrees, is most impudent presumption, and popish arro­gance; We did not suppresse the High Commission, to subject Our Selves to an Assembly, race out Episcopall to set up Presbyterian Prelacy, for what more Prelaticall, what more exorbitant then such presumption, tis a meere Monopole of the Spirit Sir Symon: you have so plaid the Jesuites, as it seemes, We have only put downe the men, not the Function; caught the shaddow, and let goe the substance: while We were supprossing Primates, Metrapolitanes, Arch-Bi­shops, Bishops, Ecclesiasicall Courts, Canons, Injunctions, Decrees, &c. you have so subtilly carried the businesse, as it seemes, Primacy, Metrapolitanisme, Prcla­cy, &c. shrunke into the Presbytry, and our High Commission turn'd into an As­sembly of Divines; We out of Our good intentions cast out this Evill Spirit thence, and it entered it seemes, into these Swine, who thus headlong run up­on their own destruction, (the Divellbath brough his hogges to a faire Market) arrogating an infallability, and a supremacy over Us, and the people, condem­ning PERSECUTION, when they were persecuted, but commending and approving it, if they may pesecute: Truly Sir Synton, you have out run the Constable, your ambition is a little too swift for your policie: What breath out threatnings, menaces, and persecutions openly, before you have power to persecuted sure you were not in your wits; when they were vented.

My Lord, they have set even till they'r run mad, you might do well to adjorne them to Bedlam; for my Lord, they are raging mad; to have the innocent blood of the Anabaptists, Browni [...]s, Independants, &c.

My Lord, they have over studdied themselves, and crack'd their wits in finding out a Religion for us; poore men they have been mightily puz­led about it, it hath cost them the consumption of many fat Pigge, Chicken, [Page 37] capon, &c. the infusion of many a cup of sacke, to bring it to birth, and after such dalerous pangs, and bitter throwes for almost these two yeares, who would have though, they should be delivered of such a ridiculous vermine, called, a Presbyter; parturiunt montes, nascitur ridiculus mus: And now my Lord, af­ter this mountanous delivery, they are at their wits end, what dressing to put it out in, all the Taylours in the Kingdome are not able to content them, what to doe they know not, and now the matters worse then ever it was, they had thought to have shewne the world it in the godly shape of Reformation, but upon examination, 'tis found to be PERSECUTION, a sad event! there is no way now, but Bedlam for our Doctours, it may chance to chastize them into their wits againe, and then upon their second thoughts, it may be, they'l be­thinke themselves, to put a Blew Bonnet upon't, and then 'twill passe from Eng­land to Scotland, and from Scotland to England againe without Question or controule.

Sir Symon, Weblesse God, that hath put it into the hearts of those honest godly people, (though publikely despised and hated) those faithfull friends and lovers of the Parliament and Kingdome, whome you nicke-name Anabaptists, Brownists, Independants, &c. to discover and detect unto us the Ie­suiticall and Trayterous Designes of the Synod with the hazard of their Liberties and for ought they know of their lives and fortunes; for should they not ventured themselves in the discovery of such a subtile generation, We should have been kept ignorant through their zealous pretences and had there been a mountaine more of their villany, it seemes they would have covered it with a vaile of teares, Fastings, affected prayers, and the like, from Our discerning.

It is an approved truth, that such as are called Anabaptists, Brow­nists &c. have in all Ages ventured, yea given up their lives, to enforme Kings, Kingdomes, Parliaments, and States in things that concerne their peace, and the glory of God, which ubough condemned at first, afterwards have proved no other; yea such as your Lordships Predecessours have condemned by peuall Lawes, Statutes, &c. which now your Lordship through the mercy of God find otherwise, and it is we that reape the benefit of their blood in the suppression of Episcopall In­risdiction, High Commission, &c. not they; for their sufferings, and their testimo­ny have detected and informed us of their unlawfulnesse, it being their custome my Lord, to weare out the Mysteric of Iniquity with their blood: And now my Lord, we that have received vantage by their bitter sufferings, shall we boast our selves a­gainst them? it were ungrtitude to God, and inhumanity to them.

