so many Consecrated Murders which are only wrapt up in Scripture Phrases as the Execution of Judgment Justice running down like a stream c. And the Wickedness looks then as if it were Hallow'd which is no more in short then playing the Devil in Gods name and dedicating the Oblation of Humane Sacrifices to the Everliving God as to an Insensible Idol But to what end serves Argument in the face of so many Pregnant and Undeniable Proofs It is true or not that what I have here recited is an Authentique Evidence both for the Words and for the Authors of them And if the matter of Fact be honestly reported let but any man consider if we follow these Guides whither they 'l carry us at last and how great a scandal 't is to Christianity to suffer such Hearts and Hands as these to serve at the Altar §. 13. The Murder of the King Encourag'd 1 THOSE mine Enemies which would not that I should Reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Let me see them Executed KINGS Rulers People Conspiring Rebellion against the Lord and against his Christ. Maynard to the Commons Octob. 28. 1646. p. 15. 2 Let us he Active against the KINGS and Prince of the Earth those Claws of the cruel Beast Feak at Black Friers Sept. 1â—… 1653. 3 The Quarrel is not now with us only de Terminis Laâ—…tibus touching Bounds or Land-marks touching Privileges and Liberties but whether Christ shall Reign over us or we shall basely yâ—…ld our Necks under the Yoke of Anti-Christ Pet. Smith May 2â—… 1644. p. 42. 4 The King is fallen from Faith in thee and become an Enemy to thy Church Is it not He that has Sinned and done Evil indeed but as for these Sheep what have they done Let thy hand we pray thee O Lord our God be on him and on his Fathers House but not on thy People that they shall be Plagu'd A Lecturer in South-hampton Aug. 1643. 5 Nothing has so much deceived the world as the Name of KING which is the ground of all Mischiefs in the Church of Christ. Corbâ—… a Lecturer in Glocester-shire Iuly 1644. 6 O Lord if thou wilt not Eless us with a King Bless us without one â—…arkin a Lecturer in Greenwich Iune 31. 1â—…44 7 Neither let your eyes spare though there are Great ones that are Guilty The Highest Court may reach the Highest Persons Causes and not Persons are to be heard in your Parliament Heyrick to the Commons May 27. 1646. p. 23. 8 God will make the Sons of Princes bow down unto ye The Greatest that have Afflicted ye and Despised ye shall lye at your feet Id. p. 31. 9 If the KING be a Murderer Adulterer or an Idolater he shall suffer according to Gods Law not as a King but as an Offender Knox Hist. 392. 10 When Great Delinquents go unpunished Divine Providence is brought to the Bar and question'd Greenhill to the Commons April 26. 1643. p. 34. 11 This Arrow Prayer will find a Joynt in Ahabs Armour 1 King 22. 34. Draw this Arrow as Iehu did against Iehoram with your full strength and doubt not but it will in Gods time smite our Romish Iehoram at the heart 2 King 9. 24. and sink him in his Chariot and Chair of Pride Green to the Commons April 24. 1644. pag. 17. 12 Oh Right Honourable take Glorious Resolutions to your selves though your Fathers may stand before you and your Brethren and Friends press about you though your Mother should hang on you I mean the nearest Relations throw down the one and break through the other and trample upon the third that your souls may cleave to the ways of God to the ways of Justice and Righteousness You know the Rule is Fiat Iustitia Ruat Mundus Brooks to the Commons Decemb. 26. 1648. p. 15. Ah Right Honourable As you would not have your Services thrown as dung in your Faces look that Justice and Judgment run down as a mighty stream Ibid. p. 19. Right Honourable Guilty Persons that be by you sinfully acquitted their Sin God will charge upon your account And therefore as you would not have the Guilt of other mens sins upon you hold on in the way of well doing Let Justice and Judgment run down as mighty streams Ibid. p. 18. 13 Phinehas is the Man that Executes Judgment a Man unthought of for such a Service Hence observe that when God hath work to do he can find our Work-men A Phinehas with Zeal in his heart and a Iavelin in his hand to thrust through the Proudest Zimries and Cosbies the most daring Sinners Staunton to the Commons Octob. 