Thunders This amongst other things began to breed a difference between that great Councel and the Army under the Command of Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX which was reported to be made up in much of sectaries and men of Heterodox Opinions which the Scotch and English National Ministry could by no means brook The English Sectarian Army is declaimed against by the Scottish Orators and it was so irksom to many Preachers here that it led them frequently beside their Texts wherein they dealt not so much by solid Argument to cry Errors down but by calling on the civil Magistrate to cut the erroneous off nothing was more pleasing to them then to think and talk of Imprisonment Exile Death for Sectaries The Land of their Nativity was not fit to hold them any longer one might have thought that the Heresie of PYTHAGORAS his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of souls was revived now for the Prelacie was and would it were not still visibly rising in the Presbyterie These clamors thus ventilating themselves in fire and Pillars of smoke began to suggest thoughts in the Army that the Parliament the Presbyterian Interest declined their first Principles for the securing of their own and the Nations freedom of which Liberty of Conscience was no small part as will appear ere long The Trumpets of the Army also begin to sound and they made better musick then they have done of late Mr. SALTMARSH puts life into SMECTYMNUUS and groans again he dedicates the work to the Parliament Groans for Liberty ANNO 1645. Let it be read again t is a good Lesson for the present times and because it looks so much towards my present purpose with so fair an aspect as also because it may probably be thought to be the then mind of more and greater then himself I will here insert one passage from him Consider Epistle to the Parl. ibid. speaking to the Parliament whether in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ any other Scepter should be lifted up then that golden one of his own and whether if there be a Kingdom of God if Jesus Christ be the Law-giver and the spirit of Christ the interpreter of these Laws and this Kingdom of God within the throne of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Lord Jesus any other power should rule any other Scepter any other Laws or any other sit down in that throne which is only the throne of the son of David whose throne is for ever the Scepter of whose Kingdome is an everlasting Scepter Thus much he And would this have been spoken by him that was the Generals Chaplain in such a publike manner at least except it had been the sense of the Grandees of the Army or the most prevalent part of them Agen These Coercive courses sought strongly to be used in Reformation of Religion fill'd Mr. Dell with breath enough to sound out his Right Reformation Dell's Right Reformation Anno 1646. so called in opposition to the other way which was presented both to the Parliaments ears and eyes to the house of Commons at least wherein the power of the Magistrate is excluded from the work as much as we would have it and he is styled an Attendant to both the Generals in the Army These with many other of the same Sect did in their places in this juncture of time Title page to his Sermons endeavor much to counterplead Presbyterie and to prevent any rigorous course in matters of conscience to be put in ure by the Parliament by a new Law for the old Statutes smelling so much of Popery and Prelacie were withered long since I mention these men not so much for what as when they spake and whose they were The Armies Declarations and Remonstrances themselves in pretence at least Armies Remostrance August 19. 164â— pag. 4. for what end the great God knows and will judge gave very fair and promising hopes unto all men that their faces and their hearts were set towards the maintenance and vindication of the Kingdoms Liberties and in special of conscience by which the eyes of the best seeing in the Nation were turned towards them in which work of theirs Mr. Cook a man well thought on by the Grandees of the Army as by his after-imployment doth appear He I say gives encouragement to them and endeavors much to fire their Resolutions for the effecting of this Work I shall repeat some words of his and so leave this And to the purpose before mentioned he brings in the Lord Jesus speaking to the Army upon their jar with the Parliament Thus with other things did I preserve you from active Martyrdom that you should bring your selves to passive Redinte gratio Amories pag. 84. Would not I have taken your lives as kindly from you at Nasâ—by Bristo c. as if after disbanding you should be imprison'd and put to death for Hereticks and Schismaticks Is not my Kingly Government as precious to you and as well worthy fighting for as my Priestly Office c. And pag 85. to the same purpose Hath God preserved you hitherto in times of War to be insensibly destroyed in times of Peace Was not your Commission to fight for Laws and Liberties whereof