by wicked Counsells intends to make War against the Parliament c. 2. That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a Breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People Contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of This Government 3. That whosoever shall serve or Assist him in such Wars are Traytors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdome and have been so Adjudg'd by Two Acts of Parliaments and ought to suffer as Traytors c. Ri. Your Majesties most humble and Faithful Subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament c. Ib. Jun. 2. 1642. Pa. 307. Mo. This was the Petition that Accompanied the Nineteen Propositions demanding from the King the discharge of all his Ministers and Embassadors and none to be taken into their Places but what the Parliament shall approve That all matters of State may be transacted only in Parliament the Privy Counsell to be by Them approved from time to time and supply'd All Great Officers to bâ— Chosen by their Approbation They to have the Education of the Kings Children and the Choyce of their Servants No Maâ—ch to be treated of without them A Reformation of Church-Government and Liturgy to be contrived by their Advice The Militia to be settled in them till settled by a Bill and all Proclamations against it to be recalled New Oaths for Privy Councellors and Iudges All Iudges and Officers to hold their Places Quamdiâ— se bene Gesserint Parliament-Iustice upon all Delinquents An Amnestry with such exceptions as the Parliament shall advise All Forts and Castles under Gouernours approved by Parliament All Forces to be Disbanded and a Prohibition of any Peers hereaftâ—â— to be made from Sitting or Voting in Parliament without the Consent of Both Houses Are not these the Propositions think ye of Most Humble and Faithful Subjects Ri. Yo ur Majesties Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament Ibid. Sept. 24. 1642. Pa. 617. Mo. His Majesties Loyal Subjects had now sent the Earl of Essex to fall upon the Kings Army and desired his Majesty to leave them and come to his Parliament And they Petition'd his Majesty to the same Purpose again Pa. 630. And so as the Humour took them to the very Treaty at the Isle of Wight But whether These were the Actions of Rebells or Loyall Subjects be you your self the Judge Ri. Well But what say ye to the Stile of We your Humble and Loyal Subjects of both Kingdomes Appendix to Husbands Ex. Coll. 2 d. Part. Fol. 22. Jan. 13. 1645. Mo. These were the Humble and Loyal Subjects that in the same Paper Refused his Majestys Proffer of a Personal Treaâ—â— with Them at Westminster Your Majesty say they desires 〈◊〉 Engagement not only of the Parliament but of the Lord Mayor Aldermâ—n Common-Councill and Militia of the City of London 〈◊〉 Chief Commanders of Sir Tho. Fairfaxes Army and Those of the Scots Army which is against the Privileges and Honour of the Pâ—â—liamenâ— those being Ioyn'd with them who are Subject and Subordinate to their Authority At the same rate they Proceeded in Their Professions They desire only to Lay a Foundation of Honour Safety and Happiness to the Kings Person and Throne Ex. Coll. dec 14. 1641. The Greatnesse and Prosperity of his Majesty and his Royal Posterity Ib. Dec. 15. Pa. 2. His Majestys greatnesse and Honour â—b Mar. 1.41 Pa. 94. Honour and greatnâ—sse Mar. 2. P. 102. Honour Safety and Prosperity of your Majesty Mar. 16. P. 118. We seek nothing but your Majesties Honour Mar. 15. P. 123. The Safety of his Majesties Person and his Royal Posterity May 5. 42. Pa. 173. Our most Dutyfull care for the Safety of your Royal Person May 9. P. 180. For the Preserving and Mayntaining the Royal Honour Greatness and Safety of your Majesty and Posterity Jan. 2. 42. P. 310. And then see their Remarkable Protestation of Octob. 22. 