Presbyterians in England But they were dead and few even of the few Nonconforming Ministers succeeded them in the Study of that point But saith he Were they none of them in the house Ans Yes one or did they protest against the proceedings of the Episcopal and Erastians Ans That one went with them And Non entis non sunt accidentia But saith he Can Mr. B. believe or think any one else so weak as to be imposed on in a matter so notorious that it was a Parliament of Episcopals and Erastians and not Presbyterians that began the war Ans Thus youngmen that know not whom they talk of can controle the most publick matter of fact by their conjectures Go ask the worthy Master of the Rolls Sir Harbottle Grimston whose Speeches were then printed Ask Sir Joh. Maynard His Majesties Sergeant at Law who was one of them or any other of them yet living Ask them whether they knew themselves and their companions better than you who it seems knew them not But saith he Were they Episcopals that voted down Episcopacy Root and Branch before the war begun Ans 1. Have you proved that they did so 2. Do you think that acontradiction 1. They had got a belief that Bishop Laud had got such men into the Seats as were for a Syncretism with the Papists described by Heylin and against the Subjects Property and Liberty And it was the Men and not the Office that offended them 2. But because they were willing of the favour of the Scots and those Londoners who were against the Bishops they pleased them by voting down the present frame intending to set up a moderate Episcopacy in its stead Yea long after this when many Learned Divines in the Assembly declared themselves for Episcopacy but not for Deans Chancellors c. They altered the Covenant so as to describe the present frame only And when the House of Lords took the Covenant Mr. Coleman an Erastian gave it them openly declaring that it was not meer Episcopacy that this Covenant renounced but only the English described Complicate form And could they have had such Bishops as Abbot and the old Church of England they had never gone thus far 3. And they thought not Episcopacy itself so necessary though if moderate the best sort of Governments as to hazard all for it which they thought had been in danger Even in 1640 July 17. They Voted a Diocesan in every County with Twelve Divines to Govern But saith he Were they Episcopals that Petitioned the King at York for Reformation in Discipline and Worship then i. e. for abolishing Episcopacy and Common-Prayer Answ 1. Reforming is not Abolishing 2. I answered that as to the last When they feared that the Old House would fall on their heads they were for pulling of it down and building a New one after such a Model as Bishop Usher after gave and the Germane Swedish and Danish Churches have which they called the Primitive Episcopacy But before they could do it they needed the Scots help who brought in the Covenant which they chose rather than to fall into the hands of those of whom they had such thoughts and fears as I need not now describe Prin's History of Laud's Tryal describeth them I would ask this confident Historian whose senses tell him what Religion men were of contrary to their daily practice of communicating in the Parish-Churches conformably whether the Longest Parliament of all which made the Acts of Uniformity the Corporation and Vestry Acts the Two Actâ— against Conventicles the Militia Act c. were Presbyterian or Episcopal Verily if these were Presbyterians I am none nor ever will be We shall then have a strange definition of a Presbyterian such as will take in Bishop Sheldon Bishop Morley Bishop Gunning and such others If not did not the fear of Popery make that very Parliament begin to look so sowrely on the Clergy as produced that which I need not tell you of And did not most of the same men meet in the next Parliament after and look yet more suspiciously on the Clergy And the next yet more And doth it follow that they were not Episcopal but Presbyterian But some men are confident against the Sun-light and the most notorious Publick Evidence But I must confess that such have shaken my belief of the meer Moral Evidence of most History and left me only certain of that which hath Evidence which is truly Natural in the Natural Impossibility of Conspiracy in a Lie There were men heretofore that would swear that man was a Puritane who would not swear and drink with them and would pray in their Families and read the Scriptures on the Lord's Day while others were dancing And the word Puritane is now vulgarly changed into Presbyterian by the Clergies Conduct And there are some Clergy-men that will say a man is a Presbyterian who reproves them for Drunkenness and Swearing and other Crimes specially if he would