and then brand them with the like Infamy for the veriest that ever breath'd on English Earth or in English Air. And now let the Parliament Army and all good people that are sound in their sences judge it seriously Whether it is the Honourable Author of the Healing Question as much as he is maligned and menaced by all Parties or Mr. B. in 's Wounding Answer that hath asserted the Ill Cause and deserted the Good And which of them come neerest to the constitution of a Free-State and which of the TWO it is that hath given away that worthy Argument by which he should prove himself an honest man to use Mr. B's own words vizt his Charity But in the winding up of our Discourse I am surprized or way-laid with Mr. Harringtons correspondence with him against an Oligarchy I wish it had been as much against Anarchy and Atheisme if he means by it the present Parliament or such a Parliament or the Body of Adherents to the CAUSE as one of them I believe he must and some say All wherein Mr. B. and he agree but when he tells us his meaning without mumping or scoffing which we must understand before we reply He may hear further And at the present in the words of Hen. 8. but on better grounds From their Old Mumpsimus and his New Sumpsimus Good Lord deliver us But I shall give you my grounds seeing Mr. B. hath brought him to hand as his confederate and shall modestly discuss it with him and them of the late Petition July 6. to the Parliament many of whom I dearly respect and yet I cannot but wonder how busie some are in this work of refunding retunding and confounding us in our Cause not onely with old Popish Mumpsimus's but with new Sumpsimus's and Idea's exhibited to the Parliament like the CHAOS indeed but to enucleate first the Preamble of that Petition 1. I judge it is a little too positive and reflective though couchant under smooth and candid expressions as if we had been hurried after an appearance or shadow in lieu of our undubitable Rights and as if that since the dissolution of that form of Government by K. Lords and Commons a new constitution viz. of Free-State had not been provided for which was evidently done and setled in several Acts of Parliament as Jan. 20. 1648. March 17. 1648. May 14. 1649. July 17. 1649. The words of one are these Whereas the Parliament hath abolished the Kingly Office in England and Ireland c. And having Resolved and Declared that the People for the future shall be governed by its own Representatives and National Meetings in Council chosen and intrusted for that purpose hath setled the Government in a Commonwealth and Free-State without King or House of Lords Be it Enacted c. And yet say these Friends in their Petition p. 4. Your mindes are not Setled on any known Constitution of Government or Fundamental Orders according to which all Laws should be made wherein they are too positive and upon such mistakes and pre-occupations might gratifie our Enemies too too much had they upon this false conception come up to any maturity by the late Apostacy or in this NEW-CONSPIRACIE against the Commonwealth For Mr. Harrington and that Petition strike at the very Root Fundamental and Constituting Acts of Parliament as well as at the very BEING integral Parts of our Cause so long contended for and crowned at last through the Lords blessing I cannot proceed without precaution seeing as Cic. says Omne malum nascens facile opprimitur inveteratum fit plerunque Robustius it is easie to crush Evil in the Egg and as Solomon says Eccles 8. 5. A wise man discerneth both the time and the Judgment 1. At the Foundation of our Settlement in Anno 1648. for that they propound Two Houses of Parliament under new names indeed viz. of a Senate and of a Popular Assembly so Oceana p. 13 14. and Petition p. 8. which appears to me repugnant and Diametrick to our dear Cause to the Acts of Parliament and to our Engagements viz. To be faithful to the Government as it now stands without King or House of Peers Now Aristotle in 's Politic. 5. lib. c. 4. tells us of two waies to destroy a COMMONWEALTH Quandoque per vim Quandoque per dolum Per Vim aut statim aut posteà compellendo Per Dolum non nunquam enim decepti ab initio Suâ demum sponte Recipiunt alium Gubernandi Modum c. Sometimes it is done by Force and sometimes by Fraud in the last sence when mistaken at the first laying it they by perswasion or voluntarily fall into another manner of Government This is a dangerous CRISIS and the Athenians had the sad experience of such Commutations through proclivity to Noveltie and New Changes as Act. 17. 21. They spent their time in it So AELIAN Lib. 5. c. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Athenians were given to change in the State of the Commonwealth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I can't commend it it is an OMEN which shall never have my AMEN so long as I see it conduceable to the dissolution of the Whole if they have not special care to preserve the Constitution which with two such Bodies I do not so well understand And I wonder which is more monstrous in Nature a Vast Body with two Heads or a Head with two Huge Bodies and how prodigious and dreadful will their motions be if one go one way and the other another like the Amphisbaena let right Reason judge But besides this that which hath the most impression is the easie Access of a Single Person called with us the Third State by it And this is evident not onely in Reason but in Practice as in the Lacedemonian and Athenian Commonwealths For in the First after Lycurgus's death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lacedemonians instituted the Court of the Ephors who had the chief Power in the Commonwealth for none stood or were raised up but a King and the Ephor So that a single Person had an Executive Power there But if a nimble Wit will without ground object that this Commonwealth was imperfect or degenerate we might instance in Athens the Pattern of all that they set before us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In like manner the Athenians instituted eleven men to take the care of Prisoners and nine Archons of which were the Thesmothets who were throughly tryed and sworn to do righteously in the Magistracie not to take Bribes nor to set up again the Golden Image But the King who is said to be one of the Archons did administer the Laws which belong'd to Sacrificing and to Warring So that after this Platform are we exposed to the open Danger of a Single Person or a King and of giving the Power of Religion and Worship into the hands of the Magistrate not answerable to the Rules of Christ our Cause nor
the Protestants with Mr. P. Sectaries 9. Q. Whether it had not been wisdom to have kept out the company of gabling Geese or Scriblers that noise it so in Mr. P's Chamber during the time of his Travel hard labour and unprofitable pains to be deliver'd of Campanella's Bastard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or head-long And whether they had not better have perswaded Mr. P. to have kept his Terms still then to have fallen in with such filthy interests to commit sin with or conceive séed from for the trouble of the Nation or so to sell himself to the next KING that comes for so little profit and for less credit 10. Q. Whether in all this Mr. P. and Mr. B. have not made a more exquisite and Artificial Section or discovery of themselves their party parts and principles then of the true Cause or of the Commonwealth through all the Meanders intricate and abstruse notions and designs to obtrude or exalt the interest of the Stuarts and debase our Cause Let the Reader judge for in Publicos Hostes Omnis Homo Miles saith Tertul. Apol. c. 2. It is every mans case and all the Country will up when wild beasts are broken loose to that I leave them and their followers I have been the longer upon these things they being the very hinges or the Axle-trées of all their Polemick Disceptations against the present Government in four books which for substance are answered and their fallacies discovered to the Readers only Mr. B's wounding Answer which is truly his own to the Healing Question comes under our present consideration his Politick Aphorisms if occasion serve for future which he adds in the Preface of ' s Holy Commonwealth to the Army that they may not be kept up in impenitency i. e. from returning to King Lords and Commons I would say this for the Healing Question and its honourable Authour that is of such a Healing Spirit and Frame whiles Mr. B. is professedly of a Wounding That the Almighty God hath made it and him so great a Means of Blessing towards the Recovering and Healing of this poor ISLAND as our Children after us may live to reap remember and bless GOD for indeed I do think there is in that little Treatise such Apples of Gold if well considered as were taken from the Lord Jesus that Tree of Life Prov. 3. 18. whose Leaves are for the Healing of the Nations Rev. 22. 1 2. And to speak rationally It was as properly called a HEALING Question as his Antagonist would call it a WOUNDING Answer after Gallens understanding of Healing in a Physical Consideration in the beginning of Lib. de Ossibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. All things that concern the Action of HEALING have that for their scope and direction to it that agrees best with the Nature and Constitution of the body or part which must be HEALED i. e. the Commonwealth Now whether Mr. B. by 's WOUNDING or Sir H. V. by his HEALING comes neerest to the nature and constitution of the Commonwealth or Free-State let us diligently enquire and duely preponderate without respect to persons but to principles and to the matter The healing Question saith he placeth the cause in two things pag. 3 4 5 6. 1. In a Freedom by way of dutiful compliance and condescention from all parts and members of this Society to set up meet persons in the place of Supreme Judicature and Authority amongst you Enlarged pag. 10 11. 2. Freedom in matters of Religion that concern the service and worship of God enlarged pag. 5 6 7. The PERSONS that he supposes have this Soveraign power sayes he are sometimes said to be the Whole Body of Adherents to the CAUSE p. 3. to which they have a double Right 1. Natural 2. Conquer'd and Recover'd and sometimes the whole BODY OF THE PEOPLE pag. 4. But here Mr. B. begins already to deal unfaithfully and dis-ingenuously with the Healing Question and its Author for pag. 4. it tell us of the natural right and Freedom due to the whole Body of the People for whose safety and good Government its self is ordained which the Norman by Lust and force of Arms kept them from This is their natural Right indeed not but that they may forfeit it and lose it as a man may forfeit his Liberty and his Life which he hath a natural right unto by Theft Treason Rebellion Murther or the breach of good and equal Laws But when he treats of the Goodness and the Nature of the Cause p. 3 4. then it is that he tells us the unforfeited and undoubted Power of chusing c. lies in the body of Adherents to the CAUSE who have contributed their counsels purses pains affections prayers and united strength unto it And these have not onely their foresaid natural Right but through Gods blessing their conquered and restored Right unto it Which others have not that fought against the CAUSE the PARLIAMENT to destroy both it and us These that have forfeited it are not said to have the Soveraign Power of chusing persons fit for Supreme Trust by this two-fold Right that the Adherents to the Cause have And therefore the Healing Question pag. 3. speaks of Restoring This THIS whole Body to it's just Rights in Civils and in Spirituals But Mr. B. would jumble them both like a jusculum of Hodg-podg or Galleymaufrey into our mindes by a fallaciâ compositionis taking them together as he in his Wounding and not as the Author in 's Healing Question states and exhibits them Also it is observable that in lieu of any lucid or clear Replication he would have the Reader subjugate his Reason to his Dark Lanthorn or abstruse implication in some ten PROPOSITIONS which he offers as his Purging-Pills or Troches to the Armies Consciences but let them first examine the INGREDIENTS of them and the hand that gives them if he have skill and if there be no danger in receiving of them His 1. Prop. is That it was none of the Old Cause which we contended for in the Wars viz. the free choice of Parliaments Answ We shall then appeal to all Records living and dead yea to Mr. P. himself whether Priviledges of Parliament and peoples Rights were none of the Old Cause contended for 1. saies he the King granted it but at the first he denied it And what if he did by word acknowledge it if he by force hindred them the benefit of it which is the thing the Heal. Quest. sayes But for B's satisfaction he may see it recorded in History That in the very first four yeers of his Reign he dissolved three Parliaments one after another and by Proclamation forbid the people to speak of any more Parliaments after that so that in the Intervals they were miserably enslaved oppressed both in Consciences and Estates taxed fleeced with Monopolies and illegal sufferings had no visible Remedy left them All thoughts of ever
