〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now though the formality of humane laws flowes from men who haâ— their own Interests yet the sinews and life of all true Lawâ— have their sperma and spirit in the Law of nature But besides there is a Law of Nations which lies between the Law of Nature and Civil Law and this is either per conâ—omitantiam thâ— is when several Nations in their several conditions and capacities yet have some of the same positive Laws or else per communicationem which is indeed the most duly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by compacts and leagues together reciprocally But now as to humaâ— Laws which Tully calls Leges populares and the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have their rise from Reason which is therefore to be first considered for that there is a necessary coâ—catenation between first principles and conclusions and as Suarez sayes Veritas principii continetur in conclusions The truth of the principle is or ought to be in the product so must reason as the principle be in the Laws and he that serves the Form and shifts the Principle i. e. Reason is the Traytor and an Apostate to his own nature and the God of it This makes Tully to tell us that Veralex est rectaratio naturae congruens diâ—fusa in omnes constans sempiterna c. Reason is the true Law which hath a natural congruity is of a large latitude aâ—â— diffusion and never dies Hence what have Governors and Legislators to do b◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we say expound upon the Law of Nature and enlarge her borders But to make haste take up theâ— Corollaries First That there is nothing more agreeable to Nature thâ— Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing it is founded in Nature Secondly That all just and honest Laws are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 steps of true Reason Thirdly Reason and clear understanding which is the proper principle is the best Judge of Civil Laws and it renders â— man a Judge even when the form of the Laws renders him one judged for that which hath the highest command is the supreaâ— Judge but Reason hath the highest command so also that which is the most perfect in every kinde is the rule of the rest but Reason is so Fourthly Some disobedience is more lawful i. e. according to the rules of God and Nature then subjection i. e. When the Dictates of Reason do cross the Injunctions of Form in such a case he is not the Traytor who does contrary to the Formalitiâ—s of the Law but he that denies Reason and does contrary to the principle of it for that the principle is supream to the letter therefore the greatest Rebellion Disobedience and Treason is against Reason Equity and Understanding Nullus subditur legi inferioris contra superiorem Fifthly Humane Laws must no longer be kept up then they keep up the principle of them which is Reason but in cases of contest betwixt the Letter of the Law and Reason we must side with the principle In talibus non secundum literam legis sed recurrendum ad aequitatem Jurisperitus in digesto veteri Lib. 1. tit 3. leg 24. In this sense sayes the Prophet Isa. 10. 1 2. Wo to them that decree unrighteous decrees and that grievousness which they have prescribed to take away the right c. This is a sad curse which hath continued long in England which certainly the Lord will visit Lawyers for and corrupt Judges Sixthly As Reason is restored to more perfection and clearness all the Laws and results of such Reason must be amended and corrected Now like Hezekiahs waters by degrees true equity and reason is rising apace higher and higher out of its Chaos so that in this light and discovery according to its degree must tumble down all corrupt Forms Letters and Laws So that this Resurrection of Reason or the Principle will prove the ruine of persons and personal interests and that is the reason that the Wisemen are employed by the present Herods of our age under pretence of worshipping this Infant so as yet to tell them how and where they may destroy it in its first appearances least it live and reyn them out of the saddle and this they hope to do by murthering the children of Reason but in vain though as yet true Reason is counted the Traytor to the acted Forms Seventhly Reason restored to latitude and liberty will ride in triumph in the spirits of men and draw all forms after her as her Vassals Subjects and badges of her conquest and dominion and in trophie of triumph Reason shall sit in her Majesty on the Throne as Sovereigne and Lady-Law in command And then an Aristotle acknowledges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Law rides triumphantly when it s filled with reason and then reason will call corrupt forms and Interests to account as guilty of much innocent and precious blood It is not the principle but the domineering form which must be brought to the Bar for the greater Persecutor and Tyrant and engine of destruction who with a Wolfe-like nature tears a peeces the Lamb-like appearances of Equity Truth and Reason Now that time will be glorious indeed when Righteousnesse and Truth shall possesse mens hearts and when the principle shall be restored in a civill reference as well as in a spirituall says Mr. War then shall be the triumph and the tumbling of all tyrannical forms and Laws in Church and State 8 When this principle is restored the Lord alone will be exalted in that day and wee shall stand on even ground in a perfect level as to selfish Interests or Forms and one shall be equal with another in Justice and Law Without this principle of reason men are degenerated dethroned and Nebuchadnezzar-like turned among the Beasts which whilst a rationall man who hath this principle cannot indure he meets with roaring Buls and Beares ready to tear him in peeces but God will deliver him out of the Den of Lyons who would have with Suarez omnia praecepta both as to principle and conclusions or Laws thence a Des auctore naturae all Laws of God according to this principle of reason which are then and not else binding in foro conscientiae in conscience And for explication of this Hierocles and Pythâ—goras doe both utter these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To obey right Reason and to bee perswaded by it is to obey and bee perswaded by God himselfe c. And Socrates had such like sayings often in his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It does not behove a rationall man to be perswaded by any thing but by right Reason that hath the seale of God upon it so that as this Principle is exalted the Lord will be exalted with it and by it in the State Ninethly Because Reason is not
Isa. 60. 14 17 and the Sons of them that afflicted us shall come bending to us c. Isa. 49. 23 24. But we shall be far from oppression Isa. 54. 16. Zach. 9. 8 as the Scriptures doe hold out very fully I shall in this Treatise and at this time doe no more then instance in that unsupportable Tyranny of the Laws and Lawyers as they now are For as there could not be a Church-Reformation as long as the Antichristian National Clergy were highly countenanced and accounted the Pillars of the Church so is there as little likelihood of State-Reformation as long as the corrupt cruel oppressing cursed Crew of Lawyers for so they are the accursed Tribe of this Nation as will appeare by and by be accounted the Pillars of the State Now as the downfall of the corrupt Clergy with their Cannons was the fatall blow to all Church Tyrants and soul oppressors So will the downfall of the corrupt Lawyers and their Termes bee destructive and irrecoverable to all State-Tyrants and body-oppressors till which be I dare oblige life liberty and all I am at stake that the State will never thrive nor the faithfull people in this Commonwealth be ever sensible of a good Reformation or ease or Liberty as long as the most lamentable Mil-stone of the Norman yoake â—yes yet unremoved and pressing of them to death It is not the removals of the little burthens or lesser weights wil help them as long as they must yet be embondaged by the Lawyers Or what if Taxes should be abated and Tythes abolished the sence of this and all else would be lost as long as the Lawyers are yet left to squeeze out mens Estates Liberties Lives Blood Hearts and all It is true that Tythes have lived so long that now they are grown like an old man uselesse decrepit and quite out of account and credit and they doe but trouble to take up time or roome in this world they will speedily be thrust aside And so will Lawyers with their Termes for their stinking breath is already offensive The rich Romish Gluttons are fattened up by Tythes and crammed up to the mouth whilst the poor Gospel Lazarus's cannot have the crumbs for their mouth wherefore as Nebuchadnezzars Image had the Head gold the Arms silver the Thighs brasse the Feet clay so have Tythes and Terms and the lower they are the worser in every age They will be ere long dashed to peeces Dan. 2. 31 34. and not endured In the mean time Tythes and Taxes are but niblers but the Laws and Lawyers as they now are are the swallowers Mice may be niblers but the Cat that keeps them in awe is of an eating kind she devoures more at one bit then the poor Mouse would at twenty and eates up them too at last And so the Lawyers For the most ravenous fishes have the widest mouths and I am sure to hear them plead at a Bar you would easily think they would find no bones in a Bag of mony But seeing I am to ingage against them as the greatest Tyrants and Oppressors of this Common-wealth and as such as will stunt the growth of this State unlesse they be cut off from sucking out the blood and life and heart in her veines and vitals I will be so ingenious as first to give them notice of it and if I prove not to their faces by plain dint of Scripture and Reason that they are as wicked a Generation of Cheates and Tyrants as the Earth bears I will abide their worst and bid the test and contest with any of them all But this I shall premise That my zeale to God for Christ and his Servants who suspire most sadly under the Norman as wel as Babylonian Yoak with my unfained affections to my dear Country-men and to the true Liberties Laws and Rights of this Common-wealth have cast me upon this Campania of discourse and made my Spirits quick and keen to this combate against the proudest Goliah of them all for I have a little stone in my hand that must hit them on the foreheads c. before I fetch their Heads But before I goe further Methinks they aske what Call I have hereto and bid me shew my Warrant Which I will offer in the first place as signed by all the powers and Lawes in Heaven and earth which I think is then sufficient and to be clear I produce my Call hereto 1. From the Law of Nature 2. The Law of Nations And lastly but not leastly from the Law of God 1 The Law of Nature which saies Ephes. 5 39. No man ever yet hated himselfe but loves and cherishes himselfe This Law teaches us to maintaine and defend our lives and liberties yea and fellow-members too against all injuries and wrongs The Heathens themselves would tell the Lawyers that the Law of Nature puts men upon opposing them at this nick of time for their tyranny and injustice See but Cicero lib. 1. c. 3. Offic. who says That Nature the common mother of mankind commands and ordaines that every man endeavor and procure the good of another whatsoever he be only because he is a man otherwise all bonds of society and mankind must needs run to ruin Can the Lawyers deny yes that they can and durst deny any thing for their own ends for it is their trade but can reason deny this Warrant signed me by Nature The very Roman Law allotted a punishment to that person or neighbor that would not do what hee could to rescue and deliver a very slave from the outrage and injustice of his Master And shall not we for the free-borne people of England Besides saies Cicero further in saying that thou must only attend on thine own affairs lest thou shouldst wrong others and thereby be unjust thy selfe in another kind thou dost thereby abuse the Law of Nature and abandon humane Society in that thou wilt not afford all thy endeavors either of mind body or goods for the necessary preservation and priviledge of the whole So that I say this Law hath signed my Warrant with her broadest seale to do all I can in word and deed writing and discoursing against the injustice cruelty and unsuffer able sinful accursed Practises of the civill and uncivil Lawyers and not that I thereby would wrong them in the least to write of them thus but that I should wrong my dear Country and Country-men at the least if I doe not thus endeavour to right them against the Lawyers who would and doe enslave them contrary to the Lawes of God nature and Nations And therefore I must not so mind my own private and personall affairs as to forget their tears sighes moans and complaints which some of my own Country-men yea of fourscore years of age yea great Professors of the faith of our Lord Jesus yea honorable persons have made to me and many others of their miseries slaveries
and importable sufferings under these cursed Lawyers by tricks and cheats So that the Law of Nature looks for it at my hands as long as my hand will hold a pen to protest against such crying sins of Scarlet-dye which the unnaturall Lawyers live by And to conclude this first Consideration of the Law of Nature observe 1. That the Law of Nature is one and the same to all Nations quoad prima principia inclining all a like ad agendum secundum rationem to things according to Reason now Reason is either speculative or Practick the first cheifly looks at and is busied about necessaries circa necessaria but the second is circa contingentia about circumstances the first proceeds ad propria the second ad communia Now this Law of Nature hath among all the same principles though it may be not the same conclusions among all through some miscarriages Yea furthermore in irrationall creatures Nature hath a Law to defend herselfe from Tyranny and oppression and this is by instinct in Dogs against Wolves Lambs against Foxes Buls against Lyons and so between Chickens and Kites Pigeons and Spar-Hawkes Partridges against Hawks c. So that it is irrationall yea worse then so to question the lawfulnesse of defending our selves lives and Estates from these greedy ungodly Devourers seeing that so to doe is to question the imprinted Law of Nature But to be short 2 Obs. That this Law of Nature i. e. quantum ad prima principia is unchangeable in all ages which doth not yet exempt an addition of all good Expedients and things usefull 3 Obs. That this Law of Nature est scripta in cordibus hominum is indelible quem nec ulla delet inquitas that is as to common reason Although it may as to secondary commands as in the Law of the Nations or the like either propter malas persuasiones or propter pravas consuetudines And so in Rom. 1. 26. we read of some that were given up to most vile sins contra naturam not only contrary to reason which is the constitutive difference betwixt man and beasts but against nature which is contrary to the very genus of a Creature by nature And so not onely the corrupt devouring Lawyers but I beleeve others that let them alone to goe on in their unnaturall tyrannies and abominable sins will be found offenders against this Law of Nature For as Justice is built upon this twofold Basis 1. That none be wronged 2. That Good be done to all as much as may be So also there is two sorts of Injustice as 1. In those that doe the injury and oppressions and in this seate the Lawyers sit But then 2. In them that suffer these oppressions and injuries to be done under their noses that might deliver us it may be And I wonder how any one honest man in England can forbear writing printing petitioning protesting against this ungodly Generation of Lawyers preaching and proclaiming them on the house top for the Egyptian plagues of this Commonwealth and the vilest Tribe that are Surely the Lords controversie with them which is great will come nigh their Faâ—tors and Abettors too and all that can see and suffer them every day as they doe to live by sin to tell lies in open Courts and to make a trade of oppression perjury lying false-swearing forswearing cheating devouring fatherlesse and widows and beggering many honest godly soules by craft and cruelty It is a shame if any man in England who can write but a line of them upon his own knowledge puts not pen to paper and gives not out his grievances to the world that those in Power may know the TRUTH nothing but the TRUTH and the whole TRUTH of them But 4 Obs. All profitable good and vertuous acts i. e. humane as of Justice are according to this Law of Nature for agere secundum virtutem is nothing else as to us but agere secundum rationem to act according to the principle of reason But least here be a mistake we must know that it is one thing to see vertuous acts as they are actions in themselves for so they are to be considered in propriis speciebus not of the Law of nature but according to their vertue which is given beside nature as Art or above nature as grace or the like and it is another thing to see them as they are rationall vertuous and morally good as just mercifull c. and so they appertaine to the Law of nature for every thing naturally inclines to operation according to its forme as Fire to heat Sun to shine and so a rationall principle to doe rationall good and vertuous humano more actions In this sence saies Damasc. in lib. 3. Orth. fid c. 14. Actus virtuosi subjacent legi naturae Hence as I take it that notable Moralist M. Tully tels us in Rhet. lib. 2. de Invent. f. 4. Res a natura profectas aconsuetudine probatas legum metus religio sanxit that ordinary Religion hath ordained it that the matters of the Lawes human be fetched from nature And indeed it is hence that human lawes or Lawes of nations are derived from the Law of Nature as the only rule of reason and therefore of rationall actions and lawes left standing and perpetuall These four Conclusions thus asserted and assented to I challenge all the Lawyers on this side hell to enervate or deforce the full commission which I own to write against them under hand and scale according to the Law of Nature Secondly The Law of Nations says Luk. 6. 31. As you would that men should doe unto you doe you also that unto them or else as one of Terences golden Sentences for the Lawyers care little for the Scriptures which I have tryed of late by bringing out a Bible for the Statute-Book but they could not abide it who says the same Ut tibi â—ieri vis alteri sic seceris This Law of Nations is to be brought out of the Law of Nature and looking so alike the other I shall say the lesse to it for that as Conclusions are drawne ex principiis out of principles in all Arts and Sciences So humane Lawes Civill Lawes or the Lawes of Nations are to be drawn out of the Law of Nature and the Principles of Reason as so many Axioms or demonstrative Conclusions But to the thing The Law of Nations distinguishes between meum and tuum Possessions Estates and gives fixed limits and makes confines which every man is bound to defend against all Invaders Cheates oppressors whatsoever now who do invade other mens estates eate up and devoure them by incredible Fees prolonging Suits crafty Tricks and Subtleties depauperating millions of men and devouring millions of mony till they have got by cheates fetches and Fees all mens Lands almost into their hands who doe thus like the Lawyers Are there any greater Theeves or may