Conscience is the greatest Hath not the Kingdom sufficiently dishonored Religion formerly in the Bishops time but must they now under a pretence of uniformity seek the life of her children and of Religion it self Do they not aim at the life of Religion which is the heart of God and the lives of his children which are the Apple of his eye The Mercunalists at Court did but strike at the Letter of the Law in some things but these Phaëtons would set all on fire and aim at the Power of Religion the very life of our Laws whose humors are so corrupt that the least scratch turns into a gangreen Thus much from Mr. Cook and 't is pity his Language is so adaequate unto these Times This is enough to shew what the then thoughts of the Aymy men were concerning Liberty of Conscience Their means that we may go on with other prov'd as a hand clapt upon the mouth of that persecuting Spirit whereby its burning breath could not break forth to do much mischief yet in this doubtful and disputing time endeavours were not wanting to cast the seed of persecution into the Parliament 't is done not so much by a forc't ravishment 't is thought as by a willing prostitution for they had now forgotten their Virgin-dayes and glory The Parliament grows pregnant and at last brings forth that bloody and destroying Monster whose heart is as flint and whose teeth as iron that is able to cast down and trample on any serious Christian in the World that sees any thing beyond the Tradition of their fore-fathers I mean that Ordinance of Lords Commons against Blasphemy Heresie c. the unnatural off-spring of such a Parliament that did once assert and vindicate the peoples Liberties
freedom in Religion both before and since the lifting up of the hand to heaven for a solemn and religious Execution thereof Notwithstanding the clearnesse of the case of Liberty which is as manifest as the Sun at Noon-day the bloody work of Persecution is countenanc't and fomented by Court-Interpretations put upon the aforesaid branch of the Government and to make it passe the better 't is said That such a latitude was never in the minde of the contrivers of that Charter and that they had rather be set quick in a Pit and to have stones and dirt cast upon them to damn them up then to tolerate men of such Opinions By means of which glosses and asseverations the presenters of that Petition for a further declaring of that Ordinance null and void c. were put out of all hopes of obtaining their desires though never so honest and the Prisoner left to prepare himself for the next Sessions in London unto which he had been referr'd But in the mean time comes a party of Horse to New-Gate surprizes the Prisoner and carries him away who at length is sent into the Island of Silly to be there kept a close Prisoner whereby the due proceedings and course of the Law was stopt which is or ought to be the safeguard and the fortresse of every honest Decl of the long Pail Ech. 17. 1647. pag. 17.21 â—um multis alis 'T is to be argued from their denial of the neg voice to the K. K. Char. case by Cook See Sir Edward Cook 2. part of Institutes pag. 45. cap. 29. innocent free-born English man These strange and unexpected proceedings have been most bitterly inveigh'd against and most earnestly opposed in the late King which were made a great part of those hainous evils for which he lost his life and were declared to be contrary to the Laws of England and the Liberty of the Subject And although there may not be pretences wanting to make it passe the better in the observations of men yet hath it been conceived illegal under what pretence soever All men know that know any thing this way that it is one branch of the great Charter of Englands Liberties concerning the King that he promises Nulli vendimus nulli negabimus aut differemus Justitiam vel rectum We will not sell nor deny nor delay Justice or right to no man No man shall be taken imprison'd or disseised or outlawed or exiled or by any means destroyed but by the legal Judgement of his Peers or equals or by the Law of the Land And Sir Ed Cook in his Exposition of this Chapter saith it is the worst oppression that is done by colour of Justice or right or under pretext of doing good It is enough barely to read these words of that Charter the Commentary is worthy to be in the heart of every English man Mr. Saaler commends and closeth with Polydor Virgil in his relation of the businesse of the Lord Chancellor in King Richard's time Rights of the Kingdom pag. 153. who on pretence of the Kings Warrant exceedingly polld the people whose proud injustice was brought down by Parliament and to excuse himself the better he pleads the Kings Command whereat the Historian as Sadler brings him in puft and said quasâ— fas esse jus omne prencipis Jussu rescindere as if the Kings Command might disannul the Law 1. Part Cook Deel pag. 183. The Lords and Commons in that long Parliament in the day wherein Law and Justice was strongly asserted by them against the King in defence of whom therein the