was first presented by a competent number of Aldermen and of the Common Councell and afterwards the Petition of the Ministers by many of them and on the twentieth day was each Petition presented to the House of Peeres in like manner as the day before to the House of Commons SECT XXII The offensive Acceptance of them by the Parliament as the weekely News-makers make report of it Cautions premised before their confutation FOr the third particular the acceptance the Petitions had This Malignant Intelligencer tels his Reader that the Commons sate long and laid it much to heart that any such thing should come from the Citie and that they should lend an eare to any that should in so evill a way represent things to them and of what dangerous consequence it was To which before I make any punctuall Reply I desire to premise these particulars 1. That in nothing that I have said or shall say I intend any contradiction to the Honourable House of Commons 2. I beleeve not this Relater hath truly delivered the fence of that House 3. That if any worthy Member among them according to any information received and beleeved by him have used his libertie in speaking of his mind though his wisdome as well as others innocencie may be abused by mis-report I shall not desire to raise any part of my Reply so high as to him but to confine my selfe to the report of this Pamphleter who I am sure hath no Parliamentary priviledge to speake what he pleaseth which yet a Parliament man that hath it will not take upon him to use when he is out of Parliament as when he is in it And if any of that grave and judicious Senate supposing us faulty have thought it fit and just that we should be charged we doubt not but there are many among them who if we be innocent will be well content to see us cleared since for many of us their Honour is in part ingaged for our reputation in the * We have consulted with the Reverend Piâ—us and Learned Divines called together to that purpose The Ordinance of Parliament of the third of January 1644. prefixed before the Directory p. 1. publique Testimonie they have given of us to three Kingdomes and the most of us are the same men and have the same consciences engaged in the desire of a present establishment of Government so as it may be safely and profitably practicall who in confidence of the goodnesse and godlinesse of the Reformation owned managed and maintained by the Parliament and in hearty and faithfull devotion thereto and ready and cheerfull obedience to them have suffered the shipwrack of our estates and hazarded our lives and we repent not of any part of our paines or pressures or perils so long as we may be serviceable to so good a Cause and to such good and gracious Masters as under Christ they have hitherto approved themselves toward us and I hope we may without vain-boasting say by way of Apology that we have not beene altogether their unprofitable servants in respect of our Interest in and endeavours with the people without whom the greatest Kings are rather cyphers then figures and destitute both of honour and safety Prov. 14.28 to informe their judgements and to inflame their zeale and to oblige their consciences to fasten their affections in loyaltie and fidelity to those worthy Pâ—triots whom they have in their choice and votes of election intrusted with the Religion the lives and the estates of themselves and their posteritie To which purpose we cannot be of so good use nor our mediation so effectuall for hereafter as aforetime if we be such Prevaricators as he hath represented us to the publique view or not being such if we suffer our innocence to be betrayed in mistrust to suspition by either inconsiderate or cowardly silence Thus much premised in dutie to the Honourable House of Commons and in due circumspection and caution to my Reverend Brethren and my selfe I shall now make answer to the charge given out and the answer so farre as it concerneth us may be partly made out of the conclusion of the Schedule as it was tendered with the reasons of the Ministers to the Court of Common Câ—uncell in confoâ—â—itie to their desires made knowne unto us which was as that Honorable Assembly can witnesse with us in these words These our desires and reasons we humbly present to this Honourable Court not that we have the least intention of investing our selves and the Ministery with any arbitrarie unlimited and exorbitant power For the power is not to be settled upon the Ministers alone but upon the Presbyteries in all which it is provided already that there shall be alwaies two at least of the people for one Minister And we sincerely professe our desires and intentions to manage this weightie Government not according to our wils or wisdomes but as neere as is possible according to the will and word of God the most certaine Rule in the world nor that we would carry on this work by might and power for we have good hope that God in due time will patronize his owne Cause though men should be wanting but that we may discharge a good conscience in our utmost endeavours to advance the Kingdome of Christ in the puritie of Reformation to be faithfull to the Church of Christ wherein we are stewards and watchmen and to succeeding posteritie to maintaine the truth to which we are bound to beare witnesse to fulfill our solemne League and Covenant with God from which we cannot goe backe and as your remembranâ—ers to put you in mind to neglect no pious endeavours in your places and callings for expediting both your selves and us out of the former difficulties and for promoting of such a Reformation of Religion in Discipline and Government as may have due puritie in it selfe may bring sweet unitie amongst us and most conduce to an happy uniformitie in all the three Kingdomes according to the vowes of God that are upon you in your solemne League and Covenant He goeth on saying that the House did perceive that they had beene mis-informed and that they could not but lay it much to heart that they who had ever beene so ready to doe all good offices for the Kingdome and goe with the Parliament should from any but the Parliament take a representation of their proceedings Mis-informed wherein is there any thing untrue in that they presented in their Petition or Schedule annexed and by whom mis-informed by the Ministers of London that is the meaning but certainly they that originally made this suggestion are little acquainted with the minds consciences intentions or proceedings of the Ministers who gave in their writing to the Common Councell of the Citie subscribed with no fewer then fourescore and nine hands and they had presented more to the Parliament if they had not beene straiâ—ned in time for the Petition was drawne up but at night and was to be