I not say Knaves in the world then they are When Diomedes was brought before Alexander for Piracy Says Alexander How now Fellow what a Pirat Ah I says he indeed I am a Pirat for that I robbed a few Fishermen in a Cock-boat but if I had scoured the Seas as thou hast done and spoiled all the World with an Army and a Navy I had been no Pirate but an Emperor by this time So it may be might a poor silly Fellow that was hanged for fourteen pence have told his Judge ah Sir I must be hanged for such a trifle contrary to the Lawes of God Exod. 22. 3 4. 2 Sam. 12. 6 yea and of Nature It is true I am a Theefe and must restore it manifold or else be sold for my Theft But my Lord had I been a Lawyer and robbed thousands of their Estates every terme and spoiled many Gentlemen Yeomen Widows Fatherlesse and almost all England of their Estates then I had been no Theefe but may hap My Lord too by this time But I must tell the Lawyers for their learning however man accounts of them yet God accounts them but Theeves and Robbers Isa. 1. 23. Prov. 22 22. Isa. 10. 2. Job 12. 6. Dan. 11. 13. Ezek 22. 27. and by these and many more Scriptures I am confident many whom they have judged for Theeves or Breakers of the Law shall judge them for the worst of Theeves and Law breakers that are i. e. breakers of the Law of Nature the true Law of Nations and the Laws of God and that some who have been hanged at the day of Judgment shal escape when they shall not for as Alexander had no more right to rob then Diomedes but 't is true he had more power to do mischeife and was not easily brought to account and suffer for it So the Lawyers have no more true Lawes or right to rob the People of this Commonwealth by Cheates Extortions of Fees or the like then those that are hanged at Tyburne have But 't is true they have more power and lesse need to doe mischeife and to make a spoile of other mens Estates and as yet though as sure as God is 〈◊〉 heaven they shal be called to account they cannot be brought to a triall and suffer for it But as to my Warrant I say it is by the same Law that I would hinder a Theefe from stealing or a Servant from purloining of his Masters goods and estate or that I would discover one that hath done so or warn such as are so wronged or like to be so robbed So that the Law of Nature of Nations Civil Lawes Municipial Laws and all doe oblige me against these uncivill unnaturall and unsufferable Lawyers I know some of them of my Kindred and Acquaintance and those of the Great ones too will bee angry at the heart with me for this my faithfulnesse to the Nation But shall I tell them of one honest Lawyer which is rare I le promise you as black Swans we use to say wherefore I must go far enough for him and that is Papinian which would reprove Caracalla to his face though he died for it And would they have me go behind the door why it is not for one Paricide but Homocides Oppressions Thefts blood and the Death and Estates of abundance that I am bound thus to appeare in publick A Heathen could say Let Justice be done though the world perish for it And should I be negligent of my duty or be possessed with a pusillanimous pannick foolish feare of loosing great mens favor worldly means liberty life or the like no I trust in God I shall not and therefore for good to those Lawyers that repent I thus write Amongst the Egyptians if any one man had seen another distressed by Theeves or Robbers and did not according to his power presently assist him all he could at least by discovering the Robbers to the Magistrates he was adjudged worthy to die and had for the first offence or mulct divers blows on his body and was to fast three daies together And to tell the truth above halfe a year agone and some a year I have seen weeping most sadly distressed by these Nationall Robbers so as I was put on by many afflicted yet pious Christians to make discovery of them to the Magistrates in the late Parliament but consulting too much with flesh and blood and knowing how many Lawyers were amongst them I did it not since which I say I have suffered the Mulct for I have been well buffetted since and lashed in my mind and scourged in my spirit for my remisnesse herein and fasted too but now I am almost ready to conclude my self not worthy to live if I should let them alone longer in their daily robberies and not at least write against them to discover them to this Parliament in Authority now over us Whether men would rob by force or by fraud 't is all one for we must resist them or we violate this Law of Nations which hath most strictly obliged us to the preservation and priviledges of the Common-weale So that it is to breake the Law and betray our Country to let them thus alone We find in Pliny lib. 4. and Alexand. ab Alex. lib. 6. c. 4. The Law of Tyrannicides honors the living with rich and memorable recompences and the dead with high and honorable Epitaphs and Statues that have been Defenders of their Countries Liberties and Priviledges from Tyrannicall Oppressors and Intruders as Harmodius and Aristogiton at Athens Brutus and Cassius in Greece Aratus of Sicyone c. and can men meet with more cruell crafty oppressors and intruders as we shall prove them all to be by and by then the Lawyers are Well then I hope hundreds and hundreds will suddenly arise besides my selfe in their capacities and places to defend their Liberties and Priviledges against these Tyrants and Robbers For the Law made against Forsakers and Traytors takes hold with both hands on those who contribute not their best assistance against these wretches Oh! cowardly Souldiers will you counterfeit your selves sick when you should fight or cast off your Armes and run away now O no! rouze up your selves Is there an honest man in England that dare sit still yet under the judgement of these Locusts for shame for shame friends up up petition print and all As in a publick fire every one must work to bring Hooks and Buckets and water and Engins and all we can to quench these consumers hold wait not for a ceremony now as for the Captains of the Watch first to call you or that the Governors of the Nation must appear first to put out this flame No! no but every man must up and about it draw water climb to the top wait not for a word of command but make hast about the businesse for it is good for all that the fire be
quenched and if thou waitest for the word these Consumers in their flame may hap to have the mastery and do more mischiefe of a sudden then we are aware of Thus our Warrant is signed in the second place by the Law of Nations Thirdly The Law of God saies Luk. 10. 27. Love the Lord thy God c. and thy Neighbor as thy selfe Besides the Law of Nature and Nations the Law of God is unavoidably necessary ad ultimum finem Now this Law of God gives me Warrant as a Minister and as a Man to proclaime the injustice oppression lying cheating deceit and villanies of this wicked Tribe as Amos 4. 1. Hear the Law of the Lord O yee Kine of Bashan yee which oppresse the poor and crush the needy that is O yee Judges and Lawyers that are fed with the best and fattest things abounding in wealth and stores and they are such Kine whose bellies are filled for a day of slaughter which is signified by Bashan and they say to their Masters bring wine By the poor is meant the borrower but by the master is meant the creditor now these wretched Lawyers do not as they ought to doe justice for the reliefe of the poor Debters against hard hearted Usurers but rather they oppresse the poor and fulfill the desires of the rich misers to the wrong of others and then they say come your cause will carry it bring us wine a quart or pottle of wine to make merry with But God will confound this their carnality and covetousnesse Amos 5. 7. Hear O yee that turne judgement into wormwood and have made the Laws bitter to the poor and honest people and have made their remedies worse then their diseases and have managed the causes of the righteous with so much sin as have filled them with frequent sorrows and tears abhorring true reason and equity Vers. 11. For as much therefore as your treading is on the poor c. That is your greatest violence disdaine abuses and base injuries are done to them to screwze and grinde them under your filthy feet Ver. 12. I know your manifold transgressions and mighty sins in afflicting the just taking Bribes or Fees and turning aside the poor in the gate from their right i. e. when the poor have nothing to give them they get them into prisons to lie and rot there The Germans have a Proverb that the rich are hanged up by their purses and the poor by their necks Thus by injustice as the Prophet saies the Tyrannicall Tribe of Judges and Lawyers grow great get estates build stately houses have pleasant Gardens and ruffle it out in Angles of luxury and pride and whilst Angels protect them they behave themselves like Demi-gods But God will reward them in their kind Micah 2. 1. 2. Woe to them that devise iniquity that is in Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lye vanity c. who do this like the Lawyers and when the morning is light they practise it So away they run to Westminster and there plead their lies V. 2. They covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppresse a man and his house even a man and his heritage But thus saith the Lord Vers. 3. Behold against this Family i. e. of Lawyers or these Inns of Courts do I devise an evill c. and Vers. 4. In that day shall one take up a parable and lament with a dâ—lefull lamentation and say wee be utterly spoiled Thus the Lord complaines and threatens them very speedily and to purpose as will appear ere I have done with them Now Gods Word gives me warrant all along to cry aloud and spare not Should Whoredome be suffered in the open streets without open reproofes or Drunkennesse or the like Why theâ— should oppression injustice lying perjury violence cheating and such like Knavery is not one sin as much sin in the sight oâ— God as another I apprehend my Commission to lead me as largely against the Lawyers who make a daily trade of sin aâ— lying swearing cozening oppressing and wronging the Fatherlesse and Widows and all this in open sun too hereby getting mony as it does against Drunkards Swearers Whoremongers whâ— every day live by their sins making a trade of them and getting mony by them O how bitterly God complaines Heaven Earth and Creatures groan at such a company of as vile wretcheâ— as the earth bears that live by sins and have no other trading and that they should be yet tolerated to have open practise Jeâ— 6. 29. The Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are nâ— plucked away I wish one day it appeare not all one with opeâ— toleration of Drunkennesse Whoredomes or the like But I am bound in conscience to bear testimony against it and say with thâ— Prophet behold the end is come the end is come â— watcheth for thee behold it is come Ezek. 7. 6 7. their timâ— is come their day of trouble is near these judgements are inculcated because the Lawyers will not beleeve it may be Ver. 8 Now will I shortly poure out my fury upon them Ver. 10 11 12. Behold the day behold t is come the morning is gone forth the rod hath blossomed violence is risen up into a rod of wickednesseâ— None of them shall remain Nor of their multitudes Neither shall there be wailing for them The time is come The day draweth nigh Gods Word to me is to declare against their Injustice and Tyranny Cheating and Lying and to warn them Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Ezek. 2. 7. And if they will hear Ezek. 33. 12 15. Say Son of Man if the wicked will restore the pledge and give again what they have robbed and walk in my statutes without committing iniquity they shall live and not die Thus far the Law of God gives me power So Psal. 82. 2 3. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked But to come to the directive power of Gods Law see Judg. 5. 23. Curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof And that it is incumbent upon us by Gods Law to defend our Liberties against all Tyrants and Oppressors as I said before is without doubt Hos. 5. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 23. See what Mattathias said to his Brethren Come let us restore the decayed state of our people and let us fight for our people and for the Sanctuary So that it plainly appears we may do all we can for the decayed estate of this Commonwealth against the corrupt cruel and cursed innovations of the devouring Lawyers as well as other Tyrants that were Lords over us and for the restoration of our Primitive liberties and freedom of Justice as we shall show by and by at every mans door That righteousness may run down like a River in every street Isa. 48. 18. And be as common as the waters in
Lawyers having proved my warrant by the Law of Nature of Nations and of God Which Law of God is of all the necessary seeing that mens judgement especially in particular contingencies may be divided and produce divided and different effects till the divine law directs them for Psal. 19. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect the testimony of the Lord is sure the statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart c. From whence ere long all other Laws among men must fetch breath And then as the Psalmist says Psal. 147. 19 20. He sheweth his word to Jacob his statutes and judgements to Israel and he hath not dealt so with any other Nations as for his judgements they have not known them This will I trust be fulfilled in a short time as soon as ever the Lawyers once tumble In the mean time says the Lord Isa. 3. 20. Wo be to them that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Vers. 23. Wo be to them that justifie the wicked for reward and take away the righteousnesse or righteous cause of the righteous from him c. And Isa. 1. 21. O! How is the faithful City become an Harlot c. Companions of Theeves Vers 23. Every one loveth gifts and follows after rewards they judge not for the fatherless norwidow c. Therefore saith the Lord Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries and will restore thy Judges as at first how that is we shall hear hereafter But wo be to these wicked ones The two Plagues of this Nation rose up both from the bottomless smoke and are the Priests and Lawyers both alike they keep up a corrupt carnal Antichristian interest the Priests would fill the cup of the Whore for the Nation to drink of and the Lawyers would cloath her with scarlet but wo be to us if either be suffered to trade for because thou hast let go them that I have appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for theirs and thy people for theirs 1 Kings 20. 42. They must fall together seeing ever since Edward the third his time in England they were advanced together i. e. as to their height in interest The Lawyers who are Tyrants and Oppressors of the Civil state may as well be compared to the locusts mentioned Rev. 8. 3 c. as the Priests the Tyrants and Oppressors of the Ecclesiastical state For 1. Out of the smoke which darkned the Air as well as the Sun Earth as well as Heaven and so out of that Antichristian darkness which arose upon the State civil as well as Ecclesiastick came these locusts Vers. 2 3. upon the Earth and Lawyers into this Kingdom as we shall shew afterward Vide Malmsbury in William the second his time they proceeded from the Romish Clergy 2. Locusts are unclean Creatures many times translated Grashoppers and the Midianites and Amalekites that came against Israel in Gideons days Judg. 7. 12. were said to be like Grashoppers which says Cooper signifies Bodily oppressors Egyptian plagues as Exod. 10. 13 14. Grievous Such are the Lawyers all over the Nations and they never are in such multitudes but they are most grievous plagues as can befal a Nation we had need to seek in hast to our Moses's and Aarons by whose means I am perswaded they will be swept away of a sudden into the Red Sea 3. Locusts have their strength in their multitude O what heaps of this noysome Vermine may you see at a time in the Temple or Westminster-hal Nullum unquam fuisse humanâ— ordinis institutum quod magis brevi tempore crevit c. These do make up the numerous Army of Antichrist in this State against Christ and are to torment men Rev. 9. 3 5 7 c. and so Exod. 10. 14. they cover the Earth 4. Locusts have their variety of orders and ye may see them noted in their several colours and marks Thus have Antichrists Lâ—ity I mean Lawyers as well as Antichrists Clergy I mean the Priests It were but lost labor to enter into this number of his name of to reckon up the variety of orders and degrees of this brood of the Beast distinguished by several Forms Sects and Habits of divers Fashions 5. Locusts are of earthly dispositions greedy devourers insatiable for covetousness always desiring but never delighting to work sow labor nor plough but to eat up the fruits of other mens labors and to fall on cease upon and take possession of the best Meadows Valleys and pleasant places of the Land now the Lawyers as well as Priests are such a plague of Locusts For what fertile or fruitful Soyl in England that they have not ceased upon and eat out and with ravenous fees bought out the best estates in the Land What have these Lawyers like the Locusts but a mouth and a helly a huge mouth at the Bar to bite off and as big a belly to take in A mouth to gape for it and a belly to get it a mouth to plead for it and a belly to feed on it a mouth to serve a belly to consume but all this while no hands to do good or deal out to the poor and oppressed 6. Locusts have a leap like Grashoppers and so have the Lawyers for like the Leopards they get their prey Saliâ—ndo by leaps which are sometimes very large and as to the things of God or Religious Exercises we shall finde few of them frequent them unless by leaps now and then so by fits and jerks they will seem may hap serious as if they set for Heaven and may promise much But I always except such as were Lawyers and are converted or it may be some that are yet so accounted who are godly and conscientious and cannot close with the common sort or ordinary practise of greedy griping selfish oppressing Lawyers but such are not very many And I must needs say I cannot see how an honest man of a tender conscience can continue a Common Lawyer with them in pleading and practising as they do for doubtless he will lie under very desperate and daily temptations to trade with sin But as to the sect of them in general excepting some particular rare ones such Zeno's as are honest and godly amongst them these Locusts may leap to a little honesty it may be on Sundays but all the days after they follow their old trade of lying and oppressing and eating up the greens of the Land Subitos dant saltus sed protinus in terram cadunt Their ordinary going is but higgle-haggle here and there this way and that on this side and on that too for any Cause or Client so they meet but with an Angel in the way 7. These Locusts that help to make up the Army of Antichrist had a power like to Scorpions given them Revel 9. 3. and so have the Lawyers 1. Scorpio est