Army engaged against the Royal Party declare and publish to the world That it is against the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom that any of the Subjects thereof should be committed or compell'd by the King to attend him at his pleasure but such as are bound thereto by special service And if any Messengers or Officers shall by colour of any command from his Majesty or Warrant under his Majesties hand arrest take or carry away any of his Majesties Subjects to any place whatsoever contrary to their wills That it is both against the Law of the Land and Liberty of the Subject and it is to the disturbance of the publike Peace of the Kingdom and any of his Majesties Subjects so arrested may lawfully resuse to obey such Arrests and Commands Can any thing be spoken more to the purpose Or is not this the Language of all rational men that have heard of Law or Liberty I confesse I am fallen into a road both arduous and difficult I shall deliver my self out of it by a bare quotation from Mr. Frynne who once felt the sharp edge of the Prelates cruel and salvage Tyrannie His case is plain enough and pleaded by himself in Law against his Star-Chamber-Judges to a Committee of that long Parliament New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny pag. 210 211 212 213. appointed almost for that purpose yet because I will not put the Reader to a double charge in purchase I refer him to those Authorities which he there brings in and applies to his purpose not unsutable to ours But 't is observable from all first That the Judges much lesse a Party of Soldiers were not to stay any Processes or Judgement no not by the Kings Commandment Secondly That it was an Article of a very Capital concernment and hainous nature against the Cardinal to grant forth injunctious to stop the Common-Laws it being against the Liberty of the Subject whereof see more in the place aforesaid Magna Charâ— pag. 29. I shal not undertake to accommodate these passages to any present it is a work of a tender a touchy nature onely I shall conclude them in the saying of Sir Benjamin Ridyard in a Speech of his in Parliament Let the matters bolt out the men Their Actions will discover them Thus much of the sense of the Government and the Executors thereof concerning Liberty of Conscience and their proceedings therein 'T is easie now to finde out upon what foot of account the Administration of Freedom in Religion stands The Instrument of Government promises and provides for a general Liberty except what it excepts yet there is this Ordinance against Blasphemies and Heresies endeavour'd to be kept alive and supported to be a check to the Government This Ordinace hath such a vast and comprehensive reach that it is able to draw in the greatest and most considerable part of Christians in England into its clutches and to pierce into the heart of their lives and Liberties for there are none of the Independent or Baptized way but more or lesse do fall into its verge These because they have been and that they may still be serviceable for the carrying on of State-designs shall have a Sanctuary or City of Refuge in the Government whensoever that pursuing Ordinance shall break out after them for the Protector saith They are and shall be tolerated although the Anabaptists were once
these Mrs. of Divinity to take an Oath and did swear to worship Images which was against the Moral and Eternal Law of Almighty God Thus far he A sad President for any men and Powers upon earth to follow in taking cognizance of and punishing of men for Opinion whereby the weight of other mens sins is commonly laid upon their shoulders and I think they have commonly enough of their own and too much for some to bear let not the present Boutefeaus for their own defence object t was ill done of these for they themselves were Hereticks and the Sufferers held the Truth but we are in the right and therefore now there is no such danger for they may be answered first The former Prelates were as confident as any now yea t was their confidence and fierce zeal that put so many honest hearts from time to time into a deadly sweat wherein they left their blood and marrow life and all But secondly Admit that they or these are in the truth as both would have it thought so in their times yet was it not the duty of any King or Magistrate commanded to them by Christ by whom Kings now do reign to force men into his Worship or his Service I say so now for if it were it has been desired long since to be shewn which yet no man can see Nay according to the Laws and Customs of this English Nation Ancient Bounds pag. 23. the clear contrary may be thought to be the duty of the Magistrate and that he was and is to defend the people from such wrongs and infringements of their Liberties for he is sworn thereto and he is to keep the Peace so that the good old Laws of England and the Magistrates the Executioners of those Laws are the Forts and Towers in whom all honest mindes though differing in the businesse of Religion a thing not