not have Nonconformists ruined and laid in Gaol with Rogues In this sense I deny not but Lords Commons and Army had many Puritanes or Presbyterians among them who yet never knew what Presbytery was But saith Mr. M. Were they Episcopal who pray the King at Oxford to abolish A. Bishops and Bishops c. that entred into a Solemn League and Covenant against Episcopacy and for Reforming the Church after the Presbyterian Platform and set up Presbytery by so many Ordinances Answ Distingue tempora is none of this Historians Principles How long after the War begun was this Petition at Oxford this Covenant and these Ordinances He proveth them Presbyterians at first when they knew not what it was because they were for Presbytery a year or two after Negatur Sequela The Scots taught afterwards the Assembly and them that which they never knew before 2. And all these Petitions Ordinances shewed not what they preferred as best but what they preferred before expected ruine The Issue proved this and Heylin confesseth it and saith They never set up Presbytery in any one place which yet is not true though they did not force it 3. Do you not know now living those Episcopal Conformists who refuse no part of your Conformity and are much against Presbytery who since the Discovery of the Papists Plot are so much afraid of Popery and so confident that too many of the Clergy are prepared for it that a little more would turn them from you though they love Presbytery as little as they love your selves In a word The Old Clergy and the Parliament Men agreed The New Clergy in Bishop Laud's time distasted them the Scots Presbyterians helping them in their straits partly turned some of them and partly imposed on them unpleasing conditions But saith he The Erastians and Independents were at first inconsiderable and acted joyntly with the Presbyterians c. Answ Thus is History delivered to the deluded World Neither Independency nor Presbytery were understood by many till the War was
Stile or Passion and also tells me that if making odious Gods servants silencing and persecuting faithful Ministers and Perjury should prove as great a guilt and danger of Destruction to the Land as is feared I cannot justifie my long Silence nor that I use no more plainness and fervency in calling the guilty to Repent The CONTENTS I. A Specimen of the Way by which this Generation confuteth their Adversaries in several Instances II. In the General Part § 1. Hard for young men to know what Teachers or History to believe § 7. Tempting Reasons for Papacy § 8. Evident against it § 9. The Steps by which Bishops ascended to Papacy § 15. The different Opinions of Popery in the English § 18. The Case of Fact discerned what Judgment I settled in about Church-Power § 20. For what Mr. M. hath wrote with so much displeasure against me § 22. Instances of above an Hundred Councils besides particular Bishops all before An. 1050. of whom I appeal to the Consciences of all sober Men whether they have not been the Tearers of the Church General Instances of the greater Schisms since then by popish Bps. Some Questions put to Mr. M. and some Reasons to abate his displeasure § 22. Of a late Book of the History of my Life to prove me the worst of men § 24. Whether I be guilty of falsifying History III. The particular Answer to Mr. M's Vindication Ch. 1. The Reason and Design of my History of the Schisms of Bishops and Councils Ch. 2. Whether we ought to tell of the Bishops and Councils Church-corrupting Ways Ch. 3. Of Mr. M's Industry to shew me to be unlearned Ch. 4. Whether I vainly name Historians which I never read Ch. 5. Of my use of Translations and following Binnius Ch. 6. His charge of my own mistranslations and mistakes Ch. 7. His false Supposition that I am only for a Church of one Congregation Ch. 8. His false Supposition that I am against Diocesanes when it 's only the ill species Ch. 9. And that I am a Independent and yet plead for Presbyterians Ch. 10. His false Accusation that I make the Bishops the cause of all Heresies and Schisms Ch. 11. And that I mention all the Bishops Faults and none of their Goodness Ch. 12. His Accusation of Spite Malice and Railing examined Dr. Burnet satisfied Ch. 13. His Supposition that I speak against all Bishops Councils Ch. 14. Some mens Credit about ancient History tried by their History of this Age. Twenty Instances of the History of our times My own experience of it Whether I hate compliance with Superiours or to preach by Licence Ch. 15. Mr. M. Magisterial authorising or rejecting what Historians he pleases His Accusation of Socrates and Sozomene and valuing Valesius Simond c. Ch. 16. His Observation on my Notes of credible and incredible History His Instances of my Railing particularly considered