statesman in his Polit. tels us The same Last will not fit an English and a Scottish foot The English must be ruled more by love Now if two nations so neer in one Iland are not alike free but must be differently governed then certainly Nations remote from one another are not alike free Besides to particular persons yea bodies of people many providences accidents may fal out to make one and the same people and particular persons not so free as sometimes they have been there are some Parents who were free but having incurred the Law are tainted in bloud so their children also some are taken captivs or have sold themselves for a necessity and so their children are servants to A nation having bin saved by some Prince from ruine though before a free state may now make him and his Heirs according to such Lawes King over them nay Amesius in his Cases of Conscience saith It cannot be denied but that a people forced by necessity may sell themselves to a King to be all his servants Gen. 47. 23. 5. T is apparent that in one and the same Nation as England all the subjects have not the same priviledges and freedoms but some have more then others some are not liable to be pressed to war to bare such Offices serve in Juries c. as others are some have voices viz. Freeholders to chuse Knights of Shires others have not some Cities Towns have Charters and large priviledges in severall particulars to send Burgesses to Parliament which other Towns have not and certainly the Peerage of England have priviledges and liberties which every Jack-straw hath not 6. I demand of the Sectaries whether in their Pamphlets speaking of election and consent they meane an immediate present choyce and consent of the present men now to be governed or else an election consent in the first constitution of this Kingdom and Government by our Ancestors many hundred yeers ago Now if they mean this last how do they know but that this Government wherein the King and Lords have such a power was by consent and agreement it being consented such a man should be King and such persons Nobles who by birth should have such power and then such people according to such agreements should have power to chuse some men who together with King and Nobles should make Laws by which the Nation governed the King should have such power Nobles such priviledges and people such liberties but now if they meane the first an immediate election of the present peopl that they are to obey none but so chosen 't is most false and a principle destructive to the sundamentall government of this Kingdom and destroying the House of Commons as well as the King and Lords and for the clearing of that I would propound two things 1. That in this Common-wealth of England none have any power of Government at all either in a lower or higher Sphere either by election of the whole body of the people for all chuse not but some onely or founded upon election as the sole cause and ground for none of the people can chuse neither are men capable to be chosen till according to Lawes Writs are granted forth or Charters given by Princes and Lawes to such Corporations and yet then the peopl must go in chusing not according to their wills but to such rules agreed on by Laws and after men are chosen some conditions also and rules must be observed before the persons so chosen have power of government these chosen Commons must be returned and sworne take such oaths before they can â—it or if they do their election is ipso factâ— nul and they made uncapable ever to fit again so that t is evident that election of some part of the people not the whole is only a partiall cause not the totall and plenary cause or rather the true cause is because such a man according to Lawes and Customes of this Kingdome is now in such a place whereof one of the conditions for such a place is election so and so determined by former Lawes but now in many Officers of this Kingdome who have power of government to heare judge and do many Acts no sort of the common people have any power at all to chuse as in Justices of Peace they have been alwayes and still are made without any such election so the Judges of the Land Sheriffs with divers other Officers and therefore much more may the King and Peers who by the fundamentall Lawes of the Land have an heredâ—tary power in Parliament to which the Kingdom hath agreed and yeelded obedience so many hundred yeers exercise their power without any electon of the people 2. That certainly people are bound and tied to Lawes Rules as well as Kings and Nobles and that Covenants Compacts Oaths of Allegiance c. made on their part bind them as well as Princes oaths I ever took it for granted that Princes had not been bound and their people left at liberty and freedome to do what they pleased I alwayes thought fundamentall constitutions of Government made many hundred yeers before and ancient bounds set by Lawes with birth-right inheritance having gone through an uninterrupted succession of many Pâ—ogenitors had been a right and interest to Princes which the meer will and pleasure of common people could not have taken from them and I conceive that according to the conssitution and Lawes of this Kingdome which gives all sorts their rights though some more some lesse 't is agreed on that the Peers of this Land should have a Legislative and judiciall power and they and their heirs be in such ranck born with such and such priviledges over others 7. This Position of the Sectaries the Universal people having such a power without whose election all Government is void their Dagon and great Image which they fall down before and worship is a meer Chimâ—ra a monstrum horrendum a Babell which I could shatter and break so to peeces as not one stone should be left of it nor so much as the stump but I may not now give all my thoughts for feare of being too voluminous only I will hint a few things in this place by way of Question and referre the Reader to what I further say in page 154 155. c. 1. I Desire to know of these Sectaries what or who is this state Universall whether all the men women and children born in England men-servants maid-servants poore people and beggars together with those of the better sort and whether if all these or the greater part of these taken one equally as well as th' other be the state universall have they the like Soveraigne power over the King and Parliament 2. Whether in what this state Uuniversall will do with the King Lords and their owne House of Commons it must be carried by the most voices of this state universall so that if all the beggars poor people servants children be a
is the known mind of those Countries and Towns that chose them 12. If all power in Government be founded on immediate Election of the People and no sort of men have power further then the Universall people gave them and because they are Representors Trustees Deputies c. may do nothing against the will and mind of the Major part of the Universall people who chose them whether have all the Parliament-men in all their Votes gone according to the minds and desires of those Cities and places that chose them Represented in Petitions and whether in cases of doubt and yet of great importance have they still called their Countries together to know their minds and whether they were willing such things should be viz. Anabaptists Brownists and all kind of Sectaries to enjoy such freedom of meettings all sorts of ignorant Mechanicks to be suffered to turn preachers and to go up and down seducing people whether so great an Army to be still continued in this Kingdom and they Assessed to pay such Taxes for their maintenance and whether Committees shall be still continued in the Kingdom whether great sums of mony and hundreds of pounds in Land per annum in such necessitous times shall be given away on men who little need it and so in other particulars and if things appear to be against the mind of the generalitie of the people whether are the people bound to obey their Orders and Ordinances in such cases 13. If all power of government be upon Election and the chosen ought to go according to the will of the universality of the people suppose it should so happen in a Common-wealth that the greater part of the chosen should apparently go contrary to the trust reposed in them carry things quite against the mind of the people as of the chief City Country Ministry and none should be pleased with their actions but a pure faction a party of men ingaged by offices places of preferment liberty of licentiousnesse of living against the true Religion by Lawes established whether then with a good conscience may and ought this universall people with the consent and assistance of such Governors chosen by them who are known to be faithfull demand to chuse others in their places require justice upon them and so deliver themselves and their Country 14. Whether or no according to these Doctrines of the Sectaries there be any in this Kingdome have any power of government or whom the people ought to obey seeing there is none among us chosen by the universall people no not the Commons in Parliament but only by a part of the people the Freeholders and free-men of Towns which are not the twentieth part of the people of this Kingdom who yet sure are subject to Lawes and should live under obedience 15. Seeing in all kind of lawfull power and superiority every man that obeyes any should chuse him as the Sectaries speak in their Pamphlets and the power of Colonels Captains Commanders in cheif of such a party over Souldiers is lawfull whether may such whole Companies and particular souldiers in such Companies who have Commanders set over them whom they chose not but were unwilling of and desirous of others only 't is the will of the Generall to have it so answer them when they command them we chose you not we will not obey your commands and whether this would be a good answer of the Presbyterian Companies that have Independent Commanders set over them and well taken at a Councell of Warre And whether Colonel Lilburne in the Army would have taken such an Answer well from his Regiment notwithstanding his brothers doctrine And whether if gallant Colonel Whaley before Worcester should have stood upon this Doctrine that those should command in cheif who had the consent of the souldiery there and the people of those parts and thereupon opposed Colonel Rainborough it had been true Doctrine 16. Whether do not the Sectaries â—roâ—â—e themselves in their positions about Election that no men have any power over any to question and judge 〈◊〉 who chose them not and whom they represent not when 〈◊〉 they say the House of Commons may question and punish 〈◊〉 and judge the House of Peer being the Soveraignâ— S 〈…〉 〈◊〉 both of the Câ—â—â—onâ—rs and of the Lords Now certainly neither the King nor the House of Peers chose the House of Commons neither are they the Representors of the King and Peers they represent them not so much as in name having never the Titles of Kings or Lords given them by Lawes and therefore if according to the Sectaries Doctrines the House of Commons have power over King and Lords to judge them which for my part I do not beleeve though they are not their chosen ones then certainly the House of Lords may have power to sentence Lilburne Overton c. though not chosen by them 17. If all power of Government stand solely upon the Election of the present people and hath all its authority upon that whether the power of Governors can continue longer then the people chose them for and suppose the people never intending or once dreaming to chuse them for alwayes but for a time whether when that time they were chosen for expired their power did not also expire and whether may any with a good conscience who beleeves the time is long ago run out for which he chose Burgesses and Knights submit any more to the Summons Orders Censures of the Commons then the Sectaries wil to the H. of Peers and whether can the H. of Commons expect any submission and obedience from the Sectaries who have in the name of thousands declared professedly to the world their time was out for which they were chosen by such a day which day is past and therefore they will find when they come to question some of them roundly upon any of their Ordinances that they will serve them as they do the Lords telling them they have no power over them the time for which they chose them is out 18. Whether according to this Doctrine of all subjection and power founded only in Representation Deputation extending no further then from the Represented to the Representors may not the Ministery of the Kingdome plead exemption from the power of the Commons as the Sectaries do from the Lords saying they have no Ministers there to sit in that House to represent them or who have Deputation from them there may possibly be some Imitators of them in the House of Commons Lay Preachers and gifted Brethren imitating them in their work of Ministry as Apes use to imitate men in the works of their calling but no Representors of them 19. If nothing the representative do be valid or binding but what the greater number of the Universal have given power in whether may not will not the people question all Votes Orders Ordinances as not being tied to them because they know not that the Universall people consented and so every thing