imaginable to be under censure of the power of man and in reason and Scripture left to the decision of the Spirit and to Christ the Judge are to be safeguarded from the furious persecution of all state incendiaries Before I turn over from this Chapter of the Lord Cook concerning Heresie I shall observe these two things First The boundless license that the Prelates used to take under colour of Law to suppress and quash the non-Conformists informer times that they Phaeton Fablelike by their reignless Fury ranged through the Region of Christs Kingdom plucking the Flowers from his heavenly Crown and Dignity usurping his great Throne as also running through the Thrones of Earthly Princes setting them on fire as they pleased whereby with other places the world of our Brittish Iland was often scorch't with their too fiery Rayes Secondly That the Satute concerning Heresie c. made in q. Eliz. dayes was principally intended to restrain those Irregular Notions and to contract their lawless Rage in a narrower compass so the work look't backward rather then ought besides although the contrivers had not the heart and happiness to cut it clean off and to cast it out for ever as may appear in this place to the Judicious Reader and by the Statute it self as also by the second Part Institutes In Articulis cleri especially in pag. 615. But I am too tedious King HENRY the eighth was a blustering Prince and quarrelled with the Roman Court See the Statute 31 Hen. 8.4 yet Lutherans and others were very odious to the Kingdoms Powers the principle of persecution was kept alive with very great offence to Christianity as all can now believe by those that loved to Lord over their Brethrens Conscience yea the Inquisition reaches to the Kings own Chamber and takes the queen from his side There were six bloody Articles saith Mr. SPEED enacted that made it death to such as held or taught the contrary Who can remember and forbear to melt at English sufferings EDWARD the sixt was a young yet wise and tender Prince our Israels Josiah Speed's Histor pag. 1046. he would not send an Heretick to Hell before his time as may be gathered from Mr. FOX and others yet persecution lived it could not die they kept it alive that knew how to over-awe the Court by cunning Policy for that sate ruling sometimes and enveagling stil the civil Power to unsheath the Sword against dissenters in Religion Who can repeat the Marian bloody dayes without laments Now Rome is called in again to help the doing of what was done too much before England can persecute without the Pope as may be seen above his Spirit is here although unto his Person or his Name we bid defiance But now they flash and lay about indeed The Prelates rage the more because they had little check before and like fire pent in a little break out in desperate flames and the poor Protestants die ELIZABETHS beginning was like water in abundance falling on the Fires all over England it coold and brake them all yet did it not kill or quench the Coals they lay glowing still and were stirred up against Professors still upon occasion because men would not know their liberty The Spirit of Violence lodging still in mens breasts and labouring to bring the Judgements of others to their Girdle And so it went from hence into K. JAMES's Reign t is a continued Line not broken though a little lessen'd for the Puritanes were as Thorns in the Prelates eyes and they were rubbing still to get them out they could not see so well whiles these were neer them King CHARLS follows and drinks in the poisonous Wines the Prelates are as formerly his Cup-Bearer the common people were too much delighted with the sport these made They raged and staggered in this Spiritual Drunkenness Separatists and stucrk at many Non-Conformists till at last they lighted on those three Gentlemen Mr. BURTON Mr. PRIN and Dr. BASTWICK The seat of the Bishops is very high their Authority great and their mindes as cruel They cared not for a Parliament though they had as much room there as any and as much honor The Prerogative and Arbitrary Rule of this King did please them better as being more serviceable to their purpose you have them in their High Commission in the Star-Chamber every where They please the King and he gratifies them with what they like well enough The relation of their proceedings with the three above named is worth the reading * New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny printed Anno 1641. where you may see their Will instead of Law their Tyranny instead of Piety Before we go any further let us look upon what is past with these queries 1. Whether the Magistracie of England hath done its Duty in taking Cognizance of things relating to Religion 2. Whether all present and future proceedings to oppresse the Conscience will not justifie theirs and fill up the measure of their iniquity 3. Whether such cruel dealings with dissenting men do not manifestly shew they had no better argument