of power to let into the Church by the Sacrament of Baptisme as indeed it is and whom to admit to and whom to keep back from participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it is a degree of power farre above both whom to ordaine to or whom to debarre from the order of Presbyters for 1. Whatsoever power or authoritie a Presbyter may claime by the word of God is virtually included in his Ordination 2. They that have power to ordaine a Presbyter have power upon just cause to silence and suspend the execution of that power and to stop his mouth Tit. 1.11 if it be opened to broach heresie or blasphemie or if his conversation be vitious and scandalous 3. The Covenant for the generall heads of it comprehendeth a perfect enumeration of the maine parts of the desired reformation under the titles of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government but Ordination is not to be referred to Doctrine or Worship but to Discipline or Government for the ordaining of Governours and the exercise of Government properly appertaine to the same Topick or Classis 4. Though Government and Worship be distinguished betwixt themselves yet both agree in this that their generall grounds and rules are found in the word of God and in that respect the one may be set forth in the Civill Sanction with a relish of and reference to a religious constitution as well as the other But in case they will not be pleased to expresse any Divine right in any part of the Government in their Civill Sanction and will in a Parliamentary and Legislative way establish that thing which really and in it selfe is agreeable to the Word of God though they doe not declare it to be the will of Iesus Christ as is noted before out of the learned Commissioner of Scotland his * Sect. 8. p. 25. Brotherly examination and he hath the like in his * p. 32. Nihil Respondes we must be satisfied * p. 22. SECT XX. An Appendix to the precedent examination being an Apologeticall Narrative of the Petitions of the Common Councell of the Citie and Ministers of London presented to both the Honourable Houses of Parliament the 19th and 20th dayes of Novem. 1645. with a Vindication of them and the proceedings in them from the scandalous aspersions of the weekely Pamphleters especially of him who miscals himself by the name of the Moderate Intelligencer BVt howsoever the hope of union hath gon on hitherto since the Petitions of the Common Councell and of the Ministers of the Citie were presented to the Parliament there is great likelyhood of a dangerous breach betwixt the Parliament and them which will not easily be cemented up to perfect accord So haply may some conceive who know no more of the matter then they are told by the Moderate Intelligencer or by his Plagiatie the writer of the continuation of especiall and remarkable Passages who repeats his lying and scandalous Relation word for word in these termes This day the Common Councell did present a Petition to the Commons House of Parliament by divers Aldermen and others of that Councell which seemed to complaine or take ill the proceedings of the Parliament with the Assembly in the late businesse past concerning the election of Elders c. The Commons sate long about the businesse and laid it much to heart that any such thing should come from the Citie and that they should lend an eare to any that should in so evill a way represent things unto them and of what dangerous consequence it was and gave them an answer to this effect That they did perceive that they had beene informed and that they could not but lay it much to heart that they who had ever beene so ready to doe all good offices for the Kingdome and goe with the Parliament should from any but the Parliament take a representation of their proceedings and intreated them that herealter they would take satisfaction from themselves It s true they did beleeve they meant well and had a good meaning and intention in it but they were abused They had no sooner given answer to this but there came another from the Clergy to the same effect which was more sad then the former for they conceived this latter was an appeale from the Houses to the people and of as dangerous a consequence as could be imagined and that it deserved a high censure and withall they resolved if that was the way intended they would goe on with their Declaration and quickly undeceive the people and in the interim they referred it to the Committee of examinations that the first contrivers and after fomenters of this businesse may be dealt with according to merit This is a parcell of their weekly report but principally his who miscals himselfe the Moderate Intelligencer for he is neither Intelligent writing what he understands not nor Moderate being passionately addicted to a partie to flatter either out of an erroneous sancie fondly set upon irregular novelties in opinion and practice or out of a covetous affection to the wages of iniquitie the reward of flatterie or slander as the bad cause whereto he hath engaged his Pen hath need to be served with the one or the other and in the latter he hath shewed himselfe this last weeke a very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the word in the Originall for a false accuser 2 Tim. 3.3 a false accuser of the brethren Revel 12.10 not of brethren in evill as Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.5 but in good in most sincere and zealous desires and endeavours to be serviceable to the Parliament in prosecution of the great Cause that is in hand the through reformation of Church and State Among whom there are many who taken single by themselves might in good manners have been entertained with termes which savour more of reverence then of contempt but this three-farthing News-monger takes upon him as if he had beene authorised by the Parliament to involve all the venerable Magistrates and prime men of power and trust in this Honourable Citie and a very great number of the most learned laborious and consciencious Ministers of the Province of London in an unfaithfull and undutifull association against the Parliament for their joynt petitioning to the Parliament And where lyeth the crime that may make them lyable to so loud a clamour was it for petitioning in generall or for their petitioning in particular If we consult with his scandalous paper we shall find that he layeth an heavie charge upon both First for the generall in the precedent page he ushereth it in with an egregious calumny in these words * p. 203 Now let us come home and looke about us and see if while our Army is labouring to subdue the enemy and end strife there is not new beginning by those that Fame saith have beene the causes of all the strife we did intreat them the last weeke they would let the Parliament alone and waite