hand to rich and poor otherwise there is a Darling yet which is more preferred then the publick But I will say no more as yet to that onely this That all the Demetriusses of this Diana begin already to cry out for fear at the change of their long established forms whereby the publick hath been inslaved and whereby they have made gain by great fees and extortions so that the day of the Principle and Equity is terrible to them and a Lilburn is as bad as a Tiburn to them These twelve Corollaries drop out from the light and law of nature so that Nos legem bonam â mala nullâ alia nisi naturalinormâ dividere possumus c. By that Law we discern and divide betwixt good and bad and because as the Emperor M. Antoninus said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are equivalent the Law of Nature the Law of Nations and the Law of God require reason i. e. The principle to have the preheminence of all humane Laws whatsoever and that for these Reasons too 1. Because this Light of Nature i. e. Reason and clear understanding of things rational is a lumen certum such a light as makes a clear and certain discovery of things within its sphere There were a sort of Academicks and Scepticks who had this Motto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot comprehend or reach and indeed onely God himself can perfectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an object their radical principle was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hold every proposition in aequilibrio in equal ballance and that there was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an equilibrity of reason for the affirmation or negation of any opinion or perswasion But this is a black error yea a heresie of an irreconciliable antipaâ—hy against Reason and the light of nature which gives a certainty of knowledge in things rational which first peeps out in sence but shines in the understanding as bright as noon-day And yet I assert that God the eternal entity that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs be the Fountain of certainty But reason though her colour goes and comes in motu fluxu sayes Culverwel yet in her sphere sees certainly and deals faithfully with men therefore mens Laws must be made by this and this Reason be a Law above all humane Laws 2. It is a lumen tranquillum a quiet light and the want of this causes much contention and quarrelsomness were this light but followed or reasons voice regarded it would stop many a suit compose many a difference sheath many a sword quench many a flame cure many a wound comfort many a soul and stay much blood dispel much jealousie sullenness and suspition and what not In the dark men are foes with friends and friends with foes and they fall out and cannot tell for what but when Reason comes Passion is rebuked breaches are soon made up and all â—verboyling lusts of men scummed away which are as the Orator sayes averse a rectâ ratione and contra naturam 3. It is a lumen jucundum a sweet pleasing and chearful light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason is the smiling light of nature and her crown of Roses the very frowns and supercilious threatning brows of nature in many cruel and almost unnatural Laws are hereby paved levelled and pared away and turned into pleasing looks upon the poor as well as rich without respect of persons And thus the dark dismal night is chased away into a lovely â—ightsome and welcome day 4. It is a lumen dirigens a light for the feet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guiding and directing light Hence Schoolmen call Reason the Principium movens omnium actuum humanorum the moving principle therefore this principle is to be preferred Would not one that is lost in a dark night be glad of a Candle 5. It is lumen derivans or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lumen à lumine a derivative light it is but scintilla divinae lucis a Beam of the Body or a borrowed excellency of Divine Reason So that God himself is the Eternal spring and Head of reason and hence it is that the light of faith and light of reason will both shine in one heart and Reason uses such a prospective-glass to discover amplifie and approximate some amiable objects Now seeing Reason is derived from the most Divine Principle it ought to be regarded and preferred because in time Isa. 60. 19. shall be made good 6. It is lumen ascendens an aspiring growing light as Prov. 4. 18. The light of an upright man shineth more and more to the perfect day In every age Reason reaches higher therefore in every age the Laws should be corrected and pared away from all self-seeking interests according to the measure of Reason while ought to be most of all regarded as the standing rule But if 〈◊〉 be thus let us make this use Use. Let no man hide his light under a bushel but out with 〈◊〉 for the publick good and benefit of the whole Civil firmament 〈◊〉 it is contrary to the nature of true light to be kept up and 〈◊〉 reason to coop it up Nothing makes man more useful as to 〈◊〉 then reason and to cabbin it up is the way to coffin it up 〈◊〉 limit it is the way to lose it Therefore for shame Friends 〈◊〉 Countreymen can we be idle Let us bring out Reason to 〈◊〉 form all Forms and Laws that are against Reason and this 〈◊〉 openly in publishing printing and discoursing Obj. This is the way to be hanged for our Reason what brougt Sir Walter Rawleigh to his untimely end but his too much reason and understanding And so others are thereby brought tamper with Laws and the State and it may be lose their liâ—â— for it under pretence of Traytors Answ. It may be so but let a man be called what you 〈◊〉 because he prefers Reason as the principle of the Law yet 〈◊〉 an honest man 2. It is Satans design in civil affairs as well as spiritual 〈◊〉 blur and blemish the most serviceable and faithful men 〈◊〉 naucious and nocuous terms to render them odious to the woâ—â— and then to cut them off whiles there is none to pity them 3. He is the greatest enemy to common good and traytor thâ—â— can be that betrayes his Reason and becomes a slave to enforce Forms and Laws of men that are tyranny and oppression and 〈◊〉 gainst Reason Object But Humane Laws do bind the Conscience to obedience Answ. It is true if they be just and honest they do as 〈◊〉 8. 15. By me they decree justice but if they be dishonest and 〈◊〉 just and inconsistent with a rational principle they do not Laws are said to be unjust two ways First When they 〈◊〉 contrary to humane good and welfare and this is two ways 〈◊〉 1. Ex fine when they be burthens and hinderers of common
folly upon a hill to lose this â—r virginity if it be possible to save it and never was more â—pes of help then now the people being Conquerors to get â—m under this Norman tyranny if we cry aloud and complain God and men and in our applications to the Lord General â—d the Parliament we declare our wrongs and call aloud and inâ—ssantly for justice upon those villainous Laws that have ravished â—d robbed us of all our rights ere-long then it may be all the â— to question and sentence those Laws Let us consider but â—at William the Conqueror hath robbed us of and then we â—all know what Oliver the Conqueror ought to restore us to â—d re-invest us with as our own as 1. Whereas the Laws the free-born people that were rational â—d in a capacity were the Institutors of by their Deputies or â—resentatives William the Conqueror usurps that power and eates all Laws in his name and so ever since they have run in â—e Kings name as in an orbe above the people on purpose to â—rannize over the people Hence sayes Philip Honor Cum à â—ulielmo Conquestore quod perinde est ac Tyrannus instituâ—â—iâ—t leges Angliae admirandum non est quod solam princiâ—is utilitatem respiciant subditorum vero bonum desertum esse â—idâ—â—tur Seeing the Laws of England have been made by â—illâ—am the Conqueror and from thence the Tyrant it is not to â—e wondered at that they onely regard the Interest and Prerogaâ—ive of the King and seem to relinquish the right and liberties â— the people and so not at all to favor or be-friend the freedom â—f the people But this must be amended for the interest of great â—es will byass the Law till the people be reinfranchised and â—ll there be no Laws but such as arise from the peoples voice 2. Williams Conquest brought in Laws with the Norman â—anguage and French Tongue and least any Law should remain of the people that would not fetch and carry for him he comâ—ands them all to speak Barbarism to them in his own barbarous â—guage of broken French i. e. not to be so much as understood â— the poor people So that ever since the people have been under â—aws they understood not which is a grievous yoke and curse as â—â—ut 28. 49 50 51. appears The Lord shall bring a nation against thee as swift as the eagle that flieth a nation 〈◊〉 tongue thou shalt not understand a nation of a fierce co 〈…〉 nance which shall not regard the old nor shew favor to the yo 〈…〉 he shall eat the fruits of thy cattle and the fruits of thy land 〈…〉 til thou be destroyed Thus William the Conqueror gave the Normans the chi 〈…〉 possessions of the Lands and he changed all the temporal Law 〈…〉 the Realm and ever since the Norman Lawyers pleaded caus 〈…〉 an unknown tongue this is contrary to the Laws of God and 〈…〉 ture as appears Deut. 30. 11 12 13. This Law which I 〈…〉 mand is not hid from thine eyes neither is it far off It 〈…〉 in Heaven that thou shalt say who shall bring it to us ne 〈…〉 is it beyond the Seas but it is near thee Gods Laws to his 〈…〉 ple were to be known yea the Politick Laws were to be 〈…〉 their own tongue that none might say we have not heard t 〈…〉 nor known them Rom. 1. 20. But they had it at the hand of M 〈…〉 Deut. 6. 7. and were to teach it to their children and talk of t 〈…〉 at home and abroad when they walked by the way and 〈…〉 they rose up and lay down yea the Heathen abhorred such 〈…〉 ness and brutishness as to enslave the people under unknown 〈…〉 guages Esther 8. 9. Then were the Kings Scribes called i 〈…〉 third moneth Sivan on the twenty third day thereof and 〈…〉 Law was written to every Province and to every people 〈…〉 their Language and to the Jews according to their Wri 〈…〉 and their Language The very Heathen had so much equity 〈…〉 reason therefore in Edward the third his time the Laws 〈…〉 commanded to be Englished and no more Pleas to be in Fr 〈…〉 or Latin And honest Vespasian as soon as he was Emperor 〈…〉 sently commanded all the Laws to be written legâ—bly in B 〈…〉 that none might plead ignorance in any one of them but that 〈…〉 people might all understand their Liberties and Laws and 〈…〉 fore it hath been ever the policy of Usurpers and Tyrants to 〈…〉 people ignorant of their Laws and Freedoms But are we not 〈…〉 delivered beleeve it the people cannot do less then expect 〈…〉 their Laws to be abbreviated and Englished and not one 〈…〉 Plea or Proces to be but in English and that not like Calig 〈…〉 who upon the peoples out-cry of this tyranny caused the La 〈…〉 be brought openly and set up for all people to know it but 〈…〉 â—â—r his own Interest to keep the people in ignorance and to enâ—â—â—re them under tyranny out of policy he appoints it to be writ in so small a letter as few could read it and to be set up so high as few could reach it This policy appeared in the late Parliamentâ— ordering of the Law to be Englished but yet in a mystery too This policy must be questioned and condemned to death for the peoples Laws are to be open and known by all and this right they hope to be restored unto by my Lord Cromwel as the peoples Conqueror not as the Norman did to divide the best Lands and Mansions and Mannors of the Nation to his Natives and Souldiers which was an undeniable argument of self-seeking and of an interest that will be broken apeeces in due time but to deliver up the peoples Laws and Liberties in their own Language This God and Nature requires else it will prove destructive to the welfare of this Commonwealth 1. That the Free Commoners be kept blinded and ignorant 〈◊〉 to their own Interests and Priviledges which are theirs by free birth-right 2. To be constrained from all parts round the Nation to come to Westminster for justice or right by Law 3. To be â—orced to put out their Causes to corrupt Lawyers to plead and censure them and to make merchandize of them and of the Law 4. To wait there for justice four five six eight or ten years in Law till the Norman Lawyers have made themselves rich by removing suits out of one Court into another and by retarding of justice to the ruine of the Client Now certainly God will in due time deliver his people out of this tyranny and slavery and proclaim Liberty to the Captives that are kept in darkness and misery under the ignorance of their own rights and priviledges which is a grievous curse to us as appears Deut. 28. 49 50 51 52. Jer. 5. 15 16 17. And if the Lord
so that therewith they can alter their speech as they list and imitate Birds in tunes and speak perfectly to two persons and two purposes at once to one with the one part of their tongue and to the other with the other part thereof Now I know none but Lawyers like them in this for they will speak for a Fee for one and yet I know them that have given Advice and Councel to the other and taken the others Fee too They are like the Amphishaena who hath two heads and moves two contrary ways at once The Italians put a Proverb upon Caesar Borgia and his father Pope Alexander saying The one never thought as he spake and the other never spake as he thought So indeed it may be said of many of these Lawyers who like Hebrew Letters must be spelt backward if once we read them aright And now O what Parasites they are as the English Papists in Queen Elizabeths days durst temporize to purpose so do these begin apace but as the Coriander hath a corrupt root an unsavory leaf but a sweet seed so hath this Faction a filthy root unsavory actions but as good words as one would wish if need be Yet let them look to it Gods curse like a Promoter must search for all their ill-gotten goods ere long And as when the crafty Fox that had deceived the Crow of her break-fast hugged himself for joy to think of his project till when he had eaten it he found himself poysoned with it and then he repented and wished the Crow her own again So stoln goods are sweet to these Deceivers and they hug themselves in their cheating tricks and knaveries till their bowels begin to gripe them for it For the day of Christ that is coming will be a terrible time of torment to them And as Christ brought that fish to the Hook that had the money in his mouth Matth. 17. 27. So will these wide mouthed money mongers be hooked for it fearfully ere long They have gotten great Estates and bought Mannors and Lands and taken exact Surveys of them but they have not yet taken an exact survey of their Consciences how they came by this money which purchased these Lands says Dr. Don Ser. fol. p. 818. Our coyn hath the State on one side and God with us on the other and surely if we see not God with us in what riches we have gotten they are but counterfeit and falsly gotten and will gripe us grievously till we have vomited them out When Vespasians covetous Officers had filled themselves like spunges by Rapine and Extortion the Emperor squeezed them out dry again into the common Treasury till they had nothing left Now although many wish for the fall of the tree that they may gather up the chips yet the Lord knows this is not in my heart but beleeve it the Laws of God and Nature require a restitution and that what they have ill gotten from the people be brought into the publick bank again for they have robbed the Nation with a great deal of ravenousness and art One Cacus a cunning theif when he had stoln any Beasts he would drag them to the Cave by their tails backward that by the contrary track of their feet he might be freed from suspition of theevery such art and subtlety have the Lawyers had in deceiving and robbing us that they seems to take another track quite contrary to it and to go under the name of dues and fees And besides their decerts are many in the Law too which like a Cob-web to Spiders whilest they make it their dwelling it is a prison to entangle others in as flies to feed them So many Meanders and Intricacies there are in the Law that like snakes they hide themselves by folding into many doubles Wherefore like the Foxes they must have depth of soyl to Earth the wrongs of their poor Clients and hide their own Crafts which are too many to live much longer seeing the honestest cause must miscarry by their cunning tricks and fallacies and a bad cause shall be so beautifully varnished over by their arts and cheats that the most innocent honest man that is shall suffer ruine by them I have a Neighbor by me who was arrested for two hundred pounds debt to a man whose name he never heard nor face ever saw before and he was laid in prison thereupon to his utter ruine till he proved the Bond forged the Plaintiff a cheat that lived by such tricks and yet he escaped scot-free though there was a knot of them that lived by such cheats Hence Sir Walter Rawleigh upon his tryal hearing the Lawyers for the King plead violently against him he turns to the Jury and sayes Gentlemen I pray consider that these sort of men meaning the Lawyers do usually defend very bad causes every day in their own Courts yea and against men of their own Profession too as able as themselves what then will they not do against me ◠I know now an honest Gentleman that had a good personal estate who lies yet in the Fleet eat up almost with lice and near starved and all his estate taken from him by the meer cheat of the Lawyers upon a forged Bond too for another onely a man whose face he never saw before pretending his hand to be in that Bond But to finish this O how miserably tyrannical they make the Law to the free-born Englishman They make it like a Milstone which they drive about with a wheel artificially full of cogs and spoaks under which they grinde the innocent and harmless ones to powder And can we hear their groans sighs sad complaints and fearful cryes and we sit still like senceless stones shall we Sixtly Lawyers unsufferable Fees fill all mouths with wofull exclamations and eyes with willing expectation of their fall For as no sooner was the Apple in Adams mouth but the Devill was in his Maw So no sooner does one Fee them with an Earth-Angel in their hand but the Devil doubles fees with Hel angels in their hearts and they fall to lying pleading cheating wronging and oppressing as fast as they can without fear of Heaven or Hell It would make an honest mans heart to ake to hear how fast and confidently they will lye and like it well too We laugh at the Indians for casting in such store of Gold every yeare into the River Ganges as if the streams would not run currently without it and others laugh at the English as much for when the current of Justice is stopped as 't is oft in many Courts the foolish people can as yet it seems find no better way then that the Indians use to open them and shal we never be wiser Indeed Pliny reports of Apis the Aegyptian God that he never gave answers to private men but è manu consulentium cibum capiendo by taking meat out of the hands of such as were his
