Law of God and Gospel of Christ and by the holy Scriptures but rather such as inflict Sufferings upon us And for any of our Principles and Doctrines that we hold we deserve no punishment nor Persecution because hereof for we testify before God Angels and Men That we hold and maintain no Principles of Religion nor Practice of Worship nor Doctrines of Gospel but what are according to Scriptures of Truth And we are ready to be tryed and proved in that case and to bring the matter to Issue in faire proceedings with any man that shall object the contrary And thus the Judgment of Scriptures are for us as we suppose at least and if we are in Errour either by denying any thing on the one hand or affirming any thing on the other we have not been hitherto well proceeded against in order to our Conviction Secondly We are accused as for a great Crime and Imprisoned because we meet together in the Name and Power of Iesus Christ to wait upon him and to worship him in Spirit and Truth in Prayer to God and Exhortations one to another to Righteousness and Holiness But what Iudgment doth the Law and Gospel and holy Scriptures give and our Neighbours also between Us in this Case Le ts come all to their Barr and receive just Sentence Plea First The Iudgment of God's Law Christ's Gospel and holy Scriptures are not against our meeting together but on the contrary do command us and exhort us with promises of blessings to meet together in the worship of God and to wait upon him And it was the practice of the primitive Christians to assemble themselves together in that form and manner as we do â—t this day to wit in a private manner and separate from the multitude and all the Iews Synagogues as in Acts 1. 17. The Saints and Disciples both Men and Women to the number of one hundred and twenty which were far more than five went into an upper Chamber being a private place and no publique Synagogue and there waited upon the Lord in Prayer and Supplication according as we do at this day Thus the Scriptures justify the way and manner of our Meetings and condemns them not Again in Acts 20. 8. the Saints and Disciples were gathered together in an upper Chamber and Paul Preached unto them untill mid-night Here was a private Meeting far above the number of five and out of any publick Synagogues and Christ Iesus said Where two or three are met together in my Name there I am in the midst of them And He and his Disciples often met together in private places apart from the Jews publick Worships sometimes in a Ship and sometimes in Desarts and on the Mountains and in particular Houses and Preached and Prayed this the Scriptures prove And also in Heb. 10. 25. we are expresly commanded not to neglect the Assembling of our selves together but to exhort one another and so much the more as the day approahed By all which Scriptures with many more that might be quoted it is Evident to all the world That our meeting together for the worship of God in that form and manner as practised by us is according to the Law of God the Gospel of Christ Iesus and the holy Scriptures And all these give Iust Iudgment for us and Iustify us and therefore consequently condemn such as do violence to us for this practise of meeting together for the worship of God And thus though we are Accused and Imprisoned as Evil dâ—â—rs yet such our practise of meeting is manifestly according to the Law of God Gospel of Christ Scriptures Example of Saints and President of primitive Christians all which give Iudgment for us Secondly What Judgment do our Neighbours give in this Case they say concerning our Meetings That they have known us to meet together in such manner for diverse years in their Towns and Villages and never knew nor understood of any â—â—â—m or danger herein nor ever were any way prejudiced either in their Persons or Estates by our Meetings The very witness of God in all our Neighbours doth Testify and give Iudgment that our Meetings have alwayes been peaceable and quiet and that we came together in peace and good order and parted in the same and no person hath been harmed by such our Meetings enquire of the Neighbourhood and they will tell you they believe in their Consciences our Meetings are for good and have good effects and are not evil nor brings forth any evil to any And as for the manner of our Meeting and sitting together 't is orderly and decently and of good report among men and for any Doctrine that ever was there held or heard by any none can truly accuse it to be either Error or Heresy or Sedition but on the contrary they know it witnesseth against all Sin and Iniquity and tends to the turning of people from Ungodliness and Unrighteousness to Truth and Holiness And many can tell this is effected by our Doctrine Preached in our Meetings and our Neighbours can witnesse that we part again in peace and good order and in convenient time and they can shew you they are not terrified nor the Peace of the Land disturbed on our part by our Meetings which are in God's fear and to the Glory of his Name which all sober men know are according to the Law of God and Gospel and primitive Christians Example And thus our Neighbours give Iudgment for us and in their Consciences do not Iustify them that Imprison us For this matter of meeting together which Gods Law Gospel Scriptures and our Neighbours do thus clearly Justify Thirdly We are accused as guilty of a heinous Crime and Imprisoned because we refuse to swear at all or take any Oath in any case Plea First The Judgment of the Law of the New-Testament