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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91187	A fresh discovery of some prodigious new wandring-blasing-stars, & firebrands, stiling themselves nevv-lights, firing our church and state into new combustions. Divided into ten sections, comprising severall most libellous, scandalous, seditious, insolent, uncharitable, (and some blasphemous) passages; published in late unlicensed printed pamphlets, against the ecclesiasticall jurisdiction and power of parliaments, councels, synods, Christian kings and magistrates, in generall; the ordinances and proceedings of this present Parliament, in speciall: the national covenant, assembly, directory, our brethren of Scotland, Presbyterian government; the Church of England, with her ministers, worship; the opposers of independent novelties; ... Whereunto some letters and papers lately sent from the Sommer-Islands, are subjoyned, relating the schismaticall, illegal, tyrannical proceedings of some Independents there, in gathering their new-churches, to the great distraction and prejudice of that plantation. / Published for the common good by William Prynne of Lincolnes Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1645 (1645)	Wing P3963; Thomason E261_5; ESTC R212456	96,461	90

written or preached against their seditious wayes and Libels 10. Seditious Queres Passages and Practises to excite mutinies and popular commotions against the Parliament and disobedience to its commands Section I. Containing divers seditious scandalous libellous passages against the authority and jurisdiction of Parliaments Synods and temporall Magistrates in generall in Ecclesiasticall affaires in the late writings of several Independent New-lights and Firebrands I Shall begin with a Copy of a Letter written by John Lilburne Lieu Colonell the Ringleader of this Regiment of New-Firebrands to William Prynne Esq upon the comming out of his last book intituled Truth triumphing over Falsehood Antiquity over●Novelty Of which Letter there have bin three Impressions made by him without license contrary to the Ordinance of both Houses restraining the printing or dispersing of unlicensed libellous seditious Pamphlets whre he p. 4. writes thus Sir in your last book that you put out you spend a great deale of paines in citing old rusty Authors to prove that Kings Councels Synods and States have for so many hundred yeares medled with matters of Religion I grant you they have but I demand of you by what right or by what authority out of the Word of God they have so done Hath God the Father or Jesus Christ his Sonne given them any allowance in this Or have they not hereby rather fulfilled the prophesies of the Scripture which saith Rev. 17. 17. That the Kings of the Earth shall give their power unto the Beast till the Word of God be fulfilled which they have done in assisting the Popes to joyne the Ecclesiasticall and Civill State together making the Golden Lawes of Christ to depend upon the Leaden Lawes of Man yea upon such Lawes as was just suitable to their tyrannicall lusts and which might the most advance their wicked ends and designes and in the doing of this they have set up a perfect Antichrist against GOD'S CHRIST yea England is not free from this And to hold that Kings Parliaments Synods States have any thing to do in matters of Religion and Church-Government he concludes pag. 5. to be a setting of the Potentates of the earth together by the eares with Christ who is to rule all Nations Rev. 12. 5. to pluck his Crown from his head his Scepter out of his hand and his person out of his throne and State that his Father hath given him to raign gloriously in Which is thus backed by Henry Robinson the supposed Author of the Answer to Mr. William Prynnes 12. Questions concerning Church-Government pag. 6. Particular Churches members of a Kingdome and Nation are not obliged in point of Conscience and Christianity to submit unto whatsoever publike Church Government Rites and Discipline a Nationall Councell Synod and Parliament shall conceive most consonant to Gods Word unlesse it prove so in the whole Kingdomes Nations and those very particular Churches Judgement pag. 8. The grounds of Independent Government attribute nothing to the Magistrate in Church affaires further then the Magistrate is a member of their Churches and Assemblies pag. 12. You can no more Justifie a Nationall Church of Christians shall likewise go up to the Temple of Jerusalem from whence by the same Prophesie they are also to receive the Word of God and not from Parliament Pope Synod or Presbytery Mr. Henry Burton in his Vindication of Churches commonly called Independent c. p. 49 50 51 c The Church is a spirituall kingdome whose only King is Christ and not Man It is a spirituall Re-publick whose only Law-giver is Christ and not Man No man nor power on earth hath a Kingly power over this kingdome No earthly Lawgiver may give lawes for the government of this Republick No man can or ought to undertake the government of this communion of Saints No humane power or law may intermeddle to prescribe rules for the government or form of this spirituall house NOT COUNCELS NOT SENATES This is Christs Royall Prerogative which is uncommunicable to ANY TO ALL THE POWERS ON EARTH c. he adds p. 60 61. We challenge you to shew us any Parliament Councell Synod ever since the Apostles that could or can say thus It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us to determine controversies of Religion to make and impose Canons to binde all men c. Shew this to us at this time and we will obey But if you cannot as you never can never let any man presse upon us that Scripture that Synod which hath no parallell in the whole world and so is no precedent or patterne for any Councell Synod Parliaments A short Answer to Adam Stewarts second part of his over-grown Duply to the Two Brethren with certaine difficults questions easily answered printed without license 1644. supposed to be written by Mr. Iohn Goodwin p. 13 17. But perhaps you 'l say there is an Act of Parliament a Civill law declaring heresie or any different from the State opinions such as for the present are in fashion to be censurable by the civill power I answer not without all due respect unto the lawes and such as made them that if there be any distinction between a Church-state and a civill-state which all Christians hitherto acknowledge the enacting civill lawes to punish spirituall offences is not only a solecisme or impropriety in state but an incroaching on the Churches power a profaning of the Keyes and injurious to the offender who by this meanes is punished both beyond the degree and nature of his offence If the blessed Spirit should at any time bear witnesse unto your spirit or unto the spirit of a whole Parliament and Synod what were this to the spirits of other men must not they wait with patience untill the blessed Spirit be pleased to visit their spirits likewise before they can joyne with yours or the Assemblies spirit But if the Synods determination of this or that controversie should seem good unto the holy Ghost as the Churches decrees of Jerusalem did must they therefore be imposed upon the Countrey the whole world Is not this to equallize your Synodall Canons with those decrees of the Apostolicall Church of Jerusalem and to make Scripture of yours as well as theirs is not this to adde to Scripture nay to alter it p. 28. But if King and Parliament may not force a new Religion or Sect suppose Presbyterian upon the kingdome much lesse can the Synod which neither has not yet pretends as is alleaged to use the materiall sword And if for matters of religion all power originally is in Christ as you sometimes acknowledge How can King Parliament or Synod wrest it from him Nay what think you is it not secondarily in the people as well as civill power which you affirme in the same page and so doubtlesse is spirituall power unlesse you will make God to have provided mankinde better of a safegard or liberty to defend their bodies than their soules If then the spirituall power be so inherently in