that cannot take Tithes ☞ ☞ 5. To the Lawyers Sim. ☜ Adams What Law ere long 6. To the Country in generall Clergy and Lawyers Back-biters and Presbyters Hus lib. de vita reg Antich cap. 37. Dr. Crips◠☜ ☞ What dayes we look for 1656. By that yeare hast hast hast Three sorts of Administrations 1. Church Discipline 2. Spirit-Discipline 3. Civil Discipline All are a purging apace from Tyranny ☞ The Tyranny of Lawes and Lawyers c. Sim. ☜ The great burthens of the Nation Sim. Sim. ☜ What puts the Author upon this Work Q. What Call Answ. â— The Law of Nature proves and gives a cal 〈◊〉 Tull. Cicero Roman Law Cicero ☜ The Lawyers complained of ☜ Observ. 1. Isidorus in lib. 5. c. 4. Etymolog Jus naturale est commune omni nationi ☜ Observ. 2. Observ. 3. Aug. in l. 2. confes c 4. tom i Justice Injustice of two sorts ☞ Observ. 4. Vertuous acti on s considered two ways Damasâ—â—n M. Tully ☜ 2. The Law of Nations gives a call Terence The use of this Law The Lawyers complained of Theeves ☞ Who are the worst Theeves ☞ Theeves hanged at Tyburn les guilty then some Lawyers ☜ The Authors resolution Egyptians Diodor. Sicu l. â— c. 2. Sim. The Authour put upon this Their Robberies how Pliny Alex. â—b Alex. ☞ It is against the Law not to discover them A word to honest men to be up Sim. ☞ 3. The Law of God gives a call to this work Amos. Expos. Complaint of the Lawyers ☜ Expos. Germans Prov. Micah Expos. Of the Lawyers They trade in sin ☞ 1. The pronunciative Law of God Jâ—remy Expos. Ezekiel ☜ 2. The directive Law of God â— Mac 3. 43. Isaiah Exposâ— Gods Law is to be obeyed against mens ☜ A digression To assist our Neighbors France c. Holland Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Examples of this Hezekiah Vide Chap. 5. ☜ Josiah A word to the Army ☜ The work will go on beyond Seas ☜ Examples Constantine the Emperor Constans The call abroad ☞ Theodosius Soâ—om l. 7. c. 18. Romans on a civil account Spartans Justin. lib. 1. Diodor. lib. 2. c. 3â— Examples at home K. H. 2. H. 8. ☜ In the name of Jesus Ingagement Numb 32. Josh. 4. 12. Deut. 3. 20. A Proclamation to be made Gaddites who now When t is time for the Army to rest Uriah ☞ Our Warrant for this An alarm ☜ Vide Chap. 5. Laws of men must breathe by Gods ☜ Wo to Lawyers Priests and Lawyers the two Plagues that rose together Lawyers Locusts 1. Arising out of the bottomless pit smoke Malmsbury 2. Unclean Creatures Cooper 3. For multitudes 4. For their variety of orders ☜ 5. For their earthly dispo sitions ☜ A mouth and a belly 6. For their leaping Exception of some ☜ No honest man can live a Lawyer Tit. 3. 13. ☞ Greg. Moral Job 39. 23. 7. Like to Scorpions 1. Flattering faces full of craft and cruelty Carthus in Apâ— Cotterius Pliny 2. They eat the dust as it is a curse They cannot abide a plea out of Scripture 2. They sting deadly and by degrees Pliny 8. Monsters 1. In their bodies Full of fury for Antichrist Carthus Beda 2. Their Heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prima Leo postrema draco media ipsa chimaera Par. in loc 3. Their Faces With their art of dissembling ☞ 4. Their Hair Cotterius ☞ 5. Their Teeth Terrible Lyra. 6 Habergions of iron Pareus 7 Their wings and priviledges Beda The Army of Locusts Noise of their wings what ◠☜ Lawyers perplex us and how 8. Stings in their Tails who Such multitudes of Clerks c. are against Justice and true Law Mir. of Just. fol. 246. * Judge Arnold was hanged for saving a Bayliff from death who had robbed the people by distresses and extorting mony from them See Mir. of Just. sore p. 241 and now the Bayliffs do it daily and no justice 9 Their limited power 1 To persons Et electi licet percutiantur non reputant laesionem Hugo in loc 2 To time Andreas Casarieâ—s Bullinger Brightman 1 The military Locusts 2 Religious Locusts 3 State Locusts Common Law when it arose Lawyers Rastal And so Stowes Chron. in loe The Lawyers end within a year or two ☜ Hildegard Prophesie ☜ Jer. 1. 17. In civill Discipline 1 Reges 2 Leges 3 Greges Lawes Sim. Calvin Laws necessary Law defined And explained Tully Calvin Institâ— l. 4. de e rt Mediis Austin Isadorus The Principle of the law The Law of nature ☞ Culverwel 1. What Nature is Durand Culverwel Galen 2. What the Law of Nature is ☜ Suareâ— Grotius Chrysostom Phile. Plutarch Plâ—â— Cicero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sim. 3 The light of nature ☞ Law of Nations Humane Laws The principle of them Suarez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ☞ Tully 1. Corol. 2. Corol. 3. Corol. 4. Corol. 5. Corol. 6. Corol. ☜ 7. Corol. Aristotle ☞ Warr. â— Corol. The right Leveller ☞ Suarez Hierocles Pythagoras Socrates 9 Corol. ☜ 10. Corol. ☜ 1 Tim. 1. 10. 11. Corol ☞ 12. Corol. Tho. Aquin. 1. Laws Lusts. ☞ ☜ When Laws are and are not to be obeyed Sim. ☜ Terms down and why Justice is a Leveller M. Antoninus Reas. 1. Light of nature is a certain light Reas. 2. A calm peaceable light 3. A sweet pleasant light 4. A guide or leading light 5. A light derived of divine 6. An aspiring light ☞ A Call to our Countreymen to let out the light of reason for the reforming of Forms and Laws against Reason Object Answ. Who is the honest man Who is the greatest enemy and traytor Object Answ. Laws unjust how and when 1. When contrary to humane good Augustin 2. When contrary to divine good Use. Martyrs in State-Mattars and on Civill accounts Object Answ. 1. 2. ☜ Quest. Answ. Who are to make and mend Lawes Isidorus What Laws we would have Suarez Plato Law of Subjects defined Aquinas Suarez 1. 2. 3. 4. The People give the rise to their Laws M. Tull. Ciceroâ— Isidorus Observ. 1. Observ. 2. Observ. 3. Observ. 4. Observ. 5. Observ. 6. Use 1. Our Laws and Lawyers their original Fortescue Sim. Brittains lost their Laws and Lands together Will. the Conqueror His perjury to set up Norman Laws and Lawyers The people made slaves And Fools And Cowards ☞ Laws made to keep in slaves ☞ Hopes of recovery What William the Conqueror did that Oliver the Conqueror is to undo and how 1. In the original of the Laws Phil. Hon. 2. The language of the Laws Against the Laws of God to be of strange Languages Edward the third Vespasian What the people hope for Caligula Tyrants would have people ignorant of their Laws ☜ What will be destructive to the Common-wealth 1. Ignorance of the Laws 2. Terms at Westminster 3. To buy the Law of Lawyers 4. Delay of Justice Deliverance is promised and expected ☞ Politick Laws in our own Language and why 1. ☞ 2. 3. Tyranny 3.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sagrir OR Doomes-day drawing nigh With Thunder and Lightening to LAWYERS In an Alarum For New Laws and the Peoples Liberties from the Norman and Babylonian Yokes Making Discoverie Of the present ungodly Laws and Lawyers of the Fourth Monarchy and of the approach of the FIFTH with those godly Laws Officers and Ordinances that belong to the Legislative Power of the Lord Iesus SHEWING The Glorious Work Incumbent to Civil-Discipline once more set before the Parliament Lord Generall Army and People of England in their distinct capâ—â—ities upon the Account of Christ and his Monarchy Humbly presented to them by JOHN ROGERS an unfained Servant of Christ and this Common-wealth in their best Rights Laws and Liberties lost many years Bread of Deceit is sweet to a man but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with Gravell Prov. 20. 17. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor he shal cry himself but shal not be heard Prov. 21. 13. They are Brasse and Iron they are all Corrupters the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the Wicked are not plucked away Ier. 6. 28. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When their Judges or the greatest Lawyers are thrown down into stony places they shall hear my Words because then they are sweet Psal. 141. 6. Causidicis Erebo Fisco fas vivere rapto Militibus Medico Tortori occidere ludo Meâ—iri Astrologis Pictoribus atque Poetis LONDON Printed for Tho Hucklescot to be sold at the George in Little Brittain 1654 To the Right Honourable The Lord Gen. CROMVVEL The Peoples Victorious Champion in England Ireland and Scotland My Lord HIs EXCELLENCY the Lord Jesus hath sent out his Summons to other Nations also and the Blade of that Sword whose handle is held in England will reach to the very Gates of Rome ore long but by what Instruments we know not yet for what end we know Psal. 72. 2. 4. 13. viz. to breake in peeces the oppressor and to deliver the poore and needy yea to spoile the weak-hearted and be more excellent then the mightiest mountains of prey Psal. 76. 4. 5. this shall goe on till all the earth be filled with his glory Now my Lord hitherto he hath honoured you in his War let him also doe so in his Work which the War hath made way for viz. in throwing down of Tyranny the Oppression which as you have begun to doe so this Treatise hath unavoydable reference to your Selfe to carry on as our Conquerour upon Christs and the Common-wealths account and not upon your owne Therefore are the eyes of thousands upon you to see what you will doe for their safety and freedome according to the just Rights and Liberties of the People of this Nation which they had before the Norman Tyranny and Conquest for it is far better for us my Lord now to hang us then not to help us against these unsufferable Lawes and Lawyers which rob us of Justice and righteousnesse as it is obvious in the Treatise whiles not one honest man in England dares justifie them the mouthes of all are open against them which like doores without Lock or Key can scarce be shut close againe till there be an alteration Jethro's counsell to Moses my Lord concernes you in Exod. 18 19. Hearken and I will give thee counsell and God shall bee with thee be thou for the People to God-ward that thou mayst bring their causes to God c. we beseech you hearken to the inexorable yea inexuperable cryes and calls of the Communalty for godly Lawes and for justice upon the usurping proud Lawyers for their lying perjury and treachery which is according to the Statute and good Lawes punishable It is without malice to a man of them and meerly out of Conscience to ingage against sin and enemies to Christ and this Common-wealth that I must make such a Character of them as I doe it may be I speake spiritfully yet not spightfully though oppression makes a wise man mad sayes Salomon Eccles. 7. 7. and indeed if it be madnesse to ingage against Sinne I will be so for Si natura negat facit indignatio versum but here 's no need of Passion seeing Piety preaches yea the light of Nature presses these lines against that sinfull Society yea the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls for it The Aegyptian Hieroglyphick for Legislative Power was oculus in sceptro but ours had need to be oculus in ense the eye in the conquering Sword of the people I meane first a full eye to looke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backward and forward with an open Prospect into the Peoples Liberties and advantages for their safety and freedome and then an able quick eye to deliver the People from oppressors and to defend them in their owne â—ights And indeed my Lord we would have no Law Nisi lex oculata but that Law which sees how and what and to whom to administer in aequilibrio in justice whilst many of our Lawes are the â—lawes of this Common-wealth for as Plutarch sayes Turpe praeceptum non est lex sed in quitas The Chineses would perswade us that they only see with two eyes and other Nations but with one O that we could convince our Neighbour Nations now by our Lawes and Government that we see with both eyes for our selves and friends too if need be wherefore let us fall to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us worke and watch for Christs Monarchy which is now upon the borders and be sure to keep in the Kings Christs Road for that is safest Israels Omen of going on against his enemies was 1 Chron. 14. 15. the voyce in the top of the trees and this is ours also viz. the voyce of God as in Primitive times and in the top-ages of the Church for his Spirit is mighty and growes great every day and when the enemy shall be like a Floud the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against them Isa. 59. 19. and why see Isa. 31. 3. the Lord Gods greatest worke in these dayes is Spirit-worke and none will be found fit to be imployed in it but such as are spirited for it by the Holy Spirit for then our Warres wil be holy Warres our Lawes holy Lawes our Parliaments holy Parliaments c. and not before Wherefore my Lord for Christs sake minde and finde out what your worke is you have not done all yet for now you have won us you must wall us with the good and wholsome Lawes and Liberties of the People as we were before the Norman invasion or rather as Israel of old Deut. 6. 1. or else Gog will arise who sayes in his presumption I will goe to the Land of unwalled Villages I will goe to them that are at rest It is dangerous indeed now to sit still seeing the Wheele full of eyes is in his swiftest motions and may without heed run
Right and Rise to the Common Lawes So in Synod August c. 19. Qui just as non solvant decimas ter moniti iis neganda communio Those that after thrice admonition pay not their full Tithes deny them the communion so that they had such Lawes to give them their pretended right and to punish the refusers which Prelates punctually observed yea Littleton himselfe sayes Sect. 5. 28. the Ordinaries give the grant of Tithes yea Anno 1538 K. H. 8. made this positive Law That whoever denied to pay his Tithes should be made to doe it by the Parsons or Vicars c. at their Ordinaries Hence were such cruel Bishops Court so that the Kings Lawes were but to help the Whore herein being besotted with the wine of her fornication Revel 17. 2. Thus wee have proved Tithes fallen with the Bishops Ecclesiasticall Courts Ans. 2. Ex objecto The Lawes which they plead and pretend for Propriety look on such only as were ordained according to the Popish Cannons then in force when those Lawes were made but the present Clergy dis-owne those Cannons and Ordination ergo the Lawes that referre thereto That they dis-owne that Ordination and those Cannons none can deny the Presbyterians practise an Ordination being openly contrary thereunto though indeed as Popish and soppish as theirs The major is easily proved Judge Dier quoted by Sir H. Spelman Lord chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas H. 8. fol. 58. p. 3. avers it a horrible thing for persons though religious to take Tithes and not ordained i e. according to the then Cannons to give the Sacraments and read Divine Service c. he instances in Appropriations now as we say it is an horrible thing to be so ordained so we say also to take the Tithes which are given by the Lawes and to such so ordained and therefore ought to be abolished But this sayes Master Lambert an eminent Lawyer in his Preamble of Kent It is one of the monstrous births of Covetousnesse that came from the man of Rome in the night of Superstition So Serjeant Rastal in verbo Appropriation sayes It is a wicked and unlawfull thing for any Lay-men or one un-ordained by the Bishops to hold Tithes c. So Sir Edward Cooke before and the severall Councels say the same and those very Lawes which the Lawyers brought before the Committee to plead for Parsons right give right to none else but such so ordained as their Magna Charta 28 of Edw. 1. c. 13 the 27 of H. 8. the 31 32. Stat. and the first of Edw. 6. ch 13. c. Thus it appeareth that these Lawes look not on this Clergy Ans. 3. A Fine from the end of all honest Lawes which must be preferred before the Letter of the Lawes viz. the publick good and freedome of the People Those Lawes lye forfeited to the State that are against the Publick good and freedome of the People but these Lawes for Tithes are against the Publicke good for they are a Publick evil and freedome of for they are an oppression to the People therefore their end being voyd they must be voyd and lye forfeited to the State vide Chap. 4. Ans. 4. From the foundation of the Lawes which ought to be the eternal Law of God ch 4. So far Moralists reach as Tully Plutarch Suarez Plato c. So the School-men say that all Lawes must fetch their radicall force and vertue from Gods as Prov. 8. 15. By me they decree Justice c. Now there is no Law of God that requires to maintaine the Ministers of the Gospel by Tithes but the contrary for Hebr. 7. 12. The Priesthood being changed the Law of Tithes that kept it up is changed with it But Doct. Seaman wil not that they be called New-Testament Ministers but he hath told the Committee the Ministers of the Nation and the State i. e. for Tithes-sake and Masterships of Colledges so that their foundation-lesse Lawes cannot stand to give them a right no more then a Caligula's Law could to make his Horse Incitatus a Priest This businesse of Tithes the Protestants of old ingaged against the Papists in And we shal finde the Civil Power hath pulled downe such groundlesse Lawes as these they pretend to of old as Constantine Lib. 1. tit 14. leg 1. who tooke away the goods of the Priests as forfeited to the State for their Idolatry So Theodosius Leg. 5. he was zealous against their superstitious Publick places of worshipping he required them to be joyned to his Treasuries So when Symmachus said O! the Emperours have taken away the Priests revenues Ambrose answers Sublata sunt praedia c. They are aprey to the State for that they did irreligiously use that they tooke under pretext of religion so are Tithes now which are taken under pretence of Gods Worship and Law but they keep up Idolatry Superstition Service-Booke hence lyes Drunkennesse Malignancy and Popery and what not that is Antichristian oâ— Prophane among the Nationall Clergy especially in the Countries a hundred or two hundred miles off Therefore there is as much yea more reason for the down-fall of this Devillish not Divine as now it is maintenance as was for the fall of Abbies Monasteries or the like which had as good Lawes to keep them up as Tithes now have In Augustines time there was no compelling to pay Tithes who was content with the 1000th part and to lick up the Peoples crums for their good The Bohemians have protested against Tithes in 15 Art and say The Priests preach that men are bound to pay Tithes but they say falsly for there is no proof for it in the New Testament that Christ commanded it or the Disciples tooke it c. So the Muscovites say Sacerdotes ex contributione sustentantur c. and many others therefore their present Lawes for Tithes being without foundation of God must fall and lye forfeited to the State that stands for God as unlawfull reasonlesse and religion-lesse Lawes The 6th and 16th Article against Wickliffe Martyr was his opinion in this that the Civill Magistrate might alter or take away such maintenance from the Spiritualty so called that offended habitualiter as these doe Secular Lawes are but the materials or the hempe of our obedience Religion twists them strong to last The worke that lyes before this Parliament is as to the Lawes themselves as well as to the Tithes the omission of which made their Predecessors the former Parliament to be rejected and these to be called of God and as soon as they were set to have this Work of Lawes and Tithes first presented to them that they might begin where the other left off and goe on where the other stumbled and fell which if these also doe the Lords work negligently deceitfully and but by halves their rejection wil be the more to their reproach and shame then the former