1642. We the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled do in the Presence of Almighty God for the Satisfaction of our Consâ—iâ—nces and the Discharge of That Great Trust which lyes upon us make this Protestation and Declaration to The Kingdome and Nation and to the whole World That no Private Passion or Respect no Evill Intention to his Majestys Person no design to the Prejudice of his Iust Honour and Authority Engaged us to rayse Forces and take up Arms against the Authours of This War wherewith the Kingdome is now Enflamed Ibid. Pa. 663. Without any Intention or desire as we do here professe before the Ever-living God to hurt or Injure his Majesty Either in his Person or Iust Power b. P. 666. I could give you Instances of this kind without End and as many of the gross and Unquestionable violations of These Professions For every Order they past and every â—istol that they Fired was a poynt-blank Contradiction to their Pretensions Beside that in the same Breath they Usurped all the Regalities of the Crown and yet Wrote Themselves His Majesties most Obedient SUBJECTS So that This Stile of Loyalty was at the same time a Blind to the Well-meaning Multitude and a Note of Confederacy among Themselves a Loyal Subject according to the Covenant Importing in plain Terms a Traytor in the eye of the Law And yet the Cause and the Obligation of this Covenant and the Proceedings upon it are openly Asserted at This very day Ba. Yes yes There 's The Counterminer the Popish Dialogue and many others that continue lowdly to Accuse us and make men believe that we are Plotting a new War and that our Principles are Rebellious c. Non Conf. Plea 2d Part. Pref. Mo. What do ye think of maintaining that Whatsoever the Twâ— Houses declare for Law must pass for Law without Controul both upon King and People Ex. Coll. 297. That they may do whatever they please Ibid. That the Major Part of Both Houses are the absolute Masters of the Lives and Liberties of the Subject Ibid. That no member of the House of Commâ—ns be medled with for Treason Felony c. Without Leave of the House Ibid. That thâ— Sâ—vâ—reignty resides in the two Houses and that the King has no Negâ—tivâ— Voice Ibid. That there lyes no Treason against the Person of the King Ibid. That the Two Houses may Depose the King and not be blameâ— for so doing Ibid. Now in calling Those people that did all This The Bell Governors in the World as in the Preface to your Holy Common-Wealth And in Vindicating That Book from any Principles of Disloyalty toward the Person of the King as you do toward the close of your Preface as to the 2 d. Part of the Non-conformists Pleâ— Apri 16. 1680. What is This but the Asserting of Rebellioâ—â— Principles And the Preaching of the old Doctrine to the people over again What Is it but the Preface to another War Ba. What have we done
Constitution of Churches the Powers of Princes and Pastors in Eccclesiastical Matters and Cases of Lawful Separation he makes a Sally without any manner of Connexion or Provocation into the State and Right of the War Pa. 123. He charges it upon a Faction among the Bishops and the falling in of the Majority of the Parliaments to the Popular part of them in That division which is a Calumny as remote from the Subject of his Discourse as it is from Truth If it had been as he woud have it how comes the whole Order of Bishops to be Assaulted Their Persons Affronted and their Votes in Parliament taken away without distinction Was the Feud so deadly as to make them destroy Themselves and Ruine the whole Hierarchy in Revenge How came it to pass that Bishop Hall a Person Celebrated even by Mr Baxter himself for his Piety and Moderation How came This Reverend Prelate I say te be so Coursly handled by the Corporation of the Smectymnuans Marshall Calamy Young Newcomen and Spurstow and Treated by Five of the most Eminent men of the Parâ—y with Scurrilitys fitter for the Priests of Priapus then the Ministers of the Gospell Pa. 124. He goes on with his Remarks upon Bishop Laud over and over The Book of Sports on the Lords day the business of Altars Rayls and Bowing towards them Afternoon-Sermons and Lectures put down Imprisonments Stigmatisings Removals c. And then Pa. 125. He pâ—oceeds to the new Liturgy Imposed on the Scots c. But says he a little below we are Vnwilling to be the Mentioners of any More then Concerneth our Present Cause and the Things are Commonly known Which is such a way of Mentioning no more as gives to understand without speaking all the Ill Imaginable that was Left unsaid Methinks Mr. Baxter might have let This most Reverend Pious Loyal and ANTIPAPAL Arch-Bishop have slept quietly in â—is Grave and out of pure Gratitude to our Present Sovereign to whose Mercy this very Gentleman owes his Life setting aside the Veneration that belongs to Majesty and Truth Mâ—thinks Mr. Baxter might have spared this Lâ—bell ander the Government of the Son against the Administrations of the Father But it is no new thing â—or Criminals to Arraign Innocents or for