while I seek after a controverted truth I may not turne aside from a certaine duty which is in meeknesse to deale with a brother that is contrary minded so farre as may not prove to the prejudice of what in conscience I am bound to undertake and to manage also to the best advantage This for the Author and for the Title page besides for the Authors Name is a part of it it is as followeth SECT II. Of the Title Page A New Quere at this time seasonably to be considered as we tender the advancement of Truth and Peace He knew very well how the Athenian humour of listening after news prevaileth with our people of all sorts and therefore being to fish in troubled waters he puts upon his hook that bait at which it was like many would be nibling Next he saith It is at this time seasonably to be considered as we tender the advancement of Truth and Peace He commends his New Query to acceptance in two respects 1. As seasonable 2. As much importing the advancement of Truth and Peace For the first he saith it is at this time seasonably to be considered So it is now it is published but it was very unseasonably offered and I marvell that he who hath written a whole booke of policy should be so unpoliticke as to thinke it seasonable to set forth such a Quere and so to resolve it such it tends to retard the establishment of Government whereto the Parliament is so much engaged not onely for the thing it selfe but for a timely proposition and imposition of it by their civill sanction For the first that they intend to set up a Church government we have it 1. From their expresse profession December 15. 1641. We doe here declare that it is farre from our purpose or desire to let loose the golden reines of Discipline and Government in the Church to leave private persons or particular Congregations to take up what forme of service they please for we hold it requisite that there should be throughout the whole Realme a conformitie in that order which the Lawes enioyne according to the word of God So in the first Remonstrance of the Honourable House of Commons pag. 25. 2. from the first Article of the solemne League and Covenant published by Authoritie of Parliament September 21. 1643. Wherein they and all others that take it doe covenant to endeavour the reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches 3. this Covenant was ordered againe by the Honorable House of Commons Januarie 29. 1644. to be publiquely read every Fast day and to be set up in every Congregation in a faire Table where every one may read it and to this are set the names of Master Speaker and 243. more of the Honourable House of Commons And for the second that they meane to expedite the settling of Government with all convenient speed we have good cause to conceive 1. Because they have bestowed already very many dayes in consultation about it 2. They insist in the same consultations still 3. They according to the eminence of their wisdome apprehend many and great evils that grow both in number and power by Doctrines of Libertinisme which necessarily require the restraint of a reformed Church Government 4. They have already set it up 1. In their Ordinance of Ordination set forth the last yeare 2. In an Ordinance for making London a Province this last yeare dividing it into severall Classes and for choosing a Committee for tryall of Elders to be chosen and Rules to be observed for orderly proceeding in the same and this before this Quere came forth 3. Since that they have advanced further by a Vote and Order for choosing Elders forthwith in particular Congregations 4. And last of all they have published an Ordinance with rules and directions for suspension from the Sacrament in cases of Ignorance and Scandall Yet they cannot make that speed with the Government which by most is desired and very much desired by themselves as we of the Assembly can witnesse who have often beene sent to by that Honourable Senate to quicken our worke and to ripen our debates to a full resolution because as with us the libertie of speaking wherein every one is free to propose and prosecute any doubt prolonged the Government in our hands so the like libertie in the Honourable Houses or rather our libertie is like theirs it being the Prototypon lengthens the debates and delayes the Votes of that most Honourable Senate and so much the more because they are more in number then we in our Synod and because their determinations are finall as ours are not And though that which is published doe not yet reach home to our full satisfaction we hope it is in the way towards further perfection which cannot reasonably be expected in the first Essayes of frames and formes of Government for we may say of Jerusalem as well as of Rome that it was not built in a day though in time it became the perfection of beautie the ioy of the whole earth Lam. 2.15 Such we pray God that fabrick may prove which is under the hands of our Honourable and holy Nehemiahs and Lord polish finish and establish the worke in their hands yea the worke of their hands establish thou it Psal 90.17 The other particular he propounds to make his Quere more plausible is the reference it hath to two precious things viz. Truth and Peace both which are upheld by Government Church-Government and without it for truth we have abundance of errours and heresies broached among us which divide men into manifold Sects and Factions and where they are multiplied there can be no peace without a treacherous toleration which will resolve at last into an Anarchy and confusion Having premised this he putteth his Quere thus Whether it be fit according to the Principles of true Religion and State to settle any Church-government over the Kingdome hastily or not and with the power commonly desired in the hands of the Ministers First he putteth the case according to the Principles of Religion and State which if he had well considered he might have thought the Parliament for the one and the Assembly of Divines for the other competently qualified each in their profession for resolution of such a doubt especially since it is a chiefe part of the publique worke of them both to drive it to its issue might have prevented such a Quere as this from a private Divine Secondly he suggests a suspition as if the Parliament were driving on the Discipline and Government of the Church in Jehu's Chariot with furious haste whereas both Parliament and Assembly have much adoe to ward off imputations of procrastination and delay for debating so long and determining so little whereof we have rendred the reasons before Thirdly he presents it as a gravamen or