Whether the word Hereticating be railing or causeless An Instance of Fifty five of Bp. St. Philastrius's accused Heresses by which I desire any sober man to judge Other Instances Whether St. Theophilus or Socrates and Sozomene were the Criminals Even Pope Honorius and Vigilius hereticated for being wiser than other Popes Ch. 17. Of his Censure of my Design and Church Principles Whether I be guilty of exposing Christianity more than Julian Lucian Ch. 18. Of his 2d Chap. Who is most against Discipline Of Anathematising Whether Novatus was a Bishop or an ordaining Presbyter Councils for rebaptising His Self-contradictions Some Questions to him Whether the Diocesane Party as Mr. Dodwel who nullifie our Sacraments are Hereticks if the Re-baptisers were such The old qu. was not of Rebaptising Hereticks but of such as Hereticks had baptised Of the Donatists and many Councils Of our Liturgy's Rule to find Easter-day What the Novatians held Petavius and Albaspineus Testimony of them His quarrels about Epiphanius the Arians the Audians divers Synods Antioch Of the Circumcellians Optatus of the Donatists as Brethren His Excuse of the Bishops Ch. 19. Of the 1st General Council at C. P. Whether Bishops followed Emperours Their usage of Greg. Nazianz. Of the Priscillianists the Bishops and Martin Of my Letter to Dr. Hill Of the Council at Capua Jovinian Easter African Bps. Donatists Theophilus Aliars Ch. 20. His 5 Chap. Of the 1st Ephes Council His reviling Socrates and Sozomene as against Cyril Cyrils Story Of the Presbyterians Cruelty Nestorius Case His cavils against my Translations The effects of that Council at this day considered Ch. 21. Of the 2d Ephes Council Of Cyril the Eutychians and Dioscorus Ch. 22. Of the Calcedon Council Pulcheria and Eudocia What one sound man can do in a Council Whether our late Conciliatory Endeavours about Arminianism have been as vain as these Councils Of Theodos 2. and the Eutychians The whole story of that Council Luther as well as I makes the Controversie verbal Of the Bishops Peccavimus Many Accusations refelled More of the Councils Successes and late Conciliators The Westminster Synod Mr. M's way of Concord Of the old Conformity and ours Mr. Edwards Gangrena and the late Sects and Heresies Ch. 24. Of his 7th Chapter Of the old Heresies Whether Projects for Moderation have been the chief distracters of the Church He ost falsly saith that I charge the Bishops with all the heresies in the world What it is that I say of them The true cause of Schism confessed His misreports of the cause and Bishops His false saying of me that I compared Oliver and his son to David and Solomon My profest Repentance which he seigneth me an Enemy to What Nonconformity is and what his misreports of it An explitatory profession of the meaning of this Book against Misinterpreters THE Ready Way OF Confuting Mr. Baxter A SPECIMEN OF THE PRESENT MODE OF Controversie in England Joh. 8. 44. 1 King 22. 22. Prov. 29. 12. 19. 5 9. Rev. 21. 8. 22. 15. IN 1662. Dr. Boreman of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge Published a Book against me as having written to Dr. Hill against Physical-Predetermination to Sin and in it saith That it is reported That I kill'd a Man with my own Hand in cold Blood and if it be not true I am not the first that have been wronged The Man though promoted to the Charge of this Parish St. Giles in the Fields was accounted so weak forbearing his Ministry and saying he was suspended some Years before he died that I thought it vain to take publick Notice of his Words neither imagining whence he had them nor ever hearing of them before But a few Weeks before the late Plot was reported one Mr. P. came to me and told me That at the Coffee-House in Fullers-Rents where Papists and Protectants used familiarly to meet he provoking the Papists to Answer my Books or to Dispute with me was answered by a Gentleman of this Parish said to be of the Church of England That Mr. Baxter had kill'd a Man in cold Blood with his
fact yea the most publick of the persons place and time which our senses have given us notice of that we must believe them with as great difficulty as we must believe Transubstantiation even in opposition to all our senses and experience And whether those men be fit Vindicaters of the Bishops and Councils above a Thousand years ago which are blamed by the Historians of their own Age and by their own Confessions and by their most servent Defenders who notoriously misreport the persons and actions of their own Place and Age I think it is not hard to judge I will instance in Twenty particulars of publick notice for those against particular persons even my self are not to be numbred I. It is now commonly taken for true that the present