Those that aâ—e Pardon'd for Subverting the Government to shoot thâ—ir Arrows â—vâ—n â—itter Words against Those that hâ—ve been Persecuted and Murther'd for Endeavouring to defend it And now after all Thesâ— Imputations upon the King the Church and the Loyall Party â—vâ—n to the Degree of making them Aâ—sweraâ—le for all the Blood that has been spilt We must not so much as presume to say that we are Innocent But every Vindication of the King the Church and the Law from the Insults of the Common Enemy is exclaimed against as an Inrode upon the Act of Indemnity If Mr. Baxter will needs be laying the Râ—bâ—llion at the wrong dâ—or and Discharging the Presbyterians Why mâ—y not any Honest man Reply upon him and say in agreement with Mr. Baxter himself Non-Conformists Plea I. Part. Pa. 127. that it was the Solemn League and Covenant that did the work Which Solemn League was not only an Exprâ—sse Oath of Allegiancâ— to Presbytery but to the most Tyrannical of all Presbyteriâ—s Thâ—t of tâ—e Scottish Kirk it self But why do I call it an Oath of Allegiance to Presbytery When it was in Truth a direct Conjuration against the Government both Ecclesiastical and Civil for the Introducing of it It would be Tedious and Superfluous to Crowd all the Particulars of This Pamphlet into a Preface so that I shall rather refer the Reader to the Book for the rest where he may compare Mr. Baxter with himself for it is Effectually but an Abstract out of Mr. Baxter's Writings By the Paradoxes Disagreements and Contradictions he will be able to Iudge of the Authour and by the Authour in a great Measure of the Party He that would see them drawn more to the Life may repair to the Original of our Saviours for the Pharisees in the Gospell Examin them Narrowly and you shall not find so much as the semblance of a Colourable Argument but they are still changing their Battery and Pretense according to the various Accidents and dispositions of State and it is but tracing the History of the Late times to find every Round of the Ladder that advanc'd them from Petitioners to Rulers They Plead the Cause of Thousands in the Land they tell us and yet there 's not a Single man in all Those Thousands that understands one bit of the Controversy They cry aloud against Idolatry Superstition Abominations Symbolical Ceremonies Will-Worship Humane Inventions and Order their Disciples just as they do their Children They dresse up a Terrible thing of Clouts and call it a Bull-begger which is no other then a Mormo of their own Creating They have a certain Routin of Words and Sayings that have the tone of Magique in the very Sound of them and serve only without any other Meaning like the Drum and the Trumpet to rouse up the Multitude to Battle But the Lords Ordinance and the Primitive Pattern stand them in Mighty stead For though they have been Foyld as often as Encountred upon This Question yet the very Terms of the Controversy being is good as Syriack to the Common people there is a Mist cast before their Eyes and they are never in so good time to see Visions as when they are stark blind To Conclude I have exposed these Sheâ—â—s to the â—â—â—â—ck rather as Mr. Baxters work then my own If 〈…〉 it was none of my Fault that my Authour would not me 〈…〉 Nor have I any more to say upon the whole matter but that I have been as fair to Mr. Baxter as He hath been to Himself A DIALOGUE c. Moderator Richard and Baxter Moderator YEs yes I remember the Conference at the Savoy perfectly well by This Token that Dr. Gunning and Dr. Pearson the Bishops of Ely and Chester deliver'd you this very Proposition That Command which Commandeth an Act in it self Lawfull and no other Act whereby any unjust Penalty is enjoyned nor any Circumstance whence directly or per accidens any Sin is Consequent which the Commander ought to provide against hath in it all things requisâ—â—â— to the Lawfulnesse of a Command and particularly cannot be guilty of commanding an Act per accidens Unlawfull nor of Commanding an Act under an Unjust Penalty B of Worcesters Letter in his Vindication against M. Baxter P. 36. Ri. Very Good and I gave them under my hand my Opinion to the Contrary Because said I the fiâ—st Act commanded may be per accidens Unlawful and be Commanded by an Vnjust Penalty tho' no other Act or Circumstance Commanded be such Ibid. Pa. 36. Ba. Nay hold you Brother I 'm of another Opinion If the thing Commanded be such as is simply ill and forbidden us by God in all Cases whatsoever then no ones Commands can