the duty of such as have the Legislative power wherein he that finds the fault is fittest to doe the office of an Admonitor unto them to suspend their authoritie for matter of Religion and to ordaine and decree nothing of that subject to be received or observed 2. A second reason which hath reference to Conscience he brings in upon experience thus * §. 5. p. 4. We have found by experience that the speedy setling of Government upon a Nation hath made reformation take little root save in the outward man or formall obedience because they received not reformation in the power of the word but of the State which went not so deepe into the conscience but they could part with it at any time upon a Law And he concludes his observation with a patheticall interrogation O then why doe not dayes speake and multitude of yeares teach knowledge To this may be replyed 1. That if he meane it in respect of our owne Kingdome and that experience is most like to come within his cognizance the fault was not in the over-speedy setling of a Government but in the choyce of a wrong Government viz. that of Prelacy which by an Act and Ordinance of Parliament and by the Nationall Covenant is cryed downe 2. If when Discipline is established Doctrine were abolished or for a time suspended and silenced there were some force in this exception of Mr. Saltmarsh but Doctrine goeth on where Discipline cometh in as a Schoole master is at the same time in Office both a teacher and a corrector of his schollers and so the power of the word may go deep into the conscience and the Discipline or Government is rather an helpe then an hindrance to that operation for 3. The Discipline or Government is as an hedge or wall about the Doctrine of Religion a goad or spurre to the meanes of grace to bring men under the power of the Words operation a curbe to licentious courses all which conduce much to the keeping of the conscience voyd of offence toward God and man and though with many the reformation reach no further then the outward man yet that is not to be imputed to the Discipline which brings them to the Word but to their owne corruptions and Satans sleights and deceits which hinder the Words kindly and saving worke upon them 4. Where the Discipline hath beene rightly chosen and timely established God hath blessed it with better fruits as in the Kingdome of Scotland whence it is that that Church hath had the favour and honour from God to be free both from heresie and schisme where with we of this Kingdome and State have abounded so much the more as the Discipline bath beene the more delayed which agreoth to Mr. Saltmarsh his politick observation in these words * M. Saltmarsh his practise of policy pol. 81. p. 69. When places of authoritie be likely to be vacant much more when authoritie it selfe is at a nonplus be ready in proiect with a successour long interregnums or interstices i. intermissions in government are the Winter and ill season of a State where the nights are long and the dayes short 5. And lastly for his Epiphonema with the words of Elihu forementioned which are taken out of Iob 32. vers 6 7. Why doe not dayes speake and multitude of yeares teach knowledge they make nothing for his purpose for the meaning of them is not that Government or Discipline or any other usefull thing should not be with all convenient speed established but that the ancient with whom is wisdome Iob 12.12 the gray headed and very aged men Chap. 15.10 who have had the experience of many dayes and yeares should be heard and heeded in matter of advice and consultation before such green-headed Counsellours as Rehoboam followed to his ruine 1 King 12. vers 13 14. SECT V. The Argument against the speedy setling of Church Government taken from example of the New Testament in generall answered A * § 3. p. 3 4. Third head of exceptions against the speedy so he calls it Paragraph 5. though the word hastily please him better in the body of the Quere setting up of Government is taken from Christian examples Contrary to 1. The New Testament in generall 2. In particular to 1. The example of Christ and that two wayes in respect 1. Of his description § 6. p. 4. 2. Of his practise § 3. p. 3 4. 2. The example of the most ancient Christians and excellent Ministers of Christ 1. As of John Baptist Christs forerunner 2. The Apostles his followers 1. For the generall § 4. p. 4. We never read in the New Testament of a Government setled upon any that were not brought first under Gospel obedience by the power of the Word and Spirit which thousands of Congregations in this Kingdome are not for as in materiall buildings stone and timber are not to be clapt together without hewing and squaring so not in the spirituall and whereas in the Temple there should be neither axe nor hammer heard because things were fitted before hand and so laid together I question how this could be in our Congregations now I beleeve there would be now more of the axe and hammer heard then of the building seen◠Answer 1. Here he argueth from the example of the New Testament negatively which considering the difference and disproportion of the times is very impertinent For the conversion we read of in the New Testament was from Paganisme and Judaisme to Christianitie and while men were Iewes or Pagans they were uncapable of a Christian Government our Congregations in England consist of professed Christians who as such are capable of and lyable to a Gospel Government without which the sanctification of the Sabbath the preaching of the Word cannot be well ordered nor either of the Sacraments rightly administred And though in thousands of Congregations there be many whom the power of the Word and Spirit hath not brought to Gospel obedience it is no cause why a Gospel Government should not be established over them nay rather it is reason why it should be hastened upon them and we may impute the profanenesse of the people to the want of it or of some parts of it whereby Church Governours may be enabled to put a difference betwixt the holy and the profane the uncleane and the cleane Ezek. 22.26 For the rod of Discipline 1 Cor. 4.21 may have a salutary operation in the Church as the rod of correction in the family Prov. 23.13 14. 2. He makes a comparison betwixt a materiall and a spiritual building See § 11. as in the materiall building stone and timber are not to be clapt together without hewing and squaring so not in the spirituall of which words if I rightly understand them the meaning is that Churches must be gathered and made up onely of holy reformed Christians which are as hewen or squared stones to which I answer 1. That similitudes may illustrate a truth