that he may Synodicate a full resolution to these ensuing Queries 1. Whether it doth not as much conduce to the subjects liberty still to be subjected to Episcopal usurpation as to be given over to Presbyterian cruelty Whether Saint Peters chaire doth not become a Presbyter as well as a Bishop c. As for Sir John Presbit●r this Court hath voted him to the uncleane filthy impious unholy dark and worldly Dungeon called jure Humano c. as for Persecution the sentence of this Court is that thou shalt return to the place from whence thou camest to wit the noysome and filthy Cage of every uncleane and hateful bird The Clergy of Christendome there to be fast bound with inquisition synodical classical Pres●byter al chains untill the appearing of that great and terrible J●dge of the whole earth who shall take thee alive with Sir Simon and his sonne Sir John and cast thee with them and their Confederates into the Lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet are there to be tormented day and right 〈◊〉 ever and ever Here is the Independents incomparible charity to the Assembly Presbyters and their Adherents to adjudge them thus to eternall torments in the fiery Lak● I fear their New-Lights originally sprung upthence without more charity sobriety will undoubtedly be extinguished in this fiery region which they allot to others the rest of the Invectives against the Assembly and Presbytery in this persecuting Arraignment I shall passe by in silence and proceed to some fresher scurrilites of this kind I find another most scurrlous Libell against the Assembly and their proceedings thus intituled A sacred Decretall or Hue and Cry from his superlative Holinesse Sir Simon Synod for the apprehension of reverend young Martin Ma●-priest wherein are displayed many witty synodian conceits both pleasant and commodious printed by Martin Claw-Clergy Printer to the reverend Assembly of Divines for Bartholmew Bang-Priest and are to be sold at his shop in Toleration-street at the signe of the subjects Liberty right opposite to Persecution● Court and it concludes thus Given at our Court of Inquisition in King Henry the sevenths Chappel June 6. 1635. William Twisse Prolocutor Cornelius Burges Assessor Iohn White Assessor Adoniran Byfield Hen. Roborough S●ibes This Libell brings in the Assembly blasphemously abusing the sacred Scripture Names of God as El Eloim Jah Theos Adonas c. in Synodicall Convocation classicall and Presbiteriall Exorcismes pag. 2. Gives the Assembly and Presbiters these most scurrilous railing Epithites classicall Bore-p●gges divine white-faced Bull-calves Presbyterian Turkey-cocks bidding them advance their learned Coxcombs c. Church-owles Jack-dawes blind Bats Presbyterian Wood-cockes Presbyterian Hangmen cruell executioners terrible tormenters synodian Canibals the ravenous tythe-panched numerous headed Hydra of Divines The holy ravenous Order of Syon-Jesuits absolute Jesuites onely a little worse It begins thus page 1. We the Parliament of Divines now Assembly in holy Convocation at Westminster taking into our grave learned and pious consideration all the goodly fat Benefices of the Kingdome the reverend estimation honour and supremacy due unto the Clergy and out of a godly care and pious providence as becommeth Divines for our owne guts having used all subtilty and policy we in our divine wisdomes could devise to take a goodly possession of the dearly beloved glorious inheritance of our Fathers the late Lord Bishops their divine supremacy their sweet their wholsome and nourishing revenues their deare delicate toothsome tythes most supernaturall and pleasant to a divine pallate After which it cals them The p●issant Assembly of Divines Lords Paramount over Church and State in Parliament Assembled at Westminster divine Merchants c. Avers p. 18. That the Order Jesuits may become Disciples to the Order of presby●ers for equivocations mentall reservations dispensations of Oathes Covenants c. Chargeth the Assembly p. 6. For dealing craft●ly with the Parliament and cheating the State Adding this most scandalous seditions passage extreamly derogatory to the Parliaments honour As the way of a serpent upon a rock is unknowable so have our circumventions underminigs and subtill contrivances beene ever invisible insensible to them and so silently secretly and gradually have intic'd them with the bait of Religion and caught them with a synodian hooke we held out the League and Covenant the Cause of God and the like to the Kingdome and at length plucks up a fish called a Parliament out of their proper Magisteriall Element into our synodian spirituallity and thus neatly wrested the Scepter out of their bands that they neither know nor perceive it that in truth the Assembly is Dissembled into the Parliament and the two Houses made but a stalking horse to the designes of the Clergy They say it is decreed and ordained by the Lords and Commons c. but in plaine English it is the Assembly of Divines 't is true 't is the Lords and Commons in the History but the Assembly of Divines in the Mystery as Martin wisely hinted in his License before the booke of the Arraignment for we are become the whole directive and coercive power both in Church and State a supremacy due unto us as well as to the Pope and though we give them as men doe bables to children the title of making and judging of Lawes to please them yet with such distinctions and limitations to speak this under the Rose that we intend for our selves that which we give unto them even as our Brethren of the society of Iesu doe concerning his Holinesse the Pope in the infallibility and temporall power this honour and priviledge was of divine right given and anciently enjoyed by our reverend Fathers the Bishops and why should not we be heires unto it by our legitimate lineall descent All Lawes Statutes and Ordinances both concerning Church and State were Decreed Ordained and enacted by the Lords spiritual and temporal c. And why not now by the Assembly of Divines and Parliament now Assembled at Westminster this is not yet in the History for indeed our matter is not yet ripe for such a discovery c. As all other wicked men so these seditions Libellers grow worse and worse their next most seditious Libell against the Assembly and Parliaments proceedings being intituled Martins Eccho or a Remonstrance from his holinesse reverend young Martin Mar-priest responsory to the late sacred synodical Decretal in all humility presented to the reverend pious and grave consideration of the right reverend Father in God the universall Bishop of our soules his superlative Holinesse Sir Simon Synod It begins thus Whereas his Holinesse reverend young Martin Mar-priest taking into his grave and learned consideration the insufferable arrogance of our ambitions aspiring Presbytery their super-prelaticall supremacy their ravenous blood-thirsty malice against the poor Saints of the most high God their inordinate insatiable covetousnesse after the fat things of the Land their unparallel'd hypocrisie their plausible pretences their incomprehensible policy craft