Christ saving only he should not dye for the sinnes of men This Mistris Attaway had a great parchment role wherein many things were written and this was to be given to Jenney and this Jenney beleeved all Mistris Attaway told him as fully as might be that he should never dye c. This Mistris Attaway also gave out that there should come ships from Tarshish to fetch away all the Saints to Jerusalem and all that would not turne Jewes should be destroyed and this whole Land should be destroyed and therefore she would goe away before hand to escape This Jenney Mistris Attaway and some of their Tribe held no hell but what was in the conscience the soules mortall they held the Book of Esdrâ—s had great things in it to them who had the spirit to understand it and that there was Esaus world and Jacobs world this was Esaus world but Jacobs world was comming shortly wherein all creatures shall be saved And this Prophet who was shut up was to come forth to preach this new Doctrine of generall Restauration and Salvation of all and though all should be saved yet there should be degrees of glory between those that have been Saints they should be more glorious and those who were the wicked though now restored This Jenney held from that Scripture in Genes where God saith I will make him an help meet for him that when a mans wife was not a meet help he might put her away and take another and when the woman was an unbeleever that is not a Sectarie of their Church she was not a meet help and therefore Jenney left his wife and went away with Mistris Attaway A Commander belonging to the Army told me last July he had seen some of the Sectarian Preachers preach lately with their hats on and sitting he told me he had heard Master Cradock Master Peters and other such Preachers insinuate into the souldiers flatter them all kind of wayes telling them what they had done what fame they had atchieved how they had conquered â—he Kingdome and particularly a little before he heard Master Peters preaching thus you who have conquered the Kingdome done all this service and now when you have done all this might expect your Arrears look to enjoy your Liberties yea and expect preferments good places as you have well deserved it may be you shall be cast into a stincking prison but if it should be so t is the will of God and yee must provide to beare it There is one Thomas Collier a great Sectary in the West of England whom I have spoken of in the second part of Gangraena and have printed some Letters of his in this third part I have seen a Book of his printed in the year 1645. called certain Queres or Points now in controversie examined wherein among other Errours laid down by him he makes Baptizing the Children of the faithfull not only to be vaine bâ—t evill and sinfull yeâ— the commission of Baptizing Children to come from the Divell or Anti-Christ or both And secondly that Magistrats have no power at all to establish Church-Government or to compell any to the Government of Christ by any humane power and upon occasion of discoursing of the power of the Civill Magistrate what hee should do now religion is corrupted and the Magistrates endeavour is to Reforme it and to this end have called an Assembly of Learned men to assist them in this work This Learned Master Collier if he might be thought meet makes bold to present these three words in this case to the Parliament First To dismisse that Assembly of Learned men who are now call'd together for to consult about matters of Religion and the reason this Learned Clark gives is because he cannot conclude that God hath any thing to do there for them he knowes no rule in the Book of God for such an Assembly and therefore cannot expect a blessing The second Word To go on in subduing of Antichristian enemies so farre as by Civill Law they have power for there must by this or some other meanes be a desolation upon the tenth part of the City The third Word is That the Parliament would give the Kingdome to the Saints and for who gives the Kingdom to the Saints so it be done Master Collier will not much dispute whether it be the Lord Jesus immediatly or Jesus by a Parliament only thus much he would have men take notice that by the Kingdome is meant an externall Kingdome for the Saints shall possesse that as well as the spirituall Kingdome and Government of the Church of Christ Hence we may see by Master Colliers words that his Saints viz. those whom he hath described before in the former part of his Book Separatists Anabaptists do look for from the Parliament that they should give the Kingdome to them and all temporall power and rule and take it out of the hands of all others So that the King the Parliament unlesse there be some of Master Colliers Saints among them the Judges and all men who by the Lawes under the King and Parliament have any Civill power of rule in the Kingdome must have it taken from them and given to the Sectaries Saints Yea I conceive by Colliers words not only England but Scotland and Ireland are to be taken from the King and to be given by the Lord Jesus immediatly or by Jesus by a Parliament to the Saints which whether it be not so or no I leave the Reader to judge upon transcribing Colliers own words where giving his second word of advice to the Parliament of going on to subdue Antichristian enemies so far as they have power because there must by this or some other meanes be a desolation upon the tenth part of the City he interprets his meaning in these following words Which I think to be England and those Dominions belonging to it Scotland and Ireland I conceive this to be the time that the Kingdome is to to taken from him who shall arise and subdue three Kings that is Kingdoms speaking great words thinking to change times and Laws but the Judgement shall fit and take away this Dominion to consume it and destroy it to the end Dan. 7. 26. Therefore let not your hearts faint neither your hands draw back God will finish his work The third Word is that they would give the Kingdome to the Saints Dan. 7. 27. Who gives the Kingdome to the Saints The judgement that pulls down the power and Kingdome of the one gives to the other Whether iâ— be the Lord Jesus immediatly or Jesus by a Parliament I shall not much dispute but leave it to your considerations Only thus much take notice that by the Kingdome is not only meant an externall Kingdome for the Saints shall possesse that but the spirituall Kingdome and Government of the Church of Christ c. This Collier as it appears by his Letter before mentioned
the Judges that there was in Monarchie and Aristocracy an enmity against Christ which he would destroy and as he was speaking some turbulent fellowes and Sectaries clambred up by the Bench and cryed out my Lord my Lord Mr Pr. doth it in malice we will maintaine our Minister with our bloud whereupon the Judge threw away the paper and said he would heare no more of it though he had before commanded Master Eldred to read openly all those Heterodoxies The Lords day following Master Feake in the Pulpit endeavored to answer all the Articles put up against him to the Judges in a great Auditory Many other things I have heard of him since his coming to Hartford but what I here set down of him besides the relation I have had by word of mouth of persons of worth 't is given me under hand in writing and that with this seale set to it what I have here written I will justifie and much more when I am called to it There is one Richard Overton a desperate Sectary one of Lilburnes Breed and followers who hath printed many scandalous things against the House of Peers and notice being given of him there was an Order granted for the taking of him and seasing of his Presse a Presse that had printed many wicked Pamphlets that have come out of late against the King the Lords the Presbyteriall Government the City and for a Toleration and Liberty destructive to all Religion Lawes and Government yea overthrowing by the principles laid down in them the power of the House of Commons whilst they seeme to cry up and invest that House with the Monopoly of all the power of the Kingdome who being apprehended by the Messengers sent out for him was brought before a Committee of the House of Lords where he refused to answer any questions and carried himself with a great deale of contempt and scorne both in words and gesture and after this being brought before the House of Lords he refused to answer any questions propounded by the Speaker as in the name of the House and to that question whether he were a Printer or no hee would not answer but told them he was resolved not to make answer to any interrogatories that should infringe his propertie right or freedome in particular or the rights freedomes and properties of the Nation in generall Besides he gave saucie and peremtory words to the House of Lords and appealed from the House of Lords to the House of Commons whereupon the Lords committed him to Newgate as he most justly deserved Now since his commitment to Newgate there are some wicked railing Pamphlets come out in his name and sold openly Pamphlets venting a company of cursed principles both against Religion and civill Government tending to nothing else but the overthrow of the fundamentall constitution of this Kingdome in King Lords and Commons and setting up the body of the common people as the Soveraigne Lord and King denying King and Lords any power and the House of Commons any further then the peoples Deputies and at the pleasure of and will of the people and to the ruine of Religion by pleading against the Ordinance for punishing Blasphemies and Heresies The first Book of this Overtons is call'd A defence against all Arbitrary Vsurpations of the House of Lords and a Relation of their unjust and barbarous proceedings against that worthy Commoner stiling himself so The second is An Arrow against all Tyrants and Tyranny shot from the prison of Newgate into the Prerogative Boweâ—s of the Arbytrary House of Lords by Richard Overton Prerogative Archer to the Arbitrary House of Lords The third is A Petition and Appeale to the House of Commons calling them the High and mighty States the most Soveraigne House and himself their leigo Petitioner In all which he most audaciously and unsuâ—â—erably abuses the House of Lords charging them with Tyranny â—surpation invading the Liberties of the people denying them all legislative power desiring due reparations against them scoffing and scorning them and their power descanting upon by way of conâ—utation the Order of the House of Lords for his commitment and stirring up the House of Commons and all the people against the House of Lords to free the people from their oppressions tyrannies c. I will give the Reader a taste of this Anabaptisticall spirit by transcribing a few passages out oâ— these wicked and cursed Pamphlets In page 5. of his deâ—iance against the Lords he speaks to English-men thus Ye in speciall be encouraged against all opposition and incroachment of Kings Lords or others upon the House of Commons their rights and properties derived from the people And acknowledg none other to be the supreame Court of Judicature of this Land but the House of Commons and in this gallâ—â—t resolution live and dye and acquit your selves like men For my part I 'le treaâ— upon the hottest coales of fire and vengâ—ance that that parcell of men intituled the House of Lords can blow upon me for it Page 15. 17. He makes the Lords to be sâ—bordinate and subject to the Commons the great Representors of the Land and calls the Knights and Burgesses Assembled the upper House and the Judges of the House of Peers as well as his Page 19. 20. speaking of the power of the Commons hath these words Therefore these Lords being none of the peoples Vicegerents Deputies or Representors cannot legally passe upon any of the Represented to 〈…〉 y sentence fine or imprison but such their actions exceeding the soveraigne compasse must needs be illegall and Antimagistraticall and therefore as by that soveraigne power confer'd from the people upon the House of Commons I made my appeales to the said House refusing altogether to submit unto that usurpation of the Lords over the peoples properties c. In the same page speaking of the House of Lords in a scoffing manner faith Their Lordships might do well to send me to Doctor Bastwicks School of complements that I might have a little more venerable Courtship against the next time I appeale in their presence In page 17. 18. relating how the whole House of Lords derided him upon his refusing to answer the questions of the speaker of the Right Honourable House of Peeâ—s he sets down that he replyed to them Gentlemen it doth not become you thus to deride me that am a prisoner at youâ— Barre And thereupon speakes of the House of Lords such caâ—riage such Court for indeed Comedies Tragedies Masks and Playes are farre more fit for such idle kind of men In page 6. Overton speaking of the House of Lords writes thus And these are further to let them know that I bid defiance to their injustice usurpation and tyranny and sâ—â—rne even the lest connivance glimpse jot or tittle of their favour Let them do as much against 〈…〉 e by the rule of Equity Reason and Justice for my testimony and protestation against them in this thing as possibly they can and I