30. 1644. p. 9. 14 When Esther was advanc'd she would not lose her opportunities she will in to the King although contrary to a Law She will have the Liberty of her People and Hamans head off and venture her Life to accomplish it If I Perish I Perish Iosiah Hezekiah took their opportunities and made a thorough Reformation in Iudah You know what great things Elijah did Inspiciente Reluctante Rege Greenhill to the Commons April 26. 1643. p. 48. 15 When the Kings of the Earth have given their Power to the Beast these Choice Soldiers will be so faithful to the King of Kings as to oppose the Beast though Armed with King-like Power Cheynel to the Commons May 31. 1643 p. 10. 16 You see the Faithful People make no scruple at all of Fighting against the Beast though their Enemies were like enough to say that by Fighting against the Beast they did Rebel against their own Kings Id. Ibid. 17 Others say Rebellion against the King is the cause of Judgment upon the Nation but rather the not Timous Rising to help the Lord and his oppressed People against the Mighty is the cause Rutherford to the Lords June 25. 1645. p. 44. Notes on §. 13. WE have now brought ye step by step from the Blind and Pretext of a Reformation to the Highest pitch of Wickedness and the Train was both laid and fir'd in the Pulpit Undutiful thoughts bring forth Seditious words and those Seditious words are naturally follow'd with Violent and Treasonous actions and when People come once to be Plung'd into a Rebellion all other sins even of the highest magnitude flow like streams into that Ocean till at last mens Consciences grow Câ—…llous and Obdurate as under a Iudicial Reprobation It could never be else if it may be said without offence to Charity that so many of the Principal and known Actors in the late Execrable Tragedy should now wipe their mouths after it and fall so comfortably to the old work again without any sort of Reluctancy or Remorse But it will be said perhaps that it was not so much a thirst after the Blood of their Sovereign that pusht them forward to these Extremities but that they were forc'd upon desperate Courses by their Interest and Despairs This would be a sorry excuse God knows for Committing
Abihu and Saul will intermeddle with Gods Warrant as she Q. Eliz. hath done with matters of Religion with God's matters she must think it no Injury to be Disobey'd Soldier of Berwick Cited by the Author of an Answer to a Factious Libel Entitled An Abstract of several Acts of Parliament c. 2 Kings no less then the Rest must obey and yield to the Just Authority of the Ecclesiastical Magistrates Ecclesiastical Discip. P. 142. 3 The Consistory may and ought to admonish the Magistrate which is negligent in Punishing Vice Danaeus Par. 2. Isag. li. 2. Cap. 62. And also may upon Knowledge of the Cause taken Excommunicate even the Chief Magistrate unto the which he ought to submit himself Ibid. ca. 67. 4 Princes must remember to subject themselves to the Church and to submit their Scepters to throw down their Crowns before the Church yea to Lick the dust of the Feet of the Church T. Cartwright P. 645. 5 Every Eldership is the Tribunal Seat of Christ. Beza de Presb. P. 124. 6 The Holy Discipline ought to be set up and All Princes to submit themselves under the Yoke of it What Prince King or Emperour shall Disanul the same he is to be reputed Gods Enemy and to be held unworthy to Reign above his People Knox Exhort to Eng. P. 91. c. 7 Our Church-History tells that Mr. Andrew Melvin that Faithful and Zealous Servant of Christ would not answer before the King and the Council for his Alledged Treasonable Discourse in a Sermon until he had first given in a Plain and Formal Protestation and the like was done by Worthy Mr. David Blake upon the like occasion and the Protestation was Approved and Signed by a good Part of the Church of Scotland 1596. Hist. Indul. P. 14. 8 The Irreligiousness Antichristianism and Exorbitancy of this Explicatory and as to some things Ampliatory Act and Assertion of the Kings Supremacy in Church-Affairs of Nov. 16. 