Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	good_a	kind_n	quiet_a	1,504	5	9.8307	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97096	The compassionate Samaritane unbinding the conscience, and powring oyle into the wounds which have beene made upon the separation: recommending their future welfare to the serious thoughts, and carefull endeavours of all who love the peace and unity of Commonwealths men, or desire the unanimous prosecution of the common enemie, or who follow our Saviours rule, to doe unto others, what they would have others doe unto them.	Walwyn, William, 1600-1681.; Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665, attributed name.	1644 (1644)	Wing W681B; Thomason E1202_1; ESTC R208770	22,915	91

THE Compassionate SAMARITANE Vnbinding The Conscience and powring Oyle into the wounds which have been made upon the Separation recommending their future welfare to the serious thoughts and carefull endeavours of all who love the peace and vnity of Commonwealths men or desire the vnanimous prosecution of the Common Enemie or who follow our Saviours rule to doe unto others what they would have others doe unto them The Second Edition corrected and enlarged Printed in the Yeare 1644. Si populus vult decipi decipiatur To him that reads IF after this when all the guiles That have misled you and the wiles Are manifested cleare as day So that you must say these are they You yet will be befoold you may Errours have some excuse when theyr not knowne But being known once wilfulnesse has none TO THE COMMONS OF ENGLAND TO You whom the Peolpe have chosen for the managing of their affaires I present this necessary Treatise without boldnesse and without feare for I am well assured that as it is mine and every mans duty to to furnish You with what we conceive will advance the Common good or bring ease or comfort to any sort of men that deserve well of their Countrey as You cannot but know the Seperation doe if You consider with what charge and hazard with what willingnes and activity they have furthered the Reformation so happily begun so likewise it is Your duty to heare and put in execution whatsoever to Your judgments shall appeare conducing to those good ends and purposes I recommend here to Your vew the oppressed Conscience and the despised Separation They have been much wounded I beleive every body can say by whom and the people have passed by without compassion or regard though they themselves must necessarily partake in their sufferings There are none left to play the good Samaritanes part but Your selves who as You have power will I make no question be willing too when You have once well considered the matter which this small Treatise will put You in mind to doe It is not to be supposed that You who have so long spent Your time in recovering the Common Liberties of England should in Conclusion turne the Common into Particular let the insinuations and suggestions of some in the Synod be what they will I make no question but You will see both through and beyond them and will never be swayed from a good conscience to maintaine particular mens Interests In the beginning of Your Session when our Divines as they would have us call them wrote freely against the Bishops the Bishops made complaint to You for redresse some of You made answer that there was no remedy forasmuch as the Presse was to be open and free for all in time of Parliament I shall make bold as a Common of England to lay claime to that priviledge being assured that I write nothing scandalous or dangerous to the State which is justly and vpon good grounds prohibited by Your Ordinance to that effect only I humbly desire You to consider whether more was not got from You by that Ordinance then You intended and that though it was purposed by You to restrain the venting and dispersing of the Kings writings and his Agents yet it hath by reason of the qualifications of the Licensers wrought a wrong way and stopt the mouthes of good men who must either not write at all or no more then is sutable to the judgments and interests of the Licencers The Seperation I guesse would have tooke it for be●ter dealing if the Divines had in expresse tearmes obtained of You an Ordinance for suppression of all Anabaptisticall Brownisticall or Independant writings ●ent● have their mouthes stopt subtlely so insensibly and their just Liberty in time of Parliament taken from them vnawares There can be no greater Argument that the Divines intend not well than their taking uncough and mysterious subtile wayes to effect their ends even such as far better become Polititians then Ministers It is high time O Commons of England to put an End to the sufferings of the Seperation who have for many yeares been the object of all kind of tyranny Papisticall Prelaticall and Regall The first Foundation of honor and respect was certainly from publike service and protection of the distressed Make it Your worke and assure Your selves You will find not only the universall love of all good men accompaning You but a quiet and cheerfull Conscience which is above all honour and riches Others may weary themselves in plots and contrivances to advance selfe-ends and interests to the peoples dammage and molestations sadnesse and distraction will be their companions for it But make it Your businesse Ye chosen men of England according to the trust rep●sed in You to protect he Innocent to judg their