the High-way So that herein the Law of God engages us Et nullus subditur legi inferioris contra superiorem What then though some Humane Laws through the corrupt close and clandestine Interests of men should not allow this liberty our consciences are not bound to humane unjust Laws which run run-counter and justle against Gods but as 1 Pet. 2. 13. to submit our selves to mens laws propter Deum for God Nemo astringitur mandato inferioris cum superiori mandato dirigatur So that we are bound to mens laws but secundum quid as we say but we are absolutely obliged to Gods Laws And in obedience to Gods Word we must not onely endeavor to free our selves but our neighbors from Tyranny and Oppression Love thy neighbor as thy self Let me a little digress now for the Publicks sake in this my discourse not onely to acquaint the Governors of our Nation how much the Message from Burdeaux in France or any other Nations concerns us for we are bound by the Law of God to help our neighbors as well as our selves and so to aid the Subjects of other Princes that are either persecuted for true Religion or oppressed under Tyranny What mean our Governors to take no more notice of this How durst our Army to be still now the work is to do abroad Are there no Protestants in France and Germany even now under persecution And do not the Subjects of France that lie under the Iron yoke of Tyranny send and seek and sue to us for assistance Well wo be to us if we help not the Lord Judg. 5. 23. against the mighty For it is the Lord hath sent for us thither and calls for a part of our Army at least into France or Holland Therefore Cursed be they that do the work of the Lord negligently or but by halves Jere. 48. 10. Object O! but some will say What call have we Answ. Can ye have greater You are called thereto by God and Men Object We have no example for it Answ. 1. Suppose it so yet by faith it is ye must subdue Kingdoms obtain promises stop the mouths of lyons quench the violence of fire wax valiant in fight and turn to flight whole armies Heb. 11. 33 34 35. 2. Stay for such ceremony and your help may come too late Mattathias I told you of before fell pell-mell upon the work as soon as ever necessity called for it and opportunity seconded it 3. Your work is not to be after the commandments or eâ—â—mples of men for that is the way to be broken Hos. 5. 11. Isai. 29. 13. But by you the work of God is a strange work to confound the wisdom of the wise c. But 4. If nothing else will serve there is ample example for you both in Scripture and History in Scripture we know Hezekiah though King onely of Judah 2 Chro. 30. yet looked after them of Israel too though under the Dominion of the King of Assyria yet even to those subjects of Assyria that were one in faith he sent Messengers to invite them to come into Jerusalem and he gave aid to them though against the Laws of the King of Assyria to destroy their Idols and Idolatry and to set up the true worship so may we assist our friends in France if we are called to it and invite them to us to joyn with us And we may yea and must if we sin not send help and aid to them till their Idols and Idolatries be hewâ—n down with all their high places and so go on till that France whom I conceive the second of the ten horns Rev. 17. 12. Dan. 7. 9 10. have her Judicatâ—â—y Throne set up Psal. 89. 14. 9. 4. also and then the work will run on round about without much of our help and all the ten horns will tumble apace and in few years Babylon will be faln and Christ reign to the total extirpation of Antichrist Another example is given us by good Josiah 2 King 22. 2 Chro. 34 35. who out of true zeal to God took upon him to expel Idolatry not onely out of his own Kingdom but also out of the King of Assyriaâ—s dominions But now we are or may be sent for to do it in France or Holland or the like wherefore let me tell our Army and Statesmen that if they belong to the Lord yet and if God hath good to do by them yet that then they shall not be able to sit still long for if they will not take their work abroad they shall have it home as sure as God lives and is righteous For where the Kingdom of Christ comes there is no such thing as bounds or limits or Rivers or Seas that shall cage up or confine the fervent zeal and flaming affections of an Army Representative or People spirited for the work of Christ which is more and more publick and looks beyond Seas now O no! no more then the bounds or limits of a Parish shall confine a Minister of the Gospel to the Spiritual work of Christ. In History we have examples enough Constantine the Christian makes Wars against Licinius the Emperor for his persecuting the Christians in punishing and putting them to death and depriving them of their Christian liberties so that after Constantine had warred for the oppressed ones he compelled the oppressor Licinius to give liberty to the Christians in matters of Religion and then he put him to death in Thessâ—lonica for his Devilishness and Cruelties to his Subjects And after him we finde that Constans threatned to war upon his own and elder brother Constantius for banishing Athanasius from Alexandria because he was so hot an Antagonist against the Arrians and this war would have been a bloody one too had not Athanasius been restored And is it possible that Constans who adhered to them that were the Orthodox Christians for the restitution of the Biship thought his call to war sufficient And shall not we upon suit and petition of the oppressed City of Burdeaux and Subjects of France or distressed English in Holland imploring aide against Tyranny and Persecution think we have call enough for the restitution of Christ his Kingdom Saints Liberty of the poor oppressed Protestants and the deliverance of distressed Cities Citizens and Subjects For shame away with this irrational irreligious and unchristed spirit and take courage upon Gods command mens call the spirits motion and Christs arrand in the world and call the scarlet whore that sits on that Horn of the Beast to a strict account for the innocent blood that is to be found there upon the Inquisition Thus Theodosius made war on Cosroes King of Persia to deliver but a few Subjects fewer then are in the City of Burdeaux from tyranny and persecution But upon a more civil account we know the Roman Common-wealth and the Lacedemonians and Thebans
five months they did miserably torment But beside them the Religious western Locusts came in by swarmes in their hot Summer-months and theâ—â— a world of Priests Jesuites Monks Friars and after them Prelates rose up apace In the daies of Innocentius so called the third they began with abundance of power to torment men as they listed and this continued to 1360. a hundred and fifty yeares Whereas Wickliffe full of the wind of the Spirit began to blow vehemently after whom others followed and ceased not till this Egyptian plague were as to the greatest torment and terror of it over But besides all these the third sort are the State Locusts viz the Lawyers who arose out of the bottomlesse pit smoak too as hath and will yet further appear But we must not reckon from the first time of power given these sort of Locusts to hurt for that is of long standing for we shall find in Edw. Confessors time Anâ— 1043. how the Common Law so called arose out of four Nations and gave a being to some but after that William the Conquerer altered and disused Edwards and kept for his own corrupt ends and interest more to the Danish and Saxon appointing Termes and thereby bringing forth an abundance of Lawyers but as yet they were little and their interest was a poor puny thing till Edward the thirds time about one thousand three hundred and odde and all this while it was but as one friend pleaded for another but now the weather began to grow warme upon them in one thousand three hundred sixty nine and so continued to K. Heâ— 7 one thousand five hundred and four or thereabouts But theâ— as Rastall in his abridgement notes Acts were made in favor to them and their Summer-months to do mischeife and to torment the people came in a pace and continued hot to them that they had and did almost what they listed and had their Lawes and Liberties and Priviledges inlarged all along So that they were to this day in their vigor thus in Q. Eliz. 8. An. 1566. they were fostered up by her Acts of grace to them and they have to this day had their flourishing Summer and time to prospâ—â— in and to sing devour estates eate up the poor and torment the people but now their five months i. e. the one hundred and fifty years are upon expiring and their power to torment will boâ—â— more by a yeare or two not but that they may have a being yet but not as they had before to doe mischeife They shall prevaile no longer for their madnesse shall be evident to all 2 Tim. 3. 8 9. their September is hard by and a West wind will remove them out of those places wherein they have sat and sung and plagued us for five months Concerning the Locusts Hildegard hath a prophecy which is In those days shall arise a sort of blockish Fellows proud covetous perfideous and crafty eating upon the sins of the people preferring themselves before other men of arrogant disposition and voide of all shame or feare of God in inventing new mischeifes strong and stout but all prudent men and faithfull Christians shall curse this pestilent order They will flatter noble men and lay hold on whatsoever they can get and howsoever it be gotten by stealth robbery or legerdemaine And alas they will receive any thing from Rogues sacrilegious persons Usurers Adulterers Apostates Whores and Bawds of Noble men perjured persons corrupt Judges Tyrants or any that live contrary to Gods Law They shall live a delicate life and get a certaine fulnesse of an abundance of all worldly things though it be to their own eternall damnation And they shall every day wax more and more wicked with minds more and more obdurate But when once their crafty Conveyances shall be found then shall their large Gifts and Bribes and Fees cease and they shall goe from house to house hunger-bitten Then shall the people pursue them with this out-cry Woe be to you miserable wretches that are ordained to sorrow the devill has guided you your heart is without grace your mindes unstable and your eyes blinded with vanity and folly Remember the time when yee were in sight happy pleasant flatterers lovers of the World drunkards ambitious Patrons of wicked facts pollers pillars of all ruin unsatiable sowers of discord Then the people shall say out upon you get you packing hence ye Captains of mischeif For ye are fallen headlong into everlasting shame and reproach by God's just judgment Thus we have done with these Locusts onely say further Ver. 12. One woe is past It is past indeed at the downfall of this Antichristian State-Army as well as at the downfall of Antichrists Ecclesiasticall Army of Locusts And whilst we have offered these considerations of the Locusts wee doe not exclude a more spirituall and refined meaning of those words in the full sence of them But to conclude this Chapter We might well wonder how the Lawyers yet stood seeing the Priests and Prelats and such like Locusts were swept away but that their five months we finde began here in England after the Priests and Prelates yet now the day of their destiny draws nigh Wherefore gird up thy loins saith the Lord and speake unto them all that I command thee be not dismaied at their faces least I confound thee before them CHAP. II. That there is a CIVIL POLITY and LAWS and what is the right PRINCIPLE thereof and how to be obeyed above Laws or Lawyers THere is no man so irrational as to deny the due use of Civill Discipline and for the well ordering of civil affairs of sound Lawes but a religious man much more knows a necessary use of such a Polity and Government in subserviency and subordination to Christ and his Kingdome though specifically distinct therefrom even in terminis In Civill States must bee 1. Reges 2. Leges 3. Greges Magistrates to rule Laws to rule by and Subjects to be ruled thereby and all these ought to be in obedience to Christs Kingdom Now the Laws are the Nerves and Sinewes of the Commonwealth or if we will the Axle-tree of our State upon whose firmenesse and fitnesse we move Be sure they be sound then and such as do not oppresse the people of the Commonwealth for if they do they render our Rulers by them for Oppressors and Tyrants The reason of it is in Calvin Instit. lib. 4. c. 20. 14. who says that the Law mutum esse Magistratum magistratum vivam esse legem c. is a close Magistrate but the Magistate is an open Law so that if the Law be close tiranny the Governors thereby must needs bee open Tyrants But for civil Order and use good and plain Laws are unavoidably necessary this will appeare upon the very definition of the Law which is quoddam dictamen practicae rationis a certain dictate of practicall reason
For as in speculative reason out of indemonstrable principles naturally proceed certain conclusions of sciences the knowledge of which are not naturally brought forth in us but by art and industry and invention of reason So Certes it is requisite that humain reason bring forth some particular orders and dispositions out of the Law of Nature and out of that certaine common and indemonstrable principles which particular dispositions and orders are called human Laws whilst they keepe such conditions as appertain to equity and reason and so says Tully l. 2. de Invent. f. 4. and gives this reason for it quod initium juris a naturâ profectum c. because the beginning of human right and Law is to arise from Nature and is confirmed by practise and then we are bound unto obedience res a natura profect as consuetudine probat as legum metus religio sanxit Let none think mee then an ex lex whilst I am with Calvin calling upon all honest men to inquire after the constitution and equity of our Laws Ut decet intuemur legis constitutionem equitatem cujus ratione constitutio ipsa fundata est Now though the constitutions be divers yet the equity is or ought to be one and the same in all Lawes as is in Exod. 22. 1 2. Deut. 19. 18 19. in this sence with Augustin de lib. Arb. lib. 1. c. 6. tom 1. I affirme the use and necessity of humane Laws so they agree and keep to their first principle and ends Thus Isidorus in lib. 5. Etymolog c. 20. saies Laws are made ut earum metu humana â—oâ—râ—eretur audacia tutaque sit inter improbos innocentia to correct and restraine audacity and to countenance and defend innocency and honesty As to the necessary use of honest humane Laws the first consideration I conceive incumbent is the right and true principle or rise of Civill Lawes The principle is the clear Light Reason Equity and Understanding of things in themselves in abstracto as abstracted from all humane constituted Forms This principle is the life and perfection of good Laws Hence is it needful that all Humane Laws be derived and fetched from the Law of Nature which is prima regula rationis and according to this rule is a man or thing said to be honest true and just This is by the Wiseman Prov. 20. 27. called The candle of the Lord in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. or Lamp of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aqu. Symm Thod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men have reasonable souls which serve to enlighten them in inferior matters which is implyed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rational breath Spiraculum vitae For as the Hebrew Doctors do affirm the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 points out the upper or supream region of reason yea the very top and flower as one sayes of a reasonable soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a soul sparkling and glittering with intellectuals and shining bright with the light of reason this is the Candle But to give light one word first of Nature secondly another of the Law of Nature and a third of the Light of Nature as the principle of the Law that I here handle 1. Nature I mean not that which the Schoolmen call Natura naturans as Durand and others but as it is scattered and diffused into divers particular Beings it is the very same with Essence and it fingers forth First Originem entis which as Culverwel calls it is the very genius and I may say genus of entity yea entity or being its self for a thing cannot be without its nature And secondly Operationem entis for all essence boils and bubbles out into several and serviceable operations and acts and hence it is that customs of long standing are accounted Natural and Law oftentimes as Galen sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 2. The Law of Nature is that Law which is seated intrinsecally and indeed esential to a rational Creature insomuch as such a Law is as necessary to have being as such a Creature and indeed one is connatural with the other But the greedy Lawyers long fâ—â— a further latitude and say Jus naturala est quod natura omnia animalia docâ—it c. And in this their sence the sensitive Creatures they would have their Clients as under this Law but the Schoolmen school them till they cool them for it and inform them of their folly in it For surely they are so used to Fees that the Birds Beasts and Fishes by their good-will should do their homage to their great god Terminus in their Courts But this we confess in the very sensitive creatures there are some simulachra apish imitations or shadows of morality amongst them some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher sayes But this is far from the Law of Nature which we speak of whilest as Suarez sayes they are deficient in the duties yea and branches of the Law of Nature as to acknowledge and adore â— Deity Inter brutâ—silent leges Therefore the learned Grotius does thus describe the Law of Nature Jus naturalo est dictatum rect a rationis c. And Chrysostom calls it too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A radical knowledge which is also fundamental in mans being which blossoms and burgeons out into the best fruits of morality For this too we finde Philo our friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Right Reason is that fixed sure and unshaken Law 〈◊〉 not written with hand upon a peice of Paper or like a dead 〈◊〉 Letter engraven upon a Pillar but penned with the point of a 〈◊〉 Diamond yea the finger of God himself in an immortal minde So Plutarch sayes also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Law was never limited to Paper or Writings but to Reason it is situated in the centre of a Rational Being Plato too tells us plainly for this that other Laws were but a Comment upon it yea and infirmiorum hominum Commenta too but this was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brightness and orient â—ustice of Nature And in this sence Cicero sayes it is Non scripta sed â—ata lex Thus for the Law of Nature which is like Gold in the lump out must be beaten out into the leaf Hence the Natural Conscience is centrum notitiarum communium 3. The Light of Nature is Reason or the Intellectual Lamp set up in the soul. This is the Cannon Law in the essences of men without which all Laws are erroneous for let this Lamp of Reason but once out and we are left in the dark to court shadows and complement cloudy forms Idea's and Idols of mens make so that reason it is which promulgates the Law of Nature and makes the difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