of God and Gospel of Christ and Scriptures in this cases is clear on our behalf As in the express command of Christ in his Law and Scriptures Recorded Mat. 5. where he saith Swear not at all by Heaven nor Earth nor by Ierusalem nor by the Head but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more comes of Evil. And again Iam. 5. the Apostle commandeth the Saints in these words Above all 〈…〉 Swear not by Heaven nor Earth nor any 〈…〉 And many holy Martyrs since the Apostles dayes 〈…〉 all Swearing Thus you see the Iudgment of Christ 〈◊〉 and of the Gospel and of the Apostle and of Scriptures 〈…〉 far from Condemning of us to Imprisonment Banishment 〈◊〉 our refusing to Swear that we are Commanded and Exâ—â—â—â—d by them not to Swear at all and therefore consequently justify us in our refusing to Swear and thus give not Iudgment for such as do Imprison and Persecute us for not Swearing Come to the Iudgment of Christ his Gospel and holy Scriptures Let you and us appear together before their Judgment Seat whether they give Judgment against us that
our Neighbours and the witness of God in all mens Consciences shall bear witness to us And all these do give judgment for us in these cases to whom we do appeal for Judgment And O Lord God Everlasting do thou Iudge our Cause do thou make it manifest in thy due Season to all the world that we are thy people that we love Thee above all that we fear thy Name more than all that we love Righteousness and hate Iniquity and that we now suffer for thy holy Name and Truth and for thy Honour and Iustice and for thy Truth and Holiness O Lord thou knowest we are resolved to perish rather than to loose one grain hereof Amen Amen Our Accusations and Answers truly compared and weighed in the ballance of Justice and truth in every mans Conscience Let all the world Judg of the Case Do we deserve to be Ruined Destroyed Imprisoned and Banished and that to be devoured of Wild Beasts as our enemy threatens us he will do Is it so Are we Hereticks are we Seditious are we Drunkards are we double dealers are we such as the Law of God condemns what evil have we done in the Land do we hurt any body are we not Innocent before the Lord and Men we appeal to the just witness of God in all let it be answered though no man will hear and consider our cause this day yet the Lord will plead our Cause in his time and season and make the world to know we are his people in the mean time we are willing to suffer the Reproaches of ungodly men till the Lord work deliverance in the earth But now it may be Objected by the Magistrates and Rulers That we have now a Law against you and you must Suffer for we cannot but put the Law in Execution according to our Oaths and Offices and it is not we that Persecute you but it is the Law of the Land by which you now suffer and we cannot be blamed for your suffering we onely execute the Law And after this manner is the Reasoning of some at this day c. Answ. To all which I do Answer It is true there is a Law now Enacted against us which is pretendedly made the ground of our suffering but whether that Law be in it self Iust or Unjust I shall not now demonstrate but shall leave it to the Iudgement of all Christian men that know us our Principles Doctrines Wayes and Conversations and let them judge whether we deserve the Penalties and Punishments therein described for any Principle or Practice held and maintained by us And though there be A Law against us yet the Magistrates that are Executors thereof may execute the same with Moderation or with Uiolence with Discretion or too much rigour and it will be well for them to use moderation and discretion in this case Hereby may they save themselves from that weight of Anger and Indignation of the Lord God that will come upon all Uiolent Doers who seek to destroy the Innocent and rejoyce in the occasion Administred And though This Law be Enacted against our Meetings not ours I may say but such Meetings as are Dangerous to the Publick Peace and to the Terrour of the People But our Meetings are not such and therefore This Law may not Iustly extend in its Execution to the Breaking of our Meetings nor to Banish us because of our Meeting together which is for the Worship of God and are Peaceable and of Good Report among all good men and are not for Disturbance of the Peace nor Terrour of the People and therefore justly free from this Law as aforesaid And though This Law is pretended against us for to Banish us and to ridd the Land of us as some vainly suppose Yet must it needs be Executed to the height of it without Limitation or Restriction Must this Law be Executed to its height more than some other Laws that are as truly Enacted and as fully in force as this Act can be Yet some such Lawes there are which better deserves Execution than this yet they lie Dormant as is visibly apparent at this day as in 4 Iac. cap. 5. in these words Be it Enacted c. That all and every person or persons which after Forty dayes next following the end of this present Session of Parliament Shall be Drunk and of the same Offence of Drunkeness shall be lawfully Convicted shall for every such offence Forfeit and loose five Shillings c. to be paid to the hands of the Church-Wardens of that Parish where the Offence shall be committed who shall be accountable therefore to the use of the Poor of the same Parish And if the said person or persons so Convicted shall refuse or neglect to pay the said Forfeiture then the same shall be levied of the Goods of every such person or persons by Warrant