cause impartially to circunmvent men in their wicked endeavours and so You will become the beloved of God the beloved of good men LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE ASSERTED And the Separatist vindicated HAving heretofore met with an Apologeticall Narration of Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye Sydrach Sympson Jeremy Burroughs William Bridge I did with gladnesse of heart undertake the reading thereof expecting therein to find such generall reasons for justification of themselves to the world as would have justified all the Separation and so have removed by one discourse those prejudices and misapprehensions which even good men have of that harmlesse and well meaning sort of people But finding contrary to that expectation that their Apologie therin for them selves and their Toleration was grounded rather upon a Remonstrance of the nearnesse between them and the Presbyterian being one in Doctrine with them and very little differing from them in Discipline how they had been tolerated by other Presbyter Churches and indulgd with greater priviledges then the Separatist how they differed from the Separatist and had cautiously avoyded those roks and shelves against which the Separatist had split themselves confirming by these words the peoples disesteem of Separatists suggesting by that phrase of theirs as if there were amongst the Separatists some dangerous by-pathes or opinions which they warily shund though no mention be made what they are which is the worst sort of calumny Finding to my hearts greife the Seperatist thus left in the lurch and likely to be exposed to greater dangers then ever by the endeavours of these men my heart abounded with greife knowing the Innocency of their intentions and honesty of their lives that they are necessarily enforced to be of the mind they are upon long examination of their owne tenents that they desire nothing more then that they should be publikely and impartially reasoned knowing likewise their affection to the Common-wealth their forwardnes of assistance in purse and person knowing eheir Meetings to be so iunocent so far from confederacy or counterplots though they are very sensible of the sad and perplexed condition that they are in that they have not yet so much as spoke ought in their owne defence

but trusting to the goodnesse of God the equity of the Parliament the simplicity and and integrity of their owne wayes doe quietly enjoy themselves and their worship let what will be brewing against them being resolved like Hester to doe their dutyes and if in doing thereof they perish they perish Me thinkes every man is bound in conscience to speak and doe what he can in the behalfe of such a harmelesse people as these what though you are no Separatist as I my selfe am none the love of God appeares most in doing good for others that love which aimes only at it selfe those endeavours which would procure liberty only to them selves can at best be called but selfe love and selfe respects 'T is common freedome every man ought to aime at which is every mans peculiar right so far as 't is not prejudiall to the Common Now because little can be done in their behalfe unlesse Liberty of Conscience be allowed for every man or sort of men to worship God in that way and performe Christs Ordinances in that manner as shall appear to them most agreeable to Gods Word and no man be punished or discountenanced by Authority for his Opinion unlesse it be dangerous to the State I have endeavoured in this Discourse to make appeare by the best reason I have that every man ought to have Liberty of Conscience of what Opinion soever with the caution above named In doing whereof I have upon occasion removed all prejudices that the people have concerning the Separatist and vindicated them from those false aspertious that are usually cast upon them to make them odious wherein my end I make account will evidently appeare to be the peace and vnion of all and to beget this judgement in the People and Parliament that 't is the principall interest of the Common-wealth that Authority should have equall respect and afford protection to all peaceable good men alike notwithstanding their difference of opinion that all men may be encouraged to be alikeserviceable thereunto liberty of Conscience is to be allowed every man for these following reasons 1. Reason Because of what judgment soever a man is he cannot chuse but be of that judgement that is so evident in it selfe that I suppose it will be granted by all whatsoever a mans reason doth conclude to be true or false to be agreeabe or disagreabe to Gods Word that same to that man is his opinion or judgement and so man is by hisown reason necessitated to be of that mind he is now where there is a necessity there ought to be no punishment for punishment is the recompence of voluntary actions therfore no man ought to be punished for his judgment Objection But it will be Objected That the Separatists are a rash heady People and not so much concluded by their Reason as their Fancie that they have their Enthusiasni as and Revelations which no body knowes what to make off and that if they were a people that examined things rationally the Argument would hold good for them Ans That I suppose this to be the Argument not of the present but of loose witted times before the Parliament where some politike Bishop or Dr. Ignorant University man or knave Poet