Nonconformists who gave in their Desires for Concord 1660. are of the same Judgment as those called Nonconformists heretofore and whatever can be raked up out of Christ Goodman Knox Kilby or is reported by Bancroft is partly chargeable on them when as their proposed Desires yet shew the world that they never made any motion against many things by those aforesaid scrupled in Doctrine Worship and Ceremony And it is commonly supposed by them that the present Conformity is but the same as the Old and the Case no harder to us And this notwithstanding all the still visible Acts and Alterations and Additions which attest the contrary to all the world II. In most of their Invectives the present Nonconformists are argued against as if they had been in the Civil War against the King or had been guilty of it more than the Conformists And that War is made a Reason of their Silencing whereas so few of them had any hand in it that I have many times told them that if they will Silence none but those that they can prove guilty of any War or Rebellion or Sedition the rest of us will give them a thousand Thanks though we suffer our selves Few of the present Nonconformists were then in the Ministry and of those few that were few now living meddled with War III. They are so confident that the Parliament and Army that began the War in England were Nonconformists yea Presbyterians and not of the Church of England that Mr. Hinkley here Mr. Morrice make a renouncing of their Senses or Understandings necessary to the believing of it And yet they might as well tell us that they were all Turks or Papists Are not a Parliament and an Army things publick enough to be known in the same Age When we name to them the Chief Lords and Commons and Chief Commanders yet and lately living who are known still to live in their own Communion and when we challenge them to name Three Presbyterians that were then in the House of Lords or the House of Commons or many that were at first Commanders in the Army and we name them the Men that then Commanded who were commonly known to be Conformists of the Church of England And if they will not believe their present practice and profession they may yet go to them and be satisfied from their own mouths what were their former Principles I have told them of a most credible Member of that Parliament yet living who hath ost profest to me that he knew but one Presbyterian in the House of Commons when the war began and I have named that one man to them to try if they can name another I expect not that they should believe me or such other concerning those whom we knew But they may believe the men themselves yet living their most familiar Friends Yea the Records of many foregoing Parliaments with Laua's Life written by Dr. Heylin fully sheweth them that the difference arose 1. About the fear of Popery and Arminianism as they thought tending towards it 2. About Property Loan-mony Knight-mony and after Ship-mony c. 3. About Imprisonment of members and other Gentlemen And these were still the quarrel But saith Mr. M. How then shall we believe our senses Ans See Reader whether his most confident Errours about past things be any wonder He is not so sure of what he saith of the old Prelates or the Nestorians Eutychians c. as he is that he must believe his Senses And his very senses tell him that a Parliament even Lords Commons and an Army many of whom are yet living were of another opinion in Religion than ever they were then acquainted with and which was known to very few in England till afterward And this contrary to their Profession and practice and the senses of their acquaintance Lords are Persons of so publick notice that they may easily yet be informed of the living and the dead In the Army the Chief Commanders were the E. of Essex the E. of Bedford yet living Sir John Merrick the E. of Peterborough Dolbiere the E. of Stamford the Lord Hastings E. of Huntington the Lord Rochford E. of Dover the Lord Fielding E. of Denbigh the Lord Mandevile E. of Manchester the Lord Roberts now Earl of Radnor and President of his Majesties Council the Lord St. Johns killed at Keimâ—n Fight Only the Lord Say and Lord Brook were known Independents and whether the Lord Wharton yet living was then for Bishops or against them I know not but all the rest were of the Church of England And so were the other Collonels Sir Henry Cholmley the late Lord Hollis Col. Will. Bampfield Col. Tho. Grantham Col. Tho. Ballard C. Sir William Fair fax Col. Charles Essex Col. Lord Willoughby of Parham Col. Sir Will. Waller Col. Edwin Sandys Cap. Lord Grey of Grooby and I think then Sir Will. Constable and Col. Hampden What mind Sir Will. Balfoore was of I know not But I know his Country man Col. Brown was too far