1669 this Supra-Papal Supremacy Hist. Indul. P. 27. 9 The Accepters of the Indulgence are Chargeable with High Treason against the King of Kings our Lord Iesus Christ. Hist. Indul. p. 86. 10 Christ breaks and moulds Commonwealths at his Pleasure He hath not spoke much in his Word how long they shall last or what he intends to do with them Only this That all Kings and Kingdoms that make War against the Church shall be broken a pieces and that in the end All the Kingdoms of the World shall be the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Saints and they shall reign over them Marshal to the Commons June 15. 1643. p. 47. 11 What was our Posture and Practice after we had so stupidly stood by till we saw the whole work overturn'd without offering to Interpose effectually to prevent its ruine or to fall with it Hist. of Indulgence Pref. 1678. Speaking of the Action of Bothwell-Bridge 12 The Father having given to Christ all Power both in Heaven and in Earth and the Rule and Regiment of this Kingdom he hath Committed to Monarchies Aristocracies or Democracies as the several Combinations and Associations of the People shall between themselves think good to Elect and Erect God leaves People to their own Liberty in this Case Case on Isaiah 43. 4. p. 26. 13 They were carrying on a Malignant Interest to wit The Establishing the King in the Exercise of his Power in Scotland and the Re-investing him with the Government in England when he had not yet Abandoned his Former Enmity to the Work and People of God and the securing of Power in their own hands under him Gillespies Useful Case of Conscience p. 66. 14 There was a sin in the Peoples Joyning because few or none of those who did Joyn did give any Testimony against the Magistrates Employing of the Malignant Party Ibid. 15 After the Treaty was brought to some close the King did before his coming to Sea Receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper from one of the Prelatical Chaplains and according to the Service-Book c. notwithstanding the Commissioners of the Kirk did represent the Evil thereof to him Gillespies Useful Case of Conscience Discuss'd p. 56. Another Exception That the King did not think his Father Guilty of Blood Ibid. 16 Was there not Cause to Scruple at the taking of this Oath of Allegeance which would have Imported 1. A Condemning of the Convention of Estates in Scotland 1643. 2. A Condemning of the Parliaments An. 1640. 41. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. As also the Committees and Parliaments thereafter An. 1649. 1650. 1651. 3. A Condemning of all the Acts made by These Parliaments 4. A Condemning of all the Meetings Councils and Conventions of the Subjects at the beginning of the Late work of Reformation 5. A Condemning of the League and Covenant 6. A Condemning of Scotlands Joyning with and Helping of England in the day of their streight 7. A Condemning of the Renewing of the National Covenant 1638. 1639. 8. A Condemning of the General Assembly 1638. and several others thereafter 9. A Condemning of Scotlands Rising in Arms in their own Defence against the Popish Prelatical and Malignant Party 10. A Condemning of their seizing upon Forts and Castles in their own Defence An Apolâ—…getical Relation of the Sufferings of the Scotch Ministers 1665. p. 127. 128. 17 We ought to consider the Conditions of the Kings Letter of Indulgence to the Kirk Iune 7. 1669. what is accounted living Peaceably and Orderly by such as propose this Qualification And that sure to speak it in the smoothest of Terâ—…s is a Negative Compliance with all their Tyranny Oppression of Church and Country Blood-shed Overturning of the Work of God Establishing Iniquity by Law Perjury Apostacy Re-establishing of Perjur'd Prelates and Abjured Prelacy Hist. of Indulg p. 7. 18 We Remarque further that the Letter saith that none of these Ministers have any Seditious Discourses or Expressions in Pulpit or Elsewhere And what is understood here by Seditious Discourses or Expressions we cannot be Ignorant But now what Conscientious Ministers can either Tacitly promise such a thing or upon the Highest Peril forbear to Utter such Discourses Or who can think that any such thing can be yielded unto who considereth what God requireth of Ministers in Reference to a Corrupted and Apostatized state And what the weight of the Blood of Souls is Hist. Indul. p. 11. 