142. pages of this Book I might fill a Book in relating the passages in Discourses Sermons and printed Books spoken in way of boasting of this Army and of particular persons belonging to it of the Independent way calling one Infallible the Saviour of three Kingcomes a second the Terrible a third whom God hath especially fitted for Sea or Land one whom foraigne States would be proud of having such a servant and so of others but I will only point at some expressions in a late Book of Master Burtons called Conformities Deformity wherein the Army is in a sort deified page 17 18. speaking of pressing the Parliament for an Ordinance against Heresies and Schismes he speaks what this Ordinance would do against those men who have prodigally poured their dearest bloud viz. trample upon them and not suffer them to breath in their native aire and thereupon runs out in the extolling of that sort of men in the Army that by them we yet breath that they have beene the preservers of the Land that many glorious victories have made them admirable to the neighbour Nations yea to the whole world and terrible to their professed enemies and ours yea and to pretended freinds too who would master us at home were not these masters of the feild God hath made them the great instruments of the preservation and deliverance of our Country and City from the most desperate bloudy and beastiall enemies that ever the earth bred or hell hatched God hath vouchsafed to cast great favour and honour upon them and as he hath crowned them with so much glory and they have â—ast their crownes at the feet of the Lamb that sits upon the Throne So should we come and first giving all the glory to God gather up those crownes and set them upon the heads of those our Preservers and Deliverers and put chains about their necks so far off should we be from trampling such Pearles under foot or casting them out of our Gates and Ports 8. The Sectaries are guilty of unsufferable Insolencies horrible affronts to Authority and of strange outrages having done those things that all things considered no story of former ages can paralell and here I have so large a feild that I might write a Book in Folio upon this head but I will only give a touch upon the particulars and referre the Reader for further satisfaction to their owne Books 1. Some of the Sectaries have spoken and written that against the Lawes of the Land both Common and Statute as I beleeve neither Papists nor any English men ever did before them I have read divers passages of this kind in divers Pamphlets within these two last yeers as in some books written against Master Pryn but above all Leiutenant Colonell Lilburne in his Just mans Justification page 11 12 13 14 15. and A Remonstrance to their owne House of Commons page 13. 15. 19. damns the Common Law as coming from the Devill and being the great bondage of England the Norman Yoake as the Reader may easily see by these words That which is the greatest mischeife of all and the oppressing bondage of England ever since the Norman Yoak is this I must be tried before you by a Law call'd the Common Law that I know not nor I thinke no man else neither do I know where to finde it or read it and how I can in such a â—asâ— be punished by it I know not such an unfathomable gulâ—e have I by a little search found the Law practises in Westminster Hall to be that seriously I thinke there is neither end nor bottome of them so many uncertainties formalilities puncâ—ilios and that which is worse all the enâ—ries and proceedings in Latine a Language I understand not nor one of a thousand of my native Country-men so that when I read the Scripture it makes me thinke that the practises in the Courts at Westminster flow not from God nor from his Law nor the Law of Nature and Reason no nor yet from the understanding of any righteous just or honest men but from the Devill and the will of Tyrants The Kings Writs that summons a Parliament implying the establishment of Religion showes that we remaine under the Norman yoake of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free our selves Ye know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason which ought to be the forme and life of every Government Magna Charta it selfe being but a beggerly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable The Conquerer erected a trade of Judges and Lawyers to sell justice and injustice at his owne unconscionable rate and in what time he pleased the corruption whereof is yet upon us from which we thought you should have delivered us we cannot but expect to be delivered from the Norman bondage and from all unreasonable Lawes made ever since that unhappy conquest By which passages t is evident the Sectaries aime at a totall change of the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom 2. They have spoken and written much against the King speaking of him as a Delinquent terming him the great Delinquent and that he should not come in but as a Delinquent when news hath beene of messages and gracious offers from the King and when his late Letter to the City was spoken of they have slighted all saying we can have them without him and what can he do for us he is a Delinquent They have taken one of his titles from him and given it to that unworthy mean man Lilburne stiling him Defendor of the Faith they have taken other of his Titles as Soveraign Leige Lord Majesty Kingship Regality and given them to the H. of Commons and to the common people making the Universall people to be the King Creator and the King their meer creature servant and vassal and as they have taken from him his Titles so his power denying him all Legislative power and to be one of the Estates of Parliament yea they have pleaded for the King to be deposed and justice to be done upon him as the grand murtherer of England and not only that he should bee beheaded but the Kingdome also viz. this Kingdome deprived of a King for ever and Monarchie turned into Democracie And as they have endeavoured to strip him of all his Titles and power as a King so to take from him all priviledges as a man and a Christian speaking against Ministers praying for him and that he should be excommunicated from all Christian society For proofe of which particulars let the Reader read over the late Remonstrance of many thousand Citiznes to their owne House of Commons and among other passages that in page 6. It is high time we be
plaine with you we are not nor shall not be so contented that you lie ready with open Armes to receive the King and to make him a great and a glorious King Have you shooke this Nation like an Earth-quake to produce no more then this for us We do expect according to reason that you should in the first place declare and set forth King Charles his wickednesse open before the world and withall to show the intolerable inconveniencies of having a Kingly Government from the constant evill practises of those of this Nation and so to declare King Charles an en 〈…〉 my and to publish your resolution never to have any more but to acquit us of so great a charge and trouble for ever and to convert the great rev 〈…〉 w of the Crowne to the publike treasure to make good the injuries and injustices done heretofore and of late by those that have possessed the same and that we expected long since at your hands and untill this be done we shall not thinke our selves well dealt withall in this originall of all oppressions to wit Kings The Just mans Justification page 10. I wish with all my soule the Parliament would seriously consider upon that Law Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed that so wilfull murtherers might not escape the hand of Justice but especially that they would thinke upon the grand murtherer of England for by this impartiall Law of God there is no exemption of Kings Princes Dukes Earles more then of fishermen c. The Arrow against all Tyrants page 11 12. Soveraignity challenged by the King is usurpation illegitimate and illegall c. The power of the King cannot be Legislative but only Executive So Overtons Defiance to the House of Lords Overtons Petition and Appeale to the High and mighty States the Knights and Burgesset in Parliament Assembled Englands Legall Soveraignâ— power The last warning to the Inhabitants of London with divers such like 3. The Sectaries have spoken written done much against the House of Peeres the supreme Judicature of this Kingdome that House which gives to the Parliaments of England the denomination of the High Court of Parliament as t is a Court of Record and having power of judiciall triall by oath c. of the greatest subjects of this Kingdome in the greatest matters as life estates liberty whose Tribunall and Power hath ever beene acknowledged and dreaded in this Kingdom in all times by the greatest Peeres and persons of the Land and when questioned by them have given all high respect and humble submission as we see that great Favorite the Earle of Strafford did yet this Supreme Court hath beene by word and deed so used by base unworthy sonnes of the earth as the 〈…〉 st Court in England or p 〈…〉 iest Constable never was till these times and certainly the ages to come who shall read the History of these times and the Books of the Sectaries written this last yeere against the House of Lords will wonder at our times and inquire what exemplary punishment was done upon them The facts of some Sectaries abetted and pleaded for also by other of their fellows have been these 1. Refusing upon the Summons Warrants of the House of Peeres to appeare before them and resisting to the utmost so that the Officers have been necessitated to drag them and bring them by force as Overton who in print is not ashamed to relate it 〈◊〉 When they have beene committed and under custody refusing to be brought by their Keepers to the House of Peeres upon command of the House to answer to their charge as Lilburne did keeping his chamber shut refusing to come forth and resisting to the utmost so that glad to carry him by power to the House of Lords which relation also Lilburne hath printed 3. In refusing to answer any questions put them by the House of Peeres 4. In refusing to kneele at the Barre in token of any submission to the House or to be uncovered 5. In appealing from and protesting against the House of Peeres and any power they have over them both by word of mouth and writing drawn up and thrown into the House 6. In stopping their eares in a contemptuous manner that they would not heare their charge read 7. In reproving sawcie taking up and reproaching the House of Peeres to their faces in the House 8. In Petitioning the House of Commons for justice against the House of Peeres and for reparations of dammages using many reproachfull words of that Right Honourable House even in their Petitions as is to be seene in Overtons John Lilburnes and Elizabeth Lilburnes Petitions 9. Threatning the House of Peeres what they will do against