would endeavour by such a suggestion to the people to misguide their credulous hearts into hatred of those good men who they knew to be the constant enemies to their delusions but let all men now have other thoughts and assure themselves that the Brownist and Anabaptist are rationall examiners of those things they hold for truth milde discourseres and abe to give an account of what they they beleive they who are unsatisfied in that particular may if they please to visite their private Congregations which are open to all commers have further satisfaction perhaps here and there amongst them may be a man that out of his zeale and earnestnes for that which he esteemes truth may outrune his understanding shew many weaknesses in his discourse I would the like frailty and inabilities were not to be found in many of us but if the slips and wanderings of a few and those the weakest be an Argument sufficient to discountenance the Separation and worke them out of the worlds favour I pray God the same Argument may never be made vse of against us amongst whom many and they not esteemed the weakest neither would give great advantages that way In the mean time I wish with all my heart we could all put on the spirit of meeknes and rather endeavour to rectifie by argument and perswation one anothers infirmities then upbraid the owners of them with a visible rejoycing that such things are slipt from them to their disadvantage One Custome they have amongst them which doth make even the generality of them able arguers in defence of their way and that is either an use of objecting against any thing delivered amongst them or proposing any doubt whereof any desires to be resolved which is done in a very orderly manner by which meanes the weakest becomes in a short time much improved and every one able to give an account of their Tenets not relying upon their Pastors as most men in our congregations doe which may serve to remove the objection and put us to consider whether the like custome be not wanting amongst us 2. Reas The uncertainty of knowledg in this life no man nor no sort of men can presume of an unerring spirit 'T is knowne that the Fathers Generall Councells Nationall Assemblies Synods and Parliaments in their times have been most glosly mistaken and though the present times be wiser then the former being much freed from superstition and taking a larger liberty to themselves of examining all things yet since there remaines a possibility of errour notwithstanding never so great presumptions of the contrary one sort of men are not to compell another since this hazard is run thereby that he who is in an errour may be the constrainer of him who is in the truth Ob. But unity and uniformity in Religion is to be aimed at and confusion above all things to be avoyded by Toleration new Opinions will every day breake forth and to the scandall of the Nation we shall become a very monster in matters of Religion one part being Presbyter another Anabaptist Brownist another and a fourth an Independent and so divers according to the diversity of opinions that are already or may be broached hereafter Ans I answer that in truth this objection appeares specious at the first glosse and therfore is very moving upon the people which the Bishops well knew whose it was and taken up as the fairest pretence for the suppression of those who it is to be feared will prove the suppressors For answer whereunto I averre that a compulsion is of all wayes the most unlikely to beget unity of mind and vniformity in practice which experience will make evident For The Fines Imprisonments Pillories c. used by the Bishops

as meanes to unite rather confirmed men in their judgments and begot the abomination and odium which these times have cast upon the Hierarchie being in the worst kind tyrannicall as endeavouring by the punishment of the person the bowing and subjecting of the Conscience And if it be it instanced that some there were that turned with the wind and were terrified by feare of punishment into a compliance I answer that such men are so farre from being examples to be followed that they may more justly be condemned for weather-cokes fit to be set up for men to know which way blowes the wind of favour delicacy ease and preferment Secondly The conscience being subject only to reason either that which is indeed or seems to him which hears it to beso can only be convinced or perswaded thereby force makes it runne backe and strugle it is the nature of every man to be of any judgment rather then his that forces 'T is to be presumed that t is upon some good grounds of reason that a man is of that Iudgement whereof he is Wouldest thou have him be of thine shew him thy grounds and let them both worke and see which will get the victory in his understanding Thus possibly he may change his mind and be of one judgment with thee but if you will use Club Law instead of convincing and uniting you arme men with prejudice against you to conclude that you haue no assurance of truth in you for then you would make use of that and presume of the efficacy thereof and not fight with weapons which you doe or at least should know not to be the weapous of truth But I feare there is something more in it I cannot thinke that the Bishops in their times vsed so many stratagems of vexation and cruelty against good people to gaine them to be of their mind they could not be ignorant that they set