True: We find by dayly experience, that the Seperates are not such as ground their Religion on selfe ends, for like Salamanders in the fire, they live in the heate of Persecution, they spare not their lives, to witnesse the innocende of their Cause, the fire of Persecution cannot consume, but endames them to­wards their God and the Truth; the menacing of Kings and Governours, [Page 38] and cruelties of their greatest Adversaries hinders not their testimony; this we find, when euer they are convented before Vs, even to our astoneshment; and we further find, it is not their owne good alone that they aime at, but the generall good of all men, that all (one as well as an other) may lead an ho­nest and a quiet life under Our Protection, and We have to our benefit) found the blessing of God upon their endeavours, as the hopefull and glorious suc­cesse in the Conquest of Yorke, which envie and malice it selfe cannot deny, was instrumentally atcheived by their valour and sidelity: Wherefore in justice to their uprightnesse, and faithfulnes to that trust reposed in Vs for the publike Good; the Liberty and property of the Subject, We may not deny them the benefit of Subjects, but as they are faithfull parties in the generall venture, so to be heriditatory to the generall purchase, having as just a Right thereto by the price of their blood as Our Selves, for that which is purchased by blood, all the purchasers have an equall right to the thing purchased.

My Lord, but our Dessembly Doctours teach otherwise, yet I think if your Lordship should settle Anabaptistrie or the like, even that which they now persecuts and threaten, preach and pray against, and forewarne the people off, as hereticall and damnable, provided you should endow it with goodly fat Benefices, and sanctifie it with the hallowed Ordinance for Tythes, Offerings, Ob­lations, &c. questionlesse the generallity of those Persecutiones of Anabaptists would have the wit to turne Anabaptists, for their Religion is moved upon the Wheele of the State; when the State was for Bishops, then they were for Bishops, and were very Canonicall Surplisse men, Altar bowers, and the like, and the precisest sort those that are now our most zealous Presbyters) did then so comply & conforme to Episcopall superstition, as they kept their Benefices, (ex­cept here and there one of the honoster sort,) while the honest Seperate (coun­ting nothing too deare for his God) did openly resist and witnesse against it, even to imprisonments, deprivation of goods, &c. But our temporizing Doct­ours, our State Protestant Ministers are not so simple to swime against the streame, they are wiser in their generation, for they know most wealth goes that way, as long as your Ordnance is laden with Tythes, Offerings and Oblati­ons, they'l be sure to give fire; but should the State deprive their Religion of all Ecclesiasticall Revenue, of Parsonages, Tythes, &c. yea, should it be this very Presbyterid they so aime at, that they should so impoverish, certainly we should have more Parishes then Presbyters, more Steeples then Doctours; then they would no be so hot for Presbytry, so zealous to persecute its opposers, I would your Lordship would make tryall, call in but your Ordinance for Tythes, and turne them to the good will of people, and then— a tyth Pigge wil be sold for a penny.

Well notwithstanding the Doctrine and subtilty our Divines we can­not deale so unworthely with those honest men, but must by the grace of God being by them better informed, proceed to Sentence against this Malefacture according to the just Verdict of the Jurie.

PERSECUTION fals upon his knees.

Good my Lord, have mercy upon me, I beseech your Houour even for the Clergies sake, have mercy upon me; consider my Lord, that in my death is their ruine, it will be the greatest in road upon the Divines of Christ­endome, that ever was made. Oh!

I beseech you my Lord, by the Mysterie of their holy Convocation, by their agony, and bloody sweate, by their Crosse and Passion at my shamefull approaching death and buriall, Good Lord deliver me.

By their glorious Resurrection, and Ascention from the Pulpit above the State: By the coming of the Holy Ghost to them in Cloake Bagge from Scotland, Good Lord deliver me.

By the late solemne League and Covenant: By the 400. and 50. l. for the Copy of their Directory: By all the fat Benefices, and goodly Revenues of the Clergie, Good Lord deliver me.

By the Apocripha writings and non-sense Arguments of Mr. Edwards: By the distracted thoughts and subitaine apprehensions of Mr. Prinne: By the Designes of the Clergie: By their fained teares: By their hypocrisie: By their false Glosses, Interpretations, and Sophistications, Good Lord deliver me.

By the Advance of the mickle Armie into the South: By the late innocent and undefiled Ordinance for Tythes: By all that is neare and deare unto the Clergie, the pompe and glorie of this world, Good Lord deliver me.

PERSECUTION, what would'st thou have? here's no place of mercy for thee, the Vengance of God cannot be dispens'd with, thou art not in the High Commission, nor before the Assembly, this is a Court where justice must take place.