them if they maintaine their power and honour and what the house of Commons will do 10. Stirring up and inciting the common People also to fall upon them to pull them downe and overthrow that House The Speeches and writings of the Sectaries against the House of Peeres within this last sixe moneths or thereabouts ever since the commitment of Learner about The last warning to the inhabitants of London are fearfull and strange many Pamphlets having beene written in that time tending apparently to the totall overthrow of the House of Peeres and of having any Lords in this Kingdome denying them all Legislative and Judiciall Power and giving it all to the House of Commons or rather to that Beast of many heads the common People allowing the Commons only so much as they please and for so long making them their meer deputies and servants at will I shall give the Reader a few passages out of their Books and referre for further satisfaction to the Books themselves A Pamphlet entituled The Just man in Bonds writes thus pag. 1. The power of the House of Lords is like a shallow uneven water more in noyse then substance no naturall issues of Lawes but the extubâ—rances and mushromes of Prerogative the wens of Just Government putting the body of the people into pain as well as occasioning deformity Sons of conquest they are and usurpation not of choyce and election intruded upon us by power not constituted by consent not made by the people from whom all power place and office that is just in this Kingdome ought only to arise A Pamphlet call'd A Pearle in a Dung-hill pag. 3 4. speaks thus And why presume ye thus O ye Lords Set forth your merit before the people and say For this good it is that we will raigne over you Remember your selves or shall we remember ye Which of you before this Parliament minded any thing so much as your pleasures Playes Masques Feastings Gaming 's Dancings c. What good have you done since this Parliament and since the expulsion of the Popish Lords and Bishops where will you begin It was wont to be said when a thing was spoyl'd that the Bishops foot had been in it and if the Lords mend not it will be
said of them and justly too For what other have they been but a meer clog to the House of Commons in all their proceedings How many necessary things have they obstructed How many evill things promoted What devices have they had of Prudentialls and Expedients to delay and pervert what is good and subtle policies to introduce things evill The Pamphlet call'd An Alarum to the House of Lords pag. 4. speaking of the Lords imprisoning Lilburne and removing him from Newgate to the Tower of London saith Whether to murther him privately from the peoples knowledge we cannot tell but we judge little lesse And in pag. 5. speaking of the Lords giving order that none must see Lilburne in the Tower but they must first given in their names the places of their habitation uses these words An act so unreasonable and destructive to us that we cannot but take notice of it and let you know That we cannot neither will we suffer such intolerable affronts at your hands If timely cautions will not availe with you you must expect to be bridled for wee are resolved upon our naturall Rights and Freedomes and to be enslaved to none how Magnificent soever with rotten Titles of Honor. For doe you imagine there is none abroad of his mind who though he were dead and destroyed by you would prosecute those works and discoveries of the Peoples Rights which hee hath begun Yes more then you are aware of that can nay and are resolved to paint forth your Interest to the life if you will not content your selves the sooner with what 's your owne and leave the Commoners to the Commons The Remonstrance of many thousands to their own House of Commons pag. 6 7. speaks thus to them Yee must also deale better with us concerning the Lords then you have done Ye onely are chosen by us the People and therefore in you onely is the power of binding the whole Nation by making altering or abolishing of Lawes Ye have therefore prejudiced us in acting so as if ye could not make a Law without both the Royall assent of the King so ye are pleased to expresse your selves and assent of the Lords What is this but to blind our eyes that we should not know where our power is lodged nor to whom we apply our selves for the use thereof but if we want a Law wee must await till the King and Lords assent yet ye knowing their assent to be meerly formall as having no root in the choyce of the people from whom the power that is just must be derived do frequently importune their assent which implies a most grosse absurdity For where their assent is necessary and essentiall they must be as free as you to assent or dissent as their understanding and consciences shall guide them and might as justly importune you as you them Ye ought in conscience to reduce this case also to a certainty and not to waste time and open your counsels and be liable to so many obstructions as ye have beene But to prevail with them enjoying their Honors and possessions to be liable and stand to be chosen for Knights and Burgesses of the people as other the Gentry and Free-men of this Nation doe which will be an obligation upon them as having one and the lame interest then also they would be distinguished by their vertue and love to the Common-wealth whereas now they Act and Vote in our Affairs but as Intruders or as thrust upon us by Kings to make good their Interests which to this day have beene to bring us into a â—lavish condition to their wills Lilburne in his F 〈…〉 s freedome Vindicated p. 7 8 9. speaks thus I must be forced to dâ—nce atâ—endance contrary to Law to answer a Charge without for 〈…〉 or fashion in Law at the Barre of the House of Peeres who know very well or at least might know that I knew as well as any of themselves their power jurisdiction and Prerogative Fountaine from whence they spring and calls the Lords the meere Creature of the peoples Creature the King and the common people the earthly Lord and Creator of the Lords Creator and saith that in the Honorable House of Commons alone by right resides the formall and legall supreme power of England Overton in his Arrow shot into the Prerogative Bowels of the Arbitrary House of Lords as he calls it showes page 10. how he denied subjection to the Lords affirming that if their Officers had shâ—wn a thousand such Warrants to him as they did he would have accounted them all illegall Antimagisteriall and void in Law as having no power over Commoners which are not their Peeres and thereupon stirs up the people to Arme themselves fortifie their houses to â—eat wound and kill their officers that come to fetch them before the Lords and then turnes his speech to the House of Commons Why therefore should you of the Representative body sit still and suffer these Lords thus to devoure both us and our Lawes Be awakned arise and consider their oppressions and encroachments and stop their Lordships in their ambitious careere for they doe not cease only here but they soare higher and higher and now they are become Arrogators to themselves of the naturall soveraignity the Represented have conveyed and issued to their proper Representors even challenge to themselves the title of the supremest Court of judicature in this Land and in page 11 12. Overton saith further Therefore the Soveraigne power extending no further then from the Represented to the Representors al this kind of soveraignity challenged by any whether of King Lords or others is usurpation illegitimate and illegall and none of the Kingdomes or peoples neither are the people thereto obliged Thus seeing the Legislative power is only from the Represented to the Representors and cannot possibly further extend the power of the King cannot be Legislative but only Executive and hee can communicate no more then hee hath himself so that his meere Prerogative creatures cannot have that which their Lord and Creator never had hath or can have namely the Legislative power Indeed all other Courts might as well challenge that Prerogative of Soveraignity yea better then this Court of Lords But and if any Court or Courts in this Kingdome should arrogate to themselves that dignity to be the Supreme Court of Judicatory of the Land it would be judged no lesse then high treason to wit for an inferior subordinate power to advance and exalt it selfe above the power of the Parliament The same Overton in a Pamphlet entituled A Defiance against all Arbitrary usurpations either of the House of Lords or any other page 5. saith And though I be in their Prerogative clutches and by them unjustly cast into the prison of Newgate for standing for my owne and my Countries rights and freedomes I care not who lets them know that I acknowledge nonâ— other to be the Supreme Court of Judicature of this Land but the House of
divers particular Members of both Houses by name but as conjunct in their Authority Power and that in both the senses in which the Parliament is taken whether as we meane the three Estates in Parliament in their Legislative power the King the Lords the Commons or whether the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament making the highest Court to punish other Courts and offendors according to Lawes already made and having a power to make Ordinances and to set out rules and directions in emergent occasions of the Kingdome till a Law can be made Now in the first acception of Parliament the Sectaries have by word writing and all their proceedings especially of late overthrowne Parliaments and the fundamentall constitution of the three estates King Lords and Commons and that in denying all Legislative power to the King and Lords and of three Estates leaving and making but one cutting off both King and Lords from their unquestionable legall power according to the Lawes and fundamentall constitution of the Government of this Kingdome yea indeed destroying all the three estates taking away all the power and authority from the King Lords and Commons and placing it in the universall people giving them power to doe what they will and as often as they will as being the Creator of all and making the King Lords and Commons their meere creatures to be disposed of as they please and as the Sectaries are against the power of the three Estates in Parlia to make new Lawes giving this Legislative power only to the Commons and that to at the discretion of the people so are they against the Lawes and Acts already made by King Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament having inveighed against all Lawes from first to last both Common and Statute yea against Magna Charta it selfe calling it a poore and beggarly thing below a Freeman c. of the proofes of which particulars though the Sectaries Books are full I shall only name one place in the Remonstrance of the Sectaries to their owne House of Commons page 15. where they speak thus to the Commons Yee know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy of a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason Magna Charta it selfe is but a beggarly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable and in all their Books they speak against the knowne positive Lawes of the Land and cry out for Lawes according to right reason and for naturall primitive rights the just rights and prerogative of mankind which as they are the sonnes of Adam from him they have legitimatly derived of which they make themselves the sole Judges for otherwise our Ancestors who first founded this government and Lawes and the Parliaments ever since in all ages being rationall men have judged the present forme of Government and the Lawes to be most agreeable to Right Reason and Equity for this Nation and accordingly have confirmed and ratiâ—ied them so many times Now if this insolent outragious carriage of many Sectaries be well considered it will be found Treason in the highest forme not only against the King but the Kingdome too as my Lord Cook spake in the case of the Gunpouder Traytors they having plotted endeavoured written many Books done many actions to overthrow the fundamentall constitution and lawes of this Kingdome and that not by blowing up one Parliament but by their gun-powder spirits labouring to destroy all Parliaments in their constitution of three Estates for ever and if Strafford and Canterbury for endeavouring to subvert the fundamentall lawes of this Kingdome though they professed ignorance in many things and for what they did pleaded the command of