the Nonconformists of all sorts thereby at an irreconcilable hatred against them No there end rather was this They had consulted who were opposite to their designes and finding the Puritane and Sectary so to be their interest was by all possible meanes to suppresse them that so they might without opposition trample upon the people And therefore in these times men should consider what they doe For if they who have the publique countenance doe beare them elves after the same manner towards the Anabaptists and Brownists or whatsoever other sect there is or may be that cannot comply with them in judgement or practice as by their beginnings we feare they will what can we judge of them but that their ends and intentions are the same with the Bishops For by their fruits saith our Saviour ye shall know them we may be deceived by words their turnings and contextures are so insinite that they may be framed so as to make the worst seeme good The actions of men are the best rules for others to judge them by Now upon view of the actions of the Divines that are now in favour men doe speake very strangly some say the tyrannie over conscience that was exercised by the Bishops is like to be continued by the Presbiters that the oppressours are only changed but the oppression not likly to be removed Others say that the Anabaptist and Brownist are like to find harder masters for that the Bishops made the punishment of them a matter of sport and profit to themselves and reserved their punishments to be diversions of the peoples mindes from taking too much notice of their intrenchments upon the lawes and common liberty suffering their societies notwithstanding to remaine though so low and dejected that they were past feare of them But the Presbiters as it is conceived will be more violent as slaves usually are when they become masters and thus talke not onely the Anabaptist and Brownist and Antinomian being cheifly in danger but other the most moderate and ingenious meu that are not swayed by the Divines interest They say too that as it is not just so neither is it politike that in the beginnings and first rise when the Divines are but laying the foundation of their greatnesse wealth and sway over the peoples consciences and twisting their interest insensibly with the Parliaments that in the in fancy of their tyrannie they should carry themselves so high and presumptuous as they doe over other men shewes that their wisedome here comes somewhat short of the Serpents or else that they are so impatient at the not compliance of other men that they break out euen against their owne interest Nay some say further that they did well indeed in being so zealous against the Bishops those Drones and Caterpillers of the Commonwealth in making deservedly odious to the people their oppressive Courts Fines Censures and Imprisonments But they begin to fear thatsome bad ends of their owne were aimed at herein and not so much the liberty of the people as that they might get up into the Chaire and become to them instead of a Lord Bishop a ruling Presbytery which they feare will bring in more rigidnesse and austerity no lesse ambition and domination then the former And the reason they have to feare is because our Divines have not dealt clearely with us in many particulars but continue cert●ine interests of the Bishops which they find advantagious to advance their honour esteeme with the people and have entered already into many of their steps which in them at first they did seem so much to abomin●te That the interest only of the Bishop in particular and of that sort of Prelates is exploded but the generall interests of the Clergie whereby another Prelacy may be erected and the mystery of the Divines maintained in credit amongst the people is still with all art and industry preserved I will take the paines both to tell you what those generall interests are and what in reason may be said against them I. Their first interest is to preserve amongst the people the distinction concerning Government of Ecclefiasticall and Civill though upon consideration it will be found that two Governments in one Common-wealth hath ever been and will ever prove inconsistent with the peoples safety The end of Government being to promote virtue restraine vice and to maintaine to each particular his owne one sort of Government which we call the Civill either is sufficient or by the wisedome of the Parliament may be made sufficient for these ends At the beginning of this Parliament it was confessed that it was both too burdensome for the Divines and too bazardous for the State that they should bee trusted with any thing of Government their preaching and instructing the people being if well discharged sufficient to take up the whole man But the times change and the men with them the designe is feasible and it must now againe be thought necessary that the Divines should have a stroake in the Government and therefore that distinction is againe maintained which being

