of a Congregation so the whole House of Commons and every Member thereof are punishable in their life limbs and estate by the whole people and every free-born man in England RRRR even the poorest begger for as I take it there is not nor has not for many ages any person been born a slave in any part of Christendome I will not here interrogate where or how these Soveraign Lords the people can meet to hear an account All former Laws and Acts of Parliament must be abolished and to give out judgement upon their faulty servants the new Parliament of Commons only I would be resolved by what Law this very grand Jury of the whole people are like to proceed Shall the King and Lords and the ancient way of Parliaments take away with themselves all former Laws which have been their creatures we thought it might have been losse enough to have destroyed with the King and Lords such Laws as did concern their two abolished States in particular but we are taught a more deep lesson all the Laws which these six hundred years have produced must be cast into the bottom of the Sea for ever for since the Norman Conquest the great work of all Parliaments hath been how to contrive evill Laws for the oppression of the people SSSS Now I doubt if there be any authentick registers of English Laws before the Conquest this day extant or if any such be whether it shall be found expedient to keep them on foot when all the other are cassed and annulled The will of the multitude must stand for the Soveraign Law hereafter It seems our new Soveraigns the people the sole creators of all Kings and Parliaments when once they are established in their Supremacy will be loth to have their hands bound by the fetters of any humane Laws much lesse of those old forgotten worm-eaten Statutes which the Danish Saxon or British Tyrants in the time of their domination did obtrude as in Religion there must be no Law but what every man in his conscience thinks to be the sense of the word of God that is the supream rule to him so it must be in the State TTTT We know who has printed the unlawfulnesse to make any Laws for the State Scripture being alike well furnished in Laws for the State as for the Church VVVV But I conceive it will be a great deal more easie for a few persons in the generall Court of New England to agree in their applications of the word of God to every civill emergent then for that many headed Soveraign the whole people of old England the one may much more safely be troubled to rule according to their gift of Government without any written institute and humane Law XXXX then the other for I believe if the whole free-born people of England were set on the Bench to judge of all causes according as every one did conceive without any written Law all by-past constitutions being cancelled the government of our State would quickly become more arbitrary and confused then long could be endured and those inconveniences which they professe to be the only cause why as yet they do not totally abolish both the name and thing of a very House of Commons YYYY by a little experience should be found to be more and greater then now are imaginable But that we may proceed I do propone one only scruple more about the point in hand By what means so great changes in Church and State are like to be compassed for not only King Charles and all our living Lords but also Royalty and Lordship it self must be cast down The present House of Commons for their manifold misdemeanors must be dissolved and so the whole fabrick of our old corrupted State totally abolished and a frame wholly new put in its place wherein no footstep either of Monarchy or of Aristocracy may appear ZZZZ but the Soveraignty must rest in each individuall of the people as they speak AAAAA the most poor base weak foolish creatures possessing a like share of the Supremacy both civill and Ecclesiastick the Kinghood and the Priesthood as they call it BBBBB with the most noble wise able wealthy of the land CCCCC having it at their option to execute the Soveraign power by themselves or when they find it for their ease to nominate so many Deputies DDDDD every November EEEEE to be a Parliament of Commons to cognosce upon extraordinary incidents as their Soveraign the people shall prescribe them rules though in ordinary cases they declare their purpose to set up twelve men with a President in every Hundred who upon their oath of fidelity shall be intrusted to determine absolutely all causes belonging to that Hundred without appeale to any Judge except the Aniversary meeting of the whole peoples deputies FFFFF This new Ochlocratorick republick where every individuall participates of the Soveraignty The three fundamental Laws of our new Utopian Republick not as in Democracies where the better sort only of the people have voyce in Government whether they will be pleased to make to themselves a body of new Laws they have not so far as I observe as yet declared only they seem to set up three fundamentall rules First that in matter of Religion every man must be absolutely at his own disposition to believe speak write do what ever he thinks sit GGGGG Secondly that men in publick place either of Church or State must serve freely if they have any means of their own or otherwise if they be poor their greatest gages in the most eminent places shall not exceed the summe of 50 or at most 60 pounds a year HHHHH Thirdly that all men â—n all places shall be accountable and punishable in their life and estate by their Soveraign Lords the individuals of the people without all controll or appeal IIIII According to reason and experience the present distemper of the Sectaries is posting on fast to a Dictatorship absolute Tyranny in the hand of one Since all these things must be as our new Statists give the world assurance of their resolution to have them is it not like that before so great changes can be brought about much resistance will be made a strange confusion and bloodshed multitudes of difficulties cannot but fall in the way shall it not therefore be absolutely necessary that some men of known valour and courage whose wisdome faithfulnesse and successe long experience makes unquestionable be set up to command in name of the people for some time till these high and mighty designs may be gotten accomplished and the people once be set down in peace upon the high places whence the King Lords and Commons wont to pronounce these unjust Laws which now with their authours must be laid aside In such cases of extraordinary difficulty the wise people of Rome did oftentimes name a Dictator in whose hand for a certain time they placed all their power the Senate the Armies the Magistrates both