the King and carried themselves with all duâ—ifull submission to the Parliament not to their faces and in the time of a Parliament endeavouring to overthrow Parliaments and Lawes and confronting them were yet charged and suffered death how many deaths hath Lilburne Overton and the rest of their fellowes deserved who have with so much violence sought the overthrow of the three Estates and the Lawes of the Kingdome and in the stead of the Fundamentall Government Lawes and Constitution of this Kingdome to set up an Utopian Anarchie of the promiscuous multitude and the â—usts and uncertaine fancies of weake people for Lawes and Rules and if these audacious men and their daring books shall escape without exemplary punishment and instead thereof be countenanced and set free I do as a Minister pronounce that the plague of God will fall upon the heads of those who are the cause of it Aâ—d in the second acception of the Parlia for what hath been done by the joynt power of both Houses in their Ordinances and commands yea the power which they claime and is expressed in the Writs by which they make such Ordinances and command obedience to them both the Authority and the Ordinances following from that Authority are denied and reproached all kind of wayes by the Sectaries and here I have so large a feild to walke in that I might make a fourth part of Gangraena in laying open the particulars of this kind but I will only speak a few things In the generall the Authority of both Houses of Parliament in matters of Religion and all Ordinances whatsoever tending that way have beene all violâ—â—ed with a high hand and trampled undeâ— foot with scorne and detestation openly declared against in the strangest manner that ever was in any age Now for the Sectaries opposing the Parliaments Authority to establish Church-government and to set up the true Religion I will among many quote only three First Collyer a Master Sectary in his Queres p. 24. answering that question what power c. saith they have none at all and that t is one of the first and greatest degrees of Antichristian tyranny for man to assume to himself power in spirituall things vide p. 24 25 26 27 28 29. Secondly Mr. Burton in his Pamphlet entituled Conformities Deformity it being the maine scope of his Book speaks against the power and practise of this State and present Parliament to enact a Law to binde all to conformity in Religion and makes it to be the feare of God raught by the precept of men to be hypocrisie idolatry to be that which turnes men away from the truth and so from Christ page 7. 15. and in page 12 1â— he writes thus Aâ—d therefore in this time of pretended Reformation belike the Parliament doth but pretend Reformation because it sets not up by a Law Independencie and Sectarisme Presbyteriall Government the Diâ—â—ctory Confession of Faith Catechisme being all but pretended Reformation with Master Burton to erect this great Idoll to wiâ— a power in man to prescribe Lawes and to lâ—gi 〈…〉 commandements for worship
composed by Protestant Synods who have an eye to the Scripture in what they doe but the assuming of such a power so as to enact a Law to bind all to conformity 't is a falling under that in Esay Their fear towards God was taught by the precept of men 't is with Nebuchadnezzar to erect his golden Image with Jeroboam and his Councell to set up the golden Calves 't is a rejecting of Christ from being King an utter overthrowing of the Kingly Prerogative and Office of Christ and a destroying a foundation of faith 47. That all Power Places and Offices that are just in this Kingdom ought only to arise from the choise and election of the people and that all the power right any man hath in governing and ruling over those he rules stands wholy in the choice and election of those that are ruled and that men need not ought not to yeeld obedience and subjection to the Commands Summons Lawes c. of any but of those they have chosen and who are their Representers and to submit yeeld obedience to any others whom they have not chosen is inconsistent with the nature of just freedoms and to exercise any power not derived from choice is no lesse then usurpation and oppression 48. That all the Legall Supreame Soveraigne Regall Legislative power of this Kingdom is in the House of Commons the chosen Commons of England and in no other whatsoever there 's no other the Svpreame Court of Judicature of this Land but the House of Commons That all Majesty and Kingship inherently residing in the people or state universall the representation or derivation of it is formally and legally in the state Representative or elect and in none else The Supreame power only of right belonging to the House of Commons they only being chosen by the people 49. That the state universall the body of the common people is the Earthly Soveraign Lord King and Creator of the King Parliaments all Officers and Ministers of Justice Underived Majesty and Kingship inherently resides in the state universal and the King Parliaments c. are their own meer creatures to be accountable to them and disposed of by them at their pleasure the people may recall and re-assume their power question them and set others in their place 50. That whatever the Fundamentall Constitutions of Kingdomes and Common wealths have been by forefathers whatever agreements compacts have been of subjection and obedience of such a people for themselves and posterities to one as under Kingly government or to more yet the men of the present age following many hundred years after ought to be absolutely free from what their forefathers yeelded unto and freed from all kinds of exorbitancies molestations without exception or limitation either in respect of persons officers degrees or things and estated in their naturall and just Liberties agreeable to right reason 51. That the House of Commons cannot have any power nor exercise any power justly but what the people who chose them conferred upon them and the common people having given them no power to establish Religion as having no such power in themselves and therefore could not conferre that which they had not therefore the House of Commons cannot assume a power to controule Religion or a way of Church Government upon the people and although the Kings Writ for chusing Knights and Burgesses implies the establishment of Religion yet all implications in the Writs of the Establishment of Religion showeth that in that particular as many other we remain under the Norman yoak of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free ourselves and the House of Commons ought not to maintain upon us but to abrogate 52. That seeing all men are by nature the Sons of Adam and from him have legitimatly derived a naturall propriety right and freedom Therefore England and all other Nations and all particular persons in every Nation notwithstanding the difference of Lawes and Governments rancks and degrees ought to be alike free and estated in their naturall Liberties and to enjoy the just Rights and Prerogative of mankind whereunto they are Heirs apparent and thus the Commoners by right are equall with the Lords For by naturall birth all men are equally and alike born to like propriety liberty and freedom and as we are delivered of God by the hand of nature into this world every one with a naturall innate freedom and propriety even so are we to live every one equally and alike to enjoy his birth-right and priviledge 53. That the body of the people may do all that lawfully of themselves which their Deputies Trustees Representors chosen ones do for them only for greater conveniency they Depute them and they may go no further in any thing nor sit no longer nor dispose of any thing but according to their Commission and power received from the Represented I might here also annex to these Errours many strange and false Expositions of Scripture given by Sectaries in their Sermons and Discourses but I will only give two or three 1 That of Matthew 28. v. 18. Allpower is given to me in heaven and in earth By heaven there is meant the uncreated heaven there are the created heavens and the uncreated heaven here is meant the uncreated heaven the God-head so that the meaning of these words is all the uncreated power of the God-head is given to Jesus Christ 2 That of Genesis the ninth And surely your bloud of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast will I require it That by Beast there was meant a wicked man 3 That of Luke 24. To day shalt thou be with me in paradise that to day was to be referred to Christs saying so not to the time when he should be in Paradise of which the Reader may find more in some following pages 100. 101. In my First and Second Parts of Gangraena page 28. 29. of the First Part Third Edition and in page 1. and 117. of the Second Part Second Edition I have laid down some Tenets of the Sectaries destructive to Civill Government and humane Society but now in this Third Part among these Errors mentioned I have discovered much more of their Anarchicall and Antimagistraticall spirit many of these last Errors plainly showing they are enemies to all Government Order and Distinction and would bring all into a popular confusion and reduce all Common-wealths and Kingdoms into such a condtion as they were before they had Laws Customes of Nations Rulers over them and that as often as the weak judgements and humours of the giddy in constant multitude pleased and this spirit of Anarchy fully showes it self in many whole Books written on purpose some Sermons many Speeches and in many late practises of the Sectaries I have forborne quoting in the margine one or more particular Bookes with the Pages just against the Errours for proof as I have done in other Errors because not only one Book
greater number then the rich wise c. it must be as they will have things in the Common-wealth and if so let it be considered what may and will be the consequence of that whether not a community yea a making the rich poor and the poor rich servants masters and masters servants and if it must not be so then how is it the state Universall 3. What if this Universall people do not or cannot agree among themselves about the government and governors but some are for one way some for another some for such men others for other men and one sort say they are the most and the other say they are the most who shall have power to judge between them and determine the differences 4. If Power of Government be founded on the consent of persons to be governed what if as great a part of the universall people within a few and may be more considerable chuse another man or men then the other greater part chose must they subject to them whom they like not consent not to or may not they set up those they chuse for the governing of them and suppose twenty such great parties chuse all different men may not each set up and obey only their onwe chosen ones according to this doctrine 5. How where and in what manner shall all the Universall people meet men women servants children poor rich beggars to declare their minds what they would have and how things should be carried and whether ever did they or can they meet to make known their minds and who shall be betrusted to take their minds and report it 6. Whether are not the Sectaries the Uuiversall state of England that pretend to have this power over King Lords Commons and whether do they not mean themselves by it in all their Pamphlets and how do they know many things which they confidently assert of the people in their Pamphlets to be the judgement and intent of any other but of their own Sectarian party 7. I desire to know how many of the persons who have writ all these late Pamphlets against the King House of Lords and of the peoples power over the House of Commons to call them to an account and that they may do nothing but what they give them power to do and they may displace them at pleasure as being chosen by them c. had any voiceâ— or power by the Lawes and Customes of this Kingdome to chuseâ—any Members for the House of Commons Let Lilburne O 〈…〉 Larner and the rest of that rable who talk so much of the House of Commons being their chosen ones and that a man ought to obey none but whom he chuses with such like name any Knight or Burgesse whom they chose or were capable to chuse for I beleeve they were of so mean estate that they had not so much free-land per annum required by the Statute for them who have voices Electio 〈…〉 of Knights of the â—â—ire and as for chusing Buâ—gesses in London where they lived they were no Livery men of any of those Companies who have voices in Election so that for ought I know when the House of Commons shall question them for their sedicious Anarchicall Pamphlets aâ— the Lords have most justly done and by these and many other Acts have endâ—ered the hearts of thousand to them they may answer the CoÌ„mons as they have done the Lords and tell them they never chose any of them nor gave them any power they were chosen not by the State Universall all the free-men of England but by a few free-holders and some ricâ— Citizens and tradesmen and therefore let them rule over them if they will and let those who chose them be subject but unlesse they will be content to 〈◊〉 down and be chosen by the Universall people they will not betray their liberty to answer any questions submit to their Authority but appeale from the 〈…〉 to the Universall people or to the Depu 〈…〉 and Trustees which shall be made by this Universall people and that they are likely to do it may be judged by Lilburns carriage to the Committee of Examinations the House of Comm 〈…〉 it self and by the many Pamphlets in the yeâ—re 1645 set out against the House of Commons and that they may say so upon as good grounds yea by the very same upon which they went in opposing the House of Lords I will undertake to make good and of it the Reader may find more about page 155 156. 