Oh my Lord, I beseech your Lordship for the mercy of this honou­rable Bench: My Lord, I am a Clergie man, and beseech your Honour for the benefit of my Clergie: I have been of all the Vniversities of Christendom, have taken all their Degrees, proceeded through all Ecclesiasticall Orders and Functions, and my Lord, at present am under the Holy Order of Presbytrie, and I hope a Presbyter shall find favovr in your eyes: Wherefore I beseeth you my Lord, that I may have the benefit of Degration.

PERSECUTION, be contented, you shall be sent to the place of Degradation.

Oh Good my Lord, let not a Presbyter come to so shamefull an end, I beseech this Honourable Bench, that I may be repreeved but as long as the Synod and Presbytrie endure.

No PERSECUTION, such is thy Treason, Rebllion, &c. as cannot be dispensd with.

Oh my Lord, a psalme of mercy, I besoech your Honour, a psalme of mercy.

No PERSECUTION, no; prepare to heare thy Sentence.

Hereupon this ensuinge Letter was privately conveyed to Justice Conformity.

My Lord, were your Lordship but rightly informed con­cerning this Prisoner under the name of Mr. PERSECUTION, what he is, and from whence he came, your Honour would lesse wonder at his seve­rall [...]ations and dilatory pleaes, to award the Sentence of death, for were he guilty, what would not a man doe for his life? skin for skin, and all that a i [...] [...] will be give for his life, but such is his innocency, that the procee­dings against him have been altogether upon false grounds; for whereas by the Evidence he is asserted to be born soon after the time of Innocency, and by them [...]andeth charged with all the Innocent blood spilt upon the whole earth: I shall by your Lordships favour upon good grounds make it appeare, to be o­therwise, for my Lord, this prisoner is not yet above an 100. yeares of age, be­ing borne in Geneva, of very good Lutheran and Calvenish parentage, about the yeare 1544. where he was very well educated and instructed both in the Tongues and Liberall Sciences; and upon a certaine time going to Sea, he was by a great wind raised by Belg [...]bub the Prince of Divels blowne into Scot­land: And being so neare us, forth of his zeale and pious affection to reforme the Church of the Eiscopall Prelacy to Presbyterian, he occasioned the rising of the Scots as one man to oppose that power, against which ever since he hath contested, and he lately advanced with their mickle Armie to the Leagure be­fore Yorke, and for all this, he received many an affront by Gronewels scisma­ticall Brigade, and from thence taking his joyrney through Derby, Stafford, Coventry, and Cambridge, where performing much good service he came to London, since whose coming, old Grand Mr. PERSECUTION char­ged in the Indict [...]ent and convicted by the Jurie, was happily and timely ex­ecuted uppon Tower Hill, by all which it appeareah, that the Witnesses that have given in Testimony against this prisoner, the Gentleman at the Bu [...], have greatly abused him, your Lordship, and the Jurie, he not being the person charged, and consequently innocent of the crimes laid to his charge, he being Indeed as reall an adversary to Old Mr. PERSECUTION, as any Gentleman of this whole County; hereof if your Lordship make any doubt, I beseech you; that a Farrier may be called into the Court, who may make a perfect discove­ry to your Lordship of his age, by opening his mouth and vewing his Teeth, whose yongue, small, Presbyterean Pegges have no proportion betwixt the Great Twangs, and Boarish Tuskes of Old Mr. PERSECUTION: And besides this my Lord, to testisie what I have said, to be anthenticke, there are hand reds [...] the mickle Armie, whose absence have occasioned this his inability to justifie [Page 42] and cleare himselfe, but if your Lordship please but to adjcu [...]e the busines but till their mickle Advance into the South, the matter shall be made cleare unto your Honour, for then we make no question to awe and crush those He­reticall false witnesses, and advance Presbytry to its super Prelaticall Throne of CLASSICALL SUPREMACY, and though at first it be but jure H [...] ­no, a little five and faggot will quickly Commence it jure divino.