make not the General as his peoples Conqueror faithful to them herein it will light sadly on some of this Generation but yet his people shall be delivered as Esther 4. 14. For it is one of our priviledges promised us that we should be restored unto in these latter dayes as Isa. 33. 19. among the most excellent priviledges Gods people must partake off as freedom from bribes oppressions blood c. Vers. 15. is Thou shalt not see a fierce people a people of a deeper speech then thou canst perceive of a stammering or ridiculous language as such is the Lawyers Latin and Norman that thou canst not understand Antichrist in the State hath kept the poor people in darkness too under an unknown language and made this ignorance the mother of their devotion to his Civil Worship and Ordinances But it is now high-time to tumble seeing Gods Israelites are to have his Laws viz. Political in their own language Deut. 30. and that for these ends First That they should be in the mouths of all the people whereas now they are onely in the mouths of Judges Lawyers Councellors who are indeed Concealers of the Law and lock 〈◊〉 up till a silverkey come to open Secondly That they might teach them to their children 〈◊〉 know them which they cannot do now the Laws are in an unknown language unless their children be brought up at Inns of Court or the like Thirdly That the Laws might be all writ upon Posts and Gates for the people generally to know them all but now they must go to the Records which lie at Westminstâ—â— or Inns of Court or Judges or Counsellors Chambers and give a good sum of money too before they can come at them so as to know them All this is tyranny and oppression diametrically in opposition to the Word of God the promises of these latter days and the liberties of the Subjects so that our expectations must not be frustrated of our freedom from this Norman bondage 3. Whereas the people had Justice and Law at their own doors in every County and Hundred in this Nation and their Law was plain and honest and Controversies soon decided in few dayes by their honest neighbors of the Hundred who making the case as their own administred justice presently were it for a thousand pounds it might have been recovered at the charge of a shilling or two for there were several Courts in every County but the Supream Court in the County was called Genâ—rale Placitum being to determine those differences which the Parish or the Hundred Courts could not decide and also to ordain Sheriffs and other County-Officers c. But the Conqueror William alters the Law in this takes away the peoples liberties herein and instead of this he sets up Courts and Terms at Westminster takes away all Law and Justice out of the Counties and to keep up his own Darling under his eye brings all up to him hither by a policy For he commanded nine men out of every County to be chosen to make a true report what their Laws were before the Conquest and after they had so done he changed the most of them and brought in the Customs of Normandy in their stead commanding causes to be pleaded and all Matters of Form to be dispatcht in French He revived again the Danish Custom he being a Kin to the Danes in Tryals of Rights by twelve men so that for his own ends and profits it appears all his Laws were established and the people 's pulled away from them to this hour Hence the peoples freedom in their Gemote or Monethly convention for Law and Justice at their own doors was rent away from them as appears in the History of three Norman Kings pag. 98. And William the Conqueror ordained says the History his Councel of State his Chancery his Exchequer his Courts of Justice c. These places he furnished with Officers and assigned four Terms in the year for determining of Controversies among the people whereas before all Suits were summarily heard and determined at home in their own Counties and in every hundred without Formalities or delays Now it is highly incumbent upon this present Power and his Excellency the Lord General to redeem the free-born oppressed people from this Tyranny and servitude and that it is such a tyranny and bondage will appear several ways 1. In that by this injury done the free Commoners they are forced to come up to London from all parts of England and to wait at Westminster at great charges and expences during the four Terms for Right and Justice or recovery of their own which attendance on the Lawyers is well known to be lamentably chargable For though the poor Commoner that lives threescore or a hundred miles off could before for a little matter in a day or two at furthest have had justice and right at home Now he must wait long and lamentably till he make himself poor and his Lawyer rich before he can recover his own and I know them that have been beggered and undone by it for they not onely carried up to Westminster full purses and brought home empty but they have been forced to borrow money at London besides that to suffice their Lawyers and to bear their charges home again with weeping eyes which brought them upon their knees and made them to work hard night and day with sweat and tears till their fingers ends aked again to get up some more money to fee their Lawyers for the next Term and to finde their long journeys to Westminster again and yet were compelled for all that to borrow again and again at London before they could get home and if this be not oppression and wrong to the people what is 2. The bondage of it is further for the delaying to do right when not a moneth nor twelve moneths nor twelve years sometimes will be enough for a Lawyer to remove actions out of one Court into another from one place to another to enrich himself and undo his Client nay threescore years have some been tormented and hurried out of one Court into another put to charges paying fees preferring Petitions retaining Counsellors and yet continue in that bondage and misery I know many who are in Law and some have been six others ten others twelve others twenty others thirty others forty others fifty years and yet as far from help relief and right as at first O what crying and complaining of this delay of Justice is in our streets notwithstanding many Statutes to the contrary as that of Edward the third An. 2. cap. 8. in these words That it shall not be commanded neither by the Great nor little Seal to disturb or delay doing right and although such commands come yet the Judges should not cease or delay to do right in any point So An. 20. of Edward the third cap. 1. That all Justices do
right to all people not having regard to rich or poor without being let and hindered Yea it is accounted a Maxim sayes Markham that the Law hates and eschews delays and see but Magna Charta Chap. 29. We sell no man we deny or delay no man justice and right Many other Statutes command right to be done to all men without delay as 22. H. 6. 40. a. v. 2. C. 25. Stat. Glocest. c. 2. and they are sworn to it too 2 Edw. 3. c. 2. 28 Edw. 1. cap. â—0 4 Inst. 109. but to no purpose for they are as slippery as an Eel and make nothing of an oath as will appear afterward whiles they think fourteen eighteen or twenty years not long enough to delay justice but still must be new Motions new Petitions new Orders new Reports new Demurs new Deceits and new Delayes on purpose to vex and weary the Plaintiff with new Fees and to undo the poorer sort of people that cannot follow If this be not injustice tyranny and oppression wronging and robbing the poor of their Right and Liberties what is 3. It is a bondage for that hereby the price of Justice and Law and of recovering of a mans own is too high for a poor man he cannot pay for it and is thereby oftentimes forced to lose it for that the mercenary Clerks and Lawyers can as they list raise the market of their Fees to a great rate or else delay their orders or the like The poor oppressed pay for all I know an honest man that lent a Lord his Master a great Swash a sum of money upon a sudden but after some years seeing his great master refused to pay him he told him then he must make use of the Law which the Lord no sooner heard but sent for a Writ arrests the poor man and without Declaration for what got him into prison and all to prevent the poor mans suing for his own by corrupt Lawyers and large Fees he kept him in Newgate many years till he was â—igh starved rotted and stunk to death So that the poor man must lose justice because he wants purse enough to pay for it and a Plea upon the late Act for one not worth five pounds was not worth five farthings The Lawyers are such Juglers Thus for these and divers other Reasons this murthering and bloody tyranny requires quick relief from these delayings charges deceits and fees turnings windings and intricacies of the Law Wherefore with full eyes are the free-born people of England expecting their return out of captivity in this also by my Lord Cromwels their Conqueror means So that Justice and plain honest Law may be had as was before William the Tyrants time at their own doors and in their own streets in every County and Hundred in England which would much inrich the people and keep the more money in their purses to pay taxes with and the like the which doubtless then they might do without murmuring Therefore down with Terms and such Tradings of Lawyers at Westminster and spread Law and Justice all bout the Nation Object Thereby many would have but little trading Answ. 1. Little the less for that because the successive Representatives at Westminster would keep it up and thereby the City would be frequently full of people from all parts 2. People when they come up to London will have the more money to buy Commodities then now they have seeing the Lawyers are such Money-suckers and Purse-soakers but 3. Let not people be deceived so as to think the promises and priviledges which we expect in all the changings and turnings of times tend to set up better trading for the world for all the earth shall be shaken and reel like a drunken man but as the Kingdoms of the world become Christs so tradings will become mostly a trading for Christ and his Truth and a taking off of the old world looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 4. Whereas before the Conqueror William in Edward the Confessors days the people lived in much liberty and freedom from taxations and tribute yea Edward the Confessor freed them from Dane-gilt which the people before payed being at least forty thousand pounds But the Greedy Tyrant William the Conqueror did contrary and sought to enslave the people with cruel burthens as we finde in the Summary of English Chronicles pag. 41. He made enquiry what riches the people had how many acres of ground were sufficient for one Plough by the year how many Beasts to the tilling of one Hide how many Cities Castles Farms Granges Towns Rivers Marshes and Woods and what Rent they paid per annum c. All which was put in writing at Westminster and kept in the Kings Treasury in a Book called Dooms-day Book And according to the Roll he imposed heavy Taxations and squeezed out the â—at of the Land to himself So in Acts Mon. p. 173. he gave his Normans the cheifest possessions of the Land and stripped the stoutest of the Nobility and Gentry of all But now the people are high in expectation of ease and deliverance from heavy taxes which hitherto have been gathered and required of necessity for the use of the Commonwealth and benefit of the free-born people But now they hope to have the bands of wickednesse loosed Isa. 58. 6. And that their Conqueror Oliver the Lord Gene tell will set the oppressed free and undo the heavy burthens and â—ose them and deliver them from this bondage which appears to bee so for that Governors are limited by Gods word in Ezek. 48. 18. The Princes shall not take of the peoples inheritance by oppression and thou shalt not steale is a mortall command to Kings Princes Parliament Armies c. Exod. 20. 15. as well as to the poore oppressed people Naboths Vineyard was his own Inheritance and propriety which the King had nothing to do with by right for as Bucan says de Magist q. 75 76. 77. Distinctio dominorum propriet as possessionum est juris divini juxta mandatum non furtum facies c. Distinction of dominion and propriety of possession is of divine right according to the command thou shalt not steal It is not said thou shalt not give or lend or the like but thou shalt not steal for that no man can lawfully take away the goods or propriety of another Saies Seneca l. 7. de benef c. 4 5 6. Caesar hath the dominion of all things belonging to him but the propriety belongs to particular persons As the Civilians say one may make claim to a House or Ship but not to all the furniture or lading in the House or Ship Therefore it is injustice and tyranny for a William the Conqueror to command mens Estates and Purses so as against all Law Liberty of the Subjects and propriety of the Law to lay Taxations upon them above what
high Treason to be but faithfull and honest to the peoples Interest I pray God this be not the thing that keeps up the Lawyers amongst us now viz. to keep up the Interest of the Great ones and keep down the peoples Right and Liberties That like Popiclus of Polonia they might by murthers and oppressions over awe the people so as that they should not dare to demand their Rights and then make themselves absolute and hereditary Thus I might go on all day to show how many ways they are guilty of the most grievous murthers and of as able men as ever the Earth bare and to fast from blood hath been Lent-time to some But I conclude the Catalogue with this trick to make up their measure to get yea honest men into prisons and many times upon meer cheats as we heard before in Pag. 55. and then to keep them there purposely till they be starved to death and â—â—t up with lice and die worse then dogs Let a man but take a view of one place amongst many others i. e. the Upper Bench how many hundreds have they most miserably worse then Turks tormented and starved to death O England England does blood precious blood bid thee call for Justice upon these Intruders or Lawyers and shall we sit still Hark! Jere. 4. 31. I have heard a voice of the daughter of Zoin that bewaileth her self in anguish that spreadeth her hands and saith Wo is me now for my soul is wearied because of murtherers They murther the innocent Psal. 10. 8. and the fatherless Psal. 94 6. and poor yea they are polluted with blood Hos. 6. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as troops of robbers they wait for men sayes the Prophet to murther them by consent it is in our Translation I know not how it was thrust in but the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shechem the shoulder which signifies either that they do it with one shoulder or else which I like best they murther the shoulder i. e. such as are most eminent high able and the worthies So that thus saith the Lord Hosea 4. 1 2. the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land for that by swearing lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood This is one ground more of the great complaint the free Commoners have against these Norman Tyrants or Lawyers which is as hideous to the honest Englishman that fears God as Julius Caesars Robe was to the Senate-house that saw it stabbed through with so many holes and bloodied in so many places Thus are the Laws and Liberties of this poor Nation lost which makes us groan to God and men 4. As men are religious they rally up against these ungodly Lawyers for their open Robberies and Cheats which speaking too before I shall adde little to having told you of their tricks and arts which their Inns of Court bring them up in to get mony and abuse the oppressed people by Feâ—s and Bribes but Trop donne soyt repele There will come a day of reckoning for them and all that they have knit up by their rapine will be unravelled again with a witness ere long and these Powder-masters will be blown up with their own provision then Shall I count them pure with their bag of deceitful weights saith the Lord Miâ— 6. 11 12. For the rich are full of violence the inhabitants have pleaded lies and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths Vers. 16. For according to their Norman customs the statutes of Omri are yet kept that I should make thee a desolation Trust not in your robberies nor lies saith the Lord Jere. 7. So saith David Psal. 94. They frame mischeif for a Law and gather themselves against the soul of the righteous and condemn the Innocent God will recompence them in their own malice the Lord our God will destroy them They judge for rewards and hire and build up with blood Micah 3. 10 11. They are brass and iron they are revolters Jere. 6. 28. Every one loveth gifts and fees and judge for rewards they judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come to them O! I will ease me of these my adversaries Isai. 1. 23 24. What are their Inns of Court but as Job saith Chap. 12. 6. Tabernacles of robbers which prosper And as Solomon sayes Prov. 21. 7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them because they refuse to do judgement The Searchers of God shall be sent out to seek out all their ill-gotten goods for which they will be arrested with a vengeance as the veriest Fellons that are though it is true as yet we have robbery for right and oppression for judgment Small theeves are condemned to die for it whiles great National ones ride rattling in Coaches I warrant you the poor sneaking Solicitors and Clerks yea the Bum-bailiffs and Serjeants that abuse men and beat women great with childe as one J. Turvy did a Gentlewoman the other day and yet not punished I say such as these say it is good gleaning after them that run away with whole sheaves and whose robberies are accounted rights because countenanced connived at and priviledged forsooth O sad are we such slaves yet As the same River that runs through divers regions hath divers names and yet it is the same River so theft hath divers names in Souldiers it is called spoil and plunder in Governors called Cessments tribute c. In Lawyers called Fees in others Gifts and Bribes in Church they call it Sacriledge and Simony in State Oppression and Tyranny in Law Corruption and Bribery and when this one River rises up into a Spring-tide or swells up to the bank then it is called Usury But in a poor naked man it is called Theft and Fellony without any other fine minced words which were coyned to cover great mens knavery and such a one must be murthered for it without mercy or clergy as they call it Dalton fol. 226. Although in truth it is the same River that runs and the same thing though new in name in all these but the same Cob-web which some Spiders can dwell in shall hang others As among the old Lacedemonians theft amongst them was never punished where it was carried cunningly and secretly but he that was discovered for stealing and did it not neatly he was punished not so much for stealing as for behaving himself no more covertly and cunningly in it So whiles poor men suffer mulct for a little matter because it is open plain theft these rich ravenous Robbers do it with art and cunning and have coyned a new name for it too to guild it over and so scape scot-free though they rob us daily of a thousand times more then all the Theeves in England besides But their Dooms day Book will be brought out ere-long where it is set down to a tittle what they ow to this