8. If all power be founded thus upon Election of the persons to be governed and the Commons have all their power thus from Election and from nothing else whether may any be put by from sitting in the House who are chosen by most voices of those Townes and Counties who send them and others chosen by fewer voices by farre sit in their roomes in the Commons House and whether upon Articles clapt in before proved or complaints by the friends of those who have fewer voices may the Committee of Elections or the House it self put by one chosen by most voices and admit the other and according to this doctrine of the people Universall represented being the Lords and Masters of the Commons and the Commons their Deputies and servants how can they contradict their Lords the people to turn back whom they send and put in others 9. Whether may not according to the Doctrines laid down in the late Pamphlets the Counties add Burgesse Towns who have no Knights or Burgesses there to represent them nor have not had of a long time and can yet get no Writs to chuse for themselves answer the House of Commons when sent for as Lilburne and Overton did the House of Lords We are not bound to obey any of your Orders as having none there that represent us or whose Election we have consented to 10. Whether according to these Doctrines of the Sectaries may not such Cities Townes Counties chuse men without Writs and send them up to Parliament demanding to sit there especially after alleadging Petitions and motions made for Writs to chuse and none granted and whether in such cases whilst Towns are without any Parliament men for them may they not refuse to obey any Ordinances made by those whom they never chose nor know not yea may they not according to this doctrin say that all Ordinances whatsoever made before the time their Representors came in they will give no obedience to 11. If all power be founded thus wholly upon the Election of the people to be governed and that all Governors are their meer Deputies servants may do nothing but what they give them a power to do and by Commission from them whether may the House of Commons exercise that power the Lawes give them and go according to the Priviledges and Customes of that House though the people Represented never gave them any such things in Commission nor do not know nor understand them or must they keep only to what
shall be content and rest In this Arrow against all Tyrants written as it seems to some Member of the House of Commons page 6. he writes thus Sir We desire your help for your own sakes as well as ours cheifly for the removall of two most insufferable evills daily encroaching and increasing upon us portending and threatning inevitable destruction and confusion of your selves of us and of all our posterity namely the encroachments and usurpâ—tions of the House of Lords over the Commons liberties and freedomes together with the barbarous inhumane blood-thirstie desires and endeavours of the Presbyterian Clergy O the desperate wickednesse of this man and some other Sectaries who have writ such like passages against the Lords and the Ministers and that for no other cause as appeares by this Pamphlet and divers others themselves being witnesses but because the Lords questioning some men for printing the most abominable sedicious cursed libells against all Royall Authority and the fundamentall â—awes and Government of this Kingdome that ever in any age were published and they in the most unparralleld manner of which I beleeve no presidents can bee shewn in any Chronicles or histories of this Kingdome carrying themselves contempruously and scornfully they committed them to prison and because an Ordinance to punish damnable Blasphemies and Heresies hath been brought into the House of Commons by two worthy Members and that by the prâ—curement of the Clergie as the Pamphlet saith Now for what the Lords have done against Lilburne Oâ—erton Larner and such fâ—llowes in labouring to suppresse â—uch â—editious Presses in punishing them as also in their speedy admitting into their House and thankfull acceptance of the Remonstrances and Petitions of the City of London County of Lancashi 〈…〉 c. And for what Master Tâ—â—t and Master Bacon have done in presenting such an Ordinance against Blasphemies and Heresies they are highly accouâ—â—ed of by all the godly and Orthodox Ministers and people in City and Country and their names will be famous in all generations when the names of Lilburne Overton c. yea and of all their great Patrons whether in the Army or out of the Army will be a by-word and a curse and canonized in the Kalenâ—â—r of such Saints as John of Leyden Thomas Muncer Kâ—ipperdollâ—â—g c. In page 10. of this poysoned Arrow Overton writes thâ—s Why therefore should you of the Representative body sit still and suffer these Lords to devoure both us and our Lawes Be awakened arise and consider their oppressions and encroachments and stop their Lordships in their ambitious career for they doe not cease only here but they soare higher and higher and now they are become Arrogators to themselves of the naturall Soveraignty the Represented have convayed and issued to their proper Representors even challenge to themselves the title of the supremest Court of Judicature in the Land as was claimed by the Lord Hounsden when I was before them which challenge of his was a most illegall Anti-Parliamentary audacious presumption c. Behold Reader this wicked Sectary labours to set the House of Commons against the House of Lords to make division between them All the hopes of these sonnes of division lie in breaches which they fâ—ment all kind of wayes and in all kind of things wherein there is union as between the Houses the Scots and â—he Parliament the Parliament and the City the Parliament and the Ministry of the Kingdom They have no hopes but in wars fishing in troubled waâ—ers keeping all things in confusion from being setled In pag. 11 12 hee speaks thus Therefore the soveraign power extending no further then from the Represented to the Representors all this kind of soveraignty challenged by any whether of King Lords or others is usurpation illegitimate and illegall and none of the kingdomes or peoples neither are the people thereto oblieged Thus Sir seeing the Soveraign or Legislative power is only from the Represented to the Representors and cannot possibly further extend the power of the King cannot be Legislative but only Executive and he can communicate no more then he hath himselfe and the Soveraign power not being inherent in him it cannot be convayed by or derived from him to any so that his meer Prerogative creatures cannot have that which their lord and creator never hath had or can have namely the Legislative power Many other strange passages there are both in his Pamphlets and Petition and Appeale made up of intolerable Arrogancy Impudency and Anarchy point blanck against the Fundamentall constitution of the Government of this Kingdom but by these the Reader may judge of the whole ex ungâ—e leonem and so I leave him to the justice of the House of Lords There is one John Lilburn an Arch Sectary the great darling of the Sectaries highly extolled and magnified by them in many Pamphlets called The Defender of the Faith A Pearle in a Dung-hill That Worthy Sufferer for his Countries Liberty this Worthy man a precious Jewell indeed of whom I had thought to have given a full Relation in this Book and to have laid him open in all his colours by following him from place to place and shewing how time after time he hath behaved himself since he came out of his Apprenticeship as by declaring what set him first on work to print Books against the Bishops how hee carried himselfe in the Fleet whilst he was Prisoner there how since this Parliament both before the warres begun and since the warres how whilst hee was Prisoner at Oxford how in the Earle of Manchestors Army how in the City at many meetings about Petitions since he left the warres how before the Committee of Examinations how the first 〈◊〉 he was in Newgate by order of the House of Commons how hee behaved himselfe before the House of Lords and how the second time of his imprisonment in Newgate and how since his last commitment to the Tower but because this Narration alone will take up some sheets there being many remarkable things to be written of him of his insolent loose ungodly practices and of his Anarchicall Principles destructive to all Civill Government whatsoever and I have already filled up that number of sheets I aâ— first intended when I resolved to write this Third Part though I have many things yet to put in this Third Part therefore I must deâ—erre it till a Fourth Part and shall then by the help of God doe it so largely and fully that I shall make his folly and wickednesse known to all men and vindicate the honour and power of the House of Peers from his and all the Sectaries wicked Libells shewinâ— the weaknesse of those Principles That all power in Government is founded upon the immediate free election of all those that are to be Governed And of a necessity that all who are to be subject and obey must be represented And that all who have power in Government must be Representers which I shall doe for the
vindication of the just Legall power of the King the House of Lords yea and of the Commons undertaking to make it good that according to the Sectarian Principles now vented in so many Books daily and so much countenanced by too many the power and priviledge of the House of Commons would be overthrowne and cut short as well as the Kings and Lords For instance to say nothing of that that the Commons power is not only by being chosen by the severall Counties and Townes but by the vertue of Writs under the Great Seal and by vertue of Lawes and Rules according to which the severall Electors must goe or else their Elections give them no power at all If this Principle were true the House of Commons should have no power over me nor over many thousands more in the Kingdome and we might all say the same things to the House of Commons which Lilburne Overton and all the Sectaries say to the House of Lords for we never chose them had no voyces in their Elections they are not our chosen ones as the Sectaries say of the Lords I and many Ministers of the Kingdome with hundred thousands of people who have not so much free land per annum are excluded from election of Knights of the Shires and not being free-men of Towns have no voyces in choyce of Burgesses and so may refuse subjection to their Orders resist their Officers who come with their Warrants and refuse to live by the Lawes they make as not being chosen by us who no question are the greatest number of persons in the Kingdom I beleeve there are more men of years of understanding without so much free land per annum then there are those who have so much Besides if this Principle were true That all subjection and obedience to persons and their Lawes stood by vertue of electing them then besides all non-free-holders exempted from the Jurisdiction of the House of Commons all women at once were exempt from being under