been to this houre so silent as to give no glory to God nor any assistance at all to the setling of the State and Church though it be clear as the noon-day that the ways of their party did really tend to the corrupting and enslaving both of State and Church that the Parliaments of both Kingdomes were put to an absolute necessity of defence against their force to preserve their own and the posterities necks from an iron yoak both of Ecclesiastick and Civill bondage that the continuance of this war has brought the Kingdomes oft to the border and the King this day to the very doors of ruine that the Church is overflowed with a floud of evils all which by their timous and cordiall conjunction with their brethren might â—â—ppily in some good measure have been prevented Shall Episcopacy and a read Service be so necessary in a Church that rather then England should joyn with all the rest of the reformed to lay them aside the King the Parliament the State of the Kingdomes and Churches of the whole Isle must perish for any help that any of them will make with the least of their fingers Posterity cannot take well at their hands so pervicacious an obstinacy Suppose so many provocations and scandals cast in their way by the hand of others as may be yet for men of parts and fame to be touched with no compassion towards the Churches of God and their deare Countrey but to adhere so stifly to these things w th the best of their friends in all other Protestant Churches did esteem ever to be but needlesse and changeable and which now the better part of the whole Isle doth beleeve to be dangerous corruptions and necessary to be removed for them to be so wedded to those toys that rather then they will advise to lay them aside they can be content to behold the whole royall Family both the Houses of Parliament the City the Countrey and all to be destroyed such prodigious pertinacy cannot want great guiltinesse It s great folly to misprize the danger from France However that our dangers from the Malignant party doth yet continue will not be doubted when thâ—ir number and quality and great obstinacy yet over all England is considered In Scotland their case is not much unlike Ireland is well-near wholly their own their correspondence with the neighbour States is great their hopes from France seem to be but too well grounded If the peace of Munster come quickly to an end as the appearances are great enough France Sueden and Bavaria being sure of all their desires at the charge of the Austrians and our best friends the reformed Electors Palatine and Brandeburg what else has the French adoe with their great Armies and Navies Their peace with Spain is not so impossible as some would mâ—â—e it they will be glad to give over their interest in Catalonia and Portugall for the fair and nearly adjoining Territories of West-Flanders In such a bargain they would make the dishonesty to be but small for the Catalans shall not be deserted when reconciled to their own King in such tearms as themselves shall like for the performance whereof France will oblige their alliance with Portugall is not so strict but a lesse bud then the half of West-Flanders will easily break it in pieces and that without much hazard to Portugall for it is easie to France to send them under-hand as many men and money and to see to their subsistence as well as when the confederacy was open and avowed It is the ridiculous blindnesse of some to contemn the posture of all the world abroad as if England were situated so far above the moon and stars that the most malign aspects of all neighbour Nations could have no influence upon it Be it so that vigoroâ—s and healthfull bodies are little sensible of planetary operations yet very small changes of the heavens and air are able to vex much a crazy and valetudinary person For many ages Britain has not been in so great a distemper as this day it is Antichrist may be near to swallow down the whole reformed Churches the people so broken and exhausted by a heavy war the land full of open divisions and heart-burnings the best and greatest part groaning under heavy grievances both of Church and State whereof there is little appearance of any possibility of redresse in haste the Sectaries growing in numbers and insolencies of all kinds and openly inclining to join with the Malignants rather then to misse of their hopes and very unreasonable desires Fools are blind and unable to comprehend the grounds of just fear and so they go on in their rashnesse till they be plunged in the ditch of remedilesse calamity and then onely doe they begin to complain of their former inconsideration What long has been the opinion and fear of some not unconsiderable Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole Protestant Churches I pray God to avert If froÌ„ the Malignant hand there appear not mischief enough to hang this day over the head of the Churches of Britain The flood of Errours and Heresies like to overflow the Church let us divert a little our eye to the other side the nâ—w generation of Sectaries from this quarter so much smoak doth arise as alone is abundantly able to darken our skie It is long since all at least the principall Articles of Christian Religion without exception of any that I remember have been oppugned The holy Scriptures both the Godhead and Manhood of Jesus Christ the holy Ghost the Divinity it self is now exploded with high and basphemous scorn all Churches all Sacraments all publick Worship and Ordinances are made unnecessary A liberty for all Errours the great aim yea unlawfull And if any point of Religion hath had the fortune to escape the blasphemous tongues and pens of these erroneous men lest it should still go free from opposition the most of that party have nâ—w set up their rest upon a principle which makes them sure to gather up their gleanings when ever their leisure may serve them to make a review of their omissions A liberty to beleeve to professe to propagate in matter of Religion whatever any the most desperately erroneous soul may conceive to be truth All these are but things of the mind and matters of opinion a toleration in them is miserable and despicable but a free and absolute liberty in every such thing is the due and naturall right of every humane creature in all places of the whole earth This monstrous imagination of liberty is not only generally put in practise without any considerable control now for some years in the midst and all the corners of England but men of prime place have courage to write the justice of it under their hand to the High Court of Parliament yet without any repentance we hear of The Parliament
spoiled of all power to reform Religion It was a matter of our grief to know men of parts assert that the Reformation or defence of Religion notwithstanding all the Declarations Protestations and Covenants of the Parliament might not be any part of our apology for our defensive arms It has lien heavy upon our spirits that men of most corrupt minds should be permitted to hinder year after year the setling of the Church of England in any passable condition when there appeared little difficulty of a quick plenary and satisfactory settlement except what such evill men did create who make the retardment and frustration of every thing which may advance the truth of God a matter of their most serious practises in private and in publick of their daily sport and drollery But this was to us a cause of wonder that the very other day the principall Chaplain of the Army should be brought to proclaim with all confidence in a most solemn audience of the Hoâ—se of Commons it self that all the Reformation of the Parliament was but Antichristianisme that the Reformation of the Church by any Christian Magistrate before them was no better that God requireth all Magistrates to lay aside all intentions of reforming the Church a And therefore Honourable beloved I say to you touching this work of Reformation of the spirituall Temple of the Nâ—w TestameÌ„t as God once said to David touching the building of the materiall temple you did well in that it was in your heart to reform the Kingdome of God neverthelesse you shal not reform it for you have been men of war and have shed much bloud therefore you shall not doe this work for this is not a work of men of war but of the Prince of peace Dels Sermon to the House of Commons p. 13 14. Ibid. Object May not the spiritual Church of Christ be reformed with worldly and secular power I ans by no means Ib. p. 26. All these things shew that worldly power hath no place at all in the Reformation of the Gospel Ibid p. 26. They that would govern the faithfull the members of Christs own body make themselves the