having a Parliament being banished for many years and the ordinary discourse of the Courtiers then was against Parliaments as injurious to the Kings Prerogative This continued until Firebrands that had been kindling by it were laid together in Scotland and there began first to FLAME about the ears of the Clergy and their Liturgy An. 1637 8 and 9. The King raised an Army against them and notwithstanding the Pacification of 18 June 1639. he resolved to have War with the Scots told some Lords about him Decemb. following he would call a Parliament in England the noyse of which made the People amazed I so long had they been without it and so little expectation had they of it whiles the King sends his bosome and Cabinet-Counsellour Strafford into Ireland to call one there to raise him monies but on the 13th of April it was convened and on the 5th of May dissolved again and some of the Members vizt Sir John Hotham Mr. Crew Mr. Belliesis imprisoned the Lord Brooks Plundred and the King goes on with the War against the Scots until about 20. of the English Earls Lords and Barons Petitioned to him at York to call a Parliament that might continue until Grievances were redressed c. By which means and his unavoidable necessities together he could not help it but summon the Long Parliament who seeing the people so miserably robbed of their Rights drew up a Bill for triennial Parliaments which the King signed 15. Pebr. 1640. Also an Act of Parliament was passed by King Lords and Commons then in being That this Parliament shall not be dissolved without it be by Act of Parliament and the Ground is exprest in it viz. The fears jealoustes and apprehensions that His Majesties Subjects have that this present Parliament may be adjourned prorogued or dissolved before Iustice be executed Grievances redressed c. With what confidence then can Mr. B. put in such an ingredient and so dangerous a one to make up his first Pill or Prop. to purge the Army with and to scour their Consciences To his second Prop. It was not the old Cause for the People to have right to choose a House of Commons to exercise the whole soveraignty c. Answ And who saith it was I pray not the Healing Quest. I am sure neither do the Commonwealths-men say it that the people have any Right to choose any House of Commons at all seeing it is utterly inconsistent with the Free-State and principles of it to have any such House as a House of Commons and more to have them as such exercise the whole Soveraignty of the Nation But here he contends with himself alone As I have seen a Puppy play prettily with his own tail weary himself and lie down when he has done For to what purpose is this Pill of Fumitory unless to fetch away Melancholy Fumes and make us laugh a little at all their weakness and folly To his third Prop. It was none of the old cause to assert the peoples Soveraignty Answ But it was their old cause to assert their Rights I am sure both as men and as Christians and this is one the Healing Quest saith and a natural one which all the Adherents to this Cause against the King have recovered through mercy if they can but keep it viz. to keep the Primary power under God and Jesus Christ or the power of chusing their own Rulers into the Supreme trust And this was we find by a little Retrospection declared for both by Parliment and Army Act of Parl. March 17. 1648. St. Albans Remonstrance in the Scotish Declarations and a many others So that this his salt Pill of poly-podium will serve for nothing but to make a man cough complain or else to choak him quite To his fourth Prop. It was not the Cause to change the constitution of the Commonwealth into any other form of Government then what we found in it Answ What ever was the Cause that was the effect and an inevitable EFFECT of the Wars I am sure though I confess the CAUSE of it lay in my judgement more on the Kings part according to the Parliaments own words of 20. March 1642. That whensoever the King maketh War that it tendeth to the dissolution of his Government So that Sublatâ Causâ tollitur effectus had he not made the War he had not destroyed his Government it is like Nor doth this lay the Guilt of the bloud upon the Parliament as he pretends but upon the King and his evil Counsellours who destroyed him and his posterity as well as that Constitution of Government by it And albeit no one part had authority to destroy the other and set it self in the room of the whole as King to destroy the Commons or Commons the Lords and set it self up as HOUSE of COMMONS yet had they a Power to destroy one another and to kill themselves if they would as the King did and so consequently the Lords and then the House of Commons as the Commons-House which are all dissolved with that CONSTITUTION of GOVERNMENT by a Felo de se indeed 2. Nor is the Platform of King Lords and Commons the Fundamental Constitution but rather imposed upon the people as has been often proved by the learned in History And 3. Though this were not the ULTIMATE in our eye yet the Peoples Rights and properties which fell in naturally to them were in their eye ULTIMATELY and intentionally amongst other things of higher concernment viz. the Kingdom of Christ throughout the management of this cause Now where the people have the greatest propriety and interest to out-balance as it was in this cause they must naturally fall into that Balance which is in a Commonwealth and can fix for security and satisfaction in nothing less be it ever so beyond our first intentions or second But for my part I cannot find one word in the Healing Quest that saith it was our cause intentionally to alter that constitution though that effect was given in as a blessing supplement and success unto this cause but that we have a Right to a Civil incorporation and society distinct from that of the old constitution now dissolved by its self and it's inorable adherents So that as the CYNICK ran to the mark for fear the Archer should hit him when he shot at Rovers we may run to the Healing Quest and never fear that he will hit or hurt us or can come neer us for ought I see This is his fourth Pill as bitter as Aegrimony it may serve to make a body sick and to make him stare but not to cure or comfort him in the least His fifth Prop. is of the matter asserting the Parliaments Declaration for the Kings person Priviledges of Parliament c. which is fully answered in Mr. P's Cause stated and stunted p. 5 6 7 8 10 11. to the very same Declarations and
Jesuites Generation or Regeneration M. Prynn's merciless and unjust JURY excepted against nor is a Butcher or Mangler fit to judge in the Case 1. It 's the Jesuites Designe to render the Commonw odious by making us believe it THEIR'S This being the last shift they have left them Not but that a Godly Jealousie be had and search he made 2. It appears that Mr. P. his Brains have a most Spermatick faculty and Mr. B's Breasts have as Aphrogalaktick a faculty through his Mammarie Vein of maintaining K. Lords Commons and of condemning our Free-state which Vein of his we finde in the Claves as the Anatomists call them but Mr. B. his Clavis or KEY for Cath. 3. Mr. P's hard TRAVEL this 10. years in campanella's design 4. His writings dangerous these times to kindle or blow up Popular discontents All the good women are called to his Labour 5. It is a monstrous thing in Nature to make this a Plot of An. 1605. c. 6. All their Argument lies upon fallacies secundum quid or malae consequentiae or homonymiae Vincent lib. 25. c. 4. The Healing Author of the healing Quest hath taken the Leaves of the Tree of Life for the healing the Nations What is meant by HEALING M. B. quotes the Healing Quest in a Wounding unfaithful manner at first dash Natural Rights may be forfeited and lost The Healing Q. asserts the unforfeited Natural Right M. B's dark Lanthorne hath no lucid Answer to the Healing Quest Caution to the Army how they take Mr. B's tea Pills Mr. B's 1. Prop. Answ Right to Chuse Parl. part of the Cause This the K. kept the people from by his own Prerogative The History of it His 2. Prop. Answ It is granted that the Cause is not a Right to choose a House of Commons A fumitory Pill His 3. Prop. Ans It was the cause to preserve our Rights Exact Col. p. 464. Poly-pody-Pill His 4. Prop. Answ Another form of Government a necessary effect of the King 's waging War with the Parliament and People The King and Lords destroyed themselves and so the House of Commons 2. The old forme of K. L. and Com. an imposed forme 3. This form of Government fell in naturally and unavoidably upon dissolution of Kingly The Healing Quest a mark but he cannot hit it A pill of Aegrimony 5. Prop. Ans This is fully answered elsewhere all the Declar. and Engagements kept in their ends by this cause His 6. Prop. Answ The Author of the Healing Quest abused fallaciously quoted and as falsly accused He pleads especially for the adherents to the Cause but generally for all to whom Christ hath given and bought this Liberty M B leaves out a most material significant part of the same sentence What the Healing Quest proposes about the Magistrate that he would not impose upon tender Consciences Mr. B. corrupts and falsifies most shamefully Mr. B. argues not like a Christian with Sir H. Vane 2. Mr. B. argues not like a Logician It is as the Heal. Quest states it out of the Mag. power to impose Mass or any worship and this M. B. ought to prove like a fair opponent by Logick-Law This was in our Cause to keep up this liberty of Conscience in the worship of God His first Charge assoiled that this is not against Gods word but the contrary and his Scripture-examples examined His instance of Asa obviated and enervated That the Mag. hath no such Power in his Commis to impose is proved by abundance of Scriptures And by learned Authors with the Witness of Martyrs To his 2d Charge Of the evil of it That it tends to the Ruine of the Common-wealth but the contrary tendeth unto that * Mr. B's Holy Commonw Preface To his 3d Charge To his 4th Charge To his 5th Charge To his 6th Charge M. B. and Mr. Harrington for a National Rule over the Conscience To his 7th Charge To his 8th Charge To his 9th Charge To his 10th Charge To his 11th Charge Vide Reviving Word for Uniting all in one 12 To his last Charge of introducing Popery That Mr. B. is guilty of this Charge shall appear by the Jesuites of his own Quoting The grounds whereon M. B. is satisfied with the Papists 1. The Harmony or Proximity of Doctrines between them 2. The Condiscipulation and Charity bâ—tween them and thâ— like M. B's Proposals to the Papists 1. For personal Assemblies together 2. To have a Catholick Christian Communion together 3. To take one another for Christians and Churches of Christ 4. To agree together without hatred of one another 2 The power of the Magist in matters of Religion a Controversie of long standing Vid. Hor. li. 2. see Sat. 1. Med. so Drex on school of Patience pt 2 c. 1. s 4. Our hearty affections and readiness to serve the Magist in all his capacities and power and not to deprive him of any right due to him only desire that Christ may have but his right also The ingredients of this Pill are in part Jesuites powder and partly his own desire to persecute Mr. B's 7. Prop. or PILL for the Army Two Extreams wisely declined in the Healing Question 1. The meer Common-wealths-man as M. Har. principle 2. The rigid fifth Mon. man or that goes under that Name his Principle The scope and substance of both in the Healing Quest The equal Temperature of the Common-wealth wherein it doth consist this Rule did keep out Tarquin and must keep out C. Stuart 8. Grounds of hope that we shall have a holy Common-wealth under Christ the head who is the head of every man 1 Cor. 11. 