19 The Unparallel'd Perfidy and Breach of Covenant The most Abominable Irreligious Inhumane and Tyrannical Acts made for Establishing of this Wicked Course of Defection Hist. Indul. p. 12. 20 Christ and his Apostles were the Greatest of Conventicle Preachers and almost Preached no other way wanting always the Authority of the Supream Magistrate and yet not waiting upon their Indulgence Hist. Indul. p. 17. 21 They have power to Abrogate and Abolish all Statues and Ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical matters that are found Noysom and Unprofitable and agree not with the time or are abused by the People 2 Book of Discipline cap. 7. To
the Supream Power to be in themselves Exclusively without a King or House of Lords And they are the Powers that now are as hath been cleared Saunders Mar. 23. 1650. p. 24. 32 It is altogether Lawful for the Parliament to take up Arms for the Defence of the Liberty or any other Imaginable Cause against any Party Countenanced by the Kings Presence against his Laws Baylyes Review p. 83. 33 The Votes Orders and Ordinances of the Lords and Commons in Parliament even without or against the Kings Personal Command are to be obey'd and observ'd Câ—…oftons fastening of St. Peters Fetters p. 118. 34 A Reformation is setled by Highest Authority in despight of Papists Prelate Pope or Devil Staunton to the Commons April 24. 1644. p. 24. 35 Is it so high a Crime for the Great Council of the Nation to determine things necessary for the safety of King and Kingdom without consent of his Majesty when it cannot be obtained Newcomen to the Commons Nov. 5. 1642. p. 48. 36 You are Ambassadors of the Greatest King The Great things of Heaven and Earth are committed to your care the Glory of Iehovah the Gospel of Christ the Welfare of Churches the Good of Kingdoms and in some respect of the whole Christian world is in your hands Greenhil to the Commons April 26. 1643. p. 45. 37 There is no danger in Resisting Acts of Tyranny for Tyrants exercising Tyranny are no Terror to Evil doers Apol. Rel. 154. 38 The Authority and Gods Ordinance can never do wrong but the Corrupt Person placed in Authority may offend so that the King as King is one thing and the King acting Tyranny is another thing Knox Hist. Li. 2. p. 141. Notes on §. 9. THE King render'd Accountable to his Subjects Num. 1 2. His Power Fiduciary and not to be obey'd in doubtful Cases 3 4 The People the Fountain of Power 5 6. And may Depose their Sovereign if he fails in his Duty 7 The Abuse of his Power is the forfeiture of it 8 9. His Parliament is above him 10 11. And so are the People 12. The Parliament are his Superiors and may Depose him 13 14. The Kings Power at Westminster though his Person may be at Oxford 15 The People may discharge themselves of their Allegiance 16 The Crown forfeitable and fâ—…rfeited 17 Supremacy only a Complement 18 The late War justifi'd and the Resistance Lawful 19 20. Cromwel to be Obey'd for Conscienoe sake 21 22. Resistance allowable 23 The Parliament are Supream and the Subjects Obedience Conditional 24 25. Princes Punishable as well as others 26 The Scottish Invasion defended 27 28. And the taking up of Arms against Tyrants 29 Kings subject to their States 30 The Commons and the Parliament-War defended 31 32 33 34 35 36. Tyranny is not Gods Ordinance 37 38. Let the Reader judge now what any man can design that exposes and supports these Positions but the Ruin of the Government §. 10. Tumults Encouraged And chiefly by the Able Holy Faithful Laborious and Truly-Peaceable Preachers of the Gospel Petition for Peace P. 4. 1 IT is not unknown nor unobserved by the Wise that the Ministers have been very serviceable to the Civil State and to the Military too Not only by their Supplications to God for good success in all their Undertakings and their happy Proceedings in all their Warlike Marches and Motions as at the Removal of the Ark Num. 10. 