head of these members and so Antichrist may as well be found in a combination of men as in one single perfom that the onely right Reformation was that of the heart which was to be left to Christ alone as he was pleased to work in the breast of every man that the new Sectarian Preachers which are run out without any call either from God or man into every Shire of the Kingdome are sent out by Christ to be instruments of this Reformation that their Ministry is that of the Spirit b Ibid. p. 29. Gods anointed ones are the faithfull that are anointed with the Spirit and these anointed ones are the Lords Prophets and the Lord hath no Prophets but such as are anointed with the Spirit all his brethren are made Prophets being fellows with him in his unction Ib. When I see the generality of the people of all sorts rise up against the ministration of the Spirit which God hath now an these dayes of ours set up even in every County for salvation to his people but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to the rest it does grieve me to see how the City Countrey Countrey Towns Villages doe all rise up for the most part against the ministration of the Spirit for this is a certain sign of the undoing of them all that their followers are the Saints which shall prevail maugre all opposition c When you read what you have heard you must needs acknowledge it to be the mind of God if you received the anointing of the spirit In the Epistle ib. this truth shall carry all opposition and opposers before it and none shall be able to stand against it and of this both your selves and this generation shall bee witnesses that all the other Ministers of England who dance not after their pipe especially such as M â— Love who opposed this man immediately to his face are but lims of Antichrist whom the Parliament is obliged to suppresse without any toleration d Ib. p. 41. Truly sir when God shall make you a new creature you will be glad of new light the old light will serve the old man well enough your Sermon savours as ill to the faithfull as mine to the world In the Epistle If the Assembly which I hope they will not should condemn that doctrine of the Gospel for the substance of it delivered then by M. Dell it will be no blasphemy to say they are the enemies of the truth of Christ and I hope the last prop of Antichrist in the Kingdome Ib. The Prelates successors in the Kingdome of Antichrist still cry No Minister no Magistrate Ib. To the Reader This light was since obscured by the new darknesse of Antichrist which these men love better then that old light and will by no means exchange the one for the other and these as well as their Fathers of the same race and lineage in whose stead they are new risen up shall in due time become a reproach and a shame and their name shall be for a curse to all Gods chosen In the Epistle I shall desire this in the behalf of the faithfull Gods peculiar portion in the land that you would not suffer us to be oppressed by our adversaries neither would suffer them thus publickly and shamelesly to call as Sectaries and Hereticks P. 38. The Magistrate may deterre you and the rest of the Kingdome that are of the like minde from resisting and hindering this work which hath its authority from heaven that so the Saints my pray for the Magistrate Who now are the persecuters Hitherto are these men come already notwithstanding all their declamations against persecution though no man has molested them now for some years nor laid in their way the least impediment to think speak write act whatever they thought expedient for the propagation of any blasphemy they have been pleased to entertain nor called them to any account when by the force of arms they have beaten out of their Pulpits and Houses the faithfull Ministers of God themselves usurping their places in very many parts where the Army has gone and setting out to the people by all the skill they had whatever heresie the times hath produced Yet now their fears to be persecuted are come to this that they dare preach the House of Commons to their face Antichristian oppressors for assaying to reform the evident corruptions of the Church within their own jurisdiction And exhort them to lay aside that sinfull and impertinent work permitting every man to follow in Religion whatever his own heart dictates to be best Yet by no means to tolerate any Preacher who shall oppose that their liberty To this height of presumptuous malice are those declamers against persecution publickly proceeded and in all this are countenanced
all others for it has been seen when ever the sword of power has fallen into their hands that they have been as severe and cruell oppressors of all who did not absolutely without exception submit to their Laws as any Tyrants who yet have appeared upon the earth SSS But presupponing that their old principles bâ— now altered and their present Tenets about liberty of conscience be most conscientious and sincere which they upon no occasion will any more change the Magistrate had need to know whether the granting of all this liberty whereof we have been speaking willfully content them When the State hath denuded it self of the care and cognisance of the matters of the soul The granting of all this liberty will not assure the Magistrate of the Sectaries civill obedience and put these absolutely in the power of every mans own free will may it then expect obedience to its other Laws in things civill and temporall The Confessionists in this seem to be clear and freely to grant to the Magistrate in things civill all due obedience but that this is the generall sense of all the rest of that sect M. Marshall permits us not to believe for he tels us that the most of the Anabaptists are in their conscience against all Magistracy as well in matters civill as Ecclesiastick TTT In the time of their weaknesse for fear of trouble they can be silent and gâ—ve obedience to their commands without any question but when the days of their power shall come when the righteous shall inherit the Land which they long have been looking for and believes to be now at the doors the Magistrate must then lay down his rule give up his Government and be content to be ruled by the two-edged sword of their Saints which Germany did feel to be very sharp and ready to shed much innocent bloud The Tenets practise of the Sectaries destroy Magistracy The troublers of New England did not only plead for a freedom and immunity from all civill Laws the reasons whereof did not convince their consciences both of their lawfulnesse and expediency TTT 2 but were also ready if they had not been prevented by force of Arms in a very unjust and seditious manner to have risen against the State and to have cut the throats of their opposites VVV when after their banishment they were set down by themselves they could not indure Magistracy but put it down as a condition unlawfull for a Christian to undergo XXX But that which concerns this State now most to take heed of They professe their design to overturn from the ground the government of our State as now it stands is that growing Tenet of all the Sects among us wherein divers Anabaptists are with the first a declared aversenesse from all obedience to the present Magistrates and Laws and frequent motions to have the very fundamentals of the State government new moulded to their own fancies they do no more dissemble their detestation of Monarchy the King and all of his blood must be destroyed King Charles for his mis-government must lose his life this execution does not satisfie Justice YYY But for no time to come either the name or the King of royalty must be more heard of in England ZZZ Kings Lords are no