Heaven then then it hath done since and whether it ought not to be so still notwithstanding any Arguments yet urged to the contrary 3. Consider whether the proceedings in cases of Religion do not reflect disparagement and dishonor and an esteem of weaknesse upon the Arm of Christ and power of the Spirit whereby he is brought in as standing in need of Instruments of an Heterogenous nature to what he uses even the trembling and the fallible arm of man 4. Consider further whether the Magistrates Cognizance and coercive Power in spirituals be not an usurpation of the Royal Diadem of Jesus Christ the King of the Church and if so whether it be not wisdom for all Powers in the world to make a speedy and relenting resignation thereof before the time wherein hee I come to vindicate the wrongs he hath received from all such bold Usurpers 5. Consider lastly whether such Magisterial courses as before do not in their kind justifie the oppressions of conscience made by all former powers and so draw all the innocent blood shed in this Land in such wayes upon the head of the present Generation and whether the Sword of Divine vengeance was not drawn against the King and Prelates heretofore principally for those cruelties they took delight to exercise upon conscientious men and the encroachments they made upon the Kingdome of Jesus Christ These with more may be offered as matter meet enough for the consideration of all even from him that sits upon the Throne to him that grindeth at the Mill in order to the drawing in of that arm of civil power that is sometime stretcht out over the consciences of the Religious which proves so much offensive both to God and man But I remit this too and resume a Prayer And here let me beseech and beg again and humbly pray the Powers on Earth that as they tender the honour of Christs Kingdom and the keeping of the Crown upon his head intire and non-impeacht by them as they would be free from the guilt of blood and a participation in other mens sins as they would be unwilling to hear Judgement pass against them when time shall be for exercising of their power there where they have nothing to do and as they rejoice in the power and prosperity of those Natitions that lye under them who ought to receive Justice and Righteousness as their due I say as they tender all or any of these things that they would provide that Liberty of Conscience may be fully declar'd and injoyed the Rights and Freedoms of the people may be perfectly vindicated and secured lest the Lord come too soon for some to destroy them that destroy the earth whose name is Prince of Peace and whose delight is much in mercy and forgiveness and in patience unto all or if this must be denyed which is so just and reasonable and that religious Freedom must not yet appear upon such terms as before then let me beg again it is but this and I have done That Hereticks and Dissenters in Doctrine may live and be abroad and this if not out of respect to your own duty and to all their Right yet that they may serve instead of Canaanites to keep the spirits of the present Orthodox active that they may not grow idle for one main reason why the retinue of the former Prelates was generally so flat and stupid was because they had the power of the fleshly-arm so much at their command to controvert and crush those supposed erroneous Principles which they could not or else they would not take the pains to bring down by force of Argument or Scripture-reason because they had an easier way to do it by and let me retire from the presence with this caution That if I seem to plead for Errors Liberty it is by accident and in order to have it all cut down by a better and a sharper Sword that of the spirit in the mouth of Christ at the drawing of which I can rejoice exceedingly none being more delighted to behold the heart-blood of Error by such means shed and spilt upon the ground nor more ready to pray that it may never rise again FINIS COurteous Reader if thou shalt finde in this Treatise many Errata's omission of stops Points and Parentheses and printing the Quotations in the same Character with the Authors words with whatsoever else of this kind may occur though I might say many things in excuse yet I shall content my self to tell thee It came out of an oppressed Press otherwise it had come to thy view sooner by twelve months and better formed I have here pointed at some faults which may be thus amended PAg. 1. that in the Margine read in the line pag. 2. l. 11. Comma at Discourse p. 3. l. 10. Com. at suffered p. 4. l. 24. for setting r. setling p. 5. l. 28. for little r. tittle p. 6. l. 6. for where r. who ere p. 9. l. 28. add not p. 11. l. 31. for absolute r. obsoletc p. 12 l. 8. for faing r. praying p. 17. l. 24. for stick r. strike p. 20. l. 12. for left r. lost p. 25. l. 8. comma at hand l. 21. r. pinching of p. 34. l. 13. for I am r. am 1. l. 35. for coveted r. courted p. 35. l. 16. for Protector r. Petition p. 40. l. 33. for clear r. dear p. 41. l. 5. for liberty r. lordly p 43. l. 30. for appeals r. repeals p. 44. del That p. 45 l. 9. at Tryal point