A Lamentable REPRESENTATION of the Effects of the present TOLERATION ESPECIALLY As to the increase of Blasphemy and Damnable Errours by the Liberty of Teaching and Printing of them to the great Damage of RELIGION and the provoking the Lord JESUS to destroy the present Government and to inflict Ruine and Desolation upon these NATIONS Together with a Proposal of some good Work for Christian Legislators Humbly laid at the feet of His Highness the Lord PROTECTOR and every Member of the High Court of PARLIAMENT By a Friend of true Reformation and his Native Countrey LONDON Printed by A. M. for Thomas Underhill at the Anchor and Bible in Pauls Church-yard 1656. TO His Highness OLIVER Lord PROTECTOR AND THE Knights Citizens and Burgesses convened in PARLIAMENT at Westminster High and mighty Sirs THese things hereafter following concern you above all men in the world the reward from God of good Laws against evil and for the promoting of goo shall be the Law makers besides their share in the common benefit of them The sin of not making good Laws against sin will be yours and all the sins that shall be committed by others for want of such Laws will be yours and therefore also a larger share in the common calamities ensuing if having oppâ—rtunity you notwithstanding on it the same And how often doth God punish a people for the sins of their Rulers How then can I hold my peace being convinced that to speak is my duty and yet love God You or my Countrey Almost every individual man of you when occasion is offereed being apart among your friends I presume approves of most of the things moved for in these papers Oh that God would keep those evil spirits out of your Assembly that may hinder you being met together to speak them thrice over into a Law that may be heard all the world over and that may sufficiently evidence that in England we have a Christian Protestant Protector and Parliament Certainly the sincere promoting of Christs interest is the surest bulwark to a Nation What Princes Governments People did God ever destroy but he upbraided them or might have done with falsness to him and his interest I move no for persecuting the Godly the Sons of Zion the Generation of the Righteous but for the punishment of apparent evil doers that are Gods and your enemies at least that they may be hindred from ruining the souls of others mention not small matters but such as consist not with Godliness in the same subject nor with the peace and welfare of Church or State Shall such be tolerated The Letter from the General meeting of Officers at James's to all the Souldiers Jan. 28. 1652. profess their desire of protection in worship to be given only to all the truly godly they plead for none else If the Laws against prophane swearing and Sabbath-breaking be good the you would do well to make Laws against other as great or greater breaches of the first Table or else repeal the former What shall what can men say or think if the Protector and Parliament meet and fit and rise and part without acting for Christ against Hell and Rome in such a time as this when the powers of both are set upon destroying us with damnable Doctrines and Divisions If holy Jewel Cartwright Raynolds Whitaker Perkins Preston Ball Dod Sibs of Old England and Cotton and Hooker of New should rise from the dead and see what abominations are allowed of in this Land with what a torrent Blasphemy Errour and Prophaneness runne over these Nations without any effectual controll they could not but question What men govern'd England of what Nation of what â—eligion they were of And what was become of the children of those who through their Ministry were principled with sound Judgments and Zeal for God Most honoured Sirs Shall I fancy this attempt of mine bold and dangerous No for it's Duty and service to you However I conceive a man is not capable of suffering in a better Cause I have great hopes that the great God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings and Rulers is so dealing with the heart of the Lord Protectors Highness and the members of the Parliament that they will not speak a word for the interest of the grand enemies of mankinde but readily own and promote any motion that so nearly tends to the advancement of the Interest of Christ to the furtherance of the Gospel And that God hath brought you together at this time to be the repairers of our breaches Blessed be God for the great mercies his people enjoy under and by means of the present Government The Lord incline you to make up what is wanting I have not let a word fall of disapproving your joyning together as one in acting for the Civil Welfare of the present Government and of these Nations against all the enemies thereof whether domestick or forreign My fear of Gods blasting all such endeavours if these greater things be neglected put me upon this attempt I pray unto God that you may approve your selves Nursing Fathers to his people under you and that you may not suffer wicked Nurses pretending to be feeders of Souls to give them poyson