from a Puritane But saith Mr. M. 1. It 's well the Bishops had no share in it Ans Let Heylin tell you what hand the difference between A. Bishop Abbats Church of England and Laud's then little Party had in the preparations 2. And was the A. Bishop of York no Bishop who afterward was a Commander for the Parliament But saith he I pray where were the Presbyterians when the Parliament took up Arms Were they not then in being Ans An excellent Historian that maintaineth Parliament and Army were such as he knows not whether they were then in being Yes Sir they were in Holland and France and Geneva and Scotland and in England there was one John Ball and one Mr. Langley and a few more such old Nonconformists that never were in Arms and old John Dod and one Mr. Geree that was against the war and dyed for grief of the Kings death But among those called Puritans few knew what Presbytery was till the Scots afterward brought it in Much less did Lords Commons and Army know it In your sense Sir they were not then in being and therefore could not fight It appears by Bancroft and others that there had been once
new Historians would make us believe that the Reformed Church of England before Bishop Lauds time were of their mind that now call themselves Bishops and Doctors of the Church of England in holding as they do that there is an Universal humane Soveraignty with Legislative and Judicial power over all the Churches on earth and that this is in Councils or an Universal Colledge of Bishops of which the Pope may be allowed to be president and Principium Unitatis c. and that he must be obeyed as Patriarch of the West and so we must be under a forreign Jurisdiction Whereas it is notoriousy known that before Bishop Lauds time the doctrine of this Church was quite Contrary as may be seen at large in the Apology the Articles of Religion the writings of the Bishops and Doctors Yea they writ copiously to prove that the Pope is Antichrist and put it into their Liturgy And Dr. Heylin tells us that the Reason why Bishop Laud got it out was that it might not offend the Papists and hinder our reconciliation with them And the Oath of Supremacy sweareth us against all forreign Jurisdiction XV. The same Historians would make us believe that these mens doctrine is now the doctrine of the Church of England or agreeable to it Whereas the Oath of Allegiance is still in force and so are the Homilies and the Articles of Religion and the Laws and Canons for the Kings Supremacy against all forreign Jurisdiction And there is no change made which alloweth of their doctrine And the Church doctrine must be known by its publick writings and not by the opinions of new risen men XVI The new Historians make the Nonconforming Ministers to be men grosly ignorant preachingfalse doctrine of wicked principles and lives and not fit to be suffered out of Gaols And yet these 19. or 20. years how few of them have been convict of any false doctrine And I have not heard of four in England that have ever been convict since they were cast out of being once drunk or fornicating cheating swearing or any immorality unless preaching and not swearing Subscribing c. be such nor for false doctrine XVII The new Historians have made thousands believe that the doctrine or opinions of the Nonconformists is for sedition and rebellion And that it is for this that they refuse to renounce the obligation of the Covenant as to all men besides themselves and that they refuse to subscribe that it is not lawful on any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against any Commissioned by the King Whereas we have at large in a second Plea for peace opened our judgments about Loyalty and obedience and none of them will tell us what they would have more nor where our profession is too short or faulty Nor have they convict any of my acquaintance of preaching any disloyal doctrine XVIII Yea they have by writing preaching and talking made multitudes believe that the Nonconformists or Presbyterians have been long hatching a rebellion against the King and have a Plot to take down Monarchy under pretence of opposing Poperty And how far these Historians are to be believed true Protestants by this time partly understand XIX Yea these Historians have made multitudes believe that the Parliaments that have been disolved here of late years have been designing to change the Government of Church and state under pretence of opposing Popery As if that Parliament that did that for them and against us which is done and made all the Acts which are for the Renunciation of the Covenant and for all the Declarations Subscriptions and Practices Imposed and for Fining us 20 l. and 40 l. a Sermon and laying us in Gaols had been for Nonconformists and against Episcopacy