enemy the Hawk sport too Well what should the doe then why the best advice was to live in the Coat or hole of the rock under the protection of man the parable is easie and many are like Aesops living creatures who must have Morals tyed to their tayles let this be one then that the most innocent are the greatest sufferers and find the â—â—rst adversaries and such sometimes as there is no escaping from but in Christ the Rock and truly were not the poore under protection of Lawes there would be no living wherefore for shame Sirs let us see to the Lawes of England that they administer us safety from great Tyrants and Oppressors Augustine tels us true enough when he sayes the Lawes are necessary for this reason because they are respected by such as otherwise contemne vertue and honesty for that the Law forces her way thorough them constraines them to obedience and ministers conduct in warfaring and gives life vigor and luster to Justice and Equity The Spartan Pausanias tels us all men even Kings and Princes must come under the Lawes to be directed and Agesilaus a King confesseth that he and all Commanders must yeeld obedience to the Commandements of the Law Now as Cicero sayes Lib. 2. de Offic. When men began to doe unjustly the people to redresse their wrongs done them by great ones and Oppressors appointed and invented Lawes to direct the Magistrates for the publick safety and peace of all men c. So that the Law of Nature reason equity conscience all consent to the Peoples Lawes for their owne publick good and safety for every Creature wil have a shelter as Snailes their Shels Bees their Hives Dogs their Kennels Birds their Nests Foxes their Holes Conies their Burroughs and whither must wee run for shelter without honest and just wholsome Lawes O! honest Country-men we must looke to our safety for many of our Lawes are such rotten refuges and shelters that they wil soon fall upon our heads and leave us naked to the gripes of Oppressors and if we seek not remedy from the Supreame Authority I am sure I shal be sure to say with the Poet ere long to purpose Non expectato vulnus ab hoste tuli but thus far for the first speciall end of the Lawes The second speciall end of the Lawes is the Peoples Freedom to keep the People from slavery for otherwise there would be no moderation between the Lordlinesse of some and slavishnesse of others Thus we shall finde in the Lawes of the Aegyptians and Romans and by the constitutions of the Antonines what notable care was taken for the Peoples liberty insomuch that the poore slaves in those dayes especially the infranchised ones might bring their actions for any apparent injury against the Patrons or Masters Now seeing there is so much difference between slaves and children and notwithstanding the very Heathens would not permit the very slaves to be used cruelly but they might have open recourse to and present remedy from the Law what should we look for then we that are the naturall lawful free-borne children and Sons of this Common-wealth How can we indure to be Slaves and if Heathens would not suffer their slaves to be wrong'd but would presently right them by Law wil then our Christian Governours see us so wrong'd of our liberties as we are and shall we not finde speedier remedy and have freer recourse to just and honest Lawes which aime at our liberties then we have God forbid It is true hitherto and the runner may read it in the Chapter before the free-borne English have been abominably abused and enslaved and could finde no remedy after many yeares attendance on a corrupt Law but we hope this wil be amended and the Lawes intended as they ought to be for the safety and freedom of the people that Princes may be manacled and their rages curbed that private ones may be guarded and their rights restored by righteous Lawes not measured by the interest or power of great persons but wel and evenly weighed in the ballance of freedome It is true most Common-wealths are as yet in a middle posture as having their Lawes partly for Great ones interest and partly for the Peoples liberty but alas the Great ones have the greatest influence and the poore peoples liberties lye as lost and as loath to speake for themselves for feare of a foule check if not of a break-neck but in due time we doe hope for deliverance and in the meane time doe groan for our liberties yet let us observe 1 Obs. So far as Lawes are just and allowable they advance the peoples interest and freedomes 2 Obs. Such Lawes looke first and principally upon the peoples or publick good 3 Ob. Honest Laws make legible to the people their positive and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Obs. True Laws for the peoples Freedom have their Rise from the People and Rule by clear Reason Till which the people are slaves to others and it is no marvell then if our Laws as they now are are out of tune and make no good musick in the end but that instead of Freedome they end in Bondage But the Nightingales will not long live incaged whilst your common hedge-Sparrows can indure it very well When Cyrus was young Sacas was appointed by his Grand father to be his Law-giver in Diet Recreations c. but when Cyrus grew elder into tiper years he became his owne Law-giver and a Sacas to himselfe so surely we are old enough now to be our owne Sacas's which wil be our happy time Like as a man that hath been long in prison so soon as he gets out oh how he leapâ—s and dances so as no ground wil hold him such a time of deliverance is coming to Englishmen But thus far for the End of the Law Use. Then wee are not too old to learne that the end of the Lawes is the honor of them and of the Nation And no greater dishonour can redound to this Commonwealth then yet to have such Laws and Lawyers as are neither for the profit safety nor freedome of the people How how many hundreds yea thousands in England that can and some doe positively assert it to reflect with the greatest reproach upon us that can be viz. the corruption of Laws Lawyers Judges c. as in the Chapter before which to the shame of this Nation is noised and noted beyond the Seas the particulars I forbear as yet Secondly The next thing is the Object of the Law which I shall be short in Now the Object is not the materia ex qua but circa quam the matter out of which the Law is made but about which the Law is conversant and takes most speciall cognizance that is wicked men in their wicked actions whom the Law is to curb and restraine which takes in also the formall reason of the Law with reference to the End that we
Eternal Law as appears Prov. 8. 15. By me saies the Wisdom of God Kings reign and Princes decree Justice or make Laws And Augustine tels us plainly in lib. 1. de lib. arbit c. 5. c. tom 1. That no humane Laws are to be allowed of as honest just and lawfull unlesse they be fetched from this Eternall law of God and good reason for it too for as in all motions in omnibus moventibus virtus secundi moventis derivatur a virtute moventis primi the second fetches force and vertue from the first so in omnibus gubernantibus c. in all Governors the subordinate hath Commission from the Supream and the inferior from the superior So a Subject-Magistrates commands are according to the commands of his King or Supreame Governour who hath given him Commission And thus are all humane Laws according to and derived and Commissionated from this Eternall Law of God or else they are not good and for as much as they doe partake of right and Orthodox Reason they are thus derived ab eterna lege so such Laws as are against Reason are iniquity and not fetched from this eternall Fundamentall Law Let us note then 1. Rule This eternall Law is the only absolute unchangeable Fundamentall of all humane Laws 2. Rule Of all others this Fundamentall must be knowne Now a thing is said to be known either in seipso as it is in it self and so God and Saints are said to know this eternall Law or else in suo effectu as one that knowes not the Sun in his own substance knows it in suâ irradiatione in his irradiation and opperation So we are said to know this Fundamentall Law by its irradiation of Reason in us more or lesse so that by its effects â—nd our participation of Divine Reason we know it 3. Rule Meer humane Reason secundum se is not the standing Rule of things but according to its participation of divine 4. Rule Meer Humane Reason doth not partake ad plenum dictamen to the full of divine Reason but only reaches to a measure in every age so that as it increases and grows more divine so must humane Laws 5. Rule Humane Laws are not infallible demonstrations or conclusions 6. Rule The more agreeable the Laws are to this Eternall Law the more unalterable they are and the more they partake of this Fundamentall Law the more absolute they are and to â—e obeyed and the more proper excellent and profitable are the acts and ends of such Laws Use. What remains But the day of reckoning and reforming the Laws and Lawyers of this Commonwealth seeing they for the most of them faile in the End Object and Foundation All are not Fundamentall Laws that are so called neither is the notion of a Fundamentall Law such an Idoll as men make it as if a noli me tangere were writ upon it because it hath been of long continuance and therefore must not bee altered but without such respect or fear of such a Scare-crew have the Conquerors all along altered even those they called Fundamentall Laws that stood not with their Interests or Intents and they have abrogated them without any judiciall processe against them and so did William the Norman without the least respect to the peoples Rights or Liberties And what shall Oliver the Peoples Conqueror do nothing doth the fearful word of the Fundamentall Laws of England i. e. of the Normans in England which have robbed and cheated us of our Rights and Freedomes doe these their Lawes strike more terror being secret enemies then a whole Army in the field of open enemies have we none to plead none to intercede as the Prophet sayes for us seeing for so many years the Norman Lawes of England have been such pure Servants to corrupt Interests as none else as I know of have enjoyed the honour of Fundamentall O fie for shame let us looke about us and see We have lost our Fundamentall Laws by William the Conqueror and other upstart irrational selfish unworthy Laws have usurped the title and honor from the people and shal they not be altered and others be set up upon the Eternal law of God agreeing more with divine Law in their stead for the liberties peace profit safety and Freedome of the people and that will not torment honest men as hitherto Laws have as the object of their tyranny It is this that we call for and nothing else and we will never cease day nor night nor give rest to God or Men till it be granted us for the good of the godly of this Nation Those Laws are most honorable and fundamental though they be but of a dayes standing that agree best with Gods Laws But O our misery how many Statutes Acts and Judgements are there which have subjected the bodies of men and women to arrests and imprisonments yea and sometimes to death diametrically contrary to the Law of God Reason and Charity yea to Magna Charta it selfe such as were named before in the Chap. 3. and yet I might adde many more as that of Habeas corpus whereby any Freeman of England may suffer imprisonment before his cause is heard or judged by the Law which imprisoning is the utmost punishment the Law can inflict upon Trespassors and Debtors This Writ is a wrong to the Liberties of the people and delivers many times upon malice honest men into the hands of devilish minded men yea of Foxes Walves Bears and Tygers I mean wicked Lawyers Bailiffs Serjeants and Goalors to raven upon their Bodies and Estates with unsatiable and monstrous cruelty whilst their poor Wives and Children want bread to eate O unsufferable Tyranny and such is the starving men in Prison and murthering them upon malice So the imprisoning upon debt and keeping their bodies in iron cages whilst by their liberty and industry in their callings they might by degrees make money to pay their debts off which would be to the honor and inriching of the Nation I might also mention the hanging men for meere Theft and other Laws beside which are cruell absurd and opposite to the Laws of God Against whose Lawes no Laws are or ought to be Fundamentall Wherefore away with that Bug-bear word of Fundamentall Laws and let us look to the Eternall Law of God as the only Fundamentall that must stand when all is done which does formaliter obligare as the Rule of Rationals Wherefore my word to the Supreame Authority of this Nation in Parliament is 1. As they are the Supream in Rule so they ought to be Supreame in Reason Now Supream Reason is divine or the wisdome from above which is not cruell bloody litigious oppressing c. But saies the Apostle James 3. 17. It is pure peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie This ratio divina is ratio Gubernativa Of all men it is they
that must have the Reason of the Law Now these Lawes which they have not a right Reason for and such a Reason as is derived ab aeterna lege must not stand None must abide but such as agree with the Law of God as the Fundamentall of them Wherefore seeing they sit not for themselves but for the people I pray God they may hear the loud cries and complaints of the poore oppressed people under the tyranny of such Laws and Lawyers as are now in being to the robbing and ruining of our Rights and Freedoms Oh! we fear least what victories are continued us according to our faith and incessant prayer should produce in some a desire to take up the Dutch Titles of High and Mighty and to seek more to be adored for a Supremacy in Government then a Supremacy in God or Grace oh God forbid least the Cannon mouth be turned upon us Only this we say that we see these tryumphs by Land and Sea make some monstrous high and too high to take notice of the Petitions of the poore and oppressed fatherlesse and widows who are begging and weeping and praying and Petitioning and to no purpose to men when they complain and sigh and sob before God who have some of them more right to and have made more faithfull prayers for these mercies and victories then some of them who usurpe and assume the whole benefit of them ratling about in their Coaches and blazing it abroad in their gold and silver and yet oppresse or afflict and reject the prayers and tears of such as have most right it may be in Gods account to what they enjoy But our prayers are to our God that he will keep our Parliament humble and to make them wise for the Fifth Monarchy mentioned in the next Chapter and in the mean time the supreame Rationalists for the good safety and freedom of England whose eyes are full fixed upon them for deliverance out of this Norman tyranny and Tyrants according to the Eternall Law of God which is ratio divinae sapientiae moventis omnia ad debitum finem directive in all actions and Laws that tend to the publick good Secondly As they are Legislators too our eyes are upon them in the earnest expectation of greater matters in restoring us to our Right and lost Liberties then hath been hitherto Lex sayes Isidorus est constitutio populi secundum quam majores natu simul cum plebibus aliquid sanxerunt and it is not the ratio cujuslibet that condere potest legem but of such Governors as represent the people whose rights and freedomes they sit for our prayers herein are that they be rightly principled and spirited to make the Laws which we must live under in these dayes as to the people of this Nation Wherefore 1. The Intents and Wills of the Lawyers must be bent upon the publick good in all their Laws and Statutes therefore the honest people are all purposed to waite with patience upon this Parliament or Legislative Power for the pulling downe those Laws which are against the publick good and for setting up of others in their room Because hitherto the Brambles have made Laws for the trees and have scratched and tore them and then wrote Laws in their blood Carneades was wont to say utilitas justi propè mater aequi which in an honest sence is sufferable Our Lawgivers should send out Lawes with olive branches in their mouths which should drop sweetnesse and fatnesse to the Nation Look how the Sun is said to shoot out with healings in his wings and so should our Law givers It is not for the Parliament to be the supreame Power of the Nation in the next Monarchy but they may then bee content to be subservient wherefore in the mean time let them like honest men and good Christians execute justice with mercy as well as mercy with justice For a Plutarch can tell us that God is angry with a too hot and hasty spirit in Legislators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wil not have them meddle with his Scepter his Thunderbolt and his trident i. e. he does not love they should Lord it over their Brethren as if they were the supreame Power and had his absolute dominion or Soveraignty he would not have them too violent or domineering but rather darting out such warme amiable and winning and cherishing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beams of Justice goodnesse and clemency so as might inlarge all the hearts of Gods people to praise him Our Laws should therefore like so many fresh pleasant green pastures in which these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Parliament are to lead their flocks to feed sweetly and securely by those refreshing and gliding streames of Justice that run down like waters as is promised But O when when Well but if all Laws be for the peoples good a Broom will soon be found to sweep down these Cob-webs or Laws that are so full of venome and subtle workings against the faithfull ones for the peoples interest and this will sweep down many an Achitophelian and Machivillian and Devillian web which hangs yet in Westminster and so also many a Hamans and Herods web which intangle honest hearts so as to take away their lives and catch them in snares for many of the Laws are not for the publick good being by Kings and Courtiers to keep up their own Interests and like Domitians Play-fellows to make royall sport and pastime in catching the poor Flyes for so they accounted the people of this Commonwealth and insulting over their torments with Tyranny But let these vile Lawes avaunt and let us not have reeds to peirce us through but staves for the weary and afflicted to leane upon Let our Lawes be cords of love and not snares and nets to trap our Brethren with and to hunt them as the Prophet sayes in Micah 7. 2. so Jerem. 5. 26. They set snares to catch men Therefore our God give this Supreame power here the supreame priviledge of Reason as to fetch their Lawes from the eternal and only true fundamental viz. the Law of God for those Lawes are most radical and fundamental that come nearest to the Law of God and are participations of that eternal Law which is the spring and original of all other honest inferiour and derivative Lawes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato sayes and there is no such publique benefit as that which comes by such Lawes for they they are that tend to the conservation of the vitals and essentials of a Common-wealth in the which all have an alike and equal interest and priviledge Secondly Justice is the next aime of the Legislative power on purpose to keep up the publick good Thus the great Jehovah and Almighty Legislator hath let us see his method in the Decalogue and set our Law-givers an example for in the first Table the intention of the Law-giver is to ordaine for