more tolerable When thus far we have gratified the new moulders of our State will they then be content to be under the government of a Parliament without a King they assure us this is far from their purpose The Parliament as it stands is as rotten a body as the King an head at the first bout they pull down one of the two Houses and smother all the Lords the Peers are a pestiferous excrement of Kings and with them they must go packing AAAA The ground of all their dignity is wickednesse BBBB Their personall carriage has been corrupt CCCC The best of them are false Traytors DDDD Neither is the House of Commons any longer to be endured When that Paganish invention EEEE of King and Lords is abolished can we have assurance to get the House of Commons for our Governors if so our case were somewhat safe and comfortable but the new framers of our State tell us that the House of Commons when they are deprived of the society of their very ancient companions their old fellow Governours the King and Lords and themselves alone are become the whole and full Parliament of England they must not then expect to be rulers for they also have exceedingly abused their trust they have many ways abused the people Upon divers of their most eminent Members they cry out as Traytors FFFF upon the most as covetous self-seeking men GGGG upon all the Lawyers as pestiferous Members no lesse then the Bishops were in the House of Lords GGGG 2 upon many other of the Members as a faction adhering to the Lords in all their wicked designs GGGG 3 upon the whole House as the authors of greater evil to the people then either King or Lords or Bishops or any former oppressors did ever bring upon England HHHH They insist especially upon one of their ordinary Acts of insupportable Tyranny they have for many ages bound taxes by Law upon the back of the free-born people of England this is no longer to be endured IIII what the people thinks meet voluntarily to offer it may be received but to lay a necessity upon any to give for any use private or publick any more of his goods then himself the just owner is willing is an oppression too long connived at KKKK Of this great grievance the House of Commons has been the great instrument wherefore they also must be taught to know their place and to remember their condition that they hereafter may be content to be humble servants to their Soveraign Lords and Masters the free-born people of England LLLL to them they must be accountable and by them punishable toties quoties these their new Masters find them delinquents MMMM Our Masters are not here speaking what in some extraordinary cases The poorest begger in the Land has a share of the Soveraignty above the King and Parliament an intolerably oppressed people by the Laws of an unavoidable necessity are forced to do before they perish but of that which they affirm ought to be the ordinary perpetuall just and necessary case of England Kings and Lords must for ever be abolished a Parliament of Commons must for ever sit at the feet of their supream and absolute Lords the multitude of the people this present House of Commons must be dissolved NNNN and another presently put in its place which may sit no longer then one year OOOO A Trienniall Parliament is worth nothing PPPP A perpetuall Parliament a Parliament of longer continuance then one year is unsupportable QQQQ As in the Church all and every one of the Officers are to be under the jurisdiction and censure of the whole and every one of the members
finde that all their zeal and Covenanting with the high God is for no other end then to bring this easily deluded Nation under bondage to Presbyteriall Lords and Taskmasters The interest of England p. 16. Quaere 6. Whether the solemne League and Covenant may not prove the greatest mischief and snare unto the Kingdome in case its interpretation be wrested from the Parliament to the Presbyters new proselyte and his confederates that ever yet was invented since the Warres See also Dels scruples against the Covenant through the whole PPP 3 Remonstrance of many thousands p. 8 10 13 14 18. Also the interest of England p. 13. PPP 4 I spare to name the worshipfull and reverend instruments of this high contumely most unworthy of them PPP 5 Conscience cautioned p. 5. If the Scots stay and keep our Towns and Garrisons after voted out is it not Invasion Is it not the same to enter in hostility or in confluent numbers after voted out if they deliver not up the King when demanded without capitulation for they are our Army our servants and is not the king our States Prisoner Ibid. p. 12. All this is but to King the Scots under the colour of the Kings name to make them Kings of England and the English their slaves Quaeries Who is it that holds out c p. 1. Also black cloud in the North through it all PPP 6 Gangren third Part. QQQ The modest Queries concerning a printed paper p. 6. Abstruse and disputable points of Religion as that of free-will of the Trinity of the Hypostaticall union concerning the death of Christ concerning the state of the soul after death c. RRR Ibid. p. 1. Whether it be agreeable to the minde of Christ for men to inflict the heavy censure of death upon their Brethren for holding forth such Doctrines or opinions in Religion suppose contrary to admonition which for ought the said inflicters know except they make themselves infallible may be the sacred truths of God SSS Vide supra in the Histories of Becold and Muncer TTT M. Marshals Defence p. 75. It is most apparent that their Books even to this day do constantly defend that though Magistracy be an Ordinance of God as to them who are not under the dominion and kingdome of Christ yet Christ hath put an end to it among his own people taken away all Magistracy from among them that no Christian can be a Magistrate with a good conscience and that if Christians do live under any such they are to bear them but as other plagues and judgements are to be born TTT 2 Disswasive first Part p. 152. MMMMMM 3. VVV Ibid. p. 72. VV. XXX M. Williams informed me that Mistresse Hutchison in the first place she setled with her company after her banishment did perswade her husband to lay down the office of the Magistrate as that which was unlawfull for Christians to bear YYY The just mans justification p. 10. That you would think upon the grand murderer of England for by this impartiall Law of God there is no exemption of Kings Princes Dukes Earles Barons Judges or Gentlemen more then of Fishermen Coblers Tinkers and Chimney-sweepers upon his shoulders all the innocent bloud that hath in such abundance been shed in this Kingdom doth lie Numb 35.31 God saith plainly that there shall no satisfaction be taken for the life of a murtherer but he shall surely be put to death because Saul though a King slew some Gibeonites contrary to the Covenant made with them God sent a famine upon all Israel for three years for that very innocent bloudshed by the King And there was no expiation or satisfaction to be made therefore but by the bloud of him that had shed it and therefore because he himself was dead and his bloud could not be had seven of his sons of his own bloud must and was hanged up to make satisfaction therefore 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3 4. to the 9. See also Arguments proving that we ought not to part with the Militia Argument 10. According to protestations oathes and Covenants he ought to be brought to exemplary and condign punishment he being the greatest and most notorious delinquent in the whole Kingdome yea the originall fountain and wel-spring of all the Delinquents in the Kingdom giving Commissions to all the rest to kill murther and slay the innocent