in stead of the sincere milk of the Word Your Remembrancer at the throne of Grace U.T. A Lamentable Representation of the Effects of the present TOLERATION I Am not ignorant or insensible how strange the thoughts and different the expectations of men will be at first sight concerning the Contents of these few following pages But I am not in the least solicitous how to please any but profit all I come not with the fictions of distempered brains or to promote any of the parties of this divided Age but in the words of Truth and plainness to propound matter of Universal concernment to all the Inhabitants of these three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland who have any love to the Kingdom of Christ on Earth and have any hopes of being received into his Kingdom of heaven that have any bowels of affection towards the souls of their Countreymen or the little children of their loyns especially the great ones The Lord Protector the Parliament the Councel of State and the Commanders of the Army all that are not given up to such ignorance and heedlesness in observance as not to see the present evils and the danger we are in of Gods destroying us or that like Gallio regard not these things O that they would consider what a lamentable Condition these Nations are in not only in respect of the present evils that are upon us but also of the symptoms of utter ruine to the present Government the Laws of the Land and true Christianity it self besides some sweeping plague or other from the hand of an angry God upon so wicked a people and set themselves every man in his place to stand in the gap to keep off the miseries that are coming upon us Who of us can plead ignorance of
was a strange Linsey wolsey mixture of men of several interests and different Opinions woven together in a new fashioned Parliament The major part we feared and justly were enemies to the Ministry Universities and to all Magistracy too that should not reside in themselves or their party The Government was unsetied and the hearts of all sober intelligent Christians filled with fears of sudden ruine to true Religion from that Assembly Some being known enemies and most of the rest no known friends the then General also thinking meet for a time to conceal which side he would take The better I should say the greater half of that Parliament being resolved to put down the very Office of the Ministry take away Tythes and the Revenues of the Universities enlarge the Toleration for ought we know unlimitedly At which time setting aside the General the Scales were even nay rather worse for the worst end was the heavier And was not this a sad time of imminent danger Had they all united or the one half of them but headed we had been ruin'd except preserved by a miracle At this time there wanted nothing but the removal of the General or his closing with the Antichristian crue But this time of Extremity was Gods Opportunity God divided our Enemies and engaged the heart of the Lord General to joyn with that Party which made a good profession of Love and Reality of Affection to the Ministry their Maintenance and the Universities who took an opportunity though they were the minor part if the House had been full to break up that Meeting to their perpetual Honour and so we were delivered The Lord pardon our unthankfulness for this great Deliverance and make us Thankfull for the future and our children after us II. The sins of the Supreme Magistrates in suffering too much their Children their Family the People under their command to do what they list in these respects contrary to the end of Government Certainly the Magistrate doth at least interpretatively allow of these evils while he omits by good Laws to reform these things or so lisps that he cannot be understood I shall here presume to assert 1. That there is either no Law against Blasphemy and Heresie or else the Law is so dark and questionable that it 's taken for granted by most that are chiefly concern'd that there is a Universal Toleration except of publick Mass 2. Nor any Law or Ordinance in Force against the licentiousness of the Press 3. Nor against any mans being and doing almost what himself will in matters of Religion Every man may learn Gods Word or not learn Hear it or not hear it Go to Church or stay at home Professe the Truth or hold forth Errour or neither Of Blasphemy and Errour As concerning the first It is true that there is an Act of Parliament of August 9th 1650. against the Blasphemies of the Ranters which alone hath quite vanquished all that way and manner of Blaspheming by the dread of it though scarce ever any person suffered the penalties of it A HAPPY ACT IT WAS. And it is as true That there is an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons of the 2d of May 1648. very full against the Socinian Blasphemies But the Instrument of the present Government seems to repeal that Act and that Ordinance and all other Laws whatsoever that lay restraint upon men as to their Opinions and the professing of them if any other