Government and all youths who were under age at the beginning of this Parliament six years ago though now men and had no voyces in the choyce of Parliament men yea if this Parliament sit many years longer all those who were boyes and children when they come to years of understanding must be exempt too as having had no voyces in election nay yet further so weak a Principle this is upon which the Sectaries would overthrow all the power of the King and Lords and give all power to the Commons that if it were true none were bound to any obedience of those Knights and Burgesses whom they chose not but opposed with all their might so that by this rule all Free-holders in each County who dissented from him that was chosen should not submit to that man but set him up whom they have chosen and though there be four hundred Members in the Com. House yet they who have voyces in chusing and they whose voyces carry it for such a man because they chuse but one or two viz. in that County where they live and have estates therefore they should be subject only to the determinations of those two men but for all the rest they chuse them no more then they do the House of Lords And yet further if this Principle were good that subjection and obedience is due from none and to none but those who are chosen and represent all strangers who come into or live for a time in a Kingdome when sent for upon suspitions or reall crimes may answer the House of Commons What have they to do with them they chose them not they gave them no power over them they are not their Representors And last of all upon this Principle all we who are born within this fifty sixty or seventy years may refuse obedience and subjection to all the Lawes made by Parliaments before we were born or by such Parliaments whereof we chose not the Members and when men clip money and counterfeit coyn or men steal horses and are sent for by Justices and brought to the Bars they may with as much reason and more appeal from those Courts of Justice because they never chose these men that made such Lawes nor ever consented to them as Lilburne Overton Larner c. did from the Lords to the present House of Commons their Representors their chosen ones c. and I dare undertake to shew that all those seeming Arguments and rambling Discourses in Overtons and Lilburnes Books have as much strength for justifying all Delinquents appeals from those Lawes made so many years agoe and Judges going according to them as for their declining the House of Lords Many other instances I could give of those who have by the Lawes of England and other Kingdomes power of Government and that most justly without any immediate election of the people and persons to be governed by them so that we must look for some other foundations and grounds of giving one man or more power in Government over all besides this immediate Election and Representation which will be found firm and strong and which indeed give the force to Election and which in severall cases without any immediate Election of the present persons to be governed binds them before God and men to obedience and subjection in all lawfull things and according to the Lawes but I must deâ—errre the giving of more Instances about Election with the Reasons thereof and of laying downe the just grounds of lawfull Authority and Power of one man or many and of one and many without any immediate Election either of a part or of the whole present people till the Fourth Part of Gangraena only I will adde two things First to shew the Witnesses do not agree but the great Leaders of the Sectaries diâ—fer among themselves in this point yea the same men as Lilburn and the Authors of those Pamphlets Englands Birth-right c. Secondly propound some Queres to Lilburne Overton Larner and the rest of that generation to consider of in the mean time For the first However that Lilburne Overton and the Sectaries use the House of Lords thus denying them power over Commoners and a Legislative power with an Interest in saving the Kingdome and put all the whole Supreme power upon the Commons making the House of Lords stand for a Cypher because not chosen by the common people as the Knights and Burgesses yet till witâ— in this year and an half they in writings and actions declared the contrary viz. before the recruit of the House of Commons with new Members and the successe of the new Modell as is evident by many Pamphlets written before wherein they abused the House of Commons and particular Members crying out of them for making the free subjects slaves and for ruling in an arbitrary way as much as they do now of the House of Lords yea the Lords are pleaded for and cryed up above the House of Commons for their justice and their
and would trample as much upon the City of London and the Countries as ever John of Lâ—yden and Knipperdolling did upon the poor Citizens of Munster 4. The Sectaries hypocrifie appears by their pretending a bare liberty only peaâ—â—ably and quietly to enjoy their owne consciences and that without any offence or molestation to others And however if this might not be granted after they had helped to overcome the common enemy they would quietly sit downe and leave the Kingdome not offer to make any disturbance and this was held out along time in their speeches and in many books I have heard Master Peters speak thus and he was wont in many places to speak thus and the Apologists in their Apologeticall Narrat 〈…〉 supplicate the Parliament to look upon them as those that doe pursue no other interest or designe but a subsistence be it the poorest or meanest in their owne Land with the allowance of a latitude to some lesser differences with peaceablenesse as not knowing where else with safety health and livelihood to set their feet on earth But by these and many other specious pretences being increased in number and power and having gotten the sword into their hands now they speak out and are not contented with a bare Toleration but stand for all the places of power honor and profit in the Kingdome crying out of the City Remonstrance most of all because it petitioned against Sectaries being in places of publick trust its apparent a Domination they aime at and to have things in such a posture that they may suppresse all the Orthodox hence many speeches have sallen from them to this purpose that they will never lay downe the sword whilest there 's a Preist lefe in England that they will pack them all away for Rome and this last yeere in many places where they come they ordinarily will not suffer the Ministers to preach in their owne Churches Pulpits but by sorce hinder them yea pull them out of Pulpits threaten them assault them hence they will not endure zealous godly Presbyterians to enjoy any places in the Armies or other where but watch for iniquity use all tricks and unjust wayes to keep them out and turne them out of which there are many examples 5. The Sectaries abominable hypocrisie showes it selfe in yeelding to things against their mind and conscience that thereby they may be in a capacity and inabled to destroy and overthrow what they seeme to be for working and using all their power against it as for example many of the Sectaries took the Covenant and do take it which they hate with al their souls that so they might come into such places keep such places where being they improve those places all they can to destroy the Covenant and the contents of it hindring a Uniformity and the neerest conjuction in Government c. and are all for a Toleration and instead of endeavouring to extirpate Heresie Schisme they promote it all they can and plead for strange forced interpretations and Jesuiticall equivocations of the Covenant contrary to all literall sence the generall scope and the minds of those that made it alwayes so declared from first to last 6. The Sectaries great hypocrisie is seene in that in their speeches oft-times many of their Pamphlets and for divers of their actions why they do such things and why they refuse this and that as not hearing our Ministers preach not joyning to our Assemblies not paying their Tyths with many such they alledge the Covenant and bring that for their ground t is against such an Article of the Covenant or such a clause of an Article when as t is knowne to God and hotoriously manifest to all the world they care not at all for the Covenant make nothing of it but daily with a high hand breake every-Article and every clause of each Article but their doing and refusing of such and such things are upon other grounds and ends as the saving their purses their destroying of a settled Ministry the increasing and spreading of all Errors and Heresies and bringing in of confusion into Church and State I could write a large book upon this subject how the Sectaries daily break the Covenant and are indeed like to those spoken of in Daniel 11. 32. Such as do wickedly against the Covenant I will begin with the first clause of the first Article indeavouring the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine worship Discipline and Government c. when as they daily write with all bitternesse against the Church of Scotland their Discipline and Government c. yea have furthered the printing and spreading wicked books against the Government of the Church of Scotland written by Prelats and their greatest enemies O how is Master Burton in his Conformities Deformity in his 19 20 21. pag. guilty of breach of Covenant in writing so against their Church Government as to stirre up Princes and all civill powers against them as much as against the Popes Supremacie I might proceed to show though they take the Covenant into their mouth yet they go against that clause of indeavouring to extirpate Heresie Schism prophanesse c. on the contrary indeavouring the spreading and growing of all Heresies Errors and so I might in the rest but I shall conclude this with one word which is that they are fearfully and hypocritically guilty of the breach of the solemne League and Covenant and that if ever the Sectaries should be a meanes to involve and ingage in a war against Scotland our Brethren in their weakest condition even when their Armie 's put to the worse might in the head of their Armie spread before God the solemne League and Covenant and appeale to heaven to help them as the great Turk did once in such a case against the Christians and might well trust that God who is a God keeping Covenant a God of truth that helped the Turks against the Christians in such a case would help them his servants against the Covenant breaking Sectaries 7. The Sectaries hypocrisie appeares in casting that upon others and unjustly charging them with such things which themselves are faulty in both practise and purpose to practise only speak against such and such things in another party that others being suspected by this meanes and they not they may compasse their ends the better thus they have given out many reports and raised jealousies upon many worthy men as if not right that they sought not the good of their Country Religion but only preferment and their owne ends that so they being taken to be the faithfull men might raise their owne fortunes and bring about their owne designes many Sectaries have given out things on purpose of the Scots that they are false and alwayes were for their owne ends c. the better to hide their owne basenesse being indeed that themselves which they falsely cast upon our Brethren Thus the Sectaries give ouâ— that if