My Lord, I am much affraid of a Conspiracy betwixt Sir Symon, and Sir Iohn Presbyter with Justice Confomity, whome like an Ignora [...]us they have perswaded into their Combination, how to delude your Lordship, there­by to deliver PERSECUTION from the justice of this Court; You may easily perceave, how they would pinch your Lordships Nose with a paire of Scotch-Spectacles, and fixe a paire of long Synodian Eares unto your Lordships head, that your Lordship might see nothing but Blew Caps, heare nothing but Sy­nodian Thunder; but I hope your Honour is thoroughly sensible hereof; yet least your Lordships Innocency, and honest endeavoures for the generall and equall Rights and Liberties of the Common People, should be circumvented and perverted by their policie, I shall (hoping my plaine dealing meerly (I call God to witnesse) out of unfeigned love unto your Honour, and the com­mon Good of all the Common People shall not be recompensed with your High Displeasure) present the cunning insu [...]uations and subtile fictions of Just­as Conformity in their true shape; for whereas he saith, that this presont Pri­soner is not the person indicted, and convicted of Treason, Rebellion, &c this being but a yong [...]e man, the other very old, I can assure your Lordship, that he is herein meerly delusive, for the man is the very same, only through the advise of Sir JOHN he hath made use of a Presbyterian Barber, who hath shaven from his head, his old deformed Tresses, cropt of his haire above the eares after the halfe moon fashion, taught him the Presbyterian posture of his eyes, plaistered up the wrinkles of his bended brow with Scotch morter, where­by he hath acquired a more smooth Synodian countenance, but in a small time if he be let alone, he'l be as terrible and frightfull as ever; for his pritty small Pegges that he speakes off, your L. is therein misinformed; for the Far­rier that rearched his mouth, was a Presbytere [...] Horse Doctour, prepared on purpose by yongue Sir JOHN for that very end, who discovered to your [...] only the upper part of his fore teeth, whereas were his mouth but searched by an Independant Farrier, he would discover besides those in the hinder part of his Classicall Jawes, his Great Iron Fangs, as great and terrible as those spoaken of by Daniell, cap. 7. 7. And as for the good service Justice Confor­mity mentioned, that be performed in his Roade from Scatland to London, It was so good, that the Prisoners there care for no more of his goodnesse [Page 43] for if he mumble us thus with his yongue small Presbyterian Pegges, what bloody massacrie, what cruell crushing of bones, rending, tearing and devouring of flesh, must we expect, if your Lordship permit him the use of his dreadfull devouring Tuskes, his huge monsterous iron Fangs, but I hope your Lordship will first grant him the favour of an Independant Tooth-drawer, and then wee shall not greatly feare his Gun [...]es: And concerning the Mickle Armie, my Lord, you may perceive how they would bind your hands from the execution of justice by the force of Armes, as though the wisedome of this Court were to be inslaved to such sinister respects; my Lord, it is highly dere [...]atory to your Honour, and here are sufficient English Evidence, to prove this old seducer, to be PERSECUTION himselfe, as hath been manifest before your Honour; let not the people be thus depriv'd of justice, they did not in chusing your Lordship to this place, wherein you are, intend the makeing of themselves slaves in any the least kind, to Synods, Sir Johns, force of armes, or the like, or to put themselves at so vast a distance, as to make their addresses to you, as to some Dietie, but in their chusing of you, authorised and entrusted you, to vin­dicate and preserve their native and just Liberties in generall, yea, and com­mon to them with your selfe: therefore you cannot without betraying this Trust, by any coersive power subject any of their consciences, persons, or estates to any Ecolesiasticall Jurisdiction whatsoever: And now seeing this vile per­son at the Barre hath been legally indicted, araigned, and convicted, and there­by found an Arch enemio and Traytour to the peoples common Liberty and Safety, Judgement and Execution ought forthwith to passe upon him accor­dingly, that this Hypocritical Pharisie, this blood-thirsty Catiffe, this Long Gown'd M [...]ntebanke with his spirituall delusions may no longer cheate the world, as he hath done.

Hereupon the Court proceedeth to Judgment.

Make Proclamation.

O—yes, every man keep silence &c.

With much patience this Coure hath heard the severall, pleaes be­twixt PERSECUTION, and LIBERTY-OF-CONSCIENCE u [...]sd on both sides; having seriously weighed the same in the Ballance of equity, hath found PERSECUTION and his Abettours with all their Pleas too light, even meere subtile, alrie, and empty delusions: It is therefore the Sentence of this Court concerning Sir Symon, and Sir John Presbyter, who have thus Iesuitically endeavoured to pervert the justice of this Court by their false, their subtile, and Trayterous su [...]stions in the behalf of this notorious bloo­dy Malefactour PERSECUTION, that Sir SIMON be committed close Priso­ner to King Henry the eigh [...]s Chappell, there to be kept in Parliamentory safe [Page 44] custody, till the GREAT ASSISES, held in the first yeare of the RAIGNE of our Soveraigne Lord CHRIST, (when the Kingdom, and the greatnes of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shalbe given to the Saints of the most High) there, and then to be Araigned with the rest of his Holy Tribe, whether Vni­versall, Nationall, Provinciall, or Consistoriall Counsels, or Synods whatsoever, before his Highnesse the KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS.