were in being at the making thereof The words of the Instrument are these ARTICLE XXXVII That such as professe Faith in God by Jesus Christ though differing in Judgement from the Doctrine Worship and Discipline publickly held forth shall not be restrained from but shall be protected in the Profession of the Faith and Exercise of their own Religion so as they abuse not this Liberty to the civil injury of others and to the actual Disturbance of the Publick Peace on their parts Provided this Liberty be not extended to Popery or Prelacy nor to such as under the Profession of Christ hold forth and practise Licentiousness And ARTICLE XXXVIII That all Laws Statutes Ordinances and Clauses in any Law Statute and Ordinance to the contrary of the aforesaid Liberty shall be esteemed as null and void So that if any man should prosecute a Blasphemer upon either the fore-said Act or Ordinance or upon any other Law if any were in force at the making of the Instrument as it 's believed there was none all would depend upon the Judgement of the Court where the Cause is tried of the sense or extent of those words in the Instrument viz. Art 37. Such as professe Faith in God by Jesus Christ And provided this Liberty be not extended to Popery c. Nor to such as under the Profession of Christ hold forth and practise Licentiousness And though it may be the opinion of one Judge and Court that it is not the intent of the Instrument to repeal any Law or clause of a Law against Blasphemy yet it may not be the opinion of another but the clean contrary Besides it is a great Question Whether an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons be in force and did not expire with the Parliament that made it Which was one of Biddle's Pleas. It may charitably be presumed that the Lord Protector his Highness did doubt whether the Sessions of Peace for London would in the Case of John Biddle adjudge the foresaid Ordinance of May 2d 1648. upon which he was indicted to be in force notwithstanding the Instrument of Government and that therefore he the Lord Protector did with the Advice of his Councel remove Biddle by a special Warrant from Newgate before Judgment unto the Isle of Silly there to be kept close-prisoner to hinder him from infecting the people with his damnable Opinions notwithstanding the Petition of his Disciples and Abettors styling themselves to be of such and such a Church for his enlargement And because I have mentioned Biddle's Case I think it not amiss to give this brief Accompt of him and it that any that desire it may know what 's become of him and his Tryal On June 28th 1656. John Biddle engaged himself in a Disputation in Pauls before many hundreds with a weak man just as the Devil would have it upon this Thesis Jesus Christ is the Almighty or most high God Where Biddle was the Opponent and indeed very learned witty and zealous he was to baffle all that heard him out of their Christianity The day being spent that day seven-night was appointed to carry on the Dispute in the same place to the heart-cutting of some that dearly love our Lord Jesus who carried in an Information of the whole unto his Highness and the Councel of State humbly begging that the said Bidle or any others might not be suffered to propagate his or their Blasphemous Assertions against the Sonne of God our Saviour or his Laws and Statutes the holy Scriptures Whereupon the Councel sent
and Promises yea compelled to hear and set themselves to learn that so their minds may be better exercised and through Gods blessing their hearts wrought upon to be both good Christians and good Subjects And for ill manners Who are the unruly crue that have no command over either their tongues or hands and that put the Magistrate to such great trouble to keep men from ruining each other but untaught people for the most part What a vast charge do such people put the Land too to keep them quiet and the innocent from being wronged by them Whereas if all persons were compelled to be under the rule of some good Teacher or other How easily might as we may hope through Gods blessing one quarter of the Magistrates and Officers of the Land that are govern the people or the same number that are govern them with one quarter of the trouble Oh that these miserable men were more piâ—ied than they are Many have taken compassion on the poor Indians in New-England and with the concurrence of the Magistrate do use means for their conversion a blessed work that deserves the praiers and furtherance of all Gods people and must the ungodly Christians of Old-England be neglected and cast off the mean time Are those Indians more dear to us then the men of our own Land and of our own bloud and bone The Lord put it into the hearts of all the Lords people both Magistrates Ministers and others to pity poor ignorant ungodly ones as well as take care of those that are religious thereby will God be honoured souls saved the Land blessed themselves comforted when they shall perceive how God hath enlarged their hearts desire after the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen An Humble Proposal of the Remedies of the forementioned evils and some more good work for a Parliament That Laws may be made I. AGainst speaking or printing the Blasphemies mentioned in the Act of August 9. 