own case it was never mine What I have done against the unjust usurpations and illegall excesses of either I did it in a just and Legall way upon such grounds and Authority as was never yet controuled and this I dare make good without vainglory that I have done more reall cordiall service with my pen against the Usurpations of Regality and Prelacy in defence of the Subjects Liberties and Parliaments jurisdiction then all Independent Sectaries whatsoever and that only out of a zeal to Gods glory and the publick good without the least private end or Interest which never yet entred into my thoughts having suffered as much as any man of your Sect if not more for the Publick without either seeking or receiving the least recompence or reward having spent not only my time and Studies but some hundreds of Pounds in the Republicks service since my inlargement without craving or receiving one farthing recompence in any kinde whereas if I had sought my self or been any way covetous or ambitious I might perchance have obtained as advantagious and honourable preferments as any Independents have aspired to if not challenged as their right for lesse meritorious publick services and sufferings then the least of mine As for my importuning the Parliament for continuance of their favours to that people you speak of surely when I finde them more obsequious to the Parliaments just Ordinances and commands lesse willfull and more conscientious I shall do them all the offices of Christian love but whiles contumnacy obstinacy licentiousnesse uncharitablenesse and Schisme are most predominant in them the greatest favour I can move the Parliament to indulge them is to bridle these their extravagances with the severest Laws and to prefer the publike safety of Church and State before their private Lawlesse conceits and phantasticall opinions He addes That I am in this as cruell a Task-master as Pharaoh and that the Son of God and his Saints are but little beholding to me Surely to confine Licencious lawlesse consciences to the rules of Gods word the justLaws of the Realm and rectified reason can Proclaime me no Egyptian Task-master but rather decl●re your Sect meer Libertines who will not be Regnlated by nor confined within these Bounds yea I trust the Son of God and his true Saints are as much beholding to me in your sense as to the greatest Patriarchs of your Independent Tribes be they whom they will This Libeller being questioned before the Committee of Examinations concerning this Letter by their speciall favour returned his Reasons why he sent it in writing which he no sooner exhibited but published in Print the next day after to defame and slander me among his Confederates who give me now no other Epithites in their discourses but a Papist a Persecutor of Gods Saints an Enemy of Christs Kingdom vvho deserve to lose my head for opposing them in this cause c. which I no more value Then the Moon doth the barking of a lousie Cur. In this new unlicensed Paper first he vaingloriously relates his own sufferings and deserts Secondly Traduceth the justice of the Parliament and others against some seditions Sectaries misreciting many of their proceedings to the scandall of Publick justice and the Parliament pag. 3 4. Thirdly pag. 5. He pretends my Books against Independents Licensed by Authority of a Committee of Parliament to be the principall causes of the rigid Proceedings against Separatists especially my Truths Triumphing over Falshood which being subsequent in time to all the particulars he recites could certainly be no occasion of them and therefore he playes not only the Sophyster but Slanderer in this particular Fourthly pag. 5 6. He misrepeats and misapplies some Passages of mine to all of his Sect in generall and to HIMSELF and SVCH AS HE IS in the ARMY and ELSEWHERE Whereas there is not one Syllable in my Passages to that purpose but only against some particular Authors I there mention and such of their Confederates who maliciously and audaciously oppugne the undoubted Rights Priviledges and just Proceedings of Parliament contrary to their Solemne Covenant League and Protestation and if you proclaim your self or any other in the Army or elsewhere to be of this Anti-Parliamentary Regiment as now you do I then professe my self an opposite to you and shall make good against you what ever I have written when and where you please Fiftly He writes That I eagerly endeavour to incense the Parliament against him and such as he is in the Army and elsewhere and in the Conclusion of my Independency examined presse the cutting of them off by the sword executing wrath and vengeance on them upon pain of contracting the guilt of highest Perjury A most malicious scandall For first I never mentioned him or his in particular neither knew I how he stood inclined Secondly In my Independency examined I only in a generall discourse affert that Kings and Civill Magistrates have by the Law of God a Lawfull coercive power thought not to restrain the sincere Preaching of the Gospel and truth of God yet to suppresse restrain imprison confine banish the brea●hers of Heresies Schismes Erronious seditious Doctrines Enthusiasmes or setters up of new Formes of Ecclesiasticall Government without Lawfull Authority to the en●●ngering of mens souls or disturbance of the Churches and Kingdoms Peace These are my formall words which I there make good by Scripture Presidents in all Ages will justifie by Gods assistance upon any occasion against all Sectaries Independents whatsoever After which I close up this discourse in these very words And if any Hereticks false-Teachers Schismaticks chuse which of these three ranks you and yours will fall under obstinatly refuse conformity after due admonition and all good means used to reclaim them the Poets Divinity and Policy must then take place as well in Ecclesiasticall as civill and naturall maladies Cuncta prim tentanda sed immedicabile Vulnius Ense rescidendum est ne pars syncera trahatur Is this any urging of the Parliament To cut you and yours off by the sword and to execute wrath and vengeance on you If you be such obstinate Hereticks Schismaticks or false-Teachers who fall within the compasse of my words God forbid but the sword of Iustice should be drawn out against you as well as others at least to chastise and reduce you to obedience though not finally to cut you off unlesse in case of absolute necessity But if you are none of this obstinate Hereticall Schismaticall Brigade as I make you not unlesse you make your selves my generall indefinite words will relate neither to your self in person whom I never once minded in my writings nor to any of your Tribe And therefore in this particular I charge you for a malicious slanderour and false Informer demanding justice and reparation from you for this and all the forementioned passages wherein you have wilfully done me wrong Sixtly pag. 6. He injuriously chargeth me as guilty of being an Incendiary betwixt