make it Lawfull But if it it be a thing that is only Inconvenient or Unlawful by some Lesser accident then the Command of Authority may pre-ponderate as a more weighty Accident R. B's Church-Divisions P. 194. Nay Many a Ruler sinneth in his Commands when it is no Sin but a Duty of the Inferior to Obey them As if a Magistrate Command Religious Duties in meer Policy or if he force a Lawful Command with Unlawful Penalties and Yet it will be the Subjects Duty to Obey Ibid. Nor is any Ruler bound to suspect and prevent such Unusual Dangers of mens Sin or Ruine as fall out beyond all Rational Foresight or Expectation of whose Probable Event or Possible at least there was no just Evidence R. B's Non-Conformists Iudgment P. 60. Mo. Your Argument Mr. Richard has cut off all Magistracy at a Blow For there is not any Command Imaginable that falls not within the Reach of your Exception And Mr. Baxter is in the Right on 't But what do ye think now Gentlemen of the Operation or further Extent of such a Power Ri. If you mean as to matters concerning Religion No man 〈◊〉 any Authority to make Laws about Gods Worship but 〈◊〉 Christ hath given him Non-Conformists Plea 2d Part. P. 28. Ba. Pray'e hold me a little Excus'd There too for we renounce the Opinion of them that hold that Circa Sacra the King hath no Power to Command the Circumstances of Worship Nâ—â—-Conformists Plea Part 2 d. P. 73. Mo. There is but a Right and a Wrong in the case my Masters and you have hit them both again I make no doubt on 't but your Circa Sacra comprehends Liturgies Ceremonies and other Circumstances of Order relating to the Church pray'e tell me how your Consciences stand affected that way Not as to the Merits of the Cause for the world is allready clogg'd with That Controversy but I would willingly know what thoughts You and the Party you plead for entertain of our Ecclesiastical matters Ri. When the King call'd us to signify our desires in 1660. the Ministers of London were commonly invited to come to Sion Colledge that their Common Consent might be known And There we agreed to desire or offer nothing for Church-Government but A.B. Ushers Modell of the Primitive Episcopal Government When his Majesty would not grant us That Modell nor the Bishops once Treat about it he was pleased in his Gratious Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs to offer and prescribe the Episcopacy of England as it stood with little alteration c. A Government says his Majesty Fol. 10. Which is established by Law and with which the Monarchy hath flourished through so many Ages and which is in truth as ancient in this Island as the Christian Monarchy thereof This Declaration we Ioyfully and thankfully accepted as a â—opefull means of a Common Conformity and Concord Non-Con's Plea 2d Part Pref. Ba. The English Prelacy I tell you is the product of proud Ambition and Arrogancy and contrary to the expresse Command of Christ. R. B's Five Disputations P. 45. Bishops are Thorns and Thistles and the Military Instruments of the Devil R. B's Concord P. 122. How could you â—ustify then a Submission to such a Prelacy Mo. If an Angel from Heaven I perceive were employ'd to bring 〈◊〉 two to an Agreement he shoulâ— lose his Laboâ—r Foâ— That which is highly acceptable to the One and the hopefull Foundation of a Common Concord is Antâ—christian Diaboliâ—al and Unsâ—fferable to the Other You aâ—e up I find at every Turn with the 〈◊〉 Projectpunc and in such a manner too as if the most â—â—â—â—onable thing in the World â—ad been offer'd oâ— the One 〈◊〉 and refused on the Other Whereat That 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 accommodated to the â—ard 〈…〉 the Kings Affairs at the time of Framing 〈…〉 any man in a case of Extremity 〈…〉 of an Arm â—r a Leg for the 〈…〉 yet he a very strange request to ask a man in a state of Freedome and Safety to part with a Leg or an Arm from his Body And as wild a thing on the other side to Grant it But the very offer at it under a pretense of Conscience was highly disingenuous especially when upon the Issue the Scruple was remov'd by the Refâ—sal and This Satisfaction given to the world by your own Acknowledgment that Conformity and Episcopacy may stand well enough together when you please Ri. I câ—nnot deny but that maâ—y proposed to have yiâ—lded to Prelacy Liturgy and Ceremonies Non-Con Plea Part I. P. 136. Ba. Why truly a Certain Episcopacy may be yielded to for the Peace if not for the Right Order of the Church But the Diocesan Episcopacy which was lately in England and is now laid by may not be lawfully reassumed or readmitted as a means for the Right Order or Peace of the Church R. B's Five Disputation P. 2. 