1650. and in the Ordinance of May 2. 1648. which were chiefly made against the Blasphemies of the Ranters and Socinians II. Against the Blasphemies and Errors of the Quakers III. Against reviling the Ministry and Ordinances of the Gospel IV. Against the printing or publishing any Book or sheet in print at least Divinity that is not first Licensed by such fit men as by Authority shall be appointed for that end V. Against Ministers delivering the Sacrament to the grosly ignorant and scandalous To the Encouragement of the Ministry and furtherance of the Gospel I. By confirming the Ordinances of his Highness for the ejecting of scandalous and insufficient Ministers II. And the Ordinance for the dividing and joyning of Parishes where need is III. To impower some in every City and Market-Town in England where the common Tythe of the place is not sufficient to maintain the Ministry of the place to revise correct and augment the Parish-rols of the rates set upon each house for the Maintenance of Ministers that there may be an equality and a sufficiency and a standing Power to rate men according to their houses or estates by some Rule or other The Reasons of that motion are these 1. Most Parishes in London and other Market-Towns consisting of Merchants Shop-keepers and handy-craft Tradesmen who hold no Lands are sufficient easily to maintain a good Minister and many of them two or three or four the want is hearts or a Law to order it so 2. Many Parishes have through the Malignancy carelesness and death of their Officers quite lost their Tythe-Roll so that nothing can be recovered by Law 3. Where Tythe Rols are and can be proved ancient and good in Law yet there many houses upon new foundations are not assessed at all and many houses through the altering bigning and lessening of houses are very unequally rated insomuch that many houses of 10lb per annum are rated at more than other houses of 30lb per annum and many a man that is worth but a hundred or two of pounds in money debts and ware rated at as much as some others that are worth twice so many thousands of estate in the same kinde 4. By this means many very great Parishes may be divided into more Parishes and have means enough for Ministers to them so divided whereas now the means is but enough to maintain one 5. In one considerable City of this Nation and it 's probable it is so in many more Cities and Market-Towns there is no Tythe-Roll at all but all are at liberty to give any thing or nothing whereas if all were rated Then 6. A great part of the Augmentation-money which is a blessed Gift might be saved or disposed of to such other places that being Impropriate or otherwise unable to maintain a Minister are in great need of an Augmentation III. A Law to compel all persons whatsoever that are in health to hear two Sermons of Gods Word every Lords Day from some approved Preacher or other except such as shall be allowed by a Justices Licence to stay at home to dress meat or to look unto children or sick persons For surely God would have men compell'd to hear that Word whereby he useth to make men willing to be saved Oh blessed Severity that drives undone men and women to hear tenders of grace and mercy from an offended God that forces them from the very brink of Hell How can sinners believe in Christ unless they hear him preached Without knowledge the heart cannot be good and where there is no vision the people perish The Officers of the Army in their Letter from a general meeting at Jameses Jan. 28. 1652. to all the Souldiers of England Scotland and Ireland Profess That it is a duty very much incumbent upon them by all lawfull wayes and means to endeavour the procuring That the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be dispensed to all the people of this Commonwealth It was worthily said of them And no doubt but the Lord Protector and the Parliament do believe that the same duty is much more incumbent upon them I know they will say so The great Question is When may it be said that his Highness and the Parliament have by all lawful wayes and means endeavoured that all might hear the Gospel Is providing able pious Ministers all they can do I le tell a Story A godly Citizen of London took to be his Apprentise an ignorant prophane Lad out of the Countrey as void of Christ and grace and of divine knowledge as any Heathen His Master was very instrumental in procuring to the Parish where he lived a Spiritual Soul-searching Minister to his more than ordinary cost much hoping that God would bless it to the new moulding of his Servant he tels him what good means he had provided for him if he would go and make use of it and after he had gone once or twice alas poor boy his heart was opposite to such holy matter as preaching and praying so he would come