3. as well as of the Church or of every Christian The most excellent VOTE of Parliament for it the Lord keep them to it Theocracy not so well with a Single Persons exercise of the Power of Soveraignty as with Judges as at first and Counsellours as at the beginning Isai 1. â—6 in Israel Christ is the absolute Soveraign but the people under him have a Supremacy That the People have a Supreme Power under Christ in this Government to give to their Deputies in trust so the Government is the Ordinance of Man 1 Pet. 13. 14. but as a Theocratick Governmentâ— or that wherein Magistrates are the Ministers of God for good so it is the Ordinance of God Rom. 13. 2 3. and wherein they are the Ministers of the whole Body for good so the Ordinance of man too Mr. B' s 7. Pill of Assa foetida Mr. B's 8. Prop. or Pill for the Army à scoriâ ferri Ans Conquest gives them the benefit and freedom of their Right 2. Conquest givâ—s them a power over enemies from ruining them 3. Conquest ratifies and fortifies us in our Rights 4. Conquest keeps up a Right of distinction so long as the troubles hold Mr. B. and Mr. Harrington for an unequally Equal Common-wealth Mr. B's 9th Prop. or Pill for the Army The Healing Q. for the Inward Rule of Righteousness
ΔΙΑΠΟΛΙΤΕΊΑ A Christian Concertation WITH Mr. Prin Mr. Baxter Mr. Harrington For the True Cause of the COMMONVVEALTH OR An ANSWER to Mr. PRIN'S Perditory ANATOMY of the Republick and his True and Perfect Narrative c. To Mr. BAXTER'S Purgatory PILLS for the ARMY and his Wounding Answer to the Healing Question WITH Some soft Reflections upon his Catholick or rather Cathulactick KEY and an EXAMEN of the late Petition of the sixth of July to this Parliament In all which we have A most Necessary VINDICATION of the Cause of the Honourable Persons now in Parliament and Council from the Venome and VILIFICATION of their Pens By Joh. Rogers through Grace kept under many Sufferings a faithful Servant to Jesus Christ his Cause and the Commonwealth Prov. 26. 18 19 As he that is Mad casting firebrands Arrows and Death So is the Man that hath deluded his Neighbour and saith Am I not in sport LONDON Printed for Livewel Chapman at the Crown in Popes-Head-Alley 1659. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Council of State Sitting by Authority of PARLIANENT In WHITE-HALL HIGHLY HONOURABLE A Poor DUST as I am needs no great attendance and A servant of Jesus Christ needs no other CREDENTIALS to demand an Audience then his Message besides the Matter herein doth more concern your selves then me and the best PRUDENTIALS that you have If this Quadruple Discourse do but come to your Ears the Commonwealth is an object presented to your Eyes 1. As an ANATOMY but most miserably mangled yea cut up Quick by Mr. P. 2. As a PATIENT but as pitifully Physick'd by Mr. B. in the Preface of his Holy Commonwealth 3. As a Spartan Athenian or Venettan State upon orders EKDEMICK and differing with the nature of our Cause Climate Manners c. by Mr. H. 4. As a Christian Commonwealth in a Theocratick constitution and Cause of Christ upon orders ENDEMICK both to MEN and to CHRISTIANS as was contended for by the well-affected and is by J. R. In every corner of which Quadrangular is somewhat observable either from Mr. P's opening of his Stomach Mr. B's opening of his Spleen Mr. H. his Brain or my plain denudation of heart to your mature and wise judgements in the Promptuary and Larder of this Discourse So that these Papers as you accept them are your's if you reject them are mine though they more concern you then any men alive upon a twofold consideration Chilification or concoction of the whole Matter 1. Upon the account of that PUBLICK TRUST and confidence which the Commonwealth hath in you if Immanuel your Motto or GOD WITH US be GOD WITH YOU then Butter and hony shall be your food and you shall CHOOSE the GOCD and REFUSE the EVIL yea BUTTER AND HONY shall every one Eate that is left in the Land Isa 7. 15 22. under such a Government What is eligible I hope will be acceptable and upon your digestion profitable and nutrimental to the WHOLE BOBY it may be by this you may find out who are indeed the Gun-powder-plotters and which are the Grand Designs that would blow you up into the open Air. Some are so confident of carrying it yet that already they conclude the Commonwealth is but a firme Nihil or a meer Nothing without a foundation and it is hard to say whether they would propagate their work more by a Faux under or by a Fax in the Parliament House All I can do in that is but to tell you where and how their Barrels are laid and Instruments are at work In the next place I could not do less if not somewhat more then to present your Honours with the SPOIL of those GOODS that I have taken from your Enemies by way of reprisal or Letters of Mart in this Polemick susception for the service of the Commonwealth and therein the recovery made of the Honour and Reputation of your most worthy Members Sir Arthur Haslerige Sir Hen. Vane c. and others not lost but invaded by most Name-murthering and uncharitable Pickroons who have infested and ranged the Coasts of our Commonwealth now many months if not years together to rob you and us them and the Commonwealth as they have done And this I observed that as I hoised Sail and was in pursuit of the SPIT-FIRE Mr. P. I was set upon and so fell in with the HUNTER Mr. B who came in to assist the first and afterward I met with the FOX in the way Mr. H. though I cannot say of the same company yet at the same imployment All which I have with God's blessing BOARDED and without much Fiering on my part have brought them into this BAY before you as Prize in the RESOLUTION where I now am bent to live and die through Gods grace for the Good old Cause and a Christian Commonw 2. Upon the account of that late DEBATE had of me unknown to me in the COUNCIL wherein some would render me what I hope they shall never find me herein some shall find me what I fear they would never render me to be both for Principles and Practice as to Government which I presume are such as infirmities excepted you would be loath to eject or not affect And therefore Curvis Poplitibus with bended knees and a will broken and bowed to the foot of the Lord do I present my Requests to him for you and to you for him and from him that you may give us but a due incouragement that are ready to engage our utmost in your service for Christ and the Cause by a true judgement upon this Subject set before you viz. the HEAD i. e. Christ and BODY of the Commonwealth i.e. the adherents to the CAUSE as they are indeed the most sound sanable and sociable parts of it's Constitution and this 1. In the PHYSIO-LOGY of it wherein all things must be pondered that appertain to the essence or nature of our Cause and constitution viz. Parts Temperaments faculties functions most innate spirits qualities and the like for then I dare aver you will give us freedom to pay the TENTHS of all the SPOIL to our Melchâ—sedec as well as to feed upon his Bread and Wine and take the blessings yea to consecrate the gain unto JEHOVAH and the substance to the ADON of the whole earth Hacharamti the word is I will set it apart with an Anathema to any that shall alter that property of it Micah 4. 13. to retrieve and drive on this interest of Christ our ADON in all and of JEHOVAH above All as suits best with the very being and nature of our CAUSE It is your Honour to maintain HIS and your interest to espouse HIS and not to think worse then you need or too severely to censure such as peaceably piously humbly honestly in a holy manner with a gracious spirit and without any contempt to your Persons or Authority or to the Peoples just Rights and Liberty plead this CAUSE and justifie it as YOUR'S as THEIR'S as OUR'S and as
HIS who shall be who must be the desire of all nations But because Mr. Baxter may be heard with many when I may not I shall usher in ALL in his own words that I have to offer for this Christian Commonwealth or Theocratick Government as the CONCAMERATION and upshot of the whole Discourse 2. In the PATHOLOGY of it and therein to consider how the Principal parts might be affected if not infected with the late Morbous estate of the Common-wealth And acted for that time so preternaturally that might render it as unsafe then to follow them as now to fall on them for no MEMBERS humanum est errare sed inhumanum perseverare Cic. Phil. 2. Unless we be of opinion that the only way to cure a disease is to cut off the member or to evacuate an humor is to kill the man So to measure the affections of your old friends who are sound at heart ADHERENTS to the Good old Cause and Commonwealth by any humorous or incomposed resentment of your interruption which was sudden and amazing however they took it may be dangerous and unjust Seeing some that were more troubled fell in with the Apostacy and some that were less fell out with it yea seeing such as were Active in it and made their Advantages by it are indemnified shall such as were Passive in it and pursued nothing by it but the Publique Good be indamaged Can any think that after so many years hard Bonds and Banishment those that were forwardest proclaim'd the Single Person serv'd him or rather themselves therein should be the Men of your Right Hand and not those that have witnessed prayed appeared and Protested against it from the first to the last of it be worthy of your LEFT Or that those who were but FOOLED into an expectation of better things and in that did rejoyce through hope be the onely marks for your enemies to shoot at and such as were KNAVED into into a Perpetration of worser things and in that they did Triumph and boast be the very Quivers of those Arrows that are shot at them As soon as the first sort saw the snare they escaped it with the loss of Liberty Estate and Livelihood a many of them but the last sort saw it kept it and became their enemies that did it not The first sort were more in simplicity and as they intended upon the account of the Cause the Reasons and Grounds in the Declaration An. 1653. pretended were for the better carrying on of the Cause and a more absolute weaning the people from Monarchy and for successive Parliaments c. but the last sort in Subtlety and Design a many of them upon the account of themselves Places Profits The first sort did sink but like Peter and as their feet slipp'd their hands held fast upon Christ but the last sort sunk rather like Pharaoh having no principle to bear them up and nothing to hold fast by only this we see by it that a man may sink and rise and sink and rise again and yet be recovered at the last The first were WITHOUT blinded with Words and knew nothing but what was openly pretended the LAST were WITHIN even in their Cabals and might easily guess at what they secretly intended The first did but stumble but the last did fall and lie in their filth It is a Good horse that never stumbles but it is a Bad one that ever does and that will wallow in it too To stumble once is a common fault but twice at one Stone too is a special one and therefore we humbly think that the first ought not so to be exploded if the last ought so to be applauded and preferred The Orator said Natura me Clementem fecit Respub severum sed neque Natura neque Respubl me Crudelem efficiet Nature hath made me MILDE the Commonwealth hath made me SEVERE but neither one nor the other shall make me CRUEL to any man and the Preacher says Eccles 5. 