2. If he have well prepared his heart for that holy Communion he hath so much charitie as not to take offence at the scrupled conscience of his Minister at least not to desire that he should act any thing against it because of the counsell and determination of the Apostle Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 so much humilitie as to take the repulse in a doubtfull case with meeknesse and patience so much faith as to beleeve that though his innocence for the present be under a cloud the Lord will bring forth his righteousnesse as light and his indgement as the noone day Psal 37.6 Object If it be said the Minister may pretend conscience when it is perhaps some secret grudge which tempts him to put upon his Parishioner an open disgrace Answ 1. I hope we shall have such Ministers so well knowne by their faithfulnesse in preaching and conscionablenesse in walking that there will be no ground for such a suspition at such a time 2. Though the consciousnesse of mine owne innocent intentions might dispose me for mine owne particular to accept of any penaltie that a civill Sanction can impose or that the arbitrary revenge of the repulsed partie would inflict if I were convinced to have kept any from the Sacrament out of spight or a perverse spirit or inconsiderate rashnesse without a cause which may be allowed to be just before a competent Iudge yet I hope that all who have authoritie to determine any thing upon such miscarriage of the Minister will thinke it sufficient and answerable to exact justice that he who shall abuse his power or transgresse his dutie in such a case be dealt withall lege talionis that is that the Classis for his undue suspension suspend him from the Sacrament which will bring so much more reproach and shame upon him then he brought upon the party refused as the more prudence pietie and charitie was required in him and the more notice is taken of him when he prevaricates in his office and function and is punished for it in such an open and eminent manner Object But to leave it in the power of the Minister without an expresse and particular rule to receive or reject whom he pleaseth is to put into his hands an unlimited arbitrary power which on all hands in all sorts of men is disliked and disclaimed Answ 1. It is not to be left to the Minister alone but to the Presbyterie 2. Though he act alone in the administration it selfe he is not to be thought to act by an arbitrary power when according to his duty following the rule and his present light he endevoureth to put difference betwixt the holy and profane betwixt the uncleane and the cleane â—zek 22.26 and to preserve the holy Sacrament from contempt that by a confusion of holy and unholy communicants the Brownists others who act according to their principles may not be hardened in their separation from our sacred Assemblies And in such a case for any private man to obtrude himselfe upon the Minister is to act an arbitrary power upon him yea an arbitrary tyranny if he should be authorised so to doe and should it be so out we have so much experience of the piety prudence and indulgence of the most Honourable Houses that we can never suspect any such pressure to proceed from them we can readily resolve to act or to forbeare what according to the Dictate of our consciences we conceive to be enjoyned or prohibited by our great Master and to beare and suffer what shall be imposed on us by our Superiours under him to whom we professe our obedience is due being but private persons either actively or passively in whatsover they shall determine concerning our persons liberties and estates 2. For that he saith of severe lawes and punishments to be constituted and good Magistrates chosen to see them actually executed we confesse if that could be generally and perpetually expected or but for the most part there were great hope of much helpe by such meanes against both the scandalous sinnes contained in the Catalogue and others of like kind but so long as Magistrates are men of no purer mould or metall then Ministers are and they passe not through so severe an examination before they be admitted to their offices as Ministers doe nor have so many obligations laid upon them for sinceritie and integritie as are laid upon Ministers nor so many eyes upon them to observe their aberrations from a right rule as Ministers have nor are like to have so many mouthes open to reprove or reproach them for or so many hands to restraine them from misdoing or to punish them for it as most Ministers in regard of their poverty and impotencie for the most part may expect which the Magistrates their superiours in estate and authoritie need not so much to feare there is no reason I conceive to take all power of censure from the Presbyterie for the Ministers sake for the Elders are not denied to be capable of jurisdiction as they are members of the Civil State and to put all upon the power and vigilant and conscionable execution of the Magistrate And I doubt not but we may confidently averre and the experience of precedent and subsequent times will make it good that it is so farre from being superfluous that there be a concurrence of the Civill and Presbyteriall power for suppression of sinne that when both are imployed and improved with all prudence diligence and conscience to suppresse the corruption of nature and to prevent the spreading and prevailing of scandalous sins and when the severe and strict discipline of private Families and of common Schooles is added unto them there will be no cause for all that to suspect any pleonasme either of piety or civilitie among the people of the Kingdome SECT XV. Of Mr. Colemans Interimisticall Magistracie NOr would that way which Mr. Coleman in his late and yet perhaps too soon put forth Re-examination of the Examination of his Sermon remembreth be so sufficient of it selfe A Brotherly examination reexamined p. 1â— as that if it had prevailed there would have been no need of a Presbytery to supply the defect thereof as he delivereth it it is this At the extirpation of the Prelacie the Honourable Parliament would have established Commissioners in all Counties as an Interimisticall Magistracie c. And this he seemeth to conceive a better way of Church Government then that of the Presbyterie so much better that if that had beene set up this would have beene superfluous But in this historicall passage of his there be many particulars which may come under correction for first he saith the Parliament would have established Commissioners in all Counties as an Interimisticall Magistracie And would the Parliament have done it why did they not doe it was any power greater then the Parliaments any prudence more prevalent then theirs Secondly Some saith he and who they were is