35. Rise up Lord and let thine Enemies be scatter'd Let them that hate thee flee before thee But 2 By their Informations and 3 Solicitations of the People to Engage both their Estates and Persons in the Case of God and their Country Iohn Ley's Examination of the New Quere 1646. Epis. Ded. to the Lord Mayor 2 And we do not Repent of any part of our Pains 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 The Parliament have hitherto approved themselves towards us And I hope we may without Boasting say by way of Apology that we have not been altogether their unprofitable Servants in respect 1 of our Interest in and 2 Endeavours with the People without whom the Greatest Kings are rather Cyphers than Figures and destitute both of Honour and Safety Prov. 14. 28 1 To Inform their Iudgments and 2 to Enflame their Zeal and 3 to oblige their Consciences and 4 to Fasten their Affections in Loyalty and Fidelity to those worthy Patriots whom they have in their Choice and Votes of Election entrusted with the Religion the Lives and Estates of themselves and their Posterity Hyde p. 80. Sect. 22. 3 After-Ages will Abominate their Baseness and Villanies that have lifted up their hands against the Parliament But the Fsthers the Mordecais the Religious Patriots that have acted in this Sphear the brave Soldiers whose Lives were not dear unto them the FAITHFUL MINISTERS the Horse-men and the Chariots of Israel they shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance Heyrick to the Commons May. 27. 1646. p. 16. 4 You are required to Commend to God in your Prayers the Lord General the whole Army employ'd in the Parliaments Service as also in your Sermons effectually to stir up the People to appear in Person and to joyn with the Army to stand up for our Religion and Liberties as is desired and expected by the Army and the Committee for the Militia in this City Penningtons Order to the London Ministers Ap. 1643. 5 The work of Reformation still goes on There we do get ground as to Perfect a Protestation into a Covenant to ripen an Impeachment into a Root and Branch And in a word to settle an Assembly of Divines as a General Refiners fire to try all Metals of the Church Bond. to the Commons March 27. 1644. p. 56. 6 The Assembly Petition'd both Houses for a Fast and the removing of Blind Guides and Scandalous Ministers destroying all Monuments of Idolatry and Superstition the Executing of Justice upon all Delinquents according to the Solemn and Religious Vow and Protestation for that purpose that so God who is now by the Sword avenging the Quarrel of his Covenant beholding the Integrity and Zeal of the Two Houses might turn from the fierceness of his wrath hear their Prayers go forth with their Armies and perfect the work of Reformation c. Ex. Col. July 19. 1643. p. 242. 7 I must truly tell ye that before these Late Wars it pleas'd the Lord to call me by his Grace through the work of the Ministry and afterwards keeping a day of Humiliation in Fasting and Prayer with Mr. Simeon Ash Mr. Love Mr. Woodcock and other Ministers in Laurence-Lane they did so clearly state the Cause of the Parliament that I was fully convinc'd in my own Conscience of the Justness of the War and thereupon Engaged in the Parliaments Service which as I did and do believe was the Cause of the Lord. I ventur'd my Life
Catechising the Anti-Christian Papists Malignants Incendiaries and other ill-Affected Persons under the name of CAVALIERS 10 I went saith he The King of his going to the House of Commons attended with some Gentlemen Gentlemen indeed the ragged â—…fantry of Stews and Brothels the Spawn and Shipwrack of Taverns and Dicing-Houses Iconoclastes P. 25. A Prayer for the Preservation of his Majesties Person c. Priest Right Responds 11 O Lord Guard the Person of thy Servant the King From Jesuites Papists Irish Rebels and Evil Councellors about him People Resp. Who putteth his Trust in thee Not we hope in the Arm of Flesh as Cavaliers Delinquents and such Enemies to the Kingdom Priest Resp. Send him and his Armies help from thy holy Place Not from Denmark Belgia France Spain and Ireland People Resp. And evermore mightily defend them From the Insinuations of Incendiaries other Promoters of this War Priest Resp. Confound the Designs of all those that are risen up against him To withdraw him from his Parliament and the Protection of his best Subjects People Resp. And let not their Rebellious Wickedness approach near to hurt him Nor any more to Rob Spoil and Kill the Poor People of this Nation Priest Resp. Oh Lord hear our Prayer That our King may speedily return home from destructive Misleaders People Resp. And let our Cry come unto thee And the Cry of thy Peoples blood in Ireland and England Cavaliers New Common-Prayer-Book Unclasp'd P. 3. 