people Also Queries to finde out who it is that holds out in Arms against the State of England How can it be properly said that the English Creator the State of England can commit Treason against its own meeâ— creature the King their rebellious servant who hath stood it out in open hostility as long as possibly he could against his earthly Soveraign Lord King and Creator the State universall whose legall and formall representative the Parliament is ZZZ The Remonstrance of many thousands p. 6. Your Preachers must pray for him as if he had not deserved to be excommunicated all Christian society or as if ye or they thought God were a respecter of the persons of Kings in judgement we do expect according to reason that ye should in the first place declare and set forth King Charles his wickednesse openly before the world and withall to shew the intolerable inconveniences of having a Kingly Government from the constant evill practises of those of this Nation and so to declare King Charles an enemy and to publish your resolution never to have any more but to acquit us of so great a charge and trouble for ever and to convert the great revenue of the Crown to the publick Treasure The last Warning p. 1 2. None can shew one good Act that ever any King did voluntarily for the good of the people If ye will examine Stories or your own experience your self may produce thousands of oppressions murders and other Tyrannies though no condition of mankinde ever did so many so intolerable mischiefs though it cannot be said to what use they serve or that there is any use of them except to debauch and vex a people you hate those that would shew a more just and rationall way of Government then that of Kings Remostrance p. 16. If ye would in many things follow the Hollanders good example and make this Nation a State free from the oppression of Kings and the corruption of the Court c. AAAA The just man in bonds p. 1. The Lords are but painted puppies and Dagons that our superstition and ignorance their own craft and impudence have erected no naturall issues of Laws but the extuberances and mushromes of Prerogative the wens of just government putting the body of the people to pain as well as occasioning deformity Sonnes of conquest they are and usurpation not of choyce and election intruded upon us by power not constituted by consent not made by the people from whom all power place and office that is just in this Kingdome ought onely to arise BBBB Alarm to the House of Lords p. 4. This is
indeed I have for had I thought that the Parliament had had no rule but their own will to have walked by I should never have drawn my sword for them and for my part I know no difference betwixt Tyranny and such proceedings Ib. p. 3. Since the first of May last I have by authority from the House of Commons been three times imprisoned before ever I knew mine accuser or my accusation or ever was suffered to speak one word in mine own defence Ib. p. 14. Hear O heavens and give ear O earth and thou righteous God that lovest Justice and judgement and hatest and abhorrest oppression and cruelty which makest wise men mad put forth thy hand and do justice thy self upon the unjust and unrighteous Judges of this age whom the people have set up for their good namely to preserve their lives liberties and estates as their faithfull Stewards and servants and yet destroy what they would seem to maintain p. 17. Amongst those that would be thought their friends they are rob'd plundered spoiled opprest undone and destroyed by all sides and no remedy left for redresse but the little ones to be eaten up of the great ones in every place which makes poor mens lives a burden to them that they are ready to wish themselves back again in Egypt in their bondage and rather to have one Tyrant then many Alarum p. 11. These deceivable snares leading to worse then Egyptian slavery wherein we our poor infants on their mothers breasts others who know not the right hand from the left yea and our whole posterity are most pitifully catched and involved even as Gods own particular people the Jews were in the days of Haman except there come such a happy and speedy remedy as it pleased him in mercy then to send beyond the expectation of man IIII Gangren second Part p. 117. They teach that the people of God are a free people and what they do they should do freely and voluntarily and not to be assessed and rated by the Parliament compelled to pay rate upon rate assessement upon assessement KKKK Gangren second Part p. 122. It was laid to M. Oats charge then that he had preached against the assessements of Parliament and the taxes laid upon the people teaching them that the Saints were a free people and should do what they did voluntarily and not be compelled but now contrary to this they had assessement upon assessement and rate upon rate LLLL Remonstrance p. 1. Calling those their Commissioners in Parliament to an account how they have discharged their duties to the universality of the people their Soveraign Lord from whom their power and strength is derived and by whom ad bene placitum it is continued MMMM Ib. p. 3. We are your principals and you our agents to preserve the splendor and glory of that underived Majesty and Kingship that inherently resides in the people or the State universall the representation or derivation of which is formally and legally in the State elect or representative and none else whose actions ought all to tend to that end against encroachments usurpations and violences of all its creatures officers and Ministers in the number of which are Kings themselves from whom for whom they have all their power and authority as the execution of their will and minde for their good and benefit to whom they are acountable for the faithfull discharge of that trust reposed in them NNNN Birthright p. 32 33. Whether is it not agreeable to Law justice equity and conscience that there should be a Parliament once every year and more often if need require that seeing this present Parliament by reason of the extraordinary necessities of the Kingdom have sate four years many of the Members betrayed their trust and those that remain ingrosse Law-making and also Law-executing into their own hands contrary both to reason and to the meaning of the Law by which manifest abusing negligent and not true using the Laws oppressions mischiefs and grievances are no lesse if not far more increased then they were before the Parliament began many times by the powerfull interest of a faction in the Parliament to save some one two or three of their Members undeserving credits they so violate the known unrepealed and declared Law of the Land yea and their own Votes Ordinances Declarations Protestations as if they had never made them I say all these things considered ought not the free men of England not only to choose new Members where they are wanting once every year but also to renew and enquire once a year after the carriage and behaviour of those they have chosen OOOO Vide supra NNN PPPP Remonst p. 20. Nor do we value a Trienniall Parl. before 3 years come to an end grievances mischiefs may be past remedy QQQQ Birthright p. 30. We have just cause to fear they will set up an interest of their own destructive to the common freedom so make this present Parl. an everlasting Parl. the War a never dying War seeing it tends so much to the enriching of Parliament men their Officers RRRR Vide supra also Conscience cautioned p. 12. If neither Law nor Lords will allow the people to be saved then may they not be saved any way and both Laws and Lords fall before their Soveraign the people as Dagon did before the Ark rather then the people perish Birthright p. 