1659. A Government which gratifâ—eth the Devil and wicked men Ibid. P. 36. Mo. Still upon the Contradiction But if they were so well dispos'd to come In what was it I beseech you that put them off again Ri. When they saw the New Act for Uniformity thâ—ir Deliberations were at an End Ibid. P. 26. Ba. After proving Prelacy to be against the â—ill of Christ and the Wellfare of the Churches Five Disp. Pref. 1â— and contrary to the word of God and Apostolical Institution Ibid P. 51. what need was there then of any further Disswasion Mo. Pray'e tell me Mr. Richard Was Prelacy Lawfull Before the Act for Uniformity and not After You are Angry at the One and therefore you Renounce the Other for it was no longer Prelacy Liturgy or Ceremonies it seems that you boggled at but the New Act. Now since you your selves were convinc'd that such a Conformity as aforesaid would have been Warrantable and only transfer'd your Exceptions to the New Act how comes it that you go on still decrying the State Rites and Offices of the Church to the Multitude and make That a matter of Conscience in One breath which you left at Liberty in Another The Uniformity does not alter the case one jot to the Common People but the Layety may as lawfully submit to Prelacy Liturgy and Ceremonies After the Act as they did before Ri. The People who now adhere to the Non-Conformists who were at age before the Wars had very hard thoughts of the Bishops Persons and some of Episcopacy it self because of the Silencing of Ministers and ruining of Honest men about Sundays-sports Reading That Book and other suâ—h things beside Nonconformity c. Non-Con Plea Part I. P. 139. Mo. the Bishops and Episcopacy it self you say were thought hardly of partly for Sâ—lencing your Miâ—isters Which was yet a way of proceeding Conformable to the directions of the Law and in part among Other Provocations for the Book of Sports upon the Lords day Be it spoken
them no good else And what good I beseech ye did you do them by it but mislead and confirm them in Principles of Disobedience only you consider'd you say that the Prophane were much worse then the Other What is the reason that Mr. Baxter will be perpetually thus Inconsistent with himself First you Repent for no more Discouraging and then by a side wind for Encouraging and before the Repentance is out of your Mouth you are at it again with your CHURCH-CORRUPTIONS and your opposition of the PROPHANE forsooth to the Godly to Enflame the Dâ—vision and to Harden the Non-Conformists in their Dissent Now as to your Stigmatizing Character of Prophane There is a Personal Prophanenesse and there is a Prophanenesse of Association and Confederacy There are many men I know that have gotten so diabolical a Habit of Swearing Cursing and Blaspheming the holy name of God that they can hardly speak Ten words without an Oath or a Curse This is withoâ—t dispute a most abominable Sin But it is withall so Disagreeable and so offensive that it gives a man a Horrour for the Imitation and Practice of so Unprofitable and so Monstrous a Crime and though it be a grievous Wickedness it is not of so dangerous an Example But what say you to Sacramental Leagues against Order and Law To the forcing of a whole Nation either to Swear or starve to the calling God into a Conspiracy against Government and Religion To the Robbing of Altars demolishing of Temples dethroning of Kings degrading of Bishops c. And all This in the Name of the most High God and with hands held up unto the Lord. But go on with your Repentance Ba. I do Repent also that I had not more Impartially and dilligently Consulted with the best Lawyers that were against the Parliaments Cause for I know of no Controversy in Divinity about it but in Politiques and Law and that I did not use all possible means of full Acquaintance with the Case Ibid. And that for a little while the Authority of such Writers as Mr. Richard Hooker Lib. I. Eccles. Polit. and Bishop Bilson and other Episcopal Divines did too much sway my Judgment toward the Principles of Popular Power And seeing the Parliament Episcopal and Erastian and not hearing