8. If thou seest violent perverting of justice in a Province marvel not at the matter For he that is HIGHER then the HIGHEST regardeth and is HIGHER then THEY For my own part I need no Apology in the matter who was possest with amazement at the rashness of the Action I was so far from irritating or abetting it as some would suggest that I never mention'd or imagin'd it or to my knowledge heard it of any other till it was performed And then was so unsatisfied with it of which eminent Persons are my Witnesses as might free me both from the suspition and the sin of it Besides it is in print to the World and was then in Press for Posterity to see my opinion of them that were reputed Active in it Yet when that interruption had so candid an Interpretation by Good People who were over-credulous and ignorant of the Design I did write to the then GENERAL and my fourth Propos was hisce Verbis word for word That those who were righteous and spirited for this Government of the WORTHIES of the late i.e. this Parliament that are without just exception may be Owned with Honour i.e. Return'd again to their Trust And these Proposials are the worst that can be said of me by any man wherein I meant as much as I mentioned very honourably of them as of our WORTHIES But if that satisfie not I shall presume with the words of a Scottish EARL Leviston in his Oration to the then Lord Chancellor ex Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotic lib. 11. Junii 27. adhort p. 151. Non me HONORE Spoliatum sed ONERE levatum existimo Privatim si quam accepi injuriam eam Publicae Salutis Causa libenter Condono Si quam feci Bonorum Virorum Arbitratu satisfaciam c. I account not my self rob'd of Honour in your late DEBATE nor exempt of Reason in any former REBATE being arm'd with so much innocency that I can heartily say If I have privately received any Wrong I can freely remit it for the Publick's sake but if I have done Any either to the PUBLICK or to PRIVATE I as heartily refer it to the Arbitrement of Good men and I will make satisfaction if I can for it Neither expect I any thanks to be an Advocate for others but to prevent the injustice of squaring your Affairs and their Affections by so fallible a RULE as that is The Angel's Golden Reed is the Golden Rule to measure the Inward by but the outward Rev. 11. 1 2. may be measured by the best Reason of man rightly fix't for judgement and then I need not shew the danger of Breaking Bones too often in one place lest they fester and Rot and come to Ruine as well as put to pain the Whole Body But to conclude I see you like Men in the Dark up at MIDNIGHT in a confused State ready to Knock your Heads at every Post and to break your Legs at every Block and therefore hope by this Collision of
flints to strike a spark of fire and if I find my match I shall light a Candle at the least Which will be some comfort to me in my WAY if it be no help to you in your WORK and seeing I am not Worthy to live in my own Nation I am glad that you are so worthy as to send me into Another I would say with Chrysostome Well the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof ET NIL NISI PECCATUM TIMEO yea I would answer too with Aristotle when asked why he left Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because I would not have the Athenians to sin TWICE against Philo-sophy nor would I that our Honourable Worthies should run the SECOND TIME upon the same ROCK or Danger of Ruine My poor Prayers and Tears to my God for you have been are and will be That with Wisdom and Grace like a Burning-Glass which gathers All Beams into ONE you may be both HEAT and LIGHT to your selves and us Discovering the dark Designs and Retrenchments of all your Enemies Recovering the Light and florid intendments of all your friends to serve the PUBLICK with And O that JEHOVAH would honour you as Instruments and Columns of his immortal Praise in raising up the Plant of Renown in this Nation and making it to flourish in your Days by the Pouring out a fresh Horn of Oyl upon the Heads of his Magistrates and Ministers of the Gospel so as may make us his HEPHZIBAH and his BEULAH in this Island and GREAT be the Day of his JEZREEL Amen Amen From my House in Aldersgate-street 14. of the 5. Month called July 1659. in the 1. Year of our second Deliverance or Return to the Liberty of a Free-State Your Servant to my utmost Power whether in this Nation or any other for the Cause of Christ and this Commonwealth JO. ROGERS ΔΙΑΠΟΛΙΤΕΊΑ A Christian Concertation with Mr. Prynne c. his Anatomy or rather Apotomy of the Common-wealth c. SInce the Publishing of some former Papers for the clearing of our Cause and Commonwealth from Mr. Prynne's charge and others of his Principle some Scurrilous Goose-quils have been dashing the GALL of his Ink upon them to little purpose but to blot them a little not to answer them a Line nor the Argument of them in the least And yet some Gablers of late have been so Garrulous in their Pamphlets and Reports as if they were the onely GEESE that this Age affords to keep the Capitol of their Cause whiles the Dogs sleep And as if an Annual Commemoration of this good service were too little after the manner of the Romans to carry a GOOSE before them in Triumph and to lay it soft upon a rich Carpet they ridiculously Act it every day almost for Children and Apes to gape and skip at but for wise men to scorn and spurn at My Arguments are all firm and untouch'd which have proved Mr. Prynne's Cause to be the very CORPSE and stump so long since defunct buried and rotted though he would have it rise again or the Ghost of it But ours to be the living and only true Good old Cause neither have I yet heard any Reason to decline what I have said upon this Subject without his felo de se and bare saying it in p. 4. of 's Republican in the Margin with his bungling ANATOMY which others boast of be sufficient to effect it In the FIRST he refels like a Lawyer not like a Logician and in the SECOND like a Butcher not like an Anatomist of the Commonwealth by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wrangling rather then a reasoning with any Sobriety Nor can my heart but bleed at that monstrous Barbarism and horrid Errour of Dissection in Herophilus and Eristratus that he seems to follow and so his fellows in cutting up men alive to try his Skill O cruel practice to make Proficients indeed so to mangle the tremulous Members and most noble Parts Names and Worthies of this Commonwealth with the highest violation of the Laws of Nature Reason and Religion This must needs render the Art very diabolical both in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inspection of it and in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Instruction of it As to the Gentleman's SKILL it is apparent to most men that he exceeds more in the Ektomy Apotomy or most cruel incision wounding then in the true Art or Anatomy of the Commonwealth which requires a more gentle even and ingenious Hand or Head then Mr. Prynnes or mine to make it a most Curious Section or clear Discourse through all the Labyrinths and abstruse mysteries of State or an Accurate Discovery of all the outward and inward Parts with the nature feature and structure of them in this great ANIMAL if I may so call it for so he handles it with a rough rash rending vulnerary Dissecting or rather Bis-secting in his two Books of the most Principal Members of it without order Rule or Reason in it Besides he that makes no discrimination between the Similar and Dissimilar parts of the Commonwealth cuts it up as a Butcher does a Beast with but little skill or excellency if with any truth or honesty at all Neither doth Mr. P. so aim at the Curing as at the Killing of the Commonwealth in all his Science and Section And what a rare Piece or rather Butcherly business he has made of it is easie to guess from those instruments of cruelty he hath used in it all the way of his Anatomy viz. the RASOUR of his Tongue like that in Psal 52. 2. which deviseth mischief or cuts most cruelly like a sharp RASOUR working DECEITFVLLY in Chald. Targ. mille malshinuta working words of slander and detraction As he has his Rasours of the worst sort He has also such Brazen faced PROBES for searching as were made out of the Jesuits own Forge by his own confession Cavaleerish SIZZERS to cut us off for spurious Republicans like Proud flesh Episcopal SAWES to make havock of such as go under the Name of Sectaries Presbyterian PINCERS too to tear and pull us and CORDS too to binde them that are for Liberty of Conscience some Brutish HOOKS to draw with and Whimsical WIMBLES to winde in with and to Worm the Vulgar a TABLE too after the old fashion to bind this living Anatomy upon with the very same Rings Chains Fetters and Perforations that before were used to binde us with and to make us all SLAVES These are his tools to work with and in this manner he enters upon his bloody Anatomy to the injury of the living Commonwealth as if nothing could fit him for an Example but the abominable Action of that Monster of men who was not content to butcher his own Mother AGRIPPA by Assassinates but in a most barbarous manner make a Survey of her Body and Parts so mangled by his order and weltring in Bloud Had Mr. P. gone about it
c. Mr. BAXIER seconds him with as agile a Notion in his head and Motion from his heart to the Army for their Re-admission The truth is it is all the way observable how PRINIAN Mr. Baxters words and Arguments are for Law and how BAXTERIAN Mr. Prynne's proofs are for Scripture yet as Plato once said of Diogenes Illum esse Socratem insanum furentem c. he is no other then Socrates raging and mad and Socrates is but a sober Cynick or Diogenes so indeed Mr. B. is but Mr. P. in more sobriety and Mr. P. is but Mr. B. in more bitterness and asperity But sure neither of them could think us so far out of our wits or beside our senses and Nescient of the History and State of the Commonwealth whatever they conceive of others whom they carry as Faulconers on their fists do hooded Hawks that we should be perswaded this can consist with the Sanity or Sanctity of it and of the Cause Muchless can they induce us or any alive who are but Masters of their own Reason to believe a right they have to sit as members of this present Parliament But had M. P. been an Artist in Anatomy he would have learn'd of Hippocrates first To look into those things that are alike to one another and SIMILARY Members of the whole and then into those things that are so unlike and DISSIMILARY I mean of that Parliament that was then in being for of THIS that sat since An. 1648. they never were neither in the one sence nor in the other Thus Aristotle teaches That which is right and strait must be first because it doth not onely measure and manifest it's self but it also measures that which is oblique crooked and contrary to it and to the Body This Mr. P. should have done and this was done when they were secluded They were first measured in their Affections and intentions and so found oblique to the Publick yea professed and avowed enemies to the Free-State and GOOD CAUSE by such as have infinitely more skill in that Art of true Anatomy then either Mr. P. or I can pretend to And that this is so it hangs upon Record so as that a little Revise of the PARLIAMENTS necessary Resolves and Votes about them with the GROUNDS and REASONS of the Votes for their Seclusion will satisfie any well-willers to the Cause and felicity of the WHOLE that Mr. P. doth labour but in vain to rescue that with Wit which they lost in Worth Besides 2. Their SECLUSION and expulsion was from the House of Commons indeed or that PART OF THE PARLIAMENT which were called and convened by the King's Writ of Caroli 17. An. 1640. which Parliament Mr. P. himself determines and hath resolved to have been actually Dissolved at the Death and Decollation of the late King according to Law and REASON and this he so learnedly proves from p. 24. to 34. that I am ready to say with Appelles upon the 7. years elaborate piece of Protogenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Labour is great and