of reply or vindication in publike is allowed to any though never so much scandalized by them And that men may not vindicate themselves by writing their next interest is to be Masters of the Presle of which they are lately become by an Ordinance for licensing of Bookes which being intended by the Parliament for a good necessary end namely the prohibition of all Bookes dangerous or scandalous to the State is become by meanes of the Licencers who are Divines and intend their owne interest most serviceable to themselves scandalous Books being still disperst in the stopping of honest mens writings that nothing may come to the Worlds view but what they please unlessc men will runne the hazard of imprisonment as I now doe so that in publike they may speake what they will write what they wil they may abuse whom they will and nothing can be said against them well may they presume of making themselves Masters of the people having these foundations laid and the people generally willing to beleive they are good I might proceed to shew what usage wise men expect from their Government being once establisht how rigid and austere some thinke they will prove countenancing no recreations but what themselves are addicted to how covetous others deem them observing that they have more regard to the Benefice then the people and doe usually change and shift upon proffer of a better Parsonage Some say that they are a people sicke of the Pharises disease they love to sit upermost at feafts to be reverenced in publike places that their respects towards men are as they are rich and benef●ciall to them and that a pore man can hardly obtaine a visite though at the time when the world couceives there is greatest necessity of it that they'hover about dying men for their Fee and hope of Legacy many other things are commonly talked of them which because I suspect to be true I will set myself hereafter more narrowly to observe The Objection wereupon all this I hope necessary digression is built was that men may be compelled though again●● conscience to what the Synod or present Ministery shall conclude to be good and agreable to Cods Word because unity and uniformity in the Church is to be endeavoured To which I further Ans Answer That to sorce men against their mind and judgment to belecive what other men conclude to be true would prove such tyranny as the wicked P●oc●us●es mentioned by Plutarch practised who would fit all men to one Bed by stretching them out that were too short and by cutting them shorter that were too long If we beleive as the Synod would have us what is this but to be brought into their miserable condition that must beleive as the Church beleives and so become as said an honest man not the Disciples of Christ but of the Synod 3. Reas The third Reason for Liberty of Conscience is grounded upon these foundations that whatsoever is not of faith is sin and that every man ought to be fully perswaded of the truenesse of that way wherein he servcth the Lord upon which grounds I thus argue To compell me against my conscience is to compell me against what I beleive to be true and so against my faith now whatsoever is not of faith is sin To compell me therefore against my conscience is to compell me to doe that which is sinfull for though the thing may be in it selfe good yet if it doe not appeare to be be so to my conscience the practice thereof in me is sinfull which therefore I ought not to be compelled unto Againe I am counselled by the Apostle to be perswaded in my owne mind of the truth of that way wherin I serve the Lord I am not therefore to be compelled to worship God in such a way of the justnesse whereof I am not yet perswaded much lesse in such a way as is against my mind Ob. Nothing is more dangerous to a State espeacially in these times than division and disturbance by severall wayes of Brethren which have encreased our miseries and therefore to avoyde division they who wil not of their own accords comply are for the quiet of the state to be compelled and punished Ans I Answer that it is verily thought that the harshnesse only of this proposition hinders that it is not yet put in execution till time cunning have fitted it for the people for we are told in the last consideration tending to diswade from further gathering of Churches that suffering is like to be the portion of such as shall judge the right rule not to be delivered to them A man would thinke that those people that so lately were the sufferers the noyse of whose exclamations against such courses is scarce yet on t of the peoples eares that they should not so soone thinke of being the Tyrants But to the Objection I answer that the diversity of mens judgments is not the occasion of division because the word division hath reference to falling off from the Common cause Now though the provocations and incitements against the Brownists and Anabaptists and some of the Independents have beene many yet their affections to the Publike weale are so hearty in them and grounded upon such sound principles of reason that no assay of the Synod can make them cease to love and assist their Countrey and it is more then evident by the prosperity of our neighbours in Holland that the severall wayes of our brethren in matters of Religion hinder not but that they may live peaceably one amongst an other and the Spaniard will witnesse for them that they unite sufficiently in the defence of their common liberties and opposition of their common enemies Besids it s very materiall to consider that it hath ever been the practice of those that are countenanced by Authority to endeavor the suppression of those that are not who is therefore in the fault the quiet Separatist who being perswaded in his conscience of the truth of that way he desires to serve the Lord in peeceably goes on to do his duty as he thinkes himselfe bound to