and they that made the Militia Act and such other had been against the King or his Prerogative Or the other following had not been of the same Religion XX. But the boldest part of their History is their description of the two sorts of the People in England those that are for the present Nonconformists and those that are against them Those that are against them they account the most Religious Temperate Chast Loyal Credible and in a word the best people through the Land for of our Rulers I am not speaking And those that are for the Nonconforming Ministers they defame as the most proud hypocritical treacherous disloyal covetous false and in a word the worst people in the Land or as Fowlis saith the worst of all mankind and unfit to live in humane Society How long will it be ere the sober people of this Land believe this Character One would think that the quality of the common Inhabitants of the Land should not be a Controversie or unknown thing All that I will say to this History is to tell the Reader the utmost of my observation and experience from my Youth up concerning these two sorts of men Where I was bred before 1640. which was in divers places I knew not one Presbyterian Clergy man nor Lay and but three or four Nonconforming Ministers Nay till Mr. Ball wrote for the Liturgy and against Can and Allen c. and till Mr. Burton Published his Protestation protested I never thought what Presbytery or Independency were nor ever spake with a man that seemed to know it And that was in 1641. when the War was brewing In the place where I first lived and the Country about the People were of two sorts The generality seemed to mind nothing seriously but the body and the world They went to Church and would answer the Parson in Responds and thence go to dinner and then to play They never prayed in their families but some of them going to bed would say over the Creed and the Lord's Prayer some of them the Hail Mary All the year long not a serious word of holy things or the Life to come that I could hear of proceeded from them They read not the Scripture nor any good Book or Catechism Few of them could read or had a Bible They were of two ranks the greater part were good Husbands as they called them and savoured of nothing but their business or Interest in the World the rest were Drunkards Most were Swearers but not equally Both sorts seemed utter strangers to any more of Religion than I have named and loved not to hear any serious talk of God or Duty or Sin or the Gospel or Judgment or the Life to come But some more hated it than others The other sort were such as had their Consciences awakened to some regard of God and their Everlasting State and according to the various measures of their understanding did speak and live as serious in the Christian Faith and would much enquire what was Duty and what was Sin and how to please God and to make sure of Salvation and made this their Business and Interest as the rest did the world They read the Scripture and such Books as The Practice of Piety and Deut
Very good but cried Pretty good Ink Pretty good Ink and no body would buy of him and he lost his Ink. And if you cry up An indifferent Religion whatever you have for numbers you will have for quality but an Indifferent Church save our Rulers XV. But he adds Many of them would preach against it and their Governours too Ans 1. You tempt them towards it If I ask the Butcher Is your Meat sweet and he say it is indifferent I am excusable if I think it stinks 2. They judge by the effects They thought that when an indifferent thing casteth out a necessary thing it becomes naught 3. But yet your Accusation is unfaithful Why did you not say then that it was not for Non-conformity that men were cast out but for preaching against your Religion Who were those Was it proved If so what was that to the rest Do you punish many learned moderate men for the fault of a few others that they were not concerned with You now alledge Mr. Hildersham Ball Bradshaw Baine Knewstubs and abundance such for being against Separation and persuading men to come to the Common Prayer and many of them to kneel at the Sacrament and yet when you plead for their Silencing even other mens words may serve against them XVI To conclude in all he layeth the cause of their silence on themselves for not conforming and yet will not tell us what we should do to help it Would they have us Conform while we judge it as sinful as I have mentioned in my first Plea for Peace No they profess the contrary Would they have us believe all to be lawful We cannot Our Judgments are not at our Command What would they have us do to change Worldly Interest maks us too willing We study as hard as they We earnestly beg Gods Illumination to save us from