the work too but alas the Grace and Beauty of it which is the formale is wanting and how needless that long discourse is to prove what we never denyed let the Reader judge but that which we deny and which Mr. P. must prove is that the MEMBERS for whom he and Mr. B. are such Advocates ever were or are Members of this PARLIAMENT of the Commonwealth or Secluded from it viz. the Parliament of the Commonwealth without King Single Person or House of Peers Which neither Mr. P. Mr. B. nor any man alive with all his Art of Anatomy Calumny Law or Logick can be able to do or to evidence the least RIGHT they had or have to sit in this present Parliament as he would suggest it or indeed any at all but what grounded and precipitate presumption in any other might as much pretend to And therefore with his leave those Honourable Persons that his Pen dashes upon in p. 10. of his Narr viz. Sir Arthur Hasilerige and Sir Henry Vane rendered him such Reasons for his not sitting in the House as might have satisfied the Writer as well as the Reader him or any that had not been quite bank-rupted and as void of Reason as of Right 3. The Bustling Blustring noise which Mr. B. and he makes of the Majority is a meer SOUND and mistake Had he been pleased to have made known to the Reader how many were Delinquents how many left the Parliament and sat in the Juncto at Oxford 200. or more that never return'd again and of those that remain'd in the HOUSE it must needs follow that the Secluded Members were the lesser Number and those that sat since 1648. are the greater Number being now about 200. besides those that are dead of them But whether it be more the folly of a wise man or wisdom of a fool to make this loud noise of a Majority I know not only this I know that the Decision of a difference by a fool in Paris was not without that equity and justice which is due to Mr. PRYNNE and them of his Humour for when a Cook fell out with a poor man that had been in his SHOP and eaten never a bit but satisfied himself with the smell of the meat that was rosted he would make him pay but it was referred to the NEXT that came which was the fool who determin'd it thus that as the Man had been fill'd with the Smoak of the Meat the Cook should be pay'd with the jingling of the Money And it is as just if a fool may say it to men so wise that M. P. and M. B. who do fill our heads with FUME be paid with the tinkling gingle of that FAME for which they are never the better nor will be richer at the last I pray God not much the worse with a Mat. 5. 2 5 16. Verily I say unto you They have their REWARD 4. Mr. P. confesses that had he been admitted to sit with the rest of the Secluded members their design was p. 22. propounded to resummon the long since defunct House of COMMONS which hath been buried and out of mind almost eleven years Notwithstanding by his own words there was no such thing in being since the Kings Death and how these could be the Antecedent without the Relative of King or House of Peers or made demonstrable and practicable by his own LAW or responsible to the Writ Summons of a Parliament as he accounts LEGAL I understand not but this is easie to be understood that if these Secluded Members had pretended as fair at first as Cleomines the Laconian did once to his friend Archonides they intended as foul and with like Policy at last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He swore to him that he would do all things joyntly with him and transact nothing without his HEAD were in it but he watch'd his time
man commendeth or that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth And the Lord justifies who shall condemn Isai 50. 8 9. Rom. 8. 33 34. Yet I think there be but few that are so malicious as to hate this Gentleman for his own sake but many indeed that are envious at him for our sakes and the Commonwealths In whose Memory and Posterity I nothing doubt but that his indefatigable endeavours and deserts from the Publick will out-live the most irrefragable anger of all his enemies or rather ours Justum Tenacem propositi Non civium ardor prava jubentium Non vultus instantis Tyranni Mente quatit solida neque Auster Dux inquieti turbidus Adriae Nec fulminantis magna Jovis manus si fractus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae was the song of the Heathen which I mention to our shame and not with much delight in reading Heathen Authors that we should be so ungrateful as not to commemorate in our minds at least the worth of such men as neither Turns nor Times Tyrants nor Tempests Troubles nor Thunderbolts that have rent the heavens crackt the clouds and split the very foundations could ever remove or slacken in their constancy to the cause and Commonwealth Now that Mr. B. who of any hath so little knowledge of this so honourable a person must be the man to abuse him or us rather with such black reports of him to the world and at such a TIME too wherein he was and is wholly taken up with that which he prefers above his daily food or I think his life viz. the service of the PUBLICK is an Argument sufficient that he went to the Philistimes to make and to whet his TOOLS because he could finde no SMITHS in Israel that could make such a KEY or a Key with such wretched Wards in it as I fear if the Lord prevent not will let more into Hell then into Heaven or happiness And whether some that were ingaged for the King or against the Cause Commonwealth and this Parliament did not prompt him to it or were the bellows of his forge to blow up the sparks of his discontent into such open flames and luculent firebrands of malignity is to me a Question almost out of Question if I look but into his Preface and see in the Margin of it how highly he extols the E. of Lauderdale as his helper in it Yea whether it were not designed and TIMED on purpose to perplex this person of honour as well as others in Parliament or to give them a Diversion from the PUBLICK into a private vindication of themselves and of their unblemished names had they thought it worthy and thereby to have left the House whiles the Adversaries should have carried all therein more without opposition for the interest of a single Person and against the Commonwealth or otherwise that these ulcerous defamations might pass uncontrouled spread further and further amongst the credulous vulgar upon their silence and want of leasure to rescue their reputations from such horrid impeachment But these Gentlemen perferring their Christian names above their Sir-names have left their innocence to the omniscience of God and the testimony of it to the Multiscience of us who know them without the least vacillation of their restored lustre whose wonderful constancy is a most worthy Antidote to the poison of the Pens and Parts of their enemies I am not for my own Part of any party sect nor faction nor am I of that number Mr. B. charges or covers with his blackest clouds of contumely Neither have I any mans person in admiration nor am I put on by any but the Lord and I hope his own Spirit for love of the truth and of the PUBLICK lest that should suffer by it to ward off such Cowards blows as come behind them so unworthily and bite them so unwarily whiles they are swallowed up in the insuperable necessities and inseparable affairs of the Publick Weale so as that without palpable injury thereunto they have neither leasure to minde nor make answer if they would without it be with the blessed Patience of Christ who opened not his mouth Isai 53. 7. in Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he So opens not his mouth Who when he was reviled he reviled not again but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2. 23. and with the commendable Patience of Pericles that could not be provoked by an Enemy but when one went railing upon him to his very door in the night he bid his man to light him home with his own TORCH and of another that said O! that these men could rule their tongues as well as we our ears their pens as we our spirits Now that it may appear to Mr. B. that he had need to be forgiven his traducing of them and his seducing of others as well as be redeemed from the great evils and temptations of BOTH I hope it will not be imputed presumption or unkindness if I present him for the present with a little tast from his own words of the notorious wrong that he hath done to that wise and worthy Knight with others And 1. from his own description of a Protestant though I think it a very Lame and defective one and not plena pari ratione saith he p. 130. It is a title that accrewed to our Religion from the PROTESTING AGAINST the Romish Innovations and corruptions If those that have protested against the Romish Innovations and corruptions be Protestants then these who in his vain eye and foolish fansie of Boys-play are called Vani are Protestants having protested as far as any Protestants that Mr. B. accounts Orthodox have done Yea further then ever Mr. Baxter himself did against Romish innovations which makes him so offended and therefore to use his own words in p. 393. Scarce a man that crosseth or displeaseth i. e. dissenteth from and disobeyeth the uncharitable Clergy but he is stigmatized for an Heretick and charged with almost as much wickedness as their mouths are wide enough to utter and the ears of other men to hear These out of his own Book whereby no man can absolve him of self-condemnation in the justification of this honourable person by his own pen. 2. From his Description of a Papist in p. 392. As soon as ever any man hath received this opinion of the necessity of an universal Visible Head of the whole Church he is either a Papist or of an opinion equivalent so a little after This Errour about the necessity of an universal visible head is the very thing that turneth most to Popery Now those that he calls SEEKERS and in a Satyrical Vane VANISTS Anabaptists Sectaries c. hold no universal visible head nor any other over the Church but Jesus Christ And therefore are not within the compass of his description of a Papist Nay are further off with his leave
according to the Rule of former Laws and constitutions as to be justified by them any longer then they had the Law of outward Success and of inward Justice and Righteousness to incourage them So that without tawing or stretching his lines like Leather into what length or shape he please they amount but to this 1. That the Adherents to the Cause were not without an inward Rule of Righteousness as well as outward But 2. when the outward failed or that they were not justified by the Letter of the Law they had an inward line of Righteousness and Justice to measure their Actions by which the Most High blessed and accepted and that was a RULE far more perfect and straight then the letter alone of the old Laws which were made most of them for the interest of a single Person nor was this to the Violation but to the Vindication of the equity sence and meaning of all good Laws not to the Resisting but Recovering of all true Authority from the Griffen-Gripes and Talons of all Tyranny the Usurpation and violence of the Norman Race or of any other Family or Interest whatsoever innoculated into such a Stock or Stump 2. Is this any more then what the PARLIAMENT when it consisted of King Lords and Commons as Mr. B. would have it did justifie to be good and consonant with the CAUSE then in that very action of taking away the Militia from the King which being contrary to the letter of the Law they resolved it thus There is in Laws an Equitable and a Literal sence when there is a grounded suspition the letter of the Law shall be improved against the Equity of it i. e. the Publick Good it gives liberty to obey the Equity of it and to disobey the Letter Now where was the Rule of Righteousness was it in the Letter of the Laws which gave away all the Militia to the King or was there such a thing as an inward Warrant of Justice to do that Action for the publike Good Thereby Defending and not Deflowering the Equity of it 3. Yet the Spirit Reason and inward Rule of Righteousness is to be preferred with his leave before the written Rule or letter as more inerrable