of all persons here and of whom he will certainly require it if such an evill as is threatned should befall through your neglect For although the great Antichrist and his Clergy did prevaile to perswade Christian Princes and Magistrates that the Government of the Church and care of Religion pertained not to them but to the Clergy and the like is now here preached amongst us yet I verily trust you entertain no such false principle For to establish true Religion to maintain it and to see that the duties of Religion be duly performed to God and man is almost all that the Law requireth and so is almost if not all the duty of the Christian Magistrate And this being taken from him and put upon the Clergy he may serve as an officer to execute what the Clergy shall decree but ceaseth in a manner wholly to be a Magistrate Thus commending you to the tuition and direction of Almighty God I rest March 6. 1642. Your Worships in all due observance RICH. NORWOOD An Advertisement to such here as have care of the Conservation of true Religion IT is and ought to be the principall care of every good Christian to conserve the knowledge and exercise of true Religion in himselfe and others being the one thing necessary But from this these times have much declined everywhere and even in our deare native Countrey so farre as called for a speedy Reformation or threatned ruine And seeing little hope of the one the latter was justly feared by many and by my selfe I confesse amongst others being the principall cause of my comming hither But the Lord hath mercifully stayed those feares and given us fresh hopes by the Reformation in so great a measure begun by the present Parliament which also they endeavour through many difficulties to accomplish more fully And considering how worthily they have begun and what great things they have effected above all expectation we have no cause to mis-doubt them nor to anticipate their Honourable proceedings but rather to attend what shall be determined by them especially considering that wee of this place as wee have not beene much burthened except by some Ministers so now we are altogether unburthened of the Ceremonies and whatsoever else hath usually beene offensive to good Christians in England For if we should set up a new Government or Discipline and forme of Religion here wee must alter it againe when wee understand out of England what forme the Parliament have or shall establish Some say no our Ministers are as supreame heads under Christ of their severall Churches here and not subordinate in these things Ecclesiasticall to Parliament or any other power upon earth whatsoever but this opinion savors too much of Antichristian pride and presumption Others say the Parliament will establish the same forme that our Ministers will set up here but these conjectures doe much wrong that Honourable Assembly for if the matter were so easie and evident that our Ministers here can presently determine it then what need the Parliament so long to debate and consider of it What need such consultation with the ablest Divines in England and many other from all parts And why hath there beene such difference of opinions touching this matter even amongst the most godly and learned in Christendome for these 100 years together I remaines therefore that wee must change againe when we heare from thence and considering what changes have beene made by some already if we should now make another change in setting up a new Discipline and shortly after another when we heare out of England such mutability would neither be safe for this place not suteable to the stedfastnesse of the Church and people of God which is the Pillar and ground of truth and must not be wavering and carried about with every winde of Doctrine c. The Apostle makes it a signe of a double minded man to be unstable in all his wayes and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines c. And the Prophet saith Why runnest thou about so much to change thy wayes It will be answered we intend not to change but to the better but withall remember that such is alwayes the pretence and oft-times the intent in all Innovations whatsoever Therefore Solomon saith My sonne feare God and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Not but that even the best Christians may al●er sometimes in some circumstances of Religion some good and weighty causes requiring it but it must not be through levity nor of an high minde nor for selfe ends A restlesse levity and that with contempt of Authority under pretence of greater and new lights is a dangerous signe of an Anabaptisticall spirit Therefore I say what we change ought to be done with the feare of God and the King In the feare of God namely according to his Word and with the feare of the King that is consenting with the Lawes and Soveraigne Authority set over us or at least not with an high hand in contempt thereof For every soule must be subject to the higher powers yea saith Chrysostome though he be an Apostle though an Evangelist though a Prophet Therefore I could wish as I have often perswaded that wee might stay for the determination of the Parliament in these things and likewise the approbation of the Company in those that concern● them But because some here are very impetuous and a further change is daily preached and pressed amongst us I have little hope to stop the violence of this streame Therefore to the intent we may understand and consider what to doe and as the saying is look before we leap I should in the next place desire as many others doe and as it concerns us all to desire of them and of our Ministers especially that they would be pleased to set down in writing whatsoever new thing in Doctrine or Discipline they would have us entertaine different from the practice or tenents of the Church of England that so each thing being well considered examined and adjudged by the Word of God we may entertaine or reject it accordingly I know there are sundry Objections alleadged and pretended more then I need to repeat or answer here For howsoever it is true that we are to submit our selves to the Word of God I meane the holy Scriptures in all things yet not so to men especially when they seek themselves in stead of Christ No though they tell us they are the mouth of God and sit in Moses chaire and therefore must be heard and obeyed and that the government of the Church belongeth to them next under Christ and that even Caiaphas though a persecutor of Christ yet when he had the place of High-priest he prophesied the truth And though they tell us we must not strive with the Priest nor reprove our R●prover and though they accuse us to have rejected and opposed more