12 The Woful Miscarriages of the King himself which we cannot but acknowledg to be many and very Great in his Government that have Cost the Three Kingdoms so Dear and cast him down from his Excellency into a Horrid Pit of Misery almost beyond Example c. Vindication of the 59 London Ministers P. 6. 7. 13 The Kings Letter full indeed of much Evil and Demonstration of no Change of Heart from his former Bloody Cruel and Unkingly Practices of the Ruin of himself and his Kingdom as much as in him lay Vicars Chron. P. 43. 14 All Good Consciences shall Condemn that Course It shall be Easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment than for such a Court. Admonition to the Parliament P. 3. Notes on §. 5. THis Section is of the same Spirit with the former and only a Malevolent Continuation of the same design for the overturning of the Government by rendring the King his Majesties Ministers and his Friends and the whole Frame of the Civil State Despicable and as Odious as the other did the Bishops and the Clergy What a Rabble of Bug-words have we here hudled together in the First Paragraph Num. 1 What a Diabolical and Uncharitable Iudgment pronounc'd upon the whole Party of the King 2 and 3 What an irreverent Mockery upon the Catechism of the Church 4 What can be more Insolent toward the Person of our Sovereign 5 How Rude and how Un-Christian is the Character pronounc'd upon the Cavaliers From 6 to 11. And then see the Turning of his late Majesties Devotions in his distress into Droll and Buffon 11 The lewd Reproaches cast upon That Pious Prince in the depth of his Afflictions by the London Ministers even in their Pretended Service to him 12 The Clamorous Outrage of Vicars's Revilings 13 And the Parliament as ill treated by Others of the same Stamp as these People treated the King §. 6. The Presbyterians Opinion of the Covenant 1 THE Covenant was the Parliaments Sword and Buckler for when the Cavaliers shall see ye come Armed with the Covenant they will Run Run Run from the Presence of the Lord of Hosts Colemans Exhortation-Sermon to the Commons 2 As God did swear for the Salvation of Men and of Kingdoms so Kingdoms must now Swear for the Preservation and Salvation of Kingdoms to Establish our Saviour Iesus Christ in England Nye upon the Covenant 3 We Know O Lord that Abraham made a Covenant and Moses and David made a Covenant and our Saviour made a Covenant but Thy PARLIAMENTS Covenant is the Greatest of All Covenants A Lay-Preacher at Banbury in his Prayer 4 Look upon your Covenant I beseech ye and do Justice upon Delinquents Impartially and without Respect of Persons Palmer to the Commons Aug. 13. 1644. P. 48. 5 None but an Atheist Papist Oppressor Rebel or the Guilty Desperate Cavaliers and Light and Empty men can Refuse the Covenant Coleman Sep. 27. 1643. P. 23. 6 This Despised Covenant shall Ruin Malignants Sectaries and Atheists Yet a little while and behold he cometh and walketh in the greatness of his strength and his Garments Dyed with Blood Oh for the Sad and Terrible day of the Lord upon England their Ships of Tharshish their Fenced Cities c. Because of a Broken Covenant Rutherfords Letters P. 555. 7 I think it my last Duty to Enter a Protestation in Heaven before the Righteous Judge against the Practical and Legal Breach of Covenant and All Oaths Impos'd on the Consciences of the Lords People and All Popish Superstitious Mandates of men Ruth Lett. P. 575. 