of Precept from the Court Iudge or Iustices before whom the same Conviction shall be And if the Offender be not able to pay the sum of Five Shillings then he shall be committed to the Stocks for the space of Six Hours I pray you read the Statute at large t is worth a sober mans pains to read over and then Judge whether that Law be duly Executed at this day and also whether it deserves not more strict Execution than the present Act against us Also the 1 Iac. cap. 7. in these words That all persons calling themselves Schollars going about Begging All Idle persons going about in any Country either Begging or using any Subtle Craft or unlawful Games or Playes or feigning themselves to have knowledge in Physiognomy or pretending that they can tell Fortunes or such other like phantastical Imaginations All Fencers Bear-wards Common-players of Interludes Minstrels wandring abroad Shall be taken adjudged and deemed as Rogues Vagabonds and sturdy Beggars and shall suffer such pains and punishments as is expressed 39 Eliz. cap. 4. viz. That every such person shall be stripped Naked from the middle Upwards and shall be openly Whipped until his or her Body be bloody c. and shall be forth-with sent from parish to parish c. And read the Statute at large and then consider how duly it is Executed now and whether it deserves not Execution as much as the late Act against us though in some places the one is more Executed than the other where many of our friends being honest sober persons and of good Conversation and yet are haled out of their Meetings where they are met only to worship God and for no other end and sent to Prison and persecuted to the very height of the said Act when as idle persons following unlawful Games and Playes and Bearwards common players of Interludes and Minstrells of diverse kinds do wander up and down City and Country and having their Play-houses publick where their wickedness is acted such persons and such things though appearing publickly yet are permitted and little or no notice taken of them by some of
the Magistrates so as to punish them for breach of the Lawes for the preventing of these Evils but such wickedness is too much suffered though there be diverse Acts of Parliaments against such persons and such actions as well as there is one against our Meetings yet the Act against us is more put in Execution in some places for the breaking of our Meetings which are for the Worship of God than the good Lawes for suppressing wickedness though there is better Law for the one than for the other diverse other Lawes and Statutes made for good ends for the suppressing of wickedness in the Land there are which are but easily Executed at this day but here is one Act against peaceable meeting together for the worship of God which is violently Prosecuted and Executed upon Innocent men and let all just men judge of these things though there be a Law Enacted against our Meetings so there is against Drunkards and drunkenness and unseasonable tipling in Taverns and Ale-houses and against Minstrells Fidlers Pipers and Players Common-Players and Stage-Players that go up and down the Countries and have their Play-houses in publick Cities which Statutes ought to be rather Executed though they are not but these things we shall leave to all sober people to judg of And seeing that The Law against Us is more put in Execution than these other Lawes it doth appear that there is more envy against us and our peaceable Religious Meetings than there is against Prophaneness and Wickedness Drunkenness and Stage-Playing and such like and such Magistrates wheresoever they are are not excusable in the sight of God though there is a Law against us while they Prosecute it against us and not these other good Lawes against prophâ—â— ungodly persons and practises and therefore seeing we dâ— fer we must say It is not only because there is a Law 〈◊〉 us but it is also or rather because there is enmity and 〈◊〉 and wickedness in the hearts of men against us which 〈◊〉 main cause of our Sufferings at this day and let the 〈…〉 strates compare this Law made against us with that Saâ— in Doctor and Student cap. 2. speaking concerning the written in the Heart teaching every man what is to be 〈◊〉 and what is to be fled And saith he Because it is 〈◊〉 in the heart therefore it may not be put away nor is it changeable by any diversity of place or time And therefore 〈◊〉 this Law Prescription Statute nor Custom may not prevail if any be brought in against it they be not Prescriptions tutes nor Customes but things void and against Iustice aâ—â— other Lawes as well the Lawes of God as the Acts of Men 〈◊〉 to be grounded upon the Law written in the Heart And in 〈◊〉 of the same it said Every mans Law must be consonant witâ— Law of God and therefore the Lawes of Princes the Commâ—â—â—ments of Prelates the Statutes of Commonalties nor yet the dinances of the Church are not Righteous nor Obligatory 〈◊〉 it is consonant to the Law of God And we are sure the 〈◊〉 God and holy Scriptures do justifie our Meeting together as 〈◊〉 is expessed Also in the Statute 28 Hen. 8. chap 7. it is in these words That no man of what Estate Degree or Câ—â—â—â—tion soever he be hath power to dispence with Gods Laws as 〈◊〉 Clergy of this Realm and the most part of all the Unâ—â—â—â—sities of Christendom And we also Affirm and think 〈◊〉 things truly compared one with another We leave the the Judgement of the Law of God Gospel of Christ Scriptures and our Neighbours and let Truth determâ—â—â— So be it By E. 〈◊〉 The End