on fire As for those furious Champions and Emissaries of theirs who have most presumptuously opposed your religious Ordinances by word deed and presuming on the strength of their Freinds within your Wals the opinion wherof with your former Lenity towards them hath much increased their spreading Leprosy intend now at last to try this issue with your Honours whether your just Ordinances or their willfull Contempts against them shall take place It is presumed you will so proceed gainst them and the Authors Printers Publishers of the execrable Libells h●re presented to your veiw that they and all the world shal know You a●e a Soveraigne Court of Parliament whose priviledges Honour you have all joyntly Covenanted to mantain with your Lives Power Fortunes and to proceed against all such secret Underminers or open Impugners of them as Capital Delinquents and these Mutineers experimentally know that no one Member of your Honorable Assembly will so far dishonour himself or violate his publike trust Covenant as to countenance such audacious willfull offenders in the least degree nor yet for Fear or Favour of any Faction any Person how great soever decline one hairs-bredth from that straite path of Truth and publike Justice the greatest Security and support of Parliaments Kingdoms especially in these Leading-cases wherein you are most concerned and as much obleiged to maintain your own Priviledges Power Reputations Ordinances against Seditious Sectaries as against Rebellious C●valeers or else dissolve give over your intended almost-accomplished Reformation and so render your selves with your Proceedings contemptible to all the world which God forbid If any should Object that the Punishment of these grosse Libellers Ring-leaders of sedition would discontent and disengage the Independents with all other Sectaries of their opinion who are a considerable party now which might prove dangerous to the state in this juncture of our publike Affaires I answer 1. That I doubt not all moderate and juditious persons of that party wil willingly disclaime if not excomunicate banish them their Congregations and yeeld them up to publike Justice as persons worthy the severest Censures else all the world will cry shame upon them Secondly Admit your executing Justice on them should discontent their party yet thankes be to God for all their vapouring they are not so potent so considerable as to over-aw a Parliament from doing Justice on such of their party who Libel against or affront their power proceedings in which case our whole three Kingdomes are solemnly engaged by publike Covenant to assist you to the utmost with their very lives and fortunes Thirdly The greatnes of the Kings Power party hath not retarded you from executing Justice upon Strafford Canterbury Tompkins sundry other delinquents Shall then the lesse considerable Faction of Anahaptists and other Sectaries hinder you from proceeding against a few seditious Libellers and Delinquents of their party Fourthly Either you must permit them to go on to libel and affront your Authority Orders proceedings still without exemplary punishments to your great dishonour infamy or else proceed against them now whiles your Ordinances and their contempts against them are fresh their party small else they will plead prescription and you will be lesse engaged lesse able to punish them hereafter in case they should grow stronger and more numerous Principiis obstandum is ever the best policy Fiftly Let their party be as considerable as potent as is falsely surmised by themselves yet I humbly conceive it stands neither with the Majesty Honour Power nor Wisdome of a Parliament to be afraid of doing Justice especially in maintenance of their own Ordinances Priviledges whoever they discontent In such a case Fiat Justitia ruet Caelum is the safest Resolution Majestrates and inferiour Judges much more then supreamest Courts of Judicature must not fear the faces nor Frowns of any Mortalls in discharging their duties but execute Justice and Judgement what ever comes of it and trust God with the Event Sixtly The not doing Exemplary Justice in such leading cases of publike Concernment will render your Parliamentary Authority Ordinances Proceedings more contemptible to your own party then ever they were unto the Kings yea animate the Country Club-men and every inconsiderable Sectary not only to Jeat contemn disobey your Ordinances and Commands but at last to prescribe Laws unto you as Iack Cade and his Confederates did to the Parliament in the 29. of Hen. 6. Which will by consequence bring Parliaments into contempt and so speedy desolation upon all our Dominions after so many successefull proceedings Up therefore and be doing Justice upon some few chiefe offenders of this kinde for the present to prevent execution upon many others if not ruin on us all for the future and God himselfe will no doubt be with you You neede not fear what flesh can do unto you or Sectaries speake or write against you whose ensuing scurrilous Libellous Seditious passages will so publikely discover their uncharitable unchristian Libellous slandering tumultuous dispositions and hypocriticall false froward licentious tempers to all the world as will render them odious to all sober minded peaceable consciencious modest Christians if not to themselves and all ingenious persons of their own Sects and so through Gods blessing reduce many of them to the bosome of our Church from which they have formerly revolted It is not my intention by any the premisses to soure or exasperate your Honours in the least degree against any peaceable Consciencious Orthodox or truly Religious Christians seduced by the Independent party or to stir up any kind of persecution against such whose consciences will I doubt not in due time be fully satisfied perswaded to submit to that Presbyteriall Church-Goverment and Discipline which you have now resolved to establish in our Churches there being nought there in repugnant to Gods word or which any well-informed Conscience can have cause to scruple at Towards such as these it is most just and reasonable all Christian Charity meeknesse long-suffering brotherly love and fitting liberty should be Indulged for the present till God shall further open their eyes and turn their hearts unto us For whose better sati●faction in the irregularities of their new concealed Independent way I have here-unto subjoyned some Letters and other Papers lately sent me from the Summer Islands whereby they may discover the faction arrogance pride and Cruelty of the Independent Ministers there and that the Liberty of conscience they plead for pretend they grant to Presbyterians others and the peaceablenesse of their way is but a meere fiction contradicted by their practise and likewise discern how they lead their followers by a meere implicite faith impose upon them a Popish blind Obedience exercise a meere Papall Authority and unlymited dangerous Arbytrary power over them and others pretending an Vtopian Government after the mind of Christ which is no where written in his word nor in any classicall Authors Ancient or Modern but founded only