8 In the League and Covenant that have been so Solemnly and Publiquely Sworn and Renewed by this Kingdom the Duty of Defending and Preserving the Kings Majesties Person and Authority is Joyned with and Subordinate to the Duty of Preserving and Defending the True Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms Gillespy's Useful Cases of Conscience P. 55 56. 9 Look upon the Covenant to which we have Lift up our Hands I Tremble when I read it We Covenanted not only against Prelâ—…ey but Popery not only Hierarchy but Heresie not only Sin but Schism Watson to the Commons Decemb. 27. 1649. 10 Will not these Abjurers of the Covenant of All others be the very Chief of Sinners whilst they become Guilty of no less then the very Sin against the Holy Ghost Or at least border as near to it as possibly may be O amazing Vengeance Oh most dreadful of all Iudicial Strokes that can fall upon the Reprobate minds of men May not the dismal Doom of Francis Spira be here remembred and Solomons Backslider in Heart who shall be fill'd with his own ways Prov. 14. 14. Though to commit Murther upon the High-way and to do it deliberately and in cool blood too be a most horrid Crime against the very Light of Nature and against the second Table yet how short doth it come of This the highest of all Crimes imaginable A Crime that murthers Conscience that murthers Souls that murthers Religion it self a Crime against the First Table most immediately against the Sovereign God! and the greatest of that nature that men can be guilty of Three Mens Speeches P. 6. 11 Q. Whether seeing the Covenant was made to God Almighty All Persons by the Covenant were not bound to bring Delinquents to Punishment And whether the Long Parliament did not Declare the Late King to be a Delinquent let God and the World judge The Valley of Achor 1660. Q. 16. 12 I do Solemnly declare as a
dying man who dare not dissemble that as I thought and still aver that the Erecting of this Abjured Prelacy is the Cause of much of the Sin in the Land and of all the Sufferings of the Lords People So I had no worse Design then the Restoring of the work of Reformation according to the Covenant and more Particularly the Extirpation of Prelacy c. Naphtali The Testimony of Alexander Robertson P. 229. 13 Oh might this Privilege be offered to the Apostate Angels which kept not the Covenant of their Creation nor consequently their First Estate and to the rest of the Damned Souls in Hell Would God send an Angel from Heaven to Preach unto them a Second Covenant upon the laying hold whereon and closing wherewith they might be receiv'd into Grace and Favour How would those poor Damned Spirits bestir themselves What Rattling of their Red hot Chains What shaking of their Fiery Locks In a word What an uproar of Joy would there be in Hell upon such Glad Tydings Case's Quarrel of the Covenant Dec. 1643. P. 60. 14 There is much Sin in making a Covenant on sinful Grounds and there is more Sin in keeping it but when the Preservation of True Religion and the Vindication of Iust Liberties meet in the Ground-work ye may Swear and not Repent yea if you Swear you must not Repent Caryl Oct. 6. 1643. P. 18. 15 Let them first shave their Heads and pare their Nails as the strange Virgin of Old was commanded to do and so let them enter into that Sacred and Dreadful Covenant Bond to the Commons on Isa. 25. 9. Oct. 8. 1645. P. 37. Notes upon §. 6. IT is but suitable that the Blasphemy Heresy and Sedition that went to the Framing of this Oath of Conspiracy should be follow'd with an answerable measure of Wickedness in the promoting of it and in the Execution Whereof you have here Three Notorious Instances Num. 1 2 3. And a Clause that draws Blood upon the King himself 4 A Brand upon all the Refusers of it 5 And another Sanguinary Clause 6 A Protestation against Soveraign Authority 7 And a Jesuitical Exposition of the meaning of it 8. 9. The Breach of it no less than a Sin against the Holy Ghost 10 And the Murther of the Late King Iustifi'd upon the Obligation of it 11 The Malice of the Confederacy own'd at the last Gasp. 12 A most Impious and Phantastical Exaggeration of the blessed Privileges of that Brand. 13 The Cheat. 