the Lawyers stink in our nostrils and bring forth vanities in some but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost to his Saints and deliverance and sweet freedome and blessings to the Common-wealth In the meane time it is a shame that Ministers of Christ can see them live so in sinne and say nothing seeing those Agags that the indulgent eye of Sauls have spared and favoured must be met with by the two-edged Swords of the Samuels of God â— but so much to our Authority in the Legislative power for the advancing the Law of God as the only fundamentall Law of this Nation Secondly My word to the People is as a Remembrancer for when Cyrus King of Persia proclaimed liberty to the Jewes only those went out of captivity whose spirits God stirred up in Ezra 1. 5. This is the case we are freed from our Norman Captivity Now you whose spirits God hath stirred up why appeare for your Liberties and Rights returne home unto your owne it is high time be not longer Slaves to Norman Lawes or Lawyers This your liberty is Naturall and connaturall as Paul said Acts 22. 20. I am a free-borne Roman which was his Plea and unsuited his Adversaries and made them afraid which surely had never been had not this boâ—est man made use of his right and liberty and let his Judges and Governours know it Surely this liberty is more worth then all the Lands in the Nation to us and if we know it wee should not slight it so as we doe therefore honoured Ames cas l. 5. c. 22. tells us that this Libertas proxime accedit 〈◊〉 vitam ipsam Liberty a man counts next his life and will not loose it if it be possible but wil loose his estate yeaâ— the â—loâ—theâ— off his back first yea further for the Publick Liberty and common safety a faithfull man wil loose his very life and prizes it abundantly above his life as some honest hearts have done in England in most ages And if any wonder that I will â—rive thus against the streame seeing I cannot turne it I must tâ—ll them That the Fish which alwayes goes downe the streame we suspect for dead whilst the living Fish makes against the streame but the truth is as when Tides turne there is first a secret motion and turning at the bottome before it comes at top and so there is in the bottome of our hearts which wil ere long be more openly to all eyes in the meane time we must minde the People of the time of dâ—y and tell them what the Clock strikes for their liberty and deliverance is hard by And beleeve it Brethren the flaming Sword is in our sight turning hither and thither every way to drive out these Wretches that have lived so long upon forbidden fruits and although the bowles of Authority seemes to many to run Byass to a bad I was ready to say Mad Mistresse this wil be mended ere long when the Mistresse is removed but we must ballast our Ship before we put to saile therefore consider Country-men First of all No Governours are above the Peoples Lawes and Liberties hence it was that Kings could not De jure conclude or determine businesses according to their owne wills and Aristotle Alexanders Tutor tels us That absolute power in Governours is the next degree to plaine Tyranny yea had it not been for feare of offending Alexander I thinke he had called it absolute Tyranny and said true too Therefore are Kings and Magistrates the Organs or Instruments of executing the Peoples Lawes and must receive their Lawes from the People Hence it is that the Emperor King of France Kings of Spaine England Poland Hungarie or Princes of the house of Austria Dukes of Brabant Earles of Flanders or Holland before their Coronation or Creation to the Governments do ingage to keep the Laws of their Country and their breach of the Laws is or ought to be as punishable upon them as any others And to shew how the Laws and Liberties of People are above their Governors God alwaies gave Laws to such as should govern the people for the peoples good Deut. 17. which their Rulers ought not to alter vid. Brains New Earth Secondly All Rulers and Governors are bound to execute their Offices and Authorities for the peoples benefit and publick good and the greatest Treason is against the peoples Laws and Liberties And Caesar himselfe in his Commentaries tels us that Amblorix King of the Eburons confessed that such were the conditions of the Gaulish Empire that the people lawfully assembled had no lesse power over the King then the King had over the People but rather more So we find there how Vercingentorix gave an account of his actions before the people how they were for their good and freedom Thus in England Ireland and Scotland the Representative of the People have the greatest authority i. e. as from the People the like in Spaine especially in Aragon Valentia and Catalonia cum aliis c. There is a Justitia Major who stands for the Peoples Rights and Liberties hath more power then the King or his Councel and therefore at his Coronation the Lords of the Kingdome use these words in their own Language to the King p. 60. Nos qui valemos tanto como vos y pâ—demos mas que vos vos elegimos Rei con estas è y estas conditiones entra vos y nos un que mandamus que vos We who are in as much value as you and have more power then you yet have chosen you King upon conditions c. and there is between you and us one that commands both you and us i. e. the Justitia Major who is altogether for the peoples Laws Right and Liberties and to see that for this end the Kings and Princes govern But in case Governors doe not rule for the publick good then Thirdly The People may orderly declare against the dangerous Practises of their Rulers and make an orderly resistance for their owne Rights and Liberties Now let me not be mistaken for I fear this Doctrine will not please some selfish Rulers but this I say whilst I call upon the people to appear for their own freedome and rights I mean not by armes to fight or wage war against their Governors in a rash disorderly way O no! not for a world that we should bee guilty of so ungodly a Rebellion for really I would bee one that would spend my blood against them that so doe but this I say let them mildly declare against the mis-governments of such men as seek their owne private more then the publick good and let them use means to correct that mis-government to admonish the offenders to petition to the Parliament or to our Conqueror the Lord Generall with the same importunities the poor Widow used to the unjust Judge till she was answered and so continue untill the
which is to model and conforme the Civil affaires for Christs coming I meane more off of the fourth Monarchy and more on to the fifth therefore 1 Constitute none but honest faithfull men such as follow the Lambe into places of trust or offices of this Nation seeing none but the Saints of Christ shall be his Officers here in place and imployment for Christ and the Common-wealth in the fifth Monarchy that is now entring Dan. 7. 27. Rev. 17. 14. Psal. 72. 10. Isa. 1. 26. Rev. 19. 14. wherefore the suffering of Lawyers to live so by sin in Westminster Hall and in all Courts as they doe will be unexcusable in the day of his coming 1 King 20. 42. and give the visible brand of those Governours in Isa. 1. 23. Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of Theeves c. therefore vers 24. Ah! I will ease me of these my Adversaries as Rev. 2. 20. I have an action against thee for that thou sufferest that wicked woman Jezabel c. So may be said to you if that you suffer this monstrous society of open sinners that trade in it and live by it to continue Nehemiah would not give his owne brother Hananiah a Commission but because he was a man fearing God chap. 7. 2. and David does professe that his eyes should be upon none but the faithfull ones of the land Psal. 101. 6. and they that walke holily and not the wicked that he would countenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he even hates their wicked and wil not suffer them in his sight and it is noted of this man that he served his generation herein Act. 13. 36. certainly our Parliament wil serve their generation as wel as God most singularly to put downe these men of sinne from their trading in sinne So Psal. 101. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wil early in the morning of my Government the first thing I goe about sayes he shal be to throw downe the wicked O that our Parliament would eye and own Davia's practise herein betimes to begin this worke which wil make them glorious and as Gods in the eyes of the people if they wil not but yet wil spare these Amalekites they may then remember Saul how he was rejected for doing the Lords worke negligently and by halves or deceitfully and not rightly nor uprightly in that he spared some of those wicked people that God would not have spared therefore was he yea and his Houshold cut off with reproach and shame to scare us in after ages let him be your Sea-mark herein Secondly See that all the Lawes of this Nation are agreeing with the Word of God and those Lawes which are contrary to sound reason or religion whether in things Civil or Ecclesiastick that they may be abolished for ever that so our Governours may be the Ministers of God to us for good as Rom. 13. 2 4. so that those unjust cruel Lawes that proportion not the punishments to the offence that put to death innocent ones that delay Justice that rob and wrong the people may be all tried at the High Court of Justice and receive their sentence O what brave Bonfires on a Thanks-giving day will the Popish Decrees and tyrannicall oppressing Lawes that are yet extant make O how wel they would warme us And if our Governours would burne the Whores Flesh with fire Rev. 17. 16. then let them burne all those Acts Lawes and Ordinances Civil or Ecclesiasticall that keep her warme and livel◠yet amongst us For the Statutes of Omri are yet kept 〈◊〉 all the workes of Ahab and yee walk in your Counsels that I should make yee a desolation therefore yee shall beare the reproach of my people Micha 6. 16. Deut. 28. 33. their not throwing downe those sinfull Lawes offended God greatly Sauls disobedience was his consulting so much with his owne reason more then with Gods Word and this hath ruined hundreds and made them obstruct the worke of Christ in every Generation Jehu by Jeroboams reason of state winked at the Calves in Dan and Bethel although he bragged how little his Predecessor Ahab had done 2 King 10. 18. and how he would exceed him saying Come with me see my zeale for the Lord and yet ver 29. he departed not from Jeroboams Calves O this State policy and reasoning hath been ever the Publicke enemy but away with that in the worke which is to doe for Christ by burning the Images and pulling downe the Groves wherein so much sinne hath been committed so by burning those Lawes and pulling downe those Courts Termes and Lawyers yea and Tythes too which have occasioned such actions continual complaints and vexations to the people and wrongs to God and men good and bad Thirdly Improve your utmost for Jesus Christ and his Monarchy at home and abroad your Talents must not be hid in the earth i. e. minding earthly things for your worke is to set the oppressed free and as Mordecai said to Ester ch 4. 14. For if thou boldest thy peace at this time yet there shall enlargement and deliverance arise to the people from another place but you and your Fathers house shall be destroyed then and who knoweth whether you are come to the Kingdome for such a time as this Therefore looke to it now whiles you have a time to doe it and let me adde this to urge you that this Monarchy of Christ wil deliver us from slavery and tyranny and set up the Lawes of God in the stead of mens See Isa. 42. 21 22. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousnesse sake he will Magnifie the LAW and make it HONOVRABLE but as yet in the Fourth Monarchy this is a People robbed and spoyled as the Jewes were by the Romans so we by the Normans robbed of all our rights which we hope to be restored into yea they are all SNARED in holes and bid in PRISON-HOVSES they are for a PREY and none DELIVERETH O sad if it be said so of this Parliament too and for a SPOILE and none saith RESTORE my worke and word is to say RESTORE which if you that are in Power refuse to doe it yet deliverance shall come but woe be to you as to the taile of the Fourth Monarchy which is not as yet out of rule for God hath tried and trusted you with the HONOVR which else others shall take from you within few yeares for the Fifth MONARCHY must make worke amongst you and will make the LAW of God Great Glorious and Honourable The Law of God which is now slighted as imperfect whiles men set up their owne Notions and Formes in the stead and prefer Gratians or a Justinians Law and so make themselves as Heathens without the Law of God amongst them this Law lyes in Deut. 6. 1. These are the Commandements i. e. the Ten in two Tables given Moses on mount Sinai Exod. 20. the Statutes i. e. the severall Cases depending
Law and Justice at every door in every County ☞ How Terms came in at Westminster How the Jury of twelve men came in How Councels of State Chancery Court c. came in Tyranny and slavery where in 1 Their oppression and misery for right and justice ☜ Their long and chargable journeys to London 2. Delays Whereas before all Causes of Controversie were fully and truly determined in fifteen days at farthest in Mirror of Just. fol. 8. ☞ Vide Captain N. Burts appeal from Chanceâ—y pag. 9. 3. Justice bought at too high a rate Example So Mr. Ch. dealt with one Henshaw borrowed all his money then kickt him out of doors then clapt him up in prison and by â—eeing the poor mans Lawyers kept him there The late Act of Parliament worth nothing Justice desired to be had at home ☜ Down with Terms and Westminster Courts Object Answ. 1. Trading would not be lost by it 2. 3. 4. From Tribute and Taxes Vide The lives of the three Norman Kings p. 91 98. Bucan Seneca Bartolus 5 From Fines and homage c. to Lords of the Mannor Holinshed 6 From the Norman Lawyers Lawyers their original 1. 2. 3. Terms Inns of Court when and how they began ☜ The Temple 1. The Lawyers rise and interest 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. ☞ 2. Peoples slavery by them 1. 2. ☜ ☜ Diodor. Sic. 3. Lawyers 1. Robbers Augustine Sim. Sutton Oppressors Acts Mon. p. 230. 2. Tyrants by practise how 1. Sim. 2. ☞ 3. Machiavil in principe Arist. l. 5. c. 11. Polit. 4. Solon 5. 6. Sim. ☜ 7. Sim. Dr. Featly Ser. p. 495. Sim. ☞ Col. Prides speech 8. Sim. ☞ Sim. Vacation times how ordered Sim. ☜ 3. For their Bribes No right in judgement is to be sold for Fees or Bribes Mirr of Just. fol. 258. Dr. Featly Sim. 4 For their incouraging contentions ☞ Râ—gers on Love p. 24. Sir H. R. and Mr J. R. Sim. 5. For their Frauds Sim. Diod. Sic Antiq lib 3. In Henshaws Case p. 55. Sim. ☞ Sim. Dr. Don. Sim. Mr. â— Mr. â— Sim. 6. For their Fees Sim. ☞ Sim. ☞ This is contrary to the Stat. Aâ— 18. of Ed. 3. And contrary to true Law Mir. of Just. fol. 64. Tully Sim. ☜ Sim Sim. ☞ Dr. Benson on Hâ—s 7. 7. ☞ Sim. ☜ Cook of Graisâ—nn at the laâ—e Kings tryall Thucydides ☜ The Parliaments great work about Tithes and Laws ☜ 7. For that they are strangers ☞ 2. Lawyers live by sin as 1. By Lying A Lawyer once attainted of false pleading or maintaining an unjust action or cause is to suffer bodily punishment Mirror of Just f. 230. Dangerous todeal with them ☜ A word to our Governors about them Robinsons Essayes ☜ 2. For Perjury Oaths unlawful ☜ 3. For innocent blood and murther Theeves * It is manslaughter to put any to death for meer theft and a bloody Law against Gods of Tyrants invention Mr. Châ—dley hath writ very well to this therefore say only thus that the Law in its virginity did ackowledg it that none ought to bee hanged for theâ—t Mirror of Juâ—â— fol. 102 257. Pretended Traytors and Enemies Holinsh Chron. Juries wronged Juries right Cooks Instit. Littleton A Lesson for Jury-men Judge Jermins speech Hide Cooke ☜ Oâ—to â—rising Châ—â—n l. 3. e 7. * Imprisonment of any man till he die in prison is manslaughter by thâ—â—â—â—y law viâ—â— Mir. p. 88. of Iustice â— 27 28 30. 274. so to suffer any though never so poor to perish for want p. 228. Or to delay to releive prisoners till any one dye is manslaughter f 30. One Judge Pâ—rine was hanged for this Expos. 4. For their cheating and stealing Judge Hall was hanged because he saved Tâ—ustrom the Sheriff from death who had taken away goods from many men against their wills though for the Kings use for that it was robbery vid. Mirror of Jusâ— f. 241 241. And do not the Lawyers rob thus daily ☜ Sim. ☜ Dalton ☞ 5. For oppression 22. Q. 12. a. 2. Ministers suffer by their tails Widows sufferings Example ☜ In his Discription of the World p. 196. â— For Pride ☞ The peoples eyes on the Lord General for deliverance from all these Norman Tyrants and tyrannies ☞ Vide chap. 5. And why so Reason 1. Oâ— the Conqueror conquered not for himself but for the people Augustine 1 Sam. 17. ☜ ☞ Josephus Vide Declaration Aprill 164 and Maâ—ch 16. 18 Sim. Reas. 2. They are ouâ— Countrymen that have conquered Strangers unsufferable Aemilius Object Answ. ☞ ☞ Our rights not lost ☜ ☜ A word to the Army 3. This liberty is our birth-right 4. There be several and solemn engagements made to do it ☞ ☜ 5. Fast actions best ☜ 6. Scripture promises Jer. 30. 21. Cap. Ch. Rev. 11. 15. Pythagoras ☞ 1 The end of humane Laws what 1 In generall Isidorus in dig vet l. 1 tit 3 lege 2. 24. Isâ—l l. 5. c. 211. 2. In specie 1. safety Zeneph de Reb. Laced ☞ Aristotle 1. 2. ☜ 3. Tho. Aquinas Cicero 4. 5. Cassius ☜ 6. ☞ Sim. ☞ ☜ Austin c. 4. 6. de civit Dei Pausanias Cicero ☜ 2 Freedom Cicero lib 3. Offiâ— Diod. sic l. â— 2. l. 1. D. ☞ ☜ Sim. ☜ Use. ☜ 2 The object of the Law who or what Trajan Zenophon Cyrus Use. Our English Laws persecute the honest ☜ 3. The foundation of the Law what Austin Aquinas 12 â— 93. 3. c. M. Tu Cicero Plutarch Plato Suarez Fundamentall Law what Augustin Reas. Fundamentall Laws meeâ— notions ☞ What Laws are most fundamental ☞ A Writ of Habeas corpus tyrannicall ☜ Imprisonment for debts illegal Mir of Just. 102. 257. ☜ 1. To the Parliament 1. As the Supream ☜ ☞ 2. As they have the Legislative power Isidorus in l. 5. c. 10. Etym. 1. Carneades The Parliament not supream power when ☜ Plutarch ☜ ☜ Cobwebs in Westminster to be swept down ☞ Plato 2 Justice cald for from the Legislators ☞ Men made good by good Lawes and bad by bad Lawes Sutton Embleme of Phisitians Ministers Magistrates 3 Legislators wils inspired by divine reason Aristotle 4 Legislators judgement sound Aegypt Sim. ☜ Aquinas 1. 2 Q. 100. 9. â— Averroes in 2 Rhet. c. 18. ☞ 5. All Lawes made known by Legislators â—â—idâ—r Vide Master Braine 's new â—arth Q. 1. A. 1. What Laws must be altered 2. 3. Augustine ☜ To the Parliament ☜ ☞ ☞ How we come by our owne without Lawyers Object Answ. ☜ A word in charity to warnâ— the Lawyers Prayer for our Governors ☞ Sim. Priests and Lawyers help one another Priests let them alone to live by sin and Lawyers in requital pleads for them to live by tythes 2. To the free-born people of England Our Liberty what it is ☜ The worth of it Ames Obj. Ans. Sim. Why we strive against stream ☜ Gen. 3. 1. Lawes and Liberties of the People are highest Aristotle de mundo lib. â— Polit c. 7. 2. Rulers are to be for the peoples good ☞ Caesar l. 5. 7. de bel Gal. 3. Else the people declare against them ☜ Rulers how Not by open armeâ— By new choice Why Cicera â—ivius ☞ 1. Macc. 1. 43. 2. 22. ☜ 4 This Conquest hath been on the peoples account ☜ 5 Cons. The Fifth Monarchy now hard by Which breaks the Laws and Law-givers of the fourth Monarchy apeeces 1. When Mr. Cam. Calvin Polanus The little horn i. e. Wil. the Conqueror 1 Unseen for a while Rose up 3 A vile person 4 By deceit 5 To subdue three Kingdoms ☞ 6 Speaks great words against God ☜ 7 Perplexes the Saints by changing their Laws 8 A fierce persecutor of the Saints till the Judgement Master Canne 9. Never to be more 10. The rest of the Hornes continue for a time 11. The fifth Monarchy When. When. ☜ 12 The last Monarchy ☜ 2. The manner how 1. By degrees 2. In a mystery ☞ 3. Suddenly and terribly 3. The Reasons 1 The Redemption of the people Gellius Redemption 1. From Ecclesiasticall slavery of soulâ—s 2. From Civil slavery of bodies Psal. 12. ☜ Of both Prophesies of the Sibyls Of the restauration of good Laws Of Pâ—â—acelsuâ— Of these warâ— with Holland To France Spaine Itâ—ly Laws plain and honest ☞ Prediction of Nostradimus Of France â—oannes Wolâ—ius Of Rome destroyed by our Army of England Predictions of Ioachim ☜ Concerning CROMWEL it is so be thought Romes ruin by the English English Preachers sent thither Predictions of B. â— Finius Of Rome Of Holland ☜ ☞ Predictions of Baptista Nazarus his Ital. dish Of Spain France Germany Rome The Turks by the English ☞ Predictions of the Sibyls Of new Lawes and godly Decrees 2. 2. The Supremacy of Christ over all Powers and Nations ☜ Who then Law-giver ☜ What Lawes then Who the best Lawyers then Vid. Brain 's new earth Vse 1. To the Parliament to model all for the fifth Monarchy 1. To intrust none but honest men ☞ ☜ Throw out men of sin 2. That the Lawes agree with Gods Lawes State Policy a great enemy ☞ 3. To doe all for Christ and his Monarchy Gods Law must be set up ☜ Gods Law Expos. In the Fifth Monarchy ☜ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 ☞ 4 To avoid factions and parties The pretty designs of the former Parliament ☞ So now parties about Tythes ☜ 5 To avoid Achitophel and Machiavell Vide Moderne Policies 1. Principle of Policy Machiavelâ— 1. Principle of Piety 2. Pr. of Policy Pindar 2. Pr. of Piety 3. Pr. of Policy Origen 3. Pr. of Piety 4. Pr. of Policy 4. Pr. of Piety 5. Pr. of Policy 5. Pr. of Piety 6. Pr. of Policy 6. Pr. of Piety 7 Pr. of Policy ☜ 7. Pr of Piety 8. Pr. of Policy Plautus Plutarch 8. Pr. of Piety Aristophanes 9. Pr. of Policy Cicero de offic lib. 1 9. Pr. of Piety 10 Pr. of Policy C. P. 10 Pr. of Piety Fulgos. lib. 5. c. 6. Gen. 34. 11 Pr. of Policy Caesar. 11 Pr. of Piety Scipio 12 Pr. of Policy ☞ 12 Pr. of Piety The price of blood for God only Jesuited who Sim. ☜ Use â— Word to the people to understand the times Object Answ. Against Astrologers The stinking â—â—lly Mirandula Understanding â—nlightned Daniel Then we shall fâ—ll to praying pell-mel ☜ A false Alarme given the Author to take him off of thiâ— Crofton ☜ 1655.