inalterable radical where the one is repugnant to the other as the Orator Cicero hath it Non SCRIPTA sed NATA Lex against Tarquin si Regnante Tarquinio Nulla erat Scripta Lex de Stupris c. Tamen vera Lex est Recta Ratio Naturae Congruens diffusa in omnes Constans Sempiterna c. it is not a Written but an innate Rule which is as Chrysostome Rhetorically tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The self-Disciplining or Fundamental Law that is planted in the very Being of Mankinde and from thence it buds blossoms fructifies and dilates into the fairest BRANCHES of Morality So that if there were no Law written sayes the Orator during the Reign of Tarquin to check his Lust yet Right Reason is a sufficient Law of an Excellent Complection and Congruity with Nature and of as admirable a Latitude diffusion and extent to the Good of all and which never fails nor fades PHILO as elegantly gives his Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Right Reason is the certain and unshaken Law not written in corrupt PAPER or on a Lifeless stone like a dead Letter by the greatest Art or greatest Industry of any creature but ingraved in the most retentive and living understanding of Man as with the finger of God himself or of an eternal or immortal Spirit Plutarch tells us as much tooa s a Moralist can tell of any Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The LAW it's self is not shut up in Paper or Writings or limitted to any outward Letter or expression of it in Tables of Stone or the like but living and situating like the soul in the body in a Rational Being or in Reason its Self Hence came that ancient Adage Inter Bruta silent Leges Amongst Brutish and Irrational Creatures Laws are mute muzzel'd and unintelligible why because they have not this inward Rule Reason and Spirit of the Laws The Formality and Letter of our Laws did indeed flow from the Interest or Power of some particular men but the strength and life of humane Laws must be found and founded under GOD in Reason and Natural Right which when the Letter or written Rules oppose they become no longer Laws but Flaws in a Commonwealth lose their vigor and are but as a dead letter 4. Both together so long as they can consist together and are in their vigor vizt the Inward and outward wee make a Rule for Righteous Actions between Man and man and not the Inward warrant as sufficient without the outward in such a case viz. where they agree together nor yet the Outward as Mr. B. would have it without the Inward Reason and Spirit of it which the other indeed is deducted from and is more Radicaliter in intellectu So that this Mr. B. might have better said That where the Outward is deficient inconsistent or corrupted Not to use the Inward Warrant or Rule of Reason and Righteousness is to reject the Government of the Lord and to become our own Murtherers and Tame-Slaves Brutified to the Lusts and interests of Men rather then beautified for the Common Good as Hos 5. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in Judgement because he WILLINGLY walked after the Commandments of men Thus far for his 9th Pill and a pitiful dry one to drink up the Radical Moisture with under pretence of a Pill Lucis Majoris to evacuate the humour of the head with His tenth Prop. hath little in it onely a fallacious conclusion from what the Healing Q. predicates in p. 10. That to the wisdom of the Laws and Orders of the Supreme Judicature the sword must become subservient Therefore sayes he your sword should have been so to the Parliament that was violated the late Parliament But the Healing Q. speaks not a word of a Parliament consisting of King Lords and Commons which Mr. B. means he speaks of the Representatives of the Commonwealth chosen by this Body of the Sound and well-affected to the CAUSE So that Mr. B. contrary to all Catholick Laws of Reasoning Eartheth or Roots his disceptation in an Homonymy and thence concludes it for the late Parliament that was dissolved Telling the ARMY that no small fruits would be procured upon their CONVICTION by these reasons to a repentance i e. of returning to the secluded Members and old constitution of King Lords and Commons So that this is the Nature of his Diacatholicon or tenth purging PILL if it operates as he and those of his mind would have it they would bring them first by Lenitives Anodines and Emollients to the Stool of Repentance And then to ply them with more asperity till they make them like Arrius purge out their very bowels and all
with their Bobbins they may bob our ears bravely with a Garrulous Rule and when they lag in their Bone-lace they may lace our bones for Logger-Heads to let them lay down the Distaff and take up the Scepter leave the Spindle and divide the Spoil yea then sit like Meg-Pies at their doors Dumb Saints in their Idols Churches Goats in their Gardens Devils in their houses Angels in the Streets and Syrens at their Windows as they say of the Italians for when they can live no longer by their Work they shall live by their Wits in Mr. Har's Commonwealth that sifts our the best and keeps in the worst to make his Cake with But in Lacedemon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lycurgus the Son of Eunomus willing to endow the Lacedemonians with their dues in Righteousness and Justice took not away any worthy or good Reward from any one And the Thebans to incourage Dignity and keep up the Honour of Magistracie from contempt made a Law Vt nemo habilis esset ad Honores Reipublic suscipiendos nisi Decem Annis à Mercatur â destitisset c. That no man should be accounted qualified for the Honours of the Commonwealth i.e. in Magistracy unless he had first left his Merchandizing ten years Such a care had they to keep out the Joans and Toms which M. H. admits by turns and times as the Rotation boults them into the Government and their Betters out And what was said of Clisthenes an Athenian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might possibly be applied to Mr. H. were their Rogation effected that he was one of the first that introduced this Government by Ostracisme and one of the first that felt it and would have retro-duced it The first that brought it in and the first that it wrought out Therefore let him secure his own Bull before he baites anothers and take his Play 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly I would willingly be informed how his New Platforms or Principles Paganish or Popish fetch'd from Athens or from Venice can without cruciating extremities and applications be adequated to our Commonwealth under Christian profession so that Quae semel possidebant Papiste semper possideant Rapiste what the Papists once had Rapists and Ravenous ones would ever have viz. our Rights and Liberties from us Nor could it be acquired I think without greater Advantages to Papists Atheists then to us seeing the very interest of the Son of God and Saints in the Nation the best and noblest Cause on earth in all the integrating Parts thereof and Adherents thereto is not taken Notice of in his Platforme neither in the Balance nor the Wheel in the Ballot nor Rotation or Rogation of it so that Differs curandi tempus in Annum Quicquid delirant Reges Plectuntur Achivi I may conclude with Mr. B. p. 240. That God having already given us the best Fundamental Laws Let us have but good Magistrates and we shall have good Derivative Laws or humane It was a Law amongst the Cretians that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that their children should learn their Laws with Melody that from the MUSICK they might take great pleasure in them and more easily commit them to memory We need no such Law to endear or dulcifie our Cause or the Laws of it in the Commonwealth If the foundation of it be that which the Hand of the Almighty hath laid amongst us both for Church and State from Christian principles rather then from Paganish or meer Morals it will make most excellent Harmony in the ears and Hearts of all men and Christians And the Governours of Judah shall say in their heart The Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my Strength in the Lord of Hosts their God Zach. 12. 5. Thus our Governours thought of them in the days of straits and will again see it one of their best interests to have their Prayers and their God as well as their Purses and Bloud engaged for them and not disoblige them upon jealousies suggested by the enemy who for their virgin-fidelity and untainted adherence to the Cause may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lacedemonians did their wives after their innocency did break out and get above the clouds of suspicion and reproach But if after all they will be planting and founding us again in the spirit of the Nation as if God had owned no Cause or made no signal discrimination or shaken no such foundations of the earth c. which their Lord General pretended as one ground of their interruption which Mr. H. others would hurry them into to the endangering of the Cause and the disobliging the Adherents Then will the Iehovah that keepeth Covenant with his people and not alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89. 34. Acts 2. 30. and 3. 20 21. raise up others in their stead to carry on this his cause both in the civils and the spirituals and to forme another People for himself to shew forth his praise Isa 43. 21. Then they that Rule over men shall be just ruling in the fear of God and they shall be as the light of the morning when the Sun ariseth A Morning without clouds and as the tender grass that springeth out of the earth by a clear shining after rain 2 Sam. 23. 3 4. which that these may be agrees better with my Prayer then with his Proposals I am sure But thus I leave him whom Mr. B. had Coyted as a stumbling-block before me whom I am not only gotten over but I presume have given a good lift to the removing of him out of others way as to the right foundation of the Common-wealth and stating of the Cause So that from this time forward we need no Luxuriant wit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him a vomitting as Mr. P's followers Pamphlet it a Commonwealth and others qui sputum lingunt who lick up any thing as haurient and attractive of the stuff as Galaton did picture out Homer in his strains and other Poets a supping up what he so exuberously vomited out Neither need we answer him with much more then the German Min. wrote in his Study when the Devil did disturb him and look over his shoulder But the Son of God came to dissolve all the works of darkness which his enemy no sooner read but vanished Now to conclude with Mr. B. for Mr. H. I met with but in the way with his Mummers and those that ride in post use to take fresh horses for present Service but look no more after them thus does Mr. B. make use of Mr. H. no otherwise I would if he were capable of hearing me for the noise of DRVMS assure him that not a desire to rake into any Mans failings having so many of mine own by which the Lord is pleased to keep me most busie at home under the sence and burthen of them or to pick out the evils without due