14 And a Foppish Allusion to the pretended Solemnity and Sacredness of it 15 So that upon the main the Covenanters do assert First the Indissolvable Tye of That Oath Secondly the Intent of it to be the Dissolution of the Government And in the Third place so often as every they move for a Toleration they do as good as desire the King in plain Terms That he will be Graciously pleased to give them leave to serve his Majesty as they did his Father §. 7. Dissenters Liberty of Conscience 1 THat there may be a Thorough and Speedy Proceeding against Blind Guides and Scandalous Ministers by whose Wickedness People either Lack or Loath the Ordinances of the Lord and Thousands of Souls Perish and the removal of the Ark from among us is to the Trembling of our Hearts evidently Threatned And that your Wisdoms would find out some way to admit into the Ministry such Godly and Hopeful men as have prepared themselves and are willing thereunto without which there will be such a scarcity of Able and Faithful Ministers that it will be to little purpose to cast out such as are Unable Idle or Scandalous The Assemblies Petition to both Houses of Parliament July 19. 1643. Husbands Collections Part 2 fol. 241. His Highness by the Advice of his Council doth Publish Declare and Order that no Person or Persons aforesaid do from and after the First day of January 1655. keep in their Houses or Families as Chaplains or School-Masters for the Education of their Children any Sequester'd or Ejected Minister Fellow of a College or School-Master nor permit any of their Children to be taught by such upon pain of being proceeded against in such sort as the said Orders do direct in such Cases And that no person who hath been Sequestred or Ejected out of any Benefice College or School for Delinquency or Scandal shall from and after the First day of January keep any School either Publick or Private nor any Person who after that time shall be Ejected for the Causes aforesaid 3 And that no Person who for Delinquency or â—…candal hath been Sequester'd or Ejected shall from and after the First day of January aforesaid Preach in any Publick place or at any Private Meeting of any other Persons then those of his own Family nor shall administer Baptism or the Lords Supper or Marry any Persons or use the Book of Common Prayer or the Forms of Prayer therein contained upon pain that every Person so offending in any of the Premises shall be proceeded against as by the said Order is provided and directed Olivers Declaration Nov. 24. 1655. A Confession of Faith to be agreed by your Highness and the Parliament according to the Rule and Warrant of the Scriptures to be asserted held forth and recommended to the People of these Nations so that this Liberty be not extended to Popery or PRELACT Humble Petition and Advice May 25. 1657. Notes on §. 7. NOT to cloy the Reader with Repetitions out of my First Part upon this subject I shall pass over the whole History of the Late Persecution with this short Note upon 't That as it was levell'd at the Destruction both of Church and State so it fell heaviest upon persons of Condition Honesty and Letters as the men most sensible of the Tyes of Honour and Duty And I shall now content my self with these few Instances of the Rigour of those times which methinks might stop the mouths of those that cry out so loud against the Uncompassionate severity of the present Age. What were the Blind Guides and Scandalous Ministers c. Num. 1 but the Canonical Clergy that were forc'd away from their Livings and their Families by a Popular Rage and Violence under the countenance of that Diabolical Slander Neither was the loss of their Lawful Possessions and the Ordinary Comforts of Life sufficient to Expiate for their Piety Integrity and Virtue without their Adversaries doing as much as in them lay to Starve them too 2 and 3 And this was the Liberty of Conscience of those days Is it not a Reasonable Proposition now for those men that gave no quarter to the Church upon that Revolution to Mutiny for the same Liberty again of Destroying it And for the whole Schism that from time to time by Common Agreement Excluded the Prelacy to Expect that the Ecclesiastical Government should be now torn to pieces in their favour §. 8. The Power of the Kirk 1 IF the Prince with Gideon Nadab