32. I have heard it reported that self-denying Cromwel was about a design of getting a Committee set apart an order made published to the whole Kingdom that if any man were unjustly oppressed by any Member of Parl. Committee-man or any other Officers or Ministers let him bring his complaint he shall have a just and fair hearing and justice done not in words but in actiâ—ns upon the transgressor Interest p. 10. We know it is not Gods way to have respect of persons in judgment and that the doing thereof has frequently lost Gods favour and made States miserable Englands lameâ—table slavery p. 6. What became of that common and thredbare doctrine that Kings were accountable only to God what good effects did it produce No they are but corrupt and dangerous flatterers that maintain any such fond opinions concerning either Kings or Parliaments SSSS The Conqueror rob'd England of Edward the Confessors Laws and in stead of them set up the Dictates of his own will whose Norman rules practises to this day yet remain in the administrations of the Common-Law at Westminster Hall By reason of their tediousnesse ambiguities uncertainties the entries in Latin as bad as the French because it is not our own tongue their forcing men to plead by Lawyers and not permitting themselves to plead their own cause their compelling of persons to come from all places of the Kingdome to seek for justice at Westminster which is such an iron Norman yoke with fangs teeth in it that if we were free in every particular else
Treatises that very justly those grave Divines did passe them by with contempt how vain and unworthy all that they bring is any intelligent person may easily consider Their first argument is this Onely such as John and the Apostles ministred Baptism to ought to be baptized But John and the Apostles administred Baptism only to beleevers and not to their infants Ergo onely beleevers and not their infants are to be baptized Answ Both major and minor are denied the major because it makes examples of Scripture the full rule of Baptism contrary not only to truth but to the Anabaptists own principles and the Disputants own arguments following who are content to make up the Scripturall rule of Baptism not only of examples but also of commands and of other Scripturall warrants no man ever in any ordinance of God did tie alone to Scripturall examples that is but a partiall rule either of faith or practice The minor likewise is denied for the Apostles baptizing of whole house-holds is an example of baptizing of all within the house young and old male and female without the exception of infants The second Argument The second makes one and the same man to differ from himselfe essentially Infant Baptism differeth essentially from the Baptism taught by Christ and his Apostles The essentiall difference is put in the subject and form of Baptism We baptize infants Christ taught these to be baptized who do actually beleeve and repent We baptize by sprinkling Christ taught to baptize by dipping Answer The bringing in in a dispute before simple people the School term of essentiall difference serves more to clogge and darken then to clear the understanding of the hearers however we deny both the parts of the proof Sprinkling and Dipping are two forms of Baptism differing not essentially but accidentally circumstantially or modally so to speak and till of very late the Anabaptists themselves did not speak otherwise but because now our adversaries are come to make sprinkling alone a sufficient ground of nullifying our Baptism we shall consider that whole matter in a Chapter by it self For the other part of the proof the essential difference of the subjects we deny it upon two grounds first let the difference betwixt infants and their beleeving Parents be as great as it may yet it is nothing to us who affirm that these very places which expresse the Baptism of beleevers do not inferre the exclusion of infants but as we proved from the same and other places do clearly inferre their Baptism Secondly these new Disputants do not well to force upon us a new Logick especially when in their very next argument they banish out of this dispute all the Logick men have hitherto been acquaint with whether naturall or artificiall Do infants and their Parents differ essentially is the difference betwixt any men how repugnant soever in qualities and other accidents any more then numericall who did ever dream that an infant unbaptized did differ from himself when thereafter he did beleeve and was baptized essentially I hope our Disputants intend not to multiply the same individuall person to more differing essentially one from the other or rather one from it self this were more then ever came in the minde of the Poet when he doubled the persons of Amphitruo and Sosia or of the Papists when they multiply the same body in divers places The third ties God in the revelation of his will to precepts and examples alone The third Argument is this That religious worship for which there is no command nor example in Scripture is unlawfull But the Baptism of infants is a religious worship c. Ergo. Ans This is the same in effect with their two former arguments but that the first takes onely one part thereof examples recorded in Scripture and the second clogges it with the needlesse term of essentiall difference In this third shape it is prosecuted with a great deal of high language as if their adversaries could not have answered it while as indeed it is nothing but the old cavill of all the Anabaptists which has been answered so often as any have ever had to do with any of that generation and what here is brought to relieve it is so absurd that few of the Anabaptists themselves will own it But to the argument it self Both its propositions are false the major for this reason The Lords revealed will in his word is a sufficient warrant for our practise now the Lord reveals his will not only by commands and examples but also by promises threatnings instructions and other such ways of speaking In this the former argument came nearer the truth for it spoke of the doctrine of Baptism but did not limit that doctrine to commands and examples alone Again the minor is false for all these Scripturall commands and examples of Baptism which warrantably are applied to the Baptism of infants are so many commands and examples written in Scripture for infant Baptism and of those in our arguments for the affirmative we brought many Apply this your great and Achillean reason to another subject and its vanity will quickly appear That religious worship for the which there is no command nor example in Scripture is unlawfull But womens participation of the Lords Supper the Baptism of Kings of Merchants of M. Cox or any person in his Congregation is such For where have they either a command or example for the baptizing of any of these particulars if they exclude as here they do all kinde of consequences and deductions from Scriptures The question is not It everts the principles of all reasoning and turns men into stones If that which by necessary consequence is deduced from Scripture be Scripture that is but a needlesse Logomachy but if it be a reall truth which we ought to beleeve and according to which we may lawfully practise However some old Anabaptists over Sea did decline so farre as they might consequences from Scripture yet of our late Anabaptists in England I have heard of none before those Disputants that have ever called true Scripturall consequences into question and if these men should stand to this plea they would quickly involve themselves into worse errours then yet they have thought of No Scripture can be made use of or applied for instruction reproof comfort or any other service to any singular person but by consequence and according to the rule of reason Dictum de omni nullo destroy the principle of reasoning you turn anon men into beasts into timber and stone The foolish Jesuite Veron who was the chief authour of this extravagancy was quickly cried downe in this madnesse by his own companions The consequences that here are multiplied about Episcopacy the Service-book the Ceremonies c. are for no purpose for the world knows that no good consequence from any Scripture could ever be brought for any such corruptions And for that which here as also in the Preface is so much desired