Er rour We read all that they write to convince us And the more we read study and pray the more heinous the Sin of Conformity seems to some I askt Bp. Morley the same question when he forbad my preaching before the ejecting Act and he bid me read Bilson and Hooker I told him that was not now to do and in both of them I found the Principles which are made the cause of my Silencing my greatest Crimes and in one of them worse He then told me If God would not give me his Grace he could not help it And yet most of these men are against fatal reprobating necessitating Decrees The imposing Papists use men worse Of whom will you pardon a Fable A Bee and a Flie were catcht together in a Spiders Web The Spider when they were tired with striving claimed them both for her Food as a punishment for breaking into and troubling her Web And against the Bee she pleaded that she was a hurtful Militant Animal that had a Sting and against the Flie that she was noisome and good for nothing The Bee answered that her mellifying Nature and work was profitable and Nature had armed her with a Sting to defend it And the Flie said as she did little good so she did little harm and could make her self no better than Nature had made her And as to the Crime alledged against them they both said that the Net was made by a venomous Animal spun out of the Air and the Venom of her own Bowels made for no use but to catch and destroy the Innocent and they came not into it by malice but by ignorance and mistake and that it was more against their Will than against the Spiders for they contrived not to fall into it but she contrived to catch them and that it was not to break the Net that they strove but to save their Lives The Master of the House overheard the Debate but resolved to see how the Spider would judge which was quickly done without more words the took them for Malefactors and killed them both The Master of the House so disliked the Judgment that he ordered that for the time to come 1. The Bees should be safely hived and cherished 2. And the Flies if not very noisome should be tolerated 3. And all Spiders Webs swept down I need to give you no more of the Exposition of it than by the Spider I mean the Papal noxious Canon-makers and that by the Net I mean their unnecessary and ensnaring Laws and Canons which are made to catch and destroy good men and are the way to the Inquisition or Bonner's Coal-house or Smithfield Bonefires But I must desire you not to imagine that I speak against the Laws of the Land § 27. As to the Conclusion of his last Chapter I shall now add no more but this If what I said before and to Mr. Hinkley satisfie him not of what Religion and Party both sides were that began the War and Mr. Rushworths Collections and other Histories of former Parliaments be not herein useful to him let him but secure me from burning my Fingers with Subjects so red hot by mens misinterpreting and impatience and I will God willing give him so full proof that to say nothing of latent Instigators and consequent auxiliaries on either side nor of the King himself whose Religion is beyond dispute the parties else that begun the War in England did differ in Religion but as A. Bps. Laud and Neal and Bromhal and such others and A. Bps. Abbot and Williams and Bp. Bilson on the other side and as Dr. Mainwaring Sibthorp c. on one side and Mr. Ri. Hooker and such on the other side differed And if my proof be confutable I will not hereafter undertake to prove that English is the language of England But my Bargain must be thus limited 1. I will not undertake that from the beginning there was no one Papist on the Kings side or no one Presbyterian on the Parliaments I could never yet learn of more than one in the House of Commons and a very few Independents but I cannot prove that there was no more 2. You must not put me upon searching mens hearts I undertake not to prove what any mans heart in England was but what their Profession was and what Church they joined with in Communion 3. And you must not equivocate in the use of the name Presbyterian or Nonconformist and tell me that you take some A. Bps. and Bps. and such Divines as Ri. Hooker and Bilson and Bp. Downame the Pillars of Episcopacy and Conformity for Presbyterians And if it may be I would beg that of you that you will not take the long Parliament for Presbyterians and Nonconformists who made the Acts of Uniformity the Corporation Act the Militia Act and those against conventicles and for banishment from Corporations c. Notwithstanding their high Votes about the Succession and Jealousies of Popery and that which they said and did hereupon For I confess if it be such Nonconformists or Presbyterians as those that you mean I 'le give you the better And I must