doe or they who out of a lordly disposition care not what injury they doe to others though to the hazard of the Common-wealth to advance themselves and their government they defame the Separation in their writings and Sermons bid their poselites beware of them as of a dangerous and factious people stoppe their mouthes keep the Presse fom them provoake them by all wayes possible and then like the crafty Politian cry out upon them as the causers of division I heare some men say that it concernes the Minister so to doe because his living depending upon his tythes and guifts is the greater the more rich and numerous his audience is and therefore the Separa ists are not to be suffered who they find by experience draw many people after them and though not the devout honourable women nor the cheife men of the

an opinion O then they tell us that our Anabaptists are no Anabaptists To what purpose then doe they exclaime against Anabaptists that have been of that opinion as they say though for my part I beleeve neither them nor the books that tells them so when they cannot but know if they know any thing that the Anabaptists which now are be not of that opinion why for this end and purpose they resolve to make the Anabaptists odious to the people and nothing they thinke will sooner doe it then by making the people beleeve that they are the harbourers of such an opinion as would dissolve all societie and bring into confusion the state Now this they speake of the Anabaptists in generall knowing that the people will apply it to the Anabaptists in England concerning whom how true it is you may judge by that which followes The Anabaptists opinion concerning Government is that the world being growne so vitious and corrupt as it is there can possibly be no living for honest men without Government That the end of making Government is the Peoples quiet and safety and that whatsoever doth not conduce thereto is tyranny or oppression not government That the Government of England is of all others that they know the most excellent the people by their chosen men being the makers reformers therof That therein the Parliament is the supreme power and that the King is accountable to them for the not performance of his Office as all other Officers of the Common-wealth are That the Parliament only are the makers and alterers of Lawes for the regulation and ordering of the people That of right they are to be called by those Lawes they have made in that behalfe and to dissolve when they themselves see good that it is not at the Kings wil or pleasure to signe or refuse those Bills the Parliament shall passe but that he is of duty to signe them That all great Officers and Majestrates of the Kingdome are to be chosen by them That the King is to have his personall abode neer the Parliament that they may have free conference with him at pleasure touching the former discharge of his Office or the present state of the Common-wealth That to Parliaments alone belong the disposall of Shipping Forts Magazines and all other the Kingdomes strengths both by Sea Land The making of peace war the pressing of souldiers the raising of monie for the preserving or regaining the safety or freedome of the people which for any other person to doe is treasonable These grounds principles of our government they knowing could not but see the exorbitances of the King whereto al his lawles courses designes tended therefore have not ignorantly as perhaps others but upon these grounds assisted the Parliament and will doe till the last Judge by this then whether these men hold an opinion against government or at what wretchlesse passe those men are that would make the people beleive they doe I might insist here upon a Booke called The Confutation of Anabaptists lately set forth which saies They are absolute and professed enemies to the essentiall Being of Civill Government but I find people so little regard the Booke it being so full of non-sence and in this particular so evidently contrary to truth and the experience of every man that lookes abroad and knowes any thing of the Anabaptists that it will be but losse o● time to take notice of it only it were worth observation to see how easily it obtained an Imprimatur and how open the Presse is to any thing true or false sence or non-sence that tends to the Anabaptists scandall or disgrace In the beginning of the Parliament a Booke was published called the History of the Anabaptists in High and Low Germany the aime whereof was by fastning odious errours and feigned mutenies upon the Anabaptists to deter this present Parliament in their Reformation of Bishops for feare as the booke saies least they who now cry out for Christs rule strike not so much at the misrule of Episcopacy as quarrell at all rules so that what course was taken by the Bishops and their freinds to hinder the Reformation of that Hierarchie namely the affrighting the Reformers by airy and imaginary consequences the same are used by our Divines to prevent a through Reformation of many erroures and mistakes in our Clergie which they exceedingly feare and therefore they have and doe continue early and late to render the Anabaptists as odious to the people as their wits and inventions can make them But as the Bishops then failed of their ends by the wisedome of the Parliament so I trust the present endeavoures of our Divines in striving to raise themselves upon their Brethrens