writers asserting the ancient custome of dipping in baptisme A generall answer to the testimonies for dipping To which I answer first what ever authority testimonies may have with us yet with him that brings them and with his whole party they are of no value at all Will they mislike or so much as suspect any of their absurdest novelties when it is demonstrate to them that the whole current of all Christian writers ancient and modern is against them is it not then their custome with a great deal of scorn to declaim against the vanity and frivolousnesse of an argument from humane assertions Secondly the Treatiser himselfe cannot but know that every one of the Authours he brings does positively impugne his assertion the necessity of dipping and unlawfulnesse of sprinkling in Baptisme Thirdly his witnesses though they assert indefinitely the antiquity of dipping yet none of them does deny the like ancient use of sprinkling both those may well stand together and so it is the judgement of many that sometimes dipping and sometimes sprinkling as the occasion required were practised in the Primitive times Fourthly of those that speak of ancient dipping how many doe understand it of the totall immersion of a naked body over head and ears and yet this alone is our question Fifthly though even for this testimonies were brought yet they come not home unlesse such a dipping be attested to be a rite unchangeable and so necessary that the omission of it at any occasion were a sin and breach of the Lords institution When any writer either ancient or modern except some few of the latest Anabaptists is brought to bear witnesse to any such assertion I shall acknowledge my information of that whereof hitherto I have been altogether ignorant THE CONTENTS OF the Treatise The PREFACE SLothfulnesse is fatall when unseasonable Men are most carelesse when their dangers be greatest The present danger of the Protestant Churches of France Holland of Germany of Zuitserland of Britain by the Malignants by the Sectaries Our dangers from the Malignants are not yet past The unexcusable obstinacy of the Episcopall Divines It s blindnesse and dementation to misprize the danger from France Antichrist is possibly neare to swallow down the whole Reformed Churches A floud of Errors and Heresies is like to overwhelm the Church of England A liberty for all Errors is the great aim of some They spoil the Parliament of all power to reform or meddle with Religion Who now are the persecutors How great is the monster of Libertinism The Sectaries having done with the Church proceed to the overthrow of the State The Parliament must be abolished The best remedy of our dangers from the Malignants is the return of the King to his Parliament in just tearms The zealous diligence of Ministers might do much to cure the evill of our errors The sedulous activity of the Sectaries doth shame our slothfulnesse The caveats of zeal Presbyterians are far from opposing the least degree of true piety Charity and compassion are to be extended to our enemies Presbyterians were never persecutors The dignity and power of the Magistrate must be carefully preserved The scope of the Treatise CAP. I. The Originall and Progresse of the Anabaptists BErengarius no Anabaptist The Albigenses knew not Anabaptisme p. 1. Neither MelancthoÌ„ nor Carolostadius did favour Antipaedobaptism p. 2 The true originall of the Anabaptists The malignity of their spirit Their singular hypocrisie p. 3 The preposterous pity and charity of good men towards them was the cause of their strength Their wicked doctrines and practises Luther did justly stir up the Magistrate against them p. 5 Great numbers of them were slain The unhappy end of their Author Muncer ib. Zuinglius did oppose their gathering of Churches in Zuitserland The reason of their banishment thence p. 6 Their intolerable practises The tragedy of Munster p. 7 The ordinary custome of Hereticks is not to labour but to spoil the labours of others King Becold enters Munster Some of the prime Ministers are gained to Anabaptisme The slacknesse of the Magistrate though orthodoxe did ruine the City The Sectaries though fewer and weaker yet by wit and industry did master their opposites By the stirrup of Toleration the Sectaries ascended to the saddle of Soveraignty p. 8 Being once masters of the City they presently changed the government They seized on the goods of all and killed whom they would The peoples mindes being ensnared by their errors their tyranny became irremediable They proclaimed Polygamy p. 9 A faint and unsuccessefull resistance did hasten and confirm Becolds Kingdome The splendour of Becolds Court His barbarous cruelty and hypocrisie His unhappy end p. 10 Amsterdam in hazard to be a second Munster A woman Messias Division and Schismes were the Anabaptists ruine p. 11 The difference betwixt the Monasterians and the Battenburgicks The Sect of the Hophmanists p. 12 Who were the Mennonists A Synod for union did divide them amongst themselves more then ever David Georgius labours for union p. 13 Divers Sects of Anabaptists evanished David George had a great shew of zeal and piety p. 14 Yet his absurdities were horrible The extraordinary zeal of his followers His strange end p. 15 The increase of the Mennonists The errors of the Mennonists Their Schismes p. 16 For a light cause four late separations among them The state of the Anabaptists in England p. 17 Independency the cause of their increase and boldnesse p. 18 Their late Confession is neither a full nor a clear declaration of their tenets CAP. II. The tenets of the old Anabaptists THe most applauded tenets of our modern Anabaptists are the self-same with what the old Anabaptists did invent p. 29 Their first prime tenet was a necessity of gathering Churches out of Churches and of separation from the best reformed in their time because of mixt communion ib. Antipaedobaptisme became at last their greatest dâ—rling They were the authors of the prophecying and questioning of private men in the face of the Church Women preachers are from them p. 30 Their Pastors must renounce all former Ordination and their full call of new must come from the hands of their people They required no letters in their Preachers The crying down of Tithes and all set Stipends is from them Independency of Congregations and the peoples power in Church censures is their invention The Seekers who deny all Churches are their Disciples After the overthrow of the Church they fell next upon the State p. 31 First they cryed down the Magistrates power in matters of Religion Next in all matters even Civill Yet they took to themselves an absolute Civill power first over all them in their own Churches Next over all Princes and people in the whole world They were strong Millenaries p. 32 They made adulteries and murders lawfull Robberies also 33 Their hypocrisie ended in the open practise of crimes extreamely contrary to their first professions Their abominable uncleannesse They deny both Old and