that have been most despised are as ready as Any to offer up our Lives and sacrifice our all for the service In the choice of Tribunes the Romans were wont to pitch upon them that could shew the most Marks Scars or Wounds in the service of their Country and some there be yet alive though little look'd upon who can like Veteranus whom Sueton. in Aug. C. tells us of but open their Garments and shew you the GASHES which they gladly received either in suffering or doing for this Cause that had rather a thousand times see the Bloud spin out of their own Veins then drop out of Christ's by another Agony Et totum hujusce rei consilium non periculo meo sed utilitate Reipubl metiar and for my own part I will not measure my business by my danger which is as great as most mens but by the benefit of the Publick 2. A stander by may see more of the Game which the Enemy is playing with Art and with Arms too and the great advantages which our friends may give them in their dealings then they see themselves so that I hope such diligent observers who have ever betted on your side and to the Cause may without offence or the brand of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inform you the best they can of those that are peeping into your hands and do make their Game by it accordingly or endeavour it for the interest of a Single Person or of Charles Stuart It was said of Queen Elizabeth that like an ill House-wife she swept the house and left the dust behinde the door but we hope you will not sweep the door as you did at your first entry to our great rejoycing and now leave the dust within the House to breed Spiders and Cobwebs which will be sure to hang in the highest places And therefore as we do in times of danger and robbery be pleased first to search well within doors and then without in every corner seeing the Enemy may steal in at so many secret and imperceptible ways 3. The grounded jealousies and certain fears that if this Cause should miscarry CHRIST the Gospel and good People of the Commonwealth would all suffer slavery do nib my Pen with the more Promptness and Acuteness in the presence of Him that is higher then the highest to call upon your Prudence and utmost care to preserve it in its Purity Nor am I herein beyond my line whiles in pleading the Cause I plead for Christ the Gospel and his Saints the best support columne and interest in the Whole World 4. The great and growing desires which I have to be serviceable to the Publique ere I die Secundum singulas species Evangelii Christi necnon Reipubl both as a Minister and a Man with the deep resentment of that desperate Design of the Enemies now on foot to the utter extirpation of us and of all whom they call Sectaries as well as perplexing of your Councils if they can effect it set forward from those very Principles that I have opposed and which they had calculated for the total interfection of the Cause interruption of the Parliament and infection of the People from 1. Principles of Falshood 2. Confections of Calumny and 3. Concoctions of Crudity The first in Mr. Prynne's Perditory Anatomy of the Commonwealth which is no more to be followed then the School of Alexandria in Gallen's time who did use to quarter Bodies for their Scholars and not allow them the dissection or discovery of the Whole Body neither doth P. to his Followers onely in this against his will we may commend him for an Artist that he hath found out the most sound solid and untainted parts of the whole Body to shew his SKILL upon i. e. of cutting and calumniating Psal 10. 8. 50. 20. 89. 51. The second in Mr. B's Purgatory Art of curing the Army whose Pinion or Pen is hardned into his own Opinion for the Government of a single Person and recovery of the Kingdom again and not so for a due and equal Temperament of the whole Body by an even Balance and proportion of the four Elements and so Aliments of this Politic. Body conducing to the most concinnate and right use of all the Functions in it as for the Mastery of the One above the other and all the Rest which would be the inevitable Ruine of All at last and all the OPERATION of his Pills is but to cast the Commonwealth out of an Acute into the most Chronick and irrecuperable Diseases But the 3. is in Mr. H's Pulsatory Method which tends more to the maintenance of the Diastole then of the Systole of the Commonwealth i. e. for the promoting then expurging the putrid humors of the Body By the first sort or P's is the Commonwealth considered quatenus immedicabilis and so he cuts it all to pieces as the Levite did his Concubine Judg. 19. 29. and sends them into all Quarters to raise the Rebellion By the second sort or Mr. B's is the Commonmonwealth considered quatenus est Sanabilis or restorable to a Kingdom and so he gives his Pills his Powders and his Portions that by strange operations they might enervate and deforce the Vitals of the Commonwealth but animate and revive the spirits of the Cavaliers and corrupt ones for Kingship in the Nation and accordingly are the humours spirits and armies of the Enemy up By the third sort or Mr. H's is the Commonwealth considered quatenus Mutabilis and so he exhibits new Forms Platforms Orders and Foundations in the first Concoction Heathenish but in the second Concoction Popish which he presumes will be as easie of digestion as the Jusculum or decoction of an old Cock ere he has cook'd it Now although these last have done the least hurt and are our Friends yet the Enemy might presume upon it that we judg'd our State very unsetled to hang by Geometry like Mahomet's Tomb in the Air or by a Charm or without a Foundation which is a great mistaste And by all these have I learned in Politicks that Non minus est corrigere Rem Public jam institutam quam ab initio instituere c. It is nothing less to govern well a Commonwealth when it is instituted then to institute a Commonwealth when it is not as yet governed or as yet a Commonwealth So that your Lessons most Noble Senators are no less difficult which you learn ex post facto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then those that you learn antè post facto wherein we had all need and hope we shall help you all we can with our prayers counsels and endeavours and none to Hinder you in the least nor yet You to Hinder one another And therefore though from a worm and no man I beseech you RIGHT HONOURABLE to admit of a few praevious Considerations for the better Settlement of the Commonwealth to the satisfaction
the Capitol and in his Orations against Catiline his Philippicks against M. Antony And de Lege Agrariâ against P. Servilius Rullus the Tribune and others to all which we might add Brutus's practice to prevent the Lapse by obliging the Romans in an Abjuration of KINGS and so they disposed of all the Crown-Lands to the Publick sale and tore down Tarquin's statues The like did the Hollanders by an Oath of Abjuration and the like did you before the late Apostacy but alas alas though this shews your care yet somewhat more must go to shew your skill before you perfectly cure us of this disease or of the danger of it which in the judgement of some of your mourning friends can never be by Mr. P's B's or H's Advice nor so long as the very same Humors and some of the most dangerous remains of the late Apostacy are so far from being evacuated and expulsed that they are returned again into their former Places and Capacities yea seated about in several and some in the eminentest parts of the whole body which are shrewd Symptomes of our returning again to folly if the Lord prevent not for in a course of Reason what will the aforesaid outward means signifie if these inward causes shall remain Corruptioni conservatio est contraria saith Arist. Not that the Parliament ought to use the utmost rigor or severity in all cases of mal-administration or the like This Austerity in the Gracchi's Livy tells us did keep up the deadly feud between the People and the Senators of Rome till the Rupture of a down-right War And indeed Cleon's Oration for the utmost severity upon the Apostates from the Commonwealth of Athens viz. the Mitylenaeans after they were brought under Vt omnes Mitylenaei Puberes capitis supplicio afficerentur Venderentur pro Mancipiis conjuges liberi that the very flower and Cavalry of them be wholly cut off their wives and children sold for slaves c. was as quickly revoked by others for the utmost lenity and clemency they could shew them that did consist with the safety and tranquillity of the Commonwealth when they saw the inconvenience of extremity on either part in another Oration At nos nunc contriarium faciemus si liberos homines qui indomiti repetiverunt libertatem rursus oppressos crudeliter puniamus Oportebat autèm non post Defectionem in homines liberos saevitiam exercere sed ante eos valdè custodire cavere ne consilia talia instituant post recuperationem quam minime eis hoc delictum exprobare But now let us do the contrary if they who were so unruly have repented and re-petitioned or desired their liberties as frée-men in the Commonwealth we may let them have them and if they offend again may punish them the more severely But it did not so much behove us after their defection or Apostacy to be cruel to them that are free-men but before rather to beware and watch lest such Counsels should establish them in their way then after their recovery to upbraid them with their Apostacy And the like Counsel was given about others whom the Athenians decreed should loose a finger or a thumb of their right hands for their defection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they might be disabled from using a spear against them yet able to work or Row with their Oares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but the Mitylenians were worse used and their youth slain So that such severity we abhor but withall we wish that the Parliament would be wary if not weary of them that yet do and will do what they can retain the same spirit of malignancy and Malevolence to the Cause and suffering servants of God that they had before so as to eye them diligently lest they settle and involve a Lapse to the Commonwealth either by revuision or reversion For what Physician to this body Polit. that sees not these the very signs of a Lapse into the late or like disease or Apostacy which arose up in this very manner from the same seat of black choler and shall we ever forget by what steps their late General mounted to the top of temptation and slept upon the top of a Mast Prov. 23. 34. when he had procured that Act of Indempnity and gotten an interest in that Party and is not this this over-iudulgence of vitious corrupt and inimical spirits in the body that which hath shortned the lives of many excellent Commonwealths was not the Roman Republick in continual fluctuations motions and a thousand hazards daily of being destroyed by the Tarquinian Parties keeping up an interest in the Commonwealth opposite to the interest of the Commonwealths and of all Governments they are most alterable and unstable Arist lib. 5. c. 12. that nourish such spirits and humors as are all for a Single Person and Ran-counter the true state of the Commonwealth to effect it So in Corinth it is true Cypselus was the longer up through his interest and favour which he had with the People as a Popular man and Periandrus his son after him being he was a brave Souldier and kept the Sword girt about him but Pisistratus who succeeded him was twice driven out of his Government and the People restless till they had secured themselves from the like attempts of a Single Person So among the Syracusans some had a mind to keep up the interest of a Single Person which the Commonwealth could not endure and until secured from such attempts was never without commotions particularly by Hieron and Gelon the last of whom got in for seven years and the first for ten years and all that ever after that attempted it brevi tempore duraverunt saith the Historian were but shot-lived How many instances might I give besides to secure us from the Lapse by a rout of those malevolent humors Heterogenean spirits and inward causes which endanger the Commonwealth and are inconsistent with it at least from PLACES most considerable or neer the heart of the Commonwealth until which no outward means will or can be a Preservative sufficient And as in Politicks so in Theocracy it is a sure Rule and requires the highest diligence industry and insight that can be Josh 24. 22 23 24. 2. Chron. 15. 2. and the promise is Dan. 2. 44. His kingdom shall never be destroyed nor left to other people Because Prov. 17. 15. He that justifies the wicked and condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord. Besides the saddest Tragedies we might tell you amongst men have had their rise from an over-indulging I mean nourishing and impowering inimical spirits in the Commonwealth as of Brutus's sons for his fathers sake Maelius and Manlius and so Sylla and Marius and a many others in the Roman Republick besides Agathocles in Sicily Cosmos and Savaranola in Florence Castrucio in Luca and of late years it is observable how the Jesuites served the King of France Hen.