in the High Court of Parliament in ENGLAND The humble Petition of the Ministers of the Gospel within the Province of London Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioners and daily Oratours at the throne of Grace doe unfainedly blesse our God and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour the head over all things to the Church that in the midst of those many insufferable miseries over flowing and almost over whelming both this Church and Kingdome he hath graciously opened for us a door of hope in raising up continuing together and assisting of this Renowned Parliament above our expectations and against all oppositions for the rescuing both of Church and State from their deepe calamities having to these ends engaged your hearts and with you the three Kingdomes unto himselfe in so Religious a Covenant And we humbly present our hearty thankes unto the Right Honourable Houses for all their indefatigable endeavours these five yeares together for the Kingdomes happinesse and the Churches Reformation and in particular for the hopes of a speedy establishment of Church Government intimated unto us in your Directions of Aug. 19. 1645. Order of September 23. and Ordinance of October 20. 1645. In which Directions and Ordinance notwithstanding divers difficulties appeare both to us and to our people hither to obstructing our putting the Presbyteriall Government therein mentioned into actuall execution according to our earnest desires by reason of divers things as we humbly conceive partly doubtfull partly defective therein Wherefore your Petitioners in pursuance of our solemne Covenant in zeale to the glory of God the Kingdome of Jesus Christ and the compleat establishment of puritie and unitie in the Church of God for the satisfaction of our owne and our peoples consciences in this weighty matter of Church Government and for the generall benefit not onely of the Province of London but of all the Provinces in England both for present and future Ages Do most humbly and earnestly beseech the Right Honorable Houses That the Presbyteriall Government in Congregationall Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Assemblies agreed upon already by the Right Honourable Houses may be speedily established with such fulnesse and sufficiencie of power upon all the said Elder ships that they may fully faithfully and chearfully with well satisfied consciences submit unto and put in execution the said Government And that there may be to that end by your Authoritie superadded a cleare explanation of things doubtfull and full supply of things defective in the said Directions and Ordinance of the Right Honourable Houses according to the Schedule annexed and herewith humbly presented to your Wisdomes and Piety And your Petitioners c. This being the Petition to a word pardon mine incredulitie if I beleeve not that you can perswade any Intelligent Reader that so prudent a Senate as the Honourable House of Commons is could so mistake the meaning of it as to put such an odious construction upon it as an Appeale from them to the people the people of London that were to sow sedition and endeavour dissention betwixt the Parliament and the Citie whose unanimous consent and correspondence in counsels and executions have been under God the strongest suppport of the whole Common-weale a crime worthy of the reward of Metius Suffetius in * Vt paulo ante inquit Tullus animum inter Fidenatem Romanemque rem ancipitem gessisti it a jam corpus passim distrabendum dabis Exinde duabus admotis quadrigis in currus earum distentum illigat Metium deinde in diversum iter equi concitati lacerum in utroque curru corpus qua inhaeserant vinculis membra pâ—rtantes c. Liv. Dec. 1. lib. 1. p. 14. Livy who for his double dealing betwixt the Fidenates and the Romanes was so fastened to two Charets that the Horses that drew them being forced divers waies into a furious pace fore him in pieces But Sir if those on your partie doe no worse offices to the Citie by your insinuations into the minds of the worthy Members of the Honourable Houses then Presbyteriall Ministers doe to the Parliament by their entercourse with the Citizens there will be no occasion given for the least shew of suspition or jealousie betwixt them and whosoever shall read your paper and mine Answer will see good cause to conceive that some of your spirit have too busily bestirred themselves out of the union betwixt Citizens and Ministers to raise a Division betwixt the Parliament and Citie which he that desires to see I wish rather that the Ravens of the valley pick out his eyes Prov. 30.17 But that union doth clearly confute the calumny you cast upon the Ministers Petition for so farre is it from an appearance of an Appeale from the Parliament to the people that it plainly representeth both Ministers and people consulting and concluding joyntly to make an Appeale to the Parliament and humbly waiting to be disposed of by their finall Resolutions This is it sure for which you say the latter Petition was more sad then the former for when that came in so conformable to the Citie Petition in matter though differing in phrase style and in scope and Intention and word for word the same in a Schedule of Reasons annexed to it it was an evidence of so good agreement betwixt the most eminent Citizens and the forementioned Ministers as must needs be a great griefe of heart to those that make great advantage of the divisions of Reuben yea and of all the Tribes throughout out Israel He goeth on with a proficiencie from bad to worse and though he hath no honey at all he hath a double sting in the taile of his Intelligence scruing up a charge against the Petitioners to the highest aggravation that may be and concluding with the commination of a censure commensurate to their merit For the Charge these be his words They that is the House of Commons conceived this latter that is the Petition of the Ministers was an Appeale from the Houses to the people and of as dangerous a consequence as could be imagined Having answered the former words I will now speake onely to the latter But first I must pause and wonder a while at this superlative Slander How Sir Was that Petition of as dangerous a consequence as could be imagined no such matter Sir For what danger at all can be imagined in it when all is in effect no more but this that the Citizens and Ministers upon Petition may clearly understand the mind of the Parliament and may be throughly enabled to put in execution their commands to obey them to the full according to their engagement in the solemne Covenant Such fearefull apprehensions even of dangerous consequence if they be reall not fained may proceed from the selfe-love of your party who confine the common felicitie to your owne particular Interests and thinke the world will be in a very ill condition if the Presbytery should be set up and should set bounds to your ambitious or covetous