formally the life and subsistence of all creatures p. 103 That Christ had not a particular soul nor a particular body Creatures in their very sins are acted onely by the Spirit of God There is no such spirits as Angels Devils or Souls Nothing remains for ever but God Scripture is but a false shadow and no ground of faith They deny both the first and second comming of Christ They cast away all Ordinances The certain truth of these imputations p. 104 The English Anabaptists are generally more erroneous then the Dutch Amongst the English Sectaâ—â—es there is no zeal at all against any errour CAP. V. The lawfulnesse of Infants Baptisme THe extream malignity of the Anabaptistick spirit It s enmity to the salvation of men p. 129 Its dishonouring of God by setting up a liberty first for all errours and next for all vice p. 130 Their Brownistick and Arminian tenets I have refuted in other Treatises p. 131 Their Antipaedobaptisme and dipping shall here be briefly and plainly considered The state of the first question The first reason for the affirmative p. 132 Who have right to the chief promises have right to some of the seals which God has appointed to be a means of assurance of these promises unlesse the Lord himself hath made a speciall exception Infants have good right to the promises of the covenant of grace p. 133 The infants of the Iews had reall interest in the covenant of grace before the comming of Christ Gen. 17.12 13. Also after Christ comming under the New Testament Heb. 7.27.8.6 The infants of proselyte Gentiles under the Old Testament had right in the covenant of grace Gen. 17.12 Exod. 12.48 49. p. 135 The infants of beleeving Gentiles under the New Testament have right in the covenant of grace Rom. 11.24 How infants are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 p. 13 The second argument is from the Circumcision of Infants p. 138 It is safe to reason from Scripturall consequences yea proportions p. 139 Baptisme succeeds to Circumcision Col. 2.11 12. Circumcision did seal the covenant of grace Gen. 17.11 p. 140 The covenant of grace has been diversly administred but ever the same and never mixed p. 141 Both Circumcision and Baptisme are initiating seals p. 142 There needs not a particular commanâ— for application of a Sacrament to the diverse ages and sexes and conditions of persons Infants Baptisme under the Law The third argument from Matth. 28.19 p. 143 The promises of the Gospel belong to Infants p. 144 Infants are not in a worse condition under the Gospel then under the Law All who are baptized need not be capable of teaching ibid. Infants are Disciples p. 145 Infants have interest in the Trinity ibid. Infants may be lawfully baptized p. 146 The fourth argument from the baptisme of whole families ib. The fifth argument from Christ laying of his hands on infants and blessing them p. 147 The sixth argument Infants under the Law were baptized p. 149 The seventh argument Infants are partakers of remission of regeneration of life eternall p. 150 Mr Coxe Mr Tombes Mr L. Objections p. 152 They are in effect but few and all invented by the old Anabaptists ib. Mr Coxe first argument makes examples alone a full rule ib. The second makes one and the same man to differ from himself essentially p. 153 The third ties God in the revelation of his will to precepts and examples alone p. 154 It everts the principles of all reasoning and turns men into stones p. 155 The fourth makes it an heresie to make any use of any thing in the Old Testament to clear any thing in the New p. 156 The fifth argument making the actions done by or to Christ the full rule of our practise is a wilde phansie p. 157 The sixth argument will have none baptized but who beleeve and are elect p. 158 The seventh eighth and ninth arguments are but repetitions p. 160 The absurdities of every one of the nine arguments ib. M. Tombes 8. arguments answered by others there is no truth in any of them p. 161 M. L. Treatise of Baptisme needs no answer p. 162 The pressing of dipping and exploding of sprinkling is but an yesterday conceit of the English Anabaptists p. 163 Sprinkling is sufficient and dipping is not necessary in Baptisme p. 164 The first arg for the affirmative Baptisme in many Scriptures signifies sprinkling and not dipping as Mark 7.4.8 Heb. 9.10 1 Cor. 10.1 Rev. 19.13 Mat. 3.11 p. 164 The second arg The thing signified by Baptisme is oftner expressed in Scripture by sprinkling then dipping p. 167 In Scripture sprinkling is made a sign of the application of Christs bloud to the soul p. 167 Also of Christs Spirit p. 168 Sprinkling under the Law a figure of the thing signified in Baptisme ibid. Sprinkling serves as much for purging as dipping can doe p. 169 A third arg In many Scripturall Baptismes there was no dipping ib. A fourth arg Dipping is hurtfull to the life of man p. 171 Also to his chastity ib. A fifth arg Dipping makes Baptisme insupportable No Preacher will be able to baptize p. 172 Dipping brings in Se-baptisme p. 173 The first Object That the originall word Baptizing does signifie always dipping and never sprinkling removed ib. The second Object No evidence in Scripture that any were ever dipped over head and ears in Baptisme p. 175 The third Object That Baptisme is a sign of the Buriall of Christ hath no reference at all to Immersion A generall answer to the testimonies for dipping p. 178 The Authours out of which the Testimonies of the first two Chapters are taken concerning the old Anabaptists of Germany CAssandri opera last Edit fol. Bullingerus adversus Anabaptistas Historia Davidis Georgii conscripta ab ipsius genero Nicolao Blesdikio Guy de Bres contre les Anabaptistes Sleidani Commentaria Argentorati 1621. Conradi Heresbachii Historia Anabaptistica una cum notis Theodori Strackii Lamberto Hortensio Amsterodami 1637. Cloppenburgii Gangraena Anabaptistica una cum Spanhemii disputationum Anti-AnabaptisticaruÌ„ prima generali Apocalypsis Haeresiarcharum All faithfully translated into English The Authors out of the which the Testimonies of the third and fourth Chapters are taken concerning the modern Anabaptists of England THe Confession of the seven Churches the first Edition also the second with additions and alterations dedicated to the Parliament The Declaration of the publick dispute by M. Coxe M. Hobson c. M. Tombes Exercitation Also his Apology M. Richardson against D. Featley M. Blackwoods storming of Antichrist M. Spilberries Saints priviledge William Kiffin his answer in Ricrafts Looking-glasse for the Anabaptists M. Cornwels Vindication The Treatise of Baptisme The Vnity of childish Baptisme John the Baptist Divers Treatises of M. Saltmarsh The Compassionate Samâ—ritanâ— Divers Treatises set out with great confidence and passion for a libâ—rty to all Sects especially the Anabaâ—tists Such as Liberty of Conscience Toleration justified Englands Birth-right Conscience câ—utioned Innocency and truth justified The just mans justification A Pearl in a Dunghill A Letter to a friend The just man in bonds An Alarum to the House of Lords The Remonstrance of many thousands to their own House of Commons The last warning Iohn Goodwins Theomachia M. Williams Bloudy Tenet Little Non-such Mâ—ns Mortality Divine Light Also the Treatises of some gracious and learned Divines that have â—pposed those ways Suâ—h as M. Marshals Sermon â—nd defâ—nce M. Gattakers ans to M. Saltmâ—rsh M. Blacks birth priviledgâ— â—nâ—â—nswer to M. Tombes A discovery of Familism Benjamin Burns description and confutation of Familismâ— Especially M. Edwards Gangrena first and second part To which â—s yet I have seen nothing replyed to â—ny thing that is considerable though many with great passion have essay d c. FINIS