hearty as ever went forth with YOUR ARMIES even in this Cheshire-expedition and another link is added to the long Chain by the same hand that was wont to be with us when we declared for Iesus our only King and we cannot imagine that you should lop off any thing that is his due or ever undervalue either him his Government or his dear servants if they yet must go with the brand of Sectaries seeing Valentinian Theodosius Constantine and others did stile themselves so long since vassalos Christ the very servants of â—esus Christ and Theodosius professed he accounted it more his honour to Rule like a Christian then like a King yea Augustus himself said Ei gratius erat Nomen pietatis quam Potestatis he had rather be PIOUS then powerful and it was more grateful to him O! then let our Parliament be holy and Magistrates holy But to conclude Mr. B. himself saith whom I presume you will hear when you will not me p. 221. Thes 206. It is this Theocratical polity or Divine Commonwealth which is the unquestionable Reign of Christ on earth which all Christians are agreed may be sought and that temporal dignity of Saints which undoubtedly would bless the world So in p. 223. Thes 207. I think the promoting of this holy Theocratick Government is the point of reformation that we are called to desire by them that now plead for the Reign of Christ and the Saints And what do we desire more Wherefore we hope you will see no Reason to explode them called fifth Monarchy men that are gracious and meek or Sectaries as Pope Zach. did Virg. that say there is an Antipodes and a Nadir as well as a Zenith in this Cause seeing Mr. B. is so positive in it alius est mundus alii homines sunt sub terras that the Lord has his hidden ones Psa 83. 3 4. dear to him that ought to be and we hope are so to you Right Honourable which you would do well to look after and encourage seeing the very Romans have found out the bravest men of their Common-wealth by such noble inquiries and have taken them from their Dinners of Turnips and Water-cresses as the Curii Fabritii c. to the service of the Publick saepe sub attritâ latitat sapientia veste This fit Location of the best holiest and ablest in the body and Theocratick Government will with Gods blessing prove such a settlement as shall satisfie all parties and honest interests in the Commonwealth and the best most by obviating of fears dangers threnodies temptations and our enemies designs which are very dangerous and in the Deep to invade innovate or alter when all our supplies our supports our wisedom power courage and our protections shall be assured and secured unto us by the Holy One to whom all power is given by the Lord and ought to be by men in heaven and earth For which Cause and the Commonwealth without blandishing discourses or blending affections I do profess for one amongst the thousands of Israel I am ready hearty and resolved with the Lords grace and assistance to live or to dy if every drop of bloud in my Veins spin out and Gobbet of flesh on my bones against the common enemies of Christ this Cause the Commonwealth and the Parliament be sowen like seed upon the earth let who will plow or harrow upon it I care not so it may have but a fertile Harvest for Posterity And Resurrection with the Iust men made perfect qùod si Frigida curarum fomenta relinquere posses Quò te Caelestis sapientia duceret ires Hoc opus hoc Studium parvi properemus ampli Si Patriae volumus si nobis vivere Cari. TO THE READER SIR IT is Civility to your self and service to the Truth that lets you know these Papers were in their first draught ready intended for the Publick above six weeks since before the Rebellion and in the nick of Time but the Press fell sick and hath had a Disease it was at first Costive and bound which tenasm continued till our Emollientia and Medicamenta resolventia by the help of a Silver-clyster-pipe set it a work again but then with as much danger of a Lax or Flux for these times the Press has such a Looseness as le ts out the thinnest matter with the most applause but that the supine care of the Corrector applyed such Astringents as were ready and requisite and yet some Errataes have given him the slip which the Author had no leasure to Supervise Sed ubi non sunt Errata non sunt Narrata there is nothing without them I am sure It is a pretty tale and yet a Truth for as there be Erroneous Truths so true Errours which the Press let pass upon the Bible An. 1612. in Psal 119. in stead of Princes have persecuted me that Printers have persecuted me and it is not long since Princes hindered us but to say it now of these in power is the Errata of the Times Sithence our Priviledges and Liberty to serve the Publick do publish the contrary being so piously and peaceably revolved upon us after a sable night and scandalous hour of Temptation What is scattered with the Fork I would have gathered with the Glean but that I need not be so curious if thou beest Courteous or Ingenious and as Cato said I care not much for them Who have a better judgement in their Mouthes then in their Minds in their Palates then in their Pates Besides I am called aside of a sudden into another Part of the Harvest and must leave somewhat for the Rakers as well as for the Reapers here behind me Nor indeed did I cast eye upon all the Sheets or Proofs of the Press much less time had I to Reade or to Correct them At a Perfunctory View of some Papers I saw these Errataes Page 26. l. 28. read REPUNCTION p. 27. l. 18. Autopathy p. 63. l. 26. in it p. 67. l. 16. inoculated p. 82. l. 22. Papistae l. 22. Rapistae p. 93. l. 23 r. and no considerable man p. 95. l. â— and so to all parts c. What else I know not And all I desire is but as good constructions from you as I am ready to give with the Lords grace instructions to you and to receiv from you in the furtherance of the Gospel this Cause the Kingdom and Interest of Jesus Christ and of this Commonwealth FINIS * Vide my Irenic Evang Epist to Church p. 7. Mr. Prynne's cutting up of mea alive M. Prynnes skill in Anatomy His instruments of Anatomy cruel His Anatomy hath no order in it neither 1. Dignity nor 2. in Dissection Mr. P. begins with Intrals first And so did the Sooth-sayers of old M. Prynne his own Anatomst and his friends His mistake in the subject of his Anatomy The grounds he goes upon are very mistaken and meerly fictitious Mr. P's first Discovery in his Anatomy is
with the Outward and also where the Outward is deficient 2. The Kingdom-Parl in An. 1642. did go by this very Rule 3. The Inward Rule of Righteousness hath the Right hand of the outward as the Root of it and the Fundamental Right Reason is the Law and Rule of Righteousness Laws are silent among unreasonable Creatures for want of this inward Rule 4. Both inward and outward together where they agree But where the outward fails not to use the inward Rule is to reject the Government of the Lord. M. B's 10th Prop. in fallacia Homonymiae His 10. Pill or Diacatholicon to haste them to the stool of Repentance Vide my Plain Case of the Common-wealth neer the Desper Gulf of the common wâ— Mr. Harrington introduced by M. B under colour of ingaging against an OLIGARCHY Mr. Har. and the Petition of July 6. to the Parliament The Preamble of that Petition upon a Prolepsis and Presumption for the Parliament provided for a Free-State and laid a foundation for it in several Acts of Parliament Dangerous to insinuate that the Parliament are SETLED on no Foundation of GOV as well as Erroneous M. T. Cic. in M. Ant. Philip. 5. 1. Two Houses of Parliament under what names soever is inconsistent without settlement laid by Parliament Anno 1648. Two wayes to destroy the commonwealth The Danger of a Single Person to rise as a Third Estate or to Head those two Bodies Ex Heraclid de polit Athen. The Pet. strikes at the cause 1. In Civils giving away our cause to the Kings party or spirit of the Nation This agrees with M. B's Prop. to the Army Heathens deny such a foundation of Common-wealth as too evil for them Lib. 5. c. 2. de Carthag Republ The Conquered have lost their Rights His Reason for it why they have not equal priviledge with others Unruly spirits of men not to be kept in like Italian Cats to turn Spits To put the Government into the spirit of the Nation is destructive to the Cause Then the Rotation will be a meer Rottation to Parl. adherents and the Cause Contrary to all true formes of a Common-waalth to lay the equality as Mr. H does Some under tempt of running out of one extream into another from Oligarchy into Ochlocraty What Oligarchy is and what it is not The Saints to Rule how not and how They admit not so much in the foundation and equality of it as the Heathens Arist Pol. l. 3. c. 3. What Government wicked and unstable Equality to lie in the multitude or meer number is injurious to the Commonwealth This will certainly rob us of all at last Lib. 1. Prolus 2. Host In M. Anton Philip. 2. 2. Part of the Petition wrongs us in our cause which requires equilibrity at Gods worship The danger of committing to Parliaments chose by the spirit of the Nation the worship of God National Their two Expedients defective in diverse particulars The Order of Their Rotation And in the Timing of it unequal Arist Polit. Lib. 3. Chap. 9. Danger of an Ostracisme by this Rotation Mr. Har's Cake made by this boulting Oceana p. 13. His Platforme would more gratifie Popery Athiesm and Paganism then the Platforme of a Christian Commonwealth * His holy Commonw from p. 224. to p. 240. What our Governors in Parl. once thought of those called Sectaries the poor despised servants of Christ The Author 's impartial and respective close with Mr. Baxter Counsel to Mr. B to scum his own POT first Ezek. 24. 6 11 12. The most probable way to reconcile us ALL IN ONE The present Cloud over us what it is made up off Jer. 8 20. What Enemy is most dangerous The Authors Address on the behalf of Christ and his interest in the Nations Prov. 29. 26. The first Ground of this humble Application and warning unto them Our readiness to give up our lives to the Publick service with all alacrity 2. Ground is the Enemies Art or endeavour to make a Game out of your hand 3. Ground If this cause miscarry Christ Gospel and all suffer Slavery 4. Ground is the Enemies use of these Princip here opposed to intricate the Counc of Parl. to carry on their work with 1. Mr. P's Perditory Anatomy 2. Mr. B's Purgatory-Art 3. Mr. H's Pulsatory-Method By the 1. sort the Repub. is handled quatenus immedicabilis By the 2. sort quatenus est Sanabilis By the 3. sort quatenus est Mutabilis Arist lib. 4. c. 1. 12 praevious Considerations presented to the. Parl. for Settlement 1. For an equal certain Balance 1. By Mr. P's Rules of Anatomy 2. Mr. B's Rules of Physick 3. Mr. H' s Rules of Politick constit Vid. Case of Common-wealth neer the Gulph of Common wo. 4. In our humble tender of a Theocratick Balance 2 Consideration to avoid faction 1. This Rule agrees with true Anat. or cutting up a body 2. With true Physicks and methods of cure or recovery of a body 3. It is a special Rule in Politicks and Governments Few can find the Art of curing a faction M. P' s Prop. M. B' s Prop. M. H' s Prop. The Authors Prop. or way to cure a faction 1. The inward means to cure the Canker of faction * In plain Case of Common-wealth neer gulph of common wo p 20 22 23 The Liver goes along with the Head and Heart of the Commonw altogether A Symptome of danger to see so little Harmony between the Naturals Animals and Spirituals of the Commonw or men as men Mag. as Mag. and Saints as Saints all in their places and yet joynt in the Commonw 2. Outward means of curing this Canker of faction is by wise godly hearty sober experimental reasonings Both the inward and the outward must go together 4. It is a most peculiar rule in Theocracy to avoid faction or Parties 3. Consid to stop the horrid flux or looseness of pens and tongues 1 Anat. care to keep out manglers 2. Physitians care to keep out Empericks 3. Politicians care in all Governments Vide Thucid Hist li. 3 Livii lib. 28. Tacit. Hist lib. 15. 4. In a Theocratick constitution are excellent Laws against it Livii Hist lib. 28. 4. Consid to secure us from a Lapse 1. A Rule with Chirurgions Anatomists 2. With Physicians which Mr. B. practises contrary unto 3. With all the wisest Statesmen Grecians and Romans Ex. 11. lib. Polybii Ex. l. Dion Rom. Hist 45. Livii lib. 28. Not only by outward means but by taking away the inward causes Lib. 5. c. 4. Thucyd. Hist l. 3. Sad symptomes of a Lapse into the late disease Till the inward causes be removed the outward means will never cure us in the Commonw 4. In Theocracy special care to secure us from the Lapse 5. Consid all extremities avoided both an Oligarchy and Ochlocraty Mediocrity in Anatomy and in Physick and in Politicks Danger in running from one extremity to fall into another Oligarchy in the meaning of it is the