both and so in stead of clearing your owne conscience you corrupt iâ— againe with a new guilt If the House of Commons did so conceive of the Petitioners as you have published before you have indiscreâ—tly deserted the true information you had from them by a good hand as you call it twice but how good soever you take it to be there be some false fingers in it iâ— it wrote that to you which you have written to others and have mâ—â—â— your self an offender above the degree of your 〈◊〉 for though the tale you were told were matâ—rially an untruth it was not foâ—mally a slander in you while you did but publish it not as any thing made or 〈◊〉 by you â—ot as received by report from an 〈◊〉 with yourselfe of much 〈◊〉 for his trusty Intelligence And yet I conceive it had been a part of good manners to have forborne the divulging of such newes of so great moment wherein not only the integâ—â—y of the Common Councell and Ministers of London but the prudence of the Honourable House of Commons was highly concerned unlesse they had given you warrant to proclaim to the world that which in such cases is or should be kept within the compasse of their owne walls You conclude as you began with commendation of your selfe for the innocency of your intentions and charitablenesse of your affection saying in your first lines There past us the last weeke something that was displeasing both to the Common Councell and likewise to the Clergie to neither of which we intended the least displeasure and you end with the same selfe conceit wherein you began for you tell us in the close of your speech that you hold it 〈◊〉 high offence to wrong the poorest particular man yea if an enemy nor durst we say you ever publish that against the Parliaments and Kingdomes present enemie much more much lesse you should say against their friends which we did not receive from very good hands as truth If you say this in sinceritie we shall see some clearer evidence of your conscientious acknowledgement then that contradictory confession can be accompted which is like an Iliaca passie in the belly and bowels of your retractation though the head and loot of it be sutably qualified of your wronging not of a single or a private enemy but of a numerous society of the most publique Honourable and venerable Friends and Votaries of the Parliament in the Kingdome which if you seriously consider you cannot satisfie your selfe much lesse can you expect that they should rest satisfied with such a recanting recantation as you have now made if other wise this Paper will assure the Intelligent Reader that as Belshazzars government so your repentance is weighted in the ballanâ—e and found wanting Dan. 5.27 But untill I know the worst my charitie disposeth me to hope the best and my hope is that you are on the mending hand and so fare you well Now for the bold Britainâ— who brags of his daring spirit and would have every man to turne coward in a good Cause for 〈◊〉 of his courage in a 〈◊〉 yet it seemeth some body 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 to tell him of his miscarriage towards the Magistrates and Ministers of the Citie in such sort that as Salust said to Cicero * Si quam voluptatem male dicendo cepisti eam male audiendâ— amittas Orat. Salust in Ciceron Cicer. Orat. p. 671. If he tooke any delight in speaking what he ought not he may lose it againe by hearing what he would not and I must now doe it the second time by giving him another check for his vanitie in magnifying himselfe and his injurie in vilifying such as he cannot sufficiently honour For himselfe he makes as if he were a man of such high elevation that it is a stooping below his genius to have any thing to doe though by way of reproofe with such a despicable company as the Court of Common Councell and the Ministers of the City whom he would not meddle with were it not to serve the Parliament and serve them I dare saith he in as high a nature as any man and shall in all things comply with their proceedings and endeavour to make this compliance universall Were it not to serve the Parliament For your service to the Parliament Mr. Brit. I would not have you to be confident either in your owne performances or of their acceptance or of the good effects it hath brought forth among the people of the Kingdome there are some who though they doe not bragge of wit as you doe have a great deale more wisdome then you have and they say you have begotten much malignitie in many against the Parliament and confirmed it in others and have much weakened the hands of their most conscionable friends by the licentious extravangancie of your Pen beyond all bounds of grace or modesty and they further adde which honest men will lay hold on as a promise but you perhaps will take as a threatning that they will trace your irregular steps from the first page of your first Pamphlet to this present of the number 945. and represent you so in one entire delineation and discovery as if you be not a man of impenetrable impudence will make you ashamed of your owne resemblance And for your particular service you pretend to doe unto the Parliament in abusing the Petitioners I beleeve they will have little cause to give you thanks much lesse any reall reward for your painer since it will scarce lye in your power to doe them a greater dishonour then to make good men beleeve and Malignants insult that their most potent and beneficent I may say munificent Assistants the Citizens and their most faithfull and not altogether impotent or unusefull servants the Ministers of the Citie of London either give or take such offence at each other as may tend to a rupture but the hope is there will be present helpe and an effectuall Antidote against this scandall in the Apologeticall Narrative of the Petitions as now it is presented to publique view which will be the more expedite and prevalent in its operation by the little credit you have with all such as read your papers as the dictates of a Poet not of an Historian and you are like Sir to have lesse credit hereafter and to doe the Parliament lesse service then you have done if ever you did any worthy acceptance because you professe you will in all things comply with their proceedings For 1. No body will beleeve you will be so regular in you writing as they are in their Parliamentary passages 2. When you say you will in all things comply with their proceedings you must either suppose that they cannot erre which is farre from their thoughts for they know it is a pitifull and perillous ignorance or perversenesse not to acknowledge their humanitie Psal 9.20 and that it is the presumption of the Papall Conclave not a Priviledge of Parliament to assume