the people next under Christ as that they cannot so well renounce and part from it in many respects by what they may of civill how can it be thought by any one that the King Parliament Synod though never so much importun'd by a thousand such Asses should goe about to settle a new Presbyterian Scotch government with an intention to force a conformity of the whole Kingdome three quarters whereof cannot as yet be thought to submit unto it willingly or for conscience sake Pag. 32 33 34 35 36. Qu. 5. Is it not an ungodly thing to suffer men to be of any Religion Ans No For both our Saviour his Apostles and the Primitive Christians did the same neither is it in the power of flesh and blood to hinder it Qu. 6. Is it not the most unseemely sight to see the people of one Citty run seambling from their Parishes to twenty Conventicles where so many severall doctrines are taught An. No but farre more monstrous and abominable in the eyes of God for people of twenty severall opinions for feare or favour to assemble and Joyn together hyprocritically in one way of worship or Church discipline Q. 8. Ought we not then at least to keepe our different opinions and Religion unto our selves in obedience to the Civill Magistrate that commands it An. No because it is better to obey God then man Qu. 9. If Jesuited Papists and other subtile Hereticks be suffered will they not likely seduce many unto their erronious by-pathe Ans Though a Tolleration of erronious opinions may gaine some to sathan yet truth being therewith to be published and improved will in all probabillity not onely gaine so many more to God but any one thus wonne to God unto his truth is worth thousands of those that fall from it Qu. 10. But may not the multiplying of Heresies stifle or expell the truth like as the abounding of tares and weedes often choake the wheate and for this cause not to be permitted An. Though it seeme to be many of the first yet our Saviour in the parable of Tares Math. 13. teaches us a quite contrary doctrine and forbids Heresies the Tares to be pulled up before the day of Judgment the harvest v. 30. 39. least the wheate the children of the Kingdome true professors v. 30. 39. be therewith rooted up Qu. 21. Is it not a pious Act to compell a Company of carelesse Idle people to heare a good sermon to do a good worke whether they will or no Ans No more pious an Act then for Papists to use the like compulsion towards Iewes and Protestants inforcing them to heare their sermons Masse or Vespers Q. 24. May not the Civill Goverment interpose to punish such Church members with whom the spirituall by reason of their refractorinesse cannot prevaile Answ Nothing lesse since the Civill State or government has no more power nor vertue to make a Papist turne Protestant in England then it can prevaile to make a Protestant become a Papist in Spaine Qu. 29. But can there be any hurt in forceing refractory people to be present at Religious orthodox assemblies where if they will they may be informed of the truth An. Yes first because there can come no good thereof through want of willingnesse which God onely reguards in him which is thus compelled and secondly because this forceing is a doing evill that good may come thereof which is prohibited Rom. 3. 8. The Falshood of M. W. Prynnes Truth triumphing c. printed in London 1645. without license written by H. Robinson who hath set up a private unlicensed printing Presse determines thus p. 19. 20. 26. But did the only wise God think we resolve to create man after his own Image to estate him in such a sad and execrable condition worse then that of beasts wolves Bears Tigres as that he must necessarily tyrannize or be Tyrannized over both in soul and body and yet it cannot possibly be otherwise if you will grant a power to Kings Parliaments or Synods to require conformity from others in any thing which is not agreeable to their consciences for if such a Latitude and height of Iurisdiction be granted but to the more orthodox Kings Parliaments and Synods both Papists Lutherans Calvinists and Independants pretending and really takeing themselves to be the most orthodox are bound in conscience to lay Clayme to and put in Execution this power of Compelling all the world unto their uniformity and so infallibly produce the most cursed enmity and hatred betwixt all the people but differing in opinion exceeding that of Cannibals or the profoundest of Antipathics betweene any rationall creatures whatsoever You say the oposites to Parliaments Ecclesiasticall Jurisdictions have formerly and more especially in this Present Parliament addressed severall Petitions to this High and honorable Court for Reformation of the Church c. wherein under favour I conceive you have mis-apprehended their proceedings Intentions which doubtlesse was for the most part or best affected that the Parliament in whom they acknowledge the Soveraigne power to reside would permit Cou●tenance and encourage all godly men of gifts in preaching down Heresies Errors Idolatry Popery c. Many whereof had either beene formerly established by Law or not permitted to be preached downe through the Prelates corruption contrary to the Law This is the best even all the Reformation which the Civill Magistrate as Civill has a Capassity of compassing against all Heresies and Errors which must necessarily be vanquished by the sword of the Spirit and cannot possibly be suppressed by carnall weapons or the civill sword they may destroy the flesh but cannot properly be said to touch and worke upon the Spirit T is no small dis-service which you do both Parliament and Assembly in thus exposing their proceedings to be questioned by no little and that the most conscionable and best affected party of the kingdome such spirits of contention as this of yours were those which made the first great breach among the Parliaments friends Master John Goodwins Theomathia pag. 48 49 50. The generality and promiscuous multitude of the World who have a right of nominating persons to a Parliamentary trust and power are but a Secular Root out of which the Independent Brethren conceive an impossibility that a spirituall extraction should be made A man may as well bring a clean thing out of an unclean in Jobs expression as make a spirituall extraction out of this secular root who have no Authority nor power from Christ to nominate or appoint who shall be the men that shall order the affaires of Christs kingdome or institute the government of his Church Therefore there is an impossiblity that a legitimate Ecclesiasticall power should according to the minde of Christ or any precept or president of Scripture be by them conferred upon any man or that the persons so elected should have a power by vertue of such nomination or election to enact Laws or Statutes in matters of religion