disgrace and ruine will by the continued courage and prudence of the Parliament prove vaine and fruitlesse They who eccho the Kings words and take the Bishops course I will not say have the Kings ends but so farre doe the Kings worke The King I confesse has reason to cry out upon the Aabaptists because he knowes them to be enemies not of Government but oppression in Government and all those who intend to oppresse in any manner ought if they will be true to themselves to doe so too for the Anabaptists are oppressions enemies whoever be the oppressours And whereas they say they find in Bookes that the Anabaptists are enemies to all Government it were well if they would confider who wrote those Bookes it may be they were written either by mistake or for the same end ahat they repeate them We can shew you books too that say the Parliament are Brownists Anabaptists And past all question if the King should thrive in this unnaturall warre this Parl. should in their Court Histories not only be called Anabaptists but branded also to all posterity with that opinion falsly and maliciously fathered upon the Anabaptists That they were enemies to Government and went about to bring all into confusion little credite therefore is to given to Bookes in matter of obloquie and scandall but the men and their judgments in the times they live are to be considered And then I am confident it will appeare that the Anabaptists be of well affectted mindes and peaceable dispositions meriting a faire respect from the State and may well challenge amongst others the quiet enjoyment of themselves as they are men and the ordinances of Christ as they are Christians I will adde one thing more to the Brownists and Anabaptists glory that in the times of the Bishops domineering when many of the Presbyterians complyed some to the very top of Wrens Conformity and preached for those things they now prerend cheifly to reforme and the Independants fled to places where they might live at ease and enjoy their hundred pounds a yeare without danger the Brownist and Anabaptist endured the heate and brunt of persecution and notwithstanding the severall wayes of vexing them continued doing their duties counting it the glory of a Christian to endure tribulation for the name of Christ And the times a●●e●ing the Presbyterian soon comes about and the Independant comes over to be ●eaders in the Reformation when forgetting the constancie and integrity of those who bore the heat and burden of the day they hold the same heavy hand over them that their fathers the Bishops did And as the Brownists Anabaptists affection to the common good of all was themfirme able to endure the triall of persccution so hath it in these present searching times continued constant unshaken notwithstanding the many almost unsufferable Injuries provocations of the Divines on the one fide the faire promises frequent invitations of the King on the other so that had any ends of their owne beene aimed at they could not have continued such resolved immoveable enemies of Tyranny freinds to their conutry I beleeve if we would suppose other men to be in their Condition we could hardly expect the like even upright carriage from them amidst so many stormes and temptations surrounding them I hope all good men will take all that hath been said into consideration especially the Parliament who I presume are most ingenuous and impartiall of all others and whom it cheifly concernes they being called and trusted to vindicate and preserve the peoples liberties in generall and not to enthrall the Consciences Persons or Estates of any of them unto a pregmaticall pretended Clergy whether Episcopall Presbiteriall or any other whatsoever The greatest glory of authority is to protect the distressed and for those that are Judges in other mens causes to beare themselves as if the afficted mens cases were their owne obseruing that divine rule of our Saviour What soever yee would that usen should due vnto you even so doe yee to them And if to the Parl. it shall appeare for the reasons given or other better they can siggest to themselves that it is most uniust and much more unchristian that any man should be compelied against his conscience to a way he approves not of I doubt not but they wil be pleased for Gods glory and vnion sake and likewise for these good mens sake which for the present it principally concernes at least for their owne sakes for who knowes how socne this may be his owne case speedily to stop all proceedings that tends thereunto and for the future provide that as well particular or private Congregations as publike may have publike protection so that upon a penalty no injury or offence be offered either to them from others or by them to others That all Statutes against the Separatists be reviewed and repealed especially that of the 35. of Eliz. That the Presse may be free for any man that writes nothing standalous or dangerous to the State That so this Parliament may prove themselves loving Fathers to all sorts of good men bearing equall respect to all according to the trust reposed in them and so inviting an equall affection and assistance from all that after Ages may report of them they did all these things not because of the importunity of the people or to please a party but from the reason and justnesse of them which did more sway with them then a Petition subscribed with Twenty thousand hands could have done FINIS