when the War began of Two Presbyterians amongst them all nor among all their Lord Liâ—utenants Generalls Major Generalls or Colonells till long after I was the Easilyer drawn to think that Hookers Political Principles had been commonly Received by all which I discerned soon after upon stricter Enquiry to be Unsound and have my self written a Confutation of them Pa. 53. Mo. This way of Dodging in one of the Prophane as you stile us would have been Iesuitical Here 's only a bare wish that you had made a stricter Enquiry into the Cause but no Acknowledgment that you were in the Wrong And again If you knew of no Controversy in Divinity about it why are all your Writings stuffed with such a Huddlâ— of Texts for Obedience to the Two Houses What did you search the Word of God for in the Case Holy Com. Pa. 486. 〈…〉 were misled by Mr. Hookers First Book of Ecclesiastical 〈…〉 Favour of Popular Power why would ye not let him set the Right in your Ecclesiastical â—olitiques and in your Duty to the Authority and Discipline of the Church to make ye some amends the Biasse which you will have him to take in favour of Popular Power being not one jot to your purpose but regarding only the Specification of Government and not the Fountain and whoâ—ly Forrein to your Phansy of a Co-ordination Whereas That Great mans discourse in vindication of the Rites and Injunctions of the Church comes directly to your Point and stands as sirm as a Rock against all the Insults of Calumny and Opposition without any pretense to a Reply But you serve Mr. Hooker in This and the King himself and the English Clergy in Othâ—r Cases as you do the Bishops in your Church-History you turn over Indexes and Common-Places for matter of Reproach against them and then obtrude upon the World the Frailties of some and your own most Uncharitable mistakes of Others for the History of the Order but not one word of Their Virtues It would make a black book the Story of the Presbytery drawn up at the same Rate It is your way still under a Pretext of advancing the Mistical Church to depress the Visible and to put the people out of Love wâ—th both Civill and Ecclesiastical Constitutions Ba. Pray'e do but observe and see of what manner of persons the Visible Church hath beâ—n Constituted in all Ages of the World till now In the first Church in Adams Family a Cain In a Church of Eight persons the Father and Pastor overtaken with Grosse Drunkenness and one of his Sons was a Cursed Cham. In a Church of six persons Two of them perish'd in Sodom in the flames among the Unbelievers and a Third turn'd into a Pillar of Salt The Two remaining Daughters committed Incest In Abrahams Family an Ishmael in Isaacâ—s an Esau even Rebecca and Iacob guilty of deceitfull Equivocation an Abraham and Isaac deny'd their Wives to save themselves in their Unbelief In Iacobs Family a Simeon and Levi that sold their brother Ioseph Of the Church of the Isralites in the Wilderness but Two permitted to enter into the Land of Promise c. The Ten Tribes were drawn by Ieroboaâ— to Sin by setting up Calves at Dan in Bethel and making Priests of the Vilest of the People and forsaking the Temple and the True Worship of God and the Lawfull Priests And these Lawfull Priests at Ierusalem were Ravening Wolves and Greedâ— Dogs and careless and cruell Shepherds The false Pro phets who deceived the People were most Accepted Ch Div. Pa. 35. â—6 37 And if you run through the Churches of Rome Corinth Galatia Colosse Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Laodicea Pa. 39.40.41 you 'le finde it to be the same case Mo. But what 's your end in all This Ba. Not to make Sin less Odious nor the Church or Godly less Esteemed but to shew you the Frame of the Visible Church in all Generations and how it differeth from the Iewish lest you should take on you to be wiser then God and to build his house after a better Rule then his Gospel and the Primitive Pattern Ibid. Pa. 36. Mo. This is by Interpretation The Non-Conformists are the Invisible Church and the Episcopall Clergy are the Ravening Wolves and the Greedy Dogs and all the Sons of the Church of England are the Church Visible According to your most obliging way of Allusion But there 's one thing I forgot You say the Presbyterians did not begin the War which with your Favour is a great mistake and yet not a pin matter to the case in Question whether they did or not Did not the Kirk lead the Dance and