I call the God of heaven to witnesse would it quench their thirst and be a ransome for our posterity I would freely offer it to the Common good● and as for the P●●testant Religion hath it not beene lock'd up in the breasts of the Assembly hath not your faith beene pin'd upon their sleeve your estates spent and your blood shed for the result of their mindes right or wrong and so have fough● for you know not what But it may be you 'l say you have engaged for the suppression of Prelacy High-Commission c. you have indeed beat the bush but the Presbyters have caught th●● Hare instead of one High-commission in the whole kingdome you shall have one in every Parish under the name of a Parochiall Sessions besides the generall High-commission call'd the Common Councell of Presbyters Now have you not to shu● the smoke skippt into the fire is the matter any thing amended sure you have got a worthy Reformation But it may be you have a better esteem of these new Courts then of the old High-commission Let me aske you do you thinke that they 'l be better then their patterne c. Thus you may see what you are to rely upon if in conscience you cannot submit to any thing they command you know your wages you must be banished and doe not our Presbyters not onely labour for the banishment but for the lives of the Contrary minded to them And is not this thinke you as evill measure as ever was measured out of the High-commission Wherfore I beseech you Friends consider what you do consider the frait of your bodies into what slavery you are fit to inthrall them I know you would be loath your Children after you should be deprived of trading or living in the Kingdome though they should differ a litle in opinion from others I beseech you therfore save your selves from this wicked Generation who have spent your estates your blood and all and you are now worse then ever you were hitherto all hath beene in their disposing and you are betrayd and daiely delivered as a prey to the Enemy The Lord Deliver us Amen Whether this be not another Sheba a Trumpeter to blow up popular sedition and Rebellion against the Parliament Synod and their proceedings deserving Sheba's punishment and whether it be not more then time for the Honorable Court of Parliament to proceed severely against such Scismaticall Libellous and Seditious Mutiniers as these forementioned let all wise men judge If our foolish pitty and indulgence towards them according to the proverbe destroy our Citty our Church our Religion our Parliament our Realmes let those superior Powers answer it who have authority to prevent it I can with a good conscience professe and say Liberavi animam meam what ever censures reproaches Scandals Libels I suffer for my good intentions from this Libellous Generation of unreasonable men who have litle faith and lesse Charity Certain Queres propounded to Independent Ministers and their Members convincing them in many things to be meer Papists and swervers from the Word of God 1. WHether Independent Ministers prescribing and Members submitting to a New-forme of Church-Government not yet fully knowne to or agreed on among themselves nor reduced unto certainty by any of their Sect but fluctuating and swimming in their Ministers giddy braines with a reserve of altering adding or diminishing at their pleasure be not a meere Popish blind obedience a receiving of a Church-Government with an implicit Popish faith to believe as their Minister or Church believes without knowing certainly and determinately what they do dogmatically believe and a plaine worshipping of they know not what their Independent way and Government being yet not fully delineated nor 〈◊〉 in writing by any of their party though frequently pressed to it 2. Whether Independent Ministers Members Churches denying the lawfull legislative directive coercive Authority Jurisdiction of Parliaments Councels Synods Kings and Temporall Magistrates in all Ecclesiasticall affaires or matters of Religion appropriating this power wholy to themselves and their Independent conventicles Their pleading of an exemption of themselues and Members from all secular Powers in Church matters as being immediately subject herein to none but Christ Their usurping Authority to erect and gather New Independent Churches not onely without but against the command of Parliaments and Princes Their dayly practise of admitting rejecting Church-members excluding godly Christians not onely from their Churches but even from the Sacraments and their children from baptisme in case they submit not to their New-fangled way Their denying the liberty and benefit of Appeales from themselves to any superior Tribunall be it a Classis Synod or Parliament by way of ●urisdiction but onely of advice Their proclaimeing their owne Independent Churches to be the onely true Churches of Christ and allothers f●lse erronious Antichristian from which all must sever under paine of damnation Their imposing New O●thes and Covenants under pain of exclusion from Church-communion on all their new members and binding them wholy to their wayes Edicts Their stilling themselves supreame heads of the Church next under Christ and exalting themselves above all that is called God or worshipped above all other Ministers or Christians whatsoever as the ONLY Lights of the world and tying the Scriptures to their owne new-fangled expositions be not an erecting of a meere arbitrary tyrannicall Pap●ll Antichristian Jurisdiction in every Independent congregation both over the soules consciences bodies of Christians and a setting up of as many Petty Popes as there are Independent Ministers or congregations 3. Whether Independents admitting Women not onely to vote as members but sometimes to preach expound and speake publikely as Predicants in their Convent●cles be not directly contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and practise 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. 1. Tim. 2. 11. 12. and a meer politick invention to engage that Sex to their par●y Whether their pretended Liberty of conscience for every man to bleeve professe and practise what Religion he pleaseth be it Paganisme Judaisme Turcisme Popery without co●rtion or punishment by the magistrate be not a like wicked Policy contradictory to Scripture and Religion which proclaimes a licen●iousnesse to practise any sinne with impunity and warrants Popes Papists Iesuits to murther Protestant Princes blow up Parliaments Massacre Heretiques absolve subjects from their allegiance Equivocate worship Images Saints Reliques and their Breaden-god and commit any wickednesse for the advancement of the Catholique cause because their Religion and Consciences hold them lawful And how then can we justly punish any Traytor Rebell Murder Adulterer Swearer Drunkard Polyganist Theef in case he be really perswaded in his conscience what he doth is lawfull 4. Whether the Independent Ministers in the Assembly will undertake to bind either themselves or all others of their party for the future without any reserve of altering or changing their opinions and practise to that Independent way of Church Government which Mr. Thomas