grants one step may be gone further that in such things as men by their weaknesse make themselves lesse serviceable to the common-wealth or Church they may be denyed some priviledges and benefits that are granted to others And of this Master Burroughs gives instances and enlarges it Now certainly if this doctrine were good and true in the yeare 1645. before the successe of the new Modell and the recruit of the House of Commons the doctrine in the City Remonstrance 1646. cannot be bad nor false that would have Anabaptists Heriticks and Schismaticks kept and removed from places of Publike trust If they may be denyed priviledges and benefits that are granted to others and some trouble laid in their way c. for their opinions then certainly they should not be preferred above others to all places of publike trust whilst men who conforme to the true Religion established by the State be kept out yea turned out of places And as Master Burroughs was of this mind so I and divers others have heard Mr Tho. Goodwin ingenuously professe since this Parliament though the Magistrate should forbeare tender consciences that could not come up to the Rule yet it was most equall that the countenance and preferments in the Magistrates hands should be bestowed only on those who conformed to what was established and therefore said hee we desire only to be suffered to live and enjoy the Ordinances but expect no places nor any of that maintenance which is in the States disposing and therefore the Remonstrants in that branch of their Petition were â—arre from Persecution Injustice if Master Burroughs and Master Goodwin may be beleeved and that which they desired most necessary to take off the wantonnesse of mens spirits and the neglect of meanes and in all this theâ—'s no more graines of trouble then might help aginst this wantonnesse c. and the truth of it is these preferments places of publike trust c. have made more Sectaries and Anti-Presbyterians then all the Sermons and Books ever preached and printed by the Sectaries and 't is one of the great springs of all our evills the prime cause of all Injustice Oppression Error Faction and things will never go well with the publike nor the union of both Kingdomes be soundly setled till Hereticks Blasphemers Schismaticks Seekers Anabaptists Antinomians Libertines Brownists and Independents be removed from all places of publike trust both Martiall and Civill and 't is a most righteous thing to Petition for it As the zealous Protestants of this Kingdome could not expect Justice protection from Popish Counsellours Judges Justices c. then in place and we cryed out of it before this Parliament as an intolerable griveance and mischeif to the good subjects of this Kingdome because men but suspected of Popery or whose Wives were Papists were in places of publike trust for by that meanes Papists were brought off and such as were cald Puritants felt their power upon all occasions no more can the Orthodox Presbyterians expect right justice from Sectarian Counsellors Justices of Peace c. especially in differences between them and Independents for all Sectaries looke upon cordiall Presbyterians with a greater eye of malignity jealousie particular interest then any other sort of men and therefore to strengthen their owne party will weaken and discourage them all they can possibly There were some Independents that dining in June last at the house of a Presbyterian who married an Independent were speaking of the Presbyterians that generally all of them desired that help might goe for Ireland and that on the Fast day in June they preached and prayed much for help to relieve Ireland and among other Ministers they named one that should pray thus or to this effect That now Oxford was taken all might goe Lord let them all goe These Independents said the Presbyterians had some design sure they were so earnest for the Army to goe to Ireland but some of the Independents said they had something else or other use for the Army then to goe to Ireland The Sectaries in the Moneth of May last raged extremely and spake desperately so that a Common-Councell man who had heard many of them speak told me he had said to some of them that they must provide Bedlam for them The newes of the Kings going to the Scots the Remonstrance of the City of London with some other things that fell out that Moneth vexed them terribly one Sectary a kind of Gentleman belonging to a Parliament man said in the hearing of some that the King the House of Lords the City the Scots and the Assembly were joyned together but they had the House of Commons and the Army and gave out some such words as if some three or foure thousand horse should billet in the City This man was had before my Lord Major for these words and I being told of it by one who went to my Lord Majors with him I also having an opportunity asked my Lord Major of the truth of it who remembred there was such a thing God grant the King House of Lords City Scots Assembly be well joyned together and agreeing and not only King Lords c. but the House of Commons also The Lord send a perfect Peace and Union between the King and both Houses and give a good understanding and agreement alwayes between Parliament Citie Assembly our Brethren of Scotland These kind of speeches of the Commons and the Army put by themselves as divided from the House of Lords City c. are words of sedition but to vindicate the honour of the House of Commons and the Army from such speeches as these too frequent in the mouths of many Sectaries I can assure the Kingdome from the mouths of many worthy Members of the House of Commons and of Commanders in the Army how much soever these Sectaries presume upon the House of Commons calling them in many Pamphlets of late Their owne House of Commons our House of Commons and upon the Army that they are Independents and for that party that the greatest number of Members of that House by farre are no Sectaries and though some are crept in among them Yet the body of the House are neither Independents Anabaptists Antinomians nor such like and so in the Army there are more Presbyterians then Independents yea if the Army were divided into four parts three parts of the four are no Independents Anabaptists Antinomians c. and therefore I hope to see the day of King Lords Commons Scots City of London Armies the body of the Kingdome all concurring for the setlement of the Reformed Protestant Religion and for the extirpating of Heresie Schisme Prophanesse and all Doctrine which is not according to godlinesse A Citizen an able understanding man related to me and two Citizens within these few dayes that he and a great Independent speaking together about the King this Citizen urged that branch of the Covenant That we have sworn to defend the Kings
Person and Authority and to maintain His just power and greatnesse the Independent replyed presently what was his just power suppose saith this Independent there were a theife and you should make a Covenant with him to maintaine his just priviledges what of that might you not for all that bring him to punishment labouring to bring him to the Gallows were his just priviledges and no breach of Covenant whereupon said this Citizen Is this your interpretation of the Covenant I would never have taken it whilst the world stood in that sense and further said this Citizen when this Covenant was made and sworne what ever you can say against the King as raising Wars against the Parliament and what ever else you imagine It was before this Covenant was taken you knew as much of him before as now so that t is strange you should speak so And then this Citizen reasoned with this Independent against punishing the King David was guilty of Murther and Adultery and there were then Elders of the people Princes and Judges in Israel as well as now and yet none of them offered to question David upon his life or inflict punishment neither do we find that God by the prophets gave any such direction to punish David though by the Law death was due for Murther to other men we know God sent the prophet Nathan to reprove him and to bring him to repentance for his great sinne but not to stirre up the Princes Judges and Elders of the people to proceed against him as they did against Malefactors A Relation and Discovery of the Libertinisme and Atheisme horrible fearfull uncleannesses of severall kinds Drunkunnesse generall Loosenesse and licentiousnesse of living Cosening and Deceiving both of particular persons and of the State and Kingdome fearfull Lying Jugling and falsifying of promises abominable Pride and boasting in the Arms of flesh unsufferable Insolencies and horrible misdemeanors of many Sectaries of these times particularly their Insolencies against the Lawes of the Land the King the House of Lords House of Commons some particular worthy Members by name of both Houses Committees of both Houses both Houses of Parliament as conjunct in their Authority and Ordinances against our Brethren of Scotland the Kingdom of Ireland the City of London the Assembly the whole Ministery of this Kingdom and all the Reformed Churches against inferior Magistrates and Courts as the Judges Justices of Peace Majors of Cities Committes and all sorts of Officers of Justice THe Particulars in all these kinds are so many and so infinite that particularly to reckon them up and give their story would fill a great volume and I have already in the foregoing part of the Book given some instances in most of them and therefore I shall but breifly point at and give hints only upon these severall heads referring the Reader for further satisfaction to many Pamphlets and Books daily printed and openly sold and to his own observation of things 1. The great Libertinisme and Atheisme of many Sectaries appears by their violent and feirce pleading for by word and writing a free Liberty and Toleration of all kind of Religions and Consciences whatsoever and that not only in lesser points of Doctrine but in the most fundamentall Articles of Faith yea and of denying the Scriptures and that there is a God and by the pleading for Liberty in such away and by such mediums viz. that no man is infallible and certaine in any thing he holds that t is possible he may be mistaken c. as do necessarily overthrow all Religion whatsoever There have been within these few yeers some scores of Books written wholly for Toleration and pretended Liberty and some hundred of Books wherein that 's pleaded for together with other things and so farre are the Sectaries gone in Libertinisme * that all true love piety Religion conscience is placed in a generall allowance of what mens corrupted and defiled consciences like and the greatest sinne wickednesse evill that men can commit or be capable of is placed in the using of good means and the power God hath given to hinder and restraine this Liberty There is a Book called Toleration justified printed 1646. asserteth t is not safe to put any bounds to Toleration or to restraine in any thing whatsoever no not in denying the Scriptures and a Deity There is a Pamphlet A Demurre to the Bill for preventing the growth and spreading of Heresie that came out lately since that Ordinance against Heresies was brought in to the H. of Commons that pleads page 3. with many Libertine Arguments against all punishing of those that maintaine there is no God as among others with this We beseech you let not God and the truth of his being be so excessively dispâ—raged as not to be judged sufficient to maintaine it against all gainsayers without the helpe of any earthly power to maintaine it Let Turks and those that beleeve in strange gods which are 〈…〉 gods make use of such power and infirme supporters of their supposed d 〈…〉 s but let the truth of our God the only God the omnipotent God be judged abundantly able to support it self t is a tacit imputation of in 〈…〉 s to imagine it hath need of our weake and impotent assistance There are Queres concerning a printed Paper entituted An Ordinane for the preventing and growing of Heresies c. where among many Libertine questions the second proclaims it self to be Scepticall and Athâ—isticall supposing except men make themselves infallible that the preaching printing and maintaining contrary to these Doctrines That God is that God is present in all places that God is Almighty that God is eternall perfectly holy c. may be the sacred truths of God for ought any man knowes There have beene and are daily many strange speeches uttered wholly tending to Libertinisme and Atheisme A Reverend godly Minister told me July the fourth 1646. he heard and Independent say what if I should worship the Sunne or the Moone as the Persians did or that Pewter Pot standing by what hath any man to do with my conscience A great Sectary pleaded in the hearing of persons of worth from whom I immediately had it for a Toleration of Stage-playes and that the Players might be set up againe I heard a Sectary plead for a Toleration of Witches and I urging that argument that Witches might say they in their conscience hold the Devill for their God and thereupon worship him it was answered that precept against not suffering Wirches was spoken to the Israelites not to us and will you because Witches deale with a familiar spirit therefore send them to the Devill by taking away their lives Many Sectaries often say that all the judgements of God upon us are because we will not receive the Government of of Christ suffer it to be set up among us viz. to let every one beleeve what he will and serve God according to his conscience as also they say if ever