And my Lord, in the meane time to keep his Holinesse in action, I beseech, your Honour, that he may Synodicate a full Resolution to these en­fuing Queries.

1. Whether it doth not as much conduce to the Subjects Liberty still to be subjected to Episcopall usurpation, as to be given over to Presbyterian cruelty?

2. Whether it would not been more profitable for the Kingdome of Eng­land, to have forthwith hired a Coach and twelve Horses to have set a Directory from Scotland, then to have spent the learned consultations, pi [...]us debates, and sacred conclusions of such an holy, such a reverend, such an heavenly, such a godly, such a learned, such a pious, such a grave, such a wise, such a sollid, such a discreete, such a spirituall, such an evangellicall, such an infallible, such a vene­rable, such a super-celestiall Quire of Angels, such a superlative Assembly of Di­vines for almost these two yeares space, after the prosuse and vast expence of above fourty thousand pounds, besides their goodly fat Benefices, upon their de­vouring Guts, for an English DIRECTORY of worship equivolent to the Scotch DIRECTORY?

3. Whether this Directory standing in so many thousands to fumble it to­gether, and the Copy sould at 400. & 50. l. be not of more value then the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles?

4 Whether St. Peters Chaire doth not becomme a Presbyter, as well as a Bishop?

5. Whether the late divine Ordinance for Tythes, Offerings, Oblations, and Conventions be not better Gospell, and in all Presbyterian wisedome to be preferred and provided before the Directory for the worship of God?

And as for Sir JOHN PRESBYTER, this Court hath Voted him to the uncleane, filthy, impious, unholy, darke, and wordly Dungeon, called, JURE HUMANO, there with Arch-Bishops, Bishops, &c. the Grand-Presbyters, his Fore-fathers, to be fast bound with the Majesteriall Chaines of humaine Lawes, Ordinances, Edicts, &c. and in them to be kept in safe custo­dy till the aforesaid great Assises; in the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Christ, there, and then to be brought forth to the Tryall of that Great and terrible DAY. Now to the Prisoner.

PERSECUTION, hould up thy hand: Thou hast been Indicted, [Page 45] and Araigned of emnity against God and all goodnes, of Treasons, Rebel­lion, Bloodshed, &c. and for thy tryall hast put thy selfe upon thy Countrey, which Countrey have found thee guilty, and to award the Sentence of death, from passing upon thee, thou hast had the liberty this Court in justice could permit, to make thy defence: we have heard thine allegations, evasions, the the Reasons and Pleaes of thy Defendants, to whom was given all freedome of Defence could be desired, also We have heard the distracted jubitaine me­diation of J. Conformity in thy behalfe, yet notwithstanding all that can be made for thee, thy guilt is so palpably apparant and grosse, that all the sub­tilety, craft, and policy thou and thy Confederates can devise, cannot obscure thee from the eye of justice: for this Court upon thy tryall, hath found out thy villany, Treason, and Bloodshed, and how thou art guilty of all that is laid to thy charge: Therefore the Sentence of this Court is, that thou shalt returne to the place from whence thou camest, to wit, the noysome, and filthy CAGE of every uncleane and hatefull Bird, the GLERGIE of Christendome, there to be fast bound with Inquisition, Synaddicall, Classicall, Preist-bitter-all Chaines untill the Appearing of that Great and terrible Judge of the whole Earth, who shall take thee alive, with Sir SYMON, and his Son Sir JOHN, and east thee with them and their Confederates into the LAKE of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the False Prophet are, there to be cormented day and night for ever, and ever.

Rev. 19. 1. 2. 3. And after these things I heard a great voyce of much people in Hea­ven, saying, Allelujah: salvation and glory, honour and power, unto the Lord our God:

For true and righteous are his judgments, for he hath judged the Great Where, which did corrupt [...] Earth with her Fornication, and avenged the blood of his ser­vants at her band. Again they said, Allelujah: And her smoak rose up for ever & ever.