an infallible guidance in their determinations or that they may erre and then we must think that though they doe so you resolve to be on their side be it right or wrong if so doe you not tell the world that your complyance with them hath more of policy in it then of conscience and will it not readily follow that such a Mercurius at Westminster would easily turne to an Aulicus at Oxford if which God forbid the Royall Prerogative should so farre advance as to plunder the Parliament of their ancient and Honourable Priviledges The other Animadversion upon Britanicus this weeke concerneth the vilifying of the Petitioners whom Lucian like he fals upon in this scornfull and jeering manner It is a fine humour in any to cry We will have this we will have that done Come let 's petition he should have said we would have this or that done for we will have this or that done are termes rather of the Imperative then the Optative Mood fitter for Commanders then Petitioners Besides Sir you know there be a sort of men who have taken upon them without petitioning to the Parliament or Authoritie from the Parliament to set up a Government of themselves which the Petitioners dare not attempt without warrant from the Parliament this is a humour indeed a fine humour of a new impression but when did you bestow a jeere or a taunt upon them in this surely you bewray your partialitie and somewhat worse which you may heare of hereafter but say on Yes I warrant you we are wise Statesmen know the due times and seasons well enough and though we lye under the decke are able to discerne as well as they that sit at the sterne Did the Petitioners take upon them to be Statesmen did they not professedly disclaime so vaine a conceit when in a modest and humble way they came to the Parliament as to Statesmen the Fathers and Physicians of the State to receive from their prudent resolutions present remedies against the maladies wherewith the Citie is dangerously infected and infested and was it not time to complain when they perceived the subtle insinuations of Schisme creepe into their families and found it had stolne their wives from their bosomes their children and servants from Oeconomicall communion in their families and from hearing Orthodoxe Divines in the publique Churches of the Citie to sort themselves under erroneous and hereticall Teachers in private Conventicles And whereas you would degrade the Petitioners sitting at the stâ—rne to lying under the dâ—cke though you for feare or shame may have occasion to play least in sight and to lurke under the hatches to secure your selfe the Petitioners are for the chiefe pâ—â—t of them eminently conspicuous divers of the one sort sit upon the Tribunall of Authoritie and all of the other weekly appeare visible to common view in their Pulpits and have so much advantage ground for discovery of the evils of the times and places they live in that it can be no disparagement to the Parliaments prudence in many particulars to receive informations from them But they goe beyond their bounds as Britanicus chargeth them for their duty leads them 〈◊〉 further saith he then to present matter of grievance in things already established not to demand the establisment of any thing 〈◊〉 this must be left in the Parliament who it is presumed and we must hold to this maâ—ime will neglect nothing necessary or convenient Now he takes upon him to play the Casuist and to resolve both positively and negatively how farre men may proceed to petition how farre not they may saith he present matter of grievance in things already established not demand the establishment of any new thing This Aphorisme is framed of purpose for the pulling downe of the Prelacy and against the setting up of the Presbytery that Independencie and under that Title all Sects of what sort soever may be set up and spread abroad without restraint but a man would think it more reasonable that when things are established they should command either assent or silence but in the want of necessary things the presenting of requests for supply to those that are able to grant them hath no affinitie with a fault but rather hath the nature of a dutie and therefore they who petitioned the Parliament for Ordination of Ministers in a new way without Bishops new to this State though most ancient in the Church of Christ were never blamed but approved by the Parliament and accordingly an Ordinance passed both the Honourable Houses for enabling a certaine number of Divines to put it in practise much more cause is there to approve the Petitioners who received a command for the choice of Church Governours whereto without further direction and warrant they could not performe compleat obedience as they desired And for that he saith of leaving all to the Parliament in confidence of their universall care neglecting nothing which may be necessary and convenient it hath a pretence of respect to the Parliament but the drift of it is to make all those who desire a deliverance out of dangerous confusion by a setting up and settling a regular Government remisse in their mediation for it while Independents intentively bestirre themselves in severall Counties to make choice of such for Knights and Burgesses as favour their faction and quicken their Patrons with uncessant importunitie to expedite their designe in Parliament in Committees in the Army and some of them are such ubiquitaries within the Kingdome and without to worke themselves up to a capitulating partie that none but that great Peripatetick 1 Pet. 5.8 goeth beyond them for sedulitie in prosecution of a plot And yet whatsoever he aimeth at in this diversion or prohibition of Petitions the Parliament may have need of them and may make good use of them yea and as some Antipresbyterians bragge a The most and best things that ever this Parliament did were first mâ—tioned by private men and then authorised and established by them The Postscript of the Libellous Pamphlet called Lilburnes Englands birth-right have done so and may be very well pleased therewith For instance having a purpose to ordaine the Presbyteriall Government which as the b The Copy of the Remonstrance lately delivered to the Assembly by T.G.I.B. c. Independents confesse they have voted already it may be matter of much incouragement to them to perfect their purpose in that behalfe since they see such a generall accord of the Common Councell and Ministery of the Citie petitioning together for the establishment thereof This may suffice for the second Edition of this scandalous contumely against the Petitions and Petitioners of London for whose sakes they being so many in number and so eminent in ranke and order and for the good Cause wherein they and many more are so much engaged I have taken the opportunity that was cast in my way to make this Apologie otherwise I should not think it meete to bestow my most idle minutes upon so meane an imployment as a conflict or contestation with such Antagonists as now I have answered Who if they appeare againe with any degree of folly or offence in this Cause above that which discretion may disdaine or Religion must pardon though I be silent which yet I doe not promise there will be a course taken to make some more sensible of their unsufferable excesses and others more circumspect and cautelous then to runne the hazard of their deserved reward FINIS