the Court shall be censured upon or else which they most ayme at to have us contrary to knowledge and conscience acknowledge we have wronged them and there in open Court before the Countrey confesse our selves sorry for what we have done this is our misery yea if I shall speak much more write in our owne defence against their Independent Church laying open their factious and schismaticall government and their envying against our Church and Church government and Discipline though they have proofes and grounds sufficient by the word of God to convince them the which I could never yet see disproved by them together with my name annexed thereunto yet if he threaten me for boldnesse herein to have a Counsell Table called against me I am sure of it and there to bee baited and banded to and againe by a whole Counsell together with our Schismaticall Divines even as a Beare at a stake not one to speak one word in my defence nor in the defence of Gods cause but with an unanimous consent and voyce my writings exclaimed against pronounced Libels and ignominious and slanderous writings though none of them approved so to be nor disproved for the Truth I stand for yet shall I be censured by them for them bound to my good behaviour put in sureties and if at any time afterwards I shall divulge any thing either by pen or tongue against this Independent Church their Governours or Government Doctrine or the like I must then presently be declared infamous and lie in prison till to the contrary we heare out of England yea however for want of Sureties in this case to lie in prison notwithstanding till I can or doe put in Sureties the which I did for the space of five weeks to my great damage and charge and also detriment being an aged poore man of 74 yeares of age and five nights in the cold winter time almost drowned in the prison with raine and sore tempestuous weather having no shelter to save my selfe dry These with other things have I undergon too large for to relate and that chiefely from this White of this Independent Church Pastor I meane by his meanes for if hee sayit it must and shall be by our Rulers who indeed ought to be chiefe instruments in removing and casting out such venomous vermine out of both Church and Common-weal●● But how can it be expected when they themselves are inconfederacy with him and joyne hand in to work wickednesse therefore whoever speaks or writes against one doth it against all therefore with a cunning sleight they put it off as not being done in the behalfe of their Church but as that by it I labour the subversion of the peace of our Countrey as much as in me lay as though our Countreys peace rested wholly upon the planting of this their Independent Church whereby they have made more and greater breaches as can be manifestly proved then ever they will be able to make good both in Church and Common wealth yea in private families also the husband against the wife the wife against the husband the children against the parents the parents against the children and the like according as your selfe have worthily noted in your twelve Interrogatories Is not this a great misery in so little a spot even a handfull of people Oh miserable times Oh unhappy conditions Now if you demand a title or name of this their Church or from whence derived I cannot answer you for I suppose themselves know not only framed of their fancie and braines only to get themselves a name fame and popular applause and estimation of the world But thus much I am sure of it is derived partly from the Anabaptists partly from the Brownists but most especially from the Donatists having in it a smatch of each however they feign it to the Church of New England which as they say is the purest Church this day in the world yet come they farre wide of it so that it is but their saying not their doing But grant that they were in their way aright yet hold it we not requisite that their examples should be rules to us to walk by seeing that both the one and the other have beene constituted and erected by an indirect way without the advice and approbation of lawfull Authority of King Parliament and Synod the which our men say they are not to attend or waite upon Princes nor Parliaments leisures the cause being Christs owne and depending only and alone upon him and not upon any humane power and they his servants and Christ their Lord it refteth on them in his behalfe to doe it it being a spirituall and no carnall work And againe some of them have said it that Parliament and Synod can establish no other Church Discipline or Government then theirs unlesse they will goe contrary to the word of God this hath beene publikely delivered yea by the same party such stuffe hath beene delivered that hath made all modest and shamefull faces to blush eares to glow and hearts to grieve that hath heard it yea and that upon dayes of humiliation making divers people both objects and subjects openly to work upon thundering out punishments and judgements both spirituall and temporall against divers persons as though they had both swords in their owne power or as though they had absolutely knowne Gods secret decree and this hath beene held for sound and good Orthodox Doctrine when divers have repented of their hearing and these not once nor twice but often Infinite might I relate even from their owne mouthes which would make wise men admire but I must passe over them to avoyd tediousnesse to my selfe and trouble to you And that in your wisedome you may the better conceive of this their Church The first beginning was a certaine Feast held every week at severall houses which Feast they called a loblolly Feast which for the common fare of our Countrey is as our watergruell in England so they would have it but of a common food at which Feast each did strive to excell another in the difference of making it after they had once gotten a certaine number unto them and so of an ordinary food they made it extraordinary yea so extraordinary that some in few meetings were forced to sell the feathers out of their bedding for milk butter and creame to feed them withall and to make their Loblolly the more dainty and toothsome others againe to maintaine this Feast for one dayes entertainment themselves and whole family must pinch for it two or three months after by which Feast by the shew of neighbourhood or Feast of Love though never none was found in short time they encreased in every parish to a pretty number At which Feast also their bellies and stomacks being well gormondized